CHICOPEE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) -- Two Chicopee police officers are being hailed as heroes after saving a toddler who wandered in a swimming pool. The two police officers saved a two-year-old girls life on Saturday, performing CPR on the spot.The Lincoln Trail District Health Department is monitoring the recent uptick of cases that have mostly been confirmed in high school-aged students.Reporter

I cover a range of stories for WDRB, but really enjoy tracking what's going on at our State Capitol. I grew up on military bases all over the world, but am a Kentuckian at heart. I'm an EKU alum, and have lived in Louisville for 30 years.WDEL Breaking News Reporters Mike Phillips & Sean Greene remember back to the protest, and the looting, that took place on May 30, 2020 in Downtown Wilmington.Western Australia's opposition leader has likened a controversial state government plan to own a slice of the local crayfish industry to policy making in "the third world".

The government has proposed it take a 17.3 per cent stake in Australia's most valuable fishery while increasing annual commercial catch limits from 6000 to 8000 tonnes.

The government plan will keep back 1350 tonnes of lobster for the state to lease to the private sector for additional revenue.

The plan will keep back 1350 tonnes for the state to lease to the private sector for additional revenue.

Amid angry reactions from industry, Liberal leader Mike Nahan said the policy was, "like something you'd see in a third world country, nationalising assets."Mandurah Cruises co-owner Myrianthe Riddy said the domestic figures rang true in Mandurah, with noticeable increases in day-trip visitors to the coastal city. But her own experience bucked the trend when it came to international tourists. Weve seen a lot of growth in international tourism, particularly from north Asia, thats because weve launched a product centred on WAs sustainable seafood, so rock lobsters and Mandurahs crabs, she said. We show them how the lobsters are caught and the crabs are caught, and they get to experience a very hands-on process of catching a lobster and then we cook it in front of them. North Asian guests find that a compelling proposition because they love fresh seafood, its such an aspirational product for them and we as a business have seen a lot of growth as a result.

Mandurah Cruises purchased the lobster business in 2017 and Ms Riddy attributes some of its success to a heavy marketing effort that focuses on Chinese visitors and caters to their language and cultural needs. Chinese visitors who come over to WA are a small but high value segment, they tend to spend about $5000 per head, she said. When we got the experience running we started marketing with local inbound Chinese tourism operators. We also advertise with local Chinese media and do things like tailor the tour to make it easier for Chinese people to buy from us. We have Chinese tour guides and we can prepare their food in a way thats nice for Chinese people, like lobster sashimi. Thats worked pretty well.

Mandurah Cruises is also getting tech-savvy: because of Chinese government restrictions on Western social media apps, they have been forced to include Chinese social media app Wechat in their marketing plan. When Chinese visitors come they come independently but when they arrive in Perth they tend to book their tours using local Chinese media using Wechat, she said. Theyll get on their Wechat and theyll look at what is on in Perth, who is selling these products and off they go. So being linked into that social media and being linked in to operators selling on that is very important.

International focus Shadow Tourism Minister Libby Mettam slammed the state government in response to the drop in international visitor numbers, blaming a lack of funding and vision to grow WAs share of the market. Loading The Labor Governments poor policy decisions, including merging Tourism WA into a mega-department, removing incentives for international students to study in WA, and cutting funding to Aboriginal tourism, regional visitor centres and regional caravan and camping, has resulted in a significant loss of market share to other states, she said. WA is the only state to experience significant declines in visitor expenditure, while the rest of Australia is responding to strong global growth in tourism driven by increasing their tourism budgets.

The McGowan Government need to stop blaming the previous government for its own poor performance, listen to the genuine concerns of the tourism industry and WA public and start putting more effort into attracting more tourists to Western Australia. The Tourism Council WA agreed and said the Tourism WA Budget was insufficient to cover both international and interstate markets effectively, meaning the net impact was that WA was $53 million worse off and more than a thousand tourism-reliant jobs lost. Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said the results meant more jobs would disappear in retail, hospitality, transport and other tourism industries as international visitor spending declined. The decline follows a $181 million decrease in out-of-state visitor expenditure in 2017-18, while other states grew their tourism industries, he said. As a result of this spending decrease, more than 1200 jobs were lost across WA in 2017-18. The latest results further compound job losses and significantly impact tourism businesses across WA.

Mr Hall called on the state government to commit to a tourism jobs growth fund to increase tourism funding and put WA on competitive footing with other states in order to retain. Tourism Minister Paul Papalia was contacted but referred questions to Tourism WA managing director Brodie Carr who said while growth was not as strong as Australia as a whole, the figures were 'not poor.' Weve seen good growth in some markets such as India, Japan and Germany and moderate growth in others including the UK, China and Indonesia. However, other markets such as the US, Singapore, Malaysia and New Zealand saw a decline in visitation, he said. International travellers take longer to decide on their next overseas destination meaning its harder to get quick uplift in these numbers.The monks counselled Ven Chuon Huot that he would have to disrobe, but he refused. Instead, he wrote to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection alleging that the monks had been violent and engaged in sexual activity, and aligned himself with a new candidate to become the next president of the Buddhist society two months later. Justice John Sackar, who found no basis to the allegations against the monks, would describe the December elections as "a chaotic and crowded affair" and "plagued with irregularities". When Sakal Men stood up to make his speech, he was interrupted every time he mentioned "Davy and Huot". Witnesses testified that one woman was observed writing on a number of ballot papers, that people voted more than once, that handfuls of ballot papers were thrown into the box at a time. Of 676 membership forms, 491 were filled out on the day of the election.

Sakal Men was comfortably dislodged from the presidency by Meng Eang Thai, who used sleight of hand to replace the Abbot with the Assistant Abbot - appointing the former to "Honorary Abbot" and the latter to "general manager" in order to avoid breaching the constitution, he told the court. Outraged, the ousted faction declared the presidency vacant and their own candidate elected unopposed, but when they arrived at the temple the incumbents had dug in by changing the locks. Security cameras were installed throughout the temple, with the control panel in Ven Chuon Huot's room. For a people who had fled the Khmer Rouge, the installation of cameras was a sinister development. Michael Michell, who is married to a Cambodian and attends the temple, said there was real fear among some in the community that the images were being returned to Hun Sen's regime.

Cambodians rally to protest human rights abuses in their homeland during the Sydney visit of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen in March 2018. Credit:Brook Mitchell "It was a real low point," Mr Michell said. "They were worried that they were being surveilled from afar. People felt insecure." Alongside this battle of the Buddhists, a separate dispute had emerged in what was once the parent organisation  the Khmer Community of NSW. The association had been set up to provide pastoral care to new arrivals to Australia, but its processes had become opaque under its president of 10 years, Lina Tjoeng.

Membership had dwindled to around 30 people consisting mostly of Ms Tjoeng's family and Cambodian dancers, and people who had applied to become members years ago were still waiting for the forms to be processed. In November 2015, a member of the executive Virak Um nominated himself for president and the heavens opened. When the election was held in late December, up to 100 Cambodian people gathered at the Golden Palace Seafood Restaurant in Cabramatta, though none of them had been permitted membership. Ms Tjoeng called the police. Newly-elected President of the Khmer Community of NSW, Sorn Yin. Credit:Janie Barrett

The following day a larger group of Cambodians endorsed an "alternative committee" and the NSW Office of Fair Trading recorded the registration of the Khmer Community of NSW as "in dispute". Under Ms Tjoengs presidency, the Khmer Community of NSW took legal action against Virak Um. She said in her affidavit that Mr Um only nominated for president after the committee had decided to close membership applications for the year. His actions in putting the organisation's status in dispute jeopardised funding for Cambodian dancers, Seniors week and volunteers, she said. The Herald has asked her for comment. By 2017, both disputes involving the community had landed in the NSW Supreme Court, where a receiver was appointed to take over the affairs of the Cambodian Buddhist Society of NSW and orders were made for membership to be opened to the Khmer Community of NSW.

Ven Chuon Huot is said to have started his own temple in Canley Heights. He could not be reached by the Herald. The security cameras have been disabled. Thin Em, who stood uncontested for the presidency of the Cambodian Buddhist Society last year, said the temple was about $400,000 in debt as a result of the dispute. He expects that paying off the debt will take years. Last month Sorn Yin was elected president of the Khmer Community of NSW. His first act was to reinstate the membership of Mr Um. The committee will now set to work providing assistance to the elderly, new arrivals and victims of domestic violence.US stocks rallied Tuesday as the possibility of progress in trade talks with China overwhelmed scepticism about the financial sector. The dollar rose, Treasuries slumped and crude surged toward $US50 a barrel on expectations the market will be tightened by OPEC's output cuts.

Wall Street gained for the third day in a row. Credit:AP

All major indexes were higher, led by the small-cap Russell 2000 index for a second day. The S&P 500 index gained 1 per cent on strength in transportation companies, carmakers and telephone stocks.

Financials were only major industry group in the benchmark that didn't rise. Boeing Co. helped lift large-caps with a strong fourth-quarter delivery report. PG&E Corp. was the biggest decliner, dropping 9 per cent amid reports that the California utility giant is considering bankruptcy.

"Talks with China are going very well!" Trump tweeted on Tuesday morning as the countries wrapped up the meetings.New solar energy installations tripled in capacity in 2018 in Australia, with solid growth in rooftop solar eclipsed by a massive increase in utility-sized ventures.

According to data collected by Green Energy Trading, the nation added just over 3775 megawatts of photovoltaic capacity last year, up from 1270MW a year earlier.

Solar panel installations soared to annual records - again - in 2018.

"That's blown away" the previous records, Tristan Edis, director of Green Energy Markets, said. "It's going to have a significant impact on [wholesale] power prices in the middle of the day."

Total installations are forecast by the consultancy to rise another quarter this year to 4700MW.Up for debate:

Live legislation tracker

Check out the latest developments on bills pending before state lawmakers in four key topics.Markku Jalonen, the labour market director at KT, on Monday reminded that the wage harmonisation is expected burden employers in the social and health care sector with substantial costs, ranging from roughly a hundred million to almost a billion euros.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYERS (KT) has urged lawmakers to mitigate the effects of the wage harmonisation necessitated by the upcoming social, health care and local government reform.

The wages, he underscored, should under no circumstances be aligned with the highest wages in each hospital district but rather with the median wage, for example.

Employee and employer organisations remain up to hundreds of millions of euros apart in their estimates of the costs of the harmonisation, partly because there have yet to be any negotiations on the remuneration system to be adopted as part of the massive reform.

The harmonisation is to be carried out as approximately 220,000 employees of hospital districts and local governments move on to the payrolls of counties most likely at the beginning of 2021, unless the reform bill fails to pass in the Finnish Parliament.

Labour market organisations also disagree on whether the harmonisation should be implemented through legislation or negotiations.

Public Sector Negotiating Commission (JUKO), the largest bargaining body for social and health care professionals, for example, has been reluctant to allow lawmakers to intervene in wage formation, which has thus far been the responsibility of labour market organisations.

The Union of Health and Social Care Professionals in Finland (Tehy) reveals that wages for the same job can vary by hundreds of euros a month even within a single hospital district. Tehy views that the current situation is unlawful and has demanded that it be addressed as employees move from municipalities and hospital districts to counties as part of the reform.

The harmonisation should have already been carried out. Hospital districts are paying different wages for the same job without no proper justification, states Else-Mai Kirvesniemi, the head of labour market affairs at Tehy.

She laments that lawmakers have failed to address the issue, despite being aware of it for a long time.

Aleksi Teivainen  HT

Source: Uusi SuomiTrusted local news has never been more important, but providing the information you need, information that can change sometimes minute-by-minute, requires a partnership with you, our readers. Please consider making a contribution today to support this vital resource that you and countless others depend on.Brian Gregory Robling of Washington, 23, passed away Monday, June 7, 2021. Brian was born July 11, 1997, in Washington, to Amber (Robling) Whiteman and Michael Bernard. He graduated from Washington High School in 2016. Brian is survived by his parents; his son, Zyler Mehrer of Washington; daAccording to CBP, the hospital that treated the girl said she died of dehydration, shock and liver failure, but an autopsy has not been finalized, and her father has disputed the governments version of what happened. He has insisted that his daughter was healthy before they were taken into custody.Pompeos visit is part of a Middle East tour in which the secretary is seeking to reassure U.S. partners in the region after President Trumps abrupt decision last month to withdraw troops from Syria. Pompeo is promising allies that the troops departure will not alter the U.S. mission to push back against Iran and oversee the complete defeat of the Islamic State, a prospect many in the region are now questioning.Firefighters from the Kerrville Fire Department work to contain a fire that destroyed a home in Hunt last week (top).The decline in arrivals to Italy began before Salvinis League party came to power, but Salvini has described his closed-door policy as being central to his Italians First strategy. During the deliberations over the charity boats, the mayor of Naples said it was immoral to keep people drifting at sea and said the city was willing to defy Salvini and open its port to the Sea-Watch. Salvini responded that left-wing mayors should think of their citizens in difficulty, not about [illegal] migrants.To speed up what happens next, lawmakers approved an amendment Wednesday requiring May to present Parliament with a Plan B by Jan. 21. Lawmakers would get a chance to vote on whatever she proposes, but they might also end up voting on alternatives that include a managed no-deal Brexit and a second referendum. The results of those additional votes wouldnt be binding, but they would show the will of Parliament.WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump has been considering declaring a possible national emergency to acquire the money for building his pledged wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, Vice President Mike Pence said Monday.

"He's made no decision on that," Pence told reporters in a briefing, adding that officials at the White House council's office "are looking at" a possible emergency declaration, and "the president is considering it."

Democratic lawmakers have repeatedly rejected Trump's demand that 5.6 billion U.S. dollars be added to the 2019 budget to fund the border wall. As both parties refused to budge in their stance on the wall funding issue, a quarter of federal agencies have been dysfunctional due to a lapse in congressional appropriations since Dec. 22, 2018.

On Monday afternoon, Trump tweeted that he will address the nation on "Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border," without disclosing what decision will be announced during his televised speech on Tuesday evening.

In recent days, Trump has been floating the idea of declaring a national emergency so that he can extract money from the Department of Defense to pay for the wall, bypassing congressional approval. Democrats said Trump will face legal challenges if doing so.

"I may declare a national emergency dependent on what's going to happen over the next few days," the president reiterated his intention while meeting the press on Sunday.

"The president's position is: There is a crisis at the southern border, and Democrats are refusing to negotiate," Pence said, urging the Democrats to return to the negotiating table for a solution to end the ongoing partial government shutdown.

Pence and his team held talks with congressional Democratic staffers Saturday through Sunday, but they failed to reach an agreement. Pence noted that the Democrats said they would not negotiate until the government was reopened.

In an effort to reopen the government, House Democrats on Thursday passed two separate bills, but Senate Republicans didn't take them up since neither included money for the wall.

"A wall is an immorality, it's not who we are as a nation...We are not doing a wall," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters after the passage of the bills in the House.Kim and Trump are expected to announce the details soon, amid complaints from both sides that the other is not living up to the agreement they reached in Singapore in June. The United States is unhappy about the lack of progress toward denuclearization, while the North Korean regime wants immediate relief from crippling sanctions imposed in 2017.The president should not be asking for more money to an agency that has systematically violated human rights, she said, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The president should be really defending why we are funding such an agency at all. Right now, what we are seeing is death. Right now, what we are seeing is the violation of human rights.Scheduling Whitakers testimony has been a top priority for Nadler, but doing so has been complicated by a combination of factors, including the impending confirmation of attorney general nominee William P. Barr and the fact that House Democratic leaders still have not appointed rank-and-file members to their committees. Until the House Judiciary Committee is constituted, which Nadler said he does not expect to happen until next week at the earliest, any plans to hold hearings with witnesses are effectively on hold.For the past few decades, as half a dozen presidents have struggled with how to manage the flow of migrants from south of the border, conservatives and liberals alike have often rejected a wall as an outdated tactic, a blunt instrument that might keep some people out but sends a discomfiting message about American ideals of openness and does not address the factors that drive migrants here in the first place.Trump has struggled to change public opinion in part because this is not a new fight. Immigration worked for him in the 2016 campaign, and there are still elements of the issue that put Democrats on the defensive. But in the most recent test, it did not work. In the run-up to the midterm elections, the president used campaign rallies to warn of the threat of an invasion by a caravan of migrants moving north through Mexico toward the U.S. border. He ordered U.S. troops to take up stations on the border. He accused the Democrats of being defenders of open borders.Trump made a number of other claims that are demonstrably false. He said the border wall will be paid for indirectly by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico. But that deal, a reworking of the North American Free Trade Agreement, has yet to be ratified by Congress  and even if it were, it would not save the United States any money because smaller trade deficits do not necessarily translate into greater revenue for the federal government. There is also no provision earmarking money for a wall.Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) fired back Wednesday at actor Christian Bale, who said in an acceptance speech at the Golden Globes on Sunday that Satan was an inspiration for his portrayal of her father, former vice president Richard B. Cheney, in the movie Vice.In their brief hold on power last decade, House Democrats legislated in fear of the NRA and what it might do to those Democrats from rural districts. In 2008 and 2009, as Democrats tried to pass a law giving the District of Columbia voting representation in the House, the deal crumbled when dozens of House and Senate Democrats joined with Republicans to support an amendment that would have undermined D.C. gun laws.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) met privately with Schumer on Dec. 18 to offer him a deal on behalf of the White House to stave off a shutdown  passing a negotiated funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security as well as an additional $1 billion for the administrations various non-wall immigration policies. Schumer declined to commit on the spot and instead called Pelosi to his Capitol office, where the two agreed the offer was unacceptable, according to an official familiar with those conversations. Pelosi left Schumers office and promptly told the reporters who had assembled outside that they would not take that deal.What's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 574-583-5121 or email cgrace@thehj.com.And for decades, Congress has been passing laws allowing presidents to declare national emergencies in matters great and small. Elizabeth Goitein of the Brennan Center for Justice identified 136 emergency powers authorized by Congress, 96 of which can be activated by the president alone. . . . Some powers seem almost absurdly mundane, such as the one granting Coast Guard officials the ability to serve as notaries public during a national emergency. But others allow the president to shut down or take over radio stations and even suspend a law that prohibits government testing of chemical and biological weapons on unwitting human subjects.Over the years, thousands of Americans have been brutally killed by those who illegally entered our country, and thousands more lives will be lost if we dont act right now, Trump said. It is not clear what statistics he is referring to, although it appears likely he was including the more than 3,000 Americans who perished in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.Despite their continued influence, Murrays theories have been consistently and repeatedly debunked by scholars, and were never even taken seriously by the scientific community when they were presented. The most important reason is that Murray quotes her sources selectively and superficially to avoid the fact that the allegations made against witches were simply not credible  eliding that the initial accusations of witchcraft had no basis in fact. As Cohn notes, Murray must have been aware of the fantastic features of the accounts she quotes in support of her theory. As he puts it, she nevertheless contrives, by the way she arranges her quotations, to give the impression that a number of perfectly sober, realistic accounts of the sabbat exist.My wish is that more Americans understood the expression of gender. The medical community has known for decades that sex and gender cannot be determined solely by birth anatomy or chromosomes. There are many physical, social and psychological elements that form a persons gender identity. Transgender people such as myself need to express our internal identify so that others can see us as we see ourselves. Think of this internal pull like a north-seeking compass. Whenever it is used, the compass will point to true north. Femininity is my true north.U.S. officials traveled to China this week in an effort to end the bitter trade war between the two countries. The main obstacle to a settlement is natural rivalry: The United States is trying to protect its position as the most important superpower, and China is serving notice that it covets that status for itself.McCormick is one of the authors of a recent editorial in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology that estimated a staggering toll for that backlog: Of 126,000 people diagnosed annually with end-stage renal disease, only 20,000 will eventually receive a donated kidney, either from donors who have been declared brain-dead or  since people can live a normal life span with only one kidney  from live donors who have accepted a relatively small chance of complications in exchange for a high chance of saving someones life.While Trump spoke calmly and rationally from behind the Resolute Desk, the Democratic leaders accused him of pounding the table and having a temper tantrum. While Trump told human stories, they complained about process. They accused him of arguing that the women and children at the border were a security threat when he had just explained to the American people that they were victims, too. They charged him with using the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration. They were partisan and petty, while Trump came across as reasonable and even compassionate.Much of this commentary followed the Dec. 20 resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, a retired four-star Marine general. Mattiss accomplishments leading the Pentagon included persuading Trump not to withdraw the United States from the NATO alliance. (Breaking up NATO has been a dream of Russia, and before that, the Soviet Union.) In his resignation letter, Mattis suggested that the president was harming U.S. alliances that have kept the United States and the world safe. Although Trump apparently at first did not understand the implications of Mattiss letter, he soon seemed to grasp the criticism and ordered Mattis to leave before his replacement had been found. The country was thus deprived of a farewell ceremony that might have given Mattis an opportunity to sound an even clearer warning about the threats to the nation, without once mentioning the president by name.I was disappointed in the Jan. 4 editorial How to protect law enforcement. The editorial offered several examples of tragic police officer deaths as though reiterating the horrible incidents somehow would cement the idea that they were caused by lax gun laws. But the editorial provided no examples of gun laws, lax or otherwise, that are to blame for the rise in the shootings of police officers. It cited no laws that have changed to make shooting police more likely  leading to an increase. It offered no statistics regarding where the guns used against law enforcement were acquired, or how. It gave no insight as to how many of the individuals who shot police were under the influence of alcohol or opioids, or had been diagnosed with a mental illness. It did not give any information as to how many of the cop-shooters had previous criminal records and might hold a grudge against the police.If we are faithful, we should expect the reproaches of those who hate God to fall on us. In  Read moreA premise of postwar German politics has been that there should be no party to the right of the Christian Democratic Union. There is now, and AfD is the largest opposition party in the Bundestag. Hampel considers AfD the natural successor to the CDU, which has governed Germany for 50 of the past 70 years. His measured judgment is that Germany can have an AfD chancellor in 2023. Then the party will be just 10 years old. However, the United States Republican Party was just six years old when it won the presidency. But in 1860, the American nation was coming apart in an irrepressible conflict, while stable, temperate Germany will not be unraveling four years from now.Weve seen this movie before, though. With open minds and hearts, some of us supported bipartisan discussions on this issue in the Senate this time last year. And how could we not? Dreamers  the undocumented immigrants brought to the United States at a young age who know no other country than this one  and those with temporary protected status (who, by definition, are not considered public-safety threats) put their faith in government by coming forward. Today, they face impending termination of their protections, largely held intact by court orders, because of this administrations actions. And its not just them: It is estimated that at least 200,000 and 273,000 U.S.-citizen children have a parent who is covered by DACA and TPS, respectively. Their lives also hang in the balance.The whole sum and substance of todays Democratic Party seems defined by driving Trump from office, preferably before 2020, as though doing so would right all wrongs. But even if party leaders accomplish that goal  whether now or via the traditional vehicle of an election  it will not signal a vanquishing of the forces that elected Trump in the first place. They will still be here, strong and vital, as they have been for decades.Trumps phony crisis talk means he may have to call his own bluff. This is why there is a good chance he will invoke emergency powers to force the military to build the wall. The move would perfectly sum up his approach to government: It would look dramatic and strong, it would waste federal funds for self-aggrandizing reasons, and it would be an abuse of his authority, since the emergency in question is not an emergency at all.Student who planned attacks at two schools arrested: Police in California say they have arrested a middle school student who was planning to carry out mass shootings at two Napa schools. Napa police said Monday that they thwarted the planned attacks on River Middle School and Vintage High School thanks to a fellow student who alerted authorities. Investigators arrested the 14-year-old suspect, who was not identified, on Jan. 2 after they searched two homes and found evidence he was researching and planning a mass shooting, police said. Police started investigating Dec. 31 when a student told police a classmate who was planning the attacks threatened to kill him if he warned anyone.Its unclear how many former felons will sign up in the coming weeks and months, if they will follow through and vote, and which party they will favor. Marc Meredith of the University of Pennsylvania, who studies the voting habits of ex-felons, says there is little indication that this sweeping enfranchisement will significantly change Florida politics. Historically, few of these men and women turn out at the polls.Perdues statement came as Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill are coming under increasing pressure to address the impact of the shutdown with no clear resolution in sight. In an address to the nation Tuesday night, President Trump reiterated his push for a wall to address what he sees as a humanitarian and security crisis at the southern border, blaming Democrats for the impasse that is causing the shutdown; Democratic leaders retorted with claims that Trump is holding the U.S. government hostage for political purposes, hurting hundreds of thousands of Americans in the process.President Trump has succeeded in doing what no foreign enemy of the United States has ever done, which is to shut down the government of the United States for several weeks to the disadvantage of our own citizens, Raskin said.The senator-elect will be sworn in after the State Board of Elections certifies the results, probably Friday afternoon, said state Senate Clerk Susan Clarke Schaar. The seat will be on the ballot again in November, when every state lawmaker in Virginia is up for reelection. Democrats are hoping to flip at least two Senate seats and take control of the chamber.What about people like Santos who, according to her lawyer, fled abuse in El Salvador and has no criminal record in the United States? She has victimized no one, committing no crime beyond being in this country illegally. If anything, our government has victimized her twice, first when she was arrested while eating lunch and now by keeping her from her children, even though authorities know she would not be in this situation if it were not for that first, unlawful arrest.The reality is that there are many people out there who felt Father [McCloskey] was instrumental in bringing them closer to God. And whatever he did, that is true, said Finnerty, adding that McCloskey had introduced him to Opus Dei. But there is also the reality at the same time that he behaved in a way that was deeply wounding. If we were to handle the situation today, we would likely do it differently. Today is different  there is a deeper recognition that if something like this happens, you cant keep it quiet.Todays Headlines

The most important news stories of the day, curated by Post editors and delivered every morning.

By signing up you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy PolicyThe statement said that under the agreement, the prosecution would ask for a sentence that did not include a prison term. In Virginia, possession of any amount of cocaine is a felony carrying a punishment of up to 10 years in prison.He felt they had every right to live there, said David Kushner, author of the 2009 book Levittown: Two Families, One Tycoon, and the Fight for Civil Rights in Americas Legendary Suburb. He played a pivotal role in helping the first African American family move into Levittown and left a really wonderful legacy in that regard, in taking on the system and doing what was right.News Updates

Would you like to receive an email newsletter alerting you to the top news stories and sports stories from The Ouachita Citizen, The Franklin Sun and the Concordia Sentinel each week? Sign up today!Amid the pep talks and denunciations of the Republican occupant of the White House, there was barely a mention of the states own Republican chief executive. A moderate who has frequently criticized Trump, Hogan was easily elected to a second term in November and, according to a Gonzales poll released this week. has an approval rating in Maryland of 77 percent.Asked whether there was anything else going on with his health, he said: Im going to have an announcement tomorrow. Everybody can read about it, and Im going to let the crazy aunt out of the closet and let her dance.Leon on Tuesday noted that while federal courts have entered default judgments totaling about $46 billion for Iranian terrorism victims since 1996, collecting for many has been difficult, with U.S. plaintiffs able to track down only roughly 10 percent of that amount in frozen Iranian assets. A smaller U.S. Victims of State-Sponsored Terrorism Fund is supported by fines paid by sanctions violators and is swamped by claimants.A: In the 1990s and 2000s, detained migrants were generally adult men from Mexico who could be easily deported after a short stay in holding facilities. Now, the majority of crossers are Central American families or unaccompanied minors who are difficult to quickly remove because of federal laws prohibiting the swift deportation of unaccompanied minors from countries other than Mexico and legal limits on how long children can be detained with their parents.Instead, Gold has a bureaucratic problem: DC Brau has two new beers planned for February, and the artwork on its labels must be approved by the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, an agency of the Treasury Department. The agencys website says submissions will not be reviewed because of the lapse in government funding.At this stage, were not only saying theres a lot more meals well need to provide, but also a lot more dollars well need to acquire to attempt to do that, said Radha Muthiah, chief executive of the Capital Area Food Bank. What were seeing now is an increase  people who are calling in, saying Ive just been furloughed or I have a friend who has. Where should they go? Its time to talk about the names of our schools and what they mean and why they matter, Barbara Kanninen said at an August 2017 meeting. It is time to talk about the values these names reflect and the messages we are sending our children.One group of parents fear their children may not have a school to return to if the shutdown doesnt end soon. The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center is home to a preschool and small kindergarten  just seven children  that operates out of the National Museums of Natural History and American History. For the kindergarten students, classes are held in the morning, and afternoons are spent visiting Smithsonian museums and sites throughout Washington.Crystal Dr., 2600 block, 2:19 a.m. Dec. 22. A man was in his vehicle when a car pulled up behind him. Two males exited the vehicle and one of them was armed with a gun and the second male brandished a knife. They ordered the man to get out and drove away in his vehicle.During the 2016 presidential campaign, by some estimates, Trump received billions of dollars of free advertising by being put on the air live almost every time he was on a podium. The medias inability to wrest their collective gaze from him is one of the major reasons he gained the presidency.You need to get to the bottom of what is causing your son to feel so disregulated. Again, it could be as simple as immaturity plus a school with tough kids, or as complicated as a disorder or learning disability, or a mix of all of the above. Talk to his teacher to get a clearer picture of his behavior in school, and while you are at it, reach out to the school counselor. The counselor can provide a safe place for your son when his feelings overwhelm him and can work with the teacher to help your son during the day. In my ideal world, your son could go to the counselor before he starts to cry, not because crying is bad or wrong, but so he can work through these big feelings with an adult. While I would love every child to feel safe with their feelings in school, the fact remains that when your son cries, he becomes a target for other childrens scorn and ridicule. I dont want him to feel revictimized in school if that can be helped.The simplest way to end the culture of doxing would be to somehow convince the doxers themselves that theres no benefit in it. Some doxers, however, continue to believe the tactic works. Both Megaphone and J. celebrated the fact that, as of press time, the Fox News Twitter account had not tweeted since the day after the Carlson incident, reportedly to protest the way Twitter handled requests to delete tweets with the hosts personal information. It was an amazing thing for them to say theyre not tweeting in protest of what we did, J. says. How does giving us exactly what we want protest us?Each year, on the third Monday of January, the country honors the accomplishments of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. In 1994, Congress designated the holiday as a day of service for Americans to bridge barriers and give back to their communities. Here are several events around Washington that honor Kings message of service. Get inspired from these activities, and contact your local animal shelter or community organization for ways to give back the rest of the year.In a call with reporters on Tuesday, Agriculture Department officials said that they will give states the money for Februarys food stamps ahead of time  by Jan. 20  to circumvent the expiration of federal appropriations. States, which administer the SNAP program, will have to ask for the money to be allocated earlier than they normally would.It was Vought, one former White House official said, who helped come up with the White Houses initial request for $1.6 billion to fund the creation of parts of a wall along the Mexican border. This figure was included in the White Houses formal budget request to Congress. Democrats would later agree to fund between $1.3 billion and $1.6 billion for border security upgrades, including replacement of existing fences, but they objected to using any of that money for the creation of a wall. Vought and the OMB argued that the federal government could spend only that much money in a year and that the government had to be careful in its spending.The breakdown left no end in sight to the shutdown even as its effects spiral around the nation on services for farmers, food inspection services and national parks. Trump ended the day Wednesday even further dug in on his demands for $5.7 billion to build more than 200 new miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and Democrats were equally forceful in rejecting his demands. Democrats are refusing to provide more than $1.3 billion to continue existing funding levels for security barriers at the border.Federal funding has also been shut off for cash welfare benefits, known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), for 3.4 million of the poorest Americans, the majority of whom are children. For now, states are picking up the financial burden  $4.2 billion they were to have received from the Department of Health and Human Services to cover January through March. States are providing benefits by cobbling together previously unspent federal funds with state dollars.And the projects massive price tag comes with its own constraints. The construction industrys rule of thumb, Zarenski said, is it takes 5,000 to 6,000 workers a year to build $1 billion worth of construction. But you cannot fit them all on one job site. For a project like the border wall, you would want to have dozens of different sites going at once.Those bills, some of them have been passed all the way out of the Senate, some of them have just been passed through the Appropriations Committee. I would imagine it could happen very quickly. I want the government to reopen, Capito said, adding she wanted to hear what the president had to say first.We are very grateful that the Thai authorities did not send back Ms. Alqunun against her will and are extending protection for her, said UNHCRs representative in Thailand, Giuseppe de Vincentiis. It could take several days to process the case and determine next steps, he added. For reasons of protection and confidentiality, we are not in a position to comment on the details of individual cases.A Chinese soldier fires an assault rifle that is also capable of launching 20-millimeter grenades. Photo: cctv.com

Equipped with futuristic individual combat weapons like grenade-launching assault rifles, corner shot pistols and knife guns, the PLA special forces are aiming to build "super" soldiers capable of "1 vs 10" and to meet the requirements of the digitalization of modern warfare.

The wide variety of advanced firearms is used in an internal competitive training by the Xuefeng Special Operation Brigade under the PLA 76th Group Army, cctv.com reported on Monday.

The corner shot pistol system can be used so that the muzzle points to a different direction across a wall, while the soldier aims the weapon behind the wall with the help of a monitor. In dangerous urban warfare, the system allows the operator to accurately shoot targets without exposing himself to hostile attackers, the report said.

A knife gun hides bullets inside what seems to be a knife, which can be fired in close quarters combat, the report said.

A Chinese soldier aims a corner shot pistol system behind a wall. Photo: cctv.com

The grenade-launching assault rifle, also known as the Individual Comprehensive Operation System QTS-11, integrates the function of a rifle and a grenade launcher along with an advanced aiming module, according to the report.

With these weapons, "super" soldiers capable of "1 vs 10" will be created, Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military analyst, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

It is rare for these advanced Chinese weapons to appear at a same place, cctv.com said.

Training using these "sci-fi" weapons shows that related technologies are very mature, Wei said.

"The weapons are made for special forces Some standard troops will also use them in the future," Wei said. But these high-tech guns will remain exclusive to elite forces for a while because of their higher cost, he predicted.

A Chinese soldier waves a knife but fires bullets from it. Photo: cctv.com

In the 1990s, the US developed the XM29 rifle that is similar in concept to the QTS-11. However, it was too expensive to win bids from the US Army, Science and Technology Daily reported.

The QTS-11, dubbed a "strategic rifle" by Chinese military observers despite being a tactical weapon, gained its nickname because it not only has multiple functions and provided the strongest individual firepower in the world, but is also highly digitalized with sensors, a positioning system and a data sharing system, making it a cut above other tactical weapons, media reported.

These weapons being used for basic-level combat units show the PLA's modernization and informatization level, the cctv.com report said.There have been other major projects, like the rural water systems and watershed projects.

We have a lot of wonderful little ones too, such as terraces, waterways and no-till programs, Kavan said about the various programs that the NRD offers to area landowners.

The district is now embarking on another big project in the Wahoo Creek Watershed. Kavan knows this will not be an overnight project and completion of the work that needs to be done could take at least 15 years.

Having that checklist of district accomplishments in hand, he said now was the time to retire before another big project really got underway.

Let someone else make the decisions, he said.

He added that change can be a good thing, bringing in new directors also brings new ideas and a new way to look at projects.

Still, he will keep an eye on the projects in the district and how money is being spent.

The NRDs budget and where a majority of the money for the budget was coming from was always on Kavans mind.

It has to be, without tax dollars, you cant do anything, he said.In his new role, Gerdes said he misses working with the individuals and congregations that populate the donor list. But he has so many plans in the works that he has little time to really dwell on this part of being executive director.

Learning his new role is among Gerdes initial duties as executive director. But with Cokers guidance, that has gone smoothly so far.

So he has moved on to his main duties, which include overseeing the facilities, staff, funding and campers.

Just being the best stewards of everything has been my first priority, he said.

One of Gerdes most ambitious plans is to raise enough money that every child can attend camp for free.

I think there will be a day very soon when children wont have to pay to go to Carol Joy Holling Camp, he said. I hope thats the case.

This goal has already been reached at Sullivan Hills Camp, where all children will attend for free for the first time this summer.

Donations from local citizens like Bob and Christy Luebbe are helping Gerdes achieve this goal at Carol Joy Holling Camp. Two years ago, the Ashland couple created a fund that provides 100 campers with free tuition.WAHOO  Reginald Yates of Ashland was recognized as the Saunders County Veteran of the Month for his many years of service as an Air Force pilot during the Korean War and nine years in the Air National Guard.

Yates received a Certificate of Appreciation for service in the Armed Forces of the United States of America from Saunders County Veterans Service Officer Mary Pace during the Saunders County Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday.

Yates said his love of flying was born well before he entered the Air Force. Growing up in Creston, Iowa, he worked during the summer at the local airport, where they paid him in flying lessons rather than money. He received his pilots license at the age of 16, making him the youngest licensed pilot in Iowa at the time, he said.

Three years later, Yates joined the National Guard right after high school. In 1949 while attending Drake University in Des Moines, he joined the Air Force and because he was already a licensed pilot, he was sent to Pope Air Force Base in Fayetteville, N.C. to fly planes. He flew P-51 fighter planes, AT-6 training planes and C-46 transport planes as he trained for potential missions.A passenger of an 18-wheeler died, and the driver suffered significant burns after crashing on Interstate 35 early Wednesday, marking the second tractor-trailer crash at that location in the last two days, Bruceville-Eddy Police Chief Bill McLean said. The passenger who died was the driver's wife, and both were Henderson residents, McLean said.

First responders were called at about 5:15 a.m. to northbound I-35 mile marker 317 after the driver, hauling avocados, traveled off the roadway and crashed into an unoccupied dump truck on the shoulder. McLean said the 18-wheeler crashed and caught fire with the driver and his wife trapped.

The man was pulled from the truck by a passerby, McLean said. He was taken to Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center with significant injuries and later transferred to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas with burns covering 30 percent of his body, McLean said.

Emergency officials extinguished the flames that engulfed the truck before the driver's wife was located. A justice of the peace was called and pronounced the woman dead at the scene.

The names of the couple were not available Wednesday night.A Waco man was placed on deferred probation and ordered to make restitution Wednesday for trying to bilk a cheating husband out of at least $17,250 by threatening to release a video showing him having sex with a stripper.

Charles Henobe Dudzinski, a 31-year-old worker at a Waco candy-making plant, pleaded guilty in September to sexual coercion, a state jail felony, in exchange for a recommendation from prosecutors that he be placed on deferred probation for four years and fined $750.

Judge Matt Johnson of Wacos 54th State District Court accepted the plea bargain, sentenced Dudzinski to the terms of the agreement and ordered him to pay $7,250 to the victim in the case. Dudzinskis sentencing was postponed twice so he could come up with a portion of the restitution. He has paid $2,900 toward restitution, court officials said.

Dudzinskis attorney, Bruce Perryman, said he is satisfied with the sentence the judge issued.The Hewitt City Council voted 5-1 on Dec. 17 to hire Thomas away from Bellmead as city manager. Hewitt Mayor Pro Tem Steve Fortenberry cast the dissenting vote and said at the time he wanted more time to review the 10-page city manager agreement that was presented for the first time at the meeting.

Fortenberry also cast the sole vote Dec. 4 against starting contract negotiations with Thomas. He said at the time he wanted an opportunity to interview more than one candidate.

Thomas will start Jan. 28 in Hewitt with a $153,000 salary. His total compensation including benefits will exceed Miles by $2,000, Hewitt City Attorney Mike Dixon has said.

During the Bellmead meeting Tuesday, the city council approved a proclamation recognizing Jan. 17, 2019 as Everett Bo Thomas Day.

Thomas said it has been an honor and privilege to serve the city. He said he told the staff Tuesday that the measure of his success is not what he accomplished while working for the city but how the staff continues operating once he is gone.

I think theyll do a fine job and I think the citizens of Bellmead are in good hands, Thomas said during the council meeting.

In other action Tuesday, the city council:

Approved $39,950 to buy the fire department an air compressor system from Metro Fire Apparatus Specialists Inc. The compressor is used to fill air tanks firefighters breathe from during fires. It will replace a compressor system that is inoperable and that has failed state requirements, Thomas said.

Approved a $51,540 network services agreement with Extraco Technology made necessary by an IT employees retirement. The firm worked with the city on an emergency basis last month, and city staff determined it would be more efficient to contract with Extraco Technology than fill the IT position.

Approved $26,174 to buy a Ford F-150 from Silsbee Ford Inc. for the public works department. It will replace a 2016 Ford F-150 that was hit by a car while parked, Thomas said. The citys insurance company deemed the pickup a total loss and paid the city more than $24,300.Gerald Friesenhahn, San Antonio

Discrimination afoot

Planned Parenthood discriminates against pregnant employees. What pro-life or Christian organization came up with this proposition? Actually, this came from the investigative journalism of the New York Times. The headline for the Dec. 20 news article was, Planned Parenthood accused of mistreating pregnant employees.

Times reporters discovered refusal to accommodate pregnant employees with doctor-advised work breaks and avoiding longer than 8-hour shifts, discouraging use of unpaid maternity leave, pressuring early return from unpaid maternity leave, and almost complete absence of paid maternity leave. Additionally, Planned Parenthood frequently considered actual or likely pregnancy for hiring, firing, and promotion  practices banned by federal law.

According to Carolyn Delgado who worked for Planned Parenthood in Miami, It was looked down upon for you to get pregnant. I dont think any supervisor had to literally say it for us to feel it.

The national Planned Parenthood president, Dr. Leana Wen, reacted to the incriminating New York Times story with, Its our obligation to do better for our staff, for our families and for patients.According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture:

At the direction of President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Tuesday announced a plan to ensure that low-income Americans have access to the nutrition they need during the partial government shutdown. The plan provides full benefits for participants in USDAs Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for the month of February.

WAAY 31 has reached out to the Alabama Department of Human Resources for a response; we'll let you know when we hear back.

When USDAs funding expired on Dec. 21, SNAP benefits for January were fully funded. States have already received that money and have been distributing it to participants. Since the lapse in appropriations, USDA has been reviewing options available to the department for funding February benefits without an additional appropriation from Congress.

At President Trumps direction, we have been working with the Administration on this solution. It works and is legally sound. And we want to assure states, and SNAP recipients, that the benefits for February will be provided, Perdue said. Our motto here at USDA has been to Do Right and Feed Everyone. With this solution, weve got the Feed Everyone part handled. And I believe that the plan weve constructed takes care of the Do Right part as well.

To protect SNAP participants access for February, USDA is working with states to issue February benefits earlier than usual. USDA will rely on a provision of the just-expired Continuing Resolution (CR), which provides an appropriation for programs like SNAP and child Nutrition to incur obligations for program operations within 30 days of the CRs expiration. USDA will be reaching out to states to instruct them to request early issuance of SNAP benefits for February. States will have until January 20th to request and implement the early issuance. Once the early issuances are made, the February benefits will be made available to SNAP participants at that time.

USDA has also ensured the other major nutrition assistance programs have sufficient funding to continue operations into February. The child nutrition programs, including school meals and after-school programs have funding available to continue operations through March. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) has prior year funding which USDA will begin to provide states this week to facilitate February benefits. Other FNS programs, which provide critical assistance to our nations food banks, the elderly, and Tribal nations, may continue to utilize grant funding provided prior to the lapse in appropriations. Commodity deliveries to those programs will continue.

Nutrition Assistance Programs under a Lapse in Appropriations

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

USDA will use the authority under the last Continuing Resolution to issue February benefits. The Continuing Resolution that expired December 21, 2018 provided an appropriation for programs like SNAP and Child Nutrition to incur obligations for program operations during the 30 day-period following the expiration of the Act.

States will need to take action to issue February benefits on or before January 20, 2019. We will be reaching out to States to instruct them to request early issuance of SNAP benefits for February. States will have until January 20 to implement this early issuance.

Once these early issuances are made, the February benefits will be made available to SNAP participants at that time. SNAP monthly issuance for February is estimated to be approximately $4.8 billion and State administrative expense (SAE) is estimated at about $350 million for a total need of approximately $5.1 billion.

This approach requires careful coordination. FNS has noticed States to hold their issuance files. States would, instead, implement an early issuance strategy, providing February benefits to SNAP participants on or before January 20, 2019. We will be working with States individually on how this approach is executed, in order to issue benefits to eligible households in the most efficient and equitable manner possible.

Child Nutrition Programs

For these programs, including school meals and the Child and Adult Care Food Program, States already have funding to cover CN program operations for the month of January (approximately $2.1 billion) on the basis of the last continuing resolution.

This week, we will provide an additional two months worth of funding, consistent with the standard practice of funding these programs on a quarterly basis.

Supplemental Nutrition and Safety Programs

For WIC, FNS has identified resources to cover projected State expenditures for February. The agency will allocate at least $248 million to State agencies this week, and we have identified an additional $350 million in unspent prior year funds to allocate at a later date. A total of approximately $600 million in funding will be provided to WIC State agencies. We will continue to work with States to make resources available to the extent possible.

For the WIC Farmers Market (FMNP) and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Programs (SFMNP), FNS does not anticipate significant operational impacts as they are seasonal benefit programs with annual grant funds.

For the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), food deliveries planned for February will continue. Due to the lapse, States have not received their 2019 caseload assignments, so CSFP-participating States must operate at 2018s caseload levels. Similarly, states have received no additional administrative funds since the lapse, and none can be made available until the lapse ends.

For The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), food deliveries planned for February (including entitlement, bonus and trade mitigation) will continue. States have received no additional administrative funds since the lapse, and none can be made available until the lapse ends.

For the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), food deliveries planned for February will continue. FDPIR programs have administrative funding through January 31 and are expected to operate the program.5,500 federal workers in Alabama are furloughed because of the government shutdown. Redstone Federal Credit Union (RFCU) is offering members low interest loans and other benefits to help while they're not getting paid.

On Friday, many federal employees in Huntsville did not receive a paycheck, so some stopped by RFCU to apply for a loan.

Members who are affected by the government shutdown are able to apply for a 2% interest loan up to $5,000.

RFCU officials said if the shutdown continues, they expect a larger number of customers will need help.

Some families have savings to fall back on and have budgeted for emergencies like this, but Chief Marketing Officer, Fred Trusty said those who are struggling financially have stopped by to talk about money management.

"We're coming off the holiday season and we have all these bills coming in, you've got people who have to continue on with their lives. This is a way for them to continue on without really being affected," said Fred Trusty.

The first loan payment is delayed for 60 days. Members will then have 12 months to pay the loan back.

A spokesperson with the Alabama Department of Labor also stated federal workers can file for unemployment benefits if they meet the requirements. Once federal employees receive their back pay after the shutdown, those funds will have to be re-paid.According to the most recent data on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, website, more than 850,000 Alabamians received SNAP benefits every month in 2016. That number helps give us an idea of how many people the decision to fund SNAP will impact, namely The Food Bank of North Alabama.

"That's good for the people we serve, and it's good for the food bank," Laura Fincher, agency/community relations manager of The Food Bank of North Alabama, said.

By using a continuing resolution, the United States Department of Agriculture found a way to fund SNAP.

States can now request their SNAP benefits be released early. According to the Department of Agriculture, they've let states do this before when they know a natural disaster is coming and evacuees need early access to their benefits. The office said its not aware of the method ever being used during a government shutdown, but they said the continuing resolution is what guarantees the government will release the money.

That means people will get their February benefits by January 20th, and the food bank won't find themselves in a pinch.

"That would have really put a strain on us trying to meet the demand of all the food needed," Fincher said.

Fincher said the food bank gives food to about 250 groups that in turn distribute food in their communities.

"Those groups could have seen the demand of the people they're feeding double, triple, or quadruple," Fincher said.

That's a tall order she's thankful they won't have to fill for now.

"It's definitely going to be a good thing for us in that we can continue to meet the demand we're meeting right now," Fincher said.

The status of SNAP funding in March is still up in the air. According to the USDA, the continuing resolution being used to fund February is a one time deal, so if the partial government shutdown lasts longer than that the government will have to find another way to keep SNAP funded.A new year brings with it familiar problems for Jay Stutts. The owner of residential electrician company Mister Sparky in Huntsville, like many others in his field, faces a hiring challenge that only gets more troubling over time.

While sitting in his office on Friday, Stutts called the aging out of the workforce a crisis.

Top 10 Jobs (by demand) in north Alabama requiring an associates degree, post-secondary certificate, or some college (no degree)* Occupation Average annual total openings (2016-2026) Average Salary 2017 Registered Nurses 655 $53,659 Welders, Cutters, Solderers & Brazers 535 $36,770 Industrial Machinery Mechanics 320 $50,725 Machinists 305 $44,166 Electrical & Electronics Engineering Technicians 145 $63,035 Computer User Support Specialists 145 $46,048 Medical Secretaries 145 $31,279 HVAC Mechanics & Installers 140 $39,715 Physitcal Therapist Assistants 80 $57,243 Industrial Engineering Technicians 40 $53,545 *Figures provided by the Alabama Department of Labor In recent survey of construction firms in Alabama, 74 percent of them said they "are having a hard time filling some or all (salaried and hourly craft) positions." In recent survey of construction firms in Alabama, 74 percent of them said they "are having a hard time filling some or all (salaried and hourly craft) positions."

It would be one or two generations before we get back to a strong trade level, unless we just have a mass exodus from the white-collar world to the blue-collar world, said Stutts.

The trend can be seen across the various trades that encompass the field of construction. Skilled workers retire at a rate that significantly outpaces the influx of new talent.

According to the Alabama Department of Commerce, the average age of a construction worker is 47-years-old and only one new person is added on average through apprenticeship programs for every four that leave the workforce.

The ADOC also notes that only 10.4 percent of Alabamas construction workforce is female.

Just over a week ago, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA) released a study that questioned just how tough a time construction firms were having bringing on new workers.

Of those surveyed in Alabama, 74 percent said they are having a difficult time filling some or all positions. In response to a separate question, 73 percent of the construction firms said it will either continue to be hard or become harder to hire craft or salaried personnel in 2019.

We have this huge void of people aging out of the workforce and then just not having the younger people coming up through the trades to replace them, said Tiffany Brightwell, the president of the north Alabama chapter of Associated Builders and Contractors Inc.

Brightwell said she doesnt believe the difficulty in filling these jobs comes from a lack of interest, but rather a lack of knowledge.

We as parents, as educators, as a society have really done a disservice to students. Weve told them that the only way they can be successful is to earn a four-year college degree and thats just simply not true anymore, said Brightwell.

According to the Alabama Construction Recruitment Institute (ACRI), about 39 percent of students who graduate with a loan to pay off need at least a decade to do so.

The latest data from the Institute for College Access and Success shows that for the class of 2017, Alabama had the eighth highest average debt at $31,899.

Another frightening stat: about half the students in Alabama graduate with debt. That puts the Yellowhammer State in a three-way tie at 40th with California and Florida.

And the problem goes beyond construction. In just north Alabama, there are hundreds of job openings each year in skilled jobs like for registered nurses, computer user support specialists, physical therapist assistants and heating/air conditioning mechanics, just to name a few of the top ten.

Meanwhile, Stutts hopes people will start to take a closer look at skilled work, beyond the stigma, and see that they can offer good salaries and a skillset that can build into a solid career.

You can start with nothing and five, 10, 15 years later you can have your business. Thats pretty encouraging, Stutts said.The city of Huntsville announced Wednesday that it was named one of the 52 Places to Go in 2019 by the New York Times. The list includes cities like Munich, Las Vegas and New York City.

Huntsville was also 22nd in a list of the best travel destinations in the world for 2019. The city says events like re-enactments of the Apollo 11 moon landing at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center make Huntsville a great place to visit. The state bicentennial is also mentioned as a great reason to visit the city in 2019.

The New York Times discovered what we here in Huntsville have known for a while now  that the Rocket City is the place to be in 2019, said Judy Ryals, the President and CEO of the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), in a statement released Wednesday. Our community has worked incredibly hard to embrace these hallmark anniversaries and create some truly unforgettable experiences for both our visitors and locals, and those efforts are starting to be noticed. We expect to see many visitors coming in for these special events and we know once they experience the warmth, the creativity, and the vibrancy of our city, theyll be back.

The official Huntsville/Madison County schedules for the Alabama bicentennial and the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing can be found HERE.The Alabama Department of Labor announced Wednesday that federal employees furloughed because of the partial government shutdown can apply for unemployment compensation benefits.

These employees can apply online at www.labor.alabama.gov or through 1-866-234-5382. They must meet certain state eligibility requirements to receive unemployment compensation benefits. In Alabama, these benefits range from a weekly minimum of $45 to a maximum of $265 and can be provided for up to 26 weeks.

There are thousands of federal employees in Alabama who may be impacted by this shutdown, said Fitzgerald Washington, the Secretary of the Alabama Department of Labor, in a statement released Wednesday. Should these workers need assistance during this time, I would encourage them to apply for unemployment compensation benefits.

According to the Alabama Department of Labor, November 2018 data shows that 53,200 workers were counted as federal employees statewide. Since the shutdown began on December 22, the department says it has received approximately 242 unemployment compensation benefit applications from federal workers. This number includes people who are affected by the shutdown and/or who were laid off for other reasons.

If employees receive back pay at a later date, they would legally be required to repay any benefits received back to the Alabama Department of Labor.

For more information, click HERE.Athens Police have arrested Vantella Lamont Malone and charged him with third degree robbery in connection with an incident at Murphy USA on US 31 South early Tuesday.

Athens Police Chief Floyd R. Johnson said his department received a call of a robbery at the business shortly before 2 a.m. When officers arrived the clerk said a black male demanded the money and then pushed her to the ground. He then took money from the register and left the scene. She gave officers a description of the suspect.

A few minutes later, Lt. Dusty Meadows saw a male fitting the description walking on US 31. When Meadows pulled over the male ran into the field behind Wal-Mart. Meadows chased the male and was able to take him into custody behind the ABC store, Johnson said in a press release.

Malone was also arrested on a warrant for first degree theft of property for taking a coin purse and $103 from a person on Saturday. The theft took place at J-Mart on US 72 at Hines Street. Investigator Jonathan Caldwell investigated the case and obtained the warrant. In both cases the victims were not injured.

Malone was booked at the police department and transferred to the county jail.A teacher has been charged with assault after a video showed her dragging a 9-year-old boy with autism through the halls of a Kentucky school.

Kentucky State Police "opened an investigation into teacher Trina Abrams," Senior Trooper David Boarman said, adding she has "been charged with Assault 4th Degree, victim under 12 years old."

CNN has been unable to reach Abrams. She is due Wednesday in court, state police said.

The Greenup County School District on Monday announced the termination of a teacher, whom it did not name, more than two months after the October incident, CNN affiliate WSAZ-TV reported.

"The teacher was removed from the school and a formal investigation was conducted," Superintendent Sherry Horsley said in a statement to WSAZ. "The superintendent also followed protocol and reported the incident to the Kentucky Education Standards Board."

The boy's mother, Angel Nelson, told CNN on Monday that her son was removed from a classroom after he had an outburst.

Video from the school's cameras, which Nelson shared on Facebook, appears to show a woman dragging a young boy by the wrists through the school's hallways. At different points in the video, the boy is either lying on his back or sliding on his knees.

Student's meltdown led to dragging, mother says

Nelson's son has been diagnosed with "autism, ADHD, PTSD, anxiety and depression. In addition, his speech is also limited," she said in a Facebook post. The boy is prone to "experiencing a meltdown" because of his diagnoses, she said.

Nelson and her family had just moved into the district in October, WSAZ reported.

"He's trying to adapt and make friends," she told CNN.

Nelson said her son got frustrated after a teacher told him to keep working, or to do more work, when he wanted to take a break.

"He was not hurting anyone," she said.

Abrams grabbed Nelson's son by the wrist and bent it backward, the mother said.

The camera inside the classroom was turned toward a corner, Nelson said, so there's no video of what happened there. Her son said the teacher threw him down hard onto a chair, Nelson wrote in her Facebook post.

"We will never truly know what took place behind that closed door because of my son's speech limitations," Nelson wrote on Facebook. "This incident was violent enough to not only injure my child, but to also destroy his shoes."

Abrams then dragged the boy down the hallway "from one classroom into another," Nelson said.

On the same day her son was dragged, Nelson had X-rays taken of his wrist and tailbone, she said.

"The doctor diagnosed him with a possible left wrist fracture," she said, adding her son also had an MRI scan of his wrists.

"He had a confirmed sprain in one of his wrists," she said. "In the days following, he suffered swelling and bruising around his wrist."

The injuries will cause her son emotional trauma, Nelson said, noting the teacher also humiliated him in front of other students.

"She made him feel different," Nelson said.

The child, Nelson said, will need to have "more intense occupational therapy to regain his skills that took so long to grasp."

"Teachers are supposed to stop the bullying," she said, "not be the bullies."

CORRECTION: Earlier versions of this story incorrectly spelled school district Superintendent Sherry Horsley's last name.Lasseter. Photo: Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images

Looks like the clock has restarted for another of the many men exposed by the #MeToo movement. John Lasseter, the former creative chief of Pixar and Disney Animation who took a leave of absence in November 2017 amid accusations of sexual harassment, has already landed a new job at Skydance Animation as their new head. In a statement announcing the news, Skydance Media CEO David Ellison acknowledged the allegations saying that Lasseter had apparently paid his penance: John has acknowledged and apologized for his mistakes and, during the past year away from the workplace, has endeavored to address and reform them.

Several female employees at Pixar and Disney accused Lasseter of unwanted physical contact and encouraging a sexist and misogynistic culture at the company, which the women alleged was covered up by Disney executives. Lasseter took what was described as a sabbatical from the company and apologized in a memo to staff for making missteps in his behavior without elaborating further on what those missteps were; it was later announced that he would leave both Pixar and Disney by the end of 2018.

Times Up has issued a statement admonishing Skydance for hiring Lasseter despite the allegations, saying that the decision sets a precedent for welcoming predatory people back into Hollywood with open arms:

Skydance Medias decision to hire John Lasseter as head of animation endorses and perpetuates a broken system that allows powerful men to act without consequence. At a moment when we should be uplifting the many talented voices who are consistently underrepresented, Skydance Media is providing another position of power, prominence and privilege to a man who has repeatedly been accused of sexual harassment in the workplace. People often ask when a man who has abused his power gets to come back. There is no simple answer. But here are a few first steps: 1) Demonstrate true remorse. 2) Work deeply to reform your behavior. 3) Deliver restitution to those you harmed. Thats the bare minimum. Hiring decisions have consequences. And offering a high-profile position to an abuser who has yet to do any of those things is condoning abuse.

Lasseter is set to begin his new post later this month.Harvey Weinstein. Photo: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Harvey Weinsteins sexual-assault trial in Manhattan is currently scheduled for May 6, his lawyers said in court papers filed Monday.

This news of a potential trial date in Weinsteins sexual-assault case, in which he faces five counts for allegedly nonconsensual encounters with two women, comes slightly more than two weeks after the judge overseeing the case rejected his push for dismissal.

During a brief court proceeding on December 20 where Justice James Burke made this decision, a pretrial conference was also scheduled for March 7. At the time, there was no mention of a trial date.

Shortly after Burke issued this decision, Weinstein lawyer Ben Brafman said I think we will fairly soon in reference to going to trial.

We intend to vigorously defend this case to the best of our ability. We remain confident despite the courts ruling today, that ultimately at a trial of this case Mr. Weinstein will be completely exonerated, said Brafman, whos representing him in the criminal proceeding.

When asked about the date, a spokesman for the New York State courts said an early May trial date has been discussed, however it is tentative and unofficial.

The May 6 trial date was released in filings for several Manhattan Federal Court civil lawsuits against Weinstein released Monday night.

Weinstein wants a Manhattan Federal Court judge to put these lawsuits on hold until the conclusion of his criminal case, maintaining that information revealed in litigation could damage his chance for a fair criminal trial.

Not only is Mr. Weinstein under indictment, his trial is scheduled for May 6, 2019. Mr. Weinstein and his counsel will be fully engaged in preparing for what will be a closely watched trial that will last six weeks from jury selection through verdict, his civil lawyers wrote in a Manhattan Federal Court filing. It would be an overwhelming burden for Mr. Weinstein to have to litigate this case at great risk to his right against self-incrimination and at the expense of his time and efforts to prepare for criminal trial.

While these lawyers did give a specific date, court dates are routinely postponed and rescheduled, meaning there is absolutely no guarantee Weinstein will go before a jury this spring.

The Manhattan District Attorneys Office declined to comment on the date, saying unfortunately were not authorized by the court to confirm this at this time.

While Weinstein is fighting his criminal case and these civil lawsuits, hes also having to battle several insurers who dont want to pay his legal fees.

In a lawsuit with Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, Weinstein accused the insurer of wrongly refusing to fork over money.

Mr. Weinstein has suffered from Travelers improper decisions, Weinsteins lawyers wrote in a December 7 Manhattan Supreme Court filing. He has been forced to fend for himself in defending against the Underlying Claims.

Notably, while Mr. Weinstein has been marshaling his own personal resources to defend against the Underlying Claims, Travelers ran to this Court to sue him  this time declaration of noncoverage, Weinsteins lawyers also maintained. In other words, Travelers abandoned any pretense of fair claims processing and, instead, refocused its energies on miring Mr. Weinstein in a coverage battle in New York 

Weinstein also said in this filing that after numerous women came forward with allegations of sexual impropriety and assault against him, overnight, Mr. Weinstein became a pariah. His denials of liability became background noise, lost in the international uproar that followed.

Hollywood also turned its back on him, he claimed.

Manhattan prosecutors had initially accused Weinstein of forced encounters with three women: Lucia Evans, Mimi Haleyi, and an unidentified third woman.

By July, they had hit him with charges of rape in the first and third degrees, two counts of criminal sexual act in the first degree, and two counts of predatory sexual assault.

The count related to Evans was dropped after prosecutors revealed that a witness statement undermined her allegation that Weinstein forced her into oral sex in 2004.

Prosecutors also revealed that the main detective on the case at the time, Nicholas DiGaudio, kept this information from them.Sherry Olson, age 67, of Alexandria, died on Friday, June 11, 2021. Funeral Service will be held on Thursday, June 17, 2021, 11:00 a.m. at Bethesda Lutheran Church with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be at West Moe Cemetery. Arrangements are with the U.S President Donald Trump defended his push for a wall along the Mexican border that has resulted in the government shutdown, saying it "is a pipeline for vast quantities of illegal drugs, including meth, heroin, cocaine, and fentany." Trump said drugs have killed more Americans than Vietnam War.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer gave the Democratic response from Capitol Hill to President Donald Trump's address urging funding for his wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Speaker Pelosi: Good evening.

I appreciate the opportunity to speak directly to the American people tonight about how we can end this shutdown and meet the needs of the American people. Sadly, much of what we have heard from President Trump throughout this senseless shutdown has been full of misinformation and even malice. The President has chosen fear. We want to start with the facts.

The fact is: On the very first day of this Congress, House Democrats passed Senate Republican legislation to re-open government and fund smart, effective border security solutions. But the President is rejecting these bipartisan bills which would re-open government  over his obsession with forcing American taxpayers to waste billions of dollars on an expensive and ineffective wall  a wall he always promised Mexico would pay for! The fact is: President Trump has chosen to hold hostage critical services for the health, safety and well-being of the American people and withhold the paychecks of 800,000 innocent workers across the nation  many of them veterans. He promised to keep government shutdown for months or years  no matter whom it hurts. Thats just plain wrong.

The fact is: We all agree that we need to secure our borders, while honoring our values: we can build the infrastructure and roads at our ports of entry; we can install new technology to scan cars and trucks for drugs coming into our nation; we can hire the personnel we need to facilitate trade and immigration at the border; and we can fund more innovation to detect unauthorized crossings.

The fact is: the women and children at the border are not a security threat, they are a humanitarian challenge  a challenge that President Trumps own cruel and counterproductive policies have only deepened. And the fact is: President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis, and must re-open the government.

Thank you.

Senator Schumer: Thank you, Speaker Pelosi.

My fellow Americans, we address you tonight for one reason only: the President of the United States  having failed to get Mexico to pay for his ineffective, unnecessary border wall, and unable to convince the Congress or the American people to foot the bill  has shut down the government. American democracy doesnt work that way. We dont govern by temper tantrum. No president should pound the table and demand he gets his way or else the government shuts down, hurting millions of Americans who are treated as leverage. Tonight  and throughout this debate and his presidency  President Trump has appealed to fear, not facts. Division, not unity. Make no mistake: Democrats and the President both want stronger border security. However, we sharply disagree with the President about the most effective way to do it. So, how do we untangle this mess? There is an obvious solution: separate the shutdown from the arguments over border security. There is bipartisan legislation  supported by Democrats and Republicans  to re-open government while allowing debate over border security to continue.

There is no excuse for hurting millions of Americans over a policy difference. Federal workers are about to miss a paycheck. Some families cant get a mortgage to buy a new home. Farmers and small businesses wont get loans they desperately need. Most presidents have used Oval Office addresses for noble purposes. This president just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear, and divert attention from the turmoil in his Administration.

My fellow Americans, there is no challenge so great that our nation cannot rise to meet it. We can re-open the government and continue to work through disagreements about policy. We can secure our border without an expensive, ineffective wall. And we can welcome legal immigrants and refugees without compromising safety and security. The symbol of America should be the Statue of Liberty, not a thirty-foot wall. So our suggestion is a simple one: Mr. President: re-open the government and we can work to resolve our differences over border security. But end this shutdown now.

Thank you.Thousands of supporters cheered Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in Khartoum on Wednesday as opponents of Bashir rallied a short distance away and called for him to resign.

Bashir, speaking in central Khartoum's Green Square, resolved not to step down.

"To those who are seeking power, there is one way which is in the ballot box, through free and fair elections," he said, according to the Reuters news agency.

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir waves to his supp Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir waves to his supporters during a rally at the Green Square in Khartoum, Sudan, Jan. 9, 2019. Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir waves to his supporters during a rally at the Green Square in Khartoum, Sudan, Jan. 9, 2019.

Meanwhile, police forcibly broke up the anti-Bashir demonstrations in Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman.

"We got a lot of tear gas from the police, security forces and the government militias," said Rudwan Dawod, a political activist.

Dawod told VOA's South Sudan in Focus that he saw two people injured by live ammunition. He says he witnessed one man being shot in the left part of his chest and another shot in his abdomen.

Video posted on social media Wednesday shows several people with bloodied clothes being treated at Omdurman Hospital.

Despite crackdowns by Sudanese police, Bashir opponents continue to gather for demonstrations that began Dec. 19, after a sharp rise in the price of bread.

Bashir, who has ruled Sudan for nearly 30 years, has withstood large-scale protests before.

But Dawod said this time around, he believes the protests will lead to political change. He notes protests have taken place in several cities, and says some policemen and army troops sided with the protesters Wednesday.

"They tell us that 'We are with you so please go ahead, don't give up!'" Dawod told VOA.

Dawod said one police officer told him, "I'm not going to fire any tear gas and I'm not going to arrest any protester."

"So they are emotionally defeated now, especially the police," Dawod said.Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday warned he could take "diplomatic measures" against Latin American nations that signed a statement last week describing his second term, which starts on Thursday, as illegitimate.

Members of the so-called Group of Lima, which includes Brazil, Argentina and Colombia, said Maduro's new term would be illegitimate because the 2018 election that gave him a second term was not free or fair and that they would not recognize his leadership.

Venezuela "has alerted very clearly to the governments of the Cartel of Lima that, if they do not rectify their position [...] we will take the most crude and energetic measures that can be taken in diplomacy," Maduro, using a pejorative name for the group widely used by ruling Socialist Party leaders.

He did not provide details what measures he could take.

Maduro called Peru's government "ridiculous" for announcing that it plans to prohibit Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials from entering its territory.

The May 2018 election was widely boycotted by the opposition, which described it as a farce that was rigged in his favor. Governments around the world also described it as illegitimate.

Maduro insists the election was fair and that the opposition did not participate because it knew it would lose. He accuses foreign governments including Latin American nations of seeking to overthrow him.PENTAGON - The United States military has killed six al-Shabab militants in Somalia, in the fourth airstrike there this week, according to the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).

The latest attack was carried out Tuesday in Somalia's Bay region and destroyed one vehicle, an AFRICOM official told VOA. He said no civilian casualties resulted from the attack.

On Monday, the U.S. military said it carried out two strikes in Somalia killing four al-Shabab extremists, in defense of Somali forces who "were engaged by al-Shabab militants."

AFRICOM said another U.S. airstrike on Sunday killed six al-Shabab members near Dheerow Sanle in the Lower Shabelle region, and a strike on January 2 killed 10 militants in the same area.

The U.S. military says no civilians were killed or injured in these airstrikes.

According to AFRICOM, the U.S. military carried out 47 airstrikes in Somalia last year and 35 in 2017, killing hundreds of militants. Most targeted al-Shabaab, while some targeted Islamic State militants in the African country.

The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militant group continues to control large areas in southern and central Somalia. They are also responsible for deadly bombings in the capital, Mogadishu.NEW YORK - Notorious Mexican drug lord Joaquin El Chapo Guzman texted his wife while he was on the run after narrowly avoiding capture in 2012, according to the latest damaging evidence presented at Guzman's U.S. trial.

Prosecutors showed jurors a series of text messages between Guzman and Emma Coronel Aispuro in which they fussed over their twin daughters and exchanged assurances as he fled a raid by Mexican authorities on a mansion in Baja. On the day of the raid, Guzman told his wife about the escape in one of several messages shown to jurors at the trial in federal court in Brooklyn.

It all happened very fast, Guzman wrote, according to prosecutors. I saw them pounding on the door next door, but was able to jump out.

Mexico's top drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman i FILE - Mexico's top drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted as he arrives at Long Island MacArthur airport in New York, Jan. 19, 2017, following his extradition from Mexico. FILE - Mexico's top drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted as he arrives at Long Island MacArthur airport in New York, Jan. 19, 2017, following his extradition from Mexico.

The messages were recovered with the help of a technician who set up a secure messaging system for the Sinaloa cartel before becoming an FBI cooperator. The tech put the spyware on phones passed out to members of Guzman's inner circle at his direction, the FBI agent testified.

Guzman said in the messages that he needed a new set of clothes and some black dye for his mustache.

I love you, love, he wrote. Talk to you soon. She responded at one point: I hope so darling.

In an earlier exchange, Guzman described one of his daughters as fearless, adding, I'm going to give her an AK-47 so she can hang with me.

Emma Coronel Aispuro, wife of Joaquin "El Chapo" G FILE - Emma Coronel Aispuro, wife of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, arrives at federal court in New York, Dec. 6, 2018, for her husband's trial. FILE - Emma Coronel Aispuro, wife of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, arrives at federal court in New York, Dec. 6, 2018, for her husband's trial.

Also in evidence are loving texts that Guzman traded with a woman who was arrested in the raid in the resort town of Cabo San Lucas.

Guzman's wife was in the courtroom Wednesday, but had no visible reaction to portions of the messages as they were displayed on a large video screen and read aloud by an FBI agent.

The kingpin was a feared and admired crime boss in Mexico who was perhaps best known for escaping jail twice. He was recaptured and sent to the U.S. in 2017, where his lawyers say he's being framed. Guzman has pleaded not guilty to drug-trafficking charges.On a recent winter beach walk, Washington state Governor Jay Inslee's 5-year-old grandson beamed with delight as he spotted a crab.

Protecting such moments of connection with nature are one of the motivations driving Inslee to consider running for the U.S. presidency, with action on climate change as his major campaign platform.

"That type of experience in nature is what is so threatened, and I want my grandkids to continue to have those experiences," Inslee told Reuters in a telephone interview.

The Washington Democrat, from one of the country's greenest-leaning states, would likely face a tough uphill climb to the presidency, and plenty of analysts are skeptical of his chances to win the Democratic nomination, much less the Oval Office.

But Inslee, 67, believes fighting climate change should be the top priority for the White House  a dramatic shift from the views of the current occupant, who has called global warming a hoax and plans to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Agreement on climate change.

"It requires a concerted national will and the political capital of the President of the United States to put their shoulder to this wheel," he said. "We have to do climate first."

A host of Democratic challengers to Republican President Donald Trump are expected to join the political fray this year, from U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to former Vice President Joe Biden.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, waves to the crowd FILE - Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, waves to the crowd during an organizing event in Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 5, 2019. FILE - Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass, waves to the crowd during an organizing event in Des Moines, Iowa, Jan. 5, 2019.

How much any of them would make action on climate change a priority in a new Democratic administration remains unclear.

But Inslee believes there is an economic as well as environmental case for embarking on a "Green New Deal" that would transition the U.S. economy off fossil fuels and toward cleaner, renewable power.

He likens such a change to other major historical shifts, from the United States' buildup of World War II industrial might to the research and development program behind the Apollo space program that landed Americans on the moon.

"We have to change our economy so it does not run on oil and diesel and instead runs on clean energy," Inslee said. "That is the largest economic transition perhaps in human history, since we went from pulling a travois to having a wheel."

If done well, the governor said, decarbonizing the U.S. economy could spark plenty of new jobs in emerging clean energy industries, a view he outlined in his 2007 book Apollo's Fire.

"The number one job growth rate in America today is for solar installer and number two is for wind maintenance engineer," he said. "These jobs are growing twice as fast as the rest of the economy."

Green growth

Inslee sees his state, which he has governed since 2012, as a model of combined environmentally-friendly legislation and strong economic growth.

In recent years, Washington has reviewed its energy portfolio to boost renewables and encouraged cities and towns to buy electric buses.

The state has also installed a network of electric vehicle charging stations and seeded a clean energy research and development fund.

FILE - Tesla product specialist Kat Brand demonstr FILE - An electric car is seen at a dealership in Seattle, Feb. 4, 2015. FILE - An electric car is seen at a dealership in Seattle, Feb. 4, 2015.

Home to major companies such as Amazon.com, Microsoft and Starbucks, Washington state had the strongest economy in the United States last year, according to an analysis of 28 indicators by personal finance website WalletHub.

In the current state legislative session, Inslee is pushing for 100 percent clean electricity statewide by 2045 and a clean fuel standard in line with other West Coast states.

But efforts to put in place carbon pricing in the state have failed three times under his watch.

Inslee has not yet officially announced his candidacy for U.S. president. But in October he started a political action committee and has raised $112,000 through November for a potential run, according to federal election filings.

Last year, he also made multiple visits to early primary voting states as chairperson of the Democratic Governors Association.

He believes support for clean energy was a successful campaign issue in the seven governerships that Democrats won from Republicans in the 2018 midterm elections.

Inslee also points to a September poll of likely Iowa Democratic caucus voters, who said restoring U.S. leadership on climate change is one of their top three issues.

But a Yale University poll from last March suggested global warming still ranks 15th out of 28 issues of importance for U.S. voters nationally.

Political scientists say that is likely to hinder Inslee's prospects for taking his green campaign national.

"The brutal reality is that the electorate does not care about environmental issues," said Aseem Prakash, director of the University of Washington Center for Environmental Politics.

'Our hour'

Prakash gives Inslee little to no chance of winning the presidency but believes a bid would boost his national visibility and make him a viable candidate for a cabinet-level post, such as head of the Environmental Protection Agency.

In such a role, Prakash said, "he would be able to translate a lot of policies he has been talking about into concrete outcomes."

An Inslee candidacy on a climate change platform also could encourage other Democratic candidates to talk about the issue.

The former congressman remains undeterred about his likely slim chances of winning the top job.

"Pollsters be damned," he said. "You've got to go with your gut."

He believes combatting climate change could help unify a fractured country  and that he could be the one to push ahead the action needed now to help avoid the worst impacts of climate change and take advantages of new clean energy opportunities.

"Unfortunately, we're at the eleventh hour" in terms of addressing climate change, Inslee said. "But it can be our hour. It can be our shining hour where my state and, eventually, America leads the world in a clean energy economy."WASHINGTON - The United States downgraded the diplomatic status of the European Unions delegation in Washington last year without formally announcing the change or telling Brussels, according to EU officials.

They say it only came to light when the blocs envoy in the U.S. capital, Irish diplomat David OSullivan, discovered he wasnt being invited to certain events and was invited to the funeral of former U.S. President Herbert Walker Bush after national ambassadors, despite his seniority.

Diplomacy is saturated with symbolism and double meanings - and the downgrade, which now has been temporarily reversed - has angered EU officials, who fear the move was meant as a snub. Theyve requested an explanation for the downgrade, according to EU spokesperson Maja Kocijancic.

Motives elusive

Politicians and analysts on both sides of the Atlantic are struggling, though, to understand the motives for the demotion, debating whether the move was meant as a rebuff by an administration that has clashed with Brussels over trade and defense issues or whether it was the result of a bureaucratic mix-up.

The demotion of the EU representative was reversed following bilateral talks in December, an EU official told reporters Tuesday in Brussels.

President Donald Trump has been a vocal supporter of Britains exit from the EU - describing himself on the campaign trail as Mr. Brexit and frequently lambasting the bloc for running trade surpluses with America.

He has embraced anti-EU figures, including Nigel Farage, a leading Brexiter and onetime leader of the UK Independence party, whom he met after his election win ahead of meeting any EU leaders or Britains prime minister. The president tweeted that he thought Farage should be made Britains ambassador to the U.S. Many people would like to see @Nigel_Farage represent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States. He would do a great job! Trump said.

Because of the partial government shutdown in Washington, the State Department is not responding to media requests about the protocol change.

European Union Commissioner for Competition Margre FILE - European Union Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager speaks during a news conference at the EU Delegation in Washington, Sept. 19, 2016. FILE - European Union Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager speaks during a news conference at the EU Delegation in Washington, Sept. 19, 2016.

Not notified of any change

Previously, the U.S. treated the EU delegation and its ambassador as representatives of a country would be, say European officials. But the change, which is thought to have been made last October or November, downgraded the diplomatic status of the EU delegation to that of representing an international organization, a much lower pegging with potential impact regarding access to the administration.

We understand that there was a recent change in the way the diplomatic precedence list is implemented by the United States' Protocol, said Kocijancic in a statement. We are discussing with the relevant services in the administration possible implications for the EU delegation in Washington. We were not notified of any change. We expect the diplomatic practice established some years ago to be observed.

The status change was first reported by German broadcaster Deutsche Welle. We don't exactly know when they did it, because they conveniently forgot to notify us, an EU official told the broadcaster. This is clearly not simply a protocol issue, but this is something that has a very obvious political motive, he said.

Other EU diplomats in the U.S. capital contacted by VOA expressed the same view. A senior European diplomat maintained the relegation also may have been motivated by a wish to reverse a decision taken by the previous Obama administration, which upgraded the status of the delegation of the 28-nation bloc in 2016.

If this wasnt meant as a snub then the timing is odd, he said. Normally protocol tweaks are made in the first few months of a new administration, not two years in, he said. That aside, even if they didnt intend it as a rebuff, they must have realized thats how it would be interpreted. It is in line with what we see as an anti-EU stance by the Trump administration, which also dislikes multilateral organizations.

Petty Trump move

In a speech in Brussels in December, as the diplomatic downgrade was being discussed between U.S. and EU officials, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Trumps America First policy was reshaping the post-Second World War system by recognizing the importance of sovereign states over multilateral institutions. He criticized bureaucrats for believing multilateralism is an end in itself, and cast doubt on the EUs commitment to its citizens. That drew a sharp rebuke from the European Commission, the blocs executive arm.

Several high-profile European politicians reacted to the news of the downgrade Tuesday with frustration. Soap opera politics: US downgrades EU mission in DC in a petty Trump move, tweeted Carl Bildt of the European Council on Foreign Relations and a former Swedish prime minister.

Euro-skeptics cheered. That should take the EU superstate down a peg or two! tweeted the pro-Brexit Leave campaign.

EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom Tuesday heads to Washington for a round of trade talks with U.S. counterpart Robert Lighthizer. Trade tensions between Brussels and Washington have flared since Trump imposed tariffs on European aluminum and steel imports.

The U.S. president has threatened to impose tariffs on the European cars, too.Talks between China and the United States to resolve the ongoing trade war between the global economic giants ended Wednesday in an atmosphere of optimism.

Although neither side offered details of the meeting, one U.S. negotiator sounded a note of optimism to reporters after the talks broke up.

China Gives Long-awaited GM Crop Approvals Amid US Trade Talks China approved five genetically modified (GM) crops for import on Tuesday, the first in about 18 months in a move that could boost its overseas grains purchases and ease pressure from the United States to open its markets to more farm goods.The United States is the world's biggest producer of GM crops, while China is the top importer of GM soybeans and canola.U.S. China approved five genetically modified (GM) crops for import on Tuesday, the first in about 18 months in a move that could boost its overseas grains purchases and ease pressure from the United States to open its markets to more farm goods.The United States is the world's biggest producer of GM crops, while China is the top importer of GM soybeans and canola.U.S.

Ted McKinney, the Undersecretary of Agriculture for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, said the negotiations "went just fine," and that they "had been a good one for us."

McKinney's sentiment echoed that of President Donald Trump, who tweeted early Tuesday that the talks "are going very well!"

Talks with China are going very well!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 8, 2019

The working-level talks opened Monday and were supposed to end the following day, but were extended an extra day, a sign that the two sides had made progress in resolving tariff disputes that have roiled world markets. Asian markets closed on a high note Wednesday on the expectation the two sides will reach an agreement.

Trump Says 'Big Progress' on Possible China Trade Deal U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter on Saturday that he had a "long and very good call" with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that a possible trade deal between the United States and China was progressing well.As a partial shutdown of the U.S. government entered its eighth day, with no quick end in sight, the Republican president was in Washington, sending out tweets attacking Democrats and talking up possibly improved relations with China.  U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter on Saturday that he had a "long and very good call" with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that a possible trade deal between the United States and China was progressing well.As a partial shutdown of the U.S. government entered its eighth day, with no quick end in sight, the Republican president was in Washington, sending out tweets attacking Democrats and talking up possibly improved relations with China. 

The trade talks are the result of an agreement last month between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to stop the tit-for-tat tariff conflict between the two countries for 90 days starting on New Year's Day.

The talks are occurring as China's economic growth rate  6.5 percent in the July-to-September period  fell to its lowest point in a decade. There are concerns the U.S. growth rate, 3.4 percent in the third quarter, is also slowing even as the country's unemployment rate remains nearly at a five-decade low.

The United States has long complained about access to the vast Chinese market and Beijing's demands U.S. companies reveal their technology advances.

If no deal is reached by March 2, U.S. tariffs on $200 billion Chinese goods will rise from 10 percent to 25 percent.The United Nations refugee agency has determined that an 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled to Thailand is a refugee, and has asked Australia to grant her residence.

Australia's Department of Homeland Security said it will consider the request made by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees to resettle Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun.

Al-Qunun arrived in Bangkok last Saturday on a flight from Kuwait after running away from her family, claiming they would kill her if she were sent back.

After she was initially denied entry into Thailand, she barricaded herself in an airport hotel room and posted pictures and texts of herself on Twitter, drawing global attention to her plight. The attention prompted Thai immigration authorities to reverse their earlier decision to send her back to Saudi Arabia.

Thai immigration police chief Surachate Hakparn says Al-Qunun's father and brother arrived in Bangkok Tuesday, but she refused to meet with them.

Surachate discussed al-Qunun's case Tuesday with Abdealelah Alsheaiby, the charge d'affaires of Saudi's embassy in Bangkok. Video footage released by the Thai immigration office shows Alsheaiby complaining that it would have been better if Bangkok had seized al-Qunun's smartphone instead of her passport -- a remark which drew angry protests on social media.

Saudi Arabias human rights record has come under heavy scrutiny since the brutal murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year at its consulate in Turkey. The ultra-conservative kingdom has strict restrictions on women, including a requirement that they must have the permission of male family members to travel.UNITED NATIONS - The U.N. special envoy for Yemen said Wednesday that a cease-fire for the crucial port city of Hodeida is largely holding, but more progress needs to be made before a second round of peace talks can take place.



Progress on implementation has been gradual and tentative, but it has made a tangible contribution to peace, Martin Griffiths said of the December 18 cease-fire and other agreements made at peace talks last month in Sweden. There are doubtless many hurdles to be overcome in the days, weeks and months ahead, but the parties must not be diverted from their commitments."

Swedish Foreign minister Margot Wallstrom, U.N. e FILE - Swedish Foreign minister Margot Wallstrom, U.N. envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths and delegates attend the opening press conference on U.N.-sponsored peace talks for Yemen at Johannesberg castle, in Rimbo, Sweden, Dec. 6, 2018. FILE - Swedish Foreign minister Margot Wallstrom, U.N. envoy to Yemen Martin Griffiths and delegates attend the opening press conference on U.N.-sponsored peace talks for Yemen at Johannesberg castle, in Rimbo, Sweden, Dec. 6, 2018.

Last month, delegations representing the government of Yemeni President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi and Houthi rebels met under U.N. auspices near Stockholm for a first round of talks aimed at ending the nearly four-year long conflict. Parties agreed to the localized truce in Hodeida, as well as redeployment of fighters to agreed locations outside the city. Agreements were also reached on the exchange of thousands of prisoners and for easing the situation in the southwest city of Taiz.

Head of Houthi delegation Mohammed Abdul-Salam (R) FILE - Head of Houthi delegation Mohammed Abdul-Salam (R) and Yemeni FM Khaled al-Yaman (2 L) shake hands next to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom (L), during the Yemen peace talks closing ceremony, Dec. 13, 2018. FILE - Head of Houthi delegation Mohammed Abdul-Salam (R) and Yemeni FM Khaled al-Yaman (2 L) shake hands next to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom (L), during the Yemen peace talks closing ceremony, Dec. 13, 2018.

Under the Stockholm Agreement and a U.N. Security Council resolution endorsing it, the U.N. has deployed an advance team to monitor the cease-fire. It is also working on details of the redeployment of forces, providing security for Hodeida and the opening of humanitarian access routes. The council is working on a follow-up technical resolution which will authorize a full U.N. team to support the Hodeida truce.



Envoy Griffiths, who addressed the council via a video link from Amman, said he has met with both President Hadi and rebel leader Abdelmalik al-Houthi and that he remains hopeful a second round of talks could take place in the near future.



On the humanitarian front, U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock said the situation remains catastrophic.



FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2018 photo, men deliver U FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2018 photo, men deliver U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) aid in Aslam, Hajjah, Yemen. FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2018 photo, men deliver U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) aid in Aslam, Hajjah, Yemen.

More than 24 million people now need humanitarian assistance  thats 80 percent of the population, Lowcock told the council. They include 10 million people just a step away from famine.



He said aid agencies are scaling up to meet these needs.



Last month, the World Food Program reached a record 9.5 million people with emergency food assistance. In the next few months, Lowcock said WFP will expand operations to reach 12 million people a month  including the 10 million most at risk of famine.



The important progress we have seen on the political track, which Martin [Griffiths] just briefed you on, deserves our full and continuing support, but it does not of itself feed a single starving child, Lowcock said. Millions of Yemenis are looking to us for assistance and protection, and we need to see more and faster progress on all the humanitarian elements of your resolution to make any practical difference to their lives.



A Saudi Arabian-led coalition began bombing Iranian-aligned Houthi rebels in support of Yemens government in March 2015. Since then, the U.N. estimates more than 10,000 people have been killed, mostly due to coalition airstrikes.President Donald Trump delivers a televised address to the nation from his desk in the Oval Office about immigration and the southern U.S. border on the 18th day of a partial government shutdown at the White House in Washington, Jan. 8, 2019.WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday nominated acting EPA chief Andrew Wheeler to run the agency permanently, the White House said, placing a former energy lobbyist at the helm of the nation's top environmental regulator.

The widely anticipated nomination provides Trump another avid supporter of his deregulatory and pro-fossil fuels agenda, but without the constant criticism over alleged mismanagement that plagued Wheeler's predecessor, Scott Pruitt.

The decision pleased Republican lawmakers and industry groups eager for less onerous federal environmental oversight, but drew criticism from environmental groups critical of the EPA's direction under Trump.

"The only thing Wheeler is going to protect at the EPA is the profits of polluters," said Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity.

Wheeler takes over for Pruitt

Wheeler took the reins at the Environmental Protection Agency on an interim basis in July after Pruitt resigned amid a slew of controversies that included his high spending on first-class travel, round-the-clock security, and office equipment.

Wheeler, 54, has overseen a number of deregulatory efforts since Pruitt's departure, including proposals weakening Obama-era rules limiting carbon and mercury emissions from power plants, and an initiative to lift a summertime ban on higher ethanol blends of gasoline that was enacted to curb smog.

In November, Trump announced during a Medal of Freedom ceremony at the White House that he had made up his mind to make Wheeler permanent, saying he had been doing a "fantastic job."

The U.S. Senate, led by Trump's fellow Republicans, is expected to approve Wheeler's nomination.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., heads to the Senate fl Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., heads to the Senate floor, on Capitol Hill, Oct. 3, 2018 in Washington. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., heads to the Senate floor, on Capitol Hill, Oct. 3, 2018 in Washington.

"Acting Administrator Wheeler has done an outstanding job leading EPA and is well qualified to run the agency on a permanent basis. I will work with committee members to get him confirmed," said Senator John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican who chairs the Senate's environment committee.

Wheeler worked at the EPA in the 1990s and later in the Senate under Republican Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma, a skeptic of mainstream climate science, before moving to the private sector as a lobbyist and consultant.

Served as lobbyist

He has said he is "not at all ashamed" of his lobbying for Murray Energy Corp, the nation's leading underground coal mining company, the focus of criticism by environmentalists.

Wheeler had also lobbied for utility Xcel Energy Inc and consulted for biofuels industry group Growth Energy, agricultural merchant and biofuels producer Archer Daniels Midland Co and International Paper Co.

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, reacts to a question U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, reacts to a question during a town hall meeting, Sept. 21, 2017, in Charles City, Iowa. U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, reacts to a question during a town hall meeting, Sept. 21, 2017, in Charles City, Iowa.

Senator Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, said she has been pleased by Wheeler's work so far on the nation's biofuels policy, a critical program for producers of ethanol, and wanted him to help protect demand for the corn-based fuel. "A commitment to renewable fuel is very important," she told Reuters in an interview.

Wheeler has said the EPA under his leadership would follow the same course as under Pruitt, prioritizing cleaning up industrial Superfund sites  areas contaminated by hazardous waste and identified by the EPA as a candidate for cleanup  and financing investments in water infrastructure.A trial in New York over the Trump administration's move to cut off permission for thousands of Haitians to live in the U.S. is spotlighting emails between officials downplaying health and safety crises in the Caribbean nation as they tried to justify the change.

The case centers on the Temporary Protected Status program, which has allowed about 50,000 people from Haiti to live and work in the U.S. temporarily since a devastating earthquake in 2010. The emails, filed with documents in the case, bolster the argument by migrant advocates that the Trump administration was so bent on ending TPS that it ignored the U.S. government's own research showing that Haiti was in no shape to take people back.

"The problem" with that analysis, one Trump appointee to the Department of Homeland Security, Kathy Kovarik, wrote in an October 2017 email, "is that it reads as though we'd recommend an extension [of TPS] because we talk so much about how bad it is."

"The basic problem is that it IS bad there," another official responded. "We can ... try to get more, and/or comb through the country conditions we have again looking for positive gems, but the conditions are what they are."

FILE - CASA de Maryland, an immigration advocacy a FILE - CASA de Maryland, an immigration advocacy and assistance organization, holds a rally in Lafayette Park, across from the White House in Washington, Jan. 8, 2018. FILE - CASA de Maryland, an immigration advocacy and assistance organization, holds a rally in Lafayette Park, across from the White House in Washington, Jan. 8, 2018.

The non-jury trial in federal court in Brooklyn stems from one of seven lawsuits filed by immigrants and advocates over the 2017 moves to end TPS. The program has allowed about 300,000 people from Haiti, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Sudan and other countries to stay in the U.S. for years after their home countries were upended by natural disasters or violence.

In October, a California judge hearing another of the lawsuits temporarily blocked the changes covering people from those four countries, forcing the administration to maintain their TPS status for now.

But the Brooklyn case, which covers only Haitians, is the first time the administration's move to end TPS has been put on trial. U.S. District Judge William F. Kuntz said Monday he expects to issue a decision after both sides file written arguments in March. Whatever the ruling, it is likely to be appealed.

Previous Trump comments

Previous administrations periodically reviewed conditions in countries beset by war and catastrophe before deciding whether to grant, renew or expand temporary protected status, lawyers for Haitian migrants contend. But they say the Trump administration followed a very different path this time.

The debate over the decision has turned on comments by President Donald Trump last year that the U.S. does not want Haitians and others from "shithole countries."

Those comments have come up in the New York trial, with the attorneys representing Haitians citing the remark but using the term "s-hole" out of concern for courtroom decorum.

The judge, though, seemed offended by the omission.

"We're in the real world here," Kuntz told lawyers. "Use the term. This is grown-up land and that's how we're going to roll."

Opinions vs. facts

Lawyers for immigrants have argued that the comments show racial bias contributed to the decisions to end TPS. They have contended, too, that the administration failed to follow the usual practice of making decisions based on analysis by staffers at the Departments of State and Homeland Security.

Instead, the lawyers said, Trump appointees rewrote or edited those findings to suit their purposes. In another email filed as part of the case, for example, a DHS appointee, Robert T. Law, wrote that a draft decision on Haiti "is overwhelming(ly) weighted for extension (of TPS) which I do not think is the conclusion we are looking for."

"The defendants are entitled to their own opinions, but not to their own facts," one of the lawyers representing Haitian immigrants, Howard Roin, said in court.

But lawyers for the government told the judge that the decision was the product of lengthy consideration and consultation, and reminded the court that TPS was always intended to be temporary.

"TPS is not asylum. It is not akin to having a green card. It is a temporary humanitarian response," Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Marutollo said.

Haitians living in New York testified they fear being forced to return to their homeland.

"It has been really stressful because we don't know how to plan our lives now," said Naischa Vilme, a recent college graduate who hopes to become a clinical psychologist.Paul Manafort, who headed Donald Trump's presidential campaign for several months in mid-2016, shared polling data from the campaign with an associate with ties to Russian intelligence, according to a court filing Tuesday.

The revelation is the latest evidence of communication among Russians and Trump campaign officials, though federal prosecutors have yet to make a case that there was any conspiracy involving the campaign.

Prosecutors with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation say Manafort lied to them about the exchange. Manafort, however, denied the charge about his dealings with former business partner Konstantin Kilimnik, a Ukraine native accused by prosecutors of having ties to Russian intelligence. Manafort said he merely forgot the details, blaming the chaotic atmosphere of the campaign.

Mueller's team is investigating Russia's interference in the 2016 election, and the new allegations against Manafort raise the possibility that information he provided helped Russia's efforts. The U.S. intelligence community has assessed that Russia worked to undermine the election with a clear preference for Trump to win.

The prosecutors, who are also looking into whether Trump, as president, tried to illegally obstruct the probe, contended Manafort lied about at least five subjects, including his connection with Kilimnik.

Probe has lasted 20 months

The information seen Tuesday was in a redacted portion of the filing by Manafort's lawyers that wasn't properly blacked out, and showed that Manafort lied about sharing political polling data with Kilimnik while he was working on the Trump campaign. The specifics were not previously known, having been sufficiently blacked out in a heavily redacted Dec. 7 filing by the Mueller's team.

Kilimnik, who has been charged by Mueller with obstruction of justice for allegedly tampering with witnesses in the Manafort case, has denied ties with Russian intelligence.

Russia denies any role

Russia has denied interfering in the election, while Trump has repeatedly denied any collusion with Russia to help him win the election.

Trump's lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, told Reuters Wednesday that the president's legal team had informed Mueller that Trump would not answer any more questions regarding the probe. Trump, in November, provided written answers to Mueller's questions, but his lawyers say he will not do that again.

Manafort's lawyers also said in the filing that any "misstatements" Manafort made to prosecutors were "unintentional" and that he won't contest the prosecutors' claim that he lied.

Prosecutors had contended in November that Manafort had told "multiple discernible lies" during 12 interview sessions after he had agreed to cooperate with the investigation.

They contended the 69-year-old Manafort, facing years in prison, had breached the cooperation agreement that was reached when he pleaded guilty to cheating U.S. tax authorities, violating federal lobbying laws and obstructing justice in connection with his long-time lobbying efforts for deposed Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovych in the years before he worked on Trump's campaign.

Move on to sentencing

In the court filing disclosed Tuesday, Manafort's lawyers decided not to contest the allegations that Manafort lied and asked a judge to move on to sentencing Manafort in the coming weeks. Manafort also was convicted last summer of financial crimes in a Virginia trial just outside Washington.

The lawyers said Manafort was suffering from gout, anxiety and depression and never purposely lied.

"The defense contests the government's conclusion [that Manafort lied] and contends that any alleged misstatements, to the extent they occurred at all, were not intentional," his lawyers said.

In addition to winning the case against Manafort, Mueller and other federal prosecutors have secured guilty pleas for various offenses from Trump's first national security advisor, Michael Flynn, former campaign aide Rick Gates, foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos, and Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, among others.As President Donald Trump travels to the border in Texas to make the case for his $5.7 billion wall, landowner Eloisa Cavazos says she knows firsthand how the project will play out if the White House gets its way.



The federal government has started surveying land along the border in Texas and announced plans to start construction next month. Rather than surrender their land, some property owners are digging in, vowing to reject buyout offers and preparing to fight the administration in court.



"You could give me a trillion dollars and I wouldn't take it,'' said Cavazos, whose land sits along the Rio Grande, the river separating the U.S. and Mexico in Texas. "It's not about money.''



Congress in March funded 33 miles (53 kilometers) of walls and fencing in Texas. The government has laid out plans that would cut across private land in the Rio Grande Valley. Those in the way include landowners who have lived in the valley for generations, environmental groups and a 19th-century chapel.



Many have hired lawyers who are preparing to fight the government if, as expected, it moves to seize their land through eminent domain.



The opposition will intensify if Democrats accede to the Trump administration's demand to build more than 215 new miles of wall, including 104 miles in the Rio Grande Valley and 55 miles near Laredo. Even a compromise solution to build "steel slats,'' as Trump has suggested, or more fencing of the kind that Democrats have previously supported would likely trigger more court cases and pushback in Texas.

In this Aug. 11, 2017, file photo, a U.S. Customs In this Aug. 11, 2017, file photo, a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol vehicle passes along a section of border levee wall in Hidalgo, Texas. The Department of Homeland Security posted a waiver Oct. 10, 2018, that lists six sections where it plans to build "physical barriers and roads" in the Rio Grande Valley, at the southernmost point of Texas. In this Aug. 11, 2017, file photo, a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol vehicle passes along a section of border levee wall in Hidalgo, Texas. The Department of Homeland Security posted a waiver Oct. 10, 2018, that lists six sections where it plans to build "physical barriers and roads" in the Rio Grande Valley, at the southernmost point of Texas.

?Waiver seen unlikely

Legal experts say Trump likely cannot waive eminent domain  which requires the government to demonstrate a public use for the land and provide landowners with compensation  by declaring a national emergency.



While this is Trump's first visit to the border in Texas as president, his administration's immigration crackdown has been felt here for months.



Hundreds of the more than 2,400 children separated from their parents last summer were detained in cages at a Border Patrol facility in McAllen, where Trump is scheduled to visit Thursday. Three "tender-age'' facilities for the youngest children were opened in this region.



The president also ordered soldiers to the border in response to a wave of migrant caravans before the November election. Those troops had a heavy presence in the Rio Grande Valley, though they have since quietly left. A spokeswoman for the border security mission said they closed their base camp along the border on Dec. 22.



But Trump's border wall will last beyond his administration. Building in the region is a top priority for the Department of Homeland Security because it's the busiest area for illegal border crossings. More than 23,000 parents and children were caught illegally crossing the border in the Rio Grande Valley in November  more than triple the number from a year earlier.



Homeland Security officials argue that a wall would stop many crossings and deter Central American families from trying to migrate north. Many of those families are seeking asylum because of violence in their home countries and often turn themselves in to border agents when they arrive here.

More families



The number of families has surged. DHS said Wednesday that it detained 27,518 adults and children traveling together on the southern border in December, a new monthly high.



With part of the $1.6 billion Congress approved in March, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced it would build 25 miles (40 kilometers) of wall along the flood-control levee in Hidalgo County, which runs well north of the Rio Grande.



Congress did not allow construction of any of Trump's wall prototypes. But the administration's plans call for a concrete wall to the height of the existing levee, with 18-foot (5.5-meter) steel posts on top. CBP wants to clear 150 feet (45 meters) in front of any new construction for an "enforcement zone'' of access roads, cameras and lighting.



The government sued the local Roman Catholic diocese late last year to gain access for its surveyors at the site of La Lomita Chapel, which opened in 1865 and was an important site for missionaries who traveled the Rio Grande Valley by horseback.



It remains an epicenter of the Rio Grande Valley's Catholic community, hosting weddings and funerals, as well as an annual Palm Sunday procession that draws 2,000 people.



The chapel is a short distance from the Rio Grande. It falls directly into the area where CBP wants to build its "enforcement zone.''

In this Aug. 12, 2017, photo, Father Roy Snipes is In this Aug. 12, 2017, photo, Father Roy Snipes is shown after he led a procession to the La Lomita Chapel along a levee toward the Rio Grande to oppose the wall the U.S. government wants to build on the river separating Texas and Mexico in Mission, Texas. In this Aug. 12, 2017, photo, Father Roy Snipes is shown after he led a procession to the La Lomita Chapel along a levee toward the Rio Grande to oppose the wall the U.S. government wants to build on the river separating Texas and Mexico in Mission, Texas.

?Against church teachings



The diocese said it opposes a border wall because the barrier violates Catholic teachings and the church's responsibility to protect migrants, as well as the church's First Amendment right of religious freedom. A legal group from Georgetown University has joined the diocese in its lawsuit.



Father Roy Snipes leads prayers each Friday for his chapel to be spared. Wearing a cowboy hat with his white robe and metal cross, he's known locally as the "cowboy priest'' and sometimes takes a boat on the Rio Grande to go from his home to the chapel.



"It would poison the water,'' Snipes said. "It would still be a sacred place, but it would be a sacred place that was desecrated.''



The Cavazos family's roughly 64 acres (0.25 square kilometer) were first purchased by their grandmother 60 years ago.



They rent some of the property to tenants who have built small houses or brought in trailers, charging some as little as $1,000 a year. They live off the earnings from the land and worry that a fence would deter renters and turn their property into a "no man's land.''



On the rest of the property are plywood barns, enclosures for cattle and goats, and a wooden deck that extends into the river, which flows serenely east toward the Gulf of Mexico. Eloisa's brother, Fred, can sit on the deck in his wheelchair and fish with a rod fashioned from a long carrizo reed plucked from the riverbank.



Surveyors examined their property in December under federal court order. The family hasn't yet received an offer for their land, but their lawyers at the Texas Civil Rights Project expect a letter with an offer will arrive in the coming weeks.



"Everybody tells us to sell and go to a better place,'' Eloisa Cavazos said. "This is heaven to us.''News

UAE residents urged to be cautious as COVID-19 cases increased after Eid Al Fitr

Dr. Farida Al Hosani, Official Spokesperson of the UAE Health Sector and Director of the Communicable Diseases Department of the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC), said, An increase in infection was observed in the country, especially after the Eid Al-Fitr holidays, which was caused by several reasons, one of which was the failure to adhere to the precautionary measures and the large number of gatherings.A South Korean court has seized the local assets of a Japanese company in order to compensate four South Koreans who were forced into labor during Japan's brutal colonial rule of the peninsula between 1910 and 1945.

A district court in the southeastern city of Pohang on Wednesday approved a request by the plaintiffs to freeze more than 80,000 shares of a joint venture between Japan's Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal and South Korean steelmaker POSCO.

South Korea's Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling in last October ordering Nippon Steel to pay nearly $90,000 to each of the four plaintiffs. But Nippon refused to comply, citing a 1965 treaty that formally normalized bilateral ties between Seoul and Tokyo. The treaty included $800 million in reparations paid by Japan in the form of economic aid and loans.

But the Supreme Court has ruled that the treaty does not prevent individuals from seeking compensation from Japanese companies involved in the forced labor practices of the time.

Japan's Foreign Ministry summoned South Korean envoy Lee Su-hoon to lodge a formal protest over Wednesday's ruling. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters the decision was "extremely regrettable," and that Tokyo will seek formal talks with Seoul over the matter.

Lawyers Request Seizure of Japanese Assets for Korean Forced Labor Lawyers for South Koreans forced into wartime labor have taken legal steps to seize the South Korean assets of a Japanese company they are trying to pressure into obeying a court ruling to provide them compensation.Lawyer Lim Jae-sung said Thursday the court in the city of Pohang could decide in two or three weeks whether to accept the request to seize the 2.34 million shares Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. Lawyers for South Koreans forced into wartime labor have taken legal steps to seize the South Korean assets of a Japanese company they are trying to pressure into obeying a court ruling to provide them compensation.Lawyer Lim Jae-sung said Thursday the court in the city of Pohang could decide in two or three weeks whether to accept the request to seize the 2.34 million shares Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp.

South Korea's Supreme Court issued a similar ruling last November against Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Japan has warned that it could appeal the matter to an international court.Japan's 35-year colonial occupation has left a bitter legacy among South Koreans, with hundreds of thousands subjected to numerous atrocities, including the so-called "comfort women" who were forced into sexual slavery in Japanese military brothels.JOHANNESBURG - South Africas ruling African National Congress (ANC) celebrated its anniversary this week by counting the partys successes in the past 25 years. But the ANC is battling with factionalism and corruption allegations against senior party members, which could affect its standing in upcoming May national elections.

In a speech Tuesday marking the 107th birthday of ANC, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa touted the partys success since the end of apartheid.

Our economy has tripled in size over the last 25 years. Seven million more people are now employed today than they were in 1994. And we have taken bold steps to confront corruption, Ramaphoda said.

The ANC was born January 8th, 1912, in the little town of Bloemfontein.

The party became famous for leaders like Nelson Mandela, who gave up his freedom to end apartheid, South Africas former system of racial segregation and discrimination.

But former ANC lawmaker Ben Turok said, a century later, the party of Mandela is a different organization.

A catch-up culture penetrated the movement. Catch-up! The whites had this, we want the same. And that catch-up led to many of the problems that we have today, Turok said.

These problems include the ANCs mismanagement of state-owned enterprises, 25 percent unemployment, inequality, corruption, and a divided party.

The ANC split last year between supporters of President Cyril Ramaphosa and disgraced former president Jacob Zuma after the latter was forced to resign over corruption allegations.

An aerial view shows a helicopter flying a giant f An aerial view shows a helicopter flying a giant flag of the South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) displaying a picture of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and urging people to register to vote for upcoming elections, in Durban, South Africa, Jan. 1, 2019. An aerial view shows a helicopter flying a giant flag of the South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) displaying a picture of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and urging people to register to vote for upcoming elections, in Durban, South Africa, Jan. 1, 2019.

Fault lines

Political analyst Theo Venter said the ANC is not in the best shape as the country heads toward May national elections.

One can clearly see the fault lines in the ANC. There are factions talking about each other as factions. I think there is a far more urgent need for discussion, because I think the push back from the Zuma side in the ANC is threatening the unity, Venter said.

Although the ANC has received the majority of votes in every election since the end of apartheid, the winning margins have been gradually decreasing.

Opposition parties are hoping to take advantage of the ANCs waning support, including in its biggest support base  Kwazulu Natal Province.

Democratic Alliance party leader Zwakele Mncwango said the ANC is at its weakest moment.

The main mission for us is to drop the ANC below 50 percent. Weve seen its possible, Mncwango said.

Political analyst Tinyiko Maluleke said although the ANC will no doubt win the coming elections, the party will no longer be able to rely solely on its liberation credentials. South Africans are now demanding services like clean water and electricity.

I think the most serious challenge is that perhaps the ANC has not managed to facilitate service delivery to the extent that the ANC as a party has been promising, Maluleke said.

At the anniversary celebrations this week, the ANC sought to project an image of a confident and unified party.

Ramaphosa was side-by-side with Zuma and told the nation their comradeship is still at its best.

How much that translates into reversing the partys downward trend will become clear with the May elections.

For the women of Tuluroba village's self-help group, the goal was simple: use their combined savings to buy cattle, fatten them and sell them to the beef industry for slaughter.

But there was a problem.

"We had no land to graze the cattle. Nor could we obtain a loan from a bank to buy land, because as women we do not own title deeds," said Fatuma Wario, who chairs the 13-strong group.

That is common. Few women in Kenya have land title documents, and few are getting them: Since 2013, less than 2 percent of issued titles have gone to women, the Kenya Land Alliance, a non-profit, said in March 2018.

And because getting a loan from a mainstream bank requires collateral  typically in the form of a land title document  most women are locked out of the chance to start a business.

In the end, the women of the HoriJabesa group borrowed money from an institution that loans money to women's groups without requiring land title. Instead, the cash from their savings underwrites the loan.

In Wario's case, that meant switching their savings account to the bank that was prepared to extend a $1,000 loan. Using that money and some of their savings, "we bought cattle and hired land to graze our stock."

That was in 2017. Doing so meant the group could rent 10 acres (4 hectares) of pasture at a cost of 30,000 Kenyan shillings ($300) annually.

Interest on the loan is 12 percent per year. In their first year, they earned $10,000 from their investment  with each fattened head of cattle bringing in a $30 profit.

Thousands benefit

The first step for Wario's group was to become a partner with the Program for Rural Outreach of Financial Innovations and Technologies (PROFIT), which is funded by the U.N International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

David Kanda, an adviser at the SNV Netherlands Development Organization who has seen the impact PROFIT has had on women like Wario, said about 60 women's groups in eastern Kenya alone were benefiting from the PROFIT program.

"Apart from livestock enterprises, the program also supports women to do poultry and bee-keeping on hired land."

The program began in December 2010 and is scheduled to run until June this year. After that, it will be evaluated with an eye to continuing it, an official from AGRA said.

Getting a loan requires that the person be an active member of an agribusiness network. She can then apply to a farmer-lending institution for a loan as an individual  in which case her share in the agribusiness network is her collateral  or with her group, as Wario's collective did.

The Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC), a government agency, is one such lending institution.

To date, said Millicent Omukaga, AFC's head of operations, more than 40,000 women in Kenya have benefited from non-collateralized loans. None of those loans has gone bad.

"Our aim is to double the number ... of women beneficiaries. But the overall aim is to see them financially empowered so that they can fight for their land rights."

Grass bounty

That has proven the case for Mabel Katindi, a widow who lives in Kathiani village in Machakos county, 195 kilometers south of Wario's village.

The 42-year-old lost her husband a decade ago. Since then she has had to fight off relatives trying to chase her and her three children from the one-acre plot she inherited.

The problem is that her late husband did not have a title deed. As it is ancestral land, it fell under one title deed held by the eldest member of his family, she said.

And without title, Katindi could not get a loan to finance money-earning ventures on her acre.

"Our land is not very good for growing food crops because the rains are not enough. Feeding my children alone has been the most difficult task," she said.

But after joining the local women's organization in 2017, Katindi learned that, as an active member of the agribusiness group, she could use her share to apply for a loan.

In March of that year, she borrowed 50,000 shillings from a savings and credit cooperative, and used that to plant drought-resistant brachiaria grass on half an acre of her land.

The grass has thrived, she said.

"Demand for the grass is very high because it makes cattle produce a lot of milk. It also does not require a lot of rain to grow," Katindi said.

Each bale of grass earns up to 300 shillings, with the half-acre generating 100 bales each year. She uses the other half-acre to grow staple foods for the family.

"My children are all in school. I do not have to worry about feeding them," Katindi said, adding that the financial returns from the loan had also helped to mend relations with her late husband's family.

"I even use some of my money to support the relatives who wanted to chase me away from the land."WARSAW - Italy and Poland should join forces to reshape Europe, Italy's far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on Wednesday during a visit to Warsaw to drum up support for a euroskeptic alliance to contest May elections to the European Parliament.

The euroskeptic governments in Rome and Warsaw are both keen to repatriate some EU powers from Brussels to national capitals and hope like-minded parties will do well in the May elections, which will follow Britain's planned exit from the bloc in March.

"Poland and Italy will be part of the new spring of Europe, the renaissance of European values," he told a press conference with Poland's Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski.

Salvini's visit to Warsaw was initiated by Brudzinski, who said the two had discussed migration and EU border security.

Salvini has repeatedly railed against the EU and says the May elections are vital for creating a "reformist" bloc that can overhaul Brussels institutions from within.

Salvini, whose anti-immigrant League is the most popular party in Italy, said his talks on Wednesday with Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), had gone well.

PiS has echoed the League's calls for Brussels to interfere less in the affairs of EU member states, though the parties are not currently allied in the European Parliament.

"At a party level, we have started a journey, a sharing of ideas, visions and projects for the future of the European Parliament that will, at long last, be profoundly different to what went before," Salvini said.

"We started a dialogue. To close a deal in half an hour seems overly optimistic," he added.

Salvini said he wanted to put together an alliance of like-minded EU parties that would campaign on a shared, 10-point program that has yet to be fully defined.

"We proposed a common program to be offered to other parties and peoples in Europe founded on certain themes, like (economic) growth, security, the family, Europe's Christian roots that some have denied," Salvini said.

At present, Salvini is allied to a small group of far-right parties such as Marine Le Pen's National Rally in France and the anti-Islam Freedom Party in the Netherlands. But he wants to extend its reach and draw in conservative groups like PiS.

Previous attempts by populist right-wing parties to form a euroskeptic alliance in the European Parliament have not been very successful as they often have different priorities or interests and show little appetite for compromise.

Despite its euroskepticism, PiS has recently been trying to mend fences with Brussels, agreeing to reverse a law criticized by the EU that had forced Polish Supreme Court judges into early retirement.

Salvini has also called for an end to EU sanctions against Russia, while Kaczynski and other Polish conservatives support them and are deeply distrustful of Moscow.LONDON - Four senior retired U.S. military officers on Tuesday blasted a legal ruling backing President Donald Trump's ban on transgender individuals serving in the armed forces as "wrong" ahead of a key decision from the country's top court on Friday.

The officers said a ruling last week by a Washington appeals court in favor of a ban on transgender recruits was misguided and backed an earlier decision that such a policy would violate their constitutional rights.

"The D.C. Court of Appeals made an error when it lifted one of the injunctions that protect transgender members of our military," said retired officers Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy, Rear Admiral John Hutson, Major General Gale Pollock and Brigadier General Clara Adams-Ender.

"The need for an injunction protecting transgender people who serve their country remains precisely the same," they said in a joint statement obtained exclusively by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

In July 2017, Trump tweeted that transgender people would be banned from serving in the U.S. military, citing the "tremendous medical costs and disruption."

Former defense secretary Jim Mattis last year proposed allowing trans individuals currently serving to remain.

However, new transgender recruits and trans servicemen and women who sought to transition after the ban took effect would be barred.

In its ruling, the Washington appeals court said the Mattis proposal did not represent a "blanket ban" on trans individuals.

But the retired chiefs said the rationale for the Mattis policy and the Trump tweets was "the same -- politics, not military expertise -- and courts should not be deferring to it."

A 2016 RAND Corporation survey estimated that there were between 1,300 and 6,600 trans men and women on active duty in the 1.3-million-strong U.S. military.

"The Trump tweets and the Mattis policy take aim at the same people: troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria," said Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center, an independent research institute that focuses on LGBT+ people and the military.

"They ban the same thing: gender transition. They have the same effect: forcing transgender troops to live a lie and denying them medically necessary care."

Other LGBT+ rights organizations echoed Belkin's concerns.

The administration is "trying to package this as an entirely new policy, but all it does is what President Trump ordered: ban openly transgender people from bravely serving their country," said Tara Borelli, counsel at Lambda Legal.

Ryan Thoreson, an LGBT+ researcher at Human Rights Watch, said: "Wording the Mattis policy slightly differently doesn't change the plain fact that this is and always has been a ban on transgender service."

Under rules introduced by former U.S. President Barack Obama, the country's military did not distinguish between trans men and women and other service personnel.

Trump has requested the matter be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, which will convene on Friday to decide whether to review the three injunctions still in place.MEXICO CITY - Mexicos new president issued an emotional appeal to his countrymen to help battle against fuel thefts on Wednesday, as long lines spread to gas stations in Mexico City.

The multi-state fuel scarcity arose after President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador decided to close government pipelines riddled with illegal fuel taps drilled by thieves, and instead deliver gas and diesel by tanker trucks.

There arent enough tanker trucks, and lines have stretched for hours at gas stations in outlying states this week. But by Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning, similar lines formed in the capital as nervous motorists sought to fill their tanks.

Vehicles stand in line to fill up their fuel tanks Vehicles stand in line to fill up their fuel tanks at a gas station in Mexico, City, Jan. 8, 2019. Vehicles stand in line to fill up their fuel tanks at a gas station in Mexico, City, Jan. 8, 2019.

Taxi driver Raymundo Cabrera Diaz had waited for an hour at a downtown Mexico City gas station and was running on empty as reached the pumps.

I havent got anything, I made it here by a miracle, Cabrera Diaz said, motioning at his gas gauge. Fuel theft had to be fought, but this is affecting the general public, drivers, people getting to work.

The fight against $3 billion per year in fuel thefts has become the first big domestic battle for the leftist president, who he took office on Dec. 1.

We are asking the people to help us, to support us so we wont be defeated by criminals, said Lopez Obrador. All together, we can win and end the fuel thefts.

Federal police escort loaded fuel tankers carrying Federal police escort loaded fuel tankers carrying gasoline to parts of the country suffering shortages as they leave a Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, fuel depot and distribution center in the port city of Veracruz, Mexico, Jan. 9, 2019. Federal police escort loaded fuel tankers carrying gasoline to parts of the country suffering shortages as they leave a Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, fuel depot and distribution center in the port city of Veracruz, Mexico, Jan. 9, 2019.

It could be a politically costly battle for Lopez Obrador, as motorists expressed frustration after having to line up for hours, in some cases, to fill their tanks. Some stations have imposed 2.5 to 5 gallon (10 to 20 liters) limits on purchases.

The problem spread to Mexico City after a pipeline leading to the city began to leak. Lopez Obrador said it was unclear whether that duct had been punctured intentionally, or whether it simply ruptured.

In a video, the government called on motorists to avoid panic purchases as part of a campaign to rescue the nations sovereignty.

Lopez Obrador said the problem would be solved soon, but refused to set a date for re-opening the fuel ducts, which can carry much greater quantities of fuel than trucks.



Some Mexicans were ready to sacrifice to combat the gangs, which have spread murderous violence in once-peaceful states like Puebla and Guanajuato as they fought over turf and customers.

FILE - Gasoline thieves wait in line to steal gas FILE - Gasoline thieves wait in line to steal gas from an illegal tap into a state-owned pipeline, in the middle of a cornfield in San Bartolome Hueyapan, Tepeaca, Mexico, July 11, 2017. FILE - Gasoline thieves wait in line to steal gas from an illegal tap into a state-owned pipeline, in the middle of a cornfield in San Bartolome Hueyapan, Tepeaca, Mexico, July 11, 2017.

I think we are prepared to wait for a while, in order to combat fuel theft, said Leonel Ivan, a family chauffeur who was also waiting in line to fill the tank of his red minivan.

The problem has been a long time brewing, and past administrations had done little to confront the huge problem: Violent, organized gangs drill an average of about 42 illegal taps into government pipelines every day in Mexico.

The taps often explode or leak, and the gangs often recruit entire neighborhoods to act as lookouts or confront military patrols trying to close the taps or seize stolen gasoline and diesel.

This July 11, 2017 photo shows an illegal tap into This July 11, 2017 photo shows an illegal tap into a state-owned pipeline created by fuel thieves in the middle of a cornfield in San Bartolome Hueyapan, Tepeaca, Mexico. This July 11, 2017 photo shows an illegal tap into a state-owned pipeline created by fuel thieves in the middle of a cornfield in San Bartolome Hueyapan, Tepeaca, Mexico.

The president said the problem had been left to fester by previous administrations.

The information was there, but nothing was done, Lopez Obrador said. It is very hard to say, I didnt know. The authorities knew. Everybody, lets say, tolerated it.

Mexican security analyst Alejandro Hope said that nobody in his right mind could be against this. The problem isnt the goal, it is the methods.

Its like closing the highways, to fight highway robberies, Hope said, noting it remains to be seen what will happen when the government re-opens pipelines, many of which have been perforated with hundreds or thousands of illegal taps.

Hope said that, as in the past, few people are ever prosecuted for the crime, and some impoverished neighborhoods in states like Puebla, Guanajuato and Jalisco make a living off stealing fuel from government pipelines. Often, when illegal taps leak, large crowds of residents appear with buckets to scoop up the spilled fuel.

State police seize an abandoned truck that was use State police seize an abandoned truck that was used to carry stolen gasoline in plastic tanks, near an illegal tap into a state-owned pipeline in the middle of a cornfield in San Bartolome Hueyapan, Tepeaca, Mexico, July 11, 2017. State police seize an abandoned truck that was used to carry stolen gasoline in plastic tanks, near an illegal tap into a state-owned pipeline in the middle of a cornfield in San Bartolome Hueyapan, Tepeaca, Mexico, July 11, 2017.

Part of the response has to be a social intervention in the communities that depend on fuel theft, and we also havent seen that yet.

Lopez Obrador said the thefts occurred in collusion with buyers and employees inside plants operated by the state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos company.

It would be easy to open the pipelines and say the situation is back to normal, but that would be tolerating the theft, and accept it, and we are not going to do that, Lopez Obrador said. We are going to resist all the pressures.

Business leaders agreed that action was long overdue, but said the crackdown should have been better planned to avoid gasoline shortages.

This decision was brave and couldnt be delayed any longer, but the implementation was clumsy and the planning was the worst, wrote Gustavo de Hoyas, the president of the Mexican employers federation.

The head of the Business Coordinating Council, Juan Pablo Castanon, said, It is important to fight fuel theft, but at the same time you have to have a viable plan to maintain an adequate supply.U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made an unannounced visit Wednesday to Iraq where he met with Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and other officials.

Pompeo is making a week-long trip to the Middle East to reassure allies amid U.S. plans to withdraw its troops from Syria, and to seek support for increasing pressure on Iran.

In addition to talks with the Iraqi prime minister in Baghdad, Pompeo also met with President Barham Salih and Foreign Minister Mohamed Alhakim, as well as U.S. military personnel.

The State Department said that in a meeting with Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi, Pompeo emphasized a commitment to "addressing Iraq's security challenges, including the continuation for our security partnership with Iraqi Security Forces."

Pompeo Arrives in Jordan on 8-Nation Middle East Tour U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Jordan on the first stop of a Middle East visit due to include stops in Cairo and the Gulf. Arab and Egyptian media report he is expected make an important foreign policy speech Thursday in Cairo. Pompeo arrived Tuesday in the Middle East at a time when U.S. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Jordan on the first stop of a Middle East visit due to include stops in Cairo and the Gulf. Arab and Egyptian media report he is expected make an important foreign policy speech Thursday in Cairo. Pompeo arrived Tuesday in the Middle East at a time when U.S.

The top U.S. diplomat began his trip Tuesday in Jordan where he pledged to redouble diplomatic and commercial efforts "to put real pressure on Iran" to change what the Trump administration has said is a number of malign behaviors in the region.

Other stops on Pompeo's trip include Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait.CAIRO - U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with top Iraqi officials Wednesday during an unannounced visit to Baghdad.



Pompeo's visit coincided with the anniversary of the Iraqi national police force. A police band serenaded Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who presided over the celebration before meeting Pompeo in private.

A spokesman for the secretary said the two men discussed "the U.S. commitment to Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity," as well as the new Iraqi government's "efforts to deliver stability, security and prosperity to all Iraqis." The men also discussed efforts to "ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS in the region."

Pompeo Meets With Iraqi Leaders on Unannounced Visit U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made an unannounced visit Wednesday to Iraq where he met with Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and other officials.Pompeo is making a week-long trip to the Middle East to reassure allies amid U.S. plans to withdraw its troops from Syria, and to seek support for increasing pressure on Iran.In addition to talks with the Iraqi prime minister in Baghdad, Pompeo also met with President Barham Salih and Foreign Minister Mohamed Alhakim, as well as U.S. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made an unannounced visit Wednesday to Iraq where he met with Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi and other officials.Pompeo is making a week-long trip to the Middle East to reassure allies amid U.S. plans to withdraw its troops from Syria, and to seek support for increasing pressure on Iran.In addition to talks with the Iraqi prime minister in Baghdad, Pompeo also met with President Barham Salih and Foreign Minister Mohamed Alhakim, as well as U.S.

Pompeo also met with Iraqi President Barham Salih and parliament speaker Mohammed al-Halbusi. Salih told the secretary that Baghdad "will need the support of (U.S. troops)," and expressed his "gratitude to the U.S. for its support, over the years." He added that "ISIS is defeated militarily, but the mission is not (fully) accomplished." Halbusi discussed U.S. efforts to help Iraq "with reconstruction and investment."



Iraqi analyst Hani Ashour, who teaches political science at Baghdad University, told Sky News Arabia that the "Iraqi parliament was due to debate U.S. troop levels in Iraq Thursday, following protests by some political parties over fears the U.S. was moving troops it was withdrawing from Syria to Iraq." He said that Secretary Pompeo "reassured Iraqi leaders that was not the case," prompting a cancellation of Thursday's parliament debate.



Iraqi political analyst Hazem al-Shammari told Al-Arabiya TV that Iraqi leaders are caught between U.S. and Iranian wishes, given that Iran has called on the U.S. to withdraw its troops completely from Iraq. "Given the divisions among Iraq's political leaders," he argued, "It is a strategic mistake to stick Iraq in the midst of the quarrel between the U.S. and Iran," since Iraqi politicians "might not be able to withstand the pressure."

WATCH: Pompeo Reassures Iraqi Leaders Ahead of a Major Speech in Cairo

Joshua Landis, who heads the Middle East program at the University of Oklahoma, tells VOA that Secretary Pompeo is facing a strategic dilemma in Iraq:



"America's position in Iraq, like its position in Syria, is on thin ice, because Iran -- in Iraq -- has really won the day and ultimately we've seen that the rise of sectarian sensibilities and sectarian animosities in the larger Middle East has undermined America's position and strengthened Iran's position, because Iran is (a majority) Shi'ite country...and the U.S. is seen to be a pro-Saudi, pro-Sunni, pro-Gulf country," said Landis.

Pompeo Arrives in Jordan on 8-Nation Middle East Tour U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Jordan on the first stop of a Middle East visit due to include stops in Cairo and the Gulf. Arab and Egyptian media report he is expected make an important foreign policy speech Thursday in Cairo. Pompeo arrived Tuesday in the Middle East at a time when U.S. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Jordan on the first stop of a Middle East visit due to include stops in Cairo and the Gulf. Arab and Egyptian media report he is expected make an important foreign policy speech Thursday in Cairo. Pompeo arrived Tuesday in the Middle East at a time when U.S.

Theodore Karasik, a Washington-based Gulf analyst, tells VOA that Pompeo's visit was the "third by a senior U.S. official to Baghdad in as many weeks," and he was hoping to "reassure (Iraqi leaders)...about the restructuring of (U.S.) forces and operations in the region."

Karasik said he believed that energy issues were "another important facet of the visit" along with discussions over the sanctions regime (regarding Iran) and the "logistic flow of oil in the region and protection of that flow."

He says that in conjunction with Pompeo's Middle East visit, US National Security Adviser John Bolton has set the stage for a meeting in Oman, for the further development of what has been dubbed the Middle East Security Alliance, a NATO-like partnership that would include the U.S. and its Arab allies.Photo: Suzifoo/Getty Images/iStockphoto

To read it in the news, last year was not gentle on our nations stomachs. McDonalds salads gave 500 people Cyclosporiasis. Two hundred million eggs were recalled. In July, Chipotle faced its umpteenth food-safety problem when 650 customers in Ohio fell sick with clostridium, a pathogen that was new to the chain. Multidrug-resistant salmonella infected turkeys just in time for Thanksgiving, and the countrys supply of romaine lettuce was pulled off shelves not once but twice. All told, the FDA issued food-safety warnings nearly every two days in 2018, and the Centers for Disease Control investigated 24 foodborne disease outbreaks, more than in any other year this decade. Eater recapped the year in food recalls under the headline 11 Foods That Tried to Kill You in 2018.

There is plenty of debate about what is actually causing these outbreaks, and FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb argues that better technology simply makes it easier and faster to detect contaminants. Our food, Gottlieb contends, isnt any less safe than in the past, but at least some people disagree. Bill Marler is the countrys most prominent food-safety attorney: hes won over $600 million for victims of almost every major food outbreak in the last 25 years, and is the founder of Food Safety News. Marler tells Grub Street that, in 2018, he hired four new attorneys; they were his first hires since 2010. Its been a very bad year for foodborne illness outbreaks, he summarizes before adding, in the third person, its a bad sign for food safety if Bill Marler is hiring lawyers and paralegals.

It might, however, be a good sign for the people who are starting companies to ostensibly fix our food, because even if our food isnt more dangerous, the case can be made that it at least feels that way, and there are plenty of ideas about what can be done to help everyone believe their food is a little less frightening. Some people want to use blockchain technology to create tamper-proof logs of our mind-bogglingly complex food-supply chain. USDA researchers, meanwhile, are experimenting with cold plasma, a pathogen-annihilating technology that looks as futuristic as it sounds. And the most promising idea for everyday retailers and consumers just might be DNA sequencing.

In 2015, a Bay Area start-up called Clear Labs made headlines when it revealed that its tests found some kind of human DNA in hot dogs, and animal DNA in 10 percent of veggie dogs. The goal was to demonstrate that if things like stray hair follicles can enter our food supply undetected, the same is true for microscopic organisms like E. coli (which was responsible for five deaths this past spring after it tainted the countrys romaine supply and which, according to one recent report, can replicate at speeds that push the limits of what is thermodynamically possible). Every week its the same stuff, the same recalls, says Mahni Ghorashi, a co-founder of Clear Labs. It speaks to the magnitude of problem.

Clear Labs was able to generate its data using its own DNA-sequencing platform, a breakthrough in the food industry that uses a technology called NGS. If you think this sounds like the food version of 23andMe, it is  sort of  but NGS, which stands for next-generation sequencing, generates far more complex results than what youll get with an at-home DNA test. It also generates far more data than what has traditionally been used to test our food. The food industry is stuck using legacy technology, Ghorashi explains. He says that, with his companys sequencing technology, testers can generate over 100 million data points, meaning, you can look blindly into a thing and know everything, everywhere about it.

Practically speaking, this advanced DNA sequencing is the same type of test thats used to screen for cancer, only for finding salmonella instead of melanomas. Clear Labs can install a robotic sequencer at a food-processing facility that analyzes whatever sample is loaded into a test tube (a sliver of lettuce, bits of raw pork, a dab of peanut butter), then cross-checks the results against a massive molecular database. The platform can handle hundreds of samples in parallel, plowing through terabytes of data per test run.

The tests are also extremely accurate. There is a less-than-one-percent chance that the test will generate a false positive (reporting that something uncontaminated is tainted) or a false negative (the opposite, where a tainted product gets the all-clear). This is big, because traditional surveys have found food-industry lab tests return false positives as much as 50 percent of the time. To give an example, Ghorashi at least partially blames Chipotles food-safety disaster on the fact the chain was only screening for one type of E. coli, so it simply missed another. The tests are fast, too, taking mere hours, as opposed to the days or weeks that older processes take. All of this is to say that, if ground beef or leafy greens are making consumers sick, NGS data can quickly identify the strain and even specific subtype of the bug to see if it came from a farm, a factory, or someplace else.

Martin Wiedmann, a food-science professor at Cornell and a regular on the food-safety lecture circuit, is an advocate for NGS and says that its advanced sequencing can be 100 times better at detecting outbreaks than what was possible 20 years ago. Clear Labs big breakthrough was to apply this technology to food. Now other companies, like NSF International and Genewiz, offer similar services.

Some of the biggest names in food are starting to notice. Frank Yiannas is the FDAs deputy commissioner for food policy and response and, before that, was the head of food safety for Walmart. While there, he once pointed out that people today are further removed from how food is grown, produced, and transported than at any other time in human history. Plus, he added, the public increasingly mistrusts food companies due to the food outbreaks and scares we have faced in recent years. Genetic techniques, he said, are the way of the future.

As with any new technology, one of the biggest hurdles to clear before mass adoption has been cost. Ghorashi, however, is quick to point out that prices for NGS are dropping quickly. In 2008, it would have cost $10 million to sequence a persons genome; today it costs less than $1,000. At Clear Labs, the cheapest tests now run at just $10 per sample.

Those low costs will be crucial, since the benefit of NGS technology is only really felt if everyone along the supply chain has the correct tools. Ghorashi, for one, is particularly excited about the next step: handheld genomic scanners that he predicts will arrive in just a few years. Youll be able to catch things as they flow through the supply chain in near real-time, he says. Just watch: It wont be long before this is all over the food market.

With a food system that is so complicated and massive, its something of a miracle that more serious outbreaks dont occur, and there will never be a way to eliminate contamination completely. But if or when we get to a point where we can easily and instantly identify everything thats really in our food, it could possibly be one more way for us all to at least feel a little safer next time we sit down for a salad.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is headed back home after a two-day visit to China and talks with President Xi Jinping.

Kim's special train departed Beijing Wednesday afternoon and headed towards the northeast border, where it will enter North Korea early Thursday morning.

The visit was Kim Jong Un's fourth to North Korea's primary diplomatic and economic ally since last year, and raises speculation that Kim was coordinating with China ahead of a possible second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency says Kim spent his final day in Beijing visiting a pharmaceutical factory in an economic zone outside of Beijing, then had lunch with President Xi before departing.

Kim and Xi held talks Tuesday -- believed to be Kim's birthday -- shortly after the North Korean leader arrived in Beijing. He later attended a dinner with Xi and his wife at the Great Hall of the People. Kim was accompanied by his wife Ri Sol Ju. Neither side has provided details on the talks, nor of Kim's schedule during his visit.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and wife Ri Sol Ju North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and wife Ri Sol Ju inspect an honour guard before leaving Pyongyang for a visit to China, this Jan. 7, 2019 photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang, Jan. 8, 2019. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and wife Ri Sol Ju inspect an honour guard before leaving Pyongyang for a visit to China, this Jan. 7, 2019 photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) in Pyongyang, Jan. 8, 2019.

Kim and President Trump signed a vague agreement during their historic summit in Singapore last June that calls on Pyongyang to abandon its nuclear program. But further negotiations have stalled over the Norths demand for front-loaded sanctions relief tied to small progress, and its opposition to the Trump administrations call for complete denuclearization prior to granting any concessions.

During his annual New Years Day address last week, Kim said it was his firm will that North Korea will no longer produce or test nuclear weapons. He also said he would be willing to hold another face-to-face meeting with Trump, but warned his country may have to take another path unless Washington takes "corresponding measures."

North Korea is also demanding that the United States and South Korea first issue a peace declaration to formally end hostilities and replace the armistice that has been in effect since the Korean War ended in 1953. Critics worry a peace declaration could undermine the justification for the U.S. military presence in South Korea.U.S. President Donald Trump and congressional leaders are meeting again Wednesday, but there were no signs they were ready to compromise over Trump's demand for funding for construction of a barrier wall along the U.S.-Mexican border, a dispute that has led to a 19-day partial government shutdown.

Trump is having lunch on Capitol Hill with Senate Republicans and later meeting at the White House with both Republican and Democratic congressional leaders, the day after Trump called for construction of the border barrier in a televised address to the nation from the Oval Office, his first during his two-year presidency.

As seen from a window outside the Oval Office, Pre FILE - As seen from a window outside the Oval Office, President Donald Trump gives a prime-time address about border security, at the White House in Washington, Jan. 8, 2018. FILE - As seen from a window outside the Oval Office, President Donald Trump gives a prime-time address about border security, at the White House in Washington, Jan. 8, 2018.

Minutes later, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer gave a rebuttal, saying the wall was unnecessary and imploring Trump to reopen the quarter of the government that has been shuttered since Dec. 22, while talks continue over a border wall Trump says is necessary to thwart illegal immigration. It is the second longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

It is the second longest government shutdown in U.S. history, furloughing 800,000 government workers or forcing them to work without pay. In past shutdowns, civil servants were paid retroactively once the impasses ended.

Trump said on Twitter, "Thank you for soooo many nice comments regarding my Oval Office speech. A very interesting experience!"

In another tweet, he reiterated the call to "fix" the southern border.

Our Country is doing so well in so many ways. Great jobs numbers, with a record setting December. We are rebuilding our military. Vets finally have Choice & Accountability. Economy & GDP are strong. Tax & Reg cuts historic. Trade deals great. But we MUST fix our Southern Border!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2019

He told reporters, "We have to do what's right at our border."

Trump said he still may declare a national emergency to build the wall without congressional approval, adding, "My threshold will be if I can't make a deal with unreasonable people."

Democrats have offered Trump $1.3 billion in new funding for border security, although none for a wall. But Trump has demanded more than $5 billion for a barrier, which he now says could be steel slats rather than the solid concrete.

During his successful run for the White House in 2016, Trump's most fervent supporters cheered his call for a wall that he said Mexico would pay for.

Reaction from Democrats

In their rebuttal, Pelosi and Schumer derided Trump's claim that the U.S.'s southern neighbor would pay for the wall, instead of U.S. taxpayers.

"The president of the United States  having failed to get Mexico to pay for his ineffective, unnecessary border wall, and unable to convince the Congress or the American people to foot the bill  has shut down the government," Schumer said. "American democracy doesn't work that way. We don't govern by temper tantrum."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, right, and Senate Mino FILE - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, right, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pose for photographers after speaking on Capitol Hill in response President Donald Trump's prime-time address on border security, in Washington, Jan. 8, 2019. FILE - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, right, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer pose for photographers after speaking on Capitol Hill in response President Donald Trump's prime-time address on border security, in Washington, Jan. 8, 2019.

Other Democratic senators also said they were unmoved by Trump's demand for a barrier.

"I didn't hear the president say anything that would change my mind. We should be re-opening the government," Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire told VOA.

"I think we ought to solve this shutdown. It's ridiculous," said Senator Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats.

Senator Doug Jones of Alabama said, "We need to dial back the rhetoric and not use fear. Let's talk strictly about border security in the long run, not just a short-term fix. We need to figure out how to get this government open, number one, and fix our borders, number two."

Reaction from Republicans

Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana called Trump's comments about border security "very appropriate." He said Schumer and Pelosi's support for border security but not a wall was "juvenile ... very disingenuous. I think most Americans understand that it's purely political."

Senator John Boozman of Arkansas told VOA he thinks that a compromise might eventually be reached. "I think the president will wind up with not all that he wants," Boozman said, "and Democrats are going to have to give some. I think that's really the solution."

Trump said in his address that it is up to Democrats to "pass a spending bill that defends our borders and reopens the government." He suggested the issue could be resolved in a quick meeting, but past discussions at the White House have not ended the stalemate.

In their joint response to Trump's speech, Pelosi and Schumer pointed to a number of spending bills lawmakers have already passed that would reopen the government and provide money for border security. They say the shutdown continues only because Trump refuses to drop his demand for $5.7 billion in wall funding.

'Humanitarian crisis'

In his speech, Trump sought to make a case that not having a wall is putting Americans at risk of being victims of violence at the hands of people who enter the country illegally, and endangering them by allowing large amounts of illegal drugs to cross the border.

Two people walk towards metal bars marking the Uni FILE - Two people walk towards metal bars marking the United States border where it meets the Pacific Ocean, in Tijuana, Mexico, March 2, 2016. FILE - Two people walk towards metal bars marking the United States border where it meets the Pacific Ocean, in Tijuana, Mexico, March 2, 2016.

"Over the years, thousands of Americans have been brutally killed by those who illegally entered our country and thousands more lives will be lost if we don't act right now," Trump said. "This is a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul."

He said hundreds more people are killed each year by drugs, particularly heroin, most of which, he said, comes into the United States through the southwestern border.

An October 2018 report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency detailed the prevalence and source of a number of drugs, including those Trump mentioned Tuesday  heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. In each case, the report said the vast majority of the drugs comes in through existing points of entry, most commonly in cars, which would not be stopped by a border wall.

Trump accused Democrats of not acknowledging what he calls the "crisis" at the border and says they refuse to support funding for border security and what he calls the "common sense" wall.ROME, ITALY - Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced Wednesday that his country would allow 49 migrants stranded on two German NGO vessels off its coasts to disembark on the island. The deal was reached after eight European Union nations agreed to take the migrants into their countries.

The 49 migrants rescued by two German humanitarian vessels, the Sea Watch and Sea Eye, disembarked Wednesday using Maltese military patrol boats because the NGO ships have not been granted access to the port in La Valletta. For days, the migrants had been waiting to know what would happen to them. But the worsening weather conditions with strong winds and heavy seas helped reach a deal.

Thirty-two migrants on the Sea Watch had been rescued on December 22. The other 17 on the Sea Eye were saved on December 29. Conditions for them on board were complicated by a lack of supplies.

The Sea-Watch rescue ship waits off the coast of M The Sea-Watch rescue ship waits off the coast of Malta, Jan. 8, 2018. Two German nonprofit groups are appealing to European Union countries to take in 49 migrants whose health is deteriorating while they are stuck on rescue ships in the Mediterranean Sea. The Sea-Watch rescue ship waits off the coast of Malta, Jan. 8, 2018. Two German nonprofit groups are appealing to European Union countries to take in 49 migrants whose health is deteriorating while they are stuck on rescue ships in the Mediterranean Sea.

Eight European Union countries finally agreed to take the migrants if Malta would allow them to disembark. They included Germany, France, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and even Italy, which has been very vocal about not allowing more migrants on to its shores. Talks are ongoing with other countries as well.



Until Tuesday, the Maltese prime minister maintained that his island had already allowed the disembarkation of 249 migrants in late December and could not allow others to follow suit without an agreement for them as well. He got his way. Those migrants too will be re-distributed in EU states, although a small number of them will stay in Malta. Some will also be returned to their country of origin, including 44 from Bangladesh.

Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat addresses a p Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat addresses a press conference at his office in Valletta, Jan. 9, 2019. Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat addresses a press conference at his office in Valletta, Jan. 9, 2019.

Prime Minister Muscat said every hour that went by without a solution was not something he was proud of. In the end, he said, A solution was found, but not by Europe, it was found by some of the member states.

The deal reached showed fractures in the Italian government where Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said Italys acceptance of a group of migrant children with their parents would not affect the governments crackdown on accepting migrants. Interior Minister Matteo Salvini criticized the deal, saying it will further encourage human traffickers.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, left, an Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, left, and his Polish counterpart Joachim Brudzinski, right, address the media following their talks in Warsaw, Poland, Jan. 9, 2019. Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, left, and his Polish counterpart Joachim Brudzinski, right, address the media following their talks in Warsaw, Poland, Jan. 9, 2019.

Speaking in Poland, Salvini said, Our objective is to safeguard external frontiers and not to redistribute inside Europe what risks becoming a huge problem. The interior minister added that an Italian police operation Wednesday led to the arrest of a number of North Africans charged with favoring illegal immigration, including one who praised Islamic terrorism.

EU Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said that leaving the migrants at sea for so many days has not been an example of Europe's finest hour. He called for a much-needed reform of EU asylum rules, saying the bloc cannot count on disorganized, ad hoc solutions. Currently, the asylum claims of migrants must be processed in the countries where they first arrive.In rural Malawi, families send girls as young as 12 years old for "initiation," a traditional, cultural practice that marks a child's entry into adulthood. But child rights campaigners say the ritual entices young girls into early sex, marriage, and teenage pregnancy  forcing many to drop out of school. One local organization is seeking to change this by teaching initiation counselors to give girls age-appropriate information.

Madalitso Makosa was 13 years old when she underwent a traditional, Malawian initiation ritual to become an adult.

She says after the initiation ceremony, the counselors advised her to perform a Kusasa Fumbi or "removing the dust" ritual with a man of my choice. She chose to sleep with her former boyfriend but, unfortunately, became pregnant.

"Removing the dust" refers to a girl losing her virginity, often without protection, to become an adult. Those who become teenage mothers pay the price for this tradition.

Makosa says when she discovered she was pregnant, she was devastated because she had to drop out of school. She is now struggling to get support to take care of her baby. She wished she had continued with her education."

Agnes Matemba, an initiation counselor, demonstrat Agnes Matemba, an initiation counselor, demonstrates how instructions are given to adolescents at the camps. (L Masina/VOA) Agnes Matemba, an initiation counselor, demonstrates how instructions are given to adolescents at the camps. (L Masina/VOA)

During the initiation, counselors show how they prepare girls for marriage and for sex.

Agnes Matemba, is an initiation counselor.

She says she gives girls these lessons so that they should keep their man and prevent him from going out to look for another woman. Because, if he goes out and finds excitement in other women, he is likely to dump her.

A counselor demonstrates a sexually suggestive dan A counselor demonstrates a sexually suggestive dance during an initiation camp. (L Masina/VOA) A counselor demonstrates a sexually suggestive dance during an initiation camp. (L Masina/VOA)

Child rights campaigners say the initiation ritual fuels Malawi's high rate of child marriage. Half the girls here marry before age 18.

Malawian group Youthnet and Counselling, YONECO, wants to keep girls in school with a more age-appropriate initiation ritual.

MacBain Mkandawire is YONECO's executive director.

"This is a traditional cultural thing that people believe in, and it will be very difficult to just say let us end initiation ceremonies, Mkandawire said. But what we are saying is that can we package the curriculum in such way the young people are accessing the correct curriculum at the correct time?"

YONECO is working with initiation counselors and traditional leaders to tone down Malawi's initiations. Already, some areas are banning the practice of encouraging sex after the ceremony.

Aidah Deleza, also called Senior Chief Chikumbu, s Aidah Deleza, also called Senior Chief Chikumbu, says she has banned Kusasa Fumbi or "removing the dust" component from the girls' initiation ceremonies. (L Masina/VOA) Aidah Deleza, also called Senior Chief Chikumbu, says she has banned Kusasa Fumbi or "removing the dust" component from the girls' initiation ceremonies. (L Masina/VOA)

Aidah Deleza is also known as Senior Chief Chikumbu.

"We say no, no, no, Chikumbu said. This is why we have a lot of girls drop out from school, that is why the population has just shot so high just because of that, just because a lot of girls now they have got babies, most of them they are not in marriage."

To further discourage teenage pregnancy, traditional leaders like Chikumbu are dividing girls' initiation rituals into two camps.

One is a simple ceremony for teenage girls like Makosa, while the other provides some sex education for older girls who are preparing to marry.SKOPJE, MACEDONIA - Macedonian lawmakers are in the final stretch of renaming their country North Macedonia as part of a deal with neighboring Greece in return for membership of NATO and potentially the European Union.

Speaking at the start of a debate on essential constitutional amendments that are part of the deal, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told lawmakers that by signing the agreement, the country is finally ending a decades-long dispute with a deal that recognizes Macedonian national identity and language.

FILE - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Mac FILE - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev gesture before the signing of an accord to settle a long dispute over the former Yugoslav republic's name in the village of Psarades, in Prespes, Greece, June 17, 2018. FILE - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev gesture before the signing of an accord to settle a long dispute over the former Yugoslav republic's name in the village of Psarades, in Prespes, Greece, June 17, 2018.

This is a historic and patriotic choice. We can be the generation that has made a bold decision,'' Zaev said.

The parliamentary session was adjourned until Thursday after Zaev's speech. The debate is expected to last until Friday.

The deal, signed in June, aims to put an end to a dispute with neighboring Greece that has kept the former Yugoslav republic out of organizations such as NATO and the EU. Greece argues use of the term Macedonia implies territorial claims on its own northern province of the same name, and on its ancient Greek heritage.

The agreement has met with opposition in both countries, with opponents arguing it makes too many concessions to the other side.

The center-right VMRO-DPMNE opposition party boycotted Wednesday's parliamentary session, with party leader Hristijan Mickoski and other party lawmakers joining several hundred protesters outside parliament who were calling the name change deal national treason.''

Votes are there

Despite the objections in Macedonia, the constitutional changes are expected to pass. Aleksandar Kiracovski, secretary general of the Social Democrats who heads the governing coalition, indicated the government has secured the votes from the required two-thirds, or 80, lawmakers in the 120-seat parliament.

I have information that over 80 lawmakers have assured that Macedonia's future is in NATO and the European Union, and this is conditioned by the `Prespa' agreement and the constitutional changes,'' Kiracovski said, referring to Lake Prespa on the border of Greece, Macedonia and Albania where the deal was signed.

Opposition head Mickoski accused the Social Democrats of securing the majority through blackmail, although he did not elaborate on the claim.

The lawmakers will vote because of blackmail, not by their free will. Are these European values?'' Mickoski told reporters before the parliamentary session. North Macedonia' is perhaps Zaev's homeland, but mine is the Republic of Macedonia.''

Changes to preamble, articles

The amendments being debated envisage changing the preamble and four articles of the constitution to rename the country North Macedonia with guarantees it has no territorial aspirations towards its neighbors and is committed to good neighborly relations.

Parliament is also expected to add an amendment to the law that puts the new constitution in force, stating the constitutional changes will not be valid until Greece's parliament ratifies its side of the name deal and signs the accession protocol making the country a NATO member.WASHINGTON - Fears are mounting for Paul Whelan, the former U.S. Marine seized last month in a Moscow hotel after being accused of espionage. Western intelligence officers and analysts fear he may remain in detention in Russia for a long time and are casting doubt on the likelihood of a spy exchange.

Kremlin officials are dismissing the idea hed be a candidate for a prisoner swap. Their U.S. counterparts say there cant be any kind of exchange, as hes not a spy. Kremlin officials Wednesday dismissed a claim by British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt that Russia might use the former Canadian-born U.S. citizen as a pawn in a diplomatic game.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, In Russia, we never use people as pawns in diplomatic games. In Russia, we conduct counterintelligence activity against those suspected of espionage. That is done regularly.

Hunt last week said the British government was extremely worried about the well-being of 48-year-old Whelan, who also holds British citizenship, as well as Irish and Canadian passports, suggesting the Russians might try to use him as leverage for the release of Russias Maria Butina, who pleaded guilty to infiltrating Americas conservative political movement as a Kremlin-directed agent. Butina was convicted of acting as a foreign agent in the United States.

Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen detained in Russia for Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen detained in Russia for suspected spying, appears in a photo provided by the Whelan family on Jan. 1, 2019. Paul Whelan, a U.S. citizen detained in Russia for suspected spying, appears in a photo provided by the Whelan family on Jan. 1, 2019.

Whelan was arrested Dec. 28 in Moscow. According to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB), he was detained while on a spy mission and had been caught during an act of espionage.



The Washington Post reported Whelan was arrested in his room at the Metropol Hotel in Moscow after he had accepted from an unidentified man a flash drive containing a list of employees for a clandestine Russian agency.

Earlier this month, U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman was allowed to visit Whelan, who reportedly is being held at the notorious Lefortovo prison, which was used during the purges of the 1930s by Josef Stalins NKVD agents and which once housed dissidents such as writer and historian Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

Whelans family says hes innocent and was in Russia, which he has visited several times, for a wedding. Speaking to Euronews television this week, his brother, David, also worried about the length of time he may be held.

It clearly could take months, and unfortunately, maybe even years before we get him home, he said.

Whelan could receive a 20-year jail term if he is convicted of espionage.

A general view shows the pre-trial detention centr A general view shows the pre-trial detention center of Lefortovo prison, where former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan is reportedly held in custody in Moscow, Russia, Jan. 3, 2019. A general view shows the pre-trial detention center of Lefortovo prison, where former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan is reportedly held in custody in Moscow, Russia, Jan. 3, 2019.

Comparisons with 1986 case

Analysts and former intelligence officials are comparing Whelans case with that of journalist Nick Daniloff, who in 1986 was arrested by the then-KGB and accused of espionage after having been handed an unsolicited package of confidential documents.

The Reagan administration said the Soviets arrested Daniloff without cause in retaliation for the arrest three days earlier of Gennadi Zakharov, a physicist at the Soviet U.N. Mission in New York. Zakharov had received classified documents about U.S. Air Force jet engines.

After 13 days and intense diplomacy, Daniloff was allowed to leave the Soviet Union without charge, along with Soviet dissident Yuri Orlov. Zakharov was permitted to leave the U.S. But the affair also triggered rounds of expulsions by both sides of dozens of diplomats and suspected spies.

The time Whelan spends in jail may not be as brief, some observers fear. U.S. intelligence officials say they would be loath to agree to a swap for a self-confessed Kremlin agent such as Butina for an apparently innocent American, as this could invite the Russians to organize other setups of U.S. civilians, creating an open season.

Ned Price, a former Obama administration State Department official, said he thinks the Kremlin may be seeking to swap Whelan for Butina.

Social Media Skills A Curse and A Blessing for Spi FILE - Russian national Maria Butina is seen at the 2015 FreedomFest conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 11, 2015, in this still image taken from a social media video. FILE - Russian national Maria Butina is seen at the 2015 FreedomFest conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, July 11, 2015, in this still image taken from a social media video.

The Russians may calculate that Whelan, a military veteran who has said positive things about President Donald Trump on Russian social media, constitutes the perfect quo for their quid, he wrote in an opinion article.

Former U.S. intelligence officials say it is highly unlikely that Whelan, who has had a checkered past and left the U.S. Marines with a dishonorable discharge, and was found guilty of attempting to steal $10,000 worth of currency from the U.S. government while deployed to Iraq in 2006, could have been working for a clandestine U.S. agency.

The picture that has emerged of Whelan is complex. Since 2007, he has traveled regularly to Russia both for pleasure and business. He works in corporate security for the automotive industry. He has a fascination for Russia, was trying to learn the language and had an active profile on the Russian social media platform VKontakte.

The Whelan case could be further complicated by the arrest on the Northern Mariana Islands on Dec. 29 of Russian citizen Dmitry Makarenko by U.S. authorities.

Makarenko was moved to Florida after being detained by FBI officers allegedly for conspiring with another man to export U.S. defense articles, including night-vision scopes, to Russia without U.S. approval.

Kremlin officials have accused the U.S. of detaining Makarenko in retaliation for the arrest of Whelan, but the case against Makarenko goes back to 2017, according to court papers filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.No schoolgirls in western Kenya are being forced to undergo examinations for female genital mutilation, Kenyan authorities said Tuesday, after a government official sparked outrage by proposing compulsory tests to curb the crime.

George Natembeya, commissioner for Narok County, said on Friday that girls returning to school after the Christmas break were being screened for female genital mutilation (FGM) in order to prosecute their parents and traditional cutters.

Rights groups condemned the move, saying examining the girls  aged between nine and 17  was demeaning and contravened their right to privacy and dignity.

Kenya's Anti-FGM Board said they had conducted an investigation in Narok after Natembeya's statement and found no evidence of girls being tested.

"The Board hereby confirms that no girl has been paraded for FGM screening as per allegations that have been circulating in the last few days," the semi-autonomous government agency said in a statement.

"The Board recognises and appreciates the role played by different stakeholders in complementing the government's efforts in the FGM campaigns but we want to reiterate that all interventions must uphold the law."

FGM, which usually involves the partial or total removal of the external genitalia, is prevalent across parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East  and is seen as necessary for social acceptance and increasing a girl's marriage prospects.

FGM dangers

It is usually performed by traditional cutters, often with unsterilized blades or knives. In some cases, girls can bleed to death or die from infections. It can also cause lifelong painful conditions such as fistula and fatal childbirth complications.

Kenya criminalized FGM in 2011, but the deep-rooted practice persists. According to the United Nations, one in five Kenyan women and girls aged between 15 and 49 have undergone FGM.

Natembeya said he had announced the compulsory tests to warn communities not to practice FGM on their daughters, but that there was no intention to force all girls to undergo screening.

Rights groups said the policy was rolled back following outrage.

"We are not going to line up all the girls and test them  you can't do that as they can be stigmatized," he told Reuters.

"What we are doing is that if we get reports from schools that a girl has undergone FGM, it becomes a police case and the girl is taken to hospital and medically examined. Then the parents or caregivers will be arrested and taken to court."WASHINGTON - As the partial U.S. government shutdown neared the end of its 19th day, President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats were still divided over his demands for funding a U.S.-Mexico border wall, with a prompt resolution looking unlikely.

Trump walked out of negotiations with Democrats on Wednesday, according to Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.

The following are some possible scenarios for how the impasse might play out, with Trump's request for $5.7 billion in taxpayer funds for his wall firmly opposed by congressional Democrats:

A compromise emerges

As ordinary Americans begin to feel the impact of the closure of about a quarter of the government, both sides could feel the heat from voters and move to do a deal, perhaps focused on these factors.

"Dreamers." These mostly young Latin Americans are living in the United States after being brought into the country illegally as children. Trump could offer to protect them from deportation in return for wall money. A deal along those lines was nearly achieved previously but collapsed.

Barrier, not wall. Trump has insisted on funding for a "wall," but lately has shifted to talking about steel fencing in the hope the term is less politically charged. Tall, slatted fences already are in place in some spots on the border and more are being built. Funding for more slats, or other alternatives to concrete, could let Trump declare victory and let Democrats say they blocked a wall.

Other steps. There are many additional ways to fortify the U.S.-Mexico border, such as deploying more all-terrain vehicles and border guards on horses. Large metal detectors also could be installed to scan trucks and buses for illegal activities.

Follow the money. A dollar-figure bargain could be reached somewhere between Trump's demand for $5.7 billion in wall funding and the Democrats' offer of $1.6 billion for border security.

Government Shutdown Trump President Donald Trump, accompanied by Vice President Mike Pence, second right, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, right, talks to the media after a Senate Republican policy lunch on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Jan. 9, 2019. President Donald Trump, accompanied by Vice President Mike Pence, second right, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, right, talks to the media after a Senate Republican policy lunch on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Jan. 9, 2019.

Trump declares 'national emergency'

Trump has threatened to declare a national emergency, saying that illegal immigration jeopardizes U.S. security and empowers him to redirect existing federal funds to build his wall, perhaps by tapping Defense Department accounts. Under the Constitution, Congress holds the power to make decisions about spending U.S. taxpayers' money.

Trump did not mention that option in a televised address on Tuesday about what he calls a border "crisis." Such a step by Trump would escalate what is now a policy dispute into a fight over presidential powers. Democrats would almost certainly move to block Trump, likely kicking off a protracted court battle.

Democrats fold, Trump wins

Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have vowed they will not give Trump any money to build a wall. But as the shutdown grinds on, they could have second thoughts, although that seems unlikely given the political climate.

Democrats won a majority in the House of Representatives by a landslide in November's elections. Trump's approval rating continues to hover at around 40 percent. There is plenty of skepticism among voters about the need for a wall, polls show.

In addition, a growing proportion of Americans now blame Trump for the shutdown even as Republicans mostly are supportive, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, center, speaks as she House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, center, speaks as she stands next to Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, left, and Sen. Dick Durbin right, following their meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, Jan. 9, 2019. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, center, speaks as she stands next to Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, left, and Sen. Dick Durbin right, following their meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, Jan. 9, 2019.

Trump backs down, Democrats win

Trump, whose main responsibility as president is to make sure the federal government carries out its duties, could find the shutdown too politically hazardous.

Closed national parks and museums is one thing. But U.S. airport security workers and air traffic controllers working without pay have been warning that security and safety could be compromised if the government shutdown continues. Union officials said some TSA officers had already quit.

Trump has promised for years to build his wall - initially saying Mexico would pay for it - and has repeatedly attacked Democrats for standing in his way. But he may find the shutdown unsustainable, fold and endorse Democrats' shutdown-ending bills while finding a way to claim victory.

Democrats on Wednesday began advancing agency-by-agency funding bills in the House that would then go to the Senate.

Republicans there would then have to decide whether to approve the bills or block them in the name of Trump's wall project.

Blocking a bill to fund the Treasury Department, for example, might delay Americans' tax refunds.

So far, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has not indicated any interest in staging votes on those bills.HONG KONG - The Hong Kong legislature has issued the draft bill legislation that calls for stiff punishments for anyone who fails to stand or display any behavior that is disrespectful to the Chinese national anthem. Infractions could draw a HK$50,000 fine (nearly $6400 US) and up to three years in prison. But the legislation isnt bringing out the patriot in everyone.

Its a total subversion of our legal concept, since it violates the right of keeping silent, said Hong Kong lawmaker Eddie Chu Hoi-dik, pointing out a passage on a photocopied sheet that he highlighted in green. Its not only you deliberately insult the national anthem [that] becomes an offense. Even if you do nothing, you only sit there without standing or without giving respect its an offense. So its a new thing, new political logic of active patriotism.

After a massive pro-democracy protest in 2014 fanned a small, but determined independence movement, China has sought to reverse trend of residents who identify as Hong Kongers but not as Chinese citizens.

President Xi Jinping and several top officials have rolled out various measures that seem created to remind Hong Kong that it is an inalienable part of China. Xi has stated repeatedly that advocating independence  in Tibet, in Hong Kong or Taiwan  is subversive and will not be allowed.

Since 2003, patriotism has been raised again and again as a pretext by Beijing trying to stifle dissenting voices and control the power game, said Sing Ming, associate professor of political science at Hong Kongs University of Science and Technology.



Those terms of patriotism, love Hong Kong, love the country, those are not empty ... We are worried when they are raised now, particularly when President Xi said Beijing should control everything in Hong Kong. We are very apprehensive of politics that they will use as a criteria for patriotism.

Carrie Lam, the citys chief executive, has continuously brushed aside concerns about requests for loyalty, especially in a city filled with residents from around the world. Of course, in Hong Kong we do expect, whether you are a scientist or researcher, or government official like myself, to love our country and love Hong Kong, she told reporters in May.

The citys education officials have continuously crafted policies to urge students to love the country. The effort a few years back, a proposed schools curriculum written to foster positive feelings about the nation, drew more than 100,000 outraged protesters to the streets in 2012, as they decried the content as brainwashing. The city government shelved the lessons, but residents say the curriculum is quietly taught in pro-Beijing schools.

The Hong Kong government did not respond to VOAs request for comment on this story.

In May, Xi offered Hong Kongs scientists and technology researchers access to government grants for the first time since Britain relinquished the territory to Beijing, 21 years ago. The funds would strengthen the citys research sector as officials rebrand Hong Kong as a technology and science hub.

The invitation, however, came with a prerequisite: Successful applicants had to love the country and Hong Kong, as state media outlet Xinhua termed it.

People queue up to receive the copy of the Hong Ko People queue up to receive the copy of the Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam's first policy address at a street in Hong Kong, Oct. 11, 2017. People queue up to receive the copy of the Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam's first policy address at a street in Hong Kong, Oct. 11, 2017.

?It sounded similar to a request the government made in 2014 that city judges love China. The proposal agitated the bar and was rejected as improper; several judges are foreign nationals who have long worked in the city to deepen the professional standards of the bench.

Benson Wong, an assistant professor of government at Hong Kong Baptist University, said research proposals had been rejected because they were deemed offensive to the party. One of his projects sought to assess the impact of mainland study tours  another tool to build bonds with the nation  on Hong Kong students. His proposal, he said, was criticized as too hostile to China.

Lawmakers have not escaped new patriotic standards. Six legislators were ejected by the courts, starting in 2016, after each was accused of improper oath-taking. Since then, several democracy advocates have been blocked from seeking office, deemed unlikely to uphold the Basic Law, the citys constitution. None has succeeded in overturning those decisions.

Chus patriotism was tested this fall. The 41-year-old journalist has served in LegCo since 2016, winning a record number of votes as he vowed to clear out corruption in the territorys rural areas. There, researchers say, land bequeathed by the government to indigenous residents has been illegally sold or stolen. Frightened local residents feel pressured to stay silent.

Last year, Chu decided that the best way to curb the property grabs, and ensure more land for public use, would be to serve on a rural village board.

But Hong Kong has started barring politicians from seeking office if they have supported independence or offering voters the opportunity to choose a different sort of governance.

In December, a government officer barred Chu, a sitting lawmaker, from running for his village board. Chus support for Hong Kongs self-determination, the official wrote, was akin to advocating independence, because Chu did not adamantly reject such a stance.

Chu has said continuously he does not advocate independence, but that Hong Kongers must be allowed to advocate for independence peacefully.

For now, Chu remains a sitting legislator, but he senses that his time in the legislature has now been shortened. As the government limits more opposition actions, and labels more activists as subversives, Chu acknowledged in an interview that its unlikely hell be allowed to seek re-election in 2020. He says theres little he can accomplish in the legislative council now, since no one in the pro-Beijing majority would support any of his initiatives.

Maybe we can challenge the current situation with certain articles in the Chinese constitution, Chu said. But the problem is always it is a one way street. They can do with it whatever they want.Cyberattacks on elections, public infrastructure and national security are increasingly being seen as the new normal, according to a global survey on cybersecurity.

And in some of the world's largest economies, people think their governments are not prepared.

The survey of more than 27,000 people across 26 countries conducted by the Pew Research Center found less than half of the respondents, 47 percent, believed their countries are ready to handle a major cyber incident.

A median of 74 percent thought it was likely national security information would be accessed. Sixty-nine percent said they expected public infrastructure to be damaged. And 61 percent expected cyberattacks targeting their country's elections.

Israel and Russia ranked as among the most confident populations, with more than two-thirds of survey-takers in those countries saying their governments are prepared for a major cyber incident.

iei 9i eii i ei eei ii FILE - An employee works near screens in the virus lab at the headquarters of Russian cybersecurity company Kaspersky Labs in Moscow, July 29, 2013. FILE - An employee works near screens in the virus lab at the headquarters of Russian cybersecurity company Kaspersky Labs in Moscow, July 29, 2013.

The three sub-Saharan African countries in the survey  Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa  were generally optimistic, with more than half of those polled saying their nations were prepared for a cyber incident.

Brazil and Argentina were the least confident, with just nine percent of Argentineans responding their government was prepared.

In key economies such as Germany and Japan, more than half of the respondents expressed concern they were ill-prepared to deal with cyberattacks.

United States

The Pew survey found expectations for cyberattacks ran highest in the United States, where there have been more than 100 major cyber incidents since 2006.

Almost 80 percent of U.S. respondents expected damage to public infrastructure, breaches of national security information and elections tampering.

But while more Americans than not say the country is prepared for cyberattacks, 53 percent to 43 percent, feelings on cyber preparedness changed depending on political affiliation.

More than 60 percent of Republicans thought the United States is prepared for cyberattacks as opposed to 47 percent of Democrats.

Politics, age

The Pew survey detected similar trends in many of the other countries in the survey.

In Russia, for example, about 75 percent of those who support President Vladimir Putin are optimistic about handling a cyberattack, compared to 61 percent of non-Putin supporters.

The level of concern about cyberattacks also varied according to age.

In many of the Western countries surveyed, Pew found older people were likely to be more concerned than younger people.

In Sweden, for example, 82 percent of those aged 50 or older feared a cyberattack on infrastructure, compared with 53 percent of those aged 18 to 29.

The Pew survey was conducted in-person or via telephone between May 14 and August 12, 2018.

The 26 countries surveyed are: United States, Canada, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Britain, Russia, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Israel, Tunisia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico.(TNS)  The city school districts computer network was attacked Friday by a virus caused by an outside entity that intended to hold district data hostage for ransom, district officials say.Currently, there is no evidence of any data theft in the attack, Jeffrey Postolowski, director of technology services, said in an email response on Tuesday.Rather, some district data was encrypted by a virus and reportedly held for ransom. How much? Postolowski didnt say. What kind of data was masked and how much? He wouldnt say that, either.Some teachers, however, came forward on Tuesday to say that the data mostly lost has been theirs: years work of lesson plans and teaching materials stored on district servers.They are unable to access their files, said one teacher who asked not to be identified.I know one teacher who had 18 years worth of teaching materials saved at work, not at home. That would be gone, currently, the teacher said.Other teachers, who put materials on Microsoft One or cloud-based platforms, were not affected.So my teaching materials are OK, the teacher said.Student work reportedly was not compromised because they are kept on a Google Drive.Neither were the personal data of students or teachers, Gary Peluchette, president of the Bridgeport Education Association, said he was told.They are working to get it restored, Peluchette said after meeting with Schools Superintendent Aresta Johnson.In his email, Postolowski said he is working with the principal security architect of the District Information Security vendor in conjunction with Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center and law enforcement officials to resolve the incident as quickly as possible.Board Chairman John Weldon said on Monday he was assured no sensitive information was compromised.The way it was explained to me the responsibly party doesnt have access to the information, just control (of) it, said Weldon. They locked us out.The attack did not affect emails or the districts PowerSchool platform which contains student data including grades, officials said.Johnson said IT staff worked through the weekend to stop the attack which was first noticed on Friday.On Friday, Johnson said the districts computer system was down in explaining why she could not retrieve last years attendance statistics.Recovery apparently is ongoing, although Postolowski did not say how far the district had gotten in restoring its system or how the restoration was being accomplished.Postolowski also did not speculate on how the breach may have occurred.In an message sent to staff Sunday evening, Postolowski said the district was requiring a mandatory password change to get into the system. Staff were also warned not to bring in personal computers and to report any strange activity.So called ransomware attacks have occurred to other organizations, companies and school districts around the world including several in Connecticut. Ransom is demanded in exchange for unlocking data. In many cases, the victim is presented with a message explaining that their files will only be decrypted once an untraceable Bitcoin payment is paid.It is unclear if that has happened in Bridgeports case.LONDON - The discovery of semi-precious gems in the teeth of a 1,000-year-old female skeleton proved women were more widely involved in creating medieval manuscripts than previously thought, a group of international historians said on Wednesday.

A study by German-based Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History and Britains University of York found traces of lapis lazuli - which was used as a blue pigment in painting - in the dental plaque of a woman buried between 1000-1200 AD.

The skeleton was unearthed in a cemetery associated with a womens monastery in Dalheim in western Germany.

The researchers said this challenged long-held beliefs that women had played little role in the European Middle Ages in producing literary and written texts which came largely from religious institutions.

Researcher Christina Warinner from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History said this finding from the 11th century was unprecedented in showing more women were literate, educated and encouraged to read at that time.

I am excited that our study shows that the use of archaeology might have the tools to recover some of the lost information (about women in the past), Warinner told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.

We have this view there was only a handful of extraordinary women in the past that seemed to be different from everyone else but I think that more were involved than we give credit for.

The team studying the skeleton concluded that the woman, who was aged 45-60, must have been a painter who frequently licked the end of the brush whilst painting.

Warinner said the woman was thought to be part of a group of about 14 women living at the monastery who were likely to have been wealthy, upper class, and educated.

Here we have direct evidence of a woman, not just painting, but painting with a very rare and expensive pigment, she said.

This womans story could have remained hidden forever without the use of these techniques. It makes me wonder how many other artists we might find in medieval cemeteries - if we only look.LIBREVILLE - Gabon President Ali Bongo promoted foreign minister Emmanuel Issoze Ngondet to the post of Prime Minister on Wednesday, a day after Bongo was sworn in following a razor-thin election victory whose integrity was questioned by international observers.

A statement read on state television said Bongo asked Ngondet to form an open government, in an apparent signal that members of the opposition could be invited to join.

Bongo's victory by less than 6,000 votes has drawn unwelcome scrutiny of the president, whose family has ruled the oil-producing state in Central Africa for 49 years. Just a handful of African leaders attended his inauguration.

France called for a recount of the Aug. 27 vote and the European Union said it found anomalies in Bongo's stronghold province of Haut-Ogooue, where he won 95 percent of the vote on a 99.9 percent turnout.

Opposition leader Jean Ping said the election was rigged.ORLANDO, FLORIDA - The normally humdrum bureaucracy of registering to vote brought tears to the eyes of some Floridians on Tuesday when most felons regained their right to vote under a state constitutional amendment.

"I'll be a human being again. I'll be an American citizen again,'' Robert Eckford said, choking up and weeping after filling out an application at the elections supervisor's office in Orlando.

The ballot measure went into effect Tuesday, overturning a ban that netted Florida the highest number of disenfranchised felons in the nation. It potentially increases the pool of eligible voters by as many as 1.4 million people in a battleground state infamous for its narrow margins in key elections.

"I'm an ex-Marine,'' said Eckford, who served seven years for a drug conviction. "I served this country. I've done my time. I've made some mistakes. But thank God the system works.''

Nearly 65 percent of Florida voters last November approved Amendment 4, which was crafted so that it would take effect on Tuesday. It applies to all felons who have done their time and completed the terms of their probation and parole, with the exception of people convicted of murder or sex offenses.

Former felon Robert Eckford talks with reporters a Former felon Robert Eckford talks with reporters after registering to vote at the Supervisor of Elections office, Jan. 8, 2019, in Orlando, Florida. Former felon Robert Eckford talks with reporters after registering to vote at the Supervisor of Elections office, Jan. 8, 2019, in Orlando, Florida.

?It is still not clear how those registrations will be treated in the state capitol. Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Monday that he believes the Legislature still needs to pass an implementing bill spelling out the restoration process.

"There's going to need to be guidance for that. It's not delaying it. The people spoke on it. It's going to be implemented, but I think it needs to be implemented the way people intended, and I don't think that they wanted to see any sex offenders fall through the cracks,'' he told reporters.

Civil rights groups have maintained the measure is self-executing, but just to be sure, they warned that they are ready to go to court if there are any delays. Elections supervisors across the state posted notices at their offices and websites saying they would accept the registration forms starting Tuesday. They noted the new voters don't need to present proof that they completed their sentence; they can simply fill out the existing application, signing under oath that their voting rights have been restored.

Members of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition said they expected the registration to go smoothly. Despite any confusion, the organization's president, Desmond Meade, encouraged members to celebrate.

Former felon Yolanda Wilcox, left, fills out a vot Former felon Yolanda Wilcox, left, fills out a voter registration form as her best friend Gale Buswell looks on at the Supervisor of Elections office, Jan. 8, 2019, in Orlando. Former felon Yolanda Wilcox, left, fills out a voter registration form as her best friend Gale Buswell looks on at the Supervisor of Elections office, Jan. 8, 2019, in Orlando.

?Meade has been fighting to regain his right to vote since 2006 when he had served his sentence for a drug offense. Meade readied his family to head out south of downtown Orlando before the sun rose Tuesday. Wearing shirts with the slogan "Let my people vote,'' Meade likened his journey to the 1960s movement to end widespread practices that kept black voters away from the polls.

"Moms and dads took their kids to vote with them during the civil rights era,'' he said. "I can vote for the first time with my family and that means a lot to me. That means not only do I get to vote, but this is an opportunity now to stimulate a conversation about how important voting is.''

Until the amendment passed, Florida's constitution automatically barred felons from being able to vote after leaving prison. The state's clemency process allowed the governor and three elected Cabinet members to restore voting rights, but it was for many an arduous process and the governor could unilaterally veto any request.

Dan Smith, a University of Florida political scientist who studies elections, says it may take time for the effects of the change to become evident.

"There is very little evidence that individuals who have the opportunity to have their rights restored are going to immediately take advantage of that opportunity,'' Smith said.

Former felon Brett DuVall, right, kisses his wife Former felon Brett DuVall, right, kisses his wife Dottie as they celebrate after he registered to vote at the Supervisor of Elections office, Jan. 8, 2019, in Orlando. Former felon Brett DuVall, right, kisses his wife Dottie as they celebrate after he registered to vote at the Supervisor of Elections office, Jan. 8, 2019, in Orlando.

?Although black people were disproportionately affected by felony disenfranchisement, they are not a majority of the population with felony convictions, Smith said. He says it is unclear whether the newly franchised voters will sway Florida red or blue. There is no public record of how people who were removed from the rolls have historically voted.

"These are questions that political scientists like myself are going to be looking at in great detail.''

Democratic Party leaders in the state and nation emailed statements welcoming the new voters and accusing Republican politicians of attempting to silence them in the past.

"Democrats will never stop fighting to expand access to the ballot and ensure that no one is silenced or sidelined on Election Day,'' said Tom Perez, chair of the Democratic National Committee.PARIS - Two French politicians, including an ex-minister under former president Nicolas Sarkozy, have left he country's mainstream centre-right party to join far-right leader Marine Le Pen after she dropped a demand for France to quit the European Union.

The move underscores the challenge faced by Les Republicains (LR) as the party tries to recover from President Emmanuel Macron's huge 2017 election win in the National Assembly and carve out its turf on a fragmented right.

Macron's Popularity Edges Up Even as Protesters Persist French President Emmanuel Macron's popularity ratings recovered in January, a survey showed on Tuesday, after a series of government concessions aimed at ending a wave of "yellow vest" protests against high living costs.The demonstrations shaking France since mid-November had further dented Macron's standing at the end of last year, with his popularity dropping to record lows amid a backlash that started out as an outcry over planned fuel tax hikes.These were dropped in early December and Macron has French President Emmanuel Macron's popularity ratings recovered in January, a survey showed on Tuesday, after a series of government concessions aimed at ending a wave of "yellow vest" protests against high living costs.The demonstrations shaking France since mid-November had further dented Macron's standing at the end of last year, with his popularity dropping to record lows amid a backlash that started out as an outcry over planned fuel tax hikes.These were dropped in early December and Macron has

Macron took votes from the center-right, forcing the now LR leader Laurent Wauquiez further right as he seeks to regain momentum ahead of May's European elections.

"Marine Le Pen represents the only true alternative to Macron," Thierry Mariani, who served as transport minister between 2010 and 2012, told Le Parisien newspaper.

French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement Nat FILE - French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National) party leader Marine Le Pen delivers her comeback speech in Frejus, France, Sept. 16, 2018. FILE - French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National) party leader Marine Le Pen delivers her comeback speech in Frejus, France, Sept. 16, 2018.

Les Republicains have become more closely aligned to the far-right Rassemblement National (RN), formerly Le Front National, on issues such as immigration and law and order. That has bolstered the appeal of Le Pen to some on the fringe of the mainstream party while also alienating more moderate figures.

Former prime minister Alain Juppe distanced himself from the party last week by not renewing his membership. He said he believed it was Macron who was going in the right direction.

Defecting alongside Mariani was former conservative lawmaker Jean-Paul Garraud. The far-right presented both on Wednesday as candidates to run on its ticket in May's European election.

Opinion polls place Le Pen's party at about 21 percent, ahead of Macron's Republique En Marche (LREM) party in voting intentions for the European Parliament elections. LR, led by Laurent Wauquiez, are further back at about 13 percent.



"Those who are pro-sovereignty, those opposed to the excesses of immigration, are today choosing the nationalists amid the current division between the nationalists and the globalists," Le Pen told Radio Classique.A former Israeli government minister charged with spying for archenemy Iran will serve 11 years in prison as part of a plea bargain with authorities, Israel's justice ministry said Wednesday.

The ministry said Gonen Segev agreed to the deal after confessing to severe espionage and passing information to an enemy. The plea bargain will be brought to a judge next month and no further information was provided.

The announcement capped another stunning turn of events for Segev, who served as energy minister under Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in the mid-1990s and was later imprisoned for trying to smuggle drugs into the country.

Segev was extradited from Equatorial Guinea and arrested upon arrival in Israel last May on suspicion of acting as an agent for Iranian intelligence and relayed information about the energy market and security sites in Israel.

Israel's Shin Bet security service initially said Segev met with his operators twice in Iran, and also met with Iranian agents in hotels and apartments around the world. A gag order was placed on most of the details.

The allegations were particularly grave since Israel and Iran are bitter enemies. Israel considers Iran to be its biggest threat, citing Iranian calls for Israel's destruction, Iran's support for hostile militant groups like Hezbollah and its development of long-range missiles. Israel has been an outspoken critic of the international nuclear deal with Iran and welcomed the U.S. decision to withdraw from the deal. More recently, Israeli forces have carried out a number of airstrikes on Iranian forces in neighboring Syria.

In August, Iran's intelligence minister boasted on state television about his country's successful recruitment of a former Cabinet-level official from a hostile country, though he did not mention Israel or Segev by name.

Segev's lawyers, Eli Zohar and Moshe Mazor, said they were still prohibited from discussing the full details of the case but that the plea bargain removed the initial charge of treason and brought the affair back to its proper proportions.

Indeed, Mr. Segev did have contact with the Iranians but his motive was not to `aid an enemy during war,' they said in a statement Wednesday.

Segev was previously arrested in 2004 for attempting to smuggle 32,000 illegal Ecstasy tablets from the Netherlands to Israel using an expired diplomatic passport, and served prison time for that. A former doctor whose medical license was revoked, Segev was released from prison in Israel in 2007 and had been living in Africa in recent years.The European Union and United States have not yet agreed on the scope of trade negotiations, but the bloc will not include agriculture in the talks, its trade commissioner said on Wednesday.

Cecilia Malmstrom told reporters the EU was willing to include all industrial goods, such as autos, in the discussions.

"We have made very clear agriculture will not be included," she said, though the two sides had not yet agreed on that issue.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Trade Representative Robert Light FILE: U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom take part in a meeting, Brussels, Belgium, March 10, 2018. FILE: U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom take part in a meeting, Brussels, Belgium, March 10, 2018.

She was speaking after meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and ahead of a meeting with U.S. and Japanese leaders to discuss World Trade Organization (WTO) reform this week.

U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded better terms of trade for the United States from China, the EU and Japan, saying poor trade deals cost the United States millions of jobs.

Washington has already reworked the North American trade treaty with neighbors Mexico and Canada.

USTR notified lawmakers in October of its plans to pursue the trade talks with the European Union. American farmers and farm state lawmakers such as Republican Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa have said they want agricultural products to be included in any new trade deal.

Malmstrom said she had received no assurance that a U.S. auto tariffs report would be put on hold during the discussions, but believed the European bloc would not be affected by such tariffs while the talks were ongoing.

The EU was in the final stages of preparing its negotiating mandates for the talks, she said.

The European Commission executive said it was preparing two mandates  one to cover removal of tariffs on industrial goods and another on areas of possible regulatory cooperation in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices and cyber security.

The mandates would first need to be cleared by the commissioners before being presented to the EU's 28 member countries for approval.

It was unclear how long this process would take place and when formal talks could be held. Experts from both sides will conduct discussions about technical matters this week.

Discussions around the reform of WTO rules have focused on transparency and ways to address concerns over Chinese trade practices. "We are not forming a coalition against China. We are worried about many of the Chinese practices," she said.Nations around the world face increased scrutiny from the United States over their attempts to fight human trafficking at home  and the price of failure could be steep, under a law signed Wednesday by President Donald Trump.

The bedrock law behind U.S. efforts to fight human trafficking around the world was finally reauthorized, more than a year after lapsing, with a number of significant changes.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) was first passed in 2000, establishing human trafficking as a federal crime.

The latest version of the act changes the way the highly influential Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, written annually by the U.S. State Department, is put together.

The report sorts every nation in the world into one of three tiers based on how well it is fighting human trafficking.

Countries in the bottom tier  Tier 3  face potential cuts in U.S. aid and other penalties.

Countries including Malaysia, Cuba and China have had their status upgraded for political reasons in the past.

The current version aims to end that practice by forcing the State Department to take into account the effectiveness of measures taken to reduce trafficking, according to a statement from U.S. Senator Robert Menendez's office.

FILE - Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., answers a rep FILE - Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., answers a reporter's question in Union Township, N.J., July 27, 2015. FILE - Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., answers a reporter's question in Union Township, N.J., July 27, 2015.

Menendez, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, was a coauthor of the legislation.

"After years of political manipulation of the State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report, the TVPRA makes clear that Congress, on a unanimous, bipartisan basis, will not allow the report to be politically manipulated ever again," Menendez said in a statement.

Since September 2017, funding for various provisions of the act was done on a piecemeal basis. In the United States many laws contain "sunset clauses" that require them to be voted on again every few years.

Future TIP reports will have to justify moving nations up or down in the rankings.

"After strong advocacy from civil society, the reauthorization of the TVPRA includes important provisions related to ensuring that countries are rated on the impact of their anti-trafficking efforts in the annual TIP report Tier Rankings, and not just passing laws or policies," said Neha Misra of the Solidarity Center, an advocacy group.

Sex trafficking victims

The new version of the act, which was originally passed in 2000, also discourages law enforcement from arresting victims of sex trafficking who have been forced into prostitution.

"Trafficking victims continue to be treated as criminals, leading to lifelong challenges," Jean Bruggeman, executive director of Freedom Network USA, said in an email to Reuters.

"This legislation encourages law enforcement to reverse this trend. Now the Department of Justice needs to restore funding to help survivors vacate criminal records that remain."

Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice changed a policy that had provided funding for trafficking victims to have their records expunged.

Other changes to the act include a prohibition against U.S. government contractors overseas charging laborers recruitment fees, an increase to maximum prison terms for convicted traffickers, and restitution to survivors.

It also establishes human trafficking coordinators inside federal attorneys' offices.KINSHASA - Riot police deployed at the electoral commission headquarters in Kinshasa on Wednesday amid fears of a disputed result in a Democratic Republic of Congo presidential election marked by accusations of vote fraud.

The tally could be announced later in the day after the commission (CENI) met all night and into the morning.

Police also took up positions along the city's main boulevard, as Congolese fretted about possible violence amid suspicions that President Joseph Kabila's government was negotiating a power-sharing deal with one opposition candidate.

As Congo Delays Election Results, People's Suspicions Rise As Congo anxiously awaits the outcome of the presidential election, many in the capital, Kinshasa, say they are convinced the opposition won and that the delay in announcing results is allowing manipulation in favor of the ruling party. Leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu in an interview with The Associated Press late Tuesday warned Congo's electoral commission to "not play with fire, it is very dangerous'' and release the true results as quickly as possible.Several dozen anti-riot police As Congo anxiously awaits the outcome of the presidential election, many in the capital, Kinshasa, say they are convinced the opposition won and that the delay in announcing results is allowing manipulation in favor of the ruling party. Leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu in an interview with The Associated Press late Tuesday warned Congo's electoral commission to "not play with fire, it is very dangerous'' and release the true results as quickly as possible.Several dozen anti-riot police

The Dec. 30 poll was meant to lead to the vast Central African country's first democratic transfer of power in its 59 years of independence, but a disputed result could trigger the kind of violence that erupted after the 2006 and 2011 elections and destabilize Congo's volatile eastern borderlands.

In Pretoria, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Zambian counterpart Edgar Lungu met on Wednesday and urged CENI to speedily release the results to maintain stability.

Last week, South Africa, long a Kabila ally, joined with Russia and China at the U.N. Security Council to block the release of a statement proposed by France that would have welcomed the holding of the vote but criticized the government's decision to cut access to the Internet and some media outlets.

The commission announced on Tuesday evening it had initiated "a series of evaluation meetings and deliberations, at the end of which it will proceed to the publication of provisional results from the presidential election."

A CENI source and a diplomat said they expected results to be announced later on Wednesday. Another diplomat, however, said that not all the vote tallying had been completed and that the announcement might have to wait until Thursday.



Kinshasa residents went about their normal activities, but some parents kept their children home from school. People were back on the streets too in the eastern city of Goma, which were deserted on Tuesday evening after a rumor spread that the announcement was imminent.

Even so, some Congolese said they were gearing up for potential unrest.

"Everyone... voted against the government in place. We are preparing fully to demand victory if it is stolen from us," said Augustin Bujiriri, a 25-year-old student in Goma.

The results were originally due last Sunday but were postponed due to delays tallying the vote.

Transfer of power

Kabila is due to leave office this month after 18 years in power - and two years after the official end of his mandate. He backed his former interior minister, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, in the election.

Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, former Congolese Interi FILE - Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, former Congolese Interior minister and presidential candidate, casts his vote at a polling station in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 30, 2018. FILE - Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, former Congolese Interior minister and presidential candidate, casts his vote at a polling station in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 30, 2018.

Shadary was competing against two main opposition candidates, businessman Martin Fayulu and Felix Tshisekedi, the president of Congo's largest opposition party.

Tshisekedi's camp, which says it expects to win, said on

Tuesday that it had met with Kabila's representatives to ensure a peaceful transfer of power, although Kabila's camp denied any such meetings had occurred.

Martin Fayulu, Congolese joint opposition presiden FILE - Martin Fayulu, Congolese joint opposition presidential candidate, casts his vote at a polling station in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 30, 2018. FILE - Martin Fayulu, Congolese joint opposition presidential candidate, casts his vote at a polling station in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 30, 2018.

Supporters of Fayulu, who had a healthy pre-election poll lead, have voiced suspicions that Kabila may be looking to negotiate a power-sharing agreement with Tshisekedi if Shadary loses.



On Tuesday, Fayulu and six other presidential candidates issued a statement saying that the results "cannot be negotiated."

Tshisekedi's spokesman, Vidiye Tshimanga, on Wednesday sought to play down the contacts with Kabila's representatives, saying they had occurred only on the sidelines of meetings with the CENI and regional observers about the electoral process.

Domestic election observers say they witnessed serious irregularities on election day and during vote tallying, although a regional observer mission said the election went "relatively well."China approved five genetically modified (GM) crops for import on Tuesday, the first in about 18 months in a move that could boost its overseas grains purchases and ease pressure from the United States to open its markets to more farm goods.

The United States is the world's biggest producer of GM crops, while China is the top importer of GM soybeans and canola.

U.S. farmers and global seed companies have long complained about Beijing's slow and unpredictable process for approving GM crops for import, stoking trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.

The approvals, announced on the agriculture ministry's website, were granted while a U.S. trade delegation is meeting with its counterparts in the Chinese capital this week.

"It's a goodwill gesture towards the resolution of the trade issue," said a China representative of a U.S. agricultural industry association.

"It's been in the system for a long time but they chose today to release this good news," he added, declining to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The approved products included DowDuPont Inc.'s DP4114 Qrome corn and DAS-44406-6 soybean, known as Enlist E3, as well as the SYHT0H2 soybean developed by Bayer CropScience and Syngenta but now held by German chemical company BASF.

The other two newly approved products - BASF's RF3 canola and Bayer-owned Monsanto's glyphosate-tolerant MON 88302 canola - had been waiting six years for permission.

The approvals came as farmers in North America were deciding which seeds to plant this spring. China before the trade war bought some 60 percent of U.S. soybeans and U.S. farmers do not widely plant varieties it has not approved.

The newly approved canola will allow farmers in Canada to boost production, according to Jim Everson, president of industry group the Canola Council.

"The industry expects growers will produce $400 million more canola every year using the same amount of land - a step-change for canola productivity," Everson said in a statement.

Five other products known to be seeking approvals were not given the green light, including two GM alfalfa products developed by Monsanto and two DowDuPont soybean traits.

Corteva Agriscience, the agriculture unit of DowDuPont, said, "We are happy to see the regulatory approval of our seed traits progressing in China."

Bayer said in a statement it welcomed the news but noted "many of these products were stuck in China's regulatory process for many years and others were not granted approvals, underscoring the need for continued improvement in China's regulatory processes."

Chinese officials met their U.S. counterparts in Beijing on Monday for the first face-to-face talks since U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed in December to a 90-day truce in a trade war that has roiled global markets.

U.S. Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricult U.S. Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney, center, who is part of U.S. trade delegation leaves from a hotel for a second day of meetings with Chinese officials in Beijing, China, Jan. 8, 2019. U.S. Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney, center, who is part of U.S. trade delegation leaves from a hotel for a second day of meetings with Chinese officials in Beijing, China, Jan. 8, 2019.

China had not approved any GM crops for import since July 2017, when it cleared two products following high-level talks with Washington. It also approved two products in June 2017.

China's scientific advisory board on GM crops met in June but did not give the go-ahead for imports of any products.

"China's approval of the new GMO products is paving the way for China to import large volumes of U.S. soybeans in the future. It is a positive signal," said Li Qiang, chief analyst with Shanghai JC Intelligence Co. Ltd.

The truce in the Sino-U.S. trade war prompted a resumption of U.S. soybean purchases. Buying had slumped after China imposed a 25 percent import duty on U.S. shipments of oilseed on July 6 in response to U.S. tariffs.

Only a Fraction

China does not allow the planting of genetically modified food crops, but imports of GM crops such as soybeans and corn for animal feed are fine.

The country, the world's biggest soybean consumer, has so far purchased only about 5 million tons of the 2018 U.S. soy harvest, a fraction of its typical purchases.

FILE -Soybeans are offloaded from a combine during FILE -Soybeans are offloaded from a combine during the harvest in Brownsburg, Indiana, Sept. 21, 2018. FILE -Soybeans are offloaded from a combine during the harvest in Brownsburg, Indiana, Sept. 21, 2018.

The United States has demanded that China change its GM crop import application process to make it more transparent, timely and based on scientific methods.

The latest approvals should not be taken as a sign that China is conceding to those demands, said a China-based industry source, who also asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

"It's another piece of evidence that China's approval process is not entirely scientific but political," said the source, who also believed the approvals were timed for the trade visit.

The ministry also announced on Tuesday the extension of import approvals for 26 other GM crops by a further three years.TAIPEI - A British amphibious warfare ship passed through the South China Sea in August and China, Asias strongest military power with a claim to almost the whole waterway, expelled it. Now the European country with a once powerful colonial foothold in Asia wants to set up a new base in the region, according to news reports citing the British defense secretary.

A British base in Southeast Asia, where four countries dispute Chinas maritime claims, would give ships quicker access to any further missions like the one August 31.

More likely, Asian political experts say, it will let the U.K. challenge Chinas influence  and get challenged back  in the resource-rich sea by helping British ships join allied American vessels for periodic naval exercises. Britain alone lacks the money and must mind relations with former colonies in Southeast Asia, they say.

They would have to team up with the U.S., otherwise it doesnt make sense, said Eduardo Araral, associate professor at the National University of Singapores public policy school. They would join the U.S. in their so-called freedom of navigation operations.

Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson told the British news outlet The Telegraph in December that his country was looking for a new base in Southeast Asia.

Newcomer to wider maritime conflict

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam contest Chinas maritime sovereignty claims but have gone on the back foot since 2010 as Beijing uses technological and economic advantages to expand at sea. It has landfilled a series of tiny islets, some for military use.

Maps showing the claims of six Asian countries con Maps showing the claims of six Asian countries contesting all or parts of the Spratly and Paracel islands in the South China Sea. Maps showing the claims of six Asian countries contesting all or parts of the Spratly and Paracel islands in the South China Sea.

China claims about 90 percent of the sea that extends from Hong Kong to Borneo, spanning 3.5 million square kilometers. China and rival claimants in Asia value the sea for its fisheries and fuel reserves. The UK government does not have a claim.

Washington regularly sends naval ships into the sea to pressure China. It calls the missions freedom of navigation operations.

caaDDG-73eacaaaeeeaa FILE - Photo provided by the U.S. Navy shows the guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) operating in the South China Sea as part of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG), Oct. 13, 2016. FILE - Photo provided by the U.S. Navy shows the guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) operating in the South China Sea as part of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG), Oct. 13, 2016.

Earlier this month a U.S. warship passed through waters off the seas Paracel Islands, which China controls despite a competing claim from Vietnam.

Japan and Australia have sent their own ships to keep China in check, though less often. The UK would anger China if it fell into that line, scholars say.

China would of course object heavily, but I think for the rest of Southeast Asian countries its not something new, said Oh Ei Sun, senior fellow with the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.

HMS Albion, the British Royal Navy flagship amphib HMS Albion, the British Royal Navy flagship amphibious assault ship, arrives at Harumi Pier in Tokyo, Aug. 3, 2018. HMS Albion, the British Royal Navy flagship amphibious assault ship, arrives at Harumi Pier in Tokyo, Aug. 3, 2018.

In September, Beijing treated the single ship, the British navys HMS Albion, as an intrusion into Chinese territory. The vessel entered Chinas territorial sea without the Chinese government's approval, Chinese state-controlled media outlet Gbtimes.com reported, citing Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.

The UK probably lacks funds for a major South China Sea initiative, Oh said. I think we have to be very realistic about this, he said. Even the UKs naval fleet is not like during the British empire.

Britain may be planning the base to expand into Asia strategically and economically as an independent actor after leaving the European Union, said Carl Thayer, emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales in Canberra.

In 2016, Thayer noted, British Prime Minister Theresa May and the former foreign secretary began to float the idea of a Global Britain in the post-Brexit era.

Southeast Asian reactions

Southeast Asian countries might struggle to accept a British base.

The UK has named Singapore and Brunei as candidates for a base, The Telegraph says.

Southeast Asian leaders would worry that allowing a base hearkens back to colonialism or other foreign domination, scholars say. Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar and Singapore are former British colonies in Southeast Asia.

There is always a domestic element to it for the host country, said Collin Koh, a maritime security research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

Basically it would impinge upon perceptions of sovereignty, for example, and the fact that people will start to question the government whether it will allow in foreign presence to sort of subvert our foreign policy, he said.

Countries such as Brunei must also mind their own growing, economically vital ties with China before entering a military deal opposed by Beijing, he added.

The UK now maintains a logistics facility at the Sembawang Naval Base in Singapore.

A Taiwan Navy helicopter flies over two Taiwan mad FILE - A Taiwan Navy helicopter flies over two Taiwan made corvettes during a navy exercise in the bound of Suao naval station in Yilan County, northeast of Taiwan, Apr. 13, 2018. FILE - A Taiwan Navy helicopter flies over two Taiwan made corvettes during a navy exercise in the bound of Suao naval station in Yilan County, northeast of Taiwan, Apr. 13, 2018.

In Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen indicated support Saturday for British presence near the South China Sea. Taiwan claims the whole sea but holds just two of its hundreds of disputed islets. It has its own territorial issues with China and Tsai has asked other countries to help resist Beijing.

We respect any country to exercise its rights of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and we are open-minded about these issues as long as it helps to maintain peace in this region, she told reporters on Saturday.LONDON - With the March deadline approaching for Britain to depart the European Union, there are concerns that Britain's exit could undermine Western sanctions against countries like Iran, Syria and North Korea. Analysts note that Britain has been influential in persuading the EU to take action, saying there are risks Britain will seek a different path as it carves out new economic and strategic partnerships.



Some estimates hold that up to 80 percent of the EUs sanctions that are in place have been put forward or suggested by the UK," said Erica Moret, chair of the Geneva International Sanctions Network.

She says Britain's future absence from EU meetings will impact the bloc's future relations. "The UK is also a very important player of course as a leading economic and political power, a soft power player in the world. Also the City of London means that financial sanctions are rendered much stronger through the UKs participation.



Britain was quick to coordinate expulsions of Russian diplomats among EU allies following the nerve agent attack in the city of Salisbury last year against a former double agent, an incident London blamed on Moscow.



Through EU membership, Britain enforces common sanctions against several other states and individuals, such as Syrian officials accused of war crimes.



After the Brexit deadline day on March 29, Britain will be free to implement its own sanctions.



I wouldnt see this happening in the short term, especially because again both sides have said they are committed to EU sanctions and they are also committed to projecting some political values that both EU and UK agree to, says Anna Nadibaidze of the policy group Open Europe.



Britain, however, could seek a competitive advantage over Europe by diverging its sanctions policy, says Moret.



Its very unlikely that the UK would deliberately seek to gain commercial advantage over EU partners. But when you think about the tensions that will come into play post-Brexit, when it comes down to trying to negotiate new trade deals, seeking new foreign investment into the country. There will be pressure, a balance to be made between alignment with EU sanctions and domestic interests.



That pressure could be felt first over Iran. Alongside European allies, Britain backs the 2015 Iran nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA, which lifted some Western sanctions on Tehran in return for a suspension of its atomic enrichment program. U.S. President Donald Trump pulled out of the deal last year, saying Iran has violated the spirit of the agreement.



Britain urgently wants a trade deal with the United States after Brexit. Will the price be alignment with Washingtons policy on Iran?



That is a key risk and its a very important one that will be in the forefront of policymakers minds, adds Moret.



Britain was among EU nations backing sanctions against an Iranian intelligence unit this week, accusing Tehran of plotting attacks and assassinations in Europe. Both Brussels and London say they will continue to work together to counter common threats through a range of policy tools including sanctions.

BRASILIA - Brazil's National Security Adviser Augusto Heleno said on Tuesday that right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro had not offered to host a U.S. military base or American soldiers on Brazilian soil.

Bolsonaro said during a TV interview last week that he was open to the possibility of hosting a U.S. base to counter Russian influence in Venezuela, while his Foreign Minister, Ernesto Araujo, said last week that Bolsonaro was planning to discuss a U.S. military presence with U.S. President Donald Trump during an expected visit in March.

"He told me he never said that. It was a comment he made when talking about the Russian base (in Venezuela) and then suddenly this came out that it was an American base," Heleno told reporters after a cabinet meeting.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro and his Vice Pre Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro and his Vice President Hamilton Mourao attend a ceremony during which the country's government bank presidents are presented at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Jan. 7, 2019. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro and his Vice President Hamilton Mourao attend a ceremony during which the country's government bank presidents are presented at Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil, Jan. 7, 2019.

The seemingly contradicatory messages and apparent backsliding over the possible U.S. base highlight the fragility of Bolsonaro's cabinet, which is comprised of statist former generals, right-wing nationalists, Chicago-trained economists and Christian conservatives, all of whom with different priorities.

The plan to offer to host a base appears to have been dropped due to opposition from the armed forces, who see a foreign presence as a transgression of national sovereignty.

Brazil's Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, center, Brazil's Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, center, attends a meeting of the Lima Group concerning Venezuela in Lima, Peru, Jan. 4, 2019. Brazil's Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo, center, attends a meeting of the Lima Group concerning Venezuela in Lima, Peru, Jan. 4, 2019.

A senior army officer told Reuters on Saturday that the Brazilian military was against the idea.

The Folha de S.Paulo newspaper on Tuesday reported that Bolsonaro had backtracked on the idea, and that Defense Minister Fernando Azevedo had informed military commanders of the president's decision. The story cited unnamed generals who received the message.

Even the defense minister said he sees no reason to allow the United States to set up a military base in the country.

"This needs to be carefully evaluated. I don't see what the reason is for such a base," Azevedo, a retired army general picked by Bolsonaro, told the financial newspaper Valor Economico.

Bolsonaro, who took office on Jan. 1, said in a television interview he might be willing to allow a U.S. base in Brazil as a way to counter Russian presence in Venezuela, one of the most significant U.S. foes in Latin America.

Bolsonaro, an admirer of Trump, has quickly moved to align Brazil more closely with the U.S. government, which was represented by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at his swearing in last week.

Pompeo told reporters on Wednesday that the United States and Brazil had "an opportunity to work alongside each other against authoritarian regimes" in the region, naming Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua.RIO DE JANEIRO - Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro reaffirmed his rejection of a global migration pact, saying decisions about who was able to come into his country need to be "sovereign."



His comments, posted in a series of messages on his Twitter account, reinforced Bolsonaro's declaration before he took office last week that he was going to pull Brazil out of the migration compact that was endorsed by the UN General Assembly in December. Bolsonaro: Brazilian Oversight of NGOs Will Be Tightly Controlled Funding of nongovernmental organizations working in Brazil will be rigidly controlled, President Jair Bolsonaro said on Monday, reflecting increased oversight by his new right-wing administration over such groups.Plans to boost scrutiny over public funds that NGOs receive has raised concern that their activities might be restricted by a nationalist government that has criticized foreign interference in the Amazon region.The responsibility for monitoring NGOs has been put in the hands of Government Funding of nongovernmental organizations working in Brazil will be rigidly controlled, President Jair Bolsonaro said on Monday, reflecting increased oversight by his new right-wing administration over such groups.Plans to boost scrutiny over public funds that NGOs receive has raised concern that their activities might be restricted by a nationalist government that has criticized foreign interference in the Amazon region.The responsibility for monitoring NGOs has been put in the hands of Government

His government has already abandoned the accord, according to several reports and a diplomatic source speaking to AFP, but no public confirmation has yet been made.



His stance aligns Bolsonaro with US President Donald Trump, with both leaders dismissing any multilateral approach to immigration for their countries.



"Brazil is sovereign in deciding whether or not to accept migrants... Not anybody can come into our home, not anybody can enter Brazil via a pact adopted by others. NO TO THE MIGRATION PACT," Bolsonaro tweeted.

Violence Rages in NE Brazil Despite Deployment The attacks and fire-bombings sweeping Brazil's northeastern state of Ceara continued unabated Sunday despite the deployment of at least 300 members the elite, military-style National Police Force to help bring an end to the violence. The state's public security department said that buses and cars were torched and gas stations were attacked in Fortaleza, the capital, and in at least six other cities. Police killed two suspects in a shootout. The attacks and fire-bombings sweeping Brazil's northeastern state of Ceara continued unabated Sunday despite the deployment of at least 300 members the elite, military-style National Police Force to help bring an end to the violence. The state's public security department said that buses and cars were torched and gas stations were attacked in Fortaleza, the capital, and in at least six other cities. Police killed two suspects in a shootout.

He added that his country would continue giving help "to those who need it" but stressed that entry "criteria" were needed to ensure immigration was not "indiscriminate."



Brazil is one of the countries accepting a flow of Venezuelans fleeing economic collapse in their country. The UN says more than 2.3 million people have left Venezuela since 2015, and the figure is expected to surpass 5.3 million this year.



The Global Pact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration was negotiated over two years under UN supervision and sealed on December 10 last year at an international conference in Morocco. It aims to treat international migration in a coordinated, comprehensive way, although it is not binding.



On December 19, the UN General Assembly adopted the pact, with 152 countries voting in favor, including Brazil's previous center-right government. The nations voting against were the United States, Israel, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland.



Rights groups lamented Brazil joining those that rejected the accord.



"The Bolsonaro government has adopted an outdated and mistaken discourse by considering migrants to be a threat to national sovereignty," said Camila Asano, with the non-governmental association Homme Conectas.BANGKOK, THAILAND - When Bangkok's oldest university called for ideas for a symbol to mark its centenary year, landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom successfully pitched a design for a park.

It was intended not only as a welcome green space in the middle of the congested city of about 10 million people, but as a place that could also retain large amounts of water, reducing monsoon flooding around Chulalongkorn University.

Parks and "green roofs" planted with vegetation soak up rain during the annual monsoon and help dense urban centers like Bangkok adapt to climate change, Kotchakorn said.

"We need to be thinking about everything we build in the context of mitigating climate-change impact. It can't be just about aesthetics, but also about serving a purpose," she said.

"This was Bangkok's first park in many years, so we had to make it count," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Bangkok, built on the floodplains of the Chao Phraya River, is expected to be one of the urban areas hit hardest by warming temperatures.

Nearly 40 percent of Bangkok may be inundated each year as soon as 2030 due to more extreme rainfall, according to the World Bank.

The city, once a network of canals that earned it the moniker "Venice of the East, has filled in many of those water channels for construction, and is sinking by more than 1 centimeter (0.4 inches) each year, according to climate experts.

Flooding in many parts of the city is common during the annual monsoon. The rains in 2011 brought the worst floods in decades, putting a fifth of the city under water.

"With so much construction and fewer canals, there is nowhere for the water to go," said Kotchakorn, who heads Bangkok-based landscape architecture firm Landprocess.

"But instead of building embankments along the river or thinking of ways to get rid of the water, we should be thinking about how to live with the water - how to manage the water."

In this Feb. 2, 2017, photo, a couple sit on a ben In this Feb. 2, 2017, photo, a couple sit on a bench in front of a lake in Lumpini Park in Bangkok, Thailand. In this Feb. 2, 2017, photo, a couple sit on a bench in front of a lake in Lumpini Park in Bangkok, Thailand.

Monkeys cheeks

From Mumbai to Manila, unchecked sprawl has led to increased and deadly urban flooding.

A plan to build a promenade along the Chao Phraya River will worsen floods in Bangkok, environmentalists warn.

The Thai capital also has one of the lowest ratios of green space: just 3.3 square meters (35.5 sq ft) per person, compared to New York City's 23.1 sq m and Singapore's 66, according to the Siemens Green City Index.

A "metro forest" project in a Bangkok suburb has converted two acres (0.8 hectares) of abandoned land into a local forest with native trees, to make a start on reversing urban sprawl.

The city's 11-acre Chulalongkorn Centenary Park designed by Kotchakorn is inclined at a three-degree angle, so that rain and floodwater flow to its lowest point, into a retention pond.

At the park's highest end, a museum is topped by a green roof covered with native plants, which filter rainwater before it is stored in large tanks underground.

Rainwater also flows through the park's lawn and wetlands where native vegetation filters the water, while its walkways are made of porous concrete.

The park can hold up to 1 million gallons of water that can be discharged later or used in the dry season, much like a monkey holds food in its cheeks until it needs to eat, said Kotchakorn, echoing an idea of Thailand's revered late King Bhumibol Adulyadej to contain flooding in the city.

"No water that falls into the park is wasted," said Kotchakorn, who is also creating a 36-acre park and green roof for Bangkok's Thammasat University.

Two women prepare to release 'krathong' on a lake Two women prepare to release 'krathong' on a lake at a park to celebrate Loi Krathong festival in Bangkok on Nov. 22, 2018. Two women prepare to release 'krathong' on a lake at a park to celebrate Loi Krathong festival in Bangkok on Nov. 22, 2018.

Softer measures crucial

City officials, meanwhile, are building flood barriers and underground tunnels that can carry rainwater faster to the river.

But while infrastructure upgrades are an essential part of tackling urban flood risk, "softer" measures are also crucial, said Diane Archer, a research fellow at the Stockholm Environment Institute in Bangkok.

A key part of that is working with local people so that they can learn to take action themselves, she said.

"This includes highlighting the important role that green roofs and permeability of driveways and yards can play in reducing surface (water) runoff, with added benefits in reducing urban heat island effects," she said.KINSHASA, CONGO - As Congo anxiously awaits the outcome of the presidential election, many in the capital, Kinshasa, say they are convinced the opposition won and that the delay in announcing results is allowing manipulation in favor of the ruling party.

Leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu in an interview with The Associated Press late Tuesday warned Congo's electoral commission to "not play with fire, it is very dangerous'' and release the true results as quickly as possible.

Several dozen anti-riot police gathered outside the commission before midnight as it met to discuss the results compiled so far.

Since the Dec. 30 vote, the government has cut internet service in this vast Central African country to prevent speculation on social media about who won and blocked some radio stations. But it cannot stop lively debate on the ground.

"We are the voters, we know who we have voted for and we know the opposition has won,'' said Hubert Mende, 55, a teacher. "Only Martin Fayulu or Felix Tshisekedi's names can be accepted. If the official result does not reflect the truth, there will be a crisis,'' he added, as a crowd of two dozen people at a newsstand nodded.

False results will be taken as a "declaration of war against the people,'' said Heritier Bono, 25, a motorcycle taxi driver. "The reaction will not be only in Kinshasa, it will be all over the country.''

The electoral commission on Sunday announced an indefinite delay in releasing the first results of the vote, frustrating many in this country that is rich in the minerals key to the world's smartphones, laptops and electric cars. The election itself was delayed for more than two years, sparking sometimes violent protests as people called on President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001, to step aside.

Many have seen this election as Congo's first chance at a democratic, peaceful transfer of power since independence in 1960. But one Congolese election observer group, Symocel, on Tuesday reported "major irregularities'' including the disappearance of envelopes containing results from nearly 120 polling stations in Kinshasa, an opposition stronghold.

Amid fears of unrest in recent days, the U.S. has deployed some 80 military personnel to the region to protect U.S. citizens and diplomatic assets in Congo from possible "violent demonstrations.''

Congo's powerful Catholic Church has upped the stakes by saying it found a clear winner from data compiled by its 40,000 observers deployed to all polling stations. Voting regulations prohibit anyone but the electoral commission from announcing results. The church has urged the commission to announce accurate ones.

Congolese opposition presidential candidate Martin Congolese opposition presidential candidate Martin Fayulu delivers a statement at his headquarters in Kinshasa, Congo, Jan. 8, 2019. Congolese opposition presidential candidate Martin Fayulu delivers a statement at his headquarters in Kinshasa, Congo, Jan. 8, 2019.

Congo's ruling party responded angrily, calling the church's announcement "anarchist,'' and the electoral commission accused the church of "preparing an uprising.'' The church replied by saying that only the release of false results would incite an uprising.

"I am serene,'' the church's secretary general, the Rev. Donatien Nshole, told The Associated Press in an interview, responding to the commission's accusation that it violated regulations. "We said there was a winner but we did not mention any name nor give any figures.''

Nshole confirmed he met with Kabila for 45 minutes on Friday, after the church's announcement. "He insisted on the fact that he wants to maintain peace and unity,'' Nshole said. 'We want the same.''

Kabila has backed ruling party candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who is under European Union sanctions for his role in a crackdown on people protesting the election delay when he was interior minister.

While Nshole acknowledged the difficulties in manually counting votes, especially in remote areas, he warned that the longer the election results are delayed, the more that suspicion will grow among the Congolese people.

"We will react according to truth, there is no other option,'' he said, if the election results that are announced do not confirm with the church's findings. "The truth is stubborn,'' he said.

Announcing the delay in election results, electoral commission president Corneille Nangaa said authorities were aware that "this process has always been surrounded by distrust.''

He blamed the delay on opposition parties' insistence that results be counted by hand and not transmitted electronically via voting machines, which Congo used for the first time. The machines were the focus of much concern, with the opposition and observers saying they could open the door to manipulating results.

Nangaa called on the Congolese people to be patient.

The delay is to "fudge the results,'' Fayulu told the AP. The Kinshasa lawmaker and businessman said his coalition would release its own figures if the announced results don't conform to the will of the Congolese people.

The party behind the other top opposition candidate, Tshisekedi, said it suspects the electoral commission to be working in concert with Congo's ruling party under "purely political motivations.''

"There is something fishy,'' said Jean-Marc Kabund, the UDPS party secretary-general.

Nonsense, said the spokesman for the ruling coalition, Andre-Alain Atundu Liongo, who rejected the idea that the delay was in its favor. "Why would we have to steal?''In his prime-time speech to the nation, President Donald Trump declared a border crisis that's in sharp dispute, wrongly accused Democrats of refusing to pay for border security and ignored the reality of how drugs come into the country as he pitched his wall as a solution to varied ills.

A look at his Oval Office remarks Tuesday night:

TRUMP: "Our southern border is a pipeline for vast quantities of illegal drugs, including meth, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. Every week, 300 of our citizens are killed by heroin alone, 90 percent of which floods across from our southern border."

THE FACTS: A wall can't do much about that when drug trafficking is concentrated at land ports of entry, not remote stretches of the border.

The Drug Enforcement Administration says "only a small percentage" of heroin seized by U.S. authorities comes across on territory between ports of entry. The same is true of drugs generally.

In a November report, the agency said the most common trafficking technique by transnational criminal organizations is to hide drugs in passenger vehicles or tractor-trailers as they drive into the U.S. though entry ports, where they are stopped and subject to inspection. They also employ buses, cargo trains and tunnels, the report says, citing other smuggling methods that also would not be choked off by a border wall.

Trump recently denied that traffickers use entry ports at the southern border, contradicting the evidence and assertions of his drug enforcement personnel.

Trump stretched credulity even more by comparing the wall money he wants from Congress to the cost of the entire drug problem in the U.S.: "The border wall would very quickly pay for itself. The cost of illegal drugs exceeds $500 billion a year, vastly more than the $5.7 billion we have requested from Congress."

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer walks FILE - A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer walks along a wall at the border between Mexico and the United States, as seen from San Diego, California, Nov. 25, 2018. FILE - A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer walks along a wall at the border between Mexico and the United States, as seen from San Diego, California, Nov. 25, 2018.

TRUMP: "Democrats will not fund border security."

THE FACTS: That's not true. They just won't fund it the way he wants. They have refused his demand for $5.7 billion to build part of a steel wall across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Democrats passed legislation the day they took control of the House that offered $1.3 billion for border security, including physical barriers and technology along the U.S. southern border.

Senate Democrats have approved similar funding year after year.

Democrats have also supported broader fence-building as part of deals that also had a path to legal status for millions of immigrants living in the country illegally.

In 2013, Senate Democrats voted for a failed immigration bill that provided roughly $46 billion for a number of border security measures -- including new fencing -- but that legislation would have created a pathway to citizenship for some of the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the U.S. illegally.

The 2013 Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act had money to double the number of miles of fencing, to 700 miles (1,126 km), as well as for more border patrol agents. It also had a mandatory employment verification system to ensure all U.S. employees are authorized to work in the country. In exchange, however, the bill allowed immigrants living in the country illegally to apply for a provisional legal status if they paid a $500 fine and had no felony convictions.

As well many Democrats voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which has resulted in the construction of about 650 miles (1,050 kilometers) of border barrier. But that legislation didn't authorize the kind of wall Trump has long been advocating since he launched his campaign.

HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI: "The fact is: President Trump has chosen to hold hostage critical services for the health, safety and well-being of the American people and withhold the paychecks of 800,000 innocent workers across the nation - many of them veterans.'' - response to Trump's remarks.

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER, Senate Democratic leader: "The president of the United States - having failed to get Mexico to pay for his ineffective, unnecessary border wall, and unable to convince the Congress or the American people to foot the bill - has shut down the government.'' - response to Trump.

THE FACTS: That's one way to look at it. But it takes two sides to shut down the government. Trump's demand for $5.7 billion for his border wall is one reason for the budget impasse. The refusal of Democrats to approve the money is another.

Trump Argentina G20 Summit FILE - Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, left, shakes hands with President Donald Trump as Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on as they prepare to sign a new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. FILE - Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, left, shakes hands with President Donald Trump as Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau looks on as they prepare to sign a new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

TRUMP: "Over the years thousands of Americans have been brutally killed by those who illegally entered our country and thousands more lives will be lost if we don't act right now.''

THE FACTS: His statement that people in the country illegally are a special menace to public safety is at odds with plentiful research.

Multiple studies from social scientists and the libertarian think tank Cato Institute have found that people here illegally are less likely to commit crime than U.S. citizens, and legal immigrants are even less likely to do so.

A March study by the journal Criminology found ``undocumented immigration does not increase violence.''

The study, which looked at the years 1990 through 2014, said states with bigger shares of such people have lower crime rates.

As well, a study in 2017 by Robert Adelman, a sociology professor at University of Buffalo, analyzed 40 years of crime data in 200 metropolitan areas and found that immigrants helped lower crime. New York City, for example, has the nation's largest population of immigrants living in the country illegally - about 500,000 - and last year had only 289 murders among a total population of 8.5 million people, according to preliminary data. Those numbers mean a person's odds of becoming a victim of homicide in tightly packed, diverse New York City were about the same as they were in Wyoming, Montana and South Dakota.

Those numbers mean a person's odds of becoming a victim of homicide in tightly packed, diverse New York City were about the same as they were last year in Montana.

And Ruben Rumbaut, a University of California, Irvine sociology professor, co-authored a recent study that noted crime rates fell sharply from 1990 to 2015 at a time when illegal immigration spiked.

TRUMP: "Tonight I am speaking to you because there is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border.''

THE FACTS: Few would argue that a humanitarian crisis is unfolding, as the demand for entry by migrants and the Trump administration's hardline response to them are overwhelming border resources, further backlogging the asylum system and forcing migrants to live in abysmal conditions on the Mexican side of the border. Two sick children recently died in the administration's custody after making the journey to the U.S.

The debate is much sharper over whether a national security crisis exists at the border. Whether he is right or wrong, Trump has exaggerated the problem by repeatedly promoting the discredited notion that terrorism suspects are pouring into the U.S. from Mexico by the thousands.

While the number of families coming over the border has risen sharply, the number of border arrests - the leading gauge of how many people are trying to cross illegally - is actually one-quarter of what it was in 2000, dropping from 1.6 million then to 400,000 in 2018. Also noteworthy: The contingent of active-duty U.S. troops at the border has been more than halved, dropping from a peak in the fall of about 5,900 to about 2,350 last week.

TRUMP: "The wall will also be paid for indirectly by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico.''

THE FACTS: Mexico is not paying for the wall despite what Trump promised during the 2016 campaign, and nothing in the trade agreement would cover or refund the construction cost.

Trump is assuming a wide variety of economic benefits will come from the agreement, but they can't be quantified or counted on. For example, he has said the deal will dissuade some U.S. companies from moving operations to Mexico and he credits that possibility as a payment by Mexico for his wall.

The deal updates the North American Free Trade Agreement, in the main preserving NAFTA's liberalized environment of low or no tariffs among the U.S., Mexico and Canada, while making certain improvements for each country. Trump stated inaccurately that it's "brand new. It's totally different.''

Moreover, it's not in effect. The deal has yet to be ratified in any member country and its chances of winning legislative approval are not assured.

TRUMP: "This barrier is absolutely critical to border security.''

THE FACTS: The evidence is inconclusive as to whether walls are "absolutely critical'' or actually work in deterring illegal crossings.

Congress' main watchdog reported in 2017 that the government does not have a way to measure how well barriers work to deter immigrants crossing illegally from Mexico. Despite $2.3 billion spent by the government on such construction from 2007 to 2015, the Government Accountability Office found that authorities "cannot measure the contribution of fencing to border security operations along the southwest border because it has not developed metrics for this assessment.''

Few people dispute that fences contributed to a sharp drop in crossings in cities like San Diego and El Paso, Texas, where people can easily blend in once they enter the country. Before fences were built in San Diego, crossers played soccer on U.S. soil as vendors hawked tamales, waiting until night fell to overwhelm agents. However, those barriers also pushed people into more remote and less-patrolled areas like in Arizona, where thousands of migrants have perished in extreme heat.

When barriers were built in the Border Patrol's Yuma, Arizona, sector in the mid-2000s, arrests for illegal crossings plummeted 94 percent in three years to 8,363 from 138,438. When barriers were built in San Diego in the 1990s and early 2000s, arrests fell 80 percent over seven years from 524,231 in 1995 to 100,681 in 2002. But both areas also saw sharp increases in Border Patrol staffing during that time, making it difficult to pinpoint why illegal crossings fell so dramatically.

TRUMP: "America proudly welcomes millions of lawful immigrants who enrich our society and contribute to our nation but all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled illegal migration. It strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages.''

THE FACTS: The U.S. is not experiencing "uncontrolled'' illegal immigration. The debate is over whether the controls are strong enough.

As for the costs, a major academic study in 2016 by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found the job impacts of immigration, when measured over at least 10 years, are very small. It found immigration - legal and illegal - is an overall benefit to long-term economic growth.

Some evidence suggests that skilled immigrants boost wages. Native-born Americans without a high-school degree are most likely to suffer.

The academy study said estimating fiscal impacts of immigration is complex. Young and old immigrants tend to drain government resources while working-age immigrants contribute.PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN - The Afghan Taliban said Tuesday they had called off peace talks with U.S. officials in Qatar this week due to an "agenda disagreement," especially over the involvement of Afghan officials as well as a possible cease-fire and prisoner exchange.

Two days of peace talks had been set to start Wednesday, Taliban officials told Reuters earlier, but the hardline Islamic militant group had refused to allow "puppet" Afghan officials to join.

The U.S. ambassador to Kabul, John Bass, tweeted that reports of U.S.-Taliban talks on Wednesday were "inaccurate" and added: "Taliban should talk to fellow Afghans as much as they talk to media."

A separate tweet from the U.S. embassy in the Afghan capital stressed that intra-Afghan talks were "essential" to settling the conflict.

The State Department later announced that U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad would lead an interagency delegation to India, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan from Jan. 8-21 that would meet senior government officials in each country "to facilitate an intra-Afghan political settlement."

It said Khalilzad continued to coordinate his efforts with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and other Afghan stakeholders.

"The U.S. goal is to promote dialogue among Afghans about how to end the conflict, and to encourage the parties to come together at the negotiating table to reach a political settlement," the statement said.

The war in Afghanistan is America's longest overseas military intervention. It has cost Washington nearly $1 trillion and killed tens of thousands of people.

Reports last month about U.S. President Donald Trump's plans to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan triggered uncertainty in Kabul, which depends on the United States and other foreign powers for military support and training.

A Taliban source told Reuters that U.S. officials had insisted that the Taliban should meet Afghan officials in Qatar and said "both sides were in disagreement over declaring a cease-fire in 2019."

"Both sides have agreed to not meet in Qatar," he added.

Prisoner exchange

A Taliban leader had told Reuters that the talks, which would have been the fourth round with Khalilzad, would have involved a U.S. withdrawal, prisoner exchange and the lifting of a ban on movement of Taliban leaders.

Taliban sources said that they had demanded that U.S. authorities release 25,000 prisoners and they would free 3,000, but that U.S. officials were not keen to discuss the exchange at this stage.

"We would never announce any cease-fire until and unless we achieve major gains on the ground. We have the feeling that Zalmay Khalilzad doesn't have enough power to make important decisions," another Taliban official said.

Afghan officials

The Taliban have rejected repeated requests from regional powers to allow Afghan officials to take part in the talks, insisting that the United States is their main adversary.

The insurgents, seeking to reimpose strict Islamic law after their 2001 ouster by U.S.-led troops, called off a meeting with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia this week because of Riyadh's insistence involving the Afghan government.

The United States sent troops to Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. At its peak the U.S. deployment involved more than 100,000 troops, but Washington withdrew most in 2014 and now has around 14,000 troops in the country as part of a NATO-led mission aiding Afghan security forces and hunting militants.

As peace talks gained momentum, a draft agreement drawn up by the influential U.S. think tank RAND Corporation outlining the clauses for a potential peace deal was circulated among Afghan officials and diplomats in Kabul.

The document, reviewed by Reuters, suggests that the United States and NATO withdraw their military missions in phases over an expected period of 18 months. It adds that the United States may continue providing civilian assistance.

The U.S. embassy tweet said RAND's work was independent of the U.S. government and did not represent U.S. policy.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can download this video to view it offline.Click here to log in and see all of our other subscription options for the Mesabi Tribune, including online only & auto-renewal subscriptions.For the last few years, the Miami Beach Police Department has been looking for a way to conduct aerial surveillance of crowds at large events without using drones. Thats because in 2015, the state of Florida passed a law that prohibits the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to surveil citizens. Their most recent workaround: a blimp on a tether.The blimp, or aerostat, was equipped with cameras to monitor crowds at a Dec. 28 Orange Bowl party for security. According to the Miami New Times , MBPD spokesperson Ernesto Rodriguez said that the police department believed the aerostat didnt violate the law.This tethered balloon is new technology and we do not feel we are in violation of the law, Rodriguez said. This is new technology, it's smart tech, and it's safe tech that were using to keep folks safe during large events.A woman selects New Year decorations at a market in Jimo District of Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province, Jan. 8, 2019. People are busy buying New Year decorations to greet the upcoming Lunar New Year, which starts from the first day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or Feb. 5 this year. (Xinhua/Liang Xiaopeng)US President Donald Trump delivers an address to the nation on funding for a border wall from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington DC on Jan 8, 2019. (Photo: AFP / POOL / CARLOS BARRIA)

"There is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border," Trump said in a rare live Oval Office address to the nation, adding that every day US Customs and Border Patrol agents "encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country".

Trump repeated his call for a wall on the border, calling it "absolutely critical to border security".

He repeated his demand for US$5.7 billion in funding for a wall on the border with Mexico, but stopped short of calling for a much-touted state of emergency.

"As part of an overall approach to border security, law enforcement professionals have requested US$5.7 billion for a physical barrier," Trump said.

Trump had spent days mulling declaring a state of emergency along the border that would have given him powers to bypass Congress, which has so far refused to fund the wall project, and draw funds from the military to build the border barrier.

However, in his address, Trump appeared to be willing instead to continue seeking a solution to the impasse with Congress.

Trump spoke in an unusually measured voice, apparently hoping to claim the moral high ground, and said he wanted to bridge the political divide in what could be the defining power struggle of his turbulent presidency.

"I have invited congressional leadership to the White House tomorrow to get this done. Hopefully, we can rise above partisan politics in order to support national security," he said. "This situation could be solved in a 45-minute meeting."

TRUMP OPPONENTS REACT

Despite that softer tone, Trump also spent much of the speech doubling down on his controversial message - popular among his right-wing base - that illegal immigration at the US-Mexican border is above all a threat to the lives of Americans.

He listed gruesome examples of crimes committed by illegal immigrants, including a "beheading and dismembering," and said he would "never forget the pain" of survivors he'd met.

"How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job? For those who refuse to compromise in the name of border security, I would ask to imagine if it was your child, your husband, or your wife whose life was so cruelly shattered and totally broken," he said.

That, to opponents, is at best fear mongering for political purposes - or race baiting at worst.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi said in her instant rebuttal speech that the real problem was Trump's "cruel and counter-productive policies" making the border ever more dangerous for vulnerable migrants, including young families.

Trump is scheduled to visit the southwest border on Thursday and it was not clear whether he still might choose to make the national emergency declaration.

Trump's remarks came 18 days into a partial government shutdown precipitated by his demand for wall construction, which he has said is needed to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs.

The shutdown, that started as a negotiating tactic, has turned into a symbol of dysfunctional Washington politics - and increasingly a painful situation for unpaid workers.

Salaries were put on hold for large numbers of employees when Trump refused to sign government spending bills as a way of trying to strongarm the Democrats into funding his wall.

Pelosi, who is speaker of the Democrat-held House of Representatives, accused Trump of "holding the American people hostage."

Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader in the Senate, accused Trump of governing "by temper tantrum" and using government workers "for leverage."

Democrats and other opponents of a border wall had threatened to take legal action if Trump issued the order, arguing that he is manufacturing a crisis to carry out his 2016 presidential campaign promise for a wall that he said at the time would be paid for by Mexico.

The Mexican government has refused to provide such funds.

US MEDIA OUTLETS FACT-CHECK TRUMP

Following Trump's address, fact-checking teams at US media outlets quickly took issue with a number of Trump's assertions - for instance, his statement that every day US agents at the border with Mexico "encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country." That number is vastly overstated, CNN and The New York Times said.

Also wrong are Trump's assertions that 90 per cent of the heroin entering the US crosses over from Mexico and that Mexico, indirectly, through a new trade agreement with the US and Canada, would end up paying for a wall, the Times said.

It was also significant that Trump did not announce a national emergency, which would have theoretically given him the right to charge ahead alone, getting the money from the military.

Democrats and some Republicans had warned that this would be seen as a dangerous escalation of the row and would be challenged in court.

HISTORIC STAGE

The Oval Office has witnessed many historic announcements, ranging from George W. Bush's reaction to the 9/11 attacks to John F Kennedy's televised appearance at the height of the Cuban missile crisis.

Trump's gambit was that the solemn setting will allow him to regain the momentum on the Mexico wall issue that helped him get elected in 2016 and has become an obsessive goal for supporters.

He will follow up with a rare trip to the Mexico border itself on Thursday.

With many Americans far from sold on Trump's lurid claims about illegal immigrants posing an overwhelming safety threat, the speech faced its own high barrier: credibility.

But the leader of the Republican-held Senate, Mitch McConnell, welcomed the speech and said Trump "reaffirmed his commitment to addressing the humanitarian and security crisis at our nation's southern border."Shell's Pulau Bukom industrial site in western Singapore. (Photo: AFP)

The fire left six workers injured, including two with critical injuries after they suffered 50 per cent and 70 per cent burns.

On Aug 21, 2015, two groups of workers were simultaneously conducting maintenance and project works on a crude distillation unit at the refinery, said the ministry.

The first group was carrying out hot works on a scaffold. This included the use of a blow-cutting torch from an oxy-acetylene cylinder to cut and dismantle existing pipes.

The other group was carrying out cold works along a hydrocarbon solvent line on the ground. This involved removing a joint connection to a valve as well as connecting a hose to the valve to drain out residual flammable hydrocarbons inside the pipeline into a nearby pit.

"When one of the workers opened the valve to start the draining process, flammable vapours from the draining of hydrocarbons came into contact with the sparks from the hot works," said MOM.

The fire broke out despite the worker immediately closing the valve after he was alerted, said the ministry.

"SYSTEMIC FAILURE"

The fire was contained and extinguished within 30 minutes by the Bukom Emergency Response Team, MOM said.

"Investigations revealed that there was a systemic failure in Shells oversight to check for compatibility of different work activities carried out within the same vicinity at the same time," it said.

The hot and cold works carried out by the two groups in the same vicinity were not coordinated. This caused the flammable vapours from the cold works to be ignited by sparks from the hot works.

Shell was charged for failing to implement adequate control measures to ensure compatibility of works were carried out at the refinery.

MOMs director of the major hazards department Go Heng Huat said the refinery, which is a major hazard installation, must properly manage safety and risk control measures.

"The lives of workers and the public could have been put at risk because adequate control measures were not properly implemented," said Mr Go.

"Even though there was no loss of life in this case, the potential for more severe consequences was evident."

The Pulau Bukom site, Shells largest wholly owned plant, has a 500,000 barrels per day refinery and a steam cracker that produces more than 900,000 tonnes of ethylene a year.

In September 2011, a blaze at the refinery took 100 firefighters nearly two days to put out and forced the oil giant to shut the plant. One firefighter had a superficial injury and five others had heat exhaustion and pulled muscles, the Singapore Civil Defence Force said then.

On December 2017, another fire broke out at Shell's Pulau Bukom facility. No injuries were reported in this incident.

Source: CNA/ad(cy) Tagged Topics Shell Pulau Bukom

Read more at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/shell-pulau-bukom-fire-fined-injured-6-11098688Frank Magnitz, leader in Bremen of the anti-immigration populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD), was assaulted in Bremen on Monday afternoon. (Photo; AFP/Michael Kappeler)

Frank Magnitz, leader in Bremen of the anti-immigration populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD), was badly injured in the assault in the city centre on Monday afternoon.

"Given the victim's work, we believe that this is a politically motivated act," police said.

The AfD party published a photo of Magnitz unconscious on a hospital bed, his face bleeding and swollen with a gash on his forehead.

It said three masked men had carried out the attack.

"They hit him with a piece of wood until he was unconscious and then kicked him on the ground," a statement from the party said, adding that a construction worker had intervened to stop the assault.

"Today is a dark day for democracy in Germany."

However, police a issued joint statement with prosecutors saying that after reviewing surveillance video footage they ruled out the use of a blunt object.

Magnitz, who is still in hospital, told national news agency DPA that he neither saw the attackers nor heard them say anything.

"I will in any case be more careful when walking through the area," he said, adding that doctors were likely to keep him in hospital until the weekend.

AfD leader Joerg Meuthen tweeted that Magnitz was "beaten almost to death" in a "cowardly and sickening" attack.

Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert wrote on Twitter that the "brutal attack" was "to be condemned sharply".

"Hopefully the police will succeed in catching the perpetrators quickly," he added.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said there was "absolutely no justification" for the use of violence despite political differences.

"Anyone who carries out such a crime must be punished."

MULTIPLE ATTACKS

The AfD's entry into parliament in September 2017 with 13 per cent of the vote unleashed a political earthquake in Germany.

With their anti-immigration rhetoric and their challenge of post-World War II Germany's culture of atonement, the party's leaders and MPs have been overturning one taboo after another in the country's political arena.

While they have won fans in some quarters and are projected to make gains in European elections in May as well as three regional polls in Germany's former communist east this year, they have also sparked furore and become a target of attack.

Last week, an explosive device detonated in a rubbish bin damaged an AfD office in Saxony. Three suspects were detained.

And last weekend in Lower Saxony, the home of a local AfD politician was targeted with graffiti and a party office was attacked with a paint bomb.

Since mid-December, German police have recorded eight attacks against AfD offices.

Party co-chiefs Alexander Gauland and Alice Weidel called the latest assault the "result of the incitement to hatred by politicians and media against us".

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier wrote to Magnitz to express his "consternation" over the attack.

"Our democracy needs controversies, exchanges with arguments, even when this gets heated. But we must never allow political violence - regardless from which side," he wrote, according to DPA.

Johannes Kahrs, an MP from the Social Democrats, junior partners in the ruling coalition, also said "violence is never acceptable" and that "extremism in any form is rubbish". He wished Magnitz a quick recovery.

Cem Ozdemir of the opposition Greens party said he hoped those responsible could be "found and convicted soon" and that, even against a far-right party, "nothing justifies violence".

"Those who fight hate with hate only allow hate to win in the end," said the politician of Turkish origin."Portrait of a seated woman" by artist Thomas Couture, was looted by the Nazis. (Photo: AFP/Britta Pedersen)

The portrait of a seated woman by 19th century French painter Thomas Couture had been on display in a spectacular collection hoarded by Cornelius Gurlitt, the son of a Nazi-era art dealer.

German Culture Minister Monika Gruetters presented the work to family members of Mandel, executed by French fascists near Paris in 1944, in a ceremony at the Martin Gropius Bau museum in Berlin.

Experts determined two years ago that the painting had been looted from Mandel, relying on a small hole in the canvas as evidence of its provenance.

Mandel's lover had cited the hole above the seated woman's torso when she reported the painting stolen after the war.

Gruetters was joined in the ceremony by a representative of the Kunstmuseum Bern, which inherited Gurlitt's collection when he died in 2014, and an envoy from the French embassy.

About 450 pieces from the collection by masters such as Monet, Gauguin, Renoir, and Picasso have been on display in Bern, the western German city of Bonn, and in Berlin.

Gruetters called the Couture painting's return "a moving conclusion to the exhibitions of the Gurlitt trove" and underlined Berlin's commitment to provenance research.

"We have Georges Mandel's family to thank that we could show this work in all three exhibitions," she said.

"In this way, we could inform the public about the fate of the Jewish politician Georges Mandel, who was persecuted and imprisoned by the Nazis".

More than 1,500 works were discovered in 2012 in the possession of Munich pensioner Cornelius Gurlitt.

His father, Hildebrand Gurlitt, had worked as an art dealer for the Nazis since 1938.

The discovery of the stash made headlines around the world and revived an emotional debate about how thoroughly post-war Germany had dealt with art plundered by the Nazi regime.

When Gurlitt died, the Berlin museum accepted the collection, though it left about 500 works in Germany for a government task force to research their often murky origins.

But determining their provenance has been slow, and it is still not clear how many of the works were stolen.

The Couture portrait was the fifth work from the collection restituted to heirs, and the sixth definitively classed as having been looted by the Nazis.The procession of the Black Nazarene in Manila, the Philippines, January 9, 2019. (AFP or licensors)

In a homily at Mass ushering the feast of the Black Nazarene, Cardinal Tagle urged devotees to distinguish between true devotion and fanaticism.

By Robin Gomes

The popular feast of the Black Nazarene kicked off in the Philippine capital Manila on Wednesday, with tens of thousands joining a 7 km procession with the statue of a black Jesus of Nazareth carrying His cross.

The feast of the Black Nazarene, which attracts millions of people, celebrates the traslacion , or the "solemn transfer" of the image from a chapel at Quirino Grandstand to the minor basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo district in Manila.

Devotion vs fanaticism

The feast of the Black Nazarene kicked off with a midnight Mass early January 9, during which the Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle urged for devotion and not fanaticism.

During the Mass, presided over by Monsignor Hernando Coronel, rector of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, Cardinal Tagle told thousands of people who attended the midnight celebration to distinguish "fanatics" from "devotees."

During the procession, tens of thousands of predominantly male barefooted devotees in yellow and maroon shirts, frantically push and jostle their way to touch the dark wooden statue of Jesus.

People unable to touch the Black Nazarene throw small towels at volunteers on the carriage pulled by ropes to wipe parts of the cross and the statue in the belief that the Nazarene's powers cure ailments and ensure good health and a better life.

Cardinal Tagle said only a true devotee can understand the significance of the celebration. He said that unlike fanatics, devotees love the Lord "unconditionally."

"A fanatic does not love. Fanatics hold on to who gives importance to them," said the prelate. "But a devotee ... is devoted because of love, and that is what Jesus showed us," he said.

The cardinal said a devotee will always be loyal because of love. He said devotees are united with the one they love, be it in suffering, happiness, and sickness.

The prelate reminded Catholics that being a Black Nazarene devotee is not only for a day or for only the feast.

"Devotion is a daily act... In every kind of love, loyalty, and union, it must be daily," Cardinal Tagle said.

According to Msgr. Coronel the feast of the Black Nazarene revolves around the devotion to the suffering Christ, with whom the Filipinos identify, in their life marked by poverty and daily suffering.

The life-size statue of the Black Nazarene was brought to Manila by Augustinian priests in 1607. Tradition holds that it got its colour after it was burned in a fire on the Spanish galleon transporting it.

Manila police estimated close to 300,000 were in the procession early Wednesday morning, excluding those waiting along the route.

The Philippine Red Cross said that by mid-morning they had treated more than 600 people for conditions like breathing problems, fainting and bruises. Three people were taken to the hospital.Despite a new administration in Idahos state house, the leadership transition will not come with a change to the chief information officer spot. Rather, a new administrator has been named to oversee the states IT agency, leaving Greg Zickau to serve as its CIO.Jeffery Weak, who began working for the state in August 2017, has been named as the administrator for Information Technology Services (ITS), by Gov. Brad Little, who was sworn in as Idahos 33rd governor Jan. 4.Zickau will continue serving as the states CIO and will also serve as deputy administrator, said Erin Seaman, a spokesperson for ITS. Zickau has served as the CIO for 14 years and is the longest-serving state CIO in the country.Weaks most recent role has been director of Information Technology Services, a position hes held since July 2018. Prior to this, Weak was director of Information Security, since August 2017, under then-Gov. C.L. Butch Otter. Weak has also held cybersecurity roles in the U.S. Air Force, according to his LinkedIn profile.We have taken the honor of filling these positions very seriously and ensuring we have the right person to lead these agencies and departments. These men and women are dedicated and valuable public servants, Little said, in a December statement announcing a number of cabinet-level hires.In 2018, Idaho formed the Office of Information Technology Services, with a newly established cabinet-level director, giving the state a clearer leadership and policy direction in the implementation of digital technology services and cybersecurity policies across the government.With its new focus on digital technology and cybersecurity, Idaho aims to consolidate some 68 state organizations and 550 IT personnel over the next five years.(TNS)  The city of North Mankato, Minn., is planning to phase in automated water meters slowly as current meters wear out.City staff proposed the gradual switch to automated readers during the North Mankato City Council's public meeting Monday night.Residents won't immediately be required to switch, but will have to buy an automated reader once theirs breaks."We have listened to residents and are not going to mandate this service," City Administrator John Harrenstein said. "But we also are listening to those who said they wanted this service and we are providing that to them as an option if they want to pay for the replacement meter."The proposal would also include automated reader installations for new housing developments and street reconstructions. City workers installed readers as part of the recent Jefferson Avenue street reconstruction project; residents weren't required to switch and the cost was absorbed as part of the project's assessments.North Mankato's proposal comes about six months after a citywide survey found a majority of residents didn't want to switch from self-reporting their water usage.Out of 1,388 total respondents  about 10 percent of the city's population  61 percent said they weren't willing to pay to replace their water meters with city-owned, automated ones.At the time, the city had looked at an estimated $3.2 million project to switch the meters out at that time, which could have included signal towers to use Wi-Fi and radar technology to collect water usage throughout the city.Public Works Director Nate Hood said the city met with five other companies since the survey and found they could save money by simply requiring water utility employees to read meters at the beginning of each month, which he estimated would only take about four to five hours of staff time.City officials have pointed out the meters would reduce late fees for residents, which affects about 20 to 25 percent of the 5,300 or so North Mankato households. They also say the new meters would more accurately gauge how much water residents use."It gives us the ability to have real-time confirmation that their reader is up and working," Hood said.Hood also pointed out it's getting harder to find and buy non-automated meters since so many communities have already switched over. Less than 10 percent of Minnesota towns and cities require residents to report their own water usage. North Mankato is the last city of its size in the region to do so.Council members have differing views on the switch. New Council member Sandra Oachs was against switching over when the city conducted its survey in 2018, while Council member Jim Whitlock adamantly supported automated water meters.North Mankato Mayor Mark Dehen said despite the survey results, he still heard from plenty of residents during last year's election season who wanted automatic readers."With the volunteer implementation and then doing it piecemeal as is it comes up with reconstructions, I think that just makes sense," he said.City staff will present a formal policy to the council at a later date.Valdosta, GA (31601)

Today

Isolated thunderstorms during the evening. Mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 71F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Isolated thunderstorms during the evening. Mostly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 71F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

The pirates who kidnapped six Russian sailors from the MSC Mandy ship have not been contacted yet, a representative of the Russian Embassy in Benin told Sputnik on Wednesday.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th January, 2019) The pirates who kidnapped six Russian sailors from the MSC Mandy ship have not been contacted yet, a representative of the Russian Embassy in Benin told Sputnik on Wednesday.

Pirates assaulted the container ship off Benin's southern coast last week. They looted the ship and took the captain, his chief mate and several others captive. There were 23 Russians and a Ukrainian citizen on board.

The ship then docked at the port city of Cotonou, Benin's largest city.

Answering a question of whether the kidnappers contacted the embassy, the representative said: "Not yet."

He added that "the authorities of Benin have launched an investigation and opened a criminal case" in connection with the attack on the ship.

The representative also said that relatives of those abducted have not yet contacted the Russian Embassy either.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Ussian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has approved a draft agreement with Sudan on simplified entry for military ships of both countries in each other's ports, according to the decree posted on the official Russian legal portal

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th January, 2019) Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has approved a draft agreement with Sudan on simplified entry for military ships of both countries in each other's ports, according to the decree posted on the official Russian legal portal.

"To approve the draft agreement prepared by the Russian Defense Ministry ...

between the Russian government and the Sudanese government on a simplified procedure for entry of military ships in the ports of Russia and Sudan," the decree read.

According to the draft agreement, the ships would enter the other country's ports after submitting a request, which should be done no later than seven work days before the expected date of entry. No more than seven military ships of a country should be in the territorial waters, internal waters and ports of another country at any time.Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior advisor to Iran's parliament speaker, and Yasser Othman, head of Egypt's interests section in Tehran, have met to discuss regional developments and bilateral ties, Iran's FARS news agency reported Friday.

TEHRAN, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Dec, 2018 ) :Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a senior advisor to Iran 's parliament speaker, and Yasser Othman, head of Egypt 's interests section in Tehran , have met to discuss regional developments and bilateral ties, Iran 's FARS news agency reported Friday.

At the Thursday meeting, the two sides reportedly discussed several issues of common interest, including relations between the two countries' parliaments.

They also exchanged views on recent regional and international developments, while also stressing the need to support Palestinian national aspirations, according to FARS.

Diplomatic ties between Egypt and Iran have been suspended since the latter's revolution in 1979. Recent years, however, have seen a slight thaw in relations.

In October of last year, a similar meeting was held between officials from both countries.

Thursday's meeting followed a surprise visit to Egypt by Ali Mamlouk, intelligence chief for the Syrian regime, a close Iranian ally. While in Cairo, Mamlouk reportedly met with his Egyptian counterpart, Abbas Kamel.

Last week, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir visited Syria, where he met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, becoming the first Arab head of state to visit Damascus since the Syria conflict erupted in 2011.

On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates announced plans to reopen its embassy in Damascus after a seven-year hiatus, with Bahrain following suit the next day.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

Estonia will send police officers to Iraq and Afghanistan in early January so that they can partake in NATO's international missions, the Estonian Defense Forces said in a statement on Wednesday

TALLINN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th January, 2019) Estonia will send police officers to Iraq and Afghanistan in early January so that they can partake in NATO 's international missions, the Estonian Defense Forces said in a statement on Wednesday.

Two senior non-commissioned military police officers will spend six months in Afghanistan as part of the NATO Resolute Support Mission where they will be on an advisory team of an international military police unit under Danish command. One senior non-commissioned military police officer will travel to Iraq for six months to participate in the NATO mission there and also serve as part of an international military police unit, the statement said.

According to the statement, these missions are important for the Estonia's defense forces in a professional sense, although a number of police officers expected to be sent to them is relatively small. The statement noted, citing Head of Estonian Military Police Meelis Sarapuu, that this would give the Estonian military the opportunity to learn and develop in cooperation with their allies and apply gained experience in training.Damascus stepped up negotiations with the Kurds in the northeast of Syria in light of a possible Turkish military operation in the northern Syrian town of Manbij, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad said on Wednesday

DAMASCUS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th January, 2019) Damascus stepped up negotiations with the Kurds in the northeast of Syria in light of a possible Turkish military operation in the northern Syrian town of Manbij Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad said on Wednesday.

In December, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that Turkey was ready to launch an operation against the Kurdish-led People's Protection Units (YPG) in Manbij if the United States does not remove the militia from there.

"In light of the [possible] Turkish invasion, we have recently stepped up contacts with the Kurdish side and intensified them to reflect the challenges that threaten the region," Mikdad told reporters.

At the same time, he noted that several rounds of talks was held with the Kurds in 2018. Mikdad stressed that he remained positive and did not believe that the situation had reached "an impasse."

The diplomat said that an operation of the Turkish armed forces would be a gross violation of international resolutions by Ankara and interference in the affairs of the Syrian state.The autocephalous Church of Greece, which is part of the wider Greek Orthodox Church, will discuss the situation around granting autocephaly to the newly established non-canonical Orthodox Church of Ukraine at a special session of its Holy Synod, in which all the Greek bishops will participate.

ATHENS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th January, 2019) The autocephalous Church of Greece , which is part of the wider Greek Orthodox Church , will discuss the situation around granting autocephaly to the newly established non-canonical Orthodox Church of Ukraine at a special session of its Holy Synod, in which all the Greek bishops will participate.

The decision was made on Tuesday at a session of the Standing Synod, chaired by Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Ieronymos II.

"The Standing Synod has decided to pass the question of the recognition of the new autocephalous church of Ukraine by the Church of Greece to the Holy Synod of the Church of Greece," the document released after the Standing Synod's session read.

While the Standing Synod deals with everyday matters, the Holy Synod is the supreme authority of the Church of Greece, which makes decisions on most important issues.

"An extraordinary session is expected to be held in late January, and all the 82 bishops of the Orthodox Church of Greece are expected to participate," a source in the Church of Greece told Sputnik, specifying that while the Constantinople Patriarchate was currently seeking recognition of the new Ukrainian church, none of the 14 local Orthodox churches were willing to recognize it.

The source added that the Church of Greece had been tabling the consideration of this matter three times already.

On Sunday, Constantinople Patriarch Bartholomew handed over the tomos granting autocephaly to the head of the new Ukrainian church. Under the granted tomos, the so-called Orthodox Church of Ukraine will have jurisdiction exclusively over Ukraine and will not be authorized to appoint bishops and establish its parishes abroad, becoming effectively dependent on Constantinople.

The Russian Orthodox Church has refused to recognize the results of the unification council and Constantinople's decision to grant autocephaly to the new Ukrainian church, insisting that Constantinople legalized schism and adding that the day when the tomos was signed was a "tragic" one for the global Orthodoxy.(@ChaudhryMAli88)

In view of shortage of medico legal officers in the province the demonstrators associated with the Forensic Medicine Departments of different medical universities may be allowed to conduct postmortem at mortuaries functional in the government hospitals

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jan, 2019 ) :In view of shortage of medico legal officers in the province the demonstrators associated with the Forensic Medicine Departments of different medical universities may be allowed to conduct postmortem at mortuaries functional in the government hospitals.

A proposition in this regard was forwarded to the Sindh government here Wednesday by faculty members of forensic medicine department of Dow university of Health Sciences (DUHS) and Police Surgeon Office, Civil Hospital Karachi.

Addressing a session to discuss requirements of the mortuary being re-built for CHK and adjacent Services Hospital, Prof. Syed Mukkaram Ali, head of the department and Police Surgeon, Dr. Ejaz Ali Khokar registered their concern regarding shrinking man power to manage the morgue.

It was highlighted that current shortage of trained and qualified medico-legal officers may assume serious proportions in face of retirement of many of the relevant experts in near future.

Prof Mukkaram Ali expressing his concern about reluctance among young doctors to assume responsibilities as MLOs feared that a certain crisis may be looming large if not attended on urgent basis.

He suggested that all forensic departments must also immediately focus on capacity building and training of professionals in the field of forensic medicine with particular relevance to postmortem.

Highlighting importance of academic certification for doctors assigned the job, he said DUHS' Forensic Department and Civil Surgeon Office of Karachi can join hands towards the cause.

Prof. Mukkaram Ali appreciated the Vice Chancellor of DUHS, Prof. Muhammad Said Quraishi for paying attention in this regard with equal thoughtfulness towards reconstruction, on modern lines, of the mortuary used by the university forensic department.

Special attention was said to be paid towards adequate lighting, sanitation and efficient cooling systems at the facility.

Police Surgeon Dr. Khokar mentioned that Medico-Legal Reform Committee constituted by Sindh health department has already proposed establishment of a central directorate in Karachi so as to streamline medico legal system across the province.

Assistant Police Surgeon Dr. Qarar Ali Abbasi, Prof. Farhat Mirza from Jinnah Sindh University, Prof. Akbar Qazi of Liaqut Medical University, Jamshoro, Dr. Samia, a senior lady MLO and other seasoned professionals were said to be the members of the cited Reform Committee.

Professionals also sought a uniformity in the practices adopted by medico-legal departments functional in different government hospitals across the province.(TNS)  The Spa City will wire itself for the future.Over the summer city officials signed a long-term contract with SiFi Networks to design, install and maintain a fiber optic network, making it the first municipality in the state and one of only a handful in the nation to embrace the technology to provide residents and businesses with lightning-fast Internet.The 30-year agreement, explained Commissioner of Finance Michele Madigan will come at no cost to the city while also lowering the cost of being connected because multiple providers can hop on the network, giving consumers a choice."SiFi will interface with the providers," Madigan said. "The more providers they have, the more competition it opens up."Madigan said the deal, which will send data 50 times faster than the average household now experiences, will also ensure that the city's most underserved neighborhoods will be connected."I understand how important it is for people to have access, to have Internet services regardless of economic disparity," Madigan said. "I started the Smart City Commission and this is one of the main projects to come out of it."Madigan points to cities like Chattanooga, Tenn., which saw an economic boom after it was wired with fiber. That city, according to the Washington Post, used its electric utility lines rather than contracting with a company like SiFi or Google, which has wired several cities like Atlanta and San Francisco."Look at Chattanooga 20 years ago and where it is today," she said. "They are on the forefront of innovation. It was a huge boon for them."But the agreement with SiFi, based in Morristown, N.J. doesn't come without concerns, said Michael Santorelli, the director of the Advanced Communication Law and Policy Institute at New York Law School. His biggest one is that SiFi has yet to complete a city-wide project anywhere."As part of my ongoing research, I tracked SiFi's efforts," said Santorelli who follows broadband projects throughout the nation. "I have identified a dozen cities that SiFi tried to work with over the last six years. To my knowledge there hasn't been a successful result of SiFi's effort on the scale of Saratoga. Saratoga would be the first."Santorelli said there were cities that agreed to partner with SiFi, but then the deals fell apart because he said "they took a harder look at numbers."Madigan said there is no financial risk because the only thing the city is paying for is a yet-to-be hired city engineer who will be the point person in the project. Half of that cost, $45,000, will be paid for by SiFi. However, if SiFi does not complete the fiber network by 2022  which will be embedded in the city's streets' right-of-way  then the city will have the option to buy the network at cost with a 10 percent markup or just allow SiFi to light up the part of the network it has completed."We only buy it if we want to," said Madigan of the choice that would be decided by the City Council. "We don't have to."SiFi's President Scott Bradshaw, who is working with the city on the project, did not return a Times Union phone call on Monday. Neither did city officials in Salem, Mass. which also announced plans to work with SiFi. The Mayor's office at East Hartford, Conn., did respond to a Times Union query regarding plans to contract with SiFi, but only to say that it's too early to make any comment.Last August, Saratoga Springs City Council voted unanimously to sign the SiFi contract. At the time, the Commissioner of Public Safety Peter Martin said that 30-year contract is a long time and noted that he had some concern that SiFi has the option to extend it for another 30.Santorelli agreed, adding the duration also makes the SiFi contract with Saratoga Springs "unique," because "long-term technology agreements become outdated pretty quickly."Madigan said that she doesn't know what will be happening in the future, but feels certain "they will be using a fiber infrastructure because nothing is faster than fiber."Martin was also concerned that SiFi would have exclusive rights to the sewer lines, barring other Internet, video or data deliveries from using the sewers during the duration of the contract. But Madigan assured, that for the most part, SiFi will not be using the sewers. They will only tap into the sewers if there is no other way to access a particular street using the ground right-of-way.Commissioner of Public Works Anthony "Skip" Scirocco said in August at the City Council meeting that he discussed this with SiFi and does not see a problem with that clause.Installing fiber throughout the city, beginning in summer of 2020, will not be that disruptive, Madigan said. Using a technique called micro trenching, a vehicle will cut a hole about 3/4 of an inch wide and 10 to 12 inches deep. Fibers will be dropped down inside. Then another vehicle, following, closes up the hole. The city will not dig up Broadway and most of the fiber will be dropped on streets connecting to Broadway, not Broadway itself.Madigan said Internet is just the beginning of what fiber optics can do. She foresees the city using it to track water main breaks, coordinate traffic and streetlights, monitor manholes as well as alert residents to public safety issues and myriad other tasks to improve life in the city."The city is fully cognizant of what we are doing," Madigan said."I'm not seeing the risks. I would say people are generally and genuinely excited about the prospect of it."A celebration of the life for John Robert "Bobby" Brown, 72, will be held at his residence on Wednesday, June 16, 2021, at 10 a.m. Bobby was born in Dublin, but his home was Baldwin County. He was predeceased by his parents, John Preston "Pete" Brown and Virginia Watson Brown. He was retiredCentralSquare, whose software purportedly helps governments serving 75 percent of North American citizens, has added asset management to its toolbelt with the acquisition of Lucity Inc.Announced Tuesday, the deal makes Lucity the latest company to fall under the CentralSquare banner, after Superion, TriTech and Aptean were consolidated last September in one of the largest-ever mergers in the gov tech market. Superion had absorbed 911 false-alarm detector CryWolf prior to that, in March 2018.For CentralSquare, this latest acquisition adds a critical, missing component to the companys cloud software suite. For Lucity, which serves larger cities in over 40 U.S. states and four Canadian provinces, it expands the platforms reach.For over 30 years, Lucity has been the market leader in providing software that enables communities to understand which physical assets they own, how the assets are performing, where repairs are needed, how long the assets will last and how much it will cost to replace them, said Lucity President and CEO Don Pinkston in a statement . CentralSquare brings an existing customer network of over 7,500 agencies and enables Lucitys software to reach more communities across North America as they grapple with solving increasingly complex asset and work management needs.Shortly after Tuesdays announcement, CentralSquare CEO Simon Angove toldhis company became interested in Lucity after conversations with clients. Facing strained budgets against deteriorating infrastructure, local governments pointed to asset management as key to their future operations.Data from the American Society of Civil Engineers corroborates these concerns: The ASCE gave American infrastructure a D+ rating in 2017, estimated that local governments will have to invest $4.6 trillion by 2025 to boost that to a B+, and estimated that poor infrastructure costs the average citizen $3,400 a year in disposable income.Part of our mission is, we provide technology that can serve as a force multiplier to agencies that, with limited budgets and resources, allows them to do more with less. And it was clear talking to our agency customers that this is particularly important in the area of managing assets and infrastructure  bridges, roads, drinking water, sewage, et cetera, Angove said. But most budgets for maintaining and upgrading assets and infrastructure is insufficient, so theyre looking for solutions that can help them extend the life cycle of their assets and reduce the maintenance costs associated with it, while at the same time improving quality of service and health and safety in their communities.With Lucitys platform added to the CentralSquare suite, Angove said, the same solution now provides oversight of people, functions and assets of government. Agencies will be able to manage their operations on a single device, see how each asset is affecting their communitys finances and make budget decisions by analyzing permitting data.If new permits are being issued at a high volume in a community, it allows the agency to better anticipate that there are going to be additional asset and infrastructure needs in that community building roads, building bridges, building water mains, and that they can more accurately set aside capital reserves to do that, he explained.Angove touted the public safety aspect of this, too: If an AI application can predict where traffic accidents are going to happen as a result of potholes or poor drainage, for example, CentralSquare can prioritize work orders according to which assets need to be fixed first. And wildfires, often caused by broken power lines or transformers, might be averted by preventive maintenance.Angove wouldnt say whether the company sees more acquisitions on the horizon, but he didnt rule it out.Were always looking for ways to add applications to our platform where it makes sense, so inorganic growth is part of our strategy, along with the double-digit organic growth that we enjoy today, he said.For full access, please log in, register your subscription or subscribe.

Try for 99 a month for two months, cancel or pause anytime.(TNS)  City Councilman Russel Neal Jr. said Monday that he plans to let taxpayers simulate budgeting decisions for the Parks and Recreation Department using new budget-balancing software.As chair of the Parks and Recreation Committee, Neal said he will apply the software to the parks and rec budget with the hope of persuading the city to eventually apply the software to the entire 2019 budget.We work for the citizens and they have a right to have as much insight to how we do business as we can provide for them, Neal said. A lot of folks on council have an apprehension of engaging technology.City Council repeatedly rejected Neals proposal last year to take advantage of a free trial offered by Colorado-based Balancing Act, a public policy consulting firm that developed the software.To input the citys data, Neal said he will work with Balancing Act as well as residents who have expressed interest in the tool.Neal said he also will work with the citys Finance Department, which rejected using the software last year. Director of Finance Diane Miller-Dawson has said the her department doesnt have the manpower to input the data and doesnt want to provide others with access to its finance software.Mayor Dan Horrigan said the software isnt necessary to gather input from residents. He pointed to a recent city survey that gathered more than 3,000 respondents. The survey was aimed at learning whats needed in the citys parks.When you want more information, you go the source and those are the people who use the system, he said. The software [Neal] intends to try that has not passed City Council four times is not designed to do that.The city will bring the results of the parks survey to City Council in the coming weeks to begin implementing improvements.Horrigan also said citizens input in the budget process comes through their elected City Council representatives.City Council Vice President Jeff Fusco said the citys Great Streets and Parks Challenge programs, designed to improve neighborhoods, rely on resident input gathered at public meetings.There are plenty of examples of getting input from the community when it comes to spending, administrating and delivering services, he said. I think its very clear the administration and City Council have no desire to approve this piece of software.MINUSMA was established by UN Security Council resolution 2100 of April 25, 2013, to support political processes in Mali.

Ukraine is to send 20 servicemen to join a UN stabilization mission in the Republic of Mali in West Africa.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed decree No. 6/2019 dated January 9, 2019, to send Ukrainian national military personnel to join the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

"To send up to 20 members of the national personnel (from the Armed Forces of Ukraine) for the participation of Ukraine in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali," the presidential decree says.

Read alsoGabon coup attempt: Government says situation under control  BBC

By sending members of its armed forces, Ukraine confirms its commitments as a UN member state.

Poroshenko expressed his conviction that Ukraine's participation in MINUSMA will contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security and is in the national interest of the state.

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers is tasked with taking measures to ensure the implementation of Clause 1 of this decree. The decree comes into force on the day of its publication.

MINUSMA was established by UN Security Council resolution 2100 of April 25, 2013, to support political processes in Mali and carry out a number of security-related tasks.At a time when internet freedoms are increasingly restricted in Russia - and authorities are reportedly attempting to create an independent Russian internet - this closeness led some to accuse Patriarch Kirill of lending government policy divine authority.

People's dependence on smartphones and modern technology could bring about the coming of the Antichrist, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church has warned.

Russian social media users largely responded with humor and scepticism, while some accused the Church of "serving the regime," according to the BBC.

Speaking to Russian state TV, Patriarch Kirill said smartphone users should be careful when using the "worldwide web of gadgets" because it represented "an opportunity to gain global control over mankind".

"The Antichrist is the person who will be at the head of the worldwide web, controlling all of humankind," he said.

Read alsoLeader of Ukraine's church asks Orthodox churches to pray for peace, release of captives

"Every time you use your gadget, whether you like it or not, whether you turn on your location or not, somebody can find out exactly where you are, exactly what your interests are and exactly what you are scared of," Patriarch Kirill told Rossiya 1.

"If not today, then tomorrow methods and technology could appear that will not just provide access to all information but will also allow the use of this information.

"Do you imagine what power will be concentrated in the hands of those who gain knowledge about what is going on in the world?

"Such control from one place forebodes the coming of the Antichrist."

The church leader claimed his Church was not against "technological progress", rather "the development of a system that is aimed at controlling a person's identity". But not all social media users were convinced.

"The Church is not against science and technological progress, but is concerned about the freedom of the individual. Yeah, sure," joked one Twitter user.

"Smile, the Antichrist is about to fly out," tweeted another, along with an image of a woman taking a selfie with Patriarch Kirill and other church representatives.

Patriarch Kirill is close to Russian president Vladimir Putin. Many Russian Orthodox priests closely identify with President Putin's nationalist agenda.

Read alsoHistory is made: Bartholomew signs tomos of autocephaly for Orthodox Church of Ukraine

At a time when internet freedoms are increasingly restricted in Russia - and authorities are reportedly attempting to create an independent Russian internet - this closeness led some to accuse Patriarch Kirill of lending government policy divine authority.

As UNIAN reported earlier, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I on January 5, 2019, signed the tomos of autocephaly of the newly formed Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

The tomos says that the Ecumenical Patriarchate recognizes a canonical, autocephalous, self-governing Orthodox Church within the limits of the politically formed territory of Ukraine.

The document also sets out the basic principles for the functioning of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Ukraine, with the creation of the autocephalous Orthodox Church of Ukraine, had finally severed ties with Russia.Paul Manafort was also sharing with him Trump campaign's polling data.

Special counsel Robert Mueller believes that Paul Manafort was discussing Russian-Ukrainian policy and sharing polling data with his close Russian-intelligence-linked associate, Konstantin Kilimnik, while he led the Trump presidential campaign, according to parts of a court filing that were meant to be redacted by Manafort's legal team Tuesday but were released publicly.

Manafort discussed a Ukrainian peace plan with Kilimnik, his lawyers acknowledged. He also shared polling data related to the 2016 presidential campaign with Kilimnik, Manafort's legal team acknowledges in their court filing, CNN reports.

The details accidentally released Tuesday are the closest public assertion yet in the Mueller cases of coordination between a Trump campaign official and the Russian government, as Kilimnik is believed to be linked to Russian military intelligence. It's a major acknowledgment from the Mueller team that their investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election is finding potential contact between at least one Trump campaign official and the Kremlin.

Read alsoAt least 16 Trump associates had contacts with Russians during campaign or transition  CNN

In February 2017, Paul Manaforts associate Konstantin Kilimnik told Radio Liberty that he had briefed Manafort about the developments in Ukraine as the U.S. presidential race was underway. Among other things, the two discussed the so-called "peace plan for Ukraine" to resolve the conflict in Donbas.

According to Kilimnik, the said plan provided for the return to Ukraine of the disgraced ex-president Viktor Yanukovych to become a local leader in Donetsk and Luhansk regions.

Also, Kilimnik denied any connection with Russian intelligence, but reported that had indeed discussed Ukraine with Manafort on numerous occasions.No Ukrainian army casualties were reported.

Russian-led forces attacked Ukrainian positions in Donbas, eastern Ukraine, only once from 00:00 to 18:00 Kyiv time on Tuesday, January 8.

"Strongholds of our troops near the village of Novotoshkivske in the Luhansk sector were attacked with the use of grenade launchers of various systems along with small arms," the press center of Ukraine's Joint Forces Operation (JFO) said in an evening update on January 8.

No Ukrainian army casualties were reported.

Read alsoRussian invaders in Donbas obtain so-called "passports" in "LPR-DPR"  Ukraine intel

"Despite bad weather conditions, the Ukrainian military continue countering the enemy along the contact line, abiding by the ceasefire. The situation in the JFO zone is under control," the update said.

As was reported, the enemy mounted five attacks on Ukrainian army positions on January 7; one Ukrainian soldier was wounded in action. There were five enemy attacks on January 6, four enemy attacks on January 5, and three enemy attacks on January 4; no casualties were reported on those days.

On January 3, Ukraine reported three attacks, one Ukrainian soldier was wounded. On January 2, no casualties were reported amid five enemy attacks. On January 1, there were three enemy attacks, as a result of which one Ukrainian soldier was killed in action, another two were wounded in action.Ukraine's government is committed to ensuring free, fair and transparent elections.

Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not accept applications for registration from Russian observers at the Ukrainian presidential elections, scheduled for March 31, 2019.

"In view of the response caused by the [Ukrainian] Central Election Commission's decision to close polling stations in the Russian Federation, I would like to add something to this discussion. A few days ago, in keeping with the procedure, I sent a letter to Ms. Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, the Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), inviting her to send an observation mission to the presidential elections in Ukraine. Among other quite standard things, I noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine will not accept applications for the registration of Russian observers," Ukraine's Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Pavlo Klimkin wrote on Facebook on January 9.

Read alsoKlimkin comments on shutting down Ukrainian polling stations at diplomatic institutions across Russia

"I consider it is necessary when it comes to observers from the aggressor and invader country. By the way, there are quite a few such precedents in the OSCE's practice," he said.

Klimkin says that those who disagree with Ukraine's decision may defend their rights in court.

At the same time, he invited those "who sincerely want" debates on this issue "without manipulative slogans and speculations" to join the discourse.

"The government of Ukraine is committed to make every effort to ensure free, fair and transparent elections in accordance with the national legislation and internationally recognized standards for democratic elections while facing the ongoing Russian aggression against my country and temporarily illegal occupation of parts of Ukraine's territory by the Russian Federation," Klimkin wrote in the letter to Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir.

As UNIAN reported earlier, the Central Election Commission on December 27, 2018, closed five polling stations at Ukraine's Russian-based diplomatic missions. At the same time, their voter coverage area was assigned to foreign polling stations located at Ukrainian embassies in Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Finland.

Moreover, citizens of Ukraine who are temporarily residing in Russia can exercise their right to vote at the place of their registration in Ukraine.One of the cases concerns the ownership of the Mezhyhirya Residence in Novi Petrivtsi in Kyiv region.

Neither the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) nor the Specialized Anti-corruption Prosecutor's Office (SAPO) has sent criminal cases opened against ex-President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).

"This information is not true. The said criminal cases have not been transferred to the State Bureau of Investigation," the SBI's press service said.

Read alsoKyiv court returns Yanukovych's Mezhyhirya mansion to state  chief prosecutor

Several media outlets earlier reported with reference to a source at the SAPO that the NABU and SAPO had transferred about 50 criminal cases against Yanukovych.

Among them was a probe into the ownership of the Mezhyhirya Residence in Novi Petrivtsi in Kyiv region and hunting lands in the village of Sukholuchchya in Kyiv region.

The Mezhyhirya Residence is an estate in Ukraine where Viktor Yanukovych lived when he was Prime Minister and then President of Ukraine and is now a museum displaying Yanukovych's luxurious lifestyle.Ukraine has ceased to be what Moscow considered its "canonical territory" from the time of the Pereyaslav Rada.

From January 6, Ukraine  and it's official  has its own full-fledged church, independent from Moscow. This is a historic defeat for Russia's, and for Vladimir Putin, it's the political catastrophe he deserved.

The Ecumenical Patriarchate in Constantinople "brought back to life" the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU), handing over to the Metropolitan of Kyiv Epifaniy the scepter and the tomos, a decree creating an autocephalous, that is, independent, local Orthodox church, Gazeta Wyborcza reported.

The publication writes that until that time, the only church in Ukraine that was "canonical", that is, recognized internationally, was the so-called UOC of the Moscow Patriarchate. Its spiritual rivals were the UAOC and the UOC of the Kyiv Patriarchate, but none of them had international recognition. And now it is these confessions that have formed a new single OCU. Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, who enjoys the greatest authority in the Orthodox world, made it legitimate, despite Moscow's extensive protests.

For believers, this is a very important step against the background of the war in Donbas and the Crimea occupation. Ukrainians will now gradually shift to their own church, abandoning that which the Kremlin controls. It will be a long, but inevitable, process despite Moscows resistance. However, the creation of the OCU is also of historical significance.

Read alsoHistory is made: Bartholomew signs tomos of autocephaly for Orthodox Church of Ukraine

After all, Ukraine has ceased to be what Moscow called its "canonical territory". The Kremlin has lost what it considered its own since the Pereyaslav Rada in 1654. "From the ideological perspective, Russia's domination over the neighboring country and its people was secured by the decree of the Patriarch of Constantinople acquired by Peter the Great in 1686, which determined Moscow's superiority over Ukrainian Orthodoxy," the newspaper wrote.

The autocephaly of Ukraine is the end of the old concept of portraying Moscow as the third Rome, that is, the global center of Christian civilization. It is also a fiasco for Putins imperialistic idea of the so-called Russian world, which supposedly should unite the Orthodox Slavs.

Read alsoThey are not asleep: Archbishop warns of possible intensification of efforts by anti-Ukrainian forces over tomos

"Had Putins reign ended today, he would have gone down in history as a loser who allowed Georgia (grabbed by Catherine II in 1783), which was once loyal, to escape from Russian influence after the 2008 war, turning into Moscow's enemy. And now, Ukraine has done it. Deprived of these "provinces', Russia ceases to be an empire, and Putin, no matter how demonized he is, could take a place in the history of his country alongside Mikhail Gorbachev, whom compatriots blame for the USSR collapse," the article suggests.

The publication notes that it is Putin who is responsible for the loss of Russian influence because he led the empire to collapse with his aggressive approach to neighbors and military adventures.Description

GIS - 09 January, 2018: The Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, Mr Tudor Ulianovschi, paid a courtesy call yesterday on the Prime Minister, Minister of Home Affairs, External Communications and National Development Unit and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, at the New Treasury Building in Port Louis. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, Mr Tudor Ulianovschi, paid a courtesy call

In a statement, Minister Ulianovschi underlined that he had a fruitful discussion with the Prime Minister and expressed appreciation as regards local governmental activities, in particular the ongoing infrastructural development projects and the good governance principles that Government adheres to. He recalled that diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 2001, adding that with the opening of the Honorary Consulate of Republic of Moldova to Mauritius last year, several projects have been launched.

He highlighted that discussions focused on the need to further develop prosperous relations as well as create trade and economic partnerships between the two countries. The profound changes that the Moldovan Government underwent in the civil and public services to offer electronic government services was also at the fore of discussions.

Furthermore, Minister Ulianovschi expressed the interests of Moldova to reap the full benefits from the special geographical location of Mauritius and the trade regimes that the country has with African unions and India. He also indicated that negotiations on Free Trade Agreements on Double Taxation Agreement and Investment Protection Agreement will be launched shortly while pointing out that his Government aims at expanding the presence of local products on the Mauritian market.Earlier, USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) of the 6th U.S. Navy fleet entered the Black Sea via the Bosporus Strait.

A warship of Russia's Northern fleet entered the Black Sea on Wednesday, January 9.

The vessel in question is the Severomorsk (619) anti-submarine Udaloy-class destroyer, according to Andriy Klymenko, an expert with the Ukraine-based Maidan of Foreign Affairs Foundation.

"For the first time since the start of Crimea occupation, a warship of the Russian Northern fleet  not just a landing ship of another fleet but the one that is part of the Russian navy's main strike force  has entered the Black Sea waters," the expert wrote on Facebook, also posting the relevant photos of the destroyer.

Read alsoUkraine lodges lawsuit against Russia with ECHR over captive Ukrainian sailors

As was earlier reported, the landing ship of the 6th U.S. Navy fleet, namely USS Fort McHenry (LSD 43) entered the Black Sea via the Bosphorus Strait.

Ex-U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst earlier called weak the Western response to Russia's November 25 attack on Ukrainian naval boats, suggesting this would give Putin a green light for further escalation.

The diplomat suggested that the U.S. provide Ukraine with a number of specific weapons to bolster its coastline defenses against Russian aggression.Now, the document has been finalized.

On January 9, in Istanbul, members of the Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate signed off the tomos of autocephaly of the newly-established Orthodox Church of Ukraine, thus granting it canonical independence.

Now, the document has been finalized, TSN wrote, posting a photo report from a signing ceremony.

Within a few days, the document will be returned to Ukraine.

Read alsoPoroshenko: Tomos for Ukraine is another act of declaring independence

As UNIAN reported earlier, on December 15 the Unification Council of representatives of Ukrainian Orthodox churches elected Epifaniy, Metropolitan of Pereyaslavl and Bila Tserkva a leader of the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine.

On January 6, in the St. George Cathedral in Istanbul, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew handed to Epifaniy the tomos granting autocephaly to the new Orthodox Church of Ukraine in a move that marked Ukraine's ultimate release from under Russia's religious grip which the Kremlin has systemically exploited in geopolitical games of influence.The agency has have been using all measures, including deprivation of urgently needed medical care, to try to force the men to "confess" to their wildly implausible "plot."

Biological traces in the wrong place and a plot you wouldnt find in the shoddiest detective novel. These are just some of the weak links in Russias latest trial of two Ukrainians from Sevastopol: academic Oleksiy Bessarabov and retired naval captain Volodymyr Dudka.

The FSB have been using all measures, including deprivation of urgently needed medical care, to try to force the men to "confess" to their wildly implausible "plot," according to the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group.

The two men, together with another well-known academic, Dmytro Shtyblikov, were arrested on Nov 9, 2016. The FSB claimed that they were "members of a terrorist group of the Ukrainian Defense Ministrys Central Intelligence Department' who were plotting acts of sabotage on military and other infrastructure.

There had never been any such acts of sabotage, and, judging by the initial videos demonstrated, neither was there any evidence of plans to commit a crime.

The FSB placed all men under enormous pressure and prevented Shtyblikov from seeing an independent lawyer. Under conditions that remain unclear, he agreed to plead guilty and was sentenced on Nov 16, 2017, to five years imprisonment after a "trial" lasting just minutes.

Read alsoRussia jails disabled Crimean Tatar activist on grotesquely absurd charges  KHPG

Little is known about Bessarabov, 43, whose family has avoided speaking with human rights activists, however both he and Dudka, who is 54 and in very bad health, deny all charges. As soon as Dudka was allowed to see an independent lawyer, he told him that he had initially given a "confession" because of intense pressure and threats to his family.

Having extracted a "confession" from Shtyblikov, the FSB were then able to bring him into the "trial" of the other two men as "witness." As Dudka's lawyer Sergei Legostov puts it, Shtyblikov was placed in an impossible position, since any rejection of charges would mean, at very least, that the shorter sentence that he received for the guilty plea, would be changed, and a threat of reprisal behind prison bars would emerge.

Aside from Shtyblikov's forced testimony, there appears to be only highly questionable "evidence" against the other two men which Russia is largely concealing by holding the entire "trial" behind closed doors.

The lawyers in all such cases are forced to sign an undertaking not to divulge any information, however the details that Legostov has been able to give are already sufficient to demonstrate the level of falsifications.

Read alsoUkraine lodges lawsuit against Russia with ECHR over captive Ukrainian sailors

"Biological traces" from both defendants were "found" on a map of the city which allegedly showed marked locations where acts of sabotage had been planned. However, an expert analysis showed that the traces were all on the edge of the map and not over the entire surface, which makes no sense if this was a map that the men were using.

Both men previously complained that non-procedural measures had been used to obtain biological traces. Dudka, for example, was seized on the way to the doctor where he was being treated for an ulcer. Saliva and other samples were taken without any protocol being drawn up and without his lawyer present. Under such circumstances, it would be easy to later use the samples to fabricate incriminating evidence.

There is a similar situation with the telephones that the men say were planted on them.

An FSB operational video was circulated to the Russian media, with this showing Shtyblikov being roughly pinned down and handcuffed by FSB officers, and then in his home. The camera focused on the Ukrainian trident, a Ukrainian flag on the wall, and Dmytro Yaroshs "Right Sector" business card. Russian channels told their viewers that this was from the nationalist movement banned in Russia, but chose to remain silent about the "Yarosh business cards" extremely specific history. The card had been first produced by Russia as "incriminating evidence" in April 2014, after supposedly being pulled quite intact from a totally gutted out car. The absurdity of the claim led to an internet storm of hilariously implausible findings of the card. The "incriminating" weapons shown on the video appear to have been airguns, from Shtyblikovs sporting hobby.Dr. Evan Atar Adahas title is head surgeon and medical director. He does not have an office. He does not like to sit.

He carries out up to 10 operations a day, spending hours on his feet, as well as helping nurses prepare patients and checking up on everyone, from patients with bullet wounds or malaria sufferers to newborn babies.

He is often the first in theatre, pushing the heavy metal operating table into place. He can be spotted in the neonatal ward, cooing to a newborn. Recently a colleague found him standing barefoot on the operating table late one night, singing as he fixed the light overhead with homemade plaster of Paris.

We are here to save lives, not to sit, says Dr. Atar, who is known by his middle name. There is no lazing around in theatre. We are all equal. We are all a team.

Dr. Atar, 52, is the senior and only surgeon at Maban Referral Hospital, a 120-bed and two-theatre facility in Bunj, in the south-eastern corner of South Sudans Upper Nile State.

The hospital, more than 600 kilometres from the capital, Juba, is the only functioning surgical facility in Upper Nile and includes a neonatal section and a 20-bed tuberculosis ward.

Open 24 hours a day, it serves a population of more than 200,000. Dr. Atar is so well known that many just refer to it as Dr. Atars Hospital, and patients travel for days so they can be under his care.

Were the end of the line, said Dr. Kalisa Yesero Wabibye, a doctor from Uganda who has been working at Bunj hospital for more than two years.

This is a one-stop shop. There is no level of referral above us.

This is a one-stop shop. There is no level of referral above us. There are no higher specialists.

Dr. Atar and his staff work in a difficult and dangerous environment. South Sudan suffers from a shortage of facilities and skilled health workers, and drugs and equipment are in short supply.

When South Sudan gained independence in 2011, it had about 120 doctors and 100 nurses for a population of 12 million. Since civil war erupted in December 2013, displacing more than 4 million people, health care has deteriorated.

In the past, medical facilities have been looted and occupied, and staff intimidated, detained, abducted and killed. Ambulances have been shot at and stolen. Since 2013, 103 humanitarian workers have been killed.

Dr. Evan Atar Adaha operates on a young Sudanese refugee at Bunj Hospital in Maban County, South Sudan.  UNHCR/Will Swanson

Dr Atar with a newborn baby in the maternity ward of Bunj Hospital.  UNHCR/Will Swanson

Dr. Evan Atar chats with patients outside Bunj hospital in Maban county, South Sudan.  UNHCR/Will Swanson

Dr Atar acknowledges that his choice of work has been hard on his wife and four children who live in Nairobi. "WhatsApp is such a help," he says. "Now I can do physics and chemistry homework with my oldest."  UNHCR/Will Swanson

Dr. Evan Atar Adaha outside his tent in Bunj, South Sudan. "I am most happy when I realize that the work that I have done has saved somebody from suffering or has saved his life."  UNHCR/Will Swanson

The church where Dr. Atar attends mass with refugees and members of the local community in Bunj, South Sudan.  UNHCR/Will Swanson

The situation in Maban County is volatile and there have been regular periods of violence in recent years. After the offices and compounds of international organizations, including UNHCR, were attacked in July this year, Dr. Atar continued to work at his hospital even when members of his medical team were forced to leave.

Dr. Atar shrugs off the danger. We treat everyone here, regardless of who they are, he says, adding with a smile that all sides in the conflict seem to understand that they, too, benefit from good health care.

With his incurable optimism, booming laugh and at times perceptible stubbornness, he has remained single-mindedly dedicated to the cause of bringing health care to the neediest.

Originally from Torit, in southern South Sudan, Dr. Atar, received a scholarship to study medicine in Khartoum and later practised in Egypt.

In 1997, he moved to Kurmuk, in Sudans Blue Nile State, at the heart of a major conflict where for 12 years, often during bombing raids, he ran a basic hospital treating wounded civilians as well as fighters from both sides.

The only thing left behind was an operating table.

When I arrived, the hospital was a big toilet and the only thing left behind was an operating table, he recalled.

We used normal thread for suturing and bush sticks for blood drainage. His most precious possession, Dr. Atar says, is an amputation set and a small sterilization kit given to him by a French doctor.

In 2011, under intense Sudanese bombing, he and his entire team joined tens of thousands of Sudanese fleeing across the border to Maban County in South Sudan. Dr. Atar packed up the hospital in four cars and a tractor. It took us a month, he said of the trek. There was no road. It was the rainy season. The rivers were overflowing.

In 2011, Mabans main town, Bunj, was a small place with a handful of shops. The hospital was once a primary health-care centre with no operating room. To perform his first operation, Dr. Atar made an operating theatre with a raised table using stacked doors.

Today, besides a host community of 53,000 people, the area around Bunj is home to 142,000 refugees from Sudans Blue Nile and South Kordofan regions, living in four camps. As fighting intensifies across the border, UNHCR expects a further 12,000 refugees this year.

Health care facilities in the camps are linked with Bunj Hospital. On average, the surgical team of four doctors operates on an average of 58 cases per week. In 2017, more than 70 per cent of surgical cases were from refugee communities.

Bunj and its surrounding areas are tense and volatile. Communities fight over limited resources such as wood, farming space and grazing land.

Frequent flare-ups among political parties have led to shootouts. Relief agencies observe curfews, shelter from firefights in bullet-proof bunkers and, on several occasions, been evacuated to Juba. Dr. Atar has always stayed behind in Bunj.

Now I can do physics and chemistry homework with my oldest.

He acknowledges that his choice of work has been hard on his wife and four children. He sees them only three times a year. The family lives in Nairobi and Dr. Atar tries to keep in contact by WhatsApp and email several times a week. Now I can do physics and chemistry homework with my oldest, he says. When I was in Kurmuk I wrote letters that took a month to arrive.

Dr. Atar does not believe he is doing anything extraordinary. He lives in a weather-beaten canvas tent and keeps a treadle sewing machine on his porch which he uses to make surgical linen.

He says he gets his energy from drinking milk. He relaxes on Sunday by going to church or taking a nap outdoors lying on the bare springs of a rusty bed.

Its like having air-conditioning, he says. He loves singing. He sometimes works 24-hour shifts and likes to joke that his nurses call him a dictator.

As he does his rounds, teasing children, discussing family planning with a mother recovering from her third caesarian, urging a man with an amputated left arm and a shattered right femur to learn to walk using a single crutch, it is clear that his main source of happiness is not just operating but connecting with his patients.

A Christian, Dr. Atar, who is fluent in the regions main language, Arabic, prays with patients before they are put under anaesthetic and, according to their religion, recites the Bible or the Koran.

I am most happy when I realize that the work that I have done has saved somebody from suffering or has saved his life, he said. But healing is not the medicine alone. You have to assure the patient. The moment you relate to a patient, they will open their heart to you When a patient dies in my hands I am so sad.

Part of his job is improvisation. If the need arises, especially during the wet season, when malaria is rife, he doubles up patients in beds and can add an additional 60.

Electric power is provided by two generators and solar panels. Dr. Atar requires all doctors to have basic mechanical skills. These came in handy recently when all systems failed at the beginning of an operation. There is no blood bank. Many people here believe they will die if they give blood. Dr. Atar has no qualms about pressuring a patients relatives to donate.

Dr. Atar says it is unlikely he will retire. The hospital is what gives him hope and meaning to his life. The more good services you give, the more people come, he says with a chuckle.

See also:A man holding a one-year-old child disembarks from the Dutch-flagged rescue ship Sea Watch in Malta.  UNHCR/Federico Scoppa

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, welcomes todays news that 49 rescued refugees and migrants on board the Sea Watch 3 and Albrecht Penck NGO vessels have been safely disembarked in Malta. We commend the Maltese authorities for having provided safe port and the decision of the eight European States to receive them. We also commend the European Commission for their role in coordinating the response from Member States.

UNHCR is nonetheless very concerned that the search for a solution to the plight of people rescued at sea and so obviously in distress has taken so long  more than 18 days in the case of the Sea Watch 3, despite the fact that those on board included women and children. This is unacceptable.

Rescue at sea does not end when someone is pulled out of the water, it means getting them to dry land and a place of safety as soon as possible, said Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. The imperative to save lives comes above politics and cannot be a responsibility thats negotiated on a case by case basis.

Attempts at forging a collective and predictable system for disembarking people rescued on the Mediterranean have been very slow to progress, despite proposals put forward jointly by UNHCR and IOM. As a result an ad hoc approach continues to prevail, and people rescued from the Mediterranean face days or weeks of waiting before being allowed to land.

116,674 people reached Europe via the Mediterranean in 2018, a significant reduction compared to previous years and a return to pre-2014 levels. However, the journey has become more deadly. One life was lost for every 50 people who attempted the journey.

For more information on this topic, please contact:Ukraine needs to create a network of training centers to upgrade the skills of emergency medical personnel.

"The experts, in particular the international ones, conducted a study on the quality of provision of emergency medical services in Ukraine. As a result, the recommendations were given, in particular, regarding the training system and core competencies of emergency medical personnel. It is necessary to pay attention to the system of training and upgrading the skills of emergency medical personnel, in particular to create the training centers in all regions. It is very important that the training of emergency medical personnel is of a practical nature. In 2019, the training centers will appear in Donetsk, Odesa, Ternopil, Poltava, Vinnytsia regions and Kyiv city," the Health Ministry of Ukraine reports.

According to the experts, it is necessary to develop requirements and provide funds for the establishment of emergency departments in hospitals.Last year, Ukraine failed to make progress in the abolishment of visa requirements for travels to Canada.

"Unfortunately, we are at a standstill in the issue of canceling Canadas visa requirements for Ukrainians. Moreover, we have not made much progress in reducing the number of visa rejections. I do not have final statistics for 2018, but according to the results of the first three quarters, the number of Canada visa rejections to Ukrainians was at the level of 26%," Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada Andriy Shevchenko said in an interview with Ukrinform.

In his opinion, this number is too big and there are no arguments to substantiate it. "The level of relations between the states and the interpersonal relations between the citizens do not allow viewing such a number of rejections as adequate. We continue to work with the Canadian government on this issue," the ambassador emphasized.

In the report published by Canadas House of Commons Standing Committee on National Defence Canadas support to Ukraine in crisis and armed conflict in December 2017, the MPs called on the Government to grant Ukrainians visa-free access to Canada. However, the response indicated that the Government of Canada continues to carefully monitor conditions in Ukraine, but has no plans to review the visa requirement at this time, as Ukraine does not meet Canadas criteria for a visa exemption.

At the same time, Ukraine abolished visas for Canadians back in 2005.Ukraine and Canada will hold talks this year on extending the effect of the free trade agreement to the sphere of services and investment, Ukraine's Ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko has said in an interview with Ukrinform.

"The text of the free trade agreement between Ukraine and Canada stipulates that two years after its entry into force, we will review it and see how it can be changed or extended. We already have a political arrangement that the agreement will be extended to the sphere of investment and services," Shevchenko said.

According to him, this is first and foremost good news for Ukrainian IT experts and "also for all other representatives of the Ukrainian tertiary sector, since in that case they will be able to work in the best possible conditions with Canada." "The agreement will turn two years in August 2019, and we have every chance of expanding the sphere of its effect this year," the ambassador said.

The free trade agreement between Canada and Ukraine came into force on August 1, 2017. Canada immediately lifted 98% of customs duties on Ukrainian goods. Ukraine, in turn, cancelled 72% of duties on Canadian goods in the Ukrainian market, with duty-free exports expected to increase to 98% in the next seven years. The agreement also mutually opens up public procurement markets. Certain sections of the document protect electronic commerce and intellectual property.The Ukrainian economy is recovering: the large fiscal and quasi-fiscal deficits have fallen sharply, public debt is on a downward path, the exchange rate is flexible, and inflation is declining.

IMFs Alternate Executive Director for Ukraine Vladyslav Rashkovan said this in a statement.

"The Ukrainian economy has been recovering at a solid pace, despite the headwinds posed by the ongoing military conflict. GDP growth sped up to 2.5 percent in 2017 and at an estimated 3.2 percent in the first nine months of 2018 thanks to favorable terms of trade and robust domestic demand, both in consumption and investment," Rashkovan said.

Consumption growth was supported by strong growth in real wages, pension benefits and labor migrant remittances. Business expectations improved and investment increased thanks to a favorable external price environment, the alignment of the hryvnia exchange rate with economic fundamentals and abated fighting intensity in Donbas.

According to Rashkovan, merchandise exports have been growing at a solid pace amid favorable commodity prices, robust growth in Ukraines main trading partners and good harvests. However, imports rose faster than exports, underpinned by robust domestic demand and rising energy prices.

"The Stand-By Arrangement will support covering Ukraines balance of payments needs by bolstering confidence and unlocking external financing and supporting the needed adjustment. The authorities remain strongly committed to the full and timely implementation of the policies under the Fund-supported program to achieve its long-term goals. The authorities are grateful for the cooperation and support from the Fund, as well as from other IFIs and the international community," he summed up.The monthly volume of Ukrainian apple exports for the first time exceeded 8,000 tonnes, having increased by 55% in November 2018 compared with November 2017.

For the first time, Ukraine exported more than 8,000 tonnes of apples a month, if not to take into account Ukrainian apples only. Although there still a significant volume of apple exports from Ukraine, about 51% are intended for re-export to Russia, as evidenced by deliveries to Belarus and Moldova; the export growth in other areas is impressive, said Fedir Rybalko, the head of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association, the EastFruit reports.

He also pointed to the increase in shipments of Ukrainian apples to the countries of the European Union, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

"According to our estimates, about a quarter of the apple exports accrued to the EU countries, though half of those exports were organic apples for making juice and puree as well as apple concentrate. Moreover, about 12% of the apple exports accounted for the countries of the Middle East," the head of the Ukrainian Fruit and Vegetable Association stressed.

Bulgaria is a major importer of Ukrainian apples among the EU member states as almost half of all export shipments of fresh apples from Ukraine to the EU were made to Bulgaria. Sweden became the second largest importer with a share of about 27% of the apples exported by Ukraine to the EU for the fresh market.Description

GIS  09 January, 2019: The Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Mahen Seeruttun, launched the Land Mechanisation Support Scheme yesterday at La Brasserie Road, La Marie, in the presence of the Minister of Public Infrastructure and Land Transport, Mr Nandcoomar Bodha, and other eminent personalities.

In his address, Minister Seeruttun highlighted that the Scheme, an initiative of the Small Farmers Welfare Fund in collaboration with the Agricultural Mechanisation Unit of the Mauritius Cane Industry Authority and other key stakeholders, aims at assisting planters in addressing various challenges such as scarcity of labour and climate change. The Scheme is designed to help planters increase their production and enhance their sustainability so as to ensure national food security. He underlined that services that will be offered include disc harrowing, stone crushing, tillage and bed forming, among others.

The Land Mechanisation Support Scheme, he underscored, will be operated on a pilot basis for small registered planters cultivating food crop in localities of upper and lower Plaines Wilhems (Perrier, Plaine Sophie 1 & 2, Mare Longue, Closel, Henrietta, Vacoas and Palma), Savanne (Grand Bois, Bois Cherie, St-Avole and Britannia), Grand Port (Nouvelle France, Cluny, Rose Belle and Banane) and Black River (Bambous, La Chaumiere and St-Martin). Registered planters cultivating food crop will receive a subsidy of more than 50% of the rental cost of machinery from Government, he pointed out. Some 525 planters will benefit from the scheme covering around 725 arpents of cultivated land.

The Agro-Industry Minister recalled that Government has come forward with several projects such as the Wholesale Market at Wooton, so that planters can sell their products directly to customers at a more competitive price, and the setting up of 100 sheltered farms in view of incurring fewer losses due to climatic change. These projects, he stated, aim at modernising Mauritius in terms of infrastructure for the agricultural sector.

For his part, Minister Bodha pointed out that the Land Mechanisation Support Scheme will improve productivity and profitability of planters cultivating food crop. He also urged planters to take advantage of all schemes put at their disposal by the Government so as to be able to ensure national food security.Ukraine expects to receive the first batch of Canadian sniper rifles this year.

"We have already received a permit from the Canadian government for the purchase of high-quality sniper rifles with the best range capability in the world. I expect that the first batch of these rifles will be delivered to Ukraine this year," Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada Andriy Shevchenko said in an interview with Ukrinform.

He underscored the need "to look for different forms of cooperation in the segment of arms with Canada." "We view it as a joint investment in security and new technologies, which Canada is also interested in. The arms market likes silence, therefore I cannot say more, but it seems to me that we have every chance to see the first practical results of cooperation soon," the ambassador noted.

In 2017, Canada included Ukraine in the so-called Automatic Firearms Country Control List, thus lifting an arms embargo on Ukraine.Militants launched one attack on Ukrainian positions in the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) area in Donbas over the past day. Heavy weapons were not used.

Ukrainian strongholds near Novotoshkivske (53km north-west of Luhansk) came under grenade launcher and small arms fire, the JFO Headquarters press center reports.

No casualties among Ukrainian troops were reported over the past day.

According to the intelligence, two invaders were killed and one more was wounded on January 8.

Today, the enemy has not opened fire yet.A woman who fled to New Zealand after her involvement in an illegal South Korean pornography site, Soranet, was investigated by authorities has now been sentenced to prison for the crime.

Source: 1 NEWS

The woman, whose surname is Song, was sentenced to four years in prison by a Seoul court.

Her husband and other founders are yet to be located.

According to the BBC, Song was found guilty of aiding and abetting the distribution of obscene material.

Producing and disseminating pornography is illegal in South Korea.

Soranet, which has more than a million users and hosts thousands of illegal videos, was shut down following public outcry, the BBC reports.

The website often puts out videos filmed with spy cameras and shared without the consent of women featured, authorities have alleged.

When police began investigating the site in 2015, Song reportedly fled to New Zealand but was forced to return to South Korea when her passport was revoked.Barriers to Change

Census Bureau Differs

More states plan to count state prisoners as residents of their home communities, rather than residents of the places where they are incarcerated  a change that would shift political power away from conservative rural areas to more liberal cities during legislative redistricting.Many inmates hail from neighborhoods in or near cities, but most are incarcerated in small towns and rural areas. Counting prisoners as residents of their hometowns would, for the most part, boost the legislative representation of Democratic-leaning urban areas with large minority populations while diminishing the power of Republican, mostly white rural areas.New York and Maryland made the change after the 2010 census, and California and Delaware will start with the next redistricting cycle after the 2020 count. Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Jersey could follow suit.Outgoing Republican Gov. Chris Christie said the idea smacks of political opportunism when in 2017 he vetoed a New Jersey bill that would have shifted prisoners to their home communities for the drawing of legislative districts.But proponents say its only fair to draw districts for prison-hosting communities without the prisoners. The prisoners generally cant vote (except in Maine and Vermont) or participate in local politics, so they shouldnt be considered constituents. And, supporters say, counting them in prison-hosting areas gives too much voting power to those districts.A federal judge agreed in 2016 when he declared the commission districts in Jefferson County, Florida, to be unconstitutional. The county  home to the Jefferson Correctional Institution  was divided into five commission districts, each with about 3,000 voting-age people.And because 1,000 prisoners in one district were unable to vote there, the districts remaining 2,000 residents received disproportionate representation, the judge ruled.To treat the inmates the same as actual constituents makes no sense, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker wrote. Such treatment greatly dilutes the voting and representational strength of denizens in other districts. Walker ordered the county to redraw the districts without counting the prisoners.Justin Levitt, a professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles who specializes in redistricting, agreed. The presence of a prison population in a local district, he said, simply distorts representation.Even though the states that want to count inmates in their home communities are dominated by Democrats, Levitt said either political party theoretically might benefit from counting inmates where they are. I emphatically dont think this is partisan issue.Though California approved its law in 2011, it wont be implemented until after the 2020 census. The state couldnt collect the home addresses of inmates before the last redistricting cycle, said bill sponsor Mike Davis, then a Democratic state assemblyman and now a Los Angeles public works commissioner. He was term-limited out of the Assembly in 2012.Its going to make a big difference, especially in the viability of our African-American state Senate seats, when you start counting people in South Los Angeles instead of Tehachapi, Davis said, referring to the site of a large, rural state prison.New Jersey may be the next state to act, since a new Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, likely will get a chance to sign the bill Christie vetoed. A Rhode Island bill was tabled for more study in March. And the NAACP sued Connecticut this year seeking to force similar legislation.The Connecticut lawsuit notes that most state prisoners come from coastal cities with large black and Hispanic populations, but are imprisoned in lightly populated, mostly white inland areas. Their hometowns lose their voice in state affairs because their population is diminished, the plaintiffs argue.Dozens of counties and cities also disregard inmate populations when drawing political lines. Colorado and Michigan have long had laws on the books requiring cities and counties to do that. And Virginia in 2012 gave cities and counties the option.In Rhode Island, a federal judge in 2016 ruled that the city of Cranston had to ignore about 3,000 prisoners when drawing six ward districts. The prisoners were in Rhode Islands only state prison, the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston.However, an appeals court overturned the decision, saying localities have the same freedom as states to count prisoners.The norm, as practiced by the large majority of states, is to district based on total-population data from the Census, which includes prisoners, the courts decision said.Other jurisdictions have come up with different solutions.Anamosa, Iowa, switched to at-large council districts in 2009 after a burgeoning state prison population left just three voters in a district of 1,358 people that contained a state prison. A county-employed backhoe operator won election with the write-in votes of two people: his wife and a neighbor.Aleks Kajstura, legal director of the Prison Policy Initiative, a Massachusetts-based advocacy group, said that counting inmates where they are incarcerated can distort criminal justice policy by boosting the political power of areas that host prisons.Before New York began counting inmates as residents of their home communities, Kajstura said, state lawmakers from upstate districts  areas with an economic interest in full prisons  helped block measures designed to reduce incarceration rates.Reform happened, but it was much harder and took far longer than it should have, Kajstura said. You cant have criminal justice reform if lawmakers feel that mass incarceration is how they got their jobs and how they can keep their districts.The lines moved a lot in 2012 once the state counted almost 59,000 state prisoners in their home districts instead of in sparsely populated upstate areas, Kajstura said.Nine Republican state senators and nine other plaintiffs sued to stop the change, claiming it would shift political power from upstate Republican districts to downstate New York City Democratic districts which constitutes political gerrymandering.I dont understand the logic of counting people where they arent, where they dont live, said Betty Little, a Republican state senator who sued. Counting those who are incarcerated where they once were and may never be again isnt fair to the communities that actually provide the local services, such as water, sewer, emergency responders, health care and courts.But a state judge upheld the law, saying that counting prisoners in districts where they are incarcerated tends to dilute minority voting strength in violation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.Counting prisoners at former homes also can help ease prisoners transition to a productive life, at least symbolically, by keeping those home communities more politically viable and represented in state legislatures, said Sandra Cunningham, the New Jersey state senator sponsoring that states bill.This is a good start in giving [prisoners] a stake in our society once they are released, the Democrat said.Nationally about 1.3 million people were in state prisons in 2016, the latest figures available. Whites are underrepresented in the prison population  black and white prison populations are about equal nationally, while whites outnumber blacks about 5-1 in the total adult population. Hispanics are about 16 percent of prison population compared with 14 percent of the adult population.As of 2017, the latest data available, state figures show about 51,000 state prisoners in New York.New Jersey has about 14,000 inmates in adult state prisons, down from almost 20,000 in the 2010 census.The U.S. Census Bureau in 2018 decided to continue counting state prisoners where they are incarcerated despite almost 78,000 public comments against that stance. The bureaus position does not prevent states from counting inmates as residents of their home communities when drawing the lines for state legislative or congressional districts.Most commenters suggested that counting prisoners at the prison inaccurately represents the population counts and demographic characteristics of prisoners home communities, as well as the communities where the prisons are located, the bureau said in a summary of the public comments on a Federal Register notice. Only four comments supported counting prisoners at prisons.The Census Bureau will continue counting inmates as residents of their prisons because its policy is to count people at their usual residence, acting Director Ron Jarmin wrote of his decision in February. The majority of people in prisons live and sleep most of the time at the prison.Jarmin offered to help states figure out how to place prisoners in their home districts, using their prior addresses. All states will, for the first time, get breakdowns of prisoner populations in early 2021 for redistricting purposes.That would allow states to take federal prison populations out of their redistricting equation. And although Maryland requested that information after the 2010 census, no state currently has any way of knowing where federal prisoners lived before they were incarcerated.A 36 year-old man dies of COVID-19 after calling relatives in the wee hours of the morning saying his oxygen was out and there was no one around. His widow, also COVID positive is calling on you to get vaccinated.To be sure, this estimate is a bit artificial, based as it is on the CBOs politically unrealistic assumption that the pre-Trump tax code will be restored after the 2017 bills individual tax provisions expire in 2025.

Still, the cumulative revenue increase between now and 2025 would be well above $500 billion, or about $72 billion per year, the same as Ocasio-Cortezs proposal.

The move would be highly progressive, because more than 30 percent of individual tax deductions accrue to the top 1 percent on the income scale, and 80 percent go to the top fifth, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

There would be howls of protest from the relatively prosperous minority that still takes advantage of itemized tax deductions. Cries to protect the deduction for charitable donations would be especially loud, though a compromise proposal  limit the deduction to cash donations only, as opposed to, say, gifts of used clothing or shares of stock  could defuse some of that. The CBO says this would still raise $145.7 billion over 10 years.

The resistance to a zero-deductions plan would be directly proportional to its radicalism. Yes, soaking the 16,000 or so taxpayers who make more than $10 million per year would send a strong egalitarian signal  and raise a lot of revenue.Forecasters are calling for a chance of snow on Friday night in northeast Oklahoma, but "currently, no major winter weather impacts are expected."

"Wintry precipitation continues to look possible Friday night and into Saturday across parts of northeast Oklahoma and western Arkansas," the National Weather Service in Tulsa said.

"Details remain uncertain at this time, including how much impact any wintry precipitation could cause.

"However, parts of far northeast Oklahoma and far northwest Arkansas currently look to have the best chance to see any accumulations and resulting impacts. Stay tuned ..."

As of Monday afternoon, the Tulsa-area forecast for Friday night is for periods of rain before midnight, then rain and snow likely with a low around 34. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent.

"Currently temperatures Friday and Saturday are forecast to remain near freezing or warmer which would limit any winter weather impacts," forecasters said.

"Also precipitation amounts will be heavier across southeast Oklahoma through western Arkansas where all rain is likely. So currently, no major winter weather impacts are expected with this system."President Donald Trump is slated to give a prime-time address to the nation Tuesday to explain why a U.S.-Mexico border wall is needed and worth holding the government hostage over.

If the government remains closed Friday, the day federal workers normally are paid, it will be the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and leave hundreds of thousands of Americans without pay. In the past, federal workers eventually have received back pay. But government contractors such as Burr have no guarantee of receiving lost wages.

Theres also a tremendous ripple effect of the shutdown on people who depend on government services for their livelihoods. In one fundraising campaign, for Anna Dravland, 34, of Marquette, Michigan, friends write that she recently had a stroke and is waiting to get on disability. The already long process is stalled now because of the government shutdown, they write.

She has completely run out of funds for housing and utilities and is in dire need of funds as she is in danger of losing her home and getting her utilities shut off while she waits for her disability claim to be processed, the campaign page reads. Anna is still in recovery and the financial stress is causing her physical complications.Thurmond, a Marine Corps veteran, said he was based in Yuma, Arizona, back in the 1970s. In his letter to the president, he mentioned his service in Yuma, adding how he saw first-hand the challenges that law enforcement encounters along our southern border, and I will support whatever it takes to make it secure.

In Broken Arrow, Thurmond wrote, concluding the short letter, our citizens build fences around their homes for protection. Some citizens choose to live in gated communities for security reasons. I believe it is time to deviate from partisan politics and commit to doing what is best for the American taxpayers.

Thurmond said Wednesday that hes worked in construction for 40 years, and has worked with a lot of immigrant workers and I know their importance.

But public safety must take priority, he said.

He added he wishes officials would move beyond partisanship on the border issue and focus on problem-solving: In Broken Arrow, we dont have partisan potholes or waterline breaks. Everything we do is for everybody  to solve problems.

Thurmond said hes received a couple of emails about the letter that disagree with my position. But most Broken Arrow residents, he believes, would agree because they support public safety.PHOENIX  After a campaign buoyed by a surge in teacher activism, Arizonas new schools chief took office with a pledge to address the kind of grievances that led to school-shuttering walkouts in several states last spring.

Kathy Hoffman, a 33-year-old school speech therapist, is among hundreds of educators being sworn into office following the #RedforEd protests, which were credited with raising awareness of the needs of public schools and inspiring many educators to join the political fray.

To take the oath of office at her inauguration Monday, Hoffman placed her hand upon Too Many Moose, a book she enjoyed using in her classroom to help children with speech impediments.

It was thrilling to see everyone come together for that cause last spring, but now we need to do everything we can to come together to pass policies and solve this together, said Hoffman, the states new superintendent of public instruction. We want to do everything we can to prevent another walkout.

Nationwide, an unprecedented 1,800 current and former educators, administrators and support staffers ran for office in 2018, and more than half of them won, according to the National Education Association, the countrys largest teachers union.Oklahoma City Public Schools and Tulsa Public Schools lost the most state aid dollars  $2.1 million each  since initial allocations of state aid were released to public schools in August.

Coming in third and fourth are Broken Arrow and Owasso, which lost $1.9 million and $1.5 million, respectively.

Long the states largest virtual charter, Epic Charter Schools, expanded last year with two new blended learning centers in Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Their virtual school option is authorized by the Oklahoma Virtual Charter School Board, while the new blended learning centers are authorized by Rose State College.

By comparison, that school systems total state aid was $60.9 million at this juncture last year, and now its $112.9 million.

Shelly Hickman, the schools spokeswoman, said it is worth noting that initial funding is calculated differently for virtual schools than for traditional public schools. Specifically, initial state aid is calculated on virtual schools enrollment as of Aug. 1 and the academic year for EPIC doesnt begin until September.

And she noted that Epics staggering growth in students means the school doesnt get nearly as much funding as it would if its current enrollment was counted for midyear adjustments.Tulsa police are asking for the public's help after officers found three dead German shepherd puppies in a barrel in east Tulsa on Tuesday.

The puppies were about 6 months old, were wearing harnesses and appeared to have been dumped at the location, according to a post on the Tulsa Police Department's Facebook page.

The post includes pictures of the dogs' harnesses and moving blankets in which the dogs were wrapped.

Anyone with information about the dogs is asked to contact the Tulsa Police Department.

Stetson Payne 918-732-8135 stetson.payne@tulsaworld.com Twitter: @stetson__payneOKLAHOMA CITY  It was only organizational day, an afternoon set aside every other year on the first Tuesday following the first Monday in January for new Legislatures to formally elect officers and approve the rules by which they will abide, more or less, for the next two years.

The business is pro forma, since the speaker of the House and president pro tempore of the Senate were chosen in their respective Republican caucuses months ago, and the rules are pretty much whatever the majority party decides.

The lawmakers slap each other on the back and tell the members of the opposing party  and maybe the opposing chamber  how much they appreciate them.

Still, amid all the geniality and good manners, some markers were put down and some points made. This was particularly so in the House of Representatives, where members are apt to eye each other like the Clantons and the Earps at the OK Corral.

While the Senate elected Edmond Republican Greg Treat president pro tem without the minority Democrats even going through the formality of nominating an opponent, the House  in which the Republicans have a 77-24 majority  used up the better part of two hours on nominating and seconding speeches for the Democratic and Republican speaker and speaker pro tem candidates.The fugitive became violent and attempted to assault the officers with a knife, according to the release. Shots were fired striking the fugitive, which stopped the knife attack.

The agency said that in accordance with its policy it will not release the names of the deputies involved in the shooting, though the Office of Professional Responsibility is expected to conduct an investigation along with the agencys Shooting Review Board to determine whether their actions were justified.

Edmonds is accused of choking a woman at the Louisville Avenue address on Oct. 10 after she refused to have sex with him, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Edmonds reportedly had a medical condition that left him in pain and bedridden. But he managed to get out of bed that day for the first time, informed the woman what he wanted and then became irate when she declined, the affidavit states.

Edmonds grabbed her by the throat and threw her on the bed, investigators wrote in the affidavit.

Edmonds hit the womans head against the floor multiple times as she tried to escape, and she told police that she saw stars, according to the affidavit.

The woman had bruises on her neck, arms and wrists and lacerations on her jaw. Medical personnel noted that she had a drooping mouth and slurred speech consistent with being strangled, according to the affidavit.Mayor de Blasio vowed Tuesday that for $100 million New York City can guarantee healthcare to every New York City resident -- including around 300,000 undocumented immigrants."No one will be turned away, and the care will be comprehensive," de Blasio said at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx.The program, dubbed NYC Care, is aimed at providing either insurance or health services to the 600,000 New Yorkers who are uninsured, 300,000 of whom are undocumented immigrants who cannot be insured. The other 300,000 are people who cannot afford healthcare on the Affordable Care Act exchanges, the city said, or who simply opt not to purchase it.The city will take a two-pronged approach to reaching those people. For those who cannot be insured, the city will provide a NYC Care membership card that will allow them to access a primary care doctor at the city's Health + Hospitals network. Pricing will be done on an a sliding scale, and patients will be able to get specialty care, prescription drugs, and mental health help.For those who can be insured, the city will expand its MetroPlus program, which functions as the city's public option for free or affordable health insurance. That program is already available on the ACA exchange, but de Blasio said it would be revamped in ways to make it more attractive to people who have so far opted not to sign up.It will cost $100 million a year when scaled up, de Blasio said. Undocumented people are already guaranteed healthcare at the city's public hospitals, but de Blasio and other officials said the new program would allow them to better manage their health -- preventing the costly emergency room visits that often make up the bulk of their interaction with the healthcare system."We're spending a lot of money right now and we're not spending it the way we want to," he said. "A number of hospitalizations are caused because people didn't get care earlier and better."The scale of the effort is smaller than universal healthcare or Medicaid for All, proposals that have become increasingly popular. In Albany, lawmakers are considering legislation to create a single-payer healthcare system in the state, something de Blasio said he supported."We're going to work for those changes, but our people need healthcare now. They need it right now," he said.The program comes as de Blasio said Health + Hospitals is in the midst of a remarkable turnaround. In 2016, de Blasio had to funnel hundreds of millions from the city budget into the public hospital network just to keep the doors open. In 2017, amid a spat between the city and state over federal funding for the hospital network, its interim head said Health + Hospital had just 18 days worth of cash on hand.Now, the system is in a "very good cash position," city Budget Director Melanie Hartzog said. The wait time to see a primary care doctor -- which was months last year -- is down to one to two weeks, Katz said."The situation has changed dramatically," Katz said, in part due to hiring more primary care doctors.The large percentage of Health + Hospitals patients who are uninsured was one part of the massive financial strain the system was under -- and expanding MetroPlus, which would bring in more paying patients, could help bolster it further. But Dr. Katz said that wasn't the goal."I see it as a way of meeting the need in the community and keeping people out of the hospital," he said.Still, de Blasio said he did believe the expansion would bring in new patients to Health + Hospitals."It's going to show more and more New Yorkers that they can get what they need through Health + Hospitals," he said.As for how to convince young people who have felt they do not need insurance to sign up for MetroPlus -- which has long been available -- de Blasio said the city was rolling out a "much better MetroPlus" that he hoped would appeal to younger people who "are not thrilled about giving their money to a big for-profit" insurance company.The proposal was met with criticism from pols on de Blasio's right, including Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-Staten Island), who ran against de Blasio for mayor in 2017."Our citizens have a hard enough time covering their own healthcare costs and now Mayor de Blasio also wants them to pay for the healthcare of 300,000 citizens of other countries. The Mayor must stop abusing the middle class and treating us like his personal ATM," she said.De Blasio said those undocumented immigrants were simply people's neighbors and co-workers."I just refused the notion that these folks don't deserve healthcare and I refuse the fiction that they have some other place to turn for it that's so wonderful and easy," de Blasio said.He argued it was both the "morally right choice" and one that will save taxpayers money in the end, by reducing trips to the emergency room for which taxpayers are already picking up the bill.Mirando chose to violate and abuse both his position of trust as a formerly licensed attorney and his position of trust as a court appointed guardian for the victim of this horrible fraud, U.S. Attorney Trent Shores said in a statement.

Embezzling almost $600,000 from a vulnerable individual who was receiving medical treatment in order to maintain an extravagant personal lifestyle for himself and his family is inexcusable, Shores said.

Even more egregious, Mirando used his skills as an attorney to conceal the theft for three years by laundering the proceeds of the bank fraud scheme through the movement of cash between multiple bank accounts, the prosecutor continued.

Mirando made 306 cash withdrawals from the womans financial accounts, depositing the money into his personal account, his business account and his wifes personal account, and used the money to pay personal expenses, according to a court filing by the U.S. Attorneys Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles McLoughlin said during the sentencing hearing in Tulsa federal court that Mirandos actions were incredibly premeditated.

Mirando step-by-step looted the womans inheritance, he said.Hes basically the villain for the first act of the show, and he develops into this romantic hero in the end, Rosene said. Then because of the costume and makeup, so much of your physicality as an actor is hidden, that you have to find new ways to bring that aspect of the character. So there are all sorts of challenges in playing the Beast.

That dichotomy  being at once villain and hero  was one of the reasons Phoenix said casting the role had been fraught with problems.

We had a lot of people audition, and there were some who were great as the Beast and some who were great as the Prince, she said. Drew was equally good at both.

Especially because one of the major questions about the Beast is exactly how old hes supposed to be.

When Belle comes to the castle, the Beast has been a beast for a number of years, Rosene said. Theres a lot of speculation on the internet about how old the Beast was when he was transformed, and some think he could have been as young as 10 years old.

And that kind of makes sense because in a way, the Beast is really still a child, he said. Hes never had the chance to mature. Then along comes Belle, and for the first time in his life, hes forced to think of others instead of himself.The federal Johnson-OMalley Program provides books, fees, equipment and other necessities to hundreds of thousands of Native children across the country. JOM programs also incorporate unique tribal culture and heritage in school curriculum.

Cherokee Nation JOM Program Manager Mark Vance serves as vice president of the National Johnson-OMalley Association and has spent years advocating for modernization of JOM funding methods.

Weve spent several decades advocating for reform, and Im very pleased to see this bill signed, Vance said. JOM is incredibly important for students to retain a cultural connection to their tribe through education. It instills within them a sense of pride. This bill is a major step in the right direction, and I look forward to seeing the positive changes it will make throughout Indian Country.A small change to a building figures to loom large for American Airlines in Tulsa.

Company and city leaders on Wednesday celebrated the opening of a new tail slot for hangar doors at the American Airlines Tulsa Maintenance Base, also known as Tech Ops-Tulsa.

The $2.7 million infrastructure project to the World War II-era facility was realized through Vision Tulsa, a sales tax renewal package approved by voters in 2016.

It will allow for maintenance on bulkier aircraft such as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A319, which served as a backdrop for a news conference attended by several hundred American Airlines workers.

This is huge for us, said Erik Olund, managing director of the base. The really unique part of it for us is that were able to put airplanes in this hangar that we wouldnt have been able to before.  The flexibility of being able to have the additional hangar capability is something we continue to look forward to doing.

Wednesdays reveal marks the fourth such modification completed in the Hangar 1-2 complex, he said. American Airlines leases the base property from the city of Tulsa, which oversaw the alteration.- Sonko appointed his first Cabinet in October 2017 after he fired those who were appointed by his predecessor, Kidero

- Polycarp Igathe, currently Managing Director at Equity Bank, was then the deputy governor

- A few months after assuming office, the deputy governor suddenly resigned citing frustration from the county boss

- Igathe's resignation was followed by a Cabinet reshuffle that saw some of Sonko's pioneer ministers sent home

- More than a year later, the governor not only had no deputy but his Cabinet members had been reduced to just three ministers

- Sonko is expected to name new deputy and unveil a new Cabinet following exit of the county's education minister

When Mike Mbuvi Sonko unseated Evans Kidero as the Governor of Nairobi following his poll victory in August 2017, the vibrant governor did not waste time before he hit the ground running.

He on October 15, 2017, appointed his first ever Cabinet of 10 County Executive Committee (CEC) members who he believed would help him address the many challenges that were facing Nairobi, from garbage menace to perennial city traffic gridlock.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko says Education CEC resigned over theft of bursary funds

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko sent packing nearly all members of his first Cabinet citing corruption as the main reason why the had to leave. Photo: UGC.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Nairobi county committee member resigns with two-paragraph letter to Mike Sonko

About five months into his leadership, Sonko had parted ways with his deputy, Polycarp Igathe, who dramatically resigned on January 12, 2018, citing frustrations from his boss.

"Without fear, favour or ill will I step down to avoid abusing or betraying my oath of office to Kenyans, Nairobians and my family. Thank you for the encouraging support given to me so far," Igathe said in his statement.

READ ALSO: Nairobi deputy governor Polycarp Igathe resigns- cites frustrations from Governor Sonko

Months after Igathe's exit, the governor sent home a number of senior members of his Cabinet and suspended others mostly accusing them of engaging in corruption.

Among those who were either shown the door or sent on compulsory leave were Veska Kangogo, Sonko's first Minister of Devolution; Danvas Makori, the first Minister of Finance; and Emma Mukuhi who was in charge of the ICT and e-Government docket in the first Cabinet.

In between, the governor reshuffled his Cabinet during which some of the pioneer members lost their positions while others were moved to new posts.

The fate of some of the CEC like Larry Wambua were left hanging in the balance following the reshuffle.

The other county ministers who constituted Sonko's first Cabinet were Saleh Abdullahi Bardad, Charles Kerich and Dr Hitan Chhagan Majevda.

READ ALSO: Nairobi county committee member resigns with two-paragraph letter to Mike Sonko

As of January 2019, TUKO.co.ke understands the governor was left with just three ministers, namely Allan Igambi of Finance, Charles Kerich in the Lands docket and Mohammed Dagane in the Transport department, after the county's education minister Ouko resigned.

The Nairobi County Public Service Board in October 2018 issued a public notice inviting applications for five positions of county ministers.

Governor Sonko is now expected to unveil a new Cabinet on Friday, January 11, following unceremonious resignation of the education minister on Monday.

READ ALSO: Those idiots should leave me alone: Uhuru responds to critics

Reacting to Ouko's exit on Wednesday afternoon, the governor disclosed he was in the process of reconstituting his Cabinet and will name it, together with the new deputy, when he jets back from Mombasa.

"There will be changes in my Cabinet which I will announce when I return to Nairobi on Friday. I will also name a new deputy," he said.

Sonko clarified the reason why he was not in a hurry to replace Igathe after his first nominee, lawyer Miguna Miguna, was rejected by Members of the County Assembly (MCAs), was because the county's leadership was stable and he did not feel there was urgency to fill the vacuum.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Mike Sonko Exposes Pumwani Hospital - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko.co.ke- Mike Sonko who is in Mombasa said he will name his deputy on friday, January 11 after returning to Nairobi

- The governor said he was not in a hurry to name his deputy because county never faced leadership crisis

- The county chief hinted he would name a fresh cabinet alongside the long awaited deputy

- Sonko has led Nairobi for one year without a deputy after Polycarp Igathe resigned citing frustrations

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has announced he will name his new deputy on Friday, January 11 exactly one year after Polycarp Igathe resigned.

Igathe, currently the Managing Director Equity Bank resigned on February, Friday 12 citing frustrations from hiss boss.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens.

READ ALSO: Jubilee and NASA women MPs meet, agree to support Uhuru-Raila handshake

The Nairobi County Chief has been operating without a deputy since the resignation of Polycarp Igathe. Photo:UGC

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Ferdinand Waititu takes a swipe at Kuria over his unquenchable thirst for liquor

Speaking to the press in Mombasa on Wednesday, January 9, shortly after responding to resignation claims by Education Executive, Janet Ouko, Sonko said he was constituting a fresh cabinet together with a new deputy governor.

"I will name a new deputy when I return to Nairobi on Friday. There will also be changes in my cabinet which I will announce then," Sonko said.

He defended his decision of not hurrying to replace Igathe, saying the county leadership was stable and he did not feel any vacuum despite his earlier surprise proposal of combative lawyer Miguna Miguna having been turned down by Members of County Assembly.

"Nairobi county is very stable and there is no crisis at the moment. Each and every governor has his style of leadership and in my case everything is intact, he added.

Polycarp Igathe resigned in January 2017 citing frustrations from his former boss Mike Sonko. Photo:UGC

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Moses Kuria cancels press conference intended to announce his resignation as MP over safety concerns

The governor said Ouko who accused him of blackmail after stating she had resigned to engage in other activities, had quit just when he was about to name a full cabinet.

Sonko welcomed Oukos resignation but alleged the executive member had left following suspected loss of millions of money set aside for less fortunate learners' bursary kitty.

When we disbursed KSh 357 million for brilliant students in 2018, some senior officers in the education docket conspired with cartels and returned cheques which they then directed to their private companies. This cannot happen under my watch again," he said.

The county chief had initially proposed four candidates including NGO executive and lawyer Jane Weru, Business Executive, Philanthropist and Gender Activist Agnes Kagure, Televangelist and former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru and city lawyer Karen Nyamu as hi potential deputies.

He settled on female nominees on grounds of gender balance.

Story By: John Karisa, TUKO Correspondent, Mombasa.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news

Chinese Nationals arrested with ivory, leopard skins, and suspected dog meat | Tuko TV:

Source: Kenya Breaking News Today- Ouko said it was not true she was forced to resign because of corruption at her docket

- She told off her former boss, Mike Sonko, claiming he was just bitter because she left

- Ouko had cited challenges facing the county as one of the reasons why she resigned

- Sonko had alleged Ouko was forced to exit office because of lose of funds in her docket

Former Nairobi County's education minister, Janet Muthoni Ouko, has reacted furiously to claims by Governor Mike Mbuvi Sonko she was forced to reign after funds meant for bursary went missing in her docket.

Ouko dismissed the governor's grave allegations as fake claims meant to tarnish her good reputation and bring her down.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko says Education CEC resigned over theft of bursary funds

While announcing her resignation, Janet Ouko said she had decided to exit office over the challenges facing the county and that she was going to pursue other interests. Photo: UGC.

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Nairobi county committee member resigns with two-paragraph letter to Mike Sonko

Speaking to KTN on Wednesday, January 9, shortly after the governor issued a press briefing regarding the former minister's unceremonious exit, a seemingly emotional Ouko branded the governor a leader with low self esteem.

"Mike Sonko should be mature enough to let employees who wish to resign leave in peace instead of concocting fake corruption claims. The problem is we are dealing with a person who has low self esteem and will try everything to bring you down," she ranted.

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko on Wednesday, January 9, alleged the former CEC was part of the cartel that embezzled county funds since the year 2013. Photo: UGC.

Source: Facebook

READ ALSO: Those idiots should leave me alone: Uhuru responds to critics

The former county education minister challenged her ex-boss to ask himself why out of all his cabinet members only two are left.

"He should ask himself why out of all his appointed ministers, he is left with two. Why is he only realizing now that I was corrupt after I have resigned. Kenyans are not stupid and if he is unable to rule Nairobi, he should patiently serve the remainder of his 5-year term," Ouko said.

As was earlier reported by TUKO.co.ke, Ouko resigned on Monday citing a number of challenges she was facing in her position as county education boss.

Among the challenges she mentioned were the exploding population of school-going children against the limited number of schools available.

She added she was also planning to pursue other personal interests and therefore would not be able to continue serving as Nairobi's education minister.

In a two-paragraph resignation letter sent to Sonko's office, Ouko indicated her resignation will take effect from January 31.

READ ALSO: Nairobi deputy governor Polycarp Igathe resigns- cites frustrations from Governor Sonko

Reacting to the ex-county minister's resignation, Sonko alleged Ouko was part of a cartel that had been diverting money meant to support needy students in the county to private accounts.

The county chief dismissed Ouko's allegations of blackmail saying she was only hard on her over loss of money in her docket.

"Nairobi county government lost bursary funds amounting to over KSh 10 million in two scandals since 2013. In the first scandal, there is a fake company registered under the name Kobudho Education Center which has been swindling money meant for needy students in the county," the governor alleged.

He further disclosed the county had been writing cheques which were usually banked immediately and money withdrawn at Equity bank branches in cash by one Job Omondi.

According to governor, the officers implicated were arraigned in court and charged for defrauding the devolved unit.

"In scandal number two, we disbursed KSh 347 million to poor bright students in the county. Officers in the education docket took back the cheques, canceled them and diverted the money to private companies under the watch of Ouko," Sonko alleged.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news.

Mike Sonko Insists Nairobians Will Walk Again - On Tuko TV

Source: Tuko Breaking News Latest- The study will seek to understand the areas of pressure that led to high cases of suicide among the officers

- National Police Service CEO said the research could help the service come up with better approaches in handling their problem

- Several cases of police committing suicide have been reported across the country in the past days

Amid rising cases of police officers committing suicide, National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has moved in speed to understand the circumstances that have led to the rise in such incidents.

The service is now set to conduct a scientific study to explore on possible solutions to end suicide cases among the officers.

Send 'NEWS' to 40227 to receive all the important breaking news as it happens

READ ALSO: IG Jospeph Boinnet's driver shoots self dead under unclear circumstances

Kenya Police Service CEO Joseph Onyango addressing members of the press on Tuesday, January 8, in Mombasa Port Police Station. Photo: UGC

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Kilifi police arrest 8 suspects linked to clobbering of chief at a disco matanga

Speaking to members of the press at Mombasa Port Police Station on Tuesday, January 8, NPSC Chief Executive Officer Joe Onyango said they were keen to understand the areas that pressured their officers.

We are going round collecting information on our officers to establish a repository to enable us to study the trends and see the areas we can address, said Onyango.

Onyango disclosed NPSC was considering to implement some of the existing policies to help curb the challenges that the officers have been facing in the recent past.

 We will focus on what should be done before a police officer is transferred to a hotspot and see the interventions we can make before he/she is integrated with his/her colleagues," he said.

READ ALSO: Police officer takes own life in Bomet County as wave of suicide increases among cops

Onyango had visited the police station after one of the officers committed suicide under unclear circumstances.

Cases of officers committing suicide are on the rise given the recent incident where an officer in Lamu shot himself twice on the neck.

TUKO.co.ke earlier reported a case of another officer from Elgeyo-Marakwet taking his own life under unclear circumstances on Sunday, October 28, 2018.

Also, in Kitui an officer committed suicide and left behind a note insinuating he was fearing an impending arrest following a setup by individuals well known to him.

Do you have a hot story or scandal you would like us to publish, please reach us through news@tuko.co.ke or WhatsApp: 0732482690 and Telegram: Tuko news

Chinese Nationals arrested with ivory, leopard skins, and suspected dog meat | Tuko TV

Source: TukoSome years ago, not as many people were open to the idea of getting a tattoo. In part, societal perceptions about tatoos influenced most peoples decision. Fast forward to today, body art has become a fashion statement. Nowadays people use inking designs to tell their story. Ladies, if you are looking for the ideal body art design for you, consider our small tatoo ideas.

SOURCE: Instagram @Vera Sidika

Source: Instagram

Tattoos have symbolic meanings. The lines, patterns, and other details tell a story. As such, getting inked allows you to express your thoughts, feelings, and perception. The best part is that you are the primary decision maker. Therefore, you can opt for a standout design or go for a tiny one. Also, you are free to choose where to get inked. Below are some of the small tatoo ideas for Kenyan women and girls. Some designs are really tiny while others are small in the sense that they do not cover the entire body part.

READ ALSO: Simple tattoo designs for women (with meanings)

1. Pretty rose

SOURCE: Instagram @inkitup

Source: Instagram

The rose flower is one of the most beautiful flowers in the world that comes in different colors. In the tat world, each rose colour or shade has a unique meaning. Most people associate red rose inks with love, beauty, and romance. On the other hand, pink rose tatoos signify gentleness, femininity, grace, and innocence. Also, pink rose designs are popular among cancer survivors or those affected by it. A white rose is a sign of purity, innocence, or mysteriousness, while the yellow rose represents joy, devotion, and mature love. Purple rose tatooing design shows royalty, wealth or love at first sight, and finally, the black rose one signifies grief.

2. Heart

SOURCE: Instagram @_ink_sensei

Source: Instagram

The heart design has several variations. The sacred heart tatoo popular among Christians represents a commitment to Christ. The broken heart inking signifies lost love while the winged heart tatooing design is a sign of freedom or a free spirit.

SOURCE: Instagram @claatyfranklin

Source: Instagram

3. Special dates

SOURCE: Instagram @claatyfranklin

Source: Instagram

Some days are significant in your life. Such dates include your birthday, anniversary, first day at work, baptism day, graduation, or your child's birthday. As such, you can have these dates inked on your body. Some people only ink the day while others include the month and year.

4. Small lace ribbon

SOURCE: Instagram @_ink_sensei

Source: Instagram

Laces make ladies look elegant and classy. As such, most lace tattoo designs represent femininity, luxury, purity and sensuality. Here is another pretty ribbon ink design.

5. Name

SOURCE: Instagram @_ink_sensei

Source: Instagram

When you are undecided about the ideal design for you, always settle for your name. If not, you can choose a word that best describes your life.

6. Butterfly

The butterfly symbolizes femininity, love, freedom, transformation, and faith.

7. Anchor

Source: s3.amazonaws.com

Source: UGC

The general symbolism of the anchor design includes calmness, composure, hope, and salvation.

8. Dove

The dove represents peace and harmony in Christianity.

9. Bible verse or encouraging quote

Source: tattooartpedia.com

Source: UGC

The Bible encourages Christians to live as stipulated by the word of God. Some believers choose to ink their favourite verses on their bodies, or words that encourage them to keep their faith in God.

10. Tree of life

The tree of life represents immortality. A tree ink-decorating design can also be a sign that you care about the environment.

11. Leaf

Source: imgcop.com

Source: UGC

The leaf symbolizes several aspects of life. For instance, a leaf inking design represents beginning and end.

12. Feather

The feather tatoos depict the different characteristics and qualities of birds. This design also symbolizes a free and adventurous soul.

13. Cherry blossom

SOURCE: Instagram @vampbodyart

Source: Instagram

Different cultures assign varying meanings to the cherry blossom design. Among the Samurai's, the cherry blossom signifies the balance between power. Other meanings of this tatt include fragility, beauty, nobility, luck, purity, prosperity, love, strength and renewal. It is therefore upon you to decide the message you want to put across with this design.

14. Ladybird

A ladybird tatt symbolizes friendship. In some cases, the ladybird represents luck and success.

15. Star

Star tatooing designs symbolize ambition, hope, individuality, transformation, success, stardom and an interest in astronomy.

SOURCE: Instagram @_ink_sensei

Source: Instagram

16. Diamond

The world views diamonds as precious stones that signify wealth and power. For this reason, diamond tatts are quite mainstream. The meanings attached to the diamond ink designs include beauty, durability, infinity, wealth, purity, integrity, and glamour.

17. Sun and moon

Source: rachelfirasek.com

Source: UGC

The sun depicts life, energy, and power. On the other hand, most cultures link the moon to the female goddess. Therefore depending on the shape of the sun and the moon, this ink design can denote truth, healing, new life, authority and knowledge. You can also do a separate sun or moon tatt like the one shown below.

18. Sunflower

Source: flower-tattoos.com

Source: UGC

The sunflower is a symbol of warmth, hope, energy, and happiness.

19. Heartbeat

Source: nairobiwire.com

Source: UGC

The heartbeat tatoos consist of irregular lines known as EKG lines. The symbolism of the heartbeat tatt is unique to the wearer. For some, this ink design might have a romantic meaning. But, the most popular interpretation of this tatt is that it represents life. You can combine the heartbeat tatt with other designs. For example, you may ink it with a name as shown above to signify the level of closeness with a loved one. You can also choose to ink different colours. Currently, red is the most popular colour used for this design.

20. Palm tree

Palm tree tattoos denote value, love, truth, peace, and honour. For some people, the palm tree simply reminds them of the calmness and beauty of the beach.

21. Crown

Do you want to feel like royalty? Then all you need is to get a tiny crown tatt.

22. Flowering lotus

The flowering lotus has several meanings, in different cultures. In Western culture, this inking design symbolizes rebirth or new beginnings. In Buddhism, this inking denotes purity of mind, spirit, and body.

23. Bird

Bird body inking shapes represent freedom or the ability to do anything you want to. Some people associate the bird design with spirituality and motherhood.

24 Treble clef

If you are passionate about music, the small treble clef tatt is perfect.

25. Bunny

Source: tailandfur.com

Source: UGC

The bunny inks has several meanings in different cultures. This inking design signifies intelligence, fertility, chastity, luck, wealth, and cunningness among others.

Other small inking ideas for ladies

We cannot exhaust all inking designs since tattooing is an art and every artist has a way of doing their thing. Here are other ideas you can try

Small cross

Proudly Kenyan

Pretty ribbon

SOURCE: Instagram @_ink_sensei

Source: Instagram

Semi colon

Paw ink design

READ ALSO: What are the best perfumes for men that last long?

An inked shape on your body should reflect your personality and beliefs. Next time you get inked, try out the small tatoo ideas suggested above.

READ ALSO

25 modern hairstyles for long hair for wedding

Simple henna designs for hands

Best Mehndi designs - simple black henna designs in pictures!

Beautiful mehndi designs Arabic 2018

Best short weave hairstyles in Kenya

Source: TukoWith a unanimous City Council vote Monday night, Denver became Colorado's first jurisdiction to ban use of conversion therapy to try to change the sexual orientation of minors.Psychology's governing bodies have denounced conversion therapy, which treats being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender as a mental illness. Research shows such therapy increases the risk of suicide, drug abuse and depression among teens."Tonight's vote to ban conversion therapy is our city coming together and saying with one voice that we will never allow our LGBTQ+ youth to be the targets of these dubious practices, and that we are here to support them," Mayor Michael B. Hancock said in a statement. "Who they are is something to be celebrated, not maligned, and Denver will always be there to lift up our youth and ensure that they have the opportunity to grow up safe, happy and healthy."Hancock called passage of the proposal "a very proud moment" and thanked council members for their votes. The ban was recommended by Denver's LGTBQ Commission and submitted by the Office of Human Rights and Community Partnerships.The ban "will protect LGBTQ+ youth from dangerous and discredited practices aimed at changing their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression," a city news release says. "This proposal is aimed at state-licensed therapists, operating their practice in the city, who are falsely claiming that being gay or transgender is a mental illness, and therefore taking advantage of parents and harming vulnerable youth."Denver's City Council has a history of progressive decisions on LGBTQ issues, said Anton Schulzki, a Palmer High School teacher and board member of Inside/Out Youth Services, the Colorado Springs nonprofit for LGBTQ youths.In the '70s, it was the first city council in the state to decriminalize homosexual behavior, he said.About the same time, Boulder County became first in the state to issue same-sex marriage licenses."Municipalities have kind of stepped out in front in that respect," Schulzki said.Richard Skorman, president of the Colorado Springs City Council, said conversion therapy is "a terrible practice," and he would support a local ban."I vehemently oppose conversion therapy, and I think it should be discouraged in every way possible," Skorman said.But the council doesn't plan to introduce such a proposal, and Skorman emphasized that he can't speak for other council members."Do I see that (ban) happening down here? No," Schulzki said. "That being said, I see that probably, that will take place more at the statewide level."Tuesday, Colorado inaugurated Gov. Jared Polis, the first openly gay governor elected in the United States. Democratic legislators, who now control both chambers of the state General Assembly, said they'll try to ban conversion therapy in this legislative session, reports coloradopolitics.com.House Democrats sent such a bill last year to the Republican-held Senate, where it was struck down for the fourth year in a row.When a family forces a child into conversion therapy, they're demonstrating "an egregious form of rejection of their child," said Shawna Kemppainen, executive director of Urban Peak, a nonprofit that works with homeless youths in Colorado Springs. "That's basically saying, 'You are not OK. You must change. You're not enough.'"Kemppainen said about one-third of Urban Peak's young clients are LGBTQ. "Family rejection because of LGBTQ status figures prominently in youth becoming homeless," she said.And while most youths don't disclose experiences with conversion therapy, the Urban Peak staff hears "a few stories" about it each year, she said."It's not our job to tell a parent what their beliefs should be, but it can be part of our role to help parents understand what actions they can take that will either support and protect their child versus put their child more at risk," Kemppainen said.While "it would be helpful" for Colorado Springs to consider a ban, she said, it's not enough."I think the ultimate fix for the overall issue is to have a statewide or national ban on this sort of harmful process that we put young people through, and then put resources and energy into acknowledging that some families and parents are uncomfortable and don't know what to do," she said. "How can we blame someone for acting like that if they do not have other information?"Advocates of such bans expect major gains this year, since the Nov. 6 midterm election swept in a Democratic majority in the U.S. House and saw many states gain Democratic leadership. In addition, two films on gay conversion have produced great buzz.Sam Brinton of the Trevor Project, one of the groups pushing for a national ban, said thousands of people have signed up to help since the Nov. 2 release of "Boy Erased," starring Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe."The Miseducation of Cameron Post" also dramatizes the experience of youths subjected to conversion therapy.Fourteen states and the District of Columbia already have enacted laws prohibiting licensed therapists from trying to change a minor's sexual orientation.Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts and New York are expected to join those ranks in this year's legislative sessions, say leaders of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, another group pushing for a national ban."We'd be disappointed if we don't get those this year -- they're overdue," said Shannon Minter, the center's legal director.ABUJA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian troops killed more than 100 Boko Haram fighters in a latest operation to rout remnants of the terror group in Nigeria's northeast region, the army said in a statement on Monday.

The Boko Haram fighters were killed following the operation by troops in the two northeastern states of Borno and Yobe, said the army.

There was no specific number of terrorists killed and time of the operation in the official statement made available to Xinhua in Abuja.

The operation against Boko Haram, which has been trying since 2009 to establish an Islamic state in northeastern Nigeria, took place in the troubled region's Goniri, Damasak, Kross Kauwa, and Monguno, among other locations.

A high caliber of arms and ammunition were also recovered from the terrorists, according to the army.

Meanwhile, army spokesman Sani Kukasheka Usman disclosed that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had destroyed several gun trucks and facilities belonging to the Boko Haram group while giving close air support to ground troops and also facilitating the pursuit of fleeing terrorists.

"The battle has now further shifted to the fringes of Lake Chad and other suspected Boko Haram terrorists' enclave along the borders," Usman told reporters.

Boko Haram has so far killed about 20,000 people and forcing the displacement of millions of others in the most populous African country.Oro Valley is hosting a kickball tournament as part of BEYONDs annual Jan. 12 events to remember those lost during the Jan. 8, 2011 shooting which took the lives of six people on Tucsons north side.Fans of Puerto Rican and Chinese cuisine are happy with the fusion of flavors at Asian Sofrito.Some Tucson businesses have been on the job for more than a centuryPrime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has apologised for the vaccine fiasco last week, but said it was just one bad day.

After more than a year of managing and attempting to control the spread of the Covid-19 virus in Trinidad and Tobago, Rowley admitted that the Government made a blunder by allowing walk-in vaccinations at health centres across the country.The Trump administration said on Tuesday it would keep providing food assistance to poor Americans in February despite a partial U.S. government shutdown, but warned it had no solution in place for March if the funding shortfall continues.The announcement provides a reprieve for the roughly 40 million people whose food stamps have been threatened by the shutdown, triggered last month by President Donald Trumps demand that lawmakers include billions of dollars for his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall in any legislation to fund some government agencies.The partial shutdown has affected a broad swatch of the federal government, including national parks, airline security screening, housing assistance and the release of economic data. About 800,000 federal workers have been furloughed or are working without pay.A total of 200,000 Sinopharm vaccines from China arrived in Trinidad yesterday.

Trinidad and Tobago had received a gift of 100,000 Sinopharm vaccines previously from the Chinese government, bringing the total to 300,000 so far. A plane touched down at Piarco International Airport yesterday with the vaccines.breakthrough: Education Minister Anthony Garcia, second from left, greets Rodney Ramlogan, president of the Maxi-Taxi Concessionaires Association, at yesterdays news conference following a meeting with the Public Transport Service Corporation (PTSC) at the Education Towers, Port of Spain. Looking on are Bashir Mohammed, general manager of the PTSC, and Carol Bhagwandin, director of the Early Childhood Care and Education Division (ECCE).Do you have a news tip?

Want to share good news story, or do you have information that should see the light of day? Then we want to hear from you.

More hereTHE Ministry of Health was aware of an incoming donation of 80 vials of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine just prior to its arrival in the country, but the necessary documents for the United States gift to the Ministry of National Security were up to yesterday not yet sorted.SPEED READ:

Only 24 states and the District of Columbia require schools to test water for lead or have programs to conduct that testing, according to a report from Harvard University and the University of California.

State water testing policies lack uniformity, including regarding how much lead triggers a response.

Even among federal agencies, there are different thresholds for how much lead is acceptable in drinking water.

The EPA is currently considering a national standard in its revised Lead and Copper Rule.

Different Drinking Water Standards, Even at the Federal Level

Is a National Standard for Lead in Water Near?

Comparing State Lead Testing Laws

Five years after the Flint water crisis reminded Americans about the danger of lead in drinking water, nearly half of U.S. students are attending schools in states thatdont have programs or requirements to test tap water in schools, according to a new report.And the 24 states, plus the District of Columbia, that do require testing for lead or have programs to conduct that testing lack uniformity in how they go about it, researchers from Harvard University and the University of California pointed out in the report , released Wednesday. Only seven states and D.C. require water tests in schools; in the other 17 states with programs, participation is voluntary.State protocols vary widely on basic features, such as how much lead in the water triggers a state response, how the tests are conducted, how the testing data is maintained and whether the state pays any of the testing costs.The patchwork of policies can have a big impact on how -- and whether -- schools respond to lead found in their water. For example, schools that tested the water of multiple taps were more likely to find elevated lead levels, but not all states that require lead tests require multiple taps to be tested.Whats more, 44 percent of schools reported lead levels higher than their state threshold for action. Meanwhile, if all of them adopted the same threshold that applies to bottled water, there could be more than a doubling in the proportion of schools that would need to take steps in order to reduce the lead in their drinking water.Angie Cradock, a Harvard researcher and one of the authors of the report, says the varying ways in which states handle school lead tests reflect the many different standards used by the federal government and scientists when it comes to lead in water.On the one hand, scientists and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agree that no amount of lead is safe for people to ingest. Lead is a neurotoxin that is particularly dangerous to pregnant women and children. It can damage the brain, red blood cells and kidneys, and can cause lifelong developmental problems.But different federal agencies use different lead thresholds.For example, the Food and Drug Administration does not allow bottled water to have more than 5 parts per billion (ppb) of lead. But the EPA only requires municipal water systems to alert their customers if samples exceed 15 ppb. In 2006, the EPA recommended a threshold of 20 ppb for its voluntary school testing program. States have generally adopted one of those three levels in their testing laws.Schools or states would need more research in order to have an overarching standard that they could all use, says Cradock, who is also the deputy director of the Prevention Research Center on Nutrition and Physical Activity at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.'The EPA is currently considering a national standard as it makes its long-awaited revisions to the Lead and Copper Rule, which sets regulations for water utilities.In 1988, Congress actually required states to come up with a plan for eliminating lead in schools and day-care centers. But a federal appeals court struck down that law in 1996, ruling that it violated the 10th Amendment because it didnt give states a choice in whether to enforce the federal law.The 2014 Flint water crisis, however, spurred states to take action on their own. Between the summers of 2016 and 2018, 15 states and the District of Columbia passed laws governing lead testing for school tap water.The crisis in Flint highlighted for legislators and advocates the gap in the regulation of our water supply, especially in schools, says Anisa Heming, the director for the Center for Green Schools, which has also studied state policies on testing water for lead in schools.The one thing that the policies do have in common is that they are trying to fill a void in federal water regulations, which don't specifically require schools to be tested, says Heming.The result of the existing federal regulatory framework is that without state action -- whether administrative or legislative -- many school outlets will not be tested for lead, a recent report by the Center for Green Schools explained. Without identifying and addressing elevated levels that may be present in schools, any exposure of students and staff to lead will continue unabated.There is one benefit to having states take so many different approaches, Heming says: It is easier for researchers and advocates to figure out which ones work better than others.So far, Heming says, the laws in California and New York appear to be promising.Both of those states have already released data from their tests. They both require schools to be tested, include enforcement measures, provide clear guidance for how the testing should be conducted and specify which agencies are responsible for which tasks.California also requires local water utilities to conduct the tests, Heming says. That approach ensures that schools don't have to use state funds to test their water. The schools need that money to fix up their own buildings, which are often the source of lead in their drinking water, rather than just conduct tests, she says.Cradock, the Harvard researcher, stresses that states have a long way to go in developing their school water policies.The overarching story is that only half the states had a program to test school water for lead, Cradock says. I hope that the report will drive further states to adopt lead testing, so they could monitor quality of drinking water in schools. All kids should have access to quality drinking water in schools.amansharma@tribunemail.com

Copenhagen, January 9

The missing wife of one of Norway's richest men has been abducted, and that her suspected kidnappers have demanded ransom in cryptocurrency, police said on Wednesday.

Chief investigator Tommy Broeske said 68-year-old Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen has been missing since October 31.

Her husband Tom Hagen - a real estate investor and owner of power facilities - is number 172 on a list of the country's 400 most wealthy people published by Norway's financial magazine Kapital.

His fortune in 2018 amounted to nearly 1.7 billion kroner (USD 2 billion), according to Norwegian news agency NTB.

Police said a note found in the couple's house, east of Oslo, described what would happen to her if the demanded ransom wasn't paid in the Monero cryptocurrency.

Police did not give a figure for the ransom amount, but Norway's VG newspaper reported it was 9 million euros (USD 10.3 million). The newspaper reported that the note said Falkevik Hagen would be killed if police were involved.

Broeske declined to comment other than saying "the threats (in the note) were of a very serious character."

"The reason for us to go public with this case now is that despite a broad and extensive investigation, we need more information," he told a news conference.

"We have no suspects in this case," he said. Police have been "on the case for several weeks. That is all I'd say," he added.

Broeske said "those behind have chosen to communicate digitally and we have had no other type of contact." Police had urged the family not to pay any ransom.

Police believe she disappeared from the couple's home, some 50 kilometres from the Swedish border.

Broeske said they were working with Europol and Interpol on the case. - APeditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 8

The Counter Intelligence Wing and the Rural Police today arrested a gangster of the Saini group of Gurdaspur for his alleged involvement in the killing of a 27-year-old man and injuring two of his aides on Diwali last year.

The accused, Gurpreet, alias Kaka (20), is a resident of Dinanagar. A pistol, cartridges and two magazines were seized from his possession.

AIG Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh said they had received a tip-off that the gangster carrying some illegal weapons was heading to Jalandhar by road.

He said he shared information with Jalandhar Rural SSP Navjot Mahal and a joint team was constituted. The team carried out a search near Jallowal Chowk on the national highway and nabbed Gurpreet, he said.

During preliminary interrogation, Gurpreet revealed that his gang was headed by Devinder Saini, an absconder. On Diwali, he along with Devinder and others had allegedly shot dead Mukhwinder Singh, Khakh said, adding that a clash between the victim, his brother and the Saini group had led to the killing.

The main conspirators in the case, Devinder Saini and Gurpreet Kaka, are yet to be arrested. Khakh said after the murder, the accused had fled to Patna, where they stayed for two months. They had returned to strike again. There is a feud between the Saini group and the Sukh Bhikhariwal group and the former was planning to eliminate some members of the Bhikhariwal group, the officer said.

A case under Sections 25/54/59 of the Arms Act has been registered against Gurpreet at Bhogpur.editorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 8

Congress MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal faced the wrath of residents of Chabbewal village over non-availability of drinking water. The residents have put up a banner asking him not to enter the village that falls in the Chabbewal Assembly constituency of Hoshiarpur.

The residents were reportedly upset as they have not been getting drinking water for the past nearly three months. Using Facebook to vent their ire, they claimed that the equipment and pipes for installing a tubewell had been sanctioned, but the MLA had got the work stopped.

Gagan Sandhu, a village resident, said: The MLA is trying to harass us for not electing his candidate as village sarpanch. The residents alleged that the MLA was getting all works done till his party man Shiv Ranjan Romi was the sarpanch. Now that AAP-supported Harminder Sandhu has been elected, he was trying to harass them by getting development works stalled, they alleged.

The MLA, however, denied the allegations. I had already informed the villagers that there could be procedural delay of one month or so as Rs 1.73 lakh was required to be paid by the panchayat as margin money. Some approvals are pending too. Till the time, one of my supporters who has a bore in the village has assured to provide water to residents. The protest is just a political stunt by rivals, Chabbewal claimed.editorial@tribune.com

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 8

In a case pertaining to three civil surgeons who got promotions by allegedly using fake disability certificates, the states Commission for Persons with Disabilities has noted that while conducting the disability assessment of the medical officers, the government has violated its order.

In a letter written to the Additional Chief Secretary, Health, on Monday, the commission said the government was asked to get the disability of three civil surgeons assessed from the PGIMER, Chandigarh. However, the three cases were referred to Government Medical College, Patiala.

In its report in November last year, the Government Medical College, Patiala, had reduced the disability of Dr Parvinderpal Singh, Civil Surgeon, Ludhiana, from 45 per cent to 24 per cent; Dr Balwant Singh, Kapurthala Civil Surgeon, from 53 per cent to 40.6 per cent. However, the case of Sangrur Civil Surgeon Dr Arun Kumar Gupta was referred to the PGI, Chandigarh, on the pretext of non-availability of neurologist.

Now, the commission has conveyed to the government that while conducting the medical examination, its orders were violated. The commission said the disability assessment of Dr Balwant Singh should be done again as per the instructions and the report of reassessment was sought within 15 days, which was not sent to the commission.

The complainants had claimed that experts in Patiala tried to save Dr Balwant Singh by mentioning a new disability (of 10 per cent), which was never part of his record.

Coming down heavily on the government, the commission said the government should get Dr Balwant Singhs disability assessed from the PGI.

Fake certificates

In a letter written to the Additional Chief Secretary, Health, on Monday, the states Commission for Persons with Disabilities said the government was asked to get the disability of three civil surgeons assessed from the PGIMER, Chandigarh. However, the three cases were referred to Government Medical College, Patiala.editorial@tribune.com

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, January 8

In the last 15 years (2003-2017), the lions share of rural development funds (RDF) were transferred to Muktsar, Amritsar and Tarn Taran  home districts of former CM Parkash Singh Badal, former ministers Bikram Singh Majithia and Adesh Partap Singh Kairon, respectively.

The SAD-BJP alliance was in power in the state from 2007-12 and 2012-17.

As per records, these three districts got Rs 566.77 crore of the total Rs 1,865.93 crore given to all 22 districts in the state, which means over 30 per cent of the total rural development funds were diverted to these districts of top Akali leaders.

The perusal of records shows that Muktsar district got the maximum Rs 260.11 crore in the state, Amritsar got Rs 187.25 crore and Tarn Taran Rs 119.41 crore.

In comparison, Patiala, which is the home district of incumbent Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, got just Rs 68.25 crore during this period.

A list sent by the state government to the Deputy Commissioners on January 5, asking them to submit the remaining utilisation certificates of Rs 596.59 crore at the earliest, also showed that Jalandhar district got rural development funds amounting to Rs 184.26 crore and Ludhiana Rs 156.55 crore. All other districts got less than Rs 100 crore each, which include Moga that got Rs 99.49 crore), Bathinda that received Rs 99.05 crore, Gurdaspur Rs 81.76 crore, Ropar Rs 65.32 crore, Hoshiarpur Rs 64.39 crore, Mansa Rs 62.06 crore, Nawanshahr Rs 56.6 crore, Sangrur Rs 55.77 crore, Mohali Rs 48 crore, Faridkot Rs 41.43 crore, Fazilka Rs 40.64 crore, Barnala Rs 40.25 crore, Fatehgarh Sahib Rs 38.89 crore, Kapurthala Rs 35.2 crore, Ferozepur Rs 32.25 crore and Pathankot that got Rs 29 crore.

Arun Kumar, District Development and Panchayats Officer (DDPO), Muktsar, said, A major part of the funds came before my posting here. Various works like the construction of concrete streets and the laying of sewage pipes were done with this amount in Lambi block. I have recently submitted the utilisation certificates of about Rs 50 crore and am trying to collect the remaining utilisation certificates of about Rs 83 crore from the panchayat secretaries. The DC on the directions of the state government has asked me to submit the pending utilisation certificates at the earliest.

Repeated attempts to contact Viswajeet Khanna, Financial Commissioner (Development), proved futile.

A senior officer said there were a number of districts larger in area and population, but funds were diverted mainly to Muktsar, Amritsar and Tarn Taran, which showed the priority of the government at that time. Perusal of documents, in possession of The Tribune, further showed that a majority of funds were sent in these districts in the 2016-17 financial year, just close to the state Assembly polls.

Next in line are dists of Majithia, Kaironrchopra@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, January 9

Sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal and Kerala and rail blockades in certain states were witnessed Wednesday on the second day of Bharat Bandh, which also saw a partial disruption of banking and insurance services across the country.

Other sectors like mining, road transport, power supply too bore the brunt of strike call given by country's 10 major central trade unions, except RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, to protest against the government's alleged anti-labour policies and unilateral labour reforms. They had given a call for a two-day Bharat Bandh on January 8 and 9.

Although the strike got lukewarm response in West Bengalthe ruling Trinamool Congress, a vocal critic of the BJP, not only did not participate in the strike, but also put in great efforts to see that it failedviolence was reported from several parts. School children were wounded in stone pelting at school buses in several parts of the state.

The general strike in Bengal had also put up a picture of CPI (M) and Congress joining hands to ensure that the general strike takes place in Bengal.

Some school students were injured and were left traumatised in Rajabazar area of Kolkata after stones were hurled at pool car ferrying students to school. The police have arrested some people for being allegedly involved in the incident, a police officer said.

Stones were also pelted at school buses in Howrah district leading to injury of the bus driver. Later on police rescued the students and the driver from the spot, police said.

Senior CPI (M) leader Sujan Chakraborty was arrested once again on Wednesday for a holding a rally in Jadavpur in the southern part of the city, officials said.

Chakraborty was also arrested on Tuesday for a rally holding a rally in support of the strike and was released in the evening.

In Coochbebar district, supporters of the strike pelted stones at autos as a result of which the drivers stopped the services.

Senior CPI (M) and Left leaders took out processions in various parts of the state in support of the strike.

In Kerala, a treasury branch of the State Bank of India in Thiruvananthapuram was attacked and trains were blocked in various parts of state on the second day of strike.

At the Thiruvananthapuram railway station, Thiruvananthapuram-Hyderabad Sabari Express and Venad Express were stopped, while the Kottayam-Nilambur passenger train in Kalamassery was held up for a while. At many places in Kerala, shops and commercial establishments remained shut, and buses and auto-rickshaws were also off roads in the state.

Trains were stopped by protesters at a few places in Tamil Nadu and banking services in some public sector banks interrupted in Telangana but life largely remained unaffected on Wednesday.

However, some impact of the strike was seen in Goa as private buses and tourist taxis remained off roads. Long queues of passengers were seen at various bus stands after the private buses association in the state shut operations.

In Mumbai, lakhs of commuters faced hardships as an indefinite strike called by BEST, the city's civic transport undertaking, continued. There were only five buses plying on city roads.

Over 32,000 BEST employees went on an indefinite strike Tuesday over various demands, including higher salaries.

Causing severe inconvenience to commuters in Bengaluru, hundreds of protesters from left trade unions disrupted bus services at Majesticthe Central Bus Stand here. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses also remained stationed in their respective depots across the state as protesters damaged the vehicles.

Train services in Eastern Railway zone were disrupted on Wednesday after supporters of the bandh resorted to blockades at many places. A suspected bomb was found on the railway tracks at Ashoknagar in Sealdah-Bongaon section that led to suspension of train services in the route.

In Odisha, train services were hit on the second day of the strike as trade union activists staged 'rail roko' at several places including Bhubaneswar, Balasore and Berhampur. Several trains were delayed due to blockade of railway tracks by strike supporters, leaving a large number of passengers stranded at many places.

Many states invoked essential services maintenance laws while the Centre had issued a stern warning to refrain from the stir Tuesday.

Banking services were also partially affected for the second day, as a section of PSU bank employees came in support of the strike call.

All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees' Federation of India (BEFI) have supported the strike, which has impacted banking operation where these two unions are strong.

However, the operation in SBI and private sector banks remained unaffected as other seven unions in the banking sector are not part of the strike.

According to AIBEA General Secretary CH Vekatchalam, cash transactions, clearance of cheques, remittances, bills discounting and foreign exchange transactions were impacted.

Cheques worth about Rs 20,000 crore could not be cleared by clearing houses all over the country on Tuesday, he claimed.

Hind Mazdoor Sabha General Secretary Harbhajan Singh Sidhu said there is 100 per cent strike in Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Manipur, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, and Goa and mining activity was almost stopped across the country.

"We got good response in industrial areas in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan as well. In our protest march from Mandi House to Parliament in the capital, around 4,000 workers came on road to express their anguish," he added.

He also said that there was 100 per cent strike in 22 districts of Madhya Pradesh and 20 districts of Karnataka.

According to unions, the strike was affected due to UGC exams, which started from Tuesday as some state transport departments decided not participate completely in the strike in the interest of students. The exams were scheduled in some states on Wednesday as well.

They have alleged that the government has failed to create jobs and grossly ignored unions' 12-point charter of demands.

They also said that Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on labour issues has not called unions for any discussion since September 2, 2015, strike which left them with no other option but to go on another strike.

Farming communities, through their associations, have also extended support to the strike. Student and teacher organisations of various universities have also declared support, the statement had said. PTIgspannu7@gmail.com

Agra, January 9

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched civic projects worth Rs 2,980 crore during his visit to the city.

He launched the Gangajal project to provide better and more assured water supply and also laid the foundation stone for an Integrated Command and Control Centre for the Agra Smart City project.

The smart city project is meant to develop the tourism destination as a modern world-class city.

The Gangajal programme will provide Agra with better water supply, benefitting both the residents of the city as well as tourists, officials said.

Besides, the SN Medical College in Agra will be upgraded with a 100-bed maternity wing.

This is Modis second visit to the city.

During his earlier visit in November 2016, he had launched a housing project, the PM Awas Yojana (Gramin).

Under this scheme, 65 lakh houses have been constructed so far, including 9.2 lakh in Uttar Pradesh, according to the government.

Meanwhile, in a tweet, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav expressed hope that Modi would learn a lesson from his visit to the city of Taj.

Hope the PM will return from Taj Mahal after learning a lesson of affection and love from it, he tweeted hours before the prime ministers visit.

Yadav also said he hoped that Modi will remember the pain of farmers growing potato, sugarcane and wheat in nearby areas.

UP was never so far from Delhi that the countrys head did not have news about the plight of farmers and traders, he added.  PTIGovernment's administrative silos have spawned two parallel worlds centered on performance that exist independent of each other. One world focuses on strategy, priority goals, metrics and evidence-based decision-making. The other focuses on working with managers and employees to improve their performance. Both are valid and essential, and both look to the same end results. Each has its own experts, literature, jargon and conferences. But surprisingly, they rarely interact.That does not benefit good government. Neither group can realize its potential value without the other.In the business world, the two bodies of knowledge are blended, viewed simply as elements of management. Measurement is basic; new metrics are produced daily at all levels. Goal-setting is the basis for planning and for progress discussions throughout the year. That process cascades to each level of management. At year-end, performance relative to goals is the basis, along with company financial results, for determining incentive awards. The awards reinforce individual accountability. This has been standard practice in the private sector for decades.That's not the way it usually works in the public sector. In an article published in 2015 that focused on performance management in local government, David Ammons of the University of North Carolina School of Government described performance measurement as a tool that, by itself, is rarely used to improve workforce performance. Performance management, on the other hand, "is not a tool, it is an act -- an act of management," Ammons wrote.Ammons' article should be read by everyone relying on metrics to plan and monitor performance in government. He goes on to list some of the "key rules" governing performance management: "Goals must be clear; performance measures must be relevant, actionable, and used for management purposes, not just for reporting; and executives must engage in responsible oversight while granting decision making authority to program managers and supervisors."My experience in the private sector, along with my loyalty to the "people world" of human resources, give me a somewhat different understanding of what's needed for effective performance management.First, the goal should be to delegate decision-making authority not just to managers and supervisors but all the way down to the level where the work is actually done. In a healthy work environment, employees at all levels can be trusted to make job-related decisions; for the most part, they want to make their employer successful. That is a message from all of the rankings of "best places to work" and discussions of employee engagement.Second, accountability has to have consequences. That is central to why companies link year-end incentive awards to goal achievement. Outstanding performance should be rewarded (although cash is not the only option); poor performers need to be warned that their shortcomings will at some point affect their job security.And third, the use of metrics and goals works best when employees are involved in defining goals. It's the commitment and the autonomy to work at achieving goals that explains high performance. As the research shows, delegation, trust and agility are important at every level. Increasingly companies operate with teams that meet with a manager only occasionally. For most day-to-day actions, the workers are self-managed. Metrics are used to monitor their progress.The problems with government's use of metrics are illustrated by the experience of a major federal agency, one with operations across the country. A headquarters office has the responsibility for developing the metrics, and it has developed a long list relevant to national and local performance. At year-end, the results are linked to salary increases. On paper it appears to be consistent with good practice.However, it's gone off the rails. The list of metrics applicable to each job is long: The combination of national and local measures exceeds 20. (Keep in mind that the rule for goal-setting is never more than five or six; as the number grows, each receives reduced attention.) The goals are better understood as standards dictated by the head office; employees are not involved. Headquarters insists on centralized, top-down control, ignoring local operational differences. Employees are too far removed from national performance to believe they have any impact. There is also a shared belief that year-end results are manipulated to limit the incentive payouts.Employee morale could not be lower. As with far too many government agencies, employees retire as soon as they are eligible. And while It cannot be measured, there are employees who "retire on the job."Government can do better, and some jurisdictions are. Tennessee's transformation of its civil-service system, as explored in a Governing article , included an overhaul of its performance evaluation system that goes a long way toward bridging the divide between metrics and management. The state now has performance outcomes for every job that follow the acronym "S.M.A.R.T." -- specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-sensitive.Here is how the state's human resources commissioner, Rebecca R. Hunter, describes its progress: "Each Executive Branch employee has a performance plan with S.M.A.R.T. work outcomes that are cascaded from and aligned with the Governor's key priorities and the department's strategic and operational goals." The commissioner is a member of the governor's cabinet, and her experience as a CPA gives her credibility in performance discussions.Keep in mind that this is led not by the budget office or outside consultants, but from HR. Investing in getting performance management right pays off.amansharma@tribunemail.com

New Delhi, January 9

The National Commission for Women (NCW) will be sending notice to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday over his remark on Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The remark also evoked a sharp reaction from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"We will send a letter to Rahul Gandhi tomorrow morning asking him to clarify on what grounds he made such a remark. As a politician he cannot make such a statement that shows a misogynistic attitude," Rekha Sharma, NCW Chairperson told IANS.

"What is Rahul Gandhii trying to imply with his misogynistic statement: "ek mahila say kaha meri raksha kiijiye"? Does he think women are weak? The irony is calling an accomplished defence minister of the largest democracy a weak person," Sharma tweeted.

Gandhi on Wednesday while addressing a rally at Jaipur, Rajasthan said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi got a woman to defend him in Parliament on Rafale fighter jet deal.

He was referring to Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's speech in Lok Sabha last week.

In his public meeting later in the day in Agra, Modi reacted strongly to Gandhi's remark.

He said now the opposition is bent upon insulting a woman. This is an insult to the women in the country, he added.

He said Sitharaman defended the Rafale deal strongly. - Agenciesrchopra@tribunemail.com

Smita Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 9

Days after US President Donald Trump mocked PM Narendra Modi and ridiculed Indian aid to Afghanistan referring to the parliament building as library, Russia on Wednesday appreciated Indias humanitarian and development assistance to the war-torn country.

Visiting Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov, when asked about Trumps comments, said development support is very important in conflict zones. Wars can be won but peace cannot without any material investment on development and education. That is the core, and thus, the Indian effort and efforts of other countries who provide material support to Afghanistan, is an indispensable one, said Ryabkov.

We understand the central role of India in Afghanistan. We want and welcome India and Indian representatives in all formats, including the Moscow talks. Regional connectivity is close to the Indian heart. We wish there would be less competition in some circles, he said, stressing on the need for a dialogue with the Taliban.

He stressed that Moscow through its own dialogue process with the Taliban is trying to understand where they stand and is not playing into the hands of one or another. The only purpose of our effort there is to bring closer the stakeholders. The only way out is a political solution, emphasised Ryabkov.

The Russian ministers remarks come on a day when Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi also accepted that engaging the Taliban is needed. There should be talks with Taliban, but without conditions, responded Gen Rawat to a question.

Regional players are watching closely the American talks with the Taliban. US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad is leading an inter-agency delegation to India, China, Afghanistan and Pakistan from January 8-21.

He last visited the region in December 2018. In India he will meet senior government officials to facilitate an intra-Afghan political settlement.

The US goal is to promote dialogue among Afghans about how to end the conflict, and to encourage the parties to come together at the negotiating table to reach a political settlement where every Afghan citizen enjoys equal rights and responsibilities under the rule of law, said the US government statement.

Afghan National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib was in Delhi last week holding talks with top Indian leaders and officials on the issue of rebuilding and economic reconstruction of his country.

Will deliver S400s on time

Meanwhile, Ryabkov who is also in charge of the US, lashed out at Trump for walking out of the Iranian nuclear accord JCPOA and imposing unilateral sanctions in violation of international law. He criticised the US for targeting the legitimate form of inter-state Indo-Russian military cooperation through sanctions. He called for developing alternative methods and payment mechanisms to be immune to sanctions like the European Union is trying to create a special purpose vehicle to continue trade with Iran. Rest assured, we will stick to the timelines for delivery of S400s without any delays as per our contract, said Ryabkov on the issue of the shadow of sanctions on the S400 missile agreement.

Putin invitation to Indian PM for economic meet

Interestingly, in response to a question by The Tribune if Russia was confident of or hopeful of Narendra Modis return as PM in the 2019 elections as President Putin had twice invited him to be a Guest at the Economic Summit in September in Vladivostok, Ryabkaov clarified that the invitation is for the Indian Prime Minister.

We are in no mood of assessing the situation in India in terms of weighing chances; that would be wrong. It (election) is a purely internal affair. We would welcome an Indian PM to Vladivostok for the economic forum, he said.monicakchauhan@gmail.com

Solapur, January 9

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said the smooth passage of the Bill which provides 10 per cent quota for the general category poor in jobs and education in the Lok Sabha is a strong answer by the Parliament to those spreading lies.

Hoping the Rajya Sabha will pass the Bill on Wednesday, Modi said the rights of the deprived sections, including the Dalits and the tribal people, will not be affected because of this Bill.

He termed the passage of the Bill in the Lok Sabha as a historic step which seeks to uplift the deprived sections and also illustrates the commitment of the government to prioritising the good of those needing it the most.

The passage of the Citizenship Bill, seeking to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangaldesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan also found a mention in Modis speech. He assured the people of Assam and North-East that their rights will not be curtailed in any way through the Bills provisions.

Speaking after inaugurating a highway project built at an investment of over Rs 970 crore, Modi said Solapur will soon be covered under the Udaan scheme which seeks to link far off places with air connectivity.

He also laid the foundation stone of an over Rs 1,800 crore project of 30,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana here. PTIshriaya.dutt@tribuneindia.com

Tribune Web Desk

Chandigarh, January 9

Bollywood actor Vivek Oberoi who hasnt been on the screen for quite some time will return to play the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The poster of the film released on January 7, 2019.

As soon as the first look of the film was shared on social media, Twitter reacted in the most hilarious way possible.

While one fan said, Vivek Oberoi looks like the wax statue of Narendra Modi at Lonavala wax museum.

Vivek Oberoi looks like the wax statue of Narendra Modi at Lonavala wax museum. pic.twitter.com/rr4BveJupc  Ivan Mehta (@IndianIdle) 8 January 2019

While a fan commented, The only resemblance the poster has with Modi is that the person is looking straight into the camera.

The only resemblance the poster has with Modi is that the person is looking straight into the camera. #PMNarendraModi pic.twitter.com/uDB7P6QYI9  Shridhar V (@iimcomic) 7 January 2019

Another fan added, Modi ji should be offended by that monstrosity of a nose in that poster.

Modi ji should be offended by that monstrosity of a nose in that poster. pic.twitter.com/UmqRxzRQht  Zainab Sikander (@zainabsikander) 7 January 2019

The poster of the film will be released in 23 different languages.

PM Narendra Modi has been in work for the past three years.editorial@tribune.com

Srinagar, January 8

Seemingly warming up to the National Conference, senior PDP leader Altaf Bukhari on Tuesday seconded Omar Abdullah saying single-party rule is beneficial for J&K.

On the other hand, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, in a series of tweets, spoke about the coalition governments and how they had benefitted the state. The debate on the issue was triggered when NC vice-president Omar Abdullah on Monday called for a decisive mandate in the upcoming Assembly elections for return of a single-party government in the state.

I personally believe that Kashmir has suffered a lot because of coalition politics that started since 2002. The results of the upcoming Assembly elections shall have a huge bearing on the stability and all-round development of the state, Bukhari said in a statement. Incidentally, Bukhari did not ask people to vote for the PDP.

I leave it to the conscience of people to choose and vote for any political party of their choice that can safeguard the states socio-political interests and deliver the best, he said. I appeal to people of the state to make their mind for supporting any party that they deem will usher a change and address their socio-political aspirations. The former Finance Minister said it was his personal experience that coalition governments were actually less democratic as the balance of power was inevitably held by the small parties. Referring to the bitter experiments of 2002 (PDP-Congress), 2008 (NC-Congress) and 2015 (PDP-BJP) in Jammu and Kashmir, Bukhari observed that people suffered immensely due to coalition compulsions.

However, Mehbooba talked about the benefits of coalition governments in a series of tweets. The brute majority has had a history of sell-outs in J&K. With 60 members, the NC sold out power houses, brought Ikhwan, task force and the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Even earlier when the NC had the absolute majority and unqualified political mandate, it only yielded power, resources of the state to the Centre, she tweeted.

On the contrary Mufti sahebs coalition established a high bar of achievements and opening of cross-Line of Control roads  a singular political achievement post-Independence, she wrote in another tweet. Mehbooba said at the national-level coalition governments had delivered better. The PDP, however, distanced itself from Bukhari's statement saying it was his personal opinion and not the partys position on the issue.

Meanwhile, senior journalist and former media adviser to the J&K Government Suhail Bukhari on Tuesday joined the PDP.  TNSeditorial@tribune.com

Amir Karim Tantray

Tribune News Service

Jammu, January 8

Getting into poll mode, National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah blamed the BJP-led government at the Centre and former PDP-BJP government in the state for an increase in terror-related activities.

He said during his tenure as J&K Chief Minister, militancy had almost been wiped out from most areas and only a few militants were active in Kashmir but now scores of youth were joining militant ranks every day.

The areas which became free of militancy during our tenure are again getting infested with militancy. Nagrota attack, Akhnoor attack, Sunjwan attack and the grenade attack at the bus stand in Jammu. I will not talk about the military camps of Kashmir where every now and then attacks happen but here it is very bad. In Kishtwar, BJP leaders were killed by militants. The Chenab valley was freed from militancy but now we are getting news that it is coming back, Omar said while addressing the NC youth convention at the Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan here.

The former Chief Minister was critical of the Modi-government policies, especially demonetisation, which he said was described as a tool to bring back black money. They failed, and then they said that terrorism will come to an end. Did that happen? Omar asked.

He was also critical on the timing of bringing the reservation Bill for the economically weaker section of upper castes. Tell me why did he wait for four and a half years for this Bill and bring it on the last day of last session of Parliament. They dont have the intention of giving reservation and are doing it because the BJP lost in four states. It is nothing but politics, he said.

Omar lashed out at Mehbooba Mufti for asking youth to join the PDP. These youth were sprayed with bullets in 2016 and were told that guns in the hands of Army and CRPF men were not for display. Youth are not given space to give vent to their anger and are arrested on a simple Facebook post, the NC vice-president said. Commenting on Governors remarks that J&K was like any other state and more people got killed in Patna than J&K. If more people get killed in Patna then Nitish Kumar must answer. But it is wrong to compare J&K with any other state... Wars are fought on J&K and shelling kills soldiers and people here, Omar told reporters after the event.uttara@tribuneindia.com

Ishfaq Tantry

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 9

To protest against the 'unabated killings in Kashmir and lack of any sincere reach-out' from the Union government, Shah Faesal, first Kashmiri to top IAS exam in 2009, on Wednesday said he has decided to resign from the service.

Though speculation is rife that he may join National Conference to contest the forthcoming Parliamentary elections from the North Kashmir or float his own political party, Faesal said he will be addressing a press conference on Friday to "share his future plans" with the media.

Faesal had returned recently to Kashmir from a stint as a Fulbright fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School, and was at tourist resort Gulmarg when he he made his decision to resign public.

He, however, made it clear that even after resigning from the coveted Indian Administrative Services (IAS) one of his "important tasks will be to train and guide aspiring civil servants to help them in achieving their dream".

Faesal, an MBBS doctors and originally hailing from Kupwara district in north Kashmir, achieved fame after he cleared the Civil Services Exam in 2009, becoming the first Kashmiri to top the test.

Taking to the social media to announce his decision, Faesal wrote: "To protest against the unabated killings in Kashmir, and lack of any sincere reach-out from the Union Government; the marginalisation and invisiblisation of around 200 million Indian Muslims at the hands of Hindutva forces reducing them to second-class citizens; insidious attacks on the special identity of the J&K State and growing culture of intolerance and hate in the mainland India in the name of hypernationalism, I have decided to resign from Indian Administrative Service."

"I wish to remind the regime of the day that subversion of public institutions like RBI, CBI and NIA has the potential to decimate the Constitutional edifice of this country and it needs to be stopped," he said, adding, "I wish to reiterate that voices of reason in this country cannot be muzzled for long and the environment of siege will need to end if we wish to usher in true democracy."

After joining the IAS and getting the J&K cadre, Faesal served in different capacities in the administration before being appointed director of school education in the Kashmir Valley, when PDP's Naeem Akhter was the education minister.

In 2018, an inquiry was ordered against him for his social media remark on rampant rapes in south Asia, wherein he had referred the region as "rapistan".pardeepdhull@gmail.com

Jammu, January 9

Indian and Pakistani troops traded gunfire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmirs Poonch and Rajouri districts on Wednesday.

The first clash took place in Poonch district.

Pakistan troopers resorted to unprovoked firing at Indian positions in Gulpur and Khari Karmara areas at around 8.15 a.m., Defence Ministry sources said.

They used automatics and mortars. Our troops retaliated strongly. No casualty or damage was reported on our side, an official said.

Later, the Pakistan Army used mortars to target Indian positions in Kalal area of Rajouri district.

Our troops are retaliating strongly. Firing exchanges are going on, the official said.

Panic has again gripped people living close to the LoC in Poonch and Rajouri districts amid deafening sounds of mortar shell explosions. The winding LoC divides Jammu and Kashmir between Pakistan and India.  IANSeditorial@tribune.com

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 8

In a unique and first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, students of Class IX would be able to enroll directly into the university stream at Shri Vishwakarma Skill University (SVSU), Gurugram, for skill-based education. The step is aimed at improving employment potential.

The new concept, also called feeder school, also aimed at significantly reducing the drop-out rate among the school students, has been approved by the CBSE under its innovation school category.

With the nod from the CBSE and the Board of School Education, Haryana, (BSEH), the university is set to roll out the programme from the current academic session, SVSU Vice-Chancellor Raj Nehru, the brain behind the innovative concept, told The Tribune, here on Tuesday.

Nehru said the concept was an offshoot of a survey done by the university on students who had dropped out of schools. Almost 90 per cent of them wanted to study but several constraints, mainly financial, came in the way of completing their studies. The new concept would significantly reduce the drop-out rate as it was rooted in the earn while you learn principle, he asserted.

Under the new system, students would study three skill-based subjects, besides one language and computers, in Class IX and X. In Class XI and XII, students would have the option of specialising in one of the skill-based subjects, which would go a long way in honing their employment skills. Besides, the students would be taught basic maths and science.

After Class XII, the students would have the option of completing Bachelor of Vocation (B.Voc), a three-year degree recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) or go into the traditional education system. In a way, the students would be able to at least complete graduation, which is an aspiration of each individual.

The basic aim of the concept is to introduce students to the world of skills at an early stage and to churn out skilled manpower for the industry, Nehru said. Such models had successfully been implemented in Singapore, Finland and Germany, he added.

University officials said the ultimate aim was to put in place a dual vocational education model in the integrated work and study mode as per the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF), where students would work in the industries across the state with flexible class timings.

Skill-based educationROBINSINGH@TRIBUNE.COM

The Modi government produced a political rabbit just when things went wrong in the Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The Bill to amend the Constitution for providing 10 per cent quota to economically backward among the open competition category infringes on no other sections interests (except perhaps the urban middle class) and will serve to re-coagulate that core BJP support base which may have been disillusioned because of the Modi governments capacity and constitutional limitations in job generation and building a Ram temple, respectively.

Ideally, the principle of caste should be completely forsaken in favour of helping the poor of all communities. But the manner in which society has shaped in India over the past 3,000 years made the framers of the Constitution decide that removing social backwardness took precedence over poverty  both often coterminous  in furthering equality in society. By this move, the BJP has tried to harness the upper-class angst over the sidestepping of the poverty criteria in reservation. As Bhupinder Singh Hooda realised in Haryana, PM Modi cannot rest on his oars by getting the Bill cleared through both Houses. In fact, expectations from the Prime Minister as the nations principal chief executive will be higher.

Modis credibility will be tested on how he makes the Bill into an implementable law since the courts had struck down an earlier attempt by the Narasimha Rao government. This means getting at least half the states to ratify amendments to Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution. By then, the danger is that countervailing forces will gather momentum. Already there are voices opposing the quota within quota. The Modi government is taking a political risk by reopening the quota genie. It will not take long for the parties that are now reflexively backing 10 per cent reservation to begin painting the Centre as anti-backward. The first challenge will be to deliver on the promise of a quota. And the second will be to ensure the BJP doesnt get tarred as an upper-caste party. PM Modi needs another quota trick up his sleeve.editorial@tribune.com

Panchkula, January 8

The police have arrested the wife of Islam, a resident of Karnal who was found murdered at a resort at Plasra village in Morni block of the district on Sunday.

She has been identified as Shama Parveen, who, along with another person, had stoned her husband Islam to death. The police have handed over the body to the family after postmortem.

Shama told the police that she, along with another person, reached the resort first and then called her husband on some pretext. When Islam arrived, they killed him.

The police said Islam was living with his family in Naraingarh where his brother was also living in a separate room. Both brothers worked as labourers. According to sources, though Shama has been arrested, she has not revealed the reason for killing her husband. The police are probing the illicit relations and enmity aspects.

The SHO of the Chandimandir police station, Naveen Kumar, said Islam was killed by his wife along with another person. He said Shama had been arrested, while a manhunt was on to nab the other person.  TNSeditorial@tribune.com

Tribune News Service

Mohali, January 8

With a flight taking off for Nanded Sahib from the local airport this morning, Chandigarh has been directly connected by air with the place of Sikh pilgrimage.

The flight, which was packed to capacity with 162 passengers on board, took off at 9.10 am amid religious chants. Sikh priests performed a shabad kirtan and ardas at the airport before the flight took off.

Later, the flight, which returned from Nanded, was given a water salute by the airport authorities at Mohali as a mark of respect. Passengers were given a warm welcome by Air India and the airport authorities amid dhol beats and bhangra.

According to MR Jindal, Air India manager at the local airport, the return flight from Hazoor Sahib was also packed to capacity.

The flight will operate twice a week  Tuesday and Wednesday. The flight will take off at 9.10 am from Chandigarh and reach its destination at 11.30 am. From Nanded Sahib, it will depart at 12.05 pm and arrive at 2.20 pm.MCKINNEY, Texas [mdash] Velma Lynn Yettman passed away on June 4th, 2021 in Mckinney, Texas. She was born on October 25th, 1951 in Terre Haute, Indiana. She was predeceased by her sister Valeta May in 2018, and her parents Lloyd and Frances Zenor. Velma is survived by her brother Steve (BeckWhat if we declared climate change a crisis and put some serious resources to this type of initiative?

We've seen plenty of projects putting solar on affordable or social housing. But every good TreeHugger knows that, before looking at renewable generation, we should first figure out how to reduce overall demand so there's less renewable energy that needs to be generated.

Lloyd has highlighted the work of Dutch initiative Enegiesprong in the past, identifying it as one of just five solutions that could collectively roll back carbon emissions. So it was good to see that this effort  which involves pre-fabricated insulated cladding, rooftop solar, smart water heaters and other relatively off-the-shelf solutions to retrofit existing houses  is now making inroads in the UK too.

As Business Green reports, some 150 social housing homes in Nottingham, England, are becoming some of the first to receive funding (from the European Union, Brexiteers should note!), and initial pilot homes are showing a rather impressive 50% drop in overall energy bills.

It should be noted, of course, that costs are relatively high  85,000 per property, in fact  which means the savings of 60 or so a month are going to take many, many decades to recoup if we look at energy bills alone. It's worth noting, however, that Energiesprong also claims significant reductions in home maintenance costs, improvements in overall health and comfort, as well as the fact that the home looks significantly nicer from the outside too. Add to that the fact that mass adoption of this approach would accelerate Britain's already falling need for energy generation, and one can imagine that there are significant societal savings too. Oh, and then there's this thing called climate change...

Given some of the other projects our elected leaders are willing to squabble over cash for, I'd personally argue that this is money well spent. And the more such projects are undertaken, the lower the costs will become. Here's hoping we see many, many more.

Net Zero Energy housing from Energiesprong on Vimeo.The Hyundai Cradle, a Center for Robotic-Augmented Design in Living Experiences, that actually envisioned the vehicle, managed to craft something that goes well beyond what a standard car, or a truck, can do. The Hyundai Elevate Concept can walk, climb, and traverse almost every kind of terrain.

And, with this, I do not imply comparing it with the machines that can conquer Moab. The Elevate Concept is a vehicle designed to help the unfortunate in search-and-rescue missions, on humanitarian missions, or to walk over terrain no vehicle has ever managed to traverse. Its go-anywhere capability is unmatched even by the most extreme offroad machines you can think of. All because of the robotic legs with tires linked on far ends. Actually, as I visually inspect the Elevate Concept, I am rather sure that a similar sketch exists somewhere in a NASA office in a drawer where all the rejected designs for Mars rovers reside. I get that vibe from this. Its like Hyundai designers looked to create a vehicle for the Earth from the perspective of some alien NASA designers. I actually like it a lot.

I thought I had sen it all, but then Hyundai revealed the Elevate Concept, an Ultimate Mobility Vehicle (UMV), at this years CES. It is a car. Actually, a vehicle that can drive and that can walk. Yup, youve read that right. The Hyundai Elevate Concept is one of the latest projects that has developed in the minds of Hyundai designers heads from the Hyundai Cradle Center for Robotic-Augmented Design. These people are obviously buried into sci-fi, or, at least, into things that Boston Dynamics does with its robots. Hyundai Cradle created a vehicle that looks a bit like that Boston Dynamic cyberdog, or the Star Wars AT-AT walker. But the Hyundai Elevate Concept isnt supposed to go to war (well, it is a bit). In fact, it is an out-of-the-box design exercise that shows the possibilities for an all-terrain vehicle that werent explored before.

Exterior

Now, you should forget everything you know about car design. The Elevate Concept has basically been designed around the robotic legs that sit on its four corners. No Fluidic Sculpture here. At all. Only pure form and function. With a friendly attitude, I might add.

As one of the most imaginative CES concepts this year, the Hyundai Elevate actually does not have a uniform exterior look.

Instead, its frame (wheels on legs with six hip points and the mainframe with 66-kWh batteries between it) serves as a platform for the addition of different kind of cabins. So, with a body set on the frame, one can even call the Elevate a body-on-frame vehicle. Actually, we already have a name for this arrangement. We call it the Skateboard platform.

Hyundai gifted us with a number of different options for the Elevate Concept body. We can see it as an NYC taxi, as a search and rescue vehicle, as an army transport, or just as a shuttle.

Obviously, different purposes require a slightly different exterior design, adapted for a certain use.

In essence, with a frame like this, the body and the cabin are both just a pod that attaches according to certain needs. I can imagine, say, a police force with five different pods for five different applications parked in a garage with only one frame and a rig that can easily shift pods on the frame. In that sense, not only does the Elevate provide unmatched freedom on the terrain, but it can also be adapted for different applications.

By combining the power of robotics with Hyundais latest EV technology, Elevate has the ability to take people where no car has been before, and redefine our perception of vehicular freedom, said Design Manager David Byron.

Imagine a car stranded in a snow ditch just 3 meters off the highway being able to walk or climb over the treacherous terrain, back to the road potentially saving its injured passengers  this is the future of vehicular mobility.

So, after all this has been said, I can conclude that the exterior design depends on the vehicle application. You cannot expect a New York Taxi that moves on the highway and in the city to look the same as a search and rescue vehicle, can you now? This gives a proper utilitarian essence to the overall idea behind the Elevate Concept.

Interior

Hyundai did not reveal any photos of the interior, but I can tell you right away that the NYC Taxi interior isnt the same as the rescue vehicle interior. In fact, Hyundai PR gurus wrote only one sentence about the Elevate Concept interior:

Inside the Elevate, passengers would experience a vehicle fully engineered to tackle the roughest terrain comfortably.

Honestly, I do not see the Elevate with the gear from the Palisade.

If this thing, by some magic, comes to life, the Elevate Concept would probably have a utilitarian interior but garnished with all the modern-age stuff such as the USB ports, screens, air-con, and nice ergonomic seats.

Waterfall dashboard with ambient lights and soft-touch materials on the doors? Forget about it!

Drivetrain and Tech

Standard propulsion methods would never allow for the creation of a car like this. Just imagine if the Elevate had axles. With axles, it could not have legs, nor wheels that can turn in any direction.

Electric Hub motors, however, enabled the Hyundai Cradle designers to create such a fine machine.

Four motors located in four wheels are placed at the ends of the large robotic legs with five hip points. These points basically allow the legs to move in more directions than human legs. Thus, Hyundai programmed the Elevate Concept to move in a mammalian fashion and in a reptilian fashion. Plus, it can climb.

In fact, let me show you exactly what Hyundai revealed in its press release about the Elevate Concept capabilities.

PR reads:

The legs also fold up into a stowed drive-mode, where power to the joints is cut, and the use of an integrated passive suspension system maximizes battery efficiency. This allows Elevate to drive at highway speeds just like any other vehicle. But no other can climb a five-foot wall, step over a five-foot gap, walk over diverse terrain, and achieve a 15-foot wide track width, all while keeping its body and passengers completely level.

Furthermore, the main capabilities include:

Robotic legs with five degrees of freedom plus in-wheel propulsion,

Ability to walk in a mammalian and a reptilian style gaits for omnidirectional motion,

Capable of climbing a five-foot vertical wall,

Step over a five-foot gap,

Non-back drivable motors enable the legs to lock in any position,

Modular electric vehicle platform.

As all of this is rather hard to imagine, I found a nice video on the Elevate Concept that showcases what this concept is actually capable of. If you are into this thing, I highly suggest you watch it.

The four electric motors get all the needed power from 66 kWh batteries located on the floor between the legs.

The same batteries supply power for the hip points (joints) on the legs that elevate or lower the frame as per instructions or needs. Furthermore, the Elevate Concept is fully able to fold the legs, lock the joints, and lean the legs against coilovers for driving on the highway (the Elevate is capable of highway speeds, mind you). Quite a clever arrangement, wouldnt you say?!

Conclusion

If Hyundai Cradle manages to produce a full-size working prototype with all the capabilities shown in the pictures and on the videos you could see here, I will be amazed. This thing looks complicated, and I am not certain how that walking, jumping thingy would work in the real world. However, we do have rovers on Mars. Read that again. Rovers on Mars. And they work. Like, really well. Yes, Hyundai can definitely build this and probably provide another solution for the unfortunate in the areas with natural disasters, or any other types of disaster.

Hyundai Cradle is definitely focused on solving many search and rescue issues with the UMV.

When a tsunami or earthquake hits, current rescue vehicles can only deliver first responders to the edge of the debris field. They have to go the rest of the way by foot. Elevate can drive to the scene and climb right over flood debris or crumbled concrete, said John Suh, Hyundai Vice President and Head of Hyundai CRADLE.

This technology goes well beyond emergency situations - people living with disabilities worldwide that dont have access to an ADA ramp could hail an autonomous Hyundai Elevate that could walk up to their front door, level itself, and allow their wheelchair to roll right in  the possibilities are limitless.

I dont know if I am just hyped up about this, but I really want the Elevate Ultimate Mobility Vehicle (UMV) to be a thing.

Love it New Ideas About The Mobility Modular Nature Legs

Leave it Its Just An Idea It would be expensive Battery Pack could be a tad bigger



Further reading

BMWs New Futurelight Camper Concept Represents the Future of Outdoor Adventure

Read our full review on the 2008 BMW GINA Light Visionary Model.

Honda Returns to CES with an Evolved "Dream Drive" and It Could Change the Way We Look At In-Car Infotainment Forever

Toyota Showcases its "Toyota Guardian" Technology that Could Create Superhuman Drivers

Mercedes-Benz Debuts the 2020 CLA Class At CES With Fresh Tech

Read more technology news.I have got to admit; this is one of the hottest rivalries in the auto industry today. Rivian is clearly here to take on Tesla and, by the look of things, Rivian may actually sidestep the EV market leader very soon. Rivians CEO, Robert RJ Scaringe, recently spoke with AutoExpress and discussed how he plans to make Rivian the biggest and the baddest player of the industry.

This is Harvey Specter versus Mike Ross In The Making

Tesla started off in a similar fashion; starting as a start-up which dreamt big and within a few years, it became a company that even mainstream billion-dollar automakers fear.

But Tesla is not the only one; Rivian is shaping up to be the next big thing along with start-ups like Byton and Faraday.

Speaking to the publication, Scaringe mentioned many things that are fear-instilling stuff from a competitors point of view.

Rivian Lets Its Products Do The Talking

If to be seen, Rivian came out of the blue and surprised the auto community with its products and plans. Companies today announce even the smallest news in an exaggerated manner and make bold claims to create hype, but Rivian did exactly the opposite.

With a staff of nearly 600 employees, Scaringes start-up did not even surface the news until very recently.

In fact, this move worked well for the company as the Rivian EVs became the most-talked about vehicles at the Los Angeles Motor Show in November last year. When asked about this, Scaringe said, We had a policy to be very deliberate about not making big claims or showing stuff that wasnt ready. The problem with a lot of the companies in this space is a bunch of people whove done one percent of the work claiming theyve done 90 percent of the work. For us, its the flip of that. We knew people would see us and say Holy smoke! Where did they come from?

A Penny Saved Is A Penny Earned

Rivian has been smart with its finances as well, thanks to Scaringes Massachusetts Institute of Technology education and his entrepreneurial background. Instead of spending a bomb on building a production factory from scratch, Rivian purchased an ex-Mitsubishi plant in Normal, Illinois. Explaining this move, Scaringe said, We bought it for about $16million. Well invest $200m in the place, and then we will, in effect, have a brand new, state-of-the-art facility that would otherwise have cost a couple of billion bucks.

This way, the company has brought down the overheads by a huge margin and can pass on that benefit to the customer, something that Tesla has been struggling to do.

So, for a product that matches in terms of features and specifications, Rivian will prove to be a better value-for-money proposition.

Rivian Is a Younger And Hungrier Version Of The Musk-Owned Company

Up until now, Tesla was ruling the EV industry by steamrolling anyone and everyone who came in its way.

But the bully is now facing this newcomer, which works on the business plan wherein the companys battery, electric motor, and chassis tech can be licensed to other brands, too. Were not of the belief that the existing auto industry is wrong, Scaringe said. Theres a lot of strong capability there, but they do have structural challenges, with doing new platforms and so forth. We are actively in talks with both car manufacturers and non-car manufacturers about them using our tech on models that dont directly compete with ours.

Meet The Rivians

Speaking of the Rivian products, the R1T is the companys flagship truck that comes with not one or two electric motors, but four of them!

This allows the pickup truck to develop a combined power output of 788 horses. The R1T can also zoom from 0-60 mph in three seconds flat and can drive for 400 miles on a single charge. The Rivian R1T has a payload capacity of 1,760 pounds and a towing capacity of 11,000 pounds.

Like the R1T, even the R1S comes with four electric motors. In its highest capacity, the R1S can cover 410 miles on a single charge with its 180 kWh battery. The quad-motor setup produces a combined output of 700 horses and 826 pound-feet of torque. This seven-seater SUV can speed to 60 mph in less than three seconds! Both these vehicles are set to arrive in 2020.

Our Take

If you notice the trend here, Rivian is doing exactly what Tesla did a decade back  announce itself as a start-up that has the potential to make it big, make the smartest guy with a vision the face of the company, and creating open technologies that can be licensed by other brands as well (read, hyperloop). Well, Hyperloop is not exactly the same thing, but you get the gist. Tesla might be the recipient of this ass-whooping. Seeing this, we have no doubts believing that Tesla will get a taste of its own medicine. But the master is the master, and Tesla will definitely not succumb to this pressure. As on today, this war is evenly poised, and I cannot decide which company will eventually come out as the winner. Grab a seat and get your popcorn, folks. Sh*t is about to get real!

Which American company do you think will trump (pun intended) the other? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2020 Rivian R1T pickup.

How Does the Rivian R1S Compete with the Tesla Model X?

Read our full speculative review on the 2020 Tesla Pickup.

Read our full review on the 2016 Tesla Model X.

Source: AutoExpressTELL US WHO WON TONIGHT!!! DID PREZ TRUMP CONVINCE KANSAS CITY OR WILL THIS COWTOWN MAINTAIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY LINE AGAINST THE BORDER WALL?!?!?

Nation's Paper Of Record Update

Trump's Speech to the Nation: Live Updates and Fact Checks President Trump will address the country tonight, on the 18th day of the government shutdown, about border security. Our reporters will cover his statements live. When is it a "crisis"? Saying a situation is a crisis does not make it so, but Mr. Trump and other senior administration officials have been using the word repeatedly in recent days to describe the state of affairs along the border.

Shut Down Architect Speaks

Ann Coulter: Trump Must Declare Wall 'Compassionate Solution' to Crisis During an exclusive interview on SiriusXM Patriot's Breitbart News Tonight, Coulter said Trump must make the humanitarian case for ending illegal immigration straight to the American people, noting that amnesty for illegal aliens must immediately be ruled out. Coulter said: I would also go to all of the working class that are in America, construction workers in particular.

Feel The Bern: Alternative Take

Sanders to deliver his own response to Trump speech Sen. (I-Vt.) is planning to offer his own response to 's border security speech on Tuesday night. Sanders, one of several lawmakers mulling a potential 2020 White House bid, will make his speech after Trump's address and the formal Democratic response, according to a release from Sanders's office.

Right Wing Live

Trump readies first prime-time Oval Office address, with focus on shutdown and border wall For the first time in prime time since President Trump took office, all eyes are on the Oval Office. Trump is preparing to deliver his first-ever evening address from the storied room in the White House's West Wing at 9 p.m.

Stormy Seyz

Skip Trump's Controversial Speech, Stormy Daniels Says, and Watch Her Fold Laundry in Her Underwear If you have opted in for our browser push notifications, and you would like to opt-out, please refer to the following instructions depending on your device and browser. For turning notifications on or off on Google Chrome and Android click here, for Firefox click here, for Safari click here and for Microsoft's Edge click here.

Reality Check

As Trump speaks on border security, here's a live look at what's happening at the border CLOSE EL PASO, Texas - President Donald Trump is speaking to the nation Tuesday night in a prime-time television address on what he called the crisis at the nation's border.

Even More Alternatives

10 Things to Watch on TV Tonight Instead of Donald Trump In case you were unaware, President Trump is going to discuss the border wall at 9 p.m. on national television tonight - something he has referred to as a "national security crisis" - and all the major networks and cable news channels have chosen to air it live.

Did The Prez Just Quote My 2nd Favorite Huey Lewis And The News Song???? Heart & Soul Conversation!!!

Heroin Fact Check

Most imported heroin comes through legal points of entry "Every week, 300 of our citizens are killed by heroin alone, 90% of which floods across from our southern border." -President Trump In 2017, more than 15,000 people died of drug overdoses involving heroin in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Did Demo Comeback Win???

Pelosi, Schumer accuse Trump of spreading 'misinformation,' 'malice' in Oval Office address Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Tuesday night that President Trump used his prime-time Oval Office address to "manufacture a crisis, stoke fear, and divert attention from the turmoil in his Administration." In a response delivered jointly with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., Schumer called on Trump to approve legislation ending the partial government shutdown "while allowing debate over border security to continue."

Watching this hot mess right now, here's some additional reading for giggles. Even betterCheckit:Update . . .You decide . . .New details emerge in case of Overland Park mom accused of hosting underage parties JOHNSON COUNTY, KS (KCTV) - New court documents are adding more details to the accusations that an Overland Park mom was hosting underage parties where students were supplied alcohol and marijuana. Court records released late Tuesday claim Tiffany Shalberg hosted parties for underage teens and provided them with hard alcohol and various forms of pot.

She's accused of providing good times and booze for JoCo teens and weed charges loom as well . . . Linked this one previously in a compilation but here's a better round-up of a charges confronting lady ALLEGEDLY living in the past . . . Read more:Without the screaming supporters at his rallies, a cast of henchmen or the toys won by his dad's riches and/or the U.S. military - Prez Trump seemed feeble, out of sorts, out of touch, unsure of his ideas and without a real plan. The border wall as an effort to fight the drug war has always been a losing argument that's willfully ignorant of the power of global capitalism to satisfy/supply the insatiable American demand for illegal drugs.

AS ALWAYS THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOUND A WAY TO LOOK EVEN WORSE THAN PREZ TRUMP!!!

TKC Blog Community Juxtaposition

"President Trump nailed it. The difference between Trump's speech and the Democrats speech was Trump's was about national security and the Democrat response was about Trump."

Artsy Reference

"I wouldnt mention geriatric appeal unless you want to include Schumer and Pelosi who looked like an elderly version of American Gothic. All that was missing was the pitchfork."

Compare & Contrast

"I didn't hear all this uproar, when (President) Obama closed the government for 17 days til they passed Obamacare. There have been many shutdowns by both parties, previously. Pelosi and Schumer were basically speechless and only said "Trump is wrong" with zero facts to back up their position. Trump made an excellent case for the wall. The Schumer, and Pelosi sideshow was droll."

Super Dave Shares History

"President Trump should have started tonight by playing clips of Hillary, President Obama, Schumer, Pelosi and other congress members all talking about border control and voting to do so in the past. The wall and border control is nothing new, Trump is just going to see it happens."

Chuck Talks Politics Of Security

"It's always, always about the money and the power it takes to get the money. The Democrats lost the white, working middle class and want to replace them with government dependent 3rd world illegals from south of the border. Trump wants Americans to make money, have families and prosper. Rich Republicans want cheap labor and Democrats want power and money. The wall, in addition to other strategies, WILL work. It does work in Egypt, Israel and other countries, where we send tax dollars to help pay for their walls."

Back To The Shut Down

"He's hates law enforcement. Trump is treating the border patrol like the contractors at his bankrupt casinos - he's not paying them. It doesn't matter anyway. He had 2 years with full government control and got nada. Now after getting has ass kicked in the midterms, you think he suddenly has more power to get it done? Sorry. It's over. There will be no wall. You've been Trumped."

TKC Commenter Notes The Bigger Picture

"Bring the worlds police home and put them on our southern border. They have been training in the desert for almost 20 years now we need to get something for the trillions we spent overseas."

Kansas City Paycheck Skipped

Thousands in Kansas City will not receive paycheck due to government shutdown KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- The government shutdown is going hit federal workers on Friday, when no paycheck hits their wallets. More than 18,000 of those affected workers are in Missouri and Kansas. In Missouri, 14,400 employees from the departments of Treasury, Agriculture, and Homeland Security aren't getting paid.

Pathetic Democratic Party Performance Didn't Even Have Backup From WaPo

Opinion | Trump won the night. Schumer and Pelosi lost. President Trump did something Tuesday night that he has rarely done since taking office: He used the presidential bully pulpit to reach beyond his hardcore base of supporters to make his case to the American people as a whole.

MEME REVIEW!!!

Twitter roasts Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer over their Trump response The image of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi standing together and issuing a joint response to President Donald Trump's address to the nation on border security was intended to portray the Democrats' stoic defiance amid the government shutdown.

Show-Me Missouri Leader Reax

Hawley, Cleaver respond to President Trump's address KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Local lawmakers are weighing in on President Donald Trump's address on border security. In his address Tuesday night , Trump warned of "a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border" and re-iterated claims that a wall will help solve the problem. U.S. Sen.

No Escape From Kansas City Beat Downs During Ongoing Shut Down

Kansas City domestic violence shelter feeling pressure of government shutdown The government shutdown impacts more than the 28,000 federal employees in the metro. Private companies and nonprofits are also feeling the pinch. Charities such as Kansas City's Hope House are starting to feel the pressure from government agencies not open for business.

GOP Not All-In For Shut Down

Amid partial government shutdown, these Republican senators are breaking with Trump As the partial government shutdown continues, a handful of Republican senators have broken with President Trump in demanding a spending deal - even without funding for a border wall. The White House and Republicans have been at a standstill with Democrats over a spending bill - all hinging on funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Show-Me No Show

Government shutdown cancels Ben Carson prayer breakfast speech in Missouri JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The federal government shutdown has scrambled plans for the Missouri governor's annual prayer breakfast. Department Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson had been scheduled to be the keynote speaker at the Thursday event. But a spokeswoman for Missouri Gov.

NEXTGEN Against Prez Trump

Ocasio-Cortez blasts Trump speech, suggests illegal immigrants 'more American' than he Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., blasted President Trump following his primetime address from the Oval Office on Tuesday night. Appearing on MSNBC, Ocasio-Cortez accused Trump of "holding the paychecks of everyday Americans hostage" during the partial government shutdown in order to fulfill what she called a "campaign fantasy."

The World According To Bernie

Bernie Sanders Calls Climate Change 'Biggest Crisis Of All' In Reply To Trump Speech Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called climate change "the biggest crisis of all" in a fiery rebuke of President Donald Trump's televised address Tuesday night meant to drum up support for funding a U.S.-Mexico border wall to reopen the federal government.

MSM Name Calling Justification???

It's OK to Say the President Is More Dishonest Than Other Politicians. It's the Truth. We were blessed last night as, like a legendary but aging rock band that's on tour supporting a feckless new album, President Trump just played the hits in his big Oval Office speech.

Push Back Against Democratic Party Duo

Fact-checking the Democratic response: A look at the claims of Pelosi and Schumer The two leading Democrats in Congress, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, gave their party's official response to President Donald Trump's prime-time address on Tuesday night. Here is the NBC News fact-check of their remarks.

According To The Internets

After Trump's Speech, Twitter Fact-Checks the Fact-Checkers If President Trump's tenure in office has any lasting impact on the jobs market, it might just be his ability to keep fact-checkers gainfully employed. Going back to the election debates in 2016, diligent researchers at nearly every major news outlet have made it their business to find the truth (and fiction) in the claims Trump makes.

Like most American orgasms, the MSM build up for an immigration confrontation amid a government shut down was thrilling but ultimately resulted in a giant let down, guilt, shame and regret.Two things . . .But here's the kicker . . .The ideas from the Prez Trump Administration are childish and impractical yet still the response was even worse . . .The nation, in turn, roasted the DNC with memes that were mostly mean and politically motivated. However, this one was a favorite that seemed to capture the absurdity of this conversation . . .As promised, here are a few of the better quotes from our blog community that deserve to be highlighted . . .Accordingly, here are some our favorite links about last night:You decide . . .Source: Samsung

Apple isnt the only tech juggernaut revising its earnings guidance for the most recent financial quarter. Samsung announced that it will do the same due to declining memory demand and dwindling smartphone sales.

The company believes it made an operating profit of approximately 10.8 trillion won ($9.67 billion) in the quarter that ended December 2018; thats about 18 percent less than the 13.2 trillion won ($11.7 billion) analysts had expected. Its also roughly 29 percent lower than what Samsung reported during the same quarter back in 2017.

Samsung, like Apple, blamed part of the problem on lower-than-expected sales of its latest smartphones. This implies that the problem doesnt lie with a single company. Instead, it might be time to reconsider the idea that many people will buy a new phone every year. (Or that people who dont already have smartphones will finally get them.)

But thats a problem for the smartphone makersand shareholders in these companiesto ponder. More relevant to you, dear Toms Hardware reader, is Samsungs memory trouble. The company is a major DRAM supplier, and its problems offer a real glimpse at the actual effect declining memory demand has had on the market.

Numerous reports claimed that memory prices would fall throughout 2018 and 2019. Exact numbers varied, with some estimates of a 5 percent decline in 2018 to anywhere between a 10 and 25 percent drop in 2019. The message was clear either way: the high prices memory makers enjoyed during the prolonged shortage were a thing of the past.

Samsung responded to these estimates by announcing that it would decrease memory production in 2019. The company wanted to effectively force memory prices to either remain stable or, in a move that would likely frustrate consumers and please investors, help them rise closer to their previous peaks. Either outcome would be good for Samsung.

But slowing its own production might not be enough for Samsung to control memory pricing. There are many other factors at play, not the least of which being that the U.S. and China are using their memory companies as yet another front in their ongoing trade war. Samsung is South Korean, yes, but the actions of these countries are felt globally.

These problems also come as continued shortages of Intel processors rock multiple segments of the tech industry. Combine that with already-declining PC sales (with the exception of gaming PCs) and it seems like hardly any product category will be spared this apparent course correction.Samsung is moving ahead with its foldable Galaxy F smartphone. Although the company isn't revealing its plans publicly just yet, some details may have emerged from a secret meeting the phone maker apparently held with industry executives at CES 2019 yesterday (Jan. 8).

(Image credit: Samsung)

Speaking to the Korean publication The Investor, an executive who attended the private Samsung briefing said that the foldable phone is in the works and Samsung is still trying to work out the kinks.

"When unfolded, Samsung's foldable phone does not show any crease indicating it had been bent," the unnamed source told The Investor. "However, completely folding the device will lead to breakage. For this reason, Samsung is testing the device so that the sides remain slightly lifted when folded."

According to the report, Samsung has engineered the handset to not have a crease when it's unfolded. The source added that the phone feels smooth to the touch.

MORE: Samsung Galaxy F Will Be Limited Edition Device for 40 Somethings

Samsung's Galaxy F has been in the works for years. There had been hope that Samsung would launch the Galaxy F at CES 2019, but that hasn't happened. We might get more details at Mobile World Congress next month.

At November's Samsung Developer Conference, Samsung unveiled the folding smartphone under dark lights to not reveal its final design. Samsung has said it's building a new software platform for the smartphone to ensure it delivers a better user experience.

That said, Samsung isn't expected to pitch the device to everyone. Since it will likely be quite expensive, possibly in the range of $1,800, and may have a limited production run, Samsung reportedly believes that it will be best suited for middle-aged consumers with the available cash on hand,LAS VEGAS - Most robots weve seen are pretty pointless, creepy or both. But Samsung is showcasing a trio of helpful robots here at CES 2019.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The company is focusing on big and small companion bots that can help care for the elderly, clean the air around you and enhance your shopping or dining experiences.

Samsung Bot Care

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The friendly Samsung Bot Care robot can help older people do everything, from taking their vital signs to getting them moving with some stretches and yoga. In one demo, I saw the Bot Care take a Samsung rep's blood pressure just by pressing and holding the rep's finger to a screen. The robot can then send a snapshot of your latest stats to loved ones.

MORE: FlexPai Foldable Phone -- The Future Feels Like This

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

Bot Care can also remind you to take your medicine, and when you do, your loved ones will get a notification. And, if you need to lift your mood, the Bot Care can dance and play music.

The Bot Care is smart enough to follow you when you call it, or use a hand gesture to summon it.

Bot Air

The Bot Air robot is a lot more specialized, as it can work with sensors in your smart home to determine whether the air quality is safe. The robot can also purify the air, though its not clear how that works.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

During a demo, the display on the robot showed when it detected an abnormality, and the bottom lit up red to signal that there was an issue. Then, as the robot started cleaning the air, the light turned yellow. Finally, it turned green when the coast was clear.

Bot Retail

Last, but not least, Bot Retail is a taller robot with a touchscreen, intended for use in retail and service environments. For example, you could use it to order at a restaurant  and the back side has a shelf to bring you food.

When its time to pay, all you have to do is tap your phone to the robot. (This could be bad news if you work as a waiter or waitress.) In another scenario, the Bot Retail could recommend accessories for your Galaxy Watch in a store.

Samsung isnt saying when these robots will be hitting the market, but Im a little less worried about an AI uprising. For now.If you tend to travel to foreign countries, or even if you have family members with whom you struggle to connect because of a language barrier, consider Pocketalk. This device can easily translate up to 74 languages without ever having to rely on your smartphone.

Pocketalk is available now to purchase for $249, which will let you add your own data plan. Or, you can get it for $299 and get a 4G LTE plan for two whole years without any monthly fees.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

As the name suggests, this neat gadget was small enough to fit in my pocket and sit comfortably in the palm of my hand. It has a sleek oval design, with ports for USB-C charging and a SIM card slot. The device comes in three colors: black, white or gold.



MORE: Best Smart Home Gadgets

The Pocketalk has a small touchscreen display thats used to navigate between the languages, which was pretty responsive as I scrolled through it. The interface had a black-and-white layout with simple navigation that non-tech-savvy users could grasp.

The two buttons just below the face activate the microphone to listen for one of the two chosen languages.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

You may be wondering: Why not just use your smartphone to begin with, especially since Google Translate does the same thing. The answer is simple: Unlike many smartphones, the Pocketalk comes with dedicated noise-canceling microphones. As Johji Kuroda, Director of Business Development at Sourcenext, demonstrated, the Pocketalk picked up his voice in Japanese amidst the cacophony of the showroom floor.

As he spoke, the display began typing out, What did you have for breakfast this morning? in Japanese and English. To which I responded, Chicken and waffles. (Dont judge me.) My response quickly popped back up in the same manner, but with English listed first.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The Pocketalk has no lag time, and it has a simpler interface than a smartphone. The best part is that you don't actually have to waste the battery on your phone to use it. Pocketalk gets around 8 hours of battery life if youre using it casually, but Kuroda stated that if its in constant use, then itll probably get somewhere around 5 hours.

On top of that, you dont have to worry about using your own data if you get the $299 version of the Pocketalk (for two years, at least). And even if you do get the $249 version, the Pocketalk will still work with Wi-Fi or a personal hotspot.

This is a great device for people who are constantly travelling, and even for those who arent major tech enthusiasts due to its easy-to-use interface.LAS VEGAS - Panasonic means business with its latest OLED TV, shown off at CES 2019, the sumptuous Panasonic GZ2000. Its a television with a number of headline-grabbing worlds firsts.

But where much of the focus will be on the TVs (currently) unique ability to support Dolby Digital and HDR10+ content, it was its speaker setup that had me picking my jaw up from the floor.

Panasonic has managed to attach some up-firing speakers to the back of television, in a surprisingly svelte manner. This brings the speaker tally on the TV to the magic number 7, which is what you need for Dolby Atmos, and boy does it sound good.

MORE: Best TV Deals you can get right now

I had a number of demos of the Panasonic GZ2000, showing off the picture and audio quality and I was utterly impressed throughout. Panasonic has thought long and hard about ways to improve its OLED TV.

Display: Fantastic visuals

Panasonic is under no illusion that its panel is the same thats used by myriad other manufacturers (made by LG Display) but its tinkered enough with its own processors, adding an updated HCX Pro Intelligent processor, and algorithms to get the best quality it can. This was most apparent when I had a demo of its Intelligent Clear Motion technology.

In the footage I saw, it significantly reduced the blurring around a fast-moving object, in this case a man on a bike, so that the halo effect you sometimes get around said object had all-but gone.

Panasonic admitted the footage was an extreme case (and the bad halo-ing I did see was coming from its 2018 OLED range) but it showed off how far this technology has come in just a year.



There are some big improvements in brightness, too, with Panasonic quoting a 30 percent increase. Couple this with OLEDs natural tendency to be bright and the GZ2000 is a joy to watch stuff on, particularly a fast-moving scene from Wonder Woman which showed off the TVs wide color gamut.

For reference, there were two variants of the GZ2000 set up: one showcasing footage in HDR10+ and the other Dolby Vision. There wasnt much between the two formats, not that I could see, but it wasnt a fair comparison as the footage on each was different.

Having both HDR formats on board is more about Panasonic making sure that it has the, somewhat confusing and rather fragmented, HDR market sewn up. Regardless of what the studios have chosen when it comes to HDR, this OLED means that you dont need to pick a side to watch decent HDR content.

The TV, thankfully, also supports the older HDR10 format, too. The screen quality on the GZ2000 is so good, Panasonic has wooed some of Hollywoods finest to put their name behind the technology. Both director Joseph Kosinski (who is helming the upcoming Top Gun sequel) and colorist Stefan Sonnenfeld (Man of Steel, Wonder Woman) are using these TVs as their reference sets.

Sound: Simply epic

You cant hit cinematic heights without decent audio, though, and the Panasonic GZ2000 has this and more. Perhaps to appease this particular limey, Panasonic showed me a Leicester City Premier League match to showcase the difference between its new up-firing speakers, compared to a soundbar.

The sound coming from the GZ2000s speaker setup was massive, with the crowd reaction overhead and the ball whizzing past our ears. Compared to the soundbar, it was a much bigger and detailed soundscape.



Its important to note that this demo was not showcasing Dolby Atmos but Panasonics own 'sound field' generation that resamples audio to make use of the up-firing speakers.



It was really impressive and great to see these speakers working when Dolby Atmos-supported audio isnt being piped through, given the scarcity of this in the home at the moment. But when an Atmos demo was shown, the sound was epic.

Outlook

First impressions, the Panasonic GZ2000 OLED TV range is worthy of its flagship status. Panasonic has decided against launching an 8K set, although it has signed up to be part of the 8K Alliance, and instead is focusing on the here and now of 4K.

Or, should that be the hear and now? As this TV is an absolute audio and visual treat. The Panasonic GZ2000 OLED TV range is set to launch in the Summer, in 55 and 65-inch sizes, with pricing to be announced.The best Google Assistant commands not only help you get the most out of your Google Home smart speaker, but, thanks to the Google Assistant smartphone app, you can access the power of Hey Google wherever you go.

Google Assistant has come a long way in a short time. Initially, it simply used Google's powerful search to help you look up basic information, but now can make your life easier and more automated in many ways.

The best Google Assistant commands let you navigate your scheduleand the worldtranslate other languages, keep your family connected, get restaurant recommendations and test your trivia knowledge. There are also special commands for controlling any of the best Google Home compatible devices in a smart home system.

While in our Google Nest Audio review and Google Nest Hub Max review we discussed Google Assistants abilities in depth, its actually available on a number of third-party smart speakers and on iPhone and Android devices, too. But with thousands of skills, it's tough to know where to start.

See all of the best Google Assistant commands below. For more tips and tricks, check out our guide on how to use Google Assistant.

What are the best Google Assistant commands?

We can't truly rank the best Google Assistant commands because every users needs, daily routines and smart home systems are personal to them. However, specific skills below stand out because we think they are useful to a majority of Google Assistant or Google Home users.

As such, one of the best Google Assistant commands is Find my Phone. It may sound simple, but for times when you dont have anyone around to call your misplaced phone for you, you can holler at Google Assistant for help. Whether you have an iPhone or Pixel, or other Android phone, the Find my Phone skill works even when your phone is on silent or Do Not Disturb mode.

Pixel smartphone users benefit from some especially useful features, like phone call screening. Google Assistant can field annoying and unwanted calls from telemarketers or scammers, and even provide a real-time transcript of the screening to see whether you want to answer. Similarly, Pixel owners can train Google Assistant to recognize their voice and enable a hands-free voice unlock command that makes getting into their phones even simpler.

Sometimes you need to look up pictures for reference in Google, but it can take some time to navigate to Google Images and complete your query. Or maybe you just need to see some adorable pics of baby animals to brighten your mood. One of the best Google Assistant commands right now is Hey Google, show me pictures of, and youll be met with plenty of photo options.

Here are the best Google Assistant commands

(Image credit: Future)

1. Find your phone

Misplaced your new Pixel 4 XL? Whether it's fallen in the couch cushions or you can't remember which jacket you've left it in, you can use Google Assistant to find it. If you have a connected Google Home speaker, like the Nest Mini, you can ask it where your phone is and it will ring your phone. As one of the best Google Assistant commands, this works even when your phone is on silent or Do Not Disturb mode, meaning you'll be able to find it easily.

(Image credit: Google)

2. Unlock your phone hands-free

You love that Google Assistant responds to your voice when your screen is off, but you hate it when your PIN and fingerprint methods appear on screen (requiring an extra step to unlock the device). Bypass these additional steps by using Google Assistant's voice command to unlock your device. Go into your Google Assistant settings, and select OK Google Detection followed by Trusted Voice.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

3. Open apps with your voice

Let's say you're washing your hands, but you want to see your latest Gmail notifications on your smartphone. Just say, "OK, Google, open Gmail," and watch Gmail open. One of the best Google Assistant commands out there, this command helps you open other apps, including third-party apps, as well.

(Image credit: Google)

4. Screen your phone calls for scams

Tired of getting bothered by telemarketers? Then this is the best Google Assistant skill for you. If you pick up a Pixel 3 or later smartphone, you can have Google Assistant field those annoying and unwanted calls. The latest Pixels include a Call Screen feature where the Assistant will answer the phone on your behalf. Even better, an onscreen transcript of the call will appear so that you can see whether the call is coming from someone you can safely ignore. If it is a telemarketer, just mark the call as spam and move on. While the new Pixels get this feature first, Google says that it will come to earlier Pixels via a software update.

(Image credit: Google)

5. Have web pages read aloud

Whenever a web article is open on your browser in your Android phone, you can say, Hey Google, read it or Hi Google, read this page and Google Assistant will narrate the published content on that web page. As one of the best Google Assistant commands for accessibility, this skill lets you determine the pace at which Google reads, and helps you follow along with highlighted text as the pages autoscrolls. Google Assistant can also translate the page from the language it was written it to your language of choice.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

6. Search for images

Having a hard day at work? What's better than pictures of baby animals to lift your spirits? Ask your Google Assistant to do a Google image search of baby animals and you'll feel better in no time. This works for any image you might want to find. This is one of the best Google Assistant commands if you just need to smile.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

7. Get advice on where to eat, drink, dance or shop

It's Friday night, you're out with friends, but you're clueless as to where you should go for dinner or dancing. One of the best Google Assistant commands can help: By way of the Nearby feature, you can find out what places around cater to whatever you're in the mood for. Just ask Google Assistant to "show me nearby restaurants," and finding that great new spot is just a tap away. Google Assistant gives you a list of restaurant names with the establishments' star ratings; tap on a listing to get the address, directions and a link for calling the restaurant.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

8. Get suggestions for vacation spots

If you're looking to get away, Google Assistant can serve as a virtual travel planner. Just ask Google Assistant, "What are some great vacation ideas?" if you're open to anything. To be more specific, ask, for example, "What are the best places for vacation in November" to find seasonal travel hotspots. Google Assistant will pull up search results, which you can tap for more information.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

9. Play your favorite Netflix shows and movies

If you want to kick back and enjoy any of the best Netflix shows or best Netflix movies with family and friends, just ask Google Assistant to start streaming your show. You can even get specific: Say, "Play Stranger Things on Netflix," and watch the Hawkins kids escape the Demogorgon at any time. The feature can be hit-and-miss, with older shows like MacGyver and Murder, She Wrote tripping up Google Assistant, though the "Play Luke Cage on Netflix" command works just fine.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

10. Hear some good news

Tired of the unrelenting negativity of the news cycle? Your Google Assistant can provide some relief. Just say "Tell me something good," and you'll get a summary of an uplifting news story with the option to find out more by tapping a link.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

11. Get sports scores

Sports fans will think this is among the best Google Assistant commands; You can find out who won yesterday's big game, just by saying, "Who won yesterday's Broncos-Texans game?" (OK, so that may not be what most people want to know). Asking Google Assistant, "Who won the NFL game yesterday?" will bring up a list of NFL football scores from the day before. You can also ask Google Assistant for historical sports data, such as "Who played third base for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960?" (Don Hoak).

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

12. Get a weather forecast

Ready to plan your weekend getaway to the park for a romantic picnic? You'll need to make sure the weather cooperates. Just grab your mobile meteorologist, Google Assistant, who can tell you if it'll be sunny with the temperature in the 70s or cold and rainy. As one of the best Google Assistant commands, forecast queries can be pretty flexible. Asking, "What's the weather for the weekend?" will give you a forecast, while "What's it like outside?" triggers a rundown of current conditions.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

13. Send a voice message

If you're out and about and need to contact your kids at home, Google Assistant can broadcast a voice message directly to your Google Home speakers at home, and your family can respond. Google Assistant also transcribes your message if your family member would rather read it.

(Image credit: Google)

14. Book movie tickets

Using Google Assistant, you can look up new movies based on title, who's starring, and what's playing in the theaters near you. Your assistant will provide you a number of showtimes options, and then help you to book as many tickets as you need through Fandango's service. Yup, this means no more waiting in line! Or getting to the theater only to learn the showing you wanted is sold out. It's one of the best Google Assistant commands for film buffs.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

15. Play some tunes

On a road trip and feel like breaking out into song? Keeping your hands on the wheel, you can tell Google Assistant to "play music," and get the party started on the road. To strike up the band, simply say, "OK, Google," followed by "play music" or "sing a song." Look out for a disruption in playback if you have too many devices authorized on your Play Music service (you can have up to 10 devices max) or if you have yet to set Google Assistant to unlock your Pixel.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

16. Set important reminders

Google Assistant's greatest power is that it can draw information from other Google apps and services  including Keep, Calendar and Gmail  to provide information at a moment's notice when you need it. If you fear you've missed any emails from yesterday, you can always ask Google Assistant, "Did I miss any emails from yesterday?" and the assistant will pull up emails that remain unopened.

Need to be reminded of that bill you keep forgetting? Want to make sure you don't forget your wedding anniversary? Just set a reminder with Google Assistant, and you'll never forget that date again. To set the reminder, you can say, "OK, Google, set a reminder for my wedding anniversary," and it's done, other than thanking Google Assistant for maintaining your wedded bliss. (By the way, Google Assistant will reply with "You're welcome" should you thank it).

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

17. Jog your memory

Sometimes its hard to keep track of the little things, like where you parked your car or even where you left your car keys or wallet. Its pretty easy for Google Assistant, though, if you take advantage of the digital helpers ability to set reminders. Just say OK Google, remind me that my car keys are in the kitchen on the counter, and Google Assistant will recall it for you when you ask again.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

18. Manage your shopping list

When in the grocery store, the last thing you want to do is fumble for your grocery list. If you've been using Google Keep, no worries: Google Assistant can grab your shopping list. You need only go into your Google Assistant settings, then select Shopping List beneath Pixel. The Assistant will enter into Google Keep and retrieve your list. Who knew hiring a professional shopper could be so fun, easy and free?

For the holidays, you can also add gift ideas to a gift list. Say "Hey, Google, add a t-shirt for Joe to my gift list."

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

19. Find a loan

Google Assistant can answer all of your questions about finding and paying back a loan with Leslie, its artificially intelligent loan expert. Say "Okay, Google, talk to Loan Finder," to take advantage of her knowledge. You can ask Leslie your own questions, or ask for her answers to the most popular ones. After you answer a few questions, Leslie can redirect you to a listing of loan offers suited to you (via a partner website). For existing loans, Leslie can spit out the amount you'll be paying over the length of your loan term.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

20. Set alarms and wake up routines

No need to fumble with the snooze button on that alarm clock in the morning when you can trust Google Assistant to wake you up on time. You need only tell Google Assistant, "Wake me up at 8 a.m.," to set an alarm. If you're bored with the regular alarms, you can even say "Wake me up at 8 a.m. to Pink," and it will play selected songs from her. You can pick any song, artist, or playlist, and Google Assistant will draw from the default music service you specified. Using Google Routines, you can also set an alarm to trigger other actions. For example, Google can read you the news, or turn on your lights after you've dismissed your alarm.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

21. Plan a road trip route

Some people want to plan their travel down to the smallest detail, including learning the fastest route to their destinations. If you're looking for the fastest way from Point A to Point B or you just need to get home from a place you've visited for the first time, ask Google Assistant to tell you. The trip from Florida to New York isn't as long as you'd think. Google Assistant works with both Google Maps and Waze.

New York City residents can also use Google Assistant to check public-transit schedules, using either an Android phone or a smart speaker. Ask "Hey, Google, when is the next F train?". You'll get your train's ETA and walking directions to the nearest station.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

22. Send a text message

Need to send a text message telling a friend or loved one you'll be late to dinner? No problem. Just say, "OK, Google," followed by, "Send a text message to (the person's name)." From there, you can dictate the exact message you want delivered. Google Assistant will then ask you whether you want to edit the message or send it.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

23. Set a kitchen timer

What's cooking? Use Google Assistant to set a kitchen timer.

You're cooking at home for the first time in months, and you're enjoying a simple evening with your spouse. Make sure to set your baked chicken on a timer by saying, "OK, Google, set a timer for baked chicken for 2.5 hours." You can use the timer for other things, too, but dinner preparations are a natural for this Google Assistant skill. Plus, you can set multiple timers, naming each, so you know when to take the side dishes our of the oven, too.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

24. See if things add up

Google Assistant makes for a good calculator. Not everyone can do math in their head, and theres really no need to with Google Assistant close at hand. Just say OK Google, tell me what is 15 x 24, and itll respond with the answer quickly. Now, you never have to fumble for the calculator app on your smartphone or piece of scratch paper ever again.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

25. Get a motivational quote

You've got this! Way to go! You can do it! Google Assistant can provide motivational quotes. Sometimes, a good motivational quote can help inspire you to push on just a bit more. Google Assistant can help you take a step back and keep going with famous motivational quotes. Just ask.

This Google Assistant skill can also deliver quotes on any topic of your choosing. Try asking for a music quote or a space quote.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

26. Translate between languages

Traveling to a foreign country where you don't know the language? This is the best Google Assistant skill to help you get around. For example you can say, "How do you say 'dinner' in Spanish?" or whatever word or phrase you want translated with your language of choice  Google Assistant can translate 188 languages.) The assistant will speak the translated phrase for you.

If you need to hear the phrase again, just say, "OK, Google, repeat that," and Google Assistant will do as you command.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

27. Interpreter mode

This Google Assistant skill is similar to the translation skill, but Interpreter Mode can translate a conversation in real time between 44 different languages. Just say, "Hey Google, be my {insert language} interpreter," to have Google Assistant show and speak both sides of multi-language conversation in real time.

You can use Google's Interpreter Mode on any Google Home speaker or smart display. Say "Hey, Google, by my French interpreter" to start up a bilingual conversation. Google will translate what you're saying into French in real time, and can translate your partner's response back into English as well.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

28. Use your camera to identify your surroundings

One of the best Google Assistant commands leverages a smartphone camera to help translate signs. Just point your phone's camera at an object and Google Assistant will overlay the text with a translation in the language of your choice, complete with contextual responses. Snap a photo of a concert marquee, and Google Assistant will be able to parse out the name of the band and offer links to play their songs or buy tickets to the show. After debuting on the Pixel phones, Google has since rolled out Lens to other devices.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

29. Assign a new language or dialect

Practicing a new language or dialect for a business trip? You can use Google Assistant to help with your language skills. Tap the white software home button at the bottom of the display until you see Google Assistant appear. Next, tap the three gray dots at the top right of the pop-up box, then Settings, then "Adjust settings for this Pixel device." From there, tap Assistant Language, go to Language Preferences and select Add a Language. From there, you'll be prompted to select a language and dialect (Francais and Canada, for example) that you want for Google Assistant.

You can also give Google an Australian or British accent by selecting "Assistant Voice" under Google Assistant Settings.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

30. Assign reminders

While you could already send yourself reminders, you can now have Google Assistant be the family nag, reminding your partner, kids or roommates to do things like pick up the dry cleaning, preheat the oven, and take out the trash.

Assignable reminders are available for phones, Google Assistant-enabled speakers, and smart displays, such as the Google Nest Hub Max.

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

31. Record stories with My Stories

The My Storytime skill lets you record stories for playback when youre away from your family. When you upload audio files to MyStorytime.com, any Google Nest speakers and displays on your account can play them aloud. Just say Hey Google, talk to My Storytime," to listen.

How to choose the best Google Assistant commands for you

Choosing the best Google Assistant commands for you entirely depends on your needs. Almost every user will benefit from weather report, traffic, music and news skills, but youll need to consider the other ways Google Assistant can make your life easier or entertain you. It is your personal assistant, after all.

If you're growing your smart home ecosystem, the best Google Assistant commands for you include the ones that associate to the IoT brands you use. Whether you use Philips Hue, C by GE, Sengled or Lifx smart lights, you need to connect your account to Google Home to enable hands-free control. The same goes for getting any of the best smart plugs, best smart locks and more online.

Certain wearable devices also offer Google Assistant commands. With any Wear OS watches from makers like Fossil, you can access your assistant right from your wrist. If you're a frequent Google Assistant user, consider getting one of the best smartwatches with Wear OS. Try using commands to change the volume of the music in your headphones, adjust your smart home devices and message your friends.

How we test the best Google Assistant commands

We spend many hours exploring the Google Assistant and Google Home apps to find the best Google Assistant commands for our readers. From time to time, we'll also ask the assistant itself for suggestions and easter eggs. Wherever you might keep a Google Home speaker, we consider what kind of queries you might have while in that space. We also test a variety of skills that help with chores, errands, scheduling, communication and more.

For certain Google Assistant command categories, we test popular offerings and look at user ratings to make confident recommendations. Sometimes commands arent as smart as theyre advertised, so weve vetted the ones above to make sure they work and make Google Assistant the most useful personal assistant it can be.[January 09, 2019] TalariaX Launches One of the Most Integrated Omni-Channel Messaging Platforms, sendQuick.io, for the Enterprise and Telco Markets

Integrated cloud-based service combines 10 messengers in one platform using a single API SINGAPORE, Jan. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- TalariaX, a leading industry player in enterprise mobile messaging solutions, has launched an omni-channel messaging platform and flagship solution that integrates 10 popular social messenger platforms - Facebook Messenger, Webex Teams, WeChat, Telegram, Slack, Microsoft Teams, WeChat Work, Line, WhatsApp (integration completed, not launched) and Viber (integration completed, not launched) - using a single Application Programming Interface (API). sendQuick.io, one of the most integrated messenger platforms currently available for the enterprise and telco markets in Asia, enables organisations to connect and leverage multiple applications (Reminders, Notifications, Alerts, Customer Service, OTP and more) and network systems across all 10 popular social messenger and collaboration channels, vastly simplifying the subscription process. The number of mobile phone messaging app users worldwide is projected to grow to 2.48 billion in 2021. This year[1], consumers will get in touch with businesses for customer support more over messaging than over social media[2], thus redefining digital communication. "sendQuick.io is a testament to TalariaX's versatile offerings that caters to the evolving needs of organisations for seamless integration, increasing productivity and delivering outstanding customer engagement. The holistic and simplified offering is not just a cost-effective solution proposition but also a service that offers hassle-free conversations seamlessly across multiple channels," said JS Wong, CEO of TalariaX. sendQuick.io key features include: Omnichannel Messaging: Connects with customers in real-time via social messengers

Connects with customers in real-time via social messengers Easy Configuration: Enables organisations to configure any number of social messaging or collaboration tools; Faster set-up and low entry cost

Enables organisations to configure any number of social messaging or collaboration tools; Faster set-up and low entry cost Unified Applications Integration: Single and unified API integrates all applications and systems seamlessly

Single and unified API integrates all applications and systems seamlessly Broadcast Messaging: Sends notifications, alerts and reminders instantly to customers about latest promotions, transactions and updates

Sends notifications, alerts and reminders instantly to customers about latest promotions, transactions and updates Data Access: Accessible via cloud on any browser/ device and can be recorded, archived and accessible for easy retrieval "Our readily integrated platform allows organisations to effortlessly streamline processes, enable easy subscriptions/configurations, and at the same time simplify their deployment by 90%," added Wong. A true pioneer in mobile messaging gateways and a key SMS and mobile messaging player in Singapore, Malaysia and in the Asia-Pacific region, TalariaX also launched 'Conversation', a unified web-based messaging tool for agents and staff to easily chat and interact with all messenger users in a single interface. This ready-to-use tool allows companies to avail of multi-user and multi-department login, serves as a customer service/support function like helpdesk, and acts as a marketing tool for customer feedback, enquiries and other customer facing interactions. In today's fast-paced business environment and connected world, TalariaX's tools and services helps organisations enhance operational efficiencies, reduce overhead costs and simplify processes for the most effective and efficient customer communication.







[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/483255/number-of-mobile-messaging-users-worldwide/

[2] https://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/trend-alert-2019-messaging-apps-for-business

About TalariaX Pte Ltd TalariaX develops and offers enterprise mobile messaging solutions for improving business workflow and productivity. Our range of business mobile messaging solutions is geared towards helping companies to easily deploy messaging solutions for all enterprise applications. They include IT Alerts & Notifications, Secure Remote Access via 2-Factor Authentication, Emergency & Broadcast Messaging, Business Process Automation and System Availability Monitoring. Our key product, sendQuick, is an enterprise grade messaging gateway, available on appliances, virtual machines and cloud services. sendQuick is used by over 1,500 corporations, including many Fortune Global 500 companies, in 40 countries across various industry verticals. SOURCE TalariaX

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Galveston County Chooses Hart InterCivic's Verity Voting over Competitors' Systems

After serious consideration of all options, Galveston County Commissioners voted unanimously Dec. 17 to adopt the new Verity Voting system from Hart InterCivic, a trusted election partner to the County since 2006. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005852/en/ The new Verity Voting system from Hart InterCivic is compact and easy for election workers to carry and set up. It makes voting easy and accessible for all voters and streamlines election administration. (Photo: Business Wire) Request a Verity Demo: 866-216-4278 "Verity and Hart add up to a huge benefit for our taxpayers," said County Clerk Dwight Sullivan. "We've been through crunch times with Hart, and they've proved to be a true partner, not just another vendor. They have integrity. Plus, Verity is a perfect match for our Vote Centers, without additional expense." "All kinds of vendors came at us - and we looked into them - but the bottom line is that Hart has more experience than any other with our Vote Center approach," said Ernest Murrie, Chief Deputy of Elections for the County. "We did our research, and we saw that the competition does not perform like Hart. We trust Hart's product and their service." "We've partnered with Galveston County for more than a decade, and we greatly value their confidence in Hart and Verity," said Phillip Braithwaite, President and CEO of Hart InterCivic, an Austin-based company with more than 100 years of exprience providing election solutions. "They've chosen flexible, trustworthy technology that will serve them for years to come. We look forward to continuing our strong partnership."



Verity is the most up-to-date election technology available and is designed and built in Texas. More than half of the voters in Texas cast their ballots on Hart's voting systems, and Verity is a natural next step for those ready to purchase a new system. "We've been planning this purchase with our commissioners since 2012, and they understood that it was time to make this investment for the long run," Sullivan said. "We like that Hart is a Texas company with a secure product that is built stateside. USA-built is important for security and longevity."

Verity has the flexibility to be used for paper, hybrid or electronic voting. Galveston County voters will use Verity Touch, featuring the latest security protections and all new hardware and software. "We believe that Verity's touchscreen will be well loved by our voters," said Sullivan, who was recently elected to his third term in office. "User-friendly touchscreens should speed up voting, and Verity's proven reliability and security meet our high expectations." With more than 200,000 registered voters to serve, Sullivan sought input from existing Verity partners and neighboring counties. "I've heard nothing but rave reviews," he said. "Chambers, Brazoria, Nueces and more. Great feedback. Of course, our own experience with Hart speaks volumes, too. If we ever have an issue, they are Johnny-on-the-spot with solutions. I can't say enough about Hart's customer service." Delivery of the new technology started Jan. 7, leaving plenty of time for local testing and training before the May election. "Hart is committed to making this transition go well. We expect training and programming for poll workers to be simple and a smooth experience for our voters," Murrie said. He also appreciates the convenience and efficiency of Hart's controller model, which allows officials to manage up to 12 voting terminals from a single console. Galveston County joins a growing number of Texas jurisdictions moving to Verity. Since the Texas Secretary of State certified the latest release of the system in late 2016, Hart has shipped more than 9,000 Verity devices across Texas. First federally certified in 2015, the secure and efficient system is also in use in numerous counties throughout the U.S. Braithwaite expects more announcements throughout 2019 as additional jurisdictions choose Verity to replace aging systems. Murrie has advice for those considering a switch. "Make sure you check out the options out there, and feel comfortable with your choice. We found out that Hart has the best product for us, and we made the commitment to get it right. We'll have Verity for a very long time." Learn more about Verity in Texas: https://www.hartintercivic.com/texas/ About Hart InterCivic, Inc. Austin-based Hart InterCivic is a full-service election solutions innovator, partnering with state and local governments to deliver secure, accurate and reliable elections. Working side-by-side with election professionals for more than 100 years, Hart is committed to helping advance democracy one election at a time. Hart's mission fuels its passionate customer focus and a continuous drive for technological innovation. The company's new Verity Voting system makes voting more straightforward, equitable and accessible-and makes managing elections more transparent, more efficient and easier. Only Hart offers a completely new, secure voting system with paper, hybrid and electronic options. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005852/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Talentsoft Completes $50 Million Funding Round to Accelerate Growth

PARIS, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Future unicorn confirms its position as the European leader in HR Tech Talentsoft, the European leader in learning and human capital management software, today announced that it has closed a funding round of $50 million. Francisco Partners leads the new investment, alongside existing investors Bpifrance and Goldman Sachs who are strengthening their capital. (Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/806276/Talentsoft_logo.jpg )



As part of today's announcement, Talentsoft CEO Jean-Stephane Arcis also shared insight into the company's ambition in the European HR Tech market with a strategic focus on three key priorities: A cceleration of the company ' s international development .

I nvestment in HR data management and employee experience innovations .

Pivot towards a platform open to external applications. $50 Million to Strengthen Position as the European Leader in HR Tech The total funding round announced by Talentsoft is $50 million and ranks among the ten largest funding rounds in Europe in 2018 for enterprise software. The entire investment will be used to accelerate the company's continued growth through innovation and international market expansion, reinforcing the company's position as the European leader in HR Tech. Talentsoft's strategic direction is now based on three pillars: Acceleration of the company ' s international development : Mastering talent management issues and best practices for international groups, the Talentsoft solution is now used in more than 130 countries and available in 27 languages. The company intends to capitalize on this expertise to support its large customers in their global deployments.

Mastering talent management issues and best practices for international groups, the Talentsoft solution is now used in more than 130 countries and available in 27 languages. The company intends to capitalize on this expertise to support its large customers in their global deployments. Innovation focused on HR data management and employee experience: As the first HR Tech Lab in Europe , Talentsoft will leverage hundreds of developers to transform the work experience of millions of employees, as well as to strengthen Talentsoft HUB , the company's core HR offer.

As the first HR Tech Lab in , Talentsoft will leverage hundreds of developers to transform the work experience of millions of employees, as well as to strengthen , the company's core HR offer. Pivot towards a platform open to external applications: Jean-Stephane Arcis affirms the strategy to make Talentsoft the leading HR Marketplace in Europe . The company will thus pivot from a SaaS model to an iPaaS model (Integrated Platform a a Service). Technology partners will now have the opportunity to integrate new services on a continuous basis, in order to meet customers' expectations as closely as possible.



"This funding round marks a new phase in the history of Talentsoft, and we are proud to be backed by leading venture capital firms. Our existing partners, Bpifrance and Goldman Sachs, and new investor Francisco Partners, have shown strong confidence in what we are doing. We aim to go even further by becoming the first HR Tech platform in Europe with our new iPaaS program, which will make Talentsoft the number one destination for market innovations in HR," explains Jean-Stephane Arcis, CEO of Talentsoft. The rise of a digital champion in Europe

Talentsoft is a European success story: the company was co-founded in 2007 by three entrepreneurs (Jean-Stephane Arcis, Alexandre Pachulski et Joel Bentolila) and has rapidly grown since -

+33% in 2018. Today, the company employs 600 employees with customers in more than 130 countries in 27 languages. Revenues will reach $100M in a near future, a first for an Enterprise SaaS company in Europe.

Talentsoft is focused on optimizing the employee experience while taking into account the cultural, linguistic and regulatory specificities of HR management in Europe. As a result, Talentsoft represents a strong alternative for organizations for whom managing employee data is strategic. Among Talentsoft's 2000 clients are large organizations, including EDF, Vinci, Lacoste, MaxMara, Toyota Europe, ST Microelectronics, Deutsche Bahn, Dorchester Collection hotels and National Bank of Belgium. These benchmark players trust Talentsoft to roll out its solution globally to support their HR transformation. Talentsoft's solution is based on five pillars: recruitment, performance and talent reviews, compensation, learning and core HR. In 2018, Talentsoft received numerous recognitions: The company was awarded the Future Unicorn Trophy in March 2018 by Euronext and Roland Berger .

by Euronext and . The company was also recognized as a 'Visionary' in Gartner's Magic Quadrant of Talent Management Software for the fifth year in a row and has been rewarded for a higher than average customer satisfaction compared to its competitors. Key Talentsoft figures Founded in France in 2007

in 2007 9 million users in more than 130 countries

600 employees

27 languages

33% growth in 2018

2000 enterprise clients, including 200 new ones in 2018 About Talentsoft Talentsoft is the European leader in cloud-based talent management and learning software. The company serves 2,000 clients and 9 million users across?the world, and in 27 languages. Its digital platform fosters interactions and transforms employees' work experience. Talentsoft offers a unique combination of core HR and ready-to-use HR analytics dashboards, and fully leverages the synergies between competency management, career paths, and learning opportunities. The application covers?core HR and?the entire talent management cycle: recruiting, onboarding, performance, talent review, competencies development, learning and compensation. ? http://www.talentsoft.com? About Francisco Partners Francisco Partners is a leading global private equity firm that specializes in investments in technology and technology-enabled businesses. Since its launch over 18 years ago, Francisco Partners has raised over $14 billion in committed capital and invested in more than 200 technology companies, making it one of the most active and longstanding investors in the technology industry. The firm invests in opportunities where its deep sectoral knowledge and operational expertise can help companies realize their full potential. For more information on Francisco Partners, please visit www.franciscopartners.com About Bpifrance Bpifrance is the French national investment bank: it finances businesses - at every stage of their development - through loans, guarantees, equity investments and export insurances. Bpifrance also provides extrafinancial services (training, consultancy.) to help entrepreneurs meet their challenges (innovation, export). For more information, please visit: www.bpifrance.fr and presse.bpifrance.fr Follow us on Twitter: @Bpifrance - @BpifrancePresse About Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division The Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division is the primary center for Goldman Sachs' long term principal investing activity, and Goldman Sachs has operated this business as an integral part of the firm for more than 25 years. The group invests in equity and credit across corporate strategies and has raised capital to invest across a number of geographies and industries since 1986. With nine offices in seven countries around the world, the Goldman Sachs Merchant Banking Division is one of the largest managers of private capital globally, offering deep expertise and long-standing relationships with companies, investors, entrepreneurs and financial intermediaries around the globe. Further information on Goldman Sachs can be found on the website: www.goldmansachs.com

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Levchin Prize Names Winners at the 2019 Real-World Crypto Conference

Today serial entrepreneur Max Levchin, announced the winners of his annual cryptography award, the Levchin Prize for Real-World Cryptography at the 2019 Real-World Crypto Conference in San Jose, California. The award honors entrepreneurs who have made significant contributions to solving global, real-world cryptography issues. As the co-creator of the Gausebeck-Levchin test, one of the first commercial implementations of CAPTCHA, cryptography has been an important part of Levchin's career in computer science and technology. He started the prize as a way to bring broader public awareness and promote the importance of applied, real-world cryptography and its applications in digital security. This year's recipients are Eric Rescorla, Chief Technology Officer at Mozilla (News - Alert) and Mihir Bellare, cryptographer and professor at the University of California San Diego. More details about this year's award recipients can be found below. "Data privacy and security become more important every day making cryptography research even more integral to the future of the Internet as we know it," said Levchin, CEO of fintech company Affirm, and co-founder and former CTO of PayPal (News - Alert) . "I'm honored to be able to recognize individuals who are working to advance a field that is extremely important to me, both personally and professionally." This year's recipients were recognized at the 2019 Real-World Crypto conference, which brings together cryptography researchers and developers who are implementing cryptography on the Internet, the cloud and embedded devices from around the world. The conference is organized by the International Association of Cryptologic Research (IACR) to strengthen and advance the conversation between these two communities. The 2019 winners were selected by the Real-World ryptography conference steering committee, which includes professors from Stanford University, University of Edinburgh, Microsoft (News - Alert) Research, Royal Holloway University of London, Cornell Tech, University of Florida, University of Bristol, and NEC Research.



More information about the Levchin Prize for Real-World Cryptography can be found on www.levchinprize.com. About the 2019 Levchin Prize for Real-World Cryptography award recipients

Eric Rescorla Eric Rescorla is Chief Technology Officer, Firefox at Mozilla, where he is responsible for setting the overall technical strategy for the Firefox browser. He has contributed extensively to many of the core security protocols used in the Internet, including TLS, DTLS, WebRTC, ACME, and the in-development IETF QUIC protocol. Most recently, he was editor of TLS 1.3, which already secures 10% of websites despite having been finished for less than six months. Eric co-founded Let's Encrypt, a free and automated certificate authority that now issues more than a million certificates a day, in order to remove barriers to online encryption and helped HTTPS grow from around 30% of the web to around 75%. Previously, he served on the California Secretary of State's Top To Bottom Review where he was part of a team that found severe vulnerabilities in multiple electronic voting devices. Mihir Bellare Mihir Bellare is a cryptographer whose work has focused on the development of practice-oriented provable security. He obtained his BS at Caltech and his PhD at MIT (News - Alert) . He is a Fellow of the ACM, a Fellow of the IACR and a recipient of the ACM Paris Kanellakis Theory and Practice Award. He has an h-index of 100 and over 50,000 citations as per Google (News - Alert) Scholar. Cryptographic algorithms that he has co-developed and are widely used in practice include HMAC, RSA-OAEP, RSA-PSS and DHIES. About the Levchin Prize for Real-World Cryptography Established in 2015, the Levchin Prize for Real-World Cryptography recognizes up to two groups or individuals annually who have made significant advances in the practice of cryptography and its use in real-world systems. In addition to a trophy modeled after the Jefferson Disk wheel cypher and a Cryptex (coined from the fictional writings of author Dan Brown's "The DaVinci Code"), award recipients receive a cash prize of $10,000 each. Anyone is eligible to apply for the Levchin Prize. Winners of the Levchin Prize must attend the award ceremony at the RWC conference to receive the prize. To learn more or submit a nomination for the 2020 Levchin prize, please visit www.levchinprize.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005796/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Bank of America to Report Fourth-Quarter 2018 Financial Results on January 16

As previously announced, Bank of America will report its fourth-quarter 2018 financial results on Wednesday, January 16. The results will be released at approximately 6:45 a.m. ET, followed by an investor presentation at 8 a.m. ET. The news release, supplemental filing and investor presentation can be accessed in the following ways: Bank of America newsroom at https://newsroom.bankofamerica.com.

Bank of America Investor Relations website at http://investor.bankofamerica.com.

Business Wire's news web page at http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/news. Invstor Conference Call Information





Bank of America

Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 67 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,400 retail financial centers, approximately 16,100 ATMs, and award-winning digital banking with more than 36 million active users, including nearly 26 million mobile users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

For more Bank of America news, including dividend announcements and other important information, visit the Bank of America newsroom. Click here to register for news email alerts. www.bankofamerica.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005776/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Quickly Convert Microsoft Office Documents, Images, and PostScript Files into PDFs with New FLIP2PDF Tool from Datalogics

Datalogics, the preferred provider of industry-leading PDF technologies, announces the release of FLIP2PDF, a new PDF tool that easily converts Microsoft (News - Alert) Word, PowerPoint, and Excel documents, images, PostScript and EPS files into PDFs. FLIP2PDF is a versatile scriptable server tool that gives users better control over their file conversion process. The solution offers enterprise-level conversion to PDF, a file format that provides greater compatibility and reliability than any other file type. Built on Adobe (News - Alert) technology, FLIP2PDF can expedite large batch conversions for seamless integration into their document workflow. "After many requests from our customers, we are excited to be offering FLIP2PDF. This tool provides a seamless way to convert Office suite documents to PDF, even if users don't have Microsoft Office installed," said Matt Kuznicki, Datalogics CT. "FLIP2PDF allows our customers to simplify their workflows even further with this powerful, yet easy-to-use, PDF conversion tool."



FLIP2PDF is available as an annual subscription, and can be purchased through Datalogics online shop. If interested in evaluating the tool prior to purchasing, a 14 day free trial is also available. About Datalogics

Datalogics, Inc. is a leading software company specializing in both enterprise PDF and digital publishing technologies. Based in Chicago, IL, we support hundreds of customers worldwide who are using our technology in diverse applications. With over 50 years of industry experience, we provide unmatched support, enabling customers to bring their products to market faster. Datalogics is on the PDF Association board and is a member of the Readium Foundation. For more information, visit www.datalogics.com. 2019 Datalogics, Incorporated Datalogics is a registered trademark of Datalogics Incorporated. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005021/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Drone Delivery Canada Supports Transport Canada

TORONTO, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Drone Delivery Canada 'DDC or the Company' (TSX.V:FLT OTC:TAKOF), is pleased to expresses its support for the new Remotely Piloted Aircraft regulations announced today by the Minster of Transport, Marc Garneau. These regulations are specific to drones used in Visual Line of-Site operations, may not necessarily be applicable to DDC's Beyond Visual Line-of-Site (BVLOS) initiatives. However, DDC believes the Canadian drone industry requires this type of stable and flexible regulatory regime to allow the industry to flourish, while at the same time, having the flexibility to continue expanding its field of influence. "The newly announced regulations are another step forward in the evolution of the industry. Ultimately, they will allow more flexibility in our current operations, while indirectly supporting DDC ability to accelerate towards the commercialization of its Drone Delivery Services in Canada", commented Mark Wuennenberg, VP of Regulatory Affairs for Drone Delivery Canada. The release of these regulaions demonstrates Transport Canada's leadership in this exciting new field of aviation. Additionally, it shows the department's continued support of innovative solutions to address the infrastructure challenges experienced by Canadians, from coast to coast.



As DDC moves into commercialization, these regulations will become the cornerstone for future drone regulatory development efforts in Canada, which DDC is excited to support through our participation in Transport Canada's BVLOS trials. As a leader in the Canadian Drone Delivery industry DDC has been anticipating these new regulations and we are well positioned to fully implement them.

As we begin the New Year, DDC is currently focused on strengthening its management team amongst all levels with a focus on enlisting the smartest minds to assist in driving commercial operations. For more information, please visit www.dronedeliverycanada.com About Drone Delivery Canada Drone Delivery Canada is a drone technology company focused on the design, development and implementation of its proprietary logistics software platform, using drones. The Company's platform will be used as Software as a Service (SaaS) for government and corporate organizations. Drone Delivery Canada Corp. is a publicly listed company trading on the TSX V Exchange under the symbol FLT, on the U.S. OTC Q B market under the symbol TAKOF and on the Frankfurt exchange in Germany under the symbol A2AMGZ. View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/drone-delivery-canada-supports-transport-canada-300775781.html SOURCE Drone Delivery Canada

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Personal Robots are Set to Be a $19 Billion Market Opportunity by 2020, says Frost & Sullivan

By 2019, 42 million service bots will be operating for domestic use and 2.5 million industrial robots are expected to be part of the future workforce SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 9, 2019 /CNW/ -- The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and gesture controls is changing the way personal robots are used in homes and hospitals. As robots become more intelligent, they will be able to sense their surroundings, avoid static and dynamic objects, understand emotions, and communicate, which will allow them to seamlessly move about in congested and crowded spaces such as homes. Advanced AI will also endow them with the intelligence to make informed decisions in real time, thereby enabling them to be fully autonomous. This opens up a range of applications in home environments, from cleaning to assisted elderly care, and support for children with special needs. For further information on this analysis, please visit: http://frost.ly/32e. "The lack of doctors, caregivers, and primary and secondary teachers is making a strong case for the use of personal robots in the healthcare and education sectors," said Vijay Narayanan, Visionary Innovation Senior Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. "With more children requiring special attention and the yearly costs of childcare escalating, there will be a huge market for robots with the ability to understand the unique needs of children and play the role of an entertainer, companion, or mentor." Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Future of Personal RobotsAI Advancements Drive the Use Case of Robots in Personal Environments, Forecast to 2025, identifies the various transformational shifts that are fueling the use of prsonal robots. It assesses the market potential for robotic applications in home environments and the cost savings they can help achieve. It also studies the disruptions robots can effect in major service industries such as hospitals, hotels, supermarkets, and logistics.



Personal robots' application scope will expand due to growth opportunities such as: 1,536 million people across the world will be aged 65 or older by 2050, with the majority expected to be from the APAC and Africa region. Robot density in countries such as Japan is expected to be more due to the high aging population.

and region. Robot density in countries such as is expected to be more due to the high aging population. Personal robots are set to be an $18.85 billion opportunity by 2020. The Asian market for robots will explode with China emerging as one of the major countries expected to provide innovative, low-cost autonomous mobile robots in the next few years.

opportunity by 2020. The Asian market for robots will explode with emerging as one of the major countries expected to provide innovative, low-cost autonomous mobile robots in the next few years. The advent of AI is resulting in smart autonomous bots that will eliminate manual tasks. By 2019, 2.5 million industrial robots are set to be part of the future workforce, with 42 million service bots operating for domestic use.

Cloud robotics, 3D vision, virtual foresight, and smart materials are some of the emerging technologies in robotics that will create new capabilities in future robots. "To enter the mainstream, robotics will have to plug the gaps in technology. Scientists are still working on improving the speech interaction, navigation capabilities, and emotion detection capabilities of the current generation of robots," noted Narayanan. "Another important area of development is safety; firms have been incorporating worst-case execution time (WCET), which gives robots reflexes equivalent to those of a fighter pilot. In the future, robots will work in collaboration with human beings in the same environment, with enhanced human-like capabilities to carry out daily activities."

Future of Personal RobotsAI Advancements Drive the Use Case of Robots in Personal Environments, Forecast to 2025 is part of Frost & Sullivan's global Visionary Innovation (Mega Trends) Growth Partnership Service program. About Frost & Sullivan For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion. Future of Personal RobotsAI Advancements Drive the Use Case of Robots in Personal Environments, Forecast to 2025

K2A3-MT Contact:

Francesca Valente

P: +54 11 4777 5300

E: Francesca.Valente@frost.com http://ww2.frost.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/personal-robots-are-set-to-be-a-19-billion-market-opportunity-by-2020-says-frost--sullivan-300775758.html SOURCE Frost & Sullivan

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]PPM Consultancy: Market Intelligence, Procurement Research, Supply Market Forecasts, Cost Drivers, Trends, Category Management Insights Now Available from SpendEdge

SpendEdge, a global procurement market intelligence firm, has announced the release of their Global PPM Consultancy Category - Procurement Market Intelligence Report.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005695/en/

Global PPM (News - Alert) Consultancy Category - Procurement Market Intelligence Report. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The increasing adoption rate of cloud-based operation services by various organizations is creating significant demand for PPM consultancy. End-user sectors such as BFSI are leveraging PPM consultancy services that are known to make the processes more transparent and eliminating instances of fraudulent activities. Innovative strides being made by the PPM consultancy service providers regarding process assessment, improvement, and analysis and reporting are attracting more subscription, thereby; driving the category send momentum. Read the Free Sample of the market intelligence report on PPM consultancy here!

Factors like the emergence of SMEs and infrastructure developments will favor the category growth in APAC, which is also projected to register the fastest category spend growth rate. However, saturated demand from various end-user industries and stringent regulations by the EU will have a negative impact on the European market. The growing complexity of projects is compelling industries in the US to leverage the PPM consultancy services to cater to the need for cost and time management.

This market intelligence report offers a detailed overview of the key cost drivers and category management insights that can aid in devising a sustainable procurement strategy for PPM consultancy solutions. This PPM consultancy procurement research report also highlights the current supply market developments to help the buyers choose the appropriate vendors who can promise quality and steady supply assurance. Not what you are looking for? Request for free customization.

"Buyers are advised to engage with service providers who provide value-based pricing instead of flat-rate pricing. This allows buyers to pay as per the performance, cost-saving opportunities, and insights offered by service providers," says SpendEdge procurement expert Sumit Yadav.

This market intelligence report on PPM consultancy has highlighted the following KPIs to play a critical role in influencing category spend. They include:

Service defect rate is an important supplier KPI for category managers

Optimum (News - Alert) resource utilization is also an important supplier KPI to buyers

Get the full market intelligence report to know more about the complete scope of this report







SpendEdge is now offering limited-time discounts on report purchases. Buy two reports and get the third one for free.

SpendEdge's procurement market intelligence reports for the facility management category offer information on critical cost drivers and category pricing strategies to help the buyers achieve significant cost-savings. The supply market forecasts provide information on supplier performance benchmarking criteria to help buyers reduce spend and establish better SLAs. Additionally, SpendEdge's reports offer category management insights and procurement best practices for the category.

Report scope snapshot: PPM consultancy

Category ecosystem

Market favorability index for suppliers

Competitiveness index for suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Interested to know more about the scope of our market intelligence reports? Download a FREE sample

Category management enablers

Procurement organization

Category enablers

Want customized information from our PPM consultancy procurement research report? Get in touch

Category definition

Category hierarchy

Category scope

Category map

To view the complete table of contents for the market intelligence report, Download a FREE sample

Do you purchase multiple reports in a year? Our subscription platform, SpendEdge Insights, provides ready-to-use procurement research reports for multiple categories. Now access latest supplier news, innovation landscape, markets insights, supplier tracking, and much more at the click of a button. Start your 7-day FREE trial now.

Related Reports:

About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more, https://www.spendedge.com/request-free-proposal

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005695/en/[January 09, 2019] Grant Helps San Antonio Family with Home Purchase

The instability of moving from apartment to apartment can bring unnecessary stress to a young family. San Antonio, Texas, mother Skylar Mathews and her husband, Cipriano, wanted to give their 3-year-old son a stable home, but they didn't have the down payment and closing costs. Ms. Mathews, a full-time nursing student, learned about the Homebuyer Equity Leverage Partnership (HELP) grant - offered by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and member institutions - from Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio. She received a $4,500 HELP grant from FHLB Dallas and Broadway Bank, an FHLB Dallas member. "The opportunity to purchase a home through Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio with the support of the HELP grant has allowed me to go to school full time to pursue a degree in nursing," said Ms. Mathews, who added that without the assistance of the grant she would have had to continue to rent for several more years. "I no longer worry about providing a stable environment for my family." Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio's mission is to build decent and affordable housing without interest or profit for those in need in the San Antonio community. The organization partners with low-income families, who help build their homes to keep costs down. Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio Vice President Stephanie Wiese said with the support from programs like HELP, the organization can help more low-income families in the area afford a home. "We help provide a hand up to hardworking recipients such as Ms. Mathews and we are grateful to our banking partners that help our residents realize the dream of homeownership," said Ms. Wiese. HELP grants are offered by FHLB Dallas through its member financial institutions, like Broadway Bank, to assist first-time homebuyers with down payments and closing costs on new or existing homes. "HELP grants are beneficial ecause they strengthen our relationship with our customers by providing funds to help fill in the gaps and make the dream of homeownership a reality," said Randy Rouse, CIO at Broadway Bank. "We started as a community bank and continue to uphold our dedication to community investment."



Since the program's inception in 2002, HELP grants totaling more than $17.2 million have assisted more than 3,300 families. For 2019, FHLB Dallas has made available through its members $3.75 million available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit fhlb.com/help to view current availability of HELP funds. "Aside from helping individual families, HELP also acts as a powerful community investment tool because the first-time homebuyers it assists are making long-term commitments to their communities," said Greg Hettrick, first vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas.

Without this grant, Ms. Mathews said that she and her family would have had to work twice as hard to afford the rent. "Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio and the HELP grant have given my family and me the ability build an affordable home," said Ms. Mathews. "We are finally investing in a home that is truly ours." About Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio is an ecumenical, Christian organization working with families in need to build decent and affordable homes without interest or profit. Habitat plans to build 50 homes in 2018. The organization was founded in 1976 as the first U.S. affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. Habitat has built 1,071 homes since 1976. About Broadway Bank Headquartered in San Antonio, Broadway Bank was founded in 1941. It has evolved from a small neighborhood bank into one of the largest independently owned banks in Texas. Today, Broadway Bank continues to function as a privately-owned and operated financial institution offering a full-range of sophisticated financial services, including personal, private, military, business and mortgage banking, and wealth management. With $3.6 billion in assets, the highly rated Bank operates more than 35+ financial centers in the San Antonio and Austin regions. Visit broadway.bank for more information. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $73.7 billion as of September 30, 2018, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community investment by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 825 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit fhlb.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005691/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Cappasity to Provide European Jeweler Guerin Joaillerie with 3D Product Imaging Solution

Cappasity, the leader in scalable 3D and AR/VR imaging for online retailers, today announced that Guerin Joaillerie, the premium jewelry brand in Europe, will deploy its 3D imaging solution on Guerin.com. Delicate objects such as gem-encrusted rings can be difficult for traditional 3D modeling and scanning technologies to properly capture. Cappasity's 3D product imaging technology is able to capture features that make jewelry difficult for other solutions to portray including the sparkle of gems and glitter of metal, transparency, reflections of light, and unusual design. Cappasity provides Guerin Joaillerie clients with the ultimate online shopping experience. Customers can see a 3D view of any piece of jewelry, zoom in and out, rotate the piece, and even view it in motion. As a member of Galeries Lafayette Group, the leading physical and online retailer with international standing and the benchmark in omnichannel retailing committed to an approach that emphasizes innovation, boldness, and creativity, one of Guerin Joaillerie's goals is to provide its clients with the ultimate online shopping experience. Cappasity is revolutionizing the development and delivery of 3D content for e-commerce. With more than one million views of 3D content per month, the company's proprietary 3D streaming format allows consumers to load and browse products with a 360-degree view, four times faster than other similar technologies. Using other more expensive technologies and equipment, it can take days to produce 3D product images and the files created are too large to play smoothly on most internet connections. With Cappasity's unique combination of production software and services, retailers can rapidly create and upload thousands of 3D product images per day, create a 3D image in just two minutes, and run the solution using regular photo equipment. In addition, the same Cappasity-prduced content embedded into a fashion e-commerce website can be used with AR/VR devices.



"Discovery and innovation are part of Guerin Joaillerie's DNA. We are excited to use the Cappasity solution to showcase our rings category in the most engaging of ways. With the launching of Atelier Guerin, we wanted to find a solution that will best express the different shades of colors of each gem to provide the best customer experience possible," says Siham Nekrouf, Head of Digital, at Guerin Joaillerie. "Jewelry e-commerce demands unique, engaging content and interactivity. The introduction of Cappasity 3D product imaging is an exciting evolution within our digital marketing strategy." Residing in the historic Le Marais district in the heart of Paris, Guerin Joaillerie specializes in chic and vibrant jewelry, created with the skill that has withstood the test of time. In its stores, Guerin Joaillerie offers constantly renewed collections that strike the perfect balance between trendy and timeless, precious and affordable, with a quality of service worthy of the greatest jewelers. Meticulously selected by the Maison's gemologists, the stones are sourced from all over the world, and are outstanding in their natural beauty. At Guerin Joaillerie, each stone is unique, exhibiting its own characteristics of shape and hue. Whether they are precious or semi-precious, the stones' unrivaled tints and tones reflect the extraordinary story borne by each.

"In our market research, more than 82 percent of visitors to a product page activate our 3D view, and 95 percent of visitors prefer an interactive 3D representation to video playback," said Kosta Popov, CEO at Cappasity. "Given these results, it's not surprising that 3D product imaging enables enterprises to increase conversion by up to 40 percent." About Guerin Joaillerie Guerin is a premium jewelry brand and a subsidiary of the Galeries Lafayette Group. Since 1969, the company has worked hard to open the exclusive, privileged world of jewelry to everyone. Its collections seek to strike a balance between trendy and timeless, priceless yet affordable, as can be seen in its iconic Diamants de Rosee and Alisma lines. Guerin believes in jewelry that is chic, vibrant and at the cutting-edge of fashion. About Lafayette Plug and Play Located in the heart of Paris, this startup accelerator aims to support the development of French and international startups that are transforming retail and fashion. By supporting the industry's leading startups, Lafayette Plug and Play seeks to adapt to the new dynamics in omnichannel retail and anticipate the expectations of clients, both online and in-store. Lafayette Plug and Play is at the heart of the big revival of the fashion and retail industry, with the goal of making retail and fashion the most innovative industries in the world. About Cappasity Founded in 2013, Cappasity is an easy, scalable platform for creating, embedding, and analyzing 3D and AR/VR content. The company successfully raised over $4.9M and launched its platform and 3D digitizing software in 2017. Cappasity brings an in-store browsing experience to online retail through interactive and photorealistic 3D images that can be easily embedded into websites, mobile apps, and AR/VR applications. The company's clients report a more than 30 percent increase in conversion rate and fewer returns. With headquarters in Santa Clara, California, Cappasity is now also working with luxury brands at Station F in Paris. For more information, please visit www.cappasity.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005616/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] IndusInd Bank and Dynamics Launch the Nexxt Credit Card - India's First Battery-Powered Interactive Card

Dynamics Inc. and IndusInd Bank announce that IndusInd Bank has launched the Nexxt Credit Card - India's first interactive credit card with buttons. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005615/en/ IndusInd Bank Nexxt Credit Card (Photo: Business Wire) The card has electronic circuitry, a battery, and three buttons. You can interact with the buttons on the card to pay with credit, pay with points, or pay with installments. Each time a button is pressed, the card re-writes its magnetic stripe, EMV chip, and contactless chip so the selected payment type can be used in any type of payment terminal. Any payment option can be used at any merchant point-of-sale. Merchants do not need any special point-of-sale equipment. When paying, merchants will not know the option you selected. Merchants will only see a credit transaction authorized by the bank. Accordingly, your payment options will be kept private and confidential from the merchant. You do not need to worry about the merchant knowing your payment details. The Installment Option You have four installment options when making a purchase. By pressing the installment button multiple times, you can select from a 6 month installment, 12 month installment, 18 month installment, or a 24 month installment. Each installment option is written on the card next to a different light. Pressing the installment button once turns on the light for the 6 month installment option. Pressing the button twice turns on the light for the 12 month installment option (and so on). The Rewards Option You can pay for any purchase using your accrued rewards by pressing the rewards button on the card. To see your reward balance at any time, simply review your account on the internet or your mobile application. The Credit Option You can pay for any purchase with credit by pressing the credit button. This works just like your traditional credit card and is accepted anywhere Mastercard is accepted. "We are pleased to announce the launch of the IndusInd Bank Nexxt Credit Card. With this card, our aim is to give the customer multiple options on how to make a payment using his or her Credi Card. The Power of Choice moves completely to the customer," stated Sumant Kathpalia, Head, Consumer Banking at IndusInd Bank, "For us, customer experience is the key touchstone, and our objective is to always elevate and enhance customer experience with our innovative products and service propositions."



"India is one of the fastest and largest evolving payment markets in the world. And, the leadership at IndusInd Bank is leveraging innovation to better serve customers while deepening their business models and strategy," stated Jeff Mullen, Dynamics Inc. CEO. "With the ability to pay with rewards and pay with credit, consumers can enjoy best-in-class loyalty functionality at any merchant in the world. With the ability to pay with installments, consumers can make smarter financial management choices at the point of sale. The IndusInd Bank Nexxt card is India's first card that really lets a consumer pay the way they want to pay." "At IndusInd Bank, responsive innovation has been our mantra to design financial products that enhance customer empowerment and boost convenience for them," stated Anil Ramachandran, EVP & Head, Marketing and Retail Unsecured Assets at IndusInd Bank. "We are delighted to launch the IndusInd Bank Nexxt Credit Card, which redefines the payment experience for customers by giving them the freedom to choose their mode of payment at the Point of Sale. They now have convenience at the push of a button. It does not get simpler than this."

To apply for the card, please visit https://www.indusind.com/home.Nexxt.html About Dynamics Inc. Dynamics has three business units - an intelligent card, value-added processing, and phone payment technology business unit. The Company's intelligent card division has introduced market defining card products such as the world's first multiple account card (Canada), the world's first password protected card (Asia), and the world's first multiple co-brand card (USA). The Company's value-added processing division provides real-time loyalty or purchase notification to millions of consumers and includes customers such as Tim Hortons and the Upper Deck Company. The Company also produces pay-by-phone technology that is used in cell phones. LG Electronics (News - Alert) leverages Dynamics technology in LG Pay. Dynamics has raised over $110 million dollars in funding from investors including Mastercard, CIBC, and Adams Capital Management. Dynamics operates multiple manufacturing facilities, physical card personalization, and remote data trusted service manager (TSM) facilities, with its Global Headquarters in Pittsburgh, Pa., APAC headquarters in Singapore, LATAM headquarters in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and EMEA headquarters in New York. More information on the company, its technology and applications can be found at www.dynamicsinc.com. About IndusInd Bank IndusInd Bank, which commenced operations in 1994, caters to the needs of both consumer and corporate customers. Its technology platform supports multi-channel delivery capabilities. As on September 30, 2018, IndusInd Bank has 1,466 branches, including 203 specialized branches, and 2,372 ATMs spread across geographical locations of the country. The Bank also has representative offices in London, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Doha. The Bank believes in driving its business through technology. It enjoys clearing bank status for both major stock exchanges - BSE and NSE - and major commodity exchanges in the country, including MCX, NCDEX, and NMCE. IndusInd Bank on April 1, 2013 was included in the NIFTY 50 benchmark index. Recently, IndusInd Bank was awarded Best Commercial Bank of the Year (India) and Best Innovation in Retail Banking (India) by International Banker 2018 Awards. For more information, visit https://www.indusind.com/ All Trademarks are the property of their respective owners View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005615/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] TRON Hires Finance-industry Vet As New Head Of Compliance

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- TRON Inc. hired David Labhart, a seasoned regulatory industry executive, as its first head of compliance to help navigate blockchain's interaction with world financial authorities, the company announced today. TRON, one of the 10 largest cryptocurrencies in the world, is committed to working with regulatory agencies and other financial authorities and developing blockchain, peer-to-peer and other technologies in a responsible way, said Justin Sun, TRON founder and CEO. "As the cryptocurrency space matures, investors and regulatory agencies around the world must trust that TRON has a forward-thinking and stable growth trajectory that doesn't run afoul of any regulatory requirements," Sun said. Labhart, who also will serve as TRON co-general counsel, has extensive legal and reglatory experience, with nearly 15 years in the securities industry. He spent nine years at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including time as a Supervisory Attorney in the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations focusing on Broker-Dealers, Investment Advisors, Self-Regulatory Organizations.



While there, he developed an expertise in emerging risks and technology, including cryptocurrency, blockchain and high frequency trading. "Joining TRON is the perfect progression in a career driven by a passion for the frontier of financial industry; where technology meets regulation," Labhart said. "Blockchain and cryptocurrency are the next step in the evolution of the world's financial system, and I'm excited about Justin's passion and long-term view of the benefits and potential impact of this new technology."

Labhart joins TRON from S&P Global Ratings, where he managed North American compliance and advised on regulatory issues, including the regulatory implications of blockchain, artificial intelligence and cloud computing. He started his career at the law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, where he handled high profile internal investigations, SEC enforcement actions and securities litigation. Labhart is scheduled to speak Jan. 18 at niTROn summit in San Francisco on the future of cryptocurrency and regulation in the US. Contact:

Cliff Edwards

TRON

Director, Global Communications & PR

415.699.2755 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tron-hires-finance-industry-vet-as-new-head-of-compliance-300775408.html SOURCE Tron Foundation

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] American Network Solutions Donates $1Million to the 1Million Project Foundation

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The 1Million Project Foundation announced today that it will receive $1 Million from wireless device provider American Network Solutions (ANS). The contribution will help the foundation equip more than 260,000 high school students in 33 states with a free device and free internet service by the end of the 2018-2019 school year. This progress will help the program reach its goal of connecting one million students in the coming years. "Accessing the internet anytime and virtually anywhere is a necessity for students trying to do their best in school and reach their goals. Unfortunately, every day millions of high school students in this country leave their school campus and are unable to connect," said Doug Michelman, president of the 1Million Project Foundation. "That's what makes support for the 1Million Project Foundation so important, and why we are so grateful for and humbled by the overwhelming generosity of ANS' donation." ANS has supported the foundation since it launched in August 2017. Through direct device donations and the $1 Million contribution announced today, ANS will help to connect more than 42,000 high school students across the country. "It is often said that people can make a difference. The 1Million Project Foundation, a vision of Marcelo Claure, is now a reality, and American Network Solutions is proud to participate in this worthwhile cause," said Philip Christopher, president & CEOof American Network Solutions. "We salute the dedication and commitment of the 1Million Project Foundation and their goal to help students all across our country."



The 1Million Project Foundation's mission is to help one million high school students achieve their full potential by ensuring they have the connectivity they need to succeed in school. The foundation's work requires a powerful network and technical support provided by Sprint, but one of the most costly elements is providing devices. School districts who want to apply for future schoolyears can visit 1millionproject.org to learn more. Individuals and organizations looking to support the program can visit 1millionproject.org/donate.

About Sprint:

Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things they care about most. Sprint served 54.5 million connections as of Sept. 30, 2018 and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Today, Sprint's legacy of innovation and service continues with an increased investment to dramatically improve coverage, reliability, and speed across its nationwide network and commitment to launching the first 5G mobile network in the U.S. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-network-solutions-donates-1million-to-the-1million-project-foundation-300775206.html SOURCE Sprint

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]Financial Institutions Partner to Award $17K for Downtown Tucumcari Revitalization

Efforts to revitalize downtown Tucumcari, New Mexico, will be supported, thanks in part to $17,000 in grant funds from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas) and Tucumcari Federal Savings and Loan Association.

The financial institutions will award $17,000 in Partnership Grant Program ( PGP (News - Alert) ) funds to Tucumcari MainStreet Corporation at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 15 at Tucumcari MainStreet Historic Railroad Depot at 100 West Railroad Avenue in Tucumcari. The media is encouraged to attend.

The grant will be used to offset annual operating expenses, continue educational opportunities for entrepreneurs and develop fundraising programs.

The structure of the PGP enables FHLB Dallas member institutions like Tucumcari Federal Savings and Loan Association to make a contribution of $500 to $4,000 to a community-based organization (CBO), which FHLB Dallas matches at a 3:1 ratio.

Tucumcari MainStreet Corporation is part of a national network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities that share both a commitment to creating high-quality places and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development.







WHAT: Check presentation WHEN: 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 15, 2019 WHO: David Hale, President, Tucumcari Federal Savings and Loan Association Lee Judd, Executive Vice President, Tucumcari Federal Savings and Loan Association Gail Houser, Executive Director, Tucumcari MainStreet Corporation Greg Hettrick, First Vice President, Director of Community Investment, FHLB Dallas Eric Haar, Vice President, Director of Government and Industry Relations, FHLB Dallas WHERE: Tucumcari MainStreet Historic Railroad Depot 100 West Railroad Avenue Tucumcari, New Mexico 88401

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005597/en/[January 09, 2019] Transtector Systems Granted Patent for Modular Protection Cabinet with Flexible Backplane

HAYDEN, Idaho, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Transtector Systems, an industry leading provider of end-to-end power and signal integrity solutions, has been awarded a design patent for its military-grade modular protection cabinet with flexible backplane. This patented design allows for swappable configurations of various data protocols in a shielded enclosure. Plus, filter protection modules mitigate high-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) and lightning induced transients. Additional standout features of this design include the ability for future migration as data protocols evolve and for replaceable modules in the field or depot. "This design evolved from a customer request for a modernized version of an existing solution that would allow for future migration for data protocols. We took that request and ran with it, and the result was this exclusive modular protection cabinet with flexible backplane," said Bill Magee, Industry Manager, Defense and Government for Transtector. With this patented design, Transtector will now be able to provide the defense industry with a solution to mix and customize existing ground-based data protocols for each shelter. Transtector's team worked for 18 months on the creative concept, electrical and mechanical design to fulfill the qualification process neessary to acquire this patent.



For detailed information on Transtector's entire line of HEMP-tested protection devices, which are in-stock and available for immediate shipment, please visit https://www.transtector.com/products/hemp-tested?utm_source=Transtector&utm_medium=pressrelease&utm_campaign=Military-Grade%20Patent. For inquiries, Transtector can be contacted at +1 800-882-9110.

About Transtector Systems: For more than 50 years, Transtector Systems has led the industry with a comprehensive product portfolio and specialized expertise in consulting, design and manufacturing of AC, DC, data and signal surge protection, communications power cabinets, EMP protection and power quality engineering services. Transtector provides valuable end-to-end power and signal integrity solutions for markets that include telecommunications, medical imaging, transportation, energy, security and the military. Transtector Systems is an Infinite Electronics brand. About Infinite Electronics: Infinite Electronics is a leading global supplier of electronic components serving the urgent needs of engineers through a family of highly recognized and trusted brands. Our portfolio brands are specialists within their respective product set, offering broad inventories of engineering-grade product, paired with expert technical support and same day shipping. Over 100,000 customers across a diverse set of markets rely upon Infinite Electronics to stock and reliably ship urgently needed products every day. Press Contact:

Peter McNeil

Transtector

17792 Fitch

Irvine, CA

(978) 682-6936 View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/transtector-systems-granted-patent-for-modular-protection-cabinet-with-flexible-backplane-300774668.html SOURCE Transtector Systems

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Just Ahead of Winter Fancy Food Show, SYSPRO Again Named in Food Logistics' 2018 FL100+ Top Software and Technology Providers

SYSPRO, a global provider of industry-built enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, has been named in the 2018 FL100+ Top Software and Technology Providers list by Food Logistics-the only publication exclusively dedicated to covering the movement of product through the global food supply chain. This distinction, honoring leading software and technology providers that help food and beverage companies improve productivity and gain efficiencies, was awarded as SYSPRO gears up to attend the Winter Fancy Food Show in booth #6436, held by the Specialty Food Association, January 13-15, 2019, in San Francisco, California.



This marks the fifth year in a row that SYSPRO has been named as a top software and technology provider by Food Logistics; past recognition has also included 'Top Green Provider' for exemplary leadership in enhancing sustainability within the food and beverage industry. For 40 years, SYSPRO has been passionate about bringing simplicity and innovation, in partnering with food and beverage companies. The SYSPRO solution offers powerful capabilities, such as lot traceability, end-to-end product visibility, inventory management, and quality assurance, to help food and beverage companies solve their biggest supply chain challenges.

Perrone & Sons, a wholesale high-end gourmet food business, used SYSPRO to reduce inventory by at least 25 percent, and spur double-digit growth. "The software has really increased the possibilities of what we can do. We no longer have to spend months training our new employees, as they are becoming proficient with SYSPRO in a week or less. The customization tools have made the need to memorize stock codes a thing of the past," said John Perrone III, Information Technology Manager, Perrone & Sons. He notes that one of the most important features SYSPRO ERP brings to his company is the SYSPRO Espresso mobile application. "This tool will really become a game changer for us. It will have the same effect of doubling our office staff without actually hiring any additional staff and totally enable our sales people in the field to become self-reliant-greatly easing the work load on our current office staff," Perrone said. As an FDA-regulated company, Ohio-based Gorant Chocolatier chose to implement SYSPRO because of its lot traceability module (giving Gorant the ability to track the history and future of every ingredient coming into their facility) and its reputation for fast, effective implementation. Since implementing SYSPRO, Gorant Chocolatier has seen a multitude of benefits from having an integrated software program. "SYSPRO has been very positive for us. It gave us a manufacturing system we never had before, which has allowed us to control costs better and manage our inventories better. Now, we only buy what we need to buy and make what we need to make," says Mary Ann Yerage, Purchasing Manager, Gorant Chocolatier. It's this kind of simple, powerful, technology-focused approach that helped SYSPRO earn recognition, and will be demonstrated at the Fancy Food Show. In between tasting and testing, specialty food leaders will be considering the benefits of partnering with an ERP company that understands their business as well as they do. Speak with a SYSPRO ERP software expert at next week's Winter Fancy Food Show in booth #6436 (North Hall) to learn more. About Food Logistics Food Logistics is published by AC Business Media, a business-to-business media company that provides targeted content and comprehensive, integrated advertising and promotion opportunities for some of the world's most recognized B2B brands. Its diverse portfolio serves the construction, logistics, supply chain and other industries with print, digital and custom products, events and social media. About SYSPRO SYSPRO is a global, independent provider of industry-built ERP software designed to simplify business complexity for manufacturers and distributors. Focused on delivering optimized performance and complete business visibility, the SYSPRO solution is highly scalable, and can be deployed on premise, in the cloud, or accessed via a mobile device. SYSPRO's strengths lie in a simplified approach to technology, expertise in a range of industries, and a commitment to future-proofing customer and partner success. SYSPRO has more than 15,000 licensed companies in over 60 countries across six continents. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005174/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] StayLinked Terminal Emulation Software Achieves Certified Integration with Spectralink Versity Smartphone

DENVER, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Spectralink, a leader in enterprise mobile solutions, and StayLinked, the leader in modern Terminal Emulation solutions, today announce the certification of StayLinked SmartTE, a user-friendly terminal emulation application powered by StayLinked, for the Versity enterprise smartphone. Seamless integration and intuitive user interface make it easy for mobile staff to quickly and securely access the critical data they need to work smarter and more efficiently. "In every industry, organizations recognize that sustainable growth will require tools that help inform and empower their staff to work smarter and more efficiently," says Andrew Duncan, VP of Product Management and Technology Solutions at Spectralink. "Spectralink and StayLinked address these needs by empowering workers to more easily connect to and navigate legacy systems that house data critical to their day-to-day tasks and workflows." With the certification of StayLinked SmartTE for the Versity smartphone, mobile workers can:

View real-time data to improve workflow efficiency and accuracy with easy, secure and direct access to legacy backend systems, such as product inventory and customer account data

Streamline workflows by utilizing customized keyboards, fast scanning input, dynamic screen generation and other user-friendlyoptions

Minimize IT complexities with consistent operations and management across mobile devices



Two leading-edge technologies, one exceptional solution

Purpose built for the rigors and requirements of today's diverse workflows and working environments, the Versity smartphone delivers enterprise-grade performance, superior voice quality, and proven reliability in a durable, slim, lightweight design that is easy to carry and use. SmartTE from StayLinked augments these capabilities by streamlining information access and exchange to improve workflows, operational efficiency and staff productivity in many of today's toughest and most competitive industries, including warehousing, manufacturing, logistics, retail, hospitality and healthcare. Deployed through Versity's open Android platform, StayLinked SmartTE is the most advanced Terminal Emulation solution in the world, providing integration with new and emerging technologies, seamless Android migration, unmatched levels of security, and powerful modernization capabilities.

"We are extremely excited about this next level of partnership," explains Dan Hogan, President of StayLinked. "The Spectralink Versity platform is testing the boundaries of today's enterprise devices, and the certification of our solution on it will give our customers access to the data and teams they needreliably and securelywhile providing room for new services and capabilities that can lead to new levels of success in the future." Partnering for success: Spectralink AIMS partner program

The successful partnership and joint solution offering of Spectralink and StayLinked is just one of many successes made possible through Spectralink's Application Integration and Management Solutions (AIMS). Established in 2014, the AIMS program provides a collaborative environment for partners and Spectralink to work together to integrate and enrich solutions for enterprise customers in retail and other key industries. To learn more about this joint solution, visit us at NRF19 | Spectralink Booth# 1204. To learn more about this joint solution and the Spectralink AIMS partner program, visit www.spectralink.com. About StayLinked

With the introduction of host-based, thin client emulation in 2002, StayLinked Terminal Emulation changed the landscape of wireless host-based application delivery and stability. The company has continued to drive innovation with true software-only emulation session persistence; centralized session configuration, control, and management of wireless emulation sessions (Telnet/SSH); terminal emulation application modernization (SmartTE), and the only Business Intelligence product designed for terminal emulation environments (StayLinked iQ). StayLinked software is available for all popular mobile devices from those running traditional operating systems such as DOS, CE, and Windows Mobile to the latest versions of iOS and Android. For more information, visit www.staylinked.com, email info@StayLinked.com, or call +1-714-918-7700. About Spectralink

Spectralink leads the enterprise mobility market with industry's most deployed mobility solution portfolio optimized for mission-critical healthcare, retail, manufacturing and hospitality applications. As the enterprises transition to mobile workflows, Spectralink is at the forefront of the industry transformation through its innovative end-to-end mobility portfolio. Designed for challenging RF environments, our mobile solutions enable enterprises to streamline their workflows and deliver a positive customer experience. To protect our customers' investments in UC platforms, we offer the best interoperability in the industry with the leading call control platforms. Since 1990, Spectralink has deployed millions of mobile devices worldwide  providing enterprises with the industry's most reliable, high quality and secure mobility solutions. For more information, please visit http://www.spectralink.com/. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/staylinked-terminal-emulation-software-achieves-certified-integration-with-spectralink-versity-smartphone-300775429.html SOURCE Spectralink

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Huntkey Presents at CES 2019

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntkey, a leading global provider of power solutions, today presents at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world's largest electronics sourcing fair opened in Las Vegas. https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/huntkeybooth.jpg From January 8 - 11, a large number of technology companies across the globe will gather together at Las Vegas Convention Center to demonstrate their latest technologies and innovations. Huntkey, a consecutive CES exhibitor of 6 years, is participating in CES 2019 with showcasing its latest products, including LED lights, wireless chargers, USB charging stations, PC monitors, and surge protectors. LED Lights Huntkey showcases a wide range of its LED lights at the show, such as desk lamps, light bulbs and hourglass night lights. With rated power from 5W to 8.5W, Huntkey's desk lamps are energy-efficient and eye-protective for home and office use. These desk lamps are integrated with multiple touch-controllable sensors, like step-less dimming bars, wireless chargers, USB charging ports, and alarm clocks. https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/ledproducts.jpg Huntkey displays 5 models of its durable and energy-efficient light bulbs, including 5W, 7W, 9W, 13W, dimmable and RGB adjustable light bulbs. All light bulbs are CE and CB certified, and warranted with 2 years. With Bluetooth connection and an App on the phone, users are able to remote control the dimmable light bulbs in the house. Huntkey also displays its hourglass night lights at the show. With 2 AAA batteries, the hourglass night lights are RGB adjustable, which can deliver beautiful lights with different colors. Wireless Chargers As wireless charging will be widely used on smart phones and other electronics, there must be an increasing need for wireless chargers in the market. At CES, Hunktey showcases its new wireless chargers with Qi certification, an open interface standard developed by the Wireless Power Consortium which defines wireless power transfer using inductive charging over distances of up to 4 cm (1.6 inches). https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/wirelesscarger.jpg



Huntkey's wireless chargers are round, with a maximum output of 10W. With a standby power lower than 0.15W, energy efficiency of the wireless chargers can be up to 82%. They are capable of charging Samsung smart phones like Galaxy S9+, S9, S8 with fast charging mode, and charging iPhones like XR, XS, 8 and 8 Plus with standard charging mode. USB Charging Stations

USB charging station is a main product category of Huntkey. At the show, Huntkey showcases its latest USB charging station - The SmartC, a portable and well-designed power hub equipped with 4 USB-A ports and 1 USB-C port. It can smartly deliver power to 5 devices like smart phones, power banks and tablets at the same time. To support a wide range of devices charging, it can automatically output different currents according to the devices' requirements. https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/smartc.jpg It is ETL, CE, CB and FCC certified, and has been strictly tested to meet stringent protection requirements, including OCP (Over Current Protection), OHP (Over Heat Protection) and SCP (Short Circuit Protection) to ensure safety. PC Monitors Hunkey displays 4 pieces of curved gaming monitors at the show, including M2471WH/WT, X2471C, X2772CK and X3271CK. The M2471WH/WT is a 23.8-inch monitor equipped with a Full HD (1920*1080) screen. The X2471C supports 16.7M display colors, 72% color gamut (NTSC) and outstanding static contrast ratio of 3000:1. It allows players to enjoy higher quality images with its Full HD resolution capable of providing 2.1 megapixels for crystal-clear visuals and vibrant images. The X2772CK offers a superb high image quality capable of displaying 16.7 million colors. To ensure more vibrant images, it is designed with a response time of 8ms and a color gamut (NTSC) of 85%. https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/gamingmonitor.jpg Surge Protectors & Power Strips Huntkey exhibits 3 models of its cubic surge protectors, including SMC005, SMC007 and SMC407. All of them are made of flame-retardant material, and are warranted with surge protection and overload protection to ensure safety. Besides, the SMC005 is certified with ETL, and the SMC007 and SMC407 are certified with ETL and FCC. https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/smartchargers.jpg https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/powerstrips.jpg In addition to cubic surge protectors, Huntkey also exhibits other surge protectors like models SMC607, SMC807 and SMC127. They are flame-retardant and equipped with an inside integral copper bar that can be able to withstand high temperatures and save energy. All of them come with a 3- year warranty. To learn more about Huntkey products, visit Huntkey booth #35572 in South Hall 4, LVCC throughout CES, from Jan. 8-11 in Las Vegas. About CES CES is a world renowned trade show annually held in January at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It is organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) to host presentations of new products and technologies in the consumer electronics industry. About Huntkey Huntkey Group, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Shenzhen, is a member of The International Power Supply Manufacturer's Association (PSMA) and a member of The China Power Supply Society (CPSS). With branch companies in the USA, Japan and other areas, and cooperating factories in Brazil, Argentina, India and other countries, Huntkey has specialized in the development, design, and manufacturing of PC power supplies, industrial power supplies, surge protectors, adapters and chargers for many years. With its own technologies and manufacturing strength, Huntkey has served Lenovo, Huawei, Haier, DELL, ZTE, Bestbuy and many other large enterprises for years, and has received unanimous recognition and trust from most of the customers. For more information about Huntkey, please visit http://www.huntkey.com/ View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/huntkey-presents-at-ces-2019-300775487.html SOURCE Huntkey

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Quantum Xchange Joins Hudson Institute's Quantum Alliance to Establish Standards for Quantum Key Distribution and Quantum Random Number Generator Technologies

Quantum Xchange, provider of the first quantum key distribution (QKD) network in the U.S., today announced its participation in the Hudson Institute's Quantum Alliance Initiative (QAI) to recommend global standards for Quantum (News - Alert) Key Distribution (QKD) and Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) technologies. The consortium of 18 companies, universities and entities from eight countries endeavors to foster more urgency among the cybersecurity industry to establish necessary standards for securing quantum communication. In December 2018, the group developed the first proposal of global recommendations for QKD and QRNG technologies. Each member of the QAI, including Quantum Xchange, has voluntarily adopted these standards and will join the Hudson Institute to present the recommendations at the International Telecommunications Union's Telecommunication Standardization Section (ITU-T) meeting in Geneva, scheduled for Jan. 22-30, 2019. Dr. Arthur Herman, The New York Times bestselling author, Pulitzer Prize Finalist historian, and Director of the QAI, shared in a release, "The recommendations mark a major success for the Quantum Alliance Initiative and its members. As one of the first occasions that these standards have been addressed by the international standards community, this is a key advancement for quantum information technology and the industry." "We fully stand behind the Hudson Institute's mission to develop polcies that support the United States and our allies in becoming global quantum technology leaders," said John Prisco, President and CEO of Quantum Xchange. "Advancements in QKD and QRNG technologies will be crucial to the future of quantum communications, and we look forward to continued participation in the QAI and collaborating with fellow members to promote quantum policies and standards."



This work in quantum technology stems from the inevitable impact that achievements in quantum computing will have on national security and the economy. As such, quantum computing and quantum security must be viewed holistically and through a strategic security lens. Quantum Xchange recognized early that defensive quantum technologies were being largely ignored by technology heavyweights focused on the race for quantum computer supremacy. The company's innovative approach to solving the inherent challenges of modern-day encryption, combined with early market status, and the backing of advisors like Dr. Whitfield Diffie, who's support demonstrates Quantum Xchange's potential impact on the industry, positions Quantum Xchange to be a valuable and contributing member of the QAI. Quantum Xchange's QKD service, Phio, enables organizations to send unbreakable encryption keys over any distance and extends the life of existing encryption investments through its quantum communications technology. As the first quantum-secured network in the U.S., Phio leverages the properties of quantum mechanics to transmit and receive quantum cryptographic keys between entities. The solution is not weakened by quantum computing, mathematical discoveries, or massive parallel computing networks. Additionally, Phio does not replace public-key encryption (PKE), rather, it allows organizations to secure their current networks using symmetric keys that can be trusted and uses quantum physics to detect anyone intruding on a transmission. Finally, any attempt of harvesting attacks today, to be deciphered later with a quantum computer, will be rendered useless. The first leg of the QKD network, connecting New York City to New Jersey, has been operational and accepting customers since November 2018.

For more information about Quantum Xchange, please visit https://quantumxc.com/. About Quantum Xchange As a provider of quantum encryption and secure communications, Quantum Xchange gives commercial enterprises and government agencies the ultimate defense to keep high-value data safe - today, tomorrow and in the future. Offering the first and only quantum-secured network in the United States, Quantum Xchange enables organizations to send infinitely secured data over long distances using the laws of quantum physics. Leveraging the proven secure Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) method and its own exclusive Trusted Node technology for unlimited point-to-point distances, Phio by Quantum Xchange addresses the shortcomings inherent with modern-day encryption: the ability for keys to be intercepted, corrupted or exposed during transmission, and the imminent threat of quantum computers. To learn more about the future of security realized today, visit QuantumXC.com or follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) @Quantum_Xchange. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005499/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] EnCap Flatrock Midstream Promotes Sam Pitts to Managing Partner

EnCap Flatrock Midstream ("EnCap Flatrock") today announced the promotion of Sam Pitts to managing partner. Mr. Pitts joins Managing Partners Bill Waldrip, Billy Lemmons, Dennis Jaggi, Dave Kurtz and Greg King in the leadership and management of the firm. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005076/en/ EnCap Flatrock Midstream Managing Partner Sam Pitts. (Photo: Business Wire) Mr. Pitts joined EnCap Flatrock Midstream as managing director in 2014 and was promoted to partner in January 2018. He serves on the board of directors of several EnCap Flatrock porfolio companies including Aspen Midstream, LLC; Greenfield Midstream, LLC; Lotus Midstream, LLC; Nuevo Midstream Dos, LLC; and Tradition Midstream, LLC.



"In recent years, we have originated and closed several large transactions. Sam's elevation to managing partner recognizes his significant accomplishments in this arena," said EnCap Flatrock Managing Partner and Founder Bill Waldrip. "Sam has played an active role in the deployment of a significant amount of capital across multiple large investments and distinguished himself in the areas of opportunity origination, business judgment and team leadership. Sam's promotion is an important step in our continued development of future leadership talent. The EnCap Flatrock team is the strongest and deepest it has ever been." "Last year EnCap Flatrock celebrated its 10th anniversary. I'm proud to be part of this exceptional team and honored to help lead the firm into the next decade," Mr. Pitts said. "We are executing some very exciting, very sizable deals and I am confident they will produce strong results for our investors, our management teams and their customers. I'm very excited about the future and grateful for this opportunity."

Prior to joining EnCap Flatrock Midstream, Mr. Pitts was part of the senior leadership team at Citigroup's Global Energy Investment Banking Group. In this capacity, he focused on financial advisory work related to mergers, acquisitions and divestitures within the midstream and upstream sectors, as well as public and private capital market raises. Mr. Pitts holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in finance from the University of Texas at Austin. About EnCap Flatrock Midstream EnCap Flatrock Midstream provides value-added growth capital to proven management teams focused on midstream infrastructure opportunities across North America. The firm was formed in 2008 by a partnership between EnCap Investments L.P. and Flatrock Energy Advisors, LLC. Based in San Antonio with offices in Oklahoma City and Houston, the firm manages investment commitments of nearly $9 billion from a broad group of prestigious institutional investors. EnCap Flatrock Midstream is currently making commitments to new management teams from EFM Fund IV, a $3.25 billion fund. For more information please visit www.efmidstream.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005076/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]AST Welcomes Brett Weinblatt as New CFO

AST, a full-service, tech-enabled ownership data management and advisory firm, today announced that Brett D. Weinblatt has joined as Chief Financial Officer, overseeing the company's financial strategy and operations. Weinblatt reports to Chief Executive Officer Marty Flanigan.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005062/en/

Brett D. Weinblatt, Chief Financial Officer, AST (Photo: Business Wire)

Weinblatt brings decades of experience in strategic planning, capital structure optimization, mergers & acquisitions, SEC (News - Alert) and finanial reporting, financial planning and analysis, and operations to his new role. He was most recently Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Corporate Risk Holdings (formerly known as Altegrity), a company with more than 4,000 employees worldwide and over $800 million in revenue.







"Brett's strategic mind, deep transaction experience and track record of implementing successful growth strategies will be tremendous assets as AST seeks to deliver the best solutions, service and value to our clients," said Flanigan. "We look forward to embarking on a transformational year ahead with Brett as part of our core leadership team."

Prior to his time at Corporate Risk Holdings, during which he held multiple senior roles, Weinblatt was Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer at Avis Budget Group. Before that, he was Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for multiple divisions at Alpharma.

"I'm excited to begin this phase of my career with AST, a company leading the industry in providing consolidated ownership data management services and analytics to help companies and shareholders across North America advance their business and financial goals," added Weinblatt.

About AST

AST was originally founded as a transfer agent over 45 years ago. Through organic growth and strategic acquisitions, AST has pioneered a new model of integrated ownership data management, advisory services and financial technology in the industry. AST affiliates include AST Trust Company (Canada), D.F. King & Co, Inc. and Donlin, Recano & Company, Inc.

Today, AST offers a full scope of ownership services that include registry services, corporate proxy solicitation and advisory solutions, employee plan services, information agent, mutual fund proxy solicitation, shareholder identification and asset recovery offerings. For more information, please visit www.astfinancial.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005062/en/[January 09, 2019] NanoSphere Partners with Gofire to Debut DoseCode-Enabled Products in Colorado Market

NanoSphere Health Sciences, Inc. (CSE:NSHS) (OTC:NSHSF), the biotechnology leader behind the patented NanoSphere Delivery System, today announced the launch of its new, DoseCode-enabled Evolve Formulas products in the Colorado market, leveraging industry-first technology from Denver-based healthcare startup Gofire. The Gofire DoseCode is a branded QR code attached to exclusive plant-based medical products found in hundreds of retailers across Colorado. When patients download the Gofire app, they can use their phones to scan the DoseCode on Evolve Formulas products, allowing them to access and save detailed descriptions, anonymous patient reviews and ratings, complete batch and lab testing information, as well as dosing recommendations from a community of peers who are also seeking relief. Through an anonymous, secure personal profile, patients can use the app to track their own results, document their top-rated products and record dosage preferences. "Powered by the groundbreaking NanoSphere Delivery System, Evolve Formulas products deliver unparalleled results in precise and consistent dosages. Utilizing the Gofire DoseCode will enable Evolve patients to see firsthand our exceptional lab results and to track and build a reliable experience," said Robert Sutton, Chairman and CEO of NanoSphere Health Sciences. "Through our complementary technologies, NanoSphere looks forward to joining Gofire in educating patients on product selection and controlled dosing to help unlock the maximum therapeutic benefits of plant-based medicine." DoseCode-enabled Evolve Formulas prodcts-including the Transdermal NanoSerum THC and Transdermal NanoSerum CBD with Resveratrol-will hit dispensary shelves across Colorado next week.



For more information on Nanosphere Health Sciences, Inc. or to schedule an interview, please contact Gabrielle Wesseldyk at media@nanospherehealth.com or 212-255-0945. NanoSphere's Commitment to Licensing IP

NanoSphere launched its IP licensing program in 2015 and is entertaining several licensing opportunities via a rigorous evaluation process. For more information about NanoSphere's licensing program, please visit: https://www.nanospherehealth.com/licensing/ About NanoSphere NanoSphere Health Sciences, Inc. is a biotechnology firm specializing in the creation of the patented NanoSphere Delivery System, a revolutionary platform using nanotechnology in the biodelivery of supplements, nutraceuticals and over-the-counter medications for the cannabis, pharmaceutical and animal health industries, and beyond. Nanosphere's 'Evolve Formulas' line of products offer the world's first and only scientifically proven nanoparticle delivery system in cannabis. For more information on Evolve Formulas, visit https://www.evolveformulas.com/. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward Looking Statement Caution This news release includes forward looking statements that are subject to assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Statements in this news release which are not purely historical are forward looking statements, including without limitation any statements concerning the Company's intentions, plans, estimates, expectations or beliefs regarding the future. Although the Company believes that any forward looking statements in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such forward looking statements will prove to be accurate. The Company cautions readers that all forward looking statements, including without limitation those relating to the Company's future operations and business prospects, are based on assumptions none of which can be assured, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward looking statements. Readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such risks and uncertainties and should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Any forward looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual events or results could or do differ from those projected in the forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005224/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]LONDON, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Britain's main opposition leader, Labour's Jeremy Corbyn, criticised Prime Minister Theresa May Monday for not appearing before the House of Commons to answer urgent questions about Brexit.

Instead of being at Westminster, May was in Liverpool, launching a massive funding boost for the British National Health Service.

Corbyn had earlier won the go-ahead to ask May to make a statement on progress made in recent weeks in achieving legal changes to her EU withdrawal agreement.

Instead, the Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay stood in for May to respond to questions from Corbyn and other MPs. He insisted the March 29 deadline for Britain's departure from the European Union (EU) would stand, and the government would not agree to ruling out a no-deal Brexit.

Many MPs are still angry after May cancelled a vote on her deal last month.

Barclay said the vote will take place next week instead. He also said the government will set out what assurances have been received on Wednesday when MPs resume their debate on the EU withdrawal bill.

Corbyn said with less than three months before Britain leaves the EU, there should be no more hiding or running away, saying May herself should have been in the parliament.

"It should be May who tells MPs what is going on," he said, accusing the PM of promoting "project fear" rather than coming to parliament to do her duty.

He described the Brexit agreement brokered between May and EU leaders as a "frankenstein monster of a deal", accusing the government of being prepared to push the whole British economy off a cliff edge in the event of a no deal.

Barclay, on the other hand, said the government would not seek to extend the two-year Article 50 departure period, due to expire on March 29 when Britain leaves.

He also ruled out a call made in a letter signed by more than 200 MPs demanding that the government should specifically rule out a no-deal Brexit.

The Labour MP Hilary Benn, who is chair of the House of Commons Brexit select committee, said the EU has shown no signs of being willing to offer assurances that May wanted.

Benn called on May to rule out a no-deal Brexit, saying it would be a disaster for Barclay said the problem with ruling out no deal was that the House of Commons has to be for something rather than ruling something out.

"It is not enough to MPs to be against something. They have to decide what they want. MPs cannot just oppose a no-deal Brexit without agreeing an alternative," he said.[January 09, 2019] Law Offices of Howard G. Smith Announces the Filing of a Securities Class Action on Behalf of Liberty Health Sciences Inc. Investors

Law Offices of Howard G. Smith announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed on behalf of investors that acquired Liberty Health Sciences Inc. ("Liberty" or the "Company") (OTC: LHSIF) securities between June 28, 2018 and December 3, 2018, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Liberty investors have until March 8, 2019 to file a lead plaintiff motion. In September 2018, Liberty sold its stake in Aphria Inc. ("Aphria"). On December 3, 2018, Quintessential Capital Management and Hindenburg Research issued a report entitled "Aphria: A Shell Game with a Cannabis Business on the Side," claiming that Aphria was part of a scheme orchestrated by a network of insiders to divert funds away from shareholders and into their wn pockets.



On this news, Liberty's stock price fell $0.36 per share, or nearly 34%, over the next two trading days to close at $0.70 on December 4, 2018, thereby injuring investors. The complaint filed in this class action alleges that defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Liberty, in conjunction with Aphria, was involved in a scheme whereby numerous fraudulent acquisitions and transactions were made to provide undue benefits to both companies' insiders; and (ii) as a result, Liberty's public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

If you purchased shares of Liberty, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Howard G. Smith, Esquire, of Law Offices of Howard G. Smith, 3070 Bristol Pike, Suite 112, Bensalem, Pennsylvania 19020 by telephone at (215) 638-4847, toll-free at (888) 638-4847, or by email to howardsmith@howardsmithlaw.com, or visit our website at www.howardsmithlaw.com. This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005144/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019]

GP Strategies to Present at the 21st Annual Needham Growth Conference

COLUMBIA, Md., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Global performance improvement solutions provider GP Strategies Corporation (NYSE: GPX) announced that it will present at the 21st Annual Needham Growth Conference being held at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel on January 15-16, 2019 in New York City. Scott Greenberg, Chief Executive Officer, and Adam Stedham, President, are scheduled to present at 4:10 p.m. ET on January 16th and will hold one-on-one meetings with investors and analysts throughout the day. The presentation slides will be available on the Investors section of the company's website at https://www.gpstrategies.com/about-us/investors/events-and-presentation/.







About GP Strategies

GP Strategies Corporation (NYSE: GPX) is a global performance improvement solutions provider of training, digital learning solutions, management consulting and engineering services. GP Strategies' solutions improve the effectiveness of organizations by delivering innovative and superior training, consulting and business improvement services, customized to meet the specific needs of its clients. Clients include Fortune 500 companies, manufacturing, process and energy industries, and other commercial and government customers.

 2019 GP Strategies Corporation. All rights reserved. GP Strategies and the GP Strategies logo design are trademarks of GP Strategies Corporation.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gp-strategies-to-present-at-the-21st-annual-needham-growth-conference-300775246.html

SOURCE GP Strategies Corporation[January 09, 2019] Patient Paralyzed Due to Medical Error Joins Panel on Hospital Transparency From a Legal Perspective

Jack Gentry has made a life of helping others. As a former police officer with numerous departmental, city and statewide commendations for life-saving, Gentry was active and used to giving himself to help others. After 37 years of dedicated community service, he looked forward to a hard-earned life of retirement with his wife and children. But, in the summer of 2013, Gentry's life would be forever changed. A routine operation to repair a bulged disc quickly turned life-altering, leaving Gentry paralyzed from the neck down. "I went into the hospital a patient and I became a victim," explained Gentry. Becoming a victim of medical error is not unusual. Although patient safety has been seen as a priority for years, medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States taking more than 200,000 lives annually. But it was how the hospital, MedStar Health, responded to Gentry's error that was highly unusual and what they hope becomes the model across the United States. The hospital used AHRQ's Communication and Optimal Resolution (CANDOR) process, a timely, thorough, and just way when unexpected events cause patient harm. The process allowed Gentry's doctor to apologize to him and his wife before contacting the hospital administration to seek help for the family. According to Gentry, the hospital then provided financial, medical and emotional support. MedStar Health's support allowed Gentry to get early intervention that was not covered by his insurance, which allowed him to regain use of his hands. But hospital transparency in the age of litigation is highly unusual as many hospitals and clinicians fear legal ramifications. The Patient Safety Movement is pleased to present a panel on Hospital Leadership: Transparency from the Legal Perspective at the World Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit in Huntington Beach, California on January 18, 2018. This panel will share unique perspectives from the hospital, patient and legal perspectives. Joining Gentry on this global panel will include: Moderator: David B. Mayer, MD, Executive Director, MedStar Institute for Quality and Safety - Dr. Mayer is responsible for overseeing the infrastructure or clinical quality and its operational efficiency for MedStar and each of its entities. Dr. Mayer also designs and directs systemwide activity for patient safety and risk reduction programs.



Panelists: Mike Durkin , OBE, MBBS, FRCA, FRCP, DSc, Senior Advisor on Patient Safety Policy and Leadership, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London - Dr. Durkin was the NHS National Director of Patient Safety from 2012-2017. He has led performance and clinical governance reviews in the UK and overseas.

, OBE, MBBS, FRCA, FRCP, DSc, Senior Advisor on Patient Safety Policy and Leadership, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London - Dr. Durkin was the NHS National Director of Patient Safety from 2012-2017. He has led performance and clinical governance reviews in the UK and overseas. Peter Lachman, MD, MPH, MBBCh, FRCPCH, FCP (SA), FRCPI, Chief Executive Officer, International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) - Dr. Lachman was a Health Foundation Quality Improvement Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in 2005 and developed the quality improvement program at Great Orman Street Hospital in London where he was the Deputy Medical Director, leading patient safety improvement. Prior to joining ISQUA, Lachman was a consultant pediatrician at the Royal Free Hospital in London. Now, Lachman is the Lead International Faculty at the RCPI in Dublin. At RCPI he co-directs the Leadership and Quality program to develop clinical leads in quality improvement.

MD, MPH, MBBCh, FRCPCH, FCP (SA), FRCPI, Chief Executive Officer, International Society for Quality in Health Care (ISQua) - Dr. Lachman was a Health Foundation Quality Improvement Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) in 2005 and developed the quality improvement program at Great Orman Street Hospital in London where he was the Deputy Medical Director, leading patient safety improvement. Prior to joining ISQUA, Lachman was a consultant pediatrician at the Royal Free Hospital in London. Now, Lachman is the Lead International Faculty at the RCPI in Dublin. At RCPI he co-directs the Leadership and Quality program to develop clinical leads in quality improvement. Allen Kachalia , MD, JD, Chief Quality Officer and Vice President for Quality and Safety, Brigham Health; Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School - Dr. Kachalia oversees Brigham Health's inpatient and ambulatory quality and safety initiatives. As a trained lawyer, his research focuses on how the law affects medical care, particularly how liability system reform and the disclosure of medical error relate to the quality and safety of healthcare.

, MD, JD, Chief Quality Officer and Vice President for Quality and Safety, Brigham Health; Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School - Dr. Kachalia oversees Brigham Health's inpatient and ambulatory quality and safety initiatives. As a trained lawyer, his research focuses on how the law affects medical care, particularly how liability system reform and the disclosure of medical error relate to the quality and safety of healthcare. Jon Schochor, JD, Senior Managing Partner at Schochor, Federico & Staton, PA, - Mr. Schochor focuses primarily on representing clients in cases relating to medical malpractice, negligence, class action litigation, and has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report and Newsweek. Mr. Schochor is a skilled trial lawyer and litigator who seeks to provide his clients with the highest level of legal representation. For more information, please visit the Patient Safety Movement Foundation website. Members of the media may request a press pass or a digital media kit that will be updated throughout the Summit by emailing irene@prfordolphins.com

About The Patient Safety Movement Foundation

More than 200,000 people die every year in U.S. hospitals and 4.8 million worldwide in ways that could have been prevented. The Patient Safety Movement Foundation is a global non-profit which creates free tools for patients and hospitals. The Patient Safety Movement Foundation was established through the support of the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation, and Competition in Healthcare to reduce that number of preventable deaths to ZERO. Improving patient safety will require a collaborative effort from all stakeholders, including patients, healthcare providers, medical technology companies, government, employers, and private payers. The Patient Safety Movement Foundation works with all stakeholders to address the problems with actionable solutions for patient safety. The Foundation also convenes the World Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit. The Summit brings together some of the world's best minds for thought-provoking discussions and new ideas to challenge the status quo. By presenting specific, high-impact solutions to meet patient safety challenges, called Actionable Patient Safety Solutions, encouraging medical technology companies to share the data their products are purchased for, and asking hospitals to make commitments to implement Actionable Patient Safety Solutions, the Patient Safety Movement Foundation is working toward ZERO preventable deaths. Visit patientsafetymovement.org. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005256/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Transfer-Free Convenience: Whirlpool Brand Introduces CES Innovation Award Honoree Smart All-In-One Washer & Dryer

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Whirlpool engineers are always seeking new ways for their appliances to remove extra steps from the laundry routine in order to help people spend more time caring elsewhere. Their solution is the new Whirlpool Smart All-in-One Washer and Dryer, a CES 2019 Innovation Award Honoree that completes a load of laundry in the same machine, allowing for one load to be completely washed and dried without moving items from the washer to the dryer. Now available for purchase, Whirlpool brand's newly upgraded laundry unit features smart laundry capabilities through the Whirlpool app, and coming soon in 2019, voice control with a compatible voice-enabled device will be available to make laundry easier from start to finish.* "Removing little steps in our daily routines makes a surprisingly big difference, especially when laundry can keep you tethered to appliances all day," said Nelly Martinez Garza, laundry brand manager, Whirlpool brand. "We're changing how laundry is done with the new Whirlpool Smart All-In-One Washer and Dryer, which eliminates transfer between the washer and dryer. The technology allows families to get a load of laundry done - wash to dry - without multiple trips to the laundry room." Each feature of the Whirlpool Smart All-In-One Washer & Dryer is designed to remove guesswork and provide the right care for each load, helping families do laundry seamlessly from start to finish. Features include: Load & Go XL Plus Dispenser: Add a few extra minutes back into a busy day by skipping a step - measuring and filling detergent. Simply add detergent and fabric softener once and skip refills for 40 loads. Automatic dispensing ensures each load gets the right amount of detergent, at the right time, giving clothing precise fabric care.

Add a few extra minutes back into a busy day by skipping a step - measuring and filling detergent. Simply add detergent and fabric softener once and skip refills for 40 loads. Automatic dispensing ensures each load gets the right amount of detergent, at the right time, giving clothing precise fabric care. Voice Control with Compatible Voice-Enabled Deice: Coming soon in 2019, you will be able to keep up with laundry no matter what, even when in the middle of cooking dinner, with simple voice commands using a Google Assistant or an Amazon Alexa-enabled device. You will be able to access features of the Whirlpool Smart All-In-One Washer & Dryer from the comfort of the living room using Amazon Alexa and Google Home, or Apple Watch..

Coming soon in 2019, you will be able to keep up with laundry no matter what, even when in the middle of cooking dinner, with simple voice commands using a Google Assistant or an Amazon Alexa-enabled device. You will be able to access features of the Whirlpool Smart All-In-One Washer & Dryer from the comfort of the living room using Amazon Alexa and Google Home, or Apple Watch.. Smart Laundry Capabilities with the Whirlpool  app: When enjoying time with family, consumers can still control the Whirlpool  Smart All-In-One Washer & Dryer through a smartphone with the enhanced connection features from the Whirlpool app. Through the app, families can program their laundry cycle to get the desired outcome every time by keeping laundry moving from start to finish. Some innovative connected capabilities include:

 When enjoying time with family, consumers can still control the Whirlpool Smart All-In-One Washer & Dryer through a smartphone with the enhanced connection features from the Whirlpool app. Through the app, families can program their laundry cycle to get the desired outcome every time by keeping laundry moving from start to finish. Some innovative connected capabilities include: Launching in 2019, Task Manager: Manage laundry day from anywhere. The Whirlpool app will allow users to assign family members tasks like transferring a load to the dryer or folding clean clothes, which they'll receive a notification about on their smart mobile devices.

Manage laundry day from anywhere. The Whirlpool app will allow users to assign family members tasks like transferring a load to the dryer or folding clean clothes, which they'll receive a notification about on their smart mobile devices.

Coming soon, Amazon Dash Replenishment, allowing users to automatically reorder laundry supplies from Amazon when running low so supplies never run out.



January 8-11 , CES attendees can get up close to all Whirlpool Corporate innovations at booth #41925 in the Smart Home section, located at the Sands Expo Center. For more information on the brand's care-centric product innovations and to join the conversation, visit ces.whirlpool.com and follow #ConnectToMore #CES2019.

* WiFi & App Required. Features subject to change. Details and privacy info at whirlpool.com/connect. Appliance must be set to Remote Enable for remote control capabilities.

 Model WFC9820H. Based on an 8-lb load.

 Voice control availability may vary by region. Google is a trademark of Google LLC. Amazon, Alexa and all related logos are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Apple is a registered trademark of Apple Inc. CES is a registered trademark of Consumer Technology Association (CTA). About Whirlpool Brand

For more than one hundred years, Whirlpool brand has been inspired by how people care for their families. Whirlpool brand is designing home appliances that are focused on improving how families give and get the care they need with the latest technologies and innovations  whether that means flexible refrigerator storage for all types of family needs, induction technology for efficient cooking and easier cleaning, or laundry pairs that sense and adapt to clothes. Whirlpool brand is part of Whirlpool Corporation, the world's leading manufacturer of major home appliances. Whirlpool Corporation is also one of Habitat for Humanity's largest corporate partners for over 15 dedicated years, donating a refrigerator and range to every new Habitat for Humanity home built in North America. For more information on Whirlpool, please visit whirlpool.com/everydaycare or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/whirlpoolusa or Twitter at @WhirlpoolUSA. Additional information about the company can be found at whirlpoolcorp.com. View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/transfer-free-convenience-whirlpool-brand-introduces-ces-innovation-award-honoree-smart-all-in-one-washer--dryer-300772116.html SOURCE Whirlpool Corporation

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Patric Wiesmann Joins Reputation.com as GM for Healthcare and Life Sciences

Experienced Industry Leader Will Help Establish Global Presence and Drive Additional Momentum Across Multiple Segments in Healthcare, Life Sciences

Patric Wiesmann



REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reputation.com , the first and only complete cloud-based enterprise reputation management platform, today announced the addition of Patric Wiesmann to its executive team. As the companys general manager for healthcare and life sciences, Wiesmann will draw on his extensive experience leading DocuSigns healthcare practice to further establish Reputation.coms international footprint and fuel additional momentum to amplify the patient voice. Wiesmanns career spans more than two decades in executive leadership at both large-scale and early-stage organizations in a range of verticals. Prior to his position as CRO at Praedicat, Inc., Wiesmann was SVP of sales and marketing at Medversant Technologies, where he focused on top-line execution to nclude building Medversants sales, marketing and client success strategy for the healthcare and life sciences sectors. He also served as managing director of healthcare at DocuSign. There, he launched and established the companys presence in the healthcare industry, which included both product launches and bringing in blue-chip companies like Pfizer, Merck, Allergan, Kaiser and Cigna.



Reputation.com is the gold standard in online reputation management, said Wiesmann. I look forward to drawing on my own experience to advance the companys mission across the globe, and help healthcare and life sciences clients elevate their patients voices. Patric understands the patient journey as well as the complexities of the healthcare ecosystem, which is particularly helpful as we expand our healthcare portfolio, said Joe Fuca, CEO, Reputation.com. With his tenure at DocuSign as director of healthcare, Patric brings the industry domain expertise we need to help take our healthcare product and field teams to the next level.

About Reputation.com Healthcare

A recent analysis of all U.S. hospitals shows that those with high Reputation Scores earn an incremental $1.2 million in revenue per bed, per year. With this in mind  as well as a dedicated healthcare team that understands the complex and unique challenges of organizations in the healthcare and life sciences industry  more than 300 healthcare systems rely on Reputation.com to manage online reputation for their physicians and locations. Large systems like Ascension, Advocate and Kindred use Reputation.com to understand feedback from patients and use it to improve business processes and patient care. About Reputation.com

Reputation.com delivers the only integrated SaaS platform that helps location-based enterprises improve their reputation with consumers online and onsite, across the entire customer journey  from finding a location on search, to conversion, to operational improvements that deliver a better customer experience. Reputation.com technology has managed tens of millions of consumer reviews, surveys and social media interactions across hundreds of thousands of online points of presence for global companies spanning 77 industry verticals, including healthcare, retail, automotive, restaurants and others. Reputation.com is a World Economic Forum Global Growth Company and is funded by the same top-tier venture capital firms that backed Google, Facebook, Cisco and Microsoft. To learn more, visit www.reputation.com . Media Contact: Brigit Valencia

BOCA Communications

360.597.4516

reputation@bocacommunications.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at //www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6071ecaf-7e37-4101-ae5a-5258d080da96

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Experience Management Leader Medallia appoints Shannon Katschilo as Vice President & Country Manager in Canada

SAN MATEO, Calif., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Medallia, Inc. (www.medallia.com), the global Experience Management leader announced that Shannon Katschilo, an expert in Experience Management is the new Vice President and Country Manager of Medallia's operations in Canada. Shannon and her team are perfectly set up to power the experience management strategies sought by innovative Canadian businesses. Many well known innovative brands across the region have already chosen Medallia including the top Canadian retail banks and automotive, hospitality, insurance, retail, airline and telecommunications companies so they have a strong foundation on which to build. "Canada is home to some of the world's greatest brands. As a nation, they are innovating customer, employee and citizen experience at a great pace. We are proud to establish our Canadian business with Shannon's leadership. We have the right person in the right place at the right time. I am personally passionate about our Canadian business opportunity and I look forward to supporting Shannon in the great provinces and terriories of Canada," said Leslie Stretch, President and CEO of Medallia.



Shannon started her career at Achievers, later acquired by Blackhawk Network Holdings Inc., where she worked with organizations across North America to increase employee engagement. Her commitment to driving customer success resulted in a significant increase in employee and customer engagement. Since joining Medallia, Shannon's continues to champion customer and employee engagement. "I am extremely fortunate and proud to work with some of Canada's largest, iconic, and most innovative brands to help them compete on CX. It is clear that organizations across Canada are looking for ways to connect more deeply with their customers and employees. Medallia has a significant customer base in Canada and I look forward to helping more business leaders solve their most complex customer experience problems," said Shannon Katschilo, VP and Country Manager at Medallia in Canada.

About Medallia Medallia, the leader in Experience Management cloud technology, was named a leader in the most recent Forrester Wave and ranked #15 in the most recent Forbes Cloud 100 list. Medallia's vision is simple: to create a world where companies are loved by customers and employees alike. Hundreds of the world's largest companies and organizations trust Medallia's cloud platform to help them capture customer and employee feedback everywhere they are, understand it in real-time, and deliver insights and action everywherefrom the C-suite to the frontlineto improve business performance. Medallia has offices worldwide, including Silicon Valley, New York, Washington DC, London, Buenos Aires, Paris, Sydney, and Tel Aviv. Learn more at www.medallia.com.

Medallia, the Medallia logo, and the names and marks associated with Medallia's products are trademarks of Medallia and/or its affiliates. PR Contact:

Sophie Chesters

schesters@medallia.com Sophia Xepoleas

xepoleas@merrittgrp.com Investor Relations:

Carolyn Bass

cbass@marketstreetpartners.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/experience-management-leader-medallia-appoints-shannon-katschilo-as-vice-president--country-manager-in-canada-300775376.html SOURCE Medallia

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Virtual Instruments Accelerates Momentum in Hybrid Infrastructure Management Market with Record Revenue and Strong Customer Growth

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virtual Instruments built upon its significant market momentum generated in 2017 to become a leader in hybrid infrastructure management in 2018. The merged company recorded its best year to date in 2018, with record bookings, nearly a 100 percent growth rate in new customers, over 200 percent growth in EMEA sales, and 125 percent growth in channel-initiated business. Significant new versions of its flagship hybrid infrastructure management solutions, VirtualWisdom and WorkloadWisdom , were also introduced. Finally, the company announced several invaluable strategic partnerships and partner program enhancements that position the Virtual Instruments global ecosystem for mutually beneficial growth in 2019 and beyond.

Todays enterprises are increasingly embracing a hybrid data center model in order to meet the widely varied needs of their demanding customers. However, the complexity of todays highly virtualized, hybrid and multi-cloud environments creates significant management and automation challenges for IT infrastructure and operations teams. A 2018 study conducted by Dimensional Research and sponsored by Virtual Instruments underscored these challenges. The research found that the IT monitoring tools deployed in the vast majority of enterprises dont provide the required visibility to proactively prevent application slowdowns and outages  and this results in enterprises failing to meet business-critical service level agreements (SLAs). Virtual Instruments approach to hybrid infrastructure management eliminates these obstacles by holistically monitoring, analyzing and optimizing the health, utilization, capacity and performance of IT infrastructure within the context of the application. Product Launches In October 2018, Virtual Instruments launched the next generation of VirtualWisdom, the industrys most comprehensive hybrid infrastructure management and AIOps platform, to enable application assurance from the data center to the public cloud. By visualizing the infrastructure in the context of the application, VirtualWisdom delivers improved control, greater business agility and reduced infrastructure costs. In addition, the new VirtualWisdom brings an end to the costly, unproductive and antiquated IT war rooms typically created to resolve critical application slowdowns and outages. In June 2018, Virtual Instruments introduced its innovative Cloud Migration Readiness (CMR) service to help enterprises intelligently move to the cloud. The new CMR service provides enterprises with vital insights into the workload behavior of applications targeted for cloud migration. It combines workload analysis and cloud-based simulation with cloud service provider price/performance comparisons. As a result, enterprises can confidently embrace the cloud to advance their digital transformation initiatives. In February 2018, Virtual Instruments announced WorkloadWisdom, a significantly enhanced and rebranded version of its Load DynamiX Enterprise storage performance validation solution. WorkloadWisdom provides a superior methodology for validating storage performance based on customers own production workloads, and is tightly integrated with VirtualWisdom. In December, Virtual Instruments launched the latest version of WorkloadWisdom, which leveraged the companys partnership with SAN storage emulation systems provider SANBlaze Technology . The new WorkloadWisdom delivers non-volatile memory express (NVMe) workload modeling and testing over Fibre Channel (FC), enabling data-driven analysis of and intelligent workload placement in next-generation flash technologies.



Media recognized Virtual Instruments leadership in the hybrid infrastructure management and storage industries in 2018. Storage Magazine named Virtual Instruments Storage Monitoring & Reporting Vendor of the Year for the second year in a row in its 2018 Storage Awards , and Bay Area News Group named Virtual Instruments one of its Top Workplaces in 2018  a recognition based purely on employee feedback. Customer Relationships

Virtual Instruments drove nearly 100 percent growth in new customers in 2018, with the majority of growth originating from the healthcare and financial services vertical markets. Virtual Instruments customer portfolio now includes over 50 of the largest U.S.-based healthcare organizations and over 40 of the worlds leading financial institutions. Virtual Instruments experienced significant growth in EMEA sales in 2018 - over 200 percent growth. Strategic Partnerships Virtual Instruments significantly strengthened its partner ecosystem and more than doubled its channel-initiated business in 2018. In January, the company announced a major refresh of the Virtual Instruments Partner (VIP) Program. The enhanced global VIP Program enables participating partners to benefit from superior profit margins, in addition to rewards based on customer engagement, rather than the traditional and less lucrative model of compliance with training and certification programs. In September, Virtual Instruments launched the Virtual Instruments Technology Alliance Program. The new program extends the companys collaborative global ecosystem for enterprise-grade hybrid infrastructure management solutions, and ensures the testing and validation of product integrations with Virtual Instruments award-winning performance management products. Virtual Instruments also forged several strategic partnerships with industry leaders in 2018, including SANBlaze Technology , a leading provider of storage solutions for embedded systems; NEXTGEN , an enterprise technology distributor in Australia and New Zealand; and Arrow Electronics , a U.K.-based global technology provider. In April, leading channel publication CRN recognized Virtual Instruments partner programs by awarding the company with a 5-Star rating in CRNs 2018 Partner Program Guide . Expanding Executive Team Virtual Instruments expanded its leadership team in 2018 to support the companys continued global growth. In February, Peter Dayton joined the executive team as chief financial officer, leading Virtual Instruments finance, accounting, legal, IT and manufacturing departments. 2018 was an incredibly successful year for Virtual Instruments and our rapidly growing global ecosystem of customers and partners, said Philippe Vincent, CEO of Virtual Instruments. As the complexity of the modern hybrid data center continues to increase, our goal is to help enterprises manage that complexity to become more agile and grow their businesses. Through the innovation weve injected into our hybrid infrastructure management solutions, along with the invaluable partnerships weve established, enterprises can more easily optimize their infrastructure investments and assure application performance and availability requirements. About Virtual Instruments

Virtual Instruments is the leader in application-centric hybrid infrastructure management. It provides comprehensive infrastructure instrumentation and performance analytics for enterprise data centers. The companys solutions give IT teams deep workload visibility and actionable insights into their end-to-end systems across the hybrid data center. Virtual Instruments empowers companies to maximize the performance, availability and utilization of their production IT infrastructure from the data center to the cloud. The privately held company is headquartered in San Jose, Calif. For more information, visit https://www.virtualinstruments.com . Contact

Anne Stanley

10Fold for Virtual Instruments

virtual instruments@10fold.com

+1 415 800 5383

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Redpill Linpro Becomes a WSO2 Value-Added Reseller Partner for Scandinavia

Stockholm, Sweden and Mountain View, CA USA, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Redpill Linpro, the leading provider of open source services and products in Scandinavia, and WSO2, the leading open source integration company, today announced that they have extended their partnership. Under the new agreement, Redpill Linpro is now a WSO2 Value-Added Reseller (VAR). As a VAR, Redpill Linpro will expand its collaboration with WSO2 in delivering open source technology solutions that support customers API-first initiatives to enable distributed development of APIs and simplify data access for internal or external innovation. Additionally, the company will implement campaigns to increase awareness of the WSO2 Integration Agile Platform across Scandinavia. Redpill Linpro is a long-time partner of WSO2 that has acted as a global training provider and systems integrator. The company has assisted customers in North America, Asia and Europe in utilizing WSO2s technology through training, and it provides customers in Denmark, Norway and Sweden with implementation services and support. Together, the Redpill Linpro API Ready Model and WSO2s platform deliver a highly competitive offering to assist customers with API-first initiatives that support the distributed development and ecosystem innovation required to address the challenges and opportunities of the digital transformation era. The VAR agreement follows the recognition of WSO2 by Forrester Research, Inc. as a Leader in The Forrester WaveTM: API Management Solutions, Q4 201 report1 published on October 29, 2018. In its evaluation of WSO2 API Manager, the report1 states, As the only fully open source solution in our Forrester Wave analysis, WSO2 provides good breadth across all evaluation criteria. Particular strengths include formal life-cycle management and non-REST APIs, both of which facilitate mature and disciplined enterprise API strategies.



Delivering the Technology, Concepts, and Experience to Succeed

Traditionally, data has been locked in or managed by a central integration competency center (ICC) or enterprise service bus (ESB) hub. However, in the digital transformation era, these central hubs have become bottlenecks, and organizations are seeking faster, easier ways to innovate and provide access to information. As a result, enterprises need to adopt an API-first strategy paired with a concept for the distributed development of APIs. Through APIs, system owners can provide access to information and allow the organization to innovate around datawithout using a central ICC/ESB hub. The WSO2 Integration Agile Platform, combined with the Redpill Linpro API Ready Model, will make this possible for Scandinavian organizations. We look forward to a deepened partnership with WSO2 in our role as a VAR, which will enable us to further build on the possibilities provided by the WSO2 Integration Agile Platform. The capabilities of WSO2s open source platform combined with our experience and concepts around API readiness and distributed development teams will empower our customers to achieve the objectives of their API-first initiatives, said Henrik Gavelli, CEO of Redpill Linpro.

With its deep expertise in API management and integration, Redpill Linpro has been a valuable, long-term partner in supporting the API-first initiatives of customers across Scandinavia. We are excited to have Redpill Linpro become a WSO2 Value-Added Reseller for our WSO2 Integration Agile Platform. This is an important expansion of our collaboration in providing a comprehensive solution to support customers success with their API-driven digital transformation strategies, said Shevan Goonetilleke, COO of WSO2. About WSO2

WSO2 is the worlds #1 open source integration vendor, helping digital-driven organizations become integration agile. Customers choose us for our broad integrated platform, approach to open source, and agile transformation methodology. The companys hybrid platform for developing, reusing, running and managing integrations prevents lock-in through open source software that runs on-premises or in the cloud. Today, hundreds of leading brands and thousands of global projects execute 6 trillion transactions annually using WSO2 integration technologies. Visit https://wso2.com to learn more. About Redpill Linpro

Redpill Linpro is the leading provider of professional open source services and products in the Nordic region. We provide consulting, development services, training, support, application management and IT operations ranging from infrastructure, databases, middleware and enterprise applications, to customer-specific solutions. With a current staff of 160, we deliver high quality services on business critical solutions for customers across the Nordics. Our offices in Stockholm, Oslo, Copenhagen, Karlstad and Gothenburg work together to ensure that our customers are offered the best services irrespective of location. For more information, please visit https://www.redpill-linpro.com. 1Forrester Research, Inc. The Forrester WaveTM: API Management Solutions, Q4 2018, by Randy Heffner with Christopher Mines, Allison Vizgaitis, and Diane Lynch, October 29, 2018. Trademarks and registered trademarks are the properties of their respective owners. Shifali Erasmus Kinetic.PR for WSO2 shifali@kineticprllc.com Mobile: 650-544-6424

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Meetings to enhance China-Singapore connectivity held in Chongqing

CHONGQING, China, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The fourth meeting of the implementation committee of the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity and the Dialogue on Joint Building of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor were successfully held in southwest China's Chongqing Municipality on Jan.7 and 8. Representatives from Chinese ministries including the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, heads of state-owned enterprises including the China Railway Corporation and China COSCO Shipping Corporation Limited, delegates from 12 Chinese provinces and cities, and representatives from political, business and media circles of Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines attended the meetings. The meeting was co-presided by Chan Chun Sing, Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry, and Tang Liangzhi, mayor of Chongqing Municipality. The meeting reviewed a report on the latest progress of the connectivity project and the construction of the land-sea trade corridor, and confirmed five landmark projects including the land-sea new corridor, China-Singapore special data channel, a demonstration zone for financial cooperation, an aviation industrial prk and a financial summit.



Chan Chun Sing said against the backdrop of global trade protectionism, the connectivity project has connected China and Singapore with the world. It has reflected China's determination to open up and integrate its economy into the world. The strategic connectivity project was signed in November 2015 in Singapore. Now, the third party collaboration project has become an important platform to deepen the comprehensive cooperative partnership between China and Singapore.

Tang said that for the next step, they will deepen and consolidate the connectivity project, strengthen communication and collaboration, focus on key projects, expand fields of cooperation, highlight core tasks, push for reform and innovation, extend the outcomes of opening up and involve more parties into the project. The Dialogue on Joint Building of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor was held in Chongqing, Jan. 8. Tang said some groundbreaking achievements in financial services, aviation industry, transportation logistics and information and communication technology were made in the construction of the land-sea trade corridor, thanks to the support of leaders of the two countries and relevant parties. He suggested that the two sides should take further efforts to promote connectivity; strengthen international cooperation; and enhance the radiating effect of the corridor to promote personnel, logistics, capital and information cooperation between western China, ASEAN members, and others. Chan said the connectivity project and the joint building of the land-sea trade corridor conform to the common aspiration of the two countries to improve interconnectivity and strengthen cooperation. They will raise competitiveness of both countries and drive them toward prosperity. He suggested the two sides give full play to the role of the land-sea trade corridor, lower financing cost for enterprises in western China, and strengthen connectivity in the region, between regions and in the world. The minister said that to lower operating costs and promote greater economic progress, the two sides should improve the transportation network so as to achieve connectivity of data, talents, technologies and finance. To further enlarge the "circle of friends" of the land-sea trade corridor, governments of Chongqing, Guangxi, Guizhou, Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Yunnan, and Ningxia signed an agreement on joint construction of the land-sea trade corridor on Jan. 7. Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190109/2342471-1-a

Photo - https://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20190109/2342471-1-b SOURCE China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity Administrative Bureau

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Qubitekk Supports Effort to Establish Global Quantum Security Technology Standards

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- California based Quantum Key Distribution developer and manufacturer Qubitekk, Inc. proudly announces to have participated in developing and supporting recommendations for the first global Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG). These recommendations were submitted to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) and will be discussed at the ITU-T, the Telecommunication Standardization Section meeting in Geneva, scheduled for January 22-30, 2019. A consortium of 17 companies and entities from eight countries jointly called on the security community with an accompanying open letter at a two-day conference held at Hudson Institute on December 6-7, 2018. The proposed recommendations will be adopted voluntarily as industry standards by the participating organizations and will now be presented to the ITU-T's Study Group 17, which coordinates security-related work across all of the ITU-T. As the first-ever standards for both QKD and QRNG, and the first approved by the leaders of the quantum communication industry, the proposed recommendations mark a milestone for the industry. Both technologies will be crucial to the future of quantum communication, which is also the future o the Internet in the 21st century.



Their accompanying letter reads in part: "In full awareness of the urgency to act, we the undersignedcall on the security community to establish recommendations appropriate to quantum entropy sources and Quantum Key Distribution, which these standards are designed to promote." Submission of the standards was agreed to as approved work items at the last meeting of the SG17 in September 2018, and participants and organizers of the December conference are optimistic about the standards' chances for final approval.

"With the development and deployment of long-term cybersecurity solutions like QKD and QRNG, universal Standards are urgently needed," stated President and CTO for Qubitekk, Dr. Duncan Earl, "a developing industry that works to secure critical infrastructure needs generally accepted requirements to provide quality products." About Qubitekk, Inc.

San Diego-based Qubitekk is a private company founded in 2012 to commercialize cryptography technologies to secure communication within Industrial Control System networks. Dr. Duncan Earl, founder and CTO, is one of the leading developers of quantum entanglement solutions, having served nearly 20 years at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), most recently with the Cyberspace Sciences and Information Intelligence Research group. Learn more at www.qubitekk.com. Qubitekk's Quantum Data Locking technology was named as one of Popular Science magazine's "20 Ideas that will Change the World" in January 2014. Contact:

Stephanie Rosenthal

srosenthal@qubitekk.com View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/qubitekk-supports-effort-to-establish-global-quantum-security-technology-standards-300775441.html SOURCE Qubitekk, Inc.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] QuickBridge, in Collaboration with OC United, Adopts New THRIVE Quad Transitional Home for the Holiday Season

QuickBridge Funding, a privately-held, leading financial services firm offering working capital to small to mid-sized businesses nationwide, partnered with OC United to adopt the non-profit's new THRIVE Quad women's transitional living home. THRIVE stands for Transitional Home Recognizing Independence, Value, and Empowerment. OC United opened its THRIVE Quad women's transitional home in December 2018. The program empowers former-foster and at-risk youth toward healthy independence within the community by coming alongside them with case management, counseling, and the skills necessary to succeed in life. For its fourth annual holiday season giving drive, QuickBridge employees devoted their time and pooled their resources to make the holidays special for the program's mothers and children. The THRIVE wish list included gift wrapped clothes, toys, electronics, and gift ards. A small group of QuickBridge volunteers delivered the gifts to the Fullerton home and spent time learning more about the residents' stories.



In addition to the holiday giving drive, QuickBridge helped furnish and decorate the four apartments and is a proud sponsor of California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) and OC United's CSUF Guardian Scholars program. OC United is a local non-profit organization made up of a collection of citizens, non-profits and churches who believe they can accomplish more working together than apart. OC United exists to empower the vulnerable who have experienced the breakdown of the family unit through restorative relationships and life-skills development.

"As QuickBridge continues to grow, we feel it's very important for us to give back to our community. Partnering with OC United gives us the opportunity to direct our charitable efforts toward people with immediate needs," said QuickBridge President Ben Gold. "It's inspiring to hear their stories and see the impact of our contributions." For more information on QuickBridge visit https://www.quickbridge.com/. About QuickBridge Founded in 2011, Quick Bridge Funding LLC (stylized as QuickBridge) is a privately-held financial services firm headquartered in Irvine, California with a satellite office in New York City. QuickBridge provides small business loans and short-term working capital loans for small to mid-sized businesses nationwide. QuickBridge ranked two consecutive years on the Inc. 500 list and is a previous Business Intelligence Group and Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) award winner. Visit https://www.quickbridge.com/. Products offered by Quick Bridge Funding, LLC and affiliates are business loans only. The products are provided by third parties and subject to lender approval. Loans to customers in California are made or arranged pursuant to a California Finance Lenders Law License. License number: 603 J292. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005073/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Q Technology announced its sales volume figures for December 2018

KUNSHAN, China, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Q Technology (Group) Company Limited (Stock code: 1478.HK) ("Q Technology" or "the Company") released a voluntary announcement regarding its major products sales volume for December 2018 in HKEX on 8th January 2019. The year-on-year growth rate of camera module ("CCM") sales volume accelerated and hit a new record for single month, reaching approx. 31.74 million units. Monthly sales volume of CCM hit record high again: Since the CCM sales volume of the Company amounted to 28.93 million units in August 2018, hitting a record high, it ha s continuously maintained a high level. Attributable to the market share gain, the single month sales record has been broken again in December 2018 . Sales volume for the month amounted to approx. 31.74 million, grew approx. 25% month-on-month and approx. 126% year-on-year respectively. Product mix has been further enhanced and maintain s a better level of high-end mix es due to the mass production of dual camera modules and 3D structured light module s . Total sales volume of 10 mega pixel and above amounted to approx. 14 million units, increased approx. 31% month-on-month and approx. 112% year-on-year respectively, reflecting a higher recognition level from customer of the Company. Sales volume of FPM remain stable: The sales volume of fingerprint recognition module s ("FPM") in December 2018 amounted to approx. 7.78 million units, decreased approx. 22% month-on-month and approx. 5% year-on-year respectively, mainly due to conventional seasona l impact. However, the sales of optical under-glass FPM remain stable



of the two core business segments, C CM and FPM, of Q Technology have achieved great performance ; accumulated sales volume in 2018 increased approx. 53% and approx. 33% year-on-year respectivel y which demonstrates Q Technology's determination to build its long-term core competencies in the intelligent vision industry. Looking forward, Q Technology will commit itself to work on four major development directions: 1) Scaling up to optimize marginal cost; 2) Optimizing its product portfolio to improve gross profit margin; 3) Promoting its abilities in intelligent production automation to reduce labor headcount and improve production efficiency; and 4) Deepening vertical integration to enhance competitive strength. Q Technology will continue to provide high quality service to their customers to promote a user-centric experience and embrace the vision of "enabling computer s to understand and see the real world clearer." The relevant figures are not equivalent to the final revenue or profit of the Company and the figures have not been reviewed or audited by the independent auditors and/or the audit committee of the Company and are subject to possible adjustments. Shareholders and potential investors of the Company are advised to exercise caution when dealing in the shares of the Company.

About Q Technology (Group) Company Limited (Stock Code: 1478.HK) Q Technology is a China leading mid to high-end mobile terminal camera module and fingerprint recognition module manufacturer. Q Technology is dedicated to providing machine vision and human vision to mobile terminals, automobile and robots through the persistent pursuit of capabilities in optics, computing vision and deep learning. For enquiries, please contact the investor relations team of the Company at: Mr. Richard Fan E-mail: richard.fan@ck-telecom.com

Mr. Louis So E-mail: louis.so@qtechglobal.com

Ms. Yanqing Cai E-mail: yanqing.cai@qtechglobal.com SOURCE Q Technology (Group) Company Limited

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Cybereason's Newest Customer is Premier Foods of Great Britain

LONDON, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cybereason, creators of the leading cybersecurity threat detection, hunting and response solution, today announced that Premier Foods, one of the world's largest food manufacturers, is the company's newest customer. Cybereason worked jointly with CDW, a multi-billion dollar technology solutions provider, on this newest customer contract. "Cybereason clearly differentiated itself during a competitive evaluation process and with its innovative approach and ability to correlate incidents, help us combat sophisticated threat actors. Persistent adversaries will continue to find their way into networks through an increasingly expanding attack service and Cybereason will help us to identify potential threats immediately," said Gareth Byrne-Perkins, Head of Technology & Services, Premier Foods. "Cybereason is thrilled to have worked closely with CDW on our newest joint customer, Premier Foods, the maker of many iconic food brands in Great Britain. Premier Foods is one of the growing number of manufacturers, not only in Great Britain but throughout the world, that concluded Cybereason's advanced, award-winning threat hunting solutions will give them visibility into potential network trouble spots and the ability to quickly investigate," said Sam Schofield Regional Vice President, UK, Ireland, Cybereason.



"CDW partners with Cybereason to provide our customers with the latest tools and services required to provide visibility and analysis of modern sophisticated threats, to help them reduce the risk of a security breach," said Richard Enderby, Practice Lead, Cybersecurity at CDW UK. "With Cybereason's AI Hunting Platform, customers have access to a full-stack offering of EDR, next-gen AV, anti-ransomware, file-less malware protection and security services, and we're excited to work with Cybereason to deliver their state-of-the-art endpoint security solutions." Cybereason is one of the fastest growing technology companies in the world. Founded in 2012 by Lior Div and co-founders Yossi Naar and Yonatan Striem-Amit, Cybereason has exploded from a three-person team to more than 450 employees globally.

About Cybereason

Cybereason, creators of the leading cybersecurity data analytics platform, gives the advantage back to the defender through a completely new approach to cybersecurity. Cybereason offers endpoint detection and response (EDR), next-generation antivirus (NGAV), and active monitoring services, all powered by its proprietary data analytics platform. The Cybereason suite of products provides unmatched visibility, increases analyst efficiency and effectiveness, and reduces security risk. Cybereason is privately held, having raised $189 million from top-tier VCs, and is headquartered in Boston, with offices in London, Tel Aviv and Tokyo. Learn more: https://www.cybereason.com/

Follow us: Blog | Twitter | Facebook Media Contact

Bill Keeler

Director, Public Relations

Cybereason

bill.keeler@cybereason.com

(929) 259-3261

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]Restructuring Partner Mark Knight Joins Sidley in London

Sidley Austin LLP announced today that Mark Knight has joined the firm as a partner in its London office. He will be a member of Sidley's global Restructuring practice. Mr. Knight is experienced in leading complex, precedent- setting multijurisdictional restructurings on both the creditor and debtor sides.

Before joining Sidley, Mr. Knight served as a partner and general counsel of an investment platform that services non-performing loans in some of Europe's most challenging restructuring jurisdictions, including Greeceand Italy. Prior to this, Mr. Knight was a partner in the restructuring group of an international law firm where he advised clients on the acquisition, disposal and reorganization of distressed businesses.







James Conlan, global head of the Restructuring practice at Sidley, and Patrick Corr, firmwide Restructuring practice area team leader, said, "Mark Knight adds strength to our market-leading Restructuring practice."

With 2,000 lawyers in 20 offices around the globe, Sidley is a premier legal adviser for clients across the spectrum of industries. Follow Sidley on Twitter (News - Alert) @SidleyLaw.

For purposes of the New York State Bar rules, this press release may be considered Attorney Advertising and our headquarters are Sidley Austin LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, +1 212 839 5300; One South Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60603, +1 312 853 7000; and 1501 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005, +1 202 736 8000.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005053/en/[January 09, 2019] Nordic Capital Acquires BOARD International, Provider of the #1 Decision-Making Platform

Nordic Capital Fund IX ("Nordic Capital") today announced the agreement to acquire a majority share in BOARD International, the global provider of the cloud-based #1 decision-making platform. Together with BOARD's founders and management, who will remain significant shareholders in the Company, Nordic Capital will support BOARD's continued international expansion through investment into the organisation and technology platform. The acquisition is the sixth investment by Nordic Capital's EUR 4.3 bn Fund IX, and builds on its recognised expertise and outstanding track record in the Technology and Payments sector. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Chiasso, Switzerland and Boston, the US, BOARD International enables customers worldwide to effectively deploy Business Intelligence, Corporate Performance Management and Predictive Analytics applications on a single platform. The platform allows companies to achieve a single, accurate and complete view of business information and full control of performance data across their entire organisation. Customers include Coca-Cola, Volkswagen, Puma, Toyota and other well-known international companies and brands. The Founders and Management have chosen Nordic Capital as their preferred strategic partner for further international expansion. BOARD International has 26 offices around the world which, together with a global partner network, serve more than 3,000 customers in over 100 countries. The Company is fast growing and employs over 300 people in Switzerland, Italy, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, the United States, Mexico, Argentina, Dubai, Hong Kong, India, Japan and Australia. "As we continue to innovate the BOARD platform, helping customers worldwide to make better business decisions, we are delighted to partner with Nordic Capital to aid our growth. Their expert support will be of great valu as we further our expansion in geographies across the globe," says Giovanni Grossi, CEO and co-founder of BOARD International.



"Nordic Capital is excited about BOARD's global potential and the impressive growth of the company, clearly leading the way into a new era of corporate decision-making. BOARD is a valuable partner to its customers, as it improves their decision-making effectiveness through its unified platform and by providing cutting-edge, cost-effective, easy-to-use and deploy software. Drawing on Nordic Capital's significant experience in the technology sector, we intend to support BOARD International in its global expansion," says Fredrik Naslund, Partner at the Advisor to the Nordic Capital Funds. The parties have agreed not to disclose the financial details. Subject to customary regulatory approvals, the transaction is expected to close in Q1 2019. Nordic Capital was advised by Goldman Sachs while BOARD International was advised by UBS.

About BOARD International: BOARD is the #1 decision-making platform. Founded in 1994 and headquartered in Chiasso, Switzerland, and Boston, MA, BOARD International has enabled more than 3,000 companies worldwide to effectively deploy Business Intelligence, Corporate Performance Management and Predictive Analytics applications on a single platform. The BOARD platform allows companies to achieve a single, accurate and complete view of business information and full control of performance across the entire organization. Thanks to BOARD, global enterprises such as Coca-Cola, DHL, KPMG, Puma, Siemens (News - Alert) , Toyota and ZF Group have deployed end-to-end decision-making applications in a fraction of the time and cost associated with traditional solutions. For further information about BOARD, please visit www.board.com About Nordic Capital Nordic Capital is a leading private equity investor in the Nordic region with a resolute commitment to creating stronger, sustainable businesses through operational improvement and transformative growth. Nordic Capital focuses on selected regions and sectors where it has deep experience and a proven track record. Core sectors are Healthcare, Technology & Payments, Financial Services, Industrial Goods & Services and Consumer & Retail, and key regions are the Nordics, Northern Europe, and globally for Healthcare. Since inception in 1989, Nordic Capital has invested EUR 12 billion in over 100 investments. The most recent fund is Nordic Capital Fund IX with EUR 4.3 billion in committed capital, principally provided by international institutional investors such as pension funds. The Nordic Capital Funds and vehicles are based in Jersey and are advised by advisory entities, which are based in Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Germany and the UK. For further information about Nordic Capital, please visit www.nordiccapital.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108006022/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Wirecard Digitizes Intermodal Transport With Deutsche Bahn Digital Ventures Qixxit

MUNICH and BERLIN, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The mobility platform currently has around half a million users

Qixxit users can now pay for their cross-country trips directly in the app

By integrating Apple Pay, Wirecard offers all Qixxit users more flexibility in digital payments Wirecard, the global innovation leader for digital financial technology, is driving the digitalization of the travel industry and enabling digital payments for the Qixxit mobility platform. Qixxit is part of Deutsche Bahn Digital Ventures GmbH and is an intermodal mobility portal. Within seconds, Qixxit compares the three main methods of transportation for trips - train, long-distance bus and plane - in a search query and combines the connections to create a correlated journey chain. Thanks to Wirecard, customers can use Apple Pay as a new payment method for in-app payments. By integrating Apple Pay, Wirecard offers all Qixxit users more flexibility in digital payments. Currently, around 500,000 people already use the Qixxit service on a regular basis. The organization and booking of trips via browser or app is becoming increasingly popular. Worldwide, the eTravel market is expected to grow by over 30 percent to a total sales volume of almost one billion euros by 2023. In this context, the online mobility services segment currently holds the largest share with more than 400 million euos worldwide.



"We have continuously developed our travel app over the last few months and geared it to the needs of our users and their feedback. Travelers want a service that offers everything in one place: smart connections, transparent fares and tickets. Together with our new partner Wirecard, we are proud to be one of the first eTravel providers to offer Apple Pay as a digital payment method," says Stefan Kellner, CEO of Qixxit. Jan Rubel, Head of Sales Travel & Transport at Wirecard, adds, "We are excited to partner with Qixxit to offer hundreds of thousands of users an innovative and convenient booking experience. The topic of intermodal mobility is setting a trend for the entire industry. Mobility services providers can benefit from Wirecard's platform, in order to digitize more and more processes in the travel industry."

Wirecard media contact: Wirecard AG

Jana Tilz

Tel.: +49(0)89-4424-1363

Email: jana.tilz@wirecard.com About Wirecard: Wirecard (GER:WDI) is one of the world's fastest growing digital platforms in the area of financial commerce. We provide both business customers and consumers with a constantly expanding ecosystem of real-time value-added services built around innovative digital payments by using an integrated B2B2C approach. This ecosystem concentrates on the areas payment & risk, retail & transaction banking, loyalty & couponing, data analytics & conversion rate enhancement in all sales channels (online, mobile, ePOS). Wirecard operates regulated financial institutions in several key markets, holds issuing and acquiring licenses from all major payment and card networks. Wirecard AG is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (DAX and TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060). Visit us on http://www.wirecard.com, follow us on Twitter @wirecard and on Facebook @wirecardgroup. Qixxit media contact: QT Mobilitatsservice GmbH

Stefan Kellner

Tel.: +49(0)170-91-56-921

Email: press@qixxit.de About Qixxit: The digital travel planner Qixxit connects long-distance buses, trains and flights to make a correlated route and creates an individual travel plan. For the first time, travelers receive everything in one place: smart connections, affordable and accurate fares and tickets. An international team works at the Berlin startup to make travel easier for everyone. Qixxit is part of Deutsche Bahn Digital Ventures GmbH. More under http://www.qixxit.com .

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] Basilea reports positive interim results from registrational phase 2 study with oncology drug candidate derazantinib in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA)

21% objective response rate with six confirmed partial responses from 29 evaluable patients

83% disease control rate

Safety profile and tolerability of continuous dosing schedule confirmed

Basel, Switzerland, January 09, 2019 - Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. (SIX: BSLN) announced today results from the interim analysis of the registrational phase 2 study with the orally administered pan-fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) kinase inhibitor derazantinib (BAL087). The analysis showed promising efficacy in patients with FGFR2 gene fusion-expressing intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) and also confirmed the safety profile and tolerability of the drug candidate observed in previous clinical studies. The interim analysis in the ongoing registrational phase 2 study was conducted after 42 patients have been enrolled in the study, with a subset of 29 evaluable patients who had at least one post-baseline imaging assessment. The objective response rate (ORR) in these 29 patients was 21%. The disease control rate (DCR), reflecting the proportion of patients with a partial response or with stable disease, was 83%. The safety data obtained from all 42 patients enrolled to date was consistent with the results from previous clinical studies with derazantinib. Dr. Marc Engelhardt, Chief Medical Officer of Basilea, said: "We are very pleased to have achieved this important milestone. The response rate and the safety profile at the time of the interim analysis are promising, especially considering the poor outcomes with chemotherapy in this group of patients reported in the literature. We are looking forward to the final data once the study is completed mid-2020." He added: "The results of the interim analysis underscore the potential of derazantinib in the treatment of FGFR-driven tumors. As previously communicated, we are planning to extend the clinical development program of derazantinib, by starting a phase 2 study in other types of FGFR-driven solid tumors, mid-2019. We are also planning to expand the ongoing iCCA study by adding a separate cohort of patients with FGFR gene mutations to assess the potential expanded utility of derazantinib in the treatment of iCCA." The ongoing registrational open-label phase 2 study1 is expected to enroll up to 100 patients with inoperable or advanced iCCA expressing FGFR2 gene fusions. The patients receive once-daily oral derazantinib, to evaluate its anti-cancer activity with respect to objective response rate, progression free survival, overall survival and duration of response, and to further explore the safety and tolerability of the drug candidate. The additional cohort of iCCA patients whose tumors express FGFR gene mutations is expected to enroll approximately 50 patients. About derazantinib

Derazantinib (BAL087, formerly ARQ 087) is an investigational orally administered small molecule inhibitor of the FGFR family ofkinases with strong activity against FGFR 1, 2, and 3. Therefore, it is called a panFGFR kinase inhibitor. FGFR kinases are key drivers of cell proliferation, differentiation and migration. FGFR alterations, e.g. gene fusions, overexpression or mutations, have been identified as potentially important therapeutic targets for various cancers, including iCCA, bladder, breast, gastric and lung cancers.2 Current scientific literature suggests that FGFR alterations exist in a range of 5% to 30% in these cancers.3 In iCCA, FGFR2 gene fusions have been reported in 13-22% of the cases4, 5 and FGFR gene mutations have been reported in up to 5% of the cases.3 Basilea in-licensed derazantinib from ArQule Inc. in April 2018. The drug candidate has demonstrated favorable clinical data in previous clinical studies, including a biomarker-driven Phase 1/2 study in iCCA patients.6 Derazantinib has U.S. and EU orphan drug designation for this disease.



About intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA)

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a cancer originating from the biliary system. The age-adjusted incidence rate of iCCA in the United States has been increasing over the past decade and is currently estimated to be approximately 1.2 per 100,000.7 Patients are often diagnosed with advanced or metastatic disease that cannot be surgically removed. Current first-line standard of care is the chemotherapy combination of gemcitabine and platinum-derived agents. The prognosis for patients with advanced disease is poor, with a median survival of less than one year. There is no proven effective treatment for patients who progress on first-line chemotherapy, thus there is a high unmet medical need.8 About Basilea

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is a commercial stage biopharmaceutical company, focused on the development of products that address the medical challenges in the therapeutic areas of oncology and anti-infectives. With two commercialized drugs, the company is committed to discovering, developing and commercializing innovative pharmaceutical products to meet the medical needs of patients with serious and life-threatening conditions. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is headquartered in Basel, Switzerland and listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN). Additional information can be found at Basilea's website www.basilea.com .

Disclaimer

This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For further information, please contact: Peer Nils Schroder, PhD

Head of Corporate Communications & Investor Relations

+41 61 606 1102

media_relations@basilea.com

investor_relations@basilea.com This press release can be downloaded from www.basilea.com . References

1 ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03230318

2 R. Porta, R. Borea, A. Coelho et al. FGFR a promising druggable target in cancer: Molecular biology and new drugs. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology 2017 (113), 256-267

3 T. Helsten, S. Elkin, E. Arthur et al. The FGFR landscape in cancer: Analysis of 4,853 tumors by next-generation sequencing. Clinical Cancer Research 2016 (22), 259-267

4 R. P. Graham, E. G. Barr Fritcher, E. Pestova et al. Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 translocations in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Human Pathology 2014 (45), 1630-1638

5 A. Jain, M. J. Borad, R. K. Kelley et al. Cholangiocarcinoma with FGFR genetic abberations: a unique clinical phenotype. JCO Precision Oncology 2018 (2), 1-12

6 V. Mazzaferro, B. F. El-Rayes, M. Droz dit Busset et al. Derazantinib (ARQ 087) in advanced or inoperable FGFR2 gene fusion-positive intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. British Journal of Cancer. Published online on November 13, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-018-0334-0

7 S. K. Saha, A. X. Zhu, C. S. Fuchs et al. Forty-year trends in cholangiocarcinoma incidence in the U.S.: intrahepatic disease on the rise. The Oncologist 2016 (21), 594-599

8 S. Sahu, W. Sun, Targeted therapy in biliary tract cancers - current limitations and potentials in the future. Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology 2017 (8), 324-336 Attachment Press release (PDF).pdf

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] "Best .hk Website Awards 2019" Call for Entries

HONG KONG, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited ("HKIRC") announced today that the 'Best .hk Website Awards 2019' ("the Awards") will be open for entries and nominations from now until 1 March, 2019. Marking the 9th year of this prestige event, the Awards aim to recognise the remarkable achievements of all outstanding .hk websites. All entrants will take part in various stages of the competition, and the winners will showcase their website success and share the best practice of website development among the community. Throughout the years, the Awards programme has witnessed significant improvements on website quality, security and user experiences of various award winners, which not only raise the standards but also benefit the society in general. This year, the Awards re-designed an eye-catching award logo. HKIRC also hopes to raise the awareness of web accessibility and encourage web accessible adoption. Best .hk Website Awards 2019 will automatically enrol the applicants of "Friendly Website of Web Accessibility Recognition Scheme". In addition, Winers of Best .hk Website Awards will be granted the title of "Friendly Website of Web Accessibility Recognition Scheme" in its 2020 Award Ceremony. Furthermore, all entrants are also welcome to attend the Web Accessibility Recognition Scheme technical workshops organised in 2019.



All participating websites will compete for Gold, Silver and Bronze awards in 3 categories, namely "Commercial" (Corporate / SME), "Non-commercial" (Corporate / SME), and "Government Department" (Government Department / LEGCO Members). The shortlisted websites will be assessed in accordance with four judging criteria including overall website design and functionality, viewer engagement, use of social media, as well as accessibility. Top winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony in June 2019 based on public voting and judging panel assessment. Apart from trophy and cash prizes up to HK$10,000, winners will also get the opportunity to have their achievements publicly recognised and share the best practices through various occasions and speaking engagements.

For more details on the Best .hk Website Awards, please visit www.bestwebsite.hk. You can also follow HKIRC on Facebook for latest news and updates. About HKIRC Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited (HKIRC) is a non-profit-distributing, non-statutory company limited by guarantee designated by the Government of the HKSAR to undertake the administration of Internet domain names under the .hk country code top level domain. HKIRC provides registration services for English domain names and Chinese domain names ending with .com.hk, .org.hk, .net.hk, .edu.hk, .gov.hk, .idv.hk, .hk and other domains to be introduced from time to time in Hong Kong. SOURCE Hong Kong Internet Registration Corporation Limited

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 09, 2019] RadioMedix and Curium Announce FDA Fast Track Designation For 64Cu-Dotatate.

Houston, TX and St. Louis, MO, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- RadioMedix Inc. and its commercial partner Curium announced today that their investigational diagnostic radiopharmaceutical, 64Cu-Dotatate, was granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 64Cu-Dotatate is a PET diagnostic agent being studied for somatostatin receptor expressing neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). RadioMedix Inc. has completed the Phase III clinical trial of the agent and expects to file a New Drug Application with the FDA in 2019. RadioMedix



Curium







64Cu-Dotatate will be an exciting new diagnostic agent for the detection of neuroendocrine tumors, said Ebrahim Delpassand, MD, CEO of RadioMedix. The FDA Fast Track designation of 64Cu-Dotatate highlights the public health need by enhancing the availability of diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals for patients with neuroendocrine tumors. 64Cu-Dotatate is anticipated to be the first neuroendocrine PET diagnostic available to ALL medical centers with PET capability across the country. This will address the shortage or lack of availability of somatostatin analogue PET agents that many geographies in the U.S. are experiencing. Our ability to manufacture 64Cu-Dotatate at a central location and distribute quantities to meet the needs of hospitals and imaging centers demonstrates our continued commitment to help patients with neuroendocrine tumors, said Curium CEO, North America, Dan Brague. We look forward to partnering with RadioMedix to commercialize this important diagnostic agent pending FDA approval.

About RadioMedix RadioMedix, Inc. is a clinical stage biotechnology company, based in Houston, Texas, focused on innovative targeted radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis, monitoring, and therapy of cancer. The company is commercializing radiopharmaceuticals for PET imaging and therapeutic (alpha and beta-labeled) radiopharmaceuticals. RadioMedix has also established contract service facilities for academic and industrial partners: Full cGMP manufacturing and analytical suites for human clinical trials, and commercial phase manufacturing of the radiopharmaceuticals, and probe development and small animal Molecular Imaging Facility for pre-clinical evaluation of radiopharmaceuticals in animal models. To learn more RadioMedix, visit www.radiomedix.com and LinkedIn. For more information about this press release, please contact RadioMedix: media@radiomedix.com About Curium Curium is a world-class nuclear medicine solutions provider with more than a century of industry experience. Curium is the largest vertically integrated radiopharmaceutical product manufacturer in the industry. With manufacturing facilities across Europe and the United States, Curium supports over 14 million patients around the world with SPECT, PET, and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. The Curium brand name is inspired by the work of radiation researchers Marie and Pierre Curie and emphasizes a focus on nuclear medicine. To learn more, visit curiumpharma.com. For more information about this press release, please contact Janet Ryan media contact for Curium: janet@ryan-pr.com. About Neuroendocrine Tumors Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are a heterogeneous group of rare neoplasms that originate from neuroendocrine cells. These neoplasms occur mostly in the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas, but can also occur in other tissues including thymus, lung, and other uncommon sites such as cervix, heart, and prostate. Most NETs strongly express somatostatin receptors (SSTRs). Izabela Tworowska, PhD, CSO RadioMedix Inc media@radiomedix.com Janet Ryan Curium janet@ryan-pr.com.

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 08, 2019] One of MedMen's Largest Outside Shareholders and Former Board Member, an Affiliate of The Inception Companies, Sues MedMen and Alleges Breach of Fiduciary Duty

This morning in the Superior Court of Los Angeles, California, The Inception Companies founders Brent Cox (News - Alert) and Omar Mangalji (through an affiliated entity - MMMG-MC, Inc. - that holds a significant stake in MedMen's management company MMMG, LLC) filed a complaint against Adam Bierman, Andrew Modlin and various MedMen Enterprises entities for alleged breaches of fiduciary duty. Cox stated, "We have a long history with MedMen - as one of the largest and original shareholders of the company. Sadly, we are backed into a corner here and compelled to take action on behalf of all stakeholders of the company." Cox is a former board member of MedMen, serving in that role from March 2016 to March 2018 and Founder of The Inception Companies. Omar Mangalji, Partner and Founder of The Inception Companies added, "Simply put, MedMen is a publicly traded company that is withholding its shares from its shareholders. Management is using conflicted corporate structuring in breach of its fiduciary duty to its shareholders." He continued to say, "MedMen touts itself as a torchbearer of best practices and even claims in their advertising campaigns that they are 'Mainstreaming Marijuaa.' If that is the case then they need to adopt mainstream corporate governance practices. This industry is exciting and rife with opportunity, but unless we engender a safe and accountable environment for individuals and institutions to invest their capital, the explosive growth will be stifled. Given the industry's storied history and its varied stages of legality in different markets, it is doubly important that our industry be well above board in all of its corporate practices."



A full copy of the complaint can be read here: https://inceptioncos.sharefile.com/share/view/s150ee89370a4fefa About The Inception Companies

The Inception Companies ("Inception") is a private opportunistic investment firm based in Los Angeles and London with significant operating and investing experience across numerous industries, including regulated cannabis. Inception and its affiliates have deployed capital in leading consumer retail brands, agricultural & industrial operations, technology platforms, and real estate assets representing over $2 billion in aggregate enterprise value. Inception's principals have over 60 years of combined investing and operating experience at prominent investment banking, private equity, real estate, and venture capital firms. For additional information, visit www.inceptioncos.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108006162/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP Announces Investigation on Behalf of Liberty Health Sciences Inc. Investors

Glancy Prongay & Murray LLP ("GPM") announces an investigation on behalf of Liberty Health Sciences Inc. ("Liberty" or the "Company") (OTC: LHSIF) investors concerning the Company and its officers' possible violations of federal securities laws.

If you are a shareholder who suffered a loss, click here to participate.







In September 2018, Liberty sold its stake in Aphria Inc. ("Aphria"). On December 3, 2018, Quintessential Capital Management and Hindenburg Research issued a report entitled "Aphria: A Shell Game with a Cannabis Business on the Side," claiming that Aphria was part of a scheme orchestrated by a network of insiders to divert funds away from shareholders and into their own pockets.

On this news, Liberty's stock price fell $0.36 per share, or nearly 34%, over the next two trading days to close at $0.70 on December 4, 2018, thereby injuring investors.

Follow us for updates on Twitter (News - Alert) : twitter.com/GPM_LLP.

If you purchased Liberty securities, have information or would like to learn more about these claims, or have any questions concerning this announcement or your rights or interests with respect to these matters, please contact Lesley Portnoy, Esquire, of GPM, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 2100, Los Angeles, California 90067 at 310-201-9150, Toll-Free at 888-773-9224, by email to shareholders@glancylaw.com, or visit our website at www.glancylaw.com. If you inquire by email please include your mailing address, telephone number and number of shares purchased.

This press release may be considered Attorney Advertising in some jurisdictions under the applicable law and ethical rules.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108006116/en/[January 08, 2019] FiscalNote Launches New Fintech Coverage In Partnership With Leading Industry Expert

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- FiscalNote , a technology and media company providing information services and software that connect the world to their governments, today announced a partnership with Georgetown Law Professor Chris Brummer to launch new coverage of fintech and its implications. The coverage begins with today's release of Brummer's exclusive analysis of the worldwide implications of crypto asset regulation in light of anticipated reports by two leading European Union financial regulatory authorities that are expected to be issued this week. Brummer's exclusive analysis of the new regulatory reports, published first in CQ, covers an imminent push by regulators to begin harmonizing crypto asset regulation in the EU, as well as move towards a bespoke, independent treatment of crypto assets. The efforts could have global reverberations for U.S. investors and market participants, according to Brummer, as well as make the region a more competitive locale for crypto asset transactions. An expert in global technology, finance, and governance, Brummer will be a leading voice in providing in-depth analysis on the implications of this regulation, alongside veteran CQ journalists. Coverage will span FiscalNote's media assets, including CQ and Roll Call, and will incude new video and podcast content, beginning with a podcast being released tonight that highlights Brummer's analysis of these important regulatory developments.



"Businesses, consumers, regulators and lawmakers need expert insights in order to better evaluate the implications of fintech developments and related policy decisions," said Josh Resnik, Chief Content Officer and SVP/Publisher, FiscalNote. "We are excited to add Chris Brummer's expertise to our leading policy coverage in order to provide the best possible guidance for our readers and subscribers." Brummer, Faculty Director of Georgetown's Institute of International Economic Law, routinely participates in global regulatory dialogues, and has testified before US and EU legislative bodies. He was twice nominated by President Obama to serve as a Commissioner on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

This launch of this company's latest coverage vertical comes following the strategic hire of Josh Resnik, Chief Content Officer, brought in to guide its strategy for producing, distributing, and monetizing content, including serving as SVP/Publisher of CQ and Roll Call, as well as leading all content licensing and distribution partnerships. FiscalNote acquired CQ Roll Call in August for $180 million, combining the strengths of complementary businesses and infusing CQ Roll Call's award-winning journalism and content with FiscalNote's proprietary technology. For more information on FiscalNote, you can visit the website here . About FiscalNote

FiscalNote is a technology and media company that provides information services and software that connect the world to their governments. As the premier hub of domestic and global government information, FiscalNote's comprehensive suite of software solutions offers customers and readers policy data, news, analysis and award-winning journalism. To learn more about FiscalNote and its family of brands, including CQ, Roll Call and VoterVoice, visit www.fiscalnote.com. Media Contact | Lindsay Hand | (516) 725-9686 | lhand@kwtglobal.com View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fiscalnote-launches-new-fintech-coverage-in-partnership-with-leading-industry-expert-300775292.html SOURCE FiscalNote

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ][January 08, 2019] Marsh & McLennan Companies Announces Pricing of $5.0 Billion Senior Notes Offering

Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (the "Company") announced today that it has priced $700 million aggregate principal amount of its 3.500% Senior Notes due 2020, $1,000 million aggregate principal amount of its 3.875% Senior Notes due 2024, $1,250 million aggregate principal amount of its 4.375% Senior Notes due 2029, $500 million aggregate principal amount of its 4.750% Senior Notes due 2039, $1,250 million aggregate principal amount of its 4.900% Senior Notes due 2049 and $300 million aggregate principal amount of its Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2021 (collectively, the "Notes"). The Company intends to use the net proceeds to fund, in part, the acquisition ("Acquisition") of Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group plc. ("JLT"), including the payment of related fees and expenses, and to repay certain JLT indebtedness, as well as for general corporate purposes. The Acquisition is expected to be completed in the spring of 2019, subject to certain customary conditions. The closing of the Notes offering is not contingent on the closing of the Acquisition and is expected to occur on January 15, 2019, subject to certain customary conditions. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Barclays Capital Inc., HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, MUFG Securities Americas Inc., RBC Capital Markets, LLC, U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. and Wells Fargo (News - Alert) Securities, LLC are acting as joint book-running managers for the Notes offering. ANZ Securities, Inc., BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Drexel Hamilton, LLC, GC Securities, a division of MMC Securities LLC, PNC (News - Alert) Capital Markets LLC, Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., TD Securities (USA) LLC and The Williams Capital Group, L.. are acting as co-managers for the Notes offering.



An effective shelf registration statement related to the Notes has previously been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the " SEC (News - Alert) "). The offering and sale of the Notes are being made by means of a prospectus supplement and an accompanying base prospectus related to the offering. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus supplement and the base prospectus for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may obtain these documents for free by visiting EDGAR or the SEC website at www.sec.gov; alternatively, copies may be obtained from: (i) Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, Prospectus Department, 200 West Street, New York, NY 10282, telephone: 1-866-471-2526, facsimile: 212-902-9316 or by emailing prospectus-ny@ny.email.gs.com, (ii) Citigroup Global Markets Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY11717, telephone: 1-800-831-9146 or by emailing prospectus@citi.com, (iii) Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Attn: Prospectus Group, 60 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, telephone: 1-800-503-4611 or by emailing prospectus.CPDG@db.com, and (iv) Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte, NC 28255, telephone: 1-800-294-1322 or by emailing dg.prospectus_requests@baml.com. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor does it constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale is unlawful.

About Marsh & McLennan Companies Marsh & McLennan (NYSE: MMC) is the world's leading professional services firm in the areas of risk, strategy and people. The company's approximately 65,000 colleagues advise clients in over 130 countries. With annual revenue over $14 billion, Marsh & McLennan helps clients navigate an increasingly dynamic and complex environment through four market-leading firms. Marsh advises individual and commercial clients of all sizes on insurance broking and innovative risk management solutions. Guy Carpenter develops advanced risk, reinsurance and capital strategies that help clients grow profitably and pursue emerging opportunities. Mercer delivers advice and technology-driven solutions that help organizations meet the health, wealth and career needs of a changing workforce. Oliver Wyman (News - Alert) serves as a critical strategic, economic and brand advisor to private sector and governmental clients. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108006128/en/

[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]January 08, 2019





You sure have heard about press releases although theres a good chance that you havent tried using them yet. Press releases used to be very famous in the SEO community. Now many people are wondering if they are still relevant in this day and age. Is it really worth spending your time with?







Yes, definitely, its still very relevant today and will probably remain relevant for a long time not only in the SEO community but also for marketing purposes. Yet, a lot of webmasters arent able to fully grasp the concept behind it, and they end up doing things that could potentially put their websites in jeopardy.

What Are Press Releases?

Press releases refer to the process of announcing certain events to the media or the press. In the World Wide Web, a press release is defined as an official statement issued to news agencies to provide information about a certain matter.

They are usually issued in a written format although they can also be in video or audio format. If someone is trying to organize an event and wants to let everyone know about it, sending press releases is the best way to get everyones attention about that particular event.

With a press release distribution, a piece of content will be written about the event and will then be distributed to news agencies and publishers who might be interested in it.

It usually adheres to this particular line of events:

The event is planned  a press release will be written  the press release is distributed to various news agencies - news agencies will pick up the press release  a news report will be published.

However, its a bit difficult to get the attention of the media, and its even more difficult for the editors who are often bombarded with many news reports from various sources. They have to go through the process of filtering and curating all these reports to publish only the best and most interesting news.

This is why press release platforms were created. Instead of distributing your press release to publishers, these platforms will post your press release to some of the most popular distribution platforms where several publishers and reporters tend to hang out to look for subjects that might interest them.

Unfortunately, these platforms have become a favorite hangout place for spammers. But before we talk about how these platforms could harm your website, it may be best to check out the many ways these platforms can actually do your website well.

How Can Press Releases Help SEO

Getting some big news sites to publish information about your company or an event youre organizing will not only benefit your brand but your SEO as well.

So how is this possible, you might ask? Its basically all about backlinks. If some of the most popular news websites will be talking about your brand, youll get backlinks from these news websites that usually hold a huge amount of equity. Youll also score a high amount of backlinks from some webmasters who are going to read the news.

Yet, building backlinks are among the most difficult tasks in SEO, and we all know that. Whats more, coming up with high-quality backlinks is an even more difficult task. Doing this naturally without buying links or using tricks can make it more challenging.

Youll actually get all the three above with press releases, which is why its considered the best link-building tool available.

You might ask how?

For one, press releases help you build links very quickly, and they are not just any kind of links. Instead, they are high-quality backlinks that are completely natural so you can rest assured that there wont be any penalties.

If the press release is done right, its definitely going to work. Otherwise, it will be a complete waste of time and might even result in you getting penalized.

Press Releases and Penalties

Going online to research about press release tactics could get you to the right track. But people have learned quickly that its much easier to obtain links from the press release instead of getting them from news publishers who will most likely ignore news stories that are poorly written.

Press Release Spam

Some people, instead of focusing on the important stuff and looking for ways to improve their business, end up distributing as many press releases as possible to the numerous press release platforms.

There are platforms that are free to use since they make money from advertising. Therefore, anyone can go there and post anything they want.

But there are also paid platforms that are filled with many irrelevant articles. With many webmasters asking for money in exchange for a backlink or guest posts, publishing a press release is a more practical way to get backlinks.

However, some of the posts are actually way too long to be considered a press release, and they are often filled with keywords and anchor text links that will only trigger penalties. Because of this, the quality of press release websites has started to decline. Yet, there are a few websites that have managed to keep their content relevant. These sites dont index their press releases and are only available to users who are logged in on the site.

Users of these websites dont post press releases only for the sake of acquiring backlinks. Instead, they focus on posting press releases that will also attract the attention of news websites.

Using No-Follow Links

Others might find the no-follow links to be useless. But these links are definitely not useless. In fact, they could help rank your website. Furthermore, these no-follow links are only going to be used for press release sites since these sites tend to index their content on Google (News - Alert) . All the other links that youre going to get as a result of a successful press release are usually a combination of do-follow and no-follow links, although this also depends on the internal policies of the websites that are linking to you.

So why is there a need to use no-follow links? Its because no-follow links minimize the risk of getting penalized. Google doesnt want you to build or buy backlinks. Because the links from the press releases are usually built manually and are paid for, Googles guidelines require that these links be no-follow links.

We arent really a fan of Google, but if you dont want to risk anything, you might as well follow what it wants.

Again, no-follow links can also help rank your website higher.

If you already have several published press releases, you should check them using a detection tool just to make sure they arent suspicious and that they dont come from any suspicious domains.

Can You Still Benefit from Press Releases?

Unless the Internet is dominated with some highly advanced artificial intelligence thats capable of watching our every move, then publishers will always find these news topics highly beneficial. If you will not push yourself out there, theres almost no chance of ever becoming popular on the Internet.

Press releases are capable of starting a chain reaction not just with backlinks but with social media likes, comments, and shares as well. For as long as there are news reports, press releases will remain useful.

But how come press releases have become less popular than they were 10 years ago?

Its mainly because of spam. As more and more people are relying on the Internet and SEO, journalists and editors are spammed every single day. As a result, they decided to filter new stories more, and this has made the press releases to become a less effective strategy not only regarding SEO but also regarding how accessible it will be.

Another reason would be the penalties.

Several years ago, press releases were mostly popular not only because they helped with news coverage but also because they helped provide easy links coming from various distribution sites.

Because the SEO community has started to pull away from mass link building, press releases also became less and less popular.

But if you are going to focus on the most appropriate things, such as improving your website, your products, and services, and then create a press release thats focused on getting the attention of the media instead of merely grabbing backlinks, then press releases are definitely going to be highly valuable in 2019.

For the press releases to be useful not only this year but for the many years to come, you should put your focus in getting the attention of the media instead of merely grabbing just another backlink out there.

The reality is that to be successful, youre going only to need just one reporter who will pay attention to your company. This reporter must come from a renowned site, and the rest will definitely work out in your favor. There will actually be more chances of you getting featured if youre going to target individual reporters for your press releases.

For instance, you can come up with great news about graphics cards and then look for a reporter who is a gamer. Do you have exciting news about childcare? Then look for a reporter whos a devoted parent and can relate to the topic.

There is really no need to use any press release platforms just to make your press release successful. You can also send an email to reporters or message them on social media through Twitter or LinkedIn (News - Alert) .

Making Press Releases More Effective

There are many ways on how you can come up with a more effective press release. But generally, to make your press release more effective, it should:

Be distributed to several relevant places.

Feature an interesting news piece.

Come with a killer headline.

Be written short but straight to the point

We arent elaborating how a press release can be specifically effective for SEO but on the things that you should generally do or not do when it comes to press releases.

Check out the three things you need to avoid doing if you want your press release to be useful:

1. Do not just write about anything for your press release. You dont have to post monthly press releases about your company just for the sake of doing it. Post only if you have something exciting and original to write about. Otherwise, you will only be wasting your precious time.

2. Avoid spamming editors constantly. If you do this, youre going to end up in their spam box, and you will not be considered ever again. These days, people absolutely hate spamming. So if a reporter notices that your content is being distributed over and over again, then theyll eventually filter you out.

3. Avoid posting to numerous press release platforms. Instead, focus on the more relevant platforms and post there. Sure, you will find several other places that are suitable to your target audience and your location, but it is best to focus on platforms that are more relevant. For instance, even if a site is very good, it may not serve well for those who are targeting specific audiences.

For those who are incapable of coming up with good press release articles, there are lots of services out there that you can hire to write one for you.

Pros and Cons of Free Press Release Distribution

Pros:

Its great for those who have no money to spend on marketing campaigns since theres no need to pay newswires or news websites to publish your press release.

They allow social media posting of press releases.

Its a great medium to test your storys newsworthiness without spending any money.

Cons:

They look attractive but just like with anything, youll get what you pay for.

Your press releases will only be published, but they will not be distributed.

Theres only a limited amount of time for your press release to remain visible on the website and youll have to pay if you want it to be displayed for a much longer time.

Your press release will come with Google Ads and other links that could discourage your audience from reading.

You will not have any access to customer support so you cannot rely on anyone if you need help with anything related to your press release.

You will not receive analytics or reports, which means that theres no way for you to know how far your releases have reached.

Theres a possibility that your press release will come with ads belonging to your competitors.

Free distribution services are often looked upon by Google as spam, and this could lower your website ranking and affect your SEO.

Pros and Cons of Paid (News - Alert) Distribution

Pros:

Its more cost-effective in the long-term.

Your press releases will be distributed to various news media sites, search engines, and portals. They may also publish it to the industry that you are targeting.

Most of these paid services provide customer support.

Youll be given analytics and reports which allow you to monitor the performance of your press release. These reports will show you the number of people who have viewed your press release, the number of page views per month, and many more.

You will have the option to choose the reach of your press release. You can go for local, state, regional, or national, depending on how much youre willing to spend.

Cons:

Some of the paid PR services may not be able to provide your desired publicity in the media. Despite providing reports and analytics, the ROI is somewhat questionable.

These paid services might provide graphics and charts of figures and numbers. However, the sales and conversions are not really geared towards positive reports.

Page views do not often lead to conversions, and this is something that must be considered. These paid services may guarantee that your press releases will be viewed, but they cannot provide assurance that these views will convert to revenue.

If you feel that the paid services are just too expensive, you might as well pitch directly to journalists to save on PR costs.

Conclusion

Press releases are beneficial for your SEO campaigns and are expected to be useful for many years to come, provided that you dont abuse their means of distribution. They may not be that popular in the field of SEO nowadays, but if its done right, then even a single press release could lead to great results. If you are thinking of incorporating press releases to your marketing campaigns, make sure you consider the dos and donts above. Above all, keep in mind the advantages and disadvantages that come with using the free and paid press release platforms.

If you have ever issued a press release or have done so lately, we would like to know how was your experience. Were journalists interested in your content or you just wasted your time? Please let us know in the comments section below.News Reporter

Eddie Trizzino has been a reporter with the Times West Virginian since August of 2017, covering the entertainment, business and health beats. He spends most of his time listening to records, going to the movies and strolling through the town.The following is from a Los Angeles Times editorial:

Gone are the days when the great whales were hunted across the globe. A worldwide moratorium on commercial whaling that went into effect 33 years ago has mostly put an end to the practice, reviving the numbers and prospects of the majestic sea creatures  although some whale species are still considered threatened or endangered.

But among the more than 80 nations that belong to the International Whaling Commission and have signed on to its ban on commercial whaling, Japan has always been a renegade member. Its whalers continue to hunt and kill hundreds of whales each year under an exemption for "scientific research," which conservationists consider a ridiculous sham. Then they sell the meat from the animals. Early last year Japan killed 333 minke whales  122 of which were pregnant. (Whales are slow to mature and they reproduce in small numbers, so the demise of a pregnant whale is a double blow to the population.)

Then, last week, Japan went a big step farther, announcing it would leave the Commission and resume commercial whaling next July. The start-up of commercial whaling in its coastal waters in the North Pacific is an outrageous flouting of a long-established and still necessary global effort to preserve whale species and help them thrive.

The Commission's moratorium extends to coastal waters. Japan says it no longer wants to participate. But that decision makes Japan, essentially, a rogue whaling nation in the view of animal welfare organizations.

Conservationists and the Commission consider all these species of large whales to be living under unstable conditions. Even if their numbers are not in immediate danger, they're facing new environmental challenges. Whales are threatened not just by hunters, but also by climate change, pollution and toxic runoff and ships that strike them.

Japan should reassess its decision, stay in the commission and give up whaling. There is no reason to continue a practice that is cruel  the whales, often, don't die instantly  and depletes the stock. The days are past when Japan needed whale meat to feed its own people. Eating whale meat in Japan is a dying custom. It's past time for the Japanese to join the overwhelming majority of the world and put the practice of whale hunting to rest.While the impacts of the elections across the country were somewhat mixed, a blue wave surged across New York state, washing aside Republican incumbents and leaving their party in tatters in its wake. Nowhere was this more evident than in statewide races and the elections to the state Legislature. The last vestige of Republican dominance was drowned as control of the state Senate was won by the Democrats for only the second time in 52 years. The Democratic Party will have their largest state Senate majority in history.

The question is: To what end?

When Lyndon Johnson suddenly became president in 1963, he was cautioned to play it safe and go slow on enacting civil rights protections that his predecessor had unsuccessfully tried to do. He was counseled against alienating his Southern colleagues, the reliable political base of the Democratic Party. To which it is reported he answered: "Then what the hell is the presidency for if not to do great and big things?"

Six months later, a sweeping civil rights law was enacted over the angry objections of some of his former close friends in Congress. Johnson used his considerable political skills and his newfound power wisely, and the nation was better for it.

Soon the new majority in the state Senate will face the same moment of truth: How to use their newfound legislative authority?

The number one issue for Albany is integrity in government. Too many legislators and cronies of the governor have been convicted of crimes involving the misuse of their offices, mostly for greed. Too much campaign money is solicited, leading to corruption and conflicts of interest. The amount of legal political contributions that can be made in legislative races and statewide races is more than too much  it is obscene. Limited liability corporations can contribute to candidates with impunity. Most of that money goes to their favorite incumbents. It is almost a form of legal bribery.

Lawmakers and the governor have been talking about these issues for years and years. With divided government, each side has been able to blame the other for not enacting effective restrictions on campaign fundraising and abuses. The sorry status quo has been maintained, with public officials from the governor on down taking advantage of their unique access to this big money. Their refrain is always, "Wait until next year." Well, next year has come. There are no excuses.

So to my former Democratic colleagues in the Legislature, I say history and the voters will judge you harshly if you do not use your new unfettered power to enact meaningful reforms. Your duty is clear. Your opportunity to do great things is within your grasp. You should establish sensible guardrails on political contributions for statewide and legislative races, and limit the potential for conflicts of interest by reining in private outside income for officeholders.

The Legislature should also finally ban fundraising events in or near the Capitol while the Legislature is in session. It is unseemly to meet with groups on legislative business in the afternoon and solicit their money in the evenings. When public officials can no longer accept gargantuan contributions or receive outside income, the chances of conflicts or corruption are greatly diminished. Yes, it will be a change in culture, but that is exactly what is needed.

The voters are watching and waiting. Most importantly, it is so obviously the right thing to do.In the midst of a government shutdown, President Donald Trump has threatened to cut off federal emergency aid to California for forest fires.

Trump tweeted Wednesday morning that "billions of dollars" are sent to California to help with its wildfire recovery efforts and claimed, without evidence, that the state would not need the funds if forests were properly managed.

"Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money," Trump stated. "It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money!"

It is unclear, based on the tweet's wording, if Trump already directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to withhold funds or if he would be doing so. FEMA representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday morning. An email sent to them generated this automated reply: "Due to the federal funding hiatus, we are not able to respond to general press queries."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for clarification on the intent of the president's tweet.

Whether the president even has the authority to rescind FEMA funding that has already been approved remains unclear. Guidelines for the way federal dollars flow after the president declares a national disaster, like he did after devastating wildfires in California this year, are outlined in the Stafford Act, said Rafael Lemaitre, the former director of public affairs for FEMA under the Obama administration.

"I'm not aware of any mechanism where you can say, 'I'm undeclaring a state of disaster," Lemaitre said.

After the Woolsey Fire in the south and the Camp Fire in the north this fall burned hundreds of thousands of acres of land, destroyed thousands of structures and killed 89 people, Trump declared Ventura, Los Angeles and Butte counties disaster areas.

Since then, 6,646 individuals have applied for FEMA assistance to find temporary housing, and more than $48.7 million in federal aid has already been approved, according to a data tracker on the FEMA website. It's unclear if these numbers have been updated during the government shutdown.

Individual assistance dollars help victims find temporary housing, pay for repairs to their homes or help them buy groceries, clothes or new furniture. The window to apply for this aid closes Jan. 31.

It is unknown if Trump's threat to stop FEMA funding could threaten those still seeking undistributed money.

"FEMA individual assistance is a real lifeline for people in their greatest time of need," Lemaitre said, "and to use the plight of survivors to push your political agenda is draconian."

Individual assistance differs from public assistance, which is money designated by FEMA to states to help fund infrastructure repairs related to the relevant disaster. That money trickles at a slower rate, Lemaitre said.

It's possible Trump could follow through on his threat by closing recovery centers in California or slowing the bureaucratic process by which public assistance and individual assistance is transmitted to the state, Lemaitre said.

"Think about the impact this has on the disaster survivors in California," Lemaitre said. These are survivors who right now, politics is the last thing on their mind. The last thing they need is more uncertainly in their lives as they try to survive."

California's Democratic lawmakers blasted Trump for his threat.

Newly sworn in Gov. Gavin Newsom told Trump they had "been put in office by the voters to get things done, not to play games with lives."

"It's absolutely shocking for President Trump to suggest he would deny disaster assistance to communities destroyed by wildfire," Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said in a statement. "Attacking victims is yet another low for this president."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called on Republicans to condemn Trump.

"We should work together to mitigate these fires by combating climate change, not play politics by threatening to withhold money from survivors of a deadly natural disaster," Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., tweeted.

Trump's threat comes after a particularly devastating wildfire season in California - and is not the first time he has said he would withhold funds from the state. Last year, as deadly wildfires ravaged northern and southern California, Trump blasted state officials for their "gross mismanagement" of its forests, even though it is the federal government that manages many of California's forests.

In November, the president visited Paradise, California, to see firsthand the destruction caused by the Camp Fire, the deadliest wildfire in the state's history. He toured the remains of the devastated, empty town - formerly population 27,000 - alongside then-Gov. Jerry Brown, D, and then-Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, D, and appeared moved when talking about the lives lost. The Camp Fire death toll would later rise to 86 people.

(It was also on this visit Trump made the bizarre claim that the president of Finland told him they spent a lot of time raking their forests and thus prevented problems with wildfires. "You've got to take care of the floors. You know the floors of the forests, it's very important," Trump told reporters then. The Finnish president later said he had never spoken with Trump about raking.)

After his visit, Trump vowed to help those affected by the wildfires - "you've got the federal government," he assured Californians - and Brown had largely praised the president for his efforts.

But Newsom, who was sworn into office this week, has wasted no time in criticizing Trump.

On his second day in office, Newsom introduced two wildfire-related executive orders. He also announced a partnership with the governors of Oregon and Washington, two other fire-prone states. The trio called on Trump to double federal funding to manage forestlands in their states - a demand that comes after two years of budget cuts under the current administration.

"It's clear to me a lot more has to be done," Newsom said Tuesday, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. "We are stepping up our game. I hear you, I get it. We need to do more. These last two years have been devastating."

His executive orders focused on improving state-level initiatives to prevent and combat wildfires.

The first order gives state agencies permission to consult with private firms and academic institutions about employing the best, most sustainable technology to fight forest fires. It outlines a two-phased approach to studying and selecting contract partnerships with nongovernment agencies.

The second asks CAL FIRE, the state's firefighting agency, to consult with other state departments and assemble a report within 45 days that offers "impactful administrative, regulatory and policy changes or waivers" that Newsom could initiate to mitigate fire risk.

Newsom asked for the report to target prevention measures that would benefit communities of lower socioeconomic status with fire education barriers, a factor that helped make the Camp wildfire in Paradise, California, especially devastating.ALBANY - Name tags might be necessary for the first few weeks of the legislative session this year.

RELATED: Read the full Times Union 2019 legislative session guide.SARATOGA SPRINGS  The Saratoga Springs City school district will hire another school resource officer after suggestions from the New York Schools Insurance Reciprocal and pressure from a parents group.

The new officer, Superintendent of School Michael Patton said, will begin in early February and will be supplied by the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office and walk the halls of the Maple Avenue Middle School as well as cover Dorothy Nolan Elementary and the Greenfield Elementary schools.

"We are excited to have an additional resource officer to support our three schools outside of the city," Patton said. "We have had nothing but a positive response to it."

The active duty deputy with an additional 40 hours of training in patrolling schools was one of a number of recommendations made by NYSIR last December. Others include partnering with the state Mental Health Association, improving the district's threat assessment and response protocols to provide early intervention, and enhancing security drills with feedback and recommendation from law enforcement.

This move, however, does not satisfy Saratoga Parents for Safer Schools which has been pushing the district since the end of October to continue its 30-year tradition of arming its 14 part-time grounds monitors. The monitors, who are mostly retired law enforcement officers, were disarmed in a 5-4 Board of Education vote on Oct. 9. The vote on the matter was required in order to bring the district into compliance with state and federal law.

"While we appreciate the administration's attempt to address our school safety concerns, the addition of one SRO for a district with 6,000 students, is woefully inadequate," said Kara Rosettie, who founded the organization.

The National Association of School Resource Officers recommends one SRO per campus. But Rosettie pointed out that a report from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission  formed after 17 students and staff were killed last February by a gunman at the Parkland, Fla. school  noted that even one SRO per campus is "inadequate to ensure a timely and effective response to and active assailant."

This is in contrast with researchers on the topic of school safety who have found that emotional and social supports for students have a better chance of preventing violent incidents than those that rely solely on increased security measures.

A July 2018 study from the Congressional Research Service on armed school resource officers also noted an SRO's effectiveness is mixed.

"The extent to which the presence of an SRO has prevented a school shooting ... is unknown," the report concluded.

Patton, who will seek board approval for the hire at the next board of education meeting, on Jan. 24, said the district is doing everything it can to ensure the safety of the students and called a second SRO "a huge benefit."

The total cost for an SRO falls in the mid-$90,000 range, said Saratoga County spokesman Ridge Harris. One quarter of the cost will be paid for by the county while the remaining 75 percent will be paid by the district. This is the same arrangement the Sheriff's office made with nine other Saratoga County school districts, including Shenendehowa, Mechanicville and Ballston Spa, last spring.

Patton said for the remainder of this school year, the cost to the district will be $36,000.

The district does already have one SRO at the high school, Lloyd Davis Jr., who is an active duty Saratoga Springs police officer.

In November, the city of Saratoga Springs jumped into the SRO/grounds monitor debate by voting unanimously to help the district pay for more SROs from the Saratoga Springs police force at the same level the county pays, 25 percent, for the district's other four campuses within the city limits. The three schools that the Sheriff's deputy will cover fall outside of the city and Saratoga Springs police jurisdiction.

Rosettie and her group's next move will be changing the make-up of the Board of Education.

"Our organization will not accept the district's token attempt to address the concerns of parents and community members in Saratoga Springs," Rosettie said. "We will now turn our attention toward the school board election in May."ALBANY  Scores of attorneys in the greater Capital Region are facing suspension because they repeatedly failed to register and pay a mandatory biennial registration fee of $375 to the state Office of Court Administration.

The names of 59 local attorneys were among 2,601 lawyers with delinquent registration statuses because they did not register or pay fees between 2014 and 2018, according to the Appellate Division of state Supreme Court, Third Department, based in Albany.

Plans for the suspensions were listed on the court's website.

Presiding Justice Elizabeth Garry announced that the suspensions will take effect April 8. Lawyers subject to the discipline can avoid suspension if they pay and show proof of it by April 5, officials said.

All attorneys in New York  even those who are retired  must register with OCA every two years or face disciplinary action. The registration fee, which retired lawyers do not need to pay, is $375.

The list included 116 attorneys who have provided New York state addresses, another 1,446 who provided out-of-state addresses and another 1,039 who provided addresses out of the country. All had either lived, worked or were admitted in the Third Department.

In 2013, more than 1,400 attorneys registered within the Third Department were suspended for the same reasons, officials said.

"This court has repeatedly and consistently held that failure to comply with registration requirements is professional misconduct warranting discipline," stated Monica Chief, chief attorney for the Third Department's Attorney Grievance Committee, in an affidavit.

She said "an attorney's longstanding registration delinquency is indicative of their lack of interest in their fate as an attorney in New York state."

The Third Department covers 28 counties, including the entire Capital Region and surrounding areas. Samuel H. Younger, the chief management analyst for the OCA's attorney registration unit, said in an affidavit that he mails three notices to lawyers, at their last address provided, directing them to register. The last one is a final notice.ALBANY  The annual "People's State of the State" address from the Capitol steps on Tuesday rehashed many liberal principles from the past 30 years, but now the grassroots activists are feeling emboldened by the new makeup of the state Legislature.

In advance of the new legislative session kicking off on Wednesday, a coalition of progressive organizations and labor unions voiced their continued support for action on criminal justice reform, expansion of voting rights, state investments in health care, higher taxes on the wealthy, growing the stock of affordable housing and increasing access to child care.

The coalition is more optimistic about the chances of their priorities being realized following the Democratic takeover of the state Senate and in the wake of the "justice agenda" articulated by Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo last month.

Hunger Action Network of New York State Executive Director Susan Zimet also highlighted the influx of female lawmakers in the Capitol.

"When more women win and more women are in office, usually issues of family and children start to rise and get addressed, and when things are done on behalf of women and families it usually lifts the entire boat for all of us," Zimet said. "So we're incredibly excited about what's going on."

Some items on their wish list, like increasing state spending by more than two percent, are unlikely to receive the support of the governor this year. But the advocates do have allies among more than a dozen newly elected Democratic state legislators, who ousted incumbents on campaigns pledging to deliver these types of promises.

State education aid is poised to be one of the dividing lines in the upcoming session, with Tuesday's address reiterating calls from the far-left to invest an additional $4 billion through the state's foundation aid formula. Cuomo rejects the idea that school districts are "owed" funding, and instead wants to focus on how state money is being distributed among schools.

There was also a call for the state government to expand on recent accomplishments, such as the minimum wage increase, which reached $15 in New York City and is at $11.1o in upstate. The governor has said he had to settle for "half a loaf" on some programs because of the previous GOP majority in the Senate, so this might be ripe for revisiting now that Cuomo feels "liberated" by one-party rule in state government.

The advocates will have a better idea of the governor's support for their agenda when he unveils his state budget, which is due before Feb. 1.

David.Lombardo@timesunion.com  518-454-5427  @poozer87ALBANY  Civic groups and lawmakers are pressing Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo to include in his Democracy Agenda support for a constitutional amendment that would create an independent ethics panel.

In a press conference at the New York State Capitol on Tuesday, they credited Cuomo for including voting and campaign finance reform in his agenda, but noted the absence of significant ethics enforcement reform in his package.

The Anti-Corruption Constitutional Amendment, first authored by Sen. Liz Krueger last year, would create an entity to replace the Joint Commission on Public Ethics and the Legislative Ethics Commission, which have been criticized for their lack of transparency and lack of independence from the entities they oversee.

A constitutional amendment is needed to create an ethics enforcement exception to legislative immunity.

"This amendment will create a truly independent ethics enforcement structure and ensure that the fox is no longer guarding the hen house," Krueger said.

The advocates referenced recent scandals involving former Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, former Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos and top Cuomo aide Joe Percoco, who were convicted of selling their authority for personal gain, and the recent trial of former SUNY Polytechnic Institute chief Alain Kaloyeros.

The groups charge that independent and aggressive state ethics enforcers may have deterred these scandals and note that Cuomo took no meaningful action since to prevent future ethics lapses.

Unlike JCOPE, a 14-member commission that is appointed by the governor and leaders of the Legislature, the new oversight panel, called the Commission on State Government Integrity, would have members appointed by the judiciary and only a minority by the bodies being regulated. It would be authorized to fully sanction officers or employees of public authorities.

A constitutional change must pass both houses of the Legislature before it can be voted on by New Yorkers in a referendum at the polls, but it does not require the governor's signature. Advocates are calling for public hearings on the proposal to be scheduled by both houses of the Legislature.

Assemblyman Robert Carroll, the prime sponsor in the Assembly, cited polls showing that 80 percent of voters see ethics reform as a serious issue.

"The best way to demonstrate that New York State is addressing their concerns is by establishing a well-funded and truly independent commission with the constitutional authority to handle ethics and integrity complaints," he said.

In October, during a gubernatorial debate with Republican challenger Marc Molinaro, Cuomo acknowledged that JCOPE required independent oversight  including independent appointees  but was hazy on how he would reform the panel.

"I'd be open to a number of configurations, but they'd have to be independent. I'd have the attorney general involved; I'd have the chief judge involved in appointing the members," he said.

Cuomo spokeswoman Hazel Crampton-Hays on Tuesday reiterated the governor's comments, saying, "we are open to changes to the structure of ethics enforcement and we will review any proposals that are introduced."

While the future of the constitutional amendment is unclear, Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie and Senate Majority leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins have indicated that electoral and campaign finance reform will be on the top of their agenda for 2019.ALBANY  A recent move by the state Joint Commission on Public Ethics could make it difficult for the public to learn whether the panel has authorized an investigation of Joseph Percoco, a former top aide to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

On Dec. 18, state Supreme Court Justice Patrick McGrath ordered that JCOPEs commissioners had one month to vote on whether to investigate Percoco for misuse of state resources.

McGraths ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by state GOP chairman Ed Cox and Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, who had charged in complaints filed with JCOPE that Percoco had illegally used state resources for Cuomos 2014 re-election campaign. In their lawsuit, the Republicans alleged that JCOPE was illegally sitting on the complaints rather than voting on whether to investigate the case.

McGraths one-month deadline would have forced JCOPEs commissioners to convene a special meeting to vote on the Percoco matter  since JCOPEs regularly scheduled monthly meeting, on Jan. 29, was well after the one month deadline.

But on Dec. 21, the outside counsel for JCOPE, Thomas Gleason, asked McGrath to allow for a delay of the vote until the regular Jan. 29 meeting, arguing that JCOPE might not be able to schedule an emergency meeting over the ensuing five weeks, or potentially might not have enough commissioners for a quorum.

The attorneys for Cox and Molinaro agreed to JCOPE's delay request.

But that could backfire for the GOP side, by making it more difficult for the public to find out how JCOPE ultimately votes.

After JCOPE holds executive, closed-door sessions at its meetings to discuss confidential matters, such as a vote on probing Percoco, its chairman then publicly announces how many substantial basis investigations JCOPE has begun  though he does not disclose any specifics.

If convened a meeting specifically to vote on the Percoco it would be easier for the public to know the outcome if the chairman then disclosed they had opened a new investigation.

But at a regular monthly meeting, where the Percoco case is likely to be debated in private, JCOPE might discuss other possible investigations so it would be more difficult to tell how the panel decided to proceed on the case.

Michael Hutter, the attorney for Molinaro, said via email that, We did not oppose, as the request was reasonable and we felt that even if we opposed Judge McGrath would grant it.

The attorney for the state GOP did not respond to a request for comment.

JCOPE will be required by the court order to report to McGrath that they have voted. The public, however, might never learn the result of the vote due to the panel's confidentiality requirements  and its unclear if McGrath will ultimately release the panel's decision.

JCOPE spokesman Walter McClure maintains the watchdog is only required to notify people who file complaints that a probe has been closed, and only if the panel had previously voted to open a formal investigation.

Hutter, however, believes the law will ultimately require JCOPE to notify the Republican complainants of the panel's decision on Percoco. Hutter also noted that JCOPEs request clearly showed that the panel had not voted on the Percoco matter as of late December.

Last week, ahead of the late January Percoco vote, Cuomo appointed a new JCOPE commissioner, Bill Fisher, who had recently stepped down from the Cuomo-allied Onondaga County executives office.

Fisher replaces attorney Gary Lavine as one of six Cuomo appointees on the 14-member panel.

Lavine did not respond to a request for comment on how he may to vote on the Percoco matter.

The Republican complaints filed with JCOPE  filed during Molinaro's unsuccessful run for governor  questioned not only Percoco's alleged misuse of state resources for campaign purposes, but also whether Cuomo was aware of it.

In a federal criminal trial last winter, Percoco was convicted of taking more than $300,000 from two development firms in exchange for government favors. He was sentenced to six years in prison.

Percoco's apparent campaign work in his state office occurred during an eight-month period in 2014, when he was managing the governor's re-election effort but not working for the Executive Chamber. Those activities provided context in the trial about his political muscle, but were not the basis of any of the federal charges against him.

Evidence presented at the trial, and records subsequently examined by the Times Union and others, indicated Percoco continued to use his desk at the governor's office in Manhattan  allegedly doing campaign work just steps from Cuomo's desk.

Cuomo has said he was unaware that Percoco was campaigning from his office, and has claimed he believed Percoco was merely doing "transition work" related to his former position as the governor's executive deputy secretary.ALBANY  With Democrats in control of the state Capitol, expectations are high this year that they will pass a slew of measures that had long been blocked by the Senate Republicans who lost their majority in November.

But whether an all-blue state government translates to progressive policies will depend on the dynamic of three individuals at the apex of power in Albany: incoming Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie, and Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo.

The three say they are aligned on passing many measures early in the session, including codification of federal abortion rights, gun control, electoral reform, and closure of the LLC loophole, which enables special interests to circumvent campaign finance limits.

"The differences may be not over whether or not to do something, but how much to do something," political scientist and Hunter College professor Kenneth Sherrill said.

But bitterness lingers over a recently approved and long-awaited legislative pay raise, which rankled many lawmakers because it was tied to a ban on outside income. And with Senate Republican opposition out of the way, Democratic leaders appear more poised than in prior years to challenge the strong-willed governor on cleaning up government corruption.

"There is an appetite in both houses to do oversight. It's something that has not existed for eight years," said former Assemblyman Richard Brodsky. "No one knows how it's going to play out."

The ambitious governor, who came into the role eight years ago as a centrist, has since tried to adapt his image to fit the progressive uprising fueled in large part by opposition to the administration President Donald J. Trump. Cuomo has a reputation for winning battles in budget negotiations and also been able to tout a myriad of progressive accomplishments even as many other bills languished in the Senate.

Still, as he enters his third term, Cuomo must grapple with the anxiety of what comes next.

The "third-term curse," which has dogged many a New York politician, including his father, former Gov. Mario M. Cuomo, lingers in the backdrop as the inevitable questions surface about whether Cuomo will reverse course and run for president in 2020 or stay put  as he insists he will  and possibly seek a fourth term as governor.

But while he continues to deny presidential aspirations, in recent months Cuomo has focused more on Washington rather than on problems at home.

Cuomo delivered two fiery speeches committing to the passage of "the most progressive agenda" the state has seen within 100 days of his third term, citing what he described as an ongoing "federal assault" on New York.

Morgan Hook, managing director at SKDKnickerbocker, a public relations group, said the governor is jockeying for the lead on the progressive victories that are expected to pass in 2019.

Cuomo's pre-session speeches are a way to "get out ahead of both leaders," Hook said. "A lot of the attention has been on the new Democratic Senate, and you can imagine that the spotlight might shift away from Cuomo."

Stewart-Cousins and Heastie did not attend the governor's Franklin D. Roosevelt-themed speech in Manhattan last month, or his inauguration ceremony on Ellis Island on Jan. 1. Their absences may signal a frayed relationship between the leaders.

Also, Heastie, who previously said he favors a "three-way agreement," has been uncharacteristically critical of the governor in recent weeks.

The rapport between the governor and Heastie soured when a legislative pay committee decided in December to grant state lawmakers an extraordinary 64-percent salary boost, but stripped them of most legislative bonuses and also set limits on their outside income.

Despite the steep increase in pay for lawmakers, Heastie complained that the committee was not authorized to impose outside income requirements.

"It is curious to me why the only branch of government that was told they had to reform was the Legislature," Heastie said in December. "The comptroller has had issues in his office. God knows the governor has had issues in his office."

Some lawmakers are also miffed that their raise, when phased in over three years, will be tied the passage of on-time budgets  a win for Cuomo, who has made it his mission to meet the annual deadline.

While the focus has been the Democratic takeover of the Senate, Heastie will likely remind New Yorkers that the overwhelmingly Democratic 150-member state Assembly and its speaker have been the liberal anchor of state government for decades.

In response to Cuomo's inauguration speech, Heastie's spokesman Mike Whyland tweeted, "These are bills the Assembly has already done and our members have long fought for."

A wild card might be Stewart-Cousins, who until January lead the Senate Democrats through six years in the minority.

The last time Democrats controlled the Senate, 2009 to 2010, was a period marred by corruption and in-fighting, casting doubt on the conference's ability to lead the chamber. Stewart-Cousins' main objective will be to present an image of cohesion and competence for the Democrats.

"The Democratic Senate especially wants to be seen as a functional body that can get things done," Hook said. "They have to put the ghosts of 2009 to rest."

As a suburban Democrat, Stewart-Cousins has often been underestimated, but last year made headlines for her sharp retort to the governor's patronizing advice.

Her leadership style, inclusive and measured, will be propelled by a 39-member majority at a moment of Democratic enthusiasm.

New York voters turned out in big numbers in 2018, unseating six Democratic senators who had aligned themselves with Senate Republicans in the Democratic primary, and flipping eight Republican-held districts in November's election, granting Democrats control of the house by a generous margin.

The leaders meet behind closed doors each March to finalize New York's $168 billion annual budget. Stewart-Cousins, as the first woman and person of color to lead a majority conference, will bring female representation to the budget negotiations that historically had been "three men in a room."

The conference also welcomes 14 new members  young, progressive, and multi-cultural, and their ideas have the potential to shake up the status quo.

"These new legislators, in particular, are going to want to come back to their districts with substantive accomplishments," Sherrill said. "They are going to be more rowdy and raucous and they are going to want to change the rules in order to give individual members more power."

So far, Stewart-Cousins has been cautious not to over-commit or make declarative statements about overhauling Albany's power structures.

"I've not been in the room," she said. "After I'm in the room, then we will have a conversation about what I think about the experience."ALBANY - The 19-year-old city man facing charges after he was shot and paralyzed from the chest down by an Albany detective last year won't be prosecuted.

Albany County District Attorney David Soares on Tuesday declined to advance the case against Ellazar Williams, who was shot by Detective James Olsen on Aug. 20 after a brief chase that ended behind the former Tony Clement Center for Education at 395 Elk St.

Williams faced charges of felony menacing a police officer and misdemeanor weapons possession.

This matter was fully and thoroughly investigated by my staff, with the ultimate conclusion that, while there may be a credible case to be made, there is nothing to be gained," Soares said in a news release. "Punishment of Mr. Williams is not in anyones best interest.

Williams attorney Steven Sharp said he was surprised to hear the charges were dropped.

Im elated that thats the decision that was made, but disappointed that it was not made 4  months ago, Sharp said, adding that Soares comment suggests he was unwilling to take a stand on the incident. On the one hand, he wants to leave the option out there that there may have been some credible allegation, but on the other hand, hes going to hide behind the fact that more punishment other than the paralysis isnt going to serve anyones interest.

Following a grand jury determination in December that cleared Olsen of any wrongdoing, echoing the internal investigation findings of the Albany Police Department, civil rights advocates and supporters of Williams called for Soares to drop the charges against the man.

A petition that circulated the community was supported by more than 10 local organizations including the Center for Law and Justice, Capital Area Against Mass Incarceration, Citizen Action of New York and Albany NAACP. It garnered over 1,000 signatures.

Police said Williams ran after a disturbance at a nearby Central Avenue convenience store. Williams allegedly had a knife when Olsen shot him.

The incident, which began following a 911 call of a man with a gun causing the disturbance, has been mired in controversy  from conflicting reports from Albany police on whether Williams was running toward Olsen when the detective fired to exactly where Williams was shot.

Community members have demanded clearer answers on the discrepancies from city police, but havent been answered.

Sharp and civil rights advocate Alice Green both questioned the reasoning behind Soares pursuing the use of force incident with Olsen before addressing the pending charges against Williams. Soares office wouldnt grant immunity to Williams

My view is he should have taken a stand on the issue 4 months ago, and then Ellazar could have testified in front of the grand jury, Sharp said.

Green had called for a special prosecutor to handle the cases, expressing concern that Soares has a conflict of interest in prosecuting both the use of force by an Albany detective and charges against the victim in that use of force.

Soares had called for a special prosecutor to handle charges against a robbery suspect from Amsterdam who was shot and wounded by police in 2008, but his office never provided an explanation as to why they approached the 2018 incident differently.

With the charges no longer looming over Williams, Sharp said his client can now focus on his family and the civil lawsuit against the city over the incident.

The federal suit accuses Olsen of using excessive force and alleges two detectives with Olsen that day, Lawrence Heid and Chris Cornell, also were in the wrong. Neither has been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.

It means hes going to be able to go forward, and hopefully go on as best he can, Sharp said. Obviously, his focus now will be the civil lawsuit that he filed, and hell be able to focus on that without having criminal charges hanging over his head.

As part of the lawsuit, Williams attorneys included zoomed-in video that doesnt appear to show Williams moving toward the detective when hes shot. Williams contends Olsen shot him in the back from about 20 feet away as he was running away, which contradicts the account Olsen gave to investigators.Albany Police Officer Christofer M. Kitto's meeting in Utica with a prostitute  one that ended with the death of a man who tried to rob him  was apparently arranged through a website, that city's police chief said Tuesday.

Kitto allegedly left Turning Stone Casino in the early morning hours Monday after making plans through skipthegames.com, Utica Chief Mark Williams said. The rendezvous at the Lincoln Avenue home ended abruptly when Kitto reportedly acted in self-defense and fatally shot 35-year-old Shatelle Hooks after the Syracuse man came in brandishing a knife and tried to rob him.

"He found himself at Lincoln Avenue at 5 a.m., gets into a financial agreement with the woman for services," Williams told the Times Union. Before they got started, Hooks came through the door with a knife, threatening to harm Kitto and Kitto pulled a semi-automatic gun and shot Hooks several times, killing him, Williams said.

Kitto, 34, was charged with patronizing a prostitute, a misdemeanor. On Tuesday, Albany police said Kitto was suspended without pay as a result of the incident.

The Albany Police Department's Office of Professional Standards is conducting an internal investigation.

Utica police are also continuing to investigate, but at this point said there isn't enough evidence right now for more charges. They said Kitto's use of deadly force appeared to be justified.

"We're not deeming this a final justified shooting," Williams said. "We're saying based on the evidence we have right now, we do not have enough to charge him with a homicide."

Utica police are also examining the possibility that Kitto may have been set up.

Williams wouldn't say if Hooks was the woman's pimp, but sources have said the two were acquaintances.

Hooks served nearly four years in prison for a 2007 kidnap of his then-girlfriend as he forced her to withdraw money from a bank. He pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and was released from prison in 2012. He wound up back in prison for another 17 months, from April 2015 to November 2016, for felony criminal contempt.

Websites like the one Kitto used to find a prostitute are notorious for use by predators, and Utica's Chief Williams said his department has fielded robbery complaints from johns in the past. The website Kitto used replaced backpages.com as the outlet for connecting with people for sex, he said.

Kitto was carrying $3,000 cash and a personal semiautomatic handgun at the time of the shooting. Police said he wasn't armed with his departmental weapon.

Kitto is a former U.S. Army sniper who served in Iraq and joined the Albany Police Department in July 2013, according to published reports and police officials.

Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins said low-level misdemeanor charges, such as the one Kitto faces in Utica, don't typically result in terminations, but officials continue to gather information about the incident.

In 2012, a former Albany Officer Robert E. Schunk II was fired following a series of off-duty problems, including having sex with a prostitute and pointing a weapon at his own head. Schunk had been arrested multiple times before his termination and spent nearly a year in jail for domestic violence, after being convicted in March 2012 of harassment and criminal mischief. He was acquitted in February 2011 of second-degree assault and pleaded guilty to drunken driving in 2005.

Meanwhile, Hawkins' decision to not send internal affairs investigators to Utica surprised some law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, but the police chief defended his choice.

More for you News Off-duty Albany cop involved in fatal shooting in Utica

"It was an off-duty incident that did not have any nexus whatsoever for any official Albany police matter," he said Tuesday. "Under those circumstances, it's common practice in law enforcement circles to not send investigators under those conditions."

Maki Haberfeld, a professor of police science specializing in police training and ethics at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, confirmed it's not uncommon for the police departments to avoid getting involved in other jurisdictions' investigations of off-duty officers.

"On the part of Albany, I can see how the nature of the encounter is something that they really don't want to be a part of," she said. "They might want to defend them, but on the other hand, he might be subject to firing."

The Albany department getting involved in the investigation in Utica may either be unwelcomed by Utica officials, or there could be a concern that Albany officials would cover something up, Haberfeld added.

Hawkins said Utica police continue to provide more information to Albany officials as it becomes available, and any internal investigation hinges on Utica finishing its own assessment.

Kitto will be required to go through debriefings and share information and must be assessed to ensure he can handle the duties of the position should he return to work, Hawkins said.

"I think it's important for the community to know that the overwhelming majority of our officers in our department are hard-working officers who are doing the right things for the right reasons," he said. "This isn't reflective of those who are out serving and protecting the community."ALBANY - Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo may have the antidote to ward off an early case of the third-term doldrums that plagued other governors: A steady dose of President Donald J. Trump.

Since 2018, Cuomo has made opposition to the controversial Republican a primary focus, and an energized inauguration at Ellis Island last week to kick off the next four years in office was no different. In outlining his legislative priorities for the year, touted as the "justice agenda," Cuomo billed it as the cure for the "social depression" emanating from the White House.

"This governor has been given a gift via the Trump presidency," said Bob Bellafiore, a former adviser to then-Gov. George Pataki.

A governor's first term is traditionally defined in response to their predecessor and the second is an opportunity to carve out their own path. But Bellafiore said the third term is where governors can find themselves lost in a "malaise" and their greatest challenges are often of their own makings.

As to why governors seek a third term, he said they usually feel like there is work left to accomplish, such as Pataki's goal of helping New York recover after the 9/11 terror attacks. Sometimes, though, they simply become comfortable in the office or unsure of their next act in life.

"You have to have a rationale," said Darren Dopp, a former spokesman for then-Gov. Mario Cuomo. "I think Andrew remembers that from his father."

It's this antagonistic relationship with the president - through at least 2020 - that Democratic consultant Bruce Gyory believes will enable Cuomo to overcome the "third-term blahs" that plagued both Mario Cuomo and Pataki.

It should be clear early in the legislative session whether there is any let down, as the governor has a self-imposed deadline of 100 days for many of his big ticket priorities, which he pledged to include in the budget if they're not immediately taken up by the Legislature.

"We are going into next year with more energy, vision and drive than at any point in the last eight years," said Melissa DeRosa, a top adviser to the governor.

"Anyone who thinks this governor is slowing down doesn't know Andrew Cuomo. He's not capable of slowing down," she said. "He's hard wired to keep pushing the envelope."

That would be in contrast to Pataki's administration, which Dopp felt "ran out of gas" in the third term. Pataki did not pursue a fourth term.

Yet Cuomo's third term is also unique because it begins with his party in complete control of state government, which could be a blessing and a curse.

He no longer has to overcome any roadblocks Senate Republicans throw up on liberal legislation, but loses a political scapegoat for any failure to deliver on far-left priorities, like a government takeover of health care or drivers' licenses for undocumented immigrants, which he might not support.

Additionally, Cuomo is is beginning the new legislative session with icy relations between himself and Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie due to a recently authorized legislative pay raise that was tethered to a ban on outside income for lawmakers.

"They're starting the year off with a little bit of sniping," Dopp said.

The governor may feel emboldened for any political battles due to November's election results, when he received about 60 percent of the vote.

Still, the Legislature might become more hostile if they perceive Cuomo to be a lame duck, with no plans to run for another four years in 2022. That was the case in Pataki's final term, when Bellafiore said the legislative leaders became recalcitrant.

"I think they knew he had no interest in a fourth term," he said, noting that the politically divided chambers united to override multiple vetoes in those final years.

And unlike his father, Cuomo has firmly declared he will not seek to run for president and instead finish his third term. The start of Mario Cuomo's third term was dominated by the question of whether he would run for president, which he finally declared in December 1991 that he would not do.

"Even after he was not running, there was speculation that he would still be drafted," said Terry Lynam, a veteran of the administration.

"The current governor has been pretty definitive that he has no intention of running," he added. "There won't be that same degree of speculation over his head."

David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87TROY  The state attorney generals public integrity unit has subpoenaed personnel files, deeds and other records to present to a Rensselaer County grand jury that is to hear testimony Jan. 24 in an investigation of a city land transaction, city and county officials said Tuesday.

The records are required to be returned to the attorney generals office or the grand jury by Jan. 17, officials said.

Testimony is expected to be heard Jan. 24 regarding the citys $3,500 sale of the 1.85-acre wooded parcel at 226 Cemetery Road to former City Engineer Andrew Donovan in 2015 and the citys 2016 cancellation of a reverter clause by which the municipality could take back ownership of the property.

The purchaser of a property is expected to make improvements to a property to get the city to release its hold on the deed. After the reverter clause was eliminated for 226 Cemetery Road, Donovan listed the land for sale for $65,000 when he left his city position. Donovan had planned to build a home on the site but didnt.

The City Council Republicans filed a complaint with the attorney generals office in 2017 after the Times Union reported the situation surrounding Donovans purchase from the city. An attorney generals investigation into the Cemetery Road property resulted in James E. Lance III, a city code enforcement officer, being charged in City Court in September 2018 for felony counts of grand larceny as a public corruption crime, corrupting the government, tampering with public records, offering a false instrument for filing, falsifying business records and defrauding the government. He was also charged with official misconduct, a misdemeanor.

The investigation appears to be continuing with the round of subpoenas issued last week.

A subpoena dated Jan. 3 directed the county to turnover copies of the deed signed by former Mayor Lou Rosamilia in 2015 transferring the land to Donovan and the release signed in 2016 by Mayor Patrick Madden, county officials said.

The city also was subpoenaed Jan. 3 to release documents including policies on land sales and personnel records, Corporation Counsel James Caruso said. Sharon Martin, the city assessor, and Dave Sheeran, a code enforcement officer, have been subpoenaed, Caruso confirmed.

Councilman Mark McGrath said the attorney generals office recently has questioned him about the citys adoption of new procedures rules for handling sales of tax-foreclosed properties. McGrath declined to comment on whether he was subpoenaed.

The citys procedures for selling tax delinquent property have been questioned since they were instituted by former Mayor Harry Tutunjian. Previously, parcels were auctioned to the highest bidder. In in an attempt to see properties developed, the city adopted a proposal method that include weighing residency and plans for revitalizing the property.Albany

Hello Senate Democrats!

Welcome to Albany and congratulations on your victory. We see some new faces out there.

Do not fret, newcomers from the south. Despite what you may have heard, you are not in Siberia. Albany is actually a cosmopolitan little city in a region that's vibrant by upstate standards. You'll like it here, we think, if you dispatch with the usual downstate myopia and allow yourself to appreciate the place.

But before you get too comfortable, we need to talk about upstate New York. No, not Westchester County. The real upstate. It's hurting. Parts of the region are even in crisis.

You don't have to travel far from Albany, buoyed by government jobs, to find the graying small towns and the languishing cities, the abandoned farmland and the empty storefronts. You will find places of despair, communities where the opioid crisis has a firm grip and the suicide rate is spiking.

Jobs are scarce. People are frustrated, if not angry or afraid. The population is in decline.

In fact, since the 2010 census, the population has fallen in 42 of the 50 upstate counties. The outflow made New York the state with the largest population drop in a recent 12-month period, according to the census.

The numbers are shocking, really, and someone who didn't know any better would assume that they are setting off alarm bells in the Capitol, that there would be important and serious commissions assembled to study the upstate crisis, that addressing the decline would be Issue No. 1.

Instead, the population fall has barely been noticed by government officials who think that if New York City is booming, then the state must be fine, too. Nobody in power ever talks about the withering of upstate. Nobody seems to care.

When pressed to talk about it, the governor either acts as though he's fixed the problems or blames cold weather for the population falls. But he knows neither is accurate.

Upstate needs jobs. It needs opportunity. Many of its residents want to stay. They have family here and lifelong friends. But economic conditions force people to move. Talk to most any upstate parent and you'll hear about sons and daughters who are raising their grandchildren elsewhere.

We hate to break this to you, but the Legislature is responsible for much of the decline. Not all of it, surely, but more than you might like to admit.

Lawmakers have imposed mandates and tax burdens that throttle upstate businesses. Your party especially, Senate Democrats, has never seemed to understand that while New York City can survive and even thrive under the nation's highest tax burden, Buffalo and Binghamton and Broadalbin can't.

And so many of the locals view your takeover of the state Senate with no small amount of trepidation. Though the Republicans who previously ran the place were certainly flawed, to put it kindly, we at least knew many of them had a connection to upstate New York.

With you, not so much.

But now your party is fully in charge and the governor, the same fellow who empowered Senate Republicans all those years, finally seems to be with you as you set out to enact an agenda that is certainly ambitious.

For sure, there are upstaters who badly want election reform and tougher ethics laws, who want the Child Victims Act passed and marijuana legalized.

But we have heard nothing about upstate New York and the men and women who are struggling to raise families and find meaningful work in the places of despair. We have heard little from you about fixing upstate New York and making the region a place where businesses can grow and jobs can proliferate.

In part, that silence is understandable. These are not easy problems to solve, and throwing money at the problem  like the billion for Buffalo  doesn't work, not over time.

What's more, part of the solution  lower taxes especially  might preclude some of your grander ambitions. We get why that's probably frustrating, from your perspective.

But responsible government doesn't favor one region over another. It doesn't ignore the struggling places to focus on the thriving ones. Responsible government remembers that all of New York has to flourish for the state to be called successful.

Upstate New York can't afford any more neglect. We can't survive your continued indifference.

Please, Senate Democrats. Don't forget about us.

cchurchill@timesunion.com  518-454-5442  @chris_churchillGuilderland

Just as I was succumbing to Christmas shopping malaise, a hip, golden-hued jacket flickered across my Instagram feed. Sponsored, it said. Perfect for my wife, Mary, I thought.

In a moment of weakness and impulse, I clicked on it.

I had never been sucked in by an Instagram ad before, but it was late on the night of Dec. 21. I had mall fatigue and online shopping ennui. I was running out of time and ideas for presents for my wife.

Instagram to the rescue.

"There's a sucker born every minute" needs to be updated to "every nanosecond" in the Instagram era. That split-second decision sent me down a rabbit hole of online skullduggery, sham operations, fraudulent labeling and shady e-commerce spanning three continents with ties to China, the Middle East, London, Canada and the U.S.

Emotion overtook reason and I momentarily lost hold of my reporter's skepticism: Caveat emptor. Buyer beware.

This jacket spoke to me, though. With its double rows of chunky buttons, epaulets and jewel tone, it had a Russian Hussar vibe. It seemed heaven-sent, like the fashionista gods were watching over me.

My wife, who is very fashionable, had been on a Russian kick lately, fueled by our summer trip to Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

This jacket, advertised as "Fashion Pure Colour Long Sleeve Coat" on the Gracyme website, was on sale for $36.95. The regular price was $91.91.

The hook was set. It took only a matter of minutes to reel me in with a couple clicks on my iPhone. I quickly thumbed in my name, mailing address and credit card number. I paid $15.59 for express shipping to ensure the jacket would arrive by Christmas. My total outlay was $52.54. Still, an amazing deal.

I was feeling pretty smug. I could imagine my wife's surprise and excitement when she opened that super-cool jacket on Christmas morning. I imagined myself a Yuletide hero.

The distance from hero to zero is very short indeed.

Christmas came and went. No jacket. And no word from Gracyme. I went to the website. No clues there. No address. No contact information. I felt a pit in my stomach. Had I been scammed?

I checked my credit card transactions. A charge of $52.54 was made by OrderPlus International. I did a Google search and found this: "OrderPlus is a cross-border e-commerce company that rapidly builds overseas brands and delivers high-quality Chinese design and Chinese-made products to the global consumer market. The company was founded in June 2014 and currently employs several hundred people. Its headquarters is in Xi'an and has branches in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, London, Bangkok, and now Jakarta." More research turned up a footprint in Canada, while consumer fraud blogs warned the Gracyme website "raised a lot of red flags" and suggested it might be a "scam site" and to be wary of providing credit card information.

I wrote a testy note to the Gracyme website and got a prompt reply from Wanda Zeng of the Gracyme Customer Service Team. "Sorry you have been waiting a long time," she wrote. She apologized twice more, but said she could not refund the express shipping fee or the purchase price. She offered me a $5 coupon on my next Gracyme purchase.

"How do you think?" Wanda Zeng asked me.

I told Wanda Zeng I thought I was not pleased. I may have used stronger language.

I wrote to DHL Express because the tracking number I got from Gracyme was not in DHL's system. Now, I was getting more than mildly irritated. I was beginning to think that my customer service rep Wanda Zeng did not really exist and, for all I knew, Gracyme was some kind of online bot and there was no Russian Hussar jacket coming soon, or ever.

But then I heard from Alex Quesada, certified international specialist, from DHL Express. He included a Tempe, Ariz., address and a phone number. "I do apologize for any inconvenience. I will gladly assist you," Alex wrote in an email. He informed me that the tracking number that Wanda Zeng gave me was incorrect. He provided the correct number and sent me the shipment waybill. OK, Alex, now we're getting somewhere.

At 1:45 p.m. on Dec. 27, the jacket was picked up at a textile facility in Bahrain. I did a double-take. I thought it was made in China. I only vaguely knew where Bahrain was and Googled it.

Bahrain is a small Arab nation of 1.4 million people spread across 30 islands in the Arabian Gulf. It was one of the first Gulf states to discover oil and to build a refinery, but production was limited and it turned to textiles to bolster its economy. Meanwhile, the Muslim country is ruled by a Sunni king whose family has controlled Bahrain for generations. Long-simmering tensions among the dispossessed Shia majority boiled over into rioting in 2011 and the Sunni rulers called in the Saudi military to assist in the crackdown against demonstrators.

According to BBC News, well-known bloggers and journalists in Bahrain have been jailed for "undermining" the king and covering the 2011 anti-government demonstrations. Government surveillance of online activity is routine and cellphones are searched for "suspicious content" at security checkpoints.

Suddenly, I thought less of my wife's Russian-inspired jacket, given the repression on many levels in Bahrain.

The jacket was flown from Bahrain and reached Heathrow Airport in London on Dec. 28. It was flown that evening to New York City Gateway (location undisclosed) and held there for two days, over the weekend, until Monday, Dec. 31, when it was transported by truck to Latham. It arrived at my house in Guilderland in a bright yellow DHL van at 2:05 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

I told my wife the story of Instagram and Gracyme and Wanda Zeng and DHL and Alex Quesada and Bahrain and London. We tore open the package. Well, it sort of resembled the color in the Instagram ad, but was more egg yolk than royal yellow. The material was cheap, a lightweight polyester. The sewing was shoddy, the cuts were sloppy, the edges were unfinished and there were long snarls of hanging threads where the buttons were sewn on. Overall, it looked like it was made in a junior high school home economics class.

I inspected the clear plastic bag it came in. "Made in China," it said. There was no manufacturer's tag inside the jacket. The invoice said it weighed 8 ounces and had a value of $14 U.S. It was made by JS International Trading Co. in Diyar Al-Muharraq in the capital of Manama, Bahrain. There was an address. I checked satellite images and saw rows of industrial buildings, but could not pinpoint the factory where it was made.

More Information Contact Paul Grondahl at grondahlpaul@gmail.com See More Collapse

I did not write back to Wanda Zeng. I am monitoring my credit card activity.

"Well, at least it's got a story," my wife said. She hung it on a railing of our stairway. There it rests, so far unworn.

Caveat emptor.

And one other lesson for my future purchases: Buy local.

Paul Grondahl is director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com.We imagine that every long career as a performer must involve an a-ha moment, when the call of their vocation is first felt. For Peter Yarrow, that time came during his student days at Cornell, from which he graduated in 1959. In a 2009 interview with a Cornell publication, Yarrow described his experiences leading students in song as part of a course  officially called American Folk Literature but known on campus as "Romp-n-Stomp"  as a "watershed experience, shaping his life and career as a professional musician." Yarrow's role was leading the class in songs related to topics discussed by the professor: "They sang traditional folk songs and murder ballads, Dust Bowl songs made popular by Woody Guthrie, and songs of freedom and slavery that spoke to the pressing issues of the civil rights movement." In the interview, Yarrow recalled that murder ballads were especially popular. He also noted that the gig "paid $500 a year, at that time about 20 percent of what a year at Cornell cost; and I got to park my $50 car on campus." The article notes that, within a year of graduating, Yarrow "would be preparing for his debut with Mary Travers and Noel Paul Stookey, as Peter, Paul and Mary  originally dubbed 'The Ivy League Three.'" (Thank goodness they ditched that handle.) The trio became folk music royalty when that genre was at its brief, early-1960s peak of popularity, selling millions of records with their versions of anthems like ''Blowin' in the Wind'' and ''If I Had a Hammer.'' In the 2009 interview, Yarrow said their success "was just an extrapolation from 'Romp-n-Stomp.'" May all the students grinding away at schools everywhere have such a positively life-altering experience. Of course, as "Puff, the Magic Dragon" warns, nothing lasts forever. Peter, Paul and Mary broke up in 1970 (They periodically regrouped until Travers' 2009 death and Stookey and Yarrow have performed as a duo), and the same year Yarrow pleaded guilty to taking "indecent liberties" with a 14-year-old girl and served three months in prison. He has since called the incident the worst mistake of his life. His conviction has been used against both Yarrow and politicians he has supported as part of his lifelong political activism, which, in recent decades, has included helping start Operation Respect, which works to curb school bullying.

8 p.m. Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday. $30/$60. Caffe Lena, 47 Phila St., Saratoga Springs. 518-583-0022. caffelena.org.Albany

In addition to seizing license plates off stretch limousines that lack proper state certification, New York has also quietly "blacklisted" the vehicles so they can't be sold or registered under a new name.

A recent Times Union investigation revealed that State Police seized license plates from 59 limos operating illegally in the wake of the deadly Oct. 6 limo crash in Schoharie County that killed 20 people.

The owner of the stretch 2001 Ford Excursion involved in the crash was Prestige Limousine of Wilton.

Prestige, owned by former FBI informant Shahed Hussain, lacked the proper "operating authority" it needed from the state Department of Transportation to drive passengers around in a limo of that size. The Excursion also failed roadside safety inspections by the DOT in March and September.

In the wake of the crash, DOT and the Department of Motor Vehicles put together a list of 59 limos across the state that were being operated illegally and suspended their registrations. DMV asked State Police to seize their license plates.

Owners of some upstate limousine companies said they've learned that DMV went a step further by flagging the vehicle identification numbers, or VINs, of limos that had their plates pulled.

"I have heard of them taking some plates off illegal operators and then blacklisting their VINs," said Michael Zlotkowski, who owns Aces Limousine Service outside of Buffalo. "It's a really smart move. Now that VIN cannot be re-registered."

Zlotkowski is an officer with a trade group known as the Limousine, Bus, Taxi Operators of Upstate New York.

"As a matter of established law, vehicle owners may not re-register any vehicle once the registration is suspended," DMV spokesman Tim O'Brien said Tuesday. "The vehicle cannot be driven until the owner takes appropriate action to remedy the situation that caused the suspension in the first place."

Kevin Barwell, president of the limo trade group, says that there had been a lot of confusion in the industry about state regulations concerning limousines even before the Schoharie County crash.

Now there is even more uncertainty, he said. Neither DMV nor DOT have said what policy changes led them to ask State Police to go out and pull license plates from limos in the wake of the crash.

"We have no comment on that yet," Barwell said when asked about the license plate seizures. "Everybody's trying to point fingers, and they sometimes end up targeting legitimate companies. Nobody knows the rules or the law, and they're just making rash decisions."

Neither Aces nor Barwell's company, Giorgio's Limousine Service of Buffalo had plates pulled by State Police. Neither DMV nor DOT will identify the companies affected. DOT and the state police declined to comment for this story.

When asked about its role in the limo license plate seizures, DMV said last week that in the wake of the Oct. 6 crash it took "immediate action... to do everything in our power to keep people safe."

Both Barwell and Zlotkowski said that State Police were extremely active in the Buffalo area investigating limos and their drivers for proper certification even before the Oct. 6 crash in Schoharie County. Since 1997 State Police have run what's known as the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit that has 110 troopers who are certified to do spot inspections of commercial vehicles. The unit works closely with DOT.

Zlotkowski claims that back in September, State Police stopped one of his limos picking up a bridal party at a hotel. He said the driver was told the limo wasn't carrying the proper insurance and the bride and her bridesmaids had to find another ride to the ceremony.

State Police verified that a stop was made that day but wouldn't verify the exact details. Zlotkowski says it was all a misunderstanding and the limo had the proper insurance coverage, although he ended up losing $1,000 because of the canceled job.

Still, Zlotkowski believes State Police have an important role to play protecting passengers who might be victims of companies that cut corners trying to save money or to make a quick buck.

He says safety is the most important thing when running a limousine company, and he believes the Schoharie County crash easily could have been prevented if the Excursion had been taken off the road.

"It's such a preventable accident," Zlotkowski said. "The loss of life is unbelievably tragic. It's something that should never have happened."

The Schoharie County crash remains under investigation by State Police and the Schoharie County District Attorney. So far, only Nauman Hussain, the son of Prestige Limousine owner Shahed Hussain, has been charged criminally. Nauman Hussain, who goes by Arslan, is facing one count of criminally negligent homicide. He pleaded not guilty and is out on bail.

The National Transportation Safety Board is also conducting an investigation into the causes of the crash but has yet to be granted direct access to the limo by the Schoharie County DA or State Police. NTSB has complained the wait may compromise its investigation, which has also been stalled by the federal government shutdown.HUDSON FALLS  Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that changes to state law are needed to prevent another tragedy like the Oct. 6 limousine crash in Schoharie County that killed 20 people.

Cuomo was asked at a news conference at a Department of Transportation garage why the state didn't seize the plates of the limo after the DOT had twice ordered it off the road in the months leading up to the crash after the limo failed safety inspections in March and September.

The governor said current law didn't allow the DOT or the Department of Motor Vehicles to take unilateral action against a limo company to pull plates off their vehicles after a failed inspection.

But he said he would like that to change.

"I believe, safety first. And I would be much more aggressive in saying if DOT inspects a vehicle and it doesn't pass, I would give DOT the ability to pull the plates," Cuomo said. "I would give DOT the ability to boot that vehicle. I'd give DOT the ability to call State Police and tow that vehicle. I am going to advocate for legal changes."

In the wake of the crash of the 2001 stretch Ford Excursion, Nauman Hussain, son of Wilton-based Prestige Limousine's owner Shahed Hussain, was charged with one count of criminally negligent homicide.

State Police also went around the state and seized the license plates of 59 limos believed to be operating illegally in the state in the wake of the crash three months ago. It's unclear what legal decision cleared the way for State Police to take that action or if they have the authority to seize plates in special circumstances.

State Police, which share commercial vehicle safety enforcement duties with DOT, declined to comment about its role in the recent plate seizures, which were ordered by DMV.

But Cuomo made it clear at Wednesday's press conference, held to allow the governor to talk about the DOT's snow storm preparation, that DOT and DMV normally don't have the ability to get plates pulled off commercial vehicles during spot roadside inspections.

"The DOT, the Department of Motor Vehicles, have a certain set of laws that they follow," Cuomo said. "DOT does not have the capacity to use its own discretion because motor vehicle operators, limousine companies, trucking companies, they have rights too."

Cuomo said that DOT and DMV "can only do what they are legally allowed to do" and they cannot order plates pulled without a hearing or administrative review.

"We need legal changes that give DOT and DMV the authority that they need if they see a vehicle that is unsafe," Cuomo said in Hudson Falls.

State transportation law does give the DOT commissioner permission to ask the DMV to suspend the registration of commercial passenger vehicles such a limos that are operating illegally.

The same law also allows for penalties of up to $5,000 that can be assessed by the DOT against the companies that operate illegally, although the companies can fight the penalty in front of an administrative judge.

It is unclear yet if DOT sent so-called notices of violations to the companies who had their license plates pulled and registrations suspended.

"Under current law, DMV and DOT do not have the authority to directly seize license plates  rather, the state is utilizing an obscure provision of the vehicle and traffic law empowering only the State Police to seize plates," DOT spokesman Joe Morrissey said. "The status quo is cumbersome and less efficient and less sustainable than the governor's suggestion today that state agencies should have more immediate and expedited authority to seize plates directly to more aggressively enforce the law and ensure public safety. This change would need to be done legislatively."

On the day of the crash, a group of family and friends from Amsterdam had rented out the Excursion for a birthday party in Cooperstown.

All 17 passengers and the driver died when the Excursion went through a stop sign at the intersection of routes 30 and 30A and hurtled into the parking lot of the Apple Barrel Country Store, killing two bystanders before barreling into a ditch.

Nauman Hussain, who goes by Arslan, has pleaded not guilty and is free on bail. His father, Shahed Hussain, who has worked as an FBI informant in the past, has been in Pakistan since before the crash occurred and is not expected to return anytime soon.

"Prestige Limousine was a horrific, horrific situation," Cuomo said, with DOT workers and state troopers flanking him. "It shocked the entire state. I talk to people all the time who bring it up. And tears come to their eyes when they bring it up. What I try to do is: 'What can you learn from the situation?"Horace Trayhan will be performing at the TK Club in Conshohocken in February.Dorothy Eleanor Mercer passed away on June 9, 2021 at Archbold Memorial Hospital. She was born on December 18, 1932, in Pavo to the late Early Byrd Wood and to the late Nellie Deen Wood. She was married to Eugene Mercer who precedes her in death. Survivors include her children, Leon David Mc

remaining of

SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.Local

Washington Central gets brief reprieve as committee debates merger agreement

BERLIN  The Washington Central Unified Union School District is at least temporarily on hold based on an agreement reached by lawyers on both sides of one of two Act 46-related lawsuits Monday afternoon.

The agreement affects the 31 school districts that are parties to the second of two lawsuits filed in the wake of the state Board of Educations recent order compelling several school district mergers around the state.

One of those forced mergers was in the five-town, six-school Washington Central Supervisory Union, where four school boards voted to join the lawsuit that was filed late last month in Washington Superior Court.

Lawyers for the school districts have sought an injunction barring implementation of the merger until after the case is resolved. However, the two sides have jointly requested an extension giving the state until the end of the month to file its response and delaying until February already warned organizational meetings in districts that were ordered to merge.

Washington Central Superintendent Bill Kimball delivered that news to a committee that officially met for the first time Monday night and promptly postponed plans to hold a 6 p.m. public hearing in the auditorium at U-32 Middle and High School on Wednesday. The focus of that hearing would have been potential amendments to articles of agreement that would otherwise be imposed on the new district.

Kimball said next Mondays organizational meeting for the merged district at U-32 is also off and will be re-warned for mid-February in keeping with the scheduling agreement.

Though at least one of the committees members was skeptical, Kimball said the state-proposed amendments to articles of agreement could wait until after the transitional board of the merged district is seated and there was no longer a rush to get them warned and approved by the end of February.

That state-imposed deadline was among the reasons some had started to question the value of pursing any amendments to default articles of agreement that would otherwise be imposed. Its a question the committee is expected to revisit before it wraps up work, but some said they hoped the brief reprieve would allow for a more thorough and thoughtful discussion.

With key issues unresolved and a couple of legal questions pending, the committee agreed proceeding with Wednesday nights public hearing would be a waste of time.

Calais School Director Dorothy Naylor said absent a concrete proposal that could be reviewed in advance, inviting residents to weigh in on questions the committee hadnt resolved was pointless.

Im not comfortable with that, she said.

Some on the committee, which had met informally heading into Mondays session, have pressed for a simple slate of amendments about which there is broad agreement.

Others have argued those modest adjustments arent worth the trouble of scheduling special elections in Berlin, Calais, East Montpelier, Middlesex and Worcester, and are wary of presenting major changes about which there is significant disagreement.

Still, some  Middlesex School Board Chairman Chris McVeigh and Naylor among them  have pressed for changes that would handcuff a yet-to-be-elected school board when it comes to issues like school choice and school closure.

Both were discussed without resolution Monday night.

This is the same conversation weve been having for three-and-a-half years, said Worcester School Director Matthew DeGroot, who noted the split wasnt surprising.

The safeguard proposed by McVeigh would prevent closing any of the districts schools without the approval of 65 percent of voters who cast ballots on the question.

It (closing a school) is a serious decision, McVeigh said, defending his proposal.

Calais resident Scott Bassage urged the committee to include what would amount to a host-town veto.

Bassage argued voters in the community where a school could be closed should have the final say on that decision.

Scott Thompson, who represents Calais on the U-32 board, described Bassages proposal as a crucial protection, but said he believed a district-wide vote was also warranted.

Others, like DeGroot, worried both proposals were problematic and the topic required significant additional discussion.

Were not going to be persuading people tonight to change their minds, he said.

Among the other substantive changes discussed by the committee Monday night included a new proposal to expand the initial 10-member board of the new district to 15 members  three from each community who are all elected at large.

The change was suggested by Chris Winters, chairman of the Berlin School Board, who said he had spoken to those who found the larger board more appealing than the 11-member version that had been previously discussed. A 15-member board would guarantee each town three seats.

The committee was receptive to the proposed change, which would go into effect after the districts first year of operation.

The committee plans to meet Friday morning and Winters said it still needed to revisit the question of whether to recommend a public vote before deciding when to reschedule the public hearing.

Kimball suggested the hearing be scheduled sometime between Jan. 28 and Feb. 8.

david.delcore @timesargus.comTimothy David Nelson, 50, of the 30 block of Mullen Street in Cumberland, Maryland, did forcibly take a girl from a street in the Shade Township village of Cairnbrook on Sept. 19, 1999, state police wrote in a press release on Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019.We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Submit HereThis subscription will allow current subscribers of The Tillamook Headlight Herald to access all of our online Subscriber-Only content, including the E Editions area.

NOTE: To claim your access to the site, you will need to enter the Last Name and First Name that is tied to your subscription in this format: SMITH, JOHN

If you need help with exactly how your specific name needs be entered, please call us at 1-(503) 842-7535 or email admin@countrymedia.net.Tifton, GA (31794)

Today

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds. Low 69F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds. Low 69F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.5G blockchain electric vehicles There are enough tech opportunities out there to make your head spin! But which ones should you own for the coming tech boom? Louis Navellier  the analyst who found Microsoft at .38 cents  just released a new report detailing six tech stocks to own today. Dont miss your chance to get his latest picks  ticker symbol and all  completely free of charge.

Fortis Inc. operates as an electric and gas utility company in Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean countries. It generates, transmits, and distributes electricity to approximately 433,000 retail customers in southeastern Arizona; and 98,000 retail customers in Arizona's Mohave and Santa Cruz counties with an aggregate capacity of 3,233 megawatts (MW), including 59 MW of solar capacity. The company also sells wholesale electricity to other entities in the western United States; owns gas-fired and hydroelectric generating capacity totaling 65 MW; and distributes natural gas to approximately 1,048,000 residential, commercial, and industrial customers in British Columbia, Canada. In addition, it owns and operates the electricity distribution system that serves approximately 572,000 customers in southern and central Alberta; owns 4 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 225 MW; and provides operation, maintenance, and management services to five hydroelectric generating facilities. Further, the company distributes electricity in the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador with an installed generating capacity of 143 MW; and on Prince Edward Island with a generating capacity of 130 MW. Additionally, it provides integrated electric utility service to approximately 67,000 customers in Ontario; approximately 270,000 customers in Newfoundland and Labrador; approximately 31,000 customers on Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and approximately 15,000 customers on certain islands in Turks and Caicos. The company also holds long-term contracted generation assets in Belize consisting of 3 hydroelectric generating facilities with a combined capacity of 51 MW; and the Aitken Creek natural gas storage facility. It also owns and operates approximately 91,000 circuit Kilometers (km) of distribution lines; and approximately 49,500 km of natural gas pipelines. Fortis Inc. was founded in 1885 and is headquartered in St. John's, Canada.

Read MoreGnassingbe's Union for the Republic (UNIR) won 59 of the 91 seats in the National Assembly in the December 20 legislative polls, boycotted by the main opposition coalition, the provisional results said

Togo President Faure Gnassingbe's party won most seats in parliamentary elections, according to provisional results on Monday, in polls overshadowed by pre-ballot clashes and an opposition boycott.

But the party will need support from other legislators to secure a fourth-fifths majority for constitutional change giving Gnassingbe the chance of staying in power beyond 2020.

His Union for the Republic (UNIR) won 59 of the 91 National Assembly seats in the December 20 legislative polls, the provisional results said.

The closely-watched election in the small West African state saw the 14-party opposition coalition, C-14, refuse to take part, condemning the playing field as skewed.

"The coalition and the people have rejected any notion of elections in the prevailing conditions," Nathaniel Olympio, head of the Party of the Togolese, told AFP.

"The results don't correspond to the wishes of the Togolese who didn't take part," he added. "The struggle continues and will get even tougher after these elections."

The provisional figures will now head to the Constitutional Court, which will have a week to proclaim definitive results after discussing any challenges.

The vote went ahead last Thursday after a year of political upheaval which saw demonstrators demanding Gnassingbe step down during dozens of marches, sometimes with a large turnout.

- Backdrop of bloodshed -

Gnassingbe has been in power since 2005 after succeeding his father, General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 38 years.

Earlier this month, at least four people were killed when opposition supporters and security forces clashed in the capital Lome and several other cities. The opposition put the figure at six dead.

UNIR previously held 62 seats and had hoped to secure 73, the threshold for passing laws unchallenged, including changes to the constitution paving the way for Gnassingbe to run for office in 2020 and 2025.

The ruling party's 59 seats were thus below its target but it will be supported by its main ally, the Union of Change Forces (UFC) of former opposition leader Gilchrist Olympio, who has six MPs. Other independent MPs can also lend support.

A total of 850 candidates for 12 political parties, plus independents, took part in the election.

The official turnout was about 60 percent of registered voters.

Before the vote, opposition parties had called for an overhaul of the electoral commission, more transparency and constitutional reforms to limit the number of presidential terms.

Observers from the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) said the election had been held properly.

From the Nigerian capital Abuja, regional leaders on Saturday commended the "free and transparent" nature of the vote, which corresponded with their roadmap to end crisis in Togo.

But they added they "strongly regretted" the opposition's boycott, which took place "in spite of the considerable efforts made by facilitators to promote inclusive elections."

ECOWAS, through mediators Ghana and Guinea, had pushed for elections to be held by the year's end.

But the recommendation was dismissed by the opposition as rushed, failing in particular to address flaws in the electoral commission.

"ECOWAS made a mistake of not appreciating the socio-political situation in Togo and prescribed elections instead of reforms," said Raphael Kpande-Adzare, spokesman for the FCTD, an umbrella organisation of civil society groups.Port Allen, LA (70767)

Today

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Partly to mostly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Low 72F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.Westerly, RI (02891)

Today

Mainly clear skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 57F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph.New Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) The Delhi Police is working on several projects based on cutting-edge technology to improve traffic management system in the city and check errant drivers, senior officials said Wednesday.

The Delhi Police will soon be the first in the country to have an Intelligence Traffic Management System (ITMS).

The project, with an estimated cost of around Rs 1,000 crore, will enhance the existing traffic system in the national capital and it will be implemented in three phases, the officials said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the proposal sent by the Delhi Traffic Police, they said.

The Delhi Police is planning to install a 3D radar-based Red Light Violation Detection Camera (RLVD) system at 24 junctions across the city to monitor people jumping the red light.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 20 crore and is likely to be completed by July this year, the officials said.

With this project, automatic issuance of notices will be sent to traffic violators through SMS for effective prosecution.

This year, the Delhi Police are also going to install gantry-mounted radar-based Over Speed Detection System at 100 locations on major roads, the officials said.

The project estimated to be of Rs 27 crore will likely be completed by July 2019, they said.

It will help to prevent road accidents due to over-speeding.

In 2019, more speed checking cameras and speed guns would be acquired, the officials said.

Also, a new e-challan system will be implemented in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre to ensure transparent prosecution of violators, they said.

The system will help in building database of repeat offenders. It will also ensure online facility for officers to ascertain the previous history of traffic violators.

The 19 crore project will be completed by May this year, the officials added. PTI AMP SNE

SNENew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Victims of the faulty hip implants made by the Johnson and Johnson subsidiary DePuy International Wednesday met the expert committee formed by the Centre, which has devised the compensation formula for them, for the first time and demanded a review of the plan citing various shortcomings.

The patients and members of the Hip Implant Patients Support Group (HIPS), who have come here from across the country, also demanded that the compensation be accompanied with prosecution and accountability of Johnson and Johnson.

Meanwhile, representatives of the Johnson and Johnson also met with the central committee headed by Dr R K Arya during the day.

The compensation formula which was approved in November last year had drawn ire from the patients and their family members, who asked the Union Health Ministry to involve them in the entire process so that they receive a "fair" compensation.

The meeting has come after months of letters and demands by the HIPS that the government meet them and understand the full extent of the damage done by the faulty hip implants.

Some of the deficiencies, mentioned by the victims, relate to the exclusion of patients such as those who have died, cases of multiple implants and issues related to the non-pecuniary component.

Vijay Anant Vojhala, an affected patient complained that the current central committee completely ignored the component of medical management of affected patients despite recommendations of a previous expert committee set up last year to look into this issue.

"Also, we apprised the committee about the patients not being offered life insurances and health insurances," Vojhala said, adding that the entire compensation formula is full with ambiguities.

Around 40 patients also alleged that the committee only consulted with Johnson and Johnson representatives during the process, while patients were sidelined. They expressed unhappiness over the compensation amount being low as compared to the international standards.

"Many of our members are in the consumer court or in other forums, demanding justice from J&J and the government. We will continue our efforts on all fronts. We have made it clear to the government and the central expert committee that compensation is only one part of our battle. We will not rest till J&J is investigated, prosecuted and held accountable for their criminal negligence and actions that have left us disabled, in pain and with life long suffering," Vojhala, a resident of Mumbai, added.

Activist Malini Aisola, who is associated with the HIPS, said: "Several of the patients who had attended the meeting have not applied for compensation because there were concerns about the lack of participation and compensation formula and the process that will employed."

Meanwhile, the company issued a statement saying, "Johnson and Johnson Private Limited appreciates the meeting today with the government. We remain committed to providing assistance, including appropriate compensation within an established framework, to ASR patients in India who have undergone revision surgery. We look forward to a positive resolution of this matter."

Going by the formula approved the health ministry, each patient is likely to receive a compensation amount ranging between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 1.23 crore. The formula was drawn based on patient's age, level of disability due to the implant, a base compensation of Rs 20 lakh, along with Rs 10 lakh for non-pecuniary damages.

The pharmaceutical company Johnson and Johnson recalled the faulty metal-on-metal Articular Surface Replacement (ASR) hip implants in 2010 globally after studies red-flagged the high rate of revision surgeries.

In October last year, the government had constituted the five-member central expert committee to determine the quantum of compensation to be given to the patients who received the "faulty" hip implants. PTI PLB

IJTNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov Wednesday said there was no trust between Russia and the US and that Washington has not expressed any willingness to solve the election-meddling issue through an "inter-agency process".

"Because there is no such thing as trust between Moscow and Washington, we cannot just take as something granted of what we hear from Washington on these issues," he said during a panel discussion at the Raisina Dialogue 2019 in New Delhi.

"And like Mueller's investigation, we haven't seen anything during these two years that underpin claims of US officials that Russia is 'guilty'," he added.

Paul Manafort, Donald Trump's one-time presidential campaign chairman, admitted in a court filing in the US on Tuesday that he provided 2016 campaign's polling data to a Russian, who has ties with intelligence agencies.

"I understand that many in the US strongly believe in Russia's wrongdoing with regards to election meddling, hacking or whatever," Ryabkov said.

"We have offered countless times to this (Trump) administration and a dozen of times to the Obama administration to deal with it in a very pragmatic manner, to go through inter-agency process, to deal with IP addresses with individuals and institutions. The answer is no. Or, alternatively, there is no answer" he said.

The findings of the US special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia meddling in the 2016 election are yet to come out.

While discussing matters related to Iran and Syria, Ryabkov on Wednesday said that notions of "regime change" and "unilateral action" should not be discussed lightly.

"It's striking for me to be present in this room and kind of listen to a debate where notions of regime change and imposition of unilateral sanctions are being kicked around as something generally acceptable, very normal, very usual, very standard," Ryabkov said.

"The chances for yet another regime change are being discussed by think-tankers, politicians, in a sober quiet and cold manner. Something is wrong in the mindset of the people today. But let's limit my comments to this," he added. PTI DSP GVSGuwahati, Jan 9 (PTI) Immediately after tendering their resignation from the Assam Cabinet Wednesday, the three Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) ministers went to the AASU office and paid obeisance at the "Sahid Vedi" (memorial) there.

Arriving at the All Assam Students Union (AASU) office 'Sahid Niyas', Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Water Resources Minister Keshav Mahanta and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Phanibhushan Choudhury paid tributes to the 855 martyrs of the anti-foreigners Assam Movement (1979-1985).

Bora and Mahanta used to lead the AASU as students in the past.

The ministers then held a meeting with the AASU leadership, including its chief adviser Dr Samujjal Bhattacharya.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Bora said, "We are with the people of Assam and will join in their struggle to protect their interests at any cost. The AGP was formed by the blood of martyrs who sacrificed their life to protect the existence and identity of the Assamese people. We cannot disrespect their sacrifice by remaining in power when the Centre decided to go ahead with the Citizenship Amendment Bill." "The Centre's obstinacy not to withdraw the bill forced us to take the decision to come out of the government as we cannot go against the interest of the Assamese people."

The three had tendered their resignation to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal two days after the party pulled out of the BJP-led coalition government in the state over the bill.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 was passed in the Lok Sabha Tuesday.

Briefing the mediapersons, Bhattacharya said, "We are happy they came to our office. We reminded them that the AGP was responsible for taking forward the main cause of the Assam Movement for which 855 people sacrificed their lives, many became disabled due to bullet injuries, women were raped."

The AGP pulled out of the state government after its "last-ditch attempt to convince" the Centre to withdraw the proposed legislation failed on Monday.

The withdrawal of the AGP, which has 14 MLAs in the 126-member assembly, will not have any immediate effect on the future of the Sarbananda Sonowal-led government that still has the backing of 74 MLAs.

The BJP has 61 members and the party has support from 12 MLAs of the Bodoland People's Front and the sole Independent member. PTI ESB IJTChandigarh, Jan 9 (PTI) The BJP on Wednesday announced Krishan Middha, the son of late Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA Hari Chand Middha, as the party's candidate for the Jind bypoll to be held on January 28.

Krishan Middha, whose father's demise in August had necessitated the bypoll, had recently joined the saffron party. He was the frontrunner to contest as the BJP candidate from this constituency.

"After discussion and taking various factors into account, the BJP's Central Election Committee has decided that Krishan Middha, the son of late Hari Chand Middha, will be the party's candidate for the Jind bypoll," Haryana BJP president Subhash Barala told reporters here.

The Election Commission had on December 31 announced that the bypoll to the Jind assembly seat would be held on January 28 and the results will be out on January 31.

The filing of nominations began on January 3 and January 10 is the last date to file papers by the candidates for the bypoll.

The BJP became the first among prominent parties to announce the name of its candidate.

Other contesting parties, including the Congress, the INLD and fledgling outfit Jannayak Janata Party are likely to announce the names of their candidates later today.

The bypoll to the Jind assembly seat, which is considered as the political heartland of Haryana, will prove to be a litmus test for various parties, including the ruling BJP, the Congress and the INLD.

The win from Jind is going to be crucial for the contesting parties, with Lok Sabha polls not far away and the state assembly polls also scheduled for the later part of 2019.

While the BJP will be eyeing a win from Jind to consolidate its position ahead of the state assembly polls, the opposition Congress, which has been attacking the Khattar government over its alleged failure on all fronts, will also look to grab a victory. PTI SUN VSD

DPBAn unmanned supermarket in Tianjin. (Photo/Xinhua)

The digital economy is predicted to become an important channel of employment by 2025, as it reshapes Chinas employment landscape and creates new business models including e-commerce, mobile payment and sharing economy.

In 2017, jobs brought by the digital economy in China reached 171 million, accounting for 22.1 percent of the countrys total employment for the same period, among which, more than 120 million workers were employed in the digitized tertiary industry, according to a white paper issued by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology under the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

Sun Chengkun, a full-time driver for an online ride-hailing platform, said that the digital economy secured the job for him. Now he can earn an additional 5,000 yuan each month. Ride-hailing platforms attract many full-time drivers like Sun and part-time drivers, helping them find jobs or increase their income.

On the other hand, new businesses such as unmanned stores and shelves are replacing existing ones at a quickening pace, posing challenges to human labor. Application of industrial robots also reduces employment demand. A study by the World Economic Forum shows that 7 million employees, including ordinary white-collar workers and blue-collar workers, will be replaced by 2020.

Wang Fengqin was a spare parts production worker. She lost her job this year due to her employer implementing robots. Recently, she has taken a two-month computer training course to find a new job with a higher salary and adapt to the trend of the digital economy.

By 2025, with the continuous expansion of the digital economy, national digital literacy will have reached the average level of developed countries, the scale of digital talents will have steadily increased, and the digital economy field will have become an important channel to provide employment, stated the Guiding Opinions on Developing the Digital Economy to Stabilize and Increase Employment, issued by Chinas 19 ministries including the National Development and Reform Commission.(Eds: Minor grammatical correction in headline)

\R New Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Delhi University teachers staged a protest outside the vice-chancellor's office on Wednesday over the demand of absorption of ad-hoc teachers in the varsity.

"To express the collective anger at the failure of the government and the vice-chancellor to resolve their long-standing demands, thousands of teachers turned up in large numbers outside the gate number 1 of V-C office on Wednesday," Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) president Rajib Ray said.

The success of the shutdown is a testimony to the fact that the teachers are unwilling to tolerate the government's "single-minded agenda" to destroy public-funded education, Ray said.

Elaborating about the reason behind the protest, professor Neenu Kumar from Aditi Mahavidyalaya, said, "We have three main demands. First, we are demanding the absorption of all ad-hoc teachers. Second, there are many teachers who are waiting for their promotion as they did not get promotion since 2007, 2008 etc. And third is that the retired teachers are not getting their pension. Their pension is not being settled and the university is not giving them pension."

"We fall under (the) old-promotion scheme called Merit Promotion Scheme (MPS), which was started in 1998. Under this, we got promotion long back, but now we are not getting anything as (the) V-C is not doing anything at all," she said.

Apart from the push to privatisation and commercialisation, the realisation that thousands are languishing without permanent jobs, promotions have become a distant proposition for most teachers and pensioners are facing huge setbacks has pushed all sections of DU teachers on the warpath, Ray added.

On the other hand, several teachers continued their indefinite hunger strike outside the arts faculty. Many of them had joined the protest outside the V-C office, teachers said.

The strike of the ad-hoc teachers, who are demanding the same benefits the permanent teachers are getting, entered its sixth day. Many teachers are participating in the strike as they want to draw the attention of the "irresponsible" government and the university administration, they said. PTI NIT GJS

HMBBengaluru, Jan 9 (PTI) Fifteen fishermen from Uttara Kannada district have been released by Iranian authorities after they had illegally entered their country five months ago, according to a top district official.

"We are happy that fifteen fishermen from Uttara Kannada were released on Tuesday. Karnataka Chief Minister and the district administration had written to the Union government. Thereafter, a lot of effort has transpired," Uttara Kannada Deputy Commissioner S S Nakul told PTI over phone.

All the fishermen are enroute to UAE on their boats and later, based on their convenience, they would return to India, Nakul said.

Initially, the boat owners made efforts to get the fishermen released, but it was only after the intervention of the Indian Foreign Affairs Ministry that the Iranian government agreed to release them.

The fishermen were detained since July 27 by the Iranian government after they had illegally entered Kish island in Iran, he said.

They were working on three boats owned by a UAE businessman, he added.

Soon after fifteen Indian fishermen were detained along with three other fishermen from Dubai, they had posted a video through WhatsApp to Karwar district administration, Nakul said.

The district administration then wrote a letter to the Ministry of External Affairs and requested Sushma Swaraj to take up the matter, he said.

Nakul said the release of the fishermen was delayed because one of the three Dubai-based fishermen in the Iranian authorities detention escaped from the boat.

"As a punishment, the Iranian authorities, sent the other two Dubai-based fishermen to jail and Indian fishermen were detained in the boats," he said. PTI BDN ABH

ABHNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai says Pakistan has changed since she left the country nearly six years ago after being attacked by the Taliban and there is more peace but lot of work is left to be done.

Malala travelled the world and visited refugee camps - first as an internally displaced person when she was a young child in Pakistan, and then as an international activist who could travel anywhere in the world, except to the home she loved.

She chose to use the memories of that time in her life to connect with 68.5 million refugees and displaced persons around the world.

And now she has come out with a book to see them, to help them, to share their stories.

In We are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World, 21-year-old Malala not only explores her own story of adjusting to a new life while longing for home, but also shares the personal stories of some of the girls she has met on her various journeys - girls who have lost their community, relatives and often the only world theyve ever known.

Malala was just 15 years old when she was shot by the Taliban on October 9, 2012 for speaking up for girls education and peace.

Badly wounded, she was moved within Pakistan and then a week later, flown to Birmingham in the UK while still in an induced coma.

On March 31, 2018, she came back to Pakistan - to her home in the Swat Valley - for the first time after the attack.

Pakistan has changed since I left. Population growth has led to congestion in some areas. There are many more houses and people in Swat than there were in 2012. But there is also more peace, she writes in the book, published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson/Hachette India.

She says she stood on the side of a hill and looked across at the mountains where the Taliban once headquartered their forces in her area. Now there are only trees and green fields.

But Malala, who won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize jointly with Kailash Satyarthi "for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education", feels there is much work to do in her country.

Although I dont live there, it is still my country. It is never far from my thoughts or actions. My dream is to see all Pakistani children have access to 12 years of free, safe and quality education and working to build a great future for our country, she says.

In the book, Malala introduces some of the stories of displaced girls.

After her father was murdered in the civil conflict in Columbia, Maria had to escape in the middle of the night with her four siblings and her mother who did not dare tell them she feared they would be next.

Zaynab was out of school for two years as she fled war in Yemen before finally landing in the US. Her sister, Sabreen, survived a harrowing journey from Egypt to Italy.

Marie Claire was nine when her family escaped the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They fled to Zambia but quickly discovered that the people there did not want them.

Malala is the co-founder of Malala Fund which is working for a world where all girls can learn and lead. Malala Fund advocates for resources and policy change needed to give all girls a secondary education, invests in developing country educators and activists and amplifies the voices of girls fighting for change. PTI ZMN RDS BK

BKNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) The Delhi High Court Wednesday agreed to examine a plea by the Union government seeking to restrain Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland from continuing with the arbitration process initiated by it in the wake of scrapping of contracts for supply of 12 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force.

The Centre said the arbitration proceedings cannot continue as several criminal cases were pending against AgustaWestland and recently British national Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman in the deal, has been extradited from Dubai and is lodged in Tihar jail.

Justice Prathiba M Singh issued notice to AgustaWestland on the plea filed by the Ministry of Defence and asked the company to file its reply within three weeks.

The high court, however, said that at this stage, no injunction order can be passed as it has not seen the arbitral record and none of the orders passed by the arbitral tribunal has been placed before it.

The matter has been posted for next hearing on February 28.

"The court has not seen the claims raised, nature of objections raised as also the material placed before the arbitral tribunal. Insofar as the allegations of fraud, corruption, and bribery are concerned, which have been raised in the present case, the defendant (firm) has also not been heard," the court said in an interim order.

AgustaWestland had invoked the arbitration clause in the contract for supplying 12 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force after the deal was scrapped in 2014.

The arbitration is pending before a tribunal comprising Prof. William W Park, Justice (retd) B N Srikrishna and Justice (retd) B P Jeevan Reddy.

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Pinky Anand, appearing for the ministry, argued there were several criminal proceedings going on against AgustaWestland and sought an injunction on the arbitration.

Anand submitted that Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman in the case, was arrested on December 4 last year and an investigation was currently underway.

She said the dispute is the present case is non-arbitrable as per the laws of India because serious and substantiated allegations of corrupt practices, bribery and fraud are involved in the instant case.

"The arbitral tribunal is still continuing to adjudicate the present dispute which contains serious allegations of fraud, bribery and corruption, which in accordance with the law laid down by the Supreme Court of India is not-arbitrable," the ASG said.

She argued that the arbitral proceedings deserve to be stayed as the mandate of the arbitral tribunal stands terminated in terms of Section 29A of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act.

Section 29A of the Act makes it mandatory to complete the proceedings within 12 months (additional 6 months, in some circumstances) from the date arbitral tribunal enters upon the reference.

The argument was opposed by senior advocate Arun Kathpalia, appearing for the company, who said the present case is not governed by the provisions of Section 29A of the Act, as the arbitral proceedings had commenced much prior to the Amendment Act of 2015 coming into force.

The court, however, said that Section 29A of the Act does not apply to arbitral proceedings commenced prior to the coming into force of the Amendment Act of 2015.

"Insofar as the question as to whether the contract which includes the arbitration agreement is vitiated by fraud, as also the allegations of bribery and corruption, are concerned, in order for this court to decide the said question, the nature of the claims raised by the defendant and the nature of

objections and allegations raised by the Plaintiff need to be considered.

"The arbitral record is not before the court and the defendant has also not yet been given an opportunity to respond to the case set out by the plaintiff (ministry). Whether the arbitration agreement has been nullified would require to be determined after calling for a reply from the defendant," it said.

The high court said that the question as to whether the arbitration agreement stands invalid this case, due to the allegations of corruption and fraud, "cannot be rejected at this stage".

"However, for the said purpose, the court would require the parties to complete their pleadings in the application seeking interim injunction. The court would also like the Arbitral record to be placed before it," the high court said. PTI PKS SKV RKS GVSKolkata, Jan 9 (PTI) Guised as passengers, the officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) boarded a train and caught two smugglers with over 11 kg gold at the Indo-Bangla border, according to an official statement issued Wednesday.

The interception was made at the Majhdia railway station in Nadia district near the border on Monday, it said.

Acting on input about a syndicate involved in gold smuggling, the DRI officials laid out an elaborate plan and in a skilfully-executed operation boarded the train in the guise of ordinary people, scanned the passengers and successfully identified two persons as carriers of the contraband.

The officers then intercepted the duo as they were deboarding the Gede-Ranaghat local train at Majhdia, the statement said.

Search of the persons resulted in recovery and seizure of 100 biscuits of foreign-origin gold of 116.64 g each, totally weighing 11.66 kg valued at Rs 3.77 crore concealed in specially-tailored waist belts, it said.

The duo has been arrested and produced before the judicial magistrate, who has remanded them to judicial custody, the statement said.

With this seizure, in the current financial year in the region spread over West Bengal and the north-eastern states, the DRI has seized about 395 kg of gold and gold jewellery valued close to Rs 123 crore.

These seized gold are believed to be smuggled from India's land borders with Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan and China, it said. PTI AKV KJSirsa (Har), Jan 9 (PTI) Haryana police Wednesday carried out a flag march here as the entire district was put on high alert ahead of a CBI court's likely verdict on January 11 in a journalist's murder case, allegedly involving jailed Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh.

The police carried out the flag march in Sirsa, where the Dera Sacha Sauda's the headquarters is located, a police official told reporters here.

He said entire Sirsa has been put on high alert and anyone trying to disturb law and order would be strictly dealt with.

They said the authorities are taking no chance this time in view of the violent incidents witnessed in Panchkula and Sirsa in August 2017 after Dera chief's conviction in two rape cases.

Accepting a state's plea earlier, the special CBI court in Panchkula allowed Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh's production before the court through video conferencing for the January 11 hearing in the murder case of a journalist.

The 51-year-old sect head is currently serving a 20-year prison term in Rohtak's Sunaria jail for raping two of his women followers.

Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh will appear through video conferencing for the hearing in journalist Ramchandra Chhatrapati's murder case on Friday, when the court is likely to pronounce its verdict.

He has been named as the main conspirator in the case dating back to 2002.

Chhatrapati was shot at in October 2002 after his newspaper, 'Poora Sach', published an anonymous letter narrating how women were being sexually exploited by Gurmeet Ram Rahim at the Dera headquarters in Sirsa.

The journalist later succumbed to injuries and a case was registered in 2003. The case was handed over to the CBI in 2006. PTI SUN VSD

RAX

RAXNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) A rights body Wednesday appealed to women in the country to use NOTA in 2019 elections over the non-passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the winter session of Parliament.

Ranjana Kumari, director of the Centre for Social Research, urged women to abstain from voting for political parties and either select a candidate supporting the reservation bill or use NOTA.

"It is important to raise this critical issue of women's political marginalisation in the country in the strongest possible manner. There are only 11 per cent women in politics in India, and the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill can completely change that situation for good," she said.

"However, our political leaders are unwilling to change the patriarchal political system in the country. It is now time that the women of India unite and express their disapproval and discontentment in the strongest manner by exercising their electoral right (NOTA)," Kumari said.

In spite of the promise made by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, the bill was not even mentioned in the Lok Sabha, she claimed.

The bill proposes 33 per cent reservation for women in both Parliament and state legislative assemblies. PTI PLB



IJTNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) The Centre has extended special concessions and incentives, including departmental arrangements for stay, security and transportation, for central government employees working in Kashmir valley for two more years till 2020, as per an order issued by the Personnel Ministry.

The move is aimed at encouraging more employees to work in the valley, officials said.

The concessions include an option for employees to move their families to a selected place of their choice in the country at government expenses, the order issued Tuesday said.

Kashmir Valley comprises of ten districts namely, Anantnag, Baramulla, Budgam, Kupwara, Pulwama, Srinagar, Kulgam, Shopian, Ganderbal and Bandipora.

The special grant also include departmental arrangements for stay, security and transportation to the place of work for employees, it said.

A per diem allowance of Rs 113 will also be paid for each day of attendance to compensate for any additional expense in transportation to and from office etc.

Messing allowance is also paid to all the employees posted in Jammu and Kashmir at the rate of Rs 97.85 per day, the order said.

"Pensioners of Kashmir Valley who are unable to draw their monthly pensions through either public sector banks or Pay and Accounts Officer (PAO) treasuries from which they were receiving their pensions, would be given pensions outside the valley where they have settled, in relaxation of relevant provisions," it said.

The package of incentives is uniformly applicable to all ministries, departments and public sector undertakings under Government of India and they should ensure strict adherence to the rates prescribed in the package, the Personnel Ministry said.

"It has been decided by the competent authority to extend the package of concessions or incentives to central government employees working in Kashmir Valley for a further period of two years, with effect from January 1, 2018," said the order issued a year after the date of it coming into the force. PTI AKV AARNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) A "temporary PMO (Prime Minister's Office)" is being set up at the Ramleela Ground, where the BJP will hold its national council meeting later this week, party office-bearers said Wednesday.

The BJP national council, the party's largest organisational body, will meet here on January 11-12.

According to BJP general secretary and Delhi unit co-incharge Tarun Chugh, who inspected the preparations Wednesday, Modi will come to the venue on both days.

"A temporary PMO will also be setup at the Ramleela Maidan from where the Prime Minister may attend his routine work. He will remain present on both days of the meeting," Chugh said.

This temporary office will have all the facilities as available at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The entire area will be wi-fi-covered, separate lounges have been set up for chief ministers and deputy chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, he said.

Another temporary office is being set up for party president Amit Shah, he said.

The meeting will witness around 12,000 delegates gather on January 11-12, said a party statement.

Chug was accompanied by BJP general secretaries Anil Jain and P Muralidhar Rao and leaders of the Delhi unit.

The national council meeting of BJP will discuss among other issues, the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The Delhi BJP has formed 24 departments for preparations of the meeting. PTI VIT VIT TIR

TIRNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Ninety-seven towns along the Ganga will be declared open- defecation free by March 2019, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Wednesday.

The Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry has also announced a special category of awards for these 97 Ganga towns under the ongoing "Swachh Survekshan 2019".

Addressing a gathering at a workshop on 'Solid Waste Management in Ganga Towns", the Housing and Urban Affairs Minister said a total of 44 Ganga towns have so far been declared open-defecation free.

"It is expected that all Ganga towns will achieve ODF status by March 2019," the minister said at the event.

He said the government has accorded highest priority to rejuvenate the Ganga through its flagship programme, Namami Gange.

"In this regard, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) is supporting the Ganga towns in achieving ODF status and effective solid and liquid waste management through the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM -Urban) and the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) respectively," Puri said.

According to the minister, all Ganga towns have been directed to implement scientific solid waste management expeditiously.

Puri said the ministry has also deployed the Quality Council of India (QCI) as a third party agency (TPA) for independent on-site assessment to evaluate the actual on-ground situation in these towns.

The TPA findings presented at the workshop covered several aspects of solid waste management in Ganga towns.

The findings advocated putting up install bar screens on drains falling into the Ganga to prevent solid waste flowing into the river, river surface cleaning and waste disposal arrangements among others.

Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary Durga Shanker Mishra announced a special category of awards for Ganga towns under Swachh Survekshan 2019, the fourth edition of the annual cleanliness survey conducted by MoHUA which is presently ongoing (January 4 -31, 2019).

A protocol for this special category of award will also be issued shortly by the ministry, he said. PTI BUN GVSNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Iran is working with its traditional partners like India, Russia and China on moving forward after the US pullout of the nuclear deal despite assurances from European nations that they will work out a solution on the issue, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said Wednesday.

Zarif said that Iran had been very patient with the nuclear deal issue and has show a lot of restraint.

The Iranian foreign minister, while speaking at a Facebook live interaction with the Observer Research Foundation on the sidelines of the Raisina Dialogue, said: "Unfortunately the West is showing that it is not a very reliable partner. The US first did not implement the deal in good faith and then decided abruptly to withdraw from the deal."

Europeans, in spite of their political commitments and verbal commitments have not been able to carry out their part of the bargain, he argued.

"They are promising us that they will be coming up with the solution...We are not waiting, we are working with our friends, our traditional partners like India, Russia, China, mostly in our own immediate neighbourhood, and we are moving forward," Zarif said.

The nuclear deal was negotiated and agreed to by Iran and the P5+1 (the US, UK, France, China, Russia, and Germany), granting Iran sanctions relief and returning frozen assets in exchange for restrictions on its nuclear programme and international inspections.

In May last year, Trump had announced that the US had withdrawn from what he described as "the horrible, one-sided" Iran nuclear deal.

Acknowledging that there was difference between the attitude of the European countries and America, he said the US has been blatant in violation of the deal that it worked out itself.

"Europe claims that it considers the deal of security significance, but it is not willing to make necessary investments believing that gains can be made without much sacrifice," he said.

In his address at the Raisina dialogue, Zarif said the emerging global order now is "post western".

"That is not derogatory to the West but rather a statement of simple reality. The west as a geographic or political construct no longer possess monopoly over all consequential global development," Zarif said.

"The practical implication is that we cannot expect the West to provide us of all the remedies, nor can we blame it for all our maladies. Our region is seen as the locus of many global problems particularly extremism and terrorism, -- be it West Asia, Central Asia or South Asia," he said.

He said that blame game with the West was not the way forward and pitched for setting up of a regional mechanism to sort out issues and have a stable region.

"We can start with a regional dialogue forum, particularly in the Persian gulf region which has been the scene of so many wars in the last decade. We need a strong region than the dominance of strongemen," he said. PTI ASK GVSNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Taking its fight against the Left government in Kerala over the Sabarimala issue to the President, the BJP Wednesday accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's administration of practising "lowest form of appeasement" to divide Hindus by using "constitutional provisions as a tool".

A BJP delegation submitted a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind, seeking his urgent intervention to ensure peace in Sabarimala and the state.

Due to imposition of Section 144 in the area, even the usual group chanting of rhymes and 'bhajan' have been prohibited, the memorandum said, alleging that the Left government is trying to "destroy" age old traditions and pious beliefs of Hindus on the "pretext" of complying with the court order.

Protests, often marred by violence, have rocked parts of the state after the government moved to implement an apex court order, lifting ban on women of menstruating age to enter the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala.

The BJP and Hindutva organisations like the RSS have blamed the CPI(M), which leads the Left front government in Kerala, for violence while the ruling party has accused the right-wing groups of fomenting unrest.

The BJP memorandum said Hindu institutions and the Sabarimala board, which manages the temple's affairs, has filed an appeal in the court to reconsider its order and that the state government should have waited for hearing before "forcefully" enforcing the verdict.

The court has fixed January 22 as the date for hearing.

The BJP said there are many apex court orders yet to be implemented but the state government moved "hastily" to implement this decision.

"This indicates that they (state government) are acting with a prejudicial mindset and are running their hidden agenda of dividing the Hindus and destroying their religious institutions and hurting their beliefs," it claimed.

The CPI(M) government is targeting the devotees, and BJP and RSS workers, it alleged.

"The government on the pretext of complying with the Supreme Court order is trying to destroy the age old traditions and pious religious beliefs of Hindus using the constitutional provisions as a tool," it added.

The government and the local police are "cunningly doing a conspiracy to malign" the holy pilgrimage of Sabarimala by helping women of other religions entering the premises, the memorandum claimed.

"The police even provided these women their uniform to disguise them as one of their own. This is the lowest level of appeasement against Hindus," it said.

The BJP delegation said the party's state general secretary K Surendran was in custody for days. The government harassed him by opening old political cases against him and moving him from one jail to another, it alleged in its submission to the President.

The delegation comprised of its national general secretary and MP Saroj Pandey, state chief P S Sreedharan and several other members of Parliament.

They also accused the state government of not providing basic amenities to pilgrims which, they alleged, has led to a decline in footfall, causing loss of revenue to the board and also the state. PTI KR KR SOM

SOM(Eds: Adds comments from Omar Abdullah and background)

Srinagar, Jan 9 (PTI) IAS officer from Jammu and Kashmir Shah Faesal, who has been in limelight since topping the civil services exam in 2010, resigned Wednesday, protesting against the "unabated" killings in Kashmir and a "lack of sincere reach out" from the Union government.

In a brief statement on Facebook, the 35-year-old said his resignation was also to protest "the marginalization and invisiblisation of around 200 million Indian Muslims at the hands of Hindutva forces reducing them to second-class citizens; insidious attacks on the special identity of the state and growing culture of intolerance and hate in mainland India in the name of hyper-nationalism".

Faesal, who recently returned from a foreign training and was awaiting posting, said he had decided to resign from Indian Administrative Service, "to protest against the unabated killings in Kashmir, and lack of any sincere reach out from the Union government".

Without naming it, Faesal launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, saying the "subversion of public institutions like the RBI, the CBI and the NIA has the potential to decimate the constitutional edifice of this country and it needs to be stopped".

"I wish to reiterate that voices of reason in this country cannot be muzzled for long and the environment of siege will need to end if we wish to usher in true democracy," he added.

Faesal thanked his family, friends and well-wishers for supporting him in this "amazing journey in IAS. One of my important tasks hereafter will be (to) train and guide aspiring civil servants to help them in achieving this dream."

He said that he would be addressing media Friday to announce his future plans.

As soon as the news of his resignation spread on social media, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah welcomed Faesal to the political fold.

"The bureaucracy's loss is politics' gain. Welcome to the fold @shahfaesal," Omar tweeted.

Reacting to social media posts which claimed that Faesal will join the NC in the coming days, Omar said he only welcomed the IAS officer to politics.

"Actually I welcomed him to the fold of politicians. His future political plans are his to announce," the former chief minister said.

Faesal's resignation has come six months after the Jammu and Kashmir government initiated disciplinary action against him for a tweet on frequent rapes which was seen by the Centre's Department of Personnel and Training as his failure to maintain absolute honesty and integrity in discharge of duties.

"Population+patriarchy +illiteracy +alcohol +porn+ technology+anarchy =rapistan," Faesal had tweeted, drawing the ire of the DoPT.

The outspoken officer had courted another controversy when he compared Article 35-A of the Constitution to a marriage deed between India and Jammu and Kashmir, saying if the constitutional provision granting special status to the state was scrapped, the marriage will be annulled.

"I would compare Article 35A to a marriage-deed/nikahnama. You repeal it and the relationship is over. Nothing will remain to be discussed afterwards," he had tweeted.

He had said the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India took place before the Constitution had come into force.

The IAS officer, however, said continuing the special constitutional provisions with respect to the state did not pose any threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the country.

"Let's not confuse the issue. Sovereignty and integrity of India can't be challenged. Not at all. But the Constitution has kept some special provisions for J&K state. It's a unique arrangement. It isn't a threat to India's integrity at all," he had said.

According to the rules, the resignation of Fesal will be forwarded by the state chief secretary along with vigilance status of the officer. The resignation will be considered by the Department of Personnel and Training. PTI MIJ SKL AARNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Trinamool Congress MP Saumitra Khan joined the BJP on Wednesday, giving a fillip to the saffron party's campaign in West Bengal in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

Khan, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party following a meeting with party president Amit Shah, lashed out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that there was no democracy, but "police raj" in the state.

The 38-year-leader said he, like many other young people, has faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, he added, would bring about a change in the state.

"There is no democracy in the state. People cannot vote. Police raj is there," he told reporters at a press conference here. Khan represents the Bishnupur constituency in the Lok Sabha and was earlier a member of the state assembly as well.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan made the announcement of Khan joining the party in the presence of Mukul Roy, a former top TMC leader who had defected to the BJP in 2017, and other BJP leaders,.

Pradhan claimed that the development marked the changing politics of the state, saying the BJP's acceptance and credibility was at an an "all time high" in eastern India as the Modi government had given the region a priority in its agenda of growth and progress.

"There is an atmosphere in the favour of the BJP. Eastern India will provide a strong pillar for the government's return to power at the Centre in the Lok Sabha polls," Pradhan said.

The BJP has identified the state as one of the priority states and party chief Amit Shah has set a target of 22 seats. It had won two of the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2014, while the TMC won 34.

There have been reports that Khan might have been dropped by the Trinamool from its candidates list in the Lok Sabha polls. PTI KR

HMBNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Wednesday held talks with her Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif on a range of key bilateral and regional issues, including the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

Zarif arrived here on a three-day visit on Monday.

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said the two ministers deliberated on important bilateral issues and shared perspectives on the regional situation.

It is learnt that the India's import of crude oil from Iran, implementation of the Chabahar port project and the situation in Afghanistan figured in the talks.

Iran is a strategically important country for India in the Gulf region and ties between the two nations were on an upswing in the last couple of years.

In November, the United States provided temporary exemption to India along with a number of other countries from sanctions on import of Iranian oil.

Iran is India's third-largest oil supplier after Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Iran supplied 18.4 million tonnes of crude oil between April 2017 and January 2018 (first 10 months of fiscal 2017-18).

India is also an active partner in development of the Chabahar port in Iran.

In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan had inked a pact which entailed establishment of transit and transport corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs. PTI MPB AARNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) All major parties supported the passage of a bill for providing 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections, even as opposition raised questions about the haste shown by the government months ahead of Lok Sabha polls and about the judicial scrutiny of the new legislation.

While few parties such as RJD and AIADMK opposed it and AAP abstained from the voting on the bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, the main opposition party Congress and several others including SP, BSP and TMC voted in support, even as many wondered how it will benefit the people when jobs were shrinking.

A day after the Lok Sabha approved the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, 2019, the Rajya Sabha passed the law with 165 voting in favour and 7 against.

Applauding Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the entire Union Cabinet for passage of the bill by Parliament, BJP chief Amit Shah thanked members of all parties who supported the bill in the Rajya Sabha Wednesday.

Union Finance Minister and Leader of House in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said this endeavour of the Modi government ensures social justice and empowerment for all.

Echoing similar sentiments, Union minister Smriti Irani said today is a historic day and we all have become a part of constitutional history of the country and questioned why opposition did not bring such constitutional security for the poor.

Union Social Justice Minister Thawarchand Gehlot, who tabled the bill in the Rajya Sabha, said in the next few days the government will conclude all formalities for the implementation of the bill.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel termed the bill as an "election gimmick" and expressed concern over its implementation as it was brought in haste.

"The government has not done any homework for this important legislation and I am worried about its implementation," Patel said.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who abstained from the voting, described it as stabbing knife in back of common man.

Parliament Wednesday approved amending the Constitution to provide 10 per cent reservation to general category poor in jobs and education with the government terming the landmark move as "slog over sixes".

In the last leg of the legislative process, the bill will now go to the President for approval. PTI JTR ASK BJ GVSNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Asserting that terrorism is becoming a new form of warfare, Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat said Wednesday the menace is spreading its head like a "multi-headed monster" and is "here to stay" as long as states continue to use it as a state policy.

Rawat, speaking at a panel discussion at the Raisina Dialogue here, also said that there was a need to control social media as it was becoming a source of spreading radicalisation.

He said a different kind of radicalisation was being witnessed in India and in Jammu and Kashmir, the youth were getting radicalised due to a lot of misinformation, disinformation, and a lot of falsehoods on religion being fed to them.

"That is why you find more and more educated youth being drawn into terrorism," he said.

Terrorism is here to stay as long as there are nations that continue to sponsor it as a state policy, Rawat said, without naming Pakistan.

"Terrorism is becoming a new form of warfare. A weaker nation is using terrorists as proxy to put pressure on another nation to come to terms with it," he said.

The phenomenon of terrorism is now spreading its head like a multi-headed monster, Rawat said.

On the Afghan peace process, he said there should be negotiations with the Taliban, but without conditions.

He also asserted that Pakistan has always kept the Taliban in its backyard and should be concerned about it. PTI MPB ASK ASK ABH

ABHKolkata, Jan 9 (PTI) Following are PTI's top stories

from the eastern region at 4.30 pm.

STORIES ON THE WIRE:

CAL 2 OD-GRAND ALLIANCE-BJD

BJD not to be part of Mahagathbandhan: Patnaik

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik

Wednesday made it clear that his BJD will not be a part of the

Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance).

CAL 3 AS-BILL-PROTEST

Protests against Citizenship Bill rock Assam

Guwahati: Widespread protests against the Citizenship

Bill continued in Assam Wednesday with agitators blocking

roads and marching with their clothes off in several parts of

the state.

CAL 4 OD-FINANCE-PATNAIK

Odisha CM demands raising of tax devolution to 50pc

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik

Wednesday demanded an increase in the share of states in net

taxes to 50 per cent from the current 42 per cent and a

'special category' status for the state.

CES 1 STRIKE-WB

2nd day strike: Sporadic incidents of violence

reported in WB

Kolkata: Sporadic incidents of violence were reported

from various parts of the state on Wednesday, the second day

of the two-day nationwide strike called by central trade

unions protesting against 'anti-people' policies of the

Centre.

CES 3 WB-MAYOR-BYPOLL RESULT

Mayor gets elected as councillor defeating BJP

candidate

Kolkata: West Bengal minister and city Mayor, Firhad

Hakim, Wednesday registered a resounding victory in the

by-election to a KMC ward by defeating his nearest BJP rival

by a margin of 13,987 votes.

CES 8 AR-PAK SPY

Suspected Pak spy arrested in Arunachal Pradesh

Itanagar: A man suspected to be a spy of Pakistan

intelligence agencies has been arrested in Arunachal Pradesh's

Anjaw district, near India-China border, army sources said.

CES 9 STRIKE-ODISHA

Rail, road traffic disrupted in Odisha on day 2 of

strike

Bhubaneswar: The two-day nationwide strike called by

10 central trade unions to protest the Centre's alleged

anti-worker policies disrupted rail and road traffic and

evoked mixed response in Odisha on Wednesday.

CES 11 TR-CLASHES-SITUATION

Tripura clashes: Prohibitory order clamped at

Madhabbari

Agartala: Prohibitory order under Section 144 CrPC has

been clamped for an indefinite period at Tripura's Madhabbari

and adjacent areas, where at least seven persons were injured

when Citizenship Bill protesters clashed with police on

Tuesday, according to a police official. PTI

RG RGTripura clashes: Prohibitory order clamped at Madhabbari

(Eds: With edits throughout)

Agartala, Jan 9 (PTI) Prohibitory order under Section

144 CrPC has been clamped for an indefinite period at

Tripura's Madhabbari and adjacent areas, where at least seven

persons were injured when Citizenship Bill protesters clashed

with police on Tuesday, according to a police official.

Sub-divisional police Officer (SDPO) Prankrishna Das

said the police launched a search operation at Madhabbari and

Dasharambari in Jirania police station of West Tripura

district since Tuesday night during which one country made gun

and a machete were recovered.

"The situation is completely under control now," the

SDPO told PTI.

SMS and mobile Internet services remained suspended

throughout the state till Wednesday while broadband services,

though available, was very slow.

The home department in a notification had suspended

the services for two days since Tuesday apprehending law and

order problem after the clashes.

Superintendent of Police Ajit Pratap Singh said on

Wednesday that an FIR has been lodged against three persons on

the charge of rioting, but so far no one has been arrested.

Assam Rifles and state police personnel were also

patrolling the areas to avoid any untoward situation, the

SDPO said.

The seven injured, some with gunshot wounds, in

Tuesday's incident included a Tripura State Rifles (TSR)

personnel and six Twipra Student Federation (TSF) members who

had blocked the Assam-Agartala National Highway at Madhabbari

area to oppose the Bill, the SP said.

The TSF member, identified as Sumit Debbarma, who

received bullet injury on his back would be shifted to Kolkata

due to deterioration of his condition, Dr Sulakkhana Mitra of

the Trauma Care Centre in G B Pant Hospital said on Wednesday.

"Five injured, including one TSR jawan, are admitted

at G B Pant Hospital and one other is being treated at a local

hospital in Jirania subdivision," Mitra said.

NESO, a joint platform of eight student organisations,

including the TSF, had called for 11-hour Northeast bandh on

Tuesday to protest against the move of the central government

to introduce Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in Parliament.

The bill that seeks to provide Indian citizenship to

non-Muslims from Bangaldesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan was

passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. PTI JOY MM

MM MMBhubaneswar, Jan 9 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday made it clear that his BJD will not be a part of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance).

Patnaik said as part of his party's policy, the BJD will continue to maintain equal distance from both the BJP and the Congress.

"We will continue with our policy of equidistance from the BJP and the Congress," he said.

"I want to clarify that as far as the Mahagathbandhan is concerned, the Biju Janata Dal is not a part of it," Patnaik told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting here. PTI AAM MM ABH

ABHMumbai, Jan 9 (PTI) Lakhs of commuters in Mumbai continued to face hardships on Wednesday as an indefinite strike called by the BEST, the city's civic transport undertaking, entered its second day.

Despite the Shiv Sena-affiliated union withdrawing from the protest, only five buses of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST), were plying on roads this morning, a BEST official said.

Over 32,000 BEST employees went on an indefinite strike on Tuesday over various demands, including higher salaries.

The state government quickly moved to invoke the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) against the striking BEST employees, while its management asked them to end the stir and come to the negotiating table.

BEST's Kamgar Sena had late Tuesday evening said that 11,000 of its members would go back to work on Wednesday to mitigate woes of Mumbaikars.

It had also said that nearly 500 buses were expected to run on Wednesday.

The Sena union's announcement to withdraw from the protest invited sharp criticism from BEST Workers' Union chief Shashank Rao who said the former had shown its "true character".

The BEST has a fleet of over 3,200 buses, which criss-cross the metropolis and also operate services in the neighbouring Thane district and Navi Mumbai.

It is the second-biggest mode of transport in Mumbai after local trains, which ferry over 80 lakh passengers every day.

"However, only five buses were plying on the city roads on Wednesday morning," a senior BEST official said.

The employees are demanding higher pay, merging budget of the loss-making transport undertaking with that of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), deliberations on

new wage agreement, resuming appointments on compassionate grounds and a bonus equivalent to that of the civic body's employees.

The protest by BEST employees coincided with the two-day nationwide bank strike called by trade unions to protest the government's "anti-worker" policies and labour reforms.

The strike, declared illegal by the industrial court here, on Tuesday affected nearly 25 lakh daily commuters, who rely on BEST buses to reach their destinations.

A BEST staffer, who is a member of the Sena-affiliated union, expressed anger over his union's decision to withdraw from the strike.

"The BEST Kamgar Sena should not have withdrawn its support to the strike. Our union leaders do not seen to have any sympathy with us," he told reporters on condition of anonymity.

The BEST management is likely to send notices to the agitating workers on Wednesday.

"We are hopeful that our staffers will resume work, considering the hardships faced by commuters across the city," the official said.

Meanwhile, commuters complained that they were inconvenienced by the ongoing protest.

Pramod Tamane, a Ghatkopar resident who travels to Wadala every day by BEST buses, sought to know how the government was planning to end the stalemate.

"This is too much. How can a few people be allowed to paralyse the city? What is the government doing to address this? It seems busy preparing for elections and has forgotten

about the innocent citizens," he said.

Meanwhile, the Central Railways and the Western Railways have decided to operate additional suburban trains for the convenience of commuters. PTI APM GK DPB

DPBMember of Guru Satam gang arrested from Kerala

Mumbai, Jan 9 (PTI) A member of the Guru Satam gang

who allegedly ran hawala' business in Hong Kong was arrested<br>by the Mumbai police's Crime Branch from Kerala Wednesday, an<br>official said.<br> Krishnakumar Balakrishnan Nair alias Kevin (46) was<br>arrested by the Anti Extortion Cell of the Crime Branch from<br>Thiruvananthapuram, his hometown, the official said.<br> Kevin had arrived in Thiruvananthapuram Sunday<br>(January 6) from Hong Kong to meet his family, he said.<br> He was wanted in an extortion case where Amol Vichare,<br>Bharat Solanki, Rajesh Ambre, Bipin Dhotre and Dipak<br>Lodhiahad already been arrested, the official said.<br> All five were members of the Guru Satam gang, the<br>police official added.<br> They had allegedly threatened a builder who has<br>construction projects in Parel in Central Mumbai, asking him<br>to cough up protection money', he said.

During their interrogation, Kevin's role came to

light, he said.

It was Kevin who allegedly sent, through `hawala', the

proceeds of extortion to Guru Satam who is believed to be

living overseas.

After finding out that Kevin was living in Hong Kong,

a look-out notice had been issued against him, the official

said.

Following a tip-off that Kevin was visiting his

hometown using a different passport, a Crime Branch team went

to Kerala and nabbed him, he said.

A special court for the Maharashtra Control of

Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) sent him in police custody till

January 16, the official said, adding that further probe was

underway. PTI DC

KRK KRKWashington, Jan 9 (AP) US President Donald Trump made a televised plea for border wall funding Tuesday night, seeking an edge in the shutdown battle with congressional Democrats as he declared there is "a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul".

Addressing the nation from the Oval Office for the first time, Trump argued for funding on security and humanitarian grounds as he sought to put pressure on newly empowered Democrats amid an extended partial government shutdown.

The US president called on Democrats to return to the White House to meet with him, saying it was "immoral" for "politicians to do nothing."

Trump, who has long railed against illegal immigration at the border, has recently seized on humanitarian concerns to argue there is a broader crisis that can only be solved with a wall along the US-Mexico border.

But critics say the security risks are overblown and his administration is at least partly to blame for the humanitarian situation.

Trump has been discussing the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow him to circumvent Congress and move forward with the wall. But he made no mention of such a declaration Tuesday night.

Democrats have vowed to block funding for a wall, which they say would be immoral and ineffective, and have called on Trump to reopen shuttered portions of the government while border negotiations continue. (AP) NSD

NSDNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 2000 hours:



FGN31 US-TRUMP-LDALL BORDER

Trump demands USD 5.7 bln funding for US-Mexico border wall to end growing humanitarian crisis

Washington: President Donald Trump Wednesday asked the Democrats to allocate a whopping USD 5.7 billion funding for his controversial US-Mexico border wall plan to halt a "growing humanitarian and security crisis" and cited the cold-blooded murder of an Indian-origin police officer by an illegal immigrant to implement his signature campaign promise.By Lalit K Jha



FGN 30 PAK-INDIA-LD CHANNELS

SC will not allow airing of Indian content as it 'damages our culture', says Pak CJ

Islamabad: Pakistan's Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on Wednesday said that the Supreme Court will not allow Indian content to be shown on Pakistani TV channels as it "damages our culture".



FGN28 AUS-2NDLD CONSULATE

Suspicious packages with white powder found at India's consulate and other missions in Australia

Melbourne: Suspicious packages containing white powder, some reportedly marked with the word "asbestos" were sent to the Indian consulate and several other diplomatic missions here on Wednesday, prompting Australian authorities to evacuate the facilities and launch an investigation. By Natasha Chaku



FGN19 WB-ECONOMY-TURBULENCE

Developing economies must get ready to cope with possible turbulence: World Bank official

Washington: There is an urgency for emerging markets and developing economies to get ready to cope with possible turbulence, a top World Bank official has said as she called on the governments to concentrate more on their debt management practices and accelerate the pace of reforms. By Lalit K Jha



FGN17 US-TRUMP-LD INDIAN

Trump calls Indian-origin police officer killed in US "American hero", presses for border wall

Washington: President Donald Trump Tuesday invoked the supreme sacrifice of Indian-origin police officer Ronil "Ron" Singh who was "savagely murdered" by an "illegal alien" recently in California to press the Democrats for funding his long-promised wall along the Mexican border to stop illegal immigration and drug trafficking. By Lalit K Jha

PTI

AMS

AMSNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours:



FGN22 AUS-INDIAN-LD CONSULATE

Suspicious packages found at Indian consulate and other diplomatic missions in Melbourne

Melbourne: Suspicious packages were sent to the Indian consulate and several other diplomatic missions here on Wednesday, prompting Australian authorities to evacuate the facilities and launch an investigation. By Natasha Chaku



FGN26 PAK-INDIA-CHANNELS

SC will not allow airing of Indian content as it 'damages our culture', says Pak CJ

Islamabad: Pakistan's Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on Wednesday said that the Supreme Court will not allow Indian content to be shown on Pakistani TV channels as it "damages our culture".



FGN17 US-TRUMP-LD INDIAN

Trump calls Indian-origin police officer killed in US "American hero", presses for border wall

Washington: President Donald Trump Tuesday invoked the supreme sacrifice of Indian-origin police officer Ronil "Ron" Singh who was "savagely murdered" by an "illegal alien" recently in California to press the Democrats for funding his long-promised wall along the Mexican border to stop illegal immigration and drug trafficking. By Lalit K Jha



FGN16 US-TRUMP-2NDLD BORDER

Trump demands funding for US-Mexico border wall to end growing humanitarian crisis

Washington: President Donald Trump Wednesday demanded the Democrats to allocate a whopping USD 5.7 billion funding for his controversial US-Mexico border wall to halt "a growing humanitarian and security crisis", citing the example of an Indian-origin policeman's murder by an illegal immigrant to implement his signature campaign promise.

By Lalit K Jha.



FGN12 US-KHALILZAD-LD INDIA

Trump's special Afghan Envoy to visit India

Washington: Donald Trump's special Afghan envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is travelling to India for his first visit to coordinate efforts to facilitate an intra-Afghan political settlement, the State Department has announced, a day after the US president discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi ways to enhance cooperation in war-torn Afghanistan.By Lalit K Jha.



FGN2 WB-INDIA-ECONOMY

India's GDP expected to grow at 7.3 pc in 2018-19

Washington: India's GDP is expected to grow at 7.3 per cent in the fiscal year 2018-19, and 7.5 per cent in the following two years, the World Bank has forecast, attributing it to an upswing in consumption and investment.By Lalit K Jha



FGN19 WB-ECONOMY-TURBULENCE

Developing economies must get ready to cope with possible turbulence: World Bank official

Washington: There is an urgency for emerging markets and developing economies to get ready to cope with possible turbulence, a top World Bank official has said as she called on the governments to concentrate more on their debt management practices and accelerate the pace of reforms. By Lalit K Jha



FGN20 CHINA-KIM-LD VISIT

N Korea's Kim ends Beijing visit as Trump summit looms

Beijing: Kim Jong Un's train left Beijing on Wednesday after the North Korean leader visited his key ally on a trip seen as a strategy session ahead of his expected summit with Donald Trump. (AFP)



FGN15 US-CHINA-TRADE TALKS

US-China trade talks spill into third day

Beijing: US and Chinese negotiators extended trade war talks into a third day on Wednesday, with President Donald Trump boasting that discussions to resolve the dispute were going "very well".(AFP)



FGN23 IRAQ-POMPEO-LD VISIT

Pompeo meets Iraq officials on unannounced Baghdad visit

Baghdad: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Iraqi officials, including the speaker, on an unannounced visit to Baghdad on Wednesday, a statement from parliament said. (AFP)



FGN25 OIL-LD MARKETS

Brent crude oil rises back to $60 per barrel

London: Benchmark oil contract Brent North Sea crude climbed back to USD 60 per barrel on Wednesday, with OPEC cutting output and on easing concerns over weak demand growth.(AFP)

RUP

RUPBaghdad, Jan 9 (AFP) US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Iraqi officials, including the speaker, on an unannounced visit to Baghdad on Wednesday, a statement from parliament said.

Pompeo's talks, on the second leg of a key Middle East tour, come less than two weeks after President Donald Trump drew criticism for failing to meet a single Iraqi official during a surprise Christmas visit to US troops.

The US top diplomat was in the Middle East to urge allies to continue to confront the "significant threats" posed by Iran and jihadists despite Trump's surprise decision last month to withdraw all US troops from Syria.

Pompeo flew in from Amman and was also due to visit Cairo, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat and Kuwait City on his longest trip since taking office last year.

During his lightning, top secret visit to Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq on December 26, Trump spoke with US commanders and a group of about 100 mostly special forces personnel, accompanied by his wife Melania.

A planned meeting with Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi was scrapped and replaced by a phone call, drawing a chorus of criticism, particularly from pro-Iran groups that form a key bloc in parliament.

Trump used the visit -- his first to US troops in a conflict zone since being elected -- to defend the withdrawal from Syria and declare an end to America's role as the global "policeman."

Trump caused a political storm when he announced the pullout, insisting the battle against the Islamic State group had been won, despite continued deadly fighting between US-backed forces and the jihadists for their last bastion in eastern Syria.

Trump has since rowed back, vowing the withdrawal would be done in a "prudent" way, and members of his administration have gone further, saying that the timeline of the pullout remains dependent on events on the ground.

Iraq declared victory over IS in December 2017 but the jihadists retain a network of sleeper cells in major cities and continue to conduct hit-and-run attacks from mountain or desert hideouts. (AFP) AMS

AMSColombo, Jan 9 (AP) The Maldives' government has asked citizens to report information regarding allegations of corruption and abuse of power during the tenure of the strongman leader defeated in elections last year.

The request, in a statement from the president's office on Wednesday, came a day after police questioned former President Yameen Abdul Gayoom over alleged illegal financial transactions for a third time.

The statement said information on cases of corruption and abuse of power within state institutions from January 1, 2012, to November 17, 2018, could be reported via written submission to the Presidential Commission on Corruption and Asset Recovery. Yameen was president for most of that period. Submissions should be made before February 24.

The commission was established by new President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih when he assumed office in November, in keeping with his electoral pledge of a clean government and to investigate alleged misdeeds of Yameen's administration. Solih defeated Yameen in elections in September.

Yameen's tenure from 2013 to 2018 was marked with allegations of misrule, corruption and human rights violations.

Police have previously said that they found transactions of big sums of money through accounts opened by Yameen over five years of his presidency and said accounts with nearly $6.5 million in both US dollars and Maldivian currency had been frozen pending further investigations.

Police questioned Yameen over the weekend for a second time. After the interrogation, Yameen said police did not accuse him of any crime.

Yameen said police questioned him over cash received ahead of the September election and complaints that USD 1 million linked to a financial scam allegedly were found in his account. He said the $1 million allegedly linked to a USD 79 million fraud had already been investigated and that he asked police to get the details from the Anti-Corruption Commission.

He said the money he received ahead of the election was deposited into his lawfully declared campaign accounts.

Yameen has insisted that police questioned him only over the investigation, but has not specified whether he was accused of any wrongdoing.(AP)

AMS

AMSHouston, Jan 8 (PTI) Shahid Shafi, an India-born Republican leader in Texas may be ousted as the party's vice chairman for being a Muslim and allegedly preferring Islamic over US law, according to media reports.

A group of Tarrant County Republicans will vote on Thursday on whether to remove Shafi as vice-chairman of the county party after a small faction of the members put forth a formal motion to oust him because he is Muslim, The Texas Tribune reported.

Those in favour of the motion to recall Shafi, a trauma surgeon and member of the Southlake City Council, have said he does not represent all Tarrant County Republicans.

They have also said Islamic ideologies run counter to the US Constitution  an assertion many Texas Republican officials have called bigoted.

Shafi himself has denied the allegations.

"This is, unfortunately, not the first time that people or my political opponents have tried to use my religion against me to distract the voters. And unfortunately, I don't think it will be the last either," Shafi told The Washington Post.

Shafi, born in India and raised in Pakistan, travelled to the US to study medicine. He became a naturalised citizen in 2009 and, since then, has been involved with the Republican Party.

In an open letter, he wrote that he believed "much of the hate against Muslims is driven by a fear of terrorism", the Tribune report said.

"Here are the facts. I have never had any association with the Muslim Brotherhood nor (the Council on American-Islamic Relations) nor any terrorist organisation," he wrote.

"I believe that the laws of our nation are our Constitution and the laws passed by our elected legislatures  I have never promoted any form of Sharia Law. I fully support and believe in American Laws for American Courts. I am honoured to be an American and a Republican," he was quoted as saying.

Several prominent Texas Republicans have rallied behind Shafi leading up to Thursday's vote  a list that includes US Senator Ted Cruz, Texas Land Commissioner George P Bush and former House Speaker Joe Straus.

Thursday's motion "is about religious prejudice", said Darl Easton, the Tarrant County Republican Chairman who appointed Shafi to his role in July.

"(Shafi's) very active with the party, but most of the people don't even care about what he's done. Most of them already have a prejudice against Muslims, and a lot of that comes from the attack on 9/11 and the Sharia law they claim all Muslims must obey," Easton said.

He said it was unclear whether Thursday's vote will happen in public, behind closed doors or be delayed indefinitely, Easton added. PTI MRJ AKJ MRJMumbai, Jan 9 (PTI) The rape case against Alok Nath was lodged on the basis of a "defamatory" and "false" report of complainant Vinta Nanda, the sessions court observed while granting a pre-arrest bail to the Bollywood actor last week.

Granting the relief to Nath on a surety bond of Rs 5 lakh, Additional Sessions Court Judge S S Oza said the rape complaint filed by the screenwriter is a "personal vendetta".

In its order, which was uploaded Tuesday evening, the judge noted that the allegation raised by the complainant might have been inspired by her "unrequited and un-reciprocated love" for Nath.

"The offence against the actor has been registered on the basis of patently defamatory, false, malicious, derogatory and imaginary report of the first informant or complainant (Nanda)," the judge noted.

"The report or complaint is inspired by the complainant's personal vendetta towards him," the court said.

The court observed that the complainant and Nath's wife Ashu were college friends in the early 1980s in Chandigarh.

"The duo was working in the production unit of a television serial (in Mumbai) when they met Alok Nath in mid-80s, and a fast friendship developed between the three of them. He (Nath) proposed to Ashu in 1987 and they got married," the court said in the order.

The complainant soon found herself to be "secluded" as she had lost her best friend, it stated.

"Perhaps the complainant's allegation against him (Nath) is inspired by the unrequited and unreciprocated love and affection that she (Nanda) had for him," the judge said.

On October 8 last year, the screenwriter shared her experience on social media when MeToo movement was at its peak, without naming Nath.

She later filed a complaint with the Oshiwara police in Mumbai stating that Nath raped her in her house in 1998 after spiking her drink.

The actor, 62, was booked in November under section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

"It is to be noted that the complainant remembers the entire incident but does not remember the date and month of the incident. In view of all these facts, the possibility cannot be ruled out that the applicant has falsely been enroped in the crime," the judge said.

The court also observed that there was a delay of 20 years on part of the complainant in filing a complaint but also said there is no period of limitations prescribed for offences punishable under section 376 and 377 (unnatural offences) of the IPC.

"As far as the reason for delay in lodging the FIR is concerned, the complainant stated in the report itself that she had consulted with her friends regarding lodging of a report but they told her that the applicant (Nath) is a big actor, and that her all companies were already shut, therefore no one would believe in her story, hence she did not file the complaint against Nath," the judge stated.

Thus, nothing on record to show that the applicant (Nath) has given any threat or made any promise for not lodging the report, he said.

Nath is known for his portrayal of characters endorsing moral and family values in films such as "Maine Pyaar Kiya", "Hum Aapke Hain Koun!", "Hum Saath Saath Hain" and "Vivah" to name a few. PTI AVI NSK AAR(Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with PR Newswire. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

BENGALURU, January 9, 2019/PRNewswire/ --

Showcases success of 'Make in India' program for the AH-64 Apache

Marks important milestone in evolution of aerospace manufacturing in India

Rossell Techsys today announced a unique dual accomplishment - delivery of the 15,000th shipment of wire harnesses and 500th shipment of electrical panel assemblies for Boeing's AH-64 Apache, the world's most advanced multi-role combat helicopter. The delivery marks a significant milestone in the 'Make in India' story and reaffirms Rossell's commitment to the government's vision, since 2014.







(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/806079/RossellTechsysLogo.jpg )



"This delivery showcases the success of Boeing's supplier development initiative in India," said Karl Jeppesen, Vice President, Boeing Defense, Space & Security Supply Chain. "We look forward to scaling up our partnerships and enabling the Indian aerospace industry to become the economic growth engine defined by Make in India."



Rossell Techsys has been a key supplier with Boeing on wire harnesses and electrical components since 2013, and this delivery in support of AH-64 Apache, underscores the importance of Indian manufacturers building the future of aerospace and defence globally.



"This is a landmark achievement in the history of our young company. Rossell Techsys is a leader in operational hygiene and its suite of certifications is a testimony to this commitment. As an ISO 31000 compliant company, we place high priority on risk management, monitoring, control and mitigation," said Prabhat Kumar Bhagvandas, CEO, Rossell Techsys. "Our vision is to become a prominent player in the global aerospace and defence domain, and contributing to the 'Make in India' initiative. We are poised to take on future challenges while continuing to be a reliable partner to Boeing in India."



Rossell Techsys also partners with Boeing for its 'Skill India' programs that aim to address the critical and growing need for skills development in the Indian aerospace sector. The Boeing-funded curriculum at Rossell has seen tremendous growth in recent years - from nearly 30 members in 2013, to more than 350 members as of 2018.



About Rossell Techsys

Rossell Techsys, the Aerospace and Defence (A&D) Division of Rossell India Limited, is a partner to global aerospace and defence companies, with expertise in Electronic Systems, Test Solutions, Interconnect and Electrical Systems, and in Aftermarket services. For more information, please visit: https://www.rosselltechsys.com



About Boeing

Boeing is the world's largest aerospace company and leading manufacturer of commercial jetliners, defense, space and security systems, and service provider of aftermarket support. Boeing is focused on delivering value to Indian customers with advanced technologies and is committed to creating sustainable value in the Indian aerospace sector - developing local suppliers, and shaping academic and research collaborations with Indian institutions. Boeing has strengthened its supply chain with over 160 partners in India, and annual sourcing from India stands at $1 billion. Boeing currently employs more than 2200 people in India, and more than 7000 people work with its supply chain partners. Boeing's employee efforts and India country-wide engagement serves communities and citizenship programs to inspire change and make an impact on more than 150000 lives.



Source: Pepper Interactive Communication PWR

PWR(Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with PR Newswire. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

Cites New York Times report that it was McKinsey, not Firtash, who wrote slide proposing bribes US prosecutors claimed as "clear proof" of Firtash bribes



WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- During international telephonic press conferences to U.S., European, and Indian media, Lanny J. Davis, the U.S. spokesperson for Dmitry Firtash, who is under indictment in U.S. federal court secured by Chicago U.S. Department of Justice prosecutors, called on these prosecutors to "correct the record" concerning their "false" claim to Austrian courts that Firtash and his colleagues authored a document proposing "use of bribes" to Indian officials to secure an Indian titanium mining license.



On December 31, 2018, the New York Times published a lengthy report proving that the document relied on by U.S. prosecutors as "clear proof" of Firtash's alleged proposal to bribe Indian officials was not such proof at all. Rather, the Times proved that document  a single PowerPoint slide  that mentioned using bribes to pay named Indian officials to secure the mining license was, in fact, created entirely by McKinsey & Company, not Firtash and colleagues. See link here.



Dan Webb, attorney for Mr. Firtash and former Chicago U.S. Attorney, is quoted in the Times article as stating: "Mr. Firtash had nothing to do with the creation or presentation of the PowerPoint slide proposing bribery and used by U.S. prosecutors to support extradition of Firtash.



Davis also pointed out that the indictment of Firtash, made public in 2013, "did not contain a single word or allegation that any bribes were paid to anyone in India or anywhere else" by Mr. Firtash. He added: "We hope and trust that the Chicago prosecutors will send appropriate written submissions to the Austrian Justice Minister as well as the Austrian courts to correct the record [now that they know with certainty that their written accusation against Mr. Firtash based on the slide was false] and withdraw their false claim that the slide was "clear proof," much less any evidence at all, of Mr. Firtash proposing bribes.



DISSEMINATED BY DAVIS GOLDBERG GALPER, A REGISTERED FOREIGN AGENT, ON BEHALF OF DMITRYO FIRTASH. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE AT THE US DEPT OF JUSTICE, WASHINGTON, D.C. PWR

PWR(Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with NewsVoir. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

Over 200 channel partners from across the country attended the meet; The brand aims to win the market with its signature products







New Delhi, Delhi, India(NewsVoir)



OPPLE Lighting, one of the worlds leading LED lighting brand, organized the 2019 edition of All India Trade Partner Meet. This gala event was their fourth edition to recognize and felicitate the work done by the brands channel partners. OPPLE also presented a preview of its extensive range of lighting fixtures; from smart lighting to eco-friendly and flicker-free LEDs in both consumer and professional sector to the guests.







The All India Trade Partner Meet 2019 was a 2-day gala event, where more than 200 channel partners of the brand came to Gurugram from across the country to attend the event. The brand felicitated its top channel partners with 14 different awards, including, All India Champion of Champion, All India Best Distributor and All India Super Stockiest 2018 for their work in the previous year. Qi Xiaoming, R&D Head of OPPLE China shared insights over the brands growth in India in 2018 and discussed over the business goals and plans for 2019.







During the first day of the meet, the channel partners were taken on a trip to the Kingdom of Dreams for recreational activities, followed by the award ceremony. During the second day of the event, OPPLE presented its new products and educated the partners about their features.







Talking about the meet, Rambo Zhang, OPPLE India Head said, "Our 2019 strategy is to improve the working system with our partners. We are working to develop a system which will be connected to the SAP system, where our dealers can place orders and keep a tap on recent happenings. Additionally, we will be organizing training & practice programs to restyle the partners into professionals who will be trained to service their customers and create solutions way before we come in.





Our plan is to make OPPLE world's number one consumer lighting company. We will never compromise on the quality while delivering innovative products to ensure the safety of the environment and adding value to the industry. We are aiming to empower our channel partners with more opportunities to grow with us and grow a stronger customer base across the country. This event is our token of gratitude for the exemplary work done by our channel partners. With this get-together, we believe that all our partners will work in tandem with the companys goals, as they have been doing in the previous years, he further added.







The brand completed its 2018 targets by 100% and aims to raise the bar by further 80% expansion of the company in the year 2019. OPPLE prepares itself to work in tandem with the Indian Governments 'Make in India mission to produce lighting products completely in the country itself.







For Hindi press release, please click here.



Image 1: L to R: Rambo Zhang and Qi Xiaoming - All India Trade Partner Meet 2019



Image 2: Top Channel Partners - All India Trade Partner Meet 2019 PWR

PWR(Eds: Disclaimer: The following press release comes to you under an arrangement with NewsVoir. PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

A CSR project aimed at income generation through sustainable agricultural practices



Rayagada, Odisha, India (NewsVoir)



Fiinovation, with financial support of PI Foundation which is a CSR arm of PI Industries Ltd., an agri-sciences company and Harsha Trust, a non profit organization, has undertaken an agri-based CSR project aimed at empowerment of the farmers. The project is currently being implemented in Rayagada district of Odisha, covering forty-five villages that benefit 1300 farmers from the area. The program necessitates adoption of the Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) amongst the small farmers including cost-effective agricultural practices and improved farm management.



Rayagadas tribal population face severe issues in obtaining farm yields due to unpredictable rains and primitive farming methods. Owing to which, the area suffers from seasonal unemployment and witnesses migration of locals to other cities in search of a better livelihood. Under this initiative, the farmers are continuosuly being educated on working of drillers, sowing methods, pest management, judicious use of farm inputs and more. Furthermore, the program enables the farmers to sell their produce directly in the market while they are educated on various welfare schemes launched by the government.



PI Industries, Harsha Trust and Fiinovation are unwavering in their efforts to emancipate the farmers from the cycle of distress sale and poverty. Speaking on the importance of the project, Dr. Chakraborty, CEO, Fiinovation stated, Agriculture is the backbone of our nation hence it is our responsibility to empower the farmers and ensure they are at their best economic health. It is the prerogative for both private and public sector.



About Fiinovation



Innovative Financial Advisors Pvt. Ltd. (Fiinovation) is a global consulting firm operating in multiple disciplines of the social development sector with emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability. Fiinovation offers end to end CSR consulting services and simplified solutions that has helped various corporations channelize their resources for the upliftment of community on societal, economic and ecological aspects in accordance to their CSR charter. Since 2008, Fiinovation has grown phenomenally and has made a benchmark in the sector through its service quality. It has been able to bridge the gap between businesses and communities through value-based CSR programmes in association with credible civil society organizations on pan India basis in the field of health, environment, education, and livelihood. PWR

PWRSBI treasury branch at T'puram attacked,train services

disrupted

(EDS: Incorporates related stories)

Thiruvananthapuram/Bengaluru, Jan 9 (PTI) Parts of Kerala

continued to be in disarray Wednesday with trains blocked and

a SBI branch vandalised while in Karnataka an effigy of the

Prime Minister was burnt but rest of the south was largely

peaceful on the second day of the two-day nationwide stir.

The strike was called by ten central trade unions against

the Centre's "anti-labour" policies.

In Kerala, a treasury branch of the State Bank of India

at Thiruvanathapuram was attacked by a group of people.

A branch official said a group of people came to the

manager's cabin around 10 am and threatened him and his staff,

damaged a glass-top table and a computer monitor.

Police said the perpetrators are yet to be nabbed.

The strike also affected the movement of pilgrims to the

Sabarimala temple, resulting in a fall in arrival of devotees,

even though the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation

(KSRTC) had arranged bus services from various destinations to

Pamba.

At Kochi, port trust authorities arranged vehicles and

other facilities for tourists who arrived at the port city on

a cruise liner, they said.

At Thiruvananthapuram railway station, the

Thiruvananthapuram-Hyderabad Sabari Express and Venad Express

were blocked, while the Kottayam-Nilambur passenger train in

Kalamassery was held up for a while. Following the delayed

departure, some trains were running late, officials said.

Autorickshaws were also off the roads.

Many shopkeepers alleged that they were asked to down

shutters. Most textile and spices shops in the Broadway Market

in Kochi and Mittayi Theruvu (sweet street) in Kozhikode were

open.

Shops were open in the suburbs of all major towns and

along the highways, but the roads remained traffic-free at

most places as public transport, especially KSRTC, did not ply

services, except to Pamba at the foothills of Sabarimala.

In Karnataka's Davangere, protesters disrupted bus

services, staged demonstration and burnt an effigy of the

prime minister to vent their anger against the central

government's 'anti-labour' policies, officials said.

Bus services were Wednesday hampered across the state,

they said.

Causing severe inconvenience to commuters, hundreds of

protesters from the Left trade unions disrupted bus services

at Majestic, the Central Bus Stand at Bengaluru, Transport

Department officials said.

People, however, went about their day-to-day activities

as usual.

Trade union workers took out rallies in several parts of

the state holding placards, flags and raised slogans against

the central government.

Police said they thwarted attempts made by protesters to

disrupt train services.

Protesters hurled stones at KSRTC buses on Magadi Road

and near Yelahanka in Bengaluru. Some schools and colleges in

the city remained shut. Metro rail was the saviour for

commuters as its services remained unaffected.

Agitators threw stones at some trains in Kalaburagi and

Ballari, railways sources said.

In Tamil Nadu, trains were stopped by protesters at a few

places while banking services in some public sector banks

interrupted in Telangana but life largely remained unaffected.

In Chennai, protests were held at Mount Road and

Perambur and Guindy railway stations.

The CITU's Tamil Nadu president A Soundararajan along

with over 100 protesters were detained for picketing trains at

the Guindy railway station, police said.

Similar protests were held in front of Madurai railway

station and near the old bus-stand in Thanjavur district and

Tiruchirappalli station affecting movement of vehicles and

rail traffic.

Police said no incidents of violence were reported.

Offices, commercial establishments and educational

institutions functioned normally.

Operations of 85,000 public and private sector branches

functioning in Tamil Nadu and 25,000 cooperative society banks

were affected during the strike, Tamil Nadu bank employees

federation (BEFTN) general secretary C P Krishnan said.

Barring interruption to banking services in some public

sector banks, it was business as usual in Telangana Wednesday.

Employees belonging to the All India Bank Employees

Association and Bank Employees Federation of India took part

in the strike affecting banking transactions partially across

the State, AIBEA national secretary B S Rambabu said.

More than 22 lakh employees and workers of public,

private and unorganised sectors in Telangana took part,

Telangana CITU General secretary M Saibabu claimed.

For the second day, the strike had hardly any impact in

Andhra Pradesh with buses and other transport vehicles plying

smoothly. Offices remained open and educational institutions

functioned,officials said.

No untoward incidents were reported in the Union

Territory of Puducherry where most commercial establishments

remained open and educational institutions and offices

functioned as usual. PTI RRT UD CPB VIJ GDK DBV COR BN

BN BNNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) The two-day nationwide strike by central trade unions to protest against alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms entered its second day Wednesday, impacting normal life in some parts of the country.

According to the reports, public transport and banking services remain disrupted for the second day in some states.

The 10 central trade unions (CTUs) which have given a call for the two-day Bharat Bandh are protesting the government's snub of their 12-point charter of demands seeking minimum wage of Rs 18,000, social security for all workers and issue related to price rise.

The workers participating in the strike will go on a protest march from Mandi House to Parliament Wednesday at noon, and similarly protests would be seen in other parts of the country as well.

All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur told PTI that there will be a complete bandh in Goa and Bihar, while 100 per cent strike is expected in other parts of the country too.

She said that due to UGC exams, which started from Tuesday, some state transport departments would not participate completely in the strike in the interest of students.

The exams are scheduled in some states on Wednesday as well. The strike had received mixed response on Tuesday.

The educational institutes, rail, banking, postal and transport services are expected to witness disruption on Wednesday too.

The unions have alleged that the government has failed to create jobs and grossly ignored unions' 12-point charter of demands.

They also said that the Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on labour issues has not called unions for any discussion since September 2, 2015, strike which left them with no other option but to go on another strike.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, the CTUs also alleged that the government undermined tripartism and continued its "aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people."

They are also opposed to the proposed amendments in Trade Union Act, 1926, saying those are irrational and extremely damaging to the independent functioning of unions.

Farming communities, through their associations, have also extended support to the strike. Student and teacher organisations of various universities have also declared support, the statement had said. PTI KKS ANS

ANSNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Wednesday accused the Left-affiliated trade unions of manufacturing a protest on non-existent issues, saying the NDA government has taken a host of decisions for the welfare of workers.

His statement comes on the second day of the 'Bharat Bandh' organised by ten central trade unions to protest against the alleged anti-labour policies of the Centre.

"If the Left trade unions insist on politicising the trade union movement to manufacture a protest on non-existent issues, it is for the workmen in the country to seriously analyse what the present government has done for them and compare it with the relatively blank record of several earlier governments," Jaitley said in a Facebook post titled 'The Present Government and the Workers'.

Listing out the steps taken by the NDA regime for the welfare of workers, Jaitley said no government in the past has taken, within a short period, so many continuous pro-worker decisions in order to ensure that the advantage of a better quality of life is ensured to them as a result of the economic development of the country.

"Even though procedural simplifications have been done in several legislations in order to cut down the paper work, the government has desisted from taking any decision which hurts the interest of the employees," he said.

The NDA government since 2014 has set up a group of ministers to continuously maintained a dialogue with the trade unions and taken a host of steps like raising the bonus and gratuity ceiling, hiking minimum wages, increasing maternity benefits, and guaranteeing fixed pension of Rs 1,000 per month.

"Are there any real issues before them (trade unions) or is it a part of the strategy of the Left political organisations to organise a symbolic unrest to ensure that they are not wiped out from the political map of India," Jaitley said.

He further said the strength of the Left parties has been significantly eroded in West Bengal and Tripura. In the recent past, the political environment in Kerala is also building against them. PTI JD CS

MKJNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) Air India's Chairman and Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola said Wednesday the airline has started carrying food from India for use during the journey back to the country, in an attempt to rationalise catering costs on international flights.

The loss-making airline has already started using food items stocked from India during its onward journey to Stockholm, Copenhagen, Birmingham and Madrid, and use them when returning. It has said food items purchased from these foreign cities are much more expensive when compared to Indian cities.

"The food is taken from here in India in chillers and then it is heated whenever it has to be used... Catering costs for us are around Rs 600 crore to Rs 800 crore a year. Catering in India is 3-4 times cheaper as compared to catering in the West," Kharola said.

Within the next a few months, Air India will start serving food from India on its flights returning from the Gulf region, he added.

As a cost-cutting measure, Air India decided in July 2017 to not serve non-vegetarian food to economy class passengers on its domestic flights.

"There are some flights like the ones going to Gulf, Singapore and even some parts of Europe, where it is possible to upload the food here (in India) only. Some work is going on in that direction," he said.

"More important thing is the taste. Whatever you can do, the European caterer's taste can't match with the Indian caterer, especially when it comes to Indian food. That is the additional benefit we get. The main thing is that the costs come down drastically," he added.

The portion of the food given to passengers would remain exactly the same, he clarified.

Asked how much Air India would be able to save with this measure, Kharola said these are early days and the programme will expand.

Air India is estimated to have a debt burden of more than Rs 48,000 crore and the government's efforts for strategic disinvestment of the flag carrier failed in May last year. It has been making losses since the merger with Indian Airlines in 2007.

High interest burden, increasing competition, high airport user charges, adverse impact of exchange rate variation and liberalised bilaterals to foreign carriers leading to excess capacity in the market are among the reasons for the losses, according to the civil aviation ministry. PTI DSP DSP ABH

ABHNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) The budget session of Parliament is likely to be held from January 31 to Feb 13, and an interim budget is expected to be presented on February 1, government sources said Wednesday.

They said the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs deliberated on the dates for the budget session at a meeting.

It is expected to be the last session of the current Lok Sabha as general elections are due in April-May. PTI JTR MPB

MPBNew Delhi, Jan 9 (PTI) The two-day strike by central trade unions evoked mixed response across the country Wednesday, as it entered its second day, with banking and transport services being affected partially and few incidents of violence seen in West Bengal.

As many as 10 central trade unions, except Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, are protesting against the government's alleged anti-labour policies and unilateral labour reforms. They had given a call for a two-day Bharat Bandh on January 8 and 9.

General Secretary Hind Mazdoor Sabha Harbhajan Singh Sidhu told PTI that there is 100 per cent strike in Assam, Odisha, Manipur, Meghalaya, Maharashtra and Goa.

"We got response in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan as well. In our protest march from Mandi House to Parliament in the capital, around 4,000 workers came on road to express their anguish...," he added.

Normal life was affected in Goa on Wednesday as private buses and tourist taxis remained off roads. Long queues of passengers were seen at various bus stands after the private buses association in the state shut operations.

Besides, lakhs of commuters in Mumbai continued to face hardships as an indefinite strike called by BEST, the city's civic transport undertaking, continued. There were only five buses plying on city roads.

Over 32,000 BEST employees went on an indefinite strike on Tuesday over various demands, including higher salaries.

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from various parts of the West Bengal on Wednesday too. Stones were pelted at school buses in Howrah district. Similar incident were reported on Tuesday as well. There were similar incidents of stone pelting in other parts of the state too.

Senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty was arrested once again on Wednesday for taking out a rally at a bus stand in Jadavpur in the southern part of the city. Chakraborty was first arrested on Tuesday for taking out a rally in support of the strike and was released in the evening.

Banking services were also partially affected for the second day, as a section of PSU bank employees came in support of the strike call.

All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees' Federation of India (BEFI) have supported the strike, which has impacted banking operation where these two unions are strong.

However, the operation in SBI and private sector banks remained unaffected as other seven unions in the banking sector are not part of the strike.

According to AIBEA General Secretary C H Vekatchalam, cash transactions, clearance of cheques, remittances, bills discounting and foreign exchange transactions were impacted.

Cheques worth about Rs 20,000 crore could not be cleared by clearing houses all over the country on Tuesday, he claimed.

The report said a treasury branch of the State Bank of India in Thiruvananthapuram was attacked and trains were blocked in various parts of Kerala on Wednesday on second day of strike.

At the Thiruvananthapuram railway station, Thiruvananthapuram-Hyderabad Sabari Express and Venad Express were blocked, while the Kottayam-Nilambur passenger train in Kalamassery was held up for a while.

In many places in Kerala, shops and commercial establishments remained shut. Buses and auto-rickshaws were also off the roads in the state. Many shopkeepers alleged that they were asked to put down their shutters.

Most of the textile and spices shops in the Broadway Market in Kochi and Mittayi Theruvu (sweet street) in Kozhikode were open.

Sabarimala pilgrims, tourists, social and religious functions have been exempted from the strike.

Earlier in the day all-India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur told PTI that there will be a complete bandh in Goa and Bihar, while 100 per cent strike is expected in other parts of the country too.

She said that due to UGC exams, which started from Tuesday, some state transport departments would not participate completely in the strike in the interest of students.

The exams are scheduled in some states on Wednesday as well. The strike had received mixed response on Tuesday.

Educational institutes, rail, banking, postal and transport services are expected to witness disruption on Wednesday too.

The unions have alleged that the government has failed to create jobs and grossly ignored unions' 12-point charter of demands.

They also said that the Group of Ministers headed by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on labour issues has not called unions for any discussion since September 2, 2015, strike which left them with no other option but to go on another strike.

In a joint statement issued on Monday, the CTUs also alleged that the government undermined tripartism and continued its "aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people."

They are also opposed to the proposed amendments in Trade Union Act, 1926, saying those are irrational and extremely damaging to the independent functioning of unions.

Farming communities, through their associations, have also extended support to the strike. Student and teacher organisations of various universities have also declared support, the statement had said. PTI KKS PNT APM DP RPS UD ANSH-Energy Rs 3,700 crore Bengal LNG project work to start

Kolkata, Jan 9 (PTI) Hiranandani Group-promoted

H-Energy which is implementing a Rs 3,700-crore LNG project

in West Bengal will start work by June-July this year, a top

company official said Wednesday.

"We will begin construction of the gas terminal at

Kukrahati estimated at Rs 1,500 crore in June-July this year

and will require 18 months to complete," H-Energy, MD and CEO,

Darshan Hiranandani said at FICCI organised meet here.

He said the legal hurdles in constructing the pipeline

are over and the company can start work for the project

anytime now.

H-Energy will build a 150-km pipeline from Kukrahati

(Haldia to Bangladesh border). H-Energy currently has a 2

million tonne per annum long term supply contract with

Bangladesh.

Supply to Bangladesh too will begin at 0.5 million

tonne per annum in the first year and will be scaled up to 2

million tonne.

A small under water pipeline to Falta will serve as a

gate station for supply to Kolkata.

The first phase of the project includes setting up of

a terminal at Kukrahati in the Purba Medinipur district of

West Bengal over a 47 acre plot.

The pipeline to Bangladesh will cost Rs 2,200 crore

pipeline from Haldia.

"We have decided a model that will transload LNG at

Paradip and from there it will transported via smaller vessels

to the re-gasification terminal at Haldia for faster

execution," Hiranandani said.

The terminal will have an initial capacity of 3

million tone per annum and can be ramped up depending on

demand to 5 million tonne per annum.

Meanwhile, commercial operations of its project at

Jaigarh (in Maharashtra) is expected to start operation by mid

this year, he said. The terminal is a floating storage and

regasification unit (FSRU) and is built at a cost of Rs 1,665

crore. PTI BSM

RG RGModi defends 10 pc quota, asks Cong to clarify on Rafale claim

(Eds: adding quotes)

Solapur, Jan 9 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Wednesday defended introduction of the 10 per cent quota for

the general category poor in jobs and education, adding the

bill's passage in the Lok Sabha is a strong answer to those

"spreading lies".

Targeting the Congress, Modi asked it to clarify what

was driving its ongoing allegations on the Rafale fighter jet

procurement issue.

Addressing a public rally here, Modi said the smooth

passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha is a "strong answer" by

the Parliament to those spreading lies.

Hoping the Rajya Sabha will pass the Bill Wednesday,

Modi said the rights of deprived sections, including Dalits

and tribals won't be affected because of this bill.

He termed the the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha

as a historic step aimed at welfare of the deprived sections.

On the passage of the Citizenship Bill, seeking to

provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangaldesh,

Pakistan and Afghanistan, Modi assured people of Assam and

North East that their rights will not be curtailed in any way

through the bill's provisions.

Modi indicated that alleged middleman Christian

Michel, arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, was

lobbying for French manufacturer Rafale's rivals in the multi

role aircraft deal.

"During the earlier (UPA) regime, the middlemen

culture had become a part of the system. They had snatched the

rights of the poor and also played with the security of the

nation," Modi said.

Citing media reports, Modi said Michel was lobbying

for "some other contender" as well.

"He (Michel) has made a shocking revelation. As per

media reports, he was not just involved in the helicopter

deal but also involved in the deal of the fighter planes

(Rafale), when the earlier government was in power," Modi

said.

"Media says that Michel was also lobbying for some

other company. Congress should answer which leader of their

party, now shouting about this (Rafale deal), has a connection

with Michel. They should give an account of each and every

penny spent," he said.

Calling himself a chowkidar (watchman), Modi said he

has undertaken a "safai" (clean-up) mission to uproot

corruption and that he cannot be bought or scared and will

continue with his work relentlessly.

"Modi is made up of a different soil. He cannot be

bought nor can anyone scare him. I will take an account of

every single penny. This chowkidar doesn't sleep and can pick

a wrongdoer even in darkness. They may continue abusing me but

I will not stop my mission to uproot corruption," Modi said.

Criticising the functioning of the previous Congress-

led government, Modi said it indulged into vote bank politics

and ignored the development of the country's backward areas.

"After coming to power, we undertook developmental

works and projects in areas which were ignored only because

they (Congress) indulged in vote bank politics. We managed to

uproot this attitude of vote bank politics and have undertaken

a slew of projects in areas where they were needed," he said.

Modi said had the previous government undertaken these

projects, the situation would have been far different today.

Citing some initiatives taken by his government in

the last four years, Modi said that till 2014, India had a

highways network of over 91,000 km, which has now reached over

1.30 lakh km.

Modi launched the four-laning of Solapur-Osmanabad

section of NH-211, underground sewerage system and three

sewage treatment plants and also laid foundation stone of

30,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

"We do not just stop at laying foundation stones or

announcing projects; we also launch them. There are projects

worth lakhs of crores undertaken by the BJP government and

most of them are in advance stages of development," Modi said.

PTI PSK AA VT

VT VTModi defends 10 pc quota, asks Cong to clarify on Rafale claim

(Eds: adding details)

Solapur, Jan 9 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Wednesday defended the introduction of the 10 per cent quota

for the general category poor in jobs and education, even as

he asked the Congress to clarify what was driving its ongoing

allegations on the Rafale fighter jet deal.

Addressing a public rally after launching a slew of

infra projects here, Modi said the smooth passage of the bill

which provides 10 per cent quota for the general category poor

in jobs and education in the Lok Sabha is a strong answer by

the Parliament to those spreading lies.

Hoping the Rajya Sabha will pass the Bill Wednesday,

Modi said the rights of deprived sections, including Dalits

and tribals won't be affected because of this bill.

He termed the the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha

as a historic step aimed at uplifting the deprived sections.

On the passage of the Citizenship Bill, seeking to

provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangaldesh,

Pakistan and Afghanistan, Modi assured people of Assam and

North East that their rights will not be curtailed in any way

through the bill's provisions.

Modi indicated that alleged middleman Christian

Michel, arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, was

lobbying for French manufacturer Rafale's rivals in the multi

role aircraft deal.

The onus is on the Congress to come clean on what is

driving its allegations on the (Rafale) deal, he said. Citing

media reports, Modi said Michel was lobbying for "some other

contender" as well.

Congress should answer which leader of their party,

now shouting about this (Rafale deal), has a connection with

Michel, he said.

Modi said the 'chowkidar' (watchdog), has embarked on

a campaign to root-out corruption cannot be bought or scared

and will continue with his work relentlessly. The 'chowkidar'

can pick a wrongdoer even in darkness, he added.

Modi launched four-laning of Solapur-Osmanabad section

of NH-211, underground sewerage system and three sewage

treatment plants and also laid foundation stone of 30,000

houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. PTI PSK AA VT

VT VTThe United Nations has found that Rahaf Mohammed Al-Qunun who fled Saudi Arabia is a legitimate refugee and has asked Australia to take her in, UN officials in Canberra said on Wednesday.

"The UNHCR has referred Ms Rahaf Mohammed Al-Qunun to Australia for consideration for refugee resettlement," the Department of Home Affairs confirmed in a statement.

The decision marks a significant victory for the 18-year-old, who is currently in Bangkok where she says Thai authorities attempted to block her from travelling to Australia to claim asylum.

The home affairs department said it will "consider this referral in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals".

Australian officials have strongly hinted that Qunun's request will be accepted.

"If she is found to be a refugee, then we will give very, very, very serious consideration to a humanitarian visa," health minister Greg Hunt had said before the UN determination was public.

Qunun has documented her bid to flee her allegedly abusive family with minute-by-minute social media updates.

Her plight shot to public attention when she barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room to avoid deportation and shared dozens of fearful but defiant messages online insisting on her right to asylum.

Video footage posted on Twitter by a Saudi human rights activist appeared to show a Saudi official complaining that Thai authorities should have confiscated Qunun's smartphone.

"When she arrived, she opened a new (Twitter) account and her followers grew to 45,000 in one day," he said in Arabic.

"It would have been better if they had confiscated her mobile instead of her passport."

Saudi Arabia has some of the world's toughest restrictions on women, including a guardianship system that allows male family members to make decisions on behalf of female relatives.In a rare Oval Office address to the nation on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump demanded $5.7 bn to build the wall on the border with Mexico. He cited the murder of Indian-origin officer Ronil "Ron" Singh in his plea for funding for the border wall.

Trump described Singh, who was recently killed in California, as a national "hero" in his televised address. He said America's heart broke the day the young officer was "savagely murdered" in cold blood by an "illegal alien".

Corporal Singh, 33, of the Newman Police Department was shot and killed during a traffic stop on December 26 allegedly by an illegal immigrant.

Trump spoke on Thursday with the family members and law enforcement colleagues of Singh, a native of Fiji who joined the force in July 2011.

"America's heart broke the day after Christmas when a young police officer in California was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien (who) just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country," Trump said.

The Californian police have arrested 33-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico identified as Gustavo Perez Arriaga on charges of killing Singh.

Trump demanded funding for his long-promised US-Mexico border wall to halt "a growing humanitarian and security crisis" due to "uncontrolled and illegal" migration, but refrained from declaring a national emergency over the issue.

Trump's remarks came amid a partial government shutdown that is days away from becoming the longest in US history.

The president sought to pressure Democrats to agree to his request for $5.7 billion for the wall as a condition of ending the government shutdown.

He also tried to ramp up support among Republicans who are getting nervous about government workers and others who are feeling the pain of the shutdown.

"This is a humanitarian crisis. A crisis of the heart, and a crisis of the soul," Trump said in his maiden prime-time address from his Oval Office.

Noting that America proudly welcomes millions of lawful immigrants who enrich the American society and contribute to the nation, Trump said all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled, illegal migration.

"It strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages. Among those hardest hits are African-Americans and Hispanic Americans," he said in an eight-minute address as he sought to build a physical barrier along the southern Mexico border.

A wall along the US-Mexico border was one of Trump's signature campaign promises. Trump wants $5.7 billion to build the wall, even though he said repeatedly during his campaign that he would make Mexico pay for the structure. Democrats are refusing to allocate the money, arguing that a wall would be costly and ineffective.

Making a strong pitch for the wall, Trump said the federal government remained shut because of Democrats.

The president also said that 90 per cent of heroin sold in the US came from Mexico.

"Last month 20,000 migrant children were illegally brought into the United States, a dramatic increase. These children are used as human pawns by vicious coyotes and ruthless gangs. One in three women are sexually assaulted on the dangerous trek up through Mexico," Trump said.

"Women or children are the biggest victims by far of the broken system. This is the tragic reality of illegal immigration on our southern border. This is the cycle of human suffering that I am determined to end," he said.

"As part of an overall approach to border security law enforcement professionals have requested $5.7 billion for a physical barrier. At the request of Democrats, it will be a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall. This barrier is absolutely critical to border security. It's also what are professionals at the border want and need,"Trump said.

Trump said illegal immigrants and drugs flowing across the southern border posed a serious threat to American safety.

(With PTI inputs)UK Prime Minister Theresa May received a major setback when her government suffered a defeat in parliament on Tuesday when lawmakers who oppose leaving the European Union without a deal won a vote.

MPs voted by 303 to 296 in favour of an amendment to the finance bill tabled by Labour party's Yvette Cooper to curb some of the governments tax administration powers in the event of no deal without explicit authorisation for parliament.

May's position is significantly weak as a leader of a minority government, a divided party and a critical parliament.

"This vote is an important step to prevent a no-deal Brexit. It shows that there is no majority in Parliament, the Cabinet or the country for crashing out of the EU without an agreement," opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn of the Labour Party said.

But the government has downplayed the defeat stating that the amendment does not change the fact that "the UK is leaving the EU on 29 March" according to a spokesman.

"We will work with Parliament to make sure that the tax system works smoothly in all Brexit scenarios," he said.

Meanwhile, the crucial Brexit vote in set for January 15. Though there were talks of delay, the government has denied the speculation.

May postponed an initial vote last month in the face of opposition from all sides of the House of Commons, but has now set it for next Tuesday evening after 7:00pm GMT, following five days of debate, which starts on Wednesday.

May is still struggling to convince both opposition lawmakers and her own Conservative party to back the divorce agreement, heightening fears Britain could leave the European Union on March 29 without a deal.

She has promised to secure further assurances from the EU on the most controversial elements of the Brexit deal relating to Northern Ireland, and has held talks with European leaders in recent days.

"The work to secure those assurances is ongoing," her spokesman said, adding that the prime minister hoped to have something to offer MPs before next week's vote.

May is hosting several drinks parties for lawmakers this week in a bid to win them round, arguing her deal is the best compromise that ends EU membership while protecting jobs.As his family prepares to find a replacement, Sultan Muhammad V, who abdicated as king of Malaysia after marrying a Russian former beauty queen, is said to be getting ready to have a baby.

On Sunday, the king had announced that he was stepping aside from his position. He had just come back from a two-month long medical leave during which he is said to have married the former Miss Moscow, Oksana Voevodina, 25.

Now, reports suggest the couple are expecting a baby. The 25-year-old Russian beauty queen had converted to Islam last April so that she could marry King Muhammed, who is 49 years old, last November.

The Sun, quoting Russia's biggest-selling newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda (KP), said that anonymous sources said: "The couple are expecting their first baby and has fully devoted themselves to the future offspring."

Though King Muhammed did not give an official reason for stepping down, rumours have connected his secret marriage to Voevodina and his abdication.

Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy where the king assumes a largely ceremonial role. There are nine royal families and the throne changes hands every five years between families. Malaysia's royalty command great respect, especially from Muslim Malays, and criticising them is strictly forbidden.

Muhammad gave up the throne just two years into his term and it was the first time in history that any king had abdicated during his five-year term in the Muslim-majority country.

Muhammad was known for his liking for four-wheel driving and other extreme sports.The Central Trade Unions, which had jointly given the call for a country-wide general strike that would end on Wednesday, claimed total success and said that they would work towards the ouster of the Narendra Modi government if it did not stop attacking union leaders, talk to them and roll back the codification of laws that, they claim, are anti-workers.

Amarjeet Kaur, general secretary of the All India Trade Union Congress, told THE WEEK that they would be keeping their eyes open on the government's moves over the next few months in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections.

The trade unions have a list of 44 laws that, they believe, were enacted after prolonged struggle, and say that the Modi government has now undone all the enabling features by reducing them to four. Particularly mentioned was the fixed-term employment notification which, they say, adversely affects job security in the country.

Kaur pointed out the introduction of the Trade Unions (Amendment) Bill 2019 by Union minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar on Tuesday in Lok Sabha, and charged him with telling a pack of lies in Parliament. He told the house a lie when he said there was no process laid out for the recognition of trade unions. There is; and it is on the basis of that we were invited for talks including tripartite talks, represented at the Labour Organisations. This government is usurping the functions of trade unions and dismantling them, and this is dangerous for democracy. According to the trade union leaders, by this amendment the government will pick and choose trade unions.

The leaders of the Central Trade Unions claimed that more than 20 crore people had participated in the strike. While there was complete bandh in seven states on January 8, four more states observed a similar total bandh on Wednesday.

While the strike was 100 per cent successful in the industrial sectors including manufacturing, government, banking and insurance, markets, schools and colleges were shut and public transport had come to a halt.

The response was bigger than we had anticipated, indicating how people in all these sectors feel crushed. Of particular importance is the support we got from college and university teachers and studentsincluding the Delhi University and the JNU, and the construction workers, farmers and those in the unorganised sectors, elaborated Kaur.

These unions had given call for a one-day strike in 2015, and another one-day strike in 2016. But the response to the latest strike has made it the biggest so far, she said, adding they would now mobilise support for the three-day defence employees' strike slated for January 23-25.Cockpit voice recordings of a January 2 incident of the crew of an Israeli F-15 fighter jet who managed to save the aircraft after it lost its canopy in flight have gone viral in recent days. Interestingly, an Indian Air Force pilot won the Vayu Sena Medal for Gallantry after he managed to land his Russian-built MiG-29 fighter after a near-identical accident in 2016.

In addition to risk of direct physical injury, the loss of a canopy also exposes pilots to severe cold temperatures and wind speeds at high altitudes, impairing their physiological and cognitive responses.

In June 2016, squadron leader Rijul Sharma took off in his MiG-29 from the Indian Air Force base at Jamnagar, Gujarat, to conduct tests at supersonic speed. Sharma's MiG-29 was flying at an altitude of nearly 10km and a speed of Mach 1.1 (nearly 1,300kmph), when its canopy perspex shattered.

The canopy parts hit Sharma on his right shoulder; the pilot was also exposed to a temperature of -28 degree Celsius and severe high-speed winds. The incident occurred when the MiG-29 was about 110km away from Jamnagar.

The Indian Air Force citation for the incident noted, Weighing against the option of ejecting and displaying courage of an exceptional order, Sqn Ldr Sharma decided to recover the aircraft. In the process, he totally disregarded his critical shoulder injury and the discomfort posed by high speed, high altitude and low temperatures.

Sharma quickly descended to an altitude of 3km and lowered his air speed. He also steered the MiG-29 away from oil installations and residential areas. Sharma managed to return to Jamnagar and landed the MiG-29 without damage. The Indian Air Force citation praised Sharma for not only saving his own life and aircraft, but also preventing possible catastrophic damage to en-route strategically important and vital petro-chemical installations and populated areas. After a brief stay in hospital, Sharma was able to resume flying duties.

In the incident in Israel, the F-15, with a pilot and a navigator, took off from the Tel Nof airbase on January 2 for a training sortie. The aircraft, purchased from the US, lost its canopy at an altitude of approximately 9km, exposing the crew to a temperature of -45 degree Celsius and very high-speed winds. The crew can be heard shouting to each other in a bid to communicate in the cockpit voice recording of the incident, released by the Israeli military earlier this week. Given security restrictions, the pilot and navigator were only identified by their initials.

The F-15 crew managed to reduce its speed to around 300kmph and landed the aircraft at the nearby Nevatim air base in southern Israel. The crew were not injured in the incident.

Other than managing to fly without a canopy, the Indian Air Force MiG-29 and the Israeli F-15 fleets have a similarity. While the Indian Air Force has referred to its MiG-29 as the Baaz (Hindi for hawk), the early Israeli F-15 variants are called Baz (Hebrew for falcon)!In a setback to the efforts of the Congress and other opposition parties to form a grand alliance against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance ahead of the general elections, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday made it clear that his party, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), would not be a part of such alliance.

BJD will not be a part of the mahagathbandhan. We will continue with our policy of equidistance from both the BJP and the Congress, Patnaik told reporters in Bhubaneswar.

On Tuesday, Patnaik had said that the BJD would decide on joining the mahagathbandhan of opposition parties later as it needed time to firm up its decision.

The BJD's decision came at a time when the BJP has stepped up its efforts to increase footprint in Odisha. In 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the saffron party had won only one seat, while the BJD bagged all the remaining 20 seats leaving the Congress with zero seats.

However, the BJP's impressive show in the 2017 panchayat elections has led to predictions that the party would emerge as the largest party in the state in the 2019 elections.

With inputs from PTIWhat works against him are the below average dialogues and a sloppy scriptThe Duchess of Sussex's half brother has said he thinks his upcoming wedding will heal the rift between his sister Meghan and her father Thomas Sr.

Thomas Markle Jr. got engaged to his partner Darlene Blount on New Year's Eve and the pair are set to marry in March this year.

Expand Close TOGETHER: Duchesses Meghan and Kate attend church at Sandringham on Christmas Day. Photo: Joe Gidden/PA / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp TOGETHER: Duchesses Meghan and Kate attend church at Sandringham on Christmas Day. Photo: Joe Gidden/PA

While he wasn't on the guest list for his half sister's wedding to Britain's Prince Harry last year, he has vowed to invite the royal couple to his own nuptials, and hopes their presence there will bring an end to issues within the family.

"Absolutely I think our wedding will bring the family closer together," he told Daily Mail TV. "It's hopeful that if Meghan and Harry came and my father... Meghan and Harry could spend some time together with him and that would be good."

Expand Close Thomas Markle Jr on Channel 7's Sunday Night, inset left is Meghan Markle, inset right is Thomas Markle Jr's 2017 mugshot / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Thomas Markle Jr on Channel 7's Sunday Night, inset left is Meghan Markle, inset right is Thomas Markle Jr's 2017 mugshot

Thomas Jr, 52, began dating Darlene around the time Harry and Meghan - who are expecting their first child together - became close.

"I remember that very well -- Meghan and Harry had just started dating and I mentioned it to [Darlene] and she looked at me like, 'Yeah, who is this guy? Whatever! He's crazy.' But it turned out really nice and we've had a really good time ever since. [We've had] ups and downs but we've managed to make it so far."

Expand Close The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arriving to attend the Christmas Day morning church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arriving to attend the Christmas Day morning church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk

Meghan has reportedly cut ties with her family after a string of scandals and interviews revealing personal conversations left the palace in a flurry.

Meghan's father Thomas Sr, who pulled out of attending Meghan and Harry's wedding due to ill health, recently claimed to have been "ghosted" by his daughter.

He said: "I'm not sure why it's happening. I love my daughter very much. I wish she would reach out, send me a text, anything. There has to be a place for me. I'm her father."

Besotted

According to one insider, the Suits star's relationship with the British Prince has led to a huge change in his outlook on life, with Lady Colin Campbell, one of the late Princess Diana's confidantes, describing the prince as being 'besotted' by her.

"Everything I hear is that Harry is completely beguiled by Meghan and completely enthralled to her and has changed considerably," she said on Channel 5's Princesses at War programme.

However according to insiders, the royal family expressed concern about how quickly the relationship formed at the time, and urged Harry to take a step back.

"William was quite concerned that the relationship had moved so quickly and being close to Harry, probably the only person close enough to say to Harry 'this seems to be moving quickly, are you sure?' And I think what was meant as well intended brotherly advice just riled Harry," royal author Katie Nicholl said.The lawsuit was originally filed June 13, 2016, by the Taylors' attorney, D. Duane Cook, alleging that the university had attempted to coerce Taylor out of salary and benefits in the amount of at least $395,000 per year that he claimed had been previously negotiated and approved by UC's board of trustees. | File PhotoTimothy Seth Bryant Pennington was born on January 30, 1988 in Corbin, Ky. He departed this life on June 3, 2021 to be with his Lord and Savior, whom he accepted as a young boy at his church, West Corbin Baptist. Seth was assured of his salvation and knew where he would spend his eternity. SLocal leaders look ahead

SPRINGFIELD - Wednesday's swearing-in included newly elected, and re-elected, Riverbend-area leaders.

State Rep. Monica Bristow, D-Alton, took the oath as representative of the 111th District of Illinois, and state Sen. Rachelle Aud Crowe, D-Glen Carbon, did the same for the state's 56th District. Bristow was elected after being appointed to the seat following the retirement of state Rep. Dan Beiser, and Crowe won the seat formerly occupied by retiring Sen. Bill Haine.

"It's an incredible honor to serve the communities I have lived in nearly my entire life," Crowe said. "I look forward to confronting the problems facing our area by fighting for funding for education and workforce development programs and tackling the opioid epidemic sweeping our communities."

Crowe's district office will be at 111 N. Wood River Ave., in her childhood hometown of Wood River.

Bristow took the occasion to look ahead to the coming year, and the challenges that lie ahead.

"My focus remains on ensuring that we have a strong local economy, and I will continue to put forth efforts that prioritize local companies and employees over foreign or out of state corporations. Errors from the past administration have cost Illinois thousands of jobs and damaged critical services that people in our state rely on. I intend to work with my colleagues, both Republican and Democrat, to enact commonsense solutions that help grow our region and better Illinois as a whole.

"We must get our fiscal house in order, which is the critical first step in transforming our state into a place that welcomes businesses and provides them with the resources to prosper. Our tax dollars need to remain in Illinois and be put towards the services and programs that Illinois families rely on, like education, our healthcare systems, and public safety. We also must address the opioid epidemic that has ravaged downstate Illinois and claimed countless lives. I, along with my Metro East colleagues, am continuing to work with local leaders on comprehensive solutions to help end this crisis."

State Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill - the veteran of the group after being sworn in for a third term Wednesday - said he looks forward to continuing his fight for school funding reform, among other issues.

"I plan to continue pressing for fair school funding, desperately needed job creation in central Illinois and protections for rural health care," Manar said. "And I intend to continue reaching across the aisle to my Republican colleagues so we can make good things happen for downstate residents together."The attorneys general of 43 states, including Illinois, have reached a $1.5 million settlement with the Neiman Marcus Group to resolve a multistate investigation after a 2013 breach compromised customer credit cards in 77 stores.

Neiman Marcus will also implement policies to prevent further breaches, according to Attorney General Lisa Madigan.EDWARDSVILLE  Almost one year ago, officers from the Madison County Public Corruption Task Force raided several Madison County governmental offices in broad daylight, taking computers and other files.

Later, the county employee responsible for compliance with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act was called before a grand jury, and a subsequent lawsuit resulted in the Illinois Attorney Generals Office taking over the case after a judge ruled that Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons and his office had a conflict of interest.

The high-profile raids  a second raid followed less than a month later  generated speculation, but little has come of the seizures and resulting investigation. In the nearly year since, the investigation has been mostly silent except for occasional references to the investigation during partisan political fights in committee and County Board meetings.

Madison County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler said recently that since the lawsuit over the summer, there has been no action or discussion.

Not that I have heard of, he said. I have not heard anything in months and months.

However, according to Annie Thompson, press secretary for the Illinois Attorney Generals Office, the case is ongoing as of last week. She declined additional comment on the case.

The initial search warrants were served at several county offices at about 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10. Officers left about 90 minutes later with computers and other items. The officers targeted the Madison County Board Office, specifically the office of Madison County Administrator Doug Hulme; the office of Public Relations and Communications Manager Cynthia Ellis; and the county IT Department.

The search was conducted by the Madison County Public Corruption Task Force, formed at the request of Madison County States Attorney Tom Gibbons. In a press release issued at the time, Gibbons said it was formed after evidence surfaced in late 2017 of possible illegal conduct by county officials.

In late January, the county FOIA officer was called before a grand jury and some records were subpoenaed, and later a search warrant was served on that office.

In September, Circuit Judge Jerry Crisel, of the Second Judicial Circuit in Mount Vernon, ordered that the investigation be handled by the Illinois Attorney Generals Office. Crisel ruled that Gibbons could not both prosecute the case and represent county officials as one of his statutory duties as states attorney. Gibbons would not have to defend any criminal charges brought against any officials. The officials would have to hire their own attorneys for criminal defense.

The order stems from a lawsuit filed by attorney Ed Moorman on behalf of County Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler, County Administrator Doug Hulme and Information Technology Director Rob Dorman. The suit asked the court to clarify whether Gibbons should represent the three officials. Attorney Amy Sholar also filed a suit on behalf of former Administrative Director Steve Adler. The order applied to both cases.

Since then, there has been no public action on the investigation.

Prenzler said Monday there has been no real impact on county operations.

Its my understanding the equipment taken in the search has not been returned, but it is easily replaced, he said.

The only public comments on the subject have been by Madison County Auditor Rick Faccin, who has referred to the investigation several times during arguments in public meetings with other county officials  usually Prenzler or Hulme.

The most recent was during the December board meeting, when Faccin said that raises should not be given to county officials who might be under investigation.

My take on this is you err on the side of caution, Faccin said Monday. I dont know whats going to happen, theres been no official word except that its ongoing. Until this is concluded and we have an official statement made from the powers that be, we have to sit back and wait to see what happens.WOOD RIVER  January is Radon Awareness Month and the Madison County Health Department emphasizes the importance of getting youre home tested.

The department offers radon test kits for $6 each for residents to use to check the radon level in their homes. The $6 includes all testing fees and pre-paid postage to mail the kit for your results. Radon is a significant environmental cancer risk and is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer among smokers.

Residents can come to the health department, located at 101 E. Edwardsville Road in Wood River, to purchase a radon test kit between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.

With the presence of radon in this geographic area, we encourage residents to take advantage of this opportunity and test for radon in their homes, said Erin Boester, the health departments health protection manager.

More than 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. are caused by radon exposure.

Since radon is a colorless, odorless and invisible gas that occurs naturally in the soil that seeps into the soil. When radon seeps into the home, the only way to detect it is to test for it.

Radon is the natural breakdown of uranium and radium in rock formations. Radon can seep through cracks in a homes foundation from the surrounding soil.

Sump pits, gaps in suspended floors, construction joists and exposed soil within crawl spaces are all areas where radon may find a way into your home. Groundwater and water from wells can also introduce radon into the home but the risk is much smaller. Once inside, radon can build up and create a hazard.

Testing for radon is easy, inexpensive and convenient  taking only three days. Tests should be performed on the lowest level of the home that is frequently occupied. Do not test in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms or utility rooms.

Radon is measured in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L), a measurement of radioactivity. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average indoor radon level in the U.S. is about 1.3 pCi/L.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) reports that the average indoor radon level is about 4.9pCi/L. The U.S. Surgeon General and EPA recommend repairing homes with radon levels at or above 4pCi/L. The EPA also recommends fixing homes with radon levels between 2pCi/L and 4pCi/L.

When residents buy a kit, a health department staff member will help them with instructions, give them valuable information about radon, its measurement and mitigation. For more information, call (618) 296-6079. For more information about National Radon Action Month, visit https://www.cpa.gov/radon. For more information about radon, visit http://www.co.madison.il.us/departments/health/radon.php or IEMA at www.radon.illinois.gov.ALBANY -Republican county leaders hoping to rebound from "disastrous" election defeats last year are urging their state party's chairman to step down.

New York State Republican Chair Ed Cox was presented with a letter calling for his resignation on Tuesday, according to an email obtained by the Times Union. The letter was sent by 11 county chairs that make up the 4th Judicial District, including Fulton, Schenectady, Saratoga and Washington counties.

Read the letter on Capitol Confidential.

Republicans were handed defeats in November at nearly every level of government in the state, with Democrats sweeping the statewide offices, wresting control of three GOP congressional seats and flipping eight seats in the state Senate to win a majority in that chamber.

"The lopsided results also perpetuated the perception that Republicans in New York are a party without direction and without leadership," the 11 county chairs wrote in their letter.

"Unfortunately this perception has been a long time in the making," they continued. "For the last two years the NYGOP has been rife with mismanagement, mixed messages, and a lack of leadership on important organizational and critical issues."

The letter noted that the party lacked a clear direction for the gubernatorial race with less than eight months before Election Day, and that the campaign of GOP nominee Marc Molinaro, the Dutchess County executive, suffered as a result.

"For the good of the party, sir, please lead by stepping down so the process of recovery can begin now," the letter states.

Cox told the Times Union on Wednesday that he understood the frustrations. "We're all frustrated," he said.

"We're going to right the ship," Cox said. "There's a lot we've got to do."

Cox, who doesn't accept a salary to serve as chair and pays his own expenses, has led the state party since 2009. Republican candidates have been shut out in three statewide elections under his tenure.

A previous chair was paid about $150,000 a year.

The county chairs predict that Cox could lose a leadership vote in the future, and have made the case that a delay in changing leadership will delay the party's revitalization.

If Cox agrees to leave, the county chairs said they're prepared to honor his past successes as leader, including the election of President Donald J. Trump in 2016.

The meeting on Tuesday included Saratoga County Republican Chairman Carl Zeilman, Washington County Republican Chairman Dan Boucher and Fulton County Republican Chair Susan McNeil.

David.Lombardo@timesunion.com - 518.454.5427 - @poozer87EDWARDSVILLE  People looking for work or training in Jersey and Calhoun counties will be getting help from neighboring southern counties after a realignment of economic development regions.

Jersey and Calhoun counties are expected to join Madison and Bond counties as part of LWIA 22, one of the states economic development regions, on July 1.

Madison County Employment and Training Director Tony Fuhrmann has called it a win-win for all the counties involved, and is getting ready for the change.

On July 1 the goal is that people in Calhoun and Jersey counties see no changes or an improvement (in services), he said at Mondays Grants Committee meeting.

The committee approved a resolution supporting the realignment. It will go to the full County Board at its next meeting.

Both Jersey and Calhoun county boards have approved similar resolutions, according to Fuhrmann.

As part of the change, an office serving both new member counties will remain in Jerseyville.

He said this started in 2016 when an audit of the economic development agencies showed that Jersey and Calhoun counties needed to join the southern group. The switch was originally expected to take place several years from now, but officials in both northern counties wanted it to happen in July 2019.

Most of the action and discussion items at the committee meeting came from MCET. Also approved was the purchase of 33 new computers, and corresponding software.

There was also discussion about Fuhrmann and several others attending a conference of the National Association of Workforce Boards, set for March in Washington, D.C. He said the cost for four people, including one other MCET employee and two members of the Madison-Bond Workforce Development Board, will be about $10,000.

As part of the conference they will present a video on soft skills. Soft skills are general workplace attributes, including basic people skills and time management. For some time employers have been concerned about such skills.

The video includes segments from Ronald Painter, the National Association of Workforce Boards president and CEO; Phillip 66 Refinery Manager Jerry Knoyle; Richard Mark of Ameren; U.S. Steel/Granite City Works Plant Manager Michael Patton; Glik Stores Vice President Jim Glick; Kathy Federico, executive manager of Jack Schmitt Chevrolet; Steve Faust of icon Mechanical Construction; Dave Peacock, president of Schnucks; Gateway Regional Medical Center President and CEO Ed Cunningham; Tim Power of SCF Lewis and Clark; Jane Saale of Cope Plastics, Dan Buck and SIUE Chancellor Randall Pembrook.

This could be a big deal, Fuhrmann said.

The issue was brought before the committee because there have been concerns expressed over convention and workshop expenses for other departments, but members of the Grants Committee had no concerns about it.

However, Fuhrmann said he would also be making a presentation to the Finance Committee Wednesday morning.

Reach reporter Scott Cousins at 618-208-6447.Courtesy of City of Edwardsville website

EDWARDSVILLE  According to the city of Edwardsvilles website, it is seeking public comment for a new trail connector to Madison County Transits (MCT) Nature Trail.

The city and MCT plan to partner on building the connector path on the west side of the underpass at Route 157 south to the intersection of Center Grove Road and 157. It would pass in front of a Scott Credit Union branch, a McDonalds restaurant and Bella Milano. The connector would be just south of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsvilles entrance/exit at 157 and just west of Edwardsville High School.ALTON  An Alton woman is facing a Jan. 18 court date after she was charged with endangering the life or health of a child by allegedly exposing her baby to fentanyl.

Toni L. Waggoner, 32, of the 3400 block of Brown Street, is charged for allegedly exposing her 7-month-0ld baby to fentanyl after having been convicted of a 2015 misdemeanor charge of endangering the life or health of a child.

Waggoner is being held in the Madison County Jail in lieu of $23,000 bail. The baby is in custody of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, according to court documents.

The case was investigated by the Madison County Sheriffs Office after the baby was taken to an area hospital for treatment on Nov. 7. Capt. Mike Dixon said a family member reported the case, and hospital personnel reported it to DCFS.

Hospital tests eventually returned positive for fentanyl. The baby has since recovered.

Waggoner was charged with a felony Dec. 19 after the exposure was reported Nov. 7. She was previously convicted in August 2016 of misdemeanor endangering the health of a child for allegedly cooking and injecting heroin in the presence of two infant children in Wood River.

Waggoner has a criminal record dating to 2013 when she was convicted of possession of a controlled substance and was sentenced to a year of probation. She also has a conviction for criminal trespass to a residence, in addition to misdemeanor convictions for driving under the influence, possession of marijuana, resisting a peace officer and violating an order of protection.

A family member filed a petition for an order of protection against Waggoner in 2015, claiming Waggoner came to her home in Alton and fell asleep in the bathroom. The petitioner called police , who came to the home and found an empty button, which is a capsule used to contain heroin.VANCOUVERBritish Columbia Forest Minister Doug Donaldson faced opposition demands to resign from his post Tuesday, after he defended visiting and meeting with Wetsuweten hereditary chiefs opposed to a gas pipeline near Moricetown, B.C.

The ministers controversial meeting  ahead of Mondays RCMP enforcement of a court injunction on Wetsuweten traditional territories, where they arrested 14  drew outrage from B.C. Liberals who accused him of breaking the rules by attending.

The B.C. government has broken the rule of law to side with activists, party leader Andrew Wilkinson said in a statement on his Twitter account. What kind of government breaks the law to block jobs? Its time for Doug Donaldson to resign.

Wilkinson called on Premier John Horgan to censure his minister of forests, lands, natural resource operations and rural development and make clear Donaldson made a huge mistake by attending the meeting with the Indigenous leaders who oppose the Coastal GasLink pipeline to a planned Kitimat, B.C. liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant.

What Wilkinsons tweet did not mention is that Donaldson is the MLA for an estimated 85 per cent of the Wetsuweten peoples population, divided between the two largest Wetsuweten bands which are located in his Stikine constituency.

However, B.C. Liberal statement countered that the camp is located in the constituency of Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad, who argued that Donaldsons ability to approve resource development permits in B.C. has been compromised when he chose to side with protesters who are breaking the law.

Read more:

Opinion | Tanya Talaga: First lets talk about basic Indigenous rights, then well get to reconciliation

Anti-pipeline demonstrators force Trudeau to delay and relocate planned speech at First Nations forum

Wetsuweten land defenders rally after 14 arrests, retreat from Gidimten checkpoint: 'We lose this, we lose our culture'

In fact, a close analysis of satellite maps on Elections B.C.s Electoral District Explorer shows that the Unistoten Camp checkpoint is in fact fewer than 20 kilometres inside Rustads riding, but the Wetsuweten reserves in Nechako Lakes district have a population of less than 500 altogether.

Donaldson was not made available for an interview Tuesday, but provided a statement defending his decision to visit the blockade on Saturday, ahead of the RCMP enforcement  and insisted that the dispute falls inside his constituency.

As MLA for Stikine, he said, it is my responsibility to listen to the views of the people I represent.

I visited the checkpoint on the invitation of my constituents and hereditary chiefs to hear their concerns and observe their protocols.

He said that his visit represented an acknowledgement of their authority as it was upheld in the historic 1997 Supreme Court of Canada case known as the Delgamuukw case, after its plaintiff. That case was considered the pivotal advancement for First Nations land rights in Canadian courts for decades.

Donaldson denied he broke the rule of law through his visit, saying he is aware that the laws of Canada must be upheld and court injunctions must be followed.

At the same time, he added, the clash between the court order and Wetsuweten hereditary leadership illustrates how these two systems of law are colliding.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

The checkpoints are the latest act of defiance in a Wetsuweten grassroots uprising against the First Nations elected band council leadership and its decision to ink a $13-million agreement to support a pipeline.

The project is being headed up by Coastal GasLink to bring natural gas through the area for delivery to the proposed LNG Canada facility in Kitimat, B.C. Coastal GasLink is a subsidiary of TransCanada.

While the band council signed the deal on behalf of the Wetsuweten First Nation, all five of the clans that make up the nation are revolting against the decision. The clan chiefs, who inherit their positions and are considered integral leaders of their communities, say that the First Nations band council only has jurisdiction over the reserve, not their entire traditional territories.

But the Liberals countered that the government should instead listen to the elected leaders.

Reacting to the call for Donaldsons resignation, Thomson Rivers University geographer Michael Mehta tweeted, This is not about siding with protestors but support for First Nations and their right to be heard and have their values, traditions, and knowledge respected in resource decisions.

I am proud that Minister Donaldson is doing this, and (B.C. Liberals) should be out there too.

Each Wetsuweten clan is made up of a number of houses, also headed by hereditary chiefs. These house chiefs are also in full revolt and unanimously supported a decision to block Coastal GasLink from entering their territories, citing Article 10 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. That article says Indigenous Peoples must not be forcibly removed from their territories.

Because no treaty has been concluded between the Crown and the Unistoten or any of the Wetsuweten in relation to their territories, wrote B.C. Civil Liberties Association executive director Josh Paterson in a letter Saturday to the B.C. RCMPs deputy commissioner, their land rights therefore continue unextinguished.

The Vancouver-based legal rights organization added that the Wetsuwetens land rights mean the government must obtain consent to use the land and that Indigenous titleholders can exclude people from their land.

But others in the B.C. Liberal caucus repeated Wilkinsons criticism of the decision. Finance critic Shirley Bond, who is MLA for Prince George-Valemount riding, wrote on Twitter that Donaldsons meeting with the hereditary chiefs showed disrespect for the court injunction against the chiefs and others obstructing the Morice River Forestry Service Road, where two checkpoints had been erected.

So if the government respects the courts decision, Bond tweeted, maybe they should explain the visit of their minister  to show support for the blockade?

He is a representative of the Crown? British Columbians deserve an explanation  if he stands against the law he needs to be held accountable!

Read more about:An Ontario Provincial Police deputy commissioner is headed to court to force the ombudsman to investigate the appointment of a friend of Premier Doug Ford to head the OPP.

Brad Blair, who served as interim commissioner until going public with complaints about the Progressive Conservatives controversial hiring of Toronto police Supt. Ron Taverner, will get his first day in court Monday.

Blairs lawyer, Julian Falconer, filed an application to Divisional Court to determine and enforce the jurisdiction of ombudsman Paul Dube to review the OPP commissioner hiring process on an expedited basis.

Dube has declined to investigate, insisting it is beyond his jurisdiction.

There is serious concern of the nefarious effect that perceived political interference would have on the perceived impartiality and integrity of the OPP, a matter of great public importance, Falconer says in a notice of motion.

Integrity commissioner J. David Wake is already conducting a probe into the controversial hiring following a complaint by New Democrat MPP Kevin Yarde (Brampton North).

Read more:

Ethics watchdog mum on probe of Taverners controversial appointment to head OPP

Tories blast OPP commissioners unfounded allegations about Taverner hiring

Opinion | Martin Regg Cohn: The hidden danger for Ontario when a premier meddles in the OPP

Wake is examining whether there was any political interference in the appointment of Taverner, 72, whose Toronto police command in the northwest corner of the city includes the Ford family turf of Etobicoke.

But Falconer argues that report will not be an effective vehicle in this situation.

Any recommendations by the integrity commissioner will be put before the MPPs, in assembly, to decide, via a vote, he writes. Such a vote is final and conclusive. As the government of the day holds a majority  it would be unlikely that any findings of wrongdoing would be upheld.

If the ombudsman does not review the complaint, the independence of the OPP will continue to operate under a cloud of suspicions, Falconer warns.

This is a serious matter as the independence of the OPP  a body that can be called on to investigate provincial politicians  must be seen as legitimate in the eyes of the citizenry.

Indeed, the force was called on to investigate deleted documents related to a previous Liberal governments closure of gas-fired power plants before the 2011 provincial election. Last April, a top Liberal political aide was sentenced to four months in jail, pending an appeal.

Speaking for Dube, lawyer Frank Cesario of the firm Hicks Morley Hamilton Stewart Storie LLP, said in court documents there is no need to jump the Divisional Courts normal queue for cases.

The appointment with which Mr. Blair takes issue has been put on hold  pending the integrity commissioners inquiry. That inquiry could take months.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Fords government named Taverner as OPP commissioner on Nov. 29, sparking concerns about the independence of the force, which has investigated provincial governments in the past.

The 51-year police veteran asked his appointment be postponed and has returned to his old job overseeing three police divisions in Etobicoke during the integrity commissioners review.

Ford has said he did not push for his long-time chum to be hired, but he has criticized Blair for complaining.

Last month, the premier said it was sour grapes because the 32-year OPP veteran was a runner-up to Taverner.

There is a lot of misinformation going out there, said Ford, pointing to Blairs explosive nine-page letter to Dube on Dec. 11.

I get it that hes upset that he didnt win a fair process. I understand. Did he step over the line on a lot of things? Im going to let the media decide that  and I wish you would look into that actually, he told reporters.

In his missive, the OPP deputy commissioner alleged the premiers chief of staff, Dean French, asked the force to purchase a large camper-type vehicle modified to specifications the premiers office would provide us and keep the costs off the books.

On Dec. 18, Ford called that a baseless claim without merit.

Thats just not accurate whatsoever. I asked if they had a used one, he said at his most recent news conference.

The premier did not say why he needed the van or why his office allegedly wanted the costs of customizing the van kept hidden. He is currently driven around in a police SUV.

Blair served as interim commissioner after the retirement of commissioner Vince Hawkes last fall.

In the wake of his letter to Dube he was replaced by Gary Couture.

Robert Benzie is the Stars Queens Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

Read more about:Premier Doug Ford loves to boast about how his Conservative government is moving swiftly to end hallway medicine and adequately fund health care in Ontario.

Indeed, Ford said earlier this week in a letter to Ontarios 68,000 public servants that he has been moving forward at a lightning pace to deal with hospital overcrowding.

He also told the bureaucrats that Health Minister Christine Elliott is working hard to protect the public health-care system, adding his government will continue to ensure necessary funding for world-class health care in Ontario.

Secretly, though, a major multi-faceted campaign is underway inside and outside the premiers office to develop a two-tier system of health care in Ontario, complete with specialized private clinics and the ability of some doctors to charge more than standard rates for medical procedures they perform outside of a public hospital or health centre.

The campaign is filled with closed-door meetings at such places as the Albany Club, a long-time Conservative bastion in downtown Toronto, and is funded by some of Canadas largest corporations.

If successful, this privatization push could ultimately have a profound impact on every patient and resident in Ontario, including how long they must wait for specialized operations and diagnostic services and how much they must pay out of their own pockets.

Evidence of this campaign is clearly mounting:

First, major financial interests in Toronto are quietly supporting a controversial lawsuit by Dr. Brian Day of Vancouver, founder of the private Cambie Surgery Centre, who has brought a constitution challenge to B.C.s restriction to private health care. The case is now before the B.C. Supreme Court and is expected to land eventually before the Supreme Court of Canada. These interests are reportedly ramping up an $8-million war chest to help fund Days court cases.

Organizers are also planning to launch a major campaign portraying our current system as inefficient and overpriced.

Insurance firms are excited about the possibility of increased private health care. They see huge profits in offering corporations private insurance programs for employees who visit private clinics and who must pay more than OHIP currently covers for services and treatments.

Second, the Ford government may be headed for a deal with specialty doctors that is separate from any agreement with the Ontario Medical Association. Such a deal could open the door to costly private radiology clinics, private cardiac health clinics, expand the ability for ophthalmologists to perform cataract surgery in private facilities, and much more.

Third, the Ford government has shown a troubling lack of interest in reducing inappropriate care, such as unnecessary diagnostic tests, which have been a constant source of criticism of for-profit clinics.

Fourth, former B.C. premier Gordon Campbell, who last fall testified in support of the Cambie clinics lawsuit, is a close adviser on the Ford governments probe into hospital efficiencies.

Fifth, the Ford government has refused to proclaim the amendments to Oversight of Health Facilities and Devices Act, which was passed in 2017 under the former Liberal government. A key provision bans the creation of new private hospitals in Ontario.

Sixth, Merrilee Fullerton, a former family doctor and a long-time advocate of two-tier health care, could soon replace Christine Elliott as health minister. Fullerton, who currently is minister of training, colleges and universities, reportedly is favoured by Fords inner circle of health advisers over Elliott, who they see as resisting their privatization efforts. Many health-care leaders trust Elliott and see her as making sound, evidence-based decisions as opposed to the ideologically inspired actions often promoted by private health-care advocates.

In his letter this week to Ontario bureaucrats, Ford signalled that major changes are coming.

While promising necessary funding for Ontarios $61-billion annual health-care system, the premier said this issue must be about more than money. It will also be about embracing change and innovation, deploying technology more effectively, and committing to new models of collaboration and patient care.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Ah, such sweet words for those working in secret to bring more private health-care to Ontario.

But what a clear warning for public health-care defenders that radical change is coming unless they stand up and make their voices heard  loud, clear and now.

Read more about:LONDONBritains battle over Brexit turned into political trench warfare between Parliament and the government Wednesday, as Prime Minister Theresa May brought her little-loved EU divorce agreement back to lawmakers who appear determined to thwart her plans.

A month after postponing a vote on the deal to avert near-certain defeat, May urged Parliament to support it to prevent Britain leaving the EU on March 29 with no agreement on exit terms and future relations, an outcome that could cause economic and social upheaval.

The only way to avoid no deal is to vote for the deal, May told lawmakers in the House of Commons on the first of five days of debate ahead of a vote on Tuesday.

May postponed the vote in mid-December when it became clear lawmakers would resoundingly reject the agreement, a compromise deal that has left both pro-European and pro-Brexit politicians unhappy.

Rather than warming to Mays deal since then, lawmakers have tried to wrest control of Brexit from the government and put it in the hands of Parliament.

An alliance of governing Conservative and opposition legislators has dealt May two defeats in as many days  symbolic setbacks that suggest a power shift from the executive to the legislature.

Read more:

UK Parliament moves to make no-deal Brexit more difficult

Migration, fear and other lessons without borders

UKs Hunt says confident May will seal deal for Brexit

On Wednesday, the House of Commons voted to prevent the government delaying key decisions as Brexit approaches. Lawmakers approved a motion saying that if Parliament rejects Mays divorce deal, the government must come up with a Plan B within three working days. Lawmakers would have the power to amend that plan.

Pro-EU Conservative lawmaker Dominic Grieve, who proposed the measure, said it was intended to speed up decisions, to help avoid a no-deal Brexit and the calamitous consequences that would follow on from it.

The government previously had 21 days to report back to Parliament.

In a sign of the anger and division Brexit has sown among lawmakers, the motion prompted bad-tempered scenes in Parliament, as Conservatives accused Speaker John Bercow of contravening parliamentary convention by allowing a vote on the amendment.

Late Tuesday, legislators backed an amendment to the Finance Bill that puts roadblocks in the way of government spending on no-deal Brexit measures. The vote, which saw 20 legislators from Mays Conservative Party rebel and side with the opposition, indicates that a majority in Parliament opposes leaving the EU without an agreement and will try to stop it happening.

May has refused publicly to consider an alternative plan, battling instead to shore up political support for the withdrawal agreement struck between Britain and the EU after months of painstaking negotiations. Last month she promised to seek reassurances from the EU on the most contentious issue, the status of the Northern Ireland-Ireland border. But the bloc refuses to reopen the agreement, and opposition to the negotiated deal remains strong among British lawmakers.

May insisted Wednesday that further clarification from the EU was possible, and those talks will continue over the next few days.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said that not one single dot or comma has changed since Decembers aborted vote.

Isnt the prime minister bringing back exactly the same deal she admitted would be defeated four weeks ago? he asked.

Amid the political stalemate, pro-Brexit members of Parliament are urging the government to ramp up preparations for leaving the EU without a deal. Economists and businesses warn that would cause economic turmoil, as goods moving between Britain and the EU suddenly faced customs checks, tariffs and other barriers.

A majority of members of Parliament oppose a no-deal Brexit, but it remains the default option if Mays deal is rejected. And there is no clear majority in Parliament for any single alternate course. Among the competing proposals are postponing Brexit to seek a new deal, calling a general election or holding a second EU membership referendum.

Labour said it would try to trigger an election by calling for a no-confidence vote in the government if Mays deal is defeated next week. Theres no guarantee Labour could marshal the majority support in Parliament needed to topple the government  and even if it did, a new election would not automatically stop the Brexit countdown clock.

A top European parliamentarian urged British lawmakers to show responsibility over the divorce deal.

Manfred Weber, a German conservative who heads the biggest group in the European Parliament, said in Berlin that our colleagues in Britains lower house carry great responsibility now  the agreement is on the table.

Weber said a no-deal withdrawal would lead to very difficult, perhaps even chaotic situations.

Britains de-facto deputy prime minister, David Lidington, said politicians must abandon fantasies about magical alternative deals that are somehow going to sort of spring out of a cupboard in Brussels.

He said the choice was between Mays deal, no deal or to reverse the 2016 referendum entirely.

Read more about:KINSHASA, CONGOAnti-riot police with water cannon and armoured vehicles surrounded Congos electoral commission on Wednesday as it said everything is ready to announce provisional results of the presidential election later in the day. Activist groups urged people to be ready to massively take to the streets if results dont match the truth of the ballot boxes.

Residents of the capital, Kinshasa, said the heavy security presence was a bad sign, with some recalling the violence that followed past disputed elections.

It may be a message that the publication (of the results) wont meet the expectations of the Congolese people, resident John Kabamba said.

A statement by more than 300 civil society organizations said people should be ready to protest. Releasing untrue results would be considered a constitutional coup detat, said Carbone Beni, co-ordinator of the Filimbi movement, calling on other African nations to make sure the peoples vote is respected.

Police installed metal barriers and blocked traffic outside the electoral commission as it continued meetings that began late Tuesday. Spokeswoman Marie-France Idikayi told The Associated Press that we are waiting for the final deliberations of the electoral commission plenary session to end but the announcement room is prepared.

The preliminary results of the Dec. 30 vote had been expected on Sunday, but the commission indefinitely delayed the announcement, to the growing suspicion of many Congolese. Some said the delay allows manipulation in favour of the ruling party.

Seeing all these barriers, it proves that (the commission) doesnt need or doesnt want to give us the name of the person who was elected, said Kinshasa resident Beni Babutu.

The vast, mineral-rich Central African country is choosing a successor to departing President Joseph Kabila, in power since 2001. He backs ruling party candidate Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, who is under European Union sanctions for a crackdown on Congolese protesting two years of election delays while he was interior minister.

Leading opposition candidate Martin Fayulu, a Kinshasa lawmaker and businessman, has urged the electoral commission to announce the true results as quickly as possible and warned it not to play with fire, it is very dangerous. He said the delay is to fudge the results and warned that his coalition would release its own figures if the official ones are in doubt.

Spokesmen for Shadary and the other top opposition candidate, Felix Tshisekedi, have indicated that their candidates won. Tshisekedis party on Tuesday called him the presumed winner and indicated that he has had contact with Kabila to prepare a peaceful and civilized transfer of power. Kabila adviser Kikaya Bin Karubi, however, denied any such contact.

The government has cut internet service since the day after the election to prevent speculation on social media about who won, and blocked some radio stations.

The United States, African Union, European Union and others have urged Congos government to make sure the election results conform to the will of the people. Western pressure likely has little effect, however, as Congos government has rejected what it calls interference and expelled the EU ambassador days before the vote. Western election observers were not invited.

Many have seen this election as Congos first chance at a democratic, peaceful transfer of power since independence in 1960. But one Congolese election observer group, Symocel, on Tuesday reported major irregularities including the disappearance of envelopes containing results from nearly 120 polling stations in Kinshasa, an opposition stronghold.

Congos powerful Catholic Church has said it found a clear winner from data compiled by its 40,000 observers deployed to all polling stations. Voting regulations prohibit anyone but the electoral commission from announcing results. The church has urged the commission to announce accurate ones.

Congos ruling party responded angrily, calling the churchs announcement anarchist, and the electoral commission accused the church of preparing an uprising. The church replied by saying that only the release of false results would incite an uprising.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Electoral commission president Corneille Nangaa has said authorities were aware that this process has always been surrounded by distrust.

He blamed the delay on opposition parties insistence that results be counted by hand and not transmitted electronically via voting machines, which Congo used for the first time. The machines were the focus of much concern, with the opposition and observers saying they could open the door to manipulating results.BAGHDADSecretary of State Mike Pompeo sought Wednesday to reassure U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria that they will be safe after American troops withdraw from the country.

Amid confusion over plans to implement U.S. President Donald Trumps pullout order and threats from Turkey to attack the Kurds, Pompeo made an unannounced stop in Iraq while on a weeklong trip to the Middle East aimed at assuaging the fears of Washingtons Arab partners that the U.S. is abandoning the region or walking away from the fight against the Islamic State group.

These have been folks that have fought with us and its important that we do everything we can to ensure that those folks that fought with us are protected, Pompeo said of the Kurds while visiting Irbil, the capital of Iraqs semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, after talks in Baghdad.

His comments were similar to those made earlier in the week by Trumps national security adviser, John Bolton, who said on visits to Israel and Turkey that protecting the Kurds is a priority for the U.S. even as it moves to withdraw some 2,000 American troops from Syria.

Boltons comments drew a quick rejection from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said they were a serious mistake and that Turkey cannot make any concessions in this regard. Turkey regards the Kurds as terrorists and has vowed to attack them.

Pompeo, however, downplayed Erdogans response to Bolton and predicted that any differences could be ironed out in upcoming talks between the U.S. special envoy for Syria, Jim Jeffrey, and Turkish and Kurdish officials.

Erdogan has made commitments; he understands that  I think he uses the language  he talks about he has no beef with the Kurds. We want to make sure that thats the case, and Im confident that as Ambassador Jeffrey and others travel through the region in the days ahead, well make real progress on that, Pompeo said.

Read more:

Deputy AG Rod Rosenstein expected to leave Justice in weeks

Trump backs himself into a corner on wall shutdown after TV address

Top Democrats say Trump has chosen fear in border battle

Still, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday that Turkey will not refrain from military action to protect its borders from what he describes as threats posed by Syrian Kurdish fighters.

The Turkish rebuffs continue to amplify a rift between the NATO allies and raise new questions about how the United States would protect fighters who are U.S. allies in the war against the Islamic State group.

Earlier in Baghdad, Pompeo said he told Iraqi officials that the fight to counter Iran is real and important.

Pompeo and Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi discussed efforts to ensure the lasting defeat throughout the region of the Islamic State group, State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said.

Pompeo also promoted the U.S. push to move Iraq toward energy independence, said Palladino. Iraq imports electricity and natural gas from Iran to meet its energy needs.

Iran has cultivated close ties with Iraqi politicians and religious and business leaders since the 2003 U.S. invasion toppled dictator Saddam Hussein and destabilized the country. Neutralizing those relations will be a difficult  and possibly dangerous  task. Iran has the ear of several powerful Iraqi militias that rival the might of the countrys U.S.-funded security forces.

Abdul-Mahdi and Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi, who met with Pompeo separately, both said they told the American diplomat that Iraq values good relations with its neighbours.

Pompeo also met with Iraqi President Barham Salih and Foreign Minister Mohamed Alhakim and stressed the U.S.s support for strong, relations based on the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement between the two countries.

Pompeo has said the Syria withdrawal would not detract from U.S. efforts to contain Irans considerable clout in the region. The White House reinstated sanctions against Iran last year for allegedly violating the 2015 nuclear deal championed by former president Barack Obama. International nuclear inspectors had said there was no evidence that Iran was violating the deal.

Pompeos visit is the third high-profile visit by an American official to Iraq in the last month. Iraqi politicians were incensed when Trump last month made an unscheduled visit to a U.S. base in western Iraq without also meeting Abdul-Mahdi, as his predecessors Obama and George W. Bush had done.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Trump said on his Dec. 26 visit that the United States could use its bases in Iraq as a platform for continued operations against the Islamic State group in Syria.

The visit left lawmakers smarting and prompted calls to annul a 2014 agreement that brought U.S. forces back to Iraq. Some 5,200 U.S. troops are now stationed in the country.

Earlier in December, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry urged Iraq to sever its energy dependence on Iran and open its energy sector to American investment. He was in Baghdad with a trade delegation arranged by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Read more about:TEHRAN, IRANIran confirmed Wednesday it is holding U.S. Navy veteran Michael R. White at a prison in the country, making him the first American known to be detained under U.S. President Donald Trumps administration.

Whites detention adds new pressure to the rising tension between Iran and the U.S., which under Trump has pursued a maximalist campaign against Tehran that includes pulling out of its nuclear deal with world powers.

Although the circumstances of Whites detention remain unclear, Iran in the past has used its detention of Westerners and dual nationals as leverage in negotiations.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to the countrys paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, reported the confirmation, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi.

An American citizen was arrested in the city of Mashhad some time ago and his case was conveyed to the U.S administration on the first days of his incarceration, Ghasemi was quoted as saying.

The New York Times has quoted Whites mother saying she learned three weeks ago that her son is alive and being held at an Iranian prison. His arrest was first reported by IranWire, an online news service run by one-time Iran detainee Maziar Bahari, which interviewed a former Iranian prisoner who said he met White at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad in October. Mashhad is about 95 kilometres east of Tehran, Irans capital.

Ghasemi also denied any mistreatment of prisoners in Mashhad, as alleged by the former prisoner quoted in the IranWire story. He described the allegations as psychological warfare.

The Associated Press has been unable to reach members of Whites family. The State Department said it was aware of reports of an American citizens arrest, but was otherwise unable to comment.

Whites mother, Joanne White, had told the Times that her 46-year-old son, who lives in Imperial Beach, California, went to Iran to see his girlfriend and had booked a July 27 flight back home to San Diego via the United Arab Emirates. She filed a missing-person report with the State Department after he did not board the flight. She added that he had been undergoing treatment for a neck tumour and has asthma.

While relations between Iran and the U.S. warmed under President Barack Obama, theyve turned increasingly toxic under Trump. Trump in May withdrew America from the nuclear deal, which saw Iran limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the easing of economic sanctions.

Trump has said he withdrew from the deal to put further pressure on Iran over its ballistic missile program, as well as to blunt its influence in the wider Mideast. While American officials deny that the goal of the U.S. policy is regime change, his administration includes officials who have openly called for Irans government to be overthrown.

The worsening ties could be heard in remarks Wednesday by Irans supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who previously has told Trump he cannot do a damn thing to stop Iran.

Some U.S. officials pretend that they are mad, Khamenei said. Of course I dont agree with that, but they are first-class idiots.

There are four other known American citizens being held in Iran.

Iranian-American Siamak Namazi and his 82-year-old father Baquer, a former UNICEF representative who served as governor of Irans oil-rich Khuzestan province under the U.S.-backed shah, are both serving 10-year sentences on espionage charges. Iranian-American art dealer Karan Vafadari and his Iranian wife, Afarin Neyssari, received 27-year and 16-year prison sentences, respectively. Chinese-American graduate student Xiyue Wang was sentenced to 10 years in prison for allegedly infiltrating the country while doing doctoral research on Irans Qajar dynasty.

Iranian-American Robin Shahini was released on bail in 2017 after staging a hunger strike while serving an 18-year prison sentence for collaboration with a hostile government. Shahini is believed to still be in Iran.

Also in an Iranian prison is Nizar Zakka, a U.S. permanent resident from Lebanon who advocated for internet freedom and has done work for the U.S. government. He was sentenced to 10 years on espionage-related charges.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who vanished in Iran in 2007 while on an unauthorized CIA mission, remains missing as well. Iran says that Levinson is not in the country and that it has no further information about him, though his family holds Tehran responsible for his disappearance. Tehran now says it has no information about him.

Others held with Western ties include Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman who is serving a five-year prison sentence for allegedly planning the soft toppling of Irans government while travelling with her young daughter. As pressure mounts in Britain for her release, Iranian state television this week aired footage of her arrest at Tehrans Imam Khomeini International Airport.

Read more about:WASHINGTONWhen House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California stepped to a microphone last week and pronounced U.S. President Donald Trumps border wall an immorality, most Democrats cheered and nodded their heads.

But a few privately grimaced, worried that such stark terminology could make it more difficult for Democrats and Republicans to find their way out of an impasse over border security that has partially shuttered the government for three weeks, deprived about 800,000 federal workers of their pay and increasingly threatens beneficiaries of federal programs.

Democrats, said one Democratic lawmaker from a Republican-leaning district who insisted on anonymity to offer a candid assessment, cannot be seen by the public as calling border security immoral.

The divide illustrates why Democrats are working to focus public attention on the painful costs of the partial government shutdown  vulnerable families going without food assistance, farmers forgoing crop payments, national parks trashed  and Trumps recklessness in courting it, rather than delving into the specific details of erecting a barrier on the southwestern border.

While Trump has launched an elaborate public-relations effort to draw Democrats into a debate over the wall itself  even the material to be used to construct it  Democrats are just as determined to talk instead about a more universally resonant theme: the need to get the government open and functioning while negotiations continue.

It is at the heart of their effort this week to push through the House a series of bills to reopen shuttered federal agencies, including one scheduled for a vote Wednesday for the Treasury Department and IRS among others. They are expected to pass the Democratic-controlled chamber but die in the Republican-controlled Senate.

The goal: to win over more Republicans in the House and raise pressure in the Senate, where on Tuesday, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska became the latest Republican to call for a vote to reopen the government as talks on border security continue.

Read more:

We have other problems that need fixing: On the New Mexico border, little enthusiasm for Trumps wall

Rod Rosenstein, who appointed the special counsel investigating Trump, expected to leave Justice Dept.

After a (relatively) less dishonest December, Trump made 78 false claims in first week of 2019

For Democrats, newly in control of the House, the shutdown fight has proved unifying, crystallizing a near-universal belief in their ranks that Congress should act as a check on the power of a president who has shown little regard for the law and has used his office to sow fear and misinformation on issues like immigration.

But while they are almost all opposed to the idea of a wall between the United States and Mexico  which is unpopular among a majority of Americans and strongly opposed by Democratic voters, and which has been dismissed as ineffective by border security experts  Democrats are less united about what form of border security they do support.

Some of them, including Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, voted in 2006 for 1100 kilometres of fencing along the border, a position the White House has repeatedly sought to spotlight.

On Tuesday, on the morning of Trumps address to the nation on the topic, Rep. Steny H. Hoyer of Maryland, the majority leader, did not mention the word wall once in 11 minutes of opening remarks with reporters. He then sidestepped a question about the difference between fencing and other border security measures that Democrats have backed in the past and the wall that the president is demanding.

I didnt answer it, maybe because I dont have an answer that I think is a really good answer, he finally conceded. Fencing and walls have the same effect. One is supported by a large number of experts, but a large number of experts think neither are that effective.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

The reality is that making a nuanced argument about border security  a highly technical and politically charged issue  is difficult and divisive. Some Democrats have learned that the hard way in recent days.

Rep. Adam Smith of Washington, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, seemed to break from Pelosis immorality remark during an interview Sunday on ABCs This Week when he tried to explain his past votes for border barriers.

The wall is not in itself a bad idea, its just  its been done, Smith said. And what the president has not done is, he has not made the case that on the portions of the border where a wall has not been built, how is a wall going to actually enhance border security?

Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, chairwoman of the House Republican Conference, jumped at Smiths remarks: Thats a very different point than the one that Speaker Pelosi continues to make, which is that a wall is immoral.

Rep. Mac Thornberry noted that there are already physical barriers on about 30 per cent of the border. So, to go from 30 per cent to 40 per cent is a moral issue? I dont understand that, he said.

When Sen. Chris Coons said this week that Trumps recent talk of a wall made of steel slats rather than concrete was progress, he quickly clarified that he was not, in fact, buying into the presidents idea.

I said that it was a minor step, he told CNN on Tuesday. I was accepting that steel slats are preferred by the Department of Homeland Security over a concrete wall; I was not saying that I think that we should be pouring billions of dollars into a border barrier.

Democratic strategists argue that Trumps failure to build broad public support for a wall that he has been demanding since the early days of his presidential candidacy has made it easier for Democrats to stake out a unified message.

Obviously, there are some Democrats who talk about the wall being immoral or inconsistent with American values, but across the spectrum of Democrats, there is an emphasis on the degree to which the wall is waste of taxpayers money and irrelevant to addressing the most important challenges we face with regard to immigration in the country, said Geoff Garin, a Democratic pollster. Democrats are being helped a little bit by Trumps specificity in what hes looking for. He keeps talking about something that is very specific, and is something that more than half of all Americans oppose.

Nick Gourevitch, a pollster and communications strategist who advised Democrats during the midterm campaign on Trumps fear-soaked immigration message, said Democrats are sticking to the simplest and freshest argument they have to appeal to a public that does not focus on the finer points of border security policy.

The wall is unpopular, and the wall combined with the shutdown is even more unpopular, Gourevitch said.

Most presidents dont lose in a wave election and then double down on the strategy that got them there, he added, but thats what this president seems to be doing.

Read more about:SYDNEY, AUSTRALIAAustralian police arrested a man after 38 suspicious packages containing a possibly hazardous substance were sent to foreign consulates in the Australian cities of Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney.

The 48-year-old was arrested at his home in Shepparton, Victoria state, on Wednesday night, and charged with sending dangerous articles to be carried by a postal service, police said. He was due to appear in Melbourne Magistrates Court later on Thursday.

Around 10 diplomatic missions, mostly in Melbourne, on Wednesday reported the delivery of suspicious packages, some of them labelled asbestos. The missions included those from the United States, Britain, India, South Korea, Pakistan, Israel, Switzerland and Greece.

This followed the discovery and removal on Monday of a suspicious package at the Argentinian Consulate in Sydney.

Australian Federal Police and Victoria Police said in a joint statement they will allege the substance in the packages was sourced from the mans Shepparton home.

Police have so far recovered 29 of these packages, with forensic testing to be undertaken on them to determine the exact composition of the material in them, the statement said.

Police have identified all intended recipients and have put processes in place to recover the outstanding packages. There is no ongoing threat to the general public, it added.

Read more about:WASHINGTONThree years and a government shutdown later, it is still not clear how much U.S. President Donald Trump cares about building a giant wall on the Mexican border. What is clear is that he believes he benefits politically when he acts like he does.

His immigration instincts propelled him to the presidency. They may now be leading him astray.

Trump long ago tossed away his best opportunity to fund the wall he had implausibly promised Mexico would pay for, rejecting Democratic deals that would have given him a hefty pile of wall money. Last month, goaded by his allies in right-wing media, he embarked on a high-risk stunt: shutting down part of the U.S. government to try to coerce Democrats to give him a smaller pile of wall money.

Emboldened by their success in the November midterm election in which Trump also tried to pummel them on immigration, the Democrats are simply saying no. Eighteen days into the second-longest shutdown in U.S. history, Trump has no easy way out of a standoff the numbers suggest he is losing.

Polls have consistently shown that many more Americans blame Trump than Democrats for the shutdown. They have consistently shown that the wall is highly unpopular with everyone other than Republicans. And they have shown his approval rating at its lowest level in three months.

Seeking to shift the public conversation, Trump gave a prime-time televised speech on the wall on Tuesday night. The speech, Trumps first formal Oval Office address, was intended to ratchet up the pressure on Democratic leaders House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, from whom he is seeking a wall commitment of $5.7 billion (U.S.).

Read more:

Opinion | Rosie Dimanno: Again, Trump pushes his favourite fear buttons

Pence leads effort to fortify faltering GOP support in Congress

Top Democrats say Trump has chosen fear in border battle

But Trump mostly stuck to the same rhetoric that hasnt worked for him to date  except, this time, he did his demonizing of unauthorized immigrants in a sombre tone rather than the shouts of his rally speeches. Graphically describing several murders, he said Democrats had a moral duty to fund a barrier he insisted would solve a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul.

For those who refuse to compromise in the name of border security, I would ask: imagine if it was your child, your husband or your wife whose life was so cruelly shattered and totally broken, he said.

In a joint rebuttal speech, Schumer and Pelosi described the wall as unnecessary and accused Trump of appealing to fear rather than facts. Schumer also suggested Trump was being childish.

We dont govern by temper tantrum, Schumer said.

Trump has been so dishonest about immigration that his mere request for television airtime set off a furious debate about media ethics, with critics arguing that broadcast executives were doing the public a disservice merely by giving this president unfiltered airtime.

The concerns proved justified. Among other things, Trump falsely claimed Democrats had asked him to build a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall (an alternative he came up with himself), falsely claimed a wall would be indirectly funded through his revised NAFTA deal (which has not been approved by Congress and could not fund a wall), falsely said Democrats would not pony up for border security (they have offered to pay for various security measures, just not a wall), and misleadingly suggested a wall would be a significant obstacle to smuggled heroin (most of which comes through legal ports of entry).

TOP STORIES. IN YOUR INBOX: For the days top news from the Stars award-winning journalists, sign up for our daily headlines newsletter.

He did not take the opportunity to declare a national emergency, as he has mused about doing. An emergency declaration could allow him to tap into potential funding sources for the wall without having to get the usual congressional authorization.

It would also be certain to be challenged in court, likely turning into a long legal battle without an immediate winner. But that, some observers said, may be the best possible outcome for Trump at this point.

At the moment I think its less about getting the wall built and more about getting out of this jam without being seen as capitulating, said Liam Donovan, a Republican strategist and a lobbyist.

The shutdown has denied pay to about 800,000 federal workers, some on involuntary leave and some working without pay. It has stopped or slowed hundreds of government activities, from inspections of government housing to the financing of home loans to cleanup services in national parks.

And it has produced a growing number of headlines in which Trump voters now struggling to pay their bills have complained that he is harming their lives without a good cause.

Republican members of Congress have slowly begun to indicate that they will not let Trump carry on the battle forever. Shortly before Trumps address, CNN published an article in which West Virginia GOP Sen. Shelley Moore Capito described the shutdown as useless and said she could live with a solution that funded the government and punted the wall debate to a later date, while Sen. Marco Rubio said he could potentially endorse such a solution.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

The precariousness of Trumps shutdown position has been evident in his dizzying rhetoric over the last month. While demanding that Democrats pony up the $5.7 billion he says he needs to get going on the wall, he has also insisted that the wall will pay for itself and that Mexico is paying for the wall. While promising Democrats that he would build the wall out of steel slats rather than the concrete he has long described, though Democrats objections are not about the material, he has also insisted an all concrete Wall was NEVER ABANDONED.

His very premise for the Tuesday speech  an illegal immigration crisis  was dubious at best, immigration policy experts say. Government figures do not suggest anything close to a crisis-level influx of unauthorized immigrants; the number of people apprehended crossing the Mexican border, which U.S. officials use as a proxy measure for how many people are trying to cross in total, is a quarter what it was two decades ago.

There may be a crisis in the governments inability to handle a record high number of families crossing the border and legally claiming asylum. That, however, is not something that can be addressed by a wall.

Read more about:The populations of megacities such as Beijing and Shanghai have begun to move into new first-tier cities such as Chengdu and Xi'an, a phenomenon that indicates a significant change in China's population distribution toward a more balanced development among regions.

The permanent population of Beijing was 21.707 million in 2017, which is 22,000 fewer than the end of 2016, a decrease for the first time in over 20 years, according to a blue book jointly released by the Beijing Population Research Institute and Social Sciences Academic Press in December 2018.

Shanghai's population dropped by 13,700 in 2017, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Monday.

However, new first-tier cities such as Zhengzhou in Central China's Henan Province, Hangzhou in East China's Zhejiang Province and Xi'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province will welcome a population influx, and their permanent populations approach 10 million each.

The report on migrant population by the National Health Commission of China in December 2018 shows that the labor force has started to move to central and western regions from eastern China.

"The living expense and consumption levels of traditional metropolises such as Beijing and Shanghai are too high, especially their housing prices, so many younger workers turn to other cities," Ma Li, former head of the Beijing-based China Population and Development Research Center, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Ma said that new first-tier cities like Hangzhou and Xi'an have become China's economic growth poles, relying on advanced technology and leading local enterprises. "For example, many internet start-ups have developed in Hangzhou and Zhengzhou is the transportation hub of Central China," he said.

He pointed out that lower living costs and rising income are major reasons for the influx of younger workers.

MyCOS, an educational counseling company based in Beijing, published a report in June 2018, saying that the proportion of graduates whose first jobs are in rising cities was 37 percent, higher than the 31 percent who chose traditional metropolises, such as Beijing and Shanghai.

New first-tier cities also hammered out various preferential policies to attract young talent. The Chengdu government issued "12 New Talent Policies" in four areas in July 2017. For example, international talent who have won awards like Nobel Prize and choose to settle in Chengdu would receive a fund of up to 100 million yuan ($14.59 million), according to a Chengdu action plan.The Toronto Region Board of Trade is calling for the Toronto Public Library to oversee and create policies related to data collected at Sidewalk Labs proposed smart city.

But is the library the best place for this?

In a 17-page report released Wednesday called BiblioTech (a play on the French word bibliotheque, which means library in English), the board of trade said it chose the Toronto Public Library  which has 100 branches across the city and more than 10 million books  to oversee data governance at Quayside and other future smart city projects in Toronto because the library is a long-standing public institution with broad respect in the technology community.

The library is also known for its balanced approach to data policy and information management, the board said in a statement Wednesday.

The library likes the idea.

We are happy to consider the recommendations and discuss potential models that are in keeping with public library values with stakeholders including Waterfront Toronto and Sidewalk Labs, said spokesperson Ana-Maria Critchley.

Public libraries are defenders of digital privacy and have expertise in data policy and information management. We have long played a role in city building and welcome the opportunity to discuss how we can continue to evolve this role in the civic data realm, Critchley said in a statement.

Read more:

Who will reap the benefits of Quaysides smart city data?

Editorial | The Sidewalk Labs debate needs to be about more than just privacy

The Waterfront Toronto controversy explained

However, she added, given the complexity of the issues and the expertise and consultations that would be required to inform the work, Toronto Public Library would absolutely require extra resources.

Toronto developer Julie Di Lorenzo, who resigned from Waterfront Torontos board in August over the Quayside plan, says libraries are noble public assets and added that its good that the board of trade is searching for solutions to the predicament surrounding data collection at Quayside.

The boards idea has potential, Di Lorenzo says.

Shauna Brail, an associate professor in University of Torontos urban studies program and an expert on tech and innovation, says the library is definitely suited to take on the task of overseeing Quaysides data.

Its an interesting proposition that engages private and public sector organizations in supporting a way forward for some of the challenges that Toronto is facing with respect to conversations about trust, data privacy, governance and smart cities, she added.

The board of trade report comes as Manhattan-based Sidewalk Labs, a sister company of Google, is partnering with Waterfront Toronto in the hopes of building a 2,500-unit smart city on a parcel of land near Queens Quay E. and Parliament St. that would feature sensors, as well as data collection of residents and visitors, all aimed at making their lives more efficient.

Share your thoughts

But the proposal, which is currently in the draft master plan phase, has drawn criticism from experts who are concerned the data collection will impinge on personal privacy. Others have expressed concerns that economic benefits from the data wont flow to entrepreneurs in the GTA or Canada.

In October, a member of a panel of tech experts advising Waterfront Toronto on Quayside resigned amid her concerns about financial benefits leaving this country, and frustrations that Waterfront Toronto was taking a back seat on the data control issue.

In October, Sidewalk Labs called for the establishment of a civic data trust that would control the data from Quayside.

The Toronto Region Board of Trade says its own recommendations can help resolve these thorny issues.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

The Toronto Public Library should determine the structure of a long-term data hub, considering the models of a data trust or a data repository housed inside the library, the board says.

For example, sensors intended to derive data from public and publicly accessible spaces would need to be approved by the data hub before installation, the board of trade report suggests.

The storage and use of the data from any sensors would also be approved by the hub, through a public and transparent process, the board says.

So, for instance, if smart thermostats were installed in residents units at Quayside and management wanted access to data from the devices, the data hub could safeguard personal information.

The data hub would be overseen by Ontarios Information and Privacy Commissioner, and the public should share in the financial gains from intellectual property commercialized through the Quayside project and other smart city endeavours, the board suggests.

Board president and CEO Jan De Silva says most of the members of her organization strongly support Sidewalk Labs and Waterfront Torontos efforts to develop the project at Quayside.

Sidewalks Quayside pilot has the potential to be a marquee project for the City of Torontos tech community, De Silva said in a statement.

But for Toronto to be a relevant global city in the new economy and for tech companies to commercialize their innovations at home here in Canada, we need to get our policies in order on data governance.

She went on to say that other cities around the world are actively preparing for challenges pertaining to the use of data.

While the report was put together in response to the debate around Quayside, Torontos technology economy needs consistent data and intellectual property policies that go beyond Quayside, the board says.

We know other businesses are asking questions about whats appropriate on the issue of capturing public data, and we know (Toronto) is dealing with similar challenges of its own with public realm data, said De Silva.

Its time for cities to start answering these questions, alongside broader provincial and federal policies to address these issues, she added.

The board noted that a recent study found about 82,000 people are employed by 450 smart city companies in the Toronto region. These companies produce data-driven products intended to reduce traffic congestion, lower accidents, help reduce crime, reduce carbon emissions, and improve waste collection.

But the board said data collected in the public realm is distinct, in that people may not know data about them is being collected.

Sorting out who will oversee the data generated at Quayside will speed future smart city projects in Toronto, thus spurring more innovation and economic growth, the report argues.

Sidewalk Labs spokesperson Keerthana Rang said the firm is pleased to see actionable proposals from a leading organization in Toronto and hope that others will follow with their own proposals.

Read more about:A Burlington woman who had to watch helplessly as a stranger racked up charges on her lost Presto card is raising concerns about the fare system that is quickly becoming the main way to pay for transit across the GTHA.

Heather Dixons frustrations began Monday, when she was taking the GO train home to Burlington. As the train approached her station she realized she couldnt find her Presto card.

I looked around quickly and I couldnt see it, so then I just had to get off the train, she said.

Dixon, 39, who works in publishing, asked a GO employee what to do about her card, which still had $93 loaded on it.

The employee advised her to visit the Presto website and report her card lost.

Dixon said she immediately went online and did so, but was surprised to read it could take up to 24 hours for Presto to actually block her lost card and that she would be liable for any charges made to the card in the meantime.

Read more:

Like it or not, were living in a Presto world now

She lost her Presto card, then had to watch as a stranger racked up charges

Commuters hit payment roadblock as TTC removes fare collectors at Lawrence West, Yorkdale stations

Later that day she checked her account activity online and discovered a lucky but unscrupulous GO rider was using her card, taking a bus in Burlington, and then heading toward Port Credit. Whoever it was quickly spent about $20.

It was frustrating to me to know that somebody had my card and was going to use it, and there was nothing I could do about it, Dixon said. I was pretty mad.

Share your thoughts

To make matters worse, Dixon had set up Prestos auto-load function, which automatically adds money from a customers credit card or bank account to their Presto card once its balance dips below a pre-set level.

Dixon feared whoever had her card could rack up enough charges over 24 hours to have the auto-load kick in, costing her yet more money.

She wanted to cancel the auto-load feature, but in an online help chat Monday evening a Presto representative told her that was impossible as auto-load can only be cancelled before a card is reported lost. No one had told her that.

I just think the advice I was given was not the best advice, she said.

Frustrated, Dixon took to Twitter to vent, calling Presto a horrible idea. The tweets captured the attention of Metrolinx, the provincial agency in charge of Presto, and by Tuesday the organization promised to reimburse her for the money the stranger had spent on her card.

Dixon said she was happy with the eventual outcome, but says she no longer trusts the fare card, which she called super inconvenient.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Why does it take 24 hours, and what can be done to fix things? she asked.

According to Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins, the lag for making changes to fare card accounts online, which includes other transactions such as loading funds, is not unique to Presto.

Many well-used fare payment systems across the world have wait times associated with online transactions, she said in an email. Transactions at Presto machines in subway stations and elsewhere can be instantaneous.

Aikins said the reason it can take up to a day for online changes is that all Presto account information is stored on the fare card itself. When a customer makes an online transaction such as adding funds to or cancelling their card, the change is logged into the central Presto system, then the updated information is distributed to fare devices across the transit system.

The updated account information is only transmitted to a customers physical card once they tap it on a Presto device.

However, some Presto devices connect to the central network less often than others.

Fare card readers on TTC vehicles are frequently connected to the central system through a mobile network, so a customer tapping on those machines can implement changes to their account quickly.

But Presto card readers on GO buses only connect to the central network when they enter one of the agencys garages, which they only do about once a day.

However, the auto-load function can be disabled instantly on the Presto website. Aikins couldnt immediately say why Dixon wasnt advised to disable that feature before cancelling her card, but said the agency is updating the messaging on its website to clarify the issue.

Asked whether other Presto users who find themselves in Dixons situation will also be reimbursed for any lost funds, Aikins made no guarantees.

While we do look at each situation independently, our policy is that we are not responsible for costs incurred within 24 hours of cancellation, she said.

Presto is used by 11 transit agencies across Ontario. This month the TTC, by far the regions biggest transit system, took a major step toward the full implementation of the technology by eliminating its Metropass. Customers must now buy monthly passes on Presto instead.

The TTC plans to stop selling older fare media like tickets and tokens in August, and stop accepting them at the end of 2019.

Have you had issues with your Presto card? Tell us your story on Facebook, Twitter, or by contacting Ben Spurr directly at bspurr@thestar.ca.

Ben Spurr is a Toronto-based reporter covering transportation. Reach him by email at bspurr@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @BenSpurr

Read more about:Ishkhan Ghazarian shares his office with white-tailed deer, Blandings turtles, ancient Carolinian forest, delicate flora, tumbling rivers and placid marshlands.

A pink pastel sunrise might start his work day. A blazing orange sunset might end it.

Between those dawns and dusks, Ghazarian  photographer-in-residence for Rouge National Urban Park for 2018  lifts his camera to his eyes to capture the natural beauty carved between Toronto and Pickering and stretching from Lake Ontario to the Oak Ridges Moraine.

Some days, the 23-year-old will hike up to 10 kilometres along the many distinct trails in the Rouge, Canadas first national park in an urban setting, to get that perfect shot.

Its a joy to be out there, says Ghazarian, who graduated from OCAD University in April with a bachelor of fine arts in photography.

When you trade in your office for a forest, you cant go wrong.

Sharing his art with the public is another bonus.

Ghazarian was the parks third photographer-in-residence, a paid position created from a partnership with Parks Canada and OCAD for a graduating photography student. Included in the job: A solo exhibition of landscapes.

Ghazarians show Memories of the Rouge ran Dec. 10 to 22 at OCAD Us Ada Slaight Gallery. He selected nine different landscapes that encompassed three main Rouge themes: nature, culture and agriculture. He printed the photographs himself and blew them up  about half a metre by one metre.

Its a big thing for an artist to have the opportunity to show people their work, especially in print, says Ghazarian, who used his Nikon D850 in the Rouge.

I find having your photographs (displayed) online is great but when you print it into a physical form and put it on the wall and you can just stare at it in this large scale, theres so much more emotion in that photograph that you can get than just looking at it online.

Jeffrey Sinibaldi, acting external relations manager at Rouge National Urban Park, was part of the selection team that chose Ghazarian for the in-residence role. Sinibaldi says Ghazarians enthusiasm and the quality of his portfolio set him apart from other candidates.

Hes done a lot of journalism and documentary work and was looking for an opportunity to do landscape photography; that was an area of his portfolio that he was lacking but something he was very interested in, he says.

How did he put it in the interview? My goal is to get in National Geographic one day, Sinibaldi continued.

Ghazarian has already made strides in that direction. His photo of a baby Blandings turtle was published in the recent edition of Canadian Geographic.

He produces great results, Sinibaldi says.

Ghazarians passion for photography is rooted in his childhood.

Movses Basmajian, Ghazarians late maternal grandfather, was an avid picture taker who filled photo albums with snapshots taken during family visits to his Detroit home. He sparked his grandsons interest; Ghazarian began experimenting with disposable cameras that came as gifts from his parents.

It was like the one form of expression that I could use to express myself, Ghazarian says.

Photography was a great medium for that (and) it kind of stuck with me throughout my childhood.

His grandfather was also a Boy Scouts leader. That, too, inspired Ghazarian, who grew up in Scarborough and spent 12 years in Scouts Canada. He modestly conceded he earned enough badges for two sides of a sash and recalls using waterproof disposables at scouting events and camping trips.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Ghazarian graduated from disposables to using his dads old Canon, first as a hobby then to volunteer for a Montreal-based Armenian newspaper called Horizon Weekly. (His father, Sako Ghazarian, had volunteered for years as a writer and an editor  its printed in English, French and Armenian  and his son wanted to continue the familys contribution).

In late 2009, tragedy struck. Sako died from heart-related issues. As a young teen mourning his fathers death, Ghazarian says working with his camera provided a distraction during that difficult time.

It was a way to keep busy and a way to get lost within the art and escape reality, he says.

The following year I had started to find myself dedicating more and more time to it.

Ghazarian saved up to buy his first real camera in 2010  a high-end Canon point and shoot with manual controls. Ghazarian, who attended an Armenian private school, experienced a creative turning point during a two-week class excursion to Armenia in 2011.

After I came back, I was in it  Id found my passion, he says. I knew what I wanted to do.

He purchased his first professional quality camera, a Nikon D7000, lenses and a flash for about $4,000 in 2012  It was an investment I would not regret, Ghazarian says  and started his own business, ishkhanghazarian.com. Last year, he upgraded his gear to the Nikon D850, which cost about $5,000, as his everyday tool for the job now.

Though he grew up in Scarborough and lived relatively close to the Rouge, he doesnt recall spending time in the park before being hired as photographer in residence. Then, he made the most of it  from solitary shoots to the teamwork with National Parks staffers and volunteers.

When were hiking, you meet so many great people along the trails, he says.

We have wonderful volunteers that (lead) hikes every Wednesday ... a lot of them have been coming before the park was established (as a national park) so its great to see their devotion to it.

Ghazarian says his time as photographer-in-residence has helped him improve as an artist. The value of patience  like watching a setting sun until it bursts into full glory, a moment that might last only a split-second  was just one of his take-aways.

Its a lot of waiting but if youre patient, you can get this moment of awe and sometimes you forget to take the picture because youre struck by this beautiful landscape in front of you; there are all these emotions and everythings just perfectly painted in front of you  then its Oh, right, gotta take the picture, he says.

After a day of shooting, its back to the brick-and-mortar Parks Canada office, near Markham Rd. and Eglinton Ave. Working with Parks Canada colleagues, Ghazarian edits and archives the digital images for future use. He says the thrill of seeing a perfect shot during editing never wanes.

Youre like, Yes, this is the one! he says.

Ghazarians residence ended Dec. 31, but he will continue to work on contract with Parks Canada at Rouge National Urban Park this year.

Ghazarian says he was given a tremendous opportunity to show the Rouge in my own eyes and hopes more up-and-coming grads will apply for the position.

If you love nature and you can make that into a job, isnt that the dream? he says.

Everyone has their own Rouge, whether its the actual Rouge or some other thing that they love.A 25-year-old man has been arrested after three Toronto banks were robbed in four days.

A man entered a bank near Bloor St. W. and Jane St. last Wednesday afternoon and gave staff a note saying he had a gun and demanded cash, police alleged in a news release.

Two other banks were robbed in a similar fashion on Thursday and Saturday, at Dundas St. W. and Dufferin St., and Dufferin St. and St. Clair Ave. W., police said Wednesday.

Jeffery MacIntyre, of no fixed address, was arrested Sunday and faces numerous charges including three counts of robbery with a firearm and three counts of disguise with intent.COLUMBUS, N.M.Just minutes from the border in rural New Mexico, the Borderland Cafe in the village of Columbus serves burritos and pizza to local residents, Border Patrol agents and visitors from other parts of the country seeking a glimpse of life on the frontier. The motto painted on the wall proclaims Life is good in the Borderland.

This is the sleepiest little town you could think of, said Adriana Zizumbo, 31, who was raised in Columbus and owns the cafe with her husband. The only crisis were facing here is a shortage of labour. Fewer people cross the border to work than before, and Americans dont want to get their hands dirty doing hard work.

President Donald Trump has shut down part of the government over border security and his plan to build a wall along the border with Mexico, and in a prime-time speech Tuesday night, he painted a bleak picture of life in towns like Columbus.

He said border residents were suffering through a humanitarian crisis, and he described a landscape scarred by violence and prowled by vicious coyotes and ruthless gangs. But that is not how Zizumbo sees it. People in Columbus, she said, opposed the idea of a wall by about a 90-to-10 margin.

Enough about the wall already, she said. We have other problems here that need fixing.

Extending nearly 2,000 miles from southern Texas to a fence jutting out into the Pacific Ocean in San Diego, Americas border with Mexico is as long and as varied as the terrain. Remote spots in the desert like Columbus, a town of 1,600 people about 80 miles west of El Paso, are sleepily tranquil. In cities like El Paso and San Diego, the growing number of migrant families pushing for entry to the United States has generated crowds and controversy, with migrants packed into detention centres and bus stations, and clashes at the fences between rock-throwing immigrants and federal agents.

Read more:

Trump scrambles to keep border wall campaign promise as shutdown looms

Trump backs himself into a corner on wall shutdown after TV address

On Tuesday, as Trump was expected to make the case in a prime-time address that the nation is in the midst of an immigration crisis, The New York Times sent correspondents to Mexico and to the four states along the border  California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas  and found few who shared the presidents sense of alarm.

Many said there was indeed a humanitarian crisis unfolding, but they blamed the Trump administration for worsening it with a series of policies aimed at deterring Central American migrants from making the journey. Those policies, many of which have been blocked by legal challenges, have failed to stop the flood of migrants. But they have succeeded in escalating tensions, overwhelming volunteer shelters and putting those seeking asylum from violence at renewed risk of health threats and other problems once they arrive in the United States.

The border has long been more than a barrier or a headline. It is the setting of a uniquely American story, a binational place of contradictions and commerce. One afternoon a few months ago, a Latino teenager walked through the bus station in the South Texas City of McAllen, a transit hub where hundreds of apprehended immigrants are dropped off daily by the authorities. The boy was not fresh from detention. He was a native Texan. He was visiting a relative and wore a black T-shirt correcting any misconceptions about his identity. It read Relax Trump, Im legal.

That was the vibe along many parts of the border Tuesday, before Trumps speech.

A cattle rancher in southern Arizona said he had travelled to Mexico a day earlier, and he saw no emergency. The lines were long  officials have shut down the number of ways people there can cross  but there were no signs of conflict or people pressing to get in.

There is no border problem, except for ones we are causing, said the rancher, who said he had not had any problems with illegal border crossers on his property and who asked not to be identified out of fear of retribution from strident supporters of Trumps planned border wall. Theres no need for a bigger wall. There is not a border crisis down here.

Some of the worsening problems, some city officials have said, are a result of the federal governments own management of the border. In El Paso and other cities in California and Arizona, the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency has in recent weeks released thousands of immigrants unannounced onto city streets, forcing city officials and migrant shelter operators to scramble to accommodate them.

They were just being dropped off with nothing  no money, nothing, said Kevin Malone, one of the founders of the San Diego Rapid Response Network, which has dealt more frequently with unannounced releases. Theyre setting people up for failure every step along the way. This is a contrived emergency. They dont have to be doing it like this.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

From 2014 to 2017, local municipalities in South Texas had to spend $873,000 (U.S.) on immigrant relief efforts, expanding staffing, securing migrant assistance centres and maintaining restrooms, generators and sleeping quarters.

Then we get blasted for being sanctuary cities  get real, said Jim Darling, the mayor of McAllen. Its not our fault. The feds are the ones dropping them off. What are we supposed to do?

Some of those along the border, to be sure, believe the government should not be rushing to accommodate new migrants but fortifying to keep them out. James Johnson, a prominent farmer in Columbus, said he had voted for Trump in 2016 and continues to support the president, including his proposal for a wall.

Listen, we need security and a wall will provide that security, said Johnson, 43, whose family-owned onion and chile farm sits along a stretch of the border. Im 100 per cent for the wall. Trump is bold in pushing for it.

For a look at those whom Trumps supporters would like to keep out, one needed only to take a short drive across the border from southern Texas to the Mexican town of Matamoros, where hundreds of migrants were biding their time Tuesday, waiting to cross into the United States and apply for asylum.

A porous tarp at their makeshift camp shielded them from the sun and, for the most part, the rain.

A Honduran mother, Iris Patricia Oseguera, 51, sat in slightly better conditions, at a nearby shelter, with her 10-year-old son. Having been turned back from the international bridge crossing by Mexican authorities when she tried to enter the United States, she said the two of them had been told to find permanent housing soon.

We have nowhere to go, Oseguera said, adding that she and her son could not return to Honduras because of the worsening gang violence there. If forced to leave the shelter, she said, she wasnt sure where she would go. We dont even have money to eat. How am I going to pay for a house?

At the migrant camp, a group of U.S. volunteers was giving away bags of fruit and bottles of water.

One of them was Cyndie Rathburn, the mayor of the Texas town of Rancho Viejo, home to what she described as a large population of conservative Trump supporters. This is not a national security crisis, she said as she purchased a bag of fruit from a local vendor. President Trump has a flair for hyperbole and rhetoric.

Back at the Borderland Cafe in New Mexico, Zizumbos husband, Lawrence Haddad, keeps a pistol underneath the cash register in case something happens. He hasnt had to use it.

Nothing much happens, and thats the way people like it, said Haddad, 32.

Still, quiet Columbus has not escaped the political turmoil over border policy: Before the midterm elections in November, self-described militia members from around the country descended on the town to prepare for the arrival of a caravan of Central American migrants, then making its way up through Mexico.

Honestly, these guys were kind of absurd, wearing camo and looking at their maps, Zizumbo said. They accomplished nothing, and now theyre gone. Maybe theyll be back after Trump talks.

Hours before Trumps address Tuesday, Randy Shaw, 71, was outside the Borderland Cafe. He held a sign that read Stop truth decay: Dump Trump.

Shaw is from Wyoming, but spends winters in Columbus. This whole crisis thing is Trumps creation, he said. Dont let him fool you.

Read more about:HOUSTON, B.C.A meeting is underway between RCMP and hereditary chiefs of the Wetsuweten First Nation over the details of a tentative agreement that would allow Coastal GasLink the access it needs to a pipeline work site in northern British Columbia.

On Thursday, hereditary chiefs told residents and supporters of the Unistoten healing camp that the deal would see members observe a court injunction by allowing the companys workers and contractors access to the area, so long as the RCMP agree to leave the camp intact.

They are expected to discuss whether the camp can retain a gate at the site, which residents say is vital to their safety.

The RCMP arrested 14 people on Monday and dismantled a nearby checkpoint erected by members of the Wetsuweten First Nation, who say the company does not have authority to work there without consent from the nations hereditary clan chiefs.

TransCanada Corp. says it has signed benefit sharing agreements with the elected councils of all 20 First Nations along the natural gas pipeline route.

The Coastal GasLink pipeline would run though the Wetsuweten territory to LNG Canadas $40 billion export terminal in Kitimat, B.C.

The interim injunction is meant to prevent anyone from impeding the companys work until the defendants, which include members of the Unistoten camp, file a response.

Representatives from Coastal GasLink, including president Rick Gateman, waited outside to join the meeting today.

Protesters took to the streets in Vancouver to voice their support for anti-pipeline protesters in remote area of northern British Columbia. On Monday, the RCMP arrested 14 people at a blockade by members of a First Nation.

Read more about:OTTAWAElidee Sanchez says her nightmares about her harrowing journey crossing the Mexico-U.S. border finally came to an end the day she arrived  legally  in Canada.

After spending 17 years living in the United States as an undocumented migrant, she was in an almost constant state of anxiety. She had no legal status in a country that has been developing an increasingly hostile view of illegal migrants.

But last August, Sanchez drove across the Blue Water Bridge that connects Port Huron, Mich., with Sarnia, Ont. and was granted legal entry into Canada, thanks to a successful application for a Canadian study visa despite her undocumented status.

Thats the first time Ive ever had a stamp in my passport, she exclaimed to the border security officer as she crossed.

It was a milestone in Sanchezs life that her immigration lawyer, Vanessa Routley, said would not have happened three years ago.

As an undocumented migrant living for so many years illegally in the United States, her application for a temporary Canadian visa would likely have been denied, Routley said.

In the past, if someone had failed to comply with the regulations in another country, Canada was not willing to take a chance on them, to admit them and to ask them to follow our rules, Routley said.

But over the last few years the Canadian government might have quietly revised its approach to some of these applications.

There was a low-level rumour circulating that its possible to bring these people in both for study permits and job offers, Routley said, which is why she moved forward with Sanchezs application. She said she would not have taken the case in the past, given the low probability of success.

I knew there was a chance that (Sanchez) could be refused, but there seemed to be a new willingness on the part of Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada to give preferential treatment to people who would otherwise do an irregular (border) entry, but were clearly trying to comply with the regulations and do it through legal pathways.

Routley had had success with another client, who also was living in the U.S. undocumented. He was able to use his unofficial work history in the U.S. to support his application for a temporary work visa in Canada. She said she has heard of other similar cases from 2017 from other lawyers.

The Immigration Department said there has been no official change in the requirements for temporary Canadian visas and would not comment on individual cases, citing privacy laws.

The department did say each application is considered on the specific facts presented by the applicant. As long as they show the applicant is not criminally inadmissible, is in good health, can financially support him- or herself and has all the required paperwork, and he or she agrees to leave the country when the visa expires, the applicant can be granted access to Canada.

In other words, nothing precludes an undocumented migrant from being granted a temporary visa as long as he or she meets all other requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.

Routley says she believes Canada may be trying to reward those who are legally trying to enter Canada, given the spike in irregular border-crossers coming to Canada from the U.S. via nonofficial ports of entry. That has led to a two-year backlog of refugee claims and public and political concerns raised about Canadas border system.

She wants more undocumented migrants to know this could be an option for them, but understands there could be reasons why the government might not be making any change with a lot of fanfare.

With the political atmosphere between the Canadian and U.S. government, I dont think the federal government wants to be perceived as rolling out the welcome mat for people who were essentially illegal workers in the U.S.A., she said. It might also be a bit of a floodgates rationale in that... it could start a stampede.

In her application, Sanchez was honest about her undocumented status, explaining she had crossed into the U.S. from Mexico at the age of 17, making the dangerous journey across the Rio Grande under a false belief she could eventually normalize her status in the United States.

But living undocumented in the U.S. was instead a lifelong hardship.

Just the frustration and the nightmares and the inability to even be able to get a regular drivers license  my drivers license was a different colour and I couldnt even buy liquor with it because it said in big letters Not valid ... I spent half of my life not being able to move forward.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Thats why, when she was granted legal status in Canada this summer to pursue a masters degree, it was life-altering.

It was kind of like a dream. It didnt hit me until woke up in my hotel the next day in Toronto, she said.

I havent had nightmares since I arrived in Canada, which is pretty amazing.

Read more about:SAINTE-ANNE-DES-MONTS, QUE.Six skiers were injured  one seriously  following an avalanche Tuesday on Mont-Albert in Quebecs Gaspe region.

Quebec provincial police say they were called in the late afternoon and that paramedics and firefighters with evacuation sleds were also dispatched to the area.

A group of seven people was skiing at the Patrollers Walls in Gaspesie provincial park, said Sgt. Beatrice Dorsainville, a police spokeswoman.

The avalanche was triggered about 2:45 p.m., and one of the skiers witnesses the other six being buried.

The rescue operation took several hours to complete, with the last person being removed around 8:30 p.m.

The most seriously injured skier was listed in stable condition, and his life was not considered to be in danger.

Read more about:OTTAWACanada and its Western allies calls for the release of two Canadians detained in China are rooted in white supremacy, the Chinese ambassador said in a published op-ed Wednesday.

Experts and analysts say the harsh language from the Chinese governments representative indicates the raw nerve that Canada has touched within the communist government with its efforts to recruit international support for its detainees.

The U.S State Department has called for the release of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, while Germany, France, Britain, the European Union and Australia have also issued supportive statements.

In an essay in the Hill Times, which covers Parliament and the federal government, Ambassador Lu Shaye questioned whether countries such as the U.S. and Britain are truly representative of the international community and he reiterated his governments assertion that Western countries are employing a double standard in judging his country.

The reason why some people are used to arrogantly adopting double standards is due to Western egotism and white supremacy, Lu wrote. What they have been doing is not showing respect for the rule of law, but mocking and trampling the rule of law.

Kovrig, a Canadian diplomat on leave, and Spavor, an entrepreneur, were arrested after Canada detained Chinese telecommunications executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States, which wants her extradited to face fraud charges.

Read more:

Trudeau enlists Trump to seek release of Canadians detained by China

Hundreds of Canadians held by China raises the stakes for Trudeaus government

MPs, senators to push for release of imprisoned Canadians during trip to China

Conservative MP Michael Cooper, who is travelling with a parliamentary delegation of MPs and senators in China this week, said Lus remarks dont warrant a response.

I dont think that theres anything that can be said to that because its absurd, Cooper said in a telephone interview from southern China.

In their meetings with Chinese officials, Cooper said, the delegation has been emphasizing the facts that differentiate the circumstances faced by Meng in Canada and Kovrig and Spavor in China.

The facts are: Ms. Meng was arrested pursuant to Canadas obligations under its extradition treaty with the United States. Ms. Mengs rights have been protected. Shes been provided bail. She has access to consular services. She has access to a lawyer, said Cooper. By contrast, the situation involving Mr. Spavor and Mr. Kovrig is exactly the opposite of that.

Meng has had a bail hearing in open court and has been released on conditions, while neither Kovrig nor Spavor has been formally charged or had access to lawyers.

The Chinese Embassy in Ottawa did not reply to a request for comment, and has repeatedly refused interview requests from The Canadian Press in recent weeks.

Last month, the Globe and Mail also published an op-ed from Lu in which he called Mengs arrest in Canada a miscarriage of justice that has chilled the feelings of the Chinese people towards Canada. Lu wrote that Canada was complicit in a U.S. witch hunt.

The ambassador will have been instructed to reply, which is a sign that the criticism China is receiving is beginning to strike home, said David Mulroney, who was the Canadian ambassador to China between 2009 and 2012. He sort of throws a whole bunch of things at the wall in the hope that something will stick.

But the Chinese have upped the rhetorical ante considerably by invoking western egotism and white supremacy, said Fen Hampson, the head of the global-security program at the Centre for International Governance Innovation in Waterloo, Ont.

They are undermining their own position  or to paraphrase Queen Gertrude in Hamlet, the Chinese doth protest too much, methinks,  said Hampson. The Chinese will invariably complain about double standards, but when it comes to the rule of law and human rights it is abundantly clear that they have one standard and Western democracies have another.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has said Canada has followed the rule of law in arresting Meng because of its extradition law with the U.S. She and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have stressed that the arrest of Meng was a legal matter that was divorced from politics.

Freelands spokesman Alex Lawrence reiterated Canadas call for Kovrig and Spavor to be released immediately and reaffirmed the international support Canada is receiving.

We are deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of two Canadians last month, said Lawrence. Canada remains closely engaged with partners, who have also spoken in support of these detained Canadians and the rule of law, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the EU, the United States, and Australia.Chinas ambassador to Canada has accused the country of adopting Western egotism and white supremacy in its reaction to the detention of two Canadians following the arrest of a Huawei Technologies Co. executive in Canada last month.

The envoy said Canada is employing a double standard in demanding the release of two men who were detained in China nine days after the arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou at the request of U.S. authorities. He also took aim at elites and some in the Canadian news media for saying that Chinas judicial system is less independent than Canadas.

It seems that, to some people, only Canadian citizens shall be treated in a humanitarian manner and their freedom deemed valuable, while Chinese people do not deserve that, Lu Shaye wrote in an op-ed published in the Ottawa-based Hill Times newspaper on Wednesday. The reason why some people are used to arrogantly adopting double standards is due to Western egotism and white supremacy.

In such a context, he added, the rule of law is nothing but a tool for their political ends and a fig leaf for their practicing hegemony in the international arena. What they have been doing is not showing respect for the rule of law, but mocking and trampling the rule of law.

Canada has been rallying other countries  including the U.S., U.K., Germany and France, while Japan took a more subdued tone  to criticize Chinas seizure of the two Canadians. Lu criticized that as a few individual countries and questioned if they really represent the whole international community?

Former Canadian envoys have drawn a clear link in the cases, saying the two Canadians were detained in response to Mengs arrest. Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor remain in custody and have had scant access to Canadian authorities. China has said they were detained on national security grounds.

Meng was released on bail four weeks ago and is living under restrictions in her million-dollar Vancouver home. The U.S. has also called for the release of Spavor, an entrepreneur, and Kovrig, a former diplomat.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has urged China to immediately release the two Canadians, saying they were arbitrarily detained. Trudeau has said Canada had no choice but to arrest Meng during a stopover in Vancouver last month due to an extradition treaty with the U.S.

Read more about:MONTREALBombardier Inc. has signed a $669-million (U.S.) deal to provide 113 commuter rail cars to New Jersey.

The company says the contract will yield no additional work in Canada, with Buy American rules prompting Bombardiers plant in Plattsburgh, N.Y., to build the multi-level cars, rather than its facility in Quebec.

As of 2018, at least 65 per cent of the cost of components for public transit projects must be manufactured in the United States, with final assembly taking place on American turf as well.

The minimum content threshold will increase to 70 per cent by 2020.

Announced Wednesday, the agreement with New Jersey Transit Corp. includes options for up to 886 additional rail cars.

Its Bombardiers third commuter car deal with the state-owned transit agency, following contracts awarded in 2002 and 2010.

Read more about:MJIC Inc., a pot distributor building a cannabis superhighway in California, is planning a Canadian listing by the end of February.

The company, based in Commerce, near Los Angeles, plans to sell shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange via a reverse takeover, chief executive officer Sturges Karban said in a phone interview. MJIC has hired Haywood Securities Inc. to identify a Canadian shell company to enable the deal.

Our timeline to get through to that point is probably another 30 to 45 days or so, he said. Karban declined to say how much MJIC expects to raise but said the listing would be followed by a much broader, bigger offering.

MJIC said its superhighway will create the infrastructure to legally transport, distribute and sell marijuana amid a thicket of regulations that hamper the industry supply chain. At present, a licensed grower cant legally transport his crop to his own licensed extraction facility across the street without hiring a licensed distributor, according to Karban. The company is acquiring dozens of licenses, trucks and warehouses across the state to build a legal corridor for cannabis stretching from San Diego to Oakland.

MJIC is part of a rush by U.S. pot companies to tap the public markets in Canada, where marijuana is legal. The federal ban in the U.S. has made raising domestic capital tricky there because most banks and large institutional investors remain on the sidelines.

Canada broadly is the Silicon Valley of this industry, said Karban, a Harvard-educated former investment banker.

There is no Sand Hill road in the U.S. to go to to pitch your company, he said, referring to the centre of venture capital business in the U.S. Really, the place that you go now is Canada.

Read more:

Cannabis cash flows into U.S. Canopy venture arm investment

Aurora Cannabis Q2 revenue falls short of analysts expectations

Shoppers Drug lights up medical cannabis e-commerce sales portalCALGARYHusky Energy Inc. says it is looking at getting out of retailing fuels to consumers after 80 years in the business.

The Calgary-based oilsands producer says it is launching a strategic review that could result in it selling its Canadian retail and commercial fuels business and its small Prince George, B.C., refinery.

It says it prefers to focus on its integrated corridor of upstream and downstream assets in Alberta, Saskatchewan and the U.S. Midwest as well as offshore businesses in Atlantic Canada and the Asia Pacific region, adding the decision is not related to its offer that expires next week to buy oilsands rival MEG Energy Corp.

Husky has more than 500 service stations, travel centres, cardlock operations and bulk distribution facilities from British Columbia to New Brunswick. Its myHusky Rewards loyalty program has about 1.6 million members.

The 12,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Prince George processes light oil into gasoline, diesel and other products for nearby regions of B.C. It owns two refineries and is half-owner of a third in the United States.

CIBC analyst Jon Morrison said Tuesday that the expected value of these assets is about $835 million.

Read more:

Husky Energy trims capital budget, criticizes Alberta oil curtailment plan

MEG Energy to waive rights plan in takeover fight with Husky Energy

Husky Energy offers apology for largest ever oil spill off Newfoundland coast

We believe the retail network naturally has a couple strategic buyers that should be interested, while the refinery has a smaller list of potential purchasers given the scale, size and location of the facility, he said in an email.

Spokesperson Mel Duvall says Husky started selling fuel to consumers in 1938 shortly after the original owner built a small refinery in Cody, Wyo. The refinery was moved to Lloydminster on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border in 1946.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

CEO Rob Peabody says in a news release the businesses are highly marketable and will attract strong interest and valuations.

TD Securities Inc. is acting as financial adviser, with Torys LLP as legal adviser.

Read more about:Update Required

To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.PIERRE  Yes, Kristi Noem is a woman, but she can do the heavy lifting herself.Dan Crisler

Public Opinion Staff Writer

There could be a fight this upcoming session of the South Dakota Legislature over territorial rights for electrical utilities, and the potential ramifications appear to be large for Watertown and the surrounding area.

At its Monday night meeting, the Watertown City Council unanimously passed a resolution imploring the Legislature to not pass a bill expected to come down the pike that would freeze the electric service territories of Watertown Municipal Utilities along with 34 other municipal electric utilities across the state. Together, the 35 municipalities serve about 60,000 customers.

Among many concerns, city officials and WMU General Manager Steve Lehner, along with District 5 Sen. Lee Schoenbeck and Rep. Hugh Bartels via conference call, fear that the bills passage would severely hamper Watertowns ability to attract new large businesses by no longer being able to annex adjacent land into the city.

We wont be able to serve that customer, Lehner said.

Instead, that territory would remain under the control of rural electric utilities such as Codington Clark Electric Cooperative and Northwestern Energy. Lehner said WMUs rates are lower than the surrounding rural electric utilities, including 60 percent lower than Codington Clarks rates.

Among its pitches to attracting new employers, Watertown boasts some of the lowest electric rates in the state.

Nobody can challenge that. We are the lowest around, Mayor Sarah Caron said. To restrict our ability to attract customers because of our low utility rates thats just counterproductive. Its not good for the customer. Its not good for our community. Its not good for our state. The action were anticipating is counterproductive to our orderly growth of our community.

For companies located near large municipalities but who face the prospect of paying the rural rates, Lehner said, Thats going to drive them somewhere else. If (the proposed legislation) is a law across the state, its going to drive them to North Dakota, Minnesota or Nebraska.

With many legislators being served at their homes by rural electric cooperatives, Schoenbeck indicated it will be an uphill battle to defeat the proposed legislation.

This is a very serious political battle. We are going to have our hands full. Its going to take a concerted effort by our community to get the message out that this is an important economic development tool, he said. The loss of it affects more than the city of Watertown. It affects all the communities around. Its a regional issue if you cant attract employment.

This is not shooting fish in a barrel. The numbers would certainly be against us right now.

With rural electric utilities serving about 800,000 people in South Dakota, Lehner said their lobbying efforts have been active.

Rural electrics have a lot of lobbying power. Theyre working the system pretty hard, he said.

In the Watertown area, the fight between WMU and Codington Clark, which serves as a proxy to the anticipated state level fight, traces its roots back to at least Oct. 30, 2017.

At that time, Codington Clark General Manager Dave Eide appeared before the WMU board requesting board members to cancel a perpetual agreement first struck in 1990 that essentially allowed WMU to serve new customers located in the area stretching from around Pelican Lake to around Lake Kampeska, which had then recently been annexed by the city, while Codington Clark continued to serve existing customers.

With WMUs customer base expanding in that area and Codington Clarks base stagnant, and perhaps dwindling, Eide called the agreement one-sided.

All in all, its a lose-lose situation for the co-op, Eide said at the time.

The WMU board ultimately declined to cancel the agreement.

Eide was unavailable for comment Tuesday.

Among other action Monday, the council set the municipal election for Tuesday, June 18. The potential election would be held jointly with a potential Watertown Board of Education election. Five City Council seats will be up for grabs compared to two school board seats.

The council also unanimously approved a revision of Watertown Regional Airport Board requirements allowing two members currently serving on the board to continue to do so even though they dont live within Watertowns city limits.Norwegian man, 77, drowns at Khaolak

PHUKET: A 77-year-old Norwegian tourist has died after being pulled from the water unconscious at Nang Thong Beach near Khaolak, north of Phuket, yesterday (Jan 8).

tourismmarineSafetydeathpolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 9 January 2019, 08:00PM

Police continue with their inquiries into Mr Harlems death at Takua Pa Hospital. Photo: Khaolak Tourist Police

The Andaman Hub Medical Center was notified the incident at 4pm and responded by sending an emergency team, police noted in their report.

Khaolak Police identified the man as Knut Olstein Harlem, 77, from Oslo.

Mr Harlem and his wife had checked in at a resort at the beach for long stay, from Jan 2 to Jan 31, police noted.

According to police, Mr Harlem told his wife at 3pm that he was going for a swim in the hotel pool in preparation for the couples trip to the Similan Islands the next day.

However, Mr Harlem, who was known to be suffering from Parkinson's disease* and a heart condition, went to the beach, not the pool, police reported.

Another hotel guest soon found Mr Harlem lying face down in the water at the beach, and called for hotel staff to help.

Mr Harlem was pulled from the water, but was unconscious and unresponsive.

Attempts by people at the scene and the rescue team from the Andaman Hub Medical Center that arrived soon after all failed to revive him, police noted.

Mr Harlems body was taken to Takua Pa Hospital, where doctors registered the cause of death as drowning.

Police noted in their report that the Norwegian embassy in Bangkok had been notified of the incident.

* The family later corrected the report. Mr Harlem had Parkinson's disease, not "ailing memory issues" as described to The Phuket News in the initial report. The error is regretted.Health Dept launches official Bangkok air quality index

BANGKOK: The Department of Health launched its official air quality index yesterday (Jan 9) in order to give accurate risk readings for residents of Bangkok and its surrounding area, who have been affected by the increasing concentration of micro pollutants in the atmosphere in recent weeks.

pollutionhealth

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 9 January 2019, 11:59AM

People in Bangkok were wearing facemasks on Monday as PM2.5 levels increased, posing a bigger threat to peoples health. Photo: Bangkok Post / file

The Air Quality Index (AQI) will be used as a benchmark to determine the kind of official warning that would be issued for the public, said the director-general of the Department of Health, Panpimol Wipulakorn.

The index contains five colour-coded warnings that range from "very good" to "very unhealthy". Each warning is determined by the atmospheric concentration of PM2.5  micro pollutants so miniscule they can enter the bloodstream through the lungs and cause cardiovascular disease.

A blue warning indicates very good air quality, with PM2.5 concentrations of less than 25 microgrammes per cubic metre (g/m).

A green warning indicates a good PM2.5 reading of between 26-38 g/m, while a yellow, or moderate warning, reflects a PM2.5 reading of 38-50 g/m.

An orange warning indicates air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups, with PM2.5 concentrations of between 51-90 g/m, while a red warning reflects very unhealthy conditions, with PM2.5 readings of above 91 51-90 g/m.

An orange warning has been issued for Bangkok and its immediate vicinity, as the concentration of PM2.5 exceeded the acceptable standard of 50 g/m for three consecutive days.

The launch of the index follows the level of ultrafine dust particles again exceeding safety standards yesterday in several areas of Bangkok and surrounding provinces, the Pollution Control Department said.

The PCD measured the hazardous PM2.5 particulates in the air at 51-76 microgrammes per cubic metre, exceeding the safety standard of 50 mcgs/cm in 19 areas of Bangkok and its vicinity.

Air quality ranged between moderate and harmful pollution levels.

Ten of the worst affected were in Bangkok and nine in surrounding provinces  Nakhon Pathom, Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon.

The PCD urged people to keep abreast of air quality announcements and not to panic. Air pollution would not interfere with their daily activities, the department said.

Children, the elderly, pregnant women and those with chronic disease were advised to be cautious and see a doctor if they experience difficulties.

The department on Monday said people in high-risk areas should avoid outdoor activities or wear N95 rated masks for protection.

Air quality information is available via the departments website:www.air4thai.pcd.go.th and LINE application, air4thai.

Read original stories here and here.Chinese tourist drowns on snorkelling tour at Racha

PHUKET: A Chinese tourist has drowned while snorkelling during a day-trip to Racha Island, south of Phuket, yesterday (Jan 8).

tourismmarineChinesedeathpolice

By Eakkapop Thongtub

Wednesday 9 January 2019, 11:32AM

Police bring the body of Chinese tourist Zhu Kai, 31, from Tianjin, back on shore at Chalong Pier late yesterday afternoon (Jan 8). Photo: Phuket Tourist Police

Lt Sakrin Saengcharoen of the Chalong Police was notified of the incident at 3:30pm.

The body of the tourist, Zhu Kai, 31, from Tianjin, was brought back to Chalong Pier, and transported to Vachira Phuket Hospital in Phuket Town.

Mr Zhu had booked a day trip to Koh Racha through tour company Similan Pro Dive on board the boat Chot Somporn 18, Tourist Police noted in their report.

Mr Zhu was travelling alone and was staying at a hotel in Patong, police added.

The tour guide leading the group, Wanchai Sae Lo, told police that the boat had moored in Patok Bay and the tourists had lunch before being set off on a free time period of the tour.

Before we let them go I explained everything to them about safety and they all said they understood the instructions, Mr Sae Lo said.

Mr Wanchai explained that while other tourists stayed on the beach, Mr Zhu walked further along the beach and went snorkelling alone, Capt Ekkkachai Siri of the Phuket Tourist Police told The Phuket News this morning (Jan 9).

Then when they called the tourists back to the boat, they could see where Mr Ahu was, but he was not responding to any their shouts, Capt Ekkachai said.

The boat drew rushed over to help him and brought him on board the boat, but he was already unconscious. They tried to revive him, but could not, he added.

Capt Ekkachai noted that police were now working with Chinese consular officials in reporting the death and arranging for his body to be repatriated back home.

Additional reporting by Tanyaluk SakootAustralia to mull Saudi teen asylum bid

BANGKOK: Australia said yesterday it will carefully consider the asylum claim of an 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled alleged abuse from her family and is now in the care of the UN in Bangkok after she fended off deportation in a gripping, live-tweeted ordeal.

politicsimmigration

By Bangkok Post

Wednesday 9 January 2019, 11:48AM

Immigration Bureau Chief Pol Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn shakes hands with Saudi charge daffaires Abdullah al-Shuaibi before the two men discuss the fate of 18-year-old Saudi runaway Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun (inset), who claims she is fleeing male domination. Photo: Royal Thai Police

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun arrived at Thailands Suvarnabhumi airport on a flight from Kuwait on Sunday after running away from her family, who she says subjected her to physical and psychological abuse.

Ms Qunun said she planned to seek asylum in Australia, fearing she would be killed if repatriated by Thai immigration officials who stopped her at the airport.

On Sunday, Thai authorities said Ms Qunun would be sent back to Saudi Arabia, but they abruptly changed course as her plight spread across social media.

Ms Qunun and four Saudi expatriate women she chose as surrogates posted dozens of tweets and live videos in English and Arabic, some describing how she had barricaded herself in a hotel room. She set up the Twitter account after arriving in Thailand and being forcibly detained in a room at the transit hotel inside Suvarnabhumi airport.

Her account has quickly racked up tens of thousands of followers, feeding an international media frenzy.

On Monday she was allowed to leave the airport in the care of the UNs refugee agency.

The Australian government teased the possibility of granting the young woman refugee status, saying Tuesday it was pleased the UN was assessing her claim.

Any application by Ms Al-Qunun for a humanitarian visa will be carefully considered once the UNHCR process has concluded, a Department of Home Affairs official said.

The Saudi Embassy in Bangkok issued a statement yesterday, saying what has been rumoured in social media that the embassy has seized Ms Qununs passport is incorrect.

It also cited Thai authorities, saying the woman was stopped as she could not present the required documents.

The embassy also confirms that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia did not demand her deportation back to her country, the statement said.

It also said that the case is a family affair, but is under the attention of the embassy. The embassy earlier denied reports it sent officials to the airport to meet Ms Qunun following her arrival at the airport.

Calls for help by Ms Qunun prompted the UNHCR, the UNs refugee body, to step in. UNHCR representative Giuseppe De Vincentiis visited the woman on Monday night.

The UNHCR issued a statement yesterday saying it would look into Ms Qununs case to assess her need for international protection and that It could take several days to process the case and determine next steps.

Meanwhile, Immigration Bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn visited Abdalelah Mohammed A Alsheaiby, charge daffaires of the Saudi embassy in Bangkok, to discuss the case. Saudi Arabia has not sent an ambassador to Thailand for decades.

Speaking after the meeting, Gen Surachate said the talk were satisfactory. He claimed the Saudi charge agreed with all the proceedings in relation to the case.

Gen Surachate stressed that it is Ms Qununs wish to be cared for by the UNHCR.

He said her father and brother were scheduled to arrive in Thailand yesterday evening and that he would coordinate with the agency to arrange the meeting. Ms Qunun has said she fled Saudi Arabia in the first place because of mistreatment by her brother and father.

Gen Surachate added that the two countries have agreed that the issue is a family affair in which family members must talk to each other.

Read original story here.All safe after Russian tour bus collides with pickup on Phuket coastal road

PHUKET: Kamala Police today confirmed that there were no injuries after a pickup truck collided with a tour bus heading in the opposite direction on a tight curve overlooking Laem Singh on Phukets east coast road.

tourismtransportaccidentspolice

By The Phuket News

Wednesday 9 January 2019, 07:38PM

Workers took about an hour to clear debris and remove the stricken vehicles, which caused traffic delays along the busy road. Photo: Supplied

Workers took about an hour to clear debris and remove the stricken vehicles, which caused traffic delays along the busy road. Photo: Supplied

The collision was heavy enough to force the tyre to blow out. Photo: Supplied

The tourists on the bus were frightened by the accident, but otherwise all well. Photo: Supplied

The accident occurred at about 8am yesterday (Jan 8), Capt Jarat Laemphan of the Kamala Police told The Phuket News today.

The bus, operating for Anex Tours, had picked up its Russian passengers in Kamala and was en route to Phang Nga when the accident happened, Capt Jarat explained.

The pickup truck was travelling southbound along the road when the bus and pickup collided, he said.

The bus struck the pickup at the rear-right wheel, Capt Jarat explained.

The collision was heavy enough to force the tyre to blow out, he added.

The pickup driver was lucky, and he managed to pull over by the side of the road without hitting any other vehicles, Capt Jarat said.

Of concern is that only metres beyond the guardrail on the coastal side of the road is a sheer drop to the water below.

The tourists on the bus were frightened by the accident, but otherwise all well, he added.

Workers took about an hour to clear debris and remove the stricken vehicles, which caused traffic delays along the busy road, Capt Jarat explained.

Capt Jarat today also said that he had yet to determine who  if anyone  would face charges over the accident.

Tomorrow (Jan 10), both the pickup driver and tour bus driver will come to talk with me to clear the cost of damages together, Capt Jarat said.

Meanwhile, he urged all motorists to be careful along that stretch of the coastal road.

It can be dangerous as there are many curves, he said.A Rochester High School teacher has lost her job and is under police investigation for allegations described as inappropriate conduct with sConsumers Energy, a Gold-Level Employer participating in the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency Veteran-Friendly Employer Program, received the Rising Star Award for its innovative approaches to recruiting, hiring and implementing training for veterans.FARMINGTON HILLS

Local apartment residents donate toys to families who couldn't afford themThis subscription will allow curernt subscribers of The News Guard to access all of our online Subscriber-Only content, including the E Editions area.

NOTE: To claim your access to the site, you will need to enter the Last Name and First Name that is tied to your subscription in this format: SMITH, JOHN

If you need help with exactly how your specific name needs be entered, please call us at 1-541-994-2178 or email admin@countrymedia.net.In this Sept. 21, 2018, file photo, then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis speaks during the 2018 POW/MIA National Recognition Day Ceremony at the Pentagon.Five Guys Burgers and Fries teased opening a restaurant in Mt. Pleasant on Jan. 5. They asked residents whether they wanted to a location on either Pickard St. or Mission St.The Rams weren't ranked in the top 10 for Division 3 at the end of the regular season, so they have nothing to lose Tuesday at Blair Field.Laos, Ethiopia, Georgia or Panama. In a context marked by economic downturn, uncertainty and trade war, these will be some of the economic growth mines in the following twelve months. According to the last International Monetary Funds (IMF) forecasts, these territories will continue to accelerate this year, defeating all their neighbours in the region.

The IMF lowered in October last year two tenths their growth forecast for global economy, placing it in 3.7% for 2018 and 2019. This downward revision coincided with the reports from other international organisms, like the OECD, which alerted the global economic growth has touched the ceiling.

What is the main reason? Moderation in the rise of emerging and global trade, the two economic motors in the last decades. The commerce will go from growing 5.2% in 2017 to 4.2% in 2018 (which final figures are still unknown) and 4% in 2019. In that setting, which countries will lead that year the growth in Africa, Latin America or South-East Asia?

Sub-Saharan Africa

In sub-Saharan Africa, Ethiopia is the market with the best growing forecasts for this year, with a peak of 8.5%, according to the IMF. The rise more than duplicates the forecasted for the whole region, where a growth of 3.5% is contemplated.

In the last year, Ethiopia submitted a bid to become a new supply centre for fashion industry, and operators like H&M already carry out some productions in the country.

The Ethiopian market has kept since 2006 a growing rate greater than the average in its region, with double-digit increases until 2012. In 2017, it was the second country that grew the most in the world, just after Libya, with a rise of 10.9%.

Ethiopia is the second most populated country in Africa, but its PIB per capita is low and 30% of their inhabitants live beneath the poverty threshold, which prevented for now to be positioned as an attractive consumer market.

North Africa

Libya will go back to position in 2019 with one of the countries that grow the most, a quota that already reached in 2017, when its GDP was shot up 64% due to the escalation in oil prices. For 2019, IMF estimates a rise of 10.8%, even though it will be significantly moderated in 2020 and 2021, with an increase of almost 1.4% during both years.

Such rise is motivated mainly by the increase of oil production, on which Libyan economy almost entirely depends, what compensates, according to the IMF, the little public investment.

Political instability, the insecurity and the lack of trust of consumers in the bank system, which results in a lack of liquidity, according to Cia World Factbook, that places the country still quite far away from becoming a possible consumption destiny.

Europe

Georgia and America will share in 2019 the gold of the fastest growing economies. For both of them, IMF anticipates a growth of 4.8%, even though the rate presents a downturn facing the projections for 2019, which stood in 5.5% in case of Georgia and 6% in case of Armenia.

In short term, forecasts are better for Georgia, where a rise of 5.3% is estimated for 2023, while Armenias rate will remain in 4.5%. Armenian economy is affected by its geographical isolation and a scarce export base, as well as some sectors monopolies that have harmed the economic dynamism.

The former Soviet Socialist Republic is very dependent of the Russian evolution and its governmental and commercial support, as the country controls key infrastructures in the country, such as energy. Armenian consignments generate around 12% and 14% of the countrys GDP, according the IMF.

In this context, Armenia is searching for new allies outside its borders, especially from the European Union, with which signed a Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement in 2017 after the free trade agreement they planned to sign in 2013 was unsuccessful due to Russian pressures.

In Georgia, economy is still trying to completely recover after 2009 crisis, after a conflict with Russia in 2008. The country, with a liberal government that has been maintaining low regulation policies, little taxes and free market, is also looking to diversify its portfolio of partners externally, and in 2017 it signed an agreement of free trade with China.

With a GDP per capita higher than the one of India or Morocco, but with a high level of unemployment, the development of international brands is still incipient. Inditex, for instance, has thirteen stores in the country, while H&M landed in the country in 2017 with an opening in the capital, Tiblisi.





Eurozone

In the Eurozone, Slovakia is going to be the country with the highest growing rate in 2019, slightly ahead of Ireland. The Slovakian economy kept a good rhythm in the last decades: between 2000 and 2009 it advanced 4.5%, standing as the second market in the Eurozone that better evolved, and its steady growth trend continues from then.

After the advancement of 3.4% in 2017, the IMF forecasts a growth acceleration for the following years, with an expected rise of 3.9% for 2018 and 4.1% for 2019. In the medium term, Slovakia will continue being one of the countries in the region with better forecasts, with an increase of 3.5% in 2023. International fashion is present in the country, which has barely 5 million inhabitants: Inditex has sixteen stores and H&M has twenty-two.

However, private consumption is more moderate than in other countries from Visegrad, like the Check Republic, and its economic distance with Western Europe remains significant.

Latin America

Its dollarized economy, its condition of a tax haven and its position of strategical hub for the commerce have driven the development of Panama economy, which remains as the one that grows the most in Latin America. For 2019, a rise of 6.8% is forecasted, in contrast to last years expected 4.6%.

However, the economic impulse of the country has not been translated likewise into all the population: Panama is the second country with the highest rate in inequality of all Latin America, and one fourth of their inhabitants live in poverty.

With all this, the strong purchasing power upper classes have, made up of both locals and foreigners that work in the country, and their opening to commerce have placed it as an interesting consumer market inside Latin American territory.

Asia

Given the lack of end of the year data, India will beat China as the economy that grows the most in Asia, according to IMF forecasts, and it will also keep the gold this year. The entity will estimate a growth of 7.3% for 2018 and 7.4% for 2019, in contrast with the increases of 6.6% and 6.2% expected for China.

According to these estimations, India will surpass the United Kingdom as the fifth largest power in the world this year, although the experts warn of the risk of slowdown in exports and production for global economic downturns.

India, which will as well become the most populated country in the world in 2022, according to the United Nations, is increasingly integrating into the global trade, and the economic liberalization measures and the external openness are already bearing its fruits.

This year is going to be key for the country, which will try the support to its Prime Minister, Narendra Modi in the presidential elections. Even though Modi said he expects to beat all records, the regional comities in December gave a major boost to the opposing party that won in two out of the five states.

South-East Asia

The growth in South-East Asia is led by Laos, with an increase of 7% in 2019. Laos is one of the communist countries with an only party, but since the end of the 80s it started to decentralize the power and drive the private company.

The country maintained a growth of 6% per year between 1988 and 2008, and in the last decade it became one of the better developing markets in Asia, with annual rates of 7%. With all, the scares infrastructure, the small sized domestic market and the corruption remain as some of the barriers to foreign investment in the country.

After Laos, the two economies that will grow the most in South East Asia are Myanmar and Cambodia, two key centres for fashion supply, for which the IMF forecasts an increase of 6.8% this year. However, its position of production hub could change this year, since Brussels is studying to eliminate Myanmars zero tariff due to the rohingyas crisis and started a process to eliminate the access to the Asiatic country by the trade preference program Everything But Arms (EBA), challenging retail imports for 3.42 billion euros.8 hours ago

| June 15th | 2021 7:40 AM

Does Wendys (NASDAQ: WEN) Have What It Takes To Be A Winner In 2021?

Though Wendys (NASDAQ: WEN) stock was cut in half during the dark days of February and March of last year, Wall Street quickly realized that convenient fast food would probably be towards the bottom of the list of things to be cut by hard-hit consumers who were tightening the proverbial belts. So back the stock roared and since this time lastAd Resource Stock Digest New this week - 1,829 interested

Could This Be the Biggest US Gold Discovery in Years?

See how this tiny, unknown gold company secured a prime land package right next door to the worlds two largest gold producers in Nevadas famed Carlin Trend where 84 Million gold ounces have already been extracted. Best of all, investors can still get in well below US$0.50 per share.American Financial Group, Inc., an insurance holding company, provides property and casualty insurance products in the United States. The company operates through three segments: Property and Casualty Insurance, Annuity, and Other. It offers property and transportation insurance products, such as physical damage and liability coverage for buses and trucks, inland and ocean marine, agricultural-related products, and other commercial property coverages; specialty casualty insurance, including primarily excess and surplus, executive and professional liability, general liability, umbrella and excess liability, and specialty coverage in targeted markets, as well as customized programs for small to mid-sized businesses and workers' compensation insurance; and specialty financial insurance products comprising risk management insurance programs for lending and leasing institutions, fidelity and surety products, and trade credit insurance. The company sells its property and casualty insurance products through independent insurance agents and brokers, as well as through employee agents. It also provides traditional fixed and indexed annuities to the retail, financial institutions, broker-dealer, and registered investment advisor markets; and run-off long-term care and life insurance services. In addition, the company engages in the commercial real estate operations in Cincinnati, Whitefield, New Hampshire, Chesapeake Bay, Charleston, and Palm Beach. American Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1872 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Read MoreA new cruise liner is set to launch in Qatar in the coming days, with itineraries that will sail to Oman and Kuwait.

Spanning 10 decks, the roll-on, roll-off Grand Ferry can accommodate 870 passengers across 270 cabins and is expected to set off on its maiden voyage this month.

The launch bypasses a blockade which was implemented in 2017, when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a land and sea blockade. The countries accuse Doha of financing terrorism.

Read also: Five things to know when traveling on cruise ships

Built to accommodate 670 cars, the ship allows Qatari residents, who are barred from driving across land borders into neighboring countries like the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, to disembark in Kuwait and Oman and drive through the countries freely.

According to the Gulf Times, the 145-meter ship, which was built in France, is equipped with a cinema, lecture and meeting room, salon, coffee shops, children's playroom, medical clinic and helicopter landing pad.

A cruise to Oman takes about 20-25 hours.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (Vietnam News/ANN) Hanoi  Wed, January 9, 2019 12:55 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e6126d4 2 SE Asia Vietnam,Facebook,violation,hate-speech,tax,social-media,#ANN Free

The Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC) is considering preventing cash flowing into hatred advertising on Facebook and collecting taxes to deal with the social networks violations of laws in Vietnam.

The information was released at a press conference held by the MICs Authority of Broadcasting and Electronic Information in Hanoi on Tuesday.

Other measures to be considered include requiring Facebook to comply with Vietnamese laws and regulations.

According to the ABEI, Facebook had violated Vietnamese laws in three major areas of managing information content, online advertising and tax liability.

Facebook had not reportedly responded to a request to remove fan pages provoking activities against the state at the request of authorities.

Facebook had also allowed content from personal accounts to post slanderous content, anti-government sentiment and libel and defamation of individuals, organizations and state agencies. This content had been found to seriously violate Vietnam's Law on Cyber Security, Governments Decree 72/2013, on the management, provision and use of internet services and online information and the MICs Circular 38 detailing the provision of public information across the border.

Management agencies had sent emails repeatedly asking Facebook to remove distorted and misleading content. However, the social networking giant had delayed removing the content, saying it did not violate its community standards.

It has also refused to provide information on fraudulent accounts to security agencies.

Facebook has been found to allow active accounts to sell and advertise illegal products and services such as fake money, fake products, weapons and fire crackers.

In particular, Facebook is reported to have allowed users to buy ads to spread false information, defame organisations, individuals and businesses.

According to ANTS market research company, in 2018, spending on online advertising in Viet Nam was estimated at US$550 million, of which advertising spent on Facebook and Google were $235 million and $152.1 million respectively. However, the two have reportedly ignored their tax obligations in Viet Nam.

The fact that foreign businesses such as Facebook do not pay taxes had caused the state to lose money and float the online advertising market, said the ABEI.

Authorities planned to continue gathering evidence of the infringements made by Facebook.

In addition, Facebook must coordinate with relevant agencies to manage payments and taxes for commercial and advertising transactions in Vietnam. If Facebook did not take positive steps, Vietnamese regulators would apply necessary economic and technical measures to ensure a clean and healthy network environment, said the ABEI.This blog covers software patent news and issues with a particular focus on wireless, mobile devices (smartphones, tablet computers, connected cars) as well as select antitrust matters surrounding those devices.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 20:46 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e625395 1 City Tanah-Abang-skybridge,street-vendors,Tanah-Abang-Market Free

Several street vendors are still operating on Jl. Jatibaru Raya sidewalks despite the construction of Tanah Abang Skybridge having finished and some vendors having relocated to the bridge.

Kompas.com reported on Wednesday that some vendors were seen setting up their wares on the western sidewalk of the street while city officers were not looking.

However, the eastern side of the street is clear of street vendors and pedestrians have been able to use the sidewalk without obstruction.

Several Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) officers were seen patrolling the sidewalks near the sky bridge, on Jl. Jatibaru Bengkel and in front of Tanah Abang railway station.

Tanah Abang district head Dedi Arif Darsono said his office kept working with the Public Order Agency, the Police and the military to discipline street vendors.

He revealed that around 120 officers were deployed to seek out illegal street vendors on Tuesday.

We will continue to have officers ready in the field so the street vendors will not return. It [the raid] must be done routinely so they [street vendors] will not return. But theyre still street vendors, some are stubborn [and return to the streets], Dedi said on Wednesday.

He said the street vendors clothes, seats, tarpaulin roofs and their wares caught in the raid would be taken to the Public Order Agency warehouse in Cakung, East Jakarta. (ami)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan  Wed, January 9, 2019 18:18 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e6219c8 1 National agrarian-reform,land-conflicts,Medan Free

Agrarian and Spatial Planning Minister Sofyan Djalil has blamed Indonesias poor land certification system for land conflicts occurring across the country, including in Medan, North Sumatra, where the incidents have been severe.

Land conflicts occur very easily here, Sofyan said when distributing land certificates in the provincial capital on Tuesday.

The higher the price of a piece of land, the easier a conflict emerges because many are still uncertified, he added.

It is estimated that 80 million parcels of land across the country are uncertified.

When a piece of land has no certificate of ownership, Sofyan said, it attracts land syndicates and fraudsters using fake documents, causing disputes with the people who inhabit the land.

Therefore, Agrarian and Spatial Planning is targeting to have all uncertified parcels of land certified by 2025, he added.

Compared to other countries in the region, such as South Korea and Taiwan, Indonesia is lagged behind in terms of land certification, Sofyan said.

Medan Mayor Dzulmi Eldin said that land conflicts occurring in the city were relatively complicated and had existed since the early years of Indonesias independence. At that time, the government initiated a national land-reclaiming program as an attempt to seize assets from the Dutch.

We want to stop land conflicts in this region so that there will be no more land incidents claiming peoples lives, Dzulmi said.

According to the North Sumatra chapter for the Commission for Missing People and Victims of Violence (Kontras North Sumatra), land conflicts often lead to brawls and even fatalities.

One example of a deadly land conflict involved concessions formerly managed by state-owned plantation company PT Perkebunan Nusantara (PTPN) II, which measures nearly 6,000 hectares.

Law expert Syafruddin Kalo of the North Sumatra Universitys School of Law said that for about 18 years, the parcels of land remained abandoned, prompting local farmers to cultivate them.

They were later distributed by the government.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 15:50 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e61bf9b 1 City transjakarta,electric-bus,feasibility-study,unep Free

Jakarta is considering to use electric buses as the city moves toward a more environmentally friendly transportation system.

City bus operator Transjakarta president director Agung Wicaksono said the company was set to continue a technical feasibility study on the potential use of electric buses after a meeting with the United Nation Environmental Program on Tuesday in Jakarta.

Because the world is moving toward electric vehicles, the governor asked to also move in that direction, he said at City Hall as quoted by kompas.com.

Agung said the study would examine electric vehicle provision and operations. If it showed that electric buses could be used in the city, Transjakarta would conduct a further study on converting buses that run on fossil fuels and gas.

We have being requested to learn about it, but we have a target that [the study] should be completed this year, he said.

The discourse on electric buses emerged mid-2018.

In May last year, Transjakarta planned a trial run for between five and 10 electric buses at the Gelora Bung Karno sports complex for the 2018 Asian Games.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo mentioned during the 42nd Indonesian Petroleum Association Convention and Exhibition in Jakarta on May 2, 2018, that a number of countries were using electric vehicles.

At the time, Jokowi said a city in China had completely electrified its bus system by 2017. The country also converts 100 fossil fuel run buses to electric ones each year.

The President said Jakarta should follow these examples. (sau)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Novan Iman Santosa (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 12:50 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e611e7f 1 World foreign-affairs,journalism,Foreign-Ministry,The-Jakarta-Post,award,Adam-Malik-Award Free

The Jakarta Post has welcomed 2019 with a significant achievement as World Desk reporter Agnes Anya was conferred the Adam Malik Award for Best Print Journalist.

Foreign Minister Retno L.P. Marsudi presented Agnes and five other winning journalists with the Adam Malik Award on Wednesday, before the annual Foreign Minister's Press Briefing.

The Post's solid coverage of international news was reflected in the nomination of another World Desk reporter, Dian Septiari, in the Best Print Journalist category.

The Foreign Ministry holds the annual award to recognize the media for their contribution in disseminating the country's foreign policy accurately and informatively.

Born in 1917, Adam Malik started his career as a journalist and was a leader of the independence movement. He was also foreign minister in 1966-1978 and vice president in 1978-1983.

Other Adam Malik Award winners include: Kompas daily for Best Newspaper, public broadcaster TVRI for Best TV Station, public broadcaster RRI Pro 3 for Best Radio Station, Antaranews.com for Best Online News, and CNNIndonesia.com reporter Riva Dessthania Suastha for Best Online Journalist.

On Monday evening, The Jakarta Post reporter Safrin La Batu received Special Recognition for Sustainability in Journalism Award from Singapore's Global Initiatives.

The award is part of the organization's Sustainable Business Awards, an annual award that is held in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Sustainable Business Awards Indonesia is supported by partners PricewaterhouseCoopers Indonesia, CNBC Indonesia, the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN), the Indonesia Business Council for Sustainable Development (IBCSD), Control Union, Indonesia Business Coalition for Women Empowerment (IBCWE) and the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP).Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Washington, United States  Wed, January 9, 2019 12:38 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e610b86 2 World #USA,#politics,Nancy-Pelosi,accuse,DonaldTrump,held,American,hostage,shut-down Free

Top congressional Democrats on Tuesday accused President Donald Trump of holding Americans "hostage" by refusing to strike a deal to fund shuttered government agencies, and using fear mongering to justify his demand for his much-hyped border wall.

"President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis, and must re-open the government," Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said in a curt rebuttal to Trump's address to the nation minutes earlier, in which he declared the situation on the southern border a "crisis of the heart."

The political impasse over Trump's border wall demand -- and the divided Congress's refusal to fund it -- has kept key government agencies closed for the past 18 days, with few signs that a breakthrough is imminent.

And with Democrats reclaiming the majority in the House of Representatives, Trump has lost his monopoly on congressional power that could have helped him reach agreement with lawmakers.

About 800,000 federal workers, and many more contractors, are not being paid, but Trump said that problem could be resolved swiftly if Democrats simply "fund border security."

In a somber appeal to the nation, Trump spoke of Americans who have been "savagely murdered in cold blood" by immigrants who crossed illegally into the United States.

"How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?" he pleaded.

The Democrats rejected Trump's fear mongering as "misinformation and even malice," with Pelosi blasting the president's "obsession with forcing American taxpayers to waste billions of dollars on an expensive and ineffective wall."

Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer, standing with Pelosi in the US Capitol, accused Trump of throwing a "temper tantrum" over the border, where he "appealed to fear, not facts."

"No president should pound the table and demand he gets his way or else the government shuts down, hurting millions of Americans who are treated as leverage," Schumer said.

"The symbol of America should be the Statue of Liberty, not a 30 foot wall," he concluded.

Rank-and-file lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle weighed in quickly on social media, with Republicans praising Trump for outlining the facts of a national security crisis on the border and Democrats attacking him for misleading and dividing Americans.

"Throughout history, presidents have used an Oval Office address to bring the country together," tweeted Adam Schiff, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

"Tonight, Trump used it to stoke fear and division."TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.

Just click on the icons to get to the download page.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (Agence France-Presse) Tehran, Iran  Wed, January 9, 2019 18:06 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e620eb3 2 World #USA,Iran,khamenei,US,officials,idiot Free

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Wednesday dubbed some US officials "first-class idiots" as he ridiculed them for predicting the collapse of the Islamic Republic.

"Some US officials pretend that they are mad. Of course I don't agree with that, but they are first-class idiots," he said in speech in Tehran, quoted on his official Twitter feed.

Khamenei was having a dig at US officials who had predicted there would be regime change in Iran by the end of 2018.

"A while ago, a US politician had said, among a gathering of terrorists and thugs, that he hopes to celebrate this Christmas in Tehran," Khamenei said, according to his Twitter feed.

"Christmas was a few days ago. This is how US calculations work."

It was not clear to which US official he was referring, but members of President Donald Trump's administration have called for regime change and predicted it would happen soon.

This has included National Security Advisor John Bolton -- a long-time regime change advocate -- who often speaks at gatherings of the exiled People's Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) opposition group, considered a terrorist cult by Tehran's leaders.

"Before 2019 we here will celebrate in Tehran," Bolton told an MEK meeting in Paris in July 2017.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9 2019

Indonesia can enjoy the demographic bonus and avoid the middle-income trap if it can maintain economic growth of at least 5 percent each year until 2045, National Development Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro has said.



Bambang said if Indonesia could take full advantage of its demographic bonus, it would become a high-income country in 2045, when the country commemorates its 100th anniversary.



However, economic growth should be kept to at least 5 percent, he said in a reference to the countrys growth in the past two years.



We could even get out of the middle-income trap by 2038 if we do that, Bambang said following a public discussion on Indonesias vision toward 2045 on Tuesday.



Indonesia is predicted to experience a demographic bonus from 2020 to 2035 as a result of robust economic growth, thanks to a larger working age group, whic...Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Kharishar Kahfi (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 17:07 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e61f545 1 National KPK,bomb-threat Free

The police will intensify security around Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leaders homes following suspected bomb attacks at the houses of chairman Agus Rahardjo and deputy chairman Laode Muhammad Syarif on Wednesday morning.

We will intensify patrols [around the houses of the antigraft bodys commissioners], Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Argo Yuwono told journalists on Wednesday.

Early on Wednesday morning, what appeared to be a bomb was left at Agus house in Bekasi, West Java. The police bomb squad discovered a black bag hanging on the fence of the house, containing material resembling components of an explosive device, such as a detonator, cable, nails and a pipe.

At the same time, the remains of a Molotov cocktail were found at Laodes house in Kalibata, South Jakarta. The KPK deputy chairman said he saw suspicious people near his house at round 1 a.m. through security cameras, while his neighbors claimed of hearing glass breaking.

The police reacted quickly in response to the incidents by assigning a joint investigation team comprising personnel from -- among others -- the Jakarta Police, the National Police headquarters and the polices Densus 88 counterterrorism squad.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said Densus 88 was assigned to investigate the incidents because of its vast experience in handling explosive materials.

Give the team time to work. We will announce the results once theyre finished, Dedi said.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Marchio Irfan Gorbiano (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9 2019

The government is assessing the best possible way to manage incoming foreign portfolio funds in an effort to reduce the impact of a capital reversal that may cause vulnerability in the countrys economy whenever the global financial market is highly volatile, a minister has said.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati told a seminar on Tuesday that many developed and developing countries shared the understanding of the need to introduce some forms of restriction for capital inflows to strengthen resilience against sudden shocks triggered by external factors. One example, she said, was a Tobin Tax.

Introduced by American economist James Tobin in 1972, the Tobin Tax seeks to impose a tax on currency conversions to discourage speculative behavior among investors while supporting currency stability.

Around the world, we h...Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Semarang  Wed, January 9 2019

The Central Java administration plans to scrap its relief letter (SKTM) program for students from poor families looking to enroll in state junior and high schools across the province, because of misuse.



The plan was announced following reports that showed many parents pretending to be poor in the hope of benefiting from privileged access to nearby schools in 2018.



The rampant use of fake SKTMs last year is the reason behind our plan to abolish the program, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo said on Tuesday. The SKTM program led to many rich families claiming to be poor so their children could study in desirable schools.



Last year, reports showed that 78,000 wrongly issued SKTMs were used by students and their families to enroll in state junior and senior high schools as well as vocational schools in the province.



Ganjar said the local educatio...Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Winny Tang (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 14:30 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e616e0e 1 Business BPJS-Kesehatan,healthcare-services,deficit,funding,funding-gap,tobacco,tax,patients-complaints Free

Participants of the National Health Insurance (JKN) program can now let out a sigh of relief as healthcare services return to normal after the Health Ministry ordered the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) to re-establish ties with dozens of hospitals.

Earlier this month, BPJS Kesehatan terminated its contract with hospitals that had yet to be accredited by the Hospital Accreditation Committee (KARS), including some in Greater Jakarta.

The decision triggered confusion among patients who had to find healthcare providers that were still under contract with BPJS Kesehatan. The agency said at the time that the decision to sever ties had been driven by its ballooning deficit problem.

The Health Ministry later issued a recommendation that encouraged the agency to extend its cooperation with as-yet unaccredited hospitals to ensure that participants of the National Health Insurance-Indonesia Health Card (JKN-KIS) program could receive uninterrupted healthcare services.

We give leeway to these hospitals [] as long as they are committed to completing the accreditation process within six months, Health Minister Nila Moeloek said on Monday.

As of December 2018, 2,217 hospitals had signed a contract with the BPJS to provide services under the agency's terms. Out of the figure, 1,759 hospitals are accredited.

The Health Ministry said that 341 unaccredited hospitals have committed to finishing the accreditation process by June 30 this year.

Hold tight: A patient and a member of Social Health Insurance Provider (BPJS) is pushed by her family member after undergoing a medical check-up at Bahteramas hospital in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi. (Antara/Jojon)

BPJS Kesehatan maintained that accreditation was key to protecting patients and ensure they receive quality healthcare services.

Its decision to terminate dozens of contracts was the most recent in a string of obstacles the agency has experienced in recent years.

Although more than 200 million participants of the JKN-KIS program may feel relieved that they once again have access to their usual hospital, BPJS Kesehatan continues to be in dire financial straits because of its ballooning budget deficit.

In 2018, it recorded a Rp 16.5 trillion (US$1.17 billion) budget deficit, which was it blamed on low premiums charged to participants.

BPJS Kesehatan president director Fachmi Idris said the premiums were not enough to cover patients' claims.

The government recently offered a capital injection of Rp 4.9 trillion to help cover the deficit.

Fachmi has earlier said that BPJS, in cooperation with the Health Ministry, Finance Ministry and other stakeholders, are seeking ways to reduce the deficit problem this year. One of the ways proposed to plug the deficit was to use tobacco excise revenue to pay for the shortfall.

President Joko Jokowi Widodo issued a presidential regulation in September last year that would channel funds from the governments tobacco excise to help plug the deficit.

Besides relying on assistance from the government, BPJS Kesehatan has unveiled a scheme in which it would not pay for the medical treatment of patients who are covered by other insurers.

If participants are involved in traffic accidents, for certain cases, [the claim] would be covered by insurance companies. For workplace incidents, the claim can be solved by institutions responsible for that, Fachmi said in a recent interview.

The agency also plans to improve its fraud mitigation system and strategic purchasing management, he said.

Long line  Residents of Pontianak, West Kalimantan, line up to register for a BPJS membership at the agency's Pontianak branch on Thursday. Every day, around 200-300 residents apply for the government-funded health insurance program. (thejakartapost.com/Severianus Endi)

BPJS Kesehatans deficit problems have resulted in late payments to hospitals, which led to delayed payments from hospitals to pharmaceutical distributors, which in turn hurt the cash flows of pharmaceutical companies.

Indonesian Pharmaceutical Association (GP Farmasi) executive director Dorodjatun Sanusi said pharmaceutical companies did not run a profitable operation by joining healthcare programs managed by BPJS Kesehatan.

We [pharmaceutical companies] don't talk about profit anymore. The prices [of medicine] were very low, payments are uncertain, and we also have to pay taxes upfront, Dorodjatun told The Jakarta Post.

He added that hospitals were sometimes more than a year late in making payments.

GP Farmasi now allows its members to decide individually whether to continue to support BPJS Kesehatan or not.

State-owned pharmaceutical company Indofarma acknowledged that the delayed payments from hospitals had affected the companys cash flows, but given its status as a state-owned company, it will continue to support the JKN program.

Now, we have to adjust our business portfolio so that we don't have to concentrate on the BPJS, said Indofarma finance director Herry Triyatno.

Meanwhile, Kalbe Farma president director Vidjongtius said profit that the company accrued from the JKN program had declined but the firm expressed its commitment to supporting the program this year, as it is committed to providing the Indonesian people the medication they need.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Norman Harsono (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 08:15 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e603290 1 Business horticulture,product,exports,Amran-Sulaiman Free

The Agriculture Ministry has announced that the export of horticultural commodities grew significantly last year, with fruit exports jumping 26.27 percent compared to the previous years figure.

The export of mangosteens jumped 500 percent, said Agriculture Minister Amran Sulaiman in Bandung recently, adding that while horticultural exports in whole increased by 11.92 percent or Rp 5 trillion (US$355.71 million) last year.

The Agriculture Ministry said 42 types of horticultural commodities such as pineapples, mangosteens, mangoes and baby beans were exported to 12 countries including Singapore, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, China and Australia.

Most of the commodities were produced by farmers in West Java and exported by PT Alamanda Sejati Utama, a private Indonesian agricultural exporter.

Amran said the exports would continue to increase following the reform of certain policies, such as the 24-hour online single submission licensing system and web-based business licensing system, which was launched last year.

The government had revoked 291 regulations because they were preventing the smooth licensing process for exports, he added.

Amran said the increase in agricultural exports was the ministry's main priority in a bid to improve the welfare of farmers and boost the countrys economy by improving the quality of commodities in terms of hygiene and security as requested by destination countries. (das/bbn)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 16:53 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e61e674 4 Business export-oriented-industry,raw-materials,incentives Free

The Indonesian Exporters Association (GPEI) is seeking incentives from the government for the use of local raw materials to manufacture its products.

GPEI chairman Benny Soetrisno said on Wednesday that certain imported raw materials were cheaper than local ones because of government incentives implemented through a scheme known as the import facility for export oriented products (KITE).

Under the KITE scheme, Benny said, the government freed exporters from paying value-added tax (VAT).

However, the government has no policy in place [to provide incentives] for exporters who use local raw materials for their products, he said as quoted by kontan.co.id.

He stressed that the incentives would encourage more producers to use local raw materials that would help them improve their cash flow.

It would also narrow the trade deficit [that had reached US$7.5 billion in the first 11 months of 2018] because more producers would use local raw materials, Benny said.

Due to the absence of such incentives, exporters were currently paying 10 percent in VAT, he added.

Benny also called on the government to accelerate negotiations with other countries to establish free trade agreements to expand export opportunities. (bbn)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 12:24 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e6105aa 1 City Eagle,bird,fallen,jakarta,river Free

An endangered eagle was found in the Grogol River in Penjaringan subdistrict, North Jakarta, on Tuesday morning.

The Jakarta Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA)s forest ecosystem management head, Nani Rahayu, said the elang bondol (brahminy kite eagle) was categorized as an endangered species.

She said the eagle had undergone a dramatic population drop within the last few years.

We could not find the eagle anymore in four conservation sites. The Brahminy kite eagle has undergone a sharp population decline on Java Island, Nani said on Tuesday, adding that the situation had been triggered by the bird's habitat transformation.

The brahminy kite eagle has not been seen in the Muara Angke wildlife reserve since 2013, Nani added.

She encouraged anyone who found endangered or protected species to report their findings to the agency because keeping the animal was considered a violation of the law that could result in a maximum punishment of five years in prison and Rp 100 million (US$7,070) in fines.

Better call our call center. [The animals] would then be taken to the Tegal Alur animal rescue center in West Jakarta, she said as quoted by kompas.com.

North Jakartas water body management unit has temporarily taken custody of the eagle, prior to handing it over to authorities.

Ismail, one of the unit workers on the scene at the time, said no wounds were found on the eagle, only a few loose feathers. (sau)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 18:41 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e622ffc 1 City park,revamp,revitalization,South-Jakarta,Central-Jakarta Free

The Jakarta administration intends to revitalize five city parks this year amid growing public demand for open green spaces.

Listed for revitalization are Tebet Park, Langsat Park, Puring Park and Mataram Park, all in South Jakarta, and Tugu Tani Park in Central Jakarta.

The parks were built a long time ago, while the publics need for open green space is high, Jakarta Forestry Agency head Suzi Marsitawati said on Wednesday, wartakota.tribunnews.com reported.

Suzi said parks should be somewhere at which people could interact.

Besides open green spaces, they will have additional functions that people can take advantage of, Suzi said.

She said every revitalized park would have new facilities but have different concepts.

We have designed each park differently. We will equip them with facilities. All the concepts are clear, Suzi said.

Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan said the city had allotted funds 2019 city budget for the five projects.

The funds amount to Rp 140 billion (US$9.9 million).

We have prepared the funds. God willing, in 2019 we will soon do it and hope all will be finished soon and people can use the parks, Anies said on Jan. 3. (ami)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Theresia Sufa (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 11:43 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e60e2b0 1 City murder,bogor,student,stabbing Free

A student was found dead with a stab wound on Tuesday in the narrow lane of a residential neighborhood on Jl. Riau in East Bogor district, West Java.

East Bogor Police chief Comr. Masudi Widodo identified the victim as 18-year-old Andriana Yubelia Noven Cahya Rejeki, a 12th-grade fashion student at Baranangsiang vocational school.

Masudi said the incident occurred at around 3.55 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon, when the victim, still in her school uniform, was walking along an alley past a grand mosque toward her boarding house on Jl. Riau.

"Judging from the CCTV footage, the victim appeared to be coming home from school. A man suddenly appeared, stabbed her and then fled toward Jl. Raya Pajajaran," said local resident Deki as quoted by kompas.com

Bogor Police spokesperson Adj. Comr. Yuni Astuti said that residents of the area found the victim at around 4 p.m., laying facedown in a pool of blood. Later examination discovered a stab wound 3 centimeters long and 22 cm deep in the left-hand side of the victim's chest.

Upon receiving the reports from nearby residents in the area, which has a high crime rate, Bogor Mayor Bima Arya said he would tighten local security.

"We will maintain [local] order by coordinating with the heads of community units [RWs] and villages in installing street lights and managing vehicular access. The nearby [bus] terminal will also be monitored," said Bima.

The police are continuing with their investigation into identifying the killer. (mai)Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 08:33 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e6086cf 1 Politics 2019-elections,election-debate,Jokowi,MarufAmin,Prabowo-Sandiaga,Arief-Budiman,KPU,KPK,#2019PresidentialElection Free

Voters have expressed mixed responses over the General Elections Commissions (KPU) decision to provide presidential candidate pairs the list of questions before the first election debate next week.

While the KPU and two rival camps have decided to give the policy a go, some voters have argued that it will hinder them from assessing the real quality of the candidates during the election debates.

Desta, a 34-year-old graphic designer, said he wanted to watch the debates to gain a better understanding over the candidates. He especially wanted to learn about the candidates stances on certain issues before voting day in April.

However, he preferred that the candidates did not know the questions beforehand, so that their answers would be more genuine.

The list of questions may be given to prevent both camps from attacking each other during the debate, but no one can actually guarantee that such a thing will happen, Desta said on Tuesday.

One of the traits a leader must have is a strong mentality and he must be able to stay calm under pressure, he went on, If one cant handle attacks, why should he or she aspire to be a leader?

Nadia Khairani, 25, also shared Destas view, saying she was worried that the debate would turn into a mundane show, assuming that the campaign teams of both camps would carefully prepare the answer to each question.

Nevertheless, Nadia said she still planned to watch the upcoming debate between Joko Jokowi Widodo-Maruf Amin and Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno.

The events are still important to convince voters on whom to vote for in the election, she said.

Not all voters thought it was a bad idea to hand over the list of questions to the candidates before the actual debate takes place. Fuad Tri, 28, said the debate might turn into a war of facts and data, which can be a good thing.

The first election debate, slated for Jan. 17 at Bidakara Hotel in South Jakarta, will cover law, human rights, corruption and terrorism.

Six prominent panelists involved in preparing the questions include National Commission on Human Rights chairman Ahmad Taufik Damanik, former Supreme Court chief justice Bagir Manan and international law expert Hikmahanto Juwana.

The remaining panelists comprise constitutional law expert Bivitri Susanti, legal analyst Margarito Kamis and Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Agus Rahardjo, though Agus will not attend the debate to protect the dignity of the KPK as an independent body.

The debate will be divided into six segments, in which the second to fifth segments will cover questions and answers. Candidates will present their vision in the first and provide closing statements in the sixth segment, KPU chairman Arief Budiman said.

In the second and third segments, the election contenders will answer questions from the panelists, which will be given randomly from the list of questions given to the candidates several days before the debate. There will be five questions in each segment.

Each candidate pair will question their rival during the fourth and fifth segments. Both camps have kept the questions confidential from each other, Arief said.

[In the fourth and fifth segment] the two pairs will also respond to each others answers, so the public's expectation for [the candidates] answering unknown questions in the debate can be fulfilled, Arief said.

Both the Jokowi-Maruf and Prabowo-Sandiaga tickets welcomed the KPUs plan to give them the list of questions from the panelists as they are now gearing up to prepare for the first debate next week.

Maruf said he had made preparations with a team of experts from his coalition, adding that even with the list of questions as a reference, it would not be an easy debate. There are many questions, we dont know which ones we will be asked on the D-day, he said.

Prabowo campaign team deputy chairman Priyo Budi Santoso concurred with Maruf, saying that the list only mentioned general questions.

The most important thing is that both candidate pairs can explain and explore their vision during the debate, he said.

The public can watch the Jan. 17 debate live on several television stations, including TVRI, Kompas TV and RTV, as well as listen in on national radio station RRI. (swd)Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has been the talk of Twitterverse following his resurfaced appearance on Jay Lenos The Tonight Show in 2010 as a guest along with actress Sofia Vergara.

In the cringe-worthy video, Ramsay repeatedly made sexual innuendos to Vergara who is actually trying to answer Lenos questions. Prior to the interview, a clip was aired showing Vergara eating an awful dish cooked by Leno and screaming her displeasure to both men in her dressing room.

Upon taking her seat on stage, Vergara apologized to Leno, saying: I am sorry, Ive never screamed that loud in real life.

To which, Ramsay quipped, Really? Only in the bedroom?

Sofia Vergara didnt deserve to be treated like this. This is very very uncomfortable. pic.twitter.com/5xgxLLFZ8R  Jason Bolanos (@JBinAV) January 6, 2019

Another instance came as Leno held up a cover of Variety magazine with the headline, If Modern Family Wins the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy, Sofia Vergara Will Run Naked Down Sunset Blvd. *Cast member may change without notice.

Vergara jokingly said, You know what, thats ridiculous. I mean, I cannot run, I have bad knees.

Ramsay commented, Knock yourself out.

The interview grew more uncomfortable as the conversation shifted to Vergaras vacation to Italy and Greece. A photo picturing Vergara eating pizza emerged and Ramsay said, You seem like youre enjoying that. You had a whole wedge in your mouth at one time?

A visibly frustrated Vergara answers to audiences laughter, Yes, yes, yes.

Read also: Chef Gordon Ramsay says he's proud of being 'a pain'

Ramsay didnt stop and continued on saying, You dont eat pizza with a knife and a fork. You just pick it up and stick it in.

Vergara then shared a Colombian dessert for the chef to taste. Ramsays commented on the dessert, It tastes like s**t fudge.

For some reason, the chef turned his back on Vergara who got up from her seat to mock hit him.

Ramsay continued, You can take it back to f**king Colombia, to which Vergara retorted, Fish and chips. Thats all you eat.

At one point soon after, Ramsay gave Vergara a smack on her upper thigh, which jolted the actress who immediately fired back, No touching!

The cut-down version of the video was posted by Twitter user Jason Bolanos, who tweeted, Sofia Vergara didnt deserve to be treated like this. This is very very uncomfortable.

The post has been retweeted 51,000 times at the time of writing and has generated quite a strong opinion among Twitter users.

I feel physically sick! What an embarrassment. Shame on you @GordonRamsay  Katie B  (@k80b) January 7, 2019

Sofia Vergara should have smacked @GordonRamsay's face & had him charged with sexual harassment & sexual assault. What an entitled, toxic, chauvinist. Did Jay Leno say ANYTHING to him about this? pic.twitter.com/JC0t78QkW6  Bene Pandy  (@MoaniePandium) January 7, 2019

Watched a video of Sofia Vergara being uncomfortable during HER interview because of Gordon Ramsay, and I read some of the replies and I saw this. I cant believe that some people still use hes a man as an excuse for shitty actions. pic.twitter.com/abdunT1vu2   (@ekdsalazar) January 8, 2019

You should publicly apologize for your disgusting and inappropriate behaviour with Sofia Vergara.  DRS (@dares_tv) January 8, 2019

However, some think people are overreacting.

I love how everyone had nothing bad to say about Gordon Ramsay up until today when that video surfaced of him getting too touchy-feely to Sofia Vergara and saying outlandish shit about Colombia now hes literally the worst man on the planet and should be publicly hung  Jord (@J8rdz) January 7, 2019

Ok so I was looking up Gordon Ramsay cuz I'm weird and I found this!

I actually saw this video a few weeks ago and now people are saying something?? It was all fun and games plus this is a few years old! I love Sofia Vergara and she hasn't complained or said anything about this! pic.twitter.com/WQ53pWL7lf  JumBean (@JumBeanXX1) January 9, 2019

Both Vergara and Ramsay have been active on their Twitter account, though neither has commented on the topic. (asw)French foie gras makers have accused the US Supreme Court of bowing to false claims by vegetarian lobbyists with its refusal to hear an appeal against a California ban on the delicacy produced from force-fed ducks and geese.

The US court on Monday declined to hear an appeal by producers that also included a Canadian non-profit organisation that represents duck and goose farmers, clearing the ban on a product that French lawmakers recognized in 2006 as part the European country's "cultural and gastronomic heritage".

France is by far the world's largest foie gras producer with a market share of about 70 percent.

"It is unacceptable that such a decision, taken under the influence of the lobbying of some activists orchestrating regular misinformation on our products to advocate dogmatic vegetarianism, could endanger the image of an emblematic dish of the French art of living," Michel Fruchet, head of French foie gras producers group Cifog, said in a statement on Tuesday.

Read also: Top US court upholds California foie gras ban

French foie gras producers mainly export to Japan, Spain, the Netherlands and the Middle East, but none have been cleared to export to the United States.

Foie gras is made from the livers of geese or ducks that have been fattened with grain by force-feeding.

Sold whole or as a pate, it is considered a gourmet food in Western and Asian cuisine, but production through force-feeding has often been criticized as cruel by animal rights activists.A convoy of vehicles carrying the UN Special Envoy is seen at the Sanaa International Airport in Sanaa, Yemen, Jan. 7, 2019. The United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Martine Griffiths left rebel-held capital Sanaa on Monday after holding intensified meetings with the dominant Houthi group to cement the fragile cease-fire and push for peace progress. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed)

SANAA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Martine Griffiths left rebel-held capital Sanaa on Monday after holding intensified meetings with the dominant Houthi group to cement the fragile cease-fire and push for peace progress.

During his two-day visit, Griffiths held a series of meetings with the Houthi leaders, including the rebel chief Abdulmalik al-Houthi and head of the group's highest revolutionary committee Mohammed Ali al-Houthi.

The Houthi-controlled Saba news agency said the meetings discussed the "obstacles and breaches" to the UN-brokered first-round peace agreement reached last month between the Yemeni rival parties in Stockholm.

They also discussed preparations to hold the second round of peace talks, Saba reported without giving further details.

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi tweeted that "no date and place have been set yet for the next round of talks."

"We demand the pay of salaries to all state employees and consider the refusal of paying the military and security institutions as the first step of an American conspiracy that seek to dissolve the Yemeni army and security institution as they did in a post-Saddam Iraq which we will never accept," al-Houthi said.

He said that his group also demands the re-opening of Sanaa airport and lift the all-out blockade on the rebel-held northern territories.

However, Griffiths' office has not released any statement to comment on his meetings.

Griffiths is also due to meet with Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his government in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, according to a UN statement released on Friday.

The warring forces continued to blame each other for breaching the truce in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah and undermining the ongoing peace process.

Last week, the Houthi group said it began withdrawing from the Hodeidah ports in order to "implement the first phase of re-deployment."

In response, the UN said the redeployment "would only be credible if all parties and the United Nations are able to observe and verify that it is in line with the Stockholm agreement."

Patrick Cammaert, appointed by the UN as head of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC) which includes representatives from Yemeni rival forces, would arrange the redeployment plans and mechanism required to monitor the cease-fire and ensure that "credible redeployment is achieved," it added.

Cammaert arrived in Hodeidah last week to oversee the implementation of the cease-fire between the Yemeni parties.

Under the truce, the withdrawal from the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa, and critical parts of the city associated with humanitarian facilities should be completed within two weeks after the cease-fire enters into force, while the full withdrawal should be completed within a maximum period of 21 days.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition in Yemen against the Iran-backed Houthi militia since March 2015, in order to reinstate the exiled Yemeni government of Hadi.A leading geneticist who ran the conference where a Chinese scientist said he had made the world's first "gene-edited" babies condemned him on Monday for potentially jeopardizing lives and having no biology training.

Robin Lovell-Badge, organizer of the November 2018 event where China's He Jiankui made his controversial presentation, described him as a rich man with a "huge ego" who "wanted to do something he thinks will change the world".

He Jiankui, associate professor at Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen, China, sparked an international scientific and ethical row when he said he had used a technology known as CRISPR-Cas9 to alter the embryonic genes of twin girls born in November.

He could not be immediately reached to respond to Lovell-Badge's comments. Chinese authorities are investigating him and have meanwhile halted this kind of research.

In videos posted online and at the conference, He said he believed his gene editing would help protect the girls from infection with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Lovell-Badge, a professor and gene expert at Britain's Francis Crick Institute who led the organizing committee for the November Human Genome Editing Summit at Hong Kong University, said it was impossible to know what He had actually done.

"If it's true (that he edited the genomes in the way he says) then it is certainly possible that he has put the children's lives at risk," he told journalists in London.

"No-one knows what these mutations will do."

Read also: China scientist claims world's first gene-edited babies

Lovell-Badge said he originally invited He to the conference after hearing in scientific circles that he was "up to something". Lovell-Badge hoped that asking He to interact with specialists would encourage him to "control his urges".

"Pretty much everyone he talked to had said to him: 'Don't do it'," he said. "But clearly it was all too late."

Lovell-Badge said he learned of He's claims on the eve of the conference, and had an emergency meeting with him.

"He thought that he was doing good, and that what he was doing was the next big thing," Lovell-Badge said. But he had "no basic training in biology" and the experiments he said he had carried out "ignored all the norms of how you conduct any clinical trial or clinical experiment."

"He should certainly be stopped from doing anything like this again," he said.

Lovell-Badge said he had not heard from He since early December, but understood he was in Shenzhen in a guarded apartment during the probe.

Chinese authorities and institutions, as well as hundreds of international scientists, have condemned He and said any application of gene editing on human embryos for reproductive purposes was against the law and medical ethics of China.Far out into the Indian Ocean where it is forced to be self-reliant, the island nation of Mauritius is weaning itself off fossil fuels by turning to its main cash-crop sugar cane, for electricity.

The leftover, crushed sugar cane stalks and tips -- dry fibrous material known as "bagasse" -- is burned to help power Mauritius and reduce its reliance on coal and oil.

Electricity from sugar cane now accounts for 14 percent of the island's needs and, when combined with other renewable sources such as solar, wind and hydro, provides nearly a quarter of daily consumption.

"The government's goal is to increase the share of renewable energy in the energy mix to 35 percent by 2025," said deputy prime minister Ivan Collendavelloo who is also energy minister.

"The 35 percent is not far off; we will have 11 solar parks by next year and at least two wind farms," he said.

"Independent producers in the sugar industry will continue to provide the largest share of renewable electricity from bagasse," he added.

In Mauritius, around 60 percent of the island's electricity is generated by four sugar companies, each running its own thermal power station.

The plants run on coal for part of the year then switch to sugar cane byproducts when harvest season comes.

Read also: Add cow manure to your list of renewable energy sources

- Power 24/7 -

At the end of November, the harvest is in full swing in the fields surrounding the Omnicane company, in the south of the island.

Heavy trucks pulling huge trailers are lined up next to an immense warehouse to unload their cargo of fresh-cut sugarcane. During the harvest, 8,500 tonnes are sent daily to this facility -- a total of around 900,000 tons for the year.

The cane stalks are crushed to extract juice for sugar production. They are then soaked to extract the last juice and then heated to dry.

Finally, squashed and dried, the stalks are fed into a thermal power station where they burn at 500 degrees Celsius, fueling turbines that produce electricity for the plant and the national grid.

"Electricity is available 24 hours a day, on demand, without having to wait for the wind or the sun, since we can store bagasse as we would oil and coal," said Jacques D'Unienville, Omnicane's manager.

And the carbon dioxide greenhouse gas produced by the burning? It is captured, according to D'Unienville, and used to add the fizz to soft drinks.

Read also: Latin America's largest solar park turns Mexican desert green

- Cloud on horizon -

However there are clouds on the horizon in the form of a drop in sugar prices since the European Union ended quotas in 2017, and increases in production in Thailand, Brazil and India, which together have put pressure on the island's farmers.

Jacqueline Sauzier, secretary general of the Mauritius Chamber of Agriculture said falling sugar prices were "a fatal blow to the local sugar industry."

"The number of small farmers has fallen from 26,000 in 2010 to 13,000 in 2018," said Agriculture Minister Mahen Kumar Seeruttun.

The question is whether Mauritius will be able to produce enough sugar cane to meet its target for renewable, bagasse-based electricity.

Some sugar producers are hoping that preferential treatment might provide an answer.

"Mauritius is a small, vulnerable island. We do not have the capacity of Thailand, Brazil and India, but we are an efficient producer because we value the entire sugar production chain," said D'Unienville.

"We need protected access to preferential markets. Small countries should have quotas as a priority because we are very vulnerable," he said.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Julia Suryakusuma (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019

What do Ethiopia, Senegal and Indonesia have in common? Any idea?



Give up?



OK, they are the top three countries that consider religion important, respectively at 98, 97 and 95 percent (compared to say, the United States at 53 percent and the lowest, China, at 3 percent). This was the finding of a PEW Global Attitudes survey in 2015, but I dont imagine it would be much different in 2019. What this means is that in these countries, religion features in virtually all aspects of an adherents life.



The spate of last years natural disasters  in Lombok in West Nusa Tenggara, Palu in Central Sulawesi and last, the Sunda Strait in December, brought no shortage of religious belief (superstition?) that these disasters were a punishment from God.



It made me wonder, how do Muslims link religio

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our content on web and app

No advertising, no interruption

A bonus subscription to share

Bookmark and night mode functions on app

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Editorial Board (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019 08:20 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e604af8 1 Editorial JKN,healthcare,#health,BPJS-Kesehatan,BPJS,health-insurance,#Editorial,healthcare-services Free

The National Health Insurance (JKN) passed its five-year anniversary on Jan. 1, marking significant progress from covering only 46 percent of the population in 2014 to 81 percent at the beginning of this year.



Covering more than 215 million people, it has become the largest single-payer health insurance in the world.



Many studies and surveys have shown that the insurance, which is managed by the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan), has improved health services for millions, including for expensive treatment that was previously out of reach for those in the middle to lower income brackets.



A recent study by researchers from the University of Indonesias School of Medicine and published in the prestigious medical journal Lancet, shows that fatal cases of cardiovascular disease, the most common killer in the country, decreased from between 20 and 30 percent of all cases to only 15 percent after the JKN started at the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, a major hospital in Jakarta.



That is still not good enough, however, missing the target of 5 percent envisioned by the government five years ago.



BPJS Kesehatan is also failing to curb its annual deficit, which soared to Rp 10.9 trillion (US$754.5 million) in 2018, with many hospitals starting to complain about late payments of bills. To prevent even worse bleeding, the government has decided to plug the funding gap with the tobacco excise, a measure that has been criticized for encouraging people to smoke instead of quitting.



This is the right moment to review the health insurance scheme, which has become a significant source of income of public and private hospitals in the country.



While hospitals are complaining about late payments, BPJS Kesehatan is also struggling to collect contributions from members. The insurers records show that about 12 million people are in arrears with their insurance fees, and several regional administrations, which also are required to support the insurance scheme, have also delayed payments. There should be a better system with penalties for late payers to create a deterrent effect.



There have also been reports about mounting claims and suspected over-claiming by hospitals. BPJS Kesehatan has been reluctant to name any hospitals characterized by poor accountability, but the suspected over-claims have prompted the BPJS to issue a regulation to stop coverage for some treatments, including some cancer medicine and cataract surgery. The Health Ministry has ordered BPJS Kesehatan to maintain the coverage.



BPJS Kesehatan should be more transparent in revealing hospitals and other healthcare providers that lack accountability in issuing claims.



Such cost control measures need to be implemented, along with health campaigns, because the insurances capacity to shoulder the countrys healthcare needs cannot be taken for granted. Prevention, instead of cure, should remain the underlying health policy.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Solita Sarwono (The Jakarta Post)  Wed, January 9, 2019 15:27 888 75e76da2d15e495661b6357e2e61a3eb 3 Opinion Nadia-Murad,Indonesian-politics,Politician,sexual-violence-bill,sexual-violence,gender-based-violence Free

Nadia Murad was a teenage girl in the village of Kojo, Iraq. She dreamed of completing secondary school and working in a beauty salon or taking other jobs. Her dream vanished when in 2014 the Islamic State (IS) attacked and killed the people of her ethnic group, the Yazidi-Kurds. Her mother and six brothers were brutally murdered. Nadia and hundreds of girls and women were kidnapped, repeatedly raped, tortured, sold as sex slaves, even sex trafficked to other countries. Months after the kidnapping Nadia managed to escape with the help of kind neighbors. Once she reached the free world, Nadia began to share her horrifying experience with the world. She also wrote a book and traveled across the globe sharing her experience as a survivor of sexual abuse, telling openly about what happened to thousands of women and children in the areas occupied by IS. She described the fate of many more war victims living in the camps and shelters outside Iraq and Syria.

Murad has not only raised peoples awareness of how sexual abuse is used as a weapon of war, she also demands the international justice institutes to prosecute IS commanders for their inhumane actions. To date, little has been done to bring the perpetrators to justice.

In Congo, Denis Mukwege, an obstetrician, has helped more than 50,000 rape victims for two decades. Hundreds of thousands of women, including young girls, were brutally assaulted during armed conflicts. Sexual violence is used as an effective war weapon in many areas in the world. The obstetrician built a hospital where he performs surgeries for the severely damaged female organs. He also trains younger doctors to treat sexually abused women of all ages. Mukwege provides psychological support and counseling to the women and assists them to reintegrate into society. Reports say the 63-year-old obstetrician has received death threats since a few years ago. According to Mukwege sexual violence destroys not only the victims, but also the families, societies and nations.

For their fight against sexual violence the Nobel prize committee last year awarded both Murad and Mukwege the Nobel Peace Prize. The award was given on Dec. 10, in commemoration of the 70th year of the United Nations adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Womens need for safety and a violence-free life is among human rights issues.

Indeed, sexual violence is an effective weapon to create fear, intimidate and oppress women, not only in war but also in family, work and community settings when no war or violent conflict exists.

But while the world expresses outrage about the growing use of sexual violence as a weapon aimed at women, the Indonesian politicians are still debating about the bill against sexual violence including rape, when cases of brutal rapes continue to rise in Indonesia. Instead of seeing the bill as a powerful tool to protect women from sexual violence, some politicians from the Islamic-based parties consider it a potential threat to male dominance in the family, work and society, especially when the word rape is broadly defined implying forced sexual contact (without the womans consent), including sex in a marriage and child marriage.

Religiously colored values are taken into serious consideration in making the final decision. Other politicians who may want to support the bill may not dare to voice their opinion since religion is a sensitive issue. At any rate, members of the House of Representatives seem to ignore the urgency of passing the anti-sexual violence bill that was proposed in 2016.

Why the reluctance? Social, group or peer pressure? Turning a blind eye to the issues? Denying the issues to be real? Child marriage turns a girl-child into an adult (wife) overnight, forcing her to serve her husband and obey his demands, and later obliging her to care for her children, although she herself is still a child. Her rights for education and social freedom are abruptly robbed. It is against humanity. Perhaps, if sexual abuse happened closer to home, to a politicians daughter, wife or sister, the House would speed up the passing of the anti-sexual violence bill?

***

The writer is a psychologist, sociologist and gender specialist, residing in the Netherlands.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Winarno Zain (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019

China celebrated the 40th anniversary of its historic economic reform in December 2018. It was a reform that had turned China from one of the poorest countries in the world in the 1970s to the economic superpower it is today. Its income per capita reached US$7,300 in 2017 from $400 in 1978, when the reform was started. Its economy has been growing rapidly.



China overtook Japan as the second-biggest economy in the world in 2010. More than 500 million people have been lifted out of poverty, the biggest poverty reduction the world has ever seen. China has become the factory of the world, and by using abundant cheap labor, its products have flooded markets all over the world at low prices.



In 1978, after decades of economic stagnation and severe drought, then-prime minister Deng Xiao Ping began to reform Chinas economy. He eas

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our content on web and app

No advertising, no interruption

A bonus subscription to share

Bookmark and night mode functions on app

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.Share this article Whatsapp

Facebook

Twitter

Linkedin Alexander Ivanov (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta  Wed, January 9, 2019

Last November, Russian President Vladimir Putin and the leaders of ASEAN member states met in Singapore to make a historic decision on elevating the ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Partnership to a strategic level. Is it just a symbolic gesture or does it have material substance? To answer this question, one has to look at it in the context of specific issues of the two parties cooperation and prevailing trends in the global and regional situation.



First of all, this decision once again underlined the important, stabilizing role ASEAN-Russia relations play in this time of global volatility, political and economic turbulence, growing competition between major international players, rising protectionism and unilateralism, spreading terrorism as well as other transboundary threats and challenges.



The participation of President Putin in the ASEAN-Russia an

to Read Full Story SUBSCRIBE NOW Starting from IDR 55,000/month Unlimited access to our content on web and app

No advertising, no interruption

A bonus subscription to share

Bookmark and night mode functions on app

Subscription to our newsletters We accept Register to read 3 premium articles for free Already subscribed? login

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.EDWARDSVILLE  The Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for the Metro East at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville is collaborating with accounting firm CliftonLarsonAllen LLP (CLA) and the Greater East St. Louis Business Development Association (GEBDA) to bring a specialized Making Sense of the New Tax Law workshop to Belleville from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17.

The session brings together local certified public accountants, Justin Price and other business resources to the table to support small business owners. It will be held at Bellecourt Manor located at 225 E A St. in Belleville. Sign in will begin at 11 a.m.GODFREY  The Journal of Applied Ecology recently published an article about grassland-bird nest survival by National Great Rivers Research and Education Centers (NGRREC) Conservation Program Manager Justin Shew.

The research was conducted as a part of Shews doctoral studies at Southern Illinois University Carbondales Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory. He earned his doctorate in December 2016.

Our research demonstrated that tractor-based management, such as light-strip discing, and establishing native-grass practices on private grasslands enrolled in the federal and widely popular Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), can improve nest survival of multiple grassland bird species and communities, Shew said. However, habitat managers and conservationists must realize that when viewed from a multi-scale perspective (i.e. assessing a range of habitat factors from nest-site characteristics to landscape context), nest survival is often best predicted by unmanageable finer-scale habitat factors.

Shew studied the nest survival of red-winged blackbirds and dickcissels, and two nesting communities (ground and above-ground nesters), relative to management and multi-scale habitat. This research is particularly important because many grassland bird populations in North America have been consistently declining over decades and properly guided management decisions may help alleviate these declines.

We recommend grasslands be managed to provide a variety of nesting opportunities for birds and that agency staff promote grassland management and native-grass practices on private lands, especially within beneficial landscapes, that also foster within-field colonization and persistence of focal species, Shew said.

As the NGRREC conservation program manager, Shew works closely with partners such as the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), which both administer and support crucial private lands conservation programs in the state of Illinois.

His research is extremely relevant to the partners with which he works, especially the NRCS. In one of his roles, he manages and coordinates NGRRECs Land Conservation Specialist program. The specialists are remotely stationed in several NRCS service center offices and assist NRCS and many private landowners directly with the Conservation Reserve Program. Therefore, his research will be directly communicated to NRCS partners and NGRRECs LCSs for improved habitat management guidance for the benefit of wildlife, such as grassland birds.

Dr. Shews published work is a very good example of how NGRREC uses science-based information to directly inform land and water conservation practices and policies, said NGRREC Senior Scientist Richard Warner. NGRRECs Land Conservation Specialist program is directly benefitting many private landholders in the Lewis and Clark district, assisting them in achieving their goals while optimizing outcomes for land, water, and wildlife conservation.

The public will be able to access the paper for free for two weeks through the Journal of Applied Ecologys website and Digital Object Identifier (DOI) at: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.13317. Statistical code and data can be found at: doi.org/10.5061/dryad.jt862g8. The public is welcome to contact Shew for more details regarding this research via e-mail at jshew@lc.edu.The Illinois House wrapped up its two-year session Tuesday with legislation to help the incoming governor and House Speaker Michael Madigan praising lawmakers for persevering in an epic struggle over state spending with outgoing Gov. Bruce Rauner.

The Democratic House majority endorsed measures to allow Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker to offer higher salaries to his cabinet and to replace a problematic Illinois Tollway board. The legislation moves to the Senate for action before the 101st General Assembly convenes today.

The two-year session saw Madigan, whos held the gavel for all but two years since 1983, become the longest-serving state House speaker in U.S. history during a critical period in which he proved his mettle.

The Republican Rauners insistence on approval of his conservative agenda in exchange for an annual budget deal had left Illinois without a spending plan for two years. Madigan lured enough Republicans in July 2017 to approve an income-tax increase to fund an annual budget over Rauners vetoes, ending what Madigan on Tuesday called an epic struggle.

You deserve credit for what you do day-in and day-out, but you know that from time to time, the issues become more significant on one day than they were on a prior day or they may be on a future day, Madigan said. And thats exactly what happened in that struggle between the Legislature and the executive department.

Rauner, who relinquishes the office to Pritzker on Monday, previewed the end-of-term report he must present to the Legislature. He highlighted his involvement in landmark 2017 legislation to make public school funding fairer, cutting red tape for small businesses, improving Medicaid and winning a U.S. Supreme Court case he initiated that prohibits government unions from collecting fair-share administrative fees from nonunion members.

But he said the report also will encourage the business-friendly changes he came into office trumpeting and which prompted the budget showdown. When it was suggested that voters had repudiated that agenda by choosing the Democratic Pritzker in November, Rauner said, Change is hard.

The folks that created the massive problems in our state certainly are resistant to change, Rauner said. That doesnt mean that our recommendations are somehow wrong or flawed. It means its going to take time to communicate with the voters and get the changes done.

Pritzker, who wasnt part of the proceedings, was the main beneficiary of Tuesdays action. The House voted 68-37 to change state law and increase annual pay for the director of prisons, the transportation secretary and the directors of other agencies governing human services, health care, the environment and more.

Pritzker said Illinois salaries for agency directors and assistant directors arent competitive. The legislation would increase the highest salaries from $150,000 to $172,500.

Critics complained that nonunion middle managers have dealt with salary freezes for 15 or more years. They said the state cant afford higher pay when theres a $130 billion hole in what the state owes to its pension systems.

By a vote of 100-6, the House approved allowing Pritzker to abolish the terms of the Tollway board, which oversees 294 miles of tolled interstate highway in northeastern Illinois, because of questionable spending.

Opponents argued that replacing the board would delay the Tollways construction work scheduled for this spring. Republican Rep. Jeanne Ives called the legislation a political ploy because a majority of board members terms will expire by May.A federal judge is allowing four Native American tribes in the Dakotas to challenge the recent conclusion of federal officials that a Dakota Access oil pipeline spill wouldnt unfairly affect them, further prolonging a court case that has lingered for more than two years.

The Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, Yankton and Oglala Sioux sued in July 2016 and are still fighting even though the $3.8 billion pipeline began moving North Dakota oil through west-central Illinois in 2017. They fear environmental harm should the pipeline spill into the Missouri River, which they rely on for drinking water, fishing and religion.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg in June 2017 ordered the Army Corps of Engineers to do more study on the pipelines impacts on tribes. The agency last fall completed more than a year of additional work that it said backed up its earlier determination that the pipeline does not pose a higher risk of adverse impacts to minorities.

The tribes contend the Corps has simply rubber-stamped earlier conclusions that were welcomed by President Donald Trump after he took office. The tribes maintain the Corps either didnt allow them adequate input or didnt give enough weight to the information they provided. The Corps has said the tribes have been difficult to work with.

Tribes late last year asked to challenge the Corps 140-page report on its additional work. Boasberg, in a ruling dated Thursday, said he will allow it but that the Corps and Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners can oppose the introduction of any new tribal claims not specifically related to the additional study.

The Corps and ETP had said in late December that they would not try to block tribal challenges as long as the judge made that stipulation.

Boasberg has set a Jan. 31 deadline for the Corps to give the tribes access to all of the documents it used in making its decision.

The four tribes want a full environmental study that includes consideration of route alternatives. Standing Rock attorney Jan Hasselman has estimated the legal dispute will linger into at least the summer.The Edwardsville High School Dance Team performs its routine during the morning session of the Illinois Drill Team Association Dance Competition, which was hosted by Edwardsville High School. EHS competed against 11 teams in the IHSA competition and finished second, just one-half point behind Highland. EHS finished first in the IDTA Class 3A lyrical competition, topping five other teams. Edwardsvilles Rising Star recipient for the day was Taylor McOglan. EHS has already qualified for the IDTA state competition and will look to achieve that same goal in the upcoming IHSA sectional.Today marks the beginning of the 106th LegislatureFirst Session, and I am just as honored and humbled to serve the people of Grand Island as your state senator as I was when I took the oath of office two years ago to represent District 35 in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature.

Since then, I have been fortunate to grow and learn many valuable lessons with the help of my fellow senators and with the help of constituents who have taken the time to reach out and share their views with me.

In my two years in the Legislature, I have learned about a lot of issues affecting the lives of Nebraskans, and I have worked to address a broad range of topics, such as the state budget, child welfare, water rights and public power.

I have also learned the importance of working together. The Unicameral is unique as a nonpartisan body, and I firmly believe that our top priority as legislators is not to serve the partisan interests of one political party over another, but rather to serve the hardworking people of the state. Although we may not agree on every issue, it is essential that we remain willing to listen, to learn, and to keep an open mind.The annual Bayside Estates Flea Market has been pushed up a couple of weeks this year to this Friday and Saturday.

Deb Wescoat, a member of the Womens Socialites, said the women started the sale almost 30 years ago as a yard sale because they wanted a fountain at the pool. About 25 years ago, the Mens Club got involved and now the women and men run the market together.

The Bayside Estates Flea Market is typically held the first weekend of February, but has been moved to Friday, Jan. 11, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 12, from 8 a.m. to noon.

Usually the good stuff goes on Friday, Wescoat said. On Friday we usually have about 200 people lined up outside when it opens at 8 a.m.

The park, she said participates by donating, sorting, marking and buying the items.

Its all products that the residents have donated,she said.

The sale includes anything you can think of, Wescoat said . . . appliances, books, clothing, linens, kitchen items, tools, seasonal items, furniture, lamps, arts and craft items, clothing and a collectable department. In addition there is usually such big consignment items as cars, boats and motorhomes for sale. The flea market will also have a bakery and a fruit and vegetable section.

We serve donuts, coffee, drinks, chili and hot dogs for lunch, Wescoat said.

The flea market is located both outside and inside of the clubhouse, located on Stevens Boulevard and Bayside Lane.

Its a fun time. The community all comes together and works together. Its a great community event and we really enjoy doing it, she said.

There is also a Chinese auction with prizes all worth more than $100. Individuals do not have to be present to win.

Bayside Estates is on the corner of San Carlos Boulevard and Pine Ridge Road.Collins said safety would increase with a roundabout.

This is a five-lane intersection at this point and it has a high number of collisions. It is also very difficult to get pedestrians across it primarily on the south side where you have two streets very close together, he said. With the roundabout, this allows crossings of single lanes for pedestrians making it much safer for them.

A roundabout could decrease confusion that drivers have at the intersection.

Wherever you are going in a roundabout, wait until you see the sign of your exit and you take that exit. Theres no confusion. There is no possibility of cars moving together like they do today, Collins said.

Collins was also asked by Councilman Clay Schutz if revenue from the half-cent sales tax increase approved by voters in November is included in any of the projects in the plan.

Collins said he is having meetings with the finance department to see how that revenue will impact the projects.

Another project planned for 2019 is design engineering and property acquisition for improvements on Old Potash Highway from North or Webb roads.Grand Island Central Catholic students and staff can feel safer at school thanks to new security doors.

Principal Jordan Engle said 25 total doors were replaced during winter break. He said the replaced doors included all classroom doors, a couple doors that were in pretty bad shape, a locker room door and a door to the schools auditorium.

Engle said the total cost of the security doors was approximately $25,000. They were purchased using a portion of the funds raised by the GICC Development Foundation during the 2018 Go Big Give campaign.

The old doors, he said, were the original doors installed at GICC when the school was built in the late 1950s. He added the former doors were very lightweight and were not fire resistant.

These new doors are heavy, theyre solid, theyre fire-rated and the windows are security glass, Engle said. The narrower window is what you would typically see in a school or a hospital. The reason being is that if we shut that door, you can always see out, but it is harder to see in because of the narrower point of reference.Salty and a bit sweet, rich and a bit tangy, this grilled cheese with onion jam, adapted from The Epicurious Cookbook, is everything we want for dinner (there are even greens!), between two slices of rustic bread. Just add wine. In this case, bottles that play well with the salty/sweet duality.

Make this:

Grilled Cheese with Onion Jam: Brush 4 slices of rustic Italian bread with olive oil on one side; arrange slices with the oiled side down on a work surface. Spread 2 slices with onion jam; top with slices of taleggio cheese. Mound fresh escarole, cut in ribbons, on top; season with salt and pepper.

Close sandwiches with the other 2 slices of bread. Cook the sandwiches in a skillet, turning once and pressing with a spatula to compact, until the bread is golden brown and the cheese melts, 6-8 minutes total.

Makes 2 servings.

Drink this:

Pairings by sommelier Rachael Lowe of Spiaggia, as told to Michael Austin:Residents on Hercules Drive will finally get a new public pier, after a court case delayed its construction for more than a year.

An administrative law judge has ruled that the proposed 49-foot dock would not pose a navigational hazard.

That was the basis for three Hercules residents appeal against the permitting of a new public pier by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

The old pier, which was in place since at least 1944, was torn down in 2015 along with a pier on Coconut Drive.

The two neighborhoods petitioned to have their piers rebuilt, and the Town agreed in 2016.

Our residents, they rallied. We had a good turn out for every meeting. We even had a few people from the next street over come and support us, said Marti Campbell, who organized much of the campaign.

The FDEP notified the Town in July of 2017 that they were permitted to rebuild the pier.

The plan was set, the money was allocated, and the permits were granted, but in March last year, Michael Steck and Allen and Cynthia Shanosky filed a joint petition against the piers permitting.

They own the bayfront properties that would flank the proposed pier to the north and south.

They alleged that the dock would pose a navigational hazard for their boats when trying to access their private docks, and cited concerns about late-night noise and parties, according to court documents.

Campbell, who owns three properties on Hercules, said the lack of a public pier negatively affected property values on the street.

Many people bought houses on this street because of having the access to the bay, she said.

The plaintiffs offered the Town a compromise: shorten the pier to 25 feet, and they would drop the case.

But when presented with the offer at a public meeting, Hercules residents unanimously denied it.

It wouldnt be far enough out to fish we said absolutely not, Campbell said.

The case was heard last August, and Administrative Law Judge D.R. Alexander upheld the FDEPs decision to permit, filing a final order on Jan 2.

The Town was confident that the FDEP correctly issued a permit. We are pleased that the FDEP attorney vigorously defended their action of permit issuance and was well supported in their legal arguments by the town attorney, culminating in a positive hearing result, said Town Manager Roger Hernstadt in an e-mail.

Town staff is currently working with the contractor, Coastal Engineering Consultants, to order materials for the new pier, according to Public Works Director Chelsea ORiley.

Residents look forward to casting a line off the pier again sometime this year.

It was just such a neat place. They had a picnic table out there, you could go down there and watch the birds going by, and the manatees and dolphins out in the bay, said Campbell.

Resident Mitch Pacyna put together a collage of all his memories on the old Hercules pier, and he looks forward to making new ones.

You probably wont know how excited we are to finally get it back, he said.

The judges ruling is fair and most appreciated. Hercules Drive residents, especially Marti Campbell and Sharon McKay, have worked hard with a good deal of patience to have the Hercules pier rebuilt. The pier has been a popular place to go fishing, picnic, and enjoy Estero Bay boating activity. Thankfully, it will provide all of that enjoyment once again after it is rebuilt, wrote resident Penny Jarrett in an e-mail.

Campbell thinks its a win for the community at large, as there arent many public places on the island where people can access the bay.

Its an asset that is being restored that should never have been taken away, she said.Most GOP lawmakers remained firmly behind President Donald Trump's fight to fund a border wall but that solidarity was beginning to crack among Republicans from competitive states and districts as the impact of the government shutdown spread.

As Trump addressed the nation from the Oval Office and with the partial shutdown in its 18th day, the president's allies insisted they'll reject any new attempts by Democrats to pass government funding bills without the $5.7 billion the president is demanding for the wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, in a statement released minutes after the president's speech on Tuesday night, said Trump's "proposal to increase security through physical barriers suits the reality on the ground." He said the Democrats were acting out of "partisan spite for the president."

Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, the second-ranking House Republican, called Trump's address "a firm commitment to reopening the government while also securing our southern border."

Earlier Tuesday, Scalise said he saw a largely unified Republican conference emerge from a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence.

Rep. Mark Meadows of North Carolina, a Trump ally who leads the conservative Freedom Caucus, said he'd be "surprised" if as many 15 Republicans vote with Democrats on four separate bills being considered this week to fund parts of the government. He said only the roughly half-dozen "usual suspects" in his party would go along. Seven Republicans voted for one of the Democratic funding bills last week.

"Quite frankly, I see no wavering," Meadows said.

Democrats remain adamantly against considering the president's wall until the government is reopened. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in the Democratic response to Trump's address, said that "no president should pound the table and demand he gets his way or else the government shuts down, hurting millions of Americans who are treated as leverage."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Democrats were willing to back infrastructure at ports of entry, new technology to check for drugs and more personnel. But she said Trump was manufacturing a crisis and was "holding the American people hostage."

Although Democrats control the House and will be able to pass the measures that would accomplish that, they once again will be blocked in the GOP-controlled Senate. Missouri's Roy Blunt, a member of the Senate GOP leadership, said Republicans in that chamber aren't feeling any pressure to take up the House legislation to fund the government.

But a few senators have expressed reservations about the extended shutdown.

Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, who heads the Homeland Security appropriations subcommittee, said she might be able to support a stopgap bill for homeland security spending along with reopening the rest of government. She dismissed Trump's bravado last week about potentially keeping the government shut down for "years."

"No way," she said.

Most of the Republican defectors so far are lawmakers who face re-election in 2020 in competitive states or districts. Those includes Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Cory Gardner of Colorado - the only two Republicans who will be defending seats in 2020 in states Trump lost - and House Republicans who mostly represent competitive districts.

Rep. Fred Upton, R-Mich., who voted for the Democratic bills last week, said a group of moderates known as the Tuesday Group will meet to discuss whether to vote for the individual Democrats' appropriations bills Pelosi plans to bring to the floor this week.

"I will be voting for them," Upton said, adding that he'll encourage others to break ranks in the Wednesday meeting.

Brian Fitzpatrick, a moderate Republican from Pennsylvania and a former FBI agent, said he knows what it's like to not receive a paycheck during a government shutdown.

"We can't have these debates with the government shut down," Fitzpatrick added.

Pence and other administration officials went to the Capitol Tuesday night to shore up Republican support for Trump's position. Throughout the day, the White House had been trying to assuage GOP lawmakers and addressing issues that could threaten their broad support for the president. Trump plans to have lunch with Republican senators at the Capitol on Wednesday.

The administration has been taking actions mitigate some effects of the impasse by keeping many national parks open despite a lack of staffing and announcing that tax refunds would go out on schedule.

Pence told them food stamps would continue to be distributed at least through the end of February. The Agriculture Department said it has authority through a provision in a previous stopgap spending bill that allows the government to pay obligations for 30 days.

Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Penn., said he said he was relieved by the news from Pence and others in the meeting that money for food stamps and child nutrition will continue to be distributed at least through February.

"I think the conference remains unified, behind the president," he said.

While Republican leaders said the party was standing behind the president on his demand for wall money, several key GOP lawmakers were skeptical to the idea of using an emergency declaration to break the deadlock. Trump made no such declaration in his address, but he and his aides have discussed how that might be done.

Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said it would "be damaging" for the president to reallocate military funds to constructing a border wall. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said the standoff should be solved in a less controversial fashion.

McConnell said earlier Tuesday that he wouldn't allow a vote on a government funding bill unless it "can pass the House, earn 60 votes here in the Senate, and get the presidential signature - that's what it takes to make a law."

In protest, 44 of 47 Democratic senators banded together to filibuster a package of Middle East policies.

--With assistance from Bloomberg's Erik Wasson and Anna Edgerton.Rocky Mount residents will start receiving new water meters as Troutdale-based Atlantic Utility begins the task of replacing more than 3,000 meters throughout the township.

Assistant Town Manager Matthew Hankins said installers will begin Wednesday, Jan. 9.

While Hankins was unable to say when the last meter replacement took place, he believes it was within the last 25 years. However, the current meters were showing their age.

Over time, just like anything else, they wear out and we were seeing significant signs of errors in the metering , he said adding the new meters will be more accurate. This modernization allows us to instantly read current water use, helping find and fix leaks both sides of the water meter, Hankins said.

The older meters have 1980s technology, according to Hankins. The meters have touch boxes, which have to physically be touched in order be read.

Installing new meters is the first step in modernizing water data collection. Once installation of all meters is finished, receivers will be installed so the new meters, by Neptune, can wirelessly report water usage data to town hall.Its a new year, and if the Town of Fort Myers Beach had resolutions, they would probably have something to do with construction and clean water.

The algae that plagued the town last summer is a distant memory now as tourists pack the sand again, but water quality is still in the back of everyones mind, and construction crews are increasingly on everyones doorstep.

So lets take a look at the stories to watch as we head into another year on Fort Myers Beach.

Construction and Development

Improvements to the islands water system continue down the Estero Boulevard, with Lee County replacing the center lane storm drain system between Lovers Lane and Strandview Avenue into 2019.

They will also be regrading and rebuilding the southbound lane, bicycle lanes, and sidewalk.

They expect commission approval on the south segments between Strandview Avenue and Albatross Street sometime in late January, according to spokesperson Kaye Molnar.

Simultaneously, the Town is doing their own improvements on water mains and outfalls down various side streets.

Currently they are installing water mains between Madera Road and Sterling Avenue, and expect to begin their next phase before the end of the year, from Aberdeen Avenue to Flamingo Street.

With increased development comes bigger infrastructure, and Lee County commissioners voted in December to move forward with the construction of a 60-foot skybridge across Big Carlos Pass.

Many residents in both Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Springs are not happy about this decision, claiming it will negatively affect their quality of life, but commissioners see it as the most economic option for the county in the long-run.

County Manager Roger Desjairlas stated that public meetings about the bridge project will be held toward the end of this year as part of the process.

Construction of TPIs Margaritaville Resort is currently stalled due to a lawsuit from resident Chris Patton, who filed a suit against the Town last August for voting to allow the resort to be built on the island, on the grounds that their decision goes against the Towns comprehensive plan for land use.

According to court documents on file, the lawsuit is currently in the discovery phase.

No hearings have been set yet, so theres no telling when the suit could be resolved, but once it is, TPI plans to move forward with demolition of the existing structures, according to spokesperson John Gucciardo.

In the meantime, TPI will be working on permitting their off-island housing project Beaches Gateway Village, going through the formal approval process with the county toward the middle of the year.

Times Square will continue to see improvements in 2019.

A bid process in search of contractors to handle the business districts renovations will close this month and a public meeting will be held to discuss the bids on Jan. 11.

According to Contracts Manager Amy Baker, there are no specific projects planned for the square yet, but the selected contractor will handle things like aesthetic design, architecture, lighting, and resurfacing, according to the contracts scope of work.

A strategic planning session is being held this month to gather ideas for Newton Beach Park.

Those ideas will be presented at a public meeting on Feb. 2 at 9 a.m., where residents will have the chance to give their input.

A similar process is underway regarding the entrance to Bay Oaks Recreational Center, where a lot on Estero Boulevard was recently acquired by the town in a land swap deal.

Ideas such as building a community center for seniors and renovating the parking lot to create an official tram stop have been discussed in public meetings.

The Community Resource Advisory Board, Bay Oaks Recreational Center Advisory Board, and Town staff are working together to select a contractor and bring a plan to Council in the coming months.

Water Quality and

the Environment

We ended a year fraught with environmental disaster with a bit of hope for a fight back.

Calusa Waterkeeper, along with two other conservation groups, announced in December an intent to sue the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and the National Marine Fisheries Services over Lake Okeechobee discharges.

The groups are fed up with the Corps management of Lake O and their extension of the current plan through 2025.

The agencies have yet to respond to the suit.

The mayors of Sanibel, Cape Coral, and Fort Myers Beach joined forces last September to take the South Florida Water Management District to administrative court over the discharge plan as well.

All final documents were submitted in early December, and that suit should see a judgement soon.

The Marine Resources Task Force will be busy this year.

Their reusable bag program is in its final stages, and the bags should be distributed as soon as a final purchase order has been made, according to Rae Burns, the Towns environmental technician.

Theyve also been working on a set of ordinances that would ban fertilizer and glyphosate use on the island year-round.

MRTF plans to present the fertilizer ban and glyphosate ban to council at the same time, and hope to get it on an agenda soon.

Another potential ban has smokers on the island upset.

On Jan 2, Senator Joe Gruters filed a bill that would ban smoking on all of Floridas public beaches.

Smoking on the sand could become a civil infraction, resulting in a $25 fine or 10 hours of ordered community service.

If passed, the bill would go into effect on July 1.

Town Council Elections

In March, the residents of Fort Myers Beach will have the chance to vote new candidates onto Town Council to deal with all these upcoming issues.

Seats 1 and 2, currently held by Dennis Boback and Mayor Tracey Gore, are up for grabs.

So far, there are three candidates who have publicly announced an intent to run: Ray Murphy, who formerly served as mayor during his two terms on the Towns first council, Rexann Hosafros, who formerly served as vice mayor during one term, and Dan Allers, who currently serves on the Bay Oaks Recreational Advisory Committee.

Incumbents Tracey Gore and Dennis Boback have not yet stated whether they will run to keep their seats in March.

The qualifying period will begin at noon on Jan. 14, and candidates will have until Jan. 18 to submit all required documents.

Voters can register up until Feb. 4, and the last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot will be Feb. 27.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on March 5.When Needs Arise, These Older Women Have One Anothers Backs

Creating 'help insurance' gives older women an option when needs arise

NEW YORKLike many women aging alone, Eileen Kobrin worried that an accident could claim her independence.

Then, two years ago at age 71, Kobrin fell while on vacation, breaking her left ankle. Then her Caring Collaborative network sprang into action.

One member recommended an ankle surgeon at the nearby Hospital for Special Surgery, who operated successfully. Others brought over a wheelchair, a bath chair, and an elevated toilet seat after Kobrin returned to her apartment with instructions to stay off her feet for several months.

Every day, someone would come with lunch or dinner, or just to keep Kobrin company. It was a tremendous outpouring of supportone of the most wonderful experiences of my life, she said.

The Caring Collaborativean innovative program that originated a decade ago in New York City and has since spread to Philadelphia and San Franciscobrings older women together to help one another when short-term illness or disability strikes, addressing an all-too-often unmet need.

People who live alone, like most Caring Collaborative members, frequently worry about finding this kind of assistance. Across the United States, 35 percent of women age 65 and older fall into this category. For women 75 and above, the number is even higher: 46 percent.

At one time, these women might have relied on nearby family, neighbors, or churches for support. But today, families are dispersed, neighbors are often strangers, and churches reach fewer people than in the past.

The Caring Collaborative has three core elements: an information exchange, which members use to share information about medical conditions and medical providers; a service corps of women who volunteer to provide hands-on assistance to other members; and small neighborhood groups that meet monthly to talk about health topics and personal concerns. (Groups in San Francisco and Philadelphia have adopted some but not all of these components.)

In New York City, many members are retired professionals who want to make new friends and explore activities after leaving the workforce. They come to the Caring Collaborative through its parent organization, The Transition Network, a national organization for women 50 and older undergoing changes in later life.

Barbara Alpern, 72, current chair of New York Citys Caring Collaborative, joined four years ago after retiring from a demanding 28-year career in employee benefits consulting and becoming ill with a serious infection and complications from diabetes. Unmarried, she lives alone and had focused on work at the expense of friendships.

I realized I had nobody I could easily count on, she said.

Within months of signing up, Alpern sent out a request for somebody to pick her up from a colonoscopy and escort her back home. The woman who responded invited her for breakfast, and over bacon and eggs they discovered a mutual love for theater. Several get-togethers followed and I made a friend, Alpern said.

Naomi Goodhart, 64, who also lives alone, became a member three years ago after stepping down from a longtime position as a corporate executive assistant. Ive been a loner my entire life and have found making friends extremely difficult, she said in a phone conversation.

Since getting involved with the Caring Collaborative, Goodhart has formed a new neighborhood group in her area. There are 16 such groups in New York City and two under development. Now, she describes herself as the happiest Ive ever been because of a satisfying sense of purpose and the relationships shes developed. I need to feel needed, she said.

A year ago, when Goodhart discovered she needed a breast biopsy after a mammogram, a woman shed met through the Caring Collaborative volunteered to meet her at the hospital and bring her home after the procedure. Im very independent, but it was good that there was someone there, she admitted.

Similar requests for someone to sit in on a doctors appointment, take care of a pet during an illness or visit during hospitalization, for instance, are usually handled by members who have met and developed relationships with one another in neighborhood groups. Sometimes the requests are sent out to the entire membershipcurrently 385 women in New York City.

Marsha Carlin, 74, who belongs to a group in Brooklyn, recalled going to a doctors appointment with a woman whod just gotten a diagnosis of breast cancer. She wanted somebody to be there to take notes, said Carlin, who is married but enjoys essential companionship through the Caring Collaborative. It was very emotional.

Members agree in writing not to reveal confidential information about one another, give medical advice or perform medical tasks such a bandaging a wound or giving someone medication. A two-hour orientation is required. Fundraising and an annual $100 membership fee for The Transition Network covers costs for the program, run almost entirely by volunteers. In New York, a part-time employee handles requests for information and in-person assistance. People making the request remain anonymous until a personal connection is approved.

Requests for informationDo you know a dermatologist who takes Medicare? Which home health agency or hospice would you recommend? Whos your insurance agent? Which physical therapist do you use? Can someone whos had breast cancer talk to me? What was your experience with knee surgery?are by far the most common type of interaction among members.

Responding to emergencies is not part of the Caring Collaboratives mission; instead, it recommends that people call 911. But one neighborhood group, on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, is thinking about starting a WhatsApp group for members who want to be in touch in these circumstances, said Linda Anstendig, 76, its facilitator.

Like many groups, hers is a source of regular solace. People are really willing to share stories that show their vulnerabilities, Anstendig said. Theres a lot of trust, and it makes you feel that youre not alone in dealing with all kinds of problems.

Can the Caring Collaboratives mutual support in aging program be replicated in other communities? Mimi Grinker, a consultant who started a similar initiative two years ago, is convinced it can, in whole or in part. Grinkers program, Living Well Together is held at the Marlene Mayerson Jewish Community Center in Manhattan.

Senior centers, aging organizations, senior housing complexes, and other community groups could implement the information exchange component at a minimum, she suggested. The Caring Collaborative has created a guide to replicating its program, available online, though a bit out of date.

Whats required: reaching out to older women in your community, assessing their needs and interests, finding individuals willing to step up as volunteer leaders, and developing an orientation that establishes clear roles and responsibilities.

Barbara Stahura, 65, a longtime health care executive and prior chair of New York Citys Caring Collaborative, calls this help insurance. Unpaid, informal, but essential. You need to plan for it before you need it, she said, and belonging to a group of this kind is one way to accomplish that.

Judith Graham is a contributing columnist for Kaiser Health News, which originally published this article. KHNs coverage of these topics is supported by John A. Hartford Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and The SCAN Foundation.Ted McKinney (2nd R), the U.S. undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs and a member of the U.S. trade delegation to China, leaves a hotel with other officials in Beijing, on Jan. 7, 2019. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

US Focuses on China Pledge to Buy More Goods as Trade Talks End

BEIJING/WASHINGTONU.S.China trade talks ended Jan. 9, with negotiators focused on Beijings pledge to buy a substantial amount of agricultural, energy, and manufactured goods and services from the United States, the U.S. Trade Representatives office (USTR) said.

In a statement that gave no specific details on the outcome of three days of talks in Chinas capital this week, USTR said that U.S. and Chinese officials discussed ways to achieve fairness, reciprocity, and balance in trade relations.

No schedule for further face-to-face negotiations was released, and USTR said the American delegation would return to Washington to report on the meetings and to receive guidance on the next steps.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed in December to a 90-day truce in a trade war that has roiled global financial markets. After that meeting, top U.S. officials said China had made an additional $1.2 trillion in trade commitments.

But the USTR statement didnt mention any amount of commodities, goods, and services discussed in the Beijing talks.

Trump, who has accused China and other nations of exploiting the United States in global trade, has said he will raise tariffs to 25 percent from 10 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports if no deal is reached by March 2.

Such a move would likely prompt further retaliation by China, which has already levied tariffs on U.S. goods, further rattling investors who are nervous about a significant slowdown in Chinas economy.

Were hopeful that we can make a deal with China, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told Fox Business Network on Jan. 9. We expect something will come out of this.

She added that the Trump administrations complaint that China is stealing U.S. intellectual property is top of mind in the negotiations with Beijing.

USTR also said the two sides discussed issues related to intellectual-property protections and the need for any agreement to include complete implementation subject to ongoing verification and effective enforcement.

U.S. stocks opened higher on hopes of progress toward a deal to avert an all-out trade war between the worlds two largest economies, but pared gains slightly after the USTR statement was released. Share prices jumped in Asia and Europe.

Companies in both the United States and China are feeling the pain from the effects of the U.S.-China trade dispute. Apple Inc. rattled global markets last week when it cut its sales outlook, blaming weak demand in China.

Speaking at a daily news briefing in Beijing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang confirmed both sides had agreed to extend the talks beyond Jan. 7 and 8, as originally scheduled.

Asked if that meant the talks had been difficult, Lu said: I can only say that extending the consultations shows that the two sides were indeed very serious in conducting the consultations.

Speaking after the conclusion of the talks, Ted McKinney, the U.S. undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, told reporters in Beijing that he thought they went just fine. He added: Its been a good one for us.

The extra day of talks came amid signs of progress on issues, including purchases of U.S. farm and energy commodities and increased access to Chinas markets.

The U.S. team in Beijing was led by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish, and included undersecretaries from the departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, and Treasury, as well as senior officials from the White House.

Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen headed the vice ministerial-level talks for China, although Vice Premier Liu He, a top economic adviser to Xi, made an appearance at a meeting on Jan. 7.

By Michael Martina & David LawderPresident Donald Trump speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington on April 3, 2018. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times)

Trump Says Border Meeting With Democrats Total Waste of Time

WASHINGTONAfter another round of talks failed between congressional leaders and the White House over border security, GOP leaders said Democrats need to bring a plan to the table.

Not one single time have the Democrats offered a counter, said Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) following the meeting at the White House on Jan. 9. They need to come back to the table with some type of serious plan.

The meeting was attended by Republican leaders as well as several Democrats, including Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

By all accounts, the meeting was brief.

Trump posted on Twitter after the meeting: Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy, a total waste of time. I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works!

Vice President Mike Pence said the administration has presented multiple offers and plans during the three weeks of negotiations, but the Democrats are adamant they wont support any funding for a border barrier.

I can give you 15 speeches [Schumer] gave, in which he talked about border security, Trump said before the meeting. The only reason theyre against it is because I won the presidency.

Trump addressed the nation from the Oval Office on Jan. 8 to outline the case for increased security on the Southwest border.

Last month, 20,000 migrant children were illegally brought into the United Statesa dramatic increase. These children are used as human pawns by vicious coyotes and ruthless gangs, he said. In the last two years, ICE officers made 266,000 arrests of aliens with criminal records, including those charged or convicted of 100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000 violent killings.

Some have suggested a barrier is immoral. Then why do wealthy politicians build walls, fences, and gates around their homes? They dont build walls because they hate the people on the outside, but because they love the people on the inside. The only thing that is immoral is the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized, the president said.

Trump said the proposals hes presented to Congress were developed by law enforcement professionals and border agents at the Department of Homeland Security.

Following Trumps address on Jan. 8, Pelosi and Schumer responded, saying a border wall would be expensive and ineffective.

Schumer said Democrats want border security, but we sharply disagree with the president about the most effective way to do it.

There is an obvious solution: Separate the shutdown from the arguments over border security, Schumer said.

National Emergency

Trump still has the power to declare a national emergency, which would grant him additional powers to command the nations resourcesbut its not unlimited. There are several federal statutes that specify what the president can do, explained lawyer Will Chamberlain, in a series of Twitter messages on Jan. 6.

Under federal law, the secretary of Defense has the emergency authority to take funds, personnel, and equipment from other civil works projects to construct or assist in the construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of authorized civil works  essential to the national defense.

The statute gives Trump the authority to use the civil works funding (some $4.8 billion in fiscal year 2019) for wall construction, Chamberlain said. Border barrier construction has already been authorized under the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which should be enough to satisfy the statutes language, he argued. The only thing that remains is for Trump to justify the construction as essential to the national defense.

A separate statute authorizes the Defense secretary to redirect money for military construction projects, though Chamberlain acknowledges it would be a stretch to call the wall a military construction project.

Other experts have provided conflicting explanations on whether Trump can or cannot use Defense Department money for the wall.There are currently 31 active national emergencies, including 11 declared by Trumps predecessor Barack Obama, according to a CNN tally. Congress can block a national emergency with a joint resolution, but it would need to gather two-third majorities to overcome Trumps veto power, Chamberlain said.President on Border Situation: A Crisis of the Heart and a Crisis of the Soul

President vows to end cycle of human suffering, says he has invited congressional leadership to White House on Wednesday

WASHINGTONIn a 10-minute address, President Donald Trump spoke to the nation on Jan. 8 about the mounting crisis at the southwest border.

Over the years, thousands of Americans have been brutally killed by those who illegally entered our country, and thousands more lives will be lost if we dont act right now, Trump said. This is a humanitarian crisis. A crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul.

Broadcast from the Oval Office, the president conveyed somber statistics compiled by the Department of Homeland Security, including increases in drug seizures, the apprehensions and deportations of thousands of gang members, and widespread sexual assaults on both male and female migrants on their trek north.

Women and children are the biggest victims by far of our broken immigration system, Trump said, adding that at least 1 in 3 women is raped on the journey north.

Trumps address came after Democrats in Congress blocked his request for $5.6 billion to construct a wall on the border, triggering a partial government shutdown, which started at midnight on Dec. 21. A team led by Vice President Mike Pence spent the weekend of Jan. 5 negotiating with the Democrats, but no agreement was reached.

On Jan. 8, Trump said he wants a further 3.5 billion in Homeland Security appropriations in the spending bill. The extra would be earmarked for more detention space, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents, immigration judges, and other resources, such as drug scanning equipment at ports of entry.

Trump also said the wall funding, which he revised to $5.7 billion, would suffice to pay for 234 miles of a new steel barrier. The extra appropriations pushed the total border security package request to $12.72 billion.

This barrier is absolutely critical to border security. Its also what our professionals at the border want and need, Trump said. This is just common sense. The border wall would very quickly pay for itself. The cost of illegal drugs exceeds $500 billion a year, vastly more than the $5.7 billion we have requested from Congress.

Reactions

Sheriff Leon Wilmot, from border county Yuma, Arizona, said he appreciated Trumps speaking for the front-line law enforcement officers who secure our borders, port of entries, and airports, where these officers work tirelessly to combat the transnational criminal element.

I appreciated that the president spoke for the families of the victims that have lost their loved ones at the hands of the criminal element that has come into this country illegally, he said.

He also touched on that our federal partners have no space left to hold [illegal aliens], which is true. We are overwhelmed.

Yuma went from having 5.2 miles of border fencing before 2006 to 63 miles, and subsequently saw an almost 95 percent decrease in border apprehensions by 2009, when Border Patrol made about 7,000 arrests.

Wilmot said the fence also helped cut ancillary crime in his community by 91 percent.

I agree completely with the president that it is immoral to allow the current situation to continue, Wilmot said. The women and children are particularly vulnerable to these cartels and criminals.

Mary Ann Mendoza, whose son, Sgt. Brandon Mendoza, was killed in a head-on car crash by an illegal alien, said Trump showed in his address that he truly cares for each and every American citizen.

Brandon was killed in 2014 by an illegal alien who was drunk, high on meth, and speeding.

The statistics [Trump] cited are the truth that so many politicians refuse to acknowledge, Mendoza said. By preventing border security from happening, Nancy Pelosi and others are only posturing.

I pray all the disbelievers and anti-Trump individuals are never affected by illegal crime as I have been. President Trump is fighting for their safety, as am I on a daily basis.

Sheriff Andy Louderback of Jackson County, Texas, said walls work.

Walls work in prisons, at homes and certainly at the border of our country. President Trumps border security proposal will protect all Americans and protect the Democrats from themselves!

Overwhelmed

Well over a million illegal border crossers from Central Americas Northern triangleEl Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemalahave overwhelmed the immigration and border security infrastructure in recent years. The influx is facilitated by several legal loopholes, which allow the aliens to avoid deportation by claiming asylum, despite more than 90 percent being eventually ruled ineligible for asylum by an immigration judge.

The immigration courts are so overburdened, with some 800,000 cases pending, that 98 percent of families and unaccompanied minors in the system never reach the point of deportation.

The situation has further intensified in recent months. Border Patrol apprehensions were up more than 30 percent in October and November combined, compared to the previous two months combined.

The Case for a Wall

The border wall was Trumps core campaign promise. Border security officials support the idea.

The president is right, the president of [National] Border Patrol Council is right, Mark Morgan, who led Border Patrol during the last years of the Obama administration, told Fox News. When they  said, The wall works, they are right. And its not based on a personal, political ideology. Thats based on historical data and facts that can be proven.

Morgan was asked to leave shortly after Trump assumed office.

So you were taken out of your job by Donald Trump, but youre here to tell us that a wall makes sense anyway? Carlson asked.

Correct, Morgan replied.

Democrat leaders have called the wall project ineffective and expensive, though in the past, many have supported multiple bills that proposed border barriers similar to what Trump is asking for.

Humanitarian Crisis

Trump called the border situation a humanitarian and national security crisis.

More than 50,000 minors and over 100,000 family units were apprehended at the border in fiscal year 2018, which ended in Septemberup over 34 percent from the year before, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Seven in 10 of the migrants fall victim to violence on their journey north, according to a congressional briefing prepared by the administration. More than 30 percent of the migrant women and 17 percent of men are sexually assaulted on the way.

Many of the migrants are sick by the time they reach the border. Every day, authorities refer an average of 50 of them for medical services, according to the briefing. Some 4,300 people in distress are rescued by CBP every year.

The ones making a windfall from the suffering at the border are smugglers, who charge thousands per head to escort migrants across the U.S.Mexico border through cartel-controlled smuggling routes. Criminal organizations make $2.5 billion a year on the human smuggling business, according to the briefing.

Trump sent the briefing to all Congress members on Jan. 4 after Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen couldnt go through it during a White House meeting with top Democrats lawmakers Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Some of those present did not want to hear the presentation at the time, Trump said in a Jan. 4 letter to lawmakers.

National Security

Nearly 3,800 known or suspected terrorists were blocked by Homeland Security from entering the country in 2017, though most likely only a fraction of them were stopped at the southern border.

The national security risk, however, goes beyond terrorism.

CBP and border agents arrested some 17,000 convicted criminals and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement removed nearly 6,000 known or suspected gang members in fiscal 2018.

When he says this is a national security problem, hes absolutely correct, Morgan said. And that doesnt come just from me. That comes from the professionals thatve been doing this their entire adult lives, serving the country on the border, protecting the citizens.

Drug Crisis

The porous border also enables the cartels to fuel the drug epidemic that claimed nearly 71,000 American lives in 2017.

CBP seized or helped seize 1.7 million pounds of narcotics in fiscal 2018, including 282,000 pounds of cocaine, 248,000 pounds of methamphetamine (up 38 percent from 2017), 6,500 pounds of heroin (up 22 percent), and 2,400 pounds of the especially lethal fentanyl (up 73 percent).

Most of the drugs come through ports of entry, where CBP scans less than 20 percent of the vehicles passing through. Trump has asked Congress to authorize $675 million to deter and detect narcotics, weapons, and other materials that pose a threat to the United States. The money would pay for more sniffer dogs, new detection equipment, and other supports at ports of entry.

National Emergency

Trump still has the option of declaring a national emergency, which would grant him additional powers to command the nations resourcesbut its not unlimited. There are several federal statutes that specify what the president can do, explained Will Chamberlain, a lawyer formerly with the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a libertarian think tank, in a series of Twitter messages on Jan. 6.

Under federal law, the secretary of Defense has the emergency authority to take funds, personnel, and equipment from other civil works projects to construct or assist in the construction, operation, maintenance, and repair of authorized civil works  essential to the national defense.

The statute gives Trump the authority to use the civil works funding (some $4.8 billion in fiscal year 2019) for wall construction, Chamberlain said. Border barrier construction has already been authorized under the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which should be enough to satisfy the statutes language, he argued. The only thing that remains is for Trump to justify the construction as essential to the national defense.

A separate statute authorizes the Defense secretary to redirect money for military construction projects, though Chamberlain acknowledges it would be a stretch to call the wall a military construction project.

Other experts have provided conflicting explanations on whether Trump can or cannot use Defense Department money for the wall.There are currently 31 active national emergencies, including 11 declared by Trumps predecessor Barack Obama, according to a CNN tally. Congress can block a national emergency with a joint resolution, but it would need to gather two-third majorities to overcome Trumps veto power, Chamberlain said.

Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated Will Chamberlains association. Chamberlain is no longer with the Competitive Enterprise Institute. The Epoch Times regrets the error.Trump: If Walls Are Immoral, Then Why Do Wealthy Politicians Build Them Around Their Homes?

President Donald Trump slammed a Democratic talking point during his speech to the nation on Jan. 8, hitting at the theme of a border wall supposedly being immoral.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the leader of the Democratic Party in Congress, has repeatedly called the proposed barrier along the southern border immoral.

A wall, in my view, is an immorality, Pelosi said recently.

Trump said during his live address to the nation, Some have suggested a barrier is immoral.

Then why do wealthy politicians build walls, fences, and gates around their homes? They dont build walls because they hate the people on the outside, but because they love the people on the inside. The only thing that is immoral is the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized, he said.

Trump used the point to segue into how horrific it is when illegal aliens, who have already broken the law by entering the country without permission, commit crimes. He noted that an illegal alien is suspected of gunning down Newman police officer Ronil Singh, a legal immigrant, just weeks ago.

Americas heart broke the day after Christmas when a young police officer in California was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien, who just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country, Trump said.

Day after day, precious lives are cut short by those who have violated our borders. In California, an Air Force veteran was raped, murdered, and beaten to death with a hammer by an illegal alien with a long criminal history. In Georgia, an illegal alien was recently charged with murder for killing, beheading, and dismembering his neighbor. In Maryland, MS-13 gang members who arrived in the United States as unaccompanied minors were arrested and charged last year after viciously stabbing and beating a 16-year-old girl.

Appealing to the Democrats who have refused to negotiate with him on funding for the wall, Trump added, To those who refuse to compromise in the name of border security, I would ask: Imagine if it was your child, your husband, or your wife whose life was so cruelly shattered and totally broken?

He asked members of Congress to pass a bill that includes funding for the wall and U.S. citizens to call Congress and tell them they want the border secured.

Trumps comments came about a week after he noted that the house of former President Barack Obama has a wall around it.

While Pelosi has said a wall is immoral, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) admitted recently that while hes against a wall, a barrier will work along the border.

A fence works. You ask the experts, he told CBS 2. A big, concrete wall is expensive and it doesnt work. You dont just need fencing. You need drones, you need helicopters, and you need roads. The agents cant get people crossing the border because they cant get there.

In addition to asking for funds for the wall, Trump wants to use some funding for more Border Patrol agents and technology as support for personnel and the barrier.

Along with Trump, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also hit at the immoral talking point during a speech on the Senate floor earlier Tuesday, noting that many Democratic leaders previously voted for a barrier along the southern border.

Walls and barriers are not immoral. How silly. Enforcing our laws wasnt immoral back in 2006 when then-Senator Clinton and Senator Obama and our friend the Democratic leader were proud to vote for physical barriers, he said.

The only things that have changed between then and now are the political winds, and of course, the occupant of the White House. So this is no new-found principled objection, it is just political spite. A partisan tantrum being prioritized over the public interest.

From NTD NewsTraders and financial professionals work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange ahead of the opening bell on Jan. 4, 2019. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Theres Something Malicious Behind Mainstream Medias Economic Fearmongering

Liberals are actively cheering for an economic recession. Its positively disgusting, because it shows that they care more about the anticipated political benefits of an economic collapse than the well-being of their fellow citizens.

The mainstream media have published a deluge of reports lately, speculating, with thinly disguised giddiness, about the possibility of a recession in 2019. To justify this fearmongering, of course, such reports have to gloss over the positive economic news that keeps piling up week after week.

Instead, they focus on nebulous indicators such as the stock market to convince readers that the economy is teetering on the precipice of collapse, despite historic GDP growth, rising wages, and a rock-bottom unemployment rate.

If you watch MSNBC, youre probably familiar with the networks practice of breathlessly announcing breaking news whenever theres so much as a brief dip in the stock market. Such announcements are frequently accompanied by stories proclaiming that weve just experienced the worst day on Wall Street since (fill in the blank).

Similarly, the opinion section of CNNs website is filled with articles bearing titles like Sunny days cant last forever. One might almost be tempted to believe that all the positive economic data the economy continues to produce is just a mirage, and that the unseen wizards at CNN must have some secret knowledge the rest of us arent privy to.

Last June, Bill Maher even declared on his HBO show that he is hoping for a crashing economy, so we can get rid of Trump, adding, Bring on the recession.

The negativity and fearmongering is loud and intenseenough to scare the markets and cause some people to experience real financial hardship over completely fictional concerns.

So-called experts may point to the trade war with China as the cause of market fluctuations, but the ground of emotional uncertainty in the markets is tilled regularly by the mainstream media enough to affect investor decisions, while hiring managers dont operate on the same standard of certainty.

In fact, the nightmare narrative being pushed by the mainstream media couldnt be further from the truth, of course. GDP is growing faster than it has in over a decade, unemployment is hovering at historic lows, and job creation is still accelerating.

In December alone, President Donald Trumps economy added 312,000 new jobs, nearly double the projected increase of just 176,000. Meanwhile, average wages rose by 3.2 percent in 2018, enticing more Americans to enter the workforce and fill all those new job openings.

The data say one thing, while the media say another. The only plausible explanation for the discrepancy is that the mainstream news media are trying to undermine support for Trump.

Theyre banking on the assumption that economic illiteracy is pervasive among Americans, who are likely to believe pretty much any economic news as a pretext for predicting that were heading for a crash.

Theyre wrong about Americans, who see the proof of the strength and staying power of this historic economic boom at their kitchen tables and across their own families and neighborhoods.

Yes, the media have such disdain for the president that theyre actually cheering against the U.S. economy.

Its a sad day in America when those responsible for reporting the news resort to stoking irrational fears of a national catastrophe because they think it will yield political benefits for their side in the political arena.

Jason D. Meister is an advisory board member of Donald J. Trump for President Inc.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Alicia Manson (L) and Alex Klinedinst (R) at Bass Performance Hall in Fort Worth, Texas, on Jan. 8, 2019. (Amy Le/The Epoch Times)

FORT WORTH, TexasAlex Klinedinst, marketing business owner, said that watching Shen Yun Performing Arts was an eye-opening experience, one that brought her insight into Chinese culture.

Shen Yun performed at Bass Performing Hall in Fort Worth, Texas, on Jan. 8, as part of its 2019 world tour wherein six equal-sized companies will travel to over 100 cities across four continents.

Klinedinst, who owns Bluebird Creative, said she was particularly interested in how the Shen Yun presented the spiritual side of Chinese culture, something she previously did not know existed.

She recalled a trip to China five years ago, during which she asked a local about spirituality in the country.

Their answer was pretty flat. They said, We dont have spirituality here,' Klinedinst said.

Such an answer is unsurprising in mainland China today given that traditional Chinese culture, which inherently contains a deep spirituality, has been systematically suppressed during the almost 70 years of communist rule.

Concerned about loss of culture and tradition under the communist regime, a group of artists formed Shen Yun in New York in 2006 to bring back genuine Chinese culture, which was developed over 5,000 years of Chinese civilization.

Spirituality and belief in heaven or the divine is fused into the root of traditional Chinese culture. Teachings from Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism have been passed down for millennia, forming the basis of Chinese moral philosophy. These ideas include the harmony between Heaven and Earth, the balance between man and nature, and divine retribution.

I Support Your Culture

Sandy Reeves, assistant vice president at Comerica Bank, who came with her family to the performance, said she enjoyed watching a different cultural experience on stage.

Reeves said that while Chinese culture was different to her own, she was surprised to find that universal values were presented.

I think it was interesting to see how [Shen Yun showed] a different culture, but still very much aligned with the way we would believe, or having faith in a higher power. And being kind to one another, Reeves said.

She also appreciated the grace of the dancers movements.

I hurt just watching the dancers  I mean they have to really be spry and limber. It was beautiful, Reeves said.

Dancers at Shen Yun are classically trained artists, many of whom are award-winning; they perfect both classical Chinese dance, and ethnic and folk dance styles. Classical Chinese dance is an art form refined over thousands of years that comprises both a rigorous physical component including difficult tumbling techniques, and also a strict inner composure, which aims to allow the dancer to transmit their spirit and feelings to the audience.

Reevess husband, James Reeves, a retired aircraft engineer, was also impressed with the performance, adding that he supported the culture Shen Yun is hoping to revive through the arts.

James said he enjoyed being able to watch the performance with his family.

It was beautiful, its a difference experience altogether for us.

With reporting by Amy Hu and Cathy He.

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006.Teacher Charged With Assault For Dragging Autistic Boy in School Hallways

A Kentucky teacher was charged with assault on Jan. 8, after a video showing her dragging a 9-year-old boy through a schools corridors was posted to social media.

Trina Abrams was charged with fourth-degree assault on a victim under 12 years old after an investigation of the video footage took place, according to Kentucky State Police, reported CNN.

The boys mother, Angel Nelson, posted the schools video surveillance to Facebook on Jan. 6, asking for the public for help and advice. The video showed Abrams dragging the boy, who Nelson said has been diagnosed with autism, ADHD, PTSD, anxiety, and depression, by the wrist through the school hallways. The boy could be seen lying on his back or knees.

We as parents trust teachers and school staff on a daily basis to help teach and help our children succeed. We should never have to worry about anything like this ever happening, she wrote in the post.

The incident occurred in October last year at Wurtland Elementary school in Greenup County. According to Nelson, Abrams forcefully grabbed the boys wrist and bent it back while he was experiencing a breakdown. After the child let go of his chair, the teacher then removed him from the classroom. The boy told his mother than the teacher had thrown him hard down onto a chair in front of several of his classmates.

Beyond this, we will never truly know what took place behind that closed door because of my sons speech limitations, she wrote. This incident was violent enough to not only injure my child but to also destroy his shoes.

The cameras in the classroom had previously been turned toward the corner, so no footage of the incident in the classroom was captured.

It is my belief that all schools should be required to have cameras in place (that can not be turned to a corner) in order to protect students and teachers, the mother added.

Nelson said as a result her son suffered a sprain in his left wrist, which started swelling and bruising the days following. She added that her son will require occupational therapy to regain his fine motor skills like handwriting, buttoning pants, and tying shoes.

This has also emotionally traumatized him, she said. My son deserves justice. I feel as though Mrs. Abrams should be held accountable for her actions.

In a more recent post, Nelson said her son needs to be able to go to school and know that its a safe place to be.

He deserves the highest quality education America can offer him with teachers specialized to care for his needs. Every child deserves this. [He], unfortunately, may not have been the first child to have been injured by a school staff member, but lets take the necessary steps towards making him the LAST, she said in the post.

Meanwhile, Nelson said teachers should be given more training to hand children with disabilities.

Greenup County Schools Superintendent Sherry Horsley told WSAZ-TV in a statement that teachers in the county are trained to prevent incidents of restraint and are specially trained to address autism-related behaviors. She added that the teacher involved has been removed from the school. But did not identify Abrams or her position.

The Greenup County School District prioritizes the safety of our students. The district followed established safety protocol as soon as this situation became known, the statement said.

Last year, an Ohio teacher was fired after she was photographed dragging a student by the arm down a school hallway.The accused Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman (2nd R), appears with defense attorneys A. Eduardo Balarezo (L) and Jeffrey Lichtman (R), in this courtroom sketch in Brooklyn federal court in New York, on Nov. 19, 2018. (Jane Rosenberg/Reuters)

Prosecutors in El Chapo Trial Play Calls Intercepted by FBI

NEW YORKProsecutors in the trial of El Chapo Joaquin Guzman on Jan. 8 played excerpts from what they said were incriminating phone calls made by the accused Mexican drug lord and intercepted by the FBI after they infiltrated his encrypted messaging system.

Nearly two months into the trial of Guzman on charges of drug trafficking as leader of the Sinaloa cartel, FBI special agent Steven Marston testified the 61-year-old was easily identifiable by his higher-pitched voice, which had kind of a sing-songy nature to it and a nasally undertone.

The phone call excerpts that wafted through the Brooklyn courtroom on Jan. 8 included discussions of dealings with local officials, including one where Guzman appears to admonish an associate to be careful dealing with police.

Well, you taught us to be a wolf, acting like a wolf, the associate replied.

Guzman was extradited to the United States in January 2017 to face charges of trafficking cocaine, heroin, and other drugs into the country. Prosecutors have said he also played a central role in a Mexican drug war in which more than 100,000 people have died.

Guzmans lawyers have portrayed their client as a scapegoat for what they called Sinaloas real leader, Ismael El Mayo Zambada, who also faces U.S. charges but remains at large.

The trial began Nov. 13 and is expected to last a few more weeks. Guzman faces life in prison if convicted.

Marston said the FBI tapped into more than 800 calls on the encrypted system with the help of a cooperating witness, Christian Rodriguez.

The agent said the systems servers were moved to the Netherlands, where they would not be suspicious to Sinaloa, and that calls were intercepted from April 2011 to January 2012.

Jurors had previously heard from former Guzman associates testifying about multi-ton drug shipments, deadly wars between rival drug lords, and corruption by Mexican public officials.

The defendant mostly sat quietly during testimony, but waved enthusiastically to his wife in the courtroom before it started.

The Jan. 8 proceedings began with testimony from government witness Edgar Galvan, a low-level drug trafficker who the defense said fabricated payments from another trafficker to Guzman with the hope of reducing his own 24-1/3-year prison term.

Galvan denied making up the payments, though he admitted to having previously lied to investigators.

Would you say youre a pretty good liar? defense lawyer William Purpura asked Galvan.

I used to be, Galvan said.

By Jonathan StempelHacienda HealthCare in Phoenix, Arizona on a Jan. 4, 2019. A woman in a vegetative state gave birth in a Hacienda facility on Dec. 29, 2018, prompting a sexual assault investigation. (Ross D. Franklin/AP Photo)

Police Seek DNA Samples From Male Staff at Facility Where Vegetative Woman Gave Birth

The Phoenix Police Department served a search warrant to obtain DNA samples from male staff members at Hacienda Healthcare, where a woman in a vegetative state gave birth on Dec. 29, 2018.

The warrant on Jan. 8 was part of the departments probe into how the woman got pregnant, according to a press release from Hacienda.

As a company, we welcome this development in the ongoing police investigation, the company stated in the release, reported the Arizona Republic.

Like all statements made in the case, the company did not post the information on its website.

Hacienda said that it had considered asking employees for DNA but that attorneys advised against it, believing it would violate federal law.

Hacienda stands committed to doing everything in our power to bring this police investigation to a quick conclusion, the company statement said. We will continue to cooperate with Phoenix police and all other investigative agencies to uncover the facts in this deeply disturbing, but unprecedented situation.

The Phoenix Police Department declined a request to comment. Apart from confirming that officers are investigating the case, the department has not released any information on the case.

An attorney for the family of the vegetative woman said on Tuesday that the baby boy is healthy but its not clear who currently has custody of the child, reported KPHO.

The woman has not been named but shes been described as a 29-year-old Native American woman who has been in a vegetative state for 14 years after nearly drowning.

She was reportedly raped multiple times.

According to The Brain Foundation, a vegetative state is when a person is awake but showing no signs of awareness.

The San Carlos Apache Tribe, located in southeastern Arizona, said on Tuesday that the woman is an enrolled member of the tribe.

On behalf of the Tribe, I am deeply shocked and horrified at the treatment of one of our members. When you have a loved one committed to palliative care, when they are most vulnerable and dependent upon others, you trust their caretakers, Chairman Terry Rambler said in a statement.

Sadly, one of her caretakers was not to be trusted and took advantage of her. It is my hope that justice will be served.

Alejandro Benally, chief of the San Carlos Apache Police Department, said that the matter is under the jurisdiction of the Phoenix Police Department and that his department would assist the department in any way possible.

I know Chief Jeri Williams and the Phoenix PD Officers will do all they can to find the perpetrator, he added.

Birth Takes Staff by Surprise

The birth at Hacienda de Los Angeles, a Hacienda HealthCare facility in Phoenix took staff members by surprise.

None of the staff were aware that she was pregnant until she was pretty much giving birth, a source told KPHO. From what Ive been told she was moaning. And they didnt know what was wrong with her.

A source told NBC 12 that Hacienda has changed protocol since the birth, requiring that male staff members be accompanied by female staff members.

The source also said that Hacienda does not have cameras inside the hallways or rooms of the facility: the rape or sexual assault that happened was not recorded.

The Arizona Department of Health Services told the Arizona Republic that in the wake of the news that a woman gave birth, the facility is required to have heightened security measures including increased staff presence during patient interactions, increased monitoring of patient care areas, and increased security measures with respect to visitors to the facility.

We are aware of this situation and are actively working with local law enforcement in their criminal investigation, the department said in a statement.

On its website, Hacienda describes itself as Arizonas leading provider of specialized health care services for medically fragile and chronically ill infants, children, teens, and young adults as well as those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The organization cares for more than 2,500 across all of its facilities.

According to federal records, the healthcare facility where the woman gave birth has at least 74 patient beds. Like the Native American woman, some patients have been there for 10 years or longer, even decades.

From NTD NewsPeking University Professor Calls for Chinese Communist Party to Fade From History

Despite the heavily regulated flow of information and ideas in China, occasionally some voices seep through the internet blockade and offer candid views on the Chinese communist regime.

In the New Year, Zheng Yefu, a sociology professor from Chinas prestigious Peking University, did just that. He risked possible retribution by posting an article on Chinese social media that calls for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to fade from history.

In a post titled, Why political reform is difficult to achieve, Zheng said the CCPs policies during its nearly 70-year rule have not fundamentally benefited the Chinese people.

For Zheng, the only way both the Chinese people and the ruling party could benefit is for the CCP to peacefully fade from history, using non-violent means and with minimal disruption to society.

This is the best way forward for the Chinese people, for the party, and for the leaders of the party, Zheng said. There is no better way.

Zheng said political reform is necessary because problems in Chinese society, such as rampant abuse of power, a deficient legal system, and economic malaise have reached the point of no return.

He also implored Chinese intellectuals to fulfill their duty to expose the truth about the CCP.

If  all [intellectuals] stayed true to their conscience, and courageously spoke their minds, then China would not be like this today, Zheng said.

Many Chinese netizens supported Zhengs message.

It is a truly precious thing that professor Zheng Yefu can speak out at this time. His call for the CCP to fade from history rings loud and clear, said one online commentator.

Prominent Beijing rights advocate Xiang Li said, This is the 2019 New Years declaration of Chinas public intellectuals. [They] must defend freedom. The CCP must step down.

Majority of Intellectuals Do Not Support CCP

Wang Juntao, a Chinese democracy activist living in exile in the United States, told the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times that intellectuals have a responsibility to society.

There are too few intellectuals like Zheng Yefu who speak out. I hope more intellectuals can think about issues like Zheng Yefu [has], said Wang, who spent three years in jail for participating in the 1989 Tiananmen Square student protests.

Wang, formerly a student at Peking University, said most intellectuals dont support the CCP but they dont publicly express this view.

When talking privately, we basically can hardly find any intellectual who says the CCP is good, he said.

Increasingly more intellectuals are losing hope the CCP will effect real reforms so they are willing to voice their thoughts, according to a former economics professor at Peking University, Xia Yeliang. However, communist authorities are unlikely to heed any calls for change, Xia said.

Others Intellectuals Speak Out

Zhengs emphatic remarks come a week after more than 100 academics and commentators shared their frank reflections on the past 40 years since the countrys economic reforms, in an article posted to social media Dec. 29.

In one- to two-sentence statements, intellectuals, and public figures gave their assessment of Chinas progress since its economic policies were opened up in 1978, and shared their views on the meaning of true reform.

The article was widely shared among Chinese netizens before being taken down by censors. Many intellectuals demanded freedom of speech and expression, greater economic liberalization, and free elections, while others spoke of the death of reform in China.

The future of China will always lie in limiting the power of government and a strong civil society, said Beijing scholar Zhao Guojun, one of the intellectuals featured in the article. Reform is dead, it is time for a constitutional government.Norway Considering Whether to Exclude Huawei from Building 5G Network

OSLONorway is considering whether to join other western nations in excluding Chinas Huawei Technologies from building part of the Nordic countrys new 5G telecommunications infrastructure, its justice minister said on Jan. 9.

The Norwegian government is currently discussing measures to reduce potential vulnerabilities in its telecoms industry ahead of the upgrade.

State-controlled operator Telenor, which has 173 million subscribers across eight countries in Europe and Asia, signed its first major contract with Huawei in 2009, a deal that helped pave way for the Chinese firms global expansion.

Telenor and competitor Telia currently use 4G Huawei equipment in Norway and are testing equipment from the Chinese company in their experimental 5G networks.

We share the same concerns as the United States and Britain and that is espionage on private and state actors in Norway, Justice Minister Tor Mikkel Wara told Reuters on the sidelines of a business conference.

This question is high priority  we want to have this in place before we build the next round of the telecom network.

Asked whether there could be actions taken against Huawei specifically, Wara said: Yes, we are considering the steps taken in other countries, that is part of itthe steps taken in the United States and Britain.

In August, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a bill that barred the U.S. government from using Huawei equipment and is mulling an executive order that would also bar U.S. companies from doing so.

It is also calling on its allies not to use Huawei equipment when building 5G networks. In Britain, telecoms operator BT is removing Huawei equipment from the core of its existing 3G and 4G mobile operations and will not use the Chinese company for central parts of the next network.

New Zealand and Australia have stopped telecom operators using Huaweis equipment in new 5G networks because they are concerned about possible Chinese government involvement in their communications infrastructure.

Telenor said it was taking security seriously. Norway has had full control over critical infrastructure for many, many years and we in Telenor take it very seriously, Telenor CEO Sigve Brekke told Reuters.

By Gwladys FouchePeter Dutton, Australian Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration and Border Protection enters the House of Representatives in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 5, 2018. (Michael Masters/Getty Images)

Non-Citizen Criminals Stripped of Their Australian Visas

More than 800 Australian visa holders had their visas cancelled in 2018 for serious crimes according to the Australian government.

Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said in a press release dated Jan. 7 100 people had their visas cancelled for child sex offences, including child exploitation and pornography. A further 53 have been stripped of their visa for domestic violence, and 34 for rape or other sexual offences.

Of the 500 involved in violent offences, 13 committed murder, seven for manslaughter, 125 for assault, and 56 for armed robbery.

We welcome people from all round the world, but those few who think they can live in Australia and be involved in criminal actions need to know they wont be staying long, Dutton said. Theres no place in our country for people who come here and harm Australians.

Strengthening Character Provisions

Since 2014, 4150 non-citizen criminals were stripped of their Australian visas after additional mandatory cancellation provisions were added to the Migration Act.

The changes state a non-citizens visa must be cancelled, if they are sentenced to 12 months or more in prison or have been convicted of a child sex offence.

In Oct. 2018, the government introduced into parliament the Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill 2018 to create a list of designated offences in section 501 of the Migration Act. The list is hoped to provide clear and objective grounds for considering a visa refusal or cancellation.

More than 800 non-citizens were stripped of their visas last year for violent crimes.@JasonFalinskiMP: This is part of our program to make sure the Australian community is safe. MORE: https://t.co/ykweMevBOK #SkyLiveNow pic.twitter.com/Xbv4BSV2ea  Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) January 6, 2019

Designated offences include violence, sexual assault, domestic abuse, and the use or possession of weapons whereby the offence carries a two year or more maximum jail sentence.

The Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill 2018 is expected to be debated in the first sitting period of 2019.

Australian Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman said the government is sending a strong message to non-citizen law breakers.

Over the past five years, the government has stripped 4150 non-citizens of their visas after committing serious and abhorrent crimes, such as child sex offences, domestic violence assaults, and murder, Coleman said.

Opposition spokesperson for Immigration and Border Protection Shayne Newmann told SBS that Labor supported the deportation of non-citizens, who have committed criminal offences.

We supported when the government made amendments back in 2014 and we continue to do so, Neumann said. If an immigration minister believes someone is a risk to the Australian community, or has reasonable suspicions they fail the character cancellation provisions, then the minister should punt them out of the country of they are a non-citizen.

New Zealanders Make Up Majority

According to News Corp, New Zealanders made up many of those who had their Australian visas revoked.

Among them are New Zealand bikie Jim Thacker, and Rebels motorcycle gang boss Aaron AJ Graham. Thacker was involved in a brawl and Grahams visa was revoked on character grounds.

Brownlow medallist Dustin Martins father, Shane Martin, was also deported to New Zealand weeks before his son played in the AFL Grand Final.

Last year 300 visas were revoked in New South Wales, 190 in Queensland, 160 in Victoria, 120 in Western Australia, and 30 in South Australia.

Foreign nationals who think they can flout our laws and harm Australian citizens should expect to have their visa cancelled, Coleman said. It is a privilege to enter and remain in Australia and we have no tolerance for those who put Australians in danger.Music educator Len Tyler attended Shen Yun Performing Arts at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking on Jan. 8, 2019. (Xiaomin Pang/The Epoch Times)

WOKING, United KingdomMusic educator Len Tyler has worked as a professional musician for over 50 years, first in the military, then through his own music academy.

Its fair to say Tyler knows music.

But hearing Shen Yuns orchestra for the first time on Jan. 8, 2019 was wonderful, and beautiful, he said.

Tyler saw Shen Yun at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking, United Kingdom, in the first performance of the New York-based companys European tour.

I think the show is excellent, the choreography is wonderful, the spectacle on stage is first class, the orchestra is wonderful, Tyler said.

He said as a trombone player himself, he particularly noted the Shen Yun orchestras trombone.

I love your trombone player in the orchestra, he makes a beautiful, gorgeous sound, Tyler said.

The whole orchestra comes together beautifully, he continued. The balance, the sound, the tuning was really nice, and it accompanies whats on stage excellently.

Shen Yun tours the globe with a mission to revive Chinas semi-divine culture that was nearly lost after 60 years of communist rule.

Dance and story pieces are accompanied by a live orchestra that blends Chinese and Western instruments, rendering a distinctive sound.

Ancient Culture, Preserved

As a professional musician, Tyler said he could hear all thats going on in detail.

Particularly when the Chinese percussion and the strings come in, it blends really well. I was very impressed by that, he said.

He also had praise for Shen Yuns dancers, saying their artistry is first class.

When the dancers come to a final pose every finger is in the same place for the entire ensemble. So its excellent, he said.

Additionally, Tyler said, he gained a richer knowledge of traditional Chinese culture through Shen Yuns performance.

I am more deeply aware now of the length of Chinese culture, he said. How ancient some of it is. How traditional, and how its been preserved.

Shen Yun draws from a 5,000-year history to present traditional Chinese culture and civilization on stage. The performance tells stories, brings to life the rich and varied dynasties, and shows the many ethnicities from across China.

The show also recognizes the deep connection with the divine inherent in traditional culture, something Tyler said he noticed in the performance.

He stressed that it was important for people to maintain this traditional heritage.

I am a traditionalist, he said. Dont lose your tradition, keep hold of it. Keep your folk-based songs, analyze them, keep them.

With reporting by Xiaomin Pang and John Smithies.

The Epoch Times considers Shen Yun Performing Arts the significant cultural event of our time and has covered audience reactions since the companys inception in 2006.McConnell Fails in First Big Test of 2019 as Senate Still Stalemated

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) failed in his first significant legislative test of 2019, on Jan. 8, coming up three votes short of the 60 needed to take up debate on Middle East policy proposals instead of Democratic bills to end the government shutdown.

McConnell wanted the Senate to move to regular business by considering S.1, the Strengthening American Security in the Middle East Act, which includes a bipartisan provision protecting local and state governments that refuse to contract with firms or organizations supporting the Boycott, Divest From, Sanction (BDS) Movement against Israel.

The bill also includes military aid to Jordan and Israel, and supports additional sanctions against the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

Prior to the vote, McConnell described Democrats opposition to his motion as a partisan tantrum. The motion failed on a vote of 57-43. Under Senate rules, the majority leader was required to change his vote to no in order to move to reconsider the failed motion at a later date.

Democrats voting for the cloture motion included Sens. Robert Menendez of New Jersey, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Doug Jones of Alabama, and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.

Democrats, led by Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin of Maryland, argued over the weekend that senators should vote first on a measure approved by the House last week to reopen the government.

With more than 130,000 federal workers and multiple department and agency offices located there, Maryland is among the states most affected by the shutdown.

McConnell insists there wont be a vote on reopening the government, however, without firm assurances that President Donald Trump will sign it. Trump wont sign the House bill because it doesnt fund construction of the wall on the southern border.

Earlier on Jan. 8, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) told senators he doubted there would be 60 votes on the cloture motion and expressed bewilderment that the Senate isnt dealing with any of the urgent issues the country faces, despite the shutdown that began Dec. 22, 2018, and enters its 19th day on Jan. 9.

I dont think it makes sense to say I am upset about the government shutdown [but then say] I dont know why we would also shut down the Senate, Rubio said. You dont solve a shutdown with a shutdown.

Debate on Anti-BDS Provision

The Democrats strategy for forcing a Senate vote on funding the government also ran into an unexpected obstacle earlier this week, when Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) put the anti-BDS provision in S.1 at the center of the debate instead of the government shutdown.

Sanders on Jan. 6 blasted McConnell and Senate Republicans about S.1, tweeting that its absurd that the first bill during the shutdown is legislation which punishes Americans who exercise their constitutional right to engage in political activity. Democrats must block consideration of any bills that dont reopen the government. Lets get our priorities right.

Tlaib, a BDS supporter and one of two newly elected House Democrats who are vocal Muslim advocates, responded, saying:

They forgot what country they represent. This is the U.S. where boycotting is a right & part of our historical fight for freedom & equality. Maybe a refresher on our U.S. Constitution is in order, then get back to opening up our government instead of taking our rights away.

Rubio, one of the prime sponsors of S.1, blasted back at Sanders and Tlaib on Jan. 7, accusing Tlaib of anti-Semitism:

This dual loyalty canard is a typical anti-Semitic line. #BDS isnt about freedom & equality, its about destroying #Israel, in one tweet, followed by another minutes later, arguing the BDS Movement has significant support among Senate Democrats:

The shutdown is not the reason Senate Democrats dont want to move to Middle East Security Bill. A huge argument broke out at Senate Dem meeting last week over BDS. A significant # of Senate Democrats now support #BDS & Dem leaders want to avoid a floor vote that reveals that.

While spokesmen for Sanders and Cardin didnt respond to a request for comment, a Senate Democratic aide, who asked not to be identified, said the BDS provision was irrelevant to the shutdown issue.

And a Van Hollen spokesman pointed to his tweet and that of Cardin in responding to Rubio.

Youre missing the point. Its not about which bill were voting on. Its about the fact that McConnell has the power to bring up the bipartisan House-passed bills today and end this shutdown and we need to make that the first order of business, Van Hollen tweeted.

Ive worked closely with you on BDS, @MarcoRubio, and disagree with you here. The government #shutdown is a crisis, impacting millions of Americans and our economy. We cant simply proceed with business as usual. Reopening the govt must be our first priority. #EndTheTrumpShutdown, Cardin tweeted.

Cardin was one of the initial authors and among eight Democrats who last year co-sponsored the anti-BDS provision now in S.1.

None of the Democrats approached Jan. 8 by The Epoch Times would discuss Rubios claim about a contentious BDS debate in their caucus.Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, right, arrives at a parole office with a member of her private security detail in Vancouver, on Dec. 12, 2018. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck)

Majority of Canadians Believe Canada Was Right to Detain Huawei Executive, Poll Shows

TORONTOMore than eight in ten Canadians have a negative impression of the Chinese regime and more than half believe Canada was right to detain a high-level Huawei executive for possible extradition to the United States, according to a Nanos survey released on Jan. 9.

The survey also found that a majority of Canadians say they have a negative or somewhat negative impression of the Chinese regime and telecom giant Huawei, and over one in two think China poses a major national security threat to Canada.

Canadas arrest of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States sparked angry demands from the Chinese government for her immediate release, but Canadian authorities have said they are bound by their treaty obligations with the United States.

According to the survey, 56 percent of Canadians agree with this position and believe Mengs arrest is primarily a justice issue, and that Canada is right to detain her for extradition to the United States on allegations of fraud relating to violations of U.S. sanctions against Iran.

On the other hand, the survey showed that 29 percent of Canadians feel Mengs arrest was politically and economically motivated and could damage Canadas relations with China, which has threatened unspecified consequences for the arrest.

The detention of former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and Canadian entrepreneur Michael Spavor is widely seen by China analysts as retaliation for her arrest. They are charged on allegations of endangering Chinas national security.

The survey also showed that nearly two in three Canadians have a somewhat negative or negative impression of Huawei. The company is the largest telecom equipment maker and second-largest smartphone maker in the world and is actively working to provide technology to 5G networks globally.

Huawei has come under increasing global scrutiny over cyber-intelligence concerns. It is seen as a potential security risk due its close ties with the Chinese communist regime. The companys founder and CEO Ren Zhengfei is a former Peoples Liberation Army member, and Chinas 2017 National Intelligence Law requires the cooperation of corporations, organizations, and citizens to aid in Chinese intelligence work when required.

Canada is the only member of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance to not ban Huawei in some form, either through the government or through major telecommunication companies. The United States, Australia, and New Zealand have all banned Huawei from their 5G networks, while the UKs BT Group has banned Huawei from its network. The UK and Canada are conducting security reviews of Huaweis 5G technology, though the Canadian government has yet to say when the review will conclude.

The survey found that over 53 percent of respondents believe Canada should also ban Huawei from providing 5G technology to its networks. Eighteen percent, however, believe that countries banning Huawei is an overreaction, while 29 percent are unsure.

The Nanos poll was commissioned by The Globe and Mail and randomly surveyed 1,000 people across Canada using a hybrid telephone and online survey.Latest Trial in J&J Talc Litigations Gets Under Way in California

A California jury on Jan. 7 heard opening statements in the latest trial over allegations that Johnson & Johnsons talc-based products, including the companys baby powder, were contaminated with asbestos and cause cancer.

The lawsuit brought by Terry Leavitt in Alameda Superior Court in Oakland is the first of over a dozen J&J talc cases scheduled for trial in 2019. The company is facing some 11,700 lawsuits over the safety of talc in its products.

Leavitts lawyer, Joseph Satterley, accused J&J in his opening statement of knowingly selling a dangerous product, according to an online broadcast by Courtroom View Network. The evidence will show that J&J knew about the asbestos risk and they continued to sell the product, giving consumers no opportunity to protect themselves, he said.

A lawyer for co-defendant Imerys Talc America, a unit of French Imerys SA, told the jury the evidence would show there is no asbestos in its talc and that Leavitts disease was not caused by its product.

A lawyer for J&J was expected to make his opening remarks on Jan. 8.

Our talc is safe and does not contain asbestos. For decades, Johnson & Johnsons Baby Powder has repeatedly been tested and been found not to contain asbestos, the company said in response to a request for comment on Jan. 7.

J&J and Imerys have argued in court that decades of studies have shown their products to be safe and asbestos-free.

Leavitts is the first talc case to go to trial since Reuters on Dec. 14 published a special report detailing internal J&J documents showing talc in the companys raw and finished powders sometimes tested positive for small amounts of asbestos from the 1970s into the early 2000s.

The report prompted a stock selloff on fears of J&Js liability. Shares on Jan. 7 closed at $127.01, 14 percent below their Dec. 13 value.

While earlier talc lawsuits alleged talc itself causes ovarian cancer, plaintiffs lawyers have more recently focused on arguing that asbestos contamination in talc caused mesothelioma, a form of cancer linked to asbestos exposure.

Leavitts case is being tried by the same team of lawyers, including Satterley, who in April 2018 won a $117 million award by a New Jersey jury for a man who blamed his mesothelioma on J&Js cosmetic talc. That verdict is under appeal.

In 11 cases so far alleging asbestos contamination in talc, three resulted in wins for plaintiffs, awarding damages as high as $4.69 billion in a July 2018 multi-plaintiff ovarian cancer verdict. J&J won three other cases and another five ended in hung juries. J&J has appealed all of the plaintiff verdicts, and the company said it is confident the verdicts would be overturned on appeal.

Leavitt was diagnosed with mesothelioma in 2017.

She was born in the Philippines and claims she was exposed to J&J cosmetic talc that originated from South Korea mines during the first two years of her life before her parents moved back to the United States in 1968, Satterley said on Jan. 7. He said testing of Asian talc samples from the 1960s and 1970s by his own expert would show Korean-mined talc tested positive for asbestos fibers, as has talc from U.S. sources.

J&J in court filings in the Leavitt case said that fibers found in the Korean talc or any of its other cosmetic talc could not be classified as asbestos and referred to them as non-asbestos forms that its experts say are harmless.

Geologically, some asbestos can occur as non-asbestiform rocks. Both forms often occur together and in talc deposits.

The company in its Jan. 7 statement did not specifically address the allegations surrounding the South Korean mine.

By Tina BellonA view of the home of missing woman Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen, the wife of one of Norway's richest men, Tom Hagen, in Fjellhamar, Norway, on Jan. 9, 2019. (Ole Berg-Rusten/NTB Scanpix via AP)

Kidnappers Demand $10 Million Ransom to Return Billionaires Wife

Kidnappers said they abducted the wife of a billionaire and are demanding a $10 million ransom to return her safely.

Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen, 68, disappeared from her home near Oslo, Norway, on Oct. 31, 2018, and police have been investigating what happened since then.

Police in the country said on Jan. 9 that Hagens suspected kidnappers left a note at the home she shares with husband Tom Hagen, a real estate investor and owner of power facilities.

The note described what would happen to her if the demanded ransom wasnt paid in the cryptocurrency monero, according to NRK, a Norwegian broadcaster.

According to Coin Telegraph, monero is similar to bitcoin but offers a higher level of security and anonymity for users.

The Monero ledger, unlike Blockchain, doesnt record the actual stealth addresses of parties to transactions, and the one-time created address that is recorded is not linked to the actual addresses of the parties as well. All Monero transactions between two parties are grouped up with some other transactions that occur among unrelated parties. Monero also handles transactions by splitting the amount transferred into multiple parts and then treating each split part as a separate transaction, the website stated.

The popularity of Monero is not growing just because of attention from [the] black market, but also because of the large amount [sic] of people not fond of being watched by governments, hackers, and corporations, the website continued.

Police did not give a figure for the ransom amount, but Norways VG newspaper reported it was 9 million euros ($10.3 million).

The newspaper reported that the note said Falkevik Hagen would be killed if police were involved. Chief investigator Tommy Broeske declined to comment other than saying the threats (in the note) were of a very serious character.

The reason for us to go public with this case now is that despite a broad and extensive investigation, we need more information, Broeske told reporters at a news conference.

There are no suspects in the case as of yet and officials have no clue whether Hagen is dead or alive.

Some media outlets were aware of the situation but followed orders by police not to publish anything until now, according to VG.

Police dont want Hagens family to pay the ransom.

Svein Holden, the familys lawyer, told reporters the abduction was a cruel and an inhuman act.

It is demanding and exhausting to be in such a situation over a long period of time, he added.

Police officials said that Europol and Interpol are working with law enforcement on the case.

The abduction is believed to have taken place from the Hagens home. There was no video surveillance of what happened nor were there any traces of a robbery. Police believe Falkevik Hagen was attacked in the bathroom and kidnapped.

Marius Nerby, who owns the company Elkraft with Tom Hagen, called the kidnapping a tragedy.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD NewsJudge Issues Arrest Warrant for Homeless Man Accused in GoFundMe Good Samaritan Scam

A judge has issued an arrest warrant for a homeless man charged with conspiring to defraud donors in a GoFundMe scam after he failed to show up in court.

Johnny Bobbitt was due to make a Jan. 8 appearance in a New Jersey court to face charges of violating court-ordered conditions that allowed for his release from jail while awaiting trial.

Bobbitts lawyer, John Keesler, told The Associated Press he spoke with his client Friday and expected him to appear in court.

Prosecutors say the 35-year-old conspired with Katelyn McClure and her then-boyfriend Mark DAmico to devise a story about Bobbitt giving McClure his last $20 for gas. McClure and DAmico then set up the GoFundMe campaign ostensibly to raise money for the homeless vet as an act of gratitude.

It was an irresistibly heartwarming tale, said Scott Coffina, the Burlington County Prosecutor, in a November press conference, before alleging that the feel-good story was, in fact, a fraudulent ruse.

The entire campaign was predicated on a lie, Coffina said, according to The Associated Press. It was fictitious and illegal and there are consequences.

Bobbit and the New Jersey couple raised $400,000, which authorities say was spent on luxury items and casino trips.

GoFundMe representatives said earlier they have returned money to donors who fell for the feel-good story after the donation drive was exposed as a get-rich-quick scam. Bobby Whithorne, a GoFundMe spokesperson, told CBS News on Dec. 24 in an email that all the money, including processing and administration fees, was returned.

Meanwhile, the trio faces criminal charges of conspiracy and theft by deception, in what Coffina said was a get-rich-quick scheme that hoodwinked an awful lot of people.

The Heartwarming Tale

The couple claimed Bobbitt helped out the stranded McClure with some gas money.

McClure posted the heartwarming rescue story on social media, directing people to the GoFundMe donation page.

Lets do something special, McClure wrote, as news of the homeless mans supposedly selfless act quickly went viral.

The funding response was overwhelming. The goal was $10,000, but within nine months the amount collected reached $402,706an extraordinary result that received broad media coverage.

It has changed my entire outlook about people, my outlook about people has skyrocketed, McClure said of the donations at the time.

Over 14,000 people were moved by the touching story to donate money.

The Story Unravels

Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina said on Nov. 15 that that within hours of the GoFundMe campaign launch, McClure had texted a friend saying that the majority of the story was fabricated, according to NBC 10 Philadelphia.

Ok, so wait. The gas part is completely made up. The guy isnt, McClure allegedly texted the friend after the campaign went live, according to the report. So shush about the made up stuff, she said, according to Coffina.

The three allegedly met more than a month before the launch of the campaign, authorities believe.

I had to make something up to make people feel bad, McClure allegedly said in another text to a friend.

McClure claims she had no knowledge of the scheme.

Speaking through attorney James Gerrow, she stated that she was unaware of the false story and claimed that DAmico and Bobbit exploited her.

Im confident that in the end the evidence will reveal that Kate had only the best intentions, Gerrow said. She was used by Mr. DAmico and Mr. Bobbitt and she thought throughout that this money was going to a homeless veteran. She was unaware that they had concocted this scheme. It wasnt until September when meeting with prosecutors that she came to realize that she had been used by both of them.

Money Squabbles

The feel-good tale suffered its first visible upset when Bobbitt claimed through lawyers that the couple used the GoFundMe money as a personal piggy bank, and sued the couple in August for mismanaging his funds.

Bobbitts attorney, Jacqueline Promislo, told The New York Post in September that the couple started to spend the money right after depositing it into their bank account.

They went on shopping sprees, Promislo told the paper. [Bobbitt] tells me they had a Louis Vuitton bag and Chanel sunglasses, a new iPhone 10.

Then the prosecutors office confirmed on Sept. 6 that a criminal investigation had been launched into the missing funds.

Joel Bewley, a public information officer for the Burlington County Prosecutors Office, told CBS News in an email that the couple is expected to face a grand jury.

If convicted, McClure, DAmico, and Bobbitt could face up to a decade in jail.Judge Allows Christian Baker to Sue Colorado for Anti-Religious Hostility

A federal court judge has allowed the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop to sue the state of Colorado for being hostile towards him and his religious beliefs.

Colorado cake artist Jack Phillips, who won a Supreme Court case over his refusal to make a wedding cake for a gay couple, sued the state after it launched another case against him for declining to create a cake for a transgender woman.

Phillips argued the state was acting in bad faith and hostile toward his religious belief because he was treated differently as the state allows other cake artists to decline requests to create customers cakes that express messages they deem objectionable and would not express to anyone, according to court documents.

This disparate treatment  is sufficient to establish they are pursuing the discrimination charges against Phillips in bad faith, the documents said.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) Senior Counsel Jim Campbell said in a press release, The same agency that the Supreme Court rebuked as hostile to Jack Phillips has remained committed to treating him unequally and forcing him to express messages that violate his religious beliefs.

We look forward to moving forward with this lawsuit to ensure Jack is not forced to create custom cakes that express messages in conflict with his faith, he said.

ADF is representing Phillips in the case against the state.

Phillips Faces Further Complaints

The Colorado Civil Rights Commissionthe same state agency that lost its case against Phillips at the highest courtfiled a formal complaint against the Christian baker when he refused to make a cake with a blue exterior and pink interior to celebrate [the seventh anniversary of her] transition from male to female for Denver attorney, Autumn Scardina. Scardina had ordered the cake on the same day the Supreme Court announced it would hear Phillips case in June 2017.

The commission subsequently ruled in favor for Scardina, saying that Phillips had discriminated against her.

The evidence thus demonstrates that the refusal to provide service to [Scardina] was based on [her] transgender status, the director of the states Civil Rights Division, Aubrey Elenis, wrote in a probable cause determination.

Elenis finding ordered both sides to resolve the issue through compulsory mediation, the document said.

According to ADF, Scardina later asked Phillips to design a cake with satanic themes and imagessomething Phillips also refused due to what the cake would communicate.

Campbell said that Phillips is happy to serve all customers, as well as the attorney who lodged the complaint against him but does not create cakes that express messages against or celebrate events in conflict with his religious beliefs.

He cant get a fair shake before the state commission. A commissioner set to decide the states new case against Jack has publicly referred to him as a hater on Twitter, one of several indications of the commissions ongoing bad faith toward him and his beliefs, Campbell said.

Phillipss attorney argues the state is violating his First Amendment right to free exercise of religion by continuing to treat him differently than other cake artists, as well as infringing Phillips free speech and due process rights. He added the commissions adjudicative process is flawed because the same commissioners are acting as both accusers and adjudicators in the same case.

Over his years as a cake artist, Phillips has declined to create cakes with various messages that violate his faith, including messages that demean LGBT people, express racism, celebrate Halloween, promote marijuana use, and celebrate or support Satan, the press release said.

Supreme Court Win

In a 2018 Supreme Court case, the court ruled Colorados Civil Rights Commission was influenced by anti-religious bias in reaching its decision against Phillips. The court said this violated Phillips rights under the First Amendment.

The commissions hostility was inconsistent with the First Amendments guarantee that our laws be applied in a manner that is neutral toward religion, Justice Anthony Kennedy said in the majority opinion on the case.

Kennedy claimed the commission was required under the First Amendments free exercise clause to proceed in a manner neutral toward and tolerant of Phillips religious beliefs.

The Supreme Court did not rule on whether Phillips actions actually violated Colorados anti-discrimination laws.

Epoch Times Reporter Cathy Zhang contributed to this reportCentral American migrants hoping to reach the United States cross the US-Mexico border fence from Tijuana (R), Baja California State, Mexico, to the U.S., on Dec. 30, 2018. (GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP/Getty Images)

Is Trump to Blame for Migrant Childrens Deaths?

Commentary

NBC correspondent Jacob Soboroff recently said the Trump administrations policies were responsible for the death of two migrant children in U.S. custody, according to a report. A 7-year-old girl died Dec. 8 and Felipe Gomez Alonzo, 8, died the week of Christmas.

Soboroff said, Its a tragedy these two kids died, but it was preventable and predictable, and he placed blame on U.S. detention facilities.

When Border Patrol agents noticed the boy looked ill, he was taken to a hospital, where he was given prescription medications. A short while later, he complained that he still wasnt feeling well and began vomiting. But the man claiming to be his father told agents that the boy did not need to return to the hospital and that he had been feeling better,' it was reported.

Agents noticed the boy still looked sick and took him back to the hospital. He lost consciousness on the way to the hospital and died Christmas morning.

Soboroffs claim that the deaths are preventable is correct. The easiest way to prevent such tragedies is for parents and children seeking asylum to come into the United States legally.

Responsibility

Two groups of people are responsible for the childrens deaths: the parents who lugged their children along the onerous journey to illegally enter a sovereign nation, and any politician in the United States who refuses to secure the border.

President Donald Trump reiterated that point on Dec. 29, when he wrote on Twitter, Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally.

Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally. They cant. If we had a Wall, they wouldnt even try! The two..  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 29, 2018

The president is correct.

A magnet for illegal aliens is the near-certain prospect of being able to enter the country via a porous, inadequately secured border. If there was no chance of sneaking into the country, because of a big physical barrier (like a wall), asylum-seekers would be forced to enter via legal meansand thus, the problem would resolve itself. Our open border is the very condition that leads migrants to make this dangerous journey.

Sovereignty

The United States needs a strong physical barrier at our southern border, so the only option will be to come in legally. Yet, this simple measure is opposed by leftists in the United States who have framed this issue to rationalize open borders and label opponents as bigots.

The crisis on the United States southern border makes evident that innocent lives are being slaughtered on the altar of political correctness.

Evidence from around the world shows that walls do work. Israels wall cut illegal crossings by 99 percent. San Diegos wall has cut them by 76 percent. Hungarys wall has cut them by 99 percent. There is nothing racist or bigoted about a sovereign nation exercising its primary dutyto protect its own citizens.

Furthermore, the United States takes in roughly a million immigrants a year, which hardly suggests an aversion to outsiders. Ultimately, this issue is about peoples blatant disregard for U.S. independence and sovereignty.

Soboroff said the administrations policies have created a situation where the boy and his father decided to cross illegally. The operative word is decided. They werent forced. They made a choice to circumvent a process meant to allow them safe and legal entry.

They traveled thousands of miles, with other migrants who likely suffered from diseases such as respiratory infections, tuberculosis, chicken pox, lice, hepatitis, and HIV. They journeyed without adequate food, or water, or adequate shelter to break into another country and seek asylum, the new code words for getting a bunch of free stuff from a country whose laws you just flagrantly violated.

And as tragic as the loss of a child is, these children died because of decisions made by their parents and leftist politicians, not the president of the United States.

Adrian Norman is a writer and political commentator. He can be reached on Twitter @madriannorman.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at a meeting with a group of religious performers in Tehran on April 9, 2015. (Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP)

Irans Supreme Leader Admits Trumps Sanctions Are Working

The ruler of Irans Islamic regime admitted in a speech on Jan. 9 that sanctions reimposed by the administration of President Donald Trump are putting unprecedented pressure on the nation.

Last year, Trump quit the Iran nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions in order to diminish Tehrans oil exports, curb its missile program, and clip its regional influence.

The sanctions do put pressure on the country and the people, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, according to a transcript on his website of one of his speeches in Tehran.

The Americans happily say that these sanctions are unprecedented in history. Yes, theyre unprecedented, Khamenei said, before launching into an attack on U.S. officials and declaring that the defeat that the Americans will face will be unprecedented.

Irans economy has faced instability in recent months with the rial fluctuating in value, making it difficult for ordinary people to make ends meet.

Sporadic protests linked to the tough economic situation have been led by truck drivers, farmers, workers, merchants, and teachers, occasionally resulting in violent confrontations with security forces.

On the same day that Khamenei delivered his speech, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in Jordan that the United States is redoubling not only our diplomatic but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran.

There is enormous agreement on the risk that Iran poses to Jordan and other countries in the region, Pompeo added.

He also noted that the U.S. military withdrawal from Syria wont jeopardize Washingtons campaign to counter Irans malign activity in the region.

The day before Khameneis remarks, the European Union imposed its first round of sanctions on Iran since the signing of the Iran nuclear deal. The Netherlands said there was a strong indication that Iran was responsible for the assassinations of two Dutch nationals in 2015 and 2017. Denmark and France foiled two Iranian terrorist attacks last year.

The EU and the Netherlands take strong action against Iranian unlawful interference in Europe. Targeted sanctions and a clear message underline that this behavior is unacceptable and needs to stop immediately, Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok wrote on Twitter.

The European Union is one of the signatories to the Iran nuclear deal, officially titled the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. The other remaining participants are China, France, Germany, Iran, Russia, and the United Kingdom.

Pompeo lauded the European Union for imposing the sanctions, as the United States considers Iran an outlaw regime. The State Department accuses its rulers of being the worlds largest sponsors of terrorism, facilitating illegal financial activities, threatening maritime security, committing cybercrime, abusing human rights, and exploiting the environment.

Iran and Hizballah have terrorized Europe since 1979. By taking action today, European nations sent Iran a clear message that terrorism will not be tolerated, Pompeo wrote on Twitter on Jan.8. The U.S. strongly supports the new sanctions and stands with our European allies as we counter this common threat.

On Jan. 3, Pompeo warned Iran about its plans to launch three space vehicles, which feature technology thats nearly identical to intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Reuters contributed to this report.Melissa Meeks Rhodes and Steven Rhodes, who went missing on Dec. 31, 2018, were found dead on Jan. 1, 2019, Georgia officials said. (Greene County Georgia Sheriff's Office)

Georgia Couple Found in Burned out Truck Presumed to Be Victims of Murder-Suicide: Report

A man and woman who went missing in Georgia after a domestic struggle on New Years Eve and who were found in a burned out truck were likely victims of a murder-suicide, authorities said in an update.

Steven Rhodes and his wife Melissa Meeks Rhodes were reported missing on Dec. 31, 2018, after Melissa Rhodes daughter alerted authorities after she failed to get in touch with her mother.

Heavy rain hindered the search for the couple but they were finally spotted by a helicopter pilot and the truck was reached by foot by law enforcement officials.

The truck was burned out and a shotgun and spent shells were found at the scene.

In an update on Jan. 7, officials described the scene and what they believe happened in more detail.

Taliaferro County Sheriff Marc Richards said that when he and Greene County Sheriff Donnie Harrison approached the truck on foot due to the rain, they saw the bodies of two people inside.

One was a woman laying on the passenger floorboard while the second body was in the drivers seat.

You could see a shotgun between what used to be the legs of the person seated on the drivers side with the seat tilted way back, Richards told The Union-Recorder. The legs were almost completely burned off the body.

Officials didnt know yet what was used to set the truck on fire.

The local outlet said that local and state officials now believe it was a murder-suicide.

After the discovery of the bodies on Jan. 1, Richards told WSB-TV: It appears to me that he killed her, got outside the truck, lit the fire, got back in and killed himself.

While authorities still havent completely confirmed that the bodies were those of Steven and Melissa Rhodes, the medical examiner at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation in Decatur is working on that, said Pat Morgan, special agent in charge at the bureaus office in Thomson.

The fact that the bodies were so badly charred has made it harder to positively identify the bodies, he said.

Basically, this is going to be tending the autopsies and some crime lab testing that were going to get done, but due to the condition of the bodies, were still gathering evidence that we need to make a positive identification of the two bodies, Morgan said. I dont know yet how long thats going to take.

But officials believe the bodies are the Rhodes and immediately called off the search for the missing couple after the bodies were found.

The search was triggered by Melissa Rhodes daughter. When she arrived home she observed some things that raised her suspicions about something being not quite right, Harrison previously told WSB-TV. We do know something took place that rose some red flags for the family and for us.

She observed some things that disturbed her in the yard, Harrison told the Athens Banner-Herald. She couldnt locate her mother or her stepdad.

According to the Union-Recorder, the signs indicated that a domestic argument turned physical sometime on New Years Eve before the couple left the house. Morgan, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent, confirmed that evidence indicated an altercation took place.

Now as to what that altercation was and how physical it may or may not have been, at this point I cant tell you, Morgan said. And I will tell you that we did, in addition to other items there, we did seize two phones from that residence.

There was also damage done to some of the vehicles on the property, he added.

The couple had no children together but Melissa Rhodes left behind three daughters from a previous marriage while Steven Rhodes left behind a son and a daughter. According to Melissa Meeks Rhodes Facebook account, the couple was married since Dec. 4, 2015, and lived in White Plains. She worked in flooring sales at Lowes. Steven Rhodes Facebook account did not list a workplace but authorities described him as a welder.

From NTD NewsFrench President Emmanuel Macron speaks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel after being awarded the Charlemagne Prize for "European vision" in Aachen, Germany, on May 10, 2018. (Reuters/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo)

France and Germany Approve Extension of Treaty to Shore Up EU

BERLINFrance and Germany have agreed to deepen a 1963 treaty of post-war reconciliation, in a bid to show that the European Unions main axis remains strong and to counter growing euroskeptic nationalism among some other members.

The extension to the Elysee Treaty, approved by the German and French cabinets, will be signed by Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron in the German border city of Aachen, a historical symbol of European concord, on Jan. 22.

Both states will deepen their cooperation in foreign affairs, defense, external and internal security, and development and at the same time work on strengthening the ability of Europe to act independently, states the treaty text, seen by Reuters.

In Paris, Macrons office said the Elysee Treaty extension would help both European powers tackle the challenges they will be confronted with in the 21st century.

[We] envisage deepening our engagement in favor of security and prosperity of our peoples in the framework of a more sovereign, united and democratic Europe, it said.

The treaty extension, negotiated over the past year though short on details, stipulates that it will be a priority of German-French diplomacy for Germany to be accepted as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Germany has for years sought greater influence within the international body, to which its closest alliesthe United States, Britain, and Francebelong.

While making clear that Germany and France remain committed to the EU and the NATO defense alliance, the agreement also signals that Berlin and Paris will combat efforts by some nationalist politicians in Europe to erode the 28-nation EU.

On Jan. 9, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said he wanted his country and Poland to join forces to reshape Europe in his quest for a euroskeptic alliance ahead of the European Parliament elections in May.

Germany and France are making clear that to solve future questions, we need more, not less cooperation, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said.

Merkel and Macron are keen to head off any breakthrough for euroskeptic parties in the European Parliament vote.

The treaty further outlines closer cooperation between national intelligence services and police in fighting terrorism and organized crime, and a commitment to moving toward economic convergence.

Both states will deepen the integration of their economies towards a German-French economic area with common rules, said the treaty text, referring also to calls for the harmonization of economic law. In addition, they will set up a panel of experts to give economic recommendations to each government.

Other areas of cooperation include culture, health, innovation, and transport.

Aachen, the venue for the signing ceremony, was the residence of Charlemagne, often called the father of Europe, who managed to unite much of western Europe in the early ninth century.

By Mark HeinrichDrug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman is escorted into a helicopter at Mexico City's airport on Jan. 8, 2016. (ALFREDO ESTRELLA/AFP/Getty Images)

El Chapo Hitman Used Murder Room for Executions Near Border: Witness

A hitman for notorious cartel boss Joaquin El Chapo Guzman kept a sound-proofed murder room for executions, it was revealed on Jan. 7.

He took me once to a house, where the floor was just white, tiled, cartel informant Edgar Galvan said of Antonio Jaguar Marrufo, the executioner, according to the New York Post. Thats where he killed people.

The house was in Mexicos Ciudad Juarez, but it is not clear where the execution room was located.

Galvan said the room was sound-proofed. No noise came out, he said, adding that there was also a drainage outlet on the floor of the room.

In that house, no one comes out, Galvan told jurors.

Galvan said he met Marrufo after he divorced in 2003 and rented a home near Ciudad Juarez, located just south of El Paso, Texas along the U.S.-Mexico border, reported The New York Times. He and Marrufo then became friends.

He began working with Marrufo years after they met, moving guns and marijuana as well as Mexican cocaine shipments through houses around El Paso, reported The Times.

In 2011, Galvan was arrested, telling jurors he served eight years of a 24-year prison term while Marrufo was in jail in Mexico, the Post reported.

At the time, he said, Marrufo was cleaning the city of Ciudad Juarez of the Sinaloa cartels rivals, which meant he wanted to kill all of the people so Guzman could take over the area.

Galvan said he never killed anyone for the cartel and never met Guzman.

In his testimony, Galvan said he moved AK-47 rifles but once came across a 50-caliber machine gun, pictured earlier in the article.

Guzman, 61, was extradited to the United States in 2018 after escaping a Mexican prison.

Nasally Undertone

On Jan. 8, FBI special agent Steven Marston testified the 61-year-old Guzman was easily identifiable by his higher-pitched voice, which had kind of a sing-songy nature to it and a nasally undertone, Reuters reported.

The phone call excerpts that wafted through the Brooklyn courtroom on Tuesday included discussions of dealings with local officials, including one where Guzman appears to admonish an associate to be careful dealing with police.

Well, you taught us to be a wolf, acting like a wolf, the associate replied.

Marston said the FBI tapped into more than 800 calls on the encrypted system with the help of a cooperating witness, Cristian Rodriguez.

Guzmans lawyers have portrayed their client as a scapegoat for what they called Sinaloas real leader, Ismael El Mayo Zambada, who also faces U.S. charges but remains at large.

The agent said the systems servers were moved to the Netherlands, where they would not be suspicious to Sinaloa, and that calls were intercepted from April 2011 to January 2012.

Jurors had previously heard from former Guzman associates testifying about multi-ton drug shipments, deadly wars between rival drug lords, and corruption among Mexican public officials.

The defendant mostly sat quietly during testimony, but waved enthusiastically to his wife in the courtroom before it started.

Other details were not provided in court.

The trial is expected to last a few more months.

Reuters contributed to this report.Rep. Richard Neal (D-MA) and Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY), listen as Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during her weekly press conference in the Capitol building on July 20, 2017 in Washington. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

House Budget Chairman Requests CBO Input on Design of Single-Payer Health Legislation

In a letter to the director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) asked the agency to examine the logistics of the single-payer system and how it would affect the federal government.

Yarmuths letter is the latest sign that progressives are pushing hard for the establishment of a single-payer health care system, often referred to as Medicare for All. He asked in the letter addressed to CBO Director Keith Hall for a list of logistical and financial concerns that lawmakers will need to consider in attempting the health care overhaul.

A report from the nonpartisan CBO would be a precursor to Budget Committtee hearings. The hearings would then be the first step in passing legislation toward a single-payer system.

Members of Congress developing proposals seeking to establish a single-payer system will face many important decisions that could have major implications for federal spending, national healthcare spending, and access to care, Yarmuth said in the Jan. 8 letter.

Yarmouth specifically asked for the report, in part, to cover how the system would be administered, who is eligible for coverage, how they would be enrolled, what services would be covered, and what role, if any, private insurers would play.

He said the report wont calculate the effects of any particular proposal, but would to the extent feasible, provide a qualitative assessment of how the choices with respect to major design issues would affect such spending.

Progressives such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) have repeatedly advocated for the health care revamp, especially after Democrats took over the House. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio recently announced a $100 million health care plan covering an estimated 600,000 uninsured residents, including 300,000 illegal immigrants. Its set to be implemented by 2021.

Meanwhile, Yarmuth criticized the economic feasibility of Ocasio-Cortezs ambitious new environmental agenda dubbed the Green New Deal. The plan aims to completely eliminate carbon emissions and replace it with 100 percent renewable energy.

The idea of, for instance, making every structure in the United States environmentally feasible is probably something that is totally impossible to do, Yarmuth told the Hill on Jan. 4. I mean it would be wonderful if you could do that, but nobody could afford that. So, Im not sure what purpose that would serve.Defense: Other Partner Killed Mcstays, Buried Them in Desert

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif.Greed, debt, and a gambling problem drove a Southern California man to kill his business partners family with a sledgehammer and bury their bodies in the desert, prosecutors said on Jan. 7.

But the defense said authorities are charging the wrong man and the real culprit is another business partner.

Opening arguments were held in the trial of Charles Chase Merritt.

Merritt, 61, has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

Sean Daugherty, supervising deputy district attorney for San Bernardino County, told jurors that Merritt wrote checks for more than $21,000 on his partners online bookkeeping account after the family was last seen alive in February 2010, the Sun newspaper of San Bernardino reported.

Greed, and greeds child, fraud were the motive, Daugherty argued.

Merritt is charged with killing Joseph McStay; McStays wife, Summer; and their 3- and 4-year-old sons. The familys disappearance perplexed investigators for years, with no signs of forced entry at their San Diego County home.

Three years later, their bodies were found more than 100 miles away in a remote area of San Bernardino County, along with a 3-pound sledgehammer and a childs pants and diaper.

Merritt made custom fountains for McStays online water feature business and prosecutors and sheriffs investigators have said he was in debt and had a gambling problem, the Sun reported.

Merritt desperately tried to cover his tracks after the murders, misled investigators, talked in circles, and played the victim, Daugherty said.

But Rajan Maline, Merritts attorney, said prosecutors ignored a prime suspect: Another McStay business partner that Maline said stole $7,900 from McStays account in the days after the family vanished.

The only reason he did that is because he knew Joseph wasnt coming back, Maline said.

Authorities said that after the family disappeared, Merritts cellphone was traced to the area near the gravesites and to a call seeking to close out McStays QuickBooks account for his water features business.

But Maline argued that two other phone calls that placed Merritt away from the burial site werent considered.

They also say Merritts DNA was discovered on the steering wheel and gearshift of McStays SUV, which was impounded near the Mexican border a few days after the family vanished.

Merritts attorneys say McStay could have transferred the DNA to the vehicle after he met with Merritt shortly before the family vanished. They say none of Merritts DNA was found at the gravesites but DNA belonging to other unidentified individuals turned up there.

The McStay family disappeared from their home in Fallbrook, which is about 50 miles north of San Diego.

Daugherty said three victims died of blunt-force trauma to the head and there were not enough remains of one of the boys to determine how he was killed, the newspaper reported.

Investigators spoke with Merritt shortly after the family went missing and noticed Merritt referred to them in the past tense, Daugherty said.Czech Republic Bans Huawei Devices for Government Office Use

Prime Minister Andrej Babis responded to protests from Chinese regime-linked tech company

PRAGUEOn Dec. 18, 2018, Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis ordered the Czech Government Office to stop using all mobile phones built by the Chinese tech company Huawei. The procedure was also adopted across the central European countrys ministries of industry and trade, interior, defense, and health.

The Government Office serves as the central administration of the Czech Republic.

The ban came a day after the Dec. 17 report published by the National Office for Cybernetics and Information Security (Narodni urad pro kybernetickou a informacni bezpecnost, NUKIB). The report warned against the use of devices and programs created by Huawei and ZTE, another major Chinese telecommunications company.

Following the ban, Huawei protested against the accusations that using its products posed a security risk. On Dec. 23, the Chinese Ambassador in Prague, Zhang Jianmin, requested an urgent meeting with Babis.

In a statement published by Czech daily I-dnes, Huawei said that We categorically reject any claim that our company poses a risk to national security. We ask NUKIB to provide evidence, instead of spoiling Huaweis reputation without reason, stated Huawei spokeswoman Magda Teresa Partyka, PR manager at Huawei Technologies in Prague. Cyber security is, and has always been, our top priority, and we have enough demonstrable experience in the Czech Republic and around the world which confirms that our products and solutions are safe.

According to Dusan Navratil, Director of the NUKIB, his agencys mission was to act without delay if it found any threats to the Czech information infrastructure. The warning about Huawei, he said, was mainly directed at infrastructure managers who should analyze the technologies they use.

Interior Minister Jan Hamacek said that the NUKIB procedure is in line with the law, and confirmed that that the technology of both Huawei and ZTE were being used by the Ministry of the Interior. Hamacek specified that there are about 50 systems within the critical infrastructure of the state. There will first be a security analysis done, he told Novinky.cz January 4th 2019.

The same day, Defense Minister Lubomir Metnar commissioned an analysis of the technology used in his Ministry. It depends on how the evaluation turns out, but in this respect I can say for myself that I will take steps not to use these devices, Metnar said. Similar steps, according to Metnar, are also being prepared by other ministries, according to I-dnes.

Huaweis equipment was being used by the Government Office, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Justice, as well as the Prague Castle Administration, and the State Office for Nuclear Safety.

Government Demands Analysis of Chinese Software and Hardware

Possible security threats were addressed in more detail by the Czech government in a January meeting. The government takes NUKIB warnings seriously and reacts to them in a responsible manner. It has requested additional information from the NUKIB to be submitted to the government on January 7, Babis told the media on Dec. 27. He said that because of the brief length of the NUKIB report, at only three pages, the government needed to verify more technical details.

The meeting, held Jan. 7, required all managers of critical infrastructure to carry out analysis of the software and hardware risks posed by using Huawei and ZTE products.

Huawei has been operating in the Czech Republic for about 15 years since 2004 and has become a key partner of local provider Telefonica, T-Mobile, and Vodafone in the areas of mobile infrastructure, broadband optical and access networks, intelligent networks of the next generation, and professional services including outsourcing network operations.

Huawei also develops data and communications technology for Czech enterprises and government sectors through the Enterprise division and Terminal Services Terminal Services for end customers. Areas of strength include smartphones, tablets and broadband data modems.



No mistake was made by the Czech government, nor by the Czech state. We are an independent sovereign state, so what the [Chinese] ambassador published from that meeting was very unusual.  Andrej Babis, Czech Prime Minister

No Mistake

On Dec. 24, the Chinese Embassy in Prague issued a statement saying that NUKIB made a mistake in its warning against Huawei and ZTE Chinese products. Ambassador Zhang said that the warning issued by the relevant Czech authority, which was not based on facts, had a negative impact, and the Chinese side issues strong protest against it.

After his meeting with Babis, ambassador Zhang Jianmin claimed that the prime minister told him that the warning issued [by NUKIB] did not represent the governments opinion.

Babis has denied the ambassadors statements and described Zhangs statement and behavior as unusual.

The Chinese ambassador commented in an unusual manner and publicly on the meeting he urgently requested, and where he expressed the position of the Chinese side in a very untraditional way, Babis wrote to Czech Radio.

After the Zhang-Babis meeting, the Chinese Embassy wrote on its Facebook page and official website that the NUKIB warning was not based on facts. It said that the Chinese side notes the efforts of the Czech government to correct the mistakes and hopes that the Czech side will take effective measures to prevent the repetition of similar events.

On Sunday, Jan. 6, Babis reiterated his previous position: No mistake was made by the Czech government, nor by the Czech state. We are an independent sovereign state, so what the [Chinese] ambassador published from that meeting was very unusual, the prime minister told Czech Television.

Concerns about Chinese tech in the Czech cybersecurity community have existed for some time, as experts hold meetings with political leaders to inform them of the risks.

In April 2017, security expert who requested anonymity said in an interview with Neovlivni.cz that We have been dealing with a risk that has been going on for so long, it is a totally underestimated problem and it is called Huawei. It is a Chinese company that is directly subject to the Chinese government, and is also directly connected to military intelligence. The risk lies in the fact that Huawei has set up a pricing policy [of deliberately lowered prices to break into the local market] in the Czech Republic to reach all mobile operators. Which it has done. So today we are in a situation where mobile networks are completely managed by Huawei devices.

Update: The article has been updated to use NUKIB as the only acronym for the Czech National Office for Cybernetics and Information Security.A rescuer inside the Jinshangou Coal Mine in Yongchuan District of Chongqing City, China, on Oct. 31, 2016. The missing case files at China's supreme court involved a mining rights legal dispute. (STRINGER/AFP/Getty Images)

Chinese Supreme Court Judge Disappears After Exposing Miscarriages of Justice

The judges whereabouts are unknown after he gave interview saying that his supervisors had intervened in high-profile mining cases

Wang Linqing, a judge working for the Chinese Supreme Peoples Court, has reportedly gone missing after he exposed information about miscarriages of justice in a 2016 mining-rights case involving billions of dollars.

On Jan. 2, Cui Yongyuan, a former host for the state-controlled China Central Television (CCTV), released a video to Chinese social media of an interview he had with Wang. In the interview, Wang revealed an incident in which court documents for the case had suspiciously disappeared from his room.

Wang also talked about how his supervisors had actively intervened in the case, which involved a dispute between resource-extraction companies in Chinas northwestern Shaanxi Province. As of November 2017, his supervisor Du Wanhua had made three alterations to the verdict.

The video and its revelations have attracted attention from the Chinese public on and offline. But according to the Beijing-based business and finance outlet Caixin, those close to Wang have since lost contact with him.

A person familiar with Wang said he was last seen in Beijing on Jan. 3, before he was taken to a hotel near the supreme court building by court investigators, to be interrogated. Wangs family is concerned about his situation, the source said.

On Jan. 6, Cui wrote on Weibo, Chinas Twitter-like social-media service: Wang Linqing, please get in touch with me immediately. I want to make sure you are safe.

In the second part of the video interview, Wang described obstacles he had faced when trying to pass fair judgment in an earlier case involving mine transfer rights between two companies in the province of Shanxi.

After Wang Yongan, the chairman of Shanxi Zhongxin Iron and Steel Co. Ltd., transferred the rights of a mining site to Wang Jiangong, former chairman of Shanxi Guye Group in 2003, Wang Yongan was informed that there were much larger deposits of iron ore at the site than previously believed. He then reneged on the in-process transfer and tried to cancel it.

Judge Wang said that when he was handling the case in 2012, the director of the Supreme Peoples Discipline Inspection Office, Yan Changlin, twice asked him to report to the office. Yan said that a certain leader in the Supreme Court was very concerned about the case and asked him to make a decision in favor of Wang Yongan. The request was rejected by Judge Wang.

In his two videos publicized so far, Wangs statements have effectively disclosed the misdeeds of six high-level judiciary officials in the supreme court.

If Wang has disappeared, it wouldnt be the first time that hes been in trouble with the Chinese regime. In June 2014, when Wang went to Jiangsu Province on business, he was arrested and punished at the request of his supervisors for committing serious crimes. He was later released because no evidence was found, he said.

Both of the cases mentioned in Wangs videos are disputes concerning rights over the use of mineral resources. Both involved initial contracts signed in 2003, at the end of the leadership of former Chinese Communist Party boss Jiang Zemin.

Under Jiang, acquisition of state-owned mineral resources, involving various vested political interests, had reached a peak.

In May 2016, both the periodical of the Central Discipline Inspection Commission, and Wang Qishan, the Chinese vice president who was then head of the Commission, noted the malfeasance of local officials in the resource-extraction industry as a source of easily concealed corruption involving huge sums of money.

Chen Simin contributed to this report.Chinese citizens use their cellphones on a street in Shanghai on Sept. 25, 2013. (PETER PARKS/AFP/Getty Images)

China May Be Hijacking Dissidents Twitter Accounts to Fabricate Evidence of Unlawful Content

Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities are reportedly forcing access to the Twitter accounts of dissidents and posting incriminating content.

Human-rights lawyer and dissident Chen Yunke and dissident Ye Jinghuan said their accounts had been hacked and made to tweet ridiculous statements as evidence.

Twitter is banned by the CCP internet police, but many dissidents and other Chinese overcome censors to access it.

Chen, a rights-advocacy lawyer from southern China, defended victims of a tuberculosis outbreak in Hunan Province. The 2017 outbreak led to hundreds of high school students being diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis. Three students attempted suicide due to the pressures the illness created with their studies and because of the negligence of the school and the authorities.

Chens efforts were suppressed by the local government, which didnt want the case to be exposed in public or have to provide expensive compensation for the victims. When Chen persisted, the provincial judiciary revoked his license to practice law.

On Jan. 5, Chen posted on Weibo, a Chinese analogue to Twitter, saying that Zeng Xianglu, the current director of Guangdong Provincial Justice Department and former deputy director of Guangdong Provincial Domestic Security Bureau, had taken control of Chens Twitter account to fabricate evidence as an excuse to suppress him.

Chens Weibo post was deleted five minutes later.

My Twitter account was hijacked by [Zeng and his team] on Sept. 3, 2018, Chen told Radio Free Asia. I havent been able to log in since then. An agent from the Domestic Security Bureau called me and said I had tweeted on Dec. 21, 2018, to call for an armed uprising from people inside and outside China.

The Domestic Security Bureau is a Chinese police unit that specializes in handling political cases.

Chen said he didnt tweet anything about an armed uprising. Instead, between Dec. 15 and Dec. 24, he received six notifications from Twitter via his phone that his password had been changed. Chen believes the judiciary was responsible for the hacking.

Its possible that this was done by the provincial Justice Department because the director [Zeng] was previously head of domestic security, as well as state security [the Chinese regimes intelligence agency], Chen said.

Ye, a dissident in Beijing, alleges that the Chinese authorities used her cell-phone number to register another Twitter account, and then tweeted some reactionary content, according to her post on Sina Weibo.

Ye was detained by Beijing police for eight hours on Dec. 29, after she tweeted posts in support of wives of human-rights lawyers who were arrested in the 709 crackdown. In July 2015, Chinese authorities detained and arrested hundreds of human-rights lawyers, activists, and petitioners from 23 provinces in China, including Wang Quanzhang, Wang Yu, Li Heping, Xie Yang, and Xie Yanyi.

Ye said Dec. 30 that the police asked her to delete all her tweets related to the wives shaving their hair in protest of the Chinese authorities treatment of their husbands. Having no hair, or wu fa in Chinese, is the same pronunciation as no law. The wives said: We can have no hair, but you cant have no law.

Ye said that on the morning of Dec. 29, before she was detained, the police called and threatened to arrest her because she had tweeted reactionary posts on another Twitter account registered under her name and cell-phone number. Ye checked the internet and told police that the second account didnt belong to her. Ye said she couldnt log into that second Twitter account, according to her Weibo post.

RFA quoted another Chinese lawyer, who only identified himself with the surname Wu, saying that he recently heard of Twitter accounts registered under stolen Chinese phone numbers that are made to tweet actively. Who knows who is behind the scenes? It must be planned.

Wu said its a new method that the CCP uses to suppress dissidents.FDA: Candy Possibly Contaminated With Hepatitis A Recalled

U.S. food regulators said candy sold by a Kentucky-based firm and QVC is being voluntarily recalled out of fear that it may be contaminated with hepatitis A.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said Bauers Candies famous Modjeskas, which are individually-wrapped marshmallow candies dipped in chocolate or caramel, came into contact with a worker who tested positive for hepatitis A, a contagious liver disease.

The FDA advised that customers who bought the candies should throw them away.

The firm said the employee tested positive for the virus had worked at the facility from Nov. 16 to Nov. 23, said Anna Bauer, president of Bauers Candies, in a statement.

Upon notification of his illness, Bauers voluntarily closed the facility, discarded all candy in house, sanitized per protocol, and began working with federal and state agencies, said Bauer in the statement.

An investigation by our local health department and the FDA found that the risk of contamination to the candy made during this time is extremely low. These agencies have cleared us to continue operation. No candy products manufactured after November 25 are affected in any way, she added.

In its alert, the FDA said the chance of contacting hepatitis A from the candies is low, but it advised customers who ate any recalled candies to see a doctor to see if they need medicine to treat a possible infection.

The FDA added that the products could be purchased via QVC and BauersCandy.com.

According to the agency, Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that results from infection with HAV.

The Food and Drug Administration is recalling Bauers Candies Chocolate and Caramel Modjeskas sold on QVC and online because it could be contaminated with hepatitis A.  WTOP News  201919

It adds: When symptoms occur, they can range in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a severe illness lasting several months.

Meanwhile, hepatitis A is generally spread when a person ingests fecal mattereven in microscopic amountsfrom an infected person, said the regulator.

It can happen when an infected person prepares food without washing their hands, even if the person doesnt show signs of illness.

Customers who purchased these chocolate and caramel gourmet candies after Nov. 14 should throw them out. https://t.co/X4gJOGTK6H  USA TODAY (@USATODAY) January 9, 2019

People with questions or concerns can contact Bauers Candies at 502-839-3700 or via email at anna@bauerscandy.com.

Symptoms

People infected with hepatitis A might not have symptoms until 15 to 50 days they are exposed, said the FDA in its notice.

Symptoms may include fever, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes (known as jaundice), dark urine, and pale stool. Young children may not show symptoms of HAV infection, according to the recall.

The Mayo Clinic says hepatitis A can be spread through a variety of ways.

It can spread by eating food handled by someone with the virus who hasnt thoroughly washed their hands after using the toilet, drinking contaminated water, eating raw shellfish from polluted water, being in close contact with a person who was infected, or having intercourse with someone who has the virus.

Unlike other types of hepatitis, it doesnt cause long-term liver damage and doesnt become chronic, the Mayo Clinic adds. But it can, in rare cases, cause a loss of liver function, namely in older adults or people with preexisting liver diseases.

Acute liver failure requires a stay in the hospital for monitoring and treatment. Some people with acute liver failure may need a liver transplant, says the Mayo Clinic.

Safety Precautions

The Clinic recommends that people traveling to countries where hepatitis A outbreaks occur should take the necessary precautions:

-Peel and wash all fresh fruits and vegetables yourself.

-Dont eat raw or undercooked meat and fish.

-Drink bottled water and use it when brushing your teeth.

-Avoid all beverages of unknown purity, with or without ice.

-If bottled water isnt available, boil tap water before drinking it.

-Practice good hygiene

-Thoroughly wash your hands often, especially after using the toilet or changing a diaper and before preparing food or eating.Canadas Opposition Party Says PM Should Phone Chinese Leader to Demand Release of Canadians

MP Erin O'Toole says China's 'retaliation' in detaining Canadians after arresting a Huawei executive shows she is not just a 'regular business executive'

Canadas main opposition, the Conservative Party, is calling on Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to directly phone Chinese leader Xi Jinping and ask detained Canadians to be released.

It troubles meand I know the Canadian families that I have spoken to that have concerns about family members working in Chinathat the prime minister appears ready to call the leadership in the United States, leadership in Japan but wont pick up the phone to call the Chinese leadership, Erin OToole, a member of the Canadian Parliament and Conservative shadow minister for foreign affairs, said at a press conference in Ottawa.

China has detained 13 Canadian citizens since Canadian authorities arrested Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on an extradition request from the Untied States. Some of the detained have been released but five, including former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, remain detained. Chinese authorities say Kovrig and Spavor are charged with endangering Chinas national security.

In a phone conversation on Jan. 7, Trudeau and U.S. President Donald Trump agreed to continue to work to end the unlawful detention of Spavor and Kovrig.

According to a statement released by Trudeaus office, the two leaders also discussed the United States request for the extradition of Meng, and reaffirmed the importance of respecting judicial independence and the rule of law.

In an interview with Reuters in December, Trump indicated he would intervene in Mengs case if it helped to resolve the trade row with China or serve U.S. national-security interests.

Prime Minister Trudeau made very clear indication in his call with President Trump concerns about the extradition process and statements President Trump had made, OToole said. In my view, that call was as much to show his condemnation to China of those comments than to really secure any more support from the U.S. that we have already had with their displeasure with these detentions, OToole said.

Conservative MP Stephanie Kusie, who previously worked as a diplomat for many years, said her former colleagues who are both current and former diplomats, have contacted her to express concern about the lack of political response from Canadas leadership.

[The detention of Canadians] was a clear retaliation for [the arrest of] Ms. [Meng] Wanzhou. As such, this is not just a consular matter, this is a political matter and it requires a political response, she said.

Not a Regular Business Executive

OToole believes Chinas detention of Canadians in what he calls retaliation for Mengs arrest shows Meng is not just a regular business executive.

[Huawei] is a state-owned enterprise, and [her arrest] is seen by the [Chinese] state as almost a diplomatic detention. [This] would be the closest allusion, OToole said.

The prime minister has made really the center piece of his foreign policy over three years the desire to enhance relationships with China en route to a free trade agreement. He needs to show that he is willing to personally invest some political capital to try and secure the release or address the so-called security concerns of the two Canadians.

Huawei was founded by Mengs father, Ren Zhengfei, a former officer of the Peoples Liberation Army. The company has been cited as a security risk in intelligence circles due to its close ties with the Chinese communist regime.

The Conservative Party says that Canada should bar Huawei from Canadas emerging 5G network, as most members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance, of which Canada is a member, have done. The Liberal government says it still has not arrived at a conclusion as to whether to ban Huawei.

Meng was released on a C$10 million ($7.6 million) bail in Vancouver, and will return to court in February for the start of her U.S. extradition hearings.

Requests to the prime ministers office for comments were not responded to before deadline.

In a statement released on Jan. 8, Foreign Affairs Canada said the Canadian government remains deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of these two Canadians since last month and continues to call for their immediate release.

It added the government appreciates support from those who have spoken in support of the detained Canadians, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, European Union, United States, and Australia.

With reporting by Limin Zhou in OttawaSheriff Scott Israel attends An Afternoon With Habitat for Humanity and Secretary Ben Carson on March 24, 2017 in Pompano Beach, Florida. (Aaron Davidson/Getty Images for Habitat for Humanity of Broward)

Broward Sheriff Tells Staff He Expects Suspension Over Parkland Shooting Response

Scott Israel, the sheriff of Broward County, Florida, told staff he is expecting to be suspended soon over his failed response to last years mass shooting at a high school in Parkland that left 17 people dead.

Israel has faced intense criticism over his departments handling of the Feb. 14, 2018, incident. Sources told the Miami Herald that the two-term sheriff told his top commanders that he expects to be relieved of his duties by newly elected Gov. Ron DeSantis.

DeSantis, who was sworn in on the morning of Jan. 8, hasnt made any formal announcement.

Jeff Bell, the head of the Broward Sheriffs Office Deputies Association, told NBC 6 that Israel told staff he expects to be removed in the near future.

Meanwhile, one of Israels lawyers said Jan. 8 the sheriff was still in his office working.

The governor has not said anything to us, directly or indirectly, as to whether or not the sheriff is going to be suspended, Stuart N. Kaplan told the Miami Herald. He is working and continues to serve the citizens of Broward County.

The Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School safety commission said previously that the sheriff departments active-shooter policy caused some of the deputies to not respond and confront the gunman. Israel was also heavily criticized for his failure to accept any responsibility for his departments performance.

But Israel isnt going out so easily. Three sources close to the agency told the MiamiNewTimes that he plans to fight to get his job back and has even told his underlings that hell appeal the suspension. The move would likely lead to a trial in the state senate, according to the report.

During a press conference on Jan. 7, DeSantis hinted that he is considering replacements for Israel. He has said that the issue would be one of his first orders as governor.

Bell said that several candidates have been floated as replacements, including former Broward Sheriff Al Lamberti. But he didnt indicate if the union was backing anyone.

What I will say is we want someone who will remove politics out of police work and commit to protecting the citizens and our children in the schools, Bell said.Mark Waterfall has been found guilty of attempted murder in the crossbow shooting of his GP, in a trial at St. Albans Crown Court in England, on Jan. 8, 2019. (Herts Police)

British Man Found Guilty of Attempted Murder After Shooting His Doctor With Crossbow

A British patient who wrongly blamed a doctor for his fathers death has been found guilty of attempting to murder the GP with a crossbow.

A court in St. Albans, England, found 46-year-old Mark Waterfall guilty in a three-day trial that weighed evidence including testimony that the accused shot Dr. Gary Griffiths after declaring You killed my father, I am going to kill you.

The crossbow bolt did not do lethal damage to the GP, according to a BBC report, because the doctors untucked shirt affected the trajectory of the projectile as it penetrated his abdomen.

Five days before the defendant shot Griffith, the GP treated his father, Terence Waterfall, who complained of breathlessness. Griffith referred the father to a hospital to drain fluid from his chest, at which point it was discovered the man had a tumor in his lung. The following day, the father died.

The court heard that Waterfall, who according to a report in The Times suffered from an eating disorder and depression, blamed Griffith for his fathers death.

Cant Even Get That Right

During the trial, the South Oxhey, Hertfordshire man admitted to a charge of wounding with intent and on Jan. 8 was found guilty of attempted murder.

I cant even get that right, lamented Waterfall, according to court testimony cited by the paper, after the wounded doctor pulled the crossbow bolt from his stomach and confronted the would-be killer.

I tried to persuade him to go to the police station round the corner, Griffith said, according to BBC, adding, I said I will come with you. The wounded doctor, who followed Waterfall out into the parking lot of the Suthergrey House Medical Centre in Watford, said his attacker claimed the GP had murdered his father. Griffiths also told the court that when Waterfall realized he had failed in his bid to kill him, the defendant looked dejected.

Waterfall claimed during the trial that when he entered the clinic on July 10 with a concealed crossbow, pointed it at the doctor and fired, he did not intend to kill but only to scare Dr. Griffith.

His sentencing is expected in February, with the judge saying the accused would face significant punishment.

Judge Stephen Warner said, You have been convicted of the very serious offense of the attempted murder of a GP in his surgery and it is inevitable you will receive a significant custodial sentence.

Protection For Medical Staff

Doctors, meanwhile, have said in the wake of the high-profile trial that health care workers should be afforded special protections.

Helen Stokes-Lampard, chairwoman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, was cited by The Times as calling for the adoption of measures that would curb health and safety risks.

GPs are often vulnerable in the environments we work in, which are open to the general public and were not always designed with safety in mind. Its therefore vital that efforts to minimize risks to our health and safety are redoubled right across the health service.

A law introduced in Britain last year introduced tougher sentences for people guilty of assaulting medical personnel.

A British Medical Association (BMA) spokeswoman was cited as saying that the organization has for a long time been concerned about the risk and impact of violence on NHS staff, with increasing pressure on the system leading to a rise in the number of attacks against frontline staff.

A study by the Health Service Journal and Unison, cited by The Guardian, showed that compared to a year earlier, assaults against medical staff in the UK in 2016-17 rose by nearly 10 percent.The scene in Waltham Forest where a 14-year-old boy died after being stabbed in London, on Jan 9, 2019. (Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

Teen Boy Stabbed to Death in London by Gang of Men Who Rammed His Moped

LONDONA 14-year-old boy died in London after being stabbed seven times by men who had knocked him off a moped with their car.

Police described the attack, which occurred Jan. 8, as targeted, with the three assailants fleeing the scene in Waltham Forest, in northeast London.

The teenager is the youngest such victim over a two-year period in London, but the killing is the fourth in the UKs capital in 2019.

Witnesses described seeing the car traveling on the opposite side of the road as the teenager, then ramming into him. The men got out of the car and stabbed the boy, before driving off. Medics tried in vain to save the boy, pronouncing him dead 40 minutes after they arrived.

A man who works nearby described how a witness of the attack came into his workplace and told him what had happened.

They said they knocked him off the moped and got out of the car and they stabbed him seven timesthere were unsurvivable wounds in his back, he said, according to several British media outlets.

He thought it was an accident, that somebody had knocked someone, but then he said they quickly came [out of the car]. They beat him up, and they stabbed him, and they left.

The boys uncle told Londons Evening Standard newspaper that his nephew had moved to London from Nottingham in the north of England six months ago.

Its a sad time. He was a good kid. When he was young, he looked up to me and I always gave him advice and tried to show him the right way in life, he said. I told him hed have to behave down there, the kids down there are different to kids in Nottingham. Its not right, the world we live in is messed up.

Shocked and Appalled

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was greatly saddened by the fatal stabbing, adding that his thoughts are with [the victims] family and friends.

Metropolitan Police Chief Superintendent Richard Tucker said in a statement, Everyone is shocked and appalled by this murder. The age of the victim, a boy aged 14, beggars belief and I completely understand the alarm and concern it has raised from those who live and work in the area.

Detective Chief Inspector Larry Smith, from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said the police believe the attack was targeted and planned.

We are doing everything we can to catch those who carried out this cowardly attack and bring them to justice, Smith said in a statement.

No arrests have been made.

The attack comes as London police struggle to cope with a spate of stabbings, with Interior Minister Sajid Javid saying he is deeply worried about the trend.

In 2018, there were 132 violent deaths in London, an increase of 12 percent over the previous year.

Knife crime in England and Wales has risen to its highest-ever level, with more than 39,000 offenses committed during the past year.

Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt said he was very concerned about the rise of crime in the capital.

My thoughts are with the victims families of these tragic and horrific crimes which have brought untold misery to countless people, he said. We are strengthening local policing by bringing specialist officers closer to communities, and have increased the number of neighborhoods officers dedicated to particular areas to engage with the public and work with them to keep them safe.

Khan and the Metropolitan police insist they are doing everything possible to tackle knife crime, including ramping up the use of weapons-focused stop-and-search and a succession of anti-knife crime operations.

The Mayors office has pledged to increase the number of front-line police officers on Londons streets by investing an additional 140 million pounds ($183 million) in the Met Police.TD bank in the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan, New York, on July 7, 2015. (Samira Bouaou/Epoch Times)

Banks Offer Help to Customers Hit by Government Shutdown

With the partial government shutdown well into its third week, banks are offering help to customers who are facing financial hardship as a result, earning praise from the Trump administration.

About 420,000 people are working without pay and another 380,000 were furloughed as of Dec. 22, 2018, after congressional Democrats and President Donald Trump couldnt reach an agreement on border security funding. The impasse prevented the passage of a bill that would provide funding for nine federal departments and several smaller agencies.

The affected employees, some 15 percent of the federal workforce, received their last paycheck Dec. 28, according to Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney. The employees are slated to miss their Jan. 11 paycheck, he said.

Aside from the employees, the shutdown has also hit contractors and vendors who do business with the affected agencies.

On Jan. 8, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin commended mortgage providers and other financial institutions for assisting people affected by the shutdown.

We applaud the actions of mortgage lenders, mortgage servicers, and other financial institutions, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, that are taking steps to assist individuals experiencing temporary financial difficulties due to the government shutdown, Mnuchin said in a release. The Administration is committed to doing all that we can, consistent with the law, to alleviate the effects of the shutdown.

Freddie and Fannie

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, the government-controlled guarantors of mortgages, are not government agencies themselves and thus remain open during shutdowns.

In a Dec. 26 letter to lenders (pdf), Fannie Mae told mortgage providers they can offer forbearance, meaning temporarily lowering or stopping mortgage payments to assist borrowers who are unable to make their monthly mortgage loan payment as a result of the shutdown.

Freddie Mac sent out a bulletin with similar guidance on Jan. 3 (pdf).

At least some major private banks have also extended help to those affected.

Chase

Chase bank will automatically waive or refund overdraft and monthly service fees on checking and savings accounts for employees who had their November salary direct-deposited into the account from a federal agency affected by the shutdown.

The bank also helps its borrowing customers on a case-by-case basis to protect them from the negative consequences of missing payments, such as late fees or reporting a late payment to a credit bureau. Those customers need to contact the bank, a spokesman said in an email.

Were here for our government worker customers whose pay may be disrupted, said Thasunda Duckett, chief executive of Consumer Banking at Chase, in a Dec. 22 statement. We all hope this will be resolved soon.

TD Bank

TD Bank also offers assistance to federal employees impacted by the shutdown. They may be eligible for a fees waiver on checking account overdrafts of up to $1,000, late fee refunds on their TD Bank credit cards, and short-term loan assistance. Customers should call the bank to get more information, a spokesman said.

The partial government shutdown has created concern and uncertainty for some of our customers, and TD is here to help, said Jason Thacker, Head of U.S. Consumer Deposits and Payments at TD Bank, in an emailed statement.

Citibank

Citibank generally offers relief measures for people in financial hardship that include fee and interest adjustments, as well as short-term forbearance and repayment plans and/or loan modifications for mortgages, spokesman Drew Benson said via email.

We encourage any customers affected by the shutdown to contact us if they need assistance, he said.

Bank of America

Bank of America is offering several forms of relief, including fee refunds, waivers, repayment plans, and loan modifications, spokesman Lawrence Grayson said in a call. We will work with our clients on a case by case basis to help address their financial needs, he said, encouraging the customers affected by the shutdown to call.

Wells Fargo

During the shutdown, Wells Fargo will be automatically reversing monthly service and overdraft/non-sufficient fund fees for a customer who is an employee of an affected federal government agency and whose payroll check was direct deposited into the customers account in November 2018. In addition, we will work with customers who do not have direct deposit or are not receiving an automatic fee reversal on an individual basis to assist them, spokeswoman Ann Wasik said via email. For customers who are having difficulties making their loan payments, we also can work with them to identify short- or long-term assistance options that may be available to help them get through this difficult time.

Correction: A previous version of this report incorrectly stated that TD Bank offered fees waiver on checking account overdrafts of up to $1,000 per month. The offer is indeed extended to federal employees impacted by the government shutdown, but not on a monthly basis. The Epoch Times regrets the mistake.

Update: The article has been updated with a response from Wells Fargo.Australia Considering Resettlement for Young Saudi Woman

Australia says it is considering granting a Saudi who fled from her family refugee resettlement based on referral by the U.N.

The Department of Home Affairs confirmed in a statement on Jan. 9 that the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees had referred Alqunun to Australia for consideration for refugee settlement.

Alqunun arrived in Bangkok on a flight from Kuwait on Jan. 5. After first being detained by Thai authorities, she refused to board a flight back to Kuwait, barricading herself in a hotel room. She publicized her case via social media, saying she feared for her safety if made to return home to her family.

She was later placed in the care of UNHCR workers while her bid for refugee status was considered.

Thai police say a Saudi woman who fled her family to seek asylum abroad has refused to meet with her father in Thailand.

Thailands immigration police chief says Rahaf Mohammed Alqununs father and brother arrived together in Bangkok on Jan. 8 but Alqunun has refused to meet them.Are Democrats Really Ready to Defeat Trump?

The new Democratic-led Congress, with its crop of radical freshman members, is quite revealing. Its almost like theyve just removed their Guy Fawkes masks and learned that U.S. Representatives are sworn into office, not inaugurated.

Some even try to act like adults. But theyre mostly far-left get-Trumpers with lots of venom and little patience for anything other than their radical political agendas.

With these low-information social justice warriors such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) wielding power in the House of Representatives, we can count on them to pursue one overarching goal: to remove President Donald Trump from office before 2020. Failing that, their secondary goal is to damage Trump so badly as to turn him into a one-term president.

Two Years of Televised Attacks on Trump

To reach either of these objectives, well probably see a slew of televised investigations over the next two years, as the Democratic Congress seeks to expose the Trump administrations purported Russian collusion. They cant produce hard facts to prove their case, so its likely going to be a variety of contrived, skewed, or even nakedly false evidence.

But its obvious to all but the likes of Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) that this Russian dog wont hunt. At least, it hasnt yet. Even House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) knows the Russian collusion angle is a dead end.

Thats why its quite likely that well hear from both new and old witnesses to Trumps culpability on whatever the concocted scandal of choice may be. We can also expect to hear more of the lies, deceptions, innuendos, and parsed words from Michael Cohen, Trumps disgraced former lawyer.

These may prove to be salacious and embarrassing to the president, but will they be impeachable offenses? Again, if they havent been able to come up with something substantial thus farand it hasnt been for lack of tryingits difficult to think that they will be able to going forward.

New Laws Against Trump, the Constitution

Well also see attempts to enact new laws aimed at Trump, in particular, but with broad impact on the country, that would destroy our republican form of government and enact more limits on privacy and freedom. Most of these initiatives reflect a lack of knowledge on the issues and political process, as well as a visceral hatred for this president.

For example, a bill to compel Trump to reveal his tax returns, and require all presidential candidates to provide the prior 10 years of returns is being considered. Such intense scrutiny wouldnt only dissuade many qualified candidates from ever running, but would be so intrusive as to elevate state prying to Stasi levels and open the gates for even more selective prosecution.

Another proposed measure would eliminate the Electoral College. This would mean national elections would be determined by a simple majority vote. If that were the case in 2016, Hillary Clinton would be in the White House. The objective is to strip rural areas and red states of power in national elections. This would effectively put the urban, left-wing cities and blue states in power for the foreseeable future: the tyranny of the majority.

Thankfully, neither of these bills have a chance to pass the Republican-controlled Senate.

Democratic Overreach?

On the other hand, could we think it possible that the snowflake Democrats in Congress may overplay their hand?

Very much so.

Screaming invectives at the presidentand by extension, at the millions of Americans who voted him into office, as well as those who are better off because of his policiesisnt a sustainable political message. The vile words and unvarnished socialism coming from the newly expanded wing of the Democratic Party, led by Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), is wasting no time painting themselves into a rhetorical corner.

Now that Americans of all races are enjoying record employment levels, the highest wages in a decade, and even after last year, a higher stock market, its a stretch to think that the far-left accusations against the president wont wear thin on most Americans.

But the young radicals arent the only Democrats painting themselves into a corner. At this writing, the government shutdown over the border-wall-funding battle is almost into its third week. The Houses Democratic leadership is used to winning these shutdown battles, but this one may have a much different outcome.

Trump shows no sign of caving to the political and public pressure that Democrats are so used to applying and relying on for victory. With Trump stating that the shutdown may last months or years, Pelosi and her Senate ally, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), may find themselves running out of political ammunition. And after all, they are the real fans of big government, which is now shut down, arent they?

Trump Is Not Your Fathers Republican

What traditional Republican presidential candidates discoveredand new Democrats will soon realizeis that Trump isnt your typical Republican politician or president. Hes an outlier with an unusual capacity to operate effectively under enormous pressure. So far, hes proved himself immune to the demands of the Washington political establishment and the financial entanglements that usually accompany politicians. Thats a rarity.

On the contrary, Trump has doubled down on wall funding. Unlike Obama simply writing law himself, Trump is threatening to declare a national emergency to get it funded and built by the Pentagon. That brings the art of the deal to a whole new level.

Whats more, Trump may have more dirt on some Democrats than they care to admit. His warning to them about the Senate also having the power to investigate was largely ignored in the media; maybe it shouldnt have been.

His willingness to fire generals and other highly respected cabinet members who challenge him should be a warning to those who call for his impeachment. As he said on the campaign trail, when someone hits you, you hit them back twice as hard.

Trump has left little doubt about that.

Media Bias Beaten by Tweets

It may be that the constant mainstream media anti-Trump drumbeat peaked in the 2018 elections. With anti-Trump bias now common knowledgeand even acknowledged by many left-leaning writers and pundits who lament how far journalism has fallenthe credibility of most media outlets is in real danger of being labeled fake news by their some of their own. Even with their vast media advantages, the mainstream media machine has had difficulty meeting the power and influence of the presidents continuous and pungent Twitter use.

So are the Democrats really sure that theyre ready to rumble with The Donald?

James Gorrie is a writer based in Texas. He is the author of The China Crisis.

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.9-Year-Old Chicago Boy Who Went Missing Found Safe

A 9-year-old Chicago boy who was reported missing on Jan. 8, reunited with his father on Wednesday.

Family members couldnt locate Michael Campbell, a fourth-grader, so they reported him missing.

The boys father, Chris Campbell, told WGN-TV that the boy was at a friends house during the search, which lasted through the night.

Police officers used spotlights and other equipment to search near Campbells home, which is about a block away from his school, Harvard Elementary School, in the Englewood neighborhood, reported CBS. Some of his belongings were found in an alley.

The boy went to the friends because he was afraid to head home after school on Tuesday after hearing gunshots in the area.

The boy fell asleep after playing video games.

On Wednesday morning, Campbell reunited with his family.

His mother said he usually returned home no later than 4:15 p.m., prompting his parents to see if he was still at school or was at a friends house. Thirty minutes later they tried searching for him but called 911 when they still couldnt locate him.

He said he didnt come home last night when he went by his friends house because there was gunfire and he asked the kids mother can he stay and they told him he could stay, Chris Campbell, the boys father, told WLS. He fell asleep after they played video games.

BREAKING: missing 9 yr old boy returns home to Englewood, father found him walking. @fox32news pic.twitter.com/MoTtuSagUG  Joanie Lum FOX 32 (@JoanieLum) January 9, 2019

I knew everything was going to be okay, added Allison Campbell, the boys aunt. I prayed and prayed before I got in my car last night, I prayed.

Chris Campbell said that children in the area helped find his boy.

All this was about kids, Chris Campbell said. No adults gave us any tips. This was children under 12 years old that told us everything.

He also thanked the police department for their help.

Nine year old Michael Campbell missing since yesterday afternoon is taken to the hospital after being found safe. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/yqG0Wbpwsm  Mike Puccinelli (@MPuccinelliCBS2) January 9, 2019

Missing Children

There were 464,324 missing children reported in the FBIs National Crime Information Center in 2017, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Under federal law, when a child is reported missing to law enforcement they must be entered into the database. In 2016, there were 465,676 entries.

This number represents reports of missing children. That means if a child runs away multiple times in a year, each instance would be entered into NCIC separately and counted in the yearly total. Likewise, if an entry is withdrawn and amended or updated, that would also be reflected in the total, the center noted.

In 2017, the center said it assisted officers and families with the cases of more than 27,000 missing children. In those cases, 91 percent were endangered runaways, and 5 percent were family abductions.

About one in seven children reported missing to the center in 2017 were likely victims of child sex trafficking. Nancy McBride, the executive director of Florida Outreach at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, said that most of the runaways involve technology.

(Technology) has great benefits and some potential risks, McBride told USA Today in 2017. Its important to stay plugged into their lives.

Tech is utilized by online predators, McBride said, who exploit gaps when the childs relationship with their parents isnt strong.

From NTD NewsThe Motley Fool, an Alexandria, Virginia, United States-based multimedia financial services company, closed its first venture fund, at $145.73m.

Led by managing director Ollen Douglass, Motley Fool Ventures LP is an early stage, technology-focused venture capital fund investing in companies with between $500K and $5M of annualized revenue.

629 limited partners in the USA participated in the raise.

The portfolio include: Eyrus, HomeCare.com, InHerSight, LegalMation, PostProcess, Rubicoin, tEQuitable, Territory Foods, and Upskill and exited YouEarnedIt, and Runpath.

The team also includes:

 Brendan Mathews, Vice President

 Kristine Harjes, Investment Analyst

 Rob Runett, Vice President

 Gary C. Hill, Venture Partner

 John Keeling, Venture Partner

 Lawrence Greenberg, Venture Partner

 Maggie Dorn, Venture Partner

 Thomas Jones, Venture Partner

Motley Fool Ventures is the corporate venture arm of The Motley Fool, which, founded in 1993 by brothers Tom and David Gardner, allows gives financial information and services through website, podcasts, books, newspaper column, radio show, mutual funds, and premium investing services.

Headquartered in Alexandria, Va., the company has offices in the UK, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and Germany.

FinSMEs

09/01/20198 Men Have Killed Themselves After Online Pedophile Hunter Stings: Report

At least eight men have killed themselves after being unmasked by pedophile hunters since the trend of volunteers posing as children online started several years ago in the UK, according to the BBC.

Pedophile hunters snare people with fake social media profiles, engaging with them until the unsuspecting adult arranges a meet-up. The volunteers then inform police, film the encounter, and post the video online, where it could be viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

The naming and shaming, according to new BBC research, has led to at least eight deaths in the UK over the last six years; roughly the time since the trend began.

Most of the people killed themselves within days of being caught, according to the BBCs Victoria Derbyshire programme.

One woman, whose surname is withheld, described how her father committed suicide after a video appeared on Facebook of him as he encountered pedophile hunters, thinking he was meeting with a 15-year-old girl.

She told the programme, My friend said, look, I dont really know how to say this to you Lesley, but theres a video going round on Facebookits your dad.'

Lesley now lives with unanswered questions and threats against her.  BBC London  201918

I just sort of sat in shock, she said.

It was on Facebook and I could already see mutual friends had viewed it, so there was nothing I could do.

I must have been screaming because my daughter was upstairs she could hear me screaming, and she asked me what was wrong.

She told her daughter, then also aged 15, that your grandads a pedophile.

Her father, Michael Duff, 67, handed himself into the police the same day that the video appeared, July 11, 2015. Police confiscated his computer, and he was released after questioning. Two days later, he killed himself.

Various pedophile hunter groups have come and gone over the last few years in the UK, with over a dozen major groups typically in operation, snaring people who think they are meeting children as young as 11.

Getting the Green Light

One of the longest-running groups, Dark Justice, has led to 163 arrests 92 convictions and 42 jail terms, according to their website.

The two-man outfit was at the center of a landmark court case two years ago which effectively gave the green light for pedophile hunters to continue with the blessing of the law.

On April 6, the court rejected the argument that Dark Justice should be subject to the same regulations on intelligence gathering as public bodies.

Dark Justice says that if it had lost the case, almost 100 convictions could have been overturned and dozens of ongoing prosecutions abandoned.

Pedophile hunter groups have sometimes been criticized for meting out vigilante justice, and for the occasional eruption of violence.

One pedophile hunter group, called the Hunted One, disappeared after a sting operation at a shopping mall descended into a brawl as it was being broadcast on Facebook live.

A spokesperson for the group, who called himself Ben Bleach, had spoken to the Epoch Times a few days before the incident.

Bleach said some people who watch the videos complain about group members swearing when theyre confronting alleged pedophiles and waiting for the police.

Im Still Telling Myself Its Not My Fault

Until you actually read through a whole chat [with a pedophile] from start to finish, you never realize how sick and twisted it all is, Bleach told the Epoch Times in a previous interview. When you are sitting there with them face to face, it is very hard. Id rather sit there and swear at someone than stand there and [hit] him.

Pedophile Hunter Jamie Lee, who calls himself a child protection enforcer told the BBC, Were not doing it to incite violence, incite hatredwere doing it because if they were living next door to me Id want to know.

Lee was behind the sting that led to a jail term for a man that the BBC refers to only as Robert, who pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Robert killed himself after being released from prison.

Jamie says he never expected that to happen.

My goal is for these men to face what [theyve] done.

I was devastated when I found out Robert had killed himself, more so for his family.

Im still telling myself its not my fault I just feel slightly guilty that a man has lost his life because of the way I approached it.50-Year-Old DJ Convicted of 1992 Killing After Police Found Connection Through DNA Database

A Pennsylvania DJ, 50, pleaded guilty on Jan. 8 to raping and killing a 25-year-old schoolteacher in 1992.

Raymond Charles Rowe apologized in court for killing 25-year-old elementary school teacher Christy Mirack at her apartment in Lancaster. He was sentenced to life without parole.

Im sorry, sir, to the family, the 50-year-old Rowe, who performed under the name DJ Freez, said as he faced Miracks relatives. I cant imagine what youre going through.

Rowe struck the plea deal to avoid the death sentence that District Attorney Craig Stedman was seeking, reported Penn Live. Stedman described the long-unsolved homicide as an absolute, remorseless horror committed by a deviant and a coward.

The length of time that the defendant just went back to the community and enjoyed his life, it is chilling, he added, reported WGAL. Its haunting to all of us that he could just compartmentalize this and go back and literally enjoy his life.

The case had stymied investigators until authorities working with DNA from the crime scene used a publicly available genealogical database to identify a half-sister of the then-unknown suspect, leading them to Rowe, who had lived just miles from where the killing occurred.

Its not clear which database was used but submitting DNA to genealogy websites such as Ancestry.com has become popular in recent years to find secret familial connections and lost relatives.

Undercover detectives obtained DNA from Rowe by collecting his used water bottle and chewing gum at a school where he was DJing last year. It matched DNA recovered from the carpet in the victims home in addition to being on Miracks body.

If not for the grace of modern technology and divine intervention, you probably would have stayed in Lancaster and basked in your fame, the teachers brother, Vince Mirack, told the defendant during the hearing.

He said the killing, which occurred four days before Christmas, destroyed his familys sense of security and their love of the Christmas holiday. But most of all you took our Christy, he said.

Investigators used Parabon Nanolabs to process the DNA, WGAL reported, the same company that helped investigators identify the Golden State Killer last year.

According to Parabons website, they offer a DNA phenotyping service that produces a forensic profile from a human DNA sample.

Because some traits are partially determined by environmental factors and not DNA alone, Snapshot trait predictions are presented with a corresponding measure of confidence, which reflects the degree to which such factors influence each particular trait, it stated.

Traits, such as eye color, that are highly heritable (i.e., are not greatly affected by environmental factors) are predicted with higher accuracy and confidence than those that have lower heritability.

Murder

Miracks roommate had left their apartment about 15 minutes before Rowe arrived and forced his way inside, investigators said. She had her coat and gloves on, with plans to give Christmas presents that day to students and co-workers.

She was surprised and actually fought for her life, and unfortunately failed, District Attorney Craig Stedman said.

Mirack was badly beaten. The prosecutor said a wooden cutting board found near her body is believed to have been used, and she was probably strangled with her own sweater. Her jaw was broken, and an autopsy found wounds on her neck, back, chest, and face.

The principal of Miracks school went to check up on her because she had not shown up for work and was not answering calls. He discovered her body on the living room floor.

Prosecutors said they arent sure whether Rowe and Mirack knew each other or why he targeted her. Rowe did not explain the motivation behind the crime, even when the teachers brother asked him on Tuesday: The question I have to ask you is, Why?

Public Defender Patricia Spotts said in court that her client admitted that he that he carried out the killing, reported Penn Live.

There is nothing we can say to make the community feel better about this case, Spotts said. We can only hope the community and (Miracks) family find some comfort in the person who did it taking responsibility.

Rowe lived about 4 miles from Mirack in 1992 and commuted to ServiceMaster, where he worked at the time.

The commute would have likely taken him past Miracks home hundreds of times and perhaps he saw Mirack and her roommate sunbathing, Stedman said at a press conference after the guilty plea was entered, reported Lancaster Online. His vehicle back then, a white Toyota, matched one that witnesses had seen at the apartment complex that morning.

An online biography for Rowe said he was a break dancer in the 1980s, won local DJ battles and then hosted dance parties at Lancasters Chameleon Club. For a time he operated a retail store, selling recorded music, clothes, and DJ equipment. His site lists events he has worked in New York and regular gigs on local radio stations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

From NTD News"The council has a desire for more community policing, and we are answering that with more grants," Naron said.

Emmitt Aguirre, Hearne city councilman, addressed the group and commented that Hearne has changed much over the past few decades.

"You can't always just throw manpower at a problem," he said. "... Hearne Police Department needs to change our image and meet our community. Many people say, 'I don't even know who our police officers are.' We've done a poor job of knowing the good citizens of our community, and we want our town back. ... We want you to know we're trying to do a better job and we're not ignoring you. ... We want you to know we're here for you. We want the police department to take care of the city of Hearne and its citizens. ... Hopefully this strategy will pay dividends for us. Maybe we can grow into neighborhood watches."

"This has been good, I think -- us getting together and talking, asking questions," said lifetime Hearne resident Paula Deal.

Clark, the event's creator, says he'd like to have another meeting like this on the first Monday of each month, hoping more citizens will attend each time. He brings with him many years of experience working with the community as an assistant to the chief at Fort Worth's police department.

"We have these meetings in Fort Worth," he explained. "Fort Worth PD divides the city into districts, and I was in District Five. The first one of these meetings, I only had three people show up, but by the time I left the department, we had hundreds of people showing up. Tonight we had the Alabama-Clemson game, and it was hard to compete against that."

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Bryan police are investigating after four armed men broke into an occupied apartment late Monday, officials said.

Police said two people were in the apartment located in the 3800 block of Wellborn Road, but the four men were looking for a resident who was not there.

Officials said the men took several items from the apartment, including electronics, before leaving.

No injuries were reported.

Police do not believe the public is at risk.UPDATE: College Station police announced that Terry Ratliff was taken into custody without incident in Midland County on Tuesday evening. Authorities said Ratliff turned himself in. He was wanted on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

______________________________________________

Authorities have identified the woman who was found dead in a College Station apartment Monday afternoon as 39-year-old Theia Flakes.

Officials said Flakes was found about 4:30 p.m. in The Rail Apartments on Dominik Drive.

Police have identified 54-year-old Terry Ratliff as a suspect in the case and are asking for the public's help in finding him.

Officials have not released a cause of death or said what links Ratliff to the woman.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 764-3600.Click the image to the left and log in to get your exclusive reader perks.Cynerio, a Ramat Gan, Israel-based healthcare focused cyber security platform, completed a $7m funding round.

Backers included Accelmed, RDC and MTIP.

The company intends to use the funds to accelerate growth in North America.

Led by Leon Lerman, CEO, and Daniel Brodie, CTO, Cynerio provides a cybersecurity solution that is designed for healthcare providers, based on technology that thoroughly analyzes the medical workflows in the IoMT ecosystem, to automatically discover all the entities on the network, provide an ongoing healthcare specific risk analysis, detect anomalies and stop threats to prevent service disruption, data theft and compliance violations.

Cynerio delivers complete visibility into a healthcare organizations IoMT ecosystem, protecting it from cyber threats and helping the organization meet HIPAA regulatory requirements.

Rambam Hospital and Tel Aviv Medical Center (Ichilov) are two top healthcare organizations using the companys technology.

FinSMEs

09/01/2019JEFFERSON - Howard F. Schrumpf, 92, of Jefferson, went home to meet his savior he loved and served so faithfully on June 12, 2021, at the Valley View Manor Nursing Home of Norwich. Howard was born in Pennsauken, New Jersey, on Jan. 13, 1929, the son of Foster and Myrtle (Walker) Schrumpf. FoRobert P. Bomboy has written for more than 60 national magazines and is the author of six books, including the novel Smart Boys Swimming in the River Styx. He taught for more than 30 years in colleges and universities, and he has been a Ford Foundation Fellow at the University of Chicago and in Washington, D.C.This is the temporary subscription pass for users returning from the Vision Data subscription process. Your subscription will be updated within 24 hours, after your information is verified. Please click the button below to get your pass.Meghan Markle. Photo: Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images

Over the past several weeks, the British royal family was hit with reports about alleged infighting between its millennial members  and a number of the tabloids singled out rumors about Meghan Markle (remember the bizarre complaints about her too-good work ethic?). Thankfully, some of the rumors seemed to die down during the peaceful royal holidays. But understandably, the Duchess of Sussex is still reportedly stressed by all the drama.

For Us Weeklys new cover story, a royal insider (who?) told the publication, Meghan has so much on her plate, between being pregnant and dealing with the public backlash, and shes finding the whole situation incredibly stressful. Beyond that, the portion of the report that was published online doesnt really go into details about her frustration, other than to say that of course the nonstop rumors were getting to her.

The publications latest scoop falls in line with its December report that the duchess was frustrated that because of her position as a royal, she wasnt supposed to speak out publicly against the rumors against her. Another royal insider (or the same one? Who knows!) told Us Weekly at the time:

Shes always relied on her own voice to stand up for others, and for herself. So not being able to say anything is a debilitating feeling. Shes always been so independent, her entire life, and thats all been taken away from her. Shes always been able to clap back on social media and now she cant.

Well, in fairness to Meghan, weve been annoyed by these nonstop rumors as well  especially the exhausting reports pitting her and Kate Middleton against each other  so we can certainly understand her frustration.

Stay in touch. Get the Cut newsletter delivered daily Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us.Kate Middleton. Photo: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Wednesday marked Kate Middletons 37th birthday, and wouldnt you know, the Duchess of Cambridge reportedly celebrated her big day in the most British way possible: with a tea party.

According to Vanity Fairs Katie Nicholl, the duchess isnt really a birthday person  which isnt all that surprising, as shes been reported to have had very low-key birthday celebrations in recent years. The birthday girls husband, Prince William, spent part of the day at an event for the 30th anniversary of Londons Air Ambulance Charity (and told everyone there that he luckily remembered his wifes birthday that morning, thank goodness). But then he headed home to Kensington Palace afterward for Kates private tea party with their three royal kids, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Per VF:

Kates not into big birthday celebrations, but [Prince] George and [Princess] Charlotte adore birthday cake, so there will be a special tea party at the Palace with candles and presents, according to a source.

Beyond that, Nicholl notes that Kate is believed to have spent the day at Kensington Palace with her two youngest children  the now not-so elusive Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte  as Prince George was at school while his dad worked. We can only hope the arty mum of three had a lovely and relaxing birthday at home in her cozy palace apartment, and that maybe for her next big birthday  shell be 40 in three years! How time flies!  she can have a more royal celebration.

Stay in touch. Get the Cut newsletter delivered daily Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us.Ed Buck. Photo: Ed Buck/Facebook

On January 7, a black man named Timothy Dean was found dead in the West Hollywood home of Ed Buck, a prominent Democratic donor who came under investigation a year and a half ago when another black man, Gemmel Moore, died in his apartment. In the immediate aftermath of the second death, Los Angeles activists organized protests, demanding justice for the two men in front of Bucks house; they believe that law enforcement failed to fully investigate Buck in 2017 because of his close ties to elected officials, as well as differences in race and class. And, on March 25, the Los Angeles Police Department revealed information that made Buck appear to be all the more suspicious: that Deans cause of death was the same as Moores in 2017: accidental meth overdose.

Below, heres everything we know so far.

What do we know happened?

According to the Los Angeles Times, Timothy Dean, 55, died in Bucks apartment on Laurel Avenue sometime between midnight and 2 a.m. Paramedics attempted CPR on him, but he was declared dead on the scene. Per Bucks attorney Seymour Amster, Dean was a fashion consultant and had been a friend of the Democratic donor for 25 years.

While Amster has claimed that Dean ingested some type of substance before arriving at Bucks apartment, Deans roommate, Ottavio Taddei, told the New York Times that while Dean enjoyed a couple of drinks every now and then, he was skeptical of Amters allegation.

Ive personally never seen him using drugs and never seen him in the apparent state of alteration caused by any form of drug, Taddei said. I consider this whole tragedy extremely controversial and I do hope the police department will dig into it.

On March 25, the LAPD confirmed Deans office cause of death: accidental methamphetamine overdose, which the New York Times reports is the same way that Moore died.

Who is Ed Buck?

Buck, 65, is a major political donor who gave $23,600 to various California races and causes through June 2018, per campaign-finance records. Most famously, he led a campaign to impeach Arizona Republican governor Evan Mecham in 1987. And, as of March 26, no charges have been filed against him.

What happened with the case involving Gemmel Moore?

In July 2017, Gemmel Moore, a 26-year-old black man who worked as an escort, was found dead in Bucks apartment from an accidental methamphetamine overdose, per a coroners report. At the time, Amster argued that Buck had nothing to do with the death, even though his apartment was reportedly covered in drug paraphernalia.

This was a tragedy, but its no excuse to accuse an innocent man of acts he did not do, Amster said.

But a notebook found in Moores possessions suggests otherwise. According to the Times, which reviewed the journal, Moore wrote about using crystal methamphetamine, saying that Ed Buck is the one to thank.

He gave me my first injection of chrystal [sic] meth, the entry read. While the death was deemed an accident, following news of the second mans death, law enforcement officials said on January 7 that they plan on conducting another review of Moores case.

Activists in the area say Buck has a history of preying on young black man and pressuring them into partaking in dangerous drug use. Jasmyne Cannick, a progressive Democrat whos running for delegate in the 53rd Assembly District and has worked with Moores family, told the Cut in an email, For two years, I have worked to bring forth witness after witness who told authorities about Ed Buck and how he uses the internet to stalk and prey on young, Black gay men who are usually homeless, HIV-positive and often work as male escorts. (The Cut reached out for comment from Amster, who has repeatedly denied these claims on Bucks behalf; as of publication, he has not responded.)

If another young, Black gay man overdoses or worse dies at Democratic donor Ed Bucks apartment its going to be the fault of the sheriffs dept and L.A. District Atty for not stopping him when they had the opportunity to. #GemmelMoore #Justice4Gemmel pic.twitter.com/jlbS2KTvNe  Jasmyne Cannick (@Jasmyne) July 28, 2018

Cannick places the blame on local law enforcement and government for what she sees as intentional inaction. The death of another young Black man in the West Hollywood home of prominent Democratic donor Ed Buck is on the hands of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department and District Attorney Jackie Lacey, she said. Had Buck been arrested and prosecuted in the death of Gemmel Moore, chances are he would not have been around to solicit and prey on vulnerable young Black gay men.

On February 28, Moores mother filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Buck, claiming that he had a had a predatory and injurious system of soliciting Black men and watching them cling to life.

How has the public responded?

On the evening of January 7, more than 100 people gathered outside of Bucks West Hollywood to demand justice for Moore and the second man, as well as Bucks arrest. There, Cannick proclaimed that the district attorneys office and sheriffs office have blood on their hands for failing to hold Buck accountable.

.@Jasmyne is letting these complicit people know at the Ed Buck protest how they were allowing him to continue to donate to the Democratic party after the first Black gay man was found dead at his house.



The people want answers and justice. Anything less is a disservice. https://t.co/SjhvgQBscK  Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) January 8, 2019

This was preventable, she said. We knew he hadnt stopped, that it was only a matter of time before this happened again. And now its only a matter of time before it happens a third time if hes not stopped.

Stay in touch. Get the Cut newsletter delivered daily Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Terms & Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us.Nissan Unveils LEAF e+ at 2019 CES

New powertrain option offers expanded range and power

LAS VEGAS - January 9, 2019: Nissan unveiled the Nissan LEAF e+, further broadening the appeal of the world's best-selling electric car*1 by offering a new powertrain with additional power and range.

The "e+" refers to the increased energy density of the model's 62 kWh battery pack and the higher output of its powertrain. The new powertrain adds to the car's range by approximately 40 percent, with EPA-estimated range of up to 226 miles, ensuring that there's a Nissan LEAF to meet the driving needs of a wider range of customers.

"The new Nissan LEAF e+ offers all of the style, convenience and electric vehicle benefits that have helped make LEAF the best-selling electric vehicle in the world, plus even more driving excitement, range, power and choice," said Denis Le Vot, senior vice president and chairman, Nissan North America. "Customers now have a selection of powertrains and models to best suit their driving needs."

The LEAF e+ will be sold under the LEAF PLUS Series in the US and Canada, with each trim level receiving its own designation of S PLUS, SV PLUS and SL PLUS. Globally, the vehicle will be referred to as the Nissan LEAF e+.

More than 380,000 Nissan LEAF vehicles have been sold globally since the 100 percent electric model first went on sale in 2010, with over 128,000 sold in the US. Equipped with advanced technologies including ProPILOT Assist semi-autonomous driving system and e-Pedal mode for one-pedal driving, the LEAF embodies Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the company's vision for changing how cars are powered, driven and integrated into society.

"Nissan Intelligent Mobility is at the core of everything we do and the new Nissan LEAF e+ takes this vision even further," Le Vot continued. "EV's will play a significant part in our product lineup as we move forward and will lead the way to providing an efficient and sustainable future for the world."

Having pioneered mass-market electric cars with the LEAF, Nissan is continuing to promote alternative vehicle transportation. The LEAF family of cars play a vital role in Nissan's efforts to integrate electric vehicles and energy systems into customer's lives  creating an "EV ecosystem." Among these efforts is Nissan Energy, the company's initiative for its electric vehicles to easily connect with energy systems to charge their batteries, power homes and businesses, or feed energy back to power grids, as well as new efforts to reuse batteries.*2

The Nissan LEAF PLUS Series is scheduled to join the LEAF at Nissan dealerships in Japan in January 2019. U.S. sales are expected to begin in spring 2019 and European sales to commence in mid-2019.

Nissan Intelligent Mobility

Nissan Intelligent Power: increased range and performance The Nissan LEAF e+ features a new version of the LEAF's revolutionary electric powertrain, delivering excellent energy efficiency and robust torque and power output. While the current LEAF meets the needs of many customers with its driving range of EPA-estimated 150 miles, the LEAF e+ offers an EPA-estimated range of up to 226 miles, allowing customers the ability to do more between charges.*3 The high-capacity battery and more powerful, 160 kW motor in the LEAF e+ combine to produce 45 percent more power and 250 lb-ft (340 Nm) of torque, enabling faster acceleration when driving at high speeds. Accelerating from 50 mph (80 kph) to 75 mph (120 kph) is nearly 13 percent quicker. This allows the LEAF e+ to confidently pass slower-moving vehicles, exit corners faster and more seamlessly, and merge easily with fast-moving traffic. The top speed has increased by approximately 10 percent for comfortable cruising. Thanks to the available new 70 kW (100 kW peak) Quick Charging system, the 2019 Nissan LEAF e+ can charge more efficiently than ever.*3 Based on early testing, Nissan LEAF e+ owners can expect similar charging times when hooked up to a 100 kW charger as current LEAF owners do with a 50 kW charger, despite a 55 percent larger battery storage capacity. Even with a 25 percent increase in energy density and the increase in energy storage capacity, the LEAF e+ battery pack is almost the same size and configuration as the pack in the Nissan LEAF. Other than a 5-millimeter increase in overall height (16-inch wheels), the car's exterior and interior dimensions are unchanged. Because ownership satisfaction and peace of mind are pivotal for all Nissan LEAF owners, the battery limited warranty of 8 years/160,000 km (whichever occurs first) is standard for all versions.

Nissan Intelligent Driving: innovative ProPILOT Assist features and smooth e-Pedal operation Playing a leading role in Nissan Intelligent Driving is ProPILOT Assist, an in-lane semi-autonomous driving technology that can automatically adjust the distance to the vehicle ahead, using a speed preset by the driver (between about 18 mph and 62 mph). ProPILOT Assist can also help the driver steer and keep the vehicle centered in its lane. If the car in front stops, ProPILOT Assist can automatically apply the brakes to bring the vehicle to a full halt if necessary. After coming to a full stop, the vehicle can remain in place even if the driver's foot is off the brake. If traffic restarts, the car will resume driving when the driver touches the steering wheel-mounted ProPILOT Assist switch again or lightly presses the accelerator to activate the system. All these functions can reduce stress when driving on the highway in both heavy and fast-moving traffic. Further enhancing the LEAF's driving experience is e-Pedal, which allows the driver to start, accelerate, decelerate and stop using only the accelerator pedal.*4 To match the LEAF e+'s additional power and increased mass, Nissan has reprogrammed the e-Pedal software for smoother operation and enhanced pedal feedback, especially for operation in reverse, and for smoother and more rapid deceleration, making it easier to stop the car using e-Pedal, even when backing up. In addition to ProPILOT Assist and e-Pedal, every LEAF is equipped with advanced safety technologies including Intelligent Lane Intervention, Lane Departure Warning, Intelligent Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Intelligent Around View Monitor with moving object detection.

Nissan Intelligent Integration: updated interface, larger display and convenient updates The new Nissan LEAF links drivers, vehicles and communities through its convenient graphic-based Human Machine Interface. It allows the owner to use the NissanConnect smartphone app to perform tasks such as monitoring the vehicle's state of charge, scheduling charging to benefit from optimal energy tariffs, finding the nearest charging station, and heating or cooling the car before getting in. New for the LEAF e+ (on North American and EU models) is a larger, thin-film transistor, full-color 8-inch display, with an updated navigation system that can be linked to a compatible smartphone. The display features smartphone-like operation including swiping, scrolling and tapping. Applications, maps and firmware are updated over the air with the simple touch of a button, instead of having to manually update by USB or at a Nissan dealership.*5 Other new features include Door-to-Door Navigation, which syncs the vehicle's navigation system with your compatible smartphone for seamless driving and walking directions. The Connections feature allows any of the car's passengers to quickly and easily connect to a device within the vehicle.*6 Integration goes beyond what's in the vehicle and now includes Nissan Energy, the company's existing and future initiatives for Vehicle-to-Grid, Vehicle-to-Building and Vehicle-to-Home connections, generating solar electricity, as well as reusing batteries. With Nissan Energy, LEAF vehicles are part of a larger electric vehicle ecosystem.*2

The Nissan LEAF e+ represents a step forward in each of the three key areas of the Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision: Intelligent Power, Intelligent Driving and Intelligent Integration.

Sleek, modern design

One of the most eye-catching exterior elements of the new Nissan LEAF is the car's sleek, streamlined silhouette, which maximizes aerodynamic efficiency. The car's bold fascia features Nissan's signature V-Motion grille with blue 3D mesh. The car's streamlined profile gives it a sporty look, while the rear features a distinctive tail light design.

The LEAF e+ carries over most of the LEAF's design. Subtle clues to its e+ designation include a revised front fascia with blue highlights and an "e+" logo plate on the underside of the charge port lid.

There will also be a rear trim level badge for U.S. and Canada which will be designated as S PLUS, SV PLUS and SL PLUS.

Like the standard model, the LEAF e+ boasts a spacious, highly functional interior with a quality, high-tech feel. The combination of premium materials throughout the cabin befits a luxury vehicle. Vibrant blue contrast stitching for the steering wheel, seats and instrument panel accentuate the car as a Nissan electric vehicle.

Pricing

North America pricing will be announced closer to on-sale date.

*1 Based on cumulative sales data from December 2010 to December 2018.

*2 Availability of features and components vary by geographic region.

*3 Targeted range estimates for LEAF S PLUS only; subject to appropriate regulator confirmation. Actual range will vary with trim levels, options and driving conditions; see Customer Disclosure Form for details. Charging capacity may vary based on battery temperature.

*4 Those who prefer conventional driving can still make full use of both the accelerator and brake pedals.

*5 The new navigation system for the European market can also have its software and maps updated via Inter vehicle communication (IVC) systems.

*6 These new features are available on North America and EU models only.ClearMotion, Inc., a Boston, MA-based automotive technology company focused on proactive ride systems, raised a $115m Series D financing.

The round was led by Franklin Templeton Investments, with participation from clients advised by J.P. Morgan Asset Management, as well as participation from Microsoft, Bridgestone, Qualcomm, World Innovation Lab, NewView Capital, AARP Innovation Fund, and Eileses Capital.

Led by Shakeel Avadhany, founder and CEO, ClearMotion provides road-sensing technology enabling a next-generation user experience in vehicles. The companys proactive ride system combines software and hardware to mitigate vehicle movement across uneven road surfaces. The company has completed development programs on multiple car lines and has commissioned a pilot production facility for its first OEM launches.

Founded out of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, ClearMotion has an additional development center and proving grounds in Birmingham, UK. It has over 10,000 patent claims issued or pending worldwide.

FinSMEs

09/01/2019A Hebei Province Meteorological Bureau employee monitors data from the plane's carbon dioxide collection machine. Photo: Zhang Hui/GT

Chinese scientists have developed a way to monitor carbon dioxide from space, air and ground in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, one of most polluted regions in the world, to help the government identify emissions peak and fulfill its Paris Agreementcommitment.

The scheme would help scientists obtain comprehensive concentration data in the region, and establish a real-time carbon dioxide concentration monitoring system to better identify emissions sources and come up with reduction and anti-smog measures, scientists said.

For air monitoring, meteorologists used a plane equipped with a high precision carbon dioxide real-time monitoring system to fly at 11 different altitudes from 600 to 5,100 meters over Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province to measure carbon dioxide concentrations at different levels, Wu Guomin, an engineer at the Hebei Province Meteorological Bureau, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Wu, who was on the plane, recorded the data, including the location, the carbon dioxide concentration and speed of the plane.

Due to massive emissions of pollutants from factories and vehicles, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region topped the world in carbon emissions intensity, and studies of carbon dioxide and other pollutants in the air could better help China tackle smog, Zeng Ning, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Atmospheric Physics.

The monitor and studies would help China form its carbon dioxide monitoring system which could help China identify the emissions peak. China aims to hit peak emissions of carbon dioxide by 2030, Zeng said.

The system would also provide the world a guide as global science communities try to develop integrated greenhouse gas monitoring systems to aid the climate mitigation targets set by global agreements, such as the Paris Agreement, Zeng said.

China's carbon dioxide monitoring satellite, TanSat, launched in 2016, was set to target mode to focus on the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region this week to help scientists gather more data, Yao Bo, chief scientist of greenhouse gas measurements at the Meteorological Observation Center of the China Meteorological Administration, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

On the ground, scientists relied on vehicles for mobile monitoring and six ground-based tower stations in the region, Yao said.

Newspaper headline: Scientists develop CO2 monitoring systemWashington: US President Donald Trump doubled down on one of the biggest gambles of his presidency with a televised appeal to pressure Congress into paying for his long-promised border wall even at the cost of leaving the government partially closed until lawmakers give in.

Trump devoted the first prime-time Oval Office address of his presidency to his proposed barrier in hopes of enlisting public support in an ideological and political conflict that has shut the doors of many federal agencies for 18 days.

In a nine-minute speech on Tuesday night, Washington time, that made no new arguments but included multiple misleading assertions, the President sought to recast the situation at the Mexican border as a "humanitarian crisis" and opted against declaring a national emergency to bypass Congress, which he had threatened to do, at least for now. But he excoriated Democrats for blocking the wall, accusing them of hypocrisy and exposing the country to criminal immigrants.

"How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?" the president asked, citing a litany of grisly crimes said to be committed by illegal immigrants. Asking Americans to call their lawmakers, he added: "This is a choice between right and wrong, justice and injustice. This is about whether we fulfil our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve."Washington: House Democrats, seeking a politically charged debate on gun control, unveiled legislation on Tuesday to expand background checks to nearly all firearms purchases, a move timed to mark the eighth anniversary of the mass shooting in Arizona that nearly killed former Representative Gabrielle Giffords.

Representative Ilhan Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, right, and Representative Lucy McBath, a Democrat from Georgia. Credit:Bloomberg

By introducing the measure less than one week after taking control of the House, Democrats are signalling that it is a top priority. A vote could come within the first 100 days of the new Congress.

The bill, which will almost certainly pass the House but will face a steep climb in the Republican-controlled Senate, would require background checks on the purchases of nearly all firearms, including those sold at gun shows and over the internet. There would be limited exception.

Polls have shown that most Americans  by some estimates, 90 per cent  support universal background checks for all gun purchases. Many Democrats, including Representative Lucy McBath, a freshman from Georgia whose son was shot and killed at a Florida gas station, were elected last year after promising to address gun safety.He suggested he also might ignore the Trump administration's request to delay a Turkish military operation against the US-allied Kurdish fighters. "Very soon, we will take action to neutralise terrorist organisations in Syria," Erdogan said. The Trump administration encountered similar pushback elsewhere on Tuesday, as US allies pressed their own priorities. In Jordan, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi greeted Pompeo with kind words and a smile, but was unyielding in demands that the US co-ordinate any troop withdrawal from Syria with regional allies. The minister also rejected Israel's request that the US recognise Israeli sovereignty over Syrian territory that Israel occupies in the Golan Heights. US national security adviser John Bolton, left, and his Turkish counterpar, Ibrahim Kalin. Credit:AP Safadi also emphasised the position of Jordan and other US allies in the Arab world that a pending American proposal for Israeli-Palestinian peace must recognise Palestinian statehood with East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital.

Aaron Stein, the Middle East director at the Foreign Policy Research Institute in Philadelphia, said the tensions over the administration's Syria policy were largely the result of Trump's staff ignoring "the intent of the President". "Whatever you think of Donald Trump, he has been very, very clear that he wants to withdraw from Syria. Instead of listening to that, what the national security bureaucracy is doing is putting together a plan that depends on a forever US presence. Everyone is scrambling to reinterpret the president's message." As a result, the US deliberations over Syria, which would normally occur behind closed doors, are "literally happening in front of the entire world," Stein said. Bolton presented Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin with a document restating Trump's intention to withdraw US forces but also insisting on protection for Kurdish fighters, said according to a person briefed by a senior administration official who attended the session, speaking on the condition of anonymity. According to US talking points, American troops and their allies in Syria would continue attacks against remaining Islamic State forces during an "orderly" US departure period. Though orders have been given to the US military to begin preparing for withdrawal, troops will carry out operations against the militant group as they leave. To prevent an Islamic State resurgence, the US will retain unspecified capabilities on the ground for ongoing operations.The Morrison government says families would be safer if Australian child sex offenders were publicly listed online.

The federal government is urging states to sign up to a national child sex offender register, with consultations on the proposal underway.

The push comes after reports to the Australian Federal Police of child sexual abuse and exploitation grew by 77 per cent between 2017 and 2018.

The online register would contain information such as the person's name, photograph, aliases, date of birth, nature of offending and their general locality, such as their postcode.

But the information would be provided by the states, meaning the register couldn't work unless they back it.Sydney Living Museums is working with internationally-acclaimed exhibit and media design specialists Local Projects to develop what it says will be a "realistic exhibition experience, featuring an engaging narrative and employing contemporary interpretative techniques, immersive installations and unconventional interactive elements".

The view is that, what is arguably Sydney's most significant heritage site, it fails to convey the full story of the first settlers and the unique history of the building.

Bringing history to life, the Hyde Park Barracks Museum renewal project is to centre on telling a significant part of Australias convict story, its impact on First Nations people and the sites early contribution to immigration.

The UNESCO world heritage listed Hyde Park Barracks is to close this month for a major $18 million revamp to transform it into "a rich new, immersive visitor experience like no other in Australia".

Among Local Projects portfolio is the Museum of Collective Memory in New York, which tells the story of the September 11 twin towers terror attack through the voices of those who experienced it.

Grant Millington and wife, Rosie, from Newport, are among recent visitors to the barracks to leave a little disappointed. "It is such a great building on the outside your expectations are really high but we were completely underwhelmed. It lacked customer experience and there was no sense of entering somewhere historic," Mr Millington said.

Another visitor wrote on TripAdvisor: "The barracks has such an amazing history that I was expecting a whole lot more than I got. Maybe it's still a "work in progress" - I certainly hope so. The excavated stuff was pretty boring. This "historic site" needs an historian, an artist, and a savvy marketeer to pull it all together so that it truly reflects the Barracks' history."

That's now set to happen with the Barracks Museum closed to the public from January 29 and slated to reopen in late 2019. Part of the project has involved making amazing drone footage of the area. The goal is to tell the history in a more engaging way, triple paid visitor numbers to 300,000 and also increase domestic visitors - overseas tourists account for 70 per cent.

The $12 entrance fee for an individual and $30 for a family will also increase but the new figure has yet to be decided.A 21-year old Perth man linked to an armed robbery is being sought by police.

WA Police are appealing to the public for assistance in locating Dylan O'Donnell. They believe the man can assist them with a current investigation into armed robbery and deprivation

of liberty offences in Perth.

Dylan is believed to be able to help the police in a current investigation. Credit:WA Police

Dylan is described as having olive skin, brown hair, brown eyes and is 165cm tall.

If sighted, members of the public are advised not to approach him but call police immediately on 131 444.A 62-year-old man charged over a string of indecent acts across Perth has pleaded guilty to several charges, including some which relate to children.

Geoffrey Robert Boyd was arrested in Cranbrook near Albany in late October.

Boyd was charged over a string of indecent acts allegedly committed in several Perth cafes. Credit:WA Police

Perth detectives arrested him after issuing a public appeal for information over a series of alleged indecent acts across numerous Perth suburbs, including Rockingham, Nedlands, Subiaco and Applecross.

At the time of his arrest police said the alleged incidents occurred in cafe type businesses in view of customers.Prominent union boss John Setka has fronted a court over charges related to alleged incidents at a Melbourne home around Christmas, and said afterwards he would "love" to discuss things publicly but couldn't.

Mr Setka and his lawyer discussed the five charges he faces with a police prosecutor at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday, before defence counsel Tony Hargreaves applied for the case to be adjourned.

CFMEU boss John Setka arrives at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Credit:AAP

"We have had a summary case conference and the matter has not resolved," Mr Hargreaves told magistrate Michael McNamara.

Police were called to a property in Melbourne's western suburbs on Boxing Day following reports of an argument, and allege Mr Setka, 54, breached court orders over several days.A two-year-old girl has drowned, two other children were taken to hospital and a man remains missing after a tragic evening in waters around NSW on Wednesday.

Emergency services were called to a home on Greenbank Drive in Werrington Downs in Sydney's west just before 8pm after the two-year-old girl was found unconscious in a backyard swimming pool.

Paramedics performed CPR on the girl at the home before she was rushed to Nepean Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

Police are investigating the circumstances around the girl's death and a report will be prepared for the Coroner.

Boy flown to hospital after Central Coast beach rescueDFAT said in a statement that after learning of the suspicious packages sent to three offices in Sydney and Canberra it notified all diplomatic missions on Tuesday and warned officials to be cautious with their mail. "The note advised missions to handle mail in accordance with their own governments protocols and instructions," a DFAT spokesman said. "It also included Australian Federal Police (AFP) guidance on handling suspicious mail and advised missions to contact the AFP Protection Liaison Team to report any concerns or incidents. Similar advice was subsequently provided to consulates around Australia." There were unconfirmed reports that packages could have been sent to up to 22 locations, including the Italian, Thai, Swiss and Egyptian consulates. Loading

Australian Federal Police said a number of packages sent to consulates and embassies in Melbourne and Canberra were being examined by emergency services and the circumstances around the incidents were under investigation. A worker at the Pakistani consulate in Melbourne opened one of the packages about 10am on Wednesday. It is understood the envelope, which looked like a normal letter, was addressed to the Consulate-General of Pakistan. Initial suspicions were raised by a spelling mistake on the envelope, with "consulate" misspelled. Victoria Police said they believed the consulates were specifically "targeted" and the situation was "not impacting the general community".

Loading Metropolitan Fire Brigade station officer Bryan Kellett said a suspicious "envelope-sized" package was delivered to the Indian consulate last week, but that the alarm was not raised until Wednesday. "We treat it as the worst, now it will be examined as to exactly what the substance was and dealt with accordingly," he said. "Totally safe now, it's been sealed and is under police guard." Witnesses at the Spanish consulate on Elgin Street, Carlton, said police swarmed the area just after 2pm. One woman left about four hours later barefoot, and wearing a decontamination suit.The stage is set for a major shake up of the multi-billion dollar business of selling insurance through superannuation policies after the Productivity Commission recommended an overhaul it claims could save customers several years worth of salary by retirement.

Among its key proposals is a recommendation to make insurance through super "opt-in" for members under 25 years of age, in a bid to halt the erosion of retirement funds for low-balance fund holders. Currently, those under-25 are required to "opt out" of insurance provided by their super fund.

About 12 million Australians hold insurance  for life, total and permanent disability, and income protection  through their super fund, with about 80 per cent of policies provided automatically.

Average premiums for automatically-provided default cover are about $300 per year, but can

be as high as $2000 per year.Listed Australian fund manager Platinum Asset Management said its portfolio would post a paper loss in the December half as the US-China trade war unravelled big bets on Chinese and Asian growth, sending its shares lower on Wednesday.

The fund manager, founded 25 years ago by stock picker Kerr Neilson, who's been dubbed "Australia's Warren Buffett" for his investment prowess, said late on Tuesday it would post an unrealised loss on its investments for the six months to December 31.

Rich lister Kerr Neilson stepped down as chief executive last year. Credit:Jessica Hromas

It expects to collect little in the way of performance fees, and said funds under management fell by about $100 million in December to $24.09 billion, for an annual drop of 11 per cent. The company will report its half-year earnings on February 21.

The warning underscores how far the firm's flagship fund's bets in east Asia - mainly in China which the company called "the investment opportunity of a generation" - have come undone as an economic slowdown and trade tensions have hammered stocks.WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump will visit New Orleans on Monday to address the American Farm Bureau Federation's annual convention.

The planned trip to New Orleans, confirmed to The Advocate on Wednesday by a White House spokesman, comes amid a partial shutdown of the federal government and a continued standoff between Trump and Democratic Party leaders in Washington over funding for Trump's proposed barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border.

It's unclear whether a solution will be found before Trump boards Air Force One on Monday for the trip to New Orleans. Trump is traveling to Texas on Thursday to tour the border with Mexico.

The American Farm Bureau Federation's convention is being held at New Orleans' Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in the Central Business District. Details about road closures, security measures and Trump's arrival and departure times weren't immediately available Wednesday.

Developer Joe Canizaro, who served as Louisiana finance co-chair for Trumps 2016 campaign, said a Trump official told him Wednesday the presidents trip to New Orleans will be a quick in-and-out, with no fundraisers planned because of sensitivity around the partial government shutdown.

A number of federal offices have shuttered and hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed without pay after Trump and members of Congress couldn't strike a deal on funding for several major agencies, including the Department of State, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Homeland Security.

Trump is demanding more than $5 billion for the barrier and other border security measures. The president repeatedly pledged to build a wall during campaign rallies but hasn't been able to secure the necessary funding from Congress. Democratic leaders have repeatedly criticized Trump's proposal as ineffective and a symbol of exclusion.

A meeting at the White House on Wednesday afternoon between Trump and top congressional leaders to discuss the standoff lasted mere minutes and appeared to make no progress toward solving the impasse.

On Monday, Trump will address more than 7,000 attendees from across the country at the Farm Bureau convention, said Judd Deere, a White House spokesman.

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and state Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain will both address the convention on Sunday.

Convention center officials received confirmation Wednesday morning that Trump will be attending. General Manager Michael Sawaya said staff is well-versed in protocols and will be coordinating with the Secret Service and the New Orleans Police Department.

"We'll be ready to go," Sawaya said.

This is the second time Trump has addressed the Farm Bureau's annual convention. Last year, the president flew to Nashville, Tennessee, to address the national gathering of farmers and agricultural industry officials.

A Farm Bureau spokesman said the group, which represents farmers and ranchers from across the country and lobbies politicians on agricultural issues, invites the president and vice president to its national convention each year.

"This year will mark the federation's 100th annual convention and President Trump looks forward to touting positive impacts of the recently-signed (United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement) as well as the recently passed Farm Bill," Deere said in an email.

Deere said Trump was the first sitting U.S. president since 1992 to address the Farm Bureau's convention when he appeared before the group last year in Tennessee.

Can't see video below? Click here.

Advocate staff writers John Simerman, Elizabeth Crisp and Ramon Antonio Vargas contributed to this report.The surprise announcement Tuesday that Police Superintendent Michael Harrison will leave for Baltimore creates an opportunity for Mayor LaToya Cantrell to put her personal stamp on policing in New Orleans.

Yet as many of her predecessors have discovered, picking a police chief is one of the most consequential and potentially fraught decisions a big city's mayor can make.

In New Orleans, Cantrell faces the twin challenges of tackling a high violent crime rate and complying with the 2012 federal consent decree, a broad slate of reforms the city agreed to implement after a scathing federal report detailed corruption, brutality and bias across the police force.

Several names are already being mentioned as potential replacements for Harrison. Whoever Cantrell picks will be tasked with extending a decline in homicides that reached a 47-year low in 2018, while convincing a federal judge that the department has met the bar for implementing lasting reforms.

Harrison's successor will also be expected to address two crime categories that experienced double-digit increases last year: car burglaries and thefts.

A mayoral spokesman said Cantrell hopes to choose the new chief quickly.

The mayor is engaged in the process of selecting the next (permanent) chief. We expect to make that announcement prior to Chief Harrisons departure, said Beau Tidwell, the spokesman.

That doesn't give Cantrell much time. Harrison will begin serving in Baltimore on an interim basis by the end of January, news outlets there reported. He must still be approved by the Baltimore City Council for the permanent job.

Cantrell, by contrast, needs no such approval from council members. Her selection will be a highly personal one, said former Mayor Mitch Landrieu, who plucked Harrison from his post as commander of the sprawling 7th District in New Orleans East in August 2014, after Ronal Serpas resigned as chief.

"It is really an important decision, but its very personal to a mayor. Whoever she chooses has got to be someone that has her full confidence," Landrieu said.

Cantrell has not said whether she plans to search across the country for Harrisons permanent replacement, or mainly look within the NOPD and perhaps the state.

However, insiders are already ticking off a short list of names stocked with local candidates, most from within the department.

They include the departments current second-in-command, Paul Noel, who heads the field operations bureau. He oversees many of the departments day-to-day operations and formerly led Uptowns 2nd District.

Other names in the mix include John Thomas and Shaun Ferguson. Harrison named Thomas to lead the departments investigations bureau last year. Federal monitors have given Thomas  who was shot in the line of duty last year  high marks for his role in implementing reforms at the training academy.

Ferguson has led Algiers 4th District, the 2nd District and, currently, the NOPD division that oversees the academy.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

One local external candidate could be Louisiana State Police Major Carl Saizan, a St. Bernard Parish native who serves as the command inspector for the agency's special investigations division. From 2009 to 2013, he worked closely with the NOPD as the commander of State Police Troop B, which is based in Kenner.

Another possible candidate is Louis Dabdoub III, who left the NOPD as a captain several years ago to head up security for Entergy.

The generally positive reviews for Harrisons stewardship of the department could mean Cantrell is under less pressure than some of her predecessors to pick an outsider who would shake up the department. With the city by some accounts nearing full compliance with the consent decree, a desire for continuity might also favor someone who is already on the force.

You want to find that person thats best for the department at this moment in time, and it may very well be that theres somebody that she feels that can do it within the department, Landrieu said.

Historically, New Orleans mayors have leaned strongly toward internal candidates. Former Mayor Marc Morial's appointment of Richard Pennington in 1994 was perhaps the most high-profile exception. Landrieu brought in Serpas from the Metropolitan Nashville (Tenn.) Police Department, but Serpas had had a long career in New Orleans earlier, serving for years as Pennington's No. 2.

Peter Scharf, a criminologist at the LSU School of Public Health, said Cantrell should lead a broad, open search process that includes input from the City Council and critical constituencies in the community.

Scharf noted that Cantrells first major gaffe as mayor-elect was in secretly tapping former NOPD Superintendent Warren Riley as her public safety czar, only to pull his appointment following public outcry. Riley has filed a lawsuit against Cantrell and the city seeking damages over the abortive offer.

You cant have any kind of insider trading like with the case of Warren. You cant find out the deal has been made already, said Scharf, adding that Cantrells choice for police chief will be her biggest decision to date as mayor.

Cantrell may also need to please a constituency of one: U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan, who oversees the departments reform agreement with the federal government. It is her decision alone to rule on whether the department has reached substantial compliance with the consent decree, which would allow it to shed expensive and intrusive oversight from federal monitors.

If Cantrell picks a chief who has a poor relationship with the judge  or whom the judge comes to dislike  she might derail a reform process that finally seems to be nearing its conclusion after almost seven years.

Although Morgan has never laid out a timeline for reaching substantial compliance, she has often expressed confidence in Harrison. The chief, in turn, has kept any disagreements with her private.

Landrieu said that despite daily tensions over policy, Harrison worked well with the federal watchdogs.

I think that all around, people would say he handled those difficult circumstances and those conflicts with the Department of Justice and the bench exceedingly well, and has managed to translate those difficulties down to the ground. Because you catch it from both sides, Landrieu said.

The department is way better than its been, Scharf said. You have a decline in the murder rate. More important, you have the implementation of technology, community policing, outreach and public trust improvements. Who can keep the ball rolling?New Orleans banks on its reputation as a food city the way other places rely on their beaches or mountains.

But what gives that reputation any legs, what keeps the food scene vital, what makes it fascinating and worthwhile for us as New Orleanians and not just a pitch for tourist dollars, comes down to people.

Its the New Orleans people who safeguard our food heritage and also step up for its future. Its the people who bring fresh energy from their own traditions, whether transplanted or gradually evolved. It's those who innovate to meet changing needs and grasp new opportunities.

Most of all, its the people who pour their personality and character into the story of New Orleans food.

Were lucky we get to experience the results. Personally, I feel extremely fortunate that I get to write about it.

Todays column goes out to those who in 2018 helped me better understand why food is so important in New Orleans, who shared their stories with me and allowed me to share them with you.

This is a story of gratitude for what New Orleans food people give you that goes beyond the plate. Lets hear from some of them.

Barrows Catfish, brought back by love

Before Hurricane Katrina shut it down, the name Barrows Shady Inn meant one thing: fried catfish.

To Deirdre Barrow Johnson, though, the old Hollygrove restaurant meant much more. It was part of her family heritage, one that reached back for generations. In 2018, she and her own family brought it back.

Their new Barrows Catfish opened this summer a few blocks away from the one Deirdres grandfather founded in 1943, and which became one of the citys longest-running black-owned restaurants.

It comes from knowing youre part of a family, a family of black business owners who came out of that era, Barrow Johnson. We need to bring it back. Its in my bloodline, its who I am, its what I know.

We want people to feel welcome, we want people to know this is not just about us, its about them, she said. Their love brought us back.

Since opening, Barrows Catfish has been feeling the love flow back.

A century and counting

Arnauds Restaurant celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2018, an impressive run for any business, never mind a restaurant.

Its story, however, is one of different chapters, from grandeur to decline and near collapse, then on to revival and modern evolution today. On its centennial, the Casbarian family, owners since 1978, looked back on how those different chapters inform their stewardship.

In a way it doesnt matter that this place is 100 years old, what matters is the good times that happened here, and the hard times its endured, said Archie Casbarian Jr., who runs Arnauds with his sister Katy and their mother Jane. Its the memories that go along with a restaurant through it all. When you experience that you cant help but feel a connection with a place.

Anchored to the French Creole flavors New Orleans itself created, massive but still family run, the restaurant today also feels in sync with the modern interest in roots and heritage cuisine.

How do you make people feel that sense of ownership to a restaurant, that its something theyre part of? said Katy Casbarian. One thing we learned is you never take anyone who walks through your door for granted, and you look for these ways to connect with them.

Fusion with heart

Amid fusion trends and debates over cultural appropriation in food, the low-key Mid-City restaurant Cafe Minh has been quietly showing what a blend of culinary experiences can mean when done with heart and smarts.

For many years, chefs Minh Bui and Cynthia Vu Tran have threaded a path between their native Vietnam and their adopted New Orleans home.

It starts by absorbing what makes a place distinctive and what matters to their clientele, and adding their own lens. The result: a restaurant that is unique and still feels like it could not have come about anywhere else but New Orleans.

Its our region and our tastes, its what we inherit from our families, said Bui about he and his wifes shared approach. But its also about what I learned here. I learned how Louisiana people like their food, and what a restaurant should feel like. That is what we try to give people here.

Family, community in two Bywater kitchens

In the Bywater, a neighborhood changing as much and as fast as any in New Orleans, a connection between family and community persists through a pair of otherwise unrelated kitchens.

Theresa Chatteron is the longtime cook at Fradys One Stop, a corner store known for plate lunches and po-boys. Her son Jay Monfort has for the past year run the kitchen at Markeys Bar two blocks away, giving bar food a timely upgrade.

They share a clientele  some neighbors say Monfort feeds them drunk food at night while Chatteron cures the ensuing hangovers at breakfast. The mother and son shared with me how it all plays out, and some feelings that go right to the heart of the New Orleans food obsession.

Im a pretty introverted person; Im not looking for a lot of attention for what I do, Monfort said. But here, I can cook and Im part of a community. I like serving that role. I feel like people know me and appreciate what I do here.

Ive had other jobs that people would consider more important than this, but Ive never felt so loved in my life, Chatterton said. People love you when you cook for them.

Food and restaurant news in your inbox Every Thursday we give you the scoop on NOLA dining. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Bread in good hands

The closing of Alois J. Binder Bakery brought New Orleans the sobering realization that production of the classic po-boy loaf was left in the hands of just a few traditional bakeries.

One of them is John Gendusa Bakery, which dates to 1922. Jason Gendusa, fourth-generation owner, showed me what it takes to make this only-in-New Orleans bread, including some intangibles.

If I took a year, I still dont think I could teach someone, even a younger version of me, everything you need to know to run this place, said Gendusa said. So much of it you learn along the way.

He learned from his father, John Gendusa, grandson of the bakery's founder, who is technically retired but remains a constant presence around the ovens and racks.

"When baking is in your blood, you cant help it, John Gendusa said.

Po-boys are not the same on any other type of bread. The prospects of new bakeries jumping into the old-school po-boy bread market seem slim.

Fortunately for New Orleans, the family bonds that run through the remaining producers is strong. That goes for the Leidenheimer Baking Co. across town in Central City as well.

These arent businesses that can continue unless theres another generation coming in that wants to take it on, and the fact is there are a lot easier ways to make money out there, said Leideneheimer president Sandy Whann.

The opportunity to be part of the real culinary culture and heritage of this city, thats what gets us out of bed in the morning, Whann said.

A taco truck, a touchstone

Once unknown around New Orleans, taco trucks arrived immediately after Hurricane Katrina, feeding the work crews that carried the citys recovery on their backs. Since then, the trucks have helped redefine the citys street food culture  quick, cheap, and, at their best, an authentic taste of the citys growing Latino influence.

Iris Cardona gave me a glimpse of how they work today at Taqueria el Paraiso, the truck in which she makes baleadas and shrimp tacos and burritos outside a gas station at North Broad and Toulouse streets.

Cardona left her home in Honduras because of its dire economy and rampant violence. In New Orleans, she joined a community that is growing more diverse, with food like hers adding to the equation.

I cook for the people, said Cardona, while forming masa into fresh tortillas by hand. And when they tell me they love it, it makes me feel so happy.

At Charlies, keeping a classic an original

The classic, scruffy Uptown institution Charlies Steak House dates back to 1932, but after Hurricane Katrina it was done. The restaurant was too fragile to snap back from the disaster, its family owners too far along for what proved to be an enormous task.

The job fell to Matthew Dwyer, then 37, a bartender who happened to live down the block and sometimes pulled shifts mixing drinks here.

He took on a restaurant that everyone wanted to see return, and nobody wanted to see change. This year marked 10 years since he pulled it off, and it was an opportunity to see how its fared.

Its Charlies with our twists to it, the tradition continues, Dwyer said.

Dwyer has succeeded in keeping this wonderfully strange restaurant vibrant, not by forbidding change but by curating it, tailoring the needed adjustments to the spirit of the place. Sometimes that means quietly nodding along to regulars old stories about the place, even when hes certain theyre not true.

I used to try to correct people, but its pointless," said Dwyer. "Its their story."

Its still their Charlies Steak House too.

A foothold, maybe a springboard

On Faith Donut Shop is a small, ramshackle joint in Central City that serves hot donuts every morning and, from lunchtime on, some outrageously feasts of Creole style seafood, big enough to fill catering pans.

Sergio Scott runs the donut shop. Under the same roof, his brother Charles PeeWee Armstrong runs his own PeeWees Crabcake on the Go, a take-out operation for Creole gumbo, his signature crabcakes and bodacious combo platters like the seafood tornado, with crabcakes, stuffed crabs, stuffed fish and seafood pasta.

It's roots are still close to home.

My mom and dad were both chefs at the Marriott, so growing up, it was always about who makes the best gumbo, who cooks better, said Armstrong. Coming up around that flavor, you just grab it.

What I like about this cooking is how it feels intuitively at home in New Orleans, tied to a long tradition of black Creole cooking but also exuberantly personal. Theres a lot of flavor in these dishes, a lot of pride too, and the format means its accessible to more people.

From this foothold, PeeWee's has started a downtown pop-up series and hopes he can expand.

When I cook for you, Im giving you me, Armstrong said. When you taste my food, youre tasting me.After President Donald Trump's televised Oval Office address last night in which he repeated his call for a physical border wall separating the United States from Mexico, U.S. Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Neely Kennedy reintroduced legislation that would have Americans, not Mexico, paying for its construction.

We can certainly afford the construction, Kennedy said in a statement. Sen. [Jim] Inhofe and I are teaming up on legislation that will save taxpayers $33 billion simply by ensuring that the taxpayers generosity isnt wasted."

Trump urges wall funding to fix border crisis in TV address WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump made a somber televised plea for border wall funding Tuesday night, seeking an edge in his shutdown b

The WALL Act, which Cassidy and Kennedy introduced with U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Ted Cruz of Texas, would fund the border wall with $25 billion raised from cracking down on fraud and abuse, which Inhofe has repeatedly claimed would pay for itself over the next 10 years  with $8 billion left over.

Cassidy press secretary Ty Bofferding said the senator had introduced legislation last year that would have funded the wall by seizing assets of drug traffickers, and that the WALL Act would not raise or redirect current taxes, but rather come from crackdowns on new and existing laws.

Much of the funds would come from new laws that would require a work-authorized Social Security number to claim refundable tax credits, require more stringent application requirements for welfare applicants and increase fines on those who cross the border illegally.

This isnt just about illegal immigration, and it isnt just about stopping dangerous gang members from coming into our country," Cassidy said in a statement. "Its also about stopping the flow of drugs coming across our border, killing Americans in communities across the country."

Trump promised 212 times during his presidential campaign that Mexico would pay for the wall, and that payment was a cornerstone of his "Contract With the American Voter," a list of promises he issued in 2016. His language was unequivocal: "[It] fully-funds the construction of a wall on our southern border... with the full understanding that the country of Mexico will be reimbursing the United States for the full cost of such a wall."

Since then, Trump has floated several rationales for having Americans pay for it, including reworking the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The federal government is currently in its 19th day of a partial shutdown over Trump's insistence he will not sign any legislation to fund the government unless it includes at least $5 billion for border wall construction; House Democrats have offered $1.3 billion.

Trump also offered to take the blame for the shutdown, later reversing himself and blaming Democrats. Today he told The Washington Post that he was willing to let the shutdown go on indefinitely: "Whatever it takes."Just when you thought politics couldnt get any nastier, theres this. Supporters of one of the Democratic Partys fastest-rising stars, New York U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have attacked House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, a Louisiana Republican, in a most vicious way.

It all started when Scalise responded to Ocasio-Cortez proposing a 70 percent tax rate to fund a "Green New Deal" program.

Republicans: Let Americans keep more of their own hard-earned money. Democrats: Take away 70 percent of your income and give it to leftist fantasy programs, Scalise tweeted last week.

Ocasio-Cortez countered, tweeting, "Youre the GOP Minority Whip. How do you not know how marginal tax rates work? Oh, thats right, almost forgot: GOP works for the corporate CEOs showering themselves in multi-million bonuses; not the actual working people whose wages + healthcare theyre ripping off for profit.

After the Ocasio-Cortez tweet, things got really ugly. One Ocasio-Cortez supporter tweeted, Shes got better aim than James Hodgkinson, thats for sure.

In 2017, Scalise almost lost his life after being shot by sniper James Hodgkinson, a supporter and campaign volunteer of socialist Bernie Sanders.

Another Ocasio-Cortez supporter tweeted Kick his cane. Yet another tweeted for Ocasio-Cortez to "snipe his ass, speaking of Scalise. That tweet got more than 1,000 likes and 30 retweets.

"I'd like to see her stand up to this," Scalise said on Monday. "Everybody ought to stand up to this kind of discussion. If somebody wants to have a debate about policy, thats what were all about. That's what the First Amendment's all about, but you shouldnt threaten people. And if youve got to threaten people to make your point, you have already lost. 

Ocasio-Cortez has yet to condemn her supporters vile attacks of Scalise, although Scalise asked her to do so. No one should be judged by their worst online supporter, just as Sanders shouldnt be judged by the fact that Hodgkinson, an obviously disturbed man, supported him. But public figures, including President Donald Trump, can help promote healthier dialogue on social media and in other forums by setting a good example of what civil discourse is supposed to be.

Scalise made a nod in that direction when he offered an olive branch to Ocasio-Cortez. Hi @AOC. Happy to continue this debate on the Floor of the Peoples House, but its clearly not productive to engage here with some of your radical followers," Scalise tweeted, referring to Ocasio-Cortez by her initials.

The national media has refused to press Ocasio-Cortez for not addressing her supporters disgusting attacks, although Scalise had raised the issue. Can you imagine the media firestorm if she were a Republican and refused to condemn her supporters for saying such things? The media has also given Ocasio-Cortez a pass on other matters. She recently referred to the three chambers of Congress. She described them as the presidency, the Senate and the House.

On Monday Ocasio-Cortez said, It is more important to be morally right than factually correct.

Wait. What?

But even with her socialist bent and obvious lack of basic understanding of civics, Ocasio-Cortez still won her New York House seat, capturing 78 percent of the vote.

A Gallup poll conducted in August shows Democrats increasingly embracing socialism. Its the first time socialism out-polled capitalism among Democrats in the 10 years Gallups been asking the question. Only 47 percent of Democrats now view capitalism positively. Fifty-seven percent of Democrats view socialism positively, compared to only 16 percent of Republicans. Many Democrats have learned nothing from history or whats currently happening to those suffering under the socialist regime controlling Venezuela.

Scalise was right in challenging Ocasio-Cortez and her call for a 70 percent tax rate. The successful already carry a disproportionate percent of the burden of funding government. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the top 1 percent of households pay 39.4 percent of federal income taxes, and the top 20 percent pay 88.1 percent of federal income taxes. Forty-five percent of Americans dont pay a penny in federal income taxes.

The socialism Ocasio-Cortez preaches is clearly the fastest-growing movement within the Democratic Party. Moderates like Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards and former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu have little chance of winning national primary elections in todays Democratic Party.

Scalise learned firsthand that some of the socialist sympathizers within the Democratic Party will go to any lengths to attack you if you disagree with their destructive ideology.Baton Rouge businessman and Republican candidate for governor Eddie Rispone took part in a meet and greet event in Baton Rouge Tuesday night, introducing himself to potential voters.

For many (including this Advocate reporter), it was the first event to see Rispone in gubernatorial candidate mode. The event, held in a side room of TJ Ribs, was officially a meeting of the Greater Baton Rouge Young Republicans, but it included several other guests who came to hear from the ISC Constructors co-founder.

Rispone is one of two Republicans who has announced plans to challenge Gov. John Bel Edwards, the only Democratic governor in the Deep South. U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, of Alto, is the other Republican in the race.

Here are key takeaways from what Rispone said and what type of candidate hes establishing himself as.

Rispone has a compelling personal story that he will be sharing.

The son of a North Baton Rouge, blue-collar family, Rispone worked his way through college and went on to co-found a multi-million corporation that has employed thousands of people across Louisiana and Texas.

Before and after the Tuesday event, Rispone appeared to work the room with ease  shaking hands and chatting with each of the events attendees. During his speech, he offered personal anecdotes about his 24 grandchildren, his faith and disclosed that his wife cuts his hair.

When I started thinking about this  I heard it over and over again, Do you know what you are getting into? he said. Its all about my faith. Ive been so blessed in my life.

Rispone said his father worked for Standard Oil (now Exxon) and he grew up living six people in a one-bathroom home.

If I wanted anything, I had to work for it, he said. It was very simple.

Rispone received encouragement from Republican governors in other states who also were successful businessmen before deciding to seek public office.

We have a challenge on our hands, Rispone said. Its very difficult to replace an incumbent.

Louisiana Republicans reportedly still eyeing chance for single, major challenger to John Bel Edwards Louisiana Republicans have said for months that they would like to rally behind a single candidate in an attempt to defeat Gov. John Bel Edwar

Rispone doesnt support legalization of recreational marijuana and needs more information about medical marijuana.

Whenever Edwards hosts his monthly call-in radio show, it's nearly inevitable that he'll be asked about marijuana legalization. During Tuesdays event, Rispone was quickly asked about his own views on the issue.

I dont know much about marijuana, Rispone said, laughing.

He said he would definitely be against legalizing recreational marijuana (a position that Edwards shares), and said he would need more information about medicinal marijuana proposals before staking out a position on the issue.

Rispone doesnt agree with Medicaid expansion, BUT didnt say whether he would repeal it.

Right after taking office, Edwards signed an executive order expanding the states Medicaid health care program for the poor through the federal Affordable Care Act.

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

John Bel Edwards, competitor report millions in the bank as 2019 race heats up The Louisiana governor's race is shaping up to be one of the state's most expensive elections to date  with campaigns reporting millions in t

Under the expansion, adults can enroll if their household income falls below 138 percent of the federal poverty level, which is about $16,600 a year for a single person or $33,900 annually for a family of four. More than 480,000 people, mostly the working poor, have been added to the states Medicaid rolls under the expansion.

Edwards frequently touts it as his most significant accomplishment in office, but the expansion has repeatedly come under fire amid audits that have raised questions about accountability and accusations of misspending.

Rispone cited those audits as evidence of mismanagement and blamed third generation career politician Edwards for not hiring the right people to oversee it. He didnt say whether he would act to eliminate expansion, effectively kicking off thousands of people who have been added in the past three years, but he said he believes that Medicaid was supposed to be for people who cannot work  the elderly and handicapped when it was created decades ago.

Rispone played a big role in circulating television ads that ran shortly after Edwards took office, accusing the governor of lying.

Just months after Edwards took office in 2016, a pro-voucher group launched a six-figure statewide television ad campaign that accused him of lying to voters about a scholarship program that serves low-income families.

Rispone admitted Tuesday that he personally financed the pro-voucher ads, which featured mothers who said they relied on vouchers to send their kids to private schools instead of lower quality public schools.

At the time, Edwards called the accusations misleading, as the state budget shortfall required deep cuts in the governors executive budget proposal. Eventually, the program faced no cuts after lawmakers agreed to more taxes to shore up the states finances.

But Rispone said the episode was a catalyst for his decision to challenge Edwards. He accused the governor of breaking a promise to Catholic bishops in the state and said the governor scared mothers of poor children.

I was upset about that, Rispone said. We finally got the money back in there.

+10 Louisiana governor election: Here's who's in, who's out of 2019 race With less than a year left before the next Louisiana governor's election, a number of candidates have announced their candidacy while far more

Rispone strongly disagrees with Edwards executive order on the Industrial Tax Exemption Program.

In 2016, Edwards signed an executive order reining in the 72-year-old Industrial Tax Exemption Program  giving locals oversight in the program that affects local property taxes. Before Edwards' executive order, ITEP requests were processed at the state level.

The move was supported by teachers unions and Together Baton Rouge, groups that have questioned the ultimate value of ITEP.

But the order has come under fire from manufacturers that have historically relied on the exemptions and argue that it has complicated the process.

Rispone said hes had personal conversations with those affected by the change. He accused Edwards of not notifying key industry players before issuing the order, including the Louisiana Chemical Association.

The governor completely ignores the impact, Rispone said. Thats the kind of thing that is job killing.

Edwards defended changes to the ITEP program during a recent appearance at the Press Club of Baton Rouge as a chance to help local government, but hes indicated hed be open to further tweaks.

We had a situation in Louisiana, where for years, manufacturers could get 100 percent of property taxes exempt for 10 years, he said.Louisiana Republicans have said for months that they would like to rally behind a single candidate in an attempt to defeat Gov. John Bel Edwards this fall.

Despite two Republicans already entering the race, a Republican operative in the state party ranks indicated during a radio interview on Tuesday that it's possible the GOP could formally stake out a preferred candidate.

Were going to try to do what we can to winnow the field down to one, Scott Wilfong said during an episode of Talk Louisiana with Jim Engster. (Listen here, remarks begin about 17 minutes in.)

John Bel Edwards, competitor report millions in the bank as 2019 race heats up The Louisiana governor's race is shaping up to be one of the state's most expensive elections to date  with campaigns reporting millions in t

Wilfong said state party leaders will be meeting in two weeks and likely will discuss plans moving forward.

Weve already got a plan to try to look ahead and settle on one candidate ultimately, he said.

U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham and Baton Rouge businessman Eddie Rispone have already begun fundraising and campaigning in the race, which is seen as a priority for Republicans nationally this year.

+2 Louisiana governor's race considered 'top pick-up opportunity' for Republicans, but who is running? U.S. Sen. John Kennedy is waiting at least a couple more weeks to say whether he will run for governor next year. But on a recent day in Denha

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

At some point, we would like to see one of them get out," Wilfong said.

Edwards, who has been in office since January 2016, is the only Democratic governor in the Deep South.

His campaign announced Tuesday that the incumbent heads into 2019 with nearly $8.4 million in his campaign coffers, after raising $3.8 million in 2018.

Rispones campaign announced that the ISC Constructors co-founder will report $5.5 million cash on hand, about $5 million of which Rispone has put up himself. He raised half a million after establishing a campaign committee in October.

Abraham, meanwhile, hasn't revealed his fundraising haul. Campaign finance reports for 2018 are due Feb. 15, which will provide more insight into campaign spending and top tier donors.

The election is Oct. 12. A Nov. 16 runoff will take place between the top two vote-getters if no candidate gets more than 50 percent of the vote in the primary.Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in emerging markets in Eurasia must demonstrate the ability to assess and mitigate corruption risks in order to do business with multinational firms. The vast majority of SMEs in the region are unable to do so. While corruption risks remain high, these firms are unable to access opportunities for growth. Until recently, Armenia was a case in point.

As discussed here by our colleague Katya Lysova, Armenia now has significant political momentum to fight corruption and the business community wants to do the right thing. To support this extraordinary opening, CIPE has recently launched an anti-corruption compliance program for the Armenian business community. Pro-active adoption of compliance standards will help Armenian SMEs not only reach international supply chains, but also, importantly, re-gain ground on their own domestic market, long dominated by oligarchs.

Besides, SMEs with compliance in place will be better able to reduce the cost of doing business, access credit and financing, attract new clients and partners, and be competitive in domestic and international procurement tenders. While these advantages are clear, the challenge is for Armenia to be able to demonstrate credibly to potential investors that its companies are ready to do business with integrity.

To provide Armenian enterprises with practical experience on anti-corruption compliance, CIPE has collaborated with Russias VimpelCom, a Veon subsidiary known as Beeline brand across the Eurasian markets. After VimpelComs FCPA settlement in 2016, the company has made tremendous efforts to promote the values of compliance and integrity, not only internally, but also across the Eurasia region. Armenians have eagerly learned what it takes to set up a robust compliance program from the ground up and what multinationals, like VimpelCom, expect from SMEs across Eurasia.

In addition, Armenian businesses realized that implementing compliance internally may not be enough for the country to become competitive. Anti-corruption collective action by companies is essential to help cultivate a broader culture of compliance and ethics in the country. Companies need to come together to address systemic corruption risks through a constructive, policy-focused dialogue with government. In addition, collective efforts help disseminate broadly best practices for ethical dealings among business partners and with the government agencies.

At the December 9 snap parliamentary elections in Armenia, citizens voted for a platform of combating corruption, giving the most recent prime minister Nikol Pashinyans Civil Contract party 70.5 percent of the vote. The Armenian businesses have just begun the road to compliance and the post-election climate is, like never before, conducive for doing ethical business.

In fact immediately after the elections, the new government has made public its draft anti-corruption strategy for 2019-2022. This document instructs the Ministry of Economic Development and Investments, the Ministry of Justice, and the Central Bank of Armenia to promote actively the adoption of anti-corruption compliance standards by both private and state-owned companies. It also requires transparency of public procurement process and setting up a blacklist for violators. It is very encouraging the government prioritized instilling integrity and compliance as a fundamental norm necessary for the country to move past its corrupt past.

CIPE is working with three Armenian organizations to assist domestic companies with introducing compliance programs. The partners, the Yerevan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Armenian Lawyers Association, and the Corporate Governance Center, are each reaching out to a wide range of firms from SMEs to large and state-owned enterprises. These compliance efforts will help position Armenia back on the map for investors, domestic and foreign alike.

____

Natalia Otel Belan, pictured above left, is regional director for Europe and Eurasia at the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). She can be contacted here. Yulia Glubokaya, above right, is deputy director for compliance at VimpelCom Russia. She can be contacted here.Louisiana residents who rely on food stamps will receive their benefits at least through February, even as a federal government shutdown stretches on with no end in sight.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, in a call with reporters on Tuesday, announced that officials have found a method for ensuring February benefits for the national Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly called food stamps, will be funded despite the ongoing partial government shutdown that began Dec. 22.

I know there has been genuine concern across America about what will happen with these benefits, Perdue said.

Nearly 1 in 5 people in Louisiana receives food stamps  more than 850,000 people each year, many of them families with children.

No impact on state services yet, but Louisiana officials monitoring as fed shutdown stretches on Louisiana leaders are closely monitoring state services that have not yet but ultimately could be affected as the federal government shutdown 

The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, which administers the federally funded food stamp program, had previously been told that benefits were guaranteed through January. Under the new plan described by Perdue, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will work with states to implement an early issuance of February benefits to work around a federal funding deadline. Across the country, more than 19 million households receive SNAP benefits that could be impacted if there were a lapse in funding.

Recipients should see no disruption in their benefits, even if the government remains shut down amid President Donald Trumps standoff with congressional leaders over funding for a wall along the Mexican border. Trump is requesting more than $5 billion for the border wall, which is part of his attempt to curb illegal immigration.

The scoop on state politics in your inbox Get the Louisiana politics insider details once a week from us. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Perdue, a Trump appointee who previously was governor of Georgia, called on the U.S. House and Senate to reach an agreement that meets Trumps demands.

+5 Baton Rouge restaurant has free breakfast for unpaid federal workers as shutdown persists Good news has been scant for the federal employees going unpaid as Americas partial government shutdown drags on.

The president has been clear about what he expects to see, he said. For now, weve solved the problem about what to do about February benefits. The next question will be What about March?

Acting Deputy Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Brandon Lipps, who also briefed reporters on the plan Tuesday, said the USDA is notifying each state of the requirements to file for benefits ahead of normal schedule and by Jan. 20.

We know this is a time of uncertainty and anxiety for those who depend on SNAP, Lipp said. Making this work in practice will require close coordination with states and EBT (electronic benefit transfer) vendors.

He stressed that recipients should not see disruptions and likely will have access to benefits ahead of schedule.

Its important that recipients know that they have all options to sign up and use their benefits during this time, he said.A retired Albemarle executive who has been attacked by teacher unions and celebrated by charter school groups is the odds-on favorite to become the next president of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board.

In interviews with The Advocate on Tuesday, Mike Gaudet was the only board member who said he is seeking the presidency, and several board members said they are supporting him, including current board President David Tatman.

Gaudet and the eight other members of the board took their oaths of office Tuesday at McKinley Middle School, officially starting four-year terms overseeing the second-largest public school district in Louisiana.

Seven, including Gaudet, are re-elected incumbents, while two, Tramelle Howard and Dadrius Lanus, are newcomers who defeated incumbents.

These nine members will reconvene at 5 p.m. Thursday at the School Board office, 1050 S. Foster Drive, for a special meeting to select their president and vice president.

The board votes annually on who its leaders will be. The president and the vice president often represent the board in many school matters.

Gaudet said hes been calling his fellow board members this past week, informing them of his interest in becoming board president, but said he didnt go so far as to ask for their vote Thursday.

Gaudet joined the board in January 2017, replacing Barbara Freiberg after she was elected to the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council. Gaudet himself won a special election later that year for the District 7 seat and was re-elected on Nov. 6 for a four-year term. The charter-school friendly group Stand For Children spent heavily to support him both times, far outspending all his opponents.

I think I have good organizational skills. I have a lot of financial experience. I have a lot of large organizational experience, he said.

At the same time, Gaudet said he has gaps in his expertise.

If Im elected, I will be leaning very heavily on the other board members to bring their skills to the table so we can do a very good job, he said.

Gaudet made an immediate impact in 2017 after he helped negotiate a new facility management contract with Philadelphia-based Aramark that is saving the school system millions of dollars a year. Gaudet has been an advocate for science and math education, outside reviews of school system spending, and better oversight of the school districts 10 charter schools. He also angered local teacher unions in siding with business groups that want to maintain much of Louisianas controversial, decades-old industrial tax exemption program.

Tatman, who has served as president for four of his eight years on the board, said Tuesday he has no plans to seek the job again. He said he is more interested in forging a consensus among his colleagues about who should be in board leadership.

+2 David Tatman voted back for fourth year as East Baton Rouge Parish School Board president David Tatman was returned Thursday night without opposition to serve as president of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, a position he h

Board member Jill Dyason said she is supporting Gaudet and is especially encouraged by his promise to collaborate with other board members. Dyason, who is the longest-serving board member, having joined the board in 2001, said she wants to get right to work and not fight over who should be in leadership.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

We have a lot to do, she said.

New board members Howard and Lanus, both of whom ran on change platforms, said they have not settled on who they want to be president and vice president, but they are clear they want new board leadership.

There should be a change in leadership so that the public knows that we are taking a new trajectory, Howard said.

+3 Youth movement on East Baton Rouge School Board? Possible shakeup after young teacher elected Dadrius Lanus has joined his friend Tramelle Howard as the newest and youngest members of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, a board fi

Their tacit opposition to Tatman staying as president is no surprise. Tatman gave money to the campaigns of the incumbents they unseated, Kenyetta Nelson-Smith and Vereta Lee, $2,000 and $3,000, respectively.

Howard beat Nelson-Smith in the Nov. 6 election and Lanus defeated Lee in the Dec. 8 runoff.

The defeat of Nelson-Smith, who was board vice president, also leaves a vacancy in that seat.

Board member Dawn Collins said in talking to other board members, she thinks its a foregone conclusion that Gaudet will be the next president. She said she thought Evelyn Ware-Jackson was also the likely next vice president, but Ware-Jackson said Tuesday she took herself out of the running.

Ware-Jackson served as board president in 2017 but was prevented from returning as president when she was outmaneuvered by Tatman, who nailed down sufficient support, leading her to bow out of the running for the post.

Charter school groups pay for 6 EBR School Board members visit Indianapolis 'portfolio' district Four current and two newly elected members of the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board visited Indianapolis last week on a two-day trip showca

Both Ware-Jackson and Tatman said they think at least three other people are in running for vice president but wouldn't say who. They said they haven't settled on who to support.

Connie Bernard, who served as vice president from January 2017 to August 2018, stepped down as board vice president in late August and Nelson-Smith was tapped to replace her. Earlier that month, Bernard entered a neighbor's house where young adults were partying and was issued a misdemeanor citation on a count of entering a neighbor's house and remaining after forbidden, an encounter captured on a profanity-filled video that went viral. In her resignation letter, Bernard made no mention of that incident, saying instead that she left board leadership because her husband, John, had been diagnosed with cancer and that he was undergoing time-consuming treatments.

Bernard would not comment Tuesday on the upcoming leadership vote but said she has no plans to rejoin board leadership because of her husbands ongoing cancer treatments.Citing the "life altering" impact of the crime, a prosecutor is urging a state judge not to reduce a Baton Rouge man's 45-year prison term for shooting and paralyzing his then-girlfriend as she was taking a bath in her home in 2017.

Carl Thompson II's attorney, Mark Simmons, filed a motion last month asking District Judge Richard Anderson to reconsider the sentence imposed Dec. 11, calling it excessive and cruel and unusual punishment.

+2 Man who paralyzed then-girlfriend in bathtub shooting calls 45-year sentence cruel and unusual A Baton Rouge man who shot his then-girlfriend six times while she bathed, paralyzing her, claims the 45-year prison term he received last wee

East Baton Rouge Parish Assistant District Attorney Melanie Fields, who prosecuted the 48-year-old Thompson, filed a response to that motion Monday and said there is no need for the judge to rethink a sentence that fit the crime.

"Due to the extremely violent nature of the crime and the life altering consequences, the State contends that any lesser sentence would deprecate the seriousness of the defendant's crime," Fields wrote.

Thompson shot Angela Gabriel, 43, six times while she took a bath in February 2017 at her Lake Lawford Court home. The mother of four children is now permanently paralyzed from the chest down. Thompson is the father of her two youngest children.

Fields noted in her court filing that, at the time of the shooting, their infant son was in a bed in the master bedroom next to the bathroom where Gabriel was shot.

"While Mr. Thompson shot directly at Ms. Gabriel, his infant son lies only feet away," the prosecutor stated.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Thompson testified at his trial that he snapped and shot Gabriel during an argument over how she was suctioning the nose of their 1-year-old son.

Gabriel told the jury that after Thompson stopped firing, he said, "Look what you made me do, Angie!"

Gabriel said she has forgiven Thompson and asked Anderson to be lenient when he sentenced him.

+3 After he shot and paralyzed her, Baton Rouge woman forgives dad of her kids; he gets 45 years in prison A Baton Rouge man who left his then-girlfriend paralyzed after shooting her six times as she took a bath last year was sentenced Tuesday to 45

Fields said in her motion that Gabriel did so out of concern for the children, so Thompson might still have an opportunity to be present in their lives.

"Ms. Gabriel ... was clearly speaking as a mother and as a Christian who believes it her duty to forgive and put her children first," Fields wrote.

Thompson, a former Baton Rouge firefighter, was convicted last summer of attempted second-degree murder. He faced a sentence of 10 to 50 years behind bars.A man who claims he was brutally beaten, forced to sleep on the floor and fight other inmates in the Tangipahoa Parish Jail has sued Sheriff Daniel Edwards, former jail warden Stuart Murphy and other deputies in New Orleans federal court.

The lawsuit was filed Friday by Joseph Martin, who spent two months in the jail in late 2017 and early 2018 after a traffic stop. He eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor drug charge.

After being arrested, the lawsuit alleges, Martin was placed in the "X tier," which had 28 inmates but only 24 beds. That shortage, he said, caused inmates to fight for beds, and he ended up sleeping on the floor for a week, according to the lawsuit.

Martin was also terrorized by gang members in his tier, who ordered him to fight with his cellmate. If he refused, the gang members would beat them up, the suit says.

The gang members also ordered him to use the broken wheel of a cart to create a hole in a jail wall through which drugs could be passed. Later, inmates cornered him in the jail and ordered him to cut himself so he could be sent to the hospital, where he would be given drugs to smuggle into the jail.

+2 Jail in 'state of chaos?' Tangipahoa inmate's brutal death likened to 'shark feeding frenzy' Tommy Joe Smith, a 40-year-old Independence man, was just trying to find a bunk in a dorm at the Tangipahoa Parish Jail last week after he was

Martin repeatedly refused and was beaten for his refusals, the lawsuit says. His repeated pleas for help or a transfer to another tier were ignored or dismissed by jail guards, Murphy and others, the suit says.

On Jan. 15, 2018, Martin was beaten unconscious by four inmates while in the tier, the suit says. He was later found by deputies, who saw him lying on the floor and dragged him to the front of the jail, according to the suit.

From there, he was taken to Lallie Kemp Regional Medical Center, where doctors noted cuts, broken facial bones and broken orbital bones. He was sent to University Medical Center in New Orleans for surgery. He remains blind in his right eye, and a titanium plate was placed in his face to stabilize broken bones, the suit says. During his recovery, a Tangipahoa deputy came to the hospital to tell him he was being released on his own recognizance, the suit says.

Several times during his stay in the jail, Martin submitted paperwork to move, but deputies told him that they "never look at" those forms, the suit alleges.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Tangipahoa jail worker fired after alleged argument, agreement to fight inmate A worker at the Tangipahoa Parish jail has been fired after he allegedly accepted the invitation from an inmate to go somewhere and fight.

Martin also saw other victims of beatings by the gang seek help by banging on the windows of the guard station. Martin overheard an unnamed deputy telling one beating victim that he wouldn't be moved out of the tier if he "beat on the window like a bitch," the suit says.

Edwards, the sheriff, declined to comment on the suit, saying he hadn't seen it.

Martin's account is consistent with other suits filed by former inmates at the Amite facility.

In February 2017, Tommy Joe Smith, who was in the jail on a probation violation, was beaten to death by as many as a dozen inmates in what one prisoner referred to as a "shark feeding frenzy." Eleven men and one juvenile were later booked with crimes related to the killing. It also prompted Edwards to announce later that year that Murphy would be transferred and Hellary Greene would take over running the jail.

Later that year, a transgender woman alleged that she had been beaten and repeatedly raped by inmates at the jail while guards ignored her pleas for help and requests to be segregated from other inmates.

Lawsuit: Deputies ignored cries of transgender woman raped in Tangipahoa Parish Prison A transgender woman was beaten and repeatedly raped by a group of male inmates at the Tangipahoa Parish Prison last year while deputies ignore

In a 2014 suit, an inmate accused a deputy of standing by while a rape occurred in a jail shower. That inmate claimed that when he banged on the window of the guard station, a guard told him to "sit down and shut up."

Tangipahoa Sheriff's Office brass are aware of the problems, the suit says. Edwards and Murphy "were aware of the existence of a disproportionately high level of inmate-on-inmate violence at the (jail) yet they failed to take steps to address this issue and reduce the amount of violence," the suit says.

The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown.CLINTON  The Clinton mayor is again under investigation by the East Feliciana Sheriff's Office and Louisiana State Police for her response, oCLINTON  Townspeople peppered Mayor Lori Ann Bell and other town officials about the condition of the town's water system and finances during a lengthy meeting Tuesday.

The town is operating at 50 percent of its normal expenditures because the mayor and board of aldermen failed to adopt a 2019 budget before the year began; meanwhile, the state is pressuring the town to address a number of deficiencies with its water system.

Clinton's water woes compounding as fines loom, 2019 budget remains unapproved The town of Clinton has two weeks to make serious headway on its troubled water system or it could face fines from the Louisiana Department of

Town accountant Tim Butler said the budget restrictions limit the town to spending $39,000 from its general fund this month, $32,000 from its utility fund and $8,000 from its sales tax fund, which is dedicated to streets and sidewalks.

The mayor said a public hearing on the new year's budget is set for Jan. 29.

Town Clerk Anjanetha Shropshire blamed the inability to set a public hearing before Jan. 1 on an employee of The Advocate who handles legal notices for the paper and its Thursday supplement, The Watchman.

Many people in the overflow audience questioned her at length about her explanation.

Three companies that can pick their domiciles anywhere in the state nearly bailed out the town's 2018 budget deficit by paying property taxes in December. The companies, which operate railroads or barge lines, usually choose a domicile in the parish with the lowest tax rate.

The town now has $14,000 in outstanding bills, down from a high of $148,000, Butler said.

Audience member Bart Blackledge pointed out that property tax revenues would normally be earmarked for 2019 expenses, but since the extra money was spent to get out of a hole in 2018, the town will be broke again by April or May.

Alderwoman Mary Dunaway said she hopes to get a meeting with the state legislative auditor soon to ask questions about the possibility of getting the state to appoint a fiscal administrator to take over the town's spending until its problems are resolved.

The town's general fund owes the sales tax fund about $95,000 because the latter's revenues were used for purposes other than street and sidewalk expenses.

The aldermen discussed setting up a "promissory note" to gradually pay down the debt but left it hanging after Butler said "there's no road map" of how to set up a repayment plan.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Bell suggested the town could save money by not paying 100 percent of the premium costs for town employee health insurance.

She said the town could perhaps pay 70 or 80 percent of the premiums, but the board did not act on the suggestion after members could not get a firm answer on how much would be saved.

+2 Clinton mayor under investigation again, this time over the town's water system woes CLINTON  The Clinton mayor is again under investigation by the East Feliciana Sheriff's Office and Louisiana State Police for her response, o

Most of the dozens of questions from the audience were directed at Bell and the state's scrutiny of the water system.

Dunaway and Alderman Mark Kemp complained that the board was left in the dark about a 90-day notice the state Health Department issued in September for the town to correct a number of problems with the water system.

Acting Maintenance Superintendent Kerry Winters said the town has only one well operating now, but a well on Taylor Street will come back online when a service company installs a new motor on its pump.

Winters said "all the water's good," but audience members questioned how he could be sure when test samples had not been analyzed by the state.

Kemp also questioned how the well could be repaired in "two or three days" when Bell did not take care of the deficiencies during the 90 days the state gave the town to come into compliance.

Bell also announced that a $27,000 state grant will be used for the well. She said the money was awarded in 2017, but it was directed toward water line replacements. Its purpose was changed with the state's permission but the money must be spent by February, she said.

Bell has been twice arrested as part of an ongoing investigation of the town's spending, and State Police investigator Bill Cox and East Feliciana Chief Deputy Greg Phares monitored the session. Cox said he came to the meeting in his official capacity.

Bell was arrested for the third time in recent months Wednesday, accused of failing to respond to multiple warnings about significant deficiencies in the town's water system.

Editor's note: This story was updated Jan. 9 to add Mayor Lori Bell's third arrest.The city-parish has hired an outside law firm to respond to public records requests related to personnel matters within the East Baton Rouge Parish Attorney's Office as efforts ramp up to oust the department's top official.

Tuesday's hiring of the Erlingson Banks law firm  for up to $17,500  comes after The Advocate submitted several public records requests for documents from, to and concerning Parish Attorney Lea Anne Batson, who learned last week that Metro Councilman LaMont Cole wants to begin proceedings that could lead to her firing. He would need seven votes from the 12-member council to start the process.

Cole has not said why he wants the Metro Council to remove Batson, who has been parish attorney since the council fired her predecessor in 2014. Cole intends to ask the Metro Council on Wednesday to set a public hearing to remove Batson.

East Baton Rouge councilman seeks Parish Attorney's ouster, won't comment why An East Baton Rouge Parish councilman has launched an effort to oust the head of the Parish Attorneys Office, but says he cant go into detai

If the item moves forward, that hearing will occur Jan. 23.

Hiring an outside legal team was "purely for reinforcing the integrity of the office," said Ashley Beck, administrator-treasurer for the Metro Council. "I want to remove any question or concerns about the way these requests are being handled in reference to the city-parish attorney's office."

Beck said having an outside agency review the records creates less of a conflict as opposed to having Batson's employees retrieve files that could be related to their boss's performance.

Because the contract with Erlingson Banks doesn't exceed $17,500, it won't need council approval, she said. Erlingson Banks already handles any requests from the public for records related to the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff's Office.

The Parish Attorney's Office will still handle records requests not related to Batson or personnel matters within her office, Beck said.

In an email Tuesday, attorney Mary Erlingson said her firm is gathering the documents The Advocate has requested and would respond "immediately" to discuss how they can be reviewed.

The Advocate submitted multiple requests for various records from the Parish Attorney's Office last week after the rest of the council and city-parish heads were notified Cole's item would be appearing on the agenda of Wednesday's council meeting.

Batson has 30 years' experience with the Parish Attorneys Office.

Top stories in Baton Rouge in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Several emails Batson wrote in December, which the newspaper obtained late last week, indicate she believes Cole wants to remove her because he's interested in appointing her first assistant, Tedrick Knightshead, in her place.

Batson herself had been serving as the first assistant when she was appointed to the top job by the council.

Both Cole and Batson on Tuesday refused to comment on the matter.

Knightshead, who's expected to resign from Batson's No. 2 spot effective Jan. 31, said Tuesday he has not discussed anything about Batson, or stepping into her position, with Cole.

"There is no animosity between us," he said.

In an Dec. 26 email Batson sent to someone whose name was redacted, she details her account of the circumstances surrounding Knightshead's decision to resign, claiming he refused to adhere to certain polices she implemented to address issues within the Parish Attorney's Office that were called into question when her predecessor, Mary Roper, was fired by the council in 2014.

Some parish attorneys have busy side gigs More than half of the full-time lawyers who work in the East Baton Rouge Parish Attorneys Office maintain a private side practice, an arrange

The issues council members cited back then involved parish attorneys spending more time working on cases through their private practices instead of handling city-parish legal matters. Some officials thought the outside work created conflicts of interest when they represented criminal defendants.

"When I was interviewed, and subsequently appointed, I committed to eliminate the conflicts and strictly adhere to accountability with hours worked," Batson wrote in the Dec. 26 email. "Tedrick has refused to adhere to those policies so it was agreed that it would be better if he retired."

But Knightshead maintained his previous statement that his decision to leave the Parish Attorney's Office was about his need to move on to something else after working there for 13 years.

"This has nothing to do with me," Knightshead said Tuesday. "I think my resignation might have been the catalyst for the council to say, 'Why is he leaving? We really like him.' Purchases made via links on our site may earn us an affiliate commissionJames Niehues, the famed painter of more than 200 trail maps of Earths ski mountains, is pictured in his studio in Loveland. (Courtesy photo)A resident from Nebraska, now dubbed as "miracle man," becomes conscious after his children decided to remove his life support after being declared as nearly brain dead.

T. Scott Marr, the patient, was found unconscious but still breathing on his bed on Dec. 12. His children rushed him at Methodist Hospital, where he was immediately placed on breathing tubes in the intensive care unit and then the next day, he would undergo a series of tests including a CT scan.

Leading To Brain Death

The 61-year-old's daughter, Preston, said her intubated father didn't look like he was in pain, but that he wasn't responsive. Doctors explained that as per the CT scan results, Marr had "what looked like a massive brain stem stroke with severe brain swelling."

After no signs of improvement, doctors were greatly worried of the brain swelling, and doctors feared for the worst, that it will lead Marr to be brain dead. That said, the siblings were forced to be slapped with the truth: that their father may no longer recover.

Thinking about what their father had always told them when he was well of his desire not to be seen lying in a hospital, the kids requested to remove the life support, but Marr was still breathing. Before removing the life support, they bid goodbye to their father and stayed on his side even when personnel started turning the monitors off.

The kids went home thinking that their dad may have wanted them to leave before passing away. Upon reaching their house, Preston and the rest of the family had started planning for Marr's funeral on Dec. 14, but still wanted to see him for the last time.

Miraculous Recovery

When they got to the hospital, Preston talked to her dad, who smiled in return. Thinking she was just dreaming, she asked her dad to move his thumb, then his toes, all of which he miraculously did. The family called on the attention of the doctors, who also talked with the patient and ordered him to do a series of small tasks.

MRI showed that he suffered from posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome, an extremely rare illness, and not from stroke. Marr started physical therapy and weeks after, he was finally able to come home.

 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

A Brand's Guide to Digital Shelf Analytics | eBook

What can you do to improve your digital commerce game? The first rule of the digital shelf is to make sure your products can be found. Some might say its mission impossible. Unless, of course, you use digital shelf analytics (DSA). Get the eBook Today!

Powerful technologies like deep data, artificial intelligence and quantum computing should be introduced into society carefully, IBM CEO Ginni Rometty declared in Tuesday's keynote address kicking off CES in Las Vegas.

"These tools are so powerful they will solve some of the most enduring problems -- like food safety, waste," she said, "but like all powerful tools, we've got to usher them in safely into society."

In order for those technologies to thrive, trust and security will be necessary, Rometty observed. "A competitive differentiator for all ... will be trust."

She urged development teams to "always remember the purpose of these technologies is to augment man. It is not to replace man."

Rometty also made a case for people owning the data they create.

All data belongs to the owners, she suggested, and it is with their permission that we use it to gain insights.

Openness and Transparency

Rometty called for the new technologies to be open and transparent, "but more than anything, that they are explainable, and they are free of bias."

The biggest challenges to the adoption of emerging technologies, like AI and quantum computing, are creating transparency and preventing bias, suggested Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT, a technology advisory firm in Hayward, California.

"In the former case, many or even most people don't fully understand how these technologies work, so they're unlikely to fully trust systems to perform important or crucial tasks," he told TechNewsWorld.

"Moreover, in compliance-regulated areas, like banking, insurance and healthcare, decisions and findings need to be provably correct for businesses to avoid penalties and fines," King pointed out.

"As a result, IBM is working on a range of solutions designed to make AI systems and results explainable to business owners and other interested parties," he said. "The company also offers solutions -- like AI OpenScale, that is designed to automatically determine if AI systems have become biased, and to then take corrective measures."

A Great Message

Rometty's cautious optimism about artificial intelligence contrasts with the attitudes of some other high-profile tech leaders, who see AI as the beginning of the end for humanity.

"The message that we all need to look at how to use technology for the good of society as a whole is a great message," said Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research, a high-tech research and advisory firm in Phoenix, Arizona.

"Everyone who says that, though, almost has to put that disclaimer in there of 'We have to be careful. We have to use it wisely,'" he told TechNewsWorld.

"IBM's view is that for something as potentially volatile as artificial intelligence, it's almost like nuclear technology," noted Roger L. Kay, president of Endpoint Technologies Associates, a technology advisory firm in Boston, Massachusetts.

"We can't just let it come completely out of the bottle. It has to be managed in some way," he told TechNewsWorld. "There's a submessage in there, too. It's inevitable that it comes out. It's coming no matter what."

A reminder to proceed cautiously may be in order, given the pace of business today.

"There is a race to capture and analyze data at massive scale because the information that results can redefine competitions, ranging from political and military areas, to healthcare, to weather, to all aspects of business," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group, an advisory services firm in Bend, Oregon.

"People racing often take shortcuts, and shortcuts in data integrity, accuracy or bias could change what should be incredibly powerful, helpful tools into disasters at near-epic scale," he told TechNewsWorld.

Mankind's Little Helper

For the near future, Rometty's vision of artificial intelligence augmenting mankind, not replacing it, seems like a good bet.

"When I talk about AI with people, I talk about assisted intelligence," said Jack E. Gold, principal analyst at J.Gold Associates, a technology consulting firm in Northborough, Massachusetts.

"If you look where AI is going, at least over the next decade, it's about making our lives easier and helping us do stuff, not replacing us," he told TechNewsWorld.

"Sometime in the future, is there a possibility that we'll be replaced by certain things? Sure, but automation always replaces things," Gold added.

Over the past half century, computing technologies have caused massive disruptions in many industries and professions, Pund-IT's King observed, but they also have created new companies, jobs and workplace benefits.

"By focusing on how new technologies will augment man, Rometty is taking -- and asking others to take -- the long view on these developments," he said. "The changes won't happen overnight, but when they do occur, disruptions in some places will be offset by new opportunities in others."

Retraining the Workforce

To deal with displacement by technology, workforces must be retrained, Rometty said in her keynote. She cited one public-private partnership program IBM is involved in, called "P-Tech," a six-year program that combines a high school diploma with an associates degree. Students graduate from the program debt free.

There are 400 P-Tech schools with 125,000 students in 11 states and 13 countries.

"We've been at now it a while -- graduation rates are 400 percent greater than community colleges," Rometty said.

The graduates are on a new career path, one to fill "new collar" jobs, she added. "We're trying to say there's not a stigma in not necessarily having to have a four-year college degree."

Although retraining is seen as a way to address job displacement due to technology, it's had minimal impact in the past.

"Politicians are always saying they're going to retrain the workforce. It never happens," Tirias' McGregor remarked.

"So whenever you have a technology shift, you always have displaced workers," he said. "It's left for society to evolve the workforce, because governments are very ineffective at doing that."

Canceling Cancellations

Appearing with Rometty during her presentation were Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines and Charles Redfield, executive vice president of food for Walmart's U.S. stores. Both had stories to tell about efficiencies their organizations have gained through technology.

In 2010, Delta had a canceled flight on every day of the year, including 5,600 maintenance cancellations, Bastion noted. By 2018, thanks to technology, the airline had 251 cancellation-free days, and only 55 maintenance cancellations.

In the past, Walmart had problems tracing the origin of food, Redfield recalled. For example, it took seven days to trace a package of mangoes from the shelf to the farm. However, with the use of blockchain technology, the trace took 2.2 seconds.

"Blockchain is one of those technologies that is going to drastically change the market because it's going to cut out a lot of the people in the middle in a lot of transactions," McGregor said. "The market is latching onto blockchain faster than I would have predicted."

John P. Mello Jr. has been an ECT News Network reporter since 2003. His areas of focus include cybersecurity, IT issues, privacy, e-commerce, social media, artificial intelligence, big data and consumer electronics. He has written and edited for numerous publications, including the Boston Business Journal, the Boston Phoenix, Megapixel.Net and Government Security News. Email John.

If youre a Ring owner frustrated by the lack of Google Assistant support, help may be on the way. In an interview at CES on Tuesday, Ring founder and chief inventor Jamie Siminoff said one of the tasks facing him is expanding support for third-party products.

I think were going to see over the next few years a lot of growth in the connecting of other products, he said. So at Ring youre going to see us connecting with a lot of other third-party products where theyve done a great job of building those things, like locks.

Some of that is already happening. At CES this week, Ring announced new support for its Ring Alarm system and smart locks from Kwikset, Schlage and Yale.

But when it comes to smart assistant support, Ring offers Alexa and nothing else. Thats not a surprise, as Amazon acquired Ring last year and ever since then, customers have been wondering if support for Google Assistant would be coming.

I asked Siminoff about Google Assistant and he said Ring is open to working with all platforms.

Were looking at integrating with all the different types of platforms out there. Its not just about keeping it internal, he said.

I pressed further, asking if that means we might see Google Assistant functionality at some point in the future?

Absolutely, he said. We would like to be integrated with every platform thats out there, best choice for the customer. Thats whats always most important for Ring as well as Amazon.

Google Assistant is installed on more than a billion devices, many of them phones, and active users have increased four times in the last year, according to the Google. Adding support for Assistant could open up Ring to customers in the Google ecosystem who are interested in smart home technology, and want full functionality.Florida Department of Health reported 12,157 new COVID-19 cases statewide during the week of June 4-10, bringing the cumulative total since March 2020 to 2,300,786. Forty more people died, upping the death toll to 37,265.Today show weatherman Al Roker is defending an Upstate New York meteorologist who was fired after using a racial slur in reference to Martin Luther King Jr. on live TV.

Jeremy Kappell was fired from WHEC-TV (News 10 NBC) in Rochester on Monday, following three days of public outcry after he appeared to refer to a Rochester park as Martin Luther Coon King Jr. Park during a weather report on air Friday. Kappell apologized Monday, but said he should not have been fired for unintentionally misspeaking during the broadcast.

Roker, a SUNY Oswego alumnus and former reporter for WHEN-TV in Syracuse (now CNY Centrals WTVH-5), said that Kappell should be given a chance to return to the television station.

" I think @JeremyKappell made an unfortunate flub and should be given the chance to apologize on @news10nbc Anyone who has done live tv and screwed up (google any number of ones Ive done) understands, Roker wrote on Twitter Wednesday morning.

According to the Democrat & Chronicle, the tweet came after NBC aired a segment about Kappell on the Today show. Co-host Craig Melvin agreed with Roker that it was an honest mistake.

Anyone who has done this as long as we have done it on air, you flub, Melvin said. You make mistakes and it seems this guy made a genuine mistake.

In a Facebook video posted Monday, Kappell said he spoke too fast and unintentionally jumbled MLKs name during the broadcast.

What happened on Friday, to me, its a simple misunderstanding. If you watch me regularly you know that I tend to contain a lot of information in my weather cast, which forces me to speak fast and unfortunately I spoke a little too fast when I was referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So fast to the point where I jumbled a couple of words. In my mind I knew I mispronounced, but there was no malice. I had no idea the way it came across to many people, Kappell said.

That is not a word I said, I promise you that. If you did feel that it hurt you in any way in any way I sincerely apologize. I would never want to tarnish the reputation of a such a great man as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the greatest civic leaders of all time.

According to LinkedIn, Kappell has been a meteorologist working for WHEC since October 2017. The Purdue University alumnus previously worked at WDRB in Louisville, Kentucky; WZTV in Nashville, Tennessee; and WSNT in Topeka, Kansas.

Im so disappointed that my career could end this way and Im extremely disappointed by my television station, whom I expect a certain level of support from and I did not receive at all, he said.

A petition demanding WHEC put Kappell back on the air has been signed more than 30,000 supporters.

I think @JeremyKappell made an unfortunate flub and should be given the chance to apologize on @news10nbc Anyone who has done live tv and screwed up (google any number of ones Ive done) understands.  Al Roker (@alroker) January 9, 2019

Perhaps, but do you know that. Unless some friends or acquaintances come forward with that, you cant make that assumption https://t.co/kiKZgQb6Z9  Al Roker (@alroker) January 9, 2019WASHINGTON  President Donald Trumps plea for supporters of his border wall to call their members of Congress had little impact Wednesday on Central New Yorks congressional delegation.

The offices of U.S. Reps. John Katko, R-Camillus, and Anthony Brindisi, D-Utica, reported a small increase in the number of calls from constituents Wednesday compared to the previous 18 days of the partial government shutdown.

In his first nationally-televised address from the Oval Office on Tuesday night, Trump asked supporters to call Congress and demand passage of his request for $5.7 billion for a border wall.

To every citizen: Call Congress and tell them to finally, after all of these decades, secure our border, Trump said. This is a choice between right and wrong, justice and injustice. This is about whether we fulfill our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve.

A spokesman for U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. said the great majority of callers to the senators office Wednesday wanted to see the government reopened  not a border wall. He did not provide specific numbers.

Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, offered a televised rebuttal to Trumps speech with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday night.

Most callers to the office of U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., on Wednesday also voiced greater concern about the shutdown than the border, a spokeswoman said. She declined to provide specific numbers.

Many of the calls to Gillibrands office were from New Yorkers who are afraid they will lose their housing subsidies, food stamp benefits or student financial aid because of the partial shutdown.

About 800,000 federal employees have been off the government payroll since the partial shutdown began Dec. 22, and about half of the workers have been furloughed.

Contact Mark Weiner: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751Sarah Ravenhall, MHA, CHES, is the executive director of the New York State Association of County Health Officials, based in Albany. NYSACHO supports local health departments in their work to promote health and wellness and prevent disease, disability and injury.

By Sarah Ravenhall | Special to Syracuse.com

There are many perspectives to consider when weighing the legalization of recreational marijuana. Public opinion certainly is an element, and it appears that the politics associated with public opinion, along with promised revenue, are driving the initiative toward approval.

There is measurable public support for marijuana. Roughly 60 percent of New Yorkers favor it, by one recent measure. However, lawmakers would be wise to consider what voters have consistently indicated as far more important to them  their health. In the most recent election, in New York and nationally, poll after poll found that voters by far were most concerned about their health. It was the leading voter issue in the 2018 cycle, according to exit polling.

As public health officials, NYSACHO members are focused on the concrete, local-level considerations associated with legalizing marijuana. The experience of other states, where traffic deaths and emergency room visits have increased significantly, shows that legalizing recreational marijuana could likely adversely impact the health of a great many New Yorkers. Therefore, a great many questions must be answered before proceeding. Among them:

How will we protect motorists from drivers under the influence of marijuana? What will be the impairment standard, and how will it be enforced?

THC, the chief intoxicant in marijuana, remains in the breast milk of mothers for up to six days after marijuana use . How will we protect infants and children from unintentional exposure to the drug?

New York has proven itself as one of the most aggressive anti-smoking states in the nation, establishing the Clean Indoor Air Act and spending tens of millions of dollars in tobacco settlement revenue to curtail smoking. How is legalizing the smoking of marijuana (the most widely used means of ingestion) consistent with both the spirit and technical implementation that act?

Brightly colored edibles shaped and/or packaged like candy have strong appeal to children. How will we keep these forms of the drug out of the hands of children?

Marijuana potency is widely and wildly variable. Many varieties induce a debilitative loss of mental and physical capability. How will potency be measured, tested and enforced?

Research has substantiated that marijuana use significantly increases the likelihood of addiction to other drugs. What resources will be made available to address the care needs of a new class of persons living with drug addiction?

What resources will be made available to support public information campaigns that better ensure New Yorkers fully understand these and other potential health impacts?

County health officials serve as the first line of defense in our communities, and they have seen up close the devastation associated with the abuse of legalized prescription opioid medications. While the addictive risk of opioids is different than marijuana, we are very concerned that the legalization of marijuana will similarly result in unintended, harmful consequences for countless New Yorkers.

As a representative of the states local public health stewards, those sworn to protect their communities from preventable illness and harm, NYSCAHO remains opposed to the legalization of recreational marijuana, and we implore lawmakers to proceed thoughtfully to address the concerns we and others have expressed.

Proceeding swiftly, without building in essential protections and providing resources necessary to mitigate the impact of legal marijuana, could come back to haunt lawmakers with the onset of another preventable public health crisis caused by the use of a legal drug.Joseph Todisco is owner of JJs Miss Syracuse Diner, on Montgomery Street in Syracuse.

Joseph Todisco | Special to Syracuse.com

Merike Treiers commentary touting the revitalization of downtown Syracuse touched on some impressive strides forward (Build on downtown Syracuse milestones with community grid," Oct. 22, 2018). But it missed one key factor: As a downtown business owner who each day welcomes city residents, suburban commuters and out-of-town visitors, I know that in order for our downtown to continue to flourish, the city needs to maintain the high-speed connectivity of Interstate 81. Destroying this vital artery in favor of gridlocked streets will only serve to send us backward.

My proximity to high-speed arteries is an important factor in my success. Both I-81 and I-690 allow customers to reach me easily, and my employees to travel from points around the city and region to get to work. These routes also contribute to the regional vitality and quality of life that Central New York is known for.

There are many in our community who understand how this will directly affect our citys local eateries, bars and other small businesses. Rerouting traffic also will have a negative impact on downtown businesses located farther from the viaduct, whose customers rely on high-speed access in and out of the area.

Elected officials at every level of government, other small business owners, statewide trade organizations and residents throughout Onondaga County understand how important it is to keep our city moving forward and thats why they support maintaining high-speed access.

In fact, public opinion polling over several years has consistently shown that two-thirds of respondents do not support a community grid. With near unanimity, the Central New York state legislative delegation is on the record supporting continued high-speed access through the city and the region, and opposing a plan that only incorporates the grid. Dozens of surrounding local governments have passed formal resolutions in support of I-81 and against the grid.

As a contributor to the vitality of downtown and the transformation often cited as a success story, it is extremely disheartening that the Downtown Committee of Syracuse that is supposed to represent my interests is doing the opposite. I have as much invested in the downtown renaissance as any other Downtown Committee member. It is past time that my view is not only represented, but broadcast to stakeholders.

We need to stop presenting one-sided information that shields the public from prescient facts regarding the many negatives of moving forward with a stand-alone community grid and the many benefits of a new I-81 viaduct or the tunnel/grid hybrid solution.

Its time for residents and business owners of Syracuse to come together to support the best solution to keep moving our city and all of Central New York forward; maintaining I-81s access for all.Syracuse, N.Y. -- In case you were wondering when winter would return to Central New York this season, heres your answer: Today.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning, the highest level of alert, as Upstate New Yorks lake effect machine kicks into high gear.

Heavy lake effect snow (is) expected, the weather service said.

Winds will gust and temperatures will fall, creating below-zero wind chills by the end of the week.

Todays snowfall in Central New York will be manageable, with about 1 to 3 inches falling through mid-afternoon. Wind gusts of up to 40 mph, however, will blow around that light snow, making it hard to see.

The snowfall starts to increase late this afternoon, though, just in time for the drive home. Another 4 to 10 inches could fall in Cayuga, Madison and Onondaga counties through Thursday evening. The winter storm warning is in effect from 4 p.m. today through 7 p.m. Thursday.

Strong winds will continue well into Thursday, so the next 36 hours or so will bring lower visibility and make it tough for plows to keep the roads clear.

Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility, the weather service said. The hazardous conditions could impact morning and evening commutes.

Areas to the west and north of Syracuse could get hit even harder as winds blow off the Great Lakes. The far southwest corner of the state could get up to 2 feet of snow from Lake Erie, and Tug Hill could get 18 inches.

As with all lake effect, its hard to predict exactly where the heaviest snow will fall. Lake effect snow tends to fall in narrow, intense bands that can shift directions. Even small changes in the wind direction can mean the difference between firing up your snowblower or just sweeping off your porch steps.

The cold Canadian air delivering all this snow will also bring bitterly cold temperatures. While highs were in the 40s on Tuesday, they wont get out of the 20s on Thursday and Friday. Low temperatures will drop to near 10 degrees, and wind chills could fall below zero Friday morning.

While snow and cold in January isnt unusual for Central New York, this winter so far has been mild. Most areas of Upstate have had well below normal snowfall, and most of that snow came before Thanksgiving. December and January have been warmer than usual, too, so this cold blast will feel even colder.

Stay tuned to our weather page for updates, including possible school closings.Chittenango, N.Y. -- Clear Path for Veterans, which began as a small effort to help veterans in Central New York, has been selected as one of seven sites to help with a nationwide military veterans suicide prevention study.

The veterans services organization was recently selected to be part of Operation Deep Dive, a community-based veteran suicide prevention study led by Americas Warrior Partnership and the University of Alabama. The effort is being funded by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation.

This is a unique opportunity for us to partner on a national four-year research study that will dive deep into the factors and potential causes of suicide and early mortality due to self-harm among the veteran population, Alex Behm, Clear Paths chief operations officer, said.

The study will extend to military veterans who have experienced all levels of discharge, from honorable to bad conduct and dishonorable.

That range fits is important, Behm said, to the mission of serving all veterans. The other groups participating include The Tristate Veterans Community Alliance in Cincinnati, Veteran Recovery in Mobile, Ala., Combined Arms in Houston, Veterans Bridge Home in Charlotte, N.C., and city governments of Indianapolis and Las Vegas.

Clear Path began in 2010 as an outgrowth of a program that partners dogs and military veterans to help deal with post-traumatic stress and other issues. The organization also provides help for military families, support for job retraining, and other services to veterans both in Central New York and other locations.

In New York state in 2016, there were 153 veteran suicides, according to data from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The same year, there were more than 6,079 veteran suicides across the nation.

Marnie Eisenstadt is an enterprise reporter who writes about people, life and culture in Central New York. Have an idea or question? Contact her anytime: email | twitter | Facebook | 315-470-2246Original Woodstock promoter Michael Lang has announced that the official 50th anniversary concert will be held in Central New York.

Lang announced Wednesday that Woodstock 50, a three-day festival honoring the original 1969 event, will take place at Watkins Glen, located 80 miles outside of Syracuse, on Aug. 16, 17 and 18, 2019. Tickets will go on sale in February; prices have not been announced.

Performers have not been named, but Lang told Rolling Stone that over 40 artists have already been booked for three stages. The full lineup will be announced next month.

Itll be an eclectic bill, Lang told the magazine. Itll be hip-hop and rock and some pop and some of the legacy bands from the original festival.

Carlos Santana, who performed at Woodstock in 1969, recently said he was in for Langs event. Lang added that some newer bands will likely perform tributes to original Woodstock performers like Janis Joplin, the Band, Jefferson Airplane and Joe Cocker.

Were also looking for unique collaborations, maybe some reunions and a lot of new and up-and-coming talent," Lang told Rolling Stone.

The festival will take place the same weekend as another, separate 50th anniversary celebration on the original Woodstock site at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. Live Nation is sponsoring the Bethel Woods Music and Culture Festival on Aug. 16-18, 2019, with a series of concerts, TED-style talks, and a We Are Golden history exhibit at the Museum at Bethel Woods.

"Fifty years ago, people gathered peacefully on our site inspired to change the world through music. As the stewards of this historic site, we remain committed to preserving this rich history and spirit and to educating and inspiring new generations to contribute positively to the world through music, culture and community, Bethel Woods CEO Darlene Fedun said in a statement.

The Bethel Woods event also has not announced its lineup or prices, but artists rumored to be approached include big names like Daft Punk, Bruce Springsteen, Eminem, Ariana Grande, Coldplay, Phish, The Weeknd, Elton John, Bon Jovi, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, Pink, The Who, Santana, Zac Brown Band, Mumford & Sons, and The Chainsmokers.

What will weigh with fans more? The Woodstock name or the original site? The lineup? The prices? The capacity? Its unclear how many can attend each venue, but an estimated 600,000 people saw The Band, Allman Brothers Band and the Grateful Dead perform at Watkins Glen for Summer Jam in 1973.

An estimated 400,000 people attended the first Woodstock Music and Arts Festival, held Aug. 15-18, 1969 at Max Yasgurs dairy farm near White Lake in the Catskill Mountains. Performers included Richie Havens, Jefferson Airplane, The Who, Joan Baez, Jimi Hendrix, Arlo Guthrie, Santana, Joe Cocker, the Grateful Dead and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

The iconic concert was revisited in 1994 with a modern lineup of artists like Nine Inch Nails, Sheryl Crow, Metallica, Cypress Hill and Red Hot Chili Peppers in Saugerties, but Woodstock 99 -- held at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, N.Y. -- ended the fun with riots, fires and allegations of sexual assault.

Lang told Rolling Stone he learned from Woodstock 99, including issues with high water prices and questionable acts on the lineup. He called it an MTV event and promised Woodstock 50 will be different.

Woodstock 99 was just a musical experience with no social significance, he told the magazine. It was just a big party. With this one, were going back to our roots and our original intent. And this time around, well have control of everything."FAYETTEVILLE, NY -Last summer, Manlius police pulled over Saturday Night Live star Pete Davidson in Fayetteville and charged the passenger in his car with having marijuana.

The passenger, actor/comedian Joseph Gay, Jr., was charged Aug. 11 with fourth-degree possession of concentrated cannabis, a felony, and unlawful possession of marijuana, a violation.

On Tuesday night, Gay, 47, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge - unlawful possession of marijuana - in satisfaction of both charges in Fayetteville Village Court. He appeared in front of Justice James Hughes with his lawyer, William Sullivan.

Gay, dressed in a dark suit with his beard neatly trimmed, declined to comment. He arrived 20 minutes early to court and then conferred with Sullivan before being called to the bench.

Gay paid a $100 fine and $125 surcharge in cash to the court clerk after his case was heard.

Gay has his own podcast and has appeared in Last Comic Standing 4 and Live at Gotham.

He also is appearing in the new film Big Time Adolescence alongside Davidson, Machine Gun Kelly and Jon Cryer. That film was shot in Syracuse over the summer.

The concentrated marijuana discovered by police was inside a small bag inside a lunch box, according to court documents. When a police officer asked what was inside the lunch box, Gay replied, You know what it is, according to the records.

Gay appeared in Fayetteville court in November 2018, but there was no resolution to his case at that time.Shipley can drive any of the Fire/EMS vehicles and trains others to drive them as well. EVOC is equal to commercial driving license for operating vehicles of a certain weight.

Im a very hands-on person so I like to see and do, Shipley said. It was curiosity, she said, that led to her first joining the lifesaving crew and then the fire department.

I was lucky because my kids were old enough when I started they didnt need me so much, she said. The mother of three grown children (a daughter and twin sons) is also a grandmother of one. I was an EMT first and joined the fire department around 2008. It took awhile to get Firefighter I because there wasnt a class offered locally.Prior to the beginning of its spring semester on January 7, Appalachian College of Pharmacy received notice of allegations of threats of violence toward its academic community. In response to this, Appalachian College of Pharmacy requested the assistance of the Buchanan County Virginia Sheriffs Department. It also notified its academic community of these allegations.

As of this time, an investigation has not determined that these allegations are credible. However, out of an abundance of caution, the Colleges administration has provided extra security at the College and continues its investigation.

The Colleges administration believes the College is safe and the College shall continue to operate on its regular schedule.

Michael McGlothlin, president of the pharmacy school expressed his thanks to law enforcement for its efforts. The College appreciates the support of Buchanan County Sheriff Ray Foster and the Buchanan County, Virginia Sheriffs Department in this matter, he said.Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Wright said he can relate to the group members because he also was a drug addict for as many as 40 years, most of the time while driving a tractor-trailer across the country.

My life-controlling problem has always been drugs, and my drug of choice was meth.

Wright started using drugs at age 17, a habit that landed him at Brushy Mountain Prison in Tennessee for seven years. He learned to drive a tractor-trailer truck when he was released from jail at age 25, but drugs still consumed his life. He went back to jail for three more years, where he met Mitchell, who introduced him to the Living Free program.

Not only did Jesus save me, but He showed me that I have people who care.

Schuler said its changed the way she copes with life, too.

Its brought me closer to God. I used to turn to drugs instead of trying to face them on my own and looking to God for help, she said.

Ive since crossed paths with people who have offered drugs to me. I used to never say no to them, but not this time. I dont want it. I dont want my daughter growing up in that kind of atmosphere.

Living Free curriculumA man dressed in dark clothes and wearing a mask ended his year by robbing Carter Bank and Trust in Abingdon of a undisclosed amount of money last Monday, according to a press release by the Abingdon Police Department.

At about 2:40 p.m. on New Years Eve, Abingdon Police, along with members of the Washington County Sheriffs Office, the U.S. Marshals Service and the FBI were dispatched to a robbery at the bank located on 238 West Main St.

According to the release, a white man entered the bank wearing dark clothing and a mostly white calavera-style skull mask, with yellow or gold accents  similar to those worn on the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead. The man handed a gray plastic bag to a teller and instructed the teller to fill the bag with money.

The man apparently did not produce a firearm but told the teller he had one. The teller complied and gave the man an undetermined amount of traceable U.S. currency. Before he left, he told all bank employees to get on the ground until after he exited the building. The APD release did not indicate whether non-employees were in the bank during the robbery, nor does it indicate the duration of the robbery.The Washington County Sheriffs Office, with the help of additional first responders, continues to search for a missing person first reported missing last Monday.

Authorities have been looking for Floyd Hines, 41, who was last seen by family members on Dec. 29, according to a news release.

Sheriff Fred Newman said members of the Washington County Sheriffs Office Specialized Response Team and members of Black Diamond Search and Rescue and Washington County Lifesaving Crew Swift Water Rescue Team conducted a search of South Fork of the Holston River on Friday  where the missing person resided  downstream for approximately 10 miles with no results.

We are hoping the public may come forward with any information concerning the whereabouts of Floyd K. Hines Jr., Newman said.

Anyone with any information should contact the Washington County Sheriffs Office at 276-676-6000.The University of Virginias College at Wise has a problem. Already a small school, its enrollment has dropped in recent years, a victim of demographic changes in the area and increased recruitment from nearby universities.

To combat declining enrollment, the school hopes to offer reduced tuition rates to any student from the Appalachia region, making the cost of attendance equal or near that charged for Virginia residents. The federally defined Appalachian region stretches from southern New York to northern Alabama, encompassing all or part of 13 states.

The College at Wise is at the far southwestern tip of the state. It is tucked nearly in the geographic center of Appalachia, in the Blue Ridge Mountains and in former coal country.

UVa-Wise here in Wise County is pretty much dead center of that region, said Donna Henry, the schools chancellor. And when you look at the region and designate which counties are economically distressed, were pretty much dead center in the middle of that, as well.

Adding just a few dozen college students and graduates, Henry maintains, could make a huge difference for the region, both for the individual students and for the areas economy.Monday afternoon, Chapman said investigators were currently pursuing two persons of interest. He said the Honda had been sold the day before the crash. The license plates registered to and displayed on the vehicle had expired in 2015, he said, and belonged to the vehicles previous owner.

After investigators left the scene Sunday afternoon, Tom Poe began picking up the pieces of what used to be his mothers home.

Four rooms were damaged, Tom Poe said. Two rooms were completely demolished. The only two rooms that didnt have damage was the bathroom and the kitchen. It was like a tornado had come or a bomb had exploded inside the house.

Raised in Cleghorn Valley, Margaret Poe moved to a two story home on Riverside Road when she married her husband, Wilson Wid Poe, 67 years ago. In the early 1970s, the family built the current home on the same location.

Tom Poe remembers his mother as a loving person who cared for her family and adored her grandchildren and great-grand daughter.The case of a former Washington County, Virginia, resident accused of murder in Florida may go to trial in November.

On Monday, Sheila Keen-Warren briefly appeared before Palm Beach County Judge Joseph Marx, who granted a defense motion to schedule an April 17 hearing to check the status of trial preparations, court documents show.

Prosecutors are seeking a November trial, but defense attorney Richard Lubin said that is too soon. A trial date may be set at the April status hearing.

In 2017, Keen-Warren was charged with first-degree murder in a case that happened nearly 30 years ago. Authorities say she dressed as a clown then shot and killed Marlene Warren on the front porch of her home in Wellington, Florida. Keen-Warren will face the death penalty if convicted. She has pleaded not guilty.

Keen-Warren and her husband, Michael  who was married to Marlene Warren at the time of her death  married in 2002 and moved to a home near Abingdon. They operated the Purple Cow restaurant in Kingsport for many years but sold it shortly before her arrest in September 2017.Burnsville-Eagan-Savage District officials and staff joined in small group discussions with parents and students in the Metcalf gym on Jan. 3.Do you already have a paid subscription to any of the SWNewsMedia newspapers? If so, you can Activate your Premium online account by clicking here. Activation will allow you to view unlimited online articles each month. To activate your Premium online account, the email address and phone number provided with your paid newspaper subscription needs to match the information you use in setting up your online user account. If you are having trouble or want to confirm what email address and phone number is listed on your subscription account, please call 952-345-6682 or email circulation@swpub.com and we'll be happy to assist.Cheyenne County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Brad Fraass reminds producers that the deadline to apply for the Market Facilitation Program is Jan. 15.

The Market Facilitation Program (MFP) was designed to assist farmers in response to foreign market trade disruptions. FSA is administering MFP. The program provides payments to producers of corn, hogs, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat.

Fraass said the application period runs through Jan. 15; by that date producers must complete part D of the CCC-910 MFP application. Producers have until May 1 to complete the remainder of the application, which includes certifying their 2018 production totals.

Producers are encouraged to contact the Cheyenne County FSA office at (308)254-4507, extension 2, to make an appointment to begin the application process.

There also is an option to print the application, fill it out and then fax, mail or email it. For more details on the Market Facilitation Program and the various options for enrollment, visit http://www.farmers.gov.Each county jail charges an amount per inmate for offenders from other counties.

For the Nebraska Department of Corrections, the average annual cost is $35,950, according to Nebraska.gov.

Cheyenne County charges neighboring counties $45 per day. Monday morning, Cheyenne County Commissioners asked newly elected Sheriff Adam Frerichs if the rate is sufficient for the costs of managing the jail, and in comparison to other regional jails.

Frerichs said the rate and the number of inmates from other counties housed in Cheyenne County is benefitting Cheyenne County.

Weve had some pretty good income from that, Frerichs said.

The commissioners noted the per day rate has not changed since 2011. Frerichs said he had a conversation with former sheriff John Jensen about keeping the costs down considering the counties Cheyenne County is working with dont have deep pockets. Commissioner Philip Sanders said he wants other counties to pay their fair share. Discussion included possibly raising the rate to $50 per day. One regional facility is charging about $80 per day, according to the commissioners.

In another matter coming before the commissioners, conflict continues between the noxious weed management program and two county residents.

Bob Lafler and Warren Phelps met with the commissioners regarding the weed management program and the countys weed superintendent specifically. The County Highway Department works with the Weed Department in identifying possible noxious weed locations by marking suspected noxious weed areas with flags. Lafler contends the flags do not work.

She has her route, said Highway Superintendent Doug Hart.  She doesnt just skip all over the county.

After the meeting, Hart explained that Burke has a pattern in weed management. A complaint may not be answered the same day it is reported.

Commissioner Randal Miller said the Highway Department conducts training sessions to help employees identify noxious weeds. Miller continued that he has received several compliments on the countys noxious weed management.

All we can do is the best we can do, Miller said.

Commissioner Philip Sanders agreed, noting noxious weed conditions have greatly improved since Burke took over as noxious weed supervisor.

I am seeing results guys, Sanders said to Lafler and Phelps.

Miller encouraged Lafler and Phelps to contact Burke directly with any concerns of noxious weeds in their area.Auckland

Our client is a busy aluminium manufacturer and is on the lookout for some superstar workers!You MUST be able to do rotating...



View or Apply on GoodWork.co.nzSterling, VA (20165)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High 78F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 57F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.Deanna Gokey selects a load of bread while shopping at Our Daily Bread Food and Resource Center Friday, April 6, 2018, in Stillwater. The resource center is offering families with school-aged children impacted by the teacher walkout the chance to shop for food during the strike.Johanna Lucille Bartlett, 85, passed away June 10, 2021 at her home in Stillwater. A celebration of life will be held Tuesday, June 15, 2021 at the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Stillwater at 2:00pm. www.dightonmarler.com.Tamaqua Area School Board member Nicholas Boyle speaks in support of arming teachers and other school employees, to members of the media after a news conference in Tamaqua, Pa., Friday, Jan. 4, 2019. Parents are going to court to block the Pennsylvania school district from allowing teachers to carry guns in school.The Boko Haram ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) faction known as ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province) has stuck with its strategy of concentrating on the security forces and doing so by assembling a large enough number of gunmen to ensure, most of the time, a quick victory. The continued prevalence of corruption and incompetent officers in the army has contributed to continued chaos and lawlessness in northern Borno State, where most of the population was displaced by Boko Haram violence in 2014-15 and when Boko Haram control was broken by 2017. After that government programs to revive the economy and restore law and order collapsed under the usual corruption and incompetence of local officials and security forces. Even a reform-minded president who was a former general and Moslem was unable to push military reforms far enough and fast enough. Boko Haram is not winning, the government is failing to finish off a defeated Boko Haram and take advantage of an opportunity to regain the trust and loyalty of the local population. ISIL took advantage of similar conditions to quickly overrun more than a third of Iraq in 2014. Many Nigerian leaders are well aware of how that worked but the corruption is so entrenched and widespread that reform moves slowly and that left the army and government officials vulnerable to a well-organized Boko Haram comeback.

ISWAP is also known as the Barnawi (or Albarnawi) faction of Boko Haram. ISWAP has apparently received a lot of useful technical and tactical advice from ISIL veterans of fighting in Iraq, Syria and Libya. Boko Haram persists in the northeast in large part because of its willingness to experiment, innovate and take advice from foreign ISIL veterans. The Barnawi faction follows the current ISIL doctrine of concentrating attacks on security forces and government officials (preferably the corrupt ones). That makes it easier to extort (raise taxes) cash and other goods from the local population. The Barnawi faction has over 3,000 active gunmen and operates mainly in the far north of Borno state near Lake Chad and the borders of Niger and Chad. The smaller Shekau faction has about half as many armed men and operates further south near the Borno State capital of Maiduguri and the Sambisa Forest. Both factions rely on the fact that the years of Boko Haram violence in Borno State (where Boko Haram originated in 2004) has increased the poverty and corruption the Islamic terrorist organization was founded to eliminate. While many potential recruits are discouraged by stricter standards and more fanatic approach of ISIL (compared to the original Boko Haram) the most hard core Islamic radicals are drawn to the more extreme groups and that way Boko Haram persists.

Some army commanders in the northeast (Borno State) tried to blame foreign NGOs (who provide a steady flow of reports, documented with pictures and video, of army misbehavior and mistreatment of civilians) for the problems, accusing some of the foreigners of spying for Boko Haram and deliberately spreading false reports of army misbehavior to hurt the morale of troops and loyalty of local civilians. These accusations tend to be quickly withdrawn when senior officers back in the national capital hear of it. The generals in the high command know the NGO reports are true because these reports are often quietly double-checked by high command investigators. Such retractions are just another reminder of the problems the military faces and are unable to fix, in the northeast.

Another aspect of the Boko Haram violence in the northeast and the continuing battles between farmers and herders in northern and central Nigeria is the fact that many of the victims are Christians and that is deliberate. In 2018 about 2,400 Christians were killed in northern and central Nigeria. Since 2015 over 15,000 Christians have been killed, most of them deliberately sought out and murdered by Boko Haram. There is growing pressure from the Christian half (largely in the south) of the Nigerian population as well as foreign nations with Christian majorities, for Nigeria to put an end to this religious persecution. It is definitely persecution when Boko Haram does it as seeking out and killing non-Moslems is an acknowledged goal of Boko Haram. The farmer versus herder violence in northern and central Nigeria is mainly about land and who controls it. While the herders are often militant Fulani Moslems most of the farmers they battle within the north are also Moslem. But many Fulani agree with (and often join) Boko Haram about how killing non-Moslems is what devout Moslems should do as often as possible. Most of the farmers killed by Fulani are Christians and in 2018 the Fulani herders killed more Christians in Nigeria than did Boko Haram.

President Buhari recently went to Borno state and met with the governor, who pleaded for Buhari to persuade the army to allow expanded use of local defense volunteers. Officially called the Civilian JTF (Joint Task Force or CJTF) strength peaked at about 30,000 volunteers in 2017 and with the decline in Boko Haram activity in the last year about a third of the force has been disbanded (or at least no longer recognized and supported by the military). About two percent of those who joined CJTF have been killed and many more have been wounded or injured while on duty. In effect, about ten percent of the CJTF men have been injured. But the soldiers respect them, the local civilians depend on and support them while Boko Haram has come to fear them. The more senior army commanders do not support the CJTF because these civilians often confront misbehaving soldiers and embarrass the army by exposing the bad behavior.

Volunteers initially received little material support from the government. But in early 2013 Boko Haram began to notice that in Borno and Yobe states thousands of Moslem and Christian young men were enthusiastically joining the CJTF to provide security from Boko Haram violence and provide information to the security forces about who Boko Haram members were and where they were living. That trend continued and eventually, the CJTF and self-defense groups, in general, became the greatest threat to Boko Haram in rural areas as well as the cities. The CJTF frequently patrol remote areas and operate a growing network of trusted informants who can quickly phone in details on local Boko Haram activity.

By the end of 2013, Boko Haram had openly declared war on CJTF and threatened to kill any of them they could find. That state of war continued for several years until 2016 when Boko Haram was no longer controlling large territories and was less of a threat to CJTF members and their families. The army came to depend less on the CJTF which preferred to operate with heavily armed police or soldiers nearby (ready to move in arrest Boko Haram suspects the vigilantes identify or help fight back if Boko Haram attack). By 2014 the army was regularly using the volunteers to replace troops at checkpoints. This policy enabled more checkpoints to be set up and more thorough searches of vehicles to be conducted. This made it more difficult for Boko Haram to move around, plan and carry out attacks or to resupply the few men they still had in the cities. Boko Haram responded by attacking checkpoints more frequently and that led to many volunteers getting weapons, officially or otherwise (sometimes with the help of soldiers or police). The checkpoints became a major problem for Boko Haram and the growing use of CJTF patrols and informants are even more of a problem. By 2017 CJTF spent a lot of their time on checkpoint duty, mainly because they know the locals and are better at spotting Islamic terrorists, especially suicide bombers. But as Boko Haram activity declined after 2016 the army maintained fewer checkpoints and supported fewer and fewer CJTF groups.

As early as 2014 some CJTF groups were launching attacks on Boko Haram and usually winning because they knew the area and people better and often were able to launch a surprise attack at night. A major factor in this was that in the more remote areas, like near the Sambisa Forest, the CJTF groups contained a lot of local hunters. These men are professional hunters who thrive in rural areas where there is a lot more game than people. CJTF first demonstrated to the army the skills of local hunters who tracked game for a living. The army noted that the success of CJTF attack units was largely because of local hunters. Soon the army began to hire some of the hunters who were exceptional trackers as well as offering bounties if they could track down certain Boko Haram men or groups. At first, Boko Haram fought back and attacked trackers or their families. That backfired because the CJTF have better information about their home areas which made it difficult for Boko Haram to make revenge attacks. The attacks were made anyway and failed so often that most Boko Haram were advised by their leaders to stay away from CJTF, especially those groups with professional hunters. There were still parts of the Sambisa Forest were Boko Haram could establish bases and avoid the CJTF but these were areas where there was less game and less of everything. That meant fewer Islamic terrorists and their captives could survive there and had to leave their sanctuaries more frequently to raid villages for supplies. Thats when the Boko Haram were most vulnerable and many of their losses were to desertion (because of hunger and frustration) rather than combat casualties. The CJTF groups with a lot of hunters have remained useful for the army but only because there is no alternative when you have to track the enemy on the ground. The military never has enough helicopters or UAVs to provide overhead views and that is less useful in forest areas where trackers on the ground are still the best solution.

The military never liked to publicize how important the CJTF, and civilian support in general, was to the defeat of Boko Haram but the truth got out anyway and the civilian volunteers eventually received more credit for their contributions. This media attention also revealed that the military had recruited over a hundred of the most effective CJTF informants into a special unit where these men work full time for the military as plainclothes agents who are sent to an area where Boko Haram is believed to be active (or trying to be) and collect information. In some areas of Borno State, the CJTF was not all that useful and that was in the many towns and villages were everyone, or nearly everyone, fled the Boko Haram violence and there were few people left. Many of these refugees have yet to return and parts of northeast and eastern Borno State are depopulated battlefields for the remaining Boko Haram and the army. These depopulated areas are now a sanctuary for many Boko Haram groups.

The Borno governor wants the army to expand the CJTF from its current 20,000 members and overcome army resistance to putting more CJTF on the payroll. That might happen. The governor also wants more competent officers for the troops in Borno but that is still a work in progress

Oil Wars

Oil production for 2018 was up nine percent over 2017. Daily production in 2018 was 2.09 million BPD (barrels per day). By the end of 2017 production had hit 2.03 million BPD and while it fluctuated a lot in 2018 the trend was upward despite the continuing problems with oil theft gangs and repair/maintenance backlogs (especially of the pipelines). The long-delayed maintenance and refurbishment of the oil production facilities in the Niger River Delta (where most of the production is) remains a problem although some of the foreign companies that control various oil fields and pipeline are more successful at keeping their infrastructure in good shape. At the end of 2016 Nigerian oil production was rising to levels not seen for years. That has been the trend for most of 2017 because the new government had negotiated a peace deal with the local rebels (who opposed corruption and bad treatment of locals in general). Production rose and is on the way to the goal of 2.5 million BPD by 2020 but achieving that level of production depends on keeping the peace in the Delta. Continued corruption and rampant oil theft make it difficult to increase production and sustain those higher production level goals. The oil theft gangs in the Niger Rover Delta continue to flourish with the help of corrupt government officials (civil and military.) In addition to the damage thieves do to pipelines (punching holes in them and quickly collecting oil before the police show up) the truce with some of the Delta rebels fell apart with the New Year and there has already been one attack on a pipeline (a loud bomb that damaged but did not penetrate a pipeline.)

January 8, 2019: The government urged the media to show more restraint in reporting on military movements and preparations for operations. This comes a day after soldiers raided the officers of a major newspaper and arrested two reporters on charges of revealing military secrets. The media and most Nigerians believe the media is being harassed because they expose the military efforts to downplay defeats and misbehavior in the northeast. The national government is caught in the middle and is unwilling to admit that the army frequently lies and misbehaves. While the media will often speculate or even invent details of stories they are generally correct in calling out the military for poor performance and an unwillingness to admit they have some major problems with leadership and morale.

January 7, 2019: In the northeast (Borno State), both Boko Haram factions carried out attacks outside Maiduguri. The traditional Boko Haram attacked a village, killing three people. The ISIL faction attacked a small military base 23 kilometers from the city.

President Buhari did a radio interview in which he admitted there were still problems with the army and that Boko Haram was taking advantage of that in the northeast. Buhari is running for reelection and despite the continued problems with the army and Boko Haram, he is still seen as the candidate best able to deal with these problems. On the downside, Buhari is 76 years old and not in the best of health. Buhari also gets criticized for the growing number of incidents when the military tries to intimidate or shut down media that report on military misbehavior or incompetence. Buhari appears unable to discipline the officers responsible. The problem here is the misbehaving officers seem to be the majority so cleaning that up has to be approached carefully.

January 3, 2019: In the northeast, across the border in Niger, local forces have, over the last three days made a series of land and air attacks on Boko Haram near the Nigerian border and killed nearly 300 of the Islamic terrorists.

In the northeast (Borno State) near the Cameroon border, Boko Haram attacked an aid convoy guarded by soldiers. Two soldiers were killed and seven civilians wounded. Boko Haram captured one of the foreign aid trucks before they abandoned their attack. Such attacks on commercial or aid convoys are common in this area and that is why most have armed escorts.

January 2, 2019: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram gunmen shot down an air force Mi-35 helicopter, killing the five men on board. The Mi-35 was supporting soldiers seeking to force Boko Haram from the town of Baga (near Lake Chad)

December 31, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State) across the border in Niger, a joint force clashed with Boko Haram leaving ten soldiers (five each from Niger and Nigeria) and 11 Islamic terrorists dead.

December 30, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), the army and the Multinational Joint Task Force assembled troops in Monguno (135 kilometers northeast of the state capital Maiduguri) so they could retake Baga and five villages near Lake Chad that Boko Haram had captured in the last week. Since the 28th Boko Haram has made three attacks to take Monguno but were repulsed. Elsewhere in the area (Dirkwa) soldiers killed three suicide bombers before they could be close enough to detonate.

December 29, 2018: In the northeast (Yobe State), a clash between Boko Haram and soldiers left seven soldiers dead.

December 27, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram gunmen attacked a military base near the town of Baga (near Lake Chad) and during the last 48 hours captured the base and then moved into the nearby town of Baga. The attack caused some 500 soldiers in the area, many of them from the Multinational Joint Task Force to flee. This indicates poor leadership in the military units and as a result, Boko Haram captured a lot of weapons, vehicles, ammo and other equipment. Boko Haram then proceeded to loot Baga and killed anyone they suspected of belonging to local defense forces. The ISIL faction carried out these attacks and had given civilians two days warning to leave their homes to avoid injury. This also demoralized the security forces. Over the next week, more than 10,000 refugees from Baga registered a refugee camps further south (closer to the well-defended state capital).

December 25, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram gunmen killed four civilians near Chibok (north of the capital).

December 24, 2018: In the northeast (Yobe State), Boko Haram gunmen ambushed a military convoy, killing 13 soldiers and two policemen. At least ten Boko Haram men were killed before the Islamic terrorists fled.

December 23, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram gunmen killed three civilians near Chibok (north of the capital).

December 21, 2018: In the southeast, the violence in southwest Cameroon has declined to the point where Cameroon reopened the main border crossing, which had been closed for nearly a year. The separatist violence next door in Cameroon continues but is declining. Since 2017 over 30,000 English speaking Cameroonians have fled to Nigeria and most are still in Nigeria. The Cameroonian government wants Nigeria to send these refugees back and reopening the border crossing makes it easier for refugees to come and confirm that it is safe to return. Conditions in Anglophone (English speaking) areas of Cameroon deteriorated because of more than a year of violence. In addition to over 30,000 refugees in Nigeria, there are another 80,000 English speaking Cameroonians made homeless (at least temporarily) by the violence and are still in Cameroon. The Nigerian government owes Cameroon a lot because of Cameroonian aid in dealing with the Boko Haram crises. Thus the Nigerians are willing to do whatever Cameroon wants to help deal with the separatist crises. That includes expelling some Cameroonians who have fled to Nigeria. This is all happening in the southeast where during late 2017 there was growing violence across the border in southwest Cameroon where a separatist movement has turned violent and dozens of people had been killed by the end of 2017. The violence escalated in 2018 and by mid-year more than a hundred civilians and nearly as many police and soldiers had died. After that, the number of Anglophone Cameroonians fleeing to Nigeria declined, as did the violence in southwest Cameroon. The issues are more linguistic than tribal and the separatists are largely English speaking Cameroonians (about 20 percent of the 23 million Cameroonians) who protest the bad treatment they receive from the French-speaking majority. The English speakers of southwest Cameroon used to be part of Nigeria but as part of the process by which colonial rule ended in the 1950s some groups on proposed new borders were given an option on which nation to belong to. The Cameroon English speakers thought they would be better off as a linguistic minority in Cameroon but subsequent generations developed different attitudes. Ironically the separatist Cameroonians are adjacent to the separatist Nigerian Igbo areas that want to be a separate state called Biafra. The people in these two separatist areas have a lot in common but operating together to form a single new state has never been a priority.

December 20, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), soldiers clashed with Boko Haram gunmen near the Chad border. Five soldiers died and Boko Haram casualties are unknown.

In central Nigeria (Benue State), armed Fulani herders clashed with soldiers. Five of the Fulani died and the rest fled.

In central Nigeria (the capital Abuja), police arrested a long-sought Boko Haram leader Umar Abdulmalik who had led a gang that successfully operated outside the northeast since 2015. He was responsible for a bombing in Abuja in 2015 and several subsequent attacks and major crimes (like bank robbery). Several of Abdulmaliks subordinates were also arrested.

December 16, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), soldiers clashed with Boko Haram gunmen outside Maiduguri. One soldier and four Boko Haram men were killed before the Islamic terrorists fled.

December 15, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State) ,Boko Haram killed four farmers near the Niger border. Further south, near the Chad border two soldiers were killed by a Boko Haram landmine.

December 14, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), Boko Haram gunmen killed twelve soldiers at Kukawa near Lake Chad. Across the border in Cameroon two female suicide bombers from Nigeria set off their explosives in Kolofata, a market town on the Cameroon side of the border. The two bombers detonated short of their target, a building where merchant women were gathered before the market opened. Two civilians were wounded. This is the third suicide bomb attack in Kolofata in the last week.

December 12, 2018: In the northeast (Borno State), a female Boko Haram suicide bomber was killed outside Maiduguri before she could detonate her explosives.The U.S. Navy has discovered that new sensors/fire control systems on marine combat vehicles carried on amphibious ships can provide an LHA or LHD amphibious ship with additional capabilities to detect and destroy small boats some nations (Iran, North Korea, China) maintain and train to swarm larger warships. The marine LAV 25 8x8 wheeled armored vehicles are equipped with a new fire control system called Saber. This is basically the ITAS-FTL (Target Acquisition Systems and Far Target Location) that the army has already adopted. This system includes GPS, an optical sight with FLIR (forward-looking infrared) and a laser range finder (range of 10 kilometers). Thus LAV 25s armed with TOW anti-tank missiles or 25mm autocannon gunner always knows where he is and can use that information if they receive warnings of hostile small boats or helicopters in the area from other ships or aircraft.

The marines found that Saber was much better at spotting small boats at sea, especially at night or in bad weather, than the usual sensors (air and sea search radars and lookouts) the ships used. The navy has eight Wasp class LHDs and each carries a MEU (Marine expeditionary unit) containing 2,200 marines and up to 16 LAV 25s. A couple of these can be brought up from the vehicle deck to the flight deck, parked near the edge of the flight deck (secured with cables in case the seas are rough) and stand watch when passing through waters where hostile small boat swarms may be encountered. Until now these swarms could interfere with the movement of larger ships (which the Chinese do often in the South China Sea) or pose an attack threat (as the Iranians do in the Persian Gulf) and it is known that these swarms (a dozen or more small boats armed with heavy machine-guns, anti-tank missiles or packed with explosives for a suicide attack) can, under right visibility and weather conditions, get close enough to larger ships to make an attack. The Saber sensors can track small moving boats at sea and instantly provide the 25mm autocannon or TOW missile gunner with accurate target information. This enables the 25mm autocannon to his these boats at up to 3,000 meters or the TOW at up to 3,700 meters. The 25mm autocannon can deliver less accurate warning shots at up to 6,000 meters. A MEU also has with it two or more M1 tanks with a fire control system that has more than twice the range of Saber and a 120mm gun with range to match. It is unknown if the navy has yet experimented with bringing an M1 or two onto the flight deck to assist in ship defense.

The marines have already tested the use of M142 HIMARs (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) guided rocket vehicles on the flight deck of an amphibious ship. In 2017 the marines found that with a few modifications to the HIAMRS fire control software the vehicle could accurately fire GMLRS (GPS guided MLRS) rockets from the flight deck of one of an LHA or LHD ships. This is actually nothing new as during World War II U.S. forces fired unguided rockets from ships in support of amphibious operations. But the use of GMLRS meant HIMARS could provide precision fire support from a ship at sea and hit targets up to 85 kilometers away. The next version of GMLRS will have a range of 135 kilometers, making the ship-based version even more useful because it can support troops even farther inland. The new GMLRS has already been successfully tested at ranges up to 110 kilometers. This TC-GMLRS (Tail Controlled Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System) rocket is the same size as the current GMLRS rocket.

The U.S. Marine Corps has also found new ways to use their HIMARS vehicles firing GMLRS rockets in cooperation with the six F-35B vertical takeoff warplanes each LHA or LHD carries. In 2018 the Marines found that the multitude of sensors on their new F-35Bs could spot ground targets in all weather and at night and pass the target location on to a nearby HIMARS vehicle that would then fire a GMLRS rocket at the target. To maintain maximum stealth capabilities the F-35 carries bombs and missiles internally but the capacity of the internal bomb bays are limited. HIMARS can supply the guided weapons for one or more F-35Bs. Some helicopters are equipped with similar sensors and digital communications systems and can also pass on GPS target data to a HIMARS vehicle. An F-35B could even maintain its stealth by sending the target information via an encrypted burst transmission that is difficult to use for location finding. No reason why the GMLRS rockets could not be fired from the deck of an LHD.

The army has also found the new fire control systems available to several ATGMs (anti-tank guided missiles) had dual use as just a more powerful sensor, particularly at night and bad weather. The marines saw that this would work from the deck of an LHD as well and it did.Britain is dispatching some 1,000 marines to join NATO war exercises off Norway in a show of strength to Russia. The move is but one of several military muscles being flexed by Britain in a bid to boost its international standing. Russia is designated as the convenient villain to justify Britains renewed militarism.

To lend the madness some popular appeal, British media reported that Prince Harry will join one of Britains biggest war exercises against Russia in 20 years, as a warning to Vladimir Putin over his continued aggression.

Harry (34), the youngest son of heir to the British crown, Prince Charles, is said to be privy to secret battle plans taking place in Norway over the next 12 weeks as the marines practice drills in a show of strength against potential military strikes by Moscow.

Russias embassy in Britain dismissed the exercise involving the young royal as a PR gimmick to fire up public enthusiasm for what is otherwise a hackneyed ploy of provoking tensions with Moscow. Apparently, the authority of politicians and generals is no longer enough to ensure public support for this policy, it said.

Indeed, a PR stunt is surely what it is going on. And the British media are showing themselves once again to be the disgraceful pro-war stenographers that they are by churning out official assertions of Russian aggression and potential military strikes.

But whats also going on here is a wider and more disturbing pattern of Britain increasing its militarism towards Russia. Not that Russia is quaking in its boots over Britains threatening conduct, but the reckless snarling attitude of the British bulldog nevertheless adds to increasing international tensions between NATO powers and Moscow. That implies an increasing risk of a military confrontation.

A significant factor here is Britains intensifying Brexit chaos as it splits from the European Union. The deadline for the EU divorce comes on March 29 when Britain is set to leave the bloc after more than four decades of membership. If Britain crashes out of the EU without a trade deal, which looks increasingly likely due to internal British political squabbling, then economic and social chaos is expected.

Given the high stakes, it seems that the British establishment is seeking to distract from the Brexit debacle through ramping up tensions with Russia.

As a recent Washington Post article put it: Britain clings to imperial nostalgia as Brexit looms.

Britains Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson has been a key figure in fingering Russia as a threat to Europe and positioning Britain as a defender of Europe against Russian aggression.

There are, it seems, a few calculations in the works. One of those is that Britain has been continually trying to make itself relevant to Europe in a post-Brexit era owing to supposed British security and military assets. Britains Prime Minister Theresa May has repeatedly talked up how Britain will always remain an important security partner to European allies even after it quits the bloc.

When her defense minister Gavin Williamson first announced the new deployment of British forces to the Arctic back in September, he said it was to protect Europes northern flank from increased Russian aggression. Thus, by ingratiating itself as a protector of Europe, the British state is endeavoring to use that purported role as a bargaining chip in order to extract more concessions from the EU on the terms of a future trade arrangement.

Premier May this week is pleading with EU leaders to relent on improving divorce terms. It is therefore important for the British to amplify their security role for Europe in order to try to wheedle better divorce terms. The corollary of that cynical calculation is for the British to demonize Russia further as a threat to Europe, thereby giving the British a seemingly valuable purpose of defender.

No doubt the recently exposed British government-funded media network, the Orwellian-sounding Integrity Initiative, has been working overtime in propagating the anti-Russia narratives as part of the Brexit strategy.

Another calculation is that as Britain leaves the European Union, it is prone to take on a greater role in the US-led NATO military alliance. Post-Brexit Britain will inevitably have much less influence on European capitals. As Americas historical cipher in European affairs, Washington and London will need to boost the role of NATO as a way to exert more influence over European policy. This would explain why Britain has over the past two years since the Brexit referendum in June 2016 taken on a more aggressive attitude towards Russia. Realizing that the bulldog will be outside the European gate, Britain seems to have upped its NATO role, by barking more at Russia.

More generally, the Brexit process has unleashed British notions of former imperial glory being revived.

Williamson told the rightwing Sunday Telegraph recently: This is our biggest moment as a nation since the end of the Second World War, when we can recast ourselves in a different way. We can actually play the role on the world stage that the world expects us to play.

Increased militarism is a crucial part of this British role-play on the world stage. Britain has greatly boosted its sales pitch for weapons exports since the Brexit referendum, wooing the Saudi and other Gulf Arab regimes in particular. It is planning to build, or has recently built, new military bases in former colonial territories in the Persian Gulf, Caribbean and Southeast Asia.

Britains launching of two new super aircraft carriers is specifically aimed at working with US naval counterparts and the American F-35 fighter plane. As the BBC reported, the new gunboat diplomacy on steroids is for the British rulers a statement of intent and global ambition as well as a very visible projection of military power.

In the economically challenging times for post-Brexit Britain, the British state is resorting to militarism as in the days of its Victorian empire. That militarism is seen as essential by the British state as a way to give itself badly needed relevance and influence over international relations. Especially because post-imperial, post-Brexit Britain is a shadow of its former self.

However, from Russias perspective, this desperate British nostalgia is potentially baleful. Britain is evidently using Russia as a pretext to justify its new militarism and to burnish a supposed role of defender. As the Brexit repercussions become ever-more severe for Britain, the danger is that the British bulldog snarling at Russia may become rabid. It needs to be muzzled before someone gets hurt. Or better still, put down.Father McGivney Catholic High School recently announced seven of its seniors were named Illinois State Scholars, according to a press release.

Seniors Aaron Boulanger, Nathan Dammerich, Katherine Deakos, Emma Deist, Zachary Hellickson, Jacob McCreary and Agnes Pointer have all been named Illinois State Scholars. In November of each year, Illinois State Assistance Commission, or ISAC, announces the State Scholar finalists.

Im very proud of these young men and women for their dedication to hard work throughout their academic career at Father McGivney Catholic High School, Father McGivney principal Joseph Lombardi said. It is wonderful to see them earn this recognition.

To be named an Illinois State Scholar is an outstanding accomplishment that will be a highlight of the recipients academic record. Students from nearly every high school in Illinois compete in the program. The combination of students exemplary college entrance examination scores and record high school achievement indicate an especially high potential for success in college.

These students are more than deserving of this honor, said Bobbie Madura, Father McGivney student services director. They have put their academics at the forefront of their high school careers and are now reaping the benefits of such focus. No doubt, they will be rewarded by various universities as they go forward in their academic careers.Trumps lackluster televised speech, followed by an equally wooden Democratic response, did nothing to advance the two sides arguments. Trump trotted out tired references to MS-13 gang members and isolated incidents where illegal immigrants have been involved in admittedly heinous murders. Tragic and unacceptable as those killings are, they do not constitute a national crisis.

Far more people are killed by American mass shooters wielding legally purchased military-style weaponry. Trump loses little sleep over that problem, yet hes willing to shut down the government and force financial hardship on 800,000 federal workers so he can get his wall.

Trump has raised the specter of terrorist infiltration at the border. Yet he ignores the far greater danger to American vigilance posed by the shutdown. Transportation Security Administration inspectors are under extreme financial duress, having to work without pay and distracted from their jobs by worries over how theyll pay their utility bills and mortgages if their paychecks dont arrive, as expected, on Friday.Clean Missouri empowers the state demographer to map districts with emphasis on greater partisan fairness and competitiveness. Candidates would be forced not to rely on partisan affiliation as much as the power of their ideas and their ability to sway voters across the political divide.

Its a formula designed to encourage greater centrism, which is the space most Missourians occupy on key social issues. On Nov. 6 ballot items where there was no political party affiliation attached to the issue, voters across the state rejected hard-right extremism, overwhelmingly supporting Clean Missouri, legalization of medical marijuana and a mandatory increase in the state minimum wage to $12 an hour.

Whether Parson or other Republicans dont like the result isnt the point. Its whether theyre willing to respect the democratic process. A slippery slope toward dictatorship awaits anyone who believes in legislatively invalidating elections that dont go their way.

They are sending ominous signs: Fundamentally, you think when the people vote you shouldnt be changing that vote, Parson told The Associated Press last month. But the reality of it is that is somewhat what your job is sometimes, if you know somethings unconstitutional, if you know some of its not right.Trump rails about being persecuted by THE HATERS AND THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA. Dr. Spock anticipated this, too: She acts like a person who feels she is being bossed too much, even when no one is bothering her and even when she tries to boss others.

And the terrible twos are defined by tantrums, which, Dr. Spock wrote, usually start around age one  Trump was precocious  peak around age two to three and are worse for children who are less flexible. So buckle up.

How to deal with Trump? I called my teenage daughters pediatricians for advice. The behavior is natural, explains Dr. Howard Bennett. Two-year-olds are living in an adult world but they dont have all the tools they need to see how the world is structured. Thats why they have conflict with their parents.

In this case, we are Trumps parents  the electorate, members of Congress, the media, all of us. (I challenge him to produce a birth certificate showing otherwise.) And, according to Dr. Spock, were doing it all wrong.

It was a mistake to leave him alone in the White House during the holidays, tweeting forlornly. Children left alone for long periods, even though they are crying for company, Dr. Spock wrote, are learning that the world is a mean place.WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump nominated on Wednesday acting EPA chief Andrew Wheeler to run the agency permanently, the White House said, placing a former energy lobbyist at the helm of the nations top environmental regulator.

The widely anticipated nomination gives Trump another avid supporter of his deregulatory and pro-fossil fuels agenda, but without the constant criticism over alleged mismanagement that plagued Wheelers predecessor, Scott Pruitt.

Wheeler took the reins at the Environmental Protection Agency on an interim basis in July after Pruitt resigned amid a slew of controversies that included his high spending on first-class travel, round-the-clock security, and office equipment.

Wheeler, 54, has overseen a number of deregulatory efforts since Pruitts departure, including proposals weakening rules set under President Barack Obama limiting carbon and mercury emissions from power plants, and an initiative to lift a summertime ban on higher ethanol blends of gasoline that was enacted to curb smog.

In November, Trump announced during a Medal of Freedom ceremony at the White House that he had made up his mind to make Wheeler permanent, saying he had been doing a fantastic job.The USDA has not said what it would do in the event the shutdown lasts that long. When the SNAP contingency money runs out in April, the food assistance program will likely be closed altogether, anti-poverty advocates said.

"At that point it will take Congress taking some sort of emergency action to fund the program if the government doesn't reopen," said Rebecca Vallas, vice president of the Poverty to Property Program at the left-leaning Center for American Progress. "We will see hunger in America skyrocket. It's going to take more than just flipping a switch to make things right after this."

Already, more than 2,500 grocers and other retailers are no longer accepting food stamps because their SNAP licenses were not renewed before the shutdown started Dec. 22, according to the Food Marketing Institute, an industry group.

Federal funding has also been shut off for cash welfare benefits, known as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), for 3.4 million of the poorest Americans, the majority of whom are children. States are picking up the financial burden for now, with many providing benefits by cobbling together previously unspent federal funds with state dollars.>> That said, Tom Kludt flagged a salient point from Glor who said, "There is some nuance to some of these arguments that unfortunately [due to] time, sometimes gets lost."

...even in the chyrons

CNN and MSNBC not only spent much of the evening checking Trump's claims against the facts on-air, but they did so aggressively in the chyrons. Throughout the night, I noticed various fact check's (like the one above) being employed by both of the networks.

All that said, are we fact-checking the right way?

Alex Koppelman emails: One argument we've heard frequently during the discussion over whether or not networks should take Trump live is that we all provide comprehensive fact-checks, both on air and online, of what he says after he says it, or sometimes during. That's a good thing, no question -- but when it comes to justifying taking him live, there's a major caveat that I haven't seen discussed: We don't really know if fact-checks work, or whether we're doing them the right way.When a woman who has been in a vegetative state for years suddenly gave birth at an Arizona care facility, caregivers were taken completely by surprise, telling 911 dispatchers, "We had no idea she was pregnant." CNN's Sara Sidner reports.

Hacienda HealthCare says it will turn over all records related to the patient in a vegetative state who gave birth inside its facility last month.

As part of its internal review, the Arizona facility will also divulge all operational procedures related to the unit where she was a patient, according to a statement from the Hacienda HealthCare board of directors.

The board announced Sunday the hiring of former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley to lead the internal review. The facility's employees will continue to cooperate with the Phoenix Police Department, whose investigators have begun to gather DNA from men who work at the facility.

"We will do everything we can to aid this review and, once it is complete, to make sure this unprecedented situation never, ever happens again," the board's statement said. "As an organization, our top priority is to quickly identify the perpetrator and to make sure that person is brought to justice."

The patient, 29, gave birth December 29 at the facility for people in need of long-term medical care. Caregivers were taken by surprise at the birth, telling 911 dispatchers, "We had no idea she was pregnant."

Police have said the baby was in distress when it was born, but they haven't said whether the woman had a full-term pregnancy.The language was included in Amendment 2 to keep the medical information of patients confidential, as well as sensitive information from applicants, such as security plans and financials, private, he said in a statement.

But, he said, We wouldnt necessarily expect all of the application to be closed. For instance, we dont see any reason the name of the applicants wouldnt be public.

Williams said that despite the provision, the department has received numerous inquiries about the records.

Officials plan to release aggregate information later this week about the number of companies that have so far submitted licensing fees.

Any entity seeking to open a cultivation facility must pay a $10,000 application fee to the agency. Any entity seeking to distribute medical marijuana or manufacture medical marijuana-infused products must pay a $6,000 application fee.

Though companies are allowed to prepay licensing fees now, official applications for licenses will not be accepted until August, according to the state.

Missouri became the 33rd state to legalize medical marijuana in November after 65 percent of voters approved Amendment 2, the most popular of three medical marijuana ballot initiatives. Shops are expected to open early next year.

Get high-interest updates about the budding marijuana industry around the St. Louis area. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.File photoKen Buchele, representing the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas Board of Directors, speaks to the Lyon County Commission during a meeting in 2013. Buchele was informed Tuesday he will receive the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lyon County Chamber of Commerce.China has achieved all-round progress in deepening reform in its judicial and social systems since the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), which was held in 2013.

Zhang Jun, procurator-general of the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP), announced on Thursday that the SPP will form 10 new procuratorial departments and implement a new mechanism to allow the same department to handle both the arrest and prosecution processes of criminal cases.

"The old mechanism lowers efficiency because one department handles the arrest process and the other department has to learn about the case all over again when it handles the prosecution process," Zhang said at a press conference organized by the Information Office of the State Council.

Over 90,000 procurators and 120,000 judges have been re-elected under the judicial reform aimed at improving their professional competence. They will take on lifelong responsibilities for specific cases in an effort to boost their enthusiasm and sense of responsibility.

Previously, China's judicial selection and management system was based on the public servant management system, which did not suit the profession well.

Citizens can now establish legal cases by simply getting registered instead of going through inspections. Currently, over 95 percent of the cases are registered and established on site.

In May 2018, the Legal Services of China website started operation, collecting data from over 380,000 legal service institutions and 1.39 million professionals nationwide. It selected 475 institutions and 925 professionals to form a counseling team to serve the public.

"These unprecedented reforms and changes stemmed from the Party's people-centered governance philosophy to make the people actually feel equality and justice," said Xu Hanming, a professor with Zhongnan University of Economics and Law.

On Sept. 1, 2018, the Ministry of Public Security rolled out 20 reform measures to streamline traffic management. The measures included information sharing and online settlement of claims of accidents.

The country also issued documents on reforming the registered permanent residence system and loosening restrictions on rural residents settling in urban areas.

Major universities have also raised their ratio of recruited students from rural families. Over 90 percent of handicapped children now have access to education resources.

As of the end of 2017, the number of cities with hierarchical medical systems had increased to 321 and average life expectancy rose to 76.7.

The supply of elderly care continues to grow. By September 2018, 29,300 institutions across the country offered elderly care with more than seven million beds.Drew needs both apps on his phone, Hallford wrote.

In response, Erdmann, who was hired by Greitens, wrote: One is for secure comms recommended by HWP. The other enables me to back up my phone.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Erdmann said he stopped using the app more than a year ago. He also said it was not used to hide text messages.

The app was strictly used as a security measure and pertained only to situations when safety and security necessitated within the Governors Office related to overseas travel (e.g. China, Middle East) or during domestic security events (e.g., aftermath of Stockley Verdict). The last time I recall using the app was in November 2017 while traveling for official business to the Middle East, Erdman said.

Capt. John Hotz, spokesman for the Missouri Highway Patrol, said the agency used the app to protect and encrypt sensitive operational information during high-risk situations such as the protests in Ferguson.

The app was also utilized by the Governors Security Division during a trip to China and Middle East. The app provided a hardened communication platform that prevented the information from being intercepted or hacked, Hotz said.ST. LOUIS  Three people from the Los Angeles area have admitted defrauding Enterprise Holdings of Clayton through a prepaid rental car scam.

All three pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

On Wednesday, Dan Wang and Meng Shao, both 27, pleaded guilty. Yi Ronnie Liu, 29, pleaded guilty last month.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lang said in court that Liu set up a fake car rental website that claimed to be a bulk purchaser of prepaid car rentals for Enterprise, Alamo and National car rental companies. Wang and Shao took orders from Chinese tourists planning trips to the U.S., and Liu used stolen credit card numbers to buy credit card vouchers for clients, she said.

Enterprise has a prepaid rental car program for European travelers that allows them to buy vouchers for use in the U.S. The company was alerted to the fraud by a large number of credit card charge-backs in that program and contacted the St. Louis office of the FBI, court documents say.

In all, the scam cost parent company Enterprise Holdings about $600,000, Lang said.FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS  A former EMT in the Metro East who moved to Oklahoma and became a police officer has been accused of sexually abusing children in three states.

Michael L. Lindsey, 35, of Harrah, Okla., was charged Monday with predatory criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse in St. Clair County. Court documents allege he sexually assaulted a boy younger than 13 between January and August 2010.

Lindsey was a Fairview Heights resident at the time of the alleged assault, living in the 9300 block of Bunkum Road and working as an EMT, according to Fairview Heights police.

He moved away from the area sometime in 2010. Police have also identified two victims that they say Lindsey sexually abused in Tennessee and Oklahoma. All were pre-teen or teenage boys at the time of the alleged assaults.

Lindsey was arrested in Oklahoma last month and charged with 14 counts of child sexual abuse and one count of sexual battery in that state, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.EDWARDSVILLE  The former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Illinois has been arrested and charged with his second DUI in less than two years.

Edwardsville police stopped Stephen Wigginton, 55, at about 9 p.m. on New Year's Eve in the 1000 block of Plummer Drive on suspicion of driving under the influence and improper lane usage, and cited him on those two charges, according to Chief Jay Keeven.

Keeven would not release any additional details.

Madison County Prosecutor Tom Gibbons will refer the case to a special prosecutor because Wigginton worked in that office part-time before becoming a U.S. attorney, according to a spokesperson for the office. He served as U.S. attorney from 2010 to 2015.

In May 2017, Wigginton crashed his Cadillac in Troy, Ill., and was charged with DUI, leaving the scene of a crash, failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash and improper lighting.Police said Strothkamp was combative about 11 a.m. the next day when Officer James Holifield drove him in a Dodge Charger from an Overland holding cell to the St. Louis County jail in Clayton for booking on an assault charge.

While on Interstate 170, Strothkamp told Holifield he was hot, so Holifield lowered the rear window about 3 to 4 inches and also his own window, officials have said. The patrol car had slowed to about 45 mph because of heavy traffic when Holifield heard a metallic type sound from the back seat that sounded like rattling or twisting of handcuffs. When Holifield looked in his rear-view mirror, Strothkamp was gone.

Authorities said Holifield violated protocol by not securing Strothkamp in a seat belt, according to findings of a police department investigation. The investigation also found that failing to set childproof locks on the rear doors of the patrol car made it possible for Strothkamp to jump onto I-170 near Page Boulevard.Joe Holleman Joe Holleman is a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Follow Joe Holleman Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today

St. Louis University law professor emerita Eileen Haughey Searls  director of the Omer Poos Law Library for 48 years  died Sunday in Maryland. She was 94.

Ms. Searls is credited as the person who built the law library and helped pave the way for women in legal education, the university reported.

Ms. Searls started at SLU in 1952 and retired in 2000.

In 1964, she became the first woman promoted to full professor and was the first to receive tenure at the law school. She was inducted in 2015 into the inaugural class of the Order of the Fleur de Lis Hall of Fame, the law school's highest honor.

Colleagues said she was an active mentor for both female students and younger professors.

She would come in my office and sit there for an hour and talk about what it meant to be a SLU faculty member, what it meant to be a part of this community," said Sandra H. Johnson, former interim dean of the law school.

Said Johnson, "It was like being part of Cardinal Nation talking to Eileen."I was disappointed in not being able to try the brains, but I was delighted to be able to make my second choice, sweetbreads.

Sweetbreads are possibly not what you think they are (they are not, for instance, what a chef friend of mine jokingly calls hanger steak). Sweetbreads come from the thymus of a calf, the thymus being a gland in the neck that helps to fight disease.

Properly prepared, sweetbreads are exquisite. They are celestial. They are ethereal. They are just about the best things on earth that you can eat, with a meltingly soft texture (Ive seen it compared to soft tofu) and a mild, creamy flavor quite unlike anything else in the world.

When I was growing up, my mother would occasionally cook sweetbreads  maybe two or three times a year. I loved them. I thought everybody ate them.

These days, they can be ferociously difficult to find. Most restaurants dont carry them, not even a lot of fine French restaurants. You can forget ever seeing them at a grocery store . But some well-stocked butchers still have them, though they are likely to be frozen.Florida Georgia Line is set for Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre with a show on Aug. 8. The country act is hitting the road as part of its Cant Say I Aint Country tour, and broke the news on billboard.com.

The Cant Say I Aint Country album will be released Feb. 15.

The tour begins June 13 in Arkansas and includes Dan + Shay and Morgan Wallen.

The duos Brian Kelley said in statement: Were ready to party even bigger in 2019. Lots of pyro, energy, and good vibes, with a few surprises up our sleeves. And were so glad to be bringing our buddies along for the ride.

Ticket information for the show is not yet available.

Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which has its western headquarters in St. Louis, has signed a new partnership agreement with St. Louis University to collaborate on geospatial research, training, and innovation initiatives.

The university will provide the agency, known as the NGA, with subject matter expertise, test support and technical assistance in emerging research areas, including pilotless aircraft systems and predictors of regional conflict and instability, the school said Wednesday. Financial details were not disclosed.

SLUs partnership with the NGA is part of a new initiative, called GeoSLU, that seeks to leverage the schools geospatial expertise to create a leading center for geospatial research, training and innovation in St. Louis.

SLU and the NGA are co-sponsoring a conference in April, bringing together government, academic and industry partners in the geospatial industry.

Because of SLUs diverse geospatial research and training portfolio, we are well positioned to support the NGAs work, SLU President Fred Pestello said in a statement. Our expertise is an asset for the agency as well as the region, and I am pleased that we will be able to partner with the NGA on their vital work.

The NGA is building a $1.7 billion campus north of downtown St. Louis, with plans to relocate thousands of employees that are currently based at its facility near the Anheuser-Busch brewery south of downtown.

A message from David Nicklaus Want to stay smart about what's happening in St. Louis? Make a modest investment in a Post-Dispatch subscription and I'll tell you how developments around the world affect local businesses big and small. Intro subscription rate: Just $1 for 6 monthsPresident Klaus Iohannis on Friday will welcome at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace several European Commission members (The College of Commissioners), in the context of Romania's having taken over the EU Council Presidency, on 1 January 2019.

On this occasion, the head of state will also have a meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

According to a Presidential Administration release, the discussions will regard Romania's Presidency of the EU Council, with a focus on the main European files which Romania will manage in this period.The head of state will highlight that Romania exercising for the first time the rotating Presidency of the EU Council will represent a good opportunity to reaffirm the country's commitment to strengthening the European project, the release reads."President Klaus Iohannis will highlight that Romania wants to exercise a successful mandate, oriented towards concrete results, meant to contribute to promoting the European agenda, however, taking into account the complex context during which it will carry out its activity over the next six months," the release shows.The College of Commissioners pays a visit to the member state holding the EU Council Presidency in the beginning of each semester.Prime Minister Viorica Dancila will take the floor next week in the plenary sitting of the European Parliament to present the priorities of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The head of the Executive reminded that on Thursday and Friday in Bucharest will take place the official launch of the EU Council presidency in the two symbol buildings of our country - the Romanian Athenaeum and the Victoria Palace, in the presence of the heads of the European Commission, the European Council, the European Parliament, members of the European commissioners College.

"At the beginning of next week, on Monday and Tuesday, to be more specific, I'll have several official meetings in Strasbourg and I'll present in the plenary sitting of the European Parliament the priorities of our Presidency's mandate. We are fully aware of the opportunity we have to act together for Romania and for the EU," the premier said in the debut of the gov't sitting.

According to the prime minister, "we are ready at both technical and political level" for the mandate we have taken over as of 1 January 2019.

The premier hailed the initiative of the Ministry of Communications that has launched through Romfilatelia a stamp issue dedicated to Romania's presidency of the EU Council.

"Let me tell you that we will fulfill our part of unbiased mediator, consensus' facilitator, that we will have as priorities the challenges that exist at European level. I'm talking about Brexit, the post-Brexit future EU, the elections to the European Parliament, the multiannual finnacial framework, the common agricultural policy, the cohesion policy - as traditional policies, as well as about the new challenges linked to the foreign policy, migration, terrorism, asylum policy. Likewise, I want to assure you that each and every minister of the Cabinet has on their work table the files at European level and that as of 21 January, they will attend the select committees' works of the European Parliament," Dancila stressed.

Read also: Romania receives second instalment of money from European Commission to combat African swine fever

The premier concluded that the takeover of the EU Council presidency by Romania takes place at a time when our country has recorded in 2018 a durable, sustainable economic growth.

AGERPRES .The withdrawal process of the United Kingdom from the European Union represents a significant moment of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and Romania's action will be extremely important so that European citizens, including Romanians, will not suffer, Minister Delegate for European Affairs George Ciamba said in an interview for AGERPRES.

According to him, during its Presidency of the EU Council, Romania intends to support actions aimed at protecting the democratic and free elections to the European Parliament, against external interference and to develop a coordinated response to the disinformation phenomenon. The Romanian official refers not only to fake news, but also to cyber attacks, highlighting the importance of identifying the best ways to protect the electoral process from any external influences.

"The society and the civil society in particular must play the leading role and act independently from the involvement of the states and the Union, but, just like the media, they must receive adequate resources, be supported by both the Member States and the Union. The academic environment, the NGOs and think-tanks can make a decisive contribution through fact-checking, by promoting the citizens' media and informational literacy, by exposing - in tune with the media - the disinformation campaigns and fake news whenever they appear," says the Minister Delegate for European Affairs.

In the AGERPRES interview, he also talks about raising interest in the Black Sea region, highlighting the active support of the European Commission.

"We hope that our Presidency, drawing on the results of our Bulgarian colleagues, will encourage the revitalization of the Black Sea Synergy, especially in the sense of its upgrading and that of projects supported by the EU and the Member States, oriented towards the future. I would also like to note the active support of the European Commission and our partners in the Black Sea region in developing a Common Maritime Agenda of the region inspired by the concept of the blue economy, and a Strategic Black Sea Innovation and Research Agenda, two results that will favor the concrete regional cooperation in the medium and long term," states the Romanian official.

AGERPRES: Tuesday marked the debut of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in Brussels, within the General Affairs Council. How have the works of your first sitting unfolded? What will be the specific files important for our country that we can promote during this term?

George Ciamba: We already have a complex discussion agenda, we have presented our Presidency's priorities, built around the concept of cohesion, distributed in the four main pillars of action: Europe of Convergence, A Safer Europe, Europe, as a Stronger Global Actor and Europe of Common Values. The Member States were then informed of the state of play of the post-2020 European budget negotiations and the next steps with a view to reaching a timely agreement. We also had an exchange of views on the misinformation phenomenon, following the European Council's request to develop a coordinated response to this challenge. In fact, the issue is also among the priorities of our Presidency of the EU Council, during which we intend to support actions aimed at protecting the democratic and free elections to the European Parliament against external interference.

We have a very wide range of files to manage. As the Presidency, Romania will lead the works of the Council of the European Union, trying to contribute to the advancement of the European agenda by impartially managing files on the EU agenda during its six-month mandate: defining the future European Union budget, the functioning of the Single European Market, strengthening the social dimension, the Union's internal security agenda, combating terrorism, managing the phenomenon of migration and strengthening the role of the European Union on a global scale. Romania's Presidency of the Council of the European Union will focus on identifying solutions that reflect both the interests of the Member States and the vision of the European institutions, thus responding to the ideal of a Europe of solidarity, united and strong.

AGERPRES: During the exercise of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, important events will take place at European level, including the actual exit of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the Community. How do you envisage the developments and implications of this file throughout the term of Romania's Presidency of the EU Council?

George Ciamba: The withdrawal process of the United Kingdom from the European Union is indeed a significant moment of the Romanian Presidency at the Council of the European Union. I think the Brexit related subjects are very topical for the Romanian citizens as well, especially since the no-deal Brexit scenario cannot yet be ruled out, at least theoretically. Until March 29, 2019, when the United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union, there is also the date of January 15, when the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Parliament will cast the vote on the withdrawal agreement, along with the associated political declaration. If things go in the direction we do not want - just as we did not wish the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union - I think it will be very important for our legislative work to be well prepared and timely. In this regard, we are already in contact with the European Commission and all institutional actors. Our action will be extremely important, so that European citizens, including Romanians, do not have to suffer. More than what the Commission can do at technical level, the Member States's action at Council level is also essential, and all the more so that of Romania, as the Presidency-in-Office.

AGERPRES: What can Romania do to increase the interest, the European and economic support for the Black Sea region?

George Ciamba: We are counting on the support of the European External Action Service and the European Commission to make progress on regional cooperation in the Black Sea, thanks to the enhanced involvement of the European Union. We hope that our Presidency, drawing on the results of our Bulgarian colleagues, will encourage the revitalization of the Black Sea Synergy, especially in the sense of its upgrading and that of projects supported by the EU and the Member States, oriented towards the future. I would also like to note the active support of the European Commission and our partners in the Black Sea region in developing a Common Maritime Agenda of the region inspired by the concept of the blue economy and a Strategic Black Sea Innovation and Research Agenda, which will favor the concrete regional cooperation in the medium and long term. I also thank the Commission for supporting cooperation at the level of the civil society in the region, an 11-year initiative of Romania. We count on the sustainable establishment of all these dimensions, under our Presidency, within several official events to be held in Bucharest and Brussels in May-June.

AGERPRES: 2019 is an electoral year for Romania too, as both EP and presidential elections will be held. Will this affect the pursuit of the priorities of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union?

George Ciamba: I would place the upcoming elections to the European Parliament due in May 2019 in the special European context that marks our term, alongside the Brexit process and the current debate on the future of Europe. At the same time, we must permanently keep our attention on global developments that also influence the dynamics of the European agenda: developments in the transatlantic relationship, the rise of the Eurosceptic rhetoric and the increased international pressure on the European model of social market economy.

In this decisive context for the European project, we will act with pragmatism to ensure the continuity of the European agenda and we will seek to contribute through our actions to creating a Europe that is more united and closer to its citizens' expectations.

On the other hand, as I have said it on other occasions, this project is not an instrument of internal political fight. The Presidency of the Council of the European Union is a strategic project that must be supported regardless of the course of internal political debates. I am convinced that through a common commitment, anchored in a pro-European vision, we can help strengthen the European project in the next six months.

AGERPRES: Given that we raised European elections for discussion, one of the subjects discussed at the General Affairs Council meeting was the combat of disinformation to protect the upcoming EP elections against any kind of interference from outside. What is Romania's vision on this subject?

George Ciamba: Disinformation is without doubt one of the major challenges of democracies. As I have already mentioned, the combat of the fake news phenomenon has already been on the agenda of the CAG meeting. In the current geopolitical context, with the approaching elections to the European Parliament, the best methods must be identified to protect this electoral process from all external influences. I am referring here not only to fake news, but also to cyber attacks. This requires a concerted, proactive effort of the EU and member states, as well as of the civil society and the relevant industry.

2018 has been a very good year for closing ranks against disinformation. Important steps have been taken. A best practice Code on Disinformation has been adopted, together with online platforms, major social networks and the advertising industry, which proposes a self-regulatory process. Recently, the Action Plan against Disinformation was adopted, an extensive and comprehensive document the conception of which had Romania participate alongside other member states and which we want to be implemented to an as high as possible extent during Romania's Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

The society and the civil society in particular must play the leading role and act independently from the involvement of the states and of the Union, but, just like the media, it must receive adequate resources, get support from both the member states and the Union. The academic milieu, the NGOs and think-tanks can make a decisive contribution through fact-checking, by promoting citizen media and information literacy, by exposing - in tune with the media - the disinformation campaigns and fake news whenever they appear.

AGERPRES: What can you tell us about the logo of this term, which is already highly visible both in Brussels and Bucharest, where it is being beamed inclusively on the facade of the Victoria Palace of Government?

George Ciamba: Unlike other presidencies, we have decided to involve young people in the actions dedicated to defining the visual identity of our term. The logo was chosen following a competition organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in partnership with the Ministry of National Education. The winner, a 15-year old 9th grader from the "I.L. Caragiale" National College in Bucharest, wanted to illustrate through his drawing a moving, self-assured European Union, dynamic, but also attached to its values.

AGERPRES: "Cohesion, a common European value". Why did you choose this slogan for the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union?

George Ciamba: This was no accidental choice. The European Union is founded on the shared commitment of the member states to promoting and consolidating peace, stability and prosperity in a cohesive manner, acting together, sharing a set of common values while respecting the linguistic and cultural diversity of each European country. We are convinced that the vision we design for our future must be built around the principle of cohesion.

Beyond the historical milestones and the established role of the cohesion principle in the development of the European project, the challenges of the latest period even stronger reveal the need to strengthen the unity and cohesion of the European Union. Therefore, the agenda of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union was designed based on this key idea, which is also reflected in our motto.

First of all, we envisage cohesion as a political value that ensures the unity of the member countries. I think this is a very important message that we must convey precisely at the time when the Union undergoes unprecedented transformations. At the same time, cohesion also has an economic dimension, that is directly linked to convergence. For Romania, joining the European Union has generated indisputable benefits, and the doubling of the Gross Domestic Product in twelve years of EU membership is an eloquent example. We also considered this valency of economic cohesion in the light of the acknowledgement that full integration into the single market is essential, so that its benefits are felt by all citizens. Last but not least, the social dimension of cohesion, also understood through the imperative of ensuring social convergence and preserving the four fundamental freedoms of the internal market of the European Union, must also be promoted.

Read also: #Romania2019.eu/ Romania takes over EU military Committee head

AGERPRES: If you could send the citizens just one message about Romania's Presidency of the Council of the European Union, what would this be?

George Ciamba: Twelve years after accession, at a key moment in the evolution of the European project, Romania has taken up a role that will definitely confirm the maturity of our European status. The mandate of our Presidency will open a stage of maximum visibility on the European scene, during which we will have the opportunity to project our vision on the European agenda, for the benefit of the Union and of its citizens.

AGERPRES .French Minister of European Affairs Nathalie Loiseau, on a visit in Bucharest from January 9 to 11, will discuss with Romanian officials about the summit in Sibiu and about the support France is granting the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

"Nathalie Loiseau, the Minister of European Affairs, is in Bucharest from January 9 to 11, in the context of Romania's presidency of the Council of the European Union. The minister will be welcomed by Prime Minister Viorica Dancila and will meet with the Minister Delegate for European Affairs, George Ciamba," shows the site of the Embassy of France in Bucharest.

The French official "will voice France's support for a successful Romanian presidency of the Council of the European Union, which has major stakes on the table," the cited source highlights.

"The Romanian Presidency will have to finalize the review of the European asylum system, taking into account the principles of solidarity and responsibility, and to advance the discussions on the EU budget in the period 2021-2027, paying close attention to reconcile traditional policies and the financing of new priorities," the site of the Embassy of France further informs.

Moreover, according to the cited source, France expects the Romanian presidency to make progress in areas such as social Europe and the fight against terrorism.

Read also: #Romania2019.eu/Czaputowicz: Poland supports Romania's presidency, due to also represent Central and Eastern Europe states

The Minister's visit comes as "the extension of the recent meeting in Paris between the President of the Republic and his Romanian counterpart, Klaus Iohannis, on November 27, last year," the diplomatic mission specifies.

AGERPRES .Poland supports Romania's presidency of the Council of the European Union and is convinced that our country will also represent the Central and Eastern European states, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz told a press conference on Wednesday alongside his Romanian counterpart, Teodor Melescanu.

To mark a century of diplomatic relations between Romania and Poland, the Polish minister received a digitized copy of 294 archive files from the Romanian minister.

The archive files gather, Melescanu said, "over 100,000 pages referring to Poland's bilateral relations, foreign and domestic politics, the aid granted by Romania to Poland after 1939, the situation of the Polish refugees in Romania, as well as the Polish exile from the time of the WWII."

Speaking about the country's presidency of the Council of the European Union, Teodor Melescanu said that Romania will persistently engage in promoting cohesion as a common European value, overcoming divisions among member countries and identifying ways to strengthen the role of the European Union.

"We welcomed our common approach in favour of a balanced budget that would keep the Cohesion Policy and the Common Agricultural Policy as key positions and policies of the future budget, while providing an adequate response to the new challenges that the European Union is facing in this period," Melescanu pointed out.

He highlighted that Romania and Poland share similar views on the European perspective of the Western Balkans. "We have reaffirmed our commitment to strengthening the enlargement policy that both Romania and Poland support as well as our visions that largely coincide on all lines of action regarding the Eastern Partnership, the support for the European path of the Republic of Moldova," the head the Romanian diplomacy said.

At the same time, Melescanu pointed out that "Romania and Poland want a robust and stable transatlantic relationship." "We appreciate Poland's consistent participation in the implementation of the advanced presence in Romania and the Black Sea region, and in our turn, we also participate in Poland in the efforts to strengthen the NATO presence," the Romanian underscored.

Jacek Czaputowicz brought to mind the Romania-Poland collaboration within the Bucharest 9 format, which includes the countries on the eastern flank of NATO.

"My visit also shows our commitment to working with all the partners in the European Union as well as the desire to find solutions that are acceptable to everyone and decisions that build the future of the European Union. This year we will celebrate 100 years since the diplomatic relations between Poland and Romania were initiated, and it is a symbolic point of reference for our actions," the Polish Foreign Minister said, according to the official translation.

The Polish official spoke about the support that his country intends to give to Romania as the presidency of the Council of the European Union.

"Poland will bolster Romania's presidency in accomplishing the important and well established priorities. We are certain that the friends in Romania will respond very well to these challenges, as a spokesman for the Eastern and Central European states that are an integral part of Europe," he stressed.

Read also: #Romania2019.eu/ Romania takes over EU military Committee head

Czaputowicz also talked about the transatlantic partnership of Romania and Poland.

"This is what unites us in the foreign policy, our relationship with the United States and we see here a strategic element for the security of this part of the world," Czaputowicz said.

AGERPRES .Romania received the second instalment worth 3.9 million euro from the 34.28 million euro grant, representing the financial contribution of the European Union (EU) for combating the African swine fever (ASF), informs the National Sanitary-Veterinary and Food Safety Authority (ANSVSA), in a press release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday.

"The European Commission sent to the National Sanitary-Veterinary and Food Safety Authority on 28 December a second instalment of 3.9 million euro from the 34,278,750 euro grant representing the Union's financial contribution to the actions undertaken by our country to combat the African swine fever. This payment was made under the condition that the grant award decision 'SANTE / EM / AH / 2018 / ASF / RO' allows the payment of an advance of up to 50 percent and of the subsequent payments," mentions the authority.

According to the cited source, the official correspondence of the European Commission stipulates that the next instalment of the advance will be granted when the budget situation allows it."The payment, in a short time since the Grant Decision, of 13.9 million euro out of the 17 million euro advance, is a confirmation that the Romanian Government has acted and is acting to combat the African swine fever in full compliance with the requests of the European Commission," ANSVSA specifies.The first instalment, worth 10 million euro from the European Commission grant for emergency measures regarding the combating of the African swine fever, was paid to Romania on 13 December 2018.The presence of the PPA virus was reported in Romania for the first time on July 31, 2017, in Satu-Mare County, but this year the virus has spread, and now there are outbreaks in 301 localities from 19 counties. According to the latest official data, the number of outbreaks reached 1,145, of which 19 in commercial farms and 558 in cases of wild boar.In total, as many as 364,212 pigs affected by this disease were culled and 8,535 owners were compensated until December 28, 2018. The total amount of payments has reached almost 251.121 million lei.Romania stands to lose each time a young person doesn't find at home the professional and personal opportunities they are looking for, President Klaus Iohannis says in his message on Tuesday on the occasion of the tenth edition of the Gala of Romanian Students Aboard.

In the message presented by state advisor within the Presidential Administration Education and Research Department Ligia Deca, the head of state congratulated the League of Romanian Students Abroad, as well as the representatives of the private sector for the initiative to award some of the Romanian students who distinguished themselves through their academic career abroad.

"These young people are ambassadors of the Romanian culture and education and represent an important vector in building the image of our country," says President Iohannis in his message.According to the head of state, without the contribution of the Romanian youth who studied abroad the modern Romania foundation couldn't have been laid, bringing to mind the members of the generation of 1848, who used the experience of their studies in Western Europe to promote the idea of having democratic and modern institutions in the Romanian Principalities."The technological and cultural progress of our country has always been facilitated by the free movement of ideas, the cooperation with other people in Europe and worldwide. Unfortunately, over the recent years this mobility has mostly been unidirectional. Romania stands to lose each time a young person doesn't find at home the professional and personal opportunities they are looking for. However, this doesn't mean that we discourage academic mobility, because this represents an important source of partnerships and contributes to the creation of joint economic or research projects with specialists from other states. In the context of globalisation, the young Romanians who study abroad can become a catalyst for Romania's economic and social development," Iohannis shows."Capitalise on the education you received here, in Romania, and show the entire world that Romanians are an open and creative people! (...) I wish you success in your activity and I hope you will manage to transpose your talent in remarkable achievements over the years to come, including in our country," the head of state conveyed them.On Tuesday, Jan.2, the VFW in Emmetsburg held its monthly meeting.

Our meeting started with an opening prayer from Chaplin Bruch and was followed by a recital of the Pledge of Allegiance led by Commander Chamberlain.

The minutes and financial reports of December 5th, 2018 were read and approved as read.

Communications: Our Casino Grants have been submitted, one is a mini grant for a tank heater and the other is a major grant for L.E.D. lighting for the Post home.

There will be a 10th district meeting on the 5th of January 2019 in Algona.

The first fish fry will be on March 1, 2019 and will be sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary. Weekly fish frys will be held from 5-7 PM during lent.

Motion was made by Bill Whitney and seconded by John Van Oosbree to approve the following raffle tickets at the fish frys. There will be 1 raffle for $400.00 and 1 raffle for $200.00 and two raffles for $100.00. Motion Carried.

Committee Reports: Commander Chamberlain reported that our Monday night bingo for the last 9 months has grossed $4,286.00.

Our meeting ended with a closing prayer from Chaplin Bruch.The importance of Romania and Poland continuing their dialogue based on the Strategic Partnership was a central subject of the talks during this Wednesday meeting at the Victoria Palace of Government between Premier Viorica Dancila and Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz.

The Romanian Prime Minister and the Polish Foreign Minister pointed out that the relations between the two states have seen an intense and dynamic development in recent years and emphasized the importance of continuing the Romania - Poland dialogue on the basis of the two states' Strategic Partnership concluded ten years ago, the government said in a release.

During the meeting, the two officials also tackled subjects related to the European agenda, with PM Dancila presenting on the occasion the priorities of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, and underscoring that Romania's first-time tenure at the helm of the EU Council in the first half of the year 2019 is a moment of great importance and an opportunity for Romania to reaffirm its commitment to strengthening the European project.

At the same time, the Romanian Premier expressed Romania's expectations of getting Poland's support and cooperation in this line - with reference to relevant files such as the Multi-Annual Financial Framework, the Eastern Partnership, or the Western Balkans, the cited source said.

Read also: #Romania2019.eu/Czaputowicz: Poland supports Romania's presidency, due to also represent Central and Eastern Europe states

In the perspective of the second round of intergovernmental consultations between Romania and Poland - scheduled to take place in Romania this year - Viorica Dancila highlighted the importance of the full implementation of the measures in areas such as security and defense, European integration, foreign affairs, internal affairs, entrepreneurship and economy, innovation, agriculture and tourism, as agreed upon during the first round of consultations held in Warsaw last year, the government's release states.

AGERPRES .Premier Viorica Dancila announced on Wednesday that Romania has caught up with the EU average as regards the absorption rate of European funds.

"In the context of the events taking place these days, I also highlight the fact that we have reached the EU average as regards the absorption rate of European funds. According to European Commission data, Romania's total absorption rate at the end of 2018 is 26 percent, while the EU average is 27 pct. Funding for agriculture has a major economic and social importance in this respect. The presented data proves the important contribution (...) of agriculture to economic growth, as a priority sector supported by the government both through legislative measures and through constant allocations from the budget, but also from European funds," the PM said at the beginning of the government meeting.

Dancila added that in the first days of the year Romania received 807.5 million euro from the European Commission in funding provided to the farmers from the European Agricultural Guarantee Fund.

Read also: #Romania2019.eu/ Romania takes over EU military Committee head

"As a result of well-organized work and of staying on schedule with farm subsidies, we will receive in early February a further 452 million euro, which means a total of 1.2 billion euro in European money for Romania's agriculture," the PM said.

AGERPRES .President Klaus Iohannis signed on Wednesday the decree awarding Gheorghe Balan, former Deputy Prime Minister for Reintegration (2016 - 2018) in the government of the Republic of Moldova, the Presidential Administration announced in a release.

The head of the state awarded the National Order "For Merit" in the rank of Commander to Gheorghe Balan in sign of "high appreciation for his important contribution to strengthening the strategic partnership between Romania and the Republic of Moldova, through initiatives intended to deepen the interconnection of the societies of the two states," the release reads.

Read also: #Romania2019.eu/Czaputowicz: Poland supports Romania's presidency, due to also represent Central and Eastern Europe states

AGERPRES .The 2019 St. Patricks Junior Miss Pageant will be held Sunday, March 10, 2019 at 3 p.m. The pageant will be held at the Emmetsburg High School Auditorium. This will be held jointly with the Miss Shamrock Pageant.

The pageant will be divided into three categories: Little Miss Shamrock (ages 5-8), Little Lassie (ages 9-12), and Irish Miss (ages 12-16). Contestants entering the Little Miss Shamrock must be age 5 by March 1, 2018. The first six girls to sign up will be accepted into the pageant in their age group. One winner will be crowned in each age group.

Contestants will be judged on the following areas: pre-pageant interview, talent, overall presentation, and appearance. Our 2018 winners are not eligible to take part in the competition.

This year we will be having special guest 2018 Miss Iowa Mikhayla Hughes-Shaw! She will be sharing her talent and speaking to us about her platform.

Entry forms are available at St. Pats Headquarters in downtown Emmetsburg, or you may download the entry form at www.emmetsburgirishgifts.com . All Entries need to submitted to St. Pats by Tuesday, February 20, 2019 at 12 noon.

St. Pats hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. St. Pats Headquarters is closed Sunday and Monday.Countries & Areas

Search for country or area A Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan B Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burma Burundi C Cabo Verde Cambodia Cameroon Canada Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Costa Rica Cote dIvoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czechia D Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic E Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia F Fiji Finland France G Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana H Haiti Holy See Honduras Hungary I Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy J Jamaica Japan Jordan K Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Kosovo Kuwait Kyrgyzstan L Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg M Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique N Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria North Korea North Macedonia Norway O Oman P Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territories Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Q Qatar R Republic of the Congo Romania Russia Rwanda S Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Sweden Switzerland Syria T Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu U Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Uruguay Uzbekistan V Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam Y Yemen Z Zambia ZimbabweLINCOLN  Think Nebraska is just a flyover state? Hear Nebraska is flat and boring? Think theres nothing to do here? Well leave your misconceptions at the door and order The Official 2019 Not-At-All What You Thought State Travel Guide and start planning a trip to the state that claims honestly, its not for everyone.

As 2019 begins, the Nebraska Tourism Commission retires the 2018 State Travel Guide and starts distributing the 2019 guide to potential visitors.

Were really excited about this years travel guide. Its bright, lively, funny, quirky and odd  all traits of our new campaign, said John Ricks, Nebraska Tourism Commission executive director. Generally, about two-thirds of people who request travel guides actually visit that state. This conversion rate is the highest among other methods used to entice travelers to visit a state. So obviously the travel guide is an important part of our marketing efforts.My favorite pot is my coil because this one I actually had to set a goal and I got a little less than half way, but it was still good enough for me, he said.

As he started to color his pot, he said he enjoys how art allows anyone to express themselves freely but the hardest part is the details.

The hardest part is getting the finishing details and making the realism of whatever were trying to sketch or paint.

While some students started the painting process right after grabbing their pots, others thought about the design.

The hardest part is figuring out what you want to do before you do it, said sixth-grader Katie Hoevet. That way you arent just winging it in the middle of making the pot.

Hoevet said she enjoys creating art, but three-dimensional art appeals to her the most.

I like to make things in 3-D rather than 2-D because it always appeals to me to make stuff with your hands rather than drawing it on paper, she said.That happened to York, Nebraska, which used traditional cash fund accounting, she said. The city council approved a number of major projects because the books looked like actual spending was below budget. But they were actually spending their reserve funds.

That could require York to slice more than $1 million from the budget and eliminate all capital expenditures. And even if the city doubled its property tax levy, solving the problem would be difficult.

York was one of six municipalities that became part of Currys policy paper. Gering was another. The report said Gering increased the tax burden on citizens for economic development programs, while increasing its budget by 11.8 percent to pay for ballfields, a new Civic Plaza and more.

Gering Mayor Tony Kaufman called the claim baloney. While the report revolves around property taxes, all the named projects were financed without property tax revenues.

I dont know what theyre trying to convey with that report, he said. When a major project like the ball park is completed, its going to increase your funding. But we have a funding mechanism to pay for it. Although its expenditure, we didnt raise anyones taxes to pay for it.GERING  The radio tower that currently sits atop the Scotts Bluff County Courthouse has been there for almost 40 years  and its due for an upgrade, Communications Director Ray Richards told the the Scotts Bluff County Commissioners Monday evening. Richards was joined by Rick Derr of Action Communications, who helped lay out some of the issues with the aging tower before asking the board to consider putting out a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a new tower.

The tower has served its purpose in an excellent way for that (40-year) time frame, but it is full, Richards said. We cannot put any more equipment on that tower  for the things that we are doing in the communications center, as well as the mandates that are coming over the horizon for us for future growth.

Richards said much of the growth has occurred over the last 10 years, and with the passage of the public safety act in Nebraska last year, several upcoming projects will require a more robust tower with room for growth.

We need to move, and its a discussion that has happened several times over the years, Richards said. With the changing of the guard over in Scottsbluff City Council and Mayor (Randy) Meiningers passion for communications, we started working on it aggressively the last two or three months.Get 25% off of the regular $65 annual All Access rate. With this subscription you will get:

 Digital access to ElPasoInc.com and archives (value $45)

 Print subscription home or business delivered (value $65)

 Book of Lists (annual rate only, value $50)

 El Paso Inc. Magazine (value $20)

 El Paso Kids Inc.

 Special sections

- OR -

Get 15% off of the regular $45 annual Digital-only rate. With this subscription you will get:

Complete digital access to ElPasoInc.com.Ogden jazz icon Joe McQueen may be gone, but his memory and legacy live on. One physical reminder of his life, McQueen's lifelong home at 3158 Grant Ave., has now become available for sale. The house received extensive remodeling, but as investor Richard Casperson has said, "Joe's energy is T rends develop here, there and everywhere on the internet, whether its the current BirdBox challenge inspired by Netflixs new film or cake frosting videos on Instagram.

One of the most recent trends thats developed over the past few years is ASMR videos. ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response and its become such a trend on the internet that Samsung recently revealed one of its in-house start-ups is creating an ASMR sound recording solutions named aiMo.

Heres what you need to know about ASMR and why its so big.

What is ASMR?

Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is essentially a reaction people have to specific triggers.

ASMR videos online usually involve people whispering, tapping, or making slow movements and some people experience brain tingles when watching and hearing these types of sounds. These tingles often led to feelings of calm and relaxation.

ASMR is often described as the opposite of misophonia, the hatred of sound, which is usually a negative emotional reaction to a particular sound such as breathing or eating.

The rapper Cardi B is a big fan of ASMR videos and says she listens to them before going to sleep. She even created an ASMR video for W Magazine.

ASMR on YouTube

The trend really took off on YouTube as far back as 2013 but it is growing in popularity, with over 13 million ASMR videos on the platform.

The most popular ASMR YouTubers in the UK include ASMRMagic, with 865,000 subscribers, WhispersRed ASMR, at 662,000, and FredsVoice ASMR, at 320,000 subscribers.

ASMRMagics videos feature things such as scalp massaging, ear and microphone brushing, and deep crinkles. The YouTuber, who joined the platform in December 2015, has a three-hour-long video of various different ASMR triggers, which has had over 24 million views.

ASMR slime videos are also a niche category on their own, with YouTube data showing that more and more people are watching these videos as a way to relax.

People love to watch ASMR slime videos on YouTube

The trend isnt going anywhere: in the first week of January 2019, there was a 122 per cent increase in search interest for ASMR videos, compared to the first week of January 2018 in the UK alone on YouTube.

A YouTube spokesperson told the Standard: ASMR has been an incredibly interesting trend that has risen on YouTube and continues to see very high engagement. We see this content garnering more interest across both Google Search and YouTube and look forward to seeing how this trend continues to evolve.

Why do people like watching ASMR so much?

Given this is still a relatively new trend, there isnt that much research into the effects ASMR has and why people love it so much. Last year, the University of Sheffield and Manchester Metropolitan University published one of the first studies into ASMR and the findings suggested the videos may have benefits for both physical and mental health.

According to the study, people who experience brain tingles from ASMR sounds have significantly reduced heart rates whilst watching ASMR videos compared to those who do not. They also showed significant increases in positive emotions, such as relaxation and feelings of social connection. In fact, ASMR videos could be just as effective for relaxation as listening to music or mindfulness.

Speaking about the research, Dr Giulia Poerio, of the University of Sheffields department of psychology, said: Our studies show that ASMR videos do indeed have the relaxing effect anecdotally reported by experiencers  but only in people who experience the feeling. This was reflected in ASMR participants self-reported feelings and objective reductions in their heart rates compared to non-ASMR participants.

Whats interesting is that the average reductions in heart rate experienced by our ASMR participants was comparable to other research findings on the physiological effects of stress-reduction techniques such as music and mindfulness, she added.

Where is ASMR going to go next?

If the YouTube stats are anything to go by, the popularity of ASMR is only going to increase. At CES, Samsung debuted the aiMO device, a smartphone cover case equipped with faux human ears, which means it will be easier than ever to record ASMR content, even when you're outside.

One of Samsung's start-ups is creating a device to record ASMR videos / Samsung

Samsung says the case itself will help ASMR content creators produce spatially more enhanced sounds in terms of sound directivity. As well, the C-Lab project is also developing AI sound rendering software to improve the sound quality of recordings.A sexism row has swept the worlds biggest consumer tech fair after it emerged that an innovation award for a womens sex toy was revoked because it was deemed immoral and obscene.

The Ose robotic massager has now been banned from being exhibited at the CES gadget fair in Las Vegas.

The device was designed by start-up firm Lora DiCarlo, which employs mostly female engineers and has accused organisers of double standards and stifling innovation.

An independent judging panel had scored the gadget highly across all criteria in the run-up to this weeks show, before the Consumer Technology Association stepped in.

Lora Haddock, the founder of Lora DiCarlo, said the association told her it had made an error in processing the application, and the device was ineligible for the robotics and drones category. After appealing against the decision, she was told any product deemed by CTA in their sole discretion to be immoral, obscene, indecent, profane or not in keeping with CTAs image will be disqualified.

The Ose device, developed with Oregon State University researchers, uses micro-robotic technology and is said to mimic sensations for an experience that feels just like a real partner.

Ms Haddock said organisers of the tech fair were guilty of double standards because a sex doll for men was launched at the show last year, along with robot lap-dancers, while virtual reality pornography exhibits are often on show. So-called booth babes  scantily clad women designed to lure men to company stands  regularly featured before being banned several years ago.

Ms Haddock said: Ose is the subject of eight pending patents and counting for robotics, biomimicry and engineering feats. From the exclusion of female founders and executives to the lack of female-focused products allowed to exhibit on the floor, there are demonstrable issues with diversity.

The CTA said: The product referenced does not fit into any of our existing product categories and should not have been accepted for the Innovation Awards Program. CES does not have a category for sex toys. CTA had communicated this position to Lora DiCarlo nearly two months ago and we have apologised to them for our mistake.G oogle is building artificial intelligence that knows what you desire even before you ask it a question.

The next phase of the technology is currently being developed as the search giant pushes its Assistant at CES inside a booth three times bigger than last year, fitted out with a top-floor miniature railway for visitors.

The 18,000sq feet installation in the car park of the Las Vegas Convention Centre includes a device gallery with Pixel phones and Google Home smart speakers, and a car equipped with the voice-activated technology, which can be used to undertake tasks from a simple web searches to checking emails or instructing the playing a video.

Upstairs, a Candy Crush-like playground has been built as a stunt to show life scenarios the technology might assist with throughout the day.

This week, it was announced the software is set to be installed in one billion devices by end of this month, including smart clocks, kitchen appliances and even a mirror.

Google says that in future using the system will feel more like having a natural conversation with a human.

Google built a Candy Crush-like playground in its CES booth to show real-life scenarios the technology might assist with throughout the day / Mark Blunden

The company envisions customers being offered suggestions and recommendationsbefore you even have to ask as the data-hungry digital brain learns more and more about its owner.

But the tech firm has faced questions about its privacy and security after its soon-to-be shutdown Google+ social network, which left details of 52 million users, including information such as name, email address, occupation and age exposed to developers.

Looming large over Googles booth is a giant poster on the side of a tower block from rival Apple, saying: What happens on your iPhone stays on your iPhone.

A monorail train featuring a Google ad passes by a billboard advertising Apple's iPhone security during CES 2019 / David Becker/Getty Images

Google spokeswoman Crystal Dahlen said: Usage of the Google Assistant has grown dramatically over the last year, and active users have grown four times.

"Home, car and in your phone are the three areas were focussed on.

What you see at our playground at CES is a visualisation of how that comes to life.

Its having an Assistant wherever you are, being able to anticipate your needs, tell you when you have to check in to the flight or leave for the airport.

Our ride shows the vision of how it can be helpful throughout the day, whether thats helping you get up or being your French interpreter.

Theres still room for improvement, making conversation much more being much natural, being able to suggest and recommend things to you before you even have to ask.

"We take privacy and security really seriously for all of our Google products...we want to be really careful with the experience we're creating, and we do that by giving people control over the interaction and over the data.

"The device only responds when you say the 'hot word'."

Ms Dahlen said the firm's Duplex project is working to make AI naturally conversational with computers.

She said: So you dont have to worry about phrasing something so specifically or asking something and messing it up, you can just speak to it naturally like youre speaking to a person.A desk connected to a digital exercise bike could help burn calories even if some users might struggle to keep a straight face among colleagues at meetings.

Creators of the app-connected Deskcise Pro said it helps stop slouching and is an antidote to the post-lunch dip.

The idea is for workers to pedal for between 10 and 30 minutes at a time at nine exertion levels, all while at a laptop.

Its app shows how much the user has pedalled in a day, the calories burned and heart rate.

The height level of the desk can be adjusted to turn into a standing desk and the tabletop can be slid closer to the worker.

Its inventors, Loctek Ergonomic, say the exercise helps generate ideas and their executives hold meetings on bikes.

Alex Laspinas, sale director of Loctek Ergonomic, can himself pedal up to 25 miles a day in their California office.

He said: You want to motivate people to sit, stand and move throughout the day.

Its pretty easy, youre multi-tasking, you can work on your laptop while youre pedalling and the bike tells you how many miles youre doing, how many calories youre burning, which it records throughout the day.

It stimulates your brain so youre always thinking while moving and youre not slouching.

Even pedalling for a minute or two on the hardest setting, which is like going up a hill, burns a lot of calories.

You could put four or five of these in your break room or your meeting room so you could have an active meeting in a circle, just talk and pedal.

It creates ideas, instead of slouching youre up and thinking.The Internet was sent into meltdown after fans spotted Malek attempting to greet the Australian actress on stage before appearing to get rejected.

Kidman was onstage to present Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody with the Best Picture gong, but she didnt seem too keen on congratulating Malek, who plays the late Freddie Mercury, and turned away from him as he attempted to go in for a hug.

Malek, 37, took the cringe-worthy moment in his stride and gently touched Kidmans back in support as they applauded the producers of the biopic.

The American actor, who bagged the Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture award for the same movie, has finally addressed the awkward incident.

Speaking to Jimmy Kimmel, he said: Ive known her many years despite what it may seem from that video.

I thought I could easily go up and say hi but in the moment like that very awkward. I have a feeling this will haunting me on the Internet.

Kimmel struggled to hold back laughter as he asked the clip to be played again, while Malek set red-faced.

The drama landed a total of seven nominations ahead of the awards ceremony on February 10, including Outstanding British Film, Best Cinematography and Best Sound.The comedian and actor, who had described the presenting gig as the opportunity of a lifetime, stepped down from the helm shortly after he was announced in December after offensive tweets from 2009 and 2011 resurfaced online.

Speculation has persisted that Hart would change his mind and host the star-studded bash after all but the 39-year-old made a firm statement on Wednesday, saying that he would not be part of the show and was over talking about it.

He told Good Morning America: "I'm done with it, it gets no more energy from me and that's why I said it's the last time I'm addressing this. There is no more conversation about it.

"I'm literally over that. I'm over the moment ... if it's accepted, great, and if it's not, it's nothing I can control. I'm not saying how I've changed anymore, I'm giving no more explanation of who I am, I've done it.

I've done it several times and I've tweeted it, I've talked about it when I went on Ellen and on the radio show - I'm just done.

Stepped down: Kevin Hart quit the hosting role last December / Getty Images

He added that the backlash Ellen DeGeneres received for supporting him showed that there is no end and that feeding the controversy will only make it grow.

DeGeneres faced criticism from fans after she revealed that she had called the Academy to try and get Hart reinstated, later posting a rallying cry on Twitter.K endall Jenner has been blasted on social media after fans were left unconvinced she uses the acne products she has been promoting.

The supermodel came under fire earlier this week after her raw and personal announcement turned out to be an advert for Proactiv acne cream, naming her the face of the skin care brand.

However, things took an even worse turn for the reailty star when fans dug up old interviews in which members of the Kardashian-Jenner family speak about how their go-to dermatologist has helped the model with her skin.

Fans uncovered a 2015 interview in which Jenners younger sister Kylie told how the family dermatologist Christie Kidd had cured her sisters acne.

Speaking to The New York Times, she said: "We have a family dermatologist, Christie Kidd in Beverly Hills. My sister Kendall had really bad acne when she was younger, and she really cleared it up. I thought, Well if she cured Kendall, I should start to visit her.

Other users claimed Jenners sister Khloe Kardashian spoke about her on season one of the show, claiming she told a contestant that she would be getting the same treatment as Kendall Jenner, with a dermatologist.

Outraged social media users blasted the star online, with one hitting out: 100% Kendall Jenner, with the Kar-Jenner family dermatologist, never used Proactiv.

Another commented: Kendall: spends thousands on fancy dermatologist, frequently has bougie a** facials, lasers, light treatments, has extensive skin care routine with luxury products, drinks 8 gallons of water a day. Also Kendall: Proactiv literally saved my life like omg.

Kendall Jenner and Hailey Baldwin Take a Lie Detector Test

A third added: Did you read about the interviews with Kylie from a few years back where she talks about how she went to the family dermatologist after she cleared Kendalls skin As if Kendall Jenner actually uses Proactiv ha.

Some social media users also claimed Jenner has already addressed her skin issues prior to the vulnerable announcement, as part of the familys website and app, which has since closed.

On the site, Jenner reportedly said: I had such bad acne when I was younger, I remember it SO well! I started having skin issues around the 8th or 9th grade.

I wouldn't even look at people when I talked to them. I felt like such an outcast, when I spoke, it was with my hand covering my face.

Standard Online has reached out to Jenner for comment.

By CBS News , Jan . 06, 2019





American taxpayers send more foreign aid to Egypt than to any other nation except Israel. But America's nearly one and a half billion dollars a year is going to a regime accused of the worst abuses in Egypt's modern history. Opponents of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi have been imprisoned by the thousands. El-Sisi has strangled freedom of speech. And his troops have murdered protestors. As you might imagine, President El-Sisi does not do a lot of interviews. And we were surprised when he sat down with us. El-Sisi was apparently surprised by our questions because his government has asked us not to broadcast his interview.

Read More:



Join us - become an Elderado today at: LarryElder.com

Follow Larry Elder on Follow Larry Elder on Twitter

"Like" Larry Elder on Facebook



K atie Price may find herself in hot water once again after she posted a video she had filmed from inside court.

Price, 40, hit out at the media for waiting outside Crawley Magistrates Court ahead of her hearing on Wednesday morning, telling fans their presence wasnt necessary.

The former glamour model posted a video of a line of photographers standing outside the entrance alongside the caption: Is this necessary.

It is an offence under Section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925 to take photos inside court without permission.

Arriving: Katie Price outside Crawley Magistrates Court (Andrew Matthews/PA ) / Andrew Matthews/PA

Price pleaded guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance. She was banned from driving for three months and fined 1,100 for the offences.

The former Loose Women panellist was spotted driving on the A24 on July 25 while her six-month driving ban was still in place.

She was phoned by a newspaper informing her she had breached the ban which police later confirmed.

Paul Macaulay, defending, said Price had mistakenly believed the ban had been imposed from an earlier hearing in January - which meant it would have ended in early July, before she got behind the wheel.

The court was told she had not contacted the DVLA about reinstating her licence because she was not the best at paperwork.

Price is awaiting a second trial at Bexley Magistrates Court on February 25 for another motoring offence.J ohn Travolta left fans shell-shocked after he casually debuted his new bald head.

The Hollywood star, who was once famed for his iconic Grease quiff, debuted his new look on Instagram as he posed alongside his daughter Ella with a martini in hand.

He captioned the post: I hope everyone had a great New Year!

Fans were quick to show their support for the stars natural look, with many hailing it fantastic.

One user wrote: Love the look, John. Suits you well.

Another commented: You look amazing! Shaved head and beard on you AMAZING!!!! Have loved you for years.

John Travolta shows off dad moves in 50c video

A third added: Never looked better.

Others praised the actor for embracing a more natural look.

One fan commented: You look just as handsome with no hair as with it. Dont ever put on another toupee. Embrace and love yourself as you are, gorgeous!

Another wrote: Happy new year to you and yours! Embrace that shaved head and beard look, it suits you sir!

The picture comes a year after Travolta's sexuality hit the headlines, with his best friend Kirstie Alley slamming reports he is gay.

Best friend: Kirstie Alley slammed reports Travolta is gay / Charley Gallay/Getty Images

The American actress supposedly insisted that she knows her Whos Talking co-star well enough to know his sexuality.

Speaking to The Sun, the 67-year-old said: No I don't [think he is gay]. I mean, I know him pretty well and I know the love...

Alley went on to speak about her close relationship with Travolta admitting that she had fallen in love with him but was determined to stay loyal to her then-husband Parker Stevenson.

The former Celebrity Big Brother star added that the pair have remained best friends all these years and even live next door to one another.B radley Cooper and Irina Shayk are continuing to shrug off split rumours, weeks after they were said to be miserable.

The Hollywood couple, who share one-year-old daughter Lea, looked smitten as they stepped out for their second date night of the week on Tuesday.

Shayk looked stunning in a plunging red dress which she teamed with a matching beret and black platform boots as she arrived hand-in-hand with Cooper to the National Board of Review Awards in New York City.

Cooper, who looked dapper in a grey three-piece suit, couldnt stop smiling for the cameras as they were snapped on the red carpet and at their table inside the lavish bash at Cipriani 42nd Street.

Hand-in-hand: Irina Shayk and Bradley Cooper / SplashNews.com

They were joined by Coopers A Star is Born co-star Lady Gaga, who in suitable Gaga fashion, wore a stand out gown featuring a mass of black and gold feathers.

Cooper and Gaga appeared unfazed by their Best Actor and Actress snubs at Sunday nights Golden Globes as they mingled with guests including critically acclaimed director Steven Spielberg, Regina King, Sophia Bush and their co-star Sam Elliott.

Golden Globes 2019: Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk 1 /8 Golden Globes 2019: Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and Best Director Motion Picture for "A Star is Born" nominee Bradley Cooper and his partner Russian model Irina Shayk arrive for the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards AFP/Getty Images Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and Best Director Motion Picture for "A Star is Born" nominee Bradley Cooper and his partner Russian model Irina Shayk arrive for the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards Reuters Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and Best Director Motion Picture for "A Star is Born" nominee Bradley Cooper and his partner Russian model Irina Shayk arrive for the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards Reuters Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and Best Director Motion Picture for "A Star is Born" nominee Bradley Cooper and his partner Russian model Irina Shayk arrive for the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards EPA Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and Best Director Motion Picture for "A Star is Born" nominee Bradley Cooper and his partner Russian model Irina Shayk arrive for the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards Reuters Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and Best Director Motion Picture for "A Star is Born" nominee Bradley Cooper and his partner Russian model Irina Shayk arrive for the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards Getty Images Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and Best Director Motion Picture for "A Star is Born" nominee Bradley Cooper and his partner Russian model Irina Shayk arrive for the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards AFP/Getty Images Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama and Best Director Motion Picture for "A Star is Born" nominee Bradley Cooper and his partner Russian model Irina Shayk arrive for the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards Getty Images

Cooper was largely snubbed by the Globes which saw him miss out on Best Director, and A Star is Born lose out on the coveted Best Film gong.

But the Hangover star has picked up a handful of nominations for the upcoming BAFTAs, including Director and Leading Actor.Y our choice of mattress can affect your quality of sleep, how comfortable you are while you rest, and even your musculoskeletal health. Buying one that suits you perfectly could be one of the gifts-to-self of a lifetime.

In this guide, we review the best mattresses available today. Weve included a mix of pocket sprung, memory foam and hybrid mattresses, so hopefully everyone will be able to find their ideal mattress here.

How to choose the best mattress

Choosing the best mattress is all about finding the option thats best suited to your body, your personal preferences and your budget.

Arguably the most important question to ask, is what level of firmness do you prefer? There are some mattresses that you really sink into, others that hold you aloft, and plenty in-between.

A key factor in mattress firmness is the materials used to support the body. Mattresses made of foams tend to be gentler and more yielding, while traditional sprung mattresses usually give the most support. Hybrid mattresses, which have both springs and memory foam, can offer a combination of support and softness that some would say offers the most sweetly balanced of sleeps.

Another important point is the temperature regulating capabilities of the mattress. Some materials, such as certain latex foams, tend to be hotter to sleep on, although the design of the mattress is perhaps the most crucial factor in determining how warm or cool it sleeps.

Other variables that can make one mattress arguably better than another include the material of the mattress cover (is it soft and hypoallergenic?), and the extent to which one person moving on the mattress will effect the other side, which is referred to as motion transfer.

In terms of budget, quality mattresses can vary hugely. The mattresses featured in our reviews range from about 400 to over 2,500 for a UK double, and we believe that every one of them merits consideration.

How often should you change your mattress?

This will depend on a range of factors including the materials used in the mattress, the level of wear and tear, and the extent to which the susceptibility of the mattress to deterioration.

Different manufacturers, sellers and experts give you different advice on how often to change a mattress, often depending on the specific mattress in question, and sometimes based on their own commercial interests.

With all that said, most sources suggest replacing your mattress once every 7-10 years.

Fun mattress facts:

The word mattress is derived from the Arabic matrah, which means something thrown down.

Memory foam, the form-fitting material often used in mattresses, was developed under a NASA contract in the 1970s.

The first sprung mattress, with springs inside it, was made by Heinrich Westphal, in Germany, in 1871.

In Hans Christian Andersons famous fairytale, The princess and the pea, the discerning royal hero of the story lays down on a stack of twenty mattresses. She'd have made a fine mattress reviewer for ES Best.

Current mattress sales and offers

Here are some of the best mattress deals and promotions currently available:

Best foam mattresses

Foam type: breathable Airgocell foam; memory foam; HRX support foam

Best for which type of sleeper? Front, side

Depth: 25cm

Trial period: 200 days

Organic materials? No

Soft/firm? Medium

Adjustable? No

Pros:

Soft yet supportive feel

Low motion transfer

Sleeps relatively cool for a foam mattress

Cons:

Synthetic materials may be unsuitable for some customers

Our best buy for foam mattresses, the Emma mattress is firm, comfortable, and feels far more sturdily built than many other mattresses towards the softer end of the spectrum. It's made up of several foam layers including a visco-elastic memory foam layer and a supporting layer of cooler foam.

The climate fiber top cover is pleasingly cool on the skin. The top layer is made of innovative, point-elastic Airgocell foam  which isolates movement to one part of the mattress - great news for anyone with a restless bedfellow. It provides blissful, supportive comfort on you're a side or front sleeper.

Single | 649

Double | 849

King | 999

Super-king | 1,099

Foam type: 3-Layer foam construction; 2 layers of Certipur certified viscoelastic foam and base layer of support foam

Best for which type of sleeper? Front, side and back

Depth: 25cm

Trial period: 355 days

Organic materials? No

Soft/firm? Medium-firm

Adjustable? No

Pros:

Breathable base layer, cooling cover

Smart memory foam interior

365 day free trial

Suits any bed frame

Cons:

May feel too firm for those who prefer to sink into mattress

The mattress is built with four layer, two of which are memory foam. The first designed to relieve pressure and the second to regulate temperature. This is then topped with an innovative seven zone design where different areas of the mattress offer different levels of support depending on the area of the body  with more support under the hips and less at the shoulders. The mattress is then topped with a trademarked cooling cover.

At a medium firmness, the Nectar mattress is not as hard as some of the other memory foams on the market. It sculpts around your body without feeling like you are sinking into the bed frame. The bouncy foam actually feels like it is supporting your body - ideal after sitting at your desk all day or a heavy gym workout which can put a lot of pressure on your back. It is a godsend to come home and lie on the mattress that feels like it is realigning your spine while you sleep.

Ideal for duvet days, the mattress stays firm without dipping into the most frequented spots and you dont feel like you are overheating even in the height of summer.

It arrives in a convenient box and when unpacked, inflates in minutes. There is even 365 day trial, two free foam pillows included, free returns and a forever warranty that is a testament to the durability of the mattress.

Single | 314

Small Double | 449

Double | 449

King | 549

Super-king | 649

Foam type: Memory foam, cooling foam, support foam

Best for which type of sleeper? Any

Depth: 24cm

Trial period: 100 days

Organic materials? No

Soft/firm? Medium

Adjustable? No

Pros:

Good level of support

Excellent detailing

Suits all sleep postures

Cons:

Relatively thin memory foam layer

If youre a back or front sleeper, youll do well with eves mattress which offers superb level of support and firmness. The top is made of a slim 3cm thick layer of memory foam, which redistributes weight responsively as you shift throughout the night. Under that is a 3cm cooling layer so you don't overheat, followed by a thick 18cm supportive base layer that creates an opulent sense of depth  think a 21st Century Princess and the Pea - minus any veggies.

But what we appreciated most was eves subtler details  the moisture-wicking top cover, the hand stitched sides, and more whimsically the Ursula le Guin and Salvador Dali quotes printed inside the box. eve is a mattress with artistry in its very fibres. Of course, what matters in the long-term is comfort  and the eve mattress caters for that extremely well.

If youre unsure about whether the eve Sleep Original Mattress is quite right for you, we suggest you check out two similar mattresses from the eve Sleep range: the Premium and the Lighter.

The Premium adds some lavish touches to the mattress, including a weave of silver in the mattress topper. The precious fibre is included ostensibly for its antimicrobial properties, but we reckon a subtle element of showing off might be at play, too.

Meanwhile, the Lighter is a simplified version of the Original that comes with a featherweight price tag.

Single | 279

Small double | 419

Double | 454

King | 524

Super-king | 594

Best pocket sprung mattresses

What is a pocket spring?

Traditional mattresses support the body using large numbers of springs  the familiar metal coils that store mechanical energy and exert whats known as a restoring force when compressed. Springs used in mattresses are often wrapped individually in fabric pockets, hence pocket spring.

Best for which type of sleeper? Front, back or side (any)

Depth: 26cm

Trial period: 100 days

Organic materials? Yes

Soft/firm? Medium-to-firm

Adjustable? Yes

Pros:

Beautiful organic materials

Crowd-pleasing, moderate feel

Free two-person delivery

Cons:

Some users may prefer a mattress they can sink into more

Now here is an incredibly comfortable mattress. It's handmade using traditional techniques, so it's not one of the new bed-in-a-box variety. Instead, the Herdy Sleep mattress uses a fully sustainable and 100 per cent recyclable spring system offering no less than 7,000 pocket springs, an impressive thousand more than the previous version.

Providing excellent support for back, side and front sleepers, this sumptuous mattress is made from a winning blend of cashmere, cotton, wool and fleece  the latter sourced from Herdwick sheep farmers in the Lake District. Wool is naturally antibacterial, temperature-regulating and hypoallergenic  unlike all-foam mattresses which are notorious for trapping heat. The Herdy Sleep mattress proved to be just as cool and comfortable in July as it was warm and welcoming in January.

Another big plus is the Cortec spring system, which has been installed entirely without glue. The fabric cover has been woven in-house by Herdy Sleep and is also chemical free. Chemical sensitivities can occur from low-level chemical exposure (think fragrance triggering a headache) and when you consider how close your face is to a mattresses, and for how many hours every night, it's worth factoring this into your mattress considerations.

In terms of softness and squish, this mattress doesn't have a sink-in feeling mattress like its foam competitors, but this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Tested on three different sleepers, we each found it to be the perfect Goldie Locks combination of not too soft, and not too hard. After almost a year of use it still feels just as plump and comfy as the day it arrived - exactly what you want from such a high-ticket item.

To sum up; this is an artisan mattress that blends natural materials with modern technology, resulting in the most blissful sleep we have had in years.

Single | 649

Double | 849

King | 999

Super-king | 1,099

Best for which type of sleeper? Back or side

Depth: 25cm

Trial period: No

Organic materials? Yes

Soft/firm? Medium

Adjustable? Yes

Pros:

Excellent craftspersonship

Natural materials

100% recyclable

Cons:

Its a bit pricey

If you're a warm sleeper, you'll want to steer clear from all foam mattresses (which have a knack of trapping heat) and instead invest in a bed like the Wensleydale from department store, John Lewis.

You can't help but channel a modern-day Sleeping Beauty when laying back on this 13,400 pocket sprung mattress. You can feel the luxury and craftsmanship in every inch.

The bouncy cloud-like texture is a result of a careful blend of natural fillings, think Egyptian cotton, Wensleydale Wool (from a rare breed of sheep that live on a Yorkshire farm, no less) and linen which keeps things soft and breathable.

Extra air can travel through the mattress thanks to the 'Revolution' pocket spring system, and the entire mattress is 100 percent recyclable. The cover for this mattress has been woven in Leeds, and is made from materials that are naturally fire resistant, so the cover is chemical-free.

This mattress is medium-hard but other tensions are available along with different mixes of wool - happy news for anyone with specific allergies.

This is one of the best pocket sprung mattress money can buy, not just for the quality and craftsmanship, but for its superb and total comfort. Comes with a seven year guarantee.

Single | 1,299

Double | 1,699

King | 2,699

Super-king | 2,699

Best for which type of sleeper? Varies

Trial period: No

Organic materials? Yes

Soft/firm? Available in Gentle, Medium, Firm, Extra Firm

Adjustable? Yes

Pros:

Superior materials

Bespoke springs

Option to choose your preferred tension

Cons:

Very expensive

For a superior mattress handmade by one of the finest companies in Britain, Harrison Spinks is a very confident buy. Made on a 300-acre farm in Yorkshire with natural fillings such as wool and cotton, each bed is made with springs specially developed by the brand's engineers.

You mattress can be made to your specifications in terms of size and tension - with even split tension possible if you like - but if you want one that's ready to go, opt for a luxury Harrison Spinks bed from online retailer Feather & Black.

The Clifton Cashmere Mattress offers a superb night's rest thanks to 15,000 springs and seven types of natural filling. If you've been dreaming of the perfect night's sleep, stop the search - lying on this mattress will make it feel as though you're floating on cloud nine.

Small single | 2,125

Single | 2,125

Small double | 2,650

Double | 2,650

King | 2,975

Super-king | 4,050

Emperor | 5,050

Best for which type of sleeper? Varies according to firmness

Depth: 30cm

Trial period: No

Organic materials? Yes

Soft/firm? Available in Medium and Firm

Adjustable? Yes

Pros:

Great lumbar support

Artisanal construction

Natural materials

Cons:

Very heavy

This stylish 30cm deep pocket sprung mattress performs beautifully, lavished with layers of 2,800gsm wool, 500gsm wool/silk blend and 2,000gsm alpaca wool all artfully worked into the upholstery.

Like the Herdy Sleep mattress in our list, it is also hand-tufted. This is a laborious, tough process, achieved by a highly-skilled tradesperson wherein the internal fillings are secured from the top of the mattress to the bottom. Three rows of hand side-stitching help prevent sagging at the edge, and the outer springs are secured at the border at the top and bottom.

Compared to all the other mattresses weve tested, the Willow Sublime offers a sensation thats almost like being held aloft. The sweet spot is in the middle third, where a denser zone of pocket springs provides extra support for the spine.

However, a word to the wise: while this mattress is fully turnable to keep it even, its a two-person job as its also really heavy. Prepare to flex those muscles.

This bed is offered in 10 different sizes and two tensions; medium and firm. Comes complete with a Belgian damask cover.

Small single | 1,339

Single | 1,339

Small double | 1,699

Double | 1,699

King | 1,699

European king | 1,949

Super-king | 1,966

Best for which type of sleeper? Back

Depth: 29cm

Trial period: No

Organic materials? Yes

Soft/firm? Firm

Adjustable? Yes

Pros:

Firm feel suits those who like plenty of support

Lovely damask covering

Reasonably priced

Cons:

Quite heavy

May be too firm for some

If you need a place to lay your head at night without sending your bank account into meltdown, this is a worthy contender.

Novos pocket-sprung mattress is among the best-value-for-money options around, matching the best qualities from more expensive mattresses but at a snip of their RRP. If youre the kind of sleeper who needs a high level of support and firmness, this high-quality piece may be the one for you.

The Natural Pocket 2000 is especially deep at 29cm, which is worth considering from an interior design perspective, as well as when you're buying bedsheets. We appreciated the soft damask covering and pull handles attached to the side, which were a great help when it came to moving and flipping the mattress.

If youre looking for an ultra-supportive, comfortable, traditional mattress at a reasonable price, you wont be disappointed. Handmade in the UK, and a five year warranty with every sale, this mattress is available in five sizes.

Single | 332.80

Small double | 405.40

Double | 405.40

King | 475.45

Super-king | 646.63

Best hybrid mattresses

What is a hybrid mattress?

A hybrid mattress is a mattress that provides support and comfort using a combination of foams and springs. These mattresses are often touted as a best-of-both-worlds option, providing both the uplifting effect of springs and the gentle comfort of foam.

Are hybrid mattresses any good?

Some of the best-rated mattresses on the market are hybrids, so by that measure, yep, hybrid mattresses are great. With that said, the assessment of any mattress is at least partly subjective. If youre a memory foam or pocket sprung purist, you might not rate a hybrid mattress especially highly.

Foam type: open-cell Simba-pure foam

Best for which type of sleeper?: back and side

Depth: 31cm

Trial period: 200 days

Organic materials?: some, but everything is 100 per cent recyclable

Softness/firm?: medium-to-firm

Adjustable: no

Pros:

Moisture-wicking upper layer for enhanced temperature regulation

Greater level of support and cooling thanks to three layers of strong springs

No-contact bed-in-a-box delivery and easy setup

New shoppers eligible for a first-time buyer discount

Cons:

Extra depth of 31cm means youll need bed sheets with deeper corners

One of the most expensive options weve seen

Simba

Simba Sleep has added a brand new mattress to its family, which up until now consisted of the Simba Hybrid and Hybrid Pro. Now the Simba Hybrid Luxe has joined the sleep soiree, and as the name suggests, its the most luxurious yet.

This design is made up of ten layers - thats three more than the Hybrid Pro and double that of the original Hybrid mattress, which has just five.

Driven by data and bringing together the latest in sleep tech. Simba has included a bamboo wool layer between a new skin-facing surface and an open-cell foam layer beneath, improving airflow, temperature regulation and moisture-wicking capabilities.

Theres also an additional layer of 40mm high carbon springs, which together with a double whammy of 25mm aerocoil layer two floors up, means the Hybrid Luxe offers a hugely upgraded level of firmness. After a year of WFH, my spine can do with all the extra support it can get.

Like its predecessors, it isolates movement so you wont wake if your bedfellow does, and theres no hint of that sinking feeling that you normally resign yourself to with an all-foam mattress.

Bottom line? This is Simbas best, most indulgent mattress yet, and weve had nothing but sound sleep since it was delivered, waking up feeling refreshed and ready to pounce on the world. Despite being more than 30cm deep, our regular sheets fit fine, so theres no need to buy new linen unless you want to.

A word of warning here though: the mattress is much larger even when packed down than the older models, so make sure there are two of you to get it into situ on the bed frame after delivery.

Single | 769.30

Double | 1,119.30

King | 1,259.30

Super King | 1,399.30

Foam type: Open-cell foam; high definition foam with edge support; zoned support base

Best for which type of sleeper? Back and side

Depth: 28cm

Trial period: 200 days

Organic materials? No, but 100 per cent recyclable

Soft/firm? Medium

Adjustable? No

Pros:

Breathable top layer for enhanced temperature regulation

Greater level of support thanks to 5,000 Aerocoil springs

No-contact bed-in-a-box delivery and simple setup

New customers can claim a first-time buyer discount

Cons:

Extra depth means youll need to invest in bed sheets with deeper corners

Non-removable cover, so a mattress protector is advised

Simba

Simbas Hybrid Pro offers a greater level of support, welcome news for anyone with back pain issues.

There are seven layers, all engineered to keep you comfortable. The top layers are made with temperature regulating, moisture-wicking wool which keeps you toasty in the winter and cool in the warmer months. Between the Simbatex open-cell foam layer, again designed to maximise airflow, and a high definition foam with edge support is not one, but two layers of unique patented Aerocoil spring foams made from strong titanium. There are 5,000 springs in total.

So while you get the cloud-like sensation on first contact, youre not sinking into the bed or trapped in a body groove in the middle of the night. This is a pro or con, depending on your preferences; some enjoy feeling held but as a sleeper who moves around a lot at bedtime, we liked the supportive freedom offered by the Hybrid Pro.

Getting it set up couldnt be easier, although we advise roping in a bedfellow or housemate to help get anything bigger than a double out of the box. Carefully cut through the plastic wrap and unfold over your bed frame, allowing a few hours for it to inflate fully before dressing it with your bed linen.

Single | 665.25

Double | 828.06

King | 946.46

Super-king | 1,020.46

Foam type: Open-cell foam; high definition foam; support foam

Best for which type of sleeper? Front

Depth: 25cm

Trial period: 200 days

Organic materials? No

Soft/firm? Soft

Adjustable? No

Pros:

Lovely soft feel

Excellent airflow and temperature regulation

Convenient bed-in-a-box delivery and setup

Cons:

May not be supportive enough for those who weigh 13 stone or more

Weve no doubt that you've heard of a Simba mattress before and you've probably spotted its adverts when you're out and about. If you prefer a bed on the softer end of the spectrum, this is one comfortable hybrid and combines the comfort of memory foam with the support of springs.

Made with 2,500 super-light mIQro conical pocket springs and five layers of memory foam with a built-in air-flow system to keep you cool and to regulate temperatures, the Simba is less firm compared to other hybrid mattresses but this all comes down to personal preference. It would best suit sleepers who are roughly 13 stone or less.

Another bed-in-a-box, simply open it out on your bed frame and give it some time to plump up - an effortless way to install your new bed.

There are three depths to choose from: 20cm, 25cm and 28cm. EU and UK sizes available.

Single | 406.26

Small double | 554.26

Double | 554.26

King | 628.26

Super-king | 702.26

Foam type: Temperature-regulating memory foam; HD support foam; HD base foam

Best for which type of sleeper? Any

Trial period: 100 days

Organic materials? No

Soft/firm? Medium-to-firm

Adjustable? No

Pros:

Very supportive

Reasonable priced

Removable, machine-washable cover

Cons:

The feel of this mattresss memory foam can split opinion

Whether you snooze on your front, back or side, the Otty hybrid is a design of medium firmness with optimum support so your shoulders, back and spine so that they feel like they are always cared for.

The top layer is made from a Cool Blue Gel memory foam, which is further supported by 2000 pocket springs. If you frequently wake up with aches and pains, this is a winning option and feels more firm when compared to other hybrid mattresses.

It takes a couple of seconds to get used to the unique sensation that comes from laying on this OTTY mattress. The top layer feels squishy but once you adjust to it, we found it to be also noticeably supportive. The unusual feeling is all down to the top layer, made from a gel-infused memory foam that is reinforced by support layer of reflex foam and yet another supportive base of 2000 pocket springs. The cover is removable too, so you can pop it in the washing machine and keep your mattress looking, feeling and smelling as delightful as the day it was delivered.

For those who like the sound of the OTTY Hybrid, but would prefer something with more natural materials, check out the OTTY PURE Hybrid Bamboo and Charcoal mattress, which features bamboo memory foam with charcoal-infused layers. The two materials help with odour reduction and temperature regulation.

Meanwhile, the OTTY Essential Hybrid mattress offers all the same materials as the regular Hybrid, only in a more streamlined design that costs a fair bit less.

Single | 324.99

Small double | 399.99

Double | 424.99

King | 524.99

Super-king | 599.99

Emperor | 674.99

Foam type: Open-cell memory foam; HD support foam

Best for which type of sleeper? Back and side

Depth: 25cm

Trial period: 100 nights

Organic materials? No

Soft/firm? Moderate-to-firm

Adjustable? No

Pros:

Great combination of firm support and soft feel

Even support from edge-to-edge

Good temperature regulation

Cons:

Strong off-gassing in the first 24 hours

You might not know about REM-fit but this is an strong hybrid option to consider. Helpfully arriving packed in a box - which makes carrying it up stairs a breeze - the 500 Ortho hybrid mattress by REM-Fit is firm and springy while still retaining that comforting 'sinking in' feeling beloved by foam mattress advocates.

The top layer is made with cool gel-infused memory foam which keeps you sweat free by wicking moisture away from the body so you sleep at a comfortable temperature until it's time to get up. Meanwhile, 2000 tall pocket springs and a high density foam base all help to keep you supported, from edge to edge.

Like many mattresses that incorporate foam, we noticed a prominent scent during the initial unboxing, but it only lasts for around 24 hours, so no cause for alarm. To help speed it along, turn the mattress on its side and lean the top part against a wall in order to expose as much of the top and bottom surface as possible.

The REM-Fit 500 is the brands mid-range option. If youre looking for something a little better-priced, we recommend the REM-Fit 400, which still offers key benefits such as a temperature-regulating, open-cell foam top layer. Meanwhile, the more expensive REM-Fit 600 Lux Hybrid mattress offers a softer feel and premium components.

Single | 599.25

Double | 749.25

King | 786.75

Super-king | 899.25

Foam type: evecomfort breathable foam; memory foam; support foam

Best for which type of sleeper? Any

Depth: 25cm

Trial period: 100 nights

Organic materials? No

Soft/firm? Moderate

Adjustable? No

Pros:

Excellent temperature regulation

Zoned springs provide pressure relief of the shoulders and hips

Moderate feel will suit a wide range of people

Cons:

Expensive relative to some of its close competitors

Enjoy comfort and support from head to toe with eve's hybrid mattress model, which is made from a indulgent combination of 650 full sized pocket springs and specially crafted foam.

The foam is 30x more breathable than the normal stuff, so you'll sleep at a pleasant temperature until your morning alarm wakes you.

In addition to the Hybrid Original, eve Sleep offers Premium and Lighter versions of its Hybrid mattress. The Hybrid Premium is a real class act, featuring an antifungal, antibacterial and antimicrobial cover, plus 1500 high quality springs. Meanwhile, the Hybrid Lighter offers many of the same benefits as the Original, but with a more moderate depth of 20cm, and at a more modest price.

The company has such confidence in its product that it offers customers a 100 night return policy - if you don't like, it they'll come and collect it and give your money back, no quibbles. This is one of the best-value hybrid mattresses you can buy right now.

Single | 499

Double | 749

King | 849

Super-king | 949

Foam type: Airgocell foam; memory foam; HRX foam

Best for which type of sleeper? Any

Depth: 25cm

Trial period: 200 nights

Organic materials? No

Soft/firm? Moderate

Adjustable? No

Pros:

Excellent temperature regulation

Zoned springs provide pressure relief of the shoulders and hips

Moderate feel will suit a wide range of people

Cons:

Expensive relative to some of its close competitors

The Emma Hybrid combines the comfort and quality of the Emma Original, with an added dimension of firm uplift and bounce.

We rate this UK-made mattress as a little firmer than the Original, which can be attributed to a layer of mini pocket springs sandwiched beneath the top layer and the Patented Airgocell foam. This spring layer encourages more airflow through the mattress, helping you stay cool and comfortable all night long.

The distribution of support from the Hybrid is excellent, especially when lying on your back, and even when youre on your side. Pressure points such as the hips and knees are well cushioned thanks to the mix of the pressure-relieving memory foam and HRX foam, a zoned cold foam layer. Everything is wrapped up neatly in a polyester cover - keep the top fresh by unzipping and adding to your weekly machine wash.

While the mattress is rather heavy at 25kg, it does come with handles stitched onto the side should you need to move it - although this will probably be a two-person job. There's no need to flip or rotate it though; the dense, high-quality triple-foam used means it will bounce back and keep its shape.

All the things considered, the Emma Hybrid Mattress is one of the best mattresses-in-a-box you can buy. From its buoyant support to its luxurious 25cm depth, theres a strong argument to make this your hybrid mattress of choice.

Comes with a 10 year guarantee.

Single | 499

Small double | 659

Double | 689

King | 779

Super-king | 859

Verdict

For pocket sprung mattresses, our top pick goes to the expertly crafted Herdy Sleep mattress. Not only is it sublimely comfortable but the quality construction, UK sourced materials and handcrafted components all add to its superb value. The Harrison Spinks Clifton Cashmere Mattress also offers excellent value for comfort and is a luxury mattresses that will see you through many years of restful nights.

The Emma Original Mattress is hands down the best foam mattress we tried. It offers more support compared to other models and the open-pored Airgocell foam takes care not to over heat. A real bonus for foam mattresses.

We think the Otty hybrid mattress is the best value hybrid currently priced at 424.99 for a double.

What is a foam mattress?

A foam mattress is a mattress that provides comfort and support mainly by means of foam inserts.These include memory foams which mould to the body, and support foams, which provide extra cushioning.

How long do foam mattresses last?

Foam mattresses can last anywhere from eight to 20 years. The lifespan of the mattress will depend on factors such as the quality of its construction, the specific types of foam used, and the level of wear-and-tear the mattress goes through over the years. Since foam mattresses differ from each other in all these ways and more, we recommend checking the product listing of your chosen mattress for accurate guidance on its longevity.

Are foam mattresses hot?

The foams used in foam mattresses are often dense, and liable to trap heat. This can mean foam mattresses sleep warmer than pocket sprung mattresses do. However, some foam mattresses have cooling features, such as gel-infused foams.

Can you flip a foam mattress?

Foam mattresses are usually made up of several layers of foam that have been placed in a specific order, designed to enable the best performance. As such, its generally best not to flip a foam mattress upside-down. Its usually fine to turn a foam mattress 180 degrees laterally, if the inclination ever seizes you.

Are foam mattresses good for children?

Most foam mattresses are safe, and supportive enough for little ones to sleep on. If youre in any doubt, contact the manufacturer before you buy.

How to clean your mattress

Mattresses generally need cleaning only very rarely  especially if you fit yours with a decent mattress protector.

Most mattresses can be deep-cleaned through a process of vacuum-cleaning and spot-cleaning, after which you may choose to sprinkle baking soda onto the mattress in order to absorb any lingering dirt and odours. Once youre done, vac the mattress again and re-cover.

Please carefully check your mattresss care instructions before you attempt to clean it.

How do you dispose of your old mattress?

Disposal of old mattresses has traditionally been an environmental and social problem area. However, the times seem to be changing, and in many cases it is possible to dispose of a mattress responsibly.

It may be the case that your old mattress could still provide a few valuable years of use for someone who really needs it. If you believe this to be the case, try looking up charities in your area which either sell second-hand mattresses, or distribute it to people who might struggle to buy a mattress for themselves.

Some mattresses are now made of recyclable materials  take the John Lewis Wensleydale mattress featured in this guide, for instance. Recycling is a great alternative to re-using, if your old mattress is too far gone to be useful to anyone else.Brexit, social media, a sociopathic sister and a fox with a poetic soul all feature somewhere in this round up of all the books you should be putting on your wish lists  or treating yourself to  right now.

Middle England by Jonathan Coe

If anyone thought Brexit was no subject matter for literary fiction, Middle England is about to prove you dead wrong. I first read Coes The Rotters Club in my first year studying at Birmingham University and the book made me first understand and then fall in love with this industrial midlands city, warts and all. It also showed me how brilliant Coe was at capturing so many different shades of Britishness  with a keen eye for class-related quirks.

Back then, protagonist Ben Trotter was a sex-obsessed schoolboy. Now, in Middle England which follows The Closed Circle to conclude the trilogy, Trotter is middle-aged, living a middle-class life complete with an Aga. Anyone new to Coe neednt worry about any contextual issues  Middle England works beautifully as a stand-alone work thanks to a cast of characters so real and vivid and funny that they could only be the invention of one writer.

If British politics has left you lost for words, let Coe take over with Middle England.

11.89 | Amazon | Buy it now

Fox 8 by George Saunders

This latest offering by George Saunders, whose Lincoln in the Bardo won the 2017 Man Booker Prize, wont disappoint. It is less novel, more fable  a brilliantly unusual book complete with illustrations throughout. We meet the eponymous Fox 8, a curious creature who has taken to listening in on childrens bedtime stories and becoming enthralled by the words used to build other worlds and ideas. Slowly he has learned yuman  and his new found understanding of this strange language is the start of a quest that sees him seek to save his pack from danjur.

As fans of Saunders might expect, the language is experimental and almost entirely phonetically spelled, but his skill as a master storyteller means that after a couple of pages you hardly notice!

18.18 | Amazon | Buy it now

The Penguin Book of the Contemporary British Short Story edited by Philip Hensher

Anyone who has ever read Henshers The Northern Clemency will know how well he captures the lives of the British everyman. Which means he is the perfect person to have compiled this treasury of 30 British short stories, each written between the death of Princess Diana and the present day.

Fiction heavyweights  Martin Amis, Hilary Mantel and the late Helen Dunmore all feature - but there are also works by less well-known writers like Leone Ross, whose strange and beautiful The Woman Who Lived In A Restaurant was a highlight for me.

The variety of stories on offer is dazzling  and I cant help but feel really jealous of the research part of Henshers task, (if not the actual choosing) which saw him read hundreds of short stories.

Also, and to be honest this is important, the book is a beautiful object, a hardback bound in cloth the colour of egg yolk that youll keep forever.

13.08 | Book Depository | Buy it now

The Lonesome Bodybuilder by Yukiko Motoya

What a cover, right? And the contents are just as weird, in the best possible way.

This collection boasts some extraordinary scenarios including a boy who discovers that umbrellas can actually make one fly, a woman who cannot focus at work thanks to a distracting bulge in the office curtains and a man who covers himself in glue in order to stop vandals destroying his market stall.

Then theres the woman after whom the title of the book takes its name  whose body changes dramatically thanks to bodybuilding, a transformation that goes entirely unnoticed by her husband.

Motoya has an extraordinary imagination and a clear, direct writing style which makes this offbeat collection a rare treat. Most of the stories are short to the point of bite-sized, perfect for those with short attention spans or who are at risk of frequent interruption.

10.63 | Wordery | Buy it now

My Sister, The Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

This novel is such a page turner that you will absolutely burn through it.

The books tagline - when blood is thicker, and more difficult to get out of the carpet - does its job perfectly, neatly summing up the tone of this witty debut.

Set in Lagos, this story about a female mass murderer and her long-suffering sibling manages to be both comic and dark. This looks set to be a massive hit; its already being made into a film.

12.89 | Waterstones | Buy it now

Why Social Media Is Ruining Your Life by Katherine Ormerod

This book is a must-read for anyone who has a love/hate relationship with Instagram et al. For anyone who finds themselves anxious after a mindless scroll  overwhelmed by images of the lives of others which always seem to be soft focus, exciting and busy. For anyone who feels inadequate or less than.

Ormerod, a journalist who is herself an influencer and Instagram winner with almost 50k followers, has taken a deep dive into the whys and wherefores of social media today. The book bulges with facts and stats including jaw-droppers like this: 53 per cent of millennials would rather lose their sense of smell than lose access to an item of technology.

But Ormerod also advises on how to navigate this strange, ever changing, digital terrain  so that we can get the best out of it  and wave goodbye to the worst.

12.99 | Waterstones | Buy it now

The Stranger Diaries by Elly Griffiths

It took three words - contemporary gothic thriller  to hook me into this (although props to the darkly beautiful cover illustration). What Griffiths has cleverly managed to do with The Stranger Diaries is create a modern day setting with deep roots in a shady Victorian past, giving readers chills from two time periods.

After her colleague is murdered, teacher Clare Cassidy, who specialises in the works of a long dead gothic novelist, takes to her diary in an attempt to write her way out of her grief. But before long hers isnt the only writing on the page

Not only is Griffiths plot a work of art but her writing is smart, clean and clever.

4 | Amazon | Buy it now

Im Absolutely Fine! By Annabel Rivkin and Emilie McMeekan

Im going to be honest and say that when I first saw this I thought here we go another lets tell other women how to live their lives book from women who are only playing at being flawed and bonkers.

But from the very first page I was proved wrong. The cover might say that this is a manual for imperfect women but I say this is essential reading for pretty much anyone over the age of 30. It is also going to be a challenge for anyone who claims they have never laughed out loud while reading.

Written by the journalist duo behind the wildly successful themidult.com, aimed at midults  those aged roughly 35 to 45 but who are still wondering when they will be an actual adult - I was bellowing with glee, screenshotting the abundant subheadings such as Dont Be An AskHole (someone who asks for advice and then argues with it) or All The Therapists Weve Had (The Brute) and Someone Else Is Married To My Husband (about the one who got away) and sending them to all my friends.

This book goes into forensic detail about the minutiae and mundanities of modern life. It is broken up into chapters and within the chapters there are lists and imaginary conversations with ourselves making it easy to digest. Heres one of my favourite musings (but honestly, gems like this are ten a penny): Why can we no longer remember anything about what we did yesterday but will never forget that shit Max who dumped us for our friend Sarah in 1996. Names havent been changed.

A little passage on friendship is simply gorgeous  without being too saccharine or over-earnest: Each of my dearest ones is slightly my mother and slightly my child.

The whole book is a hearty dose of real talk that not only makes you feel less alone but also reminds you that your sense of humour is still intact, if nothing else. Put it this way I want to make contact with the authors immediately and ask to be best friends. A riot of a read.

11.89 | WHSmith | Buy it now

How To Be Invisible by Kate Bush

Kate Bush fans like me will be in orbit when they get their hands on this  a beautifully bound tome containing her lyrics, which she has personally selected and arranged.

Bushs lyrics are poetic, original and literary - and without exception stand up with no music. And you dont need to look very far to see how important literature was to her. After all, one of her most famous songs was inspired by and indeed named after the classic Wuthering Heights.

The author David Mitchell has written the introduction which includes this perfect verity: One paradox about [Bush] is that while her lyrics are avowedly idiosyncratic, those same lyrics evoke emotions and sensations that feel universal.

This is a volume to be savoured, piecemeal, and kept forever. A reference book for the soul.

10.49 | Amazon | Buy it now

Evening in Paradise: More Stories by Lucia Berlin

This collection of short stories follows on from Berlins A Manual For Cleaning Women, which saw what had seemingly been seen as a rather unremarkable career turned on its head, winning her legions of fans, albeit posthumously.

Evening in Paradise is a selection from her remaining short stories and her fans neednt worry that its all the scraps that didnt make the cut for A Manual It isnt. Its 22 truly excellent stories, many of which show, on the face of it at least, men glorified and women domesticated  up to a point.

From murderous mothers to portraits of poverty, Berlin is a master at taking a slice of life and examining it with almost agonising honestly.

While this isnt autobiography, plenty of the experiences written about here patently reflect the authors life, giving readers a fascinating insight into the world of this extraordinary writer.T he Australian Prime Minister has laughed off a Photoshop fail spotted in a portrait on his website.

A photo of Scott Morrison with his wife and children on the prime minister's website showed him wearing a suspect pair of trainers.

The leader of Australia appeared to have two left feet as his shoes had been photoshopped.

The picture has since gone viral on social media as people mocked Mr Morrison over the mishap which has been dubbed "shoegate."

In a light-hearted response on Twitter, Mr Morrison blamed the photoshopped image on staff in his department.

The original picture, showing him wearing a pair of scruffier trainers, had previously been seen in local media.

Mr Morrison tweeted a picture of his trainers on Wednesday.

He wrote: Message to my department (PM&C): I didnt ask for the shoeshine, but if you must Photoshop, please focus on the hair (lack thereof), not the feet!A Saudi woman who says she is fleeing her abusive family is being considered for refugee resettlement in Australia after a referral by the UN.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, 18, had refused to board a flight from Bangkok back to Kuwait and barricaded herself into her airport hotel room on Monday.

The woman said she feared her family would kill her for renouncing Islam if she returns to the Middle Eastern country and publicised her case on social media.

Australia has now said it is considering granting her refugee status, with the Department of Home Affairs saying the UN High Commissioner for Refugees had referred Ms Alqunun.

Images released earlier by Thai immigration police showed Ms Alqunun leaving her room at a Bangkok airport hotel where she barricaded herself inside amid fears for her safety.

Ms Alqunun's father and brother arrived together in Bangkok on Tuesday but she has refused to meet them, officials in Thailand said.

Major General Surachate said at one of several news conferences at the airport: "As of now, she does not wish to go back and we will not force her. She won't be sent anywhere tonight.N ancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumers rebuttal to Donald Trumps address on the border wall has been ridiculed online.

On Tuesday, House speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused President Trump of manufacturing crisis as the partial government shutdown enters its third week.

President Trump is attempting to force funding for a wall along the border between the US and Mexico however Democrats have refused to grant access to the funds required.

However their speech was ridiculed online with social media users claiming that they looked more like disappointed parents.

Aaron Pruner wrote: I suddenly feel like Ive disappointed my parents.

While Nick Barnicle said: When you get back at 4am and your parents are still up.

They were also compared to the famous 1930s painting American Gothic by Grant Wood.

They were also compared to the twins from the shining.

While others pointed out that it won't be long before Saturday Night Live create a skit on the speech.

During their speech, Mr Schumer said the government should re-open while the debate on border security continues.

President Trump also spoke on television yesterday, making a plea for border wall funding, declaring that there is a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul.

The president made a plea for funding for his border wall / AFP/Getty Images

He called on Democrats to return to the White House to meet with him, saying it was "immoral" for "politicians to do nothing".

Speaking in solemn tones from behind the Resolute Desk, he painted a dire picture of killings and drug deaths he argues come from unchecked illegal immigration, and asked: "How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?"

Previous meetings have led to no agreement as Mr Trump insists on the wall that was his signature promise in the 2016 presidential campaign.A huge moose has been filmed wandering into a hospital lobby in north-west America and casually eating its plants.

The video was captured by Stephanie Hupton, who works at Alaska Regional Hospital in Anchorage, the states largest city.

One passing colleague is seen taking a quick glance at the creature before walking on as if its visit was nothing unusual.

The moose got in after the entrance doors got stuck open due to extreme cold in Anchorage, where temperatures plunged below zero.

A video still of the moose in the hospital chowing down on greenery / Stephanie Hupton/AP

The footage showed the moose browsing the greenery near the entrance before it stood gazing at the camera.

Hospital spokeswoman Kjerstin Lastufka said the plants in the warm lobby were likely to have been inviting to the animal, which eventually sauntered out the door of its own accord after 10 minutes.

The moose caused no issues, she added, other than the snacking. It was a pretty calm visit.

Ms Hupton added she never felt threatened by the mellow moose, and that it was an experience she never anticipated when she moved to Anchorage from Iowa three years ago.

"It's definitely different than small-town Iowa," she said.S everal foreign consulates were evacuated in the Australian cities of Melbourne and Canberra after suspicious packages were delivered to the addresses.

Emergency services were seen arriving at a number of diplomatic offices in Melbourne, with officials reporting at least 10 hazardous material incidents in the city.

Australian Federal Police are investigating after the packages were delivered to embassies including those of Britain, India, Germany, Italy, Spain and South Korea on Wednesday.

Local media reported suspicious packages were found at more than a dozen foreign offices and that some staff said they contained asbestos, a material used in building that can cause cancers and other health problems.

It was not immediately known which countries' diplomatic missions in the national capital, Canberra, were affected.

Firefighters outside the Indian and French consulates in Melbourne / AP

The ABC reported one New Zealand consulate worker had said the packages in question were envelopes labelled "asbestos."

Inside were plastic sandwich bags containing a fibrous material.

Firefighters, right, are seen outside the Indian and French consulates in Melbourne / AP

Two fire engines, a hazardous materials vehicle and police cars were seen at India's consulate in Melbourne, where staff members had been evacuated, some wearing protective masks.

Staff were later allowed to re-enter the building, which was deemed safe by Vic Emergency, the collective body of emergency agencies in Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital.

Emergency service vehicles are stationed outside of the building in which the South Korean consulate is located in Melbourne / EPA

A spokeswoman for the Australian Federal Police said: "Police and emergency services have responded to suspicious packages delivered to embassies in Melbourne today.

"The packages are being examined by attending emergency services. The circumstances surrounding these incidents are being investigated."

Officials at the US and British consulates separately confirmed suspicious packages had been received.

"We handled the package according to our standard procedures and in close coordination with local authorities ... who are investigating the incident," a spokesman for the US Consulate said.

Other consulates reported by media to have received suspicious packages included those of Switzerland, Pakistan and New Zealand, and possibly those of Greece, France, and Hong Kong.B ritish women saved from forced marriage abroad will no longer have to repay the government for the cost of their rescue, the Foreign Secretary has announced.

There was a public outcry last week after it was revealed that the government was charging adult victims for emergency repatriation, with those unable to cover the cost of their journey made to take out a loan.

But Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt reversed the decision on Wednesday, and said after "careful consideration" he had decided those assisted by the unit would no longer be asked to take out such loans.

In a letter to the chairman of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Tugendhat, Mr Hunt said: "This joint unit was established in 2005 because the government of the day recognised that British citizens who are forced into marriage constituted a category of exceptionally vulnerable people in need of specific help.

"I have decided to apply this principle to the treatment of repatriation costs.

"Whereas the Foreign Office rightly expects that adult Britons who receive consular assistance will, in general, pay for their own travel home, victims of forced marriage may have endured particular suffering.

"They will often have travelled abroad against their wishes or under false pretences.

"From now on, none of those who are assisted by the forced marriage unit, and would previously have been offered a loan, will have to cover the costs of their repatriation."

He said those who had already taken out loans would face no further charges and blocks put on their passports pending full repayment would be removed.

The government's Forced Marriage Unit received reports of nearly 2,000 possible cases last year, but campaigners say that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Charities working to tackle forced marriage welcomed the change, but said victims should never have had to pay for their freedom.

Jasvinder Sanghera, the founder of charity Karma Nirvana, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation: I'm absolutely delighted.

"The shame is it took a newspaper investigation to be in this position, it's not something the government didn't know about a long time ago.

"What I hope is that this really does put a spotlight on the issue of forced marriage and the government trying to think about a plan towards pursuing prosecutions for these perpetrators."

The Times' investigation found some of the 82 victims repatriated by the British government between 2016 and 2017 were told to pay for their own flights, food and shelter.

Victims' passports were confiscated until the loan had been repaid in full and a 10 per cent surcharge was added if it had not been cleared within six months, it reported.

Four young women who were imprisoned at a religious school in Somalia had to pay 740 each in 2017, it said.D onald Trump has threatened to cut off federal emergency aid to California for forest fires.

Amidst the government shutdown, the US President said no more money would be sent to the state by the Federal Emergency Management Agency "unless they get their act together".

Writing on Twitter on Tuesday, he said: "Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for forest fires that, with proper forest management, would never happen.

"Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money."

Mr Trump has previously criticised Californian officials for poor forest management, despite the federal government being in charge of many of the state's forests.

It comes after German insurance company Munich Re announced that the wildfire in Paradise was the world's costliest single natural disaster in 2018.

The reinsurance giant said on Tuesday that the November fire, which killed dozens of people, caused overall losses of $16.5 billion. The company said some $12.5 billion in losses were insured.

The firestorm destroyed thousands of homes and other structures.

In November, the US President visited Paradise to see the devastation caused by the wildfire and help those affected.

Mr Trump was accompanied by then-Governor Elect Gavin Newsom, who has been vocal in his criticisms of the president after being sworn into office this week.

Responding to the president's threat on Tuesday, he posted on Twitter: "Mr. President -- Just yesterday, @OregonGovBrown, @GovInslee, and I sent a letter asking the federal government to work with us in taking on these unprecedented wildfires. We have been put in office by the voters to get things done, not to play games with lives.

"Disasters and recovery are no time for politics. Im already taking action to modernize and manage our forests and emergency responses.D onald Trump has stormed out of a meeting with Democratic leaders, branding it a "total waste of time", after they again refused to fund his border wall.

The US president met with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the White House on Wednesday for talks hoping to end the partial government shutdown.

But after no progress was made, Mr Trump walked out before taking to Twitter.

He wrote: "I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works!"

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi arrive to speak to the media following Wednesday's meeting / AFP/Getty Images

New York Senator Chuck Schumer said that Mr Trump had asked Mrs Pelosi if she would agree to fund his wall.

He told reporters that when she refused, the president got up and said "then we have nothing to discuss, and he just walked out".

Mr Schumer added: "Again, we saw a temper tantrum because he couldn't get his way."

Mr Trump wants $5.7 billion to fund the wall.

He said earlier on Wednesday that he had a right to declare a national emergency to build a wall on the southern border if no deal with Congress can be reached.

He also threatened to withhold money to help California cope with wildfires, again suggested poor forest management is to blame for California's deadly wildfires.

Democrats plan to test Republicans' resolve on the issue by advancing a bill to immediately reopen the Treasury Department, the Securities and Exchange Commission and several other agencies that have been partially shut down since Dec. 22.

A shutdown of about a quarter of the US government reached its 19th day today, with lawmakers and the White House divided over President Trump's demand for money for a border wall ahead of his prime-time address to push the project.

Trump delivered a televised address about border wall funding on Tuesday / AFP/Getty Images

The shutdown, which began on December 22, is the 19th since the mid-1970s, although most have been brief.

This one now ranks as the second longest, with Mr Trump saying it could continue for months or years, even as he said he hoped it would be resolved within days.

Border security negotiations last weekend between Vice President Mike Pence and congressional staff yielded no progress on a deal as Democrats continued to object to the wall.

The current shutdown has not affected three-quarters of the government, including the Department of Defense and the Postal Service, which have secure funding.S ecret military equipment that ended the drone crisis at Gatwick was rushed to Heathrow last night to tackle last nights alert, sources have revealed.

Experts believe military-grade devices to detect and jam radio control signals were used after one runway at Britains busiest airport was shut temporarily following a drone sighting.

Scotland Yard said a full criminal investigation had been launched. Officers were among those to have spotted the drone.

Departures were suspended for about an hour at the airport, with Heathrow describing the move as a precautionary measure to prevent any threat to operational safety.

The authorities have refused to discuss tactics in detail, with government officials saying the information was classified.

A close-up of the 'drone' / Jeremy Selwyn

However, Metropolitan Police Commander Stuart Cundy confirmed military assistance had been brought in.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman added: We are deploying specialist equipment to Heathrow Airport at the request of the Metropolitan Police.

Passengers in Terminal 2 at Heathrow airport after departures were temporarily suspended by a drone / PA

It comes after thousands of passengers were caught up in three days of disruption at Gatwick last month following reports of drone sightings. The importance of the role played by the Armed Forces in enabling flights to recover at Gatwick is emerging only now.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling called in the military again within minutes of the Heathrow sighting yesterday.

A British Airways aircraft sits on the tarmac at Heathrow Airport after flights were grounded / REUTERS

A conference call of government ministers from the Transport department, MoD, Home Office, as well as London Mayor Sadiq Khan and the Met Police, approved the deployment.

A source said: It was pretty swift. Not only the equipment but the people needed to operate it were moved to Heathrow very quickly.

Mr Cundy said the drone was spotted just after 5pm. Military assistance has been implemented to support us, he added.

However, we will not be discussing in any further detail the range of tactics available to us as this would only serve to potentially undermine their effectiveness.

Police officers were among those who saw the drone and a full criminal investigation has been launched. We are carrying out extensive searches around the Heathrow area to identify any people who may be responsible.T heresa May has continued her Brexit charm offensive as backbench MPs including arch-Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg attended another Downing Street reception.

Guests gathered in Number 10 after a torrid day in the Commons for Mrs May, who is hoping they can be persuaded to back her controversial Withdrawal Agreement.

Wednesdays charm offensive comes ahead of next Tuesday's crunch vote and follows a similar event on Monday aimed at garnering support for the PM's stance in a more informal setting.

The gathering also came after Mrs May suffered a second embarrassing Brexit defeat in 24 hours on Wednesday.

Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg speaks to the media outside Downing Street on Wednesday / PA

By approving an amendment tabled by Tory MP Dominic Grieve, MPs have insisted that if the PM's withdrawal plans are voted down next week she only has three days to return to Parliament with fresh proposals.

Emerging from the Downing Street reception, Mr Rees-Mogg denied he wanted a hard Brexit. He told reporters he wanted a deal, just not the deal negotiated by Mrs May.

The MP for North East Somerset also branded the Government's defeat on Wednesday as "completely meaningless" because the motion could potentially "sit on the table" for years.

Guests including Britain's Transport Secretary Chris Grayling arrive at 10 Downing Street / AFP/Getty Images

He added: "I'm all in favour of getting a deal, I just don't like the deal that's on offer at the moment.

"The motion today is completely meaningless. Some motions have sat on the table for about two years."

Health Secretary Matt Hancock and 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady did not respond to questions as they left the reception.

Pro-second referendum protesters stage a demonstration on Whitehall during the drinks reception / Getty Images

Pro-second referendum protesters staged a demonstration in Whitehall as the drinks reception was held for Conservatives.A yellow vest protester who called Tory MP Anna Soubry a "Nazi" outside parliament and online this week has had his online accounts with Facebook and Paypal deleted.

In Facebook posts on Tuesday Mr Goddard repeated his assertions, writing: Shes called a Nazi because shes acting like one."

"If the political class weren't trying to thwart Brexit, then I wouldn't have to approach these treacherous MPs.

"Has anyone noticed how they bang on about equal rights for women, yet when they're approached they go into meltdown!"

Hours later, Mr Goddard wrote on his Twitter account, which is still active, that Facebook had silenced him, and that he took great offence at being called far right and a fascist.

A Facebook spokesman said: "We have removed James Goddard's Facebook pages and groups for violating our policies on hate speech.

"We will not tolerate hate speech on Facebook which creates an environment of intimidation and which may provoke real-world violence."

Mr Goddard was photographed with Ukip leader Gerard Batten at a demonstration last year, it emerged today.

TODO: define component type apester

In recent months, Mr Goddard has been following in the footsteps of far-Right activist and campaigner Tommy Robinson by using social media to stage political stunts and appeal for donations via PayPal.

Videos on social media show he has previously taken the stage at one of Mr Robinsons rallies in London, where he told the crowd: This is a message for the Establishment, this is a message for the Left. We are coming for you.

In another video he said: We voted for Brexit because we wanted to retake control of our country this is our land and were taking it back. If the political class dont like it and they are going to see a revolution like they have never seen before.

He first hit the headlines in December after blocking traffic, including ambulances, on Westminster Bridge with a small group of protesters wearing high-vis jackets.D epartures from Heathrow airport were halted following reports of drone sightings.

Flights were suspended for an hour after police announced drones had been spotted in the surrounding area.

A Heathrow Airport spokesperson said: "We are currently responding to a drone sighting at Heathrow and are working closely with the Met Police to prevent any threat to operational safety.

"As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate."

Heathrow later announced on their Twitter page that the airport was "operating normally" and that there are "currently no disruptions to flights."

The latest sighting comes after drones caused travel chaos at Gatwick Airport last month, with thousands of passengers having their flights disrupted.

New laws introduced earlier this year mean drone users who flout airport boundary restrictions could be imprisoned. Here we take a look at the laws surrounding the use of drones.

What are the restrictions around flying drones near airports?

Passengers in Terminal 2 at Heathrow airport after departures were temporarily suspended following "reports of drones" at the airport. / PA

The new laws have banned all drones from flying above 400ft and within 1km of airport boundaries.

Drone users who ignore the height and airport boundary restrictions could face an unlimited fine, up to five years in prison, or both.

Research funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) found that a drone weighing 400g could smash a helicopter windscreen, and one weighing 2kg could critically damage an airliner's windscreen.

Are there any other laws to bear in mind?

Laws introduced to the Commons in May mean people flying drones which weigh 250g or more will have to register with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Drone pilots will be required to take an online safety test under the new legislation, with the requirements set to come into force in November next year.

In July, the DfT said it was considering introducing an age restriction, banning children from owning drones weighing at least 250g.

It also said it was considering giving police the power to issue on-the-spot fines of up to 300 for misuse and the ability to seize drones being used irresponsibly.

Have there been any incidents at airports in the past?

Queues of passengers at Gatwick Airport, as the airport remains closed / Thomas Hornall/PA Wire

According to the British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa), there were already 117 near misses between manned aircraft and drones up until November this year, compared to 93 for the whole of 2017.

In October, it was reported that a drone "put 130 lives at risk" after nearly hitting an aircraft approaching Gatwick Airport over the summer.

According to the UK Airprox Board, the flying gadget passed directly over the right wing of the Airbus A319 as it was preparing to land at the West Sussex airport in July.

Also in October, a drone collided with a commercial aircraft as it was approaching to land in Canada.

There were six passengers and two crew on the aircraft and the drone connected with its wing, but fortunately it suffered only minor damage, allowing it to land safely at Jean Lesage International Airport in Quebec City.

How can people stay safe flying drones?

Passengers sleeping in the arrivals hall at Heathrow airport after departures were temporarily suspended last night following reports of a drone at the airport / PA

Balpa has urged people be aware of the rules before they take their drone out and about.

Dr Rob Hunter, head of flight safety, said: "Even two kilograms of metal and plastic, including the battery, hitting an aircraft windscreen or engine or a helicopter tail rotor, could be catastrophic.

"People who buy these devices need to make sure that they know the rules and stick to them, so they don't put anyone's life in danger.

"Pilots don't want to ruin anyone's fun but if you are going to use drones the message is clear: Know the laws or expect serious consequences.T he boss of bakery chain Greggs today admitted he had been caught out by the extraordinary demand for its new vegan sausage rolls after they went on sale last week.

Chief executive Roger Whiteside, who this morning unveiled a 5.2 per cent surge in the chains sales over Christmas, said: We didnt expect people to be quite as excited about it. Were busy playing catch-up trying to get continuity in most stores. Were chasing our tails.

Many customers have complained that they have not been able to track down the 1 pastries at the 950 stores where they are on sale.

A video launching them has had more than 5.2 million views.

They were given a further huge publicity boost when Good Morning Britain TV presenter Piers Morgan said in a tweet: Nobody was waiting for a vegan bloody sausage, you PC-ravaged clowns.

The company said: The launch of our new vegan-friendly sausage roll has proved very popular with a broad range of customers.

Greggs hits back after Piers Morgan tweet

Shares in Greggs soared again this morning, rising 105p, or 7.7 per cent, to 1472p, and are now up 16 per cent since the start of the year, putting more than 200 million on the value of the company.B ritains most senior judge has admitted she finds it hilarious to be appearing in Vogue at 73  after being hailed by the magazine as a heroine for our times.

During a two-page interview for its February edition Baroness Hale, the President of the Supreme Court, also told the magazine that she was absolutely staggered to have become a role model.

She praised the recruitment of two more women to the Supreme Court bench for normalising a female presence in the countrys highest court.

In further comments, Lady Hale, who was the first woman on the Supreme Court before becoming its first female president in 2017, said she hoped her success could inspire other young women to do well in their lives and careers. But her most striking remarks were that she was surprised both to have reached the top of her profession and, even more, to be appearing in Vogue. A 73-year-old woman like me in Vogue? Hilarious, she told her interviewer, adding that she felt very humble, absolutely staggered to have become a role model to other women.

She added: This is not what I set out in life to be  but its where I happen to be. I do feel Ive got to set a good example, both in terms of doing a good job, but also in terms of encouraging young women to make the most of themselves.

On the addition last year of a third female justice, Lady Arden, to the Supreme Court bench, following Lady Blacks appointment in 2017, Lady Hale said that the presence of three women had added further welcome diversity to its decision making process.

One of the reasons that its very good is that we are each very different from one another, just as the men are different from one another, she told Vogue. If its only you, people tend to think, well thats the womans perspective, thats how women think, and, of course, we women dont all think alike. But its also good to have it normalised. To hear My Ladies and My Lords.

Lady Hales interview was given to mark the 100th anniversary of the year in which women were first given the right to practise law in this country and the 10th anniversary of the formation of the Supreme Court.

It replaced the Law Lords as Britains highest judicial body.T heresa May faced a fresh Commons defeat today at the opening of the five-day debate on her much-criticised Brexit deal.

Parliament was attempting to seize the reins for the second time in two days  by ordering the Prime Minister to let MPs begin choosing a Plan B as early as next week. We will not allow the clock to be run down to no deal, declared Tory rebel Heidi Allen.

The move follows on from the historic defeat last night when 20 Tory MPs, including 17 former ministers, seven of them ex-Cabinet ministers, defied a three-line whip on the hallowed Finance Bill to say no to a no-deal exit from the European Union.

Mrs May tried to win back her Democratic Unionist Party allies this morning with the offer of a Stormont lock, described as a veto over any new areas of EU law and policy during the proposed backstop period. But it was dismissed by Sammy Wilson, the DUP Brexit spokesman, as window dressing.

David Lidington, Mrs Mays de facto deputy, accused Brexiteers of peddling fantasies about being able to squeeze a better deal out of the EU. He told BBC Radio 4s Today: So, the choice that people have is this deal or it is no deal or it is, as some MPs advocate, to reverse the 2016 referendum entirely.

This morning 22 Conservative MPs joined forces with Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Greens for an amendment that would set a three-day deadline for the Prime Minister to come back to the Commons with new plans if, as expected, her own blueprint is voted down on Tuesday.

The move would allow MPs to formally put forward alternatives for the first time, including a Peoples Vote, and the Norway and Efta soft Brexit options.

TODO: define component type apester

We are now on very tight time tolerances to find a solution to the Brexit crisis, following the delay caused by the Government pulling the vote in December, said former Attorney General Dominic Grieve who masterminded the amendment, which is backed by five Tory and five Labour ex-ministers.

No 10 believed the Grieve amendment was not in order and therefore could not be voted on. But a source told the Standard that Speaker John Bercow had decided to defy No 10 by selecting it for a vote anyway.

Cabinet minister Amber Rudd has been leading pressure in Mrs Mays top team to allow votes in Parliament designed to flush out if there is a majority for any Brexit solution.

One senior minister loyal to Mrs May said: I do not believe there is a majority for another referendum, and the Norway idea has waned. I think we could end up back with Theresa Mays deal. A former Tory chief whip, Andrew Mitchell, told Today that he regarded Mrs Mays Brexit deal as humiliating.

Treasury Committee chair Nicky Morgan, who helped organise last nights defeat, rapped the Treasury for withholding analysis of how the deal would impact the economy from MPs.L abour will trigger a vote of no confidence in the Government next week if Theresa Mays Brexit blueprint is voted down by MPs, two shadow Cabinet ministers signalled today.

Shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner stressed that his party would act swiftly to demand a General Election. And shadow communities secretary Andrew Gwynne said the motion of no confidence would absolutely be pushed next week.

Labour sources emphasised that key Brexit decisions, such as a no-confidence motion, would be taken on a day-by-day basis but it was a matter of when, not if that it happened.

The Prime Minister is hurtling towards defeat next Tuesday unless against the odds she gets a last-minute concession from Brussels on the Northern Ireland border backstop which satisfies the DUP, who prop her up.

Brent North MP Mr Gardiner emphasised that the Commons vote would be the most important one of the past 50 years, on proposals which the Government has been working on for two years.But dozens of Tory MPs are expected to join Labour to vote against them.

Mr Gardiner told The Standard: At the point when the vote is lost the Government has shown it has no longer got the confidence of the House of Commons for its key legislation and can no longer govern. Its at that point that the Opposition will swiftly move to put in place a motion of no confidence.

Shadow communities secretary Andrew Gwynne told Sky News: In the event of Theresa May failing to get her deal through, we will be calling for a General Election, and to do that you have to table a motion of no confidence.

Skys Adam Boulton said: So that is a guarantee? Next week, if as everyone expects, this deal is not passed, we will be into a vote of confidence  is that right?

Absolutely, Mr Gwynne responded.

The Shadow Cabinet is understood to have yesterday discussed how to respond to Mrs Mays plans being torpedoed, with Jeremy Corbyn having faced growing pressure not to drag his feet, including on a second referendum.T heresa May has suffered another bruising Commons defeat as MPs voted in favour of an amendment that will force her to present a Brexit "plan B" within three days if her controversial deal does not pass.

More than 20 MPs from across the Commons tabled an amendment on Wednesday that would give Mrs May three days to come back to the Commons with an alternative plan if her Brexit deal is voted down next Tuesday.

MPs backed the amendment by 308 votes to 297 on Wednesday afternoon.

It gives MPs the chance to formally put forward alternatives to her deal for the first time, including a Peoples Vote, and the Norway and Efta soft Brexit options.

Defeated again: Prime Minister Theresa May / PA

The move follows on from the historic defeat last night when 20 Tory MPs, including 17 former ministers, seven of them ex-Cabinet ministers, defied a three-line whip on the hallowed Finance Bill to say no to a no-deal exit from the European Union.

Before the vote on the amendment, Tory rebel Heidi Allen had declared: We will not allow the clock to be run down to no deal.

Speaker John Bercow was at the centre of furious scenes in the Commons after selecting Mr Grieve's amendment for a vote.

But Mr Bercow stood by his decision, telling the Commons: "My understanding is the motion is amendable, I'm clear in my mind about that."

After heckles from the Tory benches, he added: "I'm trying to do the right thing and make the right judgments. That is what I have tried to do and what I will go on doing."

Tory former minister Mark Francois, deputy chairman of the Eurosceptic European Research Group (ERG), claimed Mr Bercow was not following his own rules.

Commons Speaker John Bercow / PA

Raising a point of order after PMQs, he said: "Mr Speaker, I have not been in this House as long as you but I have been here for 18 years and I have never known any occasion when any Speaker has overruled a motion of the House of Commons.

"You have said again and again you're a servant of this House and we take you at your word, and I have heard you many times on points of order when people have challenged you say 'I cannot do X or Y because I am bound by a motion of the House'.

"You have done that multiple times in my experience, so why are you overruling this today?"

As a furious Mr Francois yelled "ridiculous" and "that is utter sophistry", Mr Bercow defended his decision.

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom noted there were "some concerns" about Mr Bercow's decision and asked him to confirm that it was taken with "full advice" from the Commons clerk and other parliamentary advisers.

She asked him to publish the advice, which prompted cheers from Tory MPs.

Mr Bercow confirmed he consulted the clerk and officials, saying the advice was given to him "privately and that's absolutely proper".

Andrea Leadsom noted there were 'some concerns' over John Bercow's decision to allow a vote on Dominic Grieve's amendment / Getty Images

He said: "It's also true I had a written note from the clerk from which I quoted in responding to the first point of order."

Tory MP David Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale) leapt to his feet and repeatedly shouted: "Publish it!"

Mr Bercow added there was not full written advice nor a brief.

This morning 22 Conservative MPs joined forces with Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Greens for the amendment that sets a three-day deadline for the Prime Minister to come back to the Commons with new plans if, as expected, her own blueprint is voted down on Tuesday.

The move allows MPs to formally put forward alternatives for the first time, including a Peoples Vote, and the Norway and Efta soft Brexit options.

TODO: define component type apester

We are now on very tight time tolerances to find a solution to the Brexit crisis, following the delay caused by the Government pulling the vote in December, said former Attorney General Dominic Grieve who masterminded the amendment, which is backed by five Tory and five Labour ex-ministers.

No 10 believed the Grieve amendment was not in order and therefore could not be voted on. But a source told the Standard that Speaker John Bercow had decided to defy No 10 by selecting it for a vote anyway.

Cabinet minister Amber Rudd has been leading pressure in Mrs Mays top team to allow votes in Parliament designed to flush out if there is a majority for any Brexit solution.

One senior minister loyal to Mrs May said: I do not believe there is a majority for another referendum, and the Norway idea has waned. I think we could end up back with Theresa Mays deal. A former Tory chief whip, Andrew Mitchell, told Today that he regarded Mrs Mays Brexit deal as humiliating.

Treasury Committee chair Nicky Morgan, who helped organise last nights defeat, rapped the Treasury for withholding analysis of how the deal would impact the economy from MPs.M Ps will today begin a mammoth five-day debate of Theresa Mays Brexit deal ahead of the looming vote on her plan.

Five days of discussions will see politicians wrangle over points of contention as they discuss the proposals signed off by the European Union.

This comes after the Prime Minister postponed the original date for the Commons to have its say on her Brexit proposals.

The Conservative leader has said her agreement is the best option available. She says if it is rejected, the only options available would be no-deal or even no Brexit.

However, she has repeatedly quashed calls for a second referendum.

MPs will discuss the plans in the Commons / UK Parliament/Mark Duffy/PA Wire

She postponed the vote, initially meant for December 11, admitting she was likely to be defeated.

TODO: define component type apester

Since then she has sought assurances from the European Union on issues, particularly the contentious Irish Backstop, though EU leaders have continually insisted there can be no further negotiations on the deal.

Ahead of the Prime Minister facing further scrutiny of her plan, MPs opposed to a no-deal break inflicted another defeat on the Government.

British Prime Minister Theresa May and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker / REUTERS

Twenty Conservative MPs backed a cross-party amendment to the Finance Bill, which is intended to limit the Government's powers to make tax changes in the event of no-deal.

The rebels included former ministers Ken Clarke, Sir Michael Fallon, Justine Greening, Dominic Grieve, Sir Oliver Letwin and Sam Gyimah.

Sir Oliver, who supports Mrs May's deal, said they were ready to table similar amendments to other Brexit legislation.

Sir Oliver Letwin has spoken out against a no-deal scenario (Dominic Lipinski/PA ) / Dominic Lipinski/PA

This was to warn they were ready to put paid to the "disastrous proposal" of no-deal Brexit.

"The majority in this House will sustain itself, and we will not allow a no-deal exit to occur on March 29," he said.

However, Downing Street insisted the amendment, which was tabled by senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper and Conservative former cabinet minister Nicky Morgan, was no more than an "inconvenience".

AP

It was insisted that this would not prevent the Government collecting taxes.

Despite this, supporters said the vote of 303 to 296 showed there was now a clear majority of MPs who would oppose a no-deal scenario.

In regards to the debate, Labour said the wording of the Government motion confirmed it would be a "continuation debate".

The party stated MPs were being asked to vote on the exact same deal as before.

Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "The delay to the meaningful vote has achieved nothing beyond wasting a month.

"If the Government's deal is defeated then a general election is the best way forward to give a new government a mandate."

Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay will open the debate for the Government.K eir Starmer has admitted he genuinely doesn't think the UK can leave the EU by March 29 after Theresa May suffered another humiliating setback in the House of Commons.

The shadow Brexit secretary said the current date for Britains departure from the bloc was now simply not viable, for so many practical reasons.

Mr Starmer was speaking in the Commons during the first of five days of debate ahead of next Tuesday's meaningful vote on Mrs Mays deal.

He said: We are going to have to have a discussion I think next week, starting after Tuesday about where we go next.

TODO: define component type apester

I genuinely think that leaving with no-deal would be catastrophic, I actually genuinely think we cant do it on 29 March this year. Its simply not viable, for so many practical reasons.

So were going to have to look at what are the available options that realistically are still on the table, and what now are the merits of each of them.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday / PA

His remarks put Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn under pressure once more over whether or not he will lead his party in backing a second referendum. And if he gets the General Election he wants, should Mrs May lose the vote next Tuesday, he would have to consider extending Article 50 if he won.

Mr Starmer went on to mention the possibility of a Peoples Vote among other options which are on the table.

Countdown to Brexit: 79 days until Britain leaves the EU

He said: There are other options that I know members of my own party feel very strongly about such as a public vote but we are going to have to sit down and look at what credibly are the options and how does Parliament take control of what happens next.

But we are all going to Im afraid have to acknowledge that some of the options that may have been there a year or two ago are not there in the same shape and the same form.

It comes after MPs voted in favour of an amendment that will force Mrs May to present a Brexit "plan B" within three days if her controversial deal does not pass.

MPs backed the amendment by 308 votes to 297 on Wednesday afternoon.

It gives MPs the chance to formally put forward alternatives to her deal for the first time, including a Peoples Vote, and the Norway and Efta soft Brexit options.A lmost three quarters of MPs think Theresa May has done a bad job of negotiating Britain's divorce from the European Union, a new poll has found.

And more Tory MPs believe the Prime Minister has handled talks on the UK's withdrawal from the European Union poorly (47 per cent) than well (34 per cent), according to the research.

The annual survey of MPs, conducted by The UK in a Changing Europe thinktank, and the Mile End Institute at Queen Mary University of London, suggested that the House of Commons has become more polarised in the last 12 months.

The survey also revealed that more than half (55 per cent) of Conservative MPs thought there were "alternative solutions" to the controversial backstop arrangement to prevent a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, and that difficulties around the border question have been "exaggerated".

The poll revealed divisions in the Commons / UK Parliament/Mark Duffy/PA Wire

Meanwhile Leave MPs were highly sceptical about the likelihood of disruption in the even of no-deal - potentially posing a difficulty for Mrs May to use the potential risks to encourage them to support her deal, researchers said.

The survey showed that a majority of Mrs May's own MPs, in addition to an overwhelming majority in the Commons, think that she has handled the process of leaving the EU poorly.

TODO: define component type apester

Overall, 17 per cent of the Government approve of Mrs May's negotiations, compared to 70 per cent who disapprove.

But researchers said the survey showed "no obvious alternatives". "Our survey underlines the problems the PM would face in trying to garner a Commons majority for a softer Brexit than she has proposed," they wrote.

Key Brexit moments of 2018: in pictures 1 /23 Key Brexit moments of 2018: in pictures Prime Minister Theresa May speaks during a Cabinet meeting at Chequers in July PA The Cabinet thrashed out a Brexit blue print PA The away day meeting PA Boris Johnson leaves Carlton House Terrace in Westminster after he resigned as Foreign Secretary PA David Davis pictured after quitting the government, resigning his post as Brexit Secretary AFP/Getty Images New role: Jeremy Hunt was appointed as Foreign Secretary in July Getty Images Dominic Raab took over the role of Brexit Secretary in July AP/Matt Dunham Exotic spresm: Liberal Democrats Leader Sir Vince Cable following his speech at the party conference PA More than half a million protesters descended on London for the People's Vote March in October Sky News Demonstrators called for a People's Vote on Brexit during a march in Liverpool earlier this year Getty Images Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond, presented the red Budget Box as he revealed the government's financial plans in October Getty Images It was the last Budget before Brexit AFP/Getty Images Mr McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn listen as Chancellor Philip Hammond delivers his Budget statement AFP/Getty Images New Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay after Dominic Raab quit the post in November Getty Images Esther McVey also resigned as Work and Pensions Secretary Sir Keir Starmer opened the debate on a motion to hold the Government in contempt of Parliament on December 4 AFP/Getty Images Sir Graham Brady (centre), chairman of the 1922 Committee, announces that Theresa May has survived a confidence vote on December 12 PA Theresa May in Downing Street after winning the confidence vote Jeremy Selwyn The Prime Minister confronts Jean-Claude Juncker at an EU summit in December 'You called me nebulous' Philip Sime/Twitter Jeremy Corbyn was accused of mouthing the words "stupid woman" during the last PMQs of the year Jeremy Corbyn responds in the Commons amid the row PA Jeremy Corbyn denied reports he muttered the words "stupid woman" AFP/Getty Images

Opposition to membership of the single market has increased in the last 12 months, principally due to a movement away from this by Labour MPs.

Elsewhere, the figures revealed that 50 per cent of MPs and 80 per cent of Tory MPs feel customs union membership would not honour the result of the 2016 referendum.

A significant majority in the House of Commons think the PM has handled the Brexit negotiations poorly / Getty Images

In other words, this option would probably see Mrs May lose more Conservative votes than she gained Labour ones.

MPs were divided on whether a no-deal Brexit would lead to significant short-term disruption in Britain.

Leave MPs were highly sceptical about the likelihood of disruption, except in two areas: 44 per cent of Leave-voting MPs see a drop in the value of Sterling as likely (54 per cent unlikely), while 32 per cent see disruption at ports as likely (66 per cent unlikely).

Remain MPs saw both these eventualities as probable, 98 per cent anticipating a fall in the pound and 93 per cent expecting lorry queues.

Professor Anand Menon, director The UK in a Changing Europe, said: "The House of Commons is clearly very divided.

"It is hard to see, given the numbers, how the Prime Minister can get her deal through.

Countdown to Brexit: 79 days until Britain leaves the EU

"That being said, it is hard to see how any outcome can command a majority."

Professor Tim Bale added: "None of this will make easy reading for the PM: the attitudes of Leave-voting Tories appear to be hardening rather than softening and they seem amazingly unfazed by the difficulties presented by both the Irish border issue and a no-deal Brexit."From the bottom of our hearts, we want them to stay.

Without your great nation, this Continent would not be what it is today: a community defined by freedom and prosperity.

After the horrors of the Second World War, Britain did not give up on us. It has welcomed Germany back as a sovereign nation and a European power.

This we, as Germans, have not forgotten and we are grateful.S o just how good is the PM at consorting with the other side? Her first proper effort didnt quite go to plan when she met with mostly Labour MPs who hate a no-deal Brexit in the Boothroyd Room of the House of Commons yesterday.

She was there in response to what was billed as a cross-party letter arguing against a no-deal Brexit organised by the former Tory minister Caroline Spelman and Labours Jack Dromey. Having been signed by 212 MPs, it was a warning of things to come  namely last nights historic vote against the Government on Yvette Coopers Finance Bill amendment that was designed to frustrate a no-deal Brexit.

So with around 100 MPs gathered in the room, what went wrong for May in this her first attempt to properly reach out to Labour backbenchers?

One MP present described her performance as starting off OK but then becoming very shaky.

Another said it was mostly Maybot. Very wobbly. Not convincing anyone. Brighton MP Peter Kyle said: Ive concluded that Mr Juncker was being polite when he described her position as nebulous.

Dromey is reported to have told her, exasperatedly, Prime Minister, you cant keep saying my deal or no deal.

Labours Hilary Benn asked why on earth she had not reached out to him and his colleagues much earlier. But one senior Tory added  at least  that she did acknowledge, perhaps for the first time, the damage a no-deal Brexit would cause. Which prompted the question for most there, why on earth wont she rule it out?

As for Tory Brexiteers they were profoundly unamused by the PM mixing with Labour. Jacob Rees-Mogg told a meeting of the European Research Group that he may invite Corbyn to address them to see how good a Brexiteer he really is.

Sharp rap for Craig

Sam Freedman, a former adviser to Michael Gove, says there was one glaring inaccuracy with the fictional Dominic Cummings who appeared on TV in Mondays Brexit: Uncivil War. Vote Leave brain Cummings, played by Benedict Cumberbatch, repeatedly clashed with Craig Oliver, played by Rory Kinnear, his opposing number in the Remain campaign. But Freedman, who worked with Cummings for four years, said the latter never called Craig Oliver by his name. He always, he says, called him Dre because of an old photo published of Oliver wearing Beats headphones  made by the Dr rapper himself.

---

The British Museum is selling Soft and Hard Brexit egg cups. The Hard Brexit cup has an oak motif and a star either shooting off or crashing down to earth, while Soft Brexit bears gathering storm clouds and two birds circling each other. The pair cost 35, suggesting perhaps breakfast is as costly as Brexit.

---

Active: Janey Godley / Getty Images

Scottish comedian Janey Godley doesnt care for French author Yann Moixs claim that women over 50 are too old to love. Am 58, Godley announces (in fact shes 57, her birthday is on January 20), and getting banged harder than a faulty washing machine door  how do I translate that into French?

The Londoner is reliably informed that Godley could say: "On me tape dessus plus fort que sur une porte de machine a laver defectueuse."

Partridge fans show Steve a little respect

John Thomson, Melanie Sykes, Alan Carr and Steve Coogan / Dave Benett/Getty Images

Aha! Steve Coogan was at the Soho Hotel last night for a special screening of his new film, Stan & Ollie. The comedian, nominated today for a Best Actor Bafta, plays one half of eponymous comedy double act Laurel and Hardy next to co-star John C. Reilly.

In tow were fellow comedians Frank Skinner and John Culshaw, as well as TV and radio presenter Melanie Sykes.

Coogan has been a busy boy, simultaneously promoting his new comedy series, This Time with Alan Partridge.

But, fortunately, hes got someone to help him lighten the load: Im Alan Partridge and I am delighted, or at least content, to invite you to a special preview of my (and BBC1s) upcoming magazine show This Time with Alan Partridge (my emphasis), wrote Partridge in his invitation to journalists.

The dress code was as you might expect: Just show a bit of respect, really.

SW1A

Vince Cable MP / Getty Images

Vince Cable is the latest politician to be accused of breaking convention by visiting another MPs constituency without informing them. Penny Mordaunt, the Secretary of State for DFID, complained last night that she was rather unimpressed to say the very least that the Lib-Dem leader had appeared in Portsmouth without explanation. A source close to Mordaunt told us they had not yet heard from Cables office but they remain optimistic. This morning The Londoner called Cable whose answerphone says the office is now closed until the 7th of January.

---

Sir Nicholas Soames, Winston Churchills grandson, had a crisp response to former Brexit Secretary David Daviss praise of an article showing what EU officials really say on the Withdrawal Agreement  including the power is with us and we have achieved our objectives. Well, Soames asked Davis, whose fault is that?

Plath fan assistance in dubious taste

The Spanish edition of Glamour once had an interesting take on Sylvia Plath. The American writer and poet, who married British poet Ted Hughes, has been of perennial interest since her tragic death in 1963 (a recently discovered early story will be published by HarperCollins this month). Spanish readers can Get the Plath Look. The magazine gave readers the must-haves for her personal style: a 179 Bella Freud Ginsberg is God cushion, a black-and-white checked trench coat, some stylish culottes, 600 Gucci brogues and  in questionable taste  a gas oven in baby pink. Um, who wants to tell them how she committed suicide?

Quote of the day

'I'm just Lindsay Lohan. Whatever that is.'A widow has hit out at a mental health hospital from which her husband was discharged days before he took his life.

Racehorse owner Mustafa Khan, 40, from Richmond, who had a history of obsessive compulsive disorder and depression, was released from Priory Hospital North London in Southgate after nine days. He had been sectioned under the Mental Health Act on February 6 following a suicide threat.

On February 24, the father of two young children was found hanged in woodland in Horsham, West Sussex.

An inquest last month ruled that risk assessments were poor and did not comply with hospital policies. The discharge planning was inadequate and no crisis contingency plan was made.

While being treated at the Priory hospital he refused to take medication, to engage in a therapy programme for his OCD or with staff regarding his illness, the hearing heard.

Bridget Dolan QC, assistant coroner at West Sussex coroners court, ruled that several opportunities were missed to reduce the risk of Mr Khan taking his life. He began expressing suicidal thoughts in 2017. In the early part of last year he threatened to take his own life and was sectioned. After six days at an NHS hospital, he was transferred to the Priory.

His wife Vera, a nanny, said: Our family cant understand how Mustafa was discharged from the Priory and wasnt considered at risk of harming himself despite being suicidal for several months and having not engaged in any treatment or therapy during his time at the Priory.

The hearing was told that Mr Khan, who staff deemed to be at low risk of suicide, was discharged to his parents house. A keeping safe care plan, including a phone number for a mental health specialist, was not completed. The family were not provided with an emergency contact and there was no follow-up plan in place.

The familys solicitor, Hannah Lamb, specialist medical negligence lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, said: The family had a number of concerns about the events that unfolded in the lead-up to Mustafas death ... We hope that these are now addressed as soon as possible to help improve patient care.

The Priory said it extended its deepest sympathies to the Khan family, adding that patient safety remained a priority and that it had since strengthened procedures. It said: We will now carry out a further review in light of the inquest findings and carefully consider what additional changes are needed.S adiq Khan faces a legal challenge from an Indian billionaire over his handling of a major regeneration scheme.

The Mumbai-based business empire of media tycoon Dr Subhash Chandra has launched a High Court claim for damages after he missed out on a chance to take over the 3.5 billion Silvertown Quays scheme in Docklands.

The Standard revealed last April that Dr Chandra was in talks to turn the 62-acre site into a peace theme park.

However, it was announced in June that Australian company Lendlease and US property giant Starwood would be handed the project in a joint venture with the Greater London Authority.

In the legal claim by Asia TV Ltd, a British subsidiary of Dr Chandras Essel Group, the company argues it had lost the opportunity to take part in a fair and transparent tender process for the award of a contract for the regeneration of Silvertown Quays.

Billionaire: Dr Subhash Chandra wanted to build a cultural centre alongside 3,500 homes at Silvertown Quays

It states that the GLA has committed material breaches of clear and precise duties.

Dr Chandras vision included a cultural centre with a multi-media recreation of 6,000 years of history. There would also be space for meditation, yoga and dance, plus 3,500 homes.

The GLA first awarded a regeneration contract to a consortium called The Silvertown Partnership (TSP) in 2013.

TSP won planning permission in 2016 for a brand pavilion park for leading companies but could not find a backer and has transferred its interest in the scheme to Lendlease and Starwood.T he family of a doctor to the Queen who died when his bicycle collided with a lorry today called for the Mayor of London to create more people-prioritised streets at an inquest.

Dr Peter Fisher, 67, was fatally injured in High Holborn on August 15. He was a world expert in homeopathy and served as homeopathic physician to the Queen for about 15 years.

St Pancras coroners court heard he was in collision with a 20-tonne DAF delivery vehicle at about 9.30am near the junction with Newton Street.

Dr Fishers sister Susie Herne said in a statement read in court that her brothers death was a tragic waste of life.

Cyclists protest following the death of Dr Peter Fisher / Caroline Russell

She said: We urge the Mayor to urgently address the safety of people in London by looking at people-prioritised streets.

Paying tribute to her brother, she said: He was a remarkably gifted and special man. Its an irreplaceable loss. He was an energetic man who cycled throughout his life.

Lorry driver Samantha Southouse, who had 20 years experience, was on her way to a delivery in Regents Park when the incident happened. She said she did not see Dr Fisher despite carrying out full mirror checks and other safety measures. She said she had been driving slowly in traffic, adding: I didnt see him. I heard people shouting to stop the truck.

Witness Simon Cooney said Dr Fisher swerved in the road, which reminded him of when he had first taken off stabilisers as a child. He said: He swerved into the centre lane. Then the lorry went into him and went over him.

But accident investigator Brian Gamble told the inquest that Dr Fisher had wobbled and swerved only after he had been in initial contact with the lorry.

Dr Fisher, who had been wearing a helmet, died of multiple injuries.

Coroner Mary Hassell recorded a verdict of death by road traffic collision.

A TfL spokesperson, said: No death or serious injury is acceptable or inevitable and our thoughts are with the friends and family of Dr Peter Fisher.Top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong-un arrived in Beijing on Tuesday amid speculation about a possible second summit between him and the United States President Donald Trump over denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

The details of Kim's itinerary remained unknown, but the International Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee said on Tuesday that Kim is on a four-day visit to China that started on Monday at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

A special train carrying Kim and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, arrived at a highly secure station in Beijing on Tuesday morning, Yonhap News Agency reported.

This marked Kim's fourth trip to China within 10 months and came as US and DPRK officials reportedly met in Vietnam to discuss the location of a second summit between Kim and Trump.

Kim, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, met with Xi three times last year  in March, May and June.

The visit is expected to boost the traditional friendship of and strengthens bilateral cooperation between the two neighbors through high-level meetings, analysts said.

Ruan Zongze, executive vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, said Kim's visit to China shows his resolve and determination to fulfill what he pledged in his New Year's address, in particular building peace in the Korean Peninsula and seeking the country's economic development.

"At a time that the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula is at a crucial stage, communications between the leaders of China and the DPRK are critically important for the future development of the situation on the peninsula," Ruan said.

The peninsula's situation eased last year thanks to positive interactions among the various parties involved, said Da Zhigang, a researcher in northeast Asian studies at the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences.

He added that China, as a major country in the region and also a close neighbor of the DPRK, has played a significant role.

Kim told Xi during their last meeting, in June, that the DPRK appreciated China's important role in promoting denuclearization of the peninsula as well as in maintaining peace and stability there.

Da said Kim's determination to denuclearize the peninsula and engage the US in nuclear talks largely depends on his trust in China's mediating role in the issue.

China's position on the peninsula's nuclear issue is important, particularly given that great changes have taken place in the international situation and Washington and Pyongyang are in talks for a new meeting between Kim and Trump, Ruan said.

Kim will use the visit to reiterate the DPRK's determination to denuclearize the peninsula and to develop its domestic economy, but resolution of the nuclear issue requires Washington and Pyongyang to meet each other halfway, he added.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said on Tuesday at a regular news conference that China supports direct talks between the US and the DPRK and expects them to achieve positive results. Beijing has always played a positive role in pushing for a resolution of the Korean Peninsula issue, he added.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and the DPRK. Da said the fact that Kim has made his first overseas visit of the year to China shows that he considers relations with the country to be of great importance. Kim's visit to China in March was his first overseas trip since taking office.

Kim has pledged to shift the country's focus to economic development, so the visit is an opportunity for him to learn about China's experience in economic reform to help his country strike its own path of economic development, Da said.T he cost of replacing dangerous cladding on five north London tower blocks has ballooned by tens of millions of pounds, a new report has revealed.

Camden council said it will cost 89.7 million  67.7 million more than originally thought  to replace cladding on towers at the Chalcots estate.

About 3,000 residents were forced to flee the estate after the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017 amid fears over the safety of high-rise blocks.

Improvement works on the Chalcots estate are now not expected to be completed until summer 2021  four years on from the disaster.

Roger Evans, a 53-year-old resident on the estate, said: In the scheme of things, its only an additional 30 to 40 per cent. Two years ago, when they started removing the cladding, they came up with figures that were, lets face it, imaginary numbers at the time because no one knew.

Council estimates initially suggested the cost of replacing the towers cladding would be 22 million, before further irregularities inflated the cost to 56 million.

The latest escalation in the bill is due to a revision of the work and also the councils decision to use a top-rated fire system. The replacement will be carried out by Wates Living Spaces Ltd.

The Government will provide 63.5 million of funding, with a further 26.2 million in council funding required.

In a new report, officials said: Since March, the council has progressed the scope of the project with its engineers and fire safety advisers.

They said an A1 fire rated system was needed along with replacements of brickwork on the ground and first floors, roof parapets and coverings.T he Met have been granted extra stop-and-search powers in Waltham Forest after the killing of a 14-year-old schoolboy who was stabbed up to seven times.

Jayden Moodie, of Waltham Forest, was repeatedly stabbed, according to witnesses, on Bickley Road shortly before 6.30pm on Tuesday.

Following the youngsters particularly shocking death, the Section 60 power will be deployed.

The tactic allows an officer to stop someone without needing reasonable suspicion that they are involved in crime.

Officers have called the attack on the young boy cowardly and believe it to be a targeted one.

Jayden died on Tuesday / Metropolitan Police

Chief Superintendent Richard Tucker, the Commander of the North East Command Unit which covers the borough of Waltham Forest, said: "Everyone is shocked and appalled by this murder.

"The age of the victim, a boy aged 14, beggars belief and I completely understand the alarm and concern it has raised from those who live and work in the area."



Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime team led by Detective Inspector Chris Soole investigate. DCI Soole said: "Any murder is appalling but the death of a 14-year-old boy is particularly shocking.

"Everything we know so far points to the fact that this appears to be a targeted attack and those who carried it out had only one objective which was to inflict fatal injuries on Jayden.

"We continue to investigate why Jayden was singled out and retain an open mind at this time.

"My team is working tirelessly to apprehend those responsible for this cowardly attack and I would appeal to anyone who has information that could assist this investigation to come forward and speak to police or Crimestoppers."

Jayden had moved to London recently, family say / Metropolitan Police

No arrest have been made yet, the Met said.

The murder - the fifth in London this year - is the first to be suspected to be linked to gangs.

Paramedics called to the scene in Bickley Road, Waltham Forest, battled to save the boy but he died in the street at about 7.10pm, 40 minutes after the attack.

Witnesses said the boy was knifed in the back after a car deliberately drove into him, causing him to fall off the moped.

Victim: Jaden Moody, 14, was stabbed to death

Police believe three males got out of the car and then stabbed Jayden before returning to the vehicle and driving off. Officers are trying to trace a black Mercedes B Class with extensive damage to the front.

Jaydens uncle, Josh Grant, said the teen had moved to London recently, after living in Nottingham.

He described him as a good kid who was settling into London.

He told the Standard: Im in bits. Its a sad time. He was a good kid. When he was young he looked up to me and I always gave him advice and tried to show him the right way in life.A 14-year-old boy stabbed to death in north-east London was knifed in the back seven times by attackers who rammed him off his moped, witnesses have claimed.

Police said three men got out of their car and stabbed the boy to death after a collision before getting back into their car and driving off.

Officers were called to Bickley Road, Leyton, in Waltham Forest, shortly before 6.30pm on Tuesday to reports of a crash.

Scotland Yard said the teenager was found with stab wounds. Detectives have established he was riding a moped that had been involved in a collision with a car.

The boy was said to have been stabbed in the back seven times / Nigel Howard

A spokesman for the force said: "It is believed that three males got out of the car and then stabbed the victim before returning to the vehicle and driving off.

"Despite efforts of paramedics, he was declared dead at 7.09pm. Next of kin have been informed.

A crime scene is in place in Waltham Forest / London 999 Feed/@999London

"A crime scene is in place. The Homicide and Major Crime team has been informed. There has been no arrest. Enquiries continue."

Investigators at the scene in front of the boy's crashed scooter in Waltham Forest / Nigel Howard

One man who did not want to be named described how a witness of the incident came into the premises where he works nearby, horrified by what they had seen.

The attackers are believed to have knocked the boy off his moped / Nigel Howard

He said the witness told him how the teenager who was on the moped was struck by the car which was travelling in the opposite direction.

"They said they knocked him off the moped and four people got out of the car and they stabbed him seven times - there were unsurvivable wounds in his back," he said.

The boy was knocked off his bike in a crash with a car / London 999 Feed/@999London

He said the witness recalled how the boy was possibly unconscious when he was stabbed, with his helmet thrown up to 10 metres away.

The man added: "He thought it was an accident, that somebody had knocked someone, but then he said they quickly came (out of the car).

"They beat him up, and they stabbed him, and they left."

Residents who live on Bickley Road said they did not hear any shouting or screaming.

They said it was not until they saw the blue flashing lights from the emergency services that they knew something had happened.

At about 11pm on Tuesday the street remained cordoned off at both ends and a forensic tent had been erected in the middle.

Forensic officers in blue suits could be seen assessing and combing the area for evidence.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted to say that he was "greatly saddened" by the news of the fatal stabbing.

"My thoughts are with his family and friends. If anyone has information about this horrific incident - please contact the Met Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously," he added.

Tuesday's stabbing comes less than 48 hours after a 27-year-old man was airlifted to hospital after being knifed during a fight at Stockwell bus garage on Monday afternoon.

It also follows a weekend of bloodshed in the capital, as Scotland Yard launched its fourth murder inquiry of the New Year after a woman in her mid-30s was found dead in east London.

In a separate incident on Sunday, an 18-year-old man was left critically injured after being stabbed at Blackhorse Road Tube station in Waltham Forest.

Another young man, 26, was in a critical but stable condition after being stabbed a number of times in Forest Gate, at about 2pm on Saturday.T he lawyer of speedboat killer Jack Shepherd, who disappeared part way through his trial over the death of his date Charlotte Brown, has denied knowing his whereabouts.

The web designer has been at large since being convicted in his absence of manslaughter by gross negligence in July last year.

Shepherd, 31, has been given permission to appeal the conviction despite refusing to give himself up to authorities.

Detectives conceded he could be anywhere in the world.

Jack Shepherd was convicted of killing his date, Charlotte Brown, in a speedboat crash on the Thames. / PA

In an interview with ITV News, Shepherds solicitor Richard Egan said he has no idea where he is.

The fact that Im in contact with him does not mean I know where he is, he told the network.

He is entitled to contact his lawyer, I have a duty to act for him in his best interests.

"I'm not part of the police, it's not my duty to dob him in or say what I know about him."

Mr Egan also refused to say how he was contacting Shepherd or whether he was advising him to attend his appeal.

Shepherds lawyers are funded through legal aid.

Shepherd was sentenced to six years in jail after being found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence following the death of Miss Brown, 24, in a speedboat accident on the Thames in December 2015.P olice have arrested a man on suspicion of trespassing after an attempt to gain access to Parliament.

Armed officers arrested a man at around 7.20pm on Tuesday at the Carriage Gates entrance to the Palace of Westminster.

The arrest was made just feet from where PC Keith Palmer was killed in 2017 by a knife-wielding terrorist.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman no officers were injured in the arrest. The incident is not thought to be terror related.

They said: "A man was arrested on suspicion of trespassing on a protected site as he tried to gain entry to the Palace of Westminster via Carriage Gates.

"He has been taken to a police station. No officers were injured."

A UK Parliament spokesperson added: "We are aware of a police situation at Carriage Gates this evening.

We are unable to provide any further details."A car has been recovered by detectives investigating the murder of a schoolboy who was fatally stabbed in north-east London.

Scotland Yard officers have since located a black Mercedes B Class they believe was involved in the crash which led to the young boys death.

The vehicle, which was recovered from Carlisle Road in Leyton on Wednesday afternoon, remained on site for forensic recovery.

Jayden had moved to London recently, family say / Metropolitan Police

Police said finding the car marks a significant development in the murder investigation as they continue the probe into the boys killing.

Officers are treating the murder  the fifth in London this year - as a targeted attack.

No arrests have been made. The Met Police earlier said they were hunting three men driving a black Mercedes with extensive frontal damage.

The attackers are believed to have knocked the boy off his moped / Nigel Howard

Witnesses said the boy was knifed in the back after a car deliberately drove into him, causing him to fall off the moped.

A father-of-three, who was exercising at the Raw Fitness gym nearby at the time, said: A guy in here earlier saw everything. What happened was there was a guy on a moped with no plates.

A car came behind him, deliberately whacked into him, he then fell on the floor. Three men then jumped out of the car, stabbed him from behind and drove off.

I grew up in this area, this is my area. Its not the same anymore. This is area is bad now. There should be more patrols. Our families are scared to go out.

Jayden died on Tuesday / Metropolitan Police

Another man said a witness told him the car deliberately knocked him off the moped before stabbing him.

He said: These were unsurvivable wounds in his back. The man thought it was an accident, that somebody had knocked someone, but then he said they quickly came out of the car.

Paramedics called to the scene in Bickley Road battled to save the boy but he died in the street at about 7.10pm, 40 minutes after the attack.

The boys uncle Josh Grant said the teenager had moved to London from Nottinghamshire with his mother just six months ago.

The boy was said to have been stabbed in the back seven times / Nigel Howard

He told the Standard: Im in bits. Its a sad time. He was a good kid. When he was young he looked up to me and I always gave him advice and tried to show him the right way in life.

They had moved from Nottingham down to London about six months ago because they wanted a better life in London.

Jayden's godmother Zoe Grant, who lives in Nottingham, paid tribute to the 14-year-old.

She said: "He was full of life, fun loving and a ray of sunshine. He was a beautiful boy, so intelligent, had everything to live for.

Investigators at the scene in Waltham Forest / Nigel Howard

"He went to London and then this happens - it's just so unfair.

"He was very dearly loved by everybody. Jayden was a good kid. 14 is no life - it's not fair."

A family friend, who gave his name as Solomon, said the schoolboy, a talented boxer, was a "wonderful" and "loving" child.

Describing himself as Jayden's "acting grandfather", he said the system was "really letting down the youth".

"They don't come on the streets because they want to - they don't have a choice," he said.

"They need to be given a chance to breathe like everyone else in the world."

Police patrols were stepped up in the wake of the murder.

Detective Chief Inspector Larry Smith said: "Everything that we have learned about this attack so far indicates it was targeted and intent on lethal force from the outset.

"We are doing everything we can to catch those who carried out this cowardly attack and bring them to justice."

Victim: Jaden Moodie, 14, was stabbed to death

The leader of Waltham Forest Council, Clare Coghill, called for those with information to come forward, warning that "to stay silent is to support murderers".

She said: "The death of a child is a loss that no parent or family should ever have to face. Our thoughts are with all of the victim's family and friends at this difficult time.

"This is a tragedy that will be felt right across our borough in all our communities. These senseless acts of violence must end.

"The murder of a 14-year-old boy is an appalling act and we must come together as a community to bring those responsible to justice.

"There will be members of our community who know, or suspect that they know, what happened to this child. You need to come forward; to stay silent is to support murderers."

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 020 8345 3734 or tweet information to @MetCC.D etectives investigating the murder of a father fatally stabbed on a train are appealing for witnesses who may have seen two suspects acting unusually after they fled the scene.

Lee Pomeroy, 51, was knifed nine times, including in the neck, at Horsley station in Surrey on Friday.

British Transport Police say two suspects may have stopped at Frensham Great Pond car park, near Farnham, between 5.45pm and 6.35pm later that day.

They are hoping members of the public may have seen the man and woman, who were travelling with a young child in a blue Vauxhall Corsa.

The scene at Horsley station after Mr Pomeroy was stabbed to death on a train / PA

Senior Investigating Officer Sam Blackburn from BTP, said: Since Friday afternoon, a dedicated team of detectives have worked diligently in piecing together the events before and after the killing.

Our enquiries have led us to believe the suspects briefly stopped at Frensham Great Pond car park, on Bacon Lane after 5.30pm on Friday afternoon.

We are therefore looking to speak with anyone who was at the site and saw a man and a woman acting in an unusual or out of character manner.

They would have been travelling with a young child at this point and we understand they would have arrived and departed in a blue Vauxhall Corsa.

A forensics officer removes items at Horsley station after the stabbing on Friday / Steve Parsons/PA

If you were at the Frensham Great Pond car park during this time, please do get in touch as you might hold information which could help us uncover any new evidence.

A post mortem examination has also taken place since the weekend, which revealed that Mr Pomeroy died as a result of multiple stab wounds.

Police have continued to search the Clandon area and have executed a warrant to search a property in Bognor Regis, West Sussex.

DCI Blackburn, added: Our family liaison officers are providing Mr Pomeroys family with support as they continue to come to terms with Fridays devastating news.

The family have asked for privacy as they grieve the loss of Lee.A brave shopkeeper fought off three armed robbers  wielding his mothers rolling pin.

Nilks Patel, 36, was sleeping in his flat above the Best One convenience store in Eltham when he heard a loud bang and saw hooded thieves tearing off the shops shutters.

He rushed downstairs and challenged the men with the first weapon he found  his mother Chandas rolling pin  as his father and three-year-old son sheltered behind him in the doorway.

CCTV footage shows two of the thugs swinging a brick and a crowbar at Mr Patel, as a third accomplice dives under the shutters with a white sack.

The robbers also sprayed a fire extinguisher at the family before fleeing in a silver Audi with more than 4,000 worth of cigarettes. Mr Patel, who also armed himself with a shutter pole and escaped with cuts and bruises to his hands, said he had never intended to fight the raiders. He told the Standard: I was opening the door to see if they would run away. I thought they would be scared like foxes  make a noise and they run off. They were not, they seemed like career criminals. They charged at me with a brick and a crowbar. I thought, Oh s***. At 1.30am youre not prepared to fight anyone.

CCTV footage shows Nilks Patel holding the gang at bay with a shutter pole / Nilks Patel

Mr Patel realised his son Dhruv had waddled downstairs behind him.

One of them even said, Theres a kid there, but they just carried on, Mr Patel said. My dad was behind me, I think he was yelling, Help, help. They were holding me in the doorway, smacking the brick against the door.

Mr Patel, whose family have owned the Newmarket Green store since 1990, believes he angered the thieves by trying to fight back. He added: I annoyed them to the point where they got in the car and got out the fire extinguisher.

Im glad they used the extinguisher, it could have been something worse.

The raid on December 18, which caused 2,000 worth of damage, is not the first time the store has been targeted. In 2017 masked robbers tried to steal cigarettes but their getaway moped failed to start.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said the gang could be responsible for up to 12 similar break-ins.P lates of sticky, adobo-glazed chicken wings, crispy pork belly and a papaya noodle salad are piled up temptingly at MEATliquor in Kings Cross, where Filipino street food doyens Lee Johnson and Sinead Campbell are putting the final touches to their latest six-week pop-up, BBQ Dreamz. It starts on January 13.

MEATliquors Scott Collins invited them to set up shop here after meeting them in his capacity as a judge on the BBCs Million Pound Menu, and theyve wasted no time in making themselves at home.

Garnishes of crispy, nutty garlic, Nigella seeds, star anise, fresh chilli and soy sizzle politely in preparation, while a large pigs leg is plonked jauntily on a table. Theyd boil this in the Philippines, but our technique is more of a mash-up, so well sous vide it for 36 hours, says Campbell. Filipinos use everything, adds Johnson. Chicken intestines on skewers, stuff like that. My auntie had a barbecue stall and every day the special would be a barbecued pigs ass with the tail still on. She cooked just one a day, but it would always sell.

Campbell and Johnson, a couple, met at university 13 years ago. Johnson grew up in Rotherham and recalls his Filipino mothers traditional cookouts going on for whole Sunday while the women played mah-jong.

Filipino food is only just starting to kick off in London, which is strange when you consider theres been such a strong community here since the 1940s, says Johnson, 35. Rising stars like supper club The Adobros, Luto and Mamasons, which both specialise in Filipino ice cream and desserts, Sarap, a Filipino lechon and adobo grill, and Barako Beans, which imports Filipino coffee, are also making waves.

Food. Bars. Going out. Delivered weekly Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}}

We dont claim to do anything traditional, says Campbell, also 35, originally from Tuam in Galway. If you try to do something that youre not, people see through it straight away. We took traditional elements and tried to do something new.

The best street food markets in London 1 /16 The best street food markets in London Boxpark Shoredtich, Croydon, Wembley - OPEN When the Boxpark gang clapped eyes on a neglected space in Shoreditch, they had an idea that would turn them into one of the best known foodie entrepreneurs in the capital. At their original site in east London, and at two more in Wembley and Croydon, theyve filled under-loved corners of the capital with shipping container complexes made to house street food brands and their fans. Traders across the sites include The Athenian, Black Bear Burger, Rudies Jerk Shack, What The Pitta and Zia Lucia. These markets are largely indoor, but Shoreditch boasts a summer-ready terrace. Pop Brixton - OPEN Pop Brixton isnt just a delight for local customers  its there for local businesses first and foremost. The initiative began as a way to support small independent businesses in the south London area, with a particular emphasis on helping those with creative skills. Shipping containers house tattoo artists, design studios, a barbers and a radio station, as well as a host of street food stalls. Popular traders include Mamas Jerk, Baba Gs, Other Side Fried and Halo Burger. Hannah Miles Camden Market - OPEN A walk down Regents Canal comes with more than a few eating and drinking options: Camden Market has hundreds. This north London legend has it wrapped up all over the world, with the likes of Oli Baba's cooking up halloumi fries, Only Jerkin' offering a Caribbean-inspired twist on fried chicken and Katsu House offering Japanese curry in a bun. Vegans are also in luck, with Young Vegans selling its meat-free pies and Rudy's Dirty Vegan Diner Mercato Metropolitano, Mercato Mayfair While feeding visitors delicious dishes is a high priority, these indoor markets have bigger ideas too. Mercato Metropolitano opened in 2016 in a disused railway station, with an ethos of supporting local businesses and the community, as well as the global environment through its approach to food and waste  last year it banned all single use plastic from the site. It now has a second site in Mayfair inside the former St Marks church, and is looking to open a third in Ilford. Across the sites, a world of cuisines come from the likes of Kalimera, Leggero, Okonomiyaki and Lala. Borough Market - OPEN Borough Markets reputation as Londons ultimate street food haven is well deserved not least for its staying power. Believe it or not, this behemoth of the London street food scene has its roots in a 12th century market that traded on the same site. Today its home to some of Londons best loved street food purveyors: pick up a chorizo roll from Brindisa or a cheese toastie from Kappacasein for maximum happiness. Brockley Market - OPEN Car parks dont get much more exciting than this one in south east London. Perfect for a leisurely weekend peruse, a trip to Brockleys weekend market sees Mike + Ollie serving up fabulous flatbreads, Mother Flipper flipping their famed burgers and Luardos loading up bountiful burritos.The extensive number of quality ingredient producers who also sell at the market mean you can take amazing tastes home to your kitchen too. Old Spitalfields Market - OPEN Old Spitalfields Market really is old  about 350 years in fact. Luckily for contemporary Londoners, its really got into its street food stride within the last few, thanks to a 2017 revamp which newly placed 10 permanent kitchens at its centre. Current inhabitants of these spots include top traders Dumpling Shack, Montys Deli and Pleasant Lady, but the site as a whole is home to more than 40 food and drink spots, including Bleecker Burger, Ahi Poke and Wheelcake Island. Vinegar Yard - OPEN One of Londons newest street food hotspots boasts a pretty impressive view of one of the capitals most recognisable landmarks. Under the gaze of the Shard, Vinegar Yard is akin to a particularly good garden party  an open green space, packed with picnic tables, a weekend flea market, bars and plenty of street food. On the menu are the likes of burger buffs Baba Gs and Nanny Bills, Italian street food spot Sugo and steak slinger Up In My Grill. Hayden Perrier Dinerama - OPEN This Shoreditch haunt quite literally rose from the ashes after a fire at the site in 2015, but is back to its old, hard partying self. Run by food fanatics Street Feast, Dinerama is a permanent site home to the likes of cheese peddler Raclette Brothers, ice cream expert Chin Chin Labs, burger buff Tucka Burger and a bar called German Sex Dungeon. If you dont feel like spending the evening in hipster heaven, Street Feast also look after food markets in Canary Wharf, Lewisham and Canada Water. Maltby Street Market - OPEN Bermondsey residents have it so good with this petite but perpetually packed weekend market. Spilling out of the railway arches and into the street are some really superb food start ups and established stars. Out in the street, grab gooey toasties from The Cheese Truck or seriously reasonable steak from The Beefsteaks, or keep it sweet with Bad Brownie. Inside a railway arch or two, pick up Spanish jamon at Bar Tozino or a gin cocktail at Little Bird bar. Leather Lane Market - OPEN Leather Lane has slipped into misnomer territory in the latter stages of its 400 year history. You might be pushed for a new pair of brogues at this market, but you can definitely find a darn good lunch. Leather Lane has been home to some of the capitals hottest street food success stories over the years (burrito bosses Daddy Donkey and sourdough saviours Crosstown Doughnuts to name but a few) and is the Clerkenwell gift that keeps on giving. Kerb - OPEN (SOUTH BANK ONLY) Since it launched just five years ago, Kerb has gone from strength to strength on the street food scene. The organisation now hosts five separate markets in locations across London, from Camden to West India Quay, as well as indoor food court Seven Dials Market. Expect innovative fare from the traders here, with food from a diverse lot including ex-prisoner run Liberty Kitchen, vegan enthusiast Club Mexicana and Filipino food favourite BBQ Dreamz, which triumphed on the BBC's Million Pound Menu series. Southbank Centre Food Market - TEMPORARILY CLOSED UNTIL AUGUST An artistically inclined stroll down the Southbank wouldnt be complete without some mind-sharpening fuel. Move from riverside to Waterloo-side of the Southbank Centre for some street eating in the cultural centres own street food market. Barbecue favourites Street Pig BBQ are on hand with barbecued meats, Horn OK Please creates veggie Indian dishes, with the savoury treats ripe for topping off with pasteis de nata from Galeta. India Roper-Evans Market Halls - TEMPORARILY CLOSED London loves a street food market  but the British weather doesnt always feel the same way. Market Halls is behind not one, but three indoor food courts in London: the first in Fulham, the second in Victoria, and the third in the West End, which takes the accolade for the largest food hall in the UK. Each sports a different size and vibe, but all offer some of the top restaurants brands and street food favourites in the capital. Across the three, youll find the likes of BaoziInn, CookDaily, Fannys Kebabs, Flank and Gopals Corner from the Roti King team. Street Food Union - TEMPORARILY CLOSED UNTIL SEPTEMBER Those on the lunchtime hunt in Soho are spoilt for choice anyway, but Street Food Union is a welcome perk. Sandwich fixes come in the form of American subs from Bayou and wraps from Lil' Falafel, which sit side-by-side with salad boxes from Dorothy's Deli and Filipino rice dishes from Spoon and Rice. Broadway Market - TEMPORARILY CLOSED Has all that sunbathing on London Fields worked up your appetite? Just a hop, skip and a jump from the Hackney oasis is Broadway Market, which boasts both permanent restaurants, cafes and bars and a top street food market on Saturdays. Traders include ice cream favourite Nonna's Gelato, haggis toastie sensation Deeney's, and fried chicken fan Butchies.

BBQ Dreamzs 28 tasting menu, which won the investment of publican Charlie McVeigh on Million Pound Menu, is a hot, happy mess of old influences in new style: the adobo sauce, traditionally used to marinate meats, is reduced to a glaze for chicken wings before frying them; lechon pork, which normally involves slow-roasting the suckling pig over charcoal, is instead incarcerated in a sous vide water bath. Their vegan adobo-glazed crispy cauliflower and sesame green beans have proved hugely popular.

Everything changes, and the best advice we can give to anyone starting off in the business is to find your niche before spending 50,000 on a van, says Johnson. We started off as a barbecue, a Filipino barbecue  hence the name  with the idea of skewering meats every day. But the logistics were so prep intensive that it just wasnt going to be viable.

BBQ Dreamz was born four-and-a-half years ago. Celebrities Professor Green and Reggie Yates were formerly among their Brockley regulars (St Katharine Docks, KERB in Paddington and the Gherkin in the City are among their other stall locations. Conor McGregor came and ate at BBQ Dreamz while we worked at Secret Cinema, says Johnson. Before the big bouncers and the entourage. They spent three months working on Secret Cinemas Star Wars event. We were there for three months, says Campbell. It was fun but also by the end of it we were losing our minds. You know the Jawas, and how they talk? We were in their section, so we had those squeaky, beepy voices 24/7 in our ears for three months.

Piggyback pop-ups, whereby street food vendors take advantage of kitchens in permanent sites, are an increasing feature of the London landscape. Its a two-way street, says Johnson. More are starting to do it. For us, there are amazing kitchens, theyve got great social media reach and theres a lot of awareness. And on the other side theyve got a space not being used on certain days and a chance to create more awareness of it. Theyve found sites themselves at pubs like The Dukes Head in Highgate, The Hop & Berry on Liverpool Road, Islington, and The Lexington in Kings Cross.

Next they want to invest in a permanent site, and are looking at areas were used to, where people know who we are and where theyd be happy to see us. There are sure to be plenty of them.E ver sat on the hot, sweaty London Tube and felt inclined to strip off? Chances are you're not alone and even better  there's a day specifically designated to this every year.

Yes, No Trousers On The Tube Day is a thing and it's back for 2020 to celebrate its 11th anniversary of flashing flesh in London.

From the budgie-smuggler ban to a boozy after party, here's everything to know about the eccentric event.

What is No Trousers On The Tube?

Its pretty self-explanatory  Londoners strip down to their underwear and ride the tube.

This year, it starts in Chinatown, with those taking part urged to arrive in full clothing. They'll then be given the signal to part ways with their trousers.

Participants will split into groups and take to the trains, travelling around town before returning to O'Neils in Soho for an after-party.

Exclusive offers and competitions weekly Email Sign up Sign up I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice {{message}} {{permutiveUid}} {{message}}

Last year hundreds of travellers decided to ditch their lower garments and ride the tube  many sporting brightly coloured underwear.

The annual event is part of the worldwide No Pants Subway Ride, which began in New York in 2002. It's since spread to more than 60 cities around the globe, including Berlin, Lisbon and Toronto.

In pictures - No Trousers Tube Ride 2019 1 /16 In pictures - No Trousers Tube Ride 2019 People on the Underground as they take part in the No Trousers Tube Ride PA Passengers ride a Jubilee line train as they take part in the annual No Trousers Tube Ride AFP/Getty Images Passengers read while riding a Jubilee line train AFP/Getty Images It's the 10th annual No Trousers Tube Ride in London AFP/Getty Images People walk to a Jubilee line train AFP/Getty Images Passengers step off a Jubilee line train AFP/Getty Images People pose for a photograph at Canary Wharf AFP/Getty Images Passengers ride a Jubilee line train AFP/Getty Images Passengers wait at the foot of the escalators at Canary Wharf AFP/Getty Images People pose for a photograph at Canary Wharf AFP/Getty Images People on an escalator on the Underground as they take part in the No Trousers Tube Ride PA Half-naked Londoners at Green Park PA Awaiting the train at Green Park PA People on the Underground as they take part in the No Trousers Tube Ride PA People on the Underground take part in the No Trousers Tube Ride PA People on the Underground as they take part in the No Trousers Tube Ride PA

When is No Trousers On The Tube ride?

The 2020 event will take place on Sunday January 12.

The event will start at 3pm in Chinatown opposite Canton Restaurant from 2.30pm, returning to O'Neils on Wardour Street in Soho for an after-party.

BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images

How to participate in the No Trousers On The Tube ride

The Stiff Upper Lip Society say anyone can take part in the event, which at the time of writing has 360 people attending and more than 1,400 interested on Facebook.

Organisers stress, however, that participants should "avoid thongs/budgie-smugglers/anything see-through though" as they "aim to amuse, not offend, fellow Underground users.

Its also advised to bring a suitable backpack or bag to carry around disregarded garments while joining in, as well as an Oyster card or travelcard for the trip around town.

Is it legal?

The event is not breaking any laws as underwear is worn.

However, organisers state on the Facebook page that they want the event to be fun and safe for everyone for many more years to come and anybody found to be removing more than their trousers, or acting out personal fantasies in public, will be reported to the British Transport Police, and station authorities.

In other words  keep enough of your kit on, and don't be weird.

Which London underground lines will be taken during the ride?

Any Tube line can be taken during the event but the length of travel time is left up to riders. It's likely that most revellers will stick to zone one.

For more information, visit facebook.comMesa native Jacob Sorenson will be heading to medical school at the University of Arizona with a $75,000 scholarship from the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation after picking up his bachelors degree last month from the University of Arizona.W hen it's cold and dark, all you want to do is crawl into an underground cave and hibernate.

Vault Festival has that covered  minus the hibernating. Running from January 23-March 17 under the Waterloo railway tracks, its a great place to settle in for the next two months.

This is its second year of having a dedicated comedy strand and, once again, it's delivering all the gems. Sort of like Edinburgh Fringe but way south of the Peak District, you can find a delicious menu of comedy shows to choose from. Here are our top picks:

Jessica Fostekew

Co-host of the Guilty Feminist podcast and host of her own food podcast Hoovering, Jessica Fostekew has a distinctive comedy voice. Her routines about her seemingly sexist toddler son are enough to make you weep with mirth. This new show is about strength. How does it feel when someone calls her hench? Is it a compliment? Should she take it as one? Is she still a feminist if she doesnt? (Yes.)

March 15

Phil Wang

Phil Wang's yellow jumpsuit is burned onto the retinas of anyone who watched the last season of Taskmaster, in which he competed against a bunch of other comedians including James Acaster and Kerry Godliman for essentially worthless prizes. With his ease in performance and immediately likeable stage presence, his new material is sure to give us something good.

January 30

Desiree Burch

On the Standards list of ones to watch, Desiree Burch is making waves moving into 2019. Youll know her from The Mash Report, Live at the Apollo and Have I Got News For You, but shes even more prolific on the comedy circuit. This former New Yorker has a real knack for storytelling.

February 3

Catherine Bohart

Catherine Bohart has made a quick ascent since starting out with stand-up in 2015. Its easy to see why: shes got funny bones. Bohart made her debut Edinburgh appearance with Immaculate, a show about her life as the bisexual, OCD daughter of an Irish Catholic priest. Now shes back to try out some new stuff.

January 24

Tom Parry

As a third of sketch and podcast powerhouse Pappy's, Tom Parry is used to being silly, but he does it just as well on his own. The Pwr of Luv is his new hour celebrating life and love, with a bit of added karaoke. His joy on stage is contagious and you might think its just a bit of harmless fun, but youll leave uplifted from deep within. Comedy gold.

January 25-26

Holly Burn

Character comic Holly Burn is like no one else. You might have seen her first in viral video, Victoria Beckhams Vogue 73 Questions Spoof. Here shes getting into politics as the new David Dimbleby: Jane Pasty. Jane will take no nonsense, but will take all the attention you give her  the more the better, please. She wants you to agree with her, and if you dont she might accuse you of censorship.

March 6-7

Sadia Azmat

Co-host of BBC podcast No Country for Young Women and Things I Have Been Asked As a British Muslim, Azmats new show looks at polygamy, identity and family. A former Funny Women finalist, she got into comedy after working in a call centre and is known, among other things, for her hilarious commentary on life as a young British Asian woman.

February 16

Joe Sutherland

You Better Work (in progress) is an hour of jokes about the state of the world. Seen through Joe Sutherlands eyes, its sure to be a sharp and quick-witted set. Hes supported comedian Ellie Taylor and opened for Alyssa Edwards, Trixie Mattel and Sasha Velour from RuPauls Drag Race on their UK tours.

February 28

Glenn Moore

Theres nothing quite like a great show title: Signed, Sealed, Delivered, Glenn Moore is the new show from this Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee. Beyond the cracking name, Moores comedy shows are packed to the gills with marvellous jokes. The hour will fly by.

January 23

Kayla MacQuarrie

Kayla MacQuarrie is joking her way through trauma. In her debut hour, she covers growing up a weird kid in Essex, being on the end of a hate crime and life as a trans lesbian loudmouth. Traumatised is a show about getting hurt, but pushing on through.

February 13S TEPHEN King, HSBCs senior economic adviser and thus insulated from the realities experienced by the rest of us, deprecates strong controls on immigration and tells us that demographic changes taking place in Africa and the Middle East mean the flow of migrants will only increase in decades to come [Like Tevye, Brexit is making us question the very idea of citizenship, January 7]. That is exactly what we want to control.

He then points out that EU member states such as Malta and Cyprus effectively sell their citizenship  giving the right to reside anywhere in the EU to Russians and Colombians with unexplained wealth. Thats why we need to leave the EU single market, with its compulsory freedom of movement, so that we control our own borders. Its perfectly simple if your starting point is the interests of the so-called Somewheres rather than the assumptions of the Anywheres.

Christopher Clayton

PERHAPS we should divorce the link between nation and citizenship entirely. Let those who want to be UK only citizens do so; if you want to be a UK and EU citizen that should be your choice, but of course you will need to pay an EU-tax supplement.

Simon Diggins

EDITOR'S REPLY

Dear Christopher

FIRST, migration is influenced not just by the level of controls but also by the number of determined migrants. Today, Africas population accounts for around 15 per cent of the world total. The United Nations estimates that by 2100 that share may have risen to 40 per cent, and at least some of them will go in search of a better life elsewhere. Second, when you say that this is exactly what we want to control, who are we and, by implication, who are they? Its precisely this language that leads to so much discomfort for EU citizens living in Brexit Britain. Third, at no point did we join the Schengen area. As a result, the UK already has a border that, in theory, should stop non-EU citizens in their tracks. If its not working, that can hardly be blamed on our EU membership.

Simon, you make an interesting point but it could just as easily be reversed. Those who voted for Brexit should compensate those who, through no fault of their own, will have lost their EU citizenship.

Stephen King, Columnist

Time for same-sex marriage to be law in Northern Ireland should be

TODAY marks two years since the collapse of Northern Irelands devolved government. Thats two more years during which same-sex couples in Northern Ireland have been denied the right to marry.

This is despite overwhelming support among the public there, as demonstrated in poll after poll, and the support of at least 55 of the 90 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

However, the assembly has not had the power to legislate for the past two years. Regrettably there is currently no talks process, never mind an agreement for a return of devolved government to Northern Ireland. Given these unfortunate circumstances, the only legislature currently able to address this inequality is the one at Westminster.

The UK Government is rightly proud of its record in promoting LGBT+ rights around the world. Yet here in the UK, LGBT+ people are experiencing blatant discrimination on its watch.

That is why, alongside our partners in the Northern Ireland Love Equality campaign, we are appealing to the Government to extend the England and Wales legislation to couples in Northern Ireland.

The Stormont Assembly can then legislate on the matter in its own right when it returns." Its like a middle-aged swingers party waiting for the arrival of Scarlett Johansson, chirped Michael Gove at yesterdays first post-Christmas Cabinet meeting. Or Pierce Brosnan trilled Amber Rudd. Goodness knows what the Goves and Rudds had been up to over Christmas. They were of course referring to the prospect of Brussels pulling a rabbit out of the backstop in order to save the Prime Ministers skin. Again.

Downing Street is briefing that if the meaningful vote doesnt pass the first time on Tuesday evening, then it will be brought back to the House of Commons as often as is needed to pass it. This really is the politics of knocking your head against a brick wall and not caring how many bruises you get in the process. When nothing has changed, dont expect the vote result to change. We havent seen any rebels recanting on their intention to vote the deal down.

The key for Theresa May is to win over the DUP. If she gets their support for the deal, many Tory rebels would swap sides and support it. The only way the Prime Minister can set that ball rolling is to win meaningful concessions from the EU. That certainly wont happen before the debate next Tuesday.

Mrs May is then counting on Brussels being so shocked by the size of her defeat that it will prompt them to realise that unless they change their stance, Britain will have no alternative but to leave with a clean-break no deal. Shes gambling with very high stakes and the odds stacked against her. She must now acknowledge (even if only to herself) that it was a major tactical error not to go ahead with the original vote in mid-December.

On Monday, more than 200 MPs wrote a letter to the Prime Minister  22 of them Conservatives  saying they would not allow a no-deal Brexit to go ahead. Yesterday, in a positively Trumpian move, Yvette Cooper scored a victory with her amendment to the Finance Bill, with the support of 20 Conservatives, designed to bring the Government to a standstill in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Iain Dale presents the evening show on LBC Radio

These MPs are suffering from Brexit derangement syndrome. They cant bring themselves to acknowledge that they all voted for the possibility of no- deal when they voted to support the triggering of Article 50. If a deal could not be reached, and endorsed by Parliament, then there was always only one alternative  no deal.

I dont pretend leaving without a deal is in any way perfect. There would be many problems for various parts of the economy to cope with in the first year, but a managed no deal is far from the hell that some of the vested interests are warning of. Peter Lilleys paper, published this week by Global Britain and Labour Leave, on the consequences of leaving on World Trade Organisation rules, provides evidence that Britain could indeed thrive in this scenario. It demolishes many of the myths and canards that are constantly promulgated by those whose real agenda is to scupper Brexit altogether.

Make no mistake, there is now a real possibility that they may get their way. The real aim of the leaders of the so- called Peoples Vote movement is to thwart any kind of Brexit. But they know time is running out. Once we get to March 29, its game over for them.

Leave-supporting Conservative MPs could shoot themselves in the foot and scupper Brexit altogether. Gove and Liam Fox have always argued that getting to March 29 is the most important thing to achieve, and they believe that once were out, everything else can then be sorted out. They fear that if we dont formally leave on March 29, we might never do so. I agree.

"This is the politics of knocking your head against a brick wall and not caring how many bruises you get"

Like many Tory MPs Ive argued in the past that Id rather remain in the EU than support the Prime Ministers deal, but I suspect quite a few MPs are now re-evaluating that stance. And the more Remain-supporting Labour and Tory MPs try to thwart Brexit altogether, the more likely the rebels will be to change their votes. If I were advising Downing Street, Id be ramping up this argument for all it was worth.

What we are about to experience is a tug-of-war between Remainery Cabinet ministers who wont countenance no deal, such as Amber Rudd, Greg Clark and David Gauke, and those who believe we have to leave the EU on March 29 or face the consequences.

Equally, the tensions between Parliament and the Government will continue to rise. The Government only governs with consent of Parliament but if a government cannot govern it has to stand aside and call a general election. At the moment, the parliamentary tail is wagging the Government dog and that cannot go on for ever.

No one voted for things to turn out like this. Like 17.4 million others, when I voted to leave the EU I imagined the process would be handled competently, by people who had some semblance of an idea of their desired outcome.

We put our trust in a Prime Minister who we thought was capable of getting the job done. Instead, she put her trust in unelected advisers who decided that appeasement and concession after concession should form the centrepiece of Brexit policy.

Some argue that things would have inevitably turned out this way whoever was in charge, as the EU always held the whip hand. Well never know, but were now in the worst of all positions, and theres one person you have to blame for that.

Yes, shes stoic, yes shes resilient, yes she keeps buggering on, and in some ways you have to admire her for that  but in the end you have to question where its got us as a country.O ur city has become used, tragically, to news of violent death on its streets.

Last year, 134 homicides were recorded by the Metropolitan police  a fifth involving children or teenagers, 18 of whom were stabbed to death. But even by this grim norm, yesterdays death of a boy on the streets of Waltham Forest still shocks. The victim was just 14.

He appears to have been hit by a car early in the evening while riding on a moped in a quiet suburban road. Three men then got out of the vehicle, chased him, beat him up and stabbed him to death.

He was, said one witness, knifed repeatedly in the back. The men then simply drove off.

The bleak cycle of attacks which took Londons murder rate to a decade-long high last year goes on. Four other people have been stabbed in London since Saturday and are recovering.

And whats the response from the authorities which should be keeping us safe?

The Mayor, Sadiq Khan, tweeted that he was greatly saddened by the Waltham Forest attack. The Met has called for witnesses to come forward. And another young life is gone. Its become a depressing, standard routine.

Of course the Mayor and the Met desperately want the killings to end  who could doubt that? But Londoners also have the right to ask why they are still happening.

Its not enough for all of us in this city to treat killings like this as distressingly normal. The deaths can be stopped. Lives can be saved. But how?

We have been promised a crackdown on knife crime. More stop and search. A new joined-up approach. None of this is working yet and one reason is that the response is not urgent enough.

We know that policing a huge and diverse city is hard, that even with last years surge in deaths the murder rate is still, fortunately, lower than it was a decade ago, and that domestic homicide is also a major cause of loss of life.

But none of this can excuse what seems to be the promise of future action while the deaths are happening now.

The Mayor said last year, later than he should have done, that he would back a public-health approach which joined up public bodies such as the health service and schools rather than treating this only as a matter for the police.

He also says he will fund more police officers, although that should come from savings in City Hall not a big council tax hike. All this should help. But its all taking far too long.

Meanwhile, lives are being lost on our streets. In 2017 we reported the deaths and called for action. In 2018 we did the same. Now its 2019 and we are still waiting.

Its not good enough, Mr Mayor.

Equal marriage for all

Theres political paralysis. No leadership. Crucial issues are being forgotten. Not just at Westminster but in Northern Ireland, where the assembly was suspended two years ago today. And as a joint letter to the Evening Standard today argues, that means same-sex couples in the province have been denied a basic right that they now have everywhere else in the United Kingdom  to get married.

So heres a chance for an MP to do some good and make their name. Since theres no assembly at Stormont to change the law, and no leadership here from ministers, its open to any backbencher to put forward an amendment extending legislation covering England to Northern Ireland, too.

Theres surely a majority in the Commons.

Polls show there is strong support for it among people in Northern Ireland  and for abortion rights, where Northern Ireland has also been left behind. And how could the DUP object to a law from Westminster?

After all, we know from the Brexit backstop debate that they insist that what applies to the rest of the UK should apply to Northern Ireland too.

Air ambulance heroes

Its 30 years today since Londons Air Ambulance began saving lives.S hoppers continued to swarm to Ted Baker over Christmas despite harassment allegations against its boss and founder Ray Kelvin, it emerged on Wednesday.

Finance director Lindsay Page, who has stepped up to acting chief executive after Kelvin took leave of absence in early December, said recent events had galvanised staff. There has been a determination to show the world how good we are. Staff are very motivated. Its business as usual, Page added.

The fashion brand saw retail sales rise 12.2% for the five weeks to January 5, allaying fears that shoppers would shun the brand in protest. We did well on outwear and knitwear, said Page.

Shares, which had been hit over the past month as allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards staff emerged, rose 183p, or 11.3%, to 1799p.

Not even the allegations seem to have diminished desire for the Ted Baker brand, said Emily Salter, a retail analyst at GlobalData.

Ted Baker swiftly appointed a clutch of independent non-executive directors to look into the claims and launched a thorough and urgent external investigation, led by law firm Herbert Smith Freehills.

The retailer said today that the investigation is progressing and a further update will be made in due course.

Kelvin, who has been accused of kissing the necks and ears of employees and forcing hugs on staff, has kept a low profile since the claims emerged and has not commented on them. He set up the business in Glasgow in 1988.

Recent claims against [Kelvin] create an overhang, said Royal Bank of Canadas Piral Dadhania adding that they could lead to some corporate actions, depending on the independent panel.O f all the problems facing Jeremy Corbyn  rebellious MPs, second referendums, what Diane Abbott will say next  the one that probably really gives him sleepless nights is the thought that he may be in the wrong party.

There is another political grouping out there that seems to believe all the stuff that Labour is supposed to believe in. That party is a bit like Labour, chaotic with a revolutionary grassroots membership in control who are against the power of big business, free trade and importing cheap labour to undercut our workers. They want to fight global capitalism, for Chrissake.

And that party is sort of in power. Its not just the Labour leader who is wondering how the Tories became the enemy of big business.

The Confederation of British Industry, which at one time had a back-door key into Downing Street, is out in the cold.

The barbarians are not just at the gates; they are staring down a wheedling Prime Minister who begs that British lorries should not be forced to queue at Dover.

How did we get here? There was a telling moment  reproduced this week in the Channel 4 drama, Brexit: The Uncivil War  when Dominic Cummings celebrated the referendum result.

As he led the cheering with the line: What did we say we were going to do? Take back control!, a voice shouted out: Kill the CBI!

Britains big business lobby is still alive and, if not kicking, functioning in damage-limitation mode.

The organisation and its members are unsure of their role. There was a time when a business lobby could get the ear of the Chancellor and expect, if not agreement, a genuine response. Now, say insiders, there is a polite nod and then nothing.

The referendum in 2016 blindsided the business community.

Any boss with an ear to the chat on the shopfloor (that means any intelligent boss) knew Brexit was popular, not just among blue collars but many middle managers, too.

Yet, business did little, if anything, to sway the result.

The nonsense about trade peddled by Leave campaigners was never loudly rebutted with facts by any activist business organisation.

Its not too surprising; locking horns with popular politicians is not something businesses like to do. Its unseemly and dangerous; confrontation can quickly turn a boring industrial company into a target for hate.

No one loves big business; we just love its products.

The consequence of the near-silence of British industry and commerce in the face of the biggest threat to its wellbeing since the war will soon be known, if Parliament fails to find a way out of the current impasse.

The CBI reckons it has been effective since the last election in persuading the Government to move to a Brexit transition period that includes a customs union with the EU. If that is allowed, then the CBI may find its feet again.

The Tory Brexiteers talk big about Britain trading with the world; the Government wont have a clue how to make that happen unless big business is holding its hand at the negotiating table.

Still, how did we get here? The Conservative Party was once the party of the landowner. At some point in the 20th century, when trade became respectable, it became the party of big business.

Yet, the Tories have always had in their heart a yearning for Little England.

Margaret Thatcher may have hobnobbed with captains of industry and courted the City with lucrative privatisations but she was still the grocers daughter.

Deep in the heart of the Tory party, there lingers still a suspicion of free trade, perhaps a hangover of the 19th-century political battle with liberalism or perhaps just a native suspicion of what lies beyond Dover.

Its too late. Capitalism has sailed at Dover and has left Britain for a world tour. It just keeps a serviced flat in London for flying visits.

The point at which a British business truly succeeds is the point at which it no longer is truly British. Its not just the expansion beyond the UK market, its the financing, the technology and, above all, the people.

If you still think that British born-and-bred entrepreneurs would always prefer to employ a Briton or invest here, look at Sir James Dyson.

Socialists were once internationalists; think of the Fabians.A mazon CEO Jeff Bezos has just purchased a luxury mansion penthouse in New York, according to reports.

And whilst the $80 million (63 million) price tag may seem eye-watering for us regular folk, its probably a drop in the ocean for Bezos, who holds the title of worlds richest man.

Located in the upmarket neighbourhood of Flatiron, Manhattan, the three-story property boasts a 24-hour concierge, golf simulator, fitness centre, screening room and game room.

Despite the 17,000 square-foot space, the billionaire will most likely be moving into his new abode alone, since announcing his divorce from wife Mackenzie in January.

In April, the pair released separate statements announcing they had finished the process of dissolving their marriage.

Shortly after their divorce was announced, it emerged that Mr Bezos was dating TV presenter Lauren Sanchez, although sources persist that the relationship did not start until their marriages had ended.

Heres everything you need to know about the man behind one of the worlds most successful companies:

What is Jeff Bezos' net worth?

The couple made the announcement on Twitter / AFP/Getty Images

In July 2018, Bezos was worth $150 (118.2) billion making him the richest man on earth since at least 1982, when Forbes first began their billionaire list.

His net worth then soared to $160 (126) billion in February 2019 after Amazon surpassed Microsoft to become Wall Streets most valuable company.

Whilst his net worth was expected to decrease post-divorce, Forbes latest estimate values Bezos at $143.4 (113) billion.

This still makes Bezos the worlds richest man, surpassing Bill Gates whose net worth is an estimated $101.1 (79.6) billion, according to Forbes.

How did Jeff Bezos make his money?

Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 when it began as an online bookshop before selling a variety of different products, and it ended-up taking on established retail giants such as Walmart.

The company has since continued to diversify and grow, through acquisitions such as Whole Foods and services such as Amazon Web Services.

The Richest People in the World - In Pictures 1 /35 The Richest People in the World - In Pictures 1. Jeff Bezos



The Amazon founder has a reported net worth of over $122.9 billion following his divorce from philanthropist MacKenzie Bezos.



*Information taken from Forbes Billionaire List as of 25 February 2020. Getty Images 2. Bill Gates



Despite selling off much of his Microsoft stock and his major charitable donations, Gates continues to enjoy a comfortable $111.1 billion fortune. Getty Images 3. Bernard Arnault and family



LVMH founder Arnault is worth $100.1 billion, thanks to the vast collection of brands under LVMH's umbrella including Louis Vuitton, Sephora and Rihanna's new luxury label Fenty. AFP/Getty Images 4. Warren Buffett



The so-called 'Oracle of Omaha' made $87.5 billion through his company Berkshire Hathaway, which invests in a number of companies including Geico and Duracell. REUTERS 5. Mark Zuckerberg



Facebook CEO Zuckerberg has become a household name with a net worth of $74.4 billion. AFP/Getty Images 6. Amancio Ortega



Ortega's impressive fashion empire Inditex has netted him a fortune of $72.3 billion. Getty Images 7. Larry Ellison



Tech entrepreneur Ellison made his $66.4 billion with his company Oracle. Getty Images 8. Carlos Slim Helu



Known as the richest man in Mexico, Carlos Slim Helu has a net worth of $65.6 billion thanks to his mobile telecom firm America Movil. Getty Images 9. Larry Page



The Google co-founder and head of Alphabet is worth $64 billion 10. Michael Bloomberg



Media magnate Michael Bloomberg has a net worth of $61.9 billion. Getty Images for Whitney Museum 11. Steve Ballmer



Former Microsoft CEO Ballmer is worth $61.7 billion. Getty Images for The New York Ti 12. Sergey Brin



The president of Alphabet is worth $61.7 billion. Getty Images for Breakthrough Pr 13. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers and family



Bettencourt Meyers is the richest woman in the world and heiress of the L'Oreal empire, with a net worth of $54.8 billion. AFP/Getty Images 14. Mukesh Ambani



Indian businessman Mukesh Ambani runs Reliance Industries and is worth $54.6 billion. AFP/Getty Images 15. Jim Walton



As the son of Walmart founder Sam Walton, Jim is worth of $52.2 billion. Getty Images 16. Alice Walton



The only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, Alice leads a comfortable life as an art curator with $52 billion to her name. Getty Images 17. Rob Walton



Another Walmart sibling on the list, Rob took over the role of Walmart chairman in 1992 and stepped down - amassing a net worth of $51.9 billion. Getty Images 18. Ma Huateng



Huateng's TenCent Holdings is behind Chinese messaging app WeChat and he is valued at $45 billion. AFP/Getty Images 19. Jack Ma



The co-founder of ecommerce site Alibaba is worth $42.2 billion. Getty Images 20. Charles Koch



The CEO and chairman of Koch Industries is worth $42.1 billion. The Washington Post/Getty Images 21. Julia Koch and family



As with his brother, David Koch's vast $42.1 billion net worth stems from his assets in Koch Industries. After he died last year, his wife Julia inherited the fortune. 22. Elon Musk



The Tesla and SpaceX founder has been nicknamed the real life Tony Stark and is worth $41.2 billion. Getty Images 23. MacKenzie Bezos (pictured with ex-husband Jeff Bezos)



MacKenzie Bezos became the fourth richest woman in the world after her divorce from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and has since signed the Giving Pledge, vowing to give away half of her fortune to charity over her lifetime. Getty Images 24. David Thomson and family



Thomson and his family have a net worth of $39.4 billion thanks to their publishing empire, which includes Thomson Reuters. Norm Betts/REX/Shutterstock 25. Phil Knight and family



Nike founder Phil Night is worth $38.2 billion. Getty Images 26. Sheldon Adelson



Casino magnate Adelson is worth $37.1 billion thanks to his company Las Vegas Sands. Getty Images 27. Francois Pinault and family



The Pinault family (who include Salma Hayek's husband Francois Pinault) are worth $33.8 billion thanks to their luxury group Kering, which owns Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen and Gucci. Getty Images for Copenhagen Fash 28. Beate Heister and Karl Albrecht Jr.



The elusive heirs to the Aldi retail fortune both have a net worth of $32.9 billion. Getty Images 29. Jacqueline Mars



Candy queen Mars inherited her family company Mars and is valued at $30.8 billion. Getty Images 30. John Mars



John, who is the sister of Jacqueline Mars, owns a third of the Mars company and is worth $30.8 billion. Getty Images 31. Michael Dell



Dell is the CEO of Dell Technologies and is estimated to be worth $30.3 billion. AFP/Getty Images 32. Lee Shau Kee



Another Hong Kong real estate mogul on the list, Lee Shau Kee is worth $29.7 billion. Imagine China/REX/Shutterstock 33. Hui Ka Yan



Real estate developer Hui Ka Yan is worth $29.5 billion. Imagine China/REX/Shutterstock 34. Vladimir Potanin



Potanin, who co-founded Onexim Bank and has multiple stakes in various businesses, has a net worth of $27.7 billion. Getty Images 35. Li Ka-shing



Real estate tycoon and businessman Li Ka-shing is worth $27.6 billion. Getty Images

Under Bezos, Amazon also launched the Kindle e-reader and revolutionized the way books are distributed and read. The company has also been a pioneer in cloud computing.

At the end of 2015, the e-commerce company announced 304 million active member accounts.

In 2018, Amazon's stock soared by 60% and had a market value of more than $890 billion.

Bezos is the largest shareholder with a 16% stake in the company. He also personally owns the Washington Post and Blue Origin, a space exploration company.

Who is his wife, Mackenzie Bezos?

Jeff Bezos and former wife Mackenzie Bezos (Getty) / Getty Images

Novelist Mackenzie Bezos married Jeff in 1993 before they both quit their jobs and relocated to Seattle to found Amazon.

Mackenzie, 48, grew up in San Francisco and attended Princeton University, before she met her husband when interviewing for a job at a New York hedge fund.

She was one of the first ever Amazon employees, doing the accounting for the company in the first year. Her husband would later comment that her support was instrumental in founding the company.

He said of Mackenzie: I think my wife is resourceful, smart, brainy and hot, but I had the good fortune of having seen her resume before I met her, so I knew exactly what her SATs were.

The couple have four children together and are the 25th largest landowners in the US.

Mackenzie became one of the richest people in the world following her divorce from Bezos, with her personal fortune now worth an estimated $36.6 (28.8) billion.

Just months after her divorce, she promised to give at least half of her fortune to charity.

She said in a statement announcing her decision: I have a disproportionate amount of money to share.

My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I wont wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty.

Bezos praised his former wifes decision.

Mackenzie is going to be amazing and thoughtful and effective at philanthropy, and Im proud of her, he said on Twitter.

Why did the couple divorce?

According to the Twitter statement, the couple decided to divorce after a long period of "living exploration" and "trial separation".

Bezos wrote: "We want to make people aware of a development in our lives.

"As our family and close friends know, after a long period of loving exploration and trial separation, we have decided to divorce and continue our shared lives as friends.

"We feel incredibly lucky to have found each other and deeply grateful for every one of the years we have been married to each other. If we had known we would separate after 25 years, we would do it all again.Annie is the latest employee of the Chandler Police Department, serving as a therapy dog for personnel and victims alikeA couple of weeks back, I was part of a panel discussion at Creative Business Cup -- a network for innovative businesses -- in Copenhagen, addressing the topic of female entrepreneurship.

Related: How to Boost Your Confidence, Even When You're the Only Woman in the Room

Some rather prominent and successful female entrepreneurs were on the panel alongside of me, but the discussion quickly devolved into how, today, men in the Western nations are still more likely to start or run their own business than women are (a topic that David Nethero, managing director of Golden Seeds, described in Entrepreneur.com).

Now why, I wondered to myself, is that?

Women are only half as likely to start a business.

I needn't have asked myself that question because the statistics are clear: Men are still nearly twice as likely to be entrepreneurs as their female counterparts. According to the Huffington Post, only 36 percent of all businesses in the United States in 2016 were owned by women.

Now, being an outspoken, modern feminist, I believe that women themselves (and our lack of self-esteem) are the cause for this inequality. But, why is this a problem worthy of discussion?

When it comes to ROI, women outperform men.

Women's low numbers in terms of U.S. business ownership should be taken seriously because they reflect a "significant pool of untapped potential. When it comes to return on investment (ROI) ), women outperform men big time! Research (reported in Inc.) has also shown that women-led teams have a 35 percent higher return on investment than all-male ones.

According to Ingrid Vanderveldt, the woman behind the global company Empowering a Billion Women by 2020, this tendency toward higher ROI is what makes some investors interested in investing solely in startups founded by women.

Good to hear, right? So, why are fewer women still starting or leading businesses when were are obviously so good at it?

Related: Women, It's Time to Take Control

Women struggle with a lack of self-confidence.

One reason seems to be the lack of self-confidence so many women have. This issue is so prevalent that it stands in the way of our achievements. But isnt self-confidence just a sorry excuse for never taking a risk and reaching our full potential?

Because you can bet that men struggle, too. They are just better at hiding it.

The need for constant approval

You often hear women entrepreneurs and business owners express their need to be cheered on. Female entrepreneurs need constant confirmation and approval from friends, family, business colleagues and mentors that they are doing well and need to keep on going.

As Tiffany Rezende, founder and CEO of Atoms Integrator, explained to us on the panel: Most women really need a team of cheerleaders constantly cheering them on. Otherwise they give up and lose themselves in self-doubt and worries.

But I can tell you that the guys I know feel the same way. So, why are women letting their fear of failure rule their lives when men seem to be able to manage just fine?

Impostor syndrome

I first heard of this phenomenon listening to the podcast Entrepreneur On Fire with John Lee Dumas. And it changed my whole perspective of my own abilities and achievements. The term originated in 1978 in an article by two psychologists. It refers to high-achieving individuals who have a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud.

Most entrepreneurs and highly successful business people have that feeling at times. And that's a problem because it can seriously damage your career and business, if you dont take take steps to avoid falling victim to that fear.

Believe in yourself.

I myself am founder and CEO of the visual agency Levende Streg, in Copenhagen. We create animation videos, strategy visualizations, comic books and concept art for global companies. I started the company in 2012. Today, I run the company with a female managing partner and about five freelancers. And yes, its risky and challenging to run a business. The responsibility sometimes feels overwhelming. I doubt myself every day. But its also a lot of fun.

However, I have a strategy: When Im really anxious about not performing well enough (for instance when Im drawing live, visualizing a business strategy), I think of Pippi Longstocking (a childrens character, created by Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren, that I grew up with).

Lindgren has said that, "Pippi represents my own childish longing for a person who has power but does not abuse it." Red-haired, freckled, 9-year-old Pippi is also the strongest girl in the world, who likes to say thing like: I have never tried that before, so I think I should definitely be able to do that!

That's why I still enjoy Pippi; she has the attitude we women need when we start or run our own business.

For women, the family comes first, and that's okay.

I have two kids and a spouse. And for me, my family comes first. It always has. But Im pretty sure that most of my male friends would say the exact same thing. Children will always have a great impact on our private lives, as well as on our work life. Thats just the way it is. So, why do so many women still use their children as an excuse for not being high achievers?

Dare to take the risk.

I truly believe that men and women are equal -- both in their cognitive abilities and emotional depth, and in the richness of their inner emotional lives.

Related: 3 Myths About Confidence That Stop Women From Being Heard

Women (at least here in the West) have to stop making excuses for themselves and stop whining about all the fear and potential risks of entrepreneurship. Get out there and shape your own future, girl! That's what Pippi says. That's what I say.

Related:

Let's Give Women Entrepreneurs What They Really Need: a Cheerleader Team

Bobbi Brown Started a Beauty Empire With Just One (Revolutionary) Lipstick

Shannon Keith Is Fighting Sex Trafficking in India, One Beautiful Pajama Set at a Time



Copyright 2019 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reservedNEW HAVEN  The ice cream company Milkcraft, which launched in Fairfield in 2016 with its made-to-order ice cream frozen with liquid nitrogen, will open its third location on Crown Street in the coming months the company said.

The company will open at 280 Crown St. in a 1,500-square-foot space, according to a release. A representative for the company said the New Haven opening is expected for early spring.STRATFORD  Joe Koripsky has seen plenty of marine wildlife on the towns coastline over the years.

But never a pygmy sperm whale.

So when a friend asked him last month if he had heard about a whale that washed up on Russian Beach, Koripsky, a former science teacher and member of the towns conservation commission, rushed there to take a look.

I knew right off the bat that it was something really rare, he said.

He snapped pictures and sent them to state and federal conservation officials, then made daily visits to the beach to document the scene more.

Mystic Aquarium  the agency authorized by federal officials to deal with stranded marine life in southern New England  responded and confirmed the carcass was a pygmy sperm whale, a somewhat rare species.

The whales are found in seas worldwide, but scientists have trouble estimating their population or studying them because they tend to avoid vessels and planes, and only surface when sea and weather conditions are calm.

Theyre a little challenging to get a lot of good data on, because theyre pretty off on their own, Janelle Schuh, the manager of Mystic Aquariums animal rescue program, said.

The aquariums stranding database dating back to the 1970s lists reports of five pygmy sperm whale sightings  four in Rhode Island and one in Long Island.

This would be our first one that weve had in the state of Connecticut, Schuh said.

Schuh said the carcass was too far decomposed for a necropsy determining how the animal died could be performed. However, representatives from Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History were in talks to take the carcass for further study.

But before that could happen, the whale disappeared.

Koripsky said he went to the beach on Dec. 30, only to find tire tracks going from the area where the dead whale was located to the nearby seawall.

He suspects someone rolled the carcass  he estimated it was 8 to 9 feet long and around 800 pounds  onto a tarp and then slid it onto a trailer.

Why they would want to is another question.

What do you do with a whale carcass? Koripsky said. Its possible some of the residents took it upon themselves to remove it. Its a mystery.

He said the cold weather slowed the decomposition process somewhat, but that whoever moved the carcass wouldnt have had the most pleasant experience.

It wouldnt be the nicest thing to smell, Koripsky said. But it wouldnt be enough to gag a maggot. It did not reek overwhelmingly of decaying flesh.

Tina Batoh, the towns superintendent of conservation, asked whoever took the carcass to call her at 203-385-4080, no questions asked.

I would certainly be happy to let Peabody Museum know where the whale is and where it could be picked up, she said.

Why the name? Pygmy sperm whales are named for the waxy substance - spermaceti - found in their heads. The spermaceti is an oil sac that helps the whales produce sound. Like squids, pygmy sperm whales can produce a dark, ink-like liquid that helps them escape from predators. Where do they live? They are found in temperate and tropical seas worldwide. Little is known about the species, and they are considered rare. They have a small, compact body with a small and rounded dorsal fin with wrinkled skin and a brown to blue-gray back. Why are they so hard to see? Pygmy sperm whales spend very little time at the water's surface and almost never approach vessels. They live up to 23 years, typically grow up to 11.5 feet and weigh between 700 to 1,000 pounds. They are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Source: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/pygmy-sperm-whale See More Collapse

Batoh said she was also putting together a notice to put on the towns website seeking information and trying to set up a protocol to follow if any more rare marine life washes up on the towns shores.

A hotline set up by Mystic Aquarium to report stranded marine life can be reached at 860-572-5955, ext. 107.

I have never heard of a pygmy sperm whale in Long Island Sound in all the years Ive been living in Connecticut, Batoh said. It seems to me like this is a very rare occurrence. It would be such a shame if it was just rotting away in a landfill somewhere.STAMFORD - City Rep. Steven Kolenberg said some of his constituents are creeped out by a contract the Board of Representatives approved this week.

It will allow a company to search for car-tax evaders by snapping photos of license plates during the night.

Someone is going to go through every street in Stamford and methodically document the property of our citizens. We are hiring a pair of prying eyes, a professional Peeping Tom, Kolenberg, a Republican representing District 16, told fellow board members.

People who do not pay their car taxes even though they live in Stamford is a very serious issue, and I dont want to downplay it, but I feel the cure is almost worse than the disease, Kolenberg said. There has to be a better way to address this issue than what we propose here  some guy driving around, counting every car and  taking pictures in the middle of the night.

He was in the minority. The 40-member board OKd the contract with a Shelton company, Municipal Tax Services, by a vote of 24-11, with one abstention and four members absent or not voting.

City Rep. Monica Di Costanzo, chair of the Fiscal Committee, which researched the contract, said questions about privacy and security were vetted.

Theyre not going to be running around in backyards, going over fences and peeking into garages, Di Costanzo said. Were a little bit tired of seeing people working very hard to pay their property taxes, and others who get the benefits of  the things that taxpayers pay for, and dont pay.

Municipal Tax Services operators dont do anything surreptitious, said the owner, Carl DeProfio.

We always operate from public property, DeProfio said. We only capture what we can see. We dont go into gated communities. We dont go into parking lots that are posted private.

Operators work with a camera system connected to a laptop that reads license plates, photographs vehicles and provides GPS coordinates for the spots where vehicles are parked.

An operator can capture thousands of plates a night, just driving down the street, DeProfio said. The camera automatically captures everything it sees. Its dark, so the camera has an infrared lens, but it works for only a certain number of feet. If something is far away, the operator can stop and with the laptop manually enter a plate and snap a photo.

Kolenberg said he fears that owners of cars parked on or close to the street will be caught, and those with garages and long driveways will not.

Who do you think will be targeted by this? The big driveways in North Stamford? Or is this going to be more successful in places where driveways are a little shorter, like maybe downtown or the West Side? Kolenberg asked.

DeProfio said city officials asked that when they met with his company.

They said, How will you get the vehicles that are under apartment buildings or in garages or behind fences? he said. We set up out front and wait for them to leave in the morning.

Night is the best time to determine where a vehicle owner lives, and to avoid those who drive into Stamford each day to work, said DeProfio, who has been in the business since 1998 and started Municipal Tax Services in 2005.

Representatives said Bridgeport, Danbury, New Haven, Hartford, Hamden, North Haven, Stratford, West Haven and Waterbury have used Municipal Tax Services.

Were getting a lot of contracts now, DeProfio said. Its because the state cut the cities revenue share, so theyre looking for money.

Tax Assessor Greg Stackpole has said he estimates Stamford loses at least $1 million a year because people fail to register their cars here, or register them instead in places that charge lower taxes  or, like New York, no taxes. Stackpole estimates that 3,000 to 4,000 more vehicles could be taxed.

Wherever we go, we find a lot of people, DeProfio said.

According to the contract, the company will be paid half the taxes, penalties and interest collected on a vehicle once  when it is added to the tax rolls. The company also collects a $50 fee from the violator.

Operators work off the citys Grand List and verify vehicle owners addresses using real estate listings, voter registration lists and other databases. Suspected violators get a letter from the tax assessor, who determines whether a vehicle should be taxed.

DeProfio said most violations involve unregistered vehicles.

The biggest revenue maker is cars with expired plates that people just didnt renew, he said.

City Rep. Robert Roqueta, D-4, proposed that the city hire a car-tax collection company last January after noticing the number of cars with out-of-state license plates parked continuously in the lot of his East Side apartment complex. Rep. Eric Morson, D-13, also sponsored the measure.

Roqueta has said he likes that residents may anonymously report suspected violations at www.municipaltaxservices.com.

Stamford residents have been submitting online forms since an Advocate story about the pending contract was printed last month, DeProfio said.

Were getting flooded with complaints, he said. People are saying, Go to this section, theres all New York cars there. Theyre giving us plate numbers, descriptions of vehicles, locations, how long theyve parked there. There have to be 50 complaints, and we dont even have a contract yet. The mayor has to sign it.

Arthur Augustyn, special assistant to David Martin, said Wednesday the mayor intends to sign the contract.

acarella@stamfordadvocate.com; 203-964-2296.Just after his first week of official practice, new transfer Jesse Miritello persuaded severSTAMFORD  A new high school schedule is coming.

District officials have confirmed they are moving forward with plans to switch Stamford High School and Westhill High School from six daily class periods to four 85-minute periods. Students will take a total of eight classes, alternating four each day.

Administrators have been discussing the change for some time, but it caught some Board of Education members by surprise this week, who said they were hearing about the proposal for the first time.

Would I be right in saying this change is going to happen? board member Jackie Heftman asked at Tuesdays school board meeting. That youre going to spend the next several months educating people about what it is, rather than it may happen and well listen to the community before we make a decision? ... The question about whether or not its going to happen has already been answered...would that be correct to say?

Thats correct to say going back to last April. To both faculties, it was communicated, said Brian White, associate superintendent for teaching and learning.

Discussion of the change sparked even earlier, about two years ago, at a committee level following recommendations to look at the high school schedule through research and visits to schools in Norwalk and Newington, according to White. A new bill going into effect this year requiring students to earn at least 25 credits to graduate made the change more imminent and necessary. The committees planning the change consisted of teachers and administration.

White said Stamford students right now need 20 credits to graduate. The new schedule will add a class for students, who currently take seven courses, and require an increase in offerings, as well as staffing. The change anticipates adding four new teachers at each school, first at Stamford High, which will experience the change this fall, and then at Westhill in fall of 2020.

Stamfords magnet high school, the Academy of Information Technology and Engineering, has been on the eight-block schedule for more than a decade already.

We wanted to make sure the schedule that was created afforded students the type of learning opportunities aligned with current Connecticut core standards and Stamfords curriculum, White said, adding the district hired consultants to come up with an optimal proposal. We also looked at climate variables, a schedule thatll support a positive climate in our high schools and also provide for academic supports.

Board members expressed concerns about how the changes could affect special needs students and students who receive services, as well as how teachers will break up the 85-minute block so students stay active and engaged. They also asked administrators to consider looking at later start times for the high schools as well in light of the change.

Betsy Allyn, chair of the school boards Teaching, Learning and Community Committee, questioned why no board members had been been included on the committees that formulated the change, despite being told last April theyd be involved.

It was disappointing to some of our board members to have you this far down the road before this came back to the board and get our feedback, Allyn said. For any change to be really successful, you have to get the voice of those people the change is going to be (affecting) and get their buy-in. Do you think youve done that and do you think youll be able to do that by the first day of school? To me, sitting here, that makes me a little anxious.

Allyn also asked about parent and student involvement. White said there hadnt been any on the committees, but officials will keep all stakeholders involved going forward, including through strong communication about the change and by getting feedback following a test run of the schedule in May.

Im confident I can collect feedback from students, parents and staff, said Stamford High School principal Raymond Manka. Im confident over the course of the next couple of months, thats reasonable. ... The opportunity exists now for board members to be involved.

White added theyll continue to engage students, teachers and parents during the first year of the change and make adjustments accordingly.

Its important in year one were actively engaging, White said. We fully expect were going to learn a lot. A significant part of our plan is not just communicating out ... a big part of our plan continues on to year one to make sure were actively getting that feedback routinely throughout the year.

erin.kayata@stamfordadvocate.com; (203) 964-2265; @erin_kayataHARTFORD  It didnt take long for proponents of legalizing recreational marijuana to start making their case Wednesday to the newly-convened General Assembly.

In fact, the pro pot faction held the first rally outside the state capital in support of legalization at the very same time the new House of Representatives and Senate was being sworn in.

Legalizing recreational marijuana efforts have stalled in previous General Assemblys the past few sessions but proponents are hoping the fact that both the House and Senate are overwhelmingly Democrat after the last election and newly-installed Gov. Ned Lamonts backing of legalization will mean this is finally their year.

Several bills asking for legalization are expected to be raised in both the House and Senate.

Wednesdays small rally was held by Connecticut NORML, a state chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

The group supports a repeal of the prohibition of marijuana at the local, state, and federal level by educating those in the community about marijuana and hemp and their potential medical and industrial use, while promoting the responsible use of marijuana by adults.

Everyone is feeling like this is going to be the year, said Joe Toth, of Seymour. Were feeling confident.

Kebra Smith-Bolden, of New Haven, said her interest in legalization is personal. She held a sign saying marijuana arrests were racist.

More News News Legal recreational weed moving closer to CT

As a person of color I see my community devastated by the the number of black and brown people being put in jail over this harmless drug, she said. We need to stop the mass incarceration.

In 2018, six bills related to legalizing and regulating cannabis in Connecticut were introduced and four hearings were held on the issue. A bill that would begin planning for the legalization of recreational marijuana in Connecticut was sent to the House after narrowly passing the Appropriations Committee by a 27-24 vote.

Those opposed to legalization know this may be the toughest fight yet to beat back efforts to legalize pot. But they are determined to wage the good fight.

There are a number of controversial issues related to the legalization of marijuana that the proponents, particularly the corporate interests hiding in the weeds do not wish to talk about, William Huhn, spokesman for Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) said in a statement.

The governor and legislative leaders pushing for legalization are more than willing to close their eyes to the problems and to deny the existence of obvious risks, Huhn said. Theyre willing to ignore the widespread devastation caused by drug abuse in our society.

Huhn said one of the key arguments that will be forwarded during debate on marijuana legalization is the lack of field tests that would keep impaired drivers off the road.

Do members of the public want in creased DUI while they are driving with their families, while their kids are riding bikes, while they are jogging, Huhn asked. Do the public surveys ask about that?

Legalization of retail marijuana will increase use in Connecticut, both by existing users and new users, Huhn continued. Many will be able to use and suffer no consequence, but others will not. A solid percentage will become addicted. And a solid percentage will move on to other drugs that provide more powerful highs.

Connecticut voters have supported legalization in several polls. It also has a flourishing medical marijuana program.

In December, state officials announced that there will be nine new dispensaries in New Haven, Westport, Stamford, Torrington, Meriden, Groton, Newington, Mansfield, and Windham to serve the more than 30,000 patients.

The new facilities will join the nine others already in operation, according to the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP).

The most recent one is an October 2017 Sacred Heart University poll that found that 71 percent of Connecticut residents strongly support or somewhat support legalizing and taxing marijuana, in the context of the states budget crisis.

The Office of Fiscal Analysis estimated last year that Connecticut could bring in $45.4 million to $104.6 million a year if it legalizes marijuana in the same way its been done in Massachusetts or Colorado.

Connecticut is still facing a substantial two-year, multi-billion budget deficit.

Massachusetts recently became the seventh state in the nation to establish a regulated cannabis market for adults. A total of nine states have enacted laws to legalize, regulate, and tax marijuana for adult use. Lawmakers in Vermont and voters in D.C. adopted laws making marijuana possession and cultivation legal for adults, but not commercial production or sales. In Maine, they are expected to begin in fall of this year.

In Massachusetts, adults 21 and older will be able to purchase up to one ounce of marijuana from licensed marijuana retail stores, of which no more than five grams can be in concentrate form. It will remain illegal to consume marijuana in public.

Marijuana products sold for adult use are subject to a 6.25 percent state sales tax and a 10.75 percent state excise tax, and municipal officials have the option of levying additional local taxes of up to 3 percent. A study released in June of 2018 by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health estimated adult marijuana sales would generate more than $200 million for the state and up to $3 million for local governments in the first two years alone.





SCENE-BY-SCENE RECAP

Pictured: Zabryna Guevara as Dora - (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)





Pictured: (l-r) Freema Agyeman as Dr. Helen Sharpe, Sendhil

Ramamurthy as Dr. Akash Panthaki (Photo by: Francisco

Roman/NBC)

Pictured: Dierdre Friel as Ella

(Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)

Pictured: (l-r) Jocko Sims as Dr. Floyd Reynolds, Freema Agyeman

as Dr. Helen Sharpe -- (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)

Pictured: Anupam Kher as Dr. Vijay Kapoor -- (Photo by: Virginia Sherwood/NBC)

Pictured: (l-r) Anupam Kher as Dr. Vijay Kapoor, Tyler

Labine as Dr. Iggy Frome -- (Photo by: Francisco Roman/NBC)

MY THOUGHTS

is finally back for its midseason premiere! Previously Max was diagnosed with a squamous cell carcinoma, a form of throat cancer, and he decided he wanted to try precision targeted therapy, an experimental procedure, so he could continue to run the hospital instead of undergoing chemotherapy.A patient who received her heart from Max's deceased sister showed up, sending him into a tizzy. When Max and Georgia went on a picnic to release the ashes of Luna's heart, he collapsed on the dock.Marina Latimer arrives at the hospital in the back of an ambulance for the third time this week. Lauren uses the defibrillator on her chest but appears worried. She tells the staff to buzz Floyd to get her placed in his immediate care.Dora is taking the reigns briefly as Max is "out of pocket" for a few hours. Floyd needs approval to do Marina's ICD surgery and take it out of the hospitals care fund since she doesn't have good enough insurance to cover it. Dora is concerned about it but Floyd assures he and Max have a whole system worked out. Meanwhile, Iggy arrives to let her know the hospital-wide walkout in protest of recent law changes regarding accessibility to emergency contraceptives is a-go. Dora looks concerned but he reassures her it was Max's idea to begin with. Lauren needs assistance with a private matter, one she doesn't feel comfortable disclosing to Dora and Vijay has a question too, pushing Dora to announce they will all have to wait for Max's return.Doctor Panthaki arrives to pick up some of Max's samples in person from Helen. Whilst there, the two of them discuss their planned evening to see Lauryn Hill in concert, both deciding it is officially a date.Helen's romantic interlude is interrupted by a panicked call from Georgia who is dealing with Max's collapsed form. He has a faint pulse but his breathing is raspy and hard to hear. Helen must walk her through an impromptu procedure to make a new pathway in Max's throat to help him breath. She uses a pocket knife and a plastic straw to do so but it doesn't work until she blows air into the straw to assist in enlarging his lungs.When the medevac finally arrives, Georgia learns there is a possibility Max could have cerebral hypoxia. The EMT informs her "there's a big difference between six or seven minutes."We get a flashback to Max and Georgia's first meeting in a dream-like interlude titled "Boy Meets Girl". In it, Georgia and her friend arrive at the hospital after a fouette contest goes bad. Her friend dislocated his elbow by falling off a pool table at an after-party and Georgia beat him in the dance-off. Max is immediately captivated by Georgia and challenges her to a fouette contest right there, knowing full well he'll lose. Loser buys dinner, he offers as she performs and he takes her to the hospital cafeteria after fixing her friends arm.While the medevac is on its way to New Amsterdam, Casey is worried about Lauren, who promised to take some time off to take care of herself. She claims she can't, not until she finds Max since she can't just stop running the ED.Floyd is taking care of Ms. Latimer who worries she is a burden on everyone. Floyd assures her she isn't, she just has mediocre insurance but they're going to treat her like she has Cadillac insurance and cover the entire ICD surgery.If you were wondering what happened with Ella and her chihuahua Gertie, she's recovered nicely as in Vijay stops in to check on her. Iggy says he didn't know Vijay worked on canines, he tells him about loaning her two thousand dollars. Iggy is understandably a little shocked. Both of them suddenly get paged, interrupting their chat.With the medevac carrying Max and Georgia finally arriving, Helen decides it is time to inform the hospital staff of Max's condition, hence why she paged everyone to the helipad. The news stuns all of the doctors, especially considering Helen has been aware of this since Max's first day on the job.Everyone is eager to help Max but it causes too much clutter and commotion in the ED so Lauren kicks everyone out. Although Casey points out she should page Doctor Candlelario and not try to take this one herself given her condition.Vijay asks why Max hasn't started chemotherapy treatments and Helen tells them about Max's decision to try an experiment immuno-therapy trial instead. Floyd is wondering what happens next when Lauren returns. Helen and Floyd both question why Lauren isn't in there and she tells them Max deserves a doctor with fresh eyes since she just pulled back-to-back doubles. Helen is clearly suspicious of Lauren's decision. Dean Fulton arrives to announce he'll be temporarily taking over as medical director.Dora, Dean Fulton, and Helen meet in Max's office. The Dean needs access to staff, surgery schedules, and Max's "hot list" in order to figure out what to do next. He's disappointed that no one had a plan in place after discovering Max was sick but he finds out through Helen that Max planned to continue running the hospital even through his treatments.To try and keep replacement talk at bay, Helen places a call to Doctor Panthaki. She wants to try and get him to move up Max's therapy to tomorrow. He promises to do what he can.Max is being intubated in the ED, blood fills one of his breathing tubes and poor Georgia feels devastated and scared of what will happen to him. Doctor Candlelario decides to move him to the ICU.Another dream-like flashback sequence of Max and Georgia's beginnings starts, this one titled "The Best Night". Max is taking Georgia to a performance by Pina Bausch's company, or so he claims. Georgia deduces fairly quickly he may not be being entirely truthful as it's a Monday and theaters are dark on Monday and her company was in Finland the day before. She's right, he doesn't take her to a show. Instead he has a street cornered off with flower petals adorning the ground, a violinist, and a dinner table for two under the lanterns above. He proposes to her, even ignoring his pager as it goes off (he's on call). Georgia says yes.Iggy thinks Max's sickness makes sense. It explains why he was willing to make a cardio unit that doesn't care about money, fill vending machines with fruits and vegetables, and stage a hospital walk-out. He's saying screw the system because he might be dying. He also points out Max's effect on Kapoor, who is more smiley now than solemn like he was before. He questions Ella's character because she took two thousand dollars from him. Kapoor doesn't take kindly to that suggestion, pointing out that there is only one Kapoor and he offered the money to Ella, she didn't take it.Dean Fulton doesn't approve of Marina Latimer's ICD surgery. Floyd points out she has garbage insurance and it will change her life if they cover it for her. He also notes Max would have approved it had he not collapsed. But Fulton currently has veto power and he tells him the job of a public hospital is not to change people's lives, it's to save people's lives and Marina is stable.More bad news as Fulton also shuts down Iggy's planned walk-out. Iggy points out they work in healthcare yet they can't offer comprehensive healthcare but Fulton doesn't care. If he doesn't call it off then everyone is going to pay the price as he is forced to shut down wards, send doctors and custodial staff home, and find replacements for the nurses.Lauren wants to check up on Max to give Georgia a report but Helen is cold to her. "He's not your patient," she says, reminding Lauren she passed him off. Helen didn't buy Lauren's excuse for why as she asks her for the truth. Never has she heard Lauren describe her eyes as anything but fresh. Lauren finally comes clean about her shifts at Bronx General and her Adderall abuse.Iggy's words to Kapoor affected him more than he cared to admit before but now he's ready to talk about it. He questions if Ella really does have a dog or if he was conned. Iggy is baffled as to how he can be focused on that right now when the whole hospital is upside-down. Kapoor admits he is a "new Kapoor" and Iggy says maybe he's a "new Iggy" too. "What do you think this new Kapoor and new Iggy should do?" Kapoor asks.While Georgia is waiting for an update on Max's condition, a janitor stops by to tell her that her husband is the first man in his position to care about the custodial staff. This triggers another memory and we segue into another interlude titled "Good News Bad News". In it, Georgia finds Max's job offer from New Amsterdam and it causes a fight between them. They agreed to put their careers second and the baby first. Even though Max claims to find a way for it to work, Georgia doesn't believe him. When the hospital calls it always wins and she doesn't want their daughter growing up feeling second-best to his job. This is the moment she decides to separate from him.Kapoor comes to Max's room to offer a prayer for him and Georgia. Afterwards, she leans in to kiss him but notices a strange rash on Max's face. She asks Helen what it is and if she hurts him, she says no, she may have actually saved his life.Max has paraneoplastic syndrome, a consequence of cancer that manifests in the body through making everything red and swollen. Now that they know what it is, they can treat it. It doesn't necessarily mean that he will be alright though but at least it's a start.Iggy goes ahead with the protest anyways, it would be a shame to let all those homemade protest signs go to waste. Fulton looks on in annoyance. Iggy offers him a shirt.Marina Latimer is getting her ICD after all. Floyd has gone ahead with it and even when Fulton questions why he would risk his job for one surgery, Floyd states he's risking it for one patient and if the hospital won't pay they can bill him.We get to see the final moments before Max's collapse. He was talking to Luna while dispersing the ashes, telling her how he has to start living for the people he loves like Georgia and his daughter. Back in the present, Max finally wakes up. Helen runs in and the two share a silent moment.Lauren is about to take another pill when she gets the page that Max is awake. Floyd is in his office when a tear-eyed Dora interrupts to tell him the good news, and all the doctors gather around Max's bedside. Max's chat with Luna made him have an epiphany about what he loves and values in his life. He doesn't want any risky experimental procedure, he wants to start chemo which means he has to resign. Except no one is going to let that happen, not even Dean Fulton who has seen his influence and impact in the hospital. He will stay on as medical director, delegating his duties to the other doctors while he's receiving treatment. Even Georgia finally understands why this job is so important to him, and ultimately she believes he has to stay on because this job is who he is, who he's always been, and it may just help keep him alive.Wow this was an incredible first episode back for. I'm thankful the show has returned from its hiatus with a stunning episode. Lisa O'Hare truly shined this week as Georgia and her journey at the hospital, seeing Max's influence, has helped her understand why this job is so important to him. I'm rooting for these two now. While I still like the idea of Max and Helen, I'd be sad to see Georgia and Max not make it.Speaking of Max's influence, I was so impressed with Iggy and Floyd's decisions to move ahead with the ICD surgery and the walk-out. I had a feeling they would but it's nice to see how much they've all grown and changed due to the impact Max Goodwin has had on New Amsterdam.I worry for Lauren though. Now that Max will be delegating his duties it's unlikely she's going to take time off. But I don't think her pill habit is going to go away so easily either. I have a feeling Casey or Helen may end up telling someone if she continues to make potentially deadly mistakes from exhaustion in the ED.Is Ella a con-woman? I though that was a strange suggestion from Iggy. I mean yes, two thousand dollars is a lot of money to give to someone on a whim but I think it's pretty obvious Kapoor may have feelings for Ella. Either way, I never got the vibe she might be lying about her dog. I hope that's not a path the show decides to go down.Billions of years in the future, our dead sun will morph into a giant cosmic jewel, a new study suggests.

Like the vast majority of stars in our Milky Way galaxy, the sun will eventually collapse into a white dwarf, an exotic object about 200,000 times denser than Earth. To put that in perspective: A mere teaspoon of white-dwarf material would weigh about as much as an elephant, if you could somehow transport the stuff to our planet.

Half a century ago, theorists predicted that white dwarfs solidify into crystal over time  and the new research has found that this is indeed the case. [Death of a Sunlike Star: How It Will Destroy Earth (Infographic)]

"All white dwarfs will crystallize at some point in their evolution, although more massive white dwarfs go through the process sooner," study lead author Pier-Emmanuel Tremblay, a physicist at the University of Warwick in England, said in a statement.

"This means that billions of white dwarfs in our galaxy have already completed the process and are essentially crystal spheres in the sky," Tremblay added. "The sun itself will become a crystal white dwarf in about 10 billion years."

Tremblay and his colleagues analyzed data gathered by the European Space Agency's Gaia spacecraft, which launched in December 2013 to help researchers construct the best-ever 3D map of the Milky Way. Gaia does this by precisely monitoring the positions of huge numbers of stars; the mission team aims to study 1 billion stars over the spacecraft's operational lifetime.

For the new study, the researchers looked at Gaia measurements of about 15,000 white dwarfs, all of which lie within 330 light-years of the sun. These data revealed an odd "pileup"  an overabundance of white dwarfs with certain colors and brightnesses that cannot be explained by the objects' ages or masses.

Modeling work suggested that the pileup was caused by crystallization of the white dwarfs' interiors, which released enough heat to slow down the white dwarfs' cooling over time.

"This is the first direct evidence that white dwarfs crystallize, or transition from liquid to solid," Tremblay said. "It was predicted 50 years ago that we should observe a pileup in the number of white dwarfs at certain luminosities and colors due to crystallization, and only now this has been observed."

White-dwarf crystallization is akin to water freezing from liquid to ice. But the material in this case is oxygen and carbon, and it's crystallizing at temperatures that aren't exactly chilly. The process really kicks into gear when a white-dwarf interior cools down to about 18 million degrees Fahrenheit (10 million degrees Celsius), the researchers said.

The result is likely a core composed of crystallized oxygen and a mantle dominated by carbon.

"Not only do we have evidence of heat release upon solidification, but considerably more energy release is needed to explain the observations," Tremblay said. "We believe this is due to the oxygen crystallizing first and then sinking to the core, a process similar to sedimentation on a riverbed on Earth. This will push the carbon upward, and that separation will release gravitational energy."

The new results suggest that many white dwarfs are considerably older than scientists had thought  up to 15 percent older in some cases, study team members said. Astronomers generally age these stellar corpses by taking their temperature, and crystallization slows the cooling-off process.

The study was published online today (Jan. 9) in the journal Nature.

Mike Wall's book about the search for alien life, "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate) is out now. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us @Spacedotcom or Facebook. Originally published on Space.com.On May 25, 2008, NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander blazed through the Martian atmosphere and landed at the northern pole of the Red Planet. The spacecraft made history as its robotic arm was the first to touch and sample water on Mars. During the lander's three months on the Red Planet, Phoenix revealed an unprecedented amount of information about the Martian environment.

"Phoenix has given us some surprises, and I'm confident we will be pulling more gems from this trove of data for years to come," Principal Investigator Peter Smith of the University of Arizona in Tucson said in a 2008 statement at the end of the lander's lifetime.

"Phoenix provided an important step to spur the hope that we can show [that] Mars was once habitable and possibly supported life," said Doug McCuistion, then-director of the Mars Exploration Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

A "hard and risky" mission

In 2002, NASA's Mars Odyssey Orbiter revealed large amounts of subsurface water ice in the Martian arctic. Because of that, the Phoenix spacecraft was designed to include a robotic arm capable of digging through the protective topsoil layer to the water ice below.

The Phoenix lander was designed by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Denver and was named after the mythical bird that regenerates from the ashes of its own death. The name was well-suited, as the designers created the spacecraft by repurposing the Mars Surveyor 2001 lander, which had been canceled. Phoenix also carried a complex suite of instruments, which were improved versions of the ones that flew on the lost Mars Polar Lander mission.

The Phoenix spacecraft built by Lockheed Martin. (Image credit: SETI)

On Aug. 4, 2007, Phoenix launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida aboard a Delta II rocket. After a nine-month voyage, the spacecraft barreled into the Martian atmosphere on May 25, 2008.

"This is not a trip to Grandma's house," Ed Weiler, then-associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate at the agency's headquarters in Washington, D.C., told Space.com before the landing. "Putting a spacecraft safely on Mars is hard and risky."

During what the spacecraft's team called its "7 minutes of terror," Phoenix plunged into the Martian atmosphere at about 13,000 mph (21,000 kph) as mission control waited tensely to hear that the spacecraft had safely reached the ground. A Viking-era parachute opened when the spacecraft was 7.8 miles (12.6 kilometers) above the surface, slowing the descent. Phoenix safely touched down in the arctic plains region of Mars, called Vastitas Borealis, which was the farthest north any spacecraft had landed on the Red Planet.

Above and beyond

The Phoenix spacecraft's specialized robotic arm dug through an ice-rich layer to form shallow trenches on the Martian terrain. The arm carried samples from the ground into the tiny ovens and miniature laboratory aboard the spacecraft. Selected samples were heated to release elements that were examined for their chemical and physical characteristics.

Phoenix also carried a stereo camera on its 6.6-foot (2 meters) mast. The camera collected more than 25,000 pictures, including several sweeping panoramas. Images were also taken with the first atomic-force microscope ever used outside Earth.

The Phoenix spacecraft was a lander not a rover, and as such, it never moved from its landing site. It remained stationary during the three months of its primary mission and continued to work for more than two additional months. The spacecraft went into hibernation mode after Mars arrived at a point in its orbit where the sun was positioned too low in the sky to continue powering the spacecraft's solar cells. At that time, a dust storm also blocked what little of the sunlight managed to pierce the clouds.

But NASA didn't give up on the little lander just yet. The agency's Mars Odyssey Orbiter continued to listen for signals while flying over Phoenix. As the sun rose again on the northern plains several months later, Odyssey swooped over the landing site as many as 10 times a day for three consecutive days in January 2009. It then engaged in two longer listening campaigns in February and March.

The Phoenix spacecraft's hardware was not designed to survive the temperature extremes and heavy coats of ice from a harsh Martian winter. Phoenix was programmed to attempt to make contact if it managed to survive, but the spacecraft remained silent.

Almost a decade after the Phoenix mission ended, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter snapped a photo showing the lander, its back shell and its parachute. A comparison of the image with one taken soon after the Phoenix landing showed that dust had covered the landing scars the spacecraft previously etched on the Martian surface.

NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander detected perchlorates, a class of salts, in the Martian arctic's ice-rich soil in 2008. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University )

Phoenix science

Phoenix's study of Mars resulted in a long list of revolutionary discoveries about the planet. One of the most notable came on July 31, 2008, when the spacecraft confirmed the presence of water ice on Mars after successfully collecting a soil sample containing ice from a trench 2 inches (5 centimeters) deep. The historic discovery marked the first time water was sampled on the Red Planet.

But Phoenix didn't stop with the discovery of water ice; it also found snow. A laser instrument designed to study the planet's atmosphere detected snow from clouds about 2.5 miles (4 km) above the spacecraft's landing site, but the snow vaporized before it touched the ground.

"Nothing like this view has ever been seen on Mars," researcher Jim Whiteway said in a 2008 statement. Whiteway, of York University in Toronto, was the lead scientist for the Canadian-supplied Meteorological Station on Phoenix. "We'll be looking for signs that the snow may even reach the ground," he said.

Indeed, researchers determined that later into the Martian winter, precipitation likely results in a buildup of water ice on and in the ground.

Experiments on the lander also revealed signs of calcium carbonate, the main component of chalk, along with particles that could be clay.

Phoenix's data collection also suggested that the soil in the arctic plains was covered with a film of liquid water in the last few million years. The evidence for water and potential nutrients "implies that this region could have previously met the criteria for habitability" during portions of continuing climate cycles, researchers wrote in a 2009 paper published in the journal Science.

The mission's biggest surprise was the discovery of perchlorate in the Martian soil. A chemical that strongly attracts water, perchlorate made up a few tenths of a percent of the composition of all three soil samples analyzed by Phoenix's laboratory. That water could have been pulled directly from humid Martian air, or liquid water beneath the crust could have combined with salts as a brine that stays liquid at Martian surface temperatures.

The Phoenix lander dug several trenches in the Martian surface after landing in 2008. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Texas A&M University)

Phoenix's legacy

The Phoenix spacecraft provided unprecedented insight into Earth's reddest neighbor, and the mission was considered a success.

"Before Phoenix, we did not know whether precipitation occurs on Mars," said Whiteway in a 2009 statement. "We knew that the polar ice cap advances as far south as the Phoenix site in winter, but we did not know how the water vapor moved from the atmosphere to ice on the ground. Now, we know that it does snow and that this is part of the hydrological cycle on Mars."

Although the mission is over, the legacy of Phoenix continues, as researchers will spend the next several years unraveling even more Martian mysteries by delving through the wealth of data the spacecraft provided.

Additional resources:Unidentified flying objects (UFOs) have long inspired curiosity and speculation, but when did our fascination with UFOs really take off? A new television drama explores the origins of the UFO phenomenon, drawing from the incredible true story of the U.S. governments decades-long investigation of reported UFO encounters.

The secret program  dubbed Project Blue Book  launched in 1952 and was monitored by the U.S. Air Force until the project's termination in 1969. During that time, experts investigated more than 12,000 reports of UFO sightings, of which over 700 remain unexplained, according to records in the National Archives.

Now declassified, the most intriguing of these unsolved cases are revisited in the History Channel series "Project Blue Book." Premiering tonight (Jan. 8) at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT., the show offers UFO aficionados and skeptics alike a peek at how it all began. [7 Things Most Often Mistaken for UFOs]

Aidan Gillen (Littlefinger on HBO's "Game of Thrones") stars as Dr. J. Allen Hynek, the real-life professor and astrophysicist who acted as the science adviser for Project Blue Book, and who is known to many as the "father of UFOlogy," show creator and executive producer David O'Leary told Live Science.

In the series, Hynek joins Air Force officials to investigate and explain sightings of peculiar lights in the sky, mysterious glowing fireballs, "flying saucers" and even purported extraterrestrials, History Channel representatives said in a statement.

"The government had to respond to the fact that military pilots, commercial airline pilots, police officers  people with trained eyes  were seeing objects in the sky that they couldn't understand," O'Leary said.

But as "Project Blue Book" unfolds, Hynek comes to an unpleasant realization: His scientific curiosity about UFOs may run counter to a government agenda that wants to bury events that prove unthreatening, but nonetheless truly defy explanation, O'Leary said.

National security

During the period in U.S. history that gave rise to Project Blue Book, global superpowers were testing the boundaries of military technology, the likes of which had never been seen before. For obvious reasons, the U.S. Air Force wanted to keep tabs on all UFO sightings  which could represent previously unknown weapons  in the interests of national security, according to O'Leary.

However, hundreds of the UFO sightings investigated by Project Blue Book proved impossible to explain at all.

An incident that took place Sept. 12, 1952 (and is featured in the series), involved three boys in Flatwoods, West Virginia, who witnessed a fiery red light streaking overhead, followed by a loud crash. A local newspaper reported at the time that when the boys approached the scene, they glimpsed "a 10-foot monster with a blood-red body and a green face that seemed to glow," later dubbed "The Flatwoods Monster," the History Channel recounted.

Another unexplained sighting was documented in Lubbock, Texas, on Aug. 30, 1951; a teenager photographed a V-shaped arrangement of lights in the sky, now known as the Lubbock Lights, according to the History Channel.

Among the many reports of so-called flying saucers, one of the most unexplainable phenomena is the "Lubbock Lights," photographed at Lubbock, Texas, by 19-year old Carl Hart, Jr., on August 30, 1951. (Image credit: Bettmann Archive)

Other unnerving encounters with UFOs were directly observed midair by pilots, who are trained to recognize unexpected sights that may appear during challenging flight conditions. This makes their descriptions of UFOs harder to dismiss as delusional, and fueled Hynek's efforts to get to the bottom of these baffling events, O'Leary explained.

Credible witnesses

Case reports dramatized by the show feature a range of witnesses, from lone civilians, to individuals representing the military and law enforcement, to groups of people all reporting the same sighting, executive producer and showrunner Sean Jablonski told Live Science.

"By the time you get to the finale, there's a mass sighting by credible witnesses that actually prompts the president to get involved. So you go, 'Well, that's just undeniable.' And it's historically accurate," Jablonski said.

The cast of the new UFO drama series "Project Blue Book" (from left to right: Laura Mennell, Aidan Gillen, Neal McDonough, Michael Harney, Michael Malarkey, Ksenia Solo). (Image credit: Copyright History 2019)

Though the real Project Blue Book ended decades ago, interest in UFOs has scarcely dimmed. In fact, the U.S. government has continued to monitor and analyze UFO reports to this day, Live Science reported in 2018. The work took place under a secret program called the Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program (AATIP), and it spanned decades despite official statements that federal UFO investigations ended with the demise of Project Blue Book in 1969.

"UFOs are a mystery that's still unsolved at this point," Jablonski said. "Once you open your mind up to the idea of the UFO phenomenon, then you have to ask 'Who's flying them?' And then you have to talk about alien life. It unmoors you from a reality that most people live in their whole lives."

The first episode of "Project Blue Book" airs tonight (Jan. 8) on the History Channel at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.

Original article on Live Science.New ideas for a robotic interstellar mission are percolating.

Ambitious science and strategic plans are being formulated for the fastest flight ever to interstellar space  almost six times faster than NASA's record-holding Voyager 1 spacecraft, which launched in 1977 and went interstellar in 2012.

With the goal of reaching 90 billion miles (145 billion kilometers) from the sun, the proposed robotic explorer would push the limits of engineering know-how and space technology, advocates say. [Gallery: Visions of Interstellar Starship Travel]

The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, is leading an international look at this prospect with a team of scientists and engineers studying a mission to the virtually unexplored space beyond our sun's sphere of influence.

"Overall, I think the study is progressing well and will provide some good and solid input for the next Decadal Survey round," said APL's Ralph McNutt, Interstellar Probe study leader and principal investigator. The Decadal Survey is based on studies led by the U.S. National Academies to provide a science community consensus on new undertakings in NASA space science and exploration.

NASA's twin Voyager probes have sailed beyond our solar bubble into interstellar space. (Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech)

First step

McNutt was lead author of an influential paper, "Near-Term Interstellar Probe: First Step," given at the 69th International Astronautical Congress held in October 2018 in Bremen, Germany.

The subjects of interstellar travel, interstellar probes and interstellar "precursor" missions are not new, the paper explained, "but have lacked traction with policymakers and the scientific community at large because of the states of both scientific knowledge and engineering realities."

Moreover, the paper's authors explained that the next step in reaching to the stars will require the recognition of engineering limits, scientific trades and scientific compromises, "but this is new neither in science nor exploration. Such a step would be an 'Interstellar Probe.' The time for that step has come."

The successful launch of NASA's groundbreaking Parker Solar Probe in August 2018 provides one more step forward for a realistic look at all of the possibilities, McNutt and his colleagues said. In addition, new discoveries in the Kuiper Belt by NASA's New Horizons mission  which flew by Pluto in 2015 and the even more-distant small object Ultima Thule last week  underscore the possibilities of compelling science as motivation for an Interstellar Probe, the researchers said.

Outward bound: NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew by Pluto in July 2015, then cruised by the even more-distant object Ultima Thule on Jan. 1, 2019. (Image credit: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Southwest Research Institute)

Learn by doing

Current thinking about going interstellar begins with an "interstellar precursor" mission  a spacecraft capable of traveling to perhaps 1,000 astronomical units (AU) using current and near-term technology. (One AU is the Earth-sun distance  about 93 million miles, or 150 million km).

This approach is a good one, both because of its potential science return and its impact on driving propulsion, communications and sensor technologies forward, said Paul Gilster, writer and editor at the website Centauri Dreams, which discusses ideas for the exploration of deep space, including the interstellar realm.

"We learn by doing, and pushing well beyond the heliopause will teach us what to expect in the local interstellar medium, where future, faster missions will eventually explore inner Oort Cloud objects like Sedna and push on into the Oort itself," Gilster said. (The Oort Cloud, which is home to trillions of comets, lies between about 1,000 and 100,000 AU from the sun.)

The huge reaches of space beyond the heliopause  the bubble blown by the solar wind  are terra incognita, he told Space.com.

"We can't even think of missions to more distant targets without mapping the immediate terrain to learn about hazards that could affect equipment, disrupt communications or even destroy the spacecraft," Gilster said.

An interstellar precursor is a logical successor to New Horizons and the Voyagers that have preceded it, he added.

"It would be our first spacecraft truly designed for exploratory operations in interstellar space and would represent our intention to reach targets that today seem impossible, including one day the nearest stars," Gilster said. [Ultima Thule in Pictures: Flyby Views of 2014 MU69 by New Horizons]

Artist's illustration of NASA's Parker Solar Probe approaching the sun. (Image credit: Steve Gribben/NASA/John's Hopkins APL)

The APL study  which focuses on a mission that could launch before 2030 and reach 1,000 AU in 50 years  is based on the next extension of what we know we can do, propulsion physicist Marc Millis, founder of the Tau Zero Foundation, said.

"It is a reasonable candidate for the next deep-space mission," Millis told Space.com. "It is not, however, a true interstellar mission. It is better referred to as an 'interstellar precursor' mission."

Voyager 1 has traveled about 142 AU during its four decades in space. While the interstellar-precursor probe would explore much more distant realms, it wouldn't get anywhere near another star system, Millis stressed. One thousand AU is about 0.016 light-years, and the closest star to the sun, Proxima Centauri, lies about 4.2 light-years away.

Still, "in addition to the value of its destination-based science, it could be used to assess the challenges of an exoplanet probe," Millis said of the putative mission.

The APL work is one of many interstellar approaches, he added.

"Others aim for more ambitious missions that need varying degrees of technological advancements, from the seemingly simple space sails to the seemingly impossible faster-than-light space warps," Millis said.

A poster for the potential Interstellar Probe mission, which would seek to lay the foundation for future journeys to other star systems. (Image credit: John's Hopkins APL)

Philosophical thoughts

Planning out futuristic interstellar missions also conjures up some deep, philosophical thoughts.

"We need to reach for extreme targets, because exploration has always defined our species," Gilster said. "Our voyages have crafted our aspirations."

A full-on interstellar mission has long been thought impossible, or at least impractical, he added, but we know now that technologies are becoming available that can make it happen.

"A successful mission to another stellar system could show us possibly habitable planets up close and help us put our own human experience in the context of billions of worlds that could support life," Gilster said. "Philosophically, we can't help ourselves. We have to know what's out there, and whether we are alone in the cosmos."

Gilster's bottom line: "A first interstellar mission will drive new breakthroughs in propulsion, with inevitable ramifications for travel in our own solar system as well. Culturally and scientifically, such a mission is inevitable. The only question is when."

Leonard David is author of the forthcoming book, "Moon Rush: The New Space Race" to be published by National Geographic in May 2019. A longtime writer for SPACE.com, David has been reporting on the space industry for more than five decades. Follow us @Spacedotcom or Facebook. Originally published on Space.com.Lynne and Kevin Hartke have been married 37 years and have four children and four grand children, the youngest arriving this past November. Lynne is an author and blogger who in 2017 published a book detailing her and her late mother s bouts with breast cancer.Georgetown, SC (29440)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms early. Skies will become mostly clear late. Low 66F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early. Skies will become mostly clear late. Low 66F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.South Bend Tribune Report

South Bend Tribune

ELKHART  Dozens of people are homeless after a massive fire Tuesday night at Arbor Lakes Apartments in Elkhart County, according to WSBT-TV.

No injuries were reported.

A dozen units were destroyed in the fire, the TV station reported.

The fire was reported about 10 p.m.

Arbor Lakes is on Pine Arbor Drive, east of Elkhart near the U.S. 20 and Indiana 17 interchange.

When we first arrived on scene we had flames through the roof of the apartment complex, Shawn Miller, deputy chief of EMS for Concord Fire Department, told the TV station. We had multiple agencies dispatched for that just being with the huge occupancy of people that should be home about that time of night, so we had at least one apparatus from each department in Elkhart County.SPEAK OUT

The Tribune invites readers to express their views in the Voice of the People column and in Viewpoint.

Letters to the Voice of the People are limited to 200 words. Viewpoint columns should be no more than 700 words.

Both Viewpoint and Voice of the People submissions are subject to editing. All submissions must include the writer's full name, which will be printed.

Letters, including e-mail, which do not include the writer's street address and telephone number will not be considered for publication. This information is kept confidential but is necessary for verification purposes.

Letters may be mailed to the Editorial Department, South Bend Tribune, 635 S. Lafayette Blvd., Suite 138, South Bend IN 46601; emailed to vop@sbtinfo.com, faxed to 574-236-1765, or submitted through our online form here.

Due to volume, it is not possible to print all submissions. Except in special circumstances, we do not print poetry or thank-you letters. We do not print letters announcing events to come, extensive quotations from other material, open letters or form letters.Success! An email has been sent with a link to confirm list signup.Ted Booker

South Bend Tribune

SOUTH BEND  The St. Joseph County Council voted 5-4 on Tuesday to shut down a proposal for a $4.2 million financial computer system, disappointing several department heads who voiced support for it.

Council members who voted against the proposal expressed concerns about the cost of the enterprise resource planning system from Georgia-based Infor Public Sector, along with potential problems that could come with trying to implement it. Some suggested the county might be better off using money to beef up the countys nine-employee IT department and revisit buying a system later on.

Those who voted for the proposal called attention to how department heads said the current financial system from South Bend-based Low Associates is difficult to use and inefficient, saying that Infors system would be better suited for a wide range of tasks related to accounting, payroll tracking, preparing budgets and human resources.

Supporters also called attention to how the system would be affordable. The plan called for borrowing money under seven-year lease financing agreement with U.S. Bank. A variety of funds would have been used to cover the cost, and projections from the auditors office suggested the funds would have maintained healthy balances over the pay-off period.

Those who voted against budgeting money for the system were Robert Kruszynksi Jr., Diana Hess, Mark Catanzarite, Mark Telloyan and Joe Canarecci, who replaced Robert McCahill this year to represent District H.

Those who supported the system were Corey Noland, Richard Pfeil, Rafael Morton and Mark Root.

Before the vote, Andy Kostielney, who is president of the county Board of Commissioners, urged the council to support the new system.

Kostileney asked county employees who support the new system to stand up during the meeting at the County-City Building, and the numerous did so.

He said that while the proposed system would cost a lot of money, much of it would go toward on-site training provided by the company so that the system could be implemented smoothly.

We dont have the people and staff to enact this, and thats why its more expensive because we would be paying for a full implementation, he said, adding that the installation of the dispatch system at the 911 center didnt go well because there wasnt enough assistance from the software company.

But for his part, Catanzarite said he doesnt think spending more than $4 million on a new system would be wise. He said the county might be better off investing money in its IT department, which he said is woefully understaffed and underpaid. He contended that the staffing situation at the IT department could make it a challenge to implement a new system.

The county should work toward getting an ERP system in the future, he said. I would hate to see the system fall on its face and not be implemented properly.

But Noland, in response, told Catanzarite that Infors system was chosen because the county doesnt have enough staffing to implement the system on its own.

Infors plan called for providing more on-site training than other companies that submitted proposals. Noland also pointed out that the company received a better rating from a committee of department heads than the other 13 that submitted proposals last year.

The system needs to be seen as an investment  not a cost, Noland said.

Canarecci, the new council member who previously served on the Mishawaka Common Council, said he is concerned that projections about the countys financial standing in the coming years might be too optimistic.

I take pause at some of the projections made  not because theyre wrong, but they might be optimistic, he said, expressing concerns about how property tax caps could affect the countys budget. While in the future (the system) seems very easy to afford, maybe the question shouldnt be can we afford it, but should we afford it now because we dont know the questions to ask for what tomorrow might look like.

County Auditor Mike Hamann, in response, told Canarecci that he wished the council member would have visited his office to review information about fund projections before deciding on the matter.

Im disappointed that you didnt do that when we sent an email to you Friday and got no response, Hamann said. Had you taken the time to meet with us, you could have moved to a different conclusion. But you didnt, and here we are.Delivered from Fear Sunday School Lesson

June 13, 2021 Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25 Even though fear is a feeling (Webster), it is real to the person who is going through the experience. Some people...

Weekly Devotional What a staggering number it would be to know how many words we speak in a day. Do you think they are important? I mean they are just words right?...The use of facial recognition has become a highly debated topic recently, and has increasingly and misleadingly been criticised by some for being an unethical tool used to spy on the public. The reason for such criticism is however largely due to lack of information and regulation around the technology.

Used proportionately and responsibly, facial recognition can and should be a force for good. It has the ability to do a lot more to increase security in the future  from street crime to airport security, all the way through to helping those battling addiction, the technology can take security and operations to new heights.

The rise in knife crime

Knife crime has dominated the headlines in the UK throughout the year. Recent statistics show the number of people being admitted to emergency care due to attacks by a sharp object to be up by nearly 40 per cent from two years ago, whilst the number of children under the age of 18 being admitted to hospitals with stab wounds is up by 86 per cent in only four years.

This recent surge in knife crime has put police forces under immense pressure, and the intelligent use of facial recognition has a role to play in enabling more informed stop & search interventions.

Currently UK police can stop and search an individual they suspect to be carrying drugs or weapons or both, or they can stop and search a person in a location where there have been or are considered likely to be incidents involving serious violence. In both cases they must do so with access to limited information, leaving themselves open to accusations of bias or discrimination.

Knife crime dominated the headlines in the UK throughout 2018

Police systems benefiting crime investigations

This is where facial recognition can offer up additional intelligence. These systems can memorise the faces of persons of interest, networks of gang members, wanted criminals and those suspected of involvement in serious violent crimes. Furthermore, these systems dont need prior personal engagement to recognise an individual and see only data, not gender, age or race.

The technology doesnt take the decision away from the human police officer. However, it does bring greater transparency and context to the decision-making process of whether a stop and search intervention is justified.

Similarly, the advanced technology can recognise and match an individual seen on a CCTV camera at a crime scene to someone the police encounters on the streets some time later, justifying a stop and search on that individual.

Its ability to check in real time if a person is on a criminal watchlist adds an extra layer to the decision-making process prior to conducting a stop and search, lowering the likelihood of discrimination. Facial recognition thus helps eliminate both weapons and criminals off the streets and potentially prevent crimes before they have a chance to take place.

Gambling addiction and how facial recognition can help

There are an estimated 593,000 people in the UK currently battling a gambling problem, making it a serious public health issue in the country. Having understood the gravity of the issue, the UK gambling commission have set limits and advice in place to help those suffering this addiction; yet as with all addictions, gambling is a tough habit to beat. In order to put effective limitations in place and make a real difference, the gambling commission needs the right technology to protect those most vulnerable in the industry.

Facial recognition technology is able to keep track of customers and thus help gambling companies in protecting their customers

Facial recognition technology is able to keep track of customers and thus help gambling companies in protecting their customers to a higher degree. Monitoring those entering and moving around gambling areas is an extremely difficult task for human staff to do alone, especially in large crowded areas such as casinos.

Facial recognition technology installed around the premises would be able to help the company and the staff to identify people who have registered as gambling addicts, and keep record of their days play in order to inform staff if and when it was time for them to stop. It would also be able to ensure effective self-exclusion procedures, by identifying a self-excluded individual via CCTV as soon as they entered the venue to then allow security staff to respectfully escort them out.

Utilising facial recognition at airport security

Facial recognition has by now become a normal sight at many airports around the world. Several people today hold a so-called biometric passport, which allows them to skip the normally longer queues and instead walk through an automated ePassport control to proceed to the gate faster without having to deal with control officers. Facial recognition used in this way has managed to significantly cut waiting times at the passport control, but it also has the ability to enhance security in and around airports. Facial recognition uses algorithms to match physical characteristics against photos and videos of people's faces

Earlier this year, facial recognition technology managed to catch an imposter trying to enter the US at the Washington Dulles Airport. The false passport may have been uncaught by the human eye, yet due to the accuracy of the facial recognition technology it managed to help officers catch the imposter and bring him to justice.

Facial recognition thus allows officers to identify an individual faster and more accurately than the human eye. Facial recognition uses algorithms to match physical characteristics against photos and videos of people's faces, which have been collected from visas, passports and other sources.

Facial recognition allows officers to identify an individual faster and more accurately than the human eye

Whilst some critics may worry about issues of privacy related to the technology, at airports the use of facial recognition has proved to both enhance security as well as speed up processes such as check-in and, in the future, even boarding proceedings.

At airports the use of facial recognition has proved to both enhance security as well as speed up processes such as check-in

If used correctly and proportionately, facial recognition can help safeguard the public and improve national security on several fronts. Whilst the many benefits of facial recognition are evident, the lack of regulation and understanding of the technology has led to misconception around how it works and what it is used for.

Facial recognition technology can match faces in crowded public places against criminal watch lists, and register faces that match with those on criminal watch lists  whilst ignoring everyone else.Somerset, KY (42501)

Today

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low near 55F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low near 55F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.Following a long and contentious trial that began Oct. 9, a Calvert jury convicted a 32-year-old man Friday of cocaine possession and distribution. Amid the trial, a body camera video showed a police officer appearing to suggest pretending to find a gun in the mans car during a stop and search March 30.Bluestone Drills 3.0 m of 16.3 g/t Au and Intercepts New Veins at Cerro Blanco as Part of its Infill Drill Program to Convert and Upgrade Resources

Posted by Publisher Internet

Bluestone Resources Inc. (TSXV:BSR | OTCQB:BBSRF) (\Bluestone\ or the \Company\  http://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=298725 ) today announced initial assays from the ongoing 3,500 m infill drilling program currently underway at its high-grade Cerro Blanco Gold project. The primary focus of the program is to upgrade the Inferred resources identified during the drill program completed last year and to define new resources along veins in the mine plan that extend outside of the current resource envelope.

In addition, a new mineralized vein was drilled in hole UGCB18-101 that assayed 2.7 m of 12.6 g/t Au. This new vein is in the North Zone and was drilled underground from the positive ramp.

Two LM-75 drill rigs are situated within the North Zone of the Cerro Blanco underground workings and are targeting specific areas of veins in the upper part of the Cerro Blanco resource that can be converted to the Indicated resource category by infill drilling. ?Additionally, certain veins with Indicated resources are expected to be upgraded into Measured resources where drill density is sufficient.

?Initial results from this program validate our belief in the exploration and growth potential of Cerro Blanco, advance our near-term goal of upgrading and converting resources from Inferred resources into Indicated resources, and potentially add new ounces outside of the area hosting the current resource estimate,? stated Darren Klinck, Bluestone?s President and CEO. ?The resource estimate announced in September 2018 defined 360,000 ounces in the Inferred resource category[1]. The conversion of a large portion of these ounces into the Indicated resource category represents a significant opportunity to add value to the economics of the project. The majority of the current Inferred resource ounces are located on veins which already demonstrate Measured and Indicted resources with adequate grades and widths for mining. These Inferred resources are to be incorporated into a mine plan once upgraded. The current program is intended to provide the greater drilling density required to upgrade these resources to Measured and Indicated resource status.?

Hole CB-409 was drilled from surface (Figure 3) with a principal objective of intercepting an Inferred resource portion of Vein VN_10, which contains a total of 32,215 ounces in the Inferred resource category (87,367 tonnes grading 11.5 g/t Au at a 3.5 g/t Au cut-off) as per the current resource estimate, effective date August 6, 2018 as per the press release dated September 11, 2018.? The target was intercepted as anticipated 226 m down hole and assayed 3.0 m of 16.3 g/t Au and 15.1 g/t Ag, some 62 m down dip of its exposure within the North Ramp underground workings, where four 1.0 m channel samples taken across the vein averaged 34.5 g/t Au. The hole intersected all other adjacent veins as expected including a new extension of Vein VN_07 which extends this structure some 52 m down dip.

Holes UGCB18-100 and UGCB18-101 were drilled from the underground workings (Figure 4 & 5) with the objective of infill drilling Vein VN_02, a primary vein with a total of 46,800 ounces in the Inferred resource category (154,500 tonnes grading 9.4 g/t Au) as per the current resource estimate, effective date August 6, 2018 as per the press release dated September 11, 2018. The target was intercepted in both holes as anticipated. Importantly, UGCB18-100 intersected extensions of veins VN_01, VN_03 and VN_05 that are outside of the current resource envelope which could potentially add new resources in the future.?

A plan view showing drill hole locations and cross sections can be accessed by clicking HERE.

Quality Analysis and Quality Control

Assay results listed within this release were performed by Inspectorate Laboratories (?Inspectorate?), a division of Bureau Veritas, which are ISO 17025 accredited laboratories.? Logging and sampling are undertaken on site at Cerro Blanco by Company personnel under a QA/QC protocol developed by Bluestone. Samples are transported in security-sealed bags to Inspectorate, Guatemala City, Guatemala, for sample preparation.? Sample pulps are shipped to Inspectorate Laboratories in Vancouver, BC, Canada or Reno, NV, USA, and assayed using industry-standard assay techniques for gold and silver. Gold and silver were analyzed by a 30-gram charge with atomic absorption and/or gravimetric finish for values exceeding 5 g/t Au and 100 g/t Ag. Analytical accuracy and precision are monitored by the analysis of reagent blanks, reference material, and replicate samples. Quality control is further assured by Bluestone?s QA/QC program, which involves the insertion of blind certified reference materials (standards) and field duplicates into the sample stream to independently assess analytical precision and accuracy of each batch of samples as they are received from the laboratory.? A selection of samples is submitted to ALS Chemex Laboratories in Vancouver for check analysis and additional quality control.

Qualified Person

David Cass, P.Geo., Vice President Exploration, is the designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and verified that the scientific and technical information set out above in this news release is accurate and therefore approves this written disclosure of the scientific and technical information.

About Bluestone Resources

Bluestone Resources is a mineral exploration and development company that is focused on advancing its 100%-owned Cerro Blanco Gold and Mita Geothermal projects located in Guatemala. The Cerro Blanco Gold Project, as disclosed in the Company\-\-s Cerro Blanco Preliminary Economic Assessment (?PEA?) which is available at www.sedar.com, returned robust economics with a quick pay back and all-in sustaining cash costs (as defined per World Gold Council guidelines, less corporate general and administration costs) in the first quartile. The Company trades under the symbol ?BSR? on the TSX Venture Exchange and ?BBSRF? on the OTCQB.

[1] As per the press release dated September 11, 2018 with an effective date of August 6, 2018.

Cautionary Language

The PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.

Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains ?forward-looking information? within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation and ?forward-looking statements? within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (collectively, ?forward-looking statements?).? All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that Bluestone Resources Inc. (?Bluestone? or the ?Company?) believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future including, without limitation: the conversion of the inferred mineral resources; increasing the amount of measured mineral and indicated mineral resources; the proposed timeline and benefits of further drilling; the proposed timeline and benefits of the Feasibility Study; statements about the Company?s plans for its mineral properties; Bluestone?s business strategy, plans and outlook; the future financial or operating performance of Bluestone; capital expenditures, corporate general and administration expenses and exploration and development expenses; expected working capital requirements; the future financial estimates of the Cerro Blanco Project economics, including estimates of capital costs of constructing mine facilities and bringing a mine into production and of sustaining capital costs, estimates of operating costs and total costs, net present value and economic returns; proposed production timelines and rates; funding availability; resource estimates; and future exploration and operating plans are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to Bluestone and often use words such as ?expects?, ?plans?, ?anticipates?, ?estimates?, ?intends?, ?may? or variations thereof or the negative of any of these terms.

All forward-looking statements are made based on the Company?s current beliefs as well as various assumptions made by them and information currently available to them.? Generally, these assumptions include, among others: the ability of Bluestone to carry on exploration and development activities; the price of gold, silver and other metals; there being no material variations in the current tax and regulatory environment; the exchange rates among the Canadian dollar, Guatemalan quetzal and the United States dollar remaining consistent with current levels; the presence of and continuity of metals at the Cerro Blanco Project at estimated grades; the availability of personnel, machinery and equipment at estimated prices and within estimated delivery times; metals sales prices and exchange rates assumed; appropriate discount rates applied to the cash flows in economic analyses; tax rates and royalty rates applicable to the proposed mining operation; the availability of acceptable financing; anticipated mining losses and dilution; success in realizing proposed operations; anticipated timelines for community consultations and the impact of those consultations on the regulatory approval process.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, Bluestone. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things: risks relating to variations in the mineral content within the mineral identified as mineral resources from that predicted; risks and uncertainties related to expected production rates, timing and amount of production and total costs of production; risks and uncertainties related to ability to obtain or maintain necessary licenses, permits, or surface rights; risks associated with technical difficulties in connection with mining development activities; risks and uncertainties related to the accuracy of mineral resource estimates and estimates of future production, future cash flow, total costs of production and diminishing quantities or grades of mineral resources; risks associated with geopolitical uncertainty and political and economic instability in Guatemala; risks and uncertainties related to interruptions in production; the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company?s expectations; uncertain political and economic environments and relationships with local communities; variations in rates of recovery and extraction; developments in world metals markets; risks related to fluctuations in currency exchange rates; as well as those factors discussed under ?Risk Factors? in the Company?s Amended and Restated Annual Information Form.

Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it was made, and except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Bluestone disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although Bluestone believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to their inherent uncertainty.? There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.Share purchase warrant expiry and delisting

Posted by Publisher Internet

GoldMining Inc. (the \Company\ or \GoldMining\) (TSX: GOLD; OTCQX: GLDLF  http://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=298668) announces the expiry and delisting of its share purchase warrants (\Warrants\), which had an exercise price of $0.75 per common share and an expiry date of December 31, 2018, from the Toronto Stock Exchange and OTCQX.

The Company has 137,376,318 shares issued and outstanding. Currently, the Company has cash of $9.2 million and no debt.

Amir Adnani, Chairman of GoldMining, commented: \Our currently budgeted expenditures for 2019 are approximately $5 million. These will be focused on low-cost project development activities, particularly at our Sao Jorge project in Para State, Brazil, and Yellowknife project in the Northwest Territories, Canada. Our gold project portfolio presently stands at global measured and indicated resources of 9.5 million ounces gold (12.4 million ounces gold equivalent) and inferred resources of 11.7 million ounces gold (14.2 million ounces gold equivalent) (see Table below for details). We remain attentive to the pursuit of further accretive and quality acquisitions.\

About GoldMining Inc.

GoldMining is a public mineral exploration company focused on the acquisition and development of gold assets in the Americas. Through its disciplined acquisition strategy, GoldMining now controls a diversified portfolio of resource-stage gold and gold-copper projects in Canada, U.S.A., Brazil, Colombia and Peru. Additionally, GoldMining owns a 75% interest in the Rea Uranium Project, located in the Western Athabasca Basin of Alberta, Canada.

Technical Disclosure

Investors are cautioned not to assume that any part or all of the mineral deposits in the \measured\, \indicated\ and \inferred\ categories will ever be converted into mineral reserves with demonstrated economic viability or that inferred mineral resources will be converted to the measured and/or indicated categories through further drilling.? In addition, the estimation of inferred resources involves far greater uncertainty as to their existence and economic viability than the estimation of other categories of resources. Under Canadian rules, estimates of Inferred Mineral Resources may not form the basis of pre-feasibility or feasibility studies.

Paulo Pereira, President of GoldMining Inc. has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. Mr. Pereira holds a Bachelors degree in Geology from Universidade do Amazonas in Brazil, is a Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101 and is a member of the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario.

Forward-looking Statements

This document contains certain forward-looking statements that reflect the current views and/or expectations of the Company with respect to its business and future events, including expectations respecting budgeted expenditures and its acquisition strategy. Forward-looking statements are based on the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about the business and the markets in which it operates. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including: the inherent risks involved in the exploration and development of mineral properties, the potential for delays in exploration or development activities, accidents and equipment breakdowns, title and permitting matters, labour and other legal disputes, fluctuating metal prices, unanticipated costs and expenses and uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future. These risks, as well as others, including those set forth in the Company\-\-s annual information form for the year ended November 30, 2017 and other filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are available under the Company\-\-s profile at www.sedar.com, could cause actual results and events to vary significantly. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and information. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information, or the material factors or assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information, will prove to be accurate. The Company does not undertake any obligations to release publicly any revisions for updating any voluntary forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law.TerraX Minerals Announces 2019 Drill Targets

Posted by Publisher Internet

TerraX Minerals Inc. (TSX-V: TXR; Frankfurt: TX0; OTC Pink: TRXXF  http://www.commodity-tv.net/c/search_adv/?v=298245) is pleased to announce that 2018 exploration programs delivered concrete advancement of targets at the Yellowknife City Gold (YCG) project. While continuing to deliver high grade surface results, TerraX compiled and enhanced all data sets to achieve a clearer understanding of the deposits. Analysis and review of the entire district by a panel of internal and external global experts has identified new targets and further defined existing ones.

David Suda, President and CEO stated: ?The Yellowknife City Gold Project continues to emerge as a globally significant exploration opportunity due to it?s district scale, infrastructure and proximity of targets to historic gold producers Con and Giant. The outcome of targeting has brought about an exciting turning point for TerraX.? Most importantly, this work provides context for gold findings on and below surface to date and sheds light on new un-drilled opportunities that lie within our existing core focus areas.?

Identifying targets included the analysis and prioritization of over 100 prospective areas Figure 1 on the property. These targets were scored based on a rigorous classification of their exploration stage, their potential, and the level of confidence from the information currently available Figure 2. Four top priority targets were flagged for deposit expansion or confirmation drilling. Joe Campbell, Executive Chairman stated: ?Equally exciting is the identification of several new high potential early stage targets that require additional exploration work. These targets are parallel structures to the shear that produced 5+ million ounces of gold at the Con mine.?

The Targets:

Barney Deformation Corridor (BDC), Crestaurum and Sam Otto are the top three targets which will be the focus for expansion of gold deposits. Homer screened as a new high potential target and will be the focus of confirmation drilling. All four targets lie within 5km of each other in the Northbelt Core focus area of the project. Figure 3 These data driven targets are the highest potential and highest confidence targets that were the result of the comprehensive work completed by our expert panel.

BDC Figure 4 (Barney Deformation Corridor) is an extension of the Giant gold system with 3 parallel north/south structures over 1km of strike intersecting with Crestaurum. It features abundant high-grade rock samples on surface. There has been very little drilling over the majority of this shear zone at the intersection with Crestaurum making this a strong new target.

Crestaurum Figure 5 continues to be a top priority target. Previous drill success together with strong vectors from surface data including magnetics and geochemistry have identified two parallel structures to the north that are new and largely untested.

Sam Otto Figure 6 remains a prospective bulk tonnage target with total strike length of 2.5km continuous mineralization. Drilling will focus on further defining the extension of mineralization.

Homer Figure 7 is a 2km long and nearly 1km wide target with confirmed strong mineralization on surface. Pathfinder elements and felsic intrusions related to gold mineralization are contributing vectors that make this a very exciting target. This is one of TerraX?s largest mineralized zones, and there is potential for economic gold bearing shears.

The technical information contained in this news release has been approved by Joseph Campbell, Executive Chairman of TerraX, who is a Qualified Person as defined in \National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About the Yellowknife City Gold Project

The Yellowknife City Gold (\YCG\) project encompasses 783 sq km of contiguous land immediately north, south and east of the City of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories. Through a series of acquisitions, TerraX controls one of the six major high-grade gold camps in Canada. Being within 10 km of the City of Yellowknife, the YCG is close to vital infrastructure, including all-season roads, air transportation, service providers, hydro-electric power and skilled tradespeople.

The YCG lies on the prolific Yellowknife greenstone belt, covering 70 km of strike length along the main mineralized break in the Yellowknife gold district, including the southern and northern extensions of the shear system that hosted the high-grade Con and Giant gold mines. The project area contains multiple shears that are the recognized hosts for gold deposits in the Yellowknife gold district, with innumerable gold showings and recent high-grade drill results that serve to indicate the project\-\-s potential as a world-class gold district.?

For more information on the YCG project, please visit our web site at www.terraxminerals.com.

On behalf of the Board of Directors

\DAVID SUDA\

David Suda

President and CEO

For more information, please contact:

Toll-Free: 1-855-737-2684

In Europe:

Swiss Resource Capital AG

info@resource-capital.ch?

www.resource-capital.ch

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release contains forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. Important factors  including the availability of funds, the results of financing efforts, the completion of due diligence and the results of exploration activities  that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company\-\-s expectations are disclosed in the Company\-\-s documents filed from time to time on SEDAR (see www.sedar.com). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise.PHILIPSBURG:--- To celebrate moving to its new office, Maduro Travel organized a raffle for travelers that purchased their tickets, vacation packages or cruise vacations during the month of December at the new Maduro Travel office at Emmaplein 2 in Philipsburg. As a Dominican Republic travel specialist and General Sales Agent for Dominican Airline Air Century it was decided to offer the winner a Weekend Getaway for two to Santo Domingo.

Winner of the raffle is Mr. Calcano Perez who will be enjoying a weekend stay for two at Santo Domingo at one of the renowned Hodelpa hotels, Hodelpa Novus Plaza, in the heart of the Colonial Zone and will enjoy transfer to and from the hotel and a City Tour offered by Maduro Travels partner Colonial Tours. The comfortable one hour and ten-minute roundtrip flight is offered by Air Century.

For information about Air Century tickets, hotel stay and excursions in the Dominican Republic or any other travel packages or cruises, interested persons can visit the new Maduro Travel office at Emmaplein 2, Philipsburg (on the parking lot behind Jump Up Casino), email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 542 34 10.PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- Ministry of Public Housing, Environment, Spatial Development and Infrastructure (Ministry VROMI), announces that maintenance works will be carried out on the Causeway Bridge in Simpson Bay on Thursday evening.



These works will be carried out during the evening hours of January 10thstarting from 8.00pm until 12 midnight.



The aforementioned closure is related to the Causeway Bridge roadways. Motorists are requested to be observant of road closure signs and to use alternate routes to get to their destination.



The restoration works entail repairs and replacement to a damaged cable.



Ministry VROMI apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause.Ottawa: China's ambassador to Canada has accused the country of adopting "Western egotism" and "white supremacy" in its reaction to the detention of two Canadians following the arrest of a Huawei executive in Canada last month.

Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou talks with a member of her private security detail after they went into a wrong building while arriving at a parole office in Vancouver. Credit:AP

The envoy said Canada is employing a double standard in demanding the release of two men who were detained in China nine days after the arrest of Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou at the request of US authorities. He also took aim at "elites" and "some in the Canadian news media" for saying that China's judicial system is less independent than Canada's.

"It seems that, to some people, only Canadian citizens shall be treated in a humanitarian manner and their freedom deemed valuable, while Chinese people do not deserve that," Lu Shaye wrote in an op-ed published in the Ottawa-based Hill Times newspaper on Wednesday. "The reason why some people are used to arrogantly adopting double standards is due to Western egotism and white supremacy."

"In such a context," he added, "the rule of law is nothing but a tool for their political ends and a fig leaf for their practicing hegemony in the international arena. What they have been doing is not showing respect for the rule of law, but mocking and trampling the rule of law."London: People who carry too much weight around their middle have smaller brains, scientists have found.

A fat belly is linked to a smaller brain. Credit:Steve Cassell

Researchers from Loughborough University and UCL discovered that people with a high body mass index (BMI) and high waist-to-hip ratio had brains that were 12 cubic cm smaller than people of a healthy weight.

Dr Mark Hamer, professor of Exercise as Medicine at Loughborough, said it was unclear if the differences in brain structure were caused by obesity, or were driving it. But he said it might explain why people who were overweight were more likely to develop dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases.

"Our research looked at a large group of people and found obesity, specifically around the middle, may be linked with brain shrinkage," he saidLondon: Britain's battle over Brexit turned into political trench warfare between Parliament and the government on Wednesday, as Prime Minister Theresa May brought her little-loved EU divorce agreement back to lawmakers who appear determined to thwart her plans.

A month after postponing a vote on the deal to avert near-certain defeat, May urged Parliament to support it to prevent Britain leaving the EU on March 29 with no agreement on exit terms and future relations, an outcome that could cause economic and social upheaval.

"The only way to avoid 'no deal' is to vote for the deal," May told lawmakers in the House of Commons on the first of five days of debate ahead of a vote on Tuesday.

Take Five - This is your final free article during this 30 day period. Stay in touch with all of the news.

Sign up today for complete digital access to The Daily News-Record.Beijing/Washington: US-China trade talks ended on Wednesday with negotiators focused on Beijing's pledge to buy "a substantial amount" of agricultural, energy and manufactured goods and services from the United States, the US Trade Representative's office said.

In a statement that gave no specific details on the outcome of three days of talks in China's capital this week, USTR said that US and Chinese officials discussed "ways to achieve fairness, reciprocity and balance in trade relations".

No schedule for further face-to-face negotiations was released, and USTR said the American delegation would return to Washington to report on the meetings and "to receive guidance on the next steps.""I know of people who have risked leaving their cars, when they've attended an emergency, in the drop-off zone for more than 20 minutes simply because it was an unexpected attendance and therefore they didn't have the $30 or $40 that would cover their parking overnight." Ms Christerson said some people could not catch public transport due to their health conditions, while there were not enough physically suitable metred parking spaces near hospitals for those with disability parking permits to use. The Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation, which operates the Cairns Hospital car park; the Ipswich Hospital Foundation; and the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation also reported increased revenue from car parking. A 14 per cent increase in revenue, to $2.02 million, to the Toowoomba foundation was attributed to an increase in demand at the hospital causing more patients and visitors to use the car park.

However, the Sunshine Coast Health Foundation reported a 60 per cent decrease to $458,528. Chairman Peter Boyce said the foundation, known as Wishlist, had operated the car park at the Nambour Hospital for the past 19 years. "Since the advent of the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) this revenue stream has been impacted greatly and we continue to work to identify alternative revenue streams to ensure our work continues, in the unique model it always has, for years to come," he wrote in the foundation's annual report. Brisbane single mum-of-four Natasha Malmstrom said she had to juggle her weekly budget when she had to attend an appointment at the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, which could mean forgoing the family's weekly takeaway meal or other items. Ms Malmstrom, who was receiving specialist treatment for women's services and reconstructive surgery, said if she was "lucky enough to have some excess income" she would pay to park in the hospital's car park.

Brisbane woman Natasha Malmstrom needs to juggle her family's weekly budget when she visits the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. If not, she would have to park much further away and walk. "Not everyone is as able as I am to do that, but it's a choice that I'm lucky to be able to make because I can walk," she said. Ms Malmstrom estimated she had spent $100 on hospital car parking in the past year but if she had paid for every visit it would have been closer to $200 or $300. Health Consumers Queensland CEO Melissa Fox said going to hospital was often an already stressful experience.

"Hospital car parking can be an unexpected burden for patients and their families at a time when they're often least able to earn money and already having a challenging experience," she said. Ms Fox said ideally, the government would run car parking facilities so it had greater control over fixing prices and the availability of concession rates. LNP Health spokeswoman Ros Bates accused Mr Miles of "increasing profits and ripping off patients and their family and friends". "Steven Miles should be putting patient care and helping vulnerable Queenslanders ahead of increased profits," she said. Ms Bates said she was concerned people may avoid treatment because they could not afford parking.

"As a nurse, I find that absolutely appalling," she said. A Queensland Health spokeswoman said for every dollar of car parking revenue earned, each hospital foundation gave up to $5 back to the hospital. The spokeswoman said during the first nine months of the concession scheme, hospital and health services provided more than 200,000 concessions, more than double the amount previously available. "The concession scheme is delivering more car parks to the people who need it and is continuing to grow," she said.Independent Senator Fraser Anning has defended his hefty family travel costs, arguing he charged more than other MPs because his wife volunteered in his office.

In the most recent reporting period, from July to September 2018, Senator Anning claimed $19,000 in family travel costs - more than any other federal politician.

Queensland Senator Fraser Anning speaking in Brisbane on Wednesday. Credit:AAP

Senator Anning said his wife, Fiona, volunteered with his office so travelled with him to Canberra and other cities.

"It's within parliamentary guidelines," he said.Kevin Rudd has accused the ABC of targeting the Labor Party and self-censoring its content out of fear of a conservative backlash.

The former prime minister unloaded on the national broadcaster in an online interview on Tuesday night, accusing the ABC of "overcorrecting so as to not attract the ire [of] political conservatives in this country".

"It often suits their mindset to target the Labor Party...": former Labor prime minister Kevin Rudd. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

"What I have observed over many years now is how much the ABC self censors in its handling of Liberal and National party politicians, politics and policy," he said during the discussion with users of the website Reddit.

The ABC has been at the centre of criticism from right-leaning think tanks, politicians and commentators for its perceived left-wing bias for the past decade, with the Liberal Partys peak council voting almost 2:1 to privatise the ABC as recently as June.A six year old girl has been taken to hospital with critical head injuries after she was hit by a car in Booragoon on Wednesday morning.

Its understood the girl was with her family crossing the road just after 10.30am on the corner of Allerton Way and Leece Place when she was hit by a ute.

The extent of the girl's injuries are not yet known.

Major Crash investigators set up road block on Riseley Street while they investigated, and St John Ambulance took the girl to Fiona Stanley Hospital for assessment.

A St John spokesman confirmed the girl was conscious and breathing, but she was later transferred to Perth Children's Hospital for further treatment.Firefighters at the Indian consulate. Credit:Channel 7

More than 10 international consulates and embassies in Melbourne and Canberra have been sent suspicious packages containing white powder, some reportedly marked with the word "asbestos".

A worker at the Pakistani consulate in Melbourne opened one of the packages about 10am on Wednesday.

It is understood the envelope, which looked like a normal letter, was addressed to the Consulate-General of Pakistan.

Initial suspicions were raised by a spelling mistake on the envelope, with "consulate" misspelled.Queensland deputy opposition leader Tim Mander said he was shocked when he read about the policy in Brisbane Times.

Victims must have a forensic medical exam, or rape kit, completed within 72 hours before evidence is compromised.

Under current policy, forensic medical officers refuse to document rape victim's injuries unless they report their attack to police straight away.

"It doesn't make sense to me that there is no testing done or recorded or kept, simply because the victim hasn't decided yet whether they are going to report to police," Mr Mander said.

"Now of course any person in that situation is going to be traumatised and trying to work that through, they shouldn't have a 72-hour time limit on how they are going to process whatever has happened to them.

"I can't see why we wouldn't be consistent with what happens in the other states," he said.

In every other state and territory in Australia evidence is collected and stored safely until the victim makes a decision whether they want police to investigate or not, timeframes on this vary depending on the state.

Mr Miles said the Queensland government had been trialling "just in case" rape kits in Townsville since 2016.An ANZ bank employee has appeared in court on 121 fraud charges after allegedly misusing a company credit card repeatedly during a month-long spending spree.

Among the purchases allegedly made by Ryan Tonycliffe Walker, 36, were 83 separate credit card charges across multiple days at Brisbane nightclub The Beat.

The man was charged five-and-a-half months after the final fraudulent purchase was made with the ANZ card. Credit:Jessica Shapiro

The case was heard in the Brisbane Arrests Court after Mr Walker was charged on November 29 with 121 counts of dishonest application of property of another by an employee.

Police allege Mr Walker made the fraudulent purchases using the ANZ card between May 16 and June 16.A cleaner accused of attacking her 92-year-old employer, leaving her with life-threatening injuries and permanent disfigurement, has been refused bail after a court heard claims she stabbed the elderly woman in self defence.

Hanny Papanicolaou, 35, is charged with attempted murder and wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after she allegedly attacked Marjorie Welsh at the older woman's Ashbury home on January 2.

Hanny Papanicolaou, 35, has been charged with the attempted murder of a 92-year-old woman. Credit:Facebook

At Burwood Local Court on Wednesday, magistrate Louise McManus refused Ms Papanicolaou's bail application after the court was told the cleaner launched a "vicious", "unprovoked" and "frenzied" attack on the woman who had employed her for 12 months.

Ms Papanicolaou worked at Ms Welsh's home every Friday and had keys to her home, the court was told, however when she arrived at the property that Wednesday she allegedly parked at the rear instead of in the driveway and did not have her cleaning tools with her.Some residents of Opal Tower in Sydney's west face the prospect of a further six weeks living in hotels, as residents remain in the dark about when they can return to their homes.

Since the cracks emerged in the building on Christmas Eve, forcing a mass evacuation, investigators have been trying to understand the cause, with the state government appointing professors Mark Hoffman and John Carter to lead the independent inquiry into the structural failure.

Some residents face a lengthy wait before they can return home. Credit:AAP

Building company Icon said it expects the majority of residents to be cleared to return home imminently, possibly as soon as Friday.

But Icon is unwilling to set a definite return date for any residents until the independent investigators' report is released, with residents facing an uncertain future beyond Friday when their hotel accommodation runs out.A man managed to land his Holden Astra in the back of a tipper truck on Wednesday afternoon in Sydney's west.

Emergency services were called to the scene at Evelyn Street in Macquarie Fields about 3pm after a 38-year-old man hit a trailer ramp, causing him to flip and land in the rear of the parked truck, according to police.

The driver of the car, who was the sole occupant, was trapped for a short time before being taken to Liverpool Hospital with a shoulder injury.

Fire and Rescue NSW took to social media, posting a photo of the unusual collision on their Liverpool station Facebook page.Two Irish nationals who stand accused of murdering a grandfather outside their Summer Hill share house will remain behind bars for at least two months.

Neither Christopher Mc Laughlin, 24, nor Nathan Kelly, 21, applied for bail before Magistrate Louise McManus on Wednesday morning at Burwood Local Court, where they made their first appearance after being charged with murdering Paul Tavelardis, 66.

Nathan Kelly, 21, who has been charged with murder.

The pair, who have only been in Australia since May last year, were charged with reckless grievous bodily harm in company and affray after they allegedly assaulted Mr Tavelardis on the street on Saturday December 29.

The charges were updated on Tuesday after Mr Tavelardis died in hospital.Prohibition in America

The following Friday (January 16) was the date upon which the United States of America was to go constitutionally "dry" and prohibition organisations throughout the world celebrated the event in various ways. The New South Wales Alliance arranged a luncheon, presided over by the Rev R. B. S. Hammond, and the guest of honour was Mr Edward J. Norton, American Consul. Several American citizens accepted invitations to attend.

State funeral of Sir Edmund Barton

The Herald reported extensively on the previous days State funeral for Sir Edmund Barton, first Prime Minister of the Commonwealth and Senior Judge of the Federal High Court. All classes and all institutions were represented at the impressive ceremonial at St Andrews Cathedral. As the funeral proceeded from the Cathedral to South Head, great crowds made manifest their respect for one who had played such a notable part in his countrys history.

Unsafe currencyA 70-year-old man is facing charges of taking part in commercial drug supply after police busted an alleged drug ring importing $2 million worth of cocaine from Peru.

Luis Diez was arrested at home as police from the State Crime Command's Drug and Firearms Squad executed warrants to search his house, as well as houses in Wetherill Park, Bossley Park and Bligh Park after Border Force officers detected an anomaly in a shipment from the South American nation.

Cocaine valued at $2m was allegedly found in the shipment. Credit:NSW Police

The package was taken for testing, and returned positive results for 5.3 kilograms of cocaine.

Mr Diez was charged with taking part in commercial drug supply and participating in a criminal group, and appeared at Fairfield Local Court briefly on Wednesday morning. He did not apply for bail and will return to the same court on March 4.As a flying-fox co-ordinator for FAWNA (NSW) Inc, Meredith Ryan of Brombin is happy to be able to report that "flying-foxes (C8) have followed the magnificent flowering on the mid-north coast and there are very healthy numbers in significant camps in the Mid-Coast, Port Macquarie-Hastings and Kempsey shires."

A tip of the hat from Adrian Connelly of Springwood. "I can relate to Coral Button's inner secret as she encountered her book-reading acquaintance (C8). In my younger days, I used to regularly exchange knowing nods with a bloke at a pub who was book-making."

Christopher Jobson of Monash (ACT) flew from Canberra to Adelaide just before Christmas, reading a book (C8) during the flights. "On the Canberra-Melbourne leg there was a young lady seated next to me also reading a book. On the Melbourne-Adelaide leg I was seated next to two young ladies, both reading books. All of us agreed that this was a rarity." Kathy Ventress of Manly Vale had the opposite experience. She was spotted putting away her book before getting off the bus by a young woman, who exclaimed: "Oh you've been reading a book!" "A sea of eyes looked up to catch a glimpse of the dinosaur as I stepped off the bus!

Regarding "Heavens to Betsy" (C8), Peter Buckle of Manly adds that "the Betsy Ross connection is of course unproven, as is the origin of Murgatroyd, although its first usage by Snagglepuss in the Yogi Bear show is uncontested".

A different take of the hot cross bun issue (C8) from John D. Pollard of Moss Vale. "After the English Protestant Reformation Hot Cross Buns were banned because they were reminders of the days when the Pope was still the head of the Church in England. In 1592 the new Head, Queen Elizabeth, restricted baking Hot Cross Buns except for funerals, Good Friday, Easter and Christmas."A Canberra mother who kidnapped her son for a week in August before being found in NSW bushland without suitable clothing or water, was bailed on Wednesday to receive rehabilitation.

Appearing in the ACT Magistrates Court, Tessa Woodcock, 36, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully taking a child after a more serious charge was dropped.

Tessa Woodcock, who kidnapped her son Phoenix Mapham in August causing a week-long search, leaves the ACT Magistrates Court with her lawyer Adrian McKenna after receiving bail. Credit:Elliot Williams

She had earlier pleaded guilty to breaching a family violence order.

The kidnapping sparked a week long hunt for Woodcock and her six-year-old son Phoenix Mapham and the territory's first ever amber alert.Residents of 15 Braddon apartments don't know when they will be able to return after a fire destroyed a ground floor unit in the complex on Monday night.

The Fullerton Apartments strata manager, Ros Edwards, said a builder was coming from Sydney to assess the damage to pipes before residents would be allowed back into their apartments, which were currently "uninhabitable".

A fire destroyed a ground floor apartment in Braddon on Monday night. Credit:Tom Malkin

Water and power supplies to the affected units at 11 Fawkner Street have been cut off pending safety assessments.

She said the 71-unit building would be made secure on Wednesday, with doors replaced on apartments where firefighters forced entry and damaged windows boarded up.Police allege a 37-year-old Cooma man spent more than two years evading capture after a raid on his home led to Canberra's second biggest drug seizure in history.

In September 2016 officers had used a battering ram back to break through a storage cavity under the stairs in Christopher Michael French's Palmerston home.

There, in a safe, police allegedly found more than three kilograms of heroin and methylamphetamine, worth more than $2 million on the street.

ACT police found ice and heroin with a combined street value of over $2 million in a safe hidden behind a false wall of a Palmerston home. Credit:ACT Policing

But police did not arrest the man, or issue a summons on the spot - a decision Detective Sergeant Mark Steel defended in court on Wednesday as a tactical one made in relation to ongoing investigations.Federal and state ministers have rejected claims of mismanagement in the Murray-Darling Basin following the death of an estimated one million fish, described as one of the largest fish kills ever recorded.

Federal Agriculture and Water Resources Minister David Littleproud and his NSW counterpart Niall Blair said the drought was to blame for the disaster, which has centred on the outback town of Menindee on the banks of the Darling River.

Mr Blair was in Menindee on Wednesday and pledged his department would investigate the carnage, which was triggered by a cold snap that killed blue-green algae, reducing oxygen below critical levels.

But farmers, residents and some experts have blamed mismanagement by government and the Murray-Darling Basin Authority for repeated draining of the Menindee Lakes, leaving fish more vulnerable.To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.

We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.

A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!* United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked the Security Council to approve the deployment of up to 75 observers to Yemen's port city of Hodeidah for six months to monitor a ceasefire and redeployment of forces by the warring parties.

* The Afghan Taliban said on January 8 they had called off peace talks with US officials in Qatar this week due to an "agenda disagreement", especially over the involvement of Afghan officials as well as a possible ceasefire and prisoner exchange.

* The Turkish presidential spokesman said on January 8 that the United States should hand over its 16 military bases used for fighting the Islamic State (IS) militants in northern Syria to Turkey or the local authorities after its pullout.

* Iran's foreign minister said on January 8 that EU sanctions on Tehran over alleged planned attacks in Europe "will not absolve Europe of responsibility for harboring terrorists."

* French President Emmanuel Macron's approval rating rebounded in January for the first time since November 2017, a survey showed on January 8. A poll by the French Institute of Public Opinion for French media Sud Radio and Paris Match showed Macron's score improved to 28 percent, up by five percentage points from December.

* Yemen's rival forces on January 8 accused each other of being reluctant to implement a UN-brokered cease-fire and peace agreement reached in Stockholm last month, just a day after a brief visit by the UN special envoy to rebel-held capital Sanaa.

* The Hamas-run Ministry of Interior announced on January 8 that it has arrested 45 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip for being collaborators with Israel since November.

* At a meeting with visiting US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, King Abdullah II of Jordan on January 8 underlined the need to end the repeated Israeli violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in East Jerusalem.

* Ukraine may join the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in a medium-term, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin said on January 8.

* Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on January 8 that the Syrian government needs to take a number of measures toward a political settlement for the Syrian crisis, which are necessary for Damascus to resume its suspended membership of the Cairo-based Arab League (AL).

* The US Treasury Department announced on January 8 that sanctions have been imposed upon several Venezuelan individuals and groups.

* Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on January 8 hailed India as Iran's "most reliable partner" in hard times, Tasnim news agency reported. Zarif made the remarks in his address to an Iran-India joint economic meeting in the New Delhi on January 8.

* A financial agreement worth EUR150 million (US$171 million) was signed on January 8 between Tunisia, African Development Bank (AfDB) and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

* Nepal's tourism sector witnessed phenomenon growth in international tourist arrivals in 2018 as the Himalayan country received over 1.1 million tourists, Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) said on January 8. Visitors from China and India contributed the largest number of tourists last year, taking up over 30 percent of the total.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police arrested a 20-year-old Manhattan woman who allegedly used a credit card that was in a wallet stolen from a parked car in Richmond.

Tiavana Charles, 20, of Allen Street in Manhattan, used the card at around 4:30 p.m. inside of the Sunny Morningstar Grocery on Dec. 20 to make two separate purchases totaling approximately $45, according to the criminal complaint.

The NYPD last week released a surveillance image of a woman at the deli sought in the incident.

The stolen card was used to make several purchases at various delis totaling approximately $300, said a statement issued by the NYPD.

Charles is only charged in the Dec. 20 incident at this time.

A 37-year-old female victim told police that she parked her 2017 Nissan in her driveway in the vicinity of Park Street and Combs Avenue on Dec. 19 at about 5 p.m. She returned to her vehicle about 24 hours later and discovered that her wallet with miscellaneous items was missing from her car, the police statement said.

Charles faces charges of criminal possession of stolen property and petit larceny.

The suspect was arrested on Monday and has been released on her own recognizance. She is due back in Criminal Court on March 7, according to public records.

A message left for her attorney was not immediately returned.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Archdiocese of New York is searching for a new superintendent of Catholic schools after Dr. Timothy J. McNiff recently announced he would retire from his position in April.

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan announced Wednesday the formation of a search committee to begin the process of naming a new superintendent.

Upon McNiffs departure, Deputy Superintendent Michael Deegan will assume the position of interim superintendent until the search is completed and a new superintendent has been named.

The committee is comprised of Archdiocese of the following people: New York staffers; Dominican Sisters of Sparkill; members of the regional board of trustees; pastors; principals; teacher representatives, and a national educational expert.

The committee will be chaired by Jay Spach, who has more than 20 years of experience in organizational development.

To conduct a thorough and efficient search, the committee has retained the services of Partners in Mission, a Massachusetts-based consulting team focused on developing excellence in Catholic school advancement and leadership.

Applications will be accepted through early March 2019, with semi-finalist interviews to be held in April. Finalists will be selected and recommendations sent to Dolan in mid-May.

Interested candidates can submit a resume with a cover letter and statement of philosophy of Catholic education to lfurey@partnersinmission.com with ArchNY in the subject line.

FOLLOW ANNALISE KNUDSON ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER.STATEN ISLAND -- New York City will soon guarantee health care for all New Yorkers.

Mayor Bill de Blasios ambitious plan, dubbed the most comprehensive plan in the nation," will serve some 600,000 New Yorkers without insurance by strengthening the citys public health insurance option -- MetroPlus.

Another aspect of the plan, NYC Care, will guarantee insurance to New Yorkers regardless if they are ineligible for insurance or are undocumented. It will also ensure that those New Yorkers have access to NYC Health and Hospitals physicians, pharmacies, and mental health and substance abuse services.

NYC Care will launch in the summer of 2019 and cost at least $100 million annually at full scale.

The program will roll out geographically and start out in the Bronx. It will be fully available to all New Yorkers across the five boroughs in 2021.

The plan, however, is not being welcomed by all Staten Island officials.

Island Republican representatives slammed the mayors plan, while others, welcomed it.

Councilman Joe Borelli (R-South Shore) said he feared that the $100 million cost could rise as more New Yorkers decide to opt into the program in the future or if federal and state governments change the rates of Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement.

"With the citys own projections of a slowdown of the real estate market, and a volatility on Wall Street, I dont think its the right time to begin an additional large scale entitlement program that will be on the hook to ensure 600,000 people at its start and an unpredictable amount as new folks comes in, Borelli said.

He also said the plan was unfair to city employees as the city is trying to save on health care costs.

"In a city with the highest cost of living in the country, where property taxes continue to skyrocket, with a rapidly decaying transit system and inadequate infrastructure in overcrowded neighborhoods, providing free and subsidized healthcare for non-citizens should not be a priority. Lowering property taxes and providing relief to hardworking homeowners should be, said Minority Leader Steven Matteo (R-Mid Island).

As property taxes continue to rise at an unprecedented and unsustainable speed, impacting homeowners and renters alike, Mayor de Blasio continues to look for ways to spend their hard earned money by placing a heavier burden on the hardworking taxpayers of this city. Our citizens have a hard enough time covering their own healthcare costs and now Mayor de Blasio also wants them to pay for the healthcare of 300,000 citizens of other countries. The Mayor must stop abusing the middle class and treating us like his personal ATM," Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis said (R-Staten Island).

I AM THRILLED

The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Islands Project Hospitality, the Rev. Terry Troia, said she was thrilled by the mayors plan.

I am thrilled beyond measure, we have worked so hard on Staten Island to find ways to get people insured and connected to health care regardless of immigration status because if people get sick and use the emergency room as their entry into healthcare, the costs escalate for everybody and people come late to care when they dont have the money to pay so people become sicker with more needs that places their lives in jeopardy and wi more financial challenges to an already overburdened healthcare system," Trioa said. "Its not a win win for anybody.

Councilwoman Debi Rose (D-North Shore) said she had not yet seen the details of the plan and would like to understand it better.

While I firmly believe that all New Yorkers deserve access to affordable health care and that primary care is best administered in a doctors office rather than in our already overburdened emergency rooms, I have not seen details of the mayors proposed plan," Rose said. "I look forward to learning more about cost and logistics of this proposal.

City Hall said the Affordable Care Act gave eight million New Yorkers health insurance, but 600,000 New Yorkers still remain without insurance because they either, do not, or cannot enroll.

The city said it would also double down on its efforts to increase enrollment in MetroPlus, which provides free or affordable health insurance that connects insurance-eligible New Yorkers to a network of providers that includes NYC Health + Hospitals 11 hospitals and 70 clinics.

Asked about how the program would work in places like Staten Island without a public hospital, de Blasio emphasized that the Vanderbilt Clinic was open and that MetroPlus would work everywhere so thats half the people.

President and CEO of the NYC Health + Hospitals Mitchell Katz said because it was a comprehensive clinic if someone needed hospital services, the city would help them get to another Health + Hospital facility.

Health care is a right, not a privilege reserved for those who can afford it, de Blasio said. While the federal government works to gut health care for millions of Americans, New York City is leading the way by guaranteeing that every New Yorker has access to quality, comprehensive access to care, regardless of immigration status or their ability to pay.

FOLLOW SYDNEY KASHIWAGI ON TWITTER.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Police are asking for help identifying a man sought for questioning in connection to the December theft of a purse from a woman shopping in Greenridge.

An unidentified individual snuck behind the 76-year-old woman as she examined items on a shelf at the Richmond Avenue Costco, and walked away with her shopping cart, according to a written statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

The thief allegedly removed the womans purse from the shopping cart and left the store. Her purse contained miscellaneous items including credit cards, medicine, an ID, a cell phone, and $100, according to police.

The alleged thief used the victims credit card to make multiple purchases in the surrounding area, including the shopping center at 2875 Richmond Ave.

Police provided a photo of the individual sought for questioning that was taken from that location. Police described him as black male, approximately 5-feet, 8-inches to 5-feet 10-inches tall, and 250 pounds, with a bald head.

Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the CrimeStoppers website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM, on Twitter @NYPDTips or by texting tips to 274637(CRIMES) then entering TIP577. All calls are kept strictly confidential.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Following fallen debris from the Bradley Avenue overpass in early November, concerns have been raised regarding the condition of the boroughs 63 highway bridges and the potential dangers they pose to Staten Island commuters.

During evening rush hour on Nov. 9, a large piece of cement from the overpass at Bradley Avenue broke off and fell onto the Staten Island Expressway, leaving scattered pieces of cement everywhere, according to police transmissions.

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), responsible for maintaining the overpass bridge, claims the issue was an isolated incident.

The bridge is safe and we believe the fallen concrete was an isolated incident. We have completed permanent repairs," said NYSDOT spokesman Joseph Morrissey.

New York State requires that all highway bridges be inspected at least every two years to ensure that they continue to meet federal requirements.

According to the most recently available public data, six of the boroughs 63 highway bridges have not been inspected since 2016.

However, NYSDOT, responsible for two of the bridges, and the MTA Bridges and Tunnels, responsible for the other four, both claim that the aforementioned bridges have been inspected since the listed dates.

According to an NYSDOT spokesperson, the websites data only reflects finalized bridge reports and will be updated to reflect the most recent inspections once the reports are finalized.

The four MTA-owned bridges, all of which are approach bridge structures associated with the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridges main span, were inspected in 2018, according to an MTA spokesperson.

INSPECTION PROCESS

NYSDOT is responsible for inspecting all of its own highway bridges, as well as bridges owned by localities and commissions that do not collect tolls, resulting in the department inspecting approximately 94 percent of New York States approximately 17,000 highway bridges.

Tolling authorities and commissions, like MTA Bridges and Tunnels, are responsible for inspecting their own bridges and submitting reports to the NYSDOT.

All NYSDOT inspections are conducted by outside contractors, with NYSDOT structural engineers performing quality assurance work, according to an NYSDOT spokesperson.

New York State requires detailed, comprehensive highway bridge inspections that evaluate all bridge components.

They are required to evaluate, assign a condition score and associated quantities, and document the condition of structural elements on a span basis, in addition to general components common to all bridges, according to NYSDOT.

The department then computes an overall New York State condition rating for each bridge by combining and weighting the scores of each individual component. The weighted formula assigns greater value to bridge components that have the highest structural importance and lower values to those with less structural importance.

BRIDGE CONDITION SCALE

The NYSDOT highway bridge condition scale spans from 1 to 7, with 7 being new condition, and 5 or greater being considered in good condition.

In addition, bridges are assessed in terms of their vehicular load capacity, with any bridges found unable to safely carry heavy vehicles receiving a posted weight limit.

Should the inspection raise concerns regarding bridge conditions, a procedure is in place to increase inspection rate and fulfill any necessary repairs.

There is an established procedure for responding to inspection findings by increasing the inspection frequency, if appropriate, or reporting conditions requiring maintenance or additional review, according to NYSDOT.

Based on a combination of the bridge condition inspection and load capacity analysis, bridges deemed unsafe are closed.

Bridge inspectors must also assign federal ratings to the bridges' roadway deck, superstructure, substructure and culvert to ensure the bridges meet Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) standards, and are not deemed structurally deficient.

Bridges are considered structurally deficient, per the FHWA, if significant load-carrying elements are found to be in poor or worse condition due to deterioration and/or damage, the bridge has inadequate load capacity, or repeated bridge flooding causes traffic delays. The fact that a bridge is structurally deficient does not imply that it is unsafe or likely to collapse, according to NYSDOT.

Structurally deficient bridges that remain open to the public typically receive posted weight limits and often require significant maintenance and repair to remain in service, followed by eventual rehabilitation or replacement.

None of Staten Islands 63 highway bridges currently qualify as structurally deficient, according to the most recently available public data.STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A firefighter was taken to the hospital following a house fire in Concord early on Wednesday morning.

The firefighter who suffered minor injuries was taken to Staten Island University Hospital in Ocean Breeze, according to a spokesman for the FDNY/EMS.

The blaze was called at about 1:01 a.m. for the first floor of a two-story, 20-by-40 foot house at 584 Oder Ave., according to the spokesman.

About 12 units and over 60 firefighters and EMS personnel responded to the all-hands fire that was brought under control at about 1:40 a.m., the spokesman said.You are now listening to the sounds of the New Generation. A podcast created for those who desire a new way of gaining information rather than reading a traditional newspaper. In our show we will discuss everything from sports, pop culture, politics, and local news. To stay up to date on our latest episodes every week be sure to follow us on your favorite podcast service. And dont worry, we keep it short.WASHINGTON  Law enforcement forces in Venezuela have detained and tortured military personnel accused of plotting against the government of President Nicolas Maduro, according to two prominent human rights organizations.

Human Rights Watch and the Venezuelan non-governmental group Foro Penal said in a joint report released Wednesday that authorities in the South American country have also detained and tortured family members of some suspects in an effort to locate them.

The Venezuelan government has denied previous reports of tortures and said it properly protects human rights.

The report was released as international pressure is building on Maduro, who is preparing to be sworn in Thursday for a second, six-year term considered illegitimate by the U.S. and more than a dozen regional governments.

The report analyzed 12 cases from 2017 and 2018 that involve 32 people, including military officers of different ranks and civilians accused of plotting against the government, as well as family members of some suspects.

The Venezuelan government has brutally cracked down on members of the military accused of plotting against it, said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. In some cases they are also going after their families or other civilians when they cant find the suspects.

The report said members of the military intelligence or the political police carried out most of the arrests.

Detainees reported abuses such as brutal beatings, asphyxiation, cutting the soles of their feet with a razor blade, electric shocks, food deprivation, forbidding them to go to the bathroom and death threats.

Vivanco said the information in the report was gathered directly from detainees or their relatives. Researchers either asked questions over the phone to persons living in Venezuela or interviewed military officers and their families that had already left the country.

Since 2014, Human Rights Watch said it has documented more than 380 cases of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment against government opponents or perceived opponents, including at least 31 cases of torture in Venezuela.

More than 12,800 people have been arrested since 2014 in connection with antigovernment protests, according to Foro Penal.

Luis Alonso Lugo is an Associated Press writer.BAGHDAD  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Iraq on Wednesday in an unannounced stop on his Mideast tour meant to promote the White Houses hard-line position on Iran.

The trip comes amid confusion over conflicting statements by President Trump and senior U.S. officials about a planned U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria, where Iran is backing President Bashar Assad in that countrys lengthy civil war.

Pompeo, addressing reporters, said he told Iraqi officials that the fight to counter Iran is real and important.

Pompeo and Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi discussed efforts to ensure the lasting defeat throughout the region of the Islamic State, said Deputy State Department spokesman Robert Palladino.

Pompeo also promoted the U.S. push to move Iraq toward energy independence, said Palladino. Iraq imports electricity and natural gas from Iran to meet its needs.

Iran has cultivated close ties with Iraqi politicians and religious and business leaders since the 2003 U.S. invasion toppled former dictator Saddam Hussein and destabilized the country. Neutralizing those relations will be a difficult. Iran has the ear of several powerful Iraqi militias that rival the might of the countrys U.S.-funded security forces.

Abdul-Mahdi and Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi, who met with Pompeo separately, both said they told the U.S. diplomat that Iraq values good relations with its neighbors.

In Jordan on Tuesday, Pompeo said the Syria withdrawal would not detract from U.S. efforts to contain Irans considerable clout in the region. The White House reinstated sanctions against Iran last year for allegedly violating the 2015 nuclear deal championed by former President Barack Obama. International nuclear inspectors had said there was no evidence that Iran was violating the deal.

Pompeo on Wednesday also met with Iraqi President Barham Salih and Foreign Minister Mohamed Alhakim. He stressed the U.S.s support for strong, bilateral relations based on the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement between the two countries, five years after the U.S. invasion that deposed Hussein and plunged Iraq into civil war.

He later traveled to Iraqs autonomous Kurdish Regional Government in the north to meet with officials in Irbil.

Pompeos visit is the third high-profile visit by a U.S. official to Iraq in the last month. Iraqi politicians were incensed when Trump last month made an unscheduled visit to a U.S. base in western Iraq without also meeting Abdul-Mahdi, as his predecessors Obama and George W. Bush had done.

Philip Issa is an Associated Press writer.ALMATY, Kazakhstan  China is allowing more than 2,000 ethnic Kazakhs to abandon their Chinese citizenship and leave the country, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said, in a sign that Beijing may be starting to feel a mounting backlash against its sweeping crackdown on Muslims in the far west region of Xinjiang.

The detention of Uighur, Kazakh and other ethnic minorities in internment camps has been a touchy issue in neighboring Kazakhstan, a Central Asian country of 18 million people. China is a major trading partner, and Kazakhstans state-restricted media had generally avoided reporting on it. But activists say pressure for action has slowly built, following international media coverage on the camps.

The Foreign Ministry press office, in an email response, confirmed Kazakh media reports in December that China has agreed to let 2,000-plus ethnic Kazakhs leave. It did not say who could leave or why. They will be allowed to apply for Kazakh citizenship or permanent residency after their arrival in Kazakhstan, the email said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Chinese authorities in Xinjiang have launched a massive surveillance and detention campaign that has swept hundreds of thousands and possibly more than a million people into internment camps. Former detainees have said they were forced to renounce their culture and faith and subjected to political indoctrination.

The detentions have sent a chill over a tight-knit community of Chinese-born Kazakhs living in Kazakhstan. Many had left China to pursue business opportunities in trade or educate their children in Kazakh schools as restrictions tightened in Xinjiang.

Hundreds lost contact with relatives in Xinjiang, and many began writing letters and attending press conferences, hoping that greater publicity would help bring their loved ones home.

Serikzhan Bilash, head of the advocacy group Atajurt, senses a subtle shift in the Kazakh governments position. He said he was warned by officials to halt his activities four times this summer but the warnings have stopped. Last month, he was invited onto a popular Kazakh talk show for an hour, indicating growing tolerance of his work publicizing the plight of detained Kazakhs.

I said that Chinese officials are dangerous for Central Asia, for Kazakhstan, Bilash said. Theyre starting to accept my opinion now.

Dake Kang is an Associated Press writer.TravelSkills on SFGate is brought to you by Visa . See More Collapse

If you drive your personal car for business, the Internal Revenue Service has some good news for you: You can deduct more for your travels in 2019.

The latest guidance from the IRS says that effective January 1, individuals who use their personal vehicles (cars, vans, pickups or panel trucks) for business trips this year can deduct 58 cents per mile. That's up from the 2018 rate of 54.5 cents.Remember Boom Supersonic, the Colorado-based company that's working on a next-generation faster-than-sound passenger plane? Boom is back in the news his week with a huge capital injection that could put its new aircraft into commercial service within a few years.

The company said it has finalized a new round of investment totaling $100 million from various venture capital firms and individuals, bringing its total funding to $141 million. That will give a big boost to its development efforts; the company recently relocated to a large new facility in Centennial, Colorado, and now says it plans to double its staff of 100 this year.

Boom also gave a name to its new airplane: Overture. The plane is being designed to fly at 2.2 times the speed of sound  slightly faster than Concorde, which had a cruising speed of just over Mach 2.0. And new technologies like advanced aerodynamics, more efficient engines, and the possibility of using alternative fuels should make it "the world's first economically viable supersonic airliner," said Boom CEO Blake Scholl.

He said the company is currently assembling a scaled-down version called XB-1, one-third the size of the planned Overture jet; the XB-1 is due to begin test flights later this year. The airline industry is already on board with the effort: Both Virgin Group and Japan Airlines have pre-ordered a total of 30 aircraft from Boom. The company says it hopes to put its aircraft into commercial service by the mid-2020s.

From the outside, the Overture looks a lot like a Concorde, although a bit smaller. (SEE SLIDESHOW at the top of this post) But the company says the passenger experience will be different. While Concorde had 2x2 seating for about 100 passengers, Overture will accommodate just 55 passengers in a 1x1 configuration  making every seat both a window and an aisle seat. It will have no overhead bins. Instead, each passenger will have easy access to an under-seat "storage locker." In-flight seating and service will be of business class quality.

The aircraft is being designed with a maximum range of 9,000 nautical miles  about 10,350 statute miles -- although any flight over 4,500 nautical miles will require "a brief tech stop to refuel," the company says. Even with that technical refueling stop, Boom says, a flight from San Francisco to Tokyo should only take about five hours, or less than half the time it currently takes.

Boom estimates its plane will fly from Los Angeles to Sydney (with a stop) in 6 hours 45 minutes and New York-London in 3 hours 15 minutes. San Francisco to London is 4,664 nautical miles, apparently just beyond the plane's non-stop range. SFO-Seoul, at 4,918 nautical miles, would also apparently require a fueling stop.

Boom Supersonic

While the cost of Concorde tickets put that SST experience out of reach for many business travelers (at about $7,000 each way between London and NYC), Boom is designing its aircraft "so that airlines can operate profitably while charging the same fares as today's business class," the company said. British Airways and Air France stopped flying their Concordes in 2003.

The Overture will have three engines, not only because the third engine will help reduce takeoff noise, but also because current regulations allow three-engine planes to fly longer distances over water than two-engine aircraft.

The company has created an FAQ page here with more details on the Overture.

Read all recent TravelSkills posts here

Get twice-per-week updates from TravelSkills via email! Sign up here

Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, and it is used here by permission. You can reach Chris at chris@travelskills.com or on Twitter @cjmcginnis.Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-New York, hasn't been afraid to break ranks with the old guard of her party in her first days in Congress, whether it's participating in a sit-in at Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office or voting against the speaker's new House rules. She's inspired both ardor and annoyance in her own party and vitriol from the right-wing media.

And she found a defender on Wednesday in Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif.

ALSO: Liberal revolt threatens to derail House Democrats

In an appearance on 'The View' Wednesday morning, Harris came to Ocasio-Cortez's defense when asked if she felt the New York congresswoman's bold positions would divide the Democratic Party.

"I wanted to ask you, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the new darling of the party," began host Meghan McCain. "She's on '60 Minutes' this weekend proudly calling herself a radical, and she's promoting policies like saying that every single carbon emission in the country  every car  should be eliminated within the next 11 years, everything from a 70 to 80 percent tax rate. Do you agree that she could possibly, and this ideology of the socialist left, could splinter your party?"

"No," replied Harris. "You know, I think that she is challenging the status quo. I think that's fantastic."

MORE: Harris says John Kelly got mad when she called him at home about the travel ban

Harris went on to say her background in teaching left her with an appreciation of examining premises and questioning if they're still relevant and meaningful.

"And I think that she is introducing bold ideas that should be discussed," she went on. "I think it's good for the party and I think it's frankly good for the country. Let's look at the bold ideas! And I'm eager that we have those discussions. And when we are able to defend the status quo let's do it, and when there's not merit to that, let's explore new ideas."

Elsewhere in the interview, Harris opted to avoid criticizing Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., for using an expletive to describe the president. She also said the country is ready for a female president of color.

"Listen  I'm not saying that about myself, but I am saying that about the capacity of the American public," she said

"This is how realignments and major transformations happen," tweeted Waleed Shahid, a former staffer for Ocasio-Cortez who now runs communications for the Justice Democrats, of Harris's comments on the congresswoman from New York. "Change the political weather and people will follow the winds."

Filipa Ioannou is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at fioannou@sfchronicle.com and follow her on TwitterIn California Sen. Kamala Harris' new memoir "The Truths We Hold: An American Journey," the senator details a phone call with former White House Chief of Staff and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly.

Harris says she called Kelly during the Trump administration's rollout of the travel ban in January 2017, back when Kelly was with the Department of Homeland Security.

"There were a lot of ways Secretary Kelly could have shown responsiveness, a lot of information he could have provided," Harris wrote. "Indeed the American people had a right to this information, and, given my oversight role on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, I intended to get it."

According to Harris, Kelly was annoyed the senator called him while he was at home.

"Instead, he said gruffly, 'Why are you calling me at home with this?' That was his chief concern," Harris wrote. "By the time we got off the phone, it was clear that he didn't understand the depth of what was going on. He said he'd get back to me, but he never did."

Harris was fiercely critical of President Trump's controversial executive order that placed restrictions on travel from seven majority-Muslim countries.

"Denying people admission to our country because of the god they worship is wrong and counter to our values as a country," Harris said in 2017. "This was a decision clearly driven more by politics and trying fulfill a campaign promise rather than national security."

Harris is widely expected to run for president in 2020, and her decision to release a memoir in early 2019 is seen as an unmistakable sign the senator is eyeing the White House.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE staff writer. Email him at eting@sfchronicle.com and follow him on Twitter

Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer delivered a rebuttal to President Donald Trump's Oval Office address on illegal immigration Tuesday night, and the Democratic duo instantly turned into a meme.

Some compared Pelosi and Schumer to the couple in Grant Wood's classic painting "American Gothic," while others said the lawmakers closely resembled exasperated parents.

Click through the slideshow above to see the best "Chuck and Nancy" memes.

During their rebuttal, Schumer and Pelosi blamed the government shutdown on President Trump, and called on the president to reopen the government and negotiate on border security later.

FULL COVERAGE: Trump pleads on TV for wall funding to fix border 'crisis'

Schumer said Democrats and Republicans agree on the need to secure borders. But the New York Democrat said the "symbol of America should be the Statue of Liberty, not a 30-foot wall."

FACT CHECK: Your fact-checking cheat sheet for Trump's immigration address

Schumer noted that Trump had promised to have Mexico pay for the wall. But he says having failed, Trump is now "unable to convince Congress or the American people to foot the bill."

He added, "American democracy doesn't work that way. We don't govern by temper tantrum."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Eric Ting is an SFGATE staff writer. Email him at eting@sfchronicle.com and follow him on Twitter

Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.Aerial view of Houses damaged by Hurricane Maria in Naranjito, Puerto Rico, on 23 October 2017. Photo: Ricardo Arduengo / AFP / Getty Images

By Nicole Acevedo

7 January 2019

(NBC News)  As the new Congress starts the year, Democrats are picking up an unresolved fight: investigating the Trump administrations response to Hurricanes Irma and Maria in Puerto Rico.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand , D-N.Y., announced on Monday that shes reintroducing a bill to establish a 9/11-style independent commission to investigate exactly how and why the federal government abandoned its responsibilities and turned its back on Puerto Rico.

We need to get to the bottom of exactly what went so terribly wrong, said Gillibrand in a statement. I am proud to fight for Puerto Rico in the Senate, and I urge my colleagues to support this legislation just as they would if a natural disaster hit their own states.

The legislation co-sponsored by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Edward Markey, D-Mass., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Kamala Harris, D-Calif., and Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., would analyze how a questionable methodology to account for hurricane deaths, a lack of disaster preparedness, and an inadequate telecommunications systems, among other missteps, hurt Puerto Ricos emergency response.

Lawmakers said that by knowing the answers to these questions, they could find ways to improve the federal governments capacity to effectively mobilize to the island and help in post-hurricane relief efforts in the wake of another disaster.

Its been well over a year since Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated Puerto Rico, and we still dont know why the federal governments preparedness and response were so flawed, said Warren, who established an exploratory committee to consider a 2020 White House bid. The Commission established by our bill would give us a full accounting of what happened and help provide the U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico, in Massachusetts, and across the country with the answers they deserve.

Hispanic members of Congress were the first ones to call for the creation of such commission to investigate how hurricane-related deaths were accounted for in Puerto Rico and whether the delay reporting these fatalities in the immediate aftermath of the storm slowed Washingtons response. [more]

Democrats renew push to investigate Trumps Hurricane Maria response in Puerto RicoAfter seven years of advocating for the improvement of the survival and quality of life for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer , the Clearity Foundation has partnered with the Susan Poorman Blackie Ovarian Cancer Foundation (SPB Foundation) to further help these women and their support systems.

The two nonprofit organizations in November launched a pilot program called Steps Through Ovarian Cancer (OC), which provides free access to professional counseling, education, resources and other forms of support for women going through ovarian cancer and anyone around them who may be affected by their diagnosis.

Hillary Theakston, executive director of the San Diego-based Clearity Foundation, recently discussed this new venture, its goals and how it works.

Hillary Theakston Courtesy

Q: What inspired the Clearity Foundation and the SPB foundation to launch Steps Through OC?

A: It was a bit of a serendipitous alignment in our efforts to understand what the unmet needs were in the ovarian cancer community. At the time, Clearity had been in existence for about seven years and had been helping women to test their tumors. The SPB Foundation had been around about three years and had made some interesting science-based grants and supported Clearity very generously, but then decided to make it a strategic decision that they wanted to concentrate their investment in understanding where there were unmet needs that remained with patients and their families. They started a grassroots market research effort to understand what went wrong on the ovarian cancer journey and where patients and families struggled the most.

We really came to understand the journey in, I think, one really consistent and important way. That is that patients and families oftentimes struggle, not to access information  because there's a wealth of information online, as anyone who's searched for a health condition knows  but figuring out what information you can trust and what is relevant given their clinical situation is really a different challenge and something that folks struggle with. They also don't always know what information can be helpful to them at a particular time. The challenge to get proactive, credible and trustworthy information is a very prominent feature that Clearity came to appreciate in our work and that SPB really came to understand in their market research efforts. That was really a shared observation that led to the launch of this.

Q: How is each participant matched with a counselor?

A: What we do is have the participant complete what we call an OC Coordinates Survey, which helps us to identify among many issues that tend to come up on the ovarian cancer journey and what the participant is struggling with at a particular moment in time. We have a little bit of a map and an orientation as to what issues are being grappled with and will need to be tackled first. We have about seven part-time counselors, and we'll make a match on that basis. Sometimes it really relates to practical issues like what time zone they're in. We have some male counselors and some participants have indicated a preference for female counselors. It's sometimes just logistical and practical issues, and then other times it has to do with the issues that they're confronting and what they happen to be needing support with at a given time.

Q: What are the counseling sessions like and how often are they held?

A: They're by video conference or by phone, depending on what the participant would prefer. It starts out as weekly counseling sessions and is really based on the needs or concerns that the participant identifies as part of that OC Coordinates survey. Then, our outbound counseling drops to every other week and then to monthly. If the participant indicates they'd still prefer to maintain weekly touch-points, we accommodate that in the program. This is just what we expect will be the desired frequency of counseling sessions. That program goes for six months, and if participants want to continue past that, that's an option. If participants want to stop counseling and come back, in the event that they need it, that's available, too. We really try to be flexible and responsive to what folks are needing at any given time.

Q: Are there any requirements to participate other than going through ovarian cancer or knowing someone going through it?

A: We're just national right now, so we don't really have international capabilities. We have staffing with a goal to support about 150 participants over this 12-month pilot period. We've already recruited 81 participants [since November]. We've really gotten a very positive response to it, and we're working to add additional counselors. We hope to support even more participants than our original 150 that we contemplated as part of the pilot.

Q: Why do you find this type of service to be beneficial for the caregivers and family members?

A: Ovarian cancer is a really devastating diagnosis. It's one of the cancer indications where we haven't seen nearly as much progress as we'd like to or even as we've seen in other kinds of cancer. There's a really high risk of recurrence; most women are diagnosed in late-stage and, for those, they have about a 75 percent chance of recurring. The 10-year survival rate is just about at a third. This is a pretty daunting diagnosis, and it affects the whole family. The surgery can be difficult to recover from. Chemotherapy can be challenging for some patients to manage. It really has pretty wide-ranging effects to the woman who's being treated, her physical health and her emotional health. The stress and anxiety that can come with this diagnosis can be difficult, and that can ripple through the whole family. Children and spouses can also feel that stress. ... We really think there's a lot of need to support the folks who are supporting the patient, ultimately, to help them manage their stress levels to stay healthy physically and to manage the ripple effect that this diagnosis can introduce into people's lives.

Q: How have you seen people be affected by your support?

A: What we've found is that patients and their families have a huge sense of relief when they connect with Clearity. They feel they have someone who is with them for as long as they need them to be and that they can speak honestly about their concerns and needs. They can trust the information that we provide because it's based on science, and we really don't have any restrictions or limitations. We don't worry about reimbursement or whatever kinds of policies might exist at any given treatment institution. Our sole aim is to help that patient or that family member have the best possible outcome that they can. We take the time to learn what's important to them. It's not just a matter of what the science says, but it's bringing into the picture, here's what your individual clinical situation is, here's what your priorities are, here's what your concerns and needs are, and here's how this science can support your treatment through that. Participants tell us they finally feel they have a source of hope that they can trust and someone who knows what they're going through.

We've heard that at Clearity  and we're hearing that through these Steps Through Ovarian Cancer counselors  that there's really some magic in combining someone who is trained as a counselor or therapist but has a really detailed and intimate knowledge of the ovarian cancer experience. That's a really powerful combination, and it's not something that really exists in the patient advocacy community currently. We're excited there appears to be a real, definite need for this and that we're able to meet that need.

Q: Why has this mission been so important to you?

A: Both of my maternal grandparents died of cancer at a fairly young age. My grandmother died in her early 60s, and it was ultimately diagnosed as colon cancer, but we think that the primary cancer might have been gynecological cancer that had metastasized. I think most of us have been touched by someone who has struggled with this diagnosis. It was just always something that was important to me that I had a very personal appreciation for how difficult it can be and for the struggle that families go through. We lose far too many women early and they leave holes in their communities and families. It's just something that has been a passion of mine for a long time.The Del Mar Fairgrounds is taking a step toward more security measures after the 22nd District Agricultural Association Board of Directors on Jan. 8 approved a full-time deputy to patrol the venue during special events.

The 7-1 decision  with board member Watson dissenting and board member Lisa Barkett absent  came after the San Diego County Sheriffs Department announced the creation of a special events unit to patrol events at the fairgrounds, Waterfront Playground in San Diego and other areas throughout the county within the sheriffs departments jurisdiction.

The deputy will cost the fairgrounds about $134,000 in its first year and about $192,000 in its second year.

According to Pat Kerins, the public safety director for the fair, the change came as a result of demand on the sheriffs department to provide dedicated law enforcement services for special events within its coverage area.

The fairgrounds officer would be the same North County Sheriffs Department-based deputy who has been tasked with the fairgrounds for the last decade and would be dedicated to the space with flexible hours to accommodate the venues needs, Kerins said. In his new role, that same deputy would be moved to the Sheriffs Department headquarters in Kearny Mesa.

In a letter to the fair board, Kerins listed positives for the change, including that the position would mitigate the need for taxing the law enforcement services of the cities of Del Mar and Solana Beach and that a present uniformed deputy could help deter crime from the fairgrounds.

Without such a deputy, Kerins said, the fairgrounds wouldnt have a subject-matter expert of the venue and direct communication with the sheriffs department may be more difficult.

Sheriffs Commander Pete Callewaert added he believed the program would ensure a level of consistency and customization for [the fairgrounds] security needs.

But the fair boards decision didnt come easily for some of the board members.

Richard Valdez, vice president of the board, questioned why the sheriffs department moved a deputy to a new task force, with the fair board ultimately having to pay for that change. He questioned if the sheriffs departments level of service to the fairgrounds would be lessened if the board did not approve the change.

What Im hearing is theres been a change in policy from the sheriffs department to move people who are effectively helping us, putting them into special units and expecting us to pay if we want that same person to provide the same service he provided before on an ongoing basis, he said.

Callaewaert said if the board did not approve the change, it would instead have a part-time liaison rather than a full-time deputy. He noted the fairgrounds has never had a dedicated officer.

Board member Watson, the lone no vote, said he didnt believe the fairgrounds was a special events facility and said it was more similar to places like Legoland, SeaWorld or the San Diego Zoo that also operate daily and have similar attendance.

Tim Fennell, the CEO and general manager of the fairgrounds, urged the board to approve the new deputy to keep the venue safe.

Board member Kathlyn Mead agreed, adding she believed the new program could be precautious.

I see it as an ounce of prevention, she said. I dont want us to have this conversation after an incident.

Before voting to approve the change, Valdez said he believed the decision put the board in a compromising position.

As a board member of a public agency that serves hundreds of thousands of people per year, Im hearing security might be compromised, he said. Thats concerning to me. But also fiscally responsible on a budget that we just passed thats already very tight, this is placing us in a very challenged position. Im getting few choices as to where I should land on this.

Ultimately, the board decided to adopt the new policy while also asking staff to adjust the budget accordingly and provide a review of the program at the end of the year.The Milligan family at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Courtesy

Mike and Beth Milligan of Del Mar moved 47 times over nine months as they traveled with their three young children through Europe on their trip of a lifetime.

Along with their home, family and friends, what did they miss most? Peanut butter.

The family returned from their travels in August, after visiting 60 towns and cities across Europe, and accumulating wonderful memories. They carried two suitcases, backpacks and a portable crib for their youngest, Brecken, who was a year old when they began the trip in November 2017.

The two oldest, Reghan and Hank, who were 7 and 5 when the trip began, are back in school. And their parents are already planning their next adventure, a six-week trip to Thailand.

I feel like you can talk about the world with your kids, but its so much cooler to show them, said Beth, a stay-at-home mom.

The trip came together after an insurance business that Mike co-owned was sold in September 2017, and a non-compete agreement kept him from going back into business until 2019. The couple talked about taking a trip, which coalesced into a long-term excursion around more than a dozen European countries.

I was more the instigator, probably, Mike conceded.

It was kind of a dream, said Beth. It all just fell into place.

The Milligan family in Prague. Courtesy

The couple talked to the principal of their kids school, Del Mar Heights Elementary, who told them, The kids are going to learn more from traveling with you guys than they ever will in school, said Beth, and so they decided to turn Europe into one large classroom, for lessons on history, art, and many other topics.

They packed up their personal belongings and rented their Del Mar home to close friends, and took off for a trip that began in Amsterdam, and wound through Switzerland (where they spent Christmas and New Years), Munich, Vienna, Prague, Scotland, England, Ireland, Croatia, Greece, Italy, France and Portugal.

Mike celebrated his 40th birthday in April at Castle Ashford in Ireland.

Considering the size of their family, the Milligans traveled light  each family member had a small, zip-up bag of clothes, each of which was a different color so they could tell them apart. The clothing bags were stashed inside two large suitcases when they traveled. Rather than carrying bulky camera equipment, they took photos with their cell phones and posted them to a private Facebook page they set up for friends and family.

They used their travels to create impromptu learning experiences for their children, said Beth, such as having them read street signs or menus. And they also brought along book for reading practice, although the lessons sometimes led to grumbling.

The family stayed mostly in Airbnb rentals, but mixed in a few hotel stays along the way. Rather than planning out the entire trip in advance, they planned several weeks out as they went. Mike would stay up at night as Beth watched a show on TV, scribbling in the spiral notebook he kept to plan their itinerary, accommodations and transportation.

Whenever possible, they would let the children have a say in what they would see or do in each place, and along with museums and famous sights, they spent time at toy stores, parks and zoos. Among the childrens favorites, said the couple, were a circus in Berlin, and the Edinburgh coffee shop and hotel room where J.K. Rowling wrote her Harry Potter books. Another family favorite was a parade in Prague, featuring marching bands and colorful masks.

They also programmed in plenty of down time, including naps for Brecken, their youngest.

The pace of the familys travel was much slower than if the adults had been traveling alone, said Beth. We had to do something for the kids every day.

One of their few mishaps came when a man approached Mike in Prague, asking to trade smaller denomination notes for a larger bill in Czech money that Mike had withdrawn from an ATM. It turned out the mans bank notes were Belarussian currency and virtually worthless. Mike said the lesson cost him about $96.

But in general, said Beth, We felt very safe everywhere we went.

While Mike says he would leave tomorrow on a repeat adventure, Beth said she is grateful they had the opportunity to travel for an extended period, but would prefer to take shorter family trips in the future. Would she consider another 9-month trip?* At the invitation of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president, Kim Jong-un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is visiting China, a spokesperson said on January 8.

* The Republic of Korea (RoK)'s presidential Blue House on January 8 welcomed the visit by Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to China, as it was anticipated to contribute to building peace on the Korean Peninsula.

* More than 600 people were rescued in Ukraine in the past 24 hours after being trapped in their vehicles by a heavy snowstorm, the State Service for Emergencies said on January 8.

* Influential business body London First on January 8 called for a second referendum in the event the Brexit deal is voted down in the UK parliament later this month and no workable alternative plan is found.

* The Turkish presidential spokesman said on January 8 that the United States should hand over its 16 military bases used for fighting the Islamic State (IS) militants in northern Syria to Turkey or the local authorities after its pullout.

* US President Donald Trump has been considering declaring a possible national emergency to acquire the money for building his pledged wall on the US-Mexico border, Vice President Mike Pence said on January 7.

* French President Emmanuel Macron held a telephone conversation with his American counterpart Donald Trump to discuss Washington's plan to pull out its forces from Syria, the Elysee said on January 8.

* Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on January 8 that the country will keep working with its global partners to neutralize US sanctions against the Islamic republic.

* The RoK President Moon Jae-in on January 8 replaced his chief of staff and two senior secretaries as he entered the third year of his five-year term.

* Venezuelan state-owned oil company PDVSA and French company Maurel & Prom signed a 400-million-US dollar agreement to increase production of crude in the western state of Zulia, said Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on January 7.

* At least one civilian was killed and 26 others wounded after an explosion ripped through a road in Khost, a city in eastern Afghanistan, on January 8, officials said.

* At least 55 fighters of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were either killed or wounded in a counterattack unleashed by the Islamic State (IS) in eastern Syria, a war monitor reported on January 8.

* South Sudan has resumed oil production in the northern Unity region after disruption by a five-year old conflict which damaged oil wells.Norman Yee was chosen Tuesday by his colleagues on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to be the board's new president.



Yee, who represents District 7 that includes the Twin Peaks, West Portal and Parkmerced areas of the city, was first elected to the board in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016.



Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who represents District 9 that includes the Mission District and other neighborhoods close by, received four votes to Yee's seven in the initial vote among the 11 supervisors.







A state assemblyman from San Francisco on Tuesday introduced legislation that would seek to phase out paper receipts and make electronic receipts the default practice when making a purchase.



Assembly Bill 161, proposed by Assemblyman Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, would make businesses in the state have to provide e-receipts to customers by 2022 unless they specifically request a hard copy.



"Most of us don't need a physical receipt for every transaction. It doesn't make sense to kill so many trees ... to make something we don't often need," Ting said in a news release.



He cited a report last year by the nonprofit Green America that found that up to 10 million trees and 21 billion gallons of water are used in the U.S. every year just to create receipts.



The proposal, if approved, would make California the first state in the country to mandate a move toward e-receipts, according to Ting's office.







A 17-year-old Redwood City boy was shot and killed in front of an elementary school in Belmont late Monday night, according to police.



Police said family members of the victim, whose name hasn't been released, called police around 10:55 p.m. requesting a welfare check on the victim who they believed was at Central Elementary School in the 500 block of Middle Road.



When officers arrived, they found the victim lying in the parking lot at the front of the school, suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.



According to police, the victim is believed to have known the suspect, and the shooting wasn't random. Police said the victim had no connection to the school.



No arrest has been announced and police have not released any suspect information.







A 58-year-old man was fatally stabbed in downtown San Francisco on Monday evening, police said Tuesday.



The attack was reported around 5:45 p.m. in the 900 block of Post Street.



The victim, whose name is not immediately being released, suffered lacerations to his head and neck and was pronounced dead, according to police.



Police said the suspect is a 42-year-old man who has not been arrested. No other details about the case have been released as of Tuesday morning.







The Solano County coroner's office has identified a man who died after a collision near Cordelia on Saturday night as Juan Torrentes Cruz, 42, of West Sacramento.



Cruz was killed when his 2015 Ford Mustang collided with a 2015 Audi A6 around 10:55 p.m. on westbound Interstate Highway 80 near the connector from northbound Interstate Highway 680 in unincorporated Solano County, according to the California Highway Patrol.



Cruz died at the scene and the Audi driver complained of pain after the collision, CHP Officer David Harvey said Tuesday.







A trail of blood helped police solve the fatal stabbing of a 59-year-old Oakland man outside the Greyhound bus station in Oakland last month, according to court documents.



Anthony Morales, 36, of Albany, Oregon, appeared in court on Tuesday on a murder charge for allegedly stabbing Eric McMillian near the station at 2103 San Pablo Ave. shortly before 9 p.m. on Dec. 19 but he postponed entering his plea until he returns to court on Jan. 22.







Santa Clara County public health officials announced Tuesday the county's first flu death of someone under 65 years old during the current 2018-19 flu season.



The person who died was 39 years old and had other medical conditions that led to an increased risk of severe complications from the flu, according to the county Public Health Department.



More information about the person who died is not being released by the county because of medical privacy laws.



There were 11 such deaths of people under 65 in Santa Clara County during the 2017-18 flu season. At least four other cases of severe flu in people under 65 have been reported to the department so far this season.







Napa Valley Unified School District Superintendent Rosanna Mucetti on Tuesday addressed complaints by some parents about the district's delay in disclosing a male juvenile student's alleged threat to shoot students at two district schools.



A River Middle School student allegedly told a fellow schoolmate about his plan for the mass shootings at River Middle School and Vintage High School, Napa police said.



He also allegedly threatened to kill his fellow student who said he was going to report the plan to police and his parents, according to police.



Police learned about the shooting threat on Dec. 31 and arrested the 14-year-old suspect on Jan. 2 based on Internet searches about other school shootings they found in the teen suspect's two Napa residences, police Capt. Patrick Manzer said.



"I want to assure you that we have been in constant contact with the Napa Police Department throughout the incident and had there been an active threat that required families to take action, both law enforcement and the district would have been proactive and clear about that," Mucetti said.







The chief of Emergency Medical Services for the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District was arrested Sunday on suspicion of illegal possession of controlled substances, fire officials said Tuesday.



EMS Chief Richard Stephenson was arrested by Martinez police Sunday morning and has been placed on administrative leave, according to the firs district.



"Preliminary investigation indicates this is an isolated incident that did not involve the public or affect our services provided to the public," Fire Chief Jeff Carman said in a news release.



Stephenson has been with the fire district for 19 years.







A federal appeals court in San Francisco on Tuesday upheld a U.S. law that makes it a crime for people who are illegally in the United States to possess a gun.



The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in the case of a San Jose man, Victor Manuel Torres, who entered the U.S. illegally from Mexico in 2005 at the age of 20.



In 2014, he was found to have a loaded revolver in his backpack after he was arrested in Los Gatos on suspicion of trying to sell a stolen bicycle. Torres was convicted in federal court in San Jose and sentenced to two years and three months in prison for being an illegal immigrant in possession of gun.



In his appeal, Torres claimed the federal law violated his constitutional Second Amendment right to possess firearms.



But the appeals court said that while it is unclear whether undocumented immigrants have Second Amendment rights, the law banning gun possession by that group is "a valid exercise of Congress's authority."







Palo Alto police are seeking a man who sexually assaulted a woman early Monday morning.



A woman in her 30s called police at 4:18 a.m. Monday to report that she had just been sexually assaulted in the 100 block of Everett Avenue. She drove to the police station after the assault and used the phone at the front door to report the crime, according to police.



The woman was talking west on the south side of Everett Avenue and, as she approached her parked car, the suspect walked up and asked if she had any spare change, police said.



She said she did and reached into the car to get some change. The suspect then struck her on the back and then the back of her head with an object, then sexually assaulted her, according to police.



The victim screamed and fought back, at which point the suspect reached into her jacket pocket and stole her wallet, then fled east on Everett Avenue and turned north on Emerson Street, police said.







The 42-year-old Harry's Hofbrau restaurant will close at the end of service on Tuesday night after losing its lease, the restaurant announced this week.



Known for its turkey, beer and generous portions, the German cafeteria-style restaurant at 390 Saratoga Ave. was once part of a larger chain but only two other locations remain in Redwood City and San Leandro.



The restaurant said years of service had taken a toll on the facility and the city of San Jose and investors have plans to redevelop the site.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.Karen Thompson Walker Dan Hawk Photography

In her writing, novelist Karen Thompson Walker takes ordinary people and puts them in the most unusual - even bizarre - circumstances.

Her first novel, The Age of Miracles, follows the lives of her characters when the Earths rotation suddenly slows, causing days and nights to become longer, gravity to change, and disruptions to affect the natural world.

In her new book, The Dreamers, set for release by Penguin Random House in mid-January, a student in an isolated Southern California college town falls asleep in her dorm room, and doesnt wake up. Soon, more people both within and outside of the college are succumbing to the mysterious sleeping malady, setting off panic and chaos. Doctors detect unusual levels of brain activity in the sleepers, indicating heightened dreams.

As with her earlier book, said Walker during a recent telephone interview, the new novel allowed her to chronicle ordinary people facing extreme situations, and to examine what happens to the bonds between people when they are tested by highly stressful events.

I think a strange premise like this just really captures my imagination, said Walker, who will talk about her book at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 17, during an appearance at Warwicks bookstore, 7812 Girard Ave., La Jolla.

The Dreamers is set in a fictional college town that Walker said was patterned after Lake Arrowhead. Her first book, The Age of Miracles, was set in an imagined version of Del Mar , where she grew up and where her parents still live. Walker attended elementary school in Del Mar and later graduated from Torrey Pines High School.

In the year between her graduation from UCLA and graduate school at Columbia University in New York, she worked as a writer for the Carmel Valley News and Rancho Santa Fe Review.

After graduate school, while working as a book editor for a publishing house, she wrote her first novel in the mornings before work, sometimes while riding on the subway, according to her website.

The cover of "The Dreamers" Courtesy

While she creates strange situations for her characters to deal with, she considers her fictional scenarios as a way of probing more commonplace themes such as loss and love. The new book, she said, allowed her to ponder the mysteries of human consciousness, sleep and the world of dreams, as well as the intersection between dreams and reality.

My hope is that this story reflects and casts back on more ordinary situations, as a lens to look at more ordinary highs and lows in life, she said.

As an example, Walker said, she drew on her own experiences of having a baby as she wrote about a father who tries to protect his newborn child when his wife contracts the mysterious sleeping illness.

As she awaits the release of The Dreamers in bookstores and online outlets, Walker is also looking forward to the possibility that her book will one day become a television series. Warren Littlefield of Fox 21, who produced two of her favorite shows, The Handmaids Tale and Fargo, has obtained the TV option for her new novel, said Walker.

If The Dreamers does make it to the small screen, she said, it wont contain all the sentences she painstakingly crafted while writing the book, but will instead be its own, different art form, which she hopes will capture the essence of her book.

Im excited to see how it might turn out, she said.

Along with her own writing, Walker also nurtures the writing of undergrads and graduate students at the University of Oregon , where she is an assistant professor of creative writing.

She has found that academic life contributes in important ways to her work as a novelist.

Questions that her students ask, she said, lead to new insights I didnt have before. The discussions we have enrich my own thinking.

Walker lives in Portland with her husband, novelist Casey Walker, and the couples two daughters.SAN FRANCISCO (BCN)



Norman Yee was chosen Tuesday by his colleagues on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to be the board's new president.



Yee, who represents District 7 that includes the Twin Peaks, West Portal and Parkmerced areas of the city, was first elected to the board in 2012 and was re-elected in 2016.



Supervisor Hillary Ronen, who represents District 9 that includes the Mission District and other neighborhoods close by, received four votes to Yee's seven in the initial vote among the 11 supervisors.



The crowded meeting saw hours of public comment by people supporting Yee or Ronen.



Members of the city's Latino community, particularly women, showed an overwhelming amount of support for Ronen, mentioning her work for immigrant rights and housing in her district. Several of Yee's supporters referenced his eight years of service on the school board and his work on childcare.



Mayor London Breed, who herself was board president before being elected as mayor following the unexpected death of Mayor Ed Lee in December 2017, issued a statement congratulating Yee on becoming board president.



"I know firsthand the responsibility that comes with serving in this role, which includes working collaboratively with all members of the board to improve the lives of everyone in San Francisco," Breed said.



Also at Tuesday's meeting, the city's newest supervisors were sworn in.



Supervisor Matt Haney will take over District 6, replacing former Supervisor Jane Kim, while Supervisor Shamann Walton will take over District 10 for former Board President Malia Cohen.



District 4 Supervisor Gordon Mar, who is the brother of former Supervisor Eric Mar, will replace former Supervisor Katy Tang.



Incumbent Supervisors Catherine Stefani and Rafael Mandelman were also sworn in.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.Colusa County sheriff's officials said Tuesday a Healdsburg man was killed in a plane crash south of Colusa early Monday afternoon.



According to sheriff's officials, Jeffrey Thomas Webber, 66, and a Louisiana man died in the crash that occurred around 12:15 p.m. Monday.



The plane crashed in a water detention pond adjacent to flooded rice land in the Wescott Road area. Sheriff's deputies also found a badly wounded dog along a road at the crash site, the sheriff's office said.



A dive team found two dead men in the wreckage. Lionel J. Robin, 71, of Arnaudville, Louisiana also was killed in the crash.



The Federal Aviation Administration had reported a possible downed private plane occupied by two men and a dog two and a half miles south of Colusa, according to the sheriff's office.



The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.OAKLAND (BCN)



Oakland City Councilman Dan Kalb said on Tuesday that he and his former chief of staff were among the good Samaritans who helped rescue a woman who was stabbed near City Hall last week.



Kalb said he was meeting with Olga Bolotina at the Peet's Coffee shop at 1615 Broadway at about 5 p.m. on Jan. 2 when they heard a commotion outside and saw a 54-year-old woman being stabbed by a 70-year-old man later identified by police as Clinton Lucas of Oakland.



Kalb, who was elected as the council's president pro tem at its first meeting of the year on Monday, said he and Bolotina yelled at Lucas and they were joined by two men who also helped the woman.



Oakland police Officer Edvin Mendez wrote in a probable cause statement that one of the men, who hasn't been identified, tackled Lucas to the ground and subdued him until police arrived and arrested him.



Mendez said Lucas and the woman had been arguing on an Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District bus and after they got off the bus in the 1600 block of Broadway he continued to yell at her.



Mendez wrote that Lucas apparently was armed with a 4-inch-long black foldable knife, approached the woman and made "numerous thrusting actions at her chest area, striking her several times."



The woman suffered three stab wounds, had two collapsed lungs and had to have a tube placed in her windpipe to help her breathe, according to Mendez.



The woman is in critical but stable condition.



Mendez wrote that based on witness statements and video surveillance of the stabbing "it appears Lucas intended to kill the victim."



Lucas has been charged with willful, deliberate and premeditated attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.



He's being held at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin without bail and is scheduled to return to court on Jan. 16 to be assigned an attorney and possibly enter a plea.



Kalb said the man who tackled Lucas left the area after police arrived but said he hopes the man comes forward so he can thank him.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.A 44-year-old San Mateo County sheriff's correctional officer has been charged with misdemeanor insurance fraud after he was found to have participated in an obstacle course race while receiving disability payments for a sprained shoulder, prosecutors said.



Edmundo Rocha reported an injury in October 2016 that he said resulted from defensive tactics training the previous month, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office.



Rocha was diagnosed with a left shoulder sprain and was offered workers' compensation benefits. His doctor ordered him to be on modified duty, but the sheriff's office eventually had him stay out of work on total temporary disability, prosecutors said.



However, while on disability, he ran in a Spartan Race and a GoPro camera worn by a fellow sheriff's employee captured Rocha navigating obstacles in the course. When he went to see a specialist weeks later, he did not disclose that he was able to participate in the race, prosecutors said.



Rocha did eventually have surgery on his left shoulder, according to the district attorney's office. Prosecutors said they are seeking $5,000 in restitution to the county.



Rocha was set for arraignment Wednesday morning and is out of custody on his own recognizance. His attorney Josh Bentley was not immediately available for comment on the case.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.ANTIOCH (BCN)



A suspect was arrested after a silent alarm was tripped at a business in Antioch on Tuesday night, according to police.



The alarm was activated around 9:15 p.m. at Bond Manufacturing at 1700 W. Fourth St., police said. When officers arrived, an employee was able to tell police that a surveillance camera showed there was an intruder inside the business.



An Antioch police officer and a K-9 named "Kaia" then searched the large property, where they found the suspect, a 30-year-old man, hiding on top of merchandise stacked 12 feet off the ground, police said.



The suspect, whose name hasn't been released, surrendered peacefully and was booked into county jail. Police said investigators are trying to determine if the suspect is connected to a burglary at the same business that happened on Monday.





Copyright  2019 by Bay City News, Inc. Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.WASHINGTON  President Trump slammed his hand on a table and stormed out of a White House meeting with congressional leaders Wednesday after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would not fund a wall along the southern border, dramatically escalating the confrontation over the government shutdown.

Stunned Democrats emerged from the White House meeting declaring that Trump had thrown a temper tantrum. The presidents allies accused Democrats of refusing to negotiate. Then he tweeted that the meeting was a total waste of time.

The afternoon altercation came after Trump appeared to rally nervous Senate Republicans around his strategy to keep parts of the government closed until Democrats accede to his demand for $5.7 billion for a border wall.

Emerging from the lunchtime meeting on Capitol Hill, Trump declared that Republicans were totally unified even if he faced some questions about strategy. Largely, senators signaled that they agreed.

There was no discussion about anything other than solidarity, Trump said.

The presidents defiance, and his apparent success at lining up his restive party behind him  at least for now  all but ensures that the impasse will continue into the foreseeable future. Democrats reiterated their own entrenched position Wednesday, insisting the president end the shutdown that has affected 800,000 federal workers and rippled through the economy before settling the border dispute.

Moderate Republicans who entered the room confident that senators were coalescing around the idea that the government should be reopened while the border security debate continues left disappointed, convinced that for now, the party would follow Trump perilously further into a shutdown with an uncertain end.

A handful of them, including Cory Gardner of Colorado, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and James Lankford of Oklahoma, pressed Trump on the mounting impact on federal workers and related industries in their states. His response was consistent.

I was able to raise the issues that I have with using a shutdown, Murkowski said. He listened and urged that we all stick together.

Meanwhile, history shows us that closing the government actually costs more than keeping it open.

Shuttered parks cant collect entrance fees. Furloughed workers will ultimately get paid for not showing up to work. And the government will wind up having to pay interest on missed payments to some contractors.

And Americans still need to file their income taxes by April 15, whether or not the government is open. But the IRS has furloughed employees in charge of collecting back taxes.

Nicholas Fandos, Michael Tackett and Jim Tankersley are New York Times writers.WASHINGTON  President Trumps broadside that he has ordered the federal government to halt relief funds for California wildfires unless they get their act together roiled the states lawmakers  including some in the presidents own party.

Trumps statement, which he issued in a tweet early Wednesday, was an escalation of a threat he first made after wildfires last year burned hundreds of thousands of acres and killed almost 100 people. But by evening, there was still no clarity on what Trump meant, whether he had followed through or what he wanted the state to do.

In the meantime, the idea was greeted with scathing criticism from California elected officials, including three Republicans who represent the area devastated by last falls Camp Fire, the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in state history.

Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forest fires that, with proper Forest Management, would never happen. Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money! Trump tweeted.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment, and Trump did not answer shouted questions while at the Capitol for meetings with members of Congress about the partial government shutdown. The Department of Homeland Security, which manages the Federal Emergency Management Agency, referred questions to the White House.

Lawmakers responded immediately nonetheless. Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, circulated a letter to colleagues calling for a bipartisan California delegation meeting on Thursday to craft a response. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-St. Helena, led a letter signed by all 46 California House Democrats calling the tweet casual cruelty and dishonest and urging the president not to cut off funding.

The Republican congressman who represents the area devastated by the Camp Fire, Rep. Doug LaMalfa of Richvale (Butte County), said Trumps threat to cut off aid was not helpful.

Two Republicans who represent the area in the Legislature, Assemblyman James Gallagher of Nicolaus (Sutter County) and state Sen. Jim Nielsen of Gerber (Tehama County), called Trumps tweet wholly unacceptable.

He made a commitment to the people who have lost everything in these fires, and we expect the federal government to follow through with this promise, the GOP legislators said in a statement.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, said Trumps threat was irresponsible and insults the memory of scores of Americans who perished in wildfires last year and thousands more who lost their homes.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield put out a statement late Wednesday that avoided criticizing Trump, but said he remained committed to getting relief money for California.

Among the unanswered questions is what Trump meant by saying he had ordered FEMA to cut off aid. He could refuse to sign future disaster-aid packages that Congress passes. It is questionable, however, whether he has the power to cut off funding after a disaster declaration has been approved.

Federal law governing disaster assistance says that when an emergency exists, the president shall not ... delay or impede the rapid deployment, use, and distribution of critical resources to victims of an emergency. Regulations also make federal-state disaster relief agreements binding once they are entered.

According to UCLA law Professors Jon Michaels and Sean Hecht, there is little precedent for a president reneging on federal disaster aid. However, they noted that presidents have broad discretion over approving disaster declarations in the first place.

There was no indication as to what provoked Trumps tweet. His escalation of attacks on California came one day after new Gov. Gavin Newsom pledged to do more to combat forest fires and called for Trump to work with him.

Newsom responded to Trumps threat with a pair of tweets, noting that he and the governors of Oregon and Washington had asked Trump to work with us in taking on these unprecedented wildfires.

Disasters and recovery are no time for politics, Newsom tweeted.

Trump has suggested that California is overly restrictive when it comes to logging. However, the federal government owns 57 percent of forestland in California, while the state and local agencies own 3 percent. Experts also note that forest management is just one of many factors that can affect wildfires severity.

Many of the blazes that have devastated California since 2017 have been brush fires, not forest fires, and many ran through large swaths of private land, including the Camp Fire in Butte County that killed 86 people.

FEMA disaster relief aid supports rebuilding streets and infrastructure, as well as individual home repairs, rental housing and other personal expenses.

In recent California fires, tens of millions of dollars have gone to help individuals, and hundreds of millions have gone to state agencies. Last year, then-Gov. Jerry Brown asked Congress to appropriate an additional $9 billion for the Camp Fire and Southern California blazes. That request is stalled in Congress.

Californias senators, who have pushed for relief funds, both panned the presidents tweet.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein said in a statement that Trumps empty threat is based on groundless complaints, and candidly isnt worth the time of day.

Feinsteins fellow Democrat, Sen. Kamala Harris, tweeted, We should work together to mitigate these fires by combating climate change, not play politics by threatening to withhold money from survivors of a deadly natural disaster.

And the environmental group Sierra Club mocked the president, referring to an assertion he made last fall that Finland has fewer wildfires because they spend a lot of time raking.

OH NO, HOW WILL WE BUY RAKES TO CLEAN UP THE FORESTS?! the group tweeted.

San Francisco Chronicle

FEMA aid The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides a variety of aid for disaster victims, including assistance for home rebuilding, rent and replacement of personal possessions, and reimbursement for local and state agencies' disaster-related expenses. The agency has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in relief after recent California disasters. For the Camp Fire in Butte County and Southern California fires last fall, $48.8 million of FEMA aid has gone to individuals. Aid to public agencies will come after those agencies file reimbursement claims. For the Carr Fire near Redding and the Mendocino Complex Fire last summer, $6.9 million of FEMA aid has gone to individuals, while $60.7 million has gone to public agencies. For the Thomas Fire and other late-season blazes in Southern California in 2017 and early 2018, and the subsequent flooding and mudslides, $4.8 million of FEMA aid has gone to individuals and $125.3 million to public agencies. For the October 2017 fires in the North Bay and elsewhere in Northern California, $16.8 million of FEMA aid went to individuals and $342.5 million to public agencies. Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency See More Collapse

staff writer Kurtis Alexander contributed to this report.

Tal Kopan is The San Francisco Chronicles Washington correspondent. Email: tal.kopan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @talkopanA Baptist minister in Texas who came to national attention in 2016 when he praised the gunman who killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, resigned from his ministry last week after allegedly using drugs, gambling and paying for sex with prostitutes.

Donnie Romero, who founded the Stedfast Baptist Church in Fort Worth in 2014, told congregants at a church meeting on Jan. 2 that he had not been ruling my house well.

I have been a terrible husband and father, Romero said, according to video of the meeting that was posted to the churchs official YouTube channel. This is the best decision  for my family and my church  to make.

Romero did not elaborate on his alleged impropriety at that meeting, which was largely run by another pastor, Steven L. Anderson. Anderson told congregants that the lord says Romero was disqualified to lead them.

Later, in a video he posted to YouTube, Anderson expanded on what he called the pastors major sins.

Basically, the major sin involved was being with prostitutes, and then there were also marijuana and gambling that were also discovered, Anderson said.

He added that no one else at the church had been tainted with any of this or were involved with any of this.

Anderson did not specify the gender of the prostitutes or provide a timeline for the infractions. Neither Anderson, Romero nor the new pastor of Stedfast Baptist Church, Jonathan Shelley, responded to messages seeking comment on Tuesday.

Stedfast Baptist Church is part of a nationwide network of almost 30 independent Baptist churches associated with Anderson, who founded Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona.

He gained notoriety in 2009 for saying in a sermon that he had prayed for the death of President Barack Obama, and was criticized by the Anti-Defamation League in 2014 for what it called his history of anti-Semitism.

Both churches are vehemently opposed to homosexuality and have been classified as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremism in the United States. The website of Faithful Word Baptist Church describes homosexuality as a sin and an abomination which God punishes with the death penalty.

This network is not coming out of nowhere, its not like its one little church in one little place with some guy who liked to go to prostitutes, said Heidi Beirich, a researcher at the law center. Its a network of congregations across the country with this guy who preaches a  I dont want to call it a theology because it is so hateful, but who preaches that gay people are destroying the country.

Romero and Anderson were among a small group of extreme Christian conservatives who were widely criticized in 2016 for praising Omar Mateen, the gunman who killed 49 people that year at Pulse nightclub, a center of gay night life in Orlando. Mateen said at the time that he was acting in the name of the Islamic State.

More than 50 additional people were injured in the attack. In a sermon shortly after the shooting, Romero said he hoped they would die, too.

In the sermon, which was posted to YouTube, Romero told congregants that gay people were all pedophiles and that he hoped the injured would die of their wounds so that they dont get any more opportunity to go out and hurt little children.

Ill pray to God that God will finish the job that that man started, he said, referring to Mateen. The video of the sermon has since been removed from YouTube.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.Neel Bhatt, a UW assistant professor of otolaryngology, specializes in treating patients with voice problems. Through his work, he began to realize people did not like the sound of their own voices. With the transition to school over Zoom, many students can relate to the discomfort of hearin"It's time to talk about the names of our schools and what they mean and why they matter," Barbara Kanninen said at an August 2017 meeting. "It is time to talk about the values these names reflect and the messages we are sending our children."Powers, 31, of Gloucester County, has been charged with detonating a pipe bomb in Merchants Square on Oct. 19, 2017. There were no reported injuries. The formal criminal charges are two counts of possession of an unregistered destructive device and one count of lying to a federal agent.HIDALGO, Texas  As President Trump travels to the border in Texas to make the case for his $5.7 billion wall, landowner Eloisa Cavazos says she knows firsthand how the project will play out if the White House gets its way.

The federal government has started surveying land along the border in Texas and announced plans to start construction next month. Rather than surrender their land, some property owners are digging in, vowing to reject buyout offers and preparing to fight the administration in court.GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba  An attorney for the accused architect of the Sept. 11 attacks told a judge in a secret session last year that CIA Director Gina Haspel ran a secret agency outpost at Guantanamo, an apparent reference to a post-9/11 black site, according to a recently declassified transcript.

The claim by Rita Radostitz, a lawyer for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, appears in one paragraph of a partially redacted transcript of a secret hearing held at Guantanamo on Nov. 16. Defense lawyers were arguing, in a motion that ultimately failed, that Haspels role at the prison precludes the possibility of a fair trial for the men accused of orchestrating the 9/11 attacks who were also held for years in covert CIA prisons.

Neither the public nor the accused was allowed to attend the hearing but, following an intelligence review, the Pentagon released portions of its transcript on a war court website.

Haspel reportedly ran a CIA black site in Thailand where two terror suspects were waterboarded, probably before her arrival there. The unverified statement that she had a similar assignment at the terror-detention center at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, would reveal a never-before disclosed chapter of the spy chiefs clandestine career.

The CIA declined to comment on the claim.

But in the transcript of a discussion about CIA torture and restrictions on the lawyers for the alleged plotters of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Radostitz notes that prosecutors claim they are not trying to cover up the torture.  But the one thing that theyre not willing to talk about is the names of the people involved in the torture. Then, after a large censored section, she says, it makes it impossible for people at Guantanamo, who may have seen her when she was here as chief of base, to identify her and talk about it.

Chief of base is a CIA term for the officer in charge of a secret foreign outpost. A 2014 Senate study of the CIAs network of secret overseas prisons, called black sites, said the CIA had two such secret prisons at Guantanamo in 2003 and 2004  apart from the Pentagons Guantanamo prison known as Camp Delta. While the military prison commanders names were disclosed, those who served as CIA chief of base were not.

The CIA sent the alleged 9/11 conspirators and other high-value detainees to military detention at Guantanamo in September 2006 after the captives spent three or four years in secret spy agency custody.

Carol Rosenberg is a Miami Herald writer.These numbers are cause for alarm and a call to action. While there are many things we need to do, the most important and basic step Virginia can take is to ensure that its hate crime laws are comprehensive and fully inclusive. Acknowledging and protecting all victims of hate crimes  those targeted simply becuase of who they are  is critical to building community trust promoting deterrence, both of which are vital to eradicating hate."Maybe there is a serial killer that is killing all these people or something, all these missing people."

That theory  with little support  comes about 10 minutes into the new Netflix series "Murder Mountain," which examines the high rate of missing persons in Humboldt County. And while Humboldt has led the state in such reports, many, including the county sheriff, say the way their region is depicted on the show is highly sensationalized.

In a lengthy Facebook post last week, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office attempted to combat the narrative, saying the producers relied on "unofficial and biased sources" to depict the county where people vanish and are never found. According to the department, which was interviewed throughout the documentary, the entire premise of the show changed after filming began.

"The original plot line of this series, as presented to the Sheriff's Office upon consideration of our participation, was to examine the changes in the county as a result of marijuana legalization, highlight the challenges of law enforcement in rural jurisdictions, and present a historic comparison of the county's 'green rush' and timber rushes," wrote the Sheriff's Department. "At some point during their time in Humboldt County, the producers of 'Murder Mountain' decided to change the scope of the series to focus on the ongoing homicide investigation of Garret Rodriguez."

ALSO: 'Too white' Women's March is back on in Eureka

The six-episode series is centered around a San Diego-area man who went missing near the town of Garberville in southern Humboldt, a little over an hour's drive through the redwoods south of the county seat of Eureka, and the college town of Arcata. The name Murder Mountain refers to the Rancho Sequoia area east of Garberville, and the name reportedly dates back to a 1982 killing in the area. Sheriffs' deputies even use the nickname early in the series.

The show delves into how Rodriguez - who went missing around the start of 2013 - hoped to earn some quick cash on Murder Mountain in the then-illegal cannabis industry. The department said they can't address specific questions on the open case into Rodriguez's death, but did bullet-point five main disputes with the way the department was characterized, including information on their homicide case closure rate. You can read those here.

The office concluded the note: "Finally, as all things in Hollywood, please know that 'Murder Mountain' is a Hollywood manufactured drama based on a true story. It was designed to be sold to Netflix for a profit. The Humboldt County Sheriff's Office was not paid to be part of this series and participated out of our commitment to transparency."

The post has been shared over 550 times, and over 200 commenters took sides on the issue.

"I live nearby and the sherrifs (sic) definitely have been doing their job in rancho. The good people up there need to help them," wrote one.

"Maybe with this coverage we will get some answers, I pray!" wrote another.

The documentary itself suggests that the isolated nature of Humboldt may make it more attractive to runaways and others hoping to get off the grid, at least temporarily. A 2018 report from the Lost Coast Outpost notes that while Humboldt does lead the state in reports of missing persons, it's also among the best at finding people who disappear.

The publication further points out that not all missing persons reports are serious criminal cases, noting the incident last year where a woman reported by her mother as missing in Humboldt was actually appearing on 'The Bachelorette" reality show.

MORE: California's first year of legal pot was anything but a smooth trip

Sheriffs admit that the secretive nature of the illegal marijuana trade has made people guarded against law enforcement, telling the North Coast Journal that, "No one wants to cooperate with a missing persons investigation."

Of course, it's possible that the transition to legal cannabis will remove some of that desire for secrecy moving forward, but that is likely of little consolation to the families of Rodriguez and others on the state database of missing persons.

Anyone with information on missing persons - or potential serial killers - is encouraged to call local law enforcement or the California Department of Justice at 1-800-222-3463.

A Lost Coast Outpost review of the series has more on what producers "got wrong." Those wishing to judge the series for themselves can stream it online now.Some great art pieces reside in grand museums, and others are hidden away in the homes of wealthy collectors. But some, apparently, turn up in more interesting locations, like say, the now-closed Spenger's Fish Grotto in Berkeley.

This was allegedly the case of one very rare 8-foot-tall vase, which appears to be part of a three-piece collection (of two vases and a vase-like incense burner) brought to the United States from Japan for the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. After the work, a beautiful blue Meiji period cloisonne vase, was toured in Chicago, it's believed that Chronicle co-founder M.H. de Young took it to San Francisco for the 1894 mid-winter fair in Golden Gate Park.

"(De Young) had to be the person that brought the vase here because he was on the board at the World's Fair in Chicago," says Clars' Deric Torres, an appraiser who investigated the vase's provenance with scholars and art historians. "He wanted a fair at Golden Gate Park  I think with his ties to wanting that fair in S.F., it would make perfect sense that he chose pieces for San Francisco."

However, shortly after it came to the City, art historians reportedly lost track of it, according to Torres.

RELATED: Spenger's Fish Grotto abruptly closes after 128 years in Berkeley

It was common for fine art pieces to go up for sale at these fairs, which had led at least one professor tracking the set to believe it wound up in an American collection, according to the Chicago Tribune. But what's most unusual is the fact that for much of the time, it may have actually been the backdrop to many oyster feasts held on 4th Street in Berkeley.

Alicia Spenger is the great-granddaughter of Frank Spenger Sr., who reportedly purchased the item at some point long ago for his wife. It was to go in their penthouse above the restaurant, but it was so imposing that it was relocated to the restaurant downstairs, says Torres.

When Spenger's closed in October, and Alicia Spenger prepared art and memorabilia inside for auction through Clars in Oakland, she discovered the piece's unique background.

"My great-grandmother was like, what the heck is this thing?," Spenger told the Tribune. "I always thought it was stunningly beautiful, but of course, I didn't know anything about its history."

RELATED: 60 Monet paintings coming to San Francisco

Upon discovering it had been exhibited at the mid-winter fair in San Francisco, Torres dug deeper into where it originated. He spoke to several academics, including two at San Francisco State, and eventually found a 2006 article by Judith Snodgrass of Western Sydney University in Australia postulating that this specific vase, the only one of the collection that hadn't been located, was somewhere in America.

(The other two pieces, both still intact though without their original bases, are on display in Oxford, England and in Japan.)

Torres tells SFGATE that each piece represents a different political idea, and that as a set, they were somewhat controversial at the time. One of the vases, depicting an eagle, is called "The Threat of Russian Imperialism." The vase at Spenger's, which shows a dragon, represents China, but also, oddly, includes a neck painted with red, white and blue stars and stripes.

One of the SF State academics who got a look at the vase, Dr. Rodger Birt, had already been searching for the vase locally when another historian told him in 2018 that he believed it might be somewhere in the Bay Area. Dr. Birt, who is retired but is on the board of the San Francisco Historical Society, was eventually contacted by Torres about Spenger's piece. With Marvin Nathan, another retired academic from SF State, the two went to the Oakland auction house with a 19th-century photograph of the vase in hand.

"You hardly ever see cloisonne vases of this dimension," Dr. Birt told SFGATE. "Walking around it, looking at it, it was easy to verify. Questions are always going to arise, (like) 'Is this authentic?' We had with us the photo taken in 1893 when it was in Chicago, and detail by detail it matched, 100 percent. There was no detail that didn't match the photograph."

Dr. Birt and the historical society reached out to the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco about the auctioning of the vase; they are hoping the museum considers bidding.

Over the years, the vase's condition has deteriorated  which is why its estimated value isn't exorbitant  but as Torres says, "It sat in a restaurant for 100 years, (and) the historical relevance to this vase outweighs the condition issues."

The vase is currently valued at between $30,000 and $50,000, and will go up for auction on February 17, 2019.

Alyssa Pereira is an SFGATE staff writer. Email her at apereira@sfchronicle.com or find her on Twitter at @alyspereira.Decisions involving hundreds of millions of dollars must not be made it a hurry, and legislators must invoke an old carpenters rule when it comes to the use of taxpayers dollars  measure twice, cut once  especially when it comes to the changes they make to the tax code.Speaking at the event, MoNRE Deputy Minister Vo Tuan Nhan spoke highly of the efforts by the Japanese ministry in cooperating with and supporting Vietnam in human resources development, and in helping the country deal with issues on environmental management policies and climate change response.

Cooperation with Japan in environmental protection has created opportunities for Vietnam to learn from the countrys experience in addressing issues related to environmental management, Nhan stated, adding that climate change response will be a main task of the ministry in 2019 and the following years.

Japanese Vice Environmental Minister Takaaki Katsumata said that during the 45 years of diplomatic ties, Japan and Vietnam have cooperated with each other in many fields, including the environment.

The Vietnam-Japan Environmental Policy Dialogue enters the fifth edition, while the Vietnam-Japan Environmental Week is being held for the first time from January 9-11, he stated, adding that both sides will exchange views on climate change and waste management, and put forward solutions to address these issues and step up cooperative activities.

This year, they will continue consolidating their relations and boosting collaboration in the fields of environment and climate change through cooperation programmes and projects on policymaking, green growth, pollution control, and waste and wastewater management and treatment.

The MoNRE proposed that the Japanese side maintain cooperation and share its experience with Vietnam in making policies on climate change adaptation and greenhouse gas emission reduction.A Vacaville man nearly missed out on cashing in a $10 million lottery scratcher, after police say the man's roommate stole the scratcher and attempted to cash in the prize for himself.

The Vacaville Police Department released details of the cautionary tale via Facebook, where they said a man purchased a $30 scratcher from a local grocery store on Dec. 20, "with hopes of winning a little extra cash for the holidays."

The ticket turned out to be a winner, to the tune of $10,000, or so the man believed. He was apparently excited about the win and broke the first cardinal rule of winning a large amount of money: He told his two roommates about the ticket and prize.

When attempting to cash in the ticket the next day, according to police, he was told the ticket was not a winner ... and not only that, was told the scratcher had also been altered. The man suspected one roommate had something to do with the non-winning ticket and he decided to file a report with Vacaville police.

Cut to the following day, when the roommate made his own trip to Sacramento to cash in a similar lottery ticket, police said  only to find out that instead of a $10,000 prize, the ticket was instead worth $10 million.

READ ALSO: Calif. teacher who broke his neck in Ecuador says he's being held until $35K hospital bill paid

An investigator with the California lottery office began working with police after discovering the ticket was potentially stolen.

Police believe that Adul Saosongyang, 35, had purchased the same type of lotto scratcher and altered it, before swapping it for the winning ticket. Saosongyang returned to the California Lottery offices Monday in Sacramento to  as he believed  collect his prize, but was instead arrested by police and charged with grand theft.

Read Dianne de Guzman's latest stories and send her news tips at ddeguzman@sfchronicle.com.

Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.A surfer was bitten by a shark at Sandspit Beach at Montana de Oro State Park on California's Central Coast near San Luis Obispo Tuesday morning, State Parks officials confirm.

Nick Wapner, a 19-year-old Cal Poly student, told the San Luis Obispo Tribune the shark was a great white measuring about 15 feet long with an 18-inch dorsal fin.Also, the BRS allows those who reach retirement to receive in a lump sum either 25 percent or 50 percent of the value of annuities payable until old age. The lump sum is designed to help a member buy a home, start a business or pay off debts in return for cutting his or her annuity by one-quarter or half until age 67.A California high school teacher injured on a trip to Ecuador says he can't leave South America until the hospital bill is paid in full.

Alexander Austin, 28, was vacationing off the coast of Ecuador with friends when he dove into too-shallow water after a beach volleyball game. After a five-hour journey to Centro Medico in Guatemala City, doctors informed Austin he'd shattered two vertebrae in his neck.

Before doctors performed surgery, he couldn't feel below his neck. The injury put pressure on Austin's spinal cord, bruising but not puncturing it.

Doctors expect Austin, a chemistry teacher at a high school in Dinuba, Calif., near Fresno, to make a full recovery.

Almost a week after the accident, Austin remains at Centro Medico. Hospital officials won't let him leave until his bill, totaling about $35,000, is paid, according to Austin. Because his insurance doesn't cover hospital visits outside the U.S., Austin says he must pay the medical fees out-of-pocket. The hospital did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"They have my passport," Austin said of hospital officials, speaking by Facebook Messenger on Tuesday. Dillon Nicholson, who was traveling with Austin, typed for his injured friend, whose motor skills remain weak.

Austin has already begun walking and expects to leave the hospital in about three days. Medical bill issues notwithstanding, he hopes to fly home to California in about a week.

He says he's "feeling pretty positive all things considered." He said the care and hospital food have been good, and hospital staff accommodating. He's even begun picking up some Spanish from the nurses.

"I could be in a much worse situation," he said.

Read Michelle Robertson's latest stories and send her news tips at mrobertson@sfchronicle.com.

Start receiving breaking news emails on wildfires, civil emergencies, riots, national breaking news, Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, and other critical events with the SFGATE breaking news email. Click here to make sure you get the news.The play of light, shadow and landscape can elevate the run-of-the-mill wedding photo to art.

The contenders in this year's International Wedding Photographer of the Year contest capture the kisses, the toasts and the flying confetti. The winning images will also send hearts singing  even those belonging to viewers unaffiliated with the bride and groom.District Seven Supervisor Norman Yee was elected president of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday in a 10-1 vote that came after long public comment  mostly in favor of his opponent, Hillary Ronen.

The election was job No. 1 for the board after its three new members  District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton, District Six Supervisor Matt Haney and District Four Supervisor Gordon Mar  were sworn in. But Tuesdays swift, cordial 10-1 vote to name District Seven Supervisor Norman Yee president of the board by acclamation was a deceptive indicator of whether the board was unified about the choice.

The decision to elect Yee, the boards most senior member, came after much political jousting between the boards 11 members, who have spent the past few months discussing, arguing and striking deals with one another  mostly behind closed doors  over who should take the reins. While the role is largely administrative, the board president is next in line to the mayor and also has power to shape how legislation moves through the board.

We can find common ground, Yee said in his first official remarks as president. The people of San Francisco are demanding action. And I know with my 10 intelligent colleagues there are policies we can agree on without sacrificing our integrity.

Before the vote, about two hours worth of public commenters urged the board to elect Ronen president. They hailed her as the best candidate for the position because of her dedication to the community, hard work, integrity and strong progressive values. Some of them also brought up the sexism they say Ronen had been subjected to in the run-up to the election.

About a dozen speakers came out for Yee.

Ive been told that Im too difficult. Ive been told Im too crazy. Ive been told I cant compromise, Ronen said before the board took its vote while wearing a black shirt that said Difficult in pink script letters, a jab at the insults she said have been hurled at her over the past few months. Which, by the way, is bulls.

But the cascade of comments held no sway over the supervisors, who had decided on their votes before the meeting.

First they voted 7-4 to elect Yee, with Haney, Mar, Walton and Ronen herself voting for Ronen. Then Mar asked to rescind that vote and elect Yee by acclamation. The supervisors voted 10-1 in favor, with only Ronen dissenting.

Ronen later said her decision to vote for herself over Yee was more about principles than politics.

Throughout this process, because of the sexism of my colleagues, I felt it was important to show women and girls that it is OK to stand up for yourself. It is OK not to back down. It is OK to openly advocate for yourself, she said after the meeting. It was a symbolic way to say that I was under attack and it was brutal, but Im not backing down.

Yee, who is taking over for termed-out Supervisor Malia Cohen, now must steer the largely progressive board in its dealings with Mayor London Breed  who may often have a different opinion on how to get things done. He tends to line up with the progressive side of the board on issues such as childhood education and social programs, areas that Yee, now 69, has worked in since his early 20s.

His first major task will be to make committee assignments, which impact how legislation is amended as it works its way to the full board for a vote. He said he will reach out to his colleagues Wednesday and ask them which committees they would like to serve on, and make final assignments in the coming days.

Yee, elected in 2012, has a reputation as measured, flexible and mild-mannered. He typically doesnt crave the spotlight or conflict.

The election of a board president is always a scramble and often mired in tension. But several supervisors said there was a slightly different tone this time, as union leaders lobbied for their preferred candidates, while others felt the discussions were more about personality than politics. Up until Tuesday, the group also had a hard time rallying around one candidate, as a number of members  including Supervisor Rafael Mandelman and Walton  raised their hands for the position.

Shortly after the vote, Yee and some family and friends celebrated in his new office with cake, Jameson whiskey and lemonade. As he sat on his couch, surrounded by boxes and paintings waiting to be hung, he said his first goal is to bring the board back together after a long contentious few weeks.

I dont want us to have any ill feelings about this, he said.

Trisha Thadani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: tthadani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @TrishaThadaniImagine, if you can, a Bay Area real estate market thats relaxed to the point where property in San Francisco, San Carlos, Mill Valley and Piedmont could be handed out like free tote bags.

That is precisely what happened in 1911, when The Chronicle gave away what now is more than $100 million worth of Bay Area real estate to men, women and many children who turned in newspaper subscription cards.

The Chronicle has announced a subscription promotion campaign of unparalleled liberality, read a March 14, 1911, article. The prizes are the most numerous and the most valuable that have ever been offered by any newspaper in the world.

Turns out, that was not an overstatement.

The Chronicle has given away many memorable offers in its 153-year history; in 1887 the newspaper sent readers Winchester hunting rifles and double-action revolvers.

But details of this contest are particularly hard to comprehend, and honestly a little painful to read for anyone living in the Bay Area in 2019  when some suburban communities have a minimum $1 million entry price for a small home.

The Chronicle gave away 57 properties in more than two dozen Bay Area communities, plus an entire city block in Montara. In some cases, including in Santa Rosa and Walnut Creek, ranches and multi-acre lots were handed out in areas that now contain several homes.

The grand prize was a two-story house and lot on the corner of Euclid and Parker avenues in San Franciscos Jordan Park neighborhood, valued at $15,000. The Chronicle advertised that the entire contest was worth $110,000.

There is a vast number of other desirable things to be won, The Chronicle announced. Plenty of lots, valuable building sites, a Baker electric, prizes in gold and automobiles, pianos, chests of handsome silver, diamonds and a variety of other prizes.

The 1911 contest was rediscovered and shared on social media this month by reader Sue Trowbridge, who was online perusing back issues of The Chronicle. Stunningly, some of the most expensive real estate in todays dollars was listed as among the least valuable prizes in the contest.

A trout fishermans outfit ($150) was valued the same as a riverside lot near Healdsburg ($150), where property now starts at $800,000.

A Mountain View property on Mountain View Avenue near Mercy Street ($250) was valued approximately the same as a chest of sterling silver knives, forks and spoons ($245). Recent comparative listings show the value of a small house on the same block of Mountain View Avenue falls between $1.7 million and $2 million in 2019.

In the contest, Chronicle readers had three months to sell subscriptions, getting points for gathering new subscribers, or mailing in coupons with point values in the newspaper. The Chronicle kept track of who was selling the most subscriptions and let the biggest sellers receive the first pick in the prizes. After the Jordan Park home, a Baker electric automobile, Velie four-door automobile and two grand pianos were listed among the most valuable prizes.

Other properties included a lot on Channing Way in Burlingame near Bayswater Avenue; a Lakeshore Avenue lot in the Piedmont hills; a lot on Hawthorne Avenue in Larkspur, between Ward and King streets; and a beachside property in Inverness facing Tomales Bay.

More from the Archive The Vault Home of the San Francisco Chronicle's archive and more than 150 years of journalism covering the Bay Area and beyond.

The grand prize winner was San Francisco resident Lucy Hawthorne, who was photographed in front of the Jordan Park home in the Richmond District on her 19th birthday  making her instantly one of the most eligible bachelorettes in the city.

That house and lot are going to remain single, and any proposals to marry the premises will be rejected, she told The Chronicle on June 24, 1911. I make this announcement now so that there may be no disappointed house-hunters.

The Jordan Park house is gone now, replaced by apartments at some point in the decades that followed, but the legacy of the contest remains. Whether they know it or not, a few hundred Bay Area residents are living on property that was given away by The Chronicle for (practically) nothing.

And, hopefully, theyre all still subscribers.

Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicle pop culture critic. Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaubSan Francisco may save the republic yet.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Dianne Feinstein are, in Capitol floor parlance, gentle ladies from San Francisco. More to the point, Pelosi and Feinstein are the most powerful Democratic women in Congress: Pelosi in the colorful House, Feinstein in the sedate Senate. Each made her name for the ages.

Few men knew the blue wind blew in from San Francisco. Dont tell Mitch McConnell, Senate Republican leader. House Republicans were a sea of sulks the first day of the new Congress.

Celebrations in the peoples House sparkled despite the government shutdown and gruff President Trump up the avenue. Fuchsia roars, the Washington Posts fashion critic wrote about Pelosis dress.

It took each lawmaker decades to reach her pinnacle; Pelosi is the only woman to hold her post. Feinstein is the dean of Senate women. Pelosi is 78, and Feinstein is 85. Theyve seen presidents come and go. Contrary to what critics claim, their age is an asset.

Its nice to know how much theyve seen and done, with cool hands on the tiller in a political crisis. Feinstein emerged as mayor of San Francisco in the tragedy of two City Hall slayings: Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.

Ten years ago, a young presidents quest for health care reform was on the rocks. He could not navigate Congresss shoals. During her first tenure as Speaker, Pelosi passed and delivered Obamacare to President Barack Obama.

The leading champion of health care, Sen. Edward Kennedy, died in 2009. Its historic passage in 2010 as the Affordable Care Act was a result of Pelosis legislative strategy. Nobody counts votes better.

This time, the Speaker holds even more power over the presidents fortunes. President Trump can only hope that Nancy will resist rising pressure from her energized base to impeach him. With Trumps threat to prolong the shutdown of the federal government for months, even a year, the darkened capital feels under siege.

Even so, Pelosi reclaimed the Speakers gavel in style, after eight years in the wilderness for House Democrats. I witnessed the roll-call vote from the press gallery. She showed great grace in victory, amid kisses, photos and handshakes on all sides of her extraordinary, diverse caucus.

Pelosi then had the House vote to open the government, passing the same bill the Senate approved weeks ago  putting McConnell on the spot.

Daughter of a Baltimore mayor, Pelosis old-school political skills are in her blood. She worked hard for that day, overcoming Republican campaign smears and a Democratic rebellion that surrendered.

In talks at the White House on a border wall (an immorality, she says of the wall) and closed government agencies, Pelosis swift tongue and wit may be the Democrats best weapon in divided government.

Recently, before a bank of cameras in the Oval Office, she prevailed.

Nobody has publicly put down Trump as deftly as Pelosi did, calling the looming impasse the Trump shutdown. Checkmate.

Feinstein won her Senate race in 1992, the Year of the Woman after Clarence Thomas confirmation to the Supreme Court split the nation. That year, there were two female senators; now there are 25.

Though she stormed the barricades, she still doesnt seem like a revolutionary. Not for nothing, the late Sen. John McCain called her the Queen.

As a freshman, Feinstein soon became a player. She crafted a ban on assault weapons. President Bill Clinton signed the bill. (The law expired and the senators efforts to restore it have been thwarted.)

The senator from California is the senior Democrat on the Judiciary Committee and often questions nominees closely. Oddly, she did not emerge as the leading voice in the volatile Brett Kavanaugh hearings, which centered on possible sexual misconduct.

Feinsteins most courageous moment was denouncing the CIA for brutal torture practices during the Iraq War. She supported the war.

In the clubby Senate, her dignity commands respect.

Pelosi waxes lyrical about sisterhood and woman suffrage; Feinstein has quietly hosted dinners for all Senate women.

The Speaker and the senator are San Franciscos gifts to Washington. Thank you so much.

Jamie Stiehm was a reporter for the Hill, the newspaper of Capitol Hill, and the Baltimore Sun. She is a Creators Syndicate columnist. She left her heart in San Francisco.President Trumps shocking decision to yank U.S. forces from Syria is getting a new timeline.

Trumps Dec. 19 announcement declaring victory against the Islamic State and claiming that all troops would come home shortly shocked our Mideast allies and upended the U.S. militarys plans for the ongoing Syria mission.

Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned within hours of Trumps decision. Kevin Sweeney, the Pentagons chief of staff, resigned a few weeks later.

While his colleagues were packing their bags in disgust, John Bolton, who serves as Trumps national security adviser, was busily working behind the scenes to salvage the Syria mission.

The extent of Boltons effort became visible Sunday, when he said that U.S. troops will remain in Syria until they have concluded fighting with the Islamic State, and until our NATO ally, Turkey, has guaranteed that it wont attack the U.S.-allied Kurdish forces fighting there.

Boltons announcement suggests a troop withdrawal timeline of months, and possibly years. Thats a direct contradiction of Trumps earlier promise.

Somehow, Bolton got Trump on board. On Monday, Trump tweeted as if he hadnt pledged immediate withdrawal at all.

No different from my original statements, Trump wrote. We will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!

Its hard to say what caused the president to have a change of heart.

Perhaps it was the pressure from some of his most reliable supporters, both abroad and at home. (Staunch Trump supporters, from Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, had expressed concerns about a hasty withdrawal.)

Perhaps it was the embarrassing spectacle of the sudden staff resignations  at a time when Trump is already struggling to attract qualified people to his administration.

Perhaps it was the reality that an unexpected, unplanned troop withdrawal from Syria would destabilize our allies, embolden our enemies, and leave the United States less safe.

Whatever the reason, Trumps turnabout is welcome news. Bolton should appreciate his victory, but he shouldnt get too comfortable.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.Pacific Gas and Electric Co., its customers and taxpayers are facing a future thats nothing but bleak. The options include selling off gas operations, legal fury from a federal judge and a retreat into uncertain bankruptcy. None of it is reassuring.

The giant utility is collapsing in other ways with its sinking stock price and departing executives accompanied by a call for fresh figures on its board of directors to steady the company. Tens of billions in liabilities along with court sanctions stemming from a wave of wildfires linked to faulty equipment are taking a toll. Bankruptcy would shield the company from many of its financial worries but devastate its market value.

If PG&E is mulling its options, it should toss one away right now. No Sacramento bailout should be in the mix. In September, the Legislature and former Gov. Jerry Brown approved a plan for bonds to cover wildfire costs to be borne by ratepayers. It was a too-big-to-fail gambit: The states largest investor-owned utility needed state help to prevent hitting the financial rocks. While fires burned, that threat was good enough to win political support.

Now it turns out PG&E was thinking back then of other financial paths that didnt impose a burden on customers. It was considering selling off its gas operations to pay down future liabilities from wildfire fines and lawsuits. It wasnt leveling with Sacramento while it dickered over the bond bailout plan. Gov. Gavin Newsom knows this history well enough and should make it clear he wont endorse another round of financial forgiveness.

The company must put all the cards on the table. It needs a management shakeup and reorganization that places safety at the top of the list, a pledge it endorsed nearly a decade ago after the deadly San Bruno pipeline explosion.

Bankruptcy comes with costs beyond financial rebuilding. The states ambitious goal of moving to all renewable power currently includes PG&Es help. A utility in the throes of bankruptcy might not be able or obligated to deliver on the climate change policies this state needs.

But dumping the utilitys problems on Sacramento to solve goes too far. PG&E needs to take the serious steps needed to resolve the crisis it created.

This commentary is from The Chronicles editorial board. We invite you to express your views in a letter to the editor. Please submit your letter via our online form: SFChronicle.com/letters.Hampton Circuit Court Judge Michael Gaten ruled that the tax returns New Dominion said it had on hand  from 2013 through 2016  were enough. He said the company doesnt need to go to the IRS to get the tax records back to 2003, when it first began at the airport.The cocktail menu will change just like our food menu, he said. When cherries are available locally, we can brandy them and put them in Manhattans. Ive got grapes that grow wild on my farm, so when theyre available we can press them and serve gin and juice. Whenever theres an opportunity to use local products, we try to do that.WASHINGTON  President Trump doubled down on one of the biggest gambles of his presidency Tuesday night with a televised appeal to pressure Congress into paying for his long-promised border wall even at the cost of leaving the government partially closed until lawmakers give in.

Embarking on a strategy he himself privately disparaged as unlikely to work, Trump devoted the first prime-time Oval Office address of his presidency to his proposed barrier in hopes of enlisting public support in an ideological and political conflict that has shut the doors of many federal agencies for 18 days.

In a nine-minute speech that made no new arguments but included multiple misleading assertions, the president sought to recast the situation at the Mexican border as a humanitarian crisis and opted against declaring a national emergency to bypass Congress, which he had threatened to do, at least for now. But he excoriated Democrats for blocking the wall, accusing them of hypocrisy and exposing the country to criminal immigrants.

How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job? the president asked, citing a litany of grisly crimes said to be committed by illegal immigrants. Asking Americans to call their lawmakers, he added: This is a choice between right and wrong, justice and injustice. This is about whether we fulfill our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve.

Democrats dismissed his talk of crisis as overstated cynicism and, with polls showing Trump bearing more of the blame since the partial shutdown began last month, betrayed no signs of giving in. The White House earlier in the day dispatched Vice President Mike Pence and others to Capitol Hill to try to shore up Senate Republicans, who are growing increasingly anxious as the standoff drags on.

In their own televised response on Tuesday night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Senate Democratic leader, accused the president of stoking fear and mocked him for asking taxpayers to foot the bill for a wall he had long said Mexico would pay for.

President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis and must reopen the government, Pelosi said.

In taking his argument to a national television audience and on a trip to the Texas border he plans to take on Thursday, Trump hoped to reframe the debate. After spending much of the first two weeks of the shutdown cloistered in the White House, he has now opted to use the powers of the presidency to focus public attention on his ominous warnings about the border.

Yet privately, Trump dismissed his own new strategy as pointless. In an off-the-record lunch with television anchors hours before the address, he made clear in blunt terms that he was not inclined to give the speech or go to Texas, but was talked into it by advisers, according to two people briefed on the discussion who asked not to be identified sharing details.

Its not going to change a damn thing, but Im still doing it, Trump said of the border visit, according to one of the people, who was in the room.

Trump plans to head to the Capitol on Wednesday to attend a Senate Republican lunch and later will host congressional leaders from both parties to resume negotiations that so far have made little progress. Trump has insisted on $5.7 billion for the wall while Pelosi said she would not give him a dollar for a wall she has called immoral.

In a nod to Democrats, Trump spent the first half of his talk on the humanitarian situation at the border before even mentioning the wall, expressing sympathy for those victimized by human smugglers. This is a humanitarian crisis  a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul, he said.

Even so, he directly took on Pelosi and Schumer. The only thing that is immoral is the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized, he said.

Trump has made the wall the singular focus of his presidency as he enters his third year in office. His promise to erect a big, beautiful wall along the border became perhaps the most memorable promise on the campaign trail this fall.

But his alarming description of a crisis at the border has raised credibility questions. While experts agree there are serious problems to address, migrant border crossings have actually been declining for nearly two decades. Most heroin enters the U.S. through legal ports of entry, not through open areas of the border. And the State Department said in a recent report there is no credible evidence that terrorist groups had sent operatives to enter the U.S. through Mexico.

At one point in his speech, he even suggested that Democrats had signaled that they would accept his wall if redesigned. At the request of Democrats, it will be a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall, he said, even though Democratic leaders have made clear they oppose the barrier regardless of the material.

Even so, Democrats, many of whom like Schumer voted in 2006 for 700 miles of fencing along the border, did not want to conduct the debate on Trumps terms. Instead, they focused attention on the damaging effects of the shutdown, already the second longest in American history. About 800,000 government employees are either furloughed or working without pay, in addition to hundreds of thousands of contractors.

House Democrats planned to approve individual spending bills this week that were intended to reopen closed departments one at a time in hopes of putting Republicans on the defensive, but Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Senate Republican leader, has said he would not put any bill on the floor without Trumps explicit support.

Senate Democrats took to the floor Tuesday to pressure McConnell and vowed to block consideration of other legislation until the government is reopened.

McConnell fired back, noting the 2006 legislation. Maybe the Democratic Party was for secure borders before they were against them, he said.

But two more Republicans, Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, spoke out on Tuesday in favor of reopening the government while negotiations over border security continue.

That makes five Republican senators who have expressed such a position, which if combined with a unanimous Democratic caucus would make a majority to reopen the government if McConnell were to allow a vote.

Peter Baker is a New York Times writer.President Trump most likely has the authority to declare a state of emergency at the U.S-Mexico border  but, according to legal analysts, its far less clear that he could use that power to redirect military funding to build a border wall that Congress, so far, has refused to pay for.

That would ultimately be a question for the Supreme Court, and would test its willingness to defer to presidential authority.

Trump has suggested several times since last week that he would use his authority to declare an emergency to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico, but has not committed to do so and did not mention it Tuesday night in a televised speech to the nation about border security.

You cant use military services for nonmilitary work, under a 140-year-old law that would be central to the court case, said Rory Little, a law professor at UC Hastings in San Francisco and a former Justice Department attorney. Is building a wall military work? Theres lots of room for debate.

Or, as another Hastings law professor, Matthew Coles, put it: Hes got to draw a tangible connection between the emergency hes declaring and whats going on at the border. ... I think there is virtually no sane argument you can make that theres a military emergency at the southern border.

Congress could intervene to prevent the president from even an emergency declaration, but such a move is improbable given the Republican majority in the Senate. That means the likely final arbiter will be a Supreme Court that that gave Trump broad leeway last June when it deferred to his position that travelers from a group of predominantly Muslim countries posed a threat to U.S. security.

Since then, Justice Anthony Kennedy, who sided with the majority on the travel ban but at times crossed ideological lines to side with more liberal justices, has retired and been replaced by Brett Kavanaugh, a Trump appointee with a history of endorsing broad presidential power.

The high court confronted the issue of presidential emergency power most notably in 1952, after President Harry Truman issued an executive order seizing the nations steel mills because he feared a strike by steel workers during the Korean War. The justices took up the case quickly and ruled 6-3 that Truman had exceeded his authority by commandeering private property without legal justification.

The most lasting principle from that case came in a concurring opinion by Justice Robert Jackson, who noted that Congress had not authorized the seizure. When a presidents actions, even after a declaration of emergency, are incompatible with the expressed or implied will of Congress, Jackson wrote, his power is at its lowest ebb.

UC Hastings Little said he uses the steel mill case in his law classes as a contrast to an emergency order that President George W. Bush issued after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Bush ordered all planes flying above the United States to land immediately, with a threat of military action if the pilots refused, and within an hour or two all of them were grounded, Little said.

Nobody knows where he got that power, but nobody objected. ... It was an emergency, Little said, noting that Congress later compensated airlines for their financial losses. In the steel mill case, by contrast, he said, Truman seemed to be intervening in a domestic labor dispute.

Its hard to articulate a common-sense assessment of the urgency of the situation, Little said.

Presidents from both parties have periodically declared emergencies without controversy  Franklin D. Roosevelt used such a declaration in 1933 to shut the nations banks for four days while Congress worked on a law to restore the Depression-battered financial system.

Congress took a limited step to intervene in the process in 1976, in the wake of the Watergate scandal, by passing the National Emergencies Act, which President Gerald Ford signed. The law required the president to notify Congress before declaring an emergency, limited such declarations to one year unless the president renewed them, and allowed Congress to repeal a declaration with a joint resolution.

But Coles, a former American Civil Liberties Union attorney who now teaches at Hastings, said he believes the Constitution requires Congress to pass a new law  most likely needing a veto-proof majority  and not merely a resolution to end a presidentially declared state of emergency. On the other hand, he said, members of Congress would have standing to challenge the presidents emergency declaration in court.

The law did not define a presidents power to redirect spending that Congress had previously approved, such as the military funding that Trump would use to build a wall. But Congress may have spoken on the subject in 1878, when  to prevent further stationing of U.S. troops to enforce civil rights in former Confederate states  it passed the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars the use of military personnel and funding to enforce domestic policies.

If the country were being invaded by a foreign power, courts have accorded the president a good deal more leeway, Coles said. I dont think its a military problem (at the Mexican border). Its an immigration problem, a police problem. ...We dont use our military domestically and we never have.

Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com

Twitter: @BobEgelkoRoughly five years after opening its first brick-and-mortar on Union Street in San Francisco, Wrecking Ball Coffee has a second outpost in the works on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley.

Were thinking of this one as Wrecking Ball 2.0, said Nick Cho, who runs the company alongside co-owner Trish Rothgeb.

The expansion process is in its early stages for the duo. The Berkeley address theyre taking over is a Philz Coffee outpost (1600 Shattuck Ave.) that is slated to shut down on Jan. 23.

After keys to the two-story space change hands, and some cosmetic upgrades like new paint, a new coffee bar and new furniture follow, Cho said Wrecking Balls new cafe could be open by early May. And it will have similar meticulously curated coffee offerings as the Union Street Wrecking Ball location, according to the team.

More important, perhaps, is what the project could offer on a social level.

Wrecking Ball came to fruition in the world of third wave coffee roasters, a landscape relatively devoid of diversity, so Cho wants the cafes next iteration to represent a fourth wave.

What this means is the Wrecking Ball crew plans to reinvent the neighborhood cafe space by making diversity and inclusion our top priority, instead of just a value, he said.

How is this accomplished? Well, for Cho, it means figuring out how prioritizing inclusion can shape not only his cafes culture but also the shops menu. Or, how is inclusion reflected in the staff he hires? Then there are the questions of how his efforts could influence gentrification in the neighborhood?

These are a few of the many difficult questions that we're diving into headfirst with our 'big audacious goal' being to inspire and pioneer an entirely new category of American business: businesses that reflect, inform, and inspire the diversity of America, he said.

Food Guide Top 25 Restaurants Where to eat in the Bay Area. Find spots near you, create a dining wishlist, and more.

The pursuit falls in line with the Wrecking Ball brand. Over the summer, it became the talk of the coffee world after turning down a $40,000 contract to serve drinks at Dreamforce, Salesforces annual user conference. The decision was a protest in the face of Salesforces relationship with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Its also model Cho said hes been mulling over for years. If successful, he plans to use it as a launch pad for future Wrecking Ball locations throughout the Bay Area and into Southern California.

Though Cho is still plotting the course for the new cafe, it has a familiar hue. Oaklands Hasta Muerte, a modest such shop in the citys Fruitvale neighborhood, and Mannys, the sprawling, high-profile civic engagement space in the Mission District, show the hybrid engaegment space and cafe models can be successful in their own ways.

We just have to figure it out as we go, Cho said.

Justin Phillips is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jphillips@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JustMrPhillipsA transgender woman is suing the California state prison system after allegedly enduring beatings, discrimination and retaliation at the hands of correctional officers at a Northern California prison for men starting in January 2015.

In a complaint filed Monday, 33-year-old Candice Crowder, who is still incarcerated, claims correctional officers berated her and called her slurs, denied her work assignments because of her gender identity and forced her to live in a filthy cell during stints in solitary confinement.

California currently assigns inmates to prisons based on their biological sex as opposed to their gender identity. But inmates can petition to be placed in housing for the gender they identify with.

Crowder and her lawyers argue that the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation violated the Prison Rape Elimination Act and retaliated against her for requesting a safer environment after she was raped by another inmate. Instead of protecting her, the lawsuit claims, Crowder was placed in solitary confinement for extended periods of time.

She does not have a history of violence, and she doesnt have a history of anything that would be considered a serious rule violation, but theyre treating her as if she does, said Jen Orthwein, Crowders attorney.

A state prison system spokeswoman declined comment because the department has not been served with the lawsuit.

The lawsuit, preceded by a claim Crowder filed in 2015, names Ralph Diaz, the acting secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, along with former Warden Robert Fox and several other officials at California Medical Facility, a prison hospital in Vacaville, as defendants.

Crowders initial lawsuit was dismissed in November.

In September 2016, Crowder was an inmate in Vacaville, where her ex-boyfriend was also incarcerated, according to the complaint. On Sept. 19, 2016, the lawsuit claims, Crowder was brutally attacked by her ex-boyfriend with a box cutter in a prison dining hall, causing gashes to her head, face, neck, ear and hands. None of the three officers in the dining hall intervened, the lawsuit said.

While Crowder was being treated for the lacerations, correctional officers asked questions implying that she brought the attack on herself, the lawsuit said, insinuating that she had been flirting with the man, making him jealous or tempting him.

The attack caused Crowder to develop post-traumatic stress disorder, the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit also alleges a homophobic and transphobic environment at California Medical Facility, where officials routinely humiliate gay and transgender inmates by calling them slurs and subjecting them to strip searches in front of other inmates. Crowder claims at least 15 correctional officers at California Medical Facility have called her a faggot or misgendered her.

Before coming to the Vacaville facility, the lawsuit alleges, correctional officers at North Kern State Prison (Kern County) beat Crowder when she expressed concerns about being housed with a transphobic cellmate in 2015. Crowder suffered bruising and permanent scarring, had a seizure and was refused medical attention for her injuries, according to the lawsuit.

In August 2015, Crowder was transferred to California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility in Corcoran (Kings County). Her cellmate began making sexual comments and pressured her to perform sex acts on him, the lawsuit said. Crowder was transferred in between cells before returning to her original cell, where Crowder alleges her cellmate raped her.

Crowder claims that reports of her assault were ignored by correctional officers for four months, when an investigation was opened and closed in just two days.

Following the rape, the lawsuit alleges, Crowder was placed in and out of solitary confinement for nine months under false pretenses. At one point, Crowder claims, she was sent to solitary confinement for two months because another inmate lied that she was making a weapon. Less than a week after being released, she was sent back to solitary confinement because correctional officers claimed she was a target for assault because of her known sexual behaviors, the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit is seeking immediate medical treatment for the injuries Crowder suffered from the attack in September 2016, which include painful scars that developed around her right ear and impacted her hearing. The lawsuit also calls on the state to implement more LGBTQ-friendly policies in the prison system.

We and Candice would like to see transgender peoples safety and gender identity be considered in terms of where they should be housed, Orthwein said. That doesnt mean every trans woman should be housed with women, but it would be done on a case-by-case basis.

Ashley McBride is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: ashley.mcbride@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ashleynmcbJohn Storey/Special to the Chronicle

Alex Washburn/Special to The Chronicle

A Half Moon Bay couple died Saturday night in what authorities called a murder-suicide.

San Mateo County sheriffs deputies responded at 8:51 p.m. to a 911 call of a possible shooting at a residence on Terrace Avenue. Deputies found the bodies of the 911 caller, an 89-year-old man, and an 86-year-old woman with fresh gunshot wounds.

The San Mateo County coroners office identified the victims Tuesday as Abraham and Regina Sigal, both of Half Moon Bay.

A handgun was taken from the home as evidence, according to a San Mateo County sheriffs news release. Detectives also found documents suggesting that it was a murder-suicide, said sheriffs spokeswoman Rosemerry Blankswade.

Quite a few different types of documents were put out purposefully for investigators to find them, Blankswade said.

Investigators believe that Saturdays shooting was an isolated incident.

Gwendolyn Wu is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @gwendolynawuBoth of the men are black and described as having thin builds. One of the men is approximately 5 feet, 8 inches tall. According to the release, he was wearing a dark colored mask and white sweatshirt. The other man is approximately 5 feet, 7 inches tall. He was wearing a red sweatshirt with dark pants.BART police released new details about a 3-year-old unsolved killing Wednesday and ratcheted up a potential reward payout in a bid to identify the person responsible for the brazen shooting on an Oakland train.

On Jan. 9, 2016, 19-year-old Antioch resident Carlos Misael Funez-Romero was gunned down by a fellow BART passenger as the two rode the crowded train west toward San Francisco. The suspect, a slender man about 6-foot to 6-foot-4, fled at the West Oakland Station and vanished into the neighborhood.

BART police said the case has remained active in the three years since the attack, and detectives have pieced together new clues. The suspect has strong ties to the Antioch area and goes by the name Matty, police said, drawing from a combination of witness statements and other evidence. Detectives said the suspects father is named Vic or Victor and he drove or still drives a Ford Crown Victoria.

The department also announced it is boosting the reward from $10,000 to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the suspect.

In a news conference Wednesday, BART Police Chief Carlos Rojas said hes confident that the 3-year-old mystery can be solved.

What we do know is this was a heinous act that was committed by an individual thats still out roaming free, Rojas said at BART police headquarters in downtown Oakland. But I can guarantee you that hes looking over his shoulder every single day.

The motive for the slaying remains unknown. No video footage of the moments surrounding the shooting exists because cameras stationed inside the trains were decoys, a Chronicle investigation revealed.

Though images were taken from security cameras at the station, Funez-Romeros slaying exposed a gap in the systems security operation. The agency has since outfitted its 669 cars with working cameras.

Police believe the suspect and victim didnt know each other before the evening of the attack, but the two men had some sort of an interaction in the minutes leading up to the shooting. On the night of the slaying, both Funez-Romero and his killer rode the same Tri Delta Transit bus to the Pittsburg/Bay Point Station, where they each boarded the train.

The suspect got on the bus at 3400 Delta Fair Blvd. in Antioch, Rojas said, adding that its likely that this individual has either friends or associates that live in this area.

Police obtained a video and audio from the bus ride, but Rojas declined to comment on where the two sat or whether the footage captured any interaction between the men.

We do hear their voices, Rojas said. (But) thats all Im willing to say at this time.

Rojas told reporters he had no information on whether Funez-Romero was affiliated with a gang, and he sought to keep the focus on the suspect.

We dont believe this individual, the victim, did anything wrong, Rojas said. This individual was murdered, plain and simple, on the train.

In a statement released shortly before the news conference, Rojas noted that murders rarely occur on the BART system.

But when they do we will find those responsible as proven by the arrests made in connection with all three homicides we had last year, the statement said.

Before Funez-Romeros killing, there had not been a killing in the BART system since 2013. But the agency grappled with a spate of violence last summer, when three people were killed within one week following assaults on BART property.

One of the three victims was 18-year-old Nia Wilson, who, along with her older sister, was stabbed in the neck as she was exiting a train at the MacArthur Station in Oakland. Wilsons sister survived, and suspect John Lee Cowell is now facing charges of murder and attempted murder.

Police released several images of Funez-Romeros killer shortly after the attack, with the suspect seen with bald or close-cut hair, wearing a dark green jacket, a backpack, jeans and beige work boots.

Police urge anyone with information on this case to call the BART Police Department at 510-464-7040 or the anonymous tip line at 510-464-7011.

Megan Cassidy is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: megan.cassidy@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @meganrcassidyGov. Gavin Newsom announced a plan Tuesday to confront Californias growing wildfire threat, pledging more money to improve forest health and emergency response. And it starts with an unexpected plea to President Trump for collaboration.

The initiative comes on day two of Newsoms tenure in the governors mansion. While the details are still being fleshed out, his move signals a commitment to addressing the deadly fires that have battered the state in recent years and are likely to only worsen with climate change.

Its clear to me a lot more has to be done, Newsom said during a visit to the Sierra foothills town of Colfax (Placer County), where he toured an area prone to fire before staging a news conference in front of a fire truck. We are stepping up our game. I hear you, I get it. We need to do more. These last two years have been devastating.

Most of the plans announced Tuesday expand existing state programs, with $305 million of new funding proposed in the upcoming state budget. The measures range from thinning trees and igniting prescribed burns in forests to adding new fire helicopters and upgrading emergency alert systems, which have fallen short in some blazes over the past few years.

Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press

But several of the proposals have the hallmarks of Newsoms brand of progressive politics. They include mapping fire hazards for the poor, increasing mental health services for first responders, and embracing the latest high-tech tools on the fire lines, such as wildland cameras that keep a lookout for flames.

The new governor also appears to be petitioning the president for a truce in Californias rocky relationship with the White House, at least on fire policy. While state leaders and the Trump administration agree on the need to act on the fire threat, the president has downplayed the role of global warming and urged an increase in logging. On the other hand, the state has championed greater climate action and the more surgical removal of wildland fuels.

Newsom sent a letter Tuesday to Trump, co-signed by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown and Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, both Democrats, asking for increased cooperation with the federal government and more dollars for forest management.

At the news conference, the governor chided Trump for cutting the budget of the U.S. Forest Service but was quick to praise him for sending aid after recent wildfires. Newsom even defended Trump for his widely mocked comments about the need to rake forests to reduce the fire threat.

I think what he was talking about was defensible spaces, Newsom said, referring to the strategy of creating fuel breaks in overgrown areas.

Newsom also said Tuesday he would back efforts to modernize Californias 911 system with a new statewide fee. A similar push last year, which called for surcharges on cell phone and land-line bills, failed to muster the two-thirds support it would need to pass in the Legislature.

The governor said he hopes to win approval for the fees by 2020. In the meantime, he plans to steer some money from the state budget to update older equipment that now makes up much of the system.

Interactive California Fire Tracker This interactive map provides information on wildfires burning across California and lets you explore coverage of past fire seasons.

Newsoms $305 million of proposed fire spending in the upcoming budget calls for $214 million for reducing forest fuels, $64 million for more firefighting personnel and equipment, and $25 million to help local governments handle emergencies.

The governor also signed two executive orders Tuesday. The first directs agencies to consider the fire risks of low-income, elderly and socially isolated state residents. The second changes the way state agencies contract with private companies, with the goal of boosting collaboration on mapping risks and incorporating technology.

In addition, the governor announced this week that hes appointing acting Cal Fire director Thom Porter to become permanent director of the agency, and that Jared Blumenfeld, a former regional administrator at the federal Environmental Protection Agency, will be secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency.

Last year was one of Californias fiercest and most costly wildfire years. More than 1.6 million acres burned as the state recorded both its largest blaze in modern history, the Mendocino Complex Fire, and its most destructive, the Camp Fire in Butte County, which claimed 86 lives and nearly 14,000 homes. Fire experts blame the rising toll on a number of factors, including poor forest management, mass development of the states wildlands and a hotter, drier climate.

Kurtis Alexander is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kalexander@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @kurtisalexanderWelcome back to Tech Chronicle. If youre not already signed up, I predict that subscribing will make 2019 better on a weekly basis.

Mark Zuckerberg, celebrity interviewer?

For a decade, Facebooks CEO has been setting an annual personal challenge for himself. Theyve ranged from wearing a tie to work every day (2009) to reading a book every two weeks (2015) to visiting every state (2017). Last year, he vowed to fix Facebook.

Mission accomplished!

In 2019, Zuckerberg is going to host a series of public discussions about the future of technology.

Well, thats a challenge, given that Zuckerberg rarely speaks in public without breaking into a flop sweat (in 2010, at the D conference) or sticking his foot deep into his esophagus (recall when he defended Holocaust deniers right to use Facebook?).

If hes that bad being interviewed, how is he going to coolly play host? Anyone interesting enough to be worth talking to wont likely submit to the ministrations of Facebooks PR handlers.

Forget the interviews: What Id pay to watch are the prep sessions.

Michael Macor / The Chronicle 2018

This could go poorly, for sure. But I do see one spot of upside for Facebook and Zuckerberg here.

Im an engineer, and I used to just build out my ideas and hope theyd mostly speak for themselves, Zuckerberg wrote. But given the importance of what we do, that doesnt cut it anymore.

Compounding Facebooks problems is a deeply insular, circle-the-wagons culture that the company has had since as long as Ive covered it. When Facebook was an also-ran social network limited to colleges, this combative stance made sense. But its become crystal clear that Menlo Park doesnt have all the answers.

Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press 2018

The key audience for these chats may well be Zuckerbergs own employees. The conversations, if he can pull them off without major disaster, will be a pretty explicit signal that Facebook needs to hear from people outside its Gehry-designed Silicon Valley aerie.

The downside? Well, the discussions could be awful. And that will tell die-hard Facebookers that, as they suspected, theres no point in talking to the outside world.

Good luck.

 Owen Thomas (othomas@sfchronicle.com)

Quote of the week

The AI machines are intelligent, but they arent as clever as human brains. They miss a lot of things when reviewing content.  Li Chengzhi, an online censor working for Chinese company Beyondsoft, New York Times

Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available.

Coming up

Valley of the Boom, a National Geographic documentary series on the first dot-com bubble, begins Sunday.

What Im reading

Sal Rodriguez on Facebooks performance-ranking system and how  see above  it feeds a navel-gazing, self-obsessed corporate culture. (CNBC)

Sophia Kunthara and Catherine Ho dig into the abrupt shutdown of a once-promising biotech startup. (San Francisco Chronicle)

Louise Matsakis explains why that video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez dancing has more cultural and technological significance than you realize. (Wired)

Sign Up for the Newsletter Want to get the latest on Silicon Valley in your inbox? Subscribe to Tech Chronicle. See More Collapse

Tech Chronicle is a thrice-weekly newsletter from Owen Thomas, The Chronicles business editor, and the rest of the tech team. Follow along on Twitter: @techchronicle and Instagram: @techchronicleWASHINGTON - Talks between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats aimed at ending the partial government shutdown collapsed in acrimony and disarray Wednesday, with the president walking out of the White House meeting and calling it "a total waste of time" after Democrats rejected his demand for border-wall funding.

Furious Democrats accused Trump of slamming his hand on the table before he exited, and they said he ignored their pleas to reopen the federal government as they continue to negotiate over his border-wall demands. With the shutdown nearing the three-week mark, some 800,000 workers are about to miss their first paycheck.

"He thinks maybe they could just ask their father for more money. But they can't," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., an implicit dig at Trump's wealthy upbringing.

"Well unfortunately, the president just got up and walked out," said Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "He asked Speaker Pelosi, 'Will you agree to my wall?' She said no. And he just got up and said, 'Then we have nothing to discuss' and he just walked out."

Trump himself tweeted: "Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy, a total waste of time. I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works!"

The breakdown left no end in sight to the shutdown even as its effects spiral around the nation on services for farmers, food inspection services and national parks. Trump ended the day Wednesday even further dug in on his demands for $5.7 billion to build more than 200 miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and Democrats were equally forceful in rejecting his demands. Democrats are refusing to provide more than $1.3 billion to continue existing funding levels for security barriers at the border.

It's not clear when - or if - negotiations will resume. On Saturday, the shutdown will become the longest in U.S. history.

As an early test of divided government in Washington, with Democrats in their second week in control of the House, the standoff portends more clashes to come. The new Congress faces a string of consequential votes, including raising the federal borrowing limit to avoid defaulting on U.S. government debts, and the political pressure will only intensify as the 2020 presidential race heats up.

After the White House meeting broke up in startling fashion, Republican and Democratic officials took turns addressing reporters at the White House and on Capitol Hill, trading blame and accusing each other of mischaracterizing the meeting and being intransigent.

"The president walked into the room and passed out candy," Vice President Mike Pence said. "I don't recall him ever raising his voice or slamming his hand."

Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., said later that the candy distributed was Baby Ruth bars, M&M's and Butterfinger bars.

But Schumer told reporters upon returning to the Capitol: "It was an amazing meeting. The president threw another temper tantrum, slammed the table and walked out."

"It wasn't even a high-stakes negotiation," Pelosi said. "It was a petulant president of the United States."

The breakdown at the White House occurred shortly after the president dug in defiantly at a private meeting with Senate Republicans, attempting to rally GOP senators to his side even as he faced skepticism from a few lawmakers.

"There was no discussion of anything other than solidarity," Trump told reporters after meeting with GOP senators.

Trump plans to visit the border in McAllen, Texas, on Thursday to highlight conditions there, and Wednesday's chaotic events followed Trump's first Oval Office address Tuesday night, which he used to make the case for an unfolding border crisis. Taken together, the events amount to a sustained and public effort by the president to make the case for his demands, after a holiday season he spent largely holed up in the White House tweeting.

But inside the meeting with senators Wednesday, there was not unanimity on Trump's approach.

Moderate Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, pleaded with Trump to reopen the government, according to lawmakers present.

Trump said he was doing everything he could - but that he wouldn't end the standoff by taking nothing, according to two people familiar with the exchange who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private discussion.

During the lunch, Trump talked about a subject he brings up often - winning, according to a person in the room who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting.

His main message, according to this person, was that Republicans needed to stick together in the border security fight, and that they could lose if they don't.

After the meeting, Murkowski told reporters: "I shared my support for the need for border security in the country and what we should do from a humanitarian perspective, but a recognition that when the government is shut down there are consequences and people are starting to feel those consequences."

Collins urged Trump to consider a previous deal she was a part of that would trade $25 billion for the wall for permanent protections for undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children. Trump dismissed that idea.

But the discontent expressed by a handful of GOP lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol appeared unlikely to change the basic contours of the standoff between a president demanding a border wall and Democrats who refuse to give it to him.

Congressional GOP leaders and the bulk of rank-and-file lawmakers made clear they support the president's approach, even as federal services have been cut in some areas since the shutdown began Dec. 22.

"We're all behind the president," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said as he left the Capitol Hill meeting at Trump's side.

Asked Wednesday how long he was willing to let the shutdown continue as he seeks money for a border wall, Trump replied: "Whatever it takes."

Collins and Murkowski, two of the most outspoken advocates of ending the shutdown, were also the last two senators to address Trump during the lunch meeting on Capitol Hill. As a result, Trump turned to Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who was running the lunch, and somewhat jokingly told Blunt that the Missouri senator must really not like him.

Then, Sen Cory Gardner, R-Colo., joked that Jeff Flake - the retired U.S. senator from Arizona who has been a vocal Trump critic - was waiting right outside.

A group of Senate Republicans met privately late Wednesday afternoon with Jared Kushner, senior White House adviser and presidential son-in-law, and legislative director Shahira Knight on Capitol Hill. Senators left the meeting saying they were trying to find a way out of the shutdown by devising an agreement involving border security, but no decisions were reached. Democrats did not attend the meeting.

GOP unity behind Trump faced a fresh test Wednesday afternoon, when House Democrats held a vote to reopen the Treasury Department, legislation that would fund the Internal Revenue Service at time when millions of taxpayers are filing their 2018 returns.

Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available.

Trump has said he would not sign any legislation to reopen the government unless it contains the wall money he wants, and McConnell has made clear he won't bring up any bill that does not have the president's support.

The spending bill passed 240-188, with only eight Republicans breaking ranks to vote with Democrats for passage - just one more than the seven who voted with Democrats on a package of spending bills last week aimed at reopening government without funding Trump's wall. There had been concerns among Republicans that the number of defections could be higher, and the fact that it wasn't amounted to a success by the White House and a ratification of GOP unity.

The vote to reopen the Treasury Department and IRS comes after concerns surfaced that the IRS would not be issuing tax refunds during the shutdown. Since then, the IRS has reversed position and said it will continue to issue refunds during a government shutdown, but other services remained impacted.

Behind closed doors, administration officials have been urging GOP lawmakers to hold the line on Trump's demand that any legislation to reopen government include wall money - even as the prolonged partial shutdown becomes more painful for their constituents.

There was little optimism at the Capitol that the stalemate would end anytime soon.

"Both sides are not reading the other side properly. I think both sides think that there's greater weakness on the other side than there really is," said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., a leading House conservative who is close with Trump.

"The Democrats think that we're about ready to fold - most of you were writing about that yesterday. I think Republicans think that Democrats are ready to fold, and neither of those two things are accurate by any stretch of the imagination," Meadows said, adding: "I think you can't cave. That's what the Democrats don't understand - it's all or nothing."

With border funding negotiations at an impasse, Trump has also threatened to circumvent lawmakers by declaring a national emergency to use Defense Department funds for the wall - a move that would activate executive powers and almost certainly face legal challenges.

"I may do that at some point," Trump said after meeting with Senate Republicans, saying that it could happen if he doesn't get what he wants from "Chuck and Nancy" - his way of referring to Pelosi and Schumer.

"It's a very bad political issue for the Democrats, that I can tell you," Trump said, referring to the wall issue generally.

Trump continues to demand U.S. taxpayer dollars for the southern border wall he long claimed Mexico would pay for.

A House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal caucus dynamics, said: "No one thinks we're losing, and therefore we continue." Like others in the GOP caucus, this lawmaker said there is no end in sight to the partial government shutdown, and no plan to end it.

- - -

The Washington Post's Paul Kane, David Weigel, Karoun Demirjian and Jenna Portnoy contributed to this report.

---

Video Embed Code

Video: Republican senators spoke to reporters before meeting with President Trump on Jan. 9, the 19th day of the partial government shutdown.(Rhonda Colvin,Jorge Ribas/The Washington Post)

Embed code:A nurse at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital who has urged hospital administrators to drop Facebook founder Mark Zuckerbergs name from the institution said he filed complaints with state and federal labor boards Tuesday, accusing the hospital of retaliating against him for opposing the Zuckerberg name.

The nurse, Sasha Cuttler, retained Washington, D.C., attorney Debra Katz to file the complaints with the U.S. Department of Labors Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the California Department of Industrial Relations. The complaints, provided by a representative for Cuttler, name the hospital and the city and county of San Francisco, which owns and operates the hospital.

The hospital was renamed the Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center in 2015 after Chan and Zuckerberg gave $75 million to the hospitals foundation  the single largest contribution by private individuals in support of a public hospital in the United States.

Cuttler has advocated since 2015 for removing Zuckerbergs name from the hospital, saying Facebooks past handling of user consent and privacy could put the privacy of the hospitals patients at risk. In the complaint, Cuttler cites a 2014 psychological study conducted by Facebook on how emotions can be spread on social media. Facebook later said it had manipulated the news feed of many users to change whether they saw positive or negative information in their feeds. Cuttler later reiterated concerns after news reports revealed Facebook had approached hospitals seeking anonymized data about their patients.

According to Cuttler, hospital managers pressured him to stop criticizing the addition of Zuckerbergs name to the hospital. When he did not, supervisors retaliated against him by removing him from internal boards and denying him transfers and promotions, he alleges in the complaint. During this time, Cuttler also raised concerns about the hospitals staffing and its reporting of data on patient falls.

The hospital is aware of the complaint from media reports, but because it has not been contacted by the labor agencies and has not seen the contents of the complaint, it would not comment, said hospital spokesman Brent Andrew.

Pending a thorough review, we will have no statement on the substance of these claims, he said. ZSFG follows all applicable federal, state and local labor laws and does not retaliate against employees under any circumstances. We will cooperate fully with all investigations into this matter.

Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available.

In November, San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin took up the renaming cause, asking the city attorney to look into a legal procedure for removing Zuckerbergs name from the hospital. Peskins reasoning, though, was different. He cited Facebooks mishandling of users personal data in the Cambridge Analytica scandal  in which the political data firm obtained the information of as many as 87 million Facebook users without their consent  and the more recent revelations that Facebook hired a political consulting firm to discredit activists critical of the company.

The nurses at General Hospital are the true heroes of our citys health care system, not a corporate monopoly whose damaging psychological experiments on its users are profoundly unethical and unhealthy, Peskin said in a statement. He said Cuttlers allegations are deeply troubling.

Catherine Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @Cat_HoGoogles search results have led to even more San Francisco real estate.

The tech giant leased 190,000 square feet  room for more than 1,200 employees based on typical occupancy standards  at One Maritime Plaza in the north Financial District, the company confirmed this week. Google signed the deal in December, its third San Francisco office expansion of 2018, and employees will start moving into the tower in 2020. Google did not specify how many employees will work there.

In November, Google leased 300,000 square feet at Salesforces former headquarters at the Landmark at One Market building, one of the years biggest deals. It also signed a 57,299-square-foot expansion at 2 Harrison St., its longtime office in San Francisco.

The three deals boost Googles San Francisco offices to 1.5 million square feet, making it the third-largest tech tenant behind only Salesforce and Uber, according to real estate brokerage firm Cushman & Wakefield. Google has even more space in Silicon Valley - more than 19 million square feet, with major long-term expansion plans near its Mountain View headquarters and in San Jose.

Google and other tech giants like Facebook and Amazon have shown seemingly bottomless appetites for new offices, both in the Bay Area and around the country.

Google said this week it is leasing 584,000 square feet at the Westside Pavilion in Los Angeles, a former shopping mall being converted into offices. It also has a $1 billion office expansion planned in New York, on the heels of its $2.4 billion acquisition of Chelsea Market last year.

Big tech continues to expand and will be the primary economic driver here and in every other major market  San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City and on and on, said Robert Sammons, a research director at Cushman & Wakefield.

The shaky public markets and the trade war have yet to stop those with deep pockets. Big tech seems to essentially be in it for the long haul and needs to follow the talent, Sammons said.

In a sign of the times, Google will occupy around a third of the 25-story One Maritime Plaza, located at 300 Clay St., as non-tech tenants are leaving.

Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available.

Del Monte Foods said in 2015 it was leaving San Francisco, where it was founded in 1886, for Walnut Creek - joining a corporate exodus from the city of companies like McKesson and Bechtel. The decision came six years after Del Monte Foods leased space at One Maritime Plaza for a new headquarters.

The J.M. Smucker Co. said last year it was closing its One Maritime Plaza office, laying off 100 employees and consolidating workers in its Ohio headquarters. Private equity firm Hellman & Friedman is also leaving the high-rise after leasing a new office at Salesforce Tower.

Other tenants at One Maritime Plaza include billionaire Tom Steyers Farallon Capital Management, Osterweis Capital Management LLC, and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill  the large architecture firm that also designed the dark glass and aluminum tower in 1967.

A Morgan Stanley investment fund bought One Maritime Plaza in 2007 as part of a massive $2.5 billion portfolio deal for 10 San Francisco skyscrapers.

Roland Li is a Chronicle staff writer. Email: roland.li@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rolandlisfA 16-year-old Bay Area medical diagnostics company is shutting down after the federal governments Medicare health insurance program  one of the largest purchasers of the companys flagship product, a blood test for heart disease  rescinded coverage of the test in many states after the test was found to be unnecessary and of little use to patients.

But that was not before the company, CardioDx in Redwood City, sold millions of dollars worth of the test over the course of six years until Medicare in November stopped paying for it. At least 175,000 patients have used the test, the company has said.

CardioDxs shutdown appears abrupt: The same day in December it publicly touted the value of its blood test, it submitted a notice to a state agency disclosing it was laying off 110 employees as it planned to wind down its current business operations. But warning signs emerged in the fall, when insurance companies that administer Medicare benefits began issuing public notices that they planned to stop covering the test in November. Around that time, a federal court unsealed whistle-blower complaints brought by former employees who accused the company of defrauding Medicare by knowingly selling an unnecessary test.

The company did not offer any explanation about its plans to shut down in its Dec. 19 letter to Californias Employment Development Department. A 60-day notice of mass layoffs is required by state labor law for businesses with 75 or more employees.

Multiple calls to CardioDx headquarters and a media line over the course of several days were not returned. Emails requesting comment from CEO Khush Mehta, founder and Chief Strategy Officer David Levison and the companys three other board members went unanswered. On Friday morning, the doors to CardioDxs lobby were open, but the office appeared empty, with the companys reserved parking spots unfilled.

Courtesy of CardioDx

It is unclear how much Medicare spent on the test during the six years it covered it or how much in payments CardioDx collected. But in 2016 and 2017 alone, the Medicare program and patients collectively spent nearly $52 million on the test, according to a Chronicle analysis of data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It is unclear how much of that may have been paid out of pocket by patients.

Accusations that the company sold a test it knew was medically unnecessary date to 2015, court records show. In separate lawsuits filed in federal court in San Francisco, two former CardioDx employees say the company defrauded Medicare out of tens of millions of dollars between 2012 and 2018. Attorneys who filed a complaint in February 2018 put the figure at $55 million; the 2015 complaint puts that figure between $39 million and $53 million.

The legal challenges were made under the False Claims Act and triggered a review by the U.S. Department of Justice, court records show. The department, however, filed court papers in November saying it had decided not to pursue the claims.

That doesnt mean the end of the companys legal troubles. Justin Berger, an attorney for the former employee who filed the first whistle-blower complaint, said he is still pursuing his lawsuit against CardioDx and several executives without the governments intervention.

The company has not responded to the claims in court, and no lawyer of record is listed. Efforts to reach attorneys who have previously represented CardioDx were unsuccessful.

Medicare stopped paying for the test, called Corus CAD, in November, according to three Local Coverage Determination notices posted by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in September and October. The coverage decisions were made by insurance companies that administer Medicare benefits regionally and help decide which services will be covered, though the payments for those services ultimately come from the federal government.

The manufacturer has failed to demonstrate that testing resulted in improved patient outcomes or that testing changed physician management to result in improved patient outcomes, one notice said. Data regarding its clinical usefulness in elderly (Medicare-aged) patients, particularly males, is significantly lacking in all scientific articles.

Paul Chinn / The Chronicle

Interactive Vaccine Tracker: Latest developments Detailed information about the coronavirus vaccines as it becomes available.

The notice also says the test is not included in any professional society management or treatment guidelines.

The Corus CAD test is used to rule out whether a patients chest discomfort requires further testing for coronary artery disease. CardioDx-sponsored studies said the test would rule out 50 percent of patients for further testing, but it only ruled out further testing for 20 percent of Medicare-covered women and did not rule out further testing for any men over age 65, lawyers for one of the former employees claimed in a suit.

CardioDx, founded in 2003, had raised about $297 million, and its last round of venture funding was in January 2017, when it raised $22.5 million, according to Crunchbase. Soon after it received the green light for Medicare coverage, the company brought in $58 million from prominent venture capital firms, including GE Capital, Intel Capital and Kleiner Perkins. A Kleiner Perkins spokeswoman said the firm wrote off the investment several years ago and declined to comment further. GE Capital declined to comment and Intel Capital did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

CardioDx tried to become a publicly listed company in 2013. It filed papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission in preparation of an initial public offering but withdrew the filing.

Medicare pulling its coverage after several years because of the lack of value of the test is unusual, but it could very well cause a company to close its doors, according to Tim Bajarin, president of market research firm Creative Strategies.

If its not really valuable, its surprising that its taken this long for Medicare or anyone to make that evaluation, Bajarin said. He added that it would be highly unusual that its pulling coverage. And it does appear that Medicare mustve been the major backer financially, the major insurance that covers it, that their lack of support for it could cause a death knell.

Sophia Kunthara and Catherine Ho are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: sophia.kunthara@sfchronicle.com, cho@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SophiaKunthara @Cat_HoSan Franciscos newest Navigation Center shelter opens Wednesday, not a moment too soon for the thousands of hard-core homeless people sleeping outside and enduring this weeks drenching storms.

The new, 84-bed center at the corner of Fifth and Bryant streets, like the four others already operating in the city, is intended to fast-track people into housing and drug rehabilitation, or whatever other services are needed to get them permanently under a roof.

Its location at first blush seems odd, being right across the street from Multi-Service Center South, the biggest conventional  and much less service-intensive  homeless shelter in the city. But it actually makes plenty of sense.

Kevin Fagan / The Chronicle

The new Navigation Center is on land owned by the California Department of Transportation, which means under state law the city gets to lease it for a $1 a month because its being used for a shelter. Also, its across from busy Interstate 80, under which homeless people have camped for decades because it shelters them from the rain. It also has a reputation as a stopping point for hard-core drifters coming to town or those panhandling freeway ramp traffic.

Few people in those camps actually want to be there, and on Tuesday as they watched preparations for the opening, several said theyd love to score a bed inside.

Ive been living outside for more than three years, and Id give it another try if I could get into that nav center, 49-year-old Niev Khabeiry said, sitting alongside the rolling cart he calls home and gazing at the new shelter. Ive got some friends who are already in there, and Id like to join them.

Episcopal Community Services, an experienced shelter and services nonprofit, will run the new center and had already taken in a few residents before the official opening date. Google.org, the tech giants charitable arm, donated $3 million toward the centers construction. Occupants can get in only if referred by city street counselors.

The new beds, which include 20 set aside for women, will bring to about 200 the number of shelter beds Mayor London Breed has created so far in her plan to open 1,000 new beds by next year. Those beds, she said, will make a real difference in our neighborhoods and in the lives of the people on our streets who need help.

 Kevin Fagan

Email: cityinsider@sfchronicle.com, kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @sfcityinsider @KevinChronCourtesy of CAL FIRE San Mateo - Santa Cruz Unit

Firefighters used the Jaws of Life hydraulic tool to rescue a man trapped in a white BMW after the driver lost control and hit the center divide in a crash on I-280 on Tuesday night, officials said.

Personnel with the San Mateo County Fire Department and California Highway Patrols Redwood City office responded to a report of a crash on southbound I-280 just after 8 p.m., according to a CHP traffic report.She prefers to keep some of her seasoning selections to herself, but she acknowledges that the shrimp is cooked in oil with some basil, and that there are hints of lemon juice and curry in the spinach. (The end result is something she describes as Zambian spinach.)Talk to Deanna van Buren about her architectural aspirations, and the discussion routinely shifts back and forth between grand visions and the nitty-gritty of getting things done.

She discusses her small firms work to reconfigure a 28-foot trailer as a portable support facility for women and the larger challenge of rethinking how architecture responds to mass incarceration. Her conversion of a long-empty Oakland retail building into a community support space isnt yet complete, but shes in the planning stages for a 1.6-acre version in Detroit that would include housing.

Shes also the recipient of a major prize from UC Berkeleys College of Environmental Design that will include a semester-long teaching stint. But this month her focus is packing boxes at the co-working space for design professionals that she helped conceive, so that the facility can move to a new spot in downtown Oakland.

Illustrations by Designing Justice + Designing Spaces

I like to be visionary, but Im also a practitioner, said van Buren, whose firm is among the tenants in Building Industry Gathering  Oakland, the co-working space that will relocate to a former bookstore on Broadway in February. When you design and create, its important to zoom out and think about how your work is tied to the larger culture.

The Oakland resident is the fourth architect to receive the Berkeley-Rupp Architecture Prize, a $100,000 honor awarded biannually. Besides the money, it includes a semester-long professorship at the College of Environmental Design.

The award is named after Sigrid Rupp, a Palo Alto architect whose estate made the bequest after her death in 2004. It is reserved for designers or academics promoting the advancement of women in the field of architecture.

Prior winners include New York architect Deborah Berke, now dean of the Yale School of Architecture, and Spanish architect Carme Pinos. Van Buren is the first local recipient  but her efforts have also received wider recognition, including the 2017 Activist award from Architectural Record.

Shes thinking in very creative ways about the role architecture can have in terms of addressing inequities in the justice system, said Cathleen McGuigan, the magazines editor in chief. Its extraordinary and important for her to have a presence addressing these issues of national importance.

Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle

Born in Virginia, Van Buren moved to the Bay Area from Australia in 2006 with her husband at the time and briefly lived in San Francisco before settling in Oakland. Shed been designing conventional buildings until then, but a latent interest in pursuing a more socially relevant path blossomed soon after arriving here.

She was drawn to design as it relates to restorative justice, a phrase Van Buren first heard during a talk by sisters Angela and Fania Davis.

The goal is what Van Buren calls an alternative way of addressing harm in communities  bypassing the legal system to resolve, at the neighborhood or community level, how best to make amends for wrongdoing.

The firm Van Buren founded with Kyle Rawlins bears the name Designing Justice + Designing Spaces. Local projects include the two Wind Star trailers being reconfigured into portable oases that can bring needed support services to women in need.

Mobile architecture can do a lot of things that bricks and mortar cant do, said Van Buren, such as pulling up outside a jail on nights that women are being released.

The firms first permanent Bay Area structure opens in the spring, Restore Oakland, in the Fruitvale district, will include a restaurant that will provide job training for low-income workers and the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, as well as other community nonprofits.

In our case, designing for equity has a few layers, said Van Buren, a rare African American woman in a profession historically dominated by white males. Theres racial equity and gender equity but also economic equity. Were primarily focused on working with low-income communities of color.

Efforts like these arent unique. What Van Buren emphasizes is that the design of such spaces must be conceived to resonate physically with the people they aim to serve, rather than rely on good intentions.

Space needs to be accessible, but it should also be relaxing, Van Buren said. The energy we aim to create is calming and soothing, so that people want to be there.

As abstract as some of these notions might sound, Van Buren emphasizes that they connect to ongoing national debates. She is heartened by Decembers passage of a federal justice reform bill that would reduce mandatory sentences for such felony crimes as drug possession while increasing rehabilitation and job training programs.

Theres been a huge awakening about criminal justice and how bad aspects of the current model are. Its the only bipartisan issue in Washington, Van Buren said. Its not just an aesthetic issue, obviously, but we also cant just talk about policy.

Van Buren will spend the fall 2019 semester at Cal. Shes planning to teach a course on exploring how to create spaces for peacemaking, while also working on a book.

Ill be opening the class to the entire university and encouraging cross-discipline work, Van Buren said. We need to think about how to get everyone talking to each other.

John King is The San Francisco Chronicles urban design critic. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchronThank you for reading!

You have reached your 30-day limit of free access to SentinelSource.com, The Keene Sentinels website. If you would like to read two more articles for free at this time, please register for an account by clicking the sign up button below.

We hope you find The Sentinels coverage of the Monadnock Region valuable. We rely on our subscribers to bring you strong local journalism and hope you will consider supporting our work by taking advantage of this special subscription offer here.Posted Wednesday, January 9, 2019 12:19 am

This list is a sampling of crime in Sedalia and the surrounding area. Information is taken from official police reports, which do not necessarily contain statements from all parties involved in each case.

Sedalia Police Department

Arrests

Jan. 5

2 p.m.: Karan A. Gaines, 57, of the 4900 block of Vernon Road, was arrested on charges of felony stealing, felony fraudulent use of a credit card device, misdemeanor identity theft, forgery, and driving with a suspended or revoked license. Kimberly K. Vasquez, 52, was arrested on charges of felony stealing, felony fraudulent use of a credit card device, misdemeanor identity theft and forgery. Complainants came to the police station at 4:20 p.m. Saturday to report their purse had been stolen from the 3200 block of West Broadway Boulevard. An officer contacted the business where the theft occurred and retrieved video footage of the incident. The following day, the complainants contacted SPD to report their debit and credit cards had been used at multiple locations. Officers located the suspects and took them into custody.

Jan. 7

4:20 p.m.: Blake H. Tokuda, 40, of the 1100 block of East Sixth Street, was arrested on a charge of stealing. Tokuda approached an officer on patrol in the area of South Kentucky Avenue and West Second Street to ask for directions. The officer recognized Tokuda and his vehicle from photos emailed through the police department identifying a theft suspect. He arrested Tokuda and read him his Miranda rights. Tokuda said he didnt want to answer any questions concerning the case. The officer booked him at the Pettis County Jail and released him with a Sedalia Municipal Court summons.

8:55 p.m.: Nicholas S. Brandes, 35, of Cole Camp, was arrested on a charge of driving with a revoked license. Officers stopped Brandes vehicle for having an inoperable headlight and found he had a revoked license.

Incidents

Jan. 7

8:15 a.m.: Officers assisted the Missouri Department of Social Services Childrens Division with a co-investigation into sexual misconduct involving a person under 16. The alleged incident was reported to have taken place in the 1800 block of South Park Avenue. At the time of the report, the incident was still under investigation.

4:35 p.m.: The police department investigated a domestic violence incident in the 600 block of South Montgomery Avenue. Officers learned a male suspect had choked a victim and fled the area. The victim refused medical attention. The officers are seeking a charge of domestic assault against the suspect.

Missouri State Highway Patrol

Arrests

Jan. 7

3:30 p.m.: Ashly D. Thurman, 30, of Warsaw, was arrested in Henry County on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. Troopers also served a felony warrant from Lafayette County.

11:45 p.m.: Cody S. Irwin, 23, of Windsor, was arrested in Pettis County on a charge of driving while intoxicated.

Jan. 8

10:20 a.m.: Dontavia D. Woodard, 31, of Knob Noster, was arrested in Johnson County on a charge of driving without a valid license. Troopers also served a felony warrant from Pettis County.Posted Wednesday, January 9, 2019 12:25 am

Pettis crash injures three

Three people were injured, one seriously, in a Pettis County accident at 6:44 a.m. Monday.

Monica Loredo, 25, of Olathe, Kansas, was driving west on Radio Hill Road when she pulled into the path of a northbound vehicle on U.S. Route 65, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report.

Loredo was wearing a seat belt and suffered moderate injuries in the collision. She received treatment at Bothwell Regional Health Center.

The driver and passenger of the northbound vehicle, both from Sedalia, were also hurt. Michael C. Hanlon, 43, wasnt wearing a seat belt while driving the car and sustained moderate injuries. Melanie M. Schmolzi, 26, was wearing a seat belt and suffered serious injuries. Both received treatment at University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia.

Man injured in DWI crash

A man was injured and charged with a DWI after crashing his vehicle at 3:55 p.m. Monday in Henry County.

Marvin L. Hills, 78, of Deepwater, was southbound on state Route 7 when he failed to negotiate a curve and traveled off the right side of the road at Route U, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol report.

Hills was wearing a seat belt and had minor injuries. Before releasing him for medical treatment, troopers arrested him on charges of felony driving while intoxicated, driving with a revoked license and not having insurance.

The Warsaw-Lincoln Ambulance District took Hills to Golden Valley Memorial Hospital in Clinton.

Information is taken from preliminary Missouri State Highway Patrol reports, which do not necessarily contain statements from all parties involved.A man who claims to have been assaulted by a Bellingham police officer in 2017 sued the city last month, hoping to expose Bellingham's alleged pattern of knowingly tolerating violent cops.

Brooks Laughlin was arrested twice between the time he was promoted to corporal in January 2018 and his resignation in April 2018, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court in Western Washington.

He's now in prison at Washington Corrections Center in Shelton, having been convicted in November 2018 of three counts of second-degree assault, two counts of felony harassment, two counts of violating a no-contact order, one count of felony stalking and one count of fourth-degree assault. He is the third Bellingham police officer in three years to be arrested for alleged assault, according to the lawsuit.

RELATED: Motorcyclist sues King Co. detective who pulled gun on him during Shoreline traffic stop

Joshua Smith, 23, says Laughlin assaulted him during a traffic stop without provocation. Body cam footage of the incident shows that Smith held his hands up and appeared unarmed at the moment Laughlin laid hands on him. But because the body camera fell to the ground - the lawsuit says Laughlin threw it to the ground - it's hard to see what took place.

However, incident reports written by several cops who responded to the incident contradict what body cameras show and what Smith claims. Smith alleges that Laughlin kicked him in the testicles, wrenched his back, lifted him up and slammed him into a wooden fence, and bent his middle finger back until he heard a "crack."

The city charged Smith with obstruction, but the charge was dismissed in February 2018.

RELATED: Lawsuit: Sequim's Olympic Game Farm neglects, confines protected species

"(T)he City of Bellingham facilitated the very type of misconduct at issue here by allowing it to continue as a matter of practice with Officer Laughlin's violent and abusive behavior being tolerated and/or covered up causing him and any reasonable officer in his circumstance to believe that he could use excessive force on arrestees and members of the public ... without fear of being disciplined," wrote Jeffrey Taren, Smith's attorney.

Smith at the time was in a relationship with an 18-year-old woman whose father was a deputy at the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office, according to the lawsuit. The complaint says that on June 19, 2017, Smith had arrived at the family's home in the 3300 block of Plymouth Drive while his girlfriend argued with her parents.

The girlfriend's mother called 911 to complain about Smith screaming and cursing at their home. One of the 911 recordings depict a male voice identified as Smith yelling in the background, while the girlfriend's mother yells, "Don't push her" and "Get out of my room."

She cried and told the 911 call taker, "I don't know what to do," and said her daughter was leaving the house with Smith on her own will.

Laughlin responded to the call and found the white SUV associated with Smith pulled over on nearby Ellis Street, according to the complaint. The 18-year-old woman was sitting on the side of the road, crying, while Smith knelt beside her.

Laughlin's body-worn camera showed him approaching the couple and verifying their identity. Smith stood up and asked, "Am I under arrest? Am I allowed to record you?"

Laughlin said, "no," and asked to speak with Smith.

RELATED: Lawsuit challenges Seattle rental inspections that defy tenants' consent

Smith showed his hands, but after a brief moment when Smith appeared to touch his left pocket, Laughlin ordered him to get his hands out of his pockets. Smith's hands were up again when Laughlin appears to grab him and the camera falls into the grass, capturing only audio of Smith's cursing and yelling.

"My hands were up in the air the entire time!" Smith is heard saying. "Now I'm being detained for trying to record an officer."

The incident report written by Laughlin, used to justify the obstruction charge in Bellingham Municipal Court, said Smith "dove his hand in his pocket" and he "refused" to remove his hand. The report also claims Smith tried to re-enter his SUV, which is not borne out by the video.

"Because of Joshua Smith's refusal to follow commands and furtive movements to possibly access a weapon, I felt it neccessary (sic) to immedialty (sic) detain him into handcuffs," Laughlin wrote in a more detailed case report.

Body cam footage from another responding officer shows Smith complaining repeatedly that Laughlin kicked him in the "balls."

Laughlin had a record of involvement with assault, the lawsuit claimed. Residents had complained about Laughlin's "inappropriate conduct" to a sheriffy's deputy before the incident with Smith and he'd racked up misconduct allegations dating back to 2015, court records said. Whatcom County deputies allegedly responded to a domestic violence report involving Laughlin in January 2017, and Everson police officers were sent to his home at least once in the previous year for "domestic issues."

RELATED: 'I'm not reaching': Family decries New Year's Eve police killing of man in North Seattle

He was arrested in February and March 2018, shortly after his promotion. He resigned his position April 20, 2018.

As detailed in the federal complaint, Officer Jacob Esparza was fired from the Bellingham Police Department in 2016 after he was arrested in connection with domestic violence. He pleaded guilty in 2017 to one count of domestic violence harassment.

Another former officer, Sukhdev Singh Dhaliwal, was arrested in 2017 after he and his brother beat two men and threatened to kill them. He was found guilty of fourth-degree assault last year.

The city of Bellingham has not yet responded to the allegations with any court filing and the City Attorney's Office did not respond to a request for comment.

Bellingham Police Chief David Doll issued the following comment Wednesday:

"Any time our officers use force, as a response to a threat, that entire incident is reviewed at multiple levels to ensure that the officer(s) has complied with agency policy and laws governing use of force. The entire incident that is the subject of this lawsuit was reviewed at that time, and the officers involved were found to be in compliance."

This story was updated to include a quote from Bellingham Police Chief David Doll supplied Wednesday.

SeattlePI reporter Lynsi Burton can be reached at lynsiburton@seattlepi.com. Follow her on Twitter at @LynsiBurton_PI. Find more from Lynsi here.President Trump delivered his first speech from the Oval Office, an historic spot to use the presidential bully pulpit, to a polarized nation. There was not the slightest sign of melt to show for Trump's efforts.

"This Oval Office speech did not change 100 minds: We all know what we think of this President. His base cheers whatever he says and the remainder of America sees his giant credibility gap," tweeted University of Virginia opinion expert Larry Sabato.

Or in blunt words of State Rep. Gael Tarleton, D-Seattle, "Why did Trump abuse the Oval Office by giving another damned stump speech?"

And from U.S. Rep. Pramila Jayapal: "Donald Trump sounds like a broken record . . . It is time for the President to give up his vanity wall fantasy and allow us to focus on what matters, ending this shutdown."

An opposite perspective, offered by Republican consultant Lance Henderson: "There was a time when #Democrats WANTED stronger borders. So why the sudden change? Because they DON'T want to give @realDonald Trump a win."

RELATED: Ex-Canadian PM tweet-repeats U.S. rep's slur on Trump

Several Northwest political leaders were rummaging around Trump's head and motives rather than fixing on the predictable words out of his mouth.

Rep. Adam Smith, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, commented: "The President just wants us to give him $5.6 billion so he can falsely claim that he's kept a campaign promise. That is breathtakingly irresponsible."

"Trump's 'border crisis' is a fraud," said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon. "The wall is a wasteful and ineffective way to secure the border, and the only national emergency here is the damage Trump's fragile ego is doing to the country."

In a line that political aide Jamal Raad insisted was not crafted by staff, Gov. Jay Inslee said in a prequel to Trump's speech: "We don't have an emergency in national security as much as we have an emergency in presidential insecurity."

The facts laid on the table, about drug pushers and terrorists, drew immediate rebuttals.

"The Drug Enforcement Administration has found that most of the drugs smuggled into the U.S. through the southern border pass undetected through legal ports of entry," Rep. Rick Larsen, argued.

Veteran Rep. Peter DeFazio of Oregon debunked the border as an entry point for terrorists, a point first made by Fox News host Chris Wallace.

"The majority of suspected terrorists enter the United States through airports, not through the southern border," said DeFazio. "The best way to root them out is a well-funded, well-trained TSA -- too bad President Donald Trump is forcing them to work without pay for the duration of the Trump Shutdown."

RELATED: Inslee, Ferguson, Durkan on Trump immigration rule: This is not America

Rep. Derek Kilmer dwelt on those who were not discussed in Trump's speech -- laid off federal workers. Kilmer has a lot of them as constituents, in a district that is home to Olympic National Park and an array of federal facilities.

"Because of the shutdown, the conversation unfolding across 800,000 kitchen tables as federal workers try to figure out how to scrape together mortgage payments and car payments and rent payments -- trying to make do without a paycheck."

And Sen. Patty Murray inadvertently pointed out the obvious -- Trump played to his base and did not change minds. And the President is not changing his mind.

"The only thing that the American people learned tonight is that President Trump is willing to say and do anything to justify wasting American taxpayer dollars on his wasteful border wall," said Murray in a Tweet.

And the impasse goes on.Gov. Jay Inslee, backed by a bevy of Democratic politicians, on Tuesday proposed a "public option" health care system, aimed at universal access for Washington residents.

It would be set up and offered through the state's Health Care Exchange.

Using a frequently used Inslee phrase -- "moral imperative" -- the Governor said: "We believe it is a just thing to do for all our citizens to have affordable health care."

The program, if approved by the Legislature, would take effect in 2021. It is being sponsored in Olympia by two Seattle area Democratic lawmakers, Sen. David Frockt and Rep. Eileen Cody.

RELATED: Washington will stick to stricter vehicle emission standards -- Inslee

"President Trump has done everything in his power to undermine the health care coverage advances we've made in Washington," Frockt said. "The public option will help apply downward pressure to the increases in premiums and deductibles that his terrible policies have led to."

The Governor and his allies provided few details on how the public option would be paid for. The Inslee budget proposes spending $500,000 to get planning underway.

The "Cascade Care" bill represents the latest ambitious proposal from Inslee, who is pondering a run for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The Governor has proposed a capital gains tax on high income earners, an expanded Business and Occupation Tax on service providers, a requirement that electrical utilities stop burning coal by 2025, and a $1.1 billion plan for orca recovery.

"Cascade Care" directs the state's Health Care Authority to contract with one or more health plans across the state to offer coverage on the Washington Health Benefit Exchange, which guarantees coverage to anyone in the individual insurance market across the state.

RELATED: Inslee will pardon thousands of marijuana misdemeanor convictions

The Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, has brought coverage to 800,000 people across Washington, 590,000 low income citizens gaining coverage through Medicaid expansion and 210,000 enrolled in qualified health plans through the Health Plan Finder.

An estimated 90,000 Medicaid recipients have received substance abuse treatment, with 27,000 treated for cancer.

The Trump administration's efforts to repeal or undermine Obamacare have created an urgency to act, Inslee argued.

"Under the Trump administration all that progress is at risk," he said. "Because of the instability they've brought to the system, consumers in 14 counties have only one option for coverage and our ability to rein in costs has been stymied."

Beginning in 2021, insurance carriers would be required to offer a "standard plan" at any tier where they offer at least one plan for coverage. The public options would be standardized in coverage and deductibles to provide for transparency.

ALSO FROM CONNELLY: Harrell is third City Council incumbent to not seek reelection

The Health Benefit Exchange would work with the Health Care Authority to develop a plan to implement and finance premium subsidies for families and individuals on the Exchange in need of assistance.

The program's goal is to have consumers spend no more than 10 percent of their income on insurance premiums.A visit to the "Willy Wonka's Factory" of coffee shops provides a unique experience for java drinkers, but does the Starbucks brand have room to build up the Reserve concept?

CEO Kevin Johnson told The Wall Street Journal he's slowing down former CEO Howard Schultz's plans to expand the Reserve brand.

"One thousand was an aspiration," Johnson told the Journal, which was a target for the Reserve brand announced by Schultz in 2016. Rather than open such a large number of Reserve stores, Johnson told the Journal they will test six to 10 stores and see how they fare.

Market researcher Pamela N. Danziger wrote in a column for Forbes that she thinks this was the "right and prudent course" for the company.

In 2016, Schultz described the Reserve brand as a "new, premium retail coffee format" focused on showcasing coffee-brewing methods and providing exclusive, micro-lot coffees to customers.

RELATED: Starbucks opens new Reserve Roastery in New York

The problem, Danziger explained, is that customers pursue Starbucks for its convenience and mass-market appeal -- not because it's the luxury brand it once was.

"Starbucks got caught in the trap that I call 'luxflation,'" Danziger wrote. "Luxury brands, which Starbucks clearly was not too long ago, have to continuously and continually inflate their luxury values."

Perhaps, years ago, when Starbucks was widely considered a luxury brand, the Reserve brand would have been the right way to go. But since Starbucks is now widely considered to be an "everyday coffee choice," it would need a greater step up to compete with now-luxury coffee brands.

RELATED: Starbucks opens first sign language store

"I don't think Starbucks Reserve Roasteries is disruptive enough to be the magic bullet for company growth in the near future," she wrote.

Fortune writer Grace Dobush agrees, writing that a higher-priced brand could alienate the everyday Starbucks coffee drinker -- just as chains like Dunkin Donuts and McDonalds raise the bar for affordable coffee.

RELATED: Starbucks commits $10 million to recyclable, compostable cups

"Comedians in the 1990s loved to joke about the rise of the $5 cup of coffee. Today's artisanal coffee roasters make Starbucks seem cheap by comparison," Dobush wrote.

To date, there are four Reserve Roastery locations -- Seattle, Shanghai, Milan and New York -- and one Reserve Store in Seattle's Sodo neighborhood, which offers everything the roasteries offer except actually roasting coffee.

Two more Reserve Roastery locations are scheduled to open this year in Tokyo and Chicago.

Over the last year, Starbucks has been closing underperforming stores and licensing retail operations to Nestle, Reuters reported in November 2018, which allowed sales to exceed analysts' expectations.

Producer Natalie Guevara can be contacted at natalie.guevara@seattlepi.com.Customers can expect assistance when looking through all of the products. The CBD Store will also give a sample and educational materials for those who dont know much about CBD oil.

All products can be used to help with anxiety, chronic pain, depression and other ailments, Jacobs said.

Often customers who go into one of our stores 'as a last resort' rave about how effective the treatment was in relieving arthritis pain and other kinds of inflammation, the annuncement said. The store also keeps results from a third-party lab that tests products for quality and purity, so customers can be sure they are getting the good stuff.

The industrial hemp is grown in Evergreen, Colorado, turned into CBD products, tested in a lab, packaged in Bradenton, Florida, and shipped to the stores.

Because CBD oil is not FDA-approved, it is not tightly regulated, which opens the door for fake, diluted products to make it onto the market. Jacobs said he and his team combat this by being transparent about the chain of custody of their products.FLORENCE, S.C.  For four nurses in Florence, each day at work is like a birthday.

For the community, seeing the first baby born in the New Year is a tradition much like the ball dropping in Times Square, but for the nurses, each day brings new birthdays for them to celebrate.

Each day, Tara Stephens and Priscilla Russell walk into the womens center of Carolinas Hospital System and Jennifer Morris and Jessica Macchio arrive on the fourth floor of the McLeod Pavilion, and they know theyll be called on to help make an addition to a family in the Pee Dee during their shifts.

Stephens serves as a nursery nurse and a neonatal intensive care unit [NICU] nurse.

I take care of the babies after the delivery until the time they go home, Stephens said.

She said she gets to experience birthdays and graduations. As an NICU nurse, she works with and watches the babies progress from birth until they are able to go home, and each developmental step the babies take is another step toward graduation and going home.Scientists seeking to bring the fusion reaction that powers the sun and stars to Earth must keep the superhot plasma free from disruptions. Now researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) have discovered a process that can help to control the disruptions thought to be most dangerous.

Replicating fusion, which releases boundless energy by fusing atomic nuclei in the state of matter known as plasma, could produce clean and virtually limitless power for generating electricity for cities and industries everywhere. Capturing and controlling fusion energy is therefore a key scientific and engineering challenge for researchers across the globe.

Creating magnetic islands

The PPPL finding, reported in Physical Review Letters, focuses on so-called tearing modes -- instabilities in the plasma that create magnetic islands, a key source of plasma disruptions. These islands, bubble-like structures that form in the plasma, can grow and trigger disruptive events that halt fusion reactions and damage doughnut-shaped facilities called "tokamaks" that house the reactions.

Researchers found in the 1980s that using radio-frequency (RF) waves to drive current in the plasma could stabilize tearing modes and reduce the risk of disruptions. However, the researchers failed to notice that small changes -- or perturbations -- in the temperature of the plasma could improve the stabilization process, once a key threshold in power is exceeded. The physical mechanism that PPPL has identified works like this:

The temperature perturbations affect the strength of the current drive and the amount of RF power deposited in the islands.

The perturbations and their impact on the deposition of power feedback against each other in a complex -- or nonlinear -- manner.

When the feedback combines with the sensitivity of the current drive to temperature perturbations, the efficiency of the stabilization process increases.

Furthermore, the improved stabilization is less to likely to be affected by misaligned current drives that fail to hit the center of the island.

The overall impact of this process creates what is technically called "RF current condensation," or concentration of RF power inside the island that keeps it from growing. "The power deposition is greatly increased," said Allan Reiman, a theoretical physicist at PPPL and lead author of the paper. "When the power deposition in the island exceeds a threshold level, there is a jump in the temperature that greatly strengthens the stabilizing effect. This allows the stabilization of larger islands than previously thought possible."

Beneficial to ITER

advertisement

This process can be particularly beneficial to ITER, the international tokamak under construction in France to demonstrate the feasibility of fusion power. "There is worry about islands getting large and causing disruptions in ITER," Reiman said. "Taken together, these new effects should make it easier to stabilize ITER plasmas."

Reiman worked with Professor Nat Fisch, associate director for academic affairs at PPPL and coauthor of the report. Fisch had demonstrated in a landmark 1970s paper that RF waves could be used to drive currents to confine tokamak plasmas through a process now called "RF current drive."

Fisch points out how "it was Reiman's groundbreaking paper in 1983 that predicted that these RF currents could also stabilize tearing modes. The use of RF current drive for stabilization of tearing modes was perhaps even more crucial to the tokamak program than using these currents to confine the plasma," Fisch said.

"Hence," he said, "Reiman's 1983 paper essentially launched experimental campaigns on tokamaks worldwide to stabilize tearing modes." Moreover, he added, "Significantly, in addition to predicting the stabilization of tearing modes by RF, the 1983 paper also pointed out the importance of the temperature perturbation in magnetic islands."

Underappreciated feature

The new paper takes a fresh look at the impact of these temperature perturbations on the islands, a feature which has been underappreciated since the 1983 paper pointed to it. "We basically went back 35 years to carry that thought just a bit further by exploring the fascinating physics and larger implications of positive feedback," Fisch said. "It turned out that these implications might now be very important to the tokamak program today."

The theoreticians began their recent work with a simple model and advanced to more complex ones to address the key issues. They now plan to produce a more detailed picture with still-more sophisticated models. They are also working to suggest experimental campaigns that will expose these new effects. Support for this research comes from the DOE Office of Science.Among the social insects, bees have developed a strong and rich social network, where busy worker bees tend to the queen, who in turn, controls reproduction for the benefit of the hive.

But the South African Cape honey bee (Apis mellifera capensis) can flaunt these rules. In a process of genetic trickery called thelytoky syndrome, worker bee females ignore the queen's orders and begin to reproduce on their own.

Scientists, in their own altruistic effort to protect the Cape honey bees from a recent devastating blight, transferred the Cape honey bees to a northeastern region -- only to see the Cape bees wreak havoc among colonies of the neighboring honey bee subspecies A. m. scutellata.

The A. capensis bees turned from altruistic workers to the guests who would not leave -- becoming social parasites that forage on their own into foreign colonies, reproducing an army of loyal workers, stealing all the honey, and eventually, dethroning the queen and taking over the host colony.

This type of behavior, despite making for bad neighbors, makes a lot of evolutionary sense. If the queen is lost, then the thelytoky syndrome at one point must have first kicked in as a life raft to save the colony. But if this is the case, why hasn't it become a more widespread phenomenon for other bee species?

Recently, scientists have combed through bee genomes to narrow down the genetics behind thelytoky, and linked these to candidate genes in the past few years -- but to date, the master genetic switch has not been found.

advertisement

Now, for the first time, a group led by Denise Aumer and Eckart Stolle, working in the lab of Robin Moritz at the Martin-Luther-Universitat Halle-Wittenberg's Institute of Biology, have finally found the root cause responsible for thelytoky. The findings were published in the advanced online edition of Molecular Biology and Evolution.

"Uncovering the genetic architecture underlying thelytoky is a big step towards understanding this mode of reproduction, not only in the Cape honeybee, but also in other insect species in general (e.g. many invasive ants reproduce in a very similar fashion)," said Stolle. "After having worked on the topic for so many years with so much efforts by our colleagues and us to add pieces to the puzzle and also with the one or other dead end, it is a huge accomplishment for us to have come to this point."

By comparing the genomes of Cape honeybees which produce diploid female offspring (thelytoky) with those producing haploid male offspring (arrhenotoky, i.e. the expected mode of reproduction), they identified a candidate gene located on chromosome one, LOC409096, and proposed to call it Thelytoky (Th), as the major regulator of the selfish worker bee reproduction. Thelytoky encodes a receptor protein with a transmembrane helix and a signal peptide at the extracellular N-terminus, indicating that it is linked to a secretory pathway.

Specifically, a single mutational substitution in exon 7 of Thelytoky causes a change from the polar amino acid threonine to the non-polar amino acid isoleucine in the protein sequence, leading to substantial structural modifications and likely functional consequences. In addition, they confirmed their genetic data by showing that RNA levels of Thelytoky were elevated only in the selfish bees. They also performed DNA sequencing of another honey bee population and found the same exact mutation amongst the socially parasitic lineage of the Cape honey bee, but not among workers of other honey bee subspecies.

From the study of the genetics, they determined that Cape bee selfishness exhibits a dominant inheritance pattern, which means that only one mutation that needs to be passed down to perform the selfish genetic switch.

advertisement

But the genetics are a bit more complicated because it turns out that the selfish gene still needs its altruistic partner (known as the social, or arrhenotoky form of the gene).

"The genetic control of the thelytoky syndrome is regulated by a more complex genetic mechanism than previously assumed," said Aumer. "The thelytoky allele (Th) is not recessive, i.e., needing two copies of the mutated gene, but rather a dominant allele. This dominant mutation expresses the phenotype (thelytoky) when one copy of the gene is the mutated variant, and the other copy is the one variant typical for the Cape honey bee."

"But at the same time, it appears that having two copies of the mutated variant is detrimental, perhaps even lethal, while having two copies of the "regular" Cape bee variant of this genes makes them reproduce normally. Any other combination of the mutated variant with another subspecies' variant would be non-matching alleles and would result in either non-functional or fertile normally reproducing (arrhenotokous) phenotypes. Therefore, the Cape bee typical Th variant seems to complement the mutated Th variant in a way that the offspring is fertile and expresses the unique set of phenotypes referred to as thelytoky syndrome."

Because only one gene can get passed on during reproduction, the genetics not only explain why breeders, for the past 150 years, have been mostly unsuccessful with producing thelytokous workers from mating the Cape bees with others, but also why the thelytoky behavior hasn't spread into other bee populations.

Genetically, it turns out you still need a little altruism to be truly selfish. When only one is passed on from interbreeding, the effect is lost without its partner gene.

"On a broader level, the identified genetic architecture of thelytoky in honey bees may serve as a model for other eusocial species with similar thelytokous reproduction, in particular for novel ant model systems, such as Platythyrea punctata and the clonal raider ant Ooceraea biroi," wrote the authors in the Molecular Biology and Evolution publication.

And just like the striking case of malaria and hemoglobin genes in humans, the study shows how just a single change in the DNA can have such a dramatic effect on a species, or in this case, changing the behavior of a bee from a helper to a mercenary.Deputy Commissioner John Daley, left, and Commissioner of Public Safety Peter Martin are moving forward to meet with the Citizen's Advisory Board to represent the needs and concerns of a diverse cross section of residents who have expressed concerns about their relationships and interactions with City police.Politburo member Phong congratulated the SAO on its major achievements in recent years, especially in improving its stature and developing its apparatus.

She said the SAO delegations working visit to Vietnam will help strengthen the traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, including between the State Audit Office of Vietnam (SAV) and the SAO.

The Vice Chairwoman noted that aside from improving the efficiency of financial audit, the SAV will step up auditing and evaluating the implementation of key national programmes and projects, the NAs resolutions, and policies relevant to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The two audit agencies should increase the sharing of experience while expanding various forms and fields of cooperation in both bilateral and multilateral aspects, Phong added.

For her part, Siphandone highlighted the SAVs support and assistance to the SAO over the years, as well as the effectiveness of bilateral coordination, particularly in personnel training.

She also expressed hope that the two sides will reinforce the comprehensive cooperation, as well as exchange experts and train auditors in a more effective manner in the future.You asked. We listened. Your daily crossword, Sudoku and dozens of other puzzles are now available online. Play them or print them here.

Play nowNew York, Jan 9: The Russian lawyer who attended the Trump Tower meeting that is a focus of the special counsel's investigation into possible collusion was charged with obstructing an unrelated tax-fraud case, federal prosecutors in New York has said.

Natalya Veselnitskaya was indicted on one count of obstruction of justice after prosecutors said she teamed up with a senior Russian prosecutor and submitted deceptive declarations in a civil proceeding involving a Russian tax refund fraud scheme. The indictment, which is unrelated to Russian election interference and brought by the Manhattan US attorney, illustrates Veselnitskaya's close ties to the Russian government, which she has denied.

It renews questions about the circumstances of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting, which also was attended by Donald Trump Jr. and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner. Trump Jr. has acknowledged that he met with Veselnitskaya because he had been told she could offer damaging information about Democrat Hillary Clinton from the Russian government. But Trump Jr. and Kushner said the meeting amounted to nothing and mostly involved Russia's ban on American adoptions in response to US sanctions.

Veselnitskaya has previously denied acting on behalf of Russian officials when she met with the Trump team, telling Congress she operates "independently of any government bodies." Special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating whether the Trump campaign coordinated with Russia during the presidential campaign, has focused on the Trump Tower meeting and called some participants before a federal grand jury.

He also has scrutinised Trump's role in drafting a misleading public statement about the meeting's content. James Margolin, a spokesman for the Manhattan US attorney's office, said Veselnitskaya's criminal case did not originate from a referral by Mueller, noting the allegations relate only to her work for the Russian company and "are unrelated to any other investigation."

Peter Carr, a spokesperson for Mueller's office, declined comment on the case.

Veselnitskaya, a 43-year-old attorney based in Russia, did not respond to a telephone call and text message from The Associated Press. The indictment unsealed Tuesday will curtail Veselnitskaya's international travel and expose her to arrest if she comes to the US But Russia does not have an extradition treaty with the U.S. and she will likely never appear in a US court if she remains there.

The indictment was filed under seal in December and publicly announced Tuesday by Manhattan US Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman. The criminal case relates to real estate firm Prevezon Holdings Ltd. and its role in an alleged 230 million tax-fraud scheme that federal officials say was "perpetrated by a criminal organization that included in its ranks corrupt Russian officials."

In 2013, US prosecutors brought a civil lawsuit against the company that sought to recover millions of dollars worth of New York real estate and other property on the grounds that it was tainted by money laundering. The fraud scheme involved using stolen corporate identities to obtain Russian tax refunds and funneling the illegal proceeds through a network of shell companies. Veselnitskaya was retained to assist the defendants.

As part of that representation, the indictment accuses her of misrepresenting a declaration that she submitted to a federal judge. The indictment says Veselnitskaya claimed that the material she submitted to the court was an independent finding when in fact the document was an "intentionally misleading declaration" that she had secretly drafted with a senior Russian government prosecutor, who is not named in court papers.

Prevezon settled the civil case in 2017 but balked at a negotiated payment. A federal judge ordered the firm last February to pay USD 6 million to the US government. The companies that claimed they had been defrauded by Prevezon were owned by Hermitage Capital Management, whose CEO William Browder aided the government's case.

Browder has championed sanctions against Russia, accusing its officials of collaborating in the imprisonment that led to the death of his Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky. Magnitsky was arrested while investigating the fraud case and died in a Russian prison in 2009. Congress passed the Magnitsky Law in 2012 to target those allegedly involved in his arrest and death with financial sanctions.

Veselnitskaya's legal work for Prevezon is also connected to another Trump Tower meeting participant, Rinat Akhmetshin. Prevezon owner Denis Katsyv helped fund a lobbying effort carried out by Akhmetshin that sought to poke holes in Magnitsky's story. Akhmetshin, a former Russian military officer and Washington lobbyist, later accompanied Veselnitskaya to the Trump Tower meeting.Chandigarh, January 9: The Food Inspectors State wide have been directed to support the teams of Punjab State Commission for Protection of Child Rights in the inspection of school canteens, in view of rampant consumption of junk food, informed KS Pannu Commissioner Food Safety Punjab.

He said that the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has expressed serious concern about consumption of junk food by the school children leading to health hazards. In view of this, the State Commission for Child Rights would undertake school canteens inspections and the staff of the Food Safety Commissionerate would assist the inspecting teams to ensure that no food high in fat, salt and sugar (HFSS food) or junk food as it is generally referred to, is being served to the children in school canteens.

Junk Food

It has been observed that junk food leads to many health hazards and diseases like type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases in later life. These diseases and childhood obesity have been found to affect the cognitive and physical development of the children adversely, causing an irreparable loss to the society, said Pannu.

He informed that the NCPCR has taken cognizance of this matter under section 13(1)(f) and (k) of CPCR Act, 2005. Since this is a serious issue of concern with regards to health of school children consuming HFSS food, the Punjab Food Safety Commissionerate would wholeheartedly support the efforts to contain this malady.Chandigarh, January 09: Education Minister, Punjab Mr. Om Prakash Soni handed over appointment letters to 67 dependents on compassionate grounds at his Camp Office, here today. While addressing the new recruits, Education Minister exhorted them to make all possible efforts to fulfil their duty honestly and diligently and work towards strengthening the department.

Education Minister

He informed that after assuming office, he has handed over appointment letters to approximately 500 people on compassionate grounds and added that there are clear instructions to the department that if any employee dies during the service, his/her dependant should get suitable appointment within in a month of receiving the application as per qualification/eligibility.

Appointment Letter

Today, 67 dependants were handed over appointment letters including one for the post of Science Master, two as D.P.E., 22 clerks, one SLA , two Library Restorers and 39 class IV employees. On the occasion, along with others Secretary School Education, Mr. Krishan Kumar and D.P. I (Secondary) Mr. Sukhjit Pal Singh, were present.British consulate as well as near US, Turkish, Korean and Italian consulates received them. Hazardous material warnings were also shown near the Indonesian, Thai, Greek, Egyptian and Japanese consulates in Melbourne. Argentinian consulate in Sydney was sent three bags containing asbestos and fibreglass. Sydneys Argentinian consulate was partially evacuated on Monday. There was also an alert of a hazardous material incident at Yertchuch Avenue in Ashwood, in Melbournes eastern suburbs, where the Swiss consulate is based. Some embassies and consulates in Canberra had also been affected. Diplomatic offices in Melbourne for countries including Germany, Italy, India, Spain and Korea were among those attended by police, fire crews and ambulance officers on Wednesday afternoon. All of the incidents were declared under control.

The packages are reported to have been marked as containing asbestos. The packages are being examined by attending emergency services, a spokeswoman said. The circumstances around the incidents were under investigation but for the instant no information about the sender(s) are available. Authorities are yet to make an official statement.A first generation diamantaire, Yoram Dvash founded Y Dvash Diamonds Ltd in 1991 in Israel. While the company grew and made progress under his leadership, Dvash joined industry organizations such as the Israel Diamond Manufacturers Association (IsDMA) and the Israel Diamond Institute. Later, Yoram Dvash joined the Board of Directors of the Israel Diamond Exchange (IDE).

In the 2015 elections, Yoram Dvash was elected as President of the Israel Diamond Exchange. Today, Yoram Dvash is the driving force behind IDE and its Centre for Manufacturing and Innovation --- a facility established to guarantee significant contribution to the diversity and growth of the Israeli diamond sector.

Recently, Yoram Dvash was appointed Vice President of the World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) during the World Diamond Congress held in Mumbai this year.

Here, in an Interview with Rough & Polished, while voicing his thoughts on the current issues Yoram Dvash also speaks of his plans to steer the world diamond industry going forward.

Some excerpts:

Its understood that all the issues /challenges being faced by the Global diamond industry were discussed at the World Diamond Congress. What were the remedies suggested after the brain-storming among the world leaders? Did any definitive results emerge from the discussions? Please elaborate.

Two important subjects were discussed at the Congress, both of which are aimed at strengthening transparency and consumer confidence. One of the issues is the System of Warranties Guidelines, which after a two-year period of discussion was ratified at the Congress. The System of Warranties (SoW), created in 2000, is a set of provisions that support the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. The newly passed Guidelines are a voluntary set of rules for diamond industry stakeholders that encourage self-regulation in the trading of both rough and polished diamonds. The purpose of the Guidelines is to create a chain of accountability throughout the diamond pipeline.

Another issue discussed at the Congress is the importance of full disclosure of synthetic and treated diamonds. The WFDB has written up a Charter on the Disclosure of Synthetic, Treated Natural and Natural Diamonds, including duties required of member bourses and sanctions, and there was a great deal of discussion about this subject.

Congratulations on being appointed the Head of WFDBs new committee to undertake strategic initiatives to advance the global industry. When and what will be the focus in your first initiative? Given the dissimilarity in geographies, different rationalization and so forth, do you think the other bourses across the globe will comply with the decisions taken? Your thoughts.

Thank you for the congratulations. I do believe that this is a very important committee and I am very gratified at having been given the opportunity to head it.

I believe that the WFDB is a highly respected institution with a brand name that carries a great deal of weight. I think that more can be done to leverage the WFDB brand for the benefit of the industry, and thats an important aspect of what this committee will deal with.

As to agreement amongst the bourses on new initiatives we shall lead, I dont believe this will be a problem since we all have the same goals and the same challenges. I am sure that we will reach agreement through positive discussion. I hope to begin the work of the committee very soon and to hold regular meetings through video conference and face to face meetings.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and other similar watch-dogs have been monitoring the industry for quite some time now, but theres no sign of problems abating. With consumer confidence at stake, now more than ever, is it time for these watchdogs to sharpen their teeth and become more effective? Your opinion?

While I believe that consumer confidence is one of the most important issues we must deal with, I dont think that the watch-dogs need to sharpen their teeth. We have already made a great deal of progress in the industry in implementing the new regulations. But these things take time.

To be successful there needs to be a change in the business culture. This is happening. I see many changes in the industry. I think its more of a question of image. And this is improving as well since the industry knows how important good business practices are to its success.

What is your stand on the FTC guidelines? What was the outcome of WDFBs approach to the issue with FTC? And what steps will be taken by WFDB in the coming days towards the issue?

I dont agree with the FTCs approach. The Diamond Producers Association have hired the best professionals  top legal, accounting and lobbying firms  to try to change the decision of the FTC. However, we need to be realistic as to what we can achieve. Well need to deal with the new reality.

The KP Chair may have worked for the benefit of the miners but numerous problems still remain. In your opinion, what extra efforts should be taken to ensure that everyone in the diamond industry gets their due, including the artisanal and alluvial miners?

I dont agree that the KP supports only the major miners. The issue of the artisanal and alluvial miners is an important one and we need to ensure that they are able to make a livelihood and to enjoy a good quality of life. The new SoW Guidelines call for traders who source from artisanal and alluvial miners to promote the international agreements that support these miners.

Like they say, good things begin at home, what steps are you planning to take at IDE in terms implementing the strategic initiatives of WFDB? Your comments.

We have already implemented many major changes at the Israel Diamond Exchange. Weve literally brought the IDE into a new era, strengthening management, introducing the latest technologies. We encourage innovation throughout the bourse and have even opened a technological incubator to host start-ups that can positively impact the diamond industry. And weve taken many measures to support transparency within our industry. These are some of the directions that I would like to bring to the strategy committee of the WFDB.

Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough & PolishedIn 1973, the Memoirs by Arseniy Zverev, a prominent People's Commissar (Minister) of Finance of the USSR, who held this position from 1938 through 1960, were published. There is one interesting paragraph about diamonds in this book One of the aspects of my activity in my new position which I have never faced before was a constant need to keep the track of events about the accumulation of state treasures. There was no information about the Diamond Fund of the USSR that is known to everyone nowadays. However, it did not remain the same but was continuously replenished. Just in 1938, when I focused on this, some diamonds were discovered for the Fund, truly speaking, these were small sized ones from the Urals. At that time, nothing was known about the famous now Yakutian diamonds.1

The average weight of the diamonds mined in the Ural area when Zverev was the Minister of Finance was 0.50.625 carat (100125 mg). Were they small-size diamonds? And this is about the famous now Yakutian ones As expected, the diamond content in the Vilyui diamondiferous alluvial deposits was higher than in the Ural fields. However, the local diamonds ranked below the Ural ones in size. The average diamond weight in the Vilyui alluvial fields was from 20 mg in the Sokolinaya Kosa [tongue of land] up to 8-9 mg in the Rybachya Kosa.2

Zverev was very well aware of the Ural diamond sizes and quality which is confirmed by his correspondence on the creation of the collection of the Geological Museum named after A. P. Karpinsky, the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.3 What led him to make such a strange mistake in his Memoirs?

In 1979, a monograph The Diamond Fund of the USSR was issued in Moscow, and Nikolai Baulin was among the authors, he was in charge of the Gokhran [State Precious Metals and Gems Repository] from 1949. This is an excerpt from this treatise In the old war years, the imperialistic monopolies - in an attempt to retard the post-war revival and development of the Soviet Union - banned diamond sales to the USSR. At that time, the Ural alluvial mines not rich in diamonds were the only source of this mineral raw material that was of most importance for the national economy and defence.4

We wrote several times about banning the diamond deliveries to the USSR in the cold war years. It should only be reminded that those diamond deliveries peaked in 1951 to 1953, when the Soviet Unions diamond imports outstripped the pre-war level by far and away.5 Today, it can also be documented that the Uralalmaz did not supply a single carat to the industry, including the defence one. Baulin could not fail to be aware of those facts because the Gokhran headed by him took part in the diamond export-import operations and was a ship-to party for the Ural rough diamonds. What made Baulin and his co-authors write such outright lies?

In 2014, the memoirs by Vladimir Leshkov, who was the Assistant to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on the rough and polished diamond industry in 1974 to 1988, were published as part of the Diamond Book of Russia. Volume 1. Touching upon the diamond mining in the Urals, Leshkov said that The first tens and later on hundreds thousands carats of the Ural excellent quality diamonds started to come to the countrys State Fund, part of which were used to decorate the USSR marshals insignias and the highest decoration of the great power  the Order of Victory. 6

There are about twenty documents in the State Archive of the RF that allow to accurately determine what polished diamonds were used to decorate the marshals stars and Orders of Victory. There are neither hide or hair of the Ural crystals there. All the polished diamonds for this purpose were taken from the Gokhran inventories made owing to the gems confiscated from the persons having unearned income and bought up by the Torgsin from the population. Leshkov was one of the most informed Soviet officials about the diamond industry and there were no secrets to him about this. Why did he indulge in really wishful thinking?7

Publicly available sources on the diamonds in the USSR time, and often the contemporary Russian ones have much information glut: false, misrepresented and undoubtedly made up data. Moreover, this infoglut often comes from those people whose service records do not allow making a question of their absolute awareness. What was going on?

Here, we have to touch the notions industry legendizing and technical counterintelligence. This topic is very sensitive, there were no historical studies in this line in the RF at all (to say nothing of the USSR). In recent years, a paradoxical situation has arisen: in the former Soviet republics, especially in the Baltic countries, the KGB archive documents were partly declassified and are freely available, for example, the documents like order No.00136 signed by the Chairman of the KGB of the USSR On the participation of the local KGB authorities and the branches of the Central USSR KGB authorities in legendizing of the defence enterprises and defence activities, but in Russia, such documents are still top secret, which makes their review in public sources impossible.

So, without getting into specifics of the industry legendizing process, we shall only note that it was automatically applied in the USSR to the enterprises and activities that were top secret. A sort of technical counterintelligence services (the name was different, here we use the most common one) were simultaneously established along the whole production hierarchical arrangement: ministry  amalgamation  enterprise that tackled the legendizing tasks. Information classification level of the activities related to diamonds was assigned after the discovery of the first Ural alluvial deposits. Once that decision was taken, the leading ministry (at that time it was the Committee of geology under the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR) together with the Diamond Bureau should establish the respective technical counterintelligence services and set up their representative offices in all the hierarchy of the related subordinate enterprises. From that time forth, all the information about diamonds that came to the publicly available Soviet sources was nothing else but a really industry legend, a professionally distorted version of the real motives, events, ties.

What information was protected thanks to this legend? If we sum up the memoirs by the major representatives of the Soviet diamond industry cited above, we can receive the situation as follows: in the attempt to bring the USSR to the knees, the cruel imperialists turned off the taps supplying diamonds, and the meager small-size diamonds recovered at the Ural mines could not satisfy the appetite of the national economy at all and was sufficient for the state regalia decoration only. And the same picture - to put it mild, dissonant to truth - was repeated in all the publicly available Soviet sources: memoirs by various officials, historical researches, opinion journalism. What is not given in the public sources, what is not mentioned in any Soviet publication? The diamond export-import operations.

Really, there is no indication in any public statistic data book (to say nothing about other publications) issued in the USSR in 1922 to 1991 about the slightest traces of the rough and polished diamond exports and imports. But why should there be not a word about it, why those operations were safeguarded by a state secret and should be protected by a legend? Really, diamonds were a strategic raw material, but the Soviet Union exported many types of important strategic raw materials, like chromium and manganese ores, and the information about such supplies was published in the press and on a regular basis. And the Ural diamonds were supplied to the defence industry, mounted in the orders and supplied to other places but within the Soviet country only. Even after the discovery of the enormous Yakutian fields, when every schoolchild knew that the diamond production greatly exceeded the internal needs of the USSR, all the information about the diamond exports was still confidential. What was the reason? The main diamond foreign trade partner!

The diamond industry legend had a unique feature  it had two authors. From the Soviet side of the iron curtain, those were the experts from the respective technical counterintelligence services, and from the external side  the experts of the de Beers marketing intelligence service.

In early 1952, several news appeared in the English-language publications  in South Africa and Great Britain  that the USSR had made an illegal channel used to supply African industrial diamonds to the Soviet Union by diplomatic bags via the officials of the Soviet Embassy in Lebanon. Notwithstanding that no high levels of proof were presented, those reports in the press drew the attention of the CIA and gave occasion to a number of informants reports, where the South African and British sources were cited, and also became an integral part of all the English-language historical publications relating to the establishment of the Soviet diamond industry, for example, Old traders in Beirut  the town many illicit dealers in Africa send their diamonds to - recollect that the diplomatic bags sent to Moscow by the Soviet Embassy in Beirut were often filled with rough diamonds.8

Cross citing of these publications over the years resulted in the situation that the facts of the Soviet diamond smuggling were not disputed but, on the contrary, they were used as a convincing cast iron proof that a diamond embargo had been imposed on the USSR by the Western countries. Really, why was large-scale smuggling required if not for getting over the embargo?

Let us not divert our attention to the piquant details, for example, how the old Lebanese traders could poke their hooked noses into the suitcases with the Soviet diplomatic mail, but let us focus on the main event on the diamond market at that time. In summer and autumn 1952, the USSR purchased a huge amount of industrial diamonds in London. The amount was so huge that the Ministry of Foreign Trade had to address A. Mikoyan (the then Stalins Deputy for Foreign Economic relations supervising all the diamond industry) with a request to promptly provide additional equipment to the Trade Representation in London for diamond sorting and weighing.9 Analytical balances were not sufficient to weigh that huge quantity of diamonds  so that is what embargo really was! It was that record purchase that bogus stories in the English-language press covered up for and that became a significant element of the diamond legend for many years. And who was behind all this?

In this episode, the USSR and De Beers played together against the USA. The CIA was taken in by a fake about the Soviet smuggling and focused on discovering a channel that did not exist. Meanwhile, the deal of the century held in London went unnoticed by the Americans. Moreover, the intelligence memorandum The World Industrial diamond Production and Trade elaborated by the CIA for the US government stated that the industrial diamonds reserves made by the USSR by 1952 were sufficient to last from six months to one year. It means that the mistake was about 10 to 15 times as for various diamonds categories. This protocol was one of the reasons for dismissing Walter Smith, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, in 1953.

It is difficult to blame the todays historians and publicists that they became the victims of an industry legendizing trap. The diamond legend was an excellent quality product. How was it possible to doubt the memoirs by the Soviet ministers and top officials? It was set down in black and white in the long-run books: here was the embargo, here was the deficit in industrial diamonds, the defence industry just did not keep up, the crystals were removed from the jewellery pieces because of the need to make diamond cutters . and everything was proved on the other side of the iron curtain: the embargo was in place, smuggling was there, and the contacts with De Beers started from 1959 only, and before that - not the least bit  What doubts could be entertained?

The diamond legend - as distinct from other industry legends invented in the USSR and ceased to exist long ago  turned out to be very strong and keeps on explicitly and implicitly influence seriously the quality of historical researches and journalistic studies. It is not a strained interpretation to say that the industry legend has set a canonical paradigm for the national diamond industry history and the professional historians - wishing or not  try to place all the new data on the Procrustean bed. A case in point is the known episode with the letter written by M. Shestopalov to Stalin. Really, Shestopalov wrote to the leader Without losing any time, the USSR should get rid of the dependence upon diamonds as a strategic raw material as soon as possible  . The most interesting new declassified document at first sight complied with the legend perfectly well! That is why no critical look was taken at it, no serious insight into it was provided but it was cited in tens wildly enthusiastic publications. Sure thing, a brave young man from the masses took initiative, the leader approved it, read inefficient ministers a lesson, the ministers woke up in no time and the diamond industry surged forward! And such a great motive  to get rid of the damned dependence and all the people, from an ordinary geologist to the leader, were in the first flush of enthusiasm! Alas, as it turned out, the real Shestopalovs motive was different (he was saving his life), there was no any Shestopalovs report in the Kremlin, and the ministers were just debating - whether to shoot the brave man for theft and sabotage or not. The truth was rather far from the canonical version.

Understanding that the information about the diamond industry was not just classified but legendized  by the joint efforts of the USSR and De Beers  is the only way to explain many events that were more than strange and related to the development of the Soviet and - to a certain extend - of the Russian diamond industry. So, this is where the answers to the questions are: why the diamond mining in Yakutia was delayed for seven years and who thrusted his opinion on A. N. Kosygin to set up a cutting and polishing industry in the USSR that was unprofitable, from beginning to end.

Sergey Goryainov, Rough&Polished





1Zverev A. G. Ministers Notes. .: Politizdat, 1973. . 150

2Diamonds of Russia-Sakha. .: ROSSPEN, 2005. . 67.

3 The State Archive of the RF. . 5446. . 50. . 5241. . 3.

4Baulin N. Ya. et al. The Diamond Fund of the USSR. Moskovskiy Rabochiy. 1979. .15.

5The State Archive of the RF. . 5446. . 86. . 1113. . 2-3.

6The Diamond Book of Russia. Volume 1. .: Gornaya Kniga, 2014. . 69.

7The works by Zverev and Baulin were published in the USSR time, so they were censored. The colonel Leshkovs memoirs were uncensored but, as a rule, the self-censorship level inherent in this generation is high.

8Grin T. The modern world of diamonds. .: Progress, 1993. . 125.

9 The State Archive of the RF. . 5446. . 86. . 1244. . 2.





We continue to publish archive documents on diamonds:



1. The State Archive of the RF. . 5446. . 50 . 5241. . 3. The letter by A. Zverev on the Ural diamonds for the collection of the Geological Museum.





2. The State Archive of the RF. . 5446. . 50. . 5241. . 1. The letter by S. Kruglov on the diamonds for the collection of the Geological Museum, the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.







3. The State Archive of the RF. . 5446. . 44. . 4608. . 5. The letter on the allocation of the polished diamonds and precious metals for the manufacture of the Order of Victory.







4. The State Archive of the RF. . 5446. . 44. . 4608. . 7. The Regulation of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR on the polished diamonds for the Order of Victory.





5. The State Archive of the RF. . 5446. . 44. . 4516. . 11. The Regulation of the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR on the polished diamonds for the marshals stars.







6. The State Archive of the RF. . 5446. . 48. . 825. . 74. The letter by L. Mekhlis on the case of M. Shestopalov.







7. the Russian State Archives, Economy. . 8153. . 5. . 639. . 61. The note on the requirements for the national rough diamonds in 1949. Thirty carats were the quantity supplied by the Uralalmaz for the needs of the national economy. The remaining rough diamonds recovered went to the Special Department of the USSR Ministry for State Security (headed by N. Ya. Baulin) and then exported.





This week, we are starting to see some Arctic cold fronts that will return our temperatures to near or slightly below January norms, with the likelihood of some weekend snow or wintry mix.

Forecast models continue to indicate that the overall pattern will tilt toward the cold side in the eastern U.S. over the next few weeks, as high pressure over the western U.S., over the North Pole and possibly over Greenland keeps new rounds of cold air pressing into our region, locking in at times for days.

With the continued active southern branch of the jet stream, energized by the near-El Nino in the equatorial Pacific (sea surface temperatures are currently warm enough to qualify, but havent yet lasted long enough to do so), wet storm systems are likely to continue moving across the southern U.S. as the cold air is pressed southward.

You can see where this is going. We are probably going to have several chances for snow and ice over the coming weeks.

Exactly how much snow we end up getting really comes down to the details of how each individual storm setup evolves.

As weve noted, the first of this series is this weekend, when a low tracking through the southern U.S. and multiple pieces of upper-level energy help spread moisture over and into cold air that will be over us.Climate change is real, but man-made not! Study "milestones" before deciding.

San Francisco-9/15/03

Michael Crichton, an environmentalist and popular author, was asked to speak to the Commonwealth Club regarding the challenges ahead for mankind. He called this information age a possible "misinformational age," and he believed the challenge was "to distinguish between reality and fantasy, truth from propaganda." And to this concern, he pleaded that the movement not be turned into a religion by zealots, who substitute emotions for good science!

East Anglia University (EAU)-November 2009

EAU became the Global Warming science center for the movement. A group of dissenters release a trove of documents for public scrutiny. It became apparent to most that these documents represented bad science--nothing more than an effort to support findings that met preconceived orthodoxy for the movement. There was no objectivity, and scientists who did not agree with them were scorned and denigrated, making future research grants difficult. This disclosure was later called "Climategate."

NASA-November 2013By Frank Wagner

Wagner is a Republican state senator from Virginia Beach.

Those who follow the debate about the Atlantic Coast Pipeline closely are probably familiar with the environmentalist refrain that the pipeline is not needed. We have all the pipelines and natural gas we could ever need or want, they say.

Dont believe it for a second. It couldnt be further from the truth. Ive been in politics a long time  long enough to know that just because someone repeats a lie over and over again doesnt make it the truth. I give environmentalists credit for doing their best to protect our natural resources, but that doesnt mean they know the first thing about our economy or our energy needs.

The truth is the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is absolutely critical to the economic future of Hampton Roads and the environmental health of our entire region.

Virginia Natural Gas is the local utility that serves 300,000 homes and businesses in Hampton Roads. They heat our homes, power our businesses and serve Naval Station Norfolk.At the beginning of December, Gov. Northam issued a directive to establish the Executive Leadership Team on Highway Safety. The mission of this collaboration among the Virginia departments of Education, Health, Motor Vehicles, State Police and Transportation and traffic safety advocates is to reduce the rising number of fatalities on Virginias roadways. The directive is to save more lives through the advancement of education, engineering and enforcement relative to traffic safety. Those most committed to achieving such objectives are the very ones most at risk or harm for the purpose of saving others.

Like all 50 states, Virginia has what is called a Move Over law. Its a state law designed to protect those working alongside the highways by requiring motorists to move a lane away from vehicles stopped on the side of a road with flashing red, blue or amber lights. If unable to move over, then the Code of Virginia requires a driver to pass such vehicles cautiously. Simple as this concept may be, those few extra feet can mean the difference between life and death. Yet across the nation traffic incidents continue to be the leading cause of death for law enforcement and highway maintenance workers; and the second leading cause for firefighter deaths in the nation.When I was in school, English grammar was a requirement, not an option. We diagrammed sentences and learned the proper use and positioning of words. We were taught never to end a sentence in a preposition and learned when to say me and I, and the difference between there, their and theyre.

Cliches were once mostly used by young people and inexperienced writers. Today, they have crept into the language of people who should know better. These cliches include needless to say (then why bother to say it?), and cautiously optimistic. The Washington Post once compiled a list of 200 journalism cliches ... and counting of which the cliches above are only two.

Politicians love cliches and other words and phrases that often serve as smokescreens to fool the public. The American people is a favorite, as if all Americans think alike. We cant keep spending as if there is no tomorrow is another. So if we stop spending, will tomorrow come, or is this like Groundhog Day when there will be six more weeks of winter whether or not the rodent sees his shadow?Cox had hoped to put the redistricting effort on hold while the appeal is being considered, but the high court denied that Tuesday without comment. The order did not note any dissents.

Control of Virginia's House of Delegates hangs in the balance with the redistricting. All 100 seats in the House and all 40 seats in the state Senate are on the ballot this fall. Republicans hold a two-seat majority in each chamber, but Democrats have made huge gains in Virginia in recent years and hope to build on their momentum.

Many of the districts under the court's review are swing suburban districts where incumbent Republicans have seen their edge draining away. For instance, one is the Newport News district where the 2017 election ended in a tie, with Republican David Yancey taking the seat only after his name was drawn from a bowl by election officials.

"Obviously we hoped for a stay, but the court's decision was not unexpected, because the burden for a stay is very high," said Parker Slaybaugh, a spokesman for Cox, via email. "However, the court will hear our argument on the merits this Spring, and we are confident the map will be upheld."RICHMOND  One of the first bills filed by freshman Del. Joe McNamara, R-Roanoke County, was inspired by his experience running in a special election.

The legislator wants to have all offices up for election to appear on the ballot prior to ballot questions. Currently, the State Board of Elections has ballots ordered by president, statewide offices, constitutional amendment and bond referendum questions, and then followed by local offices and questions on local issues. His bill is one of many related to elections.

This ordering became an issue during the special election McNamara won in November against Democrat Carter Turner to replace Greg Habeeb.

In Roanoke and Montgomery counties, the 8th House of Delegates District candidates appeared on the back of the ballot but appeared on the front on Salem and Craig County ballots.

Political activists in both parties expressed frustration with the ballot design because they needed to educate voters about it and they felt it affected the vote outcome.

I spent a fair amount of money educating people to flip over the ballot, McNamara said Wednesday, the first day of the General Assembly session.The sale of a town-owned building is helping Boones Mill to pay off its debts.

Town Manager B.T. Fitzpatrick said the sale of a structure at the Village Park property known as Building 6 closed in November. John Garsts Boone Dominion Process Co., which had rented the building, purchased it for $325,000.

The town is using the bulk of that revenue  approximately $273,000  to pay off two loans with Virginia Community Capital. Fitzpatrick said the loans were used to support the renovation of a two-story industrial building at the Village Park.

Though the town is still making payments on the Village Park property  the former North American Housing Corp. complex it purchased in 2011  Fitzpatrick said hes glad to reduce the towns overall debt burden.

Thats a wonderful thing for the town, he said. That helps our debt limit and our borrowing ability.

Prior to the sale, the town was running up against its debt limit. Now, Fitzpatrick said, the town could borrow some, though he said there are no plans to do so at this time.SALTVILLE  When Austin Widner left his rural Southwest Virginia home to attend the University of Virginia in Charlottesville four years ago, he noticed that he didnt fit in with many of the students.

He even tried to change the way he talked when students pointed out his accent.

Because of his struggles as a first-generation student from a low-income family, the Saltville native has created a program at UVa to attract more Appalachian students to the school and to build a community for the ones already there.

Working with the schools admissions office, Widner and a friend, Levi Helm of Craig County, came up with the idea to start Friends of Appalachia, FOA, an organization of students who want to better the experience of Appalachian students both at the university and throughout the Appalachian region.

Widner explained that the group is comprised primarily of students from the Appalachian region with a small portion of undergraduate students who have found similarities with the Appalachian culture and their own rural backgrounds.

We welcome anyone who can relate to the Appalachian experience, Widner said.

The pioneer program, in fact, may be one of the first of its kind in the country.A man led police on a high-speed chase Wednesday across three Southwest Virginia counties.

Apparently, the pursuit from Pulaski County to Roanoke County was on his bucket list.

He said it was his lifelong dream to run from the police, Virginia State Police Sgt. Rick Garletts said.

Dejuane Ramel Wilson, 24, of Wakefield was arrested and charged with eluding police. Garletts said more charges could be filed.

About 10:33 a.m., a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro failed to stop on Interstate 81 at the 104 mile marker after a sheriffs deputy recorded the vehicle speeding in a work zone, according to Garletts.

Virginia State Police took over the pursuit when the Camaro entered Montgomery County. In Roanoke County, at the 132 mile marker, police recorded the vehicle traveling 130 mph.

State police cars in front of and behind the Camaro managed to stop it on the shoulder at the 138.7 mile marker, leading to a slight traffic backup.

At 10:52 a.m., Wilson was taken into custody, Garletts said.

Nobody was injured in the chase.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Others ask about knowledge of the case from news coverage, and opinions about the death penalty and the MS-13 gang, with which the co-defendants are allegedly affiliated.

Nance argued in court that the 10 days scheduled for Soto Bonillas trial should provide enough time for jury selection by the standard process of direct question and answer. Updike referenced his experience as a prosecutor to say he hasnt found jury questionnaires actually save time in the selection process and denied the motion.

Soto Bonillas attorneys also sought a change of venue from Bedford County, citing potential pre-formed and vehemently held views on the case and topics like border security. Nance said publicity of the killing and Rodas trial alone isnt enough to move the trial.

Updike took that motion under advisement, meaning he will rule on it at a later date.

A number of other matters in the case will be argued in court on Jan. 25.Professional chefs and students from across the Southeast will convene this weekend at Virginia Western Community Colleges new-look culinary center.

The Claude Moore Education Complex will open its kitchens for the American Culinary Federations Southeast Regional Culinary Salon from Friday through Sunday.

The chefs will vie for the regional titles of chef of the year, pastry chef of the year and student chef of the year. Winners of each event will represent the southeast in the national finals in Florida. The region includes nine states.

Among the 60 competitors are Virginia Western alumnus Joe Bott and a current student, Devin Agosto.

Culinary instructor John Schopp said the competition represents some of the best chefs of our region coming together to put their skills, experience and passion to the test.

Though Virginia Western has sent competitors to the regional showcase before, its never served as host until now.The operator of Blacksburgs CineBowl & Grille has filed for bankruptcy, according to court records.

The news comes less than two years after the business was accused of falling behind on rent for its space in the First & Main shopping center.

The theaters landlord eventually said that the nearly $500,000 bill was paid, but court records show CineBowls parent company is accused of accumulating other debts around the country.

A total of 24 business entities all tied to Florida-based Frank Theatres, including Frank Theatres Blacksburg LLC, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Dec. 19. The cases are now being handled jointly in New Jersey bankruptcy court.

Blacksburg APF Partners, which owns First & Main, has claimed an outstanding debt of $62,646, according to court records. Its unclear if this debt is related to the back rent the business previously owed.

Kite Realty Group of Atlanta is listed as a landlord with the largest claim of $801,765. In total, the top 30 creditors claim outstanding debts of over $3 million, the filing says.Pair of skunks relocated off Baja California hotel property

Ensenada, Baja California  Two resident skunks seen roaming for food on hotel property in Ensenada have been captured and relocated by federal officers.

Officers from la Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente say they have captured, inspected and released a pair of skunks that were seen one-too-may-times searching for food on a hotel property in Ensenada.

The two northern striped skunks were captured in the area known as combs, areas destined for the hold-up of small and medium-sized vessels, in the vicinity of the hotel. Federal officers say that hotel staff reported the pair skunking around the property in search of scraps of food, something that had become a regular habit.

Photo: Procuraduria Federal de Proteccion al Ambiente

Officers arrived and caged the animals. They were taken to a veterinarian and were found to be in optimal health. They were reintegrated into the wild far from the urban area, in the Arroyo San Miguel Delegation of the Sauzal of the Municipality of Ensenada.

The northern striped skunk is the most widespread skunk species in North America and can be found from Canada to the northern states of Mexico.Bus load of Honduran nationals arrested by INM outside Tulum

Tulum, Q.R.  A bus load of Honduran nationals were taken into custody Tuesday by INM immigration officials after they were found traveling outside Tulum.

The bus carrying the Hondurans was inspected by Grupo Atencion Especializado al Trasporte (Specialized Assistance Group for Transportation) of the federal police with assistance from Instituto Nacional de Migracion (INM).

Officials found the bus carrying a total of 41 Honduran nationals that consisted of 15 children, three girls, 11 men, 11 women and a three-month-old infant, all of whom were allegedly undocumented.

Photo: Grupo Atencion Especializado al Trasporte

The bus was inspected around 7:00 p.m along the Tulum-Puerto Juarez stretch of federal highway. According to federal police, the bus was from Palenque, Chiapas and heading toward the direction of Cancun.

The Hondurans were taken into custody by the National Migration Institute, while the driver and his bus were made available to the Attorney Generals Office (Fiscalia General de la Republica) in Cancun.Deputy Brian Eaves of the Madison County Sheriff's Department was awarded the 2018 Hero Award for the Madison County Sheriff's Department by several students from Madison County High School who participate in the Madison County Youth in Action program. The program is designed to change the perception of underaged drinking.

Taylor Six/The RegisterAfter another night in the 20s for Richmond, Wednesday's sun will bump the highs close to normal in the mid 40s. A cold front will pass through, but it will be a dry one.

Thursday will remain chilly beneath a mix of sun and clouds and highs in the mid 40s.

We could make it back to the 50s on Friday once winds come back in from the south. That will also bring in our next chance for rain. If it comes in early while temperatures are still cold, we could see some snowflakes before a switch to rain. At this time, it doesn't look like a significant snow threat for the area.

Weekend forecast

A robust low pressure system will track from the Tennessee Valley to the Northeast and deliver quite a bit of rain to Virginia from Saturday night into Sunday.

Though Saturday could bring some mild 50s or 60s to the region, a bigger cold snap will move in right on the heels of the low pressure.

Wintry weather can't be ruled out next weekend if that moisture mixes with arriving cold air, but uncertainty is high at this point.

Beyond that, below normal temperatures are favored for much of the Eastern U.S. during the final two weeks of January.

Whether the snow and ice was a hit or a miss for your neighborhood over the weekend, it seems there's still a lot of winter left.

Check Richmond.com/weather for John Boyers videos and forecast updates. Contact him at JBoyer@timesdispatch.com.Third, accidents can happen when weapons are readily accessible.

Many services include kneeling and standing up and sitting down. This movement could cause a gun to discharge accidentally.

Those who carry firearms without proper training are more likely to hurt other worshipers or themselves than to provide any sort of meaningful protection or deterrence against hostile actors. And, most importantly, children attending worship might be tempted to play with guns and weapons not properly secured or attended to. Guns left in a coat pocket thrown over a pew or in an open purse are too easy for children to access. Weapons in worship put our children at risk.

We are sure Senator Black wants to protect our congregations and we appreciate the concern. But his bill will not help and we strongly oppose it.

Rodney Hunter is pastor of Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, and may be contacted at rmhpreach@aol.com.

Michael Knopf is the rabbi at Temple Beth-El, Richmond, and may be contacted at rabbi.knopf@bethelrichmond.org.

Jim Somerville is pastor at First Baptist Church of Richmond, and may be contacted at somerville@fbcrichmond.org.Please register or log in to keep reading

Stay logged in to skip the surveys.Virginia legislators have gaveled in a 46-day, election-year legislative session that will focus on issues such as taxation, gambling, coal ash removal and redistricting.

Gov. Ralph Northam will present his State of the Commonwealth address to a joint session in the House chamber at 7 p.m. In a radio appearance Wednesday morning on WRVA in Richmond, the governor noted that he came into last year's speech with "a little bit too much fire in my belly" and that "it ruffled some feathers" among GOP lawmakers.

Tonight, the governor said, he will "talk about civility and what we can do if we work together."

On Tuesday Del. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, won a special election for the Senate seat of Jennifer Wexton, who was elected to Congress in November.

Once the results are certified and Boysko is sworn in later this week, her departure from the House of Delegates will mean Republicans hold 51 seats to Democrats' 48. The Senate will continue to have 21 Republicans and 19 Democrats.

The two new members of the House are Del. Ronnie Campbell, R-Rockbridge, who succeeds newly elected Rep. Ben Cline, R-6th, and Del. Joseph McNamara, R-Roanoke County. He succeeds former Del. Greg Habeeb, who retired in August to focus on his family and his legal career at Gentry Locke.Supporters of ratifying the federal Equal Rights Amendment made their presence felt Wednesday on the opening day of the 2019 General Assembly session, hosting a news conference and holding signs as they greeted people outside the Capitol.

Resolutions for the Virginia General Assembly to ratify the ERA did not get out of GOP-controlled committees last year, even with ERA supporters packing committee rooms and pressuring lawmakers to take action. Since then, ERA supporters have done a flurry of lobbying across the state, including a bus tour, and enlisted support from more Republicans in anticipation of a major push this year.

On Wednesday afternoon, two Republicans joined Democrats on a Senate committee to vote in favor of the ERA, sending it to the full Senate.

The proposed federal amendment says: Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex. It provides that Congress shall have the power to enforce its provisions by appropriate legislation.BASKERVILLE, Va.  The government check hadn't arrived, and John Boyd was out of seeds.

So he left his family farm here in southern Virginia on Tuesday and went to the local Farm Service Agency office, a last-ditch attempt to see if any essential personnel with the U.S. Department of Agriculture were still working. He was hoping they could help, even with the partial federal government shutdown stretching to its 19th day.

The Trump administration had promised to help farmers like Boyd, those who suffered as a result of the international trade war after Chinese purchases of soybeans - once 60 percent of the market - plummeted to next to nothing. With farmers on the edge of ruin, the U.S. government offered $12 billion in support since September, checks that had become a lifeline.

But with the government shutdown moving into its third week, Boyd was left waiting for his support check to arrive. Other farmers who still must have their crop totals approved by the government to receive aid were left with no way to apply for it.

The delay has been the latest blow to a soybean farming community of more than 300,000 that has suffered steep price declines and bad weather, leaving some to contemplate switching crops for the coming year - or getting out of farming altogether.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said Tuesday that the government would extend the application deadline for the second round of support payments beyond the Jan. 15 deadline due to the shutdown, while urging Congress to pass a bill President Donald Trump would sign to "end the lapse in funding so that we may again provide full services to our farmers and ranchers."

At the farm office here, about 15 miles from the North Carolina border, Boyd, 53, a fourth-generation farmer, saw that the lights were on inside. He rattled the door. Nothing. A note outside told the story: The office was closed due to a lapse in federal government funding.

"This shutdown is affecting small people like myself, but if it continues, America is going to feel the impact everywhere - grocery stores, small businesses," Boyd fumed, angry about the "fiasco" he feels Trump has created. "Right now, I need seed and diesel fuel; I do not need a damn wall. That does not help me in my farming operation."

Perdue's statement came as Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill are coming under increasing pressure to address the impact of the shutdown with no clear resolution in sight. In an address to the nation Tuesday night, President Trump reiterated his push for a wall to address what he sees as a humanitarian and security crisis at the southern border, blaming Democrats for the impasse that is causing the shutdown; Democratic leaders retorted with claims that Trump is holding the U.S. government hostage for political purposes, hurting hundreds of thousands of Americans in the process.

Photo gallery: See photos from President Trump's Oval Office speech on immigration at the end of this story

Among them are the farmers at the center of the nation's agricultural economy. In agricultural states, which tend to lean conservative and have shown strong support for Trump and the GOP in the past two elections, Republican senators expressed concern about the impact of the shutdown on their farmers.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said he asked the administration to extend the deadline for farmers to certify their crop production and qualify for the bailout funds before Perdue's Tuesday announcement.

On the other side of the aisle, House Democrats plan to hold a vote this week to fund the Agriculture Department, applying a new round of pressure on Trump to back down from his demands for border wall money as a condition for signing legislation to reopen the government.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, said her concerns about the impact of the shutdown on farmers extend beyond bailout payments. Dairy farmers are unable to take advantage of new support in the recently passed farm bill, she said, and USDA crop reports aren't available for farmers as they make spring planting decisions.

"I think that every single day this continues, it gets more serious for farmers," Stabenow said.

Driven by demand from China - which uses American soybeans largely to feed livestock - American soybean output skyrocketed in the past two decades, with export totals rising to 30 to 35 metric tons in recent years.

But that plunged when Trump began waging the trade war with China in July.

The administration's efforts to help tariff-damaged farmers include about $11 billion in direct cash assistance to farmers - the bulk of which would go to soybean producers - as well as $1 billion to purchase excess supply and distribute it to food banks and nutrition programs.

About $5.2 billion in checks already have gone out since the program began, including 360,000 payments collectively worth $3 billion since the government shut down, according to Tim Murtaugh, a USDA spokesman. But farmers who did not certify their crop production before the shutdown began cannot do so until the government is running again because the offices of the Farm Service Agency, which is administering the bailout, are closed.

"A lot of these farmers had late harvests, so being able to submit that was a real challenge," said Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, which works with soybean farmers. "There's a lot of worry."

The bailout checks have "made a significant difference" for farmers facing not only the trade war but also lower commodity prices after a bumper year for soybean crops, said Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist at INTL FCStone Financial, a global financial services firm.

"These are tight times, and they have bills to pay, particularly the closer we get to spring planting time," Suderman said. "For certain individuals and certain farm areas, it can be very serious."

The government shutdown also means that several key economic reports and other economic data will be delayed - including measures of how many tons of surplus soybeans are still sitting unshipped in grain storage, for example.

In the Midwest, even as snow blankets many fields, bankers are beginning to evaluate whether to extend another year of credit to farmers.

"They're being asked to make planting decisions in an informational vacuum," said Steve Suppan, senior policy analyst at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. "Unless you're a very large operator, it's got to be very difficult right now to do farm management planning with any kind of confidence at all. The shutdown aggravates that."

Businesses also are bracing for new challenges shipping their products overseas. A few dozen exporters discovered over the weekend that the government's electronic system for approving exports was not working, said Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition. The system appeared to have been fixed as of Monday morning.

As the shutdown drags on, Republicans in Congress have expressed confidence that Trump and the party had not yet lost the rural base.

Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican elected to the Senate in November, said a major reason he won his seat was because voters were concerned about border security, an issue that Republicans articulated during the campaign and that Trump has elevated again in the shutdown. Republicans accused Cramer's opponent of supporting lax border rules, a status quo he said voters obviously didn't like.

"If it was playing well for them, I wouldn't be a senator," he said.

But some warned that a prolonged lapse of key services for farmers could spell political trouble for Trump and the GOP.

"In general, rural and ag state voters have stuck with the president even when his policies caused them short-term pain," said Republican pollster Chris Wilson. "If the shutdown drags on, things will likely change if farmers and farm states start suffering lasting economic harm."

In Boyd's little corner of Virginia - southern Mecklenburg County, where fields of corn, wheat and soybeans nestle amid fragrant pines - not all of his farming peers agree Trump is the sole problem.

Another soybean farmer, Robert Proffitt, 60, said he was disgusted by Congress and politicians in general. In his view, they're not addressing the core issues in the country, such as opioid addiction.

"They have politicized the wall, and now they're just making news," Proffitt said.

Boyd, president and founder of the National Black Farmers Association, has farmed his family property in Mecklenburg since 1983, and he says this is the most difficult year he has experienced. He's struggling to pay the bills for his family of six, a goat, a cattle dog named Fatso and scores of pigs.

Boyd, who farms 300 acres of soybeans, checked his soybean crop Tuesday for moisture content before deciding it's still too wet to harvest. In any case, the local grain elevator is buying beans for just $8.54 a bushel - nearly half the $16 a bushel he got in 2012.

He climbed aboard a tractor to start planting his winter wheat crop under a blue sky scudded with white clouds. But he quickly ran out of seed, and couldn't buy more. Without his anticipated support check of $13,200, he's in dire straits.

"This shutdown is really affecting us dramatically," he said. "We're not in financial shape to miss a whole planting season. Congress needs to address this - with the urgency of now."

Photos: President Trump's Oval Office immigration speech

Photos from President Donald Trump's prime-time address on immigration on Tuesday night:With the merger of Richmonds morning and evening papers in 1992, Mr. Culbertson transferred to the editorial department of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He held numerous positions before the paper named him editor of the editorial pages in 2006.

Under his leadership, the opinion section of the newspaper won numerous state, regional and national awards for its editorials, columns and page design.

A. Barton Hinkle, who succeeded Mr. Culbertson as editor of the editorial pages in February 2017, noted shortly after Mr. Culbertson announced his intent to retire: Todd has a voracious intellectual appetite that devours books at a frightening pace. He also has an encyclopedic memory that can summon more data and anecdotes on a given topic than just about anything except Google.

For four decades, he has delighted and educated readers with commentaries on everything from ballet and NASCAR to Rappahannock oysters and Russian intrigue. Hes been an inspiration to us all.

An opera and ballet enthusiast who extensively had written on those arts, Mr. Culbertson helped readers to see the joy, truth and sorrow in all great music, dance, drama, painting, sculpture and literature, according to a Times-Dispatch editorial on April 21, 2017.For SAT Mathematics Prep, for example, the district was able to find the proper documents for last school year but not for 2015-16 or 2016-17, when the errors were reported to have started. With Mondays vote, a student who took the class last year is able to retain that credit. A student who took it in 2015-16, though, will have the credit stripped from their transcript.

The district found the needed materials for 13 of the 61 classes. Among the courses in which students will have credits stripped are black history, journalism and psychology.

For many courses, documentation was submitted but it either did not meet a basic standard of content, lacked a date, or both, said Tracy Epp, the districts chief academic officer, in her presentation to the School Board.

VDOE gave the board a Feb. 1 deadline to approve the classes, meaning the board will have one more meeting to retroactively approve other courses if the documents are found. The district has set a Wednesday deadline for teachers or families to send in any syllabi or curriculum .

Weve made great progress in rectifying the situation but theres still more work to be done, said Betsy Milburn, an RPS parent who last year exposed problems with GPA calculation.Robert S. Gooch IV had served overseas in the military, had been deployed to Afghanistan more than once and had never been injured, his father said.

But on Tuesday evening, Gooch was fatally shot during a trip to the store with his teenage daughter to buy a bag of popcorn before watching a movie, said the victims father, Robert Gooch III.

Police believe Gooch and the man who shot him outside a Wawa store off Hull Street Road in Chesterfield County did not know each other. A motive for the shooting was unclear Wednesday.

Robert Gooch IV, a 34-year-old father of three children, was shot multiple times while returning to his vehicle from the store, the authorities said. During the encounter, Gooch pushed his 13-year-old daughter down to get her out of the way and told her to get down, the victims father said. Then he told her to call me.

Hes an Army officer and he understands how to give orders and get things done, the father said in a phone interview Wednesday. Hes not somebody who would ever panic. He was calm and in charge.The latest version lowers that figure to 73 percent by removing the Millcrest at Brandermill, Watermill and Silver Lake at Watermill neighborhoods, and adding Edgewater at the Reservoir and The Views at Edgewater.

A district spokesman said the plan was retooled over the holidays when staff realized that they had tried to make too many people happy at the expense of a plan that provided the most future growth potential.

But on Tuesday, when pressed about the data the district is using to set enrollment targets for Old Hundred and other nearby schools, officials admitted they had little more than two-year enrollment projections that dont take into account housing developments already underway.

I think all of these percentages are just guesses, arbitrary guesses, Coyner said, adding that with development data and formulas used in the building industry, we would have made different choices about whos going where, and I think we would have saved a lot of trauma.

Smith said the school district should have such data in hand to share with affected residents before the vote. Did we arbitrarily do it? What formula are we using?The 36-year-old chef has long been a fixture in Richmond restaurants and at local dining events. He was the opening and executive chef at Nota Bene, the Shockoe Bottom restaurant the Richmond regions Elby Awards named Best New Restaurant in 2017. Prior to that, he was the executive chef at Juleps New Southern Cuisine and at Enoteca Sogno before that. But Richmond diners probably best know Doetzer as one of a handful of names listed on any all-star Richmond chef event lineup for nearly a decade. Hes done ChefsFeed Indie Week; Folk Feast; Beast Feast; Fire, Flour & Fork; Charleston Wine + Food Festival; Heritages guest chef series; and a dozen or so charity dinners across town.

The distinction for Doetzer, however, in doing these events was that he was doing them on his own time and not as a chef/owner who could also promote his own restaurant as part of the event. Doetzer participated for the love of cooking  the thrill of the culinary challenge in front of him. And his wife, Lyne, a front of the house restaurant manager most recently at The Stables and at Upper Shirley Vineyards before that, was on hand at nearly every event, plating his food and greeting customers.Richmond-based private equity fund Blue Heron Capital has participated in a $10 million financing round for a company that provides next-generation patient matching technology.

Blue Heron invested in McLean-based Verato Inc. along with existing investors, Bessemer Venture Partners and Columbia Capital.

Verato provides cloud-based patient matching and master patient index solutions that link and match identities across different sources. The products are powered by Referential Matching, which is an approach to identity matching that is more accurate than conventional matching approaches, Blue Heron said.

Blue Heron did not disclose its investment. It invests in small-cap growth equity companies in the health care and tech-enabled business services industries.

Verato represents an attractive opportunity for Blue Heron, said Tom Benedetti, Blue Herons co-founder and managing partner. We believe our network will bring additional healthcare operating expertise to help the company continue its impressive growth.Chesterfield County-based tech company OccasionGenius raised just over $1 million in a recent investment round.

The company raised $1.05 million from 15 investors, according to a filing on Monday with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The regulatory filing said this was a new notice and that the date of the first sale was Dec. 21.

It also lists the total offering amount of the equity raise at $2.5 million, with about $1.45 million left to be raised.

OccasionGenius co-founder and CEO Nate Marcus said Tuesday that he could not comment on the capital raise because of SEC regulations.

Founded as PartyRVA in 2015, OccasionGenius started as an online private events marketplace where people who were organizing group events could search for venues. Marcus said in December that the company had sold the private events marketplace business and shifted its focus mainly to business-to-business services.

The company collects and aggregates data about events in an area and then uses artificial intelligence to help clients such as hospitality businesses provide events information that matches their customers preferences.

In December, Marcus said the company had raised a total of about $1.1 million in 2017 and 2018. In those investment rounds, all of its investors were from the central Virginia area, Marcus said in early December.MANSFIELD  North End Community Improvement Collaborative, Inc. (NECIC) announced the founding of the African American Leadership Initiative (AALI). AALIs mission is to identify and cultivate African American leaders in Mansfield and Richland County.

We hope to accomplish two things with AALI, said NECIC Executive Director Deanna West-Torrence. One is to create a support network within the African American community itself that is going to help people move forward economically, educationally, and within the community.

"The other is to connect the African American community to other initiatives that may help them go further, whether its in entrepreneurship, education, employment, training, or the like. Weve always seen ourselves as a convener. We take that role seriously in this endeavor as well, organizing the assets, convening them, and developing new leadership so it gets to the core of what we are about.

West-Torrence said the initiative is funded by the Richland County Foundation.

NECIC Executive Coordinator Leona Smith explained there are three facets to AALI, including a monthly social gathering for networking, a monthly speaker for professional development, and AALI Journey, a leadership development cohort.

There has not been significant African American participation in the other networking events in the area. Thats for a number of reasons, said Smith. Mostly, its comfort. With AALI Social, people can catch up with old friends, meet new people, and make each other aware of relevant opportunities. Its also a safe place for African Americans to discuss their experiences and problem solve.

The first AALI Social event will be held this month on January 25, 2019.

AALI Speaks will be a monthly professional development luncheon featuring a variety of speakers.

We will offer dynamic African American speakers to serve as a model to others in the community, to share their success, their stories, and to inspire attendees, Smith said. Its also a way to showcase those African Americans that have been successful in their own right, and to share their valid experiences.

The first AALI Speaks event will take place Feb. 11, 2019.

Tickets for both events can be purchased online or you can become a member and enjoy these and future AALI events free of charge at necic-ohio.org.

Smith explained the AALI Journey portion of the initiative:

The AALI Journey is meant to be an experience for current and potential African American leaders to really dive into what it means to be a leader.

There is an application process for the AALI Journey, said Smith, and the program is three modules focusing on aspects of leadership and leadership development.

More information is available at https://bit.ly/2ADh5J9. Those interested may also contact Leona Smith at Leona@necic-ohio.org or 419-522-1611, extension 114.More than half  54.7 percent  of those ages 60 to 64 were working at least part-time in 2017, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Among those 65 to 69, almost a third  31.2 percent  were working. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are currently 40 million Americans age 50 and older who are working.BUCYRUS  The Bucyrus Elementary School will host a blood drive in honor of long-time district supporter Steve Hoover from 4 to 8:30 p.m. in the Elementary Schools cafeteria Jan 14.

Hoover retired from GE Lighting after 40 years and has been active in the Bucyrus City School District. He has also served as a board member for charitable organizations in Bucyrus and Crawford County.

Steve is receiving treatment for Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, which has included 11 blood and platelet transfusions, Elementary School librarian Diane Kaple said. Steve had been a faithful blood donor for much of his life prior to his diagnosis.

Call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit RedCrossBlood.org and use sponsor code BucyrusES to schedule an appointment. Those who donate will receive a coupon for a 6-inch sub from Subway, while supplies last.MANSFIELD -- Three local women have been selected as finalists for the 2019 ATHENA Award in Richland County, the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce announced today.

The award, sponsored by Richland Bank, will be handed out at the Chamber Annual Meeting & Economic Excellence Awards on Jan. 31.

ATHENA finalists for 2019 are Annamarie Fernyak (founder of Mind Body Align), Julie Kleshinski (Executive Director of the New Store) and Jodie A. Perry (President of the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce).

The ATHENA Leadership Award is presented to an individual who is honored for professional excellence, community service and for actively assisting women in their attainment of professional excellence and leadership skills, said Eric Snyder, Chamber board chair.

There was a strong pool of candidates. I feel the committee did a great job selecting the three finalists," Snyder said.

The Richland Area Chamber of Commerce became the new home for the ATHENA Award in 2016 after being given out by the TWIN (A Tribute to Women & Industry) Committee in Richland County since 1989.

The nominations were reviewed by a panel of past ATHENA Award recipients who then selected the three finalists and the recipient, who will be announced at the Chambers Annual Meeting.

In addition to the ATHENA Award, the Chamber will announce the Chairmans Award recipient, as well as several Economic Excellence Awards.

The dinner will be at the Kehoe Center in Shelby. A cocktail hour kicks off at 5:30 p.m. and dinner, catered by The Vault, will be served at 6:30.

The early bird ticket price of $45 is good through Jan. 16. Sponsorship packages are also available. Call the Chamber office at 419-522-3211 or visit its website at www.RichlandAreaChamber.com for more information.

The Richland Area Chamber of Commerce is the largest business advocacy organization in north central Ohio. They provide benefits, networking and promotional opportunities to businesses to help them prosper.The Washington Post reporter who was held in an Iranian prison for 18 months told a U.S. court that he was arrested as a way to pressure Washington in nuclear negotiations.

Jason Rezaian testified on January 8 as part of a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against Tehran.

He said his interrogators forced him to confess to spying. He also testified that his interrogators told him he would be released "when the Americans give us what we want."

The child of an Iranian father and American mother, Rezaian holds dual citizenship. He was The Post's Tehran bureau chief at the time of his arrest.

The Iranian government does not recognize dual citizenship and has frequently targeted dual citizens with espionage-related charges.

Rezaian was arrested on July 22, 2014 and spent 18 months in jail, including nearly 50 days in solitary confinement, before his release on January 16, 2016.

The release was made as part of a prisoner swap on the day the landmark nuclear accord between Iran and the United States and other allies went into effect.

His Iranian-born wife, Yeganeh Salehi, was held for two months.

Rezaian said he believes he was targeted because "I was a high-profile dual national Iranian citizen."

Rezaian now lives in Washington and writes for The Post's opinion pages.

The Iranian government has never responded publicly to Rezaian's lawsuit.

Based on reporting by AP and AFPU.S. President Donald Trump said there was a "growing humanitarian and security crisis" on his country's border with Mexico, in his first televised address from the Oval Office on January 8. Trump called on the Democratic Party to give approval in Congress for funding a border wall to prevent illegal migration and smuggling, but Democratic leaders accused him of manufacturing a crisis.KABUL -- The U.S. special envoy on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has begun a two-week diplomatic tour of Afghanistan and other countries in the region in an attempt to push forward the peace process with the Taliban.

Khalilzad began his latest diplomatic mission on January 8 -- the same day that Taliban representatives announced they would not attend peace talks in Qatar planned for January 9 and 10 with Khalilzad and other U.S. officials.

Khalilzads tour is meant to take him to Kabul as well as China, Pakistan, and India.

The U.S. State Department says his visits in the region will last through January 21.

In accordance with U.S. policy, the State Department did not say if Khalilzad would meet with Taliban representatives during the tour.

Quoting Khalilzad, the State Department said "the only solution to the conflict is for all parties to sit together and reach an agreement on the political future of Afghanistan with mutual respect and acceptance."

Khalilzad last met with Taliban representatives in Abu Dhabi in December.

But a Taliban representative in Qatar told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan on January 8 that it had "postponed" a January 9-10 meeting with Khalilzad "until further consultations" could resolve an "agenda disagreement."

Another Taliban source said the disagreement focused on Washington's insistence that Afghan government officials must be involved in the talks.

He said there also was disagreement on a possible cease-fire deal and a proposed prisoner exchange.

The Taliban has consistently rejected requests from regional powers to allow Afghan government officials to take part in peace talks, insisting that the United States is their main adversary in Afghanistan.

Afghanistans Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah reiterated on January 9 that any peace talks about Afghanistan should be under the umbrella of the Afghan government."

Afghan President Ashraf Ghanis special peace envoy, Omar Daudzai, arrived in Pakistan on January 8 for a four-day visit that is focusing on the Afghan peace process.

Pakistans Foreign Minister Shah Mahmud Qureshi said after talks with Daudzai on January 8 that Pakistan is also trying to get Afghan Taliban representatives to meet with Afghan government officials at the negotiating table.

Qureshi said peace and stability in Afghanistan is in Pakistans own national interest because it is necessary for the economic development and prosperity of the region.

With additional reporting by ReutersIvan Boyarintsev gave up city life hosting events to teach others how to run a traditional banya, or sauna, in Chelyabinsk, Russia. He now offers courses from beginner level to master classes and believes the banya can give meaning to his life and the lives of others.Human Rights Watch says that security forces in Iraqi Kurdistan have been "torturing children" to force them to confess to having links to Islamic State militants.



The U.S.-based group said in a report released on January 8 that it had interviewed 23 teenage boys who had been charged with, or convicted of, belonging to Islamic State.



The group said that 16 of them said they had been tortured during questioning. Some said they were beaten with electric cables, plastic pipes, or rods; others said they were subjected to electric shocks.



"Most said they had no access to a lawyer and they were not allowed to read the confessions [security forces] wrote and forced them to sign," the report said.



It said the punishment inflicted by security forces of the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq took place in 2017 and 2018 despite promises by authorities to investigate the torture claims.



Dindar Zebari, an adviser to the Kurdish government in northern Iraq, denied the allegations, in comments made to the AFP news agency.



"No one can be arrested unless the judiciary authorizes it. And any person who has been arrested is treated in accordance with the law," he said.



The Kurdish government rejects the use of torture, he said.

With reporting by AFPHundreds of people gathered outside the Macedonian parliament to protest against changing the name of the country to the Republic of North Macedonia. It came as lawmakers were forced to delay the final debate the name change.Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has condemned the killing of Afghan journalist Javid Noori, who was shot dead by the Taliban in his native province of Farah in Afghanistan's west.

Noori, who worked for the Farah regional government as well as hosting two programs on local Radio Neshat, was travelling on a bus with around 30 other passengers when it was stopped and searched at a Taliban roadblock on January 5, RSF said in a statement on January 8.

The Taliban militants shot Noori after finishing their search, it added.

"This summary execution is the first death of a journalist in 2019 to be registered on RSF's barometer," said Reza Moini, the head of RSF's Afghanistan-Iran desk.

"There is an urgent need to end such practices. We reiterate our appeal to the international community to condition the start of any talks with the Taliban on their giving an explicit undertaking to respect international humanitarian law's basic treaties, starting with the Geneva Conventions," Moini said.

Noori, 27, began hosting a Radio Neshat program, Psychology Of The Green Life, in 2016, after completing his psychology studies at the University of Kabul.

For the past year, Noori had also been hosting the Friday evening program on social issues.

Local officials in Farah said Noori's body was found and turned over to his family on January 8.

A Taliban spokesman said the militant group killed Noori because he worked for the government.

He added that the Taliban had also seized 13 pro-government militiamen as suspected spies who were on the same bus.

The Taliban and other militant groups have repeatedly targeted Afghan journalists, killing 15 in 2018, the deadliest year yet for the Afghan media, according to RSF.

Afghanistan is ranked 118th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2018 World Press Freedom Index.

With reporting by ReutersA new U.S. court filing shows that President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman shared polling data during the 2016 presidential campaign with a Russian-Ukrainian man whom U.S. intelligence suspects of having ties to Russian spy agencies.



The filing was made on January 8, apparently in error, by defense lawyers for Paul Manafort, who has already been convicted by a federal jury and has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges stemming from work he did for Ukrainian politicians and business interests.



The filing was made in response to accusations from Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who has been investigating interactions between Russian officials and Trump associates. Muellers prosecutors alleged that Manafort lied to prosecutors after agreeing to cooperate.



Manafort's lawyers said he "provided complete and truthful information to the best of his ability" during multiple meetings with a grand jury and prosecutors.



The lawyers wrote that Manafort allegedly misled prosecutors about his communications with Konstantin Kilimnik, who was Manaforts associate in Ukraine when Manafort was advising the Ukrainian political party, Party of Regions.



The lawyers wrote that Manafort was "sharing polling data ... related to the 2016 presidential campaign.



That detail was blacked out in the court filing, but it could still be uncovered and read.



The filing did not indicate whether the polling information involved internal campaign data or when exactly it was provided. But the data could have provided Russians with insights on the U.S. election.



In another section of the filing, Manafort's lawyers revealed that he "may have discussed a Ukraine peace plan" with Kilimnik "on more than one occasion."



The peace plan refers to the conflict that erupted in Ukraine in 2014, after President Viktor Yanukovych fled the country amid mass protests.

The United States and Western allies hit Russia with sanctions after Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula, and Moscow had sought to ease the punitive measures.



In February 2017, Kilimnik told RFE/RL that he had done many things while advising Manafort, including work on a proposed a peace plan, but he suggested Manafort wasn't involved -- a claim that was undermined by the January 8 court filing.

Kilimnik did not respond to messages from RFE/RL seeking comment on January 8.

A longtime Republican operative and lobbyist who had worked for prominent Republicans, including Bob Dole, Manafort joined the Trump campaign in March 2016.

He was fired in August after Ukrainian officials published ledgers that showed the extent of work he had done for the Party of Regions



Manafort was convicted in federal court in Virginia in August of bank fraud and tax evasion connected to his work in Ukraine.

He later pleaded guilty in a separate case to two counts of conspiracy to avoid a second trial in Washington, D.C.



Manafort has been imprisoned since June, when a federal judge said he violated his bail by reaching out to potential witnesses in his case.

According to prosecutors, he and Kilimnik contacted potential witnesses in Muellers investigation, trying to tell them what to say if they were questioned -- a federal crime.



Manafort is scheduled to be sentenced on February 8 in Virginia and on March 5 in Washington.

With reporting by RFE/RL correspondent Christopher Miller.

Russia has rejected a British suggestion that it might use a former U.S. Marine detained last month in Russia on espionage charges as a pawn in a diplomatic game, saying that Moscow reserves the right to conduct counterintelligence activities.

Paul Whelan, a former U.S. Marine who also holds British, Canadian, and Irish citizenship. was detained by Russia's Federal Security Service on December 28.

His family have said he is innocent and that he was in Moscow to attend a wedding.

British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said, in remarks about the case, that individuals should not be used as pawns of diplomatic leverage.

Asked about Hunt's comment, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: "In Russia we never use people as pawns in diplomatic games. In Russia we conduct counterintelligence activity against those suspected of espionage. That is done regularly."

Peskov also said that he was not aware of statements on a possible swap of Whelan in exchange for Russian citizen Maria Butina, held in the United States.

Butina has pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to acting as an agent for the Kremlin and has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, leading to speculation of a possible swap.

On January 5, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said that discussing a swap involving Whelan would be premature because Whelan hasn't been formally charged.

"As to the possibility of exchanges of one sort or another, it's impossible and incorrect to consider the question now when an official charge hasn't even been presented," Ryabkov was quoted as saying by the state-run RIA-Novosti news agency.

The Russian outlet earlier reported that Whelan had been indicted on spying charges that carry a possible prison sentence of up to 20 years.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, TASS, and InterfaxKazakhstan says dozens of its citizens, including children, have been evacuated from Syria after being held "hostage" in the country.

Kazakhstan's security services say that hundreds of Kazakhs have joined up with militant groups in Syria since 2011.

"On January 6 this year... 47 citizens of Kazakhstan, including 30 children, were evacuated from Syria," Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbaev said on January 9.

"They were deceived into going to this country in crisis where they were held hostage by terrorists," Nazarbaev said.



"We will continue to work on the return of children who [were taken to] a combat zone against their will," he added, without providing details about what he called a "special humanitarian operation" initiated by himself.

In 2014, Kazakh authorities blocked media outlets that shared footage of an Islamic State (IS) group propaganda video showing Kazakh child soldiers training.

Kazakhstan has hosted a series of talks on Syria brokered by Iran, Russia, and Turkey since the beginning of 2017.

Thousands of people from other Central Asian countries and the Caucasus have traveled to Syria to join militant groups since civil war broke out there in 2011.

With reporting by AFPASTANA -- Police in Astana, Kazakhstan, briefly detained an RFE/RL reporter and cameraman on January 9 when they tried to cover a protest in front of the government's headquarters.

RFE/RL correspondent Orken Zhoyamergen says he and cameraman Erzhan Amirkhanov were trying to film several women involved in the protest when police stopped them and took them to a nearby police station.

Zhoyamergen said he did not have a chance to interview the protesters, who also were detained.

Police later told the RFE/RL journalists that they were detained "by mistake," Zhoyamergen said.

Zhoyamergen said police also asked him and Amirkhanov to delete all the footage they had recorded of the demonstration.

But he said they refused on the grounds that they were doing their jobs in a public space, their photos and video footage was their private property, and nobody had the authority to force them to destroy the materials.

Zhoyamergen said police did not insist on the destruction of the footage and later released them.

Zhoyamergen says he later learned that the women were calling for the immediate release of journalist Toqbergen Abiev, who was sentenced in December to one year in prison after a court in Astana found him guilty of illegally interfering in the activities of state bodies and courts.

The protesters insist the charges against Abiev were politically motivated.

The fate of the detained protesters was not immediately clear.Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, has mocked U.S. officials, calling them "first-class idiots."

"Some U.S. officials pretend that they are mad. Of course I don't agree with that, but they are first-class idiots," he said in the speech in Tehran on January 9, according to his official Twitter feed.

Khamenei's comments were unusually crude, reflecting increasing tensions between Iran and Washington after President Donald Trump withdrew the United States from a landmark nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Khamenei also taunted an unnamed U.S. official for predicting there would be regime change in Iran by the end of 2018.

"A while ago, a U.S. politician had said, among a gathering of terrorists and thugs, that he hopes to celebrate this Christmas in Tehran," Khamenei said, according to his Twitter feed.



"Christmas was a few days ago. This is how U.S. calculations work."

It was unclear which U.S. official Khamenei was referring to, but members of the Trump administration have called for regime change and predicted it would happen soon.

This has included national-security adviser John Bolton who often speaks at gatherings of the exiled People's Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) opposition group, considered a terrorist movement by Tehran's leaders.

"Before 2019 we here will celebrate in Tehran," Bolton told an MEK meeting in Paris in July 2017.

The United States reinstated sanctions on Iran in November after pulling out of a 2015 nuclear deal, in which Tehran received international sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.

That move has exacerbated the country's economic problems, with Iran's currency, the rial, losing around half of its value against the U.S. dollar last year.Iran says it is holding a U.S. Navy veteran, confirming media reports about a case that risks further escalating tensions with Washington.

The New York Times reported on January 7 that Michael White, 46, was arrested while visiting Iran and had been held since July on unspecified charges.

On January 9, Iranian state news agency IRNA carried a statement by Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi that confirmed the arrest, but did not specify when it had happened or what crime he was accused of.

Qasemi was quoted as saying that Iran had informed the U.S. government about White's arrest within days of when he was taken into custody in the city of Mashhad "some time ago."

The spokesman added that White's case was going through the legal process and officials will make a statement at the appropriate time.

The U.S. State Department said it was "aware of reports" of the detention but did not provide further details, citing privacy considerations.

The New York Times has quoted White's mother, Joanne, as saying she learned three weeks ago that her son was being held at an Iranian prison.

She said her son had visited Iran "five or six times" to see an Iranian woman she described as his girlfriend.

White's incarceration was also reported on January 7 by Iran Wire, an online news service run by Iranian expatriates.

White's imprisonment could further worsen relations between Washington and Tehran, longtime foes.

Tensions have been high since U.S. President Donald Trump pulled Washington out of a landmark nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed crippling economic sanctions against Tehran last year.

At least five Americans have been sentenced to prison in Iran on espionage-related charges.

Among them is Xiyue Wang, a Princeton University student, who was given a 10-year sentence for espionage. He was arrested in August 2016 while conducting research for his dissertation on Iran's Qajar dynasty. Both Wang and the university deny the claims.

Baquer Namazi, a retired UNICEF official, and his son Siamak, an Iranian-American businessman, were sentenced in 2016 to 10 years in prison for spying and cooperating with the U.S. government. The charges were denied by the family and dismissed by U.S. authorities.

Bob Levinson, a former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, vanished on Iran's Kish Island in 2007 while on an intelligence mission. Tehran has said it has no information about his fate.

With reporting by AP, AFP, dpa, The New York TimesThe Kremlin says Russia and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have reached an understanding on the handover of crucial data from the former Moscow anti-doping laboratory.



A WADA delegation has arrived in Moscow on January 9 for their third visit seeking the lab data.

The Moscow laboratory data could help WADA file doping charges against numerous Russian athletes.



Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on January 9 that "as far as we know via our sports authorities, there are intensive contacts under way and now understanding has been reached with the WADA representatives regarding how the work will continue."



Russia missed a deadline to hand over the data by December 31, meaning its anti-doping agency, RUSADA, could face sanctions from WADA.



The failure also led to calls for the country to be suspended from global sporting competition.



During the earlier visit, Russian officials declined to turn over data, saying the WADA inspectors technical equipment was incompatible with Russia systems.



RUSADA, was stripped of its accreditation in 2015 after a WADA-commissioned report found evidence of state-sponsored doping in Russian track and field and other sports.



The report cast a shadow over the 2014 Sochi Olympics.



RUSADA was conditionally reinstated in September following a three-year suspension, a move that was widely criticized by members of the anti-doping movement.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and Interfax

BRUSSELS -- The European Union has named two Iranian officials who, along with Irans intelligence services, have been targeted by fresh sanctions for their suspected involvement in assassination plots in France, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

The listings in the EUs terrorism sanctions list were agreed to on January 8 and published on January 9 in the EUs Official Journal.

The two individuals were identified in the Official Journal as Assadollah Asadi and Saeed Hashemi Moghadam.

Both men are already subject to French asset freezes in response to an alleged Iranian plot to bomb a meeting of an exiled Iranian opposition movement near Paris in 2018.

Asadi, an Iranian diplomat accredited to Tehran's embassy in Vienna, was arrested in Germany in 2018 in connection with the foiled plot in France and has since been extradited to Belgium.

Hashemi Moghadam is a deputy chief in Iran's Ministry for Intelligence and Security.

The ministry's Directorate for Internal Security was also placed on the EU sanctions list, freezing any assets its holds within the European Union.

Tehran has denied the allegations of Iranian assassination plots, saying the accusations are aimed at damaging relations between Iran and the EU.

Iran's Foreign Ministry said on January 9 that it would reciprocate in response to the fresh EU sanctions.

In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi said: "Iran will adopt the necessary measures in response to this move and within the framework of reciprocation."Bosnian Serbs have celebrated a controversial holiday despite strong opposition from other ethnic groups in Bosnia-Herzegovina who view it as discriminatory.

Several thousand people, waving Serbian flags, lined the streets of Banja Luka, the capital of Bosnia's Serbian entity, Republika Srpska, to watch a celebratory parade of security troops, firefighters, and cultural and sport groups.

The January 9 holiday, which is called Republika Srpska Day, marks the date in 1992 when Bosnian Serbs declared their own state in Bosnia, triggering a devastating four-year war that killed over 100,000 people and left millions homeless.

Although the Constitutional Court declared the holiday unconstitutional on November 26, 2015, the celebrations were attended by Republika Srpska's president, Zeljka Cvijanovic, and Serbia's prime minister, Ana Brnabic.

"I want everyone to celebrate this great day, to celebrate what we have achieved," Cvijanovic told the crowd. "Long live Republika Srpska!" she added.

Russia's ambassador to Bosnia, Pyotr Ivantsov, also attended the ceremonies.

Bosnia's Muslims and Croats have insisted that the celebration is not representative for all ethnic groups who live in Republika Srpska.

With reporting by APThe head of Russia's Roskosmos space agency, an official who has been targeted by U.S. and European Union sanctions, has criticized President Donald Trump and U.S. lawmakers over the cancellation of his planned visit to NASA facilities in the United States.

Dmitry Rogozin on January 9 said the cancellation of his visit was "an episode of the confrontation between Trump and Congress." He compared the situation to a U.S. TV soap opera.

"This is an element of the rivalry between the Congress and Trump," Rogozin said in an interview with Rossia 24 TV on January 9. "In this particular case, we have turned out to be a victim of this rivalry."

NASA announced on January 4 that Rogozin's visit was being canceled following critical press reports and calls by U.S. lawmakers not to allow the blacklisted Russian into the United States.

Roskosmos said in a statement on January 9 that it was not giving up on cooperation with NASA.

"We are fulfilling all our obligations under the contracts signed with NASA, and we hope for further cooperation," the statement said.

NASA and Roskosmos have cooperated for more than two decades.

In 2011, the agencies grew closer than ever when the United States retired its Space Shuttle fleet, making Russian Soyuz rockets the only way to shuttle people and equipment to and from the International Space Station, and resulting in NASA paying Roskosmos some $2.5 billion for its services since.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, a former Republican congressman, told TASS in October that he had invited Rogozin to visit the NASA headquarters and that he would seek a waiver to the travel ban against him. The invitation was not widely reported in the United States at the time.

But after a story published on January 1 by Politico about his pending visit, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen called on NASA to withdraw the invitation before Congress was "forced to act."

With reporting by Interfax, Rossia-24, USA Today, and PoliticoKazakhstan's Foreign Ministry says China is allowing more than 2,000 ethnic Kazakhs to renounce their Chinese citizenship and leave the country.

Chinese authorities in the Xinjiang region have launched a massive indoctrination and detention campaign, sending hundreds of thousands and possibly more than 1 million people into internment camps that Beijing describes as "reeducation" centers.

Former detainees have said they were forced to renounce their culture and religious beliefs and were subjected to political indoctrination.

The detention of Uyghurs, Kazakhs, and other ethnic minorities at the camps has been a sensitive subject in neighboring Kazakhstan, a mostly Muslim country of 18 million people.

China is a major trading partner for Astana, and Kazakhstan's state-controlled media has generally avoided reporting about the internment camps.

But pressure for action has increased following international media coverage of the issue.

Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry in a January 9 statement confirmed December media reports in Kazakhstan that Beijing has agreed to allow more than 2,000 ethnic Kazakhs to leave China.

The statement said they will be allowed to apply for Kazakh citizenship or permanent residency after they arrive in Kazakhstan.

China's Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the reports.

Based on reporting by APThree Chinese warships arrived in southern Cambodias coastal city of Sihanoukville Wednesday on a visit the two authoritarian governments said will promote stronger bilateral ties, a warming that comes as Western influence wanes in the Southeast Asian nation following an election last year seen as unfree and unfair.



The ships carrying some 700 crew members will stay in port for four days, during which Xu Haihan, a delegate from the Chinese navy, will meet with Defense Minister Tea Banh and other Cambodian military officials, Ministry of Defense spokesman Chhum Socheat said in a statement posted to his Facebook page.



The Chinese warship visit will strengthen friendship and cooperation between the Cambodian and Chinese military, the statement said, noting that Chinese naval vessels have visited Cambodia 17 times in recent years.



China and Cambodia have recently held joint military exercises and Beijing has pledged to help fund a modernization of the Southeast Asian nations military.



Meanwhile, China has been pouring investment into Cambodia in recent years, causing some Cambodians to question what type of influence Beijing might have over their government.



The arrival of the Chinese warships comes amid speculation that Beijing is building a 45,000 hectare (111,200-acre) naval base in Cambodias Koh Kong province, based on a Nov. 15 report by Hong Kongs Asia Times online news portal, which cited unnamed diplomatic sources.



Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen later dismissed the report, saying such a move would violate the constitution, while Cambodias Ministry of National Defense called it fake news and part of a foreign campaign to mislead the public and the international community with the intention of destroying the countrys independence and neutrality.



If such a naval base were built on the Gulf of Thailand, it would allow China to significantly expand patrols on the South China Sea, which Beijing claims much of, while rival Taiwan and ASEAN countries Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam have their own stakes in the waters.



Cambodia has increasingly backed China in disputes with the ASEAN nations over its actions in the sea.



Meanwhile, Western influence in Cambodia is on the decline amid criticism of Hun Sen and his ruling Cambodian Peoples Party (CPP) over rollbacks on democracy in the lead up to and aftermath of a July 29 election in which the CPP effectively ran uncontested and won all 125 seats after a ban of the opposition party.



The CPP overwhelmingly won the election following the Supreme Courts November 2017 dissolution of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) and a five-year ban on the political activities of 118 of its senior officials for the partys role in an alleged plot to topple the government.



The U.S. has since announced visa bans on individuals seen as limiting democracy in the country, as part of a series of measures aimed at pressuring Cambodia to reverse course, and the European Union, which was the second biggest trade partner of Cambodia in 2017, has said it will drop a preferential trade scheme for Cambodian exports based on the countrys election environment.



Show of strength



Political Analyst Kim Sok told RFAs Khmer Service on Wednesday that Chinas visit is meant not only to strengthen friendship and cooperation between the two nations, but to demonstrate support of Hun Sens regime both financially and militarily.



The Chinese warship is here as a show of strength against foreign sanctions, he said, noting that Cambodia hasnt shown any signs of backing down in the face of Western pressure.



But he warned that as Hun Sen faces a political deadlock and home and increasingly pushes the West away, he has no choice but to rely on the Chinese.



RFA was unable to reach CPP spokesman Phay Siphan for comment on Wednesday.



Hun Sen has repeatedly stressed that his country does not need foreign governments to recognize the legitimacy of Cambodias elections, saying acceptance by Cambodians is sufficient.



He has also said that he will continue to welcome aid from China, which is poised to overtake the U.S. as the worlds top foreign donor, and which is currently Cambodias largest international aid provider.



China, which typically offers aid to countries without many of the prerequisites that the U.S. and EU place on donations, such as improvements to human rights and rule of law, offered sincere congratulations to Hun Sens party for its showing in Julys polls.



Trade volume between Cambodia and China was valued at U.S. $5.8 billion in 2017, up 22 percent from U.S. $4.76 billion dollars a year earlier, while China is currently Cambodias largest investor, and has poured U.S. $12.6 billion into the Southeast Asian nation from 1994 to 2017.



Reported by Tin Zakariya for RFAs Khmer Service. Translated by Samean Yun. Written in English by Joshua Lipes.Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email please call (208) 542-6777 for help.



We get it. You don't want to see the ads.

We'd just ask you to understand that those ads help us pay the bills  and our reporters. Please, consider white-listing the Standard Journal in your ad-blocker or, even better, purchase a subscription so that you can help support quality local journalism.We would love for you to join us to share your memories of Daryl with family and friends. Daryls full obituary can be view at http://www.myersmortuary.com/ A celebration of life will be held from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on 2021-06-27 at Fraternal Order of Eagles , 2140 N Lebanon St, Lebanon, IN 4GDP of agriculture, forestry and fishery highest in seven years

According to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the major aggregate targets of the agricultural sector in 2018 exceeded the whole-year plan and were higher than that of the previous year. Specifically, the gross domestic product (GDP) of agriculture, forestry and fishery expanded by 3.76% to reach the highest level in the last seven years, while the production value increased by 3.86%. Forest coverage hit 41.65%. The export revenues of the sector stood at US$40.02 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of US$8.72 billion. The 10 commodity groups with export turnover of over US$1 billion continued to be maintained, of which five items posted a revenue of more than US$3 billion, including wood and wood products (US$8.86 billion), shrimp (US$3.59 billion), fruit and vegetable (US$3.81 billion), coffee (US$3.46 billion) and cashew nuts (US$3.43 billion).

The production structure continued to be adjusted in a more appropriate and effectively fashion, in association with the market demand. There appeared many models of vegetable, flower and fruit production applying high technology and organic technologies, bringing about an income five times higher than rice production. The value of crop production increased by 2.52%, higher than the set target (2.5%).

In the field of animal husbandry, some livestock products were initially exported, such as frozen pork to Myanmar through official channels, and chicken meat to Japan. The livestock production value surged by 3.98%, higher than the set target (2.1%).

The fisheries sector reaped continuous success in 2018, with the total output reaching 7.74 million tonnes, up 6.1%, of which the proportion of high value products increased sharply, with shrimp hitting approx. 800,000 tonnes, up 7.1%, and tra fish (pangasius) at around 1.426 million tonnes, up 11.1%.

The forestry sector has cleared the international market for the exports of timber and forest products, as Vietnam and the European Union (EU) officially signed the Voluntary Partnership Agreement on Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (VPA/FLEGT). The value of forestry production expanded by 6.1%.

The capabilities of the agriculture-forestry-fishery processing industry continued to be strengthened towards intensive processing. In 2018, there were 16 modern vegetable, pork, and poultry processing factories put into operation across the country with a total investment of about VND8.7 trillion (US$374.1 million).

The consumption market for agricultural products was expanded, with the exports reaching a new record and the domestic consumption boosted. The sector paid due attention to removing difficulties and obstacles in terms of the market, especially the in major markets and regarding the products such as beef and milk into Malaysia; pork, chicken and eggs into Singapore; pork, milk, seafood and rice into China; chicken meat into Japan; frozen pork into Myanmar; star apple into the United States; rambutan into New Zealand; and lemons into the EU.

Difficulties remain

Addressing a recent conference to review the sectors performance in 2018 and deploy tasks for 2019, MARD Minister Nguyen Xuan Cuong stated that despite multiple bright spots in last years agriculture picture, there remain numerous challenges to Vietnams agricultural and rural area development. Specifically, the consumption market is increasingly fluctuating with potential risks, while the capabilities of forecasting supply and demand are still limited, with the rescue of pork being a profound lesson. The issue of removing the European Commissions yellow card against Vietnams fishing has yet to be definitively addressed, alongside the other issues, including the adverse prices of industrial crops, the potential outbreak of epidemics on plants and animals, and food safety management.

Proposing some directions for the new year 2019, Cuong said that the agricultural sector will strive to build smart agriculture with international integration and climate change adaptation, in addition to increasing the added value and facilitating sustainable development, associated with building prosperous and civilised new-style rural areas.

Specifically, in 2019, the whole sector strives to achieve a GDP growth rate of over 3%, an increase of over 3.11% in the production value, an export turnover of about US$42-43 billion, and a forest coverage rate of over 41.85%.

In order to achieve the set goals, MARD will continue to restructure the sector and boost production and processing, develop the consumption market for farm produce, and promote sustainable growth. Accordingly, the field of cultivation strives to achieve a production value growth of 1.75-1.78% and a minimal export revenue of US$20.5 billion. The livestock area strives to attain a production value increase of 3.95-4.15%. The fishery sector targets a 4.25-4.69% surge in production value and an export turnover of US$10.5 billion. The forestry sector targets forest coverage of over 41.85%, alongside a production value rise of more than 6% and an export turnover of US$10.5 billion.

Furthermore, the ministry will develop the consumption market across the country as well as the export markets, actively implement trade promotion, effectively tap into the opportunities of free trade agreements (FTAs), improve the quality of market analysis and forecast, especially the key markets, and focus on negotiating and removing barriers to the exports of agricultural products. Efforts will also be made to boost consumption in the domestic market, while forecasting and developing plans to support the timely consumption of farm produce for the people.

Agricultural sector must evoke national aspirations

Speaking at the conference, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc highly appreciated the efforts made by the entire agricultural sector. He asked the sector to evoke the aspirations of the nation and strive to enter the group of 15 largest agricultural nations in the world in ten years time. Vietnam must become a wood processing centre of the world and one of the top shrimp producers globally, he said, insisting that the agricultural growth in 2019 must reach at least 3%, while agricultural exports hit approximately US$43 billion.

The Government leader asked for more drastic agricultural restructuring, including the national flagship products and local specialties, in addition to analysing and researching new markets, and building the Vietnamese brand from rice, shrimp, and fish.

He also urged for strengthening the application of science and technology, artificial intelligence and Big Data in agricultural development, the processing industry and farm produce preservation, while carrying on with the building of new-style rural areas, with an emphasis put on the criteria of income and improving peoples lives.TORRINGTON  Charlotte Hungerford Hospitals medical clinic at 1598 East Main St. is permanently closing on Sunday.

Hartford HealthCare GoHealth Urgent Care will open Monday. Its hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m,., Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It is located at the Shops at Sky Top, 996 East Main St.

Brian Mattiello, regional vice president for strategy and community development at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, said the closure of the CHH clinic and subsequent opening of GoHealth is a positive step for the hospital and the city.

Hartford HealthCare, as a system, is in a joint venture with GoHealth, he said. Hartford HealthCare decided that the best way for them to deliver urgent care services was to enter into a formal relationship with GoHealth. So with us becoming part of Hartford HealthCare, it was natural for us to stay in this urgent care business. That led to the re-establishment of our urgent care services under the GoHealth model.

GoHealth Urgent Care facilities are located in Avon, West Hartford, Bristol, Newington, Southington, Wethersfield, Glastonbury, Manchester, Windsor, South WIndsor, Vernon, Enfield, Meriden, Norwich and New London.

This latest step furthers CHH and Hartford HealthCares partnership, Mattiello said.

This past year has been the most exciting for me, Mattiello said. Weve gone from thinking about our survivability to now focusing on our growth and development, all in the last 12 months. Frankly, its been an awesome year of growth and development and thinking about our future.

Charlotte Hungerford Hospital affiliated with Hartford HealthCare in November 2017; the partnership went into effect in January 2018. Since then, it has made a number of changes to its service locations in and around the city. It renovated its emergency room at the hospital, unveiling the revamped facility in November 2018. The $11 million, multi-year renovation and expansion began in 2010, with construction completed in phases during the last three years.

In August 2018, Hartford HealthCare Center for Healthy Aging opened its 10th location Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. The center provides resource coordinators and dementia specialists to work with families and caregivers, with free assessments to establish proper care for a patient, including in-home care, medical alert technology, modifications at home, state programs and veterans services. Hartford HealthCares other aging centers are located in Bloomfield, Meriden, New Britain, Newington, Southington, Vernon and Willimantic.

In October, CHH announced its plans to build a new health facility at the end of Route 8 in Winsted, with all hospital services offered at the Winsted Health Center to be moved to the new building. The facility will include emergency services, behavioral health, a LifeStar helicopter landing pad, and primary care and specialty care services, including behavioral health.

Providing urgent care to the people of Torrington and the Northwest Corner is not a new idea, Mattiello said.

Were so proud to have been able to provide (urgent care) services to the community for so many years, he said. I stand on the shoulders of every nurse, every tech, every provider, and every registrar that has worked at that walk-in clinic since the 1990s.

This is a transition for us, and on one level its a very exciting one, to know that the GoHealth model is coming here, he said. Hartford HealthCare is building on what has been a model and a reputation (of urgent care) that weve maintained for decades, of which were very proud.

In case of an emergency, patients can visit the CHH Emergency Department at 540 Litchfield St. in Torrington or Hungerford Emergency at 115 Spencer St. in Winsted. Visit the hospital website to learn more.Congregation Beth Israel / Contributed photo

WEST HARTFORD  Magevet, a Jewish vocal ensemble, will perform two concerts at West Hartford synagogues. The group will sing at Congregation Beth Israel, 701 Farmington Ave., on Friday, Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the congregations Shabbat evening service. Beth David Synagogue, 20 Dover Road, will host a second performance on Saturday, Jan. 19 at a kiddush lunch following the Shabbat morning service at 9:30 a.m. Both services and concerts are free and open to all.

Founded in 1993, Magevet is a coed a cappella singing group comprised of undergraduate students at Yale University. Known for its sweet blend of voices, unique arrangements, and lighthearted sense of humor, Magevet performs a diverse repertoire spanning modern Israeli pop and Renaissance choral pieces to Yiddish folk tunes and Zionist classics.IBM Corp. managers discussed ways to make the company's workforce younger and move jobs overseas, according to a presentation filed in court recently.

The documents are at a center of a lawsuit against IBM by a former executive who says he was fired based on his age. A person familiar with the filings said IBM couldn't verify whether the documents were real.

The presentation filed in December outlines a proposal to "correct seniority mix." It also purports to detail how IBM could "lift and shift" jobs from its main markets in developed countries to places such as Costa Rica and India. The former employee asked the court to compel IBM to produce the remaining portions of the documents.

"IBM has never said that the requested, damning documents do not exist; it just refuses to produce them in an attempt to hide the man behind the curtain," the former employee argues in a motion filed Jan. 4.

IBM has been quietly firing people for years, Bloomberg has reported, even as Chief Executive Officer Ginni Rometty publicly vowed to hire about 25,000 workers in the U.S. Her hiring pledge, made in late 2016 on the eve of a summit between technology executives and then President-elect Donald Trump, sparked outrage among current and former IBM workers, who vented on message boards and Facebook groups.

ProPublica last year published a wide-ranging story, based on similar documents, that argued IBM broke U.S. employment laws in its treatment of older workers. Bloomberg retrieved the filings from the court's website before they were sealed at IBM's request.

IBM said the lawsuit "misses the point" since colleagues who were older than the employee were retained on the team. "That's because IBM makes its employment decisions based on skills and business conditions - not age," said Ed Barbini, an IBM spokesman. "In fact, since 2010 there is no difference in the age of our U.S. workforce, but the skills profile of our employees has changed dramatically due to our heavy investments in skills and retraining."

IBM's workforce shrunk by 54,000 from the end of 2012 through the end of 2017 as the company let go of people in the U.S., Canada and other high-wage jurisdictions in an effort to cut costs after missing out on the early stages of the cloud-computing and mobile-technology revolutions. Companies like Alphabet Inc.'s Google, and Microsoft Corp. have swept ahead in size, revenue and prestige, and Big Blue has struggled to catch up.

Many industries and companies in tech and beyond have been sending jobs overseas to take advantage of lower wages and to be closer to local markets. New York-based IBM now is reported to have more employees in India than in the U.S.

The wave of layoffs has created a legion of disaffected workers who say they were targeted for their age and the higher salaries that come with decades of tenure. ProPublica estimated that in the past five years alone, IBM eliminated more than 20,000 U.S. workers over the age of 40, about 60 percent of its estimated total U.S. job cuts during those years.

Since 2010, the company hasn't disclosed how many of its employees are based in the country, but at the end of 2017 IBM reported a total of 380,300 employees globally.

It's unclear who was involved in the creation of the document and whether it reflects initiatives implemented by IBM. Still, if authentic, the plans, which date from 2016 and are outlined in the eight-page filing, fit with accounts of former employees interviewed over the past year, as well as reporting that shows IBM has shifted thousands of jobs from the U.S. to cheaper labor markets. The title on one page says it was produced by the company's "Digital Business Group," a unit responsible for integrating digital technology throughout the company.

One slide, titled Hybrid Cloud - Talent Fall Plan Overview, details a strategy to "displace" jobs in major markets and hire in Costa Rica, India, Poland and Romania in a bid to increase "labor productivity." Another slide titled "Early Professional Hiring" proposes a plan to "shift headcount mix towards greater % of early professional hires." It's illegal in the U.S. to discriminate based on age when it comes to hiring people over the age of 40.

IBM's alleged efforts to make its workforce younger have already come under fire. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has consolidated complaints against IBM into a single, targeted investigation, according to a person familiar with it. And lawsuits are cropping up against the company, including a class-action suit filed by a lawyer who's taken on Uber Technologies Inc., Google and Amazon.com Inc. on behalf of their workers before.January 09, 2019 09:11 IST

Its 'failure not just affects the military's effectiveness but could also be politically vulnerable for the BJP,' observes Ajai Shukla.

With the current National Democratic Alliance government's five year custodianship of national defence drawing to a close, the acquisition policy landscape is littered with grand initiatives that failed to reach a conclusion.

When he was defence minister, Manohar Parrikar repeatedly promised a simplified defence procurement procedure that would expedite weaponry purchases.

Eventually issued after more than a year's delay, DPP-2016 turned out 9 pages longer than its already gargantuan, 421-page predecessor, DPP-2013, and aimed no higher than reducing procurement time from 137 weeks to 126 weeks.

Last March, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman released a draft 'Defence Production Policy 2018' (DPrP 2018) that set wildly optimistic targets, such as catapulting India into the world's top five defence producers and creating 3 million jobs in the defence industry by 2025.

By that year, India is to increase defence exports ten fold to $5 billion, while becoming self-sufficient in building fighter aircraft, helicopters, warships, armoured vehicles, missiles and other systems.

This draft DPrP 2018 was attended by such urgency that stakeholders were given just one week to submit their responses. Nothing has been heard of it since then.

Then, in April, the ministry of defence issued a draft offsets policy that proposed allowing vendors to discharge offsets by creating defence manufacturing infrastructure (such as testing laboratories, ranges and skill centres) through sponsoring projects that generate high-technology, and through transferring critical technologies that do not exist in India.

It proposed special incentives for investments in Sitharaman's hobby horse -- two defence industry corridors she is pushing in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

This draft policy too has sunk without a trace.

In February, Sitharaman set up the 13-member Raksha Mantri's Advisory Committee on Ministry of Defence Capital Projects to review critical weapon procurements and identify why they were facing delays. It was to submit an 'initial status report' by March 31, 2018, but the committee has never once convened.

Given this depressing consistency, it should not be surprising that the initiative to establish an effective Defence Procurement Organization, too, has made little headway.

This failure is especially significant since it not just affects the military's effectiveness but could also be a political vulnerability for the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Accusing the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance of slothfulness in procuring weapons for the military, the BJP's 2014 election manifesto had promised to: 'Modernise armed forces, and increase the research and development in defence, to develop indigenous defence technologies and fast track defence purchases.'

Even so, it took the National Democratic Alliance government almost two years to kick off procurement reform. After the Dhirendra Singh Committee in 2015 articulated the need for setting up a DPO outside the MoD structure, Parrikar referred the question to another committee.

Constituted in April 2016 under a respected former defence acquisitions chief, Vivek Rae, that committee quickly ran into a disagreement.

While the MoD had directed the committee to envision a brand-new DPO, Rae believed it would be better to refashion and strengthen the existing defence acquisition structure.

Given this fundamental disagreement, Rae resigned in September 2016 and Pritam Singh, who the MoD described as a 'management expert', became chairman.

In March 2017, the MoD told Parliament the committee had 'recommended the creation of a central, autonomous, empowered professional organisation to build up indigenous defence capability as a strategic imperative for long-term self-reliance'.

Since then, there has been silence. The report is said to be circulating from one MoD desk to another on a slow journey to oblivion.

However, whether for this government or the next, there is no avoiding DPO reform, for which four important aspects must be kept in mind.

First, the new DPO must holistically focus on defence acquisition, not just procurement.

While procurement involves the straight purchase of existing defence equipment from global or domestic 'original equipment manufacturers', acquisition includes meeting the military's need through channels such as indigenous development.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation is currently pursuing 52 mission-mode projects involving an outlay of over Rs 370 billion. But these rarely feature in the formal defence acquisition process since the DRDO funds those projects and the lines of authority run through DRDO Bhawan.

Because the military gets a free ride on MMPs, it is not a stakeholder and does not seriously consider MMPs as acquisition options.

To overcome this, the military must take financial stakes in MMPs and participate in their oversight.

The reformed DPO must be empowered to meet a service requirement through direct purchase, manufacture under technology transfer, or through an MMP nearing fruition.

The chasm between the DRDOs efforts and those of the acquisition managers must be bridged.

Second, DPO reform must be wary of setting up a brand new structure and midwifing a new acquisition cadre to man a monolithic new organisation.

Each acquisition is a separate undertaking, with different requirements that must be met through purpose-built Integrated Programme Teams, headed by programme managers who remain in position for the duration of the acquisition.

Each IPT -- depending on whether it is acquiring a submarine, tank or communication grid system -- should include the specialists needed for that specific task.

The specialist requirement will vary not just from project to project, but also at different times within the same project.

The IPT, therefore, must be constituted and re-constituted continually, in order to optimise the use of manpower -- which can be drawn from diverse sources -- to contribute to IPTs when required.

Such flexible IPT structures should eliminate the rationale for a rigid and centralised DPO.

In fact, IPTs are already part of the 'Make' procedure under the DPP and have been used in the Indian system for major programmes like the Tejas fighter and the Arihant-class nuclear submarines. But these have not been constituted optimally.

Full in-house capability and rigid project management structures are a luxury that India cannot afford, as this adds significantly to the cost of acquisition.

Third, a refurbished DPO must focus exclusively on equipment acquisition, while freeing up other senior MoD officials from the time-consuming involvement in procurement.

The current procurement structures pull in all the service chiefs and the secretaries of defence, defence production and defence R&D.

The defence secretary, who ought to focus on a long-term strategy, force planning and structuring, defence diplomacy and other strategic tasks, spends 60 per cent of his time on procurement.

The answer is to upgrade the defence acquisition wing, which is currently under the department of defence, into a full-fledged department under a secretary-level official. This does not necessarily require the creation of an additional secretary's post.

Instead, the department of ex-servicemen welfare, which has elicited a high level of dissatisfaction amongst veterans, could be placed under the defence secretary who -- relieved of his acquisition responsibilities -- would have the mind space to give it a new direction.

The post of 'secretary (acquisitions)' could be adjusted against that of 'secretary ESW'.

The final, and perhaps trickiest, issue is the proposal to man the new DPO with a cadre of specialist acquisitions managers.

On one hand, the Indian Administration Service will resist any proposal for senior acquisition posts to go to another cadre.

And on the other, bright officers will resist prolonged tenures in acquisition, which is widely regarded as a high-risk assignment with little to recommend it in terms of power, influence or contact building.

This is a 'human resource' problem that the United States system has grappled with unsuccessfully for half a century. An answer is not readily forthcoming.January 09, 2019 19:24 IST

'Of all the PMs of India, I had the closest relationships with Morarji and Rajiv.'

Mark Tully, the most famous foreign correspondent in India, remembers some encounters with prime ministers, dictators and militants.

Photograph: Hitesh Harisinghani/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Sir Mark Tully was born in India and lives in New Delhi. He continues to broadcast a weekly programme on the BBC. He has been awarded the Padma Bhushan.

"The BBC director general asked Indira Gandhi, 'Madam PM, what did you feel when you lost the people's confidence?' (when she lost the Lok Sabha election after the Emergency)."

"She smiled and said: 'Director General, I never lost the confidence of the people, they were just misled by rumours, many of them spread by the BBC'."

Mark Tully, the BBC's correspondent in India for nearly 40 years, was in Mumbai last month for the Times Literature Festival.

In conversation with Radio Jockey Hrishi K, Sir Mark charmed a packed audience at the Mehboob Studios with his personal insights into famous personalities he met on the job. Archana Masih/Rediff.com listened in.

IMAGE: Morarji Desai, prime minister of India from March 1977 to July 1979.

Morarji Desai

"We wanted to make a film and the ministry of external affairs spokesmen told me that 'You are not making this film.'

I asked why? He said, 'We're not having you take the piss out of my prime minister!'

I respected Morarji as PM and I knew my reputation as a journalist would be in shambles if I didn't ask him about urine drinking.

I did and he answered superbly.

The first thing he asked was how do he look.

I looked at him and said, 'I think you look rather better than I do. He was over 80 and had beautiful translucent skin. He was immaculately dressed in crisp khadi, sitting bolt upright. I was not that well dressed, was slouched and 40 years younger than him.

He said he never hid it and that he had written a book about it -- and now that he was PM more people were reading about it.

I was very fond of Morarji."

IMAGE: The Congress blamed the BBC factor for its defeat in 1989, but Rajiv Gandhi told Mark Tully he did not believe so.

Rajiv Gandhi

"Of all the prime ministers of India, I had the closest relationships with Morarji and Rajiv.

In 1989 Rajiv began his election from Faizabad. He said he was going to bring Ram Rajya. I immediately filed the story that I knew would damage him, but I had to do it because he had played the Hindu card. But that didn't diminish my affection for him.

After the 1989 election defeat many Congressmen said that the BBC factor went against us.

Rajiv rang me and asked me to see him and said he did not personally believe about the BBC factor."

IMAGE: Indira Gandhi had a love hate relationship with the BBC.

Indira Gandhi

"The first BBC director general I took to meet her, she wasn't interested and was tapping her pencil on paper.

I said, 'Thank you very much for your time madam, I think we should go.'

The director general said thank you to me because he could make out that she wasn't interested in the meeting.

The next person (BBC director general) happened to be born in Kanpur and said with great delight that he had been born in Kanpur.

She looked at him and said, 'Oh so it's a qualification to work for the BBC that you should be born in India!'

The famous series Yes Minister was going on in Britain. She told him I am meeting you because I have a special request.

He said 'What?'

She said 'Doordarshan tells me that you are asking a ridiculous sum of money for it which I want to run on Indian TV to teach my ministers how to behave and how not to behave.'

So the director general came back to my office, rang up the man who controlled film sales and said to give it at whatever price."

Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale

"He was a frightening man to meet, had staring eyes, spoke very sparingly and aggressively. He was always surrounded by people.

Once I was sitting on the roof of the langar (in the Golden Temple) with my feet stretched out and General Shabeg Singh (the Indian Army lieutenant general who joined the Khalistan movement after his dismissal from the army) who was also a terrifying man shouted at me, 'Your feet are touching Guruji's sword.' I pulled my feet back quickly.

Zia-ul Haq

IMAGE: Then Pakistani military dictator General Zia-ul Haq and his wife Begum Shafiq with then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi during his 1987 visit to India.

"I went to see General Zia's spokesperson Sadiq Salik for a briefing and he kept on saying 'Sit down' and I said I had to go.

Then he suddenly said 'You can go.'

I said 'What is this about, Saliksahab?'

He said 'You are sitting right above General Zia's office, to get out of this building, you have to go past the door of his office.'

'During this hour General Zia comes out to say his prayers in the corridor and if you see him prostrate in prayer you might kick him in the ass!'

Poor Salik died in the aeroplane with Zia."

Margaret Thatcher

IMAGE: Then British prime minister Margaret Thatcher with then Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi outside 10 Downing Street, March 1982. Photograph: Central Press/Getty Images

"I met Maggie 2-3 times. Once we were standing at the bottom of the Khyber Pass in Pakistan. She had been taken there to see Afghanistan from there because Pakistan was wanting her support over the refugees.

I went up to her and asked an idiotic journalistic question like 'How do you feel now that you are on the border of Afghanistan?'

She turned to me and said 'I don't have time for people like you, I'm busy caring about people out there.'

So that put me in my place."

How he was 'arrested' by kar sevaks after the Babri Masjid demolition

IMAGE: Mobs demolish the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, December 6, 1992.

After the demolition, Mark Tully drove to Faizabad to file his report as telephone lines in Ayodhya were cut. On his return, he and a few Hindi language journalists were threatened and locked in a room by kar sevaks.

"We were let out luckily. News of us being 'arrested' spread and a very good local official -- the only one I think who stayed at the spot -- went to see the mahant of another temple and told him that these people must be let out.

I was with a team of journalists from the Jagran. The kar sevaks said they had nothing against them, only against this man from the BBC, but they (the Dainik Jagran journalists) insisted on being arrested with me."

Fake news existed even in the 1980s

Post Indira Gandhi's assassination there were these exaggerated stories of Sikhs rejoicing at her death. A senior official insisted that a train from Punjab had arrived at Sahibabad near Delhi with hundreds of dead bodies on it.

Instead of writing or putting out a story, Mark Tully sent a journalist there and found out that there was no truth to that 'story'.

How fake news should be combated

"I said then and I say now that rumours are a very effective way of spreading fake news.

The phenomenon of fake news has been there for a very long time. You have to use your judgment.

I will give you personal example: 3-4 dispatches purportedly written by me have been circulated widely on the Internet and some saying that we must say 'Long Live Narendra Modi' or some extremely offensive things about Sonia Gandhi.

My view is that people should use their judgment."

When Indira Gandhi's government ordered him to leave the country after the Emergency was imposed, and how the BBC continued its reportage of India

IMAGE: Indira Gandhi with her son Sanjay Gandhi. Photograph: Keystone/Getty Images

"We had the Eastern Service of the BBC, we had Hindi, Urdu, Bengali -- basically, we were constantly ringing journalists active in India.

The fact remains that our credibility was still intact at the end of the Emergency although there was censorship and I had been expelled.Source:

January 09, 2019 20:21 IST

Three Asom Gana Parishad ministers on Wednesday resigned from the Assam Cabinet, two days after their party exited the government over the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Water Resources Minister Keshav Mahanta and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Phanibhushan Choudhury submitted their resignations to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at the state secretariat, Bora told reporters after submitting their resignations.

The AGP had pulled out of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government a day before the bill seeking to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan was passed in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Earlier in the day, the AGP executive met at the party headquarters here to discuss the resignations and the future course of action.

Bora, who is also the party president, told reporters after the meeting that he would announce the partys future strategy regarding the bill after submitting their resignations.

The AGP pulled out of the state government after its last-ditch attempt to convince the Centre to withdrew the proposed legislation failed on Monday.

The withdrawal of the AGP, which has 14 MLAs in the 126-member assembly, will not have any immediate effect on the future of the Sarbananda Sonowal-led government that still has the backing of 74 MLAs.

The BJP has 61 members and the party has support of 12 MLAs of the Bodoland Peoples Front and the sole Independent member.

The opposition Congress and the All Indian United Democratic Front have 25 and 13 members respectively.Source:

Last updated on: January 09, 2019 18:24 IST

Questioning the timing of the bill to provide reservation to the poor in the general category, the Congress and the opposition in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday slammed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party saying the government was playing election politics.

They said it was a disrespect shown to the Indian democracys highest institution.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenth-Four Amendment) Bill, 2019 seeks to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to economically weaker sections in the general category.

The bill was introduced in the Upper House amid din following protests by the opposition which demanded it be sent to a select committee for scrutiny.

Speaking on the legislation, Congress senior leader and former Minister Anand Sharma said: You brought the bill in haste because you had to before the Model Code of Conduct comes into force, thinking ... lets dangle a carrot in front of the public, show them another dream that Modiji made arrangements for their childrens employment.

He said by the haste shown in bringing the bill, it was beyond comprehension that a government on departure lounge after befitting defeat in three state elections brought the bill on the eve of elections.

He dared the BJP to bring the women reservation bill.

If you are really concerned about women... bring the women reservation bill instead of beti bachao beti padhao slogans and we will pass it tonight, he said.

He charged the government with not taking the opposition into confidence saying there is no consent from the Opposition. The situation is such that there is no dialogue between the Opposition and the government.

On job promises, he said The government promised to give two crore jobs every year in 2014. Forget about generating jobs, 11 million people lost their jobs in the year 2018 itself.

He said there was a sharp decline in jobs whether in government or public sector enterprises.

He said the Congress was not opposed to the bill as it was very much there in its manifesto and had always been in its favour but the way the BJP government was showing disrespect to the institution was deplorable.

I deplore it, this is calculated, deliberated disrespect to the highest institutions of the Indian democracy... We are all political parties but it is the government which is

playing politics, he said.

Samajwadi Partys Ram Gopal Yadav, while supporting the bill, demanded that reservation for Other Backward Classes be enhanced to 54 per cent keeping in mind the increase in their population.

When you have already decided to break the 50 per cent barrier set by the Supreme Court, I demand from the government that OBC of this country should be given 54 per cent reservation keeping in mind their population, Yadav said.

What stopped you for bringing this bill earlier? This is not even a money bill... If you had honesty, this bill could have come earlier and could have really benefitted people, Yadav said.

He added that even if the bill is passed it will have to face judicial scrutiny as there is no dearth of professional PIL filers.

Terming the bill as unconstitutional and unsustainable, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagams A Navaneethakrishnan opposed the bill.

He said that Tamil Nadu government already provides reservations of 69 per cent to backward classes and the bill would impact the 31 per cent people who fall in open quota in the state.

Trinamool Congresss Derek O Brien said his party is disgusted and

angry by the way the government has been insulting the Parliament.

He said that the bill is nothing but governments acknowledgment of guilt over non-creation of jobs in the country over the last 4.5 years.

BJPs Prabhat Jha said Prime Minister Narendra Modi by this bill was not only fulfilling the partys promise to people but also promise made in every partys manifesto.Source:

January 09, 2019 21:36 IST

Protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill intensified in different parts of Assam on Wednesday with agitators burning effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and gheraoing the state secretariat.

IMAGE: Police personnel detain an activist of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti during a protest rally staged by various indigenous organisations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, in Guwahati. Photograph: PTI Photo

Protesters burnt effigies of the prime minister and chief minister at Digboi, Goalpara, Lakhimpur and Barpeta against the passing of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha.

Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti chief Akhil Gogoi announced that Modi and central ministers would not be allowed to enter the state, while the chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs and MPs will not be allowed to hold any meeting or rally in the state.

The agitators belonging to 70 organisations, led by KMSS and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, gathered at the secretariat to protest against the passing of the bill in the Lower House of Parliament.

The police attempted to prevent the protesters from crossing the barricades to enter the secretariat resulting in a scuffle. As the protestors refused to budge, the police resorted to lathicharge and fired rubber bullets to disperse them.

Several protesters were also taken into custody to prevent law and order situation, police said.

IMAGE: Activists participate in a torch light march in protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, in Guwahati. Photograph: PTI Photo

The Students Federation of India took out a Shamshan Yatra (funeral procession) of the prime minister, chief minister and seven BJP MPs in Assam.

Artists, litterateurs, musicians, actors, journalists and prominent cultural personalities took out a torchlight procession in Guwahati on Wednesday evening to protest against the bill.

The 70 organisations also protested in Digboi where Sonowal attended the Gorkha Mahatsov by blocking the highway and waving black flags to protest against the Bill and the CMs visit.

In Nagaon, All Assam Students Union activists waved black flags at BJP state unit president Ranjeet Kumar Dass.

In Golaghats Numaligarh area, a semi-nude protest by the Asom Aikya Manch was held.

Students of Cotton University and Dibrugarh University along with more than 15 colleges across Assam have decided to boycott classes indefinitely in protest against the bill.

The Dibrugarh University Post Graduate Students Union has indefinitely banned entry of any representative of member of the ruling BJP into the campus.

IMAGE: The agitators belonging to 70 organisations, led by KMSS and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, gathered at the secretariat to protest against the passing of the bill. Photograph: PTI Photo

Students bodies at Tezpur University, Jorhat Medical College, Pub Guwahati College, JB College, DCB College and others have held protests in their campuses, although no class boycott decision has been taken yet.

In New Delhi, students from Assam studying there protested at Jantar Mantar and were joined by students from other states too.

All Assam Lawyers Association called the Bill unconstitutional and warned that they would go to the Supreme Court if the same was enacted.

An 11-hour bandh, called by AASU and the North East Students Organisation and supported by over hundred organisations, against the bill had brought life to standstill in Assam.

The bill passed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, who fled religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan and entered India before December 31, 2014.January 09, 2019 10:59 IST

Kite fliers from 45 different countries are painting the skies of Gujarat in vibrant colours with their high-flying kites.

The 30th annual International kite festival, which kicked off on January 6, is being held at the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad.

Take a look.

Up, up and away! Colourful kites take to the the skies at the festival, which was inaugurated by Gujarat Governor O P Kohli. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

Kites of different shapes including snakes, centipedes, whales, stingrays, tigers are spotted at the festival. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

This year 151 kite flyers from 45 different countries like New Zealand, Spain, United States, Kenya, Turkey, Argentina and others are taking part in the event. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters

WATCH: Gujarat's vibrant kite festival

Ahmedabad has been hosting the International Kite Festival since 1989, as part of the official celebration of Makar Sankranti or Uttarayan. Photograph: Santosh Hirlekar/PTI Photo

The International Kite Festival is also expected to provide a major boost to the tourism and hospitality industry in Gujarat as almost 90 travel agents from 16 different state will also participate in the event. Photograph: Santosh Hirlekar/PTI Photo

A number of kite artists from across the globe have participated in the festival to showcase their skills. Photograph: Santosh Hirlekar/PTI Photo

The festival has also seen participation of around 200 local kite flyers from 13 different states. Photograph: Santosh Hirlekar/PTI Photo

The festival clearly puts out the message of One sky, one world'. Photograph: Santosh Hirlekar/PTI PhotoSource:

January 09, 2019 14:54 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday defended the introduction of the 10 per cent quota for the general category poor in jobs and education, even as he asked the Congress to clarify what was driving its ongoing allegations on the Rafale fighter jet deal.

Addressing a public rally after launching a slew of infra projects in Solapur, Modi said the smooth passage of the bill which provides 10 per cent quota for the general category poor in jobs and education in the Lok Sabha is a strong answer by the Parliament to those spreading lies.

Hoping the Rajya Sabha will pass the Bill on Wednesday, Modi said the rights of deprived sections, including Dalits and tribals won't be affected because of this bill.

He termed the the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha as a historic step aimed at uplifting the deprived sections.

On the passage of the Citizenship Bill, seeking to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangaldesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Modi assured people of Assam and North East that their rights will not be curtailed in any way through the bill's provisions.

Modi indicated that alleged middleman Christian Michel, arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, was lobbying for French manufacturer Rafale's rivals in the multi role aircraft deal.

The onus is on the Congress to come clean on what is driving its allegations on the (Rafale) deal, he said. Citing media reports, Modi said Michel was lobbying for 'some other contender' as well.

Congress should answer which leader of their party, now shouting about this (Rafale deal), has a connection with Michel, he said.

"Whether the deal was stuck because of bargaining by 'Michel Mama'? (Investigation) agencies will find out the truth. The people also want to know the truth," Mod said.

Modi said the 'chowkidar' (watchdog), has embarked on a campaign to root-out corruption cannot be bought or scared and will continue with his work relentlessly.

The 'chowkidar'can pick a wrongdoer even in darkness, he added.

Modi launched four-laning of Solapur-Osmanabad section of NH-211, underground sewerage system and three sewage treatment plants and also laid foundation stone of 30,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

With ANI inputsSource:

January 09, 2019 19:49 IST

At a time the United States and Russia are reaching out to the Taliban in Afghanistan, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said the terror outfit should be engaged but talks should be held with it without any preconditions.

The army chiefs comments on Wednesday, at the Raisina Dialogue, on engaging with Taliban were first such public remarks by a senior functionary of the government.

General Rawat said peace and stability in Afghanistan will be in interests of India, Pakistan and the entire region.

Yes, there should be talks with Taliban so long as they do not come out with any preconditions and so long as they are looking at lasting peace in Afghanistan and bring about stability in that country. It is in our interests, it is in the regions interests and it is in Pakistans interests, General Rawat said.

He was asked about several countries engaging the Taliban as part of the Afghan peace process.

There can be no preconditions attached because when you start attaching preconditions, then it kind of gives a sense of a notion of victory (to them), he said.

The army chief said Pakistan has always kept the Taliban in its backyard and cautioned Islamabad it may be a cause of concern for the countrys security.

Major powers like the US and Russia have been reaching out to the Taliban as part of efforts to push the stalled Afghan peace process.

India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

In a significant move, India had sent two former diplomats in non official capacity to a conference on Afghan peace process in Moscow in November which was attended by a high-level Taliban delegation.

The conference organised by Russia was attended by representatives of Afghanistan as well as from several other countries including the US, Pakistan and China.

India has been maintaining a policy of not engaging with the Taliban and pressing for an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace initiative to bring peace and stability in the war-ravaged country.

It is learnt that Iran is also engaged in talks with the Taliban. Iranian sources have said that in case India wants to use Irans channels of communication with the Taliban, Tehran will be open to such a proposition.January 09, 2019 09:30 IST

Congress hopes to field upper caste candidates to eat into BJP voter base while SP-BSP focuses on consolidating Dalit-OBC votes in their favour.

Archis Mohan reports.

IMAGE: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on a road show during the election campaign in Madhya Pradesh. Photograph: PTI Photo

The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party seem to have snubbed the Congress by keeping it out of their putative grand alliance for the 80 Lok Sabha seats of Uttar Pradesh.

However, Congress and SP leaders say the Opposition parties are working to a plan whose primary objective is to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party.

SP President Akhilesh Yadav and BSP chief Mayawati met in New Delhi on Friday, January 4, evening to seal their seat alliance in UP for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

The two parties will contest 37 seats each. Ajit Singh-led Rashtriya Lok Dal will contest the three seats of Kairana, Mathura and Baghpat, while one seat will go to the Nishad Party.

The alliance will not field any candidates in the Gandhi family pocket boroughs of Amethi and Rae Bareli.

The SP-BSP keeping the Congress out of the alliance could be a jolt to the political ambitions of such leaders close to Congress President Rahul Gandhi, as Jitin Prasada, R P N Singh and others like Nirmal Khatri, P L Puniya and Annu Tandon.

All were part of the list of 21 Congress candidates to win from UP in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.

However, Congress sources say they are working to a plan. The party's analysis of the recent assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan has convinced it that a pre-poll alliance with the BSP might actually hurt the Congress instead of working to its advantage.

According to Election Commission data, the BSP lost its vote share in its core Dalit voter base for a second successive election in both Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

In MP, the BSP's seats have dropped from 7 seats in 2008, to 4 in 2013, and to 2 in 2018. Its vote share has declined from 8.97% in 2008 to 5%.

In Rajasthan, the BSP vote share has increased marginally by 0.63% to 4% from 3.37% in 2013, but is much lower than the 7.6% in 2008.

The Congress has also assessed the BSP hurt the BJP in more seats than the Congress in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh in the just concluded assembly polls.

According to Congress strategists, the BSP's alliance with Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh benefitted the Mayawati-led party more than Jogi's party.

Congress strategists argue that an SP-BSP alliance in UP without the Congress would help better consolidate the Dalit-OBC votes in favour of that alliance, while the Congress will eat into the BJP's upper caste support base, thereby helping the BSP-SP alliance defeat the BJP in a majority of the seats in UP.

The Congress strategy is based on enlightened self-interest, party sources said. They believe a pre-poll alliance with the BSP would upset Congress supporters among upper caste Hindus, sections of the OBCs and an aspirational urban voter base.

This would primarily be since the BSP's improved performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls could make Mayawati a prime ministerial candidate of a Third Front government.

The Congress is apprehensive that the BJP would exploit this sentiment among the Hindu upper castes in the Hindi heartland, including the states the Congress won recently, if the party were to ally with the BSP.

The Congress has attributed its improved performances in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to urban voters, as also OBCs, having shifted to the party. The party has also learnt its lessons after its alliance with the SP in UP in 2017 assembly polls backfired.

The party strategy in Uttar Pradesh, therefore, would be to field Hindu upper-caste candidates in a majority of the seats to eat into the BJP support base.

For the seats where the Congress hopes to win in UP a 'Jangipur model' is being explored with the SP and BSP, to persuade these two parties field weak candidates in seats other than Amethi and Rae Bareli.

The 'Jangipur model' refers to the 2004 Lok Sabha polls on the Jangipur seat in West Bengal, where the Trinamool Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist fielded weak candidates to help the Congress's Pranab Mukherjee win.

Finally, the Congress believes that in the Hindi heartland outside of UP and Bihar, the Congress and BJP will be the key players and the BSP's vote share, therefore, is bound to go down. The Congress believes it needs to regain its upper case support base if it has to have any hopes of reviving itself in the Hindi heartland.

In 2014, the BJP won 71 of UP's 80 seats, while its ally the Apna Dal won 2 seats. The SP won 5 seats and the Congress won the 2 seats of Amethi and Rae Bareli. The BSP could not win any seats. In the 2017 assembly polls, the BJP repeated its sweep.January 09, 2019 10:11 IST

IMAGE: US President Donald Trump delivers a televised address to the nation from his desk in the Oval Office about immigration and the southern US border on the 18th day of a partial government shutdown at the White House in Washington, on Tuesday. Photograph: Carlos Barria/Reuters

President Donald Trump in a rare Oval Office address to the nation on Wednesday demanded funding for his long-promised United States-Mexico border wall to halt 'a growing humanitarian and security crisis' due to 'uncontrolled and illegal' migration, but refrained from declaring a national emergency over the issue.

Trump's remarks came amid a partial government shutdown that is days away from becoming the longest in US history.

The President sought to pressure Democrats to agree to his request for $5.7 billion for the wall as a condition of ending the government shutdown.

He also tried to ramp up support among Republicans who are getting nervous about government workers and others who are feeling the pain of the shutdown.

"This is a humanitarian crisis. A crisis of the heart, and a crisis of the soul," Trump said in his maiden prime-time address from his Oval Office.

Making a case for building a wall along the Mexico border, Trump invoked the killing of Indian-origin policeman Ronil 'Ron' Singh of the Newman Police Department, who was shot and killed during a traffic stop in California on December 26 allegedly by an illegal immigrant.

Trump Tuesday described Corporal Singh, 33, as a national 'hero', saying America's heart broke the day the young officer was 'savagely murdered' in cold blood by an 'illegal alien'.

Trump spoke last week with the family members and law enforcement colleagues of Singh, a native of Fiji who joined the force in July 2011.

"America's heart broke the day after Christmas when a young police officer in California was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien (who) just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country," Trump said.

The Californian police have arrested 33-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico identified as Gustavo Perez Arriaga on charges of killing Singh.

Trump said precious lives were cut short repeatedly by those who have violated the borders.

"In California, an air force veteran was raped, murdered, and beaten to death with a hammer by an illegal alien with a long criminal history.

"In Georgia an illegal alien was recently charged with murder for killing, beheading and dismembering his neighbour.

"In Maryland, MS-13 gang members who arrived in the United States as unaccompanied minors were arrested and charged last year after viciously stabbing and beating a 16-year-old," he said.

Trump said over the last several years, he has met with dozens of families whose loved ones were killed by illegal immigration.

"I've held the hands of the weeping mothers and embraced the grief-stricken fathers. So sad. So terrible. I will never forget the pain in their eyes, the tremble in their voices and the sadness gripping there. So how much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job," he said.

"This is a choice between right and wrong; justice and injustice. This is about whether we fulfil our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve," Trump said.

Noting that America proudly welcomes millions of lawful immigrants who enrich the American society and contribute to the nation, Trump said all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled, illegal migration.

"It strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages. Among those hardest hits are African-Americans and Hispanic Americans," he said in an eight-minute address as he sought to build a physical barrier along the southern Mexico border.

Funding for a border wall has been the main sticking point in negotiations with Democrats to reopen parts of the federal government that have been closed for 18 days.

A wall along the US-Mexico border was one of Trump's signature campaign promises. Trump wants $5.7 billion to build the wall, even though he said repeatedly during his campaign that he would make Mexico pay for the structure.

Democrats are refusing to allocate the money, arguing that a wall would be costly and ineffective.

The standoff triggered a partial government shutdown on December 22, shuttering nine federal departments and several smaller agencies and forcing some 800,000 workers to go on unpaid leave or work without pay. The shutdown will enter its 19th day Wednesday, making it the second-longest in history.

Trump in the past few days had threatened to declare a national emergency over the issues that would have allowed him to start building the wall with military funds without congressional authorisation.

But in Wednesday's address he stopped short of declaring a national emergency.

Making a strong pitch for the wall, Trump said the federal government remained shut because of Democrats.

The president also said that 90 per cent of heroin sold in the US came from Mexico.

"Last month 20,000 migrant children were illegally brought into the United States, a dramatic increase. These children are used as human pawns by vicious coyotes and ruthless gangs. One in three women are sexually assaulted on the dangerous trek up through Mexico," Trump said.

"Women or children are the biggest victims by far of the broken system. This is the tragic reality of illegal immigration on our southern border. This is the cycle of human suffering that I am determined to end," he said.

"As part of an overall approach to border security law enforcement professionals have requested $5.7 billion for a physical barrier. At the request of Democrats, it will be a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall.

"This barrier is absolutely critical to border security. It's also what are professionals at the border want and need,"Trump said.

Trump said illegal immigrants and drugs flowing across the southern border posed a serious threat to American safety.

"The border wall would very quickly pay for itself. The cost of illegal drugs exceeds $500 billion a year, vastly more than the $5.7 billion we have requested from Congress, Trump said.

The opposition Democrats immediately dismissed Trump's assertion on border security and accused the president of holding the nation hostage to a partial government shutdown for more than a fortnight now.

"Much of what we have heard from President Trump throughout this senseless shutdown has been full of misinformation and even malice. The President has chosen fear," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in the Democratic address to the nation immediately after Trump's prime time address.

"President Trump has chosen to hold hostage critical services for the health, safety and well-being of the American people and withhold the paychecks of 800,000 innocent workers across the nation -- many of them veterans," she alleged.

Senate Minority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer said the American democracy doesn't work the way Trump wants.

"We don't govern by temper tantrum. No president should pound the table and demand he gets his way or else the government shuts down, hurting millions of Americans who are treated as leverage," he said.January 09, 2019 19:02 IST

'The BJP has lost 5 states and Lok Sabha elections are due in less than 90 days.'

'The reservation bill is a jhunjhuna (lollipop) for the upper castes.'

IMAGE: Swarn Sena activists staged a 'Bharat Bandh' against the SC/ST Amendment Act, September 10, 2018. Photograph: PTI Photo

The Narendra Damodardas Modi government has opened a Pandora's box weeks before the 2019 general election by announcing 10 per cent reservations for the economically backward in the open category, something not recognised under the Constitution of India for the purpose of reservations.

This new quota is expected to benefit indigent sections among the forward castes.

The move has been welcomed by many, but there are others who feel it was not right as the upper castes are already in positions of power across the country.

Ratan Lal, professor of history at Delhi's Hindu college is one of them.

"You are born in your caste and will die in your caste. You can change your class, but not caste," Professor Lal tells Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf.

In the Indira Sawhney case the Supreme Court had rejected reservations for the economically backward from among the upper castes. Against this backdrop, will the Modi government's quota hold up in a court of law?

That Supreme Court judgment clearly said that not more than 50 percent of reservations should be given in jobs and education. And this move by the Modi government is political desperation.

The Constitution clearly says that reservations must be given on the basis of socio-economic backwardness and untouchability, and now they are tweaking that.

On one hand, there are no jobs and the government is talking of reservations.

Moreover, SCs/STs, in spite of reservations, are not getting their dues -- and who is taking away their rights?

It is the upper castes, they are snatching away their rights as they are over-represented.

SCs/STs and OBCs do get reservations, so how can you say that the upper castes are snatching away reservations?

Come to Delhi University and check the facts. How many SC/ST professors are teaching? They have not filled the vacancy of 22 percent which is meant for SC/STs.

Now since they are not filling up SC/ST quota of jobs, they have come up with this new idea which will dilute the entire reservation process.

This is a new Raj Leela (political dance).

And in such places work is going on which is being done by general category people. It means that they are over-represented in all sectors.

Do you have any data to prove this claim of yours?

The government must have all this data. Tell them to come up with statistics as to how many group A, group B officer posts have been fulfilled in the SC/ST category.

Moreover, if they really want to give reservations to upper caste economically backward people, why do they not give it in the private sector?

You have to understand that reservation is representation, and representation of 85 percent of the population has not been done in our country.

Now if the government is saying that this reservation is on an economic basis, then what was wrong in not giving reservation to Jats?

(BJP national president) Amit (Anilchandra) Shah said during the Telangana election that not more than 50 percent reservations can be given and in spite of that the TRS government was announcing 10 percent reservation for Muslims. So how come they are adding 10 percent more and announcing reservations now?

The answer is the BJP has lost five states and Lok Sabha elections are due in less than 90 days.

The reservation bill is a jhunjhuna (lollipop) for the upper castes. This is unconstitutional.

SCs/STs have been discriminated socially, historically.

Has any upper caste bridegroom been told to dismount from a horse in India?

Has anybody from the upper castes faced an untouchability problem?

The government must do a socio-economic survey and find out which caste has how much wealth, land and money.

They do not have any scientific data and without any data they have announced this upper caste reservation.

This government has failed miserably. There is anger against the Modi government so they want to divert this anger by bringing in the reservation bill.

You sound like you want to divide this country on the basis of caste.

Who is dividing the country? The country is not made in the air, but made because of the people.

People are dying of hunger. There are no jobs and the government is distributing natural resources licences to private business houses.

So who is dividing the country?

And when the backward people, farmers, labourers ask for their rights, how can you say we are dividing the country?

Let us wait for one or two days and see what the government does. But if they are so interested for social justice and upliftment of poverty, then let them socialise industry.

Why should one man hold so much property? Let them have the same hospital and same health policy for everyone.

Under the Modi government, government jobs have reduced.

Minister Prakash Javadekar said he will bring in an ordinance regarding the 200-point roster (external link) but the Modi government did not bring in any such ordinance.

Now this case has gone to the Supreme Court. These things even the upper caste people know as the Modi government is doing all this for vote bank politics.

Don't you feel it is not fair that against a student who gets 90 percent, a student who gets 60 percent get college admission because he is from a backward caste?

Who got reservations in India? It was the Brahmins.

English was not our language and the Brahmins got this rule of third division and passing marks of 35.

For four generations they studied English and now they talk of merit.

There cannot be equality between two unequals. Why are big private schools being constructed for rich people? Is this country for the poor or for rich people?

Why are you cursing a Brahmin boy of today for what his ancestors may have done?

Because he is getting the benefit of the legacy of his forefathers.

You please try to understand this point. His family has accumulated capital, knowledge, and is now destroying government education.

When the time came for poor Dalit children to get educated they privatised education. We are not departing from the past, but these are linkages to the past.

Don't you think economically backward Brahmins and upper castes should get reservations?

Some 90 percent poor people in this country are Dalits and Adivasis. They are 85 percent of the total population and are under-represented. 15 percent of upper caste people are over-represented in jobs. This is the conclusion.

This new bill gives additional 10 percent reservations, it is not snatching anything away.

First, you fill the vacancies in the 50 percent quota. Don't go by what is written on paper, but talk in practical terms.

How many professors, vice-chancellors in this country are from the backward community? Show us some statistics.

I am a teacher at Delhi University. SCs/STs reservation was implemented in 1997. In 2007 OBCs got into Delhi University.

For the last 10 years there are no new appointments. Why has it been stopped. And, more importantly, who stopped it?

Why aren't these things spoken about?

The HRD minister said he will bring an ordinance. Where has that gone?

When it comes to SCs/STs rights everybody forgets because India belongs to the upper castes and all institutions are in their hands.

You sound like someone who suffers from a victimhood mentality.

I am seeing it and not talking in the air.

In every institution SCs/STs and OBCs are being suppressed and upper caste people are ruling on top.

Everywhere, this is happening. I am arguing my case that this is not fair, it is not a feeling of victimhood.

Is that why the Modi government is not releasing the socio-economic caste based census?

They will be exposed as it will be proved that wealth, land, money, jobs and education mostly are in upper caste hands and SCs/STs have nothing in their hands.

Let them do this census for Brahmins, Thakurs, too. Who is stopping them?

Just like the Election Commission does voter rolls they should do this kind of census too. They have all the machinery.

Therefore, I say this reservation for upper castes is only a lollipop from the Modi government. They are not serious about the welfare of the people of this country, but only of some industrialists.

Till date they have done a caste census only of SCs/STs and OBCs and those figures too they are not publishing.

Let them do a census of every caste and you will find out who has how many cars, houses and land.

Why do you talk of caste so much? We are in 2019.

Even after 50,000 years this kind of discussion will go on.

It is like that saying 'Jaati hai ke Jaati nahi (Caste does not go ever).'

Caste is by birth and you bring your sanskar due to your family.

You are born in your caste and you will die in your caste. You can change your class, but not caste.

I don't see that in a city like Mumbai.

You should have the kind of eyes to see such discrimination.

Whenever there is a vacant position people are on the look out trying to fix their caste people in that position.

You come to Delhi and you will find out. This is a universal phenomenon in India.

People do not get jobs only on merit, but caste, region. Religion also works.

This must be very discouraging for a young Indian.

They know it and they are aware of it. I am a teacher. Children are taught in their homes.

Who teaches them all these things like 'This guy is a Dalit and you should not sit with him'? Everyone knows.January 09, 2019 20:05 IST

Rather than consolidate the Hindu majority votes, as the BJP-RSS combine has been known and wont to try, this time round PM Modi has himself taken the party to the next step, by seeking to create a new divide within the majority community, a la V P Singh in his time.

Unlike the latter, who by default could claim a substantial share of the minority votes by default against a weakening Congress stake-holder, the Modi schemes inclusion of all economically weaker sections from every community is a political statement, instead.

It sounds strong on paper but is possibly weaker on the ground than even V P Singhs divide-and-misrule game-plan, says N Sathiya Moorthy.

Going against conventional wisdom that a BJP prime minister always seeks to consolidate Hindu votes, incumbent Narendra Modi seems wanting to try divide the same, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls due by May, through his new quota scheme.

It may also be an admission that the forgotten Sangh Parivars revived calls on the Ayodhya front may not materialise, to be able to influence the Hindu vote-bank in time for the much-anticipated LS polls.

The Modi governments surprising decision on economic reservations cutting across religious and caste lines has taken his political adversaries by shock. However, the secrecy shrouding the decision may also hide the inadequate internal debate, if any, on the legal and judicial consequences of the proposal (a la demonetisation?).

The only reservations bordering on outright Opposition to Modis reservations scheme has come from Dravidian Tamil Nadu, where social justice has a longer history and very successful politico-administrative scheme, dating back to the Justice Party parental days a hundred years ago. The Dravidian polity in the state has boldly and unequivocally opposed the Modi scheme, clearly delineating social justice as relating to social status and not economic background of the beneficiary class.

The Dravidian position has also been since upheld by the Supreme Court over the past several decades. Starting with the Balaji case (1962), the apex court has held that social status should be an underlying principle for reservations of any kind. At the same time, the courts have successively and successfully brought in an element of merit into the scheme, in terms of admissions for higher education, from the Periyakaruppan case, again relating to Dravidian Tamil Nadu.

Whatever remained to be said with greater clarity and assertion, the Supreme Court did so in the famous Mandal case (Indra Sawhney vs State of Karnataka, 1992). A nine-judge Bench very clearly laid out that economic reservations was outside the scope of the Constitution, unless there was an element of social backwardness attaching to it.

More importantly, in Indra Sawhney, the court reiterated the established principle that reservations cannot be the rule but an exception, even if it involved (only) social background as the criterion. Using this as the yardstick, the Bench held that the exception cannot be more than the rule and total reservations for all classes, should not exceed the half-way mark, or 50 per cent.

With the Indra Sawhney verdict, the Bench did strike down the higher quotas in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Independent of the political party in power, both states have used legal subterfuge to strike at the very root of the court-cleared scheme. Over the past 20-plus years, Tamil Nadu, for instance, has had two reservations figures, one under the Mandal case and another to uphold the so-called states rights in the matter under the federal scheme.

This has had an unexpected positive fallout on the numbers in terms of higher education seats made available in the state, over the period. If today there is a glut of engineering college seats and a substantial number of medical seats in the state, it owes to this twin figures for professional college admissions. Leave aside the resultant quality of higher education in Tamil Nadu, which has constantly come under attack, not all of them unjustified, the Supreme Court, too, is yet to give a final ruling in the matter.

All told, there can be no denying the politico-electoral element in the Centres decision/proposal, that too in a poll year. Definitely, it has stirred up a fresh debate on the larger reservations cause/issue, but it remains to be seen if it would be sustainable after the Lok Sabha polls. The chances are that it may be reduced to a legal battle in the Supreme Court, before or after the LS polls, depending on when and how Parliament amends the Constitution to provide for the proposed changes.

In particular, the Centres violation of the twin codes of Indra Sawhney, about the quota-aggregate and exclusive economic criterion for reservations, raises the question if there was adequate application of mind before the Cabinet cleared the proposal, as if in a jiffy. It would not be politically correct for the Opposition in Parliament to be seen as opposing the progressive initiative on the social justice front. However, it would remain to be seen if the Opposition-ruled states would want to intervene in favour of the 10 per cent quota, if and when a favourable constitutional amendment is challenged in the court.

It is not unlikely that the Supreme Court, in its wisdom, decides to review the Mandal verdict in tune with the changing times, a full 25 years hence. The coincidental economic reforms in the post-socialist era too has created new ground conditions, the constitutional mandate, both through the original and later through the First Amendment, having served its limited purpose, through the past decades, possibly in more ways than one.

Yet, there can be no denying the politico-electoral angle attaching to the timing of the Modi initiative. It also raises the question if the BJP leadership of the NDA government at the Centre has given up hopes on an early and/or favourable resolution to the Ayodhya case, which has since been reduced to a property dispute of whatever kind.

Independent of social media hype, for and against the Modi leadership and the BJP-NDA governmental initiatives on other fronts, there can be no denying that the new quota scheme is a belated and at times urgent attempt to woo sections of the urban voters who had voted for Modis leadership in 2014. Whether it also implies that the BJP strategists are no more as sure and confident of the continuing support of this segment of voters in 2019 is the question.

In the past, BJP strategists had talked about a saffron India or Congress mukht Bharat, by showing up the nations map and pointing out how, across the nation, more states were being ruled by their party and not their rival any more. One single round of elections for the state assemblies of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, among others, and the entire scene has changed overnight.

Call it the BJP-RSS strategists continuing obsession with symbols and symbolism that they seem unable to appreciate the partys substantial to higher vote-share in some of these state assembly polls late last year. They seem to be stuck with the fact as to which party has got to rule a particular state rather than what was the vote-share and how it could translate into seats in the Lok Sabha polls.

If that were the case, BJP strategists should not -- and could not -- ignore or exclude their own vote and seat-share performances in a few other states, where again assembly polls were held in the previous year(s). Barring Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP swept the assembly polls squarely and very convincingly, in every other, the party made it to the government only through some fast, post-poll manipulation, with adequate help and assistance coming from party-appointed governors, a la rival Congress tradition.

The BJP strategists too seem to have not forgotten the assembly polls in Gujarat, the native state of Prime Minister Modi and party boss Amit Shah. The Patidar agitation involving the upper caste Patel community ahead of the assembly polls, and youth leader Hardik Patels decision to join hands with the Congress meant that the well-entrenched BJP nearly lost the state.

It required Amit Shahs Machiavellian skills and overtime campaign by PM Modi to retain the state for the party, a prestigious issue thus for the duo. Whether they could afford to spend as much time in and on their native state, or any other state, for instance, when it is a nation-wide election is the question that should have haunted BJP strategists since.

Clearly, the duo cannot have media/social media pre-poll reviews this year that the BJP cannot win as many seats as against the clean-sweep in Gujarat in 2014. Even as assembly election results were rolling out for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, etc, political analysts in television panel discussions were already giving parliamentary seat projections for the ruling BJP especially. It was also not all that encouraging, as 2014 results had become the bench-mark performance, for them to compare.

At the height of the Mandir-Mandal row of 1989-90, there were projections that BJP leader L K Advani was seeking to divide the nations electorate on religious lines by playing the minority appeasement card against the Congress and other secular rivals. In their eyes and campaign, Ayodhya became the symbol of minority appeasement of their electoral rivals and a projection of Hindu power.

By the same token and extension, it was argued that then Prime Minister V P Singhs Mandal card flowed from the BJPs Mandir agenda. That is to say, if Advani was seeking to consolidate Hindu votes by playing the religious-divide, Singh or anyone else in his place had little or no choice but to try and divide that majority vote-share in the middle even while hoping to win over the minority votes from the past.

The Mandal card thus became an electoral antidote to the BJPs Mandir plank, though in chronological terms the reverse may have been the truth. Today, faced with the LS polls, where BJP strategists seem to be as comfortable and confident as in 2014, the party seems wanting to consolidate or recapture the imagination of their traditional constituency, through a new campaign offering.

Economic reservations is an imaginative initiative, but then the question remains if the larger quota issue itself would have as much electoral traction in GexNext voters as it might have had close to three decades ago. Independent of the expectations in some Sangh Parivar circles, doubts may also remain if the Ayodhya card has any new traction in any or all of the new generation voters, who are the core and deciding factor in contemporary elections in the country.

At the end of the day, rather than hoping to consolidate the Hindu majority votes, as the BJP-RSS combine has been known and wont to try, this time round PM Modi has himself taken the party to the next step, by seeking to create a new divide within the majority community, a la V P Singh in his time.

Unlike the latter, who by default could claim a substantial share of the minority votes by default against a weakening Congress stake-holder, the Modi schemes inclusion of all economically weaker sections from every community is a political statement, instead.

It sounds strong on paper but is possibly weaker on the ground than even V P Singhs divide-and-misrule game-plan.

When he faxed his condemnation of the Ayodhya demolition (1992) to party president L K Advani within hours and releasing it to the traditional media of the day, Atal Bihari Vajpayee emerged as the moderate and most acceptable face of the BJP. It may not have paid dividends for the party and the leader immediately, but the momentum could sustain itself and also build up on itself until the BJP as a party and Vajpayee as a leader could come to power in 1998.

Today, by coming up with the very imaginative economic reservations scheme ahead of the all-important LS polls, and including in the list all religions and communities, beyond the traditional support-base of his party, PM Modi seems similarly wanting to emerge as the new and moderate face of the BJP even while retaining the traditional Hindu vote to the hilt -- a twin task that he could not share with an Advani, in the absence of one!

N Sathiya Moorthy, veteran journalist and political analyst, is director, Observer Research Foundation, Chennai chapter.January 09, 2019 12:52 IST

Taneira saris will ride on Titan's immense equity and deep penetration to crack open the potential Rs 550 billion market. Sangeeta Tanwar reports.

IMAGE: Kangana Ranaut launches Taneira, Titan's sari brand. Photographs: Kind courtesy Taneira/Facebook

When the Titan company opened the first Tanishq store in the country in 1996, many wrote the project off as a non-starter.

Today, it contributes a whopping 80 per cent to Titan's Rs 159.83 billion turnover.

Two decades on, the company has made yet another audacious gamble: It has decided to brand saris, the everyday wear for a vast majority of Indian women.

Retailed under the sub-brand Taneira, Titan's saris will ride on the parent brand's immense equity and deep penetration to crack open the potential Rs 550 billion market.

Titan recently opened its fourth Taneira store in Delhi. With that, it now has two stores each in Bengaluru and New Delhi.

As the company looks to expand aggressively, it is strengthening its sourcing function and its quality check processes to deal with the complexities that come with expanding its footprint.

Taneira's Delhi store is spread across 7,500 square feet. The store stocks saris, bridal lehengas, stoles, dupattas and dress material. Depending on location, space and business potential, the company will look at even larger stores.

The saris are priced from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,50,000. The average price would be Rs 8,000.

Taneira is working with over 250 partners -- a combination of weavers, master weavers, cooperatives and aggregators. The in-house team curates the collection that is designed by them and also co-creates designs with these partners.

To ensure faster speed-to-market and maintain a lean and agile supply chain, Taneira will stick to local sourcing.

Its captive looms in Bhagalpur will provide the concept and colour palate for the yarns to develop Taneira's signature line. The Kanchi team will recommend the final colour combination and motif placement.

IMAGE: The saris are priced from Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,50,000. The average price would be Rs 8,000.

Before we proceed, it is important to understand what makes Taneira Titan's most daring move up until now.

First, look at the highly unorganised nature of the sari business. There is tremendous regional variation -- in terms of material, weave and design.

Second, there are strong local retailers, such as Nalli, who have stepped outside their strongholds and command a huge equity among their consumers.

Three, style trends change quickly and the average consumer would likely go with what she sees her favourite stars wearing in movies or on television than examine a brand's corporate pedigree.

Given such complexities, can Titan replicate its Tanishq success?

What would be the factors that will make or break?

IMAGE: Bhaskar Bhat, managing director, Titan. Photograph: Courtesy @TataCompanies/Twitter

"It is not just enough to create a product, the real test is whether consumers will pay the price that you expect them to pay," Bhaskar Bhat, managing director, Titan Company, sums up the challenge.

"Team Taneira is identifying products, design and supply chain links and is working closely with artisans, weavers and designers.

"As we go about establishing a large network, sourcing and supply chain will get complicated. So quality checks and monitoring will be done centrally to ensure only authentic products reach buyers," he adds.

The company sources its products from multiple clusters from across the country. A team of buyers visits various clusters, curates and co-creates fabric and design with the weavers.

To enhance its own understanding of the value chain, Taneira has opened a partnership centre at Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, and based on the learning, it is looking to evaluate other centres as its next sourcing hubs.

As of now, it is looking at developing Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, as the second sourcing hub.

Bhat says the company will follow sister brand Tanishq's expansion model for its sari business. For example, in the jewellery business, Titan ensures that the gold used in jewellery making is as pure as possible.

Also, it pays great attention to the final form and design of every individual piece that sells from the Tanishq stores.

In the same way, Taneira will run a thorough quality check on saris at its central warehouse in Bengaluru.

IMAGE: Taneira's Delhi store is spread across 7,500 square feet.

Titan has a lot going in its favour. Rakhi Thakur, associate professor, marketing, SPJIMR, says, "Titan can draw on its experience in delivering an affordable luxury experience to consumers and apply those learnings to the sariF business. It can draw on the Tanishq experience to formulate the right sourcing and partnership strategy with weavers and designers."



That said, the path ahead for Taneira is not going to be easy.

According to Thakur, it is true that the sari business is fragmented and that, besides big known brands, women in India prefer to go to traditional stores like Chhabra 555 and Meena Bazaar in the north or Nalli and Kumaran Stores in the south.

At some point, Taneira will have to attract that set of buyers and breaking into this loyal base is not going to be easy.

Besides sourcing, it would be important for Taneira to offer a wide range of product choices across fabric and weaves.

Thakur suggests that Titan should look at leveraging its presence in the corporate and hospitality business to push the Taneira business.

It should also look at showcasing its collection at the Taj hotels and boutiques.

Taneira is looking to be present in 20 towns over the next four/five years, starting with 10 stores in the next 18 months or so. Cities including Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Patna, Lucknow and Indore will be covered in the next phase of expansion.

"The objective is to build a business worth Rs 8-10 billion over the next five years," says Bhat. The challenge is to make money at the store level, he adds.

The sari business will end this year with Rs 200 million in revenue, which Taneira aims to more than double to Rs 450 million by the next year.January 09, 2019 08:59 IST

The Tata Nexon and Mahindra Marazzo ace the safety ratings, but what about other Made in India cars? How safe is the car you drive?

Photograph: Rajesh Alva/ Rediff.com IMAGE: The Mahindra Marazzo

A five-star safety rating for Tata Nexon by Global NCAP -- a first for any Made In India car -- and a four-star rating for Mahindra Marazzo, are enough reasons to cheer for carmakers in India.

For an industry where getting a zero for safety rating was not uncommon till four years ago, the latest safety ratings for Tata and Mahindra models is impressive, but there is a long way to go, says David Ward, secretary-general, Global NCAP, emphasising on the need for India to have its own holistic safety assessment programme.

Global NCAP is the UK-based firm conducting independent research and testing programmes to assesses the safety and environmental characteristics of passenger vehicles and disseminate the results to the public.

"Our Safer Cars for India project has already succeeded in changing consumer attitudes. We hope it will gradually be replaced or merge into a permanent Bharat NCAP," Ward told Business Standard.

A permanent programme in India would increase the number of cars that can be tested and give consumers much more information about the safety of vehicles sold in India, he added.

IMAGE: The Tata Nexon Photograph: Courtesy, Tata Motors

Global NCAP launched the campaign in 2014, with the objective of promoting safer vehicles in the country and establish Bharat NCAP.

The campaign has created awareness among car buyers with regards to occupant safety. It has also prompted carmakers to make airbags standard and improve crashworthiness ahead of the new regulations.

This has resulted in a sharp increase in the number of cars rated four stars, says Ward.

The Indian government, on its part, has responded by introducing new crash test standards for front and side impact (for new models from October 2017 and all cars in production from October 2019), and for pedestrian protection (for new models from October 2018 and all cars in production from October 2020).

However, it is yet to come up with a holistic Bharat New Vehicle Safety Assessment Programme (BNVSAP), first mooted in 2014.

Even as safety experts give credit to the NCAP for bringing awareness on occupant safety through its independent evaluation in India, some carmakers in India are still discontented.

"I believe the safety rating should be under the aegis of Government of India. BNVSAP is something that we have been working on with the Government of India," said a car executive.

On reasons for BNVSAP as a policy not being implemented yet, he pointed that most of the features under it -- be it on anti-lock braking system, seat-belt reminder or crash test have already been implemented as regulation and more, as mandated by the government -- are coming in 2019.

Therefore, there is no point in having it. Also, the government doesn't have an agency to oversee it. "In a market where 28 per cent front-seat passengers and 5 per cent rear-seat passengers wear a seat belt, more airbags will not help," said the executive cited earlier.

Alluding to Nexon's five-star rating as a 'historic achievement', Ward said while this is laudable, Global NCAP also wants to encourage higher levels of crash avoidance technology available in new India cars through anti-skid technology and electronic stability control.

Derived from readings of the crash-test dummies, each car under the NCAP gets a rating on a five-star scale -- the higher the star rating, the safer the car. The rating is based on the adult occupant protection and child occupant protection scores resulting from the crash test.

Global NCAP mandates a driver's side airbag as the minimum requirement to qualify for a one-star rating, one of the reasons, why non-airbag versions of the Tata Zest and Volkswagen Polo received zero stars in 2014. Subsequently, airbag-equipped versions tested later were rated four-star cars in 2016.As 2019 gets underway, take a look back at the major events at the University of Georgia in 2018. From the election of a new Student Government Association administration to the rise and fall of a grilled cheese empire, here's a month-by-month breakdown of 2018's top events.Traverse City, MI (49684)

Today

Mainly clear skies. Low 47F. N winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 47F. N winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 06/09/2021



ADVERTISEMENT

FOLLOW REALITY TV WORLD ON THE ALL-NEW GOOGLE NEWS!

Reality TV World is now available on the all-new Google News app and website. Click here to visit our Google News page, and then click FOLLOW to add us as a news source!

What couples are still together and which MAFS couples have split up and divorced? And where are they now?

's first twelve seasons featured 44 different couples getting married at first sight -- so which couples are still together, who has split up and divorced, and where are they all now?Each season of -- which premiered in the United States seven years ago and is based on a Danish series -- features couples (previously three couples, but four couples on Seasons 8 and 9, and five couples beginning with Season 10) being matched together by relationship experts and agree to marry when they first meet.Complete strangers become husband and wife in a matter of minutes, and the couples' lives are then documented by TV cameras over the course of the next four to eight weeks (eight weeks, in the case of 's most recent seasons).The couples typically enjoy their first night together in a hotel after exchanging vows -- with some couples deciding to consummate their marriage immediately -- and then embark on a honeymoon, move in together, and simply attempt to deal with the struggles of daily life as man and wife.At the end of the extreme marriage experiment, each couple must decide whether they'd like to stay married or get a divorce on "Decision Day."has experienced very mixed results over the years. While a significant number of couples decide to stay together and continue their new marriage at the end of their season, the real world seems to hit them hard after the cameras leave, resulting in the couple splitting up only months later.Do cast members see a different side of their spouses once cameras are gone, or do the romances naturally fizzle over time?Some couples are still together to this day and are extremely happy. Jamie Otis and Doug Hehner from Season 1, for example, have had two children.Several other couples have also had children -- including Ashley Petta and Anthony D'Amico Shawniece Jackson and Jephte Pierre Danielle Bergman and Bobby Dodd , and Deonna McNeill and Greg Okotie However, there are also relationships that ended badly. Jessica Castro from Season 2, for instance, accused Ryan De Nino of alleged death threats, and she went on to file a restraining order and lawsuit against him.Some couples have also never even made it to "Decision Day" and ended their marriage prematurely, including Season 4 couple Heather Seidel and Derek Schwartz as well as Season 6 couple Molly Duff and Jonathan Francetic Are the remaining couples now lovers, friends or enemies?! What about early season couples like Cortney Hendrix and Jason Carrion, Jaclyn Methuen and Ryan Ranellone, Vanessa Nelson and Tres Russell, Sonia Granados and Nick Pendergrast, and Lillian Vilchez and Tom Wilson?And how about more recent season couples like Danielle DeGroot and Cody Knapek Sheila Downs and Nate Duhon Jaclyn Schwartzberg and Ryan Buckley Dave Flaherty and Amber Martorana , and Tristan Thompson and Mia Bally Keith Dewar and Kristine Killingsworth , and AJ Vollmoeller and Stephanie Sersen Click thelink below to see photos of each couple and find out!

BEGIN GALLERY >>

Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.,



We're sorry, this article is not currently availableFind a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale

Buy real estate. Find a great selection of commercial real estate, manufactured homes, timeshares and more for Sale in US and Canada.

Search Real EstateGood morning, its Wednesday, January 9, 2019. On this date in 1828, a new novel by James Fenimore Cooper went on sale in Philadelphia. The Red Rover had been available in Paris and London before Christmas, and it sold well on both sides of the Atlantic. The prep time for theatrical adaptations being much shorter than today, a stage version of the story was performed at Phillys Chestnut Street Theater just six weeks later.

The books and characters of Coopers that are known today come from the Leatherstocking Series, featuring Natty Bumppo, a white man raised by Delaware Indians, and his Mohican friends, a chief called Chingachgook and his son Uncas. In The Last of the Mohicans, the most famous and successful of these books, Natty Bumppos Indian name is Hawkeye, a name more worthy of a hero, at least to modern audiences. (In the 1992 movie version starring Daniel Day-Lewis, the filmmakers go even further: Hawkeyes white name is Nathaniel Poe.)

In a moment, Ill offer a brief observation on these books, and their lasting role in American culture. First, Id direct you to our front page, which aggregates an array of columns and stories spanning the political spectrum. We also offer original material from our own reporters and contributors this morning, including the following:

* * *

U.S. Manufacturing Jobs: From Carnage to Confidence. Steve Cortes writes that the latest labor reports vindicate the presidents economic strategy he outlined in his inaugural address two years ago.

The Canadian Politician Who Could Help Define Trumpism. In RealClearPolicy, Sean Speer profiles Doug Ford, who is fusing populism and conservatism as Ontario's new premier.

Five Facts: The State of the Economy Today. Also in RCPolicy, No Labels provides this overview.

False Comparisons of Troop Withdrawals. In RealClearDefense, Lawrence J. Korb assails the logic of critics who liken Trumps plan to pull troops out of Syria to President Obamas withdrawal of forces from Iraq.

A Hidden Figures Other Great Contribution. In RealClearMarkets, Allan Golombek spotlights an African-American GPS pioneer.

16 for 19: This Years Dont-Miss Events. In RealClearLife, Danny Agnew compiled this list of unusual global goings-on.

* * *

Most contemporary readers would find that The Last of the Mohicans doesnt hold up very well in the 21st century. To be honest about it, Mark Twain was deriding James Fenimore Coopers prose by the end of the 19th century. The copyright on Mohicans lapsed some time ago, though, so judge for yourself. Yet, it cannot be denied that the stories and themes explored in Coopers Leatherstocking Series and other books have endured.

The Red Rover, the book published 191 years ago today, was a return by the author to maritime settings, which hed written about previously and knew firsthand from his time in the U.S. Navy. Its a pirate story, and again, the white lead character is friends with a person of color: in this case a black seaman named Scipio Africanus.

The Last of the Mohicans, a historical novel set in 1757 in the Adirondacks amid the French and Indian War, also delves deeply into an even more fraught topic: the specter of white women being carried off in battle by Native Americans. It was a theme that has lasted through the ages, in literature and film -- and in real life, as personified by Quanah Parker, the son of Cynthia Ann Parker, who was stolen during a bloody 1836 Comanche raid on the Texas frontier.

But the more cosmic questions examined by The Last of the Mohicans center on what will happen to the people and cultures that already occupied this land when the Europeans and their descendants began fighting over it, settling it, farming it, and building cities upon it.

No less an advocate of his people than Russell Means appreciated this. A co-founder of the American Indian Movement, Means was cast by director Michael Mann to play Chingachgook opposite Daniel Day-Lewis. It was Means first acting role, and he was brilliant.

In an interview after the movie was completed, he described his view of Chingachgook this way: A very honorable and far-sighted individual who could understand what was happening around him, and was therefore taking his sons out of danger to a place that had a future.

Asked whether he was familiar with James Fenimore Coopers character before shooting the film, Russell Means replied, I did a book report on The Last of the Mohicans when I was in the 7th grade.

Carl M. Cannon

Washington Bureau chief, RealClearPolitics

@CarlCannon (Twitter)

ccannon@realclearpolitics.comThere have been recent reports that the U.S. might pull out around 7,000 U.S. troopshalf of the totalfrom Afghanistan. A capable Afghanistan National Defense and Security Force (ANDSF) and a genuine political settlement with the Taliban, led by the Afghans, is the countrys best ticket to rise from poverty, and Americas best hope for regional stability and security. It is in Americas interest to continue the training, advising, and assisting mission for the ANDSF. Now is not the time to abandon the Afghans and repeat the mistakes of the Obama Administration when it abruptly removed all trainers from Iraq in 2011, paving the way for the invasion by the Islamic State

Key Takeaways 1. Today there is a relatively small contingent of about 14,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistanthe vast majority of whom are training and mentoring the ANDSF. 2. A capable ANDSF and a genuine political settlement led by the Afghans are the countrys best hope for security, and Americas best hope for regional stability. 3. Now is not the time to abandon the Afghans and repeat the mistakes of the Obama Administration when it abruptly removed all trainers from Iraq in 2011.

Select a Section 1/0 There have been recent reports that the U.S. might pull out around 7,000 U.S. troopshalf of the totalfrom Afghanistan.1

A capable Afghanistan National Defense and Security Force (ANDSF) and a genuine political settlement led by the Afghans is the countrys best ticket to for security, and Americas best hope for regional stability. It is in Americas interest to continue the training, advising, and assisting mission for the ANDSF. Now is not the time to abandon the Afghans and repeat the mistakes of the Obama Administration when it abruptly removed all trainers from Iraq in 2011, paving the way for the invasion by the Islamic State.

Strategic Interests

Afghanistan is located in an important part of the world and is geographically divided between two key regions: South Asia and Central Asia. This is why policymakers need to look more broadly at the U.S. role there. Americas interests are not just localized to Afghanistan, they are strategic. There are three main U.S. interests in the region:

1. Preventing Afghanistan from becoming a base for transnational terrorism like it was before 2001. According to the former commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, General John W. Nicholson, Twenty of the 98 U.S.-designated terrorist groups in the world were in the Af-Pak region (thirteen in Afghanistan and seven in Pakistan), making it the highest concentration of the terrorist groups anywhere in the world.2

2. A stable South Asia. Afghanistan falling into chaos could create even more instability between India and Pakistan. Pakistani-backed groups have already launched numerous terrorist attacks against Indian interests in Afghanistan. That would undoubtedly increase if the country further destabilizes. India would likely revert to supporting friendly militias in Afghanistan, which could sharpen the rivalry with Pakistan and motivate Islamabad to increase tensions in Kashmir.

3. A stable Central Asia. Culturally, linguistically, and historically, much of Afghanistan is closely connected to Central Asia. What happens in Afghanistan affects the countries of Central Asia. Central Asia is a region where many of Americas challenges converge, such as an emboldened Russia, a rising China, and transnational terrorism. The diplomatic and military presence in Afghanistan gives the U.S. added influence in Central Asia.

Realistic Goals

In order to achieve its interests, the U.S. should narrowly focus on four long-term goals that stay away from the lofty nation-building rhetoric of the past. These goals can be summed up with four s descriptions:

A stable Afghanistan. The number one goal of the U.S. in Afghanistan, if nothing else is achieved there, should be to create a stable-enough Afghanistan that is able to maintain its own internal security, in order to prevent the country from becoming a 1990s-style safe haven for terrorists, without the help of thousands of foreign troops.

stable The number one goal of the U.S. in Afghanistan, if nothing else is achieved there, should be to create a stable-enough Afghanistan that is able to maintain its own internal security, in order to prevent the country from becoming a 1990s-style safe haven for terrorists, without the help of thousands of foreign troops. A sovereign Afghanistan. In South and Central Asia, sovereignty equals stability and peace. This means respecting the sovereignty of others while begin able to defend and enforce ones own sovereignty. Today, Pakistan, Russia, Iran, and China are eroding the sovereignty of Afghanistan by meddling in Afghanistans internal affairs.

sovereign In South and Central Asia, sovereignty equals stability and peace. This means respecting the sovereignty of others while begin able to defend and enforce ones own sovereignty. Today, Pakistan, Russia, Iran, and China are eroding the sovereignty of Afghanistan by meddling in Afghanistans internal affairs. A self-reliant Afghanistan. Afghanistan has been the recipient of hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars in aid. Providing the current levels of support for Afghanistan is unsustainable in the long term. Be it with security or the economy, the international community must find ways to help Afghanistan become more self-reliant.

self-reliant Afghanistan has been the recipient of hundreds of billions of U.S. dollars in aid. Providing the current levels of support for Afghanistan is unsustainable in the long term. Be it with security or the economy, the international community must find ways to help Afghanistan become more self-reliant. A settled Afghanistan. President Donald Trump has alluded to an eventual political settlement between the Afghan government and the Taliban. 3

Train, Advise, and Assist

After more than 17 years of a U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, it is right and natural to question the value of the mission. However, most of the criticism of the mission today comes from failing to see the mission for what it now is (a training, advising, and assisting mission for the ANDSF) instead of for what it used to be (a major U.S.-led combat operation).

The situation today in Afghanistan is not the same as in 2001 when the U.S. invaded and ousted the Taliban. It is also not the same as in 2009 when President Barack Obama announced his surge policy and increased U.S. troops to its peak of 100,000 leading day-to-day combat operations.

Today, there is a relatively small contingent of about 14,000 U.S. troopsthe vast majority of whom are training and mentoring the ANDSF. A small number of these troops conduct high-end special operations missions to target senior Taliban leadership, remnants of al-Qaeda, and the nascent Islamic State of the Khorasan Province, and these missions are the exception rather than the rule.

Not Losing

In addition to misunderstanding what kind of mission the U.S. is performing in Afghanistan, there is often an extreme pessimism regarding what has been accomplished in Afghanistan.

The New York Times recently claimed that the Taliban are stronger than ever.4 This is simply untrue. The Taliban today is nothing like the Taliban in 1996 when it rolled into Kandahar and Kabul and operated tanks and flew planes.

On September 10, 2001, the Taliban controlled 90 percent of the entire country outside a small rump in northeastern Afghanistan controlled by the opposition Northern Alliance. During this time, all major road networks, all of the major population centers, and the capital city Kabul were under Taliban control. The situation could not be more different today.

According to the most recent report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstructionknown for its harsh criticism of U.S. policy in Afghanistanthe Taliban controls or influences areas where only 10.5 percent of Afghanistans population lives (a 1.2 percent decrease from the previous quarters report).5

Conversely, the Afghan government controls or influences areas where 65 percent of the Afghanistan population resides.6 The Taliban has not come close to retaking Kabul. In recent years, the Taliban has only been able to hold parts of a district center on two occasions (Kunduz in 2015 and Ghazni in 2018) and only for several days at a time before being expelled.

As with any war, each side has tactical victories. Commentators need to stop treating every tactical victory of the Talibans as Americas strategic defeat.

While the situation in Afghanistan is far from perfect, there is a huge space between victory and defeat. This is where the U.S. is today in Afghanistan and this is where the U.S. will likely remain for the foreseeable future. Until there is a genuine peace settlement among all Afghans, and until Pakistan stops providing succor to the Taliban, perhaps this is as good as it is going to get. This is not defeat. This is reality.

U.S. Must Stay Committed

In the 1990s, the international community turned its back on Afghanistan, which allowed the country to become a hub for international terrorism. The failure to keep a residual force presence in Iraq post-2011 also had disastrous results. The U.S. can avoid repeating the same mistakes today by:

Maintaining adequate force levels for the training mission. The ANDSF is Afghanistans ticket to security, and the U.S. and its allies should continue to support this relatively modest mission.

The ANDSF is Afghanistans ticket to security, and the U.S. and its allies should continue to support this relatively modest mission. Doing a better job explaining the mission. Today, the Afghans are leading combat operations. The U.S. is leading the training mission. It is through the lens of a training mission that policymakers should recognize the U.S. presence in Afghanistan today, not as an extension of the war that has been raging since 2001.

Today, the Afghans are leading combat operations. The U.S. is leading the training mission. It is through the lens of a training mission that policymakers should recognize the U.S. presence in Afghanistan today, not as an extension of the war that has been raging since 2001. Stating very clearly what the number one goal is in Afghanistan. It should be made clear that the number one goal is to keep America and its allies safe. This means having a stable enough Afghanistan, able to manage its own internal security so the country does not become a hub for transnational terrorism again.

It should be made clear that the number one goal is to keep America and its allies safe. This means having a stable enough Afghanistan, able to manage its own internal security so the country does not become a hub for transnational terrorism again. Continuing to pressure Pakistan to accept and help with a long-term political solution. The Trump Administration has suspended nearly all aid to Pakistan and adopted a much tougher line toward Islamabad at the International Monetary Fund and in international forums dealing with terrorism financing. Whether this ultimately changes Pakistans calculus about backing the Taliban is unclear, but as long as certain parts of Pakistans government continue to provide relief to the Taliban, the Taliban will never have enough pressure, or incentive, to enter into genuine peace talks with the Afghan government.

The Trump Administration has suspended nearly all aid to Pakistan and adopted a much tougher line toward Islamabad at the International Monetary Fund and in international forums dealing with terrorism financing. Whether this ultimately changes Pakistans calculus about backing the Taliban is unclear, but as long as certain parts of Pakistans government continue to provide relief to the Taliban, the Taliban will never have enough pressure, or incentive, to enter into genuine peace talks with the Afghan government. Supporting Afghanistans connection to the outside world. The best way for Afghanistan to stand on its own feet is connecting itself to the outside world. A quick glance at the map shows how landlocked Afghanistan suffers from a lack of connectivity with its neighbors. Thankfully, this is slowly changing with initiatives like the Lapis Lazuli Corridor and Indias involvement connecting Afghanistan to the Iranian port of Chabahar.

The best way for Afghanistan to stand on its own feet is connecting itself to the outside world. A quick glance at the map shows how landlocked Afghanistan suffers from a lack of connectivity with its neighbors. Thankfully, this is slowly changing with initiatives like the Lapis Lazuli Corridor and Indias involvement connecting Afghanistan to the Iranian port of Chabahar. Supporting talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. The news coming out of the latest rounds of talks in Abu Dhabi is welcome. 7

Conclusion

A capable ANDSF and a genuine political settlement led by the Afghans is the countrys best hope for security and rising from poverty, and Americas best hope for regional stability. This is why it is in Americas interest to continue the training, advising, and assisting mission in Afghanistan. Now is not the time to repeat the mistakes of Iraq.

Luke Coffey is Director of the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy, of the Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy, at The Heritage Foundation.Just over six months after both firms have been under the AT&T corporate umbrella, WarnerMedias Turner and AT&Ts advertising business Xandr are working together to improve precision, performance and delivery speed for advertisers.





The partnership says AT&T is fuelled by data and content connections and the company says that making advertising matter and more relevant to consumers are among the greatest challenges facing the industry today. It adds that Turner and Xandr will bring together a unique set of assets such as consumer data and insights, advanced advertising capabilities and engaged passionate fanbases.The Turner and Xandr ad sales teams have been working on four initiatives: more relevant advertising across Turners TV brands, with AT&T first-party set-top-box data; using Xandrs data capabilities to fuel more relevant advertising on Turners digital properties; expanding the reach of branded storytelling to addressable TV; proving the impact of advertising through attribution.AT&T stresses that television is still one of the most, if not the most, effective ad medium. Turner is home to networks such as Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, CNN, TBS, TNT and truTV which deliver premium content across TV, digital and mobile platforms, reaching three-quarters of American adults each month.Aiming to enhance the advertising experience within these environments, Turner invested in the AudienceNOW solution to enable its advertising customers to more precisely distribute brand messaging to fans on its premium content networks. AudienceNOW capability incorporates Xandrs viewership insights from more than 40 million set-top-boxes. The result says AT&T is far more precise advertising for Turners audiences across all of its networks and a faster turnaround of campaign posting.AT&T brought our companies together as part of a vision of developing a modern media company, a key part of which is modernising present day advertising, said Donna Speciale, president of Turner ad sales. The groundwork has been laid, and now we have the fortune of tapping into Xandr to supercharge our capabilities already out in the marketplace. This will be a win for marketers and for our viewers as the experience becomes more relevant to them.Xandr is the leader in advanced TV advertising and is in a unique position to help marketers improve the performance of their campaigns using data and technologythis incredible combination helps create relevant moments for consumers, added Mike Welch, SVP, corporate strategy and development, Xandr. Combining insights from AT&Ts 170 million direct to consumer relationships with Turners terrific content and fanbase, gives us a greater ability to serve relevant advertising that is driving results for brands and agencies.An environmentalist argues that opposing 1080 for pest control fuels a dangerous narrative for New Zealand's wildlife.

Dave Hansford, an environmentalist writer, argues that many anti-1080 campaigners take a blind stance to the issue by supporting their belief over facts.

"If you choose to believe rather than to think than you have to protect those beliefs in the face of an awful lot of contradictory evidence," Mr Hansford told RadioLIVE.

On Tuesday, SPCA sparked controversy when it declared that 1080 should be banned because it causes animals to suffer. Forest & Bird rebutted, stating that some 25 million native birds, eggs and chicks are eaten by predators every year.

While Mr Hansford accepts SPCA's argument for animal welfare, he reckons all too many activists have to deny science-based evidence to support their beliefs.

"There is simply no other way other than to deny the science that is actually contradicting them," Mr Hansford said.

He cites that the Department of Conservation is finally getting data that proves how 1080 aerial drops have helped native birds recuperate.

"[The facts] can't be disputed," he said.NZ aviation safety expert Andrew Shelley on drones and how they need to be policed.

Listen to all the full interviews above.

RadioLIVE.Legal updates  Executive Regulations of VAT Law and list of zero-rated basic food items published by the Ministry of Finance and National Economy (MoF)

1. The Ministry of Finance and National Economy Decision No. (12) for the year 2018

On 13 December 2018, following the publication of the Value Added Tax Law (VAT Law) in October 2018, the Bahrain Ministry of Finance and National Economy has released its Decision No. 12 of 2018, the Executive Regulations of VAT Law. Responsibility for implementing and administering VAT in Bahrain will rest with the National Bureau for Taxation (NBT). The Regulations provide further details on the application of the VAT Law that will take effect from1 January 2019 including compliance matters, and the scope of the zero rating and exemption. Official Arabic version and unofficial English translation are available on NBTs website.



The link: https://www.nbt.gov.bh/pdf/20181219_bah_bilingual.pdf

PwC has issued a guide on the Executive Regulations with analysis on the key areas of the Regulations and issues for businesses to consider.



The link: https://www.pwc.com/m1/en/services/tax/me-tax-legal-news/2018/bahrain-vat-executive-regulations-what-you-need-to-know.html

2. List of zero rated basic food items

In December 2018, NBT has published the list of zero-rated basic food items under the VAT Law on its website. The list contains 94 basic food items including meat, vegetables and fruits, coffee and tea, cereal, bread, sugar and other food items. The list is only available in Arabic.



The link: https://www.nbt.gov.bh/storage/media/fg8phkO5twUOAYFlNS68Hx1OXH8sZUoQj1vCI8h4.pdf

Practical updates  Phased transitional mandatory registration for VAT, VAT registration portal, FAQs and VAT Guides

1. Phased transitional mandatory registration, filing and other matters

In December 2018, MoF has announced a phased introduction of VAT through transitional mandatory registration thresholds for 2019. Also, on a transitional basis, VAT filing will be on a quarterly basis for certain large taxpayers, while the first return for all other taxpayers will be for the first six months, followed by two quarterly returns. Monthly and quarterly filing will apply from 2020, depending on turnover.

The Ministry has also provided some information on other matters including tax representatives and agents, tax invoices, a taxpayer readiness assessment and taxpayer engagement.

Link to PwC VAT alert on these matters: https://www.pwc.com/m1/en/services/tax/me-tax-legal-news/2018/bahrain-announces-information-on-introduction-vat.html

2. VAT registration portal

From 9 December, NBT launched its official portal for the VAT Registration and other VAT maters.

The link to the portal: https://www.nbt.gov.bh

3. NBT published a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

On 26 December, in addition to the previously published general FAQs on VAT in its website, NBT has released a more detailed technical FAQs to increase the VAT awareness and to facilitate the implementation of the new tax system.

The link: https://www.nbt.gov.bh/pdf/20181225_BAH_VAT_Technical_FAQs%20_English.pdf

PwC has prepared a news alert on the technical FAQs, which can be retrieved by the following link: https://www.pwc.com/m1/en/services/tax/me-tax-legal-news/2018/bahrain-national-bureau-for-taxation-issues-vat-technical-faqs.html

4. NBT issued a VAT General Guide

On 31 December 2018, NBT has published a VAT General Guide. The Guide is extensive and covers general topics useful for taxable persons ranging from technical guidance, compliance related matters to administrative procedures.

The Guide can be found link at: https://www.nbt.gov.bh/pdf/20190106%20-%20VAT%20General%20Guide%20v1.1.pdf

5. NBT issued the VAT Registration Guide

The Bahrain VAT Registration Guide has been published by the NBT. The Guide aims to provide guidance on eligibility, timeline, information required for VAT registration.

The Guide can be found link at: https://www.nbt.gov.bh/pdf/20190106%20-%20VAT%20Registration%20Guide%20v1.1.pdf

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  A Purdue University alumnus is using clean, solar energy to drastically reduce the electric bill for his northern Indiana hog farm with the help of a company based in the Purdue Research Park.

Kraig Resler, an alumnus of Purdues College of Agriculture, partnered with Emergent Solar Energy to find ways to reduce energy costs, protect the environment, gain energy independence and invest in the long-term benefits of on-farm solar.

We are always discussing how to make our 7,000-pig operation more cost-efficient and environmentally friendly, Resler said. We are excited that our completed solar array will have a positive impact on the environment and save us money on electricity for years to come.

The project is one of the states largest confined animal feeding operation solar arrays. The solar array is rated at 155 kilowatts DC and will produce more than 200,000 kilowatt-hours of energy per year. This will cover approximately 75 percent of the farm's energy demand and reduce energy costs by the same amount. This equates to a reduction of 3,500 tons of carbon emissions over 25 years.

This was a challenging site, said Chris Rohaly, engineering and operations manager of Green Alternatives Inc., a contractor involved with this project. Space was limited for the desired system size, and the tie-in to the utility feed required a long trench. But we iterated design until we reached the optimum between the farm's goals and site constraints. This system will produce strong results."

This project was awarded a Rural Energy for America Program grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which helped reimburse some of the farms initial investment. The USDA grant and federal tax incentives, along with net-metering, will produce savings that will defray the costs of the project by more than 65 percent overall.

"This is our largest farm solar project to date, and I couldnt be more pleased with the result, said Jeremy Lipinski, managing partner of Emergent. The project economics and production numbers are quite remarkable, and this will be a great investment for our farm client."

The Reslers are a Boilermaker family. Kraigs son, Tyler, is also an alumnus of Purdues College of Agriculture and works on the family farm, which is in Mishawaka, Indiana, just east of South Bend. Kraigs two daughters are undergraduate students at Purdue.

Resler worked with Emergent Solar Energy, headquartered at Purdue Research Foundations Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette.

The work aligns with Purdue's Giant Leaps celebration, celebrating the universitys global advancements in sustainability as part of Purdues 150th anniversary. Sustainability, including through energy conservation, is one of the four themes of the yearlong celebrations Ideas Festival, designed to showcase Purdue as an intellectual center solving real-world issues.

About Purdue Research Foundation

The Purdue Research Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Established in 1930, the foundation accepts gifts; administers trusts; funds scholarships and grants; acquires property; protects Purdue's intellectual property; and promotes entrepreneurial activities on behalf of Purdue. The foundation manages the Purdue Foundry, Purdue Office of Technology Commercialization, Purdue Research Park and Purdue Technology Centers. The foundation received the 2016 Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities Award for Innovation from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org.

About Emergent Solar Energy

Emergent Solar Energy is one of the leading commercial solar construction firms in the state of Indiana. Headquartered at Purdue Research Park, in West Lafayette, Indiana, the company provides solar solutions to the commercial and industrial, municipal and agricultural sectors across the state of Indiana. Emergent Solar seeks to bring renewable energy to the communities it serves and to help organizations gain energy independence while achieving their sustainability and stewardship goals.

Writer: Chris Adam, 765-588-3341, cladam@prf.org



Source: Jeremy Lipinski, 765-753-9155, jeremy@emergentsolar.energyWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.  Bloodstream infections are notoriously deadly. Not because theyre untreatable, but because they work fast and are hard to diagnose. To figure out what medication to give patients, doctors need to culture the bacteria or fungi causing the infection, which takes several days.

In an attempt to treat the infection before results of the culture come back, doctors often give patients a drug cocktail, hoping that one of the medications in the bunch will cure the patient. Often, it doesnt, and sometimes patients are harmed by taking drugs they didnt need. This practice also contributes to the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance.

Mortality rates are high  bloodstream infections kill more than 600 people each day in the United States. Mohamed Seleem, a professor of microbiology in Purdue Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine, is trying to change this with a faster method for diagnosing these infections.

We created a method that uses a blood sample from patients, and in 20 minutes identifies what kind of infection they have and what antibiotic or antifungal medication we should give them, Seleem said. Doing this without giving patients the wrong treatment or creating antimicrobial resistance is really novel.

Antimicrobial resistance happens when a microorganism is able to stop a medication from working against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and continue to spread. Without effective antibiotics, major surgeries and chemotherapy become extremely high-risk.

Seleems new diagnostic tool images the infection and identifies it from the rest of the cells and bacteria in the blood. Once he finds the bacterium hes looking for, he can go inside it and analyze it. The findings were published in the journal Analytical Chemistry.

Like each person has an individual fingerprint, each bacterium has a single fingerprint thats specific to that infection, Seleem said. We created a library with the fingerprint of each infection, that way, we can quickly identify what kind of infection the patient has.

The original study considered only a single bacterium. Now, Seleem wants to make the technique more efficient and verify that it works on the six most common bloodstream infections. With help from Ji-Xin Cheng, a professor of biomedical engineering at Boston University, and a $1.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, hes working toward these goals.

The mortality rate is very high because patients can die from this in a few hours, he said. Finding a fast, efficient diagnostic tool is in high demand. We could save a lot of lives.

Seleems research aligns with Purdue's Giant Leaps celebration, which acknowledges the university's global advancements in health, longevity and quality of life as part of Purdue's 150th anniversary. This is one of the four themes of the yearlong celebration's Ideas Festival, designed to showcase Purdue as an intellectual center solving real-world problems.

The technology is patented through the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization. More information about the technology can be found here.

Writer: Kayla Zacharias, 765-494-9318, kzachar@purdue.edu

Source: Mohamed Seleem, 765-494-0763, mseleem@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: For a copy of the paper, please contact Kayla Zacharias, Purdue News Service, kzachar@purdue.edu.

ABSTRACTIts Not Supposed to be This Way, in which the president of Proverbs 31 Ministries Lysa TerKeurst reflects on her husbands infidelity, remains at #2 on PWs Religion Nonfiction chart for December. Interest in the book increased after TerKeurst announced to her over 500,000 followers on Instagram that she and her husband had renewed their vows on December 11. Additionally, the book was available at Walmart with a free accompanying six-session video Bible study. Its Not Supposed to be This Way is also Proverbs 31s online Bible study pick for January.

Brian Houston returned to PWs Religion Nonfiction bestsellers list at #4 with There is More, which initially debuted on the list at #6 in April. The first chapter was available for free through Houstons website, while several chapters were also available via his podcast during the month of December.

Karen Kingsbury held the top perch as well as #2 in Religion Fiction with two books in the Baxter Family series, which saw holiday promotions and discounts on Christianbook.com, Amazon, and more. Last-minute holiday shopping also boosted sales of three books by veteran romance writer Francine Rivers, whose 2017 novel The Masterpiece landed at #3.Laura Weymouth

When Laura Weymouth set out to write The Light Between Worlds, she was responding to an unfilled niche in the market. In 2016, I saw a tweet that a publisher was really interested in acquiring a book about Susan Pevensie after the end of the Narnia books, because Susan has always seemed to get such a raw deal, she says. For Weymouth, who had always been interested in exploring the transformative and traumatic aftereffects of adventures in childrens literature, it seemed like a sign. I had to write this book.

Oge Mora

Creating picture books was never a foregone conclusion for Oge Mora, whose Nigerian immigrant parents are what she calls science-minded. Still, they supported her decision to pursue an art degree at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Moras author-illustrator debut, Thank You, Omu!, which began as the final project in her picture book making class at RISD, pays tribute to her heritage. I really love that I could combine Nigerian and American traditions and create a book that exists in a third space like I myself do, she says.

Damien Love

A freelance journalist since the 90s, Damien Love has had his plate full covering art and pop culture for various outlets in his native Scotland. But, he says, Ive always wanted to write fiction. Loves first foray into middle grade, Monstrous Devices, could be pitched as Raiders of the Lost Ark meets Toy Story. The book is kind of like an inventory of my influences. Its also my way of thanking all the creators whove inspired me, he says.

Molly Brooks

Molly Brooks was working all day digitizing comics, freelancing all night drawing comics, and struggling to find the time and creative energy to do what she really wanted to domake her own comic. So she teamed up with her friend and fellow creator Andrea Tsurumi to make a minicomic together. That project became the starting point for Brookss first original graphic novel, Sanity & Tallulah, about two friends who are traveling through space and exploring areas they shouldnt. I had a lot of ideas for ridiculous situations that I could drop them into, she says.

Adib Khorram

Darius the Great Is Not Okay is Adib Khorrams first published noveland a finalist for the William C. Morris Award, given to debut novelists. But, like many other writers, Khorram did not find success with the very first novel he wrote. Depending on how you count, I have four or five in the drawer, he says. His breakthrough came when he began to consider a novel based on his own experience as an Iranian-American adolescent in the Midwest.

Jessica Hische

Illustrator Jessica Hische wasnt sure exactly what kind of artist she wanted to beuntil the day she fell in love with typography. She calls lettering a sweet spot between drawing and designmore concerned with solving problems than with being expressionistic. As a graphic designer and lettering artist, her clients have ranged from the New York Times to Wes Anderson. In Hisches debut picture book, Tomorrow Ill Be Brave, the words come to life on the page, as if becoming characters themselves.We are not compliance experts. Credit union compliance changes as fast, if not faster, than technology. To stay up-to-date on compliance is constant continuing education. To have a team of compliance people to help us - it just makes sense to outsource it. CBS VP of Business Development Ken Hunt.

Core processing company Commercial Business Systems, Inc. (CBS) has chosen CU Service Network, a CUSO based in Denver, CO, to provide their internal compliance services. This is a unique business partnership, as IT firms do not typically look for services from CUSOs.

CBS, based out of Goldsboro, NC, has been providing IT services to the credit union industry for 40 years. The goal of their CAMS-ii core is to provide an affordable and complete IT solution, in turn minimizing internal technical and operational overhead. We as a company work very, very hard to give smaller credit unions technology to complete, says Lisa Livingston, Project Manager at CBS.

Why would an IT company be interested in outsourced compliance services? We needed a knowledgeable and affordable resource to help us to ensure our system is in compliance, which benefits us and our clients, explains Livingston. CBS has a unique perspective on credit union compliance. They take a preemptive stance and integrate compliance features directly into their solution. Livingston notes, Our clients look to us to understand how compliance issues impact their credit union from a core processing perspective. They depend on us to ensure that their core system is a reliable partner in managing compliance.

Franklyn Brathwaite, VP of Support for CBS, comments, We wanted to make sure our core platform is complete. Our goal is to get these common compliance issues already accounted for in our product. When compliance is already plugged into the product, it takes the pressure off the credit union.

The benefits they saw in hiring CU Service Network as an outsourced compliance partner were compelling. CU Service Network (CUSN)s compliance service, part of their back office suite of outsourced services, has proven a popular option due to its unique flexibility, customization and hand-holding components, which CBS preferred. The service has expanded from coast to coast and has grown by over 50 percent in the past year alone.

One of the biggest benefits CU Service Network can provide CBS is having a partner they can call at any time, which is one of CU Service Networks differentiators. We wanted to offer the outsourced compliance marketplace a new and fresh approach, one that isnt so heavy on digital tools and instead more reliant on a human element. We found a great match with CBS because they, too, value being able to pick up the phone and directly call one of our dedicated compliance experts, says CUSNs SVP, Daniel Burk.

While the executive team at CBS will gladly share each of their 25-year-plus histories in the credit union industry, they are first to admit where their strengths lie. We are not compliance experts. Credit union compliance changes as fast, if not faster, than technology. To stay up-to-date on compliance is constant continuing education, says CBS VP of Business Development Ken Hunt. To have a team of compliance people to help us - it just makes sense to outsource it.

Indeed, why would CBS hire an in-house compliance team when they could get full services from CU Service Network for a quarter of the cost of one FTE? Often clients will call us and ask, We are being audited. How do we fix this? Can you help us? and we are able to have a team to make recommendations for handling these situations, continues Franklyn. CU Service Network will be able to step in and help CBS help their clients navigate the compliance area, allowing CBS to focus on improving their software, which is what they do best.

Its a great investment. The cost is very little to spend really, to think of what we will get in return. We know CU Service Network will be on top of all the compliance changes. It was honestly an easy decision, says Ken.

For more information on CU Service Networks compliance services, please visit compliance.cusn.com, or contact CU Service Network at hello(at)cusn.com / (720) 945-7235.

About CU Service Network

CU Service Network, LLC, established in 1992, is a CUSO owned by 50 credit unions, and serves nearly 200 participating clients. They provide a variety of progressive solutions that drive credit union success, from back office services, like Accounting and Compliance, to delivery channel products, like shared branching. CU Service Network is a leader in credit union innovation, cooperation and research. Additional information is available at http://www.cusn.com.

About Commercial Business Systems, Inc.

Commercial Business Systems Inc., founded in 1980 and headquartered in Goldsboro, North Carolina, is a privately held company that provides premium software and IT services for the Credit Union industry. These products are possible by innovative technology developed by CBS, which enables credit unions to improve focus and streamline data processing infrastructure by using a simple, standard browser-based environment. Their CAMS-ii system includes Core Processing, Internet Branching, Customer Support and Remote Management and is customized to meet the individual needs of any credit union. For more information visit camsbycbs.com.U.S. Energy Storage Market Major industry players operating in the U.S. energy storage market include Duke Energy, E.ON, East Penn Manufacturing, EDF Renewable Energy, Fluence Energy, GE Power, Invenergy, LG Chem, Tesla, ABB, Johnson Controls, SolarEdge and EnerVault.

The U.S. residential energy storage market will witness robust expansion on account of increasing penetration of solar PV levels along with introduction of supportive policies and energy storage subsidies. California and Hawaii constitute the sizeable proportion of the overall residential energy storage sector in the country with fresh participation anticipated from Arizona and Massachusetts in the near term. The industry growth is further stimulated by growing implementation of time-of-use rates by utilities coupled with reduction in net metering compensation.

The U.S. Energy Storage Market is expected to hit USD 4 billion by 2024, as reported in the latest study by Global Market Insights, Inc. Growing regulatory focus toward minimizing carbon emissions while increasing the share of renewables on the grid will drive the U.S. energy storage market size. Key states including California, Massachusetts, New York, and Oregon have adopted legally defined energy storage capacity to be integrated into the electric grid. In December 2017, the New York government introduced a new law mandating a state-wide energy storage deployment target of 1,500MW by 2025.

Request for a sample of this research report @ https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2952

Utility energy storage market is predicted to surpass USD 1.5 billion by 2024. Growing significance of grid stability, with the implementation of sustainability, resilience, and efficiency will positively influence the industry growth. Aging grid infrastructure and rising concerns over climate change will further fuel the business growth.

The U.S. lithium ion energy storage market is set to grow on account of constantly declining technology costs primarily driven by economies of scale in manufacturing. Li-ion batteries find use across numerous applications comprising frequency regulation, residential solar storage and E-V charging stations amongst others. High energy density and appreciable coulombic efficiency are some of the primary features that will persistently fuel the product deployment over its available conventional alternatives.

Browse key U.S. Energy Storage Market insights from the 2018 report spread across 140, pages offering 34 market data tables as well as 29 figures & charts along with the table of contents:

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/us-energy-storage-market

Increasing share of renewables in the national grid facilitated by several fiscal incentives and ventures will stimulate the U.S. energy storage market size. The share of renewable in the California energy mix has been growing exponentially, thereby supporting the industry growth. In addition, legislative mandate to increase renewable generation to achieve emissions reductions targets will positively influence the industry outlook.

Key industry participants active in the U.S. energy storage market comprise Duke Energy, East Penn Manufacturing, E.ON, EDF Renewable Energy, GE Power, EnerVault, LG Chem, Fluence Energy, Invenergy, Johnson Controls, Tesla, SolarEdge, and ABB amongst others.

Make an Inquiry for purchasing this report @

https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2952

Browse Related Reports:

Lithium Ion Battery Market Size Forecast 2017  2024:

Japan lithium ion battery market is set to witness growth over 8% by 2024. Positive outlook towards automotive sector along with growing adoption of smart devices will stimulate the product demand. Global lithium ion battery market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecast in terms of USD from 2014 to 2024. Read more at

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/lithium-ion-battery-market

China Energy Storage Market Size Outlook 2018  2024 Forecast:

The China energy storage market is set to witness strong growth subject to ongoing investments toward development of smart-grid infrastructure along with upsurge across the ancillary service industry. Rising penetration of intermittent energy especially from solar and wind into the national grid will raise the requirement for energy storage system integration to ensure grid stability, which in turn will complement China energy storage market outlook. Read more at

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/china-energy-storage-market

About Global Market Insights

Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.

Contact Us:

Arun Hegde

Corporate Sales, USA

Global Market Insights, Inc.

Phone: 1-302-846-7766

Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688

Email: sales(at)gminsights.com

Web: https://www.gminsights.com

Blog: http://news-researchers.com/Dickinson Wright PLLC is pleased to announce the election of 12 new member attorneys of the firm, effective January 1, 2019.

This years class of new members represent a diverse range of practices and offices, says Michael Hammer, CEO of Dickinson Wright. Each attorney brings an incredible set of qualities and skills that they have developed over their time here at Dickinson Wright. I congratulate each and every one of them on this well-deserved honor.

Below is Dickinson Wrights new member attorneys for 2019:

Frederick Dewey is a Member in the firms Detroit office. His practice focuses primarily on the areas of commercial and business litigation, real estate litigation, eminent domain, and probate litigation. From assisting with the resolution of pre-lawsuit disputes to representing clients in complex jury trials, Mr. Dewey has substantial experience at all stages of litigation. He is a Founding Member and on the Board of Directors of the Veterans Bar Association  Detroit Chapter and he is a member of the Defense Research Institute, the Detroit Bar Association, and the Federal Bar Association. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Mr. Dewey received his B.A. from Loyola University New Orleans and his J.D. from Wayne State University Law School.

Peter Domas is a Member in the firms Troy office. His practice is devoted to representing clients in the healthcare industry, and assisting them in navigating the complex statutory and regulatory environment unique to healthcare corporate, transactional, and litigation matters. He also counsels clients on the development and maintenance of effective internal compliance programs with a special focus on federal and state fraud and abuse laws, reimbursement regulations, and HIPAA. He is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association, the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, and the State Bar of Michigan. He is recognized as a leader in his field by Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Mr. Domas received his B.B.A from the University of Michigan-Flint, his M.S. in Accountancy from Walsh College, and his J.D. from the University of Detroit Mercy Law School.

Ian Hunter is a Member in the firms Grand Rapids office. His practice covers a broad range of real estate and corporate transactions. His real estate practice includes representing commercial and residential developers from financing and acquisition through entitlement, development, and construction, to ultimate leasing or disposition. He also represents both landlords and tenants in connection with the leasing of retail, office, medical, industrial, and mixed-use properties throughout the United States. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the State Bar of California, the State Bar of Oregon, and the International Council of Shopping Centers. Mr. Hunter received his B.A. from Michigan State University and his J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.

Sara Jodka is a Member in the firms Columbus office. She dedicates her practice to working with business-side clients to anticipate, identify, and resolve labor and employment; data privacy and cyber security issues, including preparing for and remedying data breaches; and litigation risks. Her labor and employment practice includes defending collective/class actions; all forms of discrimination, retaliation and whistleblower claims, and working with companies on day-to-day compliance issues. She is a certified professional privacy professional for the United States (CIPP-US) through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) and regularly works with businesses to review and audit their privacy policies and procedures to get them in compliance; preparing for and responding to data breaches; and post-breach remedying. She is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, where she is the Secretary/Treasurer of the Labor and Employment Section; the Human Resources Association of Central Ohio, where she is the chair of the Employee Relations Special Interest Group, Infragard, the IAPP, among others. She is recognized as a leader in her field by Ohio Super Lawyers, and has been included as one of the top 25 women attorneys in Columbus and top 50 women attorneys in Ohio.

Erin Johnson is a Member in the firms Troy office. Her practice focuses on advising entities and individuals in the acquisition, disposition, leasing, development, and financing, of office, retail, multi-family, and mixed-use projects throughout the United States. She is also experienced in a wide variety of corporate matters including entity formation, organization, and governance. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan. Ms. Johnson received her B.F.A. from the University of Michigan and her J.D. from the University of Illinois College of Law.

Mordy Mednick is a Member in the firms Toronto office. He focuses his practice on commercial and business litigation with a particular focus on business disputes. He has worked on a number of matters, including contractual and shareholder disputes, fraud, misrepresentation, construction disputes and real estate matters. He has appeared before the Ontario Court of Appeal, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal, and conducted numerous motions. He is a member of the Canadian Bar Association and The Advocates Society. He received his B.A. in Law from Dalhousie Universitys Faculty of Law.

Shannon Nichols is a Member in the firms Troy office. She has significant experience in all aspects of real estate finance, including representing national and regional lenders, mortgage bankers and loan servicers, with emphasis on capital markets, conduit and bank financing, including Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac multifamily and manufactured housing lending and working on loan modifications and workouts. She also has extensive commercial real estate and corporate experience, having represented clients in private practice and as in-house counsel for MSX International and Kmart Corporation. In the course of her work, she has represented companies in their financing, acquisition and disposition of various assets, including significant real estate assets. She has managed and negotiated hundreds of commercial leases and assisted real estate developers and investors with a variety of corporate, regulatory, and real estate matters. She received her B.A. from Alma College and her J.D. from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law.

Samantha Pattwell is a Member in the firms Lansing office. Her practice involves all aspects of civil/commercial litigation and real estate litigation, concentrating on property disputes, insurance and ERISA litigation, employment litigation, contested mortgage foreclosure cases, and consumer class action defense. Her work includes cases at both the trial and appellate level in state and federal courts. She is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the Ingham County Bar Association, the Michigan Defense Trial Counsel, the Federal Bar Association, and the Defense Research Institute. She is recognized as a leader in her field by Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Stars. Ms. Pattwell received her B.A. from Western Michigan University and her J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law.

Jenny Slocum is a Member in the firms Washington, D.C. office. She works on a variety of trademark and copyright matters including trademark clearance, prosecution, international portfolio management and licensing, counterfeit monitoring and enforcement, and copyright protection strategies. She also practices before the United States Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, as well as trademark infringement and unfair competition suits. She is a member of the International Trademark Association, and has Bar membership in the District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and State of New York. Ms. Slocum received her B.A. from Colgate University and her J.D. from Pace University School of Law.

Matthew Snider is a Member in the firms Ann Arbor office. He focuses his practice on trademarks, including trademark prosecution, portfolio management, trademark infringement, and unfair competition. He also conducts trademark availability searches and provides risk assessment opinions on behalf of a wide range of clients, including a major U.S. and international retailer, a leading global IT and software company, pharmaceutical companies, and leading international automotive companies. He is a member of the State Bar of Michigan, the State Bar of North Carolina, and the International Trademark Association. Mr. Snider received his B.S. from Michigan State University and his J.D. from Michigan State University College of Law.

Andrew Sparks is a Member in the firms Lexington office. He practices in the area of litigation with a particular emphasis on false claims act matters, government enforcement, white-collar criminal defense, internal and government investigations, health care, and complex business disputes. He also has worked as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Kentucky where he served as the chief of the white-collar crime division, responsible for all matters involving health care fraud, financial fraud, bank fraud, mortgage fraud, tax fraud, public corruption, cybercrime, environmental crime and civil False Claims Act cases. He is President of the Kentucky Federal Bar Association, and a member of the Kentucky Bar Association, the Fayette Bar Association, and the American Health Lawyers Association. Mr. Sparks received his B.A. from Transylvania University and his J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law.

Suzanne Sukkar is a Member in the firms Ann Arbor office. Her practice focuses on business immigration including global workforce mobility, employment-based sponsorship and visa matters, immigration audit and compliance for corporate and individual clients across a vast array of industries. She developed a niche expertise in the area of E treaty trade and investor visas, consular processing, and start-up ventures. Through strategic planning and by offering creative solutions, she has assisted with the seamless transfer of numerous workers world-wide. Ms. Sukkar is recognized as a leader in her field by Best Lawyers in America, Michigan Super Lawyers Rising Stars, and DBusiness Top Lawyers and Leading Lawyers. In addition, she has been selected as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and Michigan State Bar Foundation, where membership is limited to only 1% and 5% respectively of lawyers licensed to practice in each jurisdiction. In June 2015, she was appointed to the State of Michigans Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs by Michigan Governor Rick Snyder. She also serves on the Board of the American Arab Chamber of Commerce and shes a Past President of the Women Lawyers Association of Michigan. Ms. Sukkar received her B.A. from the University of Michigan and her J.D. from Wayne State University Law School.

About Dickinson Wright PLLC

Dickinson Wright PLLC is a general practice business law firm with more than 475 attorneys among more than 40 practice areas and 16 industry groups. Headquartered in Detroit and founded in 1878, the firm has 19 offices, including six in Michigan (Detroit, Troy, Ann Arbor, Lansing, Grand Rapids, and Saginaw) and 12 other domestic offices in Austin and El Paso, Texas; Columbus, Ohio; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; Lexington, Ky.; Nashville and Music Row, Tenn.; Las Vegas and Reno, Nev.; Phoenix, Ariz.; Silicon Valley, Calif.; and Washington, D.C. The firms Canadian office is located in Toronto.

Dickinson Wright offers our clients a distinctive combination of superb client service, exceptional quality, value for fees, industry expertise and business acumen. As one of the few law firms with ISO/IEC 27001:2013 certification, Dickinson Wright has built state-of-the-art, independently-verified risk management controls and security processes for our commercial transactions. Dickinson Wright lawyers are known for delivering commercially-oriented advice on sophisticated transactions and have a remarkable record of wins in high-stakes litigation. Dickinson Wright lawyers are regularly cited for their expertise and experience by Chambers, Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and other leading independent law firm evaluating organizations.

TruckPro New Logo We are very excited to join forces with TNT Truck Parts, which will strengthen TruckPros operations and footprint in the Northwest," said Chuck Broadus, TruckPro's Chief Executive Officer.

TruckPro, LLC (TruckPro), one of the nations largest independent distributors of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, announced today it has acquired the assets of TNT Truck Parts with four locations in the Northwestern United States. TNT Truck Parts, which is owned and operated by Del and Julie Pierce, offers one of the areas largest selections of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts and accessories. TNT Truck Parts has a reputation for providing exceptional service and quality products to its customers at all four locations in Missoula, Great Falls and Kalispell, Montana and Spokane, Washington.

We are very excited to join forces with TNT Truck Parts, which will strengthen TruckPros operations and footprint in the Northwest. This acquisition is a great cultural fit and will allow us to provide customers access to broader product offerings and an enhanced national distribution network, said Chuck Broadus, TruckPros Chief Executive Officer. With knowledgeable associates that provide excellent customer service and a proven management team, TNT Truck Parts reputation in the market is outstanding.

We are very optimistic about this partnership and we see tremendous growth opportunities for our customers and associates as we become an integral part of the TruckPro organization, said Del Pierce. We have built a company that prides itself on serving our customers with quality products at competitive prices and we look forward to continuing to build long-term customer confidence in the markets we serve.

About TruckPro, LLC

Founded in 1958, TruckPro, LLC is a leading distributor of heavy duty truck & trailer products, and advanced repair services. Through a distribution network of more than 150 stores and advanced service shops, TruckPro delivers a comprehensive range of products to support commercial and government customer requirements in the areas of brake systems, electrical, engines, gear & drivetrain, and more. TruckPro is recognized for delivering measurable value and outstanding support to its customers and suppliers alike. Vast application expertise makes TruckPro an unbiased knowledge resource for product information, documentation and training. For more information on TruckPro, please visit http://www.truckpro.com.Town of Firestone joins the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System Our valued vendors can now save time and paper.

The Town of Firestone announced it has joined the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System and will be publishing and distributing upcoming bid opportunities on the system. BidNets Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System connects over 200 participating agencies from across Colorado and Wyoming to a large vendor pool and streamlines the bid and vendor management process. The Town of Firestone invites all potential vendors to register online at http://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado to access its upcoming solicitations.

The Town of Firestone joined the Purchasing Group in December. The Town of Firestone will utilize the system to streamline their purchasing process including bid management, bid distribution and vendor relations. The Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System is a single, online location for managing sourcing information and activities and provides local Colorado and Wyoming government agencies the tools needed to minimize costs and save time throughout the purchasing process.

Before joining the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System, the Town of Firestone was distributing bids and managing their procurement process manually. The traditional, paper procurement process is being replaced by local government agencies throughout Colorado and Wyoming. In joining the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System, the Town of Firestone looks to save time, reach out to more vendors automatically and achieve cost savings over the traditional paper-based bid process.

The Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System expands an agencys vendor pool and enhances vendor competition without increasing distribution costs. In addition to the existing vendors on the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System, all vendors looking to do business with Town of Firestone can register online: http://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado. The Town of Firestone invites all interested bidders to register today.

Registered vendors can access all open bids, related documents and files, additional addendum and award information. In addition, the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System offers a value-added service to notify vendors of new bids targeted to their industry, all addenda and advance notification of expiring term contracts. Registered vendors have access to not only Town of Firestone bid opportunities, but all participating agency bids.

Our valued vendors can now save time and paper. Plus they not only have direct access to our open bids, but those from other agencies throughout both states. We invite all of our current vendors to register on the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System to start receiving business opportunities, stated Jessica Clanton, Finance Director of the Town of Firestone.

Vendors may register on the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System by visiting http://www.bidnetdirect.com/colorado. BidNets vendor support team is available to answer any questions regarding the registration process or the bid system at 800-835-4603 option 2.

Other local Colorado and Wyoming government agencies looking to switch from a manual bid process, please contact the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System for a demonstration of the no-cost sourcing solution.

About the Town of Firestone:

The Town of Firestone offers residents the charm of a small town along with easy access to the Rocky Mountains, front range communities, parks, trails, schools, community events and more.

About the Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System:

The Rocky Mountain E-Purchasing System is a part of BidNets regional purchasing groups available at no cost to local government agencies throughout the country. With years of input from procurement professionals, BidNet specifically developed the bid system to fill the need for a robust bid and supplier management solution for local government agencies. BidNet runs 40 regional purchasing groups used by over 1,300 local governments. To learn more and have your government agency gain better transparency and efficiency in purchasing, please visit https://www.bidnetdirect.com/buyers"This is a type of medication, which if the patient doesnt present with any intolerance at first to the active anesthetic, has no systemic side effects as it occurs in the case of other drugs that are prescribed to address pain says Manuel Salvador, MD.

Recently, the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality of Spain assigned a special medical visa so that patients suffering from postherpetic pain can access 5% Lidocaine patches with clinical indication.

According to some of our clinicians, up to now, more than 90% of these patches were prescribed by different clinical specialists to treat various types of pain, as, for example, to treat pain from patients who present with postoperative-neuropathic pain provided that this treatment demonstrated its effectiveness and efficiency for the patient.

"This is a type of medication, which if the patient doesnt present with any intolerance at first to the active anesthetic, has no systemic side effects as it occurs in the case of other drugs that are prescribed to address pain, says Manuel Salvador, MD.

Click here for further information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct_Q7Yd8t8E

Ignacio del Rio, Director of the Spanish Association of Patients with Neuropathic Pain, representing thousands of patients who constitute this non-profit entity -where its President and its Board of Directors are volunteers - expresses his discomfort towards this news on behalf of all Spanish patients who suffer from pain and are members of our entity.

Patients who present with daily pain in our country are faced with enough difficulties, pain itself is considered to be a pathology, so it is unfair that they are additionally faced with more difficulties when their clinicians are only trying to improve their quality of life. There is a total neglect on the Spanish Administration towards patients who suffer from pain and the proof is that a patient can spend more than a year in our Health System waiting to reach the Pain Unit and receive treatment," affirm sources of the Board of Directors of this entity, created in 2006, by affected professionals and health professionals.

A National and International team of health professionals who dedicate all weekends and holidays trying to help each patient individually

We are very proud to count with the help of a national and international clinical team that applies North American protocols to find the etiology of each case individually and we refuse to let political authorities get in the way of our patients who suffer from pain paths. "In fact, recently Dr. Cesar Margarit presented at a conference in Madrid a European study that reveals that patients suffering from severe pain, according to the EVA scale with a score of more than 6, have worse quality of life than oncological patients who are not in a palliative phase," says the co-Director Maria Huerta.

"But how can this situation in Spain be consented?" And, he adds, "Of what use are the meetings with the Ministry of Health and all the Scientific Societies if we have been suffering from the same situation for more than 8 years? Years and years repeating the same figures in Spain. It must be exhausting to always have to listen to the same things, the Board of Directors of this Association -which represents thousands of Spanish patients who suffer pain due to different etiologies-is asked.

The clinical team of this Association is spread across Europe and the USA "Between not treating our doctors and our patients well, it seems that emigration of Spanish specialists to other countries is occurring."

Some of the clinicians who are working in Public Health suffer form pharmacoeconomic and political pressures

Regarding Neuropathic Pain, Dr. Salvador believes that his treatment is very specific and requires experts in its approach. "As a clinician, I do not understand that if there is a Lidocaine patch that can help a patient with neuropathic pain, or any medication - whatever it is - the patient does not have access to it because its indication is exclusively for postherpetic pain. As clinicians, we do NOT understand this situation. In addition, the case of this drug isnt like the case of morphine which we believe should NOT be used to treat chronic benign pain, because although it is very cheap, can create addictions and severe side effects which are dangerous to the patients health," this doctor highlights.

In favor of a lower price for all medications

This expert concludes "It seems wonderful that the Administration lowers the price of all medicines in our country. As clinicians, we express our congratulations with the reduction of the prices of any medication as other Scientific Societies have stated. This should be the way to save money, but never at the expense of the patients health."

The fact that for decades the same figures of prevalence and incidence of chronic pain in our country has been maintained bores. Politicians are limited to listening, which is not executive

During the month of December 2018, a seminar was celebrated in the Congress of Deputies, in which several experts in the treatment of pain commented on the results of a study in which it showed that chronic pain is becoming an epidemic.

Dr. Juan Antonio Mico, President of the SED, recently declared that the need to create pain units in the National Health System is urgent. "62% of patients who suffer from pain have never been referred and from those who have been referred 69% took more than a year to access the Pain Unit and 31% took more than five years. The average age of patients who are affected by chronic pain is 46 years old. In addition, 70% of patients suffering from pain suffer from anxiety or depression," said this clinician.

Train Spanish doctors so that they emigrate and then we will also migrate patients

"Our Board of Directors has been reading for a decade that all our Ministers of Health are very concerned about the lack of clinical specialists in Spain. Being worried is useless. The problem is that people who govern have no authority over delegated health competencies in each of the Autonomous Communities. It must be boring to always say the same speech without doing anything.

Trained clinicians and patients

Maria Jose Gomez, one of the spokespersons of this entity and one of the thousands of patients who are affected by this situation says "Desperate diseases need desperate remedies. You have to tell the truth. In Spain, many clinicians working in the National Health System are completely pressured and cannot prescribe the most appropriate medication for their patients normally because their job is at stake. And, they confess this to us, patients. After all, the clinicians that work in our Health System are civil servants at the service of the State, who also have children to maintain."

When a hospital does not apply the official scale of pain drugs, medical malpractice is being committed. In certain cases, we have seen how clinicians of the National Health System in Madrid switch from prescribing Paracetamol to making the jump directly to Morphine. There are many cases in this situation where clinicians feel pressured by their managers to reduce health costs. "The patient must have a minimum of training and differentiate when the appropriate protocol is not being met in the treatment of benign chronic pain benign," indicate health associations of this Association.

Associations of patients are going to train patients

Some of our health journalists have seen how some doctors who practice in Public Health are suffering from greater censorship than before 1973. And then, our Minister of Health complains in all media that there are not enough doctors. "But what are we playing at in Spain? Thousands of patients who suffer from pain wonder.

Maria Huerta reveals that 70% of the members of the Scientific Committee of this entity work from other European countries. "Our clinicians are grateful to have received an excellent public education in Spain to be able to practice in other countries."

Press Department of AEPA ATM. Journalists registered in ANIS.

For further information. Press Department:

Maria Huerta

Phone: +34 917 33 30 38

Mobile phone: +34 638 98 97 69

Facebook: dolorneuropatico

Twitter: @AEPAATM

Web: http://www.pacientesatm.com

Instagram: @alianzacontraeldolor

Youtube: infoAEPATBI & Mobile Solutions Partner to Simplify Mobility Management

For more than 25 years, TBI has been assisting IT consultants, VARs, MSPs and more than 3,000 other industry professionals to source, advise and quote the right solution for each customer. TBI serves as their partners advocate, ensuring the most competitive prices and trouble-free provisioning of cloud, voice, Internet, data, mobility and managed services.

Our partners are growing in the mobility space month over month, said Mike Onystock, Sr. Vice President of TBI. IoT, Wireless Backups, Mobility, and the emergence of 5G represent an enormous amount of opportunity. Mobile Solutions brings a unique approach to Wireless Expense Management, enabling partners to monetize an optimization without migrating to a new service provider.

Mobile Solutions is coming off their best year yet, launching their next-gen mobility management solution, MAX. MAX was designed from the ground up on the feedback from the people who use the system every day, their clients. After successfully migrating all their clients, while also generating record fiscal numbers, Mobile Solutions is ready to embark on new opportunities for 2019.

Through its partnership with Mobile Solutions, TBI will continue to give customers peace of mind knowing their mobility services are being managed by expert providers. Together they will help customers spend less time on everyday mobility management tasks and more time focused on growing their business. Clients will benefit from Mobile Solutions intuitive portal, 24x7 in-house service desk, and teams of mobility experts.

Jim Johnson, Mobile Solutions Co-Founder and CEO, is very excited to formalize our relationship with TBI. TBI is a trusted name in the telecommunications industry and our values are aligned. We both believe in streamlining success and providing the highest level of service to ensure our partners and clients needs are exceeded every day.

We are all incredibly thrilled for the opportunities presented with this partnership. TBI understands the industry, and the value Mobile Solutions is able to provide. We look forward to working together, especially as technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented rate. At the end of the day, we are eager to leverage this partnership to bring success to everyone involved, said Matt Jackopin, Director of Channel Sales at Mobile Solutions.

About Mobile Solutions

Mobile Solutions is a SaaS company that provides full life-cycle Managed Mobility Services including procurement, staging and kitting, real-time expense management, business analytics and reporting, account optimization, 24x7 US-based support, managed Unified Endpoint Management, and device reclamation services. Our 24x7, in-house service desk and real-time account management make us more than an industry leader in mobility management. It makes us your partner. For more information, click here to check out our offerings!

mobilesolutions.net | LinkedIn | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Blog

About TBI

TBI is the nations leading third-party technology distributor. Since 1991, it has assisted Systems Integrators, VARs, MSPs, IT consultants and more in advising and sourcing the right technology solutions. TBI serves as a partners advocate, ensuring the proper provisioning of cloud, Internet, data, mobility, voice, and managed services from best-in-class service providers to achieve clients desired business outcomes. Through training and marketing programs focused on the benefits of technology to the business, TBI empowers its partners to be the foremost authority to advise and source all of their clients technology needs. With the largest back-office in the industry, TBI partners are fully supported by certified solutions engineers, pre- and post-sales operations, and project managers. For more information visit http://www.tbicom.com.Visitors are treated to breathtaking scenery from Sentry Hill, one of St. Maartens highest elevations, at Rainforest Adventures Rockland Estate.

Beaches, culture, cuisine, sailing and shopping are just a few reasons vacationers flock to the Caribbeans St. Maarten. Rainforest Adventures Rockland Estate Park has added six more exciting experiences to the list with something for everyone and 20% savings on select direct bookings for a limited time.

#1 -- St. Maarten is known for its dramatic views and visitors are treated to some of the most breathtaking scenery from Sentry Hill, one of St. Maartens highest elevation at 1,125 feet. At Rockland Estate, walkways and platforms encircle the mountaintop showcasing 360-degree vistas of the dual-nation island as well as the neighboring islands Saba, St. Barts, St. Eustatius and Anguilla. Those who want to linger can get comfortable with a beverage at the hill top bar, a must do experience.

#2  Sightseers wont have to climb Sentry Hill to enjoy the views, they can sit back, relax and watch the beauty unfold as they ascend on the Soualiga Sky Explorer a chairlift spanning a total of 2,997 ft. to the top.

#3 The popular Schooner Ride sends adventurers down the mountain in large 44-inch inner tubes on this specially designed 657-foot track of curves and straightaways. Every Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3:00 pm guests can purchase a ticket for Schooner Happy Hour and breeze down the mountain for as many rides as time allows.

#4  Theres another stop on the Soualiga Sky Explorer as it ascends providing an additional chance to combine this locations sensational landscape with exciting adventure on the Sentry Hill Zipline. This traditional, 4-span zip line takes adventurers on a 500-meter flight across the mountain ridge.

#5  In addition to a Soualiga Sky Explorer chairlift ride to the fantastic views, each adventure begins at the historic Emilio Wilson Museum, a restored plantation house originally built in the 1700s. The museum tells the powerful story Trace Wilson who was born into slavery on the property in 1818 and her direct descendant Emilio Wilson. Guests will see depictions of what life was like on a plantation and learn about the customs, traditions, lifestyle and stories that earned Sint Maarten the nickname The Friendly Island.

#6  After an adventurous day, Rockland Estate guests can end their visit at Emilios and dine with history. The restaurant is located within the 17th century walls of the plantations Sugar Cane Boiling house once home to Emilio Wilson.

The Schooner Happy Hour ticket is $33 for adults and $25 for kids and seniors. Now through January 31, 2019 guests can save 20% on the Sky Explorer and 360 Views package, adults $52, $40 kids and seniors, and the Sentry Hill Zip and Schooner package, adults $89, $85 kids and seniors, for bookings direct with Rainforest Adventures using code ONLINE20.

Rainforest Adventures Rockland Estate St. Maarten is a 2018 USA Today Travel 10Best Readers Choice Award as one of the Best Caribbean Attractions and has been nominated by The Daily Herald, Best of SXM 2018 awards for Best Excursion/Activity and Best New Restaurant.

For more information and bookings email sales.sxm(at)rainforestadventure.com, visit rainforestadventure.com/st-maarten or call toll-free from North America at +1.866.SKYTRAM (1.886.759.8726). Follow us @rainforestadventuresxm on Facebook and Instagram, and on Twitter @RFA_SXM.

About Rainforest Adventures

Each year over 400,000 visitors experience Rainforest Adventures eco-parks located in Costa Rica, St. Lucia, Panama, Jamaica and St. Maarten. In addition to more than 22 years of experience, in construction and operations of eco-parks, Rainforest Adventures owns and conserves 2,700 acres of rainforest, home to more than 1,000 species of birds and 2,000 kinds of exotic plants. With over 400 employees, it also offers sustainability programs for visitors and local schoolchildren designed for the protection and conservation of the environment. For more information visit rainforestadventure.com.The Ohio roofing contractor prioritizes company values with Safety is always first!

Each year, Sam Boak helps organize Safety Day at his company, Boak & Sons. Inc. As a residential and commercial contractor for roofing, insulation, sheet metal, windows, siding, and gutters, safety is an important topic. Every Boak & Sons employee is required to attend. An event 30 years running, Safety Day 2018 took place on December 7th and covered a multitude of subjects including job safety, road safety, digital safety, financial safety and more.

Its one thing to tell your employees, Safety is always first, says Sam Boak, founder and owner of Boak & Sons, Inc. Its another to lead by example. I look forward to personally facilitating Safety Day each year. It allows me and my team to get a message across to our entire staff about the importance of safety and the affect it has on us all. We want every employee to be engaged and focused on what we are sharing with them. Moreover, its a great opportunity for an annual review; we celebrate our successes, wind-down for the holidays, and get energized for the new year to come!

Safety Day is a full day event. Breakfast and lunch are provided, and Sam Boak himself serves as the meetings organizer. This year, he provided an annual review and spoke about the importance of safe driving, especially during the winter months.

Different members of the Boak & Sons staff spoke throughout the day as well, highlighting key safety points within each department. A question and answer panel allowed employees to share their opinions on their jobs at the company. Sam Boak had an opportunity to listen, review, and make positive changes to address their concerns. In a new events, the employees were given the opportunity to ask Sam Boak a question on the spot and receive an answer.

For more information about Sam Boak, Boak & Sons, or Safety Day 2018, please contact Kellie Daley direct at 330-793-5646 or kdaley(at)boakandsons.com.

About Boak & Sons:

Boak & Sons, Inc. was founded by Sam Boak in 1974 as an insulation contractor. With the high energy costs of the 70's, Boak & Sons expanded early on into the roofing business. They offered economical roof installations through cutting edge technology and equipment, allowing customers to recoup even more in energy savings. Today, Boak & Sons is a residential and commercial contractor for roofing, insulation, sheet metal, windows, siding, and gutters. Based in Youngstown, Ohio, the company serves customers in surrounding areas from Cleveland to Pittsburgh. For more information on Boak & Sons, visit their website at: https://www.boakandsons.com/Delaware County full-service law firm Raffaele Puppio is pleased to welcome attorney Konstantinos Patsiopoulos to the firm; he will focus his practice on special education law.

School district personnel work tirelessly to ensure that students receive the support they need to thrive in school and in life, said Patsiopoulos. When legal issues arise, I work just as tirelessly to ensure that the districts dedication to their students education does not go unnoticed.

A resident of Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Patsiopoulos joins Raffaele Puppio after working as a staff attorney representing domestic violence survivors for the Bucks County nonprofit, A Womans Place. He represented clients in custody trials, support hearings, conferences, protection from abuse (PFA) hearings, and indirect criminal contempt hearings.

Through his prior work, Kosta has shown a true dedication to his clients, and were excited to bring that steadfast counsel to our special education team at Raffaele Puppio, said Gabrielle Goham, partner and chair of the Special Education Department at the firm.

Patsiopoulos previously served as a judicial law clerk for a common pleas judge in Dauphin County, where he was then appointed to serve on the Dauphin County Board of Arbitration. He also spent time as a judicial fellow for a common pleas judge in Philadelphia County.

Patsiopoulos holds a bachelors degree from Bloomsburg University and a law degree from Widener University School of Law. In his final year of law school, he served as a Pupil of the Lipsitt Inn of Court of the Dauphin County Bar Association, where he was honored with the Service Award for his contributions to Widener University School of Law.

About Raffaele Puppio  Raffaele Puppio is one of the largest and most established full-service law firms in Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Attorneys within the firm are known for their legal prowess among the bench and bar in Delaware County, having decades of experience representing school districts, municipalities, businesses and individual clients, helping to solve legal problems while avoiding future legal issues. The attorneys provide sound legal counsel in the areas of education law, government and municipal services, family law, general litigation, personal injury, commercial real estate and business transactions, elder law, estate administration and planning, and criminal law.Dr. Dan Lessler "As a well-known and widely respected health care policy and transformation expert, Dr. Lessler brings valuable vision and practical experience to our team and those we serve."  Marc Bennett, President and CEO

Qualis Health, one of the nations leading population health management organizations, today announced that Dan Lessler, MD, MHA, has joined the company as Physician Executive for Community Engagement and Leadership. Dr. Lessler brings extensive experience in health care policy and systems change to Qualis Health.

As chief medical officer for the Washington State Health Care Authority, Dr. Lessler led successful statewide efforts to reduce unnecessary emergency room visits, address the opioid public health crisis, and create innovative value-based purchasing strategies. He also helped lead the integration of physical and behavioral health for managed care clients while ensuring a strong focus on community engagement and performance measurement as the state moved to a whole-person approach to health care. He is a longtime clinical professor of Medicine and Health Services at the University of Washingtons Schools of Medicine and Public Health and served as the senior associate medical director at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

In his role as physician executive for community engagement and leadership, Dr. Lessler will partner with Medicaid agencies across the country to identify strategies and implement innovations to help them improve the quality and reduce the cost of care for complex patient populations.

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Lessler to Qualis Health, said president and CEO, Marc Bennett. As a well-known and widely respected health care policy and transformation expert, he brings valuable vision and practical experience to our team and those we serve.

# # #

About Qualis Health

Qualis Health is one of the nation's leading population health care consulting organizations, partnering with our clients to improve care for millions of people every day. We work with public and private sector clients to advance the quality, efficiency and value of health care.

In April 2018, Qualis Health and HealthInsight announced a formal merger, combining the two organizations and operations across the U.S. Both Qualis Health and HealthInsight have been engaged in health care quality consulting and providing quality improvement services for more than 40 years.

For more information, visit http://www.QualisHealth.org.

"Given the disappointing state of math education in American public schools, after-school math programs could play a particularly important role."- Ze'ev Wurman, report co-author

Philanthropic, other organizations should consider providing financial assistance to allow programs to expand into lower-income communities

At a time of declining state and national math proficiency, after-school math programs offer a viable option for quickly increasing the number of mathematically competent students, according to a new Pioneer Institute study that profiles two such programs: Kumon and the Russian School of Mathematics (RSM).

Given the disappointing state of math education in American public schools, after-school math programs could play a particularly important role, said Zeev Wurman, co-author with William Donovan, of Axioms of Excellence: Kumon and the Russian School of Mathematics.

For the first time since 1990, fourth- and eighth-grade math scores fell on the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress. They remained flat in 2017.

After rising for several years, math scores on the ACT college entrance exam have been falling since 2012. In 2018, the average math score dipped below the 1998 level. What improvement has been achieved on various tests has largely been limited to the children of highly educated parents.

Progress has also slowed in Massachusetts, where the percentage of students scoring Below Basic on state testing rose from 15 percent in 2015 to 19 percent in 2017.

These poor outcomes have facilitated the growth of private after-school math programs like Kumon and the Russian School of Mathematics. Japan-based Kumon celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2018. It currently serves 4.2 million students at nearly 25,000 learning centers in 50 countries and regions. The company has 45 Massachusetts locations, 19 of which are within route 128.

Kumon students start as early as age three and can continue until they complete the program, which means mastering high school-level math, including differential equations. Students master a series of sequential worksheets, each one slightly more challenging than its predecessor.

Independent learning and building self-confidence are priorities. After completing a placement test, each student begins at a level at which she or he would have little difficulty. They proceed through the worksheets at their own pace, going to the Kumon Center twice a week and completing other work at home.

Like Kumon, Newton-based RSM, which serves 25,000 students in 40 locations across 11 states and Canada, including 15 mostly affluent Massachusetts municipalities, believes in starting students young. RSM students attend weekly classroom sessions that range between 90 minutes and 2.5 hours, depending on the students grade level.

Otherwise the two programs take very different approaches. While Kumon is focused on routinizing important math abilities like multiplication tables to free up working memory for more complex functions, RSM stresses abstraction and reasoning skills.

Wurman and Donovan recommend that philanthropic and other organizations consider providing financial assistance to allow after-school math programs to expand into low-income communities where they are sorely needed.

The authors also call for more active communication between teachers and after-school programs, so after-school instructors know what students worked on that day and what they will need to know to master the next lesson.

About the Authors

William Donovan is a former staff writer with The Providence Journal in Rhode Island where he wrote about business and government. He has taught business journalism in the graduate programs at Boston University and Northeastern University. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston College and his masters degree in journalism from American University in Washington, D.C.

Zeev Wurman is a senior fellow with the American Principles Project. He participated in developing Californias education standards and the state assessments in mathematics between 1995 and 2007. Between 2007 and 2009 he served as a senior policy adviser with the Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development at the U.S. Department of Education. In 2010, Wurman served on the California Academic Content Standards Commission that evaluated the suitability of the Common Core standards for California and was one of its two members who voted against their adoption. He is an executive in a semiconductor start-up company in the Silicon Valley and holds over 35 U.S. patents.

About Pioneer

Pioneer Institute is an independent, non-partisan, privately funded research organization that seeks to improve the quality of life in Massachusetts through civic discourse and intellectually rigorous, data-driven public policy solutions based on free market principles, individual liberty and responsibility, and the ideal of effective, limited and accountable government.Our Customer Success functions continue to differentiate OEC from other software providers in the automotive technology space, said Ron Coill, OEC President and Chief Operating Officer, North America.

OEConnection LLC (OEC), a leading technology employer in Northeast Ohio, has been certified as a Center of Excellence by BenchmarkPortal for a remarkable eleventh year in a row. The Center of Excellence Award recognizes quality and cost-efficiency of contact centers throughout North America by evaluating their key metrics against industry peers.

Based on objective and quantitative metrics which are audited and validated by researchers from BenchmarkPortal, the Center of Excellence designation is awarded to customer service call centers that rank in the top ten percent of call centers surveyed. It is a unique certification because it is attained strictly by the numbers.

Our Customer Success functions continue to differentiate OEC from other software providers in the automotive technology space, said Ron Coill, OEC President and Chief Operating Officer, North America. For eleven years, we have been able to proudly say that our customer support team is among the best in the nation.

I could not be more proud of the customer support team, said John Haluch, OEC Director, Customer Success. The fact that we have been a Center of Excellence for over a decade is a true testament to the dedication of the team, and proves our commitment to providing our customers with an excellent experience, no matter if they reach us through phone, email, chat or access our Support Center.

Contact centers that achieve certification are remarkable in their ability to balance a commitment to service excellence with cost-effective service strategies, noted Bruce Belfiore, CEO of BenchmarkPortal. We applaud their commitment to superior customer service.

BenchmarkPortal is a global leader in the contact center industry, providing benchmarking, certification, training, consulting, research and industry reports. Contact centers wishing to obtain the Center of Excellence certification are held to a rigorous process that measures their data against a database of performance metrics from thousands of companies throughout North America.

About OEC

OEConnection (OEC) is the leading automotive technology provider for OEM distribution networks, enabling automakers and dealerships around the world to deliver parts and service information quickly and accurately into the hands of repairers in collision, fleet, mechanical and retail segments, as well as their own service lanes, through a suite of parts cataloging, supply chain, pricing, ecommerce, service and business intelligence solutions. OEC serves nearly 50 international auto brands and fleet companies, and more than 150,000 dealership and repair customers worldwide. OEC is headquartered in the greater Cleveland area at 4205 Highlander Parkway, Richfield, Ohio, USA, 44286. Additional information is available at http://www.oeconnection.com or by emailing Kathy Jambor at Kathy.Jambor(at)OEConnection(dot)com.

About Center of Excellence Certification

Contact centers and their managers who wish to implement best practices and attain world-class performance in their industry have a unique opportunity to certify their call centers. BenchmarkPortals rigorous certification process has the advantage of referencing all performance goals to their best practice database of thousands of contact centers. Thus, contact centers will be held to performance levels that will improve their competitive position, not just force them to adhere to an arbitrary standard. Please follow the link to discover what the steps to certification are and how they will improve your centers performance. http://www.benchmarkportal.com/contact-center-certification.

About BenchmarkPortal

Founded in 1995, BenchmarkPortal is a global leader in the contact center industry, providing benchmarking, certification, training, consulting, research and industry reports. The BenchmarkPortal team of professionals has gained international recognition for its innovative approach to best practices for the contact center industry. BenchmarkPortal hosts the worlds largest database of contact center metrics, which is constantly being refreshed with new data. BenchmarkPortals mission is to provide contact center managers with the tools and information that will help them optimize their efficiency and effectiveness in their customer communications. For more information on BenchmarkPortal please call 1-800-214-8929 or visit http://www.BenchmarkPortal.com.

CONTACT:

Kathy Jambor

888-776-5792, x1649Patricia Thomas, RN, CRNO of Medical Consulting Group Her nursing background includes more than 35 years of management and consulting experience...

On January 1, 2019, Patricia Thomas, RN, CRNO, began a three-year term on the National Certifying Board for Ophthalmic Registered Nurses (NCBORN). The NCBORN is an independently incorporated organization supported by the American Society of Ophthalmic Registered Nurses for the purpose of developing and implementing the certifying process for Ophthalmic Registered Nurses.

Pat is a Nurse Consultant at Medical Consulting Group, where she guides ambulatory surgery centers (ASC) through licensure, certification, and accreditation preparedness, including equipment procurement, policy and procedure development, staff recruitment and training, ongoing regulatory compliance, and clinical operations and management. Her nursing background includes more than 35 years of management and consulting experience in multispecialty and single specialty ASC settings, including freestanding and hospital-based facilities. Pat has held the CRNO (Certified Registered Nurse in Ophthalmology) designation since 2005.

For more information about Pat and her team at Medical Consulting Group, visit MedCGroup.com or contact their main office at (417) 889-2040.

Medical Consulting Group, LLC

For 30 years, Medical Consulting Group has served practices, ambulatory surgery centers (ASC), and medical device manufacturers across the U.S. and Canada looking for customized business solutions and strategies. MCGs services include practice and ASC consulting and development, as well as management of operations, clinical and regulatory compliance, revenue cycle, and HIPAA compliance. They also specialize in multi-media marketing, digital and website services, and e-learning programs to help physicians and facilities learn to use and integrate technology. Learn more at http://www.MedCGroup.com."Mutual Mobile now joins Clearstream Agency as a critical part of the development team and will both work with 1TRYBE to engage the very best AI innovator to take us to launch," stated founder Ed Silansky.

Artificial intelligence startup 1TRYBE announced today the selection of Mutual Mobile as their development partner for the US launch of a new patent-pending AI-driven platform. Set to roll-out in cities across the US in late 2019, 1TRYBE bridges the gap between social media and local communities, using innovative new technologies. The new app is designed to empower human connection through AI, by harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to allow millennials to live local: see more, do more, and make a difference.

"We are honored to be partnering with Mutual Mobile  a best-in-class development company and pioneer - to create 1TRYBE," said 1TRYBE Founder Ed Silansky. "There is no company better suited to help 1TRYBE unite the physical and digital worlds in a meaningful and measurable way. This new paradigm-shifting app is designed to leverage the power of human belonging, reward relationship building, encourage meaningful community connections, and in doing so, make life better for millennials around the country. Mutual Mobile has designed a user experience that delivers much more than just another app, this is the start of a millennial movement. Mutual Mobile now joins Clearstream Agency as a critical part of the development team and will both work with 1TRYBE to engage the very best AI innovator to take us to launch."

"Mutual Mobile is excited to bring 1TRYBEs AI app vision to life for the millennial community," said Mutual Mobile General Manager, Pradeep Nalluri. "As a millennial-founded company, using our digital capabilities to design and build a socially impactful tool for this population is a significant, meaningful opportunity. We look forward to the launch and building upon our partnership in 2019."

About Mutual Mobile: Founded in 2009, Mutual Mobile (http://www.mutualmobile.com) is a product design and development company led by co-founder and CEO, John Arrow. With 150+ employees across Austin, Dallas, and Hyderabad offices, we use emerging technology to build business solutions and design user experiences that change how people live, work, and play--every day. To date, some of the worlds most well-known brands benefit from over 500 Mutual Mobile app development, Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, and augmented reality products and experiences. Spanning B2B, consumer, and industry segments, our teams champion custom digital product management, user experience best practices, visual and interactive design, and integrated technical/operational development capabilities.

About 1TRYBE: Established in 2018, 1TRYBE (http://www.1TRYBE.com) is an innovative online millennial community fostering offline engagement in the communities where they live and work. The companys vision is to empower human connection through AI. Combining patented artificial intelligence technology, psychology and anthropology, 1TRYBE leverages the power of human belonging, rewards relationship building, encourages meaningful community connections and in doing so, makes lives better. The company is comprised of a nationwide 1TRYBE Council -- a community of millennials that is charting a path forward to reclaim their lives -- to make their generation feel more fulfilled, to make lives more meaningful, and to make themselves and their communities happier. The 1TRYBE mission is to enable people to see more, do more, and make a difference.MilesTek Launches New RoHS Compliant MIL-STD-1553B Bus Couplers "As a direct response to many of our customers requests for off-the-shelf box couplers that were RoHS compliant, we now offer one of the industrys widest selections of MIL-STD-1553B box bus couplers that are fully RoHS compliant," said Mark Hearn, Product Manager

MilesTek, a leading manufacturer and supplier of products designed to address military and avionics applications, announced today that it has released a new series of RoHS compliant MIL-STD-1553B bus couplers for use in mil/aero and ground vehicle applications.

The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive restricts the use of six hazardous materials in the manufacture of various types of electronic and electrical equipment. RoHS was initially adopted by the European Union in 2003 and has now become a mandatory requirement for many military and civilian applications involving electronic products.

To address the demand for RoHS compliant products, MilesTek now stocks a wide range of MIL-STD-1553B box style bus couplers with one through eight stub options and models with single, double or no bus jacks. Additionally, these robust bus couplers feature a transformer ratio of 1.41:1 with stub resistor values of 59 Ohm, 2W, 1%.

"As a direct response to many of our customers requests for off-the-shelf box couplers that were RoHS compliant, we now offer one of the industrys widest selections of MIL-STD-1553B box bus couplers that are fully RoHS compliant," said Mark Hearn, Product Manager.

MilesTek's new RoHS compliant MIL-STD-1553B bus couplers are in stock and available for immediate shipment.

For more information about this release, please contact:

Peter McNeil

MilesTek

17792 Fitch

Irvine, CA

978-682-6936

About MilesTek:

MilesTek designs and manufactures a broad range of MIL-STD-1553B and Ethernet connectivity products to address Military Avionics, Aerospace, Industrial and government applications. In addition to a wide selection of off the shelf products, MilesTek can custom manufacture cable assemblies and harnesses. MilesTek is headquartered in Lewisville, Texas and is AS9100C and ISO9001:2008 certified. MilesTek is an Infinite Electronics brand.

About Infinite Electronics:

Infinite Electronics is a leading global supplier of electronic components serving the urgent needs of engineers through a family of highly recognized and trusted brands. Our portfolio brands are specialists within their respective product set, offering broad inventories of engineering-grade product, paired with expert technical support and same day shipping. Over 100,000 customers across a diverse set of markets rely upon Infinite Electronics to stock and reliably ship urgently needed products every day.

Killer Infographics has proven itself to be one of the best storytellers in the visual communication space.

LRW Group today announced the acquisition of Killer Infographics, an award-winning visual communication agency. Killer designs visual content strategies across a diverse array of media to help its clients speak visually to the audiences who matter most. This is LRWs sixth in a planned series of acquisitions in support of its long-term vision of building a leading consultative data analytics and marketing services firm by helping clients solve complex business and marketing challenges. Killer Infographics will operate under Kelton Global as a member company of LRW Group.

Co-founded in 2010 by CEO Amy Balliett, Killer Infographics is a full-service visual communication agency specializing in visual strategy through motion graphics, interactive experiences, print design, data visualization, infographics, and more. Killer Infographics has partnered with world-class clients such as Adobe, Alaska Airlines, Amazon, Boeing, Cummins, Expedia, Microsoft and Zillow, and has received more than 30 awards for excellence in visual communication. The company will continue to operate out of its Seattle, Washington, headquarters and will receive executive guidance from Kelton Global, one of LRWs portfolio companies.

Killer Infographics has proven itself to be one of the best storytellers in the visual communication space, said LRW Group CEO Dave Sackman. Ever since the company popped up on our radar, weve been in awe of its ability to translate the most complex data stories into clear, informative and creative visuals. Theres no doubt that our clients will be as impressed with their fresh graphic interpretations as we are. We couldnt be more ecstatic to welcome them, especially as LRW Group expands its digital marketing capabilities.

Kelton Global CEO Tom Bernthal said, Were privileged that our work helps determine what comes next for so many brands, and were always looking to make the process of turning insights to action even more seamless. Building upon our capabilities in insights, strategy, communication, branding, and innovation, the team from Killer Infographics will play a key role in expanding Keltons design resources, creating compelling visual stories that inspire empathy, authentic connection, and actionable change. Were excited for the immense possibilities this partnership will bring for our clients, their organizations and their customers.

My team and I are thrilled to become a part of LRW Group, said Killer Infographics CEO Amy Balliett. Killer is in the business of creating compelling visual narratives that drive audiences to action. We not only help our clients build effective visual strategies from the ground up; we work alongside them every step of the way, from ideation through execution. But great strategy and execution rely on game-changing insights, and LRW and Kelton are the best insights engines in the business. Thanks to this acquisition, Killer can now offer our clients a holistic suite of services that are unparalleled in the visual communication industry.

Those interested in exploring new visual strategies for connecting with their audiences can visit killerinfographics.com, send an email to contact(at)killerinfographics.com or call (844) 454-5537.

About LRW Group

LRW Group is a collaboration of integrated marketing services companies that translates deep human understanding and sophisticated data analytics into extraordinary business success for its clients. LRW Group advises top global brands on strategy, branding, communications, innovation, product development and customer experiences. The organization drives business impact through its core operating divisions of Access (to multiple sources of data), Perspective (through insights and consulting) and Action (by developing and implementing marketing programs). It does business in over 90 countries and is headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif. Learn more at LRWonline.com.

About Kelton Global

Kelton Global is a strategic consultancy rooted in the belief that it takes the combination of insight and imagination to fundamentally impact brands for the better. With a journalists eye for the human story, Kelton utilizes the best insights engine in the business to solve branding, marketing communications, and innovation challenges for clients. Kelton is proud to work with more than 100 of the Fortune 500 companies and countless innovative startups and challenger brands. http://www.keltonglobal.com.

About Killer Infographics

Killer Infographics is an industry-leading visual communication agency that executes visual content strategies across a diverse array of media, including infographics, motion graphics, augmented reality, interactive experiences, and more. Its custom-designed campaigns help clients speak visually to the audiences that matter most. An Inc. 5000 company for three years running, Killer has won more than 30 awards for excellence in visual communication. It has designed and executed successful visual strategies for a myriad of Fortune 1000 companies, including Amazon, Boeing, the Discovery Channel, Edwards Lifesciences Corporation, and Microsoft. CEO and cofounder Amy Balliett is an industry leader in visual communication who has spoken at more than 175 conferences around the globe, including SXSW, Adobe MAX, and SMX Advanced. http://www.killerinfographics.com

About Tailwind Capital

Tailwind Capital is a leading middle market private equity firm focused on growth-oriented investments in targeted sectors within business services, healthcare, and industrial services. Tailwind partners with experienced management teams and entrepreneurs to transform businesses through organic growth initiatives, acquisitions, and operational and strategic improvements. Tailwind manages over $3 billion of committed equity capital and has invested in 35 portfolio companies and over 55 add-on acquisitions. http://www.tailwind.com

For more information, contact Joan Cassidy at jcassidy(at)LRWonline.com.As a franchise consultant, I was exposed to a wide variety of franchise systems, and Stratus Building Solutions really stood out to me. - Rich Kurkowski

This January, Stratus Building Solutions, the nations leading green commercial cleaning and janitorial services franchise, will launch its newest Master Franchise location in North Chicago. Stratus Building Solutions is expected to thrive in North Chicago as the need for green cleaning janitorial services continues to grow. Local offices, schools, daycares, religious centers, gyms and other institutions will partner with Stratus Building Solutions to make their work environments cleaner and healthier.

Rich Kurkowski recently signed the Master Franchise agreement and underwent extensive training to lead the charge for Stratus Building Solutions in North Chicago. Kurkowski is a Chicago native, born and raised, and is thrilled to bring quality green cleaning services to his hometown.

Kurkowski is a seasoned businessman with more than ten years of experience as a tax attorney for two major law firms and a Fortune 500 company. Recently, he decided to break away from corporate America and pursue his entrepreneurial dreams. Kurkowskis experience in the franchise world included launching a franchise consulting business. As a franchise consultant, Kurkowski gained an in-depth knowledge of hundreds of franchises. Kurkowski was introduced to Stratus Building Solutions during a franchise expo in Chicago. As he learned more about the business model, Kurkowski decided this was the franchise for him.

As a franchise consultant, I was exposed to a wide variety of franchise systems, and Stratus Building Solutions really stood out to me, says Kurkowski. The business model is sound, the people are friendly, and the services offered are unparalleled. I cant wait to bring green cleaning solutions to Chicago. Im raising my family in the northern suburbs, so its especially great that I am able to invest in such an exciting opportunity so close to home.

Further, according to Kurkowski, Stratus Building Solutions unique green cleaning techniques, phenomenal business structure, top-notch customer service, and revolutionary products make it a franchise opportunity he couldnt afford to pass up. Kurkowski is proud of Status Building Solutions affordable and scalable business model and is looking forward to helping other aspiring entrepreneurs achieve their dreams of small-business ownership through unit franchise opportunities.

Stratus Building Solutions CEO, Afshin Cangarlu, says Stratus growth-oriented business model will challenge Kurkowski professionally while still allowing him the freedom to spend quality time with his friends and family.

We are thrilled to have Rich on board as the leading man for Stratus Building Solutions in North Chicago, says Cangarlu. Rich has an unparalleled passion for business and a proven track record. He will be a tremendous asset to the Stratus Building Solutions team. He has all the qualities we look for in a Master Franchisee, and I am confident he will be successful.

Based in Los Angeles, Stratus Building Solutions, the nations leading green commercial cleaning and janitorial services franchise, offers regional Master Franchise opportunities that enable owners to operate as local sales and support centers. Master franchisees across the U.S. and Canada help others uncover the potential of the Stratus Building Solutions Unit Franchise opportunity and choose the specific model/investment that fits their lifestyle/financial goals.

Stratus Building Solutions, currently present in 46 U.S. metropolitan locations, provides eco-friendly, customizable commercial cleaning and janitorial services to a wide range of clients including offices, medical facilities, warehouses, gyms, retail and more.

For more information on Kurkowskis Stratus Building Solutions location, please visit https://www.stratusbuildingsolutions.com/master_office/north-chicago.

For more information on Stratus Building Solutions Master and unit level franchise opportunities, please visit http://www.stratusclean.com.

About Stratus Building Solutions

Stratus Building Solutions is an international franchise company in the commercial cleaning industry, founded in 2006 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. Stratus was developed to provide environmentally friendly commercial cleaning services driven by dedicated, entrepreneurial, small-business owners and regional support offices. Stratus has over 1,500 unit franchisees in 46 major cities across the United States and Canada. Stratus is setting new standards in the building services and maintenance franchise industry by being the first to offer green janitorial with their proprietary, Green Seal Certified line of cleaning chemicals."The focus on American-made quality has been a top priority for supply chain managers and many of todays top defense industry contractors. - Julian Andrews, Coaxicom

After 55 years in the precision RF connector business, North Palm Beachs David Leiman announced the sale of Coaxial Components Corp and its affiliated companies in December. The sale of the privately held global manufacturer based in Martin County, Florida completed the transition of leadership to Managing Director Julian Andrews, who has been with the firm since 1989 and has been overseeing daily operations for the past 8 years.

New owners, Laurie Andrews of Jensen Beach and Donna Haas of Stuart, announced the acquisition of the firm, which also included the assets of three additional affiliated companies previously based in New York and Florida. As a result of the transaction, Leiman resigned from his position of President, ending a prestigious career of nearly 60 years. Leiman, who has been recognized as an industry icon, was pleased to see the companys legacy continue to evolve as a woman-owned entity. The company offers one of the largest inventories of military grade electronic components due to the merge of Coaxicom, Dal-Tech Devices, Microwave Distributors Company and MIDISCO.

The demand is high for quality US manufacturing in this competitive industry that has been inundated with low-quality imports over the past decade, says Andrews. The focus on American-made quality has been a top priority for supply chain managers and many of todays top defense industry contractors. Andrews previously served as the Director of Operations for Coaxicom.

As CFO Donnas Haas of Haas Tech Capital will bring new financial leadership to the company which has generated revenues in excess of $20 million. Haas will implement an innovative growth plan, designed to take advantage of the strong manufacturing outlook, while developing new markets for the industry-leading Coaxicom and MIDISCO brands. Under Haas stewardship, Coaxial Components Corp will reposition its sales strategy to focus on capturing greater market share of the rising demand for quick delivery, US-manufactured product lines. I look forward to working with the team to continue to expand Coaxicoms global position, says Haas.

Coaxial Components Corp headquarters in Stuart is also the manufacturing center for development of Coaxicoms broad spectrum of precision connectors, inter & intra series adapters; RF connectors; attenuators; terminations; phase adjusters; torque wrenches and cable assemblies. Coaxicom received the Import Excellence award from the Martin County Business Development Board in 2013. Yale University researchers have also applauded the companys development of a series of non-magnetic connectors utilized by the medical industry for MRI imaging.Dedicated helps Medicare Advantage customers, including those with major and multiple chronic conditions, enjoy more healthy days.

Keystone First VIP Choice, a Blue Cross Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan for dual-eligibles (D-SNP) in Southeastern Pennsylvania, is pleased to announce an agreement with Dedicated Senior Medical Center (Dedicated), a network of high-touch primary care medical practices committed to bringing superior care to low-to-moderate income seniors. Dedicated is a wholly-owned subsidiary of ChenMed, which opened four new centers in Philadelphia this past summer in Olney, North Philadelphia, Mayfair and West Philadelphia. Physician-led, ChenMed operates more than 50 centers in seven states  all situated in communities with the greatest need for excellent primary care. This aligns with Keystone First VIP Choices desire to provide the highest quality benefits for its members.

Dedicated adheres to the ChenMed approach to high-touch care for Medicare-eligible seniors that, according to the September 2018 American Journal of Managed Care, reduces hospital admissions by 50 percent, decreases health care costs by 28 percent, and improves patient use of preventive medications by up to 41 percent. The peer-reviewed journal report shows that Dedicated helps Medicare Advantage customers, including those with major and multiple chronic conditions, enjoy more healthy days than Medicare Advantage customers served by standard medical practices.

This agreement is important to our Medicare Advantage members who desire the kind of high-touch services that ChenMed and Dedicated provide, said Tonya Moody, vice president of AmeriHealth Caritas Pennsylvania Medicare VIP plans. We are proud to work with a company that gives members more time with their providers, and greater access to proactive screenings and other services designed to improve their health and well-being.

Gaurov Dayal, M.D., ChenMed president, new markets and chief growth officer, said, Its vital for doctors to earn patient trust with every visit. Dedicated primary care physicians embrace ChenMeds high-touch approach to care, through which seniors benefit from an average of 208 minutes of face-to-face time yearly with the doctor who knows them best. This is 10 times more than the national average for general and family physicians, which is just 20.3 minutes, and it makes a real difference in quality of care.

The physicians at Dedicated centers detect and manage high-risk diseases while also providing preventive care and services, including:



Easy access to primary care services 24 hours a day, seven days a week

Walk-in appointments and having their primary care physicians cell phone number for timely answers to questions

Substantially increased face-to-face time with physicians

On-site specialist doctors, medication dispensing, X-rays, tests and screenings

Routine injections and immunizations, including vaccinations

Inpatient medical care at participating hospital providers

Referrals, as required, to specialty care providers

Referrals, as required, to participating providers for lab, radiology and other appropriate services

Door-to-doctor transportation to and from appointments

Well-being classes, such as tai chi, yoga, SilverSneakers, etc.

About Dedicated Senior Medical Center

Dedicated Senior Medical Center operates four primary care medical practices serving seniors in diverse Philadelphia communities (Mayfair, North Philadelphia, Olney, and West Philadelphia); 11 centers in Florida (Bradenton, Clearwater, Jacksonville, Lakeland, Largo, St. Petersburg and Tampa); and just-announced plans to open three new centers in Columbus, Ohio, in 2019.

Dedicated brings concierge-style medicine  and better health outcomes  to the neediest populations, as evidenced by a five-year report comparing ChenMed outcomes against quality measures reported by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. The value-based care provider primarily serves seniors with low-to-moderate incomes, most of whom are managing multiple chronic conditions.

Dedicateds (ChenMeds) mission is to honor seniors with affordable VIP care that delivers better health. To do that, Dedicated relies on innovative technology and a talented, resourceful, and compassionate team of providers. Founded by Dr. James Chen, a Taiwanese immigrant and cancer survivor, ChenMed operates more than 50 medical centers in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Well-known ChenMed brands also include Chen Senior Medical Center and JenCare Senior Medical Center.

About Keystone VIP Choice

Keystone First VIP Choice is a Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan for dual-eligibles offered by Vista Health Plan, Inc., an affiliate of Independence Blue Cross, in five Southeastern Pennsylvania counties. Here at Keystone First VIP Choice, we are mission-driven and dedicated to helping members get care, stay well and build healthy communities. For more information, visit http://www.keystonefirstvipchoice.com.

Independence Blue Cross and Vista Health Plan, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.We are proud to support angiosarcoma cancer research at MSK, said Kevin Pribil, President of the Board of Directors of the Ken Pribil Jr. Foundation. Its a rare disease that is near and dear to our hearts, and we hope to continue this relationship and make a difference in peoples lives. Past News Releases RSS

The Ken Pribil Jr. Foundation recently made its fifth annual Sarcoma Research Grant in the amount of $15,000 to support targeted angiosarcoma cancer research being performed at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) in New York, NY. This grant fulfills the organizations mission of commemorating the life of Kenny Pribil Jr., 19-year-old angiosarcoma cancer victim from Rockville Centre, NY, through annual grants that support sarcoma cancer research.

We are proud to support angiosarcoma cancer research at MSK, said Kevin Pribil, President of the Board of Directors of the Ken Pribil Jr. Foundation. Its a rare disease that is near and dear to our hearts, and we hope to continue this relationship and make a difference in peoples lives.

This 2018 Ken Pribil Jr. Sarcoma Cancer Research Grant supports the research of Cristina R. Antonescu, MD, Director of MSKs Bone and Soft Tissue Pathology Service and one of the leading experts in angiosarcoma, a sarcoma subtype that forms in the inner lining of blood vessels. Her research is focused on the molecular mechanisms driving these tumors, how and why resistance begins, and genetic underpinnings that can be used to target angiosarcomas.

Since its inception in 2006, the Ken Pribil Jr. Foundation has given research grants to benefit sarcoma research at various institutions, including the Children's Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) in the Bronx, NY, for the past three years. The Foundation has also supported business-focused undergraduate study with college scholarships to 17 graduating students from South Side High School in Rockville Centre, NY.

The Ken Pribil Jr. Foundation is a 501c3 tax-exempt nonprofit organization operating in New York State. To learn more, visit: http://www.kenpribiljr.org/Jonathan Alexander Exaros, the owner and head instructor of a professional martial arts academy in Horsham, Pennsylvania; a graduate of Moravian College and is a lifelong student of history, philosophy, and religion; and a dedicated family man and writer, has completed his new book A Village Murder: a gripping tale of loss, heartaches, and steadfastness showed by the authors ancestors throughout their life journey.

Author Exaros shows to readers the wisdom behind compassion as a family that surpasses tumultuous moments in life. In the summer of 1928, an eleven-year-old American-born son of Greek immigrants travels with his parents and siblings to Greece to visit their family village. There, he witnesses the brutal murder of his father and grandfather by Albanian bandits who were directed out of revenge by the man with a hole in his face.

The young boy, his distraught mother, and two of his siblings return to the United States a year later, leaving behind one of his brothers in the hands of a wealthy uncle and aunt who turn out to be abusive and neglectful. The younger brother runs away and jumps a ship as a stowaway, where he is taken in by an empathetic crew who helps him reunite with his family abroad.

This is the true story of the authors ancestors. He walks you through the process from start to finish of what it was like to be an immigrant in the early 1900s and chronicles the banditry that plagued the countryside of Greece for decades. It is a story of personal tragedy, revenge, and justice. But most of all, it is a story of community and survival.

Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Jonathan Alexander Exaross evoking account also exudes with thought-provoking perspectives that reveal every foreigners struggle in life because of alienation.

Readers who wish to experience this edifying work can purchase A Village Murder at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional New York based full-service publishing house that handles all of the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with complicated business issues like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes and the like. Its roster of authors can leave behind these tedious, complex and time-consuming issues, and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.John L. Grove, founder, JLG Industries 50 years is a remarkable milestone for both JLG and the access industry, said Frank Nerenhausen, JLG president. Our founder not only started a company, but an entire industry."

JLG Industries, Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation company [NYSE:OSK] and a leading global manufacturer of aerial work platforms and telehandlers, officially kicked off its year-long 50th anniversary celebration earlier today, marking a half-century since its founder spearheaded the access industry with the introduction of the worlds first boom lift, commonly referred to as JLG 1.

On January 9, 1969, John L. Grove rallied a small group of people around one big ideacreate a safer way to work at height. This seed idea came to life with the introduction of the first aerial work platform. Groves passion for safety and his pioneering spirit continue to be carried out today by more than 6,000 JLG employees around the world.

50 years is a remarkable milestone for both JLG and the access industry, said Frank Nerenhausen, JLG president. Our founder not only started a company, but an entire industry. This is a key point of differentiation for the JLG brand. We continue to build on this legacy through continuous development of products, services and technology that advance safety for work at height.

Since its introduction of the first commercially produced aerial work platform, JLG has claimed many access industry firstsincluding oscillating axles for boom and scissor lifts in 1981, the only fuel-cell powered boom lift in 1999, the first environmentally-friendly 60-foot electric boom lift in 2000, and the first straight boom lift to reach 150 feet in 2011. The company surpassed its own record in 2014 with the introduction of a 185-foot model 1850SJ, the worlds tallest self-propelled boom lift. In the same year, JLG introduced the first true hybrid diesel/electric boom lift, the H340AJ.

For more than 2,000 years, people used inefficient and dangerous methods to access work areas, said Guru Bandekar, JLG vice president of global product management and development. So, when you think that a mere half-century ago no one had invented a way to safely elevate people on job sites, one realizes how remarkable John L. Groves advancement was. His accomplishment gives all JLG employees a tremendous sense of pride.

John L. Grove was a skilled inventor, a savvy businessman and an extremely hard-working individual, who was driven by the pursuit of perfection in the products that bear his initials. A former employee once said, You could show John L. Grove anything, even a fountain pen, and he could immediately tell you how to improve it, according to an excerpt from the book The Life and Legacy of John L. Grove.

Nerenhausen added, Groves inventive spirit continues to fuel product development at JLG. He blazed a trail that was never before traveled, and we mark 50 years with a steadfast focus on providing the industry with access equipment solutions that continue to bring his initial vision and purpose to life.

It should not be overlooked that John L. Grove formed JLG Industries with an inner circle of only three investing partners, and within a few short years, developed a unique product that filled a huge void in the construction industry. He quickly won customer confidence and brand preferencea preference that saw the company quickly expand domestically and later internationally. Today, JLG is represented across 5 continents, with manufacturing facilities in the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Romania, Australia and China.

While the boom lift marked the start of JLG, the companys product portfolio has steadily expanded over the years to include a variety of award-winning hydraulic and electric drive scissor lifts, telescopic handlers, vertical lifts and a wide-range of low-level access solutions. Far more than just products, JLG today leads the industry in its after-the-sale parts, service and training offerings to ensure productivity, profitability and continued safety improvements on the job site.

To learn more about the 50-year history of JLG, visit http://www.jlg.com/en/destination/jlg50. To learn more about JLG, visit the company website at http://www.jlg.com.

About JLG Industries, Inc.

JLG Industries, Inc. is a world-leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of access equipment. The Companys diverse product portfolio includes leading brands such as JLG aerial work platforms; JLG and SkyTrak telehandlers; and an array of complementary accessories that increase the versatility and efficiency of these products. JLG is an Oshkosh Corporation company [NYSE: OSK]. For more information about JLG Industries, Inc., visit http://www.jlg.com, or find us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

About Oshkosh Corporation

Founded in 1917, Oshkosh Corporation is more than 100 years strong and continues to make a difference in peoples lives. Oshkosh brings together a unique set of integrated capabilities and diverse end markets that, when combined with the Companys MOVE strategy and positive long-term outlook, illustrate why Oshkosh is a different integrated global industrial. The Company is a leader in designing, manufacturing and servicing a broad range of access equipment, commercial, fire & emergency, military and specialty vehicles and vehicle bodies under the brands of Oshkosh, JLG, Pierce, McNeilus, Jerr-Dan, Frontline, CON-E-CO, London and IMT.

Today, Oshkosh Corporation is a Fortune 500 Company with manufacturing operations on four continents. Its products are recognized around the world for quality, durability and innovation and can be found in more than 150 countries. As a different integrated global industrial, Oshkosh is committed to making a difference for team members, customers, shareholders, communities and the environment. For more information, please visit: http://www.oshkoshcorporation.com.

,  All brand names referred to in this news release are trademarks of Oshkosh Corporation or its subsidiary companies.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that the Company believes to be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact, including, without limitation, statements regarding the Companys future financial position, business strategy, targets, projected sales, costs, earnings, capital expenditures, debt levels and cash flows, and plans and objectives of management for future operations, are forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, words such as may, will, expect, intend, estimate, anticipate, believe, should, project or plan or the negative thereof or variations thereon or similar terminology are generally intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors, some of which are beyond the Companys control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.

# # #Arcadia-cable-deck-railing Simplicity and beauty

Strength and beauty combine in this modern, easy-to-install railing for decks, mezzanines and more

Up to 80% reduced installation time with Press and Latch cable tensioners

No special tooling (i.e. crimping tool) required for installation

High-end, minimal aesthetic and maximum customization

Commercial use, marine grade 316 steel

Made of solid bar of size 1 3/4 x 5/8, significantly above commercial grade requirements

Versatility and durability combine at Inline Design, where their Arcadia line of cable or glass railing systems offer a clean, modern look that will stand the test of time. Cable railing systems for decks continue to grow in popularity, as they have an invisible quality that wont obstruct beautiful viewsof landscape or architecture. Cable and glass railing systems remove visual barriers, which makes them excellent for making interior spaces more expansive and open, and outdoor spaces blend more seamlessly into their natural surroundings. These railing systems offer the greatest customization and most minimalistic look, making them ideal for both high-end residences and commercial development. The Arcadia railing system is not modular, meaning it can be made-to-fit unique spaces and shapes, and each installation will produce one-of-a-kind results. While other railing systems stack together like Legos, Arcadia requires welding capabilities (for the top rail bar only), but can therefore accommodate any situation. The systems are available in floor and side mounted option.

When it comes to durability, Arcadia is the clear choice for weather-resistant and corrosion resistant railings. Inline Design offers all of its Arcadia products in marine grade 316 stainless steel (surgical grade), that is randomly third-party lab tested to meet stringent requirements for quality. With a focus on strength, they also offer Gauge 10 posts for their railing systems in round (5/8 diameter) and square (1 9/16 profile). This is the heaviest-duty railing available on the market. The Arcadia system has end posts of solid bars at 1  x 5/8. These two solid steel bars are separated by welded steel blocks at 1  x 1 1/8, for additional stability. The level of sturdiness and stability in a minimalistic and beautiful railing system is unrivaled, and Arcadia was specifically designed by Inline Design to supersede any existing commercial cabling system currently available on the market in these areas.

Installation of Arcadia cable and glass rail systems can be done by the enthusiastic DIY-er or contracted professionals on straight runs or as a stair railing. The patent-pending Arcadia railing systems offer extremely efficient floor and side mounted installation and require little more than the right set of wrenches. The unique Press and Latch cable tensioners system created by Inline Design requires no special tooling  reducing installation time by up to 80% compared to other cable railings. As the Arcadia system is not modular, the top rail bar is installed separately and must be welded, which requires a mid-level experienced welder for completion. Welding the top rail and the ability to cut cables to length means the Arcadia system offers the most versatility for rail angles and lengths.

The Arcadia railing system is available in a satin finish (similar to popular stainless-steel kitchen appliances) stainless steel marine grade 316 , making them a superior choice for both residential and commercial properties as they require no ongoing maintenance and are the most corrosive-resistant product available. The IRC code requires the top rail to be able to sustain a concentrated of 200 lbs. applied horizontally or vertically down at any point on the top rail. Some local codes specify a smaller load of 20 lbs. per linear foot.

Inline Design is a Seattle-based company and inventor of the Arcadia cable and glass railing systems. Each product listed on our website is proprietary, and ships from our warehouse in Seattle, Washington. We eliminate the middle man by controlling the entire process from product conception, prototyping, testing, patenting (Jad Honein owner & inventor), mass producing, marketing, sales, and providing after sales support. As constant innovators, we always seek to provide you with cutting-edge strength and design in our products.

CONTACT

Jad Honein, Inline Design

(425) 405-5505

ceo(at)inlinedesign(dot)usThe diverse and creative responses to this years challenge are so inspiring. All of us at iaedp appreciate the artists efforts to push the boundaries of form, structure, and identity through their visual representations, says iaedp Foundations Imagine Me Coordinator, Blanche Williams.

The International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (iaedp) announces the 2019 five finalists in the 9th annual Imagine Me Beyond What You See body image mannequin art competition. With submissions from around the United States and Canada, the five finalists will be showcased and the winner revealed at the annual iaedp Symposium, February 7-10 at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort in Palm Desert, California.

Entries were created by individuals in recovery and within therapy groups with clients who include both adolescents and adults from partial hospitalization programs, intensive outpatient programs and residential treatment centers supervised by therapists, counselors and art therapists. The mixed-medium works are judged on clarity of theme, creativity and originality, quality of composition and design and the overall impression and presentation of the artwork.

The diverse and creative responses to this years challenge are so inspiring. All of us at iaedp appreciate the artists efforts to push the boundaries of form, structure, and identity through their visual representations, says iaedp Foundations Imagine Me Coordinator, Blanche Williams.

The 2019 five iaedp Imagine Me Beyond What You See Mannequins Art Entries are:



Boys in Dresses  Roger Behavioral Health, Oconomowoc, WI

Maia  Veritas Collaboratives Adolescent Hospital (RTP locations), Durham, NC

Disconnected wires  Phaedra Silke of Fraser North Eating Disorders Program, Child and Youth Mental Health, Port Moody, BC, Canada

Who Am I?  Center for Discovery Fremont, Fremont, CA

Our Return  Alsana Luna Residential Treatment Center, Thousand Oaks, CA

About the iaedp Foundation: Since 1985, the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals has provided education and training standards to an international and multidisciplinary group of various healthcare treatment providers and helping professions. MemberSHARE.iaedp.com is an iaedp business journal and online member resource to learn about noteworthy member achievements, continuing education webinars and U.S. and international chapter activity and events; for more information, visit MemberSHARE.

The iaedp Foundations Presidents Council, which provides organization support, includes: Center for Change; Center for Hope of the Sierras; Center For Discovery; Eating Recovery Center; Laureate Eating Disorders Program; McCallum Place Eating Disorder Centers; The Meadows Ranch; Rogers Behavioral Health; Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders; Selah House; The Renfrew Center; Timberline Knolls; Turning Tides Eating Disorder Treatment Center; and Veritas Collaborative.

The iaedp Foundation proudly announces the supporting sponsors for the 2019 iaedp Symposium:

Bronze Sponsors: Montecatini Eating Disorder Treatment Centers and Pine Grove Behavioral Health

More information about all aspects of iaedp and the 2019 Symposium can be found at iaedp.com.For almost 30 years, Zephyr Real Estate has produced custom calendars as a gift for their clients and colleagues. The calendars traditionally feature subjects unique to San Francisco. Tim Gullicksen of the Gullicksen Group is proud to continue that tradition in 2019.

Zephyr Real Estate has once again produced its annual calendar featuring distinct Bay Area highlights. This year's theme focuses on the culture and community of the Bay Area by featuring photography of the city's past. Historic imagery for this retrospective was provided by the San Francisco Public Library archives.

From Sutro Baths to the original Ferry Building, each month displays a monument or notable site that, through circumstances, be it disaster or decay, was unable to stand the test of time. The calendar offers an artistic memento for those iconic symbols of the Bay Area.

Part of the tradition includes returning proceeds to the community to support various art and cultural programs. This year, however, all proceeds will go to the North Valley Community Foundation to support those who were affected by the recent devastating Camp Fire in Northern California.

Past year's calendars have featured movies set in San Francisco (Cinematic San Francisco), famous stairways and slides (Chutes and Ladders), and historic pubs and bars (San Francisco After Dark). These, as well as all the others, are quite collectible and reveal some of the citys best-kept secrets.

"Our clients, friends and family truly appreciate these beautiful tributes to the city we love," said Gullicksen. "That's why we continue to participate in this long standing tradition."

To receive a calendar, please contact any of the agents of the Gullicksen Group. Supplies are limited.

About the company:

Tim Gullicksen has been a top-producing real estate agent since he first entered into the business, and takes great pride in managing every aspect of each transaction. After graduating from high school in the South Bay, Tim earned a bachelors degree in political science and history from the University of California-Berkeley. He went on to earn his teaching credentials from JFK University in Orinda, and taught kindergarten in the San Jose Unified School District. He brings an educational approach to real estate developed from that background, and sees himself as a facilitator of property transactions. For more information, visit his website at http://www.gullicksengroup.com/.With this new Graphus capability, organizations can confidently reduce the burden off their IT/Security teams.

In the latest release of Graphus they have implemented several new features and enhancements to their platform and one in particular that is very exciting is the integration with Phishing Training Awareness solutions. Whether an organization is using phishing training solutions such as KnowBe4, CoFense, or Wombat, whenever an employee reports a suspicious email, Graphus will automatically analyze to determine if it is a threat and provide admins the ability to view, investigate, and take the appropriate action directly from the Graphus Portal.

Most phishing training awareness solutions provide employees with a capability to report suspicious emails to their IT/Security team. This results in an overwhelming time-critical workload. IT/Security staff must analyze an email as soon as its reported and act immediately to protect the organization if it is indeed an attack. This presents some unique challenges for the organization. They must dedicate resources standing by, have tools and techniques to analyze, and take instant remediation action. Most organizations are short of resources, dont have tools and techniques to analyze sophisticated attacks, and it can take days if not weeks to remediate an attack.

With Graphus in place, whenever an employee believes an email is suspicious, and clicks on the Report Phish button, an alert is generated within the Graphus portal. Graphus, in real-time, analyzes this reported message and determines if this is a threat or not. If a threat, Graphus labels this as THREAT. If not a threat, Graphus labels this as NOT A THREAT. Graphus admins will not only be able to see which alerts are labeled a threat or not, they will also be able to see which employees reported the message, all employees who received the same message, investigate the message, and take remediation action as needed.

This is a feature requested by several of the Graphus customers as it adds the power of Graphus to their phishing training awareness solution. Having this patented AI, TrustGraph, determine which reported alerts are threats or not, is a huge time saver for organizations. Graphus admins can focus on the alerts labeled as a THREAT first and take action as needed.

Co-founder and CEO of Graphus, Manoj Srivastava stated, Training Solutions have done a tremendous job of educating employees of the dangers of social engineering attacks. This has made the employees super paranoid causing them to report any unwanted message they receive. With this new Graphus capability, organizations can confidently reduce the burden off their IT/Security teams.

About Graphus

Graphus is industrys first automated phishing defense platform that provides immediate protection against spear phishing, phishing, business email compromise, and malware attacks. It is powered by TrustGraph  a unique, powerful, and patented AI technology. Companies can activate Graphus in minutes. For more information, please visit http://www.graphus.ai.The NAIFA Quality Award recognizes insurance and financial advisors who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to excellence in service to their clients and industry. Agents who win this award have tangible evidence signifying that the products they sell will meet with their clients needs.

Elizabeth Dipp Metzger, founder and president of Crown Wealth Strategies, a comprehensive wealth strategies firm in El Paso, TX serving clients nationwide. As a Financial Professional, Lizzie provides clients with an integrated retirement and insurance strategy focused on maximizing value over the course of their lifetime. Dipp Metzger's focus is physicians, professionals, and business owners in the affluent market. Dipp Metzger provides holistic strategies for retirement, college funding, business planning, and wealth accumulation. She has received the NAIFA Quality Award from the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), the industrys leading trade association. This is her eight consecutive year achieving this honor.

Qualified Candidates for the NAIFA Quality Award are evaluated based on their education and earned professional designations; commitment to quality service as exhibited through persistency and letters of recommendation; and dedication to their industry exhibited by their willingness to serve as NAIFA volunteer leaders and their stated commitment to NAIFAs Code of Ethics; as well as their ability to meet production standards.

Lizzie Dipp Metzger enjoys helping people meet their financial goals. With experience as an adviser and over 17 years of previous experience as a business owner, Dipp Metzger understands the financial challenges most individuals and business owners face today and works diligently to research and provide the right solutions for them.

Lizzie Dipp Metzger is a Financial Adviser offering investment advisory services through Eagle Strategies LLC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Crown Wealth Strategies is not owned or operated by New York Life Insurance Company or its affiliates. SMRU 1799760When applying for coverage, drivers should bring the relevant documents, be honest and ask questions about the policys terms and conditions, said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company.

Cheapquotesautoinsurance.com has launched a new blog post that presents top car insurance mistakes that will cause problems to drivers seeking coverage.

Not having the right documents will prevent drivers from getting coverage. This is one major mistake which can be easily avoided. Make a call and ask what documents to bring. Drivers should prepare the cars papers and provide them it when asked. Furthermore, bring proof of homeownership, graduating defensive/refresher courses, receipts for custom parts, VIN number and other documents needed to provide coverage and discounts.

Buying coverage without fully understanding the terms of the contract is another big mistake. Carefully read each page of the contract and require additional explanations.

It is recommended to get quotes before negotiations. Compare prices from multiple carriers and determine the average value. Now it is easy and fast to get online quotes. It only takes several minutes.

For more car insurance info, money-saving tips and free online quotes, please visit http://cheapquotesautoinsurance.com

Cheapquotesautoinsurance.com is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc.In 2019, we will continue to see brands build relationships with young people based on shared values, employers will invest in actively engaging employees in their brand mission, and not-for-profits will tap into young people's passions and invite them to join in their efforts.

DoSomething Strategic, the not-for-profit social impact consulting arm of DoSomething.org that helps brands engage young people for social good, today announced its year-end results for 2018, reporting growth among revenue, clients, and brand engagement and impact with young people. During 2018, DoSomething Strategic realized 32.5 percent revenue growth and 26.7 percent client growth over 2017. The agency began work among new industries and organizations in both the not-for-profit world and with consumer brands including Habitat for Humanity, The Wilderness Society, Plan International USA, Nike, PVH.

DoSomething Strategic helps brands and organizations engage young people for social good by tapping into DoSomething's proprietary data on over 6 million young people ages 13-25 across the U.S. and in 131 countries worldwide. As such, the team members behind DoSomething Strategic are Gen Z experts uniquely positioned to help brands reach and activate this elusive generation on issues that matter most to them. Every project DoSomething Strategic takes on focuses exclusively young people and social impact, and 100 percent of its profits support the work of DoSomething.org to empower young people to be agents of social good in their communities.

2018 was an exciting year as more and more brands and organizations appreciated the power of young people and the business imperative of engaging them around purpose. Its been an honor to work with our existing clients and we welcome new organizations and brands looking to make more meaningful connections with young consumers and advocates, said Meredith Ferguson, Managing Director, DoSomething Strategic.

Highlights of DoSomething Strategic programs during 2018 include:



Worked with Nike to educate young people on the activity crisis with a #60SecondPowerUp campaign that sparked incredible user-generated content.

Created in-depth research on Gen Z in seven countries to guide Viacoms new platform, Generation Change, and uncover a nuanced understanding of what motivates global youth to take civic and social action in their communities.

Developed a three-year strategic plan with Plan International USA to empower young people to combat gender inequality through relevant and fun engagement opportunities.

Spearheaded a three-week-long competition for PVH employees that challenged them to be an active part of PVHs commitment to water conservation.

Created an advocacy campaign for The Wilderness Society to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling

Built an actual bus with PwC and CEO Action to spark dialogue around unconscious bias.

Looking towards 2019, DoSomething Strategic will continue to focus on helping brands, not-for-profits and employers bring brand purpose to life and sparking meaningful engagement. The past year saw an increased interest among companies looking to leverage the work they've done in the CSR space to more deeply connect with and engage their employees, particularly as younger employees view purpose as a critical component to workplace satisfaction. DoSomething Strategic is committed to helping companies in this area this coming year.

In 2019, we will continue to see brands build relationships with young people based on shared values, employers will invest in actively engaging employees in their brand mission, and not-for-profits will tap into young people's passions and invite them to join in their efforts. Most importantly, young people will continue to keep us all to a high standard for ethical products and services, continued Ferguson.

About DoSomething Strategic

DoSomething Strategic is the data-driven social impact consultancy arm of DoSomething.org. We help brands and organizations engage young people for positive social change. We combine proprietary data with a deep understanding of what young people care about to help clients build relationships with this unique demographic and activate them for social good. Our expertise is grounded in moving 6 million DoSomething.org membersages 13-25 in every area code in the United States and in 131 countries worldwideto take social action, and we've been doing this work successfully day in and day out for the past 25 years. http://www.DoSomethingStrategic.orgYour service department is the foundation of the dealership, said Greg Dryden, Vice President of Client Optimization, Dealer-FX. Understanding areas of opportunity in your service business is the first step toward improving processes, the customer experience and driving profitability.

Dealer-FX, the leading customer experience management provider for automotive OEMs and their retailers, announced it will be conducting a NADA Workshop focused on improving dealership service department effectiveness and efficiency at the NADA 2019 Convention & Expo in San Francisco, January 24-27, 2019.

This informative in-depth workshop covers several actionable opportunities and educates dealers how to:



Identify gaps in current service department processes such as missed appointments, lost service write-up revenue, declined services and lost parts sales.

Calculate the impact on business caused by gaps and breakdowns in processes.

Formulate a plan to address customer experience gaps while increasing throughput, capacity, parts, service revenue and service retention.

Solve issues with parts specifying, driving better overall service department efficiency.

Structure pay plans that drive the behaviors required to boost key performance metrics.

Implement a plan to improve the experience at every touchpoint with the customer with goals of improving customer satisfaction, retention and brand loyalty/repurchase.

Objectives such as these only happen through actionable best practices, identified and discussed by an industry expert.

Your service department is the foundation of the dealership, said Greg Dryden, Vice President of Client Optimization, Dealer-FX. Understanding areas of opportunity in your service business is the first step toward improving processes, the customer experience and driving profitability.

Session 1:

When: Thursday, January 24, 2019

Time: 2:30 PM  3:30 PM

Where: 3010W

Department: NADA Fixed Ops

Session 2:

When: Saturday, January 26, 2019

Time: 10:30 AM  11:30 AM

Room: 3011W

Department: NADA Fixed Ops

The Dealer-FX Team will be at the NADA 2019 Expo in San Francisco, January 25-27, 2019, in booth #3625S to demonstrate the features and benefits of ONE Platform to OEMs and dealers.

About Dealer-FX

Dealer-FX is transforming how consumers interact with automotive brands and their retailers. Our customer experience management platform uses advanced data analysis and mobile applications to deliver convenience, transparency and trust to consumers, and increased efficiency, profitability, retention and brand loyalty to OEMs and dealers. The company is backed by the strength and resources of HGGC.

Dealer-FXs core offering, ONE Platform, is comprised of seven components, which along with the Service Dashboard, manage the entire service experience from initial contact through drive-off and to next visit. It delivers the best dealer service experience. Period.

Dealer-FX is the exclusive or preferred service technology provider for FCA, Nissan, Infiniti, Toyota, Lexus, Audi, VW, Mitsubishi and several other OEMs in the US and Canada, and has more than 2,500 dealership clients. Dealer-FX is based in Toronto, ON. For more information please visit, dealer-fx.com.Past winner of the Trustee Scholarship, Cadet Ozz Ben-David (Class of 2016) earned an appointment to the US Military Academy at West Point upon his graduation from Fork Union Military Academy Affordability is a key factor for many families looking at private schools, and Fork Union Military Academy provides opportunities to as many students as possible.

As the January 18th deadline draws near, The Trustee Scholarship competition at Fork Union Military Academy is heating up, attracting student applicants from all over the United States, as well as Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. This merit-based scholarship competition will provide the winning applicant with a full scholarship for the 2019-2020 school year to attend Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, Virginia, a boarding and day school for boys in grades 7-12 and postgraduate.

Tripp Billingsley, the Director of Admissions for the school, reports he has received scholarship applications from students all across the United States, as well as those living in countries as far away as Nigeria, Pakistan, India, and Jordan. "It is a very diverse group of high-performing young men, and I expect it will be a challenge to select the top candidate. The selection committee has a great group of young men to look at." The finalists in the scholarship competition will be chosen by a committee of educators and administrators from Fork Union Military Academy and invited to the campus for further interviews.

Students who will enter grades 8, 9, or 10 in the fall of 2019, have a GPA equivalent to 3.0 or higher, and are first-time applicants to the fall program are eligible to compete for Fork Union Military Academys Trustee Scholarship. The Trustee Scholarship is a competitive merit-based award that covers full tuition, room and board, and uniforms for an incoming cadet to Fork Union Military Academy.

Affordability is a key factor for many families looking at private schools, and Fork Union Military Academy provides opportunities to as many students as possible. Need-based financial aid and access scholarship funds are used by the school to assist as many young men as possible to enroll in our program. The Trustee Scholarship is different from other financial aid and scholarship programs offered by Fork Union, however.

The Trustee Scholarship is unique in that it is competitive and completely need blind. This means that applicants for this scholarship do not need to fill out a financial aid application. The finalists are selected based on the strength of their own achievements and abilities, as documented in their scholarship and admission applications. Finalists in the scholarship competition are invited to campus for an interview with the Academy's scholarship committee before the final award is announced.

The deadline for applications for the Trustee Scholarship is January 18, 2019.

For more information about the Trustee Scholarship opportunity, visit Fork Union's website at https://www.forkunion.com/trusteescholarship or call the Director of Admission's office at 434-842-4205.

Founded in 1898, Fork Union Military Academy is a one-of-a-kind high school experience, where students attend classes in a unique One subject Plan format, which has successfully prepared students for college and beyond for almost 70 years. Fork Union Military Academy cadets are guided each day by the core values of respect, integrity, faith, character and discipline in a military-style program where leadership and character development are a primary focus of their daily lives.Daniel Gregg, a former Marine and a dedicated writer, has completed his new book How to Capture and Tame a Wild China Girl: a potent account that tackles the significant causes and effects brought about by a shift in Americas culture of marriage.

Author Gregg discusses the impact of gender roles on the mindset of modern citizens in dealing with relationships and settling down: In todays America, marriages are falling apart or never happening at all. This is an event that is occurring in small rural towns as well as in large metropolitan centers. Since the beginning of the sexual revolution, we have all been told that marriages are institutions of patriarchal oppression, and that if men and women are both freed from this oppression, happiness will bloom. Regrettably, reality intrudes, and men and women are finding the reality that we now find ourselves is actually a dystopia of empty lives living alone. Women have changed from traditional wives with husbands and children, to single career professionals with little chance of matrimony. Men have also changed from being traditional fathers and heads of household to pickup artists who avoid long-term commitment for fear of aggressive one-sided courts. As a result, both men and women have taken a trajectory that was unanticipated by the framers of this new sexually liberated society. Our culture will eventually work its way back to a more traditional relationship, but that will take decades before the transition begins. Until this shift occurs, what is the single man who wants to raise a family to do? The question has been examined, and since American women, on the whole, have demonstrated a dislike for the white picket fence, a new population must be considered, and this is foreign women, or more specifically Asian women. Since Daniel Gregg married an Oriental woman almost two decades ago, he has come across some rather surprising artifacts of Asian culture that can cause headaches for the unwary Western man. In this book, Daniel details what can be expected from Asian women, and how to steer your relationship past these shoals toward the ideal of happiness and love.

Published by New York City-based Page Publishing, Daniel Greggs insightful narrative imparts a tremendous gravity of open-mindedness to the idea of a change of preference by Caucasian men for Asian womens affections and a desire to commit to a lifetime of love and joy through matrimony.

Readers who wish to experience this work can purchase How to Capture and Tame a Wild China Girl at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.

About Page Publishing:

Page Publishing is a traditional New York based full-service publishing house that handles all of the intricacies involved in publishing its authors books, including distribution in the worlds largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create - not bogged down with complicated business issues like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes and the like. Its roster of authors can leave behind these tedious, complex and time-consuming issues, and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at http://www.pagepublishing.com.CX Workout, a subsidiary of the Service Profit Chain Institute, has announced an exciting collaboration with Professors Geoff Parker of Dartmouth College and Marshall Van Alstyne of the Questrom School of Business to introduce a new set of consulting and leadership development programs that leverage their best-selling book co-authored with Sangeet Choudary : Platform Revolution  How networked markets are transforming the economy and how to make them work for you. (W.W. Norton & Company Inc.)

Platform Revolution has become the definitive guide for organizations trying to navigate new digital business models that will serve them into the next decade, commented CX Workout CEO Joe Wheeler, we are delighted to be working with Geoff and Marshall to scale their insights and knowledge to our clients who have come to realize that platform-based business models are the future.

Marshall and I are sincerely excited about this partnership with the CX Workout team. commented Prof. Parker. I feel like both the consulting and leadership development programs we will collaborate around will have a powerful impact on any organization sincerely trying to re-think how they will need to compete in this new world of platform economics.

Professors Parker and Van Alstyne are cosponsors of the highly acclaimed MIT Platform Strategy Summit and Boston University Platform Research Symposium, held in July each year. For more information on attending the 2019 event, visit the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy website: http://ide.mit.edu/

For more information on CX Workouts consulting and leadership development capabilities on these and other topics, visit us at http://www.cxworkout.com.

About CX Workout

CX Workout is a full service CX design/consulting firm and a subsidiary of the Service Profit Chain Institute. The Service Profit Chain Institute was founded in 2005 by Joe Wheeler and Professors James Heskett and W. Earl Sasser of the Harvard Business School. Its mission is to help clients succeed by connecting the links between employees, customers and profits. http://www.cxworkout.comWe have a role beyond providing jobs and supporting our clients, and its to help out in the communities we live, said Chris Flakus, Chief Operating Officer of The CSI Companies. And now with our newly established 501(c)(3) and Becky leading the charge, we can accomplish so much more.

After more than 13 years of supporting local charities, The CSI Companies has established its charitable giving division, CSI Gives Back, as a dedicated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

The CSI Companies appointed Becky Lowry, CMP as the director of the newly created philanthropic foundation. Becky will lead community service initiatives supported by The CSI Companies and its staff, focused initially on Jacksonville and its surrounding communities. CSI Gives Back will expand into four other major metro areas where The CSI Companies has offices: Orlando, Tampa, Nashville, and Atlanta.

Recent efforts made by CSI Gives Back raised more than $6,000 for the American Lung Association at its Lung Force/Walk. The organization also raised more than $13,000 at its seventh annual charity auction benefitting Dreams Come True, a wish-granting organization dedicated to using the power of a dream to bring hope and joy to children battling a life threatening illness.

We have a role beyond providing jobs and supporting our clients, and its to help out in the communities we live, said Chris Flakus, Chief Operating Officer of The CSI Companies. And now with our newly established 501(c)(3) and Becky leading the charge, we can accomplish so much more.

In 2018, CSI Gives Back raised more than $60,000 in support of organizations such Dreams Come True, American Lung Association, High School 9:12, Team HEAL, Habitat for Humanity, Hunger Fight, Rethreaded and more. To learn about CSI Gives Back and its initiatives, visit CSIGivesBack.org.

About The CSI Companies

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., The CSI Companies provides national staffing solutions by placing top talent in the technology, financial, accounting, healthcare, and other professional industries across the country. In 2010, The CSI Companies became a part of Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd., the 5th largest staffing company in the world. To learn more about The CSI Companies, visit thecsicompanies.com.Intelligence continues to be about adding perspectives. To gain perspectives you need to interact with others. To collaborate. Get their view. The IntelliSummit 2019 is a great place for interacting with peers and learn about how to deal with the future as an analyst.

The annual gathering of Intelligence Professionals, IntelliSummit 2019, is set to be held in central Stockholm between April 10-12 for the fifth year in a row. IntelliSummit offers intelligence professionals from all over the Nordics a space to learn, network and get inspired.

The theme of the conference is Creating Competitive Advantages in a Complex Future and will circle around the following topics:



How to be objective and factful in a changing world?

How to speed up the analysis process?

How to communicate insights in a reliable and impactful way?

Things are happening so fast today. As an example, 90% of the worlds data was created in the past three years! The world is more complex and it is harder for intelligence professionals and strategists to provide decision support. How do you trust your source? How can you create better insights, faster? And how do you cut through the noise to get your message through? Intelligence continues to be about adding perspectives. To gain perspectives you need to interact with others. To collaborate. Get their view. The IntelliSummit 2019 is a great place for interacting with peers and learn about how to deal with the future as an analyst. Welcome! Ingemar Svensson, Moderator IntelliSummit 2019

IntelliSummit 2019 will feature interesting case presentations from different organizations, methods examples, interactive workshops, expert panel session, networking, pre-conference workshops, exhibiting companies and general knowledge sharing among all participants. See the full agenda here: https://intelli-summit.com/agenda/

The conference is moderated by Ingemar Svensson, an experienced and passionate competitive intelligence professional and presenter. Ingemar was previously the Director of Competitive Intelligence at Ericsson, where he was responsible for competitive intelligence work within several business units within the company. In addition to Ingemar, other speakers include:

Asa Wikforss  Professor Theoretical Philosophy, Stockholm University

Par Lager, Author, Speaker and Board Member at Sqore

Bobo Af Ekenstam  Author, Speaker and CEO at Docere Intelligence

Rene Rohrbeck, Professor of Strategy and Associate Dean of Corporate Relations at Aarhus University

Robin Neidorf, Director of Research and Head of Consulting at Jinfo Research

The Early Bird prices for the conference are valid until January 15th.

For further information and to reserve your seat, please visit https://intelli-summit.com/ or contact the conference moderator Ingemar Svensson (ingemar.svensson(at)comintelli.com)

About IntelliSummit

IntelliSummit is an annual conference held in Stockholm, targeted to those who work professionally with competitive, market and business intelligence in the Nordics, It is organized by Comintelli and sponsored by Intelligence2day  the insight Engine for Market- and Competitive Intelligence."Corra Group services businesses both nationally and globally," said Corra Group Co-Founder, Nick Gustavson. "Besides the usual domestic background checks, we offer a full complement of international background searches."

Corra Group is gearing up for what has become the first quarter surge in employment screening. In recent times, in the past few years particularly, employers have qualified their employment requirements and typically get the new year started with a series of new hires.

Corra Group will typically see a significant surge in background checks as employers move to hire staff for the coming year, said Corra Group Co-Founder, Nick Gustavson. Usually, the first two weeks in January are pretty quiet as clients get their ducks in a row, but this year we are already seeing increased hiring patterns.

Human Resources Managers are going through the interviewing process right now at a quicker pace, said Gustavson. The job market is strong and quality candidates can often be hard to find. If an employer deliberates too long, they will often lose that candidate to a competitor. With the job market as it is, employers cant allow any grass to grow.

Gustavson pointed out that Corra services large multinational companies as well as mid-size businesses and startups. He noted that each employer has different requirements for background checks and Corra Group will consult first with a client and then customize the necessary employment screening package. The client can then order reports at will.

Corra Group is headquartered in El Segundo, California, said Gustavson. We service businesses both nationally and globally. Besides the usual domestic background checks, we offer a full complement of international searches. We see this as critical, given the number for foreign hires that are recruited for any workforce. International Education Verification searches are a necessity, as the number of degree discrepancies is pretty substantial. Job applicants make claims they cant support.

This year is starting off with a bang, said Gustavson. By the end of first quarter, given the hiring search, we expect to see increases from last years employment screening volume. Last year was pretty terrific for us. Despite all the rumblings, from what we see, this year may be a year of even greater expansion.

BACKGROUND: Corra operates as Corra Group and Corra Global Research and specializes in pre-employment and corporate research and due diligence It is one of the few companies that will answer the phone.Fernand and Jason Gagne of Gagne Maple in Highgate Vermont, sugarmakers for Coombs Family Farms

Coombs Family Farms, a seventh generation producer of pure and organic maple and a champion of small family farms, today forecasted maple trends for 2019. Key events of 2018 set the stage for more maple research and promotion in the year ahead.

ACER and No Added Sugar

Through Congressional approval of the Farm Bill in December, the ACER Access and Development Program was extended to provide grant money to support research and promotion of the domestic maple syrup industry. The Bill also took an important step in the debate of Nutrition Facts of pure maple syrup and whether maple must be included in the added sugars line on labels, along with non-naturally occurring sugars and artificial sweeteners. In approving the Bill, Congress has made maple exempt, supporting maple farmers.

Health Benefits of Maple

One such ACER federal grant was awarded to a team of scientists at University of Rhode Island to continue research on health benefits of maple; specifically, minerals, vitamins, amino acids and more than 67 bioactive natural plant compounds with potential health benefits. The URI team received nearly $500,000 in ACER funds. While maple has largely been lauded as healthy for what it is notprocessed, refined and artificialmaple is recognized more and more as a healthy food for what it IS: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant- and nutrient-rich.

Growth in Organic

U.S. organic sales surpassed $21 billion in the 52-week period ended Nov. 24, 2018, up nearly 9 percent from the previous 52-week period, according to Nielsen Homescan household projected data. Millennials, who spent 14 percent more on organic products compared to the previous 52-week period, are a key demographic. Specific maple sales have not been released; however, organic maple will correspond with overall growth of organic and increased interest in reducing refined sugar and artificial sweetener intake. In 2017, organic maple reached $20 million, with 16 percent growth. Coombs Family Farms is the number one organic maple brand in the U.S.

With these positive achievements and others bolstering maple for the year ahead, Coombs Family Farms predicts these five maple trends on the shelf and in kitchen:

1. Maple Spice Is the New Pumpkin Spice

August 28 was a particularly hot summer afternoon across much of the U.S., and the earliest launch to date for Starbucks Autumnal treat, the pumpkin spice latte. The launch sparked backlash and a torrent of social media, perhaps indicating pumpkin spice has fallen out of favor. Pure and organic maple doesn't require mixing, contains no artificial flavors, and is easily added to foods and beverages. According to MarketWatch, maple could be moving in on pumpkin spice as the new flavor of Fall.

2. Convenience: Buh-Bye Sticky Mess

Consumers are demanding more convenience and less mess. Coombs Family Farms launched Maple Stream, the first spray-able maple syrup, to the trade in 2018. At the push of a button, Coombs Family Farms Maple Stream dispenses just the right amount of Organic Grade A amber color and rich taste maple syrup. Maple Stream is eco-friendly, shelf-stable, portion-controlled and available in retail locations in 2019.

3. Maple-glazed, Plant-based Food

According to Nielsen and SPINS, the total plant-based food market is worth more than $4.1 billion. The Plant Based Food Association reported plant-based meat alternatives totaled $670 million in sales, a 24 percent jump, compared to six percent in 2017. While enthusiasm builds for these products, Coombs Family Farms reminds consumers to eat their vegetables, the original plant-based food. Maple-glazed vegetables are a delicious way to serve up vitamins, minerals and fiber. A few tablespoons of pure maple coaxes out the earthy sweetness of vegetables. While the debate rages on if cauliflower is the new kale, its maple-glazed roasted Brussels sprouts for the win.

4. Maple Mixology

Pure and organic maple is showing up in cocktails with bourbon, rum, gin and mezcal at trendy bars and restaurants. The liquid gold doesnt require the refined sugar or mixing of simple syrup, and is an easy and delicious bartenders friend. How about a Maple Mojito?

5. DIY Maple Add-ins

While flavored maple can be delicious, too much vanilla or spice can easily be overdone, and smoke can taste fake in prepared infused maple. Why not start with pure maple syrup and make your own, adjusting spice and flavor to your liking? And while youre at it, a few drops of pure maple is a concentrated source of minerals and antioxidants. Pure maple syrup is simply sap, or maple water, boiled down and reduced, without any additives. Maple water is 98% water. By adding small amounts of pure maple syrup to water one can easily control the sweetness while still getting the health benefits of maple.

About Coombs Family Farms

For seven generations, Coombs Family Farms has produced great-tasting, 100 percent pure and organic maple syrup. Coombs Family Farms sources maple from over 3,000 small family farms that share a commitment to quality, environmental stewardship, and sustainable forestry management. As the number one organic maple brand in the country, Coombs Family Farms takes pride in working with farmers throughout the North East. For further information visit http://www.coombsfamilyfarms.com. Coombs Family Farms is also on Instagram @coombsmaple and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/GetRealMaple.

# # #Clover Woods Camp & Retreat Hickory Lodge I have long been fond of Clover Woods and want as many people as possible to come and see the event space and consider bringing a group to enjoy staying with us.

United Camps, Conferences & Retreats (UCCR) is pleased to announce new Site Director Susan Souhrada to staff Clover Woods Camp and Retreat Center based in Madrid, Iowa. Souhrada stepped into the new role December 20 and reports directly to UCCRs Chief Operating officer Kent Shelby and CEO Mike Carr.

Souhrada holds a B.A. in Biology from Luther College (IA) and an M.S. in Nutrition from Iowa State University. Her professional experience includes food service and many research positions at Iowa State University along with the position of Product and Process Improvement Manager for the Burke Corporation which is a division of Hormel Foods.

Souhrada's small business experience includes carrying out grounds-keeping operations for various county and privately owned properties in Iowa, an endeavor in which she has been involved for more than 20 years. Additionally, Souhrada has worked on the outdoor crew for a painting contractor.

We are thrilled to bring Susan on-board, she has a wealth of pertinent experience and will surely serve Clover Woods Camp and Retreat Center and customers well, says Shelby, COO. Most exciting to us is her long-term dedication to Clover Woods Camp and Retreat as she has lived with her family next door to the camp for years and have volunteered many hours to watch the camp thrive," continued Shelby.

I have long been fond of Clover Woods and want as many people as possible to come and see the event space and consider bringing a group to enjoy staying with us. Souhrada says.

For more info on Clover Woods Camp and Retreat Center visit uccr.org/cloverwoods or for information on Camp Property Management Services visit camppropertymanagement.org or call 800-678-5102Yorkshire-based charity web design company Charity Box, who specialize in producing websites for UK charities, has introduced website voice navigation to its service offering. This enables website visitors to navigate and search the website by speaking rather than clicking and typing.

More and more people are using voice recognition technology to access information on the internet, says Charity Box founder Matt Saunders. Voice input is now native to all new smartphones, and sales of smart speakers such as Google Home are growing rapidly.

It is increasingly likely that voice input will expand into other areas of technology, including navigating and locating information in mobile apps and on websites. Charity Box, who put a strong emphasis on building accessible websites, hopes to lead the way in voice navigation technology for charities.

Assistive technologies driven by voice have the potential to be revolutionary for people with various disabilities. The RNIB predict that by 2050, nearly four million people in the UK will experience sight loss. That puts a growing pressure on companies to ensure their information is accessible, and presents an opportunity for those wishing to seek solutions to this problem. As the technology and public expectations around voice recognition grows, it will become vital for charities more than anyone to keep ahead of the curve.Talking with the press in Hanoi on January 7 about the upcoming approval of the VPA/FLEGT, Tuan said the agreement will help strengthen forest governance, deal with illegal logging, and promote trade in Vietnamese wood and wooden furniture.

Vietnam has so far shipped wooden furniture to 28 EU countries, mostly in outdoor decor. The EU is the fourth largest importer of Vietnamese wood products, accounting for 13-17% of total exports, he said.

According to him, transparency in the origin of imported wood and control of the supply chain have been among Vietnams key issues during the six years of VPA/FLEGT negotiations.

On the basis of agreements with the EU and partners on wood origin control, Vietnam has recently issued the Law on Forestry, launched the Vietnam Timber Legality Assurance System (VNTLAS) for the first time, and hiked up the punishments for violations.

Vice President of the European Parliament Heidi Hautala said all wood and wooden furniture exported from Vietnam to the EU need FLEGT licences.

The EU has been signing the agreement with 16 countries. The VPA/FLEGT is the second signed by the EU in Asia, following its deal with Indonesia, she said.

She added that the EU wants to eliminate illegal wood exploitation to meet the increasing demands of European consumers.

Vietnam should make every effort to ensure its accountability, she said, adding that the EU will pay special attention to the countrys preparations for the implementation of the agreement.

Tuan said Vietnam has approved a plan to realise the agreement, including building legal documents and strengthening the supervisory role of non-governmental organisations, professional organisations, and concerned parties during the process.

From January 7-9, Hautala is scheduled to pay working trips to the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai and Ho Chi Minh City to prepare for submitting the agreement to the EP for approval.

After six years of negotiations, the VPA/FLEGT was signed by both sides on October 19, 2018 in Brussels, Belgium.

The deal needs to be adopted by the EP before being submitted to the European Council for ratification.Teachers, students, and parents at the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) Academy in Alexandria were surprised and delighted when the D|Watts Construction Company delivered holiday cheer in the form of presents to CARDs students, parents, and staff this holiday season.

As part of their community support project, D|Watts employees treated the children of CARD Alexandria Academy to personalized gifts and toys, as well as gift cards for parents, filling the front lobby with bright Christmas gifts and packages.

When our office suite neighbors at D|Watts asked if they could give our students gifts for the holidays, we didnt imagine such personal and generous items for our children, said Michelle Abramsohn, operations manager at the CARD Academy Alexandria. D|Watts gave the children large stuffed animals, mega trucks, video games, art sets, and puzzles personalized to each childs needs and wants, as well as gift cards for our parents. The people at D|Watts filled our hearts with gratitude, and we cant thank them enough.

CARD Academy in Alexandria serves students of all ages from the surrounding communities and values the opportunity for students and their families to interact with local businesses in such a positive way.

A core value of D|Watts is giving back to our communities and those around us, and when one of our team members suggested we all chip in and buy gifts for the kids at CARD, it was a no-brainer, said David Doherty, principal of D|Watts. We couldnt be more proud of our team and their contributions.

About Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD)

CARD treats individuals of all ages who are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at treatment centers around the globe. CARD was founded in 1990 by leading autism expert and licensed psychologist Doreen Granpeesheh, PhD, BCBA-D. CARD treats individuals with ASD using the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), which is empirically proven to be the most effective method for treating individuals with ASD and recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the US Surgeon General. CARD has over 200 locations throughout the United States. For more information, visit http://www.centerforautism.com.

About D|Watts

Started in 2015, D|Watts is a boutique commercial interiors focused construction firm who selectively targets customers that share their values and who place a premium on quality at a fair price point. D|Watts specializes in high-end commercial interior offices only and as a smaller, selective team, they are able to provide more senior level focus and attention on each of their projects. For more information, visit http://www.dwatts.comThe Village at Orchard RidgeA National Lutheran Community, is pleased to announce Brad Snowden as Philanthropy Director. Snowden brings nearly 20 years of experience in estate planning as a practicing attorney and for the last 16 years has advanced the philanthropic mission of two higher education institutions. Most recently, Snowden was Director of Leadership Gifts at Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, Virginia leading the major giving effort for its $25M Invest for Impact capital campaign that raised $4.8M annual gifts and closed $26M in legacy gifts during its last fiscal year. Previously, he spent nearly 15 years supporting the mission of Shenandoah University where he was instrumental in the successful completion of its $65M Spirit of Shenandoah campaign as well as the campaign for construction of its state-of-the-art Health & Life Science Building and Shenandoah Conservatorys All Steinway piano initiative.

In his role at The Village at Orchard Ridge, Snowden will lead all philanthropic efforts to raise financial support for various funds including the benevolent care endowment fund, the employee tuition reimbursement fund and any special campaigns. The benevolent care endowment fund is set to reach $2 million dollars by 2020 and the funds are used to continue to provide care for residents who have outlived their funds and can no longer afford it. Since 1890, NLCS has never had to ask a resident to leave because they can no longer afford their care, with Snowdens experience and desire to assist older adults, this will be continued at The Village at Orchard Ridge.

We are very pleased to have someone with Snowdens professional experience, education, and proven track record of accomplishment, as our new Philanthropy Director, said NLCS Philanthropy Director, Dee Dee Barbour. Snowdens appointed position on The Village at Orchard Ridges leadership team reflects the importance placed on philanthropy throughout our organization.

Mr. Snowden is an active member of, and serves on the board of, the Tri-State Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, is a past president and former member of the Clarke County Rotary, a current member of the Sunrise Rotary Club of Martinsburg, West Virginia, a member of the National Capital Gift Planning Council, and is former Co-Chair of the Virginia Fund Raising Institute.

Brad holds a B.S. in Political Science from Shepherd College (now Shepherd University) and a Juris Doctorate from Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio.

I am pleased to join the leadership team at The Village at Orchard Ridge in Winchester, Va. and become part of the larger NLCS family. I have a passion for supporting philanthropy in the older adult community and becoming part of continuing growth efforts in support of benevolent care. Winchester is a very special, vibrant place to live and work and I am pleased to return to the area. Much of my professional life has been centered in the Shenandoah Valley, and I look forward to contributing to the amazing work that is accomplished at Orchard Ridge for our residents within the community and citizens throughout the Winchester- Frederick County region, Brad stated upon acceptance of the Philanthropy Director position.

About The Village at Orchard Ridge (TVOR)

The Village at Orchard Ridge in Winchester, Va., is a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) on 132-acres in the Shenandoah Valley. The community opened in February 2013 and offers independent living cottage homes and apartments with in-home services, assisted living memory care, and skilled nursing for both long-term care and short-term rehabilitation. For more information, visit http://www.thevillageatorchardridge.org

About National Lutheran Communities & Services (NLCS)

With 128-years experience, NLCS honors, inspires and supports choice and opportunity in service to seniors. Based in Rockville, Md., NLCS is a faith-based, not-for-profit ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Americas (ELCA) Delaware-Maryland, Metropolitan Washington, D.C. and Virginia Synods, serving people of all beliefs.

Entities sponsored by National Lutheran include myPotential at Home in Winchester Va., and Rockville, Md., The Village at Rockville in Rockville, Md., The Legacy at North Augusta in Staunton, Va., The Village at Orchard Ridge in Winchester, Va., Impact1890, and The Village at Providence Point in Annapolis, Md., subject to Maryland Department of Aging approval. For more information, visit http://www.nationallutheran.org

###This rebrand represents a significant step in BestColleges evolution. We are redefining who we are, driving change, and working to shape the future of the education landscape.

BestColleges, a leading provider of independent college rankings, planning resources, and higher education research, today announced the introduction of its new brand, including a redesigned company logo and website. With the rebranding efforts, BestColleges furthers their commitment to helping students navigate the complex planning and decision-making processes that accompany the higher education journey. The website and logo refresh represents a concentrated effort by BestColleges to establish student success as the focal point of the company.

Since its inception in 2013, BestColleges has become one of the most trusted advisors for students making education decisions that best fit their desired career outcomes, while maintaining a unique focus on the emerging online education industry. Today, they continue to empower students to make smarter academic judgments by expanding the scope of their content to include insights into a more complete educational journey. As a result, the new brand and website signal a transformation that will make college planning decisions for students easier and more accessible than ever.

This rebrand represents a significant step in BestColleges evolution. We are redefining who we are, driving change, and working to shape the future of the education landscape, says Stephanie Snider, Director of BestColleges. Our mission is to make education achievable for everyone and were working toward that goal by continuing to refine and create a digital home base that offers comprehensive, personalized guidance and resources for all students at every step in their education journey -- whether in an online or on-campus capacity.

The new BestColleges logo was designed through a collaborative process and reflects the companys commitment to delivering access to education to all who seek it, from the college search process to mid-career recalibration. The refreshed website also offers a more enhanced user experience optimized to easily view content on desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. Apart from a redesigned look, BestColleges improved site navigation to pair content with the student decision-making journey, ensuring that BestColleges delivers the most relevant, actionable insights for students making important academic and career decisions.

With our new branding and design efforts in place, we look forward to continuing our work to guide future alumni through their education options and questions, supporting them on their way to new degrees, new careers, and new lives, Snider concluded.

About BestColleges.com

BestColleges empowers students to make smarter educational decisions and find schools that best fit their needs through proprietary research, user-friendly guides, and hundreds of unique college rankings. As a trusted education advisor, they also provide a wide array of college planning, financial aid, and career resources to help students realize life goals and overcome educational challenges as they prepare for careers after college.Baxter Planning, the Austin-based service parts planning solutions provider, ramps up its international efforts by expanding its EMEA organisation.

Service Parts Planning specialists Carl Fransman and Philippe Thys join Baxter Planning as the company expands its European presence. Carl Fransman has been appointed Managing Director EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) and Philippe Thys as Director of Technology EMEA. Both gentlemen have many years of experience with the aftermarket, focusing on parts planning solutions, predictive analytics, and IoT.

Carl and Philippe have deep knowledge and expertise based on a broad range of industries relative to service parts planning software. They are a valuable addition to Baxter Plannings team, said Morris A. Cohen, Panasonic Professor of Manufacturing and Logistics in the Operations, Information and Decisions Department, at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

While Baxter Planning previously employed experts in EMEA for customer support, the new team expansion demonstrates the companys commitment to pursue and service new business with leadership in the market. Investing in increasing our global footprint by hiring the best candidates in the market gives us the ability to offer more than just software to our clients. Our team expertise, focus on service parts planning and continued involvement with our clients are core differentiators for achieving consistent and lasting success as is illustrated by our long-lasting installed base, adds Chuck Moeling, Baxter Plannings CEO.

Mr. Fransman will deliver a presentation, Connected Aircraft  The Impact on Maintenance and Uptime, at the prestigious Avionics Expo in Munich in March 2019 as part of Aerospace Technology Week. The panel discussion, Big Data & Cyber Security, will address the challenges facing the connected aircraft as the need for continuous online access for passengers and aircraft data produces vulnerabilities within the systems. The discussion is scheduled for Wednesday March 13th.

About Baxter Planning

Headquartered in Austin, Texas, with employees around the globe, Baxter Planning was founded in 1993 by Greg Baxter, who saw the need for a proprietary solution to address the lack of planning technologies in the market.

Now a worldwide leader in aftermarket supply chain software, Baxter helps customers plan billions in service parts inventory every day. The list of Fortune 500 enterprises and growing startups deploying solutions from Baxter include Verizon, RICOH, Stanley Black and Decker, Nokia, SONY, Thyssenkrupp, and many others. Baxters differentiated combination of a SaaS platform featuring Planning as a Service (PaaS) enables supply chain organizations to deliver dramatic improvements in post-sales service levels while increasing profitability and cash flow.

Baxter has been on SupplyChainBrains List of 100 Great Supply Chain Partners for 15 consecutive years and recognized multiple times as a Best Places to Work in Austin. For more information, visit http://www.baxterplanning.com or email us at info(at)baxterplanning.com.Out of the Pit: an inspiring and encouraging story of salvation. Out of the Pit is the creation of published author Hannah Parkison, a graduate of Rochester College and full-time mother of two. Her favorite activities include family outings, writing, and hunting for sea glass on the beaches of Virginia.

Hannah shares, In 2008, I embarked on a journey that no one would wish upon themselves. I suddenly found myself at the bottom of the pit of anxiety and depression. I battled restlessly with my crippling fears and was confronted with a sense of hopelessness, that is, until God entered into my situation. I learned to cling to His love and guidance as I gradually ascended out of this cavernous pit. I am now grateful for what I went through, though it seemed so daunting at the time. My life has changed drastically as Ive grown in my relationship with Him, and I am a whole new person.

Since my breakthrough, I have promised God to help others out of their own depths of despair. It is my passion to walk alongside people in their pain and be a living testimony of what is possible with God! Ive seen the way God can work through my story, and I wanted to bring it to a larger scale and reach as many as possible. This book is a battle plan that mirrors my exact steps out of anxiety and depression, including the spiritual and practical tools I used to climb out of the pit. Id love nothing more than for you to allow me to guide you with God by our side!

Published by Christian Faith Publishing, Hannah Parkisons new book is a candid and empathetic resource for those struggling with anxiety and depression in their own lives.

View a synopsis of Out of the Pit on YouTube.

Readers can purchaseOut of the Pit at traditional brick and mortar bookstores, or online at Amazon.com, Apple iTunes store, or Barnes and Noble.

For additional information or inquiries about Out of the Pit, contact the Christian Faith Publishing media department at 866-554-0919.Arlington Investment Advisors https://arlingtoninvest.com is excited to announce the launch of its Financial Planning and Investment Advisory business.

Led by Michael Stern, formerly a financial consultant with Merrill Lynch, Arlington Investment Advisors looks to assist Arlington, MA residents and small business owners with their retirement, college savings, and wealth management needs.

Stern will also be teaching a new course through Arlington Community Education http://www.arlingtoncommunityed.org called Navigating the Stock Market, which begins January 31st.

A 20-year resident of Arlington, MA, Stern has two children in Arlington schools, is a Town Meeting Member, and a member of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. Stern believes Arlington residents will benefit from having a community member act as their trusted financial advisor.

We think the time is ripe for an Arlington Advisor who is really focused on the client, added Stern. When you work with stock brokers and insurance advisors, you tend to find someone who is mostly interested in selling commissioned products. When you work with the big mutual fund companies, they tend to sell funds that under perform the market averages and have high management fees.

Operating from Workbar, Arlingtons hip co-working space on Mass. Ave., Arlington Investment Advisors can work with individuals and families in multiple ways, ranging from simply developing a financial plan, building an asset allocation strategy, as well as full-service investment management.

Arlington Investment Advisors can work with clients wherever their assets may be: Fidelity Investments, Charles Schwab, TD Ameritrade, Bank of America, and other financial institutions.

Sterns Navigating the Stock Market course at Arlington Community Education is designed to empower individual investors to make educated and informed financial decisions: how to allocate assets, choose equity ETFs, pick new stocks, and manage a portfolio.

More information about Navigating the Stock Market can be found here: https://register.asapconnected.com/CourseDetail.aspx?CourseId=185906

About Arlington Investment Advisors:

Arlington Investment Advisors https://arlingtoninvest.com develops a customized investment plan for you based on your financial needs, goals, time horizon, and tolerance for risk. The firms principal investment officer, Michael Stern, is a Registered Investment Advisor who began his Financial Services career with Merrill Lynch. A 20-year resident of Arlington, MA, Michael has two children in Arlington Schools, is a Town Meeting Member, and is a member of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce. He holds the Series 65 Investment Advisors license.

This press release, and the Arlingtoninvest.com web site, are solely for informational purposes. Arlington Investment Advisors is a Registered Investment Adviser. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where Arlington Investment Advisors and its representatives are properly licensed or exempt from licensure. Past performance is no guarantee of future returns. Investing involves risk and possible loss of principal capital. No advice may be rendered by Arlington Investment Advisors unless a client service agreement is in place.In the event we have a tornado threat or an intruder on campus my staff and students can be out of harms way in less than 2 minutes.

The Quitman School District in Quitman, Arkansas is the first district in the state to install safety shelters in every classroom. Their facility includes elementary, middle and high school grades housed on the same campus meaning all students in the entire district are now protected from both tornadoes and active shooters.

The shelters, manufactured by Staying Home Corporation in Harrisonville, Missouri and distributed through National Safety Shelters have been designed and tested to withstand the violent force of an EF5 tornado with wind speeds of 261-318 mph. Should the threat of a tornado be imminent, students and staff have immediate access to safety since the shelters are right inside each classroom. In school districts that currently have tornado shelters, students and staff must all convene in one or several shelters outside the main school buildings which involves a cumbersome procedure and puts them at risk since they are unprotected en route to the shelter.

Immediate protection of students and staff from an active shooter is a salient feature of these shelters since they are made using  American-made NIJ Ballistic Level IIIA steel which resists all handgun and shotgun rounds. Quitman opted to maximize protection by upgrading to Ballistic Level III military-grade steel which resists rounds from semi-automatic weapons like the AK-47 and AR-15 rifles. The AR-15 was the weapon used in several mass shootings including Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, Harvest festival in Las Vegas, Nevada and the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.

In addition to installing shelters in each classroom, Quitman also decided to locate a single large shelter in their cafeteria (175 person capacity) and several more in their new Science Lab facility, also on campus.

The Federal Commission on School Safety released a Final Report on Dec. 18, 2018 which recommends that school administrators harden their schools by seeking to create secure spaces within classrooms where students and teachers can shelter in the case of an active shooter.

The efforts of Quitmans administration to protect their students and staff sets a precedent for other districts in the state and beyond to search for reliable solutions to the urgent challenge of school safety.

Dennis Truxler, Superintendent of the Quitman School District remarked, I spent a lot of time last spring researching the best possible way to keep my staff and students safe. I found nothing that comes close to the added security we have with safety shelters in every classroom. In the event we have a tornado threat or an intruder on campus my staff and students can be out of harms way in less than 2 minutes."

The Quitman School District is way ahead of the curve in their efforts to harden their schools from not only destructive weather events, but the ever-increasing threat of violent armed intruders.Retailers who deliver their customers a seamless, personalized check out experience, regardless of tender type at the point of sale, will continue to build loyalty and profits.

APG Cash Drawer a global manufacturer of cash management solutions will display its innovative point -of -sale solutions at the 2019 NRF Big Show in New York City. At center stage in booth 2451 will be the innovative SMARTtill Cash Management Solution integrated with software partners for retailers across the globe. Attendees can also expect to see APGs general application, mPOS solutions and custom and bespoke cash drawer solutions in booth 2551.

The retail landscape continues to evolve, and weve identified and developed tiered cash management solutions that address pain points across a variety of retail environments, stated Bob Stone, Global V.P. of Product at APG. From entry level to robust, to mobile solutions, to fully custom and bespoke cash drawer solutions, our wide range of products is unique in the market allowing us to address a retailers specification, environment and currency requirements.

Cash isnt going away anytime soon and continues to be a frequent form of tender, representing 30% of all transactions and 55% of all payments under $10, stated Stephen Bergeron, V.P. of Global Marketing and SMARTtill Business Development at APG. We understand the cash management challenges retailers face today. Those that choose to leverage automated cash management solutions will reduce cash shrink, reduce labor costs, and improve the overall customer experience, continued Bergeron. Retailers who deliver their customers a seamless, personalized check out experience, regardless of tender type at the point of sale, will continue to build loyalty and profits. For over 40 years, APG has been committed to developing innovative global cash drawer and cash management solutions to meet the needs of retailers worldwide.

Attending the National Retail Federations Big Show is a privilege as it gives us valuable market insights on key retail trends and technology for 2019 and beyond, stated Mark J. Olson, President & CEO at APG Cash Drawer. As we strive to be our customers best and preferred choice for point-of-sale solutions, NRF connects us with new and existing customers, partners, and innovators around the globe to continuously develop solutions to enhance efficiency and security at the point of sale.

APG invites all industry partners, retail customers, friends, and attendees to visit them at NRF in booths 2551 and 2451 to discover their full range of cash management solutions. At NRF, APG will feature integrated SMARTtill Solution partners Fujitsu, TcPOS and TGCS. Schedule a meeting with us at NRF 2019 to see the latest innovations in cash management technology.

About APG Cash Drawer  APG Cash Drawer, with over 40 years of experience, manufactures a wide range of highly durable and reliable cash drawers that are delivered quickly to the marketplace. APG has built a reputation as the supplier of choice for cash management solutions for retail, grocery, hospitality, and quick serve for thousands of customers throughout the world. Whether its our general application cash drawer, custom designed solutions, or the SMARTtill Cash Management Solution, our products and brand are differentiated by our ability to deliver innovative technologies that globally enhance efficiency and security at the point of sale. To learn more about our products, visit http://www.cashdrawer.com/ or call at 763-571-5000. Follow us on Twitter at @apgcashdrawer and on FacebookAndy McMillan, BACnet International President Zhijiang College is working hard to advance the availability of BACnet education in China and I look forward to working with them to achieve that goal.

Andy McMillan was recently named Honorary Professor at Zhijiang College, Zhejiang University of Technology. McMillan is the president of BACnet International and has been involved in the building automation industry for over 15 years. He has been an invited speaker on BACnet and open systems at conferences around the world, most recently at the BACnet Interest Group  China/Asias BACnet Golden Week where he presented a session on the application of BACnet in airports.

Lin Peng Li, Dean of Zhijiang College, made the five year appointment on November 13, 2018 in Shaoxing, China.

Im proud to accept this honorary professorship from Dean Li, said McMillan. Zhijiang College is working hard to advance the availability of BACnet education in China and I look forward to working with them to achieve that goal.

About BACnet International

BACnet International is an industry association that facilitates the successful use of the BACnet protocol in building automation and control systems through interoperability testing, educational programs and promotional activities. BACnet International oversees operation of the BACnet Testing Laboratories (BTL) and maintains a global listing of tested products. The BACnet standard was developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and has been made publicly available so that manufacturers can create interoperable systems of products. BACnet International complements the work of the ASHRAE standards committee and BACnet-related interest groups around the world. BACnet International members include building owners, consulting engineers and facility managers, as well as companies involved in the design, manufacture, installation, commission and maintenance of control equipment that uses BACnet for communication. For more information, please visit http://www.bacnetinternational.org.The Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) has named five members to the 2019 class of Fellows. AAEA recognizes a small group of professionals each year who have made outstanding continuous contributions to the profession. They are named AAEA Fellows and recognized at the Annual Meeting. This is AAEA's most prestigious honor. The AAEA Fellows page lists those that have been given this designation. Full biographies of each Fellow can be found in the proceedings issue of AJAE in the year in which they received the designation.



Mary Bohman,

USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service



Kevin Boyle,

Virginia Tech



Matin Qaim,

University of Goettingen



Ian Sheldon,

The Ohio State University



Wallace Tyner,

Purdue University

Fellows will receive their awards at the 2019 Awards & Fellows Recognition Ceremony at the 2019 AAEA Annual Meeting, Monday, July 22, 2019, 6:00 pm  7:15 pm.

About 1,400 participants are expected to attend the 2019 AAEA Annual Meeting, which will take place on July 21-23 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in downtown Atlanta.

Contact Allison Scheetz in the AAEA Business Office for more information.

ABOUT AAEA: Established in 1910, the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA) is the leading professional association for agricultural and applied economists, with 2,500 members in more than 60 countries. Members of the AAEA work in academic or government institutions as well as in industry and not-for-profit organizations, and engage in a variety of research, teaching, and outreach activities in the areas of agriculture, the environment, food, health, and international development. The AAEA publishes two journals, the American Journal of Agricultural Economics and Applied Economic Perspectives & Policy, as well as the online magazine Choices. To learn more, visit http://www.aaea.org.Elizabeth City, NC (27909)

Today

Some sun this morning with increasing clouds this afternoon. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 84F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 63F. Winds light and variable."We are pleased to offer such a well-rounded solution at an incredible value. Our position as an industry leader has allowed us to secure exclusive deals from several of our partners, in addition to the discounts we're offering on 3dcart software and services this month." Gonzalo Gil, 3dcart CEO

3dcart, a leading eCommerce software provider, has just launched their limited-time 2019 All-In-One Business Bundle, a massive cost-saving opportunity for any new business looking to launch an online store. Available only through January 2019, the All-In-One Business Bundle combines all the advantages of the 3dcart software with several free bonuses from 3dcart's eCommerce partners. Square payment processing, Avalara tax calculation software, ShipStation shipping management, and FedEx are all participating with exclusive offers included in the 3dcart bundle, which can save a new business approximately $1,500 from its startup costs.

"Our All-In-One Business Bundle is an all-inclusive eCommerce business package," explained Gonzalo Gil, 3dcart CEO. "The New Year is a prime time for new business owners to break into the market, and we are pleased to offer such a well-rounded solution at an incredible value. Our position as an industry leader has allowed us to secure exclusive deals from several of our partners, in addition to the discounts we're offering on 3dcart software and services this month."

Merchants signing up for the 2019 All-In-One Business Bundle will have a significant advantage in the form of these bonuses as well as the benefits of 3dcart's cutting-edge eCommerce platform. Features include a full suite of marketing tools, robust order and customer management, and the best built-in SEO available today. Free domain registration and 24/7/365 support is also included with 3dcart service.

For more information about 3dcart's 2019 All-In-One Business Bundle, visit https://www.3dcart.com/plans/business-bundle.html.

About 3dcart

3dcart (https://www.3dcart.com), located in Tamarac, Florida, is the most SEO-friendly eCommerce platform for retailers and internet marketers to grow their online stores' traffic and sales. 3dcart includes 24x7 Technical Support, 100+ Mobile-Ready Themes, order management software, built-in blog, email marketing tools and more. Since 1997, the company has been a leader in the eCommerce market, building online stores for businesses of all sizes. Today, 3dcart is Visa PCI Certified and a Google Partner.We are honored that Melbourne has been chosen by the U.S. Air Force as the first place in the hemisphere to perform a full demonstration of the F-35, said Bryan Lilley, Chairman of the National Air, Sea and Space Foundation, organizer of the show.

The 2019 Melbourne Air & Space Show will feature the North American debut of the U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II Demo Team when it returns to Orlando Melbourne International Airport, March 30-31.

The F-35 Lightning II, also known as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, is the most advanced fighter aircraft flying in the world today. 2019 is the first year a full capabilities demo of the F-35 will be flown by the U.S. military and Melbourne will be the first place where the world can see it.

The F-35 is a fifth generation, single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth fighter flown by three branches of the U.S. Department of Defense. It is designed to perform ground attack, aerial intelligence and air defense missions. There are three variants, the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing model used by the Air Force, the F-35B short take-off and vertical-landing (STOVL) model used by the Marine Corps and the F-35C carrier-based model used by the Navy.

We are honored that Melbourne has been chosen by the U.S. Air Force as the first place in the hemisphere to perform a full demonstration of the F-35, said Bryan Lilley, Chairman of the National Air, Sea and Space Foundation, organizer of the show. We have had quite a run in just six years hosting the Thunderbirds, Blue Angels, two foreign military teams, the North American debut of the Airbus A400M and now the debut of the F-35 Demo Team.

Northrop Grumman will be the title sponsor of the 2019 Melbourne Air & Space Show, returning for the sixth consecutive year.

We are excited to continue our sponsorship with this amazing show, said Bob Klein, Vice President of Engineering for the Manned Aircraft Design center in Melbourne. This is a significant event for the area and a great opportunity for us to get to connect with our community. With Northrop Grumman a principal member of the F-35 team, we believe our employees and attendees will enjoy seeing it in action. And, in the coming weeks, we plan to announce an additional top-tier performance aircraft for the show.

Sponsorship opportunities and corporate hospitality packages are available and volunteer registration is now open for the event. For more information on the show or the F-35 Lightning II Demo Team please visit http://airandspaceshow.com/.

###International Bond and Share Society Stock and Bond Certificates are great collectibles and make wonderful gifts

The 18th Annual International Stock and Bond Show in Herndon, Virginia will have thousands of historical and artistic stock and bond certificates, autographs, paper money, coins, old documents, and much more. The show will have dealers from all over the world and is always one of the best stock and bond shows. The show is managed by the world famous, Bob Schell.

The location of the show is the Crowne Plaza Hotel near Dulles Airport at 2200 Centerville Road and located just 21 miles from Washington DC (call 800-227-6963). The show starts on Friday, January 25th to Saturday, January 26th, 2018. The show hours are from 9am to 6pm on Friday and from 9am to 4pm on Saturday.

Dealers attending the show will include Larry Falater, Hollins Certificates, Inc. , Bob Kerstein CPA -Scripophily.com / OldCompany.com, Chris LaBarre -George LaBarre Galleries, Tom Lareau, K. Clifford Priest, Ted Robinson -Frost & Robinson, Bob Schell -Bob Schell Enterprises, Robin Majlak - Herzon and Co., Larry Schuffman, Bob Schwartz -Archives International, David Strebe -Paper Collectibles, Scott Winslow -Scott J, Winslow & Associates and others.

Terry Cox will have a booth offering his 3rd edition of Collectible Stocks and Bonds from North American Railroads. A limited quantity of books are offered for $49.95 on a one-copy-per-customer-basis. Larry Falater will have a great exhibit on the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake including lots of photos and other interesting items.

Bob Kerstein of OldCompany.com/ RM Smythe Stock Research Service will once again be offering a free old stock certificate research services ($39.95 Value) to anyone who brings in a certificate to his booth and wants to know what happened to the company. In addition, He will also be offering free assessments of stock and bond certificates as to their collectability and value.

The International Bond & Share Society will be represented by Chairman/Marketing/Deputy Webmaster  Martin Zanke, USA Chapter, President & Treasurer  Max D. Hensley, Public Relations Director  Bob Kerstein, Webmaster  Tim Welo, and Membership Secretary, Robin Majlak .

The International Bond and Share Society was founded in 1978 as a non-profit organization which is led by volunteers for the benefit of its members, who have a mutual interest in educating, collecting and sharing information of bond, stock and share certificates and company histories. The Society shall provide a platform to interact with the academic community, museums, members and the general public to share the knowledge and history of these financial documents. The Society will welcome new and old collectors in its efforts to promote the hobby of scripophily for generations to come. The IBSS has members in more than 50 countries on all continents. You can join the IBSS at Membership.

Scripophily (scrip-ah-fil-ly) is the name of the hobby of collecting old stock and bond certificates. Certificate values range from a few dollars to more than $500,000 for the most unique and rare items. Tens of thousands of Scripophily buyers worldwide include casual collectors, corporate archives, business executives, museums and serious collectors. Due to the computer age, more and more stock and bonds are issued electronically which means fewer paper certificates are being issued. As a result, demand for paper certificates is increasing while supply is decreasing.

Scripophily has had items on loan for display in the Smithsonian's Museum of Financial History in New York. We have also partnered with the Museum of American Finance On Stock Giveaways for New York Area Teachers and Students. Scripophily has been featured on CNBC, USA Today, Associated Press, Reuters, Nightline, Today Show, Baltimore Sun, and Washington Post and in many other media publications.

For more information on Scripophily please visit http://www.scripophily.com, https://scripophily.org, https://www.oldcompany.com, https://www.scripophily.net, https://rm-smythe.com, or call 1-703-787-3552

# # #The NSW Valuer General has released the latest official land values.

Residential land values increased by 4.4% over the year.

There had been a 14.1 per cent rise in the previous year.

The land values are for the value of the land only, as at 1 July 2018.

One of the biggest increase was in Ku-Ring-Gai local government area where residential land values increased by 22.5% with very strong increases in land values for mixed use properties along the Pacific Highway (45.8%). Residential land values increased in the Lane Cove local government area by 17.4%, due to demand for housing near public transport, main roads and the business centres of North Sydney, Chatswood and Macquarie Park.

Acting Valuer General Michael Parker said the land values are made by independent contract valuers following the analysis of over 46,000 sales.

Residential land values in the Sydney Central region recorded an increase of 2.1%, the so-called Sydney East region increased by 3.2% and the Sydney West region had a 3.8% increase.

Decreases were recorded in the Georges River suburbs (-3.3%).

Rural NSW land values increased overall by 14.3% due to continued demand and firm commodity prices.

Most locations recorded strong increases despite the continuing dry conditions, the department noted.

The land values reflect the property market at 1 July 2018. Land values do not include the value of a home or other structures.

Mr Parker encouraged the public to visit valuergeneral.nsw.gov.au for more information on land values and the valuation system.

The latest land values for all properties in NSW are available on our website along withinformation on trends, medians and typical land values for each local government area, Mr Parker said.South Australias housing market is forecast to remain relatively subdued with slow but steady growth, according to the latest report from Moody's Analytics.

Moodys Analytics have forecast housing values will pick up slightly in 2019, while apartment values will likely be weak off the back of a slow 2018.

Greater Adelaide is expected to see sustained housing growth of 2.6% in 2019 and 3.6% in 2020, a small improvement on 2018, while apartments are forecast to see subdued growth as in the trend of previous years.

The Central and Hills region of Adelaide is forecast to see housing growth of 2.5% in 2019 in line with greater Adelaide and slightly less growth in 2020, while apartments are expected to stabilise after making a small loss last year of -0.8%.

Adelaide North is forecast to have greater growth in 2020 than in 2019 reaching 4.6% an improvement on its previous performance, while apartments are forecast to continue a small downward trend in 2019 and 2020.

The Southern Adelaide region is forecast to have the strongest housing growth in Adelaide growing 3.7% in 2019 and 4.9% in 2020, while apartments are forecast to have slow growth in 2019 of 1.4% and the strongest apartment growth of any SA region in 2020 at 3.9%.

Western Adelaide is forecast to see small growth in housing prices in 2019 and 2020 of 2% and 2.9% respectively, while apartments are expected to have a strong 2019 with growth of 3% lower than their 2018 growth of 4.5% before slumping to a loss in of 2.9% in 2020.

The rest of SA is expected to be continued a trend of home price weakness in 2019 with a loss of -0.6% forecast by Moody's Analytics, however in 2020 a recovery has been predicted with growth pegged at 4.2%.

Barossa, Yorke, and Mid North SA are predicted to experience weakening house prices in 2019 before experiencing a pick up in 2020 of 3.4%, after experiencing price growth in 2017 and 2018.

The Outback region of SA is forecast to see price falls of -10.2 throughout 2019 continuing a trend of price falls before bouncing back in 2020 to grow 5.6%.

South East SA is forecast to have consistent price growth in 2019 (3.9%) and 2020 (4.1%) after seeing a reduction of -0.6% last year.

The report authors note, "although low population growth has dampened home values, a recovery in employment growth, coupled with increased incomes over the next few years, could result in pockets of South Australia outperforming the rest of the state."

The dwelling market in Adelaide-North is likely to remain mixed with house values expected to accelerate while apartment values remain subdued.

Overall, population growth has supported home values; nearly 50% of the total population gain in Adelaide has been in Adelaide-North in 2016-2017.

However population growth is expected to moderate.

The report said, "the Adelaide-Central and Hills region enjoyed a strong run in 2017, but values have slowed in 2018, and a slow recovery is likely in 2019."

"Moreover, a strong runup in apartment supply since 2014 has prompted apartment values to fall in 2018, and only a small recovery is likely in 2019 and 2020."

"A higher supplywith around 1.4 apartments approved for every home approved since 2015will limit apartment value gains in the region," the report stated.

Moody's Analytics forecast that slow population and income growth will weigh on the South Australian housing market.

They have also predicted that high rental values will keep the Adelaide housing market stable and prevent a sharp collapse seen elsewhere nationwide.

Notably, agriculture commodity prices are expected to remain subdued, while the Australian dollar is unlikely to fall further.

These external developments will limit income gains across the Barossa-Yorke-Mid North and South Australia-Outback regions in the coming years.

Consequently it is forecast the housing market there is will correct further in 2019 before a recovery takes place in 2020.Victor Spink, a convicted drug importer who loved his property and the punt, has died age 76.

His body was found early Monday morning in a $79 a night hotel near Sydneys Central Station, the death likely caused by a drug overdose.

A police spokeswoman told the SMH's Kate McClymont, who has diligently followed his life and times through the decades, that there were no suspicious circumstances.

The SMH's Title Deeds column similarly followed the Sydney-born, St Ives-based Victor Thomas Spink after authorities sought to seize 10 properties that he owned across NSW from Darling Point to Byron Bay, on the NSW north coast.

In 2008 Spink told the Herald the botched 1994 $225 million drug importation had cost him much of his prior fortune.

'I lost everything when they arrested me,' Spink said.

"Three of the properties in Byron and two at Potts Point were worth $16.5 million," he once suggested.

Born in 1942, Spink was first convicted of breaking and entering in 1960. He was jailed then deported from United Kingdom in the early 1970s.

He was next imprisoned in the late 1970s over a $54,000 mailbag robbery at Port Macquarie on the NSW mid-north coast.

By the 1970s the Woodward Royal Commission heard evidence linking him to the heroin trade.

In the 1990s, the Australian Federal Police were listening in on Spinks phone calls as part of Operation Caribou, investigating cannabis importation from Pakistan.

The Herald revealed in 1995 that it had obtained AFP recordings of phone conversations suggesting Spink, then only known as Mr C, was part of a race-fixing network on Sydney tracks.New Delhi, Jan 9 : Iran is ready to engage with all neighbours in the interests of sovereignty, integrity, peace and stability of the region, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said on Wednesday.

"Let us start with regional dialogue forums in our region, which has seen so many wars in the recent decades since Saddam Hussain's Iraq attacked Iran first and then Kuwait," Zarif said while addressing the 2019 Raisina Dialogue, India's flagship annual geopolitical and geostrategic conference, here.

"We are prepared to engage with all neighbours," he said.

Zarif said the admissions to such regional forums should be governed by sovereignty, integrity, peace and stability of states.

Stating that dialogue forums can be through government, private sector and civil society, he said: "We need a strong region, and not dominant strong men."

Meanwhile, in an apparent softening of Tehran's stand vis-a-vis Islamabad's policy on war-ravaged Pakistan, Zarif told a news channel here that the "Pakistani position on Afghanistan is evolving and we believe that Pakistan now is trying to play a positive role in getting a peace process underway in Afghanistan".

"I understand that the Pakistanis also do not wish to see an Afghanistan dominated by extremists groups because that for Iran and India is a security threat but for Pakistana it is an existential threat. Extremism in Pakistan and Afghanistan is an existential threat for Pakistan."

India is closely watching the developments in Afghanistan particularly after US President Donald Trump announced he would withdraw 7,000 of the 14,000 US troops from there.

Zarif said the presence of US troops did "nothing to help the security and stability of Afghanistan".

Zarif's remarks came even as the Afghan Taliban called off talks with US officials scheduled in Qatar this week reportedly over an "agenda disagreement".

The Taliban have repeatedly rejected talks on peace with the Afghan government in the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan.

Organised by the External Affairs Ministry in partnership with the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) think tank, this fourth edition of the Raisina Dialogue is being attended by over 600 delegates from 92 countries, including influential political leaders, strategic thinkers, policy practitioners, technology innovators, business representatives and academics.New Delhi, Jan 9 : Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "be a man" and answer queries raised by him over the Rafale fighter aircraft deal.

Respect for women in the Indian culture begins at home, he said hours after Modi hit out at opposition leaders accusing them of "insulting" Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the first woman to occupy the post, and said the opposition parties will have to pay a price for it.

"With all due respect Modi Ji, in our culture respect for women begins at home. Stop shaking. Be a man and answer my question: Did the Air Force and Defence Ministry object when you bypassed the original Rafale deal? Yes? Or No?," Gandhi tweeted.

Addressing a public meeting in Agra, Modi had said that the country has seen how the opposition leaders tried to disrespect Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha when she was exposing their bundles of lies bit by bit, referring to the debate in the Lok Sabha on the Rafale deal.

"They (opposition) were left so baffled that they are now bent on insulting a woman Defence Minister. This is not just an insult to the Defence Minister but an insult to women and women power in the country. Such irresponsible leaders will have to pay a price for it," Modi said.Mumbai, Jan 9 : Despite heavy volatility, fresh inflows of foreign funds and buying interest in FMCG, banking and realty stocks lifted the Indian equity market for the fourth straight session on Wednesday.

Accordingly, the BSE Sensex crossed the 36,000-mark while the NSE Nifty50 reclaimed the 10,850-level. The rise came after a sharp dip in the mid-afternoon session.

The domestic investor sentiment was boosted by firm global markets and expectations of healthy corporate earnings for the October-December quarter.

Globally, investor sentiment was upbeat after the US-China trade talks concluded during the day. Investors expect a positive outcome from the three-day talks.

Index-wise, the Nifty50 rose by 53 points or 0.49 per cent to settle at 10,855.15 points.

The Sensex closed at 36,212.91 points, higher by 231.98 points or 0.64 per cent from the previous close of 35,980.93 points. It had opened at 36,181.37 and touched an intra-day high of 36,250.54 and a low of 35,863.29 points.

"The market started on a positive note but took some caution ahead of major quarterly results scheduled tomorrow. In totality with expectation of a breather from the US-China meeting which concluded today led the market to close on a positive bias," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.

"Buying interest has been seen across sectors led by private banks, IT and FMCG while PSU banks declined due to profit booking post recent gains."

The Indian rupee stood weaker by 26 paise at Rs 70.46 per dollar from its previous close of 70.20. In just two days the rupee has lost over 75 paise.

On the other hand, Brent crude futures rose to around $59 per barrel.

"Technically, with the Nifty moving up further, traders will need to watch if the recent gains can sustain in the near term. Further upsides are likely once the immediate resistances of 10,870 are taken out," said Deepak Jasani of HDFC Securities.

"Crucial supports to watch for resumption of weakness is at 10,815."

Investment-wise, FIIs bought Rs 276.14 crore while DIIs bought stocks worth over Rs 439.67 crore on Wednesday.

Stock-wise, the top gainers on Sensex were Axis Bank, ITC, Tata Motors, Bharti Aitel, HDFC which inched up in the range of 1 to 3 per cent.

In contrast, Yes Bank lost 3.07 per cent and Tata Steel, ONGC, Heromoto Corp, NTPC declined up to 2 per cent.Chennai, Jan 9 : India's largest bus manufacturer and the fourth largest in the world, Ashok Leyland on Wednesday said it has bagged orders for 2,580 buses from various state transport undertakings (STUs).

In a statement issued here, the company said it bagged orders from Institute of Road Transport, Chennai, Uttar Pradesh State Roadways Transport Corporation and Chandigarh Transport Undertaking for 2,580 buses.

These orders are among the largest from STUs for a single manufacturer. All these buses can be delivered before March 2019, the company said.

"We are very happy to receive the confirmation of these orders from state transport undertakings. Our ability to bring value, combined with our superior technology and innovation, will help us maintain our leadership position in buses in India," Vinod K Dasari, Managing Director, was quoted as saying in the statement.Yingkiong : , Jan 9 (IANS) Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday inaugurated India's longest 300-meter single-lane steel cable suspension bridge over Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Siang district bordering China.

The suspension bridge - also known as Byorung bridge - was built at a cost of Rs 4,843 crore and funded by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region under Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources scheme.

It will reduce the distance from Yingkiong to Tuting town by almost 40 km. The earlier road length was 192 km.

Khandu said the newly inaugurated bridge will benefit about 20,000 people residing on both sides of the bank of Siang river and will also boost military preparedness.

Noting that good connectivity was the way forward for the state's prosperity, the Chief Minister said the Centre had sanctioned 268 road projects worth Rs 3,800 crore under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).

He said for Upper Siang district's two PMGSY projects had been sanctioned.

The projects are the 35 km road from Paling to Zido and the 30 km road from Zido to Bishing, he told the gathering.New Delhi, Jan 9 (IANS) Special SIT court judge P.B. Desai "ignored evidence" that former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, who was killed in a mob attack in Ahmedabad's Gulberg Housing Society during the 2002 riots, did all that was possible within his power to protect Muslims from the "rage of the mob" and instead echoed the position of then Chief Minister Narendra Modi that his killing was only a "reaction" to his "action" of shooting at the mob, says human rights activist Harsh Mander.

He says that "the learned judge", who retired in December 2017, overlooked statements by surviving witnesses that Jafri made repeated desperate calls to senior police officers and other persons in authority, "including allegedly Chief Minister Modi", pleading that security forces be sent to "disperse the crowd" and rescue those "against whom the mob had laid a powerful siege".

Mander, who quit the IAS in Gujarat in the wake of the riots, makes these observations in his just released book, "Partitions of the Heart: Unmaking the Idea of India", published by Penguin.

The 66-year-old activist, who works with survivors of mass violence and hunger as well as homeless persons and street children, goes on to quote the late journalist Kuldip Nayar to establish that Jafri had desperately telephoned him, "begging him to contact someone in authority to send in the police or the Army to rescue them".

Mander says Nayar rang up the Union Home Ministry to convey to it the seriousness of the situation. The Home Ministry said it was in touch with the state government and was "watching" the situation. Jafri called again, pleading with Nayar to do something as the mob was threatening to lynch him.

In the chapter titled "Whatever happened in Gulberg Society?", Mander contends that Jafri did everything within his power to protect "those who believed that his influence would shield them from the rage of the mob". Mander says Jafri begged the mob to "take his life instead" and in a show of valour went out "to plead and negotiate" with the angry crowd.

"When he realised that no one in authority would come in for their protection, he also did pick up his licensed firearm and shoot at the crowd...," Mander notes, describing it as the "final vain bid" on behalf of Jafri to protect the Muslims in the line of fire.

The author notes that in describing Jafri's final resort to firing as an illegitimate action, the judge only echoed the position taken repeatedly by Modi, who had given an interview to a newspaper in which he had said that it was Jafri who had first fired at the mob.

"He forgot to say what a citizen is expected to do when a menacing mob, which has already slaughtered many, approaches him and the police has deliberately not responded to his pleas," says Mander.

He says that it was as if even when under attack and surrounded by an armed mob warning to slaughter them, "and with acid bombs and burning rags flung at them", a good Muslim victim should do nothing except plead, and this would ensure their safety.

Ehsan Jafri's wife Zakia Jafri, according to Mander, was firmly convinced that her husband was killed because of a conspiracy that went right to the top of the state administration, beginning with Modi. The author notes that the court, in its judgement running into more than 1,300 pages, disagreed.

"It did indict 11 people for the murder but they were just foot soldiers," observed Mander.

He further says that the story the survivors told the judge over prolonged hearings was consistent but Judge Desai was convinced that there was "no conspiracy behind the slaughter" and that the administration did all it could to control it.

"Jafri, by the judge's reckoning, and that of Modi, was responsible for his own slaughter," he laments.

Mander also argues in the book that recurring episodes of communal violence in Ahmedabad had altered the city's demography, dividing it into Hindu and Muslim areas and Gulberg was among the last remaining "Muslim" settlements in the "Hindu" section of the city.

He says that Desai also disregarded the evidence in the conversations secretly taped by Tehelka reporters, mentioning that superior courts, according to Desai himself, have ruled that while a person cannot be convicted exclusively based on the evidence collected in such "sting operations", such evidence is certainly "admissible as corroborative proof".

"But he chose to disregard this evidence, not because there was proof that these video recordings were in any way doctored or false but simply because the Special Investigative Team (SIT) appointed by the Supreme Court of India chose to ignore this evidence," says Mander.

According to Mander, the Tehelka recordings "certainly supported the theory that there was indeed a plan to collect, incite and arm the mob to undertake the gruesome slaughter".

The SIT was headed by R.K. Raghavan, today Ambassador to Cyprus. Mander contends in the book that just because the investigators did not pursue Tehelka recordings in greater depth, Desai concluded that the "recordings cannot be relied upon as trustworthy of substantial evidence and establish any conspiracy herein".

In the book, Mander takes stock of whether India has upheld the values it had set out to achieve and offers painful, unsparing insight into the contours of violence. The book is now available both online and in bookstores.

( can be contacted at saket.s@ians.in)Kolkata, Jan 9 : West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress on Wednesday expelled two of their MPs for their alleged involvement in various controversies and anti-party activities, a senior party leader said.

Among the two expelled leaders, Soumitra Khan, the MP of Bankura district's Bishnupur Lok Sabha constituency, joined BJP earlier in the day. The other leader Anupam Hazra represents Birbhum district's Bolpur constituency.

"Soumitra Khan got involved in several controversies in the last one year. He did not have any connection with the party. We have repeatedly cautioned him and gave him a lot of time but things did not change. So he has been removed from the party," said Trinamool Congress Secretary General Partha Chatterjee.

"On the other hand, Anupam Hazra is involved in more heinous activities. He has made a number of controversial statements on the social media and done certain things which are not in line with party's culture. He has also been expelled," he said.

Khan, who was inducted in the saffron party in New Delhi in the afternoon following his meeting with BJP President Amit Shah, claimed he has left Trinamool as there is no democracy in Bengal.

Taking a swipe at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew and party MP Abhishek Banerjee, Khan said it is not possible that only a certain family from south Kolkata will reign in Bengal.

"There is no democracy in Bengal. I have repeatedly told the party that we should respect common people but that did not happen. Election is going on in the entire country, but not a single blast took place anywhere (outside Bengal). They (Trinamool) are snatching away people's voting rights and giving away the funds received from the Central government. West Bengal cannot be run this way," he said.

"Who is Abhishek Banerjee to decide whether I would get the ticket in 2019 elections from the party? I am a people's representative. People will decide if I am eligible or not. A single family from south Kolkata should not be allowed to rule Bengal," he added.Chennai, Jan 9 : Clearance of cheques valued over Rs 20,000 crore was affected by the bank strike that continued for the second day on Wednesday, said the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) -- a leading union in the banking sector.

The central trade unions in the country are striking work for two days -- January 8 and 9 -- protesting against the various policies of the Central government.

In a statement issued here, AIBEA said cheques worth about Rs 20,000 crore could not be cleared by the clearing houses all over the country.

"Even though officers in banks did not join the strike, they have extended fraternal support. Hence, though branches are kept open, normal banking services like cash transactions, clearance of cheques, remittances, bills discounting, government treasury operations, foreign exchange transactions, negotiation of import and export bills, were affected," the statement said.

According to AIBEA, the only major problem in the banks is the huge bad loans amounting to over Rs 13 lakh crore.

Owing to these bad loans and provisions for bad loans, 19 out of 21 public sector banks are in net loss though they earned an operating profit of Rs 155,585 crore as on March 31, 2018.

But amount provided for bad loans and others was Rs 240,956 crore. Hence, a net loss of Rs 85,371 crore for the 21 public sector banks, the statement said.New Delhi, Jan 9 : Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday said that talks with the Taliban, if held, should be without any preconditions whatsoever.

"Yes, there should be talks with Taliban so long as they do not come out with any preconditions and so long as they are looking at lasting peace in Afghanistan to bring about stability in that country," Rawat said in response to a question at a session on terrorism in the 2019 Raisina Dialogue, India's flagship annual geopolitical and geostrategic conference.

"It is in our interest, it is in the region's interest, it is in Pakistan's interest. We all want stability," he said.

His comments came even as the Afghan Taliban called off talks with US officials scheduled in Qatar this week reportedly over an "agenda disagreement".

The Taliban have repeatedly rejected talks on peace with the Afghan government in the presence of foreign troops in Afghanistan.

India's stated official policy is not to hold talks with the Taliban.

Gen Rawat said that when talks with terrorists or any organisation of that kind are held, there should be no preconditions whatsoever.

"There can be no preconditions attached because when you start attaching preconditions, then it gives a sense of notion of victory, that one or the other side is talking from a position of strength," he said.

"So, any negotiation you go in for must be from that view."Imphal, Jan 9 : Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Wednesday urged people not to panic over the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, saying "a state government does not necessarily has to go always according to the directives of the Centre".

"We had discussed the Bill in the last cabinet meeting and there will be further discussions," he said, adding that the state government shall never go against the wishes of the people.

The bill seeks to give Indian citizenship to six minority groups from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. It has raised concerns that the indigenous population will be outnumbered by outsiders.

Congress MLA N. Loken said his party had "given final touches to launch agitations against the bill".

Student groups like AMSU, Manipuri Students Federation, Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur and All Naga Students Association Manipur are opposing the Bill. They will support the anti-Bill campaign by NESO.New Delhi, Jan 9 : India and Iran discussed key bilateral issues during a meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif here on Wednesday.

"Held wide ranging discussion on important bilateral issues and shared perspectives on the regional situation," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted following the meeting.

Iran is a major supplier of oil to India which had been jeopardised after Washington put fresh sanctions on Tehran.

The US pulled out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) that Tehran signed with the five permanent members (P5) of the UN Security Council, Germany and the European Union and imposed the new sanctions on Iran over its alleged nuclear programme. This sparked concerns in New Delhi.

However, Washington had temporarily exempted New Delhi from its sanctions on Tehran oil imports and development of the Chabahar Port on the southeastern coast of Iran.

The port is being jointly developed by India, Iran and Afghanistan. New Delhi is investing $500 million to develop it and a road link from there to Afghanistan to give access to that country, bypassing Pakistan.

The port is also a key link in the International North South Transport Corridor, a 7,200 km-long multi-modal network of ship, rail and road routes to move freight between India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.Baghdad, Jan 9 : US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a surprise visit to Baghdad on Wednesday to meet Iraqi leaders as a part of an extensive tour of the Middle East in a bid to reassure its allies of Washington's commitment to the region, Iraqi state television reported.

Pompeo's trip came after US President Donald Trump announced in December a pullout of the US troops from Syria, a move that led to the resignation of his Defence Secretary James Mattis.

Al-Iraqiya channel said Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbusi welcomed Pompeo in Baghdad and the US official was expected to meet Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and other top officials.

Trump surprised the US forces stationed in Iraq with a visit on December 26, but left without meeting any Iraqi officials. Mahdi then said that a planned meeting with the US President was cancelled over disagreements and replaced by a telephone conversation.

Pompeo started his tour in Jordan on Tuesday and is scheduled to visit Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait, Efe news reported.

During the first leg of his visit, Pompeo claimed the withdrawal of the US forces from Syria would not impact the fight against the Islamic State terror organization and pledged to double the pressure on Iran.Nagpur, Jan 9 : In a major fallout of the Nayantara Sahgal invite withdrawal, Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal (ABMSM) President Shripad Joshi has quit his post, a top official said on Wednesday.

"Yes, we have learnt that he has resigned from his post. I am awaiting details. However, the ABMSM will meet on January 10 to elect a new President," Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh (VSS) President Manohar Mhaisalkar told IANS.

Apparently disgusted by the nationwide backlash after the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan (ABMSS) organisers unceremoniously withdrew Sahgal's invite to inaugurate the ABMSS 92nd literary conference, Joshi emailed his resignation to the organisers, hours before the mega-event opens in Yavatmal.

He said that he was "tired" of replying to media queries since the past couple of days after the Sahgal episode burst into open and has not been able to discharge his duties as the ABMSM President.

Joshi was caught in a cross-fire with some pointing fingers at him for withdrawing Sahgal's invite and blaming the ABMSS organisers for the fiasco, probably leading to his decision to quit.

The ABMSS, which will be presided over by eminent Marathi author Aruna Dhere of Pune, is also expected to finalise the dignitary who will replace Sahgal for the inaugural honours at the three-day event starting on January 11, added Mhaisalkar.

After the Sahgal episode, many writers and invitees have already threatened to boycott the 92nd ABMSS for the treatment meted out to the 91-year-old English writer (Sahgal).

Established in 1960, the ABMSM is the influential apex body of all Marathi literary organisations in Maharashtra and other parts of India, besides a few abroad, under whose auspices the annual literary conventions are organized.New Delhi, Jan 9 : India should not worry about US military withdrawal from Afghanistan if it wants to be seen "as a great power", former National Security Advisor (NSA) Shivshankar Menon said.

"We are not the only one who will be affected if the worst happens. Though I don't think that's going to happen," Menon said on Tuesday night during a discussion organised by the Indo-American Friendship Association.

Menon said it was Pakistan and not Afghanistan that India should worry about.

Menon, who was the NSA when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, said a military withdrawal from Afghanistan had been on the US foreign policy radar since the time of former President Barack Obama. India's fear over it was misplaced.

"Have you ever seen an Afghan terrorist? You see Pakistani terrorists. Our problem is Pakistan, not Afghanistan," he added.

Menon said if India allowed itself to be fear-struck over the US withdrawal of troops, then it had "no right to be regarded as a great power".

On Indo-US relations, Menon said the two countries were seeing the "best years" of their friendship since independence. He also said that the rise of China as a great power will only bode well for India as US interests will match more with New Delhi's.

"The source of danger now is economic," he said, referring to the protectionist trade policies of US President Donald Trump.

On US' failure to share technology, especially military, with India, Meera Shankar, a former Ambassador to the US, said: "There's a little reluctance on the part of the US on sharing technology because it thinks 'we created China, we don't want to make the same mistake with India now'."Los Angeles, Jan 9 : Actress Rose McGowan will plead "no contest" to a reduced drug charge in Loudoun County, Virginia, following her arrest for possession of cocaine in 2017.

"The Commonwealth has agreed to reduce the current felony charge to a misdemeanour of possession of a controlled substance," McGowan's attorney, James W. Hundley, said in a statement to USA TODAY.

As part of her plea agreement, McGowan will avoid jail time and pay a fine. Also, she could have faced up to 10 years behind bars if convicted.

"Ms. McGowan has accepted this agreement in order to spare her family, her friends and her supporters the emotional strain of a criminal trial," Hundley added.

McGowan was charged with felony drug possession after authorities discovered cocaine in her wallet on a flight to Dulles International Airport on her way to the Women's March in January 2017.

The "Scream" star has now to appear in court on January 15.New Delhi, Jan 9 (IANS) Youngsters who are looking for an easy-on-the-pocket place to eat, drink and groove can have it all at House of Commons (HOC), a British-inspired gastropub that offers a vast menu comprising Continental, Mediterranean and Indian cuisines, coupled with rejuvenating drinks and live music -- ideal for a fun evening.

Located in Connaught Place, HOC has a casual vibe with red and green furniture, and wooden tables. The walls have a brick finish all over and showcase witty frames and quirky accessories. It also has a small sitting arrangement outside.

HOC hosts musical nights on an almost regular basis. "We have a live band on Wednesdays, Rock and Retro Ladies Nights on Thursdays, during which we offer 25 per cent discount to women; Sufi live music on Fridays, Bollywood night on Saturdays and DJ night on Sundays," Manager Krishna Kumar told IANS.

Talking about food, Chef Vinay Kumar, who has been in the business for over two decades and has been associated with HOC since its launch three years ago, recommended that I kick off my meal with Paalak Patta Chaat.

It was a delicious snack of spinach leaves coated with cornflour batter, deep fried and topped with tamarind chutney, sweet curd as well as mint sauce. It was finished with a sprinkle of bhujiya and chaat masala. If you are a chaat lover, this one will surely excite your tastebuds.

Next up was the classic Fish 'n' Chips, followed by British Raj Mac 'n' Cheese and Zaffrani malai tikka.

The Fish had a flaky crust and was juicy on the inside. Served with potato chips, tarter sauce and a salad comprising lettuce, orange and sliced olives, this starter was full of gorgeous flavours.

Mac 'n' cheese -- baked macaroni with cheese and fresh tomatoes -- was silky smooth, but a little high on salt. I nibbled at it along with HOC's signature Pimms Cup cocktail -- an interesting concoction of gin, triple sec, white wine, basil and fruits.

The Zaffrani malai tikka -- presented with pappad, mint chutney and onions -- was succulent. The crunch of pappad and softness of the tikka complemented each other perfectly and amplified the taste of this dish.

According to the chef, Bhatti ka kukkad -- chicken legs marinated overnight with 32 home-made spices -- is another hot-selling appetiser and a must-try.

Other cocktails worth mentioning are Deconstructed Sex on the Beach -- a fruity drink consisting of vodka, orange ice, peach caviar and cranberry. Long Island Ice Tea is another option here if you want to get tipsy.

Non-drinkers also have a variety of mocktails and shakes to choose from.

For the main course, I went for Laal Maas, Dhania Murg, Dal Makhni and Himachali Chana Paneer ka Madra, accompanied with a plain naan.

Laal maas -- the fiery red hot meat curry from Rajasthan -- was the winner of the evening. The lamb, cooked in desi ghee with a variety of secret masalas on coal, was finger-licking good. The flavour of cloves added to the rich aroma. But its zesty curry is not for the faint-hearted!

The Dhania Murg was creamy, yet a regular one, as was the Dal Makhni. Vegetarians must go for Himachali Chana -- a delectable chickpea curry topped with chunks of paneer.

I wrapped up my meal on a sweet note with phirni.

FAQs Where: House Of Commons, M-39 Outer Circle, Connaught Place

Timings: 2 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Price: Rs 1,400 for two (approx) with alcohol ( was at House Of Commons at its invitation. She can be contacted at parul.s@ians.in)New Delhi, Jan 9 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a PIL seeking a ban on the trailer of the movie "The Accidental Prime Minister" on the ground it had caused unaccountable damage to the name and fame of the office of the Prime Minster.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V. Kameswar Rao rejected the Public Interest Litigation filed by Pooja Mahajan, a Delhi-based fashion designer through her counsel Arun Maitri.

The film is based on a similarly titled the book by Sanjaya Baru, the former media advisor of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Actors Anupam Kher and Akshay Khanna play Manmohan Singh and Baru in the film, slated to release on Friday.

The PIL said the film will harm the image of the Constitutional post such as Prime Minister and will give it a bad name nationally and internationally.

On Monday, a single judge bench disposed off the plea saying it should be refiled as a public suit.

The plea said the trailer violated Section 416 of the Indian Penal Code as impersonation of a living character or living persons is not permissible in law.

In the plea, Mahajan had requested the court to issue direction to the Centre, Google, YouTube and Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to take steps to stop the exhibition and display of the trailer.New York, Jan 9 (IANS) US President Donald Trump has invoked an Indian American "hero" police officer killed by an illegal immigrant to make an appeal to the American people to pressure legislators to fund the border wall he wants and end the government shutdown.

In his Tuesday night address to the nation from the Oval Office, Trump referred to the killing of Corporal Ronil Singh, saying: "America's heart broke the day after Christmas when a young police officer in California was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien who just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country."

Speaking in a measured, calm and composed way in contrast to his usual blustery, hectoring style, Trump said the border wall on the Mexican border was necessary to not only keep out illegal immigrants and criminals, but also the drugs that were ravaging country resulting in thousands of deaths every year.

As he spoke, the partial government shutdown caused by the standoff over the wall entered its 18th day, while a caravan of an estimated 7,000 Central Americans who had marched through Mexico were camped on border waiting to enter the US.

Democrat Nancy Pelosi, who took over as Speaker after her party wrested control of the House of Representatives, in her rebuttal appeared to make a case for opening the border to them.

"The women and children at the border are not a security threat, they are a humanitarian challenge - a challenge that President Trump's own cruel and counterproductive policies have only deepened."

Trump has demanded $5.6 billion in the federal budget to build the border wall that he had promised during his election campaign but the Democrats have blocked it and with both sides standing firm all but the essential parts of the government have been shutdown without a budget to pay for them.

The President is scheduled to meet on Wednesday with Congressional leaders in an attempt to break the impasse, but a compromise seems unlikely for now with both obstinate in their stances.

He made a distinction between legal immigrants like Singh and his alleged killer who came in illegally and was not deported despite prior arrests.

"America proudly welcomes millions of lawful immigrants who enrich our society and contribute to our nation. But, all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled illegal migration," he said.

To gain sympathy from ordinary Americans, Trump focused on illegal drugs flowing in through the southern border, which he said kills more Americans each year than during all of the Vietnam War (about 58,000) and said the wall would stop the drugs.

He spoke at length about the victims of crimes by illegal immigrants and said: "This is a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul."

He left no room for a compromise on the demand for wall barrier beyond saying that he would agree to a steel fence instead of a wall.

He asked voters to call their legislators and ask them to support the barrier.

In their televised reply to Trump, Democrat Chuck Schumer, the minority leader in the Senate, and Pelosi were equally firm about not funding an "ineffective, unnecessary border wall".

But affirmed that they were for strengthening border security by using technology and improving the infrastructure.

They accused Trump of holding government workers hostage to get his wall and Schumer said that a way of the standoff would be to delink the wall and the shutdown by having a budget passed while continuing debate on the border barrier.

Pelosi accused Trump of trying to "manufacture a crisis, stoke fear, and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration".

Schumer said: "We don't govern by temper tantrum. No president should pound the table and demand he gets his way or else the government shuts down, hurting millions of Americans who are treated as leverage."

Democrats are counting on the prolonged shutdown creating a split in the Republican ranks and having members of Trump's party pressuring him to compromise.

Trump, though, is expecting his new persona of a self-possessed politician turning attention to the drug problem and minorities' loss of jobs due illegal immigration would sway voters to call their legislators to support the wall.

( can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed on Twitter @arulouis)Washington, Jan 9 : Lawyers working for President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort have accidentally revealed the clearest evidence of coordination between the campaign and Russians, the media reported on Wednesday.

Parts of a court filing that were meant to be redacted by Manafort's legal team, were released publicly on Tuesday, CNN reported.

According to the filing, Manafort discussed a Ukrainian peace plan with his close Russian-intelligence-linked associate, Konstantin Kilimnik.

He also shared polling data related to the 2016 presidential campaign with Kilimnik.

The details are the closest public assertion yet in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's cases of coordination between a Trump campaign official and the Russian government, as Kilimnik is believed to be linked to Russian military intelligence.

The Ukraine peace plan that they discussed likely would have dealt with Russian intervention in the region.

At around the same time, Russian government operatives were allegedly hacking Democratic computers to help Trump and orchestrating a social media propaganda scheme to sway voters against his electoral opponents, CNN said.

Kilimnik has long been suspected to be central to Mueller's investigation into Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election. The revelations in the court filing on Tuesday seem to confirm that.

The filing also acknowledges he met Kilimnik in Madrid. Later Tuesday, Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni said that meeting was in January or February 2017, after Trump was elected.

There are other two known meetings during the campaign between Manafort and Kilimnik.

Kilimnik has not entered a plea in US courts and Manafort has pleaded guilty to the witness tampering allegation and has been convicted on several lobbying-related financial crimes.

Manafort has been in jail since June 2018, after prosecutors accused him of attempting to sway witness' testimony against him while he was under house arrest.

He was convicted by a jury in a Virginia federal court for eight tax and bank fraud charges.

The former official will be sentenced for those crimes in February.New Delhi, Jan 9 : With the 'Mahagathbandhan' of opposition parties taking shape ahead of Lok Sabha polls, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said some more parties would be asked to join it.

Naidu, who was on one-day visit to the national capital, met Pawar and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and discussed the issue in the wake of a rally in Kolkata being organised by Trinamool Congress on January 19, where opposition parties will put up a show of unity.

"When we reach Kolkata, there could be leaders from some other parties. We have neither met them nor discussed it (Mahagathbandhan) with them. But we are going to suggest them that after the rally, let sit together and discuss future course of action," Pawar told reporters.

"If there is a unanimity, then let us start exhibiting the programme which we finalise after the meeting."

Echoing the view, Naidu said if the unanimity occurs, meetings would be held subsequently in Delhi to decide the future course of action.

In order "to save the nation", all parties are required to join the Mahagathbandhan out of "democratic compulsion", he added.

Naidu said he supported the 10 per cent quota for economically weaker sections in general category, but the BJP-led Central government should have brought it earlier by discussing it with states.US-China Trade War Reaches Next Level

Washington and Beijing have announced a new round of talks. International experts say that the trade war is indeed going to a whole new level.

International media sources say that the Vice Prime Minister of China and The U.S. Minister of Finance have recently discussed a new round of trade talks. Indeed, we can definitely talk about the next level since China seems to have proved strong in this trade war, let alone the restriction on the sales of some Apple products in China, which may result in big financial losses for Apple, some of the richest corporation in the USA and the entire world. Simply put, China has used the same weapons that American use on a regular basis in similar trade conflicts.

The phone talks between the representatives of the two superpowers took place a couple of weeks ago. It's interesting to note that a couple of days before that, the American representative said that Washington would impose new import duties on March 1 if the talks with China if there's no success in the talks backed by an agreement.

It looks like Beijing has now agreed to lower the duties on the import of American autos from 40% all the way down to 15%. At least this is what The Wall Street Journal claims, with reference to its sources. According to them, the Chinese representative informed his American peer about this during the mentioned phone call. However, it's not specified when the decision is due to take effect.

At the same time Donald Trump tweeted about "very productive negotiations" with China going on at the moment. He also asked the subscribers to watch closely his tweets for some important news and updates. So, basically, we can say that the conflict has definitely reached a whole-new level. However, it's not about America's ultimatum and China's concessions. The Chinese did really managed to show the Americans that they are not going to give up. Also, CHina showed the USA that they can use the same weapons, including claims related to violating intellectual property rights - the current suation around Apple and Qualcomm.

You are free to discuss this article here: forum for traders and investorsWhy did crude oil crash by almost 11% last week?

The past trading week was a nightmare for the global market of crude oil, with a major price crash. In particular, Brent oil dropped in value all the way down to the lowest price since July 2017. This was a dive below 53 dollars per barrel. Since then, international experts have been trying to figure out the reason for that.

All in all, the price dropped 11% down over the course of the past trading week. Experts say, this has been one of the biggest crashes seen over the last 3 years. On Friday alone, Brent oil lost more than 1% of its value, NordFX reports. At the same time, it's also interesting to note that Brent already lost some 12% of tis value 4 weeks before the latest price drop seen last week. The price traded below 53 dollars per barrel, but then managed to recover most of the lost ground. This time, as of Friday, it lost almost the same share of its value.

The OPEC+ agreement resulted in a temporary rally.

For those of you who don't know, in early December, the participants of the so-called OPEc+ agreement signed an agreement to cap their oil production once again. Apparently, this agreement sent oil prices higher. However, as we can see now, this was a temporary rally. Back then, the prices managed to exceed 60 dollars per barrel, only to plunge again. It seems that this rally was a recovery inside a bigger-scale downtrend going on over the last few months. It's interesting to note that crude oil has been in the red zone for 9 out of 11 trading week. Since than, the energy carrier has already lost more than 30% of its value seen around the local highs.

It's also important to keep in mind that the bearish factors are getting stronger in the global market of crude oil. the list of the reasons triggering the downtrend includes the excessive supply in the global market initiated by more intensive oil exports coming from the United States coupled with a global economic slowdown, which is usually coupled with a decline in the global consumption of crude oil. By the way, American shale oil producers has taken the lead in global oil production this year.

You are free to discuss this article here: forum for traders and investorsAs you probably know, the participants of the latest OPEC summit agreed to cut down on their oil production next year. This triggered a temporary price rally in the international market of crude oil.

The second day of the summit turned out to be more successful than the first one. In particular, the first day ended with no agreement, mostly because of Russia and Iran. The next day, all of the participants managed to comprimise and sign an agreement.

For now, there are no details of the deal. However, some sources claim that the OPEC and their allies are planning tu cut their oil production by 1.2 million barrels a day. In particular, the OPEC is expected to cut it down by 800K b/d while the non-OPEC participants of the deal are expected to cut it down by 400K b/d. As for Russia, it is expected to make up for 50% of the non-OPEC production cut - 200K b/d. We remind you that Russia has failed to confirm its production cuts according to the previous agreement.

It's also interesting to note that Donald Trump is clearly going to be discontent with this situation. Previously, he insisted on the OPEC increasing their oil production to dump oil prices. According to him, expensive crude oil is like high taxes - it hinders the development of business. Even though the USA has now become an oil exporter, Americans still consume a lot f crude oil. That's why the USA would still prefer lower oil prices. On top fo that, the U.S. budget isn't dependent on the export of crude oil as much as the Russian one.

By the way, when Brent oil dropped below $60/b, Trump praised himself and asked Saudi Arabia to keep on going in the same direction. So, the latest OPEc decision is something he isn't going to like anyways.

Previously, it was reported that the OPEC can push Brent oil up to $65/b. Also, Qatar is reported to quit the OPEC in 2019.Roma May Drag Moscow and Brussels Into Major Financial Crisis

International experts are trying to evaluate the situation in Italy. Some of them are convinced that the EU is not going to save the Italian populists. For those of you who don't know the details, in October, the European Commission rejected the draft budget devised by the new Italian government. This means that the draft budget needs to be improved in order to approved.

With that being said, the experts say that this incident indicates a fundamental conflict inside the European Union, which may well end up with a disaster for Italy and a deep crisis for the Eurozone and the EU. Chances are, the situation around Italy may obscure the Greek bailout and even the worst-case Brexit scenario (according to which, Great Britain quits the EU without signing a major agreement).

Which is more interesting, Russia may get involved in a potentially dangerous situation. At this point, Moscow seems to be trying to create close ties with the new Italian government. In October alone, Moscow hosted the new Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Vice Prime Minister and even the Prime Minister. At the same time, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte started talking about the possibility of emitting Italian T-bonds, which seems to be the key point of interest in the entire situation.

During the press conference with Vladimir Putin, he assured the media that he hadn't come to Russia to ask the Russian President to buy Italian bonds. But at the same time, the Russian leader hinted that he ws not going to limit the National Prosperity Fund in its search for new investments. In other words, the fund may well start loading up on those bonds.

Italian Crisis May Cause Major Consequences

In case you don't know, the new Italian government created on June 1, 2018, is considered to be a populistic one. As a rule, populists ignore fundamental and complex problems or just promise the electorate to work out a simple yet fast and efficient solution to them in the future. Some of the key problems for Italy is a really huge public debt, which is over 2,3 trillion euros. This is the consequence of living beyond their means on the national level for many years. As a result, the debt is now equal to 130% of the national GDP. Only Greece can beat this with an even bigger debt - 180% of the national GDP.

At the same time, Brussels' requirements to avoid exceeding the threshold of 60% of the national GDP is ignored by many EU and Eurozone states. However, most of those governments are trying to reduce the debt. The European Commission is responsible for supervising those governments in terms of complying with the signed obligations. In particular the EC agreed with the previous Italian government that the Italian budget deficit would not exceed 0,8% of the GDP. The draft budget devised by the new government implies 2.4% of the GDP. So, the government is planning to borrow 25 billion euros more than agreed initially. So, the experts belive this is a clear step indicating that Rome is reluctant to follow the Eu scenario aimed at curing Italy's economy and financial system.

Given these facts, there's nothing to be surprised about the EC's decision to reject the draft budget. Still, the Italian government claims they are not going to change their mind. So, we are likely to see another round of confrontations between Brussels and Rome. Italy may end up getting fined for violating the agreements and paying several billion euros for that.

As for Russia, the Kremlin is probably interested in the opportunity to participate in something that may distabilize the political and economic situation in the European Union. However, neither Russia no the EU or the ECB have enough spare funds to bail out Italy. Apparently Mario Draghi and his ECB cannot buy junk Italian bonds forever while the new Italian government keeps openly ignoring the EU's requirements.

Anyways, there won't be anything like the Greek bailout this time. So, if the Italian government keeps playing dangerous games, Italy may end up defaulting on its debt, which in its turn will result in a major crisis for Italy, Russia and the EU.

You are free to discuss this article here: forum for traders and investors

Text:  Stock and commodities markets

OPEC and Saudis Are Planning To Back Oil Prices

International experts and governments have been closely watching the drama going on in the international market of crude oil. According to The Wall Street Journal, Saudi Arabia is going to quit the overproduction of crude oil for the sake of preventing oil prices from going down any further and, if possible, backing their new growth. While Saudi Arabia is planning to abandon excessive production, the rest of the OPEC may well cap their production at the current levels. This way, they are planning to back oil prices and avoid irritating President Trump at the same time. At this point, they are close to compromising. With that being said, oil-exporting nations are now trying to find the balance between Washington's interests (which means to avoid backing another oil price rally) and shrinking their oil production to a point where it doesn't push the prices down either and instead stabilizes the market. The decision that is now considered by the OPEC actually boils down to masking the contraction fo their oil production. Under such a scenario, the cartel is probably going to announce their plans to preserve the current production levels. However, in reality, the production is likely going to shrink relative to the plans. At the same time, international experts anticipate lower prodiction in Iran and Venezuela , which is definitely going to affect the global market supplies of crude oil. It's interesting to note that the OPEC and Saudi Arabia started looking for a compromise after Donald Trump balmed them for backing very high oil prices. Not so long ago, Donald Trump thanked the Saudis for contributing to lower oil prices and asked them to contribute to the situation a bit more. You are free to discuss this article here: forum for traders and investors 



Got a question?  Ask it here

Goldman Sachs is back in the game 20 years ago, Goldman Sachs used to be a Wall Street legend and a dream company to work for graduates with a financial degree. Over the last few years, the bank has been a loser with thousands of disappointed employees, managers, and investors. However, the other day Goldman Sachs made an attempt to get back in the game. Read more 

European ETFs - Decent Alternative to American ETFs The mentioned PRIIP rules are forcing the financial service providers and brokers to publish a specific set of info documents including the so-called KID with the key info on certain investment and insurance products. Since the funds coming from outside of Europe do not conform to these requirements, they cannot be offered to EU residents as investment products. Read more 

Warren Buffett Keeps Loading Up On Bank of America's Stock Berkshire Hathaway keeps loading up on Bank of America's stock. This time, during the period of July 31st - August 4th, they purchased over 13,6 million shares, which cost 337 million dollars. The average prices was 24,81 dollars per share. With that being said, Berkshire Hathaway now owns 1,03 billion shares of the stock, which is 26,15 billion dollars in dollar terms. As for the Federal Reserve, they agreed to increase the fund's share to 24,9%. Read more 

WTI Price Drops After US Oil Inventories Report Today, another crude oil inventories report has been released by the USA: Read more 

Is Gold Worth Investing Amid Crisis? Securing assets has always been number-one goal during crises. This is something that worries borth financial experts and plain folks who are far from the peculiarities of the financial world but who are still witnessing their savings vanish amid inflation and devaluation. Read more 

Remember the Key Rules of Investing in Stocks Without further ado, let's consider a bunch of principles of investing in stock, which will put the odds of succeeding in this business in your favor: Read more 

Apple Patents iPhone Without Ports And Holes, Device Expected In 2021 It seems that the release of the long-awaited iPhone without any ports or holes is getting more and more portable. Apple has always favored minimalistic designs, especially over the last 5 years. In 2015, almost all of the classic ports were deprecated in MacBooks in favor of a single one - USB-C Thunderbolt 3. In 2017, iPhone 7 got rid of the 3.5mm audio jack. Read more 

Gold Sets New Records The gold market is insane. The gold futures price set a new major high in New York. In particular, the dollar price of the precious metal set a new 7- year high. With that being said, maybe you should add gold to your investment portfolio along with BTC? Well,lat's ponder upon this question. Read more 

Brent Prices Drop Down To $61/b The concerns over the global demand for crude oil are getting back to the market again. The current trading week has been a week of discounts. Earlier today, Brent oil saw its price drop down to 61 dollars per barrel. The WTI price dropped all the way down to 56 dollars per barrel. The supply side has got an upper hand. Read more SIKESTON, Mo. and LUBBOCK, Texas, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Vast Broadband ("Vast"), a leading provider of high-speed broadband, video, and voice services to over 55,000 residential and business customers in South Dakota and Minnesota markets, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire NTS Communications ("NTS"). NTS is a regional broadband fiber company offering high-speed data, video, and voice services to over 20,000 residential and business customers in Texas and Louisiana. Under the terms of the agreement, Vast will acquire the company from its current private equity owner, Tower Three Partners. After the closing of the NTS transaction, Oak Hill Capital Partners ("Oak Hill") and Pamlico Capital ("Pamlico") will lead a recapitalization of Vast to support the company's accelerated growth plans.

NTS operates a high-quality fiber network spanning over 2,700 owned route miles passing more than 60,000 homes and businesses in Texas markets of Lubbock, Amarillo, Abilene, Midland and Wichita Falls, and select markets in Louisiana. The senior management team at Vast, led by CEO Jim Gleason, CFO Keith Davidson, and COO Larry Eby will join forces with local management at NTS following the transaction. The Vast team has significant experience growing and optimizing broadband network companies, having built NewWave Communications, a rural broadband company that grew to serve 160,000 subscribers, and most recently operating Vast Broadband since 2014.

"We are thrilled to acquire the attractive NTS fiber assets and support NTS's talented local management team to better serve these customers and communities," said Jim Gleason, CEO of Vast. "We are excited to launch our next stage of growth supported by long-term financial commitments from Oak Hill and Pamlico, and we look forward to investing in our network and service offerings across the combined footprint while continuing our focus on providing the highest quality service to our customers."

"We are delighted to form this new partnership with Vast's exceptional management team and Pamlico, and we look forward to supporting the next chapter of growth for the company. Vast and NTS have built impressive broadband communications networks and cultivated strong customer relationships throughout their local markets," said Adam Hahn, a Principal at Oak Hill. Oak Hill Partners, Scott Baker and Benjy Diesbach, will join Mr. Hahn on the Board following the transaction.

Pamlico Principal Andrew Tindel said, "We have enjoyed a successful, long-term partnership with Jim Gleason and team dating back to our investment in NewWave Communications. We have a great deal of confidence in the Vast team, and see tremendous opportunity for growth in the NTS markets." Pamlico Partners, Art Roselle and Watts Hamrick, will join Mr. Tindel on the Board following the transaction.

"We are eager to build on our momentum in delivering robust, fiber-based communications at NTS with the added financial and operating resources from Vast," said Bill Morrow, CEO at NTS. "This transaction will benefit our customers, our employees and the local communities in which we operate."

The transaction is expected to close following satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Vast and NTS will work together to provide a smooth transition for customers and employees.

The Bank Street Group LLC served as NTS's exclusive financial advisor in connection with this transaction. SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. and TD Securities (USA) have committed to provide debt financing to support the transaction.

About Vast Broadband

Vast Broadband is a leading broadband / cable company providing high-speed internet, television and digital telephone services for residential and business customers in South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota. For more information, please visit www.vastbroadband.com.

About NTS

NTS Communications is a leading provider of fiber-based communications solutions for both residential and business customers across Texas and Louisiana. NTS delivers one of the fastest Internet connections available over a true fiber to the premise network. For more information, please visit www.ntscom.com.

About Oak Hill Capital Partners

Oak Hill is a private equity firm managing funds with more than $12 billion of initial capital commitments and co-investments since inception. Over the past 30 years, Oak Hill and its predecessors have invested in over 85 significant private equity transactions across broad segments of the U.S. and global economies. Oak Hill applies an industry-focused, theme-based approach to investing in the following sectors: Consumer, Retail & Distribution; Industrials; Media & Communications; and Services. For more information, please visit www.oakhillcapital.com.

About Pamlico Capital

Pamlico Capital is a private equity firm founded in 1988 that primarily invests in growing middle-market companies in North America. Pamlico Capital seeks control-oriented growth equity and buyout investments of up to $125 million alongside founders and proven management teams in its target industries: business & technology services, communications, and healthcare. Since inception, the firm, based in Charlotte, NC, has invested over $3 billion. For more information, please visit www.pamlicocapital.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements included herein may constitute "forward-looking statements", which relate to future events, the future performance, or financial condition of Vast following the recapitalization of Vast by Oak Hill and Pamlico. These statements are not guarantees of future performance, condition, or results and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results and condition may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of a number of factors.

Media Contacts

Oak Hill Capital Partners

Jeremy Fielding / Aduke Thelwell

[email protected] / [email protected]

+1-212-521-4800 / +1-212-521-4837

SOURCE Oak Hill Capital Partners

Related Links

http://oakhillcapital.com

"Working with Liberty USO has been truly gratifying," Middleman said. "I wholeheartedly support their mission of enhancing the quality of life of the U.S. Armed Forces personnel and their families." He added, "It's an honor to receive the Liberty USO's 2018 Chairman's Award. We look forward to continuing our support of this outstanding organization."

The Liberty USO award capped a record year of giving for Freedom Mortgage. The company donated to various military and civilian non-profits nationwide and gave thousands of volunteer hours. It participated in a wide variety of food drives, event sponsorships and collections supporting communities around the country. Most recently, Freedom Mortgage employees collected over 3,400 toys nationally at the company's annual toy drive. Beneficiary organizations include the Salvation Army, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Ronald McDonald House and Toys for Tots.

"During the holidays and all year long, we give back to our communities and to our active-duty and veteran service members," Middleman said. "We have a strong culture that is deeply focused on philanthropy, which makes our year-round calendar of giving possible."

Freedom Mortgage's commitment to giving back to active-duty troops, veterans and their families remains the pillar of its Team Freedom Cares employee engagement and corporate giving program. This year Freedom Mortgage employees collected more than 2,600 backpacks and school supplies for military families across the country and sent over 1,000 handwritten notes to traveling troops through USO airport lounges. The Skating for Service event raised more than $11,000 for the Liberty USO, and another $5,000 was raised through the Freedom Mortgage 5K Run/Fun Walk benefitting the Liberty USO and Homes for Our Troops.

Freedom Mortgage is also committed to helping in the fight against hunger through a national partnership with Feeding America. Now in its third year, the 2018 Team Freedom Cares Food Drive collected nine tons of food items for Feeding America food banks in AZ, CA, FL, IN, MD, NJ, NY and PA. Freedom Mortgage was also a returning sponsor of the Southern N.J. Summer Meals program providing nutritious breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks to 6,400 local children who normally depend on their school lunch program as a source for meals.

Each year Freedom Mortgage sponsors the Cooper Hospital Foundation's gala and the American Cancer Society of Southern New Jersey's Hope Gala. At the ACS 2019 gala in April, Mr. Middleman will be recognized as its Man of the Year for the company's contributions. Freedom Mortgage also sponsored the Spark! Fishers community event in Fishers, Indiana, where the company has a large mortgage servicing facility. The company also celebrated its onemillionth customer at the event by paying a local military veteran's mortgage for a year.

Freedom Mortgage's community spirit is inspired from the top down and shared among its employees. "Giving back to military veterans and their families and helping those less fortunate in our local communities is such an important part of our company culture," Middleman said. "I'm proud of all our philanthropic work, and I'm grateful for all of the hard-working and generous people at Freedom Mortgage. Together, I believe we're making a difference."

About Freedom Mortgage

Freedom Mortgage is a non-bank, full-service mortgage company that provides mortgage loan servicing and originations through retail, wholesale, and correspondent channels. As the nation's fifth largest mortgage provider, licensed in all 50 states, Freedom Mortgage is renowned for providing world-class service to its clients, borrowers and partners. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. For more information, please visit www.FreedomMortgage.com .

Established in 2013, Team Freedom Cares provides Freedom Mortgage employees, family members, friends and customers information on activities that benefit local communities, as well as active duty, reserve and veterans of all branches of our military. Team Freedom Cares also encourages employees to take action for the betterment of their community. For more information, visit http://www.teamfreedomcares.org/ .

CORPORATE CONTACTS:

Audrey Shapiro

Freedom Mortgage Corporation

856-380-9073

[email protected]

Shari Senior

Freedom Mortgage Corporation

(856) 712-7034

[email protected]

PRESS CONTACT:

Henry Drennan

Account Supervisor

Strategic Vantage

(615) 497-8358

[email protected]

SOURCE Freedom Mortgage

Related Links

http://www.FreedomMortgage.com

Travel Leaders Group is home to some 20 travel brands and more than 52,000 professional travel advisors. Representatives from the organization who are participating in key panel discussions this year during The New York Times Travel Show include:

Becky Powell , President of Protravel International, will be featured on the Focus on Luxury Panel

January 25, 2019 , 10:00-11:00 a.m. , Room 1E13

will be featured on the Focus on Luxury Panel , , Room 1E13 Karen Magee , Vice President of Partnerships and Leisure Services at Tzell Travel Group , will be a panelist on the Building Profitable Relationships Panel

January 25, 2019 , 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. , Room 1E14

, will be a panelist on the Building Profitable Relationships Panel , , Room 1E14 Jackie Friedman , CTC, CTIE , President of Nexion Travel Group, will join the keynote panel address which will focus on solutions driving the travel industry and increasing satisfaction for travelers

January 25, 2019 , 12:45-2:45 p.m. , Rooms 1E07, 1E08, 1E09

, will join the keynote panel address which will focus on solutions driving the travel industry and increasing satisfaction for travelers , , Rooms 1E07, 1E08, 1E09 Perry Lungmus , Vice President of Travel Leaders Network, will take part in the Focus on Adventure Travel Panel

January 25, 2019 , 3:00-4:00 p.m. , Room 1E13

will take part in the Focus on Adventure Travel Panel , , Room 1E13 Luxury travel advisors Kara Bebell and Harlan deBell (known as The Travel Siblings), a Tzell Travel Group affiliate, will join The New York Times weddings and lifestyle reporter Charanna Alexander Jean to talk to travelers about how to plan the perfect destination wedding or honeymoon

January 26, 2019 , 12:15-1:15 p.m. , Room 1E15.

"Our strong representation at North America's most prestigious travel show speaks volumes about Travel Leaders Group's very significant and growing presence within the global travel landscape," said Ninan Chacko, CTC, CEO of Travel Leaders Group. "We have a multitude of individuals who are leading experts in their field and we are pleased to be sharing some of that expertise with other travel industry professionals, media and consumers."

Travel Leaders Group is home to more than 20 travel industry brands with collective annual sales of more than $20 billion. For additional information on Travel Leaders Group, visit travelleadersgroup.com.

The 2019 New York Times Travel Show takes place at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. For additional information, visit nyttravelshow.com.

About Travel Leaders Group

Travel Leaders Group ( www.TravelLeadersGroup.com ) is transforming travel with a commitment to our vacation and business travel clients through our progressive approach toward each unique travel experience. Having already assisted millions of travelers, Travel Leaders Group manages leisure, business and franchise travel operations under a variety of diversified divisions and brands. With over 6,000 agency locations, Travel Leaders Group ranks as one of the industry's largest travel agency companies. Travelers also have access to The Travel Collection by Travel Leaders Group, a portfolio of select travel offers including discounts on international and domestic flights, value-added benefits at lodging establishments, shipboard credits on cruises and savings on escorted and vacation packages. Membership to The Travel Collection is offered at no additional cost to U.S. American Express Gold Card, Business Gold Rewards Card, Platinum Card and Business Platinum Card Members. For more information visit www.TheTravelCollection.com.

SOURCE Travel Leaders Group

Related Links

http://travelleadersgroup.com

PHOENIX, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With a changing media landscape and youth ages five to 15 watching YouTube more frequently than television, brands targeted to kids have to change how they advertise to reach their audience more effectively. This is giving rise to a need for more kid influencers and drove the launch of ToyBox Marketing and Management  an agency looking to pioneer the kid influencer marketing space.

Cover photo on ToyBox Marketing and Management's website

The company is working in the United States and across the globe, engaging with both kid influencers and brands alike. From toy manufacturers, video game companies, kids clothing companies and family-friendly destinations, those who are interested in leveraging the power of kid influencers as a viable part of their marketing strategy have an opportunity to work with ToyBox Marketing and Management's kid influencer enthusiasts and strategists.

"We recognize that the needs of brands are changing, and the power of kid influencers are being utilized to promote everything from toys to family vacations," says Catherine Kimsey, Founding Partner & CEO of ToyBox Marketing and Management. "Take, for example, the highest earning YouTube star in 2018 was a kid influencer. This is a growing market."

Kimsey adds, "With that growing market, though, comes an inherent risk around kid safety and continuity in brand messaging. We put kid influencer safety first, offering an educational training series designed to help parents navigate the world of kid influencer marketing. For brands, we offer a scalable, end-to-end content monitoring service that offers the comfort needed to feel confident leveraging this form of marketing."

ToyBox Marketing and Management is working with parents, focusing on areas such as safety, monetization and content creation. After deciding to join the ToyBox network, the team will work with parents and kid influencers to determine what opportunities would be the best fit for brand partnership alignment. Through helping kid influencers grow quality communities and publish authentic content, ToyBox Marketing and Management ensures influencer safety and maximizes the positive impact for their brand partnerships.

To learn more and better understand their process and impact, visit https://www.toybox.marketing/.

About ToyBox Marketing and Management

ToyBox Marketing and Management is a kid influencer marketing agency, representing both brands and influencers. For more information, visit https://www.toybox.marketing/.

Media Contact:

Catherine Kimsey

Phone: 520-380-6702

Email: [email protected]

Related Images

catherine-kimsey.jpg

Catherine Kimsey

Founding Partner & CEO of ToyBox Marketing and Management

kid-influencer-marketing.png

Kid Influencer Marketing

Cover photo on ToyBox Marketing and Management's website

SOURCE ToyBox Marketing and Management

Related Links

https://www.toybox.marketing/

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Tipperary Sales, d.b.a. La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Decor, announces the promotion of Jacob Jones from Vice President of Analytics to company President.

"We are pleased to announce that Jacob Jones will serve in a new role as company President," says Martha Percival Brown, CEO, Tipperary Sales. "Jacob has been with the company since 2002, serving in a variety of sales, operations, financial, and strategic planning roles that have prepared him well for this promotion."

Jones is a 2010 magna cum laude graduate of Augusta University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management. In 2014, he completed his Master of Business Administration, ranking in the top 96th percentile of graduates in the nation.

"Jacob's due diligence, keen understanding, and drive will prepare Tipperary Sales for the next phase of our growth-plan," continued Martha Percival Brown. "Moving an experienced, loyal employee with historical depth into this position is an investment in the future of our business."

Jones will remain in the company's Augusta, Georgia office where his role will focus on company-wide oversight of operational and financial efficiencies and growth.

"After many years working with Tipperary, I am honored to step into this new role as President," said Jones. "I welcome the challenge and look forward to serving the company in a new capacity."

About Tipperary Sales, Inc.

Tipperary Sales, Inc., a family-owned company founded in 1976, operates eight La-Z-Boy Galleries in the Southeast. The company is one of Furniture Today's Top 100 Furniture Stores, with annual sales topping $45M, and currently operates two of the top ten dealer-operated La-Z-Boy stores in the nation. Tipperary Sales has been named both "Retail Partner of the Year" and "Ronald McDonald House Charity Partner of the Year" by La-Z-Boy, Inc.

La-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Decor stores operated by Tipperary Sales, Inc. are in the following locations: 4205 Washington Rd. in Evans, Ga.; 150 Traders Way in Pooler, Ga.; 107-B River Hills Rd in Asheville, N.C.; 7035 Smith Corners Blvd. in Charlotte, N.C.; 11515 Carolina Place Pkwy. in Pineville, N.C.; 4960 Centre Pointe Dr Suite 102 in N. Charleston, S.C.; 5342 Sunset Boulevard in Lexington, S.C.; 1046 Woodruff Rd. in Greenville, S.C.

For more information, please visit www.la-z-boy.com/southeast.

About La-Z-Boy

Headquartered in Monroe, MI, La-Z-Boy is one of the world's leading residential furniture producers. The company manufactures a full line of comfortable products for the living room and family room, including the company's world-famous recliners, reclining sofas and love seats, sleep sofas, modular furniture and leather upholstery, as well as stationary sofas, love seats and chairs. It is a division of La-Z-Boy Incorporated (NYSE: LZB), one of the world's leading residential furniture producers, marketing furniture for every room of the home. Live Life Comfortably. SM

SOURCE Tipperary Sales

Related Links

https://www.lazboysoutheast.com

HOUSTON, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With greater emphasis being placed on growing the Vortex Products division, Andrew Gonnella has been promoted to Executive Vice President of the Vortex Products division. "This allows Andrew to focus exclusively on a fast growing part of our business," stated Mike Vellano, CEO of the Vortex Companies. "Andrew is extremely innovative and has shown an exceptional ability to introduce our products, not only to new markets, but within our existing market segments as well," he added.

Andrew Gonnella was recently promoted to Executive Vice President, Products for the Vortex Companies.

As EVP of the Vortex Products division, Gonnella will oversee the further development and expansion of Vortex's existing product line, identify new products and develop new distribution channels. Added Gonnella, "We are assembling a strong sales team, launching a robust e-commerce platform and securing strategic relationships with distributors in several key industries. Our ability to drive the industry's adoption of technology will be unparalleled and we are excited to redefine business as we know it across the construction sectors."

Previously, Andrew held the position of EVP Sales and Marketing, where he directed all sales efforts through the business development team and guided the Vortex Companies branding strategy. "Andrew has always been a big picture thinker and his strategic marketing skills have been critical to where we are today," added Vellano. "As EVP of Products, I'm sure we will see more of the same."

ABOUT THE VORTEX COMPANIES

The Vortex Companies deliver advanced trenchless technologies and turnkey services to cost effectively renew municipal, industrial and commercial infrastructure. The Vortex Services division provides lining and coating solutions, pipe bursting, CCTV and inspection. The Vortex Products division develops and sells manhole and pipe rehabilitation materials, polymeric coatings and resins, sewer robot systems, and high-speed drain cleaning tools.

With strategic acquisitions planned for 2019, the Vortex Companies remains focused on its vision of providing a broad range of intelligent and economical trenchless infrastructure renewal solutions, supported by highly experienced and trained personnel. For more information, go to: www.vortexcompanies.com.

MEDIA CONTACT: Kit Jones

713-269-2333

[email protected]

SOURCE Vortex Companies

Related Links

http://www.vortexcompanies.com

MIAMI, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- The Minority Chamber of Commerce will host the XXII edition of the Excellence in Leadership Gala Awards Miami this coming Saturday, January 12, at the world class Renaissance Banquet Hall in Coral Gables, located at 2340 SW 32nd Ave., Miami, Florida 33145. The signature high-level Gala Awards provides an excellent networking opportunity for local companies and professionals. The event will begin at 6:30 pm and conclude at 10 pm.

The XXII Excellence in Leadership Gala Awards Miami promises to be an impressive affair, hosting up to 50 distinguished and high-profile guests including Mayors, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, federal government public officials, educators and diplomats, as well as prominent business and community leaders. This gala honors individual who have worked tirelessly to strengthen and grow diversity in the local and international business sector. The Honorees are as follow:

The Mayor of the Year 2018  Hon. Mr. Francis Suarez, Mayor City of Miami

The Best Law Firm of the Year 2018 - Mr. Patrick Cordero P.A

The Citizen of the Year 2018 - Mr. Max Alvarez- CEO Sunshine Distributors, Inc.

The Personage of the Year 2018 - Mr. Sean Lee  CEO of Data Stream

The Leader of the Year 2018 - Ron DeSantis, Governor State of Florida

The Woman of the Year 2018 - Ms. Donna Shalala  U.S. Congresswoman, 27th District Florida

The Community Leader of the Year 2018  Rev. Guillermo Escalona, Pastor Baptist Church

The Hispanic Woman in Leadership and Power of the Year 2018 - Lt. Governor, Jeannette Nunez

The Public Official of the Year 2018 - Mr. Roberto Martell, Mayor of the City of Medley

The CEO of the Year 2018 - Mr. Raul Alarcon- CEO - Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc

The Investor of the Year 2018 - Jorge Mas / CEO Mastec

The Minority Business of the Year 2018 - DD Repro/ Mr. Jose Garcia

The Journalist of the Year 2018  Mr. Mario Andres Moreno  Mega News

The TV News Anchor of the Year 2018 - Mr. Mario Vallejo

The Female Entrepreneurs of the Year 2018 - Ms. Martha Garcia - CEO - MG Bus Services

The Insurance Agent of the Year 2018  Mrs. Blanca Lacayo- CEO  Hadas Insurance

The Digital Educator of the Year 2018  Mr. Vicente Pimienta- Google

"Recognizing Mayor Suarez is a great honor for the U.S. Minority Chamber of Commerce; he is an incredible leader with a world class mentality, extraordinary ability and ambition to serve as Mayor for all citizens, regardless of their cultural, racial, social background or political beliefs," said Mr. Doug Mayorga, CEO of the U.S. Minority Chamber of Commerce.

Mayor Suarez stated, "I congratulate the U.S. Minority Chamber of Commerce for its continuous growth in 2019, while building a strong presence in Miami, and throughout our nation. I also want to congratulate the Chamber members, for being innovators, job creators, and the lifeblood of our business community, this is an opportunity for us to celebrate those entrepreneurs and thank them for their hard work."

About the XXII Excellence in Leadership Gala Awards: Considered as one of the top events of the Chamber, dedicated to honoring public officials, global leaders, community organizers, corporate executives and minority business owns, we celebrate the Leadership in Excellence, innovation, dedication and community spirit of those who live and work for a better Miami as well as highlighting the difficulties which are often faced to thrive.

About U.S. MCC: An independent international business association with over 25,000 members and partners worldwide, founded in the year 2000. The Chamber has continually promoted U.S. entrepreneurship education, resources, and economic development while serving the needs of minority businesses and other allied associations internationally. U.S. MCC engages in business research needs and fosters a spirit of mutual assistance and good fellowship among entrepreneurs around the globe. For more information: www.minoritychamber.net

For information, contact Maria Loaisiga, [email protected] or call (786)406-2190)

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/722000/1_LOGO_CHAMBER_Logo.jpg

SOURCE U.S. Minority Chamber of Commerce

Related Links

https://minoritychamber.net

The Italian delegation will comprise 23 companies and 2 associations (Assobiotec and Farmindustria) belonging to the biotech and life science industry, showcasing the best and latest technologies that set Italy aside from many international competitors as source of innovation and research.

The main event hosted by the Italian Trade Agency will be Italy on the Move, on January 9th, from 6pm to 10pm. The symposium, hosted at the Four Seasons Hotel, will be the perfect opportunity to showcase the impressive achievements and growth potential of Italian companies operating in the biotech and life science sector. A potential that lays in the exceptional research capabilities of Italian researchers and the academic institutions behind their efforts.

For this reason, Italy remains one of the leading countries as far as opportunities for investment in the life sciences sector, offering the ideal business environment to conduct research and development activities, building strategic partnership, financing startups, etc.

The session, opened by representatives of the Italian Institutions, will have as speakers: Francesco Cardinali, JP Morgan Senior Country Officer for Italy; Barbara Lunghi, Head of Italy Equity, Primary Markets at Borsa Italiana  London Stock Exchange Group; Enrique Conterno, President, Lilly Diabetes and Lilly USA; Paolo Fundaro, Chairman of the Board of Intercept; Graziano Seghezzi, Managing Partner of Sofinnova; Marco Simoni, President of the Human Technopole Foundation; and John Carroll, Editor-in-Chief of Endpoints.

To know more about the event, email [email protected]

SOURCE Italian Trade AgencyWASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- FINCA International, a pioneer in market-based solutions to poverty through microfinance and social enterprise, is pleased to welcome Avanthi Shah, co-founder and President of NextBrick Solutions Limited, to its Board of Directors.

Avanthi Shah is a technology and microfinance entrepreneur who has founded and led innovative businesses from Silicon Valley to India. She brings her expertise to FINCA International, a Washington, DC-based not-for-profit corporation, that is working at the intersection of microfinance and social enterprise in emerging markets around the world.

Avanthi's entrepreneurial experience spans multiple countries and industries. She founded NextBrick, a U.S.-based technology consultancy firm with clients that include NASA, Oracle, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and MetLife. Moved by the pressing needs in her native India, Avanthi founded Akshaya Microfinance, a social enterprise in Rajasthan. Akshaya promotes financial inclusion by offering microcredit services to low-income and rural women.

"The microfinance industry is rapidly changing to keep pace with fintech innovations," said Rupert Scofield, President and CEO of FINCA International. "Avanthi's dual experience in technology and microcredit will contribute enormously to how we approach our work. And as a social entrepreneur, Avanthi will strengthen our support to a network of social enterprises addressing the needs of the world's poor."

Avanthi had this to say: "It's a privilege to join the Board of Directors at FINCA International. I can think of no better organization to bring my experience in fintech and passion for social entrepreneurship."

About FINCA International

FINCA International was founded in 1984 on a radical notion: giving small loans to the poor has the power to transform entire communities in a sustainable way. After impacting tens of millions of lives with responsible financial services, we are widening our focus to catalyze further economic growth and alleviate poverty in underserved markets around the world. We remain boldly committed to market-based solutions, and are supporting the rise of social enterprises delivering basic service and financial innovation to help low-income families and communities achieve a better standard of living. For more information, visit www.FINCA.org or follow us on Twitter @FINCA.

SOURCE FINCA International

Related Links

http://www.FINCA.org

"After providing hundreds of people across the state of Wyoming with free suicide prevention training through AFSP over the past several years, it has been so encouraging for us to hear that many more people at risk for suicide have begun to ask for help, and lives have been saved. However, we also hear that many who have sought counseling help have not been able to receive it due to insurance restrictions, high out of pocket costs, or a lack of providers. A Mental Health Parity bill would reduce those barriers to care, allowing people at risk for suicide to get the help that they have finally found the courage to ask for," said Cal Furnish, Co-Chair, Wyoming Chapter Board of Directors.

Individuals at risk for suicide must be able to access and afford mental health care. "Parity" means that insurance coverage for mental health and substance use care should be no more restrictive than coverage for other medical conditions. Wyoming residents with mental health and substance use conditions are still facing significant barriers in accessing mental health care and coverage. In 2018, 42 areas across the state were considered mental health professional shortage areas, equating to 1 mental health provider for every 300 Wyoming residents. AFSP advocates will be urging lawmakers to support Mental Health Parity legislation and prioritize suicide prevention and mental health care for all Wyoming residents.

The AFSP Wyoming State Capitol Day is a special day for all who have a connection with or a personal story around the topic of suicide. Volunteers will meet with their state legislators and share their stories about why they participate in this advocacy effort, giving a human face to this important health problem. Advocates hope that by sharing their stories, they will help legislators understand that mental health is an important part of overall health and wellbeing and should be treated no differently than other types of medical care.

AFSP Wyoming Chapter advocates are part of a larger national movement of AFSP volunteer advocates who will be visiting over 40 state capitols across the United States in 2019 to bring best practices in suicide prevention to state legislators and their staff. To learn more about AFSP's advocacy efforts, visit here: https://afsp.org/our-work/advocacy/.

One American dies by suicide every 11.69 minutes and 90% of those who die by suicide had a diagnosable mental health condition at the time of their death. AFSP volunteers will urge state lawmakers to be the voice for the thousands of Wyoming residents affected by suicide each year.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide. AFSP creates a culture that's smart about mental health through education and community programs, develops suicide prevention through research and advocacy, and provides support for those affected by suicide. Led by CEO Robert Gebbia and headquartered in New York, and with a public policy office in Washington, D.C., AFSP has local chapters in all 50 states with programs and events nationwide. Learn more about AFSP in its latest Annual Report, and join the conversation on suicide prevention by following AFSP on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

SOURCE American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Related Links

http://www.afsp.org

DAYTON, Ohio, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- STRATACACHE will feature new marketing technology that drives retail transformation in booth #3921 at NRF 2019: Retail's Big Show, featuring technology, professional services and retail expertise found across the STRATACACHE family of companies. On display in the 3,000+ square foot space will be immersive in-store shopping solutions that bring customers into the brick-and-mortar store and deliver an informative, personal experience through an extensive array of technology  including digital signs, augmented and virtual reality, mobile sensors, computer vision technology and artificial intelligence. The booth also features demonstrations and discussions of emerging tech such as automated service robotics and multi-user virtual reality for assisted or considered design. STRATACACHE is in booth #3921 at NRF 2019, being held January 13-15 in New York.

Booth highlights include:

Shopper and store operations dashboards: In today's retail environment, it's more important than ever to have real-time access to business-critical information wherever and whenever needed. An extensive display of dashboards, showing deep shopper and operational insights tied to each shopping experience, is included in a "back of house" area of the booth. Experts will show retailers and brands how to leverage the power of real-time retail analytics, mobile sensors and artificial intelligence, using STRATACACHE's in-house platforms from Walkbase and X2O Media, to inform and optimize the in-store experience and increase sales.

In-booth theater featuring:

Daily Transformation Talks featuring 15-minute presentations that highlight insights from retail industry experts both inside and outside the STRATACACHE family. Topics include retail analytics and proximity marketing, getting online in the store and what to look out for in the world of emerging technology.

Virtual reality shopping demonstrations running continually throughout the show. These live demos show practical, multi-user, real-time, collaborative VR and will highlight use cases for: considered design, virtual inventory, collaborative consumer engagement, internal workflows for pre-visualization, sales engagement possibilities, concepts for flagship enterprise-level immersive interactive experiences and experiential destinations.

John Batchelor Show podcast recording, January 14 at 11 a.m.: Veteran WABC Host John Batchelor will interview retail technology experts live in the STRATACACHE booth, capturing the discussions for future broadcasts of The John Batchelor Show, a breaking-news program that focuses on a wide range of topics including global politics, economics and hard sciences. At NRF, the conversations will dive into how deep tech is evolving the retail landscape to thrive in the age of Amazon. Learn more at www.johnbatchelorshow.com and @batchelorshow.

Guided shopping experiences, focusing on value-add narratives for retailers and marketers:

Personalization at ScaleThe advent of social media influence has evolved and shaped the way we shop online, and our fashion-focused solution leans into this behavior and makes it more actionable by bringing it into a retail environment, allowing for the best of both worlds. Using a touchscreen display, shoppers browse, curate and choose the looks they like, and immediately try on, share or buy with one tap.

AutomationSTRATACACHE has integrated ordering kiosks with facial recognition technology and a robotic cocktail machine to create a memorable, streamlined ordering experience. After choosing or designing a favorite drink from our self-ordering kiosks, featuring our own commercial-grade tablets, the robot gets to work preparing the order. By automating certain tasks in the customer experience, sales associates are free to concentrate on shopper interaction and store operations.

Assisted SellingThis solution focuses on two key areas that drive the in-store experience  clarity when comparing products and delivery of a personalized, memorable shopping trip. Our tablet-based experience streamlines product discovery for the shopper, offering unobtrusive upsell opportunities throughout the experience. The solution also provides a tool for sales associates to have insight into the shopper's preferences before offering assistance, ultimately delivering a concierge-level shopping experience.

Customer LoyaltyWe're evolving the drive thru, providing convenience and improving speed of service for loyalty app users in a retail pharmacy environment. Using digital displays along with sensor and voice technology, our smart drive thru solution identifies app users and delivers a personalized experience to loyal customers, building a stronger relationship with the customer and inspiring repeat visits. Digital displays help associates prepare orders while customer-facing displays deliver a guided experience, presenting medication details and prescription reminders during dwell time.

See full details, including the three-day Transformation Talks schedule, at www.stratacache.com/NRF-2019.

About STRATACACHE

STRATACACHE provides scalable customer experiences, empowering retailers to learn deeply about their customers' shopping preferences and behaviors, allowing for personalized shopper interaction. Our solutions deliver consumer activation at the point-of-decision, generating new sales opportunities and enhanced retail profitability. With 2 million+ software activations globally, we power the biggest digital networks for the world's largest brands. Across the STRATACACHE family of complementary digital media/ad tech solution companies, we have the technology, expertise and track record to bring retail innovation that delivers results. Learn more about the STRATACACHE family at www.stratacache.com, on Twitter @STRATACACHE or on Facebook.

SOURCE STRATACACHE

Related Links

http://www.stratacache.com

TEMPE, Ariz., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Solidarity HealthShare is pleased to announce it is a major sponsor of the 46th annual March For Life, the world's largest annual human rights demonstration to be held in Washington, DC January 18, 2019.

"We at Solidarity HealthShare embrace this year's Pro-Life is Pro-Science theme. The incredible advances in science are undeniable, life begins at conception. We remain committed to keeping abortion out of healthcare and provide women with life affirming solutions at pro-life women's health centers and supporting pregnancies centers," said Solidarity HealthShare CEO Bradley Hahn.

Solidarity HealthShare also actively advocates for life on Capitol Hill diligently working for pro-life and pro-science healthcare solutions that protect the conscience rights for its members and all Americans.

"Obamacare remains vulnerable. The health insurance plans of the affordable care act provide no transparency," said Solidarity HealthShare COO, Chris Faddis. "They intentionally conceal how their health plans report abortion coverage, forcing many families to unwittingly pay for others' abortions. Americans need to be aware that there is a much more ethical and affordable health care option available in all 50 states with Solidarity HealthShare."

Solidarity HealthShare is a community helping one another pay for healthcare expenses. It has members not customers, keeping costs down by negotiating fair, reasonable pricing while not paying for immoral medical procedures.

"One of our main missions at Solidarity HealthShare is to ensure that abortion will soon not only be illegal but unthinkable. Women do have life-affirming options, but until that is a reality the pro-life community needs to know whether their health care plan pays for abortion and find more ethical options like healthcare sharing," said Hahn.

Solidarity HealthShare is a healthcare sharing ministry that offers its members an affordable and ethical way to pay for healthcare. Based on the social and moral doctrine of the Catholic Church, we protect our members' well-formed consciences by sharing in the costs of life-affirming healthcare, and by refusing to participate in unethical medical practices. Our mission is to restore and rebuild an authentic Catholic healthcare system that promotes the sanctity of all human life, while facilitating the sharing of our members' medical expenses.

CONTACT: www.SolidarityHealthShare.org  844-313-4999

SOURCE Solidarity HealthShare

Related Links

http://www.solidarityhealthshare.org

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Smart Harbor, a digital solutions provider for insurance agents, has developed a new seamless interface with Agency Matrix, a 100 percent cloud-based agency management solution provider. The new partnership enables agencies to pass all sales prospect and customer information generated from Smart Harbor's website, email marketing, SEO and mobile services to the Agency Matrix management system.

The integration is one element of Smart Harbor's strategy to develop a digital ecosystem of agency solution providers that unify the customer journey. Previously tedious and inefficient tasks, such as rekeying and syncing, are eliminatedor simplifiedenabling agents to conduct business more efficiently.

"Our goal is to create a faster, simpler end-to-end customer journey for our agency clients and the partnership with Agency Matrix is a great opportunity to achieve this objective," explains Jason Walker, Smart Harbor's managing partner. "We're working to help agents spend less time on administrative tasks that can be solved with technology, giving them more time to focus on sales, innovation and expanding their businesses."

"Our focus on innovation and seamless communication with other technology partners is key," said Agency Matrix COO Steven Mejdrich. "The integration of our agency management system with Smart Harbor eliminates many inefficient processes that have burdened agents in the past."

"It's so refreshing to work with two vendors that are willing to collaborate to help me grow my business," said Mark Vitali, CEO of All About Insurance, which subscribes to the services of both Smart Harbor and Agency Matrix. "The integration between our front office lead generating systems to my agency management system allows us to move prospects and customers from sales to support without requiring our producers and CSRs to lift a finger."

Smart Harbor is streamlining the process of buying insurance with simple, effective, cost-efficient solutions for insurance agencies. This announcement follows the recent news of its integration with HawkSoft's agency management system. The company expects to continue to add solutionsincluding agency management systems, rating, and payment servicesto its digital ecosystem for agencies.

About Smart Harbor

Smart Harbor provides digital technology solutions for trusted advisors, empowering them with industry-specific tools to grow their businesses. With a specific focus on insurance and deep industry expertise, Smart Harbor offers mobile, web and SEO, and data and analytics capabilities, enabling insurance agencies to compete effectively in the constantly changing digital world. Today, Smart Harbor serves more than 1,100 independent agencies that represent over 100 carriers, bringing them the right technical expertise, customer service focus and industry knowledge to enable agencies to grow their businesses, create markets for new products, and retain the most profitable customers. Visit Smart Harbor at www.smartharbor.com.

Contact: Candace Boyle

the10company

212-614-4561

[email protected]

SOURCE Smart Harbor

Related Links

http://www.smartharbor.com

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Simplicity Group Holdings (Simplicity) is pleased to announce that it has acquired Davis Life & Annuity, one of the longest-standing and most successful independent insurance distribution companies in the country, and that it welcomes Jon and Trent Davis as its newest Principals. Davis Life & Annuity will begin its brand transition to Simplicity Des Moines effective immediately.

"Jon, Trent and the entire Davis Life & Annuity team have built an exceptional business," stated Bruce Donaldson, Simplicity's Chief Executive Officer. "Their core values of integrity, client service, and professional excellence represent the industry benchmark for best practices and we look forward to helping the team achieve greater success as part of Simplicity."

Davis Life & Annuity was established in 1980 as a full-service wholesale life and annuity brokerage firm for independent financial professionals. In 2002, Jon and Trent Davis purchased the company from their father, Ronald Davis, and have since dedicated their careers to helping their clients build thriving financial businesses. Under their leadership, they've expanded Davis Life & Annuity's product and service offerings to include a life insurance underwriting TPA business, Innovative Underwriting Solutions, and have grown the company to 31 team members. Davis Life & Annuity is now among the top-tier of insurance marketing organizations, with clients located throughout the nation.

"We are very excited to join forces with Simplicity," stated Jon Davis, Principal of Davis Life & Annuity. "Together, we will be able to provide even greater value to our advisors and still maintain our personal, hands-on approach to business, and that's a really exciting combination."

"It was a straightforward decision to join Simplicity," stated Trent Davis, Principal of Davis Life & Annuity. "We believe in Simplicity's vision and look forward to helping it become the premier financial institution that supports independent advisors in executing their commitments to their clients and achieving their professional goals."

The Davis Life & Annuity transaction represents another milestone for Simplicity as the 11th organization to join the group of companies. Each of Simplicity's operating businesses is directed by its local management team but with the benefit of being able to access Simplicity's resources. Through acquisition and partnership of top insurance distribution organizations and technology companies, Simplicity seeks to provide sophisticated business solutions that will attract the industry's best in leadership, talent, advisors, and future partners. Simplicity will continue to add new businesses to its platform over the coming years.

About Davis Life & Annuity

Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, Davis Life & Annuity was founded in 1980 as a full-service, wholesale life and annuity brokerage firm serving independent financial professionals. The organization's focus is to provide its advisor clients with the highest quality products and services, so that they may deliver the best retirement income and asset protection solutions to consumers across the country. For more information about Davis Life & Annuity, please visit www.davislife.com.

About Simplicity Group Holdings

Simplicity Group Holdings has acquired and owns ten insurance distribution businesses and is one of the nation's largest and fastest growing financial marketing organizations. Simplicity provides annuity, life insurance, and retirement solutions to independent insurance professionals, financial advisors and their clients through its operating subsidiaries. For more information about Simplicity, please visit: www.simplicitygroupholdings.com.

MEDIA CONTACT

Jason Jenkins, EVP of Marketing

Simplicity Group Holdings

P: 858-334-3976

E: [email protected]

SOURCE Simplicity Group Holdings

Related Links

http://www.simplicitygroupholdings.com

Distinction based on 2018 Gartner Peer Insights end-user ratings and feedback in the Talent Management Suite category

DUBLIN, CA, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Saba Software Inc. announced today it's been named a Dec. 2018 Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice for Talent Management Suites. Saba's recognition in the Gartner Customers' Choice program is based on reviews submitted by verified end-user professionals, and considers both the number of customer reviews and the overall user ratings. Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice distinction reflects vendor partnership, and talent management solution flexibility, depth and breadth.

"We're especially proud to be recognized as a 2018 Gartner Peer Insights Customer Choice because it's based exclusively on customer feedback," said Karen Williams, Saba EVP of Products & Customer Success. "Saba is passionate about delivering value to our customers and creating strong partnerships, no matter where an organization is on their talent development journey. We're excited to continue creating better experiences for people at work, and helping HR and talent leaders prove their impact to the business."

As of December 21, 2018 on Gartner Peer Insights, Saba was rated 4.3 out of 5 stars in the Talent Management Suites market based on 111 verified ratings. Saba's end-user reviews came from talent leaders across organizations of all sizes and industries, highlighting company partnership, solution ease of use, flexibility and depth of functionality across all areas of talent management:

"Saba's slogan is "Put Your People in the Driver's Seat of their Development Experience". I feel like their own description of their products pretty accurately summarizes the way I feel about it. Saba is an all-in-one solution to track and manage employee development over time. To categorize the features, Saba is of great help with performance, engagement, recruiting, and workforce planning"  Human Resources Services Specialist in the services industry https://www.gartner.com/reviews/review/view/566234

"[Saba] has been exceptional to work with throughout our entire process. They worked with us through implementation to customize our process and ensure the technology was functioning in a way that best met our needs. They have incredible client support post implementation I cannot say enough about the level of attention and service provided by Saba."  Director of Talent Development in the finance industry https://www.gartner.com/reviews/review/view/476519

"Saba has provided us to integrate a number of areas into one system: learning, performance and talent... The decision to go with Saba was easy. They offered all this at a cost that was very reasonable. We were able to replace our prior LMS with an integrated talent management system, expand our capabilities, provide a consistent user experience, and all at a lower cost."  Director, Learning and Development in healthcare https://www.gartner.com/reviews/review/view/478046

"Saba provided support from the start. The contacts I had from the start helped all the way from the RFP process to post implementation. That continuity was important to us because it felt like I didn't have to keep explaining my environment to a new department...Even three years later a few still reach out to make sure things are going well and offer support. I feel like they truly mean it when they say they build relationships with their customers."  Sr. Learning and Talent Deve lopment Specialist in the retail industry https://www.gartner.com/reviews/review/view/480147



Earlier this year, Saba was recognized by Gartner analysts as a Visionary in the September 2018 Magic Quadrant for Talent Management Suites for the Saba Cloud and Saba TalentSpace platforms.

Additional Resources

To learn how leading organizations like BJC Healthcare, Dell, and Hyatt, use Saba's solutions to support their talent development strategy, visit the customer success section of the company's website.

For more information on Saba's talent development solutions, visit: https://www.saba.com/products.

About Peer Insights

Peer Insights is an online platform of ratings and reviews of IT software and services that are written and read by IT professionals and technology decision-makers. The goal is to help IT leaders make more insightful purchase decisions and help technology providers improve their products by receiving objective, unbiased feedback from their customers. Gartner Peer Insights includes more than 70,000 verified reviews in more than 200 markets. For more information, please visit www.gartner.com/reviews/home.Customer Comments

Disclaimers

Gartner Peer Insights Customers' Choice constitute the subjective opinions of individual end-user reviews, ratings, and data applied against a documented methodology; they neither represent the views of, nor constitute an endorsement by, Gartner or its affiliates. Reviews have been edited to account for errors and readability.

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner's research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About Saba

At Saba, we know that the success of any business starts with its people. We also know that people need a different kind of environment to bring their best to work every day. So we created that environment  one that's built on strategy, aligned to goals and designed for humans. An environment where people and teams are in the driver's seat of their own experience. Where development is part of their day, every day. And where deep performance insight connects people to business success. Thousands of customers worldwide, in virtually every industry, count on Saba to engage their people, connect their teams, and get the critical insight they need to prove the impact of talent on business success. For more information, visit www.saba.com.

SOURCE Saba Software Canada Inc.

Related Links

http://www.saba.com

BOSTON, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- REsurety, a leading provider of valuation analytics and risk management services to the buyers and sellers of renewable energy, announced today that it has reached a critical corporate and industry milestone, having surpassed more than 5,000 MW of risk management transactions. Transactions closed in 2018 with Microsoft, Enel Green Power North America, Engie, Orsted, Macquarie, and several other large international companies have fueled nearly half that cumulative volume in 2018 alone, signaling broad and accelerating adoption of REsurety's risk mitigating products and services.

REsurety Deployment of Renewable Energy Risk Mitigation Products

"2018 has been a breakout year for REsurety and for the industry's adoption of risk management tools," said Lee Taylor, CEO of REsurety. "Our 5GW milestone shows the incredible demand for certainty when it comes to buying and selling renewables. Both project owners and their corporate off-takers are finding our risk mitigation products to be an accessible and cost-effective way to avoid revenue or cost volatility."

REsurety's success in 2018 was highlighted by several high-profile transactions. As separately announced on Jan. 4th, 2019, Enel Green Power North America has utilized the Proxy Revenue Swap (PRS) hedging structure to support the revenues of 295 MW of its 450 MW High Lonesome wind project in Texas  marking it the largest PRS ever signed.

"The wind industry has made great strides in driving down costs over the last decade," said Hannah Hunt, Deputy Director for Electricity Policy and Demand, American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). "More recently we have seen improvements in driving down soft costs and REsurety's approach of using weather and pricing data to reduce volatility risk is another great success story for the industry."

Recent announcements by clean energy pioneers such as Microsoft in the U.S. and Orora in Australia demonstrate that buyers of renewable energy are also embracing REsurety products to manage the volatility associated with their purchases of clean energy. Both companies, as well as a third, undisclosed corporate buyer, contracted for products that will help them manage the cost volatility of their renewable energy purchases and will become an ongoing part of their procurement processes. In 2018 REsurety closed 19 new transactions across its Proxy Revenue Swap, Volume Firming Agreement (VFA), Balance of Hedge and Proxy Generation PPA product lines.

"Taking on and managing the risks associated with vPPAs has become a real hurdle for corporate purchasers of renewable energy," said Roberto Zanchi from Rocky Mountain Institute's Business Renewables Center. "The early success of risk mitigation contracts as a standard part of the procurement process sets a strong precedent for other companies who are similarly eager to achieve sustainability goals while mitigating financial risk exposure."

As the global clean energy industry matures, the combined risks of power market volatility and intermittent fuel sources have migrated away from governments and utilities to the producers and end-consumers of clean energy. That increasing complexity and scale of risk requires a new breed of information and risk management products. REsurety has led the way in developing those tools in collaboration with Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, Inc's Alternative Risk Transfer unit, Nephila Climate and more recently Microsoft.

REsurety's expertise in weather and energy market price information serves as the foundation for the successful insurance products that are offered by REsurety's partners Nephila and Allianz. REsurety's extensive proprietary data systems for weather and energy markets provides insight into the value and risk of weather-fueled renewable power generation. This constantly growing and expansive dataset, and related analytics, enables REsurety and its partners to offer a range of risk mitigation products catered to meet the specific needs of clean energy buyers and sellers.

About REsurety:

REsurety is the leading provider of valuation analytics and risk management services to buyers and sellers of renewable energy. With deep expertise at the intersection of weather and power markets, REsurety has built unrivaled databases and analytical systems that enable a more precise understanding of the value and risk of intermittent power generation. Having supported over 5,000 MW of transactions since 2015, REsurety is rapidly changing the way renewable energy is bought and sold across the globe.www.resurety.com

Contact: Jim Cabot, [email protected], 978-764-1510

SOURCE REsurety

Related Links

http://www.resurety.com

Through My Pharmacy, patients will be able to refill prescriptions for in-store pickup at Walgreens pharmacies, locate a nearby Walgreens pharmacy, talk live with a pharmacist through Walgreens Pharmacy Chat and check their Walgreens Balance Rewards points, all within the Propeller app.

"The ability to refill a prescription or talk to a pharmacist through an existing digital health tool is an important step in making care easier, faster and less stressful for patients," said Greg Tracy, chief technology officer for Propeller Health. "We're thrilled to work with Walgreens on this launch and hope our collaboration will serve as a blueprint for future pharmacy integrations within our platform."

My Pharmacy will be rolled out to users on Propeller for iOS this week and will be available on Propeller for Android in the coming month, with plans to expand to other programs and partners this year.

"Our collaboration with Propeller is the latest example of our focus on working with healthcare companies to bring new, innovative services to our patients and customers," said Giovanni Monti, VP and director of healthcare innovation, Walgreens Boots Alliance.

About Propeller Health

Propeller Health is a leading digital therapeutics company dedicated to the development and commercialization of measurably better medicines. Propeller creates products to more effectively treat chronic respiratory disease and improve clinical outcomes for patients through connectivity, analytics, and companion digital experiences. The Propeller platform is used by patients, physicians and healthcare organizations in the United States, Europe and Asia. For more information, visit www.propellerhealth.com .

SOURCE Propeller Health

Related Links

https://www.propellerhealth.com

ATLANTA, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Curbio Inc., a rapidly expanding company that specializes in pre-sale home renovations, today announced that it will begin operations in the Atlanta metro area in February. The Maryland-based company will host a launch party for journalists and top producing listing agents at the rooftop of Atlanta's Hotel Clermont from 4:30-6:30 pm on Thursday, January 17th.

Curbio focuses exclusively on preparing homes to be listed for sale. A full-service home improvement specialist, the company offers the complete spectrum of interior and exterior services. Venture-capital backed Curbio's unique "Renovate Now, Pay When You Sell" model simplifies home selling by deferring all renovation costs until settlement.

"Everyone at Curbio is thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with Atlanta realtors to grow their businesses and deliver maximum ROI to their sellers," said Rick Rudman, Curbio's president and CEO. "As in the other markets we serve, Curbio looks forward to bringing hassle-free pre-sale home renovation to Atlanta realtors and their clients."

A real estate technology company, Curbio has pioneered the use of the latest hardware and software to streamline the traditionally cumbersome and inefficient residential contracting process. Such innovations as virtual 3-D walkthroughs, simplified materials selection, and estimates that don't require a contractor to go on-site have shortened to days a process that typically takes other contractors weeks.

"The data clearly shows that homes that have been renovated by Curbio have sold faster and for higher prices than the average during the same period," added Rudman. "The key is knowing which improvements to make and which to skip, and also getting the job done right the first time."

Curbio began in the Washington, DC area in late 2017 and has quickly expanded to other markets including Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Dallas where the company has partnered with agents from nearly every major brokerage including Century 21, Coldwell Banker, Keller Williams, RE/MAX, and Berkshire Hathaway. Service will commence in Atlanta, Houston, and Phoenix over the next few weeks.

Journalists and realtors who would like to attend the company's Atlanta launch party on January 17th can register at www.Curbio.com or call 844-944-2629.

SOURCE Curbio Inc.

Related Links

http://www.curbio.com

Cut Bank, MT (59427)

Today

Sunny with gusty winds. High 83F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear skies with gusty winds. Low 49F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph.In 2018 Praxent formalized its product strategy division. Foundational to this development, Deanna Dial joined the executive team as Director of Product Strategy & Design and now Principle of Product Strategy in May, 2017. User research, user testing and concierge-style coaching have long been standard services at Praxent, but this new division offers clients options for more intense coaching on decisions about brand and product value.

"Praxent is a different kind of consultancy. Our founders truly care about client success. We live up to the highest standard of being a true business partner, not just a vendor," Dial said about what drew her to the company after stints as VP of Product at Modernize, a well-known Austin tech startup, and Director of Product at Handsome, a human-centered design agency also in Austin.

Ryan Spanswick joined Praxent in August, 2018 after serving as Senior Manager of Product Design at Blackboard in Austin. Prior to Blackboard, Ryan was Senior UX Designer at Starbucks corporate offices in Seattle. Ryan was welcomed onto Praxent's executive team to reinforce design excellence as the new Director of Product Design.

"The passion and authenticity I felt from Tim Hamilton and everyone I met during my interview process really stood out to me. I was so impressed by the process and by the people that I was confident, more so than at any other point in my career, that I had chosen the right company to work for," said Spanswick about his transition to Praxent.

After three years in leadership at Mutual Mobile and four at Austin startup uShip, Jamie Gelo also joined Praxent as Director of Project Management in October. Her move was complemented by David Moore's shift to Praxent as Marketing Director after three years in leadership at Trendkite, an Austin-based digital PR software company that made a name for itself measuring the effects of media coverage.

Moore was drawn to Praxent's executive team and general work environment. "Everyone here really loves what they do, and the leadership team genuinely cares about the human side of the company."

Promoted after three years of ground-breaking work on Praxent's key clients, Ryan Ostrom rounds out the leadership team as Director of Engineering.

Dial, Spanswick, Moore, Gelo and Ostrom join an already stellar core of executives at Praxent, cementing the company as a fully grown force to be reckoned with in Austin's tech scene.

PRAXENT is a custom software company and digital consultancy that empowers companies to unlock greater profitability and valuation through strategic technology tools. www.praxent.com  www.praxent.com/blog

SOURCE Praxent

Related Links

https://www.praxent.com

PharmaCielo to begin trading on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV" or "TSX Venture") under the Ticker PCLO on or about January 18, 2019 .

Management team and board of directors in place to support transition from successful build-out of cultivation and processing infrastructure to commercial production and sales in 2019.

Well-capitalized to execute its 2019 objectives, with $30 million USD in cash.1

TORONTO, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - PharmaCielo Ltd. ("PharmaCielo" or the "Company"), the Canadian parent of Colombia's premier cultivator and producer of medicinal-grade cannabis oil (PharmaCielo Colombia Holdings S.A.S.), today provided a corporate progress update in preparation for its public listing on the TSXV under the ticker PCLO (TSXV:PCLO), on or about January 18, 2019.

In preparation for PharmaCielo's transition to commercial-scale production and sale of cannabis oil extracts and concentrates in 2019, the Company has made some key appointments to its management team and board of directors (the "Board"):

With scalable cultivation and processing infrastructure in place and the Company's public listing achieved, Anthony Wile has stepped down as interim chief executive officer and from the Board as a director, returning to his role as chief executive officer of Grupo Jaque Ltd., a private equity and investment company based in Medellin. Mr. Wile will continue to work with the Company, serving as a special consultant, with efforts focused on actively supporting the long-term global strategy and expanding international opportunities;

has stepped down as interim chief executive officer and from the Board as a director, returning to his role as chief executive officer of Grupo Jaque Ltd., a private equity and investment company based in Medellin. Mr. Wile will continue to work with the Company, serving as a special consultant, with efforts focused on actively supporting the long-term global strategy and expanding international opportunities; David Attard has been appointed chief executive officer;

has been appointed chief executive officer; Dr. Delon Human has been appointed global head, health and innovation; and

has been appointed global head, health and innovation; and Doug Bache has been appointed to the Board, and will serve as chair of the Audit Committee.

"When Federico Cock-Correa and I founded PharmaCielo several years ago, we envisioned an organization that could leverage Colombia's natural advantages to become a leading global supplier of cannabis products, driving long-term value for shareholders and equally benefitting end users as well as the people of Colombia as a whole," said Anthony Wile, outgoing CEO. "Earlier this year, I accepted the interim role of CEO to meet the needs of the business during the public listing process as well as to provide leadership in expanding international initiatives as the Company advanced its cultivation and processing capabilities. Over the next several years, PharmaCielo will become a value-added partner and supplier of cannabinoid inputs to global end-product companies. David Attard has a proven track record of scaling profitable operations across multiple markets and distribution channels. I am confident that David and the team are well-positioned to generate profitable growth for shareholders as I return to my role as CEO of Grupo Jaque Ltd. and continue my contribution to the development of PharmaCielo as advisor."

____________ 1 January 2019

David Attard, CEO of PharmaCielo, added, "Under Anthony's leadership, PharmaCielo has constructed a platform with the sophistication and scale to become a value-added cannabinoid provider to some of the world's largest organizations. Global consumer-facing companies are accustomed to supply chain partners that can provide inputs of a consistently high quality, in large volume. PharmaCielo is positioned to meet this need, as well as to work with these customers to evolve and customize those cannabinoid inputs over time to meet specific product design requirements. We are on strong footing as we launch scale production and sales in 2019. The Company is already producing the highest quality of medicinal-grade cannabis oil, is well capitalized, has near-term revenue opportunities and is engaged in advanced discussions to enter target international jurisdictions."

One of Mr. Attard's first initiatives was to appoint Dr. Delon Human as global head of health and innovation. "Delon has been a valuable member of our Board over the past three years, and brings a successful history of driving consumer product development and innovation along with healthcare policy at a global level with large organizations, including those in the pharmaceutical, consumer beverage and tobacco sectors. We expect to complete construction of our large-scale production and innovation facility in Q2-2019 where Delon and his team will expand the development of partnerships with global end-product suppliers, driving innovation and product development to meet the needs of these potential customers."

Corporate Progress Update

During fiscal 2019, PharmaCielo will focus on:

scaling the Company's area under cultivation from 5.3 hectares of open-air greenhouse (~570,487 ft 2 ) currently to approximately 20 hectares (~2.15 million ft 2 );

) currently to approximately 20 hectares (~2.15 million ft ); completion of its 2,300 m 2 (24,757 ft 2 ) GMP[2] certified Research and Technology Centre oil processing and product innovation facility;

(24,757 ft ) GMP[2] certified Research and Technology Centre oil processing and product innovation facility; receipt of registration from the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture for multiple cannabis strains  confirming unrestricted ownership of unique plant genetics for mass cultivation and oil extraction;

commencement of cannabis oil product sales in key markets for revenue generation;

confirming agreements with Colombian distributors and end-product manufacturers, to bring consumer products to market;

finalizing relationships with distributors and end-product manufacturers in select international jurisdictions, to bring products to market;

receipt of ISO 9001 certification for quality management systems (QMS), confirming operational veracity without review for customers;

opening of the Company's first bannered Clinica co-located with Centro Oncologico de Antioquia (COA), part of an oncology practitioner network with complementary objectives focused on treatment of 5 million patients.

_______________ 2 GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Specifications for Pharmaceutical Preparations

Cultivation Operations

PharmaCielo currently has approximately 5.3 hectares of open-air greenhouse (~570,487 feet2) under active cultivation, and plans to steadily increase this area with a goal of cultivating approximately 20 hectares (~2.15 million feet2), by the end of 2019 to meet expected immediate demand. PharmaCielo has approximately 139 hectares (~15 million feet2)3 of total current cultivation capacity.

Construction of industrial cultivation facilities within or adjacent to indigenous communities will commence in partnership in 2019, as PharmaCielo confirms its leadership in fulfilling licensed producer regulatory obligations to source 10% of production from rural and indigenous communities.

GMP Oil Processing and Product Innovation Facility

PharmaCielo is currently producing both CBD- and THC-dominant cannabis oil extracts in a temporary facility on the site of its nursery and propagation centre for both commercial sale and product research as appropriate. The Company is constructing a 2,300-metre2 oil processing facility (the "Facility"), which provides excess capacity for near-term oil production, with additional space to accommodate modular increases in production capacity as demand for the Company's products grows. The Facility is expected to be completed during Q2-2019 and to be operational during Q3-2019.

The Facility will also serve as PharmaCielo's product innovation and development centre under the leadership of Dr. Delon Human. The Company is focused on becoming a value-added partner and supplier of cannabinoid inputs to global end-product companies. The Facility is expected to be a valuable tool as PharmaCielo works to evolve and customize cannabinoid inputs for existing and prospective customers.

UBIQUO

The Company entered into a binding letter of intent to acquire UBIQUO, Colombia's most important medical patient and e-clinic platform (the "Transaction") in Q2-2018 and expects to close the Transaction in the early weeks of 2019. UBIQUO currently has 85,000 patients on its platform in its home base of Medellin, allowing practitioner and patient access to cannabinoid treatment options. The Company plans to add UBIQUO clinics in seven additional Colombian jurisdictions, which is expected to significantly grow UBIQUO's patient base and to further extend practitioner access. PharmaCielo expects to have the first of its bannered Clinica open in Q2-2019, as outlined earlier. Each Clinica will maintain a pharmacy presence providing access for medical practitioners and patients to cannabinoid-based treatment options.

___________________ 3 15 million feet2 comprised of: 1.3 million-foot2 nursery & propagation centre (Company-owned); 0.4 million feet2 of open-air greenhouses owned by the Company with indigenous growers; and 13.3 million feet2 of open-air greenhouse capacity accessed through current contract growers.

Business Development  Colombia

The Company is currently in advanced discussion with targeted product distributors possessing existing relationships with leading Colombian end-product wholesalers and retailers in appropriate health and wellness (and related) verticals. The Company expects to confirm at least one such relationship in 2019 in parallel to certified production facilities coming on-stream, with commencement of product distribution and revenues within 2019.

Business Development  International

The Company is currently finalizing contractual relationships with major partners in key target markets in both Europe and North/Central America, each of whom possesses strong in-market relationships and capacities appropriate to market needs. In these markets, relationship intent is based on effective market strategies of selling medicinal-grade cannabis extracts at scale, through established distributors directly to end-product manufacturers for market distribution. The Company expects to solidify at least two such relationships during 2019 with commencement of product distribution and revenues by Q1-2020.

About David Attard, CEO

A member of the board of directors of PharmaCielo Ltd. since 2015, Mr. Attard was most recently an officer and director of President's Choice Service Inc. and officer of President's Choice Bank.

As a vice president and member of the Executive Management Team at President's Choice Financial, a subsidiary of Loblaw Companies Limited, Mr. Attard was responsible for overseeing corporate development and strategy, product development and digital commerce for President's Choice Financial across all of its divisions.

With over 17 years of experience in the financial services industry at corporations like President's Choice Financial, Citigroup, American Express and The Loyalty Group, Mr. Attard has a diverse business background in varying roles that range across strategy, planning, new venture startups, P&L management, corporate development, marketing, analytics, brand development and operations management. He was Citigroup's 2005 Chairman's Global Leadership Award recipient.

Mr. Attard holds a BBA and a BA from York University.

Dr. Delon Human, Global Head, Health and Innovation

Dr. Human, MBChB, MPraxMed, MFGP, DCH, MBA, a member of the board of directors of PharmaCielo Ltd. since 2016, is a published author, international lecturer and health care consultant specializing in global health strategy, corporate and product transformation, harm reduction and health communication, as president and founder of Health Diplomats plc.

He has acted as adviser to the WHO director-general and to secretary-general of the UN Ban Ki-moon. Until 2014 he served as secretary-general and special envoy to WHO / UN of the International Food and Beverage Alliance, a group of leading food and non-alcoholic beverage companies with a global presence.

From 1997 to 2005, Dr. Human served as secretary general of the World Medical Association (WMA), the global representative body for physicians. He was instrumental in establishment of the World Health Professions Alliance, an alliance of the global representative bodies of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and physical therapists. During 2006 he was elected to serve as the secretary-general of the African Medical Association (AfMA). He is a fellow of the Russian and Romanian Academies of Medical Sciences.

Dr. Human qualified as a physician in South Africa and completed his postgraduate studies in family medicine and child health in South Africa and Oxford, England. He was a clinician for two decades, part of the pediatric endocrinology research unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital and was involved in the establishment of several medical centers, a hospital and emergency clinic in South Africa. His business studies (MBA) were completed at the Edinburgh Business School.

Douglas H. Bache, Director, Audit Committee Chair

A finance professional with executive management and board experience in both publicly-traded and private companies, Mr. Bache has over 25 years of corporate finance, commodity & capital markets, business and corporate development experience in various industry sectors including mining, financial services and information technology.

Mr. Bache, during the past 12 years, has provided corporate finance and strategy consulting and management services to mining companies and previously he held senior management positions with Vale/Inco Limited and North American Palladium Ltd. During a 10-year career in investment and corporate banking with CIBC World Markets and Societe Generale Canada, Mr. Bache managed client relationships, arranged debt and equity financings and provided M&A and risk management advisory services to mining and metals, oil & gas, manufacturing and financial service companies.

His diverse areas of expertise include, for example, M&A evaluation and execution, corporate finance and liability management, project evaluation/capital allocation, risk management policy/hedging, strategic and tactical planning, treasury and commodity trading, corporate structure and governance and budgeting and forecasting.

Mr. Bache holds a Bachelor of Mathematics  Business Administration degree from the University of Waterloo and has attended various Executive MBA programs offered by Queen's University.

For further information:

www.PharmaCielo.com

About PharmaCielo

PharmaCielo Ltd. is a global company privately held and headquartered in Canada, with a focus on processing and supplying all natural, medicinal-grade cannabis oil extracts and related products to large channel distributors. PharmaCielo's principal (and wholly owned) subsidiary is PharmaCielo Colombia Holdings S.A.S., headquartered at its nursery and propagation centre located in Rionegro, Colombia.

The boards of directors and executive teams of both PharmaCielo and PharmaCielo Colombia Holdings are comprised of a diversely talented group of international business executives and specialists with relevant and varied expertise. PharmaCielo recognized the significant role that Colombia's ideal location will play in building a sustainable business in the medical cannabis industry, and the company, together with its directors and executives, has built a compelling business plan focused on supplying the international marketplace.

Cautionary Note

Completion of the listing of PharmaCielo (the "Listing") on the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") is subject to a number of conditions. There can be no assurance that the Listing will be completed as proposed, or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the filing statement prepared in connection with the Listing, any information released or received with respect to the Listing may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider has in any way passed upon the merits of the Listing and associated transactions and neither of the foregoing entities has in any way approved or disapproved of the contents of this press release.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as, "expects", "is expected", "intends", "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements include statements with respect the Listing, completion of construction of the Research and Technology Centre oil processing and product innovation facility, timing of revenue generated from the sale of cannabis, expansion of cultivation capabilities, completion of the Transaction with UBIQUO, opening additional UBIQUO clinics, and developing business relationships domestically and internationally. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions, including with respect to PharmaCielo's planned products, and the ability to execute its business plan that management believes are reasonable in the circumstances, but the actual results, performance or achievements of PharmaCielo's business may be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can be affected by known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including, but not limited to, the equity markets generally, risks associated with early stage companies, risks associated with the regulation of cannabis and cannabinoid derivatives, failure to obtain necessary TSXV approval, competition for PharmaCielo's planned products, risks associated with operating in Colombia, and currency exchange risk. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Except as required by law, PharmaCielo undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE PharmaCielo

Related Links

http://www.pharmacielo.com

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- National employment law firm Outten & Golden LLP is joining forces with distinguished LGBTQ rights attorney Jillian T. Weiss to assist workers who face discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. Weiss will serve as "Of Counsel" to Outten & Golden's LGBTQ Practice Group.

"We are excited to partner with Jillian Weiss, combining our longstanding employment law achievements with Jillian's esteemed track record of prominent cases on behalf of LGBTQ workers," said Adam T. Klein, Managing Partner. "Through this collaboration, our clients will benefit from the combined resources of both firms in combatting discrimination based on LGBTQ status."

Prior to this partnership with Outten & Golden, Weiss was Executive Director of the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, a Professor of Law & Society at Ramapo College, and in private law practice. She co-litigated the first transgender employment rights cases with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice. Some of her successful cases include: EEOC and Austin v. Deluxe Financial Services, EEOC and Branson v. Lakeland Eye Clinic, Jamal v. Saks, and Chavez v. Credit Nation Auto Sales.

"I'm so pleased to forge this alliance with Outten & Golden to help even more employees who are encountering harassment and wrongful termination," said Jillian T. Weiss. "Through our combined resources and expertise in this area of the law, we are poised to vigorously protect our clients seeking redress for the harms they have suffered at work simply for living authentically."

Outten & Golden has offices in New York, Chicago, Washington, DC and San Francisco. The Law Office of Jillian T. Weiss is based in New York City.

Outten & Golden LLP enjoys a strong national reputation for representing employees, executives and partners in all areas of employment law. From representing senior executives in contract negotiations, to protecting individuals' civil rights in the workplace, to combating worker exploitation and systemic discrimination in class action and impact litigation, Outten & Golden LLP is solely focused on the field of employment law. We take great pride in our innovative approach to the practice of law and our firm's focus on protecting and promoting employee rights.

The Law Office of Jillian T. Weiss, P.C. represents LGBTQ people who experience employment discrimination. The firm's priorities are seeing that its clients are treated with dignity and respect, made whole for their losses, and that employers provide the training and policy resources needed to create real equality in the workplace.

Media Contacts:

Adam T. Klein, Managing Partner, Outten & Golden LLP

(212) 245-1000, [email protected]

Cindi Creager, CreagerCole Communications

(646) 279-4559, [email protected]

SOURCE Outten & Golden LLP

Related Links

https://www.outtengolden.com

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- OpenX, the world's largest independent advertising exchange, today announced that the company has achieved Platinum Status for its commitment to quality from the Trustworthy Accountability Group (TAG), designating compliance with all four of the available TAG seals: Certified Against Fraud, Certified Against Piracy, Certified Against Malware, and Certified Against TAG's Inventory Quality Guidelines.

Less than 5 percent of all TAG members have achieved Platinum Status, highlighting the comprehensive commitment OpenX has taken to build the highest quality programmatic marketplace through industry leading efforts to reduce fraud, piracy and malware. As further validation of OpenX's commitment to quality, all four of the company's TAG seals have been further independently verified by third party auditors, providing both buyers and sellers with even greater confidence in the company's quality efforts.

"Advertisers and publishers have demanded higher quality from their partners, and the industry has responded, but it's not enough to just talk the talk," said John Gentry, President of OpenX. "Businesses need to be thorough and comprehensive when it comes to quality, and the Platinum Status from TAG is a great way for advertisers and publishers to separate the companies that are truly committed from those that may just be doing the minimum required. Additionally, if advertisers start demanding independent verification, as opposed to self certification, that will further separate the companies that are putting in the hard work to prioritize quality and improve the digital advertising ecosystem."

"We created the Platinum Status designation as a way to make it very clear to the industry which companies are all-in on quality," said Mike Zaneis, CEO of TAG. "In the fight against criminal activity in advertising, our industry knows that we must stop every attack and plug every crack in the ad tech ecosystem. OpenX is one of only five companies in the world to have taken an equally comprehensive approach in their internal systems by undergoing the rigorous application and review process needed to receive all four of TAG's available seals. Platinum status is TAG's highest accomplishment, and we are delighted and proud to recognize OpenX for taking the steps necessary to ensure that their digital advertising operations are impervious to the corroding effects of fraud, malware, piracy, and lack of transparency."

Over the past year, large brand advertisers like Procter & Gamble have begun requiring all advertising partners to become TAG certified against fraud, and a new study from The 614 Group found that fraud is reduced 84 percent in TAG certified distribution channels compared to the broader industry average. In Europe specifically, it was found that the use of TAG Certified channels for digital advertising across the UK, Germany, France, The Netherlands and Italy reduced the level of fraud by 94% over industry average.

The TAG announcement follows years of significant investment by OpenX, including more than $25 million in 2018, to develop industry leading approaches to quality. For more information on OpenX's commitment to quality, visit: https://www.openx.com/company/quality/

About OpenX

OpenX powers highly relevant advertising at global scale, delivering quality and value to brands, publishers and consumers across every type of connected screen and ad format. The company's leading technology aggregates, curates and values consumer interest in real time on one of the world's largest and highest quality ad exchanges to ensure marketers reach exactly the audience they want. OpenX serves more than 30,000 of the world's most recognized brands, more than 1,200 publishers and more than 2,000 premium mobile apps.

Media Contact

OpenX Corporate Communications

Tiffany Collins

(212) 933-9080 x3034

[email protected]

SOURCE OpenX Technologies, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.openx.com

DURHAM, N.C., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MGT Capital Investments, Inc. (OTCQB: MGTI) issued the following yearend letter to shareholders from H. Robert Holmes, Chairman of the Board and Interim Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Schaeffer, Chief Operating Officer, and Robert Lowrey, Chief Financial Officer:

"We are pleased to report that we have completed the move of our Bitcoin miners from Sweden to the United States. As we have previously communicated, we entered into a hosting agreement in Colorado Springs that would provide lower costs and more control over expenses, while also providing ample opportunity to expand our operations. In order to further increase the Company's flexibility and geographic diversity of sites, we decided to split the miners formerly in Sweden to include a site in east-central Ohio, to complement Colorado Springs. In addition, this Ohio site will provide a testing ground for the containerized solution being developed by MGT and Bit5ive.

As a recap, MGT has approximately 500 Bitmain S9 miners operating in central Washington state, 3,000 S9's currently being set up in Colorado, and 2,750 S'9s (including roughly 1,900 miners owned by third party investors) in Ohio being set up as well. We should note that the Company has suffered modest burnouts and other ordinary damage to 500 miners during the past several months. Compared to Sweden, we consider this installation process routine, and expect to be ready to mine within days. We would caution investors that 'ready to mine' needs to be qualified with the statement "economic to mine." Our new hosting relationships provide the company with the ability to pay for electricity (and mine) only when Bitcoin mining economics dictate.

As we write this letter, mining Bitcoin is roughly breakeven when considering the marginal costs of production. As we suspected (and frankly, hoped!) the Difficulty Rate has eased as participants exited the mining business over the past months, either by choice or otherwise. Presently, the network requires the computing power of 60 Bitmain S9 miners to mine one Bitcoin per month. On a per unit basis, the Company spends about $65 per miner per month, which is about equal to the current price of $4,000 per BTC. Management remains optimistic that interplay of Difficulty and Price will continue to move in our favor in the next several months. Furthermore, we believe as one of the 'last men standing,' MGT is positioned to be a consolidator in the mining industry.

Even though MGT has clearly suffered from execution issues, we did not lose opportunity cost by not mining in Sweden during the last months; we would have been mining at a significant loss. That being said, the transition was costly, and we are very aware of current industry economics. We have reached extension agreements with our lenders, who have been accommodative, and have been able to utilize our equity line of credit as needed.

We remain confident that Bitcoin mining will improve, and that we are positioned to capitalize. The Company is also exploring other parts of the Bitcoin ecosystem where it might add value. In conclusion, we are happy that 2018 is over."

About MGT Capital Investments, Inc.

With facilities in Washington, Colorado and Ohio, MGT Capital Investments, Inc. (OTCQB: MGTI) ranks as one of the largest U.S. based Bitcoin miners. MGT oversees the operation of approximately 6,250 Bitmain S9 miners, and 50 GPU-based Ethereum mining rigs. Further, the Company continues to execute on an expansion model to secure low cost power and grow its crypto assets materially.

For more information on the Company, please visit: https://mgtci.com

Forwardlooking Statements

This press release contains forwardlooking statements. The words or phrases "would be," "will allow," "intends to," "will likely result," "are expected to," "will continue," "is anticipated," "estimate," "project," or similar expressions are intended to identify "forwardlooking statements." All information set forth in this news release, except historical and factual information, represents forwardlooking statements. This includes all statements about the Company's plans, beliefs, estimates and expectations. These statements are based on current estimates and projections, which involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include issues related to: rapidly changing technology and evolving standards in the crypto mining industry; the ability to obtain sufficient funding to continue operations, maintain adequate cash flow and execute its business strategy; volatility in the Bitcoin market; and other factors set forth in the Company's most recently filed annual report and registration statement. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forwardlooking statements, which reflect management's analysis only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forwardlooking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof. Readers should carefully review the risks and uncertainties described in other documents that the Company files from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Investor and Media Contact:

Dominique Villanueva

[email protected]

919-378-1788

SOURCE MGT Capital Investments, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.mgtci.com

MILWAUKEE, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- MGIC Investment Corporation (NYSE: MTG) has announced plans to release its 4th quarter 2018 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, January 17, 2019. A conference call/webcast has been scheduled for 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss the Company's results for the quarter ended December 31, 2018.

Individuals interested in joining over the phone should dial 1-866-834-4126 ten minutes before the conference call begins. The call is also being webcast and can be accessed via the company's website http://mtg.mgic.com under Newsroom. A replay of the webcast will be available on the company's website through February 17, 2019.

MGIC also today issued an Operational Summary of its insurance subsidiaries for the month of December 2018 for their primary mortgage insurance. The summary is also available on the company's website under Newsroom, Press Releases.

The information concerning new delinquency notices and cures is compiled from reports received from loan servicers. The level of new notice and cure activity reported in a particular month can be influenced by, among other things, the date on which a servicer generates its report, the accuracy of the data provided by servicers, the number of business days in a month, transfers of servicing between loan servicers, and whether all servicers have provided the reports in a given month.





December 2018

December 2017

Change

















Insurance in force (billions)

$ 209.7



$ 194.9



7.6%

Flow only

$ 202.9



$ 186.9



8.6%

















Beginning Primary Delinquent Inventory (# of loans)

33,314



46,900



(29.0%)

Plus: New Delinquency Notices (1)

4,752



6,098



(22.1%)

Less: Cures

4,389



5,883



(25.4%)

Less: Paids

428



526



(18.6%)

Less: Rescissions and Denials

16



33



(51.5%)

Less: Items removed from inventory (2)

335







N/M

Ending Primary Delinquent Inventory (# of loans)

32,898



46,556



(29.3%)







(1) December 2017 new delinquency notices were impacted by hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, which occurred in August - September 2017. The number of new delinquency notices from geographical areas that the Federal Emergency Management Agency declared Individual Assistance Disaster Areas as a result of those hurricanes were 559 in December 2018, 1,375 in December 2017, and 698 in December 2016.



(2) Consists of loans whose insurance was terminated by agreement to settle coverage on certain non-performing loans. The agreement did not have a material financial impact.

About MGIC

Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation "MGIC" (www.mgic.com), the principal subsidiary of MGIC Investment Corporation, serves lenders throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and other locations helping families achieve homeownership sooner by making affordable low-down-payment mortgages a reality. At December 31, 2018, MGIC had $209.7 billion of primary insurance in force covering over one million mortgages.

From time to time MGIC Investment Corporation releases important information via postings on its corporate website, and via postings on MGIC's website for information related to underwriting and pricing, and intends to continue to do so in the future. Such postings include corrections of previous disclosures, and may be made without any other disclosure. Investors and other interested parties are encouraged to enroll to receive automatic email alerts and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds regarding new postings. Enrollment information for MGIC Investment Corporation alerts can be found at https://mtg.mgic.com/shareholder-services/email-alerts. Enrollment information for MGIC alerts can be found https://www.mgic.com/ClearRates/index.html.

SOURCE MGIC Investment Corporation

Related Links

http://www.mgic.com

On October 16, 2018, Icon Global had previously announced a call for offers and deadline of November 30, 2018 for the land, water and mineral rights for the much coveted 37,000 +/- acre KC7 Ranch, which included water rights and an estimated production capacity of approximately 400,000 BBLS of frac water per day via an independent 3 rd party water report. The KC7 Ranch, near Balmorhea, Texas, will be liquidated in its entirety inclusive of all owned assets which importantly include extensive water, mineral and surface fee simple rights.

Uechtritz stated, "Our overall marketing strategy, and well published call for offers with a November 30, 2018 deadline resulted in a robust response and generated a number of offers and expressions of interest. We subsequently negotiated and confirmed a stalking horse contract offer amount of $32,500,000, subject to higher and better bids, from a very good buyer which in turn, sets the floor amount for our overbid auction on the 23rd of this month starting at $34 million. This includes a $1 million breakup fee for our stalking horse bidder in the event he is overbid, and also starts the bid process in initial $500,000 increments.

"Federal Judge Hon. Mark Mullin of the United States Bankruptcy Court approved our bidding process during a court hearing last Friday afternoon, January 4th, with no objections from the Debtor or other stakeholders and parties in interest. The deadline for qualified bid prospects to register for the auction is 4:00 pm Central Friday, January 18, 2019 and includes a required cash deposit of $1.5 million to our designated title company."

KC7 Ranch, Ltd., owner of the KC7 Ranch in Jeff Davies and Reeves Counties, Texas, filed bankruptcy on December 28, 2017. On August 21, 2018, Judge Mullin entered an order appointing Joseph M. Coleman of Kane Russell Coleman Logan PC as the Chief Marketing Professional, with mandate to sell the KC7 Ranch. "In my over thirty years as a corporate bankruptcy lawyer, I've never before heard of the appointment of a 'Chief Marketing Professional' in a bankruptcy case, but I think it is a unique and creative solution agreed to by the parties and approved by the Court. With the benefit of Icon Global's experience and remarkable marketing efforts, I expect to have the KC7 Ranch sale approved and closed in less than six months from my appointment," said Mr. Coleman.

"I am thrilled at the results of our marketing process, call for offers and the level and quality of our stalking horse bidder," stated Mr. Uechtritz. "This property had languished on the market with another agent for a long period of time without offers or results. Mr. Coleman obtained Court approval to retain me on October 3, 2018. We then launched our marketing campaign on October 16, 2018. We've completed in about 90 days what would normally take us 9 to 15 months of conventional ranch marketing. It has been a 24/7 process for us since October 3rd and continued nonstop throughout the holiday period; a process which included overcoming considerable hurdles while heavily negotiating multiple potential sale contracts. We are excited about the January 23rd Auction to bring this case to a fast close and to transition a new owner and steward for the KC7 Ranch."

About KC7 Ranch, Ltd.

Based in Fort Worth, Texas, KC7 Ranch, Ltd., is a privately held company that owns a real property asset known as the "KC7 Ranch". KC7 Ranch filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection (Bankr. N.D Tex. Case No. 17-45166) on Dec. 28, 2017. The Debtor estimated assets between $50 million and $100 million, and liabilities between $10 million and $50 million.

About the KC7 Ranch

KC7 Ranch is situated on 37,759 +/- acres of topography rich land two hours southwest of Midland near Balmorhea, TX. This highly improved property comes completely turnkey and is a sportsman's paradise. The blend of open and mountainous terrain, pasture land and water provide an abundance of recreational activities as well as peaceful tranquility. The renovated historic main residence overlooks the large spring fed trophy bass lake and offers luxurious accommodations. The entire perimeter of the ranch is fenced, and the interior is cross fenced into 11 pastures. This ranch is two hours from Midland, TX, an hour from Fort Davis, and an hour and a half from Alpine.

This property has superior surface and subsurface water for the area. Ten natural springs flow from the mountains creating an oasis for wildlife, three of the springs feed water to pastures. There are also two lakes that cover 40 acres. The property is also on top of the Capitan reservoir and according to hydrology reports can produce an estimated 400,000 barrels per day of frac water which could be potentially distributed to the Delaware and Permian basin oilfields for decades to come. The property has 10,650+- net mineral acres included in the offering.

About Icon Global Group

Icon Global (www.Icon.Global), an affiliate of Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International  Ranch Division, designs and implements strategic, tactical marketing and sales campaigns for private clients with unique, high-end properties around the world. The company specializes in one of a kind, complex deals on behalf of high net worth clients, international investment funds, corporations, oil and gas ventures, among many others.

Icon Global was founded by complex deal maker and international real estate advisor, Bernard Uechtritz. The Australian native most notably led the record-breaking global marketing and sale of W.T. Waggoner Ranch in Vernon, Texas. Listed at $725 million, the iconic property sold in 2016 to billionaire businessman Stan Kroenke, earning the "Real Estate Deal of the Century" title. The company's combined listings and sales volume reached or exceeded $1 billion in 2016 and 2017, including the well-publicized sales of the $60M Barefoot Ranch (TX), $45M Rio Bonito Ranch (TX), $21M Dodge Ranch (WY), $34M Broseco Ranch (TX), among many others.

SOURCE Icon Global Group

Related Links

http://www.Icon.Global

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Local Media Consortium (LMC), a strategic alliance of leading local media companies, today announced that it has elected Executive Board members Nicole Goksel of Tribune Media, Jeff Moriarty of GateHouse Media and Newsday's Andrea Rothchild. These newly elected board members will join the 10-person committee, which is comprised of executive digital leadership from a broad range of member companies.

"We look forward to working with our 2019 board to identify compelling new opportunities and revenue streams that leverage the scale of our combined membership, particularly programs and partnerships that deliver member value around consumer data, ad revenue, subscription models and operational costs," said Fran Wills, CEO of the LMC. "The board will focus on strategic priorities to reach our goal of delivering $10 million in economic value per year through partnerships that increase profits or reduce cost across all members."

Chaired by Christopher Loretto, Digital First Media's chief digital officer and EVP digital, the board guides the LMC in its mission to support local media and deliver economic benefit to its members.

"We are energized by the opportunities ahead for the LMC to expand member opportunities to drive revenue, fuel pathways for improved subscription and user-pay models, and drive adoption of more cost-effective operations platforms," said Loretto. "Under Fran Wills' new leadership and with the addition of this diverse and dynamic board, the LMC is ideally poised to invest in and deliver on new programs that offer a quantifiable impact to the local media industry."

Nicole Goksel has more than a decade of experience in digital advertising and revenue capacities. As senior director of digital revenue operations for Tribune Media, she leads the operations team accountable for millions of dollars in advertising revenue across 42 digital properties with more than 50 million unique users. She oversees a team responsible for ad technology, ad servers and reporting capabilities performing at optimal levels to support digital revenue growth.



Jeff Moriarty has over 20 years of success building digital news and commercial businesses in both the U.S. and the U.K. As senior vice president of digital for GateHouse, Moriarty is responsible for guiding the company's digital vision, product development and audience growth roadmap. Moriarty's experience in the U.K. will be an asset as the LMC considers expansion beyond the U.S.

Andrea Rothchild, senior vice president, advertising sales at Newsday, has a 25-year career in the media industry. She oversees sales strategy, execution and revenue growth for Newsday Media Group across a diversified product line including print, digital, live events and digital marketing services. Rothchild was also instrumental in the creation of Brand360, a Newsday branded content studio that offers clients custom, strategic marketing solutions to leverage the strength of the Newsday brands across all platforms. Under Rothchild's guidance and leadership, Brand360 has grown to be a significant division within Newsday Media Group, and has earned numerous awards and recognition, including an International News Media Association's (INMA) global media award in 2017.

The newly elected board members replace departing members Eric Johnston of Adams Publishing, Peter Newton from GateHouse Media and Thom Kastrup from BH Media, who have completed their two-year terms. Returning to the board this year are James Green from Lee Enterprises, Andrew Pergam of McClatchy, Mike Orren from A.H. Belo Corporation, Doug Phares from Sandusky Newspaper Group, Tom Sly from the E.W. Scripps Company and Gary Smith from The Seattle Times. All terms are elected and take effect January 1, 2019. The board meets quarterly in person and monthly via teleconference.

About the Local Media Consortium

The Local Media Consortium is a strategic partnership of leading local media companies focused on increasing member companies' share of digital revenue and audience by pursuing new relationships with a variety of technology companies and service providers. The LMC was founded in 2013 to address the needs of advertisers seeking to reach high-quality audiences on brand safe local digital properties at scale. In addition, the LMC provides members with access to leading technology and content solutions by fostering key partnerships with companies including Google, Monster, Facebook and others. LMC membership encompasses more than 80 local media companies in top markets across the United States and Puerto Rico, and includes more than 2,200 outlets. The LMC audience footprint currently spans 160 million unique monthly visitors and its member companies serve more than four billion pageviews to readers. More information is available at www.localmediaconsortium.com.

Thatcher+Co

Christina Gilham, 646-868-5174

[email protected]

Kristin Brocoff, 949-400-4899

[email protected]

SOURCE Local Media Consortium

Related Links

http://www.localmediaconsortium.com

PETAH TIKVA, Israel, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Leviticus Cardio, inventors of the versatile transcutaneous Coplanar Energy Transfer (CET) system, together with Jarvik Heart, a global leader in left ventricular assist devices (LVAD), have been awarded a $950,000 grant from the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation.

The grant will help fund the ongoing development of a fully implanted wireless VAD system which utilizes Jarvik Heart's pump together with Leviticus' CET technology. It will help thousands of patients with severe heart failure live longer and with a better quality of life.

BIRD's funding will be integrated into the first, $2.9 million, phase of the project, designed to reach clinical regulatory trials for the hybrid system.

This comes on the heels of a highly successful long-term multi-animal trial that extended over 6 months.

Michael Zilbershlag, Leviticus Cardio's CEO, says, "We are very grateful to the BIRD foundation for this generous grant. It comes at a crucial development phase of our wireless VAD system after we have achieved a number of very significant milestones and look towards successful human trials."

Peter Hinchliffe, Jarvik Heart Inc. president and COO, stated: "The goal of both Jarvik Heart and Leviticus Cardio is to change the lives of heart failure patients around the world with this unique, wireless system. These funds from the BIRD foundation will help us achieve that goal."

About Leviticus Cardio - leviticus-cardio.com

Founded in 2008, Leviticus Cardio (Leviticus-cardio.com) is a medical device company dedicated to improving the clinical outcome for patients with an implanted left ventricular assist device (LVAD) for the treatment of impaired cardiac function. The Company has received funding from The Trendlines Group, Israel's foremost seed- and early-stage investment group, a consortium of acclaimed cardiovascular physicians, private investors and Israel's Innovation Authority (previously, the Office of the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Economy).

About Jarvik Heart - jarvikheart.com

Jarvik Heart, Inc. is a private company that develops miniaturized heart assist devices for the treatment of severe heart failure. The company, formed in 1988, is located in Manhattan, where it conducts development and manufacturing activities. The Jarvik 2000 Ventricular Assist Device successfully sustains and improves the condition of patients awaiting transplants as well as those who have chosen the device for lifetime use.

C ontact:

Ruden Media Services, [email protected] , (972)-52-4070775

SOURCE Leviticus Cardio and Jarvik HeartCASPER, Wyo., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Koltek Energy Services, a nationwide energy services company, announced today that its branded Sceptre Electro-Magnetic Measurement While Drilling (EM MWD) tool is having tremendous success in the Powder River Basin.

Koltek's EM MWD tools have successfully performed in the Powder River Basin on wells with measured depths over 21,000 feet and total vertical depths over 10,600 feet. Koltek's EM MWD technology has a proven track record in delivering pertinent well data while drilling, allowing energy companies to drill wells more effectively and efficiently. Koltek's enhanced filtering system allows the EM MWD system to accurately decode data transmitted from the downhole tool. Koltek's filtering system provides companies the benefit of not having to use a drop antenna system on adjacent wells.

The Powder River Basin, located in Wyoming, has seen an increase in oil and natural gas production with the advances of directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing.

CEO Tim Koltek comments, "Our directional tools communicate where others don't and the Powder River Basin is proof positive that we can get the job done."

About Koltek

Koltek Energy Services is a full-service directional drilling, well service and testing provider to oil and gas companies across the USA. For more information email [email protected]

SOURCE Koltek Energy Services

Related Links

http://koltek.com/

Trina Jo Bradley, Vice President of the Marias River Livestock Association, encourages area ag producers to attend the upcoming Living with Wildlife Conference in Lewistown, Jan. 23-25, sponsored by the American Prairie Reserve. Bradley is a featured speaker at the conference and also a panelist for the topic of Conflict Reduction Practices.SAN DIEGO, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Verimatrix, a specialist in securing and enhancing revenue for network-connected devices and services, today announced that Jupiter Telecommunications Co., Ltd. (J:COM) has selected Verspective Intelligence to tap into the benefits of powerful business intelligence capabilities. The solution's dashboards and visualization tools enable J:COM to make informed decisions about audiences, content, consumption, and overall service performance.

J:COM specifically selected Verspective Intelligence, the latest development to the Verspective Analytics solution suite, to generate usage reporting and analysis for its VOD services, providing a 360-degree view of networks and devices used by more than 3.8 million subscribers across Japan. This enables J:COM to maximize network performance and optimize subscriber experience in order to further monetize services.

"In order to maintain our position in a constantly changing environment, it is imperative for J:COM to fully capitalize on new opportunities to better understand our subscribers," said J:COM General Manager, Technology Operation Division, Naoki Kobayashi. "Verspective Intelligence provides the intel we need to stay alert of the performance of our VOD content and the impact of marketing efforts. It also gives us the option to determine potential network inefficiencies and subscriber viewing habits. By helping us better understand our content performance, Verspective Intelligence unlocks actionable opportunities to adapt our service offerings in order to constantly stay in stride with our audiences' viewing experience expectations."

Verspective Intelligence extracts data from delivery systems regarding VOD content to enable data analysis and reporting of system and content performance. Because the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) analytics platform will be deployed via the Verimatrix Secure Cloud, it also reduces capital and operating expenditures. The platform can also be enhanced to collect and normalize data from subscriber devices in the future by leveraging the Verspective RT data collection solution. This would enable a more precise method of segmenting the subscriber audience based on how they engage with the service so J:COM can more effectively address potential problems and uncover upsell opportunities.

Concurrent Content Solutions Corporation (CCSC) is taking on the role of system integrator for the project together with Verimatrix, specifically because of the company's existing knowledge and experience with the VOD and BackOffice system at J:COM. CCSC is a reseller of the Verspective suite of solutions.

"The challenge with the way today's video service providers are managing data is that they are isolating such rich information in silos, making it so that no clear conclusions can be made on how to improve the business," said Verimatrix President Steve Oetegenn. "Our Verspective Analytics platform bridges the gap by putting data and analytics at the heart of the decision-making process, establishing a common database with unprecedented visibility. We are very excited to see how J:COM, a market leader for the APAC region, will use these insights to continually enhance its VOD services."

About Jupiter Telecommunications Co., Ltd.

Established in 1995, Jupiter Telecommunications Co., Ltd. (J:COM) is Japan's largest multiple system and multiple channel operator. In system operation, J:COM provides cable television, high speed Internet access, telephony, mobile, and electric power service to customers through 25 consolidated subsidiaries at the local level serving 5.45 million subscribing households in Sapporo, Sendai, Kanto, Kansai, and Kyushu-Yamaguchi regions. The number of serviceable households or "homes passed" in J:COM franchise areas is 21.53 million. In channel operation, J:COM invests in and operates 17 thematic channels which are provided to CATV, satellite and telecom operators.

The above household figures are as of September 30, 2018.

About Concurrent Content Solutions Corporation

Concurrent Content Solutions Corporation is the Asia branch of Concurrent Technology Inc., a Vecima Company, empowering content and service providers with innovative solutions to intelligently deliver media to their customers, at any scale, through a wide range of deployment and commercial options. With virtualized and scalable solutions for transcoding, storage, origin, cache and network equipment (ex: Remote-PHY), Concurrent's software-defined platforms support the most challenging requirements, all over the world, helping content creators, producers and distributors succeed. With solutions from content management to delivery, and billions of streams distributed over two decades, Concurrent's global team and experience is enabling increased revenue opportunities and reduced operational costs for the planet's leading innovators in visual media.

About Verimatrix

Verimatrix specializes in enhancing and securing revenue for connected devices and IP-based services around the world. Recognizing the need to improve digital exchange between content providers and video service operators, Verimatrix offers Viewthority, a connected content distribution platform that leverages its award-winning VCAS security and Verspective Analytics solutions, and unmatched partner ecosystem to reduce the costs and complexities associated with legacy distribution workflows. To learn more, visit www.verimatrix.com and the Pay TV Views blog and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn to join the conversation.

SOURCE Verimatrix

Related Links

https://www.verimatrix.com

DUBLIN, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Global IoT in Oil and Gas Market: Focus on Solutions, Applications, Industry Stream - Analysis and Forecast (2018-2023)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Global IoT in Oil and Gas Market to Reach $39.40 Billion by 2023

Oil and gas industry has been facing several challenges over the last few years. Decreasing oil prices have decreased the cash flows and have forced companies to examine their exploration and production strategy. Oil and gas companies are undergoing a major challenge on how to use digital solutions to address the fluctuation in the demand and pricing. Though oil and gas companies have been slow to adopt new technologies, they also recognize that to compete in the digital era they should transform their business models, processes, and IT operations.

Fortunately, for the companies IoT, as an area of technology includes the possibility for companies to overcome these challenges. Access to real time information across remote locations is one of major demands of oil and gas companies which is now being achieved with the help of Internet of Things (IoT) sensor data, which brings extraordinary insight into process performance.

The IoT in oil and gas market includes a wide array of solutions, such as sensing, communication, cloud and edge computing, and data management. Sensing systems encompass a broad range of systems including different sensors, GPS devices, and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). Addition of sensing and navigation capabilities makes it even more promising. Site-specific exploration and production and variable rate application are two of the major applications of IoT based solutions; and sensing and navigation components are two of the most critical contributors for its execution.

Major application areas of IoT in oil and gas include fleet and asset management, preventive maintenance, pipeline monitoring, security management, and safety management, among others. Fleet and asset management represents the most significant application in the market for the IoT based technologies. During the forecast period, application areas, such as pipeline monitoring, and preventive maintenance are expected to display the maximum growth, owing to the high possibilities of value addition in these application areas.

Deployment of automation and control and sensing systems to steer the application of oil and gas is expected to augment the growth of the market. In emerging countries, the growth of the market is expected to be driven by rising awareness among the governments of different countries about the need of elevating the oil and gas produce while taking care of the environment. Widespread implementation of the cloud-based software systems has fueled the market for IoT in oil and gas by reducing risks and increasing overall production capacities.

The IoT in oil and gas market holds a prominent share in various countries of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Rest-of-the-World (RoW). North America is at the forefront of the global IoT in oil and gas market, with high market penetration rate in the U.S., Mexico, and others, which are expected to display robust market growth in the coming five years. North America, followed by the European region, generated the highest revenue in the IoT in oil and gas market in 2017.

The Europe market for IoT in oil and gas technologies is significantly developed with major growth opportunities arising from countries in the Eastern Europe region. The increasing adaptability of modern technologies and the positive support from the government is also expected to augment the growth in the region. The fastest growth rate is expected from the Asia-Pacific region. Significant economic development in countries, such as Singapore, India, and Malaysia is estimated to boost the market.

Competitive Landscape

The IoT in oil and gas market comprises major companies providing solutions, platform, automation system and others. This varied range of market participants provides opportunities to other players willing to bear the high risks involved in the industry. This chapter details the latest strategies and developments adopted by the key market players in the IoT in oil and gas market. In order to lead the market as well as engage in the process of market growth, a company needs to work in collaboration with the top market leaders, acquire the relatively weaker companies, bring new products and services to the market, and improve the existing products. Moreover, the growing market of IoT in oil and gas is further expected to increase the involvement of companies across different segments of the value chain.

The key players actively taking part in the IoT in oil and gas market are: CISCO Systems Inc., IBM, Intel, C3IoT, Microsoft, ABB Ltd., and General Electric Company among others.



The competitive landscape for the IoT in oil and gas market demonstrates an inclination toward the companies that are adopting strategies such as partnerships and collaborations along with new product launches for introducing new technologies and enhance their existing product portfolio. The majority of the companies are launching new products actively to enhance their presence, while the relatively less adoptive strategies comprise business expansion and contracts.



Moreover, major players operating in this industry are focusing on mergers and acquisitions to maintain a strong hold in the market. Successful mergers and acquisitions among the companies across the value chain of the IoT industry can be seen as a major strategic move.

Key Topics Covered:



Executive Summary

1 Market Dynamics

1.1 Market Drivers

1.1.1 Increasing cyberattacks leveraging the spending on IoT in the oil and gas industry

1.1.2 Need of Increased Operational Efficiency

1.1.3 Scarcity of Skilled Labor

1.2 Market Restraints

1.2.1 Privacy and Security Concern

1.2.2 Obsolete Communication Infrastructure

1.3 Market Opportunities

1.3.1 Introduction of Next Generation Sensors, Edge Computing and Software in the Oil and Gas Industry

1.3.2 IoT based Smart Automation Using Drones in Oil and Gas Industry

1.3.3 Growth Opportunity in IoT Analytics Market



2 Competitive Landscape

2.1 Key Market Developments and Strategies

2.1.1 Partnership, Collaboration and Joint Venture

2.1.2 New Product Launch and Development

2.1.3 Business Expansion and Contract

2.1.4 Mergers and Acquisitions

2.1.5 Others (Awards and Recognition)

2.2 Leading Player Analysis

2.2.1 Leading Player Analysis of IoT Solution Providers in IoT in Oil and Gas Market



3 Industry Analysis

3.1 Industry Attractiveness

3.1.1 Threat of New Entrant

3.1.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

3.1.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

3.1.4 Threat from Substitutes

3.1.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

3.2 Key Venture Capital Investments

3.3 Emerging Trends in the IoT in Oil and Gas Market

3.4 Opportunity Matrix

3.5 Regulatory Bodies/Acts

3.6 Associations/Consortiums/Alliances

3.7 Privacy Laws Across Different Countries

3.8 Patent Filed by Key Companies



4 Global IoT in Oil and Gas Market, (by Industry Stream)

4.1 Assumptions and Limitations for Analysis and Forecast of the Global IoT in Oil and Gas Market

4.2 Upstream

4.3 Midstream

4.4 Downstream



5 Global IoT in Oil and Gas Market, (by Solutions)

5.1 Sensing Systems

5.2 Communication

5.3 Cloud and Edge Computing

5.4 Data Management



6 Global IoT in Oil and Gas Market, (by Application)

6.1 Fleet and Asset Management

6.2 Preventive Maintenance

6.3 Pipeline Monitoring

6.4 Security Management

6.5 Others



7 Global IoT Oil and Gas Market (by Region)

7.1 North America

7.2 Europe

7.3 Asia-Pacific

7.4 Rest of the world (RoW)



8 Company Profiles



ABB Ltd.

C3 IoT

Cisco Systems

Equinor

General Electric

Honeywell International Inc.

Intel Corporation

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

Microsoft Corporation

Rockwell Automation Inc.

Royal Dutch Shell

Schlumberger

Schneider Electric

Siemens AG

Telit

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/hzjdkx/iot_in_oil_and?w=5

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com

JERUSALEM, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- InZiv, a display inspection equipment start-up, today announces that it has successfully closed a Series A round, partnering with Maverick Ventures Israel to secure $2.5M in funding. This funding enables InZiv to further develop and expand its line of advanced inspection tools to better serve the flat panel display (FPD) industry.

Using proprietary and pioneering technology, InZiv designs and manufactures inspection equipment for identifying critical defects in pixels of advanced displays such as OLED, MicroLED, and QLED. These new screens feature increasingly smaller pixels and exciting new advantages, e.g. reduced power consumption, higher resolution, enhanced brightness, and flexible screens. However, these new technologies have also introduced a whole new set of high-value problems: nanoscale defects that contribute to low yields and high costs in the manufacturing of such displays. InZiv's nano-optical and metrological inspection equipment offers the ability to study a wide variety of defects not detectable with existing tools. The company's mission is to offer a portfolio of tools that will enable FPD manufacturers to meet emerging challenges in the field.

"New high-resolution screens, with vibrant colors and crisp text, have become both ubiquitous and essential in every aspect of our lives. The OLED market alone is roughly a $25 Billion industry today, and the era of wearable devices is just beginning," explains InZiv CEO David Lewis. "While these screens feature many exciting advantages, as pixel size continues to decrease, new challenges emerge.

"By partnering with Maverick Ventures Israel and securing this funding," Lewis continues, "InZiv is now positioned to address these critical pain points and to provide the technological edge that display manufacturers are seeking. We are excited to be at the forefront of developing breakthrough inspection equipment for the FPD industry, tools which will provide greater accessibility to next-generation display technologies for more consumers."

Yaron Carni, founder of Maverick Ventures Israel, added: "We are very excited to partner with the founders and scientists behind InZiv! Through its patented technology, the company has developed a solution for a pain point felt by many manufacturers and helps them focus on exactly what they are yearning for  producing flawless screens in the most efficient way possible making them more cost efficient for the end user down the chain."

For more information contact:

Noam Shapiro

[email protected]

+972-52-467-8417

About InZiv

InZiv is positioned to address the critical quality assurance needs facing today's flat panel display (FPD) manufacturers, by developing highly specialized inspection equipment using proprietary nanoscale optics and metrology. The company's portfolio extends to OLED, MicroLED and QLED technologies with the goal of providing state of the art tools for improving the manufacturing process, lowering production costs, and enabling greater access to the use of these displays by all consumers. Learn more at inziv.com.

About Maverick Ventures Israel

Maverick Ventures Israel, established in 2013, is a unique Israeli venture capital fund composed of only private investors. Maverick Ventures Israel is focused on early growth Israeli startups with initial traction and revenues. The fund invests across all sectors of technology, including software, SAAS, enterprise solutions and applications, internet, media, fintech, clean technology & energy, marketing technology and consumer electronics. Maverick Ventures Israel was founded by Yaron Carni, who previously founded the Tel Aviv Angel Group and sold the first Israeli company bought by Google. The fund's managing partner is Michel Abadi. Learn more at: maverick.vc.

SOURCE InZiv Ltd.

Related Links

https://inziv.com

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- "I lived in a small apartment with no storage space to house bulky articles of bedding," said an inventor from Las Vegas, Nev. "This inspired me to develop an enhanced headboard which would incorporate ample storage for blankets, pillows, quilts and other bedding."

He developed the FREE STANDING-SLANT-STORAGE-HEADBOARD that could store extra pillows, blankets and quilts to save valuable space in closets for other items. The slanted headboard provides a comfortable support to lean upon while reading, watching television or operating a computer. Additionally, it would be an attractive complement to the bedroom.

The original design was submitted to the Las Vegas office of InventHelp. It is currently available for licensing or sale to manufacturers or marketers. For more information, write Dept. 17-LVT-137, InventHelp, 217 Ninth Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, or call (412) 288-1300 ext. 1368. Learn more about InventHelp's Invention Submission Services at http://www.InventHelp.com.

SOURCE InventHelp

Related Links

http://www.inventhelp.com

RLH Corporation chose Interstate Hotels & Resorts to manage Hotel RL Olympia and Hotel RL Salt Lake City to continue to bring best-in-class service to the hotels and free resources for the Company to continue to focus on the growth of its franchise business.

"Interstate looks forward to continued expansion in partnership with RLH in the Olympia and Salt Lake City markets," said Interstate Hotels & Resorts President and CEO, Mike Deitemeyer. "We're aligned with their vision to deliver outstanding guest experiences."

The Hotel RL Olympia is situated in the heart of the state capital with 193 spacious and modern guestrooms, including Jacuzzi and jetted tub suites, pet friendly rooms, a well-equipped fitness center, outdoor seasonal swimming pool, game room, free bike rentals. The premium onsite restaurant and lounge offers an all-day menu with tantalizing entrees, desserts, salads and drinks specials, as you take in a panoramic view of Capitol Lake.

With easy access to downtown Salt Lake City, the Hotel RL Salt Lake City is ideal for urban adventurers or intrepid solo travelers. The hotel features 394 guestrooms, an on-site restaurant, bar, and cafe providing guests with healthy offerings highlighting contemporary local cuisine both day and night, complimentary airport shuttle services and bike rentals, new Tesla charging stations, fitness center, outdoor pool, and 8,000 sq. ft. of adaptable function space, including 13 meeting rooms and banquet areas. Each function space is equipped with state-of-the-art AV equipment and complimentary Wi-Fi, with custom catering services available.

"By engaging Interstate Hotels & Resorts to manage Hotel RL Olympia and Hotel RL Salt Lake City, we can focus our resources on our core franchise business and on continuing to execute our asset light strategy while ensuring the hotels continue to grow and benefit from exceptional management," said RHL Corporation Chief Operating Officer, Gary Sims.

A global leader in third-party hotel management, Interstate Hotels & Resorts' depth of experience across all lodging segments and asset classes drives results in each of its managed hotels worldwide. For more information on Interstate Hotels & Resorts, visit www.InterstateHotels.com.

Interstate Hotels & Resorts is the leading U.S.-based global hotel management company, operating branded full- and select-service hotels, resorts, convention centers and independent hotels. Currently, Interstate's global portfolio represents 540 properties in 11 countries inclusive of a committed pipeline of signed hotels under construction or development around the world. The company's experienced operators, industry-leading platforms and extensive management capabilities produce exceptional guest experiences and optimal returns for hotel owners and investors. For more information, please visit www.interstatehotels.com , or follow Interstate on Facebook and LinkedIn .

Red Lion Hotels Corporation is an innovative hotel company doing business as RLH Corporation and focuses on the franchising, management and ownership of upscale, midscale and economy hotels. The company focuses on maximizing return on invested capital for hotel owners across North America through relevant brands, industry-leading technology and forward-thinking services. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.rlhco.com.

FOR MORE MEDIA INFORMATION:

NATASHA WOJCIK/ AMANDA LEWIS

THE ZIMMERMAN AGENCY  850.668.2222

[email protected]

SOURCE Interstate Hotels & Resorts

Related Links

http://www.interstatehotels.com

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntkey, a leading global provider of power solutions, today presents at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world's largest electronics sourcing fair opened in Las Vegas.

https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/huntkeybooth.jpg

From January 8 - 11, a large number of technology companies across the globe will gather together at Las Vegas Convention Center to demonstrate their latest technologies and innovations. Huntkey, a consecutive CES exhibitor of 6 years, is participating in CES 2019 with showcasing its latest products, including LED lights, wireless chargers, USB charging stations, PC monitors, and surge protectors.

LED Lights

Huntkey showcases a wide range of its LED lights at the show, such as desk lamps, light bulbs and hourglass night lights. With rated power from 5W to 8.5W, Huntkey's desk lamps are energy-efficient and eye-protective for home and office use. These desk lamps are integrated with multiple touch-controllable sensors, like step-less dimming bars, wireless chargers, USB charging ports, and alarm clocks.

https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/ledproducts.jpg

Huntkey displays 5 models of its durable and energy-efficient light bulbs, including 5W, 7W, 9W, 13W, dimmable and RGB adjustable light bulbs. All light bulbs are CE and CB certified, and warranted with 2 years. With Bluetooth connection and an App on the phone, users are able to remote control the dimmable light bulbs in the house. Huntkey also displays its hourglass night lights at the show. With 2 AAA batteries, the hourglass night lights are RGB adjustable, which can deliver beautiful lights with different colors.

Wireless Chargers

As wireless charging will be widely used on smart phones and other electronics, there must be an increasing need for wireless chargers in the market. At CES, Hunktey showcases its new wireless chargers with Qi certification, an open interface standard developed by the Wireless Power Consortium which defines wireless power transfer using inductive charging over distances of up to 4 cm (1.6 inches).

https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/wirelesscharger.jpg

Huntkey's wireless chargers are round, with a maximum output of 10W. With a standby power lower than 0.15W, energy efficiency of the wireless chargers can be up to 82%. They are capable of charging Samsung smart phones like Galaxy S9+, S9, S8 with fast charging mode, and charging iPhones like XR, XS, 8 and 8 Plus with standard charging mode.

USB Charging Stations

USB charging station is a main product category of Huntkey. At the show, Huntkey showcases its latest USB charging station - The SmartC, a portable and well-designed power hub equipped with 4 USB-A ports and 1 USB-C port. It can smartly deliver power to 5 devices like smart phones, power banks and tablets at the same time. To support a wide range of devices charging, it can automatically output different currents according to the devices' requirements.

https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/smartc.jpg

It is ETL, CE, CB and FCC certified, and has been strictly tested to meet stringent protection requirements, including OCP (Over Current Protection), OHP (Over Heat Protection) and SCP (Short Circuit Protection) to ensure safety.

PC Monitors

Hunkey displays 4 pieces of curved gaming monitors at the show, including M2471WH/WT, X2471C, X2772CK and X3271CK. The M2471WH/WT is a 23.8-inch monitor equipped with a Full HD (1920*1080) screen. The X2471C supports 16.7M display colors, 72% color gamut (NTSC) and outstanding static contrast ratio of 3000:1. It allows players to enjoy higher quality images with its Full HD resolution capable of providing 2.1 megapixels for crystal-clear visuals and vibrant images. The X2772CK offers a superb high image quality capable of displaying 16.7 million colors. To ensure more vibrant images, it is designed with a response time of 8ms and a color gamut (NTSC) of 85%.

https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/gamingmonitor.jpg

Surge Protectors & Power Strips

Huntkey exhibits 3 models of its cubic surge protectors, including SMC005, SMC007 and SMC407. All of them are made of flame-retardant material, and are warranted with surge protection and overload protection to ensure safety. Besides, the SMC005 is certified with ETL, and the SMC007 and SMC407 are certified with ETL and FCC.

https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/smartchargers.jpg

https://en.huntkey.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/powerstrips.jpg

In addition to cubic surge protectors, Huntkey also exhibits other surge protectors like models SMC607, SMC807 and SMC127. They are flame-retardant and equipped with an inside integral copper bar that can be able to withstand high temperatures and save energy. All of them come with a 3- year warranty.

To learn more about Huntkey products, visit Huntkey booth #35572 in South Hall 4, LVCC throughout CES, from Jan. 8-11 in Las Vegas.

About CES

CES is a world renowned trade show annually held in January at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It is organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) to host presentations of new products and technologies in the consumer electronics industry.

About Huntkey

Huntkey Group, founded in 1995 and headquartered in Shenzhen, is a member of The International Power Supply Manufacturer's Association (PSMA) and a member of The China Power Supply Society (CPSS). With branch companies in the USA, Japan and other areas, and cooperating factories in Brazil, Argentina, India and other countries, Huntkey has specialized in the development, design, and manufacturing of PC power supplies, industrial power supplies, surge protectors, adapters and chargers for many years. With its own technologies and manufacturing strength, Huntkey has served Lenovo, Huawei, Haier, DELL, ZTE, Bestbuy and many other large enterprises for years, and has received unanimous recognition and trust from most of the customers.

For more information about Huntkey, please visit http://www.huntkey.com/

SOURCE Huntkey

Related Links

http://www.huntkey.com/

CHICAGO, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Navy Pier, Chicago's top-attended lakefront destination, invites guests to beat the winter blues by hitting The Beach Chicago  a free, interactive public art installation on display in the historic Aon Grand Ballroom from Saturday, January 19 through Sunday, February 3. Presented in partnership with EXPO CHICAGO (The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art) and created by Snarkitecture, a New York-based collaborative design practice, The Beach Chicago is a large-scale installation set to transform the Pier's iconic 18,000-square-foot space into an indoor beach, complete with lounge deck chairs, lifeguard chairs, umbrellas, inflatables and signage that mimic the sensation of a day at the beach.

The installation consists of one million antimicrobial and recyclable plastic spheres enclosed in a large, open space. Guests of all ages are welcome to 'swim' through the sea of translucent white spheres as part of the artistic experience or simply gaze and revel in the installation from the pier and other viewing areas throughout the installation. The Beach Chicago promotes familiar social cues and visual sensations of a beach within the unique setting of the Aon Grand Ballroom, a historic landmark designed by architect Charles Sumner Frost and constructed in 1916 as part of Navy Pier's original structure. Earlier iterations of The Beach have taken place in Washington, D.C.; Tampa, Florida; Sydney, Australia; Paris, France; and Bangkok, Thailand. Chicago will serve as the third site in the U.S. and first in the Midwest.

The Beach Chicago is supported by The Chicago Free For All Fund at The Chicago Community Trust, the Navy Pier Associate Board and Hilton Worldwide.

Navy Pier guests are encouraged to make the most of their "day at The Beach" by exploring the many new dining, retail and leisure options available across the recently renovated Pier. Select restaurants  including Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Giordano's, Harry Caray's Tavern, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, Riva Crab House, Tiny Tavern and more  will have beach-themed menus and cocktails, among other special offers to complement the experience. Click here to view the full listing of Pier-wide beach-inspired promotions available throughout the duration of the exhibit. In addition, Chicago Shakespeare Theater will continue to present its production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, offering another enchanting escape this winter. Guests can complete their 'beach day' with a ride on Chicago's iconic Ferris wheel. Enclosed and heated, the year-round Centennial Wheel pairs perfectly with The Beach Chicago, providing 360 views of the city's famous beaches from 200 feet above water.

Looking to make your visit extra special? Book a private beach party at The Beach Chicago! Navy Pier is offering guests an opportunity to host a semi-private beach party during exhibit hours or a complete buy-out of the installation on select days to enjoy exclusively with family, friends and private guests. For more information or to book The Beach Chicago for a private event, call (312) 595-5300.

In advance of the unveiling of The Beach Chicago, the Graham Foundation  in partnership with EXPO CHICAGO and Navy Pier  will present a talk by Snarkitecture's Alex Mustonen and Benjamin Porto, the creative minds behind The Beach. The free, public talk will be held on Thursday, January 17 at 6 p.m. at the Graham Foundation, located at 4 West Burton Place. Following this event, the Graham Foundation Bookshop will host a book signing of Snarkitecture's recent catalogue, published by Phaidon.

Guests staying at a Hilton hotel during The Beach Chicago can use their Hilton room key to receive fast pass access to the installation. Simply present the room key associated with the appropriate Hilton-branded hotel at the Navy Pier Guest Services Desk in the Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion to redeem a wristband to skip the line at The Beach Chicago. The offer is valid with Hilton room key cards only and must be redeemed ahead of entrance.

Hosting The Beach Chicago is one of the many ways Navy Pier continues to honor its commitment to offer free, year-round arts and cultural programming, designed to inspire, educate and connect communities across the city and globe. For more information, visit www.navypier.org or download the Navy Pier app on any Android or iOS device.

PHOTOS: The Beach Chicago | Credit: Noah Kalina

About Snarkitecture

Snarkitecture is a New York-based collaborative design practice established to investigate the boundaries between disciplines. The name is drawn from Lewis Carroll's The Hunting of The Snark, a poem describing the "impossible voyage of an improbable crew to find an inconceivable creature." In its search for the unknown, Snarkitecture creates work that includes large-scale projects, installations and objects. Snarkitecture's work focuses on the reinterpretation of everyday materials, structures and programs to new and imaginative effect. With a conceptual approach centered on the importance of experience, the studio creates unexpected and memorable moments that invite people to explore and engage with their surroundings. For more information, visit www.snarkitecture.com.

About EXPO CHICAGO

EXPO CHICAGO, The International Exposition of Contemporary and Modern Art, is presented by Art Expositions, LLC at Navy Pier's Festival Hall, hosting more than 135 leading International exhibitors presented alongside one of the highest quality platforms for global contemporary art and culture. Entering its eighth year as a leading international art fair, EXPO CHICAGO offers diverse programming including /Dialogues, IN/SITU, IN/SITU Outside, EXPO VIDEO , the Curatorial Forum, the Art Critics Forum, Special Exhibitions, EXPO Sound and OVERRIDE | A Billboard Project . In addition, EXPO CHICAGO continues to publish THE SEEN, Chicago's International Journal of Contemporary & Modern Art. Under the leadership of President and Director Tony Karman, EXPO CHICAGO draws upon the city's rich history as a vibrant international cultural destination, while highlighting the region's contemporary arts community and inspiring its collector base.

EXPO CHICAGO's eighth edition will take place September 19  22, 2019, in alignment with the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial (September 19, 2018  January 5, 2020). For more information on EXPO CHICAGO and EXPO ART WEEK (September 16  22, 2019) visit expochicago.com .

About Navy Pier

Located on Lake Michigan, Navy Pier is one of the top-attended nonprofit destinations in the Midwest, stretching more than six city blocks and welcoming more than 9 million guests annually. Originally opened in 1916 as a shipping and recreation facility, this Chicago landmark showcases more than 50 acres of parks, restaurants, attractions, retail shops, sightseeing and dining cruise boats, exposition facilities and more. The Pier recently celebrated its 100th anniversary with the unveiling of the iconic Centennial Wheel, Polk Bros Park, Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion and Peoples Energy Welcome Pavilion. In 2019, Navy Pier continues to usher in its second century with ongoing pier-wide redevelopment efforts  including a 220-room Hilton hotel with rooftop bar, a marina and more  in addition to free, year-round arts and cultural programming designed to inspire, educate and connect communities across the city and globe. For more information, visit www.navypier.org or download the free Navy Pier app for Android and iOS devices.

Navy Pier Mission Statement

Navy Pier is the People's Pier, Chicago's lakefront treasure, welcoming all and offering dynamic and eclectic experiences through partnerships and programs that inspire discovery and wonder

CONTACT

Navy Pier | Payal Patel

(312) 595-5073 | [email protected]

Navy Pier | Lydia Jordan-Parnell

(312) 595-5063 | [email protected]

SOURCE Navy Pier

Related Links

https://navypier.org

NORTHBROOK, Ill., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Hilco Industrial, in partnership with Perfection Industrial Sales, have announced today that its joint venture group will conduct a final online-only auction of equipment from the large-capacity forging and machining facility on January 16 through January 23.

This auction will feature (3) forging presses up to 5000-ton, (2) late-model Glama forging manipulators, (1) Tacchi large-capacity deep hole borer, multiple large-capacity lathes, vertical boring mills, test and measurement, maintenance shops, storage equipment, air handling, spare parts, and more.

Jorgensen Forge was a fully integrated open die forging facility primarily serving the aircraft, aerospace, oil and gas, marine, defense, power generation, nuclear, and general industrial markets. To meet the demands of these various industries, the company offered versatile forging and machining operations, heat treating, and efficient manufacturing processes.

The equipment can be inspected on Monday, January 21, between 8 am and 4 pm PT at 8531 E Marginal Way S, Seattle, Washington or earlier by appointment. Complete details about the auction and lot catalog of the equipment are available at https://www.hilcoind.com/sale/jorgensen-online-2.

Contact Mark Reynolds at [email protected] or +1 205.403.5942 for more information on the machinery and equipment and the sales process.

Hilco Industrial is a Hilco Global Company and the preeminent authority on industrial machinery, equipment, and inventory monetization. Through its suite of services, Hilco brings together a global network of sellerswho are looking to transform underutilized machinery, equipment and inventory into capital, and buyerswho are looking to expand their business. www.hilcoind.com

Perfection Industrial Sales Inc. started in 1963 as a used machinery dealer in Chicago, IL. For more than 55 years Perfection has been evaluating, appraising, buying, warehousing, marketing, and selling used assets around the world. Perfection believes in tailored and flexible solutions that deliver results for its clients. www.perfectionindustrial.com

SOURCE Hilco Industrial

Related Links

https://www.hilcoind.com

LAKE OSWEGO, Ore., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. (NYSE: GBX) today reported financial results for its first fiscal quarter ended November 30, 2018.

First Quarter Highlights

Net earnings attributable to Greenbrier for the quarter were $18 .0 million, or $0.54 per diluted share, on revenue of $604.5 million .

.0 million, or per diluted share, on revenue of . Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $57.6 million , or 9.5% of revenue.

, or 9.5% of revenue. New railcar deliveries totaled 4,500 units for the quarter.

Diversified orders for 5,400 railcars were received during the quarter, valued at $560 million . Book-to-bill of 1.2x for the quarter, marking the third consecutive quarter with a book-to-bill over 1.0x.

. Book-to-bill of 1.2x for the quarter, marking the third consecutive quarter with a book-to-bill over 1.0x. New railcar backlog was 27,500 units with an estimated value of $2.7 billion .

. Board declares a quarterly dividend of $0.25 per share, payable on February 20, 2019 to shareholders of record as of January 30, 2019 .

per share, payable on to shareholders of record as of . Board extends share repurchase program two years until March 2021 and increases authorization to $100 million .

William A. Furman, Chairman and CEO, said, "Greenbrier's performance in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 exceeded expectations and demonstrates the ability of our people to execute the Company's business plan. Order activity was strong in the first quarter and comprised of a broad range of railcar types including double-stack intermodal units, tank cars and heavy-duty flat cars. Importantly, 20% of all new railcar orders were received from markets outside North America. We are confident in achieving our guidance for the year with approximately 90% of Greenbrier's fiscal 2019 production plan now booked with firm orders."

Furman concluded, "Greenbrier continues to see opportunities internationally, and expects international growth to continue from Europe and Brazil as the year progresses, with activity in the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Eurasia growing over time. A thoughtful approach to capital deployment emphasizes growth at scale designed to both reinforce the Company's position in core North American markets and expand in international railcar markets. Developing a pipeline of talent to strengthen Greenbrier's workforce is another key strategic objective in fiscal 2019. Greenbrier will continue to invest in its business and people, a strategic approach that serves the Company, our shareholders and our employees well."

Business Outlook

With 90% of fiscal 2019 production in backlog, and based on current business trends, Greenbrier affirms:

Deliveries will be approximately 24,000  26,000 units including Greenbrier-Maxion ( Brazil ) which will account for approximately 2,000 units

) which will account for approximately 2,000 units Revenue will exceed $3.0 billion

Diluted EPS will be $4.20 - $4.40

As noted in the "Safe Harbor" statement, there are risks to achieving this guidance. Certain orders and backlog in this release are subject to customary documentation and completion of terms.

Financial Summary



Q1 FY19 Q4 FY18 Sequential Comparison  Main Drivers Revenue $604.5M $689.2M Down 12.3% primarily due to lower volume of deliveries

including the timing of syndications Gross margin 12.0% 15.4% Down primarily due to product mix Selling and administrative expense $50.4M $51.3M Down modestly due to lower employee related costs Gain on disposition of equipment $14.4M $4.6M Continued rebalancing of lease portfolio Adjusted EBITDA $57.6M $75.3M Lower operating earnings Effective tax rate 28.5% 20.1% Reflects foreign discrete items and a change in the

geographic mix of earnings; Q4 includes $4.5 million

benefit related to a transition tax adjustment from the

2017 Tax Act Earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates $0.5M ($3.1M) Improved performance in Brazil and dissolution of GBW Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest $5.4M $6.2M Driven primarily by lower deliveries and timing of railcar

syndications at our GIMSA JV Adjusted net earnings

attributable to Greenbrier (1) $18.0M $26.4M Lower operating earnings and higher tax rate partially

offset by higher earnings from unconsolidated affiliates Adjusted diluted EPS (1) $0.54 $0.80







(1) Q1 FY19 includes no adjustments; Q4 FY18 excludes $4.5 million, or $0.14 per share, benefit related to a

transition tax adjustment from the 2017 Tax Act.

Segment Summary



Q1 FY19 Q4 FY18 Sequential Comparison  Main Drivers Manufacturing Revenue $471.8M $571.2M Down 17.4% due to lower volume of deliveries Gross margin 11.4% 14.3% Down primarily due to product mix Operating margin (1) 7.8% 10.9%

Deliveries (2) 4,200 5,600

Wheels, Repair & Parts Revenue $108.5M $85.8M Up 26.5% primarily attributable to return of Repair locations Gross margin 7.0% 7.6% Down due to repair volume inefficiencies Operating margin (1) 3.0% 4.3%

Leasing & Services Revenue $24.2M $32.2M Down 24.8% due to lower volume of externally sourced

railcar syndications Gross margin 45.4% 54.9% Down primarily due to increased railcar transportation costs Operating margin (1) (3) 72.4% 54.2% Reflects higher level of gains on disposition of equipment due

to rebalancing of lease portfolio Lease fleet utilization 94.9% 94.4%







(1) See supplemental segment information on page 9 for additional information. (2) Excludes Brazil deliveries which are not consolidated into manufacturing revenue and margins. (3) Includes Net gain on disposition of equipment, which is excluded from gross margin.

Conference Call

Greenbrier will host a teleconference to discuss its first quarter 2019 results. In conjunction with this news release, Greenbrier has posted a supplemental earnings presentation to our website. Teleconference details are as follows:

January 9, 2019

8:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time

Phone: 1-630-395-0143, Password: "Greenbrier"

Real-time Audio Access: ("Newsroom" at http://www.gbrx.com)

Please access the site 10 minutes prior to the start time.

About Greenbrier

Greenbrierheadquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregonis a leading international supplier of equipment and services to global freight transportation markets. Greenbrier designs, builds and markets freight railcars and marine barges in North America. Greenbrier Europe is an end-to-end freight railcar manufacturing, engineering and repair business with operations in Poland, Romania and Turkey that serves customers across Europe and in the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Greenbrier builds freight railcars and rail castings in Brazil through two separate strategic partnerships. We are a leading provider of freight railcar wheel services, parts, repair, refurbishment and retrofitting services in North America through our wheels, repair & parts business unit. Greenbrier offers railcar management, regulatory compliance services and leasing services to railroads and related transportation industries in North America. Through unconsolidated joint ventures, we produce industrial and rail castings, tank heads and other components. Greenbrier owns a lease fleet of over 9,600 railcars and performs management services for 358,000 railcars. Learn more about Greenbrier at www.gbrx.com.

"SAFE HARBOR" STATEMENT UNDER THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995: This press release may contain forward-looking statements, including any statements that are not purely statements of historical fact. Greenbrier uses words such as "affirms," "anticipates," "believes," "forecast," "potential," "goal," "contemplates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "hopes," "seeks," "estimates," "strategy," "could," "would," "should," "likely," "will," "may," "can," "designed to," "future," "foreseeable future" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such a difference include, but are not limited to, reported backlog and awards that are not indicative of Greenbrier's financial results; uncertainty or changes in the credit markets and financial services industry; high levels of indebtedness and compliance with the terms of Greenbrier's indebtedness; write-downs of goodwill, intangibles and other assets in future periods; sufficient availability of borrowing capacity; fluctuations in demand for newly manufactured railcars or failure to obtain orders as anticipated in developing forecasts; loss of one or more significant customers; customer payment defaults or related issues; policies and priorities of the federal government regarding international trade, taxation and infrastructure; sovereign risk to contracts, exchange rates or property rights; actual future costs and the availability of materials and a trained workforce; failure to design or manufacture new products or technologies or to achieve certification or market acceptance of new products or technologies; steel or specialty component price fluctuations and availability and scrap surcharges; changes in product mix and the mix between segments; labor disputes, energy shortages or operating difficulties that might disrupt manufacturing operations or the flow of cargo; production difficulties and product delivery delays as a result of, among other matters, costs or inefficiencies associated with expansion, start-up, or changing of production lines or changes in production rates, changing technologies, transfer of production between facilities or non-performance of alliance partners, subcontractors or suppliers; ability to obtain suitable contracts for the sale of leased equipment and risks related to car hire and residual values; integration of current or future acquisitions and establishment of joint ventures; succession planning; discovery of defects in railcars or services resulting in increased warranty costs or litigation; physical damage or product or service liability claims that exceed Greenbrier's insurance coverage; train derailments or other accidents or claims that could subject Greenbrier to legal claims; actions or inactions by various regulatory agencies including potential environmental remediation obligations or changing tank car or other railcar or railroad regulation; and issues arising from investigations of whistleblower complaints; all as may be discussed in more detail under the headings "Risk Factors" and "Forward Looking Statements" in Greenbrier's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2018, and Greenbrier's other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management's opinions only as of the date hereof. Except as otherwise required by law, Greenbrier does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted net earnings attributable to Greenbrier and Adjusted diluted EPS are not financial measures under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). These metrics are performance measurement tools commonly used by rail supply companies and Greenbrier. You should not consider these metrics in isolation or as a substitute for other financial statement data determined in accordance with GAAP. In addition, because these metrics are not a measure of financial performance under GAAP and are susceptible to varying calculations, the measures presented may differ from and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies.

We define Adjusted EBITDA as Net earnings before Interest and foreign exchange, Income tax expense (benefit), Depreciation and amortization and excluding the impact associated with items we do not believe are indicative of our core business or which affect comparability. We believe the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA provides useful information as it excludes the impact of financing, foreign exchange, income taxes and the accounting effects of capital spending. These items may vary for different companies for reasons unrelated to the overall operating performance of a company's core business. We believe this assists in comparing our performance across reporting periods.

Adjusted net earnings attributable to Greenbrier and Adjusted diluted EPS excludes the impact associated with items we do not believe are indicative of our core business or which affect comparability. We believe this assists in comparing our performance across reporting periods.

THE GREENBRIER COMPANIES, INC. Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands, unaudited)













November 30, 2018 August 31, 2018 May 31, 2018 February 28, 2018 November 30, 2017 Assets









Cash and cash equivalents $ 462,797 $ 530,655 $ 589,969 $ 586,008 $ 591,406 Restricted cash 8,872 8,819 9,204 8,875 8,839 Accounts receivable, net 306,917 348,406 322,328 321,795 315,393 Inventories 492,573 432,314 396,518 408,419 411,371 Leased railcars for syndication 233,415 130,926 158,194 168,748 130,991 Equipment on operating leases, net 317,282 322,855 302,074 258,417 274,598 Property, plant and equipment, net 461,120 457,196 424,035 429,465 426,961 Investment in unconsolidated affiliates 58,682 61,414 75,884 98,009 101,529 Intangibles and other assets, net 95,958 94,668 82,030 83,308 83,819 Goodwill 77,508 78,211 70,347 69,011 67,783

$ 2,515,124 $ 2,465,464 $2,430,583 $ 2,432,055 $ 2,412,690











Liabilities and Equity









Revolving notes $ 22,189 $ 27,725 $ 20,337 $ 7,990 $ 6,885 Accounts payable and accrued liabilities 438,304 449,857 447,827 461,088 441,373 Deferred income taxes 30,631 31,740 36,657 41,257 69,984 Deferred revenue 108,566 105,954 102,919 85,886 120,044 Notes payable, net 487,764 436,205 437,833 559,755 558,987 Contingently redeemable noncontrolling

interest 28,449 29,768 31,135 33,046 35,209 Total equity - Greenbrier 1,257,631 1,250,101 1,225,512 1,095,447 1,032,557 Noncontrolling interest 141,590 134,114 128,363 147,586 147,651 Total equity 1,399,221 1,384,215 1,353,875 1,243,033 1,180,208

$ 2,515,124 $ 2,465,464 $2,430,583 $ 2,432,055 $ 2,412,690

THE GREENBRIER COMPANIES, INC. Consolidated Statements of Income (In thousands, except per share amounts, unaudited)









Three Months Ended

November 30,





2018

2017 Revenue









Manufacturing

$ 471,789

$ 451,485 Wheels, Repair & Parts



108,543

78,011 Leasing & Services



24,191

30,039





604,523

559,535 Cost of revenue









Manufacturing



417,805

380,850 Wheels, Repair & Parts



100,978

72,506 Leasing & Services



13,207

16,865





531,990

470,221











Margin



72,533

89,314











Selling and administrative



50,432

47,043 Net gain on disposition of equipment



(14,353)

(19,171) Earnings from operations



36,454

61,442











Other costs









Interest and foreign exchange



4,404

7,020 Earnings before income tax and earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates



32,050

54,422 Income tax expense



(9,135)

(18,135) Earnings before earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates



22,915

36,287 Earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates



467

(2,910)











Net earnings



23,382

33,377 Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest



(5,426)

(7,124)











Net earnings attributable to Greenbrier

$ 17,956

$ 26,253











Basic earnings per common share:

$ 0.55

$ 0.90











Diluted earnings per common share:

$ 0.54

$ 0.83











Weighted average common shares:









Basic



32,640

29,332 Diluted



33,093

32,696











Dividends declared per common share

$ 0.25

$ 0.23

THE GREENBRIER COMPANIES, INC. Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (In thousands, unaudited)











Three Months Ended November 30,



2018 2017





Cash flows from operating activities: Net earnings

$ 23,382

$ 33,377 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash used in operating

activities:









Deferred income taxes



(2,360)

(5,865) Depreciation and amortization



20,700

18,370 Net gain on disposition of equipment



(14,353)

(19,171) Accretion of debt discount



1,076

1,024 Stock based compensation expense



3,194

5,939 Noncontrolling interest adjustments



3,920

(875) Other



286

477 Decrease (increase) in assets:









Accounts receivable, net



54,834

(35,510) Inventories



(63,045)

(16,311) Leased railcars for syndication



(116,726)

(35,541) Other



(392)

6,304 Increase (decrease) in liabilities:









Accounts payable and accrued liabilities



(10,949)

16,676 Deferred revenue



3,314

(8,548) Net cash used in operating activities



(97,119)

(39,654) Cash flows from investing activities:









Proceeds from sales of assets



34,497

75,060 Capital expenditures



(28,677)

(29,893) Investment in and advances to unconsolidated affiliates



(11,393)

- Cash distribution from joint ventures



1,784

- Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities



(3,789)

45,167 Cash flows from financing activities:









Net change in revolving notes with maturities of 90 days or less



(4,840)

2,561 Proceeds from issuance of notes payable



225,000

2,138 Debt issuance costs



(2,766)

- Repayments of notes payable



(173,453)

(2,809) Investment by joint venture partner



-

6,500 Cash distribution to joint venture partner



(3,185)

(26,900) Dividends



(467)

(319) Tax payments for net share settlement of restricted stock



(4,747)

(5,061) Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities



35,542

(23,890) Effect of exchange rate changes



(2,439)

(1,736) Decrease in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash



(67,805)

(20,113) Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash









Beginning of period



539,474

620,358 End of period

$ 471,669

$ 600,245 Balance Sheet Reconciliation









Cash and cash equivalents

$ 462,797

$ 591,406 Restricted cash



8,872

8,839 Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash as presented above

$ 471,669

$ 600,245

THE GREENBRIER COMPANIES, INC. Supplemental Information (In thousands, except per share amounts, unaudited)

Operating Results by Quarter for 2018 are as follows:

First

Second

Third

Fourth

Total



















Revenue

















Manufacturing $ 451,485

$ 511,827

$ 510,099

$ 571,175

$ 2,044,586 Wheels, Repair & Parts 78,011

88,710

94,515

85,787

347,023 Leasing & Services 30,039

28,799

36,773

32,244

127,855

559,535

629,336

641,387

689,206

2,519,464 Cost of revenue

















Manufacturing 380,850

429,165

427,875

489,517

1,727,407 Wheels, Repair & Parts 72,506

80,708

85,850

79,266

318,330 Leasing & Services 16,865

14,116

19,155

14,536

64,672

470,221

523,989

532,880

583,319

2,110,409



















Margin 89,314

105,347

108,507

105,887

409,055



















Selling and administrative expense 47,043

50,294

51,793

51,309

200,439 Net gain on disposition of equipment (19,171)

(5,817)

(14,825)

(4,556)

(44,369) Earnings from operations 61,442

60,870

71,539

59,134

252,985



















Other costs

















Interest and foreign exchange 7,020

7,029

6,533

8,786

29,368 Earnings before income tax and earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates 54,422

53,841

65,006

50,348

223,617 Income tax benefit (expense) (18,135)

11,301

(15,944)

(10,115)

(32,893) Earnings before earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates 36,287

65,142

49,062

40,233

190,724 Earnings (loss) from unconsolidated affiliates (2,910)

147

(12,823)

(3,075)

(18,661) Net earnings 33,377

65,289

36,239

37,158

172,063 Net earnings attributable to noncontrolling interest (7,124)

(3,647)

(3,288)

(6,223)

(20,282) Net earnings attributable to Greenbrier $ 26,253

$ 61,642

$ 32,951

$ 30,935

$ 151,781



















Basic earnings per common share (1) $ 0.90

$ 2.10

$ 1.03

$ 0.95

$ 4.92 Diluted earnings per common share (1) $ 0.83

$ 1.91

$ 1.01

$ 0.94

$ 4.68





(1) Quarterly amounts do not total to the year to date amount as each period is calculated discretely. Diluted earnings per common share includes the dilutive effect of the 2024 Convertible Notes using the treasury stock method when dilutive, restricted stock units that are not considered participating securities, restricted stock units that are subject to performance criteria for which actual levels of performance above target have been achieved and the dilutive effect of shares underlying the 2018 Convertible Notes, during the periods in which they were outstanding, using the "if converted" method in which debt issuance and interest costs, net of tax, were added back to net earnings. The 2018 Convertible notes matured on April 1, 2018.

THE GREENBRIER COMPANIES, INC. Supplemental Information (In thousands, unaudited)

Segment Information

Three months ended November 30, 2018:

















Revenue

Earnings (loss) from operations

External

Intersegment

Total

External

Intersegment

Total Manufacturing $ 471,789

$ 6,201

$ 477,990

$ 36,855

$ 433

$37,288 Wheels, Repair & Parts 108,543

15,981

124,524

3,247

312

3,559 Leasing & Services 24,191

5,999

30,190

17,513

5,452

22,965 Eliminations -

(28,181)

(28,181)

-

(6,197)

(6,197) Corporate -

-

-

(21,161)

-

(21,161)

$ 604,523

$ -

$ 604,523

$ 36,454

$ -

$ 36,454

















Three months ended August 31, 2018:

















Revenue

Earnings (loss) from operations

External

Intersegment

Total

External

Intersegment

Total Manufacturing $ 571,175

$ 33,904

$ 605,079

$ 62,312

$ 3,905

$ 66,217 Wheels, Repair & Parts 85,787

13,931

99,718

3,648

534

4,182 Leasing & Services 32,244

1,992

34,236

17,473

1,750

19,223 Eliminations -

(49,827)

(49,827)

-

(6,189)

(6,189) Corporate -

-

-

(24,299)

-

(24,299)

$ 689,206

$ -

$ 689,206

$ 59,134

$ -

$ 59,134















Total assets





November 30, 2018

August 31, 2018 Manufacturing $ 998,820

$ 1,020,757 Wheels, Repair & Parts 322,525

306,756 Leasing & Services 691,389

578,818 Unallocated 502,390

559,133

$ 2,515,124

$ 2,465,464

THE GREENBRIER COMPANIES, INC. Supplemental Information (In thousands, excluding backlog and delivery units, unaudited)

Reconciliation of Net earnings to Adjusted EBITDA





Three Months Ended





November 30,

2018

August 31, 2018 Net earnings $ 23,382

$ 37,158 Interest and foreign exchange 4,404

8,786 Income tax expense 9,135

10,115 Depreciation and amortization 20,700

19,195











Adjusted EBITDA $ 57,621

$ 75,254











































Three Months

Ended November 30,

2018 Backlog Activity (units)





Beginning backlog 27,400 Orders received (1) 5,400 Production held as Leased railcars for syndication (1,100) Production sold directly to third parties (1) (4,200) Ending backlog 27,500



Delivery Information (units)

Production sold directly to third parties (1) 4,200 Sales of Leased railcars for syndication 300 Total deliveries 4,500





(1) Includes Greenbrier-Maxion, our Brazilian railcar manufacturer, which is accounted for under the equity method

THE GREENBRIER COMPANIES, INC. Supplemental Information (In thousands, except per share amounts, unaudited)

Reconciliation of common shares outstanding, adjusted net earnings attributable to Greenbrier and adjusted

diluted earnings per share

The shares used in the computation of the Company's basic and diluted earnings per common share are reconciled as

follows:

Three Months Ended

November 30, 2018 August 31,

2018 Weighted average basic common shares outstanding (1) 32,640 32,663 Dilutive effect of convertible notes (2) - - Dilutive effect of restricted stock units (3) 453 357 Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding 33,093 33,020





(1) Restricted stock grants and restricted stock units that are considered participating securities, including some grants subject to certain performance criteria, are included in weighted average basic common shares outstanding when the Company is in a net earnings position. (2) The dilutive effect of the 2024 Convertible notes was excluded for the three months ended November 30, 2018 and August 31, 2018 as the average stock price was less than the applicable conversion price and therefore was considered anti-dilutive. (3) Restricted stock units that are not considered participating securities and restricted stock units subject to performance criteria, for which actual levels of performance above target have been achieved, are included in Weighted average diluted shares outstanding when the Company is in a net earnings position.













Three Months Ended



November 30,

2018 August 31, 2018 Net earnings attributable to Greenbrier

$ 17,956 $ 30,935 Non-recurring Tax Act benefit(1)

- (4,535) Adjusted net earnings attributable to Greenbrier

$ 17,956 $ 26,400















Three Months Ended



November 30,

2018 August 31, 2018 Net earnings attributable to Greenbrier

$ 17,956 $ 30,935 Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding

33,093 33,020







Diluted earnings per share

$ 0.54 $ 0.94 Non-recurring Tax Act benefit(1)

- (0.14) Adjusted diluted earnings per share

$ 0.54 $ 0.80





(1) Non-recurring benefit of $4.5 million in the three months ended August 31, 2018 related to the 2017 Tax Act.

SOURCE The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. (GBX)

Related Links

http://www.gbrx.com

PANGUITCH, Utah, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- As the partial federal shutdown continues, Garfield County's Office of Tourism wants the public to know that Bryce Canyon National Park, one of Utah's most visited sites, is still accessible to travelers, though services are limited. The State Tourism Office, the Bryce Canyon Natural History Association and Garfield County have provided funding and in-kind resources to keep the visitor's center open and the park's restrooms and public areas clean and trash-free.

Overlook at Bryce Canyon National Park Bryce Canyon National Park in winter

While key parts of the federal government have been impacted since Dec. 22 by the shutdown, Bryce Canyon is one of the fortunate national parks to remain open. Some national parks are littered with garbage, have locked restrooms and blocked roads because of piling snow. Bryce Canyon has been able to avoid this dilemma. This is due to the support of partner organizations who have collaborated to keep major portions of the park accessible.

Gayle Pollack, director of the nonprofit, Bryce Canyon Natural History Association, has pledged $10,000 to underwrite any funding shortfall to keep Bryce Canyon open. The NHA is committed to supporting the visitor center operations for however long the federal shutdown lasts.

"Don't cancel your plans if you scheduled a trip to Bryce Canyon from the United States or overseas," said Gayle Pollack, director of the Bryce Canyon Natural History Association. "When you come here the restrooms will be clean, the park will be open and there will be people with smiles to welcome you."

With no end in sight to the federal shutdown, Garfield County will provide local law enforcement personnel to maintain order and safety when needed.

"I don't suspect the park's closure will be years or months like you hear in the news, but we are in this for the long haul," said Garfield County Sheriff Danny Perkins. "The sheriff's department pledges support in the form of equipment to keep the roads free from snow and law enforcement officers to help with any safety or rescue issues in the park."

If the shutdown continues, the county says it will work with the State of Utah and regional and county partners to identify the best solution to keep the park open.

Falyn Owens, the Garfield Tourism Office Executive Director, said she takes hope in Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt's recent memo sent to the National Park Service. Bernhardt has requested in the memo that the NPS use funding from the parks' recreational fees to pay for basic services  such as trash pickup, restroom cleaning and patrolling park areas  that have stopped due to the partial government shutdown.

"We want to make sure those that have planned to visit the area still get the opportunity to take in our incredible Bryce Canyon National Park," said Owens. "Visitors should be mindful that some areas are short-staffed. It is important for visitors to try to minimize any impact to the park so we can all enjoy the natural beauty of Bryce Canyon."

If you are planning to visit the area please note contingency plans that are being developed to keep the visitor's center open and some services available. For information about Bryce Canyon during the government shutdown go to visit.utah.com .

About Garfield County:

Garfield County is located in Southern Utah and provides access to Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands and Capitol Reef national parks. Plan your own world-class vacation, visit brycecanyoncountry.com or call 800-444-6689.

Media Contact:

Relic Agency

Alex Sousa

801-704-7063

[email protected]

SOURCE Garfield County Tourism OfficeCompiling a list of movies I liked in 2018 wasnt difficult but, in general, I would argue there were far more very good movies than great films this past year. What does stand out on my list, however, is that Netflix is now a major Hollywood player. Several of the titles listed here can currently be seen streaming in the comfort of your home. I dont know if thats good or bad, just a fact. In alphabetical order, my choices include:

THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS: A six-part Western anthology film about the American frontier told through the unique and incomparable voice of directors/writers Joel and Ethan Coen. On Netflix.

BLACKKKLANSMAN: Director Spike Lees best film in years tells the true story of an African-American police detective in Colorado who manages to infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan.

EIGHTH GRADE: A small and absolutely wonderful independent film about a young girl and her school year of social media drama. Wisely observed with a captivating central performance by Elsie Fisher.

THE FAVOURITE: Audacious period picture by adventurous filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos about two women seeking to be Queen Annes best friend. If Dangerous Liaisons and All About Eve had a baby, it would look something like this pitch black comedy of ill-manners. Olivia Colman is tops as the sickly queen.

FIRST REFORMED: An underrated Ethan Hawke deserves Oscar attention for his bravura performance as a small town minister challenged by questions of faith and climate change in Paul Schraders challenging, timely film.

LEAVE NO TRACE: A war veteran and his daughter attempt to live off the grid in Debra Graniks thoughtful, little-seen drama with stand-out performances by Ben Foster and Thomasin McKensie.

PRIVATE LIFE: A middle-aged couple attempt to have a child in Tamara Jenkins moving, funny and all-too-human dramedy starring a never-better Paul Giamatti and Kathryn Hahn as the would-be parents. On Netflix.

A QUIET PLACE: Actor/director John Krasinski brought the horror genre to a whole new level in this pulse-pounding thriller starring Emily Blunt terrific as a pregnant mom forced to be very, very quiet.

ROMA: This magnificent autobiographical drama by director/writer Alfonso Cuaron is a sweeping yet intimate epic about his childhood growing up in a small Mexican town and the women who shaped his life. It may well be the best picture of the year. On Netflix.

A STAR IS BORN: The fourth go-round for the familiar tale of showbiz highs and lows, got a jolt of charisma from stars Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper and Mr. Cooper also made a very impressive directing debut here.

VICE: A blistering, often hilarious and profane biopic about Dick Cheney gave Christian Bale the role of his career with essential support from Amy Adams, Steve Carell and Jessie Plemmons.

WONT YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?: The years best documentary about television icon Fred Rogers was a soothing balm of a film, radiating healing and hope at a time the country needed it most.

Also worthy of mention: BEAUTIFUL BOY, BLACK PANTHER, BOY ERASED, DISOBEDIANCE, FAHRENHEIT 11/9, THE FRONT RUNNER, GREEN BOOK, HAPPY AS LAZARRO (Netflix), HEREDITY, IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK, THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER (Netflix), MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: FALLOUT, RGB, TEA WITH THE DAMES and THE WIFE (if for nothing more than Glenn Closes matchless performance!).

Tom Holehan is one of the founders of the Connecticut Critics Circle, a frequent contributor to WPKN Radios State of the Arts program and Artistic Director of Stratfords Square One Theatre Company. He welcomes comments at: tholehan@yahoo.com. His reviews and other theatre information can be found on the Connecticut Critics Circle website: www.ctcritics.org.NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Polyethylene Furanoate Market Anticipated to Reach $129.3 Million by 2025, Reports BIS Research



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05480426



Over the last decade, the packaging industry has witnessed a massive transformation, owing to the increasing demand for sustainable manufacturing systems.Rising consumer awareness and high environmental concerns have resulted in the transformation of the manufacturing process of the products and their supply chain across the world.



Various research companies and institutes are working for the production innovative alternatives to packaging systems.Polyethylene furanoate (PEF), being 100% bio-based, has the ability to address the rising concerns regarding resource depletion as compared to that of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) that uses conventional nonrenewable resources for its production.



With the rapid advancements and innovations in the packaging industry, the PEF market is expected to present an extensive amount of opportunities to revolutionize the global packaging industry.



The market research study offers a wide perspective of PEF and its different applications.The report also provides an analysis of the market penetration of these applications and their growth opportunities across different regions and countries.



The study focuses on the changing landscape of the PEF market, owing to the capacity developments of leading players.The study helps in keeping close tabs on the PEF market as PEF production moves from pilot scale to a commercial scale in the coming years.



The research is based on extensive primary interviews (in-house experts, industry leaders, and market players), and secondary research (a host of paid and unpaid databases), along with the analytical tools that have been used to build the forecast and the predictive models.



This work was designed to answer some of the most crucial questions about the polyethylene furanoate market:

 What is the global polyethylene furanoate market size in terms of value and volume from 2017-2025 along with the year-on-year growth rates and the CAGR from 2019 to 2025?

 What are the major applications for PEF globally in terms of volume consumption and revenue generation?

 Which are the major regions and countries that provide growth opportunities for the PEF market?

 What is the revenue generation and volume consumption of PEF for various applications across different countries?

 What is the competitive strength of the key players in the PEF market by analyzing their recent developments, product offerings, and regional presence?



The report is a compilation of various segmentations including market breakdown by application and region.The report highlights the key driving and restraining forces for this market as well as the market opportunities in different applications across the leading countries in the PEF market.



In the extensive primary research process undertaken for this study, the primary sources further include industry experts and key executives from prominent companies and organizations across the PEF value chain.



The trends of the PEF market vary with different geographical regions.The PEF market holds a prominent share in various countries of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Rest-of-the-World (RoW).



The report also provides a country-based analysis for all the leading countries in every region, including the U.S, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the U.K, China, Japan, and Brazil. Each geographical region analysis details the individual push and pull forces in addition to the key players and applications in that particular region.



The prominent players operating in the polyethylene furanoate market are Avantium, Corbion nv, Danone, MITSUI & CO., LTD., Swire Pacific Ltd., Tereos, and Toyobo Co., Ltd., ALPLA Werke Alwin Lehner GmbH & Co KG, AVA Biochem AG, Synvina, and Toyo Seikan Co.,Ltd., among others.



Executive Summary

The global packaging and bottle industry is changing rapidly toward making a bio-economy.The emerging market structure and consumer awareness call for the adoption of innovations that are environment-friendly.



Issues such as climate change, depleting sources of fossil fuel-based feedstock, and increasing carbon footprint in the production process have been the major driving and restraining factors behind the wide acceptance of the bio-based products by the consumers.Companies have been investing heavily in the research and development of packaging alternatives.



Owing to the changing lifestyle and rising health and pollution concern, the demand for innovative products with minimum environmental hazards and health hazards is gaining traction.



The most widely used chemical for the production of bottles and different packaging options has been polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and it occupies the majority of the share of the global packaging and bottle market.It became the most preferred choice among the masses owing to its properties such as hygiene, shatterproof, and lightweight, and high strength.



Despite having the aforementioned qualities, the packaging of any product must also have minimal impact on the environment. The rising concern for environmental issues is posing a threat to the existing market for PET.



Polyethylene fuaranoate (PEF) is proposed to be used as an alternative to the existing polymers that make use of non-renewable resources in their production.The key feature that distinguishes PEF from PET is that it is bio-based and is derived from plants, whereas the formation of PET takes place from the conventional resources.



Other than this, when compared with PET, PEF has better mechanical properties such as lower melting point, higher glass transition point, and better tensile strength, among others.It is also light weighted and can be recycled.



It finds its application in the production of various products, such as bottles, beverage containers, sheets of films, and as fibers, in the packaging of various products.Its further application and usage is researched by several institutes and industries.



The application of PEF does not require inclusion of any other investment in terms of instruments and machines. It could be processed in the same facilities as PET and can be recycled in the PET streams as well.



However, PEF is in its exploratory stage and owing to its distinguishing features it has the potential to replace PET and be a dominant player in the chemical industry.It is viewed as an attractive area for investment among various manufacturers and distributors across different markets.



The current PEF production has been utilized by the leading companies for testing and process optimization.Being in its nascent stage, PEF is currently more expensive for the consumers when compared with other existing alternatives such as PET.



But as the PEF production reaches a commercial and an industrial stage, PEF producers are expected to have the leverage of reducing their prices which in turn might also facilitate and accelerate PET replacement by PEF at a large scale.



Overall, the packaging and bottle industry is anticipated to have significant growth in the upcoming years due to rapid innovations.PEF might be a key player contributing to the success of bio-based environment friendly products.



However, it being in its pilot phase, not much can be estimated about its worldwide acceptance and performance in terms of durability and feasibility of adoption.



The PEF market was valued $167.9 thousand in 2017 and is expected to reach $129.3 million by 2025. The market in terms of value is expected to grow at 31.0% from 2019 to 2025 after its commercialization. Whereas, in 2017, the market in terms of volume was 40.0 tons, which is expected to reach 81.9 kilotons by 2025. The market in terms of volume is expected to grow at 50.7% from 2019 to 2025 after its commercialization. The backing of leading packaging companies for the development of the PEF market and the development of PEF production at a commercial scale are expected to help the market to grow.



The bottle application of PEF is expected to replace PET in large volumes in the packaging industry. The development of PEF bottles has been supported by leading consumers, such as Danone, Nestle S.A., Swire Pacific Ltd., Toyo Seikan Co., Ltd., and The Coca Cola Company, further driving the growth of PEF bottles. Moreover, initiatives taken by leading chemical companies such as MITSUI CO., LTD. and Avantium to promote PEF beverage bottles on a large scale at major events such as the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 is expected to further drive the growth of this application.



The trends of the PEF market vary with different geographical regions.The PEF market holds a prominent share in various countries of North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), and Rest-of-the-World.



Europe currently dominates the market in terms of value because of the expensive nature of PEF in the region, whereas the Asia-Pacific region dominates the market in terms of volumes as the region is host to major PEF polymerization companies and PEF product manufacturing companies.China is expected to show the fastest growth after the commercialization of PEF in 2019.



The country is home to leading PET resin consumers and is expected to be a key country for growth once PEF gets commercialized.



Competitive Landscape



The latest strategies and developments adopted by the key market players in the PEF market in order to lead the market defines the competitive landscape of the market. The companies, in order to improve their market positioning, work in partnerships, improve their product offerings, and expand their business activities.



In June 2017, the consortium named PEFerence consisting of 11 members aimed at establishing an innovative supply chain for FDCA and PEF received a subsidy of EUR 25 million from Bio-based Industries (BBI).This will further help in the development of PEF prospects.



Also, in May 2017, The European PET Bottle Platform (EPBP) gave interim approval to Synvina for the PEF's recyclability. PEF bottles therefore could be disposed in the same way as PET bottle are disposed.



Research and development (R&D) is a key factor that influences the growth of the market.Companies work in collaboration with institutes to develop better technologies for the production of PEF.



The growth in the PEF market is largely dependent on the price competitiveness of PEF with PET after commercialization. The improved properties and the bio-based nature of PEF ensure good growth if it can become economically viable for the consumers in the long run.



Countries Covered

 Asia-Pacific

 China

 Japan

 Rest-of-Asia-Pacific

 Europe

 Germany

 France

 The U.K.

 The Netherlands

 Switzerland

 Rest-of-Europe

 North America

 The U.S.

 Rest-of-North America

 Rest-of-the-World (RoW)

 Brazil



Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05480426



About Reportlinker

ReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.



__________________________

Contact Clare: [email protected]

US: (339)-368-6001

Intl: +1 339-368-6001

SOURCE Reportlinker

Related Links

http://www.reportlinker.com

DUBLIN, Jan 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

The "Amphibious Ship Market: By Technology and By Geography - Forecast 2016-2022" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

There are various classes of ships available with navy such as amphibious warships, aircraft carriers, destroyers, littoral warships, support craft and submarines. An amphibious warship is employed to support ground forces in amphibious assaults. An amphibious warships is intended to operate in a short distance warfare which also include shore to shore technique.

Globally, the amphibious warship market has been witnessing a relatively steady growth, which has been primarily attributed to force projection over the sea. Many countries are planning to develop the amphibious warship to protect their sea shores. India is looking forward to scale up its amphibious warfare capabilities with an expected expenditure of approximately $3 Billion.

Market Dynamics:

The global navy ship building and defense is driven by the factors such as national security, territorial integrity and sovereign state. National security is a concept that a government, along with its parliament(s), should protect the state and its citizens against all kind of "national" crises through a variety of power projections, such as political power, diplomacy, economic power, military might, and so on.

Whereas Territorial integrity is the principle under international law that nation-states should not attempt to promote secessionist movements or to promote border changes in other nation-states. Conversely it states that imposition by force of a border change is an act of aggression.

The electrical propulsion system will be one of the major driver in procuring amphibious warships. This will further increase the payload capacity of the ship with endurance reaching around 1000 nautical miles.

Countries are specifically looking to integrate the aviation capabilities into the amphibious ships. This will further increase the cost of construction. In addition, this will reduce the speed of the ships and its capability to operate near shore area.

Scope of the Report:

Based on Technology Type

Propulsion System

Catapult System

Fixed Wing Aircraft

Command and Control System

Missile Launching System

Radar System

Radar Absorbent Material

Others

The current industry trend is to develop new amphibious assault ship that is typically designed to support a blue-water fleet. The stealth features are expected to be integrated in the ship for greater extent.



Report Insights



Recently constructed a fourth YUZHAO-class (Type 071), which is capable of amphibious and logistical operations in the near seas, although it is also equipped to support expeditionary operations and nontraditional security missions, such as counter piracy patrols, around the world

China is expected to begin construction on Type 081-class amphibious assault ship within the next five years. The ship is believed to be of the order of 20,000 tones and may be based on the Type 0781 hull.

Key Topics Covered:



1. Amphibious Ships - Market Overview



2. Amphibious Ships Market Executive Summary



3. Amphibious Ships - Market Landscape

3.1. Market Share Analysis

3.2. Comparative Analysis

3.2.1. Product Benchmarking

3.2.2. Top 5 Financials Analysis



4. Amphibious Ships - Market Forces

4.1. Market Drivers

4.2. Market Challenges



5. Amphibious Ships Market - Goals and Defense Industry Dynamics

5.1. Geopolitical Goals

5.2. Military Goals

5.3. Current Equipment

5.4. Capability Gaps

5.5. R&D Priorities



6. Amphibious Ships Market - Defense Investment Plan

6.1. Government Budgets

6.1.1. Civilian v/s Military

6.1.2. Dual use and Military Influenced

6.1.3. R&D

6.1.4. Procurement

6.1.5. Operations and Maintenance

6.2. Government Planning

6.2.1. Current Planning Cycle

6.2.2. Future Planning Cycle 2036

6.3. Success Factor

6.3.1. Internal Political and Economic Stability

6.3.2. Relationship with other countries

6.3.3. Commercial joint venture and tech transfer investment



7. Amphibious Ships Market By Technology Type

7.1. Propulsion System

7.2. Command and Control System

7.3. Missile Launching System

7.4. Radar System

7.5. Radar Absorbent Material

7.6. Anti-Submarine Warfare System

7.7. Others



8. Amphibious Ships Market - By Geography



9. Amphibious Ships Technology Roadmap By Geography



10. Amphibious Ships Market Entropy

10.1. Preferred Strategy

10.2. Expected New Aircraft Carrier Launch

10.3. Mergers & Acquisitions

10.4. Product Developments

10.5. Ventures & Partnerships



11. Company Profiles (Overview, Financials, SWOT Analysis, Developments, Product Portfolio)

11.1. BAE Systems

11.2. DCNS

11.3. Fincantieri

11.4. Huntington Ingalls Industries

11.5. Navantia

11.6. Thales

11.7. Leonardo

11.8. Northrop Grumman Corporation

11.9. General Atomics

11.10. Babcock

11.11. United Shipbuilding

11.12. Cochin Shipyard

11.13. Lockheed Martin

11.14. Austal USA

11.15. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/ppdvdg/global_amphibious?w=5

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets

Laura Wood, Senior Manager

[email protected]



For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470

For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630

For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900



U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907

Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

SOURCE Research and Markets

Related Links

http://www.researchandmarkets.com

TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida State University is helping to streamline its students' academic experience by enabling them to more easily explore academic and degree pathways.

Through a partnership with Civitas Learning, FSU undergraduate students will soon have access to Degree Map, an online tool that provides undergraduate students and their advisors with information to aid academic progress and student success.

Already a national leader in student success, Florida State is adding the tool to enhance its efforts to assist student progress toward timely degree completion.

"Today's students carefully balance personal and professional responsibilities in order to attend classes, so it's imperative that every course a student takes will allow them to meaningfully progress toward their chosen degree and prepare for a fulfilling career," said Kimberly Barber, registrar at Florida State. "With the addition of Degree Map, FSU students and their advisors will be able to easily access all of the information they need to stay on track to complete their degree, graduate and successfully start their chosen career."

With Degree Map, students can easily track their progress toward their degree and ensure that they select classes that follow their academic maps, fulfill degree requirements and keep them on track to graduate. While in the platform, students can also explore potential careers and receive important information regarding hiring and salary trends.

Powered by Civitas Learning's data analytics platform, Degree Map makes degree planning more accessible and intuitive by helping students understand the impact of their academic pathway decisions on progress, allowing for greater collaboration between students and advisors.

One of the nation's elite research universities, Florida State offers rigorous Top 10 programs in the sciences, technology, arts, humanities and the professions while embracing a philosophy of learning strongly rooted in the traditions of the liberal arts and critical thinking. Founded in 1851, FSU is the oldest continuous site of higher education in Florida with a community of 41,900 students from every Florida county, every state in the nation and 132 countries.

"Today's students have a lot on their plate," said Mark Milliron, co-founder and chief learning officer at Civitas Learning. "In a single day, a student might have to find childcare, attend class, work an eight-hour shift and study for an exam. We need to make it as easy as possible for them to get the information they need to stay on track to achieve their goals. We're excited to expand our partnership with FSU  an institution that truly understands and cares about the needs of today's students  to provide students with all the information they need, right at their fingertips."

About Florida State University: One of the nation's elite research universities, Florida State offers rigorous Top 10 programs in the sciences, technology, arts, humanities and the professions while embracing a philosophy of learning strongly rooted in the traditions of the liberal arts and critical thinking. Founded in 1851, FSU is the oldest continuous site of higher education in Florida with a community of 41,900 students from every Florida county, every state in the nation and 132 countries.

About Civitas Learning: We partner with universities and colleges dedicated to helping more students learn well and finish strong. We provide educators with tools and supporting services that bring together and make the most of their diverse and disconnected data streams; personalize information and support for their students; and deepen understanding of the impact of their student-success initiatives. Through our work together, our partners are empowering leaders, advisors, faculty and students and measurably improving enrollment, persistence and graduation outcomes. Today, we partner with nearly 400 colleges and universities, serving approximately 8 million students. Together with our growing community of practice, we are making the most of the world's learning data to graduate a million more students per year by 2025. For more information, visit: www.civitaslearning.com.

SOURCE Civitas Learning

Related Links

http://www.civitaslearning.com

OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer release the following: Today, 18 former Farmers Insurance Agents representing multiple regions of California filed suit against Farmers Insurance Group, et al for Age Discrimination.

The complaint outlines a systematic and calculated focus to discriminate against all Plaintiffs based upon their age and to falsely classify Farmers Insurance Agents as Independent Contractors among other claims. We anticipate that this case will have national legal ramifications far beyond Farmers Insurance.

"I joined Farmers Insurance because I was told I could build my client base, benefit from residual renewals and continue until I choose to retire. That was all a sham. Because of my age alone, I was forced to give up my extensive book of business and was shut out after 35+ years as a top regional Farmers agent," said Chuck Nielsen, Former Farmers Agent, San Jose, CA.

"I relied upon my contract with Farmers Insurance and renewed my office lease thinking that my new and residual business was solid. Out of nowhere I am notified that I am no longer meeting goals imposed on me by Farmers and that my 30+ year established book of clients is going to be moved to a younger agent and that my clients will be told that I retired. I have spent over 30+ years building my book of business as a top-notch Farmers Insurance agent. But for my age, this would never be happening to me. I am prohibited from contacting my clients for a full year!" said Thomas Mortensen, Former Farmers Agent, Concord, CA.

"I was shocked! How could this be happening?" said Plaintiff James Melin, a 12-year Farmers Insurance agent targeted due to his age. "I asked my peers. I could see that all the 'seasoned' agents were being sent termination notices and across the board being told that our book of clients were going to be given to younger agents."

"Our clients were sold a bill of goods by Farmers," said J. Gary Gwilliam, Esq, attorney for the Plaintiffs and founding Partner of Gwilliam Ivary Chiosso Cavalli & Brewer. "Farmers told our clients that they would own their own agencies; that they could work as long as they liked and that they could create 'generational' wealth. But it was all a lie. Instead, they wrongfully terminated them without any good cause."

Farmers unilaterally labeled Plaintiffs as "Independent Contractors" despite controlling nearly every aspect of their employment.

"Farmers only called our clients 'Independent Contractors' for tax and legal reasons. In fact, Farmers micromanaged our clients then terminated them for failing to meet unspecified 'business results'. In a cruel and calculated way, Farmers then reassigned the Plaintiff's books of customers to younger Farmers agents. This is clearly Age Discrimination," said Robert J. Schwartz, Esq. of Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso Cavalli & Brewer, who represent the Plaintiffs.

SOURCE The Law Firm of Gwilliam, Ivary, Chiosso, Cavalli & Brewer

Related Links

http://www.giccb.com

GREENWICH, Conn., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- "Museum Access," a new 10-part series that launched its first season in 2018 and aired on Public Television (PBS stations) across the country, is now available on Amazon Prime. The series, produced and hosted by Leslie Mueller and Museum Access Media, LLC, takes viewers behind-the-scenes at some of the country's top museums. Each 30-minute episode offers exciting stories, in-depth conversations with experts, and fascinating footage in areas that museum guests don't have the opportunity to see.

Leslie Mueller, host of Museum Access (which is now available on Amazon Prime) films an episode from Season 1 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

"We are thrilled that our first season is available on Amazon Prime and that people throughout the world will be able to view 'Museum Access' and 'visit' so many of America's wonderful museums," said host Mueller, a long-time museum lover, whose passion for her work is evident in every episode. "I've always enjoyed visiting museums, but frequently left wondering what goes on behind-the-scenes," she explained. "I created 'Museum Access' to answer that question, dig a little deeper, and provide much more than just a simple guided tour."

Season 1 of "Museum Access" features visits to a WWII German submarine, a training session for Beluga whales, Leonardo Da Vinci's workshop in Florence, Italy, and the ancient Egyptian Temple of Dendur at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. It also features an episode highlighting the Terra Cotta Warriors from China and a dinosaur fossil laboratory at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History where Mueller gets up close and personal with Sue, the most intact Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered!

"With each episode, I have the pleasure of speaking with museum experts at the top of their game. We explore the most popular exhibitions and learn about the museums through their eyes," continued Mueller. "I'm invited to see things that the general public typically doesn't have access to, and I ask the questions that people want to have answered. 'Museum Access' provides these answers in a fun, engaging and entertaining way that all ages can enjoy."

There are more than 35,000 museums in the United States alone, attracting 850 million visitors every year. Twice as many people visit museums than attend all major league sporting events and theme parks combined!

"While it's true that millions of people have the opportunity to visit museums, unfortunately, there are still many others who don't have access," explained Mueller. "'Museum Access' not only brings the museums to them, but our show offers behind-the-scenes details and personal interviews that they wouldn't experience with a visit. I'm delighted that Amazon liked our show and wants to share it with the world! I hope that it will inspire people to re-visit a museum or go for the first time."

Amazon Prime members can enjoy the first season as part of their membership, while others can download "Museum Access" from Amazon.com for 99 per episode or $7.99 for the entire 10-part season.

The filming of "Museum Access" Season 2 has been completed and will air throughout 2019. In Season 2, Mueller explores museums in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Virginia, Connecticut, Illinois, New York and Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.museumaccess.com.

Media Contact:

Alisa Bay, [email protected]

312-494-0422

Related Files

Description of Museum Access and Leslie's Bio.pdf

Related Images

leslie-mueller-host-of-museum.jpg

Leslie Mueller, Host of Museum Access

Leslie Mueller, host of Museum Access (which is now available on Amazon Prime) films an episode from Season 1 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

leslie-mueller-host-of-museum.jpg

Leslie Mueller, Host of Museum Access

Leslie Mueller, host of Museum Access (which is now available on Amazon Prime) at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago during the filming of an episode for Season 1.

Related Links

Museum Access on Amazon Prime

Museum Access Website

Related Video

https://vimeo.com/228269559

SOURCE Museum Access

Related Links

http://www.museumaccess.com

LONDON and COSTA MESA, Calif., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Experian, the world's leading information services company, has won Britain's Most Admired Company in the Business Support Services category at Management Today's awards in London, and has also been ranked the #1 Top Workplace in Orange County, California this past month. This follows a number of high-profile awards for 2018, which underline its position as a top employer and one of the most reputable and successful businesses in the markets in which it operates. The Company has also been named:

Top Employer for 2018 in Chile

Nationally certified as a Great Place to Work in the US

Top Employer for 2018 in South Africa

Recognized for commitment to diversity by the Advancing Women in Technology organization and the Grace Hopper Leadership Index.

HR Asia Best Companies to Work for 2018 in Malaysia

Awarded 'Best Company' by Timeheroes for having the most effective and sustainable company policy promoting volunteering in EMEA

These awards, some of which have been awarded for several consecutive years, demonstrate Experian's high-performance culture and the Company's global approach to employee empowerment, fostering a culture of innovation, diversity and inclusion.

Brian Cassin, Chief Executive Officer, Experian plc, commented: "It is a huge honour to be recognised for these awards around the world and a clear testament to our 17,000 talented, truly diverse and brilliant colleagues across 39 countries in which we operate. We are committed to creating a great place to work, supporting a positive environment and fostering a culture of innovation, in which great talent can thrive, feel valued and drive sustainable growth and continuous development of our Company. We are proud of the hard work and dedication of our employees and we remain committed to supporting their success."

Mark Wells, Global Head of HR, Experian plc, added: "Our success is a direct result of the exceptional people who make up our company. At Experian, we embrace a truly inclusive culture, where everyone has a real sense of belonging. Creating a better tomorrow starts from within the Company and that is why we are committed to improving gender diversity and gender pay gap. We also strive to search the globe for the very best individuals, so that we can innovate and meet the needs of our increasingly diverse clients. Drawing on this collective strength is what truly makes us a top workplace and we are pleased our efforts have been recognised with these awards."

Experian prides itself on supporting a positive work environment for its employees across the world. The Company's progressive policies in areas such as female empowerment, flexible working and paid parental leave, Experian Clubs and Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) ensure that employees can flourish and feel proud and happy to work at Experian.

As part of Experian's commitment to financial inclusion, employees continue to make a difference to their local communities. They have volunteered almost 46,000 hours to support community and financial education programmes. By using their expertise to positively impact their communities, the employees gained new skills and experience that they were able to bring back into the business. The Company also launched a listening strategy to ensure that employees are actively feeding back and encouraged to share new ideas, solutions and innovations to continue developing Experian as an outstanding place to work with a high-performance culture.

Further information about the awards can be found below.

Contact:

Leisl Pillay

Experian Public Relations

1 714 830 3184

[email protected]

About Experian

Experian is the world's leading global information services company. During life's big moments  from buying a home or a car, to sending a child to college, to growing a business by connecting with new customers  we empower consumers and our clients to manage their data with confidence. We help individuals to take financial control and access financial services, businesses to make smarter decisions and thrive, lenders to lend more responsibly, and organisations to prevent identity fraud and crime.

We have 16,500 people operating across 39 countries and every day we're investing in new technologies, talented people and innovation to help all our clients maximise every opportunity. We are listed on the London Stock Exchange (EXPN) and are a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index. Learn more at www.experianplc.com or visit our global content hub at our global news blog for the latest news and insights from the company.

About Britain's Most Admired Companies Awards

The Britain's Most Admired Companies Awards rate and record the reputations of the UK's largest and most successful businesses. The awards, which have been running since 1990, are an important indicator of the highest performing companies in British business. The awards are based on a piece of bespoke academic research by Leeds Business School. It is a peer review survey and to do well companies must win the respect of their fiercest critics, their competitors. In 2018, for the third consecutive year, Experian has been recognised as Experian Wins Most Admired Company

About Top Workplace Awards

The Orange County Register's Top Workplace awards are based on employee feedback in a survey of hundreds of leading companies in Orange County. This year marks the sixth time that Experian has been honoured with this award and ranked the #1 Top Workplace

About Great Place to Work

Great Place to Work selects companies for certification based on a combination of responses to an employee survey and a written submission setting out programs and practices which are helping to shape our culture. Experian has also achieved national recognition as a Great Place to Work.

Experian and the Experian marks used herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Experian Information Solutions, Inc. Other product and company names mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE ExperianVALLEY COTTAGE, New York, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

According to a latest research by Future Market Insights (FMI), the global dental hygiene devices market is projected to account for over US$ 5,875.0 Mn in terms of value, by 2028 end. The report further projects significant growth potential of the dental hygiene devices market with a CAGR of 4.9% through 2028.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/677274/Future_Market_Insights_Logo.jpg )



The growth of the global dental hygiene devices market is primarily driven by increasing prevalence of dental diseases and growing number of geriatric population suffering from dental problems. According to the World Health Organization, dental caries affect 60-80% of the children and adults. Severe periodontitis is found in around 5-10% of the populations. Juvenile periodontitis affects about 2% of the youths. The development of healthcare infrastructure across the globe coupled with growing awareness regarding dental hygiene practices are expected to drive the growth of the dental hygiene devices market. The companies operating in the dental hygiene devices market are focusing on developing novel product line to increase their penetration in the market. Dental diseases can vary depending upon social conditions such as poverty, race and social groups. Thus, social inequalities coupled with growing share of population under poverty are also expected to contribute to the growth of the market.

A sample of this report is available upon request @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-8177

Striking examples of inequalities include the prevalence of tooth decay, which affect 16% of population aged 6-19 years in Japan, but 97% of population aged 12 years in Filipinos. Edentulousness also affects the below poverty much more than the higher income group as the number of missed productivity due to poor oral health is significantly higher for children from lower-income families, ethnic minorities and immigrants. The incidence of dental diseases increases with age as most of the patients suffering from dental diseases are of age 50 and above.

The report assesses the trends driving the growth of each segment of the dental hygiene devices market on the global as well as regional level, and offers potential takeaways that could prove substantially useful for the manufacturers planning to enter the dental hygiene devices market.

Preview Analysis On Dental Hygiene Devices Market: Regulatory Implementation of Direct Access Care Across Assisted Living Facilities to Boost Growth: Global Industry Analysis 2013 - 2017 and Opportunity Assessment 2018 - 2028: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/dental-hygiene-devices-market

Asia Pacific dental hygiene device market accounted for a significant revenue share in 2017, and is expected to be the dominant region in overall dental hygiene devices over the forecast period. China and India dental hygiene devices markets are expected to hold significant shares and to grow at an impressive CAGR owing to the growing population, and growing economic clout. The U.S. market is also projected to expand at a significant rate owing to prosperity of baby boomers and the recovery of the economy. Almost 25% of the U.S. population will be over 60 years of age, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. These baby boomers account for a whopping $7.5 trillion in economic activity per year. According to the CDC data, periodontitis affects 47.2% of adults aged 30 years and older in the U.S. and increases with age, with 70.0% of people aged 65 years and above suffer from periodontal disease. This prosperous population represents the largest market opportunity for the dental hygiene devices market. The report tracks some of the leading companies operating in the dental hygiene devices market, such as Colgate-Palmolive Company, The Procter & Gamble Company, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Unilever plc., Glaxosmithkline plc, Ultradent Products Inc., Johnson & Johnson, 3M Company, Dabur India Ltd., and Dentsply Sirona, among others.

Vendors are targeting mergers, acquisitions and partnerships strategies to leverage economies of scale and scope to compete in the price sensitive environment and overcome the impulse buying behaviour of the customers in the dental hygiene devices market. For example, in 2017, global manufacturer and distributor of dental equipment Young Innovations, acquired American Eagle Instruments, Inc.

Request Report TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-8177

More from Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals and Medical devices:

About Us

Future Market Insights (FMI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver syndicated research reports, custom research reports and consulting services which are personalized in nature. FMI delivers a complete packaged solution, which combines current market intelligence, statistical anecdotes, technology inputs, valuable growth insights and an aerial view of the competitive framework and future market trends.

Browse More Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals and Medical devices

Contact Us

616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,

Valley Cottage, NY 10989,

United States

T: +1-347-918-3531

F: +1-845-579-5705

T (UK): +44(0)20-7692-8790

Sales: [email protected]

Press Office: [email protected]

FMI Blog: https://www.fmiblog.com/

Website: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com

SOURCE Future Market InsightsWheeler River: As announced in Denison's press release dated December 18, 2018 , exploration plans for Wheeler River in 2019 include a diamond drilling program of approximately 13,500 metres in 23 holes. The program is designed to evaluate high priority regional target areas by focusing on initial testing of targets at the sub- Athabasca unconformity  which could lead to the discovery of further uranium deposits that may be amenable to the use of the low-cost In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") mining method. Denison recently selected the ISR mining method for application at Wheeler River's high-grade Phoenix deposit, with an estimated operating cost of approximately US$3.33 /lb U 3 O 8 (see Denison's press releases dated September 24 and October 30, 2018 ).





As announced in Denison's press release dated , exploration plans for Wheeler River in 2019 include a diamond drilling program of approximately 13,500 metres in 23 holes. The program is designed to evaluate high priority regional target areas by focusing on initial testing of targets at the sub- unconformity  which could lead to the discovery of further uranium deposits that may be amenable to the use of the low-cost In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") mining method. Denison recently selected the ISR mining method for application at Wheeler River's high-grade deposit, with an estimated operating cost of approximately /lb U O (see Denison's press releases dated and ). Waterbury Lake: The Company's geological interpretation indicates that the regional Midwest structure not only controls the location of the Midwest deposits on the Midwest property (25.17% Denison owned) but also the J Zone and Huskie deposits on the Waterbury Lake property. The program planned for 2019 includes approximately 7,300 metres of diamond drilling in 18 holes and will focus on testing additional high-priority target areas related to the interpreted Midwest structure  including the follow-up of basement-hosted mineralization, discovered during the summer of 2018, where the Midwest structure is interpreted to intersect the GB Trend (see Denison's press release dated September 17, 2018 ).





The Company's geological interpretation indicates that the regional Midwest structure not only controls the location of the Midwest deposits on the Midwest property (25.17% Denison owned) but also the J Zone and Huskie deposits on the Waterbury Lake property. The program planned for 2019 includes approximately 7,300 metres of diamond drilling in 18 holes and will focus on testing additional high-priority target areas related to the interpreted Midwest structure  including the follow-up of basement-hosted mineralization, discovered during the summer of 2018, where the Midwest structure is interpreted to intersect the GB Trend (see Denison's press release dated ). Hook-Carter: An initial group of reconnaissance drill holes, completed during 2018 along the Patterson Lake Corridor ("PLC"), at Hook-Carter encountered favourable lithologies, structures and hydrothermal alteration analogous to the geological settings observed for the Arrow (Nexgen Energy Ltd.) and Triple R (Fission Uranium Corp.) deposits located 12 and 20 kilometres southwest along strike, respectively. A diamond drilling program, including approximately 3,900 metres in six holes, is planned for 2019 to continue to test high priority geophysical targets, particularly along the eastern edge of the PLC, where geochemical analysis of the 2018 drilling results has returned encouraging results.

David Cates, President and CEO of Denison, commented "With our focus turning to the advancement of our flagship Wheeler River project through the Environmental Assessment process, our strategy continues to involve exploration of our portfolio of high-priority properties  where we have the potential to deliver Denison's next high-grade Athabasca uranium discovery. Our Saskatoon-based exploration team has a track-record of discovery success and has developed a 2019 exploration program that is disciplined and includes a compelling set of drill targets  each with the potential to deliver exciting and meaningful exploration results throughout the year."

Figure 1 provides a location map of Denison's Athabasca exploration properties as at December 31, 2018. Exploration targets or target areas, planned for drill testing in 2019, for the Wheeler River, Waterbury Lake and Hook-Carter properties are shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4, respectively.

Figure 1: Location map of Denison's Athabasca exploration properties as at December 31, 2018, with the Wheeler River, Waterbury Lake and Hook-Carter properties shown in bold outline. (Full Resolution)

Wheeler River

Following the completion of a Pre-Feasibility study ("PFS") in Q3 2018 (see Denison's press releases dated September 24 and October 30, 2018), and given the highly encouraging results from the proposed Phoenix ISR operation, the planned 2019 exploration drilling program will be focused on initial testing of regional targets at the sub-Athabasca unconformity, with the potential to discover additional ISR amenable uranium deposits. Potential for basement hosted uranium mineralization will not be ignored where opportunities also exist to evaluate prospective basement targets. High priority regional target areas planned for testing in 2019 include K West, M Zone, K South, Gryphon South, Q South (East), and O Zone, each of which is shown in Figure 2.

The 2019 Wheeler River exploration budget totals CAD$3.2 million (100% basis) which includes approximately 13,500 metres of diamond drilling in 23 holes. Drilling activities are scheduled to commence in early January for the winter season utilizing one drill rig, followed by a results-driven summer drilling program - providing a staged-approach to target evaluation. The Wheeler River project is owned by Denison (90% and operator) and JCU (Canada) Exploration Company Limited (10%). Accordingly, Denison will fund 90% of project expenditures in 2019.

Figure 2: Location of the high priority regional target areas planned for exploration drill testing in 2019, shown on the Wheeler River basement geology map. (Full Resolution)

Waterbury Lake

Following on from the Company's discovery of the Huskie deposit in 2017, a revised geological interpretation of the regional Midwest structure has led to the identification of several high priority target areas on the eastern portion of the Waterbury Lake property (Figure 3). The target areas primarily occur where the Midwest structure is interpreted to occur within, or intersect with, graphite-bearing basement lithologies. Initial testing of these target areas was undertaken during summer 2018 with four drill holes, two of which returned multiple basement uranium intercepts (up to 0.43% U 3 O 8 over 1.0 metre) from the GB Trend within a 60 to 80 metre wide package of highly structured and strongly altered graphitic basement rocks (see Denison's press release dated September 17, 2018).

The 2019 exploration program is focused on continued drill testing of high priority target areas associated with the regional Midwest Structure, including follow-up on the GB Trend, and initial testing of the Oban South Trend and Midwest Extension area (Figure 3). Within the Midwest Extension area, to the southwest of the Midwest deposits, drill targets have been identified from a DCIP resistivity completed during the fall of 2018. Additional target areas may include GB Northeast (electromagnetic target) and the Waterbury East claim (follow-up of an historic mineralized intersection of 0.32% U 3 O 8 over 1.1 metres in drill hole WAT07-008).

The 2019 Waterbury Lake budget totals CAD$1.8 million which includes approximately 7,300 metres of diamond drilling in 18 holes. The results-driven drilling program is expected to be completed during the winter season utilizing one drill rig with a planned start date in mid-January.

The Waterbury Lake property is owned by Denison and Korea Waterbury Uranium Limited Partnership ("KWULP"). Denison is the operator of the project, holding a 65.92% ownership interest (KWULP 34.06%) as of October 31, 2018. The 2019 exploration program will be funded by Denison, as KWULP has elected to continue to dilute their interest in the project.

Figure 3: Location of the Waterbury Lake 2019 drill target areas in relation to the interpreted regional Midwest structure. (Full Resolution)

Hook-Carter

A maiden drilling program was completed by Denison in 2018 as part of the first phase of exploration planned to test, at a reconnaissance level, 7.5 of the 15 kilometres of interpreted strike length of the Patterson Lake Corridor ("PLC") at Hook-Carter. The 2018 drill program included nine completed drill holes, which successfully identified multiple prospective trends with geological features commonly associated with Athabasca Basin unconformity-related uranium deposits  including hydrothermal alteration in both the sandstone and the basement lithologies associated with graphitic basement structures.

A diamond drilling program, consisting of approximately 3,900 metres in 6 holes, is planned for winter 2019 with a total budget of CAD$1.4 million. The program is designed to complete the first phase of reconnaissance exploration along 7.5 kilometres of the PLC. The drill targets include both electromagnetic ("EM") and resistivity targets from the 2017 ground surveys, which are coincident with positive exploration vectors identified from a detailed geochemical and clay analysis of the 2018 drilling results. Completion of these targets, in addition to the targets drilled in 2018, will result in a widely-spaced drill hole coverage, with an approximate 1,200 metre spacing along strike, on the southwestern portion of the PLC at Hook-Carter  providing a first pass evaluation and a valuable regional dataset to enable prioritization of follow-up drilling. Exploration targets planned for drill testing in 2019 are shown in Figure 4.

The Hook-Carter property is highlighted by 15 kilometres of strike potential along the prolific Patterson Lake Corridor  host to the Triple R deposit (Fission Uranium Corp.), Arrow deposit (NexGen Energy Ltd.), and Spitfire discovery (Purepoint Uranium Group Inc., Cameco Corp., and Orano Canada Inc.), which occur within 8 to 20 kilometres of the property. The property is significantly underexplored compared to other properties along this trend and covers significant portions of the Derkson and Carter Corridors, which provide additional target areas. The Hook-Carter property consists of 80 mineral claims, covering approximately 24,229 hectares, and is owned 80% by Denison and 20% by ALX Uranium Corp. ("ALX"). The 2019 exploration program will be funded by Denison, as part of its agreement to fund ALX's share of the first CAD$12 million in expenditures on the project (see Denison's Press Releases dated October 13 and November 7, 2016).

Figure 4: Location of the Hook-Carter 2019 drill targets. (Full Resolution)

Qualified Persons

Dale Verran, MSc, P.Geo, Pr.Sci.Nat., Denison's Vice President, Exploration, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101, has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this release.

The disclosure of the results of the PFS contained in this news release, including the mineral reserves, was reviewed and approved by Peter Longo, P. Eng, MBA, PMP, Denison's Vice-President, Project Development, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the requirements of NI 43-101.

About Denison

Denison is a uranium exploration and development company with interests focused in the Athabasca Basin region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. In addition to its 90% owned Wheeler River project, which ranks as the largest undeveloped high-grade uranium project in the infrastructure rich eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin region, Denison's Athabasca Basin exploration portfolio consists of numerous projects covering approximately 320,000 hectares. Denison's interests in the Athabasca Basin also include a 22.5% ownership interest in the McClean Lake joint venture ("MLJV"), which includes several uranium deposits and the McClean Lake uranium mill, which is currently processing ore from the Cigar Lake mine under a toll milling agreement, plus a 25.17% interest in the Midwest and Midwest A deposits, and a 65.92% interest in the J Zone and Huskie deposits on the Waterbury Lake property. Each of Midwest, Midwest A, J Zone and Huskie are located within 20 kilometres of the McClean Lake mill.

Denison is also engaged in mine decommissioning and environmental services through its Denison Environmental Services division and is the manager of Uranium Participation Corp., a publicly traded company which invests in uranium oxide and uranium hexafluoride.

Follow Denison on Twitter @DenisonMinesCo

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information contained in this press release constitutes "forward-looking information", within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and similar Canadian legislation concerning the business, operations and financial performance and condition of Denison.

Generally, these forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or the negatives and/or variations of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur", "be achieved" or "has the potential to". In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the following: exploration (including drilling) and evaluation interpretations, activities, plans and objectives; the results of the PFS and plans and expectations with respect thereto; and Denison's percentage in its properties and its plans and agreements with its joint venture partners, as applicable. Statements relating to "mineral reserves" or "mineral resources" are deemed to be forward-looking information, as they involve the implied assessment, based on certain estimates and assumptions that the mineral reserves and mineral resources described can be profitably produced in the future.

Forward looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Denison to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Denison believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be accurate and may differ materially from those anticipated in this forward looking information. For a discussion in respect of risks and other factors that could influence forward-looking events, please refer to the factors discussed in Denison's Annual Information Form dated March 27, 2018 under the heading "Risk Factors". These factors are not, and should not be construed as being exhaustive. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking information and the assumptions made with respect thereto speaks only as of the date of this press release. Denison does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information after the date of this press release to conform such information to actual results or to changes in Denison's expectations except as otherwise required by applicable legislation.

Cautionary Note to United States Investors Concerning Estimates of Measured, Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources: This press release may use the terms "measured", "indicated" and "inferred" mineral resources. United States investors are advised that while such terms are recognized and required by Canadian regulations, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission does not recognize them. "Inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence, and as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to a higher category. Under Canadian rules, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or other economic studies. United States investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of measured or indicated mineral resources will ever be converted into mineral reserves. United States investors are also cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource exists, or is economically or legally mineable.

SOURCE Denison Mines Corp.

Related Links

www.denisonmines.com

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cynerio today announced the completion of its $7 million funding round to fuel growth in North America for its 100% healthcare focused cyber security platform. Investors include global VCs, Accelmed , a leading investment firm focused on value creation for medical device companies and technologies, RDC (a joint venture between Elron and Rafael), which invests in exceptional medical device and cybersecurity companies and MTIP , a leading venture capital firm who is an expert in digital health.

"Cynerio is committed to protecting the future of healthcare by focusing on its weakest link - the connected medical devices and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). We are delivering a tailor-made, healthcare driven solution for providers to ensure patient safety and data protection while maintaining operational continuity," explained Leon Lerman, Cynerio CEO.

Cynerio was founded by cybersecurity experts Leon Lerman and Daniel Brodie, CTO, to deliver a cybersecurity solution that is 100% designed for healthcare providers, based on the industry's first technology that thoroughly analyzes the medical workflows in the IoMT ecosystem, to automatically discover all the entities on the network, provide an ongoing healthcare specific risk analysis, accurately detect anomalies and stop threats to prevent service disruption, data theft and compliance violations.

Advisers include Dr. John Halamka, Harvard's International Healthcare Innovation Professor & Chief Information Officer at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Amichai Shulman, co-founder and former CTO of Imperva.

"The security of connected devices is an issue that continues to plague the hospital ecosystem. I am delighted to work with Cynerio, on what I see to be one of the biggest cybersecurity challenges we currently face," added Dr. John Halamka.

"The US healthcare market is woefully underserved by the security industry. Hospitals deserve cybersecurity solutions tailored to their needs, and this is where Cynerio can make a big difference with their technology that is not just identifying the shape of traffic between devices, but also the medical context of information. I think their technology is very innovative and effective which is why I have become an adviser to Cynerio," said Amichai Shulman, Cynerio adviser.

Rambam Hospital and Tel Aviv Medical Center (Ichilov) are two of the world's top healthcare organizations using Cynerio's technology to protect its sensitive data. The company is now focused on US market development.

Hospitals require a security solution that will protect their systems without being intrusive or aggressive. Cynerio delivers complete visibility into a healthcare organization's IoMT ecosystem, protecting it from cyber threats and helping the organization meet HIPAA regulatory requirements.

Cynerio's machine learning based technology incorporates four key capabilities:

Visibility - Automatic and ongoing discovery & classification of all medical devices on the network

Risk analysis  mapping the risk and vulnerabilities associated to the devices, enabling the healthcare organization to take proactive measures to lower the risk

Detection - real time monitoring and anomaly detection with medical context consideration

Protection  stopping malicious communications, without disrupting device operation to ensure patient safety and data protection

About Cynerio

Cynerio is a leading provider of medical device and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) security solutions. Built on healthcare-driven behavior analysis, Cynerio's technology provides ongoing visibility into all clinical entities on the network, continuously assesses the risk associated to their behaviour, accurately detects anomalies with medical context consideration and stops malicious threats to ensure patient safety and data protection.

For more information, visit the company website at www.cynerio.co

Contacts:

Cynerio

Robert Bell

e. [email protected]

Spicetree Communications

Wes Rogers

t: +1-912-506-0869

e. [email protected]

SOURCE Cynerio

Related Links

https://www.cynerio.co

TEL AVIV, Israel, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

CyberInt reports that as more value is transferred through digital channels, the more they become a target for cyber criminals in particular for B2C businesses who engage with their end customers across multiple channels, both their own as well as partner based.

As we move forward to 2019, credit card and payment information theft will continue to rise as more and more attacks go after businesses' digital footprint - digital assets or channels they employ to interact with their customers. While not surprising, if organizations can better address the reasons for that growth, they'll be better prepared.

Here are some of the reasons for the ongoing vulnerabilities:



Third-party component s - Many businesses use third-party components within their digital business environment - shopping carts, for example - and cyber criminals exploit vulnerabilities within these components to breach security walls.

Better organization & sophistication by threat actors - The bolder cyber attackers become, the more organized and sophisticated their campaigns in terms of tools, tactics, and procedures (TTP) and the greater the magnitude of their attacks or the longer it takes to detect and mitigate them.

Lack of real-time monitoring and response - Frequency of attacks is increasing; this will continue in perpetuity; only real-time monitoring and fast mitigation will be able to protect organizations

More script-based malware (like in the recent Magecart attacks) instead of executable malware - Attackers are now using higher level languages that can easily bypass existing protection mechanisms. The malware simply looks like normal code to the defense system.

Lack of CISO empowerment - The role of the organization's top security executive should be much more prominent, with CISOs providing greater business value (i.e., fraud and reputation protection) and assuming greater involvement in activities that were once in the CFO's or CMO's purview in terms of fraud, reputation and legal affairs.



For example, the CISO's role in GDPR compliance, implementation, and enforcement within the company - ensuring the standard of due care required from organizations to protect information - cannot be overstated.

More legitimate infrastructure being used as platforms for attacks - More and more attackers use legitimate addresses and domains that are harder to detect and harder to block - advanced techniques that obscure attackers' bad behavior and cover up their tracks.



For example, a known streaming service or social media platform uses command and control to take a "safe" URL and transform it into a page phishing for credit card data.

Getting around this problem requires more targeted threat intelligence and more sophisticated detection and response platforms and, if need be, outsourced, cyber expert-based managed services.

In short, 2019 will see more sophisticated threat actors, more intensified attacks and, yes, more advanced security technology that will, in turn, require greater skills and capabilities.

About CyberInt

CyberInt eliminates potential threats before they become crises by looking at all online activities and digital assets from an attacker's perspective and provides managed detection and response services to customers worldwide. Leveraging Argos[TM] real-time digital risk protection platform with a global cyber expert analyst team, as well as managed SOC, managed EDR, threat hunting, deep dive investigations, and real-time incident response services, CyberInt provides holistic end-to-end protection to digital businesses in retail, ecommerce, gaming and financial industries. https://www.cyberint.com/

A similar version of this content appeared in VMBlog in November 2018.

For further information, please contact:

Amy Kenigsberg

K2 Global Communications

[email protected]

+972-9-794-1681 (+2 GMT)

+1-913-440-4072 (+7 ET)

SOURCE CyberIntThe permittees within the medical marijuana industry in Connecticut have simply applied for their permits through a competitive process, said Glassmans letter, which was sent in late October, They pay their annual permit fees and operate their businesses, independent of any contractual arrangement with the state. They are subject to stringent regulations applicable to their industry just as any other regulated industry operates here in Connecticut.TOKYO and BURLINGAME, Calif., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- In the news release, "NapaJen Pharma Closes $12.4 Million Series C Financing" issued on 9-Jan-2019 by NapaJen Pharma, Inc. over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that one of the investors' name was incorrect. "P&D Directions Inc." should read "P&E Directions Inc." The full corrected release is as follows:

NapaJen Pharma Closes $12.4 Million Series C Financing

NapaJen Pharma, Inc., a biotherapeutics company leveraging its proprietary immune cell-targeted oligonucleotide delivery technology to develop novel immunotherapeutic agents, has announced the closing of a $12.4 million Series C financing deal. The financing was led by the existing investor, INCJ, Ltd., and included participation by existing investor Mitsui & Co. Global Investment and newly participating P&E Directions Inc.

(Logo: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/prwfile/release/M105285/201812251744/_prw_PI1im_60ztnf52.jpg)

The funding will be used to complete the Phase 1 clinical development of NJA-730 started in the autumn of 2018 in Australia and prepare for further development. NJA-730 is a novel immunosuppressive therapeutic agent that combines an anti-CD40 small interfering RNA (siRNA) with the company's beta-glucan delivery technology. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of NJA-730 administered intravenously. Key secondary objectives will include an assessment of the pharmacokinetic profile of the compound. Investigators will also evaluate the impact of NJA-730 on CD40 gene suppression.

NapaJen's novel, proprietary delivery vehicle is built upon schizophyllan, a beta-glucan that specifically binds to Dectin-1, a cell surface receptor expressed on antigen presenting immune cells, namely dendritic cells and macrophages. By complexing oligonucleotides with schizophyllan, NapaJen's delivery platform uniquely enables the efficient and selective delivery of oligonucleotides to cells playing key roles in regulating immune responses. The outcome of Phase 1 clinical trials of NJA-730 is expected to lend evidence of its efficiency and advance new modality of oligonucleotide-based therapeutics.

About NapaJen

NapaJen Pharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage, biotherapeutics company leveraging its proprietary immune cell-targeted oligonucleotide delivery technology to develop novel immunotherapeutic agents. Founded in 2004 as a California corporation, NapaJen has developed a proprietary platform technology in which oligonucleotide compounds are stably and selectively delivered to immune cells. Leveraging the versatility of the platform technology, NapaJen aims to create new oligonucleotide therapeutics in the area of immune-related conditions, such as autoimmune diseases, cancer, transplantation and vaccine, through collaborative work with industry and academia.

For more information, please visit www.napajen.com

SOURCE NapaJen Pharma, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.napajen.com

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Following tonight's address from President Trump and the Democratic leadership response, National League of Cities (NLC) CEO and Executive Director Clarence Anthony released the following statement:

"America's cities, towns and villages are fed up as the federal shutdown continues to have real consequences in our communities. Our federal partners need to do what city leaders do every day  come together, compromise and get the job done.

"Every day the shutdown continues, our residents suffer as it becomes harder to rebuild our infrastructure, assist low-income households and invest in community development. Countless local businesses that rely on federal services and facilities are also feeling the shutdown's impact, jeopardizing the health of local economies.

"Cities call on Congress and the administration to work in a bipartisan way and immediately reopen the federal government."

To help city leaders navigate the effects of the federal shutdown, NLC has created an online resource center with agency shutdown plans, a federal budget tracker and city impact stories.

The National League of Cities (NLC) is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans. Learn more at www.nlc.org

SOURCE National League of Cities

Related Links

https://www.nlc.org

ATLANTA, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- ChanceLight autism services announced today it is hosting three hiring events and plans to hire 40 behavior technicians throughout Georgia in January. The ideal behavior technician candidate is interested in making a difference by providing children and adolescents life-changing Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy and working for an organization with an inclusive culture that offers professional development opportunities and a flexible schedule.

ChanceLight is one of the nation's leading providers of ABA therapy, which is widely recognized as the most effective, evidence-based treatment for autism. The company is expanding throughout the state and will increase its number of Georgia clinics to 13 by mid-summer 2019.

"ChanceLight specializes in providing the best therapy for children and adolescents with autism. Our behavior technician position requires no experience and is ideal for someone searching for a career or students pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in Special Education, Psychology, Applied Behavior Analysis or related field," said Sarah Vega, senior vice president of operations for ChanceLight. "For individuals who do not have a Registered Behavior Technician certification, we provide all the training and supervision behavior technicians need to make a positive impact in the lives of those we serve. We have plenty of opportunities throughout the state for people who are interested in pursuing a rewarding and fulfilling career."

ChanceLight autism services will host three events to hire 40 goal-oriented, self-starters who are interested in changing the direction of children's lives. All hiring event attendees will receive immediate feedback and could leave with a contingent offer of employment the same day.

Event details are as follows:

Jan. 15 , 10 a.m.  4 p.m.

ChanceLight  McDonough Clinic

1233 Eagles Landing Parkway, Suite A/B, Stockbridge, GA 30281





 Jan. 16 , 10 a.m.  4 p.m.

ChanceLight  Athens Clinic

135 Athens W. Parkway, Suite C, Athens, GA 30606





 Jan. 17 , 10 a.m.  4 p.m.

ChanceLight Savannah Clinic

613 Stephenson Avenue, Suite 206, Savannah, GA 31405

ChanceLight offers behavior technicians full- and part-time positions, competitive compensation, mentorship and/or internship programs and opportunities for advancement. ChanceLight offers a full benefits package to full-time employees working 30 hours or more that includes medical and dental coverage, a 401k retirement plan and life insurance.

Behavior technicians provide ABA therapy in ChanceLight clinics, in homes and in school settings under the guidance of a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). The position requires a high school diploma and the job responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

Provide a minimum of 15 direct clinical support hours to clients

Assist in the implementation of behavior treatment and instructional plans utilizing ABA principles in clinics, homes, and/or school settings

Implement and report data on the progress of a client's self-help skills, behavioral management, and social skills

Implement treatment plans as developed by the Behavioral Analyst (BCBA)

Collect and analyze skill and behavior data

Assist in developing functional behavioral analysis and assessment reports

Monitor and supervise clients to ensure a safe and therapeutic environment

If you are interested in a behavior technician position with ChanceLight autism services but are unable to attend one of the hiring events, please contact Jessica McConnell at 615-430-1114 or [email protected]. For more information on ChanceLight autism services, please visit chancelightgeorgia.com.

More about ChanceLight

ChanceLight is the nation's leading provider of behavioral health, therapy and education solutions for children and young adults. We change the direction of children's lives by offering them the opportunity to create successful, independent futures. ChanceLight serves nearly 19,000 clients and students each year at more than 150 locations in more than 20 states across its three divisions. ChanceLight autism services serves children and young adults with autism spectrum disorder, pediatric developmental delays and physical challenges.

Contact:

Robin Embry, Lovell Communications

[email protected]

615-297-7766

SOURCE ChanceLight

Related Links

https://autismservices.chancelight.com

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- CES 2019 -- Celeno , the leading provider of smart, managed Wi-Fi solutions, today announced the launch of CL8000, a new Wi-Fi 6 product family chip, with a disruptive 8T8R (8 Transmit and 8 Receive) ElasticMIMO architecture that delivers the best Wi-Fi network performance for its size. Celeno's technology combines a flexible silicon architecture that enables Access Points to dynamically self-adapt the radios configuration between the 2.4GHz, 5GHz and in the future 6GHz bands, to ensure the best user experience. Using two concurrent dual band Wi-Fi-6 Radios in a single 11x11mm PCIe chip, supporting 8T8R (8 Transmit and 8 Receive radio chains) elastic architecture and an optimization engine, the system will address the #1 challenge for Wi-Fi - delivering high-quality experience anywhere, anytime, and on any device based on real Wi-Fi usage patterns.

While Access Points are currently hard-wired at design and in production, and are typically over-engineered to compensate for rare challenging conditions, Celeno offers an innovative concept for Access Point designs and Wi-Fi network deployments: a combination of silicon and software technology, that continuously monitors Wi-Fi usage patterns in real time and self-adapts respectively the Access Point hardware MIMO dimensioning and antenna allocation in each band to maximize performance, coverage and user satisfaction. Wi-Fi conditions are unpredictable: no home or office looks alike; Access Point location is unpredictable and Wi-Fi usage patterns vary (type of client capabilities, where and how they are being used during day time and weekends, etc.). Allocating dynamically the 8T8R streams and radio channels between the longer range 2.4GHz band and the faster 5GHz band can help to better satisfy the Wi-Fi needs of the user.

ElasticMIMO with the aid of Celeno's real time optimization engine dynamically allocates its 8T8R MIMO system to two Wi-Fi radios  in 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands based on usage needs, creating an elastic MIMO configuration ranging from 2x2 and up to 6x6 per each Wi-Fi radio  totaling 8 streams, 8 antennas and 6Gbps total throughput. The ElasticMIMO technology also offers APIs, so Service Providers and OEMs can adapt the system behavior to their specific business needs.

"With ElasticMIMO, Celeno is re-defining how we think about Wi-Fi and the best approach to upgrade its performance," said Gilad Rozen, Founder and CEO of Celeno. "Traditionally, to evolve the Wi-Fi standard, vendors have focused on increasing the physical speed of Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi 6 provides incremental technologies to improve performance in dense deployments. By applying an Elastic MIMO architecture, Celeno adds a new dimension of self-adaptive radio hardware that will help deliver best customer experience to Wi-Fi 6 users, while also providing better connectivity and coverage to legacy clients."

"With nearly 4 billion Wi-Fi devices shipping every year, service providers face a momentous challenge of providing Wi-Fi coverage in homes where network congestion and bandwidth requirements are growing with increasing mobile video, multi-room gaming, smart home, and broadcast video traffic," said Michael Palma, Research Director for Enabling Technologies and Semiconductor research team at IDC. "Service providers need tools and technologies to optimize Wi-Fi coverage, while balancing engineering, footprint, BOM costs, aesthetics with ever growing user demands for better Wi-Fi performance."

"Wi-Fi networks are key to everyday life of our customers and business partners. Wi-Fi 6 is a promising evolution and the fact it applies to both 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands is encouraging," Said Gavin Sheldon, VP Connectivity at Liberty Global. "It is challenging to predict the future usage rates in each Wi-Fi band and the penetration pace of Wi-Fi 6 devices. The concept of Elastic MIMO is promising and could help to take out the guesswork from the Access Point design and to help adjust to changing usage trends in the field. We look forward to continuing to evaluate this technology alongside other Wi-Fi 6 implementations as we aim to further enhance and future proof the customer experience."

CL8000 product family details:

Two concurrent dual band Wi-Fi radios in a single PCIe 11x11mm chip

Up to total capacity of eight (8) 802.11ax streams and 6Gbps of traffic speed

No external DDR memory is required for the Wi-Fi chip

Celeno will be offering the CL8080 8T8R chip as well as the CL8060, a 6T6R chip and the CL8040, a 4T4R chip.

The technology is showcased at the Venetian Palazzo Hospitality Suites at CES in Las Vegas from January 8th-11th 2019.

About Celeno Communications

Leveraging Wi-Fi smarts perfected in the home environment, Celeno offers advanced Wi-Fi chipsets, edge software and cloud technology to take Wi-Fi beyond connectivity into the realm of smart homes, smart cities, smart buildings and smart industry. Celeno's field-proven chips and software technology have been successfully integrated into numerous OEM Wi-Fi devices and have been deployed in tens of millions of homes around the world by almost 100 leading service providers worldwide. Founded in 2005 and backed by blue chip investors, Celeno is a well-established company headquartered in Ra'anana, Israel, with a global presence and offices in the US, EMEA and Asia Pacific. For more information, please visit www.celeno.com

Media Contact

Tal Sacharov

[email protected]



SOURCE Celeno

Related Links

https://www.celeno.com/

Keynote speakers:

Mr. Benjamin Tydings Smith, Grandson of Senator Joseph D. Tydings (D-MD);

Mr. Wayne Pacelle, Founder of Animal Wellness Action.

The Panel:

Mr. Benjamin Tydings Smith , Grandson of Senator Joe Tydings

, Grandson of Senator Ms. Christina Gray , CCABLAC Animal Welfare Advocate

, CCABLAC Animal Welfare Advocate Mr. Wayne Pacelle , Founder, Animal Wellness Action

, Founder, Animal Wellness Action Mr. Carl Bledsoe , Former "Big Lick" Horse Trainer

"'The Horses' never had a better friend than U. S. Senator Joe Tydings. There was not one time that I called Senator Tydings for his help that he did not generously respond, even when he was not feeling well. We will never see his like again.

https://www.facebook.com/BillyGoBoy/videos/540764033090961/

Hopefully, the PAST ACT will be introduced in the 116th Session of Congress as the 'U. S. Senator Joseph D.Tydings Memorial PAST ACT,' and it will receive a VOTE in the U. S. Congress which has never happened before," said Seay.

Story Of CCABLAC (Citizens Campaign Against "Big Lick" Animal Cruelty)

CCABLAC Animal Welfare Advocates peacefully assemble and protest the Animal Cruelty to Tennessee Walking Horses from the Gulf of Mexico at Panama City Beach (FL) to the Blue Ridge Mountains at Asheville, (NC) to the White House in Washington.

https://www.facebook.com/BillyGoBoy/videos/2293588067594859/

https://www.facebook.com/BillyGoBoy/videos/1784512234918233/

CCABLAC videos of the "Big Lick" Tennessee Walking Horse "Big Lick" show gait are made at horse shows, and distributed via social media and internet to inform MILLIONS of persons of the Animal Cruelty being perpetrated upon the Tennessee Walking Horses. Consequently, many people no longer attend "Big Lick" Horse Shows nor do business with the sponsors.

https://www.facebook.com/NowThisNews/videos/1606891339327953/

https://www.facebook.com/BillyGoBoy/videos/1395566297244069/

Donations allow Color Ads to be run in newspapers. Empty seats at "Big Lick" Horse Shows prove that CCABLAC advocacy is working. Lawsuits are filed to be sure that Americans First Amendment constitutional rights are not violated, and seek justice and damages when acts of violence are committed against CCABLAC Animal Welfare Advocates.

https://www.facebook.com/BillyGoBoy/videos/995407697248993/

SOURCE Citizens Campaign Against "Big Lick" Animal CrueltyNASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Captain D's, the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant, announced today that it has signed a franchise development agreement with Chris Benner and Ed Stokes of Trident Holdings LLC. As part of the agreement, they have acquired eight corporate-owned Captain D's locations in Mississippi and will be developing 10 new Captain D's throughout the state, as well as in key Southeast target markets, including Louisiana and Georgia, over the next several years. Trident Holdings LLC signed its first agreement with Captain D's in 2015, and has since become the brand's largest franchisee, currently operating 33 restaurants across seven states. This latest agreement reflects how Captain D's ongoing success and attractive unit economics have enabled franchisees to reinvest in the brand and continue propelling its growth.

"We're proud that a significant part of Captain D's expansion over the past several years has been fueled by growth from within, showcasing how our commitment to providing franchisees with best-in-class support has positioned them to continue growing alongside the brand," said Brad Reed, chief development officer of Captain D's. "The remarkable success Chris and Ed have achieved since joining the brand in 2015 is a true testament to the unlimited potential our franchise opportunity offers. This latest agreement coupled with the surge in franchise development we've experienced over the past several years emphasizes Captain D's position as one of the strongest concepts in the fast casual segment today."

As part of this new agreement, Trident Holdings LLC will also be adding Captain D's sister brand Grandy's to its portfolio, with plans to develop 10 new locations of the Southern-style quick service concept throughout the Southeast, beginning in Nashville. As Captain D's largest multi-unit operators, Benner and Stokes are also currently spearheading the brand's growth in Virginia, opening their third restaurant in the state last month with an additional four new locations in the pipeline.

"Since Ed and I signed our first agreement with Captain D's three years ago, the success we've achieved reinforces the fact that this is an opportunity with immense profit potential," said Chris Benner. "One of the things that immediately attracted us to Captain D's was that, in a sea of burger and chicken concepts, it occupied a very unique and defensible niche within the fast causal segment, which is the same quality that attracted us to Grandy's. The exceptional team at Captain D's has been a tremendous resource for us as we've continued growing with the brand, and we're thrilled to expand our growth plans with the company and be a part of their efforts to reinvigorate the Grandy's concept."

Coupled with its ongoing menu innovation, Captain D's credits its new restaurant beach design with contributing to the brand's ongoing strong performance. To date, nearly 80 percent of all restaurants have been reimaged to the brand's new vibrant, coastal design. With these efforts, Captain D's has remained true to what it does best  serving high-quality seafood with warm hospitality at an affordable price in a welcoming atmosphere.

With more than 530 restaurants in 22 states, Captain D's is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America ranked by average unit volume. The company is currently seeking single- and multi-unit operators to join in the brand's rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit http://www.captaindsfranchising.com or call 800-314-4819.

ABOUT CAPTAIN D'S

Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Captain D's has more than 530 restaurants in 22 states. Captain D's is the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant and was named the #1 seafood chain in the QSR 50, ranked by AUV. Founded in 1969, Captain D's has been offering its customers high-quality seafood at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere for 50 years. Captain D's serves a wide variety of seafood that includes freshly prepared entrees and the company's signature batter dipped fish. The restaurants also offer premium-quality, grilled items such as shrimp, Tilapia and Salmon, as well as hushpuppies, desserts and freshly brewed, Southern-style sweet tea, a Captain D's favorite. For more information, please visit www.captainds.com.

Contact:

Caitlin Willard

Fish Consulting

954-893-9150

[email protected]

SOURCE Captain D's

Related Links

http://www.captainds.com

Spectrum Cannabis Peru will operate as part of the Canopy LATAM network and with Peru poised to introduce new regulations for the use of medical cannabis, this new in-market entity is uniquely positioned to support the opening of the Peruvian market while leveraging Canopy Growth's global expertise in patient and physician education, as well as in medical cannabis production.

This announcement directly supports Canopy Growth's strategy of securing first mover advantage to realize the opportunities generated by evolving cannabis regulations across the region and the world. Until regulations are published supporting patient access to medical cannabis, Spectrum Cannabis Peru will focus on advancing education activities, including working closely with the medical community to foster greater understanding of the potential uses of medical cannabis while reducing stigma.

Supporting education, regulation, and patient access for medical cannabis across Latin America

While in Lima to participate in the launch of Spectrum Cannabis Peru, Dr. Mark Ware, Canopy Growth's Chief Medical Officer, is advancing the Company's commitment to education through participation in a range of medical cannabis-focused events for physicians, healthcare professionals, and cannabis-focused patient groups.

This includes addressing healthcare professionals currently attending an introductory course on cannabis held by the medical college of Peru ("Colegio Medico del Peru"), as well as delivering an address and participating in the First Meeting of American Professional Experts working with Phytocannabinoids ("1 Encuentro Americano De Professionales Expertos En Fitocannabioides") held in Lima from January 10 to 11.

The conference will also see Dr. Ware, in his capacity as a family physician focused on pain management, participate in the signing of the Lima Declaration on the medical use of cannabis. This physician-led declaration encourages governments, regulators, and health authorities throughout the region to ensure patient access and scientific research are the cornerstones of all Latin America medical cannabis laws.

Further, the declaration promotes collaboration across the region, and calls on healthcare professionals to contribute to informed access for cannabis-based medicines while asking patients to advocate and defend their right to such treatments.

A leap forward for sustainable regional production through Spectrum Cannabis Colombia

As previously announced, production operations are advancing at the Company's farm in Colombia, with initial cultivation having started in late 2018. In line with the plan for sustainable regional production based in the country, the Company is pleased to report that licenses have now been received for the production of cannabis in all 126 hectares (13.6 million sq. ft.) of suitable growing area at the farm.

This is an increase from the previously licensed 42 hectares (4.5 million sq. ft.) of production area and to the Company's knowledge, the wholly owned farm now represents one of the largest fully licensed cannabis production facilities in the world. This also positions Canopy Growth to meet the emerging regional supply demands as a number of countries across Latin America update their regulations and in so doing, open their markets for the import and sale of Spectrum Cannabis' high-quality cannabis-based medical products.

Continued development of Canopy LATAM and local in-market entities

As regulations across the region continue to evolve at a rapid pace, Canopy Growth is well positioned to seize these new opportunities through its subsidiary Canopy LATAM, and the in-market entities that work collectively as part of the Company's LATAM structure. A full leadership team is now in place at both the regional and local level to guide these activities and draws on extensive experience from leading organizations in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and consulting industries.

With a fully licensed production site in Colombia, newly launched operations in Peru, a rapidly evolving landscape in Mexico, and clinical trials underway in Chile, Canopy LATAM and Canopy Growth are uniquely positioned to realize the significant opportunities across Latin America with the ultimate goal of serving patients through education and high quality, reliable, medical cannabis products.

Quotes from leadership

"We're proud to welcome Peru to the growing family of Spectrum Cannabis countries and to have the chance to serve Peruvian patients and healthcare professionals in the future," said Mark Zekulin, President and Co-CEO, Canopy Growth. "Canopy Growth is a global leader in providing safe, regulated, medical cannabis and by leveraging our experience together with local expertise, we look forward to helping build a responsible Peruvian cannabis industry today and into the future."

"The landscape for medical cannabis continues to evolve rapidly in Latin America and Peru is poised to take a leading role with the introduction of new regulations which we hope will prioritize patient access", said Antonio Droghetti, Managing Director, Canopy LATAM. "Launching Peruvian operations enhances our ability to engage with regulators, healthcare professionals, and patients to ensure they have the information they need while also preparing for the future sale of medical cannabis products across the country."

"With the full licensing of our 126-hectare farm, Spectrum Cannabis Colombia and Canopy Growth have demonstrated yet again our ability to execute and prepare for the rapidly rising demand that exists for medical cannabis", said Bibiana Rojas, Country Managing Director, Spectrum Cannabis Colombia. "Our ambitious goal of sustainable regional production for medical cannabis is one step closer in Latin America and we're proud to play a role in increasing the total potential production of Canopy Growth as it builds markets internationally."

About Canopy Growth Corporation

Canopy Growth is a world-leading diversified cannabis and hemp company, offering distinct brands and curated cannabis varieties in dried, oil and Softgel capsule forms. Canopy Growth offers the world's only medically approved vaporizers through the Company's subsidiary, Storz & Bickel GMbH & Co. KG. From product and process innovation to market execution, Canopy Growth is driven by a passion for leadership and a commitment to building a world-class cannabis company one product, site and country at a time. The Company has operations in 13 countries across five continents. The Company is proudly dedicated to educating healthcare practitioners, conducting robust clinical research, and furthering the public's understanding of cannabis, and through its wholly owned subsidiary, Canopy Health Innovations ("Canopy Health"), has devoted millions of dollars toward cutting edge, commercializable research and IP development. Canopy Growth works with the Beckley Foundation and has launched Beckley Canopy Therapeutics to research and develop clinically validated cannabis-based medicines, with a strong focus on intellectual property protection. Canopy Growth acquired assets of leading hemp research company, ebbu, Inc. ("ebbu"). Intellectual Property ("IP") and R&D advancements achieved by ebbu's team apply directly to Canopy Growth's hemp and THC-rich cannabis genetic breeding program and its cannabis-infused beverage capabilities. Through partly owned subsidiary Canopy Rivers Corporation, the Company is providing resources and investment to new market entrants and building a portfolio of stable investments in the sector. From our historic public listing on the Toronto Stock Exchange and New York Stock Exchange to our continued international expansion, pride in advancing shareholder value through leadership is engrained in all we do at Canopy Growth. Canopy Growth has established partnerships with leading sector names including cannabis icon Snoop Dogg, breeding legends DNA Genetics and Green House seeds, Battelle, the world's largest nonprofit research and development organization, and Fortune 500 alcohol leader Constellation Brands, to name but a few. Canopy Growth operates ten licensed cannabis production sites with over 4.3 million square feet of production capacity, including over 500,000 square feet of GMP certified production space. The Company operates Tweed retail stores in Newfoundland and Manitoba and has entered into supply agreements with every Canadian province and territory. For more information visit www.canopygrowth.com.

Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements or information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of Canopy Growth or its subsidiaries to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements or information contained in this news release. Examples of such statements include statements with respect to international operations in the LATAM region. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including the Company's ability to satisfy provincial sales contracts or provinces purchasing all cannabis allocated to them, and such risks contained in the Company's annual information form dated June 27, 2018 and filed with Canadian securities regulators available on the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information or forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The forward-looking information and forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking information or forward-looking information to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities laws.

https://www.facebook.com/canopygrowth/

https://twitter.com/CanopyGrowth

SOURCE Canopy Growth Corporation

Related Links

http://canopygrowth.com/

ST. HELENA, Calif., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Effective Jan. 1, 2019, California Grower Foundation has become Ag Health Benefits Alliance of Northern California (AHBA). "We are excited to launch this next chapter in our organization's history with a name that speaks to our mission: To provide agricultural employers with benefits resources to attract and retain a healthy, productive workforce," says Executive Director Rebecca Barlow.

AHBA was founded under the name California Winegrower Foundation and began doing business as California Grower Foundation in the mid-1970's. "In recent times, we were often confused with other similarly named organizations and foundations" Barlow notes. "We decided a new name was needed to better describe the work we do and the audience we serve."

AHBA's vision is to be the local agricultural community's most trusted source for competitive employee benefit programs and educational information. "We are here to deliver expert, bilingual service that can solve healthcare needs in this ever-changing landscape," explains Barlow. In addition to compliance administration and flexible health plan features, AHBA offers dental, vision, life, long-term disability, an Employee Assistance Program and a full library of HR resources.

The rebrand includes a new website, aghealthbenefits.org. And a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for employer members and their participants can be found here.

About Ag Health Benefits Alliance: Ag Health Benefits Alliance (AHBA) has been providing affordable health insurance and other benefits to agricultural employees in Northern California since its founding as the California Winegrower Foundation in 1972. Started by a group of forward-thinking winegrape growers who shared a common goal of improving working conditions, AHBA is a non-profit member organization that supports both employers and employees. AHBA's members were dedicated to providing health benefits for employees, including seasonal workers, long before it was required by law. Today, AHBA provides those benefits to more than 1,500 agricultural employees.

MEDIA CONTACT: Mia Malm

[email protected]

(707) 266-1320

SOURCE Ag Health Benefits Alliance (AHBA)

Related Links

http://www.aghealthbenefits.org

Jane Loop Pomar joins Miami office as a Director focused exclusively on

mid-management search activities of Caldwell Advance

TORONTO, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - In direct response to expressed client need, retained executive search firm Caldwell (TSX: CWL) today announced the launch of Caldwell Advance, a search offering focused on emerging leaders.

"We understand that transformative talent is not limited to the executive levels, and emerging leaders and advancing professionals can also have a huge impact on a company's ability to turn potential into success," said Chris Beck, chief operating officer of Caldwell. "Many of our clients have expressed direct interest in the Caldwell search process at the advancing leader level. In order to better serve our current and prospective clients, we are launching a new solution  Caldwell Advance."

Beck continued "Coincident with the unveiling of this new service, we are also pleased to announce the addition of Jane Loop Pomar to the Caldwell Advance team as a director, based in Miami. With more than 22 years of recruiting experience, she is extremely well-placed to lead this charge for us. She has extensive experience in energy, infrastructure and industrial operations, and has experience working across multiple segments in manufacturing, basic materials, energy, and construction, engineering/ infrastructure verticals, and a significant focus on operations, sales, human resources, engineering and technical roles.

Ms. Pomar joins Caldwell from a global talent acquisition solutions company, where she was a partner. Prior to that she developed a U.S. presence for a Toronto-based recruiting firm focused on energy, engineering, and natural resources/mining operations. Before that, she founded Loop Executive Search, a boutique firm focused on recruiting middle management and succession planning for small to mid-cap companies. Ms. Pomar began her executive search career at Heidrick & Struggles, where she was a part of the placement process in some of the country's most significant internet and telecommunications build-outs. Before her career in search, she was a vice president at a major national financial institution.

Ms. Pomar holds a BS in economics from Randolph-Macon Woman's College in Virginia. She sits on the Board of The Association for Corporate Growth, The Women's Board of Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville, FL., and has previously served on the boards of the American Cancer Society for Duval County and the River Club of Jacksonville. She is also involved with the Women in Agriculture Network, in support of her family's legacy business in the agribusiness sector.

"Our primary purpose continues to be to enable organizations to thrive and succeed by helping them identify, recruit and retain their best people," said John Wallace, chief executive officer of Caldwell. "This significant expansion of our services will further enhance our ability to deliver long term value to our clients."

About Caldwell

At Caldwell we believe Talent Transforms. As a leading provider of executive talent, we enable our clients to thrive and succeed by helping them identify, recruit and retain their best people. Our reputationnearly 50 years in the makinghas been built on transformative searches across functions and geographies at the very highest levels of management and operations. We leverage our skills and networks to also provide agile talent in the form of flexible and on-demand advisory solutions for companies looking for support in strategy and operations. With offices and partners across North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific, we take pride in delivering an unmatched level of service and expertise to our clients.

Caldwell's Common shares are listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CWL). Please visit our website at www.caldwellpartners.com for further information.

SOURCE The Caldwell Partners International Inc.

Related Links

http://www.caldwellpartners.com

CHICAGO, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- C.A. Fortune, a consumer products sales and marketing firm headquartered in Chicago, announces the addition of JB Chicago, an integrated marketing, branding and creative agency. Effective Jan. 1, 2019, JB Chicago will continue to operate independently, wholly owned by C.A. Fortune. Positioned for significant horizontal growth in 2019, privately held C.A. Fortune is constantly evaluating its mission of building out the nation's leading consumer products service firm, with an intense focus on the lifestyle brand sector.

"Our latest announcement of JB Chicago showcases our commitment to discovering and bringing on the best-in-class service offerings," said Tyler Lowell, managing partner of C.A. Fortune. "Adding JB's capabilities to the C.A. Fortune family of companies gives our clients access to in-depth branding, creative, package design and marketing like never before."

A Chicago-based branding agency for nearly 20 years, JB Chicago specializes in unearthing key differentiators in brands with a focus in the CPG space and communicating those ideas to the customer in an emotionally compelling way. Steve Gaither, president of JB Chicago, who will remain as president of the business unit at the downtown Chicago office, is a mentor at the Good Food Business Accelerator, Industrial Council of Nearwest Chicago (ICNC) and The Hatchery. His relationships with the food and CPG sector also led him to start Windy City Troublemakers, an early stage local food and beverage brands group.

"Joining the team of an industry leader in the consumer packaged goods arena like C.A. Fortune is a key next step in JB Chicago's growth. With an unparalleled reputation and extensive resources, C.A. Fortune's capabilities now enable us to provide even more effective and fully integrated marketing and branding solutions to our current and potential clients," said Gaither. "The company's privately held culture and level of client service mesh very well with JB's own values, making this a seamless and beneficial move for both parties."

This latest transaction with JB Chicago helps solidify C.A. Fortune's place as the nation's leading lifestyle brand agency for consumer products. With offices across the U.S., the company offers its clients a holistic solution from brand incubation and sales management to marketing and branding, retail services and beyond.

"We're much more than a sales agency  our team is constantly looking to evolve and redefine the CPG brand sector via comprehensive and high-quality service offerings from those most knowledgeable and experienced in the industry," explained Lowell.

C.A. Fortune is a privately held firm that provides topnotch full-service coverage to its clients both from a trade channel and product category perspective. The company's impressive journey to securing a national presence in the consumer products brand partnership space began six years ago and today, it employs more than 325 employees with eight offices across the country.

About C.A. Fortune

Founded in 1983, C.A. Fortune is a leading full-service national consumer products sales and marketing agency, specializing in the lifestyle-brand sector. With more than 325 employees nationwide, the company offers clients a turn-key solution  from brand incubation, client development, sales management, marketing and branding, retail services and more. The company, headquartered in Chicago, has regional offices in Bentonville, Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, New York City metro and San Francisco. Visit www.CAFortune.com.

About JB Chicago

Founded in 2000, JB Chicago is a fully integrated branding and marketing agency that works with clients to develop successful and beautiful brands that solve their specific customer's needs, while increasing awareness, sales and velocity. Specializing in branding, creative, package design and retail strategy, JB Chicago works with a variety of clients in the food and beverage, nonprofit, healthcare and education spaces. Visit www.JBChicago.com.

Media Contact:

Lindsey Lullo

[email protected]

312.442.7223

SOURCE C.A. Fortune

Related Links

http://www.cafortune.com

Lamont offered a few specific policy proposals when talking about what he would do to ensure Connecticuts economic prosperity reaches all of the states residents. They included a paid family and medical leave program to make sure that parents dont have to choose between the child they love and the job they need and a $15 minimum wage, raised from its current level of $10.10 over time, so that those same parents can afford to provide for their children without working three jobs.Villagers perform with cymbal to greet the upcoming Spring Festival at Beixi Village in Shijiazhuang, capital of north China's Hebei Province, Jan. 8, 2019. The Chinese Spring Festival represents the beginning of the Chinese Lunar Year and falls on Feb. 5 this year. (Xinhua/Zhang Xiuke)

6

1

[ Editor: WPY ]This year's theme is "Empowering the Greatness of HR," and Businessolver has designed a robust array of sessions and activities to inspire C-suite leaders and HR professionals. With every passing year, the strategic role of Human Resources grows in importance and scope, and at Vision 2019 participants will discover how they can leverage employee benefits to deliver outcomes that achieve their organization's goals.

"The right benefits and benefits technology can make the difference between successful initiatives and a missed opportunity," says Businessolver President and CEO Jon Shanahan. "We are eager to share insights and empower HR professionals at all levels to navigate today's challenging labor market and drive measurable outcomes for their organizations."

Insights for Driving Business Outcomes

These two-day events will feature an educational benefits communications workshop in the morning on opening day and a product training session on day two that will allow hands-on interaction with key aspects of the Benefitsolver platform. The agenda also includes thought-provoking and empowering sessions on ways that HR can deliver on organizations' objectives, such as a market landscape update from Jon Shanahan, new and upcoming product innovations, client panels on best practices, and compliance updates. The results of the 2019 State of Workplace Empathy Study, Businessolver's fourth annual, will also be revealed at the events.

Additionally, Carol Harnett is this year's keynote speaker for Vision 2019. A widely respected writer, speaker, consultant, and trendspotter, Carol is an expert in the fields of employee benefits, health and productivity management, health and performance innovation, and value-based health. Ms. Harnett has been a keynote speaker at several important HR conferences such as the Health & Benefits Leadership Conference, Disability Management Employer Coalition, and Employer Health Coalition.

"Human resource professionals are strategic partners in their organizations and bring value by matching the human side of the workplace with real-world business goals," says Harnett. "Benefits are crucial to these objectives and we can help HR leaders and professionals anticipate and act on key trends to meet the needs of their organizations."

For Vision 2019, Businessolver is pleased to partner with leading providers in the employee benefits field including Visionary sponsors Allstate/InfoArmor and Discovery Benefits, Innovator sponsors AFLAC and Voya, and Leader sponsors Unum, Cigna, MetLife, Transamerica, Ultimate Software, and The Hartford.

About Vision 2019

Vision 2019 events bring together like-minded HR professionals, thought leaders, and the Businessolver community to discuss key trends in the benefits industry today and communicate a clear vision for the future. Attendees in all three locations (Scottsdale, Charlotte, and Chicago) will get immersed in deep discussions and strategy sessions on benefits administration best practices, employee engagement, effective workforce communications, artificial intelligence and machine learning, consumer accounts administration, regulatory compliance, and more. They'll also receive an exclusive inside look at Businessolver's business and product roadmap, including select access to experience new system updates before they go live to the public. Agenda, registration, and travel details for all three Vision 2019 events is available at www.businessolver.com/vision-2019.

About Businessolver

Since 1998, Businessolver has delivered market-changing benefits administration technology supported by an intrinsic responsiveness to client needs. The company creates client programs that maximize benefits program investment, minimize risk exposure, and engage employees with easy-to-use solutions and communication tools to assist them in making wise and cost-efficient benefits selections. Founded by HR professionals, Businessolver's unwavering service-oriented culture and secure SaaS platform provide measurable success in its mission to provide complete client delight.

Media Contact

Kristin Korzen

[email protected]

312-233-1278

SOURCE Businessolver

Related Links

http://www.businessolver.com

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pioneer in the plant-based protein industry, ALOHA, has announced today the launch of its newly reformulated protein powder, along with a substantial increase in national retail availability to further meet consumer demand. The reformulated protein powder comes in Chocolate, Vanilla and Banana varieties and now contains MCT oil  which is linked to energy, gut health, enhanced mood and performance  and an overall smoother, refined texture.

"At ALOHA, we are always innovating to ensure that the plant-based protein we create is utterly and totally best-in-class," said ALOHA CEO, Brad Charron. "As we kick off 2019 with a significantly expanded retail footprint, we're excited to reveal our updated protein powders, which now contain keto-friendly MCT oil, keeping to the core of what ALOHA does best  offer organic, affordable, accessible, plant-based food that never forces a consumer to sacrifice taste for nutritional benefit."

As with all of ALOHA's products, the reformulated protein powders are USDA Certified Organic, vegan, Non-GMO and free of stevia, soy, gluten, dairy and artificial ingredients. Each serving of the protein powder contains 18 grams of protein.

Additionally, ALOHA products  including the reformulated protein powders and the brand's popular protein bars  are now available at several new retail chains across the country including Wegmans, HEB, Harris Teeter, Kroger, Sprouts and Hy-Vee. Having increased its retail presence by 160 percent over the past year, ALOHA products are now conveniently available for health-conscious consumers to pick up at major drugstores and grocery stores, including existing partners such as CVS, Target, Meijer, Shaws, Rite Aid, Stop & Shop, Giant and more.

"We're increasingly seeing our customers seeking out products that are healthy and delicious, and overall, vegan products with clean labels are continuing to grow in popularity," said Matthew Gagnon, Health Category Manager, Harris Teeter. "We're excited to be offering ALOHA protein bars and powders to meet the evolving needs of our shoppers."

In addition to brick and mortar retail expansion, ALOHA is also available on Amazon, where it has quadrupled its sales over the past year. As ALOHA strives to make healthy living accessible to consumers, the brand has robust plans to continue increasing its availability and invest in product development in 2019. ALOHA products are also available online at Thrive Market and at ALOHA.com.

ABOUT ALOHA

ALOHA's mission is to make healthy living simple and accessible to everyone through clean, organic, plant-based food. With a focus on our Protein Powder and Protein Bars, ALOHA creates organic products meant to be savored and enjoyed without sacrificing taste or nutrition. Every item is formulated to the highest standard, nutrient-rich, and thoughtfully packaged with deep respect for both people and the environment. ALOHA is currently available at Amazon, CVS, Harris Teeter, HEB, Kroger, Meijer, Target, Wegmans, Shaw's, Stop & Shop, Thrive Market, and many others. To learn more visit: www.ALOHA.com

SOURCE ALOHA

Related Links

http://www.ALOHA.com

MONUMENT, Colo., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Advisors Asset Management (AAM) announced today that they have strengthened their investment offering with the appointment of Kames Capital, based in Edinburgh, as Portfolio Consultant for a new unit investment trust (UIT).

The Kames Sustainable Equity Portfolio seeks to provide above average total return primarily by capital appreciation by investing in a portfolio of equity securities selected by Kames Capital, the Portfolio Consultant to the UIT.

Craig Bonthron, Investment Manager for International Equities and Neil Goddin, Head of Equity Quantitative Analysis for Kames Capital will recommend stocks for the portfolio. The team has a high-conviction stock-picking approach and invests globally across the market-cap spectrum.

"We are excited to partner with Kames Capital, a best-in-class asset management firm and a global leader in sustainable investing. We also look forward to growing our relationship with Kames Capital and to all the possibilities that lie ahead," said Richard Stewart, Executive Vice President and Head of UIT Product Management for Advisors Asset Management.

Martin Davis, CEO of Kames Capital and Head of Europe for Aegon Asset Management said, "We are delighted to have been appointed by Advisors Asset Management. They are our second client in North America and our first in the US, so this is a major milestone for the firm and comes just a year after becoming registered with the SEC. Kames Capital is a global leader in sustainable investing, an area of growing interest to investors in the US. We also have a growing reputation in global equities that reflects our experienced team and distinctive investment approach."

About Advisors Asset Management

For nearly 40 years, AAM has been a trusted resource for financial advisors and broker/dealers. It offers access to UITs (unit investment trusts), open- and closed-end mutual funds, separately managed accounts (SMAs), structured products, the fixed income markets, portfolio analytics and now exchange-traded funds (ETFs). For more information, visit www.aamlive.com.

Unit Investment Trusts (UITs) are sold only by prospectus. You should consider the trust's investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses carefully before investing. Contact your financial professional or visit Advisors Asset Management online at www.aamlive.com/uit to obtain a prospectus, which contains this and other financial information about the trust. Read it carefully before you invest or send any money. As with any investment, investors may lose money by investing in UITs and the trust may not perform as well as expected. Investing in UITs is a long-term strategy and investors should consider their ability to invest in successive trusts, if available. Investors also should consult a tax professional regarding the tax implications associated with investing in UITs. Securities offered through your financial professional.

This material is not intended to be a recommendation or investment advice, does not constitute a solicitation to buy or sell securities, and is not provided in a fiduciary capacity within the meaning of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and the Internal Revenue Code. The information provided does not take into account the specific objectives or circumstances of any particular investor, or suggest any specific course of action. Investment decisions should be made based on an investor's objectives and circumstances and in consultation with his or her advisers.

Advisors Asset Management, Inc. (AAM) is a SEC-registered investment advisor and member FINRA/SIPC. | 18925 Base Camp Road | Monument, CO 80132 | www.aamlive.com

CRN: 2019-0102-7127 R

CONTACT:

Catherine Drury

JConnelly

(646) 922-7773

[email protected]

SOURCE Advisors Asset Management

Related Links

http://www.aamlive.com

BOSTON, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- 908 Devices Inc., a pioneer of purpose-built analytical devices for chemical and biomolecular analysis, today announced they will provide their High-Pressure Mass Spectrometry (HPMS) technology platform to the next phase of the U.S. Department of Defense's (DOD) new Aerosol and Vapor Chemical Agent Detector (AVCAD) program. The company and partner Smiths Detection, a worldwide leader and proven integrator for detection systems, were selected by the DOD's Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (JPEO-CBRND)'s Joint Project Manager, Nuclear Biological Chemical Contamination Avoidance to be one of only two suppliers to move into the engineering and manufacturing phase for the AVCAD.

908 Devices' HPMS technology is the core of the company's commercially available devices, including the MX908 trace chemical detection device. During the development phase of the AVCAD project, the DOD extensively tested the selectivity, sensitivity and capability of HPMS.

"Being selected for the next phase of this program is tremendous validation of our foundational technology platform and represents a major milestone in our pursuit to deliver on a new standard of chemical detection," said Dr. Kevin J. Knopp, President and CEO of 908 Devices. "We look forward to working in partnership with Smiths Detection on the AVCAD in this next phase and are truly honored to have a role in protecting our U.S. military."

About 908 Devices

908 Devices is setting off a revolution in how chemical analysis gets done. We offer point-of-need chemical and biomolecular analysis devices ranging from rugged, handheld chemical detection tools to compact, tiny footprint analyzers and fast separation devices. These purpose-built and user-centric devices serve the life science, field forensics and other applied markets. 908 Devices is headquartered in the heart of Boston where we research, design and manufacture innovative products based on high-pressure mass spectrometry (HPMS) and microfluidic separation technology. For more information, visit 908devices.com.

SOURCE 908 DevicesGavriella Schuster, Corporate Vice President, One Commercial Partner at Microsoft Corporation, stated, "By participating in the Azure Expert MSP program, 10th Magnitude has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in delivering managed Azure services to our mutual customers. We are delighted to have them in the program."

In light of the honor, Alex Brown, CEO of 10th Magnitude, gave credit to the company's talented team.

"This validates the extremely high level of expertise 10th Magnitude has in providing Azure services," Brown said. "Our entire team is truly committed to helping every customer get the most out of their cloud journey. Receiving independent confirmation of that commitment and skill from Microsoft's rigorous Expert MSP certification process is an honor. We're proud to be part of the Azure Expert MSP program that assists our clients with their digital transformations."

About the Microsoft Azure Expert MSP Program

To be included in the Microsoft Azure Expert MSP program , companies must meet a strict set of requirements. These include verified excellence in customer delivery, proof of technical expertise, and success in completing an independent audit of managed services, people, processes, and technologies.

"It was an intensive audit that required expertise from across the business," said Ryan McDonald, VP of Managed Services for 10th Magnitude. "What an incredible honor from Microsoft. Qualifying for this difficult certification demonstrates our service management expertise and technical specialization to deliver excellent service to our customers."

The Azure Expert MSP program is intended to give Microsoft customers total confidence when selecting a partner to help them with a digital transformation. 10th Magnitude is pleased to be recognized for their expertise in doing exactly that: helping clients confidently and successfully meet their digital transformation goals.



About 10th Magnitude

10th Magnitude helps businesses transform with innovative, cloud-based solutions that harness the power of Microsoft Azure. The company combines elements from multiple deep cloud competencies, as well as the most efficient and innovative technology tools and platforms to help clients become more agile, more customer-focused, and more operationally efficient. A Microsoft Gold Cloud Platform Partner, Microsoft 2018 Open Source Applications and Infrastructure on Azure Partner of the Year, and 2017 Microsoft Hybrid Cloud and Infrastructure Platform Partner of the Year, 10th Magnitude is headquartered in Chicago with offices around the U.S. and clients worldwide.



Contact

Ryan McDonald

VP of Managed Services

10th Magnitude

[email protected]

SOURCE 10th Magnitude

Related Links

http://www.10thmagnitude.com

VANCOUVER, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ - Tinka Resources Limited ("Tinka" or the "Company") (TSXV & BVL: TK) (OTCPK: TKRFF) Vancouver, Canada announces that the Company has filed an updated independent National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report (the "NI 43-101 Technical Report") on the Mineral Resource Estimate for the Ayawilca Property, Department of Pasco, Peru, in support of the Company's news release dated November 26, 2018 (the "News Release"). There are no material differences in the NI 43-101 Technical Report from the information disclosed in the News Release.

Part of the Zinc Zone Mineral Resource is now classified as Indicated, incorporating a higher-grade portion of the deposit. In addition, the updated Inferred Mineral Resource is of a similar size and grade to the previous Zinc Zone resource reported in November 2017. The updated Tin Zone Inferred Mineral Resource is also substantially larger. This resources update follows a very successful drilling program, with the Company completing approximately 20,000 metres during 2018.

Key Highlights of Updated Mineral Resources at Ayawilca

Indicated Zinc Zone Mineral Resource of 11.7 million tonnes grading 6.9% zinc, 0.16% lead, 84 g/t indium and 15 g/t silver (8.1% zinc equivalent "ZnEq"), containing :

containing 1.8 billion pounds of zinc;



983 tonnes of indium;



5.8 million ounces of silver; and



42 million pounds of lead.

Inferred Zinc Zone Mineral Resource of 45.0 million tonnes grading 5.6% zinc, 0.23% lead, 67 g/t indium and 17 g/t silver (6.7% ZnEq), containing :

containing 5.6 billion pounds of zinc;



3,003 tonnes of indium;



25.2 million ounces of silver; and



230 million pounds of lead.

Inferred Tin Mineral Resource of 14.5 million tonnes grading 0.63% tin, 0.21% copper, and 18 g/t silver (0.70% tin equivalent "SnEq"), containing :

containing 201 million pounds of tin;



67 million pounds of copper; and



8 million ounces of silver.

The Tin Zone and Zinc Zone resources do not overlap. The Mineral Resources have an effective date of November 26, 2018 and are reported above an NSR cut-off value of US$55/tonne , as estimated by Roscoe Postle Associates Inc. ("RPA") of Toronto, Canada. Other key assumptions, parameters, and methods are:

CIM definitions were followed for Mineral Resources.

Prior to compositing to two metre lengths, high Sn, In, and Ag values were cut to 4%, 350 g/t to 550 g/t, and 100 g/t to 170 g/t depending on area, respectively. Block model grades within the wireframe models were interpolated by inverse distance cubed.

The NSR value was based on estimated metallurgical recoveries, assumed metal prices and smelter terms, which include payable factors, treatment charges, penalties, and refining charges.

Density was estimated to be between 3.5 t/m 3 and 3.7 t/m 3 for the Zinc Zones and 3.9 t/m 3 for the Tin Zone

and 3.7 t/m for the Zinc Zones and 3.9 t/m for the Tin Zone The drill hole spacing within the area assigned as Indicated category commonly ranges from 40 m to 70 m

to For the Zinc Zone

Metal price assumptions were: US$1.15 /lb Zn, US$300 /kg In, US$15 /oz Ag, and US$1.00 /lb Pb. Metal recovery assumptions were: 90% Zn, 75% In, 60% Ag, and 75% Pb. The NSR value for each block was calculated using the following NSR factors: US$15.34 per % Zn, US$4.70 per % Pb, US$0.18 per gram In, and US$0.22 per gram Ag.

/lb Zn, /kg In, /oz Ag, and /lb Pb. Metal recovery assumptions were: 90% Zn, 75% In, 60% Ag, and 75% Pb. The NSR value for each block was calculated using the following NSR factors: per % Zn, per % Pb, per gram In, and per gram Ag.

The NSR value was calculated using the following formula:

NSR = Zn(%)*US$15.34+Pb(%)*US$4.70+In(g/t)*US$0.18+Ag(g/t)* US$0.22

NSR = Zn(%)*US$15.34+Pb(%)*US$4.70+In(g/t)*US$0.18+Ag(g/t)*

The ZnEq value was calculated using the following formula:

ZnEq = NSR/ US$15.34

ZnEq = NSR/ For the Tin Zone:

Metal price assumptions were: US$9.00 /lb Sn, US$2.85 /lb Cu, and US$15 /oz Ag. Metal recovery assumptions were: 86% Sn, 75% Cu, and 60% Ag. The NSR value for each block was calculated using the following NSR factors: US$155.21 per % Sn, US$37.59 per % Cu, and US$0.22 per gram Ag.

/lb Sn, /lb Cu, and /oz Ag. Metal recovery assumptions were: 86% Sn, 75% Cu, and 60% Ag. The NSR value for each block was calculated using the following NSR factors: per % Sn, per % Cu, and per gram Ag.

For the Tin Zone, the NSR value was calculated using the following formula:



US$NSR = Sn(%)*US$155.21+Cu(%)*US$37.59+Ag(g/t)* US$0.22



The SnEq value was calculated using the following formula:



SnEq = NSR/ US$155.21

There are no known legal, political, environmental or other risks that could materially affect the potential development of the Mineral Resources.

The Updated Mineral Resources disclosed in this press release have been estimated by Ms. Dorota El Rassi, P.Eng., and Mr. David Ross, P.Geo., both employees of RPA and independent of Tinka. By virtue of their education and relevant experience, Ms. El Rassi and Mr. David Ross are "Qualified Persons" for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101. The Mineral Resources have been classified in accordance with CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (May, 2014). Both Ms. El Rassi, P.Eng. and Mr. David Ross, P.Geo. have read and approved the contents of this news release as it pertains to the disclosed Mineral Resource estimates.

The NI 43-101 Technical Report may be found under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and on the Company's website at www.tinkaresources.com.

As announced by the Company on November 28, 2018, the Company's Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") on the Ayawilca Zinc and Tin Project in Peru, is well underway. Wood (formerly Amec Foster Wheeler) in Lima, Peru, has been engaged as lead consultant to prepare the PEA.

About Tinka Resources Limited

Tinka is an exploration and development company with its flagship property being the 100%-owned Ayawilca carbonate replacement deposit (CRD) in the zinc-lead-silver belt of central Peru, 200 kilometres northeast of Lima. The Ayawilca Zinc Zone contains 11.7 Mt of Indicated Resources grading 6.9% zinc, 0.2% lead, 15 g/t silver and 84 g/t indium and 45.0 Mt Inferred Resources grading 5.6% zinc, 0.2% lead, 17 g/t silver and 67 g/t indium. The Ayawilca Tin Zone contains an Inferred Mineral Resource of 14.5 Mt at 0.63% tin, 0.21% copper & 18 g/t silver (November 26, 2018 release). A maiden PEA is underway, with results anticipated in the first half of 2019. The Qualified Person, Dr. Graham Carman, Tinka's President and CEO, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has reviewed and verified the technical contents of this release.

On behalf of the Board,

"Graham Carman"

Dr. Graham Carman, President & CEO

Forward Looking Statements: Certain information in this news release contains forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively "forward-looking statements"). All statements, other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs and expectations of Tinka as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Tinka's management. Such statements reflect the current risks, uncertainties and assumptions related to certain factors including, without limitations, drilling results, the Company's expectations regarding the Ayawilca Project PEA, capital and other costs varying significantly from estimates, production rates varying from estimates, changes in world metal markets, changes in equity markets, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, equipment failure, unexpected geological conditions, imprecision in resource estimates or metal recoveries, success of future development initiatives, competition, operating performance, environmental and safety risks, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain necessary permits and approvals from local authorities, community agreements and relations, and other development and operating risks. Should any one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. Although Tinka believes that assumptions inherent in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, Tinka disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking statement.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release

SOURCE Tinka Resources Limited

Related Links

www.tinkaresources.com

ALBANY, New York, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

The global healthcare information systems market has been progressing in demand since the last few years owing to rapid adoption of information technology in healthcare systems. Also rising government initiatives and digitization for healthcare IT products are expected to boost the demand for healthcare information systems in the forecast period. Digitization records of healthcare have become more personalized, informed, and innovative. These records help doctors to find out the future warning signs of an individual's major health-related issues, thereby saving money on hospitalization and costly treatments. Several hospitals and medical institutions have shifted from paper- based techniques to computer-based solutions of storing and tracking data. This method is not only effective but faster too. Furthermore, use of cloud-based technologies by various medical facilities are also in demand and anticipated to propel the growth of global healthcare information systems in the coming years.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg )

Get PDF Brochure for Research Insights at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=45612

IT healthcare has been proved beneficial in enhancing better quality of care management through rising guideline adherences and reducing treatment error. Over the past few years, continuous rise in healthcare costs has compelled the medical facilities to implement healthcare information systems. This will lead to cost reduction which in turn, is likely to expand the growth of healthcare information systems market from 2017 to 2026. In 2017, the global market for IT healthcare systems was valued at US$227021.4 million and is estimated to be worth US$521682.6 million by the end of 2026. The global healthcare information systems market is projected to exhibit a robust CAGR of 9.6% in the forecast period. Few of the key players in the healthcare information systems global market include Cerner Corp., GE Healthcare, NextGen Health Care Information Systems, LLC, McKesson Corporation, and Siemens Healthineers.

Request a Sample of Report at https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=45612

Hospital Information Systems market to Lead on the Account of Improved Technological Efficiency

Various technological advancements such as electronic prescription, medication management, intelligent robots to avoid task repetition, and smart technologies to limit lifestyle diseases are expected to grow significantly and surge the demand of healthcare information systems market globally. The market for healthcare information systems is bifurcated into different segments as per component, application, deployment, and end-user. According to application, the IT healthcare systems has been divided into various information systems such as pharmacy, hospital, medical imaging, laboratory, and last but not the least revenue cycle management. Of these, hospital information system is estimated to lead the market and account for the majority of market share in the forecast period. Owing to the better efficiency and rising adoption in technology, the hospital information system is leading the healthcare information system global market.

Request For Discount On This Report - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=45612

According to deployment, the healthcare information systems market is classified into on premise, web based, and cloud based segments. Among these, the web based segment is likely to boost the demand as per revenue during the forecast period. This provides easy data accessibility from any device and at any time. Based on component, the global market for healthcare information systems is fragmented into hardware, services, and software. As per the end-user, the global market is divided into diagnostics centre, hospitals, research institution, and academics and others.

Browse Press Release - https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/health-care-information-systems-market.htm

Significant Growth to be Foreseen in Asia Pacific owing to Increasing Investments from 2017-2026

The global market for healthcare information systems is geographically divided into different regions which include Europe, North America, MEA, and Latin America. In the year 2017, North America accounted for a majority of market owing to rising government initiatives and presence of numerous global leaders. In the coming years, Asia pacific is expected to dominate the healthcare information systems market as the government initiatives, healthcare infrastructure is increasing. Also the region is observing more awareness in prevalence of chronic disorders.

Popular Research Reports by TMR:

Clinical Trial Management System Market : https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/clinical-trial-management-systems-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/clinical-trial-management-systems-market.html Population Health Management Market : https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/population-health-management-solutions-market.html

https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/population-health-management-solutions-market.html Digital Health Market:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/digital-health-market.html

About Us

Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a global market intelligence company providing business information reports and services. The company's exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trend analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of analysts, researchers, and consultants use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.

TMR's data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With extensive research and analysis capabilities, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

Contact



Mr. Rohit Bhisey

Transparency Market Research

State Tower,

90 State Street,

Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

Tel: +1-518-618-1030

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: [email protected]



Website: http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Research Blog: https://theglobalhealthnews.com/



SOURCE Transparency Market ResearchHamilton-Selway Fine Art, concurrent with the Whitney Museum's acclaimed Retrospective "Andy WarholFrom A to B and Back Again" and the first FriezeLos Angeles Contemporary Art Fair, is proud to announce "Andy WarholThree Decades of Fame".

Andy Warhol was one of the first "Superstar" Artistshis creative innovation and then his omnipresent Celebrity has had a greater influence on American Culture than any artist before or since his life. This incredible and ongoing celebrity has often disguised the fact that he was one of the most serious and influential artists of the twentieth century.

As one of the leading dealers of Andy Warhol's work in the country, Hamilton-Selway is pleased to announce this extensive exhibition that also celebrates our 25 years in business on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood.

The exhibition will show many rare and unique works from the sixties until his untimely death in 1987. It will include Paintings, Drawings and Screenprints. The centerpiece of the exhibition is a monumental Screenprint of Debbie Harry, one of the true cultural Icons of the 80's. This work epitomizes Warhol's obsession with fame and beauty.

The Exhibition runs through March 8, 2019.

Hamilton-Selway Fine Art

8678 Melrose Avenue

West Hollywood, CA 90069

310-657-1711

310-657-7771 (fax)

www.hamiltonselway.com

Twitter: @hamiltonselway

Facebook: Hamilton-Selway Fine Art

SOURCE Hamilton-Selway Fine Art

Related Links

http://www.hamiltonselway.com

BOSTON, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- It was a historical moment for GXChain. On December 19, 2018, GXChain, one of the three most influential public chain programs in China, officially announced its first 21 TrustNodes chosen from the GXChain TrustNode Voting Campaign. Since the official start of TrustNode Voting campaign on November 6, 2018, it has drawn attention from hundreds of well-known institutions in blockchain industry, including gf.network, LinkVC, 8BTC's Timestamp Capital, significant blockchain security verification service provider -- CertiK, Spark Blockchain Incubator, Slow Mist Zone, Huobi Pool, influential blockchain community -- EOS LAOMAO, Gravity Pool, GX-Harvard from Kennedy School of Political Science, and Blockchain Laboratory of Stony Brook University, USA.

Not only does the launch of the first 21 TrustNodes symbolize the progress that GXChain team made from a centralized governance team to a decentralized community, but also pushes GXChain into a new historical chapter. China's Center for Information and Industry Development (CCID), under the Country's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, announced a new update of its Global Public Blockchain Technology Assessment Index (GPBTAI) on Dec 20, 2018. GXChain replaced BitShares in third place with a score of 117.5 in this assessment, which is the highest position GXChain ever got since getting into the ranking.

At 7:41 pm on December 19th, GXChain's core team officially handed over GXChain's on-chain governance rights to 21 TrustNodes selected by the community. GXChain came into its new era of community governance. The first block after the handover is produced by CertiK-GXC, a node operated by the world-renowned blockchain security agency CertiK. This block embodies the consensus of GXChain community and opens its future way of on-chain governance in a long term.

The 21 TrustNodes are the key players in GXChain ecosystem. TrustNodes are responsible for transaction verification, transaction accounting, block packing and confirmation on GXChain. The rewards of a TrustNode comes from production and broadcast of blocks. The amount of income is determined and voted for approval by the GXChain committee. Blocks on GXChain are the infrastructure of on-chain services on GXChain, including its network, storage and computing.

The top 11 TrustNode candidates automatically become members of GXChain Committee, which is the core organization of on-chain governance. The primary responsibility of GXChain Committee is proposing and voting for the modification of global parameters of GXChain. The global parameters include dynamic parameters of the blockchain, such as block size, block interval; the number of TrustNodes; the number of rewards to TrustNodes for producing blocks; the number of active committee members; various transaction fees like transfer fee and assets issue fee; smart contract establishing and calling rates, etc.

GXC-Prophet team, currently ranking the first among all TrustNodes, mentioned the reason for participating in GXChain TrustNode Voting Campaign: "We believe that GXChain will become the No.1 influential public chain of data economy, and we want to be a part of this exciting and promising project; in addition, we had lots of chances cooperating with GXChain team before the TrustNode election. We witnessed its progress, and knew the team is diligent and reliable. We hope Prophet can grow with GXChain together."

GX-CertiK, whose supportive team is CertiK, currently ranks top 5 in TrustNode voting. They also expressed their confidence and commitment towards GXChain ecosystem: "CertiK will deeply participate in the ecosystem of GXChain community, fully exert its influence to promote the further globalization of GXChain, and help to provide safe and reliable blockchain data economic services for more organizations and individuals." CertiK is a formal verification framework to mathematically prove that smart contracts and blockchain ecosystems are bug-free and hacker-resistant.

At the same time, GXBean, another top-ranking TrustNode candidate, also supports and contributes to the development of GXChain ecosystem actively on social media. The GXChain TrustNode Voting Campaign is continually open to register and participate in. If you're interested in becoming a TrustNode candidate, please read GXChain TrustNode Candidate Technical Guide published by GXBean for more information.

GXChain will keep going to explore and practice more methods in realizing decentralized governance and scalability.

SOURCE GXChainVERO BEACH, Fla., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Coldwell Banker Paradise announced it has merged with the Schmidt Family of Companies to create one of the world's largest independently-owned Coldwell Banker franchises and one of the nation's largest real estate firms with 80 offices and approximately 1,700 agents in Florida, Michigan, Ohio and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The Schmidt Family of Companies, led by Ken and Mike Schmidt, is a full-service brokerage that was founded in 1927. The company already has a Florida presence centered in Punta Gorda. The firm had a combined 18,259 transactions and $3.3 billion in sales volume in 2018.

Coldwell Banker Paradise will retain its name and continue to be led locally by Linda Schlitt Gonzalez and Steven Schlitt, who have been with the company since 1972 and 1998, respectively. The firm was founded by their parents Ed and Marguerite Schlitt in 1953 and now has 11 offices and 280 agents serving 135 miles of eastern Florida coastline including Port St. Lucie, Vero Beach, Jupiter Island and Melbourne.

"We were one of Coldwell Banker's earliest franchisees in 1983 and that helped fuel our growth," Steven Schlitt said. "Joining the Schmidt Family of Companies is another exciting moment that maintains our family leadership and exposes our agents, clients and the Treasure and Space Coasts to greater resources and audiences."

Schlitt expects area homes in the $200,000-$400,000 range will see a 2019 price increase of 2-3% with job-centric Brevard County growing at a 6-8% pace.

"Our luxury market has exploded and we are seeing that 45% of those buying these homes are moving here to forego the hustle of South Florida. The Schmidt Family of Companies has a dominance in waterfront, resort and luxury markets."

"We are very excited about this new phase in our company's development," Ken Schmidt said. "We are clearly in a growth mode. Today's announcement is another positive sign and shows how bullish we are on the region's future."

"I have worked with Ken and Mike for many years and have always been impressed," said Charlie Young, president and CEO of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. "The Schmidt Family of Companies now has the most U.S. offices in the Coldwell Banker network with the merger of Coldwell Banker Paradise."

ABOUT COLDWELL BANKER PARADISE

Coldwell Banker Paradise was founded in 1953 and has 11 offices and approximately 280 agents serving Florida's Stuart, Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, South Hutchinson Island, North Hutchinson Island, Vero Beach, Sebastian and Melbourne.

ABOUT THE SCHMIDT FAMILY OF COMPANIES

The Schmidt Family of Companies has over 80 Coldwell Banker offices and 1,700 agents and brokers across Florida, Michigan, Ohio and the U.S. Virgin Islands along with Century 21 Schmidt Real Estate in Venice, Florida. The company had a combined 18,259 transactions and $3.3 billion in sales volume in 2018.

SOURCE Schmidt Family of Companies

Related Links

http://schmidtfamilyofcompanies.com

The committee chairperson will "have the power to compel the attendance and testimony of witnesses by subpoena, require the production of any necessary records, books, papers or other documents, and to administer oaths to witnesses before the committee,'' the resolution states. "And that the joint committee on legislative management provide to the committee on contested elections such staff and facilities, including administrative personnel, supplies and equipment, that the committee on contested elections may require to discharge its duties.''At $5.55 for a medium Spicy Cajun Chicken Sub**, Firehouse Subs guests can enjoy the brand's newest menu item at an affordable price that delivers the unmatched quality, portions and flavor they expect and enjoy. Additionally, guests can make their sub a combo with the return of the guest-favorite Miss Vickie's Kettle Cooked Farmhouse White Cheddar chips, also available for a limited time.

"The Spicy Cajun Chicken Sub includes bold flavors in a recipe unique to our brand that we are proud to debut during this milestone year for us," said Firehouse Subs Director of Product Development Jay Miller. "We look forward to unveiling innovative new offerings for our guests this year, starting with this sub packed with Cajun spice and zesty medium heat."

Want to turn the spice-level of your sub up a notch? Ask a team member at your local Firehouse Subs to help customize your sub by adding more cherry peppers. Additionally, each restaurant offers an assortment of 25+ complimentary hot sauces, ranked on a heat-scale of 1-10, including Captain Sorensen's Datil Pepper Hot Sauce, named in honor of the founding brothers' father, Rob Sorensen, a 43-year retired fire captain.

To find your nearest Firehouse Subs location, to see if the Spicy Cajun Chicken Sub is available via third-party delivery, or to have your sub ready for pickup at the Rapid Rescue To Go station, visit www.firehousesubs.com or download the Firehouse Rewards app.



*Excludes Firehouse Subs restaurants in Canada, airports and universities.

**Prices in Alaska may differ.

About Firehouse Subs

Firehouse Subs is a fast casual restaurant chain with a passion for Hearty and Flavorful Food, Heartfelt Service and Public Safety. Founded by brothers and former firefighters Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen, Firehouse Subs is a brand built on decades of fire and police service, hot subs, steamed and piled high with the highest quality meats and cheeses and its commitment to saving lives through the establishment of the non-profit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. The founders are the real deal, the food is their creation and the restaurant is built upon a family of franchise operators who share their same passion for generously serving food and community. Today, the brand operates more than 1,150 restaurants in 45 states, Puerto Rico, Canada and non-traditional locations. This year, Firehouse of America, LLC (franchisor for the brand) will donate a portion of all purchases at U.S. Firehouse Subs restaurants to Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. This percentage will result in a minimum donation of one million dollars. Firehouse Subs is consistently recognized as one of the leading brands in the U.S. among consumers. In 2017, Firehouse Subs was named the No. 1 brand overall on Technomic's Consumer Brand Metrics rankings and was recognized as No. 1 among the Top 10 Most Craveable Sandwich Chain Sandwiches by Technomic for its signature Hook & Ladder Sub.



Quick Facts:

More than 1,150 restaurants in 45 states, Puerto Rico and Canada

$40+ million donated to public safety organizations via Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation

Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

LAURA BETH HUBER

FIREHOUSE SUBS  904.606.5267

[email protected]

IVETTE FAULKNER

THE ZIMMERMAN AGENCY  850.668.2222

[email protected]

SOURCE Firehouse Subs

Related Links

https://www.firehousesubs.com

NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Pamela Liebman, President and CEO of The Corcoran Group, the premier New York-based residential real estate brokerage firm, today announced the company has completed its Franchise Disclosure Document. This allows Corcoran Group LLC, a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp., to begin discussions with prospective franchisees in most states.

"We are excited to begin a dialogue with prospective franchisees who believe the Corcoran brand provides a competitive edge in their market," said Pamela Liebman. "Corcoran is recognized for its client-centric, personal approach and success in marketing and selling properties in the most competitive U.S. markets. With the power of the Corcoran brand and the resources and support of Realogy, brokerage firms across the U.S. can now, by aligning with Corcoran, become more competitive, and utilize the brand to help increase their market presence and build their business."

"We are pleased to welcome Corcoran into our powerhouse family of franchise brands, which collectively cover the largest share of the residential real estate market," said John Peyton, president and CEO, Realogy Franchise Group. "They each offer a distinct personality, history, and expertise, fueled by Realogy's leading technology and unparalleled access to data. We believe Corcoran with its dynamic approach and strong brand recognition will allow us to unlock additional franchisee opportunities, drive productive agent recruitment and ultimately, capture more share of the market."

Senior vice president of global development, Alvaro Cardenas, will be responsible for overseeing the Corcoran franchise rollout in U.S. and global markets. Cardenas will lead the Corcoran franchise sales team in presenting brokerage firms and entrepreneurs the opportunity to become a Corcoran franchisee. According to Cardenas, "Corcoran's expansion into new markets is a unique and rare chance for brokerage firms to affiliate with one of the most powerful real estate brands. We are pleased that we can now begin discussions with the many prospective franchisees who have expressed interest."

The Corcoran brand will embody the Corcoran "Live Who You Are" philosophy and is expected to expand on the success of The Corcoran Group, a Realogy owned brokerage business and a leading residential real estate brokerage company based in New York City. With 2,300 sales associates serving both domestic and international clientele, The Corcoran Group has offices located in New York, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Hamptons, the North Fork and Shelter Island, as well as Florida markets, including Delray Beach and Palm Beach.

About Corcoran Group LLC

Since January 2019, Corcoran Group LLC has begun building a new real estate franchise company, and franchisees will benefit from the brand's history of guiding people on their journey to find their new home. Corcoran Group LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Holdings Corp. (NYSE: RLGY), the leading and most integrated provider of residential real estate services in the U.S., focused on empowering independent sales agents to best serve today's consumers.

Corcoran and the Corcoran Logo are service marks owned by Corcoran Group LLC. Corcoran Group LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each office is independently owned and operated. For more information, please visit www.corcoran.com.

SOURCE Corcoran Group LLC

Related Links

http://www.corcoran.com

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Carmel Partners ("Carmel"), announced today the final close of Carmel Partners Investment Fund 7, its U.S. multifamily real estate value creation fund. Fund 7 had its first close in August 2018, exceeded its target size in October, achieved its hard cap and was oversubscribed with the final close in December 2018.

At $1.28 billion, Fund 7 is Carmel's largest fund to date enabling select new investors to join Carmel's existing LPs. More than 40 existing and new investors participated in Fund 7, including investors from Asia and Europe as well as the United States. Carmel has successfully raised almost $5.5 billion since inception of the fund series in 2004.

Carmel focuses exclusively on multifamily investments, including development, renovation and debt in relatively supply-constrained, high barrier-to-entry U.S. markets including the metro areas of the San Francisco Bay Area, Southern California, New York, Seattle, Denver, Washington, D.C. and Honolulu.

Ron Zeff, Founder and CEO of Carmel Partners, said, "We greatly appreciate the support of our investors as we announce the successful closing of Fund 7. Through our vertically integrated platform, we will continue to pursue a multifamily value-creation strategy in our target markets."

About Carmel Partners

Founded in 1996, Carmel Partners is one of the nation's leading specialists in real estate investment management, focusing on U.S. multifamily development and construction. Carmel seeks superior risk-adjusted returns across varying market cycles, executed through its vertically integrated platform in supply-constrained, high barrier-to-entry markets in the U.S. Since the firm's founding, Carmel has bought and renovated or developed, or is in the process of renovating or developing, more than 41,000 apartment units with an estimated value in excess of $12 billion. Headquartered in San Francisco, Carmel has offices in Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Denver, and Washington, D.C. For more information please visit www.carmelpartners.com.

Media Contacts:

Blicksilver PR

Lisa Baker, 914-725-5949, [email protected]

Caroline Luz, 203-656-2829, [email protected]

SOURCE Carmel Partners

Related Links

https://www.carmelpartners.com

SINGAPORE, Jan. 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ: SABR), the leading technology provider to the global travel industry, today announced a new, long-term distribution agreement with Cambodia Airways. While considered a relatively new entrant to the market, operating since July 2018, the airline has ambitious plans and aims to quickly transform into a major regional carrier.

"By selecting Sabre as our first distribution partner, we are confident that we are well-positioned to execute our expansion plan, both domestically and across Southeast Asia. Sabre is, without a doubt, the strategic ally that will allow us to achieve our business objectives as we shift our focus towards developing new routes and markets," said Kevin Fu, chief financial officer, Cambodia Airways.

In line with the rapid development of the country's tourism industry, Cambodia Airways is eager to pursue its growth trajectory and begin operating routes to China and Hong Kong. With concrete plans to bolster its fleet with up to 30 aircrafts within the next five years, the airline also expects to expand its intercontinental routes beyond Asia. The long-term partnership agreement with Sabre will be instrumental as the carrier focuses on enhancing their presence in key destinations, including Australia and Europe.

"Sabre is pleased to contribute to Cambodia Airways' ongoing business achievements. By joining Sabre's rich global travel marketplace, the full-service carrier will now be connected to over 425,000 agents globally, expanding the airline's reach to travel buyers around the world. Sabre will partner with and actively support Cambodia Airways as they move into the next phase of their strategic growth plan," said Rakesh Narayanan, vice president, air line of business, Sabre Travel Network Asia Pacific.

About Sabre Corporation

Sabre Corporation is the leading technology provider to the global travel industry. Sabre's software, data, mobile and distribution solutions are used by hundreds of airlines and thousands of hotel properties to manage critical operations, including passenger and guest reservations, revenue management, flight, network and crew management. Sabre also operates a leading global travel marketplace, which processes more than US$120 billion of global travel spend annually by connecting travel buyers and suppliers. Headquartered in Southlake, Texas, USA, Sabre serves customers in more than 160 countries around the world.

About Cambodia Airways

Cambodia Airways Co., Ltd. is the national flag carrier airline of Cambodia. With a registration capital of 200 million US dollars, Cambodia Airways headquarters was founded in Phnom Penh. It is committed to building a leading brand of Cambodian international carrier. Cambodia Airways obtained the approval document from the Cambodian government in August 2017 and completed the business registration in September. On July 6, 2018, it officially obtained the AOC certificate with IATA code KR. KR completed the first commercial flight between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap on July 10, 2018. By December 2018, Cambodian Airlines successfully operated six round-trip routes from Siem Reap, Westport, Macau and Taiwan with Phnom Penh as the center.

SABR-F

Media Contact

Maxime-Elisabeth Illick

Sabre Public Relations  Asia Pacific

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: +65 6426 0088

SOURCE Sabre Corporation

Related Links

http://www.sabre.com

ALBANY, New York, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

The global automotive coatings market was valued at US$ 19.53 Bn in 2017 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 6.28% from 2018 to 2026, according to a new report titled 'Automotive Coatings Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2018-2026,' published by Transparency Market Research (TMR). The global automotive coatings market is driven by the rise in demand for these coatings in the automotive OEM segment. Asia Pacific accounts for major share of the global automotive coatings market, led by the increase in automotive production in the region.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg )



Increase in Automobile Production, Especially in Asia Pacific, to Boost Automotive Coatings Market

Rise in urbanization and increase in purchasing power are boosting the demand for automobiles. New vehicle sales and number of on-road vehicles are increasing in regions such as Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. This is propelling the demand for automotive coatings in these regions. Asia Pacific has become a hub for automotive manufacturing. India, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia are some of the major countries in the global automobile production landscape. China is the leading producer of automobiles in the world. Production of automobile in India is increasing at a rapid pace. These factors are projected to drive the demand for automotive coatings in Asia Pacific during the forecast period.

Request a Sample of Global Automotive Coatings Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=3568

Rise in Consumer Preference for Esthetically Appealing Vehicles

Esthetic appeal, scratch resistance, and durable finish are some of the features of automotive coatings that are influencing vehicle-buying decision of consumers. Buyers are increasingly looking for colors and textures that enhance the esthetic appeal of vehicles. These developments have put clear coat in focus. Clear coat is an exterior coat applied on the automotive body. Rise in disposable income of consumers and increase in GDP of developing countries such as India and China are factors augmenting the automotive coatings market.

Strict Norms Regarding VOC Emissions, Especially in Europe, Hampering Market

Solvent-borne automotive coatings are formulated by using a solvent and base resin. Upon application of this coating, the solvent material evaporates. Solvents contain significant amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are toxic and responsible for formation of ozone. Ozone at the ground level is a pollutant and can cause breathing issues. The use of solvent-based automotive coatings leads to deterioration of air quality. Its long-term harmful effects on human health are leading to implementation of strict norms on the usage of solvent-based coatings. Agencies and associations in the U.S. and Europe such as the EPA (Environment Protection Agency) and REACH (Registration Evaluation Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) have enacted stringent rules pertaining to VOC emissions. An apparent shift from solvent-based to water-based coatings has taken place in Europe and North America.

Request For Multiple Chapters: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=MC&rep_id=3568

Polyurethane Segment to Dominate Global Automotive Coatings Market

Based on product type, the global automotive coatings market has been segmented into polyurethane, epoxy, acrylic, and others. Polyurethane is the dominant segment of the automotive coatings market, as it provides resistance against corrosion and abrasion. Coatings made from polyurethane are extensively used in automotive clear coats due to their shiny appearance. They can be applied as water-borne and solvent-borne formulations. Thus, the polyurethane segment is estimated to maintain its dominance in the market during the forecast period. The acrylic segment is projected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period. Acrylic automotive coatings are water based and contain lower amounts of VOCs. This is expected to drive the acrylic segment during the forecast period.

Water-borne Segment to Lead in Terms of Demand

In terms of technology, the global automotive coatings market can be divided into solvent-borne, water-borne, powder, and UV-cured. The solvent-borne segment accounts for major share of the market. However, demand for solvent-borne coatings is gradually decreasing, due to presence of VOCs in these coatings. The water-borne segment is estimated to expand at a rapid pace owing to its low VOC content and environment friendly nature. Powder and UV-cured segments are also anticipated to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period due to their excellent chemical resistance and high speed of curing.

Request For Discount On This Report: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=3568

Clear Coat Segment to be Dominate Global Automotive Coatings Market

Based on coat, the global automotive coatings market can be classified into e-coat, primer, basecoat, and clear coat. These are applied in the same order on automotive surfaces. Clear coat is likely to be the dominant segment in the near future. However, the basecoat segment is anticipated to lead in terms of demand during the forecast period.

Automotive OEM Application Segment to Lead Global Automotive Coatings Market

In terms of application, the global automotive coatings market can be bifurcated into automotive OEM and automotive refinish. Automotive OEM was the leading application segment in 2017. It is estimated to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. This can be ascribed to the growth in the global automotive industry. The automotive refinish segment constituted key share of the global automotive coatings market. Rise in incidence of accidents and increase in preference of esthetically appealing cars are boosting the automotive refinish segment.

Asia Pacific Dominates Global Automotive Coatings Market

Based on region, the global automotive coatings market can be split into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. In terms of value and volume, Asia Pacific was the leading region of the global automotive coatings market in 2017. The region is estimated to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. In terms of consumption, North America and Europe follow Asia Pacific. However, the market in North America and Europe is anticipated to expand at a sluggish pace due to the implementation of stringent regulations on VOC emissions in the regions. Demand for automotive coatings is projected to rise significantly in Middle East & Africa and Latin America in the near future. In terms of demand, these regions accounted for small share of the global automotive coatings market in 2017. However, they are projected to create lucrative opportunities for automotive coatings manufacturers in the next few years.

Browse Press Release: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/automotive-coatings-market.htm

High Degree of Competition among Market Players

The market is dominated by large players. Presence of large numbers of small- and medium-sized players makes the market highly competitive. Key players operating in the market are BASF SE, Axalta Coatings, PPG Industries, Valspar Corporation, The Sherwin-Williams Company, Akzo Nobel NV, Nippon Paint Holdings, KCC Corporation, and Jotun.

Global Automotive Coatings Market, by Product Type

Polyurethane

Epoxy

Acrylic

Others (including Melamine, Saturated Polyester Resin, and Alkyds)

Global Automotive Coatings Market, by Technology

Solvent-borne

Water-borne

Powder

UV-cured

Global Automotive Coatings Market, by Coat

Clear Coat

Basecoat

Primer

E-coat

Global Automotive Coatings Market, by Application

Automotive OEM

Automotive Refinish

Browse Chemical and Materials Market Research Reports

Popular Research Reports by TMR:

Automotive Refinish Coatings Market (Process - Primer, Base Coat, Clear Coat, Activator, Filler; Technology - Solvent-borne, Water-borne): https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-refinish-coatings-market-2018-2026.html



Thermal Barrier Coatings Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/thermal-barrier-coatings-market.html



High-performance Anti-corrosion Coatings Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/high-performance-anticorrosion-coatings-market.html

About Us

Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information.

Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

Contact

Mr. Rohit Bhisey

Transparency Market Research

State Tower,

90 State Street,

Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

Tel: +1-518-618-1030

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: [email protected]



Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Research Blog: https://tmrblog.com/



SOURCE Transparency Market ResearchWELLESLEY, Mass., Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty-seven million Americans are starting or running new businesses, based on data reported in the 2017 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor United States Report: National Entrepreneurial Assessment for the United States of America released today by Babson College.

Other findings include:

Profitability rate for women entrepreneurs increases dramatically since 2015 according to a new study released today by Babson College

Nearly 14% of the U.S. adult population is pursuing early stage entrepreneurial activity (TEA).

86% of U.S. entrepreneurial activity is motivated by opportunity.

Approximately one-third of U.S. startup entrepreneurs are non-White-Caucasian ethnicities.

Technology drives entrepreneurship. The rate of total entrepreneurial activity firms that compete within the technology sector with technology as a primary driver of business has grown from 0% in 2010 to 10% in 2017.

Information Technology and Finance make up over 18% of opportunities pursued by U.S. entrepreneurs.

For both men and women entrepreneurs in the United States , the rate of profitability increased dramatically between 2015 and 2016 by more than 25%. However, in 2017 the rate of profitability declined for both men and women although the decline for men was greater, 21% for men vs. 9% for women. This represents a narrowing of the gender gap to less than 5%, suggesting women are performing almost as well as their male counterparts.

, the rate of profitability increased dramatically between 2015 and 2016 by more than 25%. However, in 2017 the rate of profitability declined for both men and women although the decline for men was greater, 21% for men vs. 9% for women. This represents a narrowing of the gender gap to less than 5%, suggesting women are performing almost as well as their male counterparts. 36% of U.S. entrepreneurs are developing and delivering an innovative product or service as their base offering.

U.S. entrepreneurs aged 35-44 are the most entrepreneurially active.

20% of U.S. entrepreneurs expected to employ 20 or more people in their new ventures.

Over 50% of adults across the entire spectrum of age groups in the United States perceive opportunity.

perceive opportunity. 7.6% of working-age adults in the United States start a new business for their employers.

start a new business for their employers. 30% of U.S. entrepreneurs exit a business to pursue another opportunity.

One-third of Americans state they personally know an entrepreneur.

85% of established business owners in the United States expected to be profitable in the current year and 76% were employers.

expected to be profitable in the current year and 76% were employers. Established business ownership activity levels are highest among those 55-64 in the United States , with substantial activity continuing among those 65-74.

, with substantial activity continuing among those 65-74. African/African Americans are starting and running new businesses at the rate of 20%.

"Entrepreneurial activity has thrived," said Babson Entrepreneurship Professor Julian Lange. "As opposed to the years immediately following 2007 when the economic crisis began, almost all U.S. economic indices performed well throughout 2017. The markets responded with excitement and continuously closed at record highs. In addition, 2017 was a year of global growth that benefited the U.S. economy in return."

In 1999, Babson College and the London Business School launched the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM). GEM was the first and remains the only organization to measure annually the entrepreneurial ecosystem worldwide. The latest GEM report is authored by Babson faculty Julian E. Lange, Abdul Ali, Candida G. Brush, Andrew C. Corbett, Donna J. Kelley, Phillip H. Kim, and Mahdi Majbouri.

Key Findings

Activity

U.S. entrepreneurship rates in 2017 continued the relatively high and stable rates reported over the past seven years. At nearly 14%, early stage entrepreneurial activity (TEA) in the United States is 50% higher than the average of the 23 innovation-driven economies.

While most entrepreneurs globally cite opportunity rather than necessity as their main motivator even in less-developed economies, opportunity-driven entrepreneurship is more prevalent in the developed world. Across the 23 innovation-driven economies, 78% of entrepreneurs start businesses to pursue an opportunity. The United States tops this figure with 86% of entrepreneurial activity motivated by opportunity.

The TEA rate of all non-White-Caucasian ethnicities together adds up to approximately one-third of entrepreneurs in the United States. From 2016 to 2017, the TEA rate of each of these groups - African/African American, Hispanic American, Asian American, and Others - increased by 1% or 2%. Although the majority ethnicity involved in TEA in the United States remains the White Caucasian population, there was a decrease in the TEA rate from 2016 to 2017 for this ethnicity from 69% to 64%.

In the United States, 7.6% of working-age adults start a new business for their employers, demonstrating that entrepreneurs can have a broad impact in the United States operating across many domains.

The most common reason why U.S. entrepreneurs exit a business is to pursue another opportunity (30% for the United States vs. 12% for the average of the 23 innovation-driven economies). This circumstance could reflect the high level of opportunities perceived in U.S. society, and a willingness of entrepreneurs to leave any one venture to pursue something that may represent a more promising opportunity.

Impact

Entrepreneurs in all innovation and service-based countries are moving toward knowledge and technology opportunities, and U.S. entrepreneurs exhibit this trend. Personal/Consumer, Professional and Administrative Services combined with Health, Education, and Government opportunities together account for 40% of all opportunities in the United States and 39% in the peer group of similar economies.

Wholesale/Retail still accounts for the highest proportion of TEA in the United States (21%), which is dramatically lower than the average of the 23 innovation-driven economies (31%).

As the developed world shifts toward a creativity economy that combines elements of the information and knowledge economy with today's creative class, the United States continues to shift toward start-ups that rely on technology and creativity for competitive advantage. Information Technology and Finance make up over 18% of opportunities pursued by entrepreneurs in the United States, more than 7% higher than the 10.6% average of the 23 innovation-driven economies.

Technology drives entrepreneurship. The percent of nascent firms leveraging technology to produce an offering and/or to deliver a product or service has remained constant for several years at about 10%. The rate of TEA firms that compete within the technology sector with technology as a primary driver of business has grown from 0% in 2010 to 10% in 2017.

U. S. entrepreneurs are among the world's leaders in offerings of new technology and innovation with 36% of entrepreneurs developing and delivering an innovative product or service as their base offering, compared with 31% on average for the 23 innovation-driven economies.

In 2017, almost 44% of U.S. entrepreneurs expected to employ six or more people in the next five years, the second highest rate in nearly two decades, and 85% of nascent entrepreneurs expected to create jobs for others. Additionally, 20% of entrepreneurs expected to employ 20 or more people in their new ventures.

With a large and willing national market, U.S. entrepreneurs are not "born global" as they do not necessarily need to pursue sales outside their own borders to break even. However, exports from U.S. entrepreneurs are rising. In 2016, only 10.4% of entrepreneurs expected 25% or more of their sales to come from customers living outside the United States. In 2017, this number increased to 17%.

Age

While intentions rates and TEA rates are strong overall by age group, one outlier is the 65-74 age group. For this age group, the intentions rate increased from 2016 to 2017 from 5.0% to 6.6%, but the TEA rate decreased from 4.0% to 2.1%. While the decrease in TEA rate may reflect a voluntary shift in this age group, it is possible that gains from the booming economy were not experienced equally by the oldest entrepreneurs.

The younger and older segments of the U.S. population display higher TEA rates relative to the average of the 23 innovation-driven economies.

When all forms and stages of entrepreneurship are taken into account (TEA, EEA, and Established Business Ownership), U.S. entrepreneurs aged 35-44 turn out to be the most entrepreneurially active. This age group also experiences the highest level of business discontinuation, with the primary reasons being pursuit of other opportunities (30.2%), personal reasons (21.1%), or bureaucracy (20.0%). In other countries, the biggest reason for discontinuation is unprofitability. In contrast, unprofitability and lack of finance together account for only 13% of U.S. exits compared to 38% on average for peer economies.

In 2017, necessity-driven entrepreneurship in the United States is highest among the 18-24 age group at 15%, perhaps because of fewer opportunities in the job market due to lack of credentials or experience. The next highest level of necessity-driven entrepreneurship is age 55-64 at 13%, followed by age 45-54 at 12%. Necessity-driven entrepreneurship in the 45-64 age group may indicate that age bias in the job market and/or lack of up-to-date technology skills have narrowed the options.

Over 50% of adults across the entire spectrum of age groups perceive opportunity. The 18-24 age group perceives itself less likely to have the skills necessary to take advantage of opportunities than other age groups. Among the 65-74 age group, skills confidence is lower than among some other age groups, but is still high at 49%. Adults age 25-44 who perceive opportunity are most likely to know an entrepreneur (39%). For those perceiving opportunity, the fear of failure rate vacillates in the relatively high range of 32% to 37% among those 18-54, and the oldest group 65-74 has the lowest fear of failure rate at 18%.

In every age category, the TEA rate for men is higher than the TEA rate for women, except for the 65-74 age group, where the TEA rate for men is 1% and the TEA rate for women is higher at 3%. Among those age 35-44, TEA rates are almost equal, 17% for men and 16% for women. The youngest group age 18-24 maintains a substantial gender gap, with fewer women at younger ages (7%) engaging in early stage entrepreneurial activity than men (15%). The biggest gender gap in early stage entrepreneurial activity is among those age 25-34 with women at 12% and men at 23%, resulting in an 11% gender gap.

Gender

TEA rates have risen for men and women entrepreneurs with a slight widening of the gender gap. For early stage entrepreneurship, which combines nascent and new entrepreneurial activity, the rate for men is 16.7% in 2017. The rate for women is 10.7%, resulting in a gap of 6% between men and women.

The rate of perception of opportunity for women is 59% in 2017. This is the highest rate ever reflected in the U.S. GEM study and a 15% increase for women since 2015. Although the number of women perceiving opportunity has increased, the rate of perception of opportunity among men is rising even faster, with a current gender gap of 10%. This raises a question about the types of opportunities available. The top opportunities may be in areas less associated with female businesses.

There has been a distinct, persistent gap between men and women relative to their perceived capabilities to start a business. The rate of capability perception has fluctuated since 2011 from 61% to 65% for men and from 46% to 50% for women. This rate of capability perception is consistent with data from other innovation-driven economies.

Women have a greater fear of failure than men, following a trend consistent over the past several years. From 2016 to 2017, women's perceived fear of failure rose but men's declined, resulting in a 7% gender gap. This trend is consistent with greater perceived fear of failure for women in other innovation-driven economies.

The data for 2017 show a surprising increase in men's entrepreneurial intentions from 13% to 19% with women's entrepreneurial intentions remaining constant at 11% over the past two years, resulting in a gender gap of 8%, which is the highest in the history of the GEM study.

In 2017, only 3.9% of women started information and communications technology businesses, compared to 11.5% for men. Only 3.2% of women considered their businesses to be in medium or high technology sectors compared to 8.2% of men. However, women were almost as likely to use new technology in their businesses: 8.9% compared to 10.3% for men.

In 2015, 8.3% of women reported more than 25% of their sales from customers living outside the United States. In 2016, the percentage rose slightly to 8.6%. In 2017, it nearly doubled to 14.1%. For men, the figure was 14% in 2015, 11.3% in 2016, and 18.5% in 2017. While growth has not been steady in one direction, the overall trend shows more internationalization for start-up businesses.

In 2017, a slightly higher percentage of both men and women discontinued businesses in the past year: 4.7% for men and 3.3% for women. This represents about a 0.6% increase over the previous year for both men and women. The trend was consistently low for both men and women, but women showed an overall lower rate of discontinuance than men.

For both men and women entrepreneurs, the rate of profitability increased dramatically between 2015 and 2016 by more than 25%. However, in 2017 the rate of profitability declined for both men and women although the decline for men was greater, 21% for men vs. 9% for women. This represents a narrowing of the gender gap to less than 5%, suggesting women are performing almost as well as their male counterparts.

Established Business Ownership

The GEM 2017 survey shows that 85% of established business owners in the United States expected to be profitable in the current year and that 76% were employers, suggesting the value of start-ups that become ongoing businesses.

Established business ownership activity levels are highest among those 55-64 in the United States, with substantial activity continuing among those 65-74. This finding highlights the role of older Americans in established business ownership.

GEM reports that White Caucasian Americans are starting and running new businesses at the rate of 12% and running established businesses at the rate of 9%. African/African Americans are starting and running new businesses at the rate of 20% and running established businesses at the rate of 4%. Hispanic Americans are starting and running new businesses at the rate of 12% and running established businesses at the rate of 5%. Asian Americans are starting and running new businesses at the rate of 17% and running established businesses at the rate of 7%. Further study may be warranted to determine what factors influence patterns of each ethnic group in the United States.

The most popular industry sector for mature business owners is construction and mining. Construction and mining as a single sector accounts for 22% of established business but only 6% of total early stage entrepreneurial activity.

Established business owners have impact beyond their own businesses. A full 10% of established business owners report starting or running a new business, and 12% report that in the past three years they have invested in other entrepreneurs. Established business owners provided a median amount of $10,000 in their last investment, lower than that of early stage entrepreneur investors who provided a median amount of $23,653 but higher than non-entrepreneurs/non-business owners who invested a median amount of $3,000.

Attitudes

Among the U.S. adult population, 75% believe that entrepreneurs receive high status in society, a higher figure than the average of the 23 innovation-driven economies; and almost 75% think media attention for entrepreneurs is positive, a figure also higher than the average of the 23 innovation-driven economies. Positive societal attitudes such as these contribute to a culture that celebrates and supports entrepreneurs.

Among Americans, 64% believe there are good opportunities for starting a business near where they live, the highest level reported since GEM's first survey in 1999. Adults age 18-64 in the United States are more likely to perceive opportunities than their peers across societies at a similar development level.

Among Americans, 63% believe that entrepreneurship is a good career choice. While this is greater than the average of the innovation-driven economies, nine economies show higher levels than the United States on this indicator. Still it is especially significant that the majority of Americans consider entrepreneurship a viable or attractive career since the 2017 economy was prosperous, and Americans had a variety of alternative job choices.

Perceived capability among the adult population age 18-64 in the United States is higher than the average of the 23 innovation-driven economies. More than half (54%) have high capability perceptions, and only one-third (33%) of those perceiving opportunities cite fear of failure as a limiting factor in pursuing opportunities.

One-third of Americans state they personally know an entrepreneur. The abundance of entrepreneurs provides visibility and also inspiration in terms of serving as role models and

About Babson College

Babson College is the educator, convener, and thought leader of Entrepreneurship of All Kinds. The top-ranked college for entrepreneurship education, Babson is a dynamic living and learning laboratory where students, faculty, and staff work together to address the real-world problems of business and society. We prepare the entrepreneurial leaders our world needs most: those with strong functional knowledge and the skills and vision to navigate change, accommodate ambiguity, surmount complexity, and motivate teams in a common purpose to make a difference in the world, and have an impact on organizations of all sizes and types. As we have for nearly a half-century, Babson continues to advance Entrepreneurial Thought & Action as the most positive force on the planet for generating sustainable economic and social value.

SOURCE Babson College

Related Links

http://www.babson.edu

RT

January 9, 2019

As the US is experiencing certain difficulties with the pullout from Syria, the process should be coordinated with Iran and Russia to prevent terrorists from taking up the vacated space, Turkish Foreign Minister suggested.

The United States have been facing certain difficulties with the process of the troops withdrawal from Syria. We want to coordinate this process with Russia and Iran, with which we had arranged work in the framework of the Astana process, Turkys top diplomat Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday.

Cavusoglu visited Moscow late in December to discuss the situation in Syria. On Wednesday, he mulled bilateral talks between Turkey and Iran, giving no timeframe whatsoever.

At the same time, a tripartite summit in Moscow is being prepared as well, Cavusoglu revealed.

The proposal from Cavusoglu comes as Ankara and Washington are engaged in a bitter war of words over the US troops withdrawal from Syria. On Tuesday, US National Security advisor John Bolton blasted an opinion piece penned by Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the New York Times as both offensive and wrong.

Erdogan praised his own efforts on combatting terrorism in Syria, while criticizing the US-backed operations in Raqqa and the Iraqi city of Mosul, as well as recalling the lesson of Iraq and the premature declarations of victory, which led to emergence of Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) terrorist group.

Prior to that exchange, Bolton demanded safety guarantees for Syrias Kurds from Turkey, naming it a precondition for the US troops withdrawal from the country. Turkeys President, in his turn called Boltons demands a huge mistake and refused to swallow them. He also reiterated Ankaras resolve to fight terrorism in Syria, stressing that it actually seeks to protect the Kurdish brothers in the neighboring country.

A d v e r t i s e m e n t



Russia, along with Turkey and Iran, is the guarantor of the ceasefire in Syria, which has been successfully implemented in several areas throughout the country. Moscow actively undertakes efforts to settle down the years-long conflict, supporting the Syrian government forces in the fight against terrorism, bringing humanitarian relief to civilians and working on bringing warring parties to the negotiating table.

The abrupt US decision to withdraw troops from Syria announced by President Donald Trump in December, was met in Moscow with a great deal of skepticism.

Concerning the pullout of US troops, I dont know what that is. The US has been in Afghanistan for 17 years already, and almost every year they say that theyre pulling their troops out. But theyre still there, President Vladimir Putin said back then.

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 4:55 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:Free Beacon

January 9, 2019

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.) on Tuesday night deflected a question on whether she supports a Democratic colleagues proposal to implement a top marginal tax rate of 70 percent on the wealthy.

Tlaib, the first Palestinian-American elected to Congress, appeared on CNNs OutFront, where she answered questions about her recent call to impeach the motherfucker,referring to President Donald Trump, and whether she supports Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs (D., N.Y.) tax rate proposal.

Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has floated out taxing the wealthiest in this country up to 70 percent, what she referred to as the tippy tops. Would you support that? host Erin Burnett asked.

Tlaib said the United States needs to get to the point where everyone pays their fair share, but she did not say whether she agrees with Ocasio-Cortez.

Read more

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 4:51 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:Fox News

January 9, 2019

Freshman Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who last week made expletive-laced remarks about impeaching President Trump, characterized the comments Tuesday as a distraction, which she reasoned was the only cause for apology.

Less than a week after the comments were made, Tlaib, the newly sworn-in Democratic lawmaker from Michigan, described the situation as having been a learning experience, NBC News reported.

What I can tell you is I am a person that is authentically me, Tlaib said, according to the outlet. Im very passionate about fighting for all of us, and the use of that language, you know, was a teachable moment for me.

And I understand I am a member of Congress, and I dont want anything that I do or say distract us. And thats the only thing I will apologize for, is that it was a distraction, she continued.

Tlaib, who was sworn into the 116th Congress on Thursday, was videotaped that night promising to impeach the president.

People love you and you win, the video showed Tlaib telling supporters. And when your son looks at you and says, Momma, look you won. Bullies dont win. And I said, Baby, they dont, because were gonna go in there and were gonna impeach the motherf***er.

Read more

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 4:49 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:American Mirror

January 9, 2019

Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer dont want average Americans to be protected by a wall, but are just fine being protected by one themselves.

The Democrat leaders delivered a rebuttal to President Trumps Oval Office address just outside the Speakers office in the U.S. Capitol.

That building is protected by steel barriers and fences  precisely the types of protective tools President Trump is seeking for the country.

Look at these examples from an AFP video showing Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez arriving for her swearing in last week:

Evildoers also have to contend with barriers blocking the road ways. Take a look at these barriers:

Then we don't need the "4th century" barrier around the #Capitol building now? When are you tearing them down then, @SenJeffMerkley? pic.twitter.com/sGqv93IfFn  Toby Peters (@TobyPet48315517) January 8, 2019

The sour-looking Pelosi and Schumer denounced Trumps call for increased border security.



Pelosi called the wall expensive and ineffective.

But they have no problem being protected by one as they deprive the country of our own.

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 4:47 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:

Comment on this articleOver the last several years, opiates have had a devastating impact on the lives of individuals, their families, and other loved ones right here in our community, New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart said when the city sued in 2017. These drugs have been abused beyond their original intended use and their misuse has turned into an epidemic affecting all walks of life.Daily Caller

January 9, 2019

Freshman Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez used her appearance on MSNBC  following President Donald Trumps Oval Office address on Tuesday night  to demand the president explain why ICE shouldnt be abolished.

Ocasio-Cortez began, No one should feel unsafe in the United States of America. And that includes our amazing and beautiful and productive immigrant community and moreover, the one thing the president has not talked about is the fact he has systematically engaged in the violation of international human rights borders  human rights on our border.

During the presidents speech, he explained why he felt the border wall was essential to protect American citizens. Congressional Democratic leadership delivered a counter-speech immediately after Trump finished.

He talked about what happened the day after Christmas on the day of Christmas, a child died in ICE custody. The president should not be asking for more money to an agency that has systematically violated human rights, she continued. The president should be really defending why we are funding such an agency at all because right now what we are seeing is death.

Read more

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 6:48 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:American Mirror

January 9, 2019

Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton of Virginia thinks transgender people are something special, so she installed a transgender pride flag alongside her state flag and Old Glory outside her new D.C. office.

Human Rights Campaign regional field organizer Narissa Rahaman captured the momentous win for trans rights and posted an image to Twitter.

The trans flag is proudly & openly displayed next to the Virginia flag outside @RepWextons new office! She said to me, Did you see the flag?! I think were the only office on the Hill with one. To all her volunteers: the flag is there because of you & for you! Change is here! pic.twitter.com/s0iGgoxOgH  Narissa Rahaman (@MayorBrown) January 3, 2019

The trans flag is proudly & openly displayed next to the Virginia flag outside @RepWextons new office! Rahaman wrote. She said to me, Did you see the flag?! I think were the only office on the Hill with one. To all her volunteers: the flag is there because of you & for you! Change is here!

A d v e r t i s e m e n t



The so-called Transgender Pride Flag was created in 1999 by Monica Helms, a trans woman, to differentiate the struggle of transgenders from the broader LGBTQ movement, which rallies around the rainbow flag.

The flag consists of five horizontal stripes, with two blue, two pink and one white, though numerous other variations pay tribute to specific groups within the trans community, including the black trans flag, American trans flag, Israeli trans flag, a Trans Kaleidoscope, and others.

Wexton told the Washingtonian she decided to display the trans flag because shes an aunt to a transgender child, and the trans community has been under attack.

I wanted to show my solidarity because we are talking about my friends and family, she said.

The news site contends Wexton was a consistent proponent of equal rights for gay and transgender constituents when she served in the Virginia Senate, helping to push through legislation against housing and employment discrimination.

Wexton, a Democrat, replaced Republican Rep. Barbara Comstock, who ironically voted against a ban on transgender people serving in the military, the Washingtonian reports.

She was backed by the Human Rights Campaign during the election, and spokesperson Charlotte Clymer touted Wextons trans flag as another big win for the sexually ambiguous.

From the military to schools to hospitals, the Trump-Pence White House is working overtime in an attempt to erase trans people from the public square, Clymer said. The trans flag proudly on display in the Halls of Congress is a sign to our community that we will not be erased.

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 6:14 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:

Comment on this articleIs there another word for one who breaks the law?

Steve Watson

Prison Planet.com

January 9, 2019

CNNs leading anti-Trump activist Jim Acosta was triggered Tuesday night by President Trumps Oval Office address, in particular the part where Trump called illegal immigrants who commit crimes criminals.

Trump cited several examples of illegal immigrants having committed horrible crimes, in addition to being in the country illegally. One such incident was the recent murder of police Corporal Ronil Singh by an illegal immigrant.

For Acosta, this was too much:

In his Oval Office address Trump is painting undocumented immigrants as criminals. This has not changed since he launched his run for the White House.  Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 9, 2019

The CNN reporter isnt used to citing facts:

Jim I have bad news about what we do in fact call people who break the law https://t.co/VtSuUkkPfm  Orange Muppet Energy (@sunnyright) January 9, 2019

Is there another word for one who breaks the law?  Ryan Perrenoud (@RyanPerrenoud) January 9, 2019

And he gave concrete examples, something you rarely do.  Factor One (@dafactor1) January 9, 2019

Facts are facts numb nuts. https://t.co/HMIS8oBxqc  Not a Serf (@psjohnson23) January 9, 2019

And some are, Jim.  Lennon Conti (@libindependent) January 9, 2019

Its a crime to enter the USA illegally!!!! Therefore anyone who does is BREAKING THE LAW Jim!!!!  Jay Ryan (@realjayrye) January 9, 2019

You know ILLEGAL immigrants are breaking the law by not being here legally, right?   (@elisabethlehem) January 9, 2019

You don't understand immigration laws do you? https://t.co/Jic9G4J5C9  Jonathan Thiebaud (@Jtbaud249) January 9, 2019

Let me understand this. Illegal aliens break our laws to enter the USA, but they're not criminals. There's no way they can live here illegally without breaking additional laws. They're all criminals. https://t.co/CES6bMpZdn  Bob Cherba (@rbcherba) January 9, 2019

If youre undocumented you are what Jim? Come on, this one should be easy, even for you. Illegal, youre breaking the law. Do it the right way and wed love to have you.  Bob Fahy (@rfahy99) January 9, 2019

Acosta wasnt the only leftist triggered by Trumps description of illegal criminals.

Over at MSNBC, Rachel Maddow and her friends described the Presidents address as a scam, arguing that Trump was deliberately trying to scare Americans with immigrant crime stuff.

The Presidents speech was a litany of scare stories of immigrants being terrible criminals who are coming into the United States to rape and murder Americans, essentially in the President telling, for pleasure because its in their nature. Maddow stated:

But the big scam of the whole address was that there is a crisis. There is not a crisis. chimed in guest Nicolle Wallace.

Maddow further described Trumps examples as a slightly different list of crimes that evolves over time.

The Washington Post also took issue with Trumps address on illegal immigration, suggesting that the President used misleading crime figures:

Fact-checking Trump's address: "266,000 aliens arrested in the past two years": The number is right but misleading https://t.co/VMCxT4GNDM  The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) January 9, 2019

The Post, while admitting the numbers are actually entirely correct, essentially argued that some crimes should be overlooked because they are not as bad as others or something.

So WaPo says some crimes are better than others? FFS this is ridiculous.  Chaos Coordinator (@woods_tanner) January 9, 2019

All these misleading warriors. So which crime is better than another? Crazy  Chaos Coordinator (@woods_tanner) January 9, 2019

So, the number is accurate, but no, beacuse Trump:

That number is right, but we have an agenda so here comes an essay on why we are better people than you.  Arthur Kirkland Esq. (@KirklandEsq) January 9, 2019

That number is accurate but makes us uncomfortable  Golden Ratio FTW (@phikickspisbutt) January 9, 2019

https://twitter.com/DanielWatsonLa/status/1082824294961504262

If its right then its not misleading #FakeNews  Modern Day Viking (@moderndayvikin2) January 9, 2019

so he's right, but u want him to be wrong  oh boy (@Welcome_2_Moes) January 9, 2019

No wonder your circulation is dismal.  Maggie Mae (@mrp035) January 9, 2019

Translation: yeahwe got nothing  LawDawg (@LawDawg1911a1) January 9, 2019

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 6:50 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:

Comment on this articleBreitbart

January 9, 2019

Left-wing Hollywood celebrities could not contain their urge to attack President Donald Trump Tuesday after his televised Oval Office address to the nation on border security.

In his first Oval Office address, President Trump told the nation, Our Southern Border is a pipeline for vast quantities of illegal drugs  including meth, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl.

Every week, 300 of our citizens are killed by heroin alone  90 percent of which floods across from our Southern Border. More Americans will die from drugs this year than were killed in the entire Vietnam War, he said in part.

This entire Trump speech has the cadence of a Wheel Of Fortune contestant solving the puzzle, Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane said in a social media post.

This entire Trump speech has the cadence of a Wheel Of Fortune contestant solving the puzzle.  Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) January 9, 2019

Im not watching hows the stunted reading and nose breathing, comedian Sarah Silverman asked.

Im not watching hows the stunted reading and nose breathing  Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) January 9, 2019

Michael Moore fumed, Trump, live now, railing against immigrants while sitting beside the photo of his immigrant mother. Shame.

Of course, there is nothing contradictory about being against illegal immigration while championing legal immigration.

Trump, live now, railing against immigrants while sitting beside the photo of his immigrant mother. Shame. pic.twitter.com/Oly64Zy2bF  Michael Moore (@MMFlint) January 9, 2019

Read more

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 6:44 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:Zero Hedge

January 9, 2019

France is signaling its making preparations for a massive new crackdown on the gilets jaunes or yellow vests anti-government protests that have gripped the country for seven weeks.

A new law under consideration could make any demonstration illegal to begin with if not previously approved by authorities, in an initiative already being compared to the pre-Maiden so-called dictatorship law in Ukraine.

In the name of reigning in the violence that has recently included torching structures along the prestigious Boulevard Saint Germain in Paris, and smashing through the gates of government ministry buildings, the French government appears set to enact something close to a martial law scenario prohibiting almost any protest and curtailing freedom of speech.

Fires set at structures along the famous Boulevard Saint Germain in Paris, France, January 5, 2019, via Reuters

Prime Minister Edouard Philippe presented the new initiative to curtail the violence and unrest while targeting troublemakers and banning anonymity through wearing masks on French TV channel TF1 on Monday. He said the law would give police authority crack down on unauthorized demonstrations at a moment when police are already arresting citizens for merely wearing a yellow vest, even if they are not directly engaged in protests in some cases.

PM Philippe said the government would support a new law punishing those who do not respect the requirement to declare [protests], those who take part in unauthorized demonstrations and those who arrive at demonstrations wearing face masks.

Philippes tone during the statements was one of the proverbial the gloves are off as he described the onus would be on the troublemakers, and not taxpayers, to pay for the damage caused to businesses and property.

Those who question our institutions will not have the last word, he added.

However, if anything the protests have grown fiercer in response to any police crackdown or violence against demonstrators. Should all protests be banned under the new law, it could be the start of more violent riots gaining steam, as what began Nov. 17 as anger over fuel tax hikes has now turned into rage at President Emmanuel Macron and policies that seem to favor the urban elite.

Other yellow vest inspired protests previously broke out across Europe, and in perhaps a sign of things to come a video from The Netherlands of a woman pushing her baby in a stroller being arrested by police apparently for merely wearing a yellow vest is going viral.

Shocking Video of police brutality in The #Netherlands of a Women being arrested yesterday, because she was wearing an Yellow Vest, and did not wanted to take it off. while walking with her baby in the streets. #YellowVests SHAME ON YOU DUTCH POLICE OFFICERS! RT this to the world pic.twitter.com/vL99D1ThW0  Sotiri Dimpinoudis (@sotiridi) January 6, 2019

In the video, police confront the woman in what appears a quiet neighborhood far away from any visible protest. Police were photographed alongside the baby on the street as the mother was dragged away.

Image via journalist Sotiri Dimpinoudis

With the French prime minister now announcing coming draconian measures banning all protest, this is precisely the horrific scene that could begin to be repeated across France and the EU.

In total at least six people have died and over 1,400 people injured during the French protests, with thousands arrested weekly, according to international reports. Over the weekend some 50,000 protesters continued demonstrating in multiple cities, leading to significant clashes in Paris, Bordeaux and Rouen. A number of commentators have noted that though there appear fewer demonstrators compared to December, there appears a serious uptick in violent acts on the part of both demonstrators and police response.

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 6:31 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:

Comment on this articleBreitbart

January 9, 2019

James Goddard, leader of the British Yellow Vests who challenged EU loyalist Anna Soubry on the street and branded her a fascist, has been purged from Facebook and PayPal.

Mr Goddard and a small knot of supporters recently approached the Tory MP and her staff near the Palace of Westminster and challenged her on her campaign to stop Britain from leaving the European Union despite having claimed to accept the result of the 2016 referendum and acknowledging that Brexit means Brexit before her Leave-voting constituents re-elected her in 2017.

Ms Soubry complained she felt as though she was in physical danger as the boisterous group branded her a fascist and Nazi and was supported by dozens of MPs who demanded police action against the protestors.

Law enforcement now say they are assessing if any crimes have been committed  and Mr Goddard has already been personally purged by both Facebook and payment processing service PayPal, according to the Mirror.

"I do object to being called a Nazi" Protesters confront Conservative MP Anna Soubry on the street after interrupting her live BBC interview by chanting "Nazi" [sound on, tap to expand] https://t.co/4HUyQECv5y pic.twitter.com/OetjM4zhOH  BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) January 7, 2019

Read more

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 6:46 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:Network asked if refugee who renounced Islam and faced death should be respected

Paul Joseph Watson

PrisonPlanet.com

January 9, 2019

The BBC was left red faced after a huge backlash to a tweet which suggested that there should be a debate around whether honor killings are justified or not.

18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun fled Saudi Arabia after renouncing Islam, which is punishable by death in the Gulf Kingdom.

After arriving in Bangkok, al-Qunun was originally set to be returned to Kuwait, where her family, who she claims had threatened to kill her, were waiting.

However, after a live tweeting campaign that captured global attention, she was declared a legitimate refugee by the UN and is now likely to be given asylum in Australia.

Hi @bbcasiannetwork  why did you delete this? Is it because asking to "debate" whether honor killings are good or not is a horrific idea? pic.twitter.com/QOQkoCJiYS  Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) January 9, 2019

The BBCs Asian Network responded to the story by asking in a tweet, 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun fled Saudi Arabia as she said her family would kill her for choosing to leave Islam  do you respect her decision?

The tweet, which was basically asking whether honor killings should be respected or not, received a huge backlash.

Am I to believe that any other answer than Yes was acceptable? asked one respondent.

If that isnt sufficient reason to abandon the religion, its hard to imagine what stronger argument it would take. Your own parents driven to murder you over apostasy? asked another.

The same network previously received criticism for asking, Should the UK have a law against blasphemy?  although that tweet wasnt deleted.

SUBSCRIBE on YouTube:

Follow on Twitter: Follow @PrisonPlanet

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paul.j.watson.71

*********************

Paul Joseph Watson is the editor at large of Infowars.com and Prison Planet.com.

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 8:23 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:Anne Marie Waters

Politicalite

January 9, 2019

WHEN 22 people were murdered by an Islamic terrorist in Manchester in 2017, Prime Minister Theresa May responded, in Parliament, by telling us (very matter-of-factly) that the murderers were following a perversion of Islam. She offered no evidence for this, because she didnt need to, the comforting lie was enough.

The Mayor of Manchester was equally matter-of-fact when he declared that the killers werent Muslim at all. Labours Andy Burnham said on LBC: The worst thing that can happen is that people use this to blame an entire community, the Muslim community. The worst thing? Blaming Islam is the worst thing that could happen? Yes, thats what he means. Criticism of Islam is deliberately skewed into an attack on Muslims, therefore it should never be done, no matter how justified.

Two other major attacks took place in 2017, both in London, and both, according to our leaders, nothing at all to do with the teachings of Islam. This is despite the fact that Islamic scripture literally promotes terrorism. Mohammed is quite clear: I have been made victorious with terror. (Sahih Bukhari Volume 004, Book 052, Hadith Number 220).

However, if you dare to suggest that the words of Mohammed may inspire the actions of a devout Muslim, you will find that youre a hate-filled Islamophobic fascist.

On Westminster Bridge, Khalid Masood murdered 5, and at London Bridge, 8 died at the hands of Muslims using a van and several knives. Witnesses at the scene of the latter attack heard the cry of this is for Allah, but still, no serious discussion of Islamic scripture was to take place.

The reason there would be no public discussion about Islams teachings is simple: such discussion would reveal the truth about Islams teachings, and that would never do. In the aftermath of these attacks, the priority of the state, the media, and the police has been to protect Islam from criticism  much like an Islamic state under the rule of sharia law. A common method is to label the terrorists with an indistinct mental illness that the apparently fully trained psychiatrists of various police forces can diagnose almost instantly. Its remarkable.

The mental illness deflection was used following several of the Muslim attacks on innocent people across Europe in recent years, and in Manchester on New Years Eve, it was used again.

A d v e r t i s e m e n t



A 25-year-old suspect was detained under the Mental Health Act after attacking people with a large knife at Manchesters Victoria Station as New Year celebrations were underway. Luckily, nobody was killed on this occasion, but some were seriously injured. Despite the fact that police are treating this as a terrorist act, the perpetrator was detained for psychiatric attention  why? Because were to believe this man wasnt motivated by Islam. The state is now doing all it can to protect that religions reputation.

This is familiar. The same approach is taken upon any discussion of the notorious rape gangs that roam the country; mostly Muslim but labelled Asian (in an actual racial smear) by politicians and press desperate to prevent analysis of Islams attitude to women, and to rape.

For every cruelty or atrocity associated with Islam, whether it be the grooming gangs, child marriage, FGM, or jihadi violence, the priority of the establishment is always to protect the religion. We have to wonder why. There is more than one reason, but the primary and most significant one can be summed up in one word: globalism. The borders are to come down, and masses from the Middle East and Africa are to be moved to Europe  that means masses of Muslims are to be moved to Europe.

That means Islam is to be moved to Europe. Western political leaders of the past have been honest about the conquering nature of Islamic scripture, but history was re-written and reality was disguised and suddenly Islam became a religion of peace. It had to be disguised, the scriptures and the societies they engender, would not be accepted by Europeans, so Europeans were lied to and told that the only problem with Islam was among a tiny minority of extremists, no different to any other faith.

Adherence to sharia will be a fundamental part of globalism. It will be accommodated in all areas of life to make the transformation of Europe run that little bit smoother.

We need to have an honest public discussion about Islam. People deserve to know what this religions scriptures actually say. Then they can make the connection between the religion and the behaviour, and decide what to do about the future of Islam in our country. Responsible leadership requires this, and For Britain will provide it.

We will the truth, no more or no less, and then let the Great British public decide what to do. Im confident theyll do the right thing, which is to treat Islam like any other religion or belief system, and subject it to the law.

Anne Marie Waters is the leader of UK Political Party, For Britain.

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 6:33 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:Mac Slavo

SHTFplan.com

January 9, 2019

Theres a new normal in the United States. Its the perception of a booming economy while at the same time, seeing a surge in deficits. But this new normal is should be anything but.

Regardless of whether or not the economy is booming or busting right now (arguments can be made for both) the rate of debt being acquired by consumers and the ever increasing government deficits are poised to explode. For all intents and purposes, the mainstream media is declaring the economy booming so why is there so much of a deficit?

According to Fortune, in almost every other period in recent history, U.S. deficits have been counter-cyclical. When growth weakens, unemployment rises, so that fewer people are paying taxes. Falling profits shrink revenues from corporate levies, and the government frequently enacts emergency spending measures to recharge the economy. The shrinking tax receipts and temporary outlays swell the deficit. When the economy revives, in contrast, an expanding workforce and a surge in earnings will lift revenues and narrows the budget gap.

Today, that trend is reversing. Growth and deficits are moving upward in tandem, something thats happened only briefly in the past. In 2018, GDP expanded at a robust 3.1%, and the Congressional Budget Office forecasts a decent 2.4% reading for 2019. Yet the agency predicts that the deficit will jump by 46% to $970 billion in 2020, rising to 4.6% of GDP and that the shortfall will grow to 7.1% of GDP by 2028 if Congress extends tax reductions that are scheduled to sunset, a likely outcome. A December 13 report from the non-partisan Committee for a Responsible Budget (The Deficit Has Never Been This High When the Economy Was This Strong) points out that past periods of big deficits were usually accompanied by high unemployment and a large output gap, meaning that the economy was operating far below its potential because a big share of the workforce, and swaths of manufacturing capacity, stood idle. -Fortune

Marc Goldwein, CFRBs senior policy director acknowledges that the U.S. could keep piling on seemingly unsustainable debt and deficits for years, without triggering a financial crisis. But that limit could be reached anytime too. You dont know if a crisis will come next year, or far in the future, he says. What you do know is that even now, the deficits are curbing growth.

This article was posted: Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 6:18 am

Print this page.

Infowars.com Videos:Jennettes family told the judge their loved one was not as portrayed by the state. Lawrence is not a bad person, said his aunt, Carol Jennette, who added she was sorry about what happened to Henry. Geraldine Harrington, a cousin, apologized to the Henry family too, but told the judge Jennette is a teddy bear." And Jennettes mother, Louise Jennette, said her son truly has a heart of gold.World Bank introduces strict disbursement rules for Ghana's $200m vaccine loan The World Bank has put in place strict disbursement rules to check any abuse of

Pan-African Parliament: Punches, kicks and death threats Founded with the noble ambition of uniting the continent, a session of theGalamsey: John Boadu petitions CID The General Secretary of the NPP, John Boadu has petitioned the Director of the

Ghana hosts ECOWAS Summit this week Ghana will, from today, host the Mid-Year Statutory Meetings of the Economic

World Bank introduces strict disbursement rules for Ghana's $200m vaccine loan The World Bank has put in place strict disbursement rules to check any abuse of

Black Meteors suffer another defeat to South Korea The Black Meteors have suffered another defeat to South Korea in the secondDates for MTN FA Cup Round 32 fixtures announced Matches in the Round of 32 of the MTN FA Cup have been scheduled for Friday,

WhatsApp launches privacy campaign after backlash WhatsApp has launched its first major privacy-focused advertising campaign in

TUTAG begins strike today The leadership of the Technical Universities Teachers Association of GhanaWhatsApp launches privacy campaign after backlash WhatsApp has launched its first major privacy-focused advertising campaign in

B-Heck Africa Sanitation Challenge launched B-HeCK Africa NGOs Alliance has launched their novel sanitation campaign

Irish police to be given powers over passwords Irish police will have the power to compel people to provide passwords for

Tullow rules out further layoffs Tullow says there will not be further layoffs in the coming days.

Pan-African Parliament: Punches, kicks and death threats Founded with the noble ambition of uniting the continent, a session of the

Dates for MTN FA Cup Round 32 fixtures announced Matches in the Round of 32 of the MTN FA Cup have been scheduled for Friday,Tullow rules out further layoffs Tullow says there will not be further layoffs in the coming days.

TUTAG begins strike today The leadership of the Technical Universities Teachers Association of Ghana

Pan-African Parliament: Punches, kicks and death threats Founded with the noble ambition of uniting the continent, a session of theStock market report for June 15, 2021 SAS Research has provided the following updates on the stock market activities

CIMG admits 104 new members The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), has admitted 104 new

Court to hear case against #fixthecountry convenors today The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Ruby

WhatsApp launches privacy campaign after backlash WhatsApp has launched its first major privacy-focused advertising campaign in14 times this year armed robbers heightened fears of insecurity in Ghana A brutal attack on a vehicle transporting cash to a bank on Monday, June 14,

Irish police to be given powers over passwords Irish police will have the power to compel people to provide passwords forB-Heck Africa Sanitation Challenge launched B-HeCK Africa NGOs Alliance has launched their novel sanitation campaign

Nato warns of military challenge posed by China Nato leaders meeting for a summit in Brussels have warned of the military

TUTAG begins strike today The leadership of the Technical Universities Teachers Association of GhanaWhatsApp launches privacy campaign after backlash WhatsApp has launched its first major privacy-focused advertising campaign in

Dates for MTN FA Cup Round 32 fixtures announced Matches in the Round of 32 of the MTN FA Cup have been scheduled for Friday,

World Bank introduces strict disbursement rules for Ghana's $200m vaccine loan The World Bank has put in place strict disbursement rules to check any abuse ofCourt to hear case against #fixthecountry convenors today The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Ruby

Irish police to be given powers over passwords Irish police will have the power to compel people to provide passwords for

CIMG admits 104 new members The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), has admitted 104 newShe was charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree robbery and her case is still pending. Laura Bryll, Phillips' public defender, said that Phillips wanted her to tell the judge and Rubino that his daughter had nothing to do with the crime and no idea he planned to rob the store. Rubino hinted that the charges against Alisha Phillips would be dropped.Stock market report for June 15, 2021 SAS Research has provided the following updates on the stock market activities

Tullow rules out further layoffs Tullow says there will not be further layoffs in the coming days.

TUTAG begins strike today The leadership of the Technical Universities Teachers Association of GhanaPlattsburgh, NY (12901)

Today

Scattered thunderstorms early, then becoming clear after midnight. Low around 50F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms early, then becoming clear after midnight. Low around 50F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.Now that COVID-19 cases are declining and the majority of Minnesotans have received vaccinations, what activities are you most looking forward to resuming this summer?

You voted:Prison beats the street

I find it interesting how felons involved in murder wind up with safe shelter, food and medical care for the rest of their lives, while I see people struggling to survive on the street. Something is wrong.

Ed Pullman

Egg Harbor Township

Climate agenda a scheme to force massive spending

Al Gore was another Nobel peace prize recipient for no apparent reason other than to push an agenda. Global warming/climate change amounts to nothing more than social work for the worlds 1 percent.

This hustle has been going on for over 20 years and shows no signs of going away. Of the 99 percent of the worlds population that doesnt make money off global warming, most just dont care as they are working two jobs just to put food on the table, clothe themselves and see that their children get an education.

The worlds leaders are setting up conditions for hundreds of billions of dollars to be poured into climate change. Just look at France putting a tax on fuel and gas that is already priced over $10 a gallon. We cant be shocked that the French have put on yellow vests to protest this madness.That would make the states whole transition away from solar subsidies a sham  just a distraction to ratepayers while the state lets private corporations keep picking their pockets.

If this were the only state-created energy burden ahead for homeowners, renters and businesses it would be daunting enough. But billions more for the solar industry is just part of the utility bill shocks ahead.

Last years law theoretically capped at 7 percent to 9 percent how much the state will increase consumer energy costs to achieve its goal of having 50 percent renewable energy by 2030.

Even if consumers tolerate their heating and electric bills going up that much, the limit might require reducing funding for industries just beginning here such as offshore wind and electric vehicles so solar can keep getting its startup subsidy indefinitely.

All this will be sold to residents and businesses as necessary to combat climate change, even though New Jersey is a tiny part of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions that are just 15 percent of those globally.

To the argument that a global problem requires a global solution to be fair, the states clean-energy advocates respond that New Jersey should set an example for what can be done in the absence of effective national and global actions.

The example is likely to be how much of their disposable income ordinary New Jersey residents are willing to give up for clean-energy schemes the nation and world wont yet support.The debate is over. Extreme weather like Super Storm Sandy and Hurricane Maria are no longer rare occurrences, they are expected. Climate change is no longer some far off nightmare, we are living it today. The president of the United States denies the existence of climate change. He pulled us out of the Paris Climate Agreement and, in doing so, took the country backward. We are not only failing to mitigate the worst effects of climate change, we are accelerating them.

But whats stopping New Jersey from taking action, whats stopping us from doing the right thing?

When we look back, its imperative New Jersey is able to say it was on the right side of history  the side that fought for a better future. The time is now. We must reduce fossil fuels and fully embrace renewable energy and wind energy as an essential part of securing our future with renewable energy.

New Jersey has committed to being a zero emission state by 2050. Couple this with rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative earlier this year and we have committed to investing in green energy alternatives.Darko Tresnjak, Hartford Stage artistic director for the past eight years, announced last spring that he would be leaving the theater when his contract ran out at the end of the 2018-19 season. Also leaving Hartford Stage this year is Michael Stotts, the theaters managing director since 2006. Stotts is moving on at the end of this month to become the managing director of Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey. His successor at Hartford Stage has not yet been named and involves a separate search committee, this one headed by former board president Sue Ann Collins.Regardless, the fact remains that corporations uproot from New Jersey in search of lower taxes and an affordable workforce, Hughes said. And workers follow suit.

Another factor is New Jersey has had slow job growth and the like. Outside of New York City and Boston, most of the Northeast and Midwest also have experienced slower job growth, Hughes said. So economic opportunity really lies in the South and the West  and corporations tend to be moving to those destinations.

For states with the largest inbound populations, Vermont ranked first. The rest are in the South and West. Hughes cited Mercedes-Benzs decision in 2015 to move its U.S. headquarters from Montvale, Bergen County, to Georgia.

And those companies drawing workers away from New Jersey has an effect on the states coffers.

In a 2018 report, the New Jersey Business and Industry Association said, after researching census and tax return data, that the state lost $24.9 billion in adjusted gross income between 2004 and 2016.

After residents left, the people (who) came in behind them, they did not make up the difference in that loss of money from the state of New Jersey, said Michele Siekerka, president of the NJBIA.ATLANTIC CITY  The Womens March has a home for its upcoming rally.

Atlantic County Freeholder Ashley Bennett announced Wednesday morning the rally will be held Jan. 19 at Boardwalk Hall after the march on the Boardwalk.

The march will be held in honor of Fannie Lou Hamer, a voting and womens rights activist who was a major figure in the Civil Rights Movement, fighting for voting rights for African Americans nationally and mounting a run for Congress.

Her phrase Im sick and tired of being sick and tired  spoken at the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City  was a rallying cry for the movement.

As we are keeping to the legacy of Fannie Lou Hamer and marching on the Boardwalk to where she did this battle against Jim Crow and spoke truth to power, it would be remiss if we didnt honor that legacy correctly by having our rally at Boardwalk Hall, Bennett said.

On Aug. 22, 1964, Hamer testified at the DNC in opposition to the seating of an all-white Mississippi delegation. Although her efforts were defeated, her testimony was broadcast nationally. One year later, the Voting Rights Act was passed.PLEASE BE ADVISED: Soon we will no longer integrate with Facebook for story comments. The commenting option is not going away, however, readers will need to register for a FREE site account to continue sharing their thoughts and feedback on stories. If you already have an account (i.e. current subscribers, posting in obituary guestbooks, for submitting community events), you may use that login, otherwise, you will be prompted to create a new account.ACIT is also looking to build out an aviation maintenance program for about 100 high school students through the recently approved statewide bond referendum to expand county vocational schools. Guenther said the program would be aligned with the adult program planned for the aviation park.

Last year, the Atlantic County Improvement Authority put the finishing touches on the exterior of the first building at the park. The park is located next to Atlantic City International Airport and the William J. Hughes Federal Aviation Administration Technical Center, which combined employ nearly 3,000 people.

The park, which they anticipate will house seven buildings and about 2,000 employees, has gone through several incarnations in the past decade. If you ask some of those involved with it now, they arent keen to talk about the parks history and would much rather focus on the future.

A good idea badly executed doesnt make it a bad idea, said Kyle, who sits on the parks board.

The 66,000-square-foot first building is in the midst of a fit-out for its tenants now.Wildwood will once again host the Special Olympics New Jerseys annual Polar Bear Plunge. The event, which takes place 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, will be held on the beach behind the Wildwoods Convention Center. Check in takes place from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. inside the Convention Center. The event is free for spectators to watch, but plungers must raise a minimum of $100 in pledges in order to participate.

For those looking for something to do the night before, Special Olympics New Jersey will host a Beef n Brrr Benefit from 7-11 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11, at the Blue Water Grille at the Bolero Resort and Conference Center in Wildwood, from 7-11 p.m. A $20 donation will raise money for the event and includes roast beef sandwiches, salad, wings and draft beer, as well as a 50/50 raffle, live auction and live music. You do not need to be a participant in the Plunge to attend the Beef n Brrr Benefit. Blue Water Grille is located at 3320 Atlantic Ave. in Wildwood. The Wildwood Convention Center is located at 4501 Boardwalk in Wildwood.ADVERTISEMENT

The Atiku Campaign Organisation in Ondo State has raised the alarm over a midnight attack on its campaign office in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The organisation, headed by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, Eyitayo Jegede, said on Wednesday that the hoodlums also attacked the security guard at the office, rendering him almost lame.

A spokesman for the organisation, Kayode Fasua, said some hoodlums who were armed and suspected to be working for the ruling All Progressives Congress invaded the office of the Atiku campaign organisation at Ijapo area of Akure.

They arrived in the wee hours of the day, at a time the security guards in the Ijapo, Akure area of our office would have closed from duty and descended on our campaign office, Mr Fasua said.

Numbering about 10, and fully armed, they descended on our private security guard, beat him to a pulp and then tied him with ropes.

After that, they proceeded by dismantling the Atiku billboards, and then tearing all his posters.

Not done, these agents of the devil went ahead to break window panes and kept shouting where are those documents, where are those documents!

But having failed in their evil deed, they retreated, shooting sporadically.

But this latest attack is taking the hate politics being perpetrated by those in power to a ridiculous level, by attacking the campaign office in its little abode.

Mr Fasua called on security agents to investigate the incident and bring the perpetrators of the attack to book.

Mr Jegede, in his reaction, described the attack as barbaric and alien to the spirit of democracy, and demanded that justice should be done in the matter.

But the APC has swiftly denied the involvement of its adherents in the attack on the Atiku campaign organisations office in Akure.

The publicity secretary of the party in the state, Alex Kalejaye, told PREMIUM TIMES on the phone that the attack remained condemnable, but could not have been perpetrated by the APC supporters.

We have done enough for the people of the state to be comfortable ahead of the elections, and so would not be involved in that kind of politics, said Mr Kalejaye.

The APC supporters are cultured and decent and would never be involved in the act of vandalism.

Police Public Relations Officer for Ondo State Command, Femi Joseph, said the organisation was yet to formally file any report on the attack.

He said only on the basis of a report would the police be able to act.ADVERTISEMENT

A 29-year-old member of the National Youth Service Corps, Odedele Feranmi, who allegedly killed a 16-year-old boy with his car, was on Wednesday brought before an Osogbo Magistrates Court.

Mr Feranmi, whose address was not given, is facing a two-count charge of reckless driving and manslaughter.

The police prosecutor, Joshua Oladoye, told the court that the accused drove his Honda car with registration number Lagos, MUS 187 CU in a reckless manner and caused the death of Olasunkanmi Pelumi, on January 4, at about 11:30a.m.

Mr Oladoye said the accused hit the boy with the car leading to his death in the front of the Osun State House of Assembly complex, Osogbo.

Mr Oladoye said the offences contravened the provisions of Sections 81(1) and 115, Cap 1, Vol. 6, Laws of Osun State, 2003.

The defendant denied committing the offences, while his counsel, Bola Abimbola-Ige, urged the court to grant his client bail, promising that he would not jump bail.

Magistrate Olusegun Ayilara granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

The case was adjourned until January 30, for hearing. (NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

An Ado-Ekiti high court on Wednesday sentenced one Alonge Ajayi, 22, to death by hanging for armed robbery.

Justice Lekan Ogunmoye held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubts and consequently found Ajayi guilty as charged.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 22-year-old robbed with guns on October 30, 2017, at Ikere, Ekiti.

He was arraigned on February 27, 2018, on a count charge of armed robbery but he pleaded not guilty.

According to the Prosecutor, Folashade Abe, a police inspector, Mr Ajayi and two others had a gun duel with the police during which two of the robbers were killed and the convict arrested alongside his motorcycle.

Mrs Abe said the gun duel happened some months after the convict and the others robbed one Henry Afolayan and his family members of phones, N100,000 and other valuables as they were returning from church service.

She said the armed robbers also came on a motorcycle.

She said one of the phones was recovered from the convict when he was arrested, adding that two guns were recovered from him.

To prove its case, the prosecution represented by Kola Kolade, called four witnesses and tendered exhibits including the two guns, five live cartridges, phones and one Bajaj motorcycle as well as a statement from the convict.

The convict was represented by Kayode Oyeyemi, who did not call any witness for his defence.

(NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Osun State on Wednesday said 18 persons died in various road accidents in December 2018.

The FRSC Sector Commander in the state, Peter Oke, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo that the accidents were caused by over speeding, wrongful overtaking and carelessness of many drivers.

The total numbers of Road Traffic Accidents for the month of December 2018 was 28 which led to the death of 18 persons.

The remaining 10 persons sustained various degrees of injuries in the accidents within the state, he said.

He also stated that 773 road traffic offenders were apprehended while 268 were educated and cautioned on the sensitivity of road driving.

The sector commander further said that no fewer than 906 persons were issued with drivers licence in the month under review.

He added that the command executed 12 radio and eight television programmes to educate and enlighten the public on the dangers associated with dangerous driving.

Mr Oke urged motorists to desist from defying road traffic regulations, adding that the command would not spare any person caught flouting the law.

(NAN)Based on our previous knowledge of the suspects violent nature, having been involved in multiple violent carjackings with firearms and operating a stolen motor vehicle which was now being used as a deadly weapon, I knew that we were not going to allow this vehicle to leave the area as they were an immediate threat to the community as well as myself and my fellow officers, Kiely wrote.ADVERTISEMENT

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two suspects and declared wanted a chieftain of NURTW, Mustapha Adekunle aka Seigo, over the disruption of APC rally in Lagos on Tuesday.

The commands spokesperson, Chike Oti, said in a statement that the two persons arrested in connection with the incident were helping the police in their investigation.

Mr Oti said that Siego and his entourage had gained entrance to the rally ground as supporters before his group suddenly attacked another NURTW chieftain popularly know as MC Oluomo.

The said Mustapha Adekunle aka Seigo, an NURTW chieftain, came to the rally with a group of people and were identified at the entrance as supporters of the party.

However, at the tail end of the event, Seigo and his group, for a reason yet to be determined, violently engaged other supporters of the party.

In the ensuing melee, one MC Oluomo, another NURTW chieftain, was stabbed and was rushed to EKO Hospital where he is currently recuperating while two other victims of the attack were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for treatment.

The crisis was quickly contained by policemen at the venue. the statement said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Edgal Imohimi, had met with leaders of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW ), Road Transport Employers Association (RTEAN) where all parties agreed to eschew violence before, during and after the election.

The command, therefore, expressed disappointment at the incident, stating that it was surprising that a prominent member of NURTW would attempt to violently disrupt a peaceful political rally.

In view of the development, the Command wishes to encourage members of the public with useful information on the whereabouts of Mustapha Adekunle popularly known as Seigo to report such at a nearest police station. (NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has debunked insinuations that Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were being cloned in Enugu State.

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner [REC] for Enugu State, Emeka Ononamadu, told journalists in Enugu on Wednesday that such insinuation or rumour could not and would never be true.

Mr Ononamadu said given the tight security around voters cards and INEC workers issuing it, no card could be used for manipulation in the state.

According to him, INEC and particularly staff under the commission, do not give out PVCs by proxy under any guise.

The insinuation cannot be true and we do not have such in Enugu State.

Again, the INEC state secretariat guards and protects uncollected PVCs with all sense of responsibility and due diligence.

So, it is purely fake news. That does not have any basis to stand, he said.

The REC also said those that might attempt it would surely be arrested at the point of voting since the Smart Card Readers would surely detect the manipulation.

The new Smart Card Readers are with advanced security features to detect irregularities at the polling points.

While after voting at a point; the Smart Card Readers will not allow a person to vote more than once, he said.

(NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State on Wednesday signed the state 2019 N219.97 billion budget into law.

Mr Ganduje, while signing the budget at the Government House, Kano, said it would accommodate the new N30,000 minimum wage.

He said the budget would be fully implemented for the benefit of the people.

Mr Ganduje said the budget would add value and improve the lives of the people.

The governor also commended the state House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the budget.

Earlier, the state Commissioner of Budget and Planning, Aisha Jafar, also commended the assembly for passing the budget in time.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr Ganduje had on November 4, 2018 presented a budget of N219.97 billion to the assembly for approval.

The assembly passed the budget on December 31, 2018.

(NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested one Sani Abdullahi, at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, over alleged money laundering.

Mr Abdullahi was arrested during the screening of passengers boarding the China bound Ethiopian Air from Kano.

He was alleged to have failed to fully declare the sum of 207,000 dollars (N63,135,000) in his possession.

According to a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by EFCC spokesperson, Tony Orilade, Mr Abdullahi declared the sum of 86,000 dollars (N26,230, 000) but concealed the sum of 121,000 dollars (N36,905,000)

Mr Orilade said the concealed amount was discovered after he was searched by operatives of the commission.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offence is contrary to the Money Laundering Act 2011 (as amended).

Mr Orilade, however, said the suspect had been granted administrative bail and would soon be charged to court.

(NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

The Operation Wild Stroke of the Nigerian Army operating in Nasarawa, Benue and Taraba States says it has killed 17 bandits and arrested 67 others in the last eight months of its operation.

The commander of the operation, Adeyemi Yekini, made the disclosure while addressing reporters in Lafia on Wednesday.

The commander also presented 45 assorted weapons and 701 assorted ammunition recovered from Bassa militia camp in Zwere, Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

He said that in the interest of peace and national development, the operation would give itself no rest until criminals were flushed out of the three states.

According to him, the troops killed 16 bandits, arrested 53 people and recovered 11 weapons and 50 rounds of ammunition in Benue.

In Nasarawa state, 48 weapons and 801 ammunition were recovered, in addition to arresting 9 people and killing one bandit.

In Taraba state, we recovered 7 weapons, 35 ammunition and arrested 5 people with no bandit killed.

Statistics put the total number of weapons recovered at 66, ammunition recovered at 886; the total number of people arrested is 67 and the total number of bandits killed is 17, he said.

According to him, Operation Wild Stroke is an intervention force established about eight months ago with the mandate to put an end to the incessant killings by armed herdsmen, militia groups and other criminal elements operating in the three states.Sadiq Umar is the Kwara North senatorial candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) for the 2019 general elections. A pharmacist, he has worked for many years in the health development sector under DFID and USAID. In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Umar explains why he is leaving his career in the sector to seek a seat in the Senate.

PT- Can you tell us a little about what you were doing before coming into politics?

I am a pharmacist by profession but as far as career is concerned, I have been in the development sector, where I have worked with DFID and USAID. We are interested in maternal and child health, malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDs.

What I have always done in the past 20 years is managing projects to see how we can help people and the vulnerable. That was what I was doing before my constituents said I should come and serve them or represent them in the red chamber of the National Assembly and I accepted and here I am. I won the primaries of the APC for Kwara North senatorial district.

PT- Is it the people who called you? Are your hands not already full in your current engagement in the health sector?

Umar  It is my career and I got to almost the peak of my career, so it is by what they know about me and what I have been doing where I am working, that is why they said they needed a candidate that understands the developmental challenges of our region and that they need a good candidate that can represent them very well.

With pressure, I agreed. Instead of just serving at that limited angle, I can come and serve at the political level because the key reasons why there are gaps in our health sector, why donors have to come into the country to support the country, is basically because of poor governance.

If we have good policies, we have good governance that responds to the health challenges, why should anybody come into your country to come and start carrying out interventions in malaria, HIV/AIDs, maternal and child health? That will not be necessary. I think that what I am doing now is basically to serve that gap. If I get to governance, its easier to serve more, not only my constituency but the whole country.

PT- APC primaries across the country were tumultuous, especially in Kwara State. How did the one at your district go?

Umar I can tell you that I am one of the luckiest persons in this primaries because my candidature is almost the single candidature that did not call for any controversy. That is because all the elders agreed and all the local governments agreed that I am the candidate of their choice. So it was a direct primary and I had an overwhelming majority of the votes, over and above the other four candidates. So there was no controversy in my own constituency.

PT- There are five local governments in the district, what is your own local government?

Umar I am from Kaiama Local Government. Incidentally, there is an understanding of zonal arrangement in the senatorial district  (Kwara North Senatorial District). The understanding is that Baruten, Kaiama constituency produce the Senate this time around and it is zeroed in on Kaiama specifically. Almost all the other local governments agreed that it is Kaiama that will produce the senator. That also made it easier because all the stakeholders have accepted that Kaiama should produce the senator for this year.

PT- Your opponent from PDP (Zakari Mohammed of the House of Representatives), who is considered your major opponent, which local government area is he from?

Umar He is from Baruten. That is because the PDP has chosen to zone theirs to Baruten. I am talking of APC.

PT- How do you feel about facing someone who has been winning elections in the area (Mr Mohammed has been in the House since 2011)? He has vast experience in politicking and legislation.

Umar I feel excited. First, it is going to be an interesting contest because like you said, he has been around for a long time. But do not forget that the election is going to be about the people. It is the people that will take the decision of who they are going to vote. Like I told you, my candidature is driven by the people more than my personal ambition. So if that much should be there, it means the people are with me and I can tell you that in Kwara State today, APC is ahead of PDP and it is even more so in my senatorial region.

So, I am excited that we going to win with a landslide actually because the people who are going to vote are with me and APC is grounded in Kwara and more so in Kwara North. So I have nothing to be scared of

PT- Most people will tend to disagree with that assertion, given that APC in Kwara State is driven by the well-oiled structure of the Sarakis and we have known that for a long time they have always won elections in the state. How can you then make such assertions about APC in Kwara?

ADVERTISEMENT

Umar  That is what brings about the concept of change. As they say, the only thing constant in life is change. That change is here now. It is true like you said, but the change is here now and without making much noise about it, we just concluded a by-election in Kwara South in one of the federal constituencies and APC won and of course PDP had a candidate. If that is anything to go by, you do not need to be told that other elections will still follow that pattern.

PT  What is your legislative agenda when elected into office? Because most politicians come out and say they want to do something but they do not have the plan or well written out blueprint on how to go about it.

Umar  Thank you very much for that question. Let me say first and foremost, I hope to be a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It means my primary responsibility will be making laws for the good governance of the whole country, appropriation, over-sighting and so on. My first agenda is to go and do those well  promote bills that will ensure good governance for the whole country, support bills from any member and from the Executive that will fit into my dream of seeing Nigeria become a developed country.

Having said that, I am also representing my people and I know the problems of my people and I have been engaging them during the campaigns and I have continued to do that to understand clearly what their priorities are. So far, what I can see in my region is very poor infrastructure. Our road network is terrible. For those who are used to Kwara North, from Moro to Edu to Patigi to Kaiama, Baruten, we have very bad roads and of course, you know the implication of that. The economy and the activities of our area have been impeded because of the very bad road network. And my people are essentially farmers  you know what that means. We do not have roads to transport farm produce, we have wastages, the high cost of all of that. So infrastructure will be the primary focus for me as what my region will be interested in. All the networking that is required, lobbying that is required, case making with evidence that I will do to ensure that we get the best share of federal infrastructural allocation.

Again poverty is very high in my area and poverty is as a result of poor educational services. We do not have good education facilities in our area and there are poor health services. Those two translate to poverty that is affecting my area. We intend to be able to lift as many people as possible out of poverty and to do that means focusing on improving health and educational services in our area.

When you do that, what is next is opportunities for people who acquire education might have to fight for more opportunities because my people do not have opportunities in Kwara not to talk of the federal government. That will be an interest to me, to make sure our people are positioned to enjoy the opportunities available at the state level and at the federal level.

Again, the youth, who incidentally are the most important group of people in the society because they are the future. For our youth right now, it is a very sorry situation so we have to find a way of empowering them. Our women, the same thing. And we are interested in the women because they are the bedrock of the family and if we are able to empower our women, they will be able to support both the children, the youth and in fact the men.

So our cardinal interest is in youth and women. The poor, the vulnerable, the weak are also of interest to us, they would be supported. But for the women and the youth, they need to be empowered. And in empowering them, they have to be categorised. There are those who have education, all we need is to be able to have skill acquisition programmes for them. Give them basic skills to be able to do something for themselves and little money that they can be able to take care of their children and husbands.

The youth, most of them with education we will consider what we can do to be able to place them for them to be gainfully employed and those that have capacity and interest in entrepreneurship we need to create and open that opportunity for them. When they do, they will be able to employ other youth to work for them. That is the way we intend fighting poverty.

In the final analysis, I am saying we have to fight poverty in my region, which is a number one enemy. And to do that, we need to have improved infrastructure, we need to empower the youth and the women, we need to improve our education and health services so that we have citizens who are healthy, strong and motivated to be productive.

PT- How as a legislator do you think you can achieve all of these?

Umar That is an interesting one, because when I say all these people say you are going to be a legislator in Abuja in the Senate. But that is true; my understanding about leadership is not about staying in your cocoon doing what you need to do. It means opening up and relating with other tiers of government, you need to relate with other leaders in your region and in your state.

So what I am saying is, most of all these things will be done at the state level, some will be done at the local government level, and where in a way, probably as the most senior political office holder in my senatorial region, I hope to give leadership along that chain. So I am interested in whatever is happening in my state, to work with the state governor and the Executive to see the best we can do for our people in relationship with those programmes I have mentioned.

The local governments are actually key in this because they are the closest to the people. I am looking forward to an era where local government chairmen can just go in there and do whatever they like and go away will be over. I hope to engage them and give them some level of leadership and we collaborate together on the way forward. In the federal level, what my team members are doing, in the state level and the local government are doing, so we have an integrated common agenda with programmes that we will be working together to perform a synergy with a singular goal. We all have clear objectives and programmes of what we want to achieve for our people. I hope we will be able to do these in a very serious manner that we can have targets with milestones that this is what we need to do and the number of people we need to get out of poverty within a stipulated time and how we are going to be able to do that. And we will draw our programme on who is going to be responsible on what level, local state and federal and we compare notes, we engage ourselves, we score ourselves, we assess ourselves on what we are doing.

By the way, we are going to do an assessment to know how bad our situation is. I have an idea but we have to do this scientifically. That is the baseline and where we want to go to in a year, four years, eight years, and 20 and in 50 years. We have to programme all of that and work together to achieve it. I am clear it is not me that is going to do all of these, but it is by working together. The era of everybody holding his office and doing what he feels he should do will be over very soon by the grace of God.

PT- You mentioned road infrastructure in your area, there was a road project in 2005, Chikanda-Kosubosu road linking your part of the state with other parts of the state. What is the state of that project?

Umar  Thank you very much. The state government did some job from that axis from Ilorin down to Chikanda, that was a very good effort, but it wasnt a very good job. That road is already compromised; there are portholes. But relatively, that is a fair road that we have enjoyed in my region. From Kosubosu to Kaiama, which is a very short distance, in less than an hour you can link Kaiama from Baruten. That has been abandoned for decades. Its actually not motorable any longer. That road has to be fixed if you really want to improve the socio-economic situation of our people in that region.

There is another road from Kaiama to Bode Saadu, about a 100 kilometres, that will link Baruten and Kaiama with the whole of Kwara North and link Ilorin easily. That road, you know about it, several decades ago it was conceptualised, they started some work but it has been abandoned for decades. That road has to be opened because that is the only way you will link the whole of Kwara North and that is the only way we people in Kaiama and Baruten can go to the state capital within one and a half hours to two hours. Right now, we have to start going through Oyo, we go round before we can get to our state capital and it is terrible and unacceptable.

PT  Campaign has officially started. What campaign strategy are you employing to let your people know your plans for them and get them to vote for you? Because it is a different thing to have plans for people and getting them to vote you to office.

Umar  Interestingly you know I am lucky that the world has changed. We live in a global village driven by technology. Within a second you can send out information that can pass across what you want to say. That we have been doing. We are also using regular media and having interviews. We are talking to the people and the people are getting the information except, of course, that the number of people that have access to social media and mainstream media is still limited especially in our area where the opportunities are limited.

Aside from doing the regular, using the social media, using radios, television and so on, we are also moving down to the grassroots to meet the people and that is actually at the centre of my campaign. Get to the people, meet them, anywhere they are and talk to them. We are going to the local governments, wards, and in fact, we are getting to the polling units were voting will take place. We have mapped that out; we have our agents, our campaign teams, banners, all of those matters.

We need to get to the people and I intend to also move and get to the people, not just campaigning to them to vote for us, but let me really have a hands-on assessment of how bad their situation is, and what they really consider as priorities in their lives so that I have the required data before even winning the election. We will be clear from the beginning what we want to do. Our approach to politics is just the same approach I am used to as a development worker. We have to be clear, we need data, we need to know where we are coming from, where we want to go and how we will get there. That is my approach even for the campaign.

PT- There is the trend of vote buying that is going on in the country. How do you think you can face the menace of vote buying?

Umar  Voting buying is a new phase in our political development. Anybody that does not seem to understand it or appreciate it does not know what is happening. Some of us are happy about it to some extent. Because with PVCs and card readers, it means the people have been empowered; they have to give you their support, unlike before where political merchants can collect millions and billions of naira and just write results. That has been restricted.

That is why politicians are running to the people to buy their votes because that is the only way you can get their votes. Having said that, let me also say that as a development worker, much as I am worried about that, because that makes a mess of the principles of democracy, but then maybe it is wealth redistribution. People are waiting for the opportunity of having some stipends to empower them during election. Much as it is bad, it is an opportunity for people to have access to some people who have stolen their money.

How are we going to address that? I am not worried about it at all because the people are wiser and we are also communicating to the people that this election is not about collecting stipends and voting for whoever gives you money. It is about voting the right candidate to be able to secure your future and that of your children. I can assure you, no matter any amount somebody is bringing to Kwara and particularly my senatorial region, thank you for coming to empower the people by sharing money for them but the people would vote their conscience and the right candidate because they know the party that is going to work for them, they know the candidate that have their interest at heart and they are going to do that. So I am not worried about vote buying because my people are empowered, informed, mobilised and they are sensitised about this.

PT- Coming with your wealth of experience with the health sector background, how do intend translating this into law-making, especially knowing that we have a lot of health Acts that are just redundant on the shelves and not looked into. And do you intend following up for better implementation?

Umar  For me, aside from my constituency challenges I have highlighted earlier, the health sector is going to be another area of interested for me. In both cases, I will be co-sponsoring bills with other people in the house, including those outside the house, working with development organisations that I have worked with before to look at the health sector and identify where those weak areas are, where those gaps are and what is missing, what laws we need to pass to strengthen policies that make health services qualitative, accessible and affordable for our people. It is a priority for me.

The laws are there, implementation in most cases becomes the problem. Some laws are obsolete, some have challenges of access to funds from both federal level down to local government level. You know health is on the concurrent list as it cuts across all. For me, my attitude will be who we need to work with to ensure that laws are passed that will make healthcare services affordable, accessible and qualitative.

By the way, I am also thinking we need to get radical about the health sector because health and education are the priorities that move the country forward. That is get them functional education and not like the ones we see this days, skills, good health, they will be productive and can do something for themselves.

We are going to take that serious to the extent that we are thinking of a need to set aside, apart from what has been set aside for the National Health Insurance Scheme right now, we also think the government needs to pick interest in the activities of the development partners which has been very helpful in the country. I am looking forward to seeing Nigeria government leaving a certain percentage of national resources in carrying out special items in the health sector.

PT- In Kaiama, which is your local government, health services have been termed poor. The general hospital and primary health care centres seem to have some of the necessary equipment for basic health care services but they lack health personnel, meaning most cases of maternal, infant and child mortalities could have been prevented. How do you intend tackling this if elected?

Umar  Let me correct an impression. If I go home, I go to the general hospital. The general hospital is functioning, I can tell you. There are two doctors there, very hard working young men and they are doing their best possible. But like you said, it is true, there are equipment but they are not functional because they are not manned. They need personnel to carry out the required tests.

Interestingly, what most people dont know is that development is a cycle, everything is linked together. There is no way you can ensure that the required health personnel stay in a town like Kaiama where you have not addressed infrastructure. The road network in and out of Kaiama from all direction is terrible. A young doctor will not be interested in staying in that type of environment because he wants to pull a link. So if you address road network, address poverty and this community becomes very comfortable, you can easily attract health professionals to work in that environment.

So what am I going to do, in the short term, medium term and long term, and I have started for the short term. All those doctors I met there I have encouraged them that they should please not run away the way others ran away; that I am coming, they should be there and I will be with them, support them with anything they need and I have started.

When I go to the general hospital, if I see a little gap or when they are sourcing for resources to work with I come in. I tell them when I get to the red chamber there will be a lot more I can do to make them comfortable and make their work comfortable and enjoyable and as fast as I can.

I am also considering the opportunities of training and seminars which would encourage them. By the way it is not only Kaiama we are talking about, we are giving Kaiama as an example. That is applicable to almost everywhere in Kwara North, it is the same thing. So we will look at all of that and encourage them in the short term. For the medium and long-term plans, we will address all the issues that are linked with that: infrastructure, equipment, training, motivation and all of that. That way, you can ensure that human resources for health is met.

The challenge is all over the country, human resources for health are always a challenge; from my experience, that is a gap. But for me, I will do whatever I can to ensure that we retain those who are there by giving them a conducive environment. We will make sure we attract more people to come and to do that means putting in place things that will make them have access to training, having the right equipment and the right skillful people are there and make sure that they are happy. By the way, all these places are very natural areas. If you make that place comfortable people will rather stay there than being in the city with all the noise.

PT- Nigeria is largely dependent on international donors to fund health and most of its health interventions. As a former development person, why do you think that is the case and what can we do to reposition the health care to serve Nigerians better, especially with the dwindling international funds?

Umar  The funding has been dwindling and it has started. I can tell you that donor funding is drying up slowly. That I can tell you and policies are changing, especially in the United States of America with President Trumps policies of country first and so on.

It can only get worse; that I can tell you. And we need to start thinking and start getting independent-minded. We need to start thinking of self-sustainability and all the donors by the way in almost 10 years now from my experience have been preaching sustainability- what are you doing, counterpart funding and so on. For me, I think that one area that will be my agenda too. And I mentioned it is time for the Nigerian government to say what is the value we have been getting from these donors in the last 30 years, for example? And the value is high. The data is there; you can see how much DFID, USAID have invested and what intervention they are doing and the results. Lets look at it and see what is the total cost of these. It is huge money, a lot of dollars in billion. Are we that poor as a country? I do not think we are that poor. What can we do? It is time for the Nigerian government to start setting aside funding to serve as a transition. While the donors are planning to slow down and pull out, Nigeria government should be increasing its interest in taking up this responsibility, after all, it is our responsibility in the first place so that we have a clear-cut policy. I think we need to run a national health programme that is related to what donors are running now. That is programmes slightly different from what the core ministry is doing.

We need to have that transition and model, we need to agree that those donors have done this much in so years. They are planning to leave or really need to leave. I think they will leave either we like it or not. Funds will dry up; Nigerian government can step up and have a model after all what the projects governed, controlled and operated by independent civil society groups.

Let us separate it from the ministry first. When we see the success of that, we know what the cost which is available is, and then we can start thinking of integrating into the core national health programme.

PT- The National Health Act is at long last in operation. But the implementation has been dragging. Do you think if fully implemented the Act can bring a significant improvement to health care services in Nigeria?

Umar  Yes, I think it will I have always believed in the Act and yes, there might be little gaps here and there, nothing is static; that can be looked at. All the areas people have challenges with can be reviewed and ensured that in the final analysis, Nigeria has an Act that will get to the last mile in the society to ensure that everybody has access to health care services that are affordable and qualitative enough

PT  As a pharmacist, what is your take on the regulation of the sales of over-the-counter drugs (OTC) or non-prescribed drugs, which has not been effective in the country? What do you think you can do to improve regulations when you get to the red chamber?

Umar  That is an agenda for me as a professional. Of course, I have my own professional agenda as a pharmacist; I am interested in working for the pharmacy profession and I can tell you that in Nigeria today, it is so sad that the amount of counterfeit drugs in circulation if people really know, people will cry for this country.

People will deliberately go to import drugs that are not the genuine drugs, the excipients  the quantity of what should be there as an active principle  they compromise it and tell the manufacturers to halve it or put just a quarter of what is required to reduce the drugs cost, it is everywhere! It is a porous system that we are running and everyone is involved. Professionals, non-professionals, charlatans are all involved. There is still the same lawlessness that is so predominant in this country. I think we need to strengthen the security, we need to be sure that those who are manning agencies that are responsible for control are the right people. We have square pegs in round holes and we are unable to make people pay for their wrongdoings- that is the problem.

If anything goes wrong, whoever is responsible must face the law. We must enforce the law. And by the way, all this is interagency-related. Not only NAFDAC, SON, its at every level. Where all these things come in up to the manufacturing companies and countries of origin, there is a need to link it back. Why should a country allow an export commodity leave its country in collaboration with those companies to our country?

We need to have bilateral relations with other countries around the world; mainly India, China and Indonesia where many of our drugs come from. We need to get it right by being strong. And it has to be a legal issue. We have to make clear-cut laws and engage these countries. We need to tell the governments of these countries to have some responsibility for what is leaving their countries and coming into our country.

We need to get serious about it; especially the small ones where people carry antibiotics on the street. It is not okay for citizens. The citizens have a role to play too. We need to sensitise the citizens on the danger. They need to know it is wrong to buy drugs from such people. We need to get serious as a country because drugs are like poison and they can be used in any form. They can be injurious as anything you can think of and we need to take that very seriously and I am interested in our laws that govern drugs in this country.

PT- There is a poor public perception of legislators in Nigeria, people see them as parasites. How do you feel about that perception?

Umar  I think it is a 50/50 thing. The first 50, the people are not wrong by what they see, they will talk of what they can see. What value are you adding to them as a society? They want to see that and they see legislators as people who just go in there and allocate allowances for themselves when the poor people do not have much to earn or survive on.

The other 50 part is that citizens also need to sympathise with the legislators because when you are representing five LGAs, I can tell you it is a tough business to do. You have to go to that five LGAs, wards people and they see you as the government. Their poverty, their problems, it is you they expect to solve. Meanwhile, you are not the government and where do they expect you to get all the money to do that is a challenge. The people are poor because there is no good governance, no appropriate policies, and laws to make life easy for them and they have to look for who can solve things for them and they think their political leaders are and come after you. Meanwhile, they are the same set of people who will complain you are getting a big salary! So it is a national challenge and we need to correct that as much as possible. Lets get politicians who are willing to develop the society and Nigerians will see the difference.

PT- The last time Kwara had a governor from Kwara North was 25 years ago. What is the feeling of the people of the area about being overlooked for the governorship race in 2019, especially by both the two major parties?

Umar  People are disappointed. In Kwara North, we believe it is our turn to produce the next governor of Kwara State and the two major parties did not pick candidates from Kwara North. But we should remember two things: one, it is a democracy; so people vote regardless of what the region is. Yes, you can talk about zoning, but it is a democracy. What you get is what you get, those who emerge, emerge. Aside from that, there are other political expediencies and strategic considerations why the two parties tend to lean towards the region they lean to. But what I can tell you is that Kwara North people are decent and God-fearing people and we are hopeful people. Much as we are disappointed, we stick to it in good faith and believe in our various political parties. At least, I can speak for APC; no matter what happens, what is important is for our party to win the election so that we will be able to implement the programmes we want to implement which everybody will benefit from.ADVERTISEMENT

Ex-Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State has urged the people of the state to vote his son, Abdul-Azeez Nyako, the gubernatorial candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), for the needed change.

Mr Nyako made the call Wednesday in Yola while rounding off his consultation tour of 21 local government areas of the state to mobilise the electorate for ADC.

Mr Nyako said Governor Muhammadu Bindow of All Progressives Congress (APC) had betrayed the people of Adamawa who worked for his victory and must be shown the way out.

He said this was necessary for the state to see the return of empowerment programmes, free education and healthcare introduced during his tenure as governor of the state.

He (Bindow) should be sacked; he has nothing good to offer and we need to try ADC for a change, Mr Nyako said.

The ex-governor urged the people of Adamawa to ensure peaceful and hitch-free elections.

Also speaking, the state chairman of ADC, Yahaya Hammanjulde, lauded the people of Adamawa for the support shown the party across the state.

He assured the people that all abandoned people-oriented projects and programmes initiated by the Nyako administration would be resuscitated.

Mr Hammanjulde said Mr Nyako would serve as the guarantor to his son. Abdul-Azeez, in ensuring that he did not derail like Bindow.

We voted Bindow on the agreement that he would revive those programmes, but he betrayed us and must be sacked, Mr Hammanjulde said.

(NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has reiterated his promise to create more job opportunities for unemployed women and youth in the country, if elected president.

He restated the promise on Wednesday in Minna, while addressing party supporters at a rally. He also harped on the need for better infrastructural development in the Niger State.

The presidential candidate claimed that over 10 million Nigerians, including women and youth, had lost their jobs in the last three and half years of the All Progressives Congress-led administration.

Mr Abubakar promised to create employment opportunities in the country.

He said that infrastructure in the country, including roads, schools and hospitals, were built by previous PDP administrations, calling on Nigerians to vote out the ruling party.

According to him, the APC government has failed to deliver its promises of 2015 to fight corruption, insecurity and eradicate poverty in the country.

Today, insecurity is not only peculiar to the Northeast, but we now have insecurity in North Central and North West; APC has failed to control insecurity.

Our campaign is issues based; which is to fight corruption, restore back security and eradicate poverty in the country if voted into power.

The roads we see today were constructed by PDP administration since 2008, other social amenities we have were built by PDP, we appeal to you to vote out APC in the forthcoming elections, he said.

Mr Abubakar gave an assurance that he would create an enabling and friendly environment for businesses and investors, as well as revive industries that would bring about wealth in the country.

Earlier, Senate President and Director General of Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation, Bukola Saraki, decried what he called the high level of poverty, insecurity and corruption in the country.

He said that the APC-led government had failed in providing security for the people.

In his remarks, AUmaru Nasko, PDP gubernatorial flag bearer in Niger, appealed to the people of the State to vote Mr Abubakar as president and himself as the state governor.

He reiterated his promise of N20,000 monthly stipends for unemployed youths in the state if elected as governor.

In their separate remarks, Tanko Berji, Chairman of PDP in Niger, and Muazu Aliyu, a former Governor of Niger State, called on the electorate to come out en masse to vote for PDP candidates across the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other dignitaries in attendance include Tenmu Turaki, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Phillip Aduda, Shem Zagbayi and Zainba Kure.(NAN)A former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, has asked an Abuja division of the Federal High Court to invite some senior Nigerian lawyers as friends of the court for his trial.

Mr Dasuki made the request through his lawyer on Wednesday when his trial was scheduled to resume.

But the court had to adjourn the matter to January 29 following the continued absence of Mr Dasuki in court.

The presiding judge, Ahmed Muhammed, made the adjournment after the defence counsel filed an application to invite the senior lawyers to contribute to the trial of Mr Dasuki.

An amicus curiae or friend of the court (plural, amici curiae) is someone who is not a party to a case and may or may not have been solicited by a party and who assists a court by offering information, expertise, or insight that has a bearing on the issues in the case; and is typically presented in the form of a brief.

The court has the discretion on whether or not to involve an amicus curiae in a trial.

In the opening of session on Wednesday, the defence counsel, Adeola Adedipe, said that he had filed an application before the court.

In the process of time, something happened and we had to file another application, dated and filed January 8.

According to Mr Adedipe, the motion seeks to ask the court to invite some amici curiae.

Those Mr Dasuki is inviting to the court to participate/contribute to his trial include the president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Paul Usoro, two former presidents of the association, Oluwole Olanipekun and Olisa Agbakoba; a teacher of law, Koyinsola Ajayi; human rights activist and lawyer, Femi Falana; and Oyechi Ikpeazu.

Mr Adedipe wants the court to step down the hearing of an application of December 11 for that of January 8 in which Mr Dasuki applied for the participation of friends of the court.

Responding, the prosecution counsel, Oladipupo Opeseyi, said they had been served the application by the Mr Adedipe.

We have just been served the further affidavit, although, the application for December 11 is liberal for hearing and we are ready to go on.

But we would request a few days to enable us react to the new application served on us.

Prior to this, the judge, Mr Muhammed adjourned the matter to January 29 to hearing of the application dated January 8.

Before now, Mr Dasukis lawyers said they want the matter adjourned indefinitely until the Nigerian government complies with a court judgment of July 2, which directed that Mr Dasuki be released immediately.

Nigerias Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, had said the federal government cannot release Mr Dasuki.

Mr Dasuki was arrested in December 2015 and has remained in detention since then despite several court orders for his release.

ADVERTISEMENTAs part of new measures to curb cheating in its examinations, the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) says any candidate with biometric issues must now report at its office in Abuja to resolve the issues and write the examinations.

According to the board, such a candidate will write the examination in any of the boards accredited centres in Abuja.

Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES in a phone interview Wednesday afternoon, the spokesperson of the board, Fabian Benjamin, said the board decided to introduce the measures after it discovered that many candidates use the biometric issue as an excuse to cheat.

Candidates with biometric challenges can only register at JAMB headquarters in Abuja, Mr Benjamin said.

No other CBT centre is allowed to register such candidates.

They will also sit for their examination at JAMB headquarters in Abuja. We noticed that some candidate(s) will just go to these centres and say they cant register, then, they begin to ask for a reschedule or a special day, he said.

This year, sale or registration for all candidates (UTME /DE) including for those outside Nigeria, will run from January 10 to February 21.

Also, the 2019 computer-based test examination will begin on Saturday, March 16 and end on March 23.

Mr Benjamin said a new measure is also in place for candidates to lodge their complaint to the boards headquarters directly.

For ALL complaints on JAMB processes, candidates can create a support ticket at (support.jamb.gov.ng) with his/her email address registered on the Boards site. The candidate then provides his/her name, phone number and the nature of issues, select a complain area on a dropdown and then summarised the nature of the complaint. He/she may also attach supporting documents (if available), then send, he said.

Mr Benjamin advised candidates to register on time before the available space in their town of choice or group of towns is exhausted.

He urged all prospective candidates not to release their passwords to anyone in the process of registration.

Candidates are urged not to give their passwords to anybody. As a matter of fact, at the centre, if anyone asks for your password, dont give it out, he said.

Mr Benjamin said the board would also conduct a mock examination in all the accredited CBT centres to prepare and familiarise interested candidates with CBT environment.

Interested candidates are advised to indicate their interest in the mock examination during registration, provided it is on or before January 31, he said.

He said the MOCK examination will commence from February 23.

Non -JAMB centres are allowed to collect, through their bank account, a separate seven hundred naira (N700) only, for mock exercise from only interested candidates after notification of centres has been received by the candidate(s), he said.

He said no association or body is permitted to run any mock examination on behalf of JAMB.

ADVERTISEMENT

Speaking on measures put in place to assist blind, mute or deaf candidates, Mr Benjamin said such candidates are to indicate their challenge by typing, for example, BLIND, and also picking the option of writing their examination through CBT mode or read examination aloud.

We also doing something for the mute candidates and those that are completely deaf. At the point of registration, they have to confirm if they are deaf or mute. Theyll indicate it there. So that we can give them special attention in the examination hall, he concluded.

Premium Times reported the board saying it has 718 accredited Computer Based Test (CBT) centres across Nigeria, which will help in spreading digital literacy ahead the 2019 examination.

The board also said limiting of registration of candidates to only approved CBT centres was to end extortion of candidates, mixing up of candidates data, malpractice, as well as for monitoring purposes.

JAMB is charged with the responsibility of administering examinations for applicants to Nigerian public and private universities, monotechnics, polytechnics and colleges of education.Court documents show that Spence was sentenced in Superior Court in Hartford on Jan. 10, 2011 to one year in jail for third-degree assault and six months in jail for third-degree criminal mischief.A few months later, on March 30, he was given a suspended sentence for violating a protective order.ADVERTISEMENT

President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated a technical committee that will work on the details and implementation of a new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

Mr Buhari inaugurated the committee on Wednesday at the Council Chamber of the State House Presidential Villa shortly before the commencement of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The committee is chaired by the Managing Director/CEO of Financial Derivatives, Lagos, Bismarck Rewane.

Other members of the team from the private sector are former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, Suleiman Barry, Ayo Teriba, and Akpan Ekpo.

From the public sector are the current Chairman of FIRS, Babatunde Fowler; Director-General of Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, who is the secretary of the committee; representative of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF); Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Richard Egbule; Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack; and the Permanent Secretary General Service Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Olusegun Adekunle.

Others are Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance, Mahmoud Isa-Dutse; Permanent Secretary Ministry of Budget and National Planning, Olajide Odewale; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Ibukun Odusote; and Solicitor General Of the Federation and Permanent Secretary Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata.

The rest are Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, office of the Vice President, Adeyemi Dipeolu; Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Economic Policy Joseph Nnanna; Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris; Director General Debt Management Officer, Patience Oniaga; Director General National Institute of Social and Economic Research, Folarin Gbadebo-Smith; Statistician General, National Bureau of Statistics, Yemi Kale, Aisha Hamad, Mamman Garba, and Tunde Lawal.

Mr Buhari had while presenting the Appropriation Bill 2019 to the National Assembly said he would set up a technical committee on the implementation of a new national minimum wage.

Labour unions on Tuesday began a nationwide protest over the delay in the implementation of the new minimum wage.ADVERTISEMENT

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khadija Ibrahim, has resigned her appointment to run for election as a member of the House of Representatives in the February 16 general elections.

Mrs Ibrahim confirmed to some State House correspondents that Wednesdays Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting would be her last.

She spoke shortly before the commencement of the meeting.

Her resignation comes a month after the former Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Jubril, resigned following his selection as the 13th Emir of Nasarawa.

Mrs Ibrahim is running to represent Damaturu/Tarmuwa/Gujba/Gulani Federal Constituency of Yobe State in the forthcoming general elections.

She defeated her son-in-law, Mohammed Ibrahim, to emerge the candidate of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) for the election.

She scored 1,295 votes to her stepsons 15 votes.

President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Mrs Ibrahim as a minister in 2015.

During the 2015 National Assembly elections, she was elected to represent Damaturu/Tarmuwa/Gujba/Gulani Federal Constituency of Yobe State.

But shortly after she assumed duties at the lower House of parliament, Mr Buhari appointed her to his cabinet.

On April 23, 2016, the Independent National Electoral Commission conducted a by-election to fill the vacant seat.

In the election, Abdullahi Kukuwa of the APC scored 23,745 votes to defeat Nasiru Hassan of the Peoples Democratic Party, who polled 6,990 votes to emerge second.

Adamu Dina of the Advance Congress for Democracy scored 163 votes while Jibrin Ladan of the National Conscience Party scored 139 votes.

Mrs Ibrahim, 52, is a wife of a former three-time governor of Yobe State, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, who is currently serving as a senator. The former governor is not seeking reelection.

A former Commissioner for Transport and Energy in Borno State, the politician was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2007. She was re-elected to the position in 2011 and 2015.

Mrs Ibrahims father was the legendary northern politician, Waziri Ibrahim, a minister in Nigerias first republic and founder of the Great Nigeria Peoples Party in the second republic.ADVERTISEMENT

A former president of the World Bank, Jim Kim, is joining investment firm Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) , chaired by Nigerian investment guru, Adebayo Ogunlesi.

Bloomberg reported Tuesday that Mr Kim, 59, who abruptly resigned as president of the World Bank on Monday, will join the firm next month.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Kim resigned Monday, saying he would join an unnamed investment firm.

GIP focuses on projects in the energy, transport, water and waste industries, with investments in developed and select emerging countries.

Mr Ogunlesi, Nigerian-born investor, acts as chairman and partner at the firm. The firm said Tuesday that Mr Kim will become vice chairman and a partner on February, according to Bloomberg.

Shortly after the ex-World Bank official resigned, there had been reports that he was in discussions to join the firm.

The leadership and vision that Dr. Kim brought to the World Bank as well as his prior roles as president of Dartmouth College and director of the World Health Organizations HIV/AIDS department speak for themselves, Mr Ogunlesi said in a statement announcing the appointment Tuesday.

He added that Mr Kims broad knowledge base along with his first-hand, comprehensive experience of working with governments and institutions around the world will provide very valuable insights.

The immediate past World Bank chief resigned more than three years ahead of schedule, telling employees in an email that he planned joining a private firm.

Adebayo Ogunlesi. [PHOTO CREDIT: Official Facebook page of Adebayo Ogunlesi.]

He began his second five-year term at the bank on July 1, 2017, and helped the lender win support from member countries in April for a $13 billion capital increase, after the U.S. dropped proposals to limit the World Banks resources.

GIP, based in New York, manages more than $40 billion in assets from ports and airports to a vast wind farm in the North Sea. In 2018, the firm teamed up with investors to acquire renewable-power specialist Equis Energy for $5 billion.

The firm is also an owner of Londons Gatwick Airport, and Brookfield Asset Management Inc. having amassed two of the largest infrastructure funds on record.

In an email message, Mr Kim said: The opportunity to join the private sector was unexpected, but Ive concluded that this is the path through which I will be able to make the largest impact on major global issues like climate change and the infrastructure deficit in emerging markets.ADVERTISEMENT

Obiageli Ezekwesili, the presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN), has promised to drive industrialisation in Nigeria if elected in 2019.

She said it would be achieved by encouraging marketers and entrepreneurs.

Mrs Ezekwesili made the pledge when she launched her campaign at the Mararaba and Nyanya markets in the FCT on Wednesday.

According to her, ACPN is positioned to promote economic and educational policies that will better the livelihood of ordinary Nigerians, especially the marketers and entrepreneurs.

As soon as we assume office, I will ensure that children of the ordinary traders in the market receive free education.

We have discovered that majority of children hawking on streets during school hours are children of common Nigerians and petty traders.

My aspiration is geared towards ensuring that killings are stopped in the country and every family has food on their table, she said.

Mai kurege che live in Mararaba market https://t.co/bnl7sCRf4X  Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) January 9, 2019

She stressed the need to create a responsive government framework which would stimulate the entrepreneurial class to support the growth of new businesses in the country.

Mrs Ezekwesili called on all Nigerians to vote ACPN in the general elections, to save the country from collapse and bad governance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the candidate danced with the marketers while sharing handbills and her manifesto. (NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

With 37 days to the general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for a new approach to the deployment of security forces during the election.

The chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu, said this at the opening of its regular quarterly meeting of the inter-agency consultative committee on election security (ICCES).

This meeting, Mr Yakubu said, is primarily to update members of ICCES on its preparation for the elections and hear from the security agencies on their preparations so far.

He also noted the Nigerian Police Force remains the lead agency for election security while other security agencies play a supportive role to the Nigeria Police.

Learning from the experience of off-season elections conducted since 2015, it is pertinent to draw our attention to the need for a different approach to the deployment of security forces during elections.

He said a new security architecture for 2019 is consistent with the provision of Section 29 (3) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which allows the commission to request for the deployment of relevant security personnel necessary for elections or registration of voters and assign them in a manner to be determined by the Commission, in consultation with the relevant security agencies.

In line with this, the Commission said its request for the deployment of the Nigerian Armed Forces is only to secure the distribution and delivery of election materials and protection of election officials.

He said the meeting will deliberate on modalities for actualising the provision of the law.

In particular, we are committed to ensuring that elections are organised in such a manner that the security agencies are not perceived to be running parallel arrangement with INEC. Rather, it should strictly be INECs plan for the election that should be implemented.

The Commission, which has so far, accomplished 10 out of 14 activities on the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the election, has been meeting with major actors from the political parties, to CSOs, to road transport unions and the media, to ensure all hands are on deck, to make the election a successful one.

The four outstanding activities are the publication of the list of candidates, the submission of the names of polling agents by political parties, the last day of campaign and the dates for the two categories of elections which is February 16 for Presidential and National Assembly election while governorship and state house of assemblies elections will hold on March 2.

Also in preparation towards the election, the commission released the national register of voters for the elections which stands at 84,004,084 voters.

This, the chairman said, is the largest database of citizens in Africa and one of the largest voter registers in the world.

He, therefore, appreciated the collaboration of security agencies in facilitating the smooth conduct of the exercise.ADVERTISEMENT

President Muhammadu Buhari has reacted to allegations that his ruling All Progressives Congress protects corrupt politicians once they join the party.

The president said he would not spare anyone if there were evidence proving wrongdoing.

Allegations of lopsided corruption war have dogged the administration, with critics saying the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has focused on opposition politicians and lets them off the hook once they become APC members.

The party denies the claim, pointing to the conviction of two former governors  Joshua Dariye or Plateau and Jolly Nyame of Taraba  who joined the APC while facing corruption trial.

Still, the defection on Tuesday of the deputy national chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party for north, Babayo Gamawa, was greeted with similar concerns after it emerged Mr Gamawa was standing trial for alleged N500 million fraud.

In an interview with ThisDay newspaper and Arise Television, President Buhari said he had not directed anti-graft agencies not to go after corrupt politicians who joined the ruling party.

Pressed on the example of former Akwa Ibom governor, Godswill Akpabio, whom some accuse of quitting his former party, PDP, to escape prosecution, the president said such claims were unfair to him.

The EFCC alleged a N108.1 billion fraud case against Mr Akpabio, a former Senate minority leader. The former influential member of the PDP was arrested at least twice by the EFCC.

However, in August 2018, he resigned his position as the senate minority leader and formally defected to the APC.

Although there was no mention of the EFCC when he gave his reasons for joining the APC, there were speculations as to why he left the PDP  prominent among which is the fact that he is avoiding prosecution by the anti-graft agencies.

Nothing has been heard of any case against him since.

When asked about Mr Akpabio, the president said he does not spare anyone found guilty of corruption.

It is very unfair allegation against my integrity I do not spare anybody unless I dont have the facts. I dont think Akpabio  whatever he did when he moved to the APC  I said he should be left alone, he said.

I cant remember asking the EFCC, ICPC, the police or anybody to spare any corrupt person or incompetent person. I havent done it and I challenge you to expose any, he said.ADVERTISEMENT

An Abuja division of the Federal High Court has adjourned to January 21 a suit seeking the disqualification of the president, Muhammadu Buhari, over alleged false information contained in form cf 001 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2019 election.

The plaintiffs, Kalu Kalu, Labaran Ismail, and Hassy Kyari el-Kuris, are alleging that Mr Buhari lied in his form, cf 001, submitted to INEC, regarding his educational qualification/certificate.

The suit, which was filed on behalf of the plaintiffs by Ukpai Ukiro, has as the first defendant, Mr Buhari, the APC as the second defendant, and INEC as the third defendant.

The suit, with no: FHC/CS/ABJ/1310/2018, wants the court to determine, whether having regard to the information in the affidavit contained in the 1st defendants INECs form, cf 001 regarding his educational qualification /certificate, the 1st defendant has submitted False information to the 3rd defendant.

Whether from the facts and exhibit contained in the affidavit in support of this originating sermon and having regard to section 31 (5 and 6) of the electoral act as amended, the first defendant is disqualified from running for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2019 general election.

Whether the first defendant, having submitted false information to the third defendant, the second defendant can validly present the first defendant as its candidate for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the 2019 general elections.

Upon the determination of the above question, the plaintiff is, therefore, seeking a court declaration, that the first defendant submitted false information regarding his educational qualification /certificate for the purpose of contesting election into the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The plaintiffs, in addition, want the court to declare that the first defendant, having submitted false information regarding his educational qualification/certificate, is disqualified from contesting election into the office of the president of Nigeria.

Consequent upon this, the plaintiffs are seeking an order of court disqualifying the first defendant from presenting himself and or contesting as president in the general election.

The plaintiffs also asked for an order of the court, directing the third defendant to reject/remove the first defendants name as the presidential candidate of the second defendant submitted to it for the 2019 general election.

An order of this honourable court restraining the first defendant from parading himself as the presidential candidate of the second defendant for the 2019 general election.

An order of this honourable court restraining the second defendant from parading the first defendant as the second defendants presidential candidate for the 2019 general election.

During the court session on Wednesday, counsel to the plaintiffs, U. C Ndubisi, informed the court that the matter is for mention, adding that all the defendants have been served all the process.

Mr Ndubisi added that the first defendant asked for an extension of time, as well as filing a preliminary objection to the originating sermon.

He, therefore, asked for time to respond to the first defendants application.

Subsequently, the judge, Ahmed Muhammad, adjourned to January 21 for the hearing of the main suit and the preliminary objection.

Mr Muhammad also ordered hearing notices to be served on the second and third defendant.ADVERTISEMENT

President Muhammadu Buhari has no integrity and his government is corrupt, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has said.

Speaking in a Channels TV interview Wednesday, in his capacity as the director general of the Atiku Campaign Council, Mr Saraki said the president was tolerating corrupt associates and that has cost him his integrity.

There is no doubt that there are corrupt people around the system. If the President is fighting corruption truly, I am baffled how a member of his government who was found wanting, up till today, no charge, no prosecution, the senate president said.

To me, once you can do that, you lose integrity, the moral high ground to say you are fighting corruption. You must show that nobody is above the law, you must show that no matter how close anybody is to you that youll take action and thats not happening, he said.

Responding to a question on whether the president himself is corrupt, Mr Saraki said it is the administration that is corrupt.

Based on the action Ive seen, yes his government is corrupt if you are not taking action when people are corrupt. Why condoning it?

It will be right to say the government of Buhari is corrupt. If you are the head of a government, you take responsibility. So, anything that is done by a government that is corrupt and action is not being taken by the head of that, then the government is corrupt.

Mr Saraki, who parted ways with the All Progressives Congress in July 2018, cautioned opposition supporters against blaming the PDP for the countrys problems.

A government comes into power and says I will create jobs. Instead of creating it has lost jobs up to 20 million. It now blames it on the government of 16 years ago. No. You came into government, you said this is what I promise and you did not deliver. To now blame that on a government that was there before is no excuse. If you cannot create new jobs, at least sustain the existing ones.

Mr Saraki made reference to fuel subsidy controversy under the Buhari administration to further characterise the Buhari administration as corrupt.

In 2015, one of the areas we labelled the Jonathan government of corruption was the issue of fuel subsidy scam. One of the major issues that came up then was that we were importing fuel based on our assumption of 30 million consumption daily and all experts will tell you that Nigeria cannot consume maximum 22 million litres per day.

At that time, we said the Jonathan government was corrupt. You will then think that a government that was to fight corruption, different leakages will ensure that the subsidy is better managed.

Instead of bringing down the 30 million, the government is doing 50 million. We cannot consume 50 million litres per day. It is those money being stolen.

I said it last year that you must bring subsidy into the budget. NNPC convinced the President to say it is not subsidy but under-recovery. It is not subsidy. What is under-recovery? Finally, in 2019 the president decided to bring it. He should have done that all along, he said.ADVERTISEMENT

Babayo Gamawa, the former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, who defected to the All Progressives Congress Tuesday after he was suspended by the PDP, is accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of a N500 million fraud.

Mr Gamawa is standing trial alongside five chieftains of the PDP in Bauchi State for alleged receipt of illicit N500 million for the 2015 campaigns of the party.

The money, according to the anticorruption agency, the EFCC, was part of the slush funds allegedly deployed for the elections by ex-petroleum minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke.

The commission charged Mr Gamawa and other accused persons before a federal high court in Bauchi, in June, 2018.

PREMIUM TIMES could not establish the progress of the case at the time of filing this report.

Welcomed with open arms

The corruption case against him, notwithstanding, he was welcomed with open arms by the APC, hours after he was suspended for alleged anti-party activities by the PDP.

Mr Gamawa was received by President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Tuesday evening.

The politician was led to the president by Bauchi State governor, Mohammed Abubakar, and was joined by another defector, Kaulaha Aliyu, a member of the PDPs Board of Trustees.

A spokesperson for Mr Buhari, Femi Adesina, shared pictures of his boss and Mr Gamawa late on Tuesday, describing the latter as a new entrant into APC.

While sharing the pictures of visit, Mr Adesina wrote: President Buhari receives in audience New Entrant into APC Former Deputy National Chairman of PDP Senator Babayo Garba Gamawa and Hon. Kaulaha Aliyu alongside Bauchi State Governor in State House on 8th Jan 2019.

Accused of fiddling with the ruling party and dereliction of duties, Mr Gamawas former party announced his suspension Tuesday morning.

The national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Mr Gamawa was suspended by the National Working Committee (NWC), following a petition.

He said the committee held an extraordinary session on January 5, where it reviewed the petition against the deputy national chairman.

The NWC found merit in the petition on allegation of dereliction of duty and anti-party activity as contained in Section 58 (1) e, f, g, h of the PDP Constitution.

Therefore, in exercise of section 29 (2) a, b and c, the NWC hereby invokes Section 59 (1) d of the constitution of the PDP on the Deputy National Chairman (North) and accordingly suspends him from the party immediately.ADVERTISEMENT

President Muhamadu Buhari has assured that he will act on the lingering controversy surrounding the retirement of Nigerias Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris.

Speaking exclusively to ThisDay/ Arise TV, Mr Buhari took responsibility for not changing his military and security chiefs since 2015.

The president has come under criticisms in recent days over his inaction on the police IGs retirement despite his perceived inefficiency.

According to public service laws, the occupant of the office of the Inspector-General of Police is to retire after spending the mandatory 35 years in service or attaining 60 years of age.

Mr Idris is expected to retire from service after clocking 60 on January 15.

On Monday, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), a group of opposition political parties, threatened a mass protest on January 15 if Mr Idris is not retired.

In reaction to this and other calls for action, Mr Buhari said he was not afraid of the police boss, and that he would take action.

I saw on the television, somebody has given me last warning toI have accepted responsibility, I dont think I am afraid of him and I dont think I have organised roadblocks and got collections from it to say that I will lose some part of my revenue from him, he said jokingly.

I will take action, he added.

Former Inspector-General of Police, Idris Ibrahim

Responding to questions on why he has not changed service chiefs, Mr Buhari said he is waiting for the appropriate time as making changes during emergency would be counterproductive.

I am measuring the options critically. When you have a case of emergency, if you dont wait for an appropriate time to do it, then you create competition within the service, he said. There are so many ambitious people waiting, only one man can be Chief of Army Staff in the army, only one man can be the Inspector-General of Police. Dont forget that it was this administration that appointed all the three.

I didnt know them on personal basis. I followed records and thought I picked the best then. Of course, their performance may be disappointing but I accept responsibility for not changing them. My reason is based on my own experience.The staff of the Litchfield Jazz Festival is presenting the fourth installment of their free virtual concert series for April.ADVERTISEMENT

Stooges of former Libya leader, Muamar Gaddafi, constitute the terrorists perpetrating evil acts in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari has said.

The bandits, who escaped from Libya after the death of their leader in 2011 took to terrorism, the brunt of which Nigeria and some other African countries are currently bearing, Mr Buhari added.

Mr Gaddafi, who led Libya for decades, was in 2011 killed during the Arab Spring that saw citizens of several Arab countries taking up arms against sit-tight dictators.

Contrary to public belief that killings in some region are the handiwork of Nigerian herders and terrorists, the president is convinced that the unsavoury legacy of Mr Gaddafi is still haunting Nigeria and other countries.

The Nigerian cattle herder use to carry nothing more than a stick, but these are people with AK-47 and people refuse to reflect on the demise of Gaddafi, Mr Buhari said in an exclusive interview with Arise TV.

Gaddafi for 43 years in Libya, at some stage, he decided to recruit people from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, from Central African Republic and these young chaps are not taught to be bricklayers, electricians, plumbers or any trade but to shoot and kill.

So, when the opposition in Libya succeeded in killing him, they arrested some and they did what they did to them. The rest escaped with their orphans and we encounter some of them in the North-east and they are all over the place now organising attacks.

This is not the first time Mr Buhari will be shifting blames of Nigerias insecurity on Mr Gaddafi who has been dead for over seven years now.

While speaking with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in April, Mr Buhari said arms Mr Gaddafi provided to his supporters had filtered into Nigeria where they are now being used to fuel killings across the North-central.

The problem is even older than us, Mr Buhari said of killings. It has always been there, but now made worse by the influx of armed gunmen from the Sahel region into different parts of the West African sub-region.

These gunmen were trained and armed by Muammar Gaddafi of Libya. When he was killed, the gunmen escaped with their arms. We encountered some of them fighting with Boko Haram, Mr Buhari had said.

Self Appraisal

In the latest interview, President Buhari said his government has succeeded in reducing the activities of terrorists in the North-east by reducing their stronghold from 17 local governments to none.

Recent media reports however reveal that the insurgents have taken over at least six communities in the region. The military dispute this.

Mr Buhari asked for responsible reportage and leadership from Nigerian journalists and concerned state governments to stem the challenge.

On the deadly crisis in Zamfara State, Mr Buhari said his government had several times changed police personnel to ensure effectiveness.

We virtually changed all the officers for more than three years in Zamfara State and we did a lot of cross posting and so on. There are issues that I dont go public (on) as the commander in chief because it will affect the morale of men in the front, so, I try to keep quiet. So the situation in the North-west and the North-east are better.Impressed by the outstanding performance of some states under the Saving One Million Lives Programme for Result (SOML-PforR), the federal government has disbursed more funds.

Yobe State was awarded the highest amount of the newly disbursed funds as it got $29 million (appox. N10.5 billion) being the highest performing state under SOML- PforR in 2018.

This was followed by Osun State which got $20 million (N7.3 billion).

The official event to mark the disbursement was supervised by President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa were he also launched the National Stategic Health Development Plan II (NSHDP) 2018  2022 and rolled out the implementation of the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund (BHCPF).

SOML- PforR is a flagship of the federal government conceived in 2012 but repackaged in 2015 following a $ 500 million credit from the World Bank.

The programme is a paradigm shift from traditional input based to result based financing of healthcare.

It is intended to save the lives of mothers and children by increasing access to utilisation of evidence based, cost-effective and high impact maternal, child and nutrition interventions in Nigeria and change the federal-state relationship to a result based partnership.

The programme was initiated by the World Bank and federal government and has six intervention areas: immunisation coverage (Pentavalent-3), bed net used by children under five, vitamin A supplementation, family planning, Hiv testing during pregnancy and skilled birth attendance in terms of quantity and quality of cure.

Other Benefitting States

Other benefiting states include Borno which got $13 million, FCT $9 million, Kano $8 million, Nasarawa $7.5 million, Adamawa $7 million, Niger $ 6 million, Jigawa N5.6 million.

Other states which also benefitted are Ondo, Edo, Anambra, Bauchi, Ekiti, Benue, among others.

The 36 states and FCT last year were given $1 million each for the implementation of the SOML-PforR programme as intervention in the six selected areas of healthcare delivery.

After the implementation of the programme by all states in 2018, a survey was conducted and all were ranked by performance.

Speaking on the disbursement of the funds, the president, who was represented by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udoma reiterated the efforts of the government to revitalise the healthcare system.

For the implementation of the BHCPF, we shall focus more on people living in the rural areas and the vulnerable population in our society, such as women, children under five years of age and the elderly.

In his remark, the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole said the NSHDP II was designed to enable federal and state governments implement health policies in the country according to laid down procedure.

He added that the document which was approved by the Federal Executive Council had the overall goal of ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being of Nigeria populace.

He also assured that implementation of the plan would in next five years greatly improve the Nigeria health system and also drastically reduce maternal mortality rate.

Mr Adewole also added that the fund for the SOML-PforR was provided by the National Health Act (2014) as a special intervention to improve healthcare delivery system at all levels.

ADVERTISEMENT

The minister therefore advised state governors to key into the National Strategic Health Development Plan II for effective synergy between the federal and the state governments.

Meanwhile, speaking on the newly disbursed fund and performance of SOML- PforR in Osun State, the state commisioner of health, Rafiu Isamotu in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES said the state got the funds because of its achievements in the implementation in six areas of interest of the programne.

Osun State had previously gotten funds from the SOML- PforR and this was adjudged to have been utilised effectively, thus earning them second position among states with high performance in the programme.

Mr Isamotu said the newly disbursed funds is a reward for performance in the previous exercise.

According to him, the state wants a paradigm shift from what they had where a lot of development partners bring money into developing the health sector and results are not being seen.

He said with the new fund, the state would endeavour to do more so as to get to the first position.

Mr Isamotu however admitted it is not going to be an easy feat.

The more you spend positively, the more money you win. Basically because we have moved from where we were in 2016, that is what won us the money.

We hope to do better and move first but if care is not taken there is a tendency of moving to zero. We hope we do not. We are also one of the six states to benefit from the initial rollout of the BHCPF, we are prepared for it. We already have our health Insurance scheme in place as well as the Primary Health Care Development Board, he added.ADVERTISEMENT

Belgian authorities have arrested a man suspected of supplying weapons for the November 2015 terrorist attacks on Paris, the Belga news agency reported on Wednesday.

The attacks by members of the Islamic State extremist organisation killed 130 people at the Bataclan theatre, cafe and bar terraces in the East of the French capital, and in the citys Stade de France stadium.

The suspect, identified as Mohamed E, was arrested and charged in late December on suspicion of playing a role in the delivery of Kalashnikov assault rifles, Belga wrote.

The arrest was first reported in various Belgian media and was confirmed to Belga by the federal prosecution agency.

According to initial findings, Mohamed E was in contact with Mohamed Bakkali, another Paris suspect who is believed to have rented safe houses and apartments under a false identity for those involved in the Paris plot and later attacked in Brussels, Belga wrote.

Bakkali was arrested in Belgium and later extradited to France.

Meanwhile, Belgian media reported that a former fighter for the Islamic State had stolen a hard drive containing autopsy reports on the victims of the March 22, 2016 terrorist attacks in Brussels.

The crown prosecution confirmed in a statement that a hard disc containing a full computer backup had been stolen from the on-site medical examiners office on Friday, alongside other items.

The prosecution added that a suspect has been arrested, however, denying all involvement, noting that it was premature to say that specific documents had been targeted. (dpa/NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

A former Israeli Minister on Wednesday pleaded guilty of spying on behalf of Iran, six months after his arrest, the State Attorneys Office said.

In an announcement to the Jerusalem District Court, the State Attorneys office said former minister Gonen Segev, signed a plea bargain, under which he will serve 11 years in jail.

Mr Segev admitted in serious espionage and providing information to the enemy, the State Attorneys office said.

According to Israels Shin Bet security service, Mr Segev had met several times with Iranian intelligence officials over the past six years, delivering them information.

In May, Mr Segev was extradited from Equatorial Guinea and arrested in Israel.

Segev, 62, a former parliament member with the right-wing party of Tzomet served as Israels minister of energy and infrastructure from 1994 to 1996.

After his political career, he turned to business.

In 2004, he was arrested for attempting to smuggle thousands of ecstasy pills from Amsterdam to Israel.

He admitted guilty amidst a plea bargain and served five years in prison.

(Xinhua/NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

The Macedonian parliament on Wednesday, opened the final debate on constitutional changes to change the countrys name in line with an agreement with Greece.

The debate is also to open the door for the nation a member of NATO and the start of EU accession talks.

The debate would end with a vote in which a two-third majority among the 120 lawmakers needs to back amendments renaming what is now the Republic of Macedonia to the Republic of Northern Macedonia.

Already, there were two votes in the process, the first requiring a two-third majority to launch the procedure in October and the second, with a simple majority requirement, determining the text of the amendments in December.

Report says a successful vote is the final step for Skopje to end a long-running diplomatic dispute with Greece over the name Macedonia.

Social Democratic Prime Minister, Zoran Zaev and his leftist Greek counterpart, Alexis Tsipras agreed in June that, Macedonia would add the geographic qualifier to its name.

Athens claims the name Macedonia and its historic legacy for its ancient northern province.

Accusing Skopje of trying to steal the name, the history, and of territorial aspirations, Greece has been blocking its northern neighbour from international organisations since it emerged from the former Yugoslavia in 1991.

Both Messrs Zaev and Tsipras faced loud opposition to the deal.

In Skopje, protests against the name change, which nationalists on both sides of the border branded as capitulation, have been scheduled for Wednesday.

The vote is due to be held not later than January 15.

After Mr Zaev does his part, Mr Tsipras is to push its ratification through the Greek parliament.

(Dpa/NAN)ADVERTISEMENT

German Development Minister, Gerd Mueller, on Wednesday has had his travel plans disrupted during a trip to southern Africa after his plane broke down.

Muellers plans went haywire after his Global 5000 plane broke down in Malawi on Monday.

He was able to take a commercial flight to Zambia, but has been forced to stay there longer than originally planned, and had to cancel a scheduled visit to Namibia.

He was still in Zambia on Wednesday as a spare part for the defective plane was due to arrive in Malawi from South Africa, a spokeswoman said.

He was supposed to return to Germany from Namibia on Wednesday evening  however, until the replacement component arrives from Johannesburg, he will be stranded.

The government spokeswoman said he would probably be able to return on Friday.

The spokeswoman said that the mechanics, who would be able to fix the government plane had already arrived in Malawi.

It is not the first time in recent months that the political representatives of Europes biggest economy have been beset by aviation issues.

In November, Chancellor Angela Merkel was late to arrive at the G20 summit in Argentina after her plane was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Cologne due to a technical defect.

And in October, members of German Finance Minister Olaf Scholzs delegation were stranded in Indonesia after rodents gnawed through the cables of a government plane during the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). (dpa/NAN)Movie title: Lionheart

Screen time: 94 mins

Director: Genevieve Nnaji

Starring: Genevieve Nnaji, Nkem Owoh, Pete Edochie, Onyeka Onwenu

Year of Release: 2018

Languages: English Language, Igbo language

Genevieve Nnajis directorial debut, Lionheart, is destined to be remembered as the film which changed the face of Nollywood.

Beyond anything else, it has also made history as the first Nigerian movie to be acquired by NETFLIX. And that, in itself, is a big deal. But, this is not what makes this movie special.

While Nollywood films mostly rely on popular faces to make their films successful, Ms Nnajis die-hard fans have rated this film a hit.

Lionheart, whose cinema screening in Nigeria was initially halted due to alleged industry controversies, rode heavily on Genevieves star power. But then, it has also got a tight script to match.

However, contrary to what the average Nollywood movie buff might think, Genevieve is not the star of Lionheart, which arrived Friday, on Netflix.

But, she is the heart of the movie, among other roles, in this story about a daughter who must find a way to work alongside her uncle to save her fathers ailing Bus Company.

A great story, packed full with lots of values, this movie couldnt have come at a much better time in Nigerias history than now.

The international audience gets to the see the other side of Nigeria which is often not portrayed in Nollywood. It is not your average Nollywood movie plot.

Genevieve also did an amazing job in assembling the big names.

What its about

The opening minutes boldly announce Genevieves influence in the film. The movie begins with Genevieve (Adaeze) trying to persuade a mob to vacate her fathers transport company.

As we all know, running a company can be challenging, especially if you are a female in a male-dominated industry. And so, looking to prove her worth, Adaeze steps up to the challenge when her father, Chief Ernest Obiagu is forced to take a step back due to health issues.

ADVERTISEMENT

Her father appoints his crude and eccentric brother, Godswill, instead, to run the company with her. She works with her crude and eccentric uncle to save the family business in dire financial straits, resulting in crazy and often hilarious results.

Complications arise when they discover that the family business is in dire financial straits and both Adaeze and Godswill try to save the company in their own way to crazy and often hilarious results.

The movie captures the challenges of a female in a male-dominated industry. It is also a far departure from new Nollywood movies that tend to situate their plot in Lagos. Lionheart was shot in Enugu and Kano States. The cinematography and locations are brilliant.

For once, we see a contemporary Igbo film that celebrates a female child rather than the male. It is also an authentic indigenous film that is true to the Nigerian roots  no phoney accents, grandiose lifestyle and weaves flying all over the place.

Lionheart is heavy on family values which is evident in the family dinner scene where Nkem Owoh puts up a brilliant performance.

The portrayal of Igbo and Hausa culture in the contemporary Nigerian setting also made the movie a delight to watch. Not only does the plot preach unity in diversity, it was also devoid of any stock characters.

It was interesting to see Nkem Owoh play the good guy for once. The father-daughter moment wherein Genevieves father said to her, If you stop swinging, Im gone, was rather emotional yet beautiful.

For the most part, the dialogue is in Igbo, with English subtitles, yet it appears good enough to captivate the non-Igbo-speaking audience.

Pardonable flaws

Peter Okoye of the P-Square fame, made his acting debut in the movie and could hardly put up a memorable performance.

Ditto for Igbo rap music sensation, Phyno, who played Genevieves brother but failed to pull his weight in the film.

Chika Okpala of Zebrudayas fame should have been given a speaking role while Genevieve ought to have spoken more Igbo in the film. But the simplicity of the story line and rich dialogue made up for those bland moments.

The verdict

Genevieve is the big name, but Nkem Owoh, Pete Edochie, and a refreshingly different story line, makes this movie one of the best things to happen to Nollywood, in recent times.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 14:00:59

NORTH YORK, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 9, 2019 / ZTEST Electronics Inc. ("ZTEST" or the "Company") (CSE - "ZTE") wishes to announce that it will make application to extend the exercise date of 312,500 warrants currently exercisable until January 31, 2019 at $1.10 per share, issued pursuant to the private placement financing which closed on January 30, 2018, for a further year until January 31, 2020. There has been no change to the warrant exercise price.At the Annual Meeting held on January 8, 2019, three of the four directors nominated by management were re-elected, being Steve Smith, Mike Guerreiro and Brendan Purdy. The number of shares withheld from William J Brown exceeded the number of shares voted for him and he tendered his resignation as a director in accordance with the majority voting policy of the Company, which resignation was accepted by the duly elected directors. The Board of Directors would like to thank Mr. Brown for his service to the Company as a director and Chairman of the Audit Committee and wish him the best in his future endeavours.About ZTEST Electronics Inc.ZTEST Electronics Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary Permatech Electronics Corp. ("Permatech"), offers Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) to a wide range of customers. Permatech's offering includes Materials Management, Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Assembly, Testing and Design services. Permatech operates from a 20,000 square foot, ISO 9001:2015 certified facility in North York, Ontario, Canada. The company serves customers in the Medical, Power, Computer, Telecommunications, Wireless, Industrial and Consumer Electronics markets requiring high quality, quick-turnaround, small and medium size production runs. ZTEST also holds a 25.29% equity interest in Conversance Inc. ("Conversance"). ZTEST has entered into a non-binding letter of intent to invest $293,200 in Twenty49 in exchange for a 27.14% equity ownership interest in Twenty49.About Conversance Inc.Conversance, a private company based in Waterloo, Ont., founded by Mr. Chen, is focused on developing and marketing proprietary artificial-intelligence supported distributed ledger technologies. Mr. Chen is an electrical engineer with a strong background in radio frequency, digital signal processing, VLSI (very-large-scale integration), complex systems, chemistry and physics. Mr. Chen joined Research in Motion (now BlackBerry) in 1999, becoming a senior member of the office of the chief technology officer, where he was instrumental in many of Blackberry's key telephony innovations and patents. While at BlackBerry, the office of the CTO first began looking into blockchain in 2008.About Twenty49 Technologies Inc.Twenty49, based in Waterloo, Ont., and founded by David Hwang, is focused on providing a suite of technologies that enable Cannabis entities to boost operational efficiencies and increase revenues. Mr. Hwang is a physicist by training with a wide-ranging background including startup CEO (with several successful exits mostly in the Hospitality space), Hedge Fund Quant, and Cannabis entrepreneur. Mr. Hwang will be leveraging his data monetization experience in hospitality technology and simply applying these past learnings to the nascent Cannabis vertical. Mr. Hwang is a sought-after speaker on the subject of data monetization (TEDx Raleigh, BigDataTech Talks, etc.) and has received several honors including; RSPA Most Innovative Solution Award, Big Data Innovation Summit (Finalist).For more information contact:Steve Smith, CEO(604) 837-3751email: stevesmith15@ shaw.ca The CSE has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. The CSE does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: ZTEST Electronics Inc.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 15:00:30

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Bhudholiya

Manager

+1-347-918-3531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 704 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1-347-918-3531

Yellow fever is a viral infection which is transmitted from infected female mosquitoes, a particular type of mosquito species called Aedes. The haemogogus mosquitos species also spread the yellow fever infection. The yellow fever infection occurs worldwide but the prevalence of fever is majorly found in 47 endemic countries of Latin America, Central America and African region. Humans and monkeys are most commonly infected with the yellow fever due to viral infection. Children & geriatric population is more prone to the yellow fever infection owing to poor immune response. The symptoms of the mild yellow fever are headache, fever, vomiting and nausea but the in some cases , the symptoms can be more severe and resulted into heart, kidney and liver problems along with the internal bleeding.Yellow fever is considered to be the dreadful disease as it may resulted into severe complications and in some cases death due to non-availability of specific treatment. The preventive vaccination is the preferable source to overcome on the spread of yellow fever, which has become the opportunity for the growth of the yellow fever vaccines and treatment market over a forecast period.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6883 Yellow Fever Treatment Market: SegmentationThe global yellow fever treatment market is segmented on the basis of indication, treatment type, solution type and end user.On the basis of Treatment Type, the global yellow fever vaccines market is segmented into:Oral RehydrationPain Management DrugsOn the basis of End User, the global yellow fever treatment market is segmented into:Government HospitalsClinicsCommunity Health CentresASCsYellow Fever Treatment Devices Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe global yellow fever treatment market is anticipated to register a significant CAGR over a forecast period. The increasing prevalence of the yellow fever disease as viral infection is easily spreading by the mosquitoes, which is anticipated to bolster the demand of yellow fever treatment and drives the growth of the global yellow fever treatment market over the forecast period. The yellow fever vaccine is safe, affordable and it also provide life-long immunity against yellow fever viral infection, which also anticipated to boost the growth of the global yellow fever treatment market. The strict regulations and strongly recommends by the WHO regarding vaccination for every person who is older than 9 months in the disease prone area. WHO also recommends vaccination for all travelers who visit areas prone to the risk of yellow fever, is anticipated to propel the demand of yellow fever vaccines and has become the growth factor of the market. The continuous research and development activities in the yellow fever and related disease treatment also expected to drives the growth of the global yellow fever treatment market over the long run.However, the possible side effects of yellow fever vaccination such as headache, muscle pain, joint pain, swelling and body aches may hamper the demand for the yellow fever treatment and restrain the growth of the global market. Supply side infrastructure bottleneck restraints such as standardized diagnostic practice, surveillance system and cold chain system for vaccine storage also may affect the growth of the global yellow fever treatment market over the forecast period.Yellow Fever Treatment Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of regional presence, the global yellow fever treatment market is segmented into eight key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding China and Japan, China, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Currently, North America is contributing the leading shares to the global yellow fever treatment market in terms of value and anticipated to register a significant CAGR over a forecast period. The Europe is also contributing the moderate shares to the market due to the advanced medical facilities, awareness and regulation about the vaccination for yellow fever disease in the region. APAC is the most lucrative market for the yellow fever treatment due to the increasing prevalence of the yellow fever treatment in the region and expected to show a robust growth to the global yellow fever treatment market.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6883 Some of the major market players in yellow fever treatment market globally include Sanofi Pasteur SA, Bio-Manguinhos, Institut Pasteur de Dakar, FSUE Chumakov, iBio Inc. and others.Persistence Market Research (PMR)

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 07:34:46

Press Information

Persistence Market Research (PMR)

305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



yogesh sengar

Team Lead

+1-646-568-7751

email

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com





# 436 Words

305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Team Lead+1-646-568-7751

Xanthan gum is a microbial polysaccharide used as a thickener in several industries such as food and beverages, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical. It is also known by other names such as bacterial polysaccharide, and corn sugar gum. Xanthan gum is manufactured by fermenting corn sugar with a bacterium named Xanthomonas Campestris. After the consumption of food containing xanthan gum, it swells in the intestine and stimulates the digestive tract. Xanthan gum also slows the absorption of sugar in the digestive tract and functions like saliva to lubricate the mouth of people who have Sjogrens syndrome. Xanthan gums are also used in drilling activities in the oil and gas sector. Food and beverage is the key end-use industry for xanthan gum and the bakery and confectionary industry accounts for the largest demand.The growth of end user industries is the key driver for the global xanthan gums market. Rising disposable income is propelling the demand for food and cosmetics, which is consequently boosting the demand for xanthan gums. The consumption of convenience foods that contain xanthan gums has also increased significantly in the recent past. The increasing population and a growing economically-active population in Asia Pacific is further increasing demand for on-the-go foods. Increasing government investment in healthcare is also boosting pharmaceutical sales across the globe, which is driving the xanthan gums market.A mounting demand for gluten-free foods is also driving the xanthan gum market. Xanthan gum is used in the gluten-free baking process for several products such as cookies, cakes and pancakes, muffins and quick breads, breads, pizza dough, and salad dressings. Among these, xanthan gum is used in large quantities in the preparation of pizza dough. The nutritional characteristic of xanthan gum further increases its acceptability, as it contains carbohydrates and fiber. One of the greatest restraints for the xanthan gum market is the availability of guar gum as a substitute. However, guar gum is mostly used in ice cream and pastry fillings, whereas xanthan gum finds its largest use in the manufacturing of bakery products. Another restraint for the xanthan gum market is that it is not suitable for people with certain allergies.Asia Pacific dominated the global xanthan gum market in 2014 owing to increasing demand for bakery and confectionary products from countries such as China, India, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Europe also has a large share in the xanthan gum market thanks to its large bakery and confectionary industries. Key players in the global xanthan gum market include Danisco, Cargill, Pfizer Inc, Jungbunzlauer, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), CP Kelco, and Fufeng Group Company Ltd.Request For Report Sample@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4843Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Global study on swine feed market share, trends and analysis

The global swine feed market is valued at $XX million in 2017, and is expected to reach $XX million by 2025, growing at a CAGR of XX% from 2018 to 2025.

Changing aspects of global swine feed market

The driving factors for the growth of global swine feed market are-

 High demand for healthy pork meat leading to rise in pork meat production

 Increases cases of various diseases leading to rise in feed which is medicated and nutrient infused feed

 With addition to R & D activities for newer swine feed products that can enhance the swine health

However, high cost of feed, feed deterioration due to environmental factors and lack of awareness about use of medicated and nutrient infused feed in undeveloped countries are restraining factors affecting the global swine feed market.

A sample of this report is available upon request @

https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/swine-feed-market/#ulp-4H8Z4LpNMLEuOnnx

Regional analysis:

Asia-Pacific region holds the largest share in the swine feed market. Due to high pork consumption in this region, the health quality leading to good quality meat is pushing the boundary for swine feed market too. This has also led to many companies to set their base in Asia-Pacific regions. Closely followed by Europe and U.S. Countries such as Australia, New Zealand, North Korea, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines witnessed the highest demand for swine feed which is positively impacting the market for swine feed.

North America comes second in production of pork and is largest exporter of pork meat.

While Europe market is experiencing substantial growth owing to increasing pork consumption combined with strict regulatory practices regarding meat production.

Market summary:

To produce good quality pork meat and increase meat production, the swine feed is combined with nutritious elements such as corn, soya beans as wholesome meal to the swine. Thus, the swine feed manufacturers are getting great business and great outcomes too.

Notable market development:

Cargill Inc. acquired a feed mill in Prachinburi province in Thailand to expand its poultry and swine feed business in 2017.

To view TOC of this report is available upon request @

https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/swine-feed-market/#ulp-c654SbFYO64MsOhu

Some of the key players in the global swine feed market include:

 Archer Daniels Midland Company (U.S.)

 BASF SE (Germany)

 Novus International (U.S.)

 Cargill, Inc. (U.S.)

 Koninklijke DSM N.V. (Netherlands)

 Hansen Holding A/S (Denmark)

 Alltech, Inc. (U.S.)

 Lallemand, Inc. (Canada)

 I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (U.S.)

Need more information about this report @

https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/swine-feed-market/#ulp-14mlyhjMGhVjZqa3

The global swine feed market is divided into following categories-

By feed type

 Starter Feed

 Sow Feed

 Pig Grower Feed

 Others

By feed additives type

 Sensory Feed Additives

 Zoo technical Feed Additives

 Nutritional Feed Additives

By feed essence

 Antioxidants

 Antibiotics

 Vitamins

 Minerals

 Proteins

 Feed Acidifiers

 Feed Enzymes

 Others

By geographical regions

 North America

 Europe

 Asia Pacific

 Latin America

 Middle East and Africa

Get access to full summary @

https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.com/market-reports/swine-feed-market/

About Precision Business Insights

Precision Business Insights is one of the leading market research and business consulting firm, which follow a holistic approach to solve needs of the clients. We adopt and implement proven research methodologies to achieve better results. We help our clients by providing actionable insights and strategies to make better decisions. We provide consulting, syndicated and customised market research services based on our client needs.

Contact to Precision Business Insights,

Kemp House,

152  160 City Road,

London EC1V 2NX

Contact Person: Rajesh Babu

Role: Marketing Lead

Email: sales@precisionbusinessinsights.com

Toll Free (US):+1-866-598-1553

Website @https://www.precisionbusinessinsights.comPersistence Market Research (PMR)

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 07:35:22

Press Information

Persistence Market Research (PMR)

305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



yogesh sengar

Team Lead

+1-646-568-7751

email

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com





# 321 Words

305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Team Lead+1-646-568-7751

Waterborne UV coating systems is developed as a replacement for solvent coating systems. In order to meet specific requirements of the industries, these systems are available as UV coating systems within waterborne coating technology and waterborne coating systems within UV coating technology. Waterborne UV coating systems are easy to matt, superior in adhesion and are simple and easy to use. Waterborne UV coating systems are used in a variety of applications such as plastic, paper, soft touch coating, industrial metal, wood flooring, vinyl flooring and wood furniture (especially in kitchen and office) among others.Increasing environmental awareness and concern for our surrounding is expected to drive the global waterborne UV coating systems. The presence of stringent environmental standards for emission of volatile organic compounds imposed by various governments and regulatory bodies has played a crucial role in the development of a substitute for solvent coating systems. Waterborne UV coating systems uses water as the solvent unlike the solvent system which utilizes harmful chemicals. Moreover, the waterborne UV coating systems are easy to apply and have its emerging benefits as composite repair, direct to metal applications, sunshine-cure coatings for decking and aerospace application among others.The growing construction and furniture industry, particularly in China is expected to boost the growth of the market. Asia Pacific is expected to be the largest consumer of waterborne UV coating systems in the next few years, owing to the increasing population and growing industry for secondary processed products especially in China and India. Currently, Europe is the largest market for waterborne UV coating systems due to the stringent regulations with respect to the environment in this region. Therefore, numerous automobile companies in this region are replacing solvent coating systems with waterborne UV coating systems.Request Report Sample@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/5204 Bayers MaterialScience, Axalta Coating Systems, Nanovere Technologies, Becker coatings and Sirca SpA are some of the key participants of the waterborne UV coating systems.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 21:02:02

Virsec Security Platform Wins Gold Award for Best ICS/SCADA Cyber Security

Virsec Honored with Two 2018 ASTORS Homeland Security Awards

Dan Chmielewski

Madison Alexander PR, Inc.

Office +1 714-832-8716

Mobile +1 949-231-2965

dchm@madisonalexanderpr.com

Virsec, a cybersecurity company delivering a radically new approach to protect against advanced targeted attacks, today announced it has been recognized by American Security Todays Homeland Security Awards. The Virsec Security Platform received both a Gold Award for Best ICS/SCADA Cyber Security and Silver Award for Best IT Intrusion Detection & Prevention Solution.

Its very rewarding to be honored for our pioneering work in addressing the important security needs of government, critical infrastructure and IoT systems. As these systems become connected, they are increasingly at risk, and numerous recent attacks have targeted power plants, water facilities, and other critical infrastructure. Virsec stops these advanced attacks in real-time, before damage is done, said Bobby Gupta, MD & Vice President  Asia Pacific, Europe and Middle East of Virsec.

Because of its unique approach to security and patented technology, Virsec has been deployed by Raytheon, AVEVA, and GHD in demanding defense and critical infrastructure applications. Raytheon and Virsec have also partnered to bring commercial cybersecurity tools to global government and critical infrastructure customers. Virsec through its direct sales team and channel partners is focused and getting traction in key markets of APAC & EMEA, Gupta added.

The ASTORS program is specifically designed to honor distinguished government and vendor solutions that deliver enhanced value, benefit and intelligence to end users in a variety of government, homeland security, enterprise and public safety vertical markets.

Today, the United States is increasingly focusing on protecting IT/cyber security networks, and government and security professionals are calling on innovative companies like those honored with 2018 ASTORS Awards to help them do so, said Michael Madsen, co-founder and publisher of American Security Today.

ASTORS nominations are evaluated by American Security Todays panel of sector experts on their technical innovation, interoperability, specific impact within the category, overall impact to the industry, relatability to other industry technologies, and application feasibility outside of the industry, according to Tammy Waitt, co-founder and editorial director of American Security Today.

Virsecs patented Trusted Execution technology protects any application, across the full application stack including web applications, interpreted code, malicious scripts, compiled binary code, and process memory  protecting memory usage on a block by block basis. The solution maps correct application behavior, and instantly detects and blocks deviations caused by attacks. This deterministic approach stops threats in real-time, delivering unprecedented accuracy, without false positives.

About Virsec

Headquartered in San Jose, California with a strong presence in India, Australia and UK, Virsec delivers innovative solutions to counter todays advanced cyberattacks. The company is led by industry veterans who have driven one of the worlds top processor teams, and created innovative technology in network security, embedded systems and real-time memory systems. The team has broad leadership experience at companies including AMD, Cisco, IBM, Palo Alto Networks, Juniper, Dell, NextGen, BMC Software, ForcePoint, as well a long list of high-growth start-ups. More information and demos are available at www.virsec.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005

Virsec Receives 2 Homeland Security ASTORS Awards 2018: Gold-Best ICS/SCADA Cyber Security & Silver-Best IT Intrusion Detection & Prevention. Trusted Execution technology protects any app, patched or unpatched, across the full stack.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 09:48:03

News release from Vestas Wind Systems A/S

Aarhus, 09 January 2019

Vestas has been a pioneer in wind energy solutions and a cornerstone in making the worlds energy mix sustainable. In late 2018, a new milestone was reached in that 40-year journey, as Vestas achieved 100 GW of installed wind turbines with the installation of a V110-2.0 MW turbine at MidAmerican Energys Wind XI project in Iowa, U.S.

Since the inaugural installation of a V10-30 kW turbine in Denmark in 1979, Vestas has installed over 66,000 turbines in around 80 countries across six continents and been a key part of taking wind energy from niche to mainstream. Today, Vestas largest onshore wind turbine is the V150-4.2 MW turbine, and the 100 GW milestone has thus been made possible by the continuous evolution of our wind energy technology and solutions, which have seen output and efficiency increase to a level that has made wind energy the cheapest form of electricity in many markets.

We have pioneered wind energy across the globe for 40 years, and to install 100 GW together with our customers and partners is something we are extremely proud of as it underlines how far Vestas and wind energy have come. Its also a pleasure to celebrate this milestone with a key customer like MidAmerican Energy, says Anders Runevad, Vestas President and CEO. Reaching this milestone has required continuous innovation, strong commitment and great execution from all Vestas employees, and the 100 GW therefore represents a key part of the foundation that enables us to develop the sustainable energy solutions of the future.

During the journey to 100 GW, Vestas has helped remove over a hundred million tonnes of CO 2 from the atmosphere by providing sustainable and cost-effective solutions to meet the worlds energy demand. By crossing this 100 GW threshold, Vestas has installed approximately 10 percent of the worlds total 1 TW of installed wind and solar energy capacity1.

The capacity of the Wind XI project will grow to up to 2,000 MW and consist of multiple sites in Iowa placed into service between 2017 and 2019. Powered by V110-2.0 MW turbines built at Vestas factories in Colorado, Wind XI will deliver clean, low-cost wind energy to MidAmerican Energys customers and communities. Vestas will provide operations and maintenance for Wind XI project sites via long-term AOM 5000 service agreements.

Based on global average electricity, 100 GW of wind energy saves around 129 million tonnes of CO 2 annually2, equalling CO 2 emissions from3:

141 billion pounds of burned coal

298 million barrels of oil

22.54 million U.S. homes yearly electricity use

33 coal-fired power plants

Carbon sequestered from 152 million acres of forest

For more information, please contact:

Anders Riis

Director, Communications

Mail: ANPRR@vestas.com

Tel: +45 4181 3922

About Vestas

Vestas is the energy industrys global partner on sustainable energy solutions. We design, manufacture, install, and service wind turbines across the globe, and with 100 GW of wind turbines in around 80 countries, we have installed more wind power than anyone else. Through our industry-leading smart data capabilities and unparalleled volume of wind turbines under service, we use data to interpret, forecast, and exploit wind resources and deliver best-in-class wind power solutions. Together with our customers, Vestas more than 24,400 employees are bringing the world sustainable energy solutions to power a bright future.





For updated Vestas photographs and videos, please visit our media images page on: https://www.vestas.com/en/media/images

We invite you to learn more about Vestas by visiting our website at www.vestas.com and following us on our social media channels:

1 Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance: https://about.bnef.com/blog/world-reaches-1000gw-wind-solar-keeps-going/

2 Source: International Energy Agency: https://webstore.iea.org/download/direct/2373?fileName=CO2_Emissions_from_Fuel_Combustion_2018_Highlights.pdf (assumes 0.30 capacity factor and avoided CO 2 of 490 grams per kWh).

3 Source: Environmental Protection Agency Green House Gas equivalencies calculator: https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator

AttachmentPR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 15:04:27

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office





616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,





Valley Cottage, NY 10989,





United States





T: +1-347-918-3531





F: +1-845-579-5705





Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com





Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Bhudholiya

Manager

+1-347-918-3531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 760 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1-347-918-3531

Vascular disease is of two type viz. peripheral artery disease (PAD) and chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Vascular disease can be life-threatening due to incorrect and delay diagnosis. Vascular testing devices encompass a broad range of equipment and expertise for proof of principle. Vascular testing is also known as non-invasive vascular testing in which various technology based devices are utilized to evaluate the blood vessels. The evaluation and testing of the blood vessels can be done at the rest time or at the time of the exercise. Vascular testing is generally painless and determine the disease location and severity. Vascular testing devices are comes with the advanced features such as digital dashboard and online interface with the remotely located facility centers. These devices also come with the specifications such as LAN/WAN and DICOM/PACS compatibility.The increasing incidence of death and other complications due to stroke and myocardial infarction amongst those with silent asymptomatic peripheral vascular disease is the key growth factor boost the use of vascular testing devices for diagnosis purpose.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6884 Vascular Testing Devices Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe global vascular testing devices market is expected to register a significant CAGR over a forecast period. The increasing prevalence of vascular diseases and disorders, lifestyle diseases is the key factor anticipated to propel the demand for vascular testing devices and drives the growth of the global vascular testing devices market. The technically advanced vascular testing devices allows great access to vascular disease testing in particularly non-interventional settings, which helps to diagnose more patients with disease before disease progresses to a potentially critical stage. The availability of portable and easily operable testing devices for vascular diseases is also expected to be the major factor drives the growth of the global vascular testing devices market over the forecast period. The vascular devices also work on the telemedicine technology and send test data to a remotely located specialist for the online interpretation which anticipated to surge the demand for vascular testing devices over the long run.However, the lack of expertise and physicians to operate vascular testing devices and to interpret the test data may restrain the growth of the global vascular testing devices market over the forecast period. The higher cost of set up of the vascular testing lab and devices may hamper the demand of vascular testing devices and restrain the growth of the global vascular testing devices market over the long run.Vascular Testing Devices Market: SegmentationThe global vascular testing devices market is segmented on the basis of modality type, technique type, test type and end user.On the basis of modality type, the global vascular testing devices market is segmented into:PortableStandaloneOn the basis of technique type, the global vascular testing devices market is segmented into:Arterial DopplerPulse Volume (PV) ArterialPhotoplethysmographyColor or Black And White Arterial DuplexMRACT and MR AngiographyStandard Invasive AngiographyOn the basis of test type, the global vascular testing devices market is segmented into:Toe pressureTranscutaneous oxygen (tcpO2 / TCOM)Pulse volume recordingSegmental pressuresSkin perfusion pressureHeat-controlled laser DopplerOthersOn the basis of end user, the global vascular testing devices market is segmented into:HospitalsClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersSpecialty ClinicsMobile Testing CentersOthersVascular Testing Devices Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of regional presence, the global vascular testing devices market is segmented into eight key regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding China and Japan, China, Japan, and Middle East & Africa. Currently, North America is contributing the leading share to the global vascular testing devices market in terms of value and anticipated to register a significant growth over a forecast period due to developed medical infrastructure and increasing spending on high end diagnostic technologies. Europe region also contribute significant amount of revenue share to the market followed by North America. APAC region is the most lucrative market for the vascular testing devices due to the increasing prevalence of the vascular diseases in the region and expected to show a robust growth to the global vascular testing devices market. Overall, the global vascular testing devices market is expected to show significant growth over a forecast period.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6884 Some of the major market players in vascular testing devices market globally include D. E. Hokanson, Inc., Koven Technology, Inc., CorVascular Diagnostics, LLC, Koven Technology, Inc., Perimed, Inc., Vasamed, Inc., Radiometer America, Inc., Biomedix by Collaborative Care Diagnostics, LLC. and Unetixs Vascular, Inc.Emergency Cricothyrotomy Kits

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 07:20:05

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353



Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com



Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Yogesh Sengar

Team Lead

800-961-0353

email

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/





# 837 Words

305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comTeam Lead800-961-0353

Emergency cricothyrotomy kits are used in emergency airway management procedures when a patient is not able to ventilate or breathe (trauma causing oral, pharyngeal, or nasal hemorrhage). In general, the procedure using an emergency cricothyrotomy kit helps the patient to breathe or intubate when other popular methods such as endotracheal intubation and laryngeal mask airway become futile or ineffective. Emergency cricothyrotomy kits are the answer to such airway complexities during medical emergencies, which the healthcare practitioner must master in order to prevent associated mortality or morbidity. Cricothyrotomy (also called cricothyroidotomy) is a procedure that involves placing a tube (emergency cricothyrotomy kits) through an incision in the cricothyroid membrane to establish an airway for oxygenation and ventilation.The procedure involving emergency cricothyrotomy kits has a controversial past. Before antibiotics came into the market in the early 1900s, emergency cricothyrotomy was performed for severe infections, including inflammatory issues. Emergency cricothyrotomy kits gradually became popular, until, hundreds of tracheal stenosis reports started to emerge of patients who had developed complications following the airway procedure. However, during the 1970s, the usage of emergency cricothyrotomy kits started to emerge and become popular amongst healthcare providers to perform the cricothyrotomy rescue procedure of choice in adults and pediatrics with failed airways.Request Sample Report@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/24289 In recent years, a number of commercially available emergency cricothyrotomy kits with all the necessary requirements have reached the market, globally. Common to all emergency cricothyrotomy kits available, scalpel is used for the initial skin incision before the needle attached to a syringe punctures the cricothyroid membrane. The market for Emergency Cricothyrotomy Kits is anticipated to create new growth opportunities during the forecast period. Some of the key factors driving market growth include technological advancements introduced into the kits, and increase in the training of rescue airway management, including life-saving procedures of last resort.On the basis of intervention type, the global emergency cricothyrotomy kits market is segmented into:Surgical Emergency Cricothyrotomy KitsNeedle/Percutaneous Emergency Cricothyrotomy KitsOn the basis of patients age, the global emergency cricothyrotomy kits market is segmented into:Emergency Cricothyrotomy Kits for PediatricsEmergency Cricothyrotomy Kits for AdultsOn the basis end user, the global Emergency cricothyrotomy kits market is segmented into:HospitalsClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersHome Care SettingsOthersAs the only savior tools available for performing an airway rescue procedure of last resort, the emergency cricothyrotomy kits market, globally, is expected to register a healthy CAGR over the forecast period. Though debate still exists and continues regarding the benefits and risks involved in both the techniques involving emergency cricothyrotomy kits, still, R&D and investments by leading manufacturers add positivity for the market to flourish in the future. Emergency cricothyrotomy kits have been accepted as the preferred emergency airway surgical procedure on the scenario "can't intubate, can't ventilate" (CICV), for its simpler techniques and fast results. Circumstances such as increase in number of surgeries, rise in chronic disease incidences, and increase in the elderly population are expected to drive the emergency cricothyrotomy kits market. However, though CICV-situation is infrequent, most healthcare professionals have little or zero clinical exposure and training in various airway techniques that can be utilized in cricothyrotomy. These factors, in addition to the non-availability of skilled and technical professionals in undeveloped regions hamper the growth of the emergency cricothyrotomy kits market.Request Report TOC@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/24289 In terms of regional and geographical perspective, the global emergency cricothyrotomy kits market is categorized into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America accounts for the largest share in the emergency cricothyrotomy kits market, as the region is a major revenue contributor in the airway management devices market (includes emergency cricothyrotomy kits), followed by Europe. Major factors such as rise in the number of chronic and respiratory patients, increase in emergency visits, and ever increasing geriatric population fuel the market growth in the North American emergency cricothyrotomy kits market. Europe is expected to moderately contribute to the emergency cricothyrotomy kits market, thanks to its strong healthcare reimbursement policies, advanced medical facilities, and continuous healthcare training sessions. APAC is also expected to show healthy growth in the emergency cricothyrotomy kits market, with Japan, China, and India being the major contributors. MEAs share will be less significant to the global emergency cricothyrotomy kits market, but is expected to deliver decent growth during the forecast period. However, lack or insufficient skilled professionals in Africa and other under developing nations in the region will restrain the growth of the emergency cricothyrotomy kits market. Overall, the global emergency cricothyrotomy kits market is expected to experience significant growth over the forecast period.Some of the market players in the global emergency cricothyrotomy kits market include Smiths Medical Ltd, Teleflex Medical GmbH, Moore Medical, H&H Medical, Cook Medical, McKesson Medical-Surgical Inc. Mercury Medical, Pulmodyne, VBM Medizintechnik GmbH, and others. China and India contribute to a major share of local manufacturers in the global emergency cricothyrotomy kits market.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 15:05:32

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office





616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,





Valley Cottage, NY 10989,





United States





T: +1-347-918-3531





F: +1-845-579-5705





Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com





Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Bhudholiya

Manager

+1-347-918-3531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 781 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1-347-918-3531

Topical wound agents are medical preparations used to treat dermatological injuries. Topical wound agents are mainly formulated into emulsions, creams, oils, spray and others. A wide variety of agents are used for the management of both acute and chronic wounds. Topical wound agents are mainly used for controlling inflammation, infection and pain. NSAIDs & Analgesics were used to treat inflammation & pain. However, wound healing is a complex progress and is affected by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Infection delays the healing process and increases the risk of infections. To control the infection, mainly disinfectants are used and they are active against disease-causing microorganisms and include antiseptics and antibiotics. Antiseptics are broad-spectrum antimicrobials used to treat intact skin or open wounds. Antibiotics are agents that kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms and are used against specific cells (narrow broad spectrum). Antibiotics are more susceptible to bacterial resistance and require a continuous change in treatment regimen. Topical antibiotics are more advantageous than systemic antibiotics due to fewer side effects and limited dosage errors.Topical Wound Agents Market: Drivers and RestraintsRising prevalence of chronic wounds across the world will promote the growth of the topical wound agents market. Chronic wounds have a significant impact on quality of life, can lead to functional impairments as well as huge economic burdens. According to Wound Australia, the prevalence of chronic wounds is estimated to be from 1.1% to 26.7% in the hospital setting and it is around 6% to 29% in community setting. The economic burden of wound treatment is also very high, for example, annual treatment of managing wounds in the NHS has been estimated to be Euro 5.3 Bn. To control prevalence and this economic burden, governments have initiated many actions plans for wound management. Along with government initiatives, growing awareness about wound infections among the general population is fuelling the growth of the topical wounds agents market. Apart from these, increasing healthcare funding and improving healthcare facilities will also support the burgeoning growth of topical wound agents market.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6893 Rising antibiotics concerns and lack of epidemiological data will restrain the growth of the topical wound agents market.Topical Wound Agents Market: SegmentationSegmentation of Topical Wound Agents Market based on Drug TypeNSAIDSAntisepticsAntibioticsOthersSegmentation of Topical Wound Agents Market based on Dosage FormsCreamsLotionsPowdersEmulsionsGelsOthersSegmentation of Topical Wound Agents Market based on Distribution ChannelHospital PharmaciesRetail Pharmacies/DrugstoresE-CommerceTopical Wound Agents Market: Market OverviewThe global topical wound agents market has witnessed robust growth due to rising prevalence of chronic wounds in all age groups. Topical wound agents market is a witness to the presence of many local players which hold a huge market share in the Topical Wound Agents Market. There are huge opportunities for the manufacturers due to the large number of patients suffering from both acute and chronic wounds. The key players in the topical wound agents market are mainly focused on R&D to accelerate the development of novel drugs to increase their market share. Improved accessibility to healthcare services along with increasing awareness in patient population is expected to boost the growth of the topical wound agents market in developing economies. The topical wound agents market is anticipated to grow with double digit CAGR during the forecast period.Topical Wound Agents Market: Region-Wise OverviewThe global topical wound agents market can be segmented into the following regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding China & Japan, China, Japan and the Middle East and Africa. North America is dominant in the Global Topical Wound Agents market, mainly due to high awareness among the patient population. In North America, particularly the USA will hold the dominant position, mainly due to the high penetration. Economic conditions in the APAC region are set to drive the Topical Wound Agents market to new heights. APAC & Latin America is the fastest growing region in topical wound agents market due to improved healthcare services. Growth in the Middle East and African region is considerably less when compared to the other regions. However, North America would maintain its position in the Topical Wound Agents market and it is anticipated that emerging economies, such India, China, Brazil & Mexico, will witness highest growth rate in the Topical Wound Agents market.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6893 Topical Wound Agents Market: Key ParticipantsSome of the key participants in the Topical Wound Agents market include Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Mylan N.V., AstraZeneca Plc. and others. Companies are focused on formulating new dosage forms to increase the adoption of topical wound agents.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 05:25:45

Press Information

RESEARCH REPORT INSIGHTS

Research Report Insights (RRI)



42 Joseph Street



Port carling P0B 1J0



Muskoka, Ontario1



Phone - +1-631-721-4201



Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/



Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com



BISHU

+1-631-721-4201

+1-631-721-4201

email

https://www.researchreportinsights.com





# 620 Words

Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com+1-631-721-4201+1-631-721-4201

Telemedicine technology conceivably focuses on the elderly, the underserved along with their caregivers, people with chronic ailments, dependents and employees and fitness-oriented people. The implementation of telemedicine is expanding around the world. This can be ascribed to its capacity to enhance the nature of care, get to patients in rural networks, lessen hospital admissions and readmissions, upgrade patient engagement and improve time administration and accommodation. Telemedicine, in addition, addresses the doctor shortage worldwide. The increasing prevalence of chronic ailments, rising elderly populace, and growing healthcare services costs are aspects of driving this market. As of now, mHealth (mobile health) is considered to be the biggest utilized telemedicine. With the wide assortment of versatile health apps accessible in the market and novel mobile therapeutic devices that are customer friendly, currently, patients are relied on technology to screen and track their health.Telemedicine exploits fast strides in the communication innovation in order to enable healthcare experts to give financially savvy effective healthcare, distance-learning to the patients, supervision, decrease wastage and requirement for physical appointment, increasing proficiency of healthcare specialist's time and others. In general healthcare system incorporation as well as cutting the shortage of healthcare experts through the world is another circumstance of the innovation. The drivers for the telemedicine market increase in the demand for healthcare services in rural areas, rise in government initiatives to cater the health needs of the rural population, availability of well-developed information technology infrastructure, rising number of telemedicine services provider and othersRequest For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upsample/120124708/Telemedicine-Market On the other hand, the absence of reimbursement, administrative issues, absence of physician knowledge and acknowledgment poor connectivity in underdeveloped regions, high installation cost, poor quality networks particularly in emerging nations all over the world, absence of awareness and others are a few of the aspects constraining the expansion of the telemedicine market.In the year 2016, GlobalMed took on TreatMD. TreatMD had assisted GlobalMed to associate physicians and patients all over the world. The deal was believed to generate synergy among direct-to-customer telemedicine technologies of TreatMD together with the client to client established GlobalMed technology for telemedicine. During the same year, Medvivo one of the prominent telemedicine companies took on Expert 24 with a chief goal of enlarging its regional distribution in addition to product lines all the way through the United States, Europe, and the UK.In November 2017, BioTelemetry, Inc., reported its contract with Apple Inc. to allow for services for cardiac monitoring in alignment with the Apple Heart Study. Again during the same period, Telcare, (a division of BioTelemetry) the producer of the worlds first FDA-authorised cellular-enabled blood glucose monitor, came into a strategic partnership with Onduo, a combined venture made by Sanofi as well as Verily (an Alphabet company). Under this combined venture, Telcare is considered to function as the provider of remote blood glucose systems as well as the ensuing data for patients recruited in Onduos groundbreaking program for diabetes management.Request Report For Toc: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/TOC/120124708/Telemedicine-Market Increasing the amount of virtual medical centers in addition to the growth of remote clinical enterprises are a few of the trends which have been discovered in the worldwide telemedicine market. In rural areas shortfall of physicians is believed to put forward fresh prospects for the expansion of the telemedicine market, worldwide. A few of the prominent companies functioning in the telemedicine market globally are AMD Telemedicine, Philips healthcare, Cardio Net Inc. McKesson Ltd., along with GE Healthcare Ltd. On account of the rising potential in the developing nations, for instance, Russia and Brazil, the foremost market players are concentrating on increasing their services in these regions.Report Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/upcomming/120124708/Telemedicine-MarketPersistence Market Research has announced the addition of the  Communication Servers Market to Register Steady Expansion During 2015 to 2021" report to their offering.

Communication Servers Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 10:55:50

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

CONTACT:



Persistence Market Research



305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353



Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com



Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



yogesh sengar

team lead

800-961-0353

email

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com





# 588 Words

CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comteam lead800-961-0353

Standard based communications servers are open computing systems that function as a carrier-grade universal platform for an extensive assortment of communications applications. These servers enable the equipment providers customize the system architecture as per the requirement by adding potential value to it. Irrespective of the differentiated features and specification, the standard based communications servers offer attributes such as open platform, carrier grade and flexible. The standard based communications are designed in accordance with the industry standards and provide interoperability with the architecture. Moreover, standard based communications servers offer carrier grade attributes as they provide extended lifecycle support, high availability, and longevity of supply. Additionally, these servers are upgradable without any disruption and offer high speed for real time communication applications to ensure high quality of service.The standard based communication servers offer an introductory platform for building a network infrastructure using the several equipment for applications such as IPTV, wireless broadband and other IP multimedia subsystems. These servers are based on managed industry standards such as Advanced Telecommunication Computing Architecture (ATCA), Advanced Mezzanine Card, Micro Telecommunication Computing Architecture, High Platform Interface (HPI), Carrier Grade Linux and Application Interface Specification (AIS). The Advanced Telecommunications Computing Architecture (ATCA) refers to string of specifications by Peripheral Component Interconnect Industrial Computers Manufacturers Group (PICMG), which is developed to meet essential necessities for carrier grade equipment. In addition to these standards, the standard based communication server is governed by different industry associations and vendor alliance programs. The industry associations include SCOPE Alliance and Communication Platforms Trade Associations. The vendor alliance programs include Intel Communications Alliance, Motorola Communications Server Alliance and Mobicents Open Source Communications Community.ATCA integrates the latest interconnect technologies, manageability and serviceability, improved reliability and next generation processors. The specifications provided by PICMG for Advanced Mezzanine Card (AMC) identify the base-level necessities for a variety of mezzanine cards that are optimized for ATCA Carriers. AMC enhances ATCAs flexibility by widening bandwidth and provides multi-protocol interface to individual servers. MicroTCA specification is basically a framework for directly combining AMC modules, instead of using an ATCA. Moreover, MicroTCA is designed for smaller equipment for application running on low entry cost, small physical size and high scalability. This framework is primarily used for Wi-Fi, wireless base stations, VoIP access gateways and WiMAX radios.Request for Report Sample : https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6095 Carrier Grade Linux is basically an enhanced version of Linux that is used by the communication servers to offer high security, high availability, scalability and easy maintenance. HPI and AIS are defined by Service Availability Forum (SA Forum) for telecommunication platform to maintain the availability of communication services. The HPI specifies the interface used between the middleware and the primary hardware and the operating system. The AIS specifies the interface between the application and middleware. Moreover, AIS enables applications to run over a variety of computing modules and provides easy migration between the platforms.The standard based communications servers market is primarily driven by the rising demand for high speed and compatible servers across the communication industry. The progressive and vigorous communication server ecosystem consists of several hardware and software providers, server vendors, standard bodies, vendor alliance programs, industry associations and the end-users.Leading players in standard based communication servers market are NEC Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, AltiGen Communications, Inc., Emerson Network Power, Barrcuda Networks, Inc., Fenestrae B.V., Estech Systems, Inc., B Labs, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Siemens Enterprise Communication GmbH, Cisco Systems Inc., Sun Microsystems, Avaya, Inc. and IBM Corporation.Request for Report TOC : https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/6095Medical Diaphragm Valves

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 06:55:16

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353



Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com



Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Yogesh Sengar

Team Lead

800-961-0353

email

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/





# 662 Words

305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comTeam Lead800-961-0353

Medical diaphragm valves is used for controlling the flow and also used as a separation membrane between one or two fluid. Medical diaphragm valves is made by considering medical or healthcare parameters to prevent the infection or contamination of the fluid or the material flow through values. The media or the fluid which flow through medical diaphragm valves should manage the proper flow patterns, so that the fluid or media will reach to the proper place with a particular interval of time. Medical diaphragm valves are controlled by various modes such as electrical or manual and others. All valves are properly controlled, so that fluid or media is protected and the flow is maintained. Various industries use diaphragm valves to control the flow of fluid or media. Most of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries use medical grade diaphragm vales to control fluid flow or media flow. The diaphragm valves which are of straightway, the way to control the flow of fluid should be properly manage. The open and closed system in straightway is used maintain the flow of fluid within the system.Medical Diaphragm Valves Market: Drivers & RestraintsMedical Diaphragm Valves market is expected to grow during the forecast period, as the number of industries are increasing with increase in demand of various medical and food products among the populations. The increasing patient pool directly fuels the market of medical diaphragm valves for various medical and biological products. Players such as Aquasyn, Delco, LLC, Crane Co., GEMU Gruppe and others are manufacturing and working on product innovation to increase the demand of medical diaphragm valves market. Medical diaphragm valves is an ideal product to control the flow of fluids or media. The lack of availability of medical diaphragm valves in various geographical regions along with lack of awareness about the medical diaphragm valves product which is used by industries professional. The high cost is also a hindrance for current market of medical diaphragm valves.Request Sample Report@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/23068 Medical Diaphragm Valves Market: SegmentationMedical Diaphragm Valves market is segmented based onMedical Diaphragm Valves, by Product TypeManually Diaphragm ValveAutomatic Diaphragm ValveOther Diaphragm ValveMedical Diaphragm Valves, by Product TypePermeable MembraneNon- Permeable MembraneMedical Diaphragm Valves, by End UserPharmaceutical and Biotechnology IndustriesOthers IndustriesMedical Diaphragm Valves, by GeographyNorth AmericaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificMiddle East & AfricaMedical diaphragm valves is high in demand as the product is more effective than any other product which is used for controlling the flow of fluid or media. Medical diaphragm valves controls the flow of fluid or media in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries which work for enzyme used medical diaphragm to control the media flow pattern or other fluids used during reaction mechanisms. Major industries which work in enzyme technology use permeable membrane to filter media and also to control the flow pattern. The awareness about medical diaphragm valves in industries professional is growing factor for the market, as the adaptation rate of medical diaphragm valves is increasing over period.Request Report TOC@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/23068 On the basis of geography, the medical diaphragm valves market is segmented into: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East & Africa. North America is the major region for medical diaphragm valves market due to presence of major players and improved healthcare infrastructures provide more support for growth of medical diaphragm valves in the region as the demand of medical and biological products are more. Europe shows growth as the rate of adoption for new product for medical use is increasing. Asia-Pacific shows sluggish growth as the medical infrastructure is developing in most of the region and the demand is also low. In Middle East & Africa, the awareness program is conducted to provide information about medical diaphragm valves to the industries professional.Some players in medical diaphragm valves market as: Aquasyn, Delco, LLC, Crane Co., GEMU Gruppe and others players.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 18:54:13

This report provides strategic study of the global sapphire substrates market, and the growth forecast for the period 2016 to 2024. The scope of the report includes competitive analysis of various market segments based on wafer diameter, applications, and in-depth cross-sectional scrutiny of the sapphire substrates market across different geographical segments. Sapphire is considered as a gemstone. Its chemical formula is Al2O3 and is a type of corundum. Natural sapphire is primarily used for jewelry while synthetic sapphire is used for various applications such as shatterproof glasses and light emitting diodes (LEDs) among others. Synthetic sapphire is chemically inert and a hard material, having good optical properties. It has a melting point of around 2045C and can retain thermal stability up to 1600C. Sapphire substrates are used as insulating wafers for various electronic applications. The demand for LEDs has been seeing good growth rate for past few years and in turn has also been promoting the growth of sapphire substrates market.Report For Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114603/Sapphire-Substrates-Market In terms of wafer diameter, the global sapphire substrates market is segmented into 2 inches, 4 inches, 6 inches and others. Others segment includes 1 inch, 3 inches, 5 inches and 8 inches wafer diameters, among others. By applications, the market was segmented into light emitting diode (LED), radio frequency integrated circuits (RFIC), laser diodes, silicon on sapphire (SoS) integrated circuits and others. Others segment includes insulated gate bi-polar transistor (IGBT), double-diffused metal oxide semiconductor (DMOS) and ultra fast diodes among others. The regional market analysis gives in-depth analysis of the current trends in different regions including North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world (RoW). RoW covers the South America and Middle East & Africa markets. The market revenue for sapphire substrates has been provided in terms of (USD Million) and market volume has been provided in terms of (Thousand Units), along with the CAGR for the forecast period from 2016 to 2024.To aid in strategic decision-making, the report also includes competitive profiling of leading players in the industry, overview, SWOT analysis, product segments, business segments, various business strategies adopted by them, revenue garnered and their region wise revenue share. The SWOT analysis, provided for each of the companies profiled, discusses the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for those companies, thus providing a better understanding of the business of the major players in this market. The key trends analysis, provided in the report for each region, details the current trends of the sapphire substrates market for that region. The market attractiveness analysis, and Porters five forces analysis included in the report provide insight into industry competition, market dynamics and the most profitable segments in the sapphire substrates market. The report also provides the supply chain analysis, for the sapphire substrates, for a better understanding of the production and flow of products through the industry and to the end users.The report also provides breakdown and assessment of various factors impacting the global sapphire substrates market growth, which are suitably described as market drivers, restraints, and opportunities. These factors determine various existing trends and their impact on market growth. Overall, taking into consideration the various factors affecting the sapphire substrates market, the report includes a holistic analysis of the global sapphire substrates market, and provides an estimate of growth for the forecast period 2016 to 2024.Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114603/Sapphire-Substrates-Market Some of the leading players in the market are Precision Micro-Optics, Inc. (U.S.), Hansol Technics, Co., Ltd. (South Korea), Semiconductor Wafer, Inc. (Taiwan), Rubicon Technology, Inc. (U.S.), Meller Optics, Inc. (U.S.), KYOCERA Corporation (Japan), Saint-Gobain Group (France), Crystal Applied Technology, Inc. (Taiwan), Crystalwise Technology, Inc. (Taiwan), and Monocrystal, Inc. (Russia) among others.The market has been segmented as follows:Sapphire substrates Market  By Wafer Diameter: 2 Inches 4 Inches 6 Inches Others (1 inch, 3 inches, 5 inches, 8 inches etc.)Sapphire substrates Market - By Applications: Light Emitting Diode (LED) Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits (RFICs) Laser Diodes Silicon on Sapphire (SoS) ICs Others (IGBT, DMOS, Ultra-fast diodes etc.)Sapphire substrates Market - By Geography: North Americao U.S.o Rest of North America Europeo U.K.o Germanyo Rest of Europe Asia Pacifico Chinao Taiwano South Koreao Rest of Asia Pacific (APAC) Rest of the World South America Middle-East & AfricaReport Analysis@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114603/Sapphire-Substrates-MarketPhoto: VGP

Vietnamese investors have carried out 409 projects worth USD4.1 billion in Laos, making the country rank 3among investors.

Completed projects have continued to be operated well, including the Xecaman 1 hydroelectric plant, Muong Thanh Hotel in Vientiane, Unitel, the Nong Tha urban area and projects by the Vietnam Rubber Group.

Trade relations have also been considered a bright spot. According to Vietnams Ministry of Planning and Investment, in the first 11 months of 2018, the two-way trade turnover reached USD923 million, an increase of 14.1% compared to 2017. The figures fulfilled the growth of trade turnover set in the 40th meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee.

According to Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung, Vietnam is one of the leading investors and large trade partners of Laos, with its projects having contributing to promoting the development of the Lao economy, creating jobs and income for Lao residents.

Apart from economic cooperation, the two sides are accelerating projects in traffic and transport in the framework of bilateral as well as sub-regional cooperation, and continuing to study the model one gate - one stop at the border gates of Lao Bao (Vietnam) and Denxavan (Laos).

Vietnam has also been Laos large partner in non-refundable assistance, with VND735 billion in 2018.

Political, diplomatic, defence and security cooperation has also been maintained and strengthened by strictly cooperating and supporting each other at regional and international forums.

This has been the 3rd time Prime Ministers Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Thongloun Sisoulith co-chaired the meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee, continuing to confirm the two countries priorities in developing their traditional relationship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation.

Ambassador Hung said few countries in the world conduct such regular exchanges of high level delegations like Vietnam and Laos.

During the 41st meeting of the Vietnam-Laos Inter-Governmental Committee, diverse measures were discussed to promote cooperation. Accordingly, the Lao Government will continue to make favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses large projects, and promote the Nong Khang Airport.

The two sides agreed to lift bilateral trade turnover by 10% or more compared to 2018, while well realizing joint statements and agreements, and reinforcing and heightening the efficiency of bilateral cooperation in politics, diplomacy, defence and security.

The commitments have helped expand opportunities for Vietnams flow of investment to Laos and increased trade relations between the two countries./.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 06:37:11

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353



Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com



Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Yogesh Sengar

Team Lead

800-961-0353

email

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/





# 491 Words

305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comTeam Lead800-961-0353

Scientists at University College London (UCL) have created a prototype of a lightweight, easier-to-use version of a magnetoencephalography, or MEG, brain scanner. These machines monitor the magnetic field created when neurons communicate with each other, allowing physicians to see how the brain functions from one second to the next. Later, scientists in Nottingham invented a new type of brain scanner that can be worn on the head, allowing patients to move while being scanned. An EEG records the electrical fluctuations in the brain and tracks changes in activity as neurons fire when you are engaged in a cognitive task. The device records the tiny magnetic fields generated by the brain. The researchers said it could revolutionise brain imaging. Theyre used to diagnose patients, and are particularly helpful for determining how to treat people with epilepsy who havent responded to anti-seizure medications and need surgery.Traditionally, most of information regarding brain function was obtained by studying how damage to one particular area was linked to a cognitive deficit, such as language or memory impairment. Whereas, the new scanner, developed by researchers from UCL and the University of Nottingham, does away with the need for cooling by using state-of-the-art quantum brain sensors, which represent two giant leaps in scanning technology.Request Sample Report@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/23038 Apart from diagnosis of neurological disease or disorder, this scanner has its other special applications which include, moving things with the mind, organizing data by thoughts and emotions, and helps to get a more complete picture of how each individual brain operates in real-world situations, ranging from social interactions to studying to intense physical activity.The global market for portable brain scanner market can be segmented on basis of applications, end users and geography:Segmentation By ApplicationParkinsons DiseaseHeadache DisordersAlzheimer's DiseaseEpilepsyDementiaStrokeTraumatic Brain InjuryOrganizing of dataOtherSegmentation by End UsersHospitalsAmbulatory Surgical CentersNeurological Centers and Research InstitutionsEmergency RoomsOn the basis of regional presence, global portable brain scanner market can be segmented into five key regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America and Europe collectively expected to dominate the global Portable Brain Scanner market due to increasing awareness and inclination of hospitals towards technological advancement of medical device. However, APAC to grow lately in this market due to large patient pool hence large demand in forecast period.Request Report TOC@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/23038 Emotiv Lifesciences is among the few companies operating in this field. The company produces portable, high-resolution EEG (electroencephalogram) brain-scanning headsets. In August 2017, Emotiv unveiled Emotiv Insight, a faster, next-generation wireless brain scanner that collects real-time data on the wearer's thoughts and feelings and delivers it directly to a computer, phone, or other device through Android, iOS, OSX, Linux, and Windows platforms. Advanced Brain Monitoring, Inc., NeuroSky, Obelab, Brain Products GmbH, OpenBCI are few other player operating in this market.Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Retort grade BOPET Films Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012 - 2016 and Opportunity Assessment; 2017 - 2027" report to their offering.

Retort grade BOPET Films Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 08:12:16

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office





616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,





Valley Cottage, NY 10989,





United States





T: +1-347-918-3531





F: +1-845-579-5705





Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com





Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Budholiya

Manager

+1 03479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 632 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1 03479183531

Flexible packaging extends the shelf life of products as well as increases its product appeal. Retort grade BOPET films is one such flexible packaging material. Biaxial-oriented Polyethylene terephthalate (BOPET) films are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by drawing PET into thin films and stretching it into machine before cross directing. The retort grade BOPET films have an excellent thermal and mechanical properties because of which retort grade BOPET films are preferred as a substitute for various applications. The key features of retort grade BOPET films are clarity, stiffness, smooth surface, chemical and abrasion resistance etc. Retort grade BOPET films are good oxygen barriers which is why retort grade BOPET films are preferred for cosmetic and food industries such as lidding for frozen and fresh ready meal. Retort grade BOPET can be made of single layer or it can be coextruded with other polymer into multi-layer to impart desired properties to both the materials.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4758 Retort grade BOPET Films market: Market dynamicsKey factors driving the retort grade BOPET films market are growth in per capita income, changing lifestyles, growth of consumer society etc. Increase in the purchasing power in the developing countries has resulted in a significant consumption of retort grade BOPET films packaging material. Retort grade BOPET films helps in reduction in the packaging size which will enhance space availability making transportation economical. The key feature of retort grade BOPET films is that they are good oxygen barriers keeping the inner product in a healthy state. Another factor that is fuelling the growth of retort grade BOPET films market is that they are weather and damp proof, increasing the life of the product inside. The retort grade BOPET films have an excellent adhesion due to solvent based ink, adhesives, and varnishes, which makes it appropriate for high end packaging applications like hot fill, retorting etc. The key feature that helps in driving the retort grade BOPET films market is the greater retention of toughness over a broad range of temperature. This feature helps in carrying hot fills. One of the restraints of retort grade BOPET films is that retort grade BOPET film can absorb flavor components from the beverages.Retort grade BOPET Films market: Market segmentationThe retort grade BOPET films market is segmented on the basis of coatings, size, end use and, region. On the basis of degradability it can be segmented into bio-degradable, Oxo-degradable. On the basis of coatings it can be segmented into coated, uncoated. There are various types of coatings including UV treated, corona treated, acrylic coated, co-polymer treated and others. On the basis of metallization (plasma treated, pinhole free etc.) it can be segmented into one side, both side and, no side. On the basis of thickness, the global market for retort grade BOPET films include films of varied thickness such as up to 25 microns, 26 to 50 microns, 50 to 100 microns, 100 to 250 microns and above 250 microns. On the basis of end use retort grade BOPET films can be segmented into food, cosmetics, industrial, electronics and others.Retort grade BOPET Films market: Regional outlookGeographically, the net bags packaging market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Asia Pacific region is expected to witness an above average CAGR. The increased use of cosmetic products as well as rise in food consumption will help in driving the retort grade BOPET films market in the North America region.Request Report for TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4758 Retort grade BOPET Films market: Key playersSome of the key players operating in the retort grade BOPET films market include Toray industries Ltd., Mitsubishi Polyester Film, Inc., Dupont-Teijin Films, SKC Films, Ester industries Ltd., Jindal Poly Films Ltd. and Uflex Ltd.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 12:03:20

Press Information

Future Market Insights

Future Market Insights



U.S. Office



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Umesh

SEO Manager

3479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/





# 772 Words

Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

Pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies who produce medicine and biotech products are concern about airborne microbial contamination. Traditionally, these companies use active air samplers or settling plate method to detect the airborne microbial contamination. But, this method may require at least four to ten days to detect the microbial contamination in the lab. Real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems is emerging tool used by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies to detect the airborne microbial contamination. Real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems is based on Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) technology to detect the airborne microbial contamination. This system offers real-time detection of active biological organisms which used for the produce of sterile products. Real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems are designed with stainless steel and it is enclosed with sample probe. This sensor is directly connected to a software and it is designed to attain the continuous operation. As the air passes through the system detect the biological particle by laser illumination. These air particles are counted by laser illumination depending upon their size and it is displayed on the monitor.Real Time Continuous Microbiological Monitoring Systems Market: Drivers and RestraintsIncreasing research and development by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology to develop advance medicine and biotech product is the primary factor driving the growth of real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems market. The waiting time for the result by traditional method is four to ten days whereas this system provide real time data for active microbial contamination which is also gaining the traction for real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems. This system reduces the operator error and do not require any paper data management, moreover it easy to operate this system and does not require any special handling, training, or logistics which lead to increase demand of real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems in the global market. Real time continuous microbiological monitoring system is costly equipment, therefore research lab which has less funding could not afford this latest technology which may deter the growth of this market throughout the forecast period.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6945 Real Time Continuous Microbiological Monitoring Systems Market: SegmentationThe global real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems market is classified on the basis of application, end user, and region.Based on application real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems market is segmented into following:Drug Discovery & DevelopmentClinical ResearchBiopharmaceutical ProductionDrug ScreeningTissue EngineeringOthersBased on end user Real Time Continuous Microbiological Monitoring Systems market is segmented into following:Biopharmaceutical CompaniesContract Research Organizations (CROs)Academic & Research InstitutesFood & Beverage CompaniesOthersReal Time Continuous Microbiological Monitoring Systems Market: OverviewThe global real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems is expected to show significant growth over the forecast period due to rising research and development by the pharmaceutical and biotechnology to develop advance medicine and biotech product. The leading player of real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems emphasis on continuous product launches though this system is gaining huge traction in the market. But the adoption of this system in the institutional laboratory is quite low while it is mostly used in research and development laboratory. The major application of real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems is in drug discovery and clinical research, therefore these segment is estimated to dominate the market by application. Among all end user, real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems are mostly used in biopharmaceutical companies, hence this segment is estimated gain more incremental opportunity over the forecast period.Real Time Continuous Microbiological Monitoring Systems Market: Regional OverviewOn the basis of regional presence global real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems are classified into eight key regions  North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding China & Japan, China, Japan, and the Middle East & Africa. North America is the most lucrative market for real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems due to increasing research and development in life sciences industries. After North America, real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems market is then followed by Western Europe and Japan. In APECJ region, India and Australia are the major markets for real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems due rising number of pharmaceutical industries in these countries. The MEA and Latin America is expected to show relatively low adoption real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems owing to less funding for biopharmaceutical research and development.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6945 Real Time Continuous Microbiological Monitoring Systems Market: Key PlayersExamples of some of the market participants in real time continuous microbiological monitoring systems market identified across the value chain include Alpha Controls & Instrumentation Inc. Mettler Toledo, BioVigilant, MicronView LLC and others.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 15:02:24

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Bhudholiya

Manager

+1-347-918-3531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 743 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1-347-918-3531

Real-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer is a vibrational spectroscopic technique used to analyze the crystal structure and molecular vibrations. Real-time Bioprocess Raman analyzers are used to measure metabolic and nutrient concentration in bioprocess in real-time by using the single probe. Raman spectroscopy is most promising real-time process analytical technologies in biopharmaceutical production. It allows measuring both quantity and quality of chemical compounds in the liquid where conventional methods fail to measure. Real-time bioprocess Raman analyzers are used to measure gas, liquid, solids substance and provide real-time quantification measurement for glutamine, glucose, lactate, glutamate, ammonium, viable cell density, osmolality, total cell density and cell viability. Real-time bioprocess Raman analyzers consist of following components: light source, fibre optical Raman probe, spectrograph, detector, optical fibre cable and others. Real-time bioprocess Raman analyzers allow the usage of the optical fibre to measure the distance and immersion probe helps to analyze the liquid medium. This makes real-time bioprocess Raman analyzer more superior in analyzing bioprocess components and concentration changes than MIR and NIR.Real-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer Market: Drivers and RestraintsRaman spectroscopy is used to provide the molecular fingerprint of bioprocessing and biomedical analysis. Along with this, rapid advancement of technologies enabled the usage of Raman spectroscopy in analyzing chemical compounds in biopharmaceutical companies. Other factors like changing government regulations to improve the quality of pharmaceuticals has led to the positive growth of real-time bioprocess Raman analyzers. For example, FDA launched a PAT initiative to encourage the biopharmaceutical manufacturers to adopt the new technologies. Real-time bioprocess Raman analyzers are used to monitor multiple components in cell culture medium and help in the simultaneous prediction of culture parameters. Simultaneous measurement of chemical components in bioprocess solutions, has lead to an increase in the adoption of Raman spectroscopy by the manufacturers. All these factors act as a potential driver in burgeoning growth of real-time bioprocess Raman analyzer market.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6912 A huge cost is incurred in enabling Raman spectroscopy and it has restrained the growth of real-time bioprocess Raman analyzer market.Real-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer Market: SegmentationSegmentation based on End UserBiopharmaceutical CompaniesContract Manufacturing OrganizationsResearch OrganizationsOthersReal-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer Market: Market OverviewGlobal Real-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer market has witnessed a robust growth due to increasing demand for Raman spectroscopy in providing real-time data. Real-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer market has a presence of a few players which have a huge market share in developed countries operating at the country level. There are huge opportunities for the untapped markets across the world due to potential benefits of real-time bioprocess Raman analyzer. The key players in the Real-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer market are mainly focused on R&D to accelerate the development due to a limited number of manufactures. The future of Real-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer market anticipated with double CAGR during forecasting period.Real-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer Market: Region-Wise OverviewGlobal Real-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer market is segmented into the following regions - North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding China & Japan, China, Japan and the Middle East & Africa. North America is dominant in the global real-time bioprocess Raman analyzer market mainly due to the high penetration. In North America, particularly the USA is dominating due to the supportive government regulations. Economic conditions in the APAC region are set to drive the real-time bioprocess Raman analyzer market to new heights. European real-time bioprocess Raman analyzer market is fastest growing region due to high R&D investment in the biopharmaceutical sector. Growth in the Middle East and African region is considerably less when compared to the other regions. However, North America would maintain its position in the real-time bioprocess Raman analyzer market, though, we are anticipating developed economies such as Australia to have the highest growth rate in Real-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer market.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6912 Real-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer Market: Key ParticipantsThe key participants in the Real-Time Bioprocess Raman Analyzer market mainly include Kaiser Optical Systems, Inc., Resolution Spectra Systems Inc. and others. Companies are mainly focused on R&D to strengthen product development.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to market segments such as geographies, application, and industry.Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Pouch Packaging Machines Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012 - 2016 and Opportunity Assessment; 2017 - 2027" report to their offering.

Pouch Packaging Machines Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 07:45:51

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office





616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,





Valley Cottage, NY 10989,





United States





T: +1-347-918-3531





F: +1-845-579-5705





Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com





Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Budholiya

Manager

+1 03479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 625 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1 03479183531

Transportation and shipping of consumer goods as well as industrial goods is creating huge growth opportunities in the packaging industry. The global packaging market is evolving due to competition among existing companies as well as new companies entering the market. Developed countries are the highest consumers and producers of packaging. Pouches are flexible packaging systems used commonly for packaging liquid products. Pouches have evolved over the years to encompass broad range of formats such as stand-up pouches, spout pouches, vacuum pouches, etc. Flexible packaging market is growing and stretches its boundaries into food, beverage and medical applications. End-users are demanding higher levels of quality and, in some instances, full validation of the sealing process. Advancement of technology allows manufacturing of microwavable pouches that can be cooled at very low temperature.Pouch Packaging Machines: Market DynamicsConsumers buying habits are changing with development in new technology and trends which affects the market. Raw material used for manufacturing packaging products have to consider sustainability in terms of biodegradability of packaging material. Material used for packaging must have properties such as aseptic packaging, resistance to moisture, ease and convenience in disposability, effective product quality and should prove to be a cost effective solution for both manufacturers and consumers. As people are more and more health conscious they need healthy packing pouches.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4772 The global market for sterile pouch packaging machines caters to a wide variety of foods and drinks. Classic design styles and packaging concepts are prime importance for brands as competition among companies compel the need to expand into new demographics for maximum market potential. The demand for pouch packaging machines market is driven by end user base for packaging pouches which are small, easy to carry, ease to use, and convenient to dispose. Technical enhancement in pouch packaging machines allows manufacturers to market their products worldwide through convenient transportation by pouches and reseal-able packs in order to attract consumers. Cost effective solution in form of packaging pouches allow consumers to pay only for the value of goods.Pouches Packaging Machines: Market SegmentationThe global pouch packaging machines market is segmented on the basis of machine type, technology type, and pouch type and by end use.On the basis of machine type the global pouch packaging machine is segmented as follows:Manual packagingSemi-Automatic PackagingFully Automatic PackagingOn the basis of technology type the global pouch packaging machine is segmented as follows:Pneumatic pouch Packaging MachinesShrink wrap pouch Packaging MachinesOn the basis of pouch type the global pouch packaging machine is segmented as follows:Stand up PouchesFlat PouchesVacuum PouchesOn the basis of end use the global pouch packaging machine is segmented as follows:FoodPharmaceuticalFertilizerCosmeticOthersPouch Packaging Machines Market: Regional OverviewThe global pouch packaging machines market is segmented into 7 key regions including North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (MEA), Asia Pacific excluding Japan, and Japan.North America is most developed and have well informed consumer market, having largest market for pouch packaging machines in food and beverage industries. Pouches instead of traditional rigid packaging materials are made of flexible packaging material. China is the largest producer of plastic materials which is key material for pouching packaging machines. European plastic demand includes plastic materials (thermoplastics and polyurethanes) and other plastics. Economic powerhouses including India and China represent markets that have shown the growing need for economical pouching product, considering the huge development in these countries.Request Report for TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4772 Pouch Packaging Machines Market: Key playersSome of the key players in the market include VELTEKO CZ sro, American-Newlong, Sidsam Group, Suvi Packaging Machines, Holweg Weber.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 12:04:29

Press Information

Future Market Insights

Future Market Insights





U.S. Office





616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,





Valley Cottage, NY 10989,





United States





T: +1-347-918-3531





F: +1-845-579-5705





Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com





Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Umesh

SEO Manager

3479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/





# 695 Words

Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

The space present in the eye between back side of iris and front side of lens is known as posterior chamber. Posterior chamber lens is a medical device which is implanted inside the eye, mostly after cataract surgery. Cataract is clouding of eye lens which leads to blurry vision. Posterior chamber lens act as either replacement or supportive lens for natural crystalline lens of eye. Mainly cataract, refractive error (ametropia) are conditions affecting eyes which require posterior chamber lenses for clear vision. Posterior chamber lenses are meant to be implanted permanently placed in between iris and lens of eye. Posterior chamber lens correct the refractive errors and blurry vision. Prevalence of blindness due to cataract is very high in developing countries due to unaffordability of surgery. Cataract is second cause of blindness worldwide.Posterior Chamber Lens Market: Drivers and RestraintsCataract is the most common age-related eye condition which leads to blindness if left untreated. Mostly posterior chamber lenses are used to treat cataract. Worlds aging population can act as a driver of posterior chamber lens market. Posterior chamber lens market is further driven by increasing prevalence of refractive error and cataract amongst the global population. In United States only 17.2% population over 40 years of age is suffering from cataract and 5.1% people have aphakia. Reduced incision size, and initiated biomaterial diversification act as driver for posterior chamber lens market. Advancement in surgery methods make it easier to use lenses which enhances growth of posterior chamber lens market. High success rate of implants after surgery with minimum invasive solution is important factor for posterior chamber lens market growth. Rising government initiatives for the eradication of blindness has driven posterior chamber lens market. With posterior chamber lens problem such as risk of secondary cataract have been minimized. Cost of surgery and lack of awareness in developing countries is the major barrier in posterior chamber lens market. Operative complications and post-operative keratitis are some of restraints in Posterior chamber lens market.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7043 Posterior Chamber Lens Market: SegmentationThe global posterior chamber lens market is classified on the basis of product type, material type, end user and regionBased on the product type posterior chamber lens market is segmented into following:Monofocal posterior chamber lensMultifocal posterior chamber lensAccommodating posterior chamber lensPhakic posterior chamber lensOthersBased on material type posterior chamber lens market is segmented into following:Polymethyl methacrylateFoldable hydrophilic acrylicHydrophilic AcrylicSiliconCollamerOthersBased on end user posterior chamber lens market is segmented into following:HospitalsAmbulatory Surgery CentersPosterior Chamber Lens Market: OverviewPosterior chamber lens market is expected to grow significantly due to aging population and increasing incidence of cataract and refractive error. Availability of advanced method of surgery for cataract accompanied with new type of lens developed attributing to the growth of posterior chamber lens market. By product type monofocal posterior chamber lens segment is dominating posterior chamber lens market attributing to low cost and high public acceptance. By material type foldable hydrophilic acrylic is the most dominating segment in posterior chamber lens market due to comparatively easier intraoperative handling. By end user type hospitals are dominating segment due to high number of surgeries.Posterior Chamber Lens Market: Regional OverviewOn the basis of regional presence, the global posterior chamber lens market is divided into eight key regions- North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding China & Japan, China, Japan, and the Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the global posterior chamber lens market due aging population and available reimbursements. Asia Pacific posterior chamber lens market is expected show high growth with improving healthcare and emerging economies like India and China. High prevalence and growing awareness about curative treatment in developing countries expected to drive the global posterior chamber lens market.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7043 Posterior Chamber Lens Market: Key playersSome of the key players in the global posterior chamber lens market are Alcon, Inc., Abbott Medical Optics, Inc, Bausch & Lomb Incorporated, Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, Rayner Intraocular Lenses Limited, Eyekon Medical, Lenstec, HumanOptics AG, STAAR Surgical Company and Hoya Corporation.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 15:03:56

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Bhudholiya

Manager

+1-347-918-3531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 883 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1-347-918-3531

In critically ill patients continuous measurement of patient parameters such as heart rate & rhythm, respiratory rate, blood pressure, blood-oxygen saturation, are necessary. Heart diseases is a worldwide problem and may result in physical dysfunction or even death. Hence, proper monitoring of heart disease patients is important at regular interval. The patient monitoring pods are easy and reliable way to monitor the pulse rate, muscle relaxation status of an anesthetized patient etc. The patient monitoring pods provide ease in making treatment decisions and adjustments to neuromuscular blockade. The patient monitoring pods system would help the user to monitor electrical activity of the heart and inform about any abnormality recognized in order to avoid delay in the treatment process. Chronic diseases are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity and are likely to impose an even larger burden in the future. The use of advanced technology has not only affected the safety and health aspects of the people but also created major economic impact.Portable and standalone patient monitoring pods for diagnosis and monitoring of human physiological conditions are becoming common. The patient monitoring pods are introduced in hospital care and ambulatory surgical setting, to address different needs. Sudden cardiac death is increasing among both elderly and young people. The risk may be reduced by advancing patient monitoring pods devices. Previously, heart monitoring devices were bulky with wires and electrodes that are connected to the patients and also required long stay in hospitals. The advanced patient monitoring pods have halted the use of big patient monitoring system and is itself capturing the market. The new and advanced patient monitoring pods are easily adapted, reliable and perhaps better to detect various types of arrhythmias, such as atrial fibrillation, progression of myocardial infarction, respiration rate, fetal monitoring and others. According to American Heart Association statistical report on heart disease and stroke statistics, about 17.3 Mn deaths occur each year in the U.S., and this number is expected to rise about 23.6 Mn by 2030.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6928 Patient Monitoring Pods Market: Drivers and RestrainsAccording to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that in the U.S. about 2.7 Mn people suffer from atrial fibrillation, and this number would rise with the increase in geriatric population. The atrial fibrillation costs about US$ 6.0 Bn per year to the U.S. healthcare system. The rise in prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, respiratory diseases will demand technologically advanced patient monitoring pods. Rise in geriatric population, preference for home and remote monitoring, ease-of-use and portable devices, growing prevalence of lifestyle diseases and growing awareness towards health, coupled with launch of new advanced technologies for diagnosis and monitoring of heart diseases are some other factors expected to boost the growth of global patient monitoring pods market. The major challenges associated with the patient monitoring pods market are lack of reimbursement, high cost, stringent regulatory framework, availability of alternative patient monitoring devices, security issues etc. among others.Patient Monitoring Pods Market: SegmentationThe global patient monitoring pods market has been classified on the basis of product type, end user and geography.Based on product type, the patient monitoring pods Market is segmented into following:Hemodynamic Monitoring DevicesNeuromonitoring DevicesCardiac Monitoring DevicesFetal and Neonatal Monitoring DevicesRespiratory Monitoring DevicesMulti-Parameter Monitoring DevicesOtherBased on therapeutic area, the patient monitoring pods Market is segmented into following:CardiologyFetal & NeurologyRespiratoryNeonatalOthersBased on the End User, the global patient monitoring pods Market is segmented into following:HospitalsClinicsHome Care SettingsAmbulatory Care CentersOtherPatient Monitoring Pods Market: OverviewBased on the product type, the global patient monitoring pods market is segmented into hemodynamic monitoring devices, neuromonitoring devices, cardiac monitoring devices, fetal and neonatal monitoring devices, respiratory monitoring devices, multi-parameter monitoring devices, and others. Based on therapeutic area, the patient monitoring pods market is segmented into cardiology, neurology, respiratory, fetal & neonatal and others. Based on the end user the patient market is segmented into clinics, hospitals, ambulatory care centers, home care settings, ambulatory care centers and others. The rise in incidences of cardiovascular diseases, funding by the governmental bodies to initiate research and development in mobile healthcare market, companies focusing on collaboration, acquisition, and merger are factors attributed to the growth of global patient monitoring podsPatient Monitoring Pods Market: Regional OverviewGeographically, the global patient monitoring pods market is classified into regions namely, North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, Japan, Middle East and Africa. North America is estimated to account for major share, as cardiovascular diseases and respiratory diseases are prevalent among Americans, According to American Heart Association, about 90% of American population are unable to recognize cardiac problems, thus having high necessity for patient monitoring pods. Asia Pacific is expected to witness substantial growth in patient monitoring pods market due to rising incidence of heart disease with low prices that are favored among patients in developing countries.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6928 Patient Monitoring Pods Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in global Patient Monitoring Pods Market are Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Koninklijke Philips N.V., GE Healthcare Inc., Boston Scientific Corporation, Honeywell International, Inc., Medtronic PLC, Smiths Medical, Inc., OSI Systems, Inc., Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd., IRadimed Corporation and others.Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Pack Conveyors Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012 - 2016 and Opportunity Assessment; 2017 - 2027" report to their offering.

Pack Conveyors Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 07:59:54

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Budholiya

Manager

+1 03479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 625 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1 03479183531

Pack conveyors are used to deliver packs or products from one sector of a firm or a machine to another. Pack conveyors are built on a solid steel frame and it protects the packs which are loaded on it, against friction and chafing. It transports different pack types like cartons and plastic crates safely to their fixed destination. One of the major factors, expected to facilitate growth of the global pack conveyors market is, almost all of its components are pre-assembled and therefore, is ready for use within a small interval, based on plug-and-play principle. A pack conveyor of proven resistance is capable of supporting heavy product flow, which is expected to drive growth of the global pack conveyors market.Ease of operation and durability are some of the other attributes expected to catapult the global pack conveyors market. Pack conveyors are customizable, and therefore, can be modified to suit different pack requirements. The various types of pack conveyors available in the market include belt conveyors, slat conveyors, and roller conveyors, among others, which are equipped with automatic format change and can be either multi or single way. The dynamic nature of pack conveyors allow them to be integrated with some of the most common machinery available in the market, which include dividers, applicators and palletizers.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4779 Global Pack Conveyors Market: DynamicsPack conveyors are used for quick and heavy transportation of a variety of materials or packs which increases their preference in material handling and packaging industries. Pack conveyors are also equipped with low consumption motors, which also facilitates their maintenance. Among the sub types of pack conveyors, belt conveyors held the largest market share in 2016. Rapid modernization and increase in production volume are some of the major factors, which are expected to drive growth of the global pack conveyors market. Pack Conveyors help to simplify the task of bulk or heavy material handling and play a significant role by reducing and minimizing the probability of human errors. There is also an increasing demand of pack conveyors in various storage, distributor centres and warehouses, which is anticipated to directly translate into growth of the global pack conveyors market. There are other trends, which are expected to facilitate growth of the global pack conveyors market, including, emergence of eco-friendly pack conveyors, ushering in a new era of green conveying.Global Pack Conveyors Market: SegmentationOn the basis of product type the global pack conveyors market has been segmented as follows:Slat conveyorsBelt conveyorsRoller conveyorsAccumulation conveyorsLBP conveyorsOn basis of applications the global pack conveyors market has been segmented as follows:Primary packaged productsSecondary packaged productsOn basis of different types of chains, the global pack conveyors market has been segmented as follows:Thermoplastic resinRubberRollerModularOn the basis of End Use Industry, the global pack conveyors market has been segmented as follows:Food IndustryHealthcare IndustryAutomotive IndustryAerospace IndustryThe rise in manufacturing and other industries will drive growth of the pack conveyors market in the APAC region. Asia-Pacific is expected to experience the most prominent growth, over the forecast period. India and China are forecast to be the key contributors to the global pack conveyors market in this region. Europe is expected to lead the global pack conveyors market, in terms of volume.Request Report for TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4779 Global Pack Conveyors Market: Key PlayersFew of the key players operating in the global pack conveyors market are - ACMI SpA, S.V. Modular Conveyors Private Limited, Shuttleworth LLC, Bando Chemical Industries, Ltd., Power Pack Conveyor Company, Integrated Conveyors and Pacline Automation Technologies, Phoenix Conveyor Belt Systems GmbH, and Vetromeccanica srl.Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Net Bags Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012 - 2016 and Opportunity Assessment; 2017 - 2027" report to their offering.

Net Bags Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 08:10:35

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Budholiya

Manager

+1 03479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 717 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1 03479183531

Packaging has become an integral part of our modern life due to its easy transportation, storage and also due to the attractiveness to the consumers. Product packaging can also play a major role in success or failure of the product. One of the important part packaging plays is that it not only protects the product from damage in transporting from manufacturers but also protects the product on the retail shelves. One such important innovation in the field of packaging are net bags. Net bags are the new height of unique packaging. Net bags are a unique combination of functionality, value, and appearance.Net bags market: Market dynamicsThe key feature driving net bags market is that it gives a premium look to the product. Adding further to this, volume buying of the product becomes easier rather than sampling the product. Also, handling of the product becomes easier. Net bags are the possible solution for the various product like fruits and vegetables, cosmetics, etc. The trend of replacing conventional plastic bags to the net bags as they consume relatively less space during inventory and transportation. The key feature driving this market is that it has maximum durability, high strength, and flexibility. Another important factor towards the growth of net bags market is that they are light but strong and they take the shape of the product, occupying less space.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4756 Earlier net bags were used to pack fruits and vegetables, but now the packaging market caters to sports, cosmetic products and now an increasing demand in the agricultural sector. One of the key capabilities of net bags is that they not only protect the packed good from the sun but also provide the vital airing. Currently, they are in enormous demand in the agriculture field. They are perfect carry bags for household goods. That is why they are gaining more and more appreciation from the consumers. One of the important features of net bags is that they allow continuous air circulation and keeps the product fresh for a longer period.Another factor that is fuelling the net bags packaging is that they are damp proof and water resistant which adds the shelf life of the product inside. Furthermore, the usage of the electronic product is another factor towards the growth of net bags packaging because it makes good protective cushioning package materials. Moreover, the breathable fabric makes net bags good for agricultural industries. Innovation which has given a boost to the net bags packaging is protective net sleeves which are put around in liquor bottles and many other products. Another factor driving the use of net bags in the agricultural sector is the invention of drawstrings.Net bags market: Market segmentationThe net bags packaging market can be segmented on the basis of product type, material type, shapes, end uses, and packaging. On the basis of product type it is further segmented into extruded, oriented netting, knitted netting, tubular netting, monofilament and others. On the basis material type, the net bags packaging can be segmented into polyethylene, polyester, polypropylene, cotton, and foam On the basis of shapes, net bags packaging it is further segmented into diamond, square, flat and cylinder net bags. On the basis of end uses net bags packaging is segmented into fruit and vegetable packaging, cosmetic packaging, agriculture sector, and protective sleeve in liquor packaging.Net bags market: Regional overlookGeographically, the net bags packaging market can be segmented into North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC) and Middle East & Africa (MEA). The growth of global net bags packaging market is expected to witness a constant CAGR over the forecast period. Moreover, North America is expected to witness an above average growth due to the use of mesh net bags in the agricultural sector. Whereas, in Asia Pacific region the use of fruits and vegetable net bags is expected to witness an above average growth. The increased use of a cosmetic product will also help in driving the net bags packaging market over the region in the forecast period.Request Report for TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4756 Net bags market: key playersFew of the key players in the net bags packaging market are LC Packaging and Parry Enterprises India Ltd.Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Molded Fiber Wine Packs Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012 - 2016 and Opportunity Assessment; 2017 - 2027" report to their offering.

Molded Fiber Wine Packs Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 07:44:05

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office





616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,





Valley Cottage, NY 10989,





United States





T: +1-347-918-3531





F: +1-845-579-5705





Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com





Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Budholiya

Manager

+1 03479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 646 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1 03479183531

The global molded fiber packaging market is abuzz with packaging solution that cater to diverse product segments. Manufacturers of molded fiber packaging are continuously innovating in terms of design and functionality in order to serve niche market segments. Wine packaging has emerged to be one such niche market segment that offers lucrative business opportunity for packaging manufacturers. Molded fiber wine packs have recently gained crucial significance due to its effective functionality and material strength. Increasing consumption of wine has resulted into growing demand for packaging products. Molded fiber wine packs provide safe packaging of wine during transportation and storage. Molded fiber wine packs are affordable packaging solution for wine as wine needs to be stored for prolonged duration to enhance the quality. Nowadays manufactures are focusing on packaging product which can retain wine taste for the longer time, as well as those which are recyclable. Molded fiber wine packs are considered 100% recyclable and are made up of newspaper and water. With technological advancement, dependency on petroleum based products have decreased. Molded fiber wine packs have inbuilt bracing and blocking capabilities and resistance to any damage.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4770 Molded Fiber Wine Packs Market: Market DynamicsThe global market for molded fiber wine packs have dynamic growth due to its inbuilt features and value. Molded fiber wine packs are mostly preferred by the manufactures as they can even sustain wine taste in humid areas. This has increased the self-life of wine as packaging is not affected by the heat or light. Molded fiber wine pack provides perfect protection from microbes. It is mostly used for shipping wines as this material has natural resistance from pressure which makes wine safer. Molded fiber wine packs have reduced cost of transportation and storage cost as modeled fiber requires less space as compared to other material such as foam and boxes. Extra cost saving from green taxes which are imposed on manufactures are getting neglected as raw material and finished product are ecofriendly. Molded fiber wine packs reduces the area required for landfilling this, further initiates its market. One of the positive factors for increasing the sales for molded fiber wine packs market is Direct to consumer wine. Various distributors are personally contacting consumers to take orders by eliminating supply chain. One of the restraining factor for molded fiber wine pack is the rise in interest of consumers for a bag in box packaging product as its market is growing due to its finish and unique designs.Molded Fiber Wine Packs Market: Market SegmentationThe global market for molded fiber wine packs is segmented on the basis of product type and capacity type.On the basis of product type the molded fiber wine packs is segmented into:Clamshell molded fiber wine packsTray molded fiber wine packsCustom designed molded fiber wine packsOn the basis of product type the molded fiber wine packs is segmented into:Single Pack CasesMultiple Pack Cases2 Pack Cases3 Pack Cases4 Pack CasesOthersMolded Fiber Wine Pack Market: Regional overviewGlobal molded fiber wine pack market can be segmented into seven regions - North America, Western Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific Region, Middle East & Africa and Eastern Europe.The global market for molded fiber wine packs is expected to grow as manufactures are turning towards sustainable packaging product. UK has maximum share in the European molded fiber wine packs market. Manufactures are focusing on compact and durable packaging solution which will reduce landfill activity. New Zealand and Australia also have maximum sales of wine, so there is great opportunity for the molded fiber wine pack market.Request Report for TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4770 Some of the key players operating Heritage Pioneer Corporate Group, Huhtamaki Group, UFP Technologies, Inc., ALLPACK Solutions Inc., Western Pulp Products Company, KEYES Packaging Group, and Polar Tech Industries, Inc.Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Coffee Market Synopsis:

The Global Coffee Market is projected to garner USD 102,279.2 million during the forecast period (2018-2023). The global market is likely to demonstrate 4.32% CAGR owing to the increased consumption of coffee across the world. A beverage with widespread consumption in the world, coffee has been through several changes and innovation over the past years. Coffee is prepared by brewing processed or roasted coffee seeds. The two major varieties used in the production of coffee are Robusta and Arabica.

The global coffee market is expected to demonstrate a significant growth rate during the forecast period owing to rapid urbanization and rising per capita disposable income of consumers in trying new beverages. The frequent innovations in the product variety by the industry players are anticipated to push the global coffee market during the review period. For instance, manufacturers have launched products like coffee pods, coffee premixes, and coffee capsules in order to meet the increasing demand for convenience food. With the increasing consumption of coffee across the world, the market is likely to flourish. Coffee is one of the most widely consumed and demanding beverages in the world. Regions like North America holds a huge market share where around 71% of the total population consumes coffee on a daily basis.

On the flip side, fluctuating prices of coffee beans are likely to impact the market growth adversely. Coffee is one of the highly traded commodities in the world and is rising rapidly both in producing and non-producing regions. The climatic change affects the productivity can also act as a growth deterrent.

Industry Updates: December 11, 2018: In order to enhance the experiential customer experience, Starbucks Corporation has decided to open the fourth reserve bar in Canada which contains rare and exclusive small-lot coffees. The unique design of these coffee bars aims to entice millennials in trying novel aromas and brews.

Major Key Players Review: The major players operating the global coffee market are Tchibo Coffee International Ltd. (U.K.), Tata Global Beverages Ltd. (India), Nestle S.A. (Switzerland), The Coca Cola Company (U.S.), Strauss Group Ltd. (Israel), The Kraft Heinz Company (U.S.), Jacobs Douwe Egberts (The Netherlands), Starbucks Corporation (U.S.), The J.M. Smucker Company (U.S.), and Unilever PLC (U.K.).

Segment Analysis: The global coffee market has been segmented on the basis of variety, form, distribution channel, and region.

By mode of variety, the Global Coffee Market has been segmented into Arabica, Robusta, and others. Among these, the Robusta type accounts for 4.85% CAGR and is likely to garner USD 30,046 million during the forecast period. Asia Pacific is considered to account for the maximum proportion in this segment. On the other hand, the Arabica segment is expected to demonstrate 4.07% CAGR over the review period. Europe is considered to account for the maximum share.

By mode of form, the global coffee market has been segmented into whole, ground, instant coffee powder, portioned coffee, premixes, pods, and others. Among these, the ground form is expected to demonstrate 4.45% CAGR and is likely to garner USD 63,644.5 million during the review period. The whole form, on the other hand is likely to project 4.12% CAGR and is estimated to touch USD 38,634.7 million by 2023.

Regional Insights: Geographically, the coffee market span across regions namely, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Rest-of-the-World.

Among all the regions, the North American region is predicted to demonstrate 23.88% CAGR during the review period and is likely to garner USD 24,277.8 million. The growth in this region is attributed to the high consumption of Arabica in this region. The North American region is an attractive region among the coffee manufacturers. Expanding product portfolio by the key manufacturers is one of the major factors contributing to the growth of the market in this region. Moreover, innovation in flavor is another major factor anticipated to influence the market growth during the appraisal period. Manufacturers are focusing on the promotional activities in order to create awareness among the consumers related to the new product launch, which further stimulates the market growth.

Get a Sample Report Now @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6889Microbiome Therapeutics Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 09:00:27

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

Contact Us



Persistence Market Research



305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353



Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com



Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Yogesh Senger

Associate Consultant

800-961-0353

email

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com





# 753 Words

Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comAssociate Consultant800-961-0353

According to the latest market report published by Persistence Market Research, titled Microbiome Therapeutics Market Potential: Global Pipeline Analysis and Assessment 2018  2025, the global microbiome therapeutics market is expected to exhibit an exponential CAGR of 62.9% during the forecast period 20182025.Persistence Market Research estimates that the global market for microbiome therapeutics is expected to be valued at US$ 10.1 Mn in 2018 and is expected to reach US$ 897.3 Mn by 2025 end. Need for reliable, precise and fast treatment options for certain diseases, such as C. difficile infection (CDI), phenylketonuria, hepatic encephalopathy and multidrug resistant urinary tract infection creates a huge potential for the growth of the microbiome therapeutics market. Breakthrough therapy designation and orphan drug approvals for microbiome therapeutics is expected to accelerate the launch of developmental drugs in the microbiome therapeutics market. A huge pipeline with over 120 candidates in different stages of development further creates the platform for potential growth of the microbiome therapeutics market.Request for Report Methodology @: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/7990 More Than 120 Drugs Are in the Pipeline in the Global Microbiome Therapeutics MarketAt present there are no marketed microbiome therapeutics in the global market; however, the first drug is expected to be launched in 2018. The global market is dominated by over 25 companies with more than 120 drugs in the pipeline at different stages of development. However, over 60% of these drugs are in the discovery or preclinical phase, where there is high uncertainty surrounding the success of these molecules to reach the clinical phase and being launched as a new drug molecule. Majority of the pipeline drugs are being developed for gastrointestinal disorders and contribute approximately 28.7% of the total pipeline products.Research and development in the microbiome industry is prominently dependent on government funding and research grants. Formation of policies and provision of subsidy by various governments encourages research and development activities across various segments of the research including discovery and clinical research. Government initiatives in funding microbiome research is the preliminary factor driving revenue growth of global microbiome therapeutics market. For instance, the U.S. government had allocated US$ 1.6 Bn for microbiome R&D programs in 2016 & 2017.Global Microbiome Therapeutics Market: Segmentation and ForecastThe market is segmented based on indication and region. On the basis of indication, the market has been segmented into type 2 diabetes, obesity, C. difficile infection and primary hyperoxyurea. C. difficile infection indication segment is expected to contribute the highest market share of over 34% by 2025 end. More number of product approvals for CDI is attributed to a high share of the C. difficile infection segment in the global market.Human gut is home to over 100 Tn bacteria, containing thousands of different species. Long-term exposure to antibiotics causes dysbiosis in gut microbial composition, which leads to a variety of gastrointestinal disorders including CDI, ulcerative colitis, IBD, bacterial infection and even antibiotic associated diarrhea. Microbiome therapeutics however, present an excellent option for the treatment of CDI and other gastrointestinal disorders, as they are designed to naturally cure dysbiosis and bring the microbiome system back to normal functioning.Global Microbiome Therapeutics Market: Regional ForecastOn the basis of region, the market has been segmented into the U.S., Europe, Japan and Rest of the World (RoW). U.S. is estimated to contribute the highest share of over 44% by 2025 end, due to early launch of microbiome therapeutics and high penetration compared to other markets. The market in Japan is expected to witness delayed growth due to the complex regulatory pathways for new biological drugs. The microbiome therapeutics market in the rest of the world is expected to show gradual acceptance of bug medicine, Canada being the most lucrative among the rest of the world countries.Global Microbiome Therapeutics Market: Competitive LandscapeKey players identified in the global microbiome therapeutics market are SERES Therapeutics Inc., Rebiotix Inc., OxThera AB, Immuron Ltd., Microbiome Therapeutics Inc., Ferring B.V., Ritter Pharmaceuticals, LNC Therapeutics, Enterome SA, Synlogic Inc., 4D Pharma Plc. AOBiome LLC, Vedanta Biosciences Inc., ViThera Pharmaceuticals Inc., AvidBiotics, Osel Inc. etc. among others.Request to Sample Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/7990 Majority of the players in the microbiome therapeutics market are engaged in partnerships and collaborations with established pharmaceutical companies and academic institutes. Small start-up and clinical stage microbiome companies are capitalizing on venture financing to establish microbiome based novel therapeutics in the global market. Despite of decrease in the overall venture capital investments, the microbiome industry has witnessed high VC investments in 2016, and raised approximately to US$ 336 Mn in 2016. Partnerships and research collaborations are another prominent trends identified in global microbiome therapeutics market.Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Laser Scored Bags Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012 - 2016 and Opportunity Assessment; 2017 - 2027" report to their offering.

Laser Scored Bags Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 07:41:43

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Budholiya

Manager

+1 03479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 535 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1 03479183531

Packaging of a product has a noticeable effect on buyers. A broad range of flexible products are available in the market, and products with attractive packing has high preference on retail shelves over other packaging product. Consumers are in a search of goods which are easy to open and have tamper resistant features. Bags with laser scored opening provide an effective packaging solution for such consumer requirements.Bags with laser scored opening are preferred over other products for its ease of opening feature. For proper tearing of product, score line is made by vaporizing. This allows consumers to open the laser scored Bags with pinch and peel process. Laser scored opening technology facilitates precise packaging methods and neat and finished peeling while opening. Guide lines are made on the product to eliminate the probability of spillage. Product packed in bags are aseptic, which eliminates the chances of contamination. Laser scored feature also reduces production time due to straight forward modification of design task.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4769 Laser Scored Bags Market: Market DynamicsThe need of mechanical devices for opening product packages has decreased. Laser scored bags, due to its effective functionality, has extensive demand in the global food & beverages industry. Laser scored opening technology provides easy packaging and opening facility. This feature of laser scored technology used for food items like bakery items, pet food, fertilizer etc. is driving the global market for laser scored bags. Pharmaceutical medicines filled in pouches or sachets create chances for spillage when opened. Laser scored bags are used to overcome such challenges in packaging of pharmaceutical products. Laser scored bags are preferred by manufacturer over other products due to recyclable and sustainable features.In January 2017, Wipak launched its laser scored bags which provides easy peeling of the package. One of the accelerating factors in laser scored bags market is busy lifestyles of consumers. Busy lifestyle makes consumers rely on the packaged food products. Laser scored bags enhance shelf life of food products, and the laser scored opening feature of the package help boost sales among end consumers. Laser scored bags are light weight and easy to carry. Light weight properties of Laser Scored Bags impacts consumers in a positive way. Laser scored bags have opportunities to grow in the electrical and electronic industry, as electronic items are smaller in size and needs to be packed with packaging material which provides ease of opening.Laser Scored Bags Market: Market Regional OverviewGlobal laser scored bags market is segmented into seven regions including North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (MEA), Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), and Japan. Laser Scored Bags market over North America and Europe is expected to show stagnant growth rate. Laser scored bags market in Asia Pacific regions is anticipated to emerge as the fastest growing market, as countries like India and China are major consumers of packaging products.Request Report for TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4769 Laser Scored Bags Market: Competition LandscapeSome of the key players operating in the laser scored bags market is Wipak (UK) Ltd, Uflex Ltd, UNI Packaging, Lithotype, Mondi Group, Proampac and Sonoco Products Company.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 08:01:02

The EU Joint Programme  Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) initiative has announced a joint transnational call for multinational research on personalised medicine for neurodegenerative diseases.

JPND Launches 30 Million Call for Multinational Research on Personalised Medicine for Neurodegenerative Diseases

Press contact

Karin YEO

+33 7 8227 2887

karin.yeo@jpnd.eu

www.jpnd.eu

Twitter: @JPNDEurope

Neurodegenerative diseases are debilitating and still largely untreatable conditions. These diseases are characterised by a large variability in their origins, mechanisms and clinical expression, requesting treatments that will need to take into account all these specificities. Deciphering this variability is one of the biggest challenges in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and the way forward is Precision Medicine, supported by highly personalised approaches for the greatest benefit of the patients.

In partnership with the European Commission, JPND is inviting multinational research teams to submit proposals for ambitious, innovative and multidisciplinary collaborative research projects to change the trajectory of these diseases through the development of Precision Medicine approaches.

JPND has chosen to focus in the area of Precision Medicine, which relates to the targeting of specific elements responsible for pathology in a given individual at a particular point in time. It is an emerging approach for disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment that takes into account individual variability in genes, biological/molecular characteristics together with environmental and lifestyle factors.

According to Professor Philippe Amouyel, University of Lille (France) and Chair of the JPND Management Board:

During the last ten years, researchers have progressively uncovered the high complexity and wide diversity of neurodegenerative diseases. We need now to complete and use this massive amount of knowledge to develop targeted approaches to more efficiently fight the dramatic progression of these diseases.

According to Professor Thomas Gasser, University of Tubingen (Germany) and Chair of the JPND Scientific Advisory Board:

Progresses in precision medicine will be a unique way to develop innovative approaches to prevent, slow and cure neurodegenerative diseases. This call aims to harness the necessary expertise across Europe and globally, to address this research challenge. 

Professor Amouyel added: With this in mind, JPND participating countries in close collaboration with the European Commission have identified precision medicine as a major issue to tackle the global challenge of neurodegenerative diseases.

Proposals submitted under this call must focus on Precision Medicine in one or several of the following research areas:

Diagnosis (e.g. biomarkers, imaging data, omics approaches, big data analyses).

Prevention (e.g. biomarkers for studying novel treatments and interventions, co-morbidities, digital technologies, stratification within cohort studies and clinical trials).

Care (e.g. improvement of social and health care systems, molecular profiling, imaging, lifestyle data).

Proposals must also relate to any or several of the following neurodegenerative diseases: Alzheimers disease and other dementias, Parkinsons disease and PD-related disorders, Prion diseases, Motor Neuron diseases, Hungtingtons disease, Spinocerebellar ataxia and Spinal muscular atrophy.

Pre-proposals must be submitted no later than 15:00h C.E.T. on March 12, 2019.

For more information about the call, please click here.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005

JPND launches 30 million call for multinational research on personalised medicine for neurodegenerative diseases.Soft Skeletal implants

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 07:20:11

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353



Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com



Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



Yogesh Sengar

Team Lead

800-961-0353

email

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/





# 868 Words

305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comTeam Lead800-961-0353

Soft skeletal implants are regenerated tissues or devices that can be placed either inside or in the surface of the receivers body. Most soft skeletal implants are prosthetics in nature, intended to be replaced for missing body parts. Other soft skeletal implants are used to provide medication, monitoring purposes, and also help in supporting organs and tissues. These soft skeletal implants can be made either from natural products - skin, bone, and other body tissues, or chemically processed and made from metal, plastic, ceramic, and other materials. Soft skeletal implants can be either embedded permanently to the recipients body or can be removed once their requirement is no longer needed.The soft skeletal implants and device market is significantly growing in the field of biomedical research. In 2014, an estimated 723,000 knee replacements and 505,000 hip replacements were performed in the U.S. at a cost of more than $20 billion (including soft skeletal implants). These soft skeletal implants have tremendous capability to improve both, human and animal health. Thanks to the advancements in the technology used in soft skeletal implants and new devices in the pipeline, the soft skeletal implants market is growing over the years. Significant research on soft skeletal implants leads to the continuous development of new and novel devices to replace and improve bones and joints.Request Sample Report@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/24292 The global soft skeletal implants market is segmented on the basis of material type, application type, and end user.On the basis of material type, the global soft skeletal implants market is segmented into:Tissue-engineered/Natural ConstructsSkinBoneOther Body TissuesArtificial Constricts /Synthetic ProductsMetalPlasticCeramicOther MaterialsOn the basis of application type, the global soft skeletal implants market is segmented into:OrthopedicsWound CareOn the basis of end user, the global soft skeletal implants market is segmented into:HospitalsClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersSoft skeletal implants that can enhance and substitute the growth of bone or cartilages are highly in demand for osteoarthritis and osteoporosis patients, and in cases involving trauma, burns, or accidents that have limited vascular or marrow supply, in order to support intrinsic repair. The increasing applications of soft skeletal implants in various therapeutic areas, along with the increasing demand for prosthetics are some of the key factors expected to boost the soft skeletal implants market. The global soft skeletal implants market is expected to experience a healthy CAGR over the forecast period. However, the reconstruction of soft skeletal implants, at times, can pose a serious challenge for both, plastic surgeons and tissue engineers. Challenges in soft skeletal implants include (i) construction of a replacement that is biologically and functionally integrated into the recipients deceased body part, (ii) It should be immunological compatible, and (iii) it must be compatible and durable enough to withstand the stress and strain aroused from skin stretching. The soft skeletal implants market is driven by growing medical infrastructure and technological advancements, which has led to tremendous improvements. Such incremental factors have led to the development of various composites by involving the usage of bones, muscles, blood vessels, nerves, connective tissues, dermis, and epidermis. In spite of huge market potential, the soft skeletal implants market is challenged by some potential risks. These soft skeletal implants possess severe challenges, such as surgical risks arising during their placement or removal, microbial infection, and material compatibility issues as some recipients develop reactions. In addition, there are also longevity issues, as these implants could break, move, or stop functioning properly. In such circumstances, the recipient may have to undergo additional surgical intervention to repair or replace the implant, bearing additional treatment costs.Request Report TOC@ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/24292 The global soft skeletal implants market can be segmented into five key regions: North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East & Africa. North America dominates the soft skeletal implants market with a large revenue share. The regions domination is attributed majorly due to the growing geriatric population, which is due to an increase in the number of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis patients. Besides, the gradual adoption of minimally invasive procedures can be anticipated to push the growth of the soft skeletal implants market in the region. Europe, which invests aggressively in healthcare, is also expected to contribute significantly to the soft skeletal implants market share. From Asia Pacific, China and India are expected to register the fastest growth during the forecast period, whereas, Brazil from Latin America, is also anticipated to contribute significantly to the soft skeletal implants market. The key to market growth in these developing countries includes the increase in patient awareness and training, commercial availability of soft skeletal implants, rise in medical insurance, and improvement in healthcare infrastructure. MEA is also expected to grow at a decent rate during the forecast period in the soft skeletal implants market. However, factors such as lack of healthcare infrastructure and low profile healthcare regulatory bodies are expected to restrain market growth significantly in these regions.Some of the market players in the soft skeletal implants market, globally, include Advanced Biologics, Aesculap USA, Covidien, Corin, DePuy, K2M, Medtronic, OrthoPro, Smith & Nephew, Stryker Corp, Zimmer Holdings, Wright Medical Technology, and others.Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Heat Sensitive Cups Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012 - 2016 and Opportunity Assessment; 2017 - 2027" report to their offering.

Heat Sensitive Cups Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 07:57:24

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office





616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,





Valley Cottage, NY 10989,





United States





T: +1-347-918-3531





F: +1-845-579-5705





Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com





Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Budholiya

Manager

+1 03479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 522 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1 03479183531

Heat sensitive cups are cups which are sensitive towards heat or the temperature of the liquid in the cup. As a result of this sensitivity, the graphics or appearance of the cup changes. The customizability of the cups enables manufacturers and end users to target young consumers. Many manufacturers use this feature as a means to enhance brand awareness, and therefore, heat sensitive cups enjoy high preference among brands. In order to achieve this graphical sensitivity, a commodity which is used is heat sensitive paint. These cups are readily used by consumers and are highly preferred as presents. New varieties of heat sensitive cups are ovenable, which is anticipated to increase preference for heat sensitive cups, in the market, over the forecast period.Global Heat Sensitive Cups Market: DynamicsThe availability of an extensive variety of heat sensitive cups, and their customizability boosts growth of the global heat sensitive cups market. Brand owners these days offer heat sensitive cups in a variety of deals to increase product awareness as well as sell their own products. Heat sensitive cups also function as an effective tool for marketing, and increased use of these cups is anticipated in the near future. Heat sensitive cups also find applications as business gifts by companies. The growth of e-commerce in the past decade has enabled increased sales of heat-sensitive cups.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4776 Global packaging industry has undergone significant transformation over the past decade leading to an absolute need for customization. Heat sensitive cups market has witnessed rapid developments in recent years. New innovations such as digitally enabled heat sensitive cups fueling the heat sensitive cups market. The use of heat-sensitive printing over different cups provides a secure and eye-catching communication tool and thus adds a new usage in its applications list. Despite the largely positive outlook, there are certain disrupting factors, which might hamper growth of the global heat sensitive cups market, over the forecast period. This might include new varieties of cups, which might become a trend. Another factor that might hamper growth of the global heat sensitive cups market include stringent environmental policies regarding the use of certain raw materials. For instance, France recently banned the use of plastic cups.North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe and Japan have a very saturated market as there is relatively high penetration of on-the-go food consumption habit, in these regions. As a result, it is expected that there will be moderate growth in the heat sensitive cup market in these regions. Rest of the regions, which include Latin America, Middle East, Europe and Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) are expected to expand at a healthy CAGR over the forecast period, with the increase in the number of consumers adopting on-the-go eating trend.Request Report for TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4776 Global Heat Sensitive Cups Market: Key PlayersFew of the key players operating in the global heat sensitive market are  Dexsim (M) Sdn Bhd, Shenzhen Yong Rui Bianse Arts & Crafts Co., Ltd, Huhtamaki Group, Shenzhen Sunsky Technology Limited, Shenzhen Yongfeng Ceramics Co. Ltd and Profun International Co., Ltd.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 11:08:58

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

CONTACT:



Persistence Market Research



305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353



Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com



Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



yogesh sengar

team lead

800-961-0353

email

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com





# 535 Words

CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comteam lead800-961-0353

Cloud services are those services that are offered to users via the Internet from the server of cloud computing service provider. Such services provide scalable and easy access to various resources and applications, and are entirely managed by the cloud service providers. The examples of cloud services include web-based e-mail services, online backup solutions and data storage, document collaboration services, technical support services, and database processing among others. Cloud service providers supply the necessary software and hardware required for cloud service, thereby eliminating the need for organizations to deploy their own resources for managing networked services. The other advantage of cloud services over the traditional methods of providing infrastructure is faster deployment of services and reduction in in-house maintenance costs.On the basis of mode of delivery, the cloud services market is segmented into Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS) and Infrastructure as a service (IaaS). The SaaS mode of delivery is further segmented into SMB and mobile corporate SaaS cloud services, corporate SaaS cloud services, SMB SaaS cloud services and others. North America is the largest contributor to the cloud services market due to the high penetration of internet in this region. This region is followed by Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World (RoW).Request for Report Sample: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/6667 Major benefits offered by cloud services are driving business organizations in implementing the use of cloud services. Cloud services maximize the effectiveness of shared resources and ensure the business organizations higher returns and faster paybacks. In addition, cloud services offer scalable solutions to growing business organizations at low cost of ownership. This drives business organizations to invest in such services that allow them to generate higher revenues by optimizing the available resources. However, the data security issues are the roadblocks that are adversely affecting the growth of this market. The increasing data hacking incidences using sophisticated tools result in loss of sensitive data, causing serious dents in the business revenues. Also, there are constant evolutions of new security threats that are affecting the quality of cloud services. Further, the small and medium businesses find it difficult to repeatedly invest in the customized solutions available for cloud services security. Due to such factors, the business organizations are reluctant in investing in the cloud services and prefer to carry on with conventional methods of network infrastructure.Some of the major players in the market are improving their existing services by adding new and innovative features. This helps them in staying competitively ahead in the market. For instance, Akamai Technologies, Inc., one of the leading cloud services providers, recently added Zone Apex Mapping feature to its Ion network acceleration technology. This feature reduces DNS resolution time and avoids HTTP redirects. Other major players in the market include VMware, Inc., (U.S.), Taleo Corporation (Ireland), Oracle Corporation, (U.S.), NetSuite Inc., (U.S.), Microsoft Corporation (U.S.), Joyent Inc., (U.S.), International Business Machines Corporation (U.S.), Hewlett-Packard (U.S.), Flexiant Limited (United Kingdom), ENKI Consulting (U.S.), Etelos Inc.,(U.S.) , Citrix Systems Inc., (U.S.), Cisco Systems Inc., (U.S.), CA Technologies, Inc., (U.S.), and SAP AG (Germany).Request for Report TOC: https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/6667PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 12:43:16

Press Information

RESEARCH REPORT INSIGHTS

Research Report Insights (RRI)





42 Joseph Street





Port carling P0B 1J0





Muskoka, Ontario1





Phone - +1-631-721-4201





Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/





Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com



BISHU

+1-631-721-4201

+1-631-721-4201

email

https://www.researchreportinsights.com





# 1175 Words

Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/Email: sales@researchreportinsights.com+1-631-721-4201+1-631-721-4201

In this report, Research Report Insights (RRI) offers a 10-year forecast of the global Fruit Puree Concentrate Market: Global Industry Analysis, size, sales and Forecast by 2026. In terms of value, the market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 4.8% over the forecast period. The current study reveals the market trends and market dynamics in all seven regions that are expected to positively affect the current market environment and future scenario of the Fruit Puree Concentrate Market over the forecast period.This Research Report Insights report inspects the Fruit Puree Concentrate market for the period 20162026. The prime objective of this report is to offer insights into developments in the Fruit Puree Concentrate market that are gradually helping transform global businesses associated with the same.The global Fruit Puree Concentrate market report begins by the executive summary and defining various categories and their share in the Fruit Puree Concentrate market. It is followed by market dynamics, overview of the global Fruit Puree Concentrate market, which includes RRI analysis of market drivers, restraints, opportunities and trends that are affecting growth of the Fruit Puree Concentrate market. Furthermore, to understand the popularity of the market segment and regions, the attractiveness index with elaborated insights on the same is provided, which will show the markets attractiveness based on the factors such as CAGR and incremental opportunity.Request For Report Sample: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114817/Fruit-Puree-Concentrate-Market The prime factors powering the demand for Fruit Puree Concentrate market is Rise in demand for baby foods with puree concentrates for enhancing taste. Factors such as easy regulations for Fruit Puree Concentrate has changes the production and sales pattern of the companies. Moreover, as per the FDA guidelines, supplements are not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent, or cure diseases which eliminated the registration and licensing requirement of Puree concentrate producing companies. Furthermore, strengthening import barriers will restrict the global supply is considered a restraining factor towards the growth of Fruit Puree Concentrate marketThe market is segmented based on product type, fruit family type, application type and region. Based on product type, the market is sub-segmented into With Sugar and No Added Sugar. Among all the product type segment, No Added Sugar segment is expected to account for the highest market share, followed by With Sugar segment over the forecast period. The With Sugar type segment is expected to register a significant CAGR of 2.4 % during the forecast period in terms of value. The No Added Sugar segment is projected to register the highest CAGR of 6.4% over the forecast period. The factors fuelling demand for Fruit Puree Concentrate is the development in food industry and easy regulations for Fruit Puree Concentrate globally.The next section of the report highlights the Fruit Puree Concentrate adoption, by region, and provides the market outlook for 20162026. The study investigates the market attractiveness regionally, as well as analyses the limit to which the drivers are influencing the Fruit Puree Concentrate market in each region. Main regions assessed in this report include North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). The sections, by product type, by fruit family type and by application type, evaluate the present scenario and growth prospects of the regional Fruit Puree Concentrate market for 20162026. Increasing focus of global key players for expansion in North America and APEJ region is expected to increase the Fruit Puree Concentrate market share in these regions. Latin America and Eastern Europe is expected to be the most attractive regions in terms of CAGR by 2026. The Fruit Puree Concentrate consumption in APEJ is anticipated to rise over the forecast period. In 2016, the region is estimated to account for 7.3% value share in the global Fruit Puree Concentrate market; and is anticipated to exhibit a CAGR of 6.1% by the end of the forecast period.To ascertain the Fruit Puree Concentrate market size, we have also taken into account the revenue generated by the various manufacturers. The forecast presented here assesses the total revenue generated by value, across the Fruit Puree Concentrate market. In order to provide an accurate forecast, we initiated by sizing up the current market, which forms the basis on how the Fruit Puree Concentrate market is expected to develop in the future. Given the characteristics of the market, we triangulated the outcome on the basis of three different types of analysis; based on supply side, downstream industry demand and the economic envelope. In addition, it is imperative to note that in an ever-fluctuating global economy, we not only conduct forecasts in terms of CAGR, but also analyse the market based on key parameters, such as year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth rates, to understand the predictability of the Fruit Puree Concentrate market and identify the right opportunities across the market.The Fruit Puree Concentrate segments, by product type, by fruit family type, by application type and region, have been analysed in terms of basis point share (BPS) to understand the individual segments relative contributions to market growth. This detailed level of information is important for identifying various key trends in the Fruit Puree Concentrate market. Another key feature of this report is the analysis of key segments in terms of absolute dollar opportunity. This is overlooked while forecasting the market. However, absolute dollar opportunity is critical for evaluating the scope of opportunity that a provider can look to achieve, as well as to identify potential resources from a delivery perspective of the Fruit Puree Concentrate market. The overall absolute dollar opportunity along with the segmental split is mentioned in the report.Request Report Discount: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114817/Fruit-Puree-Concentrate-Market To understand key growth segments in terms of growth and adoption for Fruit Puree Concentrate globally, Research Report Insights developed the Fruit Puree Concentrate market Attractiveness Index. The resulting index should help providers identify real market opportunities.In the final section of the report on Fruit Puree Concentrate, the dashboard view of the companies is provided to compare the current industrial scenario and their contribution in total Fruit Puree Concentrate market. Moreover, it is primarily designed to provide clients with an objective and detailed comparative assessment of key providers specific to a market segment. Report audiences can gain segment-specific manufacturer insights to identify and evaluate key competitors based on the in-depth assessment of their capabilities and success in the Fruit Puree Concentrate marketplace.Detailed profiles of Puree Concentrate production companies are also included in the report to evaluate their long and shortterm strategies, key product offerings and recent developments in the Fruit Puree Concentrate market. Key market competitors covered in the report include Agrana Juice Gmbh, China Huiyuan Juice Group Ltd., Cobell Ltd, Doehler Gmbh, Fenix S.A., Grunewald Fruchtsaft GmbH, Kerr Concentrates Inc., Tianjin Kunyu International Co. Ltd., Tree Top Inc. and Watt's S.A.Rest of Eastern EuropeAsia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ)ChinaIndiaAustralia & New ZealandRest of APEJJapanMiddle East & AfricaGCC CountriesTurkeySouth AfricaRest of MEAReport Analysis: https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114817/Fruit-Puree-Concentrate-MarketFuture Market Insights has announced the addition of the Foil Tapes Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012 - 2016 and Opportunity Assessment; 2017 - 2027" report to their offering.

Foil Tapes Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 07:54:40

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Budholiya

Manager

+1 03479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 709 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1 03479183531

Foil tapes are metal-backed tapes that are mainly used in industries to withstand heavy load and enable heavy and specialized machines to work efficiently. Due to increase in adoption of automated technology, the global foil tapes market has witnessed a rise in demand, by industrialists. In addition, foil tapes also enable efficient cooling and heating, which involves thermal conduction and heat-light reflection over the surface. The high preference for foil tapes can be attributed to their excellent resistance towards high humidity and extreme conditions, which includes exposure to UV light, high temperatures, and chemicals. Added to that, foil tapes are highly malleable and have rugged characteristics, which makes them an ideal choice for heavy usage. Foil tapes find application in metal finishing, appliance, aerospace and automotive industries. Foil tapes are primarily used for shielding, grounding and sealing applications. Overall, the foil tapes market is anticipated to witness significant growth, over the forecast period.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4775 Global Foil Tapes Market: DynamicsFoil tapes cater to an extensive range of industries, and are heavily used in appliance, aerospace, metal finishing, specialty vehicle, machinery, construction, manufacturing and transportation markets. This is expected to be the major contributor to growth of the global foil tapes market. The global foil tapes market is being driven by innovation in terms of adhesives used. New varieties of foil tapes with acrylic adhesives are known to increase their bond with age. The major drivers for growth of the global foil tapes market includes, easy-peel, high water resistance and total water vapour barrier. Foil tapes are also used on seams and joints of fiberglass, which has witnessed increased usage in the consumer electronic goods market. Other features which increase preference for foil tapes over alternate solutions include less dependence on additional fasteners such as scrap metals, metal screws to seal or cover large areas, which is a prominent attribute in case of aluminium foil tapes. Growth of applications in art and craft field is also expected to fuel growth of the global foil tapes market. Increasing demand in marine applications for manufacturing of boats, and usage in wire coating to reduce vibration fatigue in metal, plastic panel and support structures, is anticipated to facilitate growth in demand for foil tapes.Global Foil Tapes Market: Market SegmentationFoil Tapes market has been segmented on the basis of backing material, product type, application, and end use. On the basis of product type, foil tapes market has been segmented in lead foil tapes, aluminium foil tapes, sound damping foil tapes, and butyl foil tapes. On the basis of application, foil tapes market can be segmented as  temperature resistant barrier, electromagnetic shielding, air tightening, and sealing. On the basis of end use, foil tapes market can be segmented in automotive, industrial applications, building and construction, manufacturing, foil arts transportation, and logistics. On the basis of adhesive material, foil tapes market has been segmented in acrylic, silicone, and rubber foil tapes. On the basis of substrate, foil tapes market has been segmented in aluminium foil tapes, aluminium with glass foil tapes, tin foil tapes, copper foil tapes, steel foil tapes and lead foil tapes.Global Foil Tapes Market: Regional OutlookGeographically, the global foil tapes market has been segmented into North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East and Africa (MEA), and Japan. The North American region is expected to lead the global foil tapes market, owing to strong presence of defence, construction, machinery, aerospace, and automotive sector. Emerging economies such as China and India have been witnessing record growth of the industrial sector and aerospace & defence industry, over the past few years, and are anticipated to witness rapid growth of these industries in the future. This is expected to result in an increased application of foil tapes. Latin America is anticipated to follow a similar trend.Request Report for TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4775 Global Foil Tapes Market: Key PlayersFew of the key players operating in the global foil tapes market are- 3M, Advance Tapes International Ltd, Shurtape Technologies LLC, Morgan Industries Limited, Zhenjiang Runfa Aluminium Co., Ltd., Tape India, Thomas Publishing Company, Matrix Adhesive Coating Industry, Maxal Impex, Pronat Industries Ltd.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 18:59:01

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) equipment market refers to the tools and equipments used to detect, dispose and provide protection during explosive disposal operations. The global Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) equipment market has been segmented by equipment type, application and geography. On the basis of equipment type the market has been segmented into portable X-ray systems, projected water disruptors, bomb containment chamber, EOD suits and blankets, EOD robots, explosive detectors and search mirrors among others. The EOD market on the basis of application has been categorized into defense and law enforcement. North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa and Latin America are the various regions covered within the scope of research. Furthermore, a cross sectional analysis has been provided for each of the reports covered within the scope of research.Report For Sample with Table of Contents@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114589/Explosive-Ordnance-Disposal-Equipment-Market Factors such as police forces modernization programs and defense modernization programs are also expected to drive the demand for Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) equipment. Various defense agencies across the globe are striving to equip their forces with modern equipment in order to counter terrorist intrusions. For example, large numbers of military organizations and law enforcement organizations have adopted military EOD robots. These robots can be programmed according to a given situation and can also be repurposed in a short time. Moreover, recent surge in number of terrorist attacks have also boosted the demand for EOD in recent years. The rise of various terrorist outfits such as ISIS and Boko Haram are constantly conducting coordinated country-wide attacks against the governments across the globe.These organizations are targeting malls, schools and embassies among others. As a result of these factors, defense organizations are increasingly adopting EOD equipment to counter the terrorist attacks. Furthermore, the joint efforts taken by various countries such as the U.S., Russia and France among others to curb terrorism have further resulted in an increased demand for EOD equipments. These factors in combination are expected to propel the demand for EOD equipment throughout the forecast period.However, defense budget cut by governments of various countries is restraining the demand for EOD equipment globally. For example, there has been a 31% defense budget cut in the U.S. military spending from 2010 to 2016Significant opportunities exist for the EOD equipment market as a result of continuous research and development initiatives undertaken by various manufacturers. Research and development is directed toward improving existing features as well as developing new advanced features. For example, in January 2014, DetectaChem launched a handheld explsoive detector called the SEEKERe. The SEEKERe has been designed and developed in accordance to the specifications requested by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).The company profiles of the major players in the global Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Equipment market across five major geographic regions namely North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa and Latin America has been extensively covered under the purview of the study. Moreover, the business strategies being adopted by the major players in the market have also been included in the report. The market attractive analysis has also been provided in the report for providing a detailed insight into the global EOD equipment market.The market dynamics, which includes the market drivers, restraints and opportunities, has also been included under the scope of the report. Market dynamics help to understand the current trends in the global market by providing insights of the distinctive factors that influence the growth of the specific market. Thus, this report provides an inclusive study of the global Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Equipment market and also provides forecast of the market for the period from 2015-2023Request For Report Discount@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114589/Explosive-Ordnance-Disposal-Equipment-Market Some of the major players operating in EOD market are: iRobot Corporation, Safariland, LLC, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Scanna Msc Ltd., NABCO, Inc., United Shield International Ltd, Reamda Ltd., API Technologies Corp., Du Pont (E.I.) De Nemours and Cobham plc among others.The global Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Equipment market has been segmented into:Global Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Equipment market, by Equipment Type Portable X-ray Systems Projected Water Disruptors Bomb containment chambers EOD Suits and Blankets EOD Robots Explosive Detectors Search mirrors OthersGlobal Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Equipment market, by Application: Defense Law EnforcementGlobal Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Equipment market, by Geography: North Americao U.S.o Canadao Others Europeo United Kingdomo Franceo Germanyo Russiao Others Asia Pacifico Chinao Indiao Japano Others Middle East and Africao U.A.E.o Israelo Others Latin Americao Brazilo Argentinao OthersReport Analysis@ https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114589/Explosive-Ordnance-Disposal-Equipment-MarketPR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 09:29:20

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office 616 Corporate Way,, Suite 2-9018, Vall



sales@futuremarketinsights.com

Manager

3479183531

email





Published by

Vijay Kundekar

13479183531

e-mail

' ' . c2c_truncate_link("www.futuremarketinsights.com", "0", "", ".") . ''







# 660 Words

U.S. Office 616 Corporate Way,, Suite 2-9018, VallManager3479183531Vijay Kundekar13479183531

Engineered wood is also known as man-made wood or composite wood, and these are quite popular in recent times due to their cost effective and ecofriendly properties. These woods are formed of composite materials manufactured by binding the strands, fibers and particles all together with the help of suitable adhesives. These engineered woods can be made by utilizing wastes such as sawmill waste, rice straw, sugarcane bagasse, wheat straw and other wood wastes thus making them cost effective and environment friendly. Engineered wood is mainly used as a substitute to hardwood and concrete. In many construction building projects, the products of engineered wood are used as an alternative of steel in beams. One of the advantage offered by engineered wood products is that it can be designed as per the demand and custom specifications of the end user. The main users of engineered wood products are construction developers, architects, designers etc. Promotion of green life and regulations concerning deforestation has led the global engineered wood market to expand with a decent pace.Engineered Wood Market: Dynamics Government norms and regulations such as Bharat stage emission standards or European emission standards regarding CO2emissions are driving the market for engineered wood at whole different level. Owing to the factors like cost efficiency, enhanced quality, waste reduction and environment friendly nature, the engineered wood market is expected to witness significant growth in the market. There are certain innovations in the technologies and machining systems have been developed in order to improve the efficiency and quality of the products which are expected to further drive growth of the market.Although the global engineered wood market has potential opportunities in the future still the manufacturers of engineered wood products face some challenges regarding durability and fire resistant properties of engineered wood products. There are certain adhesives like Urea-formaldehyde used in the manufacturing of engineered wood products which are quite toxic. Also some products such as particle boards may not be suitable for outdoor use as they are more prone to humidity.The ongoing developments regarding advanced grading and better material selection techniques is expected to result in improved definition of timber quality and efficient performance of the products.Engineered Wood Market: Segment Global Engineered wood market can be segmented by product type and by application type By product type the global engineered wood market can be segmented as Plywood, Laminated veneer, I-beams, Glulam, Oriented strand boards, Fiberboard, Cross laminated Timber, By application type the global engineered wood market can be segmented as Residential  for home construction, Non-residential  for commercial construction and industrial useEngineered Wood Market: Regional Outlook The ecofriendly features of the engineered wood products will force the global market to grow at a rapid pace during the forecast period. Increase in the construction of large buildings structures leads to the increased demand of cross laminated timber. North America have a significant usage of plywood and oriented strand boards resulting in the growth of engineered wood market. Similarly European countries have high usage of glued laminated timber and I-beams. Growing industrialization and urbanization in developing regions such as Latin America and Japan has witnessed a significant growth in the engineered wood market and is expected to continue during the forecast period. In the Regions of Asia Pacific, countries like India and China having high population, dominates in the residential segment of the market. Middle East and Africa has high production rate in raw materials hence the market is expected to move at a higher pace and is anticipated to have a significant growth at the global level.Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4632 Engineered Wood Market: Key Participants Examples of some of the market participants identified across the value chain of the global Engineered Wood Market include: Celulosa Arauco Y Constitucion S.A., Louisiana Pacific Corporation, SCM Group, Boise Cascade Company, Roseburg , orest Product Company, Huber Engineered Wood LLC, Cefla Finishing Group, Georgia Pacific Wood Products, LLC,Persistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 08:53:09

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

CONTACT:



Persistence Market Research



305 Broadway,7th Floor



New York City, NY 10007



United States



T: +1-646-568-7751



Tollfree: +1 800-961-0353



Yogesh Sengar

Team Lead

8999655266

email

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com





# 818 Words

CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway,7th FloorNew York City, NY 10007United StatesT: +1-646-568-7751Tollfree: +1 800-961-0353Team Lead8999655266

Persistence Market Research has released a new market study on Electric Cargo Bikes Market: Global Industry Analysis 20132017 and Forecast 20182026, which studies the global electric cargo bikes market and offers deep dive analysis for the next eight years. The report evaluates all the key macro-economic factors projected to support the growth of the global as well as regional markets. The report on electric cargo bikes also presents the challenges or restraints in the global market along with the latest trends and perceptive opportunities for all the market participants across the value chain.The global electric cargo bikes market was valued at US$ 243.6 Mn in 2013 and is anticipated to be valued at US$ 402.7 Mn by 2018 end. The market is expected to grow at a prominent CAGR of 13.3% between 2018 and 2026 and is estimated to reach a global value of US$ 1,095.2 Mn by 2026 end. Furthermore, the global electric cargo bikes market is estimated to create incremental $ opportunity of US$ 692.5 Mn over the forecast period.Global Electric Cargo Bikes Market DynamicsHigh purchasing power on the consumers end has boosted the growth of conventional and high-end electric cargo bikes on road. Governments of a number of countries have taken initiatives to bring down pollution levels by imposing rules on usage of conventional bikes, related taxes and some other regulations. The regulating authorities are also taking advantage of these hybrid & electric cargo bikes by offering attractive subsidies and incentives to the owners.Request to Sample Report @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/25447 Conventional gasoline-powered bikes & bicycles run on the power generated by the consumption of fuel inside the internal combustion engine. This energy presents itself in the form of heat and sound. The presence of a large number of mechanical parts connected with the engine further amplifies the noise generated from the vehicle. Hence, a conventional vehicle travelling at 100 kilometers per hour generates an external noise level of around 65 to 70 decibels. This noise level is further higher in off-road scooters, commercial vehicles and two wheelers. In electric cargo bikes, the power needed to run the vehicle is generated by a battery and supportive electric motor. This brings down the noise level of electric cargo bikes to merely 35 to 40 decibels. The noise level of a pure electric cargo bike is so low that the loudest noise produced by the vehicle is the sound of friction generated between the tire and road. Thus, the use of electric power to generate motion in electric cargo bikes is a great boon for the automotive industry as the sound produced is much less compared to the conventional bikes in the global market.Global Electric Cargo Bikes Market ForecastThe market insights gathered during course of research suggest that the electric cargo bikes market is estimated to grow with double digit growth between 2018 and 2026. This growth is especially supported by the increasing attractiveness of electric cargo bikes in Europe and North America regions.By product type, the three wheeled electric cargo bikes segment is projected to play an important role in the global as well as the regional markets. Three wheeled and two wheeled electric cargo bikes segments occupy almost 92% of the market value share in the global market. Increasing use of electric cargo bikes in recreational activities is another factor estimated to augment the growth of the global market.At present, the batteries used in the electric cargo bikes must be lightweight and give longer output. All of these characteristics are found in Lithium Ion batteries and hence, this battery segment is estimated to hold more than three-fourth of the market value share in the global electric cargo bikes market.The report projects that the courier & parcel service provider segment, by end use, is estimated to create incremental $ opportunity of US$ 331.9 Mn between 2018 and 2026 in the global market.Europe and North America, with Germany in the dominant position, are expected to dominate the demand for electric cargo bikes market throughout the forecast period. These regions will be followed by Rest of World and Latin America in electric cargo bikes market. Noteworthy increase in sales in countries, such as Brazil, Russia, India, Mexico and Turkey, is expected over the forecast period. North America will show positive growth during the latter half of the forecast period. The region is projected to hold ~21% market value share in 2018 and is estimated to expand at a CAGR of 12.7% between 2018 and 2026. The sales revenue of Europe will reach US$ 765.7 Mn by the end of 2026 while growing at a CAGR of 14.2%.Request Report TOC @ https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/methodology/25447 Global Electric Cargo Bikes Market: Competitive LandscapeSome of the key market participants reported in this study of the global electric cargo bikes market include JIANGSU XINRI E-VEHICLE CO., LTD., Jinhua JOBO Technology Co., Ltd., CERO ELECTRIC CARGO BIKES, Worksman Cycles, DOUZE Factory SAS, XYZ CARGO, Butchers & Bicycles ApS, Dutch Cargo Bike, KOCASS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD, G & O Family Cyclery, Yuba Electric Cargo Bikes and CARGOCYCLES, among others.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 12:04:07

Press Information

Future Market Insights

Future Market Insights



U.S. Office



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Umesh

SEO Manager

3479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/





# 683 Words

Future Market InsightsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comSEO Manager3479183531

Dentures are prosthetic devices used for replacing missing teeth. Denture stomatitis may be developed due to poor denture hygiene and plaque formation, furthermore dentures are also source of pathogens which can lead to various diseases. Denture disinfectants are used for cleansing (to remove food particles and plaque) and antimicrobial activity. Dentures are more prone to colonization of microorganisms which may develop infection or disease due plaque formation. To eliminate chances of developing infection or disease, denture disinfectants are used as they are more effective than other cleansing methods e.g. brushing.Removable dentures are required to clean on regular basis to avoid permanent staining and plaque formation. Denture disinfectants are used for cleaning of all types of removable dentures i.e. Acrylic dentures, Metal chrome dentures and flexible dentures. Poor oral health can negatively impact mental, social and general health. Due to increased resistance of microorganisms denture disinfectants are important part of denture cleansing. Dentures are immersed into the denture disinfectants solution for overnight for complete anti-microbial action.Denture Disinfectants Market: Drivers and RestraintsIncreasing denture disinfectants market is attributed to increasing usage of denture due to aging population. Approximately, 35 million Americans dont have a single teeth i.e. approximately 11% Americans require use of complete denture. As age is major and unavoidable cause of teeth loss, with increasing aging population will increase denture usage driving the denture disinfectants market. Poor oral hygiene and untreated periodontal disease further results into tooth loss causing usage of dentures in term increasing denture disinfectants market. Ease of use and affordability of dentures further responsible for denture disinfectants market.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7039 Development of advanced denture disinfectants with broad spectrum antimicrobial action further driving denture disinfectants market. Low cytotoxicity and biocompatible of disinfecting agents attributed to denture disinfectants market. Unaffordability of denture disinfectants negatively affecting denture disinfectants market. Approximately, less than 60% of denture wearers use disinfectants due high cost acting as restraint for denture disinfectants market. Although prevalence of tooth loss is high, low usage of dentures negatively affecting denture disinfectants market. Individuals with limited motor activity and elderly patients found cleansing of dentures difficult negatively impacting denture disinfectants market. Increasing resistance of microorganisms to denture disinfectants may affect denture disinfectants market negatively.Denture Disinfectants Market: SegmentationThe global denture disinfectants market is classified on the basis of product type, distribution channel and regionBased on the product type denture disinfectants market is segmented into following:TabletsPowdersCreamsOthersBased on the distribution channel denture disinfectants market is segmented into following:Hospital PharmacyRetail PharmacyE-commerceOthersDenture Disinfectants Market: OverviewDenture disinfectants market is expected to grow attributed to increasing acceptance and awareness of usage of dentures amongst affected population. Increasing aging population of world is further attributed to denture disinfectants market growth. By product type of denture disinfectants market, powder is most dominating segment attributing to ease of use and effectiveness. By distribution channel denture disinfectants market, retail pharmacy are most dominating segment attributing to high preference. Whereas, high costs of denture disinfectants makes it comparatively unaffordable affecting denture disinfectants market. Increasing microorganism resistance to existing denture disinfectants are driving development of new broad spectrum denture disinfectants.Denture Disinfectants Market: Regional OverviewOn the basis of regional presence, the global denture disinfectants market is divided into eight key regions- North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding China & Japan, China, Japan, and the Middle East & Africa. By Region North America dominates denture disinfectants market attributing to high denture acceptance and aging population. Eastern Europe and Western Europe denture disinfectants market is expected to grow with increasing denture usage. Asia Pacific denture disinfectants market is expected to grow in future attributing to high residing population. Globally denture disinfectants market is expected to grow attributing to aging population, increasing denture acceptance and increasing awareness.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7039 Denture Disinfectants Market: Key PlayersSome of the key players in the global denture disinfectants market are Valplast International Corp, Medtech Products Inc., Revive Personal Products, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare, Kulzer GmbH. And othersPR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 15:03:13

LANGLEY, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 9, 2019 / DeepRock Minerals Inc. ("DeepRock" or the "Company") (CSE: DEEP) is pleased to announce that Mr. Paul Marjerrison, B. Comm., CPA, CA, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Company. Mr. Marjerrison succeeds Mr. Geoff Balderson who has resigned as a director and Chief Financial Officer of the Company to pursue his other business interests. The Company would like to thank Mr. Balderson for his services to the Company.Mr. Marjerrison has owned and operated a busy financial management business since 2015, working as a contract Chief Financial Officer or financial advisor for several clients. From 2011 to 2015, Mr. Marjerrison worked with a mid-market corporate finance firm, assisting clients with divestitures, acquisitions, debt financings and exempt market capital raises. Prior to 2011, Mr. Marjerrison worked in public practice with a national accounting firm, focusing on audit engagements. Mr. Marjerrison has a Bachelor of Commerce in finance and accounting from the University of Saskatchewan.The Board of Directors of DeepRock is now comprised of Mr. Matthew Reams, Mr. Craig Watters and Mr. Richard Shatto.About DeepRock Minerals Inc.DeepRock is a mineral resource company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties. DeepRock holds an option to acquire a 50% interest in the Ralleau Project located in Quebec. The Ralleau Project covers parts of Ralleau and Wilson townships on NTS map sheet 32F/01, approximately 50 kilometres east of Lebel-sur-Quevillon. The Ralleau Project Property overlies a sequence of Archean volcanic rocks belonging to the Abitibi Greenstone Belt that have the potential to host volcanogenic massive-sulphide (VMS) and lode gold deposits.On behalf of the Board of Directors,DeepRock Minerals Inc.Mr. Richard Shatto(604) 807-6334richard@ pointnexus.ca Reader AdvisoryThis news release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.SOURCE: DeepRock Minerals Inc.Data Center Colocation Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 10:13:38

Press Information

Future Market Insights

Future Market Insights



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Website: www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Budholiya

Manager

3479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 374 Words

Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: www.futuremarketinsights.comManager3479183531

Data Center Colocation market is growing due to rise in virtualization, which has increased the competition among businesses. Data center colocation has reduced the cost of investment in construction of data centers, and also lowers the operational cost for enterprises. Data center colocation vendors are providing various managed colocation services through which enterprises can use data center infrastructure on rental basis and these data center infrastructure will be managed by the data center colocation vendors. Data center colocation vendors are providing maintenance and supporting services for data center which increases the high performance and productivity for enterprises, as a result the demand for data center colocation market has increased in many enterprises.Data Center ColocationMarket: Drivers and ChallengesThe major driver for Data Center Colocation Market is reducing the cost of expenditures on physical infrastructure and increasing the adoption of cloud computing which reduces maintenance and implementation cost. By data center colocation services enterprises can effectively manage their process such as recovery of data and safe backup system. Data center Colocation provide flexibility to upscale or downscale enterprises technology as per their requirement, due to this many enterprises are using data center colocation services.In contrast to this, data center connectivity issues, regulatory and compliance problems, fluctuating operating expenditure and cost of equipment is restraining the market growth for data center colocation market.Get Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3617 Data Center ColocationMarket: SegmentationSegmentation on the basis of type:Wholesale ColocationRetail ColocationSegmentation on the basis of industry:IT and TelecommunicationsManufacturingTransportation and LogisticsDefense and GovernmentBFSIHealthcareRetailEnergy and UtilitiesOthersBuy Full Report Now @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/3617 Data Center ColocationMarket: Key playersSome of the key players for Data Center Colocation Marker are CenturyLink, CyrusOne, DuPont Fabros, Digital Realty, Equinix, Level 3 Communications,AT&T, ByteGrid Holdings, CentriLogic, Cogeco Peer 1, Cologix, Coresite, Colocation America, Fujitsu, Infomart Data Centers, Internap, IO, Iron Mountain, and NaviSite.Data Center Colocation Market: Regional OverviewData Center Colocation Market is currently dominated by North America due to the technological advancements and increase in IT requirement in this region.Asia Pacific Data Center Colocation Market is expected to have the highest growth rate during the forecast period.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 12:43:48

Press Information

Persistence Market Research

CONTACT:



Persistence Market Research



305 Broadway



7th Floor, New York City,



NY 10007, United States,



USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353



Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.com



Web: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com



yogesh sengar

team lead

800-961-0353

email

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com





# 445 Words

CONTACT:Persistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb: http://www.persistencemarketresearch.comteam lead800-961-0353

Global 2D Bar Code Generator Market: Overview2D bar code also known as QR (Quick Response) codes are small squares which contains ample amount of data in it, which is accessible by scanning applications in the smart phone. It is capable of storing data vertically as well as horizontally as compared to 1D bar codes. 2D bar codes is used across various industries from manufacturing, logistics, transportation to healthcare, the 2D bar codes are capable of storing datas such as product information, locations, videos and more. With the penetration of smartphones globally and digital marketing doing the rounds, 2D barcodes are widely being used in marketing and advertising as it enables the consumers to view the products information or any sort of other information that the product manufactures wants to convey by just scanning the bar code using smart phone applications. The 2D barcodes can be scanned using optical scanner; it does not require laser scanners to access the data. As this concept is new to the market and considering the digital marketing wave across geographies, the market for 2D bar code Generator will register a promising CAGR over the forecast period.Global 2D Bar Code Generator Market: Drivers & RestraintsThe increasing population of tech-savvy people primarily drives the global 2D bar code Generator market across the globe along with the compatibility of smartphones for scanning the 2D barcodes and the awareness among the people about the product legitimacy. Thus, the adoption of smartphones also attributes to the growth of 2D barcode Generator market. The data storage perquisites of 2D bar codes and the ability of scanning vertically and horizontally as compared to that of 1D barcodes can be considered as one of the factor driving the market for 2D bar code Generator. However, the investments associated with the 2D bar codes and the low awareness about the QR codes among certain age group might pose as a restrain to the 2D bar code Generator market. The integration of 2D bar code Generator in the digital marketing is the most recent trend in the global 2D bar code Generator market.Request for Report Sample : https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/12445 Global 2D Bar Code Generator Market: SegmentationBased on type of data source, the global 2D bar code Generator market can be divided into:TextHyperlinkNumberOthersBased on code types, the global 2D bar code Generator market can be divided into:2D Stack2D MatrixQR CodeData MatrixOthersOthersBased on applications, the global 2D bar code Generator market can be divided into:Product TaggingMobile TicketingMobile CouponsSmart PostersOthersRequest for Report TOC : https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/12445PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 13:31:01

VICTOR, N.Y., Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Constellation Brands, Inc. (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B), a leading beverage alcohol company, reported today its third quarter fiscal 2019 results. A conference call to discuss the financial results and outlook will be hosted by Chief Executive Officer Rob Sands, President and Chief Operating Officer Bill Newlands and Chief Financial Officer David Klein on Wednesday, January 9, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. (eastern). Visit cbrands.com/investors/events to locate information for joining the conference call, or a live, listen-only webcast of the conference call.

About Constellation Brands

Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ and STZ.B), a Fortune 500 company, is a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits with operations in the U.S., Mexico, New Zealand, Italy and Canada. Constellation is the No. 3 beer company in the U.S. with high-end, iconic imported brands such as Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Modelo Negra and Pacifico. The companys beer portfolio also includes Ballast Point, one of the most awarded craft brewers in the U.S., and Funky Buddha Brewery. In addition, Constellation is the world leader in premium wine, selling great brands that people love, including Robert Mondavi, Clos du Bois, Kim Crawford, Meiomi, Mark West, Black Box, Ruffino and The Prisoner. The companys premium spirits brands include SVEDKA Vodka, Casa Noble Tequila and High West Whiskey.

Based in Victor, N.Y., the company believes that industry leadership involves a commitment to brand building, our trade partners, the environment, our investors and to consumers around the world who choose our products when celebrating big moments or enjoying quiet ones. Founded in 1945, Constellation has grown to become a significant player in the beverage alcohol industry with more than 100 brands in its portfolio; about 40 wineries, breweries and distilleries; and approximately 10,000 talented employees. We express our company vision: to elevate life with every glass raised. To learn more, follow us on Twitter @cbrands and visit www.cbrands.com .

MEDIA CONTACTS INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACTS Mike McGrew 773-251-4934 | Amy Martin 585-678-7141 Patty Yahn-Urlaub 585-678-7483 | Bob Czudak 585-678-7170 Tom Conaway 585-678-7503PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 09:26:16

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office 616 Corporate Way,, Suite 2-9018, Vall



https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/

Manager

3479183531

email





Published by

Vijay Kundekar

13479183531

e-mail

' ' . c2c_truncate_link("www.futuremarketinsights.com", "0", "", ".") . ''







# 553 Words

U.S. Office 616 Corporate Way,, Suite 2-9018, VallManager3479183531Vijay Kundekar13479183531

In airline industry, customers across the globe are demanding for high speed internet access during their travel. In order to meet rising demand from passengers, the operators around the world are implementing broadband and satellite based connectivity solutions to their airplanes. Currently, concept of connected aircraft has gone far beyond from just a provision of internet access over 30,000 feet to travellers. Connected aircrafts has ability to send and receive the real time data from ground based operating systems, that provides the critical information related to avionic system in real time. In order to facilitate the real time data capturing, Airplanes are used as node in the sky to capture the hundreds of gigabytes of data from take-off to landing that helps to improve safety and efficiency of flight.Connected Aircraft Market: Drivers and Restraint In addition to inflight connectivity, airline industry also has the need of real time weather data gathering systems to ensure flight safety from changing weather conditions. Growth in demand for internet connectivity by passengers, need for real time communication system with ground based operations & maintenance team and growth in demand for real time data gathering system in order to improve safety and efficiency of aeroplane are the major drivers for connected aircraft market.Major operators across the globe are using relatively slow VHF connections and data is being stored in broader ecosystem. Replacement of traditional data connections and data optimisation, are the major challenges for connected aircraft market.Connected Aircraft market: Segmentation Connected aircraft market is categorised on the basis of components and connectivity technologies. On the basis of components, connected aircraft market can be segmented in to Aircraft communication & reporting system (ACRS), aircraft condition monitoring system (ACMS) and electronic fleet bag. Aircraft communication and reporting system is used to communicate with ground based operations team in real time. ACRS is consists of antennas, wireless access points, modems and on-board server. Aircraft condition monitoring system (ACMS) is used to monitor the health of equipment and devices on plane.On the basis of connectivity technologies, connected aircraft market is classified into L band, Ka- Band and Ku-Band. Ka-Band applications are specifically operates in the frequency range of 26.5 to 40 GHz electromagnetic spectrum, whereas Ku-Band applications uses the 12 to 18 GHz range of electromagnetic spectrum. Size of the antenna used for Ka-Band services is smaller than that of Ku-Band services.Segmentation on basis of regions: Connected Aircraft Market is sub-segmented into 7 key regions- North America, Latin America, East Europe, West Europe, Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, Japan and Middle East & Africa.Connected Aircraft Market: Region wise outlook Currently, North America is the largest region in overall connected aircraft market. US is the largest market followed by Canada, as there is growth in demand for inflight internet by air passengers across the region. Middle East and Africa was the fastest growing market in 2015, due to huge investment by key players in business airlines in the region. China and Germany were the leading connected aircraft markets of Asia pacific and Europe region respectively.Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-1910 Connected Aircraft Market: Key Players Honeywell International, Inc (US), Inmarsat plc (UK), Iridium Communications Inc (US), Intelsat, S.A (Luxemburg), Eutelsat S.A.(France), Gogo Inc (US), Panasonic Corporation (Japan), Kontron AG (Germany), Rockwell Collins, Inc.(US) , Zodiac Aerospace (France), Thales Group (France).PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 09:33:04

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office 616 Corporate Way,, Suite 2-9018, Vall



sales@futuremarketinsights.com

Manager

3479183531

email





Published by

Vijay Kundekar

13479183531

e-mail

' ' . c2c_truncate_link("www.futuremarketinsights.com", "0", "", ".") . ''







# 550 Words

U.S. Office 616 Corporate Way,, Suite 2-9018, VallManager3479183531Vijay Kundekar13479183531

Cogeneration (also known as combined heat and power systems (CHP)) is a cluster of technologies primarily used for the concurrent generation of electricity and useful heat. This combined generation of heat and electricity is much more effective than separate generation of electricity and useful heat in a way that CHP systems offers improved energy efficiency, reduced managing cost, low CO2 emission and others. Growing data center capacity as business operate more processes, handle complex analytics with increasing storage requirements for customer data and employing rich media. Handling of such large data requires continuous supply of reliable power making cogeneration systems of primary importance. Efficiency level for cogeneration systems can reach up to 80 % against separate generation of heat and electricity which provides combined efficiency of 40-50 %. CHP systems for data centers are gaining traction in the market as using such plants as source of data center power leads to energy efficient and substantial cost reduction benefits. However, another technology commercially available for powering data centers includes fuel cells. Although CHP systems are less efficient than fuel cells but requires lesser fuel to generate the same amount of power and has a win when its ability to supply chilled water is factored. Some of the major benefits offered utilizing CHP systems for data centers are limited reliance over external power supply, increased energy efficiency, low site carbon emission and others.Global CHP System market for Data Centre: MarketDynamics Regions with high electricity cost are readily adopting CHP systems primarily to save on their energy cost to provide base load power and using such systems to provide absorption cooling for the facility. Moreover, government initiatives to install CHP systems in data center facilities due to low CO2 emissions is also expected to increase its adoption rate thereby increasing the adoption of CHP system in data centers.Low economic life of data center IT equipment results in consumer reluctance towards adoption of CHP systems for data centers since these systems have equipment life of around 10-15 years in comparison to economic life of IT equipment which is only 2-3 years.Global CHP System market for Data Centre: Segmentation The global CHP system market for data center can be segmented on the basis of data center types, facility size, installation type and region. By Data center types the market can be segmented into Telecoms, ISPs (internet Service Provider), CoLos (Co-located server hosting facilities), server farms, corporate data centers, university/ national laboratory and others. Based on facility the market can be segmented into less than 200 sq.ft , 200-700 sq.ft , 700-1,200 sq.ft , 1,200-6,000 sq.ft and more than 6,000 sq.ft . Based on installation type global cogeneration systems market for data center can be segmented into newly installed systems and retrofit systems. By region global CHP system market for data centers can be segmented into seven key regions namely North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Middle East and Africa and Japan.Global CHP System market for Data Centre: Key Players Some of the major players identified across CHP system market for data center includes ENER-G, Korea Electric Power Corporation, National Grid plc, Exelon Corporation, NextEra Energy, Inc., Chubu Electric Power Company, American Electric Power Company, Inc. and others.Request For Report Sample @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-2000PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 01:31:59

HONG KONG, Jan 9, 2019 - (ACN Newswire) - Coinsuper Fintech ("Coinsuper" or "Company"), the Hong Kong based cryptocurrency exchange, announces the completion of its Pre-Series B equity financing. This latest round was led by London based investor, Unbound and joined by Silicon Valley based investor, Fin Venture Capital. Existing investors, Sky9 Capital and West World, also participated. Together with the previous equity series A financing in June 2018, Coinsuper is backed by top tier investors and global strategic partners, which allows the Company to propel its vision to connect traditional financial markets with the evolving crypto landscape."The triumphant fundraising is a proof of investors' interest and confidence in our vision to provide an institutional grade platform and ecosystem to our customers," said Karen Chen, Co-founder and Chairman of Coinsuper. "We believe it's a good time to build a strong foundation, and we're delighted to have new investors and receive further endorsement from existing shareholders which will enable us to grow and demonstrate the full potential of the company, and to move into the next regulatory era." The funding will enable the virtual asset trading platform to extend its ecosystem to serve Professional Investors covering fiat to crypto and crypto to crypto trading, clearing, settlement, custodial, and block trade services.Shravin Mittal, founder of Unbound, said: "We are excited to partner with Coinsuper as a long-term investor. We believe the cryptocurrency ecosystem has enormous potential and are excited about the long-term vision of the company." Ron Cao, Founder and Partner, added: "We believe in Coinsuper's top-tier team and their vision of bringing blockchain to the world using world-class operations, compliance and security standards. Sky9 is excited to be part of their on-going journey." Logan Allin, the General Partner at Fin VC also remarked: "We are delighted to join this round and work with outstanding entrepreneurs building enterprise blockchain technology to address to the growing needs in digital asset management. We believe the company is well positioned to be one of the top global platforms in the space and are excited for the journey ahead." About CoinsuperHong Kong-based Coinsuper launched its trading platform in Feb 2018. It is the top virtual asset trading platform opeartor led by former top-notched financial industry veterans and digital asset evangelists. The established background has well proven to provide industry know-how to combine the traditional financial market with the crypto landscape. Coinsuper leverages their network to bring financial institutions, professional investors and alliance partners to accelerate the path towards the crypto market. We are also well trusted by our strategic partners and investors including Pantera, ChinaEquity, Ausvic, 8 Decimal, New Focus Auto, Cash Financials, Sky9, Guosheng International, Chunda and Juntong, among others."Coinsuper Club" was formed together with 16 leading virtual asset and blockchain institutions. The members of Coinsuper Club will leverage their profound backgrounds in the capital market in concerted efforts with Coinsuper to craft a closed loop of shared interest and multilateral benefits for all investors, project issuers and CEN investors with focuses on compliant development, listing resources, investment and financing, among other key pillars.About UnboundUnbound, a global investment firm headquartered in London, provides long-term capital to disruptive technology companies. Its portfolio includes Databricks, mPharma & Omni:us amongst others. Unbound was founded by Shravin Bharti Mittal, who is also a Director of Bharti Global Ltd (Bharti family office). Bharti Global has investments in telecommunications, technology, energy and hospitality.About Fin Venture CapitalFin VC is a globally focused venture capital firm, headquartered in Silicon Valley, focused on investing in and supporting early stage FinTech companies. Since its inception, Fin VC has backed many companies with strong global growth including SoFi, Figure, Tradeshift, Onfido, DRIAV, and Aiera.About Sky9 CapitalSky9 Capital is a leading venture capital firm focused on investing in early-stage opportunities in internet, enterprise and deep-tech sectors in China. The firm invests with a systematic, analytical and conviction-based approach backing China's most promising next-generation entrepreneurs. The partners of Sky9 Capital have historically led or participated in the early-stage investments in many of China's leading technology companies, including eBroker, FaceU/Toutiao, FangDD, Innolight, ManBang Group, Meituan/Dianping, PinDuoDuo, PPDai, QingCloud, Rong360, Tujia, ZhaoYou, and more.For media enquiries, please contact:For CoinsuperMs. Yolanda ZhongTel: +852 3796 3802e-mail: Yolanda.zhong@coinsuper.comPR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 15:02:35

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Bhudholiya

Manager

+1-347-918-3531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 733 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1-347-918-3531

Cannabinoid Drugs are natural occurring recreational drugs that are used to treat chronic pain, anorexia, and nausea & vomiting. The cannabinoid is used for a group of drugs that are structurally related to tetrahydrocannabinoids. It is synthetically manufactured by pharma companies to treat different type of indications, such as multiple sclerosis, migraine, arthritis, seizures, etc. Cannabinoid drugs are naturally isolated from cannabis and work on the endocannabinoid system of mammals. Other applications include their use as an anti-inflammatory agent as they modulate the cytokine cascade and psychoactive effect. Its psychoactive effect has been found to be moderately effective in treating traumatic brain injuries, neuropathic pain, arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Clinically, three cannabinoid drugs are approved for treatment. The first cannabinoid drug is nabilone, which is a CB1/CB2 receptor agonist and is used for relieving nausea & vomiting. It is a synthetic analog of 9-tetrahydrocannabinol. Other drugs, such as dronabinol and Sativex, are used for treating AIDS-related anorexia and neuropathic pain in advanced cancer & multiple sclerosis patients, respectively. Anandamide, 2-Arachidonoylglycerol, Cannabigerol, Cannabichromene, Cannabinol, Cannabidiol, Tetrahydrocannabinol are clinically important cannabinoids used for medical treatment.Cannabinoid Drugs Market: Drivers and RestraintsRising demand for cannabinoid drugs for treating chronic pain in different indications is expected to fuel the growth of the market. Presently, a limited number of cannabinoid drugs are approved for human use and this will create new opportunities for manufacturers who are involved in the development of cannabinoid drugs. Along with these, commercial use of cannabinoid drugs is increasing constantly due to changing government regulations. For example, cannabinoid drugs usage has been legalized in ten states of the U.S. and the federation of Australian government has formulated a new Narcotic Drug Amendment Bill 2016 to permit cultivation of cannabis for medical usage and research. The rapid advancement of technologies has led to substantial progress in developing cannabinoid drugs. For example, many recent studies have spoken in favor of cannabinoid drugs usage for the treatment of Alzheimers and cancer. All these factors will act as potential drivers, thereby boosting the burgeoning growth of the cannabinoid drugs market.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6913 Huge investments are being made for the development of cannabinoid drugs. However, these investment have only been able to fuel slow growth into the cannabinoid drugs market. Along with this, stringent regulations regarding the usage of cannabinoids will also restrain the cannabinoid drugs market.Cannabinoid Drugs Market: SegmentationSegmentation based on Product TypePhytocannabinoidsEndocannabinoidsSyntheticsSegmentation based on End UserHospitalsClinicsAmbulatory Surgical CentersOthersCannabinoid Drugs Market: Market OverviewThe Global Cannabinoid Drugs market has witnessed robust growth due to increasing demand for recreational therapy. The Cannabinoid Drugs market enjoys the presence of a few players operating at the country level which hold huge market shares. There are huge opportunities in the untapped markets across the world due to the potential benefits of Cannabinoid Drugs. The key players in the Cannabinoid Drugs market are mainly focused on R&D to accelerate the development of cannabinoids because only a few drugs are approved by regulatory bodies. The Cannabinoid Drugs market is anticipated to grow with double digit CAGR during the forecast period.Cannabinoid Drugs Market: Region-Wise OverviewThe Global Cannabinoid Drugs market is segmented into the following regions: North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific Excluding China & Japan, China, Japan and the Middle East and Africa. North America is dominant in the Global Cannabinoid Drugs market mainly due to the high presence of top players and huge investments being made for cannabinoid drugs development. In North America, particularly the USA holds a dominant position. Economic conditions in the APAC region are set to drive the Cannabinoid Drugs market to new heights. The European cannabinoid drugs market is the fastest growing market due to the changing legislative framework. Growth in the Middle East and African region is expected to be considerably less when compared to the other regions. However, North America is expected to maintain its position in the Cannabinoid Drugs market. However, developed economies, such as Australia, will witness highest growth rate in the Cannabinoid Drugs market.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6913 Cannabinoid Drugs Market: Key ParticipantsSome of the key participants in the Cannabinoid Drugs market are GW Pharmaceuticals Abbott Laboratories, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Indevus Pharmaceuticals, and others. Companies are mainly focused on R&D to strengthen product development.PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 14:01:55

HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / January 9, 2019 / Camber Energy, Inc. (NYSE American: CEI) based in Houston, Texas, a growth-oriented, independent oil and gas company engaged in the development of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids, announced today that its Interim Chief Executive Officer, Louis G. Schott, issued a letter to shareholders. The letter is set forth below:To Our Shareholders:The purpose of this letter is to provide a recap to the shareholders of Camber Energy, Inc. ("Camber" or the "Company") on behalf of its management. As we look back on the last eighteen months, we believe the Company has made significant strides. As of June 30, 2017, the Company was facing a major deficiency in cash, which was stifling its ability to operate its business, let alone grow. Additionally, the Company was out of compliance with its bank, International Bank of Commerce ("IBC"). Furthermore, the Company was attempting to massively reduce its general and administrative expenses. Finally, around the same time, the Company received a letter from NYSE American (the ''NYSE'') stating that Camber was not in compliance with NYSE listing standards and that Camber would be de-listed unless remedial measures were taken. In short, the condition of the Company was bleak.In order to move forward, the Company had to first evaluate whether survival was a possibility. With no protection against failure, the management team, which included the previous CEO, the current CFO and the current interim CEO (as an advisor), moved forward with a plan to continue cost reductions, complete the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, which at that time was already due, develop a plan to regain compliance with the NYSE and somehow maintain a standstill with IBC, which at any time could have taken adversarial steps against the Company and its assets, including foreclosing on such assets, which would have resulted in a liquidation of the Company.Upon completion of the 2017 Form 10-K, our next step was to raise funds to begin the clean-up of Camber's legacy, existing and ongoing liabilities, with the goal of improving Camber's balance sheet as well as undertaking efforts to request extensions from IBC, with the ultimate goal of regaining compliance with IBC's loan covenants.The terms of the Company's 2016 equity financing arrangement with a third-party investor (the "Investor"), which included the sale of Series C Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Series C Preferred Stock"), which financing was needed to provide the Company much needed capital to support its operations and pay outstanding liabilities, coupled with the sharp decline in the trading prices of the Company's common stock during 2017, resulted in substantial dilution to shareholders, which continues today. Due to the state of the Company and the trading prices of its stock, the Company had no equity alternatives that made financial sense in 2017, but was able to secure up to $16 million in financing from the Investor in connection with the sale of Series C Preferred Stock though its entry into an equity purchase agreement in October 2017.With these funds in hand, the Company next began to attempt to clean up the balance sheet by paying down legacy liabilities and negotiating with IBC for extensions. Additionally, at that time, the Company submitted a formal plan to regain compliance with the NYSE, which was accepted and required the Company to regain compliance with the NYSE continued listing standards by no later than August of 2018 (which has since been extended as discussed below).IBC Bank DebtAs the Company began 2018, it was still not in compliance with its loan with IBC. Additionally, the Company did not have cash flow to support interest or principal payments on the loan. To increase its asset value, as well as cash flow, the Company attempted a workover program on its Oklahoma operated assets and closed an acquisition in a different county in Oklahoma, producing from the same Hunton formation (the "Okemah Assets"), in early 2018.While the workovers helped the Company, the overall value of the old Oklahoma assets appeared on the decline and management did not believe such assets would support reclaiming compliance with IBC. Additionally, while the Okemah assets appeared to have substantial potential, it was determined that these assets required time and funding to fully maximize their value.As the Company completed its 2018 fiscal year (in March 2018), it was apparent that neither the reserves, nor the cash flows, would support the IBC debt or the Company's attempts to regain compliance with the NYSE stockholders' equity requirements. As a result, the Company had to undertake immediate action to remedy its ongoing defaults with IBC before IBC foreclosed on its assets. Since, Richard N. Azar II, Camber's CEO at the time, and Donnie Seay, then a member of Camber's Board of Directors, were both guarantors of the IBC debt, it was clear that the negotiations had to involve each of them. Therefore, Mr. Azar and Mr. Seay each resigned from their positions with the Company, and the Company pursued a transaction with those individuals and IBC. Following extensive discussions and negotiations, on June 25, 2018, Camber executed a non-binding letter of intent with a proposed buyer, affiliated with Mr. Azar and Mr. Seay, in connection with a contemplated exchange of a substantial portion of its assets in consideration for the buyer's assumption of all of Camber's debt with IBC.Following further extensive negotiations and extensions, on September 26, 2018, Camber closed the above referenced transaction, pursuant to which the buyer, N&B Energy, LLC ("N&B"), assumed all of Camber's debt with IBC in exchange for all of the Company's assets located in Oklahoma. Camber retained its assets in Glasscock County and Hutchinson Counties, Texas, the assets the Company purchased in March of 2018, as well as a production payment and overriding royalty interest on the Okemah assets, and an overriding royalty interest on certain undeveloped leasehold interests. In summary, this transaction extinguished approximately $36.9 million of debt, significantly enhancing the Company's balance sheet and cash flow by eliminating the monthly debt service payments of $425,000 per month which were required by IBC.Balance Sheet and Compliance with the NYSE AmericanAs previously reported, in 2017, the Company received notice from the NYSE that the Company was not in compliance with Sections 1003(a)(i) through (iii) of the NYSE American Company Guide (Future Market Insights has announced the addition of the Cable Trays Market: Global Industry Analysis 2012 - 2016 and Opportunity Assessment; 2017 - 2027" report to their offering.

Cable Trays Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 07:42:28

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office





616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,





Valley Cottage, NY 10989,





United States





T: +1-347-918-3531





F: +1-845-579-5705





Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com





Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Budholiya

Manager

+1 03479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 388 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1 03479183531

Cable trays are prominently used across the world in routing and organizing power cables in commercial as well as non-commercial premises. In industrial and other commercial facilities power cables are used for distributing large amount of electricity to machines, equipment, etc. Cable trays are effective cable management solutions particularly for distributing power.Global Cable Trays Market - Market DynamicsThe global market for cable trays is characterized by supply of cable trays that have good tensile strength and heavy load carrying capacity. Manufacturers of cable trays manufacture products that have reliable characteristics and effective functionality. Cable trays are highly preferred by end consumers as they provide ease of maintenance in cable management system. The global demand for cable trays is expected to grow prominently due to requirement in the telecom industry. The telecom market segment is anticipated to sustain the growing demand for cable trays over the forecast period 2017-2025.Request to Sample of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-4768 Cable trays provide effective functionality in organizing and arranging large and complex network of cables or wires. Cable trays are easy to inspect and provide resistance to fire thus safeguarding significant asset value to end consumers. Galvanization of cable trays gives extra life to the cable trays. Cable trays with long life span maximizes its usage in industries which have high initial investment. Cable trays due to longer life span are not frequently replaced by end consumers. One of the vital feature of cable tray that they can carry heavy loads. Heavy load carrying capability of cable trays make cable trays a preferred solution for applications that require more complex and heavy wiring system.Global Cable Trays Market - Regional OverviewGlobal cable tray market can be segmented into seven regions North America, Western Europe, Japan, Asia Pacific Region, Middle East and Africa and Eastern Europe. North America dominates overall cable tray market globally as this is region has most advanced industrial and commercial sectors.Request Report for TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-4768 Global Cable Trays Market - Competition LandscapeSome of the key players operating in the global cable trays market include Atkore International, Chatsworth Products, Schneider Electric, Legrand Electric Ltd, Oglaend System, Thomas & Betts Corporation, MP Husky USA Cable Tray Cable Bus, Chalfant Manufacturing Company, Marco Cable Management, TechLine Mfg., Unitrunk Ltd.Enterprise Video Content Management Market

PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 08:47:26

Press Information

Future Market Insights

Future Market Insights



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Website: www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Budholiya

Manager

3479183531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 512 Words

Future Market Insights616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWebsite: www.futuremarketinsights.comManager3479183531

Enterprise Video Content Management market is growing significantly due to increasing usage of technologies for customer relationship management, collaboration technologies and other e-commerce software. Enterprise Video Content Management solutions help enterprises to efficiently and securely deploy the video and other multi-media content for employees, partners and customers without increasing the IT infrastructure.Enterprise Video Content Management solutions help in information communication, document processing, capture, manage and play video content. Moreover, these Enterprise Video Content Management also provide features such as creation of screen, webcam and audio recordings, media publication to many devices, upload media, analytics to manage information, security option, and easy automated lecture recording.Enterprise Video Content Management Market: Drivers and ChallengesThe major factor driving the adoption of Enterprise Video Content Management solutions is the inclusion of data encryption feature and data privacy feature. These Enterprise Video Content Management solutions based on security standards for record management which allow enterprise to use these solutions without any risk. Moreover, this Enterprise Video Content Management solution allow user to access their important data from remote location from their mobile apps, and tablets.The key challenge for Enterprise Video Content Management solutions is to implement or to manage its solution. It is quite challenging to manage Enterprise Video Content Management solutions due to high cost of implementation, lack of real-time monitoring, difficulty for post implementation management and less availability of mobile based apps.Get Sample Copy of Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-3415 Key Contracts:In September 2016, Panopto has entered into the partnership with Ramp for providing businesses and universities with new ways to optimize the streaming of video to large, geographically-distributed audiences.In September 2016, Qumu, an enterprise video content solution provider has entered into the partnership with V-Cube, a web conferencing system provider. This partnership will help in providing enterprise video content management solutions across Japan and the Asia Pacific region as V-cube has been the market leader in Japan for web conference systems for the past few years.In Enterprise Video Content Management solution market there are many vendors some of them are IBM, kaltura, Media Platform, Polycom, VBrick, BrightCove, Genus technologies, Panopto and others.Regional OverviewPresently, North America is holding the largest market share for Enterprise Video Content Management solution market due to high adoption of digital technologies among enterprises in various industries. The adoption of software as a service model platform is also impacting the market for Enterprise Video Content Management solution in a positive manner as large solution providers have started providing these Enterprise Video Content Management solutions on cloud to small enterprises. In Europe region, the market for Enterprise Video Content Management solution is witnessing high growth rate due to the increasing demand for video platforms that can be self-hosted, cloud hosted and have multi-tenant deployment option.The Asia Pacific region is following the Europe region in Enterprise Video Content Management solution market. This market is expected to have the highest growth rate in coming years due to the adoption of cloud based offerings significantlyBuy Full Report Now @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/checkout/3415PR-Inside.com: 2019-01-09 15:02:44

Press Information

Future Market Insights

U.S. Office



616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,



Valley Cottage, NY 10989,



United States



T: +1-347-918-3531



F: +1-845-579-5705



Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.com



Web: https://www.futuremarketinsights.com



Abhishek Bhudholiya

Manager

+1-347-918-3531

email

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com





# 744 Words

U.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb: https://www.futuremarketinsights.comManager+1-347-918-3531

ALAD Porphyria (Aminolevulinic acid dehydratase porphyria) is a rare disease caused by the deficiency of 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase in the body. It results in an increase in ALAD in liver, blood, urine and other tissues. It is also associated with an increase in erythrocyte protoporphyrin and urine coproporphyrin. It is an autosomal recessive disease and it mostly affects only male patients. Treatment mainly includes enzyme inhibitors derived from processed red blood cells and symptomatic therapy. In symptomatic therapy, NSAIDS, anti-emetics and others are used to manage the disease.ALAD Porphyria Treatment Market: Drivers and RestraintsFDA's Office of Orphan Products Development (OOPD) and Orphan Products Clinical Trials Grants Program (formerly known as Orphan Products Grants) supports the clinical development of products to be used for treating rare diseases or conditions where no current therapy exists or where the proposed product will be superior to the existing therapy and this will fuel the growth of the ALAD porphyria treatment market. Along with this, FDA also provides grants for clinical studies on safety and/or effectiveness that will either result in or substantially contribute to market approval of these products. Other factors, such as the fact that the growing demand for orphan drugs is inelastic, meaning that it is relatively insensitive to any changes in prices, will also add to the growth of the ALAD Porphyria treatment market. Orphan drugs are developed for conditions where there are only a few effective treatment options available. A relatively small fraction of the affected population allows the cost of the drug to not severely strain the healthcare system and this will boost the growth of the ALAD porphyria treatment market. Orphan diseases are supported by well-organized patient-advocacy organizations, including the National Organization for Rare Disorders in the U.S. and EURORDIS in the EU. It may be politically untenable for a payer to refuse coverage for a promising new therapy on cost grounds.Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-6915 Healthcare providers do not have adequate information regarding the treatment and management of disease. Most people suffering from rare diseases do not have any treatment options available for their condition. Awareness and understanding of rare diseases is often low and many patients struggle to find adequate information about their condition. This particular factor will restrain the growth of the ALAD porphyria treatment market.ALAD Porphyria Treatment Market: SegmentationSegmentation based on Drug TypeNSAIDSAnti-EmeticsEnzyme InhibitorsOthersSegmentation based on Distribution ChannelHospital PharmaciesRetail Pharmacies/DrugstoresE-CommerceALAD Porphyria Treatment Market: Market OverviewThe global ALAD Porphyria Treatment market is witnessing rapid growth due to rising demand for ALAD Porphyria Treatment. There have been a number of initiatives aimed at raising awareness. The Global Genes Project, one of the leading rare and genetic disease patient advocacy organizations in the world, plans to sponsor grassroots activities to increase awareness internationally. The Rare Disease Day is a global initiative aimed at increasing awareness about rare diseases for both healthcare professionals and the population at large. Along with this, many government agencies, educational institutions, clinical centers and corporations have signed on as Rare Disease Day Partners. The future of ALAD Porphyria Treatment market is anticipated to grow with double digit CAGR during the forecast period.ALAD Porphyria Treatment Market: Region-Wise OverviewThe global ALAD Porphyria Treatment Market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia -Pacific & Japan, Middle East and Africa regions and Latin America. North America dominates the global ALAD Porphyria Treatment Market due to growing high awareness and in North America, the USA is expected to be a major stakeholder due to the high penetration. Economic conditions in the APAC region are set to drive the ALAD Porphyria Treatment market to new heights. European and APAC are expected to be fastest growing regions due to rising awareness about ALAD Porphyria Treatment. Latin America is expected to grow at a stable pace due to increasing acceptance of ALAD Porphyria Treatment. The Middle East and Africa regions are showing significant growth because of growing awareness regarding ALAD Porphyria Treatment. However, developed countries will maintain their position in the ALAD Porphyria Treatment market because of increasing awareness and rising adoption.Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-6915 ALAD Porphyria Treatment Market: Key ParticipantsSome of the key participants in the ALAD Porphyria Treatment market include Recordati Rare Diseases Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Novartis AG, Pfizer Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Mylan N.V., AstraZeneca Plc. and others.John and I dont always agree about President Trump, but I agree with his assessment of Trumps address tonight on immigration/the partial government shutdown. Trump laid out a common sense case for the need to fund border security and build more wall (or whatever one prefers to call it).

Im pretty sure most Americans agree with the substance of what Trump said. I also believe that Americans overwhelmingly agree that, even if the wall isnt as important as Trump says, it would be reasonable for Democrats to agree to the funding request as part of a compromise that ends the partial shutdown.

Some people who would normally agree with the substance of Trumps talk, or at least find it unobjectionable, balk because Trump is the messenger. Theres nothing Trump can do about that phenomenon at this late date.

However, Trumps presentation tonight was calm and reasoned. There was no bombast and no name-calling  indeed, none of the stuff that many find off-putting. The case he made was a straightforward blend of facts and common sense, with no gratuitous attacks on Democrats.

Im sure the fact-checkers are examining all of the numbers Trump cited. They may find, or at least allege, some sort of disparity here or there. But I think Trumps address was free of hyperbole and exaggeration. If he erred on any particular, the error was trivial.

Trump abstained from declaring a national emergency and announcing an intention to build more wall without congressional funding. This was a good call even assuming Trump has the power to so act and could win the legal battle over this.

Trump has a good hand to play. He would forfeit that hand by acting unilaterally, and its far from clear that the Supreme Court would back him in that event.A local D.C. news outlet has tweeted that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is expected to leave his role in the coming weeks. Theres nothing surprising about this report, which is consistent with what Ive been hearing for some time. With any luck, a new Attorney General will soon be in place. He will want and deserve a new Deputy.

Whats surprises me is that Rosenstein lasted as long as he did  longer than his former boss Jeff Sessions and longer than any number of capable and effective officials throughout the administration.

Rosenstein should have been fired for naming a special counsel to investigate alleged Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. There was nothing about the matter that made it beyond the capability of the Justice Department to handle.

Rosenstein should have been fired for granting the special counsel, in essence, free rein to investigate whatever tickles his fancy and the fancy of his team of anti-Trump partisans. No president should have to operate under the shadow of aggressive lawyers, with virtually unlimited resources, examining not just his every move as president, but also his pre-presidency dealings and those of his family and his associates.

Rosenstein should have been fired for failing to recuse himself from overseeing the Mueller investigation. He had direct involvement in the decision to fire James Comey, which is a subject of the investigation. He recommended the discharge.

Rosenstein arguably should have been fired for failure to cooperate with Congress in its investigations into questionable practices by the Justice Department. Congressional Republicans accused him of serial lack of responsiveness to requests for information. If this charge has merit, Rosenstein should have been fired for that reason too.

Why did Rosenstein survive for two years? Maybe because Trump (and/or his legal team) feared that the special counsel would view the firing of Rosenstein as obstruction of justice. But Team Mueller already has Comey as a test case for the theory that firing an executive branch employee can constitute obstruction, and Comey makes a better poster child because Trump apparently asked him to go easy on Michael Flynn. If, somehow, the legal theory is valid, Trump is already in trouble. If it isnt, Trump need not have worried about legal jeopardy for firing Rosenstein.

Rosenstein might have survived because Trump trusted him more than he trusted Jeff Sessions and because the number three position at the Justice Department has long been vacant. If Trump preferred Rosenstein to Sessions, that was a serious lapse of judgment.

Sessions was a Trump supporter and a Trump loyalist. Rosenstein is neither. Its true that Sessions refused to violate his ethical duty to recuse himself from an investigation in which his conduct would be at issue. But this decision only injured Trump because Rosenstein appointed a special counsel and gave him, in essence, carte blanche.

In any event, nothing prevented Trump from sacking both Sessions and Rosenstein and appointing an acting attorney general to run the show. Instead, he tolerated two years of fecklessness and poor judgment from Rosenstein.

Mercifully, we need only tolerate a few more weeks of it.Attorneys for Paul Manafort inadvertently disclosed on Tuesday that the former Trump campaign chairman gave 2016 presidential polling data to a Kiev associate U.S. officials have linked to Russian intelligence and may have discussed a Ukraine peace plan with him. The disclosures surfaced in a filing made public Tuesday in which the attorneys disputed special counsel Robert Muellers allegation that their client lied to investigators about his contacts with the Kiev associate, Konstantin Kilimnik, and about other matters after reaching a plea agreement last year. Manaforts attorneys meant to redact the disclosure from the public version of their filing, but they screwed up.

I borrow above from the lead paragraphs of the Wall Street Journal story Manaforts Lawyers Reveal New Details of His Links to Kiev Associate. The AP puts a more sinister spin on its otherwise good story with the headline Manafort accused of sharing 2016 election data with Russians.

The so-called election data is polling. Do you suppose Trumps polling data was markedly better than the stuff that was freely offered by many news organizations in the course of the campaign? I dont. Was there in fact something sinister about Manafort sharing the polling with his former Russian associate? I dont know, but I doubt it took place as part of the alleged Russian collusion with the Trump campaign. If Manafort was in fact lying about it, however, maybe there is something beyond Manaforts personal corruption there, but we should have heard about it by now if that is the case.

Reading around online about Konstantin Kilimnik, I see that he is widely thought to be Person A in the various indictments handed up in Muellers cases. If you are in search of Russian collusion with a presidential campaign, you might want to take a look at the Clinton campaigns Steele Dossier featuring the friends of Vladimir Putin. They appear in the dossier as Sources A and B. For some reason, however, that does not appear to be Muellers tack.

UPDATE: CNNs Chris Cillizza explains Why the latest Paul Manafort news is a very big deal.Natalia Veselnitskaya is the Russian attorney who wangled the infamous June 2016 meeting with Donald Trump Jr. under false pretenses. Vesenitskayas true purpose bore on advancing the interests of friends of Vladimir Putin in undoing or avoiding Magnitsky Act sanctions and other such inconveniences.

In June of 2016 Veselnitskaya was in the United States to help out Denis Katsyv and his company Prevezon Holdings in connection in the asset forfeiture case that had been brought by the United States against him and his company. Veselnitskaya seems to have worked on that case together with Glenn Simpson and Fusion GPS  servitors of the Clinton presidential campaign in the fabrication of the Steele Dossier and the related Russia hoax in which we have been mired over the past two years. Remember?

Simpson and Veselnitskaya both attended the related court hearing for their mutual clients in the case. Its a small world after all. Indeed, Veselnitskaya met with Glenn Simpson before and after Donald Trump Jrs Trump Tower meeting with her. Andrew McCarthy has the background on all of that in his 2017 NR column The Curious Case of Natalia Veselnitskaya. Katsyv and his company were important clients of Fusion GPS. Chuck Ross has more here.

A New York federal grand jury has now handed up an indictment against Veselnitskaya for obstruction of justice in the asset forfeiture lawsuit that brought her together with Simpson. I have embedded the indictment below via Scribd. Put to one side that Veselnitskaya is in Russia and will never face an American jury or the merits of the charge made out in this case. For present purposes I ask only whether there is a single mainstream media account that will get the underlying relationships straight. If we can take the New York Times story on the indictment as illustrative, and I am quite certain that we can, the answer is of course negative.

Natalia by on ScribdOn Monday, John Bolton declared that the Trump administrations plan to pull U.S. forces out of Syria is conditioned on protecting the Kurdish warriors who bore the brunt of our fight to defeat ISIS. This condition seemed to preclude a complete withdrawal in the foreseeable future. As I explained:

I dont see how a complete U.S. withdrawal can be accomplished without putting the Kurds in serious jeopardy at the hands of Turkey. Turkey regards the Kurdish fighters were allied with as separatists and terrorists. Thus, the Turks cannot reasonably be expected to forebear from attacking the Kurdish forces if the U.S. is out of the picture.

Hoping somehow to work around this difficulty, Bolton traveled to Turkey this week for talks. But Turkeys president Erdogan refused to meet with him.

Instead, Erdogan went on television and chastised Americas national security adviser. He said that Bolton made a serious mistake in conditioning U.S. withdrawal from Syria on protecting the Kurds. He then added this threat:

Very soon, we will take action to neutralize terrorist organizations in Syria.

Erdogan regards our Kurdish allies in Syria as terrorists.

Was Bolton speaking for the administration when he said protection of our Kurdish allies is a precondition for withdrawal Syria? I hope so.

It would be dishonorable to abandon those who fought alongside (and often ahead) of our troops in the war against ISIS, leaving them vulnerable to a fearsome attack by the Turks. Such disgraceful conduct might well have serious adverse consequences the next time we try to enlist a regional force to fight terrorists.

If Bolton spoke out of turn on such an important matter, I dont see how Trump can retain his services. If he spoke for the administration, Trump needs to make it clear to Erdogan that we will defend the Kurds against any attack by Turkey and will not withdraw from Syria as long as the threat of attack looms. Erdogan is most unlikely to attack the Kurds as long as were present, and the cost of maintaining 2,000 troops in Syria isnt high.

Turkey has no right to wage a war of aggression against a U.S. ally in Syria. And America cannot afford to be seen knuckling under to threats by a second rate power  one that purports, itself, to be a U.S. ally.

Erdogan is preparing for important local elections in two months. Tough talk about the Kurds can only help him. Humiliating the American national security adviser helps him too.

But beyond these short-term considerations, Erdogan has designs in Syria. They include not just crushing the Kurds, but also becoming a major player in the fight to fill that countrys power vacuum.

The U.S. can reasonably regard Turkey as among the least malignant potential players in Syria. Thats a low bar, of course, considering that the other players include Iran, Russia, Assad, and ISIS (or its successors and rival jihadists).

Couple that with Trumps desire to sell arms to Turkey and one can understand the presidents desire to accommodate Erdogan. The Turkish strong man obviously understands it, or he wouldnt have treated Bolton as he did.

On the other side of the ledger is Americas honor, its level of trustworthiness and respect in the world, its ability to enlist allies in future fights against terrorism, and its ability to make sure ISIS is well and truly crushed in Syria.

Well see how Trump weighs these competing values and considerations.Presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway took questions from the press in advance of President Trumps Oval Office speech last night. C-SPAN has posted Conways 13-minute exchange with reporters here.

Insanely smug and offensive, CNNs Jim Acosta taunted Conway in his patented style. Can you promise that the president will tell the truth tonight? Will he tell the truth? Acosta asked as Conway spoke with reporters about the speech outside the White House. Bob Fredericks covers the story here for the New York Post.

Getting personal, Acosta further taunted Conway with her reference to alternative facts way back when. Im not the one that has the alternative facts problem like you do. Will the president tell the truth?

You want to get personal, Jim? Conway can do personal.

I watched the video of Conway responding to the twit on Twitter a few times yesterday. Does Acosta know or care what hit him? I doubt it. I thought that readers who hadnt seen it might nevertheless enjoy it or at least find it of interest. Conways exchange with Acosta is excerpted in the video below.Pottstown police investigate a stabbing in the 500 block of North Franklin Street on Thursday, Jan. 3. The victim died Monday in the hospital.Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@postregister.com for help creating one.A Post-Native Perspective

At my house, we do this thing we call Sunday Supper. On around Wednesday or Thursday, Jenny, who had a celebrated career as a Chicago chef,  Read moreFormer President Barack Obama has tapped Guam lawyer Julian Aguon as one emerging leader who will be working with the Obama Foundation to contribute ideas for positive changes in the Asia-Pacific region.

Obama announced appointments to his Leaders: Asia-Pacific program Sunday at a community center in Hawaii.

Aguon, who founded the law firm Blue Ocean Law at 28, is part of the 21-member team assembled by the foundation.

The civic leaders, who come from 16 different countries and territories in the region, will work "to craft a course of action that addresses pressing issues and opportunities, and meaningfully contributes to positive change in the region," the foundation stated on its website.

The foundation recently hosted a workshop for their emerging leaders, who worked on designing the regional program and explored solutions to shared challenges.

Issues including climate change, human rights, equity and cultural understanding emerged as main areas of focus for the future humanitarian program, the foundation stated.

'The tip of the iceberg'

Obama joined the leaders and spoke during the conference, calling Aguon "a human rights lawyer from Guam who's finding new ways to support indigenous peoples."

After recognizing Aguon, Obama characterized him and other leaders who will help improve certain issues in the region.

"You talk to them and you will be reminded about how much talent and energy these young people have  this generation has  and how ready they are to get moving building even bigger, more impactful organizational efforts than they're already doing," Obama said in his Hawaii speech. "These are the folks who are gonna make changes, but they're just the tip of the iceberg."

Aguon recently delivered the keynote address during the University of Guam's fall commencement ceremony. He also serves as legal counsel for the Guam Legislature and was appointed a special assistant attorney general to defend the island's decolonization process.

Obama, who has met with emerging leaders around the world after leaving public office, tailored his foundation's humanitarian programs to include local leaders from the populations they serve.WHY DID THE CHICKEN CROSS THE ROAD?: An 18-wheeler crashed and spilled a load of prepackaged chicken products on the side of the road on Route 35, on the eastern edge of Alabama. Salwan Georges/The Washington PostQuesto comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Market Snapshot

Airless tires eradicate the need of air pressure in the tires and provide higher durability over conventional tires. The need for improved road safety has led to the development of airless tires in order to prevent the road accidents ratio caused by punctured tires. Increasing necessity of tires that are robust and highly flexible to provide tremendous shock absorbing properties is driving the market demand for airless tires. In addition, OEMs and industry participants are developing eco-friendly tires with the recycled products such as used rubber tires and plastics, delivering a highly durable and puncture proof tires which is anticipated to drive the demand for airless tires.

Moreover, greater compatibility of airless tires with commercial vehicles result in increasing ride safety with enhanced traction at low speed. However, various drawbacks offered by airless tires mainly including extreme production cost, limited performance during high speed, higher friction, less suspension, and increased rolling resistance are expected to hamper the market in future. Rising global raw material prices of natural resources including rubber is expected to change the preferences of the end users to switch from conventional tires to non-pneumatic tires over the forecast period.

The prominent players in the Airless Tires Market are-

Bridgestone Corporation (Japan), Hankook Tire (South Kores), The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (US), Pirelli (US), Sunitomo Rubber Industries (Japan), Amerityre Corporation (US), Michelin (France), Toyo Tire & Rubber Co. Ltd. (Japan), Cooper Tire (US), Tannus Ltd. (Korea).

Get Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/6910

Airless Tires Market Segmentation:

By Product

Radial Tires

Bias Tires

By Vehicle Type

Military Vehicles

Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV)

Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCV)

Terrain Vehicles

Utility Vehicles

Two-wheelers

By Material

Rubber

Plastic

By Tire size

< 20 inches

21-25 inches

26-30 inches

31-35 inches

>35 inches

By Sales Channel

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)

Aftermarket

By Regions

North America

Asia Pacific

Europe

The Rest of the World

Regional Analysis:

The Rest of the World accounts for a market share of over 46% making it a key market for Airless Tires. Iran Pakistan and GCC countries are among the key country-level markets in the region. In GCC countries the Airless Tires market is witnessing growth as air pollution, and traffic congestion has encouraged emerging economies in the GCC to encourage adoption of CNG to reduce carbon emissions. Reduced price of natural gas which offers an overall reduction in Vehicles ownership and travel is highly attractive in the major countries of this region where CNG adoption is high. Government regulations in the region are additionally, encouraging Airless Tires adoption. These factors are expected to increase sales of CNG during the forecast period.

China is another significant country-level market which has a market share exceeding 18%. The Chinese government has increased tax waiver initiatives to encourage the adoption of Airless Tires. High levels of air pollution have resulted in stringent government regulations in an effort to reduce carbon emissions. Moreover, improvement of infrastructure and tax incentives, combined with increasing environmental awareness have contributed significantly to Chinas leadership position in the global Airless Tires market. Japan has a comparable growth pattern to China which also makes it a significant market. Moreover, several key Airless Tires manufacturers are present in the country, thus contributing to Japans position in the market.

Scope of the Report

This study provides an overview of the global airless tires market, tracking three market segments across four geographic regions. The report studies key players, providing a six-year annual trend analysis that highlights market size, volume and share for North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC) and The Rest of the World (ROW). The report also provides a forecast, focusing on the market opportunities for the next five years for each region. The scope of the study segments the global airless tire market by product, vehicle type, material, tire size, sales channel and regions.

Browse Full Report @ https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/airless-tires-market-6910

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

Contact:

Market Research Future

Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers

Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar,

Pune  411028, Maharashtra, India

+1 646 845 9312

Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.comThe Rochester Symphony Orchestra will host "Honk Squeak Scratch Boom," a hands-on session for budding music students, in two sections Saturday at Mayo High School.

The program is open to students in 4th through 6th grade, who will receive hands-on mini-lessons from Rochester Symphony Orchestra musicians. Each student has the option to try 10 different instruments of their choosing  string, wind, brass and percussion.

Sessions are from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Participation is free. No advance registration is required.Assistant Columbia bureau chief

Adcox returned to The Post and Courier in October 2017 after 12 years covering the Statehouse for The Associated Press. She previously covered education for The P&C. She has also worked for The AP in Albany, N.Y., and for The Herald in Rock Hill.Political Reporter

Caitlin Byrd is a political reporter at The Post and Courier and author of the Palmetto Politics newsletter. Before moving to Charleston in 2016, her byline appeared in the Asheville Citizen-Times. To date, Byrd has won 17 awards for her work.Editorials represent the institutional view of the newspaper. They are written and edited by the editorial staff, which operates separately from the news department. Editorial writers are not involved in newsroom operations.In this latest report on Gold Bullion Market, the market size is expected to scale up to USD BN by the end of financial year 2025. This report valued the market at USD BN in 2018. After evaluating the various market drivers and market restraints the report expects a % of CAGR across the study period. The report takes a deep dig in the market with detailed analysis on the Revenue, Production, and Capacity from 2013 to 2025.





The report also studies the marketing pricing, trends and extrapolates the growth rate for the next six years. The manufacturers data covered in the report assists in understanding the competitive scenario along with planning the capacity expansion plans.





The latest developments such as the organic and inorganic growth adopted by the key players mentioned in the report, throws light on the strategic planning of the competitors, thus assisting in taking informed decisions.





Download Free Sample Report of Gold Bullion Market Report @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/contact/download-sample-38354





The regional study covering all the key regions is an ideal data to understand growth opportunities at specific location or region. The analysis on the Industry Chain covering upstream and downstream customers will give access to a vast pool of knowledge to new or existing players.





The data in the section covering the opportunities & challenges have been collected by industry experts and analysts with deep understanding of the market. The details of the threats and Affecting factors is sure to assist in corporate decision making.





This report focuses on the top manufacturers' Gold Bullion capacity, production, value, price and market share of Gold Bullion in global market. The following manufacturers are covered in this report: Mitsubishi Materials, NTR Metals, Credit Suisse, Valcambi Suisse, Ohio Precious Metals, Royal Canadian Mint, PAMP Suisse, Argor-Heraeus, Johnson Matthey, APMEX, Perth Mint.





Gold Bullion Breakdown Data by Type Gold bars, Gold bullion coins.





Gold Bullion Breakdown Data by Application IT-related electrically conductive materials, Jewelry materials, Dental alloy materials, Investment commodities.





Gold Bullion Production Breakdown Data by Region United States, Europe, China, Japan, Other Regions.





Access Report and Full Table of Contents of Gold Bullion Market @ https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ip/38354-global-gold-bullion-market-insights-forecast-to-2025-market-research-report

Table of Contents - Snapshot

Chapter 1 Study Coverage

Chapter 2 Executive Summary

Chapter 3 Breakdown Data by Manufacturers

Chapter 4 Breakdown Data by Product

Chapter 5 Breakdown Data by End User

Chapter 6 North America

Chapter 7 Europe

Chapter 8 Asia Pacific

Chapter 9 Central & South America

Chapter 10 Middle East and Africa

Chapter 11 Company Profiles

Chapter 12 Future Forecast

Chapter 13 Market Opportunities, Challenges, Risks and Influences Factors Analysis

Chapter 14 Value Chain and Sales Channels Analysis

Chapter 15 Research Findings and Conclusion

Chapter 16 Appendix





View More Related Reports @

Global Silver Bullion Market Insights, Forecast to 2025

https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ip/38357-silver-bullion-industry-market-report





Global Boron Trichloride Market Research Report 2018

https://www.decisiondatabases.com/ip/1016-boron-trichloride-industry-market-report





About Us:

DecisionDatabases.com is a Global business research reports provider, enriching decision makers and strategists with qualitative statistics. DecisionDatabases.com is proficient in providing syndicated research Report, customized research reports, company profiles and industry databases across multiple domains.





Our expert research analysts have been trained to map clients research requirements to the correct research resource leading to a distinctive edge over its competitors. We provide intellectual, precise and meaningful data at a lightning speed.





For More Details:

DecisionDatabases.com

E-Mail: sales@decisiondatabases.com

Phone: +91-90-28-057900

Web: https://www.decisiondatabases.com/Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, left, and D-N.Y., Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., center, walk down the House steps to take a group photograph of the House Democratic women members of the 116th Congress on the East Front Capitol Plaza on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Jan. 4, 2019, as the 116th Congress begins. Also pictured is Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., right. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)State Sen. Vincent Sheheen takes in the festivities at 83rd running of the Carolina Cup at Springdale Racecource in Camden in April 2017. Sheheen says he let his kids start riding their bikes to the park alone in elementary school, and he wants to ensure parents like him aren't punished for granting their children independence. File/John A. Carlos II/Special to The Post and CourierConduit that will encase the electrical supply sprouts from the ground near construction in Carolina Park on Tuesday, March 20, 2018. Carolina Park is one of two developments in Mount Pleasant exempt from residential building permit caps under the town's new "permit allocation" system, designed to slow residential growth.New homes will soon rise in a 166-unit, single-family housing development near Ridgeville, not far from the recently opened Volvo Cars manufacturing plant in Berkeley County. File/Brad Nettles/StaffFood editor and chief critic

Eating all of the chicken livers just as fast as I can.Mariachi is fading in SC Mexican restaurants, but one Myrtle Beach crooner is still at itGet the SC business stories that matter.

Our newsletter catches you up with all the business stories that are shaping Charleston and South Carolina every Monday and Thursday at noon. Get ahead with us - it's free.Questo comunicato e stato pubblicato piu di 1 anno fa. Le informazioni su questa pagina potrebbero non essere attendibili.

Global Stretch Wrap Machines Market Research Report is brief overview on Stretch Wrap Machines industry having detailed focus on major factors of worldwide market for future prospective which elaborates major factors and overall perspective towards business growth. This Stretch Wrap Machines market report offers detailed perceptions on the market dynamic forces to enable informed business decision making and development strategy formulation supported on the opportunities present in the market. The report provides the most up-to-date industry data on the actual and potential market situation, and future outlook.

Get Sample Copy at https://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/726249

Market Overview

Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and market shares for each company. Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global market of Router industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand and import/export. Revenue and gross margin by regions (North America, EU, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India) and other regions can be added.

Inquire more or share questions if any before the purchase on this report @ https://www.orianresearch.com/enquiry-before-buying/726249

All Key Regions Covered in Report:

North America: US, Canada, Mexico

Europe: Germany Spain France, Italy, UK, Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific: Japan, China, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Rest of Asia Pacific

South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Rest of South America

Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, South Africa, Rest of Middle East & Africa

No. Of Pages: 123

The key Companies Analyzed in this Report are:

 Signode Industrial

 Webster Griffin

 M. J. Maillis Group

 Packway

 ProMach

 Phoenix Wrappers

 Handle-It

 Robopac

 Aetna Group

 ARPAC

 Lantech

 Technowrapp

 Cousins Packaging

 Berran Industrial Group

 G.G. Macchine

 Krishna Engineering

 Hangzhou Youngsun Intelligent Equipment

 

Key Stakeholders

 Stretch Wrap Machines Manufacturers

 Stretch Wrap Machines Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers

 Stretch Wrap Machines Subcomponent Manufacturers

 Industry Association

 Downstream Vendors

The report focuses on Global Stretch Wrap Machines Market major leading industry players with information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials, equipment and downstream consumers analysis is also carried out. What's more, the Stretch Wrap Machines industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally, the feasibility of new investment projects is assessed, and overall research conclusions are offered. In a word, the report provides major statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.

On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into

 Manual

 Semiautomatic

 Automatic

Market size by End User

 Food & Beverage

 Pharmaceutical

 Consumer

 Construction

 Chemical

 Automotive

 Industrial

 Others

Order a copy of Global Stretch Wrap Machines Market Report @

https://www.orianresearch.com/checkout/726249

Major Points Covered in Table of Contents:

1 Stretch Wrap Machines Market Overview

2 Global Stretch Wrap Machines Market Competition by Manufacturers

3 Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants Analysis of Complementary DNA Microarrays (cDNA

4 Global Stretch Wrap Machines Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2018)

5 Global Stretch Wrap Machines Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type

6 Global Stretch Wrap Machines Market Analysis by Application

7 Global Stretch Wrap Machines Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis

8 Stretch Wrap Machines Manufacturing Cost Analysis

9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers

10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders

11 Market Effect Factors Analysis

12 Global Stretch Wrap Machines Market Forecast (2018-2025)

13 Research Findings and Conclusion

14 Appendix

About Us

Orian Research is one of the most comprehensive collections of market intelligence reports on the World Wide Web. Our reports repository boasts of over 500000+ industry and country research reports from over 100 top publishers. We continuously update our repository so as to provide our clients easy access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, and products. We also specialize in custom research in situations where our syndicate research offerings do not meet the specific requirements of our esteemed clients.

Contact Us

Ruwin Mendez

Vice President  Global Sales & Partner Relations

Orian Research Consultants

US: +1 (832) 380-8827 | UK: +44 0161-818-8027

Email: info@orianresearch.com

Website: www.orianresearch.com/

Follow Us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/13281002/2.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

Almost everyone rightly criticized President Donald Trumps Tuesday prime-time speech pushing for a U.S.-Mexico border wall for its numerous lies and misrepresentations. Surprisingly, included in those critical of Trumps speech were news commentators on Fox News.

Fox News anchor Shepard Smith immediately and ruthlessly challenged many of Trumps false claims, using the governments own numbers to do it.

For example, after Trump stated that innocent people are being horribly victimized by immigrants who commit crimes, Smith quickly commented that these conclusions were not supportable, saying:

The governments statistics show that there is less violent crime by the undocumented immigrant population than by the general population.

Advertising

Trump also tried to justify his wall by maintaining that many illegal immigrants carry contraband such as drugs across the Mexican border, but Smith pointed out that a wall would not even help the drug smuggling problem. He said:

Government statistics show much of the heroin actually comes not over the unguarded border but through ports of call.

Then Smith continued his brutal fact-check of Trump by saying:

He talks about undocumented crossings over the past months. In fact, the number of undocumented crossings over the southern border has been steadily down over the last 10 years and the government reports that there is more outward traffic than inward traffic.

Smith also disputed claims by Trump and other administration officials that Mexico will pay for the wall through the revised Mexican trade deal of course, that is ludicrous, as private trade doesnt pay for government construction projects.

The wall will have to be funded through government appropriations one way or another, and Trump has not figured out how to do that. It is not clear that he even knows how government works.

Trumps speech was all about bluster and trying to fool enough of his base of supporters to generate public support for his misguided border wall project. But this is not likely to happen. Trumps speech was a total fail.

Luckily both Congressional Democratic Leaders, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, were able to make televised responses to the Presidents speech. They immediately pronounced Trump to be a liar and made clear that Americans should not believe a word he said.

When even Fox News calls out the president for spreading misinformation about immigration and border security you know has a big problem. And its not clear that he has any idea how to resolve it, so its likely his politically damaging government shutdown will continue for a good while longer.446 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he has ordered a halt to federal disaster relief for Californias wildfires unless state officials involved in forest management get their act together.

Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forest fires that, with proper Forest Management, would never happen, Trump wrote on Twitter, a day after western governors asked for greater federal investment in fire prevention.

Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money! the president said, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

California has suffered a series of increasingly massive, deadly blazes in the past two years that have destroyed homes and businesses and put burnt areas at a greater risk of mudslides. Governor Gavin Newsom said 167 people have been killed by fires and floods over that time.

Advertising

Trumps move targets a state that is home to some of his biggest political rivals, including Democratic U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is leading the fight in Congress against Trumps demands for $5.7 billion in funding for a border wall on the Mexican border.

Newsom, also a Democrat, said at his swearing-in ceremony this week that the Trump administration is hostile to Californias values.

FEMA, which provides grants for home repairs or rental assistance after disasters, said it could not respond to queries about Trumps order due to the partial government shutdown, and it was not clear whether there would be any immediate impact.

More than one-half of the 33 million acres of forest in California are managed by federal government agencies, according to the University of Californias Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. State and local agencies control only 3 percent, and the rest is privately controlled.

On Tuesday, the governors of California, Oregon and Washington asked federal agencies to double their investment in forest management in a letter to the White House.

California plans to spend $1 billion on forest management over the next five years, the letter said, and has spent $111.3 million since 2017, just under half on federal lands.

During a November tour of the wreckage of the Camp Fire, the deadliest in California history, Trump blamed what he called poor forest management for the fire, and threatened to end FEMA funding.

The California Professional Firefighters organization, with more than 30,000 members, said at the time Trumps assertion was dangerously wrong.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey in Washington and Jonathan Allen in New York; Writing by Nick Zieminski; Editing by Scott Malone and Jeffrey Benkoe)2.6k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

On Tuesday evening Democrats in the U.S. Senate succeeded in voting down a Middle East policy bill that had been put forth by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. The move was a way for the Democrats to protest President Trumps government shutdown. If the impasse over funding the government continues they may vote again to block McConnells agenda in the near future.

The Senates rejection of the bill on a 56-44 vote may be the first of many attempts by Democrats to stop Senate business and disrupt McConnells efforts at passing legislation.

The Middle East policy bill was blocked even though Democratic senators will probably support the policy of sanctioning Syria contained in the bill. Democratic leaders have discussed behind closed doors how they plan to deal with votes on the floor as the shutdown continues. They want to send a message to Republicans while at the same time avoid being seen as obstructionist which may hurt them politically.

Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer wants to keep the focus of his colleagues on the government shutdown, however. He also wants to publicize and increase awareness of the role of McConnell in refusing to bring the House Democrats government funding bills up for a vote in the Senate.

Advertising

McConnell has taken the position that he will bring up in the Senate only funding bills that the president says in advance that hes willing to sign. The funding bills passed by the House do not provide the money Trump has requested for a border wall, and he has said he would refuse to sign them.

Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii explained the rationale that he and other Democrats have for voting against advancing the Middle East bill:

It is preposterous that we are going to treat this week like some kind of mellow catch-up week where we do miscellaneous items that havent been able to get floor time. The first thing we should do is reopen the government. Im voting no tonight to make that point.

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois said:

We think the first order of business should be opening the government. McConnells position that hes going to wait for a message from the president? I hope his caucus reminds him one of the branches of government has its own responsibility.

Just four Democrats voted yes on the Middle East bill after an effort to defeat it was led by Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. Last weekend Van Hollen began a movement for Senate Democrats to block all other business in the upper chamber until the government shutdown was ended.

McConnell, who has obstructed all attempts by Congress to get funding bills passed, had the gall to blame Democrats for the lack of progress in resolving the shutdown impasse, which was totally caused by Trump.

McConnell criticized the consensus that has developed among Senate Democrats to reject all bills unrelated to government funding. The Majority Leader said he expect a big bipartisan vote, not some partisan showdown on the Middle East bill and slammed Democrats for not compromising with Trump on the border wall.

Democratic intransigence has made sure a quarter of the federal government has been shut down for more than two weeks, McConnell said in a floor speech. Two weeks. Now theyre threatening to shut the Senate down too.

Democrats of course expect McConnell to take at least half the blame for the shutdown that Trump has caused because of his irrational demands for wall funding. As a result, Democrats say they will block all unrelated legislation that otherwise might pass.

After the bill failed McConnell moved to bring it up again, indicating he plans to make Democrats vote it down multiple times so long as the partial shutdown continues.

As a minority party the Democrats have very little power to affect Senate procedures, but they are using what power they do have to send a message to Mitch McConnell that if he doesnt play ball with them, then he will get no other Senate business done. This is a good move, although it is not certain to sway the Majority Leader given the strong opposition to the president of passing the funding bills already approved by the House.119 SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts came in first place in Daily Koss first 2020 straw poll, proving that she will be a formidable contender in the race for next years Democratic nomination for president.

Senator Warren has made news over the past week as she was among the first Democrats to announce that she is running for president, and then as she traveled to early-caucus state Iowa for a series of kick-off campaign events.

Warren currently leads the crowded Democratic primary field with 22 percent of support in the straw poll of nearly 35,000 Daily Kos members. Warren is known as a progressive stalwart who created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and has constantly fought on behalf of consumers and Americas middle class. She is widely seen as a candidate who will carry the progressive torch of Bernie Sanders, should the elderly Vermont senator decide not to run for president again in 2020.

Up-and-comer former Texas Rep. Beto ORourke came in second in the Daily Kos poll, with 15 percent supporting him. Considering he has not said that he will run for president for him to finish second shows that the young Texan is starting out 2019 with a solid base of Democratic support.

Advertising

Tied with 14 percent each are Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and former Vice President Joe Biden, both of whom are considered strong contenders for the 2020 nomination. Biden is expected to announce whether he is running or not by the end of the month. Harris has not formally announced but has been making many campaign trips and has begun a new book tour and media blitz, giving strong hints that an announcement of her candidacy will soon be forthcoming.

Senator Sanders is considering a second run for the White House but ranks only in fifth place, in the Daily Kos poll with just 11 percent support. He is still the favorite of many members of other progressive groups, however.

In explaining the results, Daily Kos wrote;

Modern presidencies arent won in rural diners. Theyre won by those who best manage their mediasocial, partisan, and traditional. So who on that list above can do that? Warren, ORourke, Sanders, Booker, and Harris have already built that infrastructure. Bernie, however, has a yesterdays news feel to him.

After Sanders, the categories of Unsure and Others each got 9% of the vote. The Others category presumably includes around 15 other Democrats who are at least considering running for the nomination in 2020.

Warren and Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro have both formed an exploratory committee to run in 2020. Castro does not have a strong national profile, and is included in the Others category.

Warren traveled to Iowa last weekend, drawing big crowds to her events while she attacked corruption in the Trump administration and decried the influence of big money in politics.

Other progressive groups have conducted straw polls of their members, but this appears to be one the first one that shows Senator Warren in first place.

MoveOn.org also had a straw poll in December who had ORourke narrowly edging out Biden. And in Democracy for Americas December poll, Sanders came in first, while Warren finished in fourth place.

After the first poll was released Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas said his group will be conducting its straw poll every two weeks from now until the 2020 Democratic convention.

Daily Kos will be running these straw polls every two weeks, and as folks exit and enter the race, the slate of candidates tested in each poll will shift as the field evolves, Moulitsas said.

While not a scientific evaluation of preferences, past straw polls on Daily Kos have accurately represented the sentiment of the millions of progressives we reach every day.

There is now question that the Daily Kos members are an important subgroup of the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. Having their support shows that Senator Warren is perhaps the leading progressive currently in the 2020 race for the Democratic nomination.

Along the same lines, however, the fact that Beto ORourke is in second place among such a progressive group shows that the criticisms that he is too conservative may not hold up over time.

Another way to interpret the results is to think of Senator Warren  who turns 70 in June  as the favorite of those who want to see a female candidate, carrying on the legacy of Hillary Clinton, and to think of ORourke as the favorite of those who want to see a younger candidate so that a new generation of leaders can take over the Democratic Party. ORourke, at 46, is nearly the same age as both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were when they started their successful campaigns for the presidency.1.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer ripped Trump for unpresidential behavior as he walked out of a meeting because Democrats wont fund his wall.

Sen. Schumer (D-NY) said:

Unfortunately, the president just got up and walked out. He asked speaker Pelosi will you agree to my wall, she said no. And he just got up and said then we have nothing to discussion,  discuss and he walked out. He had a temper tantrum because he could not get his way and he walked out of the meeting. I asked him to open up the government, that tomorrow, so many people will have trouble paying their mortgages, paying their bills, dealing with situations when they dont get paid, and I said just why wont you do that and well continue to discuss, well discuss anything, and he said If I open up the government you wont do what I want. T

That is cruel. That is callous, and that is using millions of innocent people as pawns. And it was wrong. And then a few minutes later he sort of slammed the table, and when leader Pelosi said she didnt agree with the wall, he just walked out and said we have nothing to discuss. He said it was a waste of his time. That is sad and unfortunate. We want to come to an agreement. We believe in border security. We have different views, we offered the president our proposals that sat on his disk for several weeks. But this was a really, really unfortunate and in my junction, somewhat unbecoming of the presidency.

Advertising

Video:

Chuck Schumer rips Trump for unpresidential behavior after Trump walked out when Speaker Pelosi told him no wall. pic.twitter.com/1LlDwfy0BD  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) January 9, 2019

Trump admitted that he is holding government workers hostage

Trump admitted to the Democrats that government workers are his hostages, and he wont release them until he gets his wall. It is simple. There is going to be no congressional funding for the wall. Democrats have told Trump this over and over again. Senate Republicans want Trump to declare a national emergency to get them off of the hook, but that wont hold up in court.

The adults in Congress are telling Trump, no, so he is taking his ball and going home.

The poor little rich boy is throwing a fit because Democrats wont allow him to waste billions of taxpayer dollars on a wall that he promised Mexico would pay for.

Donald Trump is falling apart, and he is taking the Republican Party down with him.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.2.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

Trump could only say that the split in the Republican Party over the shutdown is fake news as Senators pretended to be unified in front of Trump.

Trump said, You know, the fake news is fake news. I want to tell that you the Republicans are totally unified. If you were to ask the same question to the Democrats, you let me know in some of those districts where I wonder if theyre a little more, you want them to run and say we dont want to have border security? You have plenty of Democrats who do not want to be in this battle. You have plenty of Democrats. The Republicans are unified. We want border security. We want safety for our country. 

Video:

Democrats just won a midterm election in part because of Trump racist stance on immigration and fearmongering about the border. Republican strategists have warned the White House and the party that Trumps immigration position is toxic to voters. This is a fight that Democrats dont mind having in the least.

Advertising

Trump has the political instincts of a dead squirrel, and the fact that McConnell and the Republican Senators are trying so hard to show a united front to the president illustrates how they are beginning to divide and come apart. A majority of Republican Senators dont support the wall. Trumps dog and pony show with Mitch McConnell doesnt change anything. The Republican Senators think that their way out of this mess is Trump declaring a national emergency because then the problem will be all on Trump.

Republicans are coming unglued over this shutdown, and a photo-op with the president doesnt change the political reality that the Trump shutdown is a disaster for the Republican Party.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.2.4k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

Donald Trump Jr. is reportedly telling his friends that he is going to be indicted by special counsel Robert Muellers team.

The reporting that the presidents eldest son could be indicted has long been part of the rumor mill, but it was reignited on Tuesday by former MSNBC host Toure, who tweeted the news.

Don Trump Jr is telling friends that he will be indicted. #BOOM  Toure (@Toure) January 8, 2019

Given the increasing expectation that Don Jr. is in major legal trouble, its no surprise that he may be telling those close to him that he expects to be indicted.

Advertising

As PoliticusUSAs Jason Easley pointed out a short time ago, citing new evidence, Don Jr. committed a felony when he solicited help from the Russians in 2016.

Ultimately, the real revelation from Toures tweet on Tuesday is not that Donald Trump Jr. will be indicted. Its that he has friends.

Trump cant distract his way out of legal trouble

Despite Trumps effort on Tuesday to distract the American people with a primetime speech about nothing, there was no shortage of big news coming from the Mueller investigation.

Among the flurry of news is the eye-opening development that Paul Manafort gave Russians polling and other internal campaign data in 2016  and Donald Trump knew about it.

Its no surprise, then, that Rudy Giuliani is reportedly bracing for a final report from Muellers office that could be devastating for Trump.

More from Vanity Fair:

The shutdown has pushed the Russia investigation out of the news cycle. But Trumpworld knows it hasnt gone away. Rudy Giuliani recently told a friend that he expects Muellers report to be horrific, a person briefed on the conversation said (Giuliani did not respond to a request for comment). Youre already hearing people speculate Trump could do a deal and resign.

Once again, its clear that while the media and the American people might be focused on the government shutdown brought about by Trumps temper tantrum over a border wall, Mueller is tuning it all out.

The real emergency isnt happening along the southern border. Its happening inside the walls of the White House as Robert Mueller looks poised to sink this president and his family.

Follow Sean Colarossi on Facebook.7.2k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

Trumps immigration address was a failed mixture of lies and pathetic desperation to get a wall that will never happen.

Trump said, I am speaking to you because there is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border. Every day customs and border patrol agents encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country. Were out of space to haul them and we have no way to promptly return them back home to their country. America proudly welcomes millions of lawful immigrants who enrich our society and contribute to our nation, but all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled illegal migration. It strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages. Among those hardest hit are African Americans and Hispanic Americans. Our southern border is a pipeline for vast quantities of illegal drugs including meth, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. Every week, 300 of our citizens are killed by heroin alone.

Video:

It takes Trump less than a minute to go full blown racist in immigration address. pic.twitter.com/at8FfPaFgP  PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) January 9, 2019

Advertising

Trump tried to sell his wall as a humanitarian crisis, but it didnt work.

Trump claimed that Democrats want a steel barrier and that law enforcement wants the wall. Both claims are false:

Trump claims that law enforcement wants the wall and Democrats steel, both claims are false. pic.twitter.com/TuPnAI1Xft  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) January 9, 2019

Trumps big Oval Office address was a giant failure

Trump had nothing new to say or offer in support of his wall. His attempt to falsely describe a crisis sounded like he was reading off a Wiki page. Trumps got nothing. He promised that Mexico would pay for the wall, and now that has become Mexico will indirectly pay for the wall with trade deals, which is also totally false.

Trump had no urgency, no passion, and as offered a snoozer of a speech that we have all heard a million times before. If this is the best that the White House has got, they need to throw in the towel, because its over and theyre toast.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.Advertising

By Jeff Mason and Richard Cowan

WASHINGTON (Reuters)  U.S. President Donald Trump urged Congress on Tuesday to give him $5.7 billion this year to help build a wall on the border with Mexico, but stopped short of declaring a national emergency that could have led to unilaterally funding the project.

Facing Democratic opposition in Congress to a wall, Trump said in a prime-time televised speech that there was a growing security crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.

But after days of hinting that he might use his presidential powers to declare an emergency as a first step toward directing money for the wall without congressional approval, Trump appeared to be willing instead to continue seeking a solution to the impasse with Congress.

Advertising

Trump is scheduled to visit the southwest border on Thursday and it was not clear whether he still might choose to make the national emergency declaration.

Trumps remarks came 18 days into a partial government shutdown precipitated by his demand for wall construction, which he has said is needed to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs.

Democrats and other opponents of a border wall had threatened to take legal action if Trump issued the order, arguing that he is manufacturing a crisis to carry out his 2016 presidential campaign promise for a wall that he said at the time would be paid for by Mexico. The Mexican government has refused to provide such funds.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Susan Heavey, Alex Alper, Ginger Gibson, Patricia Zengerle and Mike Stone in Washington, Richard Valdmanis in Boston and Kenneth Li and Mica Rosenberg in New York; Writing by Alistair Bell and Richard Cowan; Editing by Peter Cooney)26.9k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) tried to place the blame on Democrats for the government shutdown because they wont give Trump wall money.

McConnell said on the Senate floor:

Today, my friend the Democratic Leader is proposing to add a Senate shutdown to the partial federal government shutdown and block even more of the peoples business  all to avoid more of what he already voted for. Maybe the Democratic Party was for secure borders before they were against them. Or maybe theyre just making it up as they go along. Or maybe they are that dead-set on opposing this particular President on any issue, for any reason, just for the sake of opposing him.

Of course, walls and barriers are not immoral. How silly. Enforcing our laws wasnt immoral back in 2006 when then-Senator Clinton, then-Senator Obama, and my friend the Democratic Leader were proud to vote for physical barriers. Well, the only things that have changed between then and now are the political winds and the occupant of the White House. So this is no newfound, principled objection. Its just political spite. A partisan tantrum, being prioritized over the public interest.

Advertising

Video:

"Walls and barriers are not immoral. How silly!" Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says in a speech on the Senate floor, accusing Democrats of "political spite" and "a partisan tantrum" on the eighteenth day of the government shutdown https://t.co/8y8E7soMmH pic.twitter.com/MBRW7H8WPn  ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) January 8, 2019

For more than two weeks, theyve indulged in that partisan tantrum rather than negotiate in good-faith over border security funding  hardly something that should be a partisan subject in the first place. Theyve put that partisan tantrum ahead of keeping a quarter of the government open. And now, theyre saying their partisan tantrum is more urgent than pressing legislation that concerns our alliance with Israel or the Syrian civil war. Well, I hope that isnt the case. I hope that my Democratic colleagues dont pile on even more pointless obstruction. I hope they dont block the Senate from turning to this important legislation  legislation that they support  later today.

The Shutdown Pressure Is Getting To Mitch McConnell

That was a nifty bit of fantasy that McConnell wove on the Senate floor. The reality is that the Senate Majority Leader was stabbed in the back by his own president who refused to sign a government funding bill because he was catching heat from his right flank. Democrats arent throwing the tantrum. Trump is tantruming because he promised a wall that he couldnt deliver.

Democrats have no demands in these negotiations. They want nothing. It is Trump who is throwing a political tantrum, and Mitch McConnell is caught in the middle. The pressure is getting to McConnell, and his old game of blaming Democrats wont work this time.

There will be no wall, and it Mitch McConnell who Trump will try to blame for his own failure.What's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 319-352-3334 or email legals@waverlynewspapers.com.7k SHARES Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Pinterest Reddit Print Mail Flipboard

Advertising

According to Harvard constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe, the latest Russia evidence reveals that Donald Trump Jr. committed a crime when he solicited help from the Kremlin.

Tribe said on MSNBCs The Beat with Ari Melber:



The Veselnitskaya part is probably less profound than the manafort part, but I agree with Glenn that Veselnitskaya is now clearly exposed as an agent of the Kremlin so that when an offer was made at that infamous trump tower meeting of e-mails from Hillary Clinton, the offer that Donald Jr. Said he would love if it came at the right time in the campaign, we now know that thats basically an offer of help from the Kremlin and a violation of American law, which forbids accepting offers or soliciting offers of foreign help.

.

It means that the presidents son and the head of the presidents campaign and the presidents son-in-law, all of those people were soliciting help, not just from some random Russian but from the Kremlin.

Advertising

Video:

.@tribelaw on MSNBC's The Beat with Ari Melber, "The presidents son and the head of the presidents campaign and the presidents son-in-law, all of those people were soliciting help, not just from some random Russian but from the Kremlin." https://t.co/3qi3XV0Hj6 pic.twitter.com/udMZDayMuN  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) January 9, 2019

The Trump Tower Meeting Deniability Is Dead

Trump, his kids, and his campaign can no longer say that they never met with any Russian agents. Veselnitskaya was an agent of the Kremlin. She was acting on behalf of the Russian government. Trump and his family were soliciting help from a hostile foreign power in a US presidential election.

What Donald Trump Jr. did is a felony. Trump Jr. broke the law, and it feels like only a matter of time until he is indicted. The other aspect of this wrinkle in the Russia scandal is that President Trump obstructed justice by with the infamous letter that claimed that the meeting was about adoptions.

The Trump actively shopped for help from Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign. It is against the law, and Donald Trump Jr. should be going down for his crimes.

For more discussion about this story join our Rachel Maddow and MSNBC group.

Follow Jason Easley on Facebook.After 22 levels of play in the first $25,000 Single-Day High Roller here at the 2019 PokerStars Caribbean Adventure in the Atlantis Resort. Sean Winter takes the overnight chip lead with 5,120,000 in chips and will be battling it out against David Peters (2,380,000) another time this week.

The first Super High Roller of the week attracted 75 entries which also includes 25 reentries. All those entries created a total prize pool of $1,800,750 with the winner walking away with $495,210 whenever the two remaining players will finish the heads-up battle.

During the first eight levels of the day, 68 entries were collected with another 7 players jumping in during the 80-minute dinner break. PokerStars Team Pro, Igor Kurganov, Steve ODwyer, Joe McKeehen, Isaac Haxton, Joe Cada, Jean-Noel Thorel, and Timothy Adams are some of the players who took their seats in the first level of the day.

Cada was one of the first unlucky players who was sent away from his table when he shoved on the trey-queen-seven-five-nine board with king-high and was called by ODwyer who held pocket nines. Many more familiar names joined the field just before the first break of the day, including Alex Foxen, Byron Kaverman, Cary Katz, Jason Koon, Manig Loeser, Matthias Eibinger, John Juanda, and Rainer Kempe.

When registration closed after the dinner break, it also signaled the end of the reentry period and players were sent to the rail in quick succession. Players like Ramin Hajiyev, Andras Nemeth, Steffen Sontheimer, Benjamin Pollak, Bryn Kenney, Elio Fox, Daniel Dvoress, and Ben Yu were all eliminated without cashing.

The bubble lasted almost two hours as only eleven players would be in the money for at least $45,020. Peters increased his chip lead when he shoved on ODywer who let his hand go on the river. Kaverman found a double through Ivan Luca with pocket tens while Luca held eights. Foxen tripled up with ace-queen against the jack-six of Winter and then the bubble finally burst when Jonathan Kamhazi finally put his last 10,000 in after having blinded down for a while and busted to Jack Salter. Kamhazis king-four couldnt beat the king-nine of Salter as Salter had the higher kicker.

Results

Place Player Country Prize (in USD) 1 TBD 495,210 2 TBD 352,040 3 Jack Salter United Kingdom 230,500 4 Rainer Kempe Germany 177,380 5 Ivan Luca Argentina 140,460 6 Steve O'Dwyer Ireland 109,840 7 Stanley Choi Hong Kong 86,440 8 Igor Kurganov Russia 67,520 9 Byron Kaverman United States 51,320 10 Erik Seidel United States 45,020 11 Alex Foxen United States 45,020

Once the bubble burst, there was a flurry of activity on both tables with Foxen being the first to cash when he ran ace-four into Winters ace-king. Erik Seidel was next to go when his jack-nine got no help from the board against Peters ace-king. With nine players left, it was time to combine the remaining players onto the final table.

Kavermans king-nine call when Kurganov shoved with king-queen on the flop didnt earn him a double up as he was the first to leave the final table. Kurganov himself flopped top pair with ace-jack on the five-trey-jack-four board and decided to bet and call the shove of Peters. Unfortunately for the PokerStars Team Pro, Peters had the overpair with kings, and no ace or jack came on the river to save him.

Stanley Choi was taken down by Salter when his pocket eights got rivered as the ace came while Salter held ace-jack. ODywers king-jack were beaten by the king-queen of Winter, and then it was time for Luca to go when he ran king-six into the tens of Kempe. Kempe tried bluffing Peters and lost a huge chunk of his stack and then the remainder also got added to Peters stack when he shoved his last eleven big blinds with ace-four. Peters had called with queen-nine and made trips on the river to take the German out in fourth place.

Salters run was over a mere five minutes later when he called with his last chips with queen-nine when Winter had put him all-in with queen-trey. The queen-four-trey-trey-nine board did not help and Salter was happy to have managed to pick up quite a few pay jumps after having been short for quite a while.

Heads-up play lasted for around 90 minutes with Peters and Winter swapping out the chip lead and doubles back and forth. In the end, they had to bag up their chips as the tournament room was closing. They agreed that they wanted to play the $50,000 Single-Day High Roller first before closing out this tournament so it still has to be confirmed when exactly they will play down to a winner but stay tuned as the PokerNews live reporting team will be there until the winner is known.Courtesy Colorado Ballet

Take Your Dancing to New Heights With Colorado Ballet Academys Summer Intensive and Pre-Professional DivisionCHEYENNE  Wyomings governorship changed hands Monday afternoon in two separate ceremonies when Gov. Mark Gordon took the oath of office.

Early Monday morning, in a ceremony open only to relatives, construction workers and an Associated Press pool reporter Gordon was sworn into office at the Wyoming State Capitol, which is in its third year of major renovations.

Secretary of State Ed Buchanan, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Wyoming State Treasurer Curt Meier, and State Auditor Kristi Racines were also sworn in the private ceremony.

Speaking at a public ceremony later that morning at the Cheyenne Civic Center, Gordon said he took an oath in the Capitol Rotunda because, It was important to me that our terms begin in the peoples house and they be affirmed here in the moment.

During his speech Monday morning, Gordon outlined an optimistic vision for Wyoming in the coming years.

I believe in the bottom of my hear that Wyoming can reach new heights and be a beacon for others, Gordon said. We can lead the way into a bright future if we focus on the world we want our grandchildren to inherit even as we address the issues of this day.

While he served as state treasurer, Gordon said he warned lawmakers against spending saving in order to avoid tough decisions today.

As Governor, Gordon will work to make the state government more efficient.

We must become more effective even as we become leaner and we must invest in the people, programs and systems that make it all possible.

Gordon also intends for his administration to drive innovations in areas such as energy, the environment, water, rural healthcare and education.

Gordon also spoke favorably of his predecessors, including former Governor Matt Mead.

In particular, Gordon praised Meads landmark Economically Needed Diversification Options for Wyoming Initiative.

Announced in 2016, ENDOW seeks to add a fourth leg to Wyomings economy through technology.

Governor Meads administration has worked to encourage diversification of our economy. The ENDOW initiative is built on the idea that a diverse economy is by definition less prone to boom and bust cycles, Gordon said. Still, we recognize that a diversifying economy has its needs too, and some might be expensive.

Gordon also spoke in favor a small government thats close to the people it represents.

Instead of growing the government, Wyomings citizens should instead work to grow opportunity in their communities.Pine Bluffs Mayor Alan Curtis will serve as the towns representative on a cooperative for rural municipal power providers.

He was confirmed during the towns regularly scheduled council meeting held Monday night.

Curtis will replace former representative Bill Cushing.

The mayor said it was his opinion that a member of the towns governing body should serve on the board.

Curtis thanked Cushing for his service representing Pine Bluffs.

According to its website, the Wyoming Municipal Power Agency is the wholesale electric provider for eight public power communities in Wyoming.

Those include Cody, Powell, Lusk, Lingle, Guernsey Fort Laramie, Wheatland and Pine Bluffs as full members.

WMPAs power generation capacity comes from its ownership share of the Missouri Basin Power Project and Dry Fork station located north of Gillette in Campbell County.

Pine Bluffs Treasurer Kim Patterson also told council members that Pine Bluffs Public Works Director Jerry Lamb will be resigning and taking a job with the City of Cheyenne.

Patterson said the position should be advertised across a large area due to qualified applicants needing extensive experience in computer technology.

The next council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., Tuesday, January 22.Staff reports

The Petoskey News-Review

No one need look far in the current political climate to find issues that divide the nation. Abortion, immigration, and gender questions commonly rise up to cleave our

These issues, however, pale when held against the historical glass of slavery in America before the Civil War.

In The War Before the War, Andrew Delbanco, professor of American Studies at Columbia University, tackles this legacy, examining the social and cultural costs of slavery, while at the same time insinuating current social worries to provide a modern context. The result is a disturbing and detailed, look at American history.

Subtitled Fugitive Slaves and the Struggle for Americas Soul from the Revolution to the Civil War, Delbanco explains in his introduction, One reason the story of the fugitive slave law is worth telling is that it takes us back to a time when the public and the personal became indistinguishable, not unlike our own time, it turns out.

Another reason for Delbancos prescience is his story is told from the multiple perspectives of northerners and southerners, black and white, whose lives were forced by the fugitive slave problem into unwanted convergence. Think the riot in Charlottesville in 2017. Or Cindy Hyde-Smiths campaign for the U.S. Senate in Mississippi. Are there really fine people on both sides?

Of course, these modern morality plays come against starkly more transparent circumstances, though they nonetheless serve as a motif Delbanco maintains throughout his account.

Delbanco reminds us how the Founding Fathers, were born into a world in which slavery was widely regarded as a universal feature of human society, for example. In addition, while those looking might have found justification in biblical authority, nonetheless, growing numbers of Christian clergy spoke out against slavery over the course of the eighteenth century.

The church might have opposed slavery, but the fledgling federal government did not. In fact, Of the fifty-five delegates, to Constitutional convention, twenty-five owned slaves, including Benjamin Franklin, and, maybe, Alexander Hamilton.

This early wrangling led also to the Fugitive Slave Act of Article 4 of the Constitution, agreed to by both north and south, though by this time Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut and other northern states had abolished slavery.

Another early complication was that in early Americathe distinction between servitude for life and labor contracted for a term of years could be a formal distinction without much substantive difference. Thousands of indentured servants, sometimes children, came to America with the each wave of migration. For some, this muddied the waters of arguments in opposition to slavery.

In time, this distinction widened, when servitude waned while slavery, especially in the agricultural fields of the Deep South, waxed. Exacerbated by the compromise of 1820, as well from several dramatic legal tussles over fugitive slaves, including James Hamlet, Shadrach, and Thomas Sims, tensions heightened, as, News of these events was met in antislavery circles with a mixture of horror and welcome. Delbancos success is how he unfurls these competing greetings to show the complicatedand well-documented history of slavery in America before the Civil War.

Ultimately, the abstraction of the Constitution, including Article 4, led to debate. Clearly, the human toll of such decisions, fugitives on the run, sometimes gaining freedom, other times meeting horror, less abstract in every way, led instead to war.

Good reading.Arielle S. Hines (231) 439-9358 ashines@petoskeynews.com

The Petoskey News-Review

WASHINGTON  Federal lawmakers representing Northern Michigan had various reactions to President Donald Trumps Oval Office address on Tuesday night.

In that address, Trump urged congressional Democrats to fund his long-promised border wall. The speech was marked with intense immigration rhetoric but offered little in the way of concessions or new ideas to break the standoff that has left large swaths of the government shuttered for nearly three weeks.

Trump argued the wall was needed to resolve a security and humanitarian crisis, blaming illegal immigration for what he said was a scourge of drugs and violence in the country. Democrats in response accused Trump of appealing to fear, not facts and manufacturing a border crisis for political gain.

In a statement, U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman, R-Watersmeet, said he supports President Trumps call for border security.

The President is only asking for support of border policies that Democrats have supported and voted for just a few short years ago. We must do whatever it takes to prioritize national security and secure our borders. Its past time for Democrats to come to the table with a plan, Bergman said in a release.

In a previous interview with the News-Review, Bergman said leadership on both sides on the aisle should respect the presidents authority and grant the $5 billion to allow law enforcement to use it for whatever form of border security is most appropriate.

Thats what I voted for before, and if someone wants to come up with a better idea with a lesser amount of the security funding we voted on, then lets see it, Bergman said in the story published in late December.

In a tweet, Sen. Debbie Stabenow said there was nothing new after the Presidents speech tonight.

We all support strong border security and can continue to debate what that looks like. But its time for President Trump to end this shutdown, Stabenow said in a tweet.

Stabenow spoke on the Senate floor on Tuesday about the ongoing government shutdown. In those remarks, she noted the impacts of the shutdown, including the federal employees that are going without pay and the various federal programs being affected.

Ive heard from Michigan workers who cant pay their bills and are desperately seeking temporary jobs, families who have been left without health insurance, and contractors who know that even if federal workers get paid back, they wont, Stabenow said on the Senate floor.

While Stabenow made clear she supports strong border security, she was critical of the idea of a wall on the southern border, noting a majority of experts dont believe it will be effective in keeping the country safe.

Building a wall on our border is a little like providing the U.S. Army swords and shields and expecting them to defend our nation, Stabenow said on the floor. Unfortunately, this administration is more focused on the merits of concrete vs. steel than actually protecting the American public.

On his public social media pages, Sen. Gary Peters said, Congress must secure both our northern and southern borders, including adding personnel at our points of entry and utilizing more cost-effective technology.

Peters noted provisions included in a Senate bill passed last year were meant to keep the government open.

Leading up to the shutdown, the Senate approved a bill that had bipartisan support. But when the bill reached to the House, Republican lawmakers added $5.7 billion to help fund security infrastructure along the southern border at Trumps request. That version of the measure failed to pass the Senate.

At that time in December, Peters said in a statement, Even after the Senate passed a bipartisan funding agreement earlier this week, the President still chose to shut down the government. This is completely unacceptable and wholly irresponsible.

On his social media accounts, Peters has repeatedly pointed the finger at Trump during the shutdown.

It is completely unacceptable that the federal workers charged with keeping our country safe are forced to work without pay while the President doubles down on using tax dollars on a costly and ineffective wall that he promised Mexico would pay for, said Peters on his Facebook page Tuesday night.Steve Foley

(231) 439-9397

Petoskey resident Dave Firman has traveled to and spent time in several remote places across the world.

Firman, a certified arborist, irrigation designer-contractor and owner of Firman Irrigation and Landscape Lighting and Firman Tree Service, has witnessed firsthand people who have very little or no access to clean drinking water.

Ive had experiences in South Africa on a mission trip and worked in villages where people had to go for miles to get water basically out of a mud puddle, Firman said. We were building water filters for them and doing things to help out ... rebuilt some mud huts, put new roofs and doors on them so they wouldnt get attacked at night.

It was really eye-opening.

By way of an irrigation peer group, Firman was introduced to a fellow business owner in his field: Aaron Katerberg, of Grapids Irrigation in Grand Rapids. Firman discovered Katerberg had climbed Africas Mount Kilimanjaro with a team of people to raise money for Lifewater International, a California-based Christian nonprofit organization that provides education in sanitation and hygiene, and safe water wells to remote communities.

He (Katerberg) wanted to do it again, do another fundraiser and he knew I had climbed mountains and I had been over there for mission trips, Firman said, He thought the two of us would be a good fit for raising money and Ive been training to climb this mountain.

That mountain will be Mount Aconcagua in Argentina, which is the highest mountain in both the Southern and Western Hemispheres at some 22,841 feet.

Starting Feb. 5, the 40-year-old Firman expects to spend 20 days traversing the mountain  along with Katerberg and a group of 10 others  to help raise money via Lifewater International to drill wells in Africa and Cambodia.

Ive met some other people with the (Lifewater International) organization, and I really like what theyre doing, Firman said.

He will leave for South America on Feb. 2, and has been training vigorously for the climb here in Northern Michigan.

Ive been doing a lot of running, weight training and Im wearing a 70-pound weight vest climbing hills around here with my boots and crampons, just going up and down hills for hours and hours, Firman said. I plan on sleeping outside to prepare for the ground and the cold.

Hes also planning on climbing the back hills at Boyne Highlands at night to prepare for the trek.

Ive climbed seven volcanoes in Ecuador, climbed Mount Chimborazo which is the highest point in the world from the center of the earth and done a lot of treks, including the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, Firman said.

He also trekked through the jungle in Colombia last winter to visit indigenous tribes, but most of his climbing experience has been in Ecuador, where the highest point of Chimborazo was some 20,600 feet.

Aconcagua is just shy of 23,000 feet, Firman said. This will be a much harder climb because were doing a traverse, were actually climbing up one side and down the other and that makes it harder. Youre carrying gear all the way up and all the way down.

Along with training for the climb, Firman has already raised more than $20,500 of his goal of $22,841 (the elevation of Mount Aconcagua) for Lifewater International, which over the past 40 years has served more than 2.5 million people with lifesaving clean water, sanitation and hygiene.

Its a wonderful organization, Firman said. Their website speaks of how $6,000 is a well for a small village. They also do sanitation training, many people dont know about washing their hands and where to use the bathroom. They (Lifewater) build a health environment and build latrines, its not just clean water.

According to Lifewater Internationals website, every 60 seconds a child dies from preventable waterborne diseases in the world. Many unsafe water sources are in the remote and rural corners of the world and lack of safe water can impact all areas of life.

Lifewater reported that as of August of last year, 10.9 percent of people in the world were living on less than $2 a day. The organization also notes that for every 1,000 children born, 41 will die before they turn 5 years old as a result of malnutrition, contaminated water and poor sanitation and hygiene.

Also, rural populations around the world are four times as likely as urban populations to be drinking contaminated water.

It is estimated one in nine people in the world do not have access to any clean water and 1 million people die a year from a lack of clean water and poor sanitation.

South America is an eye-opener, but not as much as Cambodia, Firman said. Seeing the poverty out there was hard for me. You come home and almost feel guilty ... I have all this stuff and people in the world are starving and Im wasting money on stupid stuff every day. Its money that really helps over there, theres a lot of people working to make it better.

Donations to Firman will be used to provide for water and sanitation needs in Africa and Cambodia, and not for his climb.

Donations may be made at give.lifewater.org/fundraiser/1559707.

Firman is also selling Aconcagua 2019 T-shirts to help raise money as well. The donation to obtain a shirt is $30.

Im looking forward to the camaraderie, Firman said of his climb. When youre climbing as a team youre all suffering together. Its fun to tackle a big challenge like that. Its good for your mind and good working with other people. Ill get to know Aaron better, hes an irrigation business owner himself, and he sees a lot of same issues we see and have to solve.Arielle S. Hines (231) 439-9358 ashines@petoskeynews.com

The Petoskey News-Review

CHARLEVOIX  Charlevoix City Council members on Monday voted in favor of an ordinance that prohibits recreational marijuana establishments within the city limits, at least for now.

Under the ordinance, recreational marijuana-related business establishments are not allowed to operate in Charlevoix. In addition, the ordinance bans all forms of smoking in public spaces and within 25 feet of the entrance of a building. Charlevoixs ordinance does not otherwise affect individuals use of marijuana.

In November, Michigan voters approved a ballot initiative to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older. However, the voter-approved act also permits municipalities to opt out of having recreational marijuana-related operations in their communities.

The council voted unanimously for the ordinance. Charlevoix council members believe that its prudent to opt out of allowing such establishments, at least until the state issues regulations on recreational marijuana-related businesses. City officials across the state have echoed similar sentiments.

I think we have a reasonable plan, which is to wait and see how its going to shake out with the law and how other communities are handling it, said mayor Luther Kurtz.

Kurtz noted while the voters approved legalizing marijuana, they also voted for municipalities to decide how and when marijuana-related businesses come into their communities.

Council member Janet Kalbfell noted even if the city developed its own guidelines now, the city might have to change them if they conflict with the states rules. Therefore, she feels it is wise to wait for state officials to develop its standards.

We can always opt in later on, Kalbfell said.

Kalbfell noted the importance of communicating with the surrounding communities to know what their plans are for such establishments, so municipalities can consider it as a factor in their decision.

Council member Aaron Hagen noted the council in the future could work on local standards for such businesses, such as zoning regulations, before officially making an opt-in decision.

But not before having state regulations, its kind of putting the cart before the horse, Hagen said.

City attorney Scott Howard noted the voter-approved recreational marijuana law assumes municipalities allow such businesses unless officials explicitly opt out. That differs from the medical marijuana law, which municipalities needed to affirmatively opt in to allow those type of facilities, Howard said.

The city could decide to review the ordinance again once the state develops a regulatory system for such facilities, Howard said. Under the voter-approved law, the state has until December to issue those standards. Once the state develops its regulations, municipalities could make an informed decision about recreational marijuana-related businesses, Howard said.

Had the city not opted out, Howard said one possible concern might involve a business applying to sell the product commercially before the city has the chance to develops its own standards about those type of enterprises.

If you do nothing, youre opting in (to recreational marijuana businesses), Howard said. The concern is we dont know exactly what the rules are going to be.

Before the city council voted on the ordinance, residents had a chance to comment about the proposals. Three members of the public spoke, offering varying sentiments about the issue. The states voter-approved law also provides a referendum option, which would allow community members to petition for a public vote on whether recreational marijuana-related businesses should be allowed in the municipality or not.State police have arrested the second suspect in the robbery and shooting death of 20-year-old man in York County.

19-year-old Tysheem Santiago was arrested on Tuesday night, according to a news release. His arrest came when state polices Special Emergency Response Team executed a nighttime search warrant at a residence in the 700 block of Susquehanna Avenue in York.

Santiago, who faces charges in connection with the robbery and murder of Stefan Simmons, was found hiding in the residence in taken into custody. Anthony Holley Jr., 18, was also taken into custody for concealing Santiagos whereabouts from officers, police said.

On Sunday, Simmons and his younger brother walked along Oriole Circle in Chanceford Township, where they were picked up by a vehicle that was driven by a juvenile girl, police said, adding that Montrice Gibson was a passenger in the car.

After traveling a short distance, the vehicle stopped and Santiago approached, police said. Santiago was armed with a handgun, and he demanded that Simmons hand over money, police said.

Police said Santiago made Simmons get out of the vehicle, and he and Santiago began to fight over the handgun. During the fight, several shots were fired, and Simmons was struck in the chest, police said. Simmons' injury was fatal.

Gibson, 25, was arrested Monday, and faces charges of criminal homicide, murder of the second degree, murder of the third degree, robbery and conspiracy, according to court documents.

Santiago faces charges of murder in the first degree, murder of the second degree, murder of the third degree, robbery, and conspiracy.A central Pennsylvania school district that has been accused of banning students from handing out Bibles said the legal group backing the students is misrepresenting the situation.

In a written statement, the Mechanicsburg Area School District on Tuesday said it does not ban religious materials from its campuses, and charged the Independence Law Center with issuing inaccurate allegations. The issue stems from a November incident in which the district denied permission to students seeking to distribute Bibles during the lunch period.

The pro-bono legal group last week accused the district of banning students from distributing the religious materials, and ordered it to rescind the ban.

There is not a ban on the Bible, Torah or the Koran or any other religious material at Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School, district officials said in a written statement. Students are always permitted to bring, read, share and discuss the Bible at school. We welcome and encourage students with all backgrounds and religious views to express themselves.

The district pointed out, however, that it has rules in place that must be followed by students or student groups wishing to distribute any material to other students during the instructional day, inclusive of lunch.

These rules are established to respect the rights of all students, create a sense of belonging in the school, and ensure there are not disruptions to the school day, the school district stated.

In November, members of the Christians in Action Student Club at Mechanicsburg Area High School had attempted to hand out Bibles during the lunch period, but were ordered by administrators to stop.

The students argue that the district violated their constitutional rights.

The school district said the student group failed to submit a formal request for distribution of Bibles, and the ILC never contacted the building administration to discuss the issue.

Instead of submitting a request and working with the high school administration in a collaborative manner, the ILCs approach has evoked negative emotions that divide our school and community, district administrators said in the statement. We would gladly engage in a conversation that instead takes the time to consider what is best and inclusive for all students and respects the wishes of many parents in our school community. It is our sincere hope to resolve this issue with facts.

The Independence Law Center on Tuesday fired back at the school districts charges regarding their representation of the issue.

In a written statement to PennLive the pro-bono legal group reiterated that high school principal David Harris had denied the students permission to share the Bibles.

Not only did Principal Harris tell these students that they were not permitted to handout Bibles during the school day but he also ordered that they not even hand out Bibles outside of the school day unless they were granted permission first from the school,' the group noted.

Additionally, the group noted in its statement the response Harris gave to the student club advisor back in November: Please inform him that he is not permitted to handout Bibles during the school day.Like other literature if he would like to request to distribute them outside of the school day, he may submit a request which will be reviewed in accordance with district policy and case law. At that time, a decision will be rendered.In addition to relevant case law, district policy #220 provides some guidelines. Please feel free to share this with [the student] or to review it with him as you see fit."

The ILC claims that students went through the process of formally requesting permission, and that Harris wrote a response to that request.

A school board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at Elmwood Academy, 100 E Elmwood Ave, Mechanicsburg.MECHANICSBURG - A diversity of beliefs about the Bible and its place in the public school filled the meeting room of the Mechanicsburg Area School Board on Tuesday night, as approximately 80 community members turned out in response to a high school club's recent claim that the school district denied their constitutional right to free speech by not allowing them to hand out Bibles during their lunch period.

Two students with the Mechanicsburg Christians in Action club, who declined to publicly share their names, spoke to the school board on Tuesday night.

While approximately 20 people from the public stood to share their thoughts and concerns on the issue, school officials remained mostly silent except for a press release issued by district administration earlier in the day, which stated that the district does not ban religious material at the high school.

Rather, the district said it is upholding rules that require students and groups to follow if "they wish to formally distribute any material to other students during the instructional day, inclusive of lunch."

"These rules are established to respect the rights of all students, create a sense of belonging in the school, and ensure there are not disruptions in the school day," it reads.

While the district release also states that the students never submitted a formal request to distribute Bibles, which the rules require, officials with the Independence Law Center, which is defending the students, say they did.

"The students went through the process of formally requesting permission, and Principal David Harris wrote a response to that request," the release states, adding that the request was "officially denied."

A statement submitted by the ILC clarified that it never claimed the district was banning religious books. "There is a ban, however, on passing out the Bible during the school day," it reads.

And students of the Christians in Action club have decided to come forward, they say, to defend their right to free speech. A leader in the CIA, who declined to give her name publicly, told the school board on Tuesday night that the "school administration is unconstitutionally suppressing our freedom of expression and our right to share our faith.

"This doesn't just affect our rights," she added, "but every other student's rights are in jeopardy too. ... If the administration can prevent our religious speech, there is no reason it can't or won't stop our classmates' speech either."

She said this year has been "especially challenging" in the group's efforts to get information out about their club to their fellow students.

Earlier this school year, the CIA requested permission to post flyers, as other student groups do, with information about the time and location for their club meetings. Because the flyer contained a Bible verse, administration denied permission. When the Independence Law Center got involved, the administration permitted the flyers to be posted.

Most recently, according to the CIA leader and ILC attorneys, when the students asked to hand out Bibles during the lunch period, Principal Harrison responded that they could not hand them out during the school day and "also ordered that they not even hand out Bibles outside of the school day unless they were granted permission first from the school."

Jeremy Samek, an attorney with ILC, said that while the district's policy that addresses issues such as this is constitutional, it is "void" and unclear about what the students' rights actually are.

"They have the right to do this, and I ask that you correct that policy," he said.

Another attorney with CIA, Curtis Schube, said that while the Establishment Clause prevents schools from endorsing a religion, it does not prevent students from handing out literature. "Literature is free speech," he said.

In another statement presented at the school board meeting on Tuesday night, another student leader of CIA clarified that the club was not planning to walk up to students and hand out the Bibles, but rather to sit at a table and give the Bibles to those who approached them and asked for one - in the same way that other school clubs have sold or offered items such as stickers, candy or t-shirts.

READ MORE: Banned from distributing Bibles at school, high school students appeal to administrators to lift ban

"If other clubs have distributed things during lunch," the student wrote, "we do not understand why CIA cannot."

More than a dozen community members weighed in on the issue Tuesday night as well - some religious leaders, others simply concerned citizens who could be found on just about every side of the complex issue.

Some expressed concerns that the minority students who might be intimidated or offended by the offer of Bibles should be protected by the school. Others questioned who the "minority" is that needs to be protected.

"The Christian mandate is to look after the one who is the smallest and the least," said local pastor Robert Hylton. "When one wants to stand up and speak, their voice must be heard.

"This is about the application of the First Amendment freedoms," he said.

Some in attendance contested that the Bible has a weighted history of being used to justify things like violence and slavery and could make some students feel threatened. Others said the Bible has words of life and its true message, rightly applied, incites love and hope - not violence.

"The Bible is a book of hope, faith and love," Lovell said.

One student said when a friend told him he was going to commit suicide, he used Scripture to talk him out of it.

"My friend is alive because of the words of Jesus Christ," he said.

Schube, the attorney with ILC, said he believed the school district was missing a learning opportunity for students by denying CIA's request.

"When students leave their school, and go out into the world ... they're going to be confronted with ideas that are not necessarily like theirs," he said. "This is an opportunity in a more controlled environment for students to learn how to discuss things like religion and politics.

"If we remove religion entirely from the school place, those skills are not going to be developed in the students here at Mechanicsburg."State police are searching for a man wanted for his part in a Sunday robbery and murder in York County, according to a Tuesday announcement.

Another suspect already is in custody, according to police, who revealed that Stefan Simmons, 20, was killed during the robbery.

Montrice Gibson, 25, was arrested Monday, and he now faces charges of criminal homicide, murder of the second degree, murder of the third degree, robbery and conspiracy, online court documents show.

Police said they are now looking for 19-year-old Tysheem Santiago, who they said played a role in the killing.

Santiago is considered armed and should not be confronted if located, police said.

On Sunday, Simmons and his younger brother walked along Oriole Circle in Chanceford Township, where they were picked up by a vehicle that was driven by a juvenile girl, police said, adding that Gibson was a passenger in the car.

After traveling a short distance, the vehicle stopped and Santiago approached, police said. Santiago was armed with a handgun, and he demanded that Simmons hand over money, police said.

Simmons was made to get out of the vehicle, and he and Santiago began to fight over the handgun, police said. During the fight, several shots were fired, and Simmons was struck in the chest, police said. Simmons' injury was fatal.

Simmons' brother was then made to exit the vehicle before Santiago got in, and the car was driven away from the scene, police said.

Police said the robbery was planned.

Police were able to locate the vehicle involved in the crime and to identify those who were inside of it, according to the announcement.

Gibson was arrested Monday, and online court documents show he is incarcerated in York County Prison. He was denied bail. Gibson is to appear for a preliminary hearing at 9 a.m. Jan. 22 before Magisterial District Judge John H. Fishel.

A warrant is out for Santiagos arrest.

Anyone with information about Santiagos whereabouts has been asked to call police at 717-428-1011.The Harrisburg School District raised taxes on residents last year by the maximum amount allowed by law, to generate an additional $1.4 million to cover rising costs.

But the bulk of that tax increase could be erased if the Norfolk Southern Corporation prevails in a property tax dispute with Dauphin County. The district could owe more than $1.2 million in refunds to the railroad company and lose more than $474,000 annually going forward. The city of Harrisburg stands to owe $1 million and lose more than $340,000 annually going forward.

In all, the five taxing authorities, including Harrisburgs, Swatara Township and the Central Dauphin School District, could be on the hook for $6.8 million in refunds to compensate the railroad company for taxes it has paid under protest since 2015.

Going forward, $2.1 million annually is at stake for those taxing authorities.

The dispute started in 2014 when the county reclassified Norfolk Southerns intermodal railroad properties in Harrisburg and Swatara Township and added them to the tax rolls. The assessment went up after the two-mile long Rutherford rail yard, located between Grayson Road and Derry Street, received a $60.5 million makeover in 2015.

Although intermodal yards were not previously taxed in Dauphin County, the bureau viewed them as part of NFSs commercial enterprise and therefore subject to taxation, much like a truck terminal, said County Commissioner George Hartwick III.

The railroad, however, believes it should continue to be exempt from local taxes under Pennsylvania law. After a favorable ruling from a court in another jurisdiction last year, Norfolk Southern won an exemption from Dauphin Countys Board of Assessment Appeals in September.

But not so fast, said Dauphin County commissioners. They immediately filed an appeal with the court, saying the board had erred in granting the exemption for the sprawling Harrisburg and Rutherford rail yards.

While the appeal winds its way through the courts, which could take two years, the railroad must continue to pay the taxes, but the revenue is going into escrow accounts for safekeeping, Hartwick said. And the local taxing authorities arent counting on any railroad revenue in their 2019 budgets.

The Central Dauphin School District has the most to lose. The property tax assessment for railroad property amounts to $725,605 each year for them.

Other potential annual revenue losses include:

Harrisburg School District, $474,231

Dauphin County, $435,463

Harrisburg city, $340,844

Swatara Township, $164,849.

The appeals board granted the exemptions to Norfolk Southern under the state Public Utility Realty Tax Act, which shields public utilities from paying local taxes. Instead, railroads pay the state a fraction of what they would owe in property taxes and the state annually distributes amounts to counties and municipalities. Railroad tracks, beds and lines, however, are exempt from the state tax so its unclear how much Norfolk Southern pays to the state. The company declined to provide the amount.

Last year, the state distributed $120,706 in PURTA money to Dauphin County, $126,794 to Central Dauphin School District, $46,660 to Harrisburg and $12,769 to Swatara Township.

County commissioners insist that PURTA is unconstitutional and that the appeals board illegally applied it in the case of the privately-owned railroad, which they say operates as a transportation company. The PURTA law was intended to apply to public utilities.

Hartwick said Pennsylvania is the only state with such an archaic law still on the books. He said the railroad has been a horrible partner, that doesnt consider the needs of residents and uses significant local services. Hartwick said the rail yard draws thousands of freight-hauling tractor-trailers that damage the streets, and create dust, congestion and noise.

Hartwick said there is no reason that a railroad company hauling freight should be exempt when Federal Express, UPS and other delivery companies must pay property taxes.

But freight railroad operating property is not subject to taxation by local governments under Pennsylvania law, said Jon Glass, a Norfolk Southern spokesman.

In Pennsylvania, freight railroads are considered public utilities for taxation purposes, Glass said. As such, railroad operating properties are subject to taxation by the state, not local governments  as the court in the Northampton County case confirmed in 2018.

After the Northampton County ruling, which concerned an intermodal facility in Bethlehem, Norfolk Southern asked Dauphin County to revert the classification of the two intermodal facilities back to railroad property/public utility and refund the taxes the railroad had paid to the county.

The Northampton case in Commonwealth Court hinged on the way an intermodal rail facility operates. The court took into account that such operations did not exist the last time the state revised its railroad tax laws, according to the Morning Call.

Intermodal rail facilities handle shipping containers and truck trailers that are moved between tracks by mobile cranes.

Its unclear what chance the county has to prevail in court, but Hartwick said the commissioners arent giving up without a fight.

We should fight for our taxpayers for every dime, he said. They (Norfolk Southern) have used significant resources and should have to pay their fair share.

No court dates or hearings have been set yet for the dispute.WILLIAMSPORT - Another psychiatric evaluation has been ordered for a bicyclist from Virginia accused of breaking into a Lycoming County home in 2017 and killing the owner.

County Judge Nancy L. Butts Tuesday ordered an evaluation of Graham Nicholas Norby-Vardac, 25, at Torrance State Hospital in Westmoreland County, to determine if he is competent to stand trial.

District Attorney Kenneth Osokow opposed the evaluation, noting Norby-Vardac already has been seen by three psychiatrists. He also noted Butts in October found that despite having a history of mental issues that Norby-Vardac is capable of assisting in his defense.

The judge based her conclusion after hearing conflicting opinions from two psychiatrists on that issue and considering the results of a 2017 court-ordered evaluation.

Dr. Pogos H. Voskanian, who examined him for the defense, and Dr. John S. O'Brien II, who did the same for the prosecution, agreed that the Alexandria, Virginia, resident suffers from autism spectrum disorder.

Butts explained she agreed to a fourth evaluation after Dr. Terri Calvert, a psychiatrist at the county prison, stated in an email she has seen a change in Norby-Vardac.

He was scheduled to waive his right to a jury trial on Tuesday so he could be tried by a judge, but that was put on hold until the results of the new evaluation are known.

Also delayed was a decision on whether Voskanian should be allowed to testify. It's his opinion Norby-Vardac has diminished capacity.

Osokow argued the defense cannot claim diminished capacity when Norby-Vardac has confessed he used a shovel to break a window to gain entry to the Donald Kleese Jr. house on Quaker Hill Road in Eldred Twp. north of Williamsport on April 5, 2017.

He also has admitted stealing Kleese's car and heading to Canada where he was arrested on the Peace Bridge over the Niagara River near Buffalo, New York.

Norby-Vardac claims he found Kleese, 82, dead. But state police accuse him of striking the homeowner with the shovel after hearing him snoring in a bedroom and then strangling him.

He told psychiatrists he was headed to Canada for a fresh start and followed the GPS on his phone. When he reached the Williamsport area he was exhausted, hungry and tired, so he broke into the Kleese house.

Despite Butts ordering a new psychiatric evaluation, the anticipated four-day trial still is scheduled to begin March 4.

Norby-Vardac is being held without bail on charges of homicide, aggravated assault, burglary, robbery, possession of an instrument of crime, criminal mischief and theft.A Dauphin County man who kidnapped and fatally stabbed a former friends pet dog will be spending some more time in a cage.

County President Judge Richard A. Lewis on Wednesday sentenced Christopher Roberts, 19, of Elizabethville, to 11  to 23 months in county prison for the August slaying of a 9-year-old Boston terrier-Jack Russell mix named Bella.

Roberts pleaded guilty last month to burglary and aggravated animal cruelty charges for the crime. He had no sentencing agreement.

Christopher Roberts

Its the cruelty of this situation that really disturbs me, Lewis told Roberts. You essentially tortured this dog to death.

Investigators said Roberts admitted he took the dog from a Lower Swatara Township home and stabbed the animal because he was angry over a failed relationship with one of its owners.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Gettle urged Lewis to send Roberts to state prison. This was not the first time hes injured an animal, she said. He indicated to police that he previously injured a cat.

The prosecutor then read the victim impact statement of one of the dogs owners, Carolyn Dymond. A beloved member of our family was kidnapped and murdered, Dymond wrote. She was an innocent victim.

Christopher is a dangerous person, she added.

Dymond wrote that Roberts crime has shattered her familys sense of security. What will he be trying to do with us when he gets out of jail? she asked. I just know if someone can do this to a dog, it is only a matter of time before it escalates.

First Assistant Public Defender Mary Klatt said Roberts has experience multiple traumas in his own family and wasnt taking his medications for mental health issues when he committed the crime. He was not emotionally or mentally equipped for what he was going through at the time, she said.

Roberts mother told the judge her son has had a rough life. Hes a very loving kid.

I know what I did was wrong. I take full responsibility, Roberts said.

Township police Lieutenant Timothy Shatto said hes investigated multiple violent crimes, including rapes and murders, but Bellas slaying has stuck with me because of its callousness.

Roberts planned the crime, Shatto said. Roberts knew the dog was friendly and she willingly came to him, the officer said. He said Roberts told police as he was stabbing the dog multiple times the dog was still wagging its tail and looking at him for help.

Lewis ordered Roberts to spend 5 years on probation after he completes his prison term. He fined Roberts $1,500, ordered him to pay $875 in restitution to Bellas owners and barred him from living in any home with pets. Roberts must do 500 hours of community service as well.

Any violation of his probation will likely result in a 3  to 7-year stay in state prison, Lewis warned Roberts.The move to a large meeting venue still was not enough to accommodate the 100-plus person crowd that gathered Tuesday in Columbia Borough.

The meeting was standing-room-only, with the crowd spilling out into hallways.

Speaking before borough council, concerned and sometimes angry residents took turns airing their frustrations about a 21 percent tax increase that was included in 2019s budget.

One main concern was that the real estate tax revenue would be used as part of a borough-operated low-interest loan program geared toward encouraging commercial development. Borough officials cited different reasons for the hike.

Sharon Lintner was among the residents to speak out against the tax hike both before and after the meeting.

Private business should not be profiting off of tax dollars, she said.

Others came equipped with a petition signed by more than 1,000 residents, asking borough officials to roll back the tax hike  from 6.6 to 8 mills  and to end the low-interest loan program.

During the meeting, Council President Kelly Murphy said those requests would not be fulfilled.

"We have heard what you have said and are not insensitive to the effect the higher millage rate has on all of us  We feel that we have acted responsibly and in the boroughs best interest, Murphy said.

Murphys comments were interrupted several times by sometimes passionate outburst from those in the crowd.

That frustration was expressed prior and during the meeting by Norm Meiskey, a concerned resident and the boroughs former manager.

Meiskey said the tax hike will provide the borough with about $800,000  the same amount that is allocated for the program, which makes low-interest loans available to developers looking to build businesses within borough limits. Its a program that was established in 2017, Murphy said.

The mechanism that the borough council is using, I feel is unlawful, Meiskey said. It, in essence, is investing taxpayers money on mortgage instruments that simply are not authorized.

That is an opinion that borough officials contested during the meeting, pointing out that their bond counsel reviewed the program and saw no issues.

And prior to the meeting, Assistant Borough Manager Georgianna Schreck said the tax hike has little, if nothing, to do with the loan program.

The real estate tax hike, she said, is due to the fact that the borough is low on funds to run day-to-day operations and to pay salaries.

Were capital rich and operating poor, she said.

Schreck explained that the recent sale of the boroughs wastewater treatment operation netted several million dollars, which has been placed in the capital fund. The capital fund, she said, can be used to fund equipment upgrades, road repairs and other similar projects.

Expenses like salaries and day-to-day operations are covered by the boroughs general fund. That fund needed a boost, and rules prohibit the transfer of money from the capital to the general fund, she said.

We cant pay salaries, she said, adding that there were discussions about laying off employees.

Funds from the boroughs savings  or fund balance  could be used to cover some of those costs. However, Schreck said borough officials want to avoid draining the savings because that money may be needed in the case of an emergency.

If you continually make a budget thats using the fund balance, you are going to run out, she said.

So borough council members instead voted to raise taxes at their December meeting, Schreck said.

We need more income, she said. This is just not a happy win-win situation at all.

Schreck said she could not immediately say how much more money the average taxpayer will owe with the 2019 tax increase in place.

And in speaking about the low-interest loan program, Schreck said the idea is to encourage development that would increase the boroughs tax base to stave off future increases.

That works in theory, Lintner said, but, for now, those with little money are wondering how they will pay for the 2019 increase.

There is a lot of poverty in Columbia; there are a lot of elderly residents; there are a lot of people on fixed incomes, a lot of retirees, she said.This blog may be a labor of love for me, but it takes a lot of effort, time and money. For over 14 years and 30,000 articles I have been providing accurate, original news that would have remained unnoticed. I've written hundreds of scoops and sometimes my reporting ends up making a real difference. I appreciate any donations you can give to keep this blog going.Shippensburg University, Elizabethtown College and York College of Pennsylvania are among the 38 post-secondary institutions chosen to receive a state-funded grant to combat sexual assaults on their campuses.

The nearly $1 million in grants is part of the states Its on Us campaign now entering its fourth year to make campuses safer by giving students the tools, knowledge and skills they need when it comes to preventing sexual harassment and assault.

Pennsylvania has offered nearly $3 million in grants over the last three years to schools to combat the problem of sexual assault that affects one in five women during their college career.

Im the father of two daughters, Gov. Tom Wolf said at a Capitol news conference on Wednesday announcing the grants. To me, that number is heartbreaking. It must not be tolerated by anybody.

With presidents and officials from various Pennsylvania colleges flanking him, he went on to offer more statistics. Eight in 10 campus sexual assault survivors knew their attacker. Forty percent of them fear reprisal from their attackers.

Through the Its on Us program begun on the national level by former President Barack Obama in 2014, the governor and state Education Secretary Pedro Rivera said the state provides resources to campuses to implement a plan of their own creation that best meets their individual campus needs to combat sexual assault.

Schools have used the money to offer age-appropriate consent education, bystander intervention and survivor support, along with encouraging people to take the Its On Us PA pledge to help prevent, address and respond effectively to sexual violence.

But beyond this grant program, Wolf said more must be done. He indicated that he plans to work with lawmakers to reintroduce legislation he proposed over a year ago to strengthen the response to campus sexual assaults by making it easier for students to report these incidents and track the responses of schools to them.

Tracy Vitchers, national director of Its On Us, hailed Pennsylvania as a leader in the national fight against campus sexual assault and urged passage of that legislation to further ensure a safer learning environment for students on Pennsylvanias college campuses.

We believe that all students no matter who they are or where they come from have a right to pursue an education free from violence and if it does occur that survivors are believed and supported in ways that are most helpful to them, Vitchers said.

Pennsylvanias efforts to combat sexual assaults come at what she called a critical moment in the nations history.

Title IX rule changes proposed by U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos that would govern how campuses respond to sexual assault and harassment claims would fundamentally erode campus safety, survivor rights and evidence-based prevention efforts, she said.

DeVos proposes to narrows the definition of what constitutes harassment from unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature to unwelcome conduct on the basis of sex that is so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it denies a person access to the schools education program or activity. Her proposal also limits which sexual assault and harassment cases schools must investigate to ones that occurred within campus programs and activities and are properly reported. Further, it gives the accused more rights.

Vitchers called these proposed changes devastating to students safety if enacted, but reminded they are only proposals and a public comment period is open until Jan. 28 for people to voice their opinion about them. As of noon on Wednesday, nearly 52,000 comments had been received.

If this proposal is enacted, it would carry the force of law.

Wolf joined Vitchers in voicing his opposition to DeVos proposal, saying it doesnt pass the smell test.

We need to pay more attention to victims, survivors, and make sure their due process is addressed, he said.

Elizabethtown along with Susquehanna University are among the 18 colleges receiving Its On Us grants this year for the first time. Others in the midstate schools receiving grants this year include Dickinson College, Juniata College, and Millersville University.

The rest of the grant recipients are Cabrini University, Carnegie Mellon University, Chatham University, Chestnut Hill College, Cheyney University, Delaware County Community College, East Stroudsburg University, Holy Family University, Immaculata University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Jefferson University, Kutztown University, Lackawanna College, Lafayette College, LaSalle University, Lycoming College, Manor College, Mansfield University, Marywood University, Mercyhurst University, Peirce College, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Robert Morris University, Saint Vincent College, Seton Hill University, Slippery Rock University, University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, University of Scranton, West Chester University, Widener University, and Wilkes University.Travelers from Philadelphia International Airport now have more options than ever before.

The airport revealed new non-stop flight services from Frontier Airlines and Sun Country Airlines on Jan. 8.

Frontier Airlines will be offering seasonal flights from Philadelphia to Atlanta, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach and Raleigh-Durham starting on April 30. Itll also be offering service to Pensacola starting on May 3. That expands its selection of destinations from the airport to 31.

Sun Country Airlines will be offering non-stop service between Philadelphia and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport starting on April 18. Itll be offered on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays until June 3, at which point the route will be offered daily.

All of the new Frontier Airlines routes will use the Airbus 320 plane. The Sun Country flight will use the Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

While the destinations are newly offered by Frontier, those going to Atlanta, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, Pensacola and Raleigh-Durham have been able to get a flight from Philadelphia International Airport for years. American Airlines offers flights to all of the above destinations, while Delta provides flights to both Atlanta and Raleigh-Durham. Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines also offer flights to ATlanta and Las Vegas (with Spirit also having a seasonal flight to Myrtle Beach).

Below are the details for the new flights, courtesy of Philadelphia International Airport:

FRONTIER AIRLINES

PHL  Atlanta (ATL) flying Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday: Departs PHL at 1:43 p.m. and arrives at ATL at 4:05 p.m. Departs ATL at 4:55 p.m. and arrives at PHL 7:08 p.m.

PHL  Las Vegas (LAS) flying daily: Departs PHL at 9:48 p.m. and arrives at LAS 12:14 a.m. Departs LAS at 9:35 p.m. and arrives at PHL at 5:28 a.m.

PHL  Myrtle Beach (MYR) flying Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday: Departs PHL at 7:58 p.m. and arrives at MYR at 9:34 p.m. Departs MYR at 10:24 p.m. and arrives at PHL 11:59 p.m.

PHL  Pensacola (PNS) flying Monday and Friday: Departs PHL at 5:20 p.m. and arrives at PNS 7:01 p.m. Departs PNS at 7:51 p.m. and arrives at PHL at 11:37 p.m.

PHL  Raleigh-Durham (RDU) flying Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday: Departs PHL at 2:28 p.m. and arrives at RDU at 3:45 p.m. Departs RDU at 4:35 p.m. and arrives at PHL at 5:54 p.m.

SUN COUNTRY AIRLINES

PHL  Minneapolis (MSP) flying Wednesday through Monday: Depart MSP at 7 a.m. and arrive at PHL at 10:45 a.m. Depart PHL at 11:45 a.m. and arrive at MSP at 2 p.m.

The Philadelphia International Airport is located at 8000 Essington Ave. in Philadelphia. To learn more about the airport visit phl.org. You may also enjoy these stories:A man missing since Sunday in western Pennsylvania was found at the bottom of an icy pond, where his truck also was submerged.

As TribLive in Pittsburgh reports, the body of 30-year-old Patrick Keating, of Confluence, Pa., was found in an icy pond in Murrysville, Pa., about 45 feet from where his truck was also pulled from the water.

The grim discovery was made Monday afternoon.

However, the exact cause and manner of his death is now pending autopsy results.

Keating was last seen Sunday and was reported missing Monday. His truck was spotted later that day under the ice, state police told TribLive.

Seven Murrysville Medic One divers assisted in the search and recovery. Because of the low water temperature, the divers could remain in the pond for only 11 minutes at a time, officials told TribLive.

It remained unclear why Keatings body was not in the vehicle, officials said.

The investigation continues.A large sum of money that turned up missing at a home in New Castle, Lawrence County, Pa., allegedly prompted four men and a woman to kidnap, tie-up and beat a woman who had just visited the house, Pa. state police say.

As KDKA in Pittsburgh reports, the incident began Friday when investigators say the 30-year-old victim and her boyfriend, both from West Virginia, went to the home to meet with two of the suspects, identified as 35-year-old Jason Bowdry and 24-year-old Samantha King.

Later after the visiting couple left, the pair were called back to the residence to answer for a large sum of missing money, state police tell KDKA.

When the 30-year-old woman, whose name has not been made public, could not produce the missing cash, police say two of the suspects bound the victims arms and legs with tape and then gagged her.

Police say another one of the suspects, 45-year-old Eddie Johnson, tortured the woman, injuring her toe using a clamping tool, while again asking her about the missing money.

Police say the suspects then freed the woman from her restraints and forced her to stand against a wall while they beat her feet with a hammer, KDKA writes, adding:

Another suspect, 31-year-old Isaac Anderson, is then accused of using a large piece of wood to beat the woman on her legs and feet, police say.

Details from KDKA:

The woman was held against her will overnight in the Pa. home and given a pain pill, investigators said.

The next day, state police say three of the suspects forced her into a car to drive to her boyfriends home in West Virginia.

Police say she was finally able to contact help when one of the suspects fell asleep next to her in the vehicle. She began texting a friend, who contacted 911.

Police eventually pulled over the car and took Bowdry, King and another suspect, 25-year-old Anthony Michael, into custody.

The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Meanwhile, the suspects are facing charges of kidnapping aggravated assault, false imprisonment, conspiracy and unlawful restraint.Good Wednesday Morning, Fellow Seekers.

Gov. Tom Wolf staked out some additional turf for his second term this week, telling a Pittsburgh radio station that hed support new statewide restrictions or a ban on assault-style weapons. But he also believes the state has to find the right balance on gun-control measures.

Speaking to KDKA-AM in Pittsburgh a day after gun-rights advocates, many of them armed, gathered for a massive rally to protest a proposed city-wide ban on such weapons, Wolf said "I support that. I think that, again those are the weapons that killed those innocent people [at the Tree of Life Synagogue] in Squirrel Hill and that have done so much damage in schools and in places all around the country.

Wolf told the station the state needs to balance the rights of hunters and sportsmen as well as the right to self-defense during such a debate and not overstep the bounds.

Wolf went on to add that, "I mean even the president is talking about eliminating, making bump stocks illegal. I think we ought to have a universal background check I think we should not have people (with) easy access to the weapons that killed all those innocent victims in Squirrel Hill. Were all in different ways trying to figure out what is the way to recognize the rights of gun owners but also make ourselves safe and I think this is a good conversation to have.

Wolf, who will be sworn into office for his second term next week, has previously embraced other gun-control measures, including, according to The York Daily Record, expanding background checks to cover private sales of long guns, including shotguns and rifles; banning bump stocks  devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire more rapidly, mimicking the speed of automatic weapons and increasing gun restrictions for defendants in domestic violence and protection-from-abuse cases. In the latter instance, Wolf signed a bill doing just that into law late last year.

Listen to the full interview here:

The rest of the days news starts now.

A Delaware County attorney is making his fight against Parkinsons disease part of his campaign for judge. The Inquirer has his story.

A Pittsburgh rabbi who survived the Tree of Life shootings will speak at Gov. Tom Wolfs inauguration, The Associated Press reports.

At a stop in Pittsburgh, Gov. Tom Wolf proposed slashing the states greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050, The Post-Gazette reports.

The Tribune-Review has reax from Pa. politicians to President Trumps prime-time address from the Oval Office on Tuesday.

Even after city officials decriminalized marijuana possession, Philadelphia police continue to arrest African-Americans at a disproportionate rate, BillyPenn reports.

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., will move his Harrisburg office from the federal building on Walnut Street to Strawberry Square, our PennLive colleague Paul Vigna reports.

The Pa. Capitols East Wing is getting a bit of a sprucing up, PennLives Jan Murphy reports.

The Morning Call also has Pennsylvania reaction to Trumps border security speech.

Thats one heckuva view. Its also your #Pittsburgh Instagram of the Day:

WHYY-FM explains how an opioids prescription database helps doctors find at-risk patients.

Appropriate to Farm Show week, WITF FMs Katie Meyer tells the stories of the women who are forging their own paths into agriculture.

Well that didnt take long: Freshman Democratic U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, D-7th District, already has a 2020 GOP challenger. Its longtime Republican activist Dean Browning (PoliticsPA via The Morning Call).

Stateline.org takes a look at how the government shutdown, now three weeks old, is affecting services in the states.

Former Texas Congressman Beto ORourke is edging ever-closer to a 2020 White House bid. Politico has the details.

It will not shock you to learn that the situation at the border is far more nuanced than the White House portrays it. Roll Call explains why thats the case.

WolfWatch.

Gov. Tom Wolf, Education Secretary Pedro Rivera and others hold a 10 a.m. newser in the Governors Reception Room to announce more than $1 million to combat sexual assault on Pas college campuses. Its a part of the states ongoing Its On Us program.

You Say Its Your Birthday Dept.

Ultra-super mega wicked best wishes go out this morning to devoted reader and longtime Friend Othe Blog, Mandy Nace, of Philadelphia, who celebrates today. Congratulations and enjoy the day.

Heavy Rotation.

Heres an absolute blast of sunshine from the legendary Bob Mould, titled, appropriately enough, Sunshine Rock.

Wednesdays Gratuitous Hockey Link.

The surging Carolina Hurricanes continued their winning ways on Tuesday night, beating the New York Islanders, 4-3. The victory was the fifth-straight for the 'Canes.

And now youre up to date.During his first prime-time address from the Oval Office on Tuesday night, President Donald Trump implored Congressional Democrats to give him the $5.7 billion he wants to build a wall along the nations southern border.

Democrats responded about how youd have expected them to; in their rebuttal right after Trumps remarks, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., didnt budge and dismissed the border wall as ineffective, unnecessary and a waste.

Trump has said hell declare a national emergency if Congress doesnt give him the money he wants and put the military to work to build it. He also said Mexico would indirectly fund its construction through the rebooted and yet-to-be ratified U.S.-Mexico-Canada Free Trade Act.

But does he have the legal authority to declare an emergency?

Those on the left say no.

In an opinion piece for The New York Times, Yale University law professor Bruce Ackerman argued that Trump doesnt have the authority to declare an emergency. And if he did put soldiers to work building it, they would "all be committing a federal crime.

Is he right?

Ackerman claims our longstanding legal tradition is that the chief executive is prohibited from using the military to enforce domestic law.

Thats true. The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 makes it a crime to do so, unless the president is authorized by the Constitution or Congress. But this claim is a red herring. Building a wall is not enforcing domestic law. If a U.S. soldier places a steel post along our border, hes not enforcing domestic law, hes building a wall.

The remainder of Ackermans argument stems from that first fishy premise. He explains that although Congress granted the Coast Guard authorization to enforce domestic law in U.S. waters, there is no similar provision granting the other military services a comparable power to search, seize and arrest along the Mexican border.

But the president is not talking about having the U.S. military search, seize and arrest on the border.

Ackerman explains that although Congress authorized the military to detain suspected members of al-Qaeda or the Taliban in the U.S., it is an unconscionable stretch to use this proviso to support using the military for operations against the desperate refugees from Central America seeking asylum in our country. Yet, the president is not talking about using the military to do that. Hes talking about using it to build a wall.

Lastly, Ackerman explains, the [U.S. Supreme] court invalidated President Trumans attempt in 1952 to use his powers as commander in chief to nationalize steel mills in the face of labor strikes. But, building a wall is not nationalizing a steel mill or intervening in a labor dispute. The president will have to take some private property to build the wall, but he has always had that authority under eminent domain.

Contrary to Ackermans claims, the law supports the presidents position.

Under Article II Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the president is the commander in chief of the armed forces and has the power to direct the military at all times.

Throughout history, presidents have ordered our military to our southern border, without Congressional approval, for various reasons, including to secure the border, protect Americans conducting trade, and to punish Mexican banditos (i.e., bad hombres). Our military has built several fortifications along the Rio Grande in the past.

In 1976, Congress passed the National Emergency Act authorizing the president to declare a national emergency and undertake military construction projects and use funds already appropriated to pay for them.

Congress has appropriated more than $10 billion for military construction projects this year. The president can use those funds, and any from previous years, that are still unobligated to build the wall.

Whats a national emergency? Apparently, its whatever the president says it is. Were still under President Obamas national emergency to combat the swine flu. Were also under an existing state of emergency to combat terrorism; and, there are several, documented cases of terrorists crossing our southern border.

The situation at the U.S./Mexican border is a crisis. Last November, illegal border crossings plateaued 51,856 people, a figure that The Hill, a newspaper that covers Congress, described as a relatively high, but stagnant trend

Hundreds of migrants have recently tried to storm our border; many broke through the dilapidated fence near San Diego.[

Over the years, some who have illegally crossed have committed heinous crimes here, including the killings of Kate Steinle, Mollie Tibbetts and Ronil Singh.

A wall will reduce illegal border crossings.

Several nations, including Norway, Spain and Austria, are putting up border barriers to stop illegal migration. And, the U.S. Defense Department can do it here.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the National Guard have already performed a significant amount of construction on the U.S. border fence.

Both agencies are under the authority of the Department of Defense. The Corp has already been assessing the various prototypes for the wall submitted by the Trump Administration.

This matter is cued up and ready for Trump to make the declaration, direct that money already appropriated be used and build the wall. The president can continue to negotiate with Congress on new funding, but in the meantime, he can act now to make America safe.

PennLive Opinion contributor Marc A. Scaringi, of Camp Hill, is an attorney and radio host. His work appears biweekly.As Google announced that their Google Assistant will be on one billion devices by the end of January, Apple wanted tech savvy fans at CES 2019 to remember that privacy still matters by posting a multi-story banner next to the building hosting CES 2019.

Obviously those purchasing devices with the Google Assistant aren't paying attention to Apple's sales pitch. Apple's Privacy Policy is like the 11 commandment drawn from Mount Sinai. Thou shalt not collaborate with evil Pharisees who sell user data for profit.

Apple's CEO hammered social media earlier this year in Brussels by saying that personal information is being 'weaponized' against us with military efficiency."

Coincidentally this week Apple hired "former Facebook employee who became one of the social networks most prominent critics has been recruited by Apple. Sandy Parakilas monitored software developers privacy and policy compliance at Facebook for a year and a half before he left the social network in October 2012. At the time, he warned senior executives of the potentially damaging consequences of the companys data-sharing policies, but felt his concerns were downplayed.

The Financial Times reports that "Last year, following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, he gave evidence to the UK parliaments digital, culture, media and sport committee, telling MPs that Facebooks data protection practices were far outside the bounds of what should have been allowed between 2010 and 2014.

Mr Parakilas has urged the tech industry to improve its data protection practices, increase the use of encrypted messaging and 'verify the truth of statements that can be viewed by millions of people.'"

Of course who does the verifying of truth is a hot button issue in itself. News has always had a particular slant depending on who owns the media outlet. To deny that would be naive. But that's a story for another day.

The Financial Times report further noted that Mr. Parakilas' "move to Apple marks the latest attempt by the iPhone maker to differentiate itself from Silicon Valley rivals such as Facebook, Google and Amazon over data protection and privacy.

Apple has recruited Mr Parakilas to work in its privacy team as a product manager, according to people familiar with the hire. His internal-facing role within Apples product marketing organization will involve working with teams all over the company, to ensure that new products in development protect users privacy and minimize data collection.

Mr Parakilas wrote in a blog post in late 2016. "There is no such thing as a 'neutral platform.' Facebook, Twitter and Google all profited from this perversion of democracy." You could read more of this report here.

Of course passionate people can go overboard at times. In that same 2016 blog entry Parakilas stated that "We now live in a world where racist demagogues and their dictator buddies can cynically exploit our tools to seize power." That's a far-left perspective just as if a right wing statement would read, "We now live in a world where homosexual demagogues and their dictator buddies can cynically exploit our tools to seize power." Both extreme views would be considered disturbing.Aeroportos de Portugal (ANA), the operator of 10 airports in Portugal and a subsidiary of Vinci Airports, as signed an agreement with the Portuguese government to increase the airport capacity in the Lisbon region.

As part of the agreement, ANA will invest 1.15bn (US$1.32bn) by 2028, including 650m (US$745m) for the first phase of the extension of the existing Lisbon airport, 500m (US$573m) for the opening of a new civil airport in Montijo and 156m (US$179m) will be invested to compensate the Air Force and to contribute to access works in Humberto Delgado and Montijo.

') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write(' ') } // --> ') } else if (width >= 425) { console.log ('largescreen'); document.write('') } else { console.log ('nompuad'); document.write('') } // -->

The investment project will see a new dual system of airport infrastructures to serve the region of Lisbon, enhancing the hub function of Humberto Delgado Airport through additional contact positions and reduced connecting times, and a point-to-point flexible, cost-effective and sustainable airport in Montijo, located near the city center and offering a new generation terminal. Both airports will provide a modern and improved passenger experience.

Nicolas Notebaert, CEO of Vinci Concessions and president of Vinci Airports, said, This project and this investment we are announcing today (January 8) mark a new confirmation of the two main commitments we took six years ago, when we first applied for the privatization of ANA: to contribute to the development of the Portuguese economy by increasing traffic, and to invest in infrastructure to support future growth.

Traffic in Lisbon has already increased by almost 100% in the last six years and here we are again announcing new investments after the 200m (US$229m) we have already invested in the different Portuguese airports.SPRINGFIELD  The National Park Service is considering an offer from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum to operate the Lincoln Home National Historic Site for the remaining duration of the partial federal government shutdown.

The historic site, which sees more than 200,000 visitors annually, has been closed for more than two weeks as President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats spar over the president's insistence on including funding for a southern border wall in an appropriation bill that would reopen government.

Under the tentative plan offered last week by ALPLM officials, the museum's management would oversee a team of volunteers that would offer tours of Lincoln's home and pay for security guards and janitors on the site. The site's visitor's center would likely remain closed.

The National Park Service is considering the plan, spokeswoman Alex Picavet said Tuesday.

"We have brought the superintendent (of the Lincoln Home) off furlough to investigate the opportunity and see if we can accommodate it," Picavet said.

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

There has been an effort across the country to keep as many national parks open as possible during the shutdown. Parks that collect entrance fees have been using those funds to support basic services while some states have dipped into their own funds to keep sites open. New York, for instance, has put up about $65,000 per day to keep the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island open during the shutdown.

Built in 1839 and first occupied by the Lincolns in 1844, the two-story home at Eighth and Jackson streets is where Abraham Lincoln lived for 17 years with his wife, Mary, and their sons, Robert, Eddie, Willie and Tad while the future president worked as a Springfield lawyer and launched his political career.

The site is probably the most visible immediate effect of the shutdown in Springfield. The closure  at a site normally open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day  also affected the visitor center, 426 S. Seventh St., where tickets for free tours are obtained, and the center's gift shop.

Though tourists are still allowed to walk around the historic site amid the shutdown and all other state-operated Lincoln sites in Springfield maintain their regular hours, ALPLM executive director Alan Lowe said Lincoln's home is "a different level of experience," making it crucial for it to be open.

"There's a real connection you make there with Abraham and Mary when you walk around their living room, or their bedroom or their kitchen," Lowe said. "You see that they were real human beings living their lives here in Springfield and they ended up changing the world. So that's kind of the center of that universe. And being able to connect with that is very important to our visitors."

Lowe said the museum's goal, if allowed to operate the site, is to keep the home open as much as possible. He said the cost would be minimal and that there would likely be a discussion about reimbursement from the park service down the road.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0BLOOMINGTON  A Massachusetts father who lost custody of his child after he failed to return to McLean County for hearings in his child custody case should have contact with his son  and sooner rather than later, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Cadena was sentenced last year to six months in jail and ordered to pay a $25,000 bond if he returns to McLean County on direct criminal contempt charges.

In December, Judge Charles Feeney ordered attorneys for the parents to set up video or telephone visitation between Cadena and the child. Feeney was not pleased to hear Tuesday that those visits have not started.

Cadena's lawyer Adele Saaf said a Bloomington counselor canceled a Jan. 30 phone consultation with Cadena after she learned that information about the call had been posted on social media by Cadena's supporters.

Saaf said Cadena will "instruct his family and friends not to post anything about these matters."

With the appointment canceled, Saaf told the judge, "I'm not really optimistic about the visits starting any time soon."

 Please log in to keep reading. {{featured_button_text}} Enjoy unlimited articles at one of our lowest prices ever.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Buck's attorney Tristan Bullington said the therapist has declined to supervise the visits as ordered by the court. Bullington suggested that Bloomington lawyer Joseph Foley, recently appointed guardian ad litem to represent the child's interests, supervise the visits.

Foley confirmed to the judge that he is willing to supervise the meetings.

The delay in the visits resulting from a dispute over social media postings is unacceptable, said the judge.

"We need this child to have a relationship with his father. This needs to happen," Feeney told lawyers.

Feeney set a Jan. 29 hearing to review progress of the visits and hear arguments on a protective order sought by Buck that would bar Cadena from sharing any information exchanged in the custody case and limit what he may know about the child.

Saaf objected to the terms of the proposed order that keeps Cadena from knowing his son's address or having information that could assist him with his case.

Feeney ordered lawyers to work toward a mutual agreement for a protective order that "probably is a good idea" in the custody case.

Cadena has alleged his son was abused by Buck, a charge she has denied.

Contact Edith Brady-Lunny at (309) 820-3276. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_blunny

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Terry A. Skaro, 71, of Elkhart went to be with his heavenly Father on Friday, June 11, 2021. He passed away at Trinity Mother Frances in Tyler, Texas. Terry was born in Denver, Colorado on December 17, 1949. His parents Ed and Mary Skaro. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Elkhart, TAs the state of Michigan begins a new year and the state income tax filing season approaches, the Michigan Department of Treasury is asking taxpayers to resolve to be ready for tax scams in 2019.

Cybercriminals typically increase their activity in the first part of the year through phone scams and email phishing schemes. These scammers try to obtain personal information using different tricks and tactics so they can file income tax returns and claim refunds on behalf of unsuspecting taxpayers.

Some scammers may also allege a taxpayer owes taxes and aggressively demand payment for a quick payout.

"Taxpayers need to be extra alert for possible scams and schemes during this time of year and throughout the income tax filing season," said Deputy State Treasurer Glenn White, head of Treasury's Tax Administration Group. "When taxpayers proactively look for scams, they are less likely to be a victim of a tax-related identity theft and other cybercriminal activities."

The Treasury will never:

 Initiate a phone call or email to ask for personal information.

 Call or email to demand immediate payment using a specific payment method, such as a prepaid debit card, gift card or wire transfer. Generally, Treasury will first send a bill through the U.S. mail to any taxpayer who owes taxes.

 Threaten to immediately bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying.

 Demand that taxes be paid without giving the taxpayer the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.

 Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

Cybercriminals often alter caller ID numbers and emails to make it look like the state Treasury Department, the Internal Revenue Service or another official agency is contacting a taxpayer. Scammers may use employee titles, a person's name, address and other personal information to sound official.

Taxpayers who are contacted by a scammer should immediately cease the call or delete the email.

Since 2016, the state Treasury Department's increased security measures protected more than 4,500 taxpayers who confirmed their identity was stolen and used to request state of Michigan income tax refunds. This prevented more than $19 million from being distributed to scammers.

Taxpayers who have received a call or email from a scammer should report the case to the IRS through the web or by calling 800-366-4484. To learn more about tax-related identity theft, go to www.michigan.gov/identitytheft.Happy new year foodies and friends. I hope you successfully navigated the holidays and got all of your wishes for a better world and all the latest cutting edge electronics. Mine were good as well, and nobody went to jail. So I would consider it a success.

As it is the time of year for new year's resolutions, I will make my usual: I don't make them. But for you, this year, I resolve to continue my mission of exploratory eating and telling you all about the nice meals I encounter in our area and points beyond.

So with that said, I started the year off right with a hearty meal in Sanford. But let's get this out of the way before we get started: When I sit down in a restaurant and I hear Johnny Cash playing over the speakers in the ceiling, I get high hopes that there will be some culinary magic going on in the kitchen.

And that is just what happened at my recent visit to Alex's Railside Restaurant, at 201 W. Saginaw Road in Sanford. The Railside has been part of the Sanford eats scene for more than 20 years, and it has been a constant suggestion for a column ever since I started writing about my little dining excursions a couple of years ago.

As I flipped through the menu, my very attentive server told me the magical word that I always love to hear in a restaurant: homemade. My humble-looking slaw starter was superb, and if you have been following along at home, you know that I can be a bit of a snob when it comes to certain food items.

This week's snobbery is brought to you by my old friend coleslaw, a side dish that is so often mistreated, improperly handled and ignored. But friends, it doesn't have to be that way. I think I get my love of coleslaw from my father, as I remember him ordering it in restaurants and making sure it was often part of his meals.

Of course he was a life-long smoker, so I would venture a guess that dear old dad had his fair share of bad coleslaw. But I'm pretty sure he would have liked this slaw, as well as the rest of my meal.

Coleslaw can be soggy or bland, or too crunchy from not soaking long enough. But not so with the recipe I enjoyed at the Railside. Each bite was crunchy like it should be, and just enough juice to carry the flavor without drowning it. And the slaw seemed scary fresh, which just makes me all happy inside.

For my entree I was tempted to try some of the fish on the menu, but seeing how this is January, I had an immediate need for something heavy to stick to my ribs. So I gravitated toward the brown gravy items on the menu. Enter the hot beef sandwich.

My server told me all of the pulled turkey and beef is prepared in house, and I am pretty sure the mashed potatoes and gravy were made on the premises as well.

So how was my sandwich? Well that's why we are all here, right? The beef was perfectly prepared, tender and flavorful in all its shredded glory. Beef prepared this way can often be salty or bland, but this sandwich landed in just the right flavorful spot. I had to go to the knife and fork for this mission, and I would recommend you do the same.

The mashed potatoes were just as I like them, creamy and thick with a nice bit of lumpiness to let me know these were made by hand. If all of that wasn't enough, the brown gravy had a delicious and heavy flavor, but not overpowering. I could tell this never came from a jar, and there was just enough to go around and cover all of those wonderful items on my plate.

And the bread. Oh that bread. I don't know if it was homemade, but I would not be surprised in the least. If it wasn't don't tell me, because I don't want to know. It was wonderful, and held its own against sogginess under all of that delicious, gratuitous gravy until the last bite. Please don't let my less than stellar photos fool you, the food was flippin' fantastic. Everything was old school delicious.

If someone told me that a sweet little grandmother was back in that kitchen making my dinner, I would have totally believed it. There was a lot of attention, and that all too often missing ingredient of love, put in to that wonderful food. The flavors quickly betrayed the food's homemade origins.

I was also pleased to see that my food came out very quickly. That's not always a necessary thing, but something that makes the experience all the nicer.

I got a lot of meal for my money at the Railside, and when I get a dinner that was this delicious, I know I parked my car in the right lot.

I cleaned my plate, and actually scrapped the remaining tasty bits from my fork. It was that good.

The Railside offers all kinds of other items to warm your winter day, like their "brimming baskets," vessels that carry wonderful meals like chicken wings and tenders, fried clam strips, perch, shrimp or cod. They also offer homemade soups, and one whole page in the menu devoted to burgers and sandwiches. One day I might even go back for the smelt. Never had it before, but this seems like a good place for a first try.

Daily specials are also a big part of the dining options at the Railside, so have an open mind along with that empty belly when you plan your next visit.

But per usual, it is up to you to make it down to the Railside and check things out for yourself. The hours are easy, every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. But feel free to check their menu out at alexsrailsiderestaurant.com.

So for the new year, I will continue to walk the line, all the way in to great places to eat in our area and points beyond. But you have to do your part as well, so keep on reading and keep on eating.

Happy New Year and we'll see you at the table.

Matthew Woods writes about his favorite lunch finds. His column, Out to Lunch, will appear here on a regular basis. You can write him at seeyouatthetable@gmail.comThe American Association of University Women presents Cynthia Marchese, Title IX coordinator for Midland Public Schools, as its guest speaker for its 10 a.m. Jan. 17 meeting in the Community Room at Grace A. Dow Memorial Library.

Since it became law in 1972, Title IX has protected students from discrimination in educational programs and activities -- students of all genders, from kindergarten through college. After 47 years, what does Title IX look like? How has it changed since its inception? How is it helping our students in the Midland Public Schools?WASHINGTON  In a somber televised plea, President Donald Trump urged congressional Democrats to fund his long-promised border wall Tuesday night, blaming illegal immigration for the scourge of drugs and violence in the U.S. and framing the debate over the partial government shutdown in stark terms. This is a choice between right and wrong, he declared.

Democrats in response accused Trump appealing to "fear, not facts" and manufacturing a border crisis for political gain.

Addressing the nation from the Oval Office for the first time, Trump argued for spending some $5.7 billion for a border wall on both security and humanitarian grounds as he sought to put pressure on newly empowered Democrats amid the extended shutdown.

Trump, who will visit the Mexican border in person on Thursday, invited the Democrats to return to the White House to meet with him on Wednesday, saying it was "immoral" for "politicians to do nothing." Previous meetings have led to no agreement as Trump insists on the wall that was his signature promise in the 2016 presidential campaign.

Responding in their own televised remarks, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of misrepresenting the situation on the border as they urged him to reopen closed government departments and turn loose paychecks for hundreds of thousands of workers.

Negotiations on wall funding could proceed in the meantime, they said.

Schumer said Trump "just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration."

Overall, Trump largely restated his case for the wall without offering concessions or new ideas on how to resolve the standoff that has kept large swaths of the government closed for the past 18 days. Speaking in solemn tones from behind the Resolute Desk, he painted a dire picture of killings and drug deaths he argues come from unchecked illegal immigration.

Trump ticked off a string of statistics and claims to make his case that there is a crisis at the border, but a number of his statements were misleading, such as saying the new trade deal with Mexico would pay for the wall, or suggesting through gruesome examples that immigrants are more likely to commit crime.

Shifting between empathetic appeals and the dark immigration rhetoric that was a trademark of his presidential campaign, Trump asked: "How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?"

Trump, who has long railed against illegal immigration at the border, has recently seized on humanitarian concerns to argue there is a broader crisis that can only be solved with a wall. But critics say the security risks are overblown and the administration is at least partly to blame for the humanitarian situation.

Trump used emotional language, referring to Americans who were killed by people in the country illegally, saying: "I've met with dozens of families whose loved ones were stolen by illegal immigration. I've held the hands of the weeping mothers and embraced the grief-stricken fathers. So sad. So terrible."

The president often highlights such incidents, though studies over several years have found immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States.

There is no excuse for hurting millions of Americans over a policy difference. Federal workers are about to miss a paycheck. Some families cant get a mortgage to buy a new home. Farmers and small businesses wont get loans they need. #TrumpShutdown pic.twitter.com/Abke9qAtjH  Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 9, 2019

Trump has been discussing the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow him to move forward with the wall without getting congressional approval for the billions he's requested. But he did not mention that Tuesday night.

With his use of a formal White House speech instead of his favored Twitter blasts, Trump embraced the ceremonial trappings of his office as he tries to exit a political quagmire of his own making. For weeks he has dug in on a signature campaign promise to his base voters, the pledge to build an impregnable beautiful wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The partial government shutdown reached its 18th day, making the closure the second-longest in history. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are going without pay, and government disruptions are hitting home with everyday Americans..

My statement on President Trumps Oval Office Address on Border Security pic.twitter.com/89CpzckJ52  Leader McConnell (@senatemajldr) January 9, 2019

By Catherine Lucey, Jill Colvin and Lisa MascaroA 78-year-old woman died early Wednesday in a Northeast Portland apartment fire and her three relatives escaped, an official says.

Lt. Rich Chatman, a Portland Fire & Rescue spokesman, said the woman was unable to make it out of a burning apartment on 160th Avenue south of Glisan Street. He said seven pets also died in the fire, which was contained to a single unit of a one-story, four-plex apartment building.

Three other people were outside when fire crews arrived, Chatman said. They were taken to a hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation injuries that didnt threaten their lives.

Chatman said he believed the four people inside the apartment when the blaze broke out are a family: a grandmother, mother, father and 8-year-old daughter.

The fast-moving blaze gave them little time to escape the apartment unit, Chatman said. The elderly woman was found dead just inside the doorway.

The fire is believed to have been caused by a faulty electrical cord, but the reason why it caught fire is not yet clear. The smoke alarm in the apartment had no batteries inside.

Chatman said authorities were still trying to figure out how the family learned of the fire, which was reported about 3:30 a.m.

Yian Saeteurn, who lives in the same apartment complex, said she awoke to the sound of screaming early Wednesday.

She initially thought it might be people fighting but opened the door and saw the blaze.

Saeteurn, 36, then went to move her car, which was parked near the burning apartment, and told other neighbors to evacuate.

She said the elderly woman moved into the unit with her daughter and daughters partner several months ago. She didnt think the girl lived there full-time.

Two or three dogs and at least one cat also lived in the unit, Saeteurn said.

She said the grandmother was a nice woman who was always smiling and asked if her dog needed food.

I never met any lady as kind as her, Saeteurn said.

 Jim Ryan; jryan@oregonian.com; 503-221-8005; @Jimryan015

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.Oregons new Labor Commissioner Val Hoyle is recusing herself from decisions about how to handle findings of sexual harassment at the state Capitol, because they resulted from a civil rights complaint filed by her predecessor, Brad Avakian.

Instead, Hoyle plans to leave those decisions to deputy commissioner Duke Shepard as dictated by our agencys existing protocol and firewalls, she said in a statement on Wednesday morning.

Hoyle is a former lawmaker who served as House majority leader during the time some of the incidents are alleged to have taken place.

Hoyle did say her agency will move forward with the case, after investigators last week released findings of substantial evidence of unlawful employment practices. They concluded that legislative leaders did little to stop physical and verbal harassment by a couple of lawmakers, despite knowing about it for years.

The case can move to the (Bureau of Labor and Industries) prosecution unit where it would be heard before an administrative law judge, Hoyle said in the news release. Our agency and the Legislature can also enter a conciliation process to reach an agreement to settle this matter.

Shepards career in Oregon politics includes stints as a policy adviser to former Gov. John Kitzhaber on various topics. Before joining Hoyles administration, he worked on health policy at Oregon Health & Science University, according to his LinkedIn profile.

 Hillary Borrud

hborrud@oregonian.com

503-294-4034

@hborrud

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.(c) 2019, The Washington Post  Jennifer Rubin  OPINION, OP-ED  Jan 08, 2019 - 10:04 AM

Democrats have asked for equal time to respond to President Donald Trump's address to the nation. They might consider the following:

You've just heard from President Trump. The government is shut down because the president wanted to shut it down; he said he was proud to do it. He is holding the country hostage, inflicting real pain on 800,000 workers plus small businesses and others who depend on the normal operation of our government. Farmers aren't getting checks. Contractors aren't getting paid. Garbage is piling up at our national parks.

Why are we here? The president made a ridiculous pledge in his campaign: Mexico would pay for a 2,000-mile border wall. Mexico isn't paying for the wall. Trump is now holding the government hostage to extract billions from you, the taxpayers, to pay for it. This is not what he promised.

Now the president, to save face and get himself out of a jam, threatens to declare an emergency and act without Congress to take money from our men and women in the military and their families to pay for the wall he said Mexico would pay for. This would do real damage to our national security. You cannot say you "love the troops" and take money out of their pockets. This would also be an unconstitutional power grab. It's the threat of a tyrant, not a president in the world's greatest constitutional democracy.

Unfortunately, the president - and I do not say this lightly - has lied over and over again to the American people.

He says we have a crisis at the border. But crossings are a fifth of what they were in 2000.

His administration says thousands of terrorists have been apprehended coming over the southern border. But the real number of immigrants encountered who were on the Terrorist Screening Database was six. A libertarian think tank found, "Zero people were murdered or injured in terror attacks committed on U.S. soil by special interest aliens who entered illegally from 1975 through the end of 2017. However, seven special interest aliens who initially entered illegally have been convicted of planning a terrorist attack on U.S. soil. They all entered illegally from Canada or jumped ship in American ports before the list of special interest countries even existed. None of them successfully carried out their attacks and none illegally crossed the Mexican border."

Trump said "some" former presidents agreed with his plan to build the wall. But every living former president has denied speaking to him on the topic.

He said he needs $5 billion for the wall before he'll reopen the government. But he has spent only 6 percent of $1.7 billion previously allocated for fencing. Democrats have offered $1.3 billion more for border security.

He stoked fear before the election of a caravan of migrants hundreds of miles from the border. But after the election he stopped talking about these people.

He points to the influx of refugees as evidence of a crisis. But a wall would not address this problem. Asylum seekers would still present themselves at the border and have their claims adjudicated. The president should consider, as Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, suggested, sending more judges to the border to process claims.

Trump claims only a wall can solve this crisis. But his current chief of staff said in 2015 that the idea of a wall was "absurd and almost childish." His then-Chief of Staff John F. Kelly, who had previously headed the Department of Homeland Security, had said the president wasn't "fully informed" when he promised a wall. His current secretary of Homeland Security said at her confirmation hearing, "The president has stated, as have my predecessors at DHS, certainly something that I share: There is no need for a wall from sea to shining sea."

The president says Democrats won't come to the table to negotiate. But that is false. The moment he reopens the government, we can discuss some of the many ideas Democrats have put forward to secure the border by appropriate and effective means, including increased personnel, drones, ground sensors and other devices.

We are a democracy with a Constitution. We cannot give way to a hostage taker or be cowed by bullying and lies. We ask that the president respect his office, the Constitution and the intelligence of the American people. Open the government, Mr. President.

Author Information:

Jennifer Rubin writes reported opinion for The Washington Post.By Tyler Cowen  Bloomberg Opinion

The longer that the #MeToo movement continues, the more important these questions will become: When should offenders be rehabilitated, allowed to resume their careers, and readmitted to polite society? Whether we like it or not, as the list of wrongdoers grows, questions of forgiveness will begin to outnumber questions of punishment. The thing is, questions of forgiveness are never entirely easy.

Much Christian doctrine, and especially Catholicism, emphasizes the value of confession, forgiveness and redemption. Thus it is not hard to convince many Americans that sinners should be given a second chance. This impulse occasionally finds its way into policy; just last month, a prison-reform bill became law, reflecting notions that criminals can indeed be rehabilitated. In her book "The Up Side of Down," Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle stresses how many features of American life, including bankruptcy law and startup culture, depend on second, third or even more chances.

And indeed, second chances are being doled out. Very recently, Louis C.K. has started doing standup comedy again. Conductor Charles Dutoit is back on the podium.

The more delicate truth is that, in the context of the #MeToo movement, forgiveness carries great dangers. I am not referring to those asking for it; rather, I am talking about those in a position to offer it. The survivors of such abuse often feel shame, guilt and a loss of confidence and self-esteem. It is very costly, both psychologically and practically, for such individuals to step forward and levy charges. An emphasis on forgiveness could reinforce victims' tendencies to bury the crimes and wrongdoings.

Even now, #MeToo victims are unlikely to do or say anything in response to their troubles. They are already looking for reasons to move on. They may forgive prematurely, before taking appropriate action, either at the personal or public level. Forgiveness cannot be complete if it does not come from those who have been wronged. Yet forgiveness is not entirely up to them, either.

The result is a set of conflicting and probably irreconcilable values. America believes in equal treatment before the law. But America's increasingly powerful system of social pressures and sanctions does not provide for equal treatment.

Some of the accused have received second chances, but not all: Former Sen. Al Franken probably will not be welcomed back to Congress, and Washington, D.C.-based restaurateur Mike Isabella saw his empire crash and does not seem on the verge of rehabilitation. It is unsettling how much judgments of harassment, and of when redemption or at least tolerance will be offered, depend on context.

There is relatively little outrage at John Lennon, for example, even though he was a confessed woman-beater and wrote the Beatles song "Run for Your Life," which coldly presents violence against women and perhaps glorifies it. The song is still played regularly on satellite radio, even though it is not a particularly distinguished piece of music. Yet "Baby It's Cold Outside" became a national controversy. Maybe it is easier to attack a stodgy song from the 1940s. Or maybe it's that Lennon and the Beatles have long had massive "street cred" with the American left.

Spotify stopped promoting the music of R. Kelly, but plenty of misogynistic and violent songs remain in rap music and other genres. Racial slurs, not always used ironically, are common. It is difficult to outline a coherent principle for differentiating what is targeted for boycott or reprobation and what is not.

Morgan Freeman is returning to his television work with National Geographic (though not his Visa commercials), even after #MeToo accusations from eight women. Is it irrelevant that he has a kindly face and voice and has played God in the movies? Should it matter that he is more than 80 years old?

Louis C.K.'s return to comedy has occasioned controversy, in part because his new routine made fun of people with intellectual disabilities and more generally did not show exquisite sensitivity. But the crude and rude have long been a staple of comedy shows, including his (dare we forget, he used a racial slur on HBO in 2011). Should edginess or outright offensiveness matter more for the previously guilty?

In standard law and economics theory, the argument goes like this: When offenders are hard to catch, it is both efficient and in the public interest to make punishments especially harsh, so as to deter appropriately. In the current environment, private social pressures are producing some effective and overdue punishments. Yet there is still a place for forgiveness, a need to be humane and, sometimes, a case for rehabilitation, even (or especially?) for those who have helped to make the world a richer place (Picasso anyone?). Realistically, of course, these second chances will be applied selectively. This muddled mix may very well be the best that we can do.

-- Tyler Cowen is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is a professor of economics at George Mason University and writes for the blog Marginal Revolution. His books include The Complacent Class: The Self-Defeating Quest for the American Dream.A state professional board that came under fire for its overzealousness in enforcing the definition of an "engineer" in Oregon doesnt appear to be altering course even after a federal judge found its practices violated the First Amendment.

Last week, an investigator from the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying sent former Republican gubernatorial candidate Allen Alley an email asking him to explain his use of the word engineer in a 2016 campaign advertisement.

The boards email essentially revives a 2016 inquiry into Alley that had been put on hold while a similar case wound its way through court.

Just five days earlier, U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman in Portland ruled that the states definition of an engineer is overbroad and cited the boards history of overzealous enforcement actions.

The judges Dec. 29 ruling directed the state to remove the definition of "engineer'' from its state law and administrative rules and simply regulate who can consider themselves a professional engineer, or a registered professional engineer.

The judges ruling stemmed from a lawsuit by Mats Jarlstrom of Beaverton against the board when it fined him for identifying himself as an engineer.

The Institute for Justice, which successfully represented Jarlstrom in federal court, sent a letter Tuesday to the Oregon Department of Justice, rebuking it for pursuing a renewed investigation into Alley.

The institute called the boards Jan. 3 email to Alley frankly bizarre.

Screenshot of Jan. 3 email from state board to Allen Alley

The Institute for Justice does not currently represent Mr. Alley. But as an organization dedicated to protecting individuals against government overreach, we are deeply concerned at this further proof of the boards persistent disregard for the rights of Oregonians, wrote Samuel B. Gedge, an institute lawyer who had represented Jarlstrom in court.

In the board investigators email to Alley, it cited the very state law and administrative rules that the judge declared invalid, Gedge wrote.

In Jarlstroms case, the state conceded that its interpretation of state law was faulty, but Gedge said this latest inquiry into Alley suggests the board has returned to business as usual.

Eric Engelson, a spokesman for the Oregon State Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying, declined comment Tuesday.

Lawyers for Jarlstrom in their suit against the state had cited the Alley inquiry as an example of the boards similar "outrageous'' investigations against others for using the word "engineer.''

The board was investigating a complaint that Alley misused the word "engineer'' in one of his political ads when he said: "I'm an engineer and a problem solver.''

Alley earned a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Purdue University and worked as an engineer for Ford and Boeing and holds a string of engineering-related awards. But he's not an Oregon-registered professional engineer.

Alley said he hadnt heard anything further from the state until last week, when he received an email from a state board investigator.

In his Jan. 3 email to Alley, state board investigator Dennis Smith wrote that he was trying to reach Alley in regard to an old case here that was opened in 2016.

Smith said he was asked to determine if Alley understood the difference between your education and career experience and what is considered the practice of engineering in Oregon.

Alley, who followed Jarlstroms case closely, said he was bewildered by the investigators email.

I was expecting the case to be dropped, he said. Instead I received this. I was really kind of curious why the state did this. I was thinking, Was it a mistake? They even quoted the exact same state law that the judge red-lined.

Jarlstrom has a bachelor of science in engineering. He cited his degree in challenging the state's timing of yellow traffic lights as too short. The state board had fined him $500 for "unlicensed practice of engineering.''

Jarlstroms interest in the matter stemmed from a red-light-running ticket that his wife received in the mail in 2013.

In her order, Beckerman ruled Jarlstrom may describe himself publicly and privately using the word engineer. She also found that the states limits barring anyone who isnt registered as a professional engineer in Oregon from describing themselves as an engineer violate the First Amendment.

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonianSix days after a state investigator renewed an investigation into former Republican gubernatorial candidate Allen Alleys use of the word engineer in a campaign ad, a state board on Wednesday halted the inquiry and placed the investigator on leave.

Shelly Duquette, president of the Oregon Board of Examiners for Engineering and Land Surveying, also sent a letter to Alley, saying the board was shocked and dismayed when notified Tuesday of the investigators email last week to Alley that questioned his use of the word engineer in the 2016 ad.

We retract and disavow his email, Duquette wrote. There is no pending (board) investigation of your use of the engineer title, nor will that investigation be reopened.

The Jan. 3 email from board investigator Dennis Smith had prompted an immediate rebuke from the Institute of Justice, which successfully represented a Beaverton man in a separate but similar case. Mats Jarlstrom had sued the state board in federal court for its enforcement of who can identify themselves as an engineer in Oregon.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman ruled on Dec. 29 that the states definition of an engineer is overbroad and cited the boards history of overzealous enforcement actions.

The judge directed the state to remove the definition of "engineer'' from its state law and administrative rules and simply regulate who can consider themselves a professional engineer or a registered professional engineer.

After Alley last week received an email from a board investigator, the Institute of Justice sent a letter to the Oregon Department of Justice, questioning the boards actions in light of the judges ruling.

Alley, who was familiar with the Jarlstrom case, said he was bewildered when he received the investigators email, considering the judge had clearly ordered the state to halt such enforcement.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Eric Engelson, a spokesman for the board, had no comment on the Alley case. But Wednesday morning, Engelson released to The Oregonian/OregonLive the board letter to Alley.

The board apologized to Alley, wrote that the investigators email to him was unauthorized and that the investigator faces an internal inquiry.

The board in 2016 began investigating a complaint that Alley misused the word "engineer'' in one of his political ads when he said: "Im an engineer and a problem solver.'' Alley earned a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Purdue University and worked as an engineer for Ford and Boeing and holds a string of engineering-related awards. But hes not an Oregon-registered professional engineer.

Alley said he was struck by information in the boards letter Wednesday that indicated the boards law enforcement committee had intended its investigation into Alley to have ended as of December 2017.

"I was surprised by that,'' Alley said. "I never received any communication before that the investigation was closed.'' With the latest developments, he said, "I think this kind of puts it to bed.''

Samuel B. Gedge, an attorney with the Institute for Justice who represented Jarlstrom, criticized the boards handling of the Alley case.

"This latest about-face is proof positive that the board is willing to police itself only if lawyers and journalists are looking over their shoulder,'' Gedge, said. "That is not how accountable government works. The boards ongoing harassment of Mr. Alley is just one example of a years-long pattern of agency overreach. This is a systemic problem, and it demands serious review by state actors like the Department of Justice and the Governors Office.''

-- Maxine Bernstein

Email at mbernstein@oregonian.com

Follow on Twitter @maxoregonianA Multnomah County sheriffs deputy had sexual contact with at least one worker at the downtown Portland courthouse while he was on duty, intimidated a fellow deputy into performing a sex act and pursued a handful of other women while he was on the job, including a judge who acknowledged dating him, according to allegations in investigative records released Tuesday.

Deputy Dwight Richey eventually resigned and was convicted last month of felony coercion after an acquaintance accused him of forcing her to have sex in a private home in 2017. Richey was off-duty at the time. He was sentenced to three years of probation and required to give up his law enforcement certification.

In the course of investigating that crime, detectives delved into other allegations that Richey had repeatedly engaged in consensual sex acts at the Multnomah County Courthouse.

Richey, 49, ultimately faced no further criminal charges. He worked alternately in the jail and courthouse, supervising and escorting defendants to and from courtrooms. He wore a uniform and carried a gun. He was placed on leave in July 2017 and resigned in fall 2018. Richey denied he committed any sex crimes.

Dwight Richey (left) listens to his victim speak about the trauma he's caused in her life during a hearing on Friday, Dec. 14, 2018. Next to him is defense attorney Russ Barnett. Multnomah County Circuit Judge Eric Bergstrom is in the background.

The 111-page report, written by outside investigators, was released to The Oregonian/OregonLive after a public records request. Washington County detectives took on the investigation to avoid any conflict of interest that Multnomah County would have.

It describes a relationship between Richey and a judicial assistant that ended in early 2016 and included oral sex in the assistants office, according to the woman.

The woman told detectives that she had dated Richey for about a year and he would pressure her into giving him oral sex behind the locked door of her office while he was on-duty and in uniform.

She said he would unzip his pants and she would say no, but he would expose himself, saying Look what you did to me, according to the report.

Another worker at the courthouse said Richey repeatedly tried to kiss her and touched her while they were at the entrance to a room where judges sit in the nearby Multnomah County Justice Center. Richey gave up only after she told him to stop several times and pushed his hands away, she said.

That woman and another woman told detectives they had dated Richey or hooked up with him outside of work but didnt have sex with him at the courthouse.

Former Multnomah County Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Richey, after his arrest in July 2018 based on allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman in a private home in May 2017. Richey ultimately pleaded no contest to felony coercion, which is not a sex crime.

The Washington County Sheriffs Office redacted sections of its report, including the names of many of the women it interviewed. One of them was Multnomah County Circuit Judge Kathleen Dailey, sources said.

According to the report, the judge told a detective she had dated Richey for a few months sometime around 2008 or 2009, then again in 2011.

The judge, however, strongly denied that she ever engaged in sexual contact with Richey in the courthouse, the report says. She said they rarely even talked at the courthouse because of her desire that her colleagues not know.

The judge changed the subject at least three times when a detective asked her if Richey ever had asked her about having sex at the courthouse, according to the report.

Dailey didnt respond to a phone message and an email requesting comment.

Russ Barnett, Richeys defense attorney, said Tuesday the allegations about Richey at the courthouse or with colleagues are unproven and resulted in no charges against his client.

The police report is not the truth, Barnett said.

The report also detailed an interview with a former female deputy with Multnomah County. She told one of the detectives that several years ago, while off-duty and inside a car with Richey, he put his hand down her pants and started kissing her.

She said she was shocked and told him, I dont want to do this and that she tried to fight him off, but he was very forceful and wrenching her arms. She said she ended up performing a sex act -- and if she hadnt, shes sure he would have hurt her very badly, according to the report.

The former deputy said she had never previously reported what happened, in part because of her own shame and embarrassment.

Detectives Robert Rookhuyzen and Chuck Anderson forwarded the report to prosecutors at the Oregon Department of Justice, asking them to consider charges of official misconduct.

Kristina Edmunson, a department spokeswoman, declined to comment about the decision not to file official misconduct charges or whether government employees engaging in sex acts in the courthouse is illegal.

Barbara Marcille, trial court administrator in Multnomah County, said she requested and received a copy of the sheriffs report Tuesday. Marcille noted that significant portions of the report, including names of court employees, have been redacted. But nonetheless, she will assess the available information and take appropriate action, including disciplinary action against employees, if necessary, Marcille said.

Also Tuesday, the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office issued a statement, saying officials appreciated the thorough work of Washington County investigators and cooperated fully.

Allegations of misconduct are serious matters for public safety agencies, the statement says. Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese and the members of the Sheriffs Office believe that community trust is the foundation upon which we build our legitimacy as public safety professionals. Our professions legitimacy is damaged when any member or former member engages in illegal actions or misconduct.

-- Aimee Green

agreen@oregonian.com

o_aimee

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.The former spokesman for Oregon State Police was convicted Tuesday of misdemeanor harassment for a 2017 confrontation with his estranged wife.

Bill Fugate violently grabbed his estranged wife causing bruising to her arm, the Deschutes County District Attorneys Office said in a statement after the hearing.

Fugate, 43, an 11-year state police veteran who rose to the rank of captain, was sentenced to 24 months of probation, two days of jail and is required to complete a yearlong batterer intervention counseling program. According to the terms of his probation, he isnt allowed to possess a firearm.

Fugate was ordered to report to the Deschutes County Jail on Jan. 12.

District Attorney John Hummel said in a statement that he reviewed five other domestic violence allegations against Fugate related to incidents that occurred between 2007 and 2016; he said he declined to prosecute them because they exceed the statute of limitations.

Fugates estranged wife, Georgina Monrean-Fugate, alleged in a restraining order filed last year that Fugate had been violent toward her in the past and that his behavior had begun escalating out of control.

Under the terms of his agreement with the state, Fugate isnt allowed to have contact with his estranged wife or their children except as allowed by the restraining order.

Fugates lawyer, Stephen Houze, blamed Fugates conduct on untreated post-traumatic stress disorder, which he said stemmed not from a single case but exposure in general to horrible tragedy, death, disfigurement, shooting situations -- you name it as a law enforcement official.

One of the terrible aspects of that condition is that it affects many other people around the person suffering from PTSD, in particular family members, Houze said after the hearing. In this case, the disintegration of Mr. and Mrs. Fugates marriage was a direct casualty of this condition.

Houze said Fugate is in counseling.

He feels horrible about whats happened to his family and stood today and took complete and honorable responsibility for it and including the loss of his career, Houze said.

Houze said Fugate will no longer work at the state police agency, where his annual salary was $123,828.

Capt. Tim Fox said Fugate remains on unpaid leave pending the outcome of the agencys internal investigation.

Eriks Gabliks, director of the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards And Training, which certifies law enforcement officers, said it has been waiting for the criminal case to be resolved before moving ahead with its own review. He said the department now plans to open up an investigation.

Well be specifically looking at his conduct and any connection to domestic violence.

-- Noelle Crombie

503-276-7184

ncrombie@oregonian.com

@noellecrombie

Visit subscription.oregonlive.com/newsletters to get Oregonian/OregonLive journalism delivered to your email inbox.2023 Forecasting for Threaded Gate Valves Market Analysis | Velan, LK Valves, NIBCO, Valtorc, Powell Valves, ADG Valve, ARFLU, KITZ, Williams Valve, Johnson Valves

Threaded Gate Valves

https://www.360researchreports.com/enquiry/request-sample/13645825

https://www.360researchreports.com/13645825

https://www.360researchreports.com/purchase/13645825

Threaded Gate Valves Market 2018 Analysis Report on Threaded Gate Valves-Global (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East, and Africa) Market Status and Trend Report 2013-2023.Historical Forecast Period2013 - 2016  Historical Year for Threaded Gate Valves Market2017  Base Year for Threaded Gate Valves Market2018-2023  Forecast Period for Threaded Gate Valves MarketNumber pages Included in Report: 127In this report, Delivers Informative studies of the current situation (with the base year is 2018) and the growth prospects of global Threaded Gate Valves Forecast market 2018-2023.Threaded Gate Valves Market report majorly focuses on frequent critical elements such as market driving factors, potential investment opportunities, latest technical progressions, productive manufacturing method, that certainly renovation the Threaded Gate Valves industry.Get Full Sample Report @The report lists out several main factors, starting from the basics to advanced Market intelligence which plays an essential part in managing. Focuses on the key global Threaded Gate Valves Market players, to define, describe and analyze the value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis, and development plans in the next few years.The global Threaded Gate Valves Market will reach xxx Million USD in 2018 and CAGR xx% 2018-2023. The report begins from an overview of Industry Chain structure, and describes industry environment, then analyses market size and forecast of Threaded Gate Valves by product, region, and application, in addition, this report introduces a market competition situation among the vendors and company profile, besides, market price analysis and value chain features are covered in this report.This report implements a balanced mix of main and subordinate research methodologies for its analysis. The market is segmented on the basis of key criteria. For this purpose, a section dedicated to company profiles has been included in the report.The Threaded Gate Valves Market is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Threaded Gate Valves industry with a focus on the different key market Regions. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Threaded Gate Valves manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry. The report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology.On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, Threaded Gate Valves Market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split into Cast Iron Gate Valve Bronze Gate Valve Cast Steel Gate ValveOn the basis on the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), Threaded Gate Valves Market share and growth rate of Threaded Gate Valves for each application, including Commercial Industrial OthersBrowse for More Details:Global Threaded Gate Valves market competition by top manufacturers, with production, price, revenue (value) and Threaded Gate Valves Market share for each manufacturer; the top players including Velan LK Valves NIBCO Valtorc Powell Valves ADG Valve ARFLU KITZ Williams Valve Johnson Valves, And OtherThe scope of the Report:1. This report focuses on the Threaded Gate Valves in Global Market Forecast 2023.2. This report categorizes the market based on manufacturers, regions, type.3. The Report gives a brief of the Terminology Definition, Industry Chain, Industry Dynamics & Regulations and Global Threaded Gate Valves Market Overview.Threaded Gate Valves Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers North America (USA, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia) South America, Middle East and AfricaChapters to deeply display the global Threaded Gate Valves market. Describe the Threaded Gate Valves Market Introduction, product scope, market overview, market opportunities, market risk, market driving force. Analyze the top manufacturers of Threaded Gate Valves Industry, with sales, revenue, and price Display the competitive situation among the top manufacturers, with sales, revenue, and market share of Threaded Gate Valves Market TOC shows the global market by regions, with sales, revenue, and market share of Threaded Gate Valves Industry, for each region.Reason to purchase this Report:1. The Report gives the complete Market Overview for Threaded Gate Valves Market Forecast 2018-2023.2. The report Provide the Overview of Upstream (Raw Materials / Components) & Manufacturing (Procurement Methods & Channels and Cost), Major Regional Production Overview and Trade Flow.3. Threaded Gate Valves Market report gives the trending Industry analysis, Focused Applications, Product Segment Overview, Current Market Status.4. Total Overview of Product & Application Segment Production & Demand by Region. Market Forecast by Product, Application & Region.5. Company information, Products & Services and Business Operation (Sales, Cost, Margin etc.). Market Competition and Environment for New Entrants.6. Detailed TOC of Global Threaded Gate Valves Market Status and Outlook 2018-2023.Price of The Report: $ 4390 (Single User Licence)Purchase This Report @Threaded Gate Valves Market Table of Contents: Part 1 Industry Overview Part 2 Upstream & Production Part 3 Product Segment Part 4 Application / End-User Segment Part 5 Regional Market Part 6 Market Subdivision Part 7 Market Forecast Part 8 Key Companies List Part 9 Company Competition Part 10 Research ConclusionIn addition, this report discusses the key drivers influencing market growth, opportunities, the challenges and the risks faced by key manufacturers and the market as a whole. It also analyses key emerging trends and their impact on present and future development.360 Research Reports is the credible source for gaining the market research reports that will exponentially accelerate your business. We are among the leading report resellers in the business world committed towards optimizing your business. The reports we provide are based on a research that covers a magnitude of factors such as technological evolution, economic shifts and a detailed study of market segments.360 Research Reports3rd Floor, Silver Spring, Sahyadri farmOpp Prabhavee Tech Park,Baner - Mhalunge Road, Baner, Pune 411045.Mobile Virtualization Market Size, Insights, Trends, Outlook 2018 | Top Key Players: IBM Corporation (U.S.), VMware (U.S.), CA Technologies (U.S.), Oracle Corporation (U.S.)

https://www.supplydemandmarketresearch.com/home/contact/104525?ref=Sample-and-Brochure&toccode=SDMREL104525

https://www.supplydemandmarketresearch.com/home/contact/104525?ref=Discount&toccode=SDMREL104525

https://www.supplydemandmarketresearch.com/home/purchase?code=SDMREL104525

The Mobile Virtualization Market Report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth insights, understanding market evolution by tracking historical developments, and analysing the present scenario and future projections based on optimistic and likely scenarios. Each research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market.This Report would help Business Leader, Market Intelligence, Marketing Head & CEO's, Marketing and strategy head, management consulting firms etc. in understanding Mobile Virtualization market size, CAGR, Two Part Adhesive, and Industry Trend.Key Questions Answered in this Report: What will be the market size in 2025? What will be the growth rate in 2025? Which key factors driving In the market? Who are the key market players? Which strategies are used by top players in the market? What are the key market trends? Which trends and challenges will influence the Market growth?Request for Sample PDF Of This Report @This report studies the global Mobile Virtualization market status and forecast, categorizes the global Mobile Virtualization market size (value & volume) by manufacturers, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top manufacturers in United States, Europe, China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan and other regions.Top Key Players Covered in this market Report: IBM Corporation (U.S.) VMware (U.S.) CA Technologies (U.S.) Oracle Corporation (U.S.) and More..On the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoHypervisorMobile Device ManagementApplication ContainerOn the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingITTelecomRetailHealthcareBanking & InsuranceMedia & EntertainmentOthersGet Discount On This Report @Key Reasons to Purchase To gain insightful analyses of the market and have comprehensive understanding of the global market and its commercial landscape. Assess the production processes, major issues, and solutions to mitigate the development risk. To understand the most affecting driving and restraining forces in the market and its impact in the global market. Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by leading respective organizations. To understand the future outlook and prospects for the market.Table of Content:1 Mobile Virtualization Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Mobile Virtualization1.2 Mobile Virtualization Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Mobile Virtualization Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Mobile Virtualization Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Hypervisor1.2.3 Mobile Device ManagementApplication Container1.3 Global Mobile Virtualization Segment by Application1.3.1 Mobile Virtualization Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 IT1.3.3 Telecom1.3.4 Retail1.3.5 Healthcare1.3.6 Banking & Insurance1.3.7 Media & Entertainment1.3.8 Others1.4 Global Mobile Virtualization Market by Region (2013-2025)1.4.1 Global Mobile Virtualization Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2013-2025)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Mobile Virtualization (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Mobile Virtualization Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Mobile Virtualization Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025)2 Global Mobile Virtualization Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Mobile Virtualization Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global Mobile Virtualization Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global Mobile Virtualization Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global Mobile Virtualization Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global Mobile Virtualization Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.4 Manufacturers Mobile Virtualization Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 Mobile Virtualization Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Mobile Virtualization Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 Mobile Virtualization Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global Mobile Virtualization Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)3.1 Global Mobile Virtualization Capacity and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.2 Global Mobile Virtualization Production and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.3 Global Mobile Virtualization Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.4 Global Mobile Virtualization Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.5 North America Mobile Virtualization Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)TOC Continued!Click Here To Buy Full Report @In this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Mobile Virtualization:History Year: 2013 - 2017Base Year: 2017Estimated Year: 2018Forecast Year: 2018 - 2025Market Research Methodology:This report includes the estimation of market size for value (million USD) and volume (K Units). Both top-down and bottom-up approaches have been used to estimate and validate the market size of Mobile Virtualization market, to estimate the size of various other dependent submarkets in the overall market. Key players in the market have been identified through secondary research, and their market shares have been determined through primary and secondary research. All percentage shares, splits, and breakdowns have been determined using secondary sources and verified primary sources.About Us:We have a strong network of high powered and experienced global consultants who have about 10+ years of experience in the specific industry to deliver quality research and analysis. Having such an experienced network, our services not only cater to the client who wants the basic reference of market numbers and related high growth areas in the demand side, but also we provide detailed and granular information using which the client can definitely plan the strategies with respect to both supply and demand side.302-20 Misssisauga Valley, Missisauga, L5A 3S1, TorontoContact Us:Email- info@supplydemandmarketresearch.comGlobal- +919960204545Know how Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Market is Thriving by Top Players: ABB Ltd., Emerson Electric, Rockwell Automation, Siemens AG, OMRON Corp., General Electric, Yokogawa Electric Corp., Etc.

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Market

https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/45325

https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/45325

https://www.upmarketresearch.com/buy/supervisory-control-and-data-acquisition-system-market-research

https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/request_for_discount/45325

www.upmarketresearch.com

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period.Get Exclusive FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Market Analysis and Forecast 2019- 2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Market global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2019  2025.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.For More Information On This Report, Please VisitThe generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.The report for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System market analysis & forecast 2019- 2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Region- wise Analysis Global Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Market covers: North America Europe China Japan India Southeast Asia Other regions (Central & South America, Middle East & Africa)The Major players reported in the market include: ABB Ltd Emerson Electric Rockwell Automation Siemens AG OMRON Corp General Electric Yokogawa Electric Corp Schneider Electric SE Afcon Holdings GroupGlobal Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Market: Product Segment Analysis: Programmable Logic Control Human Machine Interface Remote Terminal UnitGlobal Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Market: Application Segment Analysis: Electrical Power Chemicals Oil & Gas Industry Food & Beverages Industry Transportation Industry Pharmaceutical Industry Telecommunications IndustryMajor Topics Covered in this Report: Chapter 1 Study Coverage Chapter 2 Executive Summary Chapter 3 Market Size by Manufacturers Chapter 4 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Production by Regions Chapter 5 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Consumption by Regions Chapter 6 Market Size by Type Chapter 7 Market Size by Application Chapter 8 Manufacturers Profiles Chapter 9 Production Forecasts Chapter 10 Consumption Forecast Chapter 11 Upstream, Industry Chain and Downstream Customers Analysis Chapter 12 Opportunities & Challenges, Threat and Affecting Factors Chapter 13 Key Findings Chapter 14 AppendixTo Buy This Report and Get It Delivered In Your Inbox Within 24 Hours @Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Market Analysis and Forecast 2019- 2025 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market- driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real- time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real- time scenario.Global Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Market: Key Stakeholders: Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Manufacturers Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Subcomponent Manufacturers Industry Association Downstream VendorsIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System are as follows: History Year: 2013-2018 Base Year: 2018 Estimated Year: 2019 Forecast Year 2019 to 2025Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System Market Analysis and Forecast 2019- 2025 and its commercial landscape. Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations. To understand the future outlook and prospects for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System market analysis and forecast 2019- 2025.Avail Discount On this Report @Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.You can also ask for region wise market research report, as below: Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System - Global Market Status & Trend Report 2019-2025 Top 20 Countries Data Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System - North America Market Status and Trend Report 2019-2025 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System - South America Market Status and Trend Report 2019-2025 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System - Europe Market Status and Trend Report 2019-2025 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System - EMEA Market Status and Trend Report 2019-2025 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System - Asia Pacific Market Status and Trend Report 2019-2025 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System - China Market Status and Trend Report 2019-2025 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System - India Market Status and Trend Report 2019-2025 Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System - United States Market Status and Trend Report 2019-2025About UpMarketResearch:The UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well- defined  we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United States.Global Exhibition Market | Key Players - Reed Exhibitions, UBM Plc, Messe Frankfurt, Messe d sseldorf, MCH Group, Informa and More

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/1227787/?utm_source=open&utm_medium=Deepak

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/1227787/?utm_source=open&utm_medium=Deepak

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-exhibition-market-analysis-by-value-by-rented-space-by-region-by-country-2018-edition-forecast-to-2023-by-region-north-america-europe-apac-by-country-us-canada-uk-germany-france-italy-china-india-japan-south-korea/?utm_source=open&utm_medium=Deepak

https://www.marketstudyreport.com

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog

The Exhibition market research report compiled by Market Study Report, LLC, offers a comprehensive study on the current industry trends. The report also offers a detailed abstract of the statistics, market valuation, and revenue forecast, which in addition underlines the status of the competitive spectrum and expansion strategies adopted by major industry players.The report titled Global Exhibition Market - By Value, By Rented Space, By Region(Europe, North America, APAC) By Country (United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, United States, Canada, India, China, Japan South Korea), has covered and analysed the potential of Global Exhibition Market and provides statistics and information on market size, shares and growth factors. The report intends to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyses the emerging trends along with major drivers, challenges and opportunities in the Global Exhibition market.Request a sample of this premium report at:Company Analysis Reed Exhibitions, UBM Plc, Messe Frankfurt, Messe d sseldorf, MCH Group, InformaA comprehensive research report created through extensive primary research (inputs from industry experts, companies, stakeholders) and secondary research, the report aims to present the analysis of Global Exhibition Market - By Value, By Rented Space, By Region (Europe, North America, APAC) and By Country (United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, United States, Canada, India, China, Japan South Korea).Over the recent years, the global Exhibition industry has been driven on the heels of rising demand for large event venues and emerging growth across various Asian nations. Additionally, the growth in Exhibition market is driven by increasing prevalence of digitisation.According to Azoth Analytics research report Global Exhibition Market By Value, By Rented Space, By Region (Europe, North America, APAC), By Country (United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, United States, Canada, India, China, Japan, South Korea) , global market is projected to display a robust growth represented by a CAGR of 4.97% by value during 2018 2023, chiefly driven by increase in digitisation and rising marketing services spending of leading companies across the globe.Among the regions, Asia Pacific is expected to grow at the fastest rate, mainly driven by increasing shift in the manufacturing base of leading consumer electronics companies, increasing focus of international companies and increasing initiatives of various governments to boost growth of the domestic industries.Additionally, the report also highlights market entry strategies for various companies across the globe.Scope of the ReportGlobal Market (Actual Period: 2013-2017, Forecast Period: 2018-2023)Global Exhibition Market, By Value (USD Billion)Global Exhibition Market, By Value (Million Square Meter)List of Exhibition Venues, By SizeRegional Markets North America, Europe, APAC (Actual Period: 2013-2017, Forecast Period: 2018-2023)Exhibition Market, By ValueExhibition Market, By Rented SpaceList of Exhibition Venues, By SizeCountry Analysis - US, Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, China, India, Japan, South Korea (Actual Period: 2013-2017, Forecast Period: 2018-2023)Exhibition Market, By ValueExhibition Market, By Rented SpaceList of Exhibition Venues, By SizeOther Report HighlightsMarket Dynamics Trends, Drivers, Challenges, Policy and Regulation,Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:Customization of the ReportThe report could be customized according to the client s specific research requirements. No additional cost will be required to pay for limited additional research.Table of Contents1. Research Methodology2. Executive Summary3. Strategic Recommendations4. Exhibition Market Outlook5. Global Exhibition Market: Growth and Forecast6. Global Exhibition Market: By Drugs Class7. Global Exhibition Market: By Sales Channels8. Global Exhibition Market: Pipeline Analysis9. Global Exhibition Market: Regional Analysis10. Market Dynamics11. Market Trends14. SWOT Analysis Exhibition Market15. Company ProfilesMore Details on this Report:About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report LLC4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog:Linear Motion Systems Market Research Report 2019-2025 | Top Key Players  Bosch Rexroth, Rollon, SCHNEEBERGER, SKF, Thomson, Schneider Electric Motion, NIPPON BEARING, Bishop-Wisecarver Etc.

Linear Motion Systems

https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/requested_sample/42965

https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/enquiry_before_buying/42965

https://www.upmarketresearch.com/buy/linear-motion-systems-market-research

https://www.upmarketresearch.com/home/request_for_discount/42965

www.upmarketresearch.com

UpMarketResearch offers a latest published report on Global Linear Motion Systems Market Analysis and Forecast 2019-2025 delivering key insights and providing a competitive advantage to clients through a detailed report. The report contains 119 pages which highly exhibit on current market analysis scenario, upcoming as well as future opportunities, revenue growth, pricing and profitability.Get Exclusive FREE Sample Copy Of this Report @Linear Motion Systems Market research report delivers a close watch on leading competitors with strategic analysis, micro and macro market trend and scenarios, pricing analysis and a holistic overview of the market situations in the forecast period. It is a professional and a detailed report focusing on primary and secondary drivers, market share, leading segments and geographical analysis. Further, key players, major collaborations, merger & acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are reviewed in the report. The report contains basic, secondary and advanced information pertaining to the Linear Motion Systems Market global status and trend, market size, share, growth, trends analysis, segment and forecasts from 2019  2025.The scope of the report extends from market scenarios to comparative pricing between major players, cost and profit of the specified market regions. The numerical data is backed up by statistical tools such as SWOT analysis, BCG matrix, SCOT analysis, PESTLE analysis and so on. The statistics are represented in graphical format for a clear understanding on facts and figures.The generated report is firmly based on primary research, interviews with top executives, news sources and information insiders. Secondary research techniques are implemented for better understanding and clarity for data analysis.The report for Linear Motion Systems Market analysis & forecast 2019- 2025 is segmented into Product Segment, Application Segment & Major players.Region- wise Analysis Global Linear Motion Systems Market covers: North America Europe China Japan India Southeast Asia Other regions (Central & South America, Middle East & Africa)For More Information On This Report, Please Visit @The Major players reported in the market include: Bosch Rexroth Rollon SCHNEEBERGER SKF Thomson Schneider Electric Motion NIPPON BEARING Bishop-Wisecarver HepcoMotion Lintech Tectra Automation THK PBC LinearGlobal Linear Motion Systems Market: Product Segment Analysis: Single-Axis Linear Motion Systems Multi-Axis Linear Motion SystemsGlobal Linear Motion Systems Market: Application Segment Analysis: Packaging Machine Tools Palletizing Robotics Material Handling EquipmentThe Report covers in- depth analysis as follows: Chapter 1 Overview of Linear Motion Systems Chapter 2 Global Market Status and Forecast by Regions Chapter 3 Global Market Status and Forecast by Types Chapter 4 Global Market Status and Forecast by Downstream Industry Chapter 5 Market Driving Factor Analysis of Linear Motion Systems Chapter 6 Linear Motion Systems Market Competition Status by Major Manufacturers Chapter 7 Linear Motion Systems Major Manufacturers Introduction and Market Data Chapter 8 Upstream and Downstream Market Analysis of Linear Motion Systems Chapter 9 Cost and Gross Margin Analysis of Linear Motion Systems Chapter 10 Marketing Status Analysis of Linear Motion Systems Chapter 11 Report Conclusion Chapter 12 Research Methodology and ReferenceTo Buy This Report and Get It Delivered In Your Inbox Within 24 Hours @Linear Motion Systems Market Analysis and Forecast 2019- 2025 report helps the clients to take business decisions and to understand strategies of major players in the industry. The report also calls for market- driven results deriving feasibility studies for client needs. UpMarketResearch ensures qualified and verifiable aspects of market data operating in the real- time scenario. The analytical studies are conducted ensuring client needs with a thorough understanding of market capacities in the real- time scenario.Global Linear Motion Systems Market: Key Stakeholders: Linear Motion Systems Manufacturers Linear Motion Systems Distributors/Traders/Wholesalers Linear Motion Systems Subcomponent Manufacturers Industry Association Downstream VendorsIn this study, the years considered to estimate the market size of Linear Motion Systems are as follows: History Year: 2014-2018 Base Year: 2018 Estimated Year: 2019 Forecast Year 2019 to 2025Key Reasons to Purchase: To gain insightful analyses of the market and have a comprehensive understanding of the Global Linear Motion Systems Market Analysis and Forecast 2019- 2025 and its commercial landscape. Learn about the market strategies that are being adopted by your competitors and leading organizations. To understand the future outlook and prospects for Linear Motion Systems market analysis and forecast 2019- 2025.Avail Discount On this Report @Customization of the Report:UpMarketResearch provides free customization of reports as per your need. This report can be personalized to meet your requirements. Get in touch with our sales team, who will guarantee you to get a report that suits your necessities.You can also ask for region wise market research report, as below: Linear Motion Systems  Global Market Status & Trend Report 2019- 2025 Top 20 Countries Data Linear Motion Systems  North America Market Status and Trend Report 2019- 2025 Linear Motion Systems  South America Market Status and Trend Report 2019- 2025 Linear Motion Systems  Europe Market Status and Trend Report 2019- 2025 Linear Motion Systems  EMEA Market Status and Trend Report 2019- 2025 Linear Motion Systems  Asia Pacific Market Status and Trend Report 2019- 2025 Linear Motion Systems  China Market Status and Trend Report 2019- 2025 Linear Motion Systems  India Market Status and Trend Report 2019- 2025 Linear Motion Systems  United States Market Status and Trend Report 2019- 2025About UpMarketResearch:The UpMarketResearch () is a leading distributor of market research report with more than 800+ global clients. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well- defined  we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Contact Info:Name: Alex MathewsEmail: Alex@upmarketresearch.comOrganization: UpMarketResearchAddress: 500 East E Street, Ontario, CA 91764, United StatesGrowth On Interceptor Missiles Market surpass USD 14 billion by 2024 | Lockheed Martin Corp., Boeing Co., Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and Aerojet Rocketdyne

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/859973/?utm_source=Open&utm_medium=DC

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/859973/?utm_source=Open&utm_medium=DC

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/interceptor-missiles-market

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-and-southeast-asia-gas-electric-welding-flux-core-wire-industry-2018-market-research-report/?utm_source=RR-openpr&utm_medium=DC

https://www.marketstudyreport.com

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog

Market Study Report, LLC, elucidates a comprehensive research of the Interceptor Missiles Market market that mentions valuable insights pertaining to market share, profitability graph, market size, SWOT analysis, and regional proliferation of this industry. This study incorporates a disintegration of key drivers and challenges, industry participants, and application segments, devised by analyzing profuse information about this business space.Interceptor Missiles Market is estimated to surpass USD 14 billion by 2024; according to a new research report.Interceptor missiles of up to 125 kms range are anticipated to dominate the interceptor missiles market, generating a demand of over 2,000 units till 2024. Continuously increasing penetration of missiles conforming to this range such as PAC-3, Iron Dome, and SM-3, from MEA including UAE, Israel, and Saudi Arabia will primarily support the industry dominance. Interceptor missiles of range above 200 kms will exhibit over 18% CAGR in terms of revenue owing to rising deployment of advanced missiles such as HQ-19. Regular innovations in these missiles in countries such as China will further strengthen the industry penetration over the forecast timeframe.Request a sample of this premium report at:Global interceptor missiles market is expected to cross 3,000 units till 2024. Continuously increasing threat of attacks from rival countries has resulted in proliferating demand for interceptor missiles over the forecast timeframe. Multiple countries across the globe including Netherlands, U.S, Israel, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, etc., have purchased patriot interceptor missiles to strengthen their defense inventory, impacting the industry positively.Countries across the globe have witnessed a considerable increase in their defense budget. For instance, in 2015, the defense budget of China was USD 131 billion, which was increased by 11% and crossed USD 145 billion in 2016 and was further increased by 7% in 2017. This will accelerate the revenue generation owing to their enhanced purchasing power for defense systems. However, high initial investment and high manufacturing costs may restrain new entrants from entering the interceptor missile market.Industry is witnessing regular upgradations and innovations in interceptor missiles. For instance, HQ-19 is a significant upgradation of HQ-9 and has gained prominence in 2017. It is capable of targeting satellites and ballistic missiles in lower earth orbit and is featured with kinetic kill vehicle. Moreover, it can intercept the ballistic missiles from a range of 3,000 kms. These innovations are anticipated to induce immense growth potential to the interceptor missiles market over the coming years.Surface to air missiles are expected to capture maximum interceptor missiles market revenue share of more than 80% by 2024. Some of the benefits offered includes light-weight and portability which in turn will drive the industry demand. Water to air missiles will exhibit approximately 7% CAGR owing to rising adoption of these missiles in various countries across the globe for naval border protection.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:PAC-3 is expected to account for highest interceptor missile market share crossing USD 6 billion over the coming years. Proliferating demand of these missiles, especially in developed countries will primarily support the revenue generation. For instance, in January 2013, the U.S. army entered into several contracts worth USD 755 million for purchasing 168 PAC-3 missiles and associated services and equipment. HQ-19 will exhibit over 40% CAGR till 2024 owing to its continuously rising usage as an upgradation of HQ-9. Its enhanced features as compared to its counterparts will further support the industry growth till 2024.MEA interceptor missiles market will showcase dominance over the next eight years owing to rising threat of enemy attacks across the region. Collaborations of various countries with industry players for purchasing of these missiles will further contribute towards the high revenue generation. For instance, UAE and Qatar are anticipated to enter an agreement with Lockheed Martin for supplying patriot missiles. Europe will witness over 7% CAGR till 2024 owing to rising sales of interceptor missiles from countries including Sweden and Poland.Complete report for 2017-2024 on Interceptor Missiles market is now available atRelated Report:Global and Southeast Asia Gas-electric Welding Flux Core Wire Industry, 2018 Market Research ReportGlobal and Southeast Asia Gas-electric Welding Flux Core Wire Market research report is added by Market Study report by covering all major market aspects. The report also touches the key scenarios like top players, competition, types, applications, regions, recent developments and future market predictions.About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report LLC.4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog:Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market Analysis by Top Key Players - Edward Life Sciences, Medtronic, Boston Scientific Corporation, St. Jude Medical, Jena Valve, Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market, Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market Trends, Transcatheter A

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/1227776/?utm_source=open&utm_medium=Deepak

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/1227776/?utm_source=open&utm_medium=Deepak

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-transcatheter-aortic-valve-replacement-tavr-market-value-volume-analysis-by-type-of-approach-transfemoral-transapical-by-region-by-country-2018-edition-forecast-to-2023-by-region-north-america-europe-apac-row-by-country-u-s-canada-germany-france-united-kingdom-india-japan-china-brazil-south-africa/?utm_source=open&utm_medium=Deepak

https://www.marketstudyreport.com

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog

The Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) market research report compiled by Market Study Report, LLC, offers a comprehensive study on the current industry trends. The report also offers a detailed abstract of the statistics, market valuation, and revenue forecast, which in addition underlines the status of the competitive spectrum and expansion strategies adopted by major industry players.The report titled Global Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market (Value, Volume): Analysis By Type of Approach (Transfemoral, Transapical), By Region, By Country (2018 Edition): Forecast to 2023 - By Region (North America, Europe, APAC, ROW), By Country (U.S., Canada, Germany, France, United Kingdom, India, Japan China, Brazil, South Africa) has covered and analyzed the potential of global transcatheter aortic valve replacement market and provides statistics and information on market size, shares and growth factors. The report intends to provide cutting-edge market intelligence and help decision makers take sound investment evaluation. Besides, the report also identifies and analyses the emerging trends along with major drivers, challenges and opportunities in the global transcatheter aortic valve replacement market. Additionally, the report also highlights market entry strategies for various companies across the globe.Request a sample of this premium report at:Company Analysis Edward Life Sciences, Medtronic, Boston Scientific Corporation, St. Jude Medical, Jena Valve, Meril Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd.A comprehensive research report created through extensive primary research (inputs from industry experts, companies, stakeholders) and secondary research, the report aims to present the analysis of Global Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market by Type of Approach (Transfemoral and Transapical), By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Rest of the world) and By Country (U.S., Canada, Germany, France, United Kingdom, India, Japan China, Brazil and South Africa).According to research report Global Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market (Value, Volume): Analysis By Type of Approach (Transfemoral, Transapical), By Region, By Country (2018 Edition): Forecast to 2023 - By Region (North America, Europe, APAC, ROW), By Country (U.S., Canada, Germany, France, United Kingdom, India, Japan China, Brazil, South Africa) global market is projected to display a robust growth represented by a high CAGR of 14.70 % during 2018 2023.Transcatheter aortic valve replacement has been a ground-breaking advancement in the field of interventional cardiology and cardiovascular surgery. Although, surgical aortic valve replacement is considered the standard treatment, yet 30% of patients are not considered candidates for traditional open heart surgery because of advanced age and presence of multiple comorbidities. TAVR offers this population a less invasive treatment option also with better outcomes. Over the recent years, the global TAVR industry has been growing rapidly mainly due to growing number of elderly population, rising awareness about minimally invasive devices, new device approvals and increasing health expenditure in developing countries. The procedure of transcatheter aortic valve replacement through transfemoral retrograde is the most common catheter-based approach and is performed in approximately 70% to 80% of the total TAVR cases, globally. Hence, this segment holds majority share in the market. This trend is anticipated to continue in the forecast period as well.Amongst the regions, North America accounts for the largest regional share in the global transcatheter aortic valve replacement market in 2018. However, Asia Pacific is predicted to advance at the highest rate, mainly driven by increase in healthcare expenditure coupled with growing penetration and awareness about technologically advanced heart valve therapies.Scope of the ReportGlobal Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market(Actual Period: 2013-2017, Forecast Period: 2018-2023)Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market Size and Growth:By Value, By Volume.By Type of Approach Transfemoral and Transapical: By Value.Regional Markets North America, Europe, APAC and Rest of the World(Actual Period: 2013-2017, Forecast Period: 2018-2023)Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market Size and Growth:By Value, By Volume.By Type of Approach Transfemoral and Transapical: By Value.Country Analysis U.S., Canada, Germany, France, United Kingdom, India, Japan China, Brazil, South Africa (Actual Period: 2013-2017, Forecast Period: 2018-2023)Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market Size and Growth: By Value, By Volume.By Type of Approach Transfemoral and Transapical: By Value.Other Report HighlightsMarket Dynamics Drivers and RestraintsMarket TrendsPricing AnalysisProduct Launches and Recent ApprovalsCompany Share AnalysisSWOT AnalysisPorter Five Force AnalysisSupply Chain AnalysisPolicy and Regulatory LandscapeRequest a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:Customization of the ReportThe report could be customized according to the client s specific research requirements. No additional cost will be required to pay for limited additional research.Table of Contents1. Research Methodology2. Executive Summary3. Strategic Recommendations4. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market Outlook5. Global Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market: Growth and Forecast6. Global Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market: By Drugs Class7. Global Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market: By Sales Channels8. Global Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market: Pipeline Analysis9. Global Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market: Regional Analysis10. Market Dynamics11. Market Trends14. SWOT Analysis Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) Market15. Company ProfilesMore Details on this Report:About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report LLC4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog:Arriving on campus for the first time as a freshman can be stressful for a multitude of reasons, so keeping yourself busy is key to settling into a healthy routine. In order to get into this new college lifestyle, Virginia Tech provides its students with plenty of opportunities outside the cAerospace & Defense Fluid Conveyance Systems Market Comprehensive Growth With GKN Aerospace, Hannifin Corporation, Parker, AIM Aerospace, Eaton Corporation, Arrowhead Products and Encore Group

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/request-a-sample/1091028/?utm_source=Open&utm_medium=DC

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/check-for-discount/1091028/?utm_source=Open&utm_medium=DC

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/aerospace-defense-fluid-conveyance-systems-market

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/reports/global-baby-oral-hygiene-market-2018-by-manufacturers-regions-type-and-application-forecast-to-2023/?utm_source=RR-openpr&utm_medium=DC

https://www.marketstudyreport.com

https://www.marketstudyreport.com/blog

This report compiled by Market Study Report, LLC, focuses on factors influencing the present scenario of the Aerospace & Defense Fluid Conveyance Systems market. The research report also offers concise analysis referring to commercialization aspects, profit estimation and market size of the industry. In addition, the report highlights the competitive standing of major players in the projection timeline which also includes their portfolios and expansion endeavors.Global aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems Market is anticipated to exceed USD 22 billion over the forecast timeframe. Increasing aircraft production and global commercial plane deliveries will fuel the industry growth. Consistent investment in defense sector particularly in emerging countries has resulted in increase in demand from military aircraft resulting in revenue generation. Up surging air traffic owing to urbanization and affordability has contributed to the superior demand of the aircraft, this in turn, will induce positive impact on aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems Market till 2024.Request a sample of this premium report at:Major prominent companies include Triumph Group, GKN Aerospace, Hannifin Corporation, Parker, AIM Aerospace, Eaton Corporation, Arrowhead Products and Encore Group. Other key players in aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems are ITT Corporation, Senior Plc, Unison Industries, Exotic Metal Foaming, Stelia Aerospace. These companies are offering the technological advance product range to comply with other several parts in maintaining better fluid supply in operation.International Air Transport Association has registered more than 3.8 billion air passengers carried by currents airliner across the world. In addition, IATA noted over 7% rise as compared to 2015. Rising disposable income across the world, less expensive flight rates and growing traveling and tourism industry growth fueling aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems market penetration.Low-cost carriers are gaining strong attention from last few years owing to high fuel efficiency, stringent regulation on carbon emission, rising fuel price are key factors stimulating aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems demand. Low weight but high strength materials include titanium and nickel are generating strong product deployment from most of OEM companies for better revenue generation during the forecast period.OEMs are expected to hold maximum share generating around USD 14 billion by 2024. This can be credited to mandatory installation of the fluid transmission systems in the aircraft for carrying out critical flight operations. Aftermarket is estimated to witness rapid growth over the forecast timeframe. Regular maintenance and safety checkup of aircraft with the replacement of the parts during the specified time duration will contribute to aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems industry growth. Expansion in MRO industry particularly in the Asian countries will enhance the product penetration.Airframe application segment is likely to contribute more than 60% of market share by 2024. Increasing aircraft production during forecast time frame will fuel aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems demand owing to large application in the airframe to provide flawless pneumatic performance.Request a discount on standard prices of this premium report at:Hydraulic fluid system market is expected to contribute over 40% industry share during forecast time owing to the wide application in aircraft components supporting aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems demand. Large hydraulics application including in brakes, landing gears, flight controls surfaces, and flaps are mainly operated through hydraulics which continuously needs a fluid mechanism to attain the highest reliability supporting demand.Duct components segment is protected to dominate market revenue by generating over USD 7 billion in 2024. This segment will drive industry growth owing to a large application such as fuel tank inerting system, engine bleed air and starter system along with leading aircraft wings edges. Rising demand for improved high-quality ducts are made of titanium and nickel provides high material strength to cater new generation aircraft are instigating aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems Market.North America aerospace & defense fluid conveyance systems market is anticipated to hold dominance with over 50% market share during forecast time frame owing to major manufacturing companies presence. The strong presence of aircraft manufacturers including Airbus, Boeing and Bombardier Aerospace along with rising demand for a fluid mechanism in next-generation aircraft are boosting industry growth.Complete report for 2018-2024 on Aerospace & Defense Fluid Conveyance Systems market is now available atRelated Report:Global Baby Oral Hygiene Market 2018 by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast to 2023Global Baby Oral Hygiene Market research report is added by Market Study report by covering all major market aspects. The report also touches the key scenarios like top players, competition, types, applications, regions, recent developments and future market predictions.About Us:Marketstudyreport.com allows you to manage and control all corporate research purchases to consolidate billing and vendor management. You can eliminate duplicate purchases and customize your content and license management.Contact Us:Market Study Report LLC.4 North Main Street,Selbyville, Delaware 19975USAPhone: 1-302-273-0910US Toll Free: 1-866-764-2150Email: sales@marketstudyreport.comWebsite:Blog:AT&T, Cisco Systems, BT Group profiled in Hosted Private Branch Exchange Market 2018-2024 By Top Players: 3CX, Telesystem, TPX Communications, Digium, Oneconnect, Comcast Business, Mitel Networks, Avaya, 8x8

https://www.gminsights.com/request-toc/upcoming/2883

https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2883

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/hosted-private-branch-exchange-pbx-market

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/digital-banking-market

https://www.gminsights.com

http://solutionrocket.com

North America dominates the hosted PBX market as the region is the largest purchaser of hosted PBX. These systems deliver efficient functioning capabilities such as enhanced web connectivity and efficient use of the office space and budgets expanding the adoption rate. Furthermore, a rise in the adoption of cloud services, IoT, and UC in the U.S. and the growth of the telecommunication sector also drives the hosted PBX market demand.Request for an in-depth table of contents for this report @Hosted PBX Market size is set to see healthy CAGR to 2024 led by increase in the adoption of cloud and Unified Communication (UC), increasing requirements for enterprise mobility, and reduced Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). A hosted PBX is a cloud-based system accessible through an IP network. It allows organizations to use enhanced quality telephone systems without any additional investment costs. The entire telephone platform is managed by the service provider and for enabling the calling service, the subscriber connects through an IP to the provider. These systems provide businesses with an enhanced ability to manage their phone systems through a user-friendly control panel and are hence are becoming increasingly popular amongst SMEs.Company profiled in this report based on Business overview, Financial data, Product landscape, Strategic outlook & SWOT analysis: AT&T Cisco Systems BT Group 3CX Telesystem TPX Communications Digium Oneconnect Comcast Business Mitel Networks Avaya 8x8The hosted PBX systems deliver cost-efficiency, eliminating additional set-up and maintenance costs, reducing complexity, and enhancing flexibility & scalability, accelerating their adoption in the market. Organizations with a higher employee size, mainly the large enterprises require huge communication networks with robust communication tools set up to operate efficiently. Hence, the demand for hosted PBX systems has increased owing to an ease of setting up the new equipment for business communications.The rising need to upgrade from the traditional on-premise PBX systems to cloud-based PBX systems will also foster the market growth. The traditional PBX systems require huge initial investment and budgets for efficient functioning, maintenance, upgrading, and staff training along with reduced staff mobility. However, the hosted PBX systems provide more freedom to the workforce enabling employees to work from their desired locations or smartphones under a single office telephone system. It also delivers enhanced quality of communication and efficiency to improve the overall communication, driving their market demand.However, maintaining the security and privacy of the hosted PBX systems is a major parameter restraining the market growth. As these systems carry huge amounts of customer-sensitive data, it is essential to take additional steps for enhancing the system safety against cyber threats. Moreover, if the service is unmanaged it may result into reduced quality of calls as the service is shared over the public internet, hampering the market growth.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @The hosted PBX market has been used for a wide array of services such as network traffic management services, virtual support, and assistance services, configuration and change management services, virtual deployments & setups, online charging services, protocol management services and emergency call routing services. The virtual deployment and setup services hold the largest market share as it assists the enterprises in deploying and setting up the entire hosted PBX and IP systems for efficient functioning at reduced operating cost. The protocol management services are projected to grow at the fastest rate over the forecast timespan as they provide the necessary parameters required for securely managing the protocols and establishing communication between IP phones and traditional phones with the highest voice quality. The service also reduces latency and delays thereby managing the information along with quality maintenance.The hosted PBX market systems are adopted in various application verticals including BFSI, IT & telecom, healthcare, manufacturing, government & public sectors, educational, and professional services. The healthcare industry is the major end-user of the hosted PBX systems as it delivers enhanced communication capabilities required for proper patient care. It provides features such as real-time communication, and instant messaging, allowing doctors to constantly stay connected with their patients at any time of the day, thus driving their market demand.Browse Full Report @APAC is anticipated to grow at a high rate in the hosted PBX market as the region is witnessing a rapid transformation of its IT infrastructure with rapid digitalization. The trend of enterprise mobility in this region is also a major contributor to the market growth. APAC holds around 60% of the market share for enterprise mobility followed by the UK and the U.S, making it important for the region to upgrade its traditional systems to the hosted PBX system.The hosted PBX market is fragmented with the existence of a substantial number of players. Some of the major players present in the market are AT&T, Cisco Systems, BT Group, 3CX, Telesystem, TPX Communications, Digium, Oneconnect, Comcast Business, Mitel Networks, Avaya, and 8x8. These players are investing considerably in R&D activities and entering into strategic business partnerships to expand their presence in the competitive market.Browse Related Report:Digital Banking Market Size By Type (Retail Banking, Corporate Banking, Investment Banking), By Services (Transactional, Non-Transactional), Regional Outlook (U.S., Canada, UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Russia, Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, UAE, Saudi Arabia, South Africa), Growth Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2018  2024About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:Virgin Coconut Oil Market 2018 Size, Revenue, Application, Types, Trends in Future, Scope to 2023-MNMK Holdings, Greenville Agro Corporation, P.T. Harvard Cocopro, Sun Bio Naturals (India)

https://www.360researchreports.com/enquiry/request-sample/12533762

https://www.360researchreports.com/purchase/12533762

Global Electric Virgin Coconut Oil Market analyzes on key Virgin Coconut Oil manufacturers and study the production, capacity, value, market share and development plans for next few years. It also focuses on market competition scenario, global producers, describe and analyze SWOT analysis. The market also describes and estimates through various types, Food, Beauty and Cosmetics, Medicals and areas. Later, due to this report, you will cause personal growth trends on every growth path and promote market development in the market.At the end, this report provides details of competitive developments such as agreements, expansions, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.Get sample copy of this research report @:Virgin Coconut Oil Market Consumption Breakdown Data by Region: North America (United States, Mexico, Canada) Asia-Pacific (China, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam) Europe (Germany, France, Italy, UK, Russia, Rest of Europe) Central & South America (Brazil, Rest of South America) Middle East & Africa (GCC Countries, Egypt, Turkey, South Africa, Rest of Middle East & Africa)Key Players Mention in Virgin Coconut Oil Market Report: MNMK Holdings, Greenville Agro Corporation, P.T. Harvard Cocopro, NATUROCA, Sun Bio Naturals (India)Major Virgin Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Coconut Oils in Virgin Coconut Oil Market Report: MtypeMajor Applications in Virgin Coconut Oil Market Report: MFood, Beauty and Cosmetics, MedicalThe Objective of Virgin Coconut Oil Market Research Report are as follow: To analyze and research the global Virgin Coconut Oil production, capacity, value, consumption, status and forecast. To focus on key Virgin Coconut Oil manufacturers and to study the capacity, production, value, market and development schemes over the next few years. To focus on global competitive products, to define, describe and analyze market competition scenarios, SWOT analysis. To define, describe and forecast the market by type, Food, Beauty and Cosmetics, Medical and region. To analyze the market's potential and benefits, opportunities and challenges, patience and risks in the global and major sectors. To identify the key elements and factors that encourage or obstruct the growth of the market. To identify high growth areas and analyzing opportunities for the stakeholders in the market. To analyze individual growth trends and market analysis about their contributions. To analyze competitive developments such as agreements, expansions, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.Purchase Full Report @In the end, the Virgin Coconut Oil Market report makes some important proposals for a new project of Virgin Coconut Oil Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2012-2023 Global and Chinese Virgin Coconut Oil Industry covering all important parameters.360 Research Reports is the credible source for gaining the market research reports that will exponentially accelerate your business. We are among the leading report resellers in the business world committed towards optimizing your business. The reports we provide are based on a research that covers a magnitude of factors such as technological evolution, economic shifts and a detailed study of market segments.360 Research Reports3rd Floor, Silver Spring, Sahyadri farms,Opp Prabhavee Tech Park,Baner - Mhalunge Road, Baner, Pune 411045.Cervical Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Market is expected to register a CAGR close to 6.3% during 2018  2023 | Top Leading Companies - Abbott, Advaxis, Bristol-Meyrs Squibb, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Merck, Pfizer

Cervical Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Market

https://marketprognosis.com/sample-request/17180

https://marketprognosis.com/buyReport/17180

https://marketprognosis.com/enquiry/17180

https://www.marketprognosis.com

Marketprognosis.com Publish a New Market Research Report On Global Cervical Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Market 2018 - 2023 which contains global key players survey information and forecast to 2023.Overview of the Global Cervical Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Market:The report spread across 111 pages is an overview of the Global Cervical Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Market. These report study based on the Cervical Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Market. It is a complete overview of the market, covering various aspects prevailing market landscape. It accumulates comprehensive information and research methodologies.The Global Cervical Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Market are expected to register a CAGR of 6.3% during the forecast period, 2018 to 2023. North America dominates the market, due to growing prevalence of cervical cancer diseases and rising awareness regarding cervical cancer in the region.Get a Sample Copy of this Report @The United States assists with coverage and reimbursement on Pap test screening. Federal law has been passed by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to mandate the coverage of cervical cancer screening tests. It is also supported by self-insured plans. Medicaid, the most popular government insurance program covers screening for cervical cancers. Medicare, another widely used insurance covers Pap test, pelvic exam, and a clinical breast exam for cervical cancer screening every two years for Medicare beneficiaries. There are also support programs like National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), which provides cervical cancer screening to women without health insurance for free or at very little cost. According to the Federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations, the US government is trying to include HPV vaccine in the insurance plans and include it as a part of federal Vaccine for Children (VFC) entitlement program. All these governmental initiatives toward cervical cancer prevention have led to the growth of the market.Asia-Pacific is expected to grow tremendously during the forecast period, owing to factors, such as high prevalence of cervical cancer. The high prevalence rate of cervical cancer among the population has attributed to factors, such as less awareness regarding sexual hygiene and precaution. High prevalence of cervical cancer, coupled with a greater government emphasis on screening and improvements in diagnosis of cervical cancer are anticipated to boost the market growth in Asia Pacific.Purchase this report online with 111 Pages, Top Key Players Analysis and List of Tables & Figure @Major Key Players:1 Abbott2 Advaxis, Inc3 Becton, Dickinson and Company4 Bristol-Meyrs Squibb Company5 F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd6 GlaxoSmithKline plc7 Merck & Co., Inc8 Pfizer Inc. and MoreAny Query? Ask to our Expert @This study answers to the below key questions:1 What will the market size be in 2023 and what will the growth rate be?2 What are the key market trends?3 What is driving this market?4 What are the challenges to market growth?5 Who are the key vendors in this market space?6 What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?7 What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?In the end, this report covers data and information on capacity and production overview, production, market share analysis, sales overview, supply, sales, and shortage, import, export and consumption as well as cost, price, revenue and gross margin of Cervical Cancer Diagnostics and Therapeutics Market.Table of Contents:1 Introduction2 Research Methodology3 Executive Summary4 Key Inferences5 Market Overview6 Drivers, Restraints, Opportunities and Challenges Analysis (Droc)7 Market Segmentation8 Competitive Landscape9 Key Players10 Future Outlook of the MarketAbout us:We at Market Prognosis believe in giving a crystal clear view of market dynamics for achieving success in todays complex and competitive marketplace through our quantitative & qualitative research methods.We help our clients identify the best market insights and analysis required for their business thus enabling them to take strategic and intelligent decision.We believe in delivering actionable insights for your business growth and success.Contact us:ProgMark Pvt. Ltd.Thane  421501India.sales@marketprognosis.com+1 973 241 5193Automotive Lighting Market 2019 Trends By Regional Industry Manufacturers - General Electric, HELLA, OSRAM, Valeo, Samsung Electronics, Philips Lighting, Magneti Marelli

Automotive Lighting Market

https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/1444

https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/1444

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/automotive-lighting-market

Automotive Lighting Market is set to exceed USD 40 billion by 2024; according to a new research report by Global Market Insights, Inc.In the automotive lighting market, the passenger cars segment is anticipated to grow at 6% CAGR from 2018 to 2024. A high demand for passenger cars across the globe is compelling the increasing consumption of lighting products. An increased focus on enhancing the vehicle aesthetics and looks by automobile companies demands advanced and high-quality lighting systems. The commercial vehicles in the market are witnessing steady growth due to the implementation of enhanced lighting products. These vehicles require highly efficient lighting components to offer a longer life and quick response in emergency situations. The demand for commercial vehicles is on the rise due to the growth in trade & transportation business and government infrastructure development projects.Get Sample Copy of This Report @The interior automotive lighting market is expected to grow at 7% CAGR from 2018 to 2024. Modern passenger cars and luxury vehicles deploy advanced LED & halogen lamp components in the interior systems. These components lend enhanced ambiance and atmosphere to the modern cars. The implementation of LEDs in vehicle interiors supports the smart and intelligent technologies such as automated light switching, touch-free lighting, and color consistency. These systems provide illumination & brightness benefits while driving at night and support the situation-based light controlling in modern vehicles.Industry Growth drivers:1 Increasing concerns regarding road safety to propel global demand2 Emerging government regulations3 Flourishing automotive industry in China4 Premium car production in Germany5 Penetration of LED technology from high-end to mid-range and low-end vehicles in the U.S6 Focus of companies on the Asia Pacific region to boost demandCompany profiled in this report based on Business overview, Financial data, Product landscape, Strategic outlook & SWOT analysis:1. General Electric Company2. HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA3. Hyundai MOBIS4. Magneti Marelli S.p.A.5. OSRAM Group6. Philips Lighting7. Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.8. Valeo9. Varroc Group10. ZKW GroupMake an Inquiry for purchasing this Report @The automotive lighting market is driven by the development of lighting solutions by various manufacturers such as adaptive front & rear lighting and dynamic bend lighting systems. Increasing demand from OEMs for advanced LEDs and laser-based light modules to improve the vehicle safety parameters and providing aesthetic looks to the vehicles further contribute to the industry demand. The popularity of the intelligent lighting technologies in the commercial vehicles, such as situation based light control and driver assistance at night, creates several growth opportunities in the automotive lighting market. Factors such as rising purchasing power and improving consumer lifestyle across various regions are contributing to the increasing sales of luxury vehicles and passenger cars.The European automotive lighting market was valued at over USD 8 billion in 2017 and is anticipated to grow further due to the presence of major automotive manufacturers in the region such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, etc. Additionally, several manufacturing standards set by the European Commission to support sustainable development and energy-efficient products account for the industry growth. Lighting system manufacturing companies across the globe follow these standards for manufacturing the lighting components used in automobiles.In yet another instance, in 2017, Chinese LED product manufacturer for automotive applications has signed a four-year strategic deal with the Taiwanese LED chip manufacturer, Epistar to achieve a dominating position in APAC region. Both the companies have been mainly looking forward to raising their capabilities to produce automotive lighting products and control the infringement. They also have been planning to reduce the product prices in order to speed up their reach across myriad geographies. The rapid growth in the automotive lighting industry across Asia Pacific region will turn out to be beneficial for the companies which have been implementing new business tactics over the last few years.Browse Report Summery @Key players in the automotive lighting market include HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA, Hyundai MOBIS, Koito Manufacturing Co., Magneti Marelli S.p.A., Valeo, Osram Group, Philips N.V., General Electric, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., and Varroc. The automotive lighting industry is fragmented with the presence of a large number of enterprises and small players. The established companies in the industry possess a significant purchasing power and have strong partnerships & collaborations with the suppliers and OEMs. Companies operating in the lighting marketplace focus on the research & development activities to offer highly efficient and technically-advanced products, expanding the regional presence to gain eminence in the market.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comAll About Automotive Diagnostic Tools Market Trends 2025 | DENSO Corporation, ACTIA Group, Bosch Automotive Service Solutions Inc., Delphi Technologies Hickok Inc.

https://databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-automotive-diagnostic-scan-tools-market

https://databridgemarketresearch.com/speak-to-analyst/?dbmr=global-automotive-diagnostic-scan-tools-market

https://databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-automotive-diagnostic-scan-tools-market

Automotive diagnostic tools are electronic devices software, used as an interface in the diagnosis of automotive systems.. Automotive diagnostic tools are also used to reprogram and upgrade the vehicle control modules as per required performance and specification. Due to a shift from manual to automated controls and automated automobiles, the importance of diagnostic tools in automotive system is increasing significantly. The diagnostics tools are very efficient in facilitating the analysis and diagnostics of various components of automobiles such as powertrain, body and chassis. In 2017 Continental made a major breakthrough in automotive diagnostic tools system by updating the FB30 family of bleeding devices.. Continental also offers a wide range of products for replacing the brake fluid with its ATE product brand. Denso acquired 72.1% stake of EASE Simulation (U.S.), for developing computerized diagnostic tools for vehicles.The Global Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Market is expected is expected to reach USD 51.97 billion by 2025 from USD 25.35 billion in 2017 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.0% in the forecast period of 2018 to 2025. The upcoming market report contains data for historic year 2016, the base year of calculation is 2017 and the forecast period is 2018 to 2025.GET A SAMPLE REPORT:Types covered in the Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools industry are :Wheel Alignment Tester, Handheld Tread Depth, Digital Battery Tester, Automotive Paint Inspection Equipment, Vehicle Emission Test SystemCompetitors:The key players operating in the Global Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Market are  DENSO Corporation ACTIA Group Bosch Automotive Service Solutions Inc. Delphi Technologies Hickok Inc.The other players in the market are Snapon Diagnostics Customer Service, SPX corporation, Continental AG, Siemens AG, MBL Impex Pvt Ltd., Horiba Inc., Autel Intelligent Technology Corp Ltd., Ampro Testing Machines, AVL List GmbH, DG Technologies, ETAS GmbH, KPIT Technologies Ltd., SGS SA, and Fluke Corporation, Vogelsang & Benning, Vector Informatik India Pvt. Ltd. In, February, 2014, Magma Ceramics and catalysts merged with Morgan Advanced Materials in a move to create a larger and more effective combined business which will give access to wider technology base and growth prospects.Competitive Analysis:The global automotive diagnostic scan tools market is highly fragmented and the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of automotive diagnostic scan tools market for global, Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, South America and Middle East & Africa. In April 2018, Quartrix launched a new installation feature plug & track, easing the installation and flexibility of tools. In April 2017 SiriusXM acquired Automatic, the manufacturer of Automatic pro & lite connected to car ports (OBD 2) accessories for USD 10 million, enabling the firm to expand and improve its services.Know More Business Opportunities In Automotive Diagnostic Scan Tools Market. Speak To Our Analyst And Gain Crucial Industry Insights That Will Help Your Business Expand.Request Analyst Call For More InsightSegmentation:By Product Type Diagnostic Equipment. Diagnostic Software.By Vehicle Type Passenger Vehicles. Commercial Vehicles.By GeographyNorth Americao U.S.o Canada,o MexicoEuropeo Germanyo Franceo United Kingdomo Italyo Spaino Russiao Turkeyo Belgiumo Netherlandso Switzerlando Rest of EuropeAsia-Pacifico Japano Chinao South Koreao Indiao Australiao Singaporeo Thailando Malaysiao Indonesiao Philippineso Rest of Asia PacificSouth Americao Brazilo Argentinao Rest of South AmericaMiddle East & Africao South Africao Egypto Saudi Arabiao UAEo Israelo Rest of MEAGet Detailed ReportData Bridge set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Data bridge is an aftermath of sheer wisdom and experience which was formulated and framed in the year 2015 in Pune. We ponder into the heterogeneous markets in accord with our clients needs and scoop out the best possible solutions and detailed information about the market trends. Data Bridge delve into the markets across Asia, North America, South America, Africa to name few.Data Bridge adepts in creating satisfied clients who reckon upon our services and rely on our hard work with certitude. We are content with our glorious 99.9 % client satisfying rateData Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email: Sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.comNew Trends updates for Internet of Things Fleet Management Market Growing +21% CAGR by 2025, Focusing Top Key players- AT&T Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Verizon Communications, Inc., TomTom International BV

https://www.qyreports.com/request-sample/?report-id=105283

https://www.qyreports.com/ask-for-discount/?report-id=105283

www.qyreports.com

The global report titled as an Internet of Things Fleet Management market has recently published by QY Reports to its huge repository. This research report involves massive data which can influence the development of the Internet of Things Fleet Management market. This exploration report provides effective data which can act as a guideline for handling the risks and challenges faced in the businesses. It covers the major recent trends that are influencing the growth of the global Internet of Things Fleet Management market.Fleet management is a function that helps companies in the transportation industry to minimize or eliminate the risks associated with productivity, improve efficiency and vehicle investment, and comply with government regulations. Fleet management also helps to reduce transportation-related costs by optimizing the cost and efficiency of fleet operations.Integrating IoT into a fleet management system aims to improve business opportunities. Fleet management's IoT solution improves supply chain visibility, process chain monitoring, and more.Ask for sample pdf copy @Competitive analysis and profiles of the major players, such as AT&T Inc. (U.S.), Cisco Systems, Inc. (U.S.), Verizon Communications, Inc. (U.S.), TomTom International BV (Netherlands), Trimble, Inc. (U.S.), IBM Corporation (U.S.), Omnitracs (U.S.), Sierra Wireless (Canada), Intel Corporation (U.S.), and Telefonica S.A. (Spain).After studying the key companies, it focuses on the startups contributing to the progress of the Internet of Things Fleet Management market. The research report further concentrates on collecting the historical records of the Internet of Things Fleet Management market. The competitive landscape of Internet of Things Fleet Management market has been elaborated on the basis productivity or Internet of Things Fleet Management industries. Price evaluation has been finished by analysts of this research report.The report on the global Internet of Things Fleet Management market is a meticulous piece of work and is assembled by leading both primary as well as secondary research. The data included in the report has been taken by consulting high-quality references, case studies, press releases, and by taking inputs from top industry leaders.Get up to 40% discount on this report @The top segments in the market have been highlighted clearly in this report for the readers to understand in a precised manner. These segments have been presented by giving information on their current and predicted state by the end of the forecast period. The information presented would help the upcoming players to gauge the investment scope within the segments and sub-segments of the global Internet of Things Fleet Management market.The global market on Incinerator has also been analyzed in terms of revenue. The market dynamics such as market drivers, challenges, opportunities, and trends have been presented coupled with their respective impact analysis. The impact analysis helps in gathering information on the future development of the market.The exploration report tries to appreciate the leading-edge techniques taken by vendors in the overall market to offer product detachment through Porter's five forces analysis. It likewise points out the courses in which these associations can strengthen their stand in the market and increment their livelihoods in the coming years. Consistent technological progressions and the enduring penetration of Internet in the remote corners of the world are moreover responsible for the astounding advancement of the Global Internet of Things Fleet Management market.TOC-Global Internet of Things Fleet Management Market Report 2019.Part 1 Global Internet of Things Fleet Management Market Overview.Part 2 Global Internet of Things Fleet Management Market Data AnalysisPart 3 Global Internet of Things Fleet Management Technical Data AnalysisPart 4 Global Production, Revenue (Value) by RegionPart 5 Global Supply (Production), Consumption, ExportPart 6 Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypePart 7 Market Internet of Things Fleet Management Government Policy and NewsPart 8 Internet of Things Fleet Management Market Manufacturing Process and Cost StructurePart 9 Internet of Things Fleet Management Production Market Share by US EU China Japan etc RegionsPart 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersPart 11 Market Effect Factors AnalysisPart 12 Market Forecast.About QYReports:We at, QYReports, a leading market research report publisher accommodate more than 4,000 celebrated clients worldwide putting them at advantage in todays competitive world with our understanding of research. Our list of customers includes prestigious Chinese companies, multinational companies, SMEs and private equity firms whom we have helped grow and sustain with our fact-based research. Our business study covers a market size of over 30 industries offering unfailing insights into analysis to reimagine your business. We specialize in forecasts needed for investing in a new project, to revolutionize your business, to become more customer centric and improve the quality of output.Contact:QYReportsJones John(Sales Manager)+91-9764607607sales@qyreports.comTop significant factors that drives the growth of the smart speakers market

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/connect-to-analyst/5017

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/request-sample/5017

https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com

A smart speaker is a wireless speaker enabled by Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or other wireless protocols and powered by virtual assistant, which is driven by artificial intelligence. It is the latest technological innovation dominating the consumer technology market and is activated by a voice command to perform different tasks such as listening to music, ordering food, and online shopping.The Global Smart Speaker Market size was valued at $4,358 million in 2017, and is projected to reach $23,317 million by 2025, registering a CAGR of 23.4% from 2018 to 2025. North America constituted the highest smart speaker market share of 36.9%. The smart speaker market growth rate is highest in Asia-Pacific delivering a CAGR of 24.93%.Increase in demand for smart home devices is the significant factor that drives the growth of the smart speakers market. Other factors, which influence the market growth are increase in consumer readiness to invest on trending technologies and rise in usage of smart devices among the younger generation.For Detail Information Speak with our Experts@Top Impacting Factors: Advancement in Natural Language Processing (NLP) Establishment of 5G Infrastructure Localization of Languages Privacy and Security Concern Increase in Demand for Multifunctional Devices Rise in Disposable Income & Greater Inclination Toward Technological Products Proliferation of Smart Home DevicesMarket Segmented by Region: North America Europe Asia-Pacific Asia-PacificKey Benefits for Stakeholders This study comprises of the analytical depiction of the global smart speaker market analysis along with current trends and future estimations to depict the imminent investment pockets. The overall smart speaker market potential is determined to understand the profitable trends to gain a stronger foothold. The report presents information related to key drivers, restraints, and opportunities of smart speaker industry with a detailed impact analysis. The current smart speaker market is quantitatively analyzed from 2017 to 2025 to benchmark the financial competency. Porters Five Forces analysis illustrates the potency of the buyers and suppliers in the smart speaker industry.Get Sample Report with TOC@The key players operating in the smart speaker market include Amazon.com, Inc., Apple, Inc., Alibaba Group, Alphabet Inc. (Google Inc.), Sonos, Inc., Bose Corporation, Xiaomi, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Baidu Inc., and Plantronics, Inc. (Altec Lansing/AL Infinity, LLC). Among the companies, Amazon.com, Inc. captured the highest smart speaker market size.About Allied Market ResearchAllied Market Research, a market research and advisory company of Allied Analytics LLP, provides business insights and market research reports to large as well as small & medium enterprises. The company assists its clients to strategize business policies and achieve sustainable growth in their respective market domain.Allied Market Research provides one stop solution from the beginning of data collection to investment advice. The analysts at Allied Market Research dig out factors that help clients to understand the significance and impact of market dynamics. The company amplies clients insight on the factors, such as strategies, future estimations, growth or fall forecasting, opportunity analysis, and consumer surveys among others. As follows, the company offers consistent business intelligent support to aid the clients to turn into prominent business firm.Contact:David Correa5933 NE Win Sivers Drive#205, Portland, OR 97220United StatesToll Free (USA/Canada):+1-800-792-5285, +1-503-894-6022, +1-503-446-1141UK: +44-845-528-1300Hong Kong: +852-301-84916India (Pune): +91-20-66346060Fax: +1-855-550-5975help@alliedmarketresearch.comWeb:Cyber Security Market 2019 Global Overview by Industry Verticals: Government, Banking, Financial services and Insurance, Manufacturing, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Retail, Healthcare

Cyber Security

https://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/2485742?utm_source=Dipali

https://www.orbisresearch.com/reports/index/global-cyber-security-market-by-product-segments-service-segments-industry-verticals-geography-recent-developments-forecast-to-2025?utm_source=Dipali

https://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/enquiry-before-buying/2485742?utm_source=Dipali

The global cyber security market is projected to exceed US$ 177 Billion by 2025. Cybersecurity is becoming a strategic imperative for organization owing to increased focus on preventing information in the wake of high-profile data thefts and breaches. The worldwide spending on cybersecurity is increasing as it is becoming difficult to keep pace with the rise in cybercrimes and malware attacks on governments, BFSI and healthcare organizations. The adoption of cybersecurity solutions is expected to grow with the increasing penetration of internet among developing and developed countries. Also, the expanding wireless network for mobile devices has increased data vulnerability making cybersecurity an integral part of every single organization across the world.Get PDF Sample Copy of Global Cyber Security Market Report at:Global Cyber Security Market & Forecast - By Product Segments Network security, Identity and Access Management (IAM) and Security and Vulnerability Management (SVM) are the top product segments by size and growth prospects. Network security emerged as the most attractive product segment by size. Identity and Access Management (IAM) accounted for over 16% share of the overall product market in 2017. Security and Vulnerability Management (SVM) is anticipated to capture nearly 23% share of the overall cyber security products market by 2025. Messaging security and web security are product groups with low growth prospects.Global Cyber Security Market & Forecast - By Service Segments The service segments dominate the overall cyber security market. In 2017, the managed security services captured maximum share of the overall cyber security services market. Integration service solutions accounted for over 30% share of the overall cyber security services market in 2017. The education and training segment captured least share of the overall cyber security services market.Browse Complete Global Cyber Security Market Report at:Global Cyber Security Market & Forecast - By Industry Verticals The government sector accounted for lions share of the global cyber security market in 2017. Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI) sector accounted for nearly 22% share of the global cyber security market in 2017. Manufacturing companies were not known for storing sensitive information, but that has changed in a big way. The information and communications technology (ICT) sector captured nearly 10% share of the global cyber security market in 2017. The healthcare industry is likely to capture over 6% share of the global cyber security market by 2025.Global Cyber Security Market & Forecast - By Geography North America captured maximum share of the global cybersecurity market in 2017, followed by Europe. It is anticipated that Asia Pacific will account for over 30% share of the global cybersecurity market by 2025. Countries such as India and China are rapidly moving toward digitization in all the sector which is anticipated to increase the cybercrime activities in the region.RESEARCH report titled Global Cyber Security Market (By Product Segments, Service Segments, Industry Verticals, Geography, Recent Developments) - Forecast to 2025 provides a comprehensive assessment of the fast-evolving, high-growth Cyber Security Market.This 106 Page report with 61 Figures and 5 Tables has been analyzed from 9 viewpoints:1. Global Cyber Security Market & Forecast (2015 - 2025)2. Global Cyber Security Market Share & Forecast (2015 - 2025)3. By Product Segments - Global Cyber Security Market & Forecast (2015 - 2025)4. By Service Segments - Global Cyber Security Market & Forecast (2015 - 2025)5. By Industry Verticals - Global Cyber Security Market & Forecast (2015 - 2025)6. By Geography - Global Cyber Security Market & Forecast (2015 - 2025)7. Global Cyber Security Market - Key Developments8. Global Cyber Security Index 20179. Global Cyber Security Market - Growth Drivers and ChallengesGlobal Cyber Security Index 2017 Africa Americas Arab States Asia and the Pacific EuropeResearch MethodologiesPrimary Research Methodologies: Questionnaires, Surveys, Interviews with Individuals, Small Groups, Telephonic Interview, etc.Secondary Research Methodologies: Printable and Non-printable sources, Newspaper, Magazine and Journal Content, Government and NGO Statistics, white Papers, Information on the Web, Information from Agencies Such as Industry Bodies, Companies Annual Report, Government Agencies, Libraries and Local Councils and a large number of Paid Databases.Enquire for Buying Global Cyber Security Market Report at:About Us:Orbis Research (orbisresearch.com) is a single point aid for all your market research requirements. We have vast database of reports from the leading publishers and authors across the globe. We specialize in delivering customized reports as per the requirements of our clients. We have complete information about our publishers and hence are sure about the accuracy of the industries and verticals of their specialization. This helps our clients to map their needs and we produce the perfect required market research study for our clients.Contact Us:Hector CostelloSenior Manager  Client Engagements4144N Central Expressway,Suite 600, Dallas,Texas - 75204, U.S.A.Phone No.: +1 (214) 884-6817; +912064101019Generic Drugs Market - Global Competitive Analysis And Trends By Top Key Players- TEVA PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES, MYLAN N.V., NOVARTIS INTERNATIONAL AG, PFIZER

Generic Drugs

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-sample/1084

https://www.coherentmarketinsights.com/insight/request-pdf/1084

https://www.coherentwire.com

Generic drugs market growth is buoyed by increasing number of patented expiries for drugs each year. According to the IMS data small-molecule products worth US$ 121 Bn are expected to lose patents in developed markets, such as U.S and Europe between 2014 and 2018. The IMS also forecasts that biologic products valued at US$ 48 Bn are expected to lose patent protection over the next three years i.e from 2017 and 2020, which is expected to drive growth of the generic drugs market. Global generics market is highly competitive with many Asia Pacific companies entering the developed markets such as the U.S., Germany, France, and UK. Recent past has witnessed spurt in mergers and acquisitions between generic drug manufacturers, with major players focusing on enhancing their product portfolio through such inorganic strategies. For instance, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Pvt. Ltd., Pfizer, Inc., Mylan, Sun Pharmaceutical, and Fresenius Kabi entered into acquisitions to increase their revenue share in the generic drugs market.Request Sample Copy Of This Business Report:Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries strengthened its position in the generic drugs market through acquisition of the generic segment of Allergan, plc for US$ 40.5 billion in August 2016. This resulted in significant growth in revenue contribution of its generic drug segment, pegged at US$ 9.5 billion in 2016.Mylan ranks second in the list of generic drug manufacturers, and this is due to the acquisition valued at US$ 7.2 Bn of Swedens Meda by Mylan, in year 2016. This also aided Mylan to increase its sales of over-the-counter drugs and expand its presence in new emerging markets such as China, Southeast Asia, Russia, and the Middle East.SandozNovartis Groups business segment dealing in generic medicinesreported rampant growth of 9% Y-o-Y in 2016, in sales volume, with revenue pegged at US$ 9 Bn. However, it was partially offset by a 6% erosion in price. Pfizer is at the fourth position (US$ 4.6 Bn revenue in 2016). Pfizer acquired Hospira in 2015, in order to increase its product portfolio of both generic and branded products. Pfizer offers over 220 injectable medications, plus other off-brand products, which is expected to aid in gaining high revenue in near future. Patent loss of Viagra in 2017, will lead to significant generic competition from Teva and Mylan.Fresunius Kabi, a generic arm of the Fresenius German Healthcare Group, reported a 4% growth in revenue from the U.S. in 2016 driven by strong sales of sterile injectable drugs. In 2017, the company entered into agreement to buy Akorna generic drugs manufacturerfor US$ 4.5 Bn, further strengthening its position in the market. For Endo Pharmaceuticals, till 2014, the generic segment did not generate significant revenue. However, following its acquisition of Par Pharmaceutical in 2015, revenue of Endo Pharmaceutical increased by 12.2% from 2012-2014. Following the acquisition, Endo enhanced its product portfolio with the addition of around 100 products, which also included profitable generic products.Increase in number of competitors for generic drugs market put the pressure on manufacturers of pricing. Moreover, price celling actions by respective governments is further aggravating the profit margins of generic drug manufacturers. Considering the challenges of pricing pressure as generics outfits feel the pinch with thin margins, the market is expected to exhibit steady growth in the future.Being a very lucrative market with a number of patent expires in the near future, it is essential for competitive analysis for market players. This could aid one in devising a unique strategy and process to sustain in this highly competitive generic drugs market.Download the PDF brochure:About Coherent Market Insights:Coherent Market Insights is a prominent market research and consulting firm offering action-ready syndicated research reports, custom market analysis, consulting services, and competitive analysis through various recommendations related to emerging market trends, technologies, and potential absolute dollar opportunity.Contact Us:Mr.ShahCoherent Market Insights1001 4th Ave,#3200Seattle, WA 98154Tel: +1-206-701-6702Email:sales@coherentmarketinsights.comVisit our news Website:Centrul de Instruire Continua in Domeniul Electoral, cu suportul financiar al PNUD Moldova, anunta concurs de granturi mici pentru biblioteciSolar Street Lighting Market is thriving worldwide with Anhui Longvolt, Orion, Greenshine New Energy, Solar Lighting International, Solar G, Bisol

Solar Street Lighting Market

https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/770

https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/770

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/solar-street-lighting-market

https://www.gminsights.com

http://allnewsmyway.com/

Global efforts to curtail the emission of greenhouse gases across key economic sectors will positively influence the solar street lighting market. Initiatives toward achieving sustainable development with minimal ecological impact will further propel the product demand. Solar Street Lighting Market will exceed USD 5 Billion by 2024, as reported in the latest study by Global Market Insights, Inc. In April 2016, Paris Climate Accord was signed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in response to the rising global temperatures. As of 2018, 195 countries have signed the agreement and announced voluntary emission reduction targets.Request for a sample of this research report @Global street lighting, which accounts for nearly 20% to 35% of the overall energy bill, displays a growing need for reducing power consumption. In addition to this, strict government norms regarding energy conservation coupled with stringent measures to curb greenhouse gas emissions is predicted to promote the solar street lighting market growth over the coming years. Moreover, depleting fossil fuels have contributed substantially to growing electricity costs and this has resulted in a need for finding alternative sources of energy. Furthermore, solar street lights can provide reliable, sustainable, and affordable power as compared to other conventional street lights. Decreasing costs of solar components along with favorable government initiatives such as tax concessions and subsidies on solar products are anticipated to support the market growth over the coming eight years.Substantial reduction in the solar panel and battery prices is anticipated to contribute significantly towards solar street lighting market growth. Government subsidies, rising demand for clean power and increasing economies of scale are some of the key underlying factors which will stimulate the product penetration. For instance, in 2017, solar PV module prices have witnessed a decline of over 80% from 2010 levels.Nigeria market is set to exceed USD 200 million by 2024. Ongoing foreign investment towards development of energy sector along with government initiatives toward sustainable growth and development of low carbon economy will boost the product penetration in coming years. The World bank, and African Development Bank (AFDB) are some of the key stake holders in the countrys ongoing economic development. As per the IMF, Nigeria has witnessed a positive GDP growth for four consecutive quarters as a result of Economic Recovery and Growth Plan initiated by the government.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @With solar power tending to hog most of limelight in the renewable energy mix, solar street lighting market finds itself amongst one of the most burgeoning industry spaces of recent times. Sharply declining component cost, growing manufacturing facilities, and the improving economic scenario outlines the business spaces key to opportunities and profitability. Statistics claim, in 2017 solar PV module prices experienced a decline of almost 80% from what it was recorded in the year 2010. Of course, the marketplace has observed a tremendous push from the rigorous initiatives undertaken by governmental organizations as well as private entities in sync with the global commitment toward climate change.Energy efficiency, low emission rate, longer service life and ecological operations are some of the paramount factors which will boost the demand for Light Emitting Diode (LED) based solar street lights. Declining product prices along with efforts to mitigate harmful effects of Mercury released from CFLs will further enhance the business landscape.Eminent industry players catering across the global market includes Anhui Longvolt, Bisol, Greenshine New Energy, Solar Lighting International, Solar G, Orion, Covimed, Leadsun, Jinhua SunMaster, SEPCO, Shenzhen Spark Optoelectronics, Zhuhai Bomin, Solux, Urja Global, Sol, Solar Street Lights USA, Exide Industries, Su-Kam, Sunna Design, Philips Lighting, SOKOYO, Dragons Breath, Bridgelux, and Omega.Solar Street Lighting Market Growth Potential, Competitive Market Share & Forecast, 2018  2024 in detail along with the table of contents @About Global Market InsightsGlobal Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:Beverage Refrigeration Market 2018 By Regional Manufacturers Dover Corporation, Electrolux, Daikin Industries, Avanti, KingsBottle, Whirlpool Corporation, Edgestar, Haier, Ford and General Electrics.

Beverage Refrigeration Market

https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2111

https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2111

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/beverage-refrigeration-market

https://www.gminsights.com/

North America Beverage Refrigeration Market is anticipated to surpass USD 1 billion by 2024. This can be credited to escalating consumption of refreshment drinks and technological improvements in refrigeration systems. In addition, government encouraging utilization of energy-efficient and eco-friendly technologies in refrigerators.Beverage Refrigeration Market is estimated to exceed USD 4.5 billion by 2024. Escalating demand for refrigerators to store and serve drinks for social gathering and private events, is a key factor driving beverage refrigeration market growth. Ongoing technological advances to reduce the overall cooling time and consumer demand for distinctive features such as bottom freezer drawer and powerful filtered water will boost beverage refrigeration market.Sample copy of this Report @Increasing consumer preference for packaged drinks which are convenient to consume at home will support the product demand. According to recent statistics, the global consumption of packaged drinks was estimated more than 1.05 trillion liters in 2016 and Chinese consumption amounted to about 178.6 billion liters.Manufacturers are anticipated to invest in new product development to comply with new energy standards implemented by the regulatory bodies. Further, increasing penetration of refrigerators that employ specific features such as modifiable shelves to accommodate bottles and cans will boost product sales.Make an Inquiry for purchasing this Report @Under counter beverage refrigerator was valued at over USD 1 billion in 2016. Product offering such as stainless-steel body or custom panel-ready fronts are stimulating the demand. In addition, better shelving and temperature control will support segment penetration over the forecast period.Rising demand to preserve milk in dairy shops will propel coolers demand over the projected timeframe. Diary companies are upgrading their existing capacities, and setting up cold storages along with the processing plant. This will generate the overall revenue over the forecast period.Browse Report Summery @Asia Pacific market holds over 20% of overall industry share in 2016. According to industry estimates, the region is anticipated to account for more than two-thirds of the global beverages consumption by 2020. The region accounts for 60% of the world population and increasing consumption will provide lucrative opportunities for manufacturers.Global beverage refrigeration market is fragmented in nature. Key industry players are Electrolux, Daikin Industries, Avanti, Dover Corporation, KingsBottle, Whirlpool Corporation, Edgestar, Haier, Ford and General Electrics. Other Industry participants are Koolatron, Coca-Cola, Danfoss, Gamko, Liebherr, Marvel, Kegco, Danby, Johnson Controls, U-line, HABCO, Allavino, Kenmore, Marvel, United Technologies Corporation and Illinois Tool Works.About Global Market Insights:Global Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Contact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone:1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Senior Probiotics Supplements Market 2027 | The Clorox Company i-Health, Inc. Jarrow Formulas NOVA Probiotics Natural Factors Inc. Total Nutrition, Inc.

https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114882/Senior-Probiotics-Supplements-Market

https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/discount/110114882/Senior-Probiotics-Supplements-Market

https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114882/Senior-Probiotics-Supplements-Market

https://www.researchreportinsights.com/

In this report, Research Report Insights offers a 10-year forecast of the global senior probiotics supplements market between 2017 and 2027. In terms of value, the market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.8% over the forecast period. The current study reveals the market trends and market dynamics in all seven regions that are expected to positively affect the current market environment and future scenario of the senior probiotics supplements market over the forecast period.Report DescriptionThis RRI report inspects the senior probiotics supplements market for the period 20172027. The prime objective of this report is to offer insights into developments in the senior probiotics supplements market that are gradually helping transform global businesses associated with the same.Request For Report Sample:The global senior probiotics supplements market report begins by the executive summary and defining various categories and their share in the senior probiotics supplements market. It is followed by market dynamics, overview of the global senior probiotics supplements market, which includes RRI analysis of market drivers, restraints, opportunities and trends that are affecting growth of the senior probiotics supplements market. Furthermore, to understand the popularity of the market segment and regions, the attractiveness index with elaborated insights on the same is provided, which will show the markets attractiveness based on the factors such as CAGR and incremental opportunity.Elders are becoming aware about the health benefits probiotics supplements which in turn is surging the demand for senior probiotics supplements based products. Thus, enhancing the sales for formulation containing probiotic supplements. By the end of 2016, over 550 million people were aged over 65 year or older, which translates to roughly 8% of the world population. Over next thirty years, the number of people ageing sixty year or above will increase thrice and projected to surpass 1.5 billion- representing over 15% of the global population.Associated health benefits of probiotic supplements, digestive system is responsible for catalyzing the food products consumed and absorption of vitamins and minerals from food and nutritional supplements, maintaining the digestive health is very important factor in optimizing nutrient intake and preventing from deficiency related bodily conditions. If the body remains deficient of required essential nutrients, immune function is likely to be compromised and there is higher probability of developing several health concerns. Medical practitioners and individuals realized the associated health benefits and thus recommending probiotic supplement to senior instead of high dosage of chemical based medicines.The market is segmented based on bacteria, formulation type, distribution channel, and region. On the basis of bacteria type segmentation includes Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Bifidobacterium and others. Based on formulation type, the market is segmented into capsules, tablets, liquid, and powder premixes. Among all the formulation type segment, capsule is expected to account for the highest market share, followed by powder premixes over the forecast period. The capsule segment is expected to register a significant CAGR of 11.4% during the forecast period in terms of value. The powder premixes is projected to register a CAGR of 9.0% over the forecast period in terms of value. The factors fuelling demand for probiotics supplements in elders is that, as their bodies cannot easily digest food and they also have lack of immune support. These factors are collectively supporting demand for probiotic supplements among the global elderly population.Senior Probiotics Supplements can be classified as pharmacy stores, specialty stores, hypermarket/supermarket, and e-commerce based on distribution channel segment. Among all the distribution channel type segments, specialty stores segment is expected to exhibit a significant CAGR over the forecast period. Specialty stores segment is expected to continue its dominance in terms of market share over the forecast period.The next section of the report highlights the senior probiotics supplements adoption, by region, and provides the market outlook for 20172027. The study investigates the market attractiveness regionally, as well as analyses the limit to which the trends are influencing the senior probiotics supplements market in each region. Main regions assessed in this report include North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ), Japan and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). The sections, by form, and by application, evaluate the present scenario and growth prospects of the regional senior probiotics supplements market for 20172027. Increasing focus of global key players for expansion in Western Europe and APEJ region is expected to increase the senior probiotics supplements market share in these regions. The North America market has been estimated to dominate the senior probiotics supplements market, accounting for maximum revenue share of the market by 2017 end. Collectively, North America and Western Europe markets are expected to account for over 70.6% revenue share of the global senior probiotics supplements market by 2017 end. Among the emerging markets, APEJ is estimated to exhibit a significant CAGR of 8.8% over the forecast period, followed by Western Europe market, due to the increasing elderly population.To ascertain the senior probiotics supplements market size, we have also taken into account the revenue generated by the various manufacturers. The forecast presented here assesses the total revenue generated by value, across the senior probiotics supplements market. In order to provide an accurate forecast, we initiated by sizing up the current market, which forms the basis on how the senior probiotics supplements market is expected to develop in the future. Given the characteristics of the market, we triangulated the outcome on the basis of three different types of analysis; based on supply side, downstream industry demand and the economic envelope. In addition, it is imperative to note that in an ever-fluctuating global economy, we not only conduct forecasts in terms of CAGR, but also analyse the market based on key parameters, such as year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth rates, to understand the predictability of the senior probiotics supplements market and identify the right opportunities across the market.Request Report Discount:The senior probiotics supplements segments based on bacteria, formulation type, distribution channel, and region, have been analysed in terms of basis point share (BPS) to understand the individual segments relative contributions to market growth. This detailed level of information is important for identifying various key trends in the senior probiotics supplements market. Another key feature of this report is the analysis of key segments in terms of absolute dollar opportunity. This is overlooked while forecasting the market. However, absolute dollar opportunity is critical for evaluating the scope of opportunity that a provider can look to achieve, as well as to identify potential resources from a delivery perspective of the senior probiotics supplements market. The overall absolute dollar opportunity along with the segmental split is mentioned in the report.To understand key growth segments in terms of growth and adoption for senior probiotics supplements globally, Research Report Insights developed the senior probiotics supplements market Attractiveness Index. The resulting index should help providers identify real market opportunities.In the final section of the report on senior probiotics supplements, the dashboard view of the companies is provided to compare the current industrial scenario and their contribution in total senior probiotics supplements market. Moreover, it is primarily designed to provide clients with an objective and detailed comparative assessment of key providers specific to a market segment. Report audiences can gain segment-specific manufacturer insights to identify and evaluate key competitors based on the in-depth assessment of their capabilities and success in the senior probiotics supplements marketplace.Detailed profiles of senior probiotics supplements production companies are also included in the report to evaluate their long and shortterm strategies, key product offerings and recent developments in the senior probiotics supplements market. Key market competitors covered in the report include Church & Dwight Co. Inc., DR. WILLMAR SCHWABE GROUP, The Clorox Company, i-Health, Inc., Jarrow Formulas, NOVA Probiotics, Natural Factors Inc., Total Nutrition, Inc., PharmaCare Laboratories, BioGaia AB, and Lifeway Foods, Inc.Key Segments CoveredBy BacteriaLactobacillusStreptococcusBifidobacteriumOthersBy Formulation TypeTabletsCapsulesLiquidPowder PremixesKey Regions/Countries CoveredNorth AmericaS.CanadaLatin AmericaBrazilArgentinaRest of Latin AmericaWestern EuropeK.GermanyFranceNetherlandsRest of Western EuropeEastern EuropeRussiaPolandRest of Eastern EuropeAsia Pacific Excluding Japan (APEJ)ChinaIndiaAustraliaRest of APEJJapanMiddle East & AfricaGCCSouth AfricaRest of MEAKey CompaniesChurch & Dwight Co. Inc.WILLMAR SCHWABE GROUPThe Clorox Companyi-Health, Inc.Jarrow FormulasNOVA ProbioticsNatural Factors Inc.Total Nutrition, Inc.PharmaCare LaboratoriesBioGaia ABLifeway Foods, Inc.Report Analysis:About Us:Research Report Insights (RRI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver a host of services including custom research reports, syndicated research reports, and consulting services which are personalised in nature. RRI delivers a complete packaged solution to clients; this combines current market intelligence, technology inputs, statistical anecdotes, valuable growth insights, 360-degree view of the competitive framework, and anticipated market trends.Contact Us:Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website:Email: sales@researchreportinsights.comSodium Borate Market Key players : Etimine S.A., Larderello S.p.A., Quiborax S.A

Persistence Market Research (PMR)

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/samples/4534

https://www.persistencemarketresearch.com/toc/4534

http://www.persistencemarketresearch.com

Sodium borate also known as borax is a mineral, a boron compound and a salt of boric acid. Sodium borate is available in crystalline form and is water soluble. Sodium borate can also be easily converted to borates and boric acid. Borax decahydrate is the commonly used grade in the market. Some of the countries such as Turkey, the U.S., Chile and Romania have commercially important deposits of borax. Sodom borate is used in variety of end-user industries such as personal care, biochemistry, paints & coatings, metal processing, food processing, mining, paper processing, water treatment and ceramics among others. Sodium borate is also used as buffer solutions in biochemical processes and laboratories. Fire retardant is another major outlet for sodium borate and is likely to grow in years to come.Request For Report Sample@The market for sodium borate was mainly driven by end-user industries such as increasing demand from personal care, water treatment and disinfectant market. Huge demand for sodium borate as antiseptic solution from detergent, disinfectant and water treatment has been the major factor for the growth of sodium borate in past few years. Sodium borate is used in manufacturing of glass, ceramics, paints & coatings and coated paper among others. Sodium borate is also preferred as a flux in metal processing industry as well as in metal welding. In ceramics, sodium borate is used as ingredient in enamel glazes and as ingredient in ceramic slips. In agricultural chemicals, sodium borate is used in micronutrients to correct the boron deficiencies in the soil. In food processing, sodium borate is used as food additive, food preservative or to improve the rubbery texture of the food. Increasing demand for treated water thus driving the water treatment industry is likely to be major opportunity for the sodium borate market in upcoming years. In spite of so many applications, environmental and health regulations associated with sodium borate are anticipated to hider the growth of the market in next few years.In terms of demand, Asia Pacific was the leading region in sodium borate market in 2013. Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest growing markets for sodium borate due to increasing demand from agricultural chemicals, detergents, ceramics and water treatment in this region. The market for sodium borate in Asia Pacific was led by China. Other Asian countries such as India and Japan are likely to provide better opportunity for sodium borate market owing to increasing consumption from water treatment and agricultural chemicals end-user industries. Asia Pacific was followed by North America. Increasing demand from detergents, agricultural chemicals and water treatment industry is driving the demand for sodium borate in this region. U.S. had the largest demand for sodium borate owing to huge demand from end-user industries such as personal care, water treatment and ceramics among others. Europe had the third-largest demand for sodium borate market in 2013. Increasing demand for sodium borate from personal care industry coupled with chemical industry has been driving the market for sodium borate in Europe. Germany is one of the largest consumers of sodium borate in this region owing to the huge demand from ceramics and paper processing industry. Rest of the World market is anticipated to show positive outlook for the sodium borate market in near future.The market for sodium borate is highly oligopolistic in nature. Some of the key manufacturers in the sodium borate market are Etimine S.A., Larderello S.p.A., Quiborax S.A. and Rio Tinto Group among others.Visit For TOC@About UsPersistence Market Research (PMR) is a third-platform research firm. Our research model is a unique collaboration of data analytics and market research methodology to help businesses achieve optimal performance.To support companies in overcoming complex business challenges, we follow a multi-disciplinary approach. At PMR, we unite various data streams from multi-dimensional sources. By deploying real-time data collection, big data, and customer experience analytics, we deliver business intelligence for organizations of all sizes.Contact UsPersistence Market Research305 Broadway7th Floor, New York City,NY 10007, United States,Telephone - +1-646-568-7751USA  Canada Toll Free: 800-961-0353Email: sales@persistencemarketresearch.comWeb:Uroflowmeters Market Research 2018-2025 by Key Companies - LABORIE, Innova Medical, MINZE HEALTH, Palex Medical SA, BestMedical, Medispec, Fervid Medical Technology

The Insight Partners

https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPMD00002013

https://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/uroflowmeters-market

https://www.theinsightpartners.com/inquiry/TIPMD00002013

Uroflowmeters are devices used to investigate the urodynamics disturbances of the lower urinary tract. This device is also used for measuring the speed of urination and the amount of urine voided during urination. These devices are can be used in hospitals, clinics as well as for homecare. An electronic uroflowmeter hooked up to the funnel or toilet measures the speed and quantity of urination. These devices the wired as well as wireless. The results obtained from wireless uroflowmeters can be analyzed by the physician with the help of bluetooth connectivity.Uroflowmeters Market - Global Analysis to 2025 is an exclusive and in-depth study which provides a comprehensive view of the market includes the current trend and future amplitude of the market with respect to the products/services. The report provides an overview of the Uroflowmeters Market with the detailed segmentation by type, application, and region through in-depth traction analysis of the overall Uroflowmeters industry. This report provides qualified research on the market to evaluate the key vendors by calibrating all the relevant products/services to understand the positioning of the major players in Uroflowmeters Market.Key Players influencing the Uroflowmeters market- MEDKONSULT medical technology s.r.o., LABORIE, Innova Medical, MINZE HEALTH, Palex Medical SA, BestMedical, Medispec Ltd., Fervid Medical Technology Co.,Ltd, Dantec Medical A/S., and ANDROMEDA among others.Get Sample Copy atKey Benefits- To provide detailed information regarding the major factors (drivers, restraints, opportunities, challenges, and trends) influencing the growth of the global Uroflowmeters market To forecast the size of the market segments with respect to four major regional segments, namely, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World (Latin America and the Middle East & Africa)Uroflowmeters Market report also provide a thorough understanding of the cutting-edge competitive analysis of the emerging market trends along with the drivers, restraints, challenges, and opportunities in the Uroflowmeters Market to offer worthwhile insights and current scenario for making right decision. The report covers the prominent players in the market with detailed SWOT analysis, financial overview, and key developments of the products/services from the past three years. Moreover, the report also offers a 360 outlook of the market through the competitive landscape of the global industry player and helps the companies to garner Uroflowmeters Market revenue by understanding the strategic growth approaches.An exclusive Uroflowmeters Market research report has been fabricated through the in depth analysis of the market dynamics across five regions such as North America, Europe, South America, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa. The segmentation of the market by type, application, and region was done based on the thorough market analysis and validation through extensive primary inputs from industry experts, key opinion leaders of companies, and stakeholders) and secondary research (global/regional associations, trade journals, technical white papers, companys website, annual report SEC filing, and paid databases). Further, the market has been estimated by utilizing various research methodologies and internal statistical model.Browse Complete Report atThe report is a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis of the Uroflowmeters industry. It provides market estimation and forecasting of the Uroflowmeters market for the period of 2017 to 2025, considering 2017 as the base year and 2018-2025 as the forecast period. The global market majorly considers five major regions, namely, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South & Central America (SACM). The report also focuses on the exhaustive PEST analysis and extensive market dynamics during the forecast period.The report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global uroflowmeters market based on type, application and end user. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall uroflowmeters market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South & Central America. The uroflowmeters market by each region is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report covers analysis and forecast of 13 counties globally along with current trend and opportunities prevailing in the region.North America is expected to contribute to the largest share in the uroflowmeters market in the coming years, owing to better healthcare facilities and infrastructure in the US. Asia Pacific is expected to witness significant growth rate during the forecast period due to the adoption of better technical advancements in nations such as, Japan and China.Have Queries? Ask us atAbout Us - The Insight Partners is a one stop industry research provider of actionable intelligence. We help our clients in getting solutions to their research requirements through our syndicated and consulting research services. We are a specialist in Healthcare IT, Biotechnology and Medical Device industries.Contact us -Contact Person : Sameer JoshiPhone : +1-646-491-9876Email Id : sam@theinsightpartners.comLaminar Growth to be Witnessed by Regenerative Braking Systems Market by 2014 - 2020

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-297

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-297

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/

Increasing demand for fuel efficient vehicles, increasing efforts for mitigation of carbon emissions and rising cost of fuels, are pushing the Automakers to seek for development of energy efficient systems. This changing dynamics has significantly led to developments in regenerative braking systems market. Nowadays, energy recovery systems in vehicles are increasingly getting employed in passenger as well as commercial vehicles to improve fuel economy and reduce vehicular emissions.As a result for the need of better fuel-economy the regenerative braking systems market has evolved, which is gaining a significant growth in global automotive industry because of energy saving application.Nowadays, regenerative braking systems have become an important feature in hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. In these type of vehicles, regenerative braking systems are used to generate electricity by convertingmomentum loss during application of brakes. The amount of recoverable energy depends upon the vehicle speed and stopping pattern, 5% to 20% of transmitted energy can be saved by using regenerative braking systems. This energy is then transferred to on-board auxiliaries or comfort functions such as climate control. This energy can also be stored as electricity and then returned to the drive train during acceleration or whenever required. This energy can either be stored in batteries or banks of super capacitors. The energy saving features are one among the latent drivers of regenerative braking systems market.Request For Report Sample @The factors driving the growth of global regenerative braking systems market are growing concern for controlling vehicular emission, rising fuel cost and growing concern for advance technology. Although, factors such as increased overall cost of car and maintenance are the major challenges.The global regenerative braking systems market is geographically segmented intosevenkey regions which are, North America, South America,Eastern Europe, Western Europe,Asia Pacific, Japan andMiddle East & Africa. As of 2013, North America dominates the overall global regenerative braking systems market value, followed by Asia Pacific, Europe and others. Asia Pacific is projected to register a significant CAGR for the forecast period in global regenerative braking systems market. This growth is fuelled by increasing penetration rate of hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in regions like Japan, South Korea and China.Growing concern for controlling vehicular emission in Europe region is also expected to drive the growth of global regenerative braking systems market for forecast period.On the basis of passenger vehicle type, the regenerative braking systemsmarket is segmented into three sub-segments, which are, hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The hybrid vehicle sub-segment of global regenerative braking systems market is the predominant in terms of market value dueincreasing adoption of hybrid vehicles in regions like North America and Europe. The hybrid vehicle passenger sub-segment is forecast to have higher growth rate in regenerative braking systems market, followed by plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and electric vehicles.Request For Report Table of Content (TOC):Some of the key players in the global regenerative braking systems market include Continental AG, Delphi Automotive PLC, Denso Corporation, Robert Bosch GMBH and TRW automotive. Acquisitions and mergers are key strategies adopted by major companies to expand their geographical presence and market share in global regenerative braking systems market along with an enhanced customer base.In future, deployment of advanced regenerative braking systems with more efficiency and less prone to energy loss during transmission will provide a completive edge for automotive OEMs.About UsFuture Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.Contact UsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb:Non-Invasive Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices Market 2017-2027 | Abbott, Animas Technologies, Bayer Healthcare, Cercacor, Pendragon Medical

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/12854

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/12854

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/

"The Latest Research Report Non-Invasive Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2017-2027 provides information on pricing, market analysis, shares, forecast, and company profiles for key industry participants.  MarketResearchReports.bizDiabetes has evolved as one of the primary healthcare epidemic characterized by high sugar levels and principle cause of mortality worldwide. In 2014, World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 8.5% of adults living with diabetes. A diabetic person cannot either synthesize enough insulin (type 1 diabetes) or either does not make enough insulin or cannot effectively use the insulin produced by the body (type 2 diabetes). Another type of diabetes that occur in women during her pregnancy is gestational diabetes. However, gestational diabetes is usually resolved after delivery but can precede towards type 2 diabetes later in a womens life. Most of the continuous glucose monitoring devices are invasive and involves use of needles leading to increased chance of infection. Furthermore, the invasive glucose monitoring device is considered to be discrete glucose measurement system which cannot be practically used for continuous monitoring of blood glucose. Certain evidences of hyperglycemia between measurements are however not recorded thus resulting in false or no representation of the blood glucose pattern. Noninvasive monitoring of glucose levels eliminates the need of painful pricking with increased risk of infection, and amount of damage caused to the finger tissue.Therefore, non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring devices are being widely investigated and studied over the past few years for their ability to monitor glucose continuously under highly controlled (e.g. in-clinic) conditions. Various techniques that involves measurement of blood glucose levels non-invasively includes, Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), Mid -Infrared Spectroscopy (Mid-IRS), Raman Spectroscopy, Photo-acoustic Spectroscopy (PA), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and many more.Get Sample Copy of this report @Non- Invasive Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices Market: Drivers & RestraintsRising prevalence of diabetes globally is expected to result in greater use of noninvasive blood glucose monitoring devices among the prevalent population. Owing to the several disadvantages imposed by the use of invasive blood glucose monitors and growing need to develop noninvasive glucose monitoring diagnostic techniques, the market for non- invasive blood glucose monitoring devices is expected to rise at a greater pace during the forecast period. For instance, in June 2015, researchers in U.K. developed blood glucose device that utilizes low-powered lasers in order to measure the blood glucose levels on the skin surface. Also a bench-top version of the system is currently in clinical trials studies which might land in the market over the next few years. This includes, a finger-touch device similar to a computer mouse and a wearable version for continuous blood glucose monitoring. In addition, increasing efforts by several startup manufacturers, for example, Prediktor Medical- a Norway based manufacturer is developing a wearable device for estimation of blood glucose levels based on the combination of several principles determining the noninvasive glucose monitoring including, advanced multivariate analysis and dynamic models for insulin or glucose interaction. The device is expected to be in the form of a watch or bracelet communicating with the mobile phone or a tablet for data presentation. This would enable patients monitor their glucose levels continuously without the need for an implant. Currently available blood glucose measuring devices lacks specificity and sensitivity due to the substantial physical and chemical interference. Non-invasive glucose monitoring devices use multivariate regression analyses converting optical signal to glucose concentration. Hence the device should be designed in such a way that it leads to accurate detection of blood glucose levels imperative for optimum therapy and disease management.Non- Invasive Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices Market: SegmentationNon- invasive blood glucose monitoring devices marketis segmented by technology, modality end user and geography:By TechnologyMIR/NIR (Mid/Near Infrared Spectroscopy)Raman SpectroscopyOcclusion SpectroscopyOptical Coherence TomographyThermal Emission SpectroscopyPhotoacoustic SpectroscopyImpedance/Dielectric SpectroscopyElectromagneticPolarimetryFluorescenceBy ModalityWearable Blood Glucose Monitoring SystemsNon-wearable /Table top Blood Glucose Monitoring SystemsBy End UserHospitalsHome Care SettingsClinicsNon- Invasive Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices Market: OverviewRising prevalence of diabetes worldwide imposes significant economic consequences on the individuals life. Currently, there are 350 million people worldwide estimated to live with diabetes. Thus continuous monitoring of blood glucose levels is essential in order to manage the ever increasing prevalent population living with diabetes currently. For this reason manufacturers are focusing on developing diagnostic techniques that are highly reliable and monitors individuals blood glucose levels with greater accuracy with the capability to improve glycemic control and patient wellbeing. By integration of sensing elements, electronics along with a reliable power source in a single unit, noninvasive blood glucose monitors are offering immense opportunity for all the device manufacturers along with patients and various healthcare providers across the world. Accelerated regulatory approvals of blood glucose monitors is one of the another important factor leading to increased revenues of noninvasive blood glucose devices over the forecast period.Non- Invasive Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices Market: Region-wise OutlookOn the basis of region presence, Non- Invasive Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices market is segmented into seven key regions: North America, Latin America, and Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Asia pacific excluding japan, Japan, Middle East and Africa. Growing number of diabetic population in U.S. is the leading factor contributing towards higher adoption of noninvasive blood glucose monitoring systems. Center of Diseases Control and Prevention estimated 29.1 million of U.S. population with diabetes in the U.S. The data also estimated adult population with diabetes are at 50% higher risk of death. Furthermore, growing need of continuous non-invasive method of blood glucose diagnosis among patients is expected to create higher demand for noninvasive blood glucose monitoring systems worldwide. The incidence of diabetes is higher in regions such as Asia Pacific, North America and Western Europe. Presence of several pipeline blood glucose monitoring systems and their expected launch is expected to drive the market for noninvasive blood glucose devices over the forecast period.Request For TOC Report @Non- Invasive Blood Glucose Monitoring Devices Market: Key PlayersSome of the key market players in the non- invasive blood glucose monitoring devices market are, Abbott, Animas Technologies, Bayer Healthcare, Cercacor, Pendragon Medical, OrSense, and Bayer Healthcare.The research report presents a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, and statistically supported and industry-validated market data. It also contains projections using a suitable set of assumptions and methodologies. The research report provides analysis and information according to categories such as market segments, geographies, types, technology and applications.The report covers exhaustive analysis on:Market SegmentsMarket DynamicsMarket SizeCurrent Trends/Issues/ChallengesCompetition & Companies involvedValue ChainRegional analysis includesNorth America (U.S., Canada)Latin America (Mexico. Brazil)Western Europe (Germany, Italy, France, U.K, Spain, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg)Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia)Asia Pacific (China, India, ASEAN, Australia & New Zealand)JapanMiddle East and Africa (GCC, S. Africa, N. Africa)The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macro-economic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.Report Highlights:Detailed overview of parent marketChanging market dynamics in the industryIn-depth market segmentationHistorical, current and projected market size in terms of volume and valueRecent industry trends and developmentsCompetitive landscapeStrategies of key players and products offeredPotential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growthA neutral perspective on market performanceMust-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprintAbout usMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.ContactMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.bizLOreal Groupe in Beauty and Personal Care 2019 Market Estimation, Dynamics, Outllook, Research, Trends and Forecasts to 2022

LOreal Groupe in Beauty and Personal Care Market

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3593032-l-oreal-groupe-in-beauty-and-personal-care-world

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/3593032-l-oreal-groupe-in-beauty-and-personal-care-world

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=3593032

WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On  LOreal Groupe in Beauty and Personal Care 2019 Market Estimation, Dynamics, Outllook, Research, Trends and Forecasts to 2022.Description:-LOreal leads global beauty and personal care. Facing dynamic niche brands, the company is stepping up acquisition activity and alliances with beauty tech start-ups to renew its portfolio and innovation strategy. As smart diagnostics, healthy living and experience take hold in the industry, LOreal needs to steer its future course to these consumer megatrends. Mass beauty also requires a focus on reinventions and premiumisation as quality is no longer confined to premium labels....The LOreal Groupe in Beauty and Personal Care (World) Company Profile offers detailed strategic analysis of the companys business, examining its performance in Beauty and Personal Care industry. The report examines company shares by region and sector, product developments, market and distribution strategies, challenges from the competition and future prospects. Use it to understand opportunities and threats facing the business and the factors driving success.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comProduct coverage: Baby and Child-specific Products, Bath and Shower, Colour Cosmetics, Deodorants, Depilatories, Fragrances, Hair Care, Mass Beauty and Personal Care, Men's Grooming, Oral Care, Oral Care Excl Power Toothbrushes, Premium Beauty and Personal Care, Prestige Beauty and Personal Care, Skin Care, Sun Care.Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.Why buy this report?* Get a detailed picture of the Beauty and Personal Care market;* Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;* Understand the competitive environment, the markets major players and leading brands;* Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop.It has over 40 years' experience of publishing market research reports, business reference books and online information systems. With offices in London, Chicago, Singapore, Shanghai, Vilnius, Dubai, Cape Town, Santiago, Sydney, Tokyo and Bangalore and a network of over 800 analysts worldwide, Euromonitor International has a unique capability to develop reliable information resources to help drive informed strategic planning.Enquiry About Report @Table Of Contents  Major Key PointsIntroductionStrategic EvaluationCompetitive PositioningBeauty and Personal Care ReviewBeauty and personal care reviewBrand StrategyProspectsContinuedBuy 1-user PDF @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.Global Chromatography Syringes Market: Emerging Economies Expected to Influence Growth until 2022|| Key players- Hamilton Company, Agilent Technologies, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Valiant Co. Ltd., PerkinElmer Inc.

https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=153

https://www.factmr.com/report/153/chromatography-syringes-market

https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=AE&rep_id=153

https://www.factmr.com/

https://factmrblog.com/

https://www.industrynewsanalysis.com/

Chromatography syringes function primarily as a liquid transfer device, or, as a pipette for loading sample loops. These syringes are leak-proof and gas-tight. Chromatography syringes do not have an active part in injection that occurs after displacement of the sample from the syringe. Standard needles utilized for chromatography are usually point style 3 (blunt point), or, 2 (sharp point).Claim Sample Report For FREE:Chromatographic syringes are designed to offer the highest performance in applications including liquid, and gas chromatography, and handling corrosive gases, liquids, sterile solutions, and radioactive materials. A solid domed tip rendered in chromatography syringes help to minimize septum damage. In manual gas chromatography injections, the style two beveled tip injection is preferred by chemists. Demand for chromatography syringes has witnessed a surge on the back of changing regulatory framework, coupled with the rise in consumer concerns related to food safety. Chromatography tests have become imperative for drug approvals. Various technological advancements in chromatography syringes have been witnessed in order to fulfil the requirements of biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, food & beverage, chemical, and semiconductor industries. Demand for chromatography syringes are also being driven by factors such as increasing necessity of research such as purification of monoclonal antibodies, green chromatography, and rapid utilization of chromatography in proteomics. The aforementioned factors are expected to augment growth of the Global Chromatography Syringes Market.However, chromatography syringes are difficult to use in conventional methods. In addition, these syringes possess less sample capacity, which makes chromatography a time consuming process, as careful attention is needed when chromatography syringes are used. These factors will curb the market growth over the forecast period. Leading players in the global chromatography syringes market are focusing on the development of more advanced system for chromatography syringes. The global market for chromatography syringes is estimated to register an impressive CAGR throughout the forecast period (2017-2022). The global chromatography syringes market is estimated to reach approximately US$ 85 Mn in revenues by 2022-end.Autosampler Syringes to Remain Preferred among Products in the MarketBy product type, autosampler syringes for chromatography will remain preferred in the market, with revenues expected to account for over half share of the market during 2017 to 2022. Sales of manual syringes for chromatography will continue to register a comparatively lower CAGR than autosampler syringes through 2022.Although chromatography syringes are projected to find the largest application in gas chromatography, sales of chromatography syringes for application in high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) are estimated to register the highest CAGR through 2022. Demand for chromatography syringes in thin layer chromatography will remain comparatively lower than that in gas chromatography, and HPLC applications over the forecast period.Browse for full details about Report with TOC:Complete Loop Filling - The Most Lucrative Technology for Chromatography SyringesComplete loop filling is projected to be the most lucrative technology for chromatography syringes, with sales expected to exceed revenues worth US$ 30 Mn by 2022-end. However sales of partial loop filling chromatography syringes are expected to reflect the fastest expansion in the market through 2022.Research institutes will continue to be the largest end-users of chromatography syringes during 2017 to 2022, while sales of chromatography syringes in pharmaceutical industry are estimated to exhibit the highest CAGR through 2022.Competition TrackingKey market players profiled in Fact.MRs report include Hamilton Company, Agilent Technologies, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc., Valiant Co., Ltd., PerkinElmer, Inc., Trajan Scientific & Medical Pty Ltd., and Shimadzu Corporation.Ask Industry Expert about this Report:About FactMRFactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market insights reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFact.MR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb:Blog:Read Industry News at -Global Pharyngitis Market Expected to Deliver Dynamic Progression through 2026 | By Pfizer Inc., GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Novartis AG, BioStar Pharmaceuticals Inc., etc.

https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=361

https://www.factmr.com/report/361/pharyngitis-market

https://www.factmr.com/checkout/361/S

https://www.factmr.com/

https://factmrblog.com/

This research report titled Global Pharyngitis Market Expected to Deliver Dynamic Progression through 2026 focuses on the pharyngitis market, published to the vast repository managed by FactMR. The analysis focuses on the prime geographical regions based on their market size, revenue and attractiveness factors. Furthermore, the research discusses various segments from the Pharyngitis Market to examine future lucrativeness and spot growth prospects during 2017-2026. Readers can even access information such as key developments, technologies, innovations, etc., concerned to the Pharyngitis Market.Get Sample PDF Illustration Here -Pharyngitis commonly known as a sore throat is caused by viral or bacterial infection. The most common bacteria infecting throat is Group a streptococcus. Various clinical trials are being carried on to find the best formulation effective in treating sore throat. There is also a focus on patients receiving medication as per the clinical needs and also meet their individual requirement. The healthcare industry across the globe is also emphasizing on appropriate diagnosis, drug selection, dosage, and drug delivery route, duration of administration, proper follow-up, and correct information on possible side-effects.The latest study by FactMR expects the global market for pharyngitis to experience sluggish growth. Towards 2026 end, the global market for pharyngitis is projected to bring in US$ 1,679.0 million revenue. Pharyngitis is the most common manifestation of infection. Antibiotics are given in case of a sore throat, however, they provide very modest benefit. It is still unclear which antibiotic is the best for the treatment of a sore throat. Hence, various research and trials are being conducted to find most effective antibiotic.Compared to the various drug class, beta lactams is likely to emerge as one of the most preferred drug class between 2017 and 2026. Beta lactams is projected to bring in nearly US$ 500 million revenue by 2026 end. Beta-lactams include cephalosporins and penicillins. These drugs are active against many harmful organisms. Moreover, the recent development of broad-spectrum beta-lactams antibiotics active against gram-negative organisms has increased their use.Retail pharmacies and drug stores are likely to gain maximum revenue share. By 2026 end, retail pharmacies and drug stores are projected to bring in nearly US$ 700 million revenue. A sore throat is very common, pharmacists can assess specific symptoms as described by patients and based on it can suggest Over the Counter (OTC) drug that available at retail pharmacies and drug stores. One of the most commonly used OTC products for treating sore throat is lozenges. Moreover, pharmaceutical companies are also introducing new products that can offer rapid relief in pain.Browse Market Report with TOC Here -Oral drug delivery is likely to emerge as the most-preferred drug administration route. Oral drug delivery is projected to create an incremental opportunity of over US$ 300 million between 2017 and 2026. Owing to the cost-effectiveness, convenience and high patient compliance, oral drug delivery is witnessing significant growth. However, many drugs are poorly bioavailable when administered. Hence, lipid-based drug delivery system is one of the emerging trends addressing bioavailability challenges. Moreover, oral drug delivery is the least invasive method as compared to other routes. Targeted drug delivery is also an emerging trend, in which the drug is active only in the targeted area.Competition TrackingThe report also profiles companies that are expected to remain active in the expansion of global pharyngitis market through 2026, which include Pfizer Inc., GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Novartis AG, BioStar Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Zambon Group SpA.Table of Content:Global Economic OutlookGlobal Pharyngitis Market - Executive SummaryGlobal Pharyngitis Market Overview3.1. Introduction3.1.1. Global Pharyngitis Market Taxonomy3.1.2. Global Pharyngitis Market DefinitionContinued.To buy this Report, Click here -About FactMrFactMR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; that's why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsFactMR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400, Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb:Blog:Former state Sen. Jeff Klein, who founded and led the now-defunct Independent Democratic Conference, has maintained radio silence since he lost his primary to state Sen. Alessandra Biaggi. No one saw or heard from him for months as political observers speculated about the next move for the former power broker. Although Klein has kept out of the public eye, the news broke this week that he will join the lobbying firm Mercury Public Affairs. So it seems like despite his rather spectacular electoral defeat, Klein has still managed to land on his feet in a lucrative new job.

L of an announcement

After three years of planning and preparation for the 15-month shutdown of the L train in order to repair damage caused by Superstorm Sandy, Gov. Andrew Cuomo stepped in to say it is no longer necessary, just four months before the planned shutdown was set to begin. Instead, the governor offered an alternative plan that should take about the same amount of time, could cost less and will allow service to continue during repairs. The news came nearly three weeks after Cuomo toured the damaged L train tunnel. His plan, developed by engineering experts from Cornell and Columbia universities, would utilize technology from Europe never used in the U.S., with work done only on nights and weekends. Although some Brooklyn residents reacted with relief that the shutdown will be avoided, others, including transit advocates, responded with skepticism and irritation, questioning the sudden Hail Mary that has upended years of planning.

Finally, Fair Fares

The week started out looking grim for the prospect of Fair Fares, the $106 million New York City program designed to provide half-price MetroCards to low-income straphangers. In June, when the program received funding, Mayor Bill de Blasio said the program would roll out on Jan. 1. The new year came and went with no new details about the program made available to the public. In response to scrutiny from the press, de Blasio said that Fair Fares was simply delayed by a few days and he would announce details soon. And he did, alongside Council Speaker (and acting Public Advocate) Corey Johnson. The pair announced that during the first phase, half-price MetroCards will only be available to working New Yorkers at or below the federal poverty line who already receive cash benefits from the city. The 30,000 currently eligible commuters can only purchase discounted 7-day or 30-day unlimited cards. Another 130,000 New Yorkers who are on food stamps will become eligible in April.

Cuomos inaugural address

Cuomo officially began his third term as governor with an inauguration speech on Ellis Island, the historic entry point for immigrants that he has kept open with state funds despite the federal government shutdown. He used his time to take aim at President Donald Trump  without ever mentioning the presidents name  modeling himself as a progressive champion who would continue to make the state a bulwark against the presidents agenda. The nationally focused address once again raised questions about Cuomos 2020 presidential ambitions, even though he has shot down the notion on numerous occasions.

No-go on Airbnb regulations

A federal judge issued a temporary injunction on Thursday to block a New York City law meant to crack down on vacation rental websites like Airbnb. The law, which was supposed to go into effect next month, would have required Airbnb and other similar services to provide monthly disclosures of all its listings in the city. The judge granted an injunction, saying it likely constitutes a violation of the Fourth Amendment. The decision is a win for vacation rental websites, which have been fighting increased regulation, and a loss for city officials like Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Speaker Corey Johnson, who championed the legislation in an attempt to combat illegal listings that they say worsen the citys housing affordability crisis.

New Yorkers split on Pelosi

Rep. Nancy Pelosi successfully regained her post has speaker of the House, although not every New York representative voted exactly as one might expect. A handful of Democrats who vocally opposed her leading up to the vote followed through and did not support her. Rep. Kathleen Rice, a leader among the anti-Pelosi faction, voted for former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, Rep. Max Rose chose U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth and Rep. Anthony Brindisi went with former Vice President Joe Biden. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez voted for Pelosi, but against the new House rules. Meanwhile, Republican Reps. Tom Reed and John Katko did not vote for Pelosis speakership, but did cross party lines to support her House rules.Air Freight Forwarding 2019 Global Market Key Players  DB Schenker Logistics, GEODIS, Panalpina, DSV, Bollore Logistics, Expeditors, Nippon Express, CEVA Logistics, Pantos Logistics  Analysis and Forecast to 2025

Air Freight Forwarding Market

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3372574-global-air-freight-forwarding-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3372574-global-air-freight-forwarding-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025

www.wiseguyreports.com

WiseGuyRerports.com Presents Global Air Freight Forwarding Market Size, Status and Forecast 2018-2025 New Document to its Studies DatabaseThis report focuses on the global Air Freight Forwarding status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Air Freight Forwarding development in United States, Europe and China.In 2017, the global Air Freight Forwarding market size was million US$ and it is expected to reach million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of during 2018-2025.The key players covered in this studyKuehne + NagelDHL GroupDB Schenker LogisticsGEODISPanalpinaDSVBollore LogisticsExpeditorsNippon ExpressCEVA LogisticsPantos LogisticsAgility LogisticsHellmannDamcoKWEHitachi TransportSankyuKerry LogisticsLogwinC.H.RobinsonYusen LogisticsRequest For Sample Report @Market segment by Type, the product can be split intoFull CharterSplit CharterMarket segment by Application, split intoMedcineBeverageElectronicOtherMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaCentral & South AmericaComplete Report Details @Table Of Contents:1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Players Covered1.4 Market Analysis by Type1.4.1 Global Air Freight Forwarding Market Size Growth Rate by Type (2013-2025)1.4.2 Full Charter1.4.3 Split Charter1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Air Freight Forwarding Market Share by Application (2013-2025)1.5.2 Medcine1.5.3 Beverage1.5.4 Electronic1.5.5 Other1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered2 Global Growth Trends2.1 Air Freight Forwarding Market Size2.2 Air Freight Forwarding Growth Trends by Regions2.2.1 Air Freight Forwarding Market Size by Regions (2013-2025)2.2.2 Air Freight Forwarding Market Share by Regions (2013-2018)2.3 Industry Trends2.3.1 Market Top Trends2.3.2 Market Drivers2.3.3 Market Opportunities..12 International Players Profiles12.1 Kuehne + Nagel12.1.1 Kuehne + Nagel Company Details12.1.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.1.3 Air Freight Forwarding Introduction12.1.4 Kuehne + Nagel Revenue in Air Freight Forwarding Business (2013-2018)12.1.5 Kuehne + Nagel Recent Development12.2 DHL Group12.2.1 DHL Group Company Details12.2.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.2.3 Air Freight Forwarding Introduction12.2.4 DHL Group Revenue in Air Freight Forwarding Business (2013-2018)12.2.5 DHL Group Recent Development12.3 DB Schenker Logistics12.3.1 DB Schenker Logistics Company Details12.3.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.3.3 Air Freight Forwarding Introduction12.3.4 DB Schenker Logistics Revenue in Air Freight Forwarding Business (2013-2018)12.3.5 DB Schenker Logistics Recent Development12.4 GEODIS12.4.1 GEODIS Company Details12.4.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.4.3 Air Freight Forwarding Introduction12.4.4 GEODIS Revenue in Air Freight Forwarding Business (2013-2018)12.4.5 GEODIS Recent Development12.5 Panalpina12.5.1 Panalpina Company Details12.5.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.5.3 Air Freight Forwarding Introduction12.5.4 Panalpina Revenue in Air Freight Forwarding Business (2013-2018)12.5.5 Panalpina Recent DevelopmentContinued.CONTACT US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)ABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Address:WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPlastic Medical Packaging 2018 Global Market Key Players  Palcon, Rose Plastic, Prent, CODA, Janco, Printpack, Comar, EVCO Plastics, Nelipak Healthcare, Sonoco -Analysis And Forecast To 2025

Plastic Medical Packaging Market 2018

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3054350-global-plastic-medical-packaging-market-research-report-2018

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/3054350-global-plastic-medical-packaging-market-research-report-2018

Plastic Medical Packaging Market 2018Wiseguyreports.Com Adds Plastic Medical Packaging  Global Market Growth, Opportunities, Analysis Of Top Key Players And Forecast To 2025 To Its Research Database.Description:This report studies the global Plastic Medical Packaging market status and forecast, categorizes the global Plastic Medical Packaging market size (value & volume) by manufacturers, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top manufacturers in North America, Europe, Japan, China, and other regions (India, Southeast Asia).The major manufacturers covered in this reportPalconRose PlasticPrentCODAJancoPrintpackComarEVCO PlasticsNelipak HealthcareSonocoRequest for Sample Report @Geographically, this report studies the top producers and consumers, focuses on product capacity, production, value, consumption, market share and growth opportunity in these key regions, coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaWe can also provide the customized separate regional or country-level reports, for the following regions:North AmericaUnited StatesCanadaMexicoAsia-PacificChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaIndonesiaSingaporeRest of Asia-PacificEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalySpainRussiaRest of EuropeCentral & South AmericaBrazilArgentinaRest of South AmericaMiddle East & AfricaSaudi ArabiaTurkeyRest of Middle East & AfricaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoFlexible PackagingRigid PackagingOn the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingDentalHealthcareHospital and ClinicOthersEnquiry before Buying @If you have any special requirements, please let us know and we will offer you the report as you want.Table of Content:Global Plastic Medical Packaging Market Research Report 20181 Plastic Medical Packaging Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Plastic Medical Packaging1.2 Plastic Medical Packaging Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global Plastic Medical Packaging Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global Plastic Medical Packaging Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Flexible Packaging1.2.3 Rigid Packaging1.3 Global Plastic Medical Packaging Segment by Application1.3.1 Plastic Medical Packaging Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Dental1.3.3 Healthcare1.3.4 Hospital and Clinic1.3.5 Others1.4 Global Plastic Medical Packaging Market by Region (2013-2025)1.4.1 Global Plastic Medical Packaging Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2013-2025)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of Plastic Medical Packaging (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global Plastic Medical Packaging Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global Plastic Medical Packaging Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025)..7 Global Plastic Medical Packaging Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Palcon7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Plastic Medical Packaging Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Palcon Plastic Medical Packaging Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Rose Plastic7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 Plastic Medical Packaging Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Rose Plastic Plastic Medical Packaging Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Prent7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 Plastic Medical Packaging Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Prent Plastic Medical Packaging Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 CODA7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 Plastic Medical Packaging Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 CODA Plastic Medical Packaging Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Janco7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 Plastic Medical Packaging Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Janco Plastic Medical Packaging Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015-2018)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 Printpack7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 Plastic Medical Packaging Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 Printpack Plastic Medical Packaging Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 Comar7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 Plastic Medical Packaging Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 Comar Plastic Medical Packaging Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 EVCO Plastics7.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.8.2 Plastic Medical Packaging Product Category, Application and Specification7.8.2.1 Product A7.8.2.2 Product B7.8.3 EVCO Plastics Plastic Medical Packaging Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.8.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.9 Nelipak Healthcare7.9.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.9.2 Plastic Medical Packaging Product Category, Application and Specification7.9.2.1 Product A7.9.2.2 Product B7.9.3 Nelipak Healthcare Plastic Medical Packaging Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.9.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 Sonoco7.10.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.10.2 Plastic Medical Packaging Product Category, Application and Specification7.10.2.1 Product A7.10.2.2 Product B7.10.3 Sonoco Plastic Medical Packaging Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.10.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinued..Contact US:NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)About Us:Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Security Robotnning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.Addres:: Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt Ltd: Pune  411028: Maharashtra,: Ph: +91 841 198 5042Global Containerized Data Center Market In-Depth Precious Analysis with Major Market Scope in Information Technology with Future Forecast till 2023

https://www.marketreportsworld.com/enquiry/request-sample/12346080

https://www.marketreportsworld.com/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/12346080

https://www.marketreportsworld.com/purchase/12346080

Global Containerized Data Center Market Report Presents an In-Depth Precious Analysis Of the major containerized data center industry leading players along with the company profiles and strategies adopted by them. This enables the buyer of the report to gain a telescopic view of the competitive landscape and plan the strategies accordingly.A separate section with Containerized Data Center industry key players is included in the report, which provides a comprehensive analysis of price, cost, gross, revenue, product picture, specifications, company profile, and contact information.Development and Research plays a vital role towards the innovation in any given industry which require to execute. Additionally, performing research and development offers a competitive advantage over the competitors owing to regular introduction of products and prototypes to attract consumers. This is expected to have a positive impact on the Containerized Data Center market growth over the forecast period.The Global Containerized Data Center Market was valued at USD 4.78 billion in 2017, and is expected to reach a value of USD 18.64 billion by 2023 at a CAGR of 25.46%, during the forecast period (2018 - 2023). With the growing adoption of cloud and increasing data generation, the demand for data centers has spiked drastically over the past few years. Many companies were looking for immediate and reliable scaling solutions.Request a Sample of this report from:Containerized data center thus offers flexibility to these users. These data centers can be shipped directly to the end-user location and can be set up immediately. With the plug and play functionalities, end-users can accommodate multiple containerized data centers and increase the capacity, depending on the requirements. The containerized data center has found applications in many sectors catering to different consumer needs. The disaster recovery remains one of the primary revenue-generating sectors, with many organizations deploying data center containers to deploy computing power in areas struck with disasters. Temporary capacity elevation and high-performance computing are also major applications for these data centers, with many users utilizing these systems to handle additional loads without interrupting core systems. Easy scalability and high power efficiency are supporting the deployment of this technology.Key Developments in the MarketMarch 2018 - Bahrain Airport Company (BAC), the operator and managing body of Bahrain International Airport (BIA) inaugurated its next-generation Containerised Data Centre (CDC) a portable and inherently scalable facility to host critical airport information systems. The CDC was designed, supplied and implemented by Gulf Business Machines (GBM)The Major Players include -IBM CORPORATION,HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE,CISCO SYSTEMS INC.,DELL INC.,RITTAL GMBH & CO. KG, and HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD., amongst others.High mobility and scalability offered by these systems remain one of the major driving factors for the market growth. The increasing demand for data centers and growing investments in the market are also expected to support the industry growth. With the demand for data center capacity growing, many companies are opting reliable and scalable data center solutions to cater to immediate needs. With containerized data centers offering suitable features to meet the requirements, the demand for these systems is expected to grow. However, the high flexibility offered by modular data centers is restraining the market growth. With industries inclining toward the deployment of modular data centers, the industry is struggling to expand. The limited flexibility and lack of expertise are also challenging the market growth.Growing Demand for Mobility and Scalability Solutions is Driving the Market GrowthFor more than 40% organizations, scalability was one of the top challenges faced. Scalability provides the users with the building blocks to add capacity to their systems in timely intervals and pay-as-you-grow. This capacity-on-demand approach allows organizations to meet the fluctuating demands quickly. It also helps manage the capital expenditure costs and maintain higher operating efficiencies. This enables organizations to adopt new technologies with a forecast of very few months in advance, instead of years of planning. Building a data center environment doesnat just depend on the scaling ability. Better results will be obtained when the data center is agile and scalable. Many new companies deploying data center strategies are starting with these systems to experiment and explore the potential. Easy scalability provided by adding additional blocks and easy plugin capabilities is supporting the growth. The markets, such as Brazil and India, which are experiencing high growth and penetration, are looking for scalable solutions.North America to Hold the Largest Share in 2018North America remained the largest market for these systems in 2017, with 38.2% market share. North America is one of the first regions to adopt these systems, with many companies in the region deploying these data centers in the United States. Microsoft, Google and Amazon, which were the first companies to deploy this technology, established containerized data centers in the United States. Many major players in the market, including IBM, HPE and Cisco have served the market, with the United States as the focused market. Thus, the penetration of containerized data centers in North America has been strong over the past few years. The high technology awareness and focus on cost-effective scaling have driven the market growth in the United States. Many companies in the data center industry have entered the US containerized data center market and expanded globally. However, the North American market is retreating, with many consumers moving toward modular data centers. The North American consumers are demanding higher flexibility and increased customization. With the containerized data centers offering limited flexibility, the demand for modular data centers has been high.Reasons to Purchase this ReportTo analyze various perspectives of the market with the help of Porteras five forces analysisTo understand, which end-user vertical is likely to witness highest adoptionTo identify the latest developments, market shares, and strategies employed by the major market players3-month analyst support, along with the Market Estimate sheet (in Excel)Customization of the ReportThis report can be customized to meet your requirements. Please connect with our representative, who will ensure you get a report that suits your needsHave Any Query? Ask Our Expert @:Containerized Data Center Market Forecast 2018-2023The Containerized Data Center industry research report analyses the supply, sales, production, and market status comprehensively. Production market shares and sales market shares are analysed along with the study of capacity, production, sales, and revenue. Several other factors such as import, export, gross margin, price, cost, and consumption are also analysed under the section Analysis of Containerized Data Center production, supply, sales and market status.Purchase this Report@:Price of Containerized Data Center Market Report (single User Licence): $ 4250Lastly, this report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years, the Report also brief deals with the product life cycle, comparing it to the relevant products from across industries that had already been commercialized details the potential for various applications, discussing about recent product innovations and gives an overview on potential regional market shares.Market is changing rapidly with the ongoing expansion of the industry. Advancement in the technology has provided todays businesses with multifaceted advantages resulting in daily economic shifts. Thus, it is very important for a company to comprehend the patterns of the market movements in order to strategize better. An efficient strategy offers the companies with a head start in planning and an edge over the competitors. Market Reports World is the credible source for gaining the market reports that will provide you with the lead your business needs.Market Reports World3rd Floor, Silver Spring, Sahyadri farms,Opp Prabhavee Tech Park,Baner - Mhalunge Road, Baner, Pune 411045.Rapid Increase in End-use Adoption to Boost Machine Glazed Paper Market Revenue Growth by 2028

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/toc/rep-gb-7900

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-7900

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-7900

https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/

Machine Glazed Paper Market: Overview : Machine glazed paper is a type of uncoated paper, its one side has shiny appearance while the other side is slightly rough. Shining and smoothness on the one side offer excellent printability. Unlike kraft paper, machine glazed paper has a high tensile strength which makes machine glazed paper an optimum choice for various applications ranging from chewing wrappers to soap wrappers to butter wraps. Machine glazed paper represents low variation in grammage across the paper, and it offers excellent machinability. The properties of machine glazed paper can be enhanced by the process of calendaring the paper or by the chemical refining the pulp. The machine glazed paper is useful for printing, coating, packaging converters, laminating and envelope manufacturing, etc. The demand for machine glazed paper market is expected to be positive during the forecast period.Machine Glazed Paper Market: Dynamics : Machine glazed paper is made of unbleached virgin fibers, which make them suitable for food applications. The machine glazed paper can be combined with other substrates including aluminum foil and polyester films by laminating process, used for various applications including wrappers for soap, confectionary, and other products. These factors are expected to drive the growth of the global machine glazed paper market during the forecast period. Machine glazed paper finds useful applications in industries such as aeronautics, metallurgy, and car making, among others. The printability, excellent machinability and flexibility of machine glazed paper ensure its adaptability to the wide range of applications across various end-use sectors.The machine glazed paper is available in a weight range of 30 gsm to 120 gsm. The structure of machine glazed paper is such that it offers a better barrier towards air or moisture. The versatile nature of machine glazed paper makes it suitable to use in various end-use sectors. The machine glazed paper is used as acid-free paper for packaging of apparels, jewelry, and also used as anti-rust paper for packaging of machine parts to prevent them from corrosion. These factors are projected to propel the growth of the global machine glazed paper market during the forecast period.Request for Table of Contents @Machine Glazed Paper Market: Segmentation : Globally, the machine glazed paper market has been segmented on the basis of grade, weight, application, end use and region. On the basis of grade, the global machine glazed paper market is segmented as: Bleached, Unbleached; On the basis of weight, the global machine glazed paper market is segmented as: Less than 30 gsm, 30 gsm to 50 gsm, 50 gsm to 100 gsm, 100 gsm & above; On the basis of application, the global machine glazed paper market is segmented as: Wrapping, Printing, Coating & Lamination, Others; On the basis of end use, the global machine glazed paper market is segmented as: Food, Bakery & Confectionary, Automotive, Textile & Apparels, Aeronautics, Metallurgical, Others; On the basis of region, the global machine glazed paper market is segmented as  North America, Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Asia Pacific excluding Japan, Middle East & Africa, Japan;APEJ, dominated especially by countries such as India, China, and South Korea, among others, is supposed to dominate the global machine glazed paper market during forecast period. It is attributed to the presence of various end-use industries including machinery, automobiles and textile in the region. The region is followed by Western Europe, where numerous global players of food, textiles and other sectors are present.The region has many food service providers, which is expected to fuel the demand for machine glazed paper, especially in the countries including the U.K., France, and Germany. North America is supposed to witness average growth in the global machine glazed paper market during the next decade. The U.S. is expected to dominate the regional market owing to presence of top manufacturers and producers with outstanding facilities. Latin America and Eastern Europe regions are supposed to foresee above-average growth in the global machine glazed paper market during the forecast period.Request to Report Methodology @Machine Glazed Paper Market: Key Players : Examples of some of the leading players operating in the global machine glazed paper market are  BPM Inc., Smurfit Kappa, Mondi Group, SPE Flexibles, SCG Packaging, Shawano Paper Mill, Charta Global, Papelera Guipuzcoana de Zicunaga (Iberpapel Group), Twin Rivers Paper Company, Gascogne Papier;The report is a compilation of first-hand information, qualitative and quantitative assessment by industry analysts, inputs from industry experts and industry participants across the value chain. The report provides in-depth analysis of parent market trends, macroeconomic indicators and governing factors along with market attractiveness as per segments. The report also maps the qualitative impact of various market factors on market segments and geographies.Key Developments: In February, 2017, Verso Corporation has developed the NK Series, a family of lightweight, machine glazed papers manufactured using unbleached virgin fiber. In June, 2017, Charta Global had announced the addition of Enza Kraft to its production line specialty kraft papers. This is certified, virgin pulp-based, machine glazed paper.Report Highlights: A detailed overview of parent market, Changing market dynamics in the industry, In-depth market segmentation, Historical, current, and projected size of machine glazed paper market regarding volume and value, Recent industry trends and developments, Competitive landscape, Strategies for key players and products offered, Potential and niche segments, geographical regions exhibiting promising growth, A neutral perspective on market performance, Must-have information for market players to sustain and enhance their market footprint;Get more information on Machine Glazed Paper Market @About UsFuture Market Insights is the premier provider of market intelligence and consulting services, serving clients in over 150 countries. FMI is headquartered in London, the global financial capital, and has delivery centres in the U.S. and India.FMIs research and consulting services help businesses around the globe navigate the challenges in a rapidly evolving marketplace with confidence and clarity. Our customised and syndicated market research reports deliver actionable insights that drive sustainable growth. We continuously track emerging trends and events in a broad range of end industries to ensure our clients prepare for the evolving needs of their consumers.Contact UsU.S. Office616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-9018,Valley Cottage, NY 10989,United StatesT: +1-347-918-3531F: +1-845-579-5705Email: sales@futuremarketinsights.comWeb:Automotive Geospatial Analytics Market 2019 Global Key Players  IBM, Google, SAP, Oracle - Analysis and Forecast to 2025

Automotive Geospatial Analytics Market 2019

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3652975-global-automotive-geospatial-analytics-market-size-status-and-forecast-2019-2025

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3652975-global-automotive-geospatial-analytics-market-size-status-and-forecast-2019-2025

Automotive Geospatial Analytics Market 2019Geospatial analysis is the gathering, display, and manipulation of imagery, GPS, satellite photography and historical data, described explicitly in terms of geographic coordinates or implicitly, in terms of a street address, postal code, or forest stand identifier as they are applied to geographic models.Based on component, the geospatial analytics market has been segmented into software & solutions and services. The software & solutions segment is expected to hold a larger market share in 2018. The adoption of geospatial software & solutions by enterprises is primarily to acquire location-based business intelligence for informed decision-making.North America is estimated to be the largest market for geospatial analytics in 2017. The growth of the geospatial analytics market in North America is primarily driven by the high adoption of latest technologies such as cloud computing, big data, Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and business intelligence tools.In 2018, the global Automotive Geospatial Analytics market size was xx million US$ and it is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of xx% during 2019-2025.This report focuses on the global Automotive Geospatial Analytics status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Automotive Geospatial Analytics development in United States, Europe and China.Request a Sample Report @The key players covered in this studyIBMESRIGooglePitney BowesSAPOracleAlteryxBentley SystemsHarrisDigitalGlobeHexagon ABTeradataTrimbleMaplargeMarket segment by Type, the product can be split intoSoftware & SolutionsServicesMarket segment by Application, split intoSafety and NavigationInsuranceLogisticsOthersMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaCentral & South AmericaComplete Report Details @Table of Contents Analysis of Key Points1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Players Covered1.4 Market Analysis by Type1.4.1 Global Automotive Geospatial Analytics Market Size Growth Rate by Type (2014-2025)1.4.2 Software & Solutions1.4.3 Services1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Automotive Geospatial Analytics Market Share by Application (2014-2025)1.5.2 Safety and Navigation1.5.3 Insurance1.5.4 Logistics1.5.5 Others1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered2 Global Growth Trends2.1 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Market Size2.2 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Growth Trends by Regions2.2.1 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Market Size by Regions (2014-2025)2.2.2 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Market Share by Regions (2014-2019)2.3 Industry Trends2.3.1 Market Top Trends2.3.2 Market Drivers2.3.3 Market Opportunities3 Market Share by Key Players3.1 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Market Size by Manufacturers3.1.1 Global Automotive Geospatial Analytics Revenue by Manufacturers (2014-2018)3.1.2 Global Automotive Geospatial Analytics Revenue Market Share by Manufacturers (2014-2018)3.1.3 Global Automotive Geospatial Analytics Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI)3.2 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Key Players Head office and Area Served3.3 Key Players Automotive Geospatial Analytics Product/Solution/Service3.4 Date of Enter into Automotive Geospatial Analytics Market3.5 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans12 International Players Profiles12.1 IBM12.1.1 IBM Company Details12.1.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.1.3 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Introduction12.1.4 IBM Revenue in Automotive Geospatial Analytics Business (2014-2019)12.1.5 IBM Recent Development12.2 ESRI12.2.1 ESRI Company Details12.2.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.2.3 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Introduction12.2.4 ESRI Revenue in Automotive Geospatial Analytics Business (2014-2019)12.2.5 ESRI Recent Development12.3 Google12.3.1 Google Company Details12.3.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.3.3 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Introduction12.3.4 Google Revenue in Automotive Geospatial Analytics Business (2014-2019)12.3.5 Google Recent Development12.4 Pitney Bowes12.4.1 Pitney Bowes Company Details12.4.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.4.3 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Introduction12.4.4 Pitney Bowes Revenue in Automotive Geospatial Analytics Business (2014-2019)12.4.5 Pitney Bowes Recent Development12.5 SAP12.5.1 SAP Company Details12.5.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.5.3 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Introduction12.5.4 SAP Revenue in Automotive Geospatial Analytics Business (2014-2019)12.5.5 SAP Recent Development12.6 Oracle12.6.1 Oracle Company Details12.6.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.6.3 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Introduction12.6.4 Oracle Revenue in Automotive Geospatial Analytics Business (2014-2019)12.6.5 Oracle Recent Development12.7 Alteryx12.7.1 Alteryx Company Details12.7.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.7.3 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Introduction12.7.4 Alteryx Revenue in Automotive Geospatial Analytics Business (2014-2019)12.7.5 Alteryx Recent Development12.8 Bentley Systems12.8.1 Bentley Systems Company Details12.8.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.8.3 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Introduction12.8.4 Bentley Systems Revenue in Automotive Geospatial Analytics Business (2014-2019)12.8.5 Bentley Systems Recent Development12.9 Harris12.9.1 Harris Company Details12.9.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.9.3 Automotive Geospatial Analytics Introduction12.9.4 Harris Revenue in Automotive Geospatial Analytics Business (2014-2019)12.9.5 Harris Recent DevelopmentContinued..Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.WISE GUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, HadapsarPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaGlobal Smart Door Locks Market 2019 Key Players:ASSA ABLOY, Samsung, Allegion, Kwikset, MIWA Lock, Master Lock.

Smart Door Locks Market

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3652085-global-smart-door-locks-market-size-study-by

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/3652085-global-smart-door-locks-market-size-study-by

Smart Door Locks Market:WiseGuyReports.com adds Smart Door Locks Market 2019 Global Analysis, Growth, Trends and Opportunities Research Report Forecasting 2025 reports tits database.Executive SummaryGlobal Smart Door Locks Market valued approximately USD XX billion in 2017 is anticipated to grow with a healthy growth rate of more than XX% over the forecast period 2018-2025. The Smart Door Locks Market is continuously growing across the world over the coming years. The major driving factor of global Smart Door Locks market are growing demand across application areas and rising investment in smart security. In addition, robust growth in demand for portable security devices, rise in security threats and increased focus of society towards Internet of Things (IoT) are some other factors impact positive growth on the market. However, high R&D investments, high cost of devices and fear of privacy intrusion and loss of smartphones are some factors which restraining the Global Smart Door Lock Market. Smart door lock is an electromechanical lock which is designed to perform locking and unlocking operation on a door when it receives such instruction from an authorized device using a wireless protocol and a cryptographic key to execute the authorization process. Smart door lock offers various benefits such as ensures a high security, convenient for elderly and physically impaired people, increases accessibility, simplify control on protection, handled via smartphones and boosts connectivity.The regional analysis of Global Smart Door Locks Market is considered for the key regions such as Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, Latin America and Rest of the World. North America is the leading/significant region across the world in terms of market share owing to increasing security concern, well-established technological infrastructure and high investments from major IoT players. Europe also contributes a major growth rate in the global Smart Door Locks market. Asia-Pacific is also anticipated to exhibit higher growth rate / CAGR over the forecast period 2018-2025 due to rising number of commercial as well as residential projects, rapid urbanization and disposable income.The major market player included in this report are:ASSA ABLOYSamsungAllegionKwiksetMIWA LockMaster LockGuangdong Be-TechAdelAugustHoneywellJiangmen Keyu IntelligenceTenonLocstarProbuckGuangdong Level Intelligent LockThe objective of the study is to define market sizes of different segments & countries in recent years and to forecast the values to the coming eight years. The report is designed to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative aspects of the industry within each of the regions and countries involved in the study. Furthermore, the report also caters the detailed information about the crucial aspects such as driving factors & challenges which will define the future growth of the market. Additionally, the report shall also incorporate available opportunities in micro markets for stakeholders to invest along with the detailed analysis of competitive landscape and product offerings of key players. The detailed segments and sub-segment of the market are explained below:Request Sample Report @By Product:Electronic Cipher LocksFingerprint LocksRemote LocksOthersBy Application:HouseholdCommercialOthersFurthermore, years considered for the study are as follows:Historical year  2015, 2016Base year  2017Forecast period  2018 to 2025Target Audience of the Global Smart Door Locks Market in Market Study:Key Consulting Companies & AdvisorsLarge, medium-sized, and small enterprisesVenture capitalistsValue-Added Resellers (VARs)Third-party knowledge providersInvestment bankersInvestorsTable of ContentsChapter 1. Executive Summary1.1. Market Snapshot1.2. Key Trends1.3. Global & Segmental Market Estimates & Forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)1.3.1. Smart Door Locks Market, by Product, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)1.3.2. Smart Door Locks Market, by Application, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)1.3.3. Smart Door Locks Market, by Region, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)1.4. Estimation Methodology1.5. Research AssumptionChapter 2. Smart Door Locks Market Definition and Scope2.1. Objective of the Study2.2. Market Definition & Scope2.2.1. Industry Evolution2.2.2. Scope of the Study2.3. Years Considered for the Study2.4. Currency Conversion RatesChapter 3. Smart Door Locks Market Dynamics3.1. See Saw Analysis3.1.1. Market Drivers3.1.2. Market Challenges3.1.3. Market OpportunitiesChapter 4. Smart Door Locks Market Industry Analysis4.1. Porters 5 Force Model4.1.1. Bargaining Power of Buyers4.1.2. Bargaining Power of Suppliers4.1.3. Threat of New Entrants4.1.4. Threat of Substitutes4.1.5. Competitive Rivalry4.1.6. Futuristic Approach to Porters 5 Force Model4.2. PEST Analysis4.2.1. Political Scenario4.2.2. Economic Scenario4.2.3. Social Scenario4.2.4. Technological Scenario4.3. Value Chain Analysis4.3.1. Supplier4.3.2. Manufacturers/Service Provider4.3.3. Distributors4.3.4. End-Users4.4. Key Buying Criteria4.5. Regulatory Framework4.6. Cost Structure Analysis4.6.1. Raw Material Cost Analysis4.6.2. Manufacturing Cost Analysis4.6.3. Labour Cost Analysis4.7. Investment Vs Adoption Scenario4.8. Analyst Recommendation & ConclusionChapter 5. Smart Door Locks Market, by Product5.1. Market Snapshot5.2. Market Performance - Potential Model5.3. Key Market Players5.4. Smart Door Locks Market, Sub Segment Analysis5.4.1. Electronic Cipher Locks5.4.1.1. Market estimates & forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)5.4.1.2. Regional breakdown estimates & forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)5.4.2. Fingerprint Locks5.4.2.1. Market estimates & forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)5.4.2.2. Regional breakdown estimates & forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)5.4.3. Remote Locks5.4.3.1. Market estimates & forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)5.4.3.2. Regional breakdown estimates & forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)5.4.4. Others5.4.4.1. Market estimates & forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)5.4.4.2. Regional breakdown estimates & forecasts, 2015-2025 (USD Billion)ContinuousFor further information on this report, visit Wise Guy Reports Is Part Of The Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. And Offers Premium Progressive Statistical Surveying, Market Research Reports, Analysis & Forecast Data For Industries And Governments Around The Globe. Wise Guy Reports Features An Exhaustive List Of Market Research Reports From Hundreds Of Publishers Worldwide. We Boast A Database Spanning Virtually Every Market Category And An Even More Comprehensive Collection Of Market Research Reports Under These Categories And Sub-Categories.WISEGUY RESEARCH CONSULTANTS PVT LTDOffice No. 528/524, Amanora Chambers, Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar Pune, Maharashtra 411028+91 841 198 5042Oman Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Outlook 2019  Growth Drivers and Industry Key Players  Ogero Telecom, Touch (Zain), Alfa Telecom (Orascom) and Forecast Analysis to 2022

Oman Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market 2022

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3365814-oman-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3365814-oman-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses

www.wiseguyreports.com

WiseGuyReports.com Oman - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses report has been added to its Research Database.Scope of the Report:Oman is demonstrating progress in both mobile and fixed telecoms. Oman has established a progressive mobile sector which has substantial coverage of both 3G and 4G LTE networks. While significant 5G developments are not expected until at least 2020; there have been trials already conducted.Mobile broadband subscriptions are still in a growth stage and the two major mobile operators, Omantel and Ooredoo Oman are competitive, partly in response to the rise of MVNOs.A third mobile network operator (MNO) license was up for tender throughout 2017 and four operators had expressed an interest in bidding for the license. However, in October 2017, the government announced the tender process had been cancelled. It was reported the license would be awarded to a local consortium instead.There has also been a recent and renewed push towards improving fixed broadband infrastructure for Oman  especially fibre-based networks. The fibre-optic service provider, Asawr, was partially acquired in early 2018 and this will allow for fresh investment in its high-speed network.As part of it National Broadband Strategy, Oman Broadband Company (OBC) hopes to have all homes and businesses connected to its national broadband infrastructure by 2040.Request a Sample Report @Oman is well positioned to be a technology hub in the Middle East as it is well located between Asia, Africa and Europe and has access to several submarine cable systems. For these reasons, Equinix, one of the largest data centre operators in the world selected to partner with Omantel in mid-2018 and jointly build a new data centre in Oman.Key developments:The mobile sector in Oman has become more and more competitive in recent years, due to both the market becoming saturated as well as the rise of MVNOs.There was a third mobile network operator (MNO) license up for tender in Oman in 2017, which was subsequently cancelled.VoIP subscriptions are on the rise in Oman.Companies mentioned in this report include:Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel); Oman Mobile; Ooredoo Oman; Oman Broadband Company (OBC); FRiENDi, Majan Telecom (Renna); Integrated Telecommunications Oman (TeO); Awasr-Oman.For Detailed Reading Please visit @Major Key Points in Table of Content:1. Executive summary2. Key statistics2.1 Country overview3. Telecommunications market3.1 Market Overview3.2 Market analysis3.3 Recent developments4. Regulatory environment4.1 Historic overview4.2 Revision of the telecommunication regulatory law  2011-20154.3 Regulatory authority5. Competition issues5.1 Market competitiveness report6. Fixed network operators in Oman6.1 Oman Telecommunications Company (Omantel)6.2 Ooredoo Oman (previously Nawras Telecom)6.3 Awasr7. Telecommunications infrastructure7.1 Overview of the national telecom network7.2 National broadband strategy7.3 International infrastructureContinuous.....Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Peripheral Artery Disease Market 2023 Top Key Players are Abbott, Medtronic, ONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V, Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and More

Peripheral Artery Disease Market

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1540

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/peripheral-artery-disease-market-1540

MRFR is the Leading Brand in The Research Company who Recently Published Peripheral Artery Disease Market Research Reports which includes Study of growth, Regional Analysis, Top Industry Players Formation, Major Drivers, Upcoming Trends and Forecast to 2023.Get Sample Copy @Industry Leading PlayersBoston Scientific Corporation, KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V, Abbott, Medtronic, B. Braun Melsungen AG, TERUMO CORPORATION, Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), Sanofi S.A., Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc., AstraZeneca Plc., Angioscore, Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Betagenon AB, Proteon Therapeutics, Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Symic Bio, Inc., CardioVascular BioTherapeutics, Inc., AnGes, Inc., TheraVasc Inc., Smith & Nephew plc, Stryker Corporation, Cook Medical, Cordis, Aspen Surgical Products, Inc., Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc., and others are some of the prominent players at the forefront of competition in the peripheral artery disease market and are profiled in MRFR Analysis.Peripheral Artery Disease Market - OverviewThe peripheral artery disease market is growing mainly due to rising prevalence of arterial diseases. According to a recent study report published by the Market Research Future, the peripheral artery disease market is booming and expected to gain prominence over the forecast period. The market is forecast to demonstrate a spectacular growth by 2023, surpassing its previous growth records in terms of value with a striking CAGR during the anticipated period (2017  2023).Peripheral artery disease, also known as peripheral vascular diseases or peripheral Occlusive diseases, is a narrowing of the peripheral arteries due to deposition of plaque or cholesterol on the walls of artery. The most common symptoms of the disease includes painful cramping in hip, thigh or calf muscles, coldness in lower leg or foot, Hair loss or slower hair growth, no pulse or a weak pulse in legs or feet, sores on toes, feet or legs, and erectile dysfunction in men. Peripheral artery disease is mostly caused by atherosclerosis in the peripheral arteries. In atherosclerosis, plaque becomes brittle, and triggers clot formation which further narrow the artery, or completely block it.Notably, rising research and development expenditure is the primary driver for peripheral artery disease market. In the year of 2016, the R&D expenditure in the Pharmaceutical Industry was EUR 35000 million, suggested by European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Association. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the per capita national health expenditures in 2015 was amounted to be USD 9,990 and total national health expenditure was USD 3.2 trillion. It is also reported that out of total national health expenditures in the US, prescription drugs 10.1% share.Other push factors such as, rising prevalence of arterial diseases, and related complications, increasing awareness among the people, changing reimbursement policies, and growing geriatric population are also fuelling the growth of the market. As per the Pacific Bridge Medical, the government of China partially reimburses the cost of many drugs, provided the drug is in the list of Chinas National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) which was first published in 2000. According to the Indian Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), in 2016 the generics market of India stood at USD 26.1 billion.Despite these drivers, presence of misbranded and spurious drugs, risk of infections, and side effects associated with treatment options are expected to hinder the growth of the market.Peripheral Artery Disease Market - Competitive AnalysisThe peripheral artery disease market is currently dominated by various players. Due to rising research and development expenditure various existing and new marketers are continuously coming up with advanced drugs to control this condition. The global peripheral artery disease market is currently dominated by numerous players.Abbott is one of them by holding a strong share in the market. The company is a global leader that develops and manufactures pharmaceuticals and medical products. In 2017, the company entered into an agreement with Roxwood Medical for U.S. product distribution, and completed the acquisition of St. Jude Medical. In the year 2014, Abbott acquired Topera, Inc., a private, venture-backed medical device company to expand the catheter business. The significant strategies adopted by company is to merge with other market players to expand their portfolio in different business sectors, and to receive product clearance approval from government bodies.Medtronic is another renowned market player in peripheral artery disease market. Medtronic is one of the world's largest standalone medical equipment development company. The company offers a distinct portfolio of products such as Euphora Semicompliant Balloon Dilatation Catheter, NC Euphora Noncompliant Balloon Dilatation Catheter, NC Sprinter RX/ OTW Noncompliant Balloon Dilatation Catheter, and others.Access Report Details @Table of Contents1 Introduction1.1 Definition1.2 Scope Of Study1.2.1 Research Objective1.2.2 Assumptions & Limitations1.2.2.1 Assumptions1.2.2.2 Limitations1.3 Market Structure:2 Research Methodology2.1 Research Process:2.2 Primary Research2.3 Secondary Research:3 Market Dynamics3.1 Drivers3.2 Restraints3.3 Opportunities3.4 Macroeconomic Indicators4 Market Factor Analysis4.1 Porters Five Forces Model4.2 Bargaining Power Of Suppliers4.3 Bargaining Power Of Buyers4.4 Threat Of New Entrants4.5 Threat Of Substitutes4.6 Intensity Of RivalryAbout US:Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.comHuge Advancement in Technology of Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables Market 2019 by End User: Opportunity, Growth, Revenue and Market Share 2025

Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables Market

https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report/digital-intraoral-sensors-and-consumables-market

https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/report-sample/HC101407

https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/check-discount/HC101407

https://www.crystalmarketresearch.com/checkout/HC101407

Crystal Market Research has announced the addition of the " Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables Market By Product Type (Dental Digital Intraoral Sensors, Dental Image Plate Scanners, Intraoral Phosphor Storage Plates and Intraoral Cameras) and By End User (Dental Hospitals, Dental Clinics, Dental Laboratories Other End Users) -Global Industry Analysis and Forecast To 2025" report to their offering.Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables Market report offers a detailed analysis of the industry, with market size forecasts covering the next four years. Industrial Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables Market analyze factors that affect demand for Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables, driving factors, trends, and challenges faced by industry vendors, regional analysis, Segment by Type, Applications of whole Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables industry.Browse Complete Report with TOC@Industry Outlook and Trend Analysis: Developments in pharmaceutical picture automation are frequently booming the need for digital intraoral sensors and consumable devices. The Dental Digital Intraoral Sensors, Dental Image Plate Scanners, Intraoral Phosphor Storage Plates, and intraoral cameras are mainly created to deal oral issues. Dental digital intraoral sensors are x- beam imaging material that conveys modernized resolution images to dentists for superior treatment. Computerized intraoral sensors are more developed in comparison to traditional radiography films, as intraoral sensors post pictures to the associated equipment. Intraoral sensors work wired and wireless wisely. Digital intraoral sensors give better characteristic pictures which are required for a endodontic surgery and implant operation.Market Classification: Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables Market, By Product Type, Estimates and Forecast, 2014-2025 ($Million)Dental Digital Intraoral SensorsDental Image Plate ScannersIntraoral Phosphor Storage PlatesIntraoral CamerasDigital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables Market, By End User, Estimates and Forecast, 2014-2025 ($Million)Dental HospitalsDental ClinicsDental LaboratoriesOther End UsersRegional Outlook and Trend Analysis: On a global front, the Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables Market covers North America (United States, Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, UK, France, Russia, Italy, Rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, South Korea, India, Southeast Asia, Rest of Asia-Pacific), South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia, Rest of South America) and Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Rest of MEA). American region is leading the Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables Market owing to; increasing cases of cancer, rise in funding from government for R&D, technical development & well developed healthcare sector.Competitive Insights: The leading players in the market are Terex Corporation, Keestrack NV, Astec Industries, Inc , Metso Corporation, Anaconda Equipment Ltd, and McCloskey International. The major players in the market are profiled in detail in view of qualities, for example, company portfolio, business strategies, financial overview, recent developments, and share of the overall industry.Sample copy of this Report@Research Methodology: We use both primary as well as secondary research for our market surveys, estimates and for developing forecast. Our research process commence by analyzing the problem which enable us to design the scope for our research study. Our research process is uniquely designed with enough flexibility to adjust according to changing nature of products and markets, while retaining core element to ensure reliability and accuracy in research findings. We understand both macro and micro-economic factors to evaluate and forecast different market segments.Data Mining: Data is extensively collected through various secondary sources such as annual reports, investor presentations, SEC filings, and other corporate publications. We also refer trade magazines, technical journals, paid databases such as Factiva and Bloomberg, industry trade journals, scientific journals, and social media data to understand market dynamics and industry trends. Further, we also conduct primary research to understand market drivers, restraints, opportunities, challenges, and competitive scenario to build our analysis.Table of Contents:Chapter 1. Introduction1.1. Report DescriptionChapter 2. Executive Summary2.1. Key HighlightsChapter 3. Market Overview3.1. Introduction3.1.1. Market Definition3.1.2. Market Segmentation3.2. Market Dynamics3.2.1. Drivers3.2.2. Restraints3.2.3. OpportunitiesChapter 4. Market Analysis by Regions4.1. North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)4.1.1. United States Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.1.2. Canada Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.1.3. Mexico Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.2. Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, Italy and Rest of Europe)4.2.1. Germany Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.2.2. France Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.2.3. UK Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.2.4. Russia Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.2.5. Italy Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.2.6. Rest of Europe Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.3. Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Southeast Asia and Rest of Asia-Pacific)4.3.1. China Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.3.2. Japan Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.3.3. Korea Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.3.4. India Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.3.5. Southeast Asia Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)4.3.6. Rest of Asia-Pacific Market Status and Outlook (2014-2025)Chapter 5. Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables Market, By Product Types5.1. Introduction5.2. Global Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables Revenue and Market Share by Product Types (2014-2018)5.2.1. Global Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables Revenue and Revenue Share by Product Types (2014-2018)5.3. Dental Digital Intraoral Sensors.The report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information. It provides overview and forecast of the global Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2023 for overall Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America (SAM), which is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments. The report evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend and provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions.Make an Enquiry@Also, key Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables market players influencing the market are profiled in the study along with their SWOT analysis and market strategies. The report also focuses on leading industry players with information such as company profiles, products and services offered, financial information of last 3 years, key development in past five years.What our report offers:- Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments- Market share analysis of the top industry players- Strategic recommendations for the new entrants- Market forecasts for a minimum of 5 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets- Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations)- Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations- Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends.- Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments- Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancementsContinuedReason to Buy:Highlights key business priorities in order to assist companies to realign their business strategies.The key findings and recommendations highlight crucial progressive industry trends in the Digital Intraoral Sensors And Consumables market, thereby allowing players to develop effective long term strategies.Develop/modify business expansion plans by using substantial growth offering developed and emerging markets.Scrutinize in-depth global market trends and outlook coupled with the factors driving the market, as well as those hindering it.Enhance the decision-making process by understanding the strategies that underpin commercial interest with respect to products, segmentation and industry verticals.(Early Buyer will receive 10% customization in this report.)Buy Full Report@About Crystal Market Research:Crystal Market Research is a U.S. based market research and business intelligence company. Crystal offers one stop solution for market research, business intelligence, and consulting services to help clients make more informed decisions. It provides both syndicated as well as customized research studies for its customers spread across the globe. The company offers market intelligence reports across a broad range of industries including healthcare, chemicals & materials, technology, automotive, and energy.Contacts UsJudy | 304 South Jones Blvd, Suite 1896,Las Vegas NV 89107,United StatesE-mail: sales@crystalmarketresearch.com | Ph: +1-888-213-4282District Heating Pipeline Network Market to exceed $600bn by 2024 | Uponor, Logstor, REHAU, BRUGG, Perma pipe, Microflex, Aquatherm, Flender, Thermaflex, Smithline, Huntsman, CPV Ltd, Golan Plastic

District Heating Pipeline Network Market

https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2404

https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2404

https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/district-heating-pipeline-network-market

https://www.gminsights.com

https://gminsights.wordpress.com

http://allnewsmyway.com

District Heating Pipeline Network Market size will exceed USD 600 billion by 2024, as reported in the latest study by Global Market Insights, Inc.Growing concerns pertaining to greenhouse emissions coupled with increasing demand for space heating systems will stimulate the district heating pipeline network market. Extreme climatic conditions across Europe, China and the U.S. will further stimulate the product demand. According to Norwegian Meteorological Institute, the average temperature in Southern Finland during winter season ranges between 00 to -40 Celsius.Request for Sample Copy of this research report @The U.S. market size is set to reach over 5 thousand Km by 2024. Growing district heating systems penetration across residential and commercial establishments along with ongoing adoption of clean energy technologies will foster the industry growth. According to the International District Energy Association (IDEA), out of 601 heating systems installed in the U.S., 289 are district energy-only systems.Ongoing legislative reforms pertaining to sustainable energy technologies along with modernization and expansion of existing heating networks will foster the district heating pipeline network market. Government focus toward energy efficient buildings will further propel the industry growth. The European Unions Renewable Energy Directive has introduced standards toward reduction and limitation of emissions caused by the industrial establishments.Rapid urbanization and industrialization across the developing nations along with favorable government initiatives toward zero emission buildings will drive the global market. As per Knoema in 2016, the people residing in urban areas in Japan constituted 94.3% when compared with 93.9% in 2015.Polymer pipes is set to witness strong growth on account of increasing usage as a service pipe in DH systems. Rapid development of thermoplastic technologies along with ongoing innovations toward pipe material will drive the business growth. Corrosion free, ease of transport and low carbon emissions are some of the prominent features which will stimulate the product penetration.Growing adoption of small-scale heating technologies across the residential establishments along with government-backed research and development initiatives toward development of more efficient insulating materials will propel the 20 mm -100 mm diameter pipes. Increasing use as a service pipe as these can be easily transported, rolled, and installed in the constructions will stimulate the product penetration.Make an inquiry for purchasing this report @Increasing suburban population owing to rapid urbanization across the evolving economies will stimulate the market from residential applications. Government assisted renewable technology targets coupled with ongoing investments toward real-estate sector will foster the industry outlook. According to World Bank, people residing in urban areas of India accounted for 33.14% in 2016 when compared with 32.37% in 2014 across India.China district heating pipeline network market is predicted to grow owing to increasing suburban population coupled with increasing investments toward residential and commercial establishments across the nation. Ongoing government initiatives toward adoption of energy-efficient systems will further propel the industry outlook. The Government of China with the support of European Union launched EU-China 2020 strategic agenda and China-EU partnership to strengthen the nations urban infrastructure.Browse key industry insights spread across 430 pages with 629 market data tables & 39 figures & charts from the report @Eminent players across the district heating pipeline network market include REHAU, Uponor, BRUGG, Logstor, Perma Pipe, CPV Ltd, Microflex, Flender, Thermaflex, Huntsman, Smithline, Aquatherm and Golan Plastic.Report ContentChapter 1 Methodology & Scope1.1 Methodology1.1.1 Initial data exploration1.1.2 Statistical model and forecast1.1.3 Industry insights and validation1.1.4 Market definition and forecast parameters1.2 Data Sources1.2.1 Secondary1.2.2 PrimaryChapter 2 Executive Summary2.1 District heating pipeline network 3600 synopsis, 2013  20242.1.1 Business trends2.1.2 Pipe trends2.1.3 Diameter trends2.1.4 Application trends2.1.5 Regional trendsAbout Global Market InsightsGlobal Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary researchContact Us:Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comWeb:Blog:Explore Our Blog @Posted Wednesday, January 9, 2019 10:48 am

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson wants to hear from state residents who had trouble calling 911 during last month's CenturyLink service outage.

The outage, which began the evening of Dec. 27 and lasted for more than 12 hours, disrupted 911 emergency calls in Washington and other states. State and federal regulators are investigating, and Ferguson said Tuesday he was seeking stories from state residents.

CenturyLink claimed the outage was caused by a faulty network-management card from a third-party equipment vendor, according to an emailed statement. The issue was isolated to one of six transport networks and affected services for some customers and the company's ability to look into its own network-management system. This impaired troubleshooting and prolonged the outage, the company said.

The company also blamed a third-party vendor for a six-hour 911 outage in 2014, for which the company was fined $2.85 million by state regulators. That outage resulted in nearly 6,000 failed emergency calls. It's not known how many calls failed during last month's outage.

"Lives depend on the availability of 911 services. CenturyLink must handle its responsibilities as Washington's 911 provider with a level of seriousness and care that reflects this responsibility," Ferguson said in an emailed statement. "I will be taking appropriate action on behalf of Washingtonians whose safety was jeopardized due to this outage."

Emergency services are currently switching from CenturyLink to a new 911 provider, Robert Ezelle, director of the state Emergency Management Division, previously told The Times. The transition should be complete by December.

After the 2014 CenturyLink outage, Ferguson called for the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission to impose the maximum penalty of $11.5 million against the company, according to the Attorney General's Office. He was "deeply disappointed" with the commission's ultimate fine of nearly $2.9 million in 2016.

A spokeswoman for the attorney general did not provide further information about what action he may be considering against the company.

It's not known how many calls failed during the recent outage, but it severely impacted 46 emergency call centers in 33 counties in the state, Ezelle said. Other call centers were affected by calls to long-distance and 800 numbers not going through, he said.

The outage caused difficulty for some Seattle residents.

Green Lake resident Stephanie Brooks was on her way home the night of the outage when she saw a car that appeared to have crashed into a freeway barrier wall and flipped over. The car was steaming and a woman was yelling from inside, she said. Brooks and others rushed to the car and helped the driver and her dog get out, but they couldn't get through to 911, she said.

"I grabbed my phone to call 911, but I got the busy signal and I wasn't sure what was happening," Brooks said. "So I tried again and again. I probably called six times and got the busy signal until myself and some of my neighbors realized it was part of the outage."

The group found an alternate number for the Seattle Police Department and emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene, Brooks said. While everything ultimately worked out, Brooks said she thought the outage led to a delay of about five minutes to reach emergency services.

"I don't know how significant that was in this case," she said. "But in the scheme of things, five minutes could be life or death."

The Attorney General's Office has received a few responses so far, including one from a man whose car rolled after hitting a patch of ice, spokeswoman Brionna Aho said. The man was unable to get through to 911, but was eventually able to reach a family member who called an alternate number.

People impacted by the outage who would like to share their stories with the Attorney General's Office can email 911outage@atg.wa.gov.Global Alcohol Breathalyzer and Drug Testing Equipment Market to Witness 6.9% Rise in Value Share During the Period 2026

https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114887/Alcohol-Breathalyzer-and-Drug-Testing-Equipment-Market

https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/sample/110114887/Alcohol-Breathalyzer-and-Drug-Testing-Equipment-Market

https://www.researchreportinsights.com/report/rd/110114887/Alcohol-Breathalyzer-and-Drug-Testing-Equipment-Market

https://www.researchreportinsights.com/

Alcohol and drug testing equipment are utilized to test inebriation levels stimulated by drug and alcohol consumption. Chromatography instruments, immunoassay analyzers, hair testing devices and oral testing devices, urine testing devices, and breathalyzers are extensively utilized for testing drug and alcohol content in individuals. The worldwide market for alcohol breathalyzer and drug testing equipment is anticipated to increase at a 6.9% CAGR in value terms all through the calculated period 2018-2026. The worldwide market estimated at around US$ 7,300 Million during 2017 that is likely to grow approximately US$ 13,393.3 Million towards the end of 2026.Market SegmentationIn terms of the equipment, the global market includes infrared (IR) based breathalyzer, semiconductor based breathalyzer, immunoassay analyzers, fuel cell based breathalyzer, oral fluid testing devices, chromatography instruments, hair testing devices and urine testing devices. The IR based breathalyzer is employed widely, owing to its high level of precision. This category is therefore likely to foresee robust growth over the assessment period. The fuel cell based breathalyzer is likely to continue as the biggest category over the calculated period, reflecting the maximum 7.3% CAGR.Request For Report Sample:In terms of the application, the global market includes alcohol detection and drugs detection. The alcohol detection is estimated to record the maximum 6.5% CAGR over the projected period, accounting for a market valuation of close to US$ 10 Billion towards the end of 2026. While rising number of drunk driving instances are likely to fuel the requirement for alcohol detection equipment, it is anticipated that drugs detection category will be highly lucrative in the said period.In terms of the end-user, the global market includes hospitals, federal departments, private sectors and rehabilitation centres. The federal departments end-user category will be witnessing higher demand, trailed by private sectors. Although revenue generation from the earlier category is estimated to account for in excess of US$ 6 Billion, that from the second will probably succeed US$ 4 Billion towards 2026 end. Although, private sectors category is likely to increase at a faster 7.5% CAGR in the coming years.Request Report Discount:In terms of the region, the global market includes Europe, North America, Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America. North America is estimated to lead with 52.3% of the overall market share in value terms, by 2018. APAC regional market is anticipated to remain the highest growing market, reflecting a 7.9% CAGR in value terms over the projected period.Key Market PlayersThe major companies functional in the global market areLifeloc Technologies Inc.Lion Laboratories LimitedAndatech Pty. Ltd.IntoximetersQuest Products, Inc.BACtrackC4 Development Ltd (Alcovisor)Dragerwerk AG & Co. KGaAAlere (Abbott.)OthersReport Analysis:About Us:Research Report Insights (RRI) is a leading market intelligence and consulting firm. We deliver a host of services including custom research reports, syndicated research reports, and consulting services which are personalised in nature. RRI delivers a complete packaged solution to clients; this combines current market intelligence, technology inputs, statistical anecdotes, valuable growth insights, 360-degree view of the competitive framework, and anticipated market trends.Contact Us:Research Report Insights (RRI)42 Joseph StreetPort carling P0B 1J0Muskoka, Ontario1Phone - +1-631-721-4201Website:Email: sales@researchreportinsights.comSurfactants Market Foresees Exponential Growth; Demand from Personal Care Products to Provide a Fillip to Sales, finds Fact.MR

https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=S&rep_id=591

https://www.factmr.com/connectus/sample?flag=RM&rep_id=591

https://www.factmr.com/report/591/alpha-olefin-sulfonate-market

https://www.factmr.com/checkout/591/S

https://www.factmr.com/

https://factmrblog.com/

Worldwide demand of surfactants is scaling new heights owing to their extensive applications in multiple sectors, ranging from paints & coatings to textiles. The clamor for surfactants is identified to increase at an unprecedented rate, owing to their abilities to reduce surface tension of the respective solvents. Surfactants possess exceptional stability in solutions with high electrolyte concentration, which makes them ideal for use in textile scouring, in hard surface cleaners, and as metal cleansers. These insights are according to the latest report by Fact.MR that foresees an optimistic growth for the , driven by rising demand from personal care, household, and industrial processes.As per the report, the rising vigor of research and development activities are likely to result in the influx of product innovations and reformations, widening the pool of opportunities for surfactants market. Sentiments of the new-age customers revolving around sustainable green surfactants are also likely to create untapped opportunities for the market players.Request 100 Page Sample Report Now:Manufacturers continue to emphasize product innovations as part of their differential growth strategies. Moreover, they are focused on improving their financial performance through sales optimization and operational efficiencies, Senior Analyst, Fact.MRSuperior Detergency Foster the Adoption of Alpha Olefin Sulfonates in Laundry ProductsAmong all types of surfactants available in the market, alpha olefin sulfonates are one of the widely-acknowledged varieties. The rising use of alpha olefin sulfonates in laundry products can be accredited to their characteristic profile i.e. they offer exceptional detergency and superior compatibility with hard water. Alpha olefin sulfates sales are also witnessing a spike in case of personal care products, as they are free of skin irritants and sensitizers. The competency of undergoing rapid degradation and being environment-friendly is further likely to provide the fillip to the worldwide demand for alpha olefin sulfates.Speak with an Analyst to learn more (methodology) @According to the report, burgeoned use of surfactant blends and derivatives delivering better on cost-performance quotient and advent of concentrated cleaners for efficient cost reduction are some of the aspects having far-reached influence on dynamics of surfactants market. The surfactants market remains a regulated landscape with stringent rules and regulations imposed on solvent-based detergents. These regulations are likely to pose challenges for the market players, both in terms of manufacturing and commercializing their products.Burgeoned Consumption of Surfactants in Asia Pacific Creates Significant Revenue StreamsDeveloping regions in the Asia-Pacific region represent potential markets for personal care products. As beauty and personal care products are one of the largest application areas of surfactants, the growing vigor of personal care industry in Asia-Pacific region is likely to create significant demand for surfactants, including alpha olefin sulfonates and all other varieties. Asian countries such as China and India are recording substantial demand for industrial surfactants. In a bid to capitalize on this escalating consumption of surfactants, leading market players are investing heavily in the local markets of Asia-Pacific. Growth of industrial landscape remains promising in this region, benefiting the specialty surfactants demand.Speak To Research Analyst For Detailed Insights:Surfactants demand in the US is also scaling up to considerable heights, unveils the report. Clamor for effective personal care products in the US is also likely to offer business opportunities, led by surfactants that are highly compatible with hair and skin. Market players of the surfactants market landscape are vying to establish global presence with advanced portfolios of innovative products and solutions.Sustainability remains one of the key values of the market players, which helps them gain significant cost reductions and makes them environmentally-responsible as well. However, large-scale presence of local or regional players is likely to intensify competitive dynamics of the market, posing challenges for the leading companies with regard to penetration across regional markets.Get Access to Report @About Fact.MRFact.MR is a fast-growing market research firm that offers the most comprehensive suite of syndicated and customized market research reports. We believe transformative intelligence can educate and inspire businesses to make smarter decisions. We know the limitations of the one-size-fits-all approach; thats why we publish multi-industry global, regional, and country-specific research reports.Contact UsRohit BhiseyFact.MR11140 Rockville PikeSuite 400Rockville, MD 20852United StatesEmail: sales@factmr.comWeb:Blog:Dairy Products in Australia - Industry Trends, Sales, Supply, Demand, Analysis & Forecast to 2022

Dairy Products in Australia Market

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3512862-dairy-products-in-australia

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/enquiry/3512862-dairy-products-in-australia

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/checkout?currency=one_user-USD&report_id=3512862

WiseGuyReports.Com Publish a New Market Research Report On  Dairy Products in Australia - Industry Trends, Sales, Supply, Demand, Analysis & Forecast to 2022.Description:-The Industrial reports provide a 360 degree view of an industry. The Industrial market report offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the Dairy Products market at a national level. It provides the latest retail sales data, allowing you to identify the sectors driving growth. It identifies the leading companies, the leading brands and offers strategic analysis of key factors influencing the market - be they new product developments, packaging innovations, economic/lifestyle influences, distribution or pricing issues. Forecasts illustrate how the market is set to change.Get a Sample Report @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comProduct coverage: Butter, Cheese and Curd, Ice Cream, Milk and Cream, Yoghurt and Other Dairy Produce.Data coverage: market sizes (historic and forecasts), company shares, brand shares and distribution data.Why buy this report?* Get a detailed picture of the Dairy Products market;* Pinpoint growth sectors and identify factors driving change;* Understand the competitive environment, the markets major players and leading brands;* Use five-year forecasts to assess how the market is predicted to develop.It has over 40 years' experience of publishing market research reports, business reference books and online information systems. With offices in London, Chicago, Singapore, Shanghai, Vilnius, Dubai, Cape Town, Santiago, Sydney, Tokyo and Bangalore and a network of over 800 analysts worldwide, Euromonitor International has a unique capability to develop reliable information resources to help drive informed strategic planning.Enquiry About Report @Table Of Contents  Major Key PointsIndustry OverviewChart 1 Industry's Production Value 2002-2022, LCU millionChart 2 Industry Structure by Category 2012-2017, LCU millionChart 3 Industry Structure by Category 2017-2022, LCU millionChart 4 Industry's Profits and Profit Margin 2012-2017, LCU millionIndustry's Cost StructureChart 5 Industry's Cost Structure 2012-2017, LCU millionMarket StructureChart 6 Market Structure 2012-2017, LCU millionChart 7 Market Structure by Key Buyer Groups 2012-2017, LCU millionTradeChart 8 Exports 2012-2017, LCU millionChart 9 Imports 2012-2017, LCU millionFirmographicsChart 10 Top Company Shares 2017, % of total production value, LCUContinuedBuy 1-user PDF @For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comABOUT US:Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports features an exhaustive list of market research reports from hundreds of publishers worldwide. We boast a database spanning virtually every market category and an even more comprehensive collection of market research reports under these categories and sub-categories.Office No.528,Amanora Chambers,Magarpatta Road,Hadapsar,Pune-411028.Cellular Interception Market Vendors Revenue 2018 - 2026: HSS Development, Axiom Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Stratign, PICSIX, ADS Group

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/8022

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/8022

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/checkout?rep_id=8022&licType=S

Cellular Interception Market - OverviewCellular interception is the technology primarily used for cellular communications and to monitor cell phone calls. This technology comprises signaling and network management of communication content. Cellular interception technology is mainly used by lawful authorities such as governments, defense, and law enforcement in order to gather communication intelligence information on criminal and terrorist activities. In cellular monitoring, off the air cellular interception is used to analyze the voice or messaging communication. Cellular interception systems are being used for active, semi-active, and passive interception of voice and data transmission. Several companies are offering cellular interception systems which are capable of capturing forward and reverse cellular channels during cell phone calls. These systems are used to capture signals of control channel frequencies and help to monitor the calls from base station points and cellular antenna sites. In this system, forward channel is used to monitor signals from cellular towers to cellular phones. Reverse channel is used to capture the movement of signals from cellular phones to cellular towers. Additionally, many companies also offer cellular monitoring systems which are portable and customized to fit in vehicles and airborne devices. Among the various forms of cellular interception, GSM and CDMA interception are one of the prime techniques adopted by law enforcement and government authorities. Cellular interception technology is widely adopted across applications such as tactical operations, monitoring of command & control centers, borders, and airports.Get the Sample Copy of This Report, Click Here @Cellular Interception Market - Drivers and RestraintsThe increasing unlawful, criminal, and terrorist activities across the world is primarily driving the demand for cellular interception technology and systems. In addition, with growing security issues and cross-border disputes around the globe, defense and law enforcement authorities are emphasizing on collecting communication intelligence lawfully with the help of cellular interception. Increasing criminal activities across countries is creating strong demand for cellular interception systems. However, unethical use of cellular interception technology and stringent regulations and policies associated with the systems is anticipated to limit the large scale adoption of cellular interception technology. Increasing investments in security and defense sectors across the world is anticipated to offer opportunities to the cellular interception market.Request to Get Complete Report List Of Tables and Figures @Cellular Interception Market - SegmentationThe global cellular interception market can be segmented by component, system, type, application, and geography. By component, the cellular interception market is segmented into hardware and software. By system, the cellular interception market is segmented into code-division multiple access (CDMA) system, global system for mobile communications (GSM), 3G/4G/Long-Term Evolution (LTE) system, satellite cellular communication system, hybrid system, and others such as universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS). Among these systems, GSM system is further categorized into wideband passive GSM system, passive GSM system, and semi-active GSM system. Based on type, the cellular interception market is bifurcated into strategic interception system (ULIN - unlimited interceptor) and tactical interception system (IBIS - in-between interception system). By application, the cellular interception market is classified into public sector and private sector. On the basis of geography, the cellular interception market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, South America, and Middle East & Africa (MEA). Among these geographies, North America, MEA, and Europe regions are projected to cover majority of the market. This is the result of strong adoption and penetration of advance technologies such as cellular interception by defense and lawful authorities across the regions. Asia Pacific and South America regions are anticipated to see growing demand due to significant developments and investments in security applications across India, China, Singapore as well as South Korea and Japan.Cellular Interception Market - Key PlayersThe impact of stringent regulations and policies associated with cellular interception systems has led to limited vendors in the cellular interception market. Some of the major players in the cellular interception market are Netline Communications Technologies (NCT) Ltd., HSS Development, Axiom Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Stratign, PICSIX, ADS Group, NovoQuad, Inc., Ability, Inc., Endoacustica Europe s.r.l., TheSpyPhone, and Shoghi Communications Ltd.MRR.BIZ has been compiled in-depth market research data in the report after exhaustive primary and secondary research. Our team of able, experienced in-house analysts has collated the information through personal interviews and study of industry databases, journals, and reputable paid sources.The report provides the following information:Tailwinds and headwinds molding the markets trajectoryMarket segments based on products, technology, and applicationsProspects of each segmentOverall current and possible future size of the marketGrowth pace of the marketCompetitive landscape and key players strategiesThe main aim of the report is to:Enable key stakeholders in the market bet right on itUnderstand the opportunities and pitfalls awaiting themAssess the overall growth scope in the near termStrategize effectively with respect to production and distributionRequest to Buy This Premium Report From Here @MRR.BIZ is a leading provider of strategic market research. Our vast repository consists research reports, data books, company profiles, and regional market data sheets. We regularly update the data and analysis of a wide-ranging products and services around the world. As readers, you will have access to the latest information on almost 300 industries and their sub-segments. Both large Fortune 500 companies and SMEs have found those useful. This is because we customize our offerings keeping in mind the specific requirements of our clients.MarketResearchReports.biz is a seller of syndicated market studies, featuring an exhaustive collection of research reports from leading international publishers. Our repositoryis diverse, spanningvirtually every industrial sector and even more every category and sub-category within the industry. We also provide consulting services to enable our clients have adynamicbusiness perspective.State Tower90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948(USA-Canada)Tel: +1-518-621-2074E: sales@marketresearchreports.bizMobile Hospitals Market Size, Status, Emerging Growth and Forecast 2019-2025

Mobile Hospitals Market

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/sample-report/1547157-global-mobile-hospitals-market

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/enquiry-before-buy/1547157-global-mobile-hospitals-market

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/buy-now?format=1&report=1547157

https://www.htfmarketreport.com/reports/1547157-global-mobile-hospitals-market

https://www.linkedin.com/company/13388569/

https://www.facebook.com/htfmarketintelligence/

https://twitter.com/htfmarketreport

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NidhiBhawsar-SEO_Expert?rel=author

HTF MI recently introduced Global Mobile Hospitals Market study with in-depth overview, describing about the Product / Industry Scope and elaborates market outlook and status to 2023. The market Study is segmented by key regions which is accelerating the marketization. At present, the market is developing its presence and some of the key players from the complete study are Odulair LL, Lamboo Mobile Medical & NEAT Vehicles etc.Request Sample of Global Mobile Hospitals Market Size, Status and Forecast 2019-2025 @:North America dominate the mobile hospitals market owing to the largest revenue generating region and high adoption rate of the new technology and high penetration rate of the mobile platform. Increase demand for better healthcare services, digital health will boost the Asia Pacific mobile hospital market globally.In 2018, the global Mobile Hospitals market size was xx million US$ and it is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, with a CAGR of xx% during 2019-2025.This report focuses on the global Mobile Hospitals status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Mobile Hospitals development in United States, Europe and China.This report studies the Global Mobile Hospitals market size, industry status and forecast, competition landscape and growth opportunity. This research report categorizes the Global Mobile Hospitals market by companies, region, type and end-use industry.Browse 100+ market data Tables and Figures spread through Pages and in-depth TOC on " Mobile Hospitals Market by Type (, Medical Centers & Mini Hospitals), by End-Users/Application (Cardiovascular, Neurosurgery, Laparoscopy Surgery, Emergency Care, Diagnostic Imaging & Others), Organization Size, Industry, and Region - Forecast to 2023". Early buyers will receive 10% customization on comprehensive study.In order to get a deeper view of Market Size, competitive landscape is provided i.e. Revenue (Million USD) by Players (2013-2018), Revenue Market Share (%) by Players (2013-2018) and further a qualitative analysis is made towards market concentration rate, product/service differences, new entrants and the technological trends in future.Enquire for customization in Report @Competitive Analysis:The key players are highly focusing innovation in production technologies to improve efficiency and shelf life. The best long-term growth opportunities for this sector can be captured by ensuring ongoing process improvements and financial flexibility to invest in the optimal strategies. Company profile section of players such as Odulair LL, Lamboo Mobile Medical & NEAT Vehicles includes its basic information like legal name, website, headquarters, its market position, historical background and top 5 closest competitors by Market capitalization / revenue along with contact information. Each player/ manufacturer revenue figures, growth rate and gross profit margin is provided in easy to understand tabular format for past 5 years and a separate section on recent development like mergers, acquisition or any new product/service launch etc.Market Segments:The Global Mobile Hospitals Market has been divided into type, application, and region.On The Basis Of Type: , Medical Centers & Mini Hospitals.On The Basis Of Application: Cardiovascular, Neurosurgery, Laparoscopy Surgery, Emergency Care, Diagnostic Imaging & OthersOn The Basis Of Region, this report is segmented into following key geographies, with production, consumption, revenue (million USD), and market share, growth rate of Mobile Hospitals in these regions, from 2013 to 2023 (forecast), covering North America (U.S. & Canada) {Market Revenue (USD Billion), Growth Analysis (%) and Opportunity Analysis} Latin America (Brazil, Mexico & Rest of Latin America) {Market Revenue (USD Billion), Growth Share (%) and Opportunity Analysis} Europe (The U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, Sweden & RoE) {Market Revenue (USD Billion), Growth Share (%) and Opportunity Analysis} Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Rest of Asia) {Market Revenue (USD Billion), Growth Share (%) and Opportunity Analysis} Middle East & Africa (GCC, South Africa, North Africa, RoMEA) {Market Revenue (USD Billion), Growth Share (%) and Opportunity Analysis} Rest of World {Market Revenue (USD Billion), Growth Analysis (%) and Opportunity Analysis}Buy Single User License of Global Mobile Hospitals Market Size, Status and Forecast 2019-2025 @Have a look at some extracts from Table of ContentIntroduction about Global Mobile HospitalsGlobal Mobile Hospitals Market Size (Sales) Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 2017Mobile Hospitals Market by Application/End UsersGlobal Mobile Hospitals Sales (Volume) and Market Share Comparison by Applications(2013-2023) table defined for each application/end-users like [Cardiovascular, Neurosurgery, Laparoscopy Surgery, Emergency Care, Diagnostic Imaging & Others]Global Mobile Hospitals Sales and Growth Rate (2013-2023)Mobile Hospitals Competition by Players/Suppliers, Region, Type and ApplicationMobile Hospitals (Volume, Value and Sales Price) table defined for each geographic region defined.Global Mobile Hospitals Players/Suppliers Profiles and Sales DataAdditionally Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base and Competitors list is being provided for each listed manufacturersMarket Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018) table for each product type which include , Medical Centers & Mini HospitalsMobile Hospitals Manufacturing Cost AnalysisMobile Hospitals Key Raw Materials AnalysisMobile Hospitals Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers, Industrial Chain AnalysisMarket Forecast (2018-2023)........and more in complete table of ContentsBrowse for Full Report at:Thanks for reading this article; you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.About Author:HTF Market Report is a wholly owned brand of HTF market Intelligence Consulting Private Limited. HTF Market Report global research and market intelligence consulting organization is uniquely positioned to not only identify growth opportunities but to also empower and inspire you to create visionary growth strategies for futures, enabled by our extraordinary depth and breadth of thought leadership, research, tools, events and experience that assist you for making goals into a reality. Our understanding of the interplay between industry convergence, Mega Trends, technologies and market trends provides our clients with new business models and expansion opportunities. We are focused on identifying the Accurate Forecast in every industry we cover so our clients can reap the benefits of being early market entrants and can accomplish their Goals & Objectives.Contact US :Craig Francis (PR & Marketing Manager)HTF Market Intelligence Consulting Private LimitedUnit No. 429, Parsonage Road Edison, NJNew Jersey USA  08837Phone: +1 (206) 317 1218sales@htfmarketreport.comConnect with us atCroatia Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Professional Survey with Industry Key Players  Optima Telekom, Metronet, VIPnet (A1), B.net | 2019-2022

Croatia Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market 2018-2022

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/2661924-croatia-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/2661924-croatia-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses

www.wiseguyreports.com

WiseGuyReports.com Croatia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses report has been added to its Research Database.Scope of the Report:Amendments to Croatias telecom law come into force. The Croatian telecoms market has been shaped by the country having joined the European Union in 2013, a process which resulted in market liberalization and the creation of a regulatory environment conducive to competition. Following a period of economic difficulty, GDP has shown steady growth during the last two years. The country exited the Excessive Deficit Procedure in July 2017, opening the way to membership of the Eurozone.There is effective competition in the broadband market, and although the DSL sector dominates there is continuing investment in fiber infrastructure among operators.The mobile market has one of the highest penetration rates in the Balkans region. Three network operators dominate the market, though there is also room for a small number of Mobile Virtual Network Operators. Croatia has attracted regional players including Deutsche Telekom, Tele2 and Telekom Austria, whose local unit VIPnet is in the process of being rebranded as A1.This report provides a concise overview of Croatias fixed-line market, covering regulatory developments, fixed-line infrastructure and the financial and operating data of the main operators. The report also covers the fixed-line and wireless broadband sectors as well as the mobile voice and data markets, including a variety of statistics on service providers. It reviews network developments and deployed technologies, and examines a range of mobile services including m-commerce.Request a Sample Report @Key developments:Amendments to the Electronic Communications Act come into force;Optima Telekom and H1 Telekom complete merger;Regulator sets out amended wholesale access tariffs;T-HT extends management of Optima Telekom to mid-2021;T-HT to invest HRK210 million in major IT projects;T-HT trials G.fast technology;Regulator sets new fixed and mobile termination rates to 2019;VIPnet to be rebranded as A1;T-HT trials LTE-Advanced Pro technology to deliver data at up to 500Mb/s;Report update includes the regulators market data to June 2017, telcos operating and financial data to Q3 2017, recent market developments.Companies mentioned in this report:T-Hrvatski Telekom (T-HT), Optima Telekom, Metronet, VIPnet (A1), B.net, VIPNet, H1 Telekom, Optima Telekom, Tele2 CroatiaFor Detailed Reading Please visit @Major Key Points in Table of Content:1. Key statistics1.1 Country overview2. Telecommunications market2.1 Historical overview2.2 Market analysis3. Regulatory environment3.1 Regulatory developments3.2 General Plan for Updating Telecom Regulations (PGR)3.3 Regulatory authority4. Fixed network operators4.1 Overview of fixed network market5. Telecommunications infrastructure5.1 National telecom network5.2 International infrastructure5.3 Infrastructure developments6. Broadband market6.1 Introduction and statistical overview6.2 Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks6.3 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks7. Mobile communications7.1 Market analysis7.2 Mobile statistics7.3 Regulatory issuesContinuous.....Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Portugal Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Research 2019-2023 Industry Key Players  Portugal Telecom, NOS, Vodafone Portugal

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Portugal Industry 2023

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3054151-portugal-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3054151-portugal-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses

www.wiseguyreports.com

WiseGuyReports.com Portugal - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses report has been added to its Research Database.Scope of the Report:Portuguese telcos looking to complete national fibre networks by 2020. Portugal has a medium-sized telecom market with a strong mobile sector and a growing broadband customer base focused on the delivery of fibre-based services. Investments in network upgrades are continuing in an effort to attract customers to high-end services, while operators have also increasingly looked at network sharing to reduce expenditure while widening their footprint reach. In general terms the country during the last two years has shown signs of improving economic growth, which is helping to stimulate customer spend on telecom services.The mobile market is dominated by the incumbent Portugal Telecom, owned by Altice Group and operating as Meo, followed by Vodafone and NOS. The market share held by Meo has fallen steadily in recent years. The MVNO market remains undeveloped, partly because network operators have their own low-cost brands. Collectively, MVNOs have about 2.1% share of the market.Population coverage by 3G infrastructure is universal and so most investment has been directed to LTE and to incremental upgrades to network infrastructure. Altice Labs in February 2017 began working with Ericsson to develop 5G services and applications.Portugals broadband penetration has grown steadily in recent years, largely the result of joint efforts between the regulator and the key market operators which have invested in significant infrastructure upgrades. These operators are also focussed on fibre-based services, resulting in a migration of subscribers from DSL to fibre. Portugal Telecom is aiming to cover 5.3 million premises with FttP by 2020, providing national coverage.The cable sector has also shifted towards fibre, with the principal cableco NOS investing in fibre rather than cable upgrades. In addition, Vodafone Portugal provides fibre to about two-thirds of premises. Vodafone and NOS recently signed an agreement to share fibre infrastructure, which pushed Vodafones addressable market to some four million premises. As a result of these efforts DSL is no longer the dominant platform for broadband access.Request a Sample Report @This report introduces the major elements of the Portuguese telecom market, presenting statistics on the fixed telephony sector as well as analyses on the major market players. Additional information is provided on the key regulatory issues, noting the status of interconnection, local loop unbundling, number portability and carrier preselection.This report also assesses the mobile market, providing statistics on network operators, a snapshot of the consumer market, and an assessment of mobile data services. In addition the report profiles the fixed and fixed-wireless broadband markets, providing key statistics on the retail and wholesale sectors as well as subscriber forecasts to 2023.Key developments:New cable to link Portugal with Brazil;Portugal Telecom planning to replace copper network with FttP by 2020;NOS eschews route to DOCSIS3.1 in favour of fibre;Portugal Telecom revenue continues to recover into 2017 under Altice Group ownership;Regulator sets reduced MTRs from July 2018;Vodafone achieves 1Gb/s downlink speeds in LTE-A trials;Continuing decline in SMS traffic in wake of messaging alternatives;NOS trialling NB-IoT; m-payment solution developments;Meo ramps up fibre roll out, aiming for 5.3 million connected premises by 2020;Vodafone signs fibre-network sharing agreement with NOS;Fibre subscriber base grows 28% in the year to September 2017;Report update includes the regulators market data to Q4 2017, telcos operating and financial data to Q4 2017, recent market developments.Companies mentioned in this report:Portugal Telecom (Meo), NOS (Optimus, Zon Multimedia), Vodafone Portugal, CTT, Lycamobile, Sonaecom, CabovisaoFor Detailed Reading Please visit @Major Key Points in Table of Content:1. Key statistics1.1 Country overview2. Telecommunications market2.1 Overview3. Regulatory environment3.1 Historic overview3.2 Regulatory authority3.3 Government policies4. Fixed network operators4.1 Introduction4.2 Portugal Telecom4.3 Oni Communications5. Telecommunications infrastructure5.1 National telecom network5.2 International infrastructure5.3 Data centres6. Broadband market6.1 Introduction and statistical overview6.2 Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks6.3 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks7. Mobile communications7.1 Market analysis7.2 Mobile statistics7.3 Regulatory issuesContinuous.....Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Poland Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Professional Survey with Industry Key Players  Orange Poland, Netia, Telefonia Dialog | 2019-2023

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband 2023 Poland Industry

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3146912-poland-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3146912-poland-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses

www.wiseguyreports.com

WiseGuyReports.com Poland - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses report has been added to its Research Database.Scope of the Report:Poland gears up for 5G trials in 2019. Polands liberalized telecom market has seen considerable development in recent years, with the regulatory environment having been shaped by EU principles designed to facilitate competition and encourage competing operators to enter the market. Recently this extended to opening Orange Polands fibre network to access and pricing regulation.The fixed broadband market has benefited from excellent cross-platform competition, with comprehensive DSL infrastructure complemented by extensive cable networks and a growing fibre presence. Commercial considerations meant that fibre was for some years restricted to a number of urban areas, though more recently the sector has received considerable financial support from the government and the EU aimed at building fibre-based networks across the country and promoting fibre connectivity to end-users. As a result, the proportion of broadband subscribers receiving a service of at least 100Mb/s has increased sharply in recent years.Orange Poland still dominates the fixed broadband market although there has been some consolidation among operators. UPC Poland in particular has grown through acquisitions, though its bid to take over the cable assets of Multimedia Polska was abandoned in early 2018 following regulatory concerns over the proposed deals impact on market competition.The mobile market has been characterized by the rapid extension of LTE networks and the development of mobile data services based on newly released and refarmed spectrum. In addition, the regulator and operators alike are preparing for 5G, with the regulator embarking on a long-term strategy and with operators such as Orange Poland preparing to trial services based on 5G technologies in 2019.Mobile penetration in Poland is above the European average, standing at almost 141% by early 2018. This reflects the continuing popularity among consumers to keep two or more SIM cards, which has distorted the real mobile penetration rate. The distortion has been addressed on two fronts: by network operators being encouraged to disconnect dormant SIM cards, and by legislation, effective from February 2017, which obliges subscribers of prepaid services to register their details. This has resulted in a significant readjustment in the number of subscribers in the market.Request a Sample Report @This report covers key aspects of Polands evolving telecom market, presenting data and analyses on market operators, fixed-line networks and technologies, and the key regulatory developments. The report also profiles the fixed broadband market players, assesses the varied technology platforms and market developments, and provides subscriber forecasts to 2023. In addition the report covers the mobile voice and data markets, including profiles of the major operators together with updated operating and financial results, and assessing recent regulatory measures and spectrum auction results.Key developments:NetWorkS! Joint venture increases LTE spectrum allocation;Polkomtels LTE-A service data rate increased to 500Mb/s;Legislation waives spectrum fees for technology trials;Orange Poland planning 5G trials in 2019;T-Mobile Poland launches commercial NB-IoT services;Vectra and Toya launch 1Gb/s FttP services;Liberty Global cancels proposed acquisition of Multimedias cable assets;Netia and Orange Poland head fibre-based consortia to extend broadband nationally;Government creates Ministry of Administration and Digitalisation to oversee telecom sector development;Telecommunications Act amended;Report update includes the regulators market data report for 2016, State Statistics data for 2016, telcos operating and financial data for Q4 2017, recent market developments.Companies mentioned in this report:Orange Poland, Netia, Telefonia Dialog, GTS Energis, Exatel, Telekomunikacja Kolejowa, UPC Poland, Aster, Multimedia Polska, Vectra, Polkomtel, CenterNet, T-Mobile Poland, P4/Play, Mobyland.For Detailed Reading Please visit @Major Key Points in Table of Content:1. Key statistics1.1 Country overview2. Telecommunications market2.1 Historical overview2.2 Market analysis3. Regulatory environment3.1 Historic overview3.2 Telecommunications Act (2001)3.3 Telecommunications Act (2004)4. Major network operators4.1 Introduction4.2 Orange Poland4.3 Netia5. Telecommunications infrastructure5.1 Overview of the national telecom network5.2 Orange Poland5.3 Alternative operators6. Broadband market6.1 Introduction and statistical overview6.2 Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks6.3 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks7. Mobile communications7.1 Market analysis7.2 Mobile statistics7.3 Major mobile operatorsContinuous.....Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Military Computers Market Set to Witness Growth 2019  2025 | Global Key Companys (Bae Systems, Curtiss-Wright, Cobham, Vechain et al.)

Military Computers Market 2019

https://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/722139

https://www.orianresearch.com/enquiry-before-buying/722139

https://www.orianresearch.com/checkout/722139

www.orianresearch.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/13281002/

The Global Military Computers Market was valued at USD XX million in 2016, and is expected to grow at a CAGR of XX% by 2025. Increasing demand for to carry rugged portable and wearable computers in military warzones, increasing advancements in warfare technologies, increasing modernization of military weapon systems, growing scope for adoption of embedded computers, growing roughed computers to function on various environmental condition are some of the factors to drive the growth of the market.For Sample Copy of Global Military Computers Market Report @North America and Asia Pacific region is expected to dominate the market by region in future the dominance is supported by government initiatives for advanced technological products in the region, increasing budget from government expenditure, are some of the other factors to support the growth of the market.To undergo with international safety standards across various regions are some of the main challenge faced in the market. Ensuring the safety system by lowering malfunction during rough environment to withstand computers are growing as opportunity for the growth of the market.The aircraft segment is expected to dominate the market by platform type owing to increased adoption rate for advancement in this segment.Global Military Computers Industry 2019 Market Research Report is spread across 121 pages and provides exclusive vital statistics, data, information, trends and competitive landscape details in this niche sector.Inquire more or share questions if any before the purchase on Military Computers Industry reportTop Key Companies Analyzed in Global Military Computers Market are  Bae Systems Curtiss-Wright Cobham ..Key Benefit Of This Report: Global, Regional, Country, Type, and Platform type Market Size and Forecast from 2014-2025 Detailed market dynamics, industry outlook with market specific PESTLE, Value Chain, Supply Chain, and SWOT Analysis to better understand the market and build strategies Identification of key companies that can influence this market on a global and regional scale Expert interviews and their insights on market shift, current and future outlook and factors impacting vendors short term and long term strategies Detailed insights on emerging regions, Types & Technology type, and competitive landscape with qualitative and quantitative information and factsTarget Audience: Military Computers providers Traders, Importer and Exporter Raw material suppliers and distributors Research and consulting firms Government and research organizations Associations and industry bodiesResearch Methodology:The market is derived through extensive use of secondary, primary, in-house research followed by expert validation and third party perspective like analyst report of investment banks. The secondary research forms the base of our study where we conducted extensive data mining, referring to verified data sources such as white papers government and regulatory published materials, technical journals, trade magazines, and paid data sources.For forecasting, regional demand & supply factor, investment, market dynamics including technical scenario, consumer behavior, and end use industry trends and dynamics , capacity Components, spending were taken into consideration.We have assigned weights to these parameters and quantified their market impacts using the weighted average analysis to derive the expected market growth rate.The market estimates and forecasts have been verified through exhaustive primary research with the Key Industry Participants (KIPs) which typically include: Original Equipment Manufacturer Technology Supplier Distributors Government Body & Associations Research InstituteOrder a copy of Global Military Computers Market Report 2019@Regionally, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific, And the Middle East & Africa constitute the key market segments. Military Computers market is expected to be dominated by the North America region owing to its large laxative drug and supplement market.Major Points Covered in Table of Contents:1 Executive Summary2 Methodology And Market Scope3 Military Computers Market  Industry Outlook4 Military Computers Market By Type5 Military Computers Market By Platform6 Military Computers Market Regional Outlook7 Competitive LandscapeAuthor ListDisclosure SectionResearch MethodologyData SourceAbout UsOrian Research is one of the most comprehensive collections of market intelligence reports on the World Wide Web. Our reports repository boasts of over 500000+ industry and country research reports from over 100 top publishers. We continuously update our repository so as to provide our clients easy access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, and products. We also specialize in custom research in situations where our syndicate research offerings do not meet the specific requirements of our esteemed clients.Contact UsRuwin MendezVice President  Global Sales & Partner RelationsOrian Research ConsultantsUS +1 (415) 830-3727| UK +44 020 8144-71-27Email: info@orianresearch.comWebsite:Follow Us on LinkedIn:Data Preparation market is booming worldwide with Microsoft Corporation, Tableau Software Inc.,Qlik Technologies Inc., SAP SE, Informatica, IBM Corporation, SAS Institute, Alteryx Inc

https://www.reportconsultant.com/request_sample.php?id=2159

https://www.reportconsultant.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=2159

https://www.reportconsultant.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=2159

www.reportconsultant.com

Data Preparation Market has been valued at USD 1.78 billion in 2017 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of +22% during the forecast period (2018-2025), to reach USD 6.06 billion by 2025.The report titled Data Preparation Market market has been recently added to the database of Report Consultant. The firm has precisely crafted the report based on real-time facts and figures, therefore, establishing an in-depth synopsis of the competitive landscape of the global market, and helping stakeholders understand the primary threats and prospects of investing in it. An all-inclusive analytical review has been done to create a standardized founding to understand the primary threats and prospects that vendors in the market are expected to deal with.Get Sample Copy Of Report:Top key vendors:Microsoft Corporation,Tableau Software Inc.,Qlik Technologies Inc.,SAP SE,Informatica,IBM Corporation,SAS Institute,Alteryx Inc.,Rapid Insight,Lavastorm Analytics Inc.,ClearStory Data Inc.,Cambridge Semantics Inc.,Talend Inc.Ask For Discount:On the geographical front, the global Data Preparation market is classified into Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East & Africa, North America, and Latin America. The leading region of this global market and the region which is projected to continue its dominance over the forthcoming years is given in the study. The key driving force behind the growth of this market in the near future is also presented.A competitive analysis of the global Data Preparation market has also been provided in this research report, wherein the profiles of the key market players have been reviewed thoroughly to determine the markets hierarchy. As per the research report, the market is highly fragmented and competitive due to the presence of a number of participants. This research study is aimed at presenting a clear picture of the global market to the readers in order to help them is gaining a better understanding of this market.For more Information:What our report offers: What will the market size be in 2025? What are the key factors driving the global market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key players in the market? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players? What will be the growth rate in 2025? Which strategies are used by top players in the Global Data Preparation Market?Table of Content:Global Data Preparation Market Research Report 2018-2025Chapter 1: Data Preparation market OverviewChapter 2: Data Preparation market Economic ImpactChapter 3: Competition by ManufacturerChapter 4: Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2018-2025)Chapter 5: Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2018-2025)Chapter 6: Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by TypeChapter 7: Data Preparation market Analysis by ApplicationChapter 8: Data Preparation Market by Manufacturing Cost AnalysisChapter 9: Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream BuyersChapter 10: Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/TradersChapter 11: Market Effect Factors AnalysisChapter 12: Data Preparation Market Forecast (2018-2025)Chapter 13: AppendixAbout Us:Report Consultant - A global leader in analytics, research and advisory that can assist you to renovate your business and modify your approach. With us, you will learn to take decisions intrepidly. We make sense of drawbacks, opportunities, circumstances, estimations and information using our experienced skills and verified methodologies.Our research reports will give you an exceptional experience of innovative solutions and outcomes. We have effectively steered businesses all over the world with our market research reports and are outstandingly positioned to lead digital transformations. Thus, we craft greater value for clients by presenting advanced opportunities in the global market.Contact us:Rebecca Parker(Report Consultant)Akasaka biz tower,5-3-1 akasaka minato-ku,Tokyo, JapanContact No: +81-368444299sales@reportconsultant.comPosted Wednesday, January 9, 2019 10:42 am

In a report released Tuesday, researchers from Stanford University took on a question that Washington's state auditors could not:

What kind of academic impact do the state's charter schools have on their students?

Their answer, after studying three school years' worth of data: Overall, charter-school students' scores on state math and reading exams grew at a similar pace compared to their peers enrolled in traditional public schools.

That finding was true for almost all student racial and demographic groups, with English learners being the notable exception. Students learning English who were enrolled in charter schools performed considerably better. Compared to English learners in traditional public schools, the report found they gained the equivalent of 83 more days of instruction in both reading and math. For that, the report had no explanation:

"Nothing in the data that we crunch gives us any understanding of what is actually happening inside the schools," said Macke Raymond, director of Stanford's Center for Research on Education Outcomes (also known as CREDO), the group behind the report.

Charter schools in Washington state are publicly funded, but privately run. Charter-school opponents in Washington and beyond claim the schools take money away from traditional public schools -- as both receive funding from the state based on their enrollment -- and aren't directly accountable to voters because they are not controlled by elected school boards.

The study is the first in-depth analysis of student performance at the state's young charter-school network, which gained more stable legal footing from a state Supreme Court ruling in late 2018.

The researchers also used a method called "virtual control record," in which they analyzed and compared a little over 1,000 charter-school students with how their virtual academic and demographic "twin" in a traditional public school would have performed on state assessments.

The results of the comparisons are limited by a few factors, including the short history of charter schools here, and the demographics of charters schools, which generally enroll a larger share of nonwhite students.

Even so, Raymond says the measurements provide an important benchmark for comparing results -- and measuring progress -- in the future.

For example: The researchers found evidence that black students enrolled in charter schools saw similar growth in reading and math as white students in traditional public schools. (There was a small, but statistically insignificant gap in reading.)

By contrast, within traditional public schools, black students "exhibit 71 fewer days of learning in reading and 59 fewer days of learning in math" than their white peers, according to the study.

The results also showed variation between charter schools, with some significantly outperforming their local school options -- by margins higher than the national average -- and others falling behind.

Charter-school students in the Seattle area had the highest one-year gains in learning compared to their counterparts, beating out Tacoma and Spokane, two other hubs for charters in the state.Austria Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Professional Survey with Industry Key Players  Telekom Austria (A1), Tele2, tele.ring, UPC Austria | 2019-2023

Austria Telecoms Market Survey 2023

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3308820-austria-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3308820-austria-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses

www.wiseguyreports.com

WiseGuyReports.com Austria - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses report has been added to its Research Database.Scope of the Report:Austrias telcos looking forward to major spectrum auctions for 5G. Austrias telecom market is dominated by the incumbent Telekom Austria and the cableco UPC Austria, though there has been greater competitive pressure in the fixed-line broadband and mobile sectors in recent years. In common with operators elsewhere in Europe, those in Austria are focussed on the provision of bundled services as a measure to attract and retain customers. To compete more effectively with Telekom Austria, by far the main player in this segment, T-Mobile Austria in late 2017 acquired UPC Austria. The deal was approved by competition authorities in July 2018, on the basis that their service offerings are complementary.Austrias competitive mobile market is dominated by the three network operators 3 Austria, T-Mobile Austria and Telekom Austrias own unit A1. However, the market also benefits from a growing number of new entrants in the MVNO sector, which by early 2018 collectively had about 6.8% of the market by subscribers. The growth in the MVNO sector is partly due to regulatory concessions by which 3 Austria, as a condition of its take-over of Orange Austria, was obliged to provide a third of its network capacity to support up to 16 MVNOs.The competitive environment has led to relatively low ARPU for operators, as well as some of the regions lowest tariffs for consumers. The operators LTE networks have benefited from regulatory measures which have allowed operators to refarm existing 2G and 3G spectrum for LTE, while spectrum in the 700MHz has also been set aside for mobile broadband use once this band is released from broadcasters. The regulator is planning to auction 390MHz in the 3410MHz-3600MHz range and 200MHz in the 3600MHz-3800MHz range, in line with European measures, to be assigned for 5G technologies. The regulator has also set aside spectrum in the 700MHz band for 5G services, which should be made available from 2020.The Austrian fixed-line broadband market is dominated by the DSL sector, while the cable broadband sector has held a steady share of about a third of connections. The fibre sector was slow to develop, but in recent years there has been greater effort among telcos to develop infrastructure and promote the take-up of bundled services.Request a Sample Report @UPC Austria continues to invest in DOCSIS3.1 technology, while Telekom Austria has invested in G.fast technology to improve connectivity in areas where it has not prioritised fibre. Although fibre penetration remains low, with the platform having less than 2% market share of subscribers, there is considerable vigour among operators to build out network infrastructure:Telekom Austria is in the process of extending its fibre infrastructure to additional 300,000 premises, affecting some 500 towns. Ongoing investment in the sector suggests stronger growth in coming years, and as a result the number of DSL lines is expected to fall as customers are migrated to fibre.This report presents key aspects of the Austrian telecom and ICT markets, including statistical data on the country, the fixed network services sector and telecom infrastructure. It presents an overview of recent regulatory developments affecting broadband access and mobile spectrum.Key developments:Telekom Austria launches 100Gb/s network across the CEE region, switches domestic fixed-line traffic to VoIP;Regulator making progress with 3.4-3.6GHz auction for 5G services;T-Mobile Austria expands Narrowband IoT capabilities, trials 5G in Innsbruck, launches VoLTE service, acquires UPC Austria;ZTE and 3 Austria set up Innovation Lab to trial 5G;MVNOs secure 6.7% market share of subscribers;700MHz spectrum to be assigned for 5G use from 2020;Telekom Austria adds M2M platforms;T-Mobile Austria acquires UPC Austria;Telekom Austria trials XG-Fast technology providing data at over 11Gb/s, prepares to expand fibre infrastructure to an additional 300,000 premises;Regulator proposes framework to expand broadband services nationally;Government pledges 1 billion to upgrade national broadband availability;Xlink launches 1Gb/s FttP broadband offer;Report update includes the regulators market data to Q4 2017, telcos financial and operating data to Q2 2018, recent market developmentsReport update includes the regulators market data to Q4 2017, telcos financial and operating data to Q2 2018, recent market developments.Companies mentioned in this report:Telekom Austria (A1), Tele2, tele.ring, UPC Austria, 3 Austria, T-Mobile Austria, Orange Austria, Mundio, Lycamobile, Yesss!, M:Tel Austria, Hofer Telekom, Xlink.For Detailed Reading Please visit @Major Key Points in Table of Content:1. Key statistics2. Telecommunications market2.1 Market analysis3. Regulatory environment3.1 Historical overview3.2 Regulatory authorities3.3 Privatisation of Telekom Austria4. Fixed network operators4.1 Introduction4.2 Telekom Austria4.3 Tele25. Telecommunications infrastructure5.1 Overview of the national telecom network5.2 Next Generation Network (NGN)5.3 Structural separation6. Broadband market6.1 Introduction and statistical overview6.2 Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks6.3 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks7. Digital media7.1 Videostreaming8. Mobile communications8.1 Market analysis8.2 Mobile statistics8.3 Mobile infrastructureContinuous.....Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)Global Intelligence Street Lighting Market: Industry Size, Growth, Analysis and Forecast of 2025

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3575334-global-intelligence-street-lighting-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3575334-global-intelligence-street-lighting-market-size-status-and-forecast-2018-2025

Global Intelligence Street Lighting IndustryNew Study On 2019-2025 Intelligence Street Lighting Market Global Key Player, Demand, Growth, Opportunities and Analysis Forecast Added to Wise Guy Reports DatabaseThis report focuses on the global Intelligence Street Lighting status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players. The study objectives are to present the Intelligence Street Lighting development in United States, Europe and China.The key players covered in this studySignifyItronTelensaEchelon CorpRongwenCurrentGEDimonofFlashnetSensusgridCommPhilips LightingInfineon TechnologiesTry Sample Report @Market segment by Type, the product can be split intoLighting SystemVideo Mornitoring SystemMarket segment by Application, split intoUrban AreaCountrysideMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversUnited StatesEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaCentral & South AmericaThe study objectives of this report are:To analyze global Intelligence Street Lighting status, future forecast, growth opportunity, key market and key players.To present the Intelligence Street Lighting development in United States, Europe and China.To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their development plan and strategies.To define, describe and forecast the market by product type, market and key regions.For Detailed Reading Please visit WiseGuy Reports @Some Major Points from Table of content:1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Players Covered1.4 Market Analysis by Type1.4.1 Global Intelligence Street Lighting Market Size Growth Rate by Type (2013-2025)1.4.2 Lighting System1.4.3 Video Mornitoring System1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Intelligence Street Lighting Market Share by Application (2013-2025)1.5.2 Urban Area1.5.3 Countryside1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered12 International Players Profiles12.1 Signify12.1.1 Signify Company Details12.1.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.1.3 Intelligence Street Lighting Introduction12.1.4 Signify Revenue in Intelligence Street Lighting Business (2013-2018)12.1.5 Signify Recent Development12.2 Itron12.2.1 Itron Company Details12.2.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.2.3 Intelligence Street Lighting Introduction12.2.4 Itron Revenue in Intelligence Street Lighting Business (2013-2018)12.2.5 Itron Recent Development12.3 Telensa12.3.1 Telensa Company Details12.3.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.3.3 Intelligence Street Lighting Introduction12.3.4 Telensa Revenue in Intelligence Street Lighting Business (2013-2018)12.3.5 Telensa Recent Development12.4 Echelon Corp12.4.1 Echelon Corp Company Details12.4.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.4.3 Intelligence Street Lighting Introduction12.4.4 Echelon Corp Revenue in Intelligence Street Lighting Business (2013-2018)12.4.5 Echelon Corp Recent Development12.5 Rongwen12.5.1 Rongwen Company Details12.5.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.5.3 Intelligence Street Lighting Introduction12.5.4 Rongwen Revenue in Intelligence Street Lighting Business (2013-2018)12.5.5 Rongwen Recent Development12.6 CurrentGE12.6.1 CurrentGE Company Details12.6.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.6.3 Intelligence Street Lighting Introduction12.6.4 CurrentGE Revenue in Intelligence Street Lighting Business (2013-2018)12.6.5 CurrentGE Recent Development12.7 Dimonof12.7.1 Dimonof Company Details12.7.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.7.3 Intelligence Street Lighting Introduction12.7.4 Dimonof Revenue in Intelligence Street Lighting Business (2013-2018)12.7.5 Dimonof Recent Development12.8 Flashnet12.8.1 Flashnet Company Details12.8.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.8.3 Intelligence Street Lighting Introduction12.8.4 Flashnet Revenue in Intelligence Street Lighting Business (2013-2018)12.8.5 Flashnet Recent Development12.9 Sensus12.9.1 Sensus Company Details12.9.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.9.3 Intelligence Street Lighting Introduction12.9.4 Sensus Revenue in Intelligence Street Lighting Business (2013-2018)12.9.5 Sensus Recent Development12.10 gridComm12.10.1 gridComm Company Details12.10.2 Company Description and Business Overview12.10.3 Intelligence Street Lighting Introduction12.10.4 gridComm Revenue in Intelligence Street Lighting Business (2013-2018)12.10.5 gridComm Recent Development12.11 Philips Lighting12.12 Infineon TechnologiesContinued.For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comAbout UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.Contact Us:Norah Trent+91 841 198 5042Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaFinland Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market 2019-2023, Upcoming Trends, Challenges and Industry Key Players  Telia, DNA, Elisa, Digita

Finland Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market 2023

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3429190-finland-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3429190-finland-telecoms-mobile-and-broadband-statistics-and-analyses

www.wiseguyreports.com

WiseGuyReports.com Finland - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses report has been added to its Research Database.Scope of the Report:Finlands telcos wait on 3.5GHz auction for 5G launch. Finlands telecom market is among the more progressive in Europe, with considerable emphasis by operators to test-bed technologies, particularly in the mobile and broadband sectors. These efforts have been supported by the regulator which has provided additional spectrum for telecom services. As a result of these efforts the country enjoys one of the highest broadband and mobile penetration rates in the region, with customers able to make use of the latest iterations of technologies including DOCSIS3.1, carrier aggregation with LTE-A, and GPON fibre infrastructure.The country has an advanced mobile market and has been a pioneer in developing 5G. Trial licenses were issued to network operators in early 2018, several tests were held later in the year using spectrum in the 3.5GHz band. The auction of spectrum in this band will enabled operators to launch commercial services in early 2019 pending the release of 3.5GHz spectrum and the availability of 5G-compliant modems and devices.Finlands high broadband penetration has been the result of astute regulatory measures which have encouraged market competition. Companies have also been keen to invest in new technologies in a bid to address demand for improved services among customers.The government has set demanding broadband delivery targets and is working towards targets to be achieved by 2025 and 2030 which incorporate a mix of fixed-line and mobile technologies, with the former focussed on FttP and DOCSIS3.1 technologies and the latter on gigabit LTE and 5G.This report assesses key aspects of the Finnish telecom market, providing data on the fixed network services sector together with an overview of important regulatory issues including interconnection, local loop unbundling, number portability and carrier preselection.Request a Sample Report @The report also provides statistics and research on the mobile market, including key regulatory issues, a snapshot of the consumer market, the growth of mobile data services and the development of emerging technologies and networks such as HSPA, LTE and 5G. In addition the report profiles the fixed and wireless broadband markets, and analyses developments in related technologies such as FttP, powerline broadband, Wi-Fi and internet via satellite.Key developments:Telia Finland and Finnish postal service pilot smart mail boxes with NB-IoT;Telia Finland waiting on 3.5GHz auction before launching 5G services in early 2019;DNA upgrades core and regional networks in preparation for 5G;Elisa launches pre-commercial 5G service;Nokia launches key technologies for the Smart Tampere project;Cinia Group participates in the Arctic Connect cable linking Europe with North America and Asia;Fixed-voice subscriptions continue to fall;Regulator concedes roaming charge extension to June 2019;DNA trials Gigabit LTE service using carrier aggregation technology;Elisa trials Nokias XGS-PON technology providing data at up to 10Gb/s;Government prepares national broadband targets for 2025 and 2030;DNA contracts Teleste to provide DOCSIS3.1 equipment;Telia trials G.fast technology in Helsinki with Huawei;DSL subscriber base shrinks as customers migrate to fibre infrastructure;Report update includes the regulators market data to December 2017, telcos financial and operating data to Q2 2018, recent market developments.Companies mentioned in this report:Telia, DNA, Elisa, Digita, Finnet Group, TDC Finland, Tele2For Detailed Reading Please visit @Major Key Points in Table of Content:1. Key statistics2. Telecommunications market2.1 Historical overview2.2 Market analysis3. Regulatory environment3.1 Historic overview3.2 Regulatory authorities3.3 Privatisation of Telecom Finland4. Fixed network operators4.1 Overview4.2 Telia4.3 Finnet Group5. Telecommunications infrastructure5.1 Overview of the national telecom network5.2 Next Generation Networks5.3 International infrastructure6. Broadband market6.1 Introduction and statistical overview6.2 Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks6.3 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks7. Digital media7.1 Videostreaming8. Mobile communications8.1 Market analysis8.2 Mobile statisticsContinuous....Wise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Research Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe.NORAH TRENTPartner Relations & Marketing Managersales@wiseguyreports.comPh: +1-646-845-9349 (US)Ph: +44 208 133 9349 (UK)CAM Software Market 2019 Business Analysis and Future Scope with Top Key Players- Autodesk Inc., Mastercam, SolidCAM Ltd., EdgeCAM, ZWCAD Software Co., Ltd., GRZ Software, BobCAD-CAM, Inc.

https://www.reportconsultant.com/request_sample.php?id=4989

https://www.reportconsultant.com/ask_for_discount.php?id=4989

https://www.reportconsultant.com/enquiry_before_buying.php?id=4989

www.reportconsultant.com

Report Consultant has published a statistical data to its extensive repository titled as, CAM Software market. The study comprises different segments and sub-segments such as type, size, applications, and end-users. The global market provides an analytical study of numerous growth influencing factors. Primary and secondary research techniques have been used by analysts of the report.The CAM Software market is expected to grow worth of USD +3.2 Billion and at a CAGR of +6% over the forecast period 2019-2025.Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) is a software tool that assists engineers, architects, and other professionals to design and manufacture objects. CAM software refers to the use of a computer to assist in all operations of a manufacturing plant which includes planning, management, transportation, and storage. The primary purpose of the CAM software is to create a faster production process & components and provide more precise dimensions and material consistency.Top Key Vendors in Market:Autodesk Inc., Mastercam, SolidCAM Ltd., EdgeCAM, ZWCAD Software Co., Ltd., GRZ Software, BobCAD-CAM, Inc., Cimatron Group, Camnetics, Inc., MecSoft Corporation, Dassault Systemes, and Siemens Product Lifecycle Management Software Inc.Get Sample Copy of this Report @:To get a stronger and effective business outlook different internal and external factors are mentioned which are responsible for fueling or hampering the progress of the CAM Software market. Additionally, it offers insightful data which helps to formulate the best strategies for both established key players as well as new entrants.Different global regions such as North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and India have been examined to get a better understanding of the competitive landscape. The research report analyses the market size, pricing structures, and shares. The recent advancements in the technology sector impacts on the progress of the CAM Software Market. The current developments patterns of various successful industries have been mentioned to get a clear idea about effective business strategies.It offers the entire demand-supply chain of a CAM Software market to understand the demanding structure of the sector. In this effective and informative report, top-level industries have been profiled to get an in-depth analysis of successful strategies of various companies.Furthermore, it discusses the challenges and risks experienced from the several sellers as well as buyers. Various applicable sales strategies are included to discover the global opportunities that are shaping the global CAM Software market.Avail Upto 40% discount on this report:Table of ContentsGlobal CAM Software Market Research Report 2019-2025Chapter 1: Industry OverviewChapter 2: CAM Software Market International and China Market AnalysisChapter 3: Environment Analysis of Market.Chapter 4: Analysis of Revenue by ClassificationsChapter 5: Analysis of Revenue by Regions and ApplicationsChapter 6: Analysis of CAM Software Market Revenue Market Status.Chapter 7: Analysis of Industry Key ManufacturersChapter 8: Sales Price and Gross Margin Analysis of Market.Chapter 9: Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Market.Chapter 10: Development Trend of CAM Software Market 2018-2025.Chapter 11: Industry Chain Suppliers of Market with Contact Information.Chapter 12: New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Market.Chapter 13: Conclusion of the CAM Software Market Industry 2025 Market Research ReportFor More enquiry:About Report Consultant:Report Consultant - A global leader in analytics, research and advisory that can assist you to renovate your business and modify your approach. With us, you will learn to take decisions intrepidly. We make sense of drawbacks, opportunities, circumstances, estimations and information using our experienced skills and verified methodologies.Our research reports will give you an exceptional experience of innovative solutions and outcomes. We have effectively steered businesses all over the world with our market research reports and are outstandingly positioned to lead digital transformations. Thus, we craft greater value for clients by presenting advanced opportunities in the global market.Contact us:Rebecca Parker(Report Consultant)Akasaka biz tower,5-3-1 akasaka minato-ku,Tokyo, JapanContact No: +81-368444299sales@reportconsultant.comDriving Innovation: Smart Door Lock Market By Key Vendors: Samsung, Allegion, August, Honeywell 2018-2025

QyResearchReports

https://www.qyresearchreports.com/sample/sample.php?rep_id=1909526&type=S

https://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-smart-door-lock-smart-locks-market-insights-forecast-to-2025.htm

http://www.qyresearchreports.com

Qyresearchreports include new market research report Smart Door Lock to its huge collection of research reports.This report studies the global market size of Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) in key regions like North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Central & South America and Middle East & Africa, focuses on the consumption of Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) in these regions.This research report categorizes the global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) market by players/brands, region, type and application. This report also studies the global market status, competition landscape, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, sales channels, distributors and Porter's Five Forces Analysis.Smart door locks are widely available, and allow users to open & close a door without keys. Smart door locks can provide people with a high level of safety that is not provided by typical locks and alarms.In 2016, the global smart door locks market is led by China. North Amrica is the second-largest region-wise market. At present, the major manufacturers of smart door locks are concentrated in USA, Europe, Japan China and Korea. ASSA ABLOY is the world leader, holding 17.93% sales share in 2016. In every segment market (Europe, USA, China and tec), ASSA ABLOY is a leader. ASSA ABLOY has a long history and many brands. At the same time, ASSA ABLOY always acquired peers to expand the share of the market.For more info, get sample report for FREE here:In 2017, the global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) market size was 1870 million US$ and is forecast to 4940 million US in 2025, growing at a CAGR of 12.9% from 2018. The objectives of this study are to define, segment, and project the size of the Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) market based on company, product type, application and key regions.The various contributors involved in the value chain of Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) include manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, intermediaries, and customers. The key manufacturers in the Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) includeASSA ABLOYSamsungAllegionKwikset (Spectrum Brands)MIWA LockMaster Lock (Fortune Brands)Guangdong Be-TechAdelAugustHoneywellJiangmen Keyu Intelligence...The study objectives of this report are:To study and analyze the global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) market size (value & volume) by company, key regions/countries, products and application, history data from 2013 to 2017, and forecast to 2025.To understand the structure of Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) market by identifying its various subsegments.To share detailed information about the key factors influencing the growth of the market (growth potential, opportunities, drivers, industry-specific challenges and risks).Focuses on the key global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the sales volume, value, market share, market competition landscape, SWOT analysis and development plans in next few years.To analyze the Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) with respect to individual growth trends, future prospects, and their contribution to the total market.To project the value and volume of Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) submarkets, with respect to key regions (along with their respective key countries).To analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the market.To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.Browse Complete Research Report at:Table of Contents1 Study Coverage1.1 Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Product1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Key Manufacturers Covered1.4 Market by Type1.4.1 Global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Market Size Growth Rate by Type1.4.2 Electronic Cipher Locks1.4.3 Fingerprint Locks1.4.4 Z-wave Locks1.4.5 Wi-Fi Locks1.4.6 Bluetooth Low Energy Locks1.4.7 Other1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Market Size Growth Rate by Application1.5.2 Household1.5.3 Commercial1.5.4 Others2 Executive Summary2.1 Global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Market Size2.1.1 Global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Revenue 2016-20252.1.2 Global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Sales 2016-20252.2 Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Growth Rate by Regions2.2.1 Global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Sales by Regions2.2.2 Global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Revenue by Regions3 Breakdown Data by Manufacturers3.1 Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Sales by Manufacturers3.1.1 Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Sales by Manufacturers3.1.2 Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Sales Market Share by Manufacturers3.1.3 Global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI)3.2 Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Revenue by Manufacturers3.2.1 Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Revenue by Manufacturers (2016-2018)...List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks)Figure Global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Production (K Units) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2013-2025)Figure Global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2017Figure Electronic Cipher Locks Product PictureTable Major Manufacturers of Electronic Cipher LocksFigure Fingerprint Locks Product PictureTable Major Manufacturers of Fingerprint LocksFigure Z-wave Locks Product PictureTable Major Manufacturers of Z-wave LocksFigure Wi-Fi Locks Product PictureTable Major Manufacturers of Wi-Fi LocksFigure Bluetooth Low Energy Locks Product PictureTable Major Manufacturers of Bluetooth Low Energy LocksFigure Other Product PictureTable Major Manufacturers of OtherTable Global Smart Door Lock (Smart Locks) Market Size Growth Rate by Application 2018-2025 (K Units)Figure HouseholdFigure Commercial...About Us: QYResearchReports delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYResearchReports feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.Contact Us:Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.comTag Management System Tools Market Size (Value & Volume), Future Trends, Opportunities and Sales Channels, Forecast 2026

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/8078

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/8078

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/checkout?rep_id=8078&licType=S

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/

The report "Tag Management System Tools Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2018 - 2026" gives complete assessment of the latest trends, challenges of market.The objectives of this study are as follows: To define, describe, and forecast the "Tag Management System Tools" market by type, application, component, delivery model, end user, and region To provide detailed information regarding major factors influencing market growth (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and industry-specific challenges) To analyze micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and contributions to the overall market To analyze opportunities in the market for stakeholders and provide details of the competitive landscape for market leaders To forecast the market size of market segments with respect to the four key regions: North America, Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the World (RoW) To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their product portfolios, market positions, and core competenciesGet Sample Copy Of This Report @Tag Management System Tools Market: Brief AccountThe global tag management system tools market is likely to witness surge in its product demand owing to the need for proper data governance policies and digital marketing during the forecast period 2018  2026. Requirement for an established data governance policies in order to enhance the customers experience is expected to drive the market. Digital marketing has recently gained a tremendous success, as a result players from various industries are taking up digital marketing in order to expand their customer base, and these have resulted in the growth of the market. A tag is basically a short piece of a code that organization take from other vendors in order to put in on their site for digital marketing along with collecting data for analytics. Tag management system cumulates and manages digital marketing technologies to handle consumer data, which is considered to be difficult.The global tag management system tools market is classified on the basis of enterprise size, component, region, and industry vertical. On the basis of component, the market can be divided into services and solutions. Based on enterprises, the market is bifurcated into small, medium, and large size enterprises.Tag Management System Tools Market: Trends and OpportunitiesOne of the major factor driving the global tag management system tools market is the growing number of enterprise all across the world owing to rapid urbanization. Rising number of enterprises have resulted in need for digital marketing as people these days tend to spend more time on internet rather than on television or newspaper. Rapid expansion of internet throughout various corners of the world is expected to help the market to grow incessantly. Stellar penetration rate of smart phones has severely increased the consumption of mobile data throughout the world is predicted to demand for mobility solution in retail sector. Such data are used to understand customers behavior, depending upon them, it is extensively used for digital marketing in retail and ecommerce industry. This is likely to create a lucrative growth opportunity for the market. Ecommerce and retail industry are expected to drive the growth of market.However, perennial expansion of digital and web based technologies, lack in advanced technical knowledge and expertise, and problems related to ownerships of tags are anticipated to deter the growth of the market. Nonetheless, the capability to make a cohesive ecosystem is foreseen to help the market to grow new heights.Request For TOC @Tag Management System Tools Market: Geographical AnalysisOn the basis of geography, North America is likely to hold the major share in the global tag management system tools market. Presence of major players in the U.S and Canada is contributing to the growth of the region. Europe, which stand next to North America is likely to witness a significant growth in years to come owing to rapid espouse of advanced technologies. However, Asia Pacific is likely to provide a lucrative growth opportunities for major players in the market due to rising industrialization in countries such as India, China, Indonesia, and Singapore.Tag Management System Tools Market: Companies MentionedSome of the key players in the market are Google, Inc., Commanders Act., InnoCraft Ltd., DATALICIOUS PTY LTD, and Piwik.proThe report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on: Market segments and sub-segments Market trends and dynamics Supply and demand Market size Current trends/opportunities/challenges Competitive landscape Technological breakthroughs Value chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers: North America (U.S. and Canada) Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others) Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg) Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia) Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand) Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Highlights of the report: A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent market Important changes in market dynamics Market segmentation up to the second or third level Historical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volume Reporting and evaluation of recent industry developments Market shares and strategies of key players Emerging niche segments and regional markets An objective assessment of the trajectory of the market Recommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketPre Book Report @About UsMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Contact UsMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.bizLong Haul Solutions Market size, Analytical Overview, Growth factors, Demand and trends forecast to 2026

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/8077

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/toc/8077

https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/checkout?rep_id=8077&licType=S

http://www.marketresearchreports.biz/

The report "Long Haul Solutions Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2018 - 2026" gives complete assessment of the latest trends, challenges of market.The objectives of this study are as follows: To define, describe, and forecast the "Long Haul Solutions" market by type, application, component, delivery model, end user, and region To provide detailed information regarding major factors influencing market growth (drivers, restraints, opportunities, and industry-specific challenges) To analyze micromarkets with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and contributions to the overall market To analyze opportunities in the market for stakeholders and provide details of the competitive landscape for market leaders To forecast the market size of market segments with respect to the four key regions: North America, Europe, Asia, and the Rest of the World (RoW) To strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their product portfolios, market positions, and core competenciesGet Sample Copy Of This Report @Developments in technology such as fiber optic have made long-haul solutions reach distances. Nowadays, fiber optic transmission links transmit numerous channels of audio and video signals over global distances, and can reach high traffic volumes. Long haul solutions is a cost-effective and multipurpose microwave radio solution for high-capacity and long-distance telecommunication networks. Long haul solutions enable networks to transfer smoothly from its time-division multiplexing networks to all-IP networks, fulfilling the growing requirement for capacity, while maintaining revenue generation from 3G or 2G services without disruption. Long haul solutions is available in all frequency bands ranging from 4 GHz to 13 GHz and in either split-mount or all-indoor configurations. Long haul solutions are enhanced for high concentration of networks with a small footprint and are delivered with an integrated management system. Long haul solutions are used to interconnect internet exchanges and massively scalable data centers. Long haul solutions deliver supreme performance while simplifying deployments to let operators make broadband available. It helps bridge the digital divide quickly and cost effectively by enabling smooth migration to all-IP networks. Long haul solutions improve productivity. It also helps enhance production and minimize downtime. With long haul solutions, service providers, colocation providers, and over-the-top (OTT) providers connect numerous customers to large colocation sites across cities and countries.Rise in demand for fast and reliable communication networks, increase in adoption of optical communication, and reduction in capital investment are some key drivers of the long haul solutions market. The global long haul solutions market is expanding due to the rapid rise in constant developments and innovations in telecommunications. Numerous companies are making significant investments to develop suitable technology for telecommunication. The long haul solutions market drivers is that it offers enhanced solutions for multiplexing circuit-switched low-speed streams and also administration, excellent operations, provisioning capabilities, and maintenance. The developments in long haul solutions have contributed to the constant deployment of the highest volume data transmission. Issues regarding its capacity and latency for networking solutions is a key restraint of the long haul solutions market. Owing to the expansion in technology and demand increment there is a demand for long haul solutions. Its expected to on get in the long run, with the evolution of innovative and a lot of progressive long haul solutions.The global long haul solutions market can be segmented based on network type, enterprise size, application, industry, and region. In terms of type, the long haul solutions market can be divided into point-to-point network, point-to-multipoint network, hub network, and ring network. Long haul solutions with point-to-point network provide superior speed optical connections from one data center to the other. Point-to-point is a popular network among web-based companies and cloud providers due to its simplicity. Based on enterprise size, the long haul solutions market can be classified into large enterprises and small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In terms of application, the market can be segregated into enterprise data links and service provider transmission links and networks. Based on industry, the long haul solutions market can be categorized into telecom, manufacturing, government, oil & gas, aerospace & defense, and mining. In terms of region, the global long haul solutions market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia Pacific, and South America. North America and Europe are likely to hold prominent share of the market due to the developed countries such as the U.S., the U.K, France, and Germany. Asia Pacific is an emerging market due to high penetration of long haul communications.Request For TOC @Key players operating in the global long haul solutions market include Cisco Systems, Inc., Timbercon, Inc., Ceragon, CenturyLink, Inc., Juniper Networks, OFS Fitel, LLC. and Corning Incorporated.The report offers a comprehensive evaluation of the market. It does so via in-depth qualitative insights, historical data, and verifiable projections about market size. The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: Regional markets, technology, types, and applications.The study is a source of reliable data on: Market segments and sub-segments Market trends and dynamics Supply and demand Market size Current trends/opportunities/challenges Competitive landscape Technological breakthroughs Value chain and stakeholder analysisThe regional analysis covers: North America (U.S. and Canada) Latin America (Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, and others) Western Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Spain, Italy, Nordic countries, Belgium, Netherlands, and Luxembourg) Eastern Europe (Poland and Russia) Asia Pacific (China, India, Japan, ASEAN, Australia, and New Zealand) Middle East and Africa (GCC, Southern Africa, and North Africa)The report has been compiled through extensive primary research (through interviews, surveys, and observations of seasoned analysts) and secondary research (which entails reputable paid sources, trade journals, and industry body databases). The report also features a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data gathered from industry analysts and market participants across key points in the industrys value chain.A separate analysis of prevailing trends in the parent market, macro- and micro-economic indicators, and regulations and mandates is included under the purview of the study. By doing so, the report projects the attractiveness of each major segment over the forecast period.Highlights of the report: A complete backdrop analysis, which includes an assessment of the parent market Important changes in market dynamics Market segmentation up to the second or third level Historical, current, and projected size of the market from the standpoint of both value and volume Reporting and evaluation of recent industry developments Market shares and strategies of key players Emerging niche segments and regional markets An objective assessment of the trajectory of the market Recommendations to companies for strengthening their foothold in the marketPre Book Report @About UsMarketResearchReports.biz is the most comprehensive collection of market research reports. MarketResearchReports.Biz services are specially designed to save time and money for our clients. We are a one stop solution for all your research needs, our main offerings are syndicated research reports, custom research, subscription access and consulting services. We serve all sizes and types of companies spanning across various industries.Contact UsMr. NachiketState Tower90 Sate Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-621-2074Website:E: sales@marketresearchreports.biz4G (LTE) Devices Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment, 2019  2025

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/sample-request/3106415-global-4g-lte-devices-market-research-report-2018

https://www.wiseguyreports.com/reports/3106415-global-4g-lte-devices-market-research-report-2018

Global 4G (LTE) Devices IndustryNew Study On 2019-2025 4G (LTE) Devices Market Global Key Player, Demand, Growth, Opportunities and Analysis Forecast Added to Wise Guy Reports DatabaseThis report studies the global 4G (LTE) Devices market status and forecast, categorizes the global 4G (LTE) Devices market size (value & volume) by manufacturers, type, application, and region. This report focuses on the top manufacturers in United States, Europe, China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan and other regions.The major manufacturers covered in this reportAppleSamsung ElectronicsHuawei TechnologiesLenovoXiaomiZTEASUSTeK ComputerLG ElectronicsTry Sample Report @Geographically, this report studies the top producers and consumers, focuses on product capacity, production, value, consumption, market share and growth opportunity in these key regions, coveringNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndiaWe can also provide the customized separate regional or country-level reports, for the following regions:North AmericaUnited StatesCanadaMexicoAsia-PacificChinaIndiaJapanSouth KoreaAustraliaIndonesiaSingaporeRest of Asia-PacificEuropeGermanyFranceUKItalySpainRussiaRest of EuropeCentral & South AmericaBrazilArgentinaRest of South AmericaMiddle East & AfricaSaudi ArabiaTurkeyRest of Middle East & AfricaOn the basis of product, this report displays the production, revenue, price, market share and growth rate of each type, primarily split intoSmartphonesTabletsOn the basis of the end users/applications, this report focuses on the status and outlook for major applications/end users, consumption (sales), market share and growth rate for each application, includingPersonal UseCommercialThe study objectives of this report are:To analyze and study the global 4G (LTE) Devices capacity, production, value, consumption, status (2013-2017) and forecast (2018-2025);Focuses on the key 4G (LTE) Devices manufacturers, to study the capacity, production, value, market share and development plans in future.Focuses on the global key manufacturers, to define, describe and analyze the market competition landscape, SWOT analysis.To define, describe and forecast the market by type, application and region.To analyze the global and key regions market potential and advantage, opportunity and challenge, restraints and risks.To identify significant trends and factors driving or inhibiting the market growth.To analyze the opportunities in the market for stakeholders by identifying the high growth segments.To strategically analyze each submarket with respect to individual growth trend and their contribution to the marketTo analyze competitive developments such as expansions, agreements, new product launches, and acquisitions in the marketTo strategically profile the key players and comprehensively analyze their growth strategies.For Detailed Reading Please visit WiseGuy Reports @Some Major Points from Table of content:Global 4G (LTE) Devices Market Research Report 20181 4G (LTE) Devices Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of 4G (LTE) Devices1.2 4G (LTE) Devices Segment by Type (Product Category)1.2.1 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Production and CAGR (%) Comparison by Type (Product Category)(2013-2025)1.2.2 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Production Market Share by Type (Product Category) in 20171.2.3 Smartphones1.2.3 Tablets1.3 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Segment by Application1.3.1 4G (LTE) Devices Consumption (Sales) Comparison by Application (2013-2025)1.3.2 Personal Use1.3.3 Commercial1.4 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Market by Region (2013-2025)1.4.1 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Market Size (Value) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Region (2013-2025)1.4.2 North America Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.3 Europe Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.4 China Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.5 Japan Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.6 Southeast Asia Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.4.7 India Status and Prospect (2013-2025)1.5 Global Market Size (Value) of 4G (LTE) Devices (2013-2025)1.5.1 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Revenue Status and Outlook (2013-2025)1.5.2 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production Status and Outlook (2013-2025)2 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.2 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.2 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Revenue and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.3 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Average Price by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.4 Manufacturers 4G (LTE) Devices Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area and Product Type2.5 4G (LTE) Devices Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 4G (LTE) Devices Market Concentration Rate2.5.2 4G (LTE) Devices Market Share of Top 3 and Top 5 Manufacturers2.5.3 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion3 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)3.1 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.2 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Production and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.3 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Revenue (Value) and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.4 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.5 North America 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.6 Europe 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.7 China 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.8 Japan 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.9 Southeast Asia 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)3.10 India 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)4 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2018)4.1 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Consumption by Region (2013-2018)4.2 North America 4G (LTE) Devices Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.3 Europe 4G (LTE) Devices Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.4 China 4G (LTE) Devices Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.5 Japan 4G (LTE) Devices Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.6 Southeast Asia 4G (LTE) Devices Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)4.7 India 4G (LTE) Devices Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)5 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Production and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.2 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.3 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Price by Type (2013-2018)5.4 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Production Growth by Type (2013-2018)6 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Consumption and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)6.2 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2013-2018)6.3 Market Drivers and Opportunities6.3.1 Potential Applications6.3.2 Emerging Markets/Countries7 Global 4G (LTE) Devices Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 Apple7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 4G (LTE) Devices Product Category, Application and Specification7.1.2.1 Product A7.1.2.2 Product B7.1.3 Apple 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.1.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.2 Samsung Electronics7.2.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.2.2 4G (LTE) Devices Product Category, Application and Specification7.2.2.1 Product A7.2.2.2 Product B7.2.3 Samsung Electronics 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.2.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.3 Huawei Technologies7.3.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.3.2 4G (LTE) Devices Product Category, Application and Specification7.3.2.1 Product A7.3.2.2 Product B7.3.3 Huawei Technologies 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.3.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.4 Lenovo7.4.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.4.2 4G (LTE) Devices Product Category, Application and Specification7.4.2.1 Product A7.4.2.2 Product B7.4.3 Lenovo 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.4.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.5 Xiaomi7.5.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.5.2 4G (LTE) Devices Product Category, Application and Specification7.5.2.1 Product A7.5.2.2 Product B7.5.3 Xiaomi 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015-2018)7.5.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.6 ZTE7.6.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.6.2 4G (LTE) Devices Product Category, Application and Specification7.6.2.1 Product A7.6.2.2 Product B7.6.3 ZTE 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.6.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.7 ASUSTeK Computer7.7.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.7.2 4G (LTE) Devices Product Category, Application and Specification7.7.2.1 Product A7.7.2.2 Product B7.7.3 ASUSTeK Computer 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.7.4 Main Business/Business Overview7.8 LG Electronics7.8.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.8.2 4G (LTE) Devices Product Category, Application and Specification7.8.2.1 Product A7.8.2.2 Product B7.8.3 LG Electronics 4G (LTE) Devices Capacity, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2013-2018)7.8.4 Main Business/Business OverviewContinued.For more information or any query mail at sales@wiseguyreports.comAbout UsWise Guy Reports is part of the Wise Guy Consultants Pvt. Ltd. and offers premium progressive statistical surveying, market research reports, analysis & forecast data for industries and governments around the globe. Wise Guy Reports understand how essential statistical surveying information is for your organization or association. Therefore, we have associated with the top publishers and research firms all specialized in specific domains, ensuring you will receive the most reliable and up to date research data available.Contact Us:Norah Trent+91 841 198 5042Office No. 528, Amanora ChambersPune - 411028Maharashtra, IndiaGreen Tea Market 2018 Exclusive Analysis by Renowned Players | Associated British Foods LLC, Celestial Seasonings, Cape Natural Tea Products and DSM Nutritional Products, Arizona Beverage Company, Etc.

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/3151

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/green-tea-market-3151

Market Scenario:Tea is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world, next only to water for enjoyment and health. In general, green tea has been found to be superior to black tea in terms of health benefits. Green tea is made from camellia sinensis leaves that have undergone minimal oxidation during processes. The demand for green tea is increasing significantly due to its various health benefits.One of the significant reason of increasing growth of green tea is the medicinal benefits of green tea. Also, the increasing cardiovascular diseases and obesity cases are anticipated to fuel the sales of green tea during the forecast period. Also, green tea progresses the function of endothelial cells which in turn escalates the prevention of clogging of arteries. The antioxidant property of green tea aids blocking the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein and the cholesterol. Apart from that, green tea minimizes in the fat reduction which in turn accelerates the demand of green tea due to various weight loss diet trends during the review period.Receive a Sample of This Report @Key Players:The key players profiled in the Green Tea Market are AMORE Pacific Corp. (South Korea), Arizona Beverage Company (USA), Associated British Foods LLC (UK), Celestial Seasonings (UK), Cape Natural Tea Products (South Africa), DSM Nutritional Products (Europe), Hankook Tea (Korea)Regional Analysis:The global green tea market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world (ROW). Among these, Asia Pacific region is expected to retain its dominance throughout the forecast period. This is attributed by the increasing per capita disposable income coupled with the rising awareness of health benefits among the consumer in developing economies like India, China, and Indonesia. Especially China and India offer a lucrative opportunity in the Asia Pacific region for the green tea manufacturers. Europe is also projected to witness a steady growth during the reviewed period. However, North America is estimated to be slothful owing to the mature market in U.S. Latin American region is projected to show a high potential in the green tea market due to the rising disposable income of some of the countries.Browse Full Report Details @About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.comModified Starches Market 2018 Flourishes with International Prestigious Players | Archer Daniels Midland Company, Ingredion Incorporated, Tate & Lyle PLC, Agrana Beteiligungs-AG, Etc.

Modified Starches Market

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1038

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/modified-starch-market-1038

Market Definition:There is a rise in the demand of modified starches due to rapid growth of food industry. Modified starches have several uses in a variety of foods such as bakeries, snacks, beverages as well as functional foods. This has surged the growth of the global modified starches market. Market Research Future, a firm which specializes in market reports related to the Foods, Beverages & Nutrition sector among others, recently forecasted in its report Global Modified Starches Market Research Report- Forecast to 2023 that the market will demonstrate an exceptional CAGR % while achieving good growth rapidly in the forecast period.The production of starch is from renewable resource especially cassava starch, as it is produced in abundant quantities in many countries. The starch based bio-degradable plastic is a good barrier to oxygen in dry state. This plastic is generally used for wrapping fast food items and planting pots for agriculture purposes and others. Biopolymers based on fermentation products such as PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate), polylactic acid are polyester 100% based on starch which has various application such as in molds, films, fibers and medical implants.Market Scenario:Wet-end starch additives comprises of bonding agents as it helps in binding fibers firmly composed in the sheet. Furthermore, modified starches are also used as binders for compressing powders and dust to tablets, slabs, and blocks for future processing purpose. Urea, formaldehyde and phenol are replaced by cheap binders like sulphite black liquors which also help in reducing hazards caused by other chemical binding agents to the environment. The major use of starch products in textile industry includes being used as a strengthening agent in draping yarns and improving the resistance to abrasion throughout weaving.Starch products are also used in the glazing of fabrics. Miscellaneous applications for starch products include their use as flocculating agents, anticaking agents, mold-release agents, dusting powder, binders for pharmaceutical products, thickening agents and as raw materials in the production of chemicals and explosives. Hence, diverse application in various industries will drive the market of modified starches globally.Applications of modified starches are stabilizing agent, emulsifying agent, thickening agent, and as freeze-thaw stabilizing agent. The food and beverage industry have huge demand for modified starches. However, use of acacia gum as a substitute to modified starches might slow down the modified starch market, as the substitute offers effective solutions to replace modified starches by enhancing processing, flavors, and mouth feel. This rising demand for acacia gum poses a threat to the modified starches market over the review period.Receive a Sample of This Report@Key Players:The leading market players in the global modified starches market primarily are Cargill, Incorporated (U.S.), Archer Daniels Midland Company (U.S.), Ingredion Incorporated (U.S.), Tate & Lyle PLC (U.K.), Agrana Beteiligungs-AG (Austria), Grain Processing Corporation (U.S.), and Roquette Freres (France)Key Findings:Corrugation & paper making is projected to dominate the market and will grow at a CAGR of 4.22%Rise in demand for confectionery from the range of food & beverage sector will grow at CAGR 4.25%In European region Germany dominates the market, followed by FranceTarget Audience:Modified starches manufacturersFood and beverages manufacturersTextilesPharmaceuticalsPersonal CareRetailers & wholesalersE-commerce companiesTraders, importers and exportersAccess Full Report Details @Segments:On the Basis of Source: Corn, Wheat, Cassava, Potato, and OthersOn the Basis of Form: Powder, Liquid, and GelOn the Basis of Application: Foods & Beverages (Confectionery, Processed food, Beverages, and Others), Non-Food (Corrugating & Paper Making, Pharmaceutical, Textiles, Personal Care, and Others)On the Basis of Region: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and ROWRegional Analysis:The global modified starches market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and rest of the world (RoW). The North American region is dominating the global modified starches market. Advancement in the technology for modification of starches has fueled the demand for cassava starch. The U.S. holds the major market share in the North American region. Europe is projected to grow at the fastest rate in the coming years owing to rising demand for modified starches from the paper industry, and textiles.Furthermore, Asia-Pacific region is projected to be the fastest growing market over the review period. Increase in population and surge in the demand for modified starch, especially in China and India, is anticipated to uplift the demand for modified starches market in the this region. New industrial setup in both food and non-food industries in the Asia-Pacific region have uplifted the demand more modified starches.About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.ContactMarket Research FutureOffice No. 528, Amanora ChambersMagarpatta Road, Hadapsar,Pune - 411028Maharashtra, India+1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.comPosted Wednesday, January 9, 2019 10:45 am

A proposal to charge a toll to enter downtown Seattle is in its earliest stages, with an initial study not yet complete, no specific policy plans and any potential action still years in the future.

But one state lawmaker would like to stop it in its tracks.

Sen. Tim Sheldon, a Democrat who caucuses with Republicans, unveiled a bill Tuesday that would block any city from implementing tolls without permission from the Legislature.

The bill, SB 5104, is, by Sheldon's own admission, unlikely to pass in a Legislature controlled by Democrats.

Mayor Jenny Durkan announced last spring her intention to look at tolling downtown streets as a way to ease traffic congestion and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. The last two city budgets have dedicated a total of $1.2 million to studying how such a plan might be implemented.

The city is paying consulting firm Nelson\Nygaard to model tolling scenarios and study pricing tools and options, potential business impacts and potential impacts on low-income travelers.

"Congestion pricing can be an effective strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving mobility," Durkan's administration wrote in her budget proposal, citing cities like London, Stockholm and Milan, where congestion pricing has been both popular and successful. No American city has implemented a broad tolling program of the type Seattle is considering, although other cities are also looking at it.

As the law currently stands, Seattle could launch a tolling system on city streets without the permission of the Legislature, but it would almost certainly require the approval of city voters.

Sheldon, of Potlatch, Mason County, the longest-serving member of the Legislature, said he wasn't opposed to tolls on individual roadways -- he supports them on the Highway 99 tunnel and the Tacoma Narrows Bridge -- but objects to tolling a swath of a city.

"Do we really want a society where only the rich can afford to drive?" he said.

He objected to the city passing policies that would affect people outside the city.

"I wouldn't get to vote, visitors wouldn't get to vote," Sheldon said. "It's a city that the state needs; we need the services that are there."

Durkan's office did not respond to a request for comment on Sheldon's legislation.Animal Parasiticides Market 2018: Exploration on Pinnacle Players | Zoetis, Merck, Elanco, Bayer Animal Health, Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, Ceva Sante Animale, Virbac, Sanofi, Vetoquinol, Perrigo Company PLC

Animal Parasiticides Market Size  Industry Share Forecast Report 2024

https://www.gminsights.com/request-sample/detail/2114

https://www.gminsights.com/inquiry-before-buying/2114

http://news-researchers.com/

North America animal parasiticides market to garner substantial returns over 2017-2024, driven by a stringent regulatory framework and rising pet adoption.The competitive hierarchy of animal parasiticides market recently witnessed one of the most lucrative partnerships of the year, as Merial signed an alliance with the German pharmaceutical company, Boehringer Ingelheim. Post the successful merger, the latter has apparently decided to expand the production capacity of its animal health manufacturing facility at St. Joseph, which would undoubtedly help the company strengthen its position in animal parasiticides industry. Considering the huge demand for parasiticides and pet products, it has been observed that many other companies have also been attempting to ramp up their product portfolio. Recently, Elanco Companion Animal Health launched a massive product range of parasiticides, designed for preventing heartworm disease, whipworm infection, and flea infestations in puppies and dogs. The growing prevalence of zoonotic diseases in the animals is thus, likely to boost animal parasiticides industry share over the years ahead. As per estimates though, in 2016, animal parasiticides market was worth USD 5 billion.Request sample copy of this report @Some of the prominent industry participants include :- Zoetis Merck Elanco Bayer Animal Health Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Ceva Sante Animale Virbac Sanofi Vetoquinol Perrigo Company PLCRegulatory bodies such as the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), it has been observed, are also taking initiatives to promote the manufacturing of eco-friendly products. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for instance, has instituted the President Green Chemistry Challenge Award to motivate manufacturers for developing environment friendly products, the honor of which would undoubtedly prove to be a major driving force for companies in animal parasiticides industry to focus on safer design and latest technology facilities. Driven by a stringent regulatory framework and the early adoption of neoteric products, North America animal parasiticides market is expected to chart out a lucrative growth path in the ensuing years. In fact, as per the estimates, in 2016, North America animal parasiticides industry covered 25% of the overall share, pertaining to the rise in pet population and animal farming.In the United States, the FDA is responsible for drafting the regulations for limiting the deployment of pesticides in animal-derived products. The association recommended that pet food needs to be hygienic and should not contain any deleterious residue, which may be injurious to animal health. In accordance with the same, the FDA has enforced certain norms for parasiticide manufacturers, which would have a commendable impact on the product landscape of animal parasiticides market. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has also undertaken the responsibility for regulating veterinary biologics, prominently used for supplementing and enhancing animal immune system, to enhance their safety, effectiveness, purity, and potency. The initiatives undertaken by regulatory bodies would thus, leave a proportional impact on animal parasiticides industy size.Make Inquiry about this report @Taking into account the fierce competition prevalent in animal parasiticides market, most of the animal health companies have been inclining toward the adoption of tried-and-tested growth strategies such as M&As. For instance, MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc., one of the most renowned distributors of animal health packages, recently procured Vetspace Limited. Through this acquisition, MWI aims to upgrade its product portfolio with the help of Vetspaces cloud based practice management software over the years ahead. Speaking along similar lines, some of the renowned players partaking in animal parasiticides market share are Boehringer Ingelheim, Zoetis, Vetoquinol, Bayer, CEVA Sante Animale, Elanco, Perrigo Company PLC., Merck & Co., and Virbac Corporation.The commitment of companies toward animal health notwithstanding, regional governments have also been planning to structure guidelines in a bid to enhance livestock farming for breeding and meat. The British Poultry Council for instance, has drafted regulatory codes for chicken farming, which would have a proportional impact on parasiticides market outlook in the years ahead. Considering the extended presence of this business space across developed economies such as those of Europe and North America, major animal health companies have conveniently established their distribution centers in these continents. In fact, MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc., one of the prominent distributors of animal healthcare products, has established a total of twenty-three distribution centers across U.S. and one facility in UK, as on 2014. Another noticeable trend proliferating animal parasiticides market share is that apart from animal health firms, other specialized companies have also been striving to penetrate the business space lately. In terms of revenue, Global Market Insights, Inc., claims animal parasiticides industry size to surpass a valuation of USD 6.5 billion by 2024.Report ContentChapter 1. Methodology and Scope1.1. Research methodology1.1.1. Initial data exploration1.1.2. Statistical model and forecast1.1.3. Industry insights and validation1.1.4. Definitions & forecast parameters1.2. Data sources1.2.1. Secondary1.2.2. PrimaryChapter 2. Executive Summary2.1. Animal parasiticides market 3600 synopsis, 2013 20242.1.1. Business trends2.1.2. Product trends2.1.3. Animal type trends2.1.4. Regional trendsChapter 3. Animal Parasiticides Industry Insights3.1. Industry segmentation3.2. Industry landscape, 2013 - 20243.3. Industry impact forces3.3.1. Growth drivers3.3.1.1. Growing trend of adopting pet animals3.3.1.2. Rising prevalence of food borne and zoonotic diseases3.3.1.3. Favorable government initiatives3.3.1.4. Rapidly increasing demand for animal protein in human food3.3.1.5. Unhygienic livestock farming practices causing infections3.3.2. Industry pitfalls & challenges3.3.2.1. Restrictions related to use of parasiticides in food animals3.3.2.2. Lack of awareness in rural regions of developing countries3.4. Regulatory landscape3.4.1. U.S.3.4.2. Europe3.4.3. Asia Pacific3.5. Growth potential analysis3.5.1. By Product3.6. Porter's analysis3.7. Competitive landscape, 20163.7.1. Company share analysis3.7.2. Strategy dashboard3.8. PESTEL analysisGlobal Market Insights, Inc., headquartered in Delaware, U.S., is a global market research and consulting service provider; offering syndicated and custom research reports along with growth consulting services. Our business intelligence and industry research reports offer clients with penetrative insights and actionable market data specially designed and presented to aid strategic decision making. These exhaustive reports are designed via a proprietary research methodology and are available for key industries such as chemicals, advanced materials, technology, renewable energy and biotechnology.Arun HegdeCorporate Sales, USAGlobal Market Insights, Inc.Phone: 1-302-846-7766Toll Free: 1-888-689-0688Email: sales@gminsights.comBlog :Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Industry 2019: Global Market Size, Share, Cost Structure, Leading Companies - Delphi, Denso, Robert Bosch, Hyundai Kefico, NGK Spark Plugs etc

Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market

https://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/714956

https://www.orianresearch.com/enquiry-before-buying/714956

https://www.orianresearch.com/checkout/714956

Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market 2019 report covers a detailed competitive outlook including the market share and company profiles of the key participants operating in the Global market. The Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market report provides an in-depth overview of Product Specification, technology, product type and production analysis considering major factors such as revenue, cost, gross and gross margin. The global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market has defined the present market scenario in an orderly way, emphasizing the industrial development, prominent players engaged in the current Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market, chapter wise market specifications, industrial procedures, that will assist our readers to aim towards the Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market industry perspective and promote stability with cost-effectiveness.Get Sample Copy of this Report @The Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor market research report covers an in-depth description, competitive scenario, and business strategy adopted by competitors along with their SWOT analysis. The study encompasses a market attractiveness analysis, wherein each segment is benchmarked based on its market size, growth rate, share, demand, trends, and general attractiveness. The report is prepared by data received from in-house databases, secondary and primary research team members of various industry experts.The report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor market collected from specialized sources. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market growth, market competitors, and share analysis of key industry players. Company overview, financial overview, product portfolio, investment plans, new project launched, and manufacturing process, recent development analysis is the parameters included in the profile.Inquire more or share questions if any before the purchase on this report @This report is Key source to covers the top key player's data, including shipment, cost structure, revenue, gross profit, business distribution etc. Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market report also covers all the regions and countries of the world, which shows a regional development status, including Market size, volume, and value, as well as price data.Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market competitions by top manufacturers/players, with Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor sales volume, price (USD/Unit), revenue (Million USD), players/suppliers profiles and sales data, company basic information, manufacturing base.The Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor market is explained deeply about the basic knowledge of Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor market, definitions, contact information of the companies, product, and manufacturing analysis, Various Product Types, cost structure, and upcoming technologies to help the growth of the market. This research report gives the knowledge of investment plans, business risk, sales volume, regional trends, companys share, regional demand, and SWOT analysis with historical data, companys policy, and industry opportunities.Order a copy of Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor in Construction Market Report 2019 @No. of Report Pages: 112The Top Companies Analyzed Delphi Denso Robert Bosch Hyundai Kefico NGK Spark Plugs Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market also covers the study on market strategy, investment plan, industry share, growth factors, industry policy, revenue, opportunity, demand, and 2019-2025 forecasts. The research report also provides information about industry growth, development history, competitive analysis, growth factors, and historical data with experts opinions.The report provides a comprehensive analysis of: Key market segments and sub-segments Evolving market trends and dynamics Changing supply and demand scenarios Quantifying market opportunities through market sizing and market forecasting Tracking current trends/opportunities/challenges Competitive insights Opportunity mapping in terms of technological breakthroughsThe regional scope of the study is as follows:North America: United States, Canada, Mexico.Asia-Pacific: China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Indonesia, Singapore.Rest of Asia-Pacific: Europe, Germany, France, UK, Italy, Spain, Russia, Rest of Europe.Central & South America: Brazil Argentina, Rest of South America.Middle East & Africa: Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Rest of Middle East & Africa.The years considered to estimate the market size of Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor are as followed below:History Year: 2014 - 2018Base Year: 2018Estimated Year: 2019Forecast Year: 2019-2025Major Points of Table and Content1 Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market Overview1.1 Product Overview and Scope of Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor1.2 Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Segment by Type (Product Category)2 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market Competition by Manufacturers2.1 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Capacity, Production and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)2.1.1 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Capacity and Share by Manufacturers (2013-2018)3 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2013-2018)3.1 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Capacity and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)3.2 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Production and Market Share by Region (2013-2018)4 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Region (2013-2018)4.1 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Consumption by Region (2013-2018)4.2 North America Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Production, Consumption, Export, Import (2013-2018)5 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type5.1 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Production and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)5.2 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Revenue and Market Share by Type (2013-2018)6 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market Analysis by Application6.1 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Consumption and Market Share by Application (2013-2018)6.2 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Consumption Growth Rate by Application (2013-2018)7 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis7.1 KYB7.1.1 Company Basic Information, Manufacturing Base, Sales Area and Its Competitors7.1.2 Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Product Category, Application and Specification8 Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Manufacturing Cost Analysis8.1 Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Key Raw Materials Analysis8.1.1 Key Raw Materials9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers9.1 Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Industrial Chain Analysis9.2 Upstream Raw Materials Sourcing10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders10.1 Marketing Channel10.1.1 Direct Marketing11 Market Effect Factors Analysis11.1 Technology Progress/Risk11.1.1 Substitutes Threat12 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Market Forecast (2018-2025)12.1 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Capacity, Production, Revenue Forecast (2018-2025)12.1.1 Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Capacity, Production and Growth Rate Forecast (2018-2025)13 Research Findings and Conclusion14 Appendix14.1 Methodology/Research Approach14.1.1 Research Programs/DesignSome List of Tables and FiguresFigure Picture of Motorcycle Oxygen SensorFigure Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Production (K Units) and CAGR (%) Comparison by Types (Product Category) (2013-2025)Figure Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Production Market Share by Types (Product Category) in 2017Figure Product Picture of Heating TypeTable Major Manufacturers of Heating TypeFigure Product Picture of Non-Heating TypeTable Major Manufacturers of Non-Heating TypeFigure Global Motorcycle Oxygen Sensor Consumption (K Units) by Applications (2013-2025)Figure Entry-Level Segment ExamplesTable Key Downstream Customer in Entry-Level SegmentFigure Mid-Size Segment ExamplesTable Key Downstream Customer in Mid-Size SegmentFigure Full-Size Segment ExamplesTable Key Downstream Customer in Full-Size SegmentAbout UsOrian Research is one of the most comprehensive collections of market intelligence reports on the World Wide Web. Our reports repository boasts of over 500000+ industry and country research reports from over 100 top publishers. We continuously update our repository so as to provide our clients easy access to the world's most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, and products. We also specialize in custom research in situations where our syndicated research offerings do not meet the specific requirements of our esteemed clients.Contact UsRuwin MendezVice President  Global Sales & Partner RelationsOrian Research ConsultantsUS: +1 (832) 380-8827 | UK: +44 0161-818-8027Email: info@orianresearch.comPharmacogenomics Market Potential, Dynamics, Share Value, Size Analysis and Outlook to 2023  by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Assurex Health Inc., Future Science Group, Pathway Genomics, etc

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1177

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/pharmacogenomics-market-1177

https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/pharmacogenomics-market-1177

Pharmacogenomics Market Report include on MarketResearchFuture.com with exhaustive Study. The report aims to provide an overview of Pharmacogenomics Market Report. The report provides key statistics on the market status. Global Forecast till 2023.The Global Pharmacogenomics Market is presumed to register 5.8% CAGR during the forecast period (2017-2023) owing to the rising prevalence of several infectious and non-infectious diseases, asserts Market Research Future (MRFR). Pharmacogenomics refers to the study of inherited variations in the human genes that affect an individuals reaction to a specific drug. Various genetic tests are performed in pharmacogenomics to determine targeted drug therapies and treatment procedures to be adopted in order to reduce side effects and improve the results.Drivers and Constraints Impacting the MarketWith the growing prevalence of various infectious and non-infectious diseases, growing demand for personalized drugs, increasing usage in drug discovery process, and increasing awareness about the benefits of pharmacogenomics are stimulating the market during the assessment period. Pharmacogenomics offers effective treatment therapeutics which is both reliable and safe. Thus, increasing awareness about its benefits is anticipated to augment the market growth in the coming years. Also, innovation and rapid advancements of new healthcare technologies such as High Throughput Screening (HTS), next-generation sequencing, and Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) are further influencing the market growth.On the flip side, lack of consistency in pharmacogenomics and lack of awareness are some of the key factors considered to impede the market growth in the coming years.Get Exclusive PDF Sample Copy of Report @Latest Industry UpdatesOctober 31, 2018: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has recently announced that they have approved the marketing of 23andMes reports on pharmacogenetics. The genetic-testing company claims are designed to assess whether the genetics will affect an individuals ability to metabolize certain drugs which include antidepressants.Nov 2017: Myriad Genetics, Inc., announced positive results from a double-blind, multi-center, randomized controlled trial assessing the impact of the GeneSight Psychotropic test (GeneSight) on psychiatric treatment response in 1,200 patients with major depressive disorder. GeneSight is one of the leading pharmacogenomics test to help guide medication selection for mental health disorders.Global Pharmacogenomics Market - Competitive AnalysisPharmacogenomics in recent years has used a new generation of technology approaches that has led to a revolution in the understanding of disease susceptibility and pathophysiology, providing enormous potential for novel therapeutic strategies.However, with companies aiming to capture a considerable share of the market segment as early as possible, they are competing and experimenting with various advantage points. The best long-term growth opportunities for this sector can be captured by ensuring ongoing process improvements and financial flexibility to invest in the best strategies.The noteworthy players operating the global market are Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Israel), Assurex Health Inc. (U.S.), Future Science Group (U.S.), Pathway Genomics (U.S.), Myriad Genetics Inc. (U.S.), GeneDx. (U.S.), GeneTech (U.S.), 23andMe Inc. (U.S.), and others.Global Pharmacogenomics Market: Segmental AnalysisThe global pharmacogenomics market has been segmented on the basis of application, technology, end-user, and region.By mode of technology, the global pharmacogenomics market has been segmented into sequencing, microarray, polymerase chain reaction, and others. Among these, the sequencing segment has been sub-segmented into pyrosequencing, Sanger sequencing, next-generation sequencing, and others.By mode of application, the global pharmacogenomics market has been segmented into cardiology, oncology, neurological disorders, and others. Among these, the oncology segment has been sub-segmented into lung cancer, breast cancer, and others.By mode of end-users, the global pharmacogenomics market has been segmented into research organizations, hospitals, academic institute, and others.Regional Analysis of Pharmacogenomics MarketGeographically, the pharmacogenomics market span across regions namely, Europe, America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East and Africa.The American region is considered to dominate the global pharmacogenomics market and is estimated to maintain its dominance during the assessment period. The growth is attributed to the presence of developed countries such as Canada and the U.S. along with a well-developed healthcare sector. Also, growing number of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases have stimulated the growth of the market in this region.The European region is considered to be the second largest market owing to the availability of funds for research and development activities. Moreover, the presence of huge patient population is influencing the market positively. With the presence of developed countries such as France and Germany, the market is likely to flourish during the review period.Asia Pacific is the fastest growing region owing to the continuously developing economies such as China and India and presence of huge patient population. Meanwhile, the Middle East and Africa hold the least share owing to the presence of poor economy, strict government policies, and low per capita healthcare expenditure in this region.Browse Complete Report @Some Brief Table of ContentChapter 1. Report PrologueChapter 2. Market Introduction2.1 Definition2.2 Scope Of The Study2.2.1 Research Objective2.2.2 Assumptions2.2.3 LimitationsChapter 3. Research Methodology3.1 Introduction3.2 Primary Research3.3 Secondary Research3.4 Market Size EstimationChapter 4. Market Dynamics4.1 DriversTOC ContinuedLIST OF TABLESTable 1 Pharmacogenomics Industry Synopsis, 2017  2023Table 2 Global Pharmacogenomics Market Estimates And Forecast, 2017  2023, (USD Million)Table 3 Global Pharmacogenomics Market By Region, 2017  2023, (USD Million)Table 4 Global Pharmacogenomics Market By Technology, 2017  2023, (USD Million)Table 5 Global Pharmacogenomics Market By Application, 2017  2023, (USD Million)Table 6 Global Pharmacogenomics Market By End Users, 2017  2023, (USD Million)ContinuedDo You Have Specific Requirement? Ask To Our Experts @LIST OF FIGURESFigure 1 Research ProcessFigure 2 Segmentation For Global Pharmacogenomics MarketFigure 3 Segmentation Market Dynamics For Global Pharmacogenomics MarketFigure 4 Global Pharmacogenomics Market Share, By Technology 2016Figure 5 Global Pharmacogenomics Market Share, By Application 2016Figure 6 Global Pharmacogenomics Market Share, By End Users, 2016Continued..About Market Research Future:At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Statistical Report, Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.Contact Us:Market Research FutureHadapsar, Pune  411028Maharashtra, IndiaPhone: +1 646 845 9312Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.comFuture Scope of Ulcers Treatment Market: Estimated to Grow CAGR Rapidly by 2022 | Global Key Players - M Healthcare, Bristol Meyer Squibb, ECR Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, Church & Dwight

Ulcers Treatment Market

https://www.businessindustryreports.com/sample-request/107550

https://www.businessindustryreports.com/buy-now/107550/single

https://www.businessindustryreports.com/check-discount/107550

A fresh report has been added to the wide database of Business Industry Reports. The research study is titled Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market by Manufacturers, Countries, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 which provides important data about the production, consumption, revenue and company profiles for key industry participants.Global Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market Synopsis:According to Market Analyst, Global Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market is projected to grow at a healthy growth rate from 2019 to 2022.Get Free Sample Study Papers of Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market @Rising awareness regarding oral hygiene and increasing geriatric population is anticipated to drive the market during the forecast period. Increasing usage of synthetics in oral items such as in toothpaste and growing shift towards unhealthy lifestyles, including high consumption of junk food and tobacco, are some of the primary growth stimulants for the market. Moreover, rising dental and oral conditions are working in favor of the market.Global Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market has been Segmented into Drug Class, Formulation Insights and region. On the basis of Drug Class, the Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market can be segmented into antimicrobial, antihistamine, analgesics & corticosteroids, and others. The others segment include anesthetics and antiseptics and it is poised to lead the market throughout the forecast horizon.On the basis of formulation, the mouth ulcers treatment market is divided into sprays, mouthwash, gels, and lozenges. Gels held the largest share in the global market in 2017 due to quick healing formulas, ease of availability, and fast anti-inflammatory & anti-swelling properties.In case of geographical region, North America is anticipated to lead the global mouth ulcers market and is expected to remain in the topmost position throughout the forecast period. Furthermore, Europe is anticipated to witness considerable growth in the coming years and remain in the second position in terms of revenue.Complete report on Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market spread across 116 Pages and No. of Table of contents. Buy Research atThe Market is segmented and projected on the basis of major key players:1 M Healthcare2 Bristol Meyer Squibb Company3 ECR Pharmaceuticals4 GlaxoSmithKline plc5 Church & Dwight Co IncMarket segment by Regions/Countries, this report covers:1 North America Country (United States, Canada)2 South America3 Asia Country (China, Japan, India, Korea)4 Europe Country (Germany, UK, France, Italy)5 Other Country (Middle East, Africa, GCC)Request a Discount on standard prices of this premium report atThe prime objective of this report is to help the user understand the market in terms of its definition, segmentation, market potential, influential trends, and the challenges that the market is facing. Deep researches and analysis were done during the preparation of the report. The readers will find this report very helpful in understanding the market in depth. The facts and data are represented in the report using diagrams, graphs, pie charts, and other pictorial representations. This enhances the visual representation and also helps in understanding the facts much better.Key Questions Answered in this Report:1 What are the major market drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the global Mouth Ulcers Treatment market?2 What was the market value of the leading segments and sub-segments of the global Mouth Ulcers Treatment market in 2017?3 What are the influencing factors that may affect the market share of the key players?4 Who are the key players in Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market?5 How will the industry evolve during the forecast period 2019-2022?TABLE OF CONTENTS1 Mouth Ulcers Treatment Product Definition2 Global Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market Manufacturer Share and Market Overview3 Manufacturer Mouth Ulcers Treatment Business Introduction4 Global Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market Segmentation (Region Level)5 Global Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market Segmentation (Product Type Level)6 Global Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market Segmentation (Industry Level)7 Global Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market Segmentation (Channel Level)8 Mouth Ulcers Treatment Market Forecast 2018-20229 Mouth Ulcers Treatment Segmentation Product Type10 Mouth Ulcers Treatment Segmentation Industry11 Mouth Ulcers Treatment Cost of Production Analysis12 ConclusionAbout usBusinessindustryReports.com is digital database of comprehensive market reports for global industries. As a market research company, we take pride in equipping our clients with insights and data that holds the power to truly make a difference to their business. Our mission is singular and well-defined  we want to help our clients envisage their business environment so that they are able to make informed, strategic and therefore successful decisions for themselves.Media ContactBusiness Industry ReportsPune  Indiasales@businessindustryreports.com+19376349940Olive Oil Market to See Incredible Growth during 2018-2025: Analysis by Key Trends, Top Players, Regions, Applications, Types and Growth Drivers AdroitMarketResearch.com has published "Global Olive Oil Market Drivers, Restraints, Potential Growth Opportunities, Product Size, Application Estimation, Vendor Competitive Landscape, Trends and Forecast 2018-2025" report to its new research report offering



The Global Olive Oil Market Size is estimated to reach US$ xx billion by the end of 2025, registering a CAGR of xx% in terms of revenue over the forecast period (2018-2025). Key factor driving the olive oil market growth is its varied application in cosmetic as well as pharmaceutical industry. In addition, olive oil is used for treating various chronic diseases, hypertension, Coronary heart disease as well as some types of Cancers for instance Colon Cancer and Breast Cancer. Furthermore, due to its anti-oxidant property olive oil is used in anti-ageing creams plus helps in maintaining healthy hair roots and improves skin health & cures crack heels.



Request a sample of the Olive Oil Market report @ https://www.adroitmarketresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/652



The global olive oil market has been segmented by different source, types, application and geography. Furthermore, source segment of the olive oil market is sub-segmented into conventional sources and organic sources. Organic source section of the segment is expected to lead with major olive oil market share owing to the increasing demand and health benefits of organic products.



Further, types segment of the market is bifurcated into virgin olive oil, extra virgin olive oil and pure olive oil. Likewise, application segment of the global olive oil market is sub-divided into Pharmaceutical industry, food & beverage industry and cosmetic industry. Food & beverages industry is expected to govern the application segment due to its wide range usage in food industry.



Geographically, the market of Olive Oil across the globe is bifurcated by several key regions including North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Middle East & Africa. Europe is anticipated to dominate the market with highest olive oil market share, as several countries in the region including Italy, Spain and Morocco are largest producer as well as consumer of the product. On the other hand, North America is considered as emerging market of olive oil owing to steady growth of consumption rate in the region.



Some of the key players operating in the competitive edge of the global Olive Oil Market include Colavita USA LLC, Filippo Berio P.Iva, California Olive Ranch, Pompeian Olive Oil Company, JCS Tradecom Inc, Lucero Olive Oil, Mizkan America Inc., Pure Hellenic Foods S.A., Unilever (Gallo), Gourmet Foods Inc. and other companies.



Request a Table of Content of the Olive Oil industry report @ https://www.adroitmarketresearch.com/contacts/request-toc/652



Key segments of the global Olive Oil Market include:

Source Segment of the olive oil market

Conventional sources

Organic sources



Types Segment of the olive oil market

Virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil

Pure olive oil



Application Segment of the olive oil market

Pharmaceutical industry

Food & beverage industry

Cosmetic industry



Geographical Segmentation of the olive oil market

North America

Europe

Latin America

Asia Pacific

Middle East & Africa



What to expect from the upcoming Global Olive Oil Market analysis:

-Analysis over future prospects as well as Global Olive Oil Market trends



- Information regarding technological progressions as well as innovations taking place in developing as well as developed economies and also various macro & microeconomic factors that affect the growth of the market.



- Supportive initiatives by government likely to influence the market dynamics.



- Key drivers influencing markets growth, opportunities, restraints, sales channels and distributors.



- In-depth analysis of different market segmentations including source, types, application and geographical regions.



- Deep analysis about the competitive landscape of the market and the initiatives by them to improve this market such as expansions, growth strategies, agreements, new product launches and acquisitions in the market



- Value Chain and Sales Channels Analysis



Who should buy this report?

- Report is especially designed for Venture capitalists, Investors, financial institutions, Analysts, Government organizations, regulatory authorities, policymakers, researchers, strategy



Pre-book the research study on Olive Oil and Get Flat 10% Discount @ https://www.adroitmarketresearch.com/researchreport/purchase/652



About Us:

Adroit Market Research is an India-based business analytics and consulting company incorporated in 2018. Our target audience is a wide range of corporations, manufacturing companies, product/technology development institutions and industry associations that require understanding of a markets size, key trends, participants and future outlook of an industry. We intend to become our clients knowledge partner and provide them with valuable market insights to help create opportunities that increase their revenues. We follow a code Explore, Learn and Transform. At our core, we are curious people who love to identify and understand industry patterns, create an insightful study around our findings and churn out money-making roadmaps.



Contact Us:

Ryan Johnson

Account Manager - Global

3131 McKinney Ave Ste 600

Dallas, TX 75204

Email ID: sales@adroitmarketresearch.com

Phone No.:+1 (214) 884-6068

FB: https://www.facebook.com/adroitmarketresearchreports



This release was published on openPR.



Permanent link to this press release: Copy Please set a link in the press area of your homepage to this press release on openPR. openPR disclaims liability for any content contained in this release.Posted Wednesday, January 9, 2019 10:41 am

Gov. Jay Inslee plans a political trip to Nevada on Saturday as he continues to explore a possible 2020 run for president.

Inslee is scheduled to give a keynote address at the annual summit of a progressive group called Battle Born Progress, at the College of Southern Nevada's North Las Vegas campus. Others speaking at the event include Nevada Democrats Sen. Jacky Rosen and Rep. Suzie Lee.

Kait Krolik, a spokeswoman for Battle Born Progress, said the conference typically draws 150 to 200 people.

Nevada will play a significant role in winnowing the Democratic presidential-contender field; the state is set to hold its 2020 caucuses Feb. 22, a few weeks after the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.

Despite some inaccurate national-media reports, Inslee has not declared he will run for president, even if he has been behaving like a national candidate. In addition to the Nevada visit, he plans a trip to New Hampshire later this month.

Inslee has flirted with his 2020 options for more than a year, spending much of 2018 jetting around the country as chair of the Democratic Governors Association. In that role he helped Democrats flip seven governorships from Republican control, including Nevada, which elected Steve Sisolak.

He has more recently set up a federal political-action committee, called Vision PAC, to raise money to pay for political expenses, including travel to early primary and caucus states. The PAC reported $112,500 in donations as of early December.

Republicans have criticized Inslee's ambitions, saying he's been focused on national politics and bashing President Donald Trump, instead of governing Washington state.

While the governor's political travel is covered by private campaign funds, taxpayers have continued to pay for his State Patrol security detail that accompanies him on out-of-state trips. In the last fiscal year, the security detail overshot its $2.6 million budget by $400,000, mainly because of overtime and travel.

Four Republican state lawmakers have proposed legislation, House Bill 1021, that would cut the governor's office budget to pay for the security shortfall and push for all-private funding of future trips.

Inslee's scheduled Nevada trip comes just ahead of the Washington Legislature convening next week for its 2019 session. Inslee plans to return to Washington on Saturday.

Still relatively unknown nationally, the second-term Democratic governor has received some buzz in recent weeks, giving a series of national-media interviews to lay out what a climate-centered presidential campaign might look like. He's also made news with announcements of plans to pardon some minor marijuana convictions and enact a public-option health insurance plan for Washington.

But Inslee, so far, has barely registered in early national polls, which have favored better-known potential candidates, including former Vice President Joe Biden, former Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke, California Sen. Kamala Harris and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Responding to skeptical questions from MSNBC host Joy Reid over the weekend, Inslee said he's confident he can attract support, especially from young voters concerned with the devastating impact predicted from climate change.

"I believe the only hope for America is to nominate a Democratic governor who will make climate change the paramount issue in this race ..." he said.Posted Wednesday, January 9, 2019 1:38 pm

This spring, Umpqua Bank will close two of its branches in Lewis County. Umpqua Bank currently has three locations in Lewis County  Chehalis, Centralia and Winlock. After this spring, however, only the Chehalis branch will remain open.

Umpqua Bank sent a letter to its Centralia clients this week announcing the branch will close April 4. Umpqua Bank also sent a letter to its Winlock clients announcing that that branch will close March 26. Neither letter was dated. External Communications Manager at Umpqua Bank Kurt Heath did not respond to request for comment Wednesday morning.

Over the last decade, more people are choosing to bank digitally rather than going into Umpqua stores, both letters read in part. Many of you have asked for more convenient ways to connect, especially on the go.

The letters are similar, but not identical. While both letters contain instructions for the Umpqua Go-To phone app, the letter to Centralia clients contains an additional paragraph.

You may also comment on this closure by writing to the Regional Director of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation at 25 Jessie Street at Ecker Square, Suite 2300, San Francisco, California 94105, the letter to Centralia clients reads. The FDIC doesnt have the authority to approve or prevent the branch closing, however, in its discretion the FDIC may convene a meeting of appropriate representatives to address any written requests from people in the area.

The Centralia branch is located at 215 N. Pearl Street and the Winlock branch is located at 401 N.E. First Street.With support from Italy, Canada, how Khalistanis are looking to meddle with Indian elections

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Jan 9: In the past two years, the Indian Agencies have cracked down heavily on Khalistan terror modules. At least 18 Khalistan terror modules were busted and over 95 persons were arrested.

While this is an impressive number, the challenge does not end here. Intelligence Bureau officials tell OneIndia that more attempts would be made to revive the movement, especially ahead of the elections.

Ban on KLF is a step forward on cracking down on ISI-SJF sponsored Khalistan movement

Several forces from other countries would use the Khalistan and other terror modules to meddle with the Indian elections. The idea would be to cause an extreme amount of instability ahead of the elections.

The Khalistan forces are known to have support in several countries such as Italy, Canada, United Kingdom and even in the United States. However the primary support for the terror modules comes from Pakistan.

Officials also say that ahead of the polls, their activities are likely to go up. There would be various narratives that would be put out in public. Attempts to carry out terror strikes would also be made in a bid to create communal trouble and instability.

In a bid to gain traction, the Khalistan terrorists have not only used Punjab, but held events in other parts of the world as well. One of the most spoken about events was the one held in London in August last year. There is a similar event proposed in Pakistan this year as well, which is being led by the Sikhs For Justice.

The Khalistan call is not freedom of expression as termed by the United States

The event was held at the Trafalgar Square on August 12 and was organised by the SJF or the Sikhs for Justice. Officials in India tell OneIndia that the the SJF has been acting as a front for terror activities.

The SJF is a New York based organisation which is organising the event and several reports in India prepared by the various agencies clearly suggest that it is a pro-Khalistan front. It has been instrumental in undertaking both pro-khalistan and anti-India activities, both in the US and other countries.

IB officials say that while the ISI backs this movement heavily, most of the funding has come from countries such as UK, Canada and even Italy.

In addition to the Khalistan trouble the NIA had also learnt after the busting of the ISIS inspired module that the ISI and the Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh were making efforts to meddle with the elections in India. This combination had tried a similar modus operandi in Bangladesh ahead of the elections, but the same had been foiled.

Similar attempts will be made in India. The intelligence agencies are reporting extensive activity by ISI moles and agents to disrupt the polls and create havoc ahead of the polls.

IB officials say that the ISI and the Jamaat would also look to activate modules in West Bengal and the neighbouring areas ahead of the elections. The ISI and Jamaat are clearly unhappy with India backing the Awami League over the BNP. There would be attempts to avenge the support that India is handing out to the ruling party in Bangladesh.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 11:38 [IST]What is special about this new bench constituted to hear Ram Jambabhoomi and Babri case?

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Jan 9: The Constitution Bench constituted by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi to hear the case of Ram Janmabhoomi and Babri Mosque dispute is special in many ways. Chief justice of India is master of the roster and deciding the bench comes under his purview. So it appears that the chief justice has constituted the bench to hear this case very carefully.

The most important and interesting part of this bench is that the Constitution Bench with five judges have been appointed to hear the case in place of three-judge bench. Most interestingly, the earlier three-judge bench had refused to give it to the constitution bench on request of the Muslim petitioners in the case but it has been done now.

The other interesting aspect of it is that all senior justices have been included in the bench. They all are likely to become chief justices of India in some point in time. If Justice A K Sikri is left aside then three justices in the bench included are the senior most judges. Justice Sikri will be retiring on March 6, 2019.

CJI, 4 future CJIs on Ayodhya Bench: Why it is inclusive and significant

Another interesting aspect of this bench that needs to be taken into account is that last year those four judges who had addressed a press conference against the then chief Justice Dipak Misra included Justice Gogoi. The press conference took up the matter of constituting the bench for the important cases with senior judges however the issue of Ram Temple was not included in them. The issue of senior judges hearing the important cases was being racked up time and again.

But this is also important to note that every judge of the SC matters equally and his/her decision is equally important. No one's decision is less or more important. This new bench does not have any justice from the old bench. Earlier the bench was headed by Justice Dipak Misra with Justice Ashok Bhushan and Justice S Abdul Nazeer.

The bench also refused to send a part to the judgment of Ismail Farooqi case to the Constitution Bench which declared acquisition of the disputed land by the government right. Muslim petetioners wanted the matter that mosques are not considered as inseparable part of Islam. The new bench was constituted after the retirement of Justice Misra.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 11:19 [IST]India stood up Chinas disruptive use of technology and my way or no way attitude: CDS

At meet with PM, CDS says medical personnel of armed forced who retired in last 2 years being recalled

Terrorism a menace which is spreading its head like a 'multi-headed monster': Army Chief

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Jan 9: Terrorism is becoming a new form of warfare and it will keep growing like a "multi-headed monster" till nations continue to use it as a State policy, Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat said Wednesday as he pitched for some control over social media to contain spread of radicalisation and terror-funding.

In an address at the Raisina Dialogue, India's flagship conference on geopolitics, the Army Chief said there should be talks with the Taliban so as to bring peace to Afghanistan but asserted the engagement must be without any preconditions.

In a clear reference to Pakistan, Gen. Rawat said a "weaker nation" has been using terrorists as a proxy to put pressure on other nations to come to terms with them, and warned against tolerating such policy.

"If this is going to happen, then there will be States that will be funding the terrorists and allowing them to move around in the manner in which they want to move," he said, adding Pakistan has always kept the Taliban in its backyard.

Identifying social media as a platform to spread radicalism and generate financial resources for terrorism, the Army Chief said time has come to put some control over it.

"We see a different kind of radicalisation in Jammu and Kashmir. My take is that terrorism is here to stay so long as there are nations which are going to continue to sponsor terrorism as a state policy. We are seeing it happening in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

In Jammu and Kashmir, he said, youth are being radicalised using "misinformation" and falsehoods on religion.

"It is a low visibility, high-gain option. This is now becoming a form of warfare. We referred to gurilla warfare some years ago. This is now graduated to terrorism," he said.

Gen. Rawat, observing that terrorism was becoming a new form of warfare, said the menace is now spreading its head like a multi-headed monster. He said there was definitely a nexus between drugs and guns and unless movement of drugs was controlled, it will be difficult to contain the movement of funds and guns.

He said radicalisation through the social media was a matter of great concern as a lot of people are getting radicalised using the platform. "I think we have a lot to do with the media and the social media which must be controlled. For this if one particular nation starts controlling a particular media, it will be taken as media rights are being curbed.

"Therefore, I think the international community must get together in ensuring that the source of the social media is prevented from spreading false information and disinformation because a lot of funds are coming from people who are getting radicalised," said Gen. Rawat.

He said radicalisation through social media was also becoming one of the causes for raising of funds by the terrorist organisations. They are being convinced about the acts of terrorists and the radicalised people are also helping the terror outfits in generating funds, he said.

The Army Chief said the ISIS has not been able to find its feet in India as in some other countries and attributed it to India's rich family values and good neighbourhood watch system.

PTISoon you will not have to answer calls from your boss after working hours

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Jan 9: An interesting Bill known as the Right to Disconnect Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha by NCP MP Supriya Sule. In a nutshell this Bill gives employees the right not to respond to communication from employers outside of office hours.

The Bill is largely aimed at reducing stress and ease tensions. The Bill mandates companies to detail out of work demands, Sule explained.

How it works:

An Employee Welfare Authority will be set up. This would include IT, Communication and Labour Ministers. A study on the impact of digital tools beyond work hours would have to be published. A charter outlining the employee-employer negotiations would have to be put out.

The Bill also states that companies with more than ten employees would periodically negotiate specific terms with their workers, publish their own charter. An Employee Welfare Committee comprising representatives of company's workforce will have to be created.

Lok Sabha clears 10% quota bill, to be tabled in Rajya Sabha today

The Bill forbids any disciplinary action if an employee does not reply to the employers calls or attempts to contact after work hours. If the employee works outside the work hours as agreed upon, then he or she is entitled for an overtime.

Non-adherence would lead to penalties of one per cent of the total employee renumeration. The government would also have to provide employee counselling, digital detox centres in a bid to free an employee from digital distractions, thus enabling him to connect with people around him.

The origin:

The right to disconnect emerged in France in a decision in the Labour Chamber of the Supreme Court. The October 2 2001 decision held that the employee is under no obligation either to accept working at home or to bring there his files and working tools".

In 2004 the Supreme Court affirmed this decision and ruled that "the fact that [the employee] was not reachable on his cell phone outside working hours cannot be considered as misconduct."

In Germany, where there is no actual law to this effect, several companies have implemented policies to this effect.

Volkswagen implemented a policy in 2011 stating that it would stop email servers from sending emails to the mobile phones of employees between 6pm and 7am. Other German companies such as Allianz, Telekom, Bayer and Henkel all have similar policies in place to limit the amount of digital connection employees have after work hours.

In 2013 Germany's employment ministry banned its managers from contacting staff after hours as part of a wider agreement on remote working. It was done in order to protect the mental health of workers.

Contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill passed in Lok Sabha

In 2014, automobile company Daimler introduced software called "Mail on Holiday" that its employees could use to automatically delete incoming emails while they were on vacation. This was done to allow Daimler's employees the opportunity to get a break and come back to work refreshed.

According to Wikipedia, German employment minister in 2014, Andrea Nahles, sought to introduce "anti-stress legislation" in response to the rising levels of stress and mental health issues in Germany. Such legislation would ban companies from making contact with employees out of work hours. Nahles commissioned the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to produce a report researching mental health in the work place and the viability of legislation to target it. The report was completed and published in 2017.

Similar laws are also existent in Italy and the Philippines.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 10:49 [IST]Posted Tuesday, January 8, 2019 3:47 pm

A 57-year-old man was flown to an area hospital Monday night after he was reportedly injured in an explosion in the Rochester area, according to West Thurston Fire and others close to the situation.

The incident occurred about 8:50 p.m. Monday. A Thurston County dispatcher said they received a report about an errant firework.

The man was reportedly in a vehicle at the time of the incident.

That vehicle later met West Thurston Fire crews near or at a restaurant called Burger Claim south of Grand Mound. From there he was taken to Rochester High School to meet a helicopter.

West Thurston Fire Capt. Lanette Dyer identified the mans age and said he had suffered head and eye injuries. She did not have information on what caused the explosion.

Chehalis Tribal police also responded to the incident, but an officer referred a reporter to West Thurston Fire for more information.Fake: PM Modi did not change attire four times in a day to meet four different leaders

PM Modi lays foundation stone for 30,000 houses under PMAY in Solapur

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Solapur, Jan 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday laid foundation for various development projects in Solapur, 190km south of Beed. With this PM Narendra Modi launched the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) poll campaign in Maharashtra.

Modi laid the foundation stone for 30,000 houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the four-lane section of the Solapur-Tuljapur-Osmanabad highway. The project will improve connectivity between Solapur and Marathwada region. Modi is expected to address a public rally in Solapur after the inaugurations.

Underground Sewerage System under AMRUT Mission

Improvement in Water Supply and Sewerage System

Augmentation of Drinking Water Supply from Ujani Dam to Solapur City

These will greatly benefit citizens

Movie on surgical strike, political biopics line up for release ahead of 2019 elections

   

Pragati ki Nayi Misaal pic.twitter.com/ClyeSCPMDl  CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) January 9, 2019

Later in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold an election rally in Uttar Pradesh's Agra. The Prime Minister will fly to Agra from Bidar in Karnataka and reach the rally ground around 3:15 pm, said district authorities.As PM led panel gets set to meet, here are the officers in contention to become next CBI chief

PM-led panel discusses probe report against Alok Verma, to meet again tomorrow

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Jan 9: A selection committee comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Justice A K Sikri and leader of largest opposition party in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge met on Wednesday to decide on the fate of CBI Director Alok Verma, reinstated by a Supreme Court order after he was sent on forced leaveby the government over two months ago.

The outcome of the meeting, which took place at the prime minister's residence at Lok Kalyan Marg, was not immediately known. According to reports, the panel is reported to have decided to hold a second meeting tomorrow.

Kharge had earlier asked the government to defer the meeting since he hadn't studied the Supreme Court's order on Alok Verma. In his letter, he had asked for the meeting to be held on January 11, giving him enough time to study the judgment.

He said that he would be able to put forth his party's point of view only after studying the judgment.

CBI: Verma can go ahead with probes except for the one against Asthana

Kharge had demanded answers from the Prime Minister stating that the decision was made without consulting other members of the panel that selected him. Kharge was part of the three-member panel headed by Modi that had selected Verma as CBI chief.

On Tuesday, in a major setback to the government the Supreme Court reinstated Alok Verma as the CBI director, after he had been sent on leave. The court however said that the Selection Committee would take a final call on the fate of Verma and directed it to decide on the matter within a week.

In sending Verma on leave, the government had overlooked the immunity given to the CBI director by the Supreme Court ensuring a two-year minimum tenure to protect the incumbent from any political interference.

Defending the decision, the government had maintained that it was trying to protect the CBI and that it had become necessary to take the call due to the unprecedented feud between the two senior-most officials of the agency.Nagpur: Man baffles cops by asking them to bring back his heart stolen by girl

India

oi-Shubham Ghosh

Nagpur, Jan 9: Some things in life never cease to surprise us and even the lawkeepers are not spared. Recently, a man in Nagpur rushed to the local policemen to file a complaint over a theft. And the object of the theft was his heart! Right from the script of a Bollywood flick it sounds, isn't it?

The policemen were clearly not amused as the man told them that a girl has "stolen" his heart and he wanted them to get it back.

The bizarre complaint left the officer in-charge in a fix and he contacted his superiors seeking an advice on what to be done.

Bride dances on wedding with wheelchair-bound father

Later, senior police officers discussed the matter and concluded that there is no section under the Indian laws that could deal with such a situation. The cops told the man the same and turned him away saying they were helpless.

The funny incident was recently shared by Nagpur Police Commissioner Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay at a programme where the police department returned people stolen articles worth Rs 82 lakh.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 14:10 [IST]Fake: PM Modi did not change attire four times in a day to meet four different leaders

Modi defends 10 pc quota for general category poor in jobs, education

India

oi-PTI

Solapur, Jan 9: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday defended introduction of the 10 per cent quota for the general category poor in jobs and education, adding the bill's passage in the Lok Sabha is a strong answer to those "spreading lies". Targeting the Congress, Modi asked it to clarify what was driving its ongoing allegations on the Rafale fighter jet procurement issue.

Addressing a public rally here, Modi said the smooth passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha is a "strong answer" by the Parliament to those spreading lies. Hoping the Rajya Sabha will pass the Bill Wednesday, Modi said the rights of deprived sections, including Dalits and tribals won't be affected because of this bill. He termed the the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha as a historic step aimed at welfare of the deprived sections.

On the passage of the Citizenship Bill, seeking to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Modi assured people of Assam and North East that their rights will not be curtailed in any way through the bill's provisions.

"What is their relationship with Michel mama?', asks PM Modi to Congress leader

Modi indicated that alleged middleman Christian Michel, arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, was lobbying for French manufacturer Rafale's rivals in the multi role aircraft deal.

"During the earlier (UPA) regime, the middlemen culture had become a part of the system. They had snatched the rights of the poor and also played with the security of the nation," Modi said.

Citing media reports, Modi said Michel was lobbying for "some other contender" as well. "He (Michel) has made a shocking revelation. As per media reports, he was not just involved in the helicopter deal but also involved in the deal of the fighter planes (Rafale), when the earlier government was in power," Modi said.

Budget Session likely from Jan 31 to Feb 13, interim budget on Feb 1

"Media says that Michel was also lobbying for some other company. Congress should answer which leader of their party, now shouting about this (Rafale deal), has a connection with Michel. They should give an account of each and every penny spent," he said.

Calling himself a chowkidar (watchman), Modi said he has undertaken a "safai" (clean-up) mission to uproot corruption and that he cannot be bought or scared and will continue with his work relentlessly.

"Modi is made up of a different soil. He cannot be bought nor can anyone scare him. I will take an account of every single penny. This chowkidar doesn't sleep and can pick a wrongdoer even in darkness. They may continue abusing me but I will not stop my mission to uproot corruption," Modi said.

Criticising the functioning of the previous Congress- led government, Modi said it indulged into vote bank politics and ignored the development of the country's backward areas.

"After coming to power, we undertook developmental works and projects in areas which were ignored only because they (Congress) indulged in vote bank politics. We managed to uproot this attitude of vote bank politics and have undertaken a slew of projects in areas where they were needed," he said.

Modi said had the previous government undertaken these projects, the situation would have been far different today. Citing some initiatives taken by his government in the last four years, Modi said that till 2014, India had a highways network of over 91,000 km, which has now reached over 1.30 lakh km.

Modi launched the four-laning of Solapur-Osmanabad section of NH-211, underground sewerage system and three sewage treatment plants and also laid foundation stone of 30,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

"We do not just stop at laying foundation stones or announcing projects; we also launch them. There are projects worth lakhs of crores undertaken by the BJP government and most of them are in advance stages of development," Modi said.

PTI

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 17:55 [IST]Janta Curfew announced in Nagpur: All you should know

Maharashtra unlock 2.0: Despite remaining in level 1 category, some Covid lockdown curbs to remain in Nagpur

Nagpur: Massive fire at under construction hospital; 7 injured

India

oi-Vikas SV

Nagpur, Jan 9: A massive fire broke out at an under-construction hospital in Nagpur, Maharashtra, on Wednesday. As per latest reports, seven people were injured in the incident out of which 2 are said to be critical.

The reasong as to how the fire started is not known yet. As many as 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the flames.

There are no reports of any casualities yet. As per latest reports, the fire has been brought under control.

Delhi: Factory collapses after LPG blast; 6 dead

On December 29, a level-3 fire broke out in Sadhana House behind Mahindra Towers in Worli area of Mumbai. 12 firefighters were injured while dousing the flames.

On Dec 27, at least seven people died and two others injured after a level-3 fire broke out on the 14th floor of Sargam Society in Chembur, Mumbai.Labour organisations claim two-day strike a big success with its impact over 30 lakh in NCR

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Jan 9: Two-day country-wide labourers' strike has affected the normal life across the country and around 25 to 30 lakh people in the National Capital Region have been directly or indirectly impacted by this strike. Besides big rallies in the industrial areas, a big march by labourers was organised in Delhi from Mandi House to Jantar Mantar.

Sidheshwar Prashad Shukla, secretary, CITU of Delhi state, told Oneindia, "Many Delhi government employees including Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Municipal Corporation, NDMC and workers of many other organisations participated in the strike. Labourers from the construction work and street vendors to participated in it. They all marched from Madhi House to Jantar Mantar in support of this strike."

There are many issues for which the strike was called in. Sector wise issues can be discussed but some issues are common for all. The issue of minimum wages announced at Rs 14000 is not implemented. This is not implemented in the city despite the fact that the Supreme Court of India has ruled for it. Its implementation is a big issue. "We are demanding Rs 18000 wage for labourers but even Rs 14000 minimum wages in not implemented," said Shukls.

Bharat Bandh Day 2: Violent protests, rail blockades witnessed in many states

From central government to contract employees everyone participated in the rally. The centre's announcement of Rs 21,000 minimum wages is also waiting to be implemented. "The process of renewal and registration in construction work and its benefits to be given to labourers. This was also a big issue in this strike," said the CITU secretary.

The government is planning to scrap DOCW Act. "We also protested that this law must remain to benefit laborers. There is a long list of issues from different sectors. Old pension scheme must also be reinstated, women workers must be given similar wages. All these issue were the main issue and today was the second day of the strike with the involvement of 20 crore workers in it," added Shukla.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 20:40 [IST]Kumbh Mela 2019: Prayagraj created as worlds largest temporary city

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Prayagraj, Jan 9: Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj that is hosting Kumbh Mela 2019 will have the largest temporary city of the world, the Uttar Pradesh government said on Monday.

The UP government is expecting commoners from over six lakh villages in India to visit the site of holy pilgrimage. Arrangements have also been made for devotees to pray at 'Akshay Vat' and 'Sarasvati Koop' for the first time in 450 years.

The temporary city will have 250 km long roads and 22 pontoon bridges. The Kumbh Mela area, for the first time, will be brightened up with over 40,000 LED lights.

UP: Over 20,000 vegetarian 'sanskari' cops deployed for Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj

To boost security, the Kumbh Mela area has been brought under the surveillance of Integrated Control and Command Centre and CCTV cameras.

At this year's Kumbh Mela, the Uttar Pradesh government expects 6 lakh villagers from across India and over 5,000 NRIs.

The Indian Railways will run 800 special trains to Prayagraj. Air India has also announced new flights to the Kumbh Mela.

The Ardh Kumbh Mela is all set to begin on January 14 at the Triveni Sangam. It will end on March 30, 2019. The UP government has spent Rs 2,800 crore for Kumbh Mela 2019 and other developmental work related to it so far.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 10:53 [IST]Kerala: Church threatens to expel nun for protesting against rape-accused Bishop

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 9: The Catholic Church in Kerala sent a warning to Sister Lucy Kalapura, a nun who was at the forefront of protests against rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal, for 'attending channel discussions', writing articles in 'non-Christian newspapers' and 'making false accusations'against the Catholic leadership.

A letter, that has been sent to Kalapura reads, "Your deeds on 20 September 2018 and on the following days were of most grave external scandal and harm to the Church and the FCC. You went to the Ernakulam High Court junction and participated in the protest held by the SOS Action Council on 20-9-2018 without the permission of your superior."

Rape-accused Bishop Franco Mulakkal harassed Fr Kuriakose for backing nun, alleges brother

Mulakkal, who spent three weeks in the sub-jail at Pala before he got bail, has been accused of raping a nun belonging to the order of Missionaries of Jesus several times between 2014 and 2016. Though Mulakkal was divested of his pastoral duties at the Jalandhar diocese in Punjab, the Church leadership has steadfastly backed him.

Franco Mulakkal, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar, is accused of raping a 44- year-old nun at a guest house in Kuravilangad in May 2014 and subsequent sexual exploitations afterward.

The nun had registered a complaint in June this year and has also claimed that despite her complaints, the church took no action on the bishop. The congregation had also stood by the rape accused and referred to him as an "innocent soul".

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 12:17 [IST]Karnataka High Court stays 'Steel Flyover project'

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

Bengaluru, Jan 9: The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday stayed Steel Flyover project and adjourned the matter to June 2019.

The Court inquired about the status of the project. Udaya Holla, AG, said the government hasn't applied for environmental clearance for the project. The Court noted that BDA will not go ahead with the project without receiving the environmental clearance.

Relook into Steel Bridge project shows 'arrogance' and 'insensitivity' of ruling class: Activist

Mr. Vijay Shankar, Senior Advocate, appeared on behalf of Namma Bengaluru Foundation (NBF), explained to the Court the background of the dispute. He took the Court through the NGT Order wherein the NGT has clearly indicated that BDA cannot go ahead with the project without seeking environmental clearance from SEIAA, Karnataka.

Suresh NR, Director Namma Bengaluru Foundation, said, "The BDA is yet to approach SEIAA-K for the environmental clearance and as per NGT order, Government of Karnataka can't proceed with the project without the clearance. Despite this Bengaluru, Minister had announced the revisiting of the project. We don't understand the reason and motive."

In 2018, Siddaramaiah Government had dropped the project due to a massive protest by Citizens of Bengaluru and because the High court had stayed the project claiming there is no environmental clearance.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 16:56 [IST]Rahul Gandhi stoking fear on vaccine, all will be vaccinate by December: Union Minister

Is the Modi govt fighting for blue tick or against pandemic: Rahul Gandhi

If vaccines are free, why should private hospitals charge for them: Rahul to PM Modi

Ayodhya land deal: Rahul Gandhi slams BJP, says betrayal in name of Lord Ram is unrighteous

Irresponsible opposition mocked woman Raksha Mantri: PM Modi attacks Rahul

India

oi-Deepika S

Agra, Jan 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday attacked Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for his statement directed at defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Addressing a rally in Rajasthan's capital earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi invoked the Raksha Mantri while attacking the Prime Minister, seemingly chiding the latter for having asked 'a woman' to protect him.

"The Prime Minister with the 56-inch-chest didn't come even once to the people's court - the Parliament. We smashed the Raksha Mantri's speech. 56-inch-chest Prime Minister said to a woman 'protect me'."

The Prime Minister delivered a speech hours later in Agra where he let rip at the Congress president for his remarks, hailing Nirmala Sitharaman for her achievement in becoming the first woman Defence Minister in India's history, adding that Rahul Gandhi's remarks entailed an insult to women across the country.

Modi defends 10 pc quota for general category poor in jobs, education

Without taking her name, he said that a couple of days ago, she had answered the Opposition's questions (on Rafale) in Parliament and had left them speechless.

"When she called their bluff and revealed the truth (about the Rafale deal) in Parliament, they (Congress) was left stunned and resorted to mocking the defence minister," Modi said.

"They insulted a woman defence minister. They didn't insult just a woman defence minister, but all women of the country. And for that these irresponsible, sexist politicians must pay," Modi said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 20:11 [IST]What will be the price of Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in India?

Covid-19: First consignments of medical supplies from US, Russia expected to reach India by Thursday

Second batch of 1.5 lakh Russian Sputnik V Coronavirus vaccine to arrive in India in next 2 days

India to receive S-400 missiles in due time, national security will be enhanced: Russia

India

oi-PTI

New Delhi, Jan 9: Russia on Wednesday said there will be no delays in the delivery of the S-400 air defence systems to India and a payment mechanism for the deal is being worked out.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said the missile systems will significantly enhance India's air defence capability.

Last week, the government informed Lok Sabha that it will start receiving the missile systems from Russia from October next year and the deliveries will be completed by April 2023.

India inked an agreement with Russia in October last year to procure a batch of the missile systems at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore. India went ahead to seal the deal notwithstanding the US' warnings against it.

China successfully tests S-400 missile air defence system

There were apprehensions about the payment mechanism for the deal in the wake of the US sanctions against Russia. "India would receive the systems as agreed upon in due time, without any delays. And, your (India's) national security will be enhanced substantially," Ryabkov told reporters.

"We (Russia) want to be immune to arbitrary unilateral measures undertaken by some country against a very legitimate form of international cooperation," he said.

Asked how President Vladimir Putin extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an economic conclave in Vladivostok in Russia in September when who will be India's PM will be known only after the parliamentary elections in April-May, he said Moscow is no mood of assessing the political situation in India.

Multi layered air defence: How S-400 fits into India's scheme of things

On the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, the deputy foreign minister said there are "huge chances" for the US to formally depart from the treaty in the very near future. The 1987 pact helps protect the security of the US and its allies in Europe and the Far East.

"We are deeply concerned on the situation around the INF treaty. We do not see any signs of any improvement so far... We have received a formal note, a formal notification from the US side, of its intention to suspend the implementation of the treaty," he said in response to a question.

President Donald Trump in October had confirmed that the US will pull out of an arms control treaty with Russia dating from the cold war that limited the number of missiles in the two nations, accusing Moscow of violating the deal.

"The material implementation of the treaty was concluded in 2000, to suspend something that was materially finished, would mean now only a departure from the treaty, altogether some action in contravention from the core, principles of the treaty which is very unfortunate," Ryabkov said.

The deputy foreign minister said Russia was "ever prepared to bilaterally deal with this if and when the US would be prepared".

PTIDelhi High Court to hear National Herald matter on Jan 16 after Singhvi's request

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Jan 9: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday changed the date of hearing in Associated Journals Ltd (AJL)-National Herald matter to January 16. The court was to hear the matter on january 15, but postponed it by a day after request by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who would be representing the AJL.

The case pertains to AJL, publisher of National Herald newspaper, challenging the single judge order asking it to vacate its premises in Delhi.

At 12:15 pm today the counsel for both sides again mentioned the matter before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao that the matter be heard on January 16 as Singhvi would not be available on January 15 as well. The court listed the matter for hearing on January 16 after both the sides consented to it, said reports.

Bhupinder Hooda, Motilal Vora granted bail in AJL case

A single judge on December 21, 2018, had dismissed AJL's plea challenging the Centre's order to vacate its premises in press enclave at ITO here and asked it to vacate it within two weeks after which eviction proceedings under the Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1971 would be initiated. AJL has approached the high court seeking a stay on operation of the single judge's order.

The high court had dismissed AJL's plea challenging the Centre's order by holding that the publisher of the National Herald has not provided any instance to support the serious allegations of malafide levelled against the ruling dispensation. The Centre had ended its 56-year-old lease and asked the AJL to vacate the premises, saying that no printing or publishing activity was going on. In its order, the single judge had said that AJL has been "hijacked" by Young Indian (YI), in which Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi are shareholders.

The Centre and Land and Development Office (L&DO) had said in their order that no press has been functioning in the premises for at least the past 10 years and it was being used only for commercial purposes in violation of the lease deed. AJL had denied the allegations in the petition filed in the high court. The high court had said by transfer of AJL's 99 per cent shares to YI, the beneficial interest of AJL's property worth Rs 413.40 crore stands "clandestinely" transferred to YI. It is pertinent to mention that the Centre had contended before the court that transfer of 99 per cent stake in AJL to YI, when the latter bought the former's Rs 90 crore debt for a consideration of Rs 50 lakh, led to a "virtual" sale of the Herald building at ITO.

National Herald Case: Delhi HC dismisses AJL's plea challenging eviction order

AJL had said the government kept silent till April 2018, when it again sent a notice for inspection and said it was coming to check breaches mentioned in notice of October 10, 2016. The L&DO had ended the lease - entered into with AJL on August 2, 1962 and made perpetual on January 10, 1967 - asking the company to hand over the possession by November 15. The L&DO's order had also said failure to hand over possession would lead to initiation of proceedings under the Public Premises Act. In its plea, AJL has also said the digital versions of English newspaper National Herald, Hindi's Navjivan and Urdu's Qaumi Awaz have commenced from 2016-17. The weekly newspaper 'National Herald on Sunday' resumed on September 24 last year and the place of publication was the ITO premises, AJL had said, adding that the Hindi weekly newspaper Sunday Navjivan was also being published since October this year from the same premises.

OneIndia News with PTI inputs

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 13:24 [IST]CJI, 4 future CJIs on Ayodhya Bench: Why it is inclusive and significant

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Jan 9: The Bench that the Supreme Court constituted to hear the Ayodhya appeals is a very significant. It has the sitting Chief Justice of India on it and four future CJIs.

The judges on the Bench are Chief Justice of India, Ranjan Gogoi, Justices, S A Bobde, N V Ramanna, U U Lalit and D Y Chandrachud. All the four judges are set to become the next Chief Justices of India.

The Bench includes a more inclusive system especially in the wake of the infamous press conference that the four senior most judges had addressed when Justice Dipak Misra was the Chief Justice. They judges had expressed differences over the CJI being the master of the roaster. They also said that matters were being allocated to Benches in an arbitrary manner.

The four judges, including Justice Ranjan Gogoi had sought for a system to handle administrative matters of the court. Justice Kurien, who has now retired on the last day of office had sought for a more inclusive system and wanted the entire court to be taken along to reduce the arbitrariness.

CJI, 4 future CJIs to hear Ayodhya appeals

The Bench that was constituted is an interesting one considering it would hear a very important case, which has been a subject matter of debate ahead of the general elections of 2019. This Bench would fix the date to hear the Ayodhya appeals on January 10. The Bench would also decide whether it would hear the case on a day to day basis.

The Ayodhya case has been pending for long now, which has given rise to demands for the government to take the ordinance route. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had however said that they would wait for the legal process to get over.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 10:31 [IST]Citizenship Amendment Bill: Kabul Sikhs trying for citizenship for over two decades

India

oi-Chennabasaveshwar P

New Delhi, Jan 9: The contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, was on Tuesday passed by the Lok Sabha even as the Congress and the TMC vehemently opposed it. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which seeks to amend an Act of 1955, was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and will now go to the Rajya Sabha for its approval.

Amarjeet Kaur, Kabul refugee in India, said, " I have three children. We were in trouble there, we're in trouble here too. People ask us to convert to Islam. It was our father-in-law who earned for family, he also died in bomb blast."

CJI, 4 future CJIs: The Supreme Court's Ayodhya Bench

Manohar Singh, said, "In our own country, we are not counted as Indians. This is our tragedy. We've been trying for citizenship since 20-25 yrs. I request all parties to support in passing the bill."

It has been a long wait of up to 40 years for thousands of Hindu and Sikh refugees from Afghanistan but now they can finally look forward to grant of Indian citizenship. The Bill seeks to facilitate the acquisition of citizenship by six identified minority communities namely Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who came to India before December 31, 2014.

The Bill makes illegal migrants eligible for citizenship on the basis of religion. This may violate Article 14 of the Constitution which guarantees right to equality. The Bill allows cancellation of OCI registration for violation of any law. This is a wide ground that may cover a range of violations, including minor offences (eg. parking in a no parking zone).

Samajwadi Party plans to expose the BJP government policies with its twin programmes

Under the Act, one of the requirements for citizenship by naturalisation is that the applicant must have resided in India during the last 12 months, and for 11 of the previous 14 years. The Bill relaxes this 11-year requirement to six years for persons belonging to the same six religions and three countries.

#WATCH Amarjeet Kaur, Kabul refugee, appealing to govt to pass Citizenship (Amendment) Bill: I've 3 children. We were in trouble there, we are in trouble here too. People ask us to convert to Islam. It was our father-in-law who earned for family, he also died in a bomb blast. pic.twitter.com/tKzR7QuYIa  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019As PM led panel gets set to meet, here are the officers in contention to become next CBI chief

CBI: Verma can go ahead with probes except for the one against Asthana

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Jan 9: With Alok Verma set to resume duties as the CBI director, the big question is what role would he perform. The Supreme Court while reinstating Verma had said that he cannot take any major policy decisions until the final stamp of approval is given by the Selection Committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and Chief Justice of India.

Does probing a matter come under the definition of a policy decision. The lacuna is that there is no written law that defines a policy decision by the CBI.

Armed with SC order, Alok Verma set to resume charge as CBI director today

However legal experts explain that going by what the Supreme Court said, the Director cannot take major policy decision, but will have to confine himself to routine functions.

A routine function of a Director includes, registration of preliminary enquiries, supervising court trials, transfers and also receiving complaints.

This clearly means that the investigations can go on and new complaints can also be recited by the Chief as it does not fall under the ambit of a policy decision.

It may be recalled that during the pendency of this case, the SC had barred M Nageshwar Rao from taking any major policy decision. However he had given permission for the registration of FIRs and also filing of chargesheets. This would mean that there would be no bar on Verma from doing the same.

Rule of law the bedrock of democracy: Read full SC order in CBI vs CBI case

Verma is however unlikely to go ahead with the investigation against Rakesh Asthana. A case had been registered accusing Asthana of corruption. Asthana had however moved the Delhi High Court against the same and orders in this regard have been reserved. This is likely to come in the way of the probe against Asthana going on until the Delhi HC delivers its verdict.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 10:12 [IST]Can NASR missile really put cold water on cold start as claimed by Bajwa

India

oi-Vikas SV

New Delhi, Jan 9: Pakistan has developed NASR missile to thwart India from launching military offensive which is sometimes referred to as the Cold Start Doctrine (CSD). Cold Start doctrine is said to be an offensive plan of the Indian forces intended to quickly mobilise forces and subdue Pakistan before it even considers nuclear retaliation.

Pakistan knows it very well that it cannot match India in conventional warfare and to counter this it has developed tactical nuclear weapons. Pakistan claims that NASR can carry nuclear warheads of low yield with high accuracy. It is not like those long range nuclear warhead carrying ballistic missiles which are fired thousands of kilometres away with pre-designated target and carry massive warheads. Tactical nuclear weapons are for battlefield situation mainly aimed at thwarting incoming forces which are already at the borders and pushing to enter the enemy territory.

Why has Pakistan developed tactical nuclear weapons? Major Gen PK Sehgal explains

In 2018, Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had made a strange remark. He said, "Nasr has put cold water on cold start".

Reports say that Indian forces have been carrying out military exercise simulating fighting war under a Nuclear environment to provide additional counter battlefield weapon to Nasr. India has developed QR-SAMs which can provide sufficient battle field air defence. It will be mobile and will move with the Strike Corps to give level of layered aerial defence against SRBM like Nasr .

QRSAM or Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile is a missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in association with Bharat Electronics Limited and Bharat Dynamics Limited for the Indian Army. The missile is all-weather, all-terrain missile with electronic counter measures against jamming by aircraft radars.The missile can be mounted on a truck and is stored in a canister. QRSAM uses solid-fuel propellant and has a range of 25-30 km.

Pakistan also fears that India might also put together Cruise Missile Defence System (CMDS) which along with QR-SAM will provide India's Strike Corps a layered battlefield Aerial Defence systems against cruise missiles like Babur, Raad and Nasr SRBMs. QRSAM Air Defence System is a critical component in India's "Cold Start" Doctrine.

Why is India mum on tactical nuclear weapons? Do we have them

What Pakistan should be wary of?

What Pakistan must keep in mind is that India has fairly developed secondary strike capability. India has ballistic missiles with nuclear warhead that can be launched from submarines in short notice. Pakistan can rest assured that any use of nukes- tactical or strategic - the retribution will be swift, severe and devastating threatening its very existence.

A tactic that India can use is to get closer to populated areas in Pakistan which would force Islamabad to think of collateral damage if a nuke device is used in its own territory. Indian Army can use this tactic to negate Pakistani nukes by inserting divisons in densely populated Pakistani regions like Punjab. If Pakistan resorts to battlefield nukes then it would effectively endanger its own population also making Pakistan lose its status and face in international society and will create a soft spot for India.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 11:14 [IST]BJP to start My Family-BJP Family campaign from February 12 to connect with 1 crore workers

India

oi-Vinod Kumar Shukla

New Delhi, Jan 9: Every political party in the country is now coming out with different plans and schemes to reach out to voters just before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which are barely four months away. In another such move, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is planning to start a campaign My Family-BJP Family to woo voters.

Under this campaign, the BJP will reach out to one crore member of the party and to their families. Uttar Pradesh BJP general secretary (organisations) Sunil Bansal said that this campaign is worker-centric and under this scheme sticker will be pasted at the doors of one crore household on which My Family-BJP Family will be written. The party has also plans to raise flag in these houses.

Congress restructures its various departments just before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections

A workshop in this regard was organised and addressed by Bansal in which decision of My Family-BJP Family and Kamal Jyoti Sankalp Abhiyan campaigns were revealed. Bansal told workers about the campaign that how to go about it. It is said that the BJP will reach out to its one crore workers in 1.63 lakh booths from February 12 to February 22, 2019.

Bansal said, "Someone must have been responsible for bringing us to the organisation and ideology. So we are working as office bearer of the BJP therefore we must also be and instrument to add people to the BJP to contribute our bit. When we connect with the people only then people will join the organisation."

He said that around 22 crore people have got benefited by the people-friendly policies of the different BJP governments and that included 3 crore just in Uttar Pradesh. The Modi government and the Yogi government will celebrate the BJP Development Festival by lighting Kamal Jyoti with the beneficiaries of the government schemes.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 10:18 [IST]Delhi LG gets more teeth as President Kovind gives nod too NCT bill

BJP takes Sabarimala fight to President, accuses Kerala govt of appeasement

India

pti-PTI

New Delhi, Jan 9: Taking its fight against the Left government in Kerala over the Sabarimala issue to the President, the BJP Wednesday accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's administration of practising "lowest form of appeasement" to divide Hindus by using "constitutional provisions as a tool".

A BJP delegation submitted a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind, seeking his urgent intervention to ensure peace in Sabarimala and the state.

Due to imposition of Section 144 in the area, even the usual group chanting of rhymes and 'bhajan' have been prohibited, the memorandum said, alleging that the Left government is trying to "destroy" age old traditions and pious beliefs of Hindus on the "pretext" of complying with the court order.

Amidst Sabarimala row, Kerala HC bans flash hartals

Protests, often marred by violence, have rocked parts of the state after the government moved to implement an apex court order, lifting ban on women of menstruating age to enter the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala.

The BJP and Hindutva organisations like the RSS have blamed the CPI(M), which leads the Left front government in Kerala, for violence while the ruling party has accused the right-wing groups of fomenting unrest.

The BJP memorandum said Hindu institutions and the Sabarimala board, which manages the temple's affairs, has filed an appeal in the court to reconsider its order and that the state government should have waited for hearing before "forcefully" enforcing the verdict.

The court has fixed January 22 as the date for hearing.

The BJP said there are many apex court orders yet to be implemented but the state government moved "hastily" to implement this decision.

"This indicates that they (state government) are acting with a prejudicial mindset and are running their hidden agenda of dividing the Hindus and destroying their religious institutions and hurting their beliefs," it claimed.

The CPI(M) government is targeting the devotees, and BJP and RSS workers, it alleged.

"The government on the pretext of complying with the Supreme Court order is trying to destroy the age old traditions and pious religious beliefs of Hindus using the constitutional provisions as a tool," it added.

The government and the local police are "cunningly doing a conspiracy to malign" the holy pilgrimage of Sabarimala by helping women of other religions entering the premises, the memorandum claimed.

"The police even provided these women their uniform to disguise them as one of their own. This is the lowest level of appeasement against Hindus," it said.

The BJP delegation said the party's state general secretary K Surendran was in custody for days. The government harassed him by opening old political cases against him and moving him from one jail to another, it alleged in its submission to the President.

The delegation comprised of its national general secretary and MP Saroj Pandey, state chief P S Sreedharan and several other members of Parliament.

They also accused the state government of not providing basic amenities to pilgrims which, they alleged, has led to a decline in footfall, causing loss of revenue to the board and also the state.

PTIBharat Bandh on 26th March 2021: What is Open, What is Closed

Bharat Bandh Day 2: Violent protests, rail blockades witnessed in many states

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

New Delhi, Jan 9: Sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal and Kerala and rail blockades in certain states were witnessed Wednesday on the second day of Bharat Bandh, which also saw a partial disruption of banking and insurance services across the country.

Other sectors like mining, road transport, power supply too bore the brunt of strike call given by country's 10 major central trade unions, except RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, to protest against the government's alleged anti-labour policies and unilateral labour reforms. They had given a call for a two-day Bharat Bandh on January 8 and 9.

Here are the updates:As PM led panel gets set to meet, here are the officers in contention to become next CBI chief

Armed with SC order, Verma takes charge as CBI boss

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Jan 9: Alok Verma, who was reinstated as Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation has resumed duties today. On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had set aside an order of the government that sent him on leave, while ordering his reinstatement.

Verma is set to retire on January 31. He would be resuming duties today. The court has however said that he cannot take any major policy decision until the Selection Committee takes a final call on the issue.

No one can save PM Modi from Rafale probe, says Rahul after Verma judgment

The Selection Committee comprising the Prime Minister, Leader of Opposition and the Chief Justice of India. This committee is responsible for both the appointment and removal of a CBI chief as laid down in the Vineet Narain verdict of 1997.

Today's order effectively means that the fate of Verma still hangs in balance and it would be the committee which would decide on his fate. The court said that the decision would have to be taken by the committee within a week.

Rule of law the bedrock of democracy: Read full SC order in CBI vs CBI case

The date of the meeting is yet to be fixed and only once it meets will the fate of Verma be decided. The court in its order today has basically indicated that the decision to send him on exile was a wrong one. However it made it clear that it would be only the committee which could take a final call on the matter.

Also

How Alok Verma won the CBI vs CBI war

This would basically mean that Verma will return to office, but minus the power. Will he continue in office till the end of his term is a matter that would be finally decided by the Selection Committee.FIR against former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav, 20 SP workers for 'assaulting' journalists in Moradabad

Uttar Pradesh government lying about number of teachers who died during poll duty: Akhilesh Yadav

Akhilesh Yadav tweets photo with family amidst CBI trouble

India

oi-Madhuri Adnal

Lucknow, Jan 9: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday went poetic to show he is unconcerned with reports suggesting that he might be quizzed by the CBI in the mining scam.

After spending the entire day at party office meeting workers and RLD leader Jayant Chaudhary, Akhilesh Yadav tweeted his photo with wife and Kannauj MP Dimple Yadav, two daughters and son watching a television channel related to a news on him.

"Duniya Janti hai is khabar me hua hai mera jikra kyun, badniyat hai jiski buniyad us khabar see fikr kyun (World knows why I am mentioned in the news, why to worry with news whose foundation is bad intention)," he tweeted.

SP members had on Monday protested in the Lok Sabha against the Central Bureau of Investigation's alleged action against Akhilesh Yadav.

Akhilesh Yadav cleared 13 mining leases on a single day, claims CBI

They took a swipe at the the BJP, saying it is "allying" with the probe agency due to alliance talks between the SP and Mayawati-led BSP.

After SP member Dharmendra Yadav raised the issue, the party MPs had stormed the Well of the House, raising slogans against the BJP and the CBI.

He alleged that the CBI has become a "parrot" of the ruling BJP, which is "allying" with the probe agency against the SP chief, also a former Uttar Pradesh chief minister.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 6:06 [IST]AgustaWestland: After saying witness may have died, ED cites a little birdie to say he is alive

AgustaWestland: Govt moves HC to stall arbitration proceedings

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Jan 9: The Government has moved the Delhi High court seeking a permanent injunction to restrain AgustaWestland from continuing with the arbitration process in view of the ongoing criminal cases before the trial court.

The court however refused to give any interim order staying the proceedings before the Arbitration Tribunal, initiated by AgustaWestland International Limited.

Michel got kickbacks in other defence deals too: ED

The company contended that the Ministry of Defence cannot unilaterally freeze payments in the Rs 3,600 crore deal. India has already paid 30 per cent of the amount. Initially, the government had refused to be drawn into the arbitration process but later decided to take part in it in January 2014.

The Delhi HC said that it could not pass any interim order unless it heard the other party as well. The petitioners must first serve a copy to AgustaWestland, the court further said.

Congress to go offensive on AgustaWestland deal scam despite names of Gandhis figure in it

When the court was told that the arbitration is scheduled for 11 am on Wednesday, the judge said that the matter would be heard as the first item on January 9 at 10.30 am.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 5:59 [IST]Covid-19 origin: China's 'bat woman' denies Wuhan lab leak theory, claims no one got sick at her institute

80 new warships in 5 years: India raises concern over Chinas growing marine reach

India

oi-Deepika S

New Delhi, Jan 10: China has added 80 new ships in the last five years to bolster its naval capability and the Chinese Navy is a force which is "here to stay", Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba said Wednesday, amid concerns over Beijing's growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Chinese Navy added 80 warships in last five years and is "a force which is here to stay", Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba said during a session on Indo-Pacific at Raisina Dialogue.

"No navy has grown so rapidly in the last 200 years as the Chinese Navy," he said, adding the force has six to eight warships in the northern Indian Ocean.

In Tibet Chinese military equips troops with mobile howitzers

"Also, two years ago they commissioned their first overseas facility or base in Djibouti.

The stated aim of this deployment is to protect their trade which is flowing through this area from piracy. They have deployed submarines for anti-piracy operations which is the most unlikely platform to be used for this role," he said.

Admiral Philip S Davidson, Commander, US Info-Pacific Command, during the session, said the command's name was changed to Info-Pacific as the concept captures the shift in economic and military reality.

In response to a question on the Quad --comprising the US, India, Australia an Japan-- being seen as a strep to contain China, he said the Info-Pacific policy does not represent a containment policy.

"We are not asking the people to choose between us and China," Admiral Davidson said.

Lanba said the Quad comprised nations that stand for inclusive, free, rules-based order and commitment to honour international rules and agreements.The Quad would grow with time, he said.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Thursday, January 10, 2019, 1:12 [IST]7th Pay Commission: No word on DA arrears, here is how you can calculate from July 1

7th Pay Commission: Interim budget dashes hopes of pay hike, misery to continue

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New Delhi, Jan 9: The wait relating to good news on the 7th Pay Commission has been never ending for Central Government employees.

It appears now that the wait for a hike in basic minimum pay is likely to get longer. At first it was being speculated that the government would go in for a full budget.

It is now however confirmed that there would be only an interim budget. This is actually bad news for CG employees who have been demanding a hike in basic minimum pay from Rs 18,000 to Rs 26,000.

7th Pay Commission: Good news on DA, are you eligible

A top government official confirmed to OneIndia, " leave alone the demand to hike the pay to Rs 26,000, there would no hike of up to Rs 21,000 anytime soon.'

There was a lot of expectation that there would be some positive news relating to the pay hike at least in January. However as of now everything is at a standstill and the government is more keen on pushing forward populist schemes.

There was also news in some quarters that there could be some announcement on January 26.

However that too would turn out to be a damp squib like what had happened on August 15, when it was largely speculated that the Prime Minister would make an announcement during his Independence Day address.

The CG employees also should not expect anything much in the budget to be presented in February. A full budget is not on the cards as there is no time and it would be impossible to pass a full budget before the election process sets into motion.

Jaitley is expected to follow convention and present only an interim budget and allow the new government to present the full budget. The budgetary exercises for the one to be presented in February had begun in October 2018 itself. The finance ministry had even imposed a quarantine from December, which bars the entry of the media into the North Block where the Finance Ministry is housed. The quarantine remains in force until the budget is presented.

7th Pay Commission: Latest news and updates

An interim budget or a vote on account is a provision by which the government obtains permission from Parliament for a quantum of funds sufficient to incur its expenditures for the part of the year, until a full budget is presented.

With very less scope in the interim budget, it is almost certain that there would no further announcement for CG employees where the 7th Pay Commission is concerned.

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Wednesday, January 9, 2019, 8:20 [IST]Will enact law to protect Sabarimala Ayyappa temple's customs if voted to power: UDF

Sabarimala issue pending in Supreme Court, nothing to be debated now: CM Pinarayi Vijayan

36-year-old woman claims to have offered prayers at Sabarimala shrine

India

oi-PTI

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 10: A 36-year-old woman from Kerala Wednesday claimed she has trekked Sabarimala and offered prayers at the Lord Ayyappa shrine.

The chief minister's office and the police, however, refused to confirm the woman's claim that she visited the shrine Tuesday.

Manju, a native of Chathannoor, made the claim in a Facebook post, saying she prayed in front of the presiding deity on Tuesday and none of the devotees present there protested.

"I started the trip from Thrissur and visited the shrine on January 8. I spent almost two hours at the Sannidhanam (main temple complex). I also sought help from the Akhila Baratha Ayyappa Seva Sangham members who happily helped me to offer prayers," she claimed.

BJP takes Sabarimala fight to President, accuses Kerala govt of appeasement

The state had been on boil since January 2, when two women of menstrual age entered the hilltop shrine in the wee hours escorted by police personnel, three months after the

Supreme Court lifted a ban on entry of girls and women in the 10-50 age group.

A Lankan woman below 50 years also succeeded in entering the temple a couple of days later.

BJP and right-wing outfits, who have been protesting against the state government's decision to implement the September 28 order of the apex court, intensified the agitation, leading to widespread violence after Kanakadurga and Bindu entered the shrine.

The protests also saw return of political violence after a gap with houses of BJP-RSS and CPI(M) leaders coming under country-made bomb attacks in the past few days.

PTI

For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications

Story first published: Thursday, January 10, 2019, 1:42 [IST]Photo Courtesy Literacy Coalition of Madison County

From left: Dyann Nashton, Literacy Coalition of Madison County coordinator; Jacqueline Alex, Boliver Road library media specialist; Melissa Biviano, Boliver Road third grade teacher; Michele Ryan, Oneida Public Library executive director; and Eric Faisst, Madison County director of public health. Ryan and Faisst are members of the managing partners of LCMC.Transfer students also appreciate that credits they may have earned elsewhere transfer to Bellevue University without hassle. This process of generous credit articulation, which Bellevue University has been nationally recognized for by Phi Theta Kappa, means students are not required to re-take classes, and ultimately save both time and money. The transfer process from MCC to Bellevue University works smoothly because both schools have flexible schedules that work for all students to make school possible with busy lives, said Susie McWhirter, M.S., an academic adviser at MCC.

Robinson, who has assisted hundreds of metro area transfer students during her 15-year tenure with the university, agreed. She said that from the time she first met Reeder in the spring of 2018, she stayed in touch with him. Having Marche on the Elkhorn campus is a great asset for students, McWhirter said. She is able to answer any questions they have about taking that next step in their educational journey and alleviate any concerns they may have.The following editorial appeared in the Washington Post.

In an attempt to defend the gulag in which it has imprisoned hundreds of thousands of Uighurs and other Muslims in the Xinjiang region, China has tried to rebrand concentration camps as centers for vocational training. The goal, as a state television broadcast put it, is to rescue ignorant, backward and poor rural minorities. That description encapsulates the gross bigotry with which Chinese authorities view the Uighurs, against whom they have launched a massive campaign of cultural extermination.

But how, then, do the Chinese explain the fact that not just ignorant peasants but also scores of the most prominent Uighur intellectuals have been sent to them? Are poets, professors, scientists and journalists living in Xinjiang also in need of vocational training?

According to a report in the New York Times, Uighur exiles have compiled a list of 159 intellectuals who have been detained over the past year. They are the propagators, curators and defenders of a culture that the regime of Xi Jinping appears determined to eradicate. Break their lineage, break their roots, break their connections and break their origins, concluded a state news commentary cited by the Times. Its hard to read that as anything other than a declaration of genocidal intent.One of the most common arguments against President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria is that it will strengthen Iran. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who left Tuesday for a weeklong tour of the Middle East, makes an interesting case for why that isn't so.

Trump himself gave his critics ammunition at a Cabinet meeting last week, when he observed that Iran already "can do what they want" in Syria. But his comment was merely descriptive, not a prediction of what will happen when the U.S. leaves. And in an interview two days after that meeting, Pompeo stressed that the U.S. remains committed to kicking Iran and its proxies out of Syria -- and to a broader strategy of countering Iran across the region.

"That campaign hasn't changed one lick," he told me. "A component of that is being altered, the reduction of the forces in Syria is being changed, but the mission set hasn't changed a bit." The U.S., he said, will continue to work to reduce Iranian influence in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen.

Two weeks ago, Pompeo's comments would have seemed naive. But it turns out the U.S. withdrawal from Syria is not as dramatic as it first appeared. The Wall Street Journal now reports that Turkey is requesting that the U.S. continue providing logistical support, transport and air strikes as its army prepares to move into Syria.A 44-foot tower near Blair that was inspired by a vision of an Oglala Lakota Sioux holy man will be renovated thanks to an anonymous donation of over $187,000.

The Tower of the Four Winds, a memorial to author John G. Neihardt and holy man Black Elk, rises over the Missouri River valley in the 80-acre Black Elk-Neihardt Park. Black Elk, who lived from 1863 to 1950, related his story and visions to Neihardt, the poet laureate of Nebraska, who died in 1973.

Time and weather have taken a toll on the towers mosaic tiles. They have been falling off the tower since its construction in 1987, according to the Blair Historic Preservation Alliance. Without the restoration project, the towers artwork would have continued to deteriorate until the mosaic no longer existed, said Dawn Nielsen, president of the alliance board.

A foundation whose leaders want it to remain anonymous contributed $187,450 to restore the tower. The donation will cover the complete cost of restoration by Omaha-based Jensen Conservation Services.

Pending approval of a contract by the Blair City Council, the project will begin in the spring and be completed within a few months.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.A man accused of shooting two brothers, killing one, outside a South Omaha restaurant was ordered held on no bail Wednesday.

Anthony Sanchez, 20, has been charged with first-degree murder, first-degree felony assault and two weapons counts stemming from a July shooting near Guaca Maya restaurant.

Sanchez and a group of other people entered the restaurant at 5002 S. 33rd St. late on July 15, a prosecutor said Wednesday in Douglas County Court. When a fight broke out outside, the prosecutor said, multiple witnesses said Sanchez shot Franco Gonzalez-Mendez, 23, and his then-22-year-old brother, Edgar Gonzalez-Mendez, after someone pulled Sanchezs shirt off him.

Both brothers were taken in critical condition to the Nebraska Medical Center, where Franco died.

Sanchez is scheduled to appear in court again in February.COUNCIL BLUFFS  The blue light special has died.

The Council Bluffs Kmart officially closed over the weekend, while a not-so-distant neighbor apparently has plans to move into the space left behind.

The store, at 2803 East Kanesville Boulevard, was marked with Closed signs on the doors Monday. But there was activity at the building as movers stacked shelves and retail racks onto trucks.

The parent company for Sears and Kmart announced in October 2018 that the Council Bluffs location was one of 142 that would close.

The closures come as the company filed for bankruptcy. Hundreds of Sears and Kmart locations had already closed in 2018.

Liquidation sales followed in the weeks after the announcement.

It was also announced that two other Kmart locations in Iowa  in Cherokee and Webster City  were closing.Wayne, who was elected in 2016, said he noticed this and other archaic language in the state constitution while researching for other bills.

The first thing that stood out, obviously, was Section II, he said.

The language closely resembles the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and many other states' constitutions.

Section II of Article I, Nebraskas Bill of Rights, states: There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in this state, otherwise than for punishment of crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.

I think we need to look at our constitution and clean up a lot of things, Wayne said. Some things are even declared unconstitutional that are still in there.

Wayne said he expects no problem pushing the amendment through the Legislature, and to Nebraska voters in 2020.

Many senators have expressed surprise that the language is still in the constitution, he said.Neither groused about their conditions. A neighbor let himself in one morning last week to check on the couple. Were just fine, Lou Ann said.

Weber reflected on numerous steps in his career that demonstrated good fortune and judgment as he rose through school and college, and into faculty and administrative life. His three siblings didnt go to college, he said, but his mother was determined to see that he, the youngest, did.

She went to work as a hotel chef and saved about $300 so he could pay for his first semester at Midland Lutheran College, now Midland University, in Fremont. He then worked his way through college and became a teacher and principal at little Creston High School, north of his hometown of Columbus, Nebraska.

Advisers and mentors urged him to go to graduate school, and he earned masters and doctoral degrees in education at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln. Then it was on to the faculty at Arizona State University, then Cleveland State University, and back to Arizona State with his mentor, Harry Newburn. During his career, Newburn led universities in Montana, Oregon, Ohio and Arizona.

Weber became dean of Arizona States College of Education, a job he held about eight years, and moved on to UNOs chancellorship in 1977.A 26-year-old Lincoln police officer has been cited on suspicion of buying alcohol for a minor  his 19-year-old girlfriend, according to the Lancaster County Sheriffs Office.

The Sheriffs Office investigated the case at the request of Lincoln Police Chief Jeffrey Bliemeister.

According to a release from the Sheriffs Office, the officer purchased the alcohol for his girlfriend during a gathering of off-duty police officers at a Lincoln bar in mid-December.

The officer has been placed on modified duty. The woman was cited on suspicion of being a minor in possession of alcohol.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.A Connecticut judge once allowed prosecutors to present evidence of jury tampering in a murder case. The Connecticut Supreme Court later ruled that jurors should not have heard that evidence.

In turn, Shorts attorney, Douglas County Public Defender Tom Riley, sought to prohibit prosecutors from introducing evidence of the jury tampering allegations.

Riley pointed to state law, which requires charges to be of the same or similar character ... or the same act or transaction ... or parts of a common scheme or plan.

Riley noted that charges of murder and tampering are vastly different. Plus, Riley argued, the alleged crimes were separated by more than three years.

In his order, Wheelock agreed that the bribery allegation could make Short look guilty of murder, even if hes not. Even innocent people sometimes resort to improper contact with the jury, Wheelock wrote, citing a federal case.

All of that means that prosecutors will have to wait until after Shorts murder trial to try to hold him accountable for jury tampering. In the meantime, prosecutors are lobbying state senators to increase the maximum penalty for jury tampering from two years to 50 years.University of Nebraska Medical Center officials Wednesday unveiled the Ferrari of MRIs  the states most advanced MRI scanner, which initially will be dedicated to advancing their brain research efforts.

Such research is gaining attention both nationally and internationally as researchers go deeper into the brain, considered the final frontier in biomedical research. New efforts, such as the BRAIN Initiative launched by the Obama administration in 2013 and others in Europe and Japan, are seeking to unravel diseases such as Alzheimers and Parkinsons and to figure out how injury and illness can cause normal brain development to go awry.

The 28,000-pound machine at UNMC will provide the highest resolution imaging available while cutting the imaging time for research subjects in half.

Dr. Jeffrey Gold, UNMCs chancellor, said the machine will provide scientists an opportunity to do research they havent been able to do before and participate in new collaborations. It also stands to bring treatments and clinical trials closer to home for Nebraskans.

We have every expectation were going to meet our goal of growing neurosciences in Nebraska, said Dr. Matthew Rizzo, professor and chairman of UNMCs neurological sciences department.Two of the areas storage business owners say there is plenty of room for growth. They have a combined four storage facilities  averaging between 600 and 700 units each  in the works.

Demand is about twice of what the supply is, said Daryl Leise, who is one of the owners of this Extra Space facility in Elkhorn, where the Gordons are unloading. Leise also is one of the owners of another one at 192nd and Harrison Streets. He plans to build up to eight more storage facilities in Omaha, Des Moines and Kansas City.

He said there is more demand for climate-controlled places that are closer to where people live. That, combined with city design standards on how they must look in certain areas, means youre starting to see more closer to residential neighborhoods.

Its difficult to know just how many storage facilities there are. City officials did not have a ready number, though Jay Davis, assistant city planning director, said it seems like every time it rains, one pops up. A Google search pulled up dozens  far more than the 22 McDonalds I saw on Google in the city and more than all 43 Starbucks coffee counters. I tried going through online brokerage services to see where I could rent a standard 10-by-10 unit.Jordan Peeles Us To Premiere As Opening Film At 2019 SXSW Festival Elijah C. Watson Elijah Watson serves as Okayplayer's News & Culture Editor. When

The follow-up to Get Out is a part of the annual film festival that takes place in Austin, Texas.

Jordan Peeles next film Us will kick off this years South by Southwest Film Festival. The movie, which finds a familys vacation stay at their beach house descend into chaos, is launching the film portion of SXSW on March 8.

WATCH: The Terrifying First Trailer For Jordan Peeles New Film Us

We are crazy excited to world premiere the most anticipated film of 2019 from the creative powerhouse that brought us Get Out, Janet Pierson, director of film for the festival, said according to Variety. We honestly couldnt imagine a more perfect film to kick off the 2019 SXSW Film Festival.

Us stars Lupita Nyongo, Winston Duke, and Elisabeth Moss. Peele has described the follow-up to his seminal breakout film Get Out as a a monster mythology. I wanted to do something that was more firmly in the horror genre but still held on to my love of movies that are twisted but fun, he previously told EW.

A synopsis of the film is as follows:

The story is set in the present day and follows Adelaide and Gabe Wilson (Lupita Nyongo and Winston Duke) as they take their kids to Adelaides old childhood beachside home in Northern California for the summer. After a day at the beach with the Tyler family (which includes Elisabeth Moss and Tim Heidecker), Adelaide  whos haunted by a lingering trauma from her past  becomes increasingly more paranoid that something bad will happen to her family. As night falls, the Wilsons see four figures holding hands and standing silently at the bottom of their driveway TRENDING VIDEOS

SXSW will unveil the rest of its film lineup on January 16 and February 6.

Source: VarietyPlease Enable Cookies

www.ogj.com is using a security service for protection against online attacks. The service requires full cookie support in order to view this website.

Please enable cookies on your browser and try again.Carol Nolan, Independent TD for Offaly has confirmed she will be meeting senior representatives from KBC Bank on Wednesday along with other Independent TDs Michael Collins and Mattie McGrath as well as Jerry Beades of The New Land League.

Deputy Nolan was speaking ahead of the meeting that follows on from the occupation of KBC Bank premises in Lower Baggot Street, Dublin, by three Independent TDs on December 19.

We took part in the peaceful protest in December in order to receive assurances from the KBC CEO, Wim Verbraeken, that senior management would meet with us to discuss our concerns. Happily, we achieved that outcome," Carol said.

"What we will be looking for today is substantive follow up on those concerns, specifically the manner in which mortgage accounts and farm loans in distress are being dealt with."

"As we said at the time, many of the customers we are dealing with really feel like they are being driven to the brink in terms of the aggressive and relentless debt collection strategies that are being employed and this must stop."

"There has to be explicit policy recognition that where people are making genuine efforts to repay their debts, breathing space is then afforded to them."

"As TD for Offaly where over 540 mortgages are deemed to be currently in distress, I'm receiving an increasing number of calls and correspondence related to mortgage distress, farm loans in distress, the sale of loan books and fears around changes to restructured agreements."

"We look forward to todays meeting and hope that it will produce some worthwhile commitments for all concerned, concluded Deputy NolanLidl Ireland sourced over 4 million worth of agri-food produce from Offaly suppliers, a 2018 IMPACT report by the German retailer has found.

The major study looked at the impact Lidl is having on the communities it serves throughout Ireland.

The report shows that over 60 people are also employed directly in Lidls four Offaly stores, while 17,700 meals were donated through a nationwide initiative with FoodCloud to distribute surplus food to worthwhile causes that would otherwise go to waste.

Four charities and community groups working with Lidl and FoodCloud were supported in the county, benefiting from 24,000 of in-kind donations to FoodCloud.

4,750 was raised for Jigsaw, Lidls charity partner, which provides mental health support to young people in Offaly and beyond. An additional 1,650 raised for local charities and good causes.

Lidls work with FoodCloud goes beyond the donation of meals and in-kind donations as it has reduced 8,000 kilos of food that otherwise would have been diverted to landfill which has an additional benefit to the environment of saving over 25,000 kilos of CO2 emissions.

Commenting on the study JP Scally, Managing Director, Lidl Ireland said: In recent years we commissioned an independent economic report to assess the contribution Lidl had made to Irelands economy which found that Lidl supports thousands of indirect jobs throughout Ireland in the agri-food sector based on the 700m food and drink we purchase every year from hundreds of Irish suppliers."

"However, we believe our contribution goes much deeper than that in the impact it has on communities  everything from our sustainable energy initiatives to the money raised for local good causes and from the benefits of the LGFA partnership to the number of meals donated to FoodCloud. This IMPACT report is a further initiative which highlights the ongoing contribution Lidl makes both large and small in every community where we operate."

"The individual efforts of our stores and teams across the country has made a real impact collectively with over 500,000 FoodCloud meals donated worth 700,000 and over 400,000 raised for Jigsaw nationwide.

In highlighting the positive impact Lidl is having on supporting vital youth mental health services locally, Kate Brennan, Project Manager for Jigsaw in Offaly said: "Jigsaw's strategic partnership with Lidl has been hugely influential in raising awareness about the Jigsaw Service in Offaly. We strive to raise awareness and make the service accessible to all young people in Offaly."

"The unwavering support and determination of Lidl, and their amazing staff, means that this is becoming a reality. It is clear that corporate social responsibility and community development are values which Lidl prioritises. Lidls support of Jigsaw stretches beyond words on a page or euros on a cheque. Together, we truly believe we have the potential to change how we, as a county and a country, thinks about, supports and responds to our young people's mental health, and thats hugely exciting.

Speaking about how Lidls commitment to the FoodCloud initiative is both avoiding food waste and supporting charities with food donations, Iseult Ward, co-founder and CEO of FoodCloud said: "In less than two years, Lidl Ireland has helped over 300 charities nationwide, and four in Offaly, rescuing surplus food from stores that might otherwise have gone to waste. This food

represents the equivalent of over 1 million in savings to the charity sector nationwide which is an incredible achievement.

Lidls three stores in Offaly are located on the Dublin Road, Edenderry, on Tullamore Road, Birr and on New Street, Tullamore. A second Tullamore store is also under construction.

Derede McAlpin

LEVICK is bringing Derede McAlpin back to the firm to lead its litigation communications practice.

McAlpin rejoins LEVICK, where she served as a vice president from 2005 to 2012, from the Association of Corporate Counsel. At ACC, which serves the interests of more than 45,000 in-house lawyers, McAlpin was vice president and chief communications officer.

She has also worked as a strategic counselor for both corporate clients and public officials, working on such projects as handling communications for the first full-face transplant recipient in the U.S. and managing crisis issues following data breaches and scandals. Her experience also included working in the media relations department of Howard University and serving as a judicial law clerk for the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.A German pastor thinks he may have found a an effective way to approach the men in his community and it involves one of his greatest passions, whisky.

53-year-old Thomas Eschenbacher, a Franconian pastor from Hammelburg, in Bavaria, has long been looking for ways to approach men and talk to them about God and the Christian faith. Its not the easiest thing to do, especially in this day in age, but Eschenbacher thinks whisky may just be the solution to his problem. A big fan of the Scottish spirit, the pastor noticed how easy it was to start a conversation about whisky during a leisurely whiskey tasting evening with friends, and decided to use the same catalyst to get through to men in matters of religion. He recently announced that he was organizing a whisky retreat for men and all the 30 available spots were sold out almost instantly.

Photo: felix_w/Pixabay

Bible reading events dont really work, but with whisky can I reach the men, its a topic that interests them, Thomas Eschenbacher told the German Press Agency.

During the three-hour whisky retreat scheduled for January 11, the pastor hopes to use the spirit to not only start a conversation about faith, but also help participants slow down their life and reflect on their existence.

Our time is so crowded. We always want to clarify everything in eight hours. A whiskey needs at least ten years to be good, and so my message is not short-term,  Eschenbacher told Bild.

Five different whiskeys will be served during the retreat  four from Scotland and one Bavarian  four of which will be discussed among the participants and one enjoyed in silence. Although Bible passages will be read by Eschenbacher during the three-hour event, the pastor says that he wont try to force the Faith onto the participants.

Photo: jarmoluk/Pixabay

I wont push the Bible into anyones hands and just say: read this, then youll understand it', the Franconian pastor said, adding that the whisky retreat isnt about understanding the Faith as a science, but experiencing it with the heart.

While Thomas Eschenbacher has been praised by the Church for his ingenious idea to get people closer to God, the fact that the whisky retreat is aimed exclusively at men has drawn some criticism. Exclusive circles do not reflect the Church, spokesman Magnus Lux said. However, the pastor provided an explanation:

The idea came about because whisky is generally a mens topic, so it was a good chance to deliberately make a spiritual offer only for men.Operation Rescue Supports Funding the Wall to Alleviate Humanitarian Crisis at the Border Contact: Troy Newman, President, 316-683-6790 ext. 111;

Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Vice President, 316-516-3034,

both with Operation Rescue, info.operationrescue@gmail.com



WICHITA, Kan., Jan. 9, 2019 /Christian Newswire/ -- Operation Rescue strongly supports funding the building of a wall at the southern border in order to alleviate a serious humanitarian crisis that is resulting in a boon for human sex traffickers and other criminals that are victimizing women and children by the thousands.



Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue, was on a call today with Vice President Mike Pence who shared statistics about the human trafficking and sexual assault at the southern border.



According to Vice President Pence: Human trafficking is a $2 Billion annual trade across the US/Mexico border alone.



Two-thirds of the people who are trying to come into to our country present themselves as families and unaccompanied minors. They are coming in at unsustainable rates.



Seventy percent of all illegal immigrants attempting to enter America report they have been victims of crimes.



One-third of all women trying to enter the U.S. illegally report they have been victims of sexual assault.



Last month 20,000 children were brought over the border illegally into the U.S. by traffickers.



Some of those trafficked children were "recycled" by being sent back into Mexico where they were paired with other criminals who then presented at the border as "families." "Building the wall will discourage people from coming to America illegally and help protect thousands of women from sexual assault - some of which undoubtedly are ending up at our country's abortion clinics. It will also protect thousands of children from sexual abuse and exploitation by human traffickers who make money from selling time with them to pedophiles. We must alleviate this human suffering by discouraging the illegal entry into our country," said Newman.



"Building the wall is a pro-life act because it will save innocent lives - both of Americans and of the illegal immigrants who are trying to enter the U.S. We must contact Congress and let them know we stand firmly behind President Donald Trump in his efforts to fund and build the border wall now," Newman concluded.



Operation Rescue is encouraging all Americans to contact their Congressmen today and voice their support for funding and building the border wall.



Find and contact your Congressman.



About Operation Rescue

Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation and has become a strong voice for the pro-life movement in America. Click here to support Operation Rescue.



Web site: OperationRescue.org



Also: AbortionDocs.org and Abortion911.com



E-mail: info.operationrescue@gmail.com





Share TweetSmiths Station Fire and Rescue Chief Joe Walden has served on the volunteer fire department for about 25 years, tending to the citizens of the community.

Even after his own home caught fire Monday afternoon, Walden was back at the fire station with his wife Tuesday morning working and responding to calls as they waited for the next necessary steps in the recovery process for their loss.

We didnt have a whole lot of structural damage, Walden told the Opelika-Auburn News on Tuesday. The fire smothered itself. But the whole house is just covered with the soot from the fire. So we just have to get everything like that cleaned up.

Walden and his household may be able to move back into the home possibly in about a week, Walden said.

Walden first joined the fire department in 1984 before joining the Navy. He served in the Navy for 10 years and then returned to the fire department in 1994. He was promoted to fire chief in the mid-2000s.

Rolling smoke

The fire was discovered Monday afternoon by Waldens mother, who lives with him at the residence, as she was returning home.LONDON  When a technical error forced a Norwegian Air jet to land at Shiraz Airport in Iran last month, the Boeing 737 touched down in uncharted territory.

The airline, known for cheap long-haul flights from Europe, does not have a base in Iran. It had never flown there before. And nearly a month after it left Dubai, the brand-new American-made jet, delivered to Norwegian Air only in October, was still sitting in Shiraz.

The jet appeared to be caught up in United States sanctions on Tehrans nuclear program that prohibit civilian aircraft sales, including services and parts. Those came into force again last year after President Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal that had eased punitive measures in return for verifiable pledges of peaceful nuclear work.

A technical error in one of the engines prompted the landing on Dec. 14, a spokesman for Norwegian Air said by phone on Tuesday, and the 186 passengers and six crew members on board were unharmed. They spent the night in Iran and flew to Oslo the next day.LONDON  A group of 49 migrants stranded at sea after being refused entry to any European port in late December, in a case seen as emblematic of the regions increasingly hard-line approach to immigration, was finally allowed to land in Malta on Wednesday.

The asylum seekers, who had been sheltering aboard two private rescue boats, will be shared among nine member states of the European Union, the Maltese prime minister, Joseph Muscat, said in a statement. A further 224 people who had been brought to Malta by the Maltese Coast Guard will also be distributed across the nine nations.

The announcement brought to an end a 19-day wait for 32 of the stranded migrants, who were rescued from a faulty rubber dinghy off Libya on Dec. 22 by the Sea-Watch 3, a ship owned by the private German rescue organization Sea Watch. The 17 others were picked up a week later by another German group, Sea Eye.With the start of the new year, Belgium became the latest European country to ban traditional Jewish and Muslim animal slaughtering practices. The move was applauded by animal rights activists but condemned by religious leaders who see the ban as a threat to their communities.

At issue is whether to allow religious exemptions to European Union rules that state animals must be knocked out before they are slaughtered, which supporters say is more humane. The United States has similar regulations, but allows for religious exemptions.

Both faiths require that the animal be treated well in life and be healthy and unharmed before slaughter, which all Jewish religious authorities and some Muslim ones interpret as a prohibition of stunning before slaughter.

Religious leaders say minimizing an animals pain has always been central to their traditions, and a ritual slaughter  carried out with a sharp blade to the neck  should be quick and almost painless.ATHENS  A far-left militant group in Greece known for staging attacks on political and foreign diplomatic sites has claimed responsibility for a bombing near Athens last month outside the offices of a major broadcaster and newspaper publisher.

In a post on the anti-establishment website Athens Indymedia on Tuesday night, the Group of Popular Fighters claimed responsibility for the Dec. 17 bombing, which caused serious damage to the facade of the building but no injuries. Greek news outlets reported at the time that 10 kilograms, or 22 pounds, of explosives had been used.

In its statement, the militant group said it had targeted the broadcaster Skai and the newspaper Kathimerini, which are part of the same media group and are housed in the same building, because they were among outlets that played a special role in preserving the rotten economic and political system during the Greek debt crisis. For a decade, the country was required by international creditors to adopt austerity measures in return for bailouts.

The group also accused news outlets of promoting a capitalist agenda in Greece and of terrorizing society that beyond the E.U. there is nothing but chaos and hell. It appeared to be referring to the idea, widely supported in 2015, that a compromise with creditors in the European Union and the International Monetary Fund was required to allow Greece to remain in the eurozone.BERLIN  Two days after a right-wing politician was assaulted in Germany, drawing international attention, the authorities on Wednesday said that several elements of the account given by his political party appeared to be false.

Frank Magnitz, 66, a member of Parliament from the Alternative for Germany party, suffered head injuries in the attack in Bremen on Monday. Party officials said that three men had attacked him, beating him with a piece of lumber and then kicking him after he had fallen to the ground.

But after reviewing a video of the attack, law enforcement officials said that one assailant had struck Mr. Magnitz once from behind, knocking him down, before he and two others fled the scene.

No one hit the lawmaker with an object, they said, and no one kicked him.

We assume that all of the injuries are the result of the fall, said Frank Passade, a spokesman for the states attorneys office in Bremen, which is investigating the assault.LONDON  Though she admits disliking the social side of politics, Prime Minister Theresa May hosted lawmakers at a party in Downing Street this week, hoping to salvage her much-maligned plans for Britains departure from the European Union, or Brexit.

But despite wine, canapes and what one guest called a very pleasant social occasion, Mrs. May brings her deal to Parliament on Wednesday knowing that she faces virtually certain defeat in a vote next week  one that could mean weeks of perilous political brinkmanship for Britain.

Mrs. May postponed the vote last month, calculating that she would lose, yet has little to show for the delay. More than two and a half years after Britons opted to leave the European Union, a divided country is still wrestling with the implications of that referendum decision and, as ever with Brexit, the answers seem to lie just over the horizon.

We wont get to the endgame until one or other of the options for Brexit are eliminated, said Charles Grant, director of the Center of European Reform, a research institute, and maybe not until March.MELBOURNE, Australia  The consulates of several countries were evacuated on Wednesday in the Australian cities of Melbourne and Canberra after they received packages containing what the authorities described as potentially hazardous material.

VicEmergency, a government website that aggregates alerts from the states emergency agencies, reported that police and ambulance crews had been dispatched to at least 10 locations, and television news stations broadcast footage of emergency responders outside the consulates of India, Germany, Italy, Spain and South Korea.

The government of New Zealand also confirmed it had received a suspicious package. The Australian Broadcasting Company said the United States consulate had been affected, but because of the continuing government shutdown, consulate officials were not immediately available for comment.BANGKOK  A young Saudi woman who barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room to avoid deportation was granted refugee status Wednesday by the United Nations refugee agency, Australian officials said, clearing the way for an asylum request.

The woman, Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, 18, had said she feared her relatives would kill her if she was forced to return to them. She escaped from her family in Kuwait on Saturday by boarding a flight to Bangkok, intending to fly from there to Australia and apply for asylum. But Thai immigration officials blocked her from entering the country and threatened to deport her.

After a tense 48-hour standoff that was followed around the world on social media, the Thai Immigration Bureau agreed to let her leave the airport under the protection of the United Nations agency, also known as UNHCR.

Now that the agency has granted her refugee status, the next step will be to find a country that will agree to take her in on an urgent basis. Australias Department of Home Affairs said on Wednesday that the United Nations had referred Ms. Alqununs case to Australia for refugee settlement.KATHMANDU, Nepal  When Amba Boharas period came this week, she followed a familiar routine in western Nepal. Considered impure in her village because she was menstruating, Ms. Bohara barricaded herself in a tiny hut, built a fire and braced for an icy winter night with her two young children.

By Wednesday morning, all three were dead.

It seems they died from suffocation, said Uddhab Singh Bhat, the deputy superintendent of police in the area. The hut was so small. It was very difficult to breathe.

Ms. Bohara and her children were the latest victims of a centuries-old tradition of banishing menstruating women and girls from their family homes. Though Nepal criminalized the practice last year, many villages in the country continue to follow the taboo, known as chhaupadi in Nepali.

During their periods, women living in places where chhaupadi is followed are unable to visit temples, use other villagers kitchen utensils or wash in communal water sources. Some religious Hindus consider it bad luck to touch menstruating women and girls.The Korean War halted in 1953 with an armistice  but a formal peace treaty was never signed. As part of the armistice, the American-led United Nations Command and the Communist generals of North Korea and China agreed to create a two-and-a-half-mile-wide buffer zone that divides the Korean Peninsula to keep the warring armies apart.

Known as the DMZ, the buffer zone was supposed to be demilitarized, but soon became a heavily fortified frontier riddled with land mines and surrounded by fences and guard posts.

Then last year, South Koreas president, Moon Jae-in, and North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-un, took a symbolic step. Hand in hand, they crossed over the demarcation line, signifying what many hoped was the start of a new era.

The two leaders summit meeting itself offered little in the way of a concrete plan for peace, but the theater of the crossing resonated globally. Still, while a formal peace agreement may finally be in sight, the border remains heavily fortified.RIO DE JANEIRO  President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil said Wednesday that his government would no longer be a party to a United Nations migration accord signed last month, arguing that not just anyone can come into our home.



The decision is not expected to have any immediate impact because the deal, known as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration, is not legally binding on the more than 160 nations that signed it.

But it may signal that Latin Americas largest nation, which has long been welcoming to foreigners, may adopt a harder line on immigration as Mr. Bolsonaros far-right administration gets settled.

Brazil has a sovereign right to decide whether or not it accepts migrants, Mr. Bolsonaro said in a message posted on Twitter. Anyone who comes here must be subject to our laws and customs, and must sing our national anthem and respect our culture.Skin bleaching is a billion-dollar industry in predominantly black countries, but some governments want that to change.

Rwanda is one of them. Pointing to the chemicals harmful health effects, the country has begun a crackdown to enforce its ban on bleaching agents, especially hydroquinone and mercury, that are found in cosmetics.

We have been conducting inspections on cosmetics to ensure that they are hydroquinone- and mercury-free, Simeon Kwizera, a spokesman for the Rwanda Standards Board, said in a phone interview on Wednesday. We are seizing some cosmetics, inspecting the shops and markets and advising the sellers.

In Rwanda and other countries, people use cosmetics to bleach their skin because they feel that lighter skin is the ideal or indicates higher social status. Dark-skinned people do not necessarily see people like them in billboards, movies and advertisements, and dark-skinned celebrities sometimes grow more popular after bleaching their skin. This all makes it easier to believe that darker skin is of lesser value or is not considered as beautiful.The police collected the DNA of male employees of a private nursing home in Arizona this week as they broadened the investigation into allegations that a woman in a vegetative state there who gave birth to a child last month had been sexually assaulted.

On Wednesday, the Phoenix Police Department appealed to the community for information related to the case and said the investigation could evolve as detectives learn more about the circumstances of the womans pregnancy and the conception of the child.

Right now we are investigating a sexual assault, Sgt. Tommy Thompson, a police spokesman, said at a news conference. Wherever this investigation takes us, we are prepared to go forward with it.

The moves represented an escalation in the case, which on Monday prompted the resignation of the longtime chief executive of Hacienda HealthCare, the parent company of the nursing home. The police announced Friday that they had opened the investigation into the alleged assault.The president insisted that he maintained tremendous Republican support, even as nearly a half-dozen Republican senators have said directly or strongly suggested that they wanted to reopen the government, then have the debate about the wall.

I think we have tremendous Republican support, Mr. Trump said. The Senate has been incredible. Mitch McConnell has been incredible, he said, referring to the Senate majority leader.

The president, who has refused to sign any bill to fund the government that does not include $5.7 billion for the wall, also said some Democrats were moving to his point of view, although he did not offer any names.

The fact is that there is tremendous support, he said.

If I did something that was foolish, like gave up on border security, the first ones that would hit me would be my senators  theyd be angry at me, he said. The second ones would be the House. And the third ones would be frankly my base and a lot of Republicans out there and a lot of Democrats that want to see border security.Alluding to Mr. Trumps Oval Office address on Tuesday night, in which he demanded the construction of a border wall, Mr. Steyer said the president had once again lied to the American people, repeatedly, for his own political skin. He described Mr. Trump as having already committed numerous offenses warranting his removal from office, and warned Democrats that shying away from an impeachment battle would serve to enable the president.

Mr. Steyer, 61, left himself some wiggle room to change his mind on 2020, saying in prepared remarks that he had decided against running at this time. But his announcement ended  at least for now  the latest of several flirtations with seeking high office, which have also included abortive candidacies for the United States Senate and for governor of California. He considered running for president in 2016 before ultimately endorsing Hillary Clinton.

In some respects, the Democratic primary landscape appeared inviting for a candidate like Mr. Steyer, with his sterling credentials as a Trump antagonist and a virtually bottomless well of money to spend on advertising. He has been one of the Democratic Partys most prolific donors over the last few elections, eclipsed in 2018 only by Michael R. Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor who is considering a presidential campaign of his own.

Anticipating a likely race, Mr. Steyer had settled on a close adviser, Heather Hargreaves, to serve as his eventual campaign manager. He had conducted research into his own political vulnerabilities, in anticipation of attacks from other Democrats in a rowdy primary, and had mapped out how to reorganize his advocacy groups to comply with the fund-raising regulations that apply to presidential candidates.

Mr. Steyer also recently retained a new senior adviser, Doug Rubin, who previously advised former Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts on a possible 2020 run. Mr. Patrick announced last month that he had closed the door on a presidential candidacy.WASHINGTON  A long-running dispute between a Nevada man and California tax authorities made its third appearance at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, prompting spirited arguments about the power of precedent and the limits of state sovereignty.

The question for the justices was a fundamental one: May states be sued in the courts of other states? The Supreme Court said yes in 1979 but came close to overruling that decision in 2016, in an earlier encounter with Wednesdays case, Franchise Tax Board of California v. Hyatt, No. 17-1299.

Back then, the court was short-handed after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, and it deadlocked 4 to 4. Now that the court is back at full strength, it will almost certainly resolve the question.

Justice Stephen G. Breyer, perhaps thinking of other precedents that may be at risk now that the court has a solid conservative majority, expressed worry that the court may be inclined to overrule decisions too lightly.WASHINGTON  President Trump stormed out of a White House meeting with congressional leaders on Wednesday after Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would not fund a border wall even if he agreed to reopen the government, escalating a confrontation that has shuttered large portions of the government for 19 days and counting.

Stunned Democrats emerged from the meeting in the White House Situation Room declaring that the president had thrown a temper tantrum and slammed his hands on the table before leaving with an abrupt bye-bye. Republicans disputed the hand slam and blamed Democratic intransigence for prolonging the standoff.

When the meeting was over, talks to reopen the government appeared to be in disarray. The contentious, brief and futile session underscored an impasse that is looking each day like an insurmountable gulf between the two sides. Mr. Trump will visit the border on Thursday in McAllen, Tex., leaving little hope of a resolution for a shutdown that will tie the longest in the nations history on Friday.

It wasnt even a high-stakes negotiation; it was a petulant president of the United States, Ms. Pelosi said as she returned to the Capitol. A person who would say, Ill keep government shut down for weeks, months or years unless I get my way.WASHINGTON  When Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California stepped to a microphone last week and pronounced President Trumps border wall an immorality, most Democrats cheered and nodded their heads.

But a few privately grimaced, worried that such stark terminology could make it more difficult for Democrats and Republicans to find their way out of an impasse over border security that has partially shuttered the government for three weeks, deprived about 800,000 federal workers of their pay and increasingly threatens beneficiaries of federal programs.

Democrats, said one Democratic lawmaker from a Republican-leaning district who insisted on anonymity to offer a candid assessment, cannot be seen by the public as calling border security immoral.

The divide illustrates why Democrats are working to focus public attention on the painful costs of the partial government shutdown  vulnerable families going without food assistance, farmers forgoing crop payments, national parks trashed  and Mr. Trumps recklessness in courting it, rather than delving into the specific details of erecting a barrier on the southwestern border.China Aviation Daily | Jan. 09, 2019

oneworld is the best alliance for on-time flights, according to FlightGlobal Incorporating FlightStats, the leading airline industry data services and solutions technology company, which ranks oneworld as the alliance with the most punctual airline operations in 2018 for the sixth year running.

It means oneworld has retained this premier on-time status since FlightGlobal's FlightStats started tracking alliance punctuality.

This latest honour means that oneworld is now the current holder of seven "best airline alliance" titles internationally - more than twice as many as both other global airline alliances combined.

The ranking is based on analysis by FlightGlobal's FlightStats of some 45 million flights operated by hundreds of airlines globally in the past year - which showed that oneworld members collectively maintained a more punctual operation across the 12 months than their counterparts in the other global airline groups.

FlightGlobal's FlightStats' study of the 4.6 million oneworld flights in 2018 - operated by the alliance's 13 member airlines and their 30 affiliated carriers, serving more than 1,000 destinations in 150 plus countries - showed 81.59 per cent of them departed on time.

oneworld member airlines collectively also achieved the best arrival punctuality in 2018, with 80.22 per cent of them landing on-time, a 2 point improvement on either competitor global alliance.

oneworld members also took top honours FlightGlobal's FlightStats' 2018 awards for individual airlines.

Qatar Airways was the world's most punctual international network airline with 89.80 per cent of its 177,324 flights monitored departing on time.

Three other oneworld members also made it to the world's Top 10 airline network list - 2017's winner Iberia, American Airlines and LATAM.

FlightGlobal Incorporating FlightStats says its awards are "designed to recognise the hard work of the airlines that demonstrate consistently high performance and deliver on their promise to get passengers to their destinations on-time". It curates the data from more than 600 global sources. For full details, see flightstats.com

Other "best airline alliance" awards currently held by oneworld include:

- Business Traveler's 2018 Best Airline Alliance for the sixth year running.

- Global Traveler magazine's 2018 GT Tested Reader Survey - for the ninth year in a row.

- Trazees' Favorite Airline Alliance, for the second time.

- Business Traveler North America's 2018 Best in Business Travel Awards, for the fourth consecutive year.

- World Travel Awards' World's Leading Airline Alliance 2018 for the 16th year running.

- Frequent Business Traveler's 2018 GlobeRunner Award as Best Airline Alliance.

Contributed by oneworldWASHINGTON  House Democrats have summoned Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, to Congress on Thursday to deliver a classified briefing about the Trump administrations plans to end sanctions on companies linked to the billionaire Russian oligarch Oleg V. Deripaska.

The briefing is an early instance of Democratic lawmakers flexing their new oversight muscles after taking control of the House last week. Such requests from Democrats were generally ignored or rebuffed during President Trumps first two years in office, but cabinet officials are expected to face intense scrutiny over past decisions.

Congress is reviewing the administrations decision  announced in December by the Treasury Department  to lift sanctions against three companies that Mr. Deripaska controls, EN+, Rusal and JSC EuroSibEnergo. Rusal is the worlds second largest aluminum company and concerns about its fate roiled the industry after the Trump administration announced sanctions last year.

The Treasury Department delayed the implementation of the sanctions several times amid an aggressive lobbying campaign by Mr. Deripaskas corporate empire. The administration ultimately decided to lift the sanctions in the waning days of the last Congress  timing seen as intended to reduce the likelihood that Congress might block the move.LOS ANGELES  The Los Angeles teachers union on Wednesday postponed a districtwide strike until Monday, after questions about whether a court could delay the strike arose on the day before some 30,000 teachers were expected to walk off the job.

While the postponement could reopen negotiations, the union also suggested that it and the Los Angeles Unified School District are far from an agreement and that a strike in the nations second largest school system remains all but inevitable.

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge was expected to rule this week on whether the union, United Teachers Los Angeles, had given the school district the proper legal notice that its members would no longer work under the terms of its most recent contract, which expired more than a year ago.

Teachers say they can no longer work in what they call untenable conditions. They are demanding higher pay, smaller class sizes and more support staff like counselors and librarians. But district officials say that meeting those demands would bankrupt the school system, which is already paying for rising pension and health care costs, and that the strike will hurt the most vulnerable schools and students.Stedfast Baptist Church is part of a nationwide network of almost 30 independent Baptist churches associated with Mr. Anderson, who founded Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Ariz.

He gained notoriety in 2009 for saying in a sermon that he had prayed for the death of President Barack Obama, and was criticized by the Anti-Defamation League in 2014 for what it called his history of anti-Semitism.

Both churches are vehemently opposed to homosexuality and have been classified as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks extremism in the United States. The website of Faithful Word Baptist Church describes homosexuality as a sin and an abomination which God punishes with the death penalty.

This network is not coming out of nowhere, its not like its one little church in one little place with some guy who liked to go to prostitutes, said Heidi Beirich, a researcher at the law center. Its a network of congregations across the country with this guy who preaches a  I dont want to call it a theology because it is so hateful, but who preaches that gay people are destroying the country.

Mr. Romero and Mr. Anderson were among a small group of extreme Christian conservatives who were widely criticized in 2016 for praising Omar Mateen, the gunman who killed 49 people that year at Pulse nightclub, a center of gay night life in Orlando. Mr. Mateen said at the time that he was acting in the name of the Islamic State.

More than 50 additional people were injured in the attack. In a sermon shortly after the shooting, Mr. Romero said he hoped they would die, too.

In the sermon, which was posted to YouTube, Mr. Romero told congregants that gay people were all pedophiles and that he hoped the injured would die of their wounds so that they dont get any more opportunity to go out and hurt little children.

Ill pray to God that God will finish the job that that man started, he said, referring to Mr. Mateen. The video of the sermon has since been removed from YouTube.For as long as I can remember growing up in Puerto Rico, El Morro, the indestructible fort with the endless lawns at the entrance to San Juan harbor, was where you went to fly a kite. And on a recent sunny afternoon, just as expected, a couple and their young son were there trying to catch an updraft to loft a plastic butterfly with a long blue tail into the sky.

On Fortaleza Street, an art installation of colorful umbrellas hovered above pedestrians, triggering countless selfies. A short ferry ride away from the old city, at the Bacardi rum distillery in the town of Catano, visitors sipped cocktails in an open-air pavilion with a roof shaped like a bat in flight.

But as Puerto Rico tries to come back as a premier Caribbean destination after the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria in Sept. 2017, just a short drive from the pricey beachfront hotels, hundreds of residents are still living under leaky tarps, their poverty on display in glaring bright blue.BRANTLEY For me, one of his most remarkable gifts is his ability to sustain a feeling of suspense (that Gotterdammerung doom) even though you know where youre headed. And it works with dark, monumental classics like View and The Crucible. Curiously, his one attempt at Greek tragedy that Ive seen, an Antigone starring Juliette Binoche, was utterly uninvolving.

VINCENTELLI Im fine with him always working in the same register. Are we complaining that Jerry Zaks always does comedy? Hes brilliant at it. As for gimmickiness  that criticism isnt aimed at, say, Richard Nelson, whose Apple Family plays are just as gimmicky. But because they are in a familiar naturalistic mode, nobody notices or cares. What van Hove is doing is loosening up, if only a bit, the naturalistic grip on mainstream American stages. Thats a big deal in our world.

ZINOMAN Now that hes getting to work on the most prominent stages of the commercial theater, I do think his range matters. We agree View From the Bridge was wonderful. But is he the right director for West Side Story? This question is no longer academic.

HELLER Part of what has gotten him these opportunities is the embrace of critics like the three of you. He has become a name, a brand of sorts, that theater fans follow. Or not. As one commenter to a Times review wrote: Ivan Van Hooey. Enough. Please. Make him go away.

VINCENTELLI When you go to The Damned and you hear people having animated discussions  pro and con  on the street afterward, theres something happening that I think is very exciting. People arguing over directorial choices! That is just incredible to me. Ill forgive Lazarus, the Bowie show, just for that.

ZINOMAN I agree with Elisabeth that inspiring heated argument about theater directing is wonderful. But I also think we have a bias for ambition that can make us go easy on van Hove. For instance, lets take the most provocative decision I have seen him make, the molestation scene in The Damned. That was a very young actor, and he lingered in that scene in a way that was meant to make us uncomfortable. To be fair to him, the scene was in the film. But theater is a different medium. And when I watched it live, I didnt think about the decadence of Nazi Germany or the corruption of that family or any contemporary parallels. The only thing on my mind was that actor: How did they explain this scene to her? Van Hove had already shown us executions, orgies, adult bodies smeared in blood and feathers. Did we need this too? Was it worth it?

BRANTLEY All of your concerns were certainly on my mind when I watched. I think it would require more space than we have to justify that particular choice. But youre right, it jerked us out of the moment. I, too, found myself wondering how the young actress had been prepared for that moment.But Weibo is still a good place to check out the hottest topics and trends. Thats where I found people to talk to for a column I wrote about the generation that grew up without Google, Facebook or Twitter.

How do people in China use tech differently, compared with people in the United States?

The first thing many visitors to China notice is how mobile the Chinese are. Many Chinese never owned a laptop or a PC, and their first computer was their smartphone. Email never really took off in China. Some big corporations do use it. But people usually resort to WeChat for a quick response.

Because of WeChats prevalence, few Chinese carry business cards any more. At many meetings in China, theres a time when everybody takes out his or her phone and scans the WeChat QR codes of others to become friends. I personally like having contacts on WeChat rather than on business cards. Because its a social media platform, you learn about your contacts as individuals beyond their business titles.

Many businesspeople I know have two or more WeChat accounts because WeChat allows only 5,000 contacts for one account. A young venture capitalist told me that it had taken him only two years to reach the limit. I dont know how they manage so many contacts.

Generally, Chinese are more receptive to new things and more tolerant of imperfect products, including mobile apps. Some commentators here say Facebook is almost a Chinese company because of its move fast and break things mantra. Many people in Chinas internet industry work super-long hours to make sure they beat competitors to roll out new features first.

Why are mobile wallets so popular in China?

When I moved from New York to Beijing in 2008, China was still a cash-based nation. Not many people had credit cards, and it wasnt easy for small businesses to get approval to install the machines. I used to have to go to the A.T.M.s all the time. Going to the banks, mostly giant state-owned enterprises, was torturously time-consuming.Water towers are beloved fixtures of the New York skyline, inspiring urban myths and song lyrics (see: Beastie Boys and Bruce Springsteen). Five years ago, an artist even built a clandestine bar inside a water tower in Chelsea. Now, a tourist-friendly and Instagram-ready version has been erected in Brooklyn, on the rooftop of the new Williamsburg Hotel.

The Water Tower, which opened in November, is built of steel and glass, rising some 175 feet. While the structure never held water, patrons dont seem to mind as they take selfies next to the D.J. booth or on the wraparound balcony, with its panoramic views of actual water towers.

The Place

The bar is in a hotel-packed corner of Williamsburg (the Hoxton, the William Vale and the Wythe are nearby). The circular space is roughly 800 square feet and is decked out with plush sofas, a mural of graphic posters, and floor-to-ceiling windows, the better to take advantage of the views.The people who didnt want television networks to cede a prime-time hour last night  or, as it turned out, a prime-time 10 minutes  to the president of the United States were implicitly giving Donald Trump a credit that he does not deserve. There is a kind of silver-tongued orator who can persuade in any situation, who like Caesars Mark Antony can find a crowd leaning one way and leave them stirred up for the opposite cause, who is legitimately dangerous when given a rostrum or a soapbox or a prime-time speech. But that is not our president: His rhetoric is a bludgeon, and what we saw last night was just an attempt to club his enemies and critics with the same arguments hes made a thousand times before.

In fairness to Trump, the immigration bludgeon was effective once  for two reasons that played out in surprising ways across the 2016 campaign. First, Trump-the-candidates dire warnings about criminals and terrorists crossing the southern border dovetailed with two 2016-specific trends  the spike in violent crime after decades of decline, and the rash of Islamic State-inspired attacks on both sides of the Atlantic.

Second, the extremity of his rhetoric persuaded skeptics of mass immigration, long burned by politicians of both parties, that Trump would not betray them. In a political landscape where every year seemed to bring a new bipartisan push for amnesties and immigration increases, his xenophobic style was an effective political marker for anyone with inchoate anxieties about immigration. You didnt have to literally believe that he would build the Wall and make Mexico pay for it to regard that wild promise as evidence that he would be more genuinely restrictionist and hawkish on the issue than politicians merely paying lip service to border security.

[Want to join the debate? Follow us on Instagram at @nytopinion.]

But the problem for Trump is that presidents have to deal with changing circumstances and cope with unexpected crises, not just fulminate in the same style regardless of the context. And the world of 2019 looks different than the world in which he campaigned. The crime rate didnt keep rising, the pace of terror attacks hasnt quickened, and fate has given him an immigration crisis thats substantially different than the crisis of murderers and terror plotters that he invoked in his campaign rhetoric  a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of families and children, in which the problem isnt the people that we cant catch crossing the borders but the people who surrender willingly, hoping to exploit our overstrained asylum system and disappear with their kids into the American interior.What is undeniable is the humanitarian crisis in Tijuana. But it is a crisis created in part by Mr. Trump. Record numbers of desperate families, fleeing violence, corruption and extreme poverty, have been arriving in caravans to our southern border. Instead of their asylum requests being promptly processed, as established by international and United States laws, only a few are allowed in every day. This policy of cruelty by design has unjustly affected children and the most vulnerable people in our hemisphere. These refugees certainly do not pose a danger to our national security.

There is no need for a new wall  except, of course, in Mr. Trumps mind. The closest he got to building his wall was in January 2018, when Democratic senators negotiated a compromise for a wall in exchange for legislation on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Then the White House unexpectedly walked away from the deal.

Would the Democrats revisit the offer? Luis Gutierrez, who recently retired from the House of Representatives after 26 years, once explained to me that it was like paying a ransom for a kidnapping. If the White House brings up the deal this time, it will put the Democrats in a moral dilemma: Protect the Dreamers  maybe including siblings and families  and, in the process, open the government. But the wall would be an essential element of any new deal.

It wont be easy. It is no longer 2018. Things have changed dramatically. Democrats control the House and the wall has become toxic. And then, there is the racist thing.

The wall has become a metaphor to Mr. Trump and his millions of supporters. It represents a divide between us and them, a physical demarcation for those who refuse to accept that in just a few decades, a majority of the country will be people of color.

This is about more than just a wall. Mr. Trump promised it in 2015, in the same speech in which he announced his candidacy, the same speech in which he called Mexican immigrants rapists, criminals and drug traffickers. His goal was to exploit the anxiety and resentment of voters in an increasingly multicultural, multiethnic society. Mr. Trumps wall is a symbol for those who want to make America white again.

The chant Build that wall, build that wall became his hymn  and an insult not just to Latinos but also to all people who do not share his xenophobic ideals. The wall went from a campaign promise to a monument built on bigoted ideas. That is why most Americans cannot say yes to it. Every country has a right to protect its borders. But not to a wall that represents hate, discrimination and fear.No sooner was Jair Bolsonaro sworn in as president of Brazil on New Years Day than he let loose a fountain of far-right decrees, undermining protections for the environment, indigenous land rights and the L.G.B.T. community, putting nongovernmental organizations under government monitoring and purging government contractors who do not share his ideology. This thrilled Donald Trump, who tweeted enthusiastically, Congratulations to President @JairBolsonaro who just made a great inauguration speech  the U.S.A. is with you!

Mr. Bolsonaro returned the love, tweeting back, Together, under Gods protection, we shall bring prosperity and progress to our people!

His actions were a sad but not unexpected performance by Brazils new leader, a onetime military officer whose 27 years in the Brazilian Congress were notable only for crude insults to women, sexual minorities and blacks. A good criminal is a dead criminal, he declared; he promised to send red outlaws to prison or exile; he dedicated his vote to impeach former president Dilma Rousseff to the military officer responsible for her torture under the former military dictatorship.

None of that seemed to matter to voters laboring under an economic collapse, a crime wave and a corruption scandal that undermined any faith in the political establishment. Mr. Bolsonaros promise of change, any change, was enough to sweep him into office with 55 percent of the vote in October. The language of his inaugural address  I come before the nation today, a day in which the people have rid themselves of socialism, the inversion of values, statism and political correctness  was music to the ears of his reactionary base, investors and Mr. Trump, who shares his values and his bluster. The stock market soared to record highs and the Brazilian real strengthened against the dollar.Since 1851, obituaries in The New York Times have been dominated by white men. With Overlooked, were adding the stories of remarkable people whose deaths went unreported in The Times.

Laura de Force Gordon was speaking from experience when, in 1893, she described in a speech how society has sneered at learned women.

Gordon, a suffragist, journalist and lawyer, had spent several decades establishing herself in fields that had been historically limited to men, and was frequently met with scorn and opposition.

When she was barred from attending law school in 1878, she was told it was because rustling skirts distracted the male students. When she became the second woman admitted to the Supreme Court bar in 1885, a newspaper lamented hens piping shrill clarions at the justices. And in 1889, as she worked to advocate for womens suffrage, another newspaper dismissed her as an apostle of discontent for the profit she can make out of it.Dennis Johnson, a composer who in 1959 wrote a trailblazing Minimalist work, a six-hour piano meditation of repeated notes and long pauses that went unheard for 50 years before being rediscovered, died on Dec. 20 in Morgan Hill, Calif. He was 80.

His half brother, Don Wilson, said the cause was complications of dementia.

Until 10 years ago, long after Mr. Johnson had dropped composing for a career as a mathematician, his music was known only by reputation. References to it were found in the writings of the composer La Monte Young, who described Mr. Johnson as one of his closest musical allies when they were students at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Mr. Young is a founder of Minimalism, a genre of composition marked by repetition, gradual development and sometimes spare harmonies. Some of the most important contemporary composers, including John Adams, Steve Reich and Philip Glass, are at times associated with the movement or at least have incorporated such elements in their work.

Mr. Young is credited with composing the first Minimalist work, his String Trio of 1958, which unfolded so slowly that listeners focused less on its sequence of notes than on its long, sustained tones and glacial pace.Carlos Sanchez, who for nearly four decades played Juan Valdez, the embodiment of Colombian coffee and one of the most recognizable pitchmen in the world, died on Dec. 29 in Medellin. He was 83.

His death was confirmed in an email from Colombias National Federation of Coffee Growers, which did not specify the cause.

Mr. Sanchez first donned Valdezs signature wide-brimmed hat in 1969. He took over for Jose F. Duval, a Cuban actor who had played the character since it was created by the New York advertising agency Doyle Dane Bernbach in 1959.

Mr. Sanchez was Colombian and grew coffee as a youth before turning to painting and acting. As Valdez, an indefatigable farmer with a warm expression, a lush mustache and a mule named Conchita, he became an avatar for the farmers who harvested Colombias coffee beans and a positive depiction of a country that was often equated with terrorism and drug trafficking.It was a difficult decision, he said. It happens to all of us. We reach the point when it is not as easy to do the work.

Active in Democratic politics since his youth, Mr. Brown had risen to become a state appellate judge in June 1991, when Gov. Mario M. Cuomo tapped him to replace the Queens district attorney, John J. Santucci, who had retired. Mr. Brown won his first election that fall and went on to win re-election six more times.

Mr. Brown said in a recent interview that the criticism lodged against his office is totally unjustified. His senior staff highlighted a number of innovative programs the office has launched over the years. Mr. Brown was among the first prosecutors to create a domestic violence bureau and to set up an office to help immigrants navigate the legal system. Queens also processes arrests faster than the other counties in New York City, and has dozens of alternatives-to-incarceration programs.

Yet the office still prosecutes minor marijuana offenses and fare evasion. It also employs a number of hard-nosed policies aimed at compelling people to plead guilty. Queens prosecutors, for instance, will only negotiate plea deals before a grand jury indictment, a period when defendants have not seen the evidence against them. The office also encourages defendants to waive their rights to a speedy trial or risk losing a chance at a plea deal.

Grass-roots campaigns pushing for more progressive, forward-thinking prosecutors have helped transform district attorney elections in several major cities. In Philadelphia, the longtime civil rights lawyer Larry Krasner, the citys new district attorney, won over voters last year with a radically progressive campaign to end mass incarceration.

But some political strategists and law enforcement officials question whether Queens  where pockets of conservative voters remain in one of the most diverse counties in the country  will elect a prosecutor with a left-leaning platform.

Historically, the Democratic Party has had enormous influence in choosing the citys district attorneys. The races often attract little interest, and low voter turnout allows the favorites of the political machine to win, cementing long, unchallenged tenures. Nowhere has that been more true than in Queens, where the Democratic Party has picked the countys district attorney for decades.I dont know what he was thinking Mr. Gonzalez said. What did he think, the officer was going to back away?

In the video, the shaven-headed officer flicks open an extendable baton and strikes Mr. Williams, the shorter of the two men, twice over the head. Another officer wearing a watch cap takes a backhanded swing at Mr. Williams, striking him in the face.

A woman off-camera can be heard saying in Spanish, They were telling them to move away from there, and they didnt want to. The two of them squared with the police.

The video shows Mr. Grissom chasing one of the officers down 169th Street; they grapple and fall to the ground. Other uniformed and plainclothes officers rush to join the fight, kicking and striking Mr. Grissom with fists and batons.

One baton strike appears to catch Mr. Grissom flush in the face, dazing him, the video shows. The shaven-headed officer strikes Mr. Grissom multiple times with a baton while he is pinned to the ground. One of the plainclothes officers can be seen repeatedly kicking Mr. Grissom in the torso.

Police officials confirmed that two detectives and an off-duty police officer came to the assistance of the two transit officers. The Police Department did not identify the officers involved. None have been placed on modified duty.

Mr. Grissom and Mr. Williams were arrested at least once before, on Dec. 5, in an attack on two transit officers. The officers had told them not to loiter in the mezzanine area in the same station, court records show.The New York City Council voted on Wednesday to institute a two-year moratorium on violations related to store signs and awnings after a mysterious spike in 311 complaints that led to costly penalties for small businesses.

The bill, which Mayor Bill de Blasio is expected to sign, would also create an interagency task force to study the issue, waive or return fines for some past violations, and require the city to provide education and training to help small businesses ensure their signs comply with the law.

Businesses will not have to feel the burden of these unjust fines while we work on comprehensive reform, said Councilman Rafael L. Espinal Jr., the Brooklyn Democrat who sponsored the bill.

Two years ago, businesses in his district, which includes Cypress Hills and East New York, were hit with a wave of sign violations, whose fines start at $6,000. More recently, businesses in Sunset Park, Bensonhurst and other Brooklyn neighborhoods were targeted for inspection.[What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]

Mayor Bill de Blasio pledged on Wednesday to make New York the first city in the nation to require private employers to provide at least two weeks of paid vacation to all employees.

The proposal, which requires City Council approval, comes a day after Mr. de Blasio announced a $100 million effort to help ensure that the citys health care resources are used by the uninsured, including undocumented immigrants  a move that immediately set up a contrast with Republican leadership in Washington.

Mr. de Blasio appeared eager to billboard that contrast with both announcements, leading to speculation among political consultants in New York City that his larger aim leading up to his State of the City address on Thursday is to thrust his name back into the national conversation as a leader of progressive Democratic principles.

Mr. de Blasio did nothing to alter that impression during a news conference in City Hall, in which he presented his plan for paid time off as a link in the long history of workers rights initiatives going back to the New Deal. He said that he would travel the country very soon to encourage other cities and states to follow suit.No one in Vernessa Perezs small family could understand the behavior she began to exhibit as a teenager.

In high school, she began feeling overwhelmed and uninterested in her studies. After dropping out, she began withdrawing from other parts of life. Her days were spent inside, in solitude.

You want to get away from everyone, Ms. Perez, now 30, said of her mental state at the time. You want to be in a hole by yourself. You dont want to bring out ideas or brighten up everyone. You just want to stay in a corner.Ive never told you what this is about, Adina Pintilie says at the beginning of Touch Me Not. The target of the confession is vague; its possible to imagine that her words are addressed to a lover, a friend, a parent or the viewer, who will be further challenged to interpret what follows.

Propelled by intuition, emotion and philosophical inquiry rather than by plot, Pintilies debut feature is a semidocumentary essay exploring what it means  how it feels, why it matters  to dwell inside a body. You could say that what the film is about lies just beyond the reach of images or words. Its a necessarily cerebral meditation on the nature of physicality.

The directors initial verbal reticence contrasts with both the eloquence of some of her characters and subjects and the explicitness of the images she captures. Nakedness and intimacy  the first almost too easy to achieve, the second almost impossibly difficult  are the basic themes of Touch Me Not. A handful of people from different countries, some professional actors, some sex workers, talk about their desires, anxieties and inhibitions in ways that are sometimes painfully open and often highly abstract.

The result is a curiously intense, weirdly tranquil experience, at times hard to watch and then hard to shake. Our attention shifts among several characters, two of whom might be called the protagonists: Laura (Laura Benson), a middle-aged woman who seems to struggle with loneliness and erotic alienation; and Tomas (Tomas Lemarquis), a younger man whose malaise may have something to do with the alopecia that has rendered his body hairless. Separately, Laura and Tomas show up at a hospital, where Laura visits a dying man (possibly her father) and Tomas participates in a discussion group for people with disabilities.Even in a room dotted with Hollywood luminaries, the arrival of Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper at a table at the National Board of Review awards gala Tuesday night caused a special kind of commotion.

Chairs were pushed aside. A group of onlookers formed seemingly out of nowhere, many raising their phones over each other trying to snap a picture. When a server balancing a platter of food approached the fray, a waitress offered her colleague two words: Good luck.

Generally speaking, the mood at the gala, held at Cipriani 42nd Street, was more casual than other awards season events, due in part to the fact that, as is always the case, the nights winners had already been announced. (Green Book won best picture and actor; A Star Is Born took best director and actress.) Also, the event isnt televised so acceptance speeches, unencumbered by broadcast time limits, were much looser and longer (and at times more rambling) than the Golden Globes on Sunday. Walkoff music played only when speeches were actually finished.

The nights winners took advantage of that freedom to comment on the diversity in the teams behind this years movies.Have you seen the movie Bird Box? Have you heard of the Bird Box Challenge, where people upload videos of themselves doing everyday tasks blindfolded?

Have you tried it yourself? Would you? What are your thoughts on it?

What do you think of social media challenges, like this one, that have become commonplace in recent years? Have you ever participated in any of these dares? In your opinion, how does the Bird Box Challenge compare to others?

Tell us in the comments, then read the related article to learn more about the challenge and why Netflix has issued a warning against it.The following linked Times article is significantly longer  over 4,000 words  than most that The Learning Network uses for the Article of the Day. For those teachers who have limited class time, you might consider having your students read the first section of the article (ending at the section beginning A long history of failure) and answer questions 1-4. For teachers with more time, we encourage your students to read the whole article.

Before reading the article:

Do you feel your school meets your needs? Do you feel you are known and supported at your school? Do you feel that who you are  your identity, culture, community  is respected and valued? Does your school care if you succeed or fail?

Now, read the article, I Feel Invisible: Native Students Languish in Public Schools, and answer the following questions:

1. The article begins: The faint scars on Ruth Fourstars arms testify to a difficult life on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. What are some of those literal and figurative scars?

2. Ms. Fourstar, a 17-year-old student at Wolf Point High School in Montana, believes that school is a dead end. Im just there, she said. I feel invisible. What does she mean by invisible? What are ways that she is invisible, according to the article?Now that the shutdown is in its third week, what do you think should happen? Should the president stand firm for weeks, months or years? Should Democrats who oppose the presidents agenda continue to resist? Is there room for compromise on this issue?

How should this standoff be resolved?

In Trumps National Address Escalates Border Wall Fight, Peter Baker writes about the presidents address to the nation Tuesday night about the shutdown and his proposed wall:

WASHINGTON  President Trump doubled down on one of the biggest gambles of his presidency on Tuesday night with a televised appeal to pressure Congress into paying for his long-promised border wall, even at the cost of leaving the government partly closed until lawmakers give in.

Embarking on a strategy that he himself privately disparaged as unlikely to work, Mr. Trump devoted the first prime-time Oval Office address of his presidency to his proposed barrier in hopes of enlisting public support in an ideological and political conflict that has shut the doors of many federal agencies for 18 days.

In a nine-minute speech that made no new arguments but included multiple misleading assertions, the president sought to recast the situation at the Mexican border as a humanitarian crisis and opted against declaring a national emergency to bypass Congress, which he had threatened to do, at least for now. But he excoriated Democrats for blocking the wall, accusing them of hypocrisy and exposing the country to criminal immigrants.

How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job? Mr. Trump asked, citing a litany of grisly crimes said to be committed by illegal immigrants. Asking Americans to call their lawmakers, he added: This is a choice between right and wrong, justice and injustice. This is about whether we fulfill our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve.

Democrats dismissed his talk of crisis as overstated cynicism and, with polls showing Mr. Trump bearing more of the blame since the partial shutdown began last month, betrayed no signs of giving in. The White House earlier in the day dispatched Vice President Mike Pence and others to Capitol Hill to try to shore up Senate Republicans, who are growing increasingly anxious as the standoff drags on.

In their own televised response on Tuesday night, Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, accused the president of stoking fear and mocked him for asking taxpayers to foot the bill for a wall he had long said Mexico would pay for.

President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis and must reopen the government, Ms. Pelosi said.Paula Cantos and David Damon got engaged in June and are aiming to be married Jan. 18 in Washington. It will be an outdoor ceremony near the Capitol Building. Odds are good the union will be legal, but as of today no one is willing to guarantee that.

Ms. Cantos, 34, and Mr. Damon, 35, are among the many couples whose plans to marry in our nations capital have been complicated by the partial government shutdown. When the shutdown began on Dec. 22, Washingtons Marriage Bureau was one of the nonessential services that closed, leaving couples unable to obtain marriage licenses. Some have postponed their weddings. Others are holding a second, legal ceremony in nearby Maryland or Virginia, said Maggie Gaudaen, a co-founder of Pop! Wed Co., a local wedding planning service that specializes in what it calls flash weddings at sites throughout the city, like the steps of the Supreme Court.

Ms. Cantos and Mr. Damon started planning their wedding months ago. Location, as with most of Ms. Gaudaens clients, has been their top priority.

David and I met almost two years ago during the womens rally, right outside the Capitol Building near the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, said Ms. Cantos, who works as a chemist in the governments Bureau of Engraving and Printing, which deals with currency; she and Mr. Damon, who installs solar panels, live in New Carrolton, Md. Thats why we picked the spot. It has meaning for us.Song Minji, the founder of Pygmalion, a design and publishing company in Seoul, said she had decided not to replace two departing employees and instead had parceled out their responsibilities to the eight who were left and enlisted freelancers.

Though the Moon administration has offered subsidies to small companies like Ms. Songs to mitigate the jump in labor costs, she said they were insufficient and so complicated to obtain that she has given up trying.

It would have been better if the policies were applied in steps rather than in one go, Ms. Song said.

Others say Mr. Moon is moving too slowly. Some union leaders argue that the minimum wage is not rising quickly enough, and they objected to a proposal that would give businesses more flexibility in meeting limits on working hours. On Nov. 21, an estimated 160,000 workers went on a general strike .

We had high expectations for this government, said Lee Joo-ho, an executive director at the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions. But now there is a possibility that the government is backing out or even reversing on the intention of their policies.He will replace Bill Damaschke, a former DreamWorks Animation executive.

Times Up, the organization founded by women in Hollywood in response to the #MeToo movement, criticized Skydance as providing another position of power, prominence and privilege to a man who has repeatedly been accused of sexual harassment in the workplace. The hire, Times Up added in a statement, endorses and perpetuates a broken system that allows powerful men to act without consequence.

Times Up, whose founders include Reese Witherspoon and Shonda Rhimes, said three things were needed for men like Mr. Lasseter to return to positions of authority: a demonstration of true remorse, deep work to reform their behavior and restitution to those harmed.

Offering a high-profile position to an abuser who has yet to do any of those things is condoning abuse, the organization said.

The accusations against Mr. Lasseter did not rise to the level of those against powerful Hollywood figures like Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused of acts of sexual misconduct and rape going back decades, or Leslie Moonves, the former CBS chief who was found to have engaged in multiple acts of serious nonconsensual sexual misconduct, according to a report by CBS investigators. Both Mr. Weinstein and Mr. Moonves have denied engaging in nonconsensual sexual activity.

But the complaints made by Pixar and Disney employees against Mr. Lasseter were serious enough to prompt his ouster. The Hollywood Reporter cited grabbing, kissing and making comments about physical attributes as recurring behavior by Mr. Lasseter in meetings and at work events, particularly when he had consumed alcohol. Multiple staff members  none who came forward publicly  also told managers at Disney that Mr. Lasseter had become increasingly domineering over the years.

As word spread in Hollywood this week that Mr. Lasseter was close to finding new employment, several influential women involved with the #MeToo movement noted that he expressed no regret for his behavior or discussed making efforts to reform when he left Disney in June. In a statement at the time, he said he had made his own decision to begin focusing on new creative challenges.

Disney had put Mr. Lasseter on leave in November 2017. At that time, he sent an email to employees at Pixar and the separate Walt Disney Animation studio apologizing to anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of an unwanted hug or any other gesture they felt crossed the line in any way, shape or form.Ms. Bezos, 48, has written two books. In 2005, she published The Testing of Luther Albright: A Novel, a psychological thriller set in Sacramento, Calif. The New York Times called it a quietly absorbing first novel. Her second book, Traps, is a tale of four women who meet on a road trip to Las Vegas.

In a 2013 interview in Vogue to promote Traps, Ms. Bezos said she met her husband when she interviewed for a job at D.E. Shaw as a research associate in 1992. After being hired, she sat in an office next to his. Ms. Bezos grew up in San Francisco and attended Princeton University, where she was an assistant to the novelist Toni Morrison. Ms. Bezos told Vogue that she asked Mr. Bezos to lunch and that within three months, they were engaged. They married in 1993.

Mr. Bezos, who spent summers working at his grandfathers cattle ranch in Texas, also went to Princeton, where he studied computer science. He described his younger self in the Wired profile as a professional dater who had set up a systemic approach to dating modeled after the criteria investment bankers used to analyze deals. (He added then it did not work.)

Mr. Bezos later told Vogue, I think my wife is resourceful, smart, brainy, and hot, but I had the good fortune of having seen her resume before I met her, so I knew exactly what her SATs were.

The couple lived in a one-bedroom rental in downtown Seattle until 1999, when Wired reported the couple moved into a $10 million mansion in suburban Lake Washington. Mr. Bezos now owns several properties, including a mansion in Washington, D.C.Good Wednesday morning. Want this by email? Sign up here.

The pain of the government shutdown is showing

President Trump escalated the border wall fight in a televised speech last night, at the cost of leaving the government partly closed. He criticized political opponents for blocking the wall, although Democrats have offered $1.3 billion for border security measures like surveillance and fencing.

The effects of the shutdown have begun to ripple across the economy, with mortgage applications delayed or canceled, public companies unable to complete deals and the well running dry for many federal employees.

 Payday would have come this week for many of the 800,000 federal workers affected. With no paychecks on the way, their savings are evaporating and their credit cards are being maxed out.

 The impasse is being felt elsewhere in the economy, including in home sales. Buyers are pulling out because of economic uncertainty, according to a National Association of Realtors survey. And closings are being delayed or canceled because customers mortgages were backed by federal agencies.Saudi Arabia: The young Saudi woman who barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room to avoid deportation was granted refugee status on Wednesday by the U.N. refugee agency, Australian officials said, clearing the way for an asylum request.

Nepal: A woman and her two children died in a menstruation hut, the latest victims of a centuries-old tradition of banishing women from their homes during their periods, when they are considered impure. The practice was criminalized last year but many villages continue it.

Australia: Foreign consulates in Melbourne and Canberra were evacuated after they received suspicious packages containing what the authorities described as potentially hazardous material.

Rod Rosenstein: The U.S. deputy attorney general, who has been overseeing the special counsels Russia investigation, is expected to step down after President Trumps choice to run the Justice Department is confirmed, according to administration officials.

Women in power: There are now more women over the age of 50 in the U.S. than at any other point in history  and theyre becoming more visible and powerful, writes our gender editor.

Norwegian Air: The low-cost airline was forced to land a flight in Iran because of a technical error. A month later, the American-made jet is still stuck because U.S. sanctions have made it difficult to get spare parts.

Iran: The E.U. penalized the country over allegations that its intelligence agency orchestrated a series of assassination plots in Europe in recent years, including the killings of two Iranians in the Netherlands who had ties to anti-government extremist groups.A prime-time clash over the U.S. shutdown

On the 18th day of the partial government shutdown, President Trump gave a national address from the White House, citing misleading statistics to declare that there is a humanitarian and security crisis on the southern border and demanding billions of dollars in funding for a wall, which he claimed would be indirectly paid for by Mexico.

That was one of many assertions we fact-checked in a live briefing on the address.

In a Democratic rebuttal moments later, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, joined by Senator Chuck Schumer, said that Mr. Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis and must reopen the government.

On the ground: Americans living near the border show little enthusiasm for a wall.

Looking ahead: Mr. Trump will travel to the Texas border on Thursday. But privately, he has dismissed his own new strategy of persuading the American people as pointless, and the shutdown is set to drag on. For many federal workers, that means no paychecks. So far, polls show Mr. Trump taking most of the blame for the shutdown, and Senate Republicans are increasingly anxious.This uncertainty, it turns out, is central to how so much contemporary misinformation works. OConnor and Weatherall make a distinction between absolute certainty and the confidence necessary to make informed decisions. The worry that we can never gain complete certainty about matters of fact is irrelevant, they write  though it comes up again and again in The Misinformation Age, as they show how industrial interests have repeatedly exploited any whiff of uncertainty to argue against government regulation.

The book contains useful summaries of the debates in the 1980s around the ozone layer and acid rain. Drawing from the research of Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway in Merchants of Doubt (2010), OConnor and Weatherall compare industry-sponsored campaigns questioning environmental damage to the strategic skepticism of tobacco companies, which disputed the link between smoking and lung cancer by insisting that the link wasnt utterly definitive. As one tobacco executive put it, Doubt is our product since it is the best means of competing with the body of fact that exists in the mind of the public.

The debate  or as the authors might put it, debate  around climate change has followed a similar narrative. OConnor and Weatherall point out that the scientific consensus has long coalesced around human-caused climate change, even if denialists insist that the science is still unsettled.

The one thing you begin to notice in this book is that propagating a reflexive skepticism and sowing discord arent terribly difficult, especially when theres a vested interest willing to pay for it; merely creating the appearance of controversy is often all that needs to be done.

Latours Down to Earth is a wilder, more playful book  even if, like The Misinformation Age, it covers big subjects like truth and the fate of the species. The election of Donald Trump, Latour says, was a clarifying event, not only for Americans but for the world. Here, finally, was a political figure whose brazen repudiations of reality laid bare what Latour has been saying all along  that a complacent faith in the ability of facts to speak for themselves was what rendered them vulnerable to Trumpian renunciation in the first place.

Image Bruno Latour Credit... Christopher Anderson/Magnum, for The New York Times

Latours talk about how facts derive their authority from trust might sound squishy and abstract, but he considers himself a realist. He says that climate change renders the old dichotomy of the global versus the local completely futile. Trump and the obscurantist elites who enable him are nurturing an Out-of-This-World fantasy by unleashing an aggressive despoliation of the earth that ultimately rejects the world they claim to inhabit. At the same time, Trump pacifies his base with panicky nationalism and border walls, delineating a rump territory that is no more plausible, no more livable than the globalized world they rail against.Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep  and lets us get paid to watch comedy. If youre interested in hearing from The Times regularly about great TV, sign up for our Watching newsletter and get recommendations straight to your inbox.

Just Give Trump the Wall

President Trump lobbied for a border wall in his nationally televised speech Tuesday night. The wall is his one precondition for reopening the government, which has been shut since Dec. 22. If Congress doesnt bend to his demand, Trump has threatened to declare a national emergency.

The move would give his office vast new powers; the Constitution is not clear on what limits those powers might have. Researchers in recent days have pointed out that in a national emergency the president could shut down communications between citizens, or dispatch troops within the country.People have plenty of opinions as to whether the depiction of teen sex on TV is moral enough or whether its responsible enough. Theres less talk about whether its bad enough. Too often its airbrushed and idealized, rather than a fumbling, awkward, slapstick process of trial and eros.

There is, as the title advertises, plenty of sex in Sex Education, the sweet and raunchily funny British teen comedy arriving Friday on Netflix. But the most engaging thing about it is the education part. Like its middle-school American counterpart, Big Mouth, Sex Education explores sex as a learning experience about who you are, what you want and how you relate to other people.

Its unlikely educator is Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield), an awkward, inexperienced teenager. His mother, Jean (a wonderfully deadpan Gillian Anderson), is a sex therapist, with frank manner and a limited sense of personal boundaries. She explains sex to a very young Otis in a flashback thus: Intercourse can be wonderful. But it can also cause tremendous pain. And if youre not careful, sex can destroy lives.

Youve heard the line about the cobblers children not having shoes? Otis is fixed fine for footwear. But he cant masturbate. His adolescent anxiety about his body (hes not crazy about erections, either) is intensified by the constant T.M.I. factor of living with an oversharing parent in a house with erotic art on the walls and exotic implements in the drawers.ADAMS A really great text is just so generative; it produces the best music. If I have a concern about some operas these days, its that the texts are just not good enough. It doesnt have to be someone with a deep literary background; it can be a David Bowie or Brian Eno. The great thing about American music is the total bleed-through of, if you want to call it that, high or low, popular versus art. I think both Philip and I share this. We have very loose filters in terms of classification.

When did you first hear each others music?

ADAMS The thing I remember most vividly is a tour of the ensemble doing excerpts from Einstein on the Beach, which I heard in San Francisco sometime in the 1970s. Then I actually conducted quite a bit of his music  a little piece, Facades, and then I think we did the very first performance of parts of Akhnaten in L.A. on a Phil program, 50 minutes worth. I did the Ninth Symphony, again with L.A., and then this.

I came of age during what we now call the bad old days, when the world said you had a choice between European modernism and its American version, or Cagean aesthetics. Hearing Philips music and Steve [Reichs] music was this wonderful, new possibility of a language that embraced both tonality and sort of living with a pulse, new, original and fresh.

GLASS I was very much taken with hearing Johns work  of course, Nixon in China, we talked about a number of times. Its not enough to create a style of music or identity of your own; what you really want to be is in the company of other people. Its more meaningful to be part of a large group of people sharing ideas.

He was the first time I met someone who wasnt part of my immediate generation but had the interest and talent. How many operas do you have now? Five or six?

ADAMS [Laughing] Not as many as you do! [Depending on how you count, Mr. Glass has composed nearly 30.]One solo for Patricia Delgado  the former Miami City Ballet dancer, who happens to be married to Mr. Peck  is about color. Many choreographers are afraid of it, Mr. Baker said. Another solo moves through extreme angles of light, in an arc, as if from sunrise to sunset. A third, for the City Ballet principal Taylor Stanley, demonstrates the varieties of white light. Choreographers will often tell me, This is a white light dance, and Ill ask, what kind of white? Mr. Baker said.

In a recent interview, Mr. Baker spoke about his essential but rarely discussed art: pointing out mistakes and misconceptions, revealing just how quickly he has to work and explaining the artistic satisfactions of service. Just being part of this thing thats bigger than I could ever be is all I ever wanted, he said. Here are edited excerpts from the conversation.

How did you get interested in something as specific as lighting for dance?

I grew up as a musician playing in rock bands in Van Nuys, Calif., but Ive always been deeply inspired by visual art. When I was 13, I went to see a musical and I was, like, Wow, lighting is this beautiful bridge between the visual spirit and the musical spirit.

How so?

In the same way that a painter may use a brush to create phrases and mix color, Im doing that with light. And lighting also has rhythm and pace. My friends back home will say, Why did you give up music? But I never gave up music. I just use a different instrument now.

But practicing stage lighting isnt quite like practicing the guitar.

Right. I dont own any lights. I did study at the California Institute of the Arts. All my roommates there now work for Pixar. But one common misunderstanding is that people think of lighting designers as technicians. Theres a whole different union in charge of that.

So what is your role, then?

To create a frame and a point of view. Like a cinematographer. I create a visual language and a color palette that is specific to each ballet. Each work should be a single statement, and the choreographer and I have to decide what it is.The federal government remains shut down for one reason, and one reason only, because Democrats will not fund border security. My administration is doing everything in our power to help those impacted by the situation, but the only solution is for Democrats to pass a spending bill that defends our borders and reopens the government.

This situation could be solved in a 45 minute meeting. I have invited congressional leadership to the White House tomorrow to get this done. Hopefully we can rise above partisan politics in order to support national security.

Some have suggested a barrier is immoral. Then why do wealthy politicians build walls, fences, and gates around their homes? They dont build walls because they hate the people on the outside but because they love the people on the inside. The only thing that is immoral is the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized.

Americas heart broke the day after Christmas when a young police officer in California was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien, just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country. Day after day, precious lives are cut short by those who have violated our borders.

In California, an air force veteran was raped, murdered, and beaten to death with a hammer by an illegal alien with a long criminal history. In Georgia, an illegal alien was recently charged with murder for killing, beheading, and dismembering his neighbor. In Maryland, MS-13 gang members who arrived in the United States as unaccompanied minors were arrested and charged last year after viciously stabbing and beating a 16-year-old girl.

Over the last several years I have met with dozens of families whose loved ones were stolen by illegal immigration. I have held the hands of the weeping mothers and embraced the grief stricken fathers. So sad, so terrible. I will never forget the pain in their eyes, the tremble in their voices, and the sadness gripping their souls. How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?

To those who refuse to compromise in the name of border security, I would ask, imagine if it was your child, your husband, or your wife whose life was so cruelly shattered and totally broken. To every member of Congress: pass a bill that ends this crisis. To every citizen, call Congress, and tell them to finally, after all of these decades, secure our border.Cyberconflict right now, at this very moment, is like this airplane. It was the first military airplane that was ever built  back in 1909. But in just a few decades, planes would be capable of destroying entire cities. Right, so when we talk about cyberweapons, were still basically in 1909. Thats why you have to have some humility about whats going to happen in the world of cyberconflict. David, here, is a national security correspondent for The Times, and hes written a book about cyberconflict. It seems like were hearing more and more  One of the worst cyberattacks ever.  about state-sponsored cyberattacks. Occasionally, there are going to be breaches like this. And this weapon will not be put back into the box. We have more to lose than any other nation on earth. So, we really wanted to find out just how bad things are. And how bad they could get. Should we be afraid? Yes, you should be afraid, but not for the reason you think  not because somebody is going to come in and turn off all the power between Boston and Washington. You should be worried about the far more subtle uses of cyber. For example, not an overt attack on U.S. troops, but instead, maybe hacking into military health records and switching around peoples blood types. It still causes havoc. Think terrorism  About a third of the building has been blown away.  instead of full-scale war. Why do you call it the perfect weapon? Because its deniable. If you cant figure out right away where the attacks coming from, you cant really retaliate. Plus, you can fine-tune the strength of cyberattacks. You can make them just strong enough to do real damage, but not so strong that they trigger a military response. Its cheap compared to, say, nuclear weapons. You just need some twenty-somethings who are good at programming, a little bit of stolen code and maybe some Red Bull just to keep them awake during the night. Thats why cyberweapons have only just begun to spread. And cyber is the perfect weapon for a country thats broke. And we can confirm that North Korea engaged in this attack. Take that time North Korea hacked into Sony  Because of a satirical movie starring Seth Rogen and James Flacco. What if they didnt have cyberweapons? Maybe they would have landed some commandos at Long Beach, called an Uber, stuck some dynamite underneath the Sony computer center and run like hell. So really, North Koreas only option was to use cyberweapons. But it wouldnt be so easy for the U.S. to hit North Koreas cybernetworks. They have fewer IP addresses  Internet Protocol addresses  in North Korea, than you have on any given block of New York City. Still, we wanted to know whos the best at cyberconflict. Russia, China, Iran, they use it regularly to advance their political agendas. The Russians to disrupt, the Chinese frequently to steal information, the Iranians to show that they can reach the United States. How good or bad is the U.S. at this stuff? Among the very best at cyberoffense. The problem is that while were good at offense, were the most vulnerable in the defensive world because weve got so many networks that form such a big target. The United States has 6,200 cybersoldiers. Are these people sitting in military fatigues behind a computer? They are sitting in military fatigues behind a computer. But the Russian hackers, or the Chinese hackers, may not be in uniform. They may be in blue jeans. They are probably sitting at the beach somewhere  someplace thats got a really good internet connection. All this cyberconflict really kicked off in 2008. Right, thats when the U.S. and Israel attacked Iranian nuclear facilities. It was the most sophisticated use of cyber by one state against another, and it opened up the Pandoras box. And remember  its still only the beginning. We havent seen a full-blown war, and we dont know what one looks like. Whats the most challenging part about covering this beat? The hardest part about covering the state use of cyber, is the enormous secrecy that the U.S. government wraps around it. But weve hit the point where the secrecy has actually begun to impede our ability to deter attacks. Because others dont understand what we can do to them, and what were willing to do to them. In other words, were not setting any red lines out there.Its not going to change a damn thing, but Im still doing it, Mr. Trump said of the border visit, according to one of the people, who was in the room. The trip was merely a photo opportunity, he said. But, he added, gesturing at his communications aides Bill Shine, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kellyanne Conway, these people behind you say its worth it.

Mr. Trump plans to head to the Capitol on Wednesday to attend a Senate Republican lunch and later will host congressional leaders from both parties to resume negotiations that so far have made little progress. Mr. Trump has insisted on $5.7 billion for the wall, while Ms. Pelosi said she would not give him a dollar for a wall she has called immoral.

In a nod to Democrats, Mr. Trump spent the first half of his talk on the humanitarian situation at the border before even mentioning the wall, expressing sympathy for those victimized by human smugglers. This is a humanitarian crisis  a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul, he said.

Even so, he directly took on Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Schumer. The only thing that is immoral is the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized, he said.

Mr. Trump has made the wall the singular focus of his presidency as he enters his third year in office. His promise to erect a big, beautiful wall along the border became perhaps the most memorable promise on the campaign trail this fall, eliciting chants from supporters of build the wall, and he has been frustrated by his inability to deliver on it.

But his alarming description of a crisis at the border has raised credibility questions. While experts agree there are serious problems to address, migrant border crossings have actually been declining for nearly two decades. The majority of heroin enters the United States through legal ports of entry, not through open areas of the border. And the State Department said in a recent report that there was no credible evidence that terrorist groups had sent operatives to enter the United States through Mexico.Tanisha Keller, a single mother who works for the federal Census Bureau, used to live paycheck to paycheck. Now, she is living nothing to nothing.

Payday would have come this week for Ms. Keller, 42, and many of the 800,000 other federal workers across the country caught up in the partial government shutdown. But as the standoff drags on, no paychecks are arriving to replenish their savings or pay down their maxed-out credit cards.

Ms. Kellers bank balance has dipped to negative $169. She can no longer afford the $100 stipends she once sent to her son, Daniel, to help out with his college books and groceries. She does not know how she will make next months $1,768 rent on her apartment in Waldorf in Southern Maryland, or how she will cover the bills that automatically debit from her checking account, or even how she will gas up the car she has been trying not to drive.

Theres no cushion, she said. When February rolls around, my rents going to be due, and Im going to need the nation to help.The man who the authorities believe shot and killed a 7-year-old girl from the Houston area while she was in a car with her family was charged Tuesday with capital murder.

The man, Larry D. Woodruffe, 24, had been in custody since he was arrested on Saturday on a felony drug possession charge, according to the Harris County Sheriffs Office. Since his arrest, investigators were able to gather actual evidence that led them to believe Mr. Woodruffe had fatally shot Jazmine Barnes, Tom Berg, the Harris County first assistant district attorney, said in a statement.

A spokesman for the district attorneys office declined to be more specific on what that evidence was.

The murder charge against Mr. Woodruffe on Tuesday came on the day of Jazmines funeral. Two days earlier another man, Eric Black Jr., was charged with capital murder in Jazmines killing.COLUMBUS, N.M.  Just minutes from the border in rural New Mexico, the Borderland Cafe in the village of Columbus serves burritos and pizza to local residents, Border Patrol agents and visitors from other parts of the country seeking a glimpse of life on the frontier. The motto painted on the wall proclaims Life is good in the Borderland.

This is the sleepiest little town you could think of, said Adriana Zizumbo, 31, who was raised in Columbus and owns the cafe with her husband. The only crisis were facing here is a shortage of labor. Fewer people cross the border to work than before, and Americans dont want to get their hands dirty doing hard work.

President Trump has shut down part of the government over border security and his plan to build a wall along the border with Mexico, and in a prime-time speech on Tuesday night he painted a bleak picture of life in towns like Columbus.There are more women over 50 in this country today than at any other point in history, according to data from the United States Census Bureau. Those women are healthier, are working longer and have more income than previous generations.

That is creating modest but real progress in their visibility and stature.

Age  dont worry about it. Its a state of mind, Ms. Zirinsky said on Tuesday when asked about the effect of her age on her new job. I have so much energy that my staff did an intervention when I tried a Red Bull.

[She Literally Never Stops. CBS News Turns to Susan Zirinsky]

Men, of course, have led major organizations well into their seventh and even eighth decades, retaining their power and prominence. But the #MeToo movement has toppled some high-profile males, from 77-year-old Charlie Rose to Les Moonves, 69, who was ousted as head of CBS after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, creating unexpected openings for the elevation of women.

And Susan Douglas, a professor of communication studies at the University of Michigan who is writing a book on the power of older women, said a demographic revolution was occurring  both in the number of women who are working into their 60s and 70s and in the perception, in the wake of #MeToo, of their expertise and value.

Older women are now saying No, Im still vibrant, I still have a lot to offer, and Im not going to be consigned to invisibility,  she said. These women are reinventing what it means to be an older woman.R.O.G.D. is not a clinical term. Its a political one, designed to undermine the validity of these young peoples transitions.

The term originated a few years ago on three blogs with a history of promoting anti-trans propaganda. There has been only one study on it, in the journal PLOS One. But the study isnt about the children in question; its about their parents, who were recruited for the study by ads placed in the conservative blogs that had invented the concept of R.O.G.D. in the first place.

A childs transition can indeed seem heartbreaking for parents at first. I understand that because I am a parent who, in experiencing it, felt as if my heart was breaking. And we, trans people, need to understand that too. It was heartbreaking for my own mother, even though she told me love would prevail, and it was heartbreaking for me, in spite of  or because of  the fact that I am trans myself.

What was my problem, you ask? Above all, I did not want my childs life to be hard, in the way that my own life has been hard.

But if you want your childrens life to be hard, the quickest way to that end is to tell them that their deepest sense of self is nothing but a fad, and that you know them better than they know themselves.

Ive noticed something fascinating since my child came out, and it reflects the difference between generations over what being trans means. When I began to share my truth, almost 20 years ago, I spent a couple of years going around to people apologizing, begging for understanding, begging, at times, for forgiveness.

But my daughters generation is different. She has never apologized for who she is. Since she came out, her friends have reacted with joy and happiness for her, even  dare I say it?  indifference. Their sense is that being trans is just one more way of being human, and surely no source of shame.MEXICO CITY  Jair Bolsonaro was sworn in last week as Brazils new president. Nicolas Maduro, having taken over from the deceased Hugo Chavez in 2013, will be sworn for a second six-year term as Venezuelas president on Thursday. These inaugurations illustrate the threats facing Latin Americas democracy, international alignments and unity.

Mr. Bolsonaro is a right-wing former military hothead, with a record of incendiary statements on everything from gay rights to women, Afro-Brazilians to Donald Trump. He was elected on a wave of anti-corruption and anti-establishment sentiment in Brazil that was further fueled by a citizenry dismayed by record-high crime (even though his own family has already been accused of corruption). He immediately proceeded to pick fights with other leaders in Latin America  rescinding invitations to Mr. Maduro and Cubas president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, to attend his inauguration  and has practically broken off diplomatic relations with Venezuela.

Venezuelas foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza, said President Maduro never considered attending the Bolsonaro inauguration, and few guests will be joining Mr. Maduro at his own party. The Latin American Group of Lima, the European Union, and several other countries refused to recognize the legitimacy of his re-election; only the Cubans, Bolivians, Nicaraguans and Salvadorans will figure among Latin American guests, and perhaps an envoy of the new Mexican government, which has clear sympathies for Mr. Maduro, but prefers to be discreet about it.

In addition to his fraudulent election, Mr. Maduro has egregiously violated human rights, driven the Venezuelan economy into the ground, and generated a humanitarian crisis that has forced nearly three million of his countrymen into exile. With prices languishing for oil, Venezuelas only export, the country will sink even further into chaos.Larry P. Langford, a former broadcaster whose made-for-television tenure as the mayor of Birmingham, Ala., began with ambitions for a $500 million domed stadium and came to an extraordinary end with his conviction on public corruption charges, died on Tuesday in Birmingham. He was 72.

His death, in a hospital, was confirmed by his lawyer, Tiffany Johnson-Cole. While the cause was not announced, Mr. Langford had an array of health problems, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure, which in December prompted a judge to order his release from the federal prison where he was serving a 15-year sentence.

With a showmans touch and a penchant for defiance, Mr. Langford was a proudly unorthodox political figure in a state full of them. In and around Birmingham, where he was a public figure for more than four decades, he was regarded with an intriguing mix of admiration  for his creativity, zeal and unstinting confidence  and derision, which flowed from his reputation as a politician who dealt in himself and in spectacularly unrealistic ideas.

Indeed, Mr. Langford, who served as mayor from 2007 until he was convicted and forced from office in 2009, was but one of the mayors who saw Birmingham, Alabamas largest city, as an unrealized regional prize that could rival Atlanta. But Mr. Langford harbored the highest hopes of any elected official for the old steel hub.Other states have adopted far more significant changes to voting rules. In Oregon, Washington and Colorado, all registered voters are automatically sent a mail-in-ballot, while Maine and Vermont allow felons still in jail to vote.

In New Jersey, Mr. Murphy overcame a contentious relationship with two legislative leaders  Stephen M. Sweeney, the Senate president, and Craig Coughlin, the Assembly speaker  to pass last years voting bills. One law, which automatically renewed mail ballots for people who had voted by mail in the 2016 election, resulted in more than 400,000 votes being cast by mail during the 2018 midterms, by far the most for any election, including presidential elections, in state history.

The changes in voting laws followed efforts that date to 2015 when Democratic lawmakers passed an act that contained versions of the proposals Mr. Murphy is now promoting, as well as new proposals like language accessibility, which would require ballots to be printed in more languages if populations were represented in significant numbers in election districts. Mr. Murphys predecessor, Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, vetoed the bill, which has been reintroduced in the Assembly.

More recently, Democratic lawmakers have found themselves the target of intense criticism from voting rights activists over a controversial effort to change the way New Jersey draws its legislative districts. The proposal called for enshrining a formula into the state Constitution that would have tipped the playing field to favor Democrats.

Mr. Sweeney was a sponsor of the bill. Mr. Murphy, progressive Democratic groups and Republicans all opposed the effort; Mr. Sweeney eventually announced that he would not bring the measure for a final Senate vote.

Mr. Sweeney declined to say whether he would support Mr. Murphys electoral package, while Mr. Coughlin said he believed in expansive voting reforms.

Speaker Coughlin is committed to changing New Jerseys antiquated voting laws and will work to protect voting rights for New Jerseyans across the state, said Liza Acevedo, a spokeswoman for Mr. Coughlin.[What you need to know to start the day: Get New York Today in your inbox.]

In February 2010, an undercover F.B.I. agent met in a Manhattan hotel with a Colombian info-tech expert who had been the target of a sensitive investigation. The I.T. specialist, Christian Rodriguez, had recently developed an extraordinary product: an encrypted communications system for Joaquin Guzman Loera, the Mexican drug lord known as El Chapo.

Posing as a Russian mobster, the undercover agent told Mr. Rodriguez he was interested in acquiring a similar system. He wanted a way  or so he said  to talk with his associates without law enforcement listening in.

So began a remarkable clandestine operation that in a little more than a year allowed the F.B.I. to crack Mr. Guzmans covert network and ultimately capture as many as 200 digital phone calls of him chatting with his underlings, planning ton-sized drug deals and even discussing illicit payoffs to Mexican officials. The hours of Mr. Guzman speaking openly about the innermost details of his empire not only represented the most damaging evidence introduced so far at his drug trial in New York, but were also one of the most extensive wiretaps of a criminal defendant since the Mafia boss John Gotti was secretly recorded in the Ravenite Social Club.

The existence of the scheme  and several of the phone calls  were revealed for the first time Tuesday as Stephen Marston, an F.B.I. agent who helped to run the operation, appeared as a witness at Mr. Guzmans trial. In a day of testimony, Mr. Marston told jurors that the crucial step in the probe was recruiting Mr. Rodriguez to work with the American authorities.Three investigations into sexual assault allegations against the celebrity chef Mario Batali have been closed because detectives could not find enough evidence to make an arrest, a New York Police Department official said Tuesday.

Three women had come forward to report that Mr. Batali sexually assaulted them years earlier at two Manhattan restaurants where he was an owner or an investor. In all three cases, the victims said they had been drinking and could not fully remember what happened.

[Read more about how the allegations have affected Mario Batalis restaurant empire.]

Charges could not be brought in two of the cases because they were beyond the New York State statute of limitations, which was lifted in 2006 but not made retroactive. Those investigations were closed last summer, according to the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the official is not authorized to discuss the cases.

Prosecutors could not bring charges in the third case because cold-case detectives in the Special Victims Division could not find enough evidence to prove that a crime had occurred. That case was closed in August, the official said.The company has had several strong quarters since his arrival, but in its most recent earnings report, a critical sales growth measure was less than half what Wall Street had expected. The companys stock has tumbled 17 percent since the miss in late November; Mr. Bogliolo largely blamed weak spending by Chinese tourists, who have scaled back amid a trade war with the United States and a slowing economy at home.

Tiffany hopes to perk up interest in the brand with its program on sourcing. Initially, it will tell customers the country where the diamond came from. In 2020, it will share information about where each diamond was cut, polished and set. Mr. Bogliolo said he hoped to someday be able to provide the name of the mine where it was found, the artisan who shaped its contours and the jeweler who secured it in its setting.

Its relevant nowadays for customers, he said, surrounded by archival sketches and vintage Tiffany jewelry at the companys headquarters in Manhattan. Customers are very educated, mature and demanding.

Tiffanys efforts to attract younger shoppers extend to the Instagram-ready cafe it opened in 2017 inside the nearly 80-year-old flagship store in Manhattan. Its recent ads have featured Zoe Kravitz, an actress described as the reigning millennial fashion icon, and a remix of Moon River, the classic song from the 1961 film Breakfast at Tiffanys, performed by the rapper A$AP Ferg and the actress Elle Fanning. At the Golden Globes on Sunday, Lady Gaga wore a custom necklace with more than 300 Tiffany diamonds to collect her trophy for Best Original Song.

Although the company hopes its information-sharing campaign endears it to younger buyers, the initiative has its limits.Its been more than two weeks since the partial government shutdown took effect. On Tuesday, President Trump delivered a national address on immigration to make his case for a border wall again, but Democrats and a growing number of Republicans are ready to reopen the government. These three books offer perspective on the current shutdown: the inner workings of the government offices affected, the political precedent for the present bipartisanship and the debate over a border wall.

Image

THE FIFTH RISK

By Michael Lewis

221 pages. W.W. Norton & Company. (2018)

Lewis has a reputation for livening otherwise dry material, and according to our reviewer, youll be turning the pages of this story about government bureaucracy. The fifth risk in his title (after an attack by North Korea or war with Iran, for instance) is project management, or rather the mismanagement he details within the Trump administration. Key government positions remain unfilled, and others are occupied by nonexperts in their respective offices. The Fifth Risk provides insight into how government offices function, particularly under the current administration.

Image

THE RED AND THE BLUE

The 1990s and the Birth of Political Tribalism

By Steve Kornacki

497 pp. Ecco/HarperCollins Publishers. (2018)Somehow I got on the email list of Steve Novick, a Portland, Oregon, self-described progressive. Novick lost to the even more progressive (if that is possible) Sen. Jeff Merkley in the 2008 Democratic primary for U.S. Senate. Novick was then elected to the Portland City Council, only to lose four years later to the even more progressive (if that is possible) Chloe Eudaly.

In his latest email, Novick tells of a conversation with his mother about progressives prospects in the 2020 election. It seems his mother is worried that Democrats, fearing that progressives cant win in the general election, will opt for moderate candidates for Congress.

But Novick is more optimistic. He points to the near success of progressive Andrew Gillum in the 2018 Florida gubernatorial election as evidence that ideology can have little effect on electability  and to the election of Ronald Reagan, who everybody knew was far too right-wing to win.Increasing taxes will not deter youth vaping. In fact, increased taxes will drive vaping underground, funneling money to the black market. Countless states and countries raised tobacco taxes, and the result was a vibrant and expanding black market for the products, with the proceeds going to criminal organizations. The evidence is clear: higher taxation makes legitimate access more difficult, and makes the Al Capones of the world far richer.

But the issue means far more to me than data and empirical evidence. I grew up in a household where both parents smoked. This was certainly not uncommon in the 1970s. My father practically woke up with a cigarette in his mouth and fell asleep with one in his mouth. I visited him at work one day, and he was smoking two cigarettes at one time! I rode to school with him as he chain-smoked. The windows were always up, so I was the recipient of a constant, swirling alphabet soup of carcinogens. It was awful. He was addicted, and here I was sucking in the products of his addiction. I wish my father had access to harm reduction products like vaping or IQOS.INDIANAPOLIS  The Indiana Parole Board has again rejected parole for an Indiana man who was convicted in a woman's 1986 killing and dismemberment.

The (Bloomington) Herald-Times reports the board last week voted unanimously to deny 63-year-old Robert E. Lee's parole request. He appeared by video from the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City and thanked the board following its decision.

Lee was convicted of murder in 1987 and sentenced to 60 years in the killing and dismemberment of Ellen Marks, a reclusive former Indiana University graduate student who lived in a shack.

He was granted parole in 2012 after serving 25 years , but was returned to prison two months later after violating his parole by getting into a car and riding with a woman in South Bend, where he was living.



Information from: The Herald Times, http://www.heraldtimesonline.com

Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.A car-hauling trailer caught fire on I-80/94 resulting in six cars being burned to a crisp.

At 1:04 a.m. Tuesday, firefighters responded to a car hauler that had caught fire in a westbound lane of I-80/94 just west of Broadway at the 9.8 mile marker in Gary, according to the Indiana State Police.

Six cars that were loaded on the trailer were charred in the fire however the driver was not injured. The fire was a result of a brake malfunction, police said.

The right lane was closed for about 30 minutes as the flames were being extinguished.

Firefighters from Gary and New Chicago assisted at the scene.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.VALPARAISO  The Valparaiso International Center will host Intercambio, a free evening of Spanish and English conversation and learning from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the organizations headquarters, 309 E. Lincolnway.

Intercambio at The VIC is held on the second Thursday of each month.

Why not make language skills your New Years resolution? founding VIC Director Duane Davison said. "If you speak Spanish and want to improve your English, or if you speak English and want to improve your Spanish, Intercambio is for you. It provides an opportunity to converse about cultural and current-event issues, play word and board games, and socialize with interesting people. People at all levels of language competence are encouraged to participate. Its a great way to practice your language skills and have fun doing it."

The VIC is an independent nonprofit organization that serves all of Northwest Indiana from its headquarters in downtown Valparaiso. It provides a forum to learn about different cultures through interactive events, festivals, classes, and discussion groups. The organizations signature event is the annual World Cultural Festival, which will be held this year on Sept. 15 at Central Park Plaza in Valparaiso.

For more information on the Valparaiso International Center, visit www.valpovic.org.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Stained glass classes

CHESTERTON  Judy Gregurich and Mark Montgomery will be hosting stained glass classes from 7 to 9 p.m. Jan. 22. In Beginning Stained Glass Class, students will learn the art of copper foil stained glass, originally invented by Louis Tiffany. Tools and supplies are included. Limit four students. The cost for class is $260, with Chesterton Art Center members receiving a $30 discount.

The Stained Glass Open Studio Class is designed for students who have taken a previous stained glass class at the Art Center. Open studio students will experiment with different types of textured clear glass, copper foil overlay and sandblasting (etching). Students may also work on their own projects at their own pace with assistance from the instructors as needed. Students are expected to provide their own tools and supplies. Limit eight students. The cost is $105, with members receiving a $30 discount. Both classes are eight weeks long and take place 7 to 9 p.m. each Tuesday night, starting Jan. 22 at 115 S. Fourth St. All students must register and pay prior to the first class. For a full list of adult classes, see the website at www.chestertonart.com.

Fish on in Portage

The Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce is hosting the third annual Fish-On Portage, a fishing and outdoor show. The show will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 23 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 24 at Woodland Park, 2100 Willowcreek Road. All outdoor events to be showcased include hunting, fishing, snowshoeing, archery, kayaking, hiking, bird watching and more. The Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce is accepting vendors representing these activities or other activities involving the outdoors. Concessions will be available. There will be door prizes, a childrens area with Petey the Perch and other activities. Seminars will run throughout the day on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $2 for ages seven to 18. There will be free parking.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.GARY  Indiana University Northwests Office of Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs invites the community to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month with three events designed to heighten awareness of the contributions of African Americans throughout history.

MLK and the Strength of Shared Dreams at 2:30 p.m. Jan. 24 in the Bruce W. Bergland Auditorium, Savannah Center

Emmy award-winning actor and diversity trainer Ron Jones is the co-creator of Dialogues on Diversity, a social justice and diversity theater company that uses theatrical models to express messages of difference, inclusion and social justice. Through live character portrayal and video, Jones will deliver a performance lecture that depicts how Martin Luther King Jr.s Poor People's Campaign was a turning point in intersectional advocacy demonstrating how a broad cross-section of cultural groups came together to fight against poverty. Using video excerpts during a one-man show, Jones will offer a multi-dimensional performance to illustrate lessons learned during a pivotal moment of Americas civil rights journey.Often, when there was a death, I would be called to the scene. I think being able to be of some comfort to people when they are in their darkest hours is one of the hardest things Ive had to do, but at the same time, the most rewarding, Starcevich said. I myself lost both parents and a brother and know all too well how hard it is, when somebody you loved so dearly passes.

Police officers are often first on scene after tragedy, and the first to comfort victims in their darkest moments. Starcevich had a gift, Mance said, which led him to create a social services liaison position in the department.

We recognized she had a gift for connecting with people, especially in times of stress or trauma, and we wanted to tap into that gift, he said. We suspected there were a lot of gaps between police services and social services services and we wanted to to bridge those gaps.

'God gave me the strength'

During the three-year grant, which expired last year when grant funding dried up, Starcevich would connect with men and women in need of mental health care or assistance leaving abusive relationships and provide them with information on shelters, legal help, support groups and more.Simpson said the nepotism clause would match the county's nepotism policy in place for other departments.

"A lot of thought and effort went into this. It won't satisfy everyone, but we have to do something," Simpson said.

The new board would oversee every aspect of Porter County elections, including any election-related powers currently assigned to the county election board, board of registration, county clerk or county commissioners.

Day-to-day operations of the board would be managed by a director appointed by the county chairman of the political party whose candidate for secretary of state got the most votes in Porter County in the most recent election.

That would mean the Democrats pick the director based on the results of the 2018 election. An assistant director also would be appointed by the Republican county chairman, according to the legislation.

The legislation directs that board staff be selected on an equal basis by both county chairmen.

It also requires absentee ballots, including early votes, be counted in a central location.

Soliday said he's confident the proposal will give Porter County voters the "transparent and efficient election process" they deserve."Anything would have to take effect in 2020," Ryfa said of any successful legislation on behalf of the town.

This means that Griffith must spend at least one more year as a member of Calumet Township.

If the bill is successful, the council will have to present a comprehensive plan to the Department of Local Government Finance, Ryfa said.

Under such a plan, the council president would serve the same function as a township trustee with the remaining council members forming a township-like board, Ryfa said.

A rough estimate suggests it would cost between $30,000 to $200,000 per year to administer township services, he noted.

Ryfa said Calumet Township Board member Darren Washington has said he would like to help reduce the payment that Griffith makes to the township  which is expected to fall between $2.2 million and $2.5 million this year.

Ryfa noted that Griffith collects only $5 million to $5.5 million to run the town.

"So something is not right with that picture," he said.

Ryfa also said Washington would like to hold more township board meetings in Griffith.GARY  A man with ties to the Region who was suspected of murdering a Texan woman on New Year's Eve 2017 was captured by U.S. marshals on Tuesday in Gary's Horace Mann section.

The U.S. Marshals' Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, assisted by the Lake County Sheriff's Warrants Division, took Dwight Patrick Scott, 52, into custody about 10:45 a.m. Tuesday.

Mark Gregoline, inspector with the U.S. Marshals' Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force, said authorities have been on the hunt for Scott since January 2018. That's when the Gary Police Department was contacted by Texas authorities about the possible whereabouts of Scott.

Scott was being sought in connection with the New Year's Eve shooting of Tracy Lynn Reedy, of Kilgore, Texas, according to the Kilgore Police Department.

"We started working the case (a year ago), by interviewing relatives, and we determined he was not here and that he had fled," Gregoline said.

Over a period of several months, police had received a tip Scott may have fled to Minnesota, but the trail turned cold shortly after.

"Then today, we got a tip that he was at a residence in Gary, that he may have been back here a couple of weeks and staying in the area," Gregoline said.CROWN POINT  Agents with the U.S. Marshals Service arrested a Chicago man Tuesday in connection with a 2017 four-vehicle crash in Calumet Township that killed a mother of three children.

Demetrius Rodgers, 28, had a handgun on the floorboard and about 4 grams of marijuana on him when he crashed into a vehicle driven by 31-year-old Genecia Hearn on Oct. 15, 2017, at 45th Avenue and Cleveland Street, according to Lake Criminal Court records.

The impact pushed their vehicles into two other cars and caused Hearn's car to roll over.

Hearn was pronounced dead at the scene. Rodgers, who tested positive for marijuana, was taken to Methodist Northlake Hospital Campus for a possible broken leg.

Two other drivers and a passenger in one of their cars were injured, police said.

Rodgers was charged Dec. 19 with two felony counts of causing death while operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in the blood, felony reckless homicide, carrying a handgun without a license and four other misdemeanor counts. He must face extradition proceedings in Illinois before appearing before a Lake Criminal Court judge.CROWN POINT  A defense attorney for one of two men accused of discovering child pornography last month during a burglary at a former Lake Ridge Middle School employee's home said his client's case will be difficult to prosecute.

John Cantrell said the burglary case filed Dec. 19 against client Michael K.L. McGregor, 18, of Lake Station, is "bizarre and unusual" and that the criminal case against former teacher's aide Aaron Lopez Saldana, 47, is likely to be superseded in federal court.

McGregor was free on bond in the Saldana burglary case when he charged Jan. 2 in another burglary, Lake Criminal Court records show.

Judge Samuel Cappas reset McGregor's bond to $20,000 surety or $2,000 cash.

McGregor and his friend Scott Thomas Porta II, 18, of Griffith, are accused of breaking into Saldana's home Dec. 12 in the 4400 block of McKinley Street in Calumet Township.

Porta allegedly confided in a friend he "went there to get something he wanted and, instead, got something he didn't." Porta's friend took the information to the police, court records state.CROWN POINT  A Hammond man was ordered Tuesday to serve a three-year sentence in the Lake County Community Corrections program for fatally stabbing a 50-year-old man during a fight.

Leterr L. Petty, 21, pleaded guilty in June to reckless homicide for killing Xavier Curtis during an argument June 10, 2017, at an apartment in the 6000 block of Hohman Avenue in Hammond.

In a statement read by Deputy Prosecutor Christopher Bruno, Curtis' family members said they were devastated by the death of Curtis, who had survived an aneurysm just weeks before.

Curtis left behind 10 children and grandchildren, some of whom had just come back into his life.

Curtis suffered three stab wounds, two of them 7 inches deep, Bruno said. He asked Lake Criminal Court Judge Samuel L. Cappas to sentence Petty to five years, with two to be served in prison and the remainder in community corrections.

Petty's attorney, John Cantrell, said Petty never intended to kill Curtis, who had been dating the mother of Petty's girlfriend.

"He was attacked by a drunk fella," Cantrell said. "He reacted horribly."CROWN POINT  Family members of a Hebron man sentenced to 10 years in prison Tuesday for killing a teenager while driving high on a "cocktail" of drugs insulted the boy's mother, stormed out of the courtroom and called the man's defense attorney a profane name.

On the other side of the aisle, cries of "yes" and "thank God" could be heard among the late teen's family and friends after a judge sentenced Christopher E. Campbell, 44.

Campbell already had several drunken driving convictions and 49 license suspensions before getting behind the wheel Oct. 17, 2016, and striking and killing 17-year-old Andrew Salka as Salka walked home from school along 73rd Avenue in Merrillville.

Campbell knew he had an addiction problem and had been given "every opportunity" to enter substance abuse counseling, Lake Criminal Court Judge Clarence Murray said.

The judge agreed with requests from Salka's family and sentenced Campbell to the maximum allowed under a plea agreement filed in November, with no option for probation.

Salka's mother, father and sister  supported by a courtroom full of friends and family  described the pain their family has endured because of his death.

'Until my last breath'HAMMOND  A Crown Point man at the center of a sextortion case in which he stalked and released nude photos of a North Carolina girl was sentenced Wednesday to 22 years in prison, court records show.

Adam Russell Hegyi, 31, was indicted in July 2017 on accusations he produced child pornography featuring an underage girl and a second underage female victim.

He pleaded guilty last year to producing child pornography, records show.

In the first case, he is accused of stalking the North Carolina girl online and releasing nude photos the girl previously sent to him via multiple social media phone applications.

Prosecutors painted Hegyi as a predator who went to great lengths to win the trust of two, young impressionable girls.

"(Hegyi) ... slowly won their trust by giving them the attention and affirmation all teenage girls crave, but not all are lucky enough to receive. ... This cycle of sexual abuse was coupled with verbal and psychological abuse if the victims did not do exactly as he directed," prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum last month.

Under the terms of his sentencing, he must also be placed on supervised release for 17 years after his release and pay $50,000 in restitution.Crown Point firefighters, police and Merrillville firefighters were honored for their rescue efforts from when three people were trapped in a fire in a Crown Point apartment building.

On Monday, 15 Crown Point firefighters, two Crown Point police officers and five Merrillville firefighters were recognized at a Crown Point City Council meeting for their response in an October fire rescue.

It's not just a job, it's a career and a lifestyle, Crown Point Fire Chief Dave Crane said. They all take their job to heart. Doing rescues is not common in our area but we had three people trapped that day and to have three people rescued all with good outcomes is great.

At 5:55 a.m. Oct. 20 firefighters and police responded to a fire at the 400 block of East North Street. Dispatchers told the first-responders that three people were trapped inside the eight-unit apartment building known as Greer Apartments.

When they arrived, firefighters were met with heavy smoke and fire in the front lobby of the building. Flames could be seen through the windows and doors.

Residents of the apartments were contacted and escorted to safety. However, during the evacuation process, two Crown Point police officers and three apartment occupants were injured.We will host the Christmas gathering for our Michigan family. Every year Jacob and Emma, and Joe and I, take turns hosting the gathering for my sisters here in the community. Since our extended family gets together in the summer months now, it is nice to get together with those in our community. We are now a total of 27. We will get together on Sunday, Jan. 6 for a 10 a.m. brunch and gift exchange. We also play games after dishes are washed; snacks are served in the afternoon before everyone leaves for home.

Son Benjamin, 19, will return to work at the RV factory on Jan. 8. Son Kevin, 13, and daughter Lovina, 14, go back to school on Jan. 7. My husband Joe has another week off. Its not often that he has three weeks off for Christmas. Although its nice to get some work done around home it's harder to not have a paycheck for three weeks. Joe has been at this factory 14 years. In March it will be 15 years that we moved here from Indiana. Years go by much too fast!

Joe and our sons-in-law were disappointed to not go on their ice-fishing trip last week after all, but Im sure it was smarter with the weather being warmer than usual. Our weather has sure been warmer than most winters and no snow over the holidays. Usually, they can go sledding in the fields this time of year.It's cooler by the lake, and more scenic.

The Indiana Dunes and Michigan City Lighthouse on Lake Michigan are now officially among the most Instagrammable spots in the state of Indiana.

The Indiana Dunes State Park ranked second in the Indiana Office of Tourism Development InstaIndiana online voting contest of the state's top 10 "Best Instagrammable Places," while the Michigan City Lighthouse placed seventh.

The fall foliage of the Brown County State Park, the Turkey Run State Park, the Clifty Falls State Park, the French Lick Resort, the McCormick's Creek State Park, the Indiana University campus, Patoka Lake and the Pokagon State Park rounded out the top 10.

"If youre looking for great photos as well as shares and likes on your social media feed, Indianas state park properties are the place to be," the Indiana Department of Natural Resources said in a press release. "State park properties took the top four spots, five of the top six, and seven of the top 10. The contest polled voters on which places in Indiana are most Instagrammable."

Hoosiers voted on the relative photographability of many places across the state, including parks, wineries, downtowns, zoos, and museums. The hope was to encourage people to visit different sites across the state.The federal government shutdown has dragged on for weeks, affecting many federal workers in Northwest Indiana.

Federal employees, many of whom have been asked to work without pay, are employed throughout the Region, at workplaces like the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, the FBI and IRS offices in Merrillville, the U.S. District Court in Hammond, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Indiana in Hammond, and the Adam Benjamin Jr. VA Outpatient Clinic in Crown Point.

Doc's Smokehouse and Craft Bar has got their back.

The southern barbecue joint and craft beer bar, which started in Dyer and has since expanded to Milwaukee and Mokena, is now running a "shutdown special" that consists of a pork sandwich, chips, and a drink.

"Any federal employee who is furloughed or working without pay can show their government ID and get the special," Doc's Chief BBQ Officer Brent Brashier said. "I plan on continuing to run this until the shutdown ends."

Brashier said he was inspired to offer free meals after learning 40,000 federal workers across the Chicago area were affected, including one who's a regular guest at the Dyer restaurant.Tuesday night, President Donald Trump went on national television to propose a solution that wont work for a problem that doesnt exist.

In the course of doing so, he offered up a grab bag of assertions to support building a wall (or barrier) along the U.S-Mexico border that either were not true or were so wrenched out of context that they could be nothing other than deliberate distortions of truth.

It was an odd and disturbing moment, one that demonstrates how increasingly disconnected from reality this president is.

It is hard to know what President Trump thought he was going to accomplish with his national address from the Oval Office. He offered no new arguments in favor of his position. Instead, he trotted out lines that have been refuted again and again.

Strangely, for a man who prides himself on being a skilled and tenacious street fighter, the president left himself wide open to counter punches from his political opponents.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, didnt hesitate to exploit those openings and landed several telling body blows in their response.

Pelosi reminded everyone that President Trump had promised Americans, again and again and again, that Mexico, not American taxpayers, would pay for the wall. And Schumer said there was no excuse for hurting millions of Americans because the president couldnt get his way in a policy dispute and accused Trump of trying to govern by temper tantrum.

What Schumer referred to, of course, was the partial federal government shutdown, which now is nearly three weeks old and approaching the first of what may be a series of crisis points.

Soon, about 800,000 government employees wont receive their paychecks. Many doubtless will miss mortgage or rent payments or fail to meet other obligations as a result, which will create a kind of ripple effect through the American economy.

Still other Americans by the hundreds of thousands worry whether they will receive their tax refunds, their housing payments or food stamps. Again, all this will have damaging consequences for an American economy that already has begun to stutter and stall.

This was so unnecessary.

The presidents main assertion  that hordes of undocumented immigrants are crossing our southern border and committing massive numbers of horrific crimes  simply isnt true.

Undocumented immigration into the United States from all parts of the globe peaked in 2007 and has declined at a steady rate since then. Undocumented immigration from Mexico  the presidents primary fixation  hit its high point in 2003 and has been dropping ever since.

In fact, more undocumented immigrants now leave the United States than enter our country.

Nor do they commit vast numbers of crimes.

Research reveals that undocumented immigrants are only 75 percent as likely to kill someone as a native-born U.S. citizen is. Overall, undocumented immigrants commit 40 percent fewer crimes than citizens born here commit.

These facts are easy to discover.

That the president continues to ignore these truths as he punishes both undocumented immigrants and the most vulnerable U.S. citizens  including, in both cases, children  is and should be a source of shame for this nation.

Donald Trump provokes great rage in this nation and across the world.

But its become increasingly clear that this anger is neither appropriate nor effective.

The president demonstrated in Tuesday nights speech that he not only does not know what he is doing but that he cannot determine what is real and what isnt.

This is the stuff of tragedy and is cause for great sorrow.

Healing the wounds left by this heedless presidents flights from reality will take time, work and a commitment to each other born of our shared sense of common humanity. Maintaining a constant state of fury wont help us meet this challenge.

President Trump vowed to make America great again.

Instead, hes sought, time and again, to make us smaller, weaker and more frightened.

Thats what he tried to do once more Tuesday night.

It didnt work, because Americans in the past were big enough, strong enough and, yes, great enough to face the truth.

And we will be big enough, strong enough and great enough to do so again.

John Krull is director of Franklin Colleges Pulliam School of Journalism and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.Roseburg, OR (97470)

Today

A steady rain this morning. Showers continuing this afternoon. High 71F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low around 50F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.A GoFundMe account has been set up for the family of a North Platte man who was killed in a pickup crash.

Riley Dolan, 27, was killed Friday in Fullerton.

A Chevrolet Silverado pickup was traveling on Pleasant Valley Road when the driver failed to navigate a curve and lost control, said Cody Thomas, public relations director for the Nebraska State Patrol. Thomas added that speed and alcohol are believed to have played a part in the crash.

Dolan, the trucks passenger, was thrown out of the passenger window and killed, said Nance County Attorney Rodney Wetovick. He said he does not believe Dolan was wearing a seat belt.

Wetovick said he was unsure whether charges will be filed against the truck driver, pending blood test results and an official crash report from the responding state trooper. Regardless, Wetovick called the crash a tragedy that neither the driver nor the passenger expected or predicted.

Dolan was a 2010 North Platte High School graduate, according to his 2015 engagement announcement published in the Telegraph. On Aug. 29 that year, he married his wife, Jill (Petersen). In June 2018, they welcomed a son, Wyatt, according to Rileys obituary.San Juan, PR (00926)

Today

Sun and clouds mixed. High 86F. Winds E at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

Mostly cloudy. Low 78F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph.Source: Williamsport Bureau of Police Facebook Page.

Re: Turkey Hill theft 01/07/2019 and Cupps Vacuum Service robbery 01/08/2019

On January 7th 2019 at 9:43am Williamsport Bureau of Police units were emergency dispatched to the Turkey Hill Convenience Story located at 700 Washington Blvd for a reported robbery in progress involving a female wearing a puffy coat. Preliminary Investigation revealed that an unknown black female entered the store and, after a short while, grabbed an amount of cash from a money bag on the counter before fleeing east on Washington Blvd. The suspect was unable to be located at that time.

On January 8th 2019 at 3:09 pm Williamsport Bureau of Police units were emergency dispatched to Cupps Vacuum Service located at 1001 Washington Blvd for a robbery that just occurred. A description of the suspect was broadcast to responding officers. Preliminary investigation revealed that an unknown black female entered the business, pointed a knife at a victim and demanded money. The victim handed the suspect approximately $200.00 cash and the suspect grabbed the money before fleeing from the scene.

After committing the robbery at Cupps Vacuum Service the unidentified suspect was observed by a responding officer fleeing down a nearby alley entering a nearby residence. Officers responded to this residence and made contact with the suspect, who was identified as JAHNASIA WIGGS of Williamsport, PA. WIGGS was taken into custody and, during the subsequent investigation, confessed to committing both the theft at Turkey Hill and the robbery at Cupps Vacuum Service. Officers eventually were able to conduct a search of WIGG's residence and items related to both incidents were recovered.

WIGGS was later arraigned on charges for Robbery (3 counts,) Possession of an Instrument of Crime, Simple Assault and Theft By Unlawful Taking and committed to Lycoming County Prison in lieu of $90,000.00 bail. WIGGS will also receive theft-related charges for offenses committed at Turkey Hill.

Additional reference: Jahnisia Wiggs public criminal documentThe following editorial was published in the Des Moines Register on Jan. 3:

Roses to Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst for being the first two Iowa senators in state history to hold U.S. Senate leadership roles at the same time.

Ernst, Iowas freshman senator, will serve as vice chair of the Senate Republican Caucus. Shes the first woman to hold the position in nearly a decade, according to Grassley. The caucus serves in part as the media center for Senate Republicans, communicating their activities and positions on issues

Grassley, by virtue of being the majority partys longest-serving senator, took over the role of Senate president pro tempore this week when the new Congress convened. Hell preside over the Senate and will have responsibility for maintaining the rules and traditions of the chamber. Hell also be third in the line of succession to the presidency, after the vice president and speaker of the House.

Grassley outlined some worthy goals for the post in a guest column earlier this week: I plan on using this platform to promote important principles I have stood for during my entire Senate career, including transparency, accountability to the people and oversight of the federal government.Looking to the 2020 campaign, Delaney said Democrats must push forward their policy proposals every chance they get.

Regarding President Donald Trump, When the president lies, you have to call him out for it.

But, Your main obligation as a candidate is to tell the American people what you will do.

The majority of American people cant afford a surprise $500 expense, he said. When running for president, what are you telling those residents what youll do for them? Working on better jobs, helping housing costs  stuff that really matters to people.

If elected, Delaney said hed go before Congress for a debate quarterly.

We almost have to return to old fashioned debates, he said of a world where for some people facts have become optional. I think it would force a level of honesty. We live in a world of one-way communication  tweets or press releases. That doesnt lend itself to people being open and honest.

Delaney has been in Iowa 21 times since declaring for the race ahead of the states first in the nation caucus. Hes been to New Hampshire  home of the first in the nation primary  12 times.Secretary of State Paul Pate is reminding Iowans that voter ID is now required before casting a ballot at the polling place.

A voter without one of the approved forms of identification may have the voters identity attested to by another registered voter in the precinct or may cast a provisional ballot.

The 2018 primary and general elections provided voters and election officials with a soft rollout of the voter ID law, allowing everyone a full election cycle to become accustomed to the new requirements. The full provisions of the Election Modernization and Integrity Act for voting at the polls are now in effect, as of Jan. 1.

This is about making it easy to vote, but hard to cheat, while ensuring no eligible voter is turned away, Pate said in a release. Voters who do not possess a valid Iowa drivers license or non-operators ID are mailed a free voter ID card, automatically. If you misplaced it or believe you did not receive the card, just call your county auditor and you will be sent a new one.

Voters casting ballots without the necessary ID will be offered a provisional ballot and can provide ID up until the deadline for that election, which is generally the following Monday.Lee Johnsons life and the cash in his wallet were taken on March 21, 2018; his body dragged and left behind in the parking lot of the Joshua House after he was stabbed to death in the homeless shelters bathroom.

Vance Good, 46, was sentenced to life in prison without parole Tuesday for the robbery-turned-murder of Johnson, 44. Goods request for a new trial was denied before his sentence was declared.

Goods jury trial, held in October 2018, brought a guilty verdict following two hours of deliberation.

Three other men are charged with crimes stemming from the same incident, as they planned to rob Johnson in the bathroom, investigators said.

James McCauley, 20, is charged with first-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty ahead of his jury trial date of Jan. 15.

Brandon Hollis, 32, pleaded guilty last summer to being an accessory to a felony and was sentenced to 90 days in jail. He is also charged with first-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty before his next hearing Thursday.

Cody Varnes, 21, is charged with first-degree robbery. In exchange for a lesser sentence, Varnes testified against Good during the trial. Varnes jury trial is set for Feb. 12.Traffic on Interstate 10 was snarled in both directions Wednesday morning (Jan. 9) in Metairie and Kenner after an 18-wheeler crashed and caught fire near the Veterans Memorial Boulevard exit, prompting closures during the morning commute.

Sections of I-10 remained closed as of 9 a.m. There was no immediate word when all travel lanes would reopen.

Update: Authorities find hit-and-run vehicle they say caused wreck

As of 9 a.m., eastbound traffic remained closed at mile post 219 at the I-310 split over the Bonnet Carre Spillway. Traffic is being diverted to I-310 South, according to the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Developments Twitter account. Delays have reached five miles and drivers are encouraged to use an alternate route.

I-310 North is closed to traffic at US 61 (Airline Highway), DOTD tweeted at 8:30 a.m. Traffic is being diverted to Airline Highway. Traffic is backed up for three miles and drivers are encouraged to use an alternate route.

After being closed for more than an hour, all westbound lanes of I-10 reopened at 9 a.m. Delays were minimal, DOTD said.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Surface roads near the exits also are experiencing increased traffic.

UPDATE: Hit-and-run driver caused wreck, State Police say

The driver of the burned-out 18-wheeler was taken to a hospital, according to our news partners at WVUE Fox 8 News. Authorities told Fox the driver was conscious at the time, but no other details were available about the drivers condition.

Dave Tibbetts, chief of the East Bank Consolidated Fire Department, talked with WDSU this morning about the crash:

Check back for more details on this developing story.

Carlie Kollath Wells is a morning reporter at NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Have an early-bird tip? Send it to her: cwells@nola.com or Twitter @carlie_kollath.Louisiana bettors got a step closer to being able to start wagering on sporting events by fall if the governor approves the second of two bills that is about to clear the Legislature.The New Orleans Pelicans have waived guard Andrew Harrison.

Harrison originally signed with the Pelicans on Dec. 5 on a two-way contract, meaning he could only spend 45 days with the team during the 2018-19 season. The other days had to have been spent in the G-League. If the Pelicans wanted to keep Harrison longer than 45 days, they would have had to sign him to a year-long deal.

During his time in New Orleans, the 6-foot-6, 213-pound Harrison played in six games averaging 1.5 points and 1.2 assists per game.

The Pelicans were the third team Harrison suited up for in the 2018-19 season. He spent one game with the Memphis Grizzlies and 10 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Oddly enough, his release comes one day after the Pelicans defeated the Grizzlies and one day before the Pelicans host the Cavaliers.

New Orleans has one open two-way slot on its roster. Trevon Bluiett, the other two-way player on the roster, is in the G-League with the Salt Lake City Stars.It took New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell nearly five hours Tuesday to issue a one-paragraph statement on the departure of Police Superintendent Michael Harrison for Baltimore.

Even then, it contained no explanation for the sudden retirement of the citys top cop, no details about the process she will use to find a new chief, no reassurances of transparency during that process, no announcement of interim leadership for the department or even a promise of when one would be named.

There wasnt even a thank you to Superintendent Harrison for almost 28 years of service to the New Orleans Police Department.

Who could replace Michael Harrison as New Orleans police chief?

This is the mayors entire statement: The progress the men and women of the NOPD have made towards reforming the department and achieving the goals of our consent decree has prepared Chief Harrison for this next step. We are approaching full compliance with the consent decree, and we stand ready to begin the next great era. It is a testament to the progress thats been made that other jurisdictions have sought out our Chief. We wish him all the best going forward.

That reads more like a Facebook status update than an announcement about one of the most important positions in city government.

It is hard to fathom how Mayor Cantrells office could have taken so long to communicate to citizens about a personnel change as significant as this one, and then to do so in a way that tells local residents nothing.

The news of Harrisons pending departure spread quickly after a reporter with Baltimore television station WBAL tweeted it at 7:49 a.m. Tuesday.

At about 9:15 a.m. a spokesman for Mayor Cantrell confirmed to a NOLA.com | Times-Picayune reporter that Superintendent Harrison is retiring. The single paragraph from the mayor came by email at 12:35 p.m. As of 4:30 p.m., those were still the only words from the mayor on the issue. Her spokesman, Beau Tidwell, emailed reporters at 12:41 p.m., in response to an inquiry from NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, that Cantrell anticipates announcing a new Superintendent prior to Chief Harrisons departure, which raised more unanswered questions about the process.

New Orleans reacts to news of Michael Harrison's departure from NOPD

The superintendent issued his own statement to reporters at 10:52 a.m. He expressed his profound gratitude to Mayor Cantrell for her support in the eight months he has worked for her. To the citizens of New Orleans I would like to say, serving as your police chief for the past four years has been the highest honor and privilege of my 28-year career with the New Orleans Police Department. This city and its people will forever hold a special place in my heart.

NOPD spokesman Andy Cunningham said Baltimore officials had approached Superintendent Harrison again after he said he wasnt interested because a previous candidate withdrew. The city of Baltimore has continued to show an interest in Chief Harrison for quite some time, Cunningham said.

That suggests that the administration was aware that Harrisons departure was still a possibility, which makes the mayors slow, inadequate initial response all the more perplexing.

The leadership of NOPD is vitally important to the citys well-being. Superintendent Harrison, who was promoted in 2014 by former Mayor Mitch Landrieu, has been integral to the implementation of the federal consent decree. Those reforms were ordered in 2012 after the U.S. Justice Department documented systemic dysfunction and abuses in the department.

The next superintendent must be committed to completing those reforms. New Orleanians must be able to trust that person and trust that Mayor Cantrell will have an open, transparent and thorough search for Superintendent Harrisons replacement.

Will she do that? Were still waiting.

Searching for motives in the NOPD chiefs disappearancePresident Donald Trump walked out of a meeting Wednesday (Jan. 9) with Democratic leaders from Congress after they refused to provide the funding he wants for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, according to Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who took part in the meeting.

Trump vented his frustrations on Twitter shortly after the White House meeting, which included Schumer, the Senate minority leader, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., disbanded.

Lawmakers and Trump convened on the 19th day of a partial federal government shutdown thats affected some 800,000 workers. Trump has refused to reopen the affected agencies until Congress provides the $5.7 billion hes seeking for border protection.

During a nationally televised speech Tuesday night from the Oval Office, the president accused Democrats of refusing to pay for border security and ignoring how drugs come into the country. Data from the Drug Enforcement Administration show only a small percentage of drugs enters the country through areas where a border wall would intend to bolster security. Most illegal drugs smuggled into the U.S. go through ports of entry where vehicles are supposed to be inspected, according to the agency.

Trump referred to the situation at the border as a growing humanitarian and security crisis in his speech. Critics argue the president has manufactured the crisis in order to fulfill a campaign promise to build the wall.

Stay with NOLA.com for more on this story.

-The Associated Press has contributed to this storyThe Rev. Jerome LeDoux, an ebullient man of God whose Afrocentric Masses at St. Augustine Catholic Church brimmed with sacred and secular music, died Monday (Jan. 7) at Holy Ghost Church in Opelousas. He was 88.

Father LeDoux had lived in Opelousas about three years, said Donna Fontenot, the churchs secretary.

During his 16 years as St. Augustines pastor, Father LeDoux was known for wearing vivid vestments and Birkenstock sandals, dancing in the aisles and riding a donkey on Palm Sunday.

Father LeDoux was St. Augustine Church, said Naydja Bynum, a longtime parishioner and friend. It broke my heart that he died.

Under Father LeDouxs leadership, the church was open to the world, Bynum said, adding that he was the peoples priest.

It wasnt always upbeat at St. Augustine, which was established in 1841 and is the oldest African-American Catholic parish in the country.

After Hurricane Katrina, when declines in population and revenue forced the Archdiocese to consolidate, St. Augustine was marked for closure as a parish, with its territory going to nearby St. Peter Claver parish. The church had sustained extensive storm damage.

Indignant volunteers working with hurricane-relief organizations barricaded themselves inside the rectory and maintained a vigil outside the church for a week, saying they were proxies for the parishioners. Tensions were so high that armed plainclothes police officers were part of the congregation at a Mass in March 2006, but their presence wasnt enough to keep protesters from disrupting the service.

That protest led to the archdioceses decision to deconsecrate the church, but it was reconsecrated in time for that years Palm Sunday service. Father LeDoux was one of the celebrants, but he was replaced by the Rev. Michael Jacques.

Two years later, the church received a $75,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express to pay for renovations. The church had been on probation because of its shaky financial situation. But in March 2009, it had progressed well enough to be taken off probation.

In an interview during the turbulent period, Father LeDoux professed not to be worried, and he didnt mention the controversy.

"Why should I?" he said. "God takes care of that. It's in the hands of God and Archbishop (Alfred) Hughes. Why should I be troubled? I'll let God and Archbishop Hughes take care of that."

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

We are grateful for Father LeDoux's priestly ministry in the Archdioese of New Orleans, Archbishop Gregory Aymond said. We know his ministry touched the lives of many people and called them to live more faithfully as disciples of Jesus.

Jerome LeDoux was born on Feb. 26, 1930, in Lake Charles and graduated from high school at St. Augustine Seminary in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

He graduated from college there and spent four years studying theology at the Mississippi campus before his ordination in May 1957.

Father LeDoux earned two postgraduate degrees at Gregorian University in Rome: a masters degree in sacred theology and a doctorate in canon law.

He taught at St. Augustine Seminary and Xavier University before embarking on a 34-year career as a parish priest at churches in Texas and Louisiana.

Throughout his ministry, he was open and friendly and non-traditional, Bynum said.

He was so full of life, Fontenot said. If you knew him, you never forgot him.

He wrote an autobiography, The War of the Pews, that took its title from St. Augustine Churchs early years, when pew fees were common. Free people of color bought pews for their families and pews to be set aside for slaves. White worshipers, not to be outdone, bought pews for their families, too. The free people of color won by a three-to-one margin; the result was the countrys most thoroughly integrated congregation, according to the churchs website.

Survivors include two brothers, the Rev. Louis Verlin LeDoux of Tacoma, Washington, and Nathaniel LeDoux of Las Vegas; and a sister, Veronica Mitchell of St. Albans, New York.

A Mass at Holy Ghost Church will be held at 6 p.m. Monday (Jan. 14). Visitation will begin at 3 p.m.

A second Mass will be said at 10 a.m. Wednesday (Jan. 16) at St. Augustine Seminary in Bay St. Louis. A viewing will be held there from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, followed by a vigil and evening prayer at 7 p.m.

Burial will be at the seminary.After a four-year wait to go before an immigration judge, a 15-year-old client of attorney Charlotte Viener was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday (Jan. 8).

That court appearance didnt happen. The Honduran teenager, who has applied for a special status for undocumented immigrant minors, now might have to wait a couple more years to have his day in court.

His case is one of dozens that have been postponed indefinitely since the partial shutdown of the federal government forced the closure of immigration courts across the United States.

These courts handle thousands of cases of undocumented individuals who are not being held in immigration detention facilities. Immigration attorneys say that the shutdown of the federal government has compounded the significant delays already being experienced in the immigration court system.

It keeps getting worse, Viener said. The court is currently scheduling cases out until 2022.

One significant factor contributing to the increase, immigration attorneys say, is a decision by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions to end certain procedures that allowed immigration judges to close cases and move more quickly through the docket. The Department of Justice put an end to the use of administrative closure, which allowed the judge not to rule on a case, giving the plaintiff the opportunity to petition legal immigration status through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Immigration attorneys say this tactic has only resulted in a growing number of pending immigration cases, not only in New Orleans but across the United States.

There are nearly 12,000 immigration cases pending in the court in New Orleans as of January 2019. In only two years the number of pending cases locally has increased by more than 4,000, according to Syracuse Universitys Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC).

Nationally there are nearly 809,041 pending immigration cases, a number that has steadily grown since 2009, according to TRAC.

Viener said she has worked as an immigration lawyer in New Orleans for 20 years.

The first 18 years we were able to move the docket and we had only one immigration judge here, she said. Now with three judges, the docket is swollen. Their workload has exploded.

Immigration attorney Marco Balducci said that one client of his had their trial date postponed this week after waiting nearly 20 months.

In another case involving a minor from Honduras, Balducci said his client needs to get the courts permission for voluntary departure to go home to Honduras where he will apply for a green card. He has to get the courts permission by the end of the month in order to be able to do this.

This is postponing his ability to fix his status, Balducci said.

Further complicating the situation is a system of quotas that was put in place last year under Sessions. Immigration judges are now required to clear at least 700 immigration cases a year and have fewer than 15 percent of their decisions overturned on appeal in order to get a satisfactory rating on their performance evaluation. The quotas were put in place to address the 800,000 pending immigration cases.

Immigration judges are not allowed to publicly comment about their courts. The National Association of Immigration Judges, the union that represents immigration judges, has spoken out against the quota, warning that they could erode due process rights for immigrants and force judges to choose between their jobs and the proper execution of justice.

They are turning our courts into an assembly line, overlooking that we are dealing with human beings, Immigration Judge Ashley Tabbador, speaking as the president of the NAIR, said in an interview with NOLA.com| The Times-Picayune in October.

For the foreseeable future Viener said that immigration attorneys will be put in the position of waiting until the very last minute to tell their clients whether or not to appear for court the following day. In some cases, she said clients are traveling as much as five hours away to get to the court in New Orleans, which has jurisdiction over cases of undetained individuals from all of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and parts of western Florida.

This just couldnt have happened at a worse possible time, in a situation where the courts are already so overwhelmed, she said.Peter Lee, a Korean American that was born and raised in Metairie, recently established the Envision Media Arts Collective, Inc. (EMAC) in Kigali, Rwanda. Lee came back to the states to spend Christmas and New Year with his parents, Kee and Sun Lee and brother, David Lee.

EMAC, the multi-functional company, founded in April 2018, is an art gallery, a digital production studio, a media lab, a co-working space and an artists community. Its services include premium documentary, digital photography, aerial drone photography, graphic design/digital art/fine art, equipment rental, fashion design, creative consulting and hands-on workshops.

It is a hub for creative minds to work among each other, to be inspired by one another and to share space, resources and knowledge to the mutual benefits of the group and to the Rwandan art scene at large.

The roots of Envision Media Arts Collective can be traced to the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village (ASYV), which is the home of 525 orphaned youths from all districts of Rwanda.

Rwanda is a landlocked country in central and east Africa, bordered by Uganda, Burundi and Congo. Its geography is dominated by mountains in the west and savanna to the east, with numerous lakes throughout the country. Its economy is based mostly on subsistence agriculture. Coffee and tea are the major crops for exports. Tourism is the fastest growing sector.

Music and dance are integral part of Rwanda culture.

Peter Lee went to Rwanda in 2016 for a photo/video fellowship at ASYV, where he taught photography and videography to over 100 teenagers and founded ASYV Media Club.

He noticed the great talents of the students and the scarce of employments after their graduation. He was struck by the level of talents and the level of unemployment of the youths. At the end of the second year, Peter Lee was inspired to establish a company that can employ alumni.

I wish to continue to develop the talents of ASYV, expand it to Kigali, and create opportunities and jobs for its graduates, Lee said.

Envisioned with this idea, equipped with a dream and a team of motivated Rwanda talents, Envision Media Arts Collective was born. The company, which started with three artists who graduated from ASYV, has expanded to 15, ranging from photographers, video producers, painters to fashion designers. They are provided with the space, equipment, and professional mentor ship to develop their talents into successful careers.

He believes that given the right opportunities, anyone who is dedicated and motivated can have a successful career in the arts.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The purpose of Envision Media Arts is to create social impacts, Lee said.

In October 2018, the Envision artists launched its gallery and present the first exhibition, entitled Envision Rwanda, a multi-media showcase of photography, sculpture, and short films that focused on the present and future of Rwanda.

In the future, Lee wishes to hold exhibitions in New Orleans.

My goals are to show the beauty of Rwanda and promote the artistic local talents there and it would be great to eventually also hold exhibitions in my home city, said Lee.

He also wishes to further introduce the music, dance and culture of Rwanda to New Orleans and promote friendship and tourism between Rwanda and Louisiana.

Lee attended St. Martin Episcopal School and graduated from Grace King High School in 2002. He earned B.S. in business administration and marketing from the University of Houston; and M.S. in global communication from the American University in Paris.

Rwanda has a vibrant music and dance culture and history. Many of the students I worked with have participated in traditional dance troupes competitions in Rwanda. The dance performances are very theatrical and include traditional drums, colorful costumes and story telling, Lee said.

I envision to further introducing the Rwandan culture through media arts to my home city and state, as well as enhancing the mutual understanding, developing friendship, and promoting tourism and cultural exchanges between Rwanda and Louisiana, Lee added.

For further information visit www.envisionrwanda.com.

Tina Soong writes about people and events of interest to the Asian American community. To reach her, email tsoongtotherim@aol.com.Reports of long security lines and TSA workers calling in sick are cropping up at some airports across the United States as the government shutdown enters its third week. However, airport security in New Orleans appears to be running as usual for now.

Wait times at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport topped out at about 15 minutes on Sunday (Jan. 6), one of the busiest post-holiday travel days of the year, James Gregory, deputy assistant administrator of public affairs for the Transportation Security Administration, said in an email. TSA Pre-Check waits were about 3 minutes max, he added.

Clearly there were no problems with wait times there, Gregory said.

That compared with reported wait times as high as 90 minutes Sunday afternoon at New Yorks busy LaGuardia Airport. Photos and video of winding lines inside LaGuardias Delta Airlines terminal were circulating Monday all over social media.

It isnt clear if or how much the government shutdown is to blame for the lines. Roughly a quarter of the government has been unfunded since Dec. 22, leaving some 800,000 federal employees without pay.

Many of the roughly 51,000 TSA officers that screen millions of airport travelers every day are considered essential, meaning many are required to work without pay. However, union leaders and others warn workers willingness to work without pay is waning. Friday is the first scheduled payday government workers will miss because of the shutdown.

CNN reported hundreds of TSA officers have called in sick at airports across the country, potentially posing problems for travelers. The report says day-to-day call outs have been as much as four-times higher than average at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in recent days.

TSA has confirmed a slight increase in officers calling out sick at specific airports, including Dallas-Fort Worth. The callout rate there was about 5.5 percent in on Sunday, up from 3.5 percent on a typical day, though the reason for the uptick could be anything, TSA spokesman Michael Biello told ABC News.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Overall, Gregory said the TSA has not seen a significant increase in security wait times or in officer call outs, noting absences do tend to go up around the holidays. He said the agency is grateful to the more than 51,000 officers across the country who remain focused on the mission and noted that wait times across much of the country were reasonable. Of the 2.2 million passengers screened at U.S. airports on Sunday, 99.8 percent waited less than 30 minutes to get through security, according to figures Gregory provided. About 90 percent waited less than 15 minutes.

Air travelers start to feel effects of government shutdown

Gregory declined to say whether New Orleans had experienced any call outs or provide the total number of TSA officer employed at the airport, citing security reasons. Airport officials also declined comment, directing TSA-related questions to the agency.

For now, all eyes are on the clock. Talks between the Trump administration and congressional Democrats to reopen the government have stalled over the presidents push for money to fund a wall on the countrys southwest border.

TSA acknowledges retaining employees will get tougher as the shutdown drags on. A Politico report citing information from the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents TSA officers, says some TSA screeners have already quit the job. Others are considering doing so if they dont get paid this week.

The solution for travelers? Show up to the airport early and give yourself time to get through security. TSA also recommends downloading their free MyTSA app, which allows users to browse security wait times at all U.S. airports and is still functioning despite the shutdown. Read more about MyTSA here.



Jennifer Larino covers residential real estate, retail and consumer news, travel and cruises, weather and other aspects of life in New Orleans for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Reach her at jlarino@nola.com or 504-239-1424. Follow her on Twitter @jenlarino.Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans (CCANO) officials celebrated their new Extended Services and hours to elderly and disabled adults on Dec 6. The day-to-day hours for services are now 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

CCANO is a local Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). It is an affiliate ministry of Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans operating the Shirley Landry Benson PACE Center at St. Cecilia at 4201 N. Rampart St. in New Orleans, and Hope Haven at St. John Bosco Alternate Care Center at 1131 Barataria Blvd. in Marrero.

Each center provides comprehensive health care services, which facilitate opportunities for elderly and disabled adults to experience a higher quality of independence as they live at home.

Hope Haven at St. John Bosco PACE Center offers participants access to care on the West Bank under the leadership of Executive Director Antonio Dias, Marjorie Hebert, M.S.C., PACE President and CEO and the board of directors.

CCANO worked with Louisiana Legislators and business leaders to access this valuable service for citizens of the eight civil parishes of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

CCANO officials presented awards of recognition and gratitude to State Senator John Alario, State Representative Patrick Connick, Joseph and JoAnn Toomy, John Hummel and Louisiana Department of Healths Allison Vuljoin and Robin Wagner and others. They were commended for their outstanding work in accessing funds and support for the program.

John Hummel, past PACE Board of Directors chairman and other leaders were responsible for transforming the former St. John Bosco Catholic Church into the current Adult Day Healthcare facility. After receiving his recognition award he laughed and said, I got to know the termites on a first name basis.

Several legislators, directors, leadership teams and staff attended the Celebration of Extended Services.

Leila Marino was getting an early start in supporting charitable organizations as she accompanied her father, State Representative Joseph Marino.

Gretna Mayor Belinda Constant, Constable Wayne Nouto, Gretna Police Chief Arthur Lawson, Business Woman Wanda Laborie, Realtor Jack Stump, Physician Lionel Bourgeois and Jennifer Steel-Bourgeois, were members of the original, dedicated, supporters of the Hope Haven PACE Center attending the event.

Pierre Eskew, maintenance manager; Anthony Carter, certified nurses assistant (CNA) and maintenance engineer; Mary Marks, service coordinator for Christopher Homes/ affordable housing; several nurses, social workers and support staff members were a part of the hosting group who attended the celebration.

A video presentation provided samples of services that were provided to an in-home stroke patient. She and the therapist described the benefits provided by PACEs occupational therapist and the resulting progress. www.pacegno.org.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Catholic Charities is one of many interdisciplinary teams throughout the nation who provide and coordinate individualized health care. PACE services can be provided in the home, the PACE center and/or other community settings.

PACE Board of Directors include: Dwain Gannard, chairman of the board; Susan Nelson, MD, FACP, FAAHPM, medical director-post acute care; Paul Metoyer, New Orleans Council on Aging director; Jennifer Steel-Bourgeois; Joni Colvin; John Hummel, past president and Ex-Officio members: Lobna Ali, PACE Greater New Orleans medical director

PACE Greater New Orleans (GNO) services include adult day health care, transportation, medications, rehabilitation and restorative therapies, medical care, pastoral care, social services, activities and recreation, caregiver support, hospitalization, and nursing home care when needed and other specialty services tailored for each individuals needs.

Hebert said, Extending the hours at Hope Haven PACE has allowed Catholic Charities to continue to provide hope, help and loving care for the most vulnerable in our community. PACEs new presence will further our mission of enhancing the quality of life and autonomy for older adults while maximizing their dignity and respect.

The National PACE Association (NPA) promotes legislation that provides long-term care for older adults and those with disabilities. It fosters a fully integrated model of care which combines Medicare, Medicaid and private funds to provide a community-based option for adults who qualify for nursing-home levels of care.

NPA members were pleased with the announcement that U.S. Legislators had passed a unanimous voice-vote directing the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue a final PACE regulation that would provide much-needed flexibility, allowing PACE to grow faster and operate more efficiently.

NPA news announced, The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed legislation to increase PACE availability by passing the Comprehensive Care for Seniors Act (H.R. 6561).

NPA attribute the approved legislation for extended services to a recognized need to support increased access to Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). The final regulation is scheduled to become effective Dec. 31.

HHS was one of the departments that were not affected by the partial federal government shut-down.

For more information visit: www.pacegno.org, www.ccano.org, and www.npaonline.org or call the intake coordinator at 504.835.0006.

Rosalie Simmons writes about people, events and resources. Contact her at rhsimmns@cox.net or 504.347.4215.Now that hes leaving the New Orleans Police Department, outgoing Superintendent Michael Harrison stands to gain a hefty pension netting him nearly $160,000 annually under Louisianas police retirement plan. Harrison confirmed Tuesday (Jan. 8) that he has accepted the top job with Baltimores police department.

Per state law, Harrison is fully vested in the Municipal Police Employees Retirement System, or MPERS, with 27 years of continuous employment at NOPD, and would take home roughly 89 percent of his current $179,348 salary as pension. That rounds out to just under $160,000 per year.

Ben Huxen, executive director and general counsel for MPERS, said no rule would prevent Harrison from collecting a pension check for his NOPD work and a salary in Baltimore since his new job is outside Louisiana.

Since hes going out of state, thats not going to be any issue for him, Huxen said in a phone interview Tuesday.

All New Orleans police officers are members of MPERS, Huxen said. Annual pension for eligible retired employees in the system is calculated as a percentage of the last salary they earned, with that percentage found by multiplying 3.3 times the total number of years they were employed.

The 49-year-old Harrison can start drawing from his pension as soon as he files an application with MPERS and it is approved by the pension system board, Huxen said. A police department spokesman said Harrison submitted his pension application Tuesday.

New Orleans Police Chief Michael Harrison leaving to head Baltimore police

Its unclear what Harrisons salary will be in Baltimore, though a report in the Baltimore Sun from November said Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh expects the citys new police commissioner to earn about $260,000 a year. A spokesman for Pughs office said Tuesday that contract terms are still being worked out.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Harrison joined the New Orleans Police Department in November 1991, according to city employment records. He commanded the departments 7th District in New Orleans East before being tapped for the superintendents post in 2014. He was retained by New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell after her May 7, 2018, inauguration.

According to Baltimore news reports, Harrison was high on the list of finalists for the citys next police commissioner, even though he had not applied for the job. He said publicly last month that he would not accept the position if offered, before Pugh announced Tuesday morning that he had agreed to the Baltimore move.

In an email, Cantrells communications director, Beau Tidwell, said the mayor anticipates announcing Harrisons replacement before he leaves. Harrisons last day as superintendent will be Jan. 17, according to NOPD communications director Andy Cunningham.

Numerous former and current officials along with others in the local law enforcement community roundly praised Harrison on Tuesday, highlighting his stewardship of the department still adapting to reforms mandated by a federal consent decree. The Baltimore Police Department is also under a consent decree.

For his part, Harrison said in a statement that serving as superintendent in New Orleans had been the highest honor and privilege of his career.

This city and its people will forever hold a special place in my heart, Harrison said.

CORRECTION: This story previously reported that Mayor Cantrells office had not responded to requests for details on how she would select a new superintendent. Communications Director Beau Tidwell did in fact respond in an email to a NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune reporter that the mayor plans to announce a new superintendent prior to Michael Harrisons departure later this month.

New Orleans reacts to news of Michael Harrison's departure from NOPDThe state has finalized the purchase of a sugar farm near Houma to relocate some of the remaining residents of Isle de Jean Charles, an island rapidly sinking into the Gulf of Mexico, as part of a first-of-its-kind federal program supporting the large-scale retreat from the effects of climate change.

The Louisiana Office of Community Development announced Wednesday (Jan. 9) that it had paid $11.7 million for the 515-acre property about 40 miles north of the island.

The purchase is funded with a $48.3 million grant from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. The grant pays for land, homes and relocation costs.

The state expects to begin work on the site late this year.

The mostly Native American Isle de Jean Charles community has lost 98 percent of the land surrounding their homes since 1955, the result of a combination of subsidence, erosion and sea level rise.

Today marks an important milestone, as we are one step closer to assisting those residents interested in moving out of harms way and into a new community that will provide an improved quality of life, Pat Forbes, executive director of the community development office, said in a statement.

The site consists of sugar cane fields and wetlands and is bisected by Saint Louis Bayou. Nearly 60 acres are suited for development, and about 280 acres could be used for agriculture, according to state officials.

The land bought is on relatively high ground  about nine feet above sea level. It borders Highway 24 and is a 20-minute drive to Houma, the largest city in Terrebonne Parish, with 34,000 people.

Schools, stores and jobs will be in easier reach. The island has few services, and its one road and bridge are frequently impassible due to flooding. The island once hosted a thriving fishing community, but now many of its approximately 60 residents commute off-island for work.

Environmental news in your inbox Stay up-to-date on the latest on Louisiana's coast and the environment. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Its unclear how many people will move to the new site. Participation is voluntary, and no one is being forced to leave the island. The site will be open to current Isle de Jean Charles residents and some former residents that moved away due to frequent flooding and storm damage. Once current and former residents are settled, state officials said the community might be opened up to other climate refugees on Louisianas rapidly disappearing coast, possibly hosting upwards of 300 people.

Site and building plans are being developed, but state officials say each home will have a screen porch, covered outdoor space and be located within a five-minute walk from a park or natural space.

Planner chosen for Isle de Jean Charles resettlement site

The islands residents have had mixed feelings about relocation. Some say its a necessity and may knit the community back together. Albert Naquin, chief of the Isle de Jean Charles Band of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Tribe, said the state hasnt involved him or his members as much as hed hoped.

They want to do it their own way, and so theyre going on with it without us, he said. He dislikes that the site may be open to more people than current and former residents of the island.

A quicker pace of selecting and purchasing a site would have helped get more his members off the island and out of harms way. The likelihood that the site wont be move-in ready until 2020 means island residents may be hit by more storms and floods.

We got the money back in 2016, and, look, were buying the land now? He said. Weve already gone through three hurricane seasons and now weve got to go through more.

The state plans to release the sites master plan in the coming months. A formal application process for residents will begin early this year. Several outreach events and meetings are planned but have not been scheduled.Music lovers (me included) are on the edges of their seats. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will announce the talent lineup for the much-anticipated 50th anniversary fest in one week, on Tuesday, Jan. 15, according to a press release issued on Tuesday (Jan 8). The 2019 festival has been expanded from the usual seven to eight days. This years event takes place at the Fair Grounds Race Track, 1751 Gentilly Blvd. from April 25-28 and May 2-5.

Admission prices for 2019 have not been revealed, but If the Jazz Fest sticks with past practices, the price of tickets will be announced at the same time as the music lineup. Last years daily admission was $65 in advance or $80 at the gate. Admission for children 2-10 was $5 with younger kids free. Jazz Fests only Thursday featured a $50 admission at the gate for Louisiana residents. Again, these were last years ticket prices.

As previously reported, Brass Passes will be honored for seven of the eight days of the 2019 festival. The $600 passes, which are sold by the WWOZ radio station, usually allow unlimited entry to the Spring music fest plus a shady rest area and refreshments. But a Brass Pass wont get you on the Fair Grounds on Thursday, May 2. Youll have to buy a separate ticket.

Why, you ask? Read on for the big rumor.

Last years headliners included: Aerosmith, Sting, Jimmy Buffett, Beck, Jack White, David Byrne, Lionel Richie and Anita Baker. When the list of 2019 performers is finally public, all eyes will be on the May 2 slot when well finally learn if the Rolling Stones are really headed to New Orleans in 2019.

Did Mick Jagger just announce that the Rolling Stones are coming to Jazz Fest?

Speculation has swirled around other stars as well as the Stones. Phish, The Dave Matthews Band, Jimmy Buffet, Widespread Panic, Santana and Bob Seger have all bounced around among fans like a beachball, though none has been confirmed.

Elvis Presley will (probably) not perform at Jazz Fest 2019, but who will? More rumors

Doug MacCash has the best job in the world, covering art, music and culture in New Orleans. Contact him via email at dmaccash@nola.com. Follow him on Twitter at Doug MacCash and on Facebook at Douglas James MacCash. As always, please add your point of view to the comment stream.Starting this year, the Orleans Parish School Board plans to pay $1.3 million to a local mental health day treatment program to expand mental health services to children in grades 9-12, according to a district spokeswoman Tuesday (Jan. 8).

The OPSB announced last Friday that it signed a contract to work with the Center for Resilience, previously known as the New Orleans Therapeutic Day Program, to provide these services. The center teaches students with behavioral health disabilities whose needs arent met by traditional schools. The center and the OPSB also plan to explore the feasibility of launching a residential group home for students.

The million-dollar contract will help offset part of the price for schools helping to make this critical service more available for our students most in need, according to an email from OPSB spokeswoman Dominique Ellis.

Mental health day treatment programs like the Center for Resilience typically cost between the ranges of $80,000 to $100,000 per student to operate effectively, Ellis stated.

Outside of this cost, the Center for Resilience will provide transportation, psychiatric services and medical management to students, Ellis stated. She added that the center is currently serving 26 students.

Orleans School Board joins program to support students mental health

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The districts new contract is mostly a drop in the bucket within its $490 million budget for fiscal year 2019. Its also on par with the amount of money spent on mental health services in other school districts nationwide. The Santa Barbara Unified School District in California, for instance, set aside roughly $1 million in July 2018 in an effort to embed at least one mental health therapist at every campus in its jurisdiction, according to a report by the Santa Barbara Independent.

Research suggests 60 percent of New Orleans children suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and are 4.5 times more likely than their peers nationwide to show signs of serious Emotional Disturbance, which is characterized by hyperactivity, aggression and social withdrawal, according to statistics shared by the Center for Resilience. With that in mind, the center was first launched in 2015 as a partnership among the Louisiana Recovery School District, the OPSB, and Tulane Medical Schools Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

The center has currently reduced the rates of crisis hospitalization by 75 percent, based on pre-referral data, as compared with hospitalizations for behavioral crises while in the program, the OPSB stated. The center has also seen a 69 percent decrease in the number of behavioral crises on-site over time.

The center currently offers academic and mental health services for children in Orleans Parish in grades K-8 diagnosed with moderate-to-significant behavioral health disabilities. Schools rely on the center to provide additional support to children who struggle in a traditional school setting even after multiple school-level interventions.

Watch 'The Children of Central City' documentary

Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles.The New Orleans City Council will slide into the citys education landscape on Thursday (Jan. 10), when lawmakers are expected to vote on a proposal to give city officials oversight over school bus operators citywide.

UPDATE: The vote scheduled for tomorrows meeting will likely be deferred, according to Andrew Sullivan, chief of staff for Councilmember Kristin Gisleson Palmers office.

The City Council has very little control over the citys school system. Normally, local school boards like the Orleans Parish School Board are tasked with the regulation of school buses in Louisianas parishes. The OPSB used to manage New Orleans school buses until the proliferation of charter schools citywide required charters to contract individually with bus companies to provide school transportation, according to Jennifer Cecil, director of the citys One Stop Shop, which handles licenses and permits.

School bus operators must currently abide by state regulations enforced by the Louisiana Department of Education. Those regulations are set by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in accordance to federal standards. However, Cecil and Zach Smith, the citys director of Safety and Permits, told City Council that bus operators have been neglecting those regulations.

Cecil and Smith last month criticized school bus operations in New Orleans. Inspectors from Cecils office as well as curious members of the community in 2018 noticed a number of buses violated state law by parking illegally, lacking license plates, or having damaged exteriors and interiors, fake brake tags, and padlocked emergency exits, Cecil said.

It appeared that not all charters were entirely aware of the requirements that buses had to follow at the state level, that is normally handled by a parish school board in Louisiana, Cecil told the Councils Transportation Committee on Dec. 13.

Concerns about school transportation come after a Bricolage Academy student was physically attacked by a Scholars First school bus driver Dec. 12, after their departure from campus. Bricolage officials have since ended their contract with the company, and the company said the drivers job was terminated.

Some incidents involving school buses had fatal outcomes: 16-year-old KIPP Renaissance High School student Tyronne Bradley died April 17, 2018, from injuries received when he jumped from the back of a moving bus in the Bywater on April 12, 2018. Years earlier, 6-year-old Akili Academy 1st grader Shaud Wilson was killed Feb. 3, 2014, by a hit-and-run driver as Shaud was crossing the street to get to his bus stop.

Shauds death spurred several councilwomen, including then-councilmember and current New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, to mull the formation of a task force in 2014 to explore ways to keep children seeking transportation safe. Cantrells administration appears to be taking on this issue now with renewed fervor.

School buses need to be held to a better standard in my opinion than regular traffic, said Smith to the Transportation Committee. He called the citys current school bus landscape the Wild, Wild West.

Bus driver caught repeatedly hitting child, Bricolage Academy says

Brought by Councilmembers Kristin Gisleson Palmer and Jay Banks, the Councils proposal would reinforce the state and federal eligibility requirements for those seeking permission to operate school buses. The citys Ground Transportation Bureau, also known as the Taxicab Bureau, would handle regulations and inspections. The buses would still need to obtain a valid for-hire vehicle inspection certificate to operate.

Additionally, buses would have to acquire a certificate of public necessity and convenience, or CNPC, to operate legally. The CNPCs would annually expire on April 30, and a $150 fee per bus would be required each May to renew the certificate. The renewal fee can rise to as much as $450 if the renewal is submitted after May, and CNPC renewals will not be available after July 31. Certificates not renewed by July 31 would get suspended and revoked.

The measure still requires buses operating in the city to have liability coverage. The proposal requires buses to have at least $5 million in insurance to satisfy any damage claims caused by the bus, compared to current BESE regulations which do not include a dollar amount for the required insurance. Buses will also be prohibited from parking, waiting or stopping in the prohibited areas listed in the citys code of ordinances. Background checks including drug and alcohol screenings will also be required of bus drivers.

Additionally, the school buses cannot exceed the age of 25 model years under the proposal. The buses will have to undergo daily pre-trip and post-trip inspection checklists for approval by the city.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

The measure also requires all school bus operators to keep daily records of bus activity, including collision reports, complaints, and crimes against drivers. All school bus routes would be filed with the city, and changes to those routes must be submitted in writing to the city at least three days prior to changing the route. Drivers could also be charged anywhere from $50 to more than $100 for failing to maintain the physical upkeep of their buses.

More than 90 percent of all public schoolers citywide attend schools managed by charters. The OPSB requires most charters to provide free transportation to students who live more than a mile away from their school. Selective-admissions schools under OPSB policy are allowed to forgo yellow bus service and instead provide public bus passes to qualifying students.

The OPSB in a released statement last month expressed support for efforts to employ greater enforcement of state school bus policies. It looks forward to collaborating with the City Council and Mayoral Administration regarding the ordinance, according to the districts Dec. 18 statement. Even so, not everyone is on board with the proposal.

6:05 a.m. is the earliest buses can pick up public school students, school board says

Councilmember Joe Giarrusso stressed this issue falls under OPSBs domain and not city government. The former KIPP New Orleans school board member said at the committee meeting that he knows for a fact transportation is generally the second-biggest overhead expense at charters, so he was hesitant to support adding more expenses upon schools through the proposed regulations.

Orleans Parish in fiscal year 2005, before Hurricane Katrina, spent $17.5 million on transportation for 63,000 students among 124 schools, according to Darius Munchak, chief operations officer for Einstein Charter Schools. He told the city committee that charters in fiscal year 2013 spent $34.8 million on transportation with 21 fewer schools and 15,000 fewer students.

One explanation for the expenses bump is the increase in distance traveled by buses to transport students. An audit from August 2018 found most New Orleans public school students this year attend schools outside their neighborhood. A Tulane University study in September said 1 in 4 bus-riding students from 17 of the citys schools spent, on average, between 35 and 90 minutes-plus on the bus daily.

A report by The Data Center in November found the school choice system requires students to travel often to distant school campuses, so schools are now spending between $172 and $2,405 annually per student on buses and transportation. The highest transportation expenses are often borne by schools serving the neediest students whose families are more likely to lack private transportation, the Data Center researchers added.

The more stringent regulations for buses would likely drive local companies out of business, said Derrick Heyl, interim director of operations for the New Orleans Military & Maritime Academy. That would allow national school bus companies to step in to offer services, he said.

Schools are currently having trouble devoting per pupil funding to classroom instruction due to transportation costs, said Angele DeLarge, external affairs director for the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools. We risk our schools not being able to operate in the best needs of our kids by raising insurance costs for bus operators before a more robust discussion around transportation regulations is held, she said.

Bus operators also spoke against the proposal. Scholars First regional operations manager Hamilton Williams wanted city officials to meet with bus operators before they added more regulations onto the laws that companies follow from the state. Apple Bus Company general manager James Riley said the buses cited by the city for violations may actually be party buses rather than buses used to transport students.

Mark Hammond of Hammonds Transportation echoed Rileys party bus comments. The bus companies serving students obey state regulations, he said, adding that criminals have forced companies to reinforce the locks on their buses. Regardless, Councilmember Palmer expressed a desire to vote on the proposal this Thursday.

I have seen some pretty heinous buses and I am not confused between a party bus and a school bus, Palmer said. Dont even try that in here.

Are New Orleans schools giving students the services they need? OPSB launches study

Wilborn P. Nobles III is an education reporter based in New Orleans. He can be reached at wnobles@nola.com or on Twitter at @WilNobles.A 21-year-old man wounded in a Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) shooting in Algiers has died from his injuries, the New Orleans Coroners Office said Tuesday (Jan. 8).

The victim, identified by the coroner as Brandon Dunns, died Wednesday, nine days after he was shot in the 3500 block of Vespasian Boulevard.

According to the New Orleans Police Department, a man in a dark hoodie and light-colored pants opened fire about 4 p.m. Christmas Eve, hitting Dunns more than once. He was taken by ambulance to University Medical Center, where he remained in critical condition Christmas morning, the NOPD said in an initial report.

At the scene, investigators placed more than two dozen evidence cones along the roadway. Bloodied clothes lay in the street.

The shooting was one of five reported in Algiers over the weekend leading up to Christmas and during the holiday itself: A 15-year old was wounded in a drive-by shooting Dec. 21 on Southlawn Boulevard and on Dec. 22, a man was shot in the chest on Belleville Street and a man and a woman were injured on Lauradale Drive.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

On Christmas night (Dec. 25), 48-year-old Leon Bush was fatally shot on General Meyer Avenue, near Casimire Street, in Algiers.

Police have not indicated any connection among the shootings.

Anyone with information on the shootings can submit an anonymous tip by calling Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 1-877-903-STOP.

Laura McKnight covers crime and breaking news for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.

NOLA.com | The Times-Picayunes Kevin Litten contributed to this report.New Orleans police found a 31-year-old man shot in the head on a Bienville Street porch in one of two fatal shootings reported Monday night (Jan. 7) in the city.

The shooting death on Bienville Street occurred about 11:16 p.m. in the 1400 block, across Basin and North Rampart streets from the French Quarter, the NOPD said in an initial report.

Though EMS responded to the shooting, the man was pronounced dead on the scene, police said.

Man shot to death in Treme in city's second homicide of the night: NOPD

Several hours earlier, a man was found shot dead in the bushes behind a home in New Orleans East.

Residents reported hearing gunfire about 8:13 p.m. in the 7800 block of Placid Street, in the Little Woods area. Responding officers found the victim near a fence in the back yard of a home facing nearby Branch Drive. He had been shot more than once to his upper body and was pronounced dead on the scene, the NOPD said.

A man walking past told a reporter that he had heard four gunshots.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Man killed in Little Woods shooting: NOPD

Neither victim has been identified by authorities.

NOPD Homicide Detective Eric Illarmo is leading the investigation into the shooting on Bienville Street. NOPD Homicide Detective Marylou Agustin is in charge of the investigation into the Placid Street killing. They can be reached at 504-658-5300 with information on either homicide.

Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 1-877-903-STOP.

Laura McKnight covers crime and breaking news for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.

NOLA.com | The Times-Picayunes Hanna Krueger contributed to this report.A New Orleans judge on Wednesday (Jan. 9) denied a mans request to withdraw his guilty plea in a 2014 homicide and sentenced him to 30 years in prison.

Anthony Eugene III, 30, pleaded guilty in November to manslaughter in the death of 23-year-old Rebecca DeMuth, who was found fatally shot July 29, 2014, in a muddy, weed-covered area under the France Road overpass in the Desire area. Police said they linked Eugene to DeMuths killing through cell phone records.

Six days after he pleaded guilty, Eugenes defense attorney, Michael Kennedy, filed a motion asking to withdraw that plea, saying Eugene accepted the plea deal without much time to consider it and changed his mind quickly after.

Criminal District Judge Arthur Hunter denied the motion, and imposed the agreed-upon 30-year sentence: 25 years each for manslaughter and conspiracy to distribute heroin, and 30 years for conspiracy to commit second-degree murder. Hunter ordered the sentences to be served concurrent with one another, and with any other sentences Eugene currently is serving.

Police detail phone evidence they say illuminated trail of woman's suspected killer

Eugene has been in Department of Corrections custody since 2015, when he pleaded guilty that August in Jefferson Parish to possession with intent to distribute heroin. Judge Cornelius Regan of the 24th Judicial District sentenced Eugene to 20 years on that charge.

Court records show DeMuth was a co-defendant in that case, charged with heroin possession. The charge was dismissed following her death.

About two months before DeMuth was found dead, Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office deputies arrested DeMuth, Eugene and two others on May 28, 2014, at an apartment in the 3500 block of Apollo Drive in Metairie, according to court records. Police were investigating a report of prostitution at the apartment, and found DeMuth and Eugene in a bathroom with heroin, according to court records.

Eugene told deputies he brought the drugs to the apartment and planned to have sex with DeMuth in exchange for heroin, according to court records.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Two other women were arrested on prostitution charges, but were not named in the indictment.

Another man charged in that case, Verdell Laurent, was accused of pandering, or maintaining a place where prostitution was habitually practiced. Jefferson Parish court records show he was found irrestorably incompetent on Jan. 14, 2015, and sent to the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System.

DeMuths mom and twin brother gave victim impact statements in Criminal District Court Wednesday, each telling the judge it was hard for them to put into words the impact DeMuths death has had on their family.

The first thing I see in my head is not my twin sister, its something gruesome, Josh DeMuth said. And its really not something that I know how to explain except for that it really sucks to not be able to see a beautiful face, because all you can see is the wondering or lack of closure  your brain is always trying to grasp a closure of what happened. I just dont understand, so much hate involved.

Rebecca DeMuths mom, Kathy, said she hopes no one ever has to feel what her family is feeling.

I just want you all to know the impact and ramifications of this, she said. It is horrible, and I'm only sitting here by the grace of God.

Kennedy said he understood Hunters decision in denying his request to withdraw his guilty plea, but still was disappointed for Eugene.

He had really a matter of minutes to make this decision and informed me of his change of heart the following day, Kennedy said. Twenty-five years is a long time, and even if I believe it was a good option, its not my time to do, nor the DAs, nor the judges. It is, to me, very unfortunate that we could not reach a place where Mr. Eugene is also happy, or at peace, with the outcome.

A trial date has not yet been set for Eugenes co-defendant in the case, Peter Grandpre Jr.There are only 10 days left to put your company up for consideration as one of the best places for employees in metropolitan New Orleans. The deadline to submit nominations for the 2019 Top Workplaces is Jan. 18.

NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune is looking for the Top Workplaces in the region. Through a partnership with Energage, employee surveys are conducted not only to assess standout companies but also to use the results to advise businesses on how to create places where people want to work.

The best small, midsize and large companies will be recognized in stories on NOLA.com and in a special section of The Times-Picayune. They also will be honored during a special breakfast event in the spring, when the top overall winners will be named along with special award recipients.

From now through Jan. 18 we invite you to nominate your company or another local business that you know and admire, as one of the Top Workplaces in the New Orleans area.

To take part, businesses must have at least 35 employees and be based in one of the following seven parishes: Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. John the Baptist or St. Tammany.

Any type of business can submit a nomination -- from mom-and-pop operations to major corporations. Nonprofits and government agencies are also welcomed to take part, as are hospitals, retail stores, banks, real estate firms, service companies, restaurants and more.

Workplaces are evaluated by their employees using a short, 24-question survey. Companies will be surveyed through January by Energage, which conducts Top Workplaces surveys for 50 major metro news organizations and surveyed more than 2.5 million employees at more than 7,000 business organizations in 2018,

To nominate an area business, complete a short online form or call 504.708.5384 and speak to an Energage representative. There is no charge to make a nomination.

TOP WORKPLACES: WHY PARTICIPATE?

Shout out, stand out: Taking part in Top Workplaces encourages workplace pride. If you work for a great company, youll give your colleagues a morale boost with something to celebrate. Plus, youll give your employer well-deserved credit for creating a special workplace.

Assess, reward and improve: The results from the Top Workplaces survey can help assess the health of companies. They validate achievements, reveal problem areas and set a foundation for new goals.

Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up

Boost recruiting: You can attract and retain the best talent as of New Orleans' Top Workplaces. Employees want to work at companies recognized as leaders that operate by a strong set of values.

Raise your business profile: The Top Workplaces logo on company materials and websites helps spread the word about successful work environments. Customers and business partners will take notice, and that awareness can help create new business opportunities, too.

Earn public recognition: NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune highlight your companys newsworthy achievement.

RESEARCH BACKS TOP WORKPLACES

Award-winning companies attract better job candidates and have lower turnover, new research shows.

The findings, published in the Academy of Management Journal, support the benefits of third-party verification programs such as Top Workplaces, which has ranked quality companies across the United States since 2006.

The study examined more than 600 companies in North America that participated in a workplace ratings competition from 2011 to 2013. The charitable arm of the Society for Human Resource Management funded the research, which David G. Allen of Rutgers University and Brian Dineen of Purdue University conducted.

Among their findings:

Third-party employment branding efforts can reduce turnover rates, regardless of company size or the number of industry job openings.

To nominate a business for Top Workplaces, complete this short online form or call 504.708.5384 to speak to an Energage representative.Avondale Marine, which bought the idle Avondale Shipyard property last fall, has yet to open for cargo operations. But already its in business.

The Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier MV Ning Tai docked there Monday (Jan. 7), in the first sign of commerce at the former shipyard in almost five years. The vessel, which originated in Hong Kong, is bound for Santa Marta, Colombia. Avondale Marine is serving as a lay berth, or temporary docking site, before the vessel shifts to its cargo dock, the Jefferson Economic Development Commission said Tuesday.

The shipyard opened in 1939, employed thousands of people and closed in 2014. Avondale Marine, a joint venture of the T. Parker Host corporation based in Norfolk, Va., and Hilco Global of Northbrook, Ill., bought the property Oct. 3 from Huntington Ingalls Inc. for $60 million, according to public records, and plans to convert it into a multi-modal global logistics hub.

Key takeaways from the Avondale Shipyard sale announcement

. . . . . . .

Drew Broach covers Jefferson Parish politics and education, plus other odds and ends, for NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune. Email: dbroach@nola.com. Facebook: Drew Broach TP. Twitter: drewbroach1. Google+: Drew Broach.Tumacacori National Historical Park resumed regular operations on Saturday, five weeks after it closed when a lapse in federal funding triggerThe Manny Machado sweepstakes is coming down to the wire. The free-agent slugger met last month with the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and Philadelphia Phillies, who now have to decide how much to offer the 26-year-old.

Of course, Machado comes with baggage. His questionable decision-making and lack of hustle were on display for everyone to see during the 2018 MLB playoffs.

So how much will that impact the teams considering to sign the four-time All-Star?

MLB.coms Mike Lupica went to former Yankees and Orioles manager Buck Showalter for some answers.

You know what youre getting, Buck Showalter, who managed every game of Machados big league career until he was traded from the Orioles to the Dodgers in July, said on Tuesday afternoon.

Showalter watched Machado come up and grow up, at least to a point. He knows Machado and understands him as well as any manager can understand any young gifted player put in his charge. Buck knows his strengths and his weaknesses, and when I asked him whether he'd want Machado on his team if he were still managing he said, "I'd take him."

Then he laughed and said, "And if the Yankees wanted to be even more hated by Boston than they already are, then they should go ahead and sign Manny if they can. Because I can tell you from personal experience, they don't like him much over there."

I asked him whether he would play Machado at third base or shortstop and Showalter said, I know he wants to play shortstop, but in my opinion hes more impactful at third.According to Murphy's Law, which. some people claim, was first postulated by 19th century mathematician Augustus De Morgan, anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and that's what happens in Michael Frayn's comedy "Noises Off," now being presented at Kelsey Theatre on the West Windsor campus of Mercer County Community College through January 20 by Maurer Productions OnStage.

This hilarious British farce, which chronicles the development, or lack of it, of a play within a play, begins at the Grand Theatre in the town of Weston-Super-Mare and later moves to the Theatre Royal in Ashton-under-Lynn, has been on Broadway three times. Following the beginning of its wildly successful opening at London's Savoy Theatre in 1982 for a run which lasted over four years, it opened at Broadway's Brooks Atkinson Theatre in 1983 for 553 performances and was revived, coincidentally at the same theater, in 2001 and also at the American Airlines Theatre in 2016. Its 1992 film version, starred Carol Burnett and Michael Caine as an aging leading lady and her egotistical and sarcastic director.

Supposedly, Frayn was inspired to write a one act play called "Exits" by what he saw happening both on and off stage in a play he wrote for Lynn Redgrave called "The Two of Us." His short play quickly disappeared when he expanded that into "Noises Off," a title based on a stage cue to indicate noises which occur offstage.

A company of actors and their director are putting together a new play called "Nothing On," a sex farce which runs in smaller theatres prior to a London opening. Things on stage aren't going well because of the script which requires split-second timing to be funny and a cast whose competence is variable and whose personalities clash.

Director John M. Maurer has wanted to do this play for years, but rights to perform it have not been available due to its Broadway revivals and productions by professional theatres in our area. Now that those rights are available, Maurer expects that local productions will be frequent.

"I love comedy, and I really enjoy farce," said Maurer who saw the London production over 30 years ago, "and now that rights are available, I knew I had to do it. It's very difficult. You need a cast with great comic timing because of all the physical comedy especially in the second act. So much of that is silent and pantomimed. Since casting three months ago, we've spent rehearsal time just getting the physical comedy right. It has to look spontaneous, but things are so carefully planned and timed. With a live audience present, they and their reactions become another element in the show's pace. The audience can feed the performance and give the cast a special kind of energy."

Maurer is also the production's set designer and revealed that "the basic concept for the set is spelled out very specifically. There have to be so many doors on this split level set which has the house's bathroom off the staircase between the floors. From those required elements, I designed the set. And there are so many times when things have to come on or come off the set at specific moments, so there has to be the space and the distance to allow that to flow and look natural. One of my favorite moments happens around spilled sardines, but I don't want to give too much away."

In addition to Lloyd Dallas, the director of "Nothing On" played by Tim Rerucha, the cast includes two behind the scenes workers, stage manager Tim Allgood played by Nick Kianka and assistant stage manager Poppy Norton-Taylor played by Allison DeKorte.

The other cast members have their own personal peculiarities: leading man Garry Lejeune played by Kevin Palardy isn't good at conversations beyond scripted dialogue; ingenue Brooke Ashton played by Jackie Galli is inexperienced and prone to losing contact lenses; gossipy Belinda Blair played by Erin Leder seems scheming; Freddie Fellowes played by Mark Applegate is prone to nosebleeds, and veteran character actor Selsdon Mowbray played by Peter Sauer must be kept away from alcohol.

Leading lady Dotty Otley is an aging TV actress who's one of the show's financial backers, and she's having an affair with Garry. Dotty plays the chatterbox housekeeper for the family in whose home the play is set, and she's played by Laurie Hardy whose previous roles at Kelsey and elsewhere locally include that caustic opera diva Maria Calls in Terrence McNally's "Master Class."

"Dotty is a character actress famous for playing roles like Mrs. Clackett," said Hardy, "who's fixated on her sardines. 'Nothing On' might be her swan song, and if the show's a hit, it's not only a boost for her ego but might give her some financial security. Dotty has often acted before with Selsdon, but she has a roving eye for younger men and, by the end, her relationship with Garry is strained. You might call her a bit of a cougar.

"Whatever role I'm doing seems to become an important part of my life. Against type, this past summer I played a Broadway diva in Langhorne Players' 'It's Only a Play.' I've played so many wonderful roles that I can't name them all, but Dotty was definitely on my bucket list recently. She has a special moment for me when she breaks the fourth wall and talks directly to the audience when everything seems to have gone to hell in a handbasket. And onstage, everything that goes wrong has to look so spontaneous, but all that timing is carefully planned out."

Trying to get everything in "Nothing On" working smoothly is the job of director Lloyd Dallas who also happens to be involved with both Brooke and Poppy. The role seems ideal for Tim Rerucha who's called "quite a character" by his own director and who had been doing roles in Florida theaters before moving north.

"Lloyd has a tough time balancing his relationships and keeping himself from blowing a gasket," said Rerucha, "but this has been a fun experience for me working with people who are all new to me. I have to admit that we're a terrific ensemble. Like Lloyd, I take delight in sarcasm, and, like Lloyd, it gets me through life although I'm not always so proud of that. I had other roles, like Garry, in mind when I auditioned, but a friend told me that I'm perfect for Lloyd. I'm not sure that's a compliment."

IF YOU GO

"Noises Off""

Where: Kelsey Theatre, West Windsor campus of Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor

When: through January 20; Friday & Saturday at 8; matinee on Sunday at 2

How much: Tickets are $18; $16 for seniors; $14 for students & children; $9 for MCCC faculty, staff and MCCC students with ID

Contact: (609) 570-3333 or Kelsey@mccc.org

Follow NJ.com on Twitter @njdotcom. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Jim's of Lambertville is a gallery widely known for its vast collection of works by the Pennsylvania Impressionists. The current exhibit there, however, features 60 paintings by Modernist, Gershon Benjamin.

Benjamin shared a studio with Milton Avery and was part of a circle of noted artists such as Mark Rothko, Adolph Gottlieb, John Sloan, Arshile Gorky and the Soyer brothers. His work is less well known, however, because he did not seek publicity nor commercial recognition as did the others. Upon his death in 1985 he left behind a large collection of works and the Gershon Benjamin Foundation was established for the purpose of placing them. The Spanierman Gallery in New York became their exclusive representative. According to Michael McClintock of Jim's of Lambertville, Jim Alterman purchased the 60 paintings from Spanierman Gallery that now are on exhibit in his gallery in Lambertville.

Benjamin's body of work includes oils, watercolors, gouache, pastels on paper and board, graphite drawings, and woodblock prints. The paintings cover a range from dark to colorful with some being finely detailed and others, such as "The Train Depot," where figures are loosely suggested with color strokes.

Benjamin's works are flat. There is little modeling and much black outlining which seems to hold the objects down on the picture plane. I found nothing lyrical or "pretty" in his works, but I found them enchanting. As if there is a story behind the image that is just waiting to be told. This especially in "At MoMa, The Turner Exhibit" a watercolor on black paper in which he shows us a figure in black standing straight, in an arms-at-its sides posture, before a wide dark frame surrounding a blue, raw sienna and yellow tempest with a tiny boat in the distance seen through a break in the turmoil. And entering Benjamin's painting from one side is an orange-dressed, black-outlined, non-descript figure. You have to wonder what Benjamin was saying with this painting. Why was a painting of Turner, who was a Romantic, portrayed in this manner? And what would Benjamin's painting be without the bright orange figure entering?

There are many figurative works in the collection. In some, the people are faceless, some have just some of their facial features and others are fully detailed. The portraits on display have all been brought to completion, including his "Self Portrait" done in pastels in 1971. Portraits, "Jewel" and "Tommy," though relatively flat in portrayal and outlined in black, present the figures in casual clothes and relaxed postures. It is interesting to note that while their faces are detailed, Benjamin never dealt with their hands.

The exhibition includes a portrait done in oils on canvas of his friend Milton Avery and an oil on board portrait of Avery's wife, Sally Avery. And there is "Portrait of Gershon Benjamin" done by Milton Avery in oils in 1945. Benjamin and Avery worked side by side and often painted one another when models were not available.

A full-color catalog accompanying the exhibition explains the fact that, though prolific, Benjamin, unlike the others in his circle, worked "from dusk to dawn in the art department of the New York Sun newspaper for many years." It explains that painting was a labor of love for him and he was not interested in competing with his friends. "As he saw it, his career was at the newspaper, his passion was creating art."

And create he did. You can see his passion in the figurative drawings and pastels on display. You can see him exploring and yearning to understand the human form. And you can see how working dusk to dawn at the newspaper played into the way he portrayed his environment. In "Sleeping City," a gouache on black paper, he presents dark structures against a night sky. And in "New York," an oil on gouache, both done in 1940, he shows us the same structures in the light of day.

The catalog points out that by the mid-1930s Benjamin was described as an Expressionist and was included in an exhibit titled Paintings by Selected Young Americans. Two works in this Lambertville exhibit that were done in that period are "Lee J.Cobb #3" an oil on canvas capturing a violinist playing his instrument. And "The Gossips," a watercolor portraying three almost faceless women sitting close together looking at a book one is holding, while another is holding a cigarette casually between her fingers.

Later, Benjamin and his wife, Zelda, began spending time in Free Acres, in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. A community that attracted artists of every stripe. On display is his pastel on board, "Ocean Grove Beach" that loosely suggests figures on the sand and a few beach umbrellas. Although this appears to be just a quick sketch, it successfully captures a day at the Jersey shore. There are other landscapes depicting a "Vermont Landscape," "Central Park," and even a large oil portrayal of the Grand Canyon.

This is a collection that offers everything from "Jo-Jo," a sleeping tuxedo cat to "Moonlight on the Brooklyn Bridge" and although Benjamin was inclined to create his work for his own desire and need to do so and chose to not market it, there is now this intriguing body of work to be enjoyed right here in Lambertville.

Also on continuing display at Jim's of Lambertville are new additions to Jim Alterman's vast collection of The Pennsylvania Impressionists.

IF YOU GO:

WHAT: Gershon Benjamin: The Art of Simplicity

WHERE: Jim's of Lambertville, 6 Bridge Street, Lambertville

WHEN: Through March. Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday-Friday; 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Saturday & Sunday

CONTACT: 609-397-7700. wwwl.jimsoflambertville.com

Follow NJ.com on Twitter @njdotcom. Find NJ.com on FacebookWASHINGTON  Rep. Frank Palllone Jr., the new chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, is once again pushing to ban oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic Ocean.

Pallone, D-6th Dist., first proposed the Clean Ocean and Safe Tourism (COAST) Anti-Drilling Act in 2015 as President Barack Obama considered allowing drilling off the Jersey Shore, and reintroduced it two years later.

But the issue gained new urgency when President Donald Trump proposed scrapping the current five-year drilling plan that runs through 2022 and excluded the Atlantic Coast, and instead proposing a new 2019-24 five-year plan that could allow drilling in more than 90 percent of the outer continental shelf, encompassing the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans.

President Trumps dangerous plans for offshore drilling will risk the livelihoods of millions on the Atlantic Coast and in New Jersey, said Pallone, D-6th Dist. An oil spill anywhere along the Atlantic Coast would cause severe environmental damage to fisheries, popular beaches and wildlife."

Pallones bill would ban the Interior Department from issuing leases to explore, develop or produce oil or gas in the Atlantic Ocean, Straits of Florida, or the eastern Gulf of Mexico. The entire New Jersey House delegation, 11 Democrats and Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist., is sponsoring the bill.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., plans to introduce the same bill in his chamber.

As climate change continues to threaten our shore communities, the last thing we need is another manmade disaster in the form of an offshore oil spill, Menendez said.

In addition, several other lawmakers plan to introduce legislation banning drilling in other areas, according to the National Resources Defense Council.

The Interior Department said it could not comment due to the partial government shutdown.

In April, Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation to ban drilling in the three miles of ocean that the state controls, and to prevent construction of any drilling infrastructure, including pipelines and docks, anywhere in New Jersey.

Then-Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke told New Jerseys House Republicans last February that they should expect the area around the Jersey Shore to continue to be off limits to drilling.

But no announcement was ever made and the Trump administration in November paved the way for seismic testing to search for oil and gas deposits in the Atlantic. That decision is being challenged in court.

An oil spill would jeopardize a $43 billion a year tourism industry that supports 500,000 jobs, a $7.9 billion a year commercial fishing industry that supports over 50,000 jobs, and a large saltwater recreational fishing industry.

It is critical for Congress to stand up to Donald Trump and block his reckless plan to drill off our coast," said Jeff Tittel, director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. This is the biggest risk to our coast in over 40 years.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant or on Facebook. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.An audit of New Jerseys generous corporate tax incentives programs describes an Economic Development Authority incapable of verifying the businesses that are poised to receive $11 billion in tax breaks have made the investments in jobs and capital they had promised.

The comptrollers audit, released Wednesday, found the EDA may have improperly awarded, miscalculated, overstated and overpaid tax credits, resulting in the loss of untold amounts of potential tax revenue.

Gov. Phil Murphy ordered the audit of the EDA as one of his first moves after coming into office last January. He had accused his Republican predecessor, Gov. Chris Christie of throwing $8 billion in lucrative tax breaks at huge corporations and depleting state coffers of badly needed revenue.

Murphy, a Democrat, said at a news conference Wednesday that the report confirms some of our worst suspicions that billions of dollars worth of state tax incentives were awarded by the Christie administration with little regard to oversight or transparency and even less regard for making sure we actually got a return on the taxpayers' investment."

The states deep dive tax incentives has been highly controversial. Opponents say it suffers from a serious lack of credibility. Supporters say that it has helped create and retain employers and jobs in a high-cost state facing stiff competition from less expensive states.

As of February, the EDA had approved 1,000 incentive awards worth $11 billion since its inception about 15 years ago, according to the audit. In order to receive those credits, businesses were supposed to create 161,804 jobs, retain 80,027 jobs and make $34 billion in capital investments.

But in reality the state has paid out much less. It has certified 401 projects as hitting their goals and actually receiving the benefit. Those 401 projects were awarded $3.4 billion in tax credits and slated to create 50,633 new jobs, retain 33,727 jobs and generate $9.3 billion in capital investment..

The comptrollers office, which reviewed a little more than a tenth of those 401 projects, found the EDA had not properly determined whether businesses had, in fact, created or retained the jobs they said they would.

It also said the EDA did not evaluate whether programs generated any economic benefits to the state.

EDA has not consistently collected sufficient information from recipients regarding the employees who fill incented jobs, the report says. This deficiency prevents EDA from adequately verifying and confirming the recipient-reported data and from concluding that incented jobs were actually created or retained.

The EDA certified projects and released tax credits  in violation of the law creating the incentive program  even when projects didnt meet the requirements, it found. The EDA argued in response this was appropriate because the state still had derived some benefit. The EDA issued awards even when the recipient had reported incorrect job data, it found.

The EDA administers five tax incentive programs, several of which are expired. The two large, active programs  the Grow New Jersey Assistance Program and the Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant Program  are set to expire in July unless renewed by the Legislature and governor.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney on Wednesday expressed support for the programs themselves, saying they have succeeded in revitalizing some of New Jerseys struggling urban areas.

"I think the GROW program has done wonders in the state. I think its been good for Camden and south Jersey, said Sweeney, D-Gloucester.

The audit is concerning, Sweeney said, while noting it condemns the EDAs oversight but not the programs themselves.

Its unfortunate the agency didnt do its job, he said. We passed the GROW program and I stand by that it was a good program. But the agency thats in charge of it obviously has to do its job, period. And if they didnt do their job, they have to explain why.

It really is up to the EDA to do its job, but I dont think you kill the program because the agency didnt do its job," Sweeney said, adding its up to Murphy to straighten out the EDA.

Murphy said he already sent the state Legislature bills to improve the system.

We must have a program that is strategic and smart  the exact opposite of what we got," the governor said.

Murphy also said its too early to tell if the state would seek legal grounds to recoup some of this money but added they would do so aggressively if there are.

I think and dream what we could have done with $11 billion well spent, he said. It makes me incredibly angry.

Sheila Reynterson, senior policy analyst at New Jersey Policy Perspective, which has for years called for heightened scrutiny of the tax incentives and even a moratorium barring any new awards, said taxpayers have been let down.

Every New Jersey taxpayer should be furious knowing that the state has handed out billions of dollars in corporate tax breaks  with no real strings attached  while simultaneously cutting funds for public schools, NJ Transit, and state colleges and universities, she said.

The states failure to produce annual reporting, as required by law, is an insult to taxpayers who expect state dollars to be sufficiently monitored," she said.

State Treasurer Elizabeth Muoio estimated corporations cashed in $449 million in tax credits last fiscal year, and that number is only expected to grow each year in the future. She also said 60 percent of all tax credits awarded are being sold to other corporations.

A spokeswoman for the Economic Development Authority did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a written response to the audit, EDA CEO Tim Sullivan said the authority disagrees with the comptrollers conclusion that some of its activities were deficient.

The authority has hired a CPA to randomly audit job reports, is updating its data information systems, regularly seeks guidance from the Attorney Generals Office and has created a compliance division to improve its oversight, it says.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this report.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.EDITORS NOTE: Interested in the marijuana business industry? NJ Cannabis Insider is a new premium intelligence briefing that features exclusive weekly content geared toward entrepreneurs, lawyers and realtors. View a sample issue.

New Jerseys top three elected state officials wont meet Thursday after all to resume talks about finally increasing the minimum wage and legalizing marijuana in the state.

Gov. Phil Murphy and his fellow Democrats who lead the state Legislature  state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex  had tentatively planned to sit down for their first meeting of the new year.

But the session has been postponed, three legislative sources and an administration source confirmed to NJ Advance Media on Wednesday.

Two sources said the meeting would have been difficult because Murphys chief of staff, Pete Cammarano, is testifying Thursday before the special legislative committee investigating how Murphys team responded to Katie Brennans rape allegations.

A new date for the sit-down has not been scheduled, though the hope is to meet later this month, the sources added.

The sources spoke on the condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to publicly discuss the issue.

This means its unlikely the meeting will happen in the few days before Murphy delivers his first State of the State address at the Statehouse in Trenton on Tuesday  nearly one year after he succeeded Republican Chris Christie as governor.

Murphy and top lawmakers have sometimes had a frosty relationship but need to work together to enact legislation.

They enter the new year trying to make progress on two big Democratic priorities that have stalled for months: a bill to increase New Jerseys minimum wage to $15 an hour and another to legalize recreational marijuana here.

Insiders say the three are much closer on an agreement on minimum wage.

But a legislative source said Sweeney and Coughlin sent Murphy a letter on Dec. 18 discussing a possible deal and they have not heard back from the governors office.

A spokesman for Murphy declined to comment.

Its not clear how close the three are to an agreement on legalizing adult use marijuana. Thats expected to take longer.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.Albert J. Alvarez, the former official in Gov. Phil Murphys administration accused of sexually assaulting Katie Brennan during the 2017 campaign, told his boss before resigning in October that he was being falsely accused of rape and the encounter was consensual, the boss testified Tuesday.

Lizette Delgado-Polanco, CEO of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, told a special legislative committee that Alvarez  whom she described as a good employee  abruptly submitted his resignation in person on Oct. 2.

He said to me that he had been contacted by the Wall Street Journal and that they were going to write a story that he had allegedly raped someone on the campaign, Delgado-Polanco said. I felt like somebody threw a glass of cold water in my face.

Brennan has accused Alvarez of raping her in her apartment after a campaign gathering in Jersey City in April 2017. Shes testified that she informed members of the transition team and administration that Alvarez raped her but that he was nevertheless hired and kept in the transition and administrations employ.

A special legislative committee is investigating the administrations handling of Brennans allegations. Officials have testified that Murphys chief counsel and Delgado-Polancos predecessor at the SDA asked Alvarez to look for a new job outside of state government in March and again in June. But he was still working for the state in October.

Delgado-Polanco, who took office in August, said she was told that Alvarez was leaving his job but not the circumstances surrounding his departure.

It would have been nice. I would have appreciated it," she said during her testimony at the Statehouse in Trenton. Could I have used a heads up? Absolutely.

Alvarez told her he would help her through the transition but he found the commute from Bergen County taxing and he wanted to spend more time with his family. He was weighing job offers, she said.

So Delgado-Polanco was shocked, she said, when Alvarez asked to meet with her privately on Oct. 2.

He told her he was in a consensual relationship with a woman  he didnt use Brennans name  and that she was married and now claiming rape, Delgado-Polanco testified. Alvarez said authorities had declined to press charges but assured her he would not drag the authority through this and would resign immediately, she testified.

It was a pretty big shock, Delgado-Polanco said. I had to take a minute or two to compose myself because I just couldnt believe that was happening.

Alvarez has not been charged with a crime and has publicly denied the charges.

Delgado-Polanco said she never would have let Alvarez stay on if she had known of the allegations against him.

I am a fierce advocate for women and womens rights," she said. "I would not have someone with that type of allegation working for me.

State Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, co-chairwoman of the special committee, asked Delgado-Polanco if she thought it possible Brennan had fabricated the allegation.

Delgado-Polanco responded that based on her pre-existing relationship with Brennan from the New Leaders Council, a training ground for young progressives interested in politics and government, she didnt think so.

She doesnt come across as an unstable person like that. She has always been professional, Delgado-Polanco said.

Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter@SusanKLivio.Gov. Phil Murphy signed a pair of popular bills into law Tuesday that are designed to make New Jersey private schools and houses of worship safer.

One measure (A4597) will direct $11.3 million to double the amount of security aid per pupil at private schools. Currently, the state spends $75 per student. The state will dole out $150 under the new law.

The other bill (A3906) amends a grant program to allow nonprofits like churches, mosques and synagogues to apply for safety equipment and security.

I am proud to sign two bills into law that help ensure that anyone visiting a school, house of worship, or community center may be free of fear and intimidation, Murphy, a Democrat, said at a bill-signing ceremony at YBH of Passaic, a K-8 yeshiva.

Both bills passed the state Legislature with broad bipartisan support.

A4597 passed the state Assembly 78-0 and the state Senate 38-0. A3906 passed the Assembly 76-0 and the Senate 40-0.

New Jersey already spends more than $100 million a year on aid to private schools, including funding for textbooks, school nurses and technology. The state has gradually increased security funding for private schools in recent years.

New Jersey public schools receive about $200 per student for security aide.

Keeping all of New Jerseys children safe is our number one responsibility as parents, leaders in the community, and legislators, said state Assemblyman Gary Schaer, D-Passaic, one of the bills prime sponsors.

The allocated funds will double the amount spent on security services, equipment, or technology and will ensure a safe and secure school environment for all students," Schaer added.

Another sponsor, state Sen. Christopher Kip Bateman, said New Jerseyans need to be "extremely concerned about the rise of anti-Semitism and bias crimes in our country."

I am glad to see us take action on a bipartisan basis to stand up to hate and ensure that our houses of worship and nonprofits can continue to be beacons of hope for people in need, Bateman, R-Somerset, said. "No one should be forced to worship in fear.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Adam Clark contributed to this report.

Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or Facebook.UPDATE: Coast Guard was escorting boat when it capsized off Oregon, killing 2 N.J. fishermen

Three commercial fishermen, including two from New Jersey, died after a boat capsized off the coast of Oregon Tuesday night, officials said.

James Lacey, 48, of South Toms River, and the skipper, Stephen Biernacki, 50 of Barnegat, were aboard the Mary B II when it capsized just after 10 p.m. local time, Oregon State Police said in a statement.

U.S. Coast Guard rescuers searching by helicopter found Lacey in the Pacific Ocean and flew him to a hospital in Newport, Oregon, where he was pronounced dead.

The Newport Fire Department located the body of another crew member, Joshua Porter, 50, of Toledo, Oregon, near Nye Beach around 12:30 a.m. Biernacki was later found near the boat after it ran aground near the north side of the Yaquina Bays north jetty. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Coast Guards Air Facility Newport and Station Yaquina Bay boat crews battled 12 to 14 foot seas during the search for the men. Newport is along Oregons central coast, about 130 miles southwest of Portland.

There are no words thst can explain what I'm feeling right now Josh Porter thank you for loving me so unconditionally I... Posted by Denise Barrett-Porter on Wednesday, January 9, 2019

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Protestors took to the streets of Paterson Tuesday night to demand answers about how a 27-year-old who showed up at the city police station early Saturday ended up dying in a hospital bed two days later.

Jameek Lowery, a city resident apparently high on what he believed to be ecstasy, came to the Paterson Police Department early Saturday, where he shot a sometimes incoherent video of himself before he was subdued and taken to the hospital.

When he arrived at St. Josephs University Medical Center, he was unresponsive, and died early Monday, according to a release from the Passaic County Prosecutors Office. The agency said that Lowery had to be restrained by officers who used physical force and compliance holds" to secure him in an ambulance.

A cause of death has not yet been determined, the office said, but the office said that 'hospital records indicate no acute trauma."

A large crowd took to Paterson Police Headquarters on Tuesday and could be heard shouting justice while holding up signs that said black lives matter and Justice 4 Jameek."

#ICYMI The parents of Jameek Lowery speak out about their sons death after going to Police HQ looking for help. The reason for protests in Paterson today. @PIX11News #JameekLowery #Paterson #BREAKING #NewJersey pic.twitter.com/VpfsfMdLJV  Cristian Benavides (@cbenavidesTV) January 9, 2019

In one video, Lowerys parents questioned how police handled their interaction with Lowery.

Why didnt they help him?" his mother asked. Why? All I wanna know is why the heck didnt yall help my son.

Paterson Police Director Jerry Speziale could not be reached for comment on the protest Tuesday night.

Before he showed up at the police department, Lowery called 911 at 2:45 a.m. on Saturday and said he had taken ecstasy and was paranoid," according to the prosecutors office release.

Rally has paused as people seem to be addressing Paterson officers directly. Tensions are high. One person yelled you deserve to die not us. @northjersey pic.twitter.com/aXjvTW6SRY  Josh Jongsma (@jongsmjo) January 8, 2019

He was taken to St. Josephs University Medical Center at 3:04 a.m., but left after becoming erratic," the release said.

A statement from the Paterson Mayor Andre Sayeghs office said Lowery called 911 again at 3:44 a.m. from a Wendys on Broadway and then walked into police headquarters and requested assistance a few minutes later.

A mayors statement said his second ride to St. Josephs took just over 3 minutes; the Prosecutors Office said the drive to the nearby hospital took between 5 and 12 minutes.

Broken eye socket.Broken cheek bone.Stitches, bruises & scratches.

Meek Lowery live streamed this video while at the Paterson Police Department and was physically uninjured. Yet, when they finally call the ambulance for him as he requested he ends up like this?#JUSTICEFORMEEK pic.twitter.com/x5djX5t1Bo  NamedNia (@nitaughtyou) January 8, 2019

Photos posted to Twitter showed Lowery in a hospital bed on a respirator and claim that he had a broken eye socket and cheek bone, and had bruises and scratches.

In the video streamed on Facebook, Lowery appeared to be sweating heavily and yelling for water in the citys Broadway public safety headquarters. He told officers someone there is trying to kill him. One officer appears to use his flashlight to show Lowery nobody is there.

Please dont shoot me, he said.

They try to kill me...he right there, Lowery says as he enters the station. Im just paranoid"

Lowery is incoherent at points through the video, yelling about someone trying to kill him as officers looked on.

Im dead by the next hour or two, they did it, I didnt touch them at all, he yells.

Posted by Meek Lowery on Saturday, January 5, 2019

An officer responds they might have water in a responding ambulance.

They going to kill me on the ambulance, Lowery said.

No, theyre not, an officer responded.

As the video continued, emergency medical technicians arrived and spoke to Lowery. who continues asking for water. A man who appears to be a Fire Department responder says they will take him to the hospital for water.

Sayegh said the prosecutors office is investigating every step of the series of events that lead to Lowerys death and that they are interviewing officers as well as medical staff at St. Josephs.

I completely support a full investigation into Saturday evenings events, Sayegh said. "In the meantime, I have expressed my condolences to the family of Mr. Lowery, who are suffering during this difficult time. I ask that all Patersonians share their prayers and condolences.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook.A survey with mysterious origins arrived in Sayreville residents mailboxes last month  and the mayor called it full of crap.

The 21-question survey asked residents what they thought about a multibillion-dollar development coming to their borough. Both Mayor Kennedy OBrien and representatives from the company set to develop the land say they dont know where the survey came from. They speculate it is a last-ditch effort to stir up opposition to the 418-acre project planned along the Raritan River.

North American Properties, a multi-regional real estate and development company, announced plans in 2017 to build a mixed-use, village-style development on the former National Lead Industries property. Dubbed Riverton, it is set to include retail, restaurants, office space, hotels, parks, a marina and 2,000 residential units, according to NJ Advance Media and My Central Jersey news reports. The company plans to break ground on the $2.5 billion project later this year, with a Bass Pro Shop to be completed within two years, and other buildings coming later.

Cleaning up the land, getting residents input, and gaining approval for development has taken two decades. But the survey  arriving in late December from an organization called National Community-Based Development Initiative  came as a surprise.

It is phony, OBrien said, adding that it did not come from Sayreville officials and has no affiliation with the Riverton project.

Kevin Polston, a project executive for North American Properties, said the company was not involved with the poll.

About six residents already called the borough to ask about the surveys legitimacy, according to Dan Frankel, the Sayreville business administrator.

The return address provided for residents to mail back a paper copy of the survey was a P.O. box in Washington D.C. No street address or phone number can be found on the surveys cover letter or its associated website, a North American Properties spokesman said.

Some residents found it suspicious that the address on a return envelope was for a P.O. box in Washington DC rather than a street address.

The organizations website claims it is a coalition of land use, transportation, and development experts along with housing advocates, and municipal leaders. However, it does not list who those experts, leaders, and advocates are. It also does not list who leads the organization.

The online version of the survey requires respondents to answer questions about what they think will be harmful about the Riverton project. Another question forces respondents to check boxes about what they think will be good about the development. Respondents cannot submit the survey without selecting a pre-written answer.

The organizations domain name was registered on September 4, 2018, through a proxy, which ensures the websites owner remains private, according to Joseph P. Ambrosio, executive director of the Sayreville Economic and Redevelopment Agency (SERA).

SERA officials attempted to reach the organization through an email address on the surveys cover letter. They did not receive a response, according to a January 8 press release. NJ Advance Media sent a message to the same email address and received an automatic out-of-office response stating Ganesha Martin, a senior advisor, is out of the country and will be back to work on January 21. NJ Advance Media sent an email to a second account associated with the organization, but did not receive a response.

SERA officials, who are overseeing the project, are demanding to know what entity is behind this survey, why it was distributed throughout Sayreville, how it is funded and why, according to a SERA press release.

OBrien said the borough isnt pursuing a formal investigation; whoever sent the survey did not commit a crime.

Cassidy Grom may be reached at cgrom@njadvancemedia.com Follow her at @cassidygrom. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tipsHe was once given an award for arresting Superstorm Sandy looters.

Now he's headed to prison for his own Superstorm Sandy greed.

Former Hoboken Police Officer Nikola Lulaj, 45, who fraudulently collected $187,000 in relief funds after the once-in-a-lifetime storm, was sentenced Monday to five years in prison, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced. His wife, Majlinda Lulaj, 32, was sentenced to three years of probation, conditioned upon completion of 50 hours of community service.

The couple was convicted on Oct. 25 of second-degree conspiracy, second-degree theft by deception, and six counts of fourth-degree unsworn falsification. Lulaj and his wife, who appeared Monday before Superior Court Judge James M. Blaney in Ocean County, was ordered to pay full restitution.

They falsely claimed in relief fund applications that a home they own on Webster Avenue in Seaside Heights, which was damaged by Superstorm Sandy, was their primary residence at the time Sandy struck in late October 2012. They have since moved to the home in Seaside Heights, but at the time their primary residence was in Dumont.

As a result of the fraudulent applications, the couple received $2,820 from FEMA, $90,200 in Small Business Administration loan proceeds, a $69,054 Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation grant, a $10,000 Homeowner Resettlement Program grant, and a $15,000 Sandy Homeowner and Renter Assistance Program grant.

As a result of Nikola Lulaj's conviction, he forfeited his job as an officer with the Hoboken Police Department. In 2013, at the city's police awards ceremony, he and another officer were cited for arresting two looters who ransacked a convenience store at Third and Madison streets on Oct. 31, 2012, during the blackout and flooding that followed the storm.

"For a police officer to commit this type of fraud is particularly egregious, because officers take an oath to uphold the law and we rightly hold them to the highest standards," Grewal said in a statement. "When disaster strikes, we cannot allow dishonest applicants to divert disaster relief funds from the intended recipients -- namely, those victims whose primary homes were destroyed or damaged."

The Attorney General's Office has charged more than 120 people with fraud in excess of $8 million related to Sandy relief programs, with most of the cases involving "primary residence fraud" of the type committed by Nikola and Majlinda Lulaj.

"We have recovered well over $2 million through these prosecutions and have delivered a strong message that should deter this type of fraud during future disaster recovery efforts," Veronica Allende, director of the division of criminal justice, said in a statement. "I commend our trial team for securing the verdict and these sentences, and I thank all of our law enforcement partners for their excellent work in these historic anti-fraud efforts."Authorities have arrested a 16-year-old boy accused of gunning down a teenager last month in Jersey City and charged a 14- and 15-year-old as his accomplices, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced yesterday.

The boys face a slew of offenses stemming from the Dec. 26 murder of Judane Holmes, a Snyder High School student who was shot after placing an order at a fried chicken restaurant on Martin Luther King Drive just before 3:30 p.m.

"This is just a horrible story on all fronts; it shows how easily accessible guns are, even amongst young people," Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop said in a statement. "The JCPD suspected that Judane was a target as retaliation for an earlier event he was involved in and the JCPD had reached out several times directly to his family in the previous 3 weeks in a plea for their help.

"This story is really so tragic and it reinforces that the only way we will move forward is with community support," he added.

When asked, the city did not provide additional details on what may have precipitated the deadly violence. Holmes' family did not reply to messages seeking comment on Fulop's statement.

The 16-year-old is charged with murder, while the two others are charged as accomplices in the fatal shooting. All three are also charged with possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a firearm, Suarez said.

The 14-year-old was arrested on Friday in the area of Virginia Avenue in Jersey City and the 15-year was arrested in the area of Sawmill Road in Alloway Township the same day. The 16-year-old was arrested Monday at the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City, Suarez said.

The boys are currently charged as juveniles. The maximum sentence for a juvenile adjudicated guilty of murder is 20 years. In some cases, juveniles are waived up from Family Court and prosecuted as adults in the Superior Court Criminal Division at the request of the prosecutor's office and with a ruling by a judge. The penalty for murder in criminal court is 30 years to life.

The names of the boys charged in Holmes' death have not been released due to their age. If they are waived up to criminal court, their names will become public.

"The ages of the youth involved deeply concerns me and it reveals the urgent need for early prevention," said Pamela Johnson, the director of the Jersey City Anti-Violence Coalition Movement. "We have to provide the necessary resources and services to our youth as early as pre-K and continue that strategy in the school, in the home and in the community."

At about 3:25 p.m. on the day of the shooting police responded to the area of Bidwell Avenue in Jersey City and found Holmes suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:35 p.m.

Following a postmortem conducted at the state Regional Medical Examiner's Office in Newark, it was concluded that Holmes died as a result of the gunshot wound and his death was rule a homicide.

Holmes was one of four Jersey City high school students killed in 2018:

Jade Saunders, 17, a Lincoln High School student, was gunned down while hanging out with friends in a building on Brinkerhoff Street in Jersey City on Oct. 26. Three others were also wounded in the shooting.

Alterik Ellis, 25, and Travis Defoe, 28, have been charged.

Angel Cruz, 18, a Lincoln High School student, was fatally shot on Wade Street on Jan. 29, 2018. Kahsaun Bell, 19, of Roselle, has been charged in the murder. He awaits trial.

Jaydon Fondeur, 17, a Ferris High School student, was hanging out with friends at Old Bergen Road and Pamrapo Avenue on Sept. 19, 2018 when he was fatally shot. No arrests have been made.

"It's upsetting that so many children in Jersey City believe they don't have options. I see their hopelessness and despair firsthand," Johnson said. "Folks need to understand that these are children being gunned down and in some cases children being arrested for committing the act.

"That's simply heartbreaking."Kearny scout troop leader completes eagle project

Seventeen-year old Lyndhurst High School senior Anthony Hayes recently completed the work on his Eagle Scout Service Project on the grounds of Saint Stephen's Church in Kearny. Hayes is the Senior Patrol Leader of Troop 305 in Kearny.

Only approximately four percent of all scouts achieve this recognition. Besides having to earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, including 13 required ones, scouts must complete a community service project that will benefit an organization other than the Boy Scouts of America. The candidate has to plan, fund-raise, secure materials, and oversee the execution of the completed project. This includes managing scout leaders and fellow scouts in leadership activities throughout the endeavor.

Hayes designed a permanent fire ring structure for ceremonies held by the Scouts on the lawn of St. Stephens Church, including bonfires at the Easter Vigil and flag retirement ceremonies for Memorial Day and 9-11 remembrance events. The ring is not only for Unit 305 but also for other organizations in the local community. Hayes, along with other scouts and volunteers, held a Spooktacular Pancake Breakfast with food, games, and activities in Hedges Hall of St. Stephens Church this past October.

Christmas tree pickups in Jersey City

Jersey City residents looking to dispose of their Christmas trees may place them on their curbs for pickup throughout the month of January. Residents are encouraged to place them outside every Wednesday evening for pickup on Thursday. All trees must be stripped of ornaments, lights, and decorations and bagged or wrapped trees will not be picked up.

Hackensack Riverkeeper accepting scholarship applications

Hackensack Riverkeeper is currently accepting applications for the 2019 Ron Vellekamp Environmental Scholarship. The 19-year old program was named in honor of the late Ridgefield, NJ science teacher and founding Riverkeeper Trustee and helps support college-bound high school seniors who excel academically and who have a strong commitment environmental protection.

Seniors at 66 high schools in Bergen, Hudson and Rockland Counties are eligible to be nominated by a teacher or guidance counselor for the award. Applications must be postmarked no later than Earth Day, April 22. A panel of Hackensack Riverkeeper Trustees and staffers led by Captains Bill Sheehan and Hugh Carola will review each application and consider the students academic achievements, environmental extracurricular activities and future plans. The winner of the $1,000 unrestricted award will be announced by June 1.

One requirement that must be met for any student to be considered is that all applicants live within the 210-square mile Hackensack River Watershed and/or attend a school within that region. A list of watershed municipalities is available on hackensackriverkeeper.org. For those residing in bi-watershed communities like Jersey City and Paramus, or Ramapo, NY nominators are advised to ensure a students eligibility before submitting. Copies of the scholarship criteria have already been sent to the Guidance Directors at all schools within the region.

New film revisits home where Bayonne vet was nearly lynched

A new documentary film about Navy vet James Fair, Jr., from Bayonne, will be screened at the Friendship Baptist Church, 41 West 20th St., Bayonne, on Feb. 4, with three different screenings beginning at 7 p.m. The Bayonne Board of Education will also host a screening and discussion at the Bayonne Public Library, 697 Ave. C, Bayonne, on Feb. 5. New Jersey City University will host the final screening and discussion on Feb. 6, at NJCUs School of Business, 200, Hudson St. Jersey City. All three programs are free and open to the public.

The film revisits the ancestral Georgia home of Cissy, Whitney Houston, and Dionne Warwick, where Fair Jr. was nearly lynched in 1960. The 65-minute documentary was made by Boston-based filmmaker Clennon L. King, who will be on hand at all screenings to introduce the movie. A Q&A discussion with the audience will follow the screening.

Catholic charities receive donations

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark recently announced a receipt of a $50,000 donation from Martin Joseph Montuoro. Montuoro provided the largest single donation to the agency last fiscal year of $150,000, which was used to establish a designated Memorial Fund in the names of his wife Barbara, and youngest son, Joseph Andrew.

Montuoro was owner and President of RPM Sales, which served the Consumer Electronics Industry for over 30 years. In recent years he has dedicated much of his time working with charitable causes including Catholic Charities, Morris Museum, and St. Barnabas Medical Center. The Montuoro Memorial Fund was dedicated at St. Lucys Homeless Shelter in Jersey City earlier this year, where donations aid the men and women who receive services there.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Newark also announced another $20,000 toy donation from the Kefalas-Pinto Foundation along with Discovery Toys which will provide an array of age-appropriate educational toys for hundreds of children involved with their programs throughout Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union Counties. Both organizations collaborated to provide a similar donation last year.

UNICO visits pediatric medical daycare

UNICO National Chapter of Bayonne President James Sucato and Vice President Paul Weeks visited UCP of Hudson Countys Pediatric Medical Daycare, located at 10 West 33rd St, with Santa to distribute gifts to children.

New Jersey kids to star in youth theater musical

The Drama Desk award-winning TADA! Youth Theater will present the futuristic rock musical Odd Day Rain. The play takes place in 2211, 8 years after a worldwide disaster. The main character, Aurora, and her friends live outside without any adults, computers, running water, and cellphones.

New Jersey children appearing in Odd Day Rain include: Riya Nagpal, 16, as Aurora; Sophia Donath, 12, as Giselle; Rhianah Devanae Hampton, 10, as Brit. Riya is currently a junior at Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School in Jersey City.

Performances of Odd Day Rain begin Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. and tun through Feb. 18 at 12 and 2 p.m.

For tickets, visit tadatheater.com/shows/buy-tickets-3 for more information. Discounted rates are available for nonprofit and community groups of 15 or more; please reach out to Dane Jerabek at djerabek@tadatheater.com for more information.

Shoprite of Hoboken donates to Diabetes Research Institute

Inserra Supermarkets and the Inserra Family Foundation presented the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation (DRIF) with a check for $410,114.06 this past November. The donation resulted from the companys annual summer DRI fundraisers at all of its Inserra family owned and operated ShopRite and Price Rite Marketplace stores. The Inserra Family matched the $205,057.03 donations raised at the stores. During the check presentation, Inserra Supermarkets Chairman and CEO Lawrence Inserra, Jr. fulfilled a campaign promise to dress up as Snoopy if the stores exceeded their fundraising goals. All money donated goes directly to the innovative research for the cure at the Diabetes Research Institute.

Tree lighting honors Jersey City Police Lieutenant

A group of Bergen-Lafayette residents in Jersey City recently gathered before Christmas to hold a tree lighting at Gateway Park, situated between Beloved Charter School and the Booker T. Washington and City Crossing apartments, in honor of Lt. Christopher Robateau who passed away last January after a vehicular accident.

Home Depot donated the tree for the occasion along with educational toys for kids. The Department of Public Works helped set up the tree lighting and local groups such as the Jersey City Parks Coalition, Center St. Block Association, and Concerned Parents Association of PS16 donated various prizes, books, and toys for a giveaway.

JCPD officers helped distribute the prizes to kids and the Fire Department supplied a gong truck with free hot chocolate. Ward F community leader Michael Griffin has donned a Santa suit and rode into the park on a Fire Truck giving out presents and taking photos with children. Mayor Steven Fulop came to light the tree as the guest of honor, and Police Chief Mike Kelly gave a speech proclaiming the park as a future Robateau Park.A child from Central Jersey has died from the flu, state officials said, marking the first pediatric flu death in the state this season.

The child died in late December, according to a statement from the state Department of Health. The childs age and gender were not released to protect the familys privacy, officials said. The statement did not say whether the child had underlying conditions that contributed to his or her death.

I am deeply saddened for the family of this young child, who experienced an unthinkable loss, Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal said in the statement.

The flu is just starting to ramp up in New Jersey this season, recently reaching high flu activity levels in all 21 counties.

Because influenza levels are now widespread throughout the state, health officials are urging people to get a flu shot immediately if they havent done so already.

State health officials said getting a flu shot is especially important for health care workers, pregnant woman, children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems to prevent complications from flu-related illness.

The state Health Department also recommends that people take extra precautions as the flu season continues to progress, including washing hands frequently, covering coughs and sneezes, staying home and seeking out your medical provider if sick, especially with a fever.

Residents can find flu vaccination clinics near them by calling their local health department or by visiting CDC.gov.

Local health department contact information can be found by visiting LocalHealth.NJ.gov.

To learn more about the flu, click here.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have information about this story or something else we should be covering? Tell us. nj.com/tipsA national property rights advocate is hailing a New Jersey appeals court decision this week as one with nationwide implications.

A three-judge panel unanimously overruled a decision that allowed Glassboro to take property from a landowner through the use of eminent domain without designating the specific purpose for the acquisition.

The Institute for Justice, which filed a supporting legal brief in the case, said the ruling affirms that this means the government must meet real burdens before it forcibly acquires property.

The importance of the decision is to say that there absolutely are limits on eminent domain power and those limits can and should be enforced by the courts, said Robert McNamara, of the Institute for Justice.

The case sprung from a dispute in Glassboro in an area near the borough and Rowan Universitys ongoing large-scale redevelopment effort to create a walkable downtown that connects the college and borough with a mix of retail, residential, and educational space. The borough sought to acquire a nearly one-acre property on the edge of the redevelopment area in September of 2017. That triggered the court action which concluded this week.

We hold that if a landowner within the redevelopment area contests the necessity of a condemnationthe statute logically requires the condemning authority to articulate a definitive need to acquire the parcel for an identified redevelopment project, the decision states. That articulated need must be more specific than the mere stockpiling of real estate that might, hypothetically, be useful for a redevelopment project in the future.

M. James Maley, Jr., an attorney who represented the borough in the court action, and Borough Administrator Joe Brigandi Jr. declined to comment Tuesday. Glassboro successfully won the first stage of the action with a superior court ruling approving its decision to acquire the property.

But Mondays ruling was clearly a victory for the defendants.

The court rejected the theory of the municipality that they can take it and plan later what to do with it, said R. William Potter, an attorney for the landowner and a pair of recent Rowan graduates who had an agreement of sale for the property. This is a very important area that needed clarification. Some municipalities that weve encountered will take property without having a specific reason to do so. They simply are land-banking or stockpiling, as the court calls it.

Glassboro said it needed the property located on North Academy Street for additional parking near the $450 million mixed-use development project near Rowans growing campus. But Potter said the boroughs own planners had recently reported a need to reduce a glut of parking in the area, which includes a multi-level indoor lot near the site.

The condemning authority in such a contested case must present to the court at least some evidence  consisting of facts, expert opinion, or both  that provides reasonable substantiation of the need, the ruling said.

Potter said Glassboro tried to low-ball his clients with an offer of $125,000 for the property, a grassy lot with only a shed on it. The property owners and former Rowan students who were buying the property had previously agreed to the same sale price, according to the ruling.

Now, Glassboro is obligated to reimburse the defendants for Potters legal fees, he said. The ruling could be appealed to the state Supreme Court but Potter said he doesnt expect that to happen.

It provides essential protection for property owners of willy-nilly taking of their property when theres no necessity for doing that, he said. It also protects taxpayers who dont have to foot the bill for property that will essentially sit abandoned and vacant until the municipality figures out what to do with it.

McNamara said municipalities in New Jersey are among the nations leaders in eminent domain use.

Increasingly government officials with the power of eminent domain are engaging what amounts to land speculation so that they can hold on to it with the hope that some worthwhile project will come along, he said. Thats happening increasingly in New Jersey.

Bill Duhart may be reached at bduhart@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bduhart. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tipsQuickChek has taken sides in what may be New Jerseys greatest food debate, while throwing up its hands in another.

You no longer have to pick between bacon, sausage or Taylor ham/pork roll on a breakfast sandwich  The Boss at QuickChek features all three, essentially the fat breakfast sandwich to end all fat breakfast sandwiches. But the convenience store did take sides in another debate. According to QuickChek, its pork roll, not Taylor ham.

Thats right. Bacon, sausage, pork roll, egg and cheese on an English muffin. Thats 556 calories of greasy goodness and 33 grams of fat, more than two thirds of your daily recommended cholesterol and a days worth of sodium. All for just $3.69! No word on how much the cardiologist will bill you after you finish.

QuickChek is based in Hunterdon Countys Whitehouse Station, making its decision in the Taylor ham/pork roll battle interesting. North Jersey tends to go with Taylor ham and South Jersey rocks with pork roll, though Whitehouse Station is a fairly central location. Is there a Central Jersey? Thats a debate for another day.

No word from QuickChek on if the sandwich is named after Bruce Springsteen, but cmon  this is a New Jersey-based company, after all.

We tried the colossal breakfast sandwich, ready to scoff at the ridiculous combination of meats. But uh, it turns out its pretty tasty. Better than the bacon, egg and cheese youll get at your local bagel shop? Definitely not. But as far as convenience store breakfast sandwiches, this one was pretty damn good. It wont win any awards for presentation, but the three distinct meat flavors were certainly present and made for a passable breakfast sandwich.

Jeremy Schneider may be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Schneider. Find NJ.com on Facebook."Comfort on the Corner" is the motto of the Hopewell Valley Bistro & Inn, Hopewell's oldest restaurant after more than 40 years as a family-owned business.

There have been some changes at the bistro; it has become a jazz lover's mecca with its "Jazz on Broad" series hosted by well-known local pianist Phil Orr. But the casual, hometown feel of the restaurant and bar remains the same. Owned by Susan Molnar for the past 18 years, it was operated by her parents Ernie and Rose Memeth for 25 years before that, making it the oldest continually owned restaurant in a town that has seen a lot of changes in its restaurant scene.

For all of its 42 years the restaurant has been known for its homestyle Hungarian dishes, although Molnar recently made changes to the menu, adding more traditional American foods including sandwiches, burgers and chicken pot pie.

"We kept all the favorites," she said of the Hungarian dishes, including wiener schnitzel, stuffed cabbage, pierogies and beef goulash. Customers come from far away to dine on the traditional recipes she learned from her mother, who still visits at age 86 to help with the cooking.

We ordered the chicken paprikash, $16.95, a hefty portion of stewed chicken served in Hungarian paprika cream sauce. The rosy, mildly seasoned sauce complemented the moist, tender chicken; we chose the perfectly cooked spaetzle (egg noodles) as a side dish and it worked perfectly with the chicken. The vegetable of the day was a mix of asparagus, green beans and carrots, which rounded out the plate.

From the American portion of the menu we ordered the steak of the day, which was rib-eye, $28.95. We asked for it to be cooked medium-well done and it arrived quite pink in the center, so we asked for a little more cooking time. It came back still quite pink, but we accepted it and were rewarded with a flavorful piece of tender meat that was perfectly seasoned.

Side dishes of grilled red potatoes and an added order of sauteed garlic spinach, $7.95, were hefty portions, perfectly cooked and nicely seasoned.

Desserts at the restaurant are made by Molnar, and our server told us the Hungarian specialties are customer favorites. A slice of kremes, $6.50, was crisp and airy puff pastry, puffed up high and filled with plenty of creamy custard. A slice of lemon meringue pie, $6.50, was oversized with a nice lemon tang and lots of fluffy meringue. Other cakes and pies beckoned enticingly from the case (she was out of strudel). Fewer restaurants carry homemade desserts these days, so it's a treat to find that there is still somewhere to go that offers these homemade favorites.

For those who like a drink with dinner the bistro has a full bar with 20 beers on tap to go with the food.

The addition of jazz and an open mike night have brought new customers to the Hopewell Valley Bistro & Inn, while the menu continues to offer another kind of "comfort on the corner." It's no surprise that the bistro has been in business for so many years, and with any luck will continue for years to come.

HOPEWELL VALLEY BISTRO & INN

15 E. Broad St., Hopewell

609-466-9889, hopewellbistro.com

HOURS: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Tue., Wed., Thu. & Sun.; 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.; 11 a.m.-midnight Fri.-Sat.

CREDIT CARDS: Most major.

FOOD: Good to very good Hungarian and American cuisines.

SERVICE: Helpful and pleasant.

AMBIANCE: Casual Euro-American.

COST: Appetizers and starters $4-$9.95, entrees $9.95-$28.95, sandwiches and burgers $8.95-$10.95.

FULL BAR with 20 beers on tap

Follow NJ.com on Twitter @njdotcom. Find NJ.com on Facebook.At least 3,163 people died of drug overdoses in New Jersey in 2018.

Thats more than the population of Saddle River. Its more than the student body at St. Peters University in Jersey City. Its more than the number of people killed by the flu, homicides, car accidents and suicides in 2016, combined.

The astronomical figures are largely result of the state and national opioid crisis, which is blamed for more than 40,000 deaths nationwide in 2017. Its impacts have been discussed now for years. New Jersey has pledged hundreds of millions of dollars to stem the tide. Narcan, an opioid overdose antidote, likely saved more than 15,000 lives last year.

And yet, the toll still rises. In 2018, New Jerseys drug death toll set a record for the fourth state year, and now stands nearly four times what it was a decade ago, according to preliminary data collected by the state Attorney Generals Office.

I think we have to acknowledge that, unfortunately, all of our efforts arent having the impact we want to see yet, said Attorney General Gurbir Grewal. That doesnt mean we stop. Im optimistic that were moving in the right direction. I have to be.

Since taking office, Grewal has made the opioid crisis a priority, as Gov. Chris Christie did in years prior. He is working to vastly expand data kept on the opioid crisis, and has already moved to strengthen rules governing prescribing.

But its difficult for Grewal to control whats propelling the crisis' recent deadly turn: Fentanyl.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that can be upwards of 25 times more powerful than heroin. Its not difficult to make and has been relatively easy to purchase internationally in recent years. And, since 2014, it has become ubiquitous in New Jerseys illegal drug market, often without users knowledge.

In 2013, fentanyl and other synthetic analogues of it were involved in just 3.5% of New Jersey drug deaths. In 2017, it played a role in the death of nearly 1,400 people, or about 50% of the states death toll. Prosecutors and law enforcement officials interviewed by NJ Advance Media say in 2018, it was markedly higher.

Gov. (Phil) Murphy continues to be deeply troubled by the alarming number of families tragically affected by opioid related deaths and recognizes that this epidemic continues to impact individuals struggling with addiction across New Jersey, said Alexandra Altman, a spokesman for the governor, in a statement. The administration is actively working to combat each facet of this complex crisis by pursuing collaborative and data driven public health and criminal justice strategies.

The spike in deaths has made the prevalence of the opioid crisis more complete, data shows. While at the beginning of the decade high death rates were confined to specific counties, like Ocean, Atlantic or Camden, 19 of 21 counties have seen their drug overdose death rate at least double since 2012.

In 2015, NJ Advance Media published Herointown, an investigative project that estimated at least 128,000 people in New Jersey were addicted to heroin. The project noted that in the decade leading up to the projects publication, at least 10,100 people died of drug overdoses in New Jersey.

Since then, at least 9,700 have died in less than half the time.As a Cumberland County jury looked on Tuesday, prosecutors presented a pair of bloodied and damaged kitchen knives and a pair of blood-stained jeans during the trial of a man accused of stabbing his estranged wife to death in 2016.

Jeremiah E. Monell is charged with murder in the killing of Tara OShea-Watson in the womans Commercial Township mobile home.

The victim suffered 48 stab wounds to her neck, chest and stomach in the Dec. 18, 2016, attack and the defendants palm print in blood was found on one of the knives, prosecutors previously said.

The couples son allegedly witnessed the killing before the boy and his sister ran to a neighbors home. The boy told the neighbor, "Mommys dead. Daddy killed her, prosecutors said.

New Jersey State Police Detective Michael Hughes testified for most of Tuesday morning about evidence recovered at the scene, including the knives, which were found on the floor behind the kitchen stove, and the size-32 Wrangler jeans, which were found in a bedroom.

The blade of the larger knife, still heavily caked in dried blood when it was shown Tuesday, was significantly bent and the tip of the smaller knife was also damaged.

Public defenders Nathan Perry and JoEllyn Jones objected twice when Hughes spoke about the process for identifying a bloody palm print on the larger knife, but Superior Court Judge Cristen P. DArrigo overruled those objections.

Jeremiah Monell appears before Judge Cristen P. D'Arrigo in Cumberland County Superior Court, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. Monell, 34, is on trail for allegedly stabbing his wife Tara O'Shea-Watson to death in 2016.Joe Warner | For NJ Advance Medi

State Police Detective Sgt. Eric Crain, a crime scene investigator, testified in the afternoon session about the palm print, saying he found 25 points of comparison that proved a match for Monells palm print.

During cross examination, Perry questioned if the print could have been made in blood that was already on the handle.

Its a matter of common sense, if theres blood on a steel handle and you grab it, its going to leave a print, right? Perry asked.

Thats not correct sir, no, Crain responded.

The print would not have been made by someone putting their hand on the knife after it already had blood on the handle, Crain explained, but by someone with blood already on their hand making contact with the knife.

Perry questioned the reliability of print identification techniques in general, noting two studies that found errors in latent fingerprint analysis were not uncommon. One study, conducted by the FBI, found an error rate of one in every 306 identifications, while another study found a rate as high as one in 18, the attorney said.

During his testimony, Hughes described the recovered jeans as significant for their blood evidence.

Those pants were secreted in the center bedroom. They contained a large amount of blood, indicative that those pants were in direct contact at the time that blood was shed, he said.

I believe that the stains that were on the front right leg portion of the jeans  theyre in a position where a hand would fall ... a bloody hand," Hughes said. "It appeared to be the relative size and shape of someone wiping a bloody hand on those jeans.

Other evidence presented Tuesday included the victims blood-soaked purple T-shirt, emblazoned with the words, Live, Love, Dream.

Monell, dressed in a dark suit with white dress shirt, looked straight ahead most of the time and didnt appear to look at the projection screen where prosecutors displayed images of the crime scene, including grisly photos of OShea-Watsons body on the living room floor.

Hughes also testified that a blood stain shown on her lower leg, a transfer pattern impression, matched the profile of the smaller knife blade recovered from the kitchen.

OShea-Watson, 35, had told friends Monell was abusive to her and that she was planning to take her kids and flee to Tennessee. They were still married but living separately.

Monell, 34, allegedly assaulted O'Shea-Watson at her home in April 2016 and she filed a restraining order against him. He was indicted on a domestic violence charged In August of that year, but the charges were dismissed at O'Shea-Watson's request.

Tara O'Shea-Watson was killed in Commercial Township in 2016.

About a month later, she was killed.

When neighbors ran back to the victims home after the kids sought help, they found OShea-Watsons body covered in a Disney-themed comforter.

One of those neighbors, paramedic Glenn Acheson Jr., testified Tuesday about discovering his longtime friends body.

He pulled the comforter back just enough to see her face and found her cold to the touch. Then he tried to check her neck for a pulse.

I went to reach for her pulse in the carotid area and my finger went into a gaping hole, he said.

Monell remained at large for two weeks after the killing.

While images of the victims living room where displayed, Hughes used a laser pointer to note blood evidence throughout the space, including on the carpet and a white Christmas tree skirt. A large cardboard box found near the body was soaked in blood.

In addition to evidence collected at the scene, Hughes referenced additional evidence provided to police in January 2017 by Monells father, but nothing additional was discussed on that point Tuesday.

During cross-examination, Jones asked about four cigarette butts recovered from the property and filed as evidence. Hughes confirmed that the cigarettes included three different brands.

When asked about other evidence recovered from the autopsy, Hughes confirmed to Jones that multiple hair strands were recovered from the victims left hand and a single strand from her right hand.

While state police requested that the hair be tested for DNA profile, the items were not tested, Hughes confirmed. From what I recall, we wanted to submit those to the lab, however the lab chose not to test those items, he told Jones.

Nothing more was said on that topic Tuesday.

As prosecutors worked their way through bags and boxes of evidence, members of Watson-OSheas family, including her mother, looked on quietly. Emily OShea declined to comment on the case until the trial concludes.

Monell rejected a plea deal in October under which he would have faced 30 years to life in prison. He faces a mandatory life sentence without parole if convicted at trial.

The trial will resume Thursday morning.Detectives from the High-Tech Crimes Unit of the Camden County Prosecutors Office descended on the Runnemede home of James Merna Tuesday morning, using a K-9 that sniffs out digital devices and other tools to locate items they said were storing child pornography.

The prosecutors office said Merna, 46, was charged with possession and distribution of child pornography as a result of the raid at the home on 3rd Street, off of the Black Horse Pike.

Detectives used software to preview the material on Mernas laptop at the scene, and seized the computer and other digital devices when they arrested him, the prosecutors office said. The devices will be analyzed further at the High-Tech Crimes Unit Forensic Lab.

Merna is being held in the Camden County Correctional Facility. A judge will determine whether he should be held pending trial or released with conditions.

The detectives were assisted by officials from the Homeland Security Investigations  Cherry Hill Office, the Runnemede Police Department, the Zone 5 Critical Incident Team and the New Jersey State Police K9 forensic dog.

Rebecca Everett may be reached at reverett@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @rebeccajeverett. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tipsJohnny Bobbitt did not show for a court hearing Tuesday and authorities are now looking for him after the judge issued a warrant for his arrest.

Bobbitt, one of three accused of stealing about $400,000 from donors to a GoFundMe to lift him out of homelessness, was released from custody on several conditions after a hearing last month.

At that hearing, Judge Mark Tarantino instructed him to seek employment, get drug treatment and attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Bobbitt was allowed to remain at an apartment he had leased in Philadelphias Fishtown neighborhood, but had to give his lease to the court soon after.

Tarantino presided at another hearing Tuesday to address potential violations of those conditions, Burlington County Prosecutors Office spokesman Joel Bewley said.

Bobbitt didnt appear, and the state asked for Tarantino to issue a bench warrant. He did.

Another court hearing is scheduled for Bobbitt on Jan. 22.

Public defender John Keesler did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Also charged in the alleged scam are Kate McClure and Mark DAmico, a former couple who lived in Florence.

The GoFundMe account was purportedly to aid Bobbitt, a homeless military veteran after they said he gave McClure his last $20 one night in Philadelphia, when he car ran out of gas.

But the scheme quickly unraveled as money poured in, and the three began fighting over it. Prosecutors say trio made up the whole story, and conspired to split the proceeds.

All three are charged with theft by deception and conspiracy.

- Reporter Kevin Shea contributed to this story.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tipsDavid Lapp, 77, of the Town of Niagara, entered into eternal rest on December 13, 2020 at Niagara Hospice. Born in Niagara Falls, he was the son of Evelyn and John Lapp. Mr. Lapp was a CPA at his own firm in Niagara Falls. He had been Vice President of Finance for Sattler's Department Store GUILFORD  In 2012 in Saudi Arabia, a man contracted Middle East Respiratory Syndrome after attending to his camels runny nose; in 2001, an outbreak of the Nipah virus was traced to buckets of date palm juice, considered a delicacy in Bangladesh. The juice, a sap tapped from date palm trees, had been contaminated with infectious bat urine.

These are just two of the strange episodes Dr. Warren Andiman details in his book, Animal Viruses and Humans: A Narrow Divide, which he will discuss at the Guilford Free Library on Thursday.

Andiman, a professor emeritus of pediatrics and public health at Yale University, has lived in Guilford since 1983, he said. As a physician, Andiman got involved with just about every possible aspect of medicine: research, teaching and clinical practice, he said.

Though retired from clinical practice, Andiman has stayed engaged with the medical field, mainly through educational activities, he said. And, of course, he has written his book, a project that reflects his desire to teach.

Dedicated to nine zoonoses, viral infections that can spread directly from animals to humans, Andiman hopes his book will educate readers on viruses such as Ebola and SARS, whose names float around the media but with which most people may not be especially familiar, he said.

Had Andiman decided to write a book geared toward medical students in the academic style with which he was so familiar, the work would have gone much faster, he said.

Instead, he opted to write for a general audience not necessarily well-versed in his field. That took a lot of work on his part, he said, as he figured out how to translate complicated concepts into language accessible to general readers.

At the end of the preface, Andiman launches readers into his exploration of the viruses he affectionately dubs beasties:

I worked with these miniature beasties in the laboratory for 35 years, and Ive cared for patients infected with them for so long that I have begun to regard them as having motives (mostly nefarious) and bodies (mostly startlingly beautiful) that seem almost humanoid, or perhaps even sentient and highly motivated.

Andimans fascination with the shape of these beasties can be seen in the title of his first chapter, Millions of Tiny Crowns Wreak Havoc in Two Kingdoms (Or Never Wipe a Camels Nose). He dedicates the chapter to the MERS virus, the particles of which resemble crowns.

The rest of the title stems from the fact that cases of MERS cropped up in both the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia, and that one of the Saudi patients contracted the virus after wiping and then applying a salve to his camels dripping nose.

Andimans book discusses other strange mechanisms for transmission of these viral diseases, including the 2003 case of a Wisconsin girl who contracted monkeypox after contact with a sick prairie dog, which had picked up the disease after being housed with Gambian pouched rats imported from Ghana.

The case represents one way such a virus could make its way to the U.S. from overseas, but Andiman described other, simpler scenarios: an infected person, not yet showing symptoms, might get on a plane to North America. That is, in fact, how SARS made its way over from East Asia, Andiman added.

Andiman will further discuss his book Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Guilford Free Library. Copies will be available for purchase.The impeachment debate entered a new phase last week. A new focus appears to be on cost-benefit analysis. It goes like this: Donald Trump is so out of control and so dangerous that the country must not wait to get rid of him.

Elizabeth Drew wrote about this before the New Year. She wrote in the Times that the dangers of keeping an out-of-control president in office might well impel politicians in both parties  to want to make a deal to get him out of there.

Last Saturday, it was David Leonhardts turn. The Times columnist wrote that waiting is too dangerous. The cost of removing a president from office is smaller than the cost of allowing this president to remain.

Cost-benefit analysis isnt going to persuade the Democrats. This isnt news. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that impeachment must be bipartisan. She means impeachment isnt worth the risk to her party if she cant get enough Republicans on board. Impeachment (by a Democratic House) is pointless without successful prosecution (by a GOP Senate).

But Drews and Leonhardts analysis isnt wrong.

Its just premature.

We havent reached a tipping point beyond which most people believe that getting rid of this president is good sense. The question, then, is when that might be. I dont know, but the Democrats can hurry the timeline. They can magnify the dangers of Trumps continuing to be president by continuing to say no to him.

It wasnt clear (to me) until recently how important the border wall is to this president. The wall is real, and the Republican base really demands it. Trump thinks he must deliver or expect his 40 percent approval rating to crater.

Trump didnt have much leverage going into negotiations over the federal government shutdown, but 20 days into it, he has less. In showing how desperate he is, the president is giving the Democrats more incentive to say no  which forces him to make more dangerous threats, which in turn add to the pile of evidence justifying his removal, which in turn gives the Democrats more incentive to say no.

Last month, the president said he was going to close the entire border if the Democrats didnt agree to more than $5 billion for a wall. This month, he said hed keep the government closed for years if he didnt get the money. The president then threatened to fund the wall by executive fiat by declaring a national emergency. He said he had the absolute right to invoke the military version of eminent domain.

Its not clear what military version of eminent domain means. A president can invoke emergency powers during a national emergency, but the 1976 statute concerns executive decisions made during times of war, not peace. Moreover, he must make the case to Congress, and Congress can override him. (None of this is to mention that a 1,000-mile wall would take years to build, undermining national emergency.)

One thing is clear: a government seizing private property without cause would be a calamity for any president, more so for a Republican president, whose party claims to champion private property. As usual, Trump overestimates his bargaining power and underestimates the cost of making threats that would, if he had the courage to follow through with them, almost surely pave the way to his political doom.

I admit I was skeptical of the border wall being important to Trumps base. This is, after all, a Republican Party that mistakenly equates fighting with winning. I have argued that if Trump can get Fox News to dupe viewers into believing the president is fighting like hell, he could escape this self-made crisis even if his administration never builds a border wall.

But the longer the shutdown goes on, the more it seems that the president really believes the end is nigh if he doesnt bring the Democrats to heel. (Hes traveling to the border today. By Saturday, the shutdown will be the longest in U.S. history.) But the more he threatens the Democrats, the more incentive they have to say nope, nada.

And the more these conditions are in play, the more likely it is, it seems, we will arrive at a tipping point when most people will finally see the costs and the risks of a continued Trump presidency are worse than getting rid of him.

John Stoehr is the publisher of the Editorial Board, a daily newsletter about politics. He lives in Westville.NEW HAVEN  A 31-year-old Hamden man wanted on several felony charges led officers on a pursuit through three area towns Tuesday, including driving across the runway at Tweed New Haven Airport, officials said.

Members of the Shooting Task Force and the Criminal Intelligence Unit of the New Haven Police Department attempted to apprehend Alphonzo Dixon on Tuesday morning. Dixon was wanted on several warrants with felony charges including assault, sexual assault and domestic violence involving a firearm, police said in a release.

Based on credible information, investigators learned Dixon was in possession of a firearm and therefore considered him armed and dangerous, police spokesman Capt. Anthony Duff said in the release.

Officers had been searching for Dixon for several weeks when Detectives Thomas Glynn and Frank Sanchez saw Dixon operating a rental vehicle in downtown New Haven. Detectives in unmarked vehicles waited for a safe opportunity to apprehend him. At 11:24 a.m. on Tuesday, Dixon drove to a car rental return office outside of Tweed New Haven Airport.

Officers attempted a felony traffic stop at therental office, but Dixon began to drive away, police said. Dixon then crashed the car he was driving into an unmarked New Haven police vehicle and fled by driving through a chain link fence onto the airport runway, according to the release.

After crossing the runway, Dixon crashed through another fence and onto Dodge Avenue in East Haven. At least one police vehicle pursued Dixon across the tarmac area of the runway. Airport runway service was closed momentarily but quickly reopened, police said in the release.

Dixon fled the airport area and the pursuit continued onto Interstate 95 south. He continued to West Haven, where local police continued to follow Dixon as he traveled up Campbell Avenue from West Haven to the Westville neighborhood of New Haven. He was seen on Fountain Street, and then he abandoned his vehicle and fled on foot, police said.

Arriving officers from surrounding police departments assisted in canvassing the area of Amity Road in New Haven. NHPD Traffic Unit Officer Richard Burgos then saw Dixon in the passenger seat of a car leaving an Amity Road shopping plaza and officers stopped the vehicle.

Dixon was taken into police custody without further incident, police said. At the plaza exit, officers also detained the driver of the other car. Investigators seized a small amount of narcotics in both vehicles used by Dixon, according to the release.

In addition to two warrants from New Haven, Dixon has an arrest warrant from Hamden Police Department and will be charged with a number of crimes related to todays incident, Duff said. No firearm was recovered and the investigation is ongoing.

Dixon was taken by ambulance from the scene to be evaluated at a local hospital. Upon release, Dixon will be transferred to the NHPD lock-up facility, Duff said.NEW HAVEN  The metaphor Michael Harris uses when he describes the goal for the growth of jobs in New Haven is a rocket stove.

He said its an invention that concentrates the fire in on itself, which not only increases the heat, but it burns the oxygen 75 percent more efficiently.

When we can capture the energy and ideas that are coming through New Haven we can really get the engine going, Harris said of producing jobs through training opportunities and then retaining those companies as they grow.

Harris is head of Elm City Innovation Collaborative, a group that came together to apply for a CT Innovation grant. It was one of four cities or partnerships to be awarded $2 million a year for three years.

Eighteen months after being awarded the money, it has funded 14 different projects across the city and brought in $5 million in matching funds.

It started with 32 organizations, opened up 30,000 square feet of new space, held 214 events and catalyzed $10 million in private investment, Harris told the Development Commission Tuesday.

Michael Piscitelli, the citys acting economic development administrator, said New Haven almost has a Big 10 university feel when you aggregate the number of college graduates coming out of institutions here, particularly Yale University.

There are almost 40,000 young adults in school and, from that, 4,000 graduates in technical fields. That is coupled with about $800 million invested in research and development.

Harris said it is well positioned globally for innovation with local graduates holding more than half of the states masters degrees in relevant fields; a decent amount of capital investment; and one of the most dense concentrations of federally funded research projects.

He said New Haven is second per capita in the university share of a local economy through research and development investment with Madison, Wis., the top city.

The grant is focusing on three innovation sectors that are matched by local talent: bioscience, medical devices and software development. Biochemistry is the major patent growth area with 1,708 filed since 2000.

He said New Haven has more than half of the states computer science majors as well as physical science and biology masters students.

Harris told the commission the city also has a particular niche concentration in software, which is business-to-business work that handles back-end transactions, with 40 companies in this area, 600 workers and more than $42 million in venture investment.

He said more than half the software companies left, but those that stayed had a local connection, such as a New Haven mentor on its team. It made us realize that retention is growth, Harris said. The human connection is what is keeping these companies here.

We need the founders to stay in New Haven to get the jobs for the computer science students coming out of Southern Connecticut State University, he said.

Harris said jobs in these three areas are some of the highest paying with the lowest barriers to entry. The starting salary for computer science jobs is $72,000, which is twice Connecticuts median income.

Also, bioscience jobs bring an additional three to four related jobs to the economy.

Our strategy has been to create new space for ventures to grow and connect; develop local talent for bio and software jobs and make the hubs welcoming places for all, Harris said.

He said the programs they set up are geared to boost skill training at Southern, as well as introducing computer skills early in school curricula. The program also bought computers for 260 families that did not have them and trained the parents on using them to help close the digital divide in low-income households.

At Science Park he said the problem has been limited wet lab space so they helped to expand testing facilities there; it also funded the Health Haven hub, which is a digital health incubator.

He said each of the surrounding states has invested in world-class lab facilities, which he would like to see in Connecticut.

As a way to make innovation more welcoming, Ives Squared has been opened at the Ives Main Library on Elm Street. There you can find 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines, computers with full Adobe suites for design work and more that is available to the public for free.

We wanted this to be our front door to innovation where you could discover some of the technologies or opportunities to start a business and then take that out to our other support programs, Harris said.

At MakeHaven, a major tinker lab for adults, they helped buy some needed equipment. At the State House, they helped fixed up an empty building that now can be used for panel discussions as well as music and art functions.

Harris said the Development Commission can help the project by locating physical space for labs and office space, particularly downtown where a lot of those offices are being converted to residences. Unlike the old economy commercial leases, he said what is needed are smaller spaces and flexible rents that will allow more types of ventures to move into them.

Harris said what they are seeing across the country is that companies are now chasing workers and setting up where skilled individuals want to work, rather than waiting for them to come to suburban campuses. They hope to make New Haven a place where that phenomenon plays out.

Pedro Soto, chairman of the Development Commission, said he was impressed with the number of projects the ECIC has taken on in a short amount of time.

mary.oleary@hearstmediact.com; 203-641-2577Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media file photo

NEW HAVEN  A city police officer who had been charged with assaulting his girlfriend has been granted entry into the Family Violence Education Program, potentially allowing him to have the two charges against him dismissed a year from now.

Alex Morgillo, 36, of Beatrice Drive, North Haven, was arrested last October after he allegedly got into a physical dispute with the woman outside her home on Howard Avenue in New Haven. He was charged with third-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace.A 35-year-old Guilford man has been arrested on allegations he sexually assaulted a juvenile male he met on the Internet.

Christopher Michaelson was charged with first- and second-degree child molestation, enticement of a minor in the first degree and indecent solicitation of a child.NEW HAVEN  State police are investigating a shooting by a New Haven police officer Tuesday that left a man in critical condition.

State police said the shooting happened at 5:44 p.m. in the area of Greenwich Street.

Several undercover officers from the New Haven Police Department, identified the subject of an active arrest warrant in the area of Lamberton Street, state police said in a statement.

The subject, who was identfied as Marcus Rivera, 22, of Quinnipiac Avenue, New Haven, engaged officers in a foot pursuit. The subect was eventually apprehended, but managed to fight free and continued to flee from officers. An exchange of gun fire took place as the suspect continued in his attempt to elude officers.

When the suspect arrived in the area of First Avenue, officers were able to take him into custody without further incident.

It was discovered that Rivera had sustained a gunshot wound to the pelvis area, police said. He was taken to Yale New Haven Hospital, where he is listed in critical, but stable condition.

Any time there is an officer-involved shooting in the state, Connecticut State Police sends in a squad to take the reins on the investigation. State police did not immediately respond to an email asking whether the agency had sent units to the site of the New Haven shooting.

The New Haven shooting comes less than 12 hours after state police released the names of the officers involved in a fatal officer-involved shooting in Danbury. That shooting, on Dec. 29, 2018, left one man dead and his mother injured. The man killed was identified by state police on Jan. 3.EAST HAVEN  The town will hold a special election in late February to elect a replacement for state Rep. James Albis, D-E. Haven, who is leaving his position to take a job in the administration of Gov.-elect Ned Lamont.

Its bittersweeet, Albis said Tuesday, one day before the inauguration of Lamont, Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz and the new General Assembly. Albis will leave his seat to be a senior adviser to the commissioner of energy and environmental protection, he confirmed.

I mean, its a phenomenal professional and personal opportunity for me, getting to work on very personal issues that I became aware of through my work in East Haven, Albis said. At the same time, its been an incredible honor to represent the town I grew up in.

I hope to be able to help East Haven and other towns across the state in my new role, said Albis.

Albis, who served four terms and was in office for eight years, said he submitted a letter of resignation Tuesday. He will begin his new job Jan. 18.

There will be a special election, said Town Clerk Stacy Gravino of the process to choose a new state representtive. Once Gov.-elect Lamont is sworn in, he has 10 days to issue a writ of election to the affected towns, and then the election will (be) 46 days after the issuance of the writ of election.

Itll be in the latter part of February, Gravino said.

Local Republicans are hoping that this will be their opportunity to flip the seat.

Mayor Joseph Maturo Jr., a Republican, said he wished Albis well, but made no secret of his desire to elect a Republican.

Godspeed to James Albis. He was a good representative for the Democratic Party, and he did OK for the town, Maturo said. But, I would much rather have a conservative Republican for the town, although he did a good job for the town.

But as the leader of the community, I will still work hard for a Republican replacement for that position, Maturo said. I think its important that we have someone who is opposed to all the new taxation (expected to be) brought by our new governor.

Democratic Town Chairman Marc Conte did not immediately return a call for comment.

Republican Town Chairman Bob Parente, who also is the towns public works director and a 1st District Town Council member  and was the GOP candidate who opposed Albis in last Novembers election  said he had not yet decided whether he would run this time.

He said he has heard of a couple of other possible candidates who might also be interested.

One of them, Town Attorney Joseph Zullo, confirmed Tuesday night that he is thinking about it., but said he had yet to make a decision.

Parente also said he hoped to decide soon.

Im going to talk to my wife tonight, to be perfectly honest with you, Parente said. I dont now how my wifes going to feel about it.

If Parente ends up being the GOP candidate, I still have all my signs, so Im ready to go, he said.

I think in many ways James Albis could have done more, Parente said.  I respect that hes given eight years of service to the town ... but I hope we can elect someone more conservative.

Albis announced the change in a post on his Facebook page, saying, I want to let all residents of my hometown of East Haven know that I have accepted a position with the new administration of Governor-elect Ned Lamont in the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Though I will no longer officially be representing our town in the legislature, I will now have the opportunity to focus on some important issues currently facing our community such as coastal resiliency, Albis wrote in the post.

My longtime interest in the environment was born when East Haven faced the harsh realities brought on by Hurricane Irene during my first year in office in 2011, he wrote. That experience was a major inspiration in my decision to pursue a graduate degree in environmental management, which will be very useful as I undertake my new responsibilities.

It has been the biggest honor of my life to represent the town I grew up in, Albis said. Serving as your state representative for these past eight years has been fun, interesting, and challenging. I cant begin to thank my fellow East Haven neighbors and friends enough for your support over the years. And I owe a heartfelt thanks to my family for their unwavering love and encouragement.

With this new chapter, I look forward to ensuring the interests of our community are reflected in the energy and environmental policies I will shortly begin to work on, the post concludes.Michael Sauvageau was tired of his corporate job and looking to start a business when he attended an events industry expo in New York City. While there, he noticed every vendor was enticing people to their booth with free chocolates.

A few days earlier, a friend had talked to him about lasers.

These two concepts quickly merged in Sauvageaus mind and he contemplated starting a company that would use a laser to engrave messages and images on high-quality chocolates.

He got home and mentioned the idea to his wife, Jennifer. That sounds sort of crazy. Lets do it, she said.

They began working on the idea a few months later at the Danbury Hackerspace for entrepreneurs. We didnt know anything about chocolates or lasers when we started, Michael said.

That was in early 2016, and today the couple is expanding the product line at Noteworthy Chocolates, having moved the business to a second-floor location in downtown Bethel, their hometown.

People love it when they see their name or their companys name in chocolate, he said.

They raised $28,500 in a Kickstarter campaign to help them formally launch the company two years ago. Their original research showed no one else was producing engraved chocolates, perhaps because it was so hard to do correctly. No one had ever thought of doing it as a business before, he said.

The key is making the personalized text and graphics easy to see without ruining the chocolate. Theyve gone through a learning process on what works best on chocolate, including type fonts, and been aided at times by an outside graphic designer.

Chocolate is temperamental, he said. If you do it wrong, you can burn the chocolate or not go deep enough so you cant read the impression.

They use a commercial-grade laser, with determining factors being the devices power, speed and pulse. They now hold three patents on how to properly engrave on chocolate.

Most customers are local businesses, who use the personalized chocolates as gifts. Sauvageau attends many business events to network and meet potential customers.

Theyve engraved company logos, a steering wheel image for a car dealer, and house designs for real estate agents. New employees at one large company are greeted by a Welcome  chocolate with their name on it, made by Noteworthy.

They also produce chocolates for individuals to give as gifts and for special events, such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries and family reunions. Engraved chocolates have been provided for five marriage proposals. So far were 100%, he said.

Noteworthy Chocolates come in a gift box with a bow, and include a paper copy of the engraved message in a wax-sealed envelope and an extra, non-engraved piece of chocolate. The packaging is recyclable and bio-degradable.

Jennifer Sauvageau said they want receiving the chocolate to be a unique experience so people will think, Its for me!

While some people are so enamored they wont eat the personalized chocolate, the Sauvageaus recommend doing so on a timely basis to savor its freshness. People should take a picture and then let themselves enjoy it  its meant to be eaten, she said.

Noteworthy uses Guittard Chocolate from California, shipped to Bethel in wafer form. The Guittard family has been making small-batch, French-style chocolate for five generations and its free-trade certified and free of peanuts, gluten, soy, GMOs and tree nuts.

The wafers are melted and put in molds before being engraved and packaged. Noteworthy offers three flavors  milk chocolate, white chocolate and golden dark chocolate  and five different shapes from 4 to 9 ounces.

When first starting out, before having custom molds made, they used sandwich container lids and mason jar lids to shape the chocolate.

They are looking to grow the business, offering new products such as a bottle of wine with personalized chocolates, and hope to encourage more individuals to give customized chocolates as gifts, with prices starting at $35. They may try to franchise Noteworthy Chocolates in other locations.

The Sauvageaus are the companys only full-time employees. He is a 1988 Danbury High School graduate and Jennifer grew up in New York state. They are both 48 and have two children.

Its not their first time in business together. Hes a juggler and toy inventor, and for a dozen years they ran a company that sold unique toys targeted toward adults, often traveling to festivals, fairs and concerts. Their best toy ideas eventually were copied by larger businesses, they said, so he took a corporate job before starting the new chocolate business.

Theyve managed to avoid gaining a lot of weight since then. I eat a little every day, she said of chocolate.

He confessed to gaining about five pounds of chocolate weight at the beginning, but said the thrill of eating chocolate wears off when youre around it all day.

See noteworthychocolates.com or call 203-456-6894.

Brad Durrell is a freelance writer.MILFORD  The Milford Lab on Rogers Avenue, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has been closed during the partial federal government shutdown that started Dec. 22. Staff there have been on furlough, but a few employees have been going in to care for the sea creatures inside the facility.

Julie Kay Roberts, director of communications for NOAA, said the employees continuing to work are not getting paid, but will be paid once the furlough is over.

The Milford Laboratory has employees that are considered intermittently excepted employees,  Roberts said. These employees have been identified to periodically report to their duty station to fulfill a minimal level of duties which includes care of sea creatures located at the facility.

The Rogers Avenue lab, officially known as the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center, opened in 1931 and conducts research into fish and shellfish habitat, for commercial use and restoration. There are 19 full-time government employees at the lab. They are not allowed to access their government email during the shutdown, so could not be reached for comment.

In a 2015 Connecticut Post article, one of the researchers talked about growing phytoplankton and zooplankton on an upper floor, and the need to take the plankton to the basement in hand carts to feed to the clams and oysters.

Roberts said current projects include developing probiotics for use in oyster hatcheries, studying aquaculture gear as habitat for marine life, nutrient bioextraction studies, shellfish genetics research, offshore shellfish aquaculture potential, and responses of shellfish to ocean acidification.

For the near term, the labs utilities have been paid and the necessary temperature control is being maintained to protect the experiments and sea creatures, Roberts added.

The Milford Laboratory is described on its website as a world leader in aquaculture science.

According to the NOAA website, Over the labs history, NOAA scientists, working closely with industry and academia, have made fundamental contributions to the understanding of shellfish biology and reproduction.

When U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., visited the Milford Lab two years ago to discuss federal funding for research there, he talked about the valuable work done at the Milford facility.

As changes in the environment batter Long Island Sound and deplete our stocks of shellfish, we need to invest in groundbreaking research more than ever before, Murphy said in 2016. It isnt just the right thing to do environmentally, its also the right thing to do for our economy.

He added, The men and women at the Milford Lab are at the forefront of creating jobs, growing our knowledge base about ocean health and climate change, and developing sustained populations of shellfish  which grows our economy and creates jobs.

Furloughed employees are not paid, unless Congress passes legislation to cover them with back pay after the lapse.

Excepted employees are working without receiving a paycheck, but will be paid once the lapse ends and funding is available, Roberts said.

She said there are no projects at risk at the lab due to the shutdown, but noted that staff will miss at least one important conference  The Northeast Aquaculture Conference and Exposition Jan. 9 to 11 in Boston.Legal recreational weed is about to get a little closer to Connecticut on Friday.

That because on Friday the newest recreational marijuana dispensary will open in Great Barrington, Mass., on Route 7  just 13 miles from the Connecticut state line.

Theory Wellness, that has been selling medical pot since 2017, says will have its recreational launch for sales at 10 a.m. at its 394 Stockbridge Road store.

Only buyers 21 or older can purchase the cannabis products.

We are so excited to finally open our doors for recreational cannabis sales at our Great Barrington location, Theory Wellness posted on its website. Focused on small batches and unique genetics, we strive to develop a premium range of flower, concentrates, and infused products for consumers in Massachusetts. In doing so, we commit ourselves to constant reinvention and self-scrutiny, working with and listening to each other, to further improve and enhance your cannabis experience.

Expecting crowds on opening day, Theory Wellness posted information on parking and what people need to know on its website.

According to its website, people can purchase one item per category: up to a half-ounce of flower, a pre-rolled joint, a concentrate, a vape cartridge, an edible and one infusion.

It will be the third dispensary to sell legal recreational weed in Massachusetts. The two others  in Northampton and Leicester  opened in November.

Currently, the closest recreational marijuana dispensary is NETA in Northampton, about 28 miles from the Connecticut state line. Its located a few miles off of Interstate 91s Exit 18.

Another marijuana dispensary  even closer to Connecticut  is in the works for Sheffield, Mass., the town just over the border from Connecticut.

More News News UConn cannabis cultivation class could be nation's first

The Berkshire Eagle reports that Berkshire Welco was given a provisional license by the states Cannibis Commission. Berkshire Welco, which will be doing business as The Pass, is still under construction.

Although Connecticut residents can purchase recreational weed in Massachusetts, there can be consequences to bring it back into Connecticut.

An adult age 21 or older, is able to cross the state line into Massachusetts to legally purchase recreational weed. But, state police have warned of possible repercussions for bringing it back into Connecticut after purchasing it.

Connecticut law has only decriminalized marijuana, not legalized it, state police said . Possessing a small amount of marijuana will result in a fine, while a larger amount will result in an arrest.

Connecticut State Police Troop B has a barracks on Route 7, about a mile from the Massachusetts border.

In Massachusetts, consumption of recreational marijuana may only occur in privately designated areas where smoking and/or vaping is allowed. Public consumption of marijuana may result in fines.

The opening of a recreational marijuana dispensary could bring some economic benefits to Great Barrington.

The town, along the banks of the Housatonic River, has several hotels and motels within walking distance of the dispensary. There are also many restaurants ranging from a McDonalds to a brew pub.

Also nearby are the Butternut and Catamount ski areas.

Also in town is 1,642-foot Monument Mountain, which overlooks the Berkshires. Hiking trails to the peak offer views as far as the Catskills in New York and the Taconic Mountains on the Vermont border.

Meanwhile, Connecticut has warmed toward a normalization of marijuana sales to all adult buyers in the state.

Last month, the state Department of Consumer Protection awarded nine new licenses for dispensaries to sell medical marijuana to patients who have notes from their doctors. It will bring the total to 18.

The latest awardees are in Stamford and Westport, the first locations on the gold coast of Fairfield County, along with New Haven, Waterbury and Torrington, among other places.

Ned Lamont, who became governor on Wednesday, also favors the legalization of recreational marijuana.

Lamont says he doesnt want the black market controlling marijuana distribution in our state, and that he thinks thats a lousy way to go.At least five legislative seats will fall vacant Wednesday as Sens. Tim Larson of East Hartford, Terry Gerratana of New Britain and Beth Bye of West Hartford and Reps. James Albis of East Haven and Chris Soto of New London join the administration of Gov.-elect Ned Lamont.

Senate Democrats scrambled Monday night to reshuffle committee co-chairmanships after it became clear to them that Larson and Gerratana would join Bye in the exodus to the executive branch that comes with new administrations.

Larson will become the executive director of the Office of Higher Education, Gerratana will be an adviser in Office of Health Strategy, and Albis will be a senior adviser to the commissioner of energy and environmental protection, administration and legislative sources said. It was previously announced that Bye would lead the Office of Early Childhood Education and Soto would become the administrations director of legislative affairs.

Lamont made Larsons nomination official Monday night, issuing a statement announcing his appointment.

Tim is a natural relationship builder and someone who can connect the dots between our states independent colleges and universities and postsecondary career schools and the business community in which we want graduates to find gainful employment, Lamont said. Im looking to him to help create a pipeline between these institutions and the industries that are looking for qualified, local applicants.

Larson, a former East Hartford mayor and the brother of U.S. Rep. John B. Larson, is currently the executive director of Tweed New Haven Airport.

The nominations of Larson and Bye are subject to legislative confirmation.

The terms of Lamont, lawmakers and other state officials elected in November begin Wednesday, also the opening day of the 2019 General Assembly session.

Meanwhile, the administration identified nine commissioners in the administration of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy who will be retained in their current jobs:

Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services

Scott Jackson, Department of Revenue Services

Jorge Perez, Department of Banking

Amy Porter, Department of Rehabilitative Services

Tom Saadi, Department of Veterans Affairs

Jordan Scheff, Department of Developmental Services

Michelle H. Seagull, Department of Consumer Protection

Vicki Veltri, Office of Health Strategy

Kurt Westby, Department of Labor

These leaders represent several agencies that interface with the public in a number of critical areas, and I appreciate their continued leadership as we begin my administration, Lamont said in a statement. In renominating these individuals, I have asked them to come to the table prepared to share new ways of approaching old and emerging problems as we make Connecticut state government more user friendly, accessible and digitally focused. I look forward to working with them on these important priorities.

Talent searches continue for other agency heads, but some incumbent commissioners still are in the mix and will be evaluated against other candidates. In a few cases, commissioners have been informed that Lamont wants fresh leadership.Those agencies include the Department of Economic and Community Development and the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Democrats won majorities of 23-13 in the Senate and 92-59 in the House, though one House race still is being contested. Bye, Gerratana and Larson all hold safe or relatively Democratic seats.

While the House majority is only losing two members, there likely will be a ripple effect as some House members consider running for the soon-to-be-vacant Senate seats.A more than 16-hour standoff with an armed man ended when police tactical team entered the home and found him dead.

WFSB reports the incident was resolved around 12:30 p.m. and a shelter in place was lifted, according to police.

The standoff began after 7 p.m. Tuesday when Groton police went to an Orion Avenue home for a reported disturbance.

Upon arrival, officers met with a female who advised that her husband was within the residence, that he had discharged a handgun within the home, Groton Police Chief Louis Fuscaro Jr. said.

Officers then removed the woman and two small children to a safe location.

A perimeter was set up around the house and evacuated area residents with the assistance of other law enforcement agencies.

Police determined that the man is the only person inside the house.

More enforcement was brought to the scene including the FBI, CSI, Connecticut State Police and the Emergency Services Unit-Tactical Team.

After arrival of the tactical units, numerous attempts have been made to contact the man via cell phone and other means.

Although there is no immediate threat to people in the area that are still in their homes, out of an abundance of caution, residents have been asked to remain in their home.STAMFORD  A state Superior Court judge has dismissed lawsuits by more than 20 municipalities in the state that accused OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma and other pharmaceutical firms of fueling the opioid crisis in their communities by fraudulently marketing their drugs.

Judge Thomas Moukawsher ruled Tuesday that the plaintiffs  which include the local governments of Bridgeport, New Haven, New Britain and Waterbury  had not proven their claims and accused them of pursuing financially motivated litigation. Thousands of other similar lawsuits  including one filed last month by Connecticuts attorney general  accuse Stamford-based Purdue and other opioid makers such as Endo, Insys, Teva and Janssen of distorting their drugs impact.

Because they are suing in an ordinary civil lawsuit, their lawsuits cant survive without proof that the people they are suing directly caused them the financial losses they seek to recoup, Moukawsher wrote in his decision. This puts the cities in the same position as the brothers, sisters, friends, neighbors and co-workers of addicts who say they have also indirectly suffered losses caused by the opioid crisis. That is to say  under long-established law  they have no claims at all.

Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, whose city sued in January 2018, disputed Moukawshers decision and said his city planned to appeal.

The opioid epidemic continues to cause devastation in Bridgeport, as well as other cities and towns across the state and nation, Ganim said in a statement. This devastation is a result of the direct and irresponsible conduct of pharmaceutical companies. We remain committed to fighting for the victims who have been affected, along with their families and friends who also suffer due to the opioid epidemic.

New Haven Mayor Toni Harp and New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart  whose cities sued in 2017  also said their cities would consider appealing.

The most troubling aspects of this ruling are twofold: The opioid crisis persists every day in New Haven, like it does in every city and town in Connecticut, Harp said in a statement. And responsibility for it among pharmaceutical companies is ongoing.

Purdue said in a statement, in part, that we commend the judge for applying the law and concluding that opioid manufacturers cannot be legally responsible to cities for the indirect harms they claim they experienced as a result of the opioid crisis.

Judges doubts

The dismissed lawsuits linked the proliferation of prescription and illegal opioids with the epidemics rising toll. In 2017, 1,038 people died of drug overdoses in Connecticut, according to the state Chief Medical Examiners Office. Nearly half of those deaths involved heroin.

But Moukawsher said the plaintiffs had not shown pharmaceutical companies culpability.

A credible suggestion on measuring causation might have given this court some pause, Moukawsher wrote. But during the long hours, spread over two days spaced amply apart, during which this motion was argued in court, it became apparent that the plaintiffs filed these lawsuits without first thinking of a way to sort out the causation conundrum.

Moukawsher also asserted that the plaintiffs wanted to gain money solely for themselves, but not to vindicate the public interest as a whole.

While he dismissed the cases, Moukawsher did not entirely reject litigation against opioid producers. He endorsed the federal prosecution of Purdue that led to a 2007 guilty plea by the company , to misbranding OxyContin to mislead and defraud physicians and patients. The company and three former executives incurred some $635 million in related penalties.

Law enforcement actions like the federal case against Purdue Pharma appear, in all respects, the manifestations of government vindicating the public interest, Moukawsher wrote. Justly deserved fines and penalties in government cases are a public good: They punish the guilty and deter the tempted.

Nearly 20 municipalities joined Bridgeports lawsuit . The other plaintiffs included the local governments of Beacon Falls, Bristol, East Hartford, Fairfield, Milford, Naugatuck, Newtown, North Haven, Oxford, Shelton, Southbury, Southington, Thomaston, Tolland, Torrington, West Haven and Woodbury.

Moukawshers ruling did not cover another similar complaint on his docket that was filed last year by Danbury, Norwalk, Ansonia and Derby.

Stamford has not sued Purdue, although Mayor David Martins office has not ruled out litigation.

Other lawsuits

Purdue is still grappling with more than 1,000 pending complaints.

The unresolved litigation includes a lawsuit announced Dec. 20 by then-Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen. In 2018, 20 states attorney generals sued Purdue.

Purdue knowingly put its own exorbitant profits first when it purposefully and systematically misled doctors by not just downplaying the terrible risks of addiction, but by forcefully asserting that opioid products were safe, that the risk of addiction was low, and that patients experiencing symptoms of addiction should actually be prescribed higher and greater doses, Jepsen said when the complaint was filed.

Purdue has denied Jepsens allegations. The case is set to continue under new state Attorney General William Tong.

To help manage the glut of cases against companies including Purdue, Cleveland-based federal judge Dan Polster is overseeing hundreds of complaints filed by municipal and county governments in a process known as Multidistrict Litigation.

A comprehensive settlement  which would probably be reached through the MDL proceedings  could take several more months, even years, to finalize.

pschott@scni.com; 203-964-2236; twitter: @paulschottThere has been various speculation about China having five aircraft carrier by 2025 and up to ten aircraft carriers by 2049.

Only two of Chinas five aircraft carriers would be anywhere close to the capabilities of the US supercarriers. The first three will have far fewer aircraft and would be closer to the mini-carriers that the US marines have for amphibious assault ships. The USA has twelve supercarriers of about 100,000 to 110,000 tons with about 75+ jets. The US also has eight of the amphibious assault ships.

Aircraft carriers are vulnerable in a war with a nearly equal opposing military. The US can use them to bully weaker militaries. The US is less effective using them to bully China and Russia. A country with a lot of missiles would be able to sink aircraft carriers. During peacetime they are useful for projecting power around the world.

The US has stood alone with a dominant aircraft carrier force for many decades. The had some naval competition with the USSR during the cold war and before that with Japan in WW2. After the cold war the US has stood alone with a massive navy.

Chinas is expanding its Navy and military, but is using only about 2% of its GDP while the US spends about 4% of its GDP.

The US and China are not alone, as there are increasing military budgets throughout Asia. There are also growing economies.

India is expanding its economy and has one aircraft carrier and is building two more. India plans five more aircraft carriers. Indias economy is about twenty years behind Chinas.

Japan has four aircraft carriers and South Korea could have four in a few years as well.

Despite the military vulnerability of aircraft carriers. There will be many nations in Asia able to field a reasonable naval and military force.

This means there will be less one-sided aircraft carrier diplomacy.WINNIPEG, Jan. 8, 2019 /CNW/ - Artis Real Estate Investment Trust (TSX: AX.UN) ("Artis" or the "REIT") announced today that it intends to release its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2018, after the close of the Toronto Stock Exchange on Thursday, February 28, 2019.

Interested parties are invited to participate in a conference call with management on Friday, March 1, 2019, at 12:00 p.m. CT (1:00 p.m. ET). In order to participate, please dial 1-416-764-8688 or 1-888-390-0546. You will be required to identify yourself and the organization on whose behalf you are participating.

Alternatively, you may access the simultaneous webcast by following the link from our website at http://www.artisreit.com/investor-link/conference-calls/. Prior to the webcast, you may follow the link to confirm you have the right software and system requirements.

If you cannot participate on Friday, March 1, 2019, a replay of the conference call will be available by dialing 1-416-764-8677 or 1-888-390-0541 and entering passcode 059173#. The replay will be available until Monday, April 1, 2019. The webcast will be archived 24 hours after the end of the conference call and will be accessible for 90 days.

Artis is a diversified Canadian real estate investment trust investing in office, retail and industrial properties. Since 2004, Artis has executed an aggressive but disciplined growth strategy, building a portfolio of commercial properties in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and select markets in the United States. As of September 30, 2018, Artis' commercial property comprises approximately 24.8 million square feet of leasable area.

During the three months ended September 30, 2018, Property Net Operating Income ("Property NOI") by asset class, including Artis' proportionate share of properties held in joint venture arrangements, was approximately 52.6% office, 20.4% retail, and 27.0% industrial. Property NOI by geographical region, including Artis' proportionate share of properties held in joint venture arrangements, was approximately 3.0% in British Columbia, 21.0% in Alberta, 6.5% in Saskatchewan, 13.6% in Manitoba, 11.1% in Ontario, 10.4% in Arizona, 18.1% in Minnesota, 8.8% in Wisconsin and 7.5% in U.S.  Other.

Property NOI is a non-GAAP measure. Artis calculates Property NOI as revenues less property operating expenses such as utilities, repairs and maintenance and realty taxes. Property NOI does not include charges for interest or other expenses not specific to the day-to-day operation of the REIT's properties.

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

SOURCE Artis Real Estate Investment Trust

For further information: Mr. Armin Martens, President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Jim Green, Chief Financial Officer or Ms. Heather Nikkel, Vice-President - Investor Relations of the REIT at 1.204.947.1250

Related Links

http://www.artisreit.com

Artillery salutes, a parade and the start of the 2019 legislative session will mark Inauguration Day on Wednesday, when Edward Miner Lamont Jr. of Greenwich becomes Connecticuts 89th governor.

The early afternoon swearing-in ceremony will be in the State Armory, named for the 85th governor, the late William A. ONeill.

Located next to the Legislative Office Building at 360 Broad Street, the Armory event will preceed a several-block -long parade around the Capitol to its north steps, facing Bushnell Park. Doors will open at the Armory around 11:30 in advance of the 12:30 event, which is free and open to the public.

Here is a breakdown of the days planned events:

State Senate Chamber, 10 a.m. - Susan Byiewicz takes the oath of lieutenant governor, followed by swearing-in of senators, selection of leaders and adoption of rules.

House Chamber, 10 a.m. - The House of Representatives convenes, swears-in members, elects leadership and adopts rules.

11:30 - Armory doors open, followed by the 12:30 inauguration ceremony and oath of office for Gov. Ned Lamont, Attorney General William Tong, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, Comptroller Kevin Lembo and Treasurer Shawn Wooden.

Immediately after the ceremony, Lamont will be met outside of the Armory for a 19-gun salute. Then the parade begins, walking up Capitol Avenue, past the Capitol, then north on Trinity Street, then up into the Capitol parking lot to the North Steps. Then there will be a flyover by the Connecticut National Guard.

2:30 - Lamont delivers a State of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly in the historic House Chamber.

7 p.m. - The $200-a-head Inaugural Ball begins in the Connecticut Convention Center downtown.

8 p.m. - Lamont and Bysiewicz arrive at the ball.Idahos governor was on hand Wednesday to help break ground for Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories 140,000-square-foot printed circuit board factory in Moscow, welcoming one of the few new plants of its kind to be built in the United States in the last decade.HARTFORD  In the 140-year-old Capitol building, 22-year-old Will Haskell was sworn in Wednesday as a state senator with a plan to involve those left out of policy decision-making.

I hope it will be the job of this chamber to reach out to voters who are apathetic, or pessimistic, or too often do not vote. Lets demonstrate government is a place to come together and politics, if practiced responsibly, can help people, Haskell said after he took the oath of office, calling on his new colleagues and Connecticut residents, to believe in the good of government.

Sitting at his large brown chair in the circle of 36 senators, Haskell said it took him a while for the new life to set in. It didnt feel real, Haskell just before the late-morning event.

Several senators pointed out Haskells stark age difference compared to the other legislators during the ceremony.

When I put my tie on this morning I realized its more than three years older than Sen. Will Haskell, Martin Looney, D-New Haven, a state representative since 1981 and current president pro tempore of the Senate, who has worn the same opening-day neck tie each year hes been in office.

In delivering his remarks to the senate, Haskell said he looks forward to learning from the older members of the group, including Looneys tie.

Haskell, a Westport native and 2014 Staples High School graduate who earned his degree from Georgetown University in May, launched an insurgent campaign against veteran senator Toni Boucher, winning the 26th District which includes parts of Bethel, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Westport and Wilton.

He continues to amaze me and make me proud. Its exciting to see him have a fresh start and begin the next chapter of his life, Haskells mother, Nancy Aldrich, a Westport resident, and local lawyers said after the swearing-in ceremony.

Haskell said hell focus on promoting modernized infrastructure, progressive social policies, and a millennial-friendly state. Gun violence prevention is my number one priority, Haskell, who plans to introduce a bill to ban ghost guns, said, adding he hopes to remain accessible to his constituents with frequent visits and communicate his day-to-day work via social media.

Throughout the days festivities Haskell was surrounded by a cadre of family members and supporters, including his college roommate and campaign manager Jack Lynch, who came up from his new home in Washington to attend the ceremony.

It was a really good excuse for missing class. Its funny to see everyone call him Senator Haskell, Haskells girlfriend and fellow Westport native Katie Cion, a student at Harvard Law School, said, adding she and Haskell would attend the inauguration ball later that night in the nearby Connecticut Convention Center.

Im here today because Im excited about the new session. ...Will Haskell is clearly the future, John Hartwell, former Westport Democratic Town Committee chairman, said.

Despite her loss to Haskell, Boucher also attended opening day activities in the Capitol. I may not have a vote, but I do have a very strong voice and I plan to continue using it, Boucher said.

For the next two years, however, the voice of the 26th district in Hartford is Haskell.

svaughan@hearstmediact.com; 203-842-2638; @SophieCVaughan1BRUSSELS - In the alliance-disrupting era of President Donald Trump, America's longest-standing friends are nervous about whether United States would defend them in a conflict. They don't know whether the White House prefers democratic leaders or autocrats. And the European Union's ambassador to Washington can't even count on getting a decent spot in the reception line.

The State Department's office of protocol downgraded the EU in its order of precedence, EU officials said Tuesday. That relates to where diplomats are seated at dinners, when they are invited to receptions and in what order they are called to pay respects at state funerals, such as that of President George H.W. Bush last month. No longer will the EU be as exalted as a bona fide country. Instead it will be back alongside the African Union, after the rest of the national ambassadors.

The change comes as relations are strained between Washington and Brussels. Trump has hammered the EU. for what he says are unfair trade practices. He congratulated Britain for voting to quit the bloc, and criticized British leaders when they seemed too conciliatory toward Brussels. And he pulled out of the Paris climate agreement and the Iran nuclear deal, two accords prized by the Europeans.

Last month, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo blasted international organizations in a wide-ranging foreign policy speech in Brussels that many in his audience took as a declaration of war.

The next day, EU Ambassador David O'Sullivan wasn't called in the ordinary order at Bush's funeral and suspected something was amiss, an EU official said.

Since President Barack Obama upgraded the EU's status in 2016, O'Sullivan had been ranked among national ambassadors based on length of tenure in Washington. O'Sullivan is relatively senior, having been posted in 2014. (The longest-posted ambassador in Washington? Hersey Kyota, of the Pacific island nation of Palau, who presented his credentials in 1997.)

The EU was never formally notified of any downgrade and inquired about it after the funeral. O'Sullivan attended at least one subsequent event where again he seemed to be treated as a national ambassador, leading to some confusion, an EU official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to candidly discuss cocktail reception sensitivities. But when EU officials searched for the protocol list on Google - often the best way to obtain information in the Trump era - there it was: the European Union, all the way at the bottom, as of October 30.

"We are currently discussing with the relevant services in the administration possible implications for the EU delegation in Washington," Maja Kocijancic, a spokeswoman for the EU's diplomatic service, said Tuesday.

A spokesman for the U.S. Mission to the European Union declined to comment, saying that the U.S. government shutdown was affecting the State Department's ability to respond publicly.

The change was first reported by German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

Some European diplomats said they didn't rank it as particularly important, especially given the long list of substantive disagreements between the two sides. An EU official said they would try to move onward without further fuss.

But some analysts were quick to add it to the list of slights from the Trump administration. Even if the protocol change was purely symbolic, they said it showed that there are few arenas of relations left untouched by Trump's disdain for the EU.

"Something like this, even if it was a protocol snafu, runs the risk of being seen as a more deliberate offense or a sign of disrespect for the importance of the political role by the EU," said Amanda Sloat, a former Obama administration official and a Europe expert at the Brookings Institution. "Anything being done by the administration that seems to downgrade or denigrate in anyway the European Union is cause for concern and interpreted negatively."

The downgrade has little direct effect on the EU's ability to operate in Washington, although it might indirectly curtail its influence by slimming it from invitations to certain events and giving O'Sullivan a less prominent place at State Department-organized dinner tables.

"The administration doesn't want to actively support the EU, and so they are probably looking for ways to adopt what they would consider a more neutral stance. This may very well have struck someone as a way to move in that direction," said Tom Wright, a senior fellow at Brookings. "In Europe, this will be perceived as yet another step to actively undermine the EU."

- - -

Hudson reported from Washington.BETHEL  Postcards have been mailed across town falsely accusing residents of crimes such as insurance fraud and child pornography.

Bethel police said the accusations are fabricated and officers are actively investigating who mailed the letters.

These are not coming from a legit source, Detective Sgt. George Bryce, Jr. said.

The postcards claim to come from a Neighborhood Watch association, but Bryce said no such group exists.

One of the letters provided by the police accuses a woman and her son of life insurance fraud, as well as claiming the son was charged with possession of child pornography. Bethel police redacted the names of the victims.

Watch your children at play, the postcard reads. Do not leave your property open. Contact police if you see any suspicious activities.

The postcards have been mailed to the neighbors of the people who have been falsely accused, as well as others in their profession, Bryce said. He added the subjects of the letters often do not know about the postcards.

He said the postcards do not appear to target a specific group.

If anything, were looking to establish a common or concrete link between the people that are named to identify the source and establish the origin, Bryce said.

He said police are investigating whether one person or a group of people mailed the items.

I cant say if its one person going to multiple post offices or 10 people at 10 different post offices, Bryce said.

He said the postcards were initially reported to the department in December. He is personally investigating two reports, but said he did not know if there are others.

Anyone who receives the postcards may report them to Bethel police or discard them, Bryce said.

The perpetrators would likely be charged with breach of peace if caught, he said.HARTFORD  When Dannel P. Malloy was elected governor in 2010, the faith community had hoped he would implement a public insurance option, but the fiscal realities made it impossible.

The Interfaith Fellowship for Universal Health Care, a newly relaunched statewide clergy coalition of Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Unitarian Universalist, and other faiths, is hoping Gov. Ned Lamont might be able to overcome those fiscal hurdles and point Connecticut toward a more universal health care system.

The fellowship represents around 15,000 persons of faith and wants to see Lamont turn his health care platform into reality.

We believe Gov.-elect Lamont and his administration should make health care a priority, Pastor Rodney Wade, of Long Hill Bible Church in Waterbury, said. We are here today to call on the governor-elect to not just talk about his platform on health care, but to begin the process of implementation.

Wade, who is also president of the Concerned Black Clergy Council of Waterbury, said universal health care is in fact a right of all citizens.

During the campaign, Lamont said Connecticut deserves a leader who supports national progress toward universal health care and who is focused on delivering tangible results from day one.

On the campaign trail, Lamont wanted to broaden the risk pool in the individual marketplace and implement a reinsurance program, lower the cost of prescription drugs, and continue Medicaid expansion.

The Legislature is likely to continue the debate this year over the size and scope of Connecticuts Medicaid program. The Legislature reduced the income limit for non-pregnant adults twice in the last three years, though it reversed the second cut in 2018.

The Rev. Tracy Johnson Russell, rector of Saint Monicas Episcopal Church in Hartford, said it is our collective hope that our prayers today will remind Governor-elect Lamont to remember his campaign commitment to ensuring that the health care system in the State of Connecticut is equitable, affordable and quality for all.

She said they want Lamont and the Legislature to explore all options that make sense, are equitable, and affordable.

Wade and Russell were part of a larger group of clergy standing outside the state Armory on Wednesday hoping to make their case to Lamont and legislators.

Earlier this week, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said he planned to spend up to $100 million per year to expand health coverage to people without health insurance.

Lamonts campaign proposals were not as bold mostly because he faces multibillion dollar deficits and the uncertainty regarding the future of the Affordable Care Act.

Connecticut is better poised than most states to handle the impact of the Affordable Care Act being struck down by a court or repealed by Congress. The main concern has been about those with pre-existing medical conditions, who are guaranteed coverage under the ACA.

Connecticuts health insurance law  Chapter 7, Section 38a-476, Pre-existing condition coverage  already states that no individual health insurance plan or insurance arrangement shall impose a pre-existing conditions provision on any individual.

However, any short-term insurance plan of less than six months can impose a pre-existing conditions provision, but it cant eliminate the mandate on essential benefits, according to an Aug. 9, 2018, memo from former Insurance Commissioner Katharine Wade.

The Connecticut law protecting pre-existing conditions was on the books before the Affordable Care Act was signed into law in 2010.

But Connecticuts laws only impact about 35 percent of fully insured plans in the state. The other 65 percent are regulated by the federal government under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

In Connecticut, there are 2.21 million privately insured residents. Of those, about 1.85 million get their insurance from large group plans, 131,000 have individual plans, and 235,000 people are covered under small group plans. The Insurance Department doesnt regulate the plans of 1.85 million people in the large group market, where the terms of employee benefits are set by employers. An employer hypothetically could opt not to cover pre-existing conditions if the repeal of the ACA is upheld.

So of those 2.21 million privately insured residents, the 366,000 with individual plans or who are covered under small group plans are protected from losing coverage for pre-existing conditions if the repeal of the ACA is upheld. And for those who get their insurance through their employer in large group plans, it would be up to their employer whether they want to continue offering coverage for pre-existing conditions, or even any insurance plans at all. Without the ACA, employers arent required to offer any health care benefits.New Delhi:

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged Middle East allies on Tuesday to confront "significant threats" posed by Iran and jihadists as he visited a region shaken by Washington's surprise decision to withdraw from Syria. The top US diplomat, in Jordan on the first leg of his longest trip since taking the post last year, said that the US troop pullout would not undermine the battle against the Islamic State group. "The most significant threats to the region are Daesh and the Islamic revolution," Pompeo said at a news conference with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, referring to IS and Iran. Pompeo has repeatedly called Iran "the world's largest state sponsor of terror," pointing to its targeting of domestic rivals in Europe and support of militant movements such as Lebanon's Hezbollah.



ALSO READ | Donald Trump's special Afghanistan Envoy to visit India, Pakistan

Sustaining a regional coalition to counter Iran, the main enemy of US allies Saudi Arabia and Israel, is a major focus of Pompeo's tour of eight Arab capitals in as many days.

"The counter Iran revolution is a coalition as effective today as it was yesterday and I'm very hopeful that it will continue to be effective and even more effective tomorrow," he said.

"You'll see in the coming days and weeks we are redoubling all our diplomatic and commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran".



Earlier, Donald Trump surprised the world and his country as well when he suddenly announced that the US is pulling out its troops from Syria. "In Syria, Erdogan said he wants to knock out ISIS, whatever's left, the remnants of ISIS. And Saudi Arabia just came out and said they are going to pay for some economic development. Which is great, that means we don't have to pay. We are spread out all over the world. We are in countries most people haven't even heard about. Frankly, it's ridiculous," Trump added.

Trump's sudden decision sparked turmoil in his administration, prompting the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, as well as of Brett McGurk, the special envoy to the anti-IS coalition.

Brett McGurk, the US envoy to the global coalition fighting the Islamic State group, resigned in protest over President Donald Trump's abrupt decision to withdraw US troops from Syria, a US official said, joining Defence Secretary Jim Mattis in an administration exodus of experienced national security figures.



ALSO READ | US-Mexico Wall Row: Trump to address nation today



McGurk had said it would be "reckless" to consider IS defeated and therefore would be unwise to bring American forces home. McGurk decided to speed up his original plan to leave his post in mid-February. Appointed to the post by President Barack Obama in 2015 and retained by Trump, McGurk said in his resignation letter that the militants were on the run, but not yet defeated, and that the premature pullout of American forces from Syria would create the conditions that gave rise to IS.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

British MPs will vote on the Brexit withdrawal deal next on January 15, Prime Minister Theresa May told her Cabinet on Tuesday. Theresa May had postponed an initial vote last month in the face of opposition from all sides of the House of Commons. The debate will be opened again Wednesday by Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay and will be closed by May next Tuesday, her spokesman told journalists at a briefing. There are fears that Britain could leave the European Union on March 29 without a deal. Kwasi Kwarteng, a junior Brexit minister, said he still believed May would win the vote, dismissing the idea that the prime minister was preparing to seek approval from MPs again if she lost the first time.



ALSO READ | Imran Khan says war would be suicidal, targets India



"The work to secure those assurances is ongoing," her spokesman said, adding that the prime minister hoped to have something to offer MPs before next week's vote.

May is hosting several drinks parties for lawmakers this week in a bid to win them round, arguing her deal is the best compromise that ends EU membership while protecting jobs.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove told cabinet colleagues that critics holding out for a better deal were like swingers in their mid-50s waiting for Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson to turn up on a date.

But with opposition among MPs still strong, there is growing speculation London could seek to delay the EU's two-year Article 50 exit process to allow more time to get the deal through parliament.

A source in Brussels told news agency AFP several weeks ago that Britain has been discussing the possibility with European officials, and a junior British minister, Margot James, publicly voiced the idea on Monday.



Theresa May's spokesman insisted: "We will not be extending Article 50. "There are people in the European Union who are discussing this issue, but that is not the position of the UK government."



ALSO READ | Donald Trump's special Afghanistan Envoy to visit India, Pakistan

Earlier, Theresa May had won the crucial vote of confidence in her leadership with 200 votes cast in favour of her and 117 against out of a total of 317 of her Conservative Party MPs. The vote had been triggered earlier in the day after the required 48 MPs from her Tory party filed letters of no-confidence with the influential 1922 Committee.



Whilst I am grateful for the support, a significant number of my colleagues did cast a vote against me and I have listened to what they have said, May said in a statement outside Downing Street soon after the results were declared.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

A day after US President Donald Trump dialled Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to increase Indias cooperation in the war-torn country, the former's special Afghan envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is headed for India, according to an official announcement. The State Department on Tuesday said Khalilzad will lead an inter-agency delegation to India, China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan from January 8 to January 21. However, country-specific dates of his travel were not announced. The State Department noted that Khalilzad continues to coordinate his efforts with the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and other Afghan stakeholders to ensure an intra-Afghan peace process.

ALSO READ | PM Modi, Putin hold telephonic conversation

This is Khalilzad's first trip to India after he was appointed as the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation last year. Since then he has made multiple trips to the region, without being to India.

On Tuesday, White House said in a statement that the leaders agreed to strengthen the U.S.-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan.



Last week, the US president had taken a dig at Modi for funding a library in the strife-torn nation, asking India and other neighbouring countries to take up the responsibility of security in Afghanistan.



"I could give you an example where I get along very well with India and Prime Minister Modi. But he is constantly telling me, he built a library in Afghanistan. Library! That's like five hours of what we spend (in Afghanistan)," Trump told his cabinet colleagues during a meeting.



ALSO READ | US troops in Syria to be pulled out 'quickly', says Donald Trump

The United States has over 14,000 troops in Afghanistan. Trump is now planning to withdraw more than 5,000 of US troops and with a reduced military presence, he wants India and Russia to take up the job. Although India has committed to provide USD 3 billion aid to Afghanistan for building infrastructure but has no plans to send its troops.

Also, Trump has been pushing India to reduce the trade deficit between the countries. Recently, in a provocative measure, the US has slapped tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium from India. In response, India had also threatened to retaliate and likely to take an action after the end of January.

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

British Prime Minister lost a key vote on Brexit procedure in Parliament on Wednesday. Rebel Tory MPs have joined forces with Labour to inflict a fresh blow on May's government in a Commons Brexit vote. The results mean the May government will have to come up with fresh plans within three days if her EU withdrawal deal is rejected by MPs next week, reports BBC.

Today's blow to May came a day after MPs on Tuesday voted to scupper a no-deal Brexit. Over 20 MPs from across political parties on Wednesday tabled an amendment that would give the prime minister three days to set out a 'Plan B' if the House voted against her Brexit deal next Tuesday.

While 308 lawmakers supported the amendment, 297 voted against it. The amendment gives MPs the chance to formally put forward alternatives to her deal for the first time, including a people's vote and the Norway and EFTA "soft Brexit" options.

If UK decides on a Norway-style Brexit it would join the EU and join the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and, through the latter, become a member of the European Economic Area (EEA). A country can be a EEA member only if it is in the EU or EFTA.

This arrangement would give UK a full access to the single market, which means there would be no new non-tariff barriers, which would have the least impact on the British economy.

Under the arrangement, though Britain would not be ruled over by the European Court of Justice, it would still have to be held accountable by the EFTA court, which means the UK would not be completely free of EU jurisdiction.

The UK will officially leave the EU on March 29.

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

After the controversial one-child policy came to an end, China continues facing an unstoppable decline in their population growth. This report came about when the countrys birth rate fell by 3.5 percent in 2017 despite an end to the highly controversial one-child policy. Chinas population is set to peak at 1.44 billion in 2029 before beginning an unstoppable decline in 2030, according to a shocking new report. The World Bank data from 2017 also showed a Chinese population of 1.386 billion with fewer and fewer workers struggling to support an increasingly aging society. With this shocking new report, some data now hints that India may already be the most populous country in the world.

By mid-century, Chinas population is expected to fall to 1.36 billion, with a consequent drop in the workforce of roughly 200 million. If fertility rates remain in or around current levels, the population could drop as low as 1.17 billion by 2065, the report warns.

Also Read | In Donald Trumps tributes for Indian-origin cop, a message for wall

"In theory, long-term population decline, especially accompanied with the increasing escalation of aging of the population, is bound to bring very negative social and economic consequences," the report states.

Experts have warned that as China's working-age population shrinks so too will domestic consumption, which could have unintended consequences for the global economy, which has relied on China as a growth engine. Report has also now stated that says the country should start preparing and crafting policy to meet the challenges of the impending decline.

Under current family planning rules, the majority of Chinese couples are limited to two children. This policy has however failed to produce a spike in the birth rate. In 2017, the country's total fertility rate was 1.6 children per woman, well below the 2.1 rates estimated to be necessary to keep the population steady.

Also Read | Robert DeNiro calls Trump a real, white supremacist



The current, two-child restrictions look set to be further relaxed under a draft reform to the country's Civil Code, potentially allowing families to have multiple children for the first time in decades. With roughly 83 million people being added to the worlds population every year, current estimates project that the population will reach 11.2 billion by 2100. The UN estimates that India will overtake China by 2024 as the worlds most populous country, though some believe this already occurred last year. By 2100, over 80 percent of the worlds population will live in either Asia or Africa.

(With inputs from sources)

For all the Latest Lifestyle News, Others News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

A landmark Constitutional amendment bill seeking to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and education for the economically backward in upper castes (general category) was passed by the Rajya Sabha, with most parties supporting the measure, described by the government as "historic" and in the country's interest. Rajya Sabha passed the Reservation Bill with 165 voting and 7 against. "Delighted the Rajya Sabha has passed The Constitution (One Hundred And Twenty-Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2019. Glad to see such widespread support for the Bill. The House also witnessed a vibrant debate, where several members expressed their insightful opinions," Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

Delighted the Rajya Sabha has passed The Constitution (One Hundred And Twenty-Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2019.



Glad to see such widespread support for the Bill.



The House also witnessed a vibrant debate, where several members expressed their insightful opinions.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 9, 2019

"Passage of The Constitution (One Hundred And Twenty-Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2019 in both Houses of Parliament is a victory for social justice. It ensures a wider canvas for our Yuva Shakti to showcase their prowess and contribute towards Indias transformation, he added.



Rajya Sabha passes the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill, 2019 with 165 'ayes'. The bill will provide reservation for economically weaker section of the society. pic.twitter.com/JFLlIfwjOk  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

While few parties such as RJD and AIADMK opposed it and AAP abstained from the voting on the bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, the main opposition party Congress and several others including SP, BSP and TMC voted in support, even as many wondered how it will benefit the people when jobs were shrinking.

Applauding Modi and the entire Union Cabinet for passage of the bill by Parliament, BJP chief Amit Shah thanked members of all parties who supported the bill in the Rajya Sabha Wednesday.

Union Finance Minister and Leader of House in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said this endeavour of the Modi government ensures social justice and empowerment for all.

Echoing similar sentiments, Union minister Smriti Irani said today is a historic day and we all have become a part of constitutional history of the country and questioned why opposition did not bring such constitutional security for the poor.

Union Social Justice Minister Thawarchand Gehlot, who tabled the bill in the Rajya Sabha, said in the next few days the government will conclude all formalities for the implementation of the bill.

Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel termed the bill as an "election gimmick" and expressed concern over its implementation as it was brought in haste.

"The government has not done any homework for this important legislation and I am worried about its implementation," Patel said.

AAP leader Sanjay Singh, who abstained from the voting, described it as stabbing knife in back of common man.

Parliament Wednesday approved amending the Constitution to provide 10 per cent reservation to general category poor in jobs and education with the government terming the landmark move as "slog over sixes".

In the last leg of the legislative process, the bill will now go to the President for approval.

In Lok Sabha on Tuesday, as many as 323 members voted in support of bill and only three voted against, underlining the cross-party support the politically crucial bill elicited.

Replying to an over four-and-half-hour debate, Gehlot sought to allay doubts raised by several opposition members about the legislation's fate if challenged in the Supreme Court, saying he can say with confidence that the apex court will accept it.

The Modi government's policy and intention is good and that is why it has enabled the reservation for the poor in the general category with constitutional amendment, he said, seeking support of all parties for the passage of The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019.

"Your doubts are unfounded. Put them to rest," he told opposition members, many of whom dubbed the bill as "jumla" and "gimmick", questioned its legal standing and accused the government of bringing it in haste with an eye on the Lok Sabha polls.

Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were present in the House when the bill was passed. The government will table the bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Rajya Sabha adjourned sine die late Wednesday after passing the historic Constitution amendment bill to provide 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker section in general category.

The session was extended for a day to take up the Constitutional (124th) Amendment bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha a day before.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today addressed a huge rally in Jaipur where he attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on various issues. On the Rafale deal, Gandhi slammed PM Narendra Modi and said that there will be justice in the deal. We wont disrespect Prime Minister. But if PM Modi has given Rs 30,000 crore to Anil Ambani in the Rafale deal, justice will not be denied. There will be no pressure, no witch hunting, he said.

Targeting the Prime Minister for not participating in the debate on the multi-crore Rafale jet deal, Gandhi said, "Chowkidaar could not stand in Lok Sabha for a minute during the debate on Rafale issue."

Rahul Gandhi in Jaipur: PM could not even come to Lok Sabha for a short while, Defence Minister Nirmala ji spoke in the house for 2 1/2 hours but we exposed each and every lie. She had no answer to our direct questions. https://t.co/yka4UU9rWL  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

He also targeted Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and said the minister spoke for hours but couldnt defend Rafale deal or Modi. PM Modi was hiding and asked a woman to face the Parliament for him. "We demand a JPC probe of the Rafale deal," Gandhi said, asserting that Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman could not reply to his questions during the debate on the issue in Lok Sabha.

Rahul Gandhi in Jaipur: CBI Director Alok Verma was removed at midnight. Now Supreme Court said he will be reinstated. We want an inquiry in #Rafaledeal, we want a JPC also. 56 inch ki chhati wale PM Lok Sabha mein 1 minute ke liye bhi nahi aa paye. pic.twitter.com/U65qiVzjPJ  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

Rahul also criticized policies like demonetization and GST and said that the Modi government has destroyed small businesses and farmers. PM Modi gave the money to Anil Ambani. How much money did you give to youths and farmers and small businesses, said Rahul Gandhi.

Addressing the farmers in Jaipur, he promised to waive farm loans in every state if the Congress is voted to power in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The Congress president, however, said waiving farm loans is a small step towards addressing the agriculture distress and "a new green revolution (harit kranti) is needed to address the problem."

Rahul Gandhi in Jaipur: PM could not even come to Lok Sabha for a short while, Defence Minister Nirmala ji spoke in the house for 2 1/2 hours but we exposed each and every lie. She had no answer to our direct questions. https://t.co/yka4UU9rWL  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

"We will start food processing units near farms. Mega food parks will be set up and connect with the world," said Rahul Gandhi.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today kick-started Bharatiya Janata Partys poll campaign in Maharashtra. He today inaugurated various infrastructure projects in Solapur. PM Modi also laid the foundation stone for 30,000 houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the four-lane section of the Solapur-Tuljapur-Osmanabad highway. It is believed that the project will improve connectivity between Solapur and Marathwada region. The Prime Minister also inaugurated other local development projects. Later in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold an election rally in Uttar Pradeshs Agra. The Prime Minister will fly to Agra from Bidar in Karnataka and reach the rally ground around 3:15 pm, said district authorities.

13:14 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi in Solapur: 10 percent quota bill strong answer to those spreading lies.

13:13 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland deal, was lobbying for"other contender" in the multi-role combat aircraft deal: PM Modi said citing media reports.

13:11 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi in Solapur: 'Chowkidaar' will not stop 'Safaai Abhiyaan'. Let them label fake allegations against me.

13:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi in Solapur: We are running a clean government. There is not an iota of corruption.

12:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi in Solapur: This government is committed to the development of the people.

12:50 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi takes dig at Congress, says there are few people in the country who understand only politics and nothing else.

12:46 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi in Solapur: There is a mission going on in the country to transform 100 cities into smart cities.

12:33 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi in Solapur: I expect positive discussions over Reservation Bill in Rajya Sabha today.

12:28 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi in Solapur: I congratulate the people of the country for the successful passage of both the historic bills.

12:27 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi in Solapur: Yesterday, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in Lok Sabha. I want to assure people from northeast & Assam that their rights will not be compromised with this decision.

12:25 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In PM Modi in Solapur: Yesterday late night, a historic bill was passed in Lok Sabha. By passing the bill regarding 10% reservation being granted to the economically weaker section in the general category, our principle of Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas has been further strengthened.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Shah Faesal, the 2009 IAS topper, has decided to quit over in protest against the unabated killings in Kashmir, and is likely join politics. Reports suggest Faesal may contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. According to latest media reports, the National Conference is likely to give ticket to Faesal. Taking to micro blogging website Twitter, Faesal wrote: To protest the unabated killings in Kashmir and absence of any credible political initiative from Union Government, I have decided to resign from IAS. Kashmiri lives matter.

Faesal added that he will address a press-conference on Friday.

To protest the unabated killings in Kashmir and absence of any credible political initiative from Union Government, I have decided to resign from IAS.

Kashmiri lives matter.

I will be addressing a press-conference on Friday.

Attached is my detailed statement. pic.twitter.com/Dp41rFIzIg

Former chief minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah also took to Twitter saying the bureaucracys loss is politics gain.

The bureaucracys loss is politics gain. Welcome to the fold @shahfaesal. https://t.co/955C4m5T6V  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) January 9, 2019

The 35-year-old belongs to Kupwaras Lolab Valley. The ex-IAS officer had hit the national headlines in July last year after a departmental inquiry was launched against him for posting a sarcastic tweet over the sensational Kathua rape and murder case.

In his controversial tweet, Faesal allegedly targeted the government and wrote Patriarchy+Population+Illiteracy+Alcohol+Porn+Technology+Anarchy = Rapistan! This post drew the ire of the DoPT. In a notice to Faesal, the General Administration Department had said, "You have allegedly failed to maintain absolute honesty and integrity in the discharge of official duty and thus acted in a manner unbecoming of a public servant. " The GAD initiated the disciplinary proceedings at the request of the Centre's Department of Personnel and Training, sources said.

"Love letter from my boss for my sarcastic tweet against rape-culture in South Asia. The Irony here is that service rules with a colonial spirit are invoked in a democratic India to stifle the freedom of conscience." "I'm sharing this to underscore the need for a rule change," Faesal wrote on his twitter handle while posting the copy of the notice with it.

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah commenting on the issue said the DoPT seemed to be determined to chase Faesal out of civil service. "Looks like the DOPT is determined to chase @shahfaesal out of the civil services. The last line of this page is shocking & unacceptable where they question Faesal's integrity & honesty. How is a sarcastic tweet dishonest? How does it make him corrupt?" he asked in a tweet.

At that time, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi had backed Faesal. He, in fact wrote Faesal and said, "I write to you in solidarity against the Jammu and Kashmir government's decision to initiate an inquiry for expressing your opinion on the rising incidents of rapes in India."

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and its 70 partner organisations on Wednesday vowed to not let Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Ministers enter Assam till the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 was scrapped. Addressing a press conference, KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi said they will also protest in all meetings and functions of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs in the state. "Till the time the bill is withdrawn, the Prime Minister, Central ministers and other BJP leaders will not be allowed to enter Assam," Gogoi said. "We will not allow them to hold any function, be it official or non-official, in the state. Everywhere, black flags will be shown," he added.

Obstructions will be created in their every function, including political rallies for the Lok Sabha polls, Gogoi said.

"We will also not allow the Chief Minister and other BJP MLAs to hold any meeting or official function in the state. We will show black flags wherever they go," he added.

Flanked by other leaders of the groups, Gogoi said if the Rajya Sabha passes the bill on Wednesday, then a "civil disobedience movement" will begin from Thursday.

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 years currently even if they do not possess any document.

Protests against the bill intensified in different parts of Assam on Wednesday with the effigies of Modi and Sonowal being burnt by the agitators.

A 'funeral procession' of the government was staged and torchlight marches were taken out by prominent citizens while some protesters even gheraoed the state secretariat.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

As many as 35 Sikh sarpanch and panches (members) have announced their resignations in Pulwama area of south kashmir. The move came after a Sikh youngster was targeted by unknown gunmen a few days back in Tral. The youth later died in the hospital. The All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) said 35 members have decided to quit, but the authorities are yet to accept their resignations.

All those Sikhs who recently won Sarpanchs and Panchs elections, about 25 to 30 in number, have resigned en-masse in Pulwama in view of security concerns, following killing of a Sikh youth in Tral on Friday.

The youth, identified as Simranjeet Singh, is the brother of a sarpanch, APSCC said. Expressing anguish on the alleged silence of pro-freedom leaders over the killing of a Sikh youth by unidentified gunmen in south Kashmirs Tral, the APSCC said some vested interests are trying to harm the centuries old communal harmony in the Valley, according to local media reports.

Singh's elder brother was elected as a sarpanch in recently held panchayat elections.

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

Trade unions will continue their 48-hour long strike across the country on Wednesday. The nationwide shutdown was called by 10 trade unions in protest against alleged anti-people policies of the central government. Stray incidences of violence were reported from West Bengal on Tuesday. Strike supporters burnt effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and burnt tyres on streets in some parts of the state. In Howrah, Siliguri, Bardhaman, Birbhum, North and South 24 Paraganas, clashes were reported between Trinamool Congress workers and strike supporters as TMC activists tried to stop them from forcibly imposing the strike. There was a partial impact on banking operations as well. Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) claimed around 20 crore workers from all sectors of the economy participated in the strike across the country.



Bharat Bandh Day 2: Here are the live updates

11:50 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Banking services partially affected as a section of PSU bank employees came in support of the nation-wide strike call. All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees' Federation of India (BEFI) have supported the strike, which has impacted banking operation where these two unions are strong. However, the operation in SBI and private sector banks remained unaffected as other seven unions in the banking sector are not part of the strike.

11:45 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Protestors vandalise government bus in Dinhata, driver injured.



#WestBengal: Protesters during 48-hour Central Trade Unions strike vandalised a government bus in Dinhata, Cooch Behar; 2 people including bus driver injured, police present at the spot pic.twitter.com/1lmOpwgQGO

 ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019



10:10 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Two students injured after protestors pelted stones at a bus at Shanpur Mor on Jhikira-Howrah route.





Howrah: Two students injured after protestors participating in the two-day nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others, pelt stones at a bus at Shanpur Mor on Jhikira-Howrah route. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/R3YpOEmUFs

 ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019



10:08 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty along with other protestors detained by police.





Kolkata: CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty along with other protestors detained by police while they were participating in the two-day nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/umdCeJitKc

 ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019



09:59 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In State govt directs bus drivers to wear a helmet while driving, in view of the nationwide strike.



Visuals from Kolkata-Jadavpur bus stand in Kolkata: State govt directs bus drivers to wear helmet while driving, in view of nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages, social security schemes & against privatisation of public&govt sector. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/Hsw0tCxhtp

 ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019



For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

The second day of Bharat Bandh (nationwide strike) called by the 10 trade unions against the Central governments policies on Wednesday witnessed sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal and Kerala, while trains services were disrupted in certain states. The bandh also saw a partial disruption of banking and insurance services across the country. Other sectors like mining, road transport, power supply too bore the brunt of strike. The trade unions had given a call for a two-day Bharat Bandh on January 8 and 9.

Heres what happened on Day 2 of Bharat Bandh:

# West Bengal: Stray incidents of violence were reported from various parts of West Bengal Wednesday. Stones were pelted at school buses in Howrah district. Similar incidents were reported on Tuesday as well. There were similar incidents of stone pelting in other parts of the state too.

West Bengal: A suspicious item was found on railway track at North 24 Parganas in Ashok Nagar,earlier today. Nikhil Kumar, CPRO Eastern Railway says,It's a suspected bomb. Our bomb disposal squad has already rushed to the spot. After disposal of the bomb, line will be cleared. pic.twitter.com/6lkDplRlQV  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

#WestBengal: Protesters during 48-hour Central Trade Unions strike vandalised a government bus in Dinhata, Cooch Behar; 2 people including bus driver injured, police present at the spot pic.twitter.com/1lmOpwgQGO  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

Howrah: Two students injured after protestors participating in the two-day nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others, pelt stones at a bus at Shanpur Mor on Jhikira-Howrah route. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/R3YpOEmUFs  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

# Kerala: A treasury branch of the State Bank of India in Thiruvananthapuram was attacked and trains were blocked in various parts of state on the second day of strike. At the Thiruvananthapuram railway station, Thiruvananthapuram-Hyderabad Sabari Express and Venad Express were stopped, while the Kottayam-Nilambur passenger train in Kalamassery was held up for a while. At many places in Kerala, shops and commercial establishments remained shut, and buses and auto-rickshaws were also off roads in the state.

# Tamil Nadu: Trains were stopped by protesters at a few places in Tamil Nadu and banking services in some public sector banks interrupted in Telangana but life largely remained unaffected.

# Goa: Some impact of the strike was seen in Goa as private buses and tourist taxis remained off roads. Long queues of passengers were seen at various bus stands after the private buses association in the state shut operations.

# Maharashtra : In Mumbai, lakhs of commuters faced hardships as an indefinite strike called by BEST, the city's civic transport undertaking, continued. There were only five buses plying on city roads. More than 32,000 BEST employees went on an indefinite strike on Tuesday over various demands, including higher salaries.

Mumbai: Strike by Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply&Transport(BEST) bus employees over their demands including fixation at master grade of employees employed after 2007,merging BEST budget with A budget of BMC & resolving the issue of employee service residences, continues today. pic.twitter.com/P7FWVUXsjJ  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

# Karnataka: Causing severe inconvenience to commuters in Bengaluru, hundreds of protesters from the Left trade unions disrupted bus services at Majestic, the Central Bus Stand. The Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses also remained stationed in their respective depots across the state as protesters damaged the vehicles.

Massive Rally in Bengaluru on the 2nd day of All India General Strike called by central trade unions. In Karnataka more than 50 lakh workers are participating in the 2 days #WorkersStrike. pic.twitter.com/A5NMdgGyq3  CPI (M) (@cpimspeak) January 9, 2019

# Odisha: In Odisha, train services were hit on the second day of the strike as trade union activists staged 'rail roko' at several places including Bhubaneswar, Balasore and Berhampur. Several trains were delayed due to blockade of railway tracks by strike supporters, leaving a large number of passengers stranded at many places.

# Notheast: Hind Mazdoor Sabha general secretary Harbhajan Singh Sidhu said there is 100 per cent strike in Assam, Manipur and Meghalaya, and mining activity was almost stopped across the country.

# Train services: Train services in Eastern Railway zone were disrupted after supporters of the Bandh resorted to blockades at many places. A suspected bomb was found on the railway tracks at Ashoknagar in Sealdah-Bongaon section that led to suspension of train services in the route.

# Banking services: Banking services were also partially affected for the second day, as a section of PSU bank employees came in support of the strike call. All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees' Federation of India (BEFI) have supported the strike, which has impacted banking operation where these two unions are strong. However, the operation in SBI and private sector banks remained unaffected as other seven unions in the banking sector are not part of the strike.

According to AIBEA General Secretary C H Vekatchalam, cash transactions, clearance of cheques, remittances, bills discounting and foreign exchange transactions were impacted. Cheques worth about Rs 20,000 crore could not be cleared by clearing houses all over the country on Tuesday, he claimed.

(With PTI inputs)

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

2019 has not begun on a good note for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Just 9 days into the year, Soumitra Khan, one of the prominent Trinamool Congress leader deserted the party only to join Banerjees arch rivals  the BJP. Khan joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Mukul Roy, the former confidant of the West Bengal Chief Minister, who joined BJP in 2017. Media reports from Kolkata suggest that there were speculations about Bishnupur lawmakers impending decision. Before formally joining the BJP, Khan had met party chief Amit Shah on Wednesday. At the event, Roy claimed that as many as five leaders from Trinamool Congress are likely to join the BJP.

Khan has been very vocal about his differences with the Mamata Banerjee government. Recently, Khan took to Facebook and said that a cop was trying to murder him. He also claimed that the state government will try to frame him in false cases. He had also expressed desire to work with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Khans decision will not augur well for Mamata Banerjees poll strategy. His decision comes at a time when there are reports that more than 2,000 TMC workers have joined the Congress.

In 2017, Mukul Roy, who was long the second most powerful leader of the Trinamool Congress, joined the BJP on November 3, 2017. Roy had claimed that that people of West Bengal wanted an alternative to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and will vote the saffron party to power in the next polls. The former railway minister, known for his organisational skills, joined the BJP in the presence of its chief Amit Shah.

Roy had recalled how the TMC forged an alliance with the BJP soon after Banerjee founded it and became a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. He said the regional party could not have grown without the BJPs support. Rejecting Banerjees charge against the BJP, he had said, "It is not a communal party. It is a secular party. People in Bengal are not happy and are looking for an alternative. The BJP will soon clinch power in the state."

For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.New Delhi:

US President Donald Trump doesn't really seem to be gaining fans among the Hollywood stars. After actors like Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin publicly spoke out against President Trump in public, it is now the screen icon Robert DeNiro who has called out to President Trump. In an interview with The Guardian, the Heat actor called Trump a 'real racist' and a 'white supremacist'. It has long been an unannounced fact that the duo has always had a cold-shoulder with each other and Niros recent interview only seems to reinstate the animosity. In the interview, Niro went on to say that there was a time he was willing to take a chance on the POTUS.

"I'm older now and I'm just upset about what's going on. When you see someone like (Trump) becoming president, I thought, well, OK, let's see what he does, maybe he'll change. But he just got worse.

"It showed me that he is a real racist. I thought maybe as a New Yorker he understands the diversity in the city but he's as bad as I thought he was before and much worse. It's a shame. It's a bad thing in this country," DeNiro said.

Also Read | Selena Gomez worries that ex Justin Bieber will write a song about her

When asked if he would call Trump a white supremacist, the Oscar winner spared no time, consenting.

"If he had his way, we'd wind up in a very bad state in this country. I mean, the way I understand it, they laughed at Hitler. They all look funny. Hitler looked funny, Mussolini looked funny and other dictators and despots look funny," he said.

DeNiro added what bothers him more is that future generations will look up to Trump as an example and try to emulate him.

"... They'll be affected in some way, but they'll be a lot smarter and have many more colours to their personality and be more mercurial and become someone with the same values as he has but able to get much further and do more damage as a despot. That's my worry.

Read | Ranveer Singh on wife Deepika Padukone: She is so gharelu, I love it

"There are people who look up to him: 'I want to be like him'. But they'll do it much better and they'll be more smart about it," he said. The actor said he does not want to play Trump in a film "ever".

Explaining his process, he said, "I always find the character's point of view and I can, of course, find his, but I have so little sympathy for him, for what he's done, the responsibility he's been given and just thrown away. He doesn't care."

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Hollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Delhi:

Remo DSouzas next dance flick, ABCD 3 has been grabbing the limelight ever since its announcement. From Katrina Kaifs sudden exit from the film to Shraddha Kapoor joining the cast, everything has caught the viewers attention. Now, dancing sensation Nora Fatehi has also joined the stellar cast. Nora has already won our hearts with her sexy dance moves and hot attire in Dilbar. She then went on to deliver yet another hit song last year Kamariya in the blockbuster film Stree.



Confirming the news, Nora said, I am extremely excited to be a part of this project. Remo sir is extremely talented and I am looking forward to learn a lot from him. I am equally thrilled to work with Varun and Shraddha, the trio have done an amazing job in their last venture and I cant wait to join the squad. Im so grateful for Bhushan Kumar sir and T-Series for making this happen and trusting me. This is going to be an epic experience.



Producer Bhushan Kumar is all praises for Nora and he said, "Nora is a strong dancer and suits the role we have locked her for. She is already an international dancer and that adds to the characters requirement. She will join the cast in London schedule and the audiences will see her in a different avtaar.



With this interesting turn of events, the fans are eagerly waiting for what Nora will bring on the table being a part of the dance film. The film is all set to go on floors on January 22. As per reports, the first schedule will be shot in Amritsar and film's some portion will be shot in London as well as in Mumbai. The makers apparently may lock November 8, 2019, as the release date of the movie.

In an earlier interview, Shraddha had said, Im excited to reunite with Remo sir, Prabhudehva sir and Varun after ABCD 2. This was made possible by Bhushanji who brought us back and believed in this amazing story. It is going to be a lot of hard work for everyone involved but we are all pumped up.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Mumbai:

Undeterred by reports of a parallel film on Narendra Modi, actor and BJP MP Paresh Rawal says he is going ahead with a biopic on the prime minister's life and believes it will be the most challenging role of his career. Actor Vivek Oberoi recently announced a film on Modi that will be produced by his father Suresh Oberoi. But that doesn't seem to have derailed Rawal's plan for his version of the Modi story that will see him in the role of the prime minister and will also be produced by him.

It is the most challenging role of my career till date. I have a hunger for good roles. I want to be challenged and I am looking forward to this experience. We will start work this year itself," Rawal, who is also producing the film, told PTI in an interview.

The actor said the film is very much in development but did face some hurdles at the script and financial level.

"We are stuck at the script level and bit on the financial, production levels. I am producing it. We are going to do it, 100 per cent. I am playing Modi,? the BJP MP from Ahmedabad East said.

Also Read | Was painful to revisit cancer phase says Manisha Koirala

Rawal said he has not seen Vivek's much-discussed look from the movie, which will be directed by Omung Kumar and is yet to go on floors.

"It (biopic) is all about getting closer to the real person. The basics are the same, white hair, beard and spectacles. (But) For me, it is about capturing his eyes, his anguish and the burning desire to take the country forward, his hatred for corrupt people. All this should reflect in the character,? the actor said.

Asked about veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah's comments about threats to freedom of speech in India, Rawal said everyone in the country can speak and express their opinion.

He said that while he is living in this country and not somewhere outside. And even after saying it, nothing happened, he is safe. Had it been Pakistan can you say that I think everyone here can speak and express their opinion. I rather get confused when people say such things.

Rawal added that he does feel sad when anyone gets killed and is of the opinion that it is incorrect to politicise such untoward incidents.

His next release is Uri: The Surgical Strike, which releases this week.

Responding to the notion that it is a "propaganda film", Rawal said, "If we have done something good then we should be proud of it and we are showcasing that in a film. How is it a propaganda film? Pakistan came, attacked, killed our soldiers and we have taken revenge and given them a befitting reply.?

Rawal said he is furious when people raise doubts over the authenticity of surgical strikes, when Indian troops crossed into Pakistan on the intervening night of September 28-29, 2016, and smashed four launch pads that were under the guard of a Pakistani post located 700 metres from the LoC.

Some even said Pakistan did not verify it. They are not going to accept that this has happened. Army has taken such a big step so instead of praising their work, one doubts their efforts, Rawal said.

In "Uri", Rawal's role is said to be inspired by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.

Also Read | Aishwarya Rai replies back to Emran's 'plastic' remark on her

Rawal, 68, says with films like Uri, one has to stay true to how the incident unfolded in real life.

One can't fictionalise things and can't show it in a shallow way. They (army) accomplished success and one cannot play their efforts lightly.

The film, also starring Vicky Kaushal and Yami Gautam, releases Friday.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Mumbai:

The rape case against Alok Nath was lodged on the basis of a defamatory and false report of complainant Vinta Nanda, the sessions court observed while granting a pre-arrest bail to the Bollywood actor last week. Granting the relief to Nath on a surety bond of Rs 5 lakh, Additional Sessions Court Judge S S Oza said the rape complaint filed by the screenwriter is a personal vendetta.



In its order, which was uploaded Tuesday evening, the judge noted that the allegation raised by the complainant might have been inspired by her "unrequited and un-reciprocated love" for Nath. "The offence against the actor has been registered on the basis of patently defamatory, false, malicious, derogatory and imaginary report of the first informant or complainant (Nanda)," the judge noted.



"The report or complaint is inspired by the complainant's personal vendetta towards him," the court said.The court observed that the complainant and Nath's wife Ashu were college friends in the early 1980s in Chandigarh. "The duo was working in the production unit of a television serial (in Mumbai) when they met Alok Nath in mid-80s, and a fast friendship developed between the three of them. He (Nath) proposed to Ashu in 1987 and they got married," the court said in the order.



The complainant soon found herself to be 'secluded' as she had lost her best friend, it stated. "Perhaps the complainant's allegation against him (Nath) is inspired by the unrequited and unreciprocated love and affection that she (Nanda) had for him," the judge said. On October 8 last year, the screenwriter shared her experience on social media when MeToo movement was at its peak, without naming Nath.



She later filed a complaint with the Oshiwara police in Mumbai stating that Nath raped her in her house in 1998 after spiking her drink.The actor, 62, was booked in November under section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). "It is to be noted that the complainant remembers the entire incident but does not remember the date and month of the incident. In view of all these facts, the possibility cannot be ruled out that the applicant has falsely been enroped in the crime," the judge said.



The court also observed that there was a delay of 20 years on part of the complainant in filing a complaint but also said there is no period of limitations prescribed for offences punishable under section 376 and 377 (unnatural offences) of the IPC." As far as the reason for delay in lodging the FIR is concerned, the complainant stated in the report itself that she had consulted with her friends regarding lodging of a report but they told her that the applicant (Nath) is a big actor and that her all companies were already shut, therefore no one would believe in her story, hence she did not file the complaint against Nath," the judge stated.



Thus, nothing on record to show that the applicant (Nath) has given any threat or made any promise for not lodging the report, he said. Nath is known for his portrayal of characters endorsing moral and family values in films such as Maine Pyaar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun!, Hum Saath Saath Hain and Vivah to name a few.

For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.Solapur:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday defended the introduction of the 10 per cent quota for the general category poor in jobs and education, even as he asked the Congress to clarify what was driving its ongoing allegations on the Rafale fighter jet deal. Addressing a public rally after launching a slew of infra projects here, Modi said the smooth passage of the bill which provides 10 per cent quota for the general category poor in jobs and education in the Lok Sabha is a strong answer by the Parliament to those spreading lies.

Hoping the Rajya Sabha will pass the Bill Wednesday, Modi said the rights of deprived sections, including Dalits and tribals won't be affected because of this bill. He termed the the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha as a historic step aimed at uplifting the deprived sections. On the passage of the Citizenship Bill, seeking to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangaldesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Modi assured people of Assam and North East that their rights will not be curtailed in any way through the bill's provisions.

Modi indicated that alleged middleman Christian Michel, arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, was lobbying for French manufacturer Rafale's rivals in the multi-role aircraft deal.

The onus is on the Congress to come clean on what is driving its allegations on the (Rafale) deal, he said. Citing media reports, Modi said Michel was lobbying for "some other contender" as well.

Congress should answer which leader of their party, now shouting about this (Rafale deal), has a connection with Michel, he said. Modi said the 'chowkidar' (watchdog), has embarked on a campaign to root-out corruption cannot be bought or scared and will continue with his work relentlessly. The 'chowkidar' can pick a wrongdoer even in darkness, he added. Modi launched four-laning of Solapur-Osmanabad section of NH-211, underground sewerage system and three sewage treatment plants and also laid foundation stone of 30,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.New Delhi:

In a significant move that can change the political equations in the election year, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced that his party BJD will not be a part of the Grand Alliance. Addressing the media, Patnaik said that the BJD will continue to remain equidistant from both the BJP and the Congress. The announcement comes a day after Patnaik was quoted as saying that he would need time to consider about the poll alliance. Asked about his party's stand on joining the "mahagathbandhan", Patnaik had said, "We will take some time and think about it."

It is widely known that the BJD has been opposing the ruling BJP over issues related to farmers. On Tuesday, the BJD had organised a sit-in protest seeking an increase in the minimum support price for paddy. Patnaik had alleged that the BJP ignored the demand despite promising it in its manifesto for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP has stepped up efforts to increase footprint in Odisha. It had won only one out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the 2014 parliamentary elections. The BJD had won 20 seats and the Congress zero.

After its impressive win in panchayat elections in the state in 2017, the BJP has shifted focus on the state with an aim to upstage the BJD. The success of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2017 panchayat elections in Odisha has led to predictions that the BJP will emerge as the largest party in the state in the 2019 elections.

Interestingly, nine MPs of the BJD had voted in favour of NDA nominee Harivansh Narayan Singh in the election to the post of Rajya Sabha deputy chairman held in August last year.

With both Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj party opting for a Congress-less alliance in upcoming Lok Sabha Elections, BJDs announcement means that the Grand Alliance may not have enough anti-BJP parties as its members. Even the Trinamool Congress and the TDP have also opposed the Rahul Gandhi for PM stance. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Chief Mamata Banerjee had rejected DMK leader MK Stalins backing of Congress president Rahul Gandhi as the United Oppositions Prime Minister candidate. It could be discussed only after the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, once the opposition alliance emerged winners. All (opposition) parties will meet and decide on the issue. We will accept that, Banerjee was quoted as saying by Press Trust of India.

(With agency inputs)New Delhi:

Coming down heavily on the Narendra Modi government, Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said the alliance with the BJP can go to hell. Quoting a book, Thackeray said the Centre's crop insurance scheme was "as big a scam" as the Rafale fighter jet deal. Taking a dig at Prime Minister Modi's frequent foreign tours, he said mere speeches and announcements will not help the public, and demanded that the BJP-led government solve farmers' problems before looking at alliance talks for the forthcoming elections. Addressing a rally in Beed district of Maharashtra during his tour of the drought-hit Marathwada region, Thackeray asked how many people received benefits of the government's crop insurance scheme after paying instalments to insurance firms.

"People have got cheques of Rs 2, Rs 5, Rs 50, Rs 100. I don't do 'Mann ki Baat' (referring to Modi's monthly radio programme) but believe in speaking 'jann ki baat'. Allegations are being made that there is a scam of thousands of crores in the crop insurance scheme," he said.

"Who should we question? There is someone called Sainath, who is an expert on the subject, who has written a book. He has said the crop insurance scam is as big a scam as Rafale," Thackeray said.

While the Opposition Congress has been alleging corruption in the Rafale jet deal, the government has denied it.

Claiming that there was a "bubble" of announcements, Thackeray asked the government to "solve the problems of farmers before considering any alliance talks".

The Sena has been regularly hitting out at the BJP despite being part of the government in Maharashtra and at the Centre. Its leaders have often said they would contest the next polls on their own.

Thackeray's party and the BJP had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in alliance but split up at the time of Assembly polls. The Sena joined the state government later.

"Everyday you (Modi) go to different countries and say my country is changing? How many days left (in power) for you now?" Thackeray asked.

"You go to different countries everyday and think our country is changing? Today Russia, tomorrow Japan and day after China. Then say our country is changing. The country may be changing for you but not for people, their conditions, their sorrows are not changing," he said.

The Sena chief said he would not mind if he does not get a single vote after speaking truth, but he was averse to winning elections by speaking lies.

He said the Centre had neither been able to resolve issues or farmers nor constructed the Ram temple.

"If the issue was to be decided by court, why did you make this promise in your poll manifesto?" Thackeray asked.

Hitting out at the Centre's drought assessment team which visited the state last month to take stock of the situation, he said it was "useless" and a mere ploy to show "carrots" to people.

"It needs to be understood who is truly yours and who is not. Mere speeches and announcements do not fill the vessels of people. The central team to assess drought came and went. Did you get anything? It is strange they need a mechanism to see drought even after the area is drought-hit," he said.

Assuring his support to farmers amid the ongoing drought situation, he appealed them to support his party.

The state received inadequate rainfall last monsoon and the government had earlier declared drought in 151 out of the 353 talukas in the state.

Earlier in the day, the Sena leader handed over 100 cattle fodder-laden trucks and other essential supplies to farmers and undertook a tour of the drought-hit region.

Beed, which was earlier a stronghold of the NCP, is now dominated by the BJP while Sena has no presence in the district.

(With PTI inputs)Kolkata:

St Xavier's College in Kolkata will set up a finance laboratory over the next six months to help students undertake research in economics and accounting, Principal Rev Fr (Dr) Dominic Savio said Tuesday.All major databases in finance and accounting will be available in the lab, the first-of-its kind in the country, Savio said at a press meet Tuesday.



"The state-of-the-art lab will preempt the possibility of the students going anywhere else for collecting statistics. They can have access to a wide range of information and can update themselves with stock exchange data," he said. The principal also said the initiative will inspire students to visit libraries more often. The college will give three awards to students who were found to have spent a maximum number of hours at the library, he said.



"While students can also access library contents on their smartphones, tablets or laptops, we want to encourage them to physically visit the library and spend hours by instituting such an award," he maintained. The institute has installed an anti-plagiarism software to check unauthorised copying of dissertations, research papers, he added. The college will set up another academic building at its Raghabpur campus in South 24 Parganas district to cater to a greater number of students, Savio said.

"Almost 70 per cent students on the Raghabpur campus are girls. The second building is being set up to cater to a greater number of rural students, Apart from that, we also plan to start MA course in Bengali in the next academic year," he said. The principal also said that the college has decided to confer 'Nihil Ultra Award' on Jadavpur University Vice-Chancellor Prof Suranjan Das Bengal during its annual convocation ceremony on January 16 for his contribution in higher education.New Delhi:

We have some important news for the candidates who are preparing for the Bihar 63rd Mains Combined Competitive Examination. The Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) has released the admit card of the examination on its official website i.e. onlinebpsc.bihar.gov.in. The students who have qualified for the examination can download the admit card from the official website of the commission using the candidate login.

However, for the convenience of the students, we have mentioned the steps via which the candidates can download the admit cards:

1) Log on to the official website  https://onlinebpsc.bihar.gov.in

2) A login page will appear on your screen

3) Enter your username and password alongwith the security code

4) Click on the login button

5) Your BPSC 63rd Mains Admit Card 2018 is available on your screen.

6) Download the admit card and keep a hard copy of the same for further need.

The candidates must note that the BPSC Main exam will be held in Patna in a single from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm from January 12, 13, 15 and 17, 2019. According to the sources, around 90,697 candidates appeared for the preliminary examination that was conducted on July 1, 2018 at around 271 centres in 19 districts of Bihar.New Delhi:

Mercedes Benz has unveiled the second generation of CLA Coupe at the ongoing Consumer Electronics Show 2019 in Las Vegas. The new car will offer the sporty driving experience and is expected to arrive in the month of June in United Kingdom. The new CLA coupe is built and re-engineered on the previous car platform which uses the same latest technology present in A-class. The car looks a bit smaller than its predecessor and the new headlamps and big front grille will give it a sportier appeal.

Talking about its dimensions, the new CLA measures 4688mmx1830mmx1439mm which is 48mm longer, 53mm wider but 2mm lower than the older car. The wheelbase is also increased by 30mm and now measures 2729mm.

Also Read | Maruti Suzukis Wagon R 2019: Know each variant in detail

Mercedes Benz will sport a 2.0-litre four cylinder petrol engine which can produce 225 bhp of power and 350 Nm of torque which is mated with a 7G DCT dual clutch transmission.

On the inside, the new CLA will feature the flagship S-Classs wide floating screen display integrated with Mercedes MBUX infotainment system. The MBUX is the most advanced in-house infotainment system which comes with active drivers interaction.

The all-new Mercedes Benz CLA Coupe is expected to arrive in India in the financial year 2019-20 after the launch of Mercedes A Class sedan this year.

Currently, the CLA class is available in the price range between Rs 31.72 lakh to Rs 36.99 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). However, the new variant is expected to be a little costlier than the current version.

Also Read | Hyundai's i20 Elite beats Maruti Suzuki's Swift in total sales in December 2018

Recently, Mercedes Benz has unveiled a new variant of the recently updated C-Class sedan called the C-200 Progressive at a price of Rs 43.46 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). The C-200 is build on the C-Class facelift which was launched in September 20, 2018 with single diesel engine.

The C-class range in India now includes the C 220d Prime at Rs 40.00 lakh, C 200 Progressive at Rs 43.46 lakh, C 220d Progressive at Rs 44.25 lakh, C 300d at Rs 48.50 lakh and the C 300 Cabriolet at Rs 65.25 lakh.Please purchase a subscription read this premium content. If you have a subscription, please sign up for a digital website account or log in.Shamokin, PA (17872)

Today

Rain showers early, then clear overnight. Low 51F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Rain showers early, then clear overnight. Low 51F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.A Saudi teenager is being cared for by the United Nations in Thailand tonight, after she escaped from a family holiday in Kuwait, to try and seek refuge Australia.

Eighteen-year-old Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun says her passport was confiscated when she landed in Bangkok, claiming officials want to deport her home.

Holed up in a Bangkok Airport hotel Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun is a runaway teenager, without a home to go back to.

Thailand says it won't deport Saudi woman who renounced Islam

Saudi women to be told of divorce by text

The 18 year old fled a family holiday in Kuwait, and tried to fly to Australia.

But when she arrived in Bangkok for a connecting flight she says her passport was seized by Saudi embassy officials in Thailand.

Rahaf says shes been physically assaulted by her family after turning her back on Islam.

She says she escaped fearing for her life, and may be killed if she returns home.

Human Rights groups are just as concerned

It is the first time a case like this has received this much worldwide attention.

Rahaf used social media to post tweets, and film videos of her plight.

In the last few hours there has been a reprieve for Rahaf.

The UNs refugee agency stepped in, helping her get her passport back and will now assess whether or not it can grant her asylum to another country.

The Australian government is now under intense pressure to try and help Rahaf settle here.

It says its monitoring the situation, and wants her to be assessed for asylum as soon as possible.

The refuge assessment could take up to a week, as Rahaf now waits patiently in Thailand, hoping to be offered a new home.

NewshubA six-year-old Michigan girl has been rescued from her home after she shared photos of her dead father on Facebook.

The child, whose name has not been released, sent the photographs to her grandparents via Facebook messenger.

The photos showed her father dead, and her stepmother unconscious. It is believed they overdosed on drugs.

When police entered the girl's home to remove her, they were greeted by screaming. She told police that a pit bull had been biting her father's face.

He had been dead for 24 hours.

According to the Detroit Free Press, the girl had woken on Thursday morning and assumed her parents were still sleeping.

After splashing water on their faces and failing to wake them, the girl took photos of the couple lying on a mattress and sent them to her grandparents in Tennessee.

Her grandparents called police and the child was removed from the home at around 10pm on Thursday evening.

It is believed that the girl was unsupervised, and had gone without food for between 14 and 24 hours.

Mt Morris Township Police Chief Terence Green told WJRT that the situation is "tragic".

"At some point in time, she witnesses the dog causing damage to her deceased father."

Her father was dead at the scene, and her stepmother was hospitalised in a stable condition.

The stepmother is refusing to cooperate with police, but evidence at the scene and a lack of physical trauma indicates a drug overdose.

Chief Green credits the girl with saving her stepmother.

"Thank God she was smart enough and has the intelligence to get on that phone and try to contact someone."

Now living with her biological mother, Chief Green says that the girl is still very upset after the incident.

Her father's death is being investigated by the Genesee County Medical Examiner's Office.

Newshub.The chief executive office of the US health facility where a patient who had been in a vegetative state for 14 years gave birth has resigned, days after the news broke.

Bill Timmons, the CEO of Hacienda Healthcare, announced his resignation on Monday (local time), which was unanimously accepted by the board of directors.

The nursing facility has been under intense scrutiny after a 29-year-old patient gave birth in late December. The woman had been in a vegetative state for over a decade, and an inquiry into her alleged sexual assault has been launched by Phoenix police.

Gary Orman, the executive vice president of the company, told Arizona Family in a statement that the company "will accept nothing less than a full accounting of this absolutely horrifying situation".

He says that the birth was "an unprecedented case that has devastated everyone involved, from the victim and her family to Hacienda staff at every level of our organisation".

Mr Orman also confirmed that the facility is cooperating with police, and will do "everything in our power to ensure the safety of every single one of our patients and our employees".

However, other patient's families are concerned about the well-being of the people still inside the facility.

Karina Cesena told Arizona Family that "trust has been broken". Her 22-year-old daughter is a patient at Hacienda Skilled Nursing Facility.

Her daughter had a traumatic brain injury and has hundreds of seizures daily - Ms Cesena says she is concerned for her daughters' safety, and is now staying in her room at the facility 24/7 until the culprit is caught.

Newshub.Badly Photoshopped images appear to not only affect Instagram models, but also the Australian Prime Minister.



An image of Prime Minister Scott Morrison from his official website is going viral, after an eagle-eyed viewer realised his shoes had been bizarrely edited.

When glancing over the image, the Photoshop edit may not seem obvious, but upon further inspection it becomes obvious Mr Morrison's shoes have been replaced with a newer, whiter pair.

Not only do the shoes appear far clearer than anything else in the photo, but it appears Mr Morrison has been edited to have two left feet.

The faux pas, which is being called "shoegate" on social media, is an edit of a photo the Prime Minister released in a Christmas video last year of him and his family.

Referencing the seemingly revolving door of Australia Prime Ministers, one Twitter user made the humourous comment that it may in fact be the shoes that are real in the picture, and whoever is the Prime Minister at the time is just Photoshopped in.New Zealand's population is forecast to reach five million this year.

At the moment, our population is swiftly closing in on 4,934,000.

A counter on the Stats NZ website shows the population has been steadily climbing since the early 1990s, and this isn't changing anytime soon.

Senior demographer Kim Dunstan spoke to RNZ saying that, given the current trends, our population could hit the five million mark by the end of this year.

New Zealand's population increases by one person every five minutes and 26 seconds, based on births, deaths and net migration.

The population clock from Stats NZ says that New Zealanders have one birth every eight minutes and 38 seconds, a death every 16 minutes and 46 seconds, and a net migration gain of one every seven minutes and 49 seconds.

Mr Dunstan told RNZ the population hit the four million milestone in 2003 but, in the last few years, the population has ballooned particularly quickly.

"There are these year-to-year fluctuations in the components of population growth, so in the last year, our population grew at 1.9 percent, but it was only as far back as 2012 that the population grew at 0.5 percent over the year."

He says in 2016 and 2017, it was growing at 2.1 percent.

According to Mr Dunstan, if we factor in overseas visitors, then the five million mark has most likely already been hit.

"In the summer months, this is when we have relatively high numbers of visitors from overseas and probably relatively few New Zealanders overseas, hence the number of people physically in New Zealand tends to peak in those summer months," he told RNZ.

Newshub.Immigration New Zealand (INZ) is under pressure to give alternative visas to a group of Chinese construction workers who have been kicked out of their accommodation and are without work or an income.

The men were brought here to help with Auckland's construction boom - but dozens say they haven't picked up their tools once.

Carpenter Jin Hua Cheng told Newshub's investigations reporter Michael Morrah they were "kicked out on the street by NPL (National Personnel Limited). They rang up the Police to evict us last night".

NPL or National Personnel Limited is the company which many workers signed contracts with.

But the only thing they've got from them lately is a trespass notice and a visit from police who on Tuesday night turned up to the company's accommodation to have them evicted.

Before they came here, they were promised well-paid jobs and offer letters seen by Newshub stipulate at least 30 hours pay a week.

Carpenter Jian Huang says "since the 8th of August last year I haven't received a cent from NPL".

At NPL's offices Newshub was told the company's bosses were "not available". Workers said they'd each been paying $150 dollars a week rent to their employer.

But in a statement the company denied that.

"NPL has not charged or received rent or utility charges from some employees. NPL estimates it's provided $25,000 of free accommodation to these employees," it states.

There is another curious component to this story. It's a person named Peter Li or Wenshan Li who's being investigated by INZ officials.

"Peter Lee is the agent for NPL in China. I gave his agency $40,000 to come here," Mr Huang says.

So Newshub visited Mr Li's home in Auckland. Mr Li's partner didn't want us filming so we left the property. She did however claim that the workers are lying.

But when I asked directly about whether Mr Li had taken thousands of dollars from the workers as part of a fee promising they'd get work here, she refused to answer the question

For now the men are at the offices of Unite Union - getting by on donated food.

"You should not be able to bring people unless you can guarantee them work and there should be a penalty if you don't live up to your promise," argues Unite Union national director Mike Treen.

Many now have nowhere to sleep, although there has been an offer from a local Chinese community group for accommodation tonight in Panmure. They are taking 16 workers. The rest are staying with friends.

A Givealittle page has been set up to help the workers with basic costs while they try and find new jobs.



INZ won't say much about the situation as it's investigating what's happened.

Newshub asked how it was possible so many workers could be brought in from overseas if they end up just sitting around not on the job.

INZ says the company may not have done anything wrong, because if a company has special approval they can bring in workers without having to show evidence of having actual construction contracts.

For now the workers' biggest worry is having no work and the union wants INZ to vary the conditions of their visas so they can take jobs elsewhere.

"They have to front up and help these people - not hinder - help these people get work," Mr Treen says.

They have their work boots and say they're ready, and they've had other employers turn up and take details of the workers with a view to hiring them.

But that all depends of course on workers getting a visa variation.

If you have more information and wish to contact Michael Morrah confidentially, you can do so by emailing MichaelMorrah@mediaworks.co.nz

Newshub.The Department of Conservation (DoC) is planning its biggest-ever 1080 poison drop as New Zealand prepares for a plague of predators.

It's a mega mast year, meaning forests on both islands will be producing massive amounts of seeds due to warmer than usual weather.

As a result, pest populations explode - and when the seeds run out they turn their hunger to natives.

The DoC will be undertaking it's biggest-ever 1080 drop after the Government committed $30 million over the next financial year. But is that enough?

Forest and Bird says there's still a massive shortfall and is urging the Government to ramp up its pest control.

"Almost 4000 species that are at risk of extinction and so for a number of them this could be the death knell of their species," Forest and Bird CEO Kevin Hague says.

Forest and Bird says the mega mast season will cover both islands, a total of 5.4 million hectares. Yet the DoC operation will reach just one million hectares.

"So that's a massive shortfall so we really need the Government to step up its intention to protect its native wildlife," Mr Hague says.

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage is on holiday but has previously said current funding should be adequate.

It comes as the SPCA experiences a backlash because it wants to ban 1080 and find a more humane way to kill pests.

University of Auckland biodiversity expert Dr James Russell says at the moment 1080 is the only large scale cost effective method available.

"The next five years - if not 10 years - we are going to have to continue to rely on 1080 until we see more investment and follow through on the new tools," he told Newshub.

Right-wing blogger David Farrar says he's noticed a backlash against the SPCA on his site, with people saying they would stop donating.

"When they get so outside the mainstream like this, it makes you wonder whether there are better animal welfare charities to give to," he says.

The SPCA says it's received a lot of feedback from both sides of the 1080 argument, but no noticeable drop in donations.

It's a debate the charity won't be able to avoid as New Zealand heads to what could be the most extreme mast year in the forests for decades.

Newshub.McDonald's employees in Australia have been issued a threatening warning that, if they continue to push for their right to a 10-minute break, they had better prepare to not be allowed to go to the bathroom or have a drink on shift.

The employees have put pressure on the fast food giant to provide them with paid 10-minute breaks, reports the Sydney Morning Herald, after the Retail and Fast Food Workers' Union said few company-run franchises comply with the regulation.

In response to workers requesting breaks, one manager posted a threatening warning to a private Facebook page.

The franchisee owns multiple McDonald's stores throughout Queensland. He addressed his message to "those crew who are all over Facebook tagging each other and commenting".

"As we all LOVE the legislation and are all clearly so hard done by .. let me clarify for you the below ENTITLEMENT," wrote the franchise manager Chris, from Tantex Holdings.

"If you work more than 4 hours, you become eligible for a '10 minute break'. So for the majority of crew you actually probably don't even qualify for a '10 minute break'".

The message gets worse.

"What this means is that if we implement this over our current situation, on your shift - this 10 minute break would be the only time you would be permitted to have a drink or go to the toilet. So I hope to god you don't get thirsty on your next shift because we just wouldn't be able to allow a drink. Fair is fair right?"

However, he's really not such a bad guy. He says he goes "above and beyond" for his employees, by allowing "ALL our employees irrelevant of shift length to have a drink of water as you require and have a toilet break on shift as you require.

"Are we really such bad guys? Honestly!!!"

The post provoked outrage from union officials. The Sydney Morning Herald reports the union is organising a protest outside a McDonald's in Brisbane, and is preparing to take legal action against Tantex.

Retail and Fast Food Worker Union secretary Josh Cullinan told the Sydney Morning Herald that these threats would be taken seriously.

"We are preparing to prosecute the franchisee for their action."

A staff member from one of the stores owned by Tantex said management has to stop threatening their employees.

"Most of their employees are under 18 and this is their first job, and they don't know what's legal and what's not and what their rights are," the staff member said.

Mr Cullinan says other union members throughout Australia have received similar threats when they pushed for the breaks they are legally entitled to, and he called WorkSafe and the Fair Work Ombudsman to intervene.

Newshub.An Auckland Councillor has revealed the cities the council is looking to for inspiration.

Auckland's population has exploded over the last decade, bringing with it housing and infrastructure pressures unlike anywhere else in the country.

"We're living in an international city, a global city that's got to take its place in the Asia-Pacific area," Chris Darby told RadioLIVE on Thursday morning.

"We are a city that's connected to the world - no disrespect to other cities in New Zealand like Wellington or Christchurch, but we are a wee bit different."

Auckland's unique geography - being built between three harbours on a hilly volcanic field among them - hasn't stopped Auckland Council from getting ideas from abroad however.

"We're always studying other examples, but you've got to look at the New Zealand and Auckland context as well," said Mr Darby.

"We're a city that's pinched by three glorious harbours, so our development options are very different to other cities. But you do take those learnings from other cities - the first that comes to mind is a city like Copenhagen, or a city like Stockholm, where they haven't necessarily gone for absolute high-rise to accommodate people - they've gone medium-rise. They've gone quality and compact, and made sure the future homes are high-quality."As eager Kiwis count down for our first Ikea opening, a retail expert says "New Zealand could be in for a surprise".

Bosses from the homeware giant will arrive in Auckland on Friday for a launch event, where they are expected to provide further information.

The Swedish firm says it's got a franchisee lined up to open the furniture chain here, but hasn't released details on the location - or the size.

Ikea has been experimenting with a mixture of megastores and smaller format stores around the world, including click-and-collect options.

First Retail Group managing director Chris Wilkinson says it's an exciting time for Kiwis.

"Everyone is waiting with bated breath - especially consumers," he told Newshub.

"The reality is with how models are changing anything is possible."

One option could be smaller stores. In overseas models, these are smaller-selection showrooms with touchscreen computers that shoppers use to order and arrange pickups and deliveries. The actual products are stored offsite.

"The smaller stores are an edited version of the Ikea ranges, a curated selection specific to the market," Mr Wilkinson says.

"With smaller stores there's more emphasis on delivery to homes."

But he thinks it's most likely the first store will be the traditional large-format store.

"Ikea is still essentially new to New Zealand, they do need to demonstrate they have the depth of range," he says.

"Also what makes Ikea special is the in-store experience for customers, the immersive experience of going to the store and the in-store restaurant."

Mr Wilkinson is picking the store will open in Auckland, at Newmarket's 277 or at Sylvia Park if there's the capacity.

Dr Bodo Lang, head of the University of Auckland's Business School and Marketing Department, told Newshub he expects Ikea will be careful about how it sets up.

"If they open with the traditional mega stores we're used to from overseas, I think that's what people are expecting, and if that happens I think there will be a lot of excitement in the market," he said last month.

"There's a signal that comes when Ikea opens in a country like New Zealand. It's that we've finally made it onto the world stage and our retail landscape is like that of other countries."

The move will not be welcomed by furniture stores in New Zealand like Freedom Furniture and Harvey Norman, he said.

"All the other bigger chains, Harvey Norman, Freedom Furniture, and the others, will all be worried about it, particularly the ones that are really focused on furniture."

And Mr Wilkinson warns Ikea will be prepared to take these other stores on.

"This is new territory for them. It's their first store in New Zealand, so they'll be studying how other retailers are operating," he told Newshub.

Newshub.As the silly season winds down and the Christmas music starts to fade away, the hot summer months offer a ripe opportunity to dig the tent out of the garage and head into the wilderness.

Whether it's a bonding trip with the family, a 'new year, new me' solo outing, or an attempt to get outdoors and lose some of that belly fat from Christmas day, going camping can be a thrilling escapade.

Boasting some of the world's most beautiful settings, New Zealand has an abundance of large conservation reserves and parks perfect to sneak away to for a few days.



For some, however, it can be a confronting experience, with the prospect of sleeping under the starry sky while critters crawl around in the dirt less than inviting.



With that said, here are tips to make your camping adventure easier:

1. Know where to set up camp



While finding a spot that serves up a stunning pic for the 'gram may be on the top of some people's list, choosing where to set up camp can be a really important decision - but first you'll want to let someone know the general direction you're heading in case of an emergency.

High ground is recommended as the best camping spot. It can be tempting to park up near a river which will provide fresh water for cooking and cleaning, but website Kiwi Camping advises against it in case of flash flooding.

Choose somewhere shady so the tent doesn't get too toasty, while a flat surface without any tree roots will make for a more comfortable sleep.DC Infinite Frontier #1 is the start of "a character-focused event for the future of the DCU"

With the debut of a Multiverse bounty hunter named X-Tract in Infinite Frontier #1Clayton F. Mallory Jr., 83, entered eternal life on Monday, June 14, 2021 at his home surrounded by his loving family. He retired from Speed Cement Plant after 43 years of service, a member of the Speed Church, Sellersburg Masonic Lodge and was a Purdue Master Gardener. Clayton was preceded Funeral services for Thomas Armond "Tommy" Ritch, 72, will be Friday, June 11 at 11 a.m. from the Chapel of Kilgroe Funeral Home. Interment to followe at Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Cemetery in Gallant. The family will receive friends on Friday from 10 a.m. until service time at funeral homeGOP needs to rein in the president

Under a Republican Congress, a bipartisan bill on DACA  the so-called Dreamers  and border security was negotiated with President Trump, later he rejected it. Two weeks ago, Vice President Mike Pence negotiated a compromise immigration bill which provided $1.6 billion for the wall, but Anne Coulter and Rush Limbaugh told Trump he should not have agreed to the compromise and Trump rejected it.

Later in a White House meeting with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and now-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Trump said he would be proud to shut the government down. The new Democratic House passed three Republican bills and sent them to the Senate where Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would not allow them to come up for a vote.

Now Trump is running around with his hair on fire because the Democrats will not give him money for his wall, which no one in the border security domain thinks is a good idea or will even work. Meanwhile, federal workers and contractors are struggling to survive, many are working without pay.Remember that Trump had GOP majorities in both chambers of Congress and still, somehow, managed to bluster and blunder his way into a shutdown. Thats hard to do. Its kind of like wearing both a belt and suspenders and still having your pants fall down around your ankles.

One thing Pelosi brings, as she becomes speaker for the second time, is competence. That should be a reason for optimism, regardless of party affiliation or political views.

During the past eight years, when John Boehner and Paul Ryan held the speakers gavel, I often heard Pelosi express great exasperation  not just at their wrongheaded priorities but at their failure to display skills that she considered elementary. It sometimes falls to a speaker to pass legislation that many in the majority caucus do not like. In 2007, Pelosi needed approval of a bill funding the war in Iraq, which barely a handful of House Democrats supported. She got the bill through  and also gave her caucus the chance to go on the record as opposing the war.

Boehner and Ryan let themselves be tied in knots by the Hastert rule  named after a former GOP speaker  under which they pledged not to bring legislation to the floor unless it had the support of a majority of the majority caucus. Pelosi knows that the speakers proper role is not to blindly obey consensus, but to actively shape it.BEDFORD  Attorneys wont use questionnaires to vet jurors who might decide a trial for an alleged gang member and murder defendant who could face the death penalty, a judge determined Tuesday.

Kevin Josue Soto Bonilla, 21, will be the second co-defendant to face trial in the murder case of Lynchburg teen Raymond Wood.

The first, 21-year-old Victor Arnoldo Rodas, was found guilty of first-degree murder and other charges in an October trial. The jury recommended he spend 55 years in prison.

Bedford County Circuit Court Judge James Updike is scheduled to review Rodas sentencing on Feb. 15, and Soto Bonilla is set for a 10-day jury trial to start Feb. 26, according to Commonwealths Attorney Wes Nance.

In recent months, Soto Bonillas attorneys have filed a number of motions to ensure he receives a fair trial. Since he is charged with capital murder, Virginia law requires the court to appoint him two certified attorneys.

One of the lawyers, Anthony Anderson, said the capital nature of the case and the fact that Nance has filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty warrants enhanced discretion in jury selection.Uzziel Wilson, an owner and manager of Central Virginia Yellow Cab Company, said he spoke with Salmon about updating regulations last year and was excited about the possibility of new options for cab drivers. However, after reviewing the changes, he was concerned that city staff and Salmon didnt thoroughly consult with taxi owners and operators who operate under the regulations on a day-to-day basis.

We should be involved as well for any changes that are being made to the city code, he said. I just feel like were outsiders on whats possibly getting ready to take place to our livelihood.

During the public hearing, four individuals  all associated with a taxicab company in Lynchburg  spoke against the proposal. No taxicab owners, operators or managers spoke in support of the proposal.

Salmon was one of six who spoke in support of the proposed changes, citing their ability to facilitate transportation for those in the community who need it most.

Salmons ridesharing app, called MoveUp Lynchburg, aims to link the citys transportation options  including taxis, buses, medical transport and individuals  under one umbrella to assist all citizens, including those in poverty.In a lengthy discussion, multiple delegates voiced support for the extension of the grant, stressing they should strive for not just adequate but the best training the school can provide. The grant was conditioned on Liberty University matching the amount dollar-for-dollar.

Del. Kathy Byron, R-Bedford, called it one of the commissions signature projects and said members should honor their commitment by not taking back money they had awarded.

We as a commission dont want to set a precedent that were ever going to break our original commitment, she said.

Feinman discouraged lawmakers from having the mindset that a grantee has a claim to a balance.

Sen. Ben Chafin, R-Russell, said he often hears from hospital administrators about the struggle to attract quality physicians to the region.

Dr. Peter Bell, dean of the medical school, said the timeline for the medical school to mature is 20 years. He said the $2.5 million will go toward supporting its residency programs, which are key to ensuring the students work in the region.

I can graduate lots of doctors, but if they dont go to tobacco counties, then this is all in vain, Bell said.Rockfish River Valleys first ever Writers Contest is open for submissions of narrative short stories, tales and poetry. There is no contest entry fee. The contest opens Jan. 15 and closes May 30. Residents, writers, and members of book clubs, stores, churches, schools and other groups are encouraged to enter. Winning entries will be published in a book by the Rockfish River Valley Writers titled: Selected Writings from the Rockfish River Valley, edited by Wayne Drumheller, contest judge and sponsor. It will be available to participants, at no cost, who attend and read their entry at the closing awards ceremony. The contest seeks a minimum of 50 email entries. A printable pdf copy of the contest guidelines is available on request. More information is available at: wd2999@yahoo.com or waynedrumheller.com.County officials and Lovingston residents met last week to conduct their second team management meeting as required by their grant application. Thomas Jefferson Planning District Commission (TJPDC) is applying for grant funding from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) on behalf of Lovingston. The grant money awarded would be put towards economic revitalization of Lovingston. Lovingston was previously awarded $3,000 to complete a physical inventory study of the proposed development area. The second team management meeting went over the findings. The study looked at the physical condition of the buildings in the study area, the occupancy of the buildings, and the observed use; whether the building was businesses, residential, or vacant.MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, short non-coding RNAs that bind to specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and regulate gene expression either by degradation or by translational inhibition of the mRNA.

miRNAs play an important fundamental role in the development of eukaryotic species as well as in many cellular and environmental processes. Although the variety of miRNAs in an organism is limited as compared to mRNAs, one miRNA can regulate a number of mRNA and affect the gene expression network.

miRNA profiling is a technique used to identify miRNAs that are instrumental in the regulation of a number of processes that are required for the development and maintenance of an organism.

DNA and RNA structure and differences. Image Credit: Designua / Shutterstock

miRNA Biogenesis

The biogenesis of miRNA begins by cleavage of a primary transcript. The length of these primary transcripts (pri-miRNA) may be hundreds or thousands of nucleotides. Cleavage of the primary transcript will yield the precursor miRNA (pre-miRNA) that is approximately 70 to 100 nucleotides (nt) in length. Further cleavage produces the mature miRNAs that are usually 22 nt in length. miRNA have a lower molecular weight than mRNAs.

The mature miRNAs are finally integrated into the miRNA containing RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) that can be used for various profiling applications.

Introduction to MicroRNA - Anna M. Krichevsky Play

Sample Selection and Purification for miRNA Profiling

Sample selection and RNA extraction methods are vital steps that affect the results of miRNA profiling. Samples used to extract miRNA may come from a range of sources, such as plasma, serum, culture cells, and fresh or fixed tissue or tumor.

Methods used for purification of miRNA include gel electrophoresis, immunoprecipitation, and laser capture microdissection. The quality of extracted miRNA is tested by spectrophotometry or automated capillary electrophoresis.

Advantages of miRNA over mRNA

miRNA are stable and intact in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues whereas mRNAs are fragmented and not as reliable in FFPE. This advantage of miRNA makes it useful in clinical settings where FFPE tissues are the only samples available.

Microprofiling Methods

Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is a specific, inexpensive, and sensitive method that can identify novel miRNAs. However, the limitation of this method is that it is labor intensive if large experiments need to be carried out.

In addition, only one product can be amplified at a time and the short template length makes it difficult to distinguish miRNAs that have very few bases. Efforts have been made to mitigate the specificity issues by using locked nucleic acids as probes but this remains a challenge in larger trials. This method can be used for absolute quantification.

RNA sequencing (next generation sequencing) is also very sensitive and accurate and is used to detect novel RNAs. In this method, a small RNA cDNA library is prepared which is then sequenced in parallel with millions of individual cDNA molecules in one run. Analysis by bioinformatics identifies the new and already known miRNAs.

The advantage of RNA sequencing is that it can distinguish closely related miRNAs (differing even by a single nucleotide and iso-miRNAs) and platforms. However, data analysis requires an enormous amount of computational support and this method cannot quantify miRNA levels.

miRNA microarray has a lower specificity than RNA sequencing but can be used in large studies that cover multiple miRNA targets. The results from the microarray methods are usually validated using a second method such as qRT-PCR or northern blot. This method is the least expensive of all methods. Microarray probing is carried out by labeling the 3 end of the miRNA with fluorophore-labeled nucleotides with the help of T4 RNA ligase.

These labeled miRNAs are then hybridized on to probes that are discretely arranged and finally arrayed in the form of spots onto a slide or onto beads. The changes in the RNA expression in the samples can be judged by the brightness of individual spots. As in RNA sequencing, this technique can also not be used for absolute quantification of miRNA.

Applications of miRNA Profiling

Apart from novel miRNA detection, miRNA profiling is used to study various gene regulatory network processes, protein interactions, developmental biology, as well as post-transcriptional modifications of miRNA.

For instance, a study using the microfluidics-based multiplexed qRT-PCR assay identified 288 miRNAs in 27 hematopoietic blood cells that are phenotypically distinct, which also included progenitor cells and stem cells.

miRNA profiles are also used as disease biomarkers to understand the differences between normal tissues and affected tissues in a particular disease. Some of the diseases where tissue-based miRNA biomarkers are used include Huntingtons disease, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and so on.

Microarray studies have succeeded in identifying miRNA profiles that can classify cancers according to the organ from which it originates. The accuracy of these tests have been predicted to be anywhere between 89% and 100%. Non-invasive biomarkers such as circulatory miRNAs can be used to differentiate between esophageal cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer.

Of late, miRNAs have also been used in forensic settings by characterizing miRNAs from different body fluids.

Although there are hurdles with respect to biological variations between samples, miRNA profiling holds a promising future in molecular diagnostic testing.

Sources Pritchard CC, Cheng HH, and Tewari M. MicroRNA profiling: approaches and considerations. Nat Rev Genet. 2012 May;13(5):358-69. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4517822/

www.thermofisher.com/.../mirna-profiling.html

Nelson PT, Baldwin DA, Scearce LM et al. Microarray-based, high-throughput gene expression profiling of microRNAs. Nature Methods. 2004;1:155-161. https://www.nature.com/articles/nmeth717

Varkonyi-Gasic E, Wu R, Wood M et al. Protocol: a highly sensitive RT-PCR method for detection and quantification of microRNAs. Plant Methods. 2007;3:1-12. https://plantmethods.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1746-4811-3-12

Gan L and Denecke. Profiling Pre-MicroRNA and Mature MicroRNA Expressions Using a Single Microarray and Avoiding Separate Sample Preparation. Microarrays (Basel). 2013 Mar;2(1):24-33. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5003435/

www.abcam.com/.../review-of-mirna-assay-methods-qpcr-arrays-and-sequencing

Further ReadingAlison Weiss, PhD, professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology in UC College of Medicine, has been awarded a four-year grant of $1.6 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to study Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli 0157:H7, also sometimes referred to as Hamburger E. coli.

Hamburger E. coli is the cause of foodborne illness and is an infection that often leads to bloody diarrhea and can result in kidney failure. It is mostly associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef, and can be spread by person-to-person contact. In severe cases it can be fatal.

The infection was first discovered in hamburger meat, but it is carried asymptotically by many creatures so anything that has fecal matter from cattle can contaminate food, says Weiss. Vegetables and fruits can also carry E. coli if contaminated with animal fecal matter during field irrigation or as a result of harvesting or preparation of produce. Human hygiene practices can also spread E. coli.

Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC), including 0157:H7, are an important cause of diarrheal disease, causing about 265,000 illnesses in the United States annually.

"It's a human specific disease and it has been impossible to understand until we can study these human tissue models," says Weiss.

She says researchers have used embryonic stem cells to create intestinal tissue which her laboratory will now use to test potential treatments for Hamburger E. coli. Weiss says that Shiga toxin is responsible for hemolytic uremic syndrome, a condition caused by the abnormal destruction of red blood cells resulting in those damaged red blood cells clogging the kidneys leading to their failure and possibly death.

Weiss and Suman Pradhan, PhD, research associate in the Weiss Laboratory, explained their findings on Shiga toxin producing E. coli in a 2017 article "Intestinal Organoids Model Human Response to Infection by Commensal and Shiga Toxin Producing Escherichia coli" published in the scholarly journal PLOS One.

The largest E. coli outbreak of 2018 in the United States occurred March to June because of possible contamination of romaine lettuce which health officials say came from Arizona's Yuma growing region. The outbreak sickened 210 people in 36 states. Five people died and 96 were hospitalized. A second outbreak due to lettuce grown in California began in October. Fortunately, some romaine lettuce products are now labeled with a harvest location by region, allowing produce from unaffected regions to be marketed, says Weiss.

"What is interesting is in the cattle that carry the disease, the organisms just live right at their anal junction," says Weiss. "It doesn't bother the cattle systematically so we can't identify them as sick and then they inoculate all of their fecal matter when they defecate.

"For humans, the organisms grew in our small intestine and colon and those are very vital parts of our body that are attacked by the bacteria whereas a non-essential part of animal's body is attacked. We had no way of looking at what the bacteria do until we got these human intestinal organoids."The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted an Investigational New Drug application by physician-scientists at University of California San Diego School of Medicine to conduct the first U.S. clinical trial of an intravenously administered bacteriophage-based therapy. The planned trial will be conducted in collaboration with AmpliPhi Biosciences Corporation, a San Diego-based biotechnology company.

Bacteriophages, or phages, are viruses that specifically target and consume bacteria. They are ubiquitous, found wherever bacteria exist and were once considered a promising therapeutic tool. The advent of modern antibiotics in the 1930s redirected research interests, but with 10 million people estimated to die from drug-resistant "superbug" infections by 2050, they are getting a second look.

In 2017, a multi-institution effort led by UC San Diego scientists (and including AmpliPhi) successfully used an unprecedented phage therapy in a last-ditch, emergency effort to save a colleague dying from a multi-resistant bacterium.

That effort has been followed by a handful of singular cases, including the successful eradication of a years-long bacterial infection that allowed a patient to undergo a needed heart transplant.

Encouraged by the progress, UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep Khosla last year awarded a three-year, $1.2 million grant to launch the Center for Innovative Phage Applications and Therapeutics (IPATH) in the UC San Diego School of Medicine, the first such center in North America. The clinical trial will be IPATH's first.

The proposed Phase I/II clinical trial will test AB-SA01, an experimental bacteriophage combination for the treatment of participants with ventricular assist devices (VADs) infected by resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The trial will evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of AB-SA01 bacteriophage therapy in combination with best available antibiotic therapies. There will be approximately 10 participants enrolled. They will be treated at UC San Diego Health and other leading teaching hospitals in the United States.

VADs are implantable mechanical pumps that help pump blood in patients with weakened hearts or heart failure. They are sometimes used as a transitional device for patients awaiting a heart transplant.

"There is a high, unmet need in patients with S. aureus VAD infections, which are typically very difficult to eradicate with conventional antibiotic therapy," said the trial's principal investigator, Saima Aslam, MD, associate professor of medicine and medical director of the Solid Organ Transplant Infectious Disease Service at UC San Diego Health.

"In 2018, our UC San Diego Health team treated a patient with a S. aureus VAD infection using AB-SA01 under AmpliPhi's Expanded Access Program. This clinical trial builds on that foundational work and could provide a much-needed and promising treatment option for this life-threatening condition."

Steffanie Strathdee, PhD, associate dean of global health sciences, Harold Simon Professor in the Department of Medicine and co-director of IPATH, said the planned trial is a natural progression from the first phage treatment at UC San Diego in 2017.

It was her husband, Tom Patterson, PhD, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry, who had been stricken by a seemingly untreatable bacterial infection while vacationing in Egypt. By the time Patterson was airlifted back to Thornton Pavilion, part of Jacobs Medical Center at UC San Diego Health, he was seriously ill and would soon slip into a coma.

"We're excited to initiate IPATH's first clinical trial," said Strathdee. "And this is just the beginning. This collaboration is one of many we are undertaking to bring phage therapy into the 21st century to combat the global crisis of life-threatening antibiotic-resistant infections."Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have developed a polymer sponge that absorbs excess chemotherapy drugs from the bloodstream following treatment.

stockfour | Shutterstock

The drug sponge could help prevent the dangerous side effects of toxic chemotherapy agents or even enable the delivery of higher doses to treatment-resistant tumors such as liver cancer.

The sponge is an absorbent polymer, not unlike the polymers used in fuel cells, that is adhered to a strutted 3-D printed cylinder. The cylinder can be fitted within a vein that carries blood out of a target organ  such as the liver in the case of liver cancer.

Once inside the vein, the sponge absorbs any drug not taken up by the tumor, potentially stopping it from reaching and poisoning other organs.

As reported in the journal ACS Central Science; early, in vivo testing in pigs showed that the drug sponge absorbed, on average, 64% of a liver cancer drug once it had been injected upstream.

Surgeons snake a wire into the bloodstream and place the sponge like a stent, and just leave it in for the amount of time you give chemotherapy, perhaps a few hours. Dr. Nitash Balsara, Lead Researcher

Co-author, Steven Hetts, says: "Because it is a temporary device, there is a lower bar in terms of approval by the FDA. I think this type of chemofilter is one of the shortest pathways to patients."

Hetts says the team is developing this technique around liver cancer due to the health threat this form of cancer represents. Tens of thousands of new cases are being diagnosed every year and liver cancer is already treated using intra-arterial chemotherapy.

But if you think about it, you could use this sort of approach for any tumor or any disease that is confined to an organ, and you want to absorb the drug on the venous side before it can distribute and cause side effects elsewhere in the body." Steven Hetts, Co-author

However, Hetts does not think extensive animal testing should be the next step, but rather obtaining conditional approval from the FDA.

It is much more realistic to test these in people who have cancer as opposed to continuing to test in young pigs who have otherwise healthy livers," he concludes.The NHS in NW London is preparing to roll out the next generation of digital technologies that will make it easier to access health and care services at a fraction of the cost.

The North West London Collaboration of Clinical Commissioning Groups has signed an agreement with Inhealthcare, a UK leader in digital health and remote patient monitoring.

The agreement will allow the NHS to work more efficiently and cost effectively, by procuring digital services across a population of two million people.

Kwesi Afful, Digital Citizen and Innovation Lead at the North West London Collaboration of Clinical Commissioning Groups, said:

We have been looking for a solution which will enable digital innovation among our clinical colleagues so that patients can benefit from the latest digital tools. We are excited about this collaboration with Inheathcare and believe that it will help us deliver cutting-edge services and solutions to help improve health and wellbeing across NW London.

Digital services that Inhealthcare can help develop and deliver will include, equipment and apps. A key benefit will be the ability for the NHS to offer targeted, personalized care to residents with a safe-and-secure connection to health and care systems and patient records.More than 30 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The degenerative joint disease, often caused by wear and tear, is a leading cause of disability in the U.S. Partly triggered by a breakdown in the fibrocartilage between the bones of the knee joint such as the meniscus, osteoarthritis results in pain, stiffness and less range of motion.

Now, University of Kansas researcher Jenny Robinson is studying how estrogen may protect the menisci, the crescent-shaped pieces of fibrocartilage that absorb shock between the thighbone and shinbone. Her work is enabled by a one-year, $125,000 grant from the Center for Molecular Analysis of Disease Pathways, an NIH Center of Biomedical Research Excellence based at KU.

"In general, osteoarthritis has a predisposition for women to experience it more than men, but it's unknown why," said Robinson, assistant professor of chemical & petroleum engineering. "Our hypothesis is that estrogen may be playing a role in the health of the meniscus and we can use estrogen potentially as a regenerative therapy. The easiest way to think about it is if you lose estrogen postmenopause -- that's when you have enhanced chances of osteoarthritis." Robinson said the meniscus has a complex mechanical structure, with some regions that are hard and others that are more like soft tissue. She dubbed these areas of the meniscus "microenvironments."

"The meniscus is composed of fibrous cartilage known as fibrocartilage -- an intermediate tissue between hard tissue like bone and soft tissue like cartilage," she said. "It has regional properties throughout the disc including changes in the types of cell and the environment the cells live in. Some regions are closer to bone, and some are closer to soft cartilage."

The KU researcher said chances of recovery from an injury to the meniscus depend on which region sustains damage. "There are different ways to tear the meniscus," Robinson said. "Depending on the location and severity of the tear, repair is limited. The part of the tissue that is like cartilage is avascular. Most tissue that is avascular doesn't get the nutrients and oxygen needed to regenerate. Typically, if you get a tear in the avascular region you don't heal. So, we're trying to find out how to promote regeneration in this region."

Using both in vitro and in vivo studies, Robinson and her collaborators hope to determine how estrogen acts on meniscal fibrochondrocyte transcriptional changes, cell type, extracellular matrix production and response to mechanical signals.

"We're looking at what estrogen does to human cells in a cell culture dish -- how do we change the genes being transcribed, and which genetic material is being increased or decreased due to estrogen?" Robinson said. "What are the changes to proteins and sugars these cells are making -- that's what these cells do to create a healthy environment."

Robinson plans to test estrogen treatments alone and in combination with changes to the mechanical microenvironment in 2D and 3D models.

She said the aim of the basic science is eventually to develop targeted, estrogen-based therapies to treat people who otherwise would cope with osteoarthritis for the rest of their lives.

"The goal here is to make an off-the-shelf material, specific for sex and age, that a surgeon could implant into the knee instead of or after performing a meniscectomy," Robinson said. "I've talked with orthopedic surgeons who hope for something we could inject into the knee and it would interreact with tissue, provide support and give off signals for repair. The hope is that you'd get full regeneration. Depending on your status when you got this treatment, this therapy could inhibit osteoarthritis when you're young or, if you already have osteoarthritis, reduce the rate of further degeneration."

According to Robinson, the results of her study on the meniscus could influence future treatments for parts of the body beyond the knee joint.

"What we find in the meniscus will likely be analogous to fibrocartilages in other joints including the shoulder, spinal discs and jaw," she said.The Wistar Institute, along with partners Penn Medicine and Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announce that the FDA has approved the initiation of a first-in-human clinical trial investigating the safety and tolerability of a novel synthetic DNA-encoded monoclonal antibody (DMAb) therapeutic technology for the prevention of Zika virus infection.

DMAb therapeutic technology is unlike all known conventional therapeutic antibodies in that DMAbs are made inside of people, not manufacturing plants. Patients are administered DNA instructions to equip their bodies with the necessary tools to make their own highly specific antibodies against pathogenic targets such as bacteria, virus-infected cells and cancer cells.

David B. Weiner, Ph.D., executive vice president, director of the Vaccine Center, and the W.W. Smith Charitable Trust Professor in Cancer Research at Wistar, has been leading the research and development of the DMAb technology.

"DMAb technology is changing the clinical story as we know it. In just the last few years we've conducted detailed preclinical studies developing this new platform and have demonstrated in vivo production of DMAbs using the CELLECTRA delivery system," said Weiner. "This approach represents the potential for major advancement over traditional monoclonal antibody approaches and may broaden therapeutic strategies opening new patient markets to the benefits of antibody-based therapies for disease prevention or treatment."

In 2016, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded funding to The Wistar Institute to move DMAb technology from prototype into a clinical candidate for eradicating an emerging infectious disease.

Within two short years, a phase 1 clinical trial for Zika DMAbs is now enrolling participants. The trial will be led by Pablo Tebas, M.D., professor of infectious diseases at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. It is a single center, open-label, dose escalation trial that will enroll up to 24 healthy volunteers who will receive up to four doses of Inovio vaccine/product INO-A002.

"This is a completely novel technology that could change the way we deliver antibodies as therapeutic agents and may have the potential to be fast-tracked into clinical trials. While there are still questions to be answered, this could be useful not only for Zika, but for other emerging infections as well," said Tebas.

"While this trial targets Zika virus infection, we will gain important data from this study towards development of a broad range of our DMAb programs targeting infectious diseases, cancer, inflammation, as well as cardiovascular disease," said J. Joseph Kim, Ph.D., president and CEO, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "Our collective goal is to develop this new and unique approach to monoclonal antibody technology that would allow for a new pipeline of high-impact DMAb products, which can be developed with corporate partnerships, external funding and collaborations."Electrochemistry refers to the study of the chemical processes that are responsible for the movement of electrons in electricity. The history of electrochemistry is replete with several major discoveries since the sixteenth century.

Anatomy Insider | Shutterstock

Luigi Galvani

One of the first experiments regarding electrochemistry was performed by Luigi Galvani in 1786. His experiment began when he observed that the legs of a frog that he had dissected twitched as it lay next to an electrostatic generator.

In an attempt to understand this observation, Luigi hung the frog's leg from an iron railing with a brass hook and saw what had happened during a thunderstorm. He found that the leg contracted when there was a thunderstorm, but also when there was no thunderstorm and the leg was in contact with another part of the railing.

He subsequently called this observation animal electricity, as he thought the leg had some form of electricity. Nonetheless, these early experiments by Luigi Galvani gave rise to the concept of galvanism, which refers to the movement of muscles in response to electricity.

Alessandro Volta

Around 1800, another Italian scientist named Alessandro Volta contested the findings and interpretation of Galvani, as well as the concept of animal electricity. He proposed that the electricity was actually generated not because of any inherent electricity present in frog legs, but because two different metals (iron and brass) were connected by a moist conductor (frogs legs).

He further tested and proved his hypothesis by creating so-called voltaic pile. Volta connected two different metals with a piece of cloth or cardboard that was soaked in salt solution which is an electrolyte. He created a pile with alternating elements of copper and zinc with an electrolyte between them and generated electricity with this arrangement. Volta found that he could also manage the amount of electricity produced by changing the number of piles. This was the first example of a practical battery.

Discovering electrolysis

During the same time as the discovery of the first battery in Italy, studies were also being conducted in England by researchers Nicholson and Carlisle. These researchers discovered that water could be split into its constituent elements by passing electricity through it - a process that is now known as electrolysis.

The observation was confirmed by the bubbles of oxygen and hydrogen that were present at the electrodes. A scientist from Germany, Johann Wilhelm Ritter, measured the amount of oxygen and hydrogen that were produced, quantifying the process. He also discovered the concept of electroplating, which refers to the deposition of dissolved metal ions on the electrode, forming a thin coating on its surface.

Humphrey Davy

During the early 1800s, Humphrey Davy, a scientist at the Royal Institution at London, found that the concept of voltaic pile involved more than the contact of different metals. Using the concept of the voltaic pile, he used electricity generated by the pile to separate different compounds into their constituents.

Using these methods, Davy discovered several new elements (such as potassium, sodium, strontium, barium, calcium, and magnesium). He also came to the conclusion that an electrical force keeps different elements together in compounds.

Michael Faraday and John Frederic Daniell

Michael Faraday was a student of Davy who he made several significant advancements, bridging the fields of magnetism and electricity. In 1821, he made the first electric motor; moreover, in 1831, he made the first dynamo. He also discovered the laws of electrolysis that are still applicable for generating metals and compounds.

A British scientist John Frederic Daniell came up with the concept of Daniell cell. This cell consists of two components, where a copper vessel is filled with copper sulphate solution. In this vessel, a second container is immersed that consists of sulphuric acid and zinc electrode.

Later years

In 1901, the Edison Storage Battery Company was started by Edison and he invented the Nickel/Iron battery in 1914. Nikola Tesla, an American-Serbian inventor, initially worked for Edison. However, both of them had a professional rivalry - Tesla was a strong proponent of alternating current, while Edison believed that direct current was safer. Tesla patented the polyphasic alternate current system in 1888.

Further ReadingThank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account to continue reading.

To subscribe, click here. Already a subscriber? Click here. Flash

A man suspected of supplying weapons to the terrorists responsible for shocking coordinated attacks in Paris in 2015 has been indicted in Belgium in late December, an official said on Wednesday.

The man, identified previously in news reports by Belgian newspapers "La Libre" and "La DerniereHeure" as Mohamed E., was suspected of supplying Kalashnikovs to the terrorists that were used in the attacks that killed some 130 people on the night of Nov. 13, 2015 in Paris.

Eric Van Duyse, a spokesman for the Federal Prosecutor's Office, confirmed the arrest of the suspect on Wednesday.

The suspect will now face criminal charges for his involvement in the attacks.

Some of the main suspects involved in the Paris 2015 terror attacks have been put on trial and imprisoned in France and Belgium.Free access for current print subscribers

As a home delivery subscriber, you get free unlimited digital access to news-daily.com including stories, photos, obituaries, e-edition and more on your computer, tablet or phone.

All you need is your print subscription account number and your last name.

Don't know your subscription number? Email access@news-daily.com with your delivery address.

Activate your account now.The Community Culinary School of Northwestern CT in New Milford has announced it is the recipient of Affordable Automotive Giving Back Program.

For every oil change done this month, the business will donate $5 to the school.TORRINGTON  The job of a state legislator is considered a part-time job. But newly elected state Rep. Maria Horn, D-64, plans to make it a full-time commitment.

I have a family that backs me up, she said in a recent interview.

Fresh off her first Democratic Caucus meeting, where she learned the committees to which she would be assigned, Horn said I want to be a work horse, not a show horse.

In November, Horn won the seat after a recount in the state House District 64 race showed she beat Republican incumbent Brian Ohler of Canaan by 61 votes. The nine towns that comprise the 64th district, Kent, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Norfolk, North Canaan, Salisbury, Sharon and Torrington, had to recount their votes.

A former federal prosecutor, Horn said she asked to be assigned to the Judiciary Committee, which she was.

Her other appointments are vice chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, and as a member of the Environment Committee. Horn was also selected as an assistant majority leader of the state Democratic Caucus.

Marias background in the law and finance will allow her to be an effective voice on Appropriations Committee and Judiciary, Paul Summer, Torrington Democratic Town

Committee Chairman, said in an email Monday. Her commitment to environmental causes and preserving the natural beauty of the 64th District will also be an asset to the Environment Committee.

Horn plans to focus on issues such as: upholding the value of individuals, the resiliency of the environment and the nature of pollution and broadband internet connectivity.

We cant do everything with the budget cuts. But we clearly must uphold the values (of community) and take care of the most vulnerable, Horn said.

In a September candidates forum, she noted that she is involved with the McCall Center for Behavioral Health.

They teach kids how to deal with stress in different ways she said. The most cost effective way (against drug abuse) is prevention.

Her dedication to environmental protection, Horn said, comes in part from living near the Salmon Kill Valley, which she said contains large portions of undeveloped land.

However, the environment in not intangible, she noted. People come for the pristine area, its an economic asset.

Visitors go white water rafting, rent canoes and go to restaurants, Horn added.

She noted a meeting this month about invasive species, which are also an environmental and economic concern in Litchfield County.

The lack of broadband internet service, in the Northwest corner also hurts the economy and is a safety issue, Horn said. Young families wont move here, because they cant do their work, without a reliable and fast internet service.

We barely have service where I live. In some towns its so bad there is almost nothing. We can make it more possible with municipal broadband with a price point that is affordable, she said. We can bring service to the door and let municipalities choose how to use it.

Horn was one of 30 new freshmen in the legislature, she said, and 24 are Democrats.

Her successful bid in her first run for office was so close, the winner wasnt announced until more than a week after the election.BRIDGEWATER  The historic grange building that once served as a social gathering place for the areas farmers now has a chain link fence around it and no trespassing signs posted.

That didnt stop someone, however, from dressing up the condemned property for the holidays by hanging Christmas wreaths and ornaments on the fence  a sign perhaps of the communitys continued investment in the buildings fate.

Town and state officials are now awaiting cost estimates to determine if it makes more sense to preserve the building or tear it down and build a new one that looks historic.

Were in a holding pattern still, First Selectman Curtis Read said.

Todd Levine, a historian with the state Historic Preservation Office, expects numbers by the end of the month.

I think were in a good spot, Levine said.

He said the important thing is that the municipality has agreed to the scope of the plan and the state can now get concrete numbers.

The town presented a plan in 2016 to demolish the 1850s-era structure andconstruct a new building that would be a community gathering space. But the plans stalled this fall when residents discovered the building was on the National Register of Historic Places and the states Attorney Generals Office filed an injunction against the demolition so more information could be gathered.

In the meantime, the towns insurance provider has reduced its coverage and made the town put up the chain link fence and warning signs to keep people out due to the poor condition of the building.

The supports for the upper floor are weakened and there is asbestos and termite damage.

State officials have been crafting a renovation plan, which was completed last month so costs can be determined for the agreed upon scope.

If the costs are too high, the state will likely allow the building to be replaced, but if it looks like the renovation will cost about the same as a new building, the demolition wont be approved. That means the town will have to decide if it renovates or leaves the building unused as is and builds somewhere else.

It will all go back to the people of Bridgewater when we get our ducks in a row, Read said.

The town received three bids to renovate the building, with the average bid at $1.6 million. A new building is expected to cost about $900,000.

Read said hes approaching the states proposal with an open mind, but worries the renovation costs are more fluid and could cost more than projected.

They make it sound in their plan that its all pretty easy, he said. Im trying to protect the taxpayers of the town.

In the meantime, the town is also looking at alternative spots in case they need to construct a new building somewhere else in town, Read said.

He said the states renovation plan is similar to the towns new construction plans, but questions how much will actually be new once the windows, supports, roof and electrical, heating and plumbing systems are all replaced. He also worried the states plan cant hold enough people to meet the towns needs.

We dont even have a big meeting space and that was the whole point of this, Read said.

Levine said the states plan has enough space for 184 people standing, 132 people in chairs and 62 for tables and chairs. The towns plan can accommodate 220 people standing, 160 in chairs and 74 for tables and chairs.

Read also questioned the states plan to use the top floor, which requires a new staircase and places the utilities on the first floor.

It gets complicated when theres a second floor, he said.

Instead, the towns proposal for a new building is an open first floor design with the utilities in the basement.

The limited parking and existing septic are also challenges at the current building, Read said.

Its a difficult site to work with, Read said.

The structure was built as a one-room schoolhouse in 1854. The second floor was added in 1900, around when the grange was formed. The grange then sold the building to the town for $1 in 1999.

Advocates for the restoration said the building is an important part of the towns history and needs to be preserved, especially because the towns historical buildings are a big part of its character.

Read said this is one of 61 historic buildings in the historic district, which the town did not apply for. He said the designation is now dictating what they must do with their own buildings.

I dont understand the process of why they dont trust the local people, he said.

kkoerting@newstimes.com; 203-731-3345TORRINGTON  Last weeks arraignment of a Salisbury woman charged with two felony counts in a fatal crash in Kent in May, was continued to Jan. 15.

Shelby Roger, 26, who was arrested in late December, appeared with her attorney David Moraghan, who said after the proceedings that We will likely enter a not guilty plea, at the next court appearance.

Roger is also charged with driving under the influence and three other counts in a two-car collision after her vehicle hit another car on Skiff Mountain Road.

A passenger in Rogers car, 22-year-old Deanna Lynn Silvernail, was ejected from the vehicle and died. The felony counts against Roger are manslaughter in the second degree with a motor vehicle and assault in the second degree with a motor vehicle.

At last Fridays appearance, Moraghan filed a motion with the court for a return of property from State Troop L Barracks in Litchfield.

This is her livelihood, he told the court. The property is in the back of her SUV, which is being stored at the barracks, he said.

There is a saddle and riding equipment. It has nothing to do with the accident, Moraghan continued. Its probably been destroyed by the weather, he told the court. The windows are all broken. But, he added, his client wants to retrieve her property.

Judge Paul Matasavage, approved the motion and told Moraghan and States Attorney David Shepack to discuss how to handle the request.

Asked about the property listed in the motion, Moraghan said, There is a list of 15 things. She is an equestrian. She teaches riding and breaks horses.

Roger was accompanied to the court with her mother, who also met with her daughters attorney. Flash

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang at a daily news briefing on Jan. 9, 2019. [Photo / fmprc.gov.cn]

The Sino-U.S. trade talks held in Beijing have concluded and the results will be released soon, China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang told a daily news briefing on Wednesday.

The talks were scheduled to be held in Beijing from Monday to Tuesday, but were prolonged to Wednesday.

"The prolonged talks show the commitment both sides have put into the trade talks. If good results come out of the trade talks between the two countries, they will not only benefit both China and the U.S., but also be good news for the world economy," Lu Kang said.

The U.S. delegation was led by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish and accompanied by senior officials from the White House, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy, and Treasury, according to the USTR.

On January 4, the two sides, in a vice minister-level telephone call, agreed to implement the consensus reached in Argentina in December, and start positive and constructive talks.Residents of the 11th Congressional District will have two opportunities to talk to their new congresswoman in the next two weeks.Help support your local hometown newspaper/website. Independent local news reporting matters. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, for as little as $3, so we can continue to provide independent local reporting on our communities.HARTFORD  Bridgeports Harding High School got frequent shout-outs from Gov. Ned Lamont during his inaugural addresses on Wednesday.

From here, we march to the Capitol with the Foot Guard, who have been hosting the inauguration for 250 years, accompanied by Bridgeports Harding High School Marching Band, Lamont said minutes after taking the oath of office at the State Armory. I was a volunteer teacher there many years ago, but I remember those kids like yesterday.

Lamont promised as governor to work tirelessly to ensure that all children have the greatest opportunities to thrive, succeed and create a life of their own in Connecticut.

A couple of hours later, during his first State of the State address before a joint session of the General Assembly, Lamont brought up his ties to Harding again, talking about the schools transition to a new building in the fall.

Their old high school was pretty beat up, but you should have seen the excitement in the eyes of the students and their parents and teachers on opening day at the new Harding High, Lamont said. In showing the students that we believed in them, they showed pride in themselves and their school.

Lamont said he saw the same sense of optimism in the eyes of students he taught at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain for 12 years.

The new governor made a point to praise the states teachers in his address, calling them the finest in the country.

Beyond fixing the states budget once and for all, Lamont said attracting top talent to the state will take an investment in its urban centers, equipping them with great schools, safe streets and the first with 5G, the fifth generation of cellular mobile communications, in New England.

Like those kids at Harding High who believed in themselves, I believe in Connecticut, Lamont said.

He called for more training in STEM fields, coding and access to higher education but did not offer many details.

That did not dampen the spirit of Bridgeport City Council President Aidee Nieves, who said the frequent mention of Harding shows Lamont is really committed to the city of Bridgeport.

We will hold him to it, Nieves said as she exited the House chamber after the address.

Deputy Speaker Christopher Rosario, D-Bridgeport, agreed, adding he liked the highlight to urban centers and praise to teachers.

There is a fun nature about him, Rosario said of Lamont. Dan (Malloy) was a little bit of a hard charger whereas Gov. Lamont looks like he is going to have an open door.

The Harding marching band that participated in the inauguration is actually a drum line that was only re-instituted last year by Dane Brown, the schools principal. Despite severe ongoing budget cuts, Brown converted a teaching vacancy into a music teaching position.

The nine-member unit, dressed in blue and gold, kicked off the parade around the State Capitol led by their teacher, Dale Baldwin.

Lamonts brief tenure as a volunteer at Harding occurred in 2005. More recently, he made a $5,000 contribution to the schools football team for equipment. The Greenwich millionaire has also helped bankroll honor roll events at the school.

Earlier Wednesday, in his remarks from the well of the State Senate Chambers, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin M. Looney, D-New Haven, also listed a superb public education as necessary for a sensible, responsible, well managed government.

So that an inquisitive child can grow up to become a scholar, a physician, an architect, an inventor of transformative technology or a member of this General Assembly, said Looney, who has been in the senate since 1993.

lclambeck@ctpost.com; twitter/lclambeckA total of 55 entries have been announced for the race at Newbury next month

NIGEL Twiston-Davies is using a tried and trusted formula in the pursuit of a third success in six years in the 155,000 Betfair Hurdle at Newbury on February 9 for which 55 entries are revealed today.

The Gloucestershire trainer hopes Al Dancer, who is unbeaten in three starts over hurdles, can repeat the success of his 2017 winner Ballyandy who claimed Britains richest handicap hurdle while still a novice.

Al Dancer has been installed 10-1 joint second favourite by Betfair Sportsbook, behind Getaway Trump who finished second in the Grade 1 Betway Challow Novices Hurdle at Newbury last month for trainer Paul Nicholls.

Twiston-Davies who has also included his former race winners Ballyandy and Splash Of Ginge, who won the race in 2014, plus Ballymoy and Mr Antolini among a total of five entries.

Monsieur Lecoq, a winner at Sandown on Saturday under Lizzie Kelly, is 12-1 co-third favourite to give conditional rider Kelly a second success to add to her 2016 triumph on Agrapart.

Five times race winner Nicky Henderson (My Tent Or Yours 2013, Geos 2004 & 2000, Landing Light 2001, Sharpical 1998) has entered four horses (We Have A Dream, Apples Shakira, Style De Garde and Countister).

Gary Moore, who has won the Betfair Hurdle three times (Violet Dancer 2015, Wingman 2008 and Heathcote 2007), has entered Sussex Ranger, Distingo, Not Never and Ar Mest.

Mohaayed, winner of the Betfair Exchange Hurdle at Ascot at Christmas, is one of seven trained by Dan Skelton.

There are seven entries from Ireland, including five from the stable of Irelands champion jumps trainer Willie Mullins, Uradel, Dolciano Dici, Cut The Mustard, Sayar and Saglawy.

Al Dancer, owned by Walters Plant Hire Ltd, has registered wins at Carlisle, Ffos Las and at Cheltenham where he won a handicap by 11 lengths and for which he has been raised 12lb to an official rating of 141, since beginning hurdling this season.

Last years winner Kalashnikov was also rated 141 when he captured the prize for Newmarket trainer Amy Murphy while still a novice.

Nigel Twiston-Davies said: We do try to have runners in the Betfair Hurdle as it is a nice race to win. Al Dancer is being aimed at the race. Its become a good race for horses that have not quite been caught [by the handicapper].

John Neild wanted me to enter Splash of Ginge. If it became very soft he could run and we could possibly run Ballyandy as well so we could have two of our former winners there as well.

Al Dancer would be the probable mount of jockey Sam Twiston-Davies, son of Nigel, who steered Ballyandy to his win at Newbury.

Hes a novice who has done well so far this season, said Sam Twiston-Davies. Going into a handicap like this would be good experience for him. The long term dream is that he will be good enough for the Supreme and the Betfair Hurdle will tell us exactly where we are with him.

Hes a clean jumper, a good traveller, a bit like Ballyandy was which is kind of where the line of thought has come from. My Tent Or Yours was another who won the Betfair Hurdle as a novice. Its a route that has worked out well for a lot of horses.

The bigger field will do him good and will help him progress again. He will learn a good bit from it but at the same time I like his profile. Ill be keeping my fingers crossed that the ground is all right and everything goes in his favour on the day.

Nicholls, winner of the race in 2012 with Zarkandar, has also entered Grand Sancy and Mont Des Avaloirs but Getaway Trump heads the sponsors market.

Betfair Spokesman Barry Orr said: As you would expect for the richest handicap hurdle in the UK entries are strong and once again improving novices are to the fore in the betting. The Paul Nicholls trained Getaway Trump, who will be putting the form of his splendid second in the Challow to the test, is 8/1 favourite just ahead of Thomas Darby and Al Dancer at 10/1

The weights for the Betfair Hurdle will be revealed on Wednesday, January 16. The race is part of Betfair Super Saturday, which aside from the Betfair Hurdle, also features the 50,000 G2 Betfair Denman Chase, a leading trial for the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the 50,000 G2 Betfair Exchange Game Spirit Chase over an extended two miles.Richard Benyon is one of 20 Tory MPs to vote against the Government which would limit leeway for tax changes

RICHARD Benyon voted against his own party for the second time in as many months on Tuesday night in a bid to avoid a no-deal Brexit scenario in March.

The Newbury MP was one of 20 Conservatives to rebel against the Government as he backed an amendment to the Finance Bill, which would limit the Treasurys control over changes to tax laws following a no-deal, unless authorised by MPs.

The defeat would essentially restrict the Prime Ministers powers if Britain leaves without an agreement in place.

But Mr Benyon claimed it was a small insurance measure in the event Britain walks away on Friday, March 29, without a deal.

The cross-party amendment, put forward by Labours Yvette Cooper, was passed by 303 votes to 296  making Theresa May the first prime minister in 41 years to lose a vote on a government finance bill.

Mr Benyon was one of several Conservative loyalists to defy party whips in voting against the amendment, along with former cabinet ministers Michael Fallon, Justine Greening, Ken Clarke, Sir Oliver Letwin and Dominic Grieve.

It is the second time Mr Benyon has rebelled against his party on a key Brexit vote in recent weeks, having backed an amendment put forward by Conservatives Dominic Grieve in December which would hand power to MPs if Mrs Mays Brexit withdrawal agreement is rejected.

The Prime Minister cancelled the original Brexit vote on December 11 after opposition from both sides of the political divide signalled an ominous defeat.

Mr Benyon, who has consistently pledged his support to Mrs May throughout months of Brexit negotiations in search of a pragmatic Brexit, said: It is my intention to support the Government in the meaningful vote and Im encouraging as many of my colleagues to do the same.

I have supported the Government on a whole range of Brexit legislation but one thing Im absolutely clear on is that no-deal would potentially be a very bad result for many people and businesses that I represent.

What I was seeking to do yesterday [Tuesday] was to create a parliamentary safeguard to require the Government to come back to Parliament if they need more resources to implement a no-deal Brexit.

It was a small insurance measure.

If we dont agree the Governments withdrawal agreement, we then risk moving into a no-deal scenario.

MPs reconvened yesterday (Wednesday) for another five days of Brexit debate before voting on Mrs Mays deal on Tuesday next week.

But before heading into discussion, a cross-party group of MPs proposed an amendment which would cut down the amount of time Mrs May has to find a solution in the event her deal is voted down.

At present, the Government has 21 days to make the statement.

Speaking to the NWN on Wednesday about what way he would vote on the Grieve amendment, the Newbury MP said: No, Im opposed to that, Im not going to be supporting that.

I think the Government needs as much time as possible to be able to find some changes and to bring it forward to Parliament for further votes.

Prior to voting on Wednesday, Mr Benyon referenced a popular song by American rock band Greenday, in a tweet in which he referred to Brexit as a 's***fest' on social media.You are here: World

 Flash

At least one civilian was killed and 26 others wounded after an explosion ripped through a road in Khost, a city in eastern Afghanistan, on Tuesday, officials said.

"An improvised explosive device (IED) attached to a motorcycle was detonated near the city's main mosque roughly at 11:30 a.m. local time, causing panic among the residents," a police officer on condition of anonymity told Xinhua.

Security forces have cordoned off the area for precautionary measures in the city, which is the capital of Khost province.

Dr. Ahmad Shah, acting head of provincial health department, told Xinhua that one dead body and 26 wounded people were admitted to hospitals in Khost city following the incident.

The official added that the death toll could rise, as many injured remain in critical conditions.

The nearby building's windows were blasted out and shards of glass were strewn over the sidewalk.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack yet.

More than 2,790 civilians were killed and over 5,250 others injured in conflict-related incidents in the first nine months of 2018 in the war-torn country, according to figures released by the United Nations mission in the country.Lawrence - Madeleine "Maddy" (Waye Descoteaux Brown), 87, passed away on April 5, 2020. Maddy was born to Irene and Charles Waye in Nashua, N.H., on December 17, 1932. She was predeceased by her parents; a brother Charles Waye; and husbands, Louis G. Descoteaux of Nashua, N.H., and George BrA woman whose body was found floating in the water off Kalmus Beach in Hyannis, Massachusetts has died, according to the Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office.

The woman, who officials say is in her 60s, was discovered at about 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday by a bird watcher, according to Barnstable Police Sgt. Eric Drifmeyer.

Officials rushed the woman to Cape Cod Hospital, where she later died. Her name has not been released.

Authorities said she appeared to have been in the water for quite some time and they were worried about her wellbeing due to the icy temperatures.

"It's icy, the rocks are slippery, if you take a walk on the jetty... certainly enjoy yourself on the beach but always be cautious and be aware," Drifmeyer said.

Authorities are continuing their investigation on how the woman ended up in the water. They say they don't believe foul play is suspected.Providence, Rhode Island officials say they will no longer provide police details at local strip clubs.

Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare said Tuesday it is not in the city's best interest to provide the service.

The move comes after state regulators allowed the Foxy Lady to reopen after three dancers were charged with prostitution. The state Department of Business Regulation has mandated the club to have a police detail every Friday and Saturday night.

The city's police union has opposed Pare's move, which they say will encourage clubs to hire private security.

Police union president Michael Imondi said Monday private security will not deter criminal activity and are more likely to not report things.

Foxy Lady manager Richard Angell says Pare's decision is unfair to all the clubs in the city. Flash

Yidian Zixun, a Chinese news app based on artificial intelligence and big data, and Turkey's Yunus Emre Institute agreed on Tuesday to cooperate on academic and scientific works.

The deal builds on past cooperation between the two sides, in which Yidian Zixun provided to the non-profit Turkish institute big data related to the interests of Chinese netizens as well as premium Multi Channel Network-oriented services.

"We are working hard to strengthen academic and scientific cooperation between Turkey and China," said Seref Ates, president of the Yunus Emre Institute, which is under the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

"The value-added projects that will be created within TABIP will contribute to the development of their relations even further," Ates said at the signing ceremony.

TABIP, or Turkey Academic and Scientific Cooperation Project, was launched by Ates' institute 10 months ago and has now some 230 programs with different institutions or companies around the world.

Li Ya, CEO of Yidian Zixun which boasts as many as 70 million daily users, voiced readiness to deepen exchanges and interactions with the Turkish side under China's Belt and Road Initiative, which is promoting opening up and sharing.

Ismail Gultekin, a deputy governor of Istanbul, spoke of the efforts being made to woo more Chinese tourists, companies and artists to Istanbul, including the establishment of a Chinatown, direction signboards with Chinese characters and more Chinese restaurants.

He called for opening more flights between Turkish and Chinese cities.

"We do our best to boost the close ties between the two countries located at the two ends of the Silk Road," he said.Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts has plenty of fans in the neighboring state of New Hampshire, a big plus as she plans a presidential bid.

Ed Steenbeke of Laconia says he likes what Warren believes in and that she's a people person.

Kathy Drown of Webster says she loves the way Warren stands up to the establishment.

But Drown is not sold yet.

"I just want to learn more about her," she said.

Political analyst Scott Spradling says Democrats are not yet exactly sure what they are looking for in a candidate.

"They definitely want someone with a little bit of that fight to go up against Donald Trump," Spradling said.

That is why some voters appreciate when Warren goes toe to toe with the president.

"I think that she should be stepping on his toes," Steenbeke added.

"I think they're also looking for someone who is calm," Spradling added. "Who's not going to lose his or her temper."

"What sounds exciting in January 2019 may actually be stale and not appropriate in January 2020," said Democratic activist and New Hampshire radio host Arnie Arnesen.

Arnesen says Warren's stock as a candidate will rise if the economy takes a downturn in the months leading up to the New Hampshire primary, playing into Warren's expertise.

"Which is income inequality, economic justice, what is happening as a result of the over reach of Wall Street," Arnesen said.

And does Arnesen think Warren could have her vote?

"Absolutely," she said. "But, there's Beto [O'Rourke] mania here, there's Amy Klobuchar mania here, I hear a lot of really interesting names coming up."

One thing most New Hampshire Democrats agree on is that there are many more candidates they want to get to know and experience, in person, before they make any decisions about 2020.Facebook has relocated its Massachusetts office and plans to expand in the city where the company first started.

The social media giant showed off its new office on Binney Street in Cambridge's Kendall Square Wednesday. Facebook officials said they outgrew their previous office in nearby Boston.

"When we opened the office down the street five years ago, there was only seven of us," explained Facebook Boston founder Ryan Mack.

With three floors of space, the company plans to hire several hundred more people in addition to the 200 or so who currently work at the Kendall Square location.

"There's products being built here that are used by over 2 billion people and that's always really exciting," Laney Zamora, Facebook Boston site lead, said.

Company officials said they hope to attract employees from the area.

"The teams here that work on location-based products own 'find Wi-Fi,' they own 'nearby friends,' explained Mack. "Those are products we do our developing here. We have engineers, we have product management and recruiting as well."

State leaders say they are looking forward to that investment in Massachusetts.

"Please hire more people and graduates from Massachusetts and again ... keep them here," said Damon Cox, assistant secretary of Massachusetts' technology, innovation and entrepreneurship office.

Facebook is promising to continue partnerships with local community colleges and the Museum of Science to promote digital and STEM learning.

"(Facebook) is an authentic partnership that supports both of our mission(s) to give the power to the people to create a community," said Annette Sawyer, vice president of education at the Museum of Science.A man described by prosecutors as the mastermind of a mortgage fraud scheme that defrauded homeowners, investors, and banks of nearly $1.5 million has been sentenced to more than 13 years in prison.

A federal judge in Rhode Island also sentenced 57-year-old Hasan Hussain, of Princeton, New Jersey, on Tuesday to four years of probation and ordered him to repay his victims more than $1.4 million.

Prosecutors say Hussain tricked distressed property owners seeking loan modifications into paying him fees, moving out of their homes, and selling their homes in short sale transactions. They say Hussain had people deliberately damage the homes to further drive down their value. He then bought them at reduced prices and flipped them at much higher prices.

He pleaded guilty to September.What to Know Evertt Simpson, 41, was arraigned from a Philadelphia hospital bed on a federal kidnapping charge.

Simpson is accused of leading authorities on a multi-state manhunt after allegedly carjacking a woman then raping her in front of her child.

The suspect was arrested in Philadelphia suburb after leading police on a pursuit in a stolen vehicle, according to officials.

The estranged wife of the former Vermont man accused of kidnapping a woman and her 5-year-old son then raping the woman in front of her child is speaking out.

Sherise Simpson spoke to Vermont's MyNBC5 Tuesday about her estranged husband, 41-year-old Everett Simpson, who was arraigned on a federal kidnapping charge earlier this week.

"He's a very sick man and he needs a lot of help," she said.

The couple has two children and have been married for nine years.

"We were in our own little bubble," Sherise Simpson said. "He would say he owns me, I'm his property, we don't associate with people."

Authorities said Everett Simpson escaped a substance abuse rehabilitation center in Vermont on Friday, prompting a multi-state manhunt. Days after his escape, he allegedly forced a woman and her son into their vehicle in the Mall of New Hampshire parking lot in Manchester and took off with them.

The woman told investigators that Everett Simpson was searching for his wife, who he believed was cheating on him. Court documents said the victim told officials she felt Simpson was searching for his wife so he could hurt her.

"She's pretty much saved my life and I don't know who she is and I feel horrible for everything that happened to her," Sherise Simpson said.

After attempting to sexually assault her on the side of the road, the suspect forced the woman to rent a room at a motel in White River Junction, Vermont, where he sexually assaulted her in front of the boy, according to court documents.

He was arrested in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania after an automated license-plate recognition system identified a stolen Kia from New Hampshire.

"I'm very disappointed in him and I hope he thinks about every day what he did to that woman and her child," Sherise Simpson said.

Vermont State Police said they have launched a formal investigation to review steps taken to notify authorities of Everett Simpson's escape.

"The Vermont State Police has determined that there were additional steps that should have been taken, including an arrest warrant on Friday night, Jan. 4; issuing a 'be on the lookout' alert for Simpson; and issuing a news release informing the public about Simpson," state police said in a statement.

The suspect had posted bond on Thursday for a separate assault case. His bond came with a court-ordered condition that he seek treatment at Valley Vista rehabilitation center.

Vermont State Police said they received a complaint late Friday that the suspect had fled.An independent panel of cannabis advisors in Massachusetts voted Wednesday in favor of allowing on-site social use of marijuana at designated cafes, as well as delivery of marijuana products to customers, according to a report.

Members of the Cannabis Advisory Board's public safety subcommittee met Wednesday afternoon to discuss whether consumption of marijuana in a social setting would be allowed in the Bay State, and whether home delivery would be allowed. According to the Boston Globe, the subcommittee voted 5-2 to recommend allowing social marijuana cafes.

The group also voted unanimously to allow home delivery, the Globe reported, adding that members disagreed on how that should be regulated.

The Cannabis Control Commission noted that the advisory board is an independent entity "charged with studying and making recommendations" to the commission on marijuana's regulation and taxation.

The subcommittee's recommendation will be sent to the five-member commission, which controls marijuana policy in Massachusetts. The committee is made up of law enforcement, marijuana consumer advocates, and municipal lobbyists.

"The commission would need to reopen and amend its current regulations to allow for social consumption and delivery licenses in the commonwealth," Maryalice Grill, the commission's press secretary, said in a statement.

Martin tweeted that Walpole Police Chief John Carmichael argued against cannabis cafes based on the bureau's belief that they would lead to more residents driving high and making Massachusetts roads unsafe. Police were also concerned that the recommended changes wolud lead to robberies, according to Martin.

Conversely, Martin tweeted, attorney Kim Napoli said that Massachusetts should regulate social use sites because "cannabis has been consumed socially for literally hundreds of thousands of years."

In 2017, the commission delayed licensing marijuana cafes and home delivery businesses despite having already composed delivery and social consumption regulations in response to Gov. Charlie Baker and other officials expressing reservations.

Marijuana licenses then became restricted to small businesses and entrepreneurs who had been faced with significant drawbacks because of the war on drugs, while larger marijuana businesses were forced to wait up to five years to apply.

Massachusetts residents voted to legalize marijuana for recreational use in 2016. Since that time, five shops have opened, while four more have been approved.

Police in Hudson, Massachusetts clarified today that the marijuana shop approved to open in their town has not yet been cleared to open by the town itself. The town still needs to approve the shop's traffic plan.A Massachusetts fire lieutenant has been indicted in connection with an overtime abuse investigation within the Amesbury Fire Department.

Lt. Scott Cloutier was placed on administrative leave in May after being accused of putting in for overtime shifts he did not work.

A second firefighter is facing similar allegations. A third firefighter was cleared of wrongdoing and returned to work.

Cloutier is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Salem Superior Court.

"These actions have consequences, and it's now up to the courts to determine how justice will be served," said Mayor Ken Gray. "However, I want to emphasize that these actions do not overshadow the work of the rest of the hard-working and brave members of the Amesbury Fire Department, who show up for work every day and take great risks to keep our community safe."

Authorities said when city officials were informed of the overtime abuses, Gray ordered a detailed investigation which ultimately led to a grand jury indictment.

"The abuse of overtime represents a betrayal of trust and a theft of taxpayer money, and I am very disappointed in the alleged actions of two of the senior members of the fire department," said Amesbury Fire Chief Kenneth Berkenbush. "These incidents appear to be isolated, and the members of the Amesbury Fire Department have no tolerance for this activity."

Officials said the situation has led to changes in the supervision and keeping of overtime records, as well as overtime policies and practices.

In addition to the Amesbury Fire Department, the investigation has been handled by Massachusetts State Police and the Essex County District Attorney's office.A Massachusetts man ran into a burning building Wednesday in Walpole, Massachusetts, to make sure everyone was OK.

The fire broke out at 942 East St. Fire crews responded around 11:30 a.m.

When Lewis Grant, who works at Farmer in the Dell, a nearby deli, ran into the building to make sure no residents were home. He then went into Walpole Music, located downstairs.

Greg DiGregorio was inside and unaware there was anything going on.

"I was downstairs. I was working and someone from the deli came over and told me there was a fire on the third floor," DiGregorio said.

He's thankful to Lewis, but he's upset for the tenants and the future of the music store.

"It's like a community spot. Everyone knows it. We have been here for 46-47 years, so everyone knows this place and it's just a landmark," he said. "Everyone comes in and you get to know everyone. The students are great. It's just a nice little place to be."

No one was hurt in the fire, and much of the music store was saved by the firefighters who extinguished the flames.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort shared polling data during the 2016 presidential campaign with a business associate accused of having ties to Russian intelligence, and prosecutors say he lied to them about it, according to a court filing.

The allegation marks the first time prosecutors with special counsel Robert Mueller's office have accused Trump's chief campaign aide of sharing election-related information with his Russian contacts. Although the filing does not say whether the polling information was public or what was done with it, it raises the possibility that Russia might have used inside information from the campaign as part of its effort to interfere with the election on Trump's behalf.

The accusation could be important evidence in Mueller's ongoing probe into potential coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin.

The information was accidentally revealed in a defense filing Tuesday and was meant to be redacted. The Associated Press was able to review the material because it wasn't properly blacked out.

Manafort was among the first Americans charged in Mueller's investigation and has been among the central characters in the case, having led the campaign during the Republican convention and as, U.S intelligence officials say, Russia was working to sway the election in Trump's favor. Manafort has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in Washington and faces sentencing in a separate case in Virginia.

The defense filing was aimed at rebutting allegations that Manafort intentionally lied to Mueller's team after agreeing to plead guilty last September. Prosecutors say Manafort breached their plea agreement by lying, but defense lawyers argued that any misstatements were simple mistakes made by a man coping with illness, exhaustion and extensive questioning from investigators.

The defense lawyers said Manafort suffers from depression and anxiety, has had little contact with his family and, on days when he met with investigators, was awakened before dawn to have hourslong interviews with little time to prepare for the questioning.

"These circumstances weighed heavily on Mr. Manafort's state of mind and on his memory as he was questioned at length," the lawyers wrote.

Tuesday's filing revealed the first extensive details of what he is accused of having lied about. A spokesman for Manafort's defense team declined to comment on the incomplete redactions or on Mueller's allegations, but lawyers later filed a corrected version of the document.

The filing contains new information about Manafort's connections to Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian-Ukrainian business associate who was indicted last year on charges he tampered with potential witnesses. The U.S. believes he is connected to Russian intelligence, but Kilimnik, who is not in U.S. custody, has denied those ties.

The latest allegations further detail how Manafort's work on the campaign intersected with his past international work with Kilimnik.

Emails previously reported by the AP and other news outlets show that in July 2016, Manafort told Kilimnik he was willing to provide "private briefings" about the Trump campaign to Oleg Deripaska, a Russian billionaire with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Manafort dangled the briefings as he was mired in a dispute with Deripaska over a multimillion-dollar deal involving a Ukrainian cable company.

Through his spokesman, Manafort has acknowledged discussing the briefings but said they never occurred.

In addition, the defense document discloses a meeting in Madrid between Manafort and Kilimnik. Prosecutors say Manafort acknowledged the meeting only after being told that they were in the same city on the same day. Manafort spokesman Jason Maloni said Tuesday the Madrid trip mentioned in the filing occurred in January or February 2017 months after Manafort was ousted from the campaign and as Trump was taking office.

Manafort also did not initially disclose having earlier discussed a Ukraine peace plan with Kilimnik on more than one occasion during the campaign, according to the filing. Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a conflict since 2014 over Russia's annexation of Crimea. The U.S. and European Union have imposed sanctions on Russia over that move as well as the country's support for separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Manafort's attorneys don't specify the details of the peace plan but they write that Manafort told prosecutors in September that "he would have given the Ukrainian peace plan more thought, had the issue not been raised during the period he was engaged with work related to the presidential campaign.

"Issues and communications related to Ukrainian political events simply were not at the time forefront of Mr. Manafort's mind during the period at issue and it is not surprising at all that Manafort was unable to recall specific details prior to having his recollection refreshed," they said.

They say the same about his recollection of sharing polling data with Kilimnik related to the campaign.

Prosecutors have also accused Manafort of lying about his contacts with Trump administration officials, which defense lawyers deny.

The filing says that a May 26, 2018, text message exchange with Manafort involved an unidentified "third-party" who was asking permission to name-drop Manafort if the person met with Trump. The request to use Manafort as an introduction to Trump came while Manafort was under indictment in two federal cases.

The defense lawyers say Mueller's team has indicated they will not pursue additional charges against Manafort. The lawyers say they don't want a separate hearing before a judge on the lying allegations but will address them instead during the sentencing process.Protestors told the stories of increasing desperation on the part of federal workers and those who depend on them Tuesday, gathering outside the White House Tuesday as President Donald Trump addressed the nation on television.

On Friday, federal workers won't see an expected paycheck deposited into their bank accounts unless a deal is reached in time. Worried about paying for medicine, food and rent, many workers and their dependents have rallied online around the hashtag #ShutdownStories.

Organizer Kristin Mink brought those stories offline at the White House protest. She read stories from Twitter in front of lit-up signs saying, "fake crisis" and "no wall."

"I have cancer and cant pay my drug co-payments if I dont get my paycheck," Mink read from Twitter.

"These stories break your heart," Mink said.

I'm scouring the job market today. Unfortunately, as a fed employee I can't work in a related field. It's hard to believe that I'm unable to leverage my 20+ years experience to make ends meet during the shutdown. New career? Or new job? #ShutdownStories @AFGENational  Gigi (@MsGigiOnTap) January 8, 2019

Other protesters said that while they do not work for the government, the shutdown is starting to affect their lives.

"Im afraid to fly to California for my friends funeral, because Im worried the airports will shut down because the TSA agents are quitting," protester Rockefeller Twyman said.

Marylands Republican Governor Larry Hogan expressed increasing frustration with the federal government shutdown in a speech Tuesday, as the shutdown stretched into the 18th day.

"I think were at the point right that no one in Congress in the House or the Senate should receive a paycheck and no one in The White House administration staff should receive a paycheck until they get this resolved rather than making the hard-working federal workers suffer any longer for their nonsense," Hogan said.

A number of local congress members, including Reps. Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., and Dutch Ruppersburger, D-Md., have asked for their pay to be withheld or donated until the shutdown has ended.The U.S. Supreme Court has ordered a lower court to review the case of a northern Virginia drug dealer who says his guilty plea in a 2001 murder was coerced by vindictive prosecutors.

Justin Wolfe was just 19 when he was charged with murder in the death of another dealer, Daniel Petrole, to escape a $60,000 debt. Wolfe, who spent several years on death row, has seen his case bounce through the courts for nearly 18 years.

A federal judge tossed out a jury's death sentence in 2012 and accused prosecutors of misconduct. A different prosecutor retried Wolfe, who in 2016 admitted having Petrole killed. Wolfe was sentenced to 41 years in prison.

Wolfe now says he pleaded guilty only because prosecutors brought even more severe charges against him than were originally filed.

Wolfe's attorney, Marvin Miller, said Tuesday that he expects the Virginia Supreme Court will now send the case to a lower court to consider the merit of Wolfe's arguments.

"They did wrong to get a conviction," Miller said of prosecutors who handled Wolfe's case. "And when it was sent back for review, they did him wrong again to avoid dealing with it. ... If Virginia deals with this case squarely, he'll get relief."

The Virginia attorney general's office, which is handling the appeals, declined comment Tuesday.

The Supreme Court's order Monday remanding the case comes in the wake of a 2018 ruling that gives defendants more leeway to challenge their convictions after a guilty plea.

Back in 2001, Wolfe was a top dog in a suburban drug ring that sold millions of dollars' worth of high-grade marijuana. Prosecutors say he conspired with another man, Owen Barber, to kill Petrole, his supplier.

Barber struck a plea deal and testified against Wolfe, who was convicted in 2002 and sentenced to death. At his initial 2002 trial, Wolfe acknowledged he was a drug dealer but denied any role in Petrole's murder.

Barber later recanted his testimony against Wolfe and ultimately vacillated multiple times about whether he shot Petrole at Wolfe's behest.

A federal judge, U.S. District Judge Raymond Jackson in Norfolk, vacated Wolfe's death sentence and ordered a new trial. For the retrial, Prince William County Commonwealth's Attorney Paul Ebert recused himself, and Fairfax County prosecutor Ray Morrogh was brought in.

Morrogh brought death penalty charges again and additional charges that had not been included at the initial trial. He secured a plea deal that took the death penalty off the table but included a requirement sought by the Petrole family for Wolfe to admit in his own words what he did.

Wolfe now says that confession was coerced. Flash

The U.S. Treasury Department announced Tuesday that sanctions have been imposed upon several Venezuelan individuals and groups.





The Treasury Department accused seven individuals and 23 entities involved in a corruption scheme designed to take advantage of the Government of Venezuela's currency exchange practices, generating more than 2.4 billion U.S. dollars in corrupt proceeds, according to a statement issued by the department.





"Venezuelan regime insiders have plundered billions of dollars from Venezuela while the Venezuelan people suffer," Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said in the statement.





All property and interests in property of sanctioned individuals and entities subject to or transiting U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them, said the Treasury.





The Trump administration has been conducting a hard-line policy against Venezuela.





Last November, the United States imposed sanctions targeting Venezuela's gold exports, which are a significant source of money needed by the South American country to buy medicine and food.





Diosdado Cabello, the president of Venezuela's National Constituent Assembly, condemned the sanctions as "genocide against Venezuela."





Venezuela has been actively seeking to expand its cooperation with Russia on trade and security. A senior Venezuelan official said last November that the two countries would start cooperation in the agricultural and mining sectors.







A Virginia man was found dead Tuesday in the backyard of a home in Prince George's County, Maryland.

Thomas Baldwin of Fredericksburg, Virginia, was fatally shot, police said in an update Wednesday. He was 29.

A Greenbelt, Maryland, police officer discovered Baldwin's body in the backyard of the officer's mother's home when he went to visit her Tuesday morning, a police spokesman said.

Mabel Keys said she was shocked when her son woke her up saying there was a body in her backyard.

When I got up, the man was in the yard, and I didn't know if he was dead or alive, how he got back there or anything, she said.

Greenbelt police confirmed Keys son worked a night shift before the body was discovered.

Baldwin had a gunshot wound, police said Wednesday. Officers responded about 7:15 a.m., and he was pronounced dead. A homicide investigation is underway, Prince George's County police said.

Once officers arrived on the scene, they did locate the body of an adult male who was suffering from apparent trauma to the upper body, said Calvin Tyson of Prince Georges County police. He was pronounced dead on the scene, and our investigators are treating this as a homicide scene.

No information on a suspect was released.

Police are investigating whether there are any surveillance cameras in the area that can provide clues.

Several neighbors said they heard one or two gunshots between midnight and 1 a.m. but did not call police because they weren't sure what it meant until the discovery in the morning.

Keys says she didn't know the victim, and refused to look at him, for her own piece of mind.

I wasn't trying to look out there because I didn't really want to see that, because I didn't know what I was going to be seeing, and I really just didn't want that in my head as I get up every morning, she said.

The discovery of the man's body filled the normally quiet neighborhood with officers, neighbor Earlan Romano said.

"I get up this morning, and all I see was police cars and yellow tape," he said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police. A reward of as much as $25,000 is offered.In D.C., you can get help paying your water bill. In Charles County, Maryland, the school district can help if you can't afford your kids' school lunch. And in Arlington, Virginia, a pet food pantry has opened.

Even as furloughed federal employees get ready to go back to work, some organizations are still offering deals, like free lunches, for D.C. area workers who are owed back pay.

If you're looking for opportunities to help those impacted during the government shutdown, NBC Washington has a list of places to volunteer or donate here.

Here's a running list of available resources.

DC

Get a Free Lunch: A group of D.C. area co-working spaces are partnering to host and feed recently furloughed federal employees at a different space every day for the week of Jan. 28. Just show up with your government ID and grab a plate starting at 12 p.m. on Monday.

 On Monday, Alley Powered by Verizon (2055 L St. NW, Fourth Floor) and Industrious (4201 Wilson Blvd. Third Floor, Arlington) will serve lunches for government workers.

 On Tuesday, Inclusive Innovation Incubator (2301 Georgia Ave. NW) will serve lunches

 On Wednesday, 1776 (2231 Crystal Dr. #1000, Arlington), MakeOffices (1015 15th St. NW, #600) and Industrious (1 Thomas Circle NW, #700) will serve lunches.

 On Thursday, The Yard (700 Pennsylvania Ave. SE) will serve lunches.

 On Friday, MindSpace (1301 K St. NW) will serve lunches.

Get a Free Meal: Jose Andres' World Central Kitchen, at 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, near the United States Navy Memorial, is set to be open every day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It's serving a "rotating menu of hot meals, sandwiches and salads," a statement from the nonprofit said.

One-Stop Resource Shop: Next door to World Central Kitchen, several businesses and non-profits are partnering to provide resources to federal employees. Martha's Table, the Greater DC Diaper Bank, Pepco, Verizon, AARP, Dr. Bronner's and the International Fund for Animal Welfare are scheduled to participate. The center is scheduled to be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Help With Baby Supplies: The Northwest Center (2702 Ontario Road NW) offers furloughed workers free diapers, wipes and other necessities for their babies. Call 202-483-7008 to schedule an appointment.

Help With Groceries: Furloughed workers and contractors who are D.C. residents can visit Bread for the City's Northwest or Southeast centers for a five-day supply of groceries. In addition, the medical clinic at the Northwest Center is currently accepting new patients. Go here for more information, including hours of operation and required documentation needed.

Help Paying Your Water Bill: DC Water said they will work with "any federal worker who may need additional flexibility in paying their bill because of the government shutdown." Extended payment plans are available, as well as a program that helps customers keep water and sewer service on despite financial emergencies. Go to DC Water's website for more information.

Photos: Free and Cheap Things to Do in Washington, DC

Help Paying Your Gas Bill: Washington Gas is offering flexible payment plans to government employees affected by the shutdown. One plan lets customers spread winter heating bills across the entire year. Payment deferments are possible, as well as access to the Washington Area Fuel Fund for low-income customers. Call 1-844-WASHGAS to discuss your individual situation.

Help Feeding Your Pet: The Humane Rescue Alliance has a Pet Pantry that federal workers who live in D.C. can use to help feed their animals. Go to the HRA website for info.

Unless the partial government shutdown ends by Friday, many federal workers wont get an expected paycheck. But the bills and expenses continue to pile up. News4's Aimee Cho was there as Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen talked to constituents about how they're coping.

Maryland

Free Public Transportation: The Maryland Department of Transportation is offering free transit for unpaid federal employees who must still report to work during the shutdown. They can ride for free on MARC, Commuter Bus and BaltimoreLink services such as CityLink, LocalLink, Express BusLink, Light RailLink and Metro SubwayLink. They will need to show their federal government ID.

Free Meals: Free meals are available for all furloughed federal workers at the Tommy Douglas Conference Center (10000 New Hamshire Ave., Silver Spring) on weekdays from noon to 6 p.m.

Help With Groceries: New Life Worship Center (7230 Central Ave., Capitol Heights) will hold a Furlough Relief Market Friday, Jan. 18 from 2 to 6 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Those affected by the government shutdown who need groceries may "shop" free of charge.

Help Paying Your Water Bill: If WSSC provides your water, there's help available. The water utility announced it is suspending water service shutoffs. Also, a number of programs are available to lower your bill. Go here for more info.

Get Meals for Your Kids: A few school districts are offering help with meals:

 Charles County Public Schools is providing a temporary $30 increase in meal credits to help families affected by the shutdown. Learn more here.

 The head of Prince George's County Public Schools announced a new fund to pay for hot meals for students during the shutdown and beyond. The fund aims to cover the cost of 10,000 meals. Go here to learn more, or donate.

 Montgomery County Public Schools are covering meals for students affected by the shutdown through the Dine with Dignity program. Students with negative account balances can get the usual breakfast or lunch for free. Go here for info, or to donate.

 Families of St. Mary's County Public Schools that have lost or reduced income due to any change in family circumstances, including the shutdown, may immediately apply for their children to receive free or reduced-price meals. The application for the FARMs program is available online; copies are also available in each school. Call 301-475-4256 ext. 5 with any questions.

Get Temporary Employment: Some school districts are offering short- and long-term employment opportunities.

 Prince Georges County Public Schools is looking to expedite hiring of federal employees who have been furloughed to fill positions as substitute teachers and substitute paraprofessionals. The next PGCPS hiring event is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 25. Go here for more information on applying.

Help for Federal Employees Who Work at BWI Marshall Airport: The 600+ federal employees who work at BWI Marshall Airport can receive discounts on meals, free chair massages, free grocery items and more. Concession participants include Subway, Jamba Juice, Pinkberry and more. The airport is also hosting a food drive for affected workers. Those who want to donate to the food drive can bring non-perishable items to the Maryland Transportation Authority Police and the lower level of the BWI Marshall Airport.

16 Museums You Can Visit During the Government Shutdown

Virginia

Get Temporary Employment:

 Stafford County Public Schools will host a Pop Up Substitute Workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 22 from 10 a.m. to noon at 31 Stafford Ave. in Stafford for furloughed federal workers. The workshop is open to anyone 18 or older with a high school diploma or equivalent. The school system needs substitutes for teachers, paraprofessionals and nurses (RN required).

Free Class: Furloughed federal employees and contractors can take a free (non-credit) class through Northern Virginia Community College's Workforce and Economic Development Office. They can choose from select Business & Management, IT & Computer Skills, and Professional Development classes. See the list of available classes here.

Help Paying Your Water Bill: If you're a furloughed federal employee who lives in Arlington and you're having trouble paying your water bill, there's help available. The county is allowing extended payments without late fees. For info, go here or call 703-228-6570.

Help From Falls Church Schools: Falls Church City Public Schools is offering help paying for school lunches, tuition and day care. School social workers are available to families as well. Go here for info.

Help Feeding Your Pet: The Animal Welfare League of Arlington has opened a pet food pantry for government workers who need help and live in Arlington County or the City of Falls Church. People who request help need to show government ID. Go to AWLA's website for info.

We hear stories of people who come in and say theyve fed their children, theyve fed their pets and now they dont have anything to eat. Thats where we want to step in, the head of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington said. News4s David Culver shows a pet food bank thats helping government workers as the partial shutdown drags...

Help With Food in Alexandria: Visit Alexandria's Food Assistance and Other Resources page for information about food assistance resources in Alexandria, including a directory of free programs.

Help From Alexandria Schools: You can apply online or download an application to apply for free or reduced-price lunches for students. Parents or guardians not receiving income must indicate their income as zero, "0" or leave the field blank. If your household previously applied and was denied during this school year, you must submit documentation, such as proof indicating you are affected by the government shutdown or recent pay stubs. For more information, contact ACPS School Nutrition Services at 703-619-8407.

Get Temporary Employment: A few school districts are offering short- and long-term employment opportunities.

 Falls Church City Public Schools is looking to hire furloughed federal employees as substitute teachers and bus drivers. Interested candidates should contact Amy Hall at 703-248-5600.

 Prince William County Public Schools is encouraging furloughed employees to work for PWCS in either part-time or full-time capacities as substitute teachers or school bus drivers. Go here for more information on applying.

The National Mall appeared sparse Saturday during the second weekend of the partial government shutdown. News4's Darcy Spencer reports.

In addition to resources for paying your bills or helping your family, many freebies and discounts are available at restaurants, museums and music venues in the D.C. area. Go here to see the running list.

Know of a resource we should add? Email us as tips@nbcwashington.com.

The government shutdown is imperiling the planned release of the Atlas Brew Works' new apricot IPA  And that's just one brew stuck in limbo until the government fully reopens. News4's Cory Smith reports.One of the most controversial figures in Virginia politics is calling it quits.

In his final state of the county address, Prince William County Board Chairman Corey Stewart said he wont seek a fourth term as chairman.

Twelve years as chairman, 16 years total on the board, and I think thats enough, he said. Its enough, and Im ready to move on to a new chapter in my life.

Stewart has often been a lightning rod for controversy, starting in 2007 when he pushed for one of the toughest crackdowns on undocumented immigrants in the nation.

He later became one of President Donald Trumps most vocal supporters. And he embraced confederate memorials in the wake of the violence at a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.

Just weeks after losing a GOP gubernatorial primary, he launched a U.S. Senate campaign with a caustic promise.

Im going to run the most vicious and ruthless campaign, he said.

But Sen. Tim Kaine soundly defeated him in November, and Democrats have gained strength in Prince William County.

Glad Corey Stewart finally realized peddling hate is not the path to victory in Prince William, state Del. Hala Ayala, D-51st District, tweeted.

Stewart conceded winning again could have been tough.

It has become a lot more difficult to win in Prince William County as a Republican, he said. The Democrats have done a tremendous job of registering a lot of new voters.

Stewart said his greatest accomplishments have been lots of road building and his undocumented immigrant crackdown.

He said he has no regrets about his combative style, which even alienated many Republicans.

Its who I am, he said. I mean, I have no regrets, you know. I love the fight.

Stewart might not finish his term if the right job comes along. As an international trade attorney, he hopes there might be a position for him in the Trump administration.

Theres a couple of positions that are open, that are vacant, where I know I could do a good job implementing the presidents policies very, very well, in a loyal way, he said.

Stewart said if Virginias political pendulum does swing back his way someday, he might become a candidate once again.San Diego taxi drivers say they are under attack near the airport and the Harbor Police Department is trying to take reports from as many of them as possible.

In the last few weeks, at least 18 taxi cabs have been hit by what police say could be BB gun shots or rocks. Drivers have no clue where the shots are coming from.

"I'm coming from Point Loma, on my way to the [airport] holding lot, I hear a noise between Sheraton and the second light," driver Asage Obgn said. When he got to the lot, he noticed his windshield was broken.

Obgn said he was hit at around 7 p.m. Saturday night.

Harbor police arrested a suspect on Saturday and charged him with two misdemeanors. According to investigators, there is at least one outstanding suspect.

Drivers say theyre being targeted along Harbor Avenue near the San Diego Airport, often times at night with customers in their cars.

"These are dents on the body or window of the car, Alex Tegegma said pointing to his cab. There are 11 now, there could be more."

Tegegma and other drivers say the frequency makes them think its not just some accident. Since theyre unsure whats hitting their car, theyre unsure of what kind of danger theyre really in.

"They must be using a stone that breaks the window, or they're using maybe a gun -- whatever it is we don't know. This is really, really dangerous for us and the customers," Driver Abdulahi Noor said.

The Harbor Police Department is asking anyone with information regarding the incidents or possible suspects to contact them at (619) 686-6596.The remains of a local Navy sailor killed during World War II have been accounted for, more than 76 years after his death.

Navy Chief Pharmacists Mate James T. Cheshire of San Diego was identified by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) on Sept. 10, 2018, the organization announced Wednesday.

Cheshire was assigned to the USS Oklahoma battleship during the Pearl Harbor attacks on Dec. 7, 1941.

His ship was docked at Ford Island, a small island in the center Pearl Harbor.

During the attacks, the USS Oklahoma was hit by multiple torpedoes, causing the battleship to capsize, DPAA said.

This resulted in the deaths of 429 servicemembers, including Cheshire, according to the agency.

It took until June 1944 for the sailors remains to be recovered. After this time, they were buried in the Halawa and Nuuanu Cemeteries.

Three years later, the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) then transferred these remains to the Schofield Barracks on Honolulu to be identified.

Here, the staff was only able to identify 35 men from the USS Oklahoma wreckage, DPAA said.

The remaining unidentified fallen servicemembers were then buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, also known as the Punchbowl. The cemetery is also located on Honolulu.

In October 1949, a military board classified these unidentified sailors as non-recoverable, including Cheshire, according to DPAA.

More than 65 years later, Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work ordered for the unknown sailors associated with the USS Oklahoma to be analyzed again.

This long process began on June 15, 2015, DPAA said. DNA, as well as anthropologic analysis and circumstantial evidence were used to try and identify these servicemembers.

More than 1,000 days went by before DPAA confirmed Cheshires remains had been accounted for in Sept. of last year.

Cheshire, who was listed on the Walls of Missing at the Punchbowl where he was laid to rest for so many years, now has a rosette next to his name to signal his remains have been found.

Roughly 16 million Americans served in World War II. Of those servicemembers, about 400,000 died and more than 72,000 are still unaccounted for, DPAA said.Sign up to get breaking news, weather forecasts, and more in your email inbox.

Sign Up NowYouve heard our NBC10 First Alert weather team talk about it before: "We're watching the differences between the American and European weather models."

This week is no different. The team is watching those models, and many others, ahead of a possible winter storm over the weekend.

But the American model is being affected in ways unrelated to Mother Nature. The federal government shutdown, now three weeks in, has begun taking a toll on the weather world.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is functioning under a "partial shutdown."

Agencies you may be familiar with, like the National Weather Service and the Weather Prediction Center and many others weather- and climate-related, all operate within NOAA.

These agencies analyze data, develop forecasts, and provide statistics the NBC10 First Alert weather team (and meteorologists across the country) use to make their official forecasts each day.

NOAA's partial shutdown means operations that are considered mission critical are still functioning. Those operations include things like populating the weather.gov website with forecasts, and ensuring major weather events are watched and warned across the country. Those government employees whose jobs fall under the status mission critical are still working, while not being paid.

Unfortunately, maintenance on the American computer model, known as the Global Forecasting System (GFS), is not considered critical.

The result?

According to the Washington Posts Capital Weather Gang, the GFS is running poorly.

Typically, a large team of scientists works quality control on the model to ensure the future forecasts for winds, temperatures, rain or snow (and a ton of other factors) are the most accurate they can possibly be. Theyre checking data is entered into the extremely intricate model correctly. Theyre ensuring no errors occur within the systems output. Theyre always working on improvements to the model.

Without a team to do these daily tasks, the GFS begins to degrade.

The Washington Post spoke to members of various departments who confirmed the quality of the model (and several other American computer models) is lower, and theres simply no one to fix it.

There is some good news for you at home.

Our NBC10 First Alert Weather Team doesnt use only one model to make a forecast. Instead, the team peels through many models daily. Based off the various models, each models different solutions (models typically put out several updated data sets each day) and the teams knowledge of model bias (some computer models run hot or cold, snowy or dry), our team of meteorologists makes a specific forecast for our region's many neighborhoods. We update those forecasts throughout the dayand now the team knows to work around the weakness of the GFS.A lawsuit alleges that the city of Wilmington, former Mayor Dennis Williams and others are to blame for the deaths of three firefighters and the severe injury of another.

It says a cost-saving policy taking fire engines out of service prevented hundreds of gallons of water from arriving within minutes at the scene of a fire.

WDEL-FM reports that court documents filed Monday say the city and department's "rolling bypass" policy led to the deaths of firefighters Jerry Fickes, Ardythe "Ardy" Hope and Lt. Christopher Leach at the September 2016 fire. Now-retired firefighter Brad Speakman was severely injured.

The lawsuit was filed last year by attorney Tom Neuberger on behalf of the victims and their families. The defendants filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit in October.What to Know Jenna Burleigh disappeared in 2017 after leaving a bar near Temple's campus in North Philadelphia.

During the murder trial's opening statements, the defense claimed Josh Hupperterz's roommate strangled Burleigh while trying to quiet her.

Hupperterz turned down a plea offer in December. If convicted by a jury, he could face up to life in prison.

The man currently on trial for the 2017 murder of a Temple University student claims his roommate actually ended the young woman's life to quiet her screams during a knife attack.

The scenario was laid out by Josh Hupperterz's defense attorney during an opening statement in a Philadelphia courtroom on Tuesday.

Attorney David Nenner told a jury that the victim, Jenna Burleigh, sliced Hupperterz in the hand with a knife while fighting about sex in the early morning hours of Aug. 31, 2017. The two had met a short time earlier at a bar near Temple's campus.

Nenner said Hupperterz, 29, and Burleigh, 22, had consensual sex, but that the two began arguing after his client initiated anal intercourse.

Photos: The Life of Jenna Burleigh

The argument spilled into the kitchen of Hupperterz's N. 16th Street apartment where, according to the attorney, Burleigh stabbed him. Nenner said Huppertertz's roommate ran into the kitchen after hearing screams, attacked Burleigh and ultimately strangled her to death.

Hupperterz pleaded not guilty to murder and use of an instrument of a crime, but pleaded guilty to abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence for moving Burleigh's body to his grandparent's home in rural Pennsylvania.

Nenner said Hupperterz's roommate would testify at the trial.

Prosecutors rebuked the defense's assertions in their own impassioned opening argument before a packed courtroom  where Burleigh's parents and friends sat in the gallery  inside the city's Criminal Justice Center in Center City.

Assistant District Attorney Jason Grenell said Hupperterz, after having oral, vaginal and anal intercourse with Burleigh, took her down to the ground and strangled her, naked, on the kitchen floor.

Grenell said Hupperterz punched the film student 38 times, broke a cereal bowl over her head, stabbed her repeatedly after wrestling a knife from her, then strangled her, so severely he broke her larynx.

Its every parents worst nightmare. You stare at the phone waiting for the call, Grenell said. The Burleighs would never have that. They would never hear from their daughter again.

Police documents have revealed new details on the murder of Temple University student Jenna Burleigh. The documents reveal that the suspects grandfather was the one who found her body inside a tote in the shed of his estranged wifes home.

Hupperterz allegedly stuffed her body into a blue plastic storage bin and moved it to his mothers home in Jenkintown, authorities said in September that year. Sources told NBC10 at the time that the 29-year-old then used a Lyft ride-hailing car to transport the remains to his grandmothers home in Wayne County, Pennsylvania.

Hupperterz's grandfather allegedly found Burleigh's body one day after a Philadelphia police detective and FBI agent visited the property.

Hupperterz turned down a plea offer in December from the Philadelphia District Attorney's office, which had offered 30-to-60 years in prison in exchange for a guilty plea. Hupperterz could face up to life in prison if convicted at trial which is expected to last for up to two weeks.

Initial accounts by investigators of Burleigh's death alleged a grisly murder and cover-up that are eerily similar to circumstances surrounding Hupperterz's father's murder 24 years earlier.

STXfilms

The body of Octavio Hupperterz was found wrapped in a trash bag outside of a business in the Wyndmoor section of Springfield Township, Montgomery County, in 1993. Josh Hupperterz was 4 at the time.

Octavio died from a bullet to the back of the head, his hands tied behind his back and shoved into a garbage bag when he was found.

Sources had told NBC10 in 2017 that investigators believed the elder Hupperterz, who lived in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia, was killed at another location and his body dumped in Montgomery County.In a somber televised plea, President Donald Trump urged congressional Democrats to fund his long-promised border wall Tuesday night, blaming illegal immigration for what he called a scourge of drugs and violence in the U.S. and framing the debate over the partial government shutdown in stark terms. "This is a choice between right and wrong," he declared.

Democrats in response accused Trump of appealing to "fear, not facts" and manufacturing a border crisis for political gain.

The back-to-back remarks by Trump and Democratic leaders appeared unlikely to do much to break the logjam that has left large swaths of the government closed. Three weeks into the shutdown, the strain was starting to show with hundreds of thousands of federal workers on track to miss paychecks this week.

Addressing the nation from the Oval Office for the first time, Trump argued for spending some $5.7 billion for a border wall on both security and humanitarian grounds as he sought to put pressure on newly empowered Democrats amid the extended shutdown.

Trump, who will visit the Mexican border in person on Thursday, invited the Democrats to return to the White House to meet with him on Wednesday, saying it was "immoral" for "politicians to do nothing." He claimed they could resolve the standoff in "45 minutes," but previous meetings have led to no agreement as Trump insists on the wall that was his signature promise in the 2016 presidential campaign.

Shifting between empathetic appeals and the dark immigration rhetoric that was a trademark of his presidential campaign, Trump asked: "How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?"

Responding in their own televised remarks, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of misrepresenting the situation on the border as they urged him to reopen closed government departments and turn loose paychecks for hundreds of thousands of workers.

Negotiations on wall funding could proceed in the meantime, they said.

Schumer said Trump "just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration."

Read fact checks of Trump's speech and the Democratic response.

Overall, Trump largely restated his case for the wall without offering concessions or new ideas on how to resolve the standoff that has kept large swaths of the government closed for the past 18 days. Speaking in solemn tones from behind the Resolute Desk, he painted a dire picture of killings and drug deaths he argues come from unchecked illegal immigration.

Trump ticked off a string of statistics and claims to make his case that there is a crisis at the border, but a number of his statements were misleading, such as saying the new trade deal with Mexico would pay for the wall, or suggesting through gruesome examples that immigrants are more likely to commit crime.

Trump, who has long railed against illegal immigration at the border, has recently seized on humanitarian concerns to argue there is a broader crisis that can only be solved with a wall. But critics say the security risks are overblown and the administration is at least partly to blame for the humanitarian situation.

Trump used emotional language, referring to Americans who were killed by people in the country illegally, saying: "I've met with dozens of families whose loved ones were stolen by illegal immigration. I've held the hands of the weeping mothers and embraced the grief-stricken fathers. So sad. So terrible."

The president often highlights such incidents, though studies over several years have found immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States.

Trump has been discussing the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow him to move forward with the wall without getting congressional approval for the billions he's requested. But he did not mention that Tuesday night.

With his use of a formal White House speech instead of his favored Twitter blasts, Trump embraced the ceremonial trappings of his office as he tries to exit a political quagmire of his own making. For weeks he has dug in on a signature campaign promise to his base voters, the pledge to build an impregnable "beautiful" wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The partial government shutdown reached its 18th day, making the closure the second-longest in history. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are going without pay, and government disruptions are hitting home with everyday Americans.

Trump was nearly halfway through his 9-minute address before he mentioned the wall, describing it as a request from law enforcement rather than his longstanding political pledge. He also suggested that his proposal to build the wall from steel, rather than concrete, was a concession to Democrats.

Trump sought to put the blame on Democrats for the standoff, saying they "will not fund border security." In fact, House Democrats passed legislation the day they took control of the House that offered $1.3 billion for border security. And Senate Democrats have approved similar funding year after year.

Seeking to keep up pressure on Trump and the Republicans, Pelosi said the House would begin passing individual bills this week to reopen some federal agencies, starting with the Treasury Department to ensure Americans receive their tax refunds. The administration says it will act on its own to ensure the refunds.

Ahead of the speech, the White House sought to shore up GOP support on Capitol Hill, where a growing number of Republicans have been expressing unease with the extended shutdown. Vice President Mike Pence met privately with House Republicans, urging them to "stand strong" and insisting the White House wants to negotiate, according to people familiar with the conversation.

AP writers Colleen Long, Alan Fram and Deb Riechmann contributed.A Russian lawyer who President Donald Trump's son believed was peddling dirt on Democrat Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign worked with a Russian government official to deceive an American court in an unrelated civil case, federal prosecutors in New York said Tuesday.

Natalya Veselnitskaya was indicted on one count of obstruction of justice after prosecutors said she teamed up with a senior Russian prosecutor and submitted deceptive declarations in a civil proceeding involving a Russian tax refund fraud scheme.

The indictment , though unrelated to Russian election interference, is the first filed against a participant of a Trump Tower meeting at which the president's son expected to receive damaging information about Clinton. It also is the first time U.S. prosecutors have directly connected Veselnitskaya to the Russian government.

Veselnitskaya was the key participant in the June 2016 meeting with Donald Trump Jr. and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner that was described to Trump Jr. as part of a Russian government effort to help his father's campaign. Trump Jr. and Kushner have dismissed the meeting as amounting to nothing and mostly involving Russia's ban on American adoptions in response to U.S. sanctions.

Special counsel Robert Mueller has investigated the meeting, calling some participants before a federal grand jury as he probes the Trump campaign's contacts with Russia. He has also scrutinized Trump's involvement in drafting a misleading public statement about the meeting's content.

On Tuesday, special counsel spokesman Peter Carr declined to say if Mueller's team was involved in the Veselnitskaya case or if the office had referred the matter to prosecutors in New York.

Veselnitskaya, a 43-year-old attorney based in Russia, did not respond to a telephone call and text message from The Associated Press. She has previously denied acting on behalf of Russian officials when she met with the Trump team, telling Congress she operates "independently of any government bodies."

The filing of the charge will curtail Veselnitskaya's international travel and expose her to arrest if she comes to the U.S. But Russia does not have an extradition treaty with the U.S. and she will likely never appear in a U.S. court if she remains there.

The indictment was filed under seal in December and publicly announced Tuesday by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman.

The criminal case relates to real estate firm Prevezon Holdings Ltd. and its role in an alleged $230 million tax-fraud scheme that federal officials say was "perpetrated by a criminal organization that included in its ranks corrupt Russian officials."

In 2013, U.S. prosecutors brought a civil lawsuit against the company that sought to recover millions of dollars worth of New York real estate and other property on the grounds that it was tainted by money laundering. The fraud scheme involved using stolen corporate identities to obtain Russian tax refunds and funneling the illegal proceeds through a network of shell companies.

Veselnitskaya, an attorney based in Russia, was retained to assist the defendants. As part of that representation, the indictment accuses her of misrepresenting a declaration that she submitted to a federal judge.

The indictment says Veselnitskaya claimed that the material she submitted to the court was an independent finding when in fact the document was an "intentionally misleading declaration" that she had secretly drafted with a senior Russian government prosecutor, who is not named in court papers.

Prevezon settled the civil case in 2017 but balked at a negotiated payment. A federal judge ordered the firm last February to pay $6 million to the U.S. government.

The companies that claimed they had been defrauded by Prevezon were owned by Hermitage Capital Management, whose CEO William Browder aided the government's case. Browder has championed sanctions against Russia, accusing its officials of collaborating in the imprisonment that led to the death of his Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky.

Magnitsky was arrested while investigating the fraud case and died in a Russian prison in 2009. Congress passed the Magnitsky Law in 2012 to target those allegedly involved in his arrest and death with financial sanctions.

Veselnitskaya's legal work for Prevezon is also connected to another Trump Tower meeting participant, Rinat Akhmetshin.

Prevezon owner Denis Katsyv helped fund a lobbying effort carried out by Akhmetshin that sought to poke holes in Magnitsky's story. Akhmetshin, a former Russian military officer and Washington lobbyist, later accompanied Veselnitskaya to the Trump Tower meeting.What to Know A police lieutenant in NJ is facing charges after being accused of burglary and stalking his estranged wife by placing a GPS in her car

Richard Levis, an officer in the Hackensack Police Department, was charged with burglary and stalking, Bergen County prosecutors say

Levis was allegedly using the GPS device to track his estranged wife's whereabouts

A police lieutenant in New Jersey is facing charges after being accused of burglary and stalking his estranged wife by placing a tracking device in her vehicle, prosecutors say.

Richard Levis, an officer in the Hackensack Police Department, was charged with one count of burglary in the third degree and one count of stalking in the fourth degree, Bergen County Acting Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced Tuesday.

Attorney information for Levis was not immediately available.

On Dec. 30, 2018, the prosecutors office allegedly received information that Levis, 48, of Butler, may have secretly placed a GPS tracking device in his estranged wifes vehicle without permission.

A subsequent investigation allegedly confirmed that Levis was using the device to track her whereabouts.

Levis is scheduled to appear in court Jan. 23.

Hackensack Police Capt. Peter Busciglio said the department has cooperated with prosecutors.

Levis is suspended awaiting his trial appearance, Busciglio said.What to Know The I-Team has watched for years as women worked the streets and subways across the city, panhandling with babies like it's a full-time job

In 2016, the state Senate passed a bill to criminalize begging with babies; the Assembly didn't back it -- and neither did the mayor

Now, ACS Commissioner David Hansell has implemented a new plan to expedite the response to dozens of hotline tips about the issue

New York City has a new plan to track down parents begging with babies on the sidewalks.

The protocol developed by Administration for Childrens Services Commissioner David Hansell, which was implemented in December, comes more than four years after the I-Team first exposed an organized group of women using babies and toddlers to tug at heartstrings and beg for cash on city streets.

Panhandling on NYC streets is not against the law with or without children, though all panhandling is illegal in the subway system. Still, its a troubling sight to many who encounter it.

Frankly, I was concerned with what I saw, Hansell said, describing the I-Team reporting that began in 2014. Its not something we want to see in the city.

After Hansell took charge at ACS in 2017, he says he decided to study the issue. In several cases last year, when concerned citizens called in tips about parents panhandling with young children, ACS found evidence of neglect and placed the children in foster care.

The new plan aims to expedite the response to dozens of tips called into the NY State Child Abuse Hotline, after a year-long analysis by Hansell found the city was only able to locate the subjects in one out of every nine complaints. According to Hansell, in 40 out of 45 cases called in by good Samaritans last year, the women were no longer at the reported location by the time ACS workers arrived.

The new ACS plan gives tipsters the ability to send in a picture of the reported family and if caseworkers cant find them, they enlist the NYPD to help. Outreach teams with the Department of Homeless Services are also notified.

The issue goes beyond that agency, though. The group of women the I-Team originally exposed in 2014 were not homeless and regularly refused social services help. The I-Team tracked them over a period of months commuting together with the babies to and from an apartment building in Brooklyn. We observed them working long shifts on corners with toddlers who remained unusually still for hours at a time.

Mayor de Blasio said he was outraged at the time and vowed to stop the practice. De Blasio asked his newly formed Childrens Cabinet to find a creative solution. But years passed without any plan to push for new laws or policy changes. City Hall declined to support a 2016 state Senate bill that would have made it illegal to use children in an organized way to beg for money on the street.

Former Deputy Mayor Lilliam Barrios Paoli, who says she quit the administration in frustration back in 2015, tells the I-Team the issue had been essentially tabled by the Children's Cabinet before she left City Hall.

There was a fear within the administration that it would be perceived as politically incorrect to criminalize these immigrant women, Barrios Paoli said. As for the changes now implemented by Hansell, Paoli said, "The new protocol is a start but it's not clear how it will deter this troubling practice more broadly in the future."

In 2017, de Blasio told the I-Team his Childrens Cabinet was unable to find an across-the-board solution, adding that any new approach would have to be on a case-by-case basis. But de Blasios positions have been somewhat inconsistent. While the mayor refused to support criminalizing the use of children to panhandle, he said he wished he could make regular panhandling (without children) illegal because it made the citys homeless crisis appear worse.

The Republican-controlled state Senate passed the bill to outlaw panhandling with children in 2016, but it was a nonstarter in the Democratic State Assembly. The refusal of Democrats, including de Blasio, to support a change in the law has been a sore point for George McDonald, who runs the Doe Fund  a nonprofit that helps the homeless get back on their feet.

Why is a mother laying on the street with a toddler in a city that spends $2 billion a year on homeless services and every person who needs it can get services right now? It should be illegal McDonald said.

The original group of women featured in the I-Team series disappeared from their midtown corners and their Brooklyn neighborhood without a trace in the fall of 2015 after one of the women, Caselina Margel, was arrested during a heatwave for panhandling too close to an ATM, which is against the law, and for endangering the welfare of her newborn child. The Manhattan district attorneys office tells us there is still a warrant for Margels arrest after she failed to appear for a court date. The I-Team has no knowledge of what happened to her or the other women since 2015.

Last year, the I-Team documented what appeared to be a resurgence of women begging with children in Midtown, though not necessarily in an organized way. We received viewer tips and photos  and documented some of the panhandling ourselves.

Hansell says some of the parents ACS found last year were homeless, living in shelters. He says under his new plan, not all parents found panhandling with a child will necessarily be accused of neglect. In some cases, Hansell says, they might be offered help in the form of social services or preventive services But Hansell is not opposed to the idea of revisiting a broader approach.

We would be happy to be part of any effort to identify broader solutions, he said. Certainly we dont want to see children exploited in that way."The authorities of the city of Guadalajara, considered to be one of the most conservative cities in Mexico, approved a law that allows sexual relations in public view, unless there's a public complaint.

With the legal reforms, the police will no longer have the authority to sanction public sex acts, so long as there isn't a complaint from a third party.

"Having sexual relations or committing acts of exhibitionism of a sexual nature in public places, vacant lots, inside vehicles or in private locations in public view will be considered administrative offenses, as long as a citizen requests police intervention," details the modification to article 14 of the Bylaws of Good Government.

The changes were issued in the capital of the state of Jalisco under the argument that the police should focus on combatting crime and not bother those who might be lacking funds to pay for a hotel.

That change has caused indignation among many citizens who label it as a moral issue, and also warn that it makes it easier for rapists and pedophiles to abuse their victims.

Once these changes go into effect, the police will only be able to detain and fine those who have intimate encounters in public view if there is an expressed complaint from other citizens.

This initiative has a history in the world, now that Vondelpark in Amsterdam, one of the most popular public parks in the capital of the Netherlands, has allowed sex in the open air spanning over a decade.

The only rules in Amsterdam are to keep the space clean, the activities should be conducted in areas away from dedicated child zones, and if there's too much noise, police can ask the lovers to leave.What to Know Officers and rescue crews arrived at the scene near Northwest 5th Avenue and 47th Street, where a man was found unresponsive.

Miami Police are investigating reports of a fatal shooting after finding a mans body in the middle of the street in Little Haiti Wednesday morning.

Officers and rescue crews arrived at the scene near Northwest 5th Avenue and 47th Street shortly before 3:30 a.m. after the department's ShotSpotter detected two shots fired in the area according to police spokesman Michael Vega.

Once they arrived, officers found a black man unresponsive on the ground and he was pronounced dead. Officials have not released the victims identity or any other details on a potential shooter in the case.

Neighbors say it's a scene that happens all the time in the area.

"I was worried of course, because Im here all the time and I come back late at night from work sometimes so it is something to be concerned about," said resident Alejandro Gonzalez.Universal Orlando is offering a promotion to Florida residents that will allow them to visit the theme parks for less than $54 dollars per day.

Florida residents can take advantage of the 2-park, 3-day ticket for $159.99.

Residents also have the option to add a fourth day for only $15 plus tax. You can also add a park-to-park option, which will allow you to visit multiple parks in one day for an extra $40 plus tax.

Residents can only take advantage of this promotion with a valid promo code from Coca-Cola or Coke Zero Sugar products.

Those interested in taking advantage of the promotion must purchase their tickets by April 4th. Guests will be able to visit the parks through June 30 with no blackout dates.

The promotion lines up with the parks Mardi Gras Celebration, which is a family-friendly version of the renowned New Orleans celebration which features Cajun-style cuisine, a nightly parade and live concerts.

For more details on the promotion and Mardi Gras, click here.

Universal Orlando is owned by NBCUniversal, which owns and operates WTVJ-NBC6.What to Know Its Wednesday, January 9th  and NBC 6 has the top six stories you need to know for the day.

Its Wednesday, January 9th  and NBC 6 has the top six stories you need to know for the day.

Weather wise, a milder Wednesday is in the forecast with the latest cold front moving through the area by the afternoon and making for much colder night into Thursday morning.

No. 1 - Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel may soon be out of a job. The head of BSO's union, Jeff Bell, confirmed to NBC 6 that Israel told staff he "expects to be removed in the near future" over the departments response of the Parkland shooting.

Newly inaugurated Gov. Ron DeSantis has not made a formal announcement of Israel's removal.

No. 2 - A man from Sweden is being accused of groping a teenage boy at a park in Broward County.

Coral Springs police said 85-year-old Bo Gunnar Hansson approached a 13-year-old boy at Fern Glen Park on Jan. 3 and tried to assist him on the monkey bars without permission.

No. 3 - President Donald Trump urged congressional Democrats to fund his long-promised border wall in a somber televised address that was heavy with dark immigration rhetoric but offered little in the way of concessions or new ideas to break the standoff that has left large swaths of the government shuttered for 19 days.

No. 4 - A SunPass scam is targeting consumers with emails pretending to collect unpaid tolls by threatening possible court action, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.

FDOT said an email address  SunPassNotice@ezpass-collections.net  is contacting residents.

No. 5 - The parents of a South Florida teenager killed when a Tesla sedan crashed and caught fire last year are suing the electric car company alleging that the battery pack on its electric Model S is defective and can erupt into intense fires.

Edgar Monserratt and Esperanza Martinez de Monserratt allege in the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Broward County Circuit Court that the car's battery was inadequately protected, making the whole vehicle defective.

No. 6 - A sheriffs deputy in the Tampa Bay area is out of a job after admitting to sending a toy bomb to a member of his department as a joke.

Pinellas County Sheriffs Office Lt. Joseph Gerretz received a package at his desk through inner-office mail. When he opened the box, he found a red object with wires and a hand written note saying boom. Deputy James Piper told his supervisor that he had sent it as a joke before resigning from his position effective immediately.The New Year is only a few days old, but California has taken an early lead for the weirdest story of 2019.

A man in Salinas, California was caught on security camera licking a doorbell in what can best be described as an explicit manner. Police identified the man who felt the need to express his love to a doorbell as Daniel Arroyo.

Arroyo allegedly returned to the residence after finishing his make-out session, urinated in front of the house and stole extension cords, according to police.

Unfortunately for doorbells and extension cords in the area, Arroyo was not immediately caught, according to police.The full text of President Donald Trump's first Oval Office address, according to a transcript released by the White House.

My fellow Americans: Tonight, I am speaking to you because there is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border.

Every day, Customs and Border Patrol agents encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country. We are out of space to hold them, and we have no way to promptly return them back home to their country.

America proudly welcomes millions of lawful immigrants who enrich our society and contribute to our nation. But all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled, illegal migration. It strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages. Among those hardest hit are African Americans and Hispanic Americans.

Our southern border is a pipeline for vast quantities of illegal drugs, including meth, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. Every week, 300 of our citizens are killed by heroin alone, 90 percent of which floods across from our southern border. More Americans will die from drugs this year than were killed in the entire Vietnam War.

In the last two years, ICE officers made 266,000 arrests of aliens with criminal records, including those charged or convicted of 100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000 violent killings. Over the years, thousands of Americans have been brutally killed by those who illegally entered our country, and thousands more lives will be lost if we dont act right now.

This is a humanitarian crisis -- a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul.

Last month, 20,000 migrant children were illegally brought into the United States -- a dramatic increase. These children are used as human pawns by vicious coyotes and ruthless gangs. One in three women are sexually assaulted on the dangerous trek up through Mexico. Women and children are the biggest victims, by far, of our broken system.

This is the tragic reality of illegal immigration on our southern border. This is the cycle of human suffering that I am determined to end.

My administration has presented Congress with a detailed proposal to secure the border and stop the criminal gangs, drug smugglers, and human traffickers. It's a tremendous problem. Our proposal was developed by law enforcement professionals and border agents at the Department of Homeland Security. These are the resources they have requested to properly perform their mission and keep America safe. In fact, safer than ever before.

The proposal from Homeland Security includes cutting-edge technology for detecting drugs, weapons, illegal contraband, and many other things. We have requested more agents, immigration judges, and bed space to process the sharp rise in unlawful migration fueled by our very strong economy. Our plan also contains an urgent request for humanitarian assistance and medical support.

Furthermore, we have asked Congress to close border security loopholes so that illegal immigrant children can be safely and humanely returned back home.

Finally, as part of an overall approach to border security, law enforcement professionals have requested $5.7 billion for a physical barrier. At the request of Democrats, it will be a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall. This barrier is absolutely critical to border security. Its also what our professionals at the border want and need. This is just common sense.

The border wall would very quickly pay for itself. The cost of illegal drugs exceeds $500 billion a year -- vastly more than the $5.7 billion we have requested from Congress. The wall will also be paid for, indirectly, by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico.

Senator Chuck Schumer -- who you will be hearing from later tonight -- has repeatedly supported a physical barrier in the past, along with many other Democrats. They changed their mind only after I was elected President.

Democrats in Congress have refused to acknowledge the crisis. And they have refused to provide our brave border agents with the tools they desperately need to protect our families and our nation.

The federal government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only: because Democrats will not fund border security. My administration is doing everything in our power to help those impacted by the situation. But the only solution is for Democrats to pass a spending bill that defends our borders and re-opens the government.

This situation could be solved in a 45-minute meeting. I have invited Congressional leadership to the White House tomorrow to get this done. Hopefully, we can rise above partisan politics in order to support national security.

Some have suggested a barrier is immoral. Then why do wealthy politicians build walls, fences, and gates around their homes? They dont build walls because they hate the people on the outside, but because they love the people on the inside. The only thing that is immoral is the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized.

Americas heart broke the day after Christmas when a young police officer in California was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien, who just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country.

Day after day, precious lives are cut short by those who have violated our borders. In California, an Air Force veteran was raped, murdered, and beaten to death with a hammer by an illegal alien with a long criminal history. In Georgia, an illegal alien was recently charged with murder for killing, beheading, and dismembering his neighbor. In Maryland, MS-13 gang members who arrived in the United States as unaccompanied minors were arrested and charged last year after viciously stabbing and beating a 16-year-old girl.

Over the last several years, Ive met with dozens of families whose loved ones were stolen by illegal immigration. Ive held the hands of the weeping mothers and embraced the grief-stricken fathers. So sad. So terrible. I will never forget the pain in their eyes, the tremble in their voices, and the sadness gripping their souls.

How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?

To those who refuse to compromise in the name of border security, I would ask: Imagine if it was your child, your husband, or your wife whose life was so cruelly shattered and totally broken?To every member of Congress: Pass a bill that ends this crisis. To every citizen: Call Congress and tell them to finally, after all of these decades, secure our border.

This is a choice between right and wrong, justice and injustice. This is about whether we fulfill our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve.

When I took the Oath of Office, I swore to protect our country. And that is what I will always do, so help me God.Thank you and goodnight.

----

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi:

Good evening. I appreciate the opportunity to speak directly to the American people tonight about how we can end this shutdown and meet the needs of the American people.

Sadly, much of what we have heard from President Trump throughout this senseless shutdown has been full of misinformation and even malice.

The President has chosen fear. We want to start with the facts.

The fact is: On the very first day of this Congress, House Democrats passed Senate Republican legislation to re-open government and fund smart, effective border security solutions.

But the President is rejecting these bipartisan bills which would re-open government  over his obsession with forcing American taxpayers to waste billions of dollars on an expensive and ineffective wall  a wall he always promised Mexico would pay for!

The fact is: President Trump has chosen to hold hostage critical services for the health, safety and well-being of the American people and withhold the paychecks of 800,000 innocent workers across the nation  many of them veterans.

He promised to keep government shutdown for months or years  no matter whom it hurts. Thats just plain wrong.

The fact is: We all agree that we need to secure our borders, while honoring our values: we can build the infrastructure and roads at our ports of entry; we can install new technology to scan cars and trucks for drugs coming into our nation; we can hire the personnel we need to facilitate trade and immigration at the border; and we can fund more innovation to detect unauthorized crossings.

The fact is: the women and children at the border are not a security threat, they are a humanitarian challenge  a challenge that President Trumps own cruel and counterproductive policies have only deepened.

And the fact is: President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis, and must re-open the government.

Thank you.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer:

My fellow Americans, we address you tonight for one reason only: the President of the United States  having failed to get Mexico to pay for his ineffective, unnecessary border wall, and unable to convince the Congress or the American people to foot the bill  has shut down the government.

American democracy doesnt work that way. We dont govern by temper tantrum. No president should pound the table and demand he gets his way or else the government shuts down, hurting millions of Americans who are treated as leverage.

Tonight  and throughout this debate and his presidency  President Trump has appealed to fear, not facts. Division, not unity.

Make no mistake: Democrats and the President both want stronger border security. However, we sharply disagree with the President about the most effective way to do it.

So, how do we untangle this mess?

There is an obvious solution: separate the shutdown from the arguments over border security. There is bipartisan legislation  supported by Democrats and Republicans  to re-open government while allowing debate over border security to continue.

There is no excuse for hurting millions of Americans over a policy difference. Federal workers are about to miss a paycheck. Some families cant get a mortgage to buy a new home. Farmers and small businesses wont get loans they desperately need.

Most presidents have used Oval Office addresses for noble purposes. This president just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear, and divert attention from the turmoil in his Administration.

My fellow Americans, there is no challenge so great that our nation cannot rise to meet it. We can re-open the government AND continue to work through disagreements about policy. We can secure our border without an expensive, ineffective wall. And we can welcome legal immigrants and refugees without compromising safety and security.

The symbol of America should be the Statue of Liberty, not a thirty-foot wall.

So our suggestion is a simple one: Mr. President: re-open the government and we can work to resolve our differences over border security. But end this shutdown now.

Thank you.

--In a tweet Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump again threatened to cut off funding to California from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, citing concerns over forest management.

"Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forrest [sic] fires that, with proper Forrest Management [sic], would never happen. Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money," the president tweeted.

It wasn't immediately clear if he had signed an order to FEMA. NBC has reached out to FEMA and the White House for comment.

Soon after the president's tweet, Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., tweeted, "Californians endured the deadliest wildfire in our state's history last year. We should work together to mitigate these fires by combating climate change, not play politics by threatening to withhold money from survivors of a deadly natural disaster."

Gov. Gavin Newsom, who Tuesday laid out plans for new wildfire safety initiatives, also responded in two tweets:

"Mr. President -- Just yesterday, @OregonGovBrown, @GovInslee, and I sent a letter asking the federal government to work with us in taking on these unprecedented wildfires. We have been put in office by the voters to get things done, not to play games with lives."

Followed by:

"Disasters and recovery are no time for politics. Im already taking action to modernize and manage our forests and emergency responses. The people of CA -- folks in Paradise -- should not be victims to partisan bickering."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, also condemned the threat.

".@realDonaldTrumps threat insults the memory of scores of Americans who perished in wildfires last year & thousands more who lost their homes. @GOPLeader must join me to condemn & call on POTUS to reassure millions in CA that our govt will be there for them in their time of need."

Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Francisco, also spoke out on Twitter.

".@POTUS seems to have forgotten, yet again, that The federal government manages 57 percent of the forests in California. The state manages 2 percent. Private owners are responsible for 39 percent. Maybe this colorful map can help! #FactCheckTrump."

Trump previously threatened to take away funding from California in November, days after the deadly wildfire in Butte County broke out.

The November tweets caused backlash from state and local officials, as well as the International Association of Fire Fighters.

The president's assertions have been repeatedly questioned by fire experts.

Brian Rice, president of the California Professional Firefighters Association, in November called Trump's earlier statements about forest management "dangerously wrong."

"The presidents assertion that Californias forest management policies are to blame for catastrophic wildfire is dangerously wrong," said Rice, head of the 30,000-member organization. "Wildfires are sparked and spread not only in forested areas but in populated areas and open fields fueled by parched vegetation, high winds, low humidity and geography. Moreover, nearly 60 percent of California forests are under federal management, and another two-thirds under private control. It is the federal government that has chosen to divert resources away from forest management, not California."

"With the federal government mired in a self-imposed shutdown, the president has little standing to lecture anyone else about dysfunction. Instead of threatening innocent fire victims, the federal government should try working with California  and all Western states  to responsibly address the wildfire threat we face," the California Professional Firefighters said in a statement Wednesday.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday laid out a plan for new investments related to wildfire safety.The Happiest Place on Earth is about to get "hoppier": next week, San Diego's Ballast Point Brewing Co. will debut its highly-anticipated craft brewpub in the heart of Downtown Disney.

One year ago, Ballast Point and Disneyland Resort announced plans to open the brewery and restaurant in the Downtown Disney District. The project was one of several new venues joining a lineup of ambitious upgrades to Downtown Disney. It's also Downtown Disneys first-ever on-site brewery, and Ballast Points first location in Orange County, California.

On Wednesday, craft beer-meets-Disneyland Resort fans finally got the news they'd been waiting for: Ballast Point Brewing Co. confirmed the restaurant, located at 1540 S. Disneyland Dr., would open its doors on Jan. 16.

The 4,000-square-foot restaurant features a glass-enclosed bar and dining room, as well as a 3,000-square-foot patio with cabana-style seating.

At the bar, patrons will find more than 50 styles of beer across 100 tap lines, including Ballast Point fan favorites such as Sculpin IPA, Grapefruit Sculpin and Fathom IPA. The restaurant is also pouring limited-edition brews exclusive to the Downtown Disney location. Behind the scenes, the brewpub houses a 3-barrel brewing system.

In the kitchen, the chefs are whipping up Southern California-inspired dishes including salads, flatbreads, sandwiches and burgers. Ballast Point said the brewpub also aims to be family-friendly, given that its in Disney territory. The kids menu includes Crispy Chicken Tenders, a Corn Tortilla Quesadilla and Grilled Cheese. To check out the full menu, click here.

The Downtown Disney District restaurant will be open seven days a week from 10 .am. to midnight.

In a press release, Ben Dollard, president of Ballast Point, said the company is looking forward to tapping into the scene at Disneyland and Anaheim, California, and introducing new guests to the brew brand.

Patrick Finnegan, vice president of Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney said Ballast Point will be a fresh addition to the dining landscape in the district.

Ballast Point is the perfect Southern California brand to bring its unique blend of great beer, good food and a family-friendly atmosphere, Finnegan said in a press release.

Rendering Courtesy of Ballast Point Brewing Co.

Ballast Point Brewing Co. currently operates several tasting rooms in San Diego: its Miramar headquarters, as well as locations in Little Italy, Scripps Ranch, and Linda Vista. The company also has facilities in Temecula and Long Beach, California.

In May 2016, the company announced it was expanding to Virginia, investing $47.8 million in establishing its brewing operation on the East Coast. Today, the company runs a tasting room and restaurant in Daleville, Virginia.

In summer 2017, the company announced plans to expand to Chicagos Fulton Market area. That location is now up and running.

In March 2017, the Colorado-based Brewers Association named Ballast Point Brewing Co. among the 50 overall largest production breweries in the United States. The company ranked No. 13 in the nation, with Stone Brewing Co. on its tail at No. 17, and San Diegos Green Flash Brewing Co. at No. 47.The Texas Department of Public Transportation is moving forward with a $9.4 million solution to what the Dallas Morning News reported as the "death-defying" East Dallas intersection of Gaston Avenue, Garland Road and Grand Avenue.

After reading more than 1,000 comments, TxDOT said it received more support for Option 2, which will change the intersection into a "Reverse T."

The design allows drivers to go straight or turn on to Gaston Avenue.

Residents and business owners in the area were extremely vocal about the plans, signing several petitions both for and against the proposed options.

"Im glad that we slowed down the process so that everyone had a voice," Dallas City Councilman Mark Clayton, whose district is one of three that surround the intersection, told The Dallas Morning News. "In the end, the preferred option that the community has always supported still won out."

Crews are expected to begin construction no later than 2020.Texas lawmakers are offering polarizing statements following President Donald Trump's address to the nation Tuesday night.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick:

"President Trump is absolutely right that Congress must pass his common sense border security bill and end this very real crisis at our southern border. In Texas, illegal immigration costs state taxpayers billions of dollars every year in health care, education and law enforcement costs. In 2018 alone, over 500,000 illegal aliens were apprehended crossing the border illegally - 300,000 of those were in Texas.



"Texans see first-hand the tragedies that take place at our border every day. No one should have to die trying to come to America. I was in Washington today working with the president's team on his historic first address to the nation from the Oval Office and I am committed to doing everything I can to help the president end this crisis. I will be joining him in McAllen on Thursday for a briefing from those working directly on this problem."

Democrat Rep. Colin Allred of Dallas:

".@Potus offered no solutions and no end to a shutdown that he caused, over a border wall we don't need and can't afford. This is not the leadership the American people need.

We can open the government tomorrow if the President will just come to the table."

Republican Rep. Dr. Michael Burgess of Denton:

"This evening, President Trump reiterated what those of us who travel frequently to the southern border already know: Americans cannot keep our country safe without securing the southern border. The previous Administration clearly failed to fix what President Obama dubbed a humanitarian crisis in 2014. Quite simply, Americans cannot allow the southern border to remain a porous channel for gang violence, crime, drugs, and human trafficking. Although House Democrats have decided that the status quo is acceptable, I'm fighting to make American communities safe again."

Senator John Cornyn:

"Well said by POTUS. Shame on those scoring political points instead of solving problems."

Senator Ted Cruz:

"Democrats are sacrificing our security & the security of our allies to try to score political points. Today was a missed opportunity for the Senate to provide critical assistance to Israel & Jordan & to show the Assad regime that it cannot continue to commit crimes w impunity."

Check back for updates and additional statements.Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who had been overseeing the special counsel investigation, plans to step down after Robert Mueller finishes his work, according to administration officials familiar with his thinking.

A source close to Rosenstein said he intends to stay on until Mueller's investigative and prosecutorial work is done, NBC News reported. The source said that would mean Rosenstein would remain until early March.

Several legal sources have said they expect the Mueller team to conclude its work by mid-to-late February, although they said that timeline could change based on unforeseen investigative developments.President Donald Trump is heading to Texas to press for a border wall to end the government shutdown. But talk of the "crisis" he describes is notably faint in the Texas Legislature, where Republicans have long cast the border with Mexico as a dangerous threat.

On Tuesday, state lawmakers returned to work for the first time since 2017, when Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed one of the nation's toughest "sanctuary city" crackdowns and Texas spent nearly $1 billion on border security measures that included round-the-clock state trooper patrols in addition to a National Guard deployment.

But the first day of a new session arrived with Republicans, who control the Legislature and every statewide office, focusing on bread-and-butter home and budget issues such as paying for public schools and property taxes, instead of raising Trump-like alarms about the border and a wall.

It is a marked change in Texas from recent years, and comes as Trump hammers the border as an urgent national priority. GOP lawmakers say Texas has already done its part, while Democrats believe the shift reflects the Texas GOP changing course after its worst election in a generation. Republicans lost a dozen seats in the Texas House in November, propelled by former Congressman Beto O'Rourke's close finish against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.

When Abbott welcomed back the Texas Senate with a five-minute speech Tuesday, the governor drilled down on his priorities of cutting taxes, overhauling public school funding and mental health. He made no mention of border security or immigration.

"It seems as though this session we are very focused on the needs of Texas. Focusing on the issues that I think resonate back home with our constituents," Republican Sen. Lois Kolkhorst said. She said that given what Texas has spent on border security, "we've been able to do all that we can as a state."

Republicans in Texas have hardly abandoned the president. The state's lieutenant governor, Republican Dan Patrick, missed the ceremonial first day of session because he was called to the White House to discuss "issues critical to Texas," according to Republican Sen. Jane Nelson. Patrick's trip came as Trump is set to visit the Texas border on Thursday, and like Trump, Patrick has supported a hard line on immigration as leader of the state Senate.

Kolkhorst said she was pleased to see Trump taking a "very large stand" on the border. But, she said, Texas has done its part.

No state spends more money -- or arguably attention -- on issues surrounding immigration as Texas, which has the longest border with Mexico. Since 2015, the Legislature has spent nearly $2 billion on border security packages that were centerpieces of GOP agendas in past sessions. Democrats have criticized the threat as overblown, and some data the state has used to defend the mission has been questionable. An Associated Press analysis in 2016 found that child support evaders and drunken drivers were among thousands of arrests on the border the state classified as "high-threat criminals."

"I don't think you're going to hear that aggressive narrative because of the election results," Democrat state Rep. Rafael Anchia of Dallas said. "They knew they were being intellectually dishonest last time. But now it no longer is to their benefit. They were willing to do that because they understood the dynamics of a Republican primary."

Trump and other administration officials have said the situation at the border has reached a crisis point, both on national security and humanitarian grounds. Two children have died in border custody, and an influx of families is straining health care and immigration services for asylum-seekers. While the number of illegal border crossings is down from 1.6 million in 2000 to less than 400,000 last year, the number of families coming over the border has risen sharply, with many crossing over into Texas.

Trump's administration has been discussing the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow him to move forward with the wall without Congress approving the more than $5 billion he wants.

Texas-based Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak said previous Texas efforts on border security were in part a result of state Republicans clashing with the Obama administration and feeling they were being ignored.

"It's a different world now, with an administration that is taking border security seriously and responding to the state's requests," he said.

New Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, a Republican who four years ago authored a sweeping border security bill, made no mention of similar measures in his opening remarks Tuesday.

"Our federal government is steeped in gridlock and partisanship. For Washington, politics has become more important than people," Bonnen said. "But unlike Washington, Texas stands apart. We lead the nation by doing things our way."Iran confirmed Wednesday it is holding U.S. Navy veteran Michael R. White at a prison in the country, making him the first American known to be detained under President Donald Trump's administration.

White's detention adds new pressure to the rising tension between Iran and the U.S., which under Trump has pursued a maximalist campaign against Tehran that includes pulling out of its nuclear deal with world powers.

While the circumstances of White's detention remain unclear, Iran in the past has used its detention of Westerners and dual nationals as leverage in negotiations.

The semi-official Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, reported the confirmation, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi.

"An American citizen was arrested in the city of Mashhad some time ago and his case was conveyed to the U.S administration on the first days" of his incarceration, Ghasemi was quoted as saying.

White, of Imperial Beach, California, was captured by authorities in late July while visiting his Iranian girlfriend, his mother told NBC News. She didn't want to give more details about his detention in case it would put him in danger.

His arrest was first reported by an online news service by Iranian expatriates who interviewed a former Iranian prisoner who said he met White at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad in October.

The Associated Press has been unable to reach members of White's family. The State Department said it was aware of reports of an American citizen's arrest, but was otherwise unable to comment.Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sought Wednesday to reassure U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in Syria that they will be safe after American troops withdraw from the country.

Amid confusion over plans to implement President Donald Trump's pullout order and threats from Turkey to attack the Kurds, Pompeo made an unannounced stop in Iraq while on a weeklong trip to the Middle East aimed at assuaging the fears of Washington's Arab partners that the U.S. is abandoning the region or walking away from the fight against the Islamic State group.

"These have been folks that have fought with us and it's important that we do everything we can to ensure that those folks that fought with us are protected," Pompeo said of the Kurds while visiting Irbil, the capital of Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, after talks in Baghdad.

His comments were similar to those made earlier in the week by Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, who said on visits to Israel and Turkey that protecting the Kurds is a priority for the U.S. even as it moves to withdraw some 2,000 American troops from Syria.

Bolton's comments drew a quick rejection from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who said they were a "serious mistake" and that Turkey "cannot make any concessions in this regard." Turkey regards the Kurds as terrorists and has vowed to attack them.

Pompeo, however, downplayed Erdogan's response to Bolton and predicted that any differences could be ironed out in upcoming talks between the U.S. special envoy for Syria, Jim Jeffrey, and Turkish and Kurdish officials.

"Erdogan has made commitments; he understands that - I think he uses the language - he talks about he has no beef with the Kurds. We want to make sure that that's the case, and I'm confident that as Ambassador Jeffrey and others travel through the region in the days ahead, we'll make real progress on that," Pompeo said.

Still, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Wednesday that Turkey will not refrain from military action to protect its borders from what he describes as threats posed by Syrian Kurdish fighters.

The Turkish rebuffs continue to amplify a rift between the NATO allies and raise new questions about how the United States would protect fighters who are U.S. allies in the war against the Islamic State group.

Earlier in Baghdad, Pompeo said he told Iraqi officials that "the fight to counter Iran is real and important."

Pompeo and Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi discussed efforts to ensure the "lasting defeat throughout the region" of the Islamic State group, State Department spokesman Robert Palladino said.

Pompeo also promoted the U.S. push to move Iraq toward energy independence, said Palladino. Iraq imports electricity and natural gas from Iran to meet its energy needs.

Iran has cultivated close ties with Iraqi politicians and religious and business leaders since the 2003 U.S. invasion toppled dictator Saddam Hussein and destabilized the country. Neutralizing those relations will be a difficult  and possibly dangerous  task. Iran has the ear of several powerful Iraqi militias that rival the might of the country's U.S.-funded security forces.

Abdul-Mahdi and Parliament Speaker Mohamed al-Halbousi, who met with Pompeo separately, both said they told the American diplomat that Iraq values good relations with its neighbors.

Pompeo also met with Iraqi President Barham Salih and Foreign Minister Mohamed Alhakim and stressed the U.S.'s support for strong, relations based on the 2008 Strategic Framework Agreement between the two countries.

Pompeo has said the Syria withdrawal would not detract from U.S. efforts to contain Iran's considerable clout in the region. The White House reinstated sanctions against Iran last year for allegedly violating the 2015 nuclear deal championed by former President Barack Obama. International nuclear inspectors had said there was no evidence that Iran was violating the deal.

Pompeo's visit is the third high-profile visit by an American official to Iraq in the last month. Iraqi politicians were incensed when Trump last month made an unscheduled visit to a U.S. base in western Iraq without also meeting Abdul-Mahdi, as his predecessors Obama and George W. Bush had done.

Trump said on his Dec. 26 visit that the United States could use its bases in Iraq as a platform for continued operations against the Islamic State group in Syria.

The visit left lawmakers smarting and prompted calls to annul a 2014 agreement that brought U.S. forces back to Iraq. Some 5,200 U.S. troops are now stationed in the country.

Earlier in December, U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry urged Iraq to sever its energy dependence on Iran and open its energy sector to American investment. He was in Baghdad with a trade delegation arranged by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.Silver Alerts have been issued for a pair of sisters from West Haven on Wednesday.

The alert was issued late Tuesday night for 1-year-old Elan Louis and 3-year-old Eden Louis, who are believed to be with their mother, 31-year-old Whitney Carmichael.

Police said the girls father has not seen his children since September, was recently granted full custody and wants his daughters back.

There is no reason to believe the girls are in danger and Carmichael might not be aware that the girls father now has full custody, according to police.

She might be driving a 2014 silver Volkswagen Tiguan with a Connecticut license plate of AH18297.

Both girls have brown hair and hazel eyes. Elan is one foot tall and 20 pounds and Eden is two feet tall and 40 pounds.

If you have any information about their whereabouts, you're encouraged to contact West Haven Police at (203) 933-1616.Following is Governor Ned Lamonts inaugural address, as prepared. He delivered the speech at William A. ONeill State Armory on Jan. 9, 2019 after he was sworn into office as the states 89th governor:

Thank you so much for joining me here today. First, thank you to my family  Annie, Emily, Lindsay, Teddy. As family, we always know we are in this together, and that is how I feel about all of you and the people of Connecticut  like an extended family.

This includes our freshly minted constitutional officers, and our Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz.

Thank you to our legislative leaders and our former chief justice Chase Rogers, who has been such a wise and close friend for many, many years.

I am thankful that former governors Jodi Rell and Lowell Weicker are here: they have been in the arena, and to paraphrase my favorite President Teddy Roosevelt, the credit belongs not to the critic on the sidelines, but to the men and women in the arena.

And to Dan Malloy who is retiring after decades of service to our state, and who has been so helpful in making the transition smooth and effective. Of course, my thanks to Nancy Wyman  well be staying in close touch, I know.

Lastly, I also want to thank the men and women of the Connecticut National Guard for their assistance coordinating todays festivities and hosting us here in the State Armory. They are always there when the people of our state need them, and we thank them for their service.

Gov. Ned Lamont has taken the oath of office and has become the 89th governor of the state of Connecticut.

I asked Rabbi Goldman, Pastor Steel, Reverend Ahlberg, and Saud Anwar, all friends from different faiths to say a few words, reminding us that whatever our differences, we have so much more that holds us together than tears us apart.

Many years ago, Reverend Ahlberg welcomed Annie and me and another couple to the non-denominational Round Hill Community Church in very Republican Greenwich. He introduced Alan, a Lutheran, Carrie, a Greek Orthodox, Annie, an Episcopalian, and Ned, a Democrat.

Now thats diversity.

From here, we march to the Capitol with the Foot Guard, who have been hosting the inauguration for 250 years, accompanied by Bridgeports Harding High School Marching Band. I was a volunteer teacher there many years ago, but I remember those kids like yesterday.

As your governor, I will work tirelessly to ensure that all of our kids have the greatest opportunities to thrive, succeed, and create a life of their own, right here in Connecticut.

Susan and I recently joined a couple thousand high school students for a performance of Hamilton at the Bushnell. I talked to the kids about the meaning of the song My Shot, where Alexander Hamilton sings about himself as a scrappy immigrant kid with great opportunities, just like his new nation.

Thats what I love about America; every generation we get a chance to reinvent ourselves, and every election gives us a fresh start. This is our chance to reinvent Connecticut  to think big, act boldly.

On Election Day, thousands of voters waited for hours in the pouring rain. They believed that their vote would make a difference, and they were not going to throw away their shot  and neither are we.

For generations, Connecticut was the most entrepreneurial, inventive, and fast-growing state loaded with amazing opportunities. And we still can be.

I will not allow the next four years to be defined by a fiscal crisis. Together we will craft an honestly balanced budget which does not borrow from the future, but invests in the future.

We owe all of our kids, our extended family, nothing less.

In an hour, I speak to the legislature, in the room where it happens.

I will remind all of us that there is no room for the critic on the sidelines. It is easy to vote no.

Lets give each other the benefit of the doubt and work like heck to get to yes  and make sure that all of our kids get their shot.

Thank you for the faith you have instilled in me. I will not let you down. Now lets get down to business.

God bless the great State of Connecticut.Ned Lamont has been sworn in as Connecticut's 89th governor, promising a new beginning for the state.

The 65-year-old former businessman was administered the oath of office Wednesday by former Connecticut Chief Justice Chase Rogers, a personal friend from Greenwich who went to college with Lamont's wife, Annie.

Lamont was surrounded by his family on stage at the Gov. William A. O'Neill State Armory in Hartford.

He succeeds fellow Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who did not seek re-election. Malloy, former Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell and former independent Gov. Lowell P. Weicker Jr. are attending the inauguration.

Lamont said he's proud to be "following in your footsteps."

Gov. Ned Lamont has taken the oath of office and has become the 89th governor of the state of Connecticut.

After taking the oath of office and delivering his inaugural address, Lamont took part in a parade.

Gov. Ned Lamont has been sworn into office and delivered his inaugural address Wednesday.

Lamont delivered a State of the State address Wednesday afternoon to a joint session of the General Assembly inside the Hall of the House of Representatives at the State Capitol.

Later tonight, the inaugural ball will be held at the Connecticut Convention Center at 7 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase online.

General admission tickets are $200 and tickets for young professionals, between 21 and 28, are $99.

Actor Christopher Meloni, who might be best known for his role as Elliott Stabler on NBCs Law & Order and journalist Jane Whitney will be the co-emcees of the event.

The state celebrated the inauguration of Gov. Ned Lamont with a traditional ball.

Joe Scarborough, co-host of MSNBCs Morning Joe, will perform with his band during the inaugural ball.

The ball will feature more than 40 restaurants, artisanal cheese makers, bread makers, microbreweries and Connecticut wineries.A Guilford man is accused of sexually assaulting a boy in Rhode Island and Guilford police said they assisted authorities there with arresting a suspect.

Guilford police said they assisted police in Burrillville, Rhode Island Wednesday in arresting 35-year-old Christopher Michaelson, of Guilford.

They said Burrillville detectives asked for their assistance in October while investigating an allegation of a sexual assault of a boy. They said it stemmed from Internet contact then personal contact in Burrillville and Michaelson was identified as a suspect.

Burrillville detectives secured a warrant for Michaelsons arrest in Rhode Island on charges of first-degree child molestation, second-degree child molestation, enticement of a minor in the first degree and indecent solicitation of a child.

He is being held on a $250,000 bond and will be arraigned in New Haven on Jan. 10 if he does not make bond, according to Guilford police.Long before accusations of absentee ballot fraud in a small North Carolina county cast doubt on the results of a heated 2018 congressional race, a state elections investigator spent weeks probing whether the man at the center of the current scandal was among a group buying votes.

That 2010 investigation was one of at least a half dozen instances over the last nine years that prosecutors and elections officials received complaints of serious elections irregularities in Bladen County, a rural locale of 35,000 people that has long had a statewide reputation for political chicanery by both Republicans and Democrats. The state's ongoing criminal investigation into 2018 voting irregularities has focused on Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr., a local political operative and convicted felon.

Marshall Tutor, who retired in March after 15 years as an investigator for the N.C. Board of Elections, told The Associated Press his office first fielded accusations nearly a decade ago that Dowless, now 62, was among a group giving voters cash to fill out ballots the way he directed.

Emails obtained by AP through a public records request detail the elections board's 2010 investigation in Bladen, which began after a Democratic candidate for county commissioner reported seeing political operatives handing voters what he suspected to be cash outside an early voting site.

Tutor traveled to Bladen multiple times, but said in an interview Monday he was unable to build a strong enough case against Dowless to support criminal charges.

"Dowless was throwing a lot of money around," said Tutor, 70, recounting the 2010 investigation. "There was no paper trail. Witnesses refused to give sworn statements or testify in court. No one was going to admit they were paid $5 to vote. But where there's that much smoke, there was fire."

Dowless did not respond Tuesday to a message seeking comment. His attorney, Cynthia Adams Singletary, issued a statement last month asserting that Dowless hasn't broken any campaign laws.

The AP first reported last month that North Carolina's top elections official issued an urgent plea nearly two years ago for the Trump administration to file criminal charges against Dowless and others, warning in a January 2017 letter that those involved in illegally harvesting absentee ballots in Bladen would likely do it again if they weren't prosecuted.

Both federal and state prosecutors failed to file criminal charges before the now disputed 2018 vote, the last unresolved Congressional election in the nation.

Investigators are now probing whether Dowless ran a sophisticated operation over multiple election cycles to collect absentee ballots from voters, potentially altering the selections or not turning them in to be counted. Under state law, it is illegal for anyone other than a voter or their immediate family to handle an absentee ballot before it is sealed and mailed.

Also at issue is whether Dowless was working as part of a larger local political machine, including whether he could have had improper help from current or former Bladen County officials.

The state Board of Elections refused to certify the results of the Nov. 6 vote where Republican Mark Harris leads Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes, according to unofficial results. State investigators are also probing Dowless' work for Harris for the May 2018 Republican primary, in which he narrowly defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Robert Pittenger.

Harris has admitted making the decision to hire Dowless after hearing about him from Bladen GOP officials, paying for the absentee ballot operation through a political consulting firm. Harris, a Baptist minister, has denied knowledge of any wrongdoing. He filed a lawsuit last week asking a state judge to order his certification as the winner of the November election.

North Carolina's appointed elections board was dissolved earlier this month by a panel of three state judges who in October struck down the GOP-back law that formed it as unconstitutional. A revamped board is due to be seated Jan. 31.

Democratic leaders in the U.S. House have said they won't allow Harris to take office because of the ongoing investigation. The U.S. Constitution makes the House the judge and final arbiter of its members' election contests.

Tutor, the former elections investigator, said he suspected in 2010 that political candidates or their supporters were funneling undisclosed cash to Dowless to fund efforts to influence votes.

"Dowless deals in cash," Tutor said. "He doesn't care about party affiliation. You show him the money, and he'll get the votes."

Years later, evidence surfaced that at least some political cash had been steered to Dowless that was never disclosed in campaign finance reports, as required by state law.

Jeffrey S. Smith, a Bladen County sweepstakes parlor operator, says he gave Dowless off-the-books cash in 2014. Smith testified as part of a lawsuit that he gave Dowless three cash payments totaling $5,800 on behalf of current Bladen County Sheriff Jim McVicker, a Republican.

"Everybody will tell you that McCrae takes cash for work," Smith told AP in an interview last month, recounting the payments.

North Carolina's legislature has repeatedly voted to outlaw so-called sweepstakes games, which typically resemble video slot machines. But many of the operations have managed to stay open with court challenges, software tweaks and frequent political donations.

Smith filed a lawsuit against McVicker after deputies raided his gaming parlor in 2015. As part of the case, Dowless gave a sworn statement admitting he received the cash and used it to hire about 20 people that encouraged voters to cast ballots supporting McVicker.

Larry Guyton, McVicker's chief deputy, said the sheriff declined to comment.

Though Tutor's 2010 investigation didn't yield a criminal case against Dowless, the investigator said he did gather strong evidence of wrongdoing by others.

The elections board doesn't have authority under state law to make arrests or file criminal charges. Emails reviewed by the AP show Tutor met with agents from the State Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina's version of the FBI, about pursuing a potential criminal case against Sue Anne Long, a state probation and parole officer.

Tutor said political alliances in Bladen often have more to do with skin color than party affiliation, and that his investigation indicated Long was part of a group gathering absentee ballots from low-income black residents and then throwing them away, a potential felony under state law. At the time, a black candidate for sheriff was squaring off against a white man in a Democratic party primary.

Tutor says he provided witness statements attesting to Long's alleged misconduct, but the case was later dropped. Tutor says the witnesses, whom he described as elderly black people, weren't deemed credible enough to bring criminal charges against Long.

"I was told the witnesses wouldn't be good in court," Tutor told the AP.

Long, 49, is still employed at the state adult corrections office in Elizabethtown, the Bladen County seat. She did not respond Monday to a phone message and email seeking comment.

SBI Deputy Director Gerald Thomas confirmed Monday that records showed his agency had investigated Long and made a referral to state prosecutors, who elected not to pursue charges.The latest plunge in oil prices has dealt a heavy blow to Iraq's stagnating economy, threatening the new government's ability to rebuild after the war with the Islamic State group and provide basic services to areas roiled by recent protests.

Brent crude oil, used to price international purchases, briefly rose above $85 a barrel in October but has since plummeted to less than $55  a nightmare for a country like Iraq that derives 95 percent of its revenue from oil exports.

A $111.9 billion draft budget sent to parliament in October projects crude exports of 3.8 million barrels per day to be sold at $56 per barrel. The bill, which includes a 23 percent increase in spending, would leave a deficit of $22.8 billion.

But that won't even begin to address the colossal challenge of reconstruction after years of war. Some 1.8 million people have yet to return to their homes, according to the United Nations. Mosul, the country's second largest city, lies partly in ruins, as do many other cities, towns and villages once held by IS militants.

Iraq's Planning Ministry estimates the country needs approximately $88 billion for reconstruction. In February, donors at a Kuwait summit pledged $30 billion in loans and investments to finance a portion of the bill, but little progress has been made to fulfill the pledges.

In Iraq's oil-rich south, meanwhile, which was spared from the war's devastation, protests have erupted in recent months over unemployment and poor public services. Rolling power outages have been a nationwide problem going back to the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, and in the south the tap water is undrinkable.

"We were surprised by the plunging oil prices and we have fallen into a big problem," said lawmaker Haneen al-Qado, who chairs parliament's Economy Committee. "The government is not in an enviable position."

Iraqis elected a new government earlier in 2018, but it is dominated by the same bickering political factions that have governed the country for the last 15 years. Lawmakers have rejected the draft budget, calling for a new one that would estimate an even lower oil price and allocate even more funds for public investments.

Qado says they may not be able to approve a budget until sometime in the first quarter of next year. Until then, the government can only spend one-twelfth of the previous year's allocation each month.

While international attention has been focused on the devastation in northern and western Iraq, and the protests in the south, the budget crisis has also taken a heavy toll on Iraqis living in more stable areas. Construction projects across Baghdad have been stalled for years, with half-finished buildings turned into neighborhood garbage dumps.

Kadhim Nima Khudair's construction company signed contracts in 2014 to build four schools at a cost of $5 million. By the following year, three of them were 80 percent complete, but then public funds dried up as the government launched the costly war against IS. When oil prices started to recover in 2017, the government began paying installments again, but only for the projects that were mostly completed. Now the payments have stopped again pending the budget negotiations.

None of the schools have been completed, and Khudair has fallen deeply into debt, forcing him to lay off some 500 workers and sell family homes and cars.

"I don't want any profit now, I only want my capital back," Khudair said. "We have been struggling all these years. People are still knocking on my door, asking for their money."

Sami al-Araji, the head of the National Investment Commission, told an economic conference in December that hundreds of projects worth an estimated $54 billion are delayed. He called for a major overhaul of the economy that would promote investment and lessen the country's reliance on oil. "We have to think of all alternatives," he said. "The country has promising opportunities."

That's easier said than done. Efforts to diversify the economy have been stymied by political infighting and corruption going all the way back to 2003, fueling cycles of war and instability.

"Our fate is attached to oil," Khudair said. "When it's down, our blood pressure rises."President Donald Trump says he has ended "catch-and-release" for asylum seekers, but in cities on the U.S. border with Mexico it is catch and can't release fast enough.

Since late October, the U.S. has been releasing asylum-seeking families so quickly they don't even have time to make travel arrangements, which it blames on lack of detention space. Families are often given court dates without even having to pass initial screenings by asylum officers. They end up in shelters run by charities, or are dropped off at bus stations in border cities.

For one Salvadoran family that dizzying series of events began when their 7-year-old daughter, Yariza Flores, landed on barbed wire after being hoisted over a border fence during their illegal crossing last month. She was rushed to a San Diego hospital to stop profuse bleeding.

Just four days later, U.S. authorities dropped her off at a San Diego shelter with her parents and 3-year-old brother. They had no money, the clothes on their backs and an order given to them during their stint in U.S. custody to appear in immigration court in Houston, where they planned to live with Yariza's grandmother and two aunts. They didn't even have time to arrange for relatives to buy bus tickets before they were released.

"I feel happy because we're finally here, we're finally going to see my family," the girl's mother, Tania Escobar, said in the shelter dining hall after a meal of shredded chicken, rice and beans. Her daughter sat nearby, all smiles, wearing a silver crown that a Border Patrol agent gave her and holding a stuffed animal from a doctor who treated the severe cuts on her lower back.

From California to Arizona to Texas, volunteers are scrambling to help families until they can arrange transportation to relatives across the U.S. The San Diego Rapid Response Network, an advocacy coalition that runs the shelter that housed Yariza and her family, has served more than 4,000 people since opening in a church in late October, moving five times since then because it ran out of space.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement often coordinates with these shelters. On the December night that Yariza arrived, ICE brought 125 people in buses that came every half-hour. One night during Christmas week, the facility received 180 people, forcing it to use a church for the overflow.

The situation belies Trump's assertion, in a November tweet, that "Catch and Release is an obsolete term. It is now Catch and Detain."

The Trump administration announced Dec. 20 that it would make asylum seekers who enter the U.S. on its southern border wait in Mexico while their claims wind through clogged immigration courts, which can take years. But that "catch and return" policy has yet to take effect while the two countries work on mechanics; a legal challenge appears likely.

So, for now, many asylum-seeking families are being released in the U.S. before even they are ready. ICE dropped off hundreds of people daily at a bus station in El Paso, Texas, over the holidays. In Tucson, Arizona, charities have rented motel rooms when shelters are full.

ICE began shortening custody stays on Oct. 23 in response to the growing numbers of families crossing from Mexico. Officials say ICE previously ensured that families had travel plans first but that it's not legally required to do so.

"After decades of inaction by Congress, the government remains severely constrained in its ability to detain and promptly remove families with no legal basis to remain in the U.S.," said ICE spokeswoman Sarah Rodriguez. "As a result, family units continue to cross the border at high volumes and are likely to continue to do so, as they face no consequence for their actions."

At the San Diego shelter, asylum-seeking families, largely from Guatemala and Honduras, are asked about their health at the front door. A mobile clinic in the parking lot tends to people with sore throats, dehydration, vomiting, fevers and other ailments.

Once inside, a large room manned by volunteers resembles a busy travel agency. Families lined up at rows of tables tell shelter workers their plans and get help calling family to pay for travel. A whiteboard in the corner marks progress buying tickets to New York, Nashville, Austin, Texas, and other cities across the U.S. Volunteers shuttle as many as they can to a bus station or airport to make room for the next night's arrivals.

Shelter organizers say it costs $350,000 a month to operate the facility, which provides food, showers, cots, clothing and sometimes travel expenses. The state of California has donated $500,000 for administrative costs, and the city of San Diego may turn a former juvenile detention camp into a shelter.

"We can't do everything ourselves, but I know we're capable of doing more," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said after visiting the shelter in November as governor-elect, calling it "a humanitarian crisis."

Kate Clark, an immigration attorney with Jewish Family Service of San Diego, said babies as young as two days old have arrived at the shelter; some migrants come without shoes. One malnourished woman weighed just 80 pounds. So far, no one has been left penniless in the streets, but, she says, "Every single night is close."

Pedro Mateos, who fled violence in Guatemala's western highlands, spent two days in Border Patrol custody after climbing a fence from Tijuana, Mexico, and was given a notice to appear in immigration court in Florida, where he planned to live with an aunt.

"We can't return to our country," the 37-year-old Mateos said, sipping coffee. "We can't return there."

Yariza's family's journey began after the gangs that killed her great-uncle and threatened her grandmother gave her parents 24 hours to leave their home in the Salvadoran port city of La Libertad. Escobar, 25, said she and her husband decided they couldn't risk staying.

The family didn't want to wait weeks or months in Tijuana for U.S. authorities to process their claims at an official crossing, as U.S. authorities say asylum seekers should, so they crossed illegally.

The family took a taxi to a remote mountainous area with plans to surrender to a U.S. Border Patrol agent. Their search for an agent became urgent after Yariza's injury.

"We were so desperate," Escobar said. Then she added wistfully: "With God's help we will achieve what we asked for  asylum."A new patrol vehicle has hit the streets of Chicago and police are hoping it will help reduce the number of carjackings in the city.

The first of 200 new cars equipped with License Plate Reader technology was unveiled Tuesday ahead of a citywide rollout aiming to bring six such vehicles to each police district.

We are ensuring our officers have the tools, training and technology to be proactive in the fight against crime, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. Equipping squad cars with state-of-the-art technology and deploying them to every district in Chicago will help the Chicago Police Department continue to drive down crime in communities across the city.

The technology in the vehicles will allow officers to match license plates against the list of stolen vehicles sent daily to License Plate Reader by the Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

The recovery of these stolen vehicles and the arrest of the individuals driving them, will serve as a deterrent to other individuals considering committing similar crimes, Supt. Eddie Johnson said in a statement.

Right now, the city has about 40 cars equipped with the License Plate Reader cameras.

Officials said the city ended 2018 with an 18percent reduction in carjacking incidents.

I absolutely love this car, said Officer Mark Wozniak. Most of us police officers will think of this as our third partner.President Donald Trump again pushed for funding for his long-promised border wall Tuesday night in a televised address that was heavy with dark immigration rhetoric but offered little in the way of concessions or new ideas to end the government shutdown.

Speaking to the nation from the Oval Office for the first time, Trump hoped to gain the upper hand in the standoff over his demand for $5.7 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He addressed the nation as the shutdown stretched through its third week, beginning when Republicans controlled both chambers of Congress and continuing after Democrats took control of the House.

In his speech, Trump referred to Americans who were killed by people in the country illegally, relying on an emotional appeal he has often used despite studies over several years finding that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States.

Democrats in Illinois' Congressional delegation rebuked Trump's speech, while some Republicans offered support for his efforts.

"Tonight, what we heard from the Oval Office was a desperate attempt by the President to gain support for his medieval border wall. It wont work," Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin said in a statement. "Democrats support strong border security. And we can have a debate about effective border security, but we shouldnt do it while holding the federal government hostage. Unfortunately, President Trump has decided to stop paying hundreds of thousands of federal law enforcement personnel and researchers to pressure Congress for his wall."

"Mr. President, you may have never lived paycheck to paycheck, but many workers do," he continued. "Stop picking on these federal employees."

What began as a campaign gimmick designed to fire up white nationalist crowds, has morphed into a giant poison pill that is impacting the lives of millions of Americans," Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky said in a statement. "More than 800,000 federal employees are working without pay. Funding for food stamps, and to enforce the Violence Against Women act, is running out. And, that is only the start."

The President has not been telling the truth. Here are the facts: The wall will not stop illegal immigration. The wall will not cost $5.7 billion dollars but rather tens of billions. The wall will interfere with hundreds of miles of private property as well as environmentally sensitive areas. The wall is a fantasy built on bad intentions. My constituents and the vast majority of Americans reject this wall and so do I," she said, adding that she would not vote for "President Trumps misguided, racist, and wasteful wall."

It is disappointing that President Trump chose to use his first Oval Office address to the nation to double down on his irresponsible demands for an ineffective border wall and prolong a damaging government shutdown," Democratic Rep. Brad Schneider said.

While both sides agree we must secure our borders and ports of entry, we have real disagreements about how to best achieve that goal," Scheider said. "We can and should debate these issues, but there should be no argument on the urgency to re-open our government. The House has passed bipartisan legislation that would do just that. It is time for President Trump to do the responsible thing  stop holding our federal agencies and the livelihood of more than 800,000 Americans hostage, and end his government shutdown."

Some Republicans agreed with Trump's call, like Rep. Darin LaHood, who wrote on Twitter "It's time for Congress to act. As President Trump outlined tonight, the humanitarian crisis at the southern border needs to be addressed and it is incumbent upon Congress to come together and provide a solution to protect America and her people."

"For years, Democrats have supported increases in border security, but instead of coming to the table to work together on a solution, Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi has chosen to play political games ahead of national security to please the most extreme corners of her base. It's time to put politics aside and work together to end the partial government shutdown and provide critical border security funding."

GOP Rep. John Shimkus was among those previously supporting Trump's wall, writing on Facebook last week, "Call it a wall. Call it a fence. Call it whatever kind of physical barrier you wish. I support it now, and I supported it back when even Democrats did too."

Trump will visit the Capitol on Wednesday to meet with Senate Republicans, and has invited Democratic and Republican congressional leaders to return to the White House to meet with him later that day, as hundreds of thousands of federal workers continue to go unpaid.President Donald Trump made his case for a crisis on the U.S.-Mexico border in a speech to the country Tuesday night. But Trump and members of his administration have repeatedly made false statements about immigration, legal and illegal, to bolster a need for a wall  or at least steel slats  and baseless assertions that Mexico will pay for it, recently through the new trade deal.

Here are some claims from Trumps speech, which he delivered as the federal government remained partly closed over a budget impasse caused by his insistence that he get $5 billion to build along the border. (Click here for NBC News' fact check of the Democratic response.)

CLAIM: There is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at the southern border.

FACTS: Border crossings have been falling for years. U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported just over 300,000 apprehensions for illegal border crossings in 2017, the lowest in more than 45 years and down from more than 1.6 million in 2000, according to FactCheck.org.

The number rose in 2018 to nearly 400,000. And about 51,00 people were caught at the southwestern border in October and November 2018, more than in earlier months, according to CBP data from the 2019 fiscal year, NBC News reported.

Two-thirds of undocumented immigrants arrived in the United States legally  often by flying in  and then overstayed their visit, according to a report from the Center for Migration Studies. And immigrants who overstay their visas have outnumbered those crossing the southern border illegally every year since 2007, more than 700,000 in 2017, according to NBC News.

A growing percentage of people coming across the border are migrants from Central America who are seeking asylum. They are being driven by gangs, violence and poverty.

CLAIM: The Southern border is a pipeline for vast quantities of illegal drugs, including methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. Every week 300 of our citizens are killed by heroin alone, 90 percent of which floods across from our Southern border.

FACTS: Trumps claim that a wall would stop the flow of illegal drugs is discounted by most experts. And most illegal drugs  including the opioids that the Centers for Disease Control says kill 130 people in the U.S. each day  do go through ports of entry, as Trump has claimed in the past and which would not be affected by a wall. A DEA report in 2018 said: "Majority of the flow is through  legal ports of entry." The U.S. Customs and Border Protection told NBC News reporter Jacob Soboroff that, Drug smugglers feel there are opportunities to mix in at ports of entry. The vast majority of hard narcotics including fentanyl comes into this country through ports of entry or in the mail from China, Soboroff reported.

CLAIM: "Last month, 20,000 migrant children were illegally brought into the United States, a dramatic increase. These children are used as human pawns by vicious coyotes and ruthless gangs. One in 3 women are sexually assaulted on the dangerous trek up through Mexico."

FACTS: NBC News said that in December, according to data from the White House, about 32,000 family units and 5,000 unaccompanied minors were caught at the border. It further noted that there had been a surge of children and families apprehended. In October and November 2018, 10,265 unaccompanied migrant children and 48,287 migrants traveling as families were stopped at the border.

As far as sexual assaults against women, Trump's figure comes from Doctors Without Borders. Amnesty International has estimated it is as high as one in 6 women.

CLAIM: Among examples Trump gave of undocumented immigrants committing terrible crimes, he said, "America's heart broke the day after Christmas when a young police officer in California was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien who just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country."

FACTS: Trump was referring to the December killing of Newman, California, Police Cpl. Ronil Singh, allegedly by Gustavo Perez Arriaga, an immigrant who police say entered the country illegally.

There is no evidence that immigrants commit more crimes; immigration populations have been growing as the rates of crime, and violent crime, have dropped, The Marshall Project reported. Most studies have found no connection between immigrants and crime or have shown that immigrants revitalize neighborhoods.

CLAIM: Democrats asked for a steel wall.

FACTS: The president offered Democrats a steel border fence instead of a concrete wall, acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney told NBC's "Meet the Press."

CLAIM: Senate Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, have voted for border barriers in the past.

FACTS: Schumer and 25 other Senate Democrats did vote for the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which authorized building a fence along about 700 miles of the border between the United States and Mexico. Trump characterized the fencing as "such a little wall, it was such a nothing wall," and during his campaign promised a concrete wall. He has since called it a fence and dismissed comments that he had abandoned a wall.

CLAIM: "The wall will also be paid for, indirectly by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico."

FACTS: The revised North American Free Trade Agreement has not been approved by Congress, and would not take effect until 2020 at the earliest. There are no funds earmarked for the border wall, and any revenue raised by tariffs would have to be appropriated by Congress, NBC noted. And Trump campaigned on the promise that Mexico would pay for the wall.



Emilie Mutert contributed.Two flu-related deaths have been reported in the Bay Area during the current 2018-19 flu season.

Santa Clara County public health officials announced Tuesday the county's first flu death of someone under 65 years old and San Francisco health officials said Wednesday that an adult resident has died from influenza-related causes.

The person who died in Santa Clara was 39 years old and had other medical conditions that led to an increased risk of severe complications from the flu, according to the county Public Health Department.

More information about the persons who died is not being released by the county because of medical privacy laws.

There were 11 such deaths of people under 65 in Santa Clara County during the 2017-18 flu season. At least four other cases of severe flu in people under 65 have been reported to the department so far this season.

The flu season generally continues through the spring each year. Public health officials recommend that everyone over 6 months old get the flu vaccine, which is particularly important for pregnant women, young children, people over 65 years old, and those with chronic medical conditions.

More information about the flu and where to get a vaccine can be found by visiting the county's website about the flu at sccphd.org/flu.



To find flu vaccine locations in San Francisco, visit: vaccinefinder.org.A 35-year-old man was sentenced on Tuesday to 35 years to life in state prison for forcing a 15-year-old girl into working as a prostitute for him in Oakland and San Jose.

Darius Swain was convicted on Nov. 5 of human trafficking of a minor with force, pimping of a minor, pandering of a minor, robbery, being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm and being an ex-felon in possession of ammunition.

Alameda County Superior Court Judge Rhonda Burgess, who sentenced Swain, said Swain exploited a 15-year-old girl who was a runaway from Fresno.

Prosecutors said that in April 2017, Swain was introduced to the girl through another juvenile girl he was actively exploiting.

They said Swain would drive the 15-year-old and two other girls who were 14 and 17 to known prostitution areas throughout the Bay Area, drop them off and watch them from his car to make sure they were soliciting men for sex.

Prosecutors said the girls were required to give Swain all of the money that they received from performing sex acts and described multiple cases in which he physically abused them.

They said on one occasion, Swain broke a girl's nose because she looked another man in the eyes, which was a violation of his rules for the girls who worked for him.

On April 21, 2017, Swain picked up the 15-year-old girl from International Boulevard in Oakland, which is a well-known prostitution area, and demanded that she hand over all of her money. However, the girl refused to give Swain her money because she wanted to buy a bus ticket to go home to Fresno, prosecutors said.

Swain responded by driving the girl to a desolate area in the Oakland hills, stripping her completely naked, beating her, forcibly taking her belongings and abandoning her on the street, prosecutors said.

On June 21, 2017, the 14-year-old girl who worked for Swain was detained by Alameda County sheriff's deputies during a human trafficking sting operation and investigators found identification cards that belonged to Swain, according to prosecutors.

Officers then followed the 14-year-old girl back to a Western Union office where they located and arrested Swain. When officers searched Swain's backpack, they found an unregistered 1911-style Kimber .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun with seven rounds loaded in its magazine, authorities said.

Burgess said that during Swain's trial, three underage girls other than the 15-year-old testified that they worked for Swain and that he used them to get other underage girls to work for him.

Burgess said Swain "had a pattern of charming and grooming girls to work as prostitutes" and used violence to do so.

The judge said two of the girls who worked for Swain gave birth to children he fathered.BART police on Wednesday marked the third anniversary of the fatal shooting of a passenger on a train at the West Oakland station by saying that they have new information about the case and that the reward has been increased from $10,000 to $25,000.

Carlos Funez-Romero, a 19-year-old Antioch man, was fatally shot at the West Oakland station at about 7:45 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2016.

BART police Chief Carlos Rojas said at a news conference at police headquarters Wednesday that investigators now believe that the suspect in the shooting has strong ties to the Antioch area and goes by the first name of Matty, although he also could be known as Matthew or Matt.

Rojas said investigators also believe the suspect's father's first name is Vic or Victor and that he drives a Ford Crown Victoria.

He said, "There's a good possibility that someone knows a man by the name of Vic who has a Crown Victoria."

Rojas said the fatal shooting of Funez-Romero, who was born in Honduras, was "a heinous act committed by an individual who's still roaming free."

But Rojas said, "He's looking over his shoulder every day and our message is that we're on this case, we're coming after you and we will find you."

Rojas said police believe the suspect may still be in the Antioch area because he's familiar with it but admitted it's also possible he has fled the region.

BART police describe the suspect as a black man who is 6 feet to 6 feet 4 inches tall and say that he had a bald or shaved or close-cut hair style and a slim build at the time of the fatal shooting and was wearing a green hooded jacket with beige, construction-style boots.

Rojas said the motive for the shooting still isn't clear.

Funez-Romero and the suspect both boarded a Tri Delta Transit bus at 3400 Delta Fair Blvd. in Antioch and then got on a BART train bound for San Francisco International Airport.

BART police said shortly after the shooting that the suspect shot Funez-Romero multiple times and then fled on foot from the West Oakland station.

Rojas declined to talk about Funez-Romero's background, saying that the focus should be on the suspect.

"We don't believe the victim was doing anything wrong. He was murdered plain and simple and didn't deserve what happened to him," the chief said.

Rojas said homicides are rare on the BART system and before Funez-Romero was killed, there hadn't been a homicide on the system since February 2013.

However, there were three homicides on the BART system in a five-day period last July, including the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Nia Wilson at the MacArthur station in Oakland on July 22, 2018.

Rojas said anyone with information about the fatal shooting of Funez-Romero should call BART police at (510) 464-7040 or an anonymous tip line at (510) 464-7011.An aspiring paleontologist in the second grade has won Google's annual Doodle for Google contest.

Sarah Gomez-Lane, 7, of Virginia, had her drawing of dinosaurs selected and transformed into an animation on the search giant's homepage. In it, dinosaurs play the trumpet, eat blueberries and more.

Sarah, who responded to the prompt "What inspires me ...," originally drew the Doodle's design as a first grader, a Google spokesperson confirmed.

Google said her school in Falls Church, Virginia, will be awarded $50,000 to spend on technology, and Sarah will get $30,000 toward a college scholarship.

"When they called my name, I felt happy and surprised," she said when she learned she had won. "I'm going to call my principal. He's going to say 'Yay!'"

On video, a Google employee said she hoped the Doodle would inspire kids and adults alike.

"I just hope that when people see the Doodle, they also are inspired to think about  not only what they dreamed of and wished for when they were kids  but to also just take a second to enjoy the simple things in life," she said.

A group of local students who attend Broad Run High School in Ashburn, Virginia, took money from their own pockets to make stuffed bears for kids with cancer. News4's Aimee Cho reports.

Sarah's drawing will be on the Google homepage for 24 hours. Go there to see the Doodle in action.(Natural News) Many countries use wet cupping as a traditional therapy for relieving musculoskeletal pain, so researchers in Saudi Arabia and Singapore aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this traditional therapy through a systematic review. In their review, which was published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, they found that there is promising evidence in favor of the use of wet cupping for musculoskeletal pain, particularly nonspecific back pain, neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and brachialgia.

In many countries, wet cupping is a widely used traditional therapy for many conditions, including low back pain, neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and brachialgia. Researchers in Saudi Arabia and Singapore found promising evidence on the safety and efficacy of this traditional therapy through a systematic review.

For the review, the researchers gathered and analyzed the available evidence of wet cupping in traditional and complementary medicine. A total of 14 studies were included in the review. These studies were randomized clinical trials that evaluated wet cupping against any type of control interventions in patients with any clinical condition and healthy individuals.

Out of the 14 studies, nine favored wet cupping over various control interventions in nonspecific low back pain, hypertension, brachialgia, chronic neck pain, oxygen saturation in smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and oral and genital ulcers due to Behcet disease. On the other hand, five trials revealed that wet cupping did not cause any effect on nonspecific low back pain, hypertension, brachialgia, migraine headaches, and physiologic and biochemical parameters of healthy individuals.

Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that wet cupping is a promising treatment for musculoskeletal pain, especially nonspecific back pain, neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and brachialgia. (Related: Pilot study concludes pain-relieving effects of wet cupping therapy.)

More on cupping therapy

Cupping therapy, in general, is a type of alternative therapy originating in China that involves placing cups on the skin to create suction. The suction enhances blood flow to the area where the cups are placed, relieving muscle tension, improving overall blood flow and promoting cell repair. Cupping therapy can also help in the formation of new connective tissues and the creation of new blood vessels in the tissue.

Wet cupping is one of the two main categories of cupping done today; the other one is dry cupping. Dry cupping is a suction-only method; on the other hand, wet cupping involved both suction and controlled medicinal bleeding.

People use cupping to treat a wide variety of conditions. It is said to be particularly effective at relieving conditions that cause muscle aches and pain. This practice may also be potentially effective at treating digestive problems, skin problems, and other conditions commonly treated with acupressure because the cups can also be applied to major acupressure points. Some people use cupping therapy as a complementary treatment.

A review published in the journal PLOS ONE suggested that cupping therapys therapeutic effect may be more than just a placebo effect as the researchers found that it may help with many conditions, such as acne, cervical spondylosis, cough and dyspnea, facial paralysis, herpes zoster, and lumbar disc herniation.

Read more news stories and studies on other alternative treatments like wet cupping by going to AlternativeMedicine.news.

Sources include:

Science.news

Healthline.com(Natural News) It was one of the biggest upsets in the era of POTUS Donald Trump: The U.S. Senate seat vacated by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions in deep red Alabama was won by Democratic candidate Doug Jones during a special election in the fall of 2017.

While many argued at the time GOP candidate Roy Moore lost due to allegations that he may have had sexually inappropriate contact with a teenage girl when he was in his late 20s, the race was nonetheless close and some political analysts thought he should have pulled off a victory anyway (Moore emphatically denied the accusations).

Come to find out, however, thanks to a bombshell report by The New York Times ahead of the Christmas holidays, Jones got an assist from a Democrat-linked experiment that involved Russian-like social media manipulation and meddling.

One firm involved in the project, New Knowledge, is run by Jonathon Morgan; his company just happens to be the one which wrote a scathing account of Russias social media operations in the 2016 election that was released [recently] by the Senate Intelligence Committee, the Times noted.

The National Sentinel then reported that the project and its potential to have influenced the election outcome got the attention of GOP state Attorney General Steve Marshall, who called the information concerning. (Related: There WAS a Russia collusion conspiracy that altered the outcome of a U.S. election and it caused the defeat of a conservative.)

As bad as this seems, these ops appear to have been more widespread than previously thought.

There is NO evidence Republicans are doing this

According to a new report from The New York Times, a second false flag operation aimed at derailing Moores campaign was launched as well, this one intended to make it seem like he was pushing to ban alcohol throughout Alabama:

The Dry Alabama Facebook page, illustrated with stark images of car wrecks and videos of families ruined by drink, had a blunt message: Alcohol is the devils work, and the state should ban it entirely.



Along with a companion Twitter feed, the Facebook page appeared to be the work of Baptist teetotalers who supported the Republican, Roy S. Moore, in the 2017 Alabama Senate race. Pray for Roy Moore, one tweet exhorted. In fact, the Dry Alabama campaign, not previously reported, was the stealth creation of progressive Democrats who were out to defeat Mr. Moore  the second such secret effort to be unmasked.

Mind you, these are the same kind of influence operations that Democrats have accused the Russians of engaging in on behalf of Trumps 2016 campaign, which subsequently led to the appointment of special counsel Robert Mueller and the unprecedented harassment and targeting of a duly elected president.

Matt Osborne, a long-time progressive activist who worked on the Dry Alabama project, actually told the Times that he hoped someday such deception tactics would be banned, but he added that he believes Republicans are doing the same thing so Democrats should be doing it too.

Only, thus far weve not seen any evidence of GOP false flag operations aimed at disrupting or altering election outcomes against Democrats; weve only seen evidence of Democratic operations against Republican candidates.

That said, the Times claimed  erroneously  that thousands of fake Facebook and Twitter accounts were created by Russians to help POTUS Trump by attacking Hillary Clinton. And Mueller claimed that Russian troll farms spent millions on fake ads and other influence operations in the run-up to the 2016 election.

In fact, Russian troll farms spent a tiny fraction of that amount. And whats more, at least half of the ads they purchased were pro-Hillary.

Once again, we see evidence of Democrat-aligned operations using social media to subvert our electoral process in an attempt to ensure Left-wing candidates win political office, not Republican operations.

How many more examples will the Justice Department need before it takes action?

Read more about Democrat-run deception operations at Deception.news.

Sources include:

NYTimes.com

AdAge.com

TheNationalSentinel.com(Natural News) Patients may finally get their obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) under proper control thanks to an ancient Indian herbal remedy. Iranian researchers have reported that the root extract of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) could help treat the mental disorder.

The hallmarks of OCD are recurring and insidious thoughts that the patient is compelled to fulfill or act upon immediately. The disorder is considered to be connected to problems in nerves that are stimulated by serotonin.

It is usually treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). However, these pharmaceutical drugs often fail to work and only provide minimal enhancement of OCD symptoms.

Traditional Ayurvedic medicine prescribes ashwagandha for treating nerve-related problems. The roots of the plants are known to relieve anxiety and alleviate depression.

Ashwagandha root contains steroids like withanolides and withanolide glycosides. It also has alkaloids such as withanine and somniferine. These phytochemicals are believed to be responsible for the therapeutic effects on mental health.

There is also an earlier mice model that indicated ashwagandha improved the transmission of serotonin to the appropriate nerves. This led some researchers to consider ashwagandha root as a possible supplement that could improve the effectiveness of SSRIs. (Related: Prevent cognitive decline with ashwagandha.)

Testing the effect of ashwagandha root powder extract on serotonin transmission

Researchers from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS) examined ashwagandha root as a supportive therapy for OCD patients. They conducted an experiment to test the plant extracts effects on SSRI therapy.

The researchers collected ashwagandha roots and processed the plant parts to create the powdered extract. They combined 30 milligrams (mg) of powdered extract with lactose in a number of 250 mg capsules.

The study group consisted of 30 patients who were medically diagnosed with OCD and undergoing treatment with SSRIs. They were distributed between the ashwagandha extract treatment group and the placebo group.

Participants took one capsule each day. Every four days, they consumed an additional capsule until they were taking four capsules on a daily basis. This final 120 mg dosage was reversed towards the end of the experiment.

The trial was concluded after six weeks. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) symptom checklist served to evaluate the severity of a patients OCD at the start of the experiment and upon its completion.

The results were published in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine.

Ashwagandha root extract can improve OCD symptoms

The MUMS researchers found that the average severity score of the ashwagandha extract treatment group greatly improved at the end of the experiment when compared to the baseline score. There was also a significant difference between the scores of the treatment group and those of the placebo group.

Furthermore, a number of participants in both groups suffered from comorbid anxiety disorders. This is a combination of several anxiety disorders that is separate from OCD.

To this end, both groups were subdivided between patients with comorbid anxiety disorders and those who didnt suffer such anxiety-related problems. The average reduction of the scores in the subgroups was also compared.

The general scores of patients with comorbid anxiety disorders turned out to be fairly similar to the scores of patients who didnt have those anxiety issues. Finally, none of the participants reported any adverse reactions to the combination of ashwagandha extract and lactose they took.

The researchers concluded that the powdered extract of ashwagandha root could be considered as a safe and efficient adjunct to conventional SSRI therapy of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. They recommended further testing with a larger group over a longer period, as well as analyzing the phytochemicals in the extract and determining potential dose dependency of the treatment.

Herbs.news has more to tell you about the ways ashwagandha can support your healthy mental functions.

Sources include:

Science.news

NHS.UK

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

CMS.HerbalGram.org(Natural News) Are you looking to fight and beat cancer or feed it and be defeated by it? Youd better make up your mind, and fast. Most Americans, upon finding out they have cancer, make the biggest mistake of their lives when they choose between the lesser of evils  the best oncologist in their area.

Chemicals in foods, water, medications, home cleaning agents, and personal care products are the leading causes of cancer, yet when people are told they have cancer, they let medical doctors convince them, somehow, that more chemicals will kill the cancer cells, even though thats the very fuel that cancer uses to spread.

Nitrogen mustard derived chemotherapy is still used today, yet sulfur mustard is a deadly poisonous gas used in WWI to kill the enemy. In fact, sulfur mustard was insidiously used as a chemical warfare agent to cause delayed casualties. Wheres the positive science in that?

Want to know more about an archaic medical treatment that fails 98 percent of the time? Will you be a delayed casualty of the American Allopathic medical system of chronic sick care management? This is worth careful consideration.

Why would any sane person infect their entire body with toxins and cripple their immune system just to address one certain area?

The year is not 1819, or 1919, its 2019, but for some reason 100 million Americans believe that one of the most destructive forms of medicine is their best option for attacking their sickened, mutated cells. We dont use bloodletting or electroshock therapy for cancer, so why on earth does anyone use such an archaic treatment such as chemical warfare on their own body?

Warning: Mustard gas is extremely dangerous. Contact with the liquid or exposure to the vapor can cause blindness and severe burns. Mustard gas can also burn the soft tissue of the lungs and cause shortness of breath. Mustard gas derivatives, Cyclophosphamide, Chlorambucil, Melphalan, Ifosfamide, and Mechlorethamine are currently being used as chemotherapy in America, even though the formula is a death wish for the rest of the body.

Want some more history, so you dont repeat it yourself? During World War II, naval personnel who were exposed to mustard gas during military action were found to have toxic changes in the bone marrow cells that develop into blood cells. That drug was the predecessor of methotrexate  the very same drug frequently used to treat cancer now. Has the medical community lost their collective minds, or are they in the business of spreading cancer to make themselves more money and keep their patients spending, spending, spending, all while suffering needlessly?

Sulfur mustard chemotherapy damages bone marrow cells needed for making blood cells, debilitating the human immune system

How could anyone legitimately fight and beat cancer without a normal functioning immune system? How can any human being stay positive and limit stress when the medicine being pumped into their blood at the hospital contains chemicals that severely disrupt the central nervous system and the digestive tract? Cholinergic toxicity is a condition marked by gastrointestinal cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea. The body loses the ability to retain nutrients and suffers nutritional deficiencies  the number one cause of over 900 diseases, including disorder of the cells (cancer).

Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine discovered that chemotherapy spreads cancer throughout the body, causing a spike in cancer cells that circulate through the body, searching for other damaged tissues and organs to take over. So even if the chemo kills the cancer at the targeted area, the rest of the body is polluted with chemicals that trigger a massive breeding of mutated cells (TMEM complexes and circulating tumor cells, including metastatic dissemination) that you may never be able to defeat.

One hundred years ago, 17 million people died in a war, many of whom suffered from chemical warfare attacks on the front lines, stuck in the trenches in a living hell while breathing in deadly gasses created by industrial chemists. Reports of a shimmering cloud came in, describing a strange peppery smell in the air. The soldiers that survived developed horrific blisters and sores, and then began coughing up blood. They had been poisoned with mustard gas, and would all die within six weeks.

Just because mainstream medicine and most medical doctors declare chemotherapy as your best chance at beating cancer, does that mean its true? There are many choices for fighting and beating cancer, and ones that yield a much higher chance of success, without creating new cancers. Look into the power of natural cures for cancer, like turmeric, garlic, oil of oregano, CBD oils, and naturopathic physician recommended levels of Vitamin D and C. Avoid chemicals as medicine because chemicals are what cause cancer in the first place, including refined, pesticide-laden corn sugar.

Medical Bombshell: Chemotherapy SPREADS more cancer

Tune in to Oncology.news for updates on how allopathic cures for cancer actually spread it, and for natural cures that actually work and save you from mutating your own cells.

Sources for this article include:

CDC.gov

NaturalNews.com

Oncology.News

NaturalNews.com

FirstWorldWar.com(Natural News) It should be obvious by now to anyone whos been paying attention that the social media behemoths are deeply involved in a scandalous effort to use the smallest excuse to ban or otherwise censor conservatives from their platforms.

Facebook, Twitter, Google, and YouTube, all run by Left-wing progressives, launched their coordinated conservative censorship campaigns ahead of the 2018 elections because they discovered, given their incredible reach, they wielded outsized power to influence users opinions.

Mostly they accomplished this through acts of omission: The platforms banned right-leaning speakers and news sources or dramatically limited their reach so as to deprive users of valuable information that could have influenced thinking on issues.

Since the election, the social media platforms have only become more aggressive in their censorship, as evidenced by an action Facebook took this week against conservative documentarian Mark Dice.

You may recall that mainstream media outlets recently reported on the shooting death of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes in Texas. Originally, the girls mother and family told police that she was killed by a 30-40-year-old white man, painting the tragedy as some sort of racially-motivated incident.

Naturally, the Left-wing mainstream media immediately picked up the story and ran with it because thats just what they do. But being quick to politicize such incidents rather than simply report them, those outlets soon had egg on their faces because police eventually arrested Eric Black, Jr. 20, for Jasmine Barnes murder. (Related: Media buries the truth about illegal immigrants bringing wave of hepatitis, tuberculosis and HIV to America.)

Eric Black is a young black male.

The Harris County Sheriffs Office announced the arrest, and supplied a mug shot, via Twitter (ironically).

Eric Black Jr., 20, is charged with capital murder in the death of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes. #hounews pic.twitter.com/OlmqMlb3ES  HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) January 6, 2019

Additionally, on Tuesday, the department also filed capital murder charges against Larry D. Woodruffe, 24, for his alleged involvement in Jazmines shooting death. He, too, is black.

#HCSO Homicide investigators have filed a capital murder charge against Larry D. Woodruffe, 24, for the shooting death of 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes  full release: https://t.co/JcEMTA7SLo #HouNews pic.twitter.com/QDsxRD0oP4  HCSOTexas (@HCSOTexas) January 8, 2019

This censorship is only going to get worse as the Left seeks to bury inconvenient facts

On his Facebook page, Dice pointed out the hypocrisy of the Leftist mainstream media in ensuring that the story about Jazmines murder went viral simply because initial reports claimed that a white man had killed a young black girl.

He wrote on his page: Black men murder children every day in the ghettos of America. The only reason the story about the dead seven year old girl went viral is because people though the killer was white. He wasnt. Sad story from every angle.

What is offensive about that? Nothing, unless of course, youre a Leftist speech Nazi working for a major social media platform who has been instructed to find any and all reasons to punish conservatives, even when theyre dropping massive truth bombs. So Facebook banned him for a week.

Meanwhile, black activists like Bishop Talbert Swan were able to write things truly inflammatory on their social media accounts without being punished or censored.

As noted by The Gateway Pundit, Swan tweeted a picture of the little girl and wrote: This is 7 year old #JazmineBarnes. She didnt die in custody of Border Patrol. She was shot and killed by Americas real terrorist threat, a white man who opened fire on her familys car as they left Walmart in Houston.

Dice noted in a video that stating facts similar to what he wrote, along with factual statistics about minorities, is now considered hate speech in 2019. He went on to point out that black-on-black homicides are regular features on nightly news broadcasts in cities like Detroit, Baltimore, and Chicago  and included actual news broadcasts to support his claim  but they barely make a blip on the national scene because they are so common.

But all of this social media censorship of conservative truth-talkers and facts the Left finds inconvenient is only going to get worse, Dice warned.

Theres little doubt hes right.

For news that isnt censored, make sure to visit and bookmark Censored.news.

Sources include:

TheGatewayPundit.com

NewsTarget.com(Natural News) Theres much to be said about the benefits of breastfeeding, even after a woman has raised her children up to the point where they dont need mothers milk any longer. A new study published in the American Journal of Hypertension shows that the more women breastfeed their children, the more theyre shielded from the ill effects of hypertension after menopause.

Hypertension is closely linked to cardiovascular disease in women. The National Institute of Health shared this finding in an online article that also said hypertension is one of the most vital risk factors in diabetic women.

The current study could, therefore, serve as a source of hope for women, especially those who fear the consequences of hypertension through the years. In particular, it was conducted to check if breastfeeding influenced maternal hypertension and if obesity or insulin sensitivity affected the relationship between breastfeeding and hypertension in postmenopausal women.

Researchers gathered data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) from 2010 to 2011. A total of 3,119 non-smoking postmenopausal women aged 50 and above were selected from KNHANES to be part of the study. The team then conducted logistic regression analyses to study the link between breastfeeding and hypertension, and mediation analyses to check if obesity and insulin sensitivity affected the link between breastfeeding and hypertension.

The research team found that susceptibility to hypertension  the number one cause of death in men and women around the world  was absent in obese women who breastfed their children. The same positive result cropped up in insulin-resistant women who breastfed their children. Frequency and length of breastfeeding were just as important: Women who breastfed their children the most showed a 51 percent decrease in susceptibility to hypertension. Those who breastfed their children for the longest time (96 to 324 months) lowered their risk of hypertension by as much as 45 percent.

According to the study, breastfeeding resets maternal metabolism (e.g., fat accumulation and insulin resistance), thus, lowering the risk of obesity-related diseases. These include Type 2 diabetes, stroke, hypertension, heart failure, gallstones, gout and gouty arthritis, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and Pickwickian syndrome. In addition, oxytocin, the love hormone released during childbirth, lactation, and reproduction during breastfeeding, may reduce the occurrence of diseases. (Related: Now were told pregnant women shouldnt be referred to as she  new medical language guidelines claim its disrespectful.)

Breastfeeding doesnt just benefit mothers

Of course, women are not the only ones who benefit from breastfeeding.

Breastmilk is packed with nutrients like protein, calcium, fat and vitamin A, among others. A breastfed babys age doesnt matter. The infant will still get the full benefit of nutrition from mothers milk a year after he or she is breastfed.

Breastfed babies are also more disease-free. Thats because mothers milk powers the babys immune system, making it resistant to bacteria and viruses. These benefits last longer through time. In an article for Parents.com, lactation counselor Robin Elise Weiss explained that babies who are breastfed longer tend to have less autoimmune and allergy pandemics like anemia, arthritis, asthma, diabetes, and even cancer later in life. It also develops a babys brain more, since babies who suckle both breasts adopt many body positions  improving their spatial ability.

Breastfed babies also bond with their mom more, and are therefore calmer, especially during tense situations. Moms who want to soothe their babies would do well to offer their breast when the infant is crying after an injury or accident. The babies quiet down, and mom and infant enjoy reduced stress.

All these reinforce the statement of Nam-Kyong Choi, lead researcher in the study on the relation between breastfeeding and hypertension risk. Our findings endorsed the current recommendations for breastfeeding for the benefit of maternal health in mothers later lives, she said.

Learn more about breastfeeding by following WomensHealth.news today.

Sources include:

Medicine.news

ScienceDaily.com

NCBI.NIH.gov 1

NCBI.NIH.gov 2

MedicineNet.com

Parents.com

MedicalNewsToday.com(Natural News) Although widely expected to declare a national emergency in a televised address this evening, President Trump instead used the broadcast to appeal to the American people to demand Democrats capitulate and approve funding for border security.

In doing this, President Trump set the stage for invoking a new national emergency in the days ahead if Democrats fail to fund the border wall.

Citing a growing humanitarian and security crisis, the President cited an array of alarming (but true) statistics that describe the horrifying cost of illegal immigration. Last month 20,000 migrant children were illegally brought into the United States, the President stated, adding that those children were, used as human pawns by ruthless gangs.

One in three women are sexually assaulted in the dangerous trek that brings illegals to the border, President Trump explained. Women and children are the biggest victims by far of our broken system This is the cycle of human suffering that I am determined to end.

Most of the statistics cited by Trump have been deliberately withheld from the American people by the dishonest anti-America news media such as CNN and the Washington Post. Because of that, millions of Americans are not aware of the full extent of the humanitarian crisis that continues to destroy innocent lives on and near the U.S. southern border.

Trump is building public support for declaring a national emergency to protect Americas borders

In taking this humanitarian approach to the border wall crisis, President Trump appears measured and careful in his actions. He realizes that any national emergency will be more effective if it is declared in alignment with the support of the American people. In tonights speech, Trump has set the stage to be able to say, They left me no choice when the treacherous Democrats refuse to fund construction of the border wall.

Democrats need a continued influx of illegal aliens to win future elections. Because Democrats messages no longer appeal to taxpaying Americans, they are relying on granting voting rights to illegals as their ace in the hole to defeat Trump in 2020. Thus, blocking the border wall is a political strategy for Democrats, who care nothing about the security of the American people as long as they get to rule over the country.

In effect, unleashing mass violence, drug smuggling and human trafficking across America is perfectly fine with Democrats as long as they attract new illegal voters to help sway future elections. Blocking continued illegal immigration with effective border security will help spell the defeat of Democrats, a political party that now stands against America and the American people. The federal government remains shut down for one reason: Because Democrats will not fund border security, Trump declared.

Prediction: The Democrats will cave, or Trump will declare a new national emergency to fund the border wall

President Trump has the power to declare a national emergency, deploy the U.S. military to the border and even declare sanctuary city mayors to be waging an illegal insurrection against the United States of America.

Stewart Rhodes of Oath Keepers, appearing on an InfoWars broadcast following Trumps speech, stated that Trump should declare Mexican drug and smuggling gangs to be terrorist organizations engaged in a land invasion of the United States. Those liberal mayors or governors who protect these illegal criminals could then be arrested and charged with insurrection against the United States government.

In a statement on the OathKeepers.org website, Stewart Rhodes writes:

Now is the time to contact President Trump and urge him to take decisive action! Please contact the White House immediately by phone, email, or both, and urge President Trump to declare a national emergency and deploy the full weight of the U.S. military to secure the entire 2,000 mile border with Mexico, with military boots on the ground, and to also order the U.S. military (the Army Corps of Engineers and military combat engineer units) to build the necessary layered system of wall/steel fencing, patrol roads, and surveillance systems  all backed up by ongoing military, National Guard, and militia boots on the ground that are needed to finally and fully secure the entire 2,000 mile border with Mexico.

Call the White House at: 202-456-1111

Email the White House here

And also contact President Trumps Twitter account.

Urge him to step up and go all the way, doing what MUST be done to secure our nation.(Natural News) Taking pharmaceutical drugs, such as acetaminophen, comes with health consequences. One of these is possible liver damage. Fortunately, a study found a natural remedy for this drug-induced liver damage. A study published in the Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines found that magnolia berry (Schisandra chinensis) has protective effects against liver damage caused by acetaminophen.

Acetaminophen, the generic name for the drug in Tylenol, is often taken to relieve mild or moderate pain. It is the most common drug ingredient in the U.S. In fact, more than 50 million Americans use the drug in some form whether they are aware or not because it is found in over 600 over-the-counter and prescription medications. These include pain relievers, fever reducers, and sleep aids, as well as drugs for coughing, colds, and allergies. (Related: Is acetaminophen the most dangerous OTC pain reliever of all?.)

In the study, researchers from Jilin Agricultural University and Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS) in China assessed the effects of an ethanol extract of magnolia berry stems on acetaminophen-induced liver damage in an animal model. To do this, they pre-treated mice with an ethanol extract of magnolia berry stems for seven consecutive days. Then, they administered acetaminophen in mice to induce liver damage.

The team also evaluated the compounds in magnolia berry extract and found that it contains chisandrol A, schisandrol B, deoxyschisandrin, schisandrin B, and schisandrin C.

The results showed that the pretreatment with magnolia berry stem extract reduced liver dysfunction and oxidative stress in mice. This was manifested through the significant decreases in aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and increases in reduced glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels.

The magnolia berry pretreatment also significantly reduced expression levels of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT). Moreover, it significantly reduced the expression levels of Bax, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and cleaved caspase-3 caused by acetaminophen exposure. In addition, magnolia berry stem extract reduced inflammatory response by suppressing the expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2).

These results show that magnolia berry stem extract exhibited significant reductions in oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis primarily by regulating MAPK and caspase-3 signaling pathways. Based on these findings, the researchers concluded that magnolia berry might help protect against liver damage caused by acetaminophen.

Liver damage symptoms

A person with liver damage may experience the following symptoms:

Dark or tea-colored urine

Dark, tarry stools

Fatigue

Loss of appetite

Nausea or vomiting

Pain in the upper right area of the abdomen

Pale skin

Sweating more than usual

Unusual bruising or bleeding

Yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes (jaundice)

Magnolia berry benefits

Also known as the five-flavor berry, magnolia berry has been used for many years in different cultures because of its medicinal properties. In addition to its ability to improve liver function, it offers the following potential health benefits:

It helps fight stress: Magnolia berry, which is considered as an adaptogen, is said to protect and support the body from mental or physical stress. It works by helping to control the release of stress hormones and helping the body adapt to stress. It also helps improve the function of the adrenal glands, helping to balance the production of cortisol, a stress hormone.

Magnolia berry, which is considered as an adaptogen, is said to protect and support the body from mental or physical stress. It works by helping to control the release of stress hormones and helping the body adapt to stress. It also helps improve the function of the adrenal glands, helping to balance the production of cortisol, a stress hormone. It reduces inflammation: Magnolia berry is rich in antioxidants, which means that it can help reduce inflammation and prevent damage caused by oxidative stress. Consuming antioxidants helps eliminate toxins from the body.

Magnolia berry is rich in antioxidants, which means that it can help reduce inflammation and prevent damage caused by oxidative stress. Consuming antioxidants helps eliminate toxins from the body. It improves brain function: Magnolia berry can boost energy and mental alertness as well as preventing mental fatigue.

Magnolia berry can boost energy and mental alertness as well as preventing mental fatigue. It keeps the skin healthy: It is believed to protect the skin and help repair the damage. It can be used to treat and prevent skin conditions like dermatitis.

Read more news stories and studies on natural medicines for liver damage by going to LiverDamage.news.

Sources include:

Science.news

Healthline.com 1

Healthline.com 2

LiverFoundation.org

HealthyFocus.org(Natural News) USA  (AmmoLand.com)- At no time in our lives have we witnessed the country as being so divided. If one looks back in history, the divisions today between the left and right (coastal elites & middle Americans) are more severe and deeper than they were in early 1861.

(Article by Jim Clary republished from AmmoLand.com)

There seems to be absolutely no way that either side will compromise and move to the center for the sake of our country. The only thing that we see happening is that both sides are digging in deeper and becoming more extreme. As such, they must face, sooner or later, the consequences of their positions and the reality of what the future of the United States will be.

It was said by Abe Lincoln that A house divided against itself cannot endure. and that is exactly where the United States finds itself in 2019. It is no longer slave-states versus non-slave states, it is the politically hardcore left against the politically conservative right. Tribal mentalities and identity politics are rampant across the country.

The hardcore left will not bend or compromise any of their beliefs and neither will the conservative right. And, sadly, only the folks in middle America see what is coming.

The coastal elites which make up the majority of the leftists in this country are wearing blinders and do not believe or will even consider that this country is on the brink of another civil war. I would imagine that a similar view was held by their counterparts in Yugoslavia just before their civil war. To remind those who do not remember, Yugoslavia was considered the Paris of the East in Europe. It was very prosperous and even sponsored the winter Olympics at Sarajevo in 1984. But, now, after the war, there are seven separate countries where one used to exist, and none are as prosperous as Yugoslavia once was.

The American left considers it to be acceptable behavior for their minions to call for the assassination of the President; they find it acceptable to depict him as being beheaded; they find it funny when one of their kind threatens to blow up the White House and they turn a blind eye when their followers compare the President to Nazis, the vilest butchers of all time.

If the above remarks were not enough to disgust you, what about the newly elected congresswoman who called the President a mother F***er.

Read more at: AmmoLand.comStudents of a Beijing primary school and their parents were in shock that a maintenance worker attacked a group of children with a hammer on Tuesday after learning that his employment contract would be terminated.

The 49-year-old man surnamed Jia, from Heilongjiang province, had been working via an employment agency in the maintenance department at a campus of the No. 1 Affiliated Elementary School of Xuanwu Normal School in Xicheng district. His contract was to end this month and the agency decided not to renew it, the Xicheng government said in a statement released on Tuesday evening.

Police said that Jia began attacking children with a hammer at 11:17 a.m. because he had lost his job.

Twenty schoolchildren were injured, three of them seriously. All the injured children were sent to hospitals for treatment and none are currently considered to be in life-threatening condition. Jia has been placed in criminal detention and the case is being further investigated, according to the statement.

Wang Shaofeng, Xicheng district chief said on Tuesday night that security at all schools in the district has been stepped up.

Many of the wounded students had head injuries. Four, whose skulls were fractured in the attack, require surgery. A student who had the most severe head injury was still undergoing surgery at 9 p.m. The operations on the other three students had been successfully completed, Li Jia, deputy Party chief of Capital Medical University Xuanwu Hospital, said at a news conference.

Liu Yuhui, head of Beijing Education Commission, said schools have been instructed to run thorough security checks on school workers.

One student's mother, who wished not to be identified, said, "I was very anxious after learning about the incident in the morning from the WeChat group for parents of the schoolchildren, and I immediately rushed to the school."

She said her second-grade son witnessed the attack. "He told me he saw a bad guy charging toward the children. He didn't say a word on our way home."

The school campus is primarily for second- and third-graders ages 7 and 8. Crime scene investigators were seen entering the school on Tuesday afternoon as many parents waited to pick up their children.(Natural News) People who hear grating, cracking, or popping sounds in or around their knee joint  clinically known as crepitus  might have an increased likelihood of developing knee osteoarthritis, according to a study published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research. As part of the study, a team of researchers pooled data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative and examined nearly 3,500 participants. The research team found that more than 75 percent of participants who developed these knee noises exhibited signs of knee osteoarthritis on radiographic images.

Many people who have signs of osteoarthritis on x-rays do not necessarily complain of pain, and there are no known strategies for preventing the development of pain in this group of people. This study suggests that if these people have noisy knees, they are at higher risk for developing pain within the next year compared with the people who do not have noisy knees. Future studies that target people who have x-ray signs of osteoarthritis, and who do not complain of pain but do report noisy knees, hold the promise of identifying interventions that can prevent knee pain, said Dr. Grace Lo, lead author and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.

The results may help identify people who were at an increased risk of developing the painful condition, the researchers said. The findings may show potential in early diagnosis and treatment, the research team added.

Studies confirm crepitus, knee osteoarthritis link

Previous studies have previously demonstrated that crepitus may indicate a higher risk of knee osteoarthritis onset in patients. A 2014 study published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage revealed that the grating, popping sound was associated with the development of patellofemoral osteoarthritis. To carry out the study, a team of health experts pooled data from the Rotterdam Study and assessed the magnetic resonance imaging results of 888 women. The research team also examined the participants current knee pain and history of patellar knee pain. The experts found that crepitus was correlated with all symptoms of patellofemoral osteoarthritis. A history of patellar pain was also associated with the adverse medical condition, the researchers noted.

In another study, British researchers found that listening to these knee noises could serve as a new method in diagnosing osteoarthritis. In line with these, the research team developed a new device designed to analyze sounds coming from the patients knees. The experts used the same technology commonly used by engineers to detect faults in bridges and airplanes.

The research team tested the device on 50 patients with and without osteoarthritis who were instructed to stand up and sit down five times. The experts found that crepitus was a lot noisier in patients with osteoarthritis compared with their healthier peers. The study also revealed that sound waves produced by osteoarthritis patients were different than those produced by their healthier counterparts.

We believe that this device could be used as both an early diagnostic tool for GPs and as a quick, simple means of devising whether treatments are working, therefore reducing the need for MRI scans or other expensive, less accessible techniquesBy analysing high-frequency sounds released within knee joints during movement, we could tell whether or not the person had osteoarthritis of the knee and also their age group, said researcher Professor John Goodacre in DailyMail.co.uk.

According to World Health Organization (WHO), 10 percent to 15 percent of all older adults have some degree of osteoarthritis. The WHO also noted that the prevalence of osteoarthritis was higher in women than in men. The United Nations also cautioned that about 130 million people worldwide will develop osteoarthritis by 2050, 40 million of whom were expected to be severely disabled by the condition. (Related: Arthritis  How to relieve the pain and heal naturally)

You can learn more about these types of conditions and the natural alternatives to treating them when you follow Cures.news.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

CTVNews.ca

NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov

DailyMail.co.uk

WHO.int [PDF](Natural News) A recent study found that a type of intestinal bacteria not only aids digestion in infants, but also shows potential in defending young patients from a host of bacterial infections. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), bacterial infection remains to be a major contributor to neonatal deaths worldwide. Bacterial infections, such as sepsis, pneumonia, tetanus and diarrhea, accounts for 36 percent of deaths among infants around the world, WHO data shows. However, the recent study revealed that a certain type of intestinal bacteria known as Clostridia contained protective properties against a host of harmful bacteria.

To carry out the study, a team of researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School examined both newborn and adult germ-free mice. Adult mice showed a more diverse gut microbiome including Clostridia and Bacteriodes bacteria. The newborn mice did not have the bacteria, and primarily got their nutrition from their mothers milk. This made the animal models more susceptible to harmful bacteria similar to human pathogens. This also made them an ideal test specimen to assess the effects of various microbes in the body.

The research team then took fecal samples from four-day-old, 12-day-old, and 16-day-old normal mice. The experts transplanted the bacteria from the fecal samples to the germ-free mice and exposed them to a strain of Salmonella that infected the intestines but not the whole body. The research team found that 50 percent of germ-free mice died after receiving bacterial samples from four-day-old normal mice. However, none of the animal models died after receiving samples from 16-day-old normal mice.

The scientists replicated this by exposing germ-free mice to Citrobacter rodentium. The research team found that a large number of germ-free mice died after being transplanted with bacteria from four-day-old samples. However, C. rodentium levels dropped in those that received the 16-day-old samples. In addition, the researchers found that germ-free mice that received the Clostridia bacteria were able to resist infections. According to the experts, 90 percent of Clostridia recipients remained alive at one week following Salmonella exposure, compared with only 50 percent in those that did not receive the bacteria. Furthermore, germ-free mice with impaired immune system that were given gut microbes from four-day-old samples were able to resist Salmonella infection. However, they only able to do so if they received extra doses of Clostridium first. Mice transplanted with Clostridium were also able to resist C. rodentium infection, the researchers added.

Any parent knows that newborns are very susceptible to infections in the first year of life, including enteric, or gut, infections. This work suggests that the lack of protective bacteria in the gut microbiota is a mechanism for that susceptibility, perhaps more than the age of the immune system, said senior author Dr. Gabriel Nunez in ScienceDaily.com.

The findings were published in the journal Science.

Potential implications in infant infections

The recent findings may show potential in the treatment of various health hazards such as Salmonella, E.coli, and C. difficile infections. According to KidsHealth.org, about 50,000 cases of Salmonella infections are reported in the U.S. annually, with about a third of cases involving children four years old or younger. Salmonella symptoms include fever, cramps and diarrhea. The infection may cause other serious conditions such as meningitis and pneumonia. (Related: 10 simple ways to prevent salmonella and other bacteria).

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, C. difficile infection has shown a steady increase since 1997. The infection, typically acquired from the environment or through fecal-oral route, is touted to be the most common cause of antimicrobial-associated diarrhea. On the other hand, E.coli can be acquired through contaminated food, water or from other infected people or animals. The infection is associated with severe forms diarrhea, extreme fatigue, and even seizures.

You can read more articles on the benefits of gut bacteria at Cures.news.

Sources include:

ScienceDaily.com

NutraIngredients.com

CosmosMagazine.com

KidsHealth.org

Pediatrics.AAPPublications.orgThe Military Committee, NATOs highest Military Authority, will meet in Chiefs of Defence (CHODs) Session on 15-16 January 2019, at the NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium.

The first day of meetings will see the Chiefs of Defence discuss NATOs current and future strategic challenges as well as NATOs Military Strategy, its Deterrence and Defence Posture and the Alliances Readiness Initiative. They will then meet with their Operational Partners and exchange views on the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission to train, assist and advise Afghan Institutions and National Defence and Security Forces as well as the regional security situation.

The second day will focus on Warfare Development, improving Common Funded Capability Delivery, the NATO - Georgia partnership with a particular focus on the progress of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package, concluding with a broad discussion on the Western Balkans and the Kosovo Force Mission.

The Military Committee is led by Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. He will be supported in each session by General Curtis M. Scaparrotti (Supreme Allied Commander Europe or SACEUR) and General Andre Lanata (Supreme Allied Commander Transformation or SACT).

The Military Committee meets twice a year at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, at the level of Chiefs of Defence to discuss NATO operations and missions and provide the North Atlantic Council with consensus-based military advice on how the Alliance can best meet global security challenges, and once a year they meet in an Allied member country. On a day-to-day basis, their work is carried out by permanent Military Representatives at NATO Headquarters in Brussels.

Media Opportunities

Tuesday 15 January 2019

07:15 - 07:30 Media Pool pick up in the Public Square

08:00 - 08:10 Opening remarks by Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee

Wednesday 16 January 2019

13:45 - 14:05 Joint Press Conference in the main Press Theatre with Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee (CMC),General Curtis Scaparrotti, Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR) and General Andre Lanata, Supreme Allied Commander, Transformation (SACT)

Imagery

Photos and video of all opening sessions will be available online at www.nato.int/ims shortly after each meeting. The Opening Remarks and Joint Press Conference will be made available on the NATO website after the event. Broadcasters can also request the broadcast quality footage by contacting content@natochannel.tv.

Accreditation

Media representatives holding a valid 2018 or 2019 NATO Media pass will have access as usual to the new NATO HQ. Media representatives not in possession of a NATO Media pass and wishing to attend the media opportunities available are invited to contact the NATO IMS Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Office via email (ronaynecasimiro.lara@hq.nato.int) with a completed accreditation form no later than 12h00 on 11 January 2019.

Media passes will not be mailed to applicants; they must be collected in person upon presentation of an ID card or passport and a valid national press pass (or accreditation letter from a recognized media organization). Media representatives will be given their accreditation at the Guard House South of the NATO Headquarters, Boulevard Leopold III, Brussels, Belgium. Passes must be worn visibly at all times, and security personnel may ask to see another form of ID at any time. Media representatives are informed that security personnel will examine and may test equipment and personal effects carried onto the site and are advised to arrive with sufficient lead time to clear security checks.

Social Media

We will post the latest information and pictures from the sessions on our official Twitter account: @NATO_PASCAD. Please use the hashtags #NATOCHoDs and #NATOMC when tweeting about the Military Committee.

Enquiries

Points of contact for the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee:

Mr. Damien Elvin, Public Affairs and Strategic Communications Advisor to the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee and NATO International Military Staff

Tel: + 32 476 60 53 56

E-Mail: elvin.damien@hq.nato.int

Ms. Elizabeth Steenson, Public Affairs Officer, NATO International Military Staff

Tel: + 32 475 75 75 23

E-Mail: steenson.elizabeth@hq.nato.int

For more background information about the NATO Military Committee click hereBy Lambert Strether of Corrente.

Politics

But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? James Madison, Federalist 51

2020

Trump Wall Speech (1): It could be that Trump has a cruder yet more direct metric for the success of his Wall speech than media reaction and polling? Trump Wall Speech (2): "Of COURSE your father's upset about the car, but the important thing is you're safe and nobody got hurt." pic.twitter.com/KKkd67FZTv  #occupymarwen (@Mobute) January 9, 2019 The flags tho. (Lots of dunking on this image on the Twitter; this is the one I thought was funniest.)

Bernie Sanders Our Revolution Will Start A Campaign To Draft Him Into The Presidential Race [Buzzfeed News]. On Monday evening, the group notified members that it would activate the draft effort, making Our Revolution the second group to encourage Sanders to run for president, following the launch of Organizing For Bernie last month. Both efforts are separate from the official Sanders operation but run by aides who are closely linked to the senator and his staff. Turner, the head of Our Revolution, regularly travels with Sanders, joining him most recently on a nine-state tour ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. And Organizing For Bernie is headed by a longtime former aide, Rich Pelletier.

The G.O.P.s Plan to Take Down Beto: Unleash the Bernie Bros [Vanity Fair]. Bernie Sanders devotees are already primed to question ORourkes progressive credentials. They think the Establishment is always looking for someone to go against Sandersto run against progressives in the party and stop them from being ascendant, Georgetown University historian Michael Kazin recently told my colleague Peter Hamby. I think they are suspicious of Beto because he has taken oil and gas money, hes becoming the darling of big donors, and Obama likes him.'  Incroyable.

It certainly is odd that no other Democrat is saying anything like this:

Jimmy Carter was right when he said that America is "an oligarchy, with unlimited political bribery." Every day we are sliding further away from democracy into an oligarchic form of government. Democracy should be about one person, one votenot billionaires buying elections.  Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 7, 2019

2016 Post-Mortem

About polling data, shared or otherwise: The 538 model, which was based on publicly-available polling data, said the campaigns should target WI and MI. You didn't have to have any proprietary info to know they were important states. You just had to look at the data and not be huge dumbasses like the HRC campaign was. https://t.co/sbQgoq0gCO  Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) January 8, 2019 SC: Analysis of the Election Data from the 6 November 2018 General Election in South Carolina (PDF) [League of Women Voters]. By clean data we mean primarily that questions that would be raised about the process or the results of the elections of 2016 and 2018 can in fact be addressed by analyzing the data. We cannot determine if the actual cast votes are what voters intended, but at least we have the data to examine and we can answer questions that are raised. We believe this to be a major improvement in the ability to justify the results to the voting public. Transparency, however, does not equate to correctness.  This is brutal. And: Problems with the system have nearly always been laid at the foot of human error rather than flaws in the election system. We do not agree with this glib dismissal of responsibility. The ES&S election system is complicated, with (per the EVEREST report) more than 515 thousand lines of code in nine different programming languages on five different hardware platforms.  Hand-marked paper ballots, hand-counted in public. Its hard to imagine why theres so much resistance to that GA: UC-Berkeley Elections Expert Says Georgias Lt. Governor Contest Is In Substantial Doubt' [Law.com]. Philip Stark, associate dean of UC-Berkeleys Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences and an expert in election statistics and post-election auditing, said he discerned a noticeable disparity in [Republican Geoff]Duncans contest with Democrat Sarah Riggs Amico between undervote rates of paper ballots and those cast on the states obsolete electronic voting machines. Stark said his analysisincluded in an affidavit filed in a pending legal challenge to Duncans electionstrongly suggests that malfunction, misconfiguration, bugs, hacking, or other error or malfeasance caused some [direct-recording electronic] voting machines not to record votes in the lieutenant governors contest.'  As above.

Realignment and Legitimacy

UPDATE How a little-known Democratic firm cashed in on the wave of midterm money [WaPo]. From the article: The solicitations piled into voters email accounts  sometimes multiple times a day. And they carried alarming messages, often in blaring capital letters. Were on the verge of BANKRUPTCY. Our bank account is ALMOST EMPTY! Trump is INCHES away from firing Robert Mueller. The catastrophic language yielded a fundraising bonanza for clients of Mothership Strategies, a little-known and relatively new digital consulting firm that raked in tens of millions of dollars from a tide of small donations that flowed to Democrats during the 2018 midterm elections. The firms ascendancy as one of the highest-paid vendors of the election since its launch four years ago speaks to how lucrative the explosion of small-dollar donations has been for a group of savvy political consultants who saw the wave of cash coming  and built a business model to capitalize off it. So, about those small donors Democratic voters increasingly embrace the liberal label  especially whites, Millennials and postgrads [Pew Research] In 2015, half of white Democratic and Democratic-leaning registered voters called themselves liberals, up 22 percentage points since 2000 (28%). By contrast, more black and Hispanic Democratic voters characterized their views as moderate than liberal in 2015, and the self-described political views of both groups have remained stable in recent years. Last year, 42% of black Democrats called themselves moderates, 29% said they were conservatives and 27% called themselves liberals. Among Hispanic Democrats, 39% described their political views as moderate, 35% as liberal and 24% as conservative. Democratic voters with higher levels of education are more likely to call themselves liberals than are those with less education. Its important to note that how people describe their views and their actual political attitudes and values are different things, though clearly they are strongly related.  So, assuming the label liberal is meaningful The Tests Facing Californias New Governor [Capital and Main]. [D]espite its enviable economy, its abundance of billionaires-in-residence and laudable array of social services, California still has the highest poverty rate in the U.S., nearly half of its children live in poverty or near-poverty, and merely finding an affordable place to live has become an existential challenge for many. These and similar factors superimpose on the state another kind of fault line, that of economic inequality. Most of the new governors time will be spent wrangling crises that spring from this disparity. West Wing star Richard Schiff reveals Aaron Sorkin is interested in reboot: He said he wanted it to happen' [Independent]. The actor discussed his vision for a potential reboot which, unlike the original show, wouldnt focus heavily on the White House but on other aspects of politics such as the grassroots or state level.  Hmm

Stats Watch

MBA Mortgage Applications, week of January 1, 2019: Bouncing back from a sluggish holiday season mortgage activity surged [Econoday].

Employment Situation: Does The December Labor Report Change The Outlook? [Econintersect]. The December labor report was strong in every way as headline job creation beat estimates, the revisions to previous months were positive, wage growth was strong, and new people joined the labor market which pushed up the participation rate. 312,000 jobs were added which beat estimates for 184,000. This was the biggest beat since the May 2009 report which is when the economy was first exiting the recession. This was the 6th biggest beat since 1999. The prior two reports were revised to show 58,000 more jobs were added than were reported last month The labor market is considered a lagging indicator, but when there are huge prints with 300,000 or more jobs created, it usually means a recession isnt coming in the near term.

Banks: No Bank Failures in 2018; First Time since 2006 [Calculated Risk]. This is only the third time since the FDIC was founded in 1933 that there were no bank failures in a calendar year. The great recession / housing bust / financial crisis related failures are behind us.

Tech: Facebook is the new crapware [TechCrunch]. Yesterday Bloomberg reported that the scandal-beset social media behemoth has inked an unknown number of agreements with Android smartphone makers, mobile carriers and OSes around the world to not only pre-load Facebooks eponymous app on hardware but render the software undeleteable; a permanent feature of your device, whether you like how the companys app can track your every move and digital action or not. Consumers who do not want their digital activity and location surveilled by the people-profiling giant will likely crave the peace of mind of not having any form of Facebook app, stub or otherwise, taking up space on their device. But an unknown number of Android users are now finding out they dont have that option. Not cool, Facebook, not cool. Another interesting question the matter raises is how permanent Facebook pre-installs are counted in Facebooks user metrics, and indeed for ad targeting purposes.  A very good question. Assume the worst!

The Bezzle: Hows that prediction for the utter disruption of the finance industry going? [Quartz]. 80% of incumbent financial firms will be irrelevant by 2030, a Jan. 29, 2018 report by the global research firm Gartner claimed. Fintech disruption will cause these traditional institutions to cease to exist, become commoditized, or achieve zombie status, the analysts wrote. [T]heres a view that starting a tech company is as much about ignoring profit-squeezing rules as it is doing technology things. Take Uber, the taxi service that broke into the sector without originally being regulated like one. Will watchdogs allow financial startups to sidestep the usual rules?.For Gartners sugar-frosted disruption prediction to come true, financial startups will have to be a lot more mindful of government watchdogs than Uber seems to have been.  Youd think theyd squeeze Gartner into the headline

The Bezzle: Crypto mining giants in Japan and China close up shop [Asia Times]. As prices plummeted over the course of 2018 the level of difficulty in minting new digital coins remained high, leading to falling profitability. This has resulted in an exodus from large-scale mining operations which are no longer viable as the cost of hardware and power is greater than the value of the coins mined.

Fiscal Policy: December 2018 CBO Monthly Budget Review: Total Receipts Up by 1% And Spending Up 9% in the First Quarter of Fiscal Year 2019 [Econintersect]. The federal budget deficit was $317 billion for the first quarter of fiscal year 2019, CBO estimates, $92 billion more than the deficit recorded during the same period last year. Revenues were about the same and outlays were $93 billion (9 percent) higher than during the first quarter of 2018.  Seems weird were talking ourselves into a recession in the midst of stimulus.

Health Care

AMERICANS HEALTH AND EDUCATION PRIORITIES FOR THE NEW CONGRESS IN 2019 (pdf) [Politico/Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health]. From the poll:

The report keeps mentioning opportunities for bipartisan co-operation, but somehow I dont think #MedicareForAll is what they mean. Still, those are impressive numbers.

Our Famously Free Press

2 deaths at Ed Bucks home and West Hollywood is asking agonizing questions about race and class [Los Angeles Times]. If a young man was found dead in my house, I would have been handcuffed, publicly humiliated in front of my house, in front of my neighbors, said [Jeffrey King, founder of In the Meantime Mens Group, a South Los Angeles outreach organization for LGBTQ black men], who is black. They would have placed me in a car, held my head as they lowered me down into the backseat. They would have taken me to the station.  But that did not happen to Ed Buck.'  This is a good story, but you can imagine the wall-to-wall coverage if Ed Buck were a Republican donor, instead of a liberal Democrat one. Or if he had donated to Sanders.

The 420

Ro Khanna is correct:

What is the point of legalization if Black residents continue to be disproportionately arrested for use? Legal marijuana should mean that people are no longer arrested, prior convictions are expunged, and communities of color are able to take part in the legal marijuana industry. pic.twitter.com/OOytrFIBZK  Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) January 7, 2019

Its ridiculous that the entrepreneurs who built a multi-billion-dollar industry are in jail. Cory Booker, bless his heart, got this one right; prior convictions should be expunged.

Neoliberal Epidemics

Smoking is at a record low in the U.S., but the benefits arent shared equally [Los Angeles Times]. A new analysis of health data from the nations 500 largest cities shows that the people who live in neighborhoods with the highest smoking rates are more likely to be poor, less likely to be white, and more likely to have chronic heart or lung diseases. The degree of inequity was surprising, said study leader Eric Leas, who conducted the work as a postdoctoral scholar at the Stanford Prevention Research Center.. when an unequal outcome could have been avoided, you have a case of inequity. Raising taxes on cigarettes to make them more expensive would probably reduce demand among low-income smokers, helping to erase at least some of the inequity, they added. The findings also suggest that smoking cessation programs would do more good if they were targeted to resource-poor communities, they wrote.  Id speculate that its very stressful to be poor, and the poor are self-medicating with nicotine. Cessation programs would be a benefit to the professional trainers, but probably nobody else.

Class Warfare

Highly paid substitutes, lessons in large spaces  how L.A. Unified is preparing for a teachers strike [Los Angeles Times].  Scabs, naturally. Though if I were a parent, I dont know how good Id feel about L.A. Unifieds plan to ease background checks for parent volunteers.

Surely Youre a Creep, Mr. Feynman [The Baffler]. In addition to cataloguing the trespasses of individual scientists who abuse the cultural power of their position, we have to dismantle the structures that have allowed their abuses to continue with little to no disruption. Just for starters, this means abandoning the myth that the science can be separated from the scientist.  Hmm. The science is doing a lot of work there; the author seems to mean the process of doing science, rather than the deliverables of science. That said, I remember reading The Double Helix when I was in the sixth grade or so. A friend of my mothers gave it to her; and I read it. Thinking back to Watsons passages on Rosalind Franklin, read by me naively then, it seems to me now that my mothers friend had something other than the science in mind when giving the gift.

Econ, Too [NPR]. At 8 a.m. on Saturday (ouch), we dropped in on a session called How Can Economics Solve Its Gender Problem? It turned out to be well worth the sleep deprivation. The women on the panel  and they were all women  shared stories of navigating a maze of sexism.  Its not clear to me that mainstream economics  unlike genetics  should exist as anything other than a minor branch of the humanities that uses a wierd notation. Sexism or no. If Pinochets economists had been the Chicago Kids, instead of the Chicago Boys, would the fate of tortured Chileans have been different? The case of Gina Haspel, shatterer of glass ceilings, would argue no.

Why should I support a political party that is marginalizing me out of existence? [Jennifer N. Pritzker, WaPo]. To me, restrictions on transgender military service are personal. I am a transgender woman. I ask Republicans to prioritize policies that improve our country for all Americans. When the GOP asks me to deliver six- or seven-figure contributions for the 2020 elections, my first response will be: Why should I contribute to my own destruction?  Well. Amazingly, WaPo doesnt mention that the author is one of the Chicago Pritzkers, one of the wealthiest families in the United States of America, being near the top of Forbes magazines Americas Richest Families list since the magazine began listings in 1982. So destruction is doing a lot of work, there..

What Materialist Black Political History Actually Looks Like [Adolph Reed, Nonsite.org].  This is quite a salvo by Reed, who seems to be sharpening his polemic so that mere mortals like me can recycle it. The potted history of reactions to the 2016 election in the lead paragraph is great, and the postulates about black American political history at the end are illuminating, but these two paragraphs really caught my eye:

The race-reductionist argument is propelled by a combination of intense moral fervor and crude self-interest. Ive argued in 2018 articles in nonsite, The Baffler, and Dialectical Anthropology, that, as it has evolved, the post-2016 debate has thrown into bold relief the class character of antiracist and other expressions of identity politics. That could be a salutary product of the controversy. Its good in this sort of debate for the mist of ideology to burn off and the material stakes involved to be clear and in the open. However, many people who have followed or even participated in the debates have not connected the dots to see that obvious point or to acknowledge its implications. One reason for failure to do so is summed up pithily in Upton Sinclairs quip, It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it. Not only would pursuit of an agenda focused on addressing horizontal inequality, if successful, disproportionately benefit upper-status, already well-off peopleas Walter Benn Michaels and I have noted tirelessly over the past decade at least, the reality of a standard of justice based on eliminating group disparities is that a society could be just if 1% of the population controlled 90% of the resources so long as the one percent featured blacks, Hispanics, women, lesbians and gays, etc. in rough proportion to their representation in the general population; also, advocacy of defining the only meaningful inequality as disparities between groups is itself a career trajectory in the academy, as well as in the corporate, nonprofit and freelance commentary worlds . Theres no point trying to communicate with those whose resistance stems from such material investment; no matter what their specific content, their responses to class critique always amount to the orderly Turkles lament to McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoos NestThis is my f*cking job!

We all have to eat. The question is wnat.

News of the Wired

I should have posted this for Xmas. Sorry:

You can preorder an Alexa-enabled Big Mouth Billy Bass for $40 https://t.co/D96kMAoUPa pic.twitter.com/uMULOxIDMZ  The Verge (@verge) December 3, 2018

About your cellphone;

If you want to meet god, send him multiple texts while driving. pic.twitter.com/t2G4oXtuPQ  Raj Palsingh (@HipsterYogi) January 6, 2019

* * *

Readers, feel free to contact me at lambert [UNDERSCORE] strether [DOT] corrente [AT] yahoo [DOT] com, with (a) links, and even better (b) sources I should curate regularly, (c) how to send me a check if you are allergic to PayPal, and (d) to find out how to send me images of plants. Vegetables are fine! Fungi are deemed to be honorary plants! If you want your handle to appear as a credit, please place it at the start of your mail in parentheses: (thus). Otherwise, I will anonymize by using your initials. See the previous Water Cooler (with plant) here. Todays plant (Lee):

Lee writes: Maple leaves on a bed of pearly spring hail. In the San Francisco Bay Area.

* * *

: Water Cooler is a standalone entity not covered by the annual NC fundraiser, now completed. So do feel free to make a contribution today or any day. Here is why: Regular positive feedback both makes me feel good and lets me know Im on the right track with coverage. When I get no donations for five or ten days I get worried. More tangibly, a constant trickle of small donations helps me with expenses, and I factor that trickle in when setting fundraising goals. So if you see something you especially appreciate, do feel free to click below! (The hat is temporarily defunct, so I slapped in some old code.)

Or Subscribe to make a monthly payment!Political analysts have warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa that his government is running out of time to fix the countrys worsening economic rot  which has triggered strikes and growing unrest among hurting civil servants.

The warning comes as teachers have officially issued a 14-day notice to strike, following the little progress recorded in their do-or-die talks with the government on Monday.

At the same time, the fuel and transport crisis in the country has reached desperate levels, with hundreds of stranded commuters now dangerously resorting to hitching lifts from lorries and pick-up trucks.

And medical doctors  who have been striking for over five weeks  now also say they will stay away from work until the government clarifies its proposed fuel scheme and also avails transport money to them.

Curiously, amidst this mayhem, the ruling Zanu PF says everyone must carry the blame for Zimbabwes myriad crises  adding that it was neither Mnangagwa nor his governments fault alone that things were this bad in the country.

But political analysts told the Daily News yesterday that Mnangagwa was running out of time to fix the countrys tanking economy and to lance the boil of restless citizens.

The truth is that the government is living a lie on issues such as the value of the bond note versus the US dollar, as well as policies that are not being responded to favourably by business and society at large.

The ongoing strikes are also symptoms of a dysfunctional government system and the earlier that Mnangagwa focuses on addressing the fundamental economic and political issues before tackling the symptoms, the better.

So far the government appears lost at sea, outside of making empty promises and threats, and this crisis will only deepen, political analyst Rashweat Mukundu said.

University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Eldred Masunungure, said Zimbabwe had been in a long run crisis for nearly 20 years. To that extent, Mnangagwa needed the whole of his five-year term to solve the current problems.

Politics is sadly about promises. He will make more and more promises to extend the time for him to fulfil the promises. However, he risks damaging his credibility.

This is a long run crisis whose solution will take years. At least he (Mnangagwa) needs the whole of his term to solve this crisis. It is a big crisis.

There is no easy way out of this. He needs to recreate the conditions seen from 2009 to 2013. He needs the help of the opposition, civil society and the international community, Masunungure said.

Writing on Twitter, industrialist and former Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president, Busisa Moyo, also warned that the economic situation in the country was approaching dangerous levels  further calling for urgent national dialogue to mitigate the crisis.

National dialogue is now critical. A social contract should be accelerated by concluding the TNF (Tripartite Negotiating Forum) Bill.

We are entering very tumultuous waters unnecessarily. Resolution of currency distortions that worsened in September but started in 2016  its time to tackle collectively, Moyo said.

Meanwhile, Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has also said that the current problems bedevilling the country needed a collective effort to solve them  rather than people playing the blame game.

This is not about a Zanu PF or government issue alone. It is about all Zimbabweans having to put our heads together to get the country going.

The workers who are striking are not demanding to be paid by Zanu PF, but by government, and the employer is engaging them now. So, it will be unfair to say government has failed now, Khaya Moyo told the Daily News.

On Monday, the government held crunch talks with agitated civil service union leaders, in a bid to avert a national strike by restless teachers.

However, the meeting was inconclusive, as the government referred the unions to the little-useful National Joint Negotiation Council (NJNC)  with the dates of convening such a gathering yet to be announced.

As a result, miffed leaders of the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta), Progressive Teachers Union (PTUZ) and other unions immediately issued a two-week ultimatum to authorities, notifying them of their intention to embark on a full scale strike.

We presented our demands to the government, which include the payment of our salaries in United States dollars, adjustment of our salaries to reflect the new economic realities and we have also not minced our words on the mutilated bonus that we demand should be paid in full.

Instead of addressing our concerns, the government offered nothing except a new meeting in the near future in order to discuss the adjustment, PTUZ secretary-general Raymond Majongwe, said.

The governments tired story that it cannot pay in USD and that it is implementing austerity for posterity does nothing to assuage our most urgent concerns of incapacitation.

We have subsidised the government for too long, and this is the time to say thus far and no more, Majongwe added.

On his part, Zimta secretary-general, Tapson Sibanda, said while nothing tangible had come out of Mondays meeting, they were still looking forward to the NJNC meeting that was promised by the government.

Our position is that we remain incapacitated as nothing tangible came out of the meeting with government  the majority of teachers might fail to report for work.

The government hinted on a possible NJNC meeting soon, where legal issues of this matter are concluded  and while we remain positive, we categorically told the government that most of our members will not report for duty because they dont have the means, despite their desire to go to work.

Meanwhile a notice of 14 days has been given to government culminating in a full blown strike if our conditions are not met, Sibanda warned.

Militant Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) president, Obert Masaraure, said they had submitted their 14-day strike notice on December 31, and were gearing for a full blown strike next week.

Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) has defied the directive by the government for them to return to work within 48 hours, citing severe incapacitation.

Following the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the government and health workers, the ZHDA was given the mandate to engage its members to return to work within 48 hours, ending January 7, but doctors have no transport money and the fuel scheme remains obscure.

The ZHDA members have therefore remained incapacitated and will not be able to resume normal duty till these matters have been addressed by their employer.

It is important to note that the few available ZHDA members who showed up for duty in various hospitals had done so as a sign of good faith and remain in solidarity with those at home,ZHDA secretary-general Mthabisi Bhebhe said.

Zimbabwe is currently in the throes of a mega economic crisis which has resulted in much suffering and anger among citizens who accuse the government of introducing a raft of measures which have further burdened them instead of alleviating their pain.

As a result, Mnangagwa who first swept to power via a military coup in November 2017, amid much hope among the generality of the countrys citizens  who had endured nearly four decades of hell under former president Robert Mugabes ruinous rule  has come under increasing pressure to stem the current economic rot.

 DailyNews

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsPresident Emmerson Mnangagwa is facing allegations of allowing his wife Auxilia to usurp constitutional power.

Analysts said Mnangagwas wife has no right to run government, and questioned in what capacity she met striking doctors when she has no constitutional role in the State bureaucracy.

Auxillia met with doctors at State House on Friday, in a bid to end the five week-long industrial action. While Auxilia was meeting with the doctors, her husband was taking part in a clean-up campaign in Harares red-light district of the Avenues.

Its deja vu, some said, drawing parallels with Grace Mugabe, whose meddling in government affairs prompted the ruling Zanu PF party to begin impeachment proceedings against Robert Mugabe on charges that included allowing his wife to usurp constitutional power.

United Kingdom-based law lecturer Alex Magaisa said Zimbabwe was walking down the same path that led to Mugabes ouster.

Lest we forget, this was part of the impeachment motion against Robert Mugabe in 2017: Allowing his wife to usurp government functions and abrogating his constitutional mandate to his wife, Magaisa said.

However, government defended the first ladys meeting with doctors.

Deputy Information minister Energy Mutodi told the Daily News that the doctors are actually the ones who asked to meet with the first lady in order for her to assist in the impasse.

The First Lady did not poke her nose into the doctors strike issue. Rather it is the doctors themselves who canvassed for her attention and as a mother of the nation she could not ignore them.

The doctors believed she was the right person through which to air their grievances to the president and as the government we do not see anything untoward in her conduct especially listening to professionals whose strike action can trigger many avoidable deaths, Mutodi said.

But Thabiso Bhebhe secretary of the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association said he was away in Bulawayo when the meeting was convened. However, a doctor who declined to be named said it was in fact the first lady who requested the meeting.

Linda Masarira, the spokesperson of the Thokozani Khupe-led MDC-T party, questioned the first ladys role in the industrial action.

What is the role of the first lady in Zimbabwe? I am worried when I start seeing some traits we disapproved on the conduct of the former first lady Grace Mugabe. In what capacity does she intervene on the doctors strike? she queried.

Spokesperson of the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC, Jacob Mafume, said the country has tried to use the first lady before and it has proved that it does not work.

Its like a bad Kung Fu movie, The Return of the First Lady  Monkey Business. We have tried this first lady route, it does not work. These liberation war fighters are now old men who should be in old peoples homes because of what they went through.

The young wives know it and thats why they feel the need to assist these out-patientsThe guy (Mnangagwa) would rather sweep the streets in neck tie than deal with people dying and hospitals collapsing, Mafume said.

 DailyNews

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsMDC president Nelson Chamisa has intensified his calls for urgent dialogue with President Emmerson Mnangagwa on the worsening situation and unbearable suffering Zimbabweans are enduring, but his tactics have been questioned.

Chamisas followers on Twitter questioned the effectiveness of his tweets and his sincerity in offering solutions considering that he alongside Tendai Biti went to Washington DC in December 2017 and called for stiffer economic measures against Zimbabwe by the US government.

Asked what other efforts he has done outside twitter to engage with President Emmerson Mnangagwa, MDC leader Nelson Chamisa said: I have written letters (to President Mnangagwa) without a reply before and after elections.

I have met with potential mediators in the church. I have engaged leaders in SADC and the African Union and also made a public statement of invitation for dialogue.

When reminded that President Mnangagwa had offered him a position in government as the leader of opposition party in Parliment last year and that he (Chamisa) rejected that offer, the opposition leader said: Its not about individual positions. I am not interested in.

My concern is about the well-being of Zimbabweans through a political solution focusing on key economic and political reforms.

He lamented the deteriorating economic situation and said it all pointed back to politics.

Ive met with many on our worsening situation and unbearable suffering. The back-to-school burden,high prices,non-performing economy, joblessness and worthless salaries bring sorrow.

On this, I call upon my brother Emmerson Mnangagwa to urgent dialogue to solve our politics and economics or it gets worse! Chamisa said.

Chamisas call comes as churches working under the banner of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) have offered to provide a framework for President Emmmerson Mnangagwa and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa of the MDC to come to the negotiating table as the economic crisis worsens.

ZANU-PF, whose initial offer for dialogue was spurned several times by Chamisa, has continued rebuffing the opposition leaders calls for talks, saying he lacks maturity.

We can choose the route of engagement or the route of conflict, the route of individual solutions or that of a shared vision, the route that entrenches greed or one that leads to the common good. As the Church of Jesus Christ, we serve as a sign of hope by being truthful in looking at the current challenges and their root causes, ZCC said in a statement yesterday.

Shortly before the July 30 polls, the Catholic Church made similar offers as they anticipated a disputed outcome.

Mnangagwa, on the other hand, has rebuffed the MDC leader, saying he does not talk to losers.

We also remain committed to proffering solutions which are inclusive, realistic and sustainable. The church, therefore, commits to create a shared space for a collaborative national consensus building process aimed at creating a space of trust in which all Zimbabweans can shape a new national imagination.

Zimbabwe is facing civil servants restlessness as the workers lament erosion of their salaries by the effects of currency distortions in the market.

Doctors have been on strike since 1 December 2018, although some have since returned to work.

Teachers had threatened to abandon their workstations on opening day yesterday, but the majority of schools across the country opened with no incidences.

Teachers unions have been calling for government to review their salaries to match the rate of bond note against US dollar on the parallel market, or to pay them in US dollars.

Government says it is not able to pay salaries in US dollars, as 98% of its revenue is in RTGS balances.

 ZoomZimbabwe

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsFOUR families in Lubangwe in Hwange district cheated death when a villager allegedly went berserk and torched their huts in separate incidents in one night.

Police arrested Hloniphani Moyo (24) of Isla Farm in Lubangwe on Monday morning.

He had allegedly committed the crimes on Sunday night.

At one of the homesteads in Isla Village 1, seven minor siblings were sleeping when Moyo allegedly threw a burning log through the window and it burnt a bed and blankets.

Moments earlier Moyo had allegedly set alight a hut in which a couple, Mr Bhekimpilo Ndlovu, his wife Nkosinothando Mpala and their six-month old baby were sleeping in Isla Village 3.

The couple and the baby escaped unhurt.

Moyo had earlier in the night burnt down a hut at Ms Sithembiso Dubes homestead in neighbouring Isla Village 1 destroying property.

Ms Dube is Mr Ndlovus mother.

We just heard noise around midnight and when we checked we saw that one of the huts was on fire. The fire burnt a bed, clothes and some important documents, she said.

Villagers apprehended Moyo at his homestead in the morning and handed him to the police.

They had identified him through some clothes which he left at an elderly womans homestead where he had sneaked into a bedroom and fled half naked after hearing voices of people approaching the homestead.

Villagers suspect he wanted to rape the woman.

Matabeleland North province police spokesperson Chief Inspector Siphiwe Makonese confirmed Moyos arrest.

She said two reports had been filed while police yesterday expected to record two more as four homesteads were targeted.

In all cases no-one was injured while the motive for the burning spree is not known, said Chief Insp Makonese.

 Chronicle

Breaking News via Email

Loading...

Related Zimbabwe Latest NewsA court in northwest China's Shaanxi province on Tuesday handed down the death penalty to a man convicted of multiple murders.

Zhang Koukou, from the village of Sanmen in Nanzheng District of Hanzhong, killed three members of a family -- Wang Zhengjun, his older brother and their father in 2018, according to the people's intermediate court of the city.

The court found that Zhang and the victims were neighbors. On Aug. 27, 1996, Zhang's mother died from intentional injuries caused by Wang, who was 17 years old then, due to a dispute.

Wang was found guilty of intentional injury by the People's Court of the Nanzheng County later that year.

On Feb. 15, 2018, the day before Chinese New Year, Zhang, who had held a grudge against Wang and his family because of his mother's death, sought revenge and stabbed the brothers to death on their way back from tomb-sweeping. He then rushed to Wang's home and killed their father before setting fire to a car belonging to Wang's brother and fleeing the scene.

Zhang surrendered himself to the police two days after the killing, according to the court.

The court held that Zhang committed the crime with malicious motives and posed "extremely great threat" to the society. Therefore, he should not be given lenient punishment although he turned himself in, the court said.

Zhang was also deprived of political rights for life.

Zhang said at the court that he would file an appeal.The $1.7 billion question heading into the 86th Texas Legislature  which kicked off Tuesday  is how the state will pay for the long awaited recommendations from the Texas Commission on Public School Finance.

Action on the revamping of the states troubled school finance system was placed on hold two years ago to allow a state-appointed panel to review the problem. The groups mission is now complete.

The 13-member commission, which includes state Rep. Diego Bernal, D-San Antonio, took great pains to ensure the language in the report did not assess blame on the state for spending inadequacies for public education and it took no firm position on funding sources for the possible changes listed.

The commission has produced 35 detailed recommendations on how existing education funds can be reallocated and where new money is needed. Included in the report is a short list of where state budget writers might go looking for new revenue. Bottom line: It clearly places that hot-button issue squarely back in the Texas Legislatures court. The Legislature must make this its top priority.

The commissions 165-page report came after a yearlong review of the status of the states public school finance system, including more than 80 hours of testimony from more than 155 individuals representing 19 school districts.

The startling statistical information gathered by the commission is not new. We have seen bits and pieces of the information trickle in slowly over the course of time, but having it compiled in this comprehensive report underscores just what a mess the current public school finance structure has created.

Education officials often tout the gains the state has made increasing high school graduation rates in the last decade. Yes, we can celebrate that 90 percent of Texas high school students graduate within four years, but is it really cause for jubilation if less than 40 percent of those students are ready for a post-graduation education and require remedial courses once they get to college?

It is encouraging to see the commission recommend an alignment of PK-12 education goals with the states higher education goals. This has been long overdue. It only makes sense the state should aim to increase third-grade reading levels and increase college readiness among high school graduates to 60 percent by the year 2030. This dovetails well with the 60x30TX Higher Education Plans overarching goal to increase the percentage of 25- to 34-year-old Texans who hold a certificate or degree.

Getting the 5.4 million public school students in Texas  roughly 10 percent of the schoolchildren in the country  to these higher achievement levels will take some doing when only 58 percent of Texas students begin their education ready for kindergarten and only four in 10 students met the states third grade reading standard last year.

Texas spends about $60 billion a year on public education from federal, local and state sources. The commission found those precious dollars are being allocated in part by funding formulas and allotments that are not only complex, but are also outdated, inefficient and unaligned with the substantially evolving needs of Texass K-12 population.

The commission recommends a restructuring of the states funding formulas and allow for an increased investment in low-income and other historically underperforming students to address that.

The commission is also recommending reallocation of funds and an infusion of new money to address early-childhood education needs, increase third-grade reading skills, increase college readiness among high school graduates and improve teacher pay.

The funding suggestions the commission offers include diverting projected increases in sales tax and oil severance tax revenue  designated to go into the states rainy day fund  to education and property tax reform. The commission also recommends expanding the tax base to include internet sales associated with out-of-state vendors.

In an appendix to the report, the group list some other suggestions discussed. Those included increases to the alcohol beverage and gas taxes and expansion of the sales tax base to include legal, accounting, architectural, engineering, financial, marketing research, public opinion polling, display advertising and public relations services  all currently tax exempt.

All these things  and perhaps more  should be on the table at this legislature. There are some tough political decisions ahead as new education revenue sources are considered. Simply reshuffling existing funds and grandstanding to impress the voters back home is not going to cut it this time. State leaders must find the political fortitude necessary to address the longstanding inequities in our public school funding system.

Texas school children have been waiting long enough. Get to work, legislators.In the carnage of American civic culture, some of the damage is obvious: the dehumanization of political opponents, the devaluation of truth, the rise of conspiracy thinking. But other less evident shifts are no less troubling. One concerns the use of the word authenticity.

Most recently, we have seen the defense of vulgarity as authenticity. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., explained her use of the MF-word against President Trump as the expression of her very passionate nature. The same argument is more familiar from Trump defenders, who explain away his endless vulgarity and malice as quirks of an oversized personality. Isnt it refreshing when politicians speak what is really on their mind?

In this view, humans are most genuine when we are least guarded, least scripted and least self-controlled. By this definition, we are most authentic while hitting our finger with a hammer, or after our third martinis, or maybe on a Twitter rampage.

Without intending it, Tlaib and Trump have wandered into an important moral debate. And not a new one. In any ethical system derived from Aristotle, human beings fulfill their nature by exercising their reason and habituating certain virtues, such as courage, temperance, honor, equanimity, truthfulness, justice and friendship. Authenticity  at least authenticity defined as congruence with your unformed self  is not on the list. In fact, this view of ethics requires a kind of virtuous hypocrisy  modeling ourselves on a moral example, until, through action and habit, we come to embody that ideal. Ethical development is, in a certain way, theatrical. We play the role of someone we admire until we become someone worthy of admiration.

But there is a rival tradition. In any ethical tradition derived from Jean-Jacques Rousseau, authenticity is at the apex of the virtues. This view starts from the premise that man is born free but is everywhere in social chains. Being true to yourself, and expressing yourself freely, is seen as the chief requirement of a meaningful and happy life. In this system, the worst sin is hypocrisy  being untrue to the real you.

This approach to ethics is also theatrical, but in a different way. In Rousseaus view, we are performers as ourselves, and life is a kind of transgressive art form. Being true to ourselves means being true to our eccentricities. Especially to our eccentricities.

At the root of the Aristotelian approach is the premise that the human person is originally in need of formation. At the root of the other approach is the premise that the human person is only in need of liberation. This has marked a long-standing difference between right and left, with conservatism often on the side of character building and progressivism often on the side of personal expression. But with Trump, something remarkable has happened. The right is increasingly on Rousseaus side as well.

This view of ethics is a perfect philosophic fit for the presidents narcissism. The soundtrack of his whole life has been Frank Sinatra crooning, I did it my way. And social media is the perfect platform for Rousseaus view of authenticity and for Trumps brand of performance art. After 2,500 years of debate and reflection, the highest human ideal turns out to be ... reality television.

Here is the skunk at the orgy. If the unfiltered expression of self is the highest virtue, then the moral content of that expression becomes a secondary matter. Trump may be speaking lies, nonsense or racism, but he remains authentic. This form of ethics can act as a shield from responsibility. Most of us  not just Trump supporters  have learned to discount the content of Trumps self-expression. We figure that is just his shtick. Just Trump being Trump. This way, Trump is seen as an authentic communicator, even when he lies  because the author of those lies is somehow true to himself.

Im afraid I dont see many Aristotelians responding: That is not the way a president should act. That is not the way a man should act. That is not the way a human being should act. This form of authenticity is just the refusal to master the self. It is really moral laziness, and cruelty, and deception, and decadence. And the repetition of these failures should not numb us. It should serve to reinforce our conviction that Trump is a man of bad character, unworthy of respect, unworthy of trust and unworthy of high office.

michaelgerson@washpost.comIf only our elected officials were truly interested in doing what they were sent to Washington, D.C., to do  as well as what they said they would do  there would be a compromise to get a grand immigration deal done.

Lets start with what the conservatives would get:

Full funding for a wall across the southern border.

An end to chain migration.

Migration eligibility based on the immigrants ability to be a productive and a self-reliant member of society.

Now for the liberals:

A fully protected Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program with a pathway to citizenship for the DACA recipient only  not the family members who broke the law.

Legal status for all law-abiding migrants who came here illegally. But no pathway to citizenship without going back to their country of origin.

Now here are a few things to help stop illegal immigration in the future:

Institute a mandatory $10,000-a-day fine on companies and people who hire illegal immigrants.

Dont allow any benefits whatsoever for illegal immigrants.

Put asylum courts in countries of origin to process asylum claims. While the claims are being processed, the asylum-seeker will be held in a safe and protected place in their country. Anyone who shows up at the boarder seeking asylum will be sent back to the country of origin to apply for asylum.

Fully institute E-verify

Fully institute a biometric visa system.

Cut off all federal funding to sanctuary cities.

Charge any immigrants caught entering the country illegally the first time with a Class A criminal misdemeanor, and after processing immediately send them back to their country of origin. The second offense will be a felony punishable by up to two years in jail and then immediate deportation.

Gerald Friesenhahn lives in San Antonio.In 1994, Stanley Washington was convicted of indecency with a child in Travis County after authorities said he had sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl.

In December, Washington was arrested again in San Antonio after police said he confessed to assaulting a different girl on two separate occasions.A New Braunfels man who allegedly shot at a crowd on New Year's Day in San Marcos, striking two and grazing a third, is a previously convicted felon who is on parole, according to police.

Korey Ryan Aleman, 23, was arrested Saturday in connection with the shooting and charged with five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, resisting arrest, unlawful carrying of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and failure to identify as a fugitive.

On New Year's Day, San Marcos police responded to a call about a man who fired his gun into a crowd of people on San Antonio Street. Two were shot in the leg and a third person was grazed by a bullet during the incident.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

Officers encountered Aleman on Saturday at a bar a few blocks away and noticed he matched the description of the shooter. The description was backed up by surveillance footage which appeared to show Aleman walking up a flight of stairs shortly after the shooting, police said.

Officers asked Aleman to step out of the bar and decided to detain him. Aleman resisted the arrest, and officers had to take him down before placing him in handcuffs, according to a news release from the department.

After he was handcuffed, officers found a handgun on him and discovered his criminal past. Aleman has multiple felony convictions in Austin and had active warrants for his arrest in Travis County, according to the news release.

Aleman was also allegedly in possession of a methamphetamine pipe and two marijuana cigarettes at the time of his arrest.

He remained in Hays County Jail Wednesday, jail records showed.

Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com|@FaresInSAThe man whose sketch on a cocktail napkin in a San Antonio bar became the basis for Southwest Airlines is being buried in the Alamo City on Wednesday.

Herb Kelleher, the founder, chairman and former CEO of the airline died on Jan. 3. He was 87.

In 1966, Kelleher and businessman Rollin King sketched a triangular route of flights between Houston, Dallas and San Antonio on a napkin while sipping drinks at the St. Anthony Hotel bar. Though those specific routes didn't come to fruition, the idea helped spark Southwest Airlines and that triangle remained at the center of the company's 90 destinations.

From our subscriber site: How Southwest Airlines got its start in a San Antonio bar

The airline eventually became the largest carrier in the United States and helped push competition in the air fare business.

Kelleher, a New Jersey native who later moved to his wife's home state of Texas, served as the executive chairman from March 1978 to May 2008 and as president and CEO from Sept. 1981 until June 2001, receiving a slew of accolades for his work. He also served as Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas board of directors.

A private burial service is planned Wednesday in San Antonio, according to his obituary, followed by a service of remembrance for his friends and family at Christ Epsicopal Church.

A public celebration of life will be held at a later date in Dallas.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Kelleher's memory to the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County. Read him on our breaking news site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com | fsabawi@mysa.com|@FaresInSAThe accused gunman in Jazmine Barnes' tragic death has a lengthy criminal history, court records show.

Larry Woodruffe, 24, is facing a capital murder charge for allegedly shooting Jazmine to death Dec. 30 outside Houston after allegedly believing he was shooting up someone else's vehicle.

Jazmine was killed instantly, and her mother and three sisters were injured, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Woodruffe and Eric Black Jr., 20, were both charged with capital murder in Jazmine's death, although Woodruffe has been identified as the shooter.

ABBOTT CHIMES IN: 'Too many gangs in Houston'

His run-ins with Harris County law enforcement date back to December 2012, which is when he was arrested for marijuana possession and evading police on foot.

While awaiting trial on those two charges, he was arrested for illegally carrying a gun in January 2013, court records show.

More Information Jazmine Barnes' accused killer has lengthy criminal history See More Collapse

The weapon and marijuana charge were eventually dropped in exchange for a 30-day jail sentence on the evading charge.

He spent 10 days in the Harris County Jail after an August 2014 arrest for trespassing, court records show.

COURT DATE MOVED: Woodruffe expected in court Thursday

Then, in December 2015, he was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and cocaine, both felony charges. The cocaine charge was eventually dropped.

He received three years' probation on the meth charge, court records show.

In June 2016, while on probation, he was arrested for choking a family member and was handed a two-year prison sentence.

It is unclear if he was released from prison early, but in November 2017, he was arrested in Harris County for illegally possessing a gun as a convicted felon.

He was given a nine-month jail sentence on that gun charge, court records show.

He spent 2018 mostly out of sight from law enforcement until his arrest in Jazmine's death last week.

If convicted, he will face life in prison on the capital murder charge. He is also eligible for the death penalty, although prosecutors typically take months after an arrest to determine if they will seek the capital punishment.

Black's capital murder charge is his first arrest in Harris County, court records show.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text messageYou are here: Business

Huawei has denied recent reports regarding the cooperation with renowned agriculturalist Yuan Longping, dubbed China's "father of hybrid rice", to develop "sea rice" that can grow on saline-alkali soil.



Through a statement posted on Weibo on Tuesday, Huawei said that the company has no plan to cultivate rice, and has never released such a statement.

Huawei's rotating chairman Ken Hu was quoted in earlier reports in the Chinese media, but the statement didn't explain whether Hu has misspoken or was misquoted.

"Sea rice", which is developed by Yuan, refers to saline-alkali tolerant rice that can grow in saltwater and is also resistant to diseases and pests.The Texas City man who is accused of killing three young children then reporting himself to police allegedly used a screwdriver and hammer during the attacks, according to an arrest affidavit filed in Galveston County court.

Junaid Hashim Mehmood, 27, also is accused of shooting his girlfriend in the face. He remains in the Galveston County Jail on three charges related to the attacks: capital murder of multiple people, capital murder of a child under 10 years old and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has been denied bail for all three charges, jail records show.

VICTIM'S FAMILY: Police ID 3 kids slain in Texas City

The incident occurred on Jan. 3, when police responded to a possible deceased child at the Point Ann Apartments in the 1200 block of 10th street in Texas City.

Mehmood's brother called police, saying that when he dropped by to check on his brother, he opened the apartment to find large amounts of blood on the walls and floor of the apartment, according to the document.

Inside, police found the three deceased children and a trail of blood leading to the bathroom, where they discovered Mehmood's girlfriend, Kimaria Nelson, lying on the floor covered in blood.

Nelson was transported to University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in serious but stable condition. Her current condition is unknown. UTMB spokesperson Donna Ramirez said Tuesday that Nelson was not listed in the hospital directory, and she could not confirm whether Nelson still was admitted.

The three children were identified in medical examiner records as Ashanti Mehmood, Prince Larry Brown, almost 2; and Angela Pilot, 5. Ashanti was the accused man's 1-month-old biological daughter, and Nelson was the mother of all three children, the Associated Press reported.

After police found Nelson in the bathroom, doctors discovered small pellets embedded in her head and face, the affidavit said. The children died from multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma.

Investigators at the crime scene learned about Mehmood through his brother, who identified him as a possible suspect. Mehmood's mother also was in the apartment on Jan. 3 when police responded to the call.

The mother declined to comment when reached by phone on Wednesday.

During the initial investigation, Mehmood called Houston police dispatch saying authorities were looking for him, the affidavit said. Several Houston police officers responded to the area where he claimed to be calling from, and he was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

The affidavit did not specify Mehmood's exact location when he called.

RELATED: Suspect turns himself in after killing kids, including baby, at Texas City apartment

Mehmood eventually was taken to the Texas City Police Department. Police said he waived his rights and confessed to shooting his girlfriend in the face with an "aerosol pistol" and killing his children, the affidavit said.

Mehmood told police he stabbed Prince Larry Brown in the heart and chest multiple times with a screwdriver, according to the affidavit. He also said he struck Angela on the head with a hammer, stabbed her with a screwdriver and broke one of her arms. He told investigators he killed Ashanti but could not remember how, the affidavit states.

Asked whether mental illness played a role in the killing, Texas City police deferred to the homicide investigator on the case, who could not be reached for comment.

Mehmood has a criminal record with multiple arrests in Galveston and Harris County since 2010, records show.

He was arrested for hitting a girlfriend in 2014, and served 20 days in jail for that offense. The conditions of his sentencing make it illegal for him to possession a firearm, according to court documents.

In 2015, Mehmood was arrested after shoving a family member and robbing him. He was sentenced that same year to serve three years after pleading guilty to a separate robbery charge.

Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text messageYou are here: Business

An airport management company, jointly established by China and Singapore, commenced commercial operation at the airport in Chongqing Municipality Tuesday.

The joint venture, invested by Chongqing Airport Group and Changi Airport Group in Singapore, manages the non-aviation businesses including shopping, catering and advertising in Terminal 2 and 3 of Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport.

The company operates about 24,500 square meters of commercial property, 266,000 square meters of indoor and outdoor parking, with 6,690 parking spots, as well as 15,600 square meters of advertising space.

"Changi has provided valuable insights of commercial management for Chongqing to learn from," said an official from the management bureau.

Formally implemented on Jan. 8, 2016, the China-Singapore (Chongqing) Demonstration Initiative on Strategic Connectivity was the third inter-governmental cooperative program after China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park and China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City.

Flights linking Chongqing and Singapore have since been increased from five a week to 14 a week. Construction on a 12.5-square-km China-Singapore aviation industrial park has begun. Companies and colleges in Chongqing also carried out cooperation with Singaporean counterparts in aircraft financial leasing and aviation staff training.The Memorial City Redevelopment Authority, also known as TIRZ 17, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation Houston District, will hold a public meeting regarding the proposed roadway reconstruction of Memorial Drive from East of Beltway 8 to East of Tallowood Drive in Houston.

The meeting open-house format meeting will be 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7, at Frostwood Elementary School, 12214 Memorial Drive, Houston. No formal presentation will be made.

The purpose of the meeting is to afford the public an opportunity to review and provide comments on the proposed project. MCRA is sponsoring the reconstruction of Memorial Drive.

Proposed improvements include:

widening the street to four 11-foot travel lanes with a concrete median

providing median openings for access

installing an 8-foot wide ADA compliant sidewalk

upgrading aging subsurface public utilities

installing oversized reinforced concrete boxes to provide inline detention to reduce overland flows

upgrading existing traffic signals

installing street lighting and landscaping amenities to promote a pedestrian friendly environment

Maps showing the proposed location of the project and design drawings will be available for review at the public meeting. This information will also be available for review by appointment Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., excluding state holidays, at the TxDOT Houston District Office, 7600 Washington Ave. Houston. To schedule an appointment at the Houston District, contact Reza Arti at 713-802-5809.

The project information can also be viewed at TxDOTs website using key word search Memorial Drive CSJ 0912-72-391 at www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get-involved/about/hearings-meetings.html

Written comments must be postmarked or submitted electronically by Feb. 22, 2019. Written comments may be submitted at the meeting or may be submitted either in person or by mail to the TxDOT District Office, Director of Project Development, P.O. Box 1386, Houston, Texas 77251, or submitted electronically at HOU-PIOWebMail@txdot.gov.

Persons interested in attending the meeting who have special communication or accommodation needs, or need an interpreter, are encouraged to contact TxDOTs Public Information Office at 713-802-5076. Requests should be made at least five days prior to the public meeting. Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate these needs.

The environmental review, consultation, and other actions required by applicable Federal environmental laws for this project are being, or have been, carried-out by TxDOT pursuant to 23 U.S.C. 327 and a Memorandum of Understanding dated Dec. 16, 2014.The company on the hook for a record $706-million Bexar County jury verdict failed in its bid for a new trial.

State District Judge David A. Canales on Tuesday evening refused to grant a new trial to Amrock Inc., a Detroit company affiliated with mortgage lender Quicken Loans, which alleged there was fraud and collusion between witnesses during the original trial last year.

HouseCanary Inc., a real-estate analytics firm with a San Antonio office, won the jury verdict after alleging Amrock stole trade secrets and breached confidentiality agreements.

Amrock, a title insurance company formerly known as Title Source Inc., intends to appeal the massive verdict now that it wont get a new trial.

In his one-page order, the judge did not give any reason for denying Amrocks request for a new trial.

The Courts ruling today demonstrates again that (Amrocks) willful conduct and its refusal to accept responsibility for its actions will not be tolerated under the law, HouseCanary said in an emailed statement.

In February, a 12-person jury awarded HouseCanary more than $245 million in actual damages and $470.8 million in punitive damages following a seven-week trial.

Canales affirmed the jurys award and added almost $29 million in prejudgment interest in October. The judge also awarded almost $4.5 million in attorneys fees to HouseCanary, though the company had asked for $72 million in fees.

Amrock sought a new trial after four ex-HouseCanary employees alleged their former employer engaged in collusion and fraud.

We are disappointed with the courts decision, particularly in light of the unequivocal and unrebutted testimony from four whistleblowers, all former HouseCanary executives, Amrock attorney Randy Mastro said in a statement Wednesday.

The jurys verdict simply cannot stand in light of this newly discovered evidence, and should be overturned on appeal, Mastro added.

Last month, Canales held four days of hearings on Amrocks motion for a new trial. Lawyers for both sides gave closing arguments Friday.

Amrock sought a new trial after it said it received  a day after the verdict  an anonymous email that alleged collusion between its former chief appraiser Jordan Petkovski and HouseCanary CEO Jeremy Sicklick. Petkovski testified on behalf of Amrock during the trial.

HouseCanary attorney Kalpana Srinivasan, during her closing argument, called Amrocks collusion theory pure fiction and a post-trial invention. Petkovski came to court to trash our technology during the trial, she added.

Amrock alleged in a court filing that Petkovski and Sicklick colluded to hide from (Amrock) and the Court the fact that HouseCanary had no proprietary technology and lied  repeatedly  holding out promises of a revolutionary app while exploiting its relationship with (Amrock) to keep (HouseCanarys) business afloat, Amrock alleged in a court filing.

Sicklick dangled a job offer and an equity stake in HouseCanary to secure Petkovskis cooperation, Amrock said. HouseCanary also tried to buy the silence of adverse witnesses by offering post-trial lucrative consulting agreements, Amrock added.

It was later learned the email received by Amrock right after the verdict had been sent by former HouseCanary official Anthony Roveda, who was responsible for testing an appraiser app designed to value real estate.

Roveda testified that not all parts of the appraiser app worked while he was employed at HouseCanary in 2015 and 2016.

I touched this thing daily. I knew what was broken and what didnt work, Roveda said in court on Dec. 17.

Amrock, a provider of property valuations and closing services, first sued HouseCanary in April 2016 claiming it failed to deliver functioning software for valuing residential properties.

HouseCanary fired back with it own claims. It accused Amrock of fraudulently misappropriating HouseCanary's technology and asked for more than $5 million in damages, according to an amended version of its lawsuit filed in October.

Three other former HouseCanary executives testified last month that the app never worked as the company represented. The ex-HouseCanary employees have been described by their former employers lawyers as disgruntled.

HouseCanary, in its statement, said Amrock or Quicken Loans coerced or used the the promise of business opportunities with each of those four ex-employees, making their testimony completely suspect.

The ex-HouseCanary employees who testified at the hearing couldnt say that false testimony was presented at the trial because they didnt attend the proceedings or read the trial transcript.

The truth is, these four witnesses knew nothing about the trial, Srinivasan said. These whistle blowers, as (Amrock) calls them, who were supposed to come here and tell (the court) that witnesses were lying on the stand  they have no idea what was presented in this court.

Mastro, the Amrock lawyer, referred to Petkovski, Amrocks former chief appraiser, as a Judas and a Benedict Arnold for betraying his former employer.

Petkovskis testimony during the trial did not inure to our benefit, Srinivasan countered. What the court heard from Mr. Petkovski, as the jury did, was that our appraiser app didnt work, that we didnt have any technology.

Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPDWASHINGTON  The effect of a partial government shutdown began to ripple across the economy as it stretched into Day 18, with mortgage applications delayed, public companies unable to get approval to raise capital and thousands of Secret Service agents expected to show up for work without pay.

President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats have made little progress in negotiations to end a shutdown that has affected about 800,000 federal workers, many of whom will miss their first paycheck this week, and who owe a combined $249 million in monthly mortgage payments, according to online real estate firm Zillow.

The shutdown shows no sign of ending soon, with Trump addressing the nation Tuesday from the Oval Office to discuss what he called the crisis at the southern border, and the White House saying that he would travel to the border this week as part of his effort to persuade Americans of the need for a wall  the sticking point in negotiations with Democrats.

The standoff is beginning to inflict pain on Americans, whose lives are affected, in one way or another, by the federal government. It is already the second-longest shutdown in history, behind the one that started in December 1995 and lasted 21 days.

On Monday, the Trump administration moved to soften some of the blow  and prevent taxpayer outrage  by directing the Internal Revenue Service to issue tax refunds during the shutdown, reversing previous policy. While the decision will allow taxpayers to get their money, the IRS workers being called back from furlough to process those refunds will not be paid until the shutdown ends.

The effects of a prolonged shutdown have some Wall Street economists predicting a hit to the U.S. economy. Bank of America Merrill Lynch economists said it had pushed them to downgrade their estimates for economic growth at the end of 2018 by a 10th of a percent.

The ramifications of a prolonged shutdown are beginning to unnerve those both inside and outside the federal government. Some private companies and charities that serve public employees are searching for ways to cushion the impact.

The effects extend from the presidents inner circle, to Wall Street to farm country.

Virtually every employee with the Secret Service involved in investigations, security and the protective division, which protects Trump and dozens of other current and former government officials and their families, is required to work during the shutdown. And 6,000 of the organizations roughly 7,000 employees will not be paid.

The same is true at the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has come to a standstill with only an extremely limited number of staff members available to respond to emergency situations, according a shutdown plan posted on the commissions website.

As the effect moves well beyond the nations capital, craft brewers cannot get approval from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for new beer labels. And the Commerce Department has stopped processing requests from auto suppliers and other manufacturing companies seeking an exemption from Trumps metal tariffs, leaving them uncertain over the price they will need to pay for key materials this year.

Farmers who planned to apply for subsidies to help mitigate the effect of Trumps trade war must wait to get paid until the Agriculture Departments Farm Service Agency offices reopen. And in neighborhoods across the country, as many as 39,000 federally backed mortgage applications may have already been delayed because of reduced staffing in federal agencies, according to Zillow estimates.

Several nonprofit organizations, including the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, are trying to aid Department of Homeland Security workers who need immediate help with a limited pool of cash and other resources, an officer with the groups charitable foundation said.

The Navy Federal Credit Union is offering no-interest loans to service members who face the prospect of missed paychecks. USAA, though, has drawn criticism from members of the Coast Guard for offering similar loans that charge interest.

Secret Service agents are growing increasingly anxious and angry about the shutdown, according to several current and former agents. The Secret Service protects 42 people associated with the Trump White House, 11 more than were given details during the Obama administration. In August 2017, the agencys new director, Randolph Alles, told an interviewer that the sprawling Trump entourage was putting unprecedented strains on his agents, in terms of staffing and budgeting.

Financial enforcement is also suffering. The SEC has about 4,400 full-time employees and during the shutdown is operating with just a few hundred  most of those tasked to protect life or property.

The constrained operations means pending investigations in securities violations have ground to a halt, and there is no one reviewing applications for company stock offerings to raise cash or consider merger and acquisition filings.

Defense and corporate lawyers said meetings with potential witnesses in pending investigations have been canceled, and some companies seeking to raise cash through a stock offering are having to bide their time. Staff lawyers at the SEC are largely prohibited from responding to emails seeking information or guidance.

The biggest and most far-reaching effect of the shutdown looms Feb. 1. Trump administration officials say that funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides food benefits for about 40 million people, will run out of cash by the end of the month. The Agriculture Department has not made it clear how long it will be able to fund the program, which costs about $4.7 billion a month, but estimates by anti-hunger groups put the departments reserves at $3 billion to $5 billion, meaning funding is more likely to completely run out in February or March.

Other food assistance programs are facing a more immediate cash crunch. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, has already been cut off, with state funds filling the gap as the shutdown drags on. WIC provides aid to an additional 7 million low-income Americans who are considered to be at nutritional risk.A man with five prior arrests for drunken driving has been arrested again on a charge of driving while intoxicated third offense or more, a third-degree felony charge.

Cesar Josue Arizpe, 45, was arrested Saturday after Odessa Police officers found him passed out inside a vehicle in front of the police station, according to an Odessa Police Department press release.About 1,200 Chinese tech companies, including industry giants like JD.com and Huawei as well as startups, put their innovations in AI and robotics on display at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which kicked off Tuesday in Las Vegas.



The Chinese companies tried to expand their international market presence with their home-grown gadgets, although the number of exhibitors dropped about 20 percent as China and the United States are negotiating to ease their trade tensions.

The number of Chinese companies reached a record high in CES 2018 of more than 1,500. The shrinkage of Chinese participation amid a trade strain cast a shadow on American tech sector.

Gary Shapiro, president of the U.S. Consumer Technology Association, the show's organizer, told Xinhua that tariffs on Chinese products are actually costing the U.S. tech industry and American consumers about a billion dollars a month.

Shapiro said he was concerned about America's export control proposal on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). He listed AI, along with 5G, self-driving tech and digital health, as trend to watch in CES 2019 at Monday's presentation.

But the export control will restrict the advancement of AI, especially in the United States, said Shapiro.

Chinese made products can still be found easily in almost every category like HD TV, robotics and smart retailing, occupying about 14 percent of the net exhibiting space. Many Chinese tech companies, especially the most innovative ones, are still looking to the long-term prospects in American market.

A Chinese company specializing in voice recognition, iFLYTEK, is one of them. Rivaling Google and Amazon, the AI tech-driven company unveiled its fully upgraded smart translator, an honoree of CES 2019 Innovation Award at CES.

Charlene Li, general manager of iFLYTEK North America, told Xinhua that expansion in the American market may be an uphill journey in the short term, but "if we wouldn't plan ahead and do spade work, we had to do it several years later, which is too late."

Alpha Mini robot developed by UBITECH, and Mabot developed by Shenzhen Bell, both Chinese startups, are also listed as CES's annual Innovation Awards.

Shapiro said Chinese companies came to CES with multiple intentions. They either meet sellers or buyers, or build their brand, or form partnership.

China's second largest online retailer JD.com made a debut at CES this year, showcasing at the exhibition booth an unmanned delivery vehicle in dense urban areas and a drone used in a delivery network for rural shipments.

Zhang Chen, JD.com's CTO, will share his understanding of the Asian retail market in a seminar on Wednesday to help American companies to make a faster presence in Chinese market.

Huawei released its two new products at CES: a high-end laptop and a smart watch. Both will be put on shelves in the United States this month but Huawei's smartphones are almost locked out of the American market.

"If you are trading with the countries you are more likely to have a good relationship with them," said Shapiro, calling for a more "normalized" trade relationship between the two countries.

CES, the world's largest trade show to present new products and technologies in the consumer electronics industry, runs till Friday, attracting about 4,500 exhibitors and 180,000 attendees in 2019.Officer Ronil Singh View Photos

Washington, DC  President Donald Trump spoke about the recent death of Newman Police Corporal Ronil Singh last night during his address to the nation regarding immigration and border security.

Towards the end of the 13-minute speech from the Oval Office, the President referenced the death as a reason to construct a border wall. He stated, The day after Christmas a young police officer in California was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien who just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country.

The death of Corporal Singh has reopened a discussion about California sanctuary policies after they were criticized by Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson after the arrest of the alleged shooter Gustavo Perez Arriaga. Immediately after the shooting a four county region was put under a blue alert, including Tuolumne, indicating that the violent offender could be in the area. He was eventually captured in Bakersfield.

Funeral services for Corporal Singh were held over the weekend.Governor Gavin Newsom in Colfax announcing wildfire funding View Photos

Colfax, CA  California Governor Gavin Newsom is pledging to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to fight wildfires and deal with their aftermath.

At a state emergency operations center in Colfax, a Sierra Nevada foothills community at high risk for fire, Newsom stated, Its not a coincidence that my first full day as Governor is focused on emergency preparedness. Its deliberate, it reflects intentionality, and it speaks to the priority that I place on emergency preparedness, response and recovery.

Newsom outlined $105 million in new fire-related spending be added to the already $200 million approved by lawmakers last year for a total of $305 million. Although he noted more specifics on this investment will come out in his budget due this week, he revealed that the bulk will go toward forest management and fuel reduction already approved by lawmakers. He says his plan also calls for new equipment, historic investment, new strategies to pre-deploy resources and assets, a historical amount of money to address the need to invest in our forest to make them healthier and more resilient and always an emphasis of supporting local government.

The governors budget includes buying new fire engines to pre-deploy in fire prone areas, improving camera technology to monitor fire threats, fixing up firefighting aircraft, investing in firefighters mental health and boosting the California Conservation Corps, which helps with firefighting. We are stepping up our game, promised Newsom while adding, I hear you. I get it. We need to do more and do better. These last two years have been devastating with 167 lives lost in fires or floods. Over 33-thousand structures over a 24 month period have been lost in the state. Billions and billions of dollarswe are at a point where everyone has had enough and we need to make sure we are prepared.

At the event, Governor Newsom announced that he and the governors of Oregon and Washington sent a letter to President Donald Trump requesting double the federal governments financial investment in managing federal forestlands in those states. While noting that the U.S. Forest Service has seen its budget cut by more than $2 billion since 2016, reducing the agencys capacity to manage federal forestland in California, the letter emphasized that the western states significant state-level efforts will not be as effective without a substantial increase to wildland management by the federal government. Newsom suggested, Rather than talking past each other, talking down to each other, maybe we can start partnering and doing the work that needs to be done to address our forest health and forest management.

Newsom also signed two executive orders to speed up the states procurement process for firefighting technology and gave state agencies 45 days to draft a report outlining policies and regulatory changes that could aid in firefighting and response. He will target millions to develop better communications strategies and improve emergency alert systems with the goal of bringing more consistency to the system. His plan includes putting $10 million toward digitizing the states 911 system, but he acknowledges that it will likely require a fee on consumers, something the legislature tried and failed to pass last year.

The new governor avoided confronting the controversial issue of how much responsibility utilities, like PG&E, should hold when their equipment starts wildfires. Utilities are currently asking lawmakers to change the states liability standards, some of the strictest in the nation.

Of note, Newsom named Thom Porter as the new director of CAL Fire. Porter began his career as a forester in Southern California in 1999. His duties over the years have included vegetation management, pre-fire programs and planning for wildfires. He was previously the departments chief of strategic planning. Newsom otherwise kept Browns emergency management leadership team in place.Governor Gavin Newsom took the Oath of Office earlier this week in Sacramento and delivered an Inaugural Address.

Newsom was Wednesdays KVML Newsmaker of the Day. His speech was titled, California For All. Here is the complete transcript:

The story of our state is the story of a dream  one that has drawn strivers and seekers here forever. Its what brought my family to California three generations ago  the promise not just of a better life, but a bigger one, with opportunities they couldnt find anywhere else in the world.

So deep does the California Dream run in the history and character of our state that

it can feel as enduring as our primeval forests or our majestic mountain ranges. But there is nothing inevitable about it. Every dream depends on the dreamers. It is up to us to renew the California Dream for a new generation. And now more than ever, it is up to us to defend it.

And thankfully we have our champion Speaker Nancy Pelosi. But there is an administration in Washington hostile to Californias values and interests.

California has always helped write Americas future. And we know the decisions we make, would be important at any time. But what we do today is even more consequential, because of whats happening in our country. Peoples lives, freedom, security, the water we drink, the air we breathe  they all hang in the balance. The country is watching us. The world is waiting on us. The future depends on us. And we will seize this moment.

California is a giant engine of commerce  the most creative and entrepreneurial in the world. We have the resources to ensure a decent standard of living for all. Its not a question of whether we can do this, but whether we will.

At a time when so much of America is divided, we are united. Our people are big-hearted and fair-minded, when those qualities are more vital than ever. Ive seen that again in just the past few weeks.

I visited Paradise after the fires swept through, and met people who literally lost everything they owned but were still reaching out to help others.

I went to San Diego and met volunteers providing relief to desperate migrants who others treat like criminals  like the 3-year old girl, just a year older than my youngest, at a shelter who captured my heart.

I spent time with farmers in Fresno who rise and grind before the sun comes up to feed the world.

There are everyday heroes all over our state who work hard, then come home and care for aging parents or new-born children, or who open their homes to foster kids, like my mother Tessa did. She was a single mom raising two children and working three jobs, and she still had room in her heart for more.

Thats the California I know. Thats the California I love. And thats why I am so confident in our future.

Make no mistake, there are powerful forces arrayed against us. Not just politicians in Washington  but drug companies that gouge Californians with sky-high prices. A gun lobby willing to sacrifice the lives of our children to line their pockets. Polluters who threaten our coastline and pay-day lenders who target our most vulnerable. In other places, interests like these still have a tight grip on power. But here in California, we have the power to stand up to them  and we will.

We face serious challenges  some that have been deferred for too long. Even in a booming economy, there is a disquieting sense that things are not as predictable as they once were. That we must now run faster just to stay in place. Stagnant wages. Costs that keep rising  rent, utilities, visiting the doctor  the basics are increasingly out of reach. We face a gulf between the rich and everyone else  and its not just inequality of wealth, its inequality of opportunity. A homeless epidemic that should keep each and every one of us up at night. An achievement gap in our schools and a readiness gap that holds back millions of our kids. And too many of our children know the ache of chronic hunger. Ive met families across the state who have to improvise where to tuck their babies in at night  making nests out of blankets on the floor, or turning dresser drawers into makeshift cradles  because they cannot afford a crib.

These arent merely policy problems. They are moral imperatives. So long as they persist, we are all diminished. We are all touched by the human condition  whether we ourselves are homeless or jobless, whether we ourselves can pay the bills or have safe drinking water at home. We all have our own frailties and vulnerabilities  were all susceptible to suffering and disaster.

So let us resolve to follow the example of rescuers and rebuilders in Paradise and Malibu and Santa Rosa and Ventura  and make sure our fellow Californians share in the compassion and empathy that connect us and make our burdens and anxieties easier to bear.

Our politics doesnt always reward taking on the hardest problems. The results of our work may not be evident for a long time. But that cannot be our concern.

We will prepare for uncertain times ahead. We will be prudent stewards of taxpayer dollars, pay down debt, and meet our future obligations. And we will build and safeguard the largest fiscal reserve of any state in American history.

But let me be clear: We will be bold. We will aim high and we will work like hell to get there.

Here in California, we will prove that people of good faith, and firm will can still come together to achieve big things. We will offer an alternative to the corruption and incompetence in the White House. Our government will be progressive, principled, and always on the side of the people.

This will take courage. Thats a word that means different things to different people. To me, courage means doing what is right even when it is hard.

That will be the mission of our Administration. We will be a California for all.

We will not be divided between rural and urban or north and south or coastal and inland. We will strive for solidarity, and face our most threatening problems  together.

It is with deep faith in our state and our future that I ask you to join me in the work ahead. Let us be pioneering optimists who look to the future not with trepidation but with creativity and boundless energy. This is a time for courage  and we will rise to meet it.

Our state has been on a journey together since the worst of the Great Recession. Back then, we were $27 billion in debt. Unemployment above 12 percent. The worst credit rating of any state in our nation. Today, our economy is larger than all but four nations in the world. Weve created nearly 3 million jobs and put away billions for a rainy day.

Where Washington failed on the epochal challenge of climate change, California led, extending our cap-and-trade system and setting bold targets for lowering greenhouse gas emissions, then beating them.

So much of this progress has happened under the leadership of Governor Jerry Brown. It has been an honor to serve with him these past eight years  and to learn from him, not just as his Lieutenant Governor, but throughout my lifetime.

When Jerry last took the oath of office, he reflected on a parable from the Sermon on the Mount. It tells of a foolish man who built his house on sand. A storm washed it away. But a wise man sought a sounder foundation. And when the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on the house he built, it did not fall. For it was founded upon a rock. For eight years, California has built a foundation of rock. Our job now is not to rest on that foundation. It is to build our house upon it.

Now more than ever, we Californians know how much a house matters  as so many of our neighbors have lost theirs. Together, let us build a house stronger than the coming storms, yet open to the world. A house that provides shelter to all who need it and sanctuary to all who seek it  where opportunity abounds for all who will work for it. A true California house, sun-kissed, dream-soaked, and built with the sweat of honest work. We will not have one house for the rich and one for the poor, or one for the native-born and one for the rest. We will build one house for one California.

Because what is a house but a home. And California is our home.

In our home, every child should be loved, fed, and safe. My wife Jennifer and I have four children, and there is nothing more important to us than giving them a good and happy life. But all kids  not just the children of a governor and a filmmaker  should have a good life in California. Not ripped away from their parents at the border Not left hungry while politicians seek to pour billions into a wall that should never be built. We will support parents so they can give their kids the love and care they need, especially in those critical early years when so much development occurs.

In our home, no one should live in constant fear of eviction or spend their whole paycheck to keep a roof overhead. We will launch a Marshall Plan for affordable housing and lift up the fight against homelessness from a local matter to a state-wide mission.

In our home, every person should have access to quality, affordable health care. Far-away judges and politicians may try to turn back our progress. But we will never waver in our pursuit of guaranteed health care for all Californians. We will use both our market power and our moral power to demand fairer prices for prescription drugs. We will stop stigmatizing mental health and start supporting it. And in California we will always protect a womans right to choose.

In our home, we believe in justice for all. We will defend the progress weve made to reform our criminal justice system. We will continue the fight against over-incarceration and over-crowding in our prisons. And we will end the outrage of private prisons once and for all.

In our home, working people deserve fair pay, the right to join a union, and the chance at a middle-class life for themselves and their families. We will fight not just for growth at any cost but for inclusive, sustainable growth. We will shape the future of work and connect higher education and skills training to the next generation of middle-class jobs because in this time of swift and unsettling change, all Californians should be able to count on a measure of security and a real shot at opportunity.

And those who dream of building something of their own  a restaurant, a bookstore, a family farm  they will get our support. Our small businesses help explain why we have one of the biggest economies on Earth.

For me this is personal. I will never forget the day I got a $20 tip bussing tables at Ramonas restaurant in San Rafael. I was 16 years old. Trust me, busboys dont get tips like that. I know it sounds strange, but it changed my life. It meant that my hard work mattered and it motivated me to keep going. Eight years later, I started my own business. So I know how much hard work and sacrifice is behind every small business in this state  and how good it feels when that hard work pays off. California must never turn its back on the entrepreneurial spirit that has always defined us.

And in our home, when trouble comes, we will stand together. When fires strike or the earth shakes, we will be there for each other.

As a former mayor, I learned the wisdom of the African proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. To my friends in the legislature, Democrats and Republicans alike, I promise you an open door and an open mind. Californians didnt send us here to bicker or sulk  they get enough of that from Washington.

And lets not forget that it is not only in the corridors of the Capitol that change is being forged. I will partner with mayors, sheriffs, and supervisors all over this state, I know the pressures you face. Ive been there. The only way to fix our problems is if you are empowered to lead the way.

I intend to represent all Californians, not only those who voted for me. I will be a governor for the dock worker in Long Beach, and the farm worker in Lost Hills, the small business owner in Corona, and the teacher in Compton. I recognize that many in our rural communities believe that Sacramento doesnt care about them  doesnt even really see them. Well, I see you. I care about you. And I will represent you with pride.

That notion  that were all in this together  is a powerful one. Its also how I was raised. Some of you may know that I lost my father just before Christmas. He was a judge. Justice Bill Newsom. For him, Justice was more than a title. It was in his bones. He believed to his core that all people should be treated fairly and with respect. Thats always been a bedrock California value to me.

So 15 years ago, when I was a new mayor and I heard politicians in Washington sneering at California values and attacking our LGBT community, I remembered what my father taught me: Its never the wrong time to do the right thing. And thats what we did. In San Francisco, Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, two women who had been in love for nearly 50 years, had the courage to stand up and say those two powerful words: I do. Thousands more followed in their footsteps. It took a long time, but love won.

Just like fifteen years ago, this is a time for courage. We will stand up for whats right, and we will defend our people. My pledge to every Californian is this: no matter what comes at us, I will have your back!

If we do this right, the progress we make will never be unmade. As Cesar Chavez said, You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.

There is a story we tell about our history, from Sutters Mill to Steve Jobss garage, about how this is the place where anything is possible. This is the coast of dreams. And thats true. But you shouldnt have to find gold or make it in the movies or create a billion-dollar start-up to live the California Dream. It is for everyone.

Everyone in California should have a good job with fair pay. Every child should have a great school and a teacher who is supported and respected. Every young person should be able to go to college without crushing debt or to get the training they need to compete and succeed. And every senior should be able to retire with security and live at home with dignity. That is the California Dream. Not to get rich quick or star on the big screen, but to work hard and share in the rewards. To leave a better future for our kids.

The work we have spoken of today cannot be the job of a governor alone, or a legislature, or even the entire government. It will only be achieved if all of us share the spirit of the young DREAMer from Los Angeles I heard recently. She said: I wasnt born in California, but California was born in me.

Theres a spark of California hope and California courage born in all of us. Its up to us, what we do with it. The eyes of the world are upon us. Now more than ever, America needs California. It needs the guiding light of our values and the progress they make possible. This is where Americas future is made. This is our charge. That is our calling.

Lets get to work. Thank you and may God bless California.

The Newsmaker of the Day is heard every weekday morning at 6:45, 7:45 and 8:45 on AM 1450 and FM 102.7 KVML.Senator Tom Berryhill pictured as he is recovering from a broken hip View Photos

Sacramento, CA  Termed out California Senator Tom Berryhill has been appointed to the states Compensation Insurance Fund Board of Directors.

It was one of the final appointments made by Governor Jerry Brown before exiting office and handing over the reins to Gavin Newsom. Berryhills position on the board does not require Senate confirmation and will pay him a yearly compensation of $58,633. The fund that the board oversees was created by the legislature in 1914 and provides worker compensation insurance to state employees.

Berryhill, 65, represented the Mother Lode in the Assembly from 2006-2010 and in the Senate from 2010-2018. We reported recently that Berryhill was absent from the end of the last session as he was recovering from a broken hip and had been diagnosed with early stages of Parkinsons disease. He plans to continue to stay active. During the November election he won an open seat on the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors.Two Jefferson County teenagers were victims of an attempted armed robbery in the parking lot of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Imperial.China approved five more genetically modified products for import, bringing the total number of approved GM products to 31.



The five products are two rapeseed varieties and two soybean varieties that are resistant to weedkillers, and a corn variety that is resistant to both pests and weedkillers, according to a list released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on Tuesday.

The GM plants can only be used as raw materials for other products, such as edible oil and feed. Producers include Monsanto in the United States and Germany's BASF, the ministry said.

Certificates for exporting the products to China expire in December 2021, it said.

The ministry also renewed its approval for importation of 26 GMO products, including varieties of corn, cotton and soybeans.

GMO agricultural products must be clearly labeled for sale in the country under Chinese regulations.

Wang Xiping, a professor of life sciences at Beijing Normal University, said that since the five latest products can be used only as raw material, they will only be processed into products such as animal feed and rapeseed oil and soybean oil, which do not contain GM elements. They will not be sold to domestic consumers to eat.

"The GM elements in these products will not enter the human body, so there are no GMO food safety concerns for humans," she said.

China has very tight policies on approval of GMO products that can be sold for consumption. Most approved GMO products available on the domestic market are imported, Wang said.

China has approved two agricultural products-cotton and papaya-for commercial planting, but allows import of some GMO agricultural products, including soybeans, for food production, the ministry said.

Some GMO agricultural products have special characteristics, such as resistance to pests and weedkillers, and are in great demand, Wang said.

Most soybeans China imports are GM products that have higher oil content than domestically bred species and meet China's demand for edible oil, she said. But oil contains few GM elements, she said. GM technology is a controversial topic worldwide. Scientists in general favor developing and promoting the technology for its economic benefits. Voices questioning the safety of such crops for the public are also common.

Zhang Taolin, vice-minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said China encourages scientific research in genetic modification technology but remains cautious when promoting GM technology and products to ensure safety.

"GM technology can be safely controlled, judging from scientific principles and practices over past decades," he said.

Huang Jikun, director of China Center for Agricultural Policy at Peking University, said GM technology plays a very important role in increasing agricultural productivity, improving food security and increasing farmers' incomes.

"GM technology can greatly reduce the use of pesticides to improve food safety," he said. "Overuse of pesticides is a major food safety problem."



Actor Kevin Spacey, the House of Cards star, was all smiles on Monday as he walked past cameras and later delivered just two words: Thank you.

But it wasnt a rehearsal, It was in a court on the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts, where he pleaded not guilty to a charge of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man in a bar.

Spacey, 59, is facing one count of indecent assault and battery from the alleged incident in 2016. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison.

Wearing a gray suit, a lavender shirt with flowers and blue polka-dot tie, the two-time Oscar-winner, who is particularly popular in China, smiled and chuckled with his lawyer before the proceeding began, according to some media reports. He said nothing to the judge but mouthed thank you at the conclusion of the hearing.

Spacey has had a spectacular fall from grace after being accused of sexual assault by 30 men. The accusations presented on Monday were the first official charges he has faced in court.

Spacey and his lawyers appeared before Nantucket District Judge Thomas Barrett. His attorneys entered the not-guilty plea on his behalf. The judge set his next court appearance for March 4. Barrett also granted his lawyers request that Spacey would not have to appear at that hearing if he were available by phone.

After the court appearance, Spacey silently passed a throng of waiting reporters and camerapersons. He jumped into a waiting SUV that took him to Nantucket Memorial Airport and a private jet.

The accuser is the son of TV anchor Heather Unruh. She alleges that on July 7, 2016, when her son was 18 and working as a busboy, Spacey assaulted him by grabbing his genitals after he got him drunk at the Club Car restaurant on the island of Nantucket. He fled when Spacey went to the bathroom.

The accusations against Spacey began after actor Anthony Rapp said in 2017 that the star had made a sexual advance toward him when he was 14. Spacey said on Twitter he did not remember the incident but apologized if it had taken place.

Since the #MeToo movement gained pace in the U.S., a host of performers have come forward to allege that they were abused by some of Hollywoods elite. The accusers include Reese Witherspoon, Rose McGowan, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Rosanna Arquette, Jennifer Lawrence, Lady Gaga, Terry Crews and many more.

The #MeToo movement to empower women was fueled by published accusations against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein in October 2017.Strikes work, it is a very ...China University of Petroleum and Uganda's Makerere University have signed an agreement to establish a geoscience and petroleum institute to build capacity in the country's nascent oil and gas sector.

Ritah Namisango, Makerere University spokesperson, told Xinhua by telephone on Tuesday that the agreement was signed on Monday.

The agreement paves way for further discussion on the establishment of the institute at Makerere University, according to Namisango.

"The institute of petroleum and gas, once established at Makerere University, will be the first of its kind in Uganda. The overall issue is to ensure we build the required human resource capacity in the areas of petroleum, oil and gas," she said.

She said experts from China University of Petroleum will closely work with their counterparts at Makerere University College of Natural Sciences and that of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology to develop joint appropriate academic programs and conducting research.

"When the team from China comes on board they will work with experts at Makerere University to ensure they conduct joint research, academic programs and develop capacity in the petroleum, oil and gas sector," said Namisango.

Last year, Sunmaker, a Chinese company, opened up an oil training institute in the capital Kampala to equip locals with knowledge and skills in the oil and gas sector.

Uganda projects to start commercial production of oil by 2021, when the crude oil pipeline and the refinery will be in place.

Government figures show that the country has so far discovered 6.5 billion barrels of oil, of which about 1.5 billion barrels are commercially viable.The owner of a Jacksonville restaurant franchise says employees will go through additional training after a mans contention that his hearing impairment resulted in police being called because he would not leave the drive-through of the shop.

Although offering a varying account of what happened when Dylan Hinders of Jacksonville went through the drive-through of Dunkin Donuts on East Morton Avenue  and saying there never was any intention to discriminate against him  owner Nick Bhatt said the situation was not handled properly.

Hinders, a one-on-one assistant at the Illinois School for the Deaf, said he went through the drive-through early Saturday to buy doughnuts and coffee. Hinders, who is deaf, said he had his order typed on his phone.

He maintains things were fine at first, but then the cashier asked him to come inside the shop to finish his order.

I have the right to use a drive-through, same as anyone else, Hinders said.  I am very disappointed, angry and frustrated with how the situation was handled.

Dunkin Donuts representatives said employees were having trouble communicating with Hinders at the window and did ask him to come inside.

He refused, and remained in the drive-through lane. Police were called, as workers walked to the other cars in line and took their orders by hand.

Hinders took to social media after the incident, giving his account of what happened. His post and an accompanying video have been viewed thousands of times and received hundreds of comments.

Dunkin Donuts manager Jay Joshi, however, said Hinders order was incomplete on the phone and did not specify which variation of a French vanilla drink Hinders wanted. Dunkin Donuts offers several.

The cashier started the order and then he wrote down on the paper, asking him which kind of coffee and he didnt respond, Joshi said. We tried to communicate with him, but he refused to communicate with us.

Joshi said he and the cashier tried several times to clarify the order before asking him to come in, but Hinders refused.

We didnt refuse him service, Joshi said. We tried, but he didnt want to respond to our attempts.

Police were called and, according to a report, arrived about 7:41 a.m. and spoke with Hinders but determined it was a civil matter.

I was told I wasnt in trouble, but there was nothing they could do about the situation, that Id have to go through the corporate office, Hinders said.

Hinders, meanwhile, said he did try to respond to the employees.

I kept gesturing to try and communicate with them, he said.

Owner Bhatt said police should not have been called. But after reviewing video footage from the store, Bhatt said it appears employees tried to communicate with Hinders.

For some reason, they couldnt communicate with him, he said. We have a lot of hearing-impaired people that visit our stores. We try to keep a pen and paper at the registers to help us communicate if we have any questions.

Bhatt said it is not policy to ask hearing-impaired customers to come inside the store for service and service is provided whether at the drive-through or inside the store. He said all employees go through training before they begin working, but he plans to have them redo training to reinforce how to properly handle any such future situations.

Corporate spokeswoman Michelle King said the company tries to provide a welcoming environment for all customers.

At Dunkin Donuts, providing a friendly and welcoming restaurant environment for all guests is a top priority, she said in a statement. The franchisee who owns and operates the restaurant informs us that he has attempted to contact the guest to apologize for the poor experience. Additionally, the franchisee informs us he intends to work with his employees to ensure they understand how to engage with hearing-impaired individuals at the drive-through to ensure they receive excellent customer service. Dunkin franchisees are required by their franchise agreement to comply with all applicable laws.

Hinders said he will not visit the store again, but hopes employees receive more training and are more considerate to those with disabilities.

I felt they werent well-trained to deal with someone who was deaf, Hinders said.

Samantha McDaniel-Ogletree can be reached at 217-245-6121, ext. 1233, or on Twitter @JCNews_samantha.I am devastated by Ald. Munozs actions, and am continuing to pray for Betty Torres Munoz, whom I have known and worked with for many years. The news that Ald. Munoz has checked into a treatment facility and is seeking the professional help he clearly needs is a positive step, the statement read.Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, or activate your access, to continue reading.I leaned back in my chair to ponder the astronomical odds of meeting this guy who was born and raised in my hometown, and who also once lived in the same city I now live. Think about it. Somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Packed cruise ship with 3,500 passengers from around the world. Last two chairs on that deck.We'll keep you connected to all the updated local news and information about what's happening in Murfreesboro and Rutherford County!

Click Here to Subscribe!A day after being at the White House to consult with the Trump administration on the border wall, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said Wednesday that the state doesnt need a barrier along the entire Rio Grande River from Brownsville to El Paso.

Instead, Patrick said the key is building barriers from Brownsville to Falcon Lake. That is a stretch of fewer than 200 miles.

We need to build the wall, or you can call it a wall, you can call it a steel fence, a barrier, between Brownsville and Falcon Lake. Thats where about half of the people who cross the border illegally in the country come. They come in that area, Patrick said, at a business event in Austin.

Patrick said a more substantial wall in that area would push people illegally crossing the border to no mans land where border patrol and cameras can better intercept them.

For subscribers: Texas border communities cringe as Trump sounds alarm over wall

Patrick said beyond the wall, the issue on the border is a short-staffed U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency that needs to hire 800 more border patrol agents. He said with adequate staffing, authorities would easily be able to apprehend people crossing unwalled portions of the border that are more remote.

Texas already has about 112 miles of border fencing in El Paso and along stretches of the Rio Grande Valley near places like McAllen, where Patrick is expected to join President Donald Trump on Thursday.

Texas has long presented the debate over the border wall with additional complications because of the winding (and in parts desolate) Rio Grande River. U.S. Sens John Cornyn and Ted Cruz have similarly said a wall makes sense, but not necessary along the entire Texas-Mexico border. Cornyn has said there are parts of the border where it makes absolutely no sense to build a barrier. Trump himself has offered varying accounts of how much of the border would be walled. At points during the campaign in 2016 he said the whole border would be walled. At other times he has said it would be 1,000 miles. Yet other times hes given the figure 700 miles. When Trump took office, the nation had 654 miles of various fencing along the entire 1,954 mile U.S. border with Mexico from California to Texas.

Patrick said a border wall is a key piece of the equation in stopping illegal immigration in Texas. He said last year in Texas 300,000 people were apprehended crossing the border illegally. He estimated that the border patrol and other law enforcement catch just one out of every five people who try to cross illegally.

It is a disaster, he said. Its a real issue, and it has to be addressed.

Patricks comments come just a day after he skipped the first day of the Texas Legislature for meetings at the White House, which he said included Jared Kushner, Trumps son-in-law and adviser. Patrick said it was tough to miss the first day of the Legislature, but he felt compelled to help the president prepare for his first major address to the nation from the Oval Office.

Related: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick skips first day of Legislature for Trump

When the presidents team calls, and they dont call unless the president blesses it, it was tough to say no, Patrick said.

Patrick, who lives in Montgomery County, is one of Trumps most trusted political allies in Texas. During the 2016 presidential campaign, Patrick led his Texas campaign.

During Wednesdays event with the Texas Realtors, Patrick stressed that he was not auditioning for a position in the administration and specifically shot down any possibility that he would be in line to be Trumps next Secretary of Homeland Security given his expertise on the border.

If the White House called and said tomorrow We want you and need you, I am not leaving Texas, Patrick said. And Im never going to run for president.

jeremy.wallace@chron.comRepeated efforts for an Indiana law have failed amid fierce opposition from conservatives who maintain it would unfairly create specially protected classes of victims and wrongly restrict free speech. Hate crime laws in other states vary to some degree but generally allow for stiffer sentences to be given to people who are convicted of crimes motivated by hatred or bias. Only Indiana, Georgia, South Carolina, Wyoming and Arkansas do not have such laws.A 33-year-old Midland man was shot and killed Tuesday afternoon by a sheriffs deputy after he lunged at the deputy with a broken bottle, according to a press release from the Midland County Sheriffs Office.

MCSO received a call at about 12:30 p.m. in reference to a disturbance east of Midland off Business 20 and County Road 1140. Other calls were received that a man  later identified as Jerald Wilson  was walking in eastbound traffic toward the railroad tracks, according to the release. He then was walking in the middle of the tracks and appeared to be cutting himself. People at the scene attempted to talk to Wilson, but he did not respond.A Midland man, identified as a suspect in a College Station homicide investigation, has turned himself in to authorities in Midland County.

Terry Ratliff, 54, was being held Wednesday at the Midland County Jail on a first-degree felony charge of aggravated assault of a date/family/house member with a weapon.Letters of objections from neighbors helped shut down a no-kill sanctuary for dogs on Midlands south side.

Before discussion took place on whether to provide a specific use permit for operators of a kennel -- known as Bully Beds  city leaders were told that neighbors submitted a sufficient number of letters of objection that a super majority was required to approve the request.

The Midland City Council couldnt muster that high standard as three council members  John Love III, Sharla Hotchkiss and Spencer Robnett  voted against a compromise offered by Councilman Scott Dufford to give the operators 90 days to sell their property in the 1500 block of Carter Avenue.

Love, Hotchkiss and Robnett said that the kennel operators had their chances, disregarded city laws and stirred the pot on social media long enough, and a compromise wasnt in the best interest of the community.

The councils ruling was a 180-degree turn from what the citys Planning and Zoning had approved  by a 4-to-1 vote  and even went against a city staff proposal. The proposal had six conditions, including that the city manager could revoke the permit if the property owner failed to comply with any provision of the ordinance.

What remains to be seen is what will happen with the 43 dogs that were kept at the kennel units on the property. Robnett told the owners nobody is coming to get the dogs tomorrow. No specifics were shared during the meeting about the fate of the animals, but officials said the city would help to find homes for the dogs that are adoptable.

We want to help Bully Beds, but this has been going on too long and is not working, Robnett said.

Love, Hotchkiss and Robnett were bothered by the owners alleged reluctancy to provide information about the animals at Bully Beds. City officials said they didnt have the required records of the animals on that property, while kennel officials said they had handed that information to Animal Control in 2018.

On numerous occasions, the council acknowledged the owners passion for their animals and their mission. Operators claimed animals at their kennels were cared for better than what has been reported at the citys animal shelter. They also said they were looking to sell their property inside the city and move to a location outside city limits.

Duffords compromise was going to be a window to give operators a little time. However, the fact that a majority of the council -- Dufford, J.Ross Lacy, Michael Trost and Mayor Jerry Morales -- voted for the specific use permit wasnt enough. The letters of opposition required that six of the seven council members present approve the item. Even before the vote took place, it was obvious the support wasnt there.When the police officer sped into the small-coin laundromat located on a quiet intersection in Wausau, Wisconsin, the mother's worst nightmare was already unfolding inside.

According to a criminal complaint later filed in state court, the officer arrived as the unidentified woman frantically worked at the small chest of her 2-month-old baby boy lying on a table. The child was motionless, his skin cold, his mouth clenched shut. The baby's legs were rigidly bent at the knees, frozen into the position they had been in his car seat just before the mother realized her son was no longer drawing air.

More for you News A cigarette butt and an old scrap of paper leads to an...

As the mother would later tell investigators, only minutes before coming to the laundromat last October, she had picked the child up from a babysitter named Marissa Tietsort. A 28-year-old mother of five then pregnant with her sixth child, Tietsort had handed the baby over to his mother already snapped into his car seat, seemingly asleep. But now the child was dead.

"You killed my sister's . . . baby," the mother's sister texted Tietsort within minutes of the police arriving at the laundromat.

Hours later, police reached Tietsort, who admitted she knew the child had died in her care but did not know how or why. Instead of calling for help, Tietsort said she bundled up the boy in his winter clothing, pulled a hat over his eyes, snapped him into his car seat, and later returned the boy over to the mother without telling her the child was already dead.

The coroner's report, however, would paint a much uglier and more violent picture of the child's death.

Last Friday, Tietsort was charged with first-degree intentional homicide, the Wausau Daily Herald reported. As Tietsort made her first appearance in the courtroom last week, friends and family members of the deceased boy filled the courtroom wearing shirts featuring his picture.

The child's alleged murder, however, was made all the more shocking when the state revealed this is not the first time Tietsort has been accused of hurting children in her care.

Tietsort has been in police custody since October. Although she has yet to enter a plea in the murder case, she did defend herself in a recent letter sent to the judge in her case.

"I'm not a threat to society or a monster," she wrote, according to the Daily Herald. "I'm a great mom and I love everybody."

According to the criminal complaint, between 3:30 and 4 p.m. on Oct. 18, 2018, the mother dropped off her 2-month-old and her other young child at Tietsort's home.

She was the only adult at the house at that time. Around 6 p.m., the mother received a strange text message from Tietsort: the babysitter said a local news site had posted a story on child abuse charges that had been filed against her. She was not supposed to be alone around children, Tietsort told the mother, so the babysitter asked the mother not to tell anyone she was watching the kids.

Following the baby's death, when investigators interviewed Tietsort, she claimed the 2-month-old had died before her boyfriend returned home around 6:30 p.m. The criminal complaint does not state whether she offered any explanation for how the child died.

"She stated that Victim felt cold and she knew he was dead," the criminal complaint stated. "She said she did not check for a pulse, she did not reach out for help and she did not perform any resuscitation efforts. Tietsort admitted that she put the Victim's lifeless body on the floor in the hallway of her home, grabbed his snowsuit from the car seat, dressed him in the snowsuit and then placed his body in the car seat with his blankets."

When Tietsort's boyfriend returned around 6:30 p.m., she did not tell him about the death. Instead, she loaded up the deceased baby in his car seat, the baby's brother, and her own child into the car. Tietsort and her boyfriend drove to McDonald's, where they ate, the criminal complaint said.

When the baby's mother returned to pick the child up at 9:20 p.m., Tietsort again allegedly stayed silent, allowing the mother to assume the baby was simply asleep. Once the mother arrived at the laundromat, she realized the child was not breathing.

When a forensic pathologist performed an autopsy on the child, the evidence countered Tietsort's account.

The baby "had at least three separate blunt force injuries to his head," according to the criminal complaint. The child's tailbone had also been broken off, "indicating a significant amount of force was used." The rigor mortis that set in on the baby's legs - bent at the knees from sitting in the car seat - indicated the child was murdered at least two hours before police were called to the laundry, the complaint stated.

Tietsort's past run-ins with police and child service agencies allegedly point to a pattern of abuse.

Weeks before the 2-month-old's death, she was babysitting an 11-month-old. Tietsort told that child's mother the baby had fallen off a couch and injured her face, according to WSAW-TV. Doctors, however, said that the injuries could not have happened from a fall such as Tietsort described. Felony charges were filed against Tietsort in October - the same charges she alerted the 2-month-old's mother to on the night of the baby's death.

A year earlier, a 3-month-old child Tietsort was babysitting was also injured in her care, suffering a skull fracture. According to the Daily Herald, she was not charged in the case.

In 2010, her then-boyfriend filed a temporary restraining order against Tietsort for allegedly abusing their two sons. The newspaper reported social workers removed Tietsort's four children from her home. But state workers did not know she'd had a fifth child, or that she was now pregnant with a sixth baby.

She is currently being held on a $500,000 bond. She is due back in court on Jan. 18.Things continue to look bleak for Wells Fargo. The embattled bank is on the receiving end of yet another lawsuit, this time filed in New Jersey by two mortgage borrowers who lost their homes after being denied the loan modifications they were qualified for due to a software glitch.

The two women were among hundreds of borrowers affected by a software error that miscalculated their eligibility for loan modifications. While the glitch occurred in a five-year period between April 2010 and October 2015, the bank only disclosed the incident in August of last year.

The lawsuit, filed by Kimberly Duncan and Dawn Van Brunt, alleged that Wells Fargo violated the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act when it denied loan modification applications based on this error.Moultrie, GA (31768)

Today

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy. Low around 70F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Partly cloudy. Low around 70F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.Hatcher said he kept city hall open all night so residents had a place to feel safe. He traveled across the city with his police chief to calm nerves. The next day, President Lyndon Johnson summoned him to Washington with about nine other black officials to ask how to ease tensions.A 29-year-old Cleveland man is in custody and two other men remain at large following a Jan. 6 incident in which Rocky River authorities stoppCopyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Elyria man allegedly strikes officer in the face, charged with felony

Elyria man allegedly strikes officer in the face, charged with felonyIve been on both sides, she said. I like to think of myself as an actors director. I look for scripts that are emotionally challenging. I like to do shows that really get to the heart and give people the opportunity to really delve into  getting to learn about the different depths of the human condition. Not all scripts present that so I think I look for those types of shows.My understanding is that all the residents, except for a couple, were able to arrange housing with family and friends, said Matthew Roberts with First Baptist.

Our staff has continued to be present throughout the day today, said Walker on Wednesday. We are asking that anyone with needs contact the local Red Cross.

As for the situation with the condominium buildings and the lake behind them, that is being followed up by a private engineer with the Westwood Chateau Homeowners Association, according to Walker.

Many people have expressed concern about the houses located on a hill behind the Lady Marian Plaza next to the condos. City Manager Bob Boyette said he has not heard of any other properties that are in imminent danger.

The city, county and state governments have worked with Westwood Chateau to learn more about this situation and to provide the best information to everyone involved, said Boyette on Wednesday. Ultimately, the lake, dam and issues found so far are located on private property and Westwood Chateau will have to make decisions about how to address the situation.They worked, even the children, from early morning to late into the night at the Waffle House across from the street from Ford's theatre, the information said. They eventually saved enough to own the restaurant and to send all four children to four years of college, graduating with honors. The youngest, Caroline, graduating with honors from Cornell Law School and now is one of the youngest partners in a DC law firm. Quang, the third oldest , graduated college and joined the Marines.

They now own the largest souvenir wholesale businesses in the area and possibly the country.

What is amazing about this family is their generosity to others, the information said. Each year , and now in the third year, the Ngo family has now donated over 1,000 items to be given away to those children. Their generosity is limitless and especially to children so far away from them that they have never even met.

Principal Charles Williams led Warlick and his family on the tour of the school and into the classrooms, and the students and staff got to thank them personally for the gifts.

We are thankful for the generosity of Mr. Warlick and his family and the Ngo family, said Dr. Larry Putnam, Burke County Public Schools superintendent. We are grateful that Mr. Warlick continues to be a part of this community in the ways he gives back to our students."A UK man has shared a picture of what may be the worst ordered breakfast we've ever seen.

Thomas Hesketh ordered an eggs benedict when out for a weekend breakfast at the Wigan branch of Tesco, only to receive a dish he described as a "monstrosity".

Typically, an eggs benedict has an English muffin base, or perhaps potato hash or toast, and is topped with bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise. But this dish came out looking far from how it should.

Two eggs sat perched on top of sliced deli ham, topped with two congealed dollops of hollandaise sauce.

An arrest warrant for Scott was signed by a Texas judge in January 2018 that included a charge of murder in the death of Tracy Lynn Reedy, 50. Authorities have said they had lived together in Kilgore, Texas, and she was shot during an argument outside her apartment.With the new year upon us and a legislative session (under way), let us resolve to be the bright light that shines through the darkest night for the smallest and most vulnerable of angels.The new millennium was a time of great progress. New technology ushered in a wave of growth.

But it also brought with it, the biggest collapse in history.

Behind it all, loose lending and new innovations such as mortgage-backed securities. It led to a meltdown epic in scale.

Of course, Im talking about the crash of 2008.

Youd think.

Well think again

The new technology?

The mass-produced motor car.

And we think of mortgage-backed securities as a new innovation. But it may surprise you to know, the same thing went on during the 1920s.

The mainstream view is that the Great Depression was brought about by a stock market bubble.

However, much less is written about the real estate bubble of the 1920s.

The real estate bubble of the 1920s

When things got back to normal after the First World War, mass production of the motor car got into full swing. The auto got cheaper every year. Suddenly it was opening up vast suburban and rural areas to housing.

The land speculation was massive.

Developers were quick to move on the rising land values. Banks likewise chimed in right on cue, with ever looser lending. They were called shoestring mortgages back then. But they werent a lot different to the subprime mortgages of the 2000s.

Land around major cities sold like hotcakes. Between 1918 and 1926, house values rose by more than 400%. Thats the figure for around the nation. But it hides the full story. Land price in certain states and cities, went much higher than that. Most notably in Florida.

Between 1919 and 1925, the average value of a building permit in Miami grew from $89,000 to $7,993,500. Do the maths, thats a rise of 8,881% in only six years.

But it wasnt just residential housing that surged.

Commercial real estate also boomed. More buildings taller than 70 meters were constructed in New York between 1922 and 1931 than in any other 10-year period. Before or since!

But building tall had less to do with making some sort of architectural statement. It was more to do with economics.

Cass Gilbert, designer of the Woolworth Building in New York, described this new trend of building tall as, a machine that makes the land pay.

Inner city land values skyrocketed. Developers had to build tall to maximise the rents and turn a profit.

And there was good reason to be bullish about rents during the boom years. This is a summary of the times from the chairman of the Real Estate Securities Committee.

With the war over in the fall of 1918, a great shortage of space became evident. The average rents all over the country went up 10% in 1918, 20% in 1920, 10% in 1921, gradually increasing another 8% during 1922, 1923 and 1924, reaching 168% of the pre-war base. During this same period everyone capitalized real estate values on the basis of the high rents and by 1926 the average value of Chicago improved city real estate reached 194% of the pre-war value.

No wonder there was a strong appetite for mortgage-backed securities. Demand was so strong, that mortgage-backed securities quickly grew into one of the largest classes of investment assets in the 1920s. And it financed most of the construction of US skyscrapers of the time.

It wasnt just inner commercial real estate that boomed.

Rural farm values also went through the roof. Tractors all of a sudden became cheap to buy and widely available. That increased the productivity of farms and decreased food prices across the board.

New technology bringing huge gains. A surge in economic growth. You could always know, where the gains are going to end up.

See how the last crisis was not an isolated event. The same thing went on during the 1920s. Loose lending practices, mortgage backed securities. The common element between the two? A binge in land speculation.

How does this relate to the 2008 financial crisis?

The parallels are uncanny. And the real estate securities turned out to be as toxic back in the 1929, as they were in 2008.

Just as much of the blame for the crisis in in 1929, has been misdirected at the stock market, much of the blame in 2008 was misdirected at the financial sector.

What is underneath it all, what were the financial institutions loaning on?

An ever-rising, speculative land price.

Whether it be the shoestring mortgages of the 1920s. Or the subprime loans of the 2000s, its critical to realise, this is not the root cause of the downturn.

At its heart 2008 was not a financial crisis. It was a land crisis.

When you look at it from that angle it becomes less about how to reform the financial sector and more about how to stop the speculation in land.

Thats why the financial reforms put in place after 2008 have only ensured another boom bust.

Weve never dealt with the underlying problem.

How to deal with the speculation in land price?

Well, this is the very problem our own founding fathers of federation had. When they made plans for the new Federal city, eventually to be located in Canberra.

They knew what would happen, once the location of the new capital city became known. Speculators (really insiders) would buy up all the land beforehand for a song. Then just sit back and reap the profits. Capturing all of the increase in land value that came with population increase, public services and infrastructure building.

You know what? They found a solution.

Our founding fathers of federation found a way.

But because it took so long to agree on the site for the new city, the original vision of our founding fathers got lost. And their plan never got put in place as they saw it. There was the passing of decades and the personnel had all changed by the time Canberra had started to be built.

But the answers are there for anyone who wants to follow it through. Its not impossible to stop the speculation in land.

It really is the missing piece of the puzzle, as to why were locked into this boom bust cycle.

Only its not really missing.

Our economy is driven by real estate and banking. Property finance is at the very heart of modern economic policy.

Governments are most unlikely to rock that boat.

So, its carry on as we always have.

As an investor thats good to know. It sets us up for yet another real estate cycle. A boom bust most likely bigger than the last one.

Regards,

Terence Duffy,

Chartist, Phil Andersons Time TraderMarket regulator Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has constituted a "Research Advisory" committee which will assist in formulating policy to undertake research relevant for development and regulation of capital markets.

According to SEBI, the committee would comprise prominent financial economists and market practitioners. It will be headed by Sankar De.

"In order to strengthen its research function and enhance its linkage to policy making, SEBI has constituted a 'Research Advisory Committee' headed by Sankar De," a SEBI statement said.

Among the other functions of the committee will be defining objectives, scope and direction of research relevant for development and regulation of capital markets in the country with focus on "linkage of research to policy making".

The statement further said that another key task of the committee will be to maintain databases relevant for capital market regulation research.

"Exploring research collaborations with external researchers, including other regulators as well as academic institutions, both domestically and overseas, as appropriate," the statement noted about the functions of the committee.

Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article.One of the best tricks of the trade in the good old days was for the competent authority to mis-spell your name.

Train ticket, airline ticket, driving licence, scooter booking, radio licence, income tax refund, sales tax certificate, marriage certificate, school leaving certificate, board exam results, marriage certificates, travel documents, property documents, telephone booking receipt, gas cylinder records, legal paperwork ad infinitum. My name lends itself to variations, Viresh, Veresh, Mallik, Mullick, and so on and so forth. This culminates into been there, done it, smile and part with a few Gandhis (read rupee notes) and move on.

One of the more interesting episodes involved a colleague with the surname "Shah". The ticket issued at the airport, despite showing the passport, was issued to "Saha". He did not look at the document carefully enough, and sure enough, in a well-sprung trap, the counter staff inside the airport denied the Shah ban gaya Saha, a boarding pass.

A few Gandhis later, the matter was resolved, but I took up cudgels after the act, on return, with long letters protesting the case and demanding a refund. It was all the more enjoyable because the person who had caused the chaos in the first case was one "Rai", so all letters from me to the airline referred to him as "King Mr RAT".

I am assuming people have read KING RAT. It has a gory ending. Something like this is happening right now.

I have had a cooking gas connection in my correct name for decades now. Luckily the original documents from day-zero are with me, through different dealers as they changed, even the gas company changed itself from Burshane to Bharatgas. At one stage, the Aadhaar number was added, with correct spelling and mobile number, because of which I get the subsidy in my bank account and the SMS confirmation therein.

However, somehow, without my noticing it, in the bills, the spelling of my name has changed itself to Verash and my mobile number has disappeared from the dealer's records, even though, as I said before, the subsidy reaches me directly and the SMS message gets through to me on phone too.

Obviously, therefore, somebody has fiddled with the local database at the dealer end. The dealer's staff, magically, know my mobile number, though.

What happens, if your dealer database name and phone number are at variance with the records kept by the gas company, in this case Bharat Petroleum (where I am a shareholder of a reasonably large number of shares, by the way) aka BharatGas?

1) You cannot raise an online complaint or vigilance report.

2) You cannot make an online payment for a refill.

3) The dealer can threaten to stop supply.

4) Complaints made for gas leakage and emergencies can and do go adrift.

5) You cannot fill any form if the mobile number is wrong or absent.

All the above are underway right now. Luckily, we have electrical and solar options for cooking at home, and so we are not dependant on cooking gas at all, so that's one stick the dealer, one Guptaji from Satish & Company, Hauz Khas, South Delhi, cannot beat me with. But he did try to insist that I go through a "change name procedure", which costs Rs500 and buy a new regulator which costs Rs750 and also pay another Rs250 for a new hose pipe. Over and above that, an inspection for "insurance" purposes, another Rs300.

So when I sent Mr Gupat long letters telling him why I was not going to play along, he got kind of irritated with me referring to him as "Gupat", and refused to attend the gas leak emergency. Luckily, as an ex-tanker man myself, I know how to attend to this sort of stuff myself, but that's not the point.

The point is that all the other organisations, government or otherwise, have given up on the minor spelling variation games, and have moved on - or made it easier to fix matters.

It's called correction. Not "change".

After all, I am very happy with the name my parents gave me, so why is BharatGas aka BPCL ex-Burshane insisting that I have to "change" my name? Because Mr Gupatji of Satish & Company thinks, he can get away with it?

Note: If your name and other details have been altered by the dealer or gas company, then a "correction" is their responsibility. Don't get tricked into filling up a "name change" form and then paying for it.Corruption is everywhere. It a global phenomenonthe words of former prime minister Indira Gandhi. It could be by corrupting someone to part with an asset below fair price, or to be able to grab an asset in preference to someone else, or to snag some contract to make money. There are two parties in this: One, who gives a bribe to get something which is dispensed by someone who is in a position to do so; two, is the person who receives the bribe. Being in the government is a privileged position to abuse power and it is natural that a lot of corruption flows from the wielder of authority.

Most of us are used to paying speed money. Whether it is to get a simple birth certificate or a driving licence. This is petty corruption. At the other end are folks who hand out national assetscoal mines, telecom licences or permits like banking licences. Others frame laws and rules designed to favour someone. Most of us are used to paying speed money. Whether it is to get a simple birth certificate or a driving licence. This is petty corruption. At the other end are folks who hand out national assetscoal mines, telecom licences or permits like banking licences. Others frame laws and rules designed to favour someone.

And then we have businessmen who siphon off money from companies by billing personal expenses to the companys account, routing sales proceeds elsewhere, writing off bad debts, etc. And then we have employees who take money because they are in a position to influence a business decision. Every sphere of life in India has the shadow of corruption over it. Then there is the irksome matter of taxes. Everyone wants to lower this burden as much as possible or totally evade it. There are petty evasions running into a few thousand rupees a year, to larger ones running to a few hundred crore rupees.

Corruption on a small scale is not noticeable or traceable. On the other hand, those who skim off crores of rupees need a safe haven as well as safe assets to park the money. If they do it within the home country, there is the risk of getting caught. Of course, India is safer than many other countries, because India itself offers a safe haven for a lot of ill-gotten assets, aided by a legal system that is managed by the rich and powerful.

When the cop is corrupt, he will deal with corruption offences or complaints with kid gloves. All this helps the corrupt Indian to flaunt wealth within India itself. The legal experts and the accounting wizards help to launder a lot of money very easily. Plus, the well-designed loophole of tax-free agriculture income is another design in the legal architecture to help facilitate parking the dirty money.

Apparently, one side of corruption is carefully and deliberately hidden from debate. Moneyland, a delightful book by Oliver Bullough, rips the mask of the Western world which gives illicit money a haven. While they rail against corruption in other nations, their bankers, lawyers and governments are working overtime to ensure that crooks and their money have a safe haven in their own geographies.

This is highly remunerative for their countries. This pool of external money also keeps the asset prices high, creating a sense of well-being among their citizens. Oliver Bullough has meticulously documented the efforts that UK, USA and a few other small and obscure countries like St Kitts, Nevis, Lichtenstein, etc, have done to facilitate global corruption. Cities, like London, are virtually owned by corrupt money from across the world.

As he says very tellingly, Money flows across frontiers, but laws do not. The rich live globally, the rest of us have borders. If India has to bring Vijay Mallya or Nirav Modi home, the Indian courts cannot do it. The rich and powerful are well protected by these havens which offer a cosy nest for their ill-gotten money and also the freedom to spend and buy assets in those nations.

So, who is more corrupt: The US, which now has the most liberal of laws to hide money from across the globe, or Ukraine or Nigeria? Ukraine cannot be corrupt without ample help from USA, UK and the Swiss. The US has played a clever game. It has unseated the holy Swiss bankers from their perch for being a haven for crooked money. And the legal framework it has thrust upon the Swiss is wonderful.

The Swiss, and a few other countries, are signatory to a delightfully one-sided agreement that makes it compulsory for the Swiss and others to disclose full details of bank accounts, if the US asks. However, if you ask the same thing from a US banker, he is not obliged to do disclose the details. Each state in USA has its own additional attractions too. Nevada has asset protection ordinances that give a law of limitation of two years to claw back any ill-gotten money.

The author has also talked about structures used to mask the ownership of assets; these structures are actively encouraged by the UK and the USA. Of course, the Swiss were the pioneers in the field; these two nations have taken it to a different league. The enablers (lawyers, accountants and bankers) are never harmed by these Western nations and have created an industry where they are ready to sell citizenships and passports at a price. Of course, no questions asked about the source of money. You read about how banks, like Citibank, have actively canvassed for such money without bothering about morals or legalities. And how the legal system lets them off with a token fee.

So, how come on the Corruption Perception Index, the USA is 16th and India is 81st in the corruption ranking? Or how is Switzerland ranked 3rd and UK is ranked 8th? Clearly, the Westerners have manipulated perceptions of corruption and are past masters at making themselves look holy, argues the author. They have no morals but have given themselves the exclusive rights to preach to others. The author lays bare the double standards of the US and the UK in trying to tell the world to be honest.

The book is fast-paced. There are a lot of examples from Ukraine, Russia and a few other countries. Some of them would probably make our politicians look like beggars. This book will make you angry. Of course, given the nature of humans, it may also be inspirational for some.Overcapacity in the medium density fibreboard (MDF) industry will persist till FY21-22 at least. Due to the overcapacity, MDF prices to remain suppressed for the rest of current financial year, says a research report.

In the report, India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra), says the MDF sector has witnessed capacity growth of around 200% through a greenfield and brownfield project in the last couple of years. The total capacities in India, which stood at about 0.5 million cubic meters (CBM) in FY16-17, are likely to cross 1.5 million CBM by the end of FY18-19 and 1.8 million CBM by FY21-22.

In FY18-19, the industry witnessed capacity addition from Greenply Industries, while FY20-21 will see Rushil Decor Ltd (RDL)'s greenfield capacity become operational.

"Given the overcapacities, the sector has witnessed a price correction 10%-12% in the first two quarters for FY18-19. The agency expects prices to remain suppressed for the rest of the year because of overcapacity. Known brands, however, are likely to fetch a premium of around 10%-15% in line with historic trends," it added.

The government has supported the MDF industry by levying an anti-dumping duty (ADD) up to $64.35 per CBM on imports of thick MDF till July 2021 from China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, which have together accounted for a major proportion of India's thick MDF imports historically. This measure has provided some respite to the industry.

However, Ind-Ra says post-July 2021 the ability of manufacturers to convince the ministry to extend the duty further will be critical. Imports of thin MDF are duty-free and do pose a threat to domestic producers.

From its interactions with industry players Ind-Ra says that the volume of thin MDF business in India is relatively low. Hence, the absence of ADD does not have a major impact on domestic players.

Based on discussions with industry players, the ratings agency says it understands that the average cost of raw material (agro wood) is Rs1.4-1.5 per kg for global players and over Rs2/kg for Indian producers. "There is abundant availability of agro-wood globally. However, restrictions on exports agro wood in some countries and high freight cost have adversely affected the ability of Indian players to import the product," it added.

The MDF industry is dominated by a few players such as Greenply Industries, Balaji Action Buildwell, RDL. In addition, Century Plyboards India Ltd (CPIL) has set up a new unit.

These players, along with some other smaller capacities and imports about 30%, made up the entire MDF industry in India in FY17-18. "Historically, the total fixed cost (excluding interest expense) for established players in the MDF segment has accounted for 15-20% of their revenues. Barring RDL, which has raised large debt for its upcoming facilities, all these players have low debt on their books," Ind-Ra says.

According to the ratings agency, given the low fixed costs and debt, at an average capacity utilisation of around 70%-75%, these players will be able to cover their fixed costs as well as scheduled debt payments, including interest and instalments.

"Players with higher debt levels will need higher-than-average capacity utilisation. Capacity utilisation in this industry was more than 95% in FY17-18, indicating a cushion of 20-25% decline. The agency expects MDF oversupply of 35%-40% till FY21-22, as the anticipated annual industry growth of 11%-12% will be much lower than the rate of new capacity growth," Ind-Ra added.

Ind-Ra says it expects players to record deterioration in their credit profiles as they would have to resort to cuts in prices and margins to survive. This could result in rating downgrades/changes in the outlook to Negative.In late March 2018, President Donald Trump and then-Defense Secretary James Mattis discussed the idea that the U.S. military could help the president achieve one of his cherished aims: The Pentagon would build a wall across the countrys southern border.

Securing Americans and securing the nation is of paramount importance to the secretary, the Pentagon press secretary at the time, Dana White, said of the discussions with Trump. They have talked about it, but I dont have any more details as to specifics.

In the weeks and months that followed, a variety of reports seemed to raise questions about whether the U.S. military was in any position to be dedicating money or personnel to a border wall. There was, for instance, an April 2018 Government Accountability Office report wondering whether the military even had adequate data to assess its own state of combat readiness.

In October, there came a more sweeping report from the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. In its 2019  Index of U.S. Military Strength , what the foundation bills as its comprehensive annual assessment of Americas military power, the organization concluded: As currently postured, the U.S. military is only marginally able to meet the demands of defending Americas vital national interests.

Among the reports highlights:

The Air Force and Marine Corps both received weak readiness ratings, with the Air Force mired in a crippling shortage of fighter pilots (more than 1,000) and fighter aircraft (nearly 300). The average fighter pilot is currently flying fewer than two times a week, severely degrading combat readiness of the force.

Of the U.S. Armys 31 brigade combat teams, the building blocks of American ground combat power, only 15 are considered ready and only eight of those are fully ready. Army leaders have said it could be 2022 before the service gets to its goal of two-thirds of its active BCTs ready.

The Marine Corps maintained its 2018 weak comprehensive rating, with approximately half of its amphibious ship and tactical aircraft fleets unavailable for current operations.

In the Heritage Foundations news release about the report, Tom Spoehr, director of the Center for National Defense and a retired Army lieutenant general, said: There can be no doubt  the U.S. military is still too small, insufficiently ready, and under-modernized. Despite recent, much-needed increases in the defense budget, rebuilding will take years. The consistent theme across the services has been one of degraded readiness, outdated equipment and overburdened service members.

The state of Americas military readiness is no abstract question. A year before the 2018 Heritage Foundation report on military strength, the Navy suffered back-to-back disasters when 17 sailors died in two accidents involving destroyers in the vaunted Seventh Fleet. The state of the fleets readiness came in for withering critiques in the aftermath of the accidents.

In general, were asking too few ships to do too many things, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said at a meeting of the Senate Armed Services Committee after the Navy produced a series of reports on the fatal accidentsFacebook has violated Vietnam's new cybersecurity law by allowing users to post anti-government comments on the platform, state media said on January 9, days after the controversial legislation took effect in the communist-ruled country.

Despite economic reforms and increasing openness to social change, Vietnam's Communist Party retains tight media censorship and does not tolerate dissent.

"Facebook had reportedly not responded to a request to remove fanpages provoking activities against the state," the official Vietnam News Agency said, citing the Ministry of Information and Communication.

Facebook did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters for comment.

The ministry said Facebook also allowed personal accounts to upload posts containing "slanderous" content, anti-government sentiment and defamation of individuals and organisations, the agency added.

"This content had been found to seriously violate Vietnam's Law on cybersecurity" and government regulations on the management, provision and use of internet services, it quoted the ministry as saying.

Global technology companies and rights groups have earlier said the cybersecurity law, which took effect on Jan. 1 and includes requirements for technology firms to set up local offices and store data locally, could undermine development and stifle innovation in Vietnam.

Company officials have privately expressed concerns that the new law could make it easier for the authorities to seize customer data and expose local employees to arrest.

Facebook had refused to provide information on "fraudulent accounts" to Vietnamese security agencies, the agency said in Wednesday's report.

The information ministry is also considering taxing Facebook for advertising revenue from the platform.

The report cited a market research company as saying $235 million was spent on advertising on Facebook in Vietnam in 2018, but that Facebook was ignoring its tax obligations there.

In November, Vietnam said it wanted half of social media users on domestic social networks by 2020 and plans to prevent "toxic information" on Facebook and Google.A: The ceremony was at the annual Township Officials of Illinois Education Conference in Springfield. They give out awards to various townships across the state. The most significant thing I took away from this award is the work we do at MaineStay is deeply personal to me. I consider it an honor to be in this position and be able to do this work. When I was growing up, a single mom raised me. She struggled financially, with mental illness and physical disabilities. Being in this current position and serving the families and kids from similar backgrounds is an incredible privilege. I look at the job as a mission, and not just a job. Its a way to give back. We try to make a difference in peoples lives as best we can.Representative image

US and Chinese negotiators extended trade war talks into a third day on Wednesday, with President Donald Trump boasting that discussions to resolve the dispute were going "very well".

An American delegation has been in Beijing since Monday for the first sit-down talks since Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to a three-month truce on December 1.

Asian markets rose on increasing optimism that the two sides would be able to hammer out a deal ahead of a March deadline and avert further import tariff hikes.

"Talks with China are going very well!" Trump tweeted after the second day of negotiations on Tuesday.

The US delegation, led by Deputy Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish, was supposed to end its visit on Tuesday.

But a US government official told AFP on condition of anonymity that "the trade talks have continued today (Wednesday)", without providing more information.

Washington has been clamouring for an end to the alleged forced transfer -- and even theft -- of American technology, as well as steep government subsidies for Chinese companies.

The Trump administration also wants Beijing to buy more American goods to narrow a yawning trade gap and allow foreign players better access to the Chinese market.

Neither Chinese nor US officials have given any details about the discussions.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross signalled in a CNBC interview on Monday that there was a "very good chance" of reaching an agreement.

China's economy was more vulnerable to the fallout from the trade war, he said, noting that Beijing exports more goods to the United States than the other way around.

"I think a deal is very possible and I've heard some very encouraging words," Apple chief executive Tim Cook told CNBC.

"I don't speak for them obviously," Cook said in reference to the Trump administration.

"I do talk with them and I give them my ideas and thoughts."

The US smartphone maker has felt the pinch of the bruising trade spat, and warned that 2018 revenues would miss its forecast -- in large part due to a slump in iPhone sales in China.

The temporary ceasefire came after the two sides imposed import duties on more than USD 300 billion of each other's goods.

Without a resolution, punitive US duty rates on USD 200 billion in Chinese goods are due to rise to 25 per cent from 10 per cent on March 2.

The current trade round coincided with an unannounced visit from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for talks with Xi in Beijing ahead of a possible second meeting between Kim and Trump.

China -- Pyongyang's sole diplomatic ally and main source of trade -- said it would not use Kim's visit as a bargaining chip in the US trade talks.(AFP) RUP .UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who addressed the gathering by video message because of the pandemic, warned that "the only way to totally eliminate nuclear risk is to totally eliminate nuclear weapons".

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has "strongly rejected" the Guatemalan Government's decision to unilaterally terminate the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), an independent body set up by the UN and Guatemala to investigate illegal security groups and high-level corruption in the country.

Guatemalan Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel on January 7 met Guterres at the world body's headquarters here and presented him with a letter informing the United Nations of the government's decision to terminate the Agreement, which established CICIG, within 24 hours.

In a statement, the UN Spokesman said that the Secretary-General "strongly rejects" the contents of the letter, adding that the United Nations has been "constructively engaged with the Government of Guatemala, at various levels, over the last sixteen months, in accordance with Article 12 of the agreement creating CICIG."

The mandate of the Commission is scheduled to end on September 3, 2019 and the UN expects the Government of Guatemala to "entirely fulfil its legal obligations" under the agreement, and "abide by its international undertakings to ensure the protection of the CICIG personnel, both international and national, said the statement.

In September 2018, the CICIG Commissioner, Ivan Velasquez, was barred from re-entering Guatemala, and was asked by the Secretary-General to continue running the Commission from outside the country, until a solution could be found.

Guterres recalled the important contribution to the fight against impunity made by the CICIG, which was set up in 2006 at the invitation of the government and was seen as an innovative initiative to strengthen the rule of law.

It was believed that criminal groups had infiltrated state institutions, fostering impunity and undermining democratic gains in the country following the country's civil war, which ended in the 1990s, the UN said.British Prime Minister Theresa May's government suffered a defeat in parliament on Tuesday when lawmakers who oppose leaving the European Union without a deal won a vote on creating a fresh obstacle to a no-deal Brexit.

The 303 to 296 defeat means that the government will need explicit parliamentary approval to leave the EU without a deal before it can use certain powers relating to taxation law. May's office had earlier downplayed the technical impact of defeat.

The defeat also highlights May's weak position as leader of a divided party just days before she is due to hold a pivotal vote on whether to approve the Brexit deal she has negotiated with the EU.Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May waits for the result of the vote in her constituency at the count centre for the general election in Maidenhead, June 9, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melville - RTX39QYF

British Prime Minister Theresa May suffered an early defeat to her Brexit plans on January 8, when lawmakers demanded the government come up with a plan B within days if she loses a vote on her deal to leave the European Union.

With less than three months before Britain is due to leave the EU, parliament kicked off a five-day battle over May's Brexit plan with a show of force - undermining her preferred timetable if lawmakers vote down her deal on January 15.

May has refused to retreat from her unpopular deal, which envisages close trading ties with the EU after leaving in March, pressing ahead with the vote that she looks set to lose after failing to win over her nominal Northern Irish allies.

Losing the vote would deepen the uncertainty over the future of Brexit, Britain's biggest shift in foreign and trade policy for more than 40 years, and opens the way for several different outcomes, ranging from a disorderly exit to another referendum.

Lawmakers voted 308-297 in favour of demanding the government come up with an alternative plan within three working days after the vote, rather than a planned 21-day limit, a largely symbolic vote aimed at putting pressure on the government.

There were turbulent scenes in parliament when some in May's Conservative Party accused the speaker of bias.

May's spokesman said the government's advice was that parliament could not change its so-called business motion which set out the procedure for the Brexit vote, but played down the impact of the vote for its overall plans.

"We are doing everything we can to win the meaningful vote that happens on Tuesday," the spokesman said.

"But it is also the intention, if that were not to take place, that we respond quickly to provide certainty on the way forward following that vote."

Combined with a vote when the government lost on the finance bill, the defeats underline May's precarious position in parliament and the difficult she will have in winning approval for her Brexit deal.

ALTERNATIVES

The opposition Labour Party has said that it will immediately table a vote of no confidence in the government if May loses the vote.

With the likelihood of a no-deal Brexit rising, the EU is looking at how Brexit might be postponed, and pro-EU campaigners are testing ways Britain could hold another referendum after voters narrowly backed leaving in 2016.

Earlier on January 8, May called on lawmakers to vote for her deal, suggesting she was confident of getting further assurances from the EU to ease their concerns and offering Northern Ireland more control over the "backstop" arrangement to prevent the return of a hard border with EU member Ireland.

"I've been in contact with European leaders ... about MPs' (members of parliament) concerns. These discussions have shown that further clarification over the backstop is possible and those talks will continue over the next few days," May said.

But Northern Irish politicians were swift to dismiss her proposals to offer Northern Ireland a "strong voice and role in any decision to bring the backstop into effect".

Sammy Wilson, the Brexit spokesman for Northern Ireland's Democratic Unionist Party, said: "The only thing which could swing the DUP round is if the backstop as it applies to the United Kingdom as a whole or to Northern Ireland specifically were removed from this agreement."

Wilson, one of 10 DUP lawmakers propping up May's minority government, cast as "window dressing" her proposals to give the Northern Irish assembly the power to vote against new EU rules if the border backstop comes into force after Brexit.

Her deal, he said, was "ruinous".

FANTASIES

Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29 at 2300 GMT.

May told lawmakers that parliament had a choice: backing her deal or risk Britain leaving the bloc without a deal, a scenario many businesses say would disrupt supply chains and hinder investment in the world's fifth largest economy.

May's de-facto deputy said it was a delusion to think the government would be able to negotiate a new divorce deal if parliament voted down hers.

"I don't think the British public are served by fantasies about magical, alternative deals that are somehow going to spring out of a cupboard in Brussels," Cabinet Office Minister David Lidington said in an interview with BBC radio.

The government needs 318 votes to get a deal through the 650-seat House of Commons, as seven members of Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein do not sit, four speakers and deputy speakers do not vote and the four tellers are not counted.

Some investors and major banks believe May's deal will be defeated on but that eventually it will be approved.Breaking News

Suspicious packages were found at seven foreign consulates in Melbourne and the capital territory in Australia on January 9, according to reports.

It was immediately unclear if a package was found at the Indian consulate in Melbourne too.

Melbournes Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) said it was assisting the Australian Federal Police at a number of incidents at embassies across Melbourne.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) said in a tweet that emergency services responded to suspicious packages at embassies and consulates in Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and Victoria.

The packages are being examined by attending emergency services. The circumstances are being investigated, it said.

Australian media reported earlier that packages were sent to at least nine international missions in Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, including the British, German, Swiss and Indian embassies.

Images taken by 9News showed firefighters and paramedics attending the Indian and U.S. missions in Melbourne. There were no immediate reports of any harm to staff.

A spokeswoman for the British High Commission confirmed its office in Melbourne had received a suspicious package.

"We are liaising closely with the AFP and the local authorities regarding the situation," the spokeswoman said.

"All our staff are safe and accounted for," she said.China is allowing more than 2,000 ethnic Kazakhs to abandon their Chinese citizenship and leave the country, the Kazakh Foreign Ministry said, in a sign that Beijing may be starting to feel a mounting backlash against its sweeping crackdown on Muslims in the far west region of Xinjiang.

The detention of Uighur, Kazakh and other ethnic minorities in internment camps has been a touchy issue in neighbouring Kazakhstan, a Central Asian country of 18 million people.

China is a major trading partner, and Kazakhstan's state-restricted media had generally avoided reporting on it.

But activists say pressure for action has slowly built, following an Associated Press story on the camps in May and other international media coverage.

The Foreign Ministry press office, in an email response, confirmed Kazakh media reports in December that China has agreed to let 2,000-plus ethnic Kazakhs leave.

It did not say who could leave or why. They will be allowed to apply for Kazakh citizenship or permanent residency after their arrival in Kazakhstan, the email said.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Chinese authorities in Xinjiang have launched a massive surveillance and detention campaign that has swept hundreds of thousands and possibly more than a million people into internment camps.

Former detainees have said they were forced to renounce their culture and faith and subjected to political indoctrination.

The detentions have sent a chill over a tight-knit community of Chinese-born Kazakhs living in Kazakhstan.

Many had left China to pursue business opportunities in trade or educate their children in Kazakh schools as restrictions tightened in Xinjiang.

Hundreds lost contact with relatives in Xinjiang, and many began writing letters and attending press conferences, hoping that greater publicity would help bring their loved ones home.

Serikzhan Bilash, head of the advocacy group Atajurt, senses a subtle shift in the Kazakh government's position.

He said he was warned by officials to halt his activities four times this summer but the warnings have stopped.

Last month, he was invited onto a popular Kazakh talk show for an hour, indicating growing tolerance of his work publicising the plight of detained Kazakhs.

"I said that Chinese officials are dangerous for Central Asia, for Kazakhstan," Bilash said.

"They're starting to accept my opinion now."

Though they've avoided criticising China, Kazakh diplomats have worked to secure the release of their own citizens in Xinjiang.

Foreign Ministry officials said in November that China had detained 29 Kazakh citizens, and 15 had since been released and allowed to return to Kazakhstan.

Gene Bunin, an activist who has collected about 2,000 testimonies from relatives of detainees in Xinjiang, estimates that about 20 people, possibly more, were allowed to return to Kazakhstan last year.

Bunin has tracked another 70 or so who have been released from camps but confined to their home villages and prevented from leaving the country.

"They've been getting released since September," said Bunin, who lived in Xinjiang until last year.

"I suspect it's sort of an appeasement thing going on, where they're trying to satisfy the relatives, to defuse tensions."

Those allowed to return so far have been largely Kazakh citizens or those with spouses or children born in Kazakhstan.

One 23-year-old Kazakh citizen, who asked to be identified by her nickname Guli to protect her family from retribution, was able to return from Xinjiang in July after being separated from her husband and two children for more than two years. She said she broke down in tears after a Kazakh official called to say she might be able to return.

"I thought I'd never be able to go back to Kazakhstan again, that I wouldn't able to see my kids again," she said. "I had lost all hope."

In recent months, Chinese-born Kazakhs in Kazakhstan have started to hear that their relatives in Xinjiang were being released from the camps.

Their joy has turned to anxiety as most of the relatives remain in Xinjiang under unclear circumstances, unable to leave for Kazakhstan.

"I want to find a way to bring my entire family over to Kazakhstan," said Adilgazy Yergazy, who heard one of his younger brothers had been released on December 24 but hasn't been able to leave China.

"They're all very scared.The Dakshineswar Skywalk in Kolkata is 380 meters long and 10.5 meters wide. It connects the Dakshineswar Railway Station to the Dakshineswar Kali temple.

Travel and tourism industry representatives from 42 countries will attend 'Destination East 2019', a buyer-seller meet to be held on January 14 and 15, West Bengal Tourism Secretary Atri Bhattacharya has said.

He said that with emphasis on USA and Europe, around 65 percent of the 110 buyers to participate in the event, would be from there.

An initiative to promote inbound tourism in West Bengal, the event is meant to help tour operators to expand their business by promoting new destinations to their customers, Bhattacharya told newspersons here January 8.

He said that this year, there would be discussions to create new circuits beyond the border, involving the bordering and nearby countries where the state has direct connectivity.

"The new circuits can be with Bhutan and Nepal, which have direct air and road connectivity with the state," Bhattacharya said.

"Based on interactions, we will know the outlines of such an initiative," the tourism secretary said.

The ninth edition of Destination East would emphasise on positioning Kolkata as the cultural capital of the country and also to promote Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, where the event will be held, as a MICE destination, said Vijay Dewan of business chamber CII, which is partnering the state in organising the meet.

"With 1,700 rooms to be added to the city's star hotel capacity by 2022-23 at an investment of around Rs 2,500 crore, and large convention centres coming up, West Bengal can be an ideal destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences/Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism," Dewan said.

The tourism secretary said that amongst the top 10 states contributing to inbound tourism growth in India, West Bengal ranked sixth in 2017 with a contribution of 16 lakh foreign tourist arrivals (FTA), which is 5.9 percent of total FTAs to India ahead of states like Kerala and Goa.Supriya Sule

Annoyed with work calls after office hours? Left for home when your boss calls you back for last-minute work? May be, you are stressed over the possibility of getting a work call on Sunday. Well, if Member of Parliament (MP) Supriya Sule gets her way, you will not face these situations again.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) member Supriya Sule on December 28 presented a private member bill which would allow employees to refuse work-related calls and emails beyond office hours and holidays.

The Right to Disconnect Bill mandates companies to detail out-of-work demands as a way to reduce stress and ease tension between an employees personal and professional life", Sule said.

As per the bill, an Employee Welfare Authority will be set up, including ministers from other departments like IT, Communication and Labour. Besides publishing a study regarding the impact of digital tools beyond work hours and yearly reports, the authority is required to outline a charter outlining employee-employer negotiations.

In addition, the Bill also states that companies with more than 10 employees would negotiate specific terms and conditions with their workers, publish their own charter and create an Employee Welfare Committee consisting of representatives from the companys workforce.

Companies cannot take any action against employees if they do not receive or refuse to accept work-related calls outside of the accepted terms. An employee is entitled to work overtime if he or she has agreed to work outside of the established conditions.

The Bill also states that the government would have to set up digital detox centres, employee counselling centres and other resources that free an employee from digital distraction and enable him to connect with the people around him truly. If companies fail to do so and not follow the set conditions, it will lead to a one percent penalty to the employees total remuneration.

Studies have found that if an employee is expected to be available round-the-clock, they tend to exhibit risks of over-working like sleep deprivation, developing stress and being emotionally exhausted, Sule wrote to The Indian Express. This persistent urge to respond to calls and e-mails (termed as telepressure), constant checking of e-mails throughout the day, and even on weekends and holidays, is reported to have destroyed the work-life balance of employees.

Sules statement also draws a highlight to a report that states an employees productivity dips after 50-hour work weeks and affects sleep due to office calls post-working hours. Similar provisions have been implemented by the French Supreme Court, introduced in New York and being discussed in Germany.Pinarayi Vijayan

In an embarrassing moment for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Google's search results displayed the CPI(M) veteran's Wikipedia page for "bad chief minister" on Wednesday.

On Monday, Google recorded over 20,000 searches on the keyword 'bad chief minister. Vijayans supporters sense that the opposition is behind this incident. It is not the first time that a Google search is in the news for wrong results. Earlier, when you searched for the word idiot, an image of US President Donald Trump would pop up on the screen.

In 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was seen in the list of Top 10 criminals on Google next to underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and Libyan leader Gaddafi. Even in 2009, the search engine showed pictures of the former first lady of US, Michelle Obamas face retouched to have ape-like features. In the early 2000s, searches for miserable failures loaded with results of President George W Bush.

Google in its explanation said that the algorithm works on what people search for and lists out a bunch of pages and websites where the keywords match. Sometimes, the way images are described on the internet can yield surprising results to specific queries. We apologise for any confusion or misunderstanding this has caused. Were continually working to improve our algorithms to prevent unexpected results like this.

Vijayan has been engrossed in handling the Sabarimala situation Kerala witnessing unprecedented violence between workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and the CPI(M). Both parties have accused each other of orchestrating violence in the state. As many as 5,769 people have been arrested, and 1,869 cases have been registered in hartal-related violence in the state after two women entered the Lord Ayyappa shrine on January 2.Participants fly kites during a Kite Festival in Surat. (Image: PTI)

Bollywood actors Manisha Koirala, Deepti Naval and Rekha during the launch of a book titled 'Healed', written by Neelam Kumar, in Mumbai. (Image: PTI)

A view of deserted roads near Howrah Bridge during the 2nd day of 48-hour nationwide general strike called by the central trade unions against alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labour reforms, in Kolkata. (Image: PTI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being presented a memento by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis during the dedication of the Solapur-Tuljapur-Osmanabad section of New NH-52 to the nation and foundation stone laying ceremony of multiple development projects, in Solapur. (Image: PTI)

Congress President Rahul Gandhi waves as Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Ghelot and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot looks on during the Kisan Rally, in Jaipur. (Image: PTI)

US President Donald Trump delivers a televised address to the nation from his desk in the Oval Office about immigration and the southern US border on the 18th day of a partial government shutdown at the White House in Washington. (Image: Reuters)

Catholic devotees flip their towels to celebrate the feast day of the Black Nazarene in Manila. (Image: Reuters)

Tesla CEO Elon Musk shakes hands with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang as he arrives for a meeting at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing. (Image: Reuters)

Brick factory workers stack bricks on carts in Dhaka. (Image: Reuters)Citizenship bill

A day-long shutdown was held on January 8 across the Northeast against The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, as the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government pushed the bill through Lok Sabha. Protests were held across Assam.

The bill amends laws to grant citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, who fled religious persecution from the three neighbouring countries and entered India before December 31, 2014.

Some of the allies of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also opposed the bill. The Congress and the Left Front said that the law is fundamental against the Constitution. Critics fear that migrants may pose cultural and linguistic threat to the community.

However, in Bengali-dominated areas like the Barak valley, most people welcome the bill as they hope it will safeguard them from the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The draft NRC had left out around 40 lakh people who face possible deportation.

The Bengali-speaking Muslims who are form the majority in districts in central and western Assam, are against the proposal to offer citizenship only to non-Muslim migrants.

BJP allies such as the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), opponents such as the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), and 70 other indigenous outfits have launched a campaign against the bill.

Other Northeastern states have taken a mixed stand towards the bill. Bengali-majority Tripura is partially against the bill.

Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram where BJP allies are in power, want the bill to be reviewed before passing.

People in Mizoram fear that the Buddhists Chakmas from Bangladesh will take advantage of the Act. Whereas, people in Meghalaya and Nagaland are apprehensive of Bengali migrants.

Arunachal Pradesh, which is governed by the BJP, fears that the law would benefit Chakmas and Tibetans.

The Manipur government wants to setup an Inner Line Permit System to stop migrants from entering the state. The Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura and the opposition Indigenous National party of Tripura are against the bill.

The BJP is however confident to get Hindu and tribal votes by granting tribal status and implementing Clause 6 of the Assam Accord- 1986 which is aimed at granting constitutional safeguard to Assamese.Trinamool Congress MP Saumitra Khan joined the BJP on January 9, giving a fillip to the saffron party's campaign in West Bengal in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

Khan, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party following a meeting with party president Amit Shah, lashed out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that there was no democracy, but "police raj" in the state.

The 38-year-leader said he, like many other young people, has faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, he added, would bring about a change in the state.

"There is no democracy in the state. People cannot vote. Police raj is there," he told reporters at a press conference here. Khan represents the Bishnupur constituency in the Lok Sabha and was earlier a member of the state assembly as well.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan made the announcement of Khan joining the party in the presence of Mukul Roy, a former top TMC leader who had defected to the BJP in 2017, and other BJP leaders,.

Pradhan claimed that the development marked the changing politics of the state, saying the BJP's acceptance and credibility was at an an "all time high" in eastern India as the Modi government had given the region a priority in its agenda of growth and progress.

"There is an atmosphere in the favour of the BJP. Eastern India will provide a strong pillar for the government's return to power at the Centre in the Lok Sabha polls," Pradhan said.

The BJP has identified the state as one of the priority states and party chief Amit Shah has set a target of 22 seats. It had won two of the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2014, while the TMC won 34.

There have been reports that Khan might have been dropped by the Trinamool from its candidates list in the Lok Sabha polls.Pakistan would make all efforts to bring peace and stability in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said January 8.

During a meeting with Mohammad Umer Daudzai, Afghanistan president's Special Envoy for Regional Consensus for Afghan Peace, Qureshi said peace and stability in Afghanistan are in Pakistan's own national interest and necessary for the economic development and prosperity in the region.

"The Foreign Minister assured that Pakistan would do all to help the people of Afghanistan see the earliest possible end to bloodshed and enter a new phase of peace and prosperity," the Foreign Office (FO) said in a statement.

Daudzai expressed Afghan government's strong desire to make maximum use of the framework provided by Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS) in all areas of cooperation.

"Enhancing bilateral trade and economic activities and more regular cultural and people-to-people contacts was the need of the hour," he said.

Both the sides agreed for regular exchange of high level visits for creating greater harmony and coordination on various areas of mutual interest.Donald Trump's special Afghan envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is travelling to India to coordinate efforts to facilitate an intra-Afghan political settlement, the State Department has announced, a day after the US president discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi ways to enhance cooperation in war-torn Afghanistan.

The State Department on January 8 said Khalilzad will lead an inter-agency delegation to India, China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan from January 8 to January 21. However, country-specific dates of his travel were not announced.

The announcements of his visit to the region came amid reports that Trump plans to withdraw thousands of troops from Afghanistan, which depends on the US and other foreign powers for military support and training.

Khalilzad will meet with senior government officials in each country to facilitate an intra-Afghan political settlement.

This is Khalilzad's first trip to India after he was appointed as the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation last year. Since then he has made multiple trips to the region, without being to India.

During a telephonic conversation on January 7 evening, Modi and Trump, among other things, discussed increasing their cooperation in war-torn Afghanistan.

Trump last week took a jibe at Modi for funding a "library" in Afghanistan, saying it is of no use in the war-torn country as he criticised India and others for not doing enough for the nation's security.

India has been actively involved in the reconstruction efforts in war-ravaged Afghanistan. It has committed about USD 3 billion in assistance to Afghanistan since US-led forces toppled the Taliban regime after the September 11, 2001 attacks.

"The United States supports the desire of the Afghan people and the international community for a political settlement that ends the 40-year conflict and ensures Afghanistan never again serves as a platform for international terrorism," the State Department said.

Khalilzad will meet with Afghan government officials and other interested parties to support and facilitate an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan, empowering the Afghan people to chart a shared course for their nation's future, it said.

The State Department noted that Khalilzad continues to coordinate his efforts with the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and other Afghan stakeholders to ensure an intra-Afghan peace process.

It said the American goal is to promote dialogue among Afghans about how to end the conflict and to encourage the parties to come together at the negotiating table to reach a political settlement where every Afghan citizen enjoys equal rights and responsibilities under the rule of law.

During his last trip to the region in December, Khalilzad had reiterated that the only solution to the conflict is for all parties to sit together and reach an agreement on the political future of Afghanistan with mutual respect and acceptance, the State Department said.

The war in Afghanistan is America's longest overseas military intervention. It has cost Washington nearly USD 1 trillion and killed tens of thousands of people.Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray

Quoting a book, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday said the Centre's crop insurance scheme was "as big a scam" as the Rafale fighter jet deal.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's frequent foreign tours, he said mere speeches and announcements will not help the public, and demanded that the BJP-led government solve farmers' problems before looking at alliance talks for the forthcoming elections.

Modi had launched the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna in 2015 with the main objective to provide insurance cover and financial support to farmers in the event of failure of any of the notified crops as a result of natural calamities, pests and diseases.

Addressing a rally in Beed district of Maharashtra during his tour of the drought-hit Marathwada region, Thackeray asked how many people received benefits of the government's crop insurance scheme after paying instalments to insurance firms.

"People have got cheques of Rs 2, Rs 5, Rs 50, Rs 100. I don't do 'Mann ki Baat' (referring to Modi's monthly radio programme) but believe in speaking 'jann ki baat'. Allegations are being made that there is a scam of thousands of crores in the crop insurance scheme," he said.

"Who should we question? There is someone called Sainath, who is an expert on the subject, who has written a book. He has said the crop insurance scam is as big a scam as Rafale," Thackeray said.

While the Opposition Congress has been alleging corruption in the Rafale jet deal, the government has denied it.

Claiming that there was a "bubble" of announcements, Thackeray asked the government to "solve the problems of farmers before considering any alliance talks".

The Sena has been regularly hitting out at the BJP despite being part of the government in Maharashtra and at the Centre. Its leaders have often said they would contest the next polls on their own.

Thackeray's party and the BJP had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in alliance but split up at the time of Assembly polls. The Sena joined the state government later.

"Everyday you (Modi) go to different countries and say my country is changing? How many days left (in power) for you now?" Thackeray asked.

"You go to different countries everyday and think our country is changing? Today Russia, tomorrow Japan and day after China. Then say our country is changing. The country may be changing for you but not for people, their conditions, their sorrows are not changing," he said.

The Sena chief said he would not mind if he does not get a single vote after speaking truth, but he was averse to winning elections by speaking lies.

He said the Centre had neither been able to resolve issues or farmers nor constructed the Ram temple.

"If the issue was to be decided by court, why did you make this promise in your poll manifesto?" Thackeray asked.

Hitting out at the Centre's drought assessment team which visited the state last month to take stock of the situation, he said it was "useless" and a mere ploy to show "carrots" to people.

"It needs to be understood who is truly yours and who is not. Mere speeches and announcements do not fill the vessels of people. The central team to assess drought came and went. Did you get anything? It is strange they need a mechanism to see drought even after the area is drought-hit," he said.

Assuring his support to farmers amid the ongoing drought situation, he appealed them to support his party.

The state received inadequate rainfall last monsoon and the government had earlier declared drought in 151 out of the 353 talukas in the state.

Earlier in the day, the Sena leader handed over 100 cattle fodder-laden trucks and other essential supplies to farmers and undertook a tour of the drought-hit region.

Beed, which was earlier a stronghold of the NCP, is now dominated by the BJP while Sena has no presence in the district.Jaipur: Union Home Minister Rajnath singh intrect with media person in Jaipur on Sunday, Dec 2,2018. (PTI Photo )(PTI12_2_2018_000074B)

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on January 9 told the Rajya Sabha that the Citizenship Amendment Bill is intended to pave way for Indian citizenship to the persecuted religious minorities from three countries.

He assured the government was committed to preserving the distinct culture and identity of the North East. The bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non- Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan based on some conditions.

The Minister said he was aware of the concerns regarding the bill as well as misconceptions being spread about it but would like to dispel the apprehensions of the people of Assam and the Northeast. He said it is not only for migrants from these states but to "protect migrants of six minority communities from three nations" and was applicable to the entire country.

Thousands of migrants from Western borders are residing in states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and other states and the bill is for them too and would be implmented in all states and UTs, he said.

He said there were reports of sporadic violence from some parts in Assam, Tripura and Meghalaya during the bandh called over the Bill, but the situation was fully under control and peaceful. Singh said he was in touch with the Chief Ministers of these states and would convene meetings soon.

"I assure the House that we are committed to preserve Northeast's identify and culture...We want a peaceful situation in the Northeast and are in constant touch with the state governments. We will strive to protect the identity and culture of the Northeast and will take steps to address all concerns," he said.

He said due to steps taken by the Centre in the past four years, including augmenting security and intelligence establishment and ensuring coordination among security agencies, there has been unprecedented reforms in the Northeast security sitation and it is on the path of development.

The Home Minister said Assam was facing the problem of illegal migration for long and witnessed an agitation from 1979 to 1985 following which the Assam accord was signed on August 15, 1985.

He said the Centre has taken concrete steps to implement the Assam Accord including completing the task of NRC and has constituted a high level committee to implement clause 6 of the Accord.

The committee after consulting the stakeholders on protecting the interest of the local people will give its recommendations within six months.

A Home Ministry appointed committee has given its recommendations on December 29 on grant of ST status to six communities of Assam namely Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Chutia, Tea Tribes, Moran and Matak. He said the government has accepted the recommendations and Ministry of Tribal Affairs has placed it before Parliament.

While giving ST status to these communities it will be ensured that "interests, rights and privileges of the existing tribes there will be fully protected," he added.

Singh said action will be taken on granting ST status to Bodo Kacharis in Hill districts of Assam and Karbis in the rest of Assam besides giving more powers to Autonomous District Councils under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

He said several other issues were also raised by various organisations like a new land policy for people in Assam, new land laws and earmarking specific areas as protected revenue areas, adding the Centre has asked the Assam government to address them.

The Congress members earlier had raised slogans over the citizenship amendment bill.

The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on January 8 and was brought to the Upper House after extending its sitting by a day.

Congress members, including Ripun Bora, wanted the Home Minister to be called to the House to make a statement on the citizenship bill.

The bill was originally introduced in 2016 and was later sent to the JPC, which submitted its report on Monday.

On the basis of the recommendations of the JPC, a fresh bill was introduced on Tuesday.Widespread protests against the Citizenship Bill continued in Assam January 9 with agitators blocking roads and marching with their clothes off in several parts of the state.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 that seeks to provide citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangaldesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan was passed by the Lok Sabha January 8.

Agitators across the Northeast, including Assam, have been blocking roads and rail tracks, seeking revocation of the Bill.

In Guwahati, members of 70 organisations, led by Akhil Gogoi's Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, protested outside central government offices and also tried way through the barricades to the state secretariat, leading to a scuffle with police.

"Police had to resort to mild lathicharge and fire rubber bullets to disperse the protesters who refused to move back despite warnings. Some of them were also taken into custody to prevent deterioration in law and order situation," a senior officer said.

In Golaghat's Numaligarh area, members of Asom Aikya Manch took to the streets with their clothes off to protest against the Bill.

At Digboi, the agitators tried to block a highway to stop Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal from attending Gorkha Mahatsov. They were, however, dispersed by the police.

AASU activists in Nagaon waved black flags to BJP state unit president Ranjeet Das.

Protests by students were also reported from Cotton State University and Dibrugarh University.

An 11-hour shutdown was called by AASU and NESO, and supported by over hundred organisations January 8, bringing life to a standstill in Assam.

The agitators have said they would not allow locally produced oil, petroleum products, coal, forest products and limestone to be taken out of the state.

Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which withdrew support to the BJP-led government in Assam Monday, also extended its support to the bandh.

BJP spokesperson Mehdi Alam Bora resigned from the party, saying the Bill would harm the Assamese society and nullify the Assam Accord.

Former Assam chief minister and AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta demanded that the BJP government in the state resign and face a fresh election.

State minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, however, said the AGP had committed a "historic blunder" by not extending support to the Bill.Army chief General Bipin Rawat

At a time the US and Russia are reaching out to the Taliban in Afghanistan, Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat said the terror outfit should be engaged but talks should be held with it without any preconditions.

The Army Chief's comments on January 9, at the Raisina Dialogue, on engaging with Taliban were first such public remarks by a senior functionary of the government.

Gen. Rawat said peace and stability in Afghanistan will be in interests of India, Pakistan and the entire region.

"Yes, there should be talks with Taliban so long as they do not come out with any preconditions and so long as they are looking at lasting peace in Afghanistan and bring about stability in that country. It is in our interests, it is in the region's interests and it is in Pakistan's interests," Gen. Rawat said.

He was asked about several countries engaging the Taliban as part of the Afghan peace process.

"There can be no preconditions attached because when you start attaching preconditions, then it kind of gives a sense of a notion of victory (to them)," he said.

The Army Chief said Pakistan has always kept the Taliban in its backyard and cautioned Islamabad it may be a cause of concern for the country's security.

Major powers like the US and Russia have been reaching out to the Taliban as part of efforts to push the stalled Afghan peace process.

India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

In a significant move, India had sent two former diplomats in "non official" capacity to a conference on Afghan peace process in Moscow in November which was attended by a high-level Taliban delegation.

The conference organised by Russia was attended by representatives of Afghanistan as well as from several other countries including the US, Pakistan and China.

India has been maintaining a policy of not engaging with the Taliban and pressing for an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace initiative to bring peace and stability in the war-ravaged country.

It is learnt that Iran is also engaged in talks with the Taliban. Iranian sources have said that in case India wants to use Iran's channels of communication with the Taliban, Tehran will be open to such a proposition.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP national president Amit Shah

The Lok Sabha passed a landmark bill on January 8 to provide 10 percent reservation in government jobs and education for the economically backward sections among general category citizens.

The Constitution (124rd Amendment) Bill, described by the government as "historic" and in the country's interest, was backed by most parties, including the Opposition.

The bill will now have to be passed by the Rajya Sabha where the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) does not command a majority. The Upper House is expected to take up the bill on January 9.

The bills passage, however, is expected to be relatively smooth as most parties have already extended their support for the legislation. As many as 323 members voted in support of the bill in Lok Sabha, which seeks to amend Article 15 and 16 of the Constitution to enable reservation. Three members voted against the bill.

The Opposition has, however, criticized the government for introducing the bill at the end of the Winter Session and for not giving enough time for scrutiny. Speaking during the discussion in Lok Sabha, parliamentarians said the usual the two-day notice period for a constitutional amendment bill was not given.

Opposition parties also called the Centres move an election jumla ahead of the Lok Sabha polls expected to happen in April-May.

Political observers suggest Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would gain from the decision.

The upper castes are considered to be BJPs core support base. Developments in recent months have, however, left the saffron party unnerved by the possibility of these voters drifting away.

Upper caste support is so integral to the BJP that 32 out of all 42 chief ministers it has had till date across India have belonged to the upper castes. Except for Bangaru Laxman, all of BJPs National Presidents have belonged to upper castes.

In September 2018, Madhya Pradesh, which was then governed by BJP, had witnessed protests from upper castes against the amended Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, alleging that the Act was being misused.

BJP leaders, during the assembly election campaigns, had reportedly asked the party high command to take necessary steps to ensure that prevailing sentiments among the upper castes do not affect electoral prospects.

Experts believe assembly election losses in the three Hindi heartland states  Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan  in December 2018 forced BJP to introduce reservation to placate the upper castes, ahead of the general elections.

The move is being seen as BJPs attempt to consolidate the upper caste votes.

The government was not planning to introduce the Constitution Amendment Bill. The decision was taken at the highest level and the ministry was asked to frame a proposal, a senior minister told The Economic Times.

The most immediate reason was the recent assembly election results. There was a need to reclaim our core vote base, the minister said.

This could also boost BJPs chances in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. The BJP-led NDA, which won 73 out of the 80 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, is expected to face a serious challenge from the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) alliance.

According to a report by the Financial Express, upper castes could influence results in 35-40 parliamentary seats in UP, 25 in Maharashtra, 20 in Bihar, 14 in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan each and 12 in Gujarat.

In the smaller states, upper caste voters could impact the results in six seats from Jharkhand, five seats in Uttarakhand and Delhi each and four seats in Uttarakhand.In the initial incident, one person approached and opened the unlocked drivers side of the car, pointed a small, black handgun at the driver and ordered the driver out of the car, police said. At the same time, a second person approached the passenger side of the car and ordered the passenger out of the car, police said.Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the opposition SP and BSP, saying the parties that opposed each other were now forming an alliance just to take on the BJP.

The prime minister was addressing a public meeting after launching projects worth Rs 2,980 crore.

"Rivals are coming together just to oppose us. Political rivals who did not even like to look at each other are now coming together just to oppose us," he said, without naming the two parties.

The prime minister mocked their bid to stitch an anti-BJP alliance, while recalling the 1995 state guest house incident in Lucknow in which Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati was targeted by Samajwadi Party workers.

Modi's attack came amid reports of the two parties agreeing to form an alliance to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The prime minister said they are coming together because they are afraid of the country's watchman.

"They fear the chowkidar, which is why they want to throw me out of power," Modi said, citing alleged scams in sand and gravel mining in Uttar Pradesh when the SP and the BSP were separately in power.

Referring to the recent CBI raids in the state in connection with the alleged mining scams in that period, Modi said, "The investigating agencies are seeking an answer from them about their misdeeds and so they are conspiring against the chowkidar."

"Some people are coming together against the chowkidar. In Uttar Pradesh, you can also see that those who deprived the poor of their rights by snatching sand and gravel have now started a cooperation campaign in corruption," he said.

"To hide their scams and corruption, they are shaking hands, he said.

Those who were not ready to see eye to eye with each other are shaking hands for petty political gains and ready to forget the shameful guest house case and other incidents," Modi said.

On the debate over the Rafale aircraft deal, Modi said Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had exposed opposition leaders in Parliament.

In a possible reference to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's remark at a rally in Jaipur earlier in the day, the prime minister said the opposition leaders are bent upon insulting a woman defence minister.

Gandhi had said Modi got a woman to defend him in Parliament because he couldn't do so himself.

This is not an insult to a woman, but an insult to entire India's women power, for which these irresponsible leaders will have to pay the price," Modi said.

The prime minister said it was a matter of pride that a woman has become defence minister for the first time in the country.

He also referred to AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel, saying 'Michel mama' is in the country's custody and they are worried that he might reveal secrets.

Describing himself as a "chowkidar", Modi said he has undertaken a "safai" (clean-up) mission to rid the country of corruption and he cannot be "bought" "scared off".

"This chowkidar doesn't sleep and can spot a wrongdoer even in darkness. They may continue abusing me but I will not stop my mission to uproot corruption," Modi said.

Defending introduction of 10 percent reservation for the general category poor in government jobs and educational institutions, Modi said the Constitution (Amendment) Bill is a strong answer to those "spreading lies".

Modi said the rights of the deprived sections, including the Dalits and the tribals won't be affected because of this bill, which he described as a "historic step" aimed at welfare of the deprived sections of society.

Hitting back at the Opposition for terming the quota bill an election gimmick, Modi asked if there ever has been a span of six months without the country going through an election.

Criticising the functioning of the previous Congress-led governments, Modi said they indulged in vote bank politics and ignored development.

"After coming to power, we undertook developmental work and projects in areas which were ignored only because they (Congress) indulged in vote bank politics," he said.

Speaking on Ayushman Bharat, he said around seven lakh poor people were treated in various hospitals under the Yojana within only 100 days of its launch.

"The GST has gone down by 18 percent for necessary items. The GST was implemented to make the taxation process easy for dealers and businessmen," he said.

Modi earlier launched civic projects worth Rs 3,907 crore during his visit to the Taj city, including the Gangajal project to provide consistent water supply.

This was Modi's second visit to the city as prime minister.

During his earlier visit in November 2016, he had launched a housing project, the PM Awas Yojana (Gramin), under which 65 lakh houses have been built so far in the country, including 9.2 lakh in Uttar Pradesh, said officials.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, said in a tweet that he hoped Modi would learn the lessons of love and affection from his visit to the city of Taj.

"Hope the PM will return from Taj Mahal after learning a lesson of affection and love from it," he tweeted hours before the prime minister's visit.

Yadav also said he hoped Modi would remember the pain of farmers growing potato, sugarcane and wheat in nearby areas.

"UP was never so far from Delhi that the country's head did not have news about the plight of farmers and traders," he added.The Lok Sabha on January 8, has approved the bill granting a 10 percent reservation for the economically backward upper castes in government jobs and educational institutions.

Here's all you need to know about the 10 percent quota for the general category:

Who will benefit from this?

Economically backward upper castes such as Brahmins, Banias, Rajputs (Thakurs), Jats, Marathas, Gujjars, Bhumihars, Kapus, whose family income is under Rs 8 lakh per annum will benefit from this proposed quota reservation.

According to media reports, the poor among the other religions such as Muslims and Christians will also get the benefit.

Read  Quick Take | 10% reservation for EWS an astute political move

What are the criteria for reservation?

Apart from the family income of the beneficiaries being under Rs 8 lakh per annum, the family should have a landholding of less than five acres, according to a report by The Times of India.

The family should not have a residential plot not measuring over 100 square yards in a notified municipality and less than 200 square yards in non-notified areas, according to the report.

Quota seekers should also not own more than five acres of agricultural land.

How will the quota be implemented?

The new legislation would amend Articles 15 and 16 of the Constitution dealing with caste-based quotas to provide reservation for "economically weaker" sections in public employment and all educational institutions.

The government, however, would require support from at least two-thirds of the members in both the Houses to amend the Constitution. It has passed the Lok Sabha hurdle and not the bill is headed to the Rajya Sabha before the President signs it.

According to media reports, the quota will be over and above the existing 50 percent reservation to SCs, STs, and OBCs.

What are the challenges ahead of the implementation of this quota?

One of the major challenges that lie ahead of the implementation of this law is the Supreme Court's 50-percent cap on quotas in the Indra Sawhney case in 1992. The apex court had upheld in its verdict that reservation shall not exceed 50 percent.

However, if the changes are amended, the reservation quota may jump to 60 percent from the existing 50 percent.

Similar changes to amend Articles 15 and 16 were attempted by the governments in Haryana, Rajasthan, and Maharashtra but the laws were struck down by the court on the ground of the judgement in the Indra Sawhney case.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had said that the Constitution makes no case for a quota on the economic ground and only talks of educational and social backwardness.

What is the politics behind the move?

The move is seen as the BJP's step to consolidate upper caste votes ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in April-May. Political observers suggest that these sections of upper castes had drifted from the party because of its aggressive push to win over backward classes and Dalits. And this is the party's attempt to bring them back before the Lok Sabha elections.

The saffron party faced the wrath of the upper castes in the Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan elections, over the amendment brought by the Central government to nullify the Supreme Court judgement in the SC-ST Act last year.

Reacting to the development, Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi termed the move as an "election gimmick" and asked what the government was doing for the past four years and eight months.

The move is significant for BJP ahead of the general elections to garner support from an influential section of society. The party may also need the opposition's support to pass the bill in the Rajya Sabha where the government lacks numbers.The government on January 8 released the much-awaited guidelines that outline incentives to attract private investments in hospitals in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, to support its ambitious Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) or Ayushman Bharat.

As per the guidelines, the government will allocate land on lease or through bidding, facilitate various permissions and clearances through a special window with timelines.

In addition, the government guarantees compulsory empanelment of the hospitals for PMJAY and other government schemes, timely payments for services, viability gap funding up to 40 percent of the total cost of the project and gap funding up to 50 percent of tax on capital cost.

The government also assured restoration of the status of a hospital as the industry for getting the benefit of VGF.

The private sector will have to build, design, finance, manage, operate and maintain quality standards, take the market risk and provide services at PMJAY rates.

The government outlined three models - Doctor Owner (30 to 50 beds), Doctor Manager Partnership-Multispecialty (100 beds) and Multispecialty (100 beds or more) to extend incentives.

The objective of the broad guidelines is to improve the supply of healthcare services in the underserved areas to ensure maximum utilisation of the benefits under PMJAY and to improve the demand for quality healthcare services at affordable prices to the general public, said a statement of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

Ayushman Bharat provides hospitalisation cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year to over 10 crore poor families in the empanelled hospitals throughout the country.

So far 33 states and union territories have come on board, out of which 29 have already launched the scheme.

With the scheme providing health coverage to 40 percent of countrys population, it is expected to create a huge demand for secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities that are mostly concentrated in metro cities.

In India, there are over 23,000 hospitals with around seven lakh beds.

Almost 20,000 hospitals are in the rural area with close to three lakh beds. Urban areas have fewer hospitals, around 3,700, but the majority of the beds totalling above 4.3 lakh, as per the data released by the Health Ministry, under the National Health Profile

Over the last decade, India was adding 1 lakh hospital beds annually, but this will need to increase by almost 1.8 times if we are to reach the target of 3.6 million beds by 2034. PMJAY will catalyse these changes," Amitabh Kant, CEO of Niti Aayog and Indu Bhushan, CEO of National Health Authority (NHA), wrote for the in-house bulletin of NHA, the implementing agency of the scheme.Representative image

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Here are stocks that are in the news today:

Results on Wednesday: IndusInd Bank, Bajaj Corp, Delta Corp

Indian Bank: Board approved raising of capital funds by way of equity including Employees Share Purchase Scheme and / or AT1 and Tier 2 Bonds.

Transgene Biotek: United States of America granted patent on technology for oral delivery of insulin and insulin analogues.

NMDC: The board approved the proposal to buyback of not exceeding 10,20,40,815 equity shares (representing 3.23 percent of the total paid-up share capital) at a price of Rs 98 per equity share. Company fixed record date for buyback of equity shares as January 18.

Tata Steel: Total sales (provisional) in Q3FY19 fall to 6.77 million tonnes versus 7.36 million tonnes YoY.

Oriental Bank of Commerce: Bank sold 0.8425 percent equity stake in NSDL e-Governance Infrastructure out of 3.125 percent equity stake.

Oriental Bank of Commerce: Board approved the proposal for raising capital for an amount upto Rs 5,500 crore through issuance of equity shares to the government on preferential basis.

Kridhan Infra: Singapore Subsidiary Swee Hong wins order worth Rs 167 crore.

Cane crush for December at 7.17 LMTRecovery at 10.38%Sugar sold domestic 0.28 LMTSugar sold exports 0.14LMTPower generation 531 LU

Power export 257 LU

PNC Infratech - CARE has reaffirmed credit rating on the bank facilities of PNC Rajasthan Highways

Vedanta - SC has passed an order to uphold the NGT's order dated December 15, 2018, allowing Vedanta to reopen its Copper Smelter at Tuticorin

Company approaching the state government for necessary approvals for restarting the smelter as per SC directions

PMC Fincorp: Vishnu Bhagwan Aggarwal, Director of the company has tendered his resignation.

Bulk Deals on January 8

CL Educate: ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited sold 76,644 shares of the company at Rs 115 per share on the NSE.

(For more bulk deals, click here)

Analyst or Board Meet/Briefings

India Grid Trust: Board meeting is scheduled on January 15 to consider the unaudited financial statements of the company for quarter ended December 2018.

R&B Denims: Company's official will attend Exchange Connect Events Presents - HEM Securities SME Full Day Investor Conclave 2019 on January 11.

Marg: Board meeting is scheduled on January 11 to consider the allotment of 1,26,99,533 equity shares to non promoters on preferential basis.

Den Networks: Board meeting is scheduled on January 15 to consider the unaudited financial results of the company for the quarter and nine months ended December 2018.

Karnataka Bank: Bank proposes to conduct a Conference Call with investors/analysts on January ll after Q3 results.

R Systems International: Board meeting is scheduled on January 15 to consider the proposal for buyback of equity shares of the company.

Mangalam Organics: Board meeting is scheduled on January 17 to consider the unaudited financial results of the company for the third quarter and nine months ended December 2018.

Kedia Construction: Board meeting is scheduled on January 14 to consider the sub division of equity shares.

Navneet Education: Management of the company will participate in meeting with Fund Manager/Analyst on January 9 to understand business of the company.

L&T Finance Holdings: Company will hold conference call with institutional investor / analyst on January 22 to discuss Q3FY19 financial performance.

Galaxy Surfactants: Officials of the company will be meeting investors and analysts on January 9 in Mumbai.

Sterlite Technologies: Company 'Tech Day' organised by Emkay on January 9 in Gurgaon.

Orient Paper & Industries: Board meeting is scheduled on January 23 to consider the unaudited quarterly financial results of the company for the quarter ended December 2018.

Zensar Technologies: Board meeting is scheduled to be held on January 21 to consider the unaudited (standalone and consolidated) financial results for the quarter and nine months ended December 2018 and a proposal for payment of interim dividend for the financial year 2018-19.

Transcorp International: Board meeting is scheduled on February 2 to consider the unaudited financial results for the quarter and nine months ended December 2018.

Intellect Design Arena: Board meeting is scheduled on January 28 to consider the unaudited financial results of the company for the quarter ended December 2018.

DCB Bank: Board meeting is scheduled on January 16 to consider the unaudited financial results (provisional) for the 3rd quarter and the nine months ended December 2018.

Infosys: Board will consider proposal(s), including but not to limited to, buyback of fully paid-up equity shares of the company, payment of special dividend, for implementation of the Capital Allocation Policy at its meeting to be held on January 11.

TVS Motor Company: Conference call with the analysts / fund houses post results will be held on January 22 to discuss the financial performance of the company for the third quarter ended December 2018.

Eicher Motors: Company's officials will be meeting SBI Life Insurance on January 9.

Godrej Properties: Board meeting is scheduled to be held on January 28 to consider the unaudited financial results of the company for the quarter ended December 2018.

Newgen Software Technologies: Board meeting is scheduled on January 24 to consider the unaudited standalone and consolidated financial results of the company for the quarter ended December 2018.

Century Textiles & Industries: Board meeting is scheduled on January 28 to consider the unaudited standalone financial results of the company for the quarter ended December 2018.

Zee Media Corporation: Board meeting is scheduled on January 24 to consider financial results of the company (on standalone and consolidated operations) for the quarter and nine months ended on December 2018.

NIIT Technologies: Board meeting is scheduled on January 18 to consider the un-audited financial results for the quarter/nine months ended December 2018.

Mahindra & Mahindra: Company's officials will be meeting Briarwood Chase Management on January 10 and Torq Capital on January 11.

Subex: Board meeting is scheduled on January 29 to consider the unaudited financial results (standalone & consolidated) for the quarter/nine-months ended December 2018.

: Board meeting is scheduled on January 17 to consider the unaudited financial results of the company for the quarter and nine months ended December 2018.Tata Steel | Stock price as of January 14, 2020: 498.45 | Stock price as of March 09, 2020: Rs 322.30 | Stock price declined by: -35.34. (Image: PTI)

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Tata Steel is in talks to exit its South East Asia (SEA) operations, which if successful could prove to be a huge step in correcting its faulty capital allocation, leading to several notable benefits.

Among several subsidiaries and businesses that Tata Steel operates globally, the SEA operation is the weakest. During the last reported quarter, it had earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) per tonne of Rs 1,736 as against Rs 4,886 in the case of European operation and much lower than the Indian operations EBIDTA per tonne of Rs 19,244.

While lower profitability and growth have been matters of concern, in terms of size too, it has little significance. In the current fiscal till December, the SEA operation, which includes several facilities in Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, produced mere 1.58 million tonne of steel as against total group steel production of 22 million tonne. Even the recently-acquired Bhushan Steel is twice the size in terms of the production and earns EBITDA per tonne of Rs 10,291, about six times higher compared to the SEA operation. This certainly suggests the exit would be earnings-accretive and rationalise the groups focus.

The other important aspect of this exit would be unlocking of capital. The funds and assets, which are deployed in the South East Asia operation, can be used for more productive assets. In FY18, it generated an EBITDA of Rs 437 crore. Even at about 5-6 times enterprise value to EBITDA, SEA would be worth about Rs 2,200-2,600 crore. SEA contributes close to 8 percent to group sales and makes less than 2 percent contribution to group EBITDA. Exit as higher valuations would essentially mean better returns for the remaining operation.8 | Infosys | Market Cap for the week ended October 30: Rs 4,51,753.23 crore crore | Loss during the week: 26,152.79 crore.

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Shares of IT major Infosys rose 2.8 percent intraday Wednesday as company board is going to consider buyback of shares.

In its board meeting scheduled to be held on January 11, the board will consider proposal of buyback of fully paid-up equity shares of the company.

The board will also consider the payment of special dividend and implementation of the capital allocation policy.

The company is also announce its third quarter results on January 11.

At 09:28 hrs Infosys was quoting at Rs 682, up Rs 12.15, or 1.81 percent on the BSE.live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Kshitij Anand

The year 2018 was one when long-term investors got plenty of opportunities to buy their choice of stocks on declines. But 2019 will be very different as headwinds faced in some sectors have now become tailwinds.

Investors should now tilt their strategy to capitalise on the sectors that are likely to benefit the most in 2019. The action will be largely stock-specific this year with focus on private as well as public sector banks, consumption theme, autos, capital goods as well as export-oriented sectors such as IT and pharma.

Earnings will be a big talking point in 2019 because India Inc. failed to deliver last year. Currently, Nifty 50 is trading at 14.5 percent premium to its 10-year average price to equity (P/E) ratio after earnings downgrade from 20 percent to 14 percent in FY19, said a report.

Irrespective of a global or political setup on the domestic front, long-term investors should focus on companies with earnings visibility, and a high margin of safety with high corporate governance standards. Investors should use dips to buy into stocks of such companies on declines.

The major event risk for Indian markets is on account of elections. Unlike in 2014, the political outcome appears unclear. If the elections lead to a formation of a stable, business-friendly government, Nifty may end the year 2019 at 14,000, Vivek Ranjan Misra, Head of Fundamental Research at Karvy Stock Broking told Moneycontrol.

Given this, we favour cyclical sectors, we prefer Banks, Capital Goods. Also, growth should boost Consumption Discretionary and Autos. State-owned banks could be a dark horse in 2019, on account of a peak in NPL cycle, recovery of NPLs via IBC and low valuations. A broad-based economic recovery will be supportive, he said.

Misra further added that in the coming quarters, large-caps are likely to do better. Mid and small-caps are likely to underperform until their valuations become attractive. We believe that after mid-2019, with decent time correction, conditions may be favourable for mid and small caps to perform well, he added.

In the year 2018, the Indian market was among the better performers with a 3 percent return in rupee terms and about negative 6 percent return in USD terms.

After a flat 2018, most experts feel that 2019 should give double-digit returns although the events which are lined up for the year could throw in surprise which investors might not be prepared for.

Well, volatility is good for investing as it provides multiple entry points to investors. But, stock selection will be something which will drive the bottom line for your portfolio.

We have consistently focused on coming out with stock ideas regularly after undertaking a deep-dive analysis into business fundamentals, earnings outlook coupled with a margin of safety on valuations and corporate governance standards, Centrum Broking said in a note.

We believe that inherent high volatility in the markets keeps making risk-reward highly (and many times irrationally) favourable for some high-quality businesses that we have been tracking closely for long, it added.

Keeping this market inefficiency in mind, we have collated top ten high-conviction ideas from different experts to highlight such favourable mispricing opportunities for our investors. These stocks could give 15-100 percent return with a holding period of about a year:

Brokerage Firm: Centrum Broking

Bajaj Auto: Buy| LTP: Rs 2,657| Target: 3,075| Upside 15%

We like Bajaj Auto as it is one of the leading 2-wheeler and -Wheeler players and the largest exporter of both 2-Ws and 3-Ws from India. On the export front, the company has a market share of over 40 percent in South Asia and the Middle East and 25 percent in Latin America.

In 21 countries, which contribute 85 percent of its export sales, Bajaj is among the top two players. In the era of premiumisation, a strong product portfolio entailing iconic brands like Pulsar, Avenger, and KTM augurs wells for the company.

Considering some pains (high cost of ownership, CV and tractor cycles may peak, BSVI implementation etc.) in the domestic auto market, Bajaj Auto is safely placed with 40 percent sales exposure to export markets.

State Bank of India: Buy| LTP: Rs 295| Target: Rs 350| Upside 18%

State Bank of India is best placed to capitalise on the growth opportunity following a) improved credit environment, b) favorable bond yield movement and c) recovery from NPA accounts.

Loan growth has been on the rise (Q219 domestic loans grew 11.1%) and we see traction therein to continue. The reduced slippages, loan growth acceleration, and a stable interest cost have seen margins inch higher.

We see net interest margins (NIMs) inching towards 2.7 percent by end-FY20E (vs. 2.5% for FY18). Slippages have been on a decline; trends are set to remain encouraging in H219 as well.

While we see credit cost remain high, the softening in G-sec yield (down ~55-60bps since Sept18) will see investment provisions reverse and in turn lower the overall provisioning charge. We also see SBI report strong trading gains in Q319. Valuations continue to remain attractive.

Brokerage Firm: Karvy Stock Broking

HCL Technologies: Buy| LTP: Rs 939| Target: Rs 1,167| Upside 24%

Karvy Stock Broking remains positive on the stock given its relative underperformance, upside risks to core organic growth and its potential to increase Mode 2 and Mode 3 revenues. It reiterates our buy on HCLT and values it on a consensus FY20E PE of 14.5x with a target price of Rs. 1167.

Karvy believes regaining organic growth momentum and scaling up of products and platforms business are key catalysts for rerating of the earnings and subsequently the stock.

The ongoing large deal momentum and maturing of IBMs IP partnerships are giving visibility for the same. In the coming year, the brokerage firm expects HCLTs stock price to be re-rated given the rerating of earnings.

Hindustan Unilever: Buy| LTP: Rs 1784| Target: Rs 2,138| Upside 20%

HULs acquisition of GSK Consumer garners a valuation of the entity at Rs. 317 Bn. HUL implies a leadership in the domestic HFD (Health Food Drinks) business along with soaps and detergent category

Karvy believes that the HFD portfolio growth will accelerate, given its strong direct distribution and portfolio innovation. In addition, significant cost savings are expected in FY21E, after all, synergies from the deal factor in.

To consider all benefits of the acquisition, we have assigned HUL a P/E of 54x to arrive at a target of Rs. 2138.

ICICI Bank: Buy| LTP: Rs 367| Target: Rs 440| Upside 20%

The performance continues to underlie the traction in recovery and stability in the core operating metrics. The headline asset quality ratios GNPA/NNPA/Coverage improved to 8.54%/3.65%/59.5% vs 8.81%/4.19%/54.8% in Q2FY19.

The retail slippages were at Rs. 8 bn vs ~Rs. 11 bn in Q2FY19, which continue to inspire confidence. Karvy Stock Broking maintains a buy recommendation on the stock with target price at Rs. 440 valuing subsidiaries at Rs. 101 per share and core banking book at 2.3x FY20E P/B.

Larsen & Toubro: Buy| LTP: Rs 1383| Target: Rs 1,700| Upside 23%

L&Ts diversified exposure to various sectors/geographies coupled with its excellent execution capabilities across sectors and its balance sheet strength compared to other peers in the sector has resulted in strong order book build up.

The consensus values the company at 23.5x for a target price of Rs. 1700, representing an upside potential of 18%. Delay in capex cycle recovery & order execution may pose threat to the call.

ONGC: Buy| LTP: Rs 147 | Target: Rs 210| Upside 42%

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation in FY18 recorded standalone revenue of Rs. 850041 Mn, up 9 percent over FY17 on the back of impressive production and sales performances

Synergies in ONGCs upstream and downstream business with the acquisitions of HPCL and MRPL will prove to be valued unlocking and ensure not only retention of margin but also enhancement of the same for the company. Consensus valuation for the company is PE 8.2x of FY20E EPS for the target price of Rs. 210.

Tata Motors: Buy| LTP: Rs 175| Target: Rs 259 | Upside 48%

Despite the near-term pressure on margins due to a slowdown in luxury car demand, we think that the managements focus on improving core profitability will help recover from the stress.

After the recent correction in the stock, the brokerage firm thinks that Tata Motors is available at a cheap valuation. Karvy expects a steady recovery in the JLR business and thinks that cost reduction measures being taken will work in favour of the company.

Tata Motors is valued on a SOTP basis based on consensus estimates for a target price of Rs. 259. However, uncertainties in the JLR business continue to be the downside risk to our call.

UPL: Buy| LTP: Rs 762| Target: Rs 1,004| Upside 31%

Growth in India and LATAM jointly contribute to ~66% of total sales. Products like Sweep Power, Avancer Glow and Delma received encouraging response from the farmers in India Business, despite erratic business.

Strong backward integration, consolidation in the agrochemical space with a boost to geographical/ segment/ product mix would give strong traction to the business and aid profitability.

Factoring in strong backward integration, consolidation in the agrochemical space with a boost to geographical/ segment/ product mix and strong traction in LATAM business, the stock is a buy.

Yes Bank: Buy| LTP: Rs 186| Target: Rs 410| Upside 120%

The banks Q2FY19 performance disappointed on asset quality notwithstanding the healthy business momentum. The slippages were much higher than anticipated nevertheless the miss was led by concentrated exposure and the bank continues to see a good possibility of recovery.

Karvy rate a buy on the stock with a target price of Rs. 410 valuing the stock at 2.67x FY20E P/B. The brokerage house believes that uncertainties about its top management and asset-quality issues will remain a cloud on the stock price in the near term.

The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.Shapoorji Pallonji Group, under the banner of Joyville, has launched its first project in the Delhi-NCRs Gurugram market on January 9 with an investment of around Rs 1,200 crore.

The company is in advanced stages of launching mid-segment projects in Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, and its second project in Pune this year.

The company also plans to launch two more housing projects in Gurugrams Sector 113 and Noidas Sector 150 under the Shapoorji Pallonji Real Estate brand soon.

With the launch of its fourth project in Sector 102, Gurugram project, the company under the Joyville platform has launched developments spread across an area of 9.5 million sq ft out of the total of 16 million sq ft development pipeline. It is currently developing projects in Kolkata, Virar and Pune.

This translates into roughly a pipeline of 13,000 units out of which we have launched 8,500 units till date. We hope to add another 4 million sq ft or a total of almost 14 million sq ft by the end 2019 financial year, Joyville Shapoorji Housing MD Sriram Mahadevan told Moneycontrol, adding we hope to fully develop the entire 16 million sq ft pipeline in the next six to seven years.

The NCR market has bottomed out. There have been no fresh big launches in the city and unsold inventory in the NCR has come down. Joyville is a brand that is looking at other job-creating metro cities. Our second project in Pune is in the final stages. We are in advanced stages of talks in Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, he told Moneycontrol.

Joyville is a platform developed by a $200 million platform established by Shapoorji Pallonji, ADB, IFC and Actis. The brand caters to the middle-income range of households earning between Rs 50,000-70,000 a month. The dominant inventory under the brand caters to the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana sizes.

We select locations which are already developed or on the verge of getting developed. We are hopeful that the 18 km long Dwarka Expressway would become operational by the time the project is complete, he says.

The Sector 102 project in Gurugram will have 516 flats in the first phase and will be priced at Rs 58 lakh to Rs 1.05 crore. The total units in this project would be 1,500 that will be developed across three phases. The land parcel was bought by Joyville from BPTP and is fully paid. The construction of the project will start soon and is expected to get completed in four-and-half years.

To tackle the issue of pollution in the cities, the company is planning to install outdoor air pollution controllers in its Gurugram project.

The parent brand Shapoorji Pallonji Real Estate has a development pipeline of 80-90 million sq ft. Out of this, it is launching 35 million sq ft this fiscal, and plans to launch an equal number in the next year and the rest in the third year. The projects would come up in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Gurugram, Noida, Mohali. The project it plans to launch in Sector 113 in Gurugram is a joint venture with M3M Group and the project in Sector 150 in Noida is with Lotus Greens.

Vandana.ramnani@nw18.comSkootr, a managed office spaces brand, has announced that it is leasing 10,000 sq ft space in Connaught Place, Delhi, wherein, it plans to launch 150 seats in the centre. It plans to foray into Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai, and Hyderabad in the near future and expand its network to 30 cities and overall capacity to over 100,000 seats across the country, the company said.

The rent of seats Connaught place centre will vary from Rs 27,000- Rs 35,000 per seat. Skootr has leased out 75 seats in the centre, rest of the seats will be open to the market. This is Skootr's 12th centre and company has offered more than 3500 seats across four cities, which are Gurugram, Noida, Jaipur and Delhi.

"Skootr is an enterprise service player in the market, wherein, we offer Headquarters as a service to Indias established companies and MNCs. Skootrs business model is to offer service to any company planning to set-up permanent office. Our spaces help our clients increase productivity," said Puneet Chandra, founder and joint managing director, Skootr.

Ankit Jain, founder and joint managing director, Skootr, said: "Connaught place is a commercial hub in Delhi and has huge scope of growth in serviced and managed co-working spaces. Players like us can help de-clutter and offer better services at these commercial hubs. We plan to add another 200,000 sq ft this year itself, while adding about a million sq ft to the portfolio in the next year.

According to Knight Frank India report released this week, leasing by co- working spaces saw a significant rise of 52 percent year-on-year in the second half of 2018 (Jun  Dec) as compared to same time in 2017. BFSI, led mostly by payment gateway companies, formed 18 percent of all leasing transactions in the second half of 2018.Most of us know chartered accountants as the guys who help us do our taxes - by do, I mean pay as little as possible of course. If we just paid the amount the government demanded in taxes, would we even require CAs?

ICAI - the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India - is a statutory body that regulates Chartered Accountancy in India. Founded two years after independence, this institute falls under the administrative control of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs of the central government. Its official website claims it is the second largest professional body of CAs in the world.

Anyway, the ICAIs reputation is a bit tarnished these days. Why? Because the perception is that not enough has been done to rein in errant CAs whose actions have given the entire field a bad name. Matters deteriorated to the point that Prime Minister Narendra Modi took them to task in 2017.

Speaking at the ICAIs foundation-day even on July 1, 2017 (the ICAI was founded on July 1, 1949), Modi said, CA is an arrangement in which the human resource development is done only by you. The curriculum is made by you only; you conduct the exam; rules and regulations are also made by you, and your institute only punishes the culprits.

Now the question arises that the temple of democracy i.e. the Parliament of India, which is the voice of 125 crore countrymen, has given you so much authority, then why is it that in the last 11 years, only 25 charted accountants have been prosecuted? Did only 25 people make a mess? And I have heard that more than 1,400 cases are still pending for many years now. A single case takes years to settle

You know when Modi says sava-sau-karod-deshvaasi that hes got a point he wants to make stridently. But what did the CAs do to earn the PMs wrath? Modis dressing down of the institute was followed by two developments that The Economic Times claims will mark the end of the ICAI as we know it. This death(?) of ICAI as we know it constitutes the topic of discussion on this edition of Digging Deeper with Moneycontrol

Heres how The Economic Times described the developments:

An expert panel report, which not only voted for an independent regulator but also wanted to introduce competition in the institutes non-regulatory functions, was released in late October 2017. This was followed by the notification of rules for the National Financial Reporting Authority (or NFRA) in November 2018. These ended ICAIs oversight on auditors of listed entities and large unlisted companies. Under the new rules, the NFRA will have the power to monitor the auditors of listed entities, unlisted entities with paid-up capital of not less than Rs 500 crore or annual turnover of over Rs 1,000 crore or those having aggregate loans, debentures or deposits of not less than Rs 500 crore as on March 31 of the preceding financial year.

The top brass of ICAI was taken aback - they went into a huddle and hectic parleys were reportedly underway with the institutes bosses at the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, and the developments apparently drew strong remarks from various stakeholders. An ICAI council member told Economic Times that the present arrangement had government representation and was working well.

But it didnt take long for matters to veer towards now-familiar accusations of overreach, if not outright evil conspiracy. One member who chose to remain anonymous said, Like the way they want to take control of the RBI, they now want to take over CAs. If we would have been an ordinary association, it would have been a different situation. Any institution, which is established through an Act of Parliament, cannot be killed. You can regulate them, but you should not kill.

He also disapproved of the NFRA, which will be headed by a non-CA. He explained, We are against the constitution of the NFRA itself. People who will now chair the NFRA are not experts in accounting or auditing. Right now, there is a retired IAS officer who will be the in-charge.

Retired IAS officer in-charge? Sounds familiar?

What did ICAI do wrong?

However much the ICAI may try to disparage the NFRA, it only ends up looking like it is desperately trying to deflect attention from its own fall from grace. Self-inflicted fall, as many have pointed out. Heres why.

As mentioned earlier, the ICAI was formed by an Act of Parliament in 1949. Over the years, the institute became synonymous with the profession of accountancy and audit. It wore multiple hats - an industry association, an educational body, and a regulatory and disciplinary authority.

For example: I am certain that you all have that one friend who is working his backside off trying to pass what we call in common parlance, the CA exam - otherwise known as the CPT or Common Proficiency Test. After that comes the 3-year Articleship where our friends sacrifice all sleep for the aforementioned three-year-period. After that, they move to the Middle East and make tons of money, while we no longer smirk at them. Its the hard-fought good life, if you will. So how did they go and mess it all up?

Somewhere along the way, the lines between the various roles of the ICAI became blurred. That led to discontent not only among CAs but also across the wider community. The Economic Times reported that as per the latest annual report, the ICAI has a membership of 2,70,305 members. 88,722 of them are fellow members (i.e., more than five years in the profession). In addition to such members, the institute works with a large number of students - between 2,00,000 and 3,00,000 at any given point in time.

In FY17, ICAI had 2,18,319 registered students across various stages. The disciplinary function of the institute involves a two-tier mechanism - a board of discipline, and a disciplinary committee that looks into specific types of misconduct. The law lists various types of offences that qualify as misconduct. The First Schedule deals with misconduct by practising CAs, while the Second Schedule deals with those related to CAs in service. First Schedule offences are overseen by the board of discipline.

The disciplinary committee, on the other hand, has a broader mandate. But what has proven frustrating over the years is the repeated back and forth between the committee/board and the council. The maximum punishment is striking off a member from the members register for five years. If the council thinks the person has to be restrained for a longer period, it has to refer the matter to a high court.

But why has this bunch of number crunchers come into focus now? Well, because 2018 was annus horribilis for Indias money managers. Its a phrase we have come to be all too familiar with in the past year  it was a horrible year. And the mess that was the 13,400-crore PNB scandal brought all financial frauds into sharp focus. So much so that financial fraud has now become a political issue. The Prime Ministers talk of being a chowkidaar means that he will be judged on this particular parameter. Meaning it will increasingly be under the spotlight.

ICAI has taken some heat for its soft approach towards its accused CAs. The newspaper DNA reported that an official of Ministry of Corporate Affairs said, ICAI has almost failed to take any disciplinary action against accused CAs who are involved in fraudulent activities and bypassed auditing rules. These will now come under NFRA.

The Economic Times examined the reasons for the ICAIs downfall. Its analysis said the ICAI has often spoken about keeping in view the changing times in terms of advancement of technology enabling faster communication and e-hearings, but it was trapped in its own labyrinthine processes. It also started taking approvals of the Ministry (of Corporate Affairs) and the parliament. Consequently, says ET, justice was often delayed, and, at times, even denied.

Unsurprisingly, its annual report mentions the prime ministers presence at its 2017 foundation-day celebrations but avoids all references to his message we mentioned at the start of this podcast.

On one occasion, an affected investor had moved the high court to force the ICAI to take action against an erring auditor. The investor said, ...(the) CA institute is yet to take disciplinary action against auditors. In 2015, a Business Standard report spoke about a case against the auditor of the now defunct Global Trust Bank that had dragged on for over 10 years.

According to Mint, data obtained from ICAI on action against auditors for various misdemeanours showed that out of the 1,972 disciplinary cases taken up by the institute, only in the matter of Satyam Computer Services Ltd was the member permanently removed. In six other cases, members were merely reprimanded. Penalties of one year or more have been imposed on members in only 14 of these cases.

In the majority of the cases where members were found guilty, they were merely reprimanded or cautioned. As many as 1,226 cases were closed at the prima facie stage by the disciplinary committee. 117 of those cases were referred by various government agencies and regulators: 49 of them were referred by the corporate affairs ministry and the markets regulator.

In all these cases, the auditors were found to be not guilty. In November 2015, the Ministry had referred cases of 132 listed companies for examining the role of auditor and possible misconduct. These companies were suspended by Sebi for price manipulation. According to MCA, preliminary action was not initiated by the ICAI despite several reminders.

Daksha Baxi, executive director of law firm Khaitan & Co, told Mint, We have seen several instances where though the companies or banks have been regularly audited, and the auditors did not detect the wrongdoings in the finances of these entities, which they should have, if they followed the auditing standards. It would seem that an independent body was needed to ensure independence of auditors.

Pavan K Vijay, former president of the ICAI, says, The issue with the institutes was the disciplinary process. The institutes are governed by an elected council. Elected members refrained from taking action against people who voted for them. If the council is divided, then there is no action. If one group within the council is stronger, then disproportionate action is taken against another group. Thus, the system has become so dirty  on the one hand there is inaction, and on the other there is vindictiveness.

And that is cue for the NFRA to step in.

What is NFRA?

In the wake of the Satyam Computer scandal, the Companies Act of 2013 provided for an independent regulatory body in the form of the NFRA. The ICAI has been less than enthused by the NFRA right from its inception. The continued opposition to the establishment of the NFRA has delayed its implementation. Though the act was enacted in August 2013, the establishing of the NFRA was notified only in March last year!

Lets take a minute here to understand the NFRA. The central cabinet approved the creation of a National Financial Reporting Authority -NFRA- in March 2018. It was deemed a major step forward in the regulation of the financial audit of large companies. The NFRA will serve as an independent regulator overseeing the auditing profession, somewhat akin to SEBI for the stock markets.

The Cabinet also approved the creation of the posts within the regulator  that of a chairman, three full-time members, and one secretary. Former bureaucrat R Sridharan was named the first chairperson of the NFRA.

The formal description of the NFRA, as we said earlier, goes something like this: It will have the power to monitor and enforce compliance with accounting standards and auditing standards, oversee the quality of service and undertake investigation of the auditors of listed entities; unlisted entities with paid-up capital of not less than Rs 500 crore or annual turnover of over Rs 1,000 crore or those having aggregate loans, debentures or deposits of not less than Rs 500 crore as of March 31 of the preceding financial year.

What will the NFRA actually do? It will maintain details of particulars of auditors appointed by companies; recommend accounting and auditing standards for approval by the Central government; monitor and enforce compliance with accounting standards and auditing standards. It will also oversee the quality of service of the professions associated with ensuring compliance with such standards and suggest measures for improvement in quality of service.

The NFRA can investigate professional matters or misconduct of any member or a firm of chartered accountants; it can issue summons and examine on oath; it can also inspect any book, registers and documents of any professional/firms probed; it may impose penalties and even powers to debar a member of a firm.

The establishment of the NFRA means that CAs will now be supervised or audited - policing the police, if you will. Every auditor will file I-T returns with the Authority on or before April 30 of every year. Understandably, ICAI, which has functioned pretty much unfettered for nearly 70 years, is resisting this step.

Business Standard reported last October that while NFRA would look into cases of listed companies, the ICAIs role would be confined to private limited or unlisted public companies below a predefined threshold. The ICAI will also remain an institution that will give away certificates to accounting professionals.

Ashok Haldia, former Secretary of ICAI, believes NFRA has some very tough days ahead. He told the newspaper The Hindu Business Line, ...NFRA has an uphill task...creating a structure and processes for effectively delivering on the complete range of functions  standards setting, professional development, quality monitoring and disciplining of medium and large-size audit firms...Disposal of disciplinary cases in 90 days, and that too, through summary proceedings, is going to be onerous and challenging.

In late October, a committee of experts appointed by the MCA as per the instructions of the Supreme Court, supported the strengthening of the NFRA and suggested that competition be introduced to the educational and development functions of the ICAI.

Other major economies of the world, after experiencing corporate scandals and accounting frauds, put in place independent regulatory mechanisms. In the US, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) functions as an independent audit regulator overseeing the audits of public companies.

The famous Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) is the oversight authority of the PCAOB and can take action against an auditor for professional misconduct or violation of securities laws. The PCAOB sets standards for auditing, quality control, ethics, and independence. It is further vested with investigative and disciplinary powers and can also revoke registration and impose monetary penalties on auditors.

The UK has a two-tier structure, which has an independent audit regulator, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), and multiple SROs. The critical regulatory activities concerning auditors of public-interest entities are vested with the FRC, while other tasks have been delegated to multiple SROs.

China regulates auditing through three authorities  the finance ministry, the China Security Regulatory Commission (CSRC), and the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (CICPA).

S Ravi, a senior chartered accountant and a director on several companies, told ET, The governments initiative of establishing the NFRA in line with global best practices of regulating professionals and (establishing a) better governance structure is a bold step. It is imperative that apart from the CA fraternity, other professionals and their bodies, who contribute their services towards certifying financial, cost, and compliance records of corporates, be also brought into the regulatory ambit for better governance and uniformity.

What now?

J.N. Gupta, MD and co-founder at proxy advisory firm Stakeholder Empowerment Services, said, While NFRA should have come sooner, the body should also look at company secretaries who are currently governed by Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) as they have an equally important role to play in examining rule compliance.

Narayanaswamy, professor of finance and control at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, said, Self-regulation has in-built conflict of interest. Members or their elected representatives should not be expected to take action against themselves. It is a bit like asking students to grade their own homework. The ICAIs loss of self-regulatory powers have resulted from years of apathy in taking action against the black sheep in its flock.

He added, For the NFRA to be effective, it should consist of independent experts with an impeccable record of integrity. Persons elected to ICAIs council should be kept out...The NFRA should keep its distance from the ICAI. Otherwise, it will be yet another case of regulatory capture.The office, hotel and condominium components of the project will be included in the secondary phase of development and launched as soon as capital market demand enables the financing of these projects, according to Hines.live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

State-run iron ore producer NMDC will decide on January 18 the names of shareholders who would be eligible to participate in the company's Rs 1,000-crore share buyback.

"NMDC has fixed January 18, 2019 as record date for determining the entitlement and the names of eligible shareholders/beneficial owners to whom letter of offer will be sent and will be eligible to participate in the buyback of 10,20,40,815 shares fully paid-up equity shares of the company," NMDC said in a BSE filing.

The finance ministry has already given a green light to the company's buyback plan.

The timeline for the launch of the offer would be decided by NMDC's board.

The government holds 72.43 per cent in NMDC.

It has already lined up buyback offers of nine PSUs including ONGC, Oil India, IOC, NHPC, BHEL, Nalco, Cochin Shipyard, NLC and KIOCL. These would cumulatively fetch about Rs 9,000 crore to the exchequer.

Shares of NMDC were trading down by 4.27 percent at Rs 90.90 per scrip on BSE.The US case against the chief financial officer of China's Huawei Technologies, who was arrested in Canada last month, centers on the company's suspected ties to two obscure companies. One is a telecom equipment seller that operated in Tehran; the other is that firm's owner, a holding company registered in Mauritius.

US authorities allege CFO Meng Wanzhou deceived international banks into clearing transactions with Iran by claiming the two companies were independent of Huawei, when in fact Huawei controlled them. Huawei has maintained the two are independent: equipment seller Skycom Tech Co Ltd and shell company Canicula Holdings Ltd.

But corporate filings and other documents found by Reuters in Iran and Syria show that Huawei, the world's largest supplier of telecommunications network equipment, is more closely linked to both firms than previously known.

The documents reveal that a high-level Huawei executive appears to have been appointed Skycom's Iran manager. They also show that at least three Chinese-named individuals had signing rights for both Huawei and Skycom bank accounts in Iran. Reuters also discovered that a Middle Eastern lawyer said Huawei conducted operations in Syria through Canicula.

The previously unreported ties between Huawei and the two companies could bear on the US case against Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, by further undermining Huawei's claims that Skycom was merely an arms-length business partner.

Huawei, US authorities assert, retained control of Skycom, using it to sell telecom equipment to Iran and move money out via the international banking system. As a result of the deception, US authorities say, banks unwittingly cleared hundreds of millions of dollars of transactions that potentially violated economic sanctions Washington had in place at the time against doing business with Iran.

Meng did not respond to a request for comment by Reuters, and Huawei declined to answer questions for this story. Canicula's offices could not be reached. A Justice Department spokesman in Washington declined to comment.

Meng was released on C$10 million ($7.5 million) bail on December 11 and remains in Vancouver while Washington tries to extradite her. In the United States, Meng would face charges in connection with an alleged conspiracy to defraud multiple financial institutions, with a maximum sentence of 30 years for each charge. The exact charges have not been made public.

Huawei said last month it has been given little information about the US allegations "and is not aware of any wrongdoing by Ms. Meng." The company has described its relationship with Skycom as "a normal business partnership." It has said it has fully complied with all laws and regulations and required Skycom to do the same.

Meng's arrest on a US warrant has caused an uproar in China. It comes at a time of growing trade and military tensions between Washington and Beijing, and amid worries by US intelligence that Huawei's telecommunications equipment could contain "backdoors" for Chinese espionage. The firm has repeatedly denied such claims. Nevertheless, Australia and New Zealand recently banned Huawei from building their next generation of mobile phone networks, and British authorities have also expressed concerns.

OFFER TO IRAN

Articles published by Reuters in 2012 about Huawei, Skycom and Meng figure prominently in the US case against her. Reuters reported that Skycom had offered to sell at least 1.3 million euros worth of embargoed Hewlett-Packard computer equipment to Iran's largest mobile-phone operator in 2010. At least 13 pages of the proposal were marked "Huawei confidential" and carried Huawei's logo. Huawei has said neither it nor Skycom ultimately provided the US equipment.

Reuters also reported numerous financial and personnel links between Huawei and Skycom, including that Meng had served on Skycom's board of directors between February 2008 and April 2009.

Several banks questioned Huawei about the Reuters articles, according to court documents filed by Canadian authorities at the request of the US for Meng's bail hearing in Vancouver last month.

According to the documents, US investigators allege that in responding to the banks, which weren't named, Meng and other Huawei employees "repeatedly lied" about the company's relationship with Skycom and failed to disclose that "Skycom was entirely controlled by Huawei." US authorities also allege that at a private meeting with a bank executive, in or about August 2013, Meng said Huawei had sold its shares in Skycom, but didn't disclose that the buyer was "a company also controlled by Huawei."

The court documents allege that Huawei told the executive's bank that the Chinese company had sold its shares in Skycom in 2009 - the same year Meng stepped down from Skycom's board. Skycom's buyer wasn't identified in the documents.

But Skycom records filed in Hong Kong, where the company was registered, show that its shares were transferred in November 2007 to Canicula. Canicula, which was registered in Mauritius in 2006, continued to hold Skycom shares for about a decade, Skycom records show.

A "Summary of Facts" filed by US authorities for Meng's Canadian bail hearing states: "Documents and email records show that persons listed as 'Managing Directors' for Skycom were Huawei employees." None of those individuals were named.

A company record filed by Skycom in Iran that was entered in the Iranian registry in December 2011 states that a "Shi Yaohong" had been elected as manager of Skycom's Iran branch for two years. Huawei employs an executive named Shi Yaohong.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Shi was named Huawei's "President Middle East Region" in June 2012. An Emirates News Agency press release identified him in November 2010 as "President of Huawei Etisalat Key Account." Etisalat is a major Middle Eastern telecommunications group and a Huawei partner.

Shi, now president of Huawei's software business unit, hung up the phone when Reuters asked him about his relationship with Skycom.

Many corporate records filed by Skycom in Iran list signatories for its bank accounts in the country. Most of the names are Chinese; at least three of the individuals had signing rights for both Skycom and Huawei bank accounts. (One of the names is listed in the Iranian registry with two slightly different spellings but has the same passport number.) US authorities allege in the court documents filed in Canada that Huawei employees were signatories on Skycom bank accounts between 2007 and 2013.

Records in Hong Kong show that Skycom was voluntarily liquidated in June 2017 and that Canicula was paid about $132,000 as part of the resolution. The liquidator, Chan Leung Lee, of BDO Ltd in Hong Kong, declined to comment.

The Financial Services Commission in Mauritius, where Canicula remains registered, declined to release any of its records to Reuters, saying they were confidential.

SYRIAN CONNECTION

Until two years ago, Canicula had an office in Syria, another country that has been subject to US and European Union sanctions. In May 2014, a Middle Eastern business website called Aliqtisadi.com published a brief article about the dissolution of a Huawei company in Syria that specialized in automated teller machine (ATM) equipment. Osama Karawani, an attorney who was identified as the appointed liquidator, wrote a letter asking for a correction, stating that the article had caused "serious damage" to Huawei.

Karawani said the article suggested that Huawei itself had been dissolved, not just the ATM company. In his letter, which was linked to on the Aliqtisadi website, he said Huawei was still in business.

"Huawei was never dissolved," he wrote; he added that it "has been and is still operating in Syria through several companies which are Huawei Technologies Ltd and Canicula Holdings Ltd." Huawei Technologies is one of Huawei's main operating companies.

Karawani didn't respond to emailed questions from Reuters about Canicula.

US investigators are aware of Canicula's connection to Syria, according to a person familiar with the probe. Canicula had an office in Damascus and operated in Syria on behalf of Huawei, another person said.

That person said Canicula's customers there included three major telecommunications companies. One is MTN Syria, controlled by South Africa's MTN Group Ltd, which has mobile-phone operations in both Syria and Iran. MTN has a joint venture in Iran MTN Irancell that is also a Huawei customer. MTN advised Huawei on setting up the structure of Skycom's office in Iran, according to another source familiar with the matter.

"Skycom was just a front" for Huawei, the person said.

An official with MTN said no one at the company was available to comment.

In December 2017, a notice was placed in a Syrian newspaper by "the General Director of the branch of the company Canicula Ltd." He was not named. It announced that Canicula had "totally stopped operating" in Syria two months before. No explanation was given.January 09, 2019 / 03:35 PM IST

Market at Close Equity benchmarks have closed the session with strong gains. The Nifty has ended the session around 10,850-mark.

There was some weakness seen among metals and energy sectors, along with PSU banks. Meanwhile, banks, automobile and consumption names rose during the trade.

The Nifty Midcap index ended with cuts of around one-tenth of a percent.

Bharti Airtel, Axis Bank and ITC are the top gainers, while Yes Bank, Tata Steel, GAIL and HPCL lost the most.A bird flies by the Vedanta office building in Mumbai August 16, 2010. India-focused miner Vedanta Resources said it will buy 51-60 percent of Cairn India for about $8.5-9.6 billion in cash to be funded via debt and cash resources, a move that would represent Vedanta's first foray into oil and gas, and help Edinburgh-based Cairn Energy fund an expensive drilling programme in Greenland. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui (INDIA - Tags: BUSINESS ENERGY) - RTXSAAV

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Global research firm Morgan Stanley has an equal-weight call on Vedanta with a target at Rs 235 apiece.

It believes that timeline of actual restarting of Sterlite unit will be key for the stock.

This poses upside risks of 4 and 8 percent to Fy20 EBITDA and earnings estimates.

It is not assigning any value to the copper business.

Restart of Sterlite unit would add 8% to the brokerages price target.

The stock has gained over a percent in the past one month as well as in the past three days.

The above report is compiled from information available on public platforms. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.The Nifty50 is likely to open with a gap on the higher side on Wednesday tracking positive trend seen in other Asian markets. The index closed 30 points higher at 10,802 on Tuesday.

A gap-up opening is likely as Nifty Futures on Singaporean Exchange were trading over 70 points higher. The futures traded around 10,908-odd levels.

The S&P 500 jumped to a three-week high on Tuesday, led by Apple, Amazon, Facebook and industrial shares on bets that the United States and China would strike a deal to end their trade war, said a Reuters report.

Asian shares inched up on Wednesday, supported by optimism the United States and China can strike a trade deal to avoid an all-out confrontation that will severely disrupt the global economy.

Earnings will remain in focus as India Inc. will start declaring their results for the quarter ended December. As many as four companies will declare their results later today which include names like Bajaj Corp, Delta Corp, IndusInd Bank, and Pankaj Polypack Ltd.

Stocks in news:

US-drug gaint Pfizer will be soon be shutting down two of its plants in Aurangabad, Maharashtra and Irungattukottai (IKKT) near Chennai in Tamil Nadu citing lack of viability.

Oriental Bank of Commerce: Board approved the proposal for raising capital for an amount upto Rs 5,500 crore through issuance of equity shares to the government on a preferential basis.

Indian Bank: Board approved raising of capital funds by way of equity including Employees Share Purchase Scheme and/or AT1 and Tier 2 Bonds.

Technical Recommendations:

We spoke to SMC Global Securities and heres what they have to recommend:

Titan Company: Buy| Target: Rs 1025| Stop Loss: Rs 885| Return 9%

Indian Bank: Buy| Target: Rs 278| Stop Loss: Rs 240| Return 9%

Repco Home Finance: Buy| Target: Rs 471| Stop Loss: Rs 390| Return 12%

The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Kridhan Infra shares rallied 9.3 percent in morning on Wednesday after company's Singapore subsidiary Swee Hong Limited bagged order worth over Rs 160 crore.

"Singapore Subsidiary  Swee Hong Limited, together with its step-down subsidiaries, has successfully secured a contract from the public utilities board worth SG$ 32.5 million (Rs 167.6 crore) in aggregate," the engineering company said in its filing.

The subsidiary will construct link sewers for the DTSS Phase 2 project at Old Choa Chu Kang Road/ Jalan Bahar, in Singapore.

Kridhan acquired a majority stake in Swee Hong limited in 2016 which is a leading EPC company in Singapore.

At 10:38 hours IST, the stock was quoting at Rs 48.10, up Rs 2.95, or 6.53 percent on the BSE.What a smart recovery that was by the bulls! Not only did they manage to pull benchmarks out of the negative zone, the rally ensured a strong close after Wednesdays session.

The Sensex recovered over 350 points to close above 36,000-mark, while the Nifty recovered over a percent from the days low to close above 10,850-mark.

A rally among banks, automobile companies as well as consumption names aided sentiment on D-Street. Axis Bank, in the financials segment, led the gains for banking stocks.

The day began on a positive note, tracking global cues and trends on SGX Nifty. However, the market were off their highs by afternoon. Some selling among metals weighed on the market. By the penultimate hour, the markets had dived into the red. Following steady earnings from IndusInd Bank, the market staged a sharp recovery.

At the close of market hours, the Sensex was up 231.98 points or 0.64% at 36212.91, while the Nifty higher 53.00 points or 0.49% at 10855.20. The market breadth was negative as 1127 shares advanced, against a decline of 1439 shares, while 153 shares were unchanged.

Bharti Airtel, Axis Bank and ITC are the top gainers, while Yes Bank, Tata Steel, GAIL and HPCL lost the most.

"In the near term, we continue to remain cautiously optimistic on the Indian markets as we believe volatility and choppiness are likely to remain high. Domestically, investors focus would be on GST council meet scheduled tomorrow, announcement of companies Q3FY19 results and domestic Marco data (IIP, CPI & WPI), which are likely to dictate the trend of the market in the coming sessions. Global developments, behaviour of crude oil prices and fluctuation in currency would be closely monitored. We recommend investors to focus on value investing and traders to avoid risky leveraged positions," Jayant Manglik, President, Religare Broking said in a statement.

Stocks in the news

Private sector lender IndusInd Bank has reported a marginal 5 percent on year growth in the third quarter net profit at Rs 985 crore, dented by higher provisions mostly due to IL&FS exposure. It was ahead of estimates of Rs 811.3 crore by CNBC-TV18 poll, driven by other income, operating profit and NII. The bottomline in the same period last year stood at Rs 936.25 crore. The stock ended a percent higher.

Shares of HT Media, Jagran Prakashan and DB Corp rose 3-20 percent as investors cheered government hiking ad rates by 25 percent.

R Systems International shot up 10 percent ahead of board meeting to consider the proposal of share buyback next week.

Kridhan Infra shares rallied 4 percent after company's Singapore subsidiary Swee Hong Limited bagged order worth over Rs 160 crore.

Dilip Buildcon shares fell 5 percent after CRISIL downgraded its rating on company's long term bank facilities and NCD to A/Stable from A+/Stable.

Godrej Consumer Products shares dropped a percent after a fire incident took place in the premises of its Nigerian subsidiary.

Motherson Sumi Systems shares gained 2 percent as China is planning to provide fresh incentives to boost domestic consumption in auto and home appliances segments.

Share price of NMDC slipped 3 percent even as the as company board approved buyback of its shares.

Global Markets

Stocks in Europe were higher as US-China trade talks extended for a third day. Stoxx 600 was up by 0.6 percent with every sector in positive territory.

Asian markets gained ahead of US-China trade talk developments. Nikkei 225 advanced 1.1 percent to close at 20,427.06 while the Topix also gained 1.1 percent to finish its trading day at 1,535.11, with almost all sectors rising.Domestic lenders led by State Bank of India (SBI) have proposed a $900-million resolution plan, comprising fresh equity infusion and restructuring of $450 million of its loans, according to a report by Mint.

The consortium of banks on January 8 met Jet Airways' officials, including founder and Chairman Naresh Goyal and a representative of Etihad Airways, which holds a 24 percent stake in the airline, to discuss its financial state.

If the stakeholders approve the proposed turnaround plan, Goyal may have to dilute his stake from the existing 51 percent. Lenders are of the view that Goyal must step down from Jet Airways' board, however he could continue to be associated with the airline in a non-executive capacity, according to a report by Business Standard.

"The conversation is around reducing Goyal's say in operating the airline," a source told the paper. As per the report, Goyal's stake may be halved and SBI would hold over 20 percent stake in the airline.

Read | Lenders seek an update on Jet Airways' liquidity situation: Report

Media reports suggest that one of Goyal's family members could replace him on the board.

"While the finer details are still being worked upon, the broader contours entail that Goyal and Etihad will together infuse $450 million in the company, while the Indian lenders will restructure another $450 million of the airline's debt, which is up for maturity between now and March," a source told Mint.

Read: Jet Airways' survival may rest on founder Naresh Goyal leaving the cockpit

The final plan is said to be put in place by January end and lenders are hopeful that the resolution plan will be in force by March 31, which is well within the 180-day period set by Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) in its February 12 circular, the Mint report stated.

Lenders, however, will not release cash until they have a look at the forensic audit report by EY on Jet Airways' business viability, according to a The Times of India report. SBI has appointed EY to conduct a forensic audit into Jet Airways' books from April 1, 2014, to March 31, 2018. The process is underway.

"The lenders have also assured Jet Airways' vendors and lessors that their dues will be cleared in three tranches till April, by which time the lenders expect the payment cycle to become regular," another source told Mint, adding that as part of the restructuring, lenders have also proposed a moratorium on repayments on loan facilities which are due till April.

Read | Quick Take: Can Jet Airways avoid a crash landing?

Etihad Airways is said to have offered to guarantee loans worth $150 million for Jet Airways to keep the airline operational. According to estimates, it needs close to $500 million between now and April to meet repayment obligations and manage operating expenses.

The airline defaulted on a debt payment to a consortium of banks led by SBI on January 1. It reported three consecutive quarterly losses of over Rs 1,000 crore each since the quarter ended March 2018.

Jet Airways has been planning to raise money from the market to repay debt and fund its operations.

Read  Jet Airways close to securing Rs 1,500 crore loan from SBI: Sources

In September 2018, the airline had informed its overseas lenders that it would raise about Rs 3,500 crore over six months through a stake sale in its loyalty programme  Jet Privilege  and infuse fresh funds into the company. However, the airline is yet to find fresh funds or monetise its stake in its loyalty programme.

Jet Airways has been undertaking cost-cutting measures such as shutting services on unviable routes and moving towards a no-frills airline by stopping free meals. The management had earlier said it intends to cut its operating cost by Rs 2,000 crore over the next two years. These measures may, however, take a few more quarters to bear significant results.Exports of tea to neighbouring Pakistan continued to show an increase than most destinations during January to November 2018, at 14.56 mkgs as compared to 12.60 mkgs in the same period in 2017.

The tea exports to Pakistan during the first 10 months of 2018 rose 22 percent to 13.07 million kg as compared to 10.65 million kg in the corresponding period of 2017, according to Tea Board data.

The biggest importing bloc of Indian tea, CIS nations, showed a decline at 54.87 mkgs during the first 11 months period of 2018 as against 58.41 mkgs in the corresponding period of 2017. Value of exports to CIS also showed a decline at Rs 891 crore from Rs 959 crore in the previous period, the Tea Board data said.

Exports to other important nations UK, UAE and Egypt also declined marginally during January to November 2018, the data said. Total exports during the 10-month period of 2018 increased marginally to 225.76 mkgs valued at Rs 4624 crore as compared to corresponding data of 226 mkgs and Rs 4478 crore respectively.

Unit price per kilogram also increased slightly to Rs 204.83 kilogram during the period as against Rs 198.12 per kilogram during the previous term.Air India building, Mumbai

live bse live

nse live Volume Todays L/H More 

Moneycontrol News

In a major setback to state-run Air India, High Court of Punjab and Haryana has overruled the national carrier's decision to shift domestic ticket-booking business "exclusively" on Travelport, asking it to continue using the services of Amadeus and others to book domestic and international flights.

"An interim direction is issued to Air India Limited to continue to allow using GDS of Travelport, Sabre, Amadeus, as was being used prior to 4.12.2018 and till further orders, Air India inventory will be made available to Amadeus also, as was being done prior to 4.12.2018," judgement of the HC read. Air India had discontinued services of all other global distribution system (GDS) portals from December 5th, 2018.

The court has given Air India three weeks' time to respond to the judgement with relevant documents.

In October last year, Travelport had announced that it had "won competitive tender process undertaken by Air India for the sole provision of distribution of its domestic flight content in the airline's home market".

The national carrier had decided to shift to Travelport despite several senior officials raising objections against the move. Joining hands with Travelport meant giving access to details of AI's flyers to Interglobe Technologies Quotient, a strategic business unit of InterGlobe Enterprises which is the parent company of IndiGo, India's largest airline by market share and Air India's biggest competitor.

According to documents reviewed by Moneycontrol, former Air India CMD Rajiv Bansal had recorded his opposition to move to a single GDS.

"The market penetration of Amadeus is around 60 percent and that of Travelport is around 30 percent. The financial condition of the airline is delicate and we cannot afford to take substantial risk and adopt an entirely new selling proposition which is vastly different from the earlier model," Bansal had written in an internal note adding that Air India could not "afford to take substantial risk and adopt an entirely new selling proposition, which is vastly different from the earlier model and leads to dependency on only one particular vendor".

Air India did not offer any comment to Moneycontrol on High Court's judgement at the time of writing this report.

Vinod Hejamadi, AI's director, finance, had also flagged similar concerns associated with the proposal to move to a single GDS.

"The travel agents may not take the move of the airline in right spirit, which may affect our business," he had written in a file noting on August 21, 2017.

GDS is a globally connected computerised reservation network offering a one-point access to airline bookings, hotel reservations as well associated travel-related areas including car rentals.

A GDS also connects travel agents and other such service providers with large corporations. Such networks are usually operated in partnership with, either through joint ventures or as supporting business partners, major airlines, hotel chains or transnational travel service providers.

Taking strong stance against the allocation made to Travelport, the court noted that under Article 12, the national carrier was "duty bound" to invite bids before giving "exclusive rights to any agency for GDS".

"It is further contended that Air India was duty bound to call bids in the form of tenders and that Amadeus could not be arbitrarily excluded from sale of tickets for domestic flights," it said.

The court also observed that before giving distribution rights to Travelport, there were "no complaints" against the services of Amadeus, thus making a case in favour of Amadeus.

"Air India has decided to cancel its distribution agreement with Amadeus. The airlines content is no longer available on the Amadeus system, in India or internationally. We have presented many options to Air India over recent months in an effort to give it access to the best technology with the broadest network of travel agencies globally and remain open to discussions," Amadeus said in a response to Moneycontrol's query.

The court also noted that "arbitrary" allocation of rights to sell domestic tickets has caused "inconvenience to passengers and travel agent".Tapia: Thats another good question  probably from my wife, the pastry chef who is always looking for new recipes. She used leftover banana bread as a crust for a cheesecake instead of maybe graham crackers. It was like a Bananas Foster cheesecake that was out of this world. In this business, youre always looking for something to do with the leftover product.7. Johnson & Johnson | Market Cap: USD 338.6 billion | Industry : Pharmaceutical

The five-member Central Expert Committee (CEC), on January 9 met patients and executives of Johnson & Johnson (J&J), sought more time and consultations as it tries to work out an amicable compensation formula for patients affected by alleged faulty ASR hip implants of J&J.

Nearly 40 victims and their family members have met with the CEC to share their concerns regarding the health issues faced by them, compensation formula, the process and related issues.

This was the first time CEC had a meeting with the patients. The meeting was called after months of letters and demands by patients that the government hear them.

We are glad that the government and the Central Expert Committee finally called us for this meeting, though the limited duration of the meeting meant we could place our concerns and cases before the committee only in a limited way," said Renu Seth of Delhi.

"Still we hope this is only the first meeting with the government and that even in this short time they were able to see the true extent of suffering and devastation of our lives caused by J&Js ASR hip implants, Seth added.

Another patient Jyoti Ramani said doctors told her to stop planning a family due to the levels of cobalt and chromium in her body and the negative impacts that could have on pregnancy and the baby.

Rani suffered a miscarriage years after the recall of the device and was unaware of toxicity associated with the implant until 2016.

I hope the government and the Central Expert Committee realizes that physical disability is only one of the serious problems faced by us; the impact on our families and our personal lives, the mental agony that we have suffered must be recognized, she added.

"We will not rest till J&J is investigated, prosecuted and held accountable for their criminal negligence and actions that have left us disabled, in pain

and with life long suffering, said Vijay Vojhala, a patient from Mumbai, Maharashtra.

J&J meeting

The Committee met J&J executives in a closed-door meeting.

"We remain committed to providing assistance, including appropriate compensation within an established framework, to ASR patients in India who have undergone revision surgery," J&J said in a statement.

"We look forward to a positive resolution of this matter," it added.

In August 2018, the report of the Agarwal Committee set up by the government was released which recommended compensation for ASR hip implant victims. Subsequently, the CEC headed by Dr RK Arya was convened in October 2018 to start the compensation process.

CEC determined the quantum of compensation to be between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 1.22 crore per patient, depending on factors like age and disability.

However, the compensation formula was met with serious concerns from patients as it had many deficiencies, exclusions and lacunae.

Even J&J wasn't happy. The company in a plea to the Delhi high court in December blamed the government for the alleged lack of transparency and the failure to grant the company a hearing before the expert committee.

The ASR hip implants made by DePuy, a division of the US drug and medical devices giant Johnson & Johnson, were globally recalled in 2010 as it caused metal wear debris and an elevated release of cobalt and chromium beyond 7 parts per billion resulting in higher than normal parameters for revision surgeries.

Hip implants are used in hip replacement surgery. Johnson & Johnson is facing lawsuits from patient groups in various countries. In some countries, it has reached a settlement with patient groups by paying billions of dollars.

DePuy had earlier informed CDSCO that there were 4,700 ASR surgeries performed in India and just 1080 patients could be traced. The status of remaining patients remains untraceable.US crude oil prices on Wednesday rose above $50 per barrel for the first time in 2019 on hopes that Washington and Beijing can resolve a trade dispute that has triggered a global economic slowdown.

US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures were at $50.14 per barrel as at 0021, up 36 cents, or 0.7 percent from their last settlement.

International Brent crude futures had yet to trade.

"The mood was ... boosted by signs of further progress in trade talks between the US and China," ANZ bank said on Wednesday.

The world's two biggest economies will continue trade talks in Beijing for an unscheduled third day on Wednesday, US officials said, amid signs of progress on issues including purchases of US farm and energy commodities and increased US access to China's markets.

State newspaper China Daily said on Wednesday that Beijing is keen to put an end to its trade dispute with the United States, but that it will not make any "unreasonable concessions" and that any agreement must involve compromise on both sides.

If no deal is reached by March 2, Trump has said he will proceed with raising tariffs to 25 percent from 10 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports at a time when China's economy is slowing significantly.

Oil prices have also been receiving support from supply cuts started at the end of 2018 by a group of producers around the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as well as non-OPEC member Russia.

"Crude oil prices continued to march higher, with investors becoming increasingly confident that the OPEC cuts would tighten the market," ANZ said.IndiGo

Budget carrier IndiGo is offering flight tickets at Rs 899 for travel across India under its first New Year sale, beginning January 9. The sale, which started at 6 am, offers fares as low as Rs 3,399 for international flights, announced the airline.

The offer is valid on tickets booked from January 9 to January 13 for travel between January 24 and April 15. It covers all flight bookings made through all channels during the offer period, according to the website.



When your 2019 resolution is to travel more, your solution should be IndiGo. This may seem like a bit of a pinch - me moment for you all, but its actually happening! Our sale is on, so go on check things off your travel bucket list for the year! Book now https://t.co/TRsLEOYIaO pic.twitter.com/MY9hrzLuax

 IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) January 9, 2019

Besides the low fares, the airline is also offering cashback of up to Rs 500 for flyers who make online payments using the MobiKwik wallet.

However, this offer can be only availed once per user. It can be taken on non-stop flights only, which means flyers who wish to book tickets for connecting flights cannot avail benefits of the sale offered by the airline.

The sale is also not applicable on IndiGos group bookings, according to the company.

The sale has been clashing with Jet Airways and AirAsia, which are also offering low fares on domestic as well as international flights from India.

Jet Airways, under its Global Sale running from January 5 to January 11, is offering up to 50 percent discount on domestic and international flight bookings with certain conditions.

The AirAsia's sale began on January 7 and is offering flight tickets as low as Rs 999 with applicable conditions. The sale will be continued till January 20, during which flyers can book ticket to travel between January 21 and July 31.Parts of the building have to be secured and set aside for that polling so its not disruptive for the polling, Bridges said. Limits on where students can go for physical education are necessary, for example, he said.I know that asking children to sit and not move doesnt work, Gonzalez added. They like to be anywhere but their desk, and thats OK. I let them sit wherever they want, as long its not disruptive and theyre getting their work done.News of the indictment broke as the Illinois House was in Springfield swearing in a new class of lawmakers, a group Sauer could have been in if not for his resignation after the allegations first surfaced.Mizrahi came to the United States in 2000. He met his wife, a Deerfield native, in Israel, and after living there for a few years, she expressed the desire to return home. Tomer was living in Florida when Eli suggested opening a restaurant; Tomer came north. Its nice (owning your own restaurant), Eli explains. No one tells you what to do. Ive worked for corporate. I like to use imagination; I like to think outside the box. Sometimes you succeed, sometimes you dont. Its all part of life.Fascinating sheets of ice crashed onshore at White Lake, Michigan Saturday. A burst of warm weather broke up lake ice and made quite the ruckus at the shoreline.

Caitlin Huber shot this video while walking her dog along White Lake, which is near Muskegon, MI and Whitehall, MI.

Huber says the sight was amazing, but the sound was even more astounding. It was really loud. Thats actually how I even discovered it," Huber said. "I was walking my dog with a podcast on at full volume, but it was so loud that it got my attention!

You can hear the sound in this video shot by Huber.

Michigan has had highly variable temperatures this winter. Ive found up-and-down weather creates some neat nature art in Michigan. Thats exactly what happened here on White Lake.

The warm air broke up the ice and wind tossed the ice around like panes of glass.

Thank you Caitlin Huber for sharing your video with us all.SAGINAW, MI  Police have identified 26-year-old Dominique K. Turner as the victim of a shooting early Wednesday on Saginaws East Side.

The drive-by shooting occurred just before 1 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Responding police found Turner dead just inside the doorway of a residence in the 2500 block of Lynnwood Avenue.

Police have not arrested any suspects in the case.

Turner was previously convicted for his role in the beating of a 42-year-old man who witnessed a murder in 2010, according to MLive and Saginaw News archives. Officials said then that Turner was a member of the citys H&R Boys, a gang that represents a southeast Saginaw neighborhood that includes Harold and Ray streets.

Turner pleaded no contest to witness intimidation and a Saginaw County Circuit Court judge sentenced him to two years in prison and five years probation in October 2013. The Michigan Department of Corrections discharged Turner from probation in July 2016 for violations related to new crimes he was accused of committing while on probation.

That same month, due to his violations, Turner was sentenced to 20 months to 10 years in prison on the witness intimidation conviction, along with six concurrent terms of varying lengths for convictions of delivering drugs, assaulting police, and fleeing police, crimes he committed in December 2015.

The Michigan Department of Corrections paroled Turner on Aug. 10, 2017  three days before his birthday  and discharged him on Nov. 10, 2018.

Turners fatal shooting is at least the second time he had been shot. When he was 18 in August 2010, he was shot in the Harold and Ray area, an incident that resulted in the loss of his left eye, prosecutors said.

No one was ever charged in connection with that shooting. Turner was uncooperative with investigators, who were thus unable to generate suspects.

Turners death marks the first homicide in Saginaw in 2019. The previous year saw 15 homicides in the city, compared to 16 in 2017.

Turners killing is being investigated by the Major Crimes Unit, comprising members of the Saginaw Police Department and the Michigan State Police.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Michigan State Police at 989-439-3907 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-422-5245 or submit tips online at p3tips.com.SAGINAW, MI  A Saginaw man accused of firing on a house containing a woman and several children is heading back to prison.

Saginaw County Circuit Judge Janet M. Boes on Tuesday, Jan. 8, sentenced 26-year-old Jimmy D. Beavers Jr. to two terms of two to 20 years, one term of two to 15 years, and two terms of a flat 10 years. The first three terms are to be served concurrently with one another but consecutively to the latter two 10-year stints, which themselves are concurrent to one another.

The 10-year terms relate to convictions of third-offense felony firearm. That charge normally comes with a mandatory minimum two-year sentence, but it is increased to 10 years with a third offense enhancement.

Beavers on Oct. 11 was arraigned on three counts of felony firearm and single counts of assault with intent to murder, discharging a firearm at a building, and felon in possession of firearm.

The charges stem from a shots-fired incident that occurred Sept. 8 on Vestry Drive on Saginaws East Side. Five bullets entered an apartment containing a woman and her four children. The woman had heard arguing outside her place prior to the shooting.

No one was injured. Later that morning, the woman noticed the bullet holes, prosecutors allege.

Police developed Beavers as a suspect and authorities subsequently issued a warrant for his arrest.

When officers located and arrested Beavers, he was in possession of a gun and ammo, police have said. Thus, on Oct. 25, Beavers was again in court, this time to be arraigned on two more counts of third-offense felony firearm and single counts of felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, and assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police.

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors agreed to dismiss all of the charges in the earlier file related to the Sept. 8 house shooting. Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Blair Stevenson said those charges were dismissed due to difficulties in identifying Beavers as the culprit.

Beavers at age 17 in November 2009 opened fire with a sawed-off shotgun on a rival gang member's vehicle. Police said Beavers was a member of the Bloomfield Boys. Beavers ended up pleading no contest to 11 related charges, for which he was sent to prison.

The Michigan Department of Corrections paroled Beavers on Nov. 9, 2016. The agency discharged him from parole on Feb. 9.MUSKEGON COUNTY, MI -- A Muskegon man will spend at least five years in prison for possessing child pornography.

Christopher Steven Cole, 43, pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing child sexually abusive material and one count of using a computer to commit a crime.

He was charged after Google reported suspicious activity by Cole to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It was alleged that he had uploaded child pornography to a Google photo account.

During the criminal investigation, thousands of images were examined as possible child sexually abusive material, according to a spokesman from the Muskegon County Prosecutors Office.

Cole pleaded guilty in October, and in return another case accusing Cole of using a computer to commit a crime and child sexually abusive activity was dismissed. Those charges, stemming from an accusation that Cole reproduced the child porn, carried sentences that would have run concurrent to those he received for the other four counts, said Muskegon County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Timothy Maat.

On Dec. 17, Muskegon County Circuit Judge William Marietti sentenced Cole to a minimum of five years and a maximum of 15 years on each count. Sentences will be served concurrently. Cole was given credit for 463 days he already served in jail.

Cole was sentenced as a four-time habitual offender. He has previous felony convictions for writing a check with no bank account in 2002 and failing to return rental property in 2006 and 2007.KALAMAZOO, MI -- Julie Rogers will serve as chair of the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners for the next two years.

Rogers, who is serving her fourth consecutive term since 2012, replaces Democrat Commissioner Stephanie Moore. The Jan. 8 vote was almost unanimous. Rogers did not earn the support of Republican Commissioner Roger Tuinier, who nominated Republican Ron Kendall for chair.

My hope is that this Board of Commissioners can come together with a laser focus on what is important for our county," Rogers said. We frankly dont have time for distractions."

Rogers said her top priority is to get plans for a new courts and administration building back on track. The project, expected to cost close to $100 million, stalled for much of 2018 after the county received preliminary designs.

Southwest Michigan First, a regional economic development group, proposed using a food and beverage tax to fund the creation of a $110 million events arena and parking structure. Rogers said the plan is unlikely to move forward after receiving a poor reaction from constituents, but the new commission needs to decide whether it will seek a ballot proposal in 2019.

Other priorities for 2019 include joining a class action lawsuit against opioid manufacturers for their alleged responsibility in an addiction epidemic and reconvening a criminal justice council to work on reforms to benefit young adults.

Commissioner Tracy Hall, a Democrat serving her second term, was elected to serve as vice chair by a 9-2 vote. Republican Commissioner John Gisler and Tuinier supported Kendall for vice chair, citing a longstanding informal tradition of putting a member of the minority party in the seat.

I think it would speak volumes to our community to have a vice chair from the opposite party, Tuinier said.

Kendall himself voted for Rogers and Hall.

Tuesdays meeting was the first assembly of the new board in 2019. Democrats expanded their power after winning two more seats in the last election and now hold an 8-3 majority over Republicans.

Rogers is optimistic the board can achieve some unity. She and other commissioners pledged to repair a reputation for what Hall called petty infighting during the last two years.

I think we have some great possibilities with a lot of new members and Im excited to start a new page, Rogers said. I think its always going to take work when you have 11 different elected officials. Im looking forward to scheduling a retreat, everyone heard my priorities today but I want to hear from others.

Hall said board accomplishments were overshadowed by public disagreements among commissioners.

I challenge each of us to put our county first, before petty differences, before self-interest, before ego, and do the good work that most of us have been doing," Hall said.

The chair is responsible for preparing the agenda, running business meetings, representing the county at ceremonies and also have the coveted power of appointing and removing members of special committees. The vice chairperson performs the same duties in the chairs absence.

Commissioner Mike Seals nominated Rogers for chair. The five-term Democrat is the senior member of the board and was considered a contender for the chair spot.

I had a discussion with Julie and in a way I feel theres a lot more I can do when Im not being the chairperson, Seals said. I think Julie has a strong leadership ability. I also know during our tenure together she will communicate with me whenever something comes up that shes not sure about ... Shes going to be the target of everything that happens now, but I believe she can handle it."

Hall, first elected in 2016, was the Democratic nominee for chair and vice chair in 2018 but failed to gather the necessary votes. Instead, Moore became the countys first African-American board chair in January 2018 without any votes from her party.

Moore made a deal with five Republican commissioners to share leadership with Republican Commissioner Dale Shugars, who was unseated in the November 2018 election by Democrat Christine Morse.

Outgoing Kalamazoo County Board Chair Stephanie Moore is wearing a jacket made infamous by Melania Trump in 2018. Moore did not comment on whether she is making a statement with her fashion choice. pic.twitter.com/to371WUdyy  Malachi Barrett (@PolarBarrett) January 8, 2019

Moore wore a green jacket with the words I dont really care, do u? on the back, made infamous by Melania Trump in 2018. Moore did not comment on whether she intended to make a statement with her fashion choice, purchased at a downtown business.

She did express relief that she is no longer the target of criticism as board chair. Moore said she was held to a different standard because of her race.

Im definitely happy to not be the target of not just petty antics but discriminatory tactics," Moore said. I feel relieved that noose is not around my neck any longer.

Moore released a video on her YouTube channel announcing her retirement while celebrating her accomplishments as chair Tuesday before the board meeting. She is serving her third term on the board.

It went beyond "petty infighting" it was traumatic, disparate treatment...rooted in discrimination. #PoliticalLYNCHING  Stephanie Moore (@Chair_CommMOORE) January 9, 2019

Rogers is serving her fourth term representing District 5, earning 60 percent of the vote in 2018. Her district includes parts of Alamo Township and parts of Kalamazoo Township and Oshetmo Township.

A Kalamazoo Township resident, Rogers practices physical therapy at Borgess at Woodbridge Hills and is married to Dr. Ed Orloff, DPT who practices physical therapy at Ivy Rehab.

During her last term, Rogers served on committees related to workforce and economic development, and the Board of Commissioners appointments committee. She is also a longtime member of the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, charged with redeveloping contaminated properties in the county.

Voters elected Hall to her second term representing District 3, which contains seven precincts in the southwest corner of the city of Kalamazoo.

Hall, an instructor at Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo Valley Community College, was a key player in the creation of the Kalamazoo County ID program.

Thank you very much to my colleagues for trusting me as the next Kalamazoo County Board Chair and Tracy Hall as Vice Chair! Posted by Julie M. Rogers on Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the employer of Ed Orloff.DOWAGIAC, MI -- A lawsuit brought against the state of Michigan by a local community college was dropped after legislation changed how Michigans community colleges should contribute to the state-run teacher retirement program in the future, and after unpaid contributions were paid off.

An investigation by the state of Michigans Office of the Auditor General revealed a small college in Southwest Michigan was neglecting to pay into the retirement system for student employees. As a result of the investigation, all colleges in the state were required to report their contributions to the Office of Retirement Services in recent months.

Southwestern Michigan College, a community college in Dowagiac, sued the state of Michigans Office of the Auditor General over the investigation.

The office, led by the state governments chief fiscal officer, investigated allegations the college intentionally excluded part-time student employees from enrollment into the Michigan Public School Employees' Retirement System.

Southwest Michigan College filed to drop the lawsuit Friday, Jan. 4, according to court documents. New legislation changed how contributions would be calculated in the future and the unpaid amount was paid by the college, according to a press release from the college.

The college spent about $152,000 on legal fees related to the lawsuit, spokesperson John Eby said in an email to MLive.

The Michigan Office of Retirement Services released a report in September that gave an estimation of the unpaid contributions, late fees and accrued interest. The report tracked contributions from across the state between July 1, 2014 and June 30, 2018. Interest and late fees were calculated through Nov. 15, 2018.

The total owed to the state by all colleges combined was about $7.5 million, according to the report. The bills varied from as low as about $800 for one college to over $1 million for another.

Southwest Michigan College paid $257,569, which included over $210,000 in retirement contributions and the remainder in late fees and interest, the release said.

Caleb Buhs, spokesperson for the Office of Retirement Services, confirmed the college was paid in full.

New legislation signed into law by former Gov. Rick Snyder brings this statewide issue to conclusion, and provides certainty to SMC and adequate relief from the flawed interpretation of the OAG report, President David Matthews said in the release. "SMC has begun the process of withdrawing the colleges lawsuit against the OAG so that we can focus entirely on our mission of providing affordable access to high-quality education to the community.

The audit report from the investigation was released in February 2018 after the lawsuit filed by the college challenging the authority of the report was dismissed in August 2017. The lawsuit filed by the school challenged the constitutional authority of the state office to audit community colleges.

All 28 of Michigans community colleges are now required to pay for four years of contributions, including late fees and interest.

Grand Rapids Community College was billed about $93,000, according to the September estimations from the Office of Retirement Services. Kalamazoo Valley Community College owed about $330,000.

Other estimated unpaid contributions from schools in Southwest Michigan included:

Lake Michigan College: about $117,000

Kellogg Community College: about $178,000

Glen Oaks Community College: about $11,000

For a complete list of colleges, see the September report.KALAMAZOO, MI  A drug trafficking organization delivered over 400 pounds of meth from California to Kalamazoo in the last two years, police said, while announcing two arrests in a months-long investigation.

On Jan. 8, the Southwest Michigan Enforcement Team (SWET) received information that a shipment of drugs was headed to Kalamazoo. Officers intercepted the shipment, 27 pounds of ice style meth, hidden in a vehicle, SWET said in a news release.

The arrests came after approximately six months of investigation in which federal, state and local detectives discovered that the drug trafficking organization had delivered over 400 pounds of methamphetamines (including ice style meth from Mexico) from California to Kalamazoo in the last two years.

Officers from SWET, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team and troopers from the Michigan State Police Paw Paw post and the Hometown Security Team executed a federal search warrant in the 400 block of Reed Street in Kalamazoo.

Two male subjects in their 50s, one from Kalamazoo and one from California, were taken into custody. Simultaneously, federal and state law enforcement officers conducted search warrants in California, recovering approximately 30 more pounds of ice, police said.

The case is being turned over to the U.S. Attorneys Office in Grand Rapids, which will be working with the U.S. Attorneys Office in California on the case. The subjects arrested in Michigan will be arraigned Wednesday in Federal Court in Grand Rapids. Names of the suspects are not being released until after the people are arraigned, police said.

The Southwest Enforcement Team (SWET) is comprised of sworn law enforcement personnel from the Michigan State Police, Berrien County Sheriffs Office, Barry County Sheriffs Office, Calhoun County Sheriffs Office, Kalamazoo County Sheriffs Office, St. Joseph County Sheriffs Office, Covert Police Department, Kalamazoo Township Police Department, South Haven Police Department and the Sturgis Police Department.

SWET is funded in part by the Michigan HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) as well as the U.S. Department of Justice, Byrne JAG grant.JACKSON, MI  The Jackson County Animal Shelter, 3770 Spring Arbor Road, has many pets available for adoption.

Here are two of them.

Achilles is all about the toys and having a great time playing. Hes a happy, 1- to 2-year-old rambunctious male mastiff/American Stafford mix who was surrendered by his owner who was moving and could not take him.

Achilles has a beautiful tan coat with white chest. Hes a fit guy who loves to go outside for a romp. He knows basic commands and wants to learn.

Blackie is a solid black male domestic shorthair who was surrendered by his owner. Hes approximately 6 years old and just a loveable guy.

Blackie is looking for a special home where he will be the only cat, preferably indoors, as he has feline immunodeficiency. FIV cats have no specific symptoms but have a weaker immune system.

Only cats can get FIV  not dogs or people  and FIV-positive cats tend to live normal lives and to normal life expectancy.

All dogs and cats at the shelter are neutered/spayed and current on vaccines. A walk-through in the cat room is available to test a dog's reaction to cats.

Dog adoptions are $150. Cat adoptions are $90 for one cat and $1 for a second cat.

Those interested in adopting these pets must come to the shelter to meet them anytime from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday or 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Saturday. Office closes daily for lunch from 1 to 2 p.m.

No phone calls please. All dog adoptions require an application.JACKSON, MI -- Michigan families will stay warm this winter with a $10 million contribution from Consumers Energy.

Up to 7,000 of Consumers Energys customers will benefit from the donation, which came in two contributions of $8 million Monday and $2 million in November.

Calling 211 will connect customers with a worker to help with the process. They can also be referred to other organizations for additional resources.

Consumers Energy is based in Jackson and all the people we serve are from Michigan, Consumers spokesman Brian Wheeler said. There are a lot of households that face hardships. It can be from losing a job or a medical situation. For us being able to provide and help -- especially when colder -- is gratifying.

Organizations receiving the financial support include the United Way of Jackson County, TrueNorth Community Services, The Salvation Army, The Heat and Warmth Fund, Michigan Community Action Agency, The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in the Archdiocese of Detroit, United Way for Southeastern Michigan and Michigan Veterans Trust Fund.

Most of the $10 million will enroll customers in the CARE program, a two-year payment plan that helps customers manage their energy bills. The plan works to prevent having debt with the company, and to be in a better position moving forward with the foundation CARE provides, Wheeler said.

Consumers Energy also contributed $10 million toward heating bills last winter. It tries to have a yearly contribution, with the amount depending on how the company is doing that year, Wheeler said.

One thing is consistent: the money comes from the company, not its customers, he said.

Consumers Energy is Michigans largest energy provider, serving 6.6 million households in the state.LEELANAU COUNTY, MI  A Northern Michigan woman was killed Tuesday, Jan. 8, in a broadside crash, Leelanau County sheriffs deputies said.

The victim, an 81-year-old Glen Arbor woman, died at a hospital. Her name was not immediately released.

The other driver, a 31-year-old Empire man, was injured.

The crash happened just before 8 a.m. on M-72 at Benzonia Trial. Rescuers found the injured drivers in badly damaged vehicles, sheriffs deputies said.

Preliminary investigation showed the victim was driving south on Benzonia when she failed to stop for a stop sign at M-72. Her sport-utility vehicle was hit broadside by a westbound car.

The Empire man was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

The crash remains under investigation.

Police are withholding names pending notification of family.EMMET COUNTY, MI -- A 37-year-old Petoskey woman has been sentenced to a minimum 10 years in prison after her vehicle collided with a mother and young son walking along a road in August.

Holly Hibbler was s-entenced to 10-15 years in prison Tuesday, Jan. 8 in Emmet County Circuit Court.

She was driving Aug. 8 on Maxwell Road in Springvale Township when her vehicle struck Sharon Myers and her 9-year-old son Samuel. The child later died.

The mother and son were walking their bicycles along the road when they were struck, police said.

Hibbler was sentenced on a charge of reckless driving causing deathANN ARBOR, MI -- Ann Arbor doctor Lawrence Perlman hopes the screening of The Twinning Reaction" at the Michigan Theater on Tuesday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. will set the record straight.

After the premiere of the documentary Three Identical Strangers at the Sundance Film Festival last year, Perlman felt disappointed by film.

Both films explore stories of long-lost siblings, separated at birth for scientific research.

Filmmaker Lori Shinsekis The Twinning Reaction" dives deeper into the tragedy of research experiments on identical siblings in the 1960s. Perlman has expressed his support for the film and believes it tells a more thorough and accurate account of the story than Three Identical Strangers.

The Ann Arbor-based clinical psychologist, during a 10-month stint as a part-time research assistant 50 years ago, helped gather observations and research in a study involving triplets - Robert Shafran, Edward Galland and David Kellman -- born in 1961 and placed in separate adoptive families, unaware of the other siblings.

More on his reaction to the first film, for which he was interviewed at length, here.

There will be a Q&A session with Perlman and UM faculty members Dr. Michael Jibson and Professor Kayte Spector-Bagdady after the Jan. 15 screening of the new film

This filmscreening is a part of the Science on Screen Film Series, an initiative of the Coolidge Corner Theatre, funded by the Sloan Foundation and the Arbor Research Collaborative of Health.YPSILANTI, MI - A prison inmate has been charged in a shooting that occurred while he was out on parole -- again.

Rico M. Chandler, 42, was arraigned Dec. 12, 2018 in the June 8, 2017 killing of Dominique Lee in Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti police Lt. Brent Yuchasz confirmed. Chandler is the second person charged in the homicide.

Lee, 28, was killed about 2:45 a.m. June 8, in a suspected narcotics-related shooting in the Sauk Trail Pointe housing complex in the 900 block of West Michigan Avenue in Ypsilanti.

Chandler had been out on parole for a year at the time of the shooting and absconded the same month, said Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Chris Gautz.

He was sent back to prison that November, a few months after the Lee homicide, when he pleaded no contest to three counts of assaulting, resisting or obstructing police and six weapons charges in a separate September 2017 Ypsilanti Township incident, prison records show.

Hes still serving time for a 2001 conviction of assault with intent to commit great bodily harm less than murder, prison records show.

While on parole from that sentence for the first time in 2011, he and a brother were accused of shooting a man, causing non-life threatening injuries.

He was sentenced to four months in the county jail for aggravated assault in connection with that shooting, court records show. Other charges were dismissed.

Chandler now faces one count of open murder, two counts of armed robbery and seven weapons charges in the Lee death, court records show.

An attorney for Chandler could not immediately be reached for comment.

Another man, Marcus Walker, 30, faces one count of open murder, a count of armed robbery and a count of unarmed robbery in the Lee homicide.

Negotiations for a deal with prosecutors have failed, Walkers attorney David Goldstein said during a Jan. 3 court appearance. Walker is scheduled for an April 25 final pretrial hearing and a May 13 jury trial.

Walker, too, was released from prison shortly before the Lee homicide, getting out in March 2017. He shot a 15-year-old boy in the neck in March 2012 in Ypsilanti, according to past media reports.

Walker is being held without bond, and both Walker and Chandler face up to life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder.

Chandler is scheduled for a Jan. 17 preliminary examination.ANN ARBOR, MI - Former United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will discuss the threat of fascism in support of her latest book Fascism: A Warning, during an upcoming visit to Ann Arbor.

Albright, who served as Secretary of State for former President Bill Clinton, will speak at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9, inside the Michigan Theater, which is hosting the discussion along with Nicolas Books.

The conversation is expected to examine the threat of fascism and how we can avoid repeating the tragic errors of the past," as outlined in Fascism: A Warning, which was released in 2018 by Harper Collins. It will be followed by a question-and-answer session and book signing.

Albright was named the first female Secretary of State in 1997, becoming the highest ranking woman in the history of the U.S. Government. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor, in 2012.

She currently is the chairwoman of Albright Stonebridge Group, a global strategy firm, and chairwoman of Albright Capital Management LLC, an investment advisory firm focused on emerging markets.

Tickets start at $35 for balcony seats, up to $49.50 for the main floor, and can be purchased online. All tickets include a signed copy of the book.ANN ARBOR, MI  Ann Arbor officials are scaling back a city ordinance that the American Civil Liberties Union argues goes too far and infringes on peoples First Amendment rights.

The City Council voted 8-3 Monday night, Jan. 7, to give initial approval to changes to the citys ordinance banning unauthorized displays of the city's seal and flag.

Mayor Christopher Taylor said the changes are coming forward in response to objections by the ACLU of Michigan.

He said hes delighted the city attorneys office has put together an amended ordinance that addresses the concerns.

The City Council approved the ordinance last July, imposing up to $10,000 in penalty fines for violations, but the ACLU argued it infringed on protected free speech rights.

The ordinance has prohibited anyone from displaying the city seal or flag "on any written or printed materials that are not official city publications" unless they have special permission from the mayor. And special approval can be given only if the display "promotes the interests of the city and is not detrimental to the image of the city."

That language is now going away.

Such restrictions are clearly unconstitutional, the ACLU argued in a Nov. 1 letter to city officials, calling for immediate repeal.

Shortly after enacting the ordinance last summer, the city sent a cease and desist notice to Ann Arbor resident Ed Vielmetti, seeking to get the citys bur-oak tree logo taken down from LocalWiki.org, an online encyclopedia for which Vielmetti is a contributor.

An image of the seal was used in a Wiki entry specifically about the citys seal and the city attorneys office deemed it illicit.

Taylor later granted permission to use the seal in the Wiki entry, but the ACLU argued that didnt resolve the larger problems.

Senior Assistant City Attorney Matthew Rechtien said the ordinance changes, which await final approval by the council on Jan. 22, address the concerns raised by the ACLU and others that the prohibitions were overly broad and restricted more uses than necessary.

The changes repeal most of the current ordinance language and narrow the prohibitions to specifically ban uses where the purpose is to obtain something of value by confusing, deceiving or misleading anyone into a false impression of city action, support, approval, official sanction, sponsorship or endorsement.

The changes also prohibit selling or purchasing for resale any article that displays the city seal or flag in a manner that gives the false impression of city sponsorship or approval.

The penalty fine for violations would remain $10,000, according to the amended ordinance draft.

The citys flag and seal are symbols that have value to the city, and people unaffiliated with the city in the past have sold items bearing the city seal for their own profit, Rechtien said. He said potential vendors to the city and other third parties also have used the citys symbols for things like proposals and bids without permission.

At this point, there havent been any tickets written for misusing the citys seal or flag, Rechtien said.

Its our goal, of course, to avoid confusion and the false suggestion of affiliation or sponsorship, Taylor said. It is also our goal to ensure that we comply with First Amendment and all obligations, so Im glad that this is moving forward and I think this is an effective change.

The three council members against the proposed changes are Anne Bannister, Jack Eaton and Jeff Hayner.

Hayner, D-1st Ward, said the citys seal and flag should be treated as the exclusive property of the City of Ann Arbor.

He raised concerns that the changes strike a clause that list several specific prohibited uses, including uses in support or opposition of candidates for political office or on campaign literature.

Rechtien said the city is trying to narrow the use restrictions to what the city is most concerned about, which are commercial uses and other uses that could be considered confusing or misleading.

The new language focuses on those two things and narrows things substantially, he said.

Hayner said there are people still acting in ways he believes violate the ordinance and council rules.

Without naming anyone, he alluded to a council member using the city seal on social media.

Hayner asked where he should report his concerns, and Rechtien said he can bring them to the attention of the city administrator or city attorneys office and theyll take a look at the specifics.

Council Member Zachary Ackerman, D-3rd Ward, acknowledged the cover photo on his Twitter page is an image of the city seal and he believes Hayner was referencing that.

Ackerman said he hadnt even thought about it before and if Hayner has a problem with it he should just talk to him. He said he would change it if it makes Hayner uncomfortable.

Eaton, D-4th Ward, questioned whether the city may be going too far with the changes and effectively gutting the ordinance.

As I recall when we asked in June and July what the purpose of this ordinance was, it was to address the use of the seal by, say, the Art Fair or contract bidders who were responding to an RFP, and certainly under neither of those circumstances are they trying to mislead anybody, Eaton said, questioning whether the stripped-down law would even address those concerns.

In situations such as those Eaton mentioned, there would be a lot of facts to look at, Rechtien said, declining to pre-judge hypothetical scenarios. He said the city would need to look at the exact use and make a determination of whether it was misleading or for value.

Eaton argued the ordinance should be straightforward enough that it doesnt require elaborate case-by-case legal evaluation and people shouldnt have to go to a lawyer to understand what they can and cant do when it comes to the city seal and flag.

Multiple council members alluded to having received confidential information about the matter from the city attorneys office.

I want to apologize on behalf of the City of Ann Arbor. I dont know why we need privileged and confidential information, said Council Member Kathy Griswold, D-2nd Ward.

The fact that we wasted staff resources to write this ordinance in the first place and we are now wasting staff resources to talk about whatever conversation were having tonight troubles me.

Vielmetti, whose use of the city seal in a Wiki entry prompted what he called threatening letters from the city, spoke at the end of the meeting and thanked the eight council members who voted for the changes. He expressed hopes the others might change their minds before the revised ordinance comes back for final approval in two weeks.One in four applications for a license to run a medical marijuana facility made it to the state licensing board in 2018 as state officials conducted extensive vetting and fielded inquiries from 900 prospective businesses.

Last year the industry welcomed new regulations and legal clarity from a 2016 law -- the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (MMFLA) -- and the state saw the first retail sale of medical marijuana in October.

The 2018 launch of the commercialized medical marijuana industry ended with a marijuana shortage and the closure of at least 72 dispensaries. Starting 2019, patients are having trouble finding their medicine.

It cannot be described as anything but a failure, said Michael Komorn, president of the Michigan Medical Marijuana Association, of the states progress in 2018.

Industry insiders are holding out hope that Michigans medical marijuana program will be reformed in 2019 as Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmers administration takes power, and as the recreational marijuana program launches.

Governor Whitmer has been a supporter of medical and recreational marijuana for years. The administration is exploring any and all options to ensure patients are protected and have access to medical marijuana," said Tiffany Brown, Whitmers spokeswoman.

License log jam

Interest was high in gaining a business license to sell and grow medical marijuana in Michigan in 2018.

I think people began (2018) with the idea that the Medical Marijuana Facilities Licensing Act was going to create opportunities for people who were operating in the dark to now give them a chance to operate in the light, said Neil Rockind, a criminal defense attorney. I dont think the pace or the manner in which the applicants have been treated have proven that to be true.

Michigan ended 2018 with the same problem it started with: dispensaries full of medical marijuana supplied by caregivers that dont have a license. At least 72 provisioning centers were advised that they should shut down by Dec. 31, 2018.

Andrew Brisbo, director of the Bureau of Marijuana Regulation who oversees the states licensing program, said he believes regulators have been successful in their efforts to launch the licenses while maintaining safe access for patients.

Being such a divisive issue, we knew there would be people who didnt agree, Brisbo said. It was a very delicate balance to continue to allow the regulated model to be successful while maintaining patient access. Its frankly impossible to keep everyone with an opinion on it happy.

Out of the 532 complete license applications the state received last year, the states licensing board reviewed 138 from July to December. The board approved 99 and denied 39 licenses.

I dont think anyone considers it enough -- but its what we have, said Denise Pollicella, a lawyer with Cannabis Attorneys of Michigan, regarding the number of licenses.

Far more preliminary applications were reviewed during the boards initial screening process for businesses: of the 304 inquiries considered, 101 were denied.

Brisbo is proud that his department was able to present 304 preliminary applications to the board, as each required heavy scrutiny of a lengthy application.

"When we started taking applications the intent was to process as quickly as we could," Brisbo said. "The review and determinations to be made on existing facilities turned out to be a more complicated endeavor."

The licensing board -- a group of five individuals appointed by Snyder -- has drawn fire from applicants and their lawyers as state law allows them to reject applications based on subjective criteria. Minor issues have also cost applicants their chance as well. For example, the board denied license applications from former-Lion Calvin Johnson to grow, sell and process medical marijuana due to out-of-state traffic tickets that he resolved prior to the board meeting.

As of Jan. 8, 2019, there are 50 provisioning centers with active licenses spread across the state. Still, Grand Rapids and its metro area -- similar to most of West and Mid-Michigan -- is a medical marijuana desert. North of Cadillac, there are two licensed provisioning centers: one in Frederic and one in the Upper Peninsula in Houghton.

My biggest frustration is weve had this law on the books since 2016. I feel like we as a state should have gotten it going sooner, Pollicella said. Clearly its not enough provisioning centers to serve everyone in the state.

Map: Active medical marijuana facility license holders

Note: Addresses shown in the map denote the registered business address and may not reflect a business' actual location.

Marijuana shortage

Although nearly 100 medical marijuana businesses have licenses to operate in Michigan, the market has been slow to launch -- and theres a shortage of licensed medical marijuana to sell. Half of the 24 licensed growers in the state received approval in December to move forward.

Thats an issue because of the lag time between when licenses are approved and the product makes it to a store. For instance, the first licensed grower in the state -- High Life Farms -- received state approval in July. Marijuana from its first harvest was sold in late October at Healing Tree Wellness Center on 8 Mile in Detroit.

State regulators took steps to ameliorate the supply problem, announcing in early December that provisioning centers could keep stocking their shelves with medical marijuana grown by caregivers through the end of 2018 without jeopardizing their license applications. Legally, caregivers arent allowed to sell the medical marijuana they grow to anyone but the five patients they serve.

In 2019 the fact that theres no marijuana on the shelves -- I dont blame LARA I blame the legislature, Komorn said. The legislature wrote that law that precluded the caregivers as sources. LARA took steps to try and fix it.

But compounding the marijuana shortage was another late-breaking development in 2018: dispensaries that regulators had allowed to operate unlicensed were told to shut down by Dec. 31. The states order affected at least 72 dispensaries -- all of which had applied for a license in February with the state. Their license applications were in various stages of consideration and approval, and some were considered inactive, said David Harns, spokesman for the BMR.

We have received communication from medical marijuana stakeholders requesting that action be taken to address the problems caused by the removal of the stay and the department is in the process of determining whether continued operation in violation of current administrative rules could affect an applicants future licensure, Harns said in a statement.

In the background of 2018, medical marijuana businesses weathered multiple storms. The deadline for businesses to become licensed constantly changed as regulators gave businesses leniency and then a judge intervened.

Resistance from local governments also played a factor, as more than 400 communities have opted out of medical marijuana, and more than 100 opted in during 2018.

There has been a disconnect ... between the way people in government view marijuana and the way that the public views it, Rockind said. That disconnect really reared its head in 2018.

Proposal 1 had a chilling effect on local governments' acceptance of the MMFLA. Many communities decided to take no action with regards to the medical marijuana program as they waited to see if recreational marijuana would be legalized -- which voters ultimately approved Nov. 6.

Patients without access

Entering 2019, patients are having trouble accessing their medicine. There are 297,515 card-carrying medical marijuana patients in Michigan -- and nearly 93 percent of them are using medical marijuana to address their severe and chronic pain.

Courtney Bosse's daughter, Jasmine, was diagnosed with childhood epilepsy at the age of four in January 2017. For a year and a half they tried pharmaceutical drugs that came with severe side effects, and didn't seem to work.

They turned to cannabis; and waited for Jasmine's medical marijuana card to come in the mail. Bosse drove from their home in Lowell to a shop in Ann Arbor -- the closest place available with the products Jasmine needed. They tested several throughout December, and finally found one that worked: a THCA tincture.

But when she called the shop to re-stock, they didnt have the tincture any more: the shop had its state license, and could only sell state-licensed products that had been tested. Other shops that were open in December didnt have the product she needed for her daughters epilepsy. Finding a caregiver was difficult and risky.

"I can't even buy marijuana flowers and bud for me to try and make it itself," Bosse said. "It's an experiment that I don't have time for."

Ultimately, Bosse found someone who would gift her the tincture she needs for Jasmine, now age 6. It's a temporary solution.

It really just blows my mind that were even having this conversation, said Amie Carter of Burton. In the end its medicine for our children."

Carter, who has a 12-year-old son with autism, successfully petitioned the state to add autism to the list of conditions that qualify for the medical marijuana program.

Thats what I think the state is missing in this whole thing," Carter said. "Weve had a medical marijuana program since 2008; here we are in 2019, the state just voted on recreational and now were at a loss for getting our children medication.

Map: Percentage of residents with a medical marijuana card in 2017 by county

Transition opportunity

As Gov. Whitmers administration takes office this January, many in the medical marijuana industry are hopeful for change.

The existing administration finds itself in power in conjunction with the Proposal 1 passage, Komorn said. In my view this is a mandate to the governor, attorney general and secretary of state to fix this problem.

Whereas medical marijuana facility licenses are approved by an appointed board, recreational marijuana business licenses will be approved by staff. At first, certain licenses for recreational marijuana businesses will only be awarded to medical marijuana facility license holders.

Komorn said the state should unify the licensing process for both businesses as it prepares to launch the rules and oversight for recreational marijuana companies.

Thomas Nafso is an attorney representing three Detroit provisioning centers who previously worked for the Michigan Attorney Generals office advising the states Liquor Control Commission. He believes the medical and recreational marijuana programs could be combined in the future.

I think the way that the recreational initiative language was written -- theres pretty broad authority for rule promulgation, Nafso said.

Conversations have already begun between the Bureau of Marijuana Regulation and the new administration on how to launch the adult-use program, officials said. Work groups will be established to provide feedback, Brisbo said.

The bureau is under the guidance of the new director of the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, Orlene Hawks. Whitmer appointed her to the role.

Additional legislation passed in the 2018 lame duck session may speed up the application process for medical marijuana facilities in the mean time, Nafso said. Senate Bill 1262 removes background checks and financial vetting for applicants with less than a 10 percent stake in a company.

-- Amy Biolchini is the marijuana beat reporter for MLive. Contact her with questions, tips or comments at abiolch1@mlive.com. Read more from MLive about medical and recreational marijuana.If thousands of people moved out of Illinois because of high property taxes, Democrats and House Speaker Mike Madigans master plan would be to raise taxes high enough that people wont be able to sell their houses. Housing prices have gone up in the U.S. but not Illinois because no one wants to buy a house where property taxes cost more than your mortgage. . . Now, we have Madigans buddy, Gov.-elect J.B. Pritzker. Theres nothing to stop them now. At least Gov. Bruce Rauner tried to freeze property taxes. Democrats will raise taxes so high that youll be held captive.Todd Stone called 911 and confessed an urge to blast the whole block up.

"Depressed, highly intoxicated and suicidal," according to police reports and the 911 recording, the 48-year-old cancer patient would eventually tell the dispatcher he had no intention of hurting anyone but himself.

Minutes later, he was shot to death by police inside his mother's Oak Park home as he approached them carrying a hatchet.

Oak Park Police Chief Steve Cooper said his officer acted appropriately in the December 2017 incident, and there was no reason to revise tactics.

Stone's mother, Margie Stone, argues police had options.

"My son should not be dead," she said. "There's any number of ways it could have been handled other than him being shot three times."

One thing that is clear, based on an MLive review of police deaths in the last 20 years, and police killings of civilians in the last five years: Mental illness plays a significant role in deadly law enforcement encounters.

Of 87 people killed by police in Michigan the past five years, 33 of them, 38 percent, had been diagnosed with, were treated for or exhibited clear signs of mental illness.

These deadly encounters have been more closely scrutinized in recent years, thanks to social media, police video technology and cellphone recordings.

Most officer-involved shootings are ruled justifiable by prosecutors, because of the dangerous circumstances usually involved. But the question of tactics and procedures remains.

Police across the nation and in Michigan are increasingly using crisis-intervention teams, collaborations between trained law enforcement and mental health professionals tasked with deescalating volatile encounters with the mentally ill.

Officers are being trained to identify signs of mental illness, as well as substance abuse and conditions like autism in order to determine how and whether to engage suspects.

It's leading to changes in some of the basic principles of police work, and that's a good thing, said Sgt. Matt Warzywak of the Michigan State Police Training Division.

He oversees a training course that, while not required for veteran troopers, is taught to every new recruit who's passed through the Michigan State Police Academy since 2017.

The course, named "Managing the Mental Health Crisis: A Patrol Response," teaches cadets how to assess mental illness during encounters with the public, and how to safely intervene, with a heavy reliance on role-playing, Warzywak said.

The law enforcement approach to mental illness has changed a lot, said Warzywak, a 14-year state police veteran.

When I went through recruit school, it was: ask, tell, take, he said.

"You ask them, you tell them, and then you take action on what you're telling them to do."

This is an approach that police have taught and implemented heavily, "up until recently," he said.

"A lot of times, that's probably not your best thing to do," Warzywak said, "especially with somebody that's on a narcotic or some kind of a medicine or they have some sort of health or mental issues going on.

Obviously, officer safety is number one -- there are exceptions and due to officer safety, youre going to have to take action pretty quickly -- but a lot of times you have time on your side, so what were teaching now is take more time, use your verbal skills to try and deescalate the situation, rather than just rushing in and taking action.Its killing police officers.

Despite billions spent on treatment every year, mental illness remains inadequately managed in Michigan, making it one of the deadliest threats to law enforcement officers.

Mental illness played a role in 30 percent of Michigan police officer killings in the last two decades, according to an MLive analysis of police reports, court records and newspaper archives.

Of 43 officers killed in homicides since 1998, 13 were slain by people who suffered from or showed signs of mental illness, the analysis found.

Conversely, 38 percent of civilians killed by police in the last five years, 33 of 87, were diagnosed with or exhibited signs of mental illness.

Police, criminal defense attorneys and mental health advocates agree that a shortage of hospital beds to provide intensive psychiatric treatment to the severely mentally ill is a significant contributor to the violence.

Taxpayers spend nearly $3 billion a year statewide on mental health services, including out-patient therapy, counseling, medication, assisted living and substance abuse treatment, but there is a severe shortage of beds for those who need intensive, in-patient psychiatric care.

Its a national crisis, said James Craig, chief of police in Detroit, where three officers in the last three years have been shot to death by mentally ill people.

Its a critical public safety concern, not only to community members, but to our police officers, and so the issue is sustained treatment, and its just not happening.

Since the 1970s, Michigan has continuously decentralized mental health services, closing nearly a dozen state-run, long-term care facilities. Without those beds, jails and prisons have become some of the largest providers of mental health treatment.

We have to prioritize what we put money into and this is just one of those things, Craig said. We just need to do it.

Raymond Durham, a 62-year-old chronically homeless man whos spent much of his life in and out of jail, prison and psychiatric hospitals, shot three police officers in 2016 and 2017.

According to probate court records, Durham was first committed by his parents to a psychiatric facility for 90 days in 1979 when he was 22. He was again committed in 1986 and 1988, and was ordered to seek outpatient mental health services in 1994 and 1995.

Theres no record of any court-mandated treatment from then on, until Durham was arrested and accused of shooting and killing a cop.

Wayne State University Police Officer Collin Rose stopped Durham on a bicycle for questioning near the Detroit college campus on Nov. 22, 2016. Durham shot Rose in the head and fled, police said.

Still on the streets months later, Durham opened fire on two Detroit police officers who stopped him for questioning in March 2017. He was arrested hours later following a massive manhunt.

25 Raymond Durham is charged in the death of Wayne State University Police Officer Collin Rose

Charged with the murder of Rose and the shootings of the two Detroit police officers, Durham looked bewildered in his mugshot, eyes wide and mouth gaping.

Detroit District Judge Kenneth King ordered Durham, who wasnt coherent during his initial court appearance - and who remains mostly incoherent today -- to undergo a competency exam at the state Center for Forensic Psychiatry. The 210-bed facility is tasked with assessing defendants' capacity to understand the proceedings against them, and treating them when they are found incompetent.

After being found incompetent, Durham spent 90 days in jail without significant treatment due to a lack of beds in the forensic center, an ongoing problem, his attorney, Gabi Silver, said.

"I have had clients languish in the jail for months," she said. "Honestly, what happens to people, is the situation gets worse."

The law requires the state to rehabilitate incompetent inmates within 15 months, or else dismiss charges. All charges against Durham were dismissed for this reason in December after a final competency hearing. Durham, however, remains a court-ordered ward of the state as a patient in the state Center for Forensic Psychiatry.

If hes ever rehabilitated to the point of competency, the murder charge could be reinstated by prosecutors.

We have a dead police officer. We have two police officers who were shot subsequent to that police shooting -- one who may never come back to work, Craig said. Its a failure that the suspect in that case didnt get the treatment that probably he needed to get And how long have we known that this person was suffering?

  So now we have all these families that are impacted by a person that should have gotten treatment who didnt receive it. How many more times do we have to continue to have a conversation about what we know we need to do?

From insane asylums to community-centered care

The fate of police officers killed by those with mental health issues is a byproduct of Michigans decades-long move away from institutionalization to community-based care, public safety authorities and mental health advocates say.

There simply arent enough beds for the severely mentally ill, which leads to homelessness, vagrancy, drug abuse and criminal behavior  all of which puts the mentally ill in regular contact with law enforcement.

These encounters often result in violence, and sometimes death.

You can ask any officer and they will tell you thats a dominant call that they address and one of the more dangerous calls, Craig said. Truthfully, when you add the components of someone suffering from mental illness, whos self-medicating, taking drugs or consuming alcohol, its a recipe for disaster.

Before there were psychiatric hospitals in the late 1800s, there were insane asylums, essentially public warehouses for the mentally ill, evoking images of straight-jacketed patients in overcrowded, clinical buildings staring into space or babbling incoherently.

Undercover journalist Nellie Bly, who infiltrated a New York mental institution in 1887, first unmasked the harsh conditions experienced within the nations mental health system in her famous expose, 10 Days in a Mad-House. Faking her own insanity, she made her way into Blackwells Island Asylum, and upon her release wrote of patients being choked, beaten and forced to take ice baths, among other injustices.

The exposure led to better oversight and funding of the nations asylums, but didnt significantly alter the approach to mental health, that those afflicted were often better off hidden away from society.

If they got treatment, it was in large institutions for the most part, said Mark Reinstein, president of the Mental Health Association in Michigan. Its certainly a worthy point of discussion to what extent were these treatment facilities versus warehouses.

State-run psychiatric hospitals blossomed in the 20th century, and in 1955, its estimated more than half of the nations hospital beds were occupied by people with mental illness, according to the Michigan Mental Health Commission.

This approach began to change with John F. Kennedys Community Mental Health Act of 1963, which focused on funding a more well-rounded approach. This meant more outpatient treatment, wider use of new medications, smaller facilities and shorter hospital stays, Reinstein said.

There were a whole host of factors, not just in Michigan, but across the country, influencing what happened, he said. The desire for more humane treatment, the fact that newer medications were working and the concept that  the closer to home you could serve people, the better it was for them.

Maybe some policymakers thought there would ultimately be cost-savings and benefits  which I dont think has proven to be true at all.

Former Gov. John Engler is credited with dismantling Michigans system of state-run psychiatric hospitals, a process that actually began prior to his time in office, in the 1980s, but escalated under the Engler administration during an early-1990s recession.

One of the largest remaining state-run psychiatric hospitals was closed by former Gov. Jennifer Granholm in 2003.

The majority of psychiatric services are now provided by 46 separate county health authorities that focus less frequently on inpatient care, Reinstein said.

There are four remaining state-run psychiatric hospitals with 558 beds for adults. Additionally, there is a child psychiatric facility equipped to serve 118, and the state forensics center, which has 210 beds reserved for mentally ill defendants.

The Center for Forensic Psychiatry, located at 8303 Platt Road in Saline, Mich., is seen on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.

The state broke ground in October on a $115 million psychiatric hospital in Tuscola County to replace the former Caro Psychiatric Hospital and add 50 beds to the states capacity.

Michigan ranked 47th in the nation in an analysis of beds available per capita conducted by the Treatment Advocacy Center, a nonprofit that studies mental health treatment and advocates for improvement.

The analysis concluded that Michigan had about 257,000 residents with severe mental illness  including bipolar disorder or schizophrenia  and about 14.6 percent of the beds necessary "to provide minimally adequate treatment for individuals with severe mental illness.

The state Legislature acknowledged the bed shortage and commissioned a task force in 2017.

Michigans state-run psychiatric hospitals are operating at full capacity, and there is a 200-person waitlist on most days, the task force wrote in its 2018 findings report. In the absence of programs to care for individuals who need longer-term or complex care, many patients end up waiting in a hospital emergency room for placement in a state facility.

While the number of state-run beds has dwindled, the mental health budget has ballooned.

The state was expected to spend just under $3 billion in fiscal year 2018  nearly a billion more than two decades prior. About 10 percent, $300 million, is devoted to state-run hospitals and the remainder, more than $2.5 billion, is spread out through community mental health agencies.

A small portion of that $2.5-plus billion is spent funding in-patient stays at private facilities or psychiatric wings in local hospitals.

Private psychiatric hospitals dont usually accept patients for much longer than a week due to insurance coverage limits, funding limitations or because they prefer not to treat troublesome patients with a history of violence, Reinstein said.

"Giving them three or four days hospitalization doesn't do squat in most cases," Reinstein said. "I'm not saying years, but you're going to need more than four, five, six days."

From institutions to incarceration

A 2005 Department of Justice report found nearly 64 percent of all jail inmates suffer from a mental problem.

It has to be characterized as one of our greatest challenges in law enforcement, said recently-retired Grand Rapids Police Chief David M. Rahinsky, whose department lost an officer to a mentally-ill killer in 2007. And we dont have a good answer for it.

Nearly 9,300 prisoners, 25 percent of Michigans 38,000 inmates, have been diagnosed with some form of mental illness, said Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Chris Gautz.

And of those, about 4,000 are diagnosed as severely mentally ill, he said. In the last 10 years, Michigans prison population has decreased by 18 percent while the number of mentally ill has increased by 198 percent, Gautz said.

The factors for the exponential increase in mentally ill inmates, about 200 more per month, could be attributed to more thorough diagnoses upon intake, or the depletion of mental health resources on the outside, Gautz said.

The prison system employs 380 mental health workers, psychiatrists, social workers and counselors, who provide medication, therapy and operate psychiatric wings in prison facilities, Gautz said.

A disproportionate number of mentally ill people also end up in county jails.

As many as 75 percent of the Wayne County Jails 3,000 inmates suffer from mental illness, according to Craig, the Detroit police chief.

Mentally ill inmates receive treatment but its not sustained, Craig said. Subsequently, when they are released they often remain a threat.

The Wayne County Jail is essentially the largest mental health institution in Michigan, Reinstein said.

The number of people there that have mental illness is greater than in any one of our psychiatric hospitals, he said.

Whats needed? More money, more beds and systemic change

State officials acknowledge a shortage of access to inpatient psychiatric hospital beds and have begun to take steps to address the problem.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services in 2017 created the Michigan Inpatient Psychiatric Admissions Discussion workgroup to investigate and provide solutions to the shortage, and intends to implement 41 of 42 recommendations by the end of 2022.

Implementation of nearly half the recommendations is underway to do things like reevaluate the actual level of psychiatric need, expedite treatment for patients awaiting placement and incentivizing hospitals to treat more psychiatric patients.

In addition to the 50-bed expansion in Caro, the workgroup recommends the state construct a 50-bed facility in an underserved portion of Michigans northern Lower Peninsula.

That would be helpful, but certainly wont solve all our problems, Reinstein said. And the odds of this actually happening are slim.

Several mental health advocacy groups studied the issue 15 years ago and determined at least 1,350 beds were needed, about 600 more than we have now, he said.

But allocating funds for more long-term care beds is just the beginning.

Other systemic and procedural changes need to happen if Michigan hopes to improve its mental health system, law enforcement officials and mental health advocates say.

For starters, the state needs to make it easier to commit those with mental illness.

Mentally ill people believed to be a threat to themselves or others can be forcibly committed for 72 hours in Michigan, but the burden of proof is too high, Craig said. The chief, who spent the bulk of his 41-year police career with the Los Angeles Police Department, said officers there are able to assess people they encounter and determine whether the person should be involuntarily held for further mental health care.

Similarly, Reinstein said Michigan law needs to be amended so families can force treatment with more ease.

Additional police training is also needed.

While Craig said the necessity of training officers on how to deal with the mentally ill is an indictment of the current mental health system itself, he agreed its necessary if we hope to save lives. He is also a proponent of less-lethal weapons, such as Tasers, to control mentally ill individuals, rather than using deadly force.

More needs to be done to help the mentally ill who are incarcerated advocates also said.

While jails and prisons are not ideal settings for the mentally ill, they do provide continuity.

It is an opportunity for longer term treatment, said Reinstein. But you have to balance that with the fact that these environments are not conducive to treatment, and then the next question is, how much money are these places willing to spend?

Finally, most agree more needs to be done on the front-end to diagnose and treat the mentally ill. Such an effort would require the state to allocate more resources for child psychiatric care.

What about children who are exposed to violence, whether its inside their family, in the neighborhoods? Craig said. Theyre not being treated because I think in many communities  theres a stigma attached to (mental illness), and so they self-medicate and they dont get the treatment they need.Dianne Byrum was elected the new chairwoman of the Michigan State University Board of University Wednesday, promising the board is ready to embrace monumental change" in the wake of months of upheaval around the Larry Nassar controversy.

Its a new year, a new board and a new page at MSU, said Byrum, a former Democratic state lawmaker.

That includes more transparency in board governance, she said.

In their first board meeting of 2019, the eight trustees voted 5-3 for Byrum over Trustee Brian Mossallam to head the board for the next two years. Byrum takes over for Brian Breslin, who did not seek re-election in November.

Trustees Joel Ferguson, Melanie Foster, Dan Kelly and Brianna Scott voted for Byrum, while Nancy Schlichting and Kelly Tebay backed Mossallam.

Kelly was unanimously elected vice chair.

The board also voted Wednesday to re-establish a healing assistance fund to cover counseling costs for victims of Nassar, the former Michigan State University doctor who molested hundreds of patients over two decades. A $10 million fund was created in December 2017 to reimburse Nassar victims for therapy or counseling costs.

The university discontinued the fund last summer after they reached a $500 million settlement with Nassar victims who sued MSU. However, the fund discontinuation was criticized by many, and the board agreed unanimously Wednesday to ask administration to draw up a proposal for instituting the fund. That proposal is expected to be presented to the board at their February meeting.

We believed it was the moral thing to do, Byrum said about re-creating the fund.

Wednesdays meeting included three new board members. Tebay and Scott were elected in November, replacing Breslin and Mitch Lyons, who did not seek re-election. Schlichtang was appointed last month by then-Gov. Rick Snyder to replace Trustee George Perles, who resigned for health reasons.

The changes mean the board now is majority female, with Democrats in the majority. The Democrats include Byrum, Scott, Tebay, Mossallam and Ferguson. Last years board was evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.

Byrum, 64, served in the Michigan Legislature from 1991 to 2006, with stints in both the state House and Senate representing districts in Ingham County. She was first elected to the MSU board in 2008.

She is now a partner in Byrum & Fisk Advocacy Communications, an East Lansing public relations firm.ANN ARBOR, MI -- A hazmat team and emergency personnel spent nearly seven hours at the scene of a truck rollover that closed two lanes of eastbound M-14 near Barton Drive in Ann Arbor on Tuesday, Jan. 8.

While the driver was uninjured, and no other vehicles were involved, a fuel leak near the eastern banks of the Huron River caused environmental concerns that prompted the Michigan Department of Transportation to dispatch a hazmat crew.

The semi, which was hauling an enclosed trailer filled with applesauce, leaked about 40 to 50 gallons of fuel, Ann Arbor Township Fire Chief Mark Nicholai said, adding that the gasoline was collected using an absorbent foam and disposed of before it could reach the river.

Other than a few packages that had broken, Nicholai said the freight was largely undamaged.

The crash occurred about 4 p.m. and was cleared about 11 p.m., the fire chief said.

A spokesman for the state police, who are handling the crash investigation, didnt immediately know if the truck driver was ticketed.LANSING, MI  New state Attorney General Dana Nessel plans to scrutinize laws passed by Republicans during the recent lame duck session that public health advocates say will weaken pollution cleanup standards and hinder stricter environmental regulations.

Nessels office said a review of HB 4205 (now Public Act 602 of 2018) and SB 1244 (now Public Act 581 of 2018) are a top priority for the Democrat. Former Gov. Rick Snyder signed both bills on Dec. 28 to the dismay of state environmental groups.

Together, the bills limit the science that regulators could use to set toxic site cleanup standards and prohibit state regulations from being stricter than federal ones.

Nessels office did not provide specifics about the legislation reviews, but did say they are a precursor to determining whether she will follow through on Snyders request to her predecessor to sue 3M over PFAS contamination in Michigan.

"Although former Governor Snyder asked former Attorney General Bill Schuette more than six months ago to sue 3M over groundwater contamination linked to their products (PFAS), Schuette never took action, said Nessel spokesperson Kelly Rossman-McKinney.

Michigan's new Attorney General Dana Nessel is eager to pursue the issue; however, two bills signed into law (HB 4205 - PA 602 of 2018 and SB 1244 - PA 581 of 2018) by Snyder require further investigation to determine exactly how they impact the state moving forward.

Nessels office said the reviews were not requested by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whose office released a statement saying she appreciates the review, as the new laws are bad policy because they limit the ability of state government to protect public health and safety.

Governor Whitmer would not have signed HB 4205 or SB 1244, had they been presented to her, said spokesperson Tiffany Brown.

Brown said Whitmers team consulted with Nessel on the bills during transition.

Whitmer and Nessel both expressed concern about HB 4205 before Snyder signed the bill. Although the law includes an exception allowing stricter than federal rules when theres a clear and convincing need, critics consider that an arbitrarily high bar.

The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, which is working under a new director, Liesl Eichler Clark, said its also reviewing the new laws.

DEQs commitment to protecting the public and Michigans environment remains unchanged, said spokesperson Scott Dean. We are reviewing the final bills that emerged from the lame duck session.

Although the DEQ did not take a position on the legislation during the lame duck session, 82 staff members took the rare step of publicly opposing SB 1244, saying in a letter to Snyder that the bill would only benefit polluters at the expense of citizens and it had no basis in the protection of health and the environment.

The bill was sponsored by Sen. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, who argued it was necessary to spur redevelopment at contaminated sites. It was supported by business groups like the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Michigan Chemistry Council and the Michigan Manufacturers Association (MMA).

The MMA was meeting regularly with DEQ staff in 2018 related to the states investigation into PFAS pollution in drinking water and the environment.

A message seeking comment from Andy Such, lobbyist for the MMA who supported the bill during its passage through the legislature, was not returned this week.

Environmental groups in Lansing say theyre encouraged by Whitmers actions thus far, related to seeking a legal review of lame duck legislation enabling construction of a utility tunnel for the controversial Enbridge Line 5 oil pipeline, and her signing of an executive directive on her first day in office requiring state employees to promptly report public health threats.

Nick Occhipinti, government affairs director at the Michigan League of Conservation Voters, said many in Lansing are still trying to understand the ramifications of the hundreds of bills pushed through the Legislature in lame duck.

That was part of our critique of the way those bills were all rammed through, he said. Now, part of the work is unpacking what happened and what the implications will be.TITABAWASSEE TWP., MI -- A steel door buzzes open. Dozens of inmates enter a white day room to visit with children, parents, wives and girlfriends.

In shuffles Marquise Cromer, a 250-pound-plus, 6-foot-3 convicted cop killer.

The 23-year-old Detroit man sits in a chair that seems much too small for him. He's shy. Cromer's eyes are dark and wide, his soft black hair twisted into short dreadlocks, his face pudgy.

Cromer was a lot thinner in his mugshot. He takes anti-psychotic drugs now that hes behind bars; weight gain is a side-effect.

His absent gaze shifts between his jail-issued black sneakers without shoelaces and the cinder-block walls that cage him. No matter which direction he looks, he seems focused on something miles away.

Cromer fidgets, picks nervously at his hands and talks about hallucinations he's had since boyhood. Among the most frightening, he says, are visions of aliens, vampires and God. He even, on occasion, has unsettling visions of a precocious child star from the 1980s.

The little girl from Cosby, Cromer says, referring to the character Rudy Huxtable. I see her twerking for me, babies with pacifiers twerking.

Cromers journey in the Michigan mental health system began when he was little more than a toddler.

His life has been a menagerie of violent episodes, suicide attempts and hallucinations that doctors tried to manage, mostly unsuccessfully, with medication and out-patient care. Despite several attempts to have Cromer committed, including a court order, he has never received more than a few weeks of long-term care at any given time.

Cromer would eventually be imprisoned for second-degree murder in the 2016 killing of Detroit Police Sgt. Kenneth Steil. He is serving 40 to 75 years.

29 Detroit police Sgt. Kenneth Steil and Marquise Cromer

Cromer is not alone. Of 43 Michigan police officers killed in homicides over the last two decades, 13 were slain by perpetrators who suffered from or showed signs of mental illness, according to an MLive analysis of police reports, court records and newspaper archives.

Some of the deaths might have been avoided if it werent for a shortage of psychiatric hospital beds, law enforcers and mental health advocates say.

Cromers case is a clear example of a preventable cop-killing at the hands of an undertreated, mentally ill man.

Violence, lead poisoning and life in the system

Cromer grew up in chaos and violence in a tough Detroit neighborhood, initially living with his mother, stepfather and two younger brothers.

He was mentally, emotionally and physically abused by his stepfather and mother, according to notes made by the Center for Forensic Psychiatry, which were provided by Sanford Schulman, Cromers attorney.

His father, Sterling Cromer, a 64-year-old Detroit resident, was absent, serving a nearly nine-year prison sentence in Ohio from 1997 to 2006 for burglary, two counts of theft and two counts of impersonating a police officer.

In 2007, a petition for neglect and abuse was filed on Cromers behalf to remove him from the home of his mother and stepfather. He became a temporary ward of the court in April 2007 at age 11 and remained a ward of the state until age 14.

Between age 4 and 6, Cromer was placed in special education, diagnosed with bipolar disorder and lead poisoning, and prescribed anti-psychotic drugs and anti-depressants.

Sterling Cromer believes the chief cause of his sons spiral into violence and mental illness stem from lead poisoning, which he suspects was caused by Cromer eating chipped lead paint as a child.

After a suicide attempt at age 9 in February 2005, Cromer was placed in Auburn Hills Havenwyck Psychiatric Hospital for two weeks.

Over the next three years, he was shuffled between homes. He lived in foster care, with relatives and periodically with his mother, and he spent time at three psychiatric hospitals, never for more than two weeks at a time, according to notes from a competency report ordered by the judge in his eventual murder case.

His second suicide attempt came at age 13 in 2009, when he tried to hang himself inside a residential care facility, according to his attorney, who reviewed roughly 2,000 pages of medical and court records. Cromer gave Schulman permission to share portions of those records with MLive, including a transcribed log and summary of Cromers criminal and psychiatric history.

Cromer admitted he began to show a proclivity for violence as a youth, sometimes threatening to kill people, a psychological assessment said.

Sterling Cromer said he was released from prison and reentered his sons life as Marquise Cromer entered his teens. He remembers visiting his son in a residential facility for youths and his son playing with toys he didnt feel were age or gender appropriate.

Doll babies and teddy bears, he said.

He started running away from home and then we finally went to court, and I ended up getting him, Sterling Cromer said.

The troubled teen participated in family therapy with his father and brothers, visited counselors, took medication and had an assigned mentor, according to his dad.

Months after reuniting with his father in his fathers girlfriends home on Lappin Street in Detroit, Marquise Cromer set the house ablaze.

To this day, Sterling Cromer cannot explain it.

He said he was mad at the time, Sterling Cromer said. It was really bad. He burned the house down.

Marquise Cromer was sent to live in a juvenile detention facility for the remainder of his childhood. Months after his arrival, when he was 15, he put a plastic bag over his head and tried to hang himself with a towel, court competency review records show.

Upon his release after turning 18, Cromer bounced around like a vagabond, sometimes living with his father, with friends or other relatives. Sometimes, he lived in vacant homes.

His father regularly urged his son to take medication and meet with his counselor, sometimes taking him to clinics himself.

When he moved out of my house, I said, Will you continue to see your psychologist and take your medication? Sterling Cromer said. He would go sometimes, but in his mind, he felt like there was nothing wrong with him. He felt like everyone else was evil and he was good.

Sterling Cromer knew his son needed more intensive treatment. But when he pushed to have his son committed, mental health and juvenile detention officials  required to monitor Marquise Cromer until he was 21  said that wasnt an option unless he posed an immediate threat to himself or others.

The other option was for Marquise Cromer to voluntarily commit himself to a psychiatric hospital, but his father said that was never a realistic possibility.

Like many who suffer from mental illness, Marquise Cromer tried to self-medicate, usually with marijuana or crack cocaine.

Crack makes me calm, he said from the Saginaw County prison. But, weed makes me paranoid.

Escalation, a lack of beds and a police officers death

By 2015, Sterling Cromer said, his son was increasingly calling people evil, and speaking of a desire to kill them.

He sometimes frightened the neighbors. He was once seen running down the street naked, and another time fired a rifle in the air from the middle of the street, according to a court competency report.

Sterling Cromer brought his son to a psychiatric clinic only blocks from his home in May 2015 and asked for help, the competency summary said. The frustrated father hoped the clinic would put his son in a psychiatric hospital for treatment. He didnt know hed have to file a formal petition requesting committal, and no one told him to do so.

Instead, more anti-psychotic medications were prescribed and he was placed in an intensive ongoing outpatient program, according to the competency review.

Marquise Cromer soon quit taking the medication. He said they made him sleepy, Sterling Cromer said.

By October 2015, Marquise Cromer was in trouble with the law. His father said it was a charge of disturbing the peace. Cromers attorney said it was retail fraud. The charges were later dismissed and no longer appear in online Wayne County District Court records.

Cromer was again jailed in February 2016 and evaluated for competency by a Wayne County Jail psychologist, records show.

The doctor found Marquise Cromer incompetent to stand trial, and recommended he be placed in inpatient psychiatric care for treatment to restore his competency.

However, there were no available beds in the state-run psychiatric center, and Marquise Cromer was released.

"They just open the door, say, 'Go ahead. Go back in the street," Shulman said.

Thats just what Cromer did.

His final downward spiral began a few months later on Sept. 11, 2016.

Marquise Cromer was preparing to have lunch with his father and his fathers girlfriend when all of a sudden, he burst out laughing. The voices were back and talking to him again, he told his father.

For no apparent reason, Cromer then pulled out a shotgun and fired, striking his father in the foot and grazing the girlfriend.

Cromer fled in his brothers car. Later that same day, he shot a Hamtramck man in the stomach with a sawed-off shotgun during an apparent carjacking, police say.

He left the scene without taking the man's vehicle.

That evening, 46-year-old Steil, a 20-year department veteran, strapped on his holster and bulletproof vest and said goodbye to his wife, JoAnn, and their two young sons.

Detroit Police Sgt. Kenneth Steil. (Courtesy Detroit Police Department)

Information came in about 11 p.m. that Cromer  wanted and believed to be armed  was at a bus stop near East Seven Mile Road and Hayes Street.

Cromer ran behind a Sunoco gas station when he spotted police. Blocked by a fence while fleeing, he turned to face the pursuing officers, pulled out a sawed-off shotgun and fired, police said.

The blast struck Steil near where his chest and shoulder meet.

Steil was rushed to a nearby hospital. Initial reports were good: He was expected to live. Five days later, as he was preparing to return home, Steil died unexpectedly due to internal bleeding that occurred after a medical tube was removed.

Cromer was arraigned on 21 felony charges, including first-degree murder and murder of a peace officer, both of which carry automatic life prison sentences.

Several days into his trial, Wayne County prosecutors made the unusual decision to present Cromer a mid-testimony plea deal. They would dismiss the majority of the charges, including the two most serious, if Cromer pleaded guilty but mentally ill to second-degree murder and felony firearm charges.

The key difference between a guilty-but-mentally-ill and a guilty plea is that the former allows the convict access to Michigan Department of Corrections mental health services once behind bars. It doesn't affect the length of the sentence.

Schulman believes prosecutors feared the jury might find Cromer not guilty by reason of insanity, allowing him to avoid prison.

On the advice of his attorney and his mother, Cromer took the deal.

MLive was unable to contact Cromers mother, Sharlonda Jackson, for comment.

A clone, a frame-up and a message from God

Nearly two years later, sitting in the visiting room at the Saginaw Correctional Facility, Cromer doesnt understand he will spend at least four decades in prison.

He insists he'll be getting out soon.

"I remember," he says. "I didn't shoot my dad. I didn't shoot the other dude, I didn't shoot my stepmom.

"I didn't shoot the cop. I didn't kill no cop."

Cromer insists the crimes pinned on him are part of a high-level conspiracy.

"I don't know if they are trying to set me up with a clone or something," he says. "I think the feds had someone who looked like me go in there and shoot them."

Cromer says he was smoking marijuana at the bus stop near East Seven Mile Road and Hayes Street on the day of his arrest.

There were seven or eight police and they say, Hey, freeze, and I just ran because they acted like they was going to shoot me, Cromer says. "I hear this big Pow, and the next thing, Officer down.

"It was crazy, bro. It was funny though. They was trying to kill me."

Cromer claims officers then put "a whole bunch" of shotgun shells in his lap in an effort to frame him.

"I did not commit no crimes," he says, "but God told me to smoke weed at the bus stop."

From his home on Dickerson Avenue, the one where his son shot him, Sterling Cromer seemed resigned to his sons fate behind bars.

Hes spoken to his son once, by phone, since his incarceration. Another time, Marquise Cromer called his father collect, but Sterling Cromer didnt accept the charges.

From behind bars, Marquise Cromer insisted he still loves his father, and Sterling Cromer believes it, but cant get past the fact that his son tried to kill him.

I dont really want to talk to Marquise, he said. I take it very seriously when someone tries to take my life.

Its just that, when he burned down the house, I accepted him then. Now you turn around and shoot me? I cant keep taking those chances, because next time, I might not be so lucky.

Marquise Cromer told MLive he is on various medications  he didnt know which ones  and was occasionally seeing a prison counselor, but he hasnt received intensive treatment behind bars.

Sterling Cromer hopes people in power will take note of his sons story and do something.

Youve got to stop a fire before it flames, he said. You cant just wait and try to stop it after everything has caught on fire already.This article by James Clark originally appeared on Task & Purpose, a digital news and culture publication dedicated to military and veterans issues.

In the summer of 1969, hundreds of thousands of people descended on a small dairy farm in Bethel, New York for a watershed moment in recent music history: The Woodstock Music and Art Fair.

The four-day festival was a celebration of peace, youth, life, love, long hair and incredible music. However, the fiestival might have ended in disaster, were it not for an unexpected ally.

This is the inside story of how the U.S. Army ran a resupply mission to party-goers at Woodstock.

It was August 1969, and Clark Stahl was enjoying temporary duty at West Point in New York. It's what the former Army helicopter pilot referred to as "a really good assignment" in a phone interview with Task & Purpose.

Recently returned home from the Vietnam War, Stahl was a 23-year-old warrant officer who'd flown medevac missions during his tour downrange. Now he was enjoying a stint as the lead pilot flying West Point cadets around in a Huey; part of their familiarization training ahead of graduation.

Clark Stahl, left, with his father inside a CH-47 in the early '70s. (Photo courtesy of Clark Stahl)

"Our duties there weren't exactly strenuous, shall we say," Stahl said. "We'd fly a couple of hours a day and then spend the rest of the time by the swimming pool." So when Stahl's commanding officer approached him to ask if he and his guys would be available that Friday, Aug. 15, and into the weekend, his answer was "yeah, sure we can do that."

The reason they were needed? To provide medical aid and resupply for a rock festival. More specifically: Woodstock.

"We kind of looked at each other and said 'what the hell is a rock festival?'" Stahl recalled with a laugh. "Of course we knew nothing about Woodstock. It was explained to us that there'd be a lot of big names and they didn't know how many people would end up showing up, but they expected it'd be quite a few more than they originally thought."

There were. More than 400,000 people arrived at the event  more than double the number anticipated. The roads, what few there were to begin with, became bogged down with mud and stuck cars. The influx of people coupled with a lack of access, made food and medical care a concern, as Task & Purpose noted in August 2017.

When one of the vendor's booths was burned down overnight  one of the few instances of violence at Woodstock  due to anger over inflated prices and a shortage of food, a plan was already in motion.

As the festival kicked into high gear, Stahl and his crew were instructed to ferry in supplies. (Though Stahl said he recalls seeing a number of other helicopters arriving at Woodstock over the course of the festival, as far as he can remember, his was the only military aircraft.)

One thing that hasn't faded from memory is the sight as he flew overhead that first time.

Woodstock, August 1969. (wikimedia.org)

"I can remember quite vividly, it's probably one of two times in my flying career, which spanned 50 years altogether, where we flew over something and were completely speechless," Stahl, who left active duty in 1971 and served in the reserves until he retired in 1991, told Task & Purpose.

"Seeing this mass of humanity there, it's hard to register," he continued. "There's nothing to compare it to or judge it by. Not knowing what to expect, that's probably the one thing that sticks in my mind more than anything else."

As the helo made its approach Stahl and his copilot made a number of slow and lazy circles over the venue.

"It was to make sure the people there realized that this isn't Uncle Sam or the man coming in to affect any kind of law enforcement or anything like that," Stahl said. "That we're just here to help."

Though Woodstock didn't frame itself as an anti-war event, the festival took place during the height of the Vietnam War, and with the counterculture music scene closely aligned with the anti-war movement, the sight of an incoming Army helicopter likely conjured up images of American militarization to those on the ground. That concern was captured by John Morris, the production coordinator for the festival, who was onstage when Stahl's helicopter came in:

"It was like a wave," Morris said in "Woodstock: The Oral History." "You could see people start to look up ... and all I said was, 'Ladies and gentlemen, the United States Army'  and you could feel it and you could hear it, the tension  'Medical Corps.' And the crowd broke into a cheer that was just fantastic. And just about then you could see the red crosses on the side."

Circling above, Stahl still remembers that moment.

"You could almost see the reaction of the crowd, going from kind of surprised and wary, to more relaxed and accepting," he said. "It sounds funny to say that, but you could almost see it happen."

Once he got the go ahead, Stahl touched down in a small clearing that was roped off for the helicopter. On the first flight in they offloaded medical personnel and supplies, but after that the details get a little hazy, Stahl said.

"I read a couple of accounts that said we had supposedly delivered sandwiches and I thought about it, and I suppose we could have," Stahl told Task & Purpose, adding that he and his crew conducted anywhere between six to a dozen sorties over the course of the concert, though he couldn't recall the exact number.

"They would put people or stuff on board and we would take it out there and drop it off without knowing exactly what it was, without really caring. It was all part of the effort to keep things safe and peaceful," he added. "We knew they needed to get stuff in and out of there, but the main focus was on the health and safety aspect of it, and making sure nobody had any injuries or medical issues, and if they did, they'd have the ability to treat them."

Though Stahl was back in the states and no longer cruising over the jungles of Vietnam, in a way the mission was oddly familiar.

"I flew medevacs in Vietnam, so I was used to the concept of medical evacuation and help from the sky, if you will. So my mindset was that this was just kind of a continuation of what I'd done in South East Asia, and helping those in need on the ground."

Decades later, and with a lengthy career in the Army behind him, Stahl said that if he hadn't been drafted in 1967, it's likely he would have been there just the same, only on the ground instead of the air.

"Oh yeah. Had I not been in the Army and been anywhere close by, it's very likely I would have been there, you know? Sex, drugs, rock and roll and that stuff, of course!"

More articles from Task & Purpose:

What Military Units Can Learn From the Rules and Suggestions of My Local Animal Shelter

How to Listen to a War Story

5 New Military History Books Worth ReadingIs Blackwater back?

A full-page ad in the January/February edition of Recoil magazine features the original bear-paw logo of the controversial private security firm below the words, "We are coming."

A December Military Times story connected the ad to President Donald Trump's newly announced plans to pull U.S. troops out of Afghanistan, suggesting a resurgent Blackwater might contract with the government to carry out a privatized war.

Or it might just be a clever campaign to draw attention to Blackwater Ammunition, a fledgling joint venture between Blackwater founder and CEO Erik Prince and Italian gun and ammunition designer Nicola Bandini.

Another full-page ad appearing in firearms magazines this month appears to indicate the latter: a precision round with the text "Back in black" superimposed and the website for Blackwater Ammunition listed on the bottom of the page.

Whatever the case, it appears the new ammo company wants to prolong the suspense.

Bandini, reached by Military.com by phone in Italy, said he couldn't confirm or deny the meaning of the ad campaign, saying Prince would be at the SHOT Show weapons expo later this month in Las Vegas, talking more freely about his plans.

"It is not only for Blackwater Ammunition," Bandini said of the ads. "It's the larger operation, but still in the tangible industrial field. Anything else, I don't want to elaborate."

When Blackwater Ammunition launched at the IWA & OutdoorClassics sporting and weapons show in Bavaria, Germany, last March, Bandini said he observed "desperation and anguish" among other industry brands at the prospect of a new disruptor joining the group.

"This gave me the perception that innovation, credibility and brand is a powerful mixture," he said.

Bandini, who is perhaps best known for designing the AF2011-A1 double-barrelled pistol, based on the M1911, said he has known Blackwater founder Prince for a decade and had been eager to combine his own design prowess with Prince's tactical expertise.

"Most of the civilian breakthroughs in technology and materials come from the military sector," he said.

While Blackwater Ammunition features the distinctive logo of the original Blackwater USA security firm, Prince's original venture is now operating under different ownership and a different name.

Blackwater Security Consulting found itself embroiled in controversy after employees of the firm killed 17 Iraqi civilians and injured 20 more during a convoy escort in 2007. The episode resulted in the firm's prohibition from working in Iraq and convictions for four Blackwater security guards in 2014 on charges including murder and manslaughter. A 2017 appeals court decision, however, voided one conviction and ordered resentencing for the other defendants; legal proceedings are ongoing.

In 2010, the company, known as Blackwater Worldwide, was sold. It later was renamed Academi. The firm still operates as a division of the Constellis Group but has no current connection to Erik Prince.

-- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.An Air Force F-22 Raptor pilot charged with multiple crimes, including sexual assault and striking and unlawfully grabbing an individual, is set to be court-martialed in March.

Col. Jason Costello, accused of multiple sexual assault incidents between 2012 and 2014, has been on active duty while he awaits trial, set for March 4, according to North American Aerospace Defense Command spokesman Michael Kucharek.

Costello is assigned to the NORAD and U.S. Northern Command Training and Exercises Directorate, Kucharek told Military.com in an email Wednesday.

"He has been in that assignment since July 16, 2016, and is currently working projects as directed by his chain of command," Kucharek said.

Related content:

The 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado, remains the convening court authority for Costello's case, Kucharek said.

Costello's court martial was to be held in last October. But on Oct. 11, the military judge in the case set a new trial of March 4. "Scheduling changes in courts-martial, and in litigation in general, are not uncommon. They can result from scheduling conflicts and a variety of other issues," Brady said.

Costello is charged with violating Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, defined as rape, sexual assault or other sexual misconduct, according to his charge sheet, obtained in May by Military.com.

Brady said the charges remain unchanged.

According to the charges, Costello penetrated a woman while she was asleep in 2014. The act allegedly occurred in Rhode Island sometime between October 2014 and December 2014.

On an earlier occasion, Costello assaulted a woman without her consent with intent to gratify himself, sometime between September 2012 and November 2012, another specification states.

Separately, "on diverse occasions between on or about Dec. 4, 2012, and on or about Aug. 1, 2014," Costello committed sexual contact by touching his victim's "breasts over her clothes with his hands and touching her vulva over her clothes with his hands" without her consent, the charge sheet reads.

Another specification under Article 120 has been redacted from the charges; it remains unclear whether it was previously dropped.

Costello also is charged with striking and harming an individual on two occasions.

In 2013, he hit someone in the face, according to a specification under UCMJ Article 128, which covers assault.

Costello also grabbed an individual on his or her arm, wrist and hands in 2017, another specification states.

It's unclear from the charges whether Costello is accused of assaulting a single individual on multiple occasions or multiple individuals.

Costello previously commanded the 325th Training Support Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, according to a 2012 Air Force release.

He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1995 and attended pilot training at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, the release stated.

-- Oriana Pawlyk can be reached at oriana.pawlyk@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @Oriana0214.An Associated Press investigation has found that at least 1,900 U.S. military firearms were lost or stolen over the last...I cannot fire (Szabo) over it because it was done on his own time on his own computer outside work hours, Flaherty said. (Canning) claimed they were sent to Indiana but Ron claims they were told to punch out and they went in their own cars. No township vehicle made that trip.The American Legion has stepped in with offers of limited assistance for Coast Guard personnel working without pay should the partial government shutdown continue into next week.

In a statement Monday, Legion National Commander Brett Reistad also called on members of Congress to back the "Pay Our Coast Guard Act" introduced by Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota.

The bill would exempt the Coast Guard from the shutdown funding cutoff affecting its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The proposed exemption would also cover Coast Guard retiree benefits, death gratuities and other related payouts.

Currently, about 42,000 Coast Guard personnel are working without pay. DHS and the Coast Guard were able to find funding for members' last paychecks, which went out Dec. 31. The next paychecks for Coast Guardsmen are due Jan. 15.

Reistad said the Legion backs the Thune bill legislation, "which will guarantee that these heroes who guarantee our safety and security will be paid on time and not miss a single paycheck."

"Just because a Washington flowchart structures the Coast Guard under Homeland Security does not mean they should not be paid," he added.

The Legion is prepared to offer financial assistance to some Coast Guardsmen.

"In the event that there is a delay in paying our Coast Guard, I have directed administrators of the American Legion Temporary Financial Assistance program to stand by and quickly administer requests made by active-duty Coast Guard members with children who need help with living expenses," Reistad said.

However, he noted, "As a nonprofit, the American Legion is not capable of funding the entire Coast Guard payroll."

The Veterans of Foreign Wars also called Congress to find a way to keep paying Coast Guard personnel.

"Our country needs this Congress and this White House to push through the rhetoric and take care of those who are on the front lines protecting our country," B.J. Lawrence, VFW national commander, said in a statement. "What the Coast Guard and DHS do daily allows the rest of us to sleep easier at night. No one should ever take that for granted."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.Editor's note: This story and its headline have been corrected. A previous version of this story, "Dunford Refuses to Pull Back US Observation Posts in Syria," inadvertently used language from a readout of a Dec. 13 phone call between Dunford and Gen. Yasar Guler, in which Dunford said the U.S. would continue to use forward observation posts in Syria. The topic of observation posts did not come up in meetings Jan. 7-8, officials said.

Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joseph Dunford met in Ankara Monday and Tuesday with his Turkish counterpart, Gen. Yasar Guler, and Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on the planned U.S. ground troop withdrawal from Syria, according to a readout of the meeting from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The talks focused on "the security situation in Syria," the readout said, and "the deliberate, coordinated effort to withdraw U.S. ground forces from Syria. They also discussed the importance of continued U.S.-Turkish cooperation on counterterrorism efforts to ensure the lasting defeat of ISIS."

Air Force Col. Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for the Joint Staff, said the presence of U.S. observation posts in Syria was not discussed during the meeting. A Dec. 13 readout from the Joint Staff of a phone call between Dunford and Guler said that the observation posts were a topic of discussion, and that Dunford said at the time that the observation posts would "continue to focus on and deter threats from Syria toward the Turkish southern border." Turkey has demanded that the observation posts be removed.

In late November, then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told Pentagon reporters he had ordered the establishment of the observation posts, primarily to give Turkey early warning of potential threats moving north. But he also indicated they would serve a dual purpose.

Mattis' order followed on Turkish artillery strikes against the SDF in northern Syria, which led those forces to call a temporary halt to the offensive against ISIS near the Iraqi border.

Mattis also rejected Turkey's charge that the YPG fighters within SDF were allied with the PKK (Kurdistan Workers Party), which has been labeled a terrorist group by the U.S., Turkey and the European Union.

Bolton quickly departed for the U.S. on Tuesday after Erdogan refused to meet with him and later denounced him in a speech to parliament.

Erdogan charged that Bolton made a "serious mistake" in appearing to put conditions on President Donald Trump's call to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria that would keep them there without a change of mission or timetable for a pullout.

In Israel on Sunday, Bolton said that the U.S. troops would remain in Syria until ISIS is defeated and not able to revive. He also said U.S. troops could not leave without guarantees from Turkey that Turkish forces would not attack the YPG.

"We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States at a minimum so they don't endanger our troops, but also so that they meet the president's requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered," Bolton told reporters in Jerusalem on Sunday, Reuters reported.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu charged Wednesday that the dispute with Turkey stems from confusion within the Trump administration on the terms and timing of the U.S. withdrawal.

He also appeared to insult U.S. troops with a sarcastic comment that they seemed to be allied with terrorists, meaning the YPG.

"There are different voices within the administration," Cavusoglu said in remarks to a parliamentary committee, according to Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper.

"We see that the U.S. is having difficulties in its decision to withdraw from Syria. It must be difficult to leave after having been so intertwined with the terrorist organization," Cavusoglu said.

His remarks reflect the turmoil in the region following Trump's surprise announcement Dec. 19 that U.S. troops would withdraw from Syria.

The following day, Mattis resigned, although Trump initially said he was retiring. In his letter of resignation, Mattis said Trump as commander-in-chief deserved a defense secretary whose views are "better aligned" with his own.

In a taped announcement distributed by the White House on Dec. 19, Trump said the troops would be coming home "now," but he has since said that the withdrawal would be "slow and coordinated" with allies.

In his meeting with lower-ranking officials before departing Ankara, Bolton was informed of Turkish demands that the U.S. hand over its Syria bases to the Turkish military or local authorities, disarm the SDF and remove all heavy weapons from eastern Syria, according to Hurriyet and the Turkish Anadolu news agency.

"We are pleased with Trump's decision for withdrawal, but it needs to be clarified as to what kind of structure will be left behind, what will happen to the heavy weapons that have been deployed, the fate of American military bases and logistics centers," Turkish presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kaln said, according to Hurriyet and Anadolu.

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at richard.sisk@military.com.CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa -- Marine Corps prosecutors Monday dropped sexual-assault charges against a sergeant accused in April of having sex with a female Marine reportedly too intoxicated to consent.

Sgt. Morgan Bergdahl, of Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, was scheduled to appear Monday for the start of court-martial proceedings on four counts of sexual assault and four of abusive sexual contact.

"The charges against Sgt. Bergdahl have been dismissed without prejudice," III Marine Expeditionary Force spokesman 1st Lt. David Mancilla wrote in an email to Stars and Stripes.

Mancilla did not explain specifically why the charges were dropped. He referred to the Manual for Courts-Martial, including a section that requires authorities to take the victim's views into consideration before dismissing charges.

A dismissal without prejudice means the charges against Bergdahl could be re-filed later.

Bergdahl had been held in pretrial confinement on Okinawa since April 25.

According to a copy of the charge sheet, Bergdahl assaulted the unnamed female Marine on or about April 21. Prosecutors also alleged Bergdahl caused the woman bodily harm during the incident.

Bergdahl knew, or should have known, that the woman was too intoxicated at the time to consent to sex, according to the charge sheet.

Bergdahl signed on for his current enlistment in August 2014, the charge sheet said. He was nearing the end of his four-year term when the alleged incident took place.The general leading the Army's new recruiting strategy said Monday that one of his first priorities is to fix the service's recruiting website, which hasn't been updated in a decade.

Before the Army missed its recruiting goal by more than 6,000 soldiers last year, "goarmy.com was updated [last in] 2009 ... after we missed mission in 2008," Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command, told an audience at an Association of the United States Army event.

One of the top recommendations that emerged from the after-action review on last year's recruiting shortfall was "Fix goarmy.com," he said.

"We have done sort of an interim fix," Townsend said. "I went on there and went looking for how to enlist in the Army and become an infantryman. I had a hard time finding that. So, we have fixed that initial interface. ... The interface with America's youth has vastly improved in the last 90 days, but we've got a big project to fix all of it."

Modernizing goarmy.com is just one part of improving how the Army communicates with potential recruits, he said. Another big part will involve using social media, he added.

"Until recently, we didn't even allow our recruiters to even be on social media," Townsend said. "We've got to text with America's youth. We've got to be on Twitter. We've got to be on Snapchat. We've got to be on Instagram. ... We've got to be on the social media that they are on."

The Army also launched a new marketing campaign in October dubbed "Warriors Wanted." The series of short videos featured combat-arms soldiers conducting realistic battlefield training and aired on digital ads on social media and cable-TV programs aimed at Generation Z.

The first Warriors Wanted video depicted soldiers from the 75th Ranger Regiment fast-roping out of helicopters.

"That attracts a certain number of folks," Townsend said. "When I saw that first commercial, I said, 'Sign me up right now. I am ready to go for another 30.' But it doesn't attract everybody."

As successful as these commercials have been, he said the Army plans other video ads that show job opportunities related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM.

"The first commercial in the next series of commercials is going to be one that I hope will show some STEM-type of activity in it and technical fields -- [unmanned aerial vehicles], aircraft repair, cyber, those kinds of things. There are a lot of young people that are interested in that."

-- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.The ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee stated his opposition Tuesday to using Defense Department funds for the border wall but also said President Donald Trump has the authority to do it.

"I am opposed to using defense dollars for non-defense purposes," Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, said at an informal gathering with defense reporters on a range of issues facing the new Congress.

Building the wall "is not a responsibility of the Department of Defense," he said. "I am opposed to using defense dollars for anything" but military purposes.

Democrats have leveled harsh criticism at Trump for floating the idea of declaring a national emergency that would allow him to dip into the Pentagon's budget.

Stopping short of a similar rebuke, Thornberry nonetheless noted that the president already is siphoning off DoD resources by deploying active-duty troops to the border.

In early December, then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis estimated the cost of the deployment to that point at $72 million.

By declaring a national emergency, Trump could draw funding for the wall from what Thornberry called the "unobligated balances" in the Defense Department's military construction budget.

Thornberry turned over chairmanship of the committee last week to Rep. Adam Smith, D-Washington. Smith also has said Trump likely would succeed in drawing money from the military budget for a wall by declaring a national emergency but added that the move would immediately face court challenges.

Thornberry said he did not know how much of the military construction budget would come under the heading of "unobligated balances" but made clear that he thought using military money to fund the wall -- and the Army Corps of Engineers to construct it -- is a bad idea.

"The military is not short of challenges" without being tasked to fund and build a wall, he said. "They're not out there looking for new missions."

Thornberry spoke hours before Trump was to address the nation on the partial government shutdown, now in its 17th day, caused by the impasse over wall funding. Trump also said he will go to the border Thursday to visit with troops deployed there.

Trump is seeking $5.6 billion for the wall, but House and Senate Democrats have offered $1.6 billion for border security enhancements that would not include wall funding.

Vice President Mike Pence was to brief House and Senate leaders Tuesday afternoon on what Trump will propose in the address to the nation.

In a tweet Monday, Trump indicated he has the authority to declare a national emergency to get military funding for the wall, but said he preferred to compromise with Congress.

The president said there was "no doubt" he could declare a national emergency "but let's get our deal done in Congress."

-- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.comAccording to the proposed ordinance, owners of homes offering short-term rentals would be required to keep a register of the names of every guest and their arrival and departure dates, with the register made available to any village department, such as police, fire or code enforcement. Property owners also would need to provide adequate off-street parking for people renting the home, and there is the possibility of regulating how many renters would be allowed to occupy a home at any given time.There isnt a day when a specific food is not celebrated. National Bagel Day is coming sooner than expected this year thanks to Thomas Bagels, the largest producer of grocery store bagels in the U.S. Of course, Thomas is synonymous with English Muffins. After years of watching National Bagel Day share the spotlight with National Pizza Day, the company ran a poll in which hundreds of bagel lovers across the country voted in favor of changing the date and giving the iconic breakfast staple its own day of appreciation. Now, there wont be competition on Jan. 15, the new day for the bagel celebration. After all, bagels date back to 1610. Pizza, as we know it, is younger, invented in 1889.

According to Thomas:

 In Hartford, Conn. the top five flavors of grocery store bagels include plain, cinnamon raisin, everything, onion and blueberry. The 10 most popular bagel toppings nationwide are cream cheese, butter, flavored cream cheese, cheese, jelly/jam, eggs, lunch meat, margarine, peanut butter or other nut butter and bacon.

 Thomas is the leading brand of packaged grocery store bagels in the U.S., with more than 150 million bagels sold in 2018.

 The average person eats more than 11 bagels per year. (I guess I am way above average; remember: I am originally from Brooklyn, N.Y.)

There is a New Haven tie to bagels, too. Lenders, established in 1927, introduced frozen and packaged bagels and was the worlds largest bagel maker. It is said that they transformed the bread traditionally eaten by Jewish people into a cross-culturally enjoyed sandwich bread substitution. The Oxford Companion to Food says, the bagel is a Jewish bread, apparently originating in South Germany, migrating to Poland and then to North America, where it has become the most famous and archetypal Jewish food. Its name derives from Yiddish beygel which stems from the German dialect word beugel, meaning ring or bracelet. Why is there a hole in the middle? One theory: in the past, vendors threaded the hole-shaped bread onto dowels and hawked them on street corners.

All bagels are not created equal, I say. There is still something about New York bagels baked in the mom and pop bagel bakeries that make them my favorite. There is the myth, the New York City water used in preparation makes the difference. A real New York style bagel is poached in boiling water before being baked . Growing up in Brooklyn, when I had the urge for a bagel lox and cream cheese, my parents went to the bagel bakery (frozen and packaged bagels and bagel chains didnt exist back then, at least, not in Brooklyn) to buy a dozen, making sure my pumpernickel was included. I liked a slice of ripe tomato on mine, dad had to have a big slice of red onion on his, and he still does. A bagel lox and cream cheese is a go-to comfort food for me, breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Historian Maria Balinska traces the bagels history in The Bagel: The Surprising History of a Modest Bread (2009, Yale University Press), weaving a rich, quirky, and evocative history of East European Jewry and the unassuming ring-shaped roll the world has taken to its heart.

I must agree with this excerpt from The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home by Nick Zukin and Michael Zusman (2013, Andrews McMeel, $27.99): Seemingly any round-shaped bread that holds a sandwich filling suffices as a bagel these days. A few recipes for bagels and another one of my favorites, bialys are provided.

After reading the complexity of the process, I will continue to purchase bagels at the bagel bakery. In a bind, I will purchase packaged bagels. New Yorkers argue only fresh bagels are real bagels.

Your imagination is the limit on your bagel sandwich fillings. A schmear, the Yiddish word for grease, was originally slang for a bribe, as in greasing someones palm, Zurkin and Zusman write. Today, a schmear in the bagel arena, is anything that can be spread, most often cream cheese, on a bagel.

Celebrate National Bagel Day with these recipes from Thomas

Courtesy of Thomas /

Texas Truffle: Bacon & egg bagel sandwich

1 Thomas Bagel Thins bagel

4 pieces cooked bacon

2 large organic eggs

 ounce thinly sliced fresh black truffle or canned black truffle

2 slices Muenster cheese

Toast bagel and set aside. Cook four pieces of bacon to desired crispness and let cool. Scramble eggs and place on one side of bagel.

Add black truffle and cheese and top with bacon.

Courtesy of Thomas /





Caramel apple bagel bread pudding

One bag Thomas cinnamon raisin bagels

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1 cup packed dark brown sugar

3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced

6 large eggs

1 quart (4 cups) half-and-half

 cup granulated white sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

 teaspoon salt

Jarred caramel sauce, warmed

Spray a 9- by 13-inch dish with nonstick spray. Slice the bagels into small chunks and scatter on the bottom of the pan.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat, and add the brown sugar. Stir until the butter and sugar are bubblingcontinue to stir and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the apples and continue to stir until apples are well-coated with the caramel mixture. Cook and stir for an additional 2 minutes. Spoon the apples on top of the bagel pieces in the pan. Scrape the sugary juices evenly on top.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, half-and-half, sugar, vanilla and salt until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the bagel/apple mixture in the pan. Cover the pan loosely with plastic wrap, and place another pan on top to submerge the bagels in the liquid. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Make sure there is a rack in the middle and another rack on the bottom of the oven. Place a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil on the bottom rack to catch any potential drips. Remove the plastic wrap, cover the bread pudding with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Let cool for at least a few minutes before servings. Serve slices warm with a drizzle of caramel sauce. Serves 8.

CULINARY CALENDAR

Consiglios Murder Mystery Dinner: Pajama Jam Jan. 11, 7 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m., Consiglios Restaurant, 165 Wooster St., New Haven, reservations at 203-865-4489 https://bit.ly/2O3TQzQ, $65 includes dinner and show (beverages, tax and gratuity not included). An interactive comedy show that goes on throughout the evening during a 3-course meal. Cast mingles table to table, dropping clues for a mystery only you can solve. Wear your jammies to compete for a prize.

Mohegan Suns Sun Wine & Food Fest, Jan. 24-27. Celebrity-chef appearances, tastings of fine wines, bourbons and beers and cuisine from a variety of regional restaurants. On Jan. 24, Boston Brews and Bites, features top Boston chefs teamed up with Boston pro athletes. Theyll cook their favorite tailgate dishes. Dont miss Saturdays Grand Tasting, with 1,000 varieties of wine, beer and spirits and Saturday nights Celebrity Chef Dine Around, with more than 20 top chefs, including Bobby Flay, Todd English, Alex Guarnaschelli, Marcus Samuelsson and Rocco DiSpirito. For schedule of events and prices, visit sunwinefest.com.

What chef would you like me to interview? Which restaurant recipes or other recipes would you like to have? Which food products do you have difficulty finding? Do you have cooking questions? Send them to me: Stephen Fries, professor and coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College, at gw-stephen.fries@gwcc.commnet.edu or Dept. FC, Gateway Community College, 20 Church St., New Haven, 06510. Include your full name, address and phone number. Due to volume, I might not be able to publish every request. For more, go to stephenfries.com.EAST HAMPTON  Stung by a letter in which a resident charges the town is not doing enough to protect Lake Pocotopaug, the Town Council members struck back Tuesday defending themselves and detailing steps taken to protect the lake.

At issue is silt washing into the lake from the excavations for the new town hall/police department/Board of Education building being built inside the Edgewater Hills mixed-use development.

In an email last week, Wesley Jenks, a member of the Conservation Lake Commission, called upon all my media friends to focus their attention on the silt entering into the lake.

The town, developers and its residents are killing the lake! Jenks wrote.

[Town] officials have not put in the work necessary to prevent further pollution. Not only is the town government not helping, they are now contributing. Im fighting a losing battle here! he added.

Town officials contend the problem is caused by the series of often-intense rain storms that have buffeted the region over the past several months. Councilors, in particular James Pete Brown, took exception to Jenks assertion that he is fighting the battle.

I would tell him to his face that WE, the residents of East Hampton, are fighting that battle, Brown said.

The council also heard from Lisa Motto, co-owner with her husband Stephen of Edgewater Hills. She is serving as the towns project manager for the $19.8 million project. Motto said the silt is super fine and hard to contain.

Using a printout of a PowerPoint presentation, Jeremy DeCarli, the towns planning and zoning official, detailed the efforts the town has made to deal with drainage and runoff from the site.

Everything was done appropriately by town staff. We were hit by an excess amount of rain. November was the second wettest November on record, he said. Silt fences and hay bales were installed before ground was even broken. The contractor was following the engineers plan.

And then, as storms lashed the region, more sediment trap ponds were added to control the runoff.

We built quite a berm, he said.

Eventually, the contractor installed a turbidity curtain in the lake, attached to a yellow boom. It serves as a coffee filter to capture the silt.

The boom is definitely helping, Motto said, except when you get three or four inches of rain.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has inspected the site. What theyve seen is everything you would expect to be used in an effort to control runoff, including a 15-foot buffer made of wood chips, used to trap particulate matter, Motto said.

The contractor has added more gravel to the border of the site because that material is so fine. The ground is spongy. Its like walking on chocolate pudding, she acknowledged.

The main thing is the rain, DeCarli added.

Reporter Jeff Mill covers East Hampton, Cromwell and Portland for the Middletown Press. Contact him at jeff.mill@hearstmediact.com.Homewood is such a great community of people who care about their community so we know well get more volunteers, she said. We think it can really lead to a lot of amazing things for the area and for the pets as a whole.MIDDLETOWN  Applications are now being accepted for the Virginia R. Rollefson Environmental Leadership Scholarship, a $1,000 award to recognize leadership and initiative by a high school junior or senior residing in Middlesex County, Lyme or Old Lyme.

The funds are awarded for student participation in a program, project or activity which benefits preservation, conservation, restoration or environmental education, according to a news release. The scholarship is presented by The Rockfall Foundation and applications must be submitted by March 1.BAD AXE  The countys circuit judge, this week, ordered a Bad Axe man spend at least two years in prison for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl.

Matthew Allen Bowman, 34, was sentenced to two years and one month  15 years maximum  in prison for a single count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct. He pleaded no contest in November.It's been a long road since the 1981 Time magazine cover story about Miami titled Paradise Lost? Along the way, some have felt paradise was found and lost again, but the truth is, it's in the bloody gutter. It has been for a long time  one dead Black body at a time.Murray Hayes Jr., 27, was shot multiple times in the 1100 block of E. 152nd Street around 10:30 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiners office.The restriction of traffic on Cicero Avenue was part of a larger project to improve its intersection with 159th Street. During much of the summer and fall, traffic flow on both streets was narrowed, and there were times when 159th Street was totally closed at the intersection.St. Julie Billiart: 7399 159th St.  A bus will leave St. Julie Billiart William J. Devine Center for the March for Life Chicago at 12:30 p.m. Jan. 13. Keynote speakers include Cardinal Blaise Cupich, Jeanne Mancini of the National March for Life, Ryan Bomberger of The Radiance Foundation and Pat McCaskey of the Chicago Bears. Families are encouraged to attend the march. There is no cost for the bus. Sign up in the Northex or at the office. Information: email sheila@stjulie.org or call 708-429-6767, Ext. 232.The flyers stated they were from the Illinois Integrity Fund, but apparently no such group was registered with the state Board of Elections or reported any such expenditure, as would be required by law if more than $5,000 was spent.A: I chair the board for Samaritan Counseling Center here in Barrington and our motto is, Help, hope and healing. Our goal is for everyone to be their best self, and we welcome everybody to come in and get stronger and better, and be more and more whom they are called to be. The center can get individual, group or family therapy. People come here for psychotherapy.We know that our bus drivers and monitors are a critical part of our West Aurora team as they are the first ones in the morning and the last ones in the afternoon who interact with our students, Smith said.The derivatives in fentanyl change, so the toxicology labs have to keep up with the different types of compounds and substances that are used and identify them, so that doesnt allow for a lot of savings because they have to develop different tests constantly, Russell said. If it was one compound, and they could do it like an assembly line, they could control the costs a bit.Just after 1 p.m. Jan. 3, a 52-year-old Chicago man said he was at the BP gas station in the 1300 block of North Butterfield Road in Aurora when he was approached from behind by an unknown person, police said.He has been very impactful for our pretty high population of students who are low-income and food insecure, and he is very passionate about our summer meal and breakfast program, Szczupaj said. I realize that this name change and initiative to honor Dr. Thompson has prompted a lot of personal attacks, but there is also a lot of love and appreciation for him out there, too.Blog Archive Jun 2021 (27) May 2021 (58) Apr 2021 (44) Mar 2021 (57) Feb 2021 (64) Jan 2021 (93) Dec 2020 (82) Nov 2020 (62) Oct 2020 (50) Sep 2020 (45) Aug 2020 (51) Jul 2020 (56) Jun 2020 (53) May 2020 (70) Apr 2020 (66) Mar 2020 (169) Feb 2020 (211) Jan 2020 (184) Dec 2019 (54) Nov 2019 (56) Oct 2019 (55) Sep 2019 (63) Aug 2019 (54) Jul 2019 (69) Jun 2019 (56) May 2019 (65) Apr 2019 (68) Mar 2019 (72) Feb 2019 (76) Jan 2019 (62) Dec 2018 (55) Nov 2018 (69) Oct 2018 (90) Sep 2018 (82) Aug 2018 (58) Jul 2018 (36) Jun 2018 (47) May 2018 (44) Apr 2018 (64) Mar 2018 (63) Feb 2018 (68) Jan 2018 (92) Dec 2017 (85) Nov 2017 (64) Oct 2017 (82) Sep 2017 (54) Aug 2017 (89) Jul 2017 (60) Jun 2017 (86) May 2017 (84) Apr 2017 (62) Mar 2017 (86) Feb 2017 (91) Jan 2017 (113) Dec 2016 (109) Nov 2016 (100) Oct 2016 (82) Sep 2016 (95) Aug 2016 (84) Jul 2016 (84) Jun 2016 (99) May 2016 (93) Apr 2016 (106) Mar 2016 (145) Feb 2016 (125) Jan 2016 (103) Dec 2015 (83) Nov 2015 (80) Oct 2015 (100) Sep 2015 (111) Aug 2015 (94) Jul 2015 (98) Jun 2015 (151) May 2015 (125) Apr 2015 (109) Mar 2015 (122) Feb 2015 (113) Jan 2015 (135) Dec 2014 (131) Nov 2014 (115) Oct 2014 (146) Sep 2014 (112) Aug 2014 (128) Jul 2014 (94) Jun 2014 (104) May 2014 (140) Apr 2014 (132) Mar 2014 (81) Feb 2014 (89) Jan 2014 (141) Dec 2013 (100) Nov 2013 (96) Oct 2013 (99) Sep 2013 (94) Aug 2013 (95) Jul 2013 (95) Jun 2013 (91) May 2013 (139) Apr 2013 (179) Mar 2013 (73) Feb 2013 (76) Jan 2013 (85) Dec 2012 (59) Nov 2012 (71) Oct 2012 (85) Sep 2012 (70) Aug 2012 (71) Jul 2012 (53) Jun 2012 (51) May 2012 (52) Apr 2012 (52) Mar 2012 (69) Feb 2012 (76) Jan 2012 (70) Dec 2011 (60) Nov 2011 (54) Oct 2011 (57) Sep 2011 (75) Aug 2011 (72) Jul 2011 (64) Jun 2011 (76) May 2011 (56) Apr 2011 (73) Mar 2011 (114) Feb 2011 (71) Jan 2011 (80) Dec 2010 (92) Nov 2010 (82) Oct 2010 (73) Sep 2010 (95) Aug 2010 (86) Jul 2010 (81) Jun 2010 (76) May 2010 (71) Apr 2010 (74) Mar 2010 (74) Feb 2010 (82) Jan 2010 (101) Dec 2009 (108) Nov 2009 (182) Oct 2009 (136) Sep 2009 (102) Aug 2009 (120) Jul 2009 (151) Jun 2009 (136) May 2009 (180) Apr 2009 (145) Mar 2009 (113) Feb 2009 (113) Jan 2009 (124) Dec 2008 (108) Nov 2008 (69) Oct 2008 (89) Sep 2008 (76) Aug 2008 (75) Jul 2008 (87) Jun 2008 (80) May 2008 (99) Apr 2008 (93) Mar 2008 (115) Feb 2008 (147) Jan 2008 (162) Dec 2007 (124) Nov 2007 (95) Oct 2007 (67) Sep 2007 (42) Aug 2007 (78) Jul 2007 (75) Jun 2007 (123) May 2007 (110) Apr 2007 (108) Mar 2007 (92) Feb 2007 (136) Jan 2007 (119) Dec 2006 (41) Nov 2006 (34) Oct 2006 (12) Sep 2006 (13) Aug 2006 (13) Jul 2006 (16) Jun 2006 (12) May 2006 (21) Apr 2006 (38) Mar 2006 (27) Feb 2006 (25) Jan 2006 (18)28 Hidden Brook Drive, North Barrington: $2,350,000 | Listed: May 7, 2021



This six-bedroom home has six full bathrooms, three half-baths, seven fireplaces, its own basketball court and a waterfall in the foyer. The kitchen is equipped with two islands with 2-inch chiseled concrete tops, stone tile floor, custom maple Shaker cabinetry, a full-size Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer, Murano pendant lights, a Wolf commercial grade range with mosaic backsplash and a spacious dining area with floor-to-ceiling windows. The primary bedroom suite features a concrete fireplace, custom cabinets and bookcases, a deep alcove with six windows and a bathroom with custom tilework, dual vanities, designer lighting and an oversized shower with multiple sprays and heads. This home overlooks the signature hole at Wynstone, a Jack Nicklaus golf course. A private study with a peaked ceiling and a raised hearth fireplace and a third-floor playroom/private workspace complete this home.



Agent: Lori Rowe of Coldwell Banker Realty, 847-774-7464



*Some listing photos are virtually staged, meaning they have been digitally altered to represent different furnishing or decorating options.



To feature your luxury listing of $800,000 or more in Chicago Tribunes Dream Homes, send listing information and high-res photos to ctc-realestate@chicagotribune.com.



Join our Chicago Dream Homes Facebook group for more luxury listings and real estate news.The party leaders dont agree on the most effective balance of methods  physical barriers, electronic surveillance, border agents, monitoring of those admitted temporarily, deportation standards and levels, and so on  and they dont agree on just where the money should go. But these are the kinds of disagreements that would normally be hashed out in Congress if not secretly, then mostly in obscurity, where a lot of the legislative sausage gets made.Many a U.S. representative or senator has had to wrestle with deciding between doing what is right for the nation and doing what he or she thinks is popular with the voting base. Senate Republicans are currently dealing with this problem. The current shutdown is the third one of 2018, with this latest one flowing into 2019. They know that the presidents demand for a border wall is fiscally unsound. They have seen the pictures of closed national sites and garbage piling up in sites partially opened. Will air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents continue to report to work? This shutdown is more dangerous to our national security than the lack of a wall.But Drury also said he got passed over for a committee chairmanship and pulled off a judiciary committee post. When he ran for attorney general in 2018, he faced a ballot challenge funded by a Madigan ally and led by Madigans chief elections attorney. Drury barely made it on the statewide ballot in time for the primary. The ballot challenge ate his time, his competitiveness and his resources. He lost to Kwame Raoul, of course, who in the general election took more than $1 million in campaign help from Madigan.For a time, Dunne was chairman of the Cook County Boards Finance Committee. The current chairman of that committee, John Daley, is the son of one former mayor, the brother of another and the brother of a third Daley who is now seeking that office. John Daley, an insurance broker who once worked for Near North, has acknowledged making more than $400,000 a year by securing insurance policies for businesses with government contracts. The policies he supplies do not insure his clients government projects, and Daley always votes present when resolutions to approve public payments to his clients come before the committee.On Thursday, 10 January at 11:00 a.m., Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Markos Bolaris will brief diplomatic correspondents on issues related to ecclesiastical/religious diplomacy.

The briefing will take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (1 Vas. Sofias Ave, Sofianopoulou Hall).The penetration of nickel-cobalt-manganese type-811 batteries into the Chinese electric vehicle industry will be quite limited in 2019, market participants have told Fastmarkets.A new duty on imported copper raw materials in Zambia has already led to consequences , with producers planning to reduce output while some concentrates from the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo could be diverted to other markets, including China, Fastmarkets has learned.Indias Supreme Court has upheld an earlier order to reopen Sterlite Coppers Tuticorin smelter, which was closed for environmental reasons, parent company Vedanta said on Tuesday January 8.European long steel buyers were quiet throughout December on uncertainties arising from the United States' various trade wars, but a European Commission quota proposal in January has offered some hope of more certainty to sellers.The US ferrous scrap market is clearly a buyers market in January, with sellers of steel turnings feeling the biggest sting in a monthly settlement rife with huge corrections.The idea that there is a newfound emergency is contradicted by Trumps own record. He pushed the wall as a presidential candidate, but the number of apprehensions on the southern border is lower today than it was then. Undocumented migration has been around for decades, at no overall harm to public safety or national security. States that attract lots of foreigners who are not authorized to be in the U.S. typically see a decline in crime.NOTICE GENOLA RESIDENTS Genola City Clean-up Day will be held on October 2, 2018. Please have refuse out to the curb by 7:00 a.m. for Pierz Sanitation. Tammy Giuliani, Clerk

Ad details NOTICE GENOLA RESIDENTS Genola City Clean-up Day will be held on October 2, 2018. Please have refuse out to the curb by 7:00 a.m. for Pierz Sanitation. Tammy Giuliani, ClerkServices for Bonita Deweese will be held on Monday, June 14, 2021, at 15th Avenue Baptist Church, at 10:30 am. Visitation will be Sunday, 4-6 p.m., at Webb Funeral Home. View the obituary at www.jamesfwebb.com.Apple's AirPods have been a huge success even after having a hefty price tag. The wireless earbuds are extremely easy to use and can be exclusively used with Apple products only. Continuing the tradition of keeping a closed eco-system, the AirPods are compatible with iPhones only.

No other brand has managed to even come close to the AirPods output and sales, the success even prompted Google and Samsung to come up with a pair of their own. Apple did remove the headphone jack but made sure users have a better alternative, that's obviously after ignoring the price.

 Xiaomi via MySmartPrice

Now, Xiaomi has launched the AirDots Pro. It comes with designs nearly identical to the AirPods, including a Bluetooth-friendly carrying case that doubles as a charger to keep the AirDots charged. Like Apple's earphones, AirDots offer touch controls for music, calls and activating voice assistants -- and they work with both iOS and Android.

Xiaomi actually released its original AirDots last yearbut they looked nothing like Apple's AirPods. With its new AirDots Pro, that's all changed, however. Xiaomi is expected to host a press event on Jan. 11. The company will likely unveil the AirDots Pro there and provide details on availability.

 Xiaomi via MySmartPrice

The earbuds are being marketed with multiple names like the AirDots Pro, Freedom Buds Pro, as well as Mi Air. It is possible the product could have a different name depending on the market.

They can function independently of each other, and can reportedly run for up to 10 hours on a single charge. According to MySmartPrice, "The Mi Air Bluetooth earbuds utilize a 7mm neodymium driver with a titanium sound chamber for impressive audio quality. Xiaomi's latest earbuds also support the AAC codec and come with ENC noise reduction technology to suppress environmental noise."

The earbuds are lightweight at only 5.8 grams and support IPX4 water resistance. It comes with a USB Type-C charger and boasts support for AAC codec. They have Active Noise Cancellation for improved sound and call quality.

While the AirPods cost Rs 12,900 in India, the Xiaomi AirDots Pro are priced at CNY 399, that is approximately Rs 4,000. The company has launched them only in China right now, and there's no word on a local launch.Researchers have developed an innovative, personalized absorber that can catch toxic chemotherapy drugs when they leak out of a treated organ. This could help reduce the adverse side effects of these cancer treatments. Share on Pinterest A newly designed drug sponge could intercept chemotherapy agents before they reach and affect healthy tissue. A team of researchers from institutions across the United States  including the University of California (UC), Berkeley, and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)  has recently developed a tiny device akin to a sponge, which is set to absorb chemotherapy agents after they have reached their target. The aim of the absorber is to minimize the toxic side effects of chemotherapy drugs, which, although they have a potent effect against cancer tumors, also attack healthy organs and tissue and can impair their function. The device is 3-D printed, so it can perfectly fit the vein of any individual receiving a chemotherapy treatment. Its absorbent polymer coating is able to soak up the toxic agents after they have passed through the organ that the treatment is targeting. So far, the researchers have tested this new device as an aid to chemotherapy for liver cancer, as the therapeutic drugs travel to the liver in the bloodstream, which can increase the risk of toxic side effects. The researchers have reported their experiments and findings in a study paper that has appeared today in the journal ACS Central Science.

A device that shows promise To insert the innovative absorber, Surgeons snake a wire into the bloodstream and place the sponge like a stent, and just leave it in for the amount of time you give chemotherapy, perhaps a few hours, explains Prof. Nitash Balsara, from the UC Berkeley. The researchers tested the absorber in a pig model. They injected a chemotherapy drug for the treatment of liver cancer and found that, on average, the device was able to intercept 64 percent of the drug. We are developing this around liver cancer because it is a big public health threat  there are tens of thousands of new cases every year  and we already treat liver cancer using intra-arterial chemotherapy, explains study co-author Prof. Steven Hetts. However, he adds that you could use this sort of approach for any tumor or any disease that is confined to an organ, and you want to absorb the drug on the venous side before it can distribute and cause side effects elsewhere in the body. In the future, the researchers aim to use this technique in the treatment of cancerous kidney tumors and brain tumors.

Using a petroleum refining concept At the UCSF Mission Bay Hospitals, Prof. Hetts already uses a safer way of delivering chemotherapy drugs. Rather than simply injecting the drugs into the bloodstream, he inserts catheters into the veins to deliver them straight to the tumor site. This approach already helps lower the risk of these potent drugs infiltrating and affecting healthy tissue. However, Prof. Hetts explains that more than half of the injected drug dose still tends to leak out of the targeted organ and reach other parts of the body. The innovative absorber, which includes an ionic polymer that can effectively intercept the chemotherapy agent doxorubicin, would get rid of this problem. The concept for this device, the research team explains, actually comes from industrial refining processes. An absorber is a standard chemical engineering concept, says Prof. Balsara. Absorbers are used in petroleum refining to remove unwanted chemicals, such as sulfur. Literally, weve taken the concept out of petroleum refining and applied it to chemotherapy, he notes.There is no cure for hepatitis B infection, so doctors rely on vaccinations to help prevent it. Hepatitis B attacks the liver and may lead to life-threatening complications without treatment. Hepatitis B infection is a potentially serious condition. According to a new American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) policy, newborns should now get their first hepatitis B vaccine in their first day of life. Although most people consider the vaccine to be crucial to the safety of a child, others oppose it. In many cases, this opposition is due to misinformation or concern for the child.

Why is it recommended? Share on Pinterest The hepatitis B vaccine is very safe. The AAP recommend that newborns receive their first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within the first 24 hours of their life. One reason for this is that it is possible for the birth mother to pass the infection onto the baby, which is known as a perinatal infection. If a newborn contracts hepatitis B, there is a significant chance that this infection will be chronic, meaning that it will persist for a long time. Without treatment, it is possible that the infant will die from complications of the infection.

Benefits of the hepatitis B vaccine The main benefit of the vaccine is its effectiveness. The AAP note that if doctors give the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 24 hours of the babys delivery, it is 75 to 95 percent effective in preventing the passage of hepatitis B from the birth mother to the baby. If the newborn also receives the medication hepatitis B immune globulin (HBIG) at the correct time and a series of follow-up vaccines, the AAP estimate that the infection rate drops to between 0.7 and 1.1 percent. For the best possible protection, the baby will need to complete the full series of vaccines.

Is it safe? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that the vaccine is very safe. The full series of the vaccine provides the highest possible level of protection from the infection. Some people still express concern about the safety of vaccination. The reasons for this worry may vary. Part of the fear may be due to older research. For example, a 2009 study indicated an association between the Engerix B vaccine, a specific type of hepatitis B vaccine, and an increased risk of damage to the central nervous system (CNS) later in life. However, the researchers note that this was the exception, not the rule. They also highlight the need for more studies to validate this finding. On the whole, their research indicates that hepatitis B vaccination generally does not increase the risk of damage to the CNS. Vaccines are subject to constant safety monitoring both during production and once doctors begin to administer them to people. Any signs of a potentially dangerous response to a vaccine would result in immediate recall. The majority of research indicates that hepatitis B vaccines are a safe and effective way to prevent the infection.

Possible side effects As with any medication, the hepatitis B vaccine carries the risk of side effects. These side effects are usually very mild. The person may have a slight fever or experience soreness in the area of the shot for a few days. According to the CDC , the hepatitis B vaccine cannot cause hepatitis B. Although manufacturers use parts of the hepatitis B virus to create the vaccine, these are inactive. They serve only to train the body to fight against the specific cells of the virus.

Rare side effects and associations While many people misunderstand or misstate the dangers of some aspects of vaccination, there are still possibly severe conditions that may have an association with immunization for hepatitis B. A review in the Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene discusses these possible rare complications. It is important to note that these results do not mean that the vaccination causes these conditions but that there may be an association between them. Possible complications include: the abnormal cessation of breathing, called apnea, in preterm babies

vasculitis, or inflammation of the blood vessels

a hypotonic-hyporesponsive episode, which causes muscular issues and pale skin

immune thrombocytopenic purpura, which causes red spots on the skin In very rare cases, an infant may also have an extreme allergic reaction to the vaccine. Any signs of anaphylaxis, such as the baby appearing to have trouble breathing, breaking out in a rash, or changing skin tones, indicate the need for immediate medical attention.

What are the risks of not getting the vaccine? Share on Pinterest The long-term risks of not getting the vaccine include cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. The main risk of the baby not getting the vaccine is that they may contract the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B primarily attacks the liver, causing inflammation that can damage this organ over time. An acute infection lasts for less than 6 months, and it may cause no symptoms in some people. Other people do experience symptoms, which may include: loss of appetite

pain in the muscles

pain in the joints

general fatigue Many acute infections resolve without treatment. If the infection persists for 6 months or more, doctors will refer to it as chronic. Chronic infections increase a persons risk of damage to the liver over time. As this damage builds up, it can scar the liver, which is known as cirrhosis. This long-term damage may result in other complications, including liver cancer. According to the Immunization Action Coalition, about 3,000 Americans die each year from liver failure or liver cancer resulting from hepatitis B.by Ray Schultz , January 9, 2019

SCL Elections, formerly known as Cambridge Analytica, has been fined 15,000 by a British court for failing to comply with an enforcement notice from the UK Information Commissioners Office  a criminal offense.

The firm pleaded guilty at Hendon Magistrates Court, Britains Information Commissioners Office (ICO) announced on Wednesday.

SCL was also ordered to pay 6,000 in costs and a victim surcharge of 170.

The ICO had ordered the company last May to comply with a subject access request by a U.S.-based academic: David Carroll. But it failed to fully do so, violating the Data Protection Act of 1998, the ICO states.

The fine is tiny in the larger scheme of things, but the company remains under investigation as part of a broader probe.

advertisement advertisement

According to the ICO, the company provided Carroll with a spreadsheet of information it held about him when he made his request in January 2017. But it failed to inform him of the decision-making process used to create it, the ICO adds.

London-based Cambridge Analytica improperly obtained data on up to 87 million Facebook users, and used the data to build psychographic profiles on American voters, The New York Times reported last March.

Cambridge Analytica filed for bankruptcy in the wake of the evolving scandal that has seen Facebook sued and interrogated by the U.S. Congress.

"This prosecution, the first against Cambridge Analytica, is a warning that there are consequences for ignoring the law, states Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham. "Wherever you live in the world, if your data is being processed by a UK company, UK data protection laws apply.

In a separate development, the ICO reportedly has revised what is said to be the first GDPR action against a company outside the European Union.

AggregateIQ Data Services Ltd., a Canadian data processor, was ordered in July to stop handling data on UK and EU citizens.

That order was amended last year to include only UK citizens, and the firm has dropped an appeal that it filed last year, Mondaq reported last week.

The ICO had charged that AggregateIQ Data Services provided UK political organizations with personal data such as names and email addresses for use in campaigns, including the Brexit referendum in 2016.

At the time, AggregateIQs COO Jeff Sylvester said: We have appealed the notice, but as it is before the Tribunal, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.

Earlier in 2018, the firm was accused of involvement with Cambridge Analytica, and drawing on that firms databases during the Brexit campaign.

AggregateIQ put a disclaimer on its home page, avowing that it is 100% Canadian owner and has never been and is not a part of Cambridge Analytica or SCL.by Steve McClellan @mp_mcclellan, January 9, 2019

McCann Worldgroup has appointed Simon Sikorski as CEO of its Canadian operation, part of a broader management restructuring for the region.

Sikorski, most recently Chief Client Officer at MWGs Craft production network and a former global client business leader at the agency, is replacing David Leonard, who is leaving the group.

Two other members of MWG Canadas senior leadership team are leaving and their posts are being eliminated: Chief Creative Officer Darren Clarke and Chief Strategy Officer Mary Chambers.

According to the agency, the changes are designed to allow each agency within the group to compete within their specialist offerings and more easily collaborate as needed for pitches and client work.

The agencies within MWG Canada include McCann, MRM//McCann, Craft, Momentum and McCann Health which operate across offices in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver.

advertisement advertisement

Under the new leadership structure, each agency will be responsible to both the North America regional agency leader and to Sikorski as the country leader.

Chris Macdonald, global president advertising and allied agencies, McCann Worldgroup, stated, Canada is an incredibly important market for us, and we believe there is massive opportunity for us to grow and develop our capabilities here. To do this, we have decided we need to follow some of our biggest and most successful markets, like the UK, Spain and Japan, and move to a structure that gives our clients access to the best talent and the ability to better take advantage of our agencies."

He added that the move aligns resources across each agency more effectively with each of their global structures for our clients.

A 25-year veteran of the industry, Sikorski was part of the team that established Craft in 2012. Hes worked with clients like Mastercard, Microsoft, LOreal and Staples to develop custom advertising production models.

Prior to joining Craft, Sikorski worked in the UK as a managing partner for McCann London, leading integrated agency teams for global brands like Intel and ExxonMobil.by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, January 9, 2019

The parent company of Cambridge Analytica, President Trump's consultancy during the 2016 election, admitted Wednesday that it violated a UK privacy law by refusing to provide an American citizen with his data. The company was fined around $19,000, according to The Guardian.

The company's admission and fine stemmed from a request by U.S. professor David Carroll for a copy of data about him held by Cambridge Analytica, now in bankruptcy. The company turned over some information, but refused Carroll's request for details regarding how it arrived at predictions about him and whether his data was shared with third parties.

advertisement advertisement

Cambridge Analytica reportedly argued that Carroll wasn't entitled to the information because he was American. The UK Information Commissioner Office rejected that argument and ordered Cambridge Analytica to respond to Carroll's request.

Instead, Cambridge Analytica's parent company, SCL Elections, pleaded guilty to violating the UK law.

Earlier this year, it came to light that Cambridge Analytica harvested personal data from up to 87 million Facebook users. Cambridge Analytica reportedly obtained the data from Global Science Research's Alexsandr Kogan, who collected the information in 2014 via his personality-quiz app "thisisyourdigitallife." That app was downloaded by 270,000 Facebook users, but Kogan was able to gather information about millions of those users' friends.

In April of 2015, Facebook stopped allowing developers to access data about users' friends. But in 2014, when Kogan's app scraped the data, Facebook allowed developers to glean information about users' friends, subject to their privacy settings. Facebook's terms of service prohibited developers from sharing that information.

Facebook learned in 2015 that Cambridge Analytica had obtained the data, and asked the consultancy to destroy it. The social networking service says it believed at the time that Cambridge Analytica did so.

In March, Cambridge Analytica denied using the Facebook data on Trump's behalf. But the company's former CEO, Alexander Nix, boasted to an undercover reporter that the company's extensive ad targeting helped Trump win the presidency.by Melynda Fuller , January 9, 2019

Whembley Sewell will be taking control of Conde Nasts LGBTQ brand them as its new executive editor, following the fall 2018 exit of its founder-Chief Content Officer Phillip Picardi.



Sewell was Teen Vogues channel manager, where she lead the brands programming/content strategy and audience development, prior to her new appointment. She will direct them's editorial content across all platforms and experiences.

There are so many untapped points of view that arent represented in media, and thems mission to give a platform to these voices is more important than ever, she stated.

Before coming to Conde Nast, Sewell was Seventeens social-media editor. She served a similar function at Refinery29, where she supported social media and digital content strategy.

advertisement advertisement

Since its launch in 2017, them has experienced impressive growth across social media, with a 106% increase in audience between April and October 2018. The brand also launched a short film series during that period, Queeroes, produced in partnership with 5050by2020 in coordination with the 2018 NYC Pride Week.

Anna Wintour, artistic director of Conde Nast and editor-in-chief of Vogue, stated: Whembleys distinct voice and passionate take on issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community make her a natural fit to lead the brand forward.

Separately,WWD has tapped The Hollywood Reporters Booth Moore to join as its executive editor, West Coast. In her new role, Booth will lead and expand WWDs West Coast coverage. She will be based in Penske Medias Los Angeles headquarters.

Prior to joining WWD, Booth was the Los Angeles Times fashion critic for 18 years. She also launched The Hollywood Reporters "Style" vertical as its style and fashion news director.

Previously, Booth contributed to The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Town & Country and Conde Nast Traveler, in addition to authoring three books.by Alex Weprin , January 9, 2019

On Tuesday, the European media and telecom giant RTL Group announced it had acquired Yospace, a U.K.-based video technology company.

While the deal is European-focused, it will impact the U.S. and global markets, as Yospace begins to work in earnest with another RTL Group company: the Denver-based video ad platform SpotX.

At the heart of the deal is Yospaces expertise in server-side ad insertion (sometimes called dynamic ad insertion, or server-side dynamic ad insertion). SSAI allows for existing commercial spots to be dynamically replaced by more personalized or targeted spots.

It is becoming the leading ad format in premium over-the-top streaming video environments.

Once the deal closes, SpotX will work with Yospace to advance programmatic video advertising for both live streaming and VOD, and will allow them to offer joint solutions for their clients.

SpotXs day-to-day operations will not change anytime soon, as the company will continue to operate independently. It will continue to work with other SSAI providers, in addition to Yospace.

advertisement advertisement

Bert Habets, CEO RTL Group, stated the acquisition is an important step in building out our Total Video portfolio. By combining resources, the company can gain a competitive, fully integrated and profitable solution which is key to further grow our ad-tech business.

Our goal is to continue expanding SpotX into a leading, independent monetization platform for broadcasters, video on demand services and publishers, he added.

Ultimately, the deal is another example of how the ad-tech space is shifting toward full-stack solutions, with companies looking to control more experience for clients in order to deliver effective products.

RTL is targeting a more seamless operational experience, higher yield optimization, more secure data transactions and improved forecasting accuracy once the deal closes.by Melynda Fuller , January 9, 2019

Yesterday, A.G. Sulzberger, who took over as publisher of The New York Times in early 2018, delivered the outlets 2019 State of The Times address to employees.

In the address, which is published in full online, Sulzberger acknowledged the many successes for the organization over the last year, including recording 4 million paid subscribers and 150 million monthly visitors worldwide.

He also celebrated The Times' expansion across print, digital, podcasts and now televisioin, with the launch of FXs The Weekly.

advertisement advertisement

People no longer want to read news from one source, listen to news from another source, and watch news by someone else. People are looking for a single news source they can trust, in every form, Sulzberger stated.

That we can be recognizably The Times in all these different formats shows how well were navigating the digital transition. And it shows how big we believe the opportunity is for the company in the years ahead, he added.

Sulzberger also focused on the many deep dives and breaking stories produced by the organization over the past year, citing the issue of the NYT Magazine dedicated exclusively to climate change, an eight-page story focused on a Chinese sex worker who committed suicide in Queens, and a multipronged investigation into the poisoning of a former Russian spy.

The address drew on one of the important tenets of quality journalism: the ability to enact change in the world. Through the outlets reporting on sexual harassment and abuse allegations around CBS CEO Les Moonves, Sulzberger noted Mooves was stripped of his $120 million severance package.

Sulzberger also noted The Times reporting on Facebook and Cambridge Analytica as one that reminded us that journalism has the power to create change at the societal level, along with reporting that spurred new sexual-harassment guidelines at Google and the famine in Yemen that resulted in a Senate vote to end support of the war the.

He concluded: At The Times, our mission is to seek the truth and to help people understand the world. We do this because we believe in the power of great journalism to make each readers life richer and more fulfilling, and to make all of society stronger and more just.by Wendy Davis @wendyndavis, January 9, 2019

The industry group Coalition for Better Ads, which aims to stem ad blocking by pushing companies to avoid formats that are considered problematic, plans to expand its initiative worldwide.

The organization says that since March 2017, many companies in North America and Europe have followed the group's voluntary standards regarding online ad formats. The coalition now plans to meet with trade associations and companies in other parts of the world, to encourage them to adopt the standards.

Among other efforts, coalition representatives presented at IAB Brazils AdTech and Data Conference in September and attended IABs Global Summit in London late last year. Representatives also recently visited association and company executives in Japan, India and Indonesia.

Last February, Google's Chrome browser began filtering out ads in North America and Europe that don't comply with the coalition's standards.

advertisement advertisement

Google said on Wednesday that it plans to expand that filtering worldwide in July.

The coalition currently lists 4 types of desktop ads and 8 types of mobile ads that it says fall beneath a threshold of consumer acceptability. They include pop-ups, auto-playing video ads with sound, and full-screen scrollover ads.

The Coalition maintains an online register of publishers that have promised to avoid the most disruptive types of ads. To date, around 70 publishers from 27 countries have certified that they comply with the standards.

The program plans to begin assessing compliance in regions outside of North America and Europe after May 9.by Joe Mandese @mp_joemandese, January 9, 2019

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Continue fooling me, and we have a seriously dysfunctional relationship.

Thats how I feel about the media after watching last nights prime-time broadcast of wolf cries from the Oval Office.

Dont get me wrong, I understand why the networks had to give a first-time pass. You have to respect the office. I dont fault them for that.

Theyve been fooled once. The next ones on them.

Like the villagers in Aesops fable, the media needs to wise up and figure out when to ignore fake threats so we can focus on our real ones.

One of them is that we have a President who cannot be trusted, yet can use the power of his office to misdirect our attention where and when he wants.

advertisement advertisement

A couple of weeks ago, we were talking about incoming Democratic control of the House, mounting evidence from the Mueller investigation, and the resignation of the last grown-up in the Situation Room, Secretary of Defense James Mattis.

As I write this, news broke that Assistant Attorney General Rod Rosenstein is stepping down and a new, as yet unconfirmed Attorney General will be overseeing the Mueller investigation.

I believe we are at the most dangerous point of this presidency, partly because the media have not focused on how unstable the situation has become.

Mattis was one of only two civilians who can issue battle orders to our top military commanders.

The other is the President, who is under personal attack from criminal and legislative investigators.

And now, an Acting Secretary of Defense who previously was senior vice president-supply chain & operations at Boeing.

In terms of wolf-like threats, that should be the top story we are talking about. Instead, we are talking about the shutdown, and the Presidents ability to command prime-time attention at his beck and call.

So when news of a potentially indicting story also broke this morning that the Presidents former Campaign Manager Paul Manafort provided campaign data to Russian intelligence, we were redirected by news of Rosensteins departure.

The President is one of the most skilled tail-waggers the world has ever seen.

I only hope the next one doesnt belong to a real wolf. Or, for that matter, a bear.Metabolic Biomarker Testing Market  Overview

The metabolic biomarker testing market is moving ahead at a rapid speed owing to its prolific use in the healthcare sector. As most healthcare professionals look forward to validating their diagnosis with a diagnostic test, they rely on metabolic biomarker tests. The process in such analysis involves profiling, identification, quantification, and interpretation. By doing so, it quantifies metabolites in a biological system and declares results accordingly. The global metabolic biomarker testing market can expect a prominent 11% CAGR during the forecast period (2016-2023). The market, at present, is relying heavily on the growing demand for personalized medicine which requires accurate diagnosis. Among the other factors, toxicology technologies growth can be seen as a catalyst for the metabolic biomarker testing market. Government funding for research and development is also on the rise which can squarely impact the metabolic biomarker testing market.

Request Sample Report at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/5613

Metabolic Biomarker Testing Market  Competitive Insights

Prominent players in the global metabolic biomarker testing market are Human Metabolome Technologies Inc. (Japan), Biocrates Life Sciences AG (Austria), Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.), Bruker Corporation (U.S.), Danaher Corporation (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. (U.S.), Agilent Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), Waters Corporation (U.S.), Shimadzu Corporation (Japan), LECO Corporation (U.S.), and Metabolon Inc. (U.S.), and others.

Metabolic Biomarker Testing Market  Segmental Analysis

The global metabolic biomarker testing market can be segmented by techniques, indications, application, and end-user.

Technique-wise, the global metabolic biomarker testing market includes separation techniques and detection techniques. The separation techniques segment comprises liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, capillary chromatography. Further, the liquid chromatography segment includes high-performance liquid chromatography and ultra-performance liquid chromatography. Detection techniques encompass mass spectrometry, multivariate analysis, and spectroscopy. Spectroscopy includes nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Indication-wise, the global metabolic biomarker testing market can be segmented into cancer, cardiovascular disorders, neurological disorders, inborn errors of metabolism, and others.

Application-wise, the global metabolic biomarker testing market includes drug discovery or drug assessment, nutrigenomics, toxicology testing, personalized medicine, functional genomics, and others.

Based on the end-users, the global metabolic biomarker testing market comprises pharma & biotech companies, diagnostic tool companies, healthcare it/big data companies, clinical laboratories, and others.

Industry Updates:

In June 2018, Nightingale Health announced that it would analyze the biomarker profiles of 500,000 blood samples from UK Biobank. Nightingale Health is a Finnish company known globally for developing an internationally recognized blood biomarker technology to study chronic diseases.

In September 2018, researchers from Investigators at the UC Davis MIND Institute and NeuroPointDX declared that they had detected a group of blood metabolite which can help in the diagnosing children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Browse Complete 108 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 121 Respective Tables and Figures at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/metabolic-biomarker-testing-market-5613

Metabolic Biomarker Testing Market  Regional Insights

Geographical analysis of the metabolic biomarker testing market leads to namely the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), and the Middle East and Africa (MEA).

The Americas has the upper hand in the global market due to applications of NGS procedures. The U.S. has the lead. Various public and private institutions are funding research and development projects for metabolic biomarker testing which is opening up avenues for the market expansion. At the same time, the superior healthcare sector is providing much thrust to the regional market.

Europes market is banking largely on the presence of the several market titans. The region has similar features like that of the Americas which can amply boost the market. The APAC region can expect significant growth as many of the biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies are eyeing for an expansion plan in the region which can spur the growth of the metabolic biomarker market.

The MEA market is getting affected by the poor economic condition of many of the nations in this area. In addition, the lack of knowledge in the healthcare sector is becoming a threat to the regional market. But investments made by various countries can ensure better prospect for the market.

Major TOC for Metabolic Biomarker Testing Market Research Report- Forecast to 2023

Chapter 1. Report Prologue

Chapter 2. Market Introduction

2.1 Definition

2.2 Scope Of The Study

2.2.1 Research Objective

2.2.2 Assumptions

2.2.3 Limitations

Chapter 3. Research Methodology

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Primary Research

3.3 Secondary Research

3.4 Market Size Estimation

Chapter 4. Market Dynamics

TOC CONTINUED!

Enquire for Discount at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/5613

About US:

Market Research Future (MRFR), enable customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

Contact Us:

Market Research Future

Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers

Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar,

Pune  411028

Maharashtra, India

Phone: +1 646 845 9312

Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.comCystic Fibrosis Market  Overview

Global Cystic Fibrosis Market, which anticipates a great increase in this market at a 13.8% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) between 2016 and 2022. In terms of value, the market is expected to be worth US $ 1,192.2 mn by the end of the forecast period. Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a chronic genetic disease that affects the progress of the entire body and can cause severe disabilities and even early death in some cases.

The compelling factors ensuring an enriching growth for the global cystic fibrosis market include the development of new drugs & therapies and financial support from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) for the research and development of cystic fibrosis drugs. However, the high costs of many cystic fibrosis treatment procedures can dampen the market growth.

Request Sample copy at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/sample_request/1825

Latest Industry News:

In an innovative partnership, NuvoAir and Londons Royal Brompton Hospital are helping cystic fibrosis patients to conduct tests at home. With the Air Next simple-to-use spirometer, patients can conduct tests on their own, with an app called Aria, to measure the state of the patients lungs and predict worsening. Aria has been developed by Nuvo Air. Patients can analyze the data on the app itself and can share them with the health care team. 4 DEC 2018

According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, cystic fibrosis lung function can be improved with triple therapy on the basis of chloride sweat concentrations where VX-659 is added to ivacaftor and tezacaftor. 9 DEC 2018

Segments:

The global cystic fibrosis market has been segmented on the basis of diagnostic test, drug type, treatment, and lastly, region. Based on the diagnostic test, this market has been segmented into chest X-Ray, computed tomography (CT) scan, immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT) test, pulmonary function test, sputum test, and sweat chloride test. By drug type, the market has been segmented into biologics and small molecules. The treatment-based segmentation segments the market into medical therapy, surgical treatment, and others.

Regional Analysis:

The regional segmentation of the global cystic fibrosis market segments the market into the following regional markets: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa (MEA). North America is the largest regional market due to the availability of advanced medical facilities, large patient population, overall technological advancement, presence of strong economic conditions, the presence of many key market players, and lastly, the availability of government funding for research and development in the medical sector. The strongest economies in this region that can be important markets are the USA and Canada.

Europe is the second largest regional market, as it has the second highest patient population. Advanced medical facilities are available in most European countries. In this region, the strongest economies that can be the perfect markets are France, Germany, and the UK.

The Asia Pacific is a smaller market for cystic fibrosis than North America and Europe due to limited information, leading to the majority of cystic fibrosis cases going undiagnosed. Due to limited healthcare facilities, the market is limited in the region. Countries that have the potential to become lucrative markets by improving their healthcare facilities are China, India, and Japan. China and Japan have the lowest population of cystic fibrosis patients.

Browse Complete 85 Pages Premium Research Report Enabled with 30+ Respective Tables and Figures at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/reports/cystic-fibrosis-market-1825

The MEA region has the smallest market share due to the presence of poor countries, lack of awareness, lack of education, low standard of medical facilities, lack of healthcare facilities, and a majority of governments not considering healthcare a priority.

Key Players:

The key players in the global cystic fibrosis market include AbbVie (USA), Gilead Sciences (USA), F. Hoffmann-La Roche (Switzerland), Forest Laboratories (USA), Genentech (USA), Novartis (Switzerland), Pharmaxis (Australia), and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (USA).

Brief TOC of Cystic Fibrosis Market Research Report- Global Forecast till 2022:

1 INTRODUCTION

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3 MARKET DYNAMICS

4 MARKET FACTOR ANALYSIS

5 GLOBAL CYSTIC FIBROSIS MARKET, BY DIAGNOSTIC TEST

6 GLOBAL CYSTIC FIBROSIS MARKET, BY TREATMENT

7 GLOBAL CYSTIC FIBROSIS MARKET, BY DRUG TYPE

8 GLOBAL CYSTIC FIBROSIS MARKET, BY REGION

9 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

10 COMPANY PROFILE

TOC CONTINUED!

Check Discount at https://www.marketresearchfuture.com/check-discount/1825

About Market Research Future:

At Market Research Future (MRFR), we enable our customers to unravel the complexity of various industries through our Cooked Research Report (CRR), Half-Cooked Research Reports (HCRR), Raw Research Reports (3R), Continuous-Feed Research (CFR), and Market Research & Consulting Services.

Contact

Market Research Future

Office No. 528, Amanora Chambers

Magarpatta Road, Hadapsar,

Pune  411028

Maharashtra, India

+1 646 845 9312

Email: sales@marketresearchfuture.comRobert Kramer, 93, of Cochranton, passed away June 10, 2021 at Wesbury United Methodist Retirement Community. He was born June 25, 1927, in Meadville; a son of Irvin and Mabel Moyer Kramer. Robert attended Cochranton High School and then enlisted in the United States Army on September 12, 19Note:

We have changed our commenting system. If you do not have an mdjonline.com account, you will need to create one in order to comment.Going, going, almost gone! Less than 200 seats remain for Campbell High Schools Dancing with the Stars Smyrna, so you need to act now.Submit A Press Release

$25.00 / for 2 days

Ensure your press release runs prominently on our website and in our E-mail Newsletter. Gauranteed placement on these platforms is $25.

Note: All submissions will go through our editorial approval process before being posted.Two new county commissioners say they voted to rehire the countys former law firm because its governmental experience could help reduce the cThe Quonset hut that served as the Chastain Park Conservancys office has been destroyed by a fire that occurred Friday night at the Buckhead When the organizers of the Cathedral Antiques Show decided on a theme for the 2019 event, it was only natural they went with London Calling.During World War II, after the United States surrendered the Bataan Peninsula on the main Philippine island of Luzon to the Japanese April 9, Get Cobb County news and local guidance about the coronavirus outbreak.

Sign up for our Email News Alerts.Something caused it, said a man who declined to give his name. We dont know what it is. Were just getting out of here.

Kim Murray said she was worried about her elderly mother who lives at Westwood Chateau.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

They are all elderly people, she said. Theres very few young people here.

Betsy Cannon, Murrays daughter, said she was concerned about her grandmother as well but even more so for the other elderly residents who dont have family close by.

Theres no one to blame here, said Cannon. I understand theyre going to do shelters but shelters are short term."

Jane Neal is the president of the Westwood Chateau Condominium Homeowners Association. She said some time ago one of the condos in Building A was found to have a shifting brick and the tenant who lived there pointed it out. This was a sign of a possible problem underneath the complex.The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg has issued a High Wind Warning, which is in effect from 11 PM this evening to 7 AM EST Thursday. The High Wind Watch is no longer in effect.

* LOCATIONS...The northern mountains and Blue Ridge locations of the northern foothills of North Carolina.

* HAZARDS...Strong and gusty winds.

Support Local Journalism Your subscription makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

* TIMING...Winds increase tonight and continue through Wednesday night, tapering off Thursday morning.

* WINDS...Northwest 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 55 mph.

* IMPACTS...Strong winds may blow down limbs, trees, and power lines. Scattered power outages are expected.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A High Wind Warning means a hazardous high wind event is expected or occurring. Sustained wind speeds of at least 40 mph or gusts of 58 mph or more can lead to property damage.McDowell County Emergency Management was notified by the Westwood Chateau HOA of safety concerns related to a possible sinkhole formation under the apartment complex in Marion. A private geotechnical engineer has performed various underground tests and determined that residents living in this complex need to be immediately relocated due to the potential of sinkhole formation. The engineer deemed the complex as a high threat to the safety of the residents.KEVIN HARVISON | Staff photo

Traffic is shown along where Village Boulevard intersects with U.S. Highway 69, also known as the George Nigh Expressway in McAlester. The traffic interchange and the Oklahoma Department of Transportations plans for Phase II of the highway project are the focus of a Town Hall Meeting set for 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 10, on the McAlester Campus of Eastern Oklahoma State College.KEVIN HARVISON | Staff photo

Michael Crawley, right, whose first-degree murder conviction was reversed by the State Court of Criminal Appeals in August, is shown entering the Pittsburg County Courthouse on Tuesday, accompanied by McAlester attorney Brecken Wagner, left, and Pittsburg County Sheriffs Deputy John Young. Plans for Crawley to enter a plea ended when plea negotiations were not resolved between the prosecution and defense.Police in Worcester identified the body discovered Monday morning outside the Salvation Army on Cambridge Street as a woman, but investigators are still seeking answers on how she died.

In a Tuesday night press release, Worcester Police said the "preliminary autopsy reports are inconclusive as to the cause of death." Police did not release the woman's identity or age.

Officers were called to the Salvation Army at 72 Cambridge St. around 9:45 a.m. Monday for a report of a possible dead body.

Police found the woman outside near a donation bin.

Investigators searched the area and the bins Monday and remained at the scene Tuesday.

Police are asking that anyone with information send an anonymous text to 274637 beginning with TIPWPD, or submit an anonymous message via www.worcesterma.gov/police. People can call detectives at 508-799-8651.A knife with what appeared to be blood stains was found inside the vehicle used by the 23-year-old man authorities say stabbed a woman more than 30 times in Hartford then drove off with the victims 6-year-old son.

New details surrounding the attack and arrest of Edgar Maldonado, the man accused of stabbing his girlfriend on New Years Eve, were contained in a search warrant affidavit on file in Worcester District Court.

The affidavit shows police spotted a kitchen knife with what appeared to be blood on the blade when the vehicle was located on Providence Street in Worcester, a few hours after the stabbing in Hartford.

Just before 2 a.m. on Jan. 1, Hartford Police were called to Natick Street for a report of a woman screaming and bleeding profusely, records show.

The 43-year-old woman had been stabbed more than 30 times and was rushed to an area hospital.

Hartford investigators learned the womans boyfriend, Maldonado, allegedly attacked her inside a car for what police say was no apparent reason.

When Maldonado escaped the stabbing scene, police said he drove off with the womans 6-year-old boy inside the car.

Police started searching for the suspect and the boy. The child was reported as a missing person to the National Crime Information Center.

A few hours later, around 5 a.m., Worcester Police were called to Providence Street to check on the welfare of a child.

The 6-year-old boy was found wandering the street. The person who located the boy called police and put the child inside a car until officers arrived, the affidavit said.

Worcester Police Officer Bruce Carter then spoke to the boy.

Upon further investigation at the scene, the child reported he fell asleep in his vehicle and woke up alone, the affidavit said.

The boy then took police to the vehicle. The child was taken to a hospital in Worcester where he was checked out.

Police in Worcester learned that investigators in Hartford were looking for the vehicle and called Hartford Police around 5:30 a.m.

Worcester Police secured the vehicle and spotted the knife inside, the affidavit said. The knife was in between the drivers seat and center console of the 2004 Toyota Corolla.

The vehicle was then towed to the Worcester Police Department headquarters and turned over to Hartford Police for processing.

Maldonado was picked up in New York City the day after the stabbing. A cooperating witness helped locate him inside a McDonalds.

Maldonado is facing attempted murder, assault, kidnapping and risk of injury to a minor charges in Connecticut. As of Monday, he remained in New York awaiting rendition to Connecticut.WINDSOR LOCKS , Conn.  Bradley International Airport announced Wednesday that it will soon offer new nonstop service to three more cities.

Frontier Airlines will start flying nonstop from Bradley to Raleigh-Durham International Airport and Orlando International Airport later this spring. And Via Airlines said it will offer nonstop flights to Pittsburgh beginning July 22.

Its the second expansion for Frontier in the Hartford-Springfield market in recent months. Frontier had flown out of Bradley before, as recently as a Milwaukee flight in 2011.

In December, Frontier Airlines announced it was coming to Bradley with flights to Denver starting March 28.

The new flights will begin in subsequent months:

Flights to Raleigh-Durham will begin on April 30, on an Airbus A320. The flights will operate seasonally on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

The service to Orlando will commence on May 1, on an Airbus A321. It will operate seasonally on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

We are excited to see Frontier Airlines expansion at Bradley International Airport, less than a month after we celebrated the announcement that they will begin operations at Bradley this year, said Kevin A. Dillon, executive Director of the Connecticut Airport Authority. The nonstop flights to Raleigh-Durham and Orlando are a welcome addition to our menu of nonstop flights. We look forward to the low fares and convenience that Frontier Airlines growing presence at Bradley International Airport will bring to our passengers.

Frontier Airlines is expanding at Bradley International Airport! We're excited to announce that Frontier Airlines will be launching new, nonstop service to Raleigh-Durham and Orlando this spring. For more info about this announcement, please click here: https://t.co/z1tpTNzqNS pic.twitter.com/vB5l7gKa5T  Bradley Intl Airport (@Bradley_Airport) January 9, 2019

Frontier bills itself as a low cost airline. Tickets to Raleigh are advertised now online for $34 there and $44 to return.

More information is available at www.flyfrontier.com.

Via will fly an Embraer ERJ145 with 50 seats to Pittsburgh from Bradley year-round on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The flight will depart Bradley at 3:27 p.m. and arrive at Pittsburgh International Airport at 4:51. From Pittsburgh, the flight will leave at 1:39 p.m. and arrive at Bradley International Airport at 2:57. Flights can be booked on flyviaair.com.As the federal governments partial shutdown hit the 18-day mark Tuesday, President Donald Trump took his push for border wall spending directly to the American people.

Trump, who has pledged to oppose any appropriations bill that does not include $5 billion for his proposed wall along the United States' border with Mexico, addressed the nation on what he called "the humanitarian and national security crisis on our southern border.

Beyond the prime time speech, the president is expected to visit the U.S. southern border Thursday, the White House has announced.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who have rejected Trumps push for border wall funding, delivered a Democratic response following the presidents remarks.

The shutdown began late last month when funding ran out for nine Cabinet-level departments and various agencies after Congress and the White House failed to reach an agreement on a spending measure.President Donald Trump made an argument for his $5.7 billion border wall, ending by asking viewers to call Congress and ask members to finally secure our border during a televised address Tuesday night.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said thousands of Americans have been brutally murdered by people entering the country illegally.

Thousands will be lost if we dont act right now, Trump said. This is a crisis of the heart. A crisis of the soul.

Trump pinned the partial government shutdown, now in its 18th day, on Democrats. There is one reason and one reason only why the government is shuttered, Trump said.

The Democrats will not fund border security, he said. Democrats in Congress have refused to acknowledge the crisis.

The building of a wall is one of Trumps key campaign promises and core issues. He has threatened to declare a national emergency to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and said he will not sign any budget bill that does not include money for the border.

He said that the wall will be paid for through a new negotiation of the NAFTA -- a claim refuted by Democrats.

I have held hands of weeping mothers, embraced grief stricken fathers, Trump said. So sad. So terrible. I will never forget the pain in their eyes and the pain in their voices and the sadness gripping their souls. How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?

Democrats have denied Trumps demands for $5.7 billion in wall funding, leading to a stalemate that has shut down government agencies that employ about a quarter of the federal workforce. About 800,000 federal workers have been furloughed since the government shutdown Dec. 22.

In 2013, the government shut down for 16 days.

In a response following Trumps brief remarks Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Nancy Pelosi urged Trump to untangle the government shutdown from border security.

We do not govern by temper tantrum, Schumer said.

Schumer said Democrats and the president both want sharper boarder security.

Theres an obvious solution, Schumer said. Separate the shutdown from arguments over boarder security.

Pelosi said Democrats would support new technology and the hiring of more personnel at the border as well as other solutions.Massachusetts congressional lawmakers condemned President Donald Trump for taking his push for a U.S.-Mexico border wall directly to the American people Tuesday, arguing that the Republican is manufacturing a national security emergency for political gain.

The Democrats, who have vocally opposed the presidents campaign trail pledge to build a wall along the southern border, criticized Trump for promoting the controversial issue in a prime time Oval Office address as thousands of federal workers go without pay due to the partial government shutdown.

They further urged the president to reopen the federal government and sign spending legislation that does not include his requested $5 billion for construction of a border wall -- an issue which has divided Democrats and Republicans and led to the late-December funding lapse.

U.S. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, argued that Trump used his televised address to present a fear- and hate-ridden case about a manufactured national security emergency at the border.

We dont need a 2,000 mile wall at the southern border. We will never need it, he said, offering that the longer the shutdown lasts, the less safe America will become. Massachusetts residents and workers do need clean drinking water, food assistance and paychecks. All those things are in jeopardy if the Trump shutdown continues for weeks and months as President Trump has threatened.

The senator noted that nearly 8,000 federal workers across Massachusetts have been working without pay since Dec. 22, including Environmental Protection Agency employees and those investigating the deadly September gas explosions in the Merrimack Valley.

U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, D-Springfield, accused the president of pushing a misleading narrative to punish federal workers and force taxpayers to pay for a $5.7 billion wall with Mexico that the vast majority of Americans dont want.

He added that the president failed to mention in his address that during this national crisis, his administration has only spent a fraction of the $1.6 billion allocated for the construction of new physical barriers on the border.

Further, he contended, most security experts agree that building a border wall will not solve the countrys immigration issues.

Neal, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, called on the White House to reopen the government, arguing that while Americans favor secure borders and comprehensive immigration overhauls, they do not believe the federal government and its workforce should be held hostage in the process.

I urge President Trump to meet with congressional leadership immediately to reach a compromise on the budget impasse and reopen the federal government as soon as possible, he said in a statement.

Congressman Joe Kennedy III, D-Newton, agreed that if the president clearly wont choose to end a crisis he created ... the GOP Senate must.

He chose to separate those families. He chose to keep kids in tent cities. He chose tear gas for asylum seekers. He chose to use the livelihood of 800,000 federal workers as collateral, the congressman tweeted in response to the presidents prime time remarks.

He chose to separate those families. He chose to keep kids in tent cities. He chose tear gas for asylum seekers. He chose to use the livelihood of 800,000 federal workers as collateral. But @realDonaldTrump clearly wont choose to end a crisis he created, so the GOP Senate must.  Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) January 9, 2019

U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, D-Westford, argued that while Trump could have used his power to help families impacted by the shutdown, he turned the Oval Office into a prop in his ongoing case for a border wall.

During his remarks the president spoke of putting up a wall to protect the people you love. But what about the hundreds of thousands of federal employees who are working without pay right now? Or not working at all? she said in a statement. Those are the individuals we should be working to protect.

Trahan added that federal lawmakers shouldnt shut down the government to have a policy debate, as negotiating border security is an issue separate from Congress and the White Houses responsibility to keep the lights on.

"It is time for this shameful shutdown to end. We can debate border security measures later through the normal legislative process, she stressed.

As the federal governments partial shutdown hit the 18-day mark Tuesday, Trump made his case for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border as he addressed the nation on what he called "the humanitarian and national security crisis on our southern border.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who have rejected Trumps push for border wall funding, rebutted the presidents claims in a Democratic response delivered shortly after his Oval Office remarks.US Representative Ayanna Pressley excoriated President Donald Trump and the government shutdown in her first address from the House floor Tuesday, saying the president has brought a tsunami of hurt.

Pressley, a Boston Democrat who was sworn into office on Jan. 3, spoke in opposition to the government shutdown thats impacted at least 800,000 federal workers. Pressley represents Massachusetts' 7th Congressional District which encompasses parts of Boston, Cambridge, Milton and all of Chelsea, Everett, Randolph, and Somerville.

Mr. Trump, you took an oath just as I did 5 days ago, to protect and defend the Constitution and the American people. Sir, you dishonor that oath. You devalue the life of the immigrant, the worker and the survivor. I see right through you and so do the American people. This has nothing to do with border security. Your shut down, another Trump generated crisis, has brought a tsunami of hurt, Pressley said.

Pressley continued, calling on specific groups of people impacted by the shuttered government.

I rise today to lift the voices of the unheard. I rise today on behalf of the families concerned about feeding their children because their WIC benefits will run dry...I rise today in support of the survivor fleeing violent hands, seeking safety, only to find the shelter door locked because of your shutdown, she said.

Trump is expected address the nation in a televised address Tuesday night to argue for funding for a wall along the United States border with Mexico.

Democrats have denied Trumps demands for $5.7 billion in wall funding, leading to a stalemates that has shut down government agencies that employ about a quarter of the federal workforce.U.S. taxpayers will buy about $5 million in pork products from a Brazilian-owned meatpacking firm under President Donald Trump's bailout program, which was designed to help American farmers hurt by the administration's trade war, according to documents released Wednesday.

JBS, one of the biggest meatpacking companies in the world, will sell 1.8 million pounds of pork products through a Trump bailout program that buys surplus commodities from farmers and ranchers, say records published by the Agricultural Marketing Service, a branch of the Agriculture Department.

The administration has pitched its $12 billion bailout program as necessary to help farmers weather the long-running trade war with China, but critics have questioned whether funding will also enrich large and foreign-owned firms.

The bulk of the program consists of direct cash payments to farmers hurt by the downturn, although those payments have stalled amid the partial government shutdown. Agriculture Department officials announced Tuesday that they are extending the deadline for applying for aid under this program by several weeks at a minimum.

As part of the bailout, the administration is also buying $1.2 billion in surplus products from farmers, including more than $500 million from pork producers, for distribution to food banks across the country.

In November 2018, a Chinese-owned pork firm rescinded its bid for bailout money after a backlash on Capitol Hill over the award. Smithfield Foods, owned by the Chinese conglomerate WH Group, had been awarded $240,000 in pork payments under the bailout program set up to help farmers weather the White House's trade war with China. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, criticized the payment, arguing that taxpayer money should not go to an international firm.

JBS USA, with about 73,000 employees and 44 plants domestically, recorded more meat and poultry sales in the United States than any other company, according to rankings published by the trade journal National Provisioner. The company is owned and controlled by JBS S.A., headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil, which boasts more than 200,000 employees across the world, according to its website.

"Why is USDA rewarding another foreign-owned meatpacker through its meat procurement program after the blowback it received from purchasing pork products from Chinese-owned Smithfield?," said Tony Corbo, senior lobbyist at Food and Water Watch, which tracks federal agriculture programs.

The Agricultural Marketing Service, which is administering the purchase program, said in a statement earlier this year that the products it will buy are "100 [percent] American produced." Agriculture Department officials previously said that qualified vendors who work for the agency, including Smithfield and JBS, would be allowed to make purchases under the program.

"USDA only buys American commodities, produced on American farms by American farmers," a USDA spokesperson said in an email. "Approved vendors who choose to participate in USDA food purchasing programs, regardless of their business structure or domicile, provide direct benefits to U.S. farmers and ranchers."

American Custom Meats, Chicago Meat, and Proportion Foods also will sell products to USDA under the bailout program, according to agency documents.Weeks after meeting with Iowa voters, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren will visit New Hampshire -- another key early presidential primary state, officials announced Wednesday.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party revealed that Warren, who has formed an exploratory committee to look at a 2020 White House run, will headline its 60th annual McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner in February.

NHDP Chairman Ray Buckley said the party is pleased the Massachusetts Democrat will speak at this years dinner, which will take place on Feb. 22 at the DoubleTree in downtown Manchester.

Sen. Warren has long been an ardent supporter of New Hampshire Democrats, he said, noting that she campaigned for Sen. Jeanne Shaheen in 2014 and Sen. Maggie Hassan in 2016. "Sen. Warrens significant support in 2018 helped New Hampshire Democrats take back control of the executive council, state Senate, and state House and keep our federal delegation blue in November.

The fundraiser, which supporters of then-U.S. Sen. John F. Kennedy founded in 1959, brings together hundreds of New Hampshire Democratic activists and officials.

It has since become a must-stop event for aspiring presidential hopefuls, with every Democratic president and vice president having spoken at the dinner, state party officials noted.

Both Hillary Clinton and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, spoke at the McIntyre-Shaheen 100 Club Dinner in February 2016.

Warren, who recently won re-election to her U.S. Senate seat, is expected to announce a 2020 presidential run in the coming weeks.

The Massachusetts Democrat revealed in a New Years Eve video message that she had formed an exploratory committee as a prelude to a White House bid. Days later, the senator crisscrossed Iowa to meet with voters and hold organizing events in Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Storm Lake, Des Moines and Ankeny.

Warren told reporters that the trip would allow her to get out there and talk to people about whats happening in this country.With the last Congress failing to act on legislation that would have established an independent commission to look at the Trump administrations response to hurricane damage in Puerto Rico, U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey, D-Massachusetts, urged lawmakers again this week to take up such a measure.

The senators, who have criticized the White Houses handling of Hurricanes Irma and Maria, joined other Democrats in reintroducing a bill to establish a 9/11-style independent panel that would be tasked with examining the Trump administrations accuracy and methodology in calculating the death toll on the island in wake of the 2017 storms.

The legislation would further require the new panel to look at: preparedness guidelines issued before the 2017 hurricane season, the vulnerability of Puerto Ricos economic situation, adequacy of the islands telecommunications and the capacity of the federal government to quickly mobilize and respond to disasters and other emergencies on the island.

Warren, who noted that it has been more than a year since the hurricanes ravaged Puerto Rico, argued that an independent commission is needed to answer lingering questions surrounding why the federal governments preparedness and response on the island were so flawed.

The commission established by our bill would give us a full accounting of what happened and help provide the U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico, in Massachusetts and across the country with the answers they deserve," said the Democrat, who is considering a 2020 presidential run.

Markey, who recently told The Republican he will continue to push the new Congress for long-term housing solutions for Puerto Rican hurricane evacuees, added that lawmakers need to ensure a flawed and failed response like this never happens again.

Thousands of lives of our Puerto Rican brothers and sisters were lost because of Hurricane Maria, and we still dont have answers from the Trump administration about what it actually did to protect our fellow American citizens. ... This independent commission will help the people of Puerto Rico get the answers and accountability they deserve," he said in a statement.

U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, formally reintroduced the bill on Jan. 3. Warren, Markey and U.S. Sens. Kamala Harris, D-California; Richard Blumenthal, D-Connecticut; and Chuck Schumer, D-New York, signed on as co-sponsors.

Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, D-New York, meanwhile, has offered a House version of the measure, which would create a panel similar to the one President George W. Bush formed in 2002 to provide a full and complete account of the circumstances surrounding the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

The Democrats offered previously offered such legislation, known as the National Commission of the Federal Response to Natural Disasters in Puerto Rico Act, in June 2018. It was referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, but saw no further action.A meeting between President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders to negotiate an end to the partial federal government shutdown abruptly ended Wednesday after the two sides reportedly failed to reach an agreement on border security spending.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who sat down with Trump at the White House, told reporters that the meeting lasted for about a half hour before the president ended it.

Our meeting did not last long, said Pelosi, offering that the talks inside the Situation Room were about as cold as the weather outside.

Schumer contended that the president got up and walked out.

He asked Speaker Pelosi, Will you agree to my wall? She said, No. And he just got up and said, Then we have nothing to discuss and he just walked out, he said. Again, we saw a temper tantrum because he couldnt get his way and he just walked out of the meeting.

Schumer further offered that he asked Trump to reopen the government while Congress debates his proposed border wall, but the president refused.

He said, If I open up the government, you wont do what I want, the Senate Democrat leader argued. Thats cruel, thats callous and thats using millions of innocent people as sort of pawns. It was wrong.

Trump, in turn, called the meeting with Pelosi and Schumer a total waste of time.

I asked, What is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve border security, which includes a wall or steel barrier? Nancy said, No. I said, 'Bye-bye, he tweeted. Nothing else works!

Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy, a total waste of time. I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2019

Vice President Mike Pence, who joined GOP leaders outside the White House, meanwhile, contended that while Republicans put forth a plan to reopen the government, the Democratic leaders are unwilling to even negotiate."

They demanded that, once again, before any negotiations can begin, that we would have to agree to reopen the government. The president called the question in the meeting, he asked Speaker Pelosi that if he opened things up quickly -- if he reopened the government quickly -- would she be willing to agree to funding for a wall or a barrier on the southern border, he said. And when she said, No, the president said 'Goodbye.

Pence argued that many federal workers are disappointed that Democrats will not engage in good faith negotiations.

The White House meeting came one day after Trump took his case for a U.S.-Mexico border wall directly to the American people in a prime time Oval Office address.

Pelosi and Schumer, who have rejected the presidents push to build a wall along the United States' southern border, delivered their own televised remarks to urge the president to approve federal spending legislation that would reopen the government while Congress debates border security.

The shutdown, now in its 19th day, began late last month when funding ran out for nine Cabinet-level departments and various agencies after Congress and the White House failed to reach an agreement on a spending measure.

Trump has pledged to oppose any spending bill that does not include $5 billion for his proposed border wall.

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.For years now, President Donald Trump has been complaining relentlessly about what he calls fake news. on Tuesday night, he went on television and delivered a dose of his own in an address from the Oval Office.

Though he spoke for less than 10 minutes, his talk was nonetheless a colossal waste of time. Anyone who has been paying even a bit of attention to the ongoing partial government shutdown that Trump created knows well that it's all about the president's demand for a wall on our nation's border with Mexico. He wants to fulfill his prime campaign pledge, and he is refusing to budge until Congress gives him $5.7 billion for construction of part of his wall. The one he used to say that Mexico would pay for.

He said nothing new on Tuesday night. Nothing new at all.

But he did work to manufacture a crisis. There's a crisis at our nation's border with Mexico, he said. And then he said it again. And again after that.

"This is a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul," Trump claimed.

Though his prime-time address was rife with falsehoods, exaggerations, out-of-context statistics and a raft of dubious assertions, Trump didn't bother to wait for the TV cameras to roll to begin dishing up his nonsense. In the run-up to Tuesday's televised address, Trump claimed that previous U.S. presidents were in agreement with his call for a border wall. One by one, each of his living predecessors said he had been making that up. Think of it as fake news as a prelude to more fake news.

The Trump who can excel as a performer when he is speaking extemporaneously before an adoring crowd was nowhere in evidence on Tuesday night. Instead, the president, seated behind his desk, seemed out of place. He was, to use the term with which he derided short-time presidential candidate Jeb Bush, "low energy."

He was like a bored actor who showed up on the set and read his lines, but couldn't hide the fact that he'd long ago grown tired of the script.

For this, one had to ask, the major networks preempted their regularly scheduled programming? Sad!

Not that Democrats Nancy Pelosi, the House speaker, and Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, were exactly scintillating in their response to Trump's address. Still, at least what they said made sense. Reopen the government and then work on fixing what's wrong at the border. Don't hold the nation hostage because of a presidential temper tantrum.

It's impossible to believe that Tuesday's needless address from our nation's chief executive changed a single mind on the need for a border wall. Or on the partial government shutdown that Trump owns fully.

It was pointlessness as dull theater, more of Trump's yapping about a nonexistent crisis.

And it doesn't have to be this way. If enough Republicans in Congress did the right thing, instead of just mindlessly backing Trump's intemperate demands, the federal government could be reopened straightaway. Where are the GOP members who'll put country ahead of party and join their Democratic colleagues in voting to fund government operations?

Its long past time for them to step up and do the right thing.Trinity Health Of New England facilities in Springfield and Holyoke have implemented visitor restrictions as "a result of the recent influx of influenza and influenza-like illness in our surrounding communities."

The restrictions, which include no visitors under the age of 14 and only two visitors per patient at one time, are effective immediately at Mercy Medical Center and its Family Life Center for Maternity and Weldon Rehabilitation Hospital, all on Mercy's Springfield campus, as well as Providence Behavioral Health Hospital in Holyoke.

Influenza is highly contagious, though most people recover within two weeks. There is no cure, but anti-viral medications taken early can lessen symptoms of fever, sore throat and body ache, and wearing face masks and practicing proper hygiene can help prevent the spread of the flu.

According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, influenza-like illness activity in terms of visits to outpatient providers is high in 19 states, including Massachusetts, where it is also widespread across the state.

"It's a little early to compare year over year, but we have seen an increase in volume in the last week of about 30 percent over December, mostly flu-related volume," said Dr. Louis Durkin, medical director of Mercy's emergency department, when asked about comparisons to last year's severe season.

"Last year January was our busiest month as well, so timing seems to be similar. Number of flu cases appear to be similar as well, but we are only one week into the month."

Flu season often peaks between December and February with increasing flu-related deaths, hospitalizations and visits to outpatient providers.

Baystate Medical Center, which last year enacted visitor restrictions late January, has yet to do so this season, but Dr. Daniel Skiest, one of its infectious disease specialists, noted that "cases have increased significantly" at the hospital.

"The flu has not yet hit its peak locally, but we expect it to peak sometime this month into February," Skiest said.

"However, cases have increased significantly over the last two weeks and there have been several people admitted to the hospital with significant complications."

He added, "In the week leading up to Jan. 5, we have seen 150 cases of the flu diagnosed."

"We expect the flu to follow a similar pattern as last year making way for a busy season for 2019."

According to the Mercy-issued release, its visitor restrictions "are in place for the protection of our patients and colleagues."

The release also states, "Do not visit if you have any symptoms of a cold or the flu" and says "visitor restrictions will remain in effect until further notice."

The 2017-18 flu season in the U.S. was one of the most severe in recent years with H2N3 viruses the predominate strain. There were a record-breaking estimated 900,000 hospitalizations for flu-related illnesses like pneumonia and more than 80,000 deaths, according to government statistics.

The CDC, which begins to track the flu in October, has said it is "too soon to make any assessment about this season's severity."

Yet, it noted in December that A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses have predominated nationally to date, and this virus "has been associated with significant illness and severe illness among young children" since it emerged in 2009 to cause a global outbreak.

There have been 13 pediatric flu deaths so far this season reported to the CDC which recommends everyone six months and older who can get vaccinated annually against the flu.

Traditional flu vaccines - trivalent vaccines - are made to protect against three flu viruses; an influenza A (H1N1) virus, an influenza A (H3N2) virus, and an influenza B virus. There are also flu vaccines made to protect against four flu viruses called quadrivalent vaccines.

It takes two weeks after vaccination to achieve full immunity from the flu shot. Immunization is said to lessen the flu's severity even if one becomes sick with the flu, and helps prevent the spread of the disease that can be fatal for the young and elderly and those with underlying medical conditions.

The number of laboratory-confirmed cases of flu to date in the state is 2,194. Last year at this time, there were 1,298 laboratory-confirmed cases of flu, according to the most recent data from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

This story will be updated with information from other area health care facilities as received.LUDLOW- Health care professionals and invited guests were on hand for private and group tours during a name rebranding event at the former HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts Tuesday.

The Alabama-based HealthSouth Corporation kicked-off a name re-branding with their new name, Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts. The nationwide name re-branding began on January 1.

HealthSouth is presently transforming their 130 inpatient rehabilitation hospitals nationwide and 273 hospice and home health care locations with the new name.

The 5-year-old, 76,000-square-foot rehabilitation hospital at 222 State St. has 53 beds with private rooms and baths.

Officials said the hospital is only changing its name and will maintain the same high quality care for a variety of major illnesses and injuries and is designed to be a "short stay" facility.

The hospital is also certified in stroke rehabilitation and is equipped with state-of-the-art physical and occupational gyms.

The Embrace Encompass 2-hour event featured raffle prizes, appetizers and light refreshments.SPRINGFIELD - Karl Exantus, the man accused in this weekends shooting death of a man in the parking lot of a Sixteen Acres shopping center, pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday in Springfield District Court.

Exantus, 30, of 28 Manhattan St., is charged with murder in connection with death of Alexis Martinez, 29, of Springfield. Exantus is also charged with carrying a firearm and carrying a loaded firearm without a license.

Judge John M. Payne ordered that Exantus be held without the right to bail at the Hampshire County House of Correction in Northampton.

Martinez was found shot inside a car Saturday just before noon at the Five Town Plaza on Cooley Street.

According to the DAs office, the first police officers on scene attempted CPR until EMTs arrived on scene. Martinez was determined to have died at the scene.

Within hours after the shooting, Springfield police detectives had obtained an arrest warrant for Exantus.

Officers converged on his home on Manhattan Street, off Eastern Avenue in Old Hill, on Saturday evening.

Exantus eventually showed up at the lobby of police headquarters, 130 Pearl St., late Monday to turn himself in.

The arraignment lasted less than 3 minutes, as both attorneys waived a reading of the complaint against Exantus. There was no discussion in court about potential motives.

Exantus was represented at the arraignment by Springfield lawyer Donald Frank, but Frank told the court that another lawyer would be handling the case going forward.By Matt Murphy / STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, JAN. 8, 2019.....Gov. Charlie Baker is facing mounting pressure to sign a bill that would ban the use of certain toxic flame retardant chemicals in many products as industry groups lobby hard for the Republican to veto the bill.

Sen. Cynthia Creem and Rep. Marjorie Decker brought together environmental advocates and firefighters on Tuesday to press publicly for the governor to sign the bill, which would ban the use of 11 flame retardant chemicals in children's products, household furniture and bedding.

"This bill is ready to be signed," Decker said, adding, "We did all the hard work. I would love to be governor right now, and all I had to do was sign that bill and be the hero that he can be."

Boston Deputy Fire Chief Jay Fleming said the 11 flame retardants that would be banned by the legislation are ineffective at preventing fire deaths, and create health hazards for firefighters and children who absorb the chemicals into their bodies through products like pillows, mattresses and car seats.

"I'm opposed to the use of flame retardants in furniture because of the health risk, but even if there were no health risk I would be opposed to the use of flame retardants in furniture because I believe, and I believe the evidence shows, it makes no difference in the way the furniture burns, and when the furniture or other products do burn the smoke that's produced traps the occupants quicker," Fleming said.

At least 12 states have banned a variety of flame retardant chemicals used in children's products.

Several business groups, however, have argued that some of the chemicals that would be banned can be used safely, and to prohibit them would drive up costs for consumers and hurt Massachusetts businesses.

The opponents include the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and the American Chemistry Council, who met privately Monday afternoon with administration officials, including senior advisor Tim Buckley and general counsel Lon Povich, to urge the governor to veto the bill.

The Cambridge Democrat said supporters, including herself, Clean Water Action and the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts, have reached out to the governor's staff to provide any information they might need, but have only been told that the bill is being reviewed.

"That's outrageous," Decker said, contrasting the lack of engagement from the governor's office with the meeting between Baker's staff and industry officials.

The governor's office confirmed the meeting with opponents, and said it has also had contact with supporters of the bill.

"The administration has been communicating with Representative Decker and other proponents of the legislation since its passage and is carefully reviewing the bill," spokesman Brendan Moss said.

The governor has also received letters of opposition from the International Sleep Products Association, the American Home Furnishings Alliance and Boston Bed Company.

"We understand and support preventing exposure to dangerous chemicals; however (the bill) goes too far and could endanger children's lives," wrote Kelly Mariotti, who as executive director of Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association represents manufacturers of car and booster seats.

Baker has said little about the bill.

"It's still under review," he told reporters Monday. Asked if he had any specific concerns, Baker said, "It's still under review."

The governor has until Friday to decide what to do with the bill, and could either sign it, veto it, or take no action, which would also kill the bill and force lawmakers to start the process over again.

"I'm asking the governor to stand with us, and I know he will because he believes in the public good and he believes in public safety, and I don't think he believes in supporting the businesses with vested interest who don't want to come to the table," Creem said at a press conference in the State House.

Elizabeth Saunders, the Massachusetts director of Clean Water Action, said studies have shown firefighters to have levels of flame retardant chemicals in their blood two to three times higher than the average American and up to 100 percent higher after a fire.

"We count on firefighters to put their lives on the line when we're in our greatest time of need and it would be unconscionable for Governor Baker to do any other thing than to sign this bill to reduce firefighters' exposure and risk of cancer," she said.

Saunders also said that industry warnings about the high cost to consumers of products made with alternative flame retardants are overstated, and Decker said that retailers like Costco and Target are phasing out furniture products with harmful flame retardants.

"They don't work. Did you get that? They're not safe," Decker said.

The Legislature sent the bill to the governor's desk on New Year's Day, the final day of the previous two-year session. The Senate passed a version of the bill in late June, but Creem said it had been revised and scaled back over the course of a back-and-forth with industries.

Decker bristled when asked if the Legislature had tied its hands by waiting until the final moment to pass the bill, eliminating the governor's ability to offer an amendment or the Legislature's ability to override a possible veto.

"This is where we are. It's not been for a lack of work. It's not like people ignored it for a year and then picked it up," she said.

Both Decker and Creem said that they have not heard anyone argue against the science that these flame retardant chemicals can be absorbed into the bodies of young children and adults and have negative health effects, such as a higher risk of cancer.

Car seat manufacturers argue that alternative products can cost as much as three times as products that currently comply with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration regulations, and that some states like California have exempted car seats, though their bans on chemicals are also much broader.

Mattress manufacturers have also argued that the bill would make it difficult for them to comply with federal flammability standards, that they will not be able to comply with the bill as required within six months, and that local manufacturers and retailers would be at a disadvantage to online sellers who could import products from out-of-state without enhanced inspections.

Decker, however, said Massachusetts would not be an outlier as industries have already started moving in this direction.

Why would we allow them to continue using things that we know are poisoning us. Thats the question, and I will say this bill has been vetted, researched, challenged, responded to and modified to meet all of those answers, Decker said.Temescal Wellness has received final permission to open recreational marijuana stores in Pittsfield and Hudson.

The Cannabis Control Commission said Tuesday that it gave Temescal Wellness the green light to open as early as Saturday, Jan. 12.

Today @MA_Cannabis issued notices authorizing Temescal Wellness locations in Hudson and Pittsfield to commence retail operations and open in a minimum of three calendar days (Saturday, 1/12 or later). More information: https://t.co/68J6NGSY10  MA Cannabis Control Commission (@MA_Cannabis) January 8, 2019

Temescal Wellness would be the second retail marijuana store to open in the Berkshires. The first, Theory Wellness, plans to open for recreational sales on Friday.

Both stores will also continue to sell medical marijuana.

Temescal Wellness plans to sell a range of marijuana products, such as oils, edibles, capsules, tinctures, butter and wax.

Christopher Cover, digital media and marketing manager for Temescal Wellness, said in an interview last month that the company, which grows its marijuana in Worcester, will distinguish itself by offering a wide variety of products and delivery methods.

The Pittsfield location is at 10 Callahan Drive.

The two Temescal Wellness stores will be the seventh and eighth retail marijuana stores to open in Massachusetts.

In the first six weeks that retail marijuana sales were legally allowed in the state, stores sold $14.8 million worth of marijuana products.SPRINGFIELD  On the witness stand in Hampden Superior Court, the wife of a Ludlow man on Tuesday described seeing her husband shot in the eye by a stranger with a BB gun.

The guy unleashed point-blank bullets into Daves face, Rachel Eagleton testified in the trial of Nathan Jensen, 28, also of Ludlow, who is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, mayhem and two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon for the May 20, 2017, incident in Ludlow.

Eagleton went on to describe riding in the ambulance with her then-fiance, David Eagleton. She said his eye looked like it was coming out of its socket.

Lauren F. Olanoff, Jensens lawyer, cross-examined those testifying about the accuracy of their identification of Jensen as the shooter. She questioned Rachel Eagleton about how much she and her husband had to drink that night while they were out with friends.

Rachel Eagleton, a cardiac nurse, said her husband was shot in the eye, ear and side of his neck. She said two of the BBs were removed, but the one that went into his eye is still there.

She said there were weekly eye doctor visits, but the recovery was set back on Aug. 3, 2017, when David Eagleton developed a detached retina as a result of the shooting. After the shooting, her husband did not have good vision anyway, but the detached retina meant emergency surgery and a difficult recovery. Her husband says his vision is pretty good but very distorted, Rachel Eagleton said.

The incident happened on State Street in Ludlow near Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital. The Eagletons and two friends were walking along the street when a man they did not know came out and accused David Eagleton of doing something to his car, according to Rachel Eagleton.

Allison Gaynor, of Ludlow, testified she was driving on State Street at about 11 p.m. when she saw a man she recognized from the neighborhood aiming a gun at the face of another man. The neighbor, whose name she didnt know, fired the gun five or six times, causing the victim to fall on the ground.

She called 911, telling the dispatcher what she saw and that she didnt think it was a real gun.

I just couldnt really grasp what I had witnessed," Gaynor said about how unnerved she was after the shooting.

Gaynor identified Jensen in the courtroom as the man she saw shoot Eagleton.

The trial continues Wednesday before Judge Karen Goodwin.The case has drawn outcry from the governor to the San Carlos Apache tribe in southeastern Arizona, of which the 29-year-old victim is an enrolled member, and put the spotlight on the safety of group homes and facilities that care for those who are incapacitated or severely disabled.LUDLOW  Although fire officials are still investigating a blaze that sent a woman to the hospital Tuesday night, cooking appears to be the likely cause.

The condition of the woman, who was rescued by a neighbor and remains hospitalized, was not immediately available early Wednesday afternoon, according to a news release issued by the state fire marshals office.

The fire, which destroyed the duplex at 459-461 Moore St., was initially reported by a medical alert company, which told Ludlow police that a woman reported she had fallen and needed assistance.

Although police were told the woman had been cooking before she fell, there was no indication from the call that there was a fire, according to the news release.

Two firefighters who arrived in an ambulance, followed shortly by a deputy fire chief, saw smoke banking down to the floor of the units first floor. They immediately notified fire dispatch to send fire apparatus.

The first responders were unable to make entry through the front door. When they went to the rear of the duplex, they were met by a neighbor from the adjoining unit who had entered the womans smoke-filled home and brought her to the rear door. He had been alerted by smoke alarms.

Police and firefighters then assisted in carrying her to the ambulance.

Ludlow Fire Chief Ryan Pease said the neighbor likely saved the womans life. If it hadnt been for the quick thinking of the gentlemen that rescued her that situation would have been dramatically different, he said.

The medical call came in at 5:44 p.m., the first responders reported the fire seven minutes later and the first fire apparatus arrived on scene six minutes after that, Pease said.

The fire spread quickly and the duplex was fully involved just after the woman was rescued. Firefighters were still working to extinguish the fire as of about 7:30 p.m.

There are no fire hydrants in that area of town, so water tankers from Belchertown, Bondsville, Granby and Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee responded to assist. Wilbraham firefighters provided station coverage. A total of 13 off-duty Ludlow firefighters responded to the fire.

Investigators hope to interview the victim as soon as they are able.LUDLOW - A woman was rescued in a fire that destroyed a duplex and displaced two families Tuesday night.

The fire was reported at 5:54 p.m. at 461 Moore St. Fire crews remain on the scene and were still working to extinguish the blaze at about 7:30 p.m., said Police Sgt. James Sevigne, who responded to the blaze with the Ludlow Fire Department.

Police initially received a call for help through a woman's medical alert system. Officer Kyle Sorensen responded and went to the back of the house to find the resident's son-in-law pulling her to safety, he said.

Sorensen assisted the woman and her son-in-law. "When he went inside he realized the kitchen was full of smoke and this wasn't just a medical call and called for the fire department," Sevigne said.

The woman was taken to the hospital by ambulance. The extent of her injuries is not known, Sevigne said.

The other residents were able to escape safely. Relatives of the woman live in the other side of the duplex, he said.

Sevigne said he arrived on the scene to assist about 15 minutes after the initial call to find the house engulfed in flames and the Fire Department working to extinguish it.

"The fire department is still working there. It is a total loss," Sevigne said.

Multiple fire departments assisted Ludlow at the fire including Belchertown, Wilbraham, Granby and Westover Air Reserve Base, officials said.

Ludlow Police also had to call in additional officers to block the road and assist the Fire Department, Lt. Daniel Valadas said.

Eversource has also been called to make repairs on overhead wires that were damaged in the blaze, Valadas said.

Moore Street is closed between the intersection of Route 21 North and the intersection of Poole Street. It is not expected to re-open for several hours, so motorists are asked to avoid the area, he said.

The Fire Department will investigate the cause of the fire.

This is a breaking story. MassLive will update as more information becomes available.Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has ordered flags flown at half-staff in honor of Army Special Forces Sgt. 1st Class Eric Emond, 39, who was killed during combat actions in Afghanistan on Nov. 27, 2018.

Emond was a native of Fall River and lived in Dorchester for a time. Emond leaves behind a wife and three children.

According to Military Times, Emond and two other special operations troops were killed when an improvised explosive device detonated in Ghanzi, Afghanistan, hitting his units vehicle. The other Army special forces soldier killed was Capt. Andrew Patrick Ross, 29, of Lexington, Virginia. The two were assigned to 1st Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Air Force Combat Controller Staff Sgt. Dylan Elchin, 25, of Hookstown, Pennsylvania, was also killed.

Previously injured in combat actions, Emond was undergoing rehabilitation in the Boston area a few years ago when he helped to start the nonprofit group Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, which helps Gold Star families and fellow veterans. He also helped to design the Fallen Heroes memorial that now rests in the Boston Seaport. His name will now be listed on the monument he helped to make a reality.

He was a soldiers soldier, a marines marine, Dan Magoon, executive director of Massachusetts Fallen Heroes, told NECN in November. He wore two different uniforms throughout his whole adult life serving this country and he cared more about other people than himself.

Emund will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery.

The governors order applies to all state buildings in the commonwealth from sunrise to sunset on Friday, Jan. 11. This includes the main administration building of each public institution including town and city halls, other state-owned or state-controlled buildings and all state military installations.SPRINGFIELD  Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and city councilors on Tuesday touted a compromise that will result in a significant amount of tax revenues from marijuana retail sales being set aside in a special fund for neighborhood needs.

Sarno, in a prepared release, said the two sides compromised on the amount that will be set aside in the new Impacted Neighborhood Stabilization Fund.

Im always glad to work with anyone for the overall good of our City, especially for our neighborhoods," Sarno said. I remain hopeful that, unlike Washington, D.C., we can go back to a time when politicians could disagree without demonizing each other and find ways to build relationships and work together despite our differences for the good of our Springfield."

Under the compromise, 33 percent of the funds received by the city from a 3 percent retail sales tax on marijuana and marijuana products will go into the new Neighborhood Stabilization fund, Sarno and councilors said. Taxes from each retail shop will be directed to neighborhoods within 1.5 miles of the shops and for disproportionately impacted neighborhoods as defined by the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission.

On Dec. 17, the council voted to allot 50 percent of the revenue to the neighborhood fund, with the remaining balance going to the general city budget. Sarno immediately vetoed the council vote, which was followed by discussions between the mayor, administration officials and representatives of the council that resulted in the negotiated agreement.

The Impacted Neighborhood Stabilization Fund will be directed to educational and recreational programming for youth and adults, neighborhood business incentives, infrastructure improvements and recreational and community sites, city officials said.

City Council President Justin Hurst first revealed the compromise on Monday when he was elected to lead the council by colleagues. In those discussions, councilors were pushing for 35 percent of the revenues to go to the neighborhood fund while Sarno was holding at 30 percent.

The compromise of 33 percent followed, Hurst said during his speech as the new president.

The formal announcement came Tuesday with Sarno praising Hurst and Councilors Jesse Lederman and Melvin Edwards for their work in pursuing the compromise.

Hurst said the compromise "is a great way to start the new year."

Im confident that this is one of many things that we will be able work together on, and both the mayor and Councilor Lederman should be commended for their efforts, Hurst said. "Ensuring that neighborhoods reap the benefits from this new industry is important to all of us, and the creation of this fund is a direct result of government working together for the best interest of the citizens we served.

Lederman and Edwards joined in praising the compromise.

This will ensure neighborhoods, especially those most impacted and historically impacted, benefit directly from this new source of revenue, Lederman said.

We want residents to see the benefits of this new industry, Edwards said. I am encouraged by this collaboration of our two branches of government and look forward to seeing the benefits this fund will bring to our communities.SPRINGFIELD -- A business seeking to open a marijuana store on Berkshire Avenue in Pine Point told residents Wednesday night that it is committed to providing significant jobs, training and security, while ready to confront issues raised by the public such as traffic and waiting lines.

Representatives of the Debilitating Medical Condition Treatment Centers Inc., also known as DMC, detailed its plans for the site at 700 Berkshire Ave., near Harvey Street, during a community meeting held at Aquarius nightclub on State Street.

We are ready to go forward, said Heriberto Flores, president of DMC, which is a for-profit company. It will be run in a very professional way.

John Lysak, president of the Pine Point Community Council and a former city councilor, said the business representatives were informative, organized, and obviously knew what they were talking about. Approximately 40 people attended including Ward 5 City Councilor Marcus Williams and At-Large Councilor Tracye Whitfield.

"We definitely still want to find out a little more," Lysak said. "I would like to hear about the traffic study because that is a concern. There has been so many accidents coming out of Cottage Street and Harvey Street over the dry bridge on Berkshire Avenue."

That area is a traffic nightmare at certain peak times, Lysak said, noting there is a proposed traffic improvement project by the city, but has been discussed for a few years.

"If it is of concern to you, it's of concern to us," said Grant Guelich, vice-president of DMC. "However, we can contribute to the solution, we're more than happy to."

DMC plans a traffic study by engineering firm Vanasse Hangen Brustline, Inc. (VHB). Some residents said that study should include peak hours when traffic issues are of most concern.

On other matters, Flores and Guelich said the company will focus on linking many of its jobs to veterans and local residents, and would not discriminate. The company is minority-owned and veteran-owned, Flores said.

The company anticipates creating up to 80 jobs at two proposed locations in Springfield, Guelich said.

DMC is also proposing a retail marijuana shop at 1600 Main St., in the downtown at the International Biergarten building. The store, if approved, will be in a vacant front area of the building.

The Berkshire Avenue site, in addition to its retail store, is proposed to have a processing area as well, said Guelich, who is a native of Washington state and listed having experience in marijuana businesses and agriculture in that state and other areas.

The business proposed on Berkshire Avenue will provide "an extensive training program at every level," Guelich said in response to questions raised by residents. In addition, the business is not just selling marijuana and marijuana products but is committed to providing educational support to its customers to aid their decisions on selecting products, he said.

There will be extensive security including full coverage high definition cameras inside and outside the business, business officials said. In addition, customers identification and age will be checked and verified to keep the products from minors, Guelich said.

The business location has approximately 50 parking spaces, to meet needs, officials said.

DMC representatives said they want to work with the neighborhood on how some of the tax revenue from the business can be used to benefit that area of the city. Uses can be recommended by DMC during discussions with the city on a future Host Community Agreement, business officials said.

In September, the City Council passed a zoning ordinance that will allow up to 15 retail marijuana shops in Springfield. The shops can only locate in a business or industrial zone, and only on 58 designated streets within those zones.Carlos Barria

By Jacqueline Tempera | MassLive

During his first address of the year from the Oval Office, President Donald Trump spoke about dangers at the southern border, and called for Democrats to pass a spending bill to fund a wall.

"Thousands will be lost if we don't act right now," Trump said. "This is a crisis of the heart. A crisis of the soul."

Here are five claims from Trump's nine-minute addressed fact checked.

Don't Edit

Gregory Bull/AP Photo

1. The wall will be paid for "indirectly" by new deal with Mexico

Trump said: "The wall will also be paid for, indirectly, by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico."

The revised North American Free Trade Agreement, known as the United States-Mexico-Canada-Agreement, has not yet passed in Congress. The New York Times reports that economic benefits from the agreement would likely come from lower tariffs for American companies or higher wages for American workers.

There has been no indication that the agreement would offer funding for a border wall.

Don't Edit

Bebeto Matthews/AP Photo

2. Every week 300 Americans are killed by heroin, 90 percent of which comes from the southern border

Trump said: "Every week 300 of our citizens are killed by heroin alone, 90 percent of which flows across our southern border."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 15,000 people died over heroin related drug overdoses in the United States in 2017. This equals about 300 people a week.

But, according to the Washington Post, while 90 percent of heroin sold in America comes from Mexico almost all of it comes through legal points of entry.

"A small percentage of all heroin seized by CBP along the land border was between Ports of Entry (POEs)," the Drug Enforcement Administration said in a 2018 report, according to the Post.

Most fentanyl comes to the US from packages mailed from China, according to the report.

The president's own

that we are losing this fight predominately through China," according to the New York Times.

Don't Edit

Vietnam Tet Offensive file photo - AP

3. More Americans will die from drugs in 2019 than were killed in the Vietnam War

Trump said: "More Americans will die from drugs this year, than were killed in the entire Vietnam War."

Although it's impossible to know how many Americans will die from drugs this year and 2018 data is not available yet, if the current trend persists this will likely prove true. The Centers for Disease Control estimates that 72,287 people died from drug overdoses in 2017. By comparison, the National Archives and Records Administration contains records of 58,220 U.S. military fatal casualties of the Vietnam War.

Don't Edit

Daniel Ochoa de Olza/AP Photo

4. ICE officers have arrested 266,000 people with criminal records in the last two years

Trump said: "In the last two years, I.C.E. officers made 266,000 arrests of aliens with criminal records."

These numbers add up, but are misleading, according to a New York Times analysis. In 2017 and 2018 Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested more than 210,876 people with previous criminal convictions, and another 55,233 people with pending criminal charges, according to the New York Times.

These convictions covered a wide range of offenses, many of them nonviolent. The most common violations were for traffic violations, possessing drugs, and illegal entry, according to the Times.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Alex Brandon

5. Democrats have repeatedly 'supported a physical barrier.'

Trump said: Sen. Chuck Schumer "has repeatedly supported a physical barrier in the past along with many other Democrats. They changed their mind only after I was elected."

In 2006, 26 Democratic Senators, including Schumer, voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006 that authorized 700 miles of fencing along certain sections of the southwest border. The bill passed 283-138 in the House, with 64 Democrat votes, and 80-19 in the Senate, with 26 Democrat votes, according to the Post.

This is different than the 1,000-mile concrete barrier Trump promised during his campaign, which is now proposed as a steal barrier. He has called the 2006 fence a "nothing wall," according to the New York Times.WGBY's upcoming fundraiser is truly a masterpiece.

WGBY's Masterpiece Ball fundraiser will offer a four-course meal, ballroom orchestra and dancing while celebrating the popular period drama "Victoria" about Queen Victoria.

The event will take place from 5 to 10 p.m. on Jan. 27 at the Log Cabin in Holyoke.

"Like all Masterpiece titles, this production has fantastic production values and combines great storytelling by Daisy Goodwin with a stellar cast of actors and characters we have come to love," said Marie Waechter, WGBY director of community relations and events who produces all WGBY events including the Masterpiece Ball.

Those attending are encouraged to dress in their best Victorian ballroom attire to compete for prizes (including best male and female costumes and most creative costume) or in elegant evening wear.

As she does not have designs on winning the costume contest, Waechter plans to be in partial costume and have her hair done in period style.

About a third of the attendees wear period dress, making the Masterpiece Ball an experiential celebration of quality drama; others wear formal or party attire and let the decor and other guests provide the setting.

"This year we took our cues from Season 2 Episode 7 where Victoria and Albert escape in the Highlands," Waechter noted. "I have a soft spot for the character actors. I find the side stories and romances of Victoria's court so compelling as well as the challenges facing the 'downstairs' crew."

The event will include a champagne toast and dance demonstration performed by the Vintage Dance Society, and a pipe-and-drum procession will lead guests to make merry with "Victoria in the Scottish Highlands."

In the Log Cabin's main ballroom, a four-course, candlelight dining experience will follow, complete with complimentary wines. Attendees will then take to the dance floor for the festive sounds of the 12-piece WGBY Ballroom Orchestra under the direction of Jeffrey Holmes, featuring special guest vocalist Dawning Holmes.

The event will include a silent auction.

"The Victorian era is a fascinating period that reverberates today; this series brings it all into perspective through this long-form story, from the industrial revolution to political change in Europe to human rights and the history of poverty and class in Britain," Waechter said. "This production also invites us to view Victoria as a woman growing into her role from girlhood (to) queen, wife and mother."

For WGBY General Manager Anthony V. Hayes, the WGBY Masterpiece Ball represents community. "Of course, we welcome the support needed to help us continue our educational content and service to the region," he said. "But this event is also a wonderful night to dress up, be with friends, to make new friends, to dance and to start the new year off with a smile."

There are two ticket levels available for the "Victoria"-themed WGBY Masterpiece Ball: Gentry (general admission) $125 and Royalty (patron ticket includes special seating and gift bag) $200.

Tickets are available for purchase online at wbgy.org/ball or by contacting Marie Waechter at 413-781-2801 ext. 1547 or mwaechter@wgby.org.

For more information, go to wgby.org/ball.Three people have been arrested following a shooting and a stabbing in Methuen, police said.

Police in Methuen responded to a shooting Monday night and stabbing Tuesday morning that left several people in the city injured, including a police officer. The incidents are not believed to be related.

The violence began Monday night. At 10:55 p.m. police were called to McDonalds at 170 Haverhill St. for reports of multiple shots fired, police said in a news release. One man had multiple gun shots, police said.

He was taken to an area hospital and is expected to survive, police said. Police learned that the alleged victim had arranged to meet up with two people to sell a pair of car doors through the app OfferUp.

Police said when the man arrived at the McDonalds - a man later identified as Henry Infante, 42, of Lawrence - arrived with a large group of people. Infante, who has been arrested, allegedly pulled a gun from his waistband and shot the man.

Yolanda Hernandez, 41, of Lawrence was with Infante, police said, and attacked a woman who was with the gunshot victim.

Infante was arrested and charged with assault to murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and other firearm charges. Hernandez was arrested and charged with assault and battery and accessory after the fact.

A few hours later - at 12:50 a.m. Tuesday Methuen police were called to 91 Broadway for reports of a fight. When they arrived they found a man had been attacked by four men but fought them off. The man - who has not been identified - was treated for minor injuries.

Police received a call from Holy Family Hospital, after staff alerted officers two men who had been stabbed in their faces came in for treatment. Both men did not want to speak to the officers, police said.

Doinviles Mejia, 18 of Lawrence charged at a detective conducting an investigation and injured his hand, police said. He was arrested after the alleged attack.

"These were two violent and potentially deadly incidents, and I'm proud of the work our officers did to quickly respond and conduct efficient investigations into both of these cases," Methuen Police Chief Joseph Solomon said.

Hernandez was held without bail at her arraignment in Lawrence District Court Tuesday. She is scheduled for a dangerousness hearing on Friday at 10 a.m.

Infante is expected to be arraigned in Lawrence District Court, but a date has not been set.

Mejia, who was charged with disorderly conduct and assaulting a police officer, is set to be arraigned Friday in Lawrence District Court, police said.Following her first address on the floor of the US House of Representatives Tuesday, Rep. Ayanna Pressley was reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the president.

Pressley, a Boston Democrat who was sworn in on Jan. 3, delivered a blistering one-minute address from the House floor, calling the government shutdown another Trump generated crisis that has brought a tsunami of hurt.

Rep. G.K. Butterfield, a Democrat from North Carolina, warned Pressley to follow the House rules.

Members are reminded to refrain from engaging in personalities toward the president, Butterfield said. US Representatives are asked to hold back opinions or criticisms of colleagues and leadership during floor discussion. It is considered unparliamentary, according to the House rules.

This breach in etiquette has happened more frequently in the the last decade. A Bloomberg analysis showed that House members of the 115th Congress were chastised for violating the rule 48 times, compared with just five times during the 111th Congress from 2009 to 2010.

Sarah Groh, Pressleys chief of staff, said the team is working in unprecedented times that require strong leadership. While Pressley has a tremendous respect for the institution she will continue to lift up stories of those impacted by the shutdown, Groh said.

She will continue to be strident and straightforward, Groh said. I have no doubt she will continue to speak truth whether she is on the House floor or in a church basement.

Pressley said Tuesday she rose in opposition to the occupant of the White House.

"You devalue the life of the immigrant, the worker and the survivor. I see right through you and so do the American people, Pressley said, speaking to President Donald Trump.

The government shutdown is in its 19th day, as the President continues to press for funding for a wall along the southern border.

Pressley represents Massachusetts' 7th Congressional District which encompasses parts of Boston, Cambridge, Milton and all of Chelsea, Everett, Randolph, and Somerville.The death of a young man in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston following a report of shots fired Tuesday.

Members of the Boston Police Department were called to the area of 42 Crawford St around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday. Upon arrival, officials found a man believed to be in his late 20s suffering from an apparent gunshot wound and a vehicle struck by bullets.

He was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. His name has been withheld pending family notification.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Boston Police Homicide Detectives at 617-343-4470.After the Tribune contacted the Preckwinkle campaign about the ad, it released a statement that included a vote of confidence from McDonalds great uncle, the Rev. Marvin Hunter. I have full confidence that Toni is the right person to lead our city forward, Hunter said in the statement. She listened to our communities and activists after this unthinkable tragedy and has been a leader in criminal justice. As mayor, Toni will invest in our neighborhoods, our children and our families.To the editor:

Imagine how terrified the turkey who were on the tractor-trailer that recently crashed in Bassett must have been. Some suffered and died when the truck overturned, while others were scattered along the highway, possibly injured.

These birds can feel pain and love, just as humans can. Rescued turkeys are known to enjoy roosting together, foraging in the grass, and eating fresh fruits and vegetables. They like having their feathers stroked and gobbling along to music. Tom Savage, a retired poultry scientist, views turkeys as smart animals with personality and character, and keen awareness of their surroundings.

But because humans like the taste of their flesh, turkeys are imprisoned on filthy, overcrowded factory farms and killed in slaughterhouses, where theyre shackled and hung upside down. Many are scalded to death in the feather-removal tanks.

Theres nothing anyone can do to bring back the birds who were killed in the accident  or those who have suffered and died at the slaughterhouse  but we can all help other turkeys by eating tasty vegan foods rather than turkey flesh. See www.PETA.org for free vegan recipes and product suggestions.

HEATHER MOORE

PETA FoundationOn the first day of the new year, incoming Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, threw down the gauntlet to President Trump. His very first words in a Post commentary were: The Trump presidency made a deep descent in December. He went on to promise: I will speak out against significant statements or actions that are divisive, racist, sexist, anti-immigrant, dishonest or destructive to democratic institutions.

Romney has been attacked for supposedly being two-faced when it comes to Trump. This is the same Romney, after all, who auditioned to be Trumps secretary of state in November 2016 and who in February 2018 gladly accepted Trumps endorsement for his Senate campaign. Like most politicians, Romney is open to the charge of inconsistency. In his own defense, however, he can argue that he was willing to give Trump the benefit of the doubt  and that the president has shown he no longer deserves any such benefit. Through his conduct over the past two years, Trump has vindicated the warnings of his critics  and no one was a more perceptive or biting critic than Romney himself.

Inspired by Romneys commentary, I went back and reread the speech Romney gave on March 3, 2016, denouncing then-candidate Trump. It is eerie to see how Romneys warnings have, by and large, been vindicated  or even exceeded.The incident happened more than a month ago, Harrison said, but was posted to the Oklahoma Game Wardens Facebook page on Sunday night, much to the delight of commenters who broke into strings of pun-filled banter about deer parts and shared the post more than 1,300 times by noon Monday.

It was funny, in a sad way, and it was probably a dating-app first. As one Facebook commenter noted, only in Oklahoma.

Ive spoken with several wardens across the nation, and this seems to be the first of its kind, Harrison said.

You cant just ignore a broken law that falls right in your lap but was kind of a bummer, he said. She said it was her first deer ever, too.

The woman and an accomplice face $2,400 in fines for the kill on charges of improper possession of an illegally taken animal and taking game out-of-season. Wanton waste of the meat and spotlighting charges were not added. The woman pleaded out immediately, he said.

Social media has proved to be a windfall for game wardens in recent years, taking the backroom bragging that used to take place at country cafes and bars out to the internet.RICHMOND  State Sen. Bill Stanley filed a bill Tuesday that would put a referendum on ballots statewide asking voters about modernizing Virginias decaying schools.

Stanley, R-Franklin, wants the question to appear on the ballot in November, which is when all 140 seats of the General Assembly are up for election. The question is whether Virginians want the General Assembly to issue $3 billion in state general obligation bonds to go toward constructing, repairing or upgrading K-12 schools.

The bill is part of Stanleys push to upgrade the commonwealths crumbling schools. He assembled a bipartisan subcommittee to examine the problem and produce proposals about how to come up with the $3 billion to $4 billion to fix them.

Stanley was not available for comment Tuesday evening.

The referendum bill states, The results of the referendum shall be advisory only. The reason is that the Virginia Constitution requires bond referendums to state which projects would get the money.Two Martinsville residents have been charged in the death of a Chihuahua and the starvation of another dog  both left in a home alone for days, court records state.

David Jason Wiseman, 43, and Brandy Lea Wiseman, 30, of Martinsville have been charged with animal cruelty, causing death, in the case of the small tan dog last month. They also have been charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty: deprivation, for the condition of a black and brown shepherd mix found in the same home.

The Wisemans have not responded to a Martinsville Bulletin request for comment left at their home Monday.

A criminal complaint by Deputy J.S. Semones of the Henry County Sheriffs Office states that on Dec. 17 officers checked the Wisemans residence in the 100 block of Hendricks Court and found the Chihuahua dead in the back-hallway entrance to the back bedroom.

The dog appeared to have starved to death, states the complaint, filed in Henry County General District Court. It appeared to be emaciated and was lying in a pile of trash. There was no food or water anywhere inside the residence for the dog.

Neighbors said that no one had been at the residence for several weeks, the complaint alleged.Its about doing things like providing a living wage for honest work, because I think the employers of this state value their workers just as much as workers value their jobs, Cullerton said. And we want both to succeed. Raising the minimum wage is the right thing to do. And if you got all the way to the Illinois Senate and cant do whats right, what was the point, right?Ensure you get a print copy of the Loudoun Times-Mirror delivered weekly to your home or business!

Complete online access is included with all print subscriptions purchased online. Plus, up to four other members of your household can share online access through this subscription with their own, individual linked accounts at no additional charge.

(Are you a current advertiser? Ask your sales rep for our special advertiser rate code!)Filmmaker, photographer and reporter Jocelyne Saab succumbed to illness in Paris on Monday, Jan. 7 at the age of 70. Born on April 30, 1948, she was intrepid, rebellious and dynamic in her approach to life and work. Some of the stories she encountered along the way were painful, but she still told them through her own lens. A tireless globetrotter, she was always setting off on a new mission to places where the wounded and silenced needed a voice. In a lifetime of fighting for others, her final struggle was the most intimate.

On screen, her films began with realism before plunging into surrealism. And over the years, LOrient-Le Jour interviewed her many times. These encounters would last for hours, and she would discuss life, her passion for images, her desire to reinvent everything and, consequently, her desire to exist. "We are such small things, she once said during one of these encounters at the French Institute of Lebanon, all the while knowing she was being consumed with an incurable disease. "We do not count for much in this infinite world, but fortunately we are struggling to exist.

Even at the most difficult times, Saab would never tire of making waves or questioning herself. "I probably do not have the same ideals I had when I was younger anymore. It faded. Its a little blunted, or maybe it just matured, she said.

But she would quickly cast aside all doubt: "In spite of everything, I still have a conviction: we must act. Act against misery, poverty, and all the dangers which await the world. That was her motto, which she transmitted with a conviction that never weakened.

Death threats

Despite enrolling to study Economics at Saint-Joseph University in Beirut, Saab knew she wanted to pursue a career in the audiovisual field. After university she went to Paris and then returned to Lebanon where she hosted a pop music program on the radio and was hired by the poet Etel Adnan at as-Safa newspaper. This led to a partnership with the Adnan, who continued to work with Saab throughout her life on other projects.

Saabs studies in economics and social sciences did not go to waste. She used this background while documenting events in Libya, Egypt and the Golan Heights. The experience she gained would come in handy when war broke out in Lebanon in 1975.

Saab had planned to travel to Vietnam to make a film on the end of the war, but she decided to return home when the conflict in Lebanon started. The result was her first film, Lebanon in Turmoil (Le Liban dans la tourmente, 1975), which documented the beginning of the Civil War. The movie was released in Paris, but censored in Lebanon. It also marked the beginning of her life-long commitment to various causes. In Lebanons civil war, Saab sided with the Palestinians living on the outskirts of Beirut.

Putting her own life in danger, Saab then directed The Children of War (Les Enfants de la Guerre, 1976) after the Quarantina massacre, one of the Lebanese civil wars darkest episodes. She went on to make more than forty films, mostly documentaries, about Lebanon, Egypt, the Sahara, Iran, Turkey and Vietnam, including Beirut, My City (Beyrouth, ma ville, 1982) about the Israeli invasion.

Serving the arts

In 1981, Saab was hired as an assistant director on the set of Volker Schlondorff's Le Faussaire. In 1984, she decided to direct her own fiction film, A Suspended Life (Adolescent, Love Sugar). The movie was shot in the heart of the Lebanese civil war and was later selected at the Directors Fortnight in Cannes in 1985.

Leaving documentaries behind for fiction, Saab felt she was better able to narrate sufferings. In her 2005 film Dunia she denounced excision in Egyptian society, receiving death threats from fundamentalists in response. And in her 2009 film Whats Going On, she relentless searched for poetry in a country still looking for its identity.

Around this time, she decided to switch to visual arts. The canvas appeared to her as a space of freedom, like a "long love story I do not know where this dexterity comes from, to crush, shape and build it, she used to say.

Saab also held many art and photo exhibits, the last one in 2017 at the French Institute where she showcased refugee children from the camps. "I do not only exhibit photos just for the sake of display, but to question how others look and reflect, she said at the time.

The images echoed a short film she directed, One Dollar a Day: (Un Dollar Par Jour), shot a year earlier.

Saabs photographic work perhaps best expressed her ethos of cultural resistance. The exhibit also gave its name to a 2013 film festival in Tripoli. The same pictures of children were later borrowed by Jean-Luc Godard for his latest film, The Book of Images (Le Livre dImages), which won an award at Cannes.

But bitterness eventually replaced fighting and resisting. "She always had a hard time accepting the dominant speech. Today, there is no more political speech to hold. No more ideas and ideals. She does not take any side simply because there is no more side to take, if not that of the right to human dignity, said Mathilde Rouxel, author of Jocelyne Saab, the Untamed Memory.

Saab was not only a pioneer and an innovator. Throughout her life, she also tried to reinvent images and visual arts. She laid the foundations of a film library through Lebanese cinema and made fecondation in video (which follows the process of implantation in vitro by putting a camera on a probe that can film the inside of the human body). She also constantly reinvented herself without betraying her deepest convictions. All this work, all this questioning, allowed Saab to constantly contribute to the birth of an original and new visual art.



Local News, Crime, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: January 09 2019

NCPD: Anthony M. Lewis of Brentwood, 41, is charged with 2 counts of Burglary.

Bethpage, NY - January 9, 2019 - The Second Squad reports the arrest of a The Second Squad reports the arrest of a Brentwood man for an incident that occurred on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 at about 5:36 am in Bethpage

According to detectives, 2nd Precinct officers responded to a burglar alarm located at T-Mobile 4020 Hempstead Tpke. Upon an officers arrival, a male was observed running out the front door, carrying a duffel bag. The officer gave chase. During the chase, the officer injured his leg and continued the pursuit of the suspect. With the assistance of an off duty Nassau County Police Officer, they apprehended the male subject and recovered stolen merchandise which consisted of electronics and memory cards.

An investigation was conducted. It was determined that the defendant Anthony M. Lewis, 41, had broken into a vacant store adjacent to the T-Mobile and then entered the T-Mobile by breaking through a wall.

Defendant Anthony M. Lewis is charged with 2 counts of Burglary 3rd Degree and 1 count of Assault 2nd Degree. He will be arraigned on Wednesday, January 9, 2019 in First District Court, HempsteadLocal News, Crime, Business & Finance, Press Releases

By Long Island News & PR Published: January 09 2019

Robert H. Corrado, 57, was convicted for engaging in a systematic kickback scheme and violating patients rights, AG James says.

New York, NY - January 9, 2019 - Attorney General Letitia James announced the conviction of Robert H. Corrado, 57 and Interline Employee Assistance Program, Inc. (Interline) for engaging in a systematic kickback scheme and violating patients rights. In 2017, the Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) secured an indictment and filed several civil causes of action against Robert Corrado, Kristina Corrado, and Interline seeking to recover monies improperly obtained as a result of their criminal conduct. Since 2015, MFCUs three-quarter house investigations have brought down three groups of fraudulent housing and treatment providers, including Narco Freedom, the Baumblit Group, and Interline.

The defendants exploited individuals struggling with homelessness and substance abuse in order pad their bottom line, said Attorney General Letitia James. This series of investigations disrupted a dismal culture where housing was used as bait for the most vulnerable New Yorkers just to have an excuse to bill Medicaid. We will never tolerate this type of behavior that defrauds both our state and our communities. 

The indictment alleged that the Corrados and Interline engaged in an illegal kickback scheme. Robert Corrado, Executive Director of Interline, an outpatient substance abuse treatment program, and owner of several three-quarter houses located in Queens and Brooklyn, provided housing at below market rent to homeless clients on the condition that the clients attend treatment at Interline and nowhere else. Three-quarter reflects that many of the clients had been released from incarceration but had not yet secured housing. Robert Corrado and Interline, in turn, received payment from Medicaid for substance abuse treatment claims predicated on this kickback arrangement.

By his plea on January 8, 2019, Corrado and Interline admitted to the facts underlying the crimes charged. The Honorable Judge John Latella, Justice of the Supreme Court, Queens County accepted the guilty pleas. At a future date, Corrado will be sentenced to a jail term and enter into a civil settlement agreement to pay $2.4 million restitution to the State Medicaid program. Kristina Corrado, 34, previously pleaded guilty to the felony crime of Medical Assistance Provider: Prohibited Practice on November, 26, 2018 and paid $25,000 in restitution.

Interlines three-quarter homes were located throughout Queens and in Brooklyn and were called Care Houses. Kristina Corrado, Robert Corrados daughter, managed the housing from Interlines offices where she monitored the attendance of Care House residents at Interlines outpatient program, and residents who were not compliant with Interlines mandatory treatment were evicted from the Care Houses. The overlap in staff and operations between Interlines outpatient treatment program and its Care Houses created an unlicensed residential treatment program. Under New York Mental Hygiene law, it is a crime to operate an unlicensed residential treatment program. The requirement that Care House residents only received treatment at Interline deprived them of their fundamental freedom of choice in medical care in violation of numerous State laws, including the Patients Bill of Rights.

As a result, Robert Corrado and Interline received over $2 million from fraudulent claims to Medicaid.

Robert Corrado and Interline were charged with Grand Larceny in the First Degree, a class B felony. Robert Corrado and Interline along with Kristina Corrado were further charged with violating the Social Services Law prohibiting the payment of kickbacks related to the provision of services under the States Medicaid program, a class E felony. Interline was also charged with three counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, a class E felony, and violating the States Mental Hygiene Law prohibiting the operation of a residential treatment program without the proper operating certificate, a class A misdemeanor.

At the time of the plea, the Attorney General also reached an agreement to settle a civil complaint against Interline, Robert Corrado and his wife Kim Corrado for violations of New Yorks False Claims Act, Section 145-b of New Yorks Social Services Law and other causes of action to recover the substantial financial benefits from the fraud. As a result, real property and other assets owned by Robert Corrado will be forfeited and sold, and the proceeds returned to New York Medicaid.

Since 2015, MFCU brought four cases against owners or managers of substance abuse treatment programs as well as several treatment programs themselves, charging violations of patient rights and defrauding Medicaid. Each prosecution resulted in the conviction of all defendants for felonies, as well as the recovery of $16.56 million dollars in restitution for the New York Medicaid program. The prosecution and settlement of the civil action against Interline and the Corrados is expected to result in the recovery of an additional $2.4 million for New Yorks Medicaid program.

Throughout these investigations, the Attorney Generals office has worked closely with the various city and state agencies. The Attorney General thanks the New York City Human Resources Administration and the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services for their cooperation, partnership and valuable assistance. In addition, the Attorney General thanks the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General Dennis Rosen.

The Interline investigation was led by Investigator Shavaun Clawson, under the supervision of Supervising Investigator James Briscoe and Deputy Chief Investigator Kenneth Morgan. Financial analysis was provided by Auditor-Investigators Nicholas Thottam and Megan Scott under the supervision of MFCUs NYC Regional Chief Auditor Thomasina Smith.EU code week was an initiative by the European Commission with an objective to introduce children and young people aged 8 to 24 to the world of technology and coding.

The Meet and Code project funded digital and coding events of all kinds during the EU Code Week.

The events were designed to show young people how much fun coding can be. There was 25 grants of 500 (EU funding) available to host such events in Ireland.

Longford County Councils Broadband Officer, Ms Christine Collins and Ms Siobhan Grealy (Coding Instructor) who is currently delivering Coderdojo classes through the Councils Branch Library network, led the initiative here in Longford, in collaboration with voluntary groups through the Longford Public Participation Network.

Three applications for funding were submitted, one from each Municipal District in Co. Longford, with two successful applications coming from Colmcille Community Centre clg in Aughnacliffe and the Bridgeways Family Resource Centre, in Ballymahon.

Following the success of the applications, Colmcille Community Centre clg invited the local primary school St Colmcilles NS to participate in the event. Thirty-one pupils from 5th and 6th classes attended while Ms Grace Kearney, Project Co-ordinator Bridgeways Family Resource Centre hosted two events.

These events proved to be a massive success, with Ms Monaghan, 6th Class Teacher of St Colmcilles Primary School stating, The children loved the experience of computer coding. It was a fantastic way for them to be creative and to learn a new skill in a fun and enjoyable way. Thank you so much for giving us this opportunity.

Ms Grace Kearney stated The young people loved it. I had one young person state "I learned so much and it was the best thing I ever done."

This is all part of a digital journey by Longford County Council which is benefiting our communities.A day after announcing that the global Catholic community Opus Dei had paid nearly $1 million to settle a 2005 sexual misconduct suit against a big-name District of Columbia priest, who has also served in Chicago, a spokesman for the ultraconservative institution expressed regret that the Rev. C. John McCloskey had been allowed to remain in ministry after the allegations came to light.

"It's an argument that is no longer tenable - this 'Let's quiet things over so priests can continue to do good,'" said Brian Finnerty, choking back tears as he spoke with unusual frankness.

Catholics in the D.C. region were stunned by the news that McCloskey, a high-profile media presence and adviser to Washington's Catholic elite who prepared Republicans Newt Gingrich and Sam Brownback for conversion, was responsible for the $977,000 payout. An eloquent and intellectual priest, McCloskey for many years ran the Catholic Information Center, a bookstore, chapel and meeting center on K Street NW - a hub of Catholic life in the city.

"The reality is that there are many people out there who felt Father [McCloskey] was instrumental in bringing them closer to God. And whatever he did, that is true," said Finnerty, adding that McCloskey had introduced him to Opus Dei. "But there is also the reality at the same time that he behaved in a way that was deeply wounding. If we were to handle the situation today, we would likely do it differently. Today is different - there is a deeper recognition that if something like this happens, you can't keep it quiet."

Finnerty said among his regrets was that the complaint came to Opus Dei in November 2002 but the community did not remove McCloskey from the Catholic Information Center until December 2003. He said he personally "hated" that decision. "The reality is he was around for a year after we were informed," Finnerty said. "That's the reality. It's not good. But we may as well own it."

The woman who reached the settlement with Opus Dei in 2005 told The Washington Post she began seeing McCloskey for spiritual direction at a time when her marriage was crumbling and she was experiencing serious depression. The priest groped her several times during tight hugs, she said. She said she expressed shame and guilt about it to him during confession and he absolved her. (The Post does not name victims of sexual assault without their consent.)

McCloskey also asked the woman detailed questions about her sex life with her husband, she said.

An Opus Dei priest in Virginia whom she went to told her not to tell anyone, she said. Another Opus Dei priest urged her to seek medical and legal help.

Finnerty said Monday that Opus Dei knows of another woman who was made uncomfortable by McCloskey's hugs and is investigating the possibility of a third woman who may have a "serious" complaint about the priest. The group has not spoken with the third woman.

The woman in the settlement has expressed gratitude since Monday to Opus Dei, saying she appreciates them going public this week at her request. She was worried there are others who may have been harmed by the priest, who has been a spiritual director in the Washington region as well as in the Chicago area and in California over the past two decades. She continues to participate in Opus Dei spiritual activities.

The woman, who was 40 at the time of the misconduct, said the episodes sent her into a tailspin and she suffered serious health and professional failings as a result.

Men and women are kept quite separate in Opus Dei activities, and priests are supposed to give women spiritual direction only in the confessional, separated by a divider.

McCloskey, 65, moved back to the Washington region in late 2016, Opus Dei said in its Monday statement, to be near family as he "suffers from advanced Alzheimer's," adding that he "is largely incapacitated and needs assistance for routine daily tasks." Catholics who have seen him recently said he appears childlike and with limited short-term memory.

A 2005 letter from Opus Dei's attorney to the woman's attorney said McCloskey acknowledges he "engaged in inappropriate conduct" with the woman and apologizes. However, the letter said, the two sides see "significant differences" in facts. It said McCloskey and Opus Dei were making a settlement offer "without any acknowledgment of liability" on their part. The letter was from Kevin Baine of the firm Williams & Connolly.

This week, Opus Dei did not dispute the woman's account.

The news has distressed many Washington-area Catholics who said Opus Dei erred greatly in allowing McCloskey to continue for more than a decade to operate as a priest and guide.

It was not completely clear Tuesday what restrictions had been put on McCloskey and whether he had violated them. The woman said she was told by Catholic officials in Chicago that he would not be given permission to operate fully as a priest - celebrating Mass and other sacraments. Finnerty said he understood that McCloskey was told not to serve as a spiritual director to women for one year, starting in the early 2000s, and observed the ban for two years.

The Rev. Peter Armenio, Opus Dei's regional assistant vicar for the Midwest, said Tuesday that he was part of discussions when McCloskey first came to Chicago - around the time of the settlement. Then-Cardinal Francis George, now deceased, was Chicago's archbishop, a position responsible for granting permission for priests to fully function in a region - even those in religious orders and communities such as Opus Dei.

Armenio said he was told around that time that McCloskey had "a severe problem with alcohol" when he worked in Washington and that there was a misconduct case with a woman. He said Opus Dei and the archdiocese, when they were discussing his punishment and restrictions, did not know the woman's report about McCloskey absolving her during confession.

George said McCloskey could not have pastoral dealings with women for a year, Armenio recalled. Armenio said McCloskey abided by that for two years and that even after that, in the archdiocese "he never ministered to women in formative activities," he said. The priest heard confessions when parishes were busy but was not involved much beyond that, Armenio said.

A spokeswoman for the archdiocese was not able Tuesday to immediately clarify what the archdiocese and George may have said or done when McCloskey came to Chicago.

At some point soon after the settlement, it appears McCloskey ministered to women.

Dawn Eden Goldstein, a writer and theology professor who went to McCloskey for spiritual and professional guidance starting in 2007, said she found him very helpful. She remained in touch with him until this past weekend, when she saw him at a party at the Reston Study Center, an Opus Dei facility where he lives.

"I'm extremely disturbed," Goldstein said. "I have to hold these two things in tension. On the one hand, Father McCloskey should not have been allowed to personally advise me. On the other hand, I truly benefited from his advice." She said she was upset that Opus Dei would allow someone "morally compromised" to serve as a guide.

McCloskey made news from the start of his career. News reports from the 1990s say he was removed as a chaplain from Princeton University after some students complained that he was urging them not to go to professors he considered not sufficiently Christian and was critical of the way priests he saw as insufficiently orthodox ministered.

A long profile of Opus Dei in 1995 in the Jesuit magazine America quoted unnamed sources as saying McCloskey had asked some students questions about their sexual practices. Some said he was coercing students into going to confession. The profile said McCloskey denied both charges.Longford benefited considerably during 2018 from a 14% increase in job numbers across the midlands region, the highest percentage increase of any region.

The year saw jobs announcements from two IDA client companies, Red Seal Cups and Avery Dennison.

Red Seal Cups, who manufacture packaging material for the medical, foodservice and disposable packaging sectors, announced in May that it is establishing a manufacturing and supply operation in Longford, creating 100 jobs over the next three years.

The company took over the former Cameron site facility.

Established medical product manufacturing company Avery Dennison also announced in May its plans to expand its operations in Longford with the construction of a 6,000 square metre facility which will create 200 additional jobs.

Ken Whitelaw, IDA Irelands Regional Business Development Manager for the Midlands Region, said:

These were very welcome announcements, one from a new company locating here and the other from a well established company. In addition to securing new investment, supporting existing companies to grow is a key focus for us and Avery Dennisons expansion of its Finesse Medical Ltd. facility is an excellent development.

Mr Whitelaw added, IDA Ireland also supported, in collaboration with Longford County Council, the delivery of the 233 million Center Parcs Longford Forest project which is due to open in Summer 2019. In October the company held a recruitment information day for the 1,000 permanent roles being created. In addition to those jobs being directly created, the spin off benefit in terms of employment in service industries and tourism will be a huge boost to Longford and the economy of the region.

The Regional Manager acknowledges however that challenges remain; more investment is needed in the midlands region generally.

He said, While Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) cannot form the sole economic strategy for a region, it can play a huge role in increasing economic activity and reducing unemployment. However, winning such investments is a challenge; it requires concerted and continuous effort, not just by IDA Ireland but by all national and regional stakeholders. It needs cooperation, collaboration and integration to develop and present the strongest possible value proposition to existing and future potential investors.

Mr Whitelaw continued, The criteria required by global companies seeking to invest in Ireland is exacting. To locate in a particular regional location they want good road access, the availability of a skilled workforce and a skills pipeline, an appropriate level of infrastructure and services, suitable property solutions coupled with a robust and supportive business culture. That all takes time to develop and can only be done in collaboration with other stakeholders.

We have an excellent third level facility for the midlands region in Athlone Institute of Technology, so we are well served with education and training facilities. But we have work to do on our other offerings; developing property solutions, improving our accessibility and infrastructure. We will continue to work with, and support the efforts of local stakeholders to strengthen Longfords value proposition.

We also welcome the planned development of the Riverside Shopping Centre and the Camlin Quarter  these plans, coupled with the Councils successful funding application under the Governments Urban Regeneration and Development Fund (URDF) to improve the Public Realm Market Square, will help to develop the attractiveness and place-making of Longford town.

Mr Whitelaw stressed that competition for FDI continues to be fierce, not just from other locations in Ireland but from across Europe and further afield.

We made significant progress this year in Longford but there is no room for complacency, our efforts continue, we are laying the groundwork for the future, he concluded.Many characterisations and tributes to the legacy left by the late Peter Kelly have already been well borne out.

Yet, one correlated accolade undoubtedly stands head and shoulders above all others.

A deeply devoted family man, who extolled the virtues of benevolence and common decency to unparalleled lengths, the former Fianna Fail TD will forever be remembered as a man who put his county and its inhabitants first.

ALSO READ: Former Fianna Fail TD, Peter Kelly who has passed away described as 'a colossus of Longford life'

One of those who could attest to that distinction was his long time foot soldier, employee and political protege, Tony Flaherty.

A former member of the then Longford Town Council himself, Mr Flaherty first rubbed shoulders with his long time mentor after landing a job in his early teens collecting glasses in Mr Kellys pub on Longfords Main Street.

He was the reason why I got into politics, said a sombre sounding Mr Flaherty, as he reflected on the father of threes untimely passing last week.

He took me to my first Fianna Fail meeting in 1991 and helped me from the very start. Peter had a huge influence on me and was a true father to me politically.

The bond between the pair blossomed both personally and professionally, so much so that within a short space of time, Mr Flaherty was immersed in the family undertaking, pub and off licence businesses.

He credited a large slice of his own election in 1994 to the part played by Mr Kelly and the know how passed on by the genial publican.

And it was during that time Mr Flaherty got to witness up close the finer workings of a politician he would quickly look up to and admire.

One thing about Peter Kelly was he always put Longford and its people first, he said. Everywhere and anywhere we went he would always introduce himself as Peter Kelly, Longford, Ireland.

He was so proud of Longford and its people.

I will always remember in the run up to the Town Council elections in 1994 and 1999 when he would canvass in my home areas, he only always asked for the number two vote from people.

He never asked people to give him their number ones, that was the mark of the man.

One of his lasting contributions, Mr Flaherty recalled was the construction of the Mall swimming pool, a project he maintained was single handedly delivered by his long time friend and political running mate.

The events of the past week and suddenness of Mr Kellys passing have not surprisingly hit him hard.

To be honest, it's like a family member having passed. I knew him for 24 years and there was never a cross word between us.

Another close acquaintance to the long serving public representative was Edgeworthstown businessman Pat Quinn.

The pair worked closely together, albeit in contrasting hardware firms, at a time when Irelands economic fortunes were a far cry from the opulences of today.

I'd have known Peter for yonks. He was a great friend, like he was to a lot of people, he said.

I wouldn't have been involved in any committees with him or anything like that, it was purely socially and as a business friend.

We were both in the hardware business and would have consulted with each other a lot at the time.

Just like business, politics was the Longford natives undeniable labour of love.

Long time Fianna Fail activist Benny Reid served as Constituency Chairman and Mr Kellys Director of Elections during his successful 2002 Dail campaign.

I would have known the man and the boy, confided the Aughnacliffe man.

I knew Peter all my life and he was larger than life.

By his own admission, Mr Reid said any predetermined misconceptions over the Kelly voting machine were swiftly extinguished.

Some people, including myself, took him lightly in the beginning but I can say this much, spending a day canvassing with Peter Kelly as I ended up doing around Aughnacliffe and other places in Dromard and townlands down there, everywhere you went Peter Kelly was scooping up votes on the strength of his own charity and his father's charity.

House after house, you would hear stories about bodies being repatriated from the UK and deeds of very substantial charity. One man actually said to me on one occasion: 'Oh, I have to vote for Kelly, he brought my son home from Birmingham and he wasn't paid for five years.'

On another occasion, Mr Reid called to mind seeing the good natured local politician come to the aid of a widow in straitened circumstances at a graveside by discreetly slipping a 50 note into her jacket pocket.

Peter Kelly was an unusual politician in that he took life lightly, but he took the hard knocks out of other people's lives seriously.

He wouldn't have been that much into Brexit if there wasn't bread on the table and was just a great friend of poor people.

Other long term political allies and incumbent county councillors naturally have their own enduring memories of the irrepressible Fianna Fail stalwart.

Fine Gaels Micheal Carrigy described him as a fine, decent and honourable family man who worked tirelessly for the good of Longford and its wider populous.

Like Tony Flaherty, Cllr Mae Sexton served alongside Mr Kelly on the former Longford Town Council as well as its countywide equivalent in 1991.

The pair would later rejoice in unison when both were elected to the Dail following the 2002 general election.

I can truly say that Peter always had the interest of Longford first and foremost in his role as a dedicated and committed public representative, said Cllr Sexton.

I remember well him stating in an interview that he was so proud to be a messenger of the people and his heart and soul was Longford.

He was a very witty, funny man and a dedicated family man.

They were sentiments another of his seasoned Fianna Fail party colleagues attested to.

Cllr PJ Reilly said he first crossed paths with the impressionable future TD during his adolescent years going in and out of Longford town.

I first got to know him when I used to go into Longford with my parents, we would break up and the meeting place would nearly always have been Kelly's shop, he said.

That's when I got to know the young Peter.

I canvassed with him in 2002 when he was successful in getting elected to the Dail and we worked together for the following nine years until he lost his seat in 2011.

Gains made by various local groups in the Granard, Abbeylara and wider north Longford areas as a consequence of Mr Kellys involvement as a government TD were particular highlights for Cllr Reilly.

Others, like County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Luie McEntire evoked thoughts of the late public representatives carefree, dispassionate side.

The homeless person was the same to Peter as the millionaire, he said, as he told of Mr Kellys penchant to break into song.

We often travelled to different conferences all over Ireland and he really was the life and soul of the party, especially if there was a sing song in the bar.

Elvis Presley wouldnt hold a candle to Peter. He was great company to be with, a true gent and a real friend.

And just like the world of rock music still eulogises over its own king more than 40 years on, you get the feeling Longford and its 40,000 plus citizens will continue to do likewise in upholding the merits and virtues of the late, great, inimitable Peter Kelly.But the woman had a gun too and fired first, hitting Goings in the chest, according to Chicago police. The teen ran back to his home and made it as far as a stairwell in the foyer of a building before collapsing in the 400 block of West 103rd Street.An armed man who Seguin police said was planning to fulfill a prophecy at a Texas church tried to act as his own lawyer at a hearing Wednesday, until a judge talked him out of defending himself against a federal gun charge.

Tony Dwayne Albert II, 33, of Houston, was charged last Friday with possessing a gun after having been convicted of domestic violence. Several news outlets have reported that Albert is an ex-Marine, but his military service could not be verified Wednesday.

A criminal complaint affidavit unsealed Wednesday revealed that the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives charged him on Jan. 3 with possession of a Smith and Wesson MP9, 9mm caliber pistol when he was arrested by Seguin police on Dec. 30. Albert also had a magazine loaded with 17 rounds of 9mm ammunition, according to the affidavit.

Albert made national headlines when he was arrested in Seguin after a tipster reported a suspicious person  later found to be Albert  carrying a pistol and wearing cargo pants, military-style boots and a green T-shirt near the intersection of West Kingsbury and West Court streets. Albert also had on a white surgical mask with a white T-shirt wrapped around his head.

Police arrested him on state charges of possessing marijuana and possession of a firearm by a felon. The Seguin Police Department said that Albert later told officers that he was on his way to fulfill a prophecy at a church, but he thought he was 240 miles away in Vidor, on the outskirts of Beaumont.

Albert is serving two years of probation after pleading no contest to disarming a police officer in Harris County. Albert was also convicted June 21, 2017, in Harris County of assault on a family member, court records said, which authorities say bar him from having a gun.

The federal affidavit said Albert told police he believed he was in Vidor and was looking for the First Baptist Church there. When a Seguin detective asked him about the gun, he said it was for protection because people try to kill Gods people, the affidavit said.

What should have been a routine, brief initial hearing for Albert on Wednesday turned into anything but. Albert interrupted, or spoke over, U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Farrer, invoking terminology from the criminal justice system and requested to act as his own lawyer because he mistrusted certain attorneys and felt he could do better.

For example, Albert correctly noted that if he is indicted by a grand jury, there will be no need for a hearing to determine if law enforcement had probable cause for his arrest. The judge set the probable cause hearing for Jan. 22, and ordered him held without bail pending a hearing that same day to determine if he can be released on bail.

Farrer asked whether Albert had studied law. Albert said he had because he has a bachelors degree in criminal justice, but not a law degree.

When the judge asked Albert if he was familiar with the federal rules of criminal procedure and evidence, Albert answered: No. Im familiar with truth, however. I only need the truth to represent myself, your honor.

Albert also said he had acted as his own lawyer before: I dont remember what the case was for, but it got dismissed.

As the judge tried to explain that he had to go through a certain process and ask certain questions before allowing someone to act as their own lawyer, Albert interjected.

Dont interrupt me, Farrer firmly said. If youre going to represent yourself, thats lesson number one. Dont interrupt the judge.

Eventually, Albert agreed to let the judge appoint him a lawyer.

Can I be guaranteed a Christian lawyer? Albert asked. Can I be guaranteed not to get a military lawyer?...If I dont like the way the person you appoint is representing me, I can remove them, correct?

The judge said Albert didnt have an unqualified right to an attorney of your choice and explained that the appointed lawyer would certainly take his viewpoints into consideration.

If convicted of the federal charge, Albert faces up to 10 years in prison without parole.

Guillermo Contreras covers federal court and immigration news in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | gcontreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedlandA car pulled up to the family's home around 9 a.m. and the boy jumped out and went into his home. His father, Chris Campbell, said his son appeared to be fine. Police confirmed the boy was back home.I just think the whole situation has been resolved, he said. The judge, once again, is a good judge, has served the community ... and is fair-minded and hardworking, and is just ready to put this behind him and go forward.WASHINGTON - School systems are taking steps to make sure children of federal workers have lunch provided at school. Day care centers in federal buildings remain closed, forcing parents to scramble for alternatives. And a small kindergarten operating out of the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History may have to close for the year if the government isn't reopened soon.

In its third week, the partial federal government shutdown is affecting children and their families across the Washington region, home to an estimated 283,000 federal workers.

Administrators in the suburban Prince George's County school system in Maryland sent a memo to parents Monday, saying the system would make sure that for the rest of the week, "any student that requests a meal due to the federal government shutdown . . . will receive the standard hot entree available at their school."

The promise followed a request by school board member Alexander Wallace, District 7, for the school system to guarantee free meals to all students whose families are affected by the shutdown until it ends. In her letter to parents, Monica Goldson, interim chief executive of Prince George's school system, said that approach would cost the school system an estimated $190,000 a day.

"While laudable, this unbudgeted expense would be fiscally irresponsible and take funding away from other school district services," she wrote.

Instead, the school system said it will expedite applications for free and reduced lunches from families who may temporarily qualify for the benefit. About 83,000 of the system's 134,000 students receive free or reduced-price meals.

Arlington Public Schools officials in Virginia emailed families Tuesday to say they were aware that the shutdown may be causing stress for families and to "remind all families that our teachers, principals and school counselors are available to support students." The system encouraged affected families to apply for the school lunch program and to discuss getting a break on fees for after-school programs.

Fairfax County, Virginia, Public Schools offered a similar statement of support and information about reduced fees for federal workers and also announced an event Friday for furloughed federal employees interested in substitute teaching positions.

D.C. Public Schools spokesman Shayne Wells said the system "never denies a student a meal at school" and will work with any families who have a change in income to complete a free and reduced meal application.

Parents with children in day care centers at federal buildings are struggling to find temporary care. While some parents have been furloughed and can stay home with their children, others must report to work or work in the private sector.

"We've definitely had a number of parents calling since the shutdown," said Crystal Mayo, assistant director of Bright Horizons day care center a few blocks from the White House. Mayo has informed parents that the center is fully enrolled. "There just aren't really that many options out there for them," she said.

Some parents fear their children may not have a school to return to if the shutdown doesn't end soon. The Smithsonian Early Enrichment Center is home to a preschool and small kindergarten - serving seven children - that operates out of the National Museums of Natural History and American History. For the kindergarten students, classes are held in the morning, and afternoons are spent visiting Smithsonian museums and sites throughout Washington.

Annie Froehlich's 5-year-old son loves the school and his classmates, so Froehlich is reluctant to pull him out. But with President Donald Trump saying the shutdown could last months or years, she feels she may not have a choice.

"We are still wait-and-see and still hoping, maybe stupidly so, for a positive resolution," Froehlich said. "To the extent this drags on and if other parents decide to take their children out, there is no guarantee the program will continue this year."

A call to the school's director was not immediately returned. But the taped outgoing message had a familiar ring in Washington these days:

"Hello . . . the Smithsonian is closed due to the federal government shutdown, and (the enrichment center) is closed, as well. I will be out of the office and unable to return your phone call until further notice."Iran's Foreign Ministry confirmed Wednesday that it has detained a U.S. Navy veteran who was arrested last summer when he went to the country to visit his girlfriend.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi made Iran's first acknowledgment that it is holding Michael White, 46, of San Diego, according to a report in the semiofficial Tasnim news agency.

"An American citizen was arrested in the city of Mashhad some time ago, and his case was conveyed to the U.S. administration on first days," he said.

White's arrest was first reported by IranWire, an online venture focusing on Iran news reported by the Iranian diaspora. It interviewed a released Iranian prisoner who said he had met White at Vakliabad Prison in Mashhad this fall. It remains unclear what, if any, charges have been brought against him.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is in the Middle East on a tour designed to bring more pressure on Iran, declined Wednesday to discuss White's arrest. At a stop in Jordan on Tuesday, Pompeo said the United States would ramp its efforts to counter Iran's influence in the region, "redoubling not only our diplomatic but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran."

White's arrest only adds to the tension that has existed between Iran and the United States since the Trump administration withdrew from the 2015 nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions that had been lifted under the agreement.

White is at least the fourth U.S. citizen being held in Iran on accusations of espionage. In the past, Iran has agreed to prisoner swaps, releasing some U.S. prisoners as Iranian prisoners in U.S. cells were freed. The last such exchange took place when the nuclear agreement took effect in early 2016.

Iranian-American businessman Siamak Namazi was arrested in 2015, and his father, Baquer, also was arrested a few months later when he went to Tehran to try to secure his son's release.

Princeton scholar Xiyue Wang has been imprisoned in Iran for more than two years since he was arrested on suspicions arising from the historical research he was doing. And Robert Levinson, a retired FBI agent, has not been heard of since he disappeared in 2007 while on a visit to Kish Island.

It is unclear why it has taken so long for word to get out about White's circumstances since he was arrested in late July. His mother told the New York Times she learned he was alive and in prison just three weeks ago.Campos continued prepping for the hearing until late the night before, when a deal still hadnt been struck. No notice was ever sent for the specific case, and they dont know when Reyes Simons case will be called before a judge. The U.S. Department of Justice in December issued a notice that immigration cases in which the person is not detained, such as Reyes Simons, would be reset to when the government is funded again. Campos thinks the case could be pushed back until 2022, based on when hearings were being set for before the shutdown.ADELAIDE, Australia - A Saudi teenager fleeing her family will be considered for resettlement in Australia, the country's home affairs department announced Wednesday.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, 18, flew to Bangkok Saturday to escape what she said was an abusive family. When Thai authorities attempted to deport her back to Kuwait, where her family was, she barricaded herself in an airport hotel room and pleaded on Twitter to see the United Nations refugee agency.

The turnaround in her case, from imminent deportation to possible resettlement in a third country, has largely been credited to a social media campaign that the young woman and some of her friends launched largely on Twitter.

Her plight gained widespread attention as she documented every step of her detention and interactions with Thai authorities, prompting them to eventually allow UNHCR access to her. She left the airport after two days in the custody of the refugee agency, which said it would consider her request for refugee status.

In remarks to Thai authorities caught on video and widely circulated, the Saudi charge d'affaires in Bangkok, Abdalelah Mohammed al-Shuaibi, groused that airport officials should have confiscated her phone rather than her passport.

Alqunun, who comes from Hail in northwestern Saudi Arabia, said she feared for her life if she were to be returned to her family. Her friends said she had suffered abuse at their hands.

Local media in Thailand reported on Tuesday that her father had arrived in Bangkok and asked to meet her, but that Alqunun refused to see him.

The Australian decision does not grant Alqunun automatic refugee status in Australia, but it makes a positive asylum decision far more likely.

"The Department of Home Affairs will consider this referral in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals," the Department of Home Affairs said in an emailed statement.

Human Rights Watch, which advocated for Alqunun during the whole drama, welcomed Australia's decision.

"Just two days ago, she was barricaded in a hotel room fighting for her life - and now we see this wonderful and astonishing turn of events," said Phil Robertson, the deputy Asia director. "What's important is get her safe so Australia really needs to move quickly to get her out of Thailand."

After Alqunun left the airport, she was taken to a hotel in Bangkok where U.N. staffers were expected to interview her and process her claim.

The Bangkok-based spokeswoman for UNCHR neither confirmed nor denied that Alqunun had been granted refugee status, and said it was unlikely that the agency would be providing further updates on her case.

In a statement Tuesday, UNHCR said it was continuing to look into her case "as part of a process to assess her need for international protection."

"We are very grateful that the Thai authorities did not send back Ms. Alqunun against her will and are extending protection for her," said UNHCR's representative in Thailand, Giuseppe de Vincentiis. "It could take several days to process the case and determine next steps," he added. "For reasons of protection and confidentiality we are not in a position to comment on the details of individual cases."

UNHCR consistently advocates that refugees and asylum seekers - having been confirmed or claimed to be in need of international protection - cannot be returned to their countries of origin.

The referral of Alqunun to Australia's Department of Home Affairs does suggest she has been granted some kind of refugee status by the U.N. agency.

"Australia's refugee intake policy has two main streams, either through humanitarian programs of the government or the UNHCR's referral program," said Nurmuhammad Said Majid, an Australian immigration consultant. "Given the sensitivity of this issue, the process might still be prioritized and be processed quicker than usually."

All individuals entering Australia through those two programs need to undergo security, character and health checks. In the 18-year old's case, some of those checks could be sped up or finalized upon arrival in Australia, he added.

Even before the referral, Australian officials had been making positive noises about Alqunun's case. In an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp, Health Minister Greg Hunt said they were considering a humanitarian visa for Alqunun if she received refugee status.

Australia's migration policies have increasingly come under fire in recent years, especially its policy of housing illegal immigrants in grim offshore camps. The strict legislation, however, only affects those attempting to enter outside legal channels. Alqunun's case is different because she was referred by UNHCR.

"For women who are at risk of harm in their respective home countries or by any individual or groups, Australia is actually one of the most welcoming nations with the most promising resettlement programs. Eighteen-year-old Alqunun would likely fit into that category," said Majid.

Other Saudi women in recent years have tried to flee their families alleging abuse, but have had less success than Alqunun. In 2017, Dina Lasloom, 24, was similarly attempting to seek asylum in Australia, escaping Saudi Arabia's guardianship laws, when she was stopped at an airport in Manila. She was forced to return to Saudi Arabia and has not been publicly heard from since.

Under this system of guardianship, adult women must obtain permission from a male guardian to travel abroad, marry or be released from prison. Sometimes a male's consent is also necessary to work. The restrictions last till death.

This system, human rights activists say, makes it very difficult for those like Alqunun to gain protection from abusive situations without resorting to drastic measures, like covertly fleeing to a third country without approval.

- - -

Mahtani reported from Hong Kong.

Read more:

Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign newsOn this date in ...

1919: Under the headline "Woman Named to $8,000 Job By Gov. Smith," the Times Union reported that Frances Perkins of New York City, chairman of the legislative committee of the Consumers' League, and a well-known welfare worker, was nominated by the new governor as a member of the state industrial commission for a six-year term. A decade later, her work in Albany would continue under another new governor, Franklin Roosevelt. When Roosevelt became president, he appointed Perkins to be U.S. Secretary of Labor. She was the first woman given a Cabinet position and at 12 years was the longest-serving person in that job.

1969: The Albany area chapter of the American Red Cross put out an urgent call for volunteer drivers, according to Mrs. W. Gordon Jardine, chairwoman of the chapter's motor service department. The shortage had developed because many were on vacation and the number of requests were numerous for blood delivery in the 13 counties served by the Northeastern New York Red Cross Blood Program. Volunteers were needed for shifts of up to eight hours a night every day of the week. Drivers were also needed to stand by for emergency blood delivery.

1994: The debate over potential dangers from electromagnetic fields flared up in Clifton Park, where the town board was considering an ordinance to require a 500-foot buffer between new substations and homes. The idea drew quick attention from Niagara Mohawk Power Corp. Since public utilities could usually override local laws in placing facilities through eminent domain, Supervisor Marvin LeRoy said any ordinance would be more advisory than binding. But the mere proposal, as evidence of public fears over low electromagnetic fields, had NiMo in rapid-response formation.

Want to read more about the Capital Region's past? Have any memories or thoughts about how our history relates to today's events? See http://blog.timesunion.com/history/Border Foundry, a prominent northside restaurant, was host to two disparate scenes on Tuesday night.

Most of the diners enjoyed their meals as if it were any other night.

But by the bar all eyes were tuned to the two televisions, where President Donald Trump was addressing the nation about what he and his administration call a crisis on the border. NBC News was in town, and conducted interviews with officials afterward.

But it was nothing new from the president. No sudden invocation of a national emergency or an announcement that he was closing the border, as some pundits had predicted.

Laredo Mayor Pete Saenz said he was expecting the address to be slightly more dramatic, and that he was anticipating the president to bring up terrorism on the border.

But he didnt offer any of that.  I agree with him that we do have a broken system. But hes offering the wall as a fix-all solution. Its become more of a symbol for the brokenness that we have. But the wall isnt going to fix it, Saenz said.

The mayor, who is also the chairman of the Texas Border Coalition, will travel to the Valley on Thursday to receive Trump as he tours the area.

Saenz said he keeps close communication with the other border mayors and judges who are members of the coalition, and none of them see a crisis either, he said.

He didnt convince me, and I say that respectively, Saenz said.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, agreed that the presidents address revealed nothing new. He said Trump was right when he spoke about Americas opioid crisis. But Cuellar noted that most of drugs Trump mentioned come in through ports of entry.

Even if you put a wall or a fence, its not going to keep the drugs from coming in, Cuellar said.

Cuellar also touched on the fact that the number of people apprehended by Border Patrol, although it has increased slightly over last year, is still a quarter of the number in 2000.

But in spite of these facts, and in spite of the fact that Trump will be on the border this week to see the situation for himself, Cuellar does not believe anything will change the president's mind about the wall.

Any rational person would say, Hey! Its safe. But with all due to respect to the president, I dont give him credit that hes going to be able to see that, Cuellar said.

Ahead of Trumps visit, the Texas Border Coalition disseminated a letter they have sent to the president welcoming him to the border and inviting him to tour one of their international bridges in the Valley: the McAllen-Hidalgo International Bridge, Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge or the Anzalduas International Bridge.

Without directly addressing the government shutdown, the county judge for Hidalgo County and the mayors for Laredo, McAllen, Pharr, Hidalgo and Mission, who all signed the letter, said they stand with the federal employees along the border, many of whom are currently working without pay.

We, along with border residents share a concern for border security and stand with the brave U.S. Customs and Border Protection men and women who continue to protect our nation every day. Our officers and their facilities are stretched thin, face an overwhelming opponent in the international drug cartels, and deserve all the support you may be able to offer, the letter reads.

Their letter also includes CBP data that explains, for instance, that nearly 90 percent of drug seizures, including cocaine, heroin, meth and fentanyl, are being smuggled into the U.S. through designated ports of entry. Trump has claimed several times that a wall would fix the issue of illegal drugs crossing from Mexico.

The Texas Border Coalition argued instead that money that the president wants to allocate for a wall should be used on improving infrastructure at international bridges.

Every day, $2 billion in economic activity comes through the U.S.-Mexico border ports of entry, the coalition writes in their letter. Current facilities cannot handle the traffic flow, causing long wait times and costing the U.S. economy millions of dollars.

A lack of inspection personnel, technology and infrastructure to support them has resulted in the land ports of entry becoming the preferred point through which the international drug cartels smuggling their deadly contraband.Guilderland

Just as I was succumbing to Christmas shopping malaise, a hip, golden-hued jacket flickered across my Instagram feed. Sponsored, it said. Perfect for my wife, Mary, I thought.

In a moment of weakness and impulse, I clicked on it.

I had never been sucked in by an Instagram ad before, but it was late on the night of Dec. 21. I had mall fatigue and online shopping ennui. I was running out of time and ideas for presents for my wife.

Instagram to the rescue.

"There's a sucker born every minute" needs to be updated to "every nanosecond" in the Instagram era. That split-second decision sent me down a rabbit hole of online skullduggery, sham operations, fraudulent labeling and shady e-commerce spanning three continents with ties to China, the Middle East, London, Canada and the U.S.

Emotion overtook reason and I momentarily lost hold of my reporter's skepticism: Caveat emptor. Buyer beware.

This jacket spoke to me, though. With its double rows of chunky buttons, epaulets and jewel tone, it had a Russian Hussar vibe. It seemed heaven-sent, like the fashionista gods were watching over me.

My wife, who is very fashionable, had been on a Russian kick lately, fueled by our summer trip to Moscow and Saint Petersburg.

This jacket, advertised as "Fashion Pure Colour Long Sleeve Coat" on the Gracyme website, was on sale for $36.95. The regular price was $91.91.

More Information Contact Paul Grondahl at grondahlpaul@gmail.com See More Collapse

The hook was set. It took only a matter of minutes to reel me in with a couple clicks on my iPhone. I quickly thumbed in my name, mailing address and credit card number. I paid $15.59 for express shipping to ensure the jacket would arrive by Christmas. My total outlay was $52.54. Still, an amazing deal.

I was feeling pretty smug. I could imagine my wife's surprise and excitement when she opened that super-cool jacket on Christmas morning. I imagined myself a Yuletide hero.

The distance from hero to zero is very short indeed.

Christmas came and went. No jacket. And no word from Gracyme. I went to the website. No clues there. No address. No contact information. I felt a pit in my stomach. Had I been scammed?

I checked my credit card transactions. A charge of $52.54 was made by OrderPlus International. I did a Google search and found this: "OrderPlus is a cross-border e-commerce company that rapidly builds overseas brands and delivers high-quality Chinese design and Chinese-made products to the global consumer market. The company was founded in June 2014 and currently employs several hundred people. Its headquarters is in Xi'an and has branches in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, London, Bangkok, and now Jakarta." More research turned up a footprint in Canada, while consumer fraud blogs warned the Gracyme website "raised a lot of red flags" and suggested it might be a "scam site" and to be wary of providing credit card information.

I wrote a testy note to the Gracyme website and got a prompt reply from Wanda Zeng of the Gracyme Customer Service Team. "Sorry you have been waiting a long time," she wrote. She apologized twice more, but said she could not refund the express shipping fee or the purchase price. She offered me a $5 coupon on my next Gracyme purchase.

"How do you think?" Wanda Zeng asked me.

I told Wanda Zeng I thought I was not pleased. I may have used stronger language.

I wrote to DHL Express because the tracking number I got from Gracyme was not in DHL's system. Now, I was getting more than mildly irritated. I was beginning to think that my customer service rep Wanda Zeng did not really exist and, for all I knew, Gracyme was some kind of online bot and there was no Russian Hussar jacket coming soon, or ever.

But then I heard from Alex Quesada, certified international specialist, from DHL Express. He included a Tempe, Ariz., address and a phone number. "I do apologize for any inconvenience. I will gladly assist you," Alex wrote in an email. He informed me that the tracking number that Wanda Zeng gave me was incorrect. He provided the correct number and sent me the shipment waybill. OK, Alex, now we're getting somewhere.

At 1:45 p.m. on Dec. 27, the jacket was picked up at a textile facility in Bahrain. I did a double-take. I thought it was made in China. I only vaguely knew where Bahrain was and Googled it.

Bahrain is a small Arab nation of 1.4 million people spread across 30 islands in the Arabian Gulf. It was one of the first Gulf states to discover oil and to build a refinery, but production was limited and it turned to textiles to bolster its economy. Meanwhile, the Muslim country is ruled by a Sunni king whose family has controlled Bahrain for generations. Long-simmering tensions among the dispossessed Shia majority boiled over into rioting in 2011 and the Sunni rulers called in the Saudi military to assist in the crackdown against demonstrators.

According to BBC News, well-known bloggers and journalists in Bahrain have been jailed for "undermining" the king and covering the 2011 anti-government demonstrations. Government surveillance of online activity is routine and cellphones are searched for "suspicious content" at security checkpoints.

Suddenly, I thought less of my wife's Russian-inspired jacket, given the repression on many levels in Bahrain.

The jacket was flown from Bahrain and reached Heathrow Airport in London on Dec. 28. It was flown that evening to New York City Gateway (location undisclosed) and held there for two days, over the weekend, until Monday, Dec. 31, when it was transported by truck to Latham. It arrived at my house in Guilderland in a bright yellow DHL van at 2:05 p.m. on New Year's Eve.

I told my wife the story of Instagram and Gracyme and Wanda Zeng and DHL and Alex Quesada and Bahrain and London. We tore open the package. Well, it sort of resembled the color in the Instagram ad, but was more egg yolk than royal yellow. The material was cheap, a lightweight polyester. The sewing was shoddy, the cuts were sloppy, the edges were unfinished and there were long snarls of hanging threads where the buttons were sewn on. Overall, it looked like it was made in a junior high school home economics class.

I inspected the clear plastic bag it came in. "Made in China," it said. There was no manufacturer's tag inside the jacket. The invoice said it weighed 8 ounces and had a value of $14 U.S. It was made by JS International Trading Co. in Diyar Al-Muharraq in the capital of Manama, Bahrain. There was an address. I checked satellite images and saw rows of industrial buildings, but could not pinpoint the factory where it was made.

I did not write back to Wanda Zeng. I am monitoring my credit card activity.

"Well, at least it's got a story," my wife said. She hung it on a railing of our stairway. There it rests, so far unworn.

Caveat emptor.

And one other lesson for my future purchases: Buy local.

Paul Grondahl is director of the New York State Writers Institute at the University at Albany and a former Times Union reporter. He can be reached at grondahlpaul@gmail.com.As the story of a feisty, vulnerable 12-year-old navigating the unforgiving streets of modern Beirut, "Capernaum" feels like a pointedly pessimistic offshoot of "The Bicycle Thief," the classic Italian neorealist tale of dispossession and dogged perseverance.

Drenched in poverty, hopelessness and impotent fury, this impassioned if ambiguously focused story often feels like an exercise in psycho-emotional stamina, as writer-director Nadine Labaki puts her endearing young protagonist into increasingly agonizing situations, sorely testing the audience's capacity for vicarious but wrenchingly realistic suffering.

Since making her effervescent feature debut "Caramel" in 2007, Labaki has embraced an eclectic, unpredictable approach to stories, genre and tone. Her most recent film, "Where Do We Go Now?," was a lively amalgam of satire, musical and mordant folk tale. With "Capernaum," the filmmaker discovers a far more sober side.

As the movie opens, a boy named Zain (Zain Al Rafeea) is being led before a judge. But, strangely - despite the handcuffs he's wearing - he's also the plaintiff. It turns out that the youngster is in jail for an act of violence, but has announced that he wants to sue his parents for the crime of bringing him into a world defined by physical hardship, emotional neglect, mental anguish and a fatal lack of innocence.

From that moment on, "Capernaum" shows viewers what has brought Zain to this point, a grievous litany of parental indifference and social hostility that recalls Dickens at his most heartbreaking and Swift at its most floridly overstated.

Zain lives in a cramped apartment with several brothers and sisters; one of them, a sweet girl named Sahar (Cedra Izam), is in danger of being sold into marriage by her parents to a much older shopkeeper in the neighborhood. At a pivotal point in the narrative, Zain leaves home, taking refuge in an amusement park where he meets an Ethiopian immigrant named Rahil (Yordanos Shiferaw). Along with her infant son, they form a kind of provisional family, offering a ray of hope that Zain will find the safety and nurturing he instinctively knows is his due.

No spoilers, but fair warning: It doesn't get better. Labaki, who reportedly shaped "Capernaum" to echo real-life events in the lives of her nonprofessional cast, isn't interested in reassurance or easy resolutions. Zain's trials will only become more difficult and dangerous as more calamities befall him and Rahil, as they become prey to a black market in which people literally don't exist without documentation, and can be commodified like so many cigarettes or pirated DVDs.

It's an unrelenting portrait, prone to opportunistic stakes-raising, but given undeniable pathos by the enormously sympathetic Al Rafeea, whose face can convey winsomeness and stark world-weariness at the same time. But when Labaki turns her attention to the trial, her ideas become garbled and unclear.

At some junctures, "Capernaum" veers dangerously close to equating poverty and moral incompetence; later in the film, Zain's mother makes a bitter speech to his lawyer (played by Labaki) about being judged. At that point, the target for the filmmaker's ire seems to be the "system," but who or what exactly that is remains fuzzy and ill-defined.

The result is a movie eager to show viewers the unending depredations visited upon people dislocated by war, injustice and lack of resources, but not nearly as adamant when it comes to providing incisive context or clear paths forward. Not that "Capernaum" is responsible for solving the problems it presents. And yet, despite small but powerful gestures in the finale, it leaves the audience feeling just as immobilized and powerless as its characters.

Labaki chose the title "Capernaum" because the word was often used to mean "chaos" in French literature. That's precisely what she presents to us, with precious little relief in sight.

---

Two and one-half stars. Rated R. Contains strong language and some drug elements. In Arabic with subtitles. 121 minutes.

Ratings Guide: Four stars masterpiece, three stars very good, two stars OK, one star poor, no stars waste of time.Dear Terry: Im hoisting a giant red warning flag on the idea of permanent makeup. This can go so very wrong. As the dermatologist I consulted told me, fading is a definite hazard. And your coral eyebrows are just one example of that. Tattoo technicians who are doing the job, to state the obvious, have widely varied skill. It takes a real artist, whether applying a classic tattoo on your bicep or eyeliner on your face. And theres no soap-and-water solution that will wash off the mistake. Sure, it is tempting to never have to bother again with applying liner or eyebrow makeup, or even lipstick and blush. You asked for my thoughts: Personally, I wouldnt risk it.Black Enough: Stories of Being Young & Black in America

Edited by Ibi Zoboi

Balzar + Bray. Age 13 and up. 400 pp. $17.99

---

"This is my story. This is my truth," says the young artist in Leah Henderson's "Warning: Color May Fade," one of 17 stories by contemporary black authors in "Black Enough: Being Young & Black in America."

This nuanced, wide-ranging anthology, edited by National Book Award finalist Ibi Zoboi, features a multitude of tales and viewpoints from established and new voices in YA fiction. In settings from Chicago to rural Maryland, the protagonists hang out, share kisses, apply to college and argue with their parents. Stories might span a single moment, a few hours or an entire season.

Jason Reynolds, who won Printz and Newbery honors last year for "Long Way Down," focuses on a summer afternoon, capturing the banter of easy friendship in "The Ingredients." Tochi Onyebuchi unleashes the musical voice of the polite son of a Nigerian immigrant over a number of weeks in "Samson and the Delilahs." Brandy Colbert and Varian Johnson visit the tensions around race within families and communities in "Oreo" and "Black Enough," respectively.

Young love - lesbian, gay and straight - is present in all its awkward sweetness. In "Kissing Sarah Smart," Devon fully embraces "the hottest white girl" as her mother takes steps to dissolve a traditional but unhappy marriage. A shy guy in a Chewbacca shirt has it all over a smooth-talking cologne vendor in Lamar Giles' funny "Black. Nerd. Problems."

Several stories actively explore power and privilege. In Henderson's tale, a student at a posh prep school must deal with dismissal of her artistic talent and dreams by her lawyer father and a white friend. Tracey Baptiste examines tortuous gender dynamics on the dance floor in "Gravity."

Two of the most intriguing stories involve time past and future. Rita Williams-Garcia brings an aspiring young fashion designer and an enslaved relative face to face in a witty, surprising time-travel tale titled "Whoa!" And Zoboi closes the anthology with "The (R)evolution of Nigeria Jones," in which a girl questions her black militant community and begins to chart a new course for herself.

In her sensitive introduction, Zoboi hopes that this timely book "will encourage all black teens to be their free, uninhibited selves." But the anthology is more than that: It's an invitation for all readers to understand, as its subtitle suggests, what it means to be "young and black in America."

---

Quattlebaum is a children's author and reviewer of teen fiction for The Washington Post. She teaches in the graduate program in writing for children and young adults at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.A Peninsula teenager who was gunned down in an elementary school parking lot was identified Tuesday as a Carlmont High School student and member of the varsity football team.

Mohammad Othman, 17, of Redwood City was shot sometime shortly before 11 p.m. Monday outside Central Elementary School at 525 Middle Road in Belmont, police and a family member said.

Mohammads family member did not want to be identified and declined to comment as police continue to hunt for the teens killer.

Throughout the day Tuesday, friends and classmates of Mohammad left flowers at a small memorial near where the teen was slain.

Carlmont High School principal Ralph Crame sent a letter to parents on Tuesday notifying them of the tragedy as school was set to resume on Wednesday following winter break.

As a close-knit community, I know we are all feeling the pain of losing a beloved member of our Carlmont family, Crame wrote. Although this is a difficult time for us, we know that the family is grieving, and we must keep them in our thoughts and support them in any way that we can.

Additional grief counselors would be on campus Wednesday, he said.

Police first learned of the killing after getting a call from the victims family requesting a welfare check at the school where his body was discovered, said Belmont police Capt. Patrick Halleran.

Mohammad was pronounced dead at the scene from a gunshot wound, he said.

Investigators were working to identify the killer, but Halleran said the shooting was not random and there was no connection between the victim and the school.

Mohammad was a senior at Carlmont and played wide receiver and defensive back on the schools football team.

Belmonts last homicide was in August 2017.

Gwendolyn Wu and Evan Sernoffsky are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: gwendolyn.wu@sfchronicle.com, esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @gwendolynawu @EvanSernoffskyWASHINGTON  Americas carbon dioxide emissions rose by 3.4 percent in 2018, the biggest increase in eight years, according to a preliminary estimate published Tuesday.

Strikingly, the sharp uptick in emissions occurred even as a near-record number of coal plants around the United States retired last year, illustrating how difficult it could be for the country to make further progress on climate change in the years to come, particularly as the Trump administration pushes to roll back federal regulations that limit greenhouse gas emissions.

The estimate, by research firm Rhodium Group, pointed to a stark reversal. Fossil fuel emissions in the United States have fallen significantly since 2005 and declined each of the previous three years, in part because of a boom in cheap natural gas and renewable energy, which have been rapidly displacing dirtier coal-fired power.

Yet even a steep drop in coal use last year wasnt enough to offset rising emissions in other parts of the economy. Some of that increase was weather-related: A relatively cold winter led to a spike in the use of oil and gas for heating in areas like New England.

But, just as important, as the U.S. economy grew at a strong pace last year, emissions from factories, planes and trucks soared. And there are few policies in place to clean those sectors up.

The big takeaway for me is that we havent yet successfully decoupled U.S. emissions growth from economic growth, said Trevor Houser, a climate and energy analyst at the Rhodium Group.

As U.S. manufacturing boomed, for instance, emissions from the nations industrial sectors  including steel, cement, chemicals and refineries  increased by 5.7 percent.

Policymakers working on climate change at the federal and state level have so far largely shied away from regulating heavy industry, which directly contributes about one-sixth of the countrys carbon emissions. Instead, theyve focused on decarbonizing the electricity sector through actions like promoting wind and solar power.

But even as power generation has gotten cleaner, those overlooked industrial plants and factories have become a larger source of climate pollution. The Rhodium Group estimates that the industrial sector is on track to become the second-biggest source of emissions in California by 2020, behind only transportation, and the biggest source in Texas by 2022.

Theres a similar story in transportation: Since 2011, the federal government has been steadily ratcheting up fuel-economy standards for cars and light trucks, although the Trump administration has proposed to halt the toughening of those standards after 2021.

There are signs that those standards have been effective. In the first nine months of 2018, Americans drove slightly more miles in passenger vehicles than they did over that span the previous year, yet gasoline use dropped by 0.1 percent, thanks in part to fuel-efficient vehicles and electric cars.

But, as Americas economy expanded last year, trucking and air travel also grew rapidly, leading to a 3 percent increase in diesel and jet fuel use and spurring an overall rise in transportation emissions for the year. Air travel and freight have also attracted less attention from policymakers to date and are considered much more difficult to electrify or decarbonize.

Demand for electricity surged last year, too, as the economy grew, and renewable power did not expand fast enough to meet the extra demand. As a result, natural gas filled in the gap, and emissions from electricity rose an estimated 1.9 percent. (Natural gas produces lower CO2 emissions than coal when burned, but it is still a fossil fuel.)

Even with last years increase, carbon dioxide emissions in the United States are still down 11 percent since 2005, a period of considerable economic growth. Trump administration officials have often cited that broader trend as evidence that the country can cut its climate pollution without strict regulations.

But if the world wants to avert the most dire effects of global warming, major industrialized countries, including the United States, will have to cut their fossil-fuel emissions much more drastically than they are currently doing.

Last month, scientists reported that greenhouse gas emissions worldwide rose at an accelerating pace in 2018, putting the world on track to face some of the most severe consequences of global warming sooner than expected.

Under the Paris climate agreement, the United States vowed to cut emissions 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. The Rhodium Group report warns that this target now looks nearly unattainable without a flurry of new policies or technological advances to drive down emissions throughout the economy.

The U.S. has led the world in emissions reductions in the last decade thanks in large part to cheap gas displacing coal, said Jason Bordoff, director of the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, who was not involved in the analysis. But that has its limits, and markets alone will not deliver anywhere close to the pace of decarbonization needed without much stronger climate policy efforts that are unfortunately stalled if not reversed under the Trump administration.

The Rhodium Group created its estimate by using government data for the first three quarters of 2018 combined with more recent industry data. The U.S. government will publish its official emissions estimates for all of 2018 later this year.Homework written by a school kid in ancient Egypt has been preserved since the second century A.D. And the words on the slab may sound familiar to any kid whose parents worry about them falling in with a bad crowd.

An ancient lesson preserved on a wood-mounted wax slab about the size of a Kindle reads: "You should accept advice from a wise man only" and "You cannot trust all your friends."

Acquired by the British Library in 1892, the tablet hasn't been publicly displayed since the 1970s. The homework slab will be featured in an upcoming British Library exhibit called "Writing: Making Your Mark," which traces the evolution of writing over 5,000 years of human history, library representatives said in a statement. [In Photos: Ancient Egyptian School Discovered]

On the wax tablet is a two-part lesson in Greek that provides a snapshot of daily life for a pupil attending primary school in Egypt about 1,800 years ago, exhibit co-curator Peter Toth, also a curator of ancient and medieval manuscripts at the British Library, told Live Science in an email.

One part of the assignment was a writing exercise. The slab displays a teacher's written example in the first line, and the next two lines contain the same words copied "rather clumsily" in the student's hand, much as primary students today copy lines penned by their teachers, Toth said. The rest of the homework included a multiplication table and reading exercises.

Though the name and sex of the tablet's owner is unknown, the child was likely a boy from a wealthy family, as formal education in ancient Egypt was typically reserved for males of privilege, according to the Royal Ontario Museum.

Life lessons

Lines copied by this long-ago student were not just for practicing penmanship; they were also intended to impart moral lessons. "It's not only the hands and fingers but also the mind that is being instructed here," Toth said.

(As of yet, no ancient Egyptian homework has been discovered with the lines: "If your friends jumped into the Nile, would you do it too?" but it wouldn't be surprising.)

Homework slabs like this one were made by pouring melted, blackened wax into a rectangular depression at the center of a wooden tablet. Once the wax cooled, teachers and students could use a metal stylus to scratch letters that appeared as a lighter color against the dark background.

Wax typically breaks down in the presence of moisture, so the region's dry climate likely helped to protect the tablet, "preserving the clumsy handwriting of a primary school pupil from almost two millennia ago," Toth said.

Along with the homework slab, the exhibition brings together over 100 artifacts from the British Library collections to explore examples of writing from ancient civilizations to modern cultures. Objects include stone monuments bearing Egyptian hieroglyphs; a copy of the literary classic "Ulysses" annotated by author James Joyce; musical notes penned by Mozart; and contemporary tattooing instruments.

"Writing: Making Your Mark" will appear at the British Library from April 26 through Aug. 27, 2019.

Original article on Live Science.The reconstructed skeleton of the Eocene whale B. isis (top) alongside the skeleton of D. atrox, a smaller whale that B. isis likely ate for lunch. (Image credit: Voss et al., 2019)

An ancient whale twice the length of today's orcas once chowed down on other whales in the Eocene epoch's seas.

A fossil discovered in Egypt appears to preserve the whale, an extinct species called Basilosaurus isis, with the bones of a smaller whale species in its stomach. Researchers suspect that the toothy B. isis hunted nurslings of the species Dorudon atrox, delivering killing bites to the smaller whales' skulls before consuming the prey.

"B. isis itself had a long snout and was armed with pointed incisors and sharp cheek teeth," study author Manja Voss, a marine mammal researcher at the Berlin Museum fur Naturkunde, told Live Science in an email. These fearsome features suggest that the whale was an apex predator of its time. [Image Gallery: Ancient Monsters of the Sea]

Marine monster

Basilosaurus isis lived between 34 million and 38 million years ago and grew to between 50 and 60 feet (15 and 18 meters) in length. Close relatives of this toothy whale have previously been found fossilized with the remains of fish and sharks in their abdominal areas, suggesting that the whales hunted or scavenged.

But a 2010 discovery of a B. isis fossil in Egypt's Wadi Al-Hitan (Valley of Whales) is the first-ever specimen of the species found preserved with its last meal inside it. The valley, about 87 miles (140 kilometers) southwest of Cairo, is a hotspot for whale fossils, with hundreds of skeletons found preserved there.

Here, another fossilized skeleton of a B. isis whale from Egpyt's Wadi Al Hitan (Valley of Whales). (Image credit: KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Fossils at Wadi Al-Hitan are often found on the surface, Voss said, their white bones gleaming in the sun. That's how researchers discovered the new B. isis, which was already exposed by wind and erosion. Scientists removed the fossilized stomach contents for analysis, but they left the rest of the whale covered in sediment after they'd taken photos and measurements, so the fossil would be protected.

Among the jumble of bones found mixed with the whale's skeleton were teeth, skull fragments, vertebrae and ribs of D. atrox, an ancient species of whale that grew to about 16 feet (5 m) long. Some of the skull fragments had bite marks that appeared to match B. isis's teeth.

Whales eating whales

B. isis could have scavenged these fellow whales, but Voss and her colleagues said they suspect that B. isis hunted its fellow cetaceans. Bite marks on the skull suggest a killing attack, the researchers reported today (Jan. 9) in the journal PLOS ONE, not a scavenging nibble, which would be more likely to target the fatty abdominal area. What's more, several juvenile D. atrox skeletons have been found in the Valley of the Whales, the researchers wrote.

"Something killed them," Voss said. The large and toothy B. isis is a perfect suspect, she said. Its anatomy suggests it was a killer, and it could have easily hunted juvenile D. atrox. Modern whales of D. atrox's size nurse alongside their mothers for up to two years, the researchers wrote, making these young whales vulnerable targets for large hunters.

A modern equivalent would be orcas, which are about half the size of Basilosaurus at up to 23 to 32 feet (7 to 9.7 m) long. Orcas hunt a variety of other marine animals, including whales; in one 2017 incident off the coast of California, a particularly deadly pod of orcas killed four gray whales, including one calf, in a week. The fossils suggest that the "whales-eating-whales" behavior started very early in whale evolution, Voss said.

The fossilized stomach contents of the large whale also included teeth from the 3.2-foot-long (1 m) ancient fish Pycnodus mokattamensis, suggesting that B. isis hunted large fish, too. Researchers also found a single tooth from a shark called Carcharocles sokolovi, a creature that would have been about 16 feet (5 m) long. B. isis may have hunted large sharks, the researchers wrote  orcas occasionally try to take down great whites in the modern day  but it's more likely that the shark lost its tooth while scavenging the B. isis carcass.

Originally published on Live Science.Belly fat has long been thought to be particularly bad for your heart, but now, a new study adds more evidence to the idea that it may also be bad for your brain.

The study, from the United Kingdom, found that people who were obese and had a high waist-to-hip ratio (a measure of belly fat) had slightly lower brain volumes, on average, compared with people who were a healthy weight. Specifically, belly fat was linked with lower volumes of gray matter, the brain tissue that contains nerve cells.

"Our research looked at a large group of people and found obesity, specifically around the middle, may be linked with brain shrinkage, lead study author Mark Hamer, a professor at Loughborough Universitys School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences in Leicestershire, England, said in a statement.

Lower brain volume, or brain shrinkage, has been linked with an increased risk of memory decline and dementia. [10 Things You Didn't Know About the Brain]

The new findings, published today (Jan. 9) in the journal Neurology, suggest that the combination of obesity (as measured by body mass index, or BMI) and a high waist-to-hip ratio may be a risk factor for brain shrinkage, the researchers said.

However, the study found only an association between belly fat and lower brain volume, and cannot prove that carrying more fat around the waist actually causes brain shrinkage. It could be that people with lower volumes of gray matter in certain brain areas are at a higher risk of obesity. Future studies are needed to tease out the reasons for the link.

Dangerous fat

Belly fat, also called visceral fat, is fat thats stored deep within the abdominal cavity. Its tied to greater health risks than subcutaneous fat, or fat thats stored just under the skin. Previous studies have linked visceral fat with a higher risk of heart disease (including heart attack and stroke), Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and premature death, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Some previous studies have also found a link between visceral fat or a high waist-to-hip ratio and lower brain volume, but these studies tended to be small and did not look at the combined effect of BMI and waist-to-hip ratio.

In the new study, the researchers analyzed information from more than 9,600 people living in the United Kingdom, with an average age of 55. Participants had their BMI and waist-to-hip ratio measured, and underwent an MRI to determine their brain volumes.

The study found that people with both a high BMI and high waist-to-hip ratio had the lowest brain volumes, compared with people who had just a high BMI (but not a high waist-to-hip ratio) and people of a healthy weight.

Specifically, people with both a high BMI and high waist-to-hip ratio had an average gray matter volume of 786 cubic centimeters, compared with 793 cubic centimeters for people with a high BMI but not a high waist-to-hip ratio; and 798 cubic centimeters for people of a healthy weight.

The findings held even after researchers took into account other factors that can affect brain volume, including age, smoking and high blood pressure.

Though the study didn't look at potential mechanisms linking visceral fat and brain shrinkage, one hypothesis is that this type of fat is thought to produce inflammatory substances that may play a role in brain atrophy, the researchers said.

Dr. Gayatri Devi, a neurologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, who was not involved with the study, agreed with the findings. "Brain gray matter shrinkage...seems to be associated with obesity and with increased visceral fat, she said.

"All this goes to show that good general health is very important for good brain health," Devi told Live Science.

A limitation of the study is that people who agreed to take part in the study tended to be healthier than people who did not want to take part, so the results may not apply to the general population as a whole, the researchers noted.

Originally published on Live Science.George, the last known <em>Achatinella apexfulva</em> snail in the Hawaiian Islands, died on New Year's Day, 2019.

George the snail won't be leaving any more silvery trails in his wake. The 14-year-old champ  the last known snail of his species  died in captivity on New Year's Day, 2019, according to Hawaii's Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR).

George belonged to the species Achatinella apexfulva, the first of more than 750 land snail species that Western scientists described from the Hawaiian Islands. The snail was named for the Pinta Island Galapagos tortoise Lonesome George, who was also the last of his kind when he died in 2012.

A. apexfulva snails were once plentiful in the Ko'olau Mountains of Oahu. Because they lived at lower elevations than other snails and were easy to collect, A. apexfulva often ended up in Hawaiian leis, the DNLR said. [Amazing Mollusks: Images of Strange & Slimy Snails]

In fact, the first mention of A. apexfulva dates to 1787, when Capt. George Dixon, an English explorer, landed at Oahu and received a lei with a beautiful snail shell on it, the DNLR said. These snails were so common, that 10,000 could easily be collected in just one day, 19th-century records suggest.

"Anything that is abundant in the forest is an integral part of it," Michael Hadfield, an invertebrate biologist who formerly directed the rare Hawaiian snail captive-breeding program, told National Geographic. For instance, Hawaii doesn't have any native earthworms, so it's largely up to land snails to decompose organic matter.

But A. apexfulva numbers plummeted over the decades, largely because of invasive species that gobbled them up, such as rats, Jackson's chameleons (Kenyan natives brought to Hawaii as pets) and the rosy wolfsnail, a predatory snail from Florida that was brought in the 1950s to eat agricultural pests. In other words, A. apexfulva was so tasty, it barely stood a chance.

So, in 1997, scientists scooped up the last 10 A. apexfulva found in the wild. These snails were taken to the University of Hawaii for captive breeding, but all of the offspring died, except for George.

And George, quite understandably, acted like a loner.

"For a snail, he was a little bit of a hermit," David Sischo, a wildlife biologist with the Hawaii Invertebrate Program, told NPR. "I very rarely saw him outside of his shell."

Snails are hermaphrodites, so George wasn't technically a male because "he" had both male and female reproductive organs. But A. apexfulva snails don't appear to mate without a partner, which George (unfortunately) did not possess.

In 2017, scientists snipped off a 0.07 inch (2 millimeters) piece of George's foot for research purposes. The still-living tissue is now stored in a deep-freeze container at San Diego's Frozen Zoo, but it remains to be seen whether some new technology, such as CRISPR, will be able to one day bring the snail back. As of now, the science isn't there yet, Sischo told WAMC, Northeast Public Radio.

George's death "is a significant loss to locals as he was featured in numerous articles and hundreds of school children have viewed him over the years," the DLNR said in its statement.

Hawaii's other land snails also face an uphill battle for survival, as climate change and invasive species affect the islands' fragile ecosystems.

"As we are all mourning George, I hold tighter the thought that hope still does exist for these native snails," Norine Yeung, the malcology (or study of molluscs) collection manager at the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum in Honolulu, where George's remains are now stored in ethanol, told National Geographic. "Please don't forget them."

Originally published on Live Science.The ancient stone circle near the village of Alford, west of Aberdeen, was unknown to archaeologists until recently  but well-known to local people.

Update: Archaeologists recently found that the "ancient" stone circle in Scotland was actually built in the 1990s by a Scottish farmer. Read more about the new discovery.

An ancient circle of standing stones was recently "discovered" by archaeologists in Scotland. But it turns out, local farmers have known about it for generations.

The ancient monumental structure  thought to be between 3,500 and 4,500 years old  consists of 10 stones, each about 3 feet (1 meter) high, standing in a circle about 25 feet (7.7 m) across.

The stone circle is located in a remote patch of farmland near the village of Alford, about 25 miles (40 kilometers) west of Aberdeen. [See Photos of the Ancient Stone Circle in Scotland]

The monument is an example of a "recumbent" stone circle, a style unique to the northeast of Scotland and the south-west of Ireland. This style has a large "recumbent" stone lying on its side between two upright stones, or "flankers," in the southwest of the circle.

A member of the Aberdeenshire Council archaeological team, Neil Ackerman, told Live Science that the stone circle was "discovered" by archaeologists only in November of last year, after the land where it was located was sold.

One of the former land owners, Fiona Bain, mentioned to council archaeologists that she had tried to find out more about the mysterious stone circle, but she couldn't find any records of it, Ackerman said.

As a result, archaeologists from Aberdeenshire Council and the Historic Environment Scotland agency visited the site and surveyed the stone circle, he said.

"It really doesn't get much better than this," Ackerman said. "A lot of the recumbent stone circles that people have known about for a very long time only have two or three stones left  so to have one that is complete is quite unusual."

Local knowledge

Several local people were familiar with the stone circle near Alford, in part, because they walked their dogs at a nearby track.

One member of a local farming family, now in her 80s, remembered seeing the stone circle at some time in the 1930s, Ackerman said. But the circle was in farmland, far from the main roads in the area, and had remained unknown to archaeologists until now, he said.

Stone circles in this part of Scotland are distinguished by a large "recumbent" stone lying in the southwest of the circle. (Image credit: Neil Ackerman/Aberdeenshire Council Archaeology Service)

Before the latest discovery, the last complete stone circle was recorded in the area about 50 years ago.

Some other ancient recumbent stone circles in the area had been damaged when their stones were removed for other purposes; some others were completely destroyed, and only the settings of the ancient stones can now be seen, he said.

Ackerman said the stone circle near Alford may be one of the last complete stone circles that will be found in the northeast of Scotland.

"There are a few bits of Aberdeenshire and the northeast of Scotland in general that aren't as well-surveyed as other areas  and this is one of the areas that had less work done on it in the past," he said.

Now that archaeologists have professionally surveyed the stone circle, it will be included in future research into ancient stone monuments in the region, he said.

Recumbent stone circles

Stone circles with a large "recumbent" stone are found only in the northeast of Scotland and the southwest of Ireland, although thousands of circles without recumbent stones are found in other parts of Britain and Europe.

The distribution of recumbent stone circles in Scotland has also been linked to the manufacture of intricately carved stone balls  another unusual type of ancient artwork.

The distinctive recumbent stone is usually flanked by two upright stones  although one of them has fallen down at the circle near Alford. (Image credit: Neil Ackerman/Aberdeenshire Council Archaeology Service)

The stone circles, Ackerman said, were often built on top of even earlier cairns of rocks and were used at later dates in prehistory for the burial of cremated human remains.

"The monument you see as the finished recumbent stone circle is the last stage, as it were, in a fairly long life of monument use, which is kind of normal for prehistory  people like building stuff on important places," he said. [In Photos: A Walk Through Stonehenge]

Most recumbent stone circles were larger than 36 feet (11 m) across, making the circle near Alford a relatively small example of its kind. It is also one of the westernmost recumbent stone circles yet found, he said.

The stone circle was located on high ground with good views of the surrounding area, which may explain why it was built there, he said.

Like many others in Scotland's northeast, the stone circle near Alford is oriented with its large recumbent stone in the southwest of the circle. Some researchers think this orientation reflects the location of the midwinter sunset, which would have been an important date for farming peoples.

But Ackerman said there was still a great deal of debate among archaeologists about why the stone circles are orientated as they are. "If you wait long enough, it's going to line up with something," he said.

Editor's Note: This article was updated to correct the time period in which the stone circle was built.

Original article on Live Science."We would need to follow adolescents into adulthood to start to answer this question," Quinlan said. "In this study we did not look at changes in brain activity, which could be a mechanism by which the effects of bullying on mental health could persist even if structural changes were halted or reversed."You will wish you had a medical degree on those nights when a rash shows up and you have no idea if you should rush to the emergency room or pull out the calamine lotion. You will wish you had taken a child psychology class instead of Zen Buddhism in college when your kid starts asking about death. You will spend hours researching the benefits of Montessori programs versus language-immersion ones versus traditional schooling and then still feel you know nothing. This is true whether you have a PhD or GED.LIMERICK Senator Maria Byrne says there is a realistic fear locally that it is only a matter of time before there is a fatal accident at a County Limerick crossroads.

After yet another accident at the Five Cross Roads in Murroe, Senator Byrne has called on Limerick City and County Council roads Department to install a roundabout at this notorious accident blackspot.

For years this junction has been the scene of countless accidents. Any traffic calming measures thus far have simply not worked. Following my representations to the relevant engineers in the council I understand that further traffic calming measures are to be put in place at this location but anything short of traffic lights or a roundabout at this location is not acceptable, said Senator Byrne.

I personally have used this junction on numerous occasions since the instillation of flashing stop signs and other measures. While these measures are welcome they simply cannot remove the danger. While attending regular meeting with the Murroe Wood Park committee, I cannot think of a meeting at which the topic of the Five Cross Roads wasnt raised with me by someone, said Senator Byrne.

The Fine Gael senator urged council engineers to address the problems at the location with a sense of urgency as there is a realistic fear locally that it is only a matter of time before there is a fatal accident at this junction.THE start of 2019 proved costly for more than a dozen Limerick householders who were fined for not having a television licence.

At Limerick District Court, State Solicitor Aileen Mee, said an inspector with An Post had called to each of the houses and had spoken to the defendant when they answered the door.

In direct evidence, he confirmed there was a television at each of the properties on the date he called but that a TV licence had not been taken out.

Court proceedings, Ms Mee said, were subsequently initiated against the householders.

There was no evidence as to whether those before the court were the owners or tenants at the property where they were living.

All of the prosecutions related to detections which were made at addresses on the northside of the city and in Corbally on dates during May and June 2018.

In cases where a TV licence has not been taken out since, Judge Marian OLeary imposed a 200 fine and she also ordered the defendant to pay the costs of An Post associated with the case  normally 80.

Just one of those before the court last Friday has taken out a licence since while a number of prosecutions were adjourned to allow defendants the opportunity to take out a licence.

Most of those before the court were fined in their absence as they did not appear in person on the day.

One woman who did appear apologised for not having a TV licence saying she was struggling to get through Christmas with kids and could not afford to buy one at the time.THE Limerick councillor at the centre of an astronomical controversy says he never intended for his comments about the moon landing to be taken seriously.

Sinn Fein Cllr Seighin OCeallaigh was reacting to strong criticism of him on social media and in some national newspapers.

At a meeting of the Metropolitan District before Christmas, he questioned if the moon landing actually took place as he criticised the proposed theme of this years St Patricks Festival.

As reported by the Limerick Leader, he said he was opposed to the One Giant Leap theme as it relates to what he claimed is fake news which has no connection to Limerick.

During the meeting, he described the moon-landing as being much-disputed  even referring to some theories that it may have been filmed in Hollywood.

The founder of Astronomy Ireland  David Moore  says the claims simply do not hold water.

Speaking on Tuesday, he said he was satisfied the moon landing did take place 50 years ago in 1969.

Ive met and interviewed Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and some of the other moon-walkers as well, they are genuine people and we definitely had the technology to do it  especially as it was a matter of great prestige for the Americans in the space race against the Russians  the Soviets at the time, he said.

These conspiracy theories saying that we didnt go to the moon just dont hold water and I know some of the statements are definitely false  we can show that, he added.

In a brief statement, reacting to the criticism, Cllr OCeallaigh said his comments at the meeting were made in jest.

While discussing the suggested theme for St Patrick's Day in Limerick, I jokingly said that the moon landing was disputed by some.

I never intended nor expected this remark to be taken seriously. I, of course, did not say I disputed this as it is a well documented piece of history.

I continued to say that since this is the centenary year of the Limerick Soviet that this would be a more appropriate theme, he said.I having been doing a lot of television, Coon said, but I am ready to get back to the theater. And I know you know that Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? changed everything for me. So I very much want to give back to the company that made that happen.GARDAI in Limerick are investigating a number of incidents during which handbags were stolen from cars which were parked in public places.

In one incident, a car was targeted while parked outside a church as the owner was attending Mass.

Unfortunately the lady had left her handbag in the car and after Mass she discovered the car window smashed and her handbag was gone, said a garda spokesperson.

In a separate incident, a sum of cash was stolen from an unlocked car which was parked outside a graveyard.

When the owner returned to her car the door was open and she could see that a sum of cash had been taken from her purse and the purse left behind, said Sgt Ber Leetch.

In a third incident, a bag was taken from a car which was parked at a nursing home while the owner was visiting a relative.

Again, the vehicle was not locked.ONE OF the worlds biggest home retail giants, Jysk, has said that it would be great to build a store in Limerick as it scouts for more than 10 locations across the country over the next two years.

Founded in 1979, the Danish homeware and furniture store, which rivals Swedens Ikea, has more than 2,700 stores in more than 50 countries across the globe, and is looking to set up 15 in Ireland.

So far, Jyskpronounced yuskhas confirmed that it will open four stores in Ireland in the coming months starting in April, in Naas, Navan, Drogheda and Portlaoise.

And while a Jysk spokesperson could not confirm that a store will be opening in Limerick, she said: It would be great to have a Jysk store in Limerick and we are actively seeking out good retail opportunities across the country.

Jysk is expected to bring 200 jobs to Ireland.

The Danish retail giant will open an Irish office in Dublin early this year, and will fill around 10 roles in sales, marketing, human resources and finance, Jysk said last week.MAXI ZOO customers in Limerick have helped to transform the lives of children with Autism by raising money to provide them with highly trained assistance dogs.

A whopping 25,650 was raised as part of the annual Maxi Zoo Give Paw fundraising campaign and all proceeds have been presented to Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland (AADI).

The month-long fundraising campaign was supported by local pet owners when it took place at the Maxi Zoo pet store City East Retail Park last October, offering locals the opportunity to support the national charity by buying a friendship bracelet.

One in every 65 children in Ireland has Autism. We have over 200 children on our waiting list which we had to close due to lack of funding. In the past 24 months we have had over 1,600 families contact our charity asking us for our support, said Nuala Geraghty, CEO, Autism Assistance Dogs Ireland.

These are families that you no longer see in our communities because their childs Autism is so debilitating that they cannot leave their homes. The generous contributions to Maxi Zoos Give Paw campaign will really help us to reach more children and their families and to change their lives and their future, she added.

Assistance dogs are service dogs who are trained for up to two years to carry out specific tasks to support children with Autism.A TRAVELLER who built horse sheds without planning permission at the Limerick halting site where he lives was fined 500.

Limerick City and County Council successfully prosecuted Patrick Casey, aged 39, of Toppins Field, Rathbane, over his failure to comply with the terms of an enforcement notice which was served on him more than two years ago.

At a hearing in October, Judge Marian OLeary was told the father-of-nine has been a tenant at the halting site since 1999 and that the sheds are located in an unused bay.

Planning inspector Michael OBrien said he first became aware of the sheds in 2015 and that he subsequently wrote to Mr Casey advising him they were not authorised and would have to be removed.

He said the local authority intends developing group housing at the halting site and that the council, as the landowner, would not consent to any application for the retention of the sheds.

Mr Casey told Limerick District Court he has been keeping horses at the halting site throughout his tenancy and that he winters the animals in the sheds to keep them warm.

He said he had initially used a container for the horses but built a lean-to and walls in recent years.

Mr Casey said the council has built sheds for other tenants at the halting site and that no-one else is getting any bother.

In response, solicitor Will Leahy said the local authority is entitled to deal with other tenants as it sees fit and that it was none of Mr Caseys business.

Last month, the judge threatened to find Mr Casey in contempt if he did not remove the sheds.

During a review of the case this week, solicitor Darach McCarthy confirmed his client has removed the sheds to the satisfaction of the local authority.

He said Mr Casey, whose social welfare was recently cut off, had felt aggrieved at the way he was treated by the council in its dealings with him.

Solicitor Will Leahy confirmed the sheds have been removed from the site and he asked that the council be awarded its costs which totalled 3,603.87.

Clarifying the break-down, Mr Leahy said just over 1,900 related to legal expenses while the remainder related to the work carried out by the planning inspector.

While the matter has been listed before the court on nine separate occasions, Mr McCarthy asked the court to note his clients means and his lack of any income.

He also pointed out the case did not proceed on one occasion due to heavy snowfall associated with Storm Emma.

He should not be penalised for an act of God, he said.

In addition to the fine, Judge OLeary ordered Mr Casey to pay 3,200 towards the councils costs within 18 months.A MAN who is accused of entering a restricted area at a discount store in Limerick city centre was refused bail after gardai expressed concerns he would continue to offend if released.

Dean Price, aged 30, of Lee Estate, Island Road, appeared before Limerick District Court after he was charged with burglary relating to an incident at Dealz on Bedford Row on New Years Eve.

Opposing bail, Garda Sheila Clavin said it will be alleged the defendant entered a staff area in the basement of the store shortly before 5.30pm on December 31.

She said a handbag was rifled through in a staff canteen and that it will be alleged Mr Price attempted to enter a cash office before a member of staff encountered him.

His reason for being there was pretty poor, she said, adding that CCTV footage has been obtained from the premises as part of the garda investigation.

Nothing was taken during the alleged burglary and there is no suggestion of any violence being perpetrated by the defendant.

Seeking a remand in custody, Sergeant Donal Cronin said a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the matter and that directions are awaited.

Garda Clavin told Judge Marian OLeary she had concerns about the defendants drug use and his mental health and that she feared he would not appear in court and would engage in further criminality if released on bail.

Barrister Liam Carroll insisted his client is not a flight risk and was willing to abide by any conditions imposed by the court.

He submitted the alleged offence is at the lower end of the scale and that it will be difficult for the State to prove intent giving the nature of the allegations against him.

Seeking bail he said strict conditions could be drawn up by the court which would allay the fears of gardai.

Upholding the garda objection, Judge OLeary refused bail and remanded the defendant in custody pending directions for the DPP.We're sorry that the ministry you were looking for is no longer available on LightSource.com. However, below are some great ministries that offer related content. Enjoy the inspiration, encouragement, and Biblical challenge from these LightSource.com ministry partners!After concerns were raised about the future of the long-awaited new hospital in Carrick-on-Shannon at Monday's Council meeting, a spokesperson for the HSE has stated: "The replacement of St Patrick's Hospital in Carrick-on-Shannon with a new 95 bed Community Nursing Unit is on the current HSE Capital Plan."

The current capital plan runs until 2021 and the proposed new hospital has been included on this list for the last three years.

At Monday's Council meeting concerns were raised about the status of the new hospital and whether the money to build the facility is still available.

It subsequently came to light the the preferred site for this facility, along the Leitrim Road, has been deemed unsuitable because of the costs involved in providing flood protection at this location.

Leitrim County Council Senior Planner, Bernard Greene, said the HSE and Council are currently engaged in pre-planning discussions but added that these discussions were "confidential" and that he could not comment on the discussions.

The spokesperson for the HSE said the current status of the project is that "approval has been granted to proceed with the purchase of a site in Carrick-on-Shannon," although it is not clear if a new site has been chosen or if the HSE are still searching for a new location for the hospital. The HSE has been asked to clarify this point.

The spokesperson further stated that the design and planning application for the new unit will be "progressed in 2019".Celebrity Chef Neven Maguire from MacNean Bistro in Blacklion, Co Cavan will return to our screens this week with a brand new seven-part series of his hugely popular Food Trails programmes.

Neven's Irish Seafood Trails is his first series dedicated to seafood. His journey around Ireland takes Neven to Mayo, Cork, Donegal, Sligo, Kerry, Galway, Dublin and Kilkenny, as he discovers the very best of Irish seafood and braves some choppy waters!

In this Wednesday evening's episode (January 9), the popular border chef heads to Mayo. His first stop is the stunning Clew Bay where Neven takes a boat out to meet Michael Mulloy, a mussel farmer who shows Neven how its done, and treats him to some mussels cooked on board.

Back on dry land, Neven visits the Knockranny House Hotel in Westport where head chef Seamus Commons shares a recipe for Haddock and Bon Bons. Venturing south, Neven visits Irelands only fjord at Killary, where a boat trip is the best way to explore the beautiful scenery.

Neven then calls in at the intriguingly named Misunderstood Heron food truck for a freshly made fish pasty. To end his Mayo seafood adventures, Neven returns to Clew Bay and a choppy sea to visit the Clare Island Organic Salmon Farm. To complete this first programme Neven prepares delicious Salmon Burgers.

Neven's Irish Seafood Trails is produced and directed by David Hare for InproductionTV and is sponsored by BORD BIA.

Next week sees Neven travel to Cork. Starting in Baltimore, Neven takes a boat trip with Cornie Bohane, a local prawn fisherman. This is Nevens first attempt at fishing for prawns, or pink shrimp, and Cornie shows him the techniques needed to haul a perfect catch. As the weather scuppers plans for a whale watching trip, Neven devises a delicious Plan B, enlisting Youen Jacob from the Waterfront Hotel to cook the prawns from earlier, which Neven then shares with Micheal Cottrell, owner of the Baltimore Sea Safari.

Still in Baltimore, Neven meets Vicky Gilshenan, head chef at Caseys Hotel who shows him how to dress a brown crab: an essential seafood skill.

Next, Neven calls in at the Woodcock Smokery in Rosscarbery to meet Sally Barnes: one of the countrys finest fish smokers. Sally demonstrates how she produces her acclaimed, traditionally smoked haddock: a West Cork delicacy. Next week, Neven's recipe is the delicious French fish soup, Bouillabaisse.

Neven's Irish Seafood Trails were air every Wednesday on RTE ONE at 8.30pm.

Also read: Chef Neven Maguire teams up with Home Economics teachersJanuary 24 is the busiest day for new year job-hunting, according to new Jobs.ie data.

The company recommended that employers with recruitment requirements should look to advertise positions as soon as possible, as job-seekers will reach peak numbers towards the end of the month.

Based on 2018 figures, traffic on 24 January is 44% higher than an average day in the year. This marks a 7% increase on 2017, when traffic was 37% higher than average on the same day. This year-on-year rise in visitor traffic suggests another busy job-hunting day in 2019.

Typically, the month of January is a strong hiring month, with 2018 seeing a 13% increase in the number of jobs advertised on the previous year.

Employers looking to fill roles in the sales, hotel and catering, and retail sectors could see increased interest in vacancies advertised this month, with research showing these sectors in particular demand in January.

Christopher Paye, General Manager at Jobs.ie, said: A new year signals a fresh start for many people, with the festive period allowing time for reflection on 2018 goals, as well as setting out personal and professional ambitions for the next twelve months.

As a result, we see a significant increase in the traffic to Jobs.ie in January each year, and in particular on 24 January, where visits to the site were up 44% on an average day in 2018.

Irelands jobs market is extremely buoyant. Jobs.ie currently has 3,403 vacancies. Job-seekers have their pick of a wide range of opportunities. For employers, there is increased competition to find the right people to fill roles.

The beginning of the year is the best time for businesses to look for new recruits, and in particular January, as the talent market is at its most active. Even if your business doesnt require additional staff right away, its wise to always be looking for your next hire. By prioritising recruitment and keeping a close eye on the market all year, youll ensure that you secure the right people for your business.Johnstown-based charity The Jack & Jill Childrens Foundation has appointed Carmel Doyle as CEO, effective immediately.

Carmel has worked with Jack & Jill for the past 10 years, initially as communications director, and more recently as Iinterim CEO since June last, replacing Hugo Jellett who stepped down.

According to the organisation, her appointment follows a comprehensive recruitment process over the last four months that attracted over 70 applicants.

Read also: Naas foodstore served with prohibition order by Food Safety Authority

Jack & Jill provides home nursing care, including end-of-life care, to children under the age of five. It was set up in 1997 by Jonathan Irwin and his wife Mary Ann OBrien in memory of their son Jack who they nursed at home for his short life. Today, it supports 340 children across the country.

Carmel started working with Jack & Jill in 2008. She has 30 years experience at senior management and board level in communications and business, and has worked with several PR consultancies in Ireland and internationally, including Text 100, Edelman, Keating & Associates and Heneghan PR, as well as running her own business. She specialised in corporate PR and campaigns across a wide range of clients including multinationals and not for profit organisations, winning several awards for her work. A former researcher with NCB Stockbrokers, she is a marketing graduate and a fellow, lecturer and former President of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland.

Donal Kavanagh, Chairman of the Board of Jack & Jill said: We are delighted to have someone of Carmels calibre and experience to lead the charity in our next phase of development and growth towards 2020 and beyond. We are confident that Carmel has the right skillset tosuccessfully lead the team into another challenging year of delivering the best home nursing care possible for the precious children and families under our wing and to fundraise another 3.8 million to keep the service going.

Commenting on her new appointment, Carmel said: I want to thank the Board of Jack & Jill for the opportunity to lead this charity and to build on the solid foundation laid by Jonathan Irwin and Mary Ann OBrien, our co-founders. I understand just how much the families we support depend on their Jack & Jill hours and this gives such a strong sense of community, identity and purpose to me and to the charity. Our key priorities in 2019 are to strive for further expansion of the service, to reinforce the Jack & Jill funding model and to convince the HSE to pay more of the running costs while always demonstrating good governance by showing exactly where the money goes and the difference every donation makes.Bistro 110 (110 E. Pearson St., 312-266-3110), a Gold Coast fixture since 1987, will bid adieu to Chicago on Aug. 4. The venerable bistro is making room for a new concept, led by chef Tony Mantuano (Spiaggia, Terzo Piano).

The as-yet-unnamed restaurant, aiming for a September debut, will feature small-portioned, lighter dishes suitable for a quick bite with a nice glass of wine. Which sounds as though Mantuano will be cooking right out of "Wine Bar Food," the book he co-wrote with his wife, Cathy.

"Yeah, pretty much," says Mantuano. "It'll be small plates, salads, a mozzarella bar, a woodburning oven for pizzas. No pastas. I want it to be a neighborhood place, an Italian bar for all meal periods. Where people can drop in for a morning espresso like they do in Italy, or grab a cup or cone of housemade gelati and keep walking to the beach.

"Everybody thinks of thinks of this neighborhood as a tourist area, but a lot of residents would love to have a place like this," Mantuano says. "It's for everyone who loves Italy."

Fine. But did Bistro 110 have to go away?

"I think it's a similar scenario to Brasserie Jo morphing into Paris Club," Mantuano says. "It was a great concept, but it was time for a change."The number of trolleys deployed to accommodate patients at Portlaoise hospital fell substantially last year, but people who opted or were forced to go to its sister Dublin or midland hospitals faced a higher chance of being left on trollies or chairs compared with 2017.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation trolley watch figures for 2018 showed a 12% drop in the number of people forced to wait in the Emergency Department (A&E / ED) for beds at the Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise.

In total, 2,815 people had to spend time on Portlaoise trollies. This compared to 3,203 in 2017 and 3,364 in 2016. It is higher than the 2,162 left waiting three years ago.

However, the December trolley figure for Portlaoise jumped to 231, compared to 160.

Laois patients did not escape the crisis.

Portlaoise is part of the Dublin Midland Hospital Group which has submitted a plan to the Minister for Health to downgrade the hospital.

Hospitals in the group are the first port of call if conditions cannot be treated in Portlaoise, or Laois patients opt to go elsewhere.

The total number of people left on trollies in the DMHG passed 21,700 last year, up ten per cent on the previous year.

Tullamore's hospital was the worst hit in the group. Its trolley count passed 5,800 last year, a massive 22% increase on 2017.

Most Laois patients with suspected fractures are referred to the Offaly hospital.

Read also: SURGERY CANCELLED TO COPE WITH TROLLEY SURGE

Trolley numbers also rose at Tallaght University Hospital and Naas General. St James, which is the country's biggest hospital, saw its trolley count drop to 2,025 last year.

Nationally more than 108,000 were left waiting in A&Es or wards last year.

INMO General Secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said 2018 was the worst year on record for overcrowding. She said waiting dramatically worsens outcomes for patients.

The health service does not have enough beds to support our population. More beds mean more nurses, but the HSE simply cant hire enough on these wages. Its beyond time for the government to engage proactively with the INMO to resolve the crisis in Irish nursing and midwifery.

Patients should be focused on recovering, but instead have to worry about waiting times, understaffing and a lack of beds. 2019 must-see real changes in policy and funding to resolve this once and for all, she said.

The Minister for Health, Simon Harris has yet to announce the start of a consultation process on the future of Portlaoise hospital.Fees charged by private secondary schools popular among Laois families have been published.

An Irish Independent survey of private school details the cost of having children educated in Ireland's fee-paying schools.

Given its location on the Tipperary-Offaly border, Cistercian College Roscrea is perhaps the most popular among Laois parents who chose a private education. It has 185 pupils enrolled in the 2018/19 year. The cost of boarding a student for five days is 14,300 while the seven-day boarding fee runs to  15,300.

The day fee charged to 8 pm is 6,950 while the day fee charged to students staying in school until 5pm is 5,500.

The school's website says an international fee is available on request. A Saturday (10am-4.30pm) is 1,000 extra for both five day and all day students. A second study option is 1,000 extra for all (8pm) day students (Monday to Friday 8pm-10pm).

The school, which is located on the 800-acre campus of Mount Saint Joseph Abbey, was saved from closure in 2017 after an action committee raised up to 1.5 million. A rescue plan included day boarding and five-day boarding, along with the traditional seven-day option. The number enroled at the school has increased in the past year.

Clongowes Wood College in Kildare has 433 pupils enrolled and a boarding school only. The seven-day cost per student is 19,890.

Newbridge College in Kildare charges an annual day fee of 4,400. It has 892 pupils enrolled for 2018/19.

Kilkenny College has a five-day boarding fee of 8,850 but charges no tuition fees for day pupils.

Rockwell College in Tipperary has a five-day boarding fee of 12,500 while the seven-day cost is 13,500. Its day fee is 4,650. There are 497 pupils enroled.

The Ursuline school in Thurles, also in Tipperary, charges 8,100 for five-day boarding but there is no fee for day pupils.

The survey reports that more than two in three private schools have increased fees. It says about 25,500 are enroled in private schools.

The most expensive school to attend is St Columba's College, Rathfarnham in Dublin. The seven-day boarding fee is 23,481 while day fees run to 8,241. Many of the 325 pupils are outside Dublin.A 28-year-old man has been directed to complete a restorative justice programme after he caused a disturbance outside a local nightclub.

Emmamuel Tebit (28), 6 Millbrook, Portlaoise, was charged with threatening or abusive behaviour, and failure to comply with the direction of the gardai.

Sgt JJ Kirby gave evidence that on November 18 this year, at 1am, the accused was found in an intoxicated state in the Top Square, Portlaoise. He was being aggressive to security staff and was directed to leave by gardai, but refused to do so.

The accused had one previous conviction, for a public order offence.

Defence, Mr Barry Fitzgerald admitted the accused had made a nuisance of himself on the night.

The accused, a Cameroon national living in Ireland for 12 years, is not working at the moment, said defence. On the date, the accused had a large quantity of drink and attended the nightclub, but there was a large queue and his friend got into difficulties with staff, so the accused got involved.

Judge Catherine Staines asked the accused why was he out drinking, when he had two children at home for whom he needed his money.

Replied the accused: Me and my friend had a little bit of drink.

You obviously had more than a little bit, retorted Judge Staines.

The accused said he hadnt known what was happening on the night, so he went to the gardai and asked what was happening.

I was just having a little bit of fun, he said.

Judge Staines directed the accused to complete a restorative justice programme, telling him that he may have to look at his drinking as this was the second time he had got into trouble.

The matter was adjourned to April 4 for a restorative justice report.Airline pilot Korry Franke plans to run for Northampton County Council, according to a news release.

The release issued Wednesday says the Bushkill Township resident plans to launch his campaign Monday at the Original Doughboys Pizza Restaurant in Bushkill Township.

He said he decided to run after unsuccessfully lobbying county council to take polls out of Butz Elementary School in Bushkill Township. He and other parents say students are at risk when members of the public are allowed in to vote.

If the county isnt willing to advocate for reasonable citizen requests like theirs, then our community needs someone will, he said in the news release. Franke said hes a Republican.

Hes running for county council in District Four, which covers the boroughs of Bath, Bangor, Chapman East Bangor Pen Argyl, Portland, Roseto, Walnutport and Wind Gap; and Bushkill, Lehigh, Lower Mount Bethel, Moore, Plainfield, Upper Mount Bethel, Upper Nazareth and Washington townships.

The release says Franke is a Pennsylvania native who has traveled the world, lived in many places but settled in Northampton County. He has a wife and 3-year-old daughter.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.One of the three accused of defrauding donors of more than $400,000 off a fake feel-good story was arrested Wednesday morning in Philadelphia, a day after failing to appear at a court hearing in New Jersey.

Johnny Bobbitt will again be extradited back to New Jersey, the Burlington County Prosecutors Office said in announcing his arrest.

Bobbitt, charged with theft by deception and conspiracy in an alleged scheme centered around a GoFundMe page, was released from custody on several conditions after a hearing last month.

At that hearing, Judge Mark Tarantino instructed him to seek employment, get drug treatment and attend Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Bobbitt was allowed to remain at an apartment he had leased in Philadelphias Fishtown neighborhood, but had to give his lease to the court soon after.

Tarantino presided at another hearing Tuesday to address potential violations of those conditions, and Bobbitt was not present. The judge issues a bench warrant.

Philadelphia Police arrested Bobbitt around 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, the Burlington prosecutors office said. No other details of the arrest were immediately available.

A Philadelphia Police spokesman said only that Bobbitt was arrested somewhere in the 26th police district and is in custody.

Also charged in the alleged scam are Kate McClure and Mark DAmico, a former couple who lived in Florence. The GoFundMe account was purportedly to aid Bobbitt, a homeless military veteran after they said he gave McClure his last $20 one night in Philadelphia, when he car ran out of gas.

But the scheme quickly unraveled as money poured in, and the three began fighting over it. Prosecutors say trio made up the whole story, and conspired to split the proceeds.

Joe Brandt can be reached at jbrandt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JBrandt_NJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tipsA 25-year-old Easton woman who authorities said had ties to the Shyheem Smith killing in April was jailed Tuesday on drug charges.

Davonna Michelle Barndt, of the 100 block of Reese Street, was arrested recently in New Jersey and moved Tuesday from Somerset County Jail to District Judge Richard Yetter IIIs court in Wilson Borough to face charges from a 2017 controlled drug buy, city police say in court papers.

Barndt sold $40 of crack cocaine in September of that year to a police confidential source in exchange for prerecorded cash as a vice detective watched in the citys West Ward, court papers say. But the detective didnt swear out an arrest warrant until Nov. 30 of this year before District Judge Antonia Grifo on charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and criminal use of a cellphone, records say.

She was being held Wednesday afternoon in lieu of $100,000 bail in Northampton County Prison. A preliminary hearing has yet to be scheduled in Grifos court in Eastons Downtown.

City police declined to comment further on her arrest.

Court papers did not list an attorney for Barndt.

Barndt was behind the wheel of the car that carried Smith and another passenger the night of April 2 to a remote neighborhood in Williams Township where he was shot, authorities said at the time. Barndt is also the mother of the children of Michael Drummond, who police say was in the getaway Land Rover after the shooting.

Police said Drummond set up a drug deal with Barndt, which is why she drove a Kia Sorento to the 1100 block of Centre Street in Williams Township that night.

Two men Smith didnt recognize -- one of them dressed in black and wearing a mask -- got out of the Land Rover and approached the car, police said. Then Smith told Barndt to drive off, police said. As she drove away gunshots came through the rear window, one of them striking Smith in the neck, police said.

Smith, a longtime local drug dealer, died the next day at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township. Nathaniel Markland, of Allentown, the masked man who got out of the Land Rover, was later charged by Pennsylvania State Police with Smiths killing, authorities said.

Neither Drummond nor Barndt was charged in that case.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.You werent hearing things: That was a rare January thunderstorm on Tuesday night.

The National Weather Service earlier in the day had tweeted that thunder was possible, thanks to an energetic disturbance that sent a line of showers and stray thunderstorms across our region.

Thunder in January? It's possible tonight as an energetic disturbance sends a line of showers and possibly an embedded thunderstorm through our area. So don't be too surprised if you hear a crack of thunder around midnight! #NJwx #PAwx #DEwx #MDwx pic.twitter.com/NTcCoN6oNq  NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) January 8, 2019

While unusual, but its not the first time the Lehigh Valley has heard wintertime thunder in recent memory. There were some rumbles here in December. A year ago, lightning and thunder were reported in the Philadelphia area. And in February 2017, strong thunderstorms downed trees and caused power outages.

A winter thunderstorm is surprising for our area because temperatures this time of year are usually too stable for them to form.

Thunderstorms happen when warm, moist air rises against cooler, dryer air, creating instability, condensing the moisture and releasing energy. But in the Northeast, the consistently cold air usually present means we don't often get caught between changing air masses.

Jared Klein, a meteorologist with the National Weather Services office in Mount Holly, New Jersey, last year told lehighvalleylive.com that winter thunderstorms are more common in the southern Mid-Atlantic, but sometimes those conditions can reach this far north.

Typically, that happens when warm air is pulled ahead of a northwesterly system; strong winds can develop ahead of cold fronts behind that warm air, forming storms.

"They're rare occurrences," Klein said, "but they can happen."

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter@SteveNovakLVL and Facebook. Findlehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.Pennsylvanias Commonwealth Court has upheld a decision prohibiting a Bushkill Township resident from putting a heliport in at his home.

But the resident, Francesco Lazzarini, may ask more Commonwealth Court judges to weigh in during a later hearing.

The Jan. 4, 2019, decision upholds the Bushkill Township board of supervisors' decision in 2016 to reject the plan. Lazzarini is a pilot who wanted the heliport on his Seifert Road property so he could fly to and from work.

The court opinion says the heliport would be within 300 to 600 feet of Lazzarinis neighbors. Multiple neighbors complained their windows rattled when helicopters flew from the site. One said window trim came loose due to vibrations from the helicopters.

The vote to uphold the supervisors' decision was 2-1 with Commonwealth Court judges Robert Simpson, a Nazareth resident, and Anne Covey voting in favor. Judge Mary Hannah Leavitt dissented.

Lazzarinis attorey Stan Margle said his client is weighing whether to ask for an en banc review of the case by the Commonwealth Court, which means a panel of seven judges would review it rather than three. He was able to convince Judge Leavitt to allow the heliport, and he might be able to convince three more judges to outnumber those who oppose the heliport.

He has 30 days to decide whether to ask for the en banc appeal. Or, he could appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Were thinking about it and well make a decision shortly, Margle said.

Weighing against the heliport were complaints from neighbors who said their property values and quality of life would be adversely affected by the heliport. One neighbor said noise and vibrations from helicopters put a damper on a picnic outside on his property.

The concurring opinion noted the twin-turbine helicopters proposed for the site are clearly commercial and not for personal use. Lazzarini wanted to fly a six-passenger Bell 430 and an eight-passenger Sikorsky S-76 helicopter from the site.

Writing the dissenting opinion, Judge Leavitt said the townships noise ordinance exempts helicopters. She wrote that the anecdotal evidence of vibrations from neighbors wasnt sufficient enough to establish a serious threat" that the owner would not be able to comply with the standards for vibration levels from a helicopter.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook.The woman who jumped Tuesday morning from the Interstate 78 toll bridge over the Delaware River was trying to kill herself, Pennsylvania State Police said.

The woman, identified only as a 24-year-old from Walnutport, was in stable condition late Tuesday afternoon, state police at Belfast said in a news release.

The incident about 11:30 a.m. was labeled an attempted suicide, Trooper Christopher Smith Jr. confirmed in the release.

At mile-marker 77.4 of I-78 West, the woman jumped into the area of the Delaware River at the Pennsylvania-New Jersey border. The bridge is more than than 90 feet high and connects Williams Township in Northampton County to Phillipsburg in Warren County.

An Easton Fire Department water rescue team found the woman on a river bank on the Pennsylvania side, and she was taken for treatment at St. Lukes University Hospital, Fountain Hill. She was conscious but incoherent, a fire official said.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein and Facebook. Findlehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.- Atiku Abubakar called on Nigerians to vote for PDP

- The presidential candidate of the PDP promised that he would make jobs available

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has urged Nigerians to support his presidential bid promising that all lost jobs will be restored.

In a tweet on his page on Wednesday, January 9, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said he was promising Nigerians that jobs will be available if elected.

READ ALSO: We dont have agreement with FG - ASUU makes U-Turn

He said those that do not get jobs will get businesses to do.

He wrote: My fellow brothers and sisters, I want to promise you that if you vote PDP we will restore the jobs you lost. You will either get a job or get a business to do. This is a promise I am making on behalf of PDP if you vote for PDP.

Meanwhile, a group, Coalition for Peaceful Election, on Wednesday, January 9, cautioned politicians against casting aspersions on the integrity and patriotic strides of the vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo.

Sylvester Ayodele, the executive director of the group, made the plea in a statement issued in Lagos, NAN reports.

Legit.ng gathers that Ayodele spoke against the backdrop of some allegations aimed at smearing the character of Osinbajo in the build up to the 2019 general elections.

He said: One person they have tried so much to taint is Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

They have tried everything from accusing him of embezzling public funds, to attempting to break the cordial relationship between him and APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

According to him, a reliable source close to the PDP hierarchy mentioned the plan to destabilise the south-west region by planting mistrust between Osinbajo and Tinubu.

He said that the coalition did not take Nigeria for granted, hence the need to state the facts about the accusations.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: We have updated to serve you better!

Is Osinbajo a better president than Buhari? - on Legit TV:

Source: LegitMembers Advantage Credit Union (MACU) scholarship applications are now being accepted for the Gail Walker and Leona Bruno scholarships, offered to high school seniors and to students in their first or second year in college. Available scholarships include the following: Gail Walker, in memory of the former board members years of service, awarded annually to a graduating high school senior, college freshman or sophomore in the amount of $1,000 to students with academic achievement; and Leona Bruno, in memory of the first manager of MACU, awarded to a graduating high school senior with scholastic achievement in the amount of $1,000. Application is Feb. 11. Scholarship qualification criteria and applications are at www.macuonline.org/college-scholarships. More information is at 219-874-6943 or at 877-874-6943.- The Rwandan government have banned the use of skin-whitening products in the country

- This is coming after the government launched a campaign against skin-bleaching, describing it as unhealthy

- Government officials and police are currently patrolling markets in provinces across the nation and seizing skin-lightening and bleaching products from vendors

While many countries continue to launch campaigns creating awareness about the dangers of bleaching, the Rwandan government has taken the bold step to ban all skin-whitening and bleaching products in the country.

This is coming shortly after the president, Paul Kagame out-rightly condemned the the use of the products in November, urging Rwandas ministry of health to take action. In response to a Twitter user who voiced concern over the issue, he was quoted saying: Quite unhealthy among other things. Includes use of prohibited chemicals," adding that the ministry of health look into it urgently.

A while ago, the country had launched a campaign against the use of bleaching products, citing the health hazards as a major reason. The country's Standards Board warned the public about the use of products that contain hydroquinone, one of the prohibited ingredients in ordinary commercial cosmetics.

READ ALSO: Personal letter from the Editor-in-Chief of Legit.ng (former NAIJ.com)

Paul Kagame condemned the used of bleaching products

Source: UGC

According to reports, Rwandan police said they seized more than 5,000 banned bleaching products including lotions, oils, soaps and sprays from beauty shops across the country in December 2018.

READ ALSO: Nigerians angry over Blac Chyna scheduled visit to Lagos to sell bleaching cream

Rwanda's ban on bleaching products comes after Ghana implemented a ban on the skin lightening creams in 2017, following Ivory Coast's ban in 2015.

According to a 2011 report by the World Health Organization, around 25% of women in Mali, 77% of women in Nigeria, and 59% in Togo regularly use skin-lightening products.

Still on skin bleaching, a while ago, Legit.ng reported the news of how many Nigerians were outraged after American reality star, Blac Chyna announced her visit to Nigeria for a pool party and to also sell her bleaching products.

Chynas coming to Nigeria to showcase her range of bleaching products did not go down well with Nigerians as they have taken to their Twitter handles to call her out.

Despite the outrage expressed and push-backs from the government, Nigeria still remains the African conutry with the highest percentage of women who use these products.

PAY ATTENTION: Get the Latest Nigerian News on Legit.ng News App

Get the hottest gist on Africa Love Aid

HELLO! NAIJ.com (naija.ng) upgrades to Legit.ng We keep evolving to serve our readers better

I Dumped Law Practice to Make Creams and I Dont Regret It - Entrepreneur | Legit TV

Source: LegitKhadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, Nigeria's minister of state for foreign affairs has resigned her appointment to run for elective positions in the 2019 general elections.

Ibrahim will be running for Damaturu/Tarmuwa/Gujba/Gulani federal constituency of Yobe state in the National Assembly.

The Sun reports that she confirmed to some State House correspondents that Wednesdays Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting was going to be her last, shortly before the commencement of the meeting.

READ ALSO: Ekweremadu, PDP governors working for Buhari's re-election - BMO alleges

Recall that Hajiya Khadija Ibrahim defeated her step son Mohammed Ibrahim to clinch the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for Damaturu/Gulani/Gujba/Tarmuwa, Yobe federal constituency last years October at the All Progressives Congress (APC) the primary election.

Prof Abba Gambo, the returning officer of the election announced that Khadijah polled 1,295 votes to defeat Mohammed who scored only 15 votes.

In spite of pressures mounted on Mohammed to step down for his fathers wife, he refused.

PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update

Two other contenders including the serving representative Alhaji Abdullahi Kukuwa and Alhaji Ahmed Buba stepped down for the minister.

The minister commended Abdullahi and Ahmed for withdrawing from the race to support her win the election.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Nigeria's minister of information and culture revealed the intention of the federal government to launch a massive national campaign in support of the military, especially in their fight against insurgency and insecurity.

We are planning to launch a national campaign to rally support for the military. We believe the men and women who are risking all to keep us safe deserve the support and prayers of all Nigerians, not vilification, insults and other acts that are capable of dampening their morale, the minister said at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, January 8, the minister said in a statement made available to Legit.ng by Segun Adeyemi, SA to the minister.

The Next President of Nigeria. Who Will Win the 2019 Elections? | Legit TV.

Source: Legit.ng- President Buhari has restated that former Libyan leader, Muamar Gaddafi, should be blamed largely for insecurity in Nigeria

- The president said stooges of the late Libyan leader disguise as herdsmen to carry out their evil acts in the country

- He said his government has succeeded in reducing the activities of terrorists in the northeast by reducing their stronghold from 17 local governments to none

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday, January 9, publicly blamed former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi who was killed seven years ago for the ongoing killings across central Nigeria.

President Buhari claimed that bandits, who escaped from Libya after the death of their leader in 2011 took to terrorism, the brunt of which Nigeria and some other African countries are currently bearing.

Premium Times reports that he added that Nigerian cattle herder use to carry nothing more than a stick, but these are people with AK-47 and people refuse to reflect on the demise of Gaddafi.

READ ALSO: Ekweremadu, PDP governors working for Buhari's re-election - BMO alleges

The president in an exclusive interview with Arise TV said: The Nigerian cattle herder use to carry nothing more than a stick, but these are people with AK-47 and people refuse to reflect on the demise of Gaddafi.

Gaddafi for 43 years in Libya, at some stage, he decided to recruit people from Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, from Central African Republic and these young chaps are not taught to be bricklayers, electricians, plumbers or any trade but to shoot and kill.

So, when the opposition in Libya succeeded in killing him, they arrested some and they did what they did to them. The rest escaped with their orphans and we encounter some of them in the North-east and they are all over the place now organising attacks.

While speaking with the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in April, Buhari said arms Gaddafi provided to his supporters had filtered into Nigeria where they are now being used to fuel killings across the north-central.

He added: The problem is even older than us. It has always been there, but now made worse by the influx of armed gunmen from the Sahel region into different parts of the West African sub-region.

These gunmen were trained and armed by Muammar Gaddafi of Libya. When he was killed, the gunmen escaped with their arms. We encountered some of them fighting with Boko Haram.

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

President Buhari said his government has succeeded in reducing the activities of terrorists in the North-east by reducing their stronghold from 17 local governments to none.

On the deadly crisis in Zamfara state, Buhari said his government had several times changed police personnel to ensure effectiveness.

We virtually changed all the officers for more than three years in Zamfara state and we did a lot of cross posting and so on. There are issues that I dont go public (on) as the commander in chief because it will affect the morale of men in the front, so, I try to keep quiet. So the situation in the North-west and the North-east are better.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, commended President Buhari for what he says is the president's success in the fight against corruption, insurgency and other security challenges.

In a congratulatory message to President Buhari on his 76th birthday on Saturday, December 15, the former leader hailed the president for providing focused leadership and showing tremendous energy despite his age.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.

I married four wives, built houses under Buhari's regime - farmer boasts| Legit TV:

Source: Legit- National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) leader, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, has lambasted those opposing Nigeria's return to federalism

- According to him, they are fueling the non  peaceful return of the country to the right road

- The NADECO leader said Nigerian politicians are not currently interested in the development of the country

Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, leader of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), has accused those opposing the return of Nigeria to federalism of fueling the non  peaceful return of the country to the right road.

The NADECO leader made this known while speaking at the Lying in State/Night of Tributes for late Dr Fredrick Fasehun, the founder of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) in Lagos state, Tribune reports.

READ ALSO: Ekweremadu, PDP governors working for Buhari's re-election - BMO alleges

He said the major thing in the minds of Nigerian politicians is who corners the power and not how to build a Nigerian nation- state.

The elections could, or would come and go. But the peaceful or the non  peaceful return to Federalism would remain an inevitability, he said.

Otherwise to respective tents- still better for all the people of this country than pernicious Unitarian, Kanu warned.

Speaking on the exit of Fasehum, he said: On this occasion, what we should also remember over the demise, and the prior struggle of Fred Fasehun and his like, alive or dead is that he selflessly strained to the future of a hope that was kindled by our (so-called?) Founding Fathers."

PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update

Even though he has finished his race here on earth, Dr Fredrick Fasehun will continue to represent some of the finest qualities in the Nigerian spirit as envisaged by the Founding Fathers, he said.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.

The Next President of Nigeria. Who Will Win the 2019 Elections? | Legit TV.

Source: Legit NewspaperA 25-year-old young lady identified as Yewande Osunsanya has been declared missing in London.

A Facebook user, Helen Koliah Fagbemi, shared photos of the London-based Nigerian lady whom reports reveal is a vulnerable adult with learning disabilities.

Legit.ng gathered that Yewande left her home, located in Langdon Park area of Tower Hamlets in London on January 5, at around 12 noon. She was reported to be wearing a jade coloured jacket and is yet to return. Family and friends have asked the public to please contact them if any information of her whereabouts is known.

Several posts of the the 25-year-old have been shared on several social media platforms and everyone is hopeful that she will show up back home or someone will come forward with useful information on how to locate her.

READ ALSO: Chioma is in deep depression - Kemi Olunloyo alleges

Yewande is vulnerable, and is not believed to have a mobile phone, bank card or cash on her (Picture/Facebook)

Source: Facebook

Yewande is vulnerable, and is not believed to have a mobile phone, bank card or cash on her. Given her state, the public is adviced to contact the police immediately if she is seen anywhere.

Reports claim that she was last seen by a friend in Hackney area and may have been heading to the Stratford in Newham.

Meanwhile, a pretty young lady has just been declared missing in Rivers state, Port Harcourt. One of her friends has taken to social media to share her picture, hoping that good willing Nigerians will help find her.

Did you know? NAIJ.com (naija.ng) is now-> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better.

PAY ATTENTION: Read best news on Nigeria's #1 news app

Robbers Return Firearms to Nigerian Police (Crime News in Nigeria) on Legit TV:

Source: Legit Newspaper- Some PDP members in Bayelsa state describe as laughable accusations that former president, Goodluck Jonathan, is supporting candidates from opposition political parties in his home state

- The party members caution Bayelsa state governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, against trying to blackmail the former president because of the forthcoming elections in the state

- The group alleges that associates of the governor are trying to accuse Jonathan of taking part in anti-party activities

Some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa state have dismissed rumour that former president, Goodluck Jonathan, is supporting candidates from opposition political parties in his home state.

The party members with the name, Stakeholders and Loyal Members of PDP in Bayelsa, described the accusations against the former president as laughable, Daily Trust reports.

The spokesperson for the group, Kenny Sotonye, on Tuesday, January 8, said there was no way a former president like Jonathan who had occupied the highest office on the platform of the PDP, could support any other party against the PDP.

READ ALSO: Suspended by his party, PDPs deputy national chairman defects to APC, meets Buhari

Sotonye cautioned Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state against trying to blackmail the former president because of the forthcoming elections in the state.

He alleged that associates of the governor were trying to accuse Jonathan of taking part in anti-party activities.

Dr. Jonathan by virtue of his unwavering and unparalleled commitment to the unity, progress and continued corporate existence of Nigeria even without recourse to his meritorious service to the country up to the highest office in the land, has by his actions earned the stripes of an elder statesman and should be accorded all the respect such standing demands, Sotonye said.

Legit.ng had earlier reported that Kinsmen of former President Goodluck Jonathan under the auspices of the Ogbia Renaissance (OR) had reportedly accused the former president and his wife, Patience Jonathan, of working against candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa state.

The group, according to The Nation, alleged that Jonathan and his wife were plotting to work against the PDP in a bid to actualise their interests.

Obhioru Mitanoni, the chairman of OR claimed that Jonathan, his wife, A.J Turner are conniving with other PDP leaders to perpetrate anti-party activities ahead of the general elections.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng: We have updated to serve you better!

Obasanjo and Jonathan are good | Legit TV

Source: Legit- The Lagos state police has declared one Mustapha Adekunle wanted over the violence at APC rally in Lagos

- Two persons were killed while several others were wounded

- The police said they were able to curtail the violence

The Lagos state Police Command has arrested two suspects and declared wanted a chieftain of NURTW, Mustapha Adekunle aka Seigo, over the disruption of APC rally in Lagos on Tuesday, January 8.

The Commands spokesperson, CSP Chike Oti, said in a statement that the two persons arrested in connection with the incident were helping the police in their investigation.

Oti said that Siego and his entourage had gained entrance to the rally ground as supporters before his group suddenly attacked another NURTW chieftain popularly know as MC Oluomo.

READ ALSO: 11 gubernatorial candidates defect to APC in Atikus home state

The said Mustapha Adekunle aka Seigo, an NURTW chieftain, came to the rally with a group of people and were identified at the entrance as supporters of the party.

However, at the tail end of the event, Seigo and his group, for a reason yet to be determined, violently engaged other supporters of the party.

In the ensuing melee, one MC Oluomo, another NURTW chieftain, was stabbed and was rushed to EKO Hospital where he is currently recuperating while two other victims of the attack were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for treatment. The crisis was quickly contained by policemen at the venue, the statement said.

Earlier on Tuesday, the commissioner of police in Lagos state, Edgal Imohimi, had met with leaders of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW ), Road Transport Employers Association (RTEAN) where all parties agreed to eschew violence before, during and after the election.

The Command, therefore, expressed disappointment at the incident, stating that it was surprising that a prominent member of NURTW would attempt to violently disrupt a peaceful political rally.

PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news updates

In view of the development, the Command wishes to encourage members of the public with useful information on the whereabouts of Mustapha Adekunle popularly known as Seigo to report such at a nearest police station.

Legit.ng had reported that the campaign flag-off of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Lagos on Tuesday ended abruptly as violence broke out mid-way into the well-attended programme.

The hoodlums suspected to be members of the National Union Road Transport Workers (NURTW) invaded the Skypower Ground Ikeja venue with guns, daggers and other dangerous weapons, engaging one another in a bloody factional fight.

The situation sent panic across the campaign ground as party members ran in different directions to avoid being hit by bullets being fired indiscriminately by the hoodlums.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.

Buhari, Atiku, Sowore, Ezekwesili? Who will win if election is held today? | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ng News- Nigeria would never give looters a chance to return to power, Yemi Osinbajo has said

- According to the vice president, nobody can deny that President Buhari is an honest man, and even Atiku knows that

- Also speaking at the 'Drive 4 Buhari-Osinbajo' rally, the minister of interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, urged Nigerians to vote for Buhari so he would consolidate on his feats

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says that members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, know that President Muhammadu Buhari is an honest man.

Osinbajo stated this while addressing the 'Drive 4 Buhari-Osinbajo' rally organised by the 'I am Ready' campaign group alongside other support groups on Tuesday, January 8, in Abuja.

Referring to an earlier remark by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state, Osinbajo said that with Buhari Nigerias wealth is safe.

Bello had earlier posed a question to the crowd on whether they would rather deposit their monies in an Atiku Bank or a Buhari Bank.

He said: I will not speak much, I will only give you certain examples and then you will make your choice. Because the difference is clear between APC and any other political party. Anywhere you go, you ask them this simple questionthere are two banks; one is Buhari bank; another one is Atiku bank, where will you deposit your money?"

READ ALSO: President Buhari reacts to alleged plan to extend IGP Ibrahim Idris' tenure

The crowd erupted in laughter. Shouting Buhari bank.

The talakawas know that their money is safe in Buhari bank; even Atiku knows that his money is safe in Buhari bank," Bello said.

Osinbajo, who was beaming with smile while acknowledging cheers from the enthusiastic crowd, chanted APC campaign slogans while the audience responded. He told the audience that Bello had said it all.

The vice president said the major problem of Nigeria was corruption and stealing of the resources of the people, adding that Nigeria would never give looters chance to return to power.

We will not allow them to come back. I think that the very right question has been asked; where will you rather put your money?

If it is me, I will put my money in Buhari bank because even Buharis worst enemies know that he is an honest man; even the thieves know that he is an honest man.

Even the enemies will put their money in his bank because they know that their money will be safe in his bank; we have today an honest man as president, a man who will use the money for what it is meant.

Even his worst enemy knows that he is an honest man and that he will use the money. I pray for our country that our country will be great.

And the only way our country would be great is if you and I vote for a man who is honest, for a man who is truthful, a man we know, even his opponents know, everybody in PDP knows that he is an honest man.

"Even Atiku knows that Buhari is an honest man; and he can never deny that; nobody can deny that; that is the kind of leader we want for our country today."

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

Osinbajo said that the Buhari-led administration had made giant strides in the last three years. According to him, for the first time, the country is spending money on roads and railways.

The vice president listed some completed and ongoing projects as the Lagos-Kano railway; Itakpe-Warri railway and second Niger Bridge.

In every state of Nigeria, we are building a major road. We are going to do the Lagos-Calabar railway. We are going to complete that by the grace of God. Port Harcourt-Maiduguri we are going to complete it.

When we came into office, after 16 years, 3000mw of power was all that we had. Today, we have 7000MW, he said.

Osinbajo thanked the campaign coordinators for working so hard across the country to drive home the APC campaign.

On his part, Festus Keyamo, director of media of the Buhari Campaign Organisation, said that the federal governments Social Investment Programme was the first since 1960 aimed at improving the lives of the poor.

Earlier in his remark, Dr Abudallahi Bafa, Coordinator, One 2-Tell-10 Support Group said that the rally was organised to push the Next Level agenda.

More so, Afolabi Imoukhuede, senior special assistant to the president on Job Creation (N-Power Scheme), highlighted the impact of the scheme on young Nigerian; hence the need for another four years for the administration.

The minister of interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, who spoke on behalf of other ministers at the event, urged Nigerians to vote for continuation so that Buhari would consolidate on his feats.

PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update

Afterwards, Osinbajo proceeded to the UTC Market, Area 10, Garki, Abuja, where he addressed the artisans and urged them to vote for Buhari in the forthcoming presidential election.

Meanwhile, the PDP is worried over the defection of its former Niger state chairman, Abdulrahman Enagi, barely a month to the general elections.

Enagi defected along with two former governorship aspirants, Ahmed Baka and Engineer Hanafi Sudan, and others to the ruling APC.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.

Nigeria Latest News: Father Mbaka On Buhari, Atiku In Nigeria Election 2019 | Legit TV

Source: Legit- Former president Jonathan, his wife and other PDP leaders have been accused of engaging in anti-party activities

- The ex-presidents kinsmen claimed he (Jonathan) and other party leaders are supporting candidates of other parties

- However, Jonathans media aide has dismissed the allegations, saying the ex-president never engaged in anti-party activities

Kinsmen of former President Goodluck Jonathan under the auspices of the Ogbia Renaissance (OR) have reportedly accused the former president and his wife, Patience Jonathan, of working against candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa state.

The group, according to The Nation, alleged that Jonathan and his wife were plotting to work against the PDP in a bid to actualise their interests.

Obhioru Mitanoni, the chairman of OR claimed that Jonathan, his wife, A.J Turner are conniving with other PDP leaders to perpetrate anti-party activities ahead of the general elections.

READ ALSO: President Buhari reacts to alleged plan to extend IGP Ibrahim Idris' tenure

Mitanoni further alleged that the ex-presidents alleged anti-party activities have pitched him against Governor Seriake Dickson and other PDP chieftains in the state.

According to the Mitanoni, Jonathan is supporting Samuel Ogboku, an ex-chief of staff to former Governor Timipre Sylva, vying for House of Reps seat in Ogbia on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The PDP candidate for the seat is reportedly Fred Obua.

Mitanoni also claimed the ex-president is backing Senator Nimi Amange who reportedly defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to contest the Bayelsa East senatorial election.

Recall that Senator Ben Bruce of the Bayelsa East Senatorial Zone (Jonathans Senatorial District) withdrew from his re-election bid allegedly in honour of a subsisting zoning arrangement.

Jonathan and King AJ Turner were, however accused of supporting Nimi Amange Barigha of ADC against the PDP Candidate, Chief Blessing Ipigansi Izagara.

Mitanoni added that Jonathan was backing Cleric Awudum, (Accord Party) against the PDP candidate, Munaleyefa Gibson, in Ogbia Constituency 2; Gabriel Ogbara of ADC against the PDP candidate Naomi Ogoli for Constituency 3.

The OR chairman claimed that Jonathan decided to support for the APC and ADC candidates because his anointed PDP candidates lost in the partys primaries.

He, therefore, called on the national chairman of the PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, to take urgent steps to call Jonathan to order so as to save the party from electoral misfortunes in the next election.

Mitanoni was quoted to have said: Jonathan, his wife Patience and A.J Turners brand of petty, self-centred brand of politics in Ogbia is a mockery and cruel slap on the enviable track record of late Senator Melford Okilo and other notable founding fathers and leaders in Ogbia land who fought hard to raise the profile of the Ogbia Kingdom.

Their selfish brand of politics has left Ogbia completely desolate, abandoned and rudderless. Ogbia that was once the pride and envy of the old Rivers state and Niger Delta is now a land begging for attention with the bulk of her people feeding from the crumbs that have fallen off the dining table of some self-glorifying leaders with no sense of mission.

According to Mitanoni, Jonathan and his cohorts were at the loggerhead with Governor Dickson because of an alleged rift on who to succeed the Bayelsa governor in 2020.

However, in a reaction to the allegations raised by Mitanoni, Ikechukwu Eze, Jonathans media aide, said it was untrue the ex-president was engaging in anti-party activities.

His words: It is manifestly dishonest, deceitful and preposterous for anybody to suggest that former President Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is working against the interest of the party under which he rose to occupy the highest office in the land.

As one of the leaders of the party, having served as President under the Peoples Democratic Party, it is obvious that Dr Jonathan has continued and will continue to work for the success of PDP across the nation."

Eze added that those claiming that there is a rift between Jonathan and Governor Dickson are mere mischief makers.

He said: Those who also push the narrative of a war between him and Bayelsa state governor, Seriake Dickson are either adept at conjuring up a rift where there is none or are lovers of mischief who do not have the interest of Bayelsa state at heart.

PAY ATTENTION: Download our mobile app to enjoy the latest news update

Meanwhile, without the company of Atiku Abubakar, its presidential candidate, the PDP will next week in Washington, D.C., advertise its programme and share insights on the future of US-Nigeria relations.

Taking the centre-stage instead is Atikus running mate, Peter Gregory Obi. Obi will be a guest at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) to discuss the PDPs economic and security objectives, as well as his views on the future of US-Nigeria relations.

The event is scheduled for Tuesday, January 15, 2019.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have upgraded to serve you better.

Nigeria News Today: Goodluck Jonathan Wants To Teach Again | Legit TV

Source: Legit- As the general elections approaches, Nigerians have been urged by Timi Frank to put an end to the dictatorial tendencies of the APC government

- The former APC alleged that the current administration is using government apparatus to suppress the truth

- Condemning the invasion of Daily Trust offices by soldiers, Frank said the APC administration should know that without the media there is no democracy

Former deputy national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has said the recent development where armed military personnel attacked offices of Daily Trust Newspapers has shown how desperate the current administration is.

According to Frank, both media and private citizens have lost their right to publish or express themselves under President Muhammadu Buhari' administration.

He, however, called on Nigerians to take opportunity of the forthcoming elections to put an end to the dictatorial tendencies of the APC government in Nigeria.

In a statement signed in Abuja on Monday, January 7, Comrade Frank, condemned in strong terms the invasion of Daily Trust offices.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

While I condemn in totality all attempts to silence the media by invading offices of Daily Trust to send fear into the minds of other media organisations, the APC administration should know that without the media there is no democracy.

The right to function by the media is boldly stated in the constitution. The failure of APC administration in ensuring security of lives and property should not be blamed on the media. It is also the responsibility of the media to expose all evils and failures of a government, he said.

Comrade Frank alleged that the administration is using government apparatus to suppress the truth, put fears into the minds of few courageous citizens who could speak out the truth.

Both the media and private individuals considered to have information against the government must prepare to face more tough times until Nigerians end this evil government through their votes in the coming elections, Frank stated.

Comrade Frank warned the military to stay off politics and think of ways to tackle the insecurity battle in the northeast.

READ ALSO: NAIJ.com upgrades to Legit.ng: a letter from our Editor-in-Chief Bayo Olupohunda

He, however, called on the international community not to keep quiet over the recent development in the country as Nigeria prepares for another general elections.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned the National Peace Committee to call President Buhari to order.

The party says Buharis desperation for self-succession has become a major threat to Nigeria's national unity, stability and peaceful electoral process, alleging that the Buhari presidency has been overheating the polity with its recent actions.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng. We have updated to serve you better.

Nigeria Latest News: Buhari vs Atiku - 2019 Elections | Legit TV

Source: Legit.ngWith the recent boom in high-rise construction and new apartment buildings and new condominiums, all these properties have incredible amenity spaces, said Ted Haralson, community association manager at Draper and Kramer Inc. in Chicago. Older buildings are having to compete. Owners and board members who want to see their property values stay level or go up understand the need to improve their buildings.- Nigerians would be alarmed with details of loot if released by President Buhari, a member of the House of Representatives, has said

- Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima said it was worrisome that Nigerians failed to realise that it was not Buhari that stole their money

- He alleged that there were some PDP members in Buharis cabinet that do not want him to succeed

A member of the House of Representatives, Ehiozuwa Agbonnayima, has said that Nigerians would be alarmed with details of loot if released by President Mohammadu Buhari.

Agbonayima, a candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Constituency in the House, stated this in an interview with newsmen in Benin on Monday, January 7.

He said Nigerians would be so alarmed that they would want to kill some of the looters.

Agbonnayima said it was worrisome that Nigerians failed to realise that it was not Buhari that stole their money. He said those fighting against Buharis re-election were doing so because their oil wells licenses would would not be renewed.

READ ALSO: Jubilation in APC as PDP governorship aspirant, structure defect in Kano

He alleged that there were some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in Buharis cabinet that do not want him to succeed because the credit would go to the ruling APC.

Agbonnayima disclosed that a foreign lawyer engaged by the Nigeria government told him that some Nigerian lawyers engaged by same government were working against their own country to sabotage the return of stolen fund. According to him, this election is about development.

"If Buhari decides to release names of looters, Nigerians will want to kill them. The U.S. gave us comprehensive details of the crude oil that left the country illegally.

We invited the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and they brought bags full of evidence. In all those documents from the NNPC, there was no record of any oil transaction being taken to the U.S. It was as if nothing left the country but the U.S., Custom gave us what landed through the Port of Houston.

We have documents of who brought the oil, who bought it and the bank through which the money was paid.

Former Vice President Abubakar Atiku should tell Nigerians the business he has done. He has only been a custom officer and vice president of the country.

"He said he is an investor but he took INTEL that belonged to Nigerians. Congressman Jefferson has been jailed in the U.S. and the document the U.S. Attorney General sent to former president Olusegun Obasanjo to investigate Atiku is there. Who committed same crime with Jefferson want to become president whereas his accomplice has been jailed.. We must shine our eyes, he said.

PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigerias #1 news app

Agbonnayima added that he is in APC because Buhari is not corrupt.

In a previous report by Legit.ng, President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, December 11, in Abuja said Nigerian government remains deeply grateful to the government and people of Switzerland for their support in resuscitating the economy, especially the return of illegally stolen funds.

Receiving letters of credence from the Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, Mr George Steiner, at the Presidential Villa, President Buhari said the return of stolen funds and interventions in the crisis in the north east further indicate the Swiss governments commitment to the development of Nigeria.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better

Leadership of Nigeria is not meant for our forefathers| Legit TV.

Source: Legit.ng NewsThe position of a university in various rankings often becomes the determining factor when choosing a place of study. Read on, and you will find out what educational institutions are included on the list of the top 20 universities in Nigeria.

Photo from imagenesmy.com

Best universities in Nigeria

You may find a lot of information claiming that they will provide you with the National Universities Commission (NUC) university ranking, but as it was clarified by the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Professor Abubakar Rasheed, NUC has not done any rankings or ranked any university in Nigeria in 14 years. So, our ranking is based on the ranking done by uniRank.

Let's get acquainted with the best universities in Nigeria, so you could choose your future alma mater from the best educational institutions in the country.

20. Bayero University Kano

Screenshot from buk.edu.ng

Acronym: BUK

BUK Founded: 1975

1975 Motto: ... and above every possessor of knowledge there is One more learned

University overview: Established in 1975, Bayero University Kano is located in the city of Kano (population range of 1,000,000-5,000,000 inhabitants). Officially accredited and/or recognized by the National Universities Commission, Nigeria, Bayero University Kano (BUK) is a medium-sized (uniRank enrollment range: 7,000-7,999 students) coeducational higher education institution.

Established in 1975, Bayero University Kano is located in the city of Kano (population range of 1,000,000-5,000,000 inhabitants). Officially accredited and/or recognized by the National Universities Commission, Nigeria, Bayero University Kano (BUK) is a medium-sized (uniRank enrollment range: 7,000-7,999 students) coeducational higher education institution. Official website: http://www.buk.edu.ng/

READ ALSO: Bayero University Kano postgraduate courses

19. University of Uyo

Photo from uniuyo.edu.ng

Acronym: UU

UU Founded: 1991

1991 Motto: Unity, Learning and Service

University overview: Founded in 1991, University of Uyo is located in the town of Uyo, Akwa Ibom . Officially recognized by the National Universities Commission, Nigeria, University of Uyo is a coeducational higher education institution.

Screenshot from 4icu.org

Address: Main Campus, Nwaniba Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Main Campus, Nwaniba Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria Telephone number: +234 (0) 8146129875, +234 (0) 7017747407

+234 (0) 8146129875, +234 (0) 7017747407 E-mail: registrar@uniuyo.edu.ng

registrar@uniuyo.edu.ng Official website: https://www.uniuyo.edu.ng/

18. Adekunle Ajasin University

Photo from aaua.edu.ng

Acronym: AAUA

AAUA Founded: 1982

1982 Motto: For Learning and Service

University overview: Founded in 1982, Adekunle Ajasin University is located in the suburban setting of the small city of Akungba Akoko Ondo state. This institution also has campuses in Ikare Akoko. Officially recognized by the National Universities Commission, Nigeria, Adekunle Ajasin University (AAUA) is a large (uniRank enrollment range: 10,000-14,999 students) coeducational higher education institution. This 36 years old higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations and students' past academic record and grades. The admission rate range is 40-50% making this Nigerian higher education organization an averagely selective institution. International students are welcome to apply for enrollment.

Source of the picture: 4icu.org

Address: Private Mailbox 001, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria.

Private Mailbox 001, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria. Telephone number: +234 (705) 7890597, +234 (816) 1651123, +234 (708) 9105452

+234 (705) 7890597, +234 (816) 1651123, +234 (708) 9105452 E-mail: info@aaua.edu.ng

info@aaua.edu.ng Official website: https://aaua.edu.ng/b/

17. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology

Screenshot from lautech.edu.ng

Acronym: LAUTECH

LAUTECH Founded: 1990

1990 Motto: Excellence, Integrity and Service

University overview: Founded in 1990, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology is a public higher education institution located in Ogbomoso.

Photo from 4icu.org

Address: Private Mailbox 4000, Ogbomoso, Oyo, Nigeria

Private Mailbox 4000, Ogbomoso, Oyo, Nigeria Telephone numbers: +234 (806) 7624977, +234 (806) 7624952

+234 (806) 7624977, +234 (806) 7624952 E-mail: registrar@lautech.edu.ng, contact@lautech.edu.ng

registrar@lautech.edu.ng, contact@lautech.edu.ng Official website: http://www.lautech.edu.ng/

16. Lagos State University

Picture from lasu.edu.ng

Acronym: LASU

LASU Founded: 1983

1983 Motto: Per la verita e di servizio (For Truth and Service)

(For Truth and Service) University overview: Established in 1983, Lagos State University is a public higher education institution located in Ojo, Lagos.

Screenshot from 4icu.org

Address: Badagry Express Way, Private Mailbox 0001 LASU Post Office

Badagry Express Way, Private Mailbox 0001 LASU Post Office E-mail: registrar@lasu.edu.ng

registrar@lasu.edu.ng Official website: http://www.lasu.edu.ng/

15. University of Port Harcourt

Photo from uniport.edu.ng

Acronym: Uniport

Uniport Founded: 1975

1975 Motto: For Enlightenment and Self-Reliance

Colours: Blue and white

Blue and white University overview: Established in 1975, University of Port Harcourt is a public higher education institution located in the suburban setting of the large city of Port Harcourt. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

READ ALSO: UNIPORT courses and requirements 2018

Source of photo: 4icu.org

Address: East/West Road, PMB 5323 Choba, Rivers State, Nigeria

East/West Road, PMB 5323 Choba, Rivers State, Nigeria Telephone number: +234 84817941

+234 84817941 Email: helpdesk@uniport.edu.ng

helpdesk@uniport.edu.ng Official website: https://www.uniport.edu.ng/

14. Kwara State University

Picture from kwasu.edu.ng

Acronym: KWASU

KWASU Founded: 2009

2009 Motto: Service and Integrity

University overview: Established in 2009, Kwara State University is a non-profit public higher education institution located in city of Ilorin.. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Screenshot from 4icu.org

Address: Private Mailbox 1530, Malete, Kwara State, Nigeria 23431

Private Mailbox 1530, Malete, Kwara State, Nigeria 23431 Telephone number: +234 (803) 191 5699

+234 (803) 191 5699 E-mail: kwasu@kwasu.edu.ng

kwasu@kwasu.edu.ng Official website: http://www.kwasu.edu.ng/

13. Babcock University

Photo from babcock.edu.ng

Acronym: BU

BU Founded: 1999 (origins date back to 1959)

1999 (origins date back to 1959) Motto: Knowledge, Truth, Service

Colours: Blue and gold

Blue and gold University overview: Established in 1999, Babcock University is a private higher education institution located in Ilishan-Remo, Ogun state. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Picture from 4icu.org

Address: Private Mailbox 4003, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun, Nigeria

Private Mailbox 4003, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun, Nigeria Telephone number: +234 (703) 5556536, +234 (80) 38522333, +234 (70) 66727364

+234 (703) 5556536, +234 (80) 38522333, +234 (70) 66727364 E-mail: info@babcock.edu.ng, admissions@babcock.edu.ng

info@babcock.edu.ng, admissions@babcock.edu.ng Other locations: Iperu-Remo

Iperu-Remo Official website: https://www.babcock.edu.ng/

12. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

Photo from unaab.edu.ng

Acronym: FUNAAB

FUNAAB Founded: 1988

1988 Motto: Knowledge for Development

Colours: Green

Green University overview: Established in 1988, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Source of the picture: 4icu.org

Address: Abeokuta, Nigeria

Abeokuta, Nigeria Telephone number: +234 (803) 5763159

+234 (803) 5763159 E-mail: registrar@funaab.edu.ng

registrar@funaab.edu.ng Official website: https://unaab.edu.ng/

11. Federal University of Technology, Minna

Photo from futminna.edu.ng

Acronym: FUT Minna

FUT Minna Founded: 1982

1982 Motto: Technology for Empowerment

Colours: Purple, cream, and sky-blue

Purple, cream, and sky-blue University overview: Established in 1982, Federal University of Technology, Minna is a non-profit public higher education institution located in, Niger state. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Screenshot from 4icu.org

Telephone number: +234 (703) 5862582

+234 (703) 5862582 E-mail: registrar@futminna.edu.ng

registrar@futminna.edu.ng Official website: https://www.futminna.edu.ng/

10. Federal University of Technology, Akure

Photo from futa.edu.ng

Acronym: FUTA

FUTA Founded: 1981

1981 Motto: Technology for Self Reliance

Colours: Purple and blue

Purple and blue University overview: Founded in 1981, Federal University of Technology, Akure is a public higher education institution located in the suburban setting of the small city of Akure, Ondo. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Screenshot from 4icu.org

Address: Private Mailbox 704, Akure, 2340001 Ondo, Nigeria

Private Mailbox 704, Akure, 2340001 Ondo, Nigeria Official website: https://www.futa.edu.ng/

9. University of Benin

Picture from uniben.edu

Acronym: UNIBEN

UNIBEN Founded: 1970

1970 Motto: Knowledge and Character

Colours: Purple and green

Purple and green University overview: Founded in 1970, University of Benin is a higher education institution located in the large city of Benin City. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

READ ALSO: Courses offered in UNIBEN and their cut of

Screenshot from 4icu.org

Address: Private Mailbox 1154, Benin City, Edo, Nigeria

Private Mailbox 1154, Benin City, Edo, Nigeria Official website: https://uniben.edu/

8. Landmark University

Photo from lmu.edu.ng

Acronym: LMU

LMU Founded: 2011

2011 Motto: Breaking New Grounds

Colours: Green, brown and gold

Green, brown and gold University overview: Established in 2011, Landmark University is a private higher education institution located in Omu-Aran, Kwara. This 7 years old higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations and students' past academic record and grades. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Screenshot from 4icu.org

Address : Km 4 Ipetu, Omu Aran Road; PMB 1001, Omu-Aran, Kwara, Nigeria

: Km 4 Ipetu, Omu Aran Road; PMB 1001, Omu-Aran, Kwara, Nigeria Telephone number: +234 (806) 7394515, +234 (703) 8205649, +234 (815) 1319178 (Admission)

+234 (806) 7394515, +234 (703) 8205649, +234 (815) 1319178 (Admission) E-mail: admissions@lmu.edu.ng, support@lmu.edu.ng, feedback@lmu.edu.ng

admissions@lmu.edu.ng, support@lmu.edu.ng, feedback@lmu.edu.ng Official website: https://lmu.edu.ng/

7. Covenant University

Photo from covenantuniversity.edu.ng

Acronym: CU

CU Founded: 2002

2002 Motto: Raising a New Generation of Leaders

Colours: Purple

Purple University overview: Established in 2002, Covenant University is a private higher education institution located in OtaSee the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Screenshot from 4icu.org

Address: Km 10 Idiroko Road, Canaan Land, Ota, 11001 Ogun, Nigeria

Km 10 Idiroko Road, Canaan Land, Ota, 11001 Ogun, Nigeria Telephone number: +234 (903) 355 0046, +234 (903) 355 0049

+234 (903) 355 0046, +234 (903) 355 0049 E-mail: vc@covenantuniversity.edu.ng, registrar@covenantuniversity.edu.ng

vc@covenantuniversity.edu.ng, registrar@covenantuniversity.edu.ng Official website: https://covenantuniversity.edu.ng/

6. University of Ilorin

Picture from unilorin.edu.ng

Acronym: UI

UI Founded: 1975

1975 Motto: Probitas Doctrina (Character and learning)

(Character and learning) University overview: Established in 1975, University of Ilorin is a public higher education institution located in the urban setting of city of Ilorin. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Screenshot from 4icu.org

Official website: http://www.unilorin.edu.ng/

5. Obafemi Awolowo University

Picture from oauife.edu.ng

Acronym: OAU

OAU Founded: 1962

1962 Motto: For Learning and Culture

Colours: Midnight blue and gold

Midnight blue and gold University overview: Established in 1962, Obafemi Awolowo University is a public higher education institution located in Ile-Ife. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Screenshot from 4icu.org

E-mail: info@oauife.edu.ng

info@oauife.edu.ng Official website: https://www.oauife.edu.ng/

4. Ahmadu Bello University

Photo from news360.info

Acronym: ABU

ABU Founded: 1962

1962 Colours: Blue and green

Blue and green University overview: Established in 1962, Ahmadu Bello University is apublic higher education institution located city of Zaria, Kaduna. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Screenshot from 4icu.org

Official website: http://abu.edu.ng/

3. University of Lagos

Picture from unilag.edu.ng

Acronym: UNILAG

UNILAG Founded: 1962

1962 Motto: In deed and in truth

Colours: Maroon and gold

Maroon and gold University overview: Founded in 1962, University of Lagos is a non-profit public higher education institution located in Lagos. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Screenshot from 4icu.org

Address: Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria

Akoka, Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria Telephone number: +234 (1) 7339832

+234 (1) 7339832 E-mail: dsa@unilag.edu.ng

dsa@unilag.edu.ng Official website: https://unilag.edu.ng/

2. University of Nigeria

Photo from unn.edu.ng

Acronym: UNN

UNN Founded: 1960

1960 Motto: To restore the dignity of man

Colours: Green

Green University overview: Established in 1960, University of Nigeria is a public higher education institution located in Nsukka, Enugu. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Source of the picture: 4icu.org

Address: Nsukka Road, Nigeria

Nsukka Road, Nigeria Telephone number: +234 (806) 360 7400

+234 (806) 360 7400 Official website: http://www.unn.edu.ng/

Best university in Nigeria

So which is the best university?

1. University of Ibadan

Picture from ui.edu.ng

Acronym: UI

UI Founded: 1948

1948 Motto: Recte sapere fons (Right thinking is the fount (of knowledge))

(Right thinking is the fount (of knowledge)) University overview: Established in 1948, University of Ibadan is a public higher education institution located in the city of Ibadan, Oyo state. This 70 years old higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations and students' past academic record and grades. The admission rate range is 40-50% making this Nigerian higher education organization an averagely selective university in Nigeria. International applicants are eligible to apply for enrollment. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details.

Screenshot from 4icu.org

Address: Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria Telephone number: +234 000 00 0000

+234 000 00 0000 Official website: https://ui.edu.ng/

Each university provides many opportunities for students. The main thing is to understand what exactly you want and who you want to be, then the choice will not be so difficult. We wish you good luck!

READ ALSO: Best state universities in Nigeria for Law

Source: LegitVery few of us know that these days commerce in Nigeria grows and evolves pretty fast, which makes it profitable for people to invest and build their business within its borders, so, why wouldnt baking business be a good option to start with?

Photo: bettycrocker.com

Source: UGC

Commerce importance

Commerce is a difficult word that stands for trades. It is a part of macroeconomic studies, meaning that it implies issues of national economics. Commerce importance concludes such indicators as purchasing and selling different goods and services on the market.

In fact, it is not only national aggregate of trading system (as a direct meaning), but it also has another definition of entrepreneurial activities like placing a product on market, withdrawing it, and other mobilities that happen to perform in any kind of company or organization. This type of commerce has some power to improve economical index by its operating system. Annual reports do such job to track economical situation.

Commerce in Nigeria

Photo: wallstreetjournal.com

Source: UGC

Due to Nigerian rich naphtha sources, it always has been a struggle to perform on its own. A lot of countries were trying to use Nigerian expensive oil and gas storages, ignoring its owners needs. Although with the time the situation has completely changed, and from 2014 to 2016 Nigeria was on the list of leading African countries regarding to its economics, nowadays it is found in crisis because of "shadow" economics.

Nevertheless, the potential of Nigeria remains high and a lot of investors are interested in further financial inputs. As agrarian production goes through hard times, comparing it to other economical sectors, Nigerian government demands foreign investments to start its evolvement. Basically, this will assist and lead to some macroeconomic improvements in Nigeria.

Baking business as an option

Photo: abbakin.com

Source: Depositphotos

READ ALSO: Most consumed products in Nigeria in 2018-2019

As it was mentioned, one of the most demanded economic sectors in Nigeria is agrarian. This means that any new businesses may outcome profitable and help not only its holders but spread its financial success on the country in overall.

It is always easy to attract people to such thing as food. This is vital like medicine support, for instance, thats why people will never get rid of their physiological need  eating. The first thing comes up on your mind, recalling word food, is bread. Every single family has got bread on their dinner tables not because its that unspoken tradition that has come from our ancestors, but also because it is nutritious, tasty and fulfilling.

Photo: bakingbusiness.com

Source: UGC

Coming back to Nigerian economical element, it is relevant to mention that a lot of families there have their own housekeeping businesses, which they hold on the territories that belong exclusively to familys members. It is common to sow wheat, plant vegetables etc.

This fact allows us to choose a baking start up for business more than beneficial and at some point available.

A type of baking venture may absolutely vary: from family bakery that serves pastries to customers to real hardware baking factory. The main thing to remember yet is despite this business is quite easy to organize it will not be one day journey.

Baking business features

Photo: bakeryandsnacks.com

Source: UGC

Taking into account that the baking business requires a lot of people to run  baking production workers, other crew members like cashiers, cupcake makers, dishwasher etc.  it is perfect for dealing with unemployment. Most of the jobs do not even require special training, so people with no qualifications can have the opportunity to earn a living.

Other helping features of baking business may be social programs (feeding homeless people, for example), setting high competitive salaries, agrarian sectors increase, taxes and many more depending on business sizes and aims.

The more baking businesses there are, the better it is for the consumers, who have the ability to choose which breads to buy and at what prices. This can also reduce the prices for baked goods, as there will be no monopoly.

Insofar as Nigeria is still the country with emerging economy, it is appropriate to place and start your business over there. Also, additional reason is that foreign investments in this country are always welcome and policies for foreign business holders financially are very attractive.

READ ALSO: Profitable business in Nigeria with little capital

Source: Legit Newspaper- Defectors from All Progressives Congress (APC) have joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger state

- The decampees from the ruling party were led by Kudu Kasim with over 1,000 members

- On their part, ADP decampees were led by Yahaya Designer with other 500 members

Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Party (APC) has suffered a major blow in Niger state as over 1,000 members of the party have joined The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Peoples Democratic Party also received defectors from Advance Democratic Party (ADP) from Niger South (Zone A) senatorial district of the state. Apart from the 1,000 that decamped from the APC, 500 members of ADP also joined the PDP.

READ ALSO: Troops intercept suspected female Boko Haram bombers (photos)

The decampees from APC were led by Kudu Kasim while that of ADP were led by Yahaya Designer. 300 youths also joined the PDP, Channels TV reports.

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that following alleged anti-party activities, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is determined to query Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state and Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo state.

PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigerias #1 news app

According to reports, the decision was part of resolutions reached at the National Working Committee(NWC) meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday, December 18, where the state, local government and ward executives committees in the two states were dissolved.

NAIJ.com (naija.ng) -> Legit.ng We have updated to serve you better.

Nigeria Latest News: Buhari Reacts To APC Senators Betrayal | Legit TV

Source: LegitNew Delhi, January 9: A suspected Pakistani spy was arrested by the Indian Army from a village near Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh. The suspected spy, identified as Nirmal Rai, is a resident of Sadiya in Assam's Tinsukia district. Rai was booked under the Official Secrets Act and Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code.

According to initial reports, the suspected spy was working as a porter with the Indian Army at Kibithu and Dichu villages. He was arrested by the Armys Intelligence and Field Surveillance Unit. Rai was under watch for over a month due to his suspicious behaviour.

A mobile phone and some sensitive details were recovered from the suspect who was reportedly in contact with Pakistan's ISI officer in Dubai. Rai belongs to a Nepali community. He worked at a burger shop in Dubai between 2016 and 2018 before moving to Kibithu, Assam Director General of Police (DGP) SBK Singh told PTI.

He was involved in passing on sensitive information on location and deployment of army units, weapon profiles and artillery guns at Kibithu, as well as infrastructure development along the LAC, an Army personnel was quoted as saying.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 09, 2019 11:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).Washington, Jan 9 (PTI) India's newly-appointed Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who arrived here Wednesday, is likely to present his credentials to the US President Donald Trump on January 11, officials said.

Such a quick credentials ceremony for a foreign diplomat is rare in the American capital, given that in the past envoys of other countries, including those from India, have waited for weeks to formally present their diplomatic credentials to the US president.

Diplomatic credentials is a letter that formally appoints a diplomat as the ambassador to another country. The letter is addressed from one head of state to another. It is presented by the ambassador to the receiving head of state in a formal ceremony. The ceremony further marks the beginning of the official period of ambassadorship.

It is a common practice for ambassadors to initially present temporary credentials to the Department of State once they arrive in host countries before eventually presenting it to the head of state.

Shringla replaced Navtej Singh Sarna, who retired on December 31. He was earlier posted in Dhaka as the Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh.

A 1984-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, Shringla hails from Darjeeling. He has previously served in various Indian diplomatic missions including Paris, Hanoi, Durban, Tel Aviv and at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN in New York.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)MORGAN COUNTY, Mo.  The manhunt is over, and Revious L. Hamilton Jr., 50, of Ivy Bend, is behind bars, facing multiple felony charges.

Several witnesses say Hamilton shot a man in the face on Friday, Dec. 28 in Ivy Bend, before he fled from authorities and was at large for nearly two weeks.

On Tuesday, Jan. 8, the Morgan County Sheriffs office received information that Hamilton was in the Bald Knob, Ark. area. Morgan County Sheriffs officers contacted the White County, Ark. Sheriffs Department and provided them this information, photos of Hamilton and the warrant for Hamiltons arrest.

According to Morgan County Sheriff Norman Dills, White County Deputies were able to identify Hamilton and another subject on video surveillance at a business in Bald Knob. The White County Sheriffs Deputies said they were familiar with the other subject and they were able to quickly locate him, and he provided the address where Hamilton was currently located.

Deputies responded to that location and took Hamilton into custody without incident. Hamilton is currently being held in the White County Detention Center and will be extradited back to Morgan County.

The day of the shooting it was reported that the victim was transported to a Jefferson City hospital in stable condition and he has since been released from the hospital.

The Morgan County Prosecutor filed charges against Hamilton for Assault 1st Degree, Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Use of Weapon, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm. Hamilton is being held without bond.

He was living in a 6x7 shanty, Morgan County Sheriff Captain J.D. Williams said. There are full-time Ivy Bend residents that live in shanties, tents and small recreational vehicles. The fact that Hamilton was used to living in a small space, without many conveniences "made the search for him even more difficult, especially when you consider the density of the Ozark woods in Ivy Bend," Capt. Williams said.

Right after it happened, they were all over the place, cops, helicopters, dogs, agents, everything, said one neighbor. He wasnt dealing with a full deck, a neighbor said. You never knew from one day to the next what kind of mood he would be in, he was kind of bi-polar, like a Jekyll and Hyde type personality. Several neighbors said they would see Hamilton walking the road, but they knew better than to interact with him. He was always highly agitated, another neighbor said.

Morgan County deputies, Versailles Police officers, and Missouri State Highway Patrol Troopers conducted searches in several buildings, ground searches, and two aerial searches for Hamilton, as well as saturation patrols in the days following the incident.Rome, January 9 - Top Italian immunologist and former centre-right politician Fernando Aiuti died after falling down stairs in a Rome hospital on Wednesday and police are not ruling out suicide, sources said. Aiuti, 83, died of complications following the fall in Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he had been receiving treatment for some time for a serious heart condition, they said. Aiuti fell over 10 metres down a stairwell near the ward he was receiving treatment for a chronic heart condition, sources said. His slippers were found on the step outside the ward from which he fell. Rome prosecutors are investigating the death. As well as being a world-renowned immunologist whop pioneered AIDS treatment, Aiuti was formerly a member of three-time premier and media magnate Silvio Berlusconi's now defunct People of Freedom party. Born in the Marche town of Urbino in 1935, he graduated with a degree in medicine from Sapienza University of Rome. In 1991, while the possibility of AIDS being transmitted orally was being discussed, Aiuti suddenly took Rosaria Iardino, an HIV-positive woman, and kissed her on the mouth, trying to convince public opinion that the virus could not be transmitted that way. A journalist photographed the scene and the photo became internationally famous. Aiuti was head of the People of Freedom (PdL) list in 2008, and was elected to the municipal council of Rome for the PdL along with Mayor Gianni Alemanno, serving until 2013.Milan, January 9 - Giovanni Erra, a factory worker sentenced to 30 years in jail for the 2002 murder of 14-year-old Brescia student Desiree Piovanelli, wants to have his trial reviewed, is lawyer said Wednesday. Erra has been in jail for 17 years. He told his lawyers "now is the time for the truth to come out".Turin, January 9 - A cost/benefit analysis on the high-speed rail (TAV) line being built between Turin and Lyon was handed to the government on Wednesday, the head of an expert commission that drafted the report said. "The analysis is valid for the whole community and therefore concerns all the work, the Italian part, but all the social subjects involved, the users, the businesses, the State, safety and employment effects," said Professor Marco Ponti. Piedmont Governor Sergio Chiamparino said there was "no longer any reason to put off a decision on the project". The 5-Star Movement (M5S) to which Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli belongs has voiced opposition to the project while the other government partner, the anti-migrant Euroskeptic League party, has said it should go ahead. The cost/benefit analysis will be a major factor in deciding whether to greenlight the rest of the project. Toninelli has said he will discuss it with his French counterpart Elisabeth Borne. The EU has said the project must proceed and says Italy will lose large sums in penalties and squandered funding if it does not.Rome, January 9 - The centre-left opposition democratic Party (PD) on Wednesday appealed to Italy's Constitutional Court on the way the 2019 budget bill was rammed through parliament via confidence votes. The PD appeal said the division of powers between the parliament and government should have been respected, according to a copy obtained by ANSA. The appeal thus raises the objection that there was a conflict between institutional powers. The court is expected to say Wednesday or Thursday whether it can admit the appeal.Rome, January 9 - Rome public transport firm ATAC is to remain public and its 11,000 jobs have been saved, Mayor Virginia Raggi said Wednesday. "ATAC is reborn," she said on Facebook. "OK from creditors to Roma Capitale's plan to rescue Europe's biggest public transport firm. ATAC remains in the hands of citizens. Soon 600 new buses will arrive, and metro work will continue. We are saving 11,000 jobs. Accounts OK, fines for ticket dodgers and relaunch of public transport".Rome, January 9 - Italy will take some of the families among 49 migrants stranded at sea for 19 days after the EU reached a deal to let them disembark, the chair of the House EU policy committee, Sergio Battelli, said Wednesday. "Thanks to the mediation of Premier (Giuseppe) Conte a deal has been reached between Malta and the EU to disembark the migrants on the SeaWatch and the SeaEye", he said. "The families will go to various European countries, we will take some of them. The Europe I want elaborates common strategies, rapidly and not after weeks".(see related story) Warsaw, January 9 - Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said he was not in agreement on Wednesday after eight European countries, including Italy, reached a deal to receive 49 asylum seekers who had been at sea on rescue ships run by the NGOs Sea Watch and Sea Eye. "I am, and remain, against new arrivals in Italy," said Salvini, who has spearheaded the government's tough stance of denying access to NGO-run migrant-rescue ships to Italy's ports. "(In Brussels) they pretend not to understand and they facilitate the work of the traffickers and the NGOs. "Giving in to the pressure and threats of Europe and the NGOs is a sign of weakness that the Italian people do not deserve".Rome, January 9 - Cabinet Secretary Giancarlo Giorgetti said yes on Wednesday when asked if the nationalization of troubled bank Carige was a "concrete possibility". Premier Giuseppe Conte's government approved an urgent decree to support Carige late on Monday. The decree means the lender will be able to have State guarantees for future bond issues and loans from the Bank of Italy. It will also be able to request a State-backed precautionary recapitalisation if necessary. The two ruling parties, the 5-Star Movement and the League, have come under fire over the move as they were both highly critical of interventions to rescue troubled banks by administrations led by the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) in the past.Rome, January 8 - Premier Giuseppe Conte's government came under fire from the opposition centre-left Democratic Party (PD) on Tuesday after approving a decree to support troubled Italian bank Carige. The decree means the lender will be able to have State guarantees for future bond issues and loans from the Bank of Italy. It will also be able to request a State-backed precautionary recapitalisation if necessary. The two ruling parties, Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio's 5-Star Movement (M5S) and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini's League, were both highly critical of interventions to rescue troubled banks by PD-led administrations in the past. "Salvini and Di Maio should be ashamed," said ex-premier and former PD leader Matteo Renzi. "All it took was a 10-minute nighttime cabinet meeting to belie five years of insults and lies against us". Salvini defended the government's position. "While Renzi and (former reform minister and former cabinet secretary Maria Elena) Boschi ignored and forgot savers, we intervened immediately to defend them without doing any favours for the banks, for foreigners, or for friends of friends," Salvini said. Boschi's father was a former executive of one of the banks involved in an operation by Renzi's government.Robert Hockett, a professor of law and finance at Cornell University, said the plan could improve New York City's economy by boosting worker morale and was unlikely to lead to a major exodus of firms, who have other reasons to stay in the city. The legislation is modeled in part after de Blasio's paid-sick-leave law, which was implemented by the city in 2014.It really was about what provided the best value for the taxpayers, as a public agency, Szabo said. We represent the entire region, and we have meetings going on in our building almost every day. So access to transportation was also important.The 19-year-old Frenchman joined Toulouse in 2016 and made his first-team debut earlier this season. The central defender has made 10 appearances, all as a starter, and scored in the team's 1-1 draw at Rennes in September.Tim Weah was born in New York and raised in the U.S. He has made eight appearances for the U.S. team, scoring in a friendly against Bolivia in May, and can also play as an attacking midfielder.Senator Tester demands answers from law enforcement agencies on the delayed response to the disappearance of 14-year-old Henny Scott.

Scott was found dead on Crow Agency last month.

Senator Tester wrote a letter to the FBI seeking answers to questions of what went wrong in their search for Scott.

The BIA reported Scott missing on December 13th, but the information wasn't public until December 26th.

Tester is also questioning the FBI and BIA's coordinated search efforts and what actions took place when they first learned of the teen's disappearance.

In a statement Tester says in part: "There are still many unanswered questions surrounding the circumstances of Henny's death, but it has become clear that the initial law enforcement response was unacceptable."

Members of the Northern Cheyenne community are asking for justice for Scott and missing indigenous woman.

Scott's grandmother Rynalea Whiteman is pleading for answers.

"So there's got to be justice, all the way around. No matter what it is, with the missing and murdered indigenous women. That's something that has plagued our reservations all over," said Whiteman. "Not just Indian country both in the United States and Canada. We're dealing with these at an alarming rate that there's got to be something done."

KULR-8 reached out to the bureau of Indian Affairs for the Northern Cheyenne and Crow tribes.

They referred us to the National BIA office in Washington, d.c.

a spokesperson for the department of interior said they cannot comment at this time due to the government shutdown.

In addition Senator Daines is also seeking for answers on the disappearances and murders of native american women.There are over 400 sight impaired children across the state of Montana.

However, new technology could literally change the way these kids see the world around them.

The saying goes; a picture is worth a thousand words.

However, in order for some to see that picture however, the price is a little higher.

The Montana School for the Deaf and Blind is partnering with the Lions Club to raise money for a piece of technology known as the Prodigi Connect 12.

The Montana School for the Deaf and Blind are trying to get their hands on 100 of these high tech tablets, each one to be given to a sight impaired student across the state.

In order to reach their goal, they need to raise $150,000.

After they hit their target, their Lions Club partner will match that; making a combined total of $300,000

Despite the high price tag, the results will far outweigh the cost.

This device allows them to take anything in their environment and enlarge it to the size that they need to be able to get the information. And its real time, explains Carol Clayton-Bye, Director of Outreach.

Each student has a consultant who will decide how much the tablet needs to be used and in what capacity.

After a student graduates from high school, their tablet is put back into the system and given to another student in need.

If youre interested in helping, simply contact the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind Foundation or The Lions Club.Over 700 middle school students are visiting City College campus at MSUB for a program called "Lewis and Clark Week." This year is the fourteenth year for the hands-on program. Lewis and Clark Week is presented by Our Montana Inc. and is a unique learning opportunity that has earned a national award.

The presenters, who are at different stations focused on various aspects of the Lewis and Clark expedition, are volunteers. Stations include learning about medicine, weather, plants, and animals during the era of Lewis and Clark. Also, stations are available on how they communicated and native sign language. Students are also learning about Pompeys Pillar as well as flora and fauna.

"I teach geography and I am learning things today about Lewis and Clark's journey, and the mapping, and the tools," said Ben Steele Geography teacher, Jenna Allie. "It's called Back to the Future and I think it's really nice that we can get some of this stuff first-hand, rather than us just telling them about it."

Students even had the chance to sample pemmican and hardtack at the program's food station.

A few new things to the program this year include a station where students can build the skeletal system of a bison, and the opportunity for students to eat corn chowder. The soup is prepared by Chef Bill Jensen with Cafe Protege, the Career Center's culinary program.

7th grader, Drew McDowell said, "It's kind of cool to learn about our nation's history because without the Louisiana purchase and everything that happened, we wouldn't really be here, and Montana wouldn't be a state, so it's fun."

The college's teepee will also be on display in the commons for the students to explore.

For more information on Lewis and Clark Week, contact Stephanie Cowen, director of Student Services at City College, at 247-3005 or scowen@msubillings.edu.Graduate research assistant Xuetian Ma holds a reaction vessel similar to those used to study nanoscale crystal formation. The vessels were made of a high-strength quartz tube about a millimeter in diameter and about two inches long. The researchers determined for the first time what controls formation of two different nanoscale crystalline structures in the metal cobalt.

High-energy X-ray beams and a clever experimental setup allowed researchers to watch a high-pressure, high-temperature chemical reaction to determine for the first time what controls formation of two different nanoscale crystalline structures in the metal cobalt. The technique allowed continuous study of cobalt nanoparticles as they grew from clusters including tens of atoms to crystals as large as five nanometers.

The research provides the proof-of-principle for a new technique to study crystal formation in real-time, with potential applications for other materials, including alloys and oxides. Data from the study produced "nanometric phase diagrams" showing the conditions that control the structure of cobalt nanocrystals as they form.

"We found that we could indeed control formation of the two different crystalline structures, and that the tuning factor was the pH of the solution," said Hailong Chen, an assistant professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. "Tuning the crystalline structure allowed us to control the functionality and properties of these materials. We believe this methodology could also be applied to alloys and oxides."

In bulk cobalt, crystal formation favors the hexagonal close-pack (HCP) structure because it minimizes energy to create a stable structure. At the nanoscale, however, cobalt also forms the face-centered cubic (FCC) phase, which has a higher energy. That can be stable because the high surface energy of small nanoclusters affects the total crystalline energy, Chen said.

"When the clusters are small, we have more tuning effects, which is controlled by the surface energy of the OH minus group or other ligands," he added. "We can tune the concentration of the OH minus group in the solution so we can tune the surface energy and therefore the overall energy of the cluster."

Working with researchers from the two national laboratories and the Department of Materials Science at the University of Maryland, Chen and graduate research assistant Xuetian Ma examined the polymorphic structures using theoretical, experimental and computational modeling techniques.

Experimentally, the researchers reduced cobalt hydroxide in a solution of ethylene glycol, using potassium hydroxide to vary the pH of the solution. The reaction takes place under high pressure - about 1,800 pounds per square inch - and at more than 200 degrees Celsius.

In the laboratory, the researchers use a heavy steel containment vessel that allowed them to analyze only the reaction results. To follow how the reaction took place, they needed to observe it in real time, which required development of a containment vessel small enough to allow for X-ray transmission while handling the high pressure and high temperature at the same time.

The result was a reaction vessel made of a high-strength quartz tube about a millimeter in diameter and about two inches long. After the cobalt hydroxide solution was added, the tube was spun to both facilitate the chemical reaction and average the X-ray signal. A small heater applied the necessary thermal energy and a thermocouple measured the temperature.

Ma and Chen used the setup during four separate trips to beam lines at the National Synchrotron Light Source II at Brookhaven, and the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. X-rays passing through the reaction chamber to a two-dimensional detector provided continuous monitoring of the chemical reaction, which took about two hours to complete.

"When they started forming a detectable spectrum we captured the X-ray diffraction spectrum and continued to observe it until the crystal cobalt formed," Ma explained. "We were able to observe step-by-step what was happening from initial nucleation to the end of the reaction."

Data obtained by varying the pH of the reaction produced a nanometric phase diagram showing where different combinations produced the two structures.

The X-ray diffraction results confirmed the theoretical predictions and computational modeling done by Yifei Mo, an assistant professor in the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland. Mo and colleagues Adelaide Nolan and Shuo Zhang used density functional theory to describe how the crystal would nucleate under differing conditions.

The success with cobalt suggests the methodology could be used to produce nanometric phase diagrams for other materials, including more complex alloys and oxides, Chen said.

"Our goal was to build a model and a systematic understanding about the formation of crystalline materials at the nanoscale," he said. "Until now, researchers had been relying on empirical design to control growth of the materials. Now we can offer a theoretical model that would allow systematic prediction of what kinds of properties are possible under different conditions."

As a next step, the Georgia Tech researchers plan to study alloys, to further improve the theoretical model and experimental approach.In June 2017 the companies DURAN Group, Wheaton Industries and Kimble Chase merged to form a new global company  DWK Life Sciences.



DWK Life Sciences combines the expertise of the acclaimed product brands DURAN, WHEATON and KIMBLE. As one of the worlds leading manufacturers of premium lab glass, DWK Life Sciences offers its customers a complete range of high-quality laboratory glassware  from the classic disposables to reusable precision glassware. Additionally, DWK Life Sciences develops and produces a wide range of plastic labware and specialty products for life science applications as well as packaging and storage solutions for the pharmaceutical industry.



The DWK Life Sciences product portfolio comprises over 30,000 products manufactured at 11 sites in Europe, North America and Asia. Globally, more than 1,700 employees work on the development and production of innovative products and services to meet the high expectations of customers in laboratories and production environments around the world  inspired by the company slogan Excellence in your hands.Saint Helens man arrested in bathtub after girlfriend pulled over, says she was assaultedFriends, family react to deaths of three fishermen after boat capsizes on Oregon coastChatham, VA (24531)

Today

Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 83F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Generally clear skies. Low around 60F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.Brian Howey is publisher of Howey Politics Indiana at howeypolitics.com. Find him on Facebook and Twitter @hwypol.Folkston, GA (31537)

Today

Mostly sunny early then increasing clouds with some scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 94F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Mainly cloudy. Low 71F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph.In this file photo, Vice President Mike Pence speaks about the creation of a new branch of the military, Space Force, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 9, 2018.Riverview firefighters raise money to help officer injured in the line of dutyPolice searching for information on suspect accused of stealing credit cards from cars in YMCA parking lotMom sentenced to probation after boy abducted, held in attic for six monthsThis photo from the U.S. Coast Guard shows Air Facility Newport and Station Yaquina Bay boat crews responding after the Mary B II boat capsized and left three fishermen dead.(Kitco News) - Treasure hunters have been looking at the wrong place for the French Emperor Napoleon Bonapartes stolen treasure for the past 200 years, which was stashed somewhere in Russia during the leaders retreat from Moscow in 1812.

Historian Viacheslav Ryzhkov is claiming that all search efforts should focus on the town of Rudnya, which is located near the border with Belarus, instead of concentrating on Lake Semlevo in Smolensk Region, which is about a three-hour drive west.

Ryzhkov made the revelations in a letter sent to the local Rabochy Put newspaper.

The rumors that the treasure  80 tonnes of gold and other valuables looted from Moscow  have been hidden by Napoleon in the Lake Semlevo were first confirmed by Philippe de Segur, a member of Napoleon's staff.

Adding credibility to the idea was that the French army left large amounts of ammunition near the lake as they were retreating.

According to the myth, Napoleon decided to hide the stolen treasure after it became too difficult for the French army to carry it as they were making their way back to France from Russia after being defeated.

During the invasion, Napoleon managed to push through western Russia, making it all the way to Moscow. However, as the Russian army retreated they used scorched-earth tactics, leaving no sustenance behind for the French military. In the fall of 1812, Napoleon was forced to abandon his attack and retreat.

Treasure hunters have been searching for the lost gold for the past two centuries with no avail.

Now, Ryzhkovs new theory argues that what was hidden in the Lake Semlevo was a decoy sent by Napoleon to distract Russian spies from the real hiding place, which is near the town of Rudnya and Lake Bolshaya Rutavech.

The Russian historian cites local accounts that describe a causeway being built into the middle of the lake and the treasure being placed at the bottom.

Napoleon did not place the treasure into barrels and then threw them into a lake, that would be too easy, Ryzhkovs writes. He ordered to hide the treasure in some sort of water seal. The treasure can only be discovered with the help of technology and many specialists.Spot palladium prices hit yet another record high early Wednesday, but this could ultimately mean the risk of substitution toward more use of sister metal platinum in auto catalysts, says BMO Capital Markets. Analysts say for now, palladium remains underpinned by Europes shift away from diesel-powered engines, which require platinum instead. Gasoline-powered cars historically used palladium, although there has been conjecture for some time now more platinum could be used as palladium prices keep soaring. As of an early-Wednesday research note, BMO reports spot palladium got up to $1,340.50 an ounce. The metal is already up 6.5% since the start of the year, BMO says. Despite significant outflows in palladium ETF [exchange-traded-fund] holdings, which have declined over 18,000 ounces (minus 15%) since the beginning of the August 2018 rally, palladium continues to benefit from an unresponsive supply outlook and we see a persistent deficit over the coming years and improving auto-catalyst demand outlook as supportive of prices, BMO says. However, with current prices trading at a near $500 premium to platinum, substitution risk remains high. As of 9:09 a.m. EST, spot palladium was $6.10 higher to $1,329.10 an ounce.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

SP Angel: Indias 2018 Gold Demand Hurt By Weak Rupee

Gold imports in India, the worlds second-largest gold-consuming nation, fell sharply in 2018 as buying was deterred by high domestic prices due to a weak rupee, says commodities brokerage SP Angel. According to news reports, Indias purchases from overseas fell 20% to 762 tonnes. The figure represents the second-smallest amount shipped into the country this decade, SP Angel says. Analysts later add, Demand for gold across the Asian nation has tumbled as a slump in the rupee made the metal more expensive in the price-sensitive market. A liquidity crunch and government measures to curtail consumption have exacerbated the decline. The near-term outlook remains positive, however, with demand expected to rise up to 20% as purchases for investment may pick up.

By Allen Sykora of Kitco News; asykora@kitco.com

Bannockburn: Keep Fitchs Warning In Perspective

Fitch has issued a warning for U.S. government debt, but Marc Chandler, chief market strategist with Bannockburn Global Forex, says to keep the warning in perspective. He points out that the news has prompted little market reaction and for good reason. First, the rating cut is not imminent, Chandler says, pointing out that Fitch listed a timeline on whether the U.S. government shutdown continues into March and the debt ceiling becomes a problem several months later. Second, S&P took away the U.S. AAA rating in 2011. It still stands at AA+, Chandler says. The impact was negligible. A Fitch downgrade would look bad, but there is still no compelling alternative to the U.S. Treasury market in terms of depth, breadth, and transparency. Further, he pointed out, Fitch warned last year that it might take away the AAA rating, but it did not do so.WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The European Union and United States have not yet agreed on the scope of their trade negotiations, but the EU will not include agriculture in the talks, its trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom told reporters on Wednesday.

Malmstrom said the EU was willing to include all industrial goods, such as autos, in the discussions.

We have made very clear agriculture will not be included, Malmstrom said, though the two sides had not yet agreed on that issue.

She was speaking after meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and ahead of a meeting with U.S. and Japanese leaders to discuss World Trade Organization (WTO) reform this week.

U.S. President Donald Trump has demanded better terms of trade for the United States from China, the EU and Japan, saying poor trade deals cost the United States millions of jobs. Washington has already reworked the North American trade treaty with neighbors Mexico and Canada.

USTR notified lawmakers in October of its plans to pursue the trade talks with the European Union. American farmers and farm state lawmakers such as Republican Senator Chuck Grassley from Iowa have said they want agricultural products to be included in any new trade deal.

Malmstrom said she had received no assurance that a U.S. auto tariffs report would be put on hold during the discussions, but believed the European Union would not be affected by such tariffs while the talks were ongoing.

The EU was in the final stages of preparing its mandates for the talks, she said.

It was unclear when the formal talks will be held.

Discussions around the reform of WTO rules have focused on transparency and ways to address concerns over Chinese trade practices.

We are not forming a coalition against China. We are worried about many of the Chinese practices, she said.URUMQI/KASHGAR/HOTAN, China (Reuters) - China will not back down on what it sees as a highly successful de-radicalisation program in Xinjiang that has attracted global concern, but fewer people will be sent through, officials said last week in allowing rare media access there.

Beijing has faced an outcry from activists, scholars, foreign governments and U.N. rights experts over what they call mass detentions and strict surveillance of the mostly Muslim Uighur minority and other Muslim groups who call Xinjiang home.

In August, a U.N. human rights panel said it had received credible reports that a million or more Uighurs and other minorities in the far western region are being held in what resembles a massive internment camp.

Last week, the government organized a visit to three such facilities, which it calls vocational education training centers, for a small group of foreign reporters, including Reuters.

In recent days, a similar visit was arranged for diplomats from 12 non-Western countries, including Russia, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Kazakhstan, according to Xinjiang officials and foreign diplomats.

Senior officials, including Shohrat Zakir, Xinjiangs governor and the regions most senior Uighur, dismissed what they called slanderous lies about the facilities.

Speaking in Xinjiangs capital, Urumqi, Shohrat Zakir said the centers had been extremely effective in reducing extremism by teaching residents about the law and helping them learn Mandarin.

As time goes by, the people in the education training mechanism will be fewer and fewer, he said.

Shohrat Zakir said he could not say exactly how many people were in the facilities.

One million people, this number is rather frightening. One million people in the education mechanism - thats not realistic. Thats purely a rumor, he said, stressing they were temporary educational facilities.

Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the Munich-based exile group the World Uyghur Congress, told Reuters the Chinese government was using extremism as an excuse to lock people up.

What they are trying to do is destroy Uighur identity, he said.

INSIDE THE CENTERS

Human rights groups and former detainees have said that conditions in the camps are poor, with inmates subject to abuse. They said detainees did not receive vocational training.

Seeking to counter that narrative, the government took reporters to three centers, in Kashgar, Hotan and Karakax, all in the heavily Uighur-populated southern part of Xinjiang, where much of the violence has taken place in recent years.

In one class reporters were allowed to briefly visit, a teacher explained in Mandarin that not allowing singing or dancing at a wedding or crying at a funeral are signs of extremist thought.

The students took notes, pausing to look up as reporters and officials entered the room. Some smiled awkwardly. Others just looked down at their books. All were Uighur. None appeared to have been mistreated.

In another class, residents read a Chinese lesson in their textbook entitled Our motherland is so vast.

There was plenty of singing and dancing in other rooms reporters visited, including a lively rendition in English of If Youre Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands, that seemed to have been put on especially for the visit.

Several residents agreed to speak briefly to reporters, though all in the presence of government officials. Reporters were closely chaperoned at all times.

All the interviewees said they were there of their own accord after learning of the centers from local officials.

Many answers used extremely similar language about being infected with extremist thought.

Pazalaibutuyi, 26, told reporters at the Hotan center that five years ago she had attended an illegal religious gathering at a neighbors house, where they were taught that women should cover their faces.

At that time I was infected with extremist thought so I wore a face veil, she said, speaking clear Mandarin after a year at the center.

Government officials came to her village to talk to the villagers and after that, she said, I discovered my mistake.

In the Kashgar center, Osmanjan, who declined to give his age, said he had incited ethnic hatred, so village police suggested he go for re-education.

Under the influence of extremist thought, when non-Muslims came to my shop I was unwilling to serve them, he said in unsteady Mandarin.

It was not possible to independently verify their stories. All the interviewees said they had not been forewarned of the visit.

Residents said they can graduate when they are judged to have reached a certain level with their Mandarin, de-radicalisation and legal knowledge. They are allowed phone calls with family members, but no cell phones. They are provided halal food.

Only minimal security was visible at any of the three centers.

Reuters last year reported on conditions inside the camps and took pictures of guard towers and barbed wire surrounding some. (tinyurl.com/y9zzouss)

A GOOD LIFE

The situation in Xinjiang has stirred concern in Western capitals.

At least 15 Western ambassadors wrote to Xinjiangs top official, Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo, late last year seeking a meeting to discuss their concerns. Chen did not meet reporters on the trip.

Diplomatic sources told Reuters the ambassadors did not get a response.

The United States has said it is considering sanctions against Chen, other officials and Chinese companies linked to allegations of rights abuses in Xinjiang.

Maya Wang, a Hong Kong-based Human Rights Watch researcher, said international pressure needs to increase.

The fact that they feel they need to put on a show tour is a sign that this pressure is working, she told Reuters.

Both Wang and Dilxat Raxit noted that the tight control over the visits and interviews showed Chinas concern about their true nature.

Over a lunch of lamb kebabs, horse meat and naan, Urumqi party boss Xu Hairong told Reuters that all of the reports are fake when it comes to foreign coverage of Xinjiang. He dismissed worries about U.S. sanctions.

We, including Party Secretary Chen, are working all out for the people of Xinjiang to have a good life, Xu said. If the U.S. wont allow me to go, then I dont want to go there. Thats the truth.

The government says its goal is for Uighurs to become part of mainstream Chinese society. Shohrat Zakir said in parts of southern Xinjiang people couldnt even say hello in Mandarin.

Officials point to a lack of violence in the past two years as evidence of programs success.

Urumqis Exhibition on Major Violent Terrorist Attack Cases in Xinjiang, normally closed to the public, displays graphic images and footage from what the government says are attacks.

Only with a deeper understanding of the past can you understand the measures we have taken today, Shi Lei, Xinjiangs Communist Party committee deputy propaganda chief, told reporters.

One member of the Chinese armed forces, who has served in Kashgar, said the security situation had improved dramatically.

You cant imagine what it was like there in 2014 and 2015. There were attacks all the time, bombings, stabbings. It was chaos, he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

In Kashgar, Hotan and Karakax, petrol stations are still surrounded by barbed wire and heavy security barriers. Residential areas are dotted with small police stations.

The stations have broader public service in mind, Zhang Yi, commander of one of the stations, told reporters. The one reporters visited provided pamphlets on a wide range of subjects, including how to legally change your sex.

Kashgar deputy party chief Zark Zurdun, a Uighur from Ghulja in northern Xinjiang, where many ethnic Kazakhs live, told Reuters that stability is the best human right.

The West should learn from us on how to beat extremism, he said, dismissing concerns Uighur culture was under attack.

Did Kazakh vanish in the USSR when they all had to learn Russian? he said. No. So Uighur wont vanish here.MASON CITY, Iowa  Nine agencies and events will share in $5,000 from Visit Mason Citys tourism marketing grant program.

Receiving money are:

- Charles H. MacNider Art Museum for radio ads

- Friends of the 457 for print advertising

- Healthy Harvest of North Iowa for radio ads and social media marketing

- Iowa Lions District 9NC for shuttle transportation during District convention

- North Iowa Band Festival for printed brochures

- North Iowa Events Center: Trouble Pool Tournament for social media marketing

- North Iowa Events Center: River City WarmUps for social media marketing

- River City Society for Historic Preservation for billboard advertising

- Wright on the Park for billboard advertising

Visit Mason City says applications for the next round of grants must be submitted by February 1.ROCHESTER, Minn.  A female fugitive is back in custody in Olmsted County.

Latisha Lynnette Roby, 50 of Rochester, was arrested in April 2017 and accused of taking a knife from her bra and slashing an ex-boyfriend in the stomach. She entered an Alford plea in March 2018 to one count of stalking but failed to show up for her sentencing in August 2018. A warrant was issued for Robys arrest.

The Twin Cities Apprehension Team, a Minnesota bounty hunting agency, says it located Roby in Chicago, took her into custody on Tuesday, and then delivered her to the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center. The Detention Center confirms Roby is again in their custody.

An Alford plea means Roby was not admitting guilty but granted she could be convicted at trial and would accept sentencing.Buena Vista, CO (81211)

Today

Sunny to partly cloudy. Record high temperatures expected. High near 90F. ESE winds shifting to NNW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Partly cloudy skies. Low near 55F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump made a somber televised plea for border wall funding Tuesday night, seeking an edge in his shutdown battle with congressional Democrats as he declared there is "a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul."

Addressing the nation from the Oval Office for the first time, Trump argued for funding on security and humanitarian grounds as he sought to put pressure on newly empowered Democrats amid an extended partial government shutdown.

Trump called on Democrats to return to the White House to meet with him, saying it was "immoral" for "politicians to do nothing." Previous meetings have led to no agreement.

Responding in their own televised remarks, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of misrepresenting the situation on the border as they urged him to reopen closed government departments and turn loose paychecks for hundreds of thousands of workers.

Schumer said Trump "just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration."

Minnesota 1st District Congressman Jim Hagedorn issued the following statement after the President's Tuesday night address:

"I remain committed to securing Americas borders by dramatically reducing illegal entries, implementing a merit-based immigration system and restoring the rule of law. During tonights address to the nation, President Trump outlined the continuing crisis on the

U.S.  Mexico border and the negative implications and serious threats (felony crime, terrorism, human trafficking, drug trafficking, etc.) posed by illegal entry and inadequate border security."

"The Administration has requested roughly $5 billion to enhance physical border security, a recommendation made by professional law enforcement personnel at DHS. This is a sum that represents less than 1% of the annual U.S. defense budget. In my view, this is a much needed and reasonable request to address the border security crisis and national security is contingent upon a secure border."

"If the Democrats continue to obstruct progress on protecting our homeland, then I support all necessary steps needed for the President to construct physical border structures. The first responsibility of any Member of Congress is to defend the United States and protect the American people. The residents of Minnesotas First District can rest assured that I will continue to support measures to Keep America Safe with secure borders and a foreign policy of Peace Through Strength."



Trump, who has long railed against illegal immigration at the border, has recently seized on humanitarian concerns to argue there is a broader crisis that can only be solved with a wall. But critics say the security risks are overblown and the administration is at least partly to blame for the humanitarian situation.

Trump used emotional language, referring to Americans who were killed by people in the country illegally, saying: "I've met with dozens of families whose loved ones were stolen by illegal immigration. I've held the hands of the weeping mothers and embraced the grief-stricken fathers. So sad. So terrible."

The president often highlights such incidents, though studies over several years have found immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States.

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst issued the following statement after the President's address:

Make no mistake: we have a humanitarian crisis as a result of the 60,000 illegal and inadmissible immigrants a month on the southern border. The President has been abundantly clear that the Democrats need to start working with Republicans  not against them  to reach an agreement on securing our southern border and putting the wellbeing of American citizens first."

Democrats in Washington, D.C. are playing games with the safety and security of each and every town in America. A wall is not just about protecting our southern border, but about stopping human trafficking and the transport of illegal weapons and drugs  in addition to the ability of gang members and terrorists to exploit the holes in our system and take advantage of our good will and American ideals."

As the President said tonight, this is about fulfilling our duty to the citizens we serve. I agree, Mr. President. Lets work together to secure our border.

Trump has been discussing the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow him to move forward with the wall without getting congressional approval for the $5.7 billion he's requested. But he did not mention that Tuesday night.

With his use of a formal White House speech instead of his favored Twitter blasts, Trump embraced the ceremonial trappings of his office as he tries to exit a political quagmire of his own making. For weeks he has dug in on a signature campaign promise to his base voters, the pledge to build an impregnable "beautiful" wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The partial government shutdown reached its 18th day, making the closure the second-longest in history. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are going without pay, and government disruptions are hitting home with everyday Americans.DECORAH, Iowa  Three people arrested in December are pleading not guilty to drug charges.

Destiny Lynn Chambers, Dominick James Watson, and Lane Breitsprecher, are all facing drug charges. The Winneshiek County Sheriffs Office says they were arrested after lengthy investigation led to the search of a Calmar home on December 12, 2018.

Chambers, 38 of Calmar, is scheduled to stand trial March 20 for possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, gathering where controlled substances are used, possession of meth-2nd offense, and failure to use a drug tax stamp.

Watson, 21 of Calmar, has pleaded not guilty to possession of meth-3rd or subsequent offense and gathering where controlled substances are used. No trial date has been set.

Breitsprecher, 27 of Fort Atkinson, is due to stand trial on March 13 for possession of meth-1st offense.GARNER, Iowa  A man accused of 28 sex crimes is pleading not guilty.

Jeromie Holland, 39 of Britt, was charged on November 20, 2018, with 14 counts of 2nd degree sexual assault and 14 counts of lascivious acts with a child. Law enforcement says Holland sexually assaulted a female child 14 times between May 7 and November 2. Court records identify the victim in each assault by the same initials.

The Britt Police Department says Holland admitted in 2015 to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and confessed to sexually assaulting two other females under the age of 12 when he was between 16 and 17 years old.

Holland entered a not guilty plea in Hancock County District Court Tuesday. His trial is scheduled to begin on February 20.ST. PAUL, Minn.  The 2019 Legislative Session began Tuesday in Minnesota with a new governor, a new balance of power and a budget surplus.

The state capitol was bustling, and its evident local lawmakers are ready to get started.

It's always exciting, the first day, Sen. David Senjem, of Rochester, said. This is perhaps my 18th first day, but the thrill never goes away.

Its kind of like the first day of school, Rep. Peggy Bennett, of Albert Lea, said. I was a former teacher, you know, and it's just like that.

Well, I'm excited today, Rep. Jeanne Poppe, of Austin, said. It's always good to get back into session.

The first day is always a day of hope, Sen. Dan Sparks, of Austin, said. The whole United States is going to be watching what happens here in Minnesota.

Minnesota is the only state with a divided legislature. Republicans are in control of the Senate with a two-seat majority, and Democrats have the majority in the house.

Many lawmakers are feeling optimistic with the new leadership and the projected $1.5B surplus.

I've been here when it's a $6.2B deficit, Senjem said, and it's a lot different dynamics, no question about it.

Sen. Sparks thinks legislators need to be cautious.

I think right now our economy's in good shape, but I think we want to make sure we put some of that money away in a rainy day fund, Sparks said. Make sure we can fund things that really benefit the state of Minnesota.

It's not like there's all sorts of money that we can just say 'hey, let's spend new,' Poppe said. We have things that have to be taken care of.

People who came to the capitol on Tuesday want to make it clear they dont want to pay more.

With the budget having a surplus, no one better be taking any more of my money because they have enough of it, Elizabeth Bangert, of Mankato, said. They have enough of our tax dollars. They don't need any more and they'd have even more if they stopped the fraud.ST. PAUL, Minn.  On opening day of the Legislative Session, the people are helping set the tone for the new year.

The organization Moms Demand Action filled the rotunda on Tuesday, asking for tougher gun laws in order for better protection.

"My concern for my grandchildren really, Sherry Anderson, of Cannon Falls, said. I did not have to worry for my children about being shot in school."

"We experience shooter drills, we walk down the streets, we have friends, and we're just people like everyone else, Maya Sprenger-Otto, with Students Demand Action, said. This is a cause that affects everyone."

Last session, the legislature passed a measure that was vetoed by former Gov. Mark Dayton. This session, lawmakers plan to revisit it.

I know that this is an incredibly charged issue, Gov. Tim Walz said, but to move a couple pieces of legislation that have data supporting that they make our communities, our schools, our workplaces safer; and at the same time, having no impact on the ability of lawful gun owners to purchase firearms seems like the right thing to do.

Some lawmakers expect finding common ground to be difficult.

You know the simple, more background checks thing, we're already doing background checks, Sen. David Senjem, of Rochester, said. What more do we want? It's one of those things though that'll get a lot of discussion and we'll see, perhaps by the end of session, how it shakes out.

The Minnesota Legislature is the only divided assembly in the nations with Republicans controlling the Senate, and the Democrats in the majority in the House.ALBERT LEA, Minn.  A Freeborn County man accused of 12 crimes pleads guilty to six of them.

Jacob Steven Segura, 20 of Albert Lea, was first charged in September 2018 with 1st degree burglary, four counts of 2nd degree burglary, and four counts of possession of stolen property. Authorities say Segura cut a hole in the window of an Albert Lea home, stuck his hand through, and grabbed several items off the window sill.

Authorities say Segura then entered the home and took a large number of items, including a pearl necklace, a diamond ring, and an Amazon Echo Dot, before driving away in the victims car.

Segura was then charged in October 2018 with two counts of 4th degree assault and obstructing a peace officer. Albert Lea police say they got a tip about Seguras location and went to an apartment on North Broadway Avenue to arrest him. Officers say Segura resisted arrest and had to be shot with a taser three times before he was subdued.

On Tuesday, Segura entered guilty pleas to 1st degree burglary, three counts of 2nd degree burglary, and two counts of 4th degree assault. He is due to be sentenced on February 14.Assessing parental attitudes to the uptake of the HPV vaccine among adolescent boys in the South East is just one of the fascinating projects from local school students bound for the RDS Arena today (Wednesday).

That project is by two students from Kilkenny's Loreto Secondary School, Cliona Dunne and Katie Hynes, which has made it to the finals of the 55th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.

In total, 12 projects from five Kilkenny schools are travelling to Dublin this week to take part in the event, which will be held from January 9 to 12, bringing together some of the countrys brightest young minds, as they compete to take home the title of the BT Young Scientist & Technologist(s) of the Year.

The five schools are: Loreto Kilkenny (five projects), Castlecomer Community School (three), Colaiste Eaman Ris (two), Colaiste Pobail Osrai (one), and St Kierans College (one). Among the other local projects:

Students from Colaiste Eaman Ris have looked at Creating a cooling loop capable of using HFC-134A as a coolant, while another group from the Callan school investigates the most successful pretreatment methods on coniferous tree seed germination rates.

Heart Rate Data

A group from St Kierans College has gathered the heart rate variability data from Transition Year students and Leaving Cert students to compare the two and establish whether a difference exists between them.

Another project from Loreto students asks Does participation in Transition Year translate to better Leaving Certificate results?. A group from the same school have entered a project looking at the effects of music on mammals, and the milk produced by cows.

The other two projects from the school are Hard Water Heating - Energy Consumption and What causes stress in Irish teenagers and what effects it has on the body.

A project from Castlecomer CS students is titled Camogie vs Hurling - Whose Body Works the Hardest?, while another group from the school examines how social media affects teenage girls body image. The third project from the north Kilkenny school looks at artificial sweeteners vs sugars, and the health risks associated with each.

The project from students in Colaiste Pobail Osrai is titled Imscrudu ar eifeachtulacht Cuileann ar an borrpheist Trichophyton verruscom.

In total, there will be 550 projects from around the country on show at the Exhibition across four categories: Technology; Biological and Ecological; Social and Behavioural Sciences; and Chemical, Physical and Mathematical Sciences. This years projects cover a wide variety of topics, from Climate Change to Gender Diversity.

Tickets are available online now costing 8 for students, 12 adults and 25 for a family pass which includes two adults and two children.WASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump urged congressional Democrats to fund his long-promised border wall Tuesday night in a somber televised address that was heavy with dark immigration rhetoric but offered little in the way of concessions or new ideas to break the standoff that has left large swaths of the government shuttered for 18 days.

Speaking to the nation from the Oval Office for the first time, Trump argued the wall was needed to resolve a security and humanitarian crisis, blaming illegal immigration for what he said was a scourge of drugs and violence in the U.S. and asking: How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?

Democrats in response accused Trump appealing to fear, not facts and manufacturing a border crisis for political gain.

Oregon senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden reacted to the address Tuesday night.

Sen. Merkley issued the following statement:

Lets be very clear: The only crisis at the southern border is the humanitarian crisis President Trump and his administration created by ripping babies away from their parents arms and locking up children. The solution to this shutdown is simple: Pass the Republican-written bills to fund the government that the House and Senate have already agreed upon. The path out of this shutdown has been the same since day one, and a misleading and misinformed speech does absolutely nothing to change the facts.

Sen. Wyden tweeted in response to Trump's address:

Democrats are for opening the government and securing the border. Trump is holding the country hostage over his failure to fulfill a campaign talking point.  Ron Wyden (@RonWyden) January 9, 2019

Using the formal trappings of the White House, Trump hoped to gain the upper hand in the standoff over his demand for $5.7 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He plans a visit to the border Thursday as he continues to pitch what was a signature promise of his 2016 presidential campaign.

He addressed the nation as the shutdown stretched through its third week, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers going without pay and some congressional Republicans growing increasingly jittery about the spreading impact of the impasse. Trump will visit the Capitol on Wednesday to meet with Senate Republicans, and has invited Democratic and Republican congressional leaders to return to the White House to meet with him later that day.

He claimed the standoff could be resolved in 45 minutes if Democrats would just negotiate, but previous meetings have led to no agreement.

For now, Trump sees this as winning politics. TV networks had been reticent about providing him airtime to make what some feared would be a purely political speech. And that concern was heightened by the decision Tuesday by Trumps re-election campaign to send out fundraising emails and text messages to supporters trying to raise money off the speech. Their goal: A half-million dollars in a single day.

I just addressed the nation on Border Security. Now need you to stand with me, read one message sent out after his remarks.

In their own televised remarks, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of misrepresenting the situation on the border as they urged him to reopen closed government departments and turn loose paychecks for hundreds of thousands of workers.

Negotiations on wall funding could proceed in the meantime, they said.

Schumer said Trump just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration.

In his dire address, Trump ticked off a string of statistics and claims to make his case that there is a crisis at the border, but a number of his statements were misleading, such as saying the new trade deal with Mexico would pay for the wall, or suggesting through gruesome examples that immigrants are more likely to commit crime.

Trump, who has long railed against illegal immigration at the border, has recently seized on humanitarian concerns to argue there is a broader crisis that can only be solved with a wall. But critics say the security risks are overblown and the administration is at least partly to blame for the humanitarian situation.

Trump used emotional language, referring to Americans who were killed by people in the country illegally, saying: Ive met with dozens of families whose loved ones were stolen by illegal immigration. Ive held the hands of the weeping mothers and embraced the grief-stricken fathers. So sad. So terrible.

The president often highlights such incidents, though studies over several years have found immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States.

Trump has been discussing the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow him to move forward with the wall without getting congressional approval for the billions hes requested. But he did not mention that Tuesday night.

The partial government shutdown reached its 18th day, making the closure the second-longest in history. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are going without pay, and government disruptions are hitting home with everyday Americans.

Trump was nearly halfway through his 9-minute address before he ever mentioned the border wall, describing it as a request from law enforcement rather than his own longstanding political pledge. He also suggested that his proposal to build the wall from steel, rather than concrete, was a concession to Democrats, although they dont see it that way.

Trump sought to put the blame on Democrats for the standoff, saying they will not fund border security. In fact, House Democrats passed legislation the day they took control of the House that offered $1.3 billion for border security. And Senate Democrats have approved similar funding year after year.

Seeking to keep up pressure on Trump and the Republicans, Pelosi said the House would begin passing individual bills this week to reopen some federal agencies, starting with the Treasury Department to ensure Americans receive their tax refunds. The administration says it will act on its own to ensure the refunds.

Ahead of the speech, the White House sought to shore up GOP support on Capitol Hill, where a growing number of Republicans have been expressing unease with the extended shutdown. But GOP lawmakers were still raising concerns Tuesday, talking about disruptions in payments to farmers and troubles for home buyers trying to get government-backed mortgage loans. Vice President Mike Pence met privately with House Republicans, urging them to stand strong and insisting the White House wants to negotiate, according to people familiar with the conversation.

He also told the group that Trump wont retreat. That pickup aint got reverse in it, he said.PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review the nearly 112-year prison sentence of a man who fatally shot his parents before killing two students and wounding two dozen others at an Oregon high school more than 20 years ago.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports 36-year-old Kipland P. Kinkel had submitted his own typed petition to the nation's highest court in early August, and then his two new lawyers submitted their own petition on Kinkel's behalf.

The lawyers argued the Oregon Supreme Court got it wrong last year when it upheld Kinkel's sentence and found that Kinkel is incapable of rehabilitation.

The U.S. Supreme Court's refusal Monday means the state Supreme Court ruling stands.

Kinkel was 15 at the time of the shooting at Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon.EUGENE, Ore. -- With the Oh, the Places You Can Go! program, teachers in Lane County can learn more about local job opportunities for their students.

The places may relate to what theyre teaching or a particular students interest.

The Eugene City Club puts on the program, which offers a free 11-week course. From Jan. 10 to March 21, teachers will meet on Thursdays from 4 to 7 p.m. to visit different businesses and learn about what they offer.

Now that Ive been teaching this course, I see things I never saw before, Course Instructor Mary Leighton said. And I ask questions I never asked before, and I meet new people, and theyll say, I do economic development for the chamber of commerce, and Ill say, Well what is that? and I think it does that for teachers too.

Leighton said its also an opportunity for companies to find out what kind of students are heading out into the workplace and informs both sides about whats happening in the community.

The program is open to all teachers across Lane County.

To register or learn more, contact Leighton at leighton.mary@gmail.com or Lyle Lang at LyleL@laneworkforce.org.

KEZI 9 News is partnering with employers in our area to address the lack of workers for skilled jobs. To learn more, click here.BEND, Ore. (AP) -- A former public information officer for the Oregon State Police has pleaded guilty to one count of harassment involving his estranged wife.

The Deschutes County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday that a second count of harassment against Capt. Bill Fugate was dismissed as a result of the plea deal.

He was sentenced to two days in jail, two years of probation and he must take a counseling course.

Prosecutors say Fugate violently grabbed the arm of his estranged wife, causing a bruise.

Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel says he reviewed five other domestic violence allegations against Fugate related to incidents that occurred between 2007 and 2016.

But those alleged crimes fell outside Oregon's statute of limitations.

Fugate was placed on paid administrative leave last year.EUGENE, Ore. -- Eugene community members made their voices heard on Tuesday evening about hate and discrimination they've faced in our area.

Nearly 100 people showed up at Harris Hall in downtown Eugene to share their experiences of hate and discrimination and gave recommendations to the Hate Crime Task Force.

One community member said people need to realize there's a problem.

"There's so many of us here in these -- in Oregon -- that don't even want to admit that there's a problem."

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said that problem is exactly why the Hate Crime Task Force was created.

"The truth is that we don't know as much as we should about hate and bias crimes," Rosenblum said. "The one thing we do know is that they're consistently underreported."

The reasoning for that ranges from a lack of reporting the crimes to a lack of faith in law enforcement to even do anything about those crimes.

So, Attorney General Rosenblum created this task force, and they're going around to major cities across Oregon to hear those incidents first-hand to strengthen hate crime laws.

Debra McGee, a former adjunct professor at Northwest Christian University, said she was discriminated against and un-hired by the university for being a lesbian because she didn't sign an oath for employees, stating they are complying with the employee handbook.

"The handbook states, 'the singularly appropriate context for sexual intimacy is rooted in the Genesis account of creation,' on page 11."

That task force will take the information they've gathered from Tuesday's meeting, as well as others that they've conducted around the state, and present that to the Oregon Legislature this year.A television station in Rochester, New York, fired a meteorologist Sunday after he used a racial slur on air.

During WHEC-TV's Friday evening broadcast, Jeremy Kappell said "Martin Luther Coon Park," when referring to a downtown Rochester park named after slain civil rights movement leader Martin Luther King Jr.

In a video viewed by CNN, Kappell says "King" immediately after using the slur and continues with the broadcast.

Kappell said his use of the slur was a mistake caused by speaking too quickly.

"What happened on Friday, to me, it's a simple misunderstanding. If you watch me regularly you know that I tend to contain a lot of information in my weather cast, which forces me to speak fast and unfortunately I spoke a little too fast when I was referencing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. So fast to the point where I jumbled a couple of words. In my mind I knew I mispronounced, but there was no malice. I had no idea the way it came across to many people," he said in a video posted to Facebook Monday night.

Kappell said as soon as he heard the mispronunciation he "put emphasis on 'King' and moved on."

"I had no idea what some people could have interpreted that as and I know some people did interpret that the wrong way. That was not a word I said, I promise you that. If you did feel that it hurt you in any way, I sincerely apologize," he said.

Slur causes uproar on social media

Clips of Kappell using the racial slur made the rounds on social media over the weekend, prompting Rochester Mayor Lovely A. Warren and the city council to release a statement Sunday.

"It is wrong, hurtful and infuriating that WHEC Channel 10 broadcast a racial slur in reference to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during its Friday News broadcast," the statement read. "It is beyond unacceptable that this occurred. There must be real consequences for the news personality involved and also for the management team that failed to immediately apologize and address the slur."

The mayor and city council called for Kappell's termination and for an examination of WHEC's response to the incident.

"It took the station nearly two days to apologize, and only after the station was shamed into doing so by a backlash on social media," the statement read.

The Rochester Association of Black Journalists (RABJ) also issued a statement Sunday condemning the use of the racial slur on air. The organization's statement said it viewed a recording of the incident provided by a viewer.

"This is completely unacceptable and contrary to all standards of broadcasting," the statement read. "We expect a complete explanation of what happened, who was responsible and why nothing was said immediately after the Friday broadcast. We also want to know what measures will be taken to prevent incidents like this from occurring in the future."

WHEC's vice president and general manager Richard A. Reingold said in a statement released Sunday that Kappell was fired after an internal investigation and discussion.

"I apologize for our broadcast of a racial slur in a reference to Martin Luther King, Jr. Park during our Friday evening broadcast," Reingold said. He added that the station believes in holding reporters and anchors "to the highest standard."

"These words have no place on News10NBC's air, and the fact that we broadcast them disheartens and disgusts me; that it was not caught immediately is inexcusable," Reingold said.

Reingold said the station's decision to fire Kappell was not influenced by the call from the city's mayor.

"We learned about this Sunday morning, unfortunately quite a while after the incident happened. The minute we learned about it we jumped on it," he said on air Sunday. "We came to the decision we did sometime before I knew of Mayor Warren's position. So I welcome her position, I understand it, I respect it, but it did not have any impact on our decision because we didn't know about it."

Kappell said in his video that he has been a meteorologist for 20 years. His LinkedIn page says he had been with WHEC since October 2017.

Kappell said he was not satisfied with the station's response to the incident.

"I'm so disappointed that my career could end this way and I'm extremely disappointed by my television station, whom I expect a certain level of support from and I did not receive at all," he said.This past year was a bad one for Chinas religious believers, particularly Christians and Muslims. In January, military police closed a church in the province of Shanxi that had some 50,000 congregants  not by locking the doors but by dynamiting the building. In December, the government seized a church in the city of Chengdu, arresting the pastor and more than 100 of his parishioners, some of whom said they were beaten.

Both churches were guilty of operating without official permission under new regulations to tighten the Chinese governments control of religion. Human Rights Watch says hundreds of unauthorized churches have been demolished in a campaign to ensure that religious groups support the government and the Communist Party.

The Catholic Church has been forced into an uncomfortable accommodation to keep operating in China. Under an agreement reached in September, Pope Francis accepted seven bishops appointed by the government.

Its not just organized Christianity that has been targeted. Individual belief also is under attack. In April, the government barred online merchants from selling the Bible, which now may be purchased only at church stores.Trump lied. Again. He promised during his campaign that Mexico would pay for his wall. Now he wants to saddle American taxpayers with the bill. His administration continues to lie and obfuscate the facts over border security to fan the flames of hysteria.

And he seems content with shutting down much of the federal government because of his temper tantrum, which hurts the more than 800,0000 federal workers who are not being paid and denies vital services to the American people.

It is, in a word, unconscionable. And Nebraskas GOP congressional members  Sens. (Ben) Sasse and (Deb) Fischer and Reps. Bacon, (Jeff) Fortenberry and (Adrian) Smith  are in lock-step with Trump and follow along without making a peep.

Sen. Joni Ernst:

Make no mistake: we have a humanitarian crisis as a result of the 60,000 illegal and inadmissible immigrants a month on the southern border. The president has been abundantly clear that the Democrats need to start working with Republicans  not against them  to reach an agreement on securing our southern border and putting the well-being of American citizens first.When Nebraskas constitution was ratified in 1875, it included a ban of slavery. But there was  and still is  an exception: slavery as punishment for a crime.

State Sen. Justin Wayne, of northeast Omaha, on Tuesday announced plans to change that with a proposed amendment to the state constitution.

Our Constitution is not a symbolic document; it is the moral and legal foundation of our State and our laws, Wayne said in a press release. Removing this language from our Constitution shows that slavery is not a Nebraska value.

The exception was used to arrest former slaves and force them into involuntary servitude, known as convict leasing, Wayne said.

Theres 23 states that dont have anything in their constitutions remotely close to us, he said.

Wayne, who was elected in 2016, said he noticed this and other archaic language in the state constitution while researching for other bills.

The first thing that stood out, obviously, was Section II, he said.A former Medicaid administrator for the State of Nebraska has pleaded guilty to taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from Medicaid and his father.

Craig A. Barnett pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court of Nebraska last week to two counts of mail fraud and two counts of wire fraud. The charges stemmed from allegations that he spent money meant for his father and the nursing home where the elderly man lived.

Officials said that from 2010 to 2016, Barnett stole $294,396 from his father through Social Security checks, a pension plan, grant payments and an investment fund, plus an additional $84,000 from Medicaid.

Barnetts attorney, Sean Conway, declined to comment Tuesday.

Barnett had worked for 11 years as a Medicaid audit and financial support administrator in the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Federal prosecutors said that in February 2010, Barnett was given power of attorney for his 85-year-old father, Dean Barnett, due to Dean Barnetts deteriorating physical and mental health.Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District Irrigation Conservation Director Marcia Trompke said irrigation patrolmen do surveys every two years, including in 2018, that provide snapshots of the irrigation system over time.

The recent peak in acres served by CNPPID was 113,171 in 2003. The 2018 total of 107,885 acres includes 102,181 in the main service area in Gosper, Phelps and Kearney counties, plus 5,704 acres on the Supply Canal.

Among the changes documented by the surveys are conservation measures in the system and on farms, including transitions from open laterals, to gated pipe to pivot irrigation systems and to no-till farming practices.

Weather was a big factor in 2018. Trompke said the Holdrege gauge showed 21.97 inches of rain from April to September, which resulted in an average irrigation water delivery of 4.76 inches in the main service area.

Approximately 63,000 acres were watered by pivots and 43,000 acres by gated pipe in 2018. Open ditch is almost for the history books, Trompke said.

Meanwhile, diverted water has declined by approximately 140,000 acre-feet from 1970 to 2018 because of on-farm conservation and delivery system improvements such as pipelines replacing open canals and automated gate operations.Councilwoman Tami James Moore, who previously served on the Kearney Planning Commission, said working with the neighbors paid off with a better development plan. I commend you for connecting with the neighbors, she said.

Councilman Bruce Lear said the amount of effort that went into drafting the plans for Prairie Hills Meadows is impressive.

He said, We appreciate the extra effort you put into these plans.

The conceptual development plan for the Prairie Meadows Addition shows a single-family residential neighborhood north of 59th Street, duplexes and townhouses south of 59th Street, a neighborhood-oriented mixed use district along 10th Avenue, and general commercial to the east and southeast.

Also on Tuesdays agenda, First Baptist Church was granted a conditional use permit to develop a Christian preschool inside the former Kearney High School building at 3610 Sixth Ave. that the church owns. First Baptist also was granted the go-ahead to develop a 2.49-acre tract at 39th Street and Sixth Avenue for commercial offices.

The land had been part of the old KHS campus.

First Baptist is developing the former KHS building and campus into a church, classrooms, offices and other uses.KEARNEY  Bryan Waugh repeated the words of his predecessor, Dan Lynch, Tuesday after reciting his oath as Kearneys new chief of police.

Kearney is a great place to be a police chief, said Waugh, 45, a West Virginian who has arrived as the Kearney Police Departments new chief following a 21-year stint with the La Vista Police Department in suburban Omaha.

Waugh is Kearneys first new chief of police in 22 years and replaces Lynch, who also said Kearney is a great place to lead the police department because its strongly supported by the community.

After her husband was sworn in by City Clerk Lauren Brandt, Julie Waugh pinned on the chiefs KPD badge to complete the official part of the ceremony.

Afterward, Waugh introduced family members in the crowded council chambers. Also in the crowd were officers and former colleagues from the La Vista Police Department and other agencies in the metro Omaha area who came to Kearney to congratulate Waugh on his career advancement.

Waugh said he believes his role is to support the people in the KPD. Im here because of the officers who are here. Its about what I can do for my officers.NEWPORT, Ore. (AP) - The U.S. Coast Guard says it is investigating the capsizing of a Dungeness crab fishing boat in the stormy waters off the Oregon coast near Newport that killed three men.

The Coast Guard said Wednesday evening that the men had requested a Coast Guard escort across the Yaquina Bay Bar before the vessel capsized Tuesday night.

The Coast Guard says it sent a crew and a 52-foot (16-meter) boat to meet fishing boat for the escort and that it was nearby when the fishing boat capsized.

Updated on 1/10/19 at 3:47 a.m.

NEWPORT, Ore.  Three fisherman, including an Oregon native, are dead after their boat capsized in high seas off the Oregon coast, according to Oregon State Police (OSP).

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) received a call for assistance just before 10 p.m. on Tuesday, according to OSP. After struggling in 12 to 15-foot waves, the fishing boat Mary B II reportedly capsized with three men aboard as it crossed the Yaquina Bay.

A Coast Guard helicopter initiated search and rescue operations, soon finding 48-year-old James Lacey of South Toms River, NJ in the water. Although Lacey was transported to Pacific Communities Hospital in Newport, OSP said that he was pronounced dead.

Around 12:30 a.m., crews from the Newport Fire Department found 50-year-old Joshua Porter of Toledo, Oregon in the surf near Nye Beach. He was also pronounced dead.

OSP said that the capsized Mary B II ultimately ran aground on the beach near the north side of Yaquina Bay North Jetty. Search teams found the boat's skipper  50-year-old Stephen Biernacki of Barnegat Township, NJ  dead inside of the boat.CENTRAL POINT, OR -- The Jordan Cove pipeline would run underground in Coos, Douglas, Jackson and Klamath counties. This pipeline is for natural gas.

Today people opposing this pipeline rallied outside the Jackson County Expo. The meeting with the Department of State Lands is happening inside.

During the rally Newswatch 12 spoke to people against this pipeline and one of the biggest reasons is they don't want water to be contaminated.

Allie Rosenbluth the Campaign Director at Rogue Climate told me tonight's discussion is about the application Jordan Cove needs to build the pipeline. The Department of State Lands created these public hearings to see whether the community wants the pipeline or not.

Allie Rosenbluth says, "They want to use this horizontal drill method underneath the Rogue River which is a big concern to residents in Jackson County because we use the Rogue River to play, to create, to make our living, and it's something that brings us all together."

This afternoon Newswatch 12 also spoke to Jordan Cove, the company wanting to build the pipeline about why they think the pipeline is beneficial for Oregon. We were told the pipeline would add 6,000 construction jobs just to build the pipeline and once it's completed full time and part time jobs will be needed. The company also told us that this pipeline would greatly impact revenue for shops and restaurants.

There are three other meetings planned by the Department of State Lands. Tomorrow there is a meeting in Canyonville. Thursday in north Bend and next Tuesday in Salem. Each of the meetings begins at 5:30 pm and goes until 8pm.(CNN)  Officials in Hawaii believe that a particular species of land snail has gone extinct.

According to the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), the last-known member of the species died on New Year's Day. The 14-year-old snail  named "George"  belonged to a species that was once common on the island of Oahu.

In 1997, there were only ten of the creatures left.

Researchers brought the remaining snails back to a lab at the University of Hawaii in an attempt to preserve the species, but the effort failed.

DLNR says other land snail species in Hawaii also face imminent extinction from invasive species and climate change.(CNN) -- A federal employee labor union is suing the US government for requiring "essential" employees to work without pay during the partial government shutdown.

The American Federation of Government Employees alleged Monday that the government is violating the Fair Labor Standards Act by forcing employees deemed essential to work without pay.

About a quarter of the government has been affected by the shutdown, including correctional officers, Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and transportation security officers. Across different government agencies, about 380,000 federal employees will be furloughed and 420,000 will work without pay due to the shutdown continuing into the new year.

AFGE filed the suit in the US Court of Federal Claims on behalf of all essential government workers, as well as named plaintiffs Justin Tarovisky and Grayson Sharp, who work for the Bureau of Prisoners.

The union's president, J. David Cox, called the requirement that some federal employees work without pay "inhumane" in a statement Monday.

"Our nation's heroes, AFGE members and their families deserve the decency of knowing when their next paycheck is coming and that they will be paid for their work," he said, adding that many of the affected workers are veterans or law enforcement. "Our intent is to force the government and the administration to make all federal employees whole."

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday night.By ANDREW SELSKY , Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP)  Immigrants, Muslims, people of color, top law enforcement officers and state officials packed into a room to discuss the sharp rise of hate crime in Oregon, with the goal of strengthening the state's lax laws against it.

For all its imagery as a bastion of liberalism, Oregon has a dark history of racism and xenophobia, and today serious attacks and threats often make headlines.

The gathering Monday night in Portland was the first of three planned this week by a task force created by Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.

Hate crimes increased by 40 percent in Oregon from 2016 to 2017, according to FBI statistics.

"It is appalling that hate-motivated crimes are on the increase in Oregon," Rosenblum said in a statement. "This reality requires us to act."

More than 100 people attended the "listening session" at Unite Oregon, said Seemab Hussaini, an organizer with the intercultural organization.

CLICK HERE for information on Attorney General Rosenblum's upcoming visit to Medford for a similar session on hate crime.

Rosenblum's spokeswoman, Kristina Edmunson, said she heard Muslims, Latinos, members of the transgender community and others speak powerfully in the standing-room-only crowd.

One man, an immigrant from Africa, described people shouting racist slurs at him while he was walking down the street in Portland, Hussaini said.

Hussaini, whose group is part of the hate crimes task force, marveled at how it has brought law enforcement and immigrants, people of color and others together. Among those attending Monday's session were the police chief of Salem and a sheriff, Hussaini said.

"To be on a task force with law enforcement officials, to maintain our identity, to correct the record and speak frankly and clearly to these powers, gives us keen insights and allows us to have an exchange with law enforcement that is usually absent," Hussaini said.

The turnout showed there's "overwhelming support" for the effort to strengthen the state's hate-crime laws, Hussaini said.

Currently, the crime of intimidation in the first degree, a felony, applies only if two or more people harm another person because of "that person's race, color, religion, sexual orientation, disability or national origin," or if they cause another person to fear imminent serious injury.

But if person motivated by prejudice acts alone, it's only intimidation in the second degree  a misdemeanor. It's also a misdemeanor if a person tampers with property or makes threats because of prejudice.

A glaring example, Hussaini said, is the case of Jeremy Christian, who allegedly stabbed three people  killing two of them  aboard a light-rail train in Portland in May 2017. The victims had tried to intervene as Christian spewed anti-Muslim threats at two black teenage girls.

Yet it was not classified as a hate crime, Hussaini noted. Christian's trial on charges including aggravated murder is pending.

The task force is seeking to help craft legislation that would go before lawmakers during the 2019 session. It would also address data collection.

The other listening sessions were scheduled for Tuesday in Eugene and Wednesday in Medford.Weve got a big weekend coming up here in Kansas City. The Chiefs host the Colts in an AFC Divisional Round playoff game, and no one wants weather to be a factor. But it will.The U.S. Capitol is seen reflected after rain in Washington, Friday, Dec. 21, 2018. The Republican-led House approved funding for President Donald Trump's border wall in legislation that pushes the government closer to a partial government shutdown. The bill now goes to the Senate. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)KCTV5.com is now with you on the go! Get the latest news updates and video, StormTrack5 weather forecast, weather radar, special investigative reports, sports headlines and much more from KCTV5 News.

>> Click/tap here to download our free mobile app. <<

Copyright 2019 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.The incapacitated woman who police said was raped and gave birth at a long-term care facility in Phoenix was pregnant before, and workers missed vital warning signs, according to notice of claim against the State of Arizona.



The Netherlands second largest city, Rotterdam, is very different from its largest city, Amsterdam. While Amsterdam is old-world architecture, Rotterdam is a very modern city. The reason for that is because, except for a small handful of buildings, the city of Rotterdam was obliterated in less than 15 minutes by a World War II bombing campaign. Rather than trying to rebuild in its old style, the people of Rotterdam decided to show their resiliency by using the devastation as an opportunity to start over with innovative and creative architecture. The result is that the things to do in Rotterdam are an interesting mix of old and new.Richardson stepping down as dean, CEO of university's Olathe campus

Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019

MANHATTAN  Ralph C. Richardson has announced plans to retire as the dean and CEO of Kansas State University's Olathe campus before July 1. He has served in the position since August 2015.



"I certainly have mixed emotions about retiring, as I've never enjoyed my work more and am proud of what has been achieved at the Olathe campus in the last several years," Richardson said. "President Myers and Provost Taber are leading K-State forward in unprecedented ways. I love being part of their team and working with faculty and staff, my fellow deans and other university administrators. However, it is imperative to focus on succession planning, especially with the new budget model and strategic enrollment management initiatives coming on board. I want the new leader of the Olathe campus to be well prepared to embrace the opportunities that are coming to K-State through engagement with Greater Kansas City."



Under Richardson's leadership, Kansas State University used the Olathe campus to expand its outreach and services to Greater Kansas City to elevate the university's profile in academics, research and service in the region and generate new opportunities for students and faculty.



Richardson helped establish and oversee numerous partnerships that are being used to develop a recruitment and support infrastructure for Kansas City-based undergraduate students to attend Kansas State University and working professionals to enroll at the university's Olathe campus.



A proponent of student engagement, Richardson emphasized outreach to the numerous K-12 school districts in Johnson and Wyandotte counties in the form of science-related activities that fostered students' interest as a way to encourage them to pursue an advanced education and a career in high-demand fields.



In partnership with university departments and colleges, several academic programs were added to the campus's offerings that address workforce demand in the region. Programs include the master's degree in school counseling, doctorate in counselor education and supervision, and the professional science master's degree and certificates.



Similarly, Richardson focused on increasing engagement and collaboration with industry partners to create new opportunities in research and education for working adults, graduate students and faculty. Several businesses and organizations established presences at the campus, including Ceva Animal Health, Maxxam Analytics, the American Association for Industry Veterinarians and Digital Sandbox KC  a program through the city of Olathe that provides funding and resources for entrepreneurs.



Richardson also served in active roles on the Agribusiness Council of Kansas City and the Olathe and Greater Kansas City chambers of commerce.

"Ralph leaves a distinguished footprint at K-State through his leadership not only as dean and CEO of the Olathe campus, but also in his previous role as dean of the university's College of Veterinary Medicine," said Richard Myers, Kansas State University president. "Ralph has played an active role in moving K-State forward in times of great change for both veterinary medicine and higher education. Through his leadership and passion for helping others, Ralph advanced numerous research opportunities at K-State while providing students with an exceptional education and experiences that will benefit them throughout their lives. He was also a visionary in exploring new initiatives for K-State to be engaged in the Greater Kansas City community.



Before his appointment overseeing the Olathe campus, Richardson served as dean of the university's College of Veterinary Medicine for nearly 20 years. Under his guidance, the college experienced increased student enrollment; raised more than $72 million in private support for scholarships and seven permanently endowed professorships; introduced the Veterinary Training Program for Rural Kansas, which offers a debt repayment incentive for graduates to work in rural practices in Kansas; increased faculty and staff numbers, with many receiving national and international attention for their teaching, research and service efforts; aligned research and educational programs to meet the needs of the federal government's National Bio and Agro-defense Facility, or NBAF, which is being built just north of the college; and much more.



Richardson joined Kansas State University in 1998, coming from Purdue University where he was a professor and head of the veterinary clinical sciences department and a 22-year faculty member of the university. At Purdue, he helped establish an ongoing comparative oncology program, utilizing naturally occurring cancer in pet animals as models for people. Before starting his academic career, Richardson served in the Army Veterinary Corps and worked as a private practice veterinarian in Miami. Richardson is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine in the specialty of internal medicine and a charter diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine's specialty of oncology.



He received his bachelor's degree in biology in 1969 and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Kansas State University in 1970. He also completed an internship in small animal medicine and surgery at Purdue in 1973, a residency in small animal internal medicine at the University of Missouri in 1975, and a training program in clinical oncology at the University of Kansas Medical Center in 1978.



A search for a replacement dean and CEO of the Olathe campus will begin in the near future.





Provisional results of the much-delayed Democratic Republic of Congos presidential election could be counted in 24 to 48 hours, a top electoral official said on Tuesday.

The elections, postponed three times over the last two years, were to choose a successor to long-term President Joseph Kabila but early results from the December 30 election, due last Sunday, have been pushed back.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) blamed problems collecting the data but tensions have increased as international pressure mounts to publish the outcome in a country where past elections were marred by violence.

It is a huge task that we cant finish in just a few hours, CENI President Corneille Nangaa told AFP, as the commission held a plenary session of final deliberations.

The CENI plans to devote 24 to 48 hours to this task, after which time the CENI will schedule the announcement of the provisional results.

An AFP photographer said armed police were blocking the boulevard in front of the CENI headquarters late on Tuesday.

Kabila was due to step down two years ago, but clung on to office, sparking widespread protests which were brutally repressed, killing dozens in a country that has been a battleground for two wars over the last two decades.

With international concerns growing over the peaceful transfer of power in sub-Saharan Africas largest nation, Western powers have upped the pressure.

Opposition presidential candidate Martin Fayulu earlier on Tuesday warned electoral authorities not to disguise the truth of the polls.

In one of his first statements since the vote, Fayulu urged the authorities to publish who had won.

The Congolese people already know the result, he said, warning against political tensions.

 Results not negotiable 

Fayulus statement came as the main opposition party UDPS claimed on Tuesday that its candidate Felix Tshisekedi had won and that a meeting with Kabila was being prepared.

The two figures have an interest in meeting to prepare a peaceful and civilised transfer of power, said UDPS secretary general Jean-Marc Kabund.

Talk of a possible rapprochement between the UDPS and Kabila was also fuelled after Tshisekedi told Belgian newspaper Le Soir the president could be honoured for his behaviour after stepping down.

One day we will even have to think of paying tribute to him (Kabila) for agreeing to withdraw, Tshisekedi said in an interview.

Of the three main contenders for president, Kabila has backed Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary as his preferred successor.

But as the other key opposition candidate, Fayulu in his statement warned the electoral commission against any attempt to disguise the truth of the polls.

CENI must publish the provisional results of the presidential election in the near future, he said.

According to the initial timetable, after provisional results are released, definite results are due on January 15 with the swearing-in of the new president three days later.

The DRC has a long history of political violence and suspicions of political manipulation and electoral fraud run deep.

It has never experienced a peaceful transition of power since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960.

 Truth and justice 

The Protestant Church also added its voice on Tuesday to that of the Catholic Church in urging the authorities to publish the results.

In a statement, the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC) appealed to the election commission to uphold its promises, made before God and before the nation, to offer the nation the truth, and nothing but the truth, of the ballot box.

Last Thursday, the powerful Roman Catholic Church said it knew who had won the ballot from its own monitors at polling stations.

The Catholic Churchs National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) said it had deployed more than 40,000 observers around the vast country.

Catholicism is the main religion in DRC. The ECC, the largest Protestant church, said it had 10,000 election observers on December 30.

The coalition of governing parties, the Common Front for Congo (FCC), has accused CENCO of bias and breaching electoral law. FCC has accused Fayulu of trying to put pressure on the CENI.

Fayulu is backed by former Katanga governor Moise Katumbi, considered a Judas by Kabila, and ex-warlord and former vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba.

DR Congo suffered two wars between 1996 and 2003 that claimed millions of lives through bloodshed, fighting, starvation and disease. Bloody clashes also marred elections in 2006 and 2011.

mbb/dcr/pma/ecl

FCC  FOMENTO DE CONSTRUCCIONES Y CONTRATAS SAOpposition presidential candidate Martin Fayulu warned electoral authorities in Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday not to disguise the truth of the polls, as tensions mounted over delayed election results.

In one of his first statements since the December 30 vote, Fayulu urged the authorities to publish who had won.

The Congolese people already know the result, he said, warning against political tensions.

The elections, postponed three times over the last two years, were to choose a successor to long-term President Joseph Kabila but the provisional results, due last Sunday, have been delayed.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) has said it is having problems collecting the data.

Fayulus statement came as the main opposition party UDPS claimed on Tuesday that its candidate Felix Tshisekedi had won and that a meeting with Kabila was being prepared.

The two figures have an interest in meeting to prepare a peaceful and civilised transfer of power, said UDPS secretary general Jean-Marc Kabund.

Talk of a possible rapprochement between the UDPS and Kabila was also fuelled after Tshisekedi told Belgian newspaper Le Soir the president could be honoured for his behaviour after stepping down.

One day we will even have to think of paying tribute to him (Kabila) for agreeing to withdraw, Tshisekedi said in an interview.

Of the three main contenders for president, Kabila has backed Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary as his preferred successor.

 Results not negotiable 

But as the other key opposition candidate, Fayulu in his statemen warned the electoral commission against any attempt to disguise the truth of the polls.

CENI must publish the provisional results of the presidential election in the near future, he said.

According to the initial timetable, after provisional results are released, definite results are due on January 15 with the swearing-in of the new president three days later.

The DRC has a long history of political violence and suspicions of political manipulation and electoral fraud run deep.

It has never experienced a peaceful transition of power since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960.

CENI has said it postponed the results announcement as it was still counting ballot papers.

Fayulu accused CENI of knowing the real results, saying it had deliberately abstained from making them public in violation of its own timetable for unacknowledged reasons.

The election results are not negotiable, Fayulu said, also speaking on behalf of five other minor candidates.

 Truth and justice 

The Protestant Church also added its voice on Tuesday to that of the Catholic Church in urging the authorities to publish the results.

In a statement, the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC) appealed to the election commission to uphold its promises, made before God and before the nation, to offer the nation the truth, and nothing but the truth, of the ballot box.

Last Thursday, the powerful Roman Catholic Church said it knew who had won the ballot from its own monitors at polling stations.

It called on CENI to publish the election results in keeping with truth and justice.

The Catholic Churchs National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) said it had deployed more than 40,000 observers around the vast country.

Catholicism is the main religion in DRC. The ECC, the largest Protestant church, said it had 10,000 election observers on December 30.

The coalition of governing parties, the Common Front for Congo (FCC), has accused CENCO of bias and breaching electoral law. FCC has accused Fayulu of trying to put pressure on the CENI.

Fayulu is backed by former Katanga governor Moise Katumbi, considered a Judas by Kabila, and ex-warlord and former vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba.

DR Congo suffered two wars between 1996 and 2003 that claimed millions of lives through bloodshed, fighting, starvation and disease.

Bloody clashes also marred elections in 2006 and 2011.

mbb/dcr/boc

FCC  FOMENTO DE CONSTRUCCIONES Y CONTRATAS SAVancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 8, 2019) - ePower Metals Inc. (TSXV: EPWR) (the "Company" or "ePower") appoints Tyler Ross VP Investor Relations and announces the grant of incentive stock options under the Company's stock option plan, officers of the Company.

Mr. Ross has 18 years of capital market work experience. He has been involved in every stage of business development from inception through to exit. Mr. Ross has worked with many successful public companies, including Fronteer Gold, which went on to sell its asset to Newmont for $2.5-billion. Mr. Ross was also a consultant to Fission Uranium, which was a uranium discovery in the prolific Athabasca basin that went on to be sold to Denison for $80-million. Mr. Ross was also a consultant to Mira Resources, a Nigerian junior oil exploration company. Mr. Ross was also responsible for finding and financing Tranzeo Wireless from its seed round financing until its eventual initial public offering to the senior Toronto Stock Exchange at over $1.50 per share.

Michael Collins, President & CEO states: "I am pleased to welcome Tyler to the ePower Metals team. His experience and expertise will be a great asset to the Company and our stakeholders as we develop our cobalt and gold projects in Idaho, Mexico and Suriname."

ePower has entered into a six-month term contract with Tyler Ross as of January 8th, 2019, which may be extended by mutual agreement or terminated by either party on 30 days notice. Tyler will receive $3,500 per month and has been awarded 150,000 options with an exercise price of $0.22.

The company has granted options to officers of the company to purchase up to an aggregate of 190,000 treasury shares. The options are exercisable at a price of $0.22 per share for a period of two years and are subject to the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange and the Company's stock option plan.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michael Collins

President and CEO

For further information, please contact:

Nancy Curry

VP Corporate Development

ePower Metals Inc.

1507 - 1030 West Georgia Street,

Vancouver BC, V6E 2Y3

Telephone: (604) 428-6128

Facsimile: (604) 428-6430

Website: www.epowermetals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

We seek safe harbor.Summerville, SC (29483)

Today

Partly cloudy with a slight chance of thunderstorms. High 93F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Scattered thunderstorms during the evening. Partly cloudy skies after midnight. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 60%.These sorts of events are helpful both as an introductory to Apert syndrome and to learn what treatment options are available, Dr. John Meara, one of the physicians at Boston Childrens Hospital who Cam sees regularly, told the Journal. He has agreed to attend and participate in the conference.

He added that what he and other health-care providers can give in terms of information is critical, but for parents like Elliott, sharing her experiences with others is critical as well.

Apert syndrome affects about one out of every 60,000 to 80,000 births, according to Boston Childrens Hospital. And it strikes regardless of education or economic status. Because of the unequal way our country allocates medical resources, theres no doubt that the syndrome represents a financial burden for many. Attending a meeting like this could be a godsend.

As of Sunday, 60 people had registered for the 5K, which will be held at the Muddy Creek Greenway. Theres plenty of room for more.Frankly, every Democratic presidential candidate since Franklin D. Roosevelt has run on some variation on this basic theme. Bill Clinton ran on the ideal that if you work hard and play by the rules, youll be rewarded, youll do a little better next year than you did last year, your kids will do better than you; Barack Obama opened his 2008 campaign with a message of fairness: The cynics, and the lobbyists, and the special interests whove turned our government into a game only they can afford to play. They write the checks and you get stuck with the bills, they get the access while you get to write a letter, they think they own this government, but were here today to take it back. The time for that politics is over. Its time to turn the page.BERLIN -- Armin-Paulus Hampel, a former journalist and commentator who now is a member of the Bundestag, is ebullient, affable, opinionated, voluble and excellent company at lunch. But because his party is Alternative for Germany, one wonders whether he is representative of it, and whether he is as congenial politically as he is socially.

AfD is a Rorschach test for observers of German politics, who see in it either a recrudescence of ominous national tendencies or a healthy response of the political market to unaddressed anxieties. It was founded in 2013, two years before Chancellor Angela Merkel impulsively decided to welcome almost a million asylum seekers, most from the Middle East. The nation was abruptly challenged to become a melting pot at a moment when there was increasing interest in recapturing a sense of Germanness.

Politics usually is grounded in grievances, and Hampel nurses AfD's originating complaint, which was that Germany's role under the EU's common currency has been to bail out slothful, spendthrift Greeks and other southern Europeans. In this, AfD resembles America's tea party movement, which was a spontaneous combustion in response to TARP (the Troubled Asset Relief Program), the bailout of banks and of people with improvident mortgages.And it goes on from there.

To be clear, Trump said explicitly that other presidents told him directly that they should have built the border wall. "This should have been done by all of the presidents that preceded me," he said Friday. "And they all know it. Some of them have told me that we should have done it." That is a very specific claim involving personal conversations -- multiple ones. And Trump was clearly talking about the border wall, because he referenced the specific amount he's seeking for it in the shutdown debate ($5.6 billion).

Pence downgrades the claim severely by saying Trump merely got this "impression." But Bill Clinton's spokesman has said that the former president hasn't spoken to Trump since the inauguration. Barack Obama's has said he hasn't done so except for a brief exchange at George H.W. Bush's funeral. And George W. Bush's and Carter's aides have said those two former presidents hadn't even discussed the broader topic with Trump. Not only are they denying telling Trump that they support a border wall, they're saying there was really no conversation in which Trump could have gotten such an "impression."If theres a crisis right now, Wilson said, its in our asylum system.

At ports of entry and detention centers, U.S. immigration and border enforcement personnel say a system designed in the 1990s for single adult Mexican males has been overwhelmed by Central American families and unaccompanied minors. Two migrant children died in U.S. custody last month, the first such fatalities in more than a decade, according to the administration.

But while the numbers, themselves, are daunting, several actions by the administration may have worsened the problem.

Thousands of migrants fleeing violence and poverty in Central America have amassed at the U.S.-Mexico border, waiting weeks or sometimes months in dangerous Mexican border towns for the chance to claim asylum in the United States. At ports of entry, U.S. officials have been metering asylum seekers, at times turning them away and telling them that facilities are at capacity.

Last month, the administration announced what they called a historic policy shift to force them to wait in Mexico while their U.S. cases are processed. While theres little sign the Remain in Mexico strategy is being implemented, increasingly, migrants stuck at the border are resorting to smugglers or more remote areas to cross illegally, according to observers.Q: Are the orange prescription bottles we get from the pharmacy with our prescriptions recyclable, and where?

T.W.

Answer: Those bottles cannot be recycled in the citys Recycle Today program, but you can take them to the Whole Foods Market on Miller Street, which has a Gimme 5 recycle bin out front (you can find it under the M in Miller Street on the signage above the store).

No. 5 plastics can be recycled there, including many yogurt, margarine, take-out, cottage cheese, hummus, and other food storage containers (they should be cleaned first) as well as some other products. You can find more details on what can be recycled there at www.preserve.eco/pages/gimme5-what-we-accept.

Q: Do you know of any organizations that will use the fronts off of Christmas cards for any purpose?

K.B.

Answer: St. Judes Ranch for Children says they are updating their recycled card program, which was discontinued in recent years, and will introduce a new and improved program soon. In the meantime, they encourage people to send the fronts of recycled cards  except ones from Hallmark, American Greetings or Disney  to St. Judes Ranch for Children. 100 St. Judes St., Boulder City, Nev. 89005.Rhame has shared ownership of the building with Charlotte investor Ray Gee. They paid $60 million for it in December 2014, nearly $26 million more than its tax value.

Rex Morgan, an attorney representing Gee, has said that we believe that Mr. Rhames conviction will have no effect upon the on-going operation of the BB&T Financial Center, which is being managed by a company owned by Ray.

The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Georgia said that since the case against Tyson Rhame et al. is still ongoing, we cannot provide a comment at this time as to whether the BB&T headquarters property remains in jeopardy.

Rhame was the founder of Sterling Currency Group LLC of Atlanta. Federal attorneys claimed that between 2010 and June 2015, Sterling grossed more than $600 million in revenue from the sale of the Iraqi dinar and other currencies.

Rhame and Bell also were convicted of making false statements to federal law-enforcement agents. The jury acquitted the defendants of money-laundering charges.

Federal attorneys claimed that between 2010 and June 2015, Sterling grossed more than $600 million in revenue from the sale of the Iraqi dinar and other currencies; Rhame and Shaw received more than $180 million in distributions.Ashley Freeman (left) and Lauria Bible have been missing and presumed dead for much of the past 19 years. An anonymous tip the week after their abduction led to the search of a shaft at the old Admiralty III Mine north of the Douthat Baptist Church, an effort that came up empty but that now is in question.Allen K. Baker, 74, Stark City, MO, entered into rest on June 13, 2021, at his home, following an extended illness. Allen was born October 31, 1946, in Stella, MO, and was a graduate of Midway High School. He entered the United States Air Force in 1966 and served until his retirement in 1986Scene Editor Billy Arnold covers arts and entertainment. He apprenticed as a sound engineer at the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland, Ohio before making his way to Jackson, where he has become a low-key fan of country music.Cody Cottier covers town and state government. He grew up with a view of the Olympic Mountains, and after graduating Washington State University he traded it for a view of the Tetons. Odds are the mountains are where youll find him when not on deadline.Mike has reported on the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem's wildlife, wildlands and the agencies that manage them since 2012. A native Minnesotan, he arrived in the West to study environmental journalism at the University of Colorado.On opening day July 13, Jackson Drug fills with customers for the first time in 17 years. It first opened as a pharmacy in 1912 on the other sStudent Writers Inspired by Stories of Local Veterans

Jan. 8, 2019

Students enrolled in Writing Fiction 201 pose with David Wilson '70 in front of an A-4M Skyhawk  the same aircraft type he flew as a Marine in the early 1970s  at the Prairie Aviation Museum.

BLOOMINGTON, Ill.  To craft a work of fiction requires an in-depth understanding of others realities, as Illinois Wesleyan University students enrolled in Writing Fiction 201 learned during a unique partnership with local veterans in collaboration with the Prairie Aviation Museum in Bloomington.

When the time came for students to craft their first short story for the class, Assistant Professor of English Brandi Reissenweber encouraged them to look for inspiration outside their own perspective as young adults living in the 21st century.

I want to give students an opportunity to reach well outside of their own experience, and to do this in an informed way, Reissenweber explained when describing the project. The partnership with the Prairie Aviation Museum made character development a more immersive experience, and situated that at the core of their creative process. They developed skills essential for the fiction writer: empathetic imagination and an ability to inhabit a perspective very different than their own.

During a visit to the Prairie Aviation Museum, students were given the opportunity to imagine themselves flying and working with planes from World War II and the Vietnam War, then sat down individually with veterans to hear their stories firsthand.

The resulting works of fiction, while not autobiographies, presented a realistic portrayal of wartime because of details the veterans shared. Whether from the perspective of fighter pilots on the front lines, domestically stationed soldiers, or family members left behind during the war, the experience of interviewing someone who had lived through it all informed the authors imaginations throughout each stage of the writing process.

David Wilson '70 speaks to students enrolled in Writing Fiction 201 at the Prairie Aviation Museum.

It was really cool getting insight from someone who actually lived it, rather than doing research myself and not necessarily getting my questions answered, said English major Sarah Buchmann 22. By actually interviewing someone, I was able to go into specifics and hear details I wouldnt otherwise know.

Veterans and Prairie Aviation Museum members Phil Mastrolia, Rob McCullers, John Nafziger, John Ohler, Doug Reeves, Karl Rubbel, Pete Troesch and David Wilson 70 volunteered their time to speak with the students, and in doing so, came away with a valuable cross-generational exchange of thoughts and memories.

I often regret that I did not reach out to my parents generation to ask more about their life experiences, said Wilson, who served on active duty in the Marines from 1972 to 1975. Now that most of that generation has passed, we are not able to have those conversations to learn about their stories. As a Wesleyan student, I wish that there had been a Professor Reissenweber to crack open those doors to help build bridges between the generations.

Sharing these stories furthered the Prairie Aviation Museums mission to educate, entertain, and inspire through collecting, preserving, and displaying aircraft, artifacts, and memorabilia about aviation and space. The museum will archive the professionally-recorded student interviews and potentially incorporate them into an exhibit.

Reissenweber and the Prairie Aviation Museum are also exploring the possibility of making these interviews available on a website to highlight IWUs collaboration with the museum.

As a member of the Prairie Aviation Museum, and the Bloomington-Normal community, I encourage any activity that fosters a relationship between campus and community, said Wilson.

Reissenweber said she is grateful to Bill Arbogast, the Prairie Aviation Museum member who helped coordinate the partnership, and hopes to continue partnering with local organizations in future classes.

Creative writers have a long history of activity in the community; it wasand continues to bea part of my own development as a writer and I want to share that process with students in my classes, Reissenweber said. The ability to take on perspectives other than ones own allows writers to imagine the individual human experience with intimacy and depth, and that helps them to craft characters with authenticity.

By Rachel McCarthy 21

-Rachel McCarthy was a member of Writing Fiction 201.This Week in Review

A weekly review of the best and most popular stories published in the Imperial Valley Press. Also, featured upcoming events, new movies at local theaters, the week in photos and much more.A Sydney start-up founded by two women has received a grant of $25,000 from Jobs for NSW to develop technology that uses artificial intelligence to automate reviews of pipeline CCTV footage.

The company, VAPAR, was founded by civil engineer Amanda Siqueira and mechatronic engineer Michelle Aguilar.

The pair attended high school at Our Lady of Mercy College in Parramatta before studying engineering at the University of Technology, Sydney.

The technology that is to be developed will help change the way in which Australian councils and water utilities maintain their stormwater and sewerage assets.

In a statement, Siqueira said the technology aimed to save time for engineers who spend spend hundreds of hours manually reviewing pipeline CCTV inspection footage to identify problems.

As an intern I spent eight hours a day watching this footage just looking for faults, a time-consuming and fatiguing process. Michelle and I thought up a better way of reviewing the footage that used Michelles background in enterprise automation and machine learning," she said.

This grant helped us develop our platform and expand our technology to water utility customers including Northern Beaches Council, our partners in developing our prototype.

Michelle Aguilar and Amanda Siqueira.

Aguilar said the technology would allow local councils and water utilities to upload pipe CCTV inspection footage directly to a cloud platform for automatic analysis.

Our system cuts a two-day process down to two minutes, reducing inspection costs by 30% and allowing on-site repair work to be carried out straight after the inspection, she said.

With over 200,000 kilometres of gravity pipelines in Australia alone and $450 million spent each year maintaining sewerage networks, early detection and repair of faults in pipelines avoids the expensive process of digging up pipes once they are broken.

Jobs for NSW chief executive Nicole Cook said: The NSW Government is committed to investing in the best and brightest start-ups and fast-growing SMEs and Jobs for NSW supporting businesses like VAPAR is a great example of this commitment."

VAPAR has also been chosen for a 12-month incubator program to develop business opportunities in India, supported by the NSW Government and innovation consultancy Fusion Labs.

Our technology has huge potential not only in Australia but globally. In India, we will be talking to IT providers and government asset managers to learn as much as we can to develop business strategies for that market, Siqueira said.

Photos: courtesy NSW Department of IndustryJosh Lowy brings experience in team collaboration and interesting perspectives on the future of work at the Florida event

Trumbull, CT  January 9, 2019  TMC today announced Josh Lowy, Co-Founder and CEO of Hugo will present a keynote at The Future of Work Expo being held January 30  February 1, 2019, at the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward Country Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The three-day event will focus on how artificial intelligence, machine learning and other technologies can improve business communications, collaboration, contact center and customer service, and marketing and sales experiences and initiatives. The Future of Work Expo is part of The New Intelligence, which includes a robust exhibit floor, powerful keynotes, case studies, unique panels and presentations, special events, networking opportunities and much more.

Josh Lowy will present his keynote, Ending Team Silos with Boomerang Flows on Wednesday January 30th. With the average enterprise now employing over 200 distinct software tools, more than 90% of which are team-specific, everyone ends up looking through a keyhole when trying to see the bigger picture. Join Josh as he introduces you to Boomerang Flows, a simple solution changing the way teams leverage software to eliminate team silos.

The latest trends in collaboration like remote teams and distributed decision making are a function of the tools that we now have at our disposal. However, these bring with them a new set of challenges and we therefore need to look at how these tools are changing to understand what the future of work may entail said Josh Lowy, Co-Founder and CEO of Hugo.

Hugo is a gold sponsor of The Future of Work Expo which is also supported by platinum sponsor, Automation Anywhere, gold sponsors Bold360 by LogMeIn, Jane.ai, 247.ai and silver sponsor Smith.ai.

Registration is open. For questions on registration, exhibiting, sponsorship, or advertising packages contact events@tmcnet.com .

For the latest Future of Work Expo news, updates and information follow us on Facebook and Twitter, @FOW_Expo and @TheNewIntell .

About Hugo

Hugo is a common platform for your team to save and share meeting insights, in real time. End team silos with the meeting note software that powers fast-growing companies all over the world.

About TMC

Through education, industry news, live events and social influence, global buyers rely on TMC's content-driven marketplaces to make purchase decisions and navigate markets. As a result, leading technology vendors turn to TMC for unparalleled branding, thought leadership and lead generation opportunities. Our in-person and online events deliver unmatched visibility and sales prospects for all participants. Through our custom lead generation programs, we provide clients with an ongoing stream of leads that turn into sales opportunities and build databases. Additionally, we bolster brand reputations with the millions of impressions from display advertising on our news sites and newsletters. Making TMC a 360-degree marketing solution, we offer comprehensive event and road show management services and custom content creation with expertly ghost-crafted blogs, press releases, articles and marketing collateral to help with SEO, branding, and overall marketing efforts. For more information about TMC and to learn how we can help you reach your marketing goals, please visit www.tmcnet.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, @tmcnet .

Media and Analyst Contact:

Jessica Seabrook

Marketing Director

203.852.6800 ext.170

jseabrook@tmcnet.com

Share this Page

Edited by Maurice NagleWorld World Bank President to Join Global Infrastructure Partners

World Bank president Jim Yong Kim visits the Kutupalong refugee camp in Coxs Bazar, Bangladesh on July 2, 2018. / REUTERS

WASHINGTONWorld Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim will join Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a private equity fund that invests in projects in wealthy and developing countries, the firm said on Tuesday, a day after Kims shock resignation from the bank.

Kim, who joins New York-based GIP on Feb. 1 as a partner and vice chairman, has accepted a one-year ban from dealings with any World Bank units, including its private sector lending arm, the International Finance Corp, a person familiar with his departure arrangements said.

A major part of the lenders work is lending to build infrastructure such as power, water and transportation projects in developing countries. Kim resigned more than three years before his term ends in 2022 amid differences with the Trump administration over climate change and the need for more development resources.

Discussions between Kim and GIP about the new job came together about six weeks ago at the G20 summit in Buenos Aires, the person said. Kim has emphasized that harnessing private sector investment funds was the key to building badly needed infrastructure amid constrained public budgets.

After securing a $13 billion capital increase last year and replenishments of the World Banks donor fund for the poorest countries, Kim said on Monday in a note to staff that the opportunity is the path through which I will be able to make the largest impact on major global issues like climate change and the infrastructure deficit in emerging markets.

The World Banks board is expected to meet later this week to discuss the search for a successor to Kim.

While the United States has traditionally nominated the World Banks leader, the tradition could be challenged, as it was when Kims nomination by former president Barack Obama in 2012 was contested by candidates from Colombia and Nigeria, under an open nomination process that is still in place.

The United States holds an effective veto on the World Bank board, with about 16 percent of its total voting power, followed by Japan with about 6.9 percent and China with 4.5 percent.News Prominent Arakanese Reject Govt Claim that AA Has Links to ARSA

AA troops / Arakan Army Information Department

NAYPYITAWThe Arakanese community has responded with anger and disbelief to an accusation by the Myanmar Presidents Office that the Arakan Army (AA) has ties to the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), a Rohingya insurgent group denounced by the government as a terrorist organization.

Numerous prominent Arakanese figures told The Irrawaddy they believed the accusation was baseless, casting serious doubt on the idea that the AA would ever cooperate with ARSA.

Following the deadly attacks launched by the Arakanese armed group against four Border Guard Police outposts in Rakhine States Buthidaung Township on Jan. 4, Presidents Office spokesperson U Zaw Htay said at a press conference on Jan. 7 that the attacks were the outcome of meetings between the AA and ARSA in July last year.

He said AA and ARSA officials met in Ramu, Bangladesh and were likely to have discussed the groups respective areas of control within Myanmar.

We learned they agreed that areas west of the Mayu mountain range [close to Bangladesh] would be controlled by ARSA, while areas to the east would be for the AA, he said.

U Zaw Htay urged the Arakanese people to think about what kind of future they wanted for Rakhine State, and urged them to take the consequences into consideration before supporting the AA.

Arakanese people do not believe the governments accusation at all, said Upper House Arakanese lawmaker U Khing Maung Latt. He described U Zaw Htays remarks regarding the Arakanese people as provocative.

He offered his personal views, rather than the policy of the government. He is not authorized to make such comments, and they are not official. [The Arakanese community] perceives his words as a threat. [His remarks] are not peaceful. He spoke as if [the government] would use force, said U Khin Maung Latt, who is also a member of the Arakan National Party.

The lawmaker added that he did not believe the spokesmans warning to the Arakanese people was the result of the high-level meeting between government and Tatmadaw leaders in Naypyitaw on Monday.

According to Lower House lawmaker U Pe Than of Rakhine States Myebon Township, the Arakanese people would not accept the AA if it cooperated with ARSA. They do not believe that such ties exist, he added.

We cant accept that [the government] is only coming out with this after the recent attacks, said U Pe Than, adding that it is unnatural that the AA would cooperate with the ARSA, a group he said was loathed in the Arakanese community.

U Tun Kyi, a prominent activist in the Rakhine community, said the Rakhine and Bengali communities are historical enemies, so it is impossible that the AA would have ties with ARSA. Bengali is a term used by the Arakanese community to refer to the Rohingya to imply that they are interlopers from Bangladesh.

The Rakhine issue has been described as Arakanese-Bengali crisis, and it is unacceptable that the government has only made the claim after the recent attacks, he said.

The AA is supported by more than 99 percent of Arakanese people. Not only Rakhine State, but other states also have armed groups. Not only the Arakanese people, but all ethnic people support their own armed groups. The Kachin support the KIO [Kachin Independence Organization], U Tun Kyi said.

Some Arakanese lawmakers believe both the AA and ARSA are being used as pawns by interest groups based in the US, China and Muslim countries.

The governments statements regarding the Rakhine issue must be based on hard evidence, said political analyst Dr. Yan Myo Thein, pointing out that even news organizations need strong evidence before publishing a report.

The Rakhine issue concerns the national peace process. It is very delicate and sensitive. So, there is a need to take a far-sighted and restrained approach to find an answer, U Yan Myo Thein said.

In a statement released on Monday, the AA denied having ties with ARSA and called U Zaw Htays remark an ultimatum and an insult to all Arakanese people.News Concern Mounts for IDPs in Northern Rakhine as Army Blocks Aid Shipments

A recently displaced family, residents of Wa Taung, camp out in northern Rakhine States Kyauktaw Township. / Kyaw Kha / The Irrawaddy

YANGONMore than 5,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in four townships in northern Rakhine State are without adequate shelter, and the Army is blocking food shipments to them, according to local relief groups.

U Khaing Kaung San of the Wanlark Foundation based in the state capital Sittwe told The Irrawaddy on Tuesday that displaced civilians have been living in temporary structures consisting of tarpaulin sheets in Kyauktaw Township for several weeks.

Ko Maung San Win, a displaced resident of Taung Min Mro village, said neighboring Taung Minkalar village was currently serving as a temporary home to about 700 IDPs. Most of the villagers abandoned their homes to escape heavy artillery fire nearby.

On Tuesday, a new depression in the Bay of Bengal brought torrential downpours to delta regions and the Rakhine coastline. The Meteorology Department forecasts continued heavy rain in the coming days.

Ko Maung San Win said, We dont have enough tarpaulins; we were wet the whole night on Monday.

U Khaing Kaung San intended to travel from the urban area in Kyauktaw urban to Thalu Chaung, about a five-hour boat ride up the Lay Myo River, with rice shipments and local commodities for distribution to displaced villagers in Kyauktaw Township but military officers refused to allow relief vessels to proceed. The vessels were carrying relief items intended for more than 10 villages whose residents are sheltering inTaung Minkalar.

He said General Administration Department (GAD) officials in Kyauktaw Township had given verbal permission for rice bags to be distributed, but joint Army/police teams had strictly prohibited relief workers from operating. In fact, such restrictions have been widely reported; the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC) was blocked from doing relief work in Kachin rebel-held areas last year.

U Khaing Kaung San said if military and civilian authorities want to block food shipments, they should at least evacuate displaced villagers from the upper Kyauktaw region to safer places close to urban areas. He said nearly the entire population of 20 villages had been displaced. Shipments of rice were being allowed in some areas, but not in Thalu Chaung and Nga Sarai Kai villages, where the majority of IDPs are currently sheltering.

I would say their action is apparently violating human rights, said U Khaing Kaung San.

The UNs Acting Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Myanmar, Knut Ostby, tweeted on the morning of Jan. 9 that he was deeply concerned about the situation in northern Rakhine. He said skirmishes between the Arakan Army (AA) and Myanmar security forces have resulted in 4,500 people becoming IDPs so far. Ostby said he was shocked about the loss of life during the AAs coordinated attacks on police outposts on Jan. 4.

He urged both sides to find a peaceful solution to the situation and to ensure humanitarian access to all people affected by the violence. He mentioned that the UN has been in touch with Myanmar authorities in recent weeks and has offered to support ongoing efforts to assist people in need.

The Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator urges all sides to ensure the protection of all civilians and uphold their responsibilities under International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law. Mr. Ostby further appeals to all sides to intensify efforts to find a peaceful solution to the situation and to ensure humanitarian access to all people affected by the violence, the UN said in its daily briefing.

Despite the UNs claim that it has already offered humanitarian assistance to Myanmar authorities, community-based relief groups told The Irrawaddy they have not seen any international organizations on the ground, apart from the ICRC. Most of the emergency food relief was being overseen by local organizations.

Ko Zar Nee Phyu, a leading committee member of the Rakhine Ethnic Congress (REC) who recently returned from the Kyauktaw region to Sittwe, said about four or five civil society groups have been trying to help IDPs since the conflict broke out in late December. However, they are currently barred by authorities from transporting rice bags to IDPs camped upstream from the town on the Lay Myo River.

Ko Zar Nee Phyu, an ethnic Mro, one of the Arakanese sub-ethnic groups, said his community relied on bamboo from the forest in Kyauktaw for its livelihood. Since the conflict had flared up there, no one had been allowed to enter, causing financial hardship for local people. He echoed other villagers reports that shelling had forced them to flee their homes.

We need a long-term plan, otherwise thousands of people here will be in trouble in the rainy season, Ko Zar Nee Phyu said.

He said some foreigners had collected information on the IDP population and enquired about the humanitarian situation in active conflict zones. He urged international relief agencies to monitor the IDPs situation and provide humanitarian assistance.

Many Rakhine youth in various townships are now collecting donations on their own initiative to help IDPs by establishing temporary reception camps, and by parking trucks near towns seeking donations. Concerns are growing that fighting between the AA and government troops will very likely escalate soon, as the government Army has sent at least one extra brigade (3,000-5,000 troops) to northern Rakhine.News Civil Service Board Insists It Has Cut Ties With Fake Universities

The office of the Union Civil Service Board in Naypyitaw / ucsb.gov

NAYPYITAWThe Union Civil Service Board, a government agency responsible for recruiting and training civil servants, ended partnerships with two unaccredited foreign universities last week, a senior board official said after pictures emerged appearing to show that the relationships, which have come in for heavy criticism online, continued.

We ceased our partnerships on Jan. 4. And weve informed the upper echelon [authorities] about it. Weve also ceased our partnerships on the ground. Weve negotiated this with [the two foreign institutions], U Myint Swe, the boards deputy permanent secretary, told The Irrawaddy.

Myanmar Presidents Office Director-General U Zaw Htay told reporters on Monday the board had ended its partnership with U.S.-based Akamai University and Malaysias EDS Business School. However, EDS Business Schools logo was printed on a backdrop seen in pictures taken at a welcoming ceremony for officials taking courses at the Central Institute of Civil Service on the same day.

U Myint Swe said the logos appearance was just a mistake. We decided to end our partnership with them on Jan. 4, and reported this to the Presidents Office. But due to the public holidays, we only informed [the institute] on Jan. 7. By that time they had already made the backdrop. So they didnt have time to remove it, he said.

The move came after a Myanmar scholar doing a degree at Oxford University in England pointed out on social media that the two institutions are not accredited universities and are not recognized by their governments.

He posted pictures of Akamai University in Hawaii showing a small room in a two-story building. The post was shared widely and many netizens questioned the motivation for the Union Civil Service Board chairmans decision to partner with the institutions in the first place.

At the instruction of the Presidents Office, the board is taking steps to partner with foreign universities that are acceptable to the general public, U Myint Swe said.

We will do whatever it takes to partner with better universities, U Myint Swe said. We decided to end the partnerships on our own initiative, not at the instruction of the Presidents Office.

The board partnered with the two universities after forming the Civil Servant Academy in 2017 with the approval of government leaders.Burma Homes Levelled by Storm in Mon State

Residents among the ruins of their home destroyed by Tuesdays storm on Kalegauk Island in Ye Township, Mon State on January 8, 2019. / Mem3/Mon Era News / Facebook

An unseasonal storm hit Kalegauk Island in Ye Township, Mon State on Tuesday causing damaged to more than 300 houses, according to local sources.

Some members of the Mon State government, including Nai Aung Naing Oo, vice house speaker of the local parliament, traveled by boat to the Island after the storm on Tuesday to inspect the damage done to the village.

Most families living on the island of about 500 households are ethnic Mon who earn a living from fishing. The storm hit at approximately 7 a.m. yesterday and locals say this is the first time their village has experienced such storm damage.

We found houses, schools, electricity poles and monasteries destroyed. When we were there, locals were still compiling a list of the houses which were damaged, said Nai Aung Naing Oo.

We estimate that at least 300 houses were damaged, he added.

Many trees were knocked down by the storm, with some landing on houses. Electricity poles have fallen on the street. A large number of the houses suffered damage to parts of their structures, while many of them completely collapsed.

We estimated that 50 houses were totally destroyed, so locals have to build replacements for those, said Nai Aung Naing Oo.

Fortunately, no one was injured, he said.

Nai Taung Shein, chairman of Kalegauk Island told Mon Era News, a local Mon-language news page on Facebook, that the storm hit at 7:40 a.m.

We first saw firstly red [in the sky] near our village. Then it became dark and the storm hit our village, he said.

It only lasted 15 minutes but it destroyed a lot, he added.

Members of the Mon State government will travel to the island on Wednesday to give relief funding to the storm victims. The government will provide $19,500 (30 million kyats) to the victims.

Our government already discussed the donation. They have a budget for natural disasters, said Nai Aung Naing Oo.

Some local volunteers will also travel to the island on Wednesday to help the storm victims. Mon community leaders, including Buddhist monks, formed a committee to organize aid for the victims. The committee is collecting money from local Mon and Mon people overseas to help the islanders recover from the storm.Burma Analysis: Behind the Threats and Warnings of Chinese Ambassadors Kachin Visit

Chinese Ambassador Hong Liang (centre) arrives in Naypyitaw to attend the Panglong Peace Conference on July 10, 2018. / The Irrawaddy

YANGON When an invitation for meetings with Chinese Ambassador to Myanmar Hong Liang to discuss the current situation in Kachin State arrived at their offices in the Kachin capital of Myitkyina in early December, the last thing both Gumgrawng Awng Hkam and Rev. Hkalam Samson expected was warnings and threats.

The president of the Kachin Democratic Party and the president of the Kachin Baptist Convention had thought they would have a proper discussion on pressing issues which their homeland is facing, including the peace process and displacement of refugees due to fighting between a Kachin ethnic armed group and the Myanmar military.

However, when the Chinese ambassador met Gumgrawng Awng Hkam and Rev. Hkalam Samson on Dec. 28 and 29 respectively at Palm Spring Hotel in Myitkyina, he warned them not to make close friendships with western diplomats, that they otherwise would face serious consequences. Both invitees claimed the ambassador briefed them in a bossy manner, warning them not to oppose Chinese projects in Kachin State, including the controversial Myitsone hydropower project.

The meeting invitation came one week after the US and UK ambassadors visited Kachin State. During their meetings in Myitkyina with Kachin political leaders and other prominent members of the Kachin community, both ambassadors discussed the peace process, the safe return of internally displaced persons (IDPs), promotion of education and health and free and fair elections. Both Gumgrawng Awng Hkam and Rev. Hkalam Samson attended those meetings. As a result of the positive encounters, Kachin politicians invited the ambassadors to open liaison offices in Myitkyina in order to promote relations.

This expression of positive relations obviously annoyed the Chinese government. For their economic and geopolitical reasons, China doesnt like to see western presence in Myanmar, especially in ethnic areas near the Chinese border such as Kachin State. This is not the first time that China has taken steps to maintain the upper hand in Kachin State in terms of the peace process, investment and diplomatic relations. An October report by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) said that in early 2016, the newly appointed Chinese ambassador repeatedly urged the US ambassador not to travel to Kachin State or eastern parts of Shan State, saying the US should respect Chinas interests.

He warned if we have more frequent communication with western countries, we would face difficult consequences, Gumgrawng Awng Hkam told the Irrawaddy.

What does it mean? We felt threatened, said Gumgrawng Awng Hkam who is taking the role of vice president of Kachin State Peoples Partya party formed through the recent merging of three popular Kachin parties.

Chinese interests in Kachin State

Lying next to Chinas Yunnan Province, Kachin State plays an important role in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Chinese President Xi Jinpings signature foreign policy project.

China is always seeking advanced access to land and leverage inside Myanmar. In Kachin State, China has invested at least $6 billion in projects, including in the controversial Myitsone hydropower dam.

Located at the confluence of Myanmars lifeline the Irrawaddy River, the $3.6 billion project was suspended by then-president U Thein Sein in 2011 amid widespread public outcry over the dams serious social and environmental impacts. The dam site has some of the healthiest biodiversity in the world and environmentalists warn that the project would both destroy the natural beauty of the Irrawaddy River and disrupt water flow downstream. They say it could potentially flood an area the size of Singapore, destroying livelihoods and displacing more than 10,000 people.

In Kachin State, under BRI plans, both Myanmar and China have planned to construct a $5 million economic cooperation zone in Kanpiketi, a town in Kachin States Special Region 1, which is under the control of the militia group New Democratic Army-Kachin. In Myitkyina, a China-backed industrial zone had begun construction with a total project area of 4,751 acres and an expected bill of more than $3 million.

Apart from the Myitsone hydropower dam, several Chinese companies are involved in the construction at least five large dams along the Irrawaddy tributaries, the NMai Hka and Mali Hka rivers, since 2007 with a combined installed capacity of more than 1,000 megawatts. However, details on costs are not still clear.

Resumption of the Myitsone Dam

In their meeting in late December, Ambassador Hong Liang strongly pressed the necessity of restarting the Myitsone project, Rev. Hkalam Samson said.

The influential religious leader told The Irrawaddy that the ambassador tried to persuade him that the Myitsone hydropower dam was needed for BRI projects, saying that State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, acting as a chair of Myanmars BRI committee, is willing to carry out development projects as a country leadereven though the truth is she once spoke against the Chinese projects.

The president of the Kachin Baptist Convention recalled the Chinese ambassador questioning him about the Kachin peoples perception on the resumption of the dam saying that even Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has changed her mind.

I replied to him, [both China and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi] need to listen to public voices, because Myitsone is not only a matter for the Kachin peoplethe river is also important for all people in Myanmar, he told The Irrawaddy.

The Kachin Baptist Convention has revealed its strong objection to the Myitsone dam since the outset.

Hong Liang also warned that Chinese investors are losing patience regarding the dam and are hesitating to make new investments in Kachin State.

Rev. Hkalam Samson was not the only person pushed by the ambassador on the resumption of the dam.

He said [Kachin parties] dont oppose the Myitsone dam and asked us to convince Kachin people not to oppose it, Gumgrawng Awng Hkam said.

A 2017 poll by the Yangon School of Political Science found that 85 percent of people in Myanmar oppose the Myitsone dam. If the Kachin political and religious leaders were to accept the dam project, it would create public outcry.

Local concerns

A long legacy of extracting natural resources without public engagement or consultation while the former military junta held power has caused a loss of support for Chinese investments in Kachin, as well as across the country. When the Kachin leaders expressed their peoples concerns to Hong Liang, his only suggestion was to send a complaint letter to the Chinese embassy representative office in Myitkyina if any unfair case was found regarding a Chinese project.

Gumgrawng Awng Hkam said Kachin people were also worried about the rising dominance of the Chinese community in Kachin.

It is not the right time to give more pressure. Now [Chinas] action poses a new threat to China and Kachin future relations, Gumgrawng Awng Hkam said.

Peace process involvement

Apart from business, China has stepped up its role in the peace process in Myanmar, especially where it relates to conflict areas along the China-Myanmar border.

Chinas official line on ethnic armed organizations and the Myanmar military is to follow a policy of noninterference while persuading for peace and facilitating dialogues. But in reality, China intervened in the first peace talks held between the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and government representatives which were held in Ruili, a town on the Chinese side of the border in February 2013. Ever since, a Chinese special envoy has been involved as an observer or participant at all the peace dialogue meetings here.

Chinas role in the peace process became more rigid in 2017, by acting as a peace broker between the military and members of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) which is an organization including the KIA, the Arakan Army (AA), the Taang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA). A special envoy for Asian affairs in Chinas foreign ministry, Sun Guoxiang, travelled back and forth to sit down with the FPNCC in peace negotiations.

The Chinese ambassador sees peace as one of the first priorities for the Kachin people who have been suffering the consequences of war, mentally and physically, for more than seven years. During the meeting in late December, he also said he would help negotiations between the military and the KIA to be smooth.

An estimated 120,000 people have been displaced from their homes since 2011 due to the armed conflict in Kachin State. When the Kachin leaders revealed their concerns for the internally displaced Kachin to be able to return home safely, Hong Liang promised to convince the militarys commander-in-chief, Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing to withdraw troops from the villages.

Hong Laing also offered to help Kachin Baptist Convention gain access to some places which have been blocked by the military in order to bring aid to the internally IDPs.

We didnt make any deals but we will wait and see whether he carries out the commitments he mentioned, Rev. Hkalam Samson said.

Hong Liang also advised him to write a letter to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi saying that his organization is willing to accept the development projects in Kachin State, including the Myitsone dam.

According to the Beijings official agenda, Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to visit Myanmar early this year. Perhaps the Chinese ambassador is trying to open up possibilities for agreements on development projects to be made during the presidents visit.

During his two-day visit, the ambassador also met three Kachin party leaders, one Shan committee leader and some regional government officials and he gave the same message to all the non-government leaders. Those leaders who met Hong Liang for the first time formed a negative impression of the ambassador.

He used a bossy tone the whole time. I also feel he threatened us because [he thinks] we are weak, Rev. Hkalam Samson said.

Samsons interpretation of the discussion was that China would do anything to accomplish BRI projects and restart the Myitsone dam in Kachin State.

The Chinese Embassy in Yangon didnt reply to The Irrawaddys requests on Tuesday and Wednesday for comments on the ambassadors trip and issues discussed during the meetings.Asia Asia Must Be Alert to Rise in Anti-LGBT+ Rhetoric Ahead of Polls

Supporters wave rainbow flags during a rally ahead of the same-sex marriage referendum, in Taipei, Taiwan on November 18, 2018. / REUTERS

KUALA LUMPURAsian countries holding elections this year must be ready to protect the rights of LGBT+ communities ahead of a likely rise in anti-gay rhetoric by politicians, rights groups said on Tuesday.

A number of countries across the region are set to go to the polls in 2019, including India, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, and rights advocates fear lawmakers may try and appeal to conservative voters by targeting LGBT+ people.

LGBTI people are always the scapegoat and an easy target to blame by politicians during elections, said Suki Chung, an LGBT+ rights campaigner at Amnesty International in Hong Kong.

It comes as no surprise that some politicians from time to time make homophobic remarks or speeches to impress the conservative electorate in their countries, she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation by phone.

Socially conservative attitudes prevail across Asia, and deep-rooted biases have hamstrung progress on gay rights.

Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei ban sexual relationships between men, and Indonesia has seen an increase in raids targeting LGBT+ people in recent years.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has picked Islamic cleric Maruf Amin as his running mate for this years presidential electiona move criticized by human rights groups who cited fatwas issued by Amin that condemned LGBT+ individuals.

In neighboring Malaysia, Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad says same-sex marriage or gay and trans rights could not be accepted.

More recently, a lawmaker for Japans ruling Liberal Democratic Party was criticized last week after he warned that a country would collapse if everyone became gay or trans.

Politicians should realize that they are playing with the lives of LGBTI people when they speak out against us, said Ging Cristobal, project coordinator at OutRight Action International.

Citizens in countries who do not respect or tolerate LGBTIQ people may see statements from politicians as a license to harm, abuse and discriminate, Manila-based Cristobal said.

No countries in Asia allow same-sex couples to marry or enter civil unions of any kind and opponents of same-sex marriage say such unions could destroy society and family institutions.

Despite this, more politicians across Asia are starting to support the human rights of LGBT+ people as attitudes and legislation slowly changes said Amnestys Chung.

She cited India scrapping a colonial-era ban on gay sex last year, and a draft bill in Thailand that could soon allow civil partnerships and make it the first Asian country to legally recognize same-sex couples.

Hong Kong also recently agreed to recognize overseas same-sex partnerships when granting dependent visas, and Taiwan could still legalize same-sex marriages despite voters rejecting the idea in a referendum, Chung said.

While there will be some politicians saying something homophobic, we usually see that those remarks are not well received, she said.

Overall, we see that more and more politicians are making it clear that discrimination has no place in Asia.News Activists Warn of Gaps as EU Lifts Ban Threat on Thai Fishing Industry

Migrant fishermen from Myanmar sort their catch after returning to Ban Nam Khem on Thailands Andaman Sea coast in December 2014. / Reuters

BANGKOKLabor rights campaigners warned against complacency as the European Union on Tuesday withdrew its threat to ban Thai fishing imports into the bloc, saying that the country has made progress in tackling illegal and unregulated fishing.

The EUs so-called yellow card on Thai fishing exports has been in place since April 2015 as a warning that the country was not sufficiently addressing the issues.

Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing damages global fish stocks, but it also hurts the people living from the sea, especially those already vulnerable to poverty, Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for environment and fisheries said.

Todays decision reverses the first step of a process that could have led to a complete import ban of marine fisheries products into the EU, he said in a statement.

Thailand has amended its fisheries legal framework in line with international law, and improved its monitoring and surveillance systems, including remote monitoring of fishing activities and more robust inspections at port, the EU said.

The countrys multibillion-dollar seafood industry has also come under scrutiny for slavery, trafficking and violence on fishing boats and at onshore processing facilities.

After the EU threatened to ban fish exports, and the US State Department said it was failing to tackle human trafficking, the Southeast Asian country toughened up its laws and increased fines for violations.

Thailand has introduced modern technologiesfrom satellites to optical scanning and electronic payment servicesto crack down on abuses.

But the International Labor Organization said in March that fishermen remained at risk of forced labor, and the wages of some continued to be withheld.

The EU on Tuesday said it recognized efforts by Thailand to tackle human trafficking and to improve labor conditions in the fishing sector.

Thailand voted in December to ratify ILO convention 188which sets standards of decent work in the fishing industrybecoming the first Asian country to do so.

But important gaps remain, said Steve Trent, executive director at advocacy group Environmental Justice Foundation.

We still have concerns about the workers. We need to see that the reforms are durable, he said.

Thailand is yet to ratify two other ILO conventions on the right to organize and the right to collective bargaining, both of which are essential to protect workers, he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

This is particularly important in the fishing and seafood processing industries, as most of their estimated 600,000 workers are migrant workers.

There is a risk that with the lifting of the yellow card, complacency will set in. We need to see a culture of compliance, and more being done to protect vulnerable workers in the industry, Trent said.A special train believed to be carrying Kim Jong Un has departed Beijing after a two-day visit by the North Korean leader to the Chinese capital.

Mr Kim could not be seen but he was presumed to be on board the long train as it crossed on elevated tracks over a busy Beijing street and headed towards eastern China and the border with North Korea.

Mr Kim's trip to China - his fourth in the past 10 months - is believed to be an effort to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a possible second summit with US President Donald Trump.

It comes after US and North Korean officials are thought to have met in Vietnam to discuss the site of the summit.

Details of his visit have not been released, but Mr Kim reportedly met Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Earlier, Mr Kim's motorcade headed out to an unannounced destination and returned about an hour later.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said Mr Kim visited a technology development zone and spent around 20 to 30 minutes touring a factory.

North Korean and Chinese state media announced his visit shortly in advance of his arrival in Beijing, in a break with standard protocol dictating such trips are only confirmed after they happen.

However, neither side has provided details of what he has done since arriving aboard his personal armoured train on Tuesday morning.

It is understood Mr Kim met Mr Xi for about an hour on Tuesday and later attended a dinner at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing hosted by Mr Xi and his wife. Mr Kim was accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju.

At Tuesday's daily foreign ministry briefing, spokesman Lu Kang said Beijing remains supportive of efforts to end tensions over US demands for a halt to North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.

Mr Kim's visit is also seen as part of an effort to win Chinese support for a reduction of UN sanctions imposed over his nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, which have severely impacted his country's already ailing economy.

While North Korea has not conducted any launches or detonations in more than a year, it has displayed no real intention of abandoning the programmes that are seen as guaranteeing the hardline communist regime's survival.

Mr Kim's visit also came after he expressed frustration in his annual New Year's address over the lack of progress in negotiations with Washington since the Singapore summit with Mr Trump in June.

He said that if things do not improve - meaning that if sanctions relief and security guarantees are not in the offing - Pyongyang might have to find "a new way" forward.

- Press AssociationStable, sensible democracies understand that protest is part of political engagement and expression.

Protest may not always be welcome  as French President Emmanuel Macron has discovered  but it is better than the pressure-cooker alternative. Stable, sensible citizens who wish to exercise this privilege, and in todays strongmans world it would be naive to imagine it a guaranteed right, usually understand the difference between licence and latitude.

That understanding, however, is not universal.

Just yesterday, human rights charity Frontline Defenders showed how dangerous protest can be and, by extension, that those of us in democracies that accept peaceful protest may take that situation for granted.

The organisation reported that, in 2018, at least 321 human rights activists were murdered and many hundreds more were assaulted, detained or disappeared. Many of the usual countries behaved in their usual dark ways but it is disconcerting that one  Viktor Orbans Hungary  is a member of the European Union.

This development, if the idea of protecting all EU citizens from nascent despotism is to have meaning, must be confronted.

British Labour MP and anti-Brexit campaigner Jo Cox was not on that sad list.

In June 2016 she was the first MP murdered since the IRA  an organisation with a lethal intolerance for internal protest  killed Ian Gow in 1990.

Unfortunately, the attack, the gross intimidation of anti-Brexit MP Anna Soubry outside the House of Commons by English nationalists is a continuum of that intolerance.

Ms Soubry was accused, though that verb does not convey the violent threat apparent in a film clip of the incident, of being a Nazi. It is a cause for further concern that police did not intervene but it is a cause for the darkest bewilderment that London police, routinely on duty around the House of Commons, need to be briefed to intervene appropriately in these eventualities.

Is this what its come to ...? @Anna_Soubry faces "nazi" taunts..... pic.twitter.com/NHNMULtbEK  norman smith (@Thehackandhound) January 7, 2019

Those concerns will, however, pale dramatically if prosecutions, no matter how divisive, of a well-documented incident to not follow. That would encourage the kind of mob rule that always ends in anarchy.

Liberals and sensible conservatives will recoil from that kind of intimidation but it seems a new normal. Just as Ms Soubry was being attacked in London far-right German MP Frank Magnitz was seriously injured in a politically motivated attack in Bremen.

Mr Magnitz is a local leader of the far-right Alternative fur Deutschland and he was ambushed by three masked men and beaten unconscious. History shows time after time that mobs can be colour blind, these two instances prove it  as do the regular attacks on Brextremists Jacob Rees Mogg and Nigel Farage.

This kind of threatening protest, like those at our new abortion centres endorsed by a two-to-one vote, will exacerbate division and deepen already fraught difficulties.

It is ironic and all to dangerously predictable that this imagined exercising of democracy is more than anything else a threat to democracy. It seems appropriate that civic leaders of all hues underline again the great responsibilities of free protest and the great difference between licence and latitude.Stephen Lynam says that while it is naive to to enter the world of politics and expect civility, toning down the insults would be a a step in the right direction.

LAST year was another bruising political year. Both at home and abroad, insults flew, tempers flared, and common decency seemed to be forgotten.

I was in America for the mid-term elections there and was struck by the unkindness and the vitriol that came from the mouths of voters and candidates, aimed at their fellow human beings.

Insulter-in-chief, of course, was US president Donald Trump, who labelled his former Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, as dumb as a rock, his accuser Stormy Daniels, with whom he is in a legal dispute, as horseface, and said that Stacey Abrams, running for the governorship of Georgia, wanted to turn the state into Venezuela, a country currently suffering a major

humanitarian crisis.

It was not just the president who showed an inability to be kind. Abrams opponent, the incumbent governor Brian Kemp, ran a campaign ad in which he sits in the back of a huge SUV and says: Ive got a big truck, just in case I need to round up criminal illegals and take them home myself.

One can only imagine how immigrants and their children felt upon seeing that on their TV screens.

Similarly Rob Desantis, while running for governor of Florida, called on people not to monkey this up by voting for Andrew Gillum, his black opponent.

Days later, a white supremacist group phoned many voters, urging them to vote for Desantis, describing Gillum as a monkey and a negro. Incumbent New Jersey congressman Leonard Lance said his opponent, Tom Malinowski, who suggested detainees at Guantanamo should receive due process, had lobbied for terrorist rights.

For the record, Abrams and Gillum lost, albeit narrowly, while Malinowski won. To dwell on that, however, is to miss the point. While losing with honour is not a particularly satisfying consolation prize  ask Hillary Clinton  to win while forgetting ones own duty to lead by example leads to bad governance and a broken system.

Voters who reward unkindness through the ballot box are also failing to show younger people  the next generation of electors  that there can be a better way.

Unkindness, of course, begets unkindness. In the midst of a bitter Senate contest in Texas, Ted Cruzs challenger Beto ORourke  in an otherwise positive, uplifting campaign and after much provocation  repeated Trumps childish Lyin Ted moniker against him before admitting he should not have done so. Last summer, Democratic Congresswoman Maxine Walters called on her followers to confront and harass members of the Trump cabinet if they spotted them in public.

It led to a rebuke from Nanci Pelosi, her boss, who eloquently  and kindly  said that we must strive to make America beautiful again.

Trumps daily lack of civility has provoked responses that are predictable but unacceptable. As we go forward, we must conduct elections in a way that achieves unity from sea to shining sea.

We should not think that we are immune to this ugliness in Ireland.

The campaign by Peter Casey for the Presidency unleashed almost daily unkindnesses. His comments against the Traveller community received much attention, and probably won him a few votes.

Just as unkind were his various personal attacks on the President during the course of the RTE radio debate on October 13, when he said Michael D Higgins will be lucky in a few years if he even does a walk around the park, adding that its not his fault hes 77.

These comments stood in stark contrast to those of the eventual winner.

Voters, too, have an important role to play here. It would take a Herculean effort to chronicle the insulting, unkind messages that politicians receive from some of the electorate via social media, but the abuse received by Fianna Fail TD Jack Chambers is particularly noteworthy.

A tweeter named Danny said shortly after his election that Jack Chambers is a c*nt. Lets leave it at that, but not before suggesting that the deputy be strapped to a rocket and fired into the sun.

He has been called a number of other expletives by those who opposed his views on abortion.

While such words have been used to describe most politicians on social media, Mr Chambers experience was eye-catching because it happened within days of his election as the youngest member of the new Dail at the age of just 25.

Nobody, regardless of their political positions, should have to endure such abuse and it would be naive to think his experience has not discouraged many young people from a life of public service. We get the politicians we deserve, it is said, and treating an elected person  a human being like you and I  in this way will only make politics a less hospitable place for people to participate.

There are steps all of us, politicians and voters, an take to stem the unkind tide. The first is to think carefully about what we say prior to saying it, weighing up if it is kind, if it is fair and if it is necessary.

The second is to apologise if we ever fail to live up to the standards of public discourse to which we should aspire  things are often said in the heat of the moment and there is no shame or weakness in simply saying sorry. Mr Casey might dwell on that one.

The third, perhaps more contentious, way to change things for the better is for those individuals who routinely insult others, be they whole groups or individuals, to be removed from the discourse altogether, even if only temporarily.

Imagine if all the media groups in America refused to cover the Trump agenda until he changed his ways and refrained from the verbal atrocities that have become his trademark. Imagine if, following Mr Caseys personalised insults aimed at the President, he was asked to leave that radio debate, or received no subsequent coverage of the remarks?

The new year is a time for resolutions and we could do worse than take a leaf from the book of New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern who in 2018 made world headlines for, er, having a baby and who said that she was proudly an empathetic, compassionately-driven politician and remarked that we teach kindness and empathy to our children, but then somehow, when it comes to political leadership want a complete absence of that.

Unkindness in politics in nothing new, but the virulence of invective is reaching new lows. In 2019, we should take a step back, and ask if we are proud of ourselves. If not, I might quote again Ms Ardern, and kindly suggest that we chart a different path.

Stephen Lynam is a former special advisor to the Minister for Finance, Paschal Donohoe.Having endured a frustrating 2018, the arrival of a new year has been welcomed by Sean Maguire.

The former Cork City striker has been blighted by a succession of hamstring woes, the most recent coming in Irelands 0-0 draw with Northern Ireland in November.

But, having returned to action as a second-half substitute in Prestons 3-1 FA Cup defeat to Doncaster on Saturday, Maguire is hoping for a brighter 2019.

It was a good feeling to be back out there amongst the boys, he told the Preston website. I felt 2018 wasnt the best of years for me, on and off the pitch, this is a fresh start.

I havent been probably fully match-fit since before my first hamstring injury. The main focus is getting back fit and the best way to do that is in games. You can train as much as you want, but games are totally different.

It is about being honest with the physio, with Tom Little and the gaffer every day and if I feel tired one day there is no point keeping it quiet, as it could cost me further down the line.

I have to be smarter  I am 24 years of age now, I have been in the professional game since I was 18, so when I wake up in the morning I have to think is it a good day to train. It is a case of thinking logically about it and hopefully I have turned a corner and it is a fresh start with the new year and I can kick on.The memorial event also served to highlight the simmering sense of injustice felt by many, writes Noel Baker.

Five lonely islands off the coast of Whiddy  a mesh of rusty iron and concrete, home to the gannets and the odd seagull. But yesterday came some special visitors.

Out on the gently rippling sea the ferry boat brought the families of those who, 40 years ago to the day, lost their lives in the Whiddy Island oil disaster. It was here, back when the five steel and concrete outposts formed the Gulf Oil jetty, that fire consumed much of the Betelgeuse tanker, when oil spilled across the water and fire blew into the sky. Yesterday was the first time that many of those on board the ferry had ever gotten to the scene, the closest previous visitors had ever been. History and memory was in the air.

Everyone was outside as the relatives tossed yellow and red roses into the water near the remnants of the jetty  everyone, bar one. Inside the ferry, Teresa Shanahan was momentarily lost in her thoughts, twirling a sweet wrapper in her fingers like a rosary bead. Her husband, Liam Shanahan, was one of those lost that night. She broke from her reverie and began chatting with an old friend. Ive been there and done that, she said, adding politely that she didnt want to speak further. After all, its been there every day for the past 40 years.

Outside on the rear deck, her daughter Ann Shanahan took it all in. Earlier, at the cemetery as a piper led the cortege to the Betelgeuse memorial, she was in tears. It was tough.

Ann Shanahan, Ballydehob, Co Cork, who lost her father Liam, on the ferry boat out to lay flowers and wreaths, with her husband Conor and daughters Laura and Emma.

There is a sense of anger and loss but we are trying to celebrate safety as well, she said on deck. It is something that has never gone away.

Ann, who now lives in Cork, was echoing what Michael Kingston, who lost his father, Tim, in the disaster, had said when he spoke at the Memorial Mass earlier at St Finbarrs Church. The service celebrated the lives of those lost, and of relatives who have died along the way. Bishop of Cork and Ross, John Buckley, said the suffering for many had been intensified because the bodies of their loved ones were never recovered. They live on in our memories, he said, adding: We are all pilgrims on the streets of time.

But the event also illustrated the bond between the French and Irish families. Much of the service was replayed in French and French flags flew in many parts of Bantry, including outside the tourist office and at the waters edge on the way out to the cemetery. The LE James Joyce rested in the bay and Irish naval personnel formed a guard of honour as the families entered the church, led again by the piper. Wreathes from as far away as Alaska and Iceland were laid on the steps.

Inside, it was standing room only, with pews reserved for the families and also for organisations such as the RNLI and the air ambulance. Two specially prepared books in memory of the victims and put together by local school children were presented  one will stay in Bantry, one will return to France.

Michael Kingston speaks at the Betelgeuse disaster 40th anniversary Mass at St Finbarrs Church, Bantry, Co Cork. Michaels father Tim was killed on the night.

It also served to highlight the simmering sense of injustice felt by many. Some people might think that after 40 years an event like this might mean a full stop, but in fact, it has opened up new things. From the altar, Michael Kingston declared it the day of the underdog, and let go. The Taoiseach should issue a public apologies to the families of those who died, he said, and those deaths should be declared unlawful deaths.

Addressing some of his remarks directly at the senior government minister in attendance, Fine Gael junior minister Jim Daly, Michael railed at the absence of his senior colleagues, including those whose portfolio covers maritime safety.

Nora Kingston who lost her father Tim, before placing a hydrangea in the sea during 40th anniversary commemorations of the Betelgeuse disaster at the Whiddy Island pier in Bantry, Co Cork.

He said it was Trump-esque, referring also to correspondence he had sent to various ministers at different times in recent years in his capacity as an internationally recognised and award-winning lawyer who specialises in maritime law and safety at sea. In almost each instance, he received no response, yet within months of sending out one batch of correspondence, Rescue 116 pilot Capt Dara Fitzpatrick, co-pilot Capt Mark Duffy and winch crew Paul Ormsby and Ciaran Smith were killed in the tragedy off Blacksod off Co Mayo.

Daras father, John, was present yesterday in Bantry, making a presentation to a new cadet.

Michael said there has been investigations, but there had never been an investigation of Irelands maritime framework in relation to that incident. It was another failing, a theme he said went back to before the time his own father was taken. Things left undone, a dereliction of duty, the failure to properly administer justice.

He said Mr Daly now faced an Andy Burnham moment, referring to the British Labour MP for Liverpool who helped kickstart the campaign which ultimately led to the fresh Hillsborough Inquiry and subsequent legal actions. His lengthy, forceful address, delivered in even tones, felt like the vocal equivalent of someone upending a table. He received a lengthy standing ovation when he stopped speaking. One person among the throng, scientist Jack OSullivan, said: In my 76 years, that is the most important speech I have heard. Every word is true.

A lone piper with French ambassador Stephane Crouzat and Michael Kingston, who represented the families, leading the families of victims of the Betelgeuse disaster to the ceremony at the memorial at the Abbey Cemetary in Bantry, Co Cork.

Even those not present articulated the same view. In a message conveyed from France, Ginette Ravaleau, who lost her husband 40 years ago and who broke her hip before Christmas, said the tanker was a bomb. Her husband died totally intact, from hypothermia.

Back on the ferry, Thibaud Spitzbarth was watching over his two children, two-year-old Gabrielle and baby Victor, aged just three months. Thibaud was only six when his father, Jean, died in the disaster. He said people carry those thoughts and feelings in their own ways. I will be proud of having brought my kids with me these days, so they know. Five years from now I will be able to tell them they were there.

Liam Shanahan, born the night his father died on Whiddy Island, at the anniversary Mass.

Tim Kingstons own boat had been sailed over to the remains of the jetty and renamed Forever Remembered for the event.

Most Rev Dr John Buckley presents Mary Warner with a memorial book compiled by schoolchildren.

The flowers hit the water and after a while the ferry boat carrying the party coasted by the fading jetty  five gnarled standing stones. Maybe it was a trick of the light, but it seemed like the current was drawing the floating roses ever closer to them.Non monogamy is more common that you think, writes Rita de Brun. Shows like Wanderlust portray polyamory as a hedonistic trip of infinite highs. Why settle for monogamy, the thinking goes, when there are so many delectables yet to taste?

A quick search on google will show that open relationships are or have reportedly been embraced by many household names.

As for whos in open relationships in Ireland, its hard to say. Most dont broadcast the fact. My friends who are, generally keep quiet about their trysts and rightly so. Whats pitched, agreed and tolerated between couples is mostly nobody elses business.

I recently found out at a party that one couple Ive known for years were into threesomes. This emerged when the husband, while smashed, suggested to the wife in my presence, that we three hook up some night.

She seemed embarrassed that hed outed what was private to her. I wasnt interested, so pretended not to hear and moved away. Hes a lot younger than her and a serial philanderer; a fact that fuels many rows. Yet unknown to him, she has always played away.

Polyamory in all its ethical-non monogamy shouldnt be confused with having an open relationship. In the latter, sex with others is part of the package. Falling in love is not.

Polyamory makes sense. Expecting a lifetime of willing or enforced monogamy often leads to disappointment, betrayal and heartbreak, and thats just among the ones who discover theyve been deceived.

Of course, the cheated unaware comprise a substantial portion of couples, as do the truly monogamous. But theres nothing to say that the latter group are happy, or happier than the rest.

That we may be hardwired to be monogamous or otherwise was examined in a Hamilton and Meston study published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour. It examined neural responses to romantic activity by monogamous and non-monogamous men and found biological differences existed between the two.

In her book What love is and what it could be, philosopher Carrie Jenkins examines the biological and social constructs of romantic love. Early on, she tells readers that she has both a husband and a boyfriend.

She studied at Cambridge. Today, she holds professorships at the University of British Columbia and the University of Aberdeen.

Ive always fallen for more than one person at a time and thought that a bad thing, she says. I didnt know the word polyamorous, or any way to describe that aspect of myself without immediately judging it.

All I knew were negative words like unfaithful and adulterous, but those only apply if you cheat on someone. When I learned about ethical non-monogamy it felt a bit like acquiring a superpower: something I thought was impossible became real.

When she got together with her husband, both were interested in exploring non-monogamous relationships. For us, our anxieties were mostly around other peoples assumptions and judgments. What she most likes about being polyamorous includes choosing the kinds of relationships she values rather than being forced into the standard model. That and being able to acknowledge and respect aspects of myself Id previously rejected and felt ashamed of.

Like Prof. Jenkins, Tany Saloniki was drawn to polyamory before he knew the word existed. A single 40- something who lives in London and was born and raised in Tel Aviv, he founded the polyamory dating site www.p.dating.

Multiple relationships make him feel more fully connected to the people he loves and fill him with joy. His dates arent always of the same mind-set: When I tell them Im polyamorous, the reaction is often negative and motivated by prejudice and fear.

According to his website, polyamory is an atheist way of life that challenges the evil inherent in religion which crushes human liberties. Does he agree that if culture, religion and consequences were taken out of the equation, most would be polyamorous?

Of course. People follow mainstream ideas because they fear societys reaction. Generations of forced monogamy have built that up as being the one and only relationship model.

Prof. Jenkins agrees: People are sceptical of whether its possible to be in love with more than one person at a time. This is actually quite complicated, because being in love is partly a social construct. What we have constructed has monogamy built in at a fundamental level. When we look beyond those, non-monogamous love is not only possible but common.

Tanys take on marriage is not something youll hear at any pre-marriage course. It deprives people of their freedom. Theyre not allowed to fall in love anymore, and all those wonderful feelings of excitement and euphoria are considered dangerous and sinful, if directed toward someone other than the spouse.

Hes happily living his truth. So too is Prof. Jenkins. She has her husband and her boyfriend. All three also date other people. She says that because shes bi, outside of those two relationships, she mostly dates women.

She doesnt assume monogamy is unnatural: Whats natural for our species is variation and versatility. However, theres compelling evidence around the idea that its women who are more naturally monogamous. Thats starting to look like a myth.The new yet-to-be-named pro-life, Republican political party being led by former Sinn Fein TD for Meath, Peadar Toibin, will be targeting Donegal as one of its priority constituencies as it tries to make a breakthrough in Mays local elections.

How his new party fares in the north-west county will be watched closely as it was the only constituency to have a "No" majority in last year's Eighth Amendment referendum

Speaking today to Midlands 103, Peadar Toibin said people from the yes side of the recent referendum were also attending the group's meetings.

"The strongest pro-life, human rights vote came from Donegal, but obviously that human rights vote was visible right throughout the country at different levels. Most of the north-west and Midlands, that human rights vote came in at well over 40% and we'll obviously be looking for many of those people to support us with regards strengthening the human right to life into the future," he said.

"But there are people who voted yes in the referendum who are attending our meetings."

Commenting after he addressed a crowd of over 250 people at a public meeting in Letterkenny on Tuesday night, Mr Toibin said: The Donegal constituency is the most aligned with our politics.

He continued: "I believe that we will win local (election) seats in Donegal and the establishment parties will wake up and listen to what we say.

The new party will be hoping to attract considerable support from those who feel that their voice is not being heard, and notably the 34% of people nationally who voted against repealing the Eighth Amendment in the recent referendum.

"We need to get up off our seats and mobilise," he said adding that the voice of the 723,632 who voted "No" in the recent referendum must be heard in Leinster House.

"This is the human rights debate of our generation," he insisted.

He called on the people of Donegal to get involved in a "people's movement" to challenge the "groupthink in the Dail."

He also confirmed that Donegal will be one of the partys target constituencies whenever the next general election is held.

Firstly, though, he wants to see branches set up in the Donegal in the coming weeks and for candidates to be selected to contest the local elections.

"We have to go from nought to sixty fast," he declared, adding: "Membership is key. We need a mass movement. We will try and get people into cumainn and have meetings in the next ten days."

He then wants people to "get active" and to get out and "knock on doors".

He confirmed that on Tuesday morning documentation had been submitted as part of the process to establish the political party. It is expected that a name will be decided upon in the coming weeks.

We are functioning like a political party, he said.

The new party will be organised on an All-Ireland basis and will be pro-life, seek economic justice, and proper spatial (balanced regional) development, as well as being euro-critical.

He says that it will stand up and challenge the politics of Fine Gael, Fianna Fail, Sinn Fein and Labour.

Housing, healthcare, neutrality, the Irish language and taxation changes are among the other key areas that are likely to dominate future policy.

In an upbeat, inspirational presentation, occasionally interrupted by rounds of applause, he stressed the need for "activism" and said: "We have got to focus on what we can achieve together...I need you to climb this mountain.

Last weekend, an SDLP councillor in Co Tyrone, Rosemarie Shields, became the first elected representative in the north to join the new still nameless party.

Mr Toibin is due to address another public meeting in Cork on Thursday.

Last November, he announced his resignation from Sinn Fein, saying that restrictions imposed on him by the party over his views on abortion had prevented him from fully representing his constituents.A UCC economist has warned that objections to car traffic should not stand in the way of major housing developments.

The comments, from regional policy expert Dr Frank Crowley, come as the southside of Cork city faces a number of fast-track planning applications, potentially resulting in more than 500 new homes in the coming years.

Two major developments on the southside of Cork city have been submitted directly to An Bord Pleanala under the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) initiative which allows developers to bypass local authorities for developments of more than 100 units to speed up the construction of new houses.

The deadline for public submissions on a proposed development of 251 houses in Cooney's Lane in Grange passed yesterday. Members of the public have until Monday to submit observations on a proposal for 240 homes in Bishopstown in the south-west of Cork city. A final decision on the Grange development is due on March 27, with a ruling on the Bishopstown proposal due on April 1.

Both projects have been criticised by local councillors, who fear that inadequate roads infrastructure exists to handle the increased traffic that would come with the new homes.

However, Dr Crowley has dismissed such concerns and instead urged local authorities to press ahead with public transport infrastructure in these areas as a matter of priority.

"Car traffic should not be a go-to or valid reason to object to any development. Of course, there is traffic; we live in a city where most of the population are car dependent. Traffic, cars and parking are nearly always the first reason to object to any development and it is starting to become ridiculous. If Cork wants to be prosperous and grow it needs to curb its obsession in car-dependent development," he said.

"These two developments may be poorly served by public transport currently but that is largely because local politicians and our council executives have failed to provide buses with dedicated space on our roads that require them to be efficient, reliable, cost-effective and their scale increased.

"Consequently, most areas of the Cork city region are poorly served by reliable public transport. This reality could be changed almost overnight by changing the space allocation on our road infrastructure."The countrys hospitals will be plunged into chaos by six 24-hour strikes by nurses unless the Government can adequately address their demands for pay increases of up to 12%.

The first 24-hour strike will take place on January 30. If the dispute is not resolved, further strikes will take place on February 5 and 7, and then on February 12, 13, and 14. Nurses will only provide lifesaving care and emergency response teams on these dates.

The HSE simply cannot recruit enough nurses and midwives on these wages. Until that changes, the health service will continue to go understaffed and patient care will be compromised, said Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) general secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha.

The ball is in the Governments court. This strike can be averted. All it takes is for the Government to acknowledge our concerns, engage with us directly, and work to resolve this issue in a proactive manner.

She said the union was due to meet with the Government last month but the meeting was cancelled.

Like many patients in Irelands health service, we are still waiting for an appointment, she said.

The HSE is expected to meet nursing representatives next week to try to find a resolution.

The strikes were announced on a day when 583 patients were on trolleys waiting for a hospital bed, according to the INMOs Trolley Watch.

Cork University Hospital was the worst affected with 61 patients on trolleys. As flu rates rise, CUH said it had been exceptionally busy in recent days and advised people to avoid its emergency department.

Health Minister Simon Harris said bringing the health service to a virtual standstill is not warranted and could be avoided.

The HSE said it was disappointed at the INMOs decision to take industrial action, especially at a time when the health services were coming under pressure. It said it would be seeking a meeting with the INMO at an early stage.

Ms Ni Sheaghdha said her union would be happy to meet for talks and wanted to do everything possible to avoid only the second strike by the INMO in its 100-year history.

She said nurses needed to be paid a better wage in order to keep them here. At the moment, the HSE is spending 1.5m a week on agency staff.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has pointed out that, over the past five years, an extra 3,330 nurses and midwives, or 10% of the total, were recruited.

These are additional staff, over and above retirements and leavers, and shows that the public service is able to recruit and retain nurses and midwives, said the department.

It also said nursing and midwifery salaries are competitive with a basic starting salary of 31,110. The HSE estimates that a typical nurse or midwife will earn an additional 20% in allowances and premium payments, bringing the starting salary to over 37,000. It said a breakdown of the pay spend showed that, on average, nurses and midwives earn around 57,602, including all allowances and premium payments.

Margaret Frahill, a nurse manager at Mercy University Hospital, Cork, said it was a big decision for her to take strike action.

I have been nursing for 40 years and the decision did not come easy, said Ms Frahill, a member of the INMOs executive council and a former vice-president. At the moment as a nurse manager I can neither recruit nor retain an Irish nurse in the service; we are just not paid enough for the job we do.

Ms Frahill said her salary is 7,000 less than that of people she works with every day  physiotherapists and radiographers.

It is for the future of nursing and our patients that we are taking action, she said.

The Psychiatric Nurses Association, which has also voted overwhelmingly for industrial action, meets tomorrow to finalise its strike plans.The Chair of the National Campaign for the Arts says future funding for the sector should be directed towards generating employment and creating work for all interests.

Funding for The Abbey Theatre was frozen over concerns it's been buying in more productions from abroad.

The move comes after 300 prominent members of Irish theatre wrote a letter expressing deep concern over the future direction of the Abbey.

The Arts Council has told the national theatre its funding will be restored, once it improves employment opportunities for Irish-based artists.

"Until and unless Taoiseach Varadkar's promised double expenditure in the arts is actually implemented fully and until and unless that is directed towards work that is going to generate employment and is going to be really focussed on created really exciting work for audiences, we are just going to stay in this constant fulcrum of poor quality work and people having to leave the country and leave the sector," said Jo Mangan,chair of The National Campaign for the Arts and Director of the Carlow Arts Festival.

"It is not in a good place at the moment."

- Digital Desk

Earlier: Arts Council freezes 300k funding for Abbey Theatre amid concerns about fewer opportunities for Irish artists

By Joe Leogue

The Arts Council has revealed it has withheld hundreds of thousands of euro in funding for the Abbey Theatre, amid concerns the venues direction has resulted in fewer opportunities for Irish artists.

The revelation comes following the submission of a letter to Culture Minister Josepha Madigan, in which some 300 people from the Irish theatre community levelled criticism at the Abbey Theatres direction since Neil Murray and Graham McLaren assumed the roles of directors in 2016.

The letter states that the reduction of in-house productions and an increase in presenting or co-presenting productions has caused devastation among the ranks of Irish theatre creatives.

"The National Theatre reducing its own production output means less diversity, and reduced employment, not more," the letter said.

It has been signed by well-known names including Sinead Cusack, Aidan Gillen, Sarah Greene, Ciaran Hinds, Ruth Negga, and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor.

Following the letters publication, the Arts Council has announced that it has sought assurances from the National Theatre as to the quality of employment opportunities it provides for Irish based artists, and has called on the Abbey to evidence the range and nature of these opportunities.

As with all Arts Council funding, support to the Abbey in 2019 will be based on a funding agreement. 300,000 has been withheld pending confirmation that these conditions have been met, a statement from the Arts Council read.

The letter to Ms Madigan claims that the Abbey directly employed 123 actors in Abbey productions and 90 actors in readings and workshops in 2016, but directly employed only 56 actors in 2017.

It then estimated that 65 actors were directly employed by the National Theatre in 2018.

It further criticised the Abbey for hosting the travelling production Come From Away as its Christmas offering this winter.

This years Christmas offering on the national-theatre main stage has for so many become the final straw, the letter said.

Any critical questioning of the wisdom of the Irish national theatre using its resources to facilitate a Canadian commercial managements seven-week stopover, before going into the West End, has been cynically framed as xenophobic and little-islander.

This disingenuous accusation is beneath contempt, and we dismiss it with as much alacrity as the Abbey management dismisses the employment of its local workers over Christmas.

Irish audiences deserve to have access to shows of this international reputation coming from and going to Broadway and the West End, but of course they already have, in our various No 1 receiving venues, it said.

The Theatre has said it is taking the concerns raised in the letter very seriously.

Meanwhile, Ms Madigan said she acknowledges "the wealth of talent available among Irish theatre practitioners and the concerns they have raised, while at the same time recognising the need for The Abbey to strike a balance in terms of its programming".

"I understand that The Abbey will be engaging directly on the matters raised in the letter with representatives of the signatories," she said.

"I welcome that commitment to dialogue and engagement and look forward to a mutually satisfactory outcome. I will also be writing to both the theatre practitioners and the Abbey on these matters this week. It is in everyones interest to fully engage, find common ground and agree a resolution to these matters, Ms Madigan said.The Transport Minister has called a special meeting of an expert industry group to assess the threat of drones could have on Irish airports.

Shane Ross is to hold a meeting of the National Civil Aviation Threat and Risk Group tomorrow to assess and advise him on the recent incidents at British airports which caused travel chaos when planes were grounded at both Heathrow and Gatwick.

Gardai, the Defence Forces and the Irish Aviation Authority will all brief the Minister who has promised to take any action needed to respond to the threat of illegal drone activity around Irish airports.

There are already strict rules in Ireland around the use of drones, including an exclusion zone of five kilometres around airports," he said. "The misuse of drones is an offence, and flying drones in controlled Irish airspace or within five kilometres of an airport is a very serious matter. "

Mr Ross also received Cabinet sign-off on proposals for changes to the Ireland-United States Preclearance Agreement at Dublin and Shannon Airports to allow for extra capacity.

It has been agreed that the cost of these enhanced preclearance services will be split between US authorities who will continue to fund a baseline level of service with additional facilities being substantially paid for by the two airport authorities.

Dublin and Shannon are currently the only preclearance locations in Europe, with 1.7 million passengers availing of the service in 2017.

US Preclearance is a valuable asset for Ireland, allowing people move more easily between Ireland and the USA, enhancing the long and unique relationship between the two countries," Mr Ross said.

Separately Cabinet agreed to fund the compensation of people who were owed thousands of euro following the collapse of the Arc Adoption agency in 2015. Around 70 perspective parents who had hoped to adopt a child are still owed a refundable fee of 2,750.

The total cost is 192,500 will come from within the resources of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.A murder investigation has been launched following the discovery of a body in Louth this morning.

A 57-year-old Polish woman was found dead at her home in Clonmore, Ardee at half past 11.

A 32-year-old man was arrested a number of hours later and is being detained at Drogheda Garda Station.

Gardai say they are not looking for anyone else in connection with their investigation.

Supt. Des McTiernan says they are interested in a number of locations they believe the suspect visited.

He said: "We have a number of other scenes that we have a significant interest in.

"One is in the Bridge St area of the town, another one is in the Cherry Brooke Estate within Ardee and then one in Drumconrath in the Mandistown area of that townland.

Man arrested after Polish woman died a violent death at house in Co Louth

Latest: Gardai say they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the discovery of a woman's body in County Louth this morning.

A 32-year-old man was arrested this afternoon.

The body of a 57-year-old Polish woman was discovered at a house in Clonmore, Ardee at 11.30am.

She is said to have died a violent death.

A 32-year-old man was arrested in connection with the investigation just hours after the discovery.

Supt. Denis MacTiernan says they are not looking for any one else in relation to the crime.

The scene at Clonmore has been preserved for a technical examination.

Gardai have identified three other places of interest where they believe the suspect visited in and around the Ardee area.

An incident room has been set up at Drogheda Garda Station and Gardai are appealing to anyone with information to contact them.

Woman's body found in the Louth village of Ardee; Man arrested

Update: Gardai have arrested a man after a woman's body was found in Co. Louth today.

The 35-year-old was arrested in the Ardee area and is being held at Drogheda Garda Station.

Gardai will hold a media briefing at 5pm this evening.

Gardai at the scene of the body find in Ardee. Pic: Ciara Wilkinson

Earlier: Woman's body found in Co. Louth

A woman's body has been found in Co. Louth.

Gardai are investigating after they were called to a house in the Clonmore Estate in Ardee at around 11.30am this morning.

The woman is believed to have suffered severe injuries and Gardai say it appears she died a violent death.

The scene has been preserved for an examination by the State Pathologist and Gardai have also requested assistance from the Garda Technical Bureau.

No arrests have been made and inquiries are ongoing.Traffic infrastructure in Killarney has fallen far behind the industry-led tourism business and chronic congestion is now threatening the tourism potential of the entire south-west region, a delegation from the towns business and hotel organisations has told a council meeting.

Congestion in Killarney is a daily challenge for locals too, managers and councillors were told.

Killarney Tourism was the economic lifeblood of the entire south-west region, the meeting heard with people from all over the world wanting to visit the town.

However, while visitor satisfaction ratings were higher than for anywhere else  they were not for traffic.

The meeting was told 1.4m tourists will arrive each year by 2025 bringing earnings of 600m.

Management was reminded that the town is a catalyst, with its tourists branching out, meaning 76m to the rest of Kerry, according to the TEIR One (Tourism Economic Impact Review) study published in 2018.

The chronic problem of traffic congestion in Killarney has to be tackled as a matter of urgency, Niamh OShea, chairperson of the Irish Hotels Federation in Kerry, said.

The industry had huge potential but the public transport infrastructure was not in place and had not kept pace, she said.

Killarneys tourism future is too important to leave to chance. Tourism needs to be industry-led  and local government enabled, Ms OShea urged.

Roads to relieve congestion were promised 14 years ago, from Farranfore to Killarney on the northern side; and a link road between the N22 to the N71 Muckross scenic area south of the town, Paul ONeill of the Chamber of Tourism and Commerce said.

Beyond the tourism sector, congestion is a very real, daily challenge for many of our members who are engaged in industrial, commercial and retail activity, as well as the residents of the town, he said.

The addition of a car park in May, with 190 or 10% extra car spaces, was welcome but was not enough.

Killarney is suffering when it is perceived to be full and it is not, said Cllr Niall Kelleher, ( FF) former mayor of Killarney who invited the delegation.

The town paid the most of any Kerry town into local government in rates, and it also paid the highest share in terms of taxes to national government, councillors said.

We are not getting our fair share (back), Cllr John Joe Culloty ( FF) said. He urged Kerry TDs to work as hard as they could and make as much noise as they can to get roads funding.

The Farranfore bypass was unveiled in 2004 and was to have been completed by 2009; and the link road to Muckross was also to have been undertaken, Cllr Michael Gleeson recalled. But the economic crash had occurred and the Killarney projects sidelined.

However when the Red Cow in Dublin and other Dublin projects needed funding to ease their traffic congestion, there was no problem, Mr Gleeson said.

Killarney town manager, Angela McAllen said Killarney traffic was discussed at every single meeting and was a top priority for management.

The council was improving walkways and cycleways and to make it safer for pedestrians.Ireland is taking in five unaccompanied minors who are among 49 migrants and refugees stranded at sea.

They have been sailing back and forth in Maltese waters for weeks, and eight European Union countries will now take them in.

They had been rescued off the coast of Libya in December.

It would bring the number of migrants to be relocated from Malta to another member state to 224 people.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has this evening confirmed five minors will be taken in under the Irish Refugee Protection Programme as a gesture of solidarity and humanitarian assistance.

He said: "These children have been rescued from the Mediterranean Sea in humanitarian search and rescue missions and have been through a terrible ordeal.

"They will be welcomed to Ireland under our Irish Refugee Protection Programme, which has a proven record of helping those who are most vulnerable.

"We will ensure that they are provided with all of the necessary supports.

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat says the situation regarding the stranded ships was outside the country's area of responsibility

"Malta the smallest EU member state is once again being called upon to shoulder responsibilities way beyond its remit.

"The case involving Sea Watch 3...took place outside of Malta's area of responsibility. We were not the responsible authority."

'We thank @JunckerEU @Avramopoulos and @MartinSelmayr  for the important assistance in brokering a solution for #SeaWatch3 and also in relocating migrants rescued by #Malta ' - Prime Minister @JosephMuscat_JM  pic.twitter.com/ZHOyyVla8o  Government of Malta  (@MaltaGov) January 9, 2019

He added: "Malta is a very small country. It is in our nature to assist those in distress. But as Prime Minister, I cannot shirk the responsibility of safeguarding Malta's national security."A Cork woman sustained potentially life-threatening stab injuries for which she was hospitalised for three weeks, it was alleged yesterday, as her husband was remanded in custody on an assault charge.

Brian ORegan, aged 43, of flat 1, 2 St Josephs Villas, Blackrock Rd, Cork, was arrested by Detective Garda Sean Stack yesterday and charged with assault causing harm to Marguerite Wiseman on December 2 at their flat.

Mr ORegan applied for bail through his solicitor, Eddie Burke, at Cork District Court yesterday, and said his wife was back living with him since her release from hospital on December 21.

Mr ORegan said: I am looking after her, basically. She is not 100%.

Judge Olann Kelleher said: As a result of her injuries?

Mr ORegan said: No, she is fragile.

After hearing evidence from Det Garda Stack and the defendant in the bail application, Judge Kelleher said: It is an unusual situation. He is now residing with the person who suffered the injuries, this woman is his wife, it is alleged he assaulted her. Garda Stack said Mr ORegan was in an emotional and volatile state. I am not satisfied (to grant bail). I remand him in custody until January 16.

Sergeant John Kelleher cross-examined Mr ORegan about the alleged injuries suffered by Ms Wiseman and suggested: It was life-threatening injuries, she could have died.

The defendant replied: I am not a doctor.Gardai expect to send a file to the DPP soon in relation to an alleged sexual assault on a woman in a taxi after she left a Christmas party.

Detectives have arrested a suspect, who has been released without charge, pending the completion of the file.

It follows the rare decision by investigators, before Christmas, to release an Evofit of a suspect, along with an image of a white cab linked to the alleged crime.

Gardai said they have also seized a car.

Sources said officers are not looking to speak to anyone else in relation to the investigation.

It is thought that certain admissions were made regarding activity with the woman, but it is understood the suspect maintains there was consent.

Gardai are now examining his statement and it, along with the statement made by the woman and any other relevant parties, will form part of the DPP file.

It is not known if gardai will recommend charges be brought and may leave it up to the DPP to weigh up all the relevant factors.

This will be in a bid to determine if the evidence supports a charge, including whether or not there is a reasonable prospect of proving any prosecution in relation to consent.

Garda sources said they expected the investigating file to be sent to the DPP very soon.

Sources said investigators are happy that they are not looking to speak to anyone else in relation to the matter.

Gardai revealed yesterday that a man in his 30s was arrested last Thursday, in relation to the alleged assault on December 9, 2018.

A statement said that the individual was brought to Irishtown Garda Station, where he was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

It said the suspect was released the following day and that a file would be prepared for the DPP. The statement further said that a car had been seized.

The woman, aged in her early 20s, attended a Christmas party in south Dublin city on Saturday, December 8. In the early hours of Sunday, she left by taxi to the north inner city.The Democratic Unionist Party has rejected the UK Governments latest attempt to win its support for the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.

British MPs have resumed their debate on the deal after British Prime Minister Theresa May dramatically called off a parliamentary vote on it last month.

At the outset of the debate, Mrs Mays deputy David Lidington announced a series of assurances on Northern Ireland aimed at winning the support of more MPs for the deal.

The pledges are due to be included in a written statement that will be published this afternoon.

One of them appears to offer the Stormont assembly a veto on any new areas of law under the backstop.

This morning, however, DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson said the proposals were fairly meaningless and will not win his partys support.

The party continues to prop up Mrs Mays minority government under a confidence and supply agreement.

DUP Brexit spokesman Sammy Wilson.

"We are concerned that this falls far short of what we agreed last December, which was a veto for Stormont on the backstop," said Mr Wilson.

"This says we would be consulted if it were to be introduced, and that if it were to be introduced we would have the ability to stop any new EU regulations.

"These would be outside the scope of the 300 areas of law set out in the withdrawal agreement and of course it's possible that existing EU laws could be extended to new industries which could not be vetoed.

"This is fairly meaningless. We have had detailed discussions with the government and they know this doesn't go near to meeting the requirements."

He confirmed that the DUP plans to vote against the deal next Tuesday  and said he hoped Mrs May would return to Brussels to carry out more negotiations if the deal is rejected.

The EU has already warned that the agreement, which has been accepted by 28 EU Governments including the UK, cannot be renegotiated.

The Irish Government, the EU and the majority of Northern Irelands political parties have rejected calls for a veto on the backstop.Two Irish men have been remanded in custody after appearing in a Sydney court charged with murder.

Twenty-four-year-old Christopher McLaughlin and 21-year-old Nathan Kelly appeared via video-link in relation to the death of a 66-year-old man in Australia.A coroners court into the death of Shane OFarrell was not provided with the full and unredacted versions of statements given by the driver who killed the 23-year-old student.

Mr OFarrells family has been campaigning for a full public inquiry into his death in 2011, a call endorsed by a Dail motion last June.

Now the Irish Examiner has learned the coroners court into Mr OFarrells death was not furnished with the full statements that the driver, Zigimantas Gridziuska, provided under caution to gardai. A portion of one statement contained omissions referring to Gridziuskas drug use. A second statement based on another interview was not made available to the court.

Introduction into the proceedings of Gridziuskas drug use may have provided the coroner with a fuller picture of the events leading up to Mr OFarrells death.

The discrepancy is the latest in a series of errors, oversights, and omissions in the criminal justice system around the events leading up to and following the death of Mr OFarrell.

Gridziuska, a native of Lithuania, had in the months before he killed Mr OFarrell broken bail conditions a number of times and the OFarrell family believes he should have been either in prison or deported at the time of the accident.

Gridziuska subsequently pleaded guilty for failing to stop at the scene of an accident, and received an eight-month suspended sentence.

The omissions in the statements came to light after Mr OFarrells mother, Lucia, obtained both the original book of statements from the Garda investigation into her sons death and the statements available to the coroner.

Were in our eighth year of this and still discovering things that werent done properly, she told this paper. I found this to be a complete bodyblow. What more is there that we do not know? We dont have the truth, all we have is what we discovered ourselves, and we want to know what more is there that we dont yet know?

Meanwhile, sources have confirmed that the issue of a public inquiry into Mr OFarrells death was raised by Fianna Fail in the recent renegotiation of the programme for government with Fine Gael. There was no conclusive outcome.

Last June, Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said a public inquiry could not be conducted as disciplinary issues against some gardai were still outstanding.Cork University Maternity Hospital has implemented a major initiative this week to reduce out-patient waiting lists. The aim is to reduce the waiting list for gynaecology out-patient services by 500 in five days.

Professor John Higgins told RTE's Morning Ireland that this weeks initiative is part of a three-year plan to see how best to manage large waiting lists.

We've done a number of new things. One of them is to cohort patients into eight major clinical conditions and to try see patients in groups, we find that much more efficient and effective.

It's a whole mix of patients and our success, if we've had success, is that when we started we had 4,700 patients on the waiting list, we're down to just under 2,700 and we had 2,000 waiting over a year and now we have under 600 waiting over a year. It's a different approach.

Prof Higgins explained that the hospital has tried a variety of measures. Some of them have worked well, others haven't. This is just a big focus because we're pushing towards April when we want to reboot our gynaecology outpatient service.

He pointed out that apart from reducing waiting lists the hospital also has to see new patients. We get a 100 new referrals approximately every week, so we have been seeing them and doing the extra for the last 18 months.

This week we have an extra effort, we're all energised. It's not something you could do every week. We are happy to work through to 9pm and the atmosphere generally is very positive. The patients enjoyed the buzz in the hospital when they were here last night.

It's the same staff working longer hours. We have a new governance structure for the whole duration of this initiative, we're now a clinically led hospital, the only one in the HSE and we've shown what a clinically led hospital will focus on, which are the hard difficult things such as long waiting lists for benign gynaecology in our case and what we've done is energised our entire staff - admin staff, medical staff, nursing staff - they're all on board and I couldn't compliment them enough for the work they're doing.

Prof Higgins added that the current plan will run for another year and a half. I think we're confident that we have now demonstrated our capacity and our ability to tackle the back log and the next phase for us, as long as we see these patients, is we have to bring these patients in for procedures, minor procedures, major procedures, that will require resources, but we have already got a second gynaecology theatre here that we've only waited 12 years to see in action since we opened and it's dusted down every morning, so we're ready for the next phase. Making it sustainable is the big challenge.

He said that the hospital had taken a different approach in terms of management of lists which entailed bringing them up to date to ensure that patients were seen in a timely manner so their problems did not get worse.

That's what we've found, we're seeing patients who have waited far too long for out-patients appointments, far too long for surgery and the minor problem they had have become something more serious.The Taoiseach should issue a public apology to families of the victims of the Whiddy Island disaster and those deaths should be ruled unlawful an organiser of events to mark 40 years since the tragedy said in remarks which drew a standing ovation from those gathered.

In a lengthy and forceful address at the memorial Mass held in Bantrys St Finbarrs Church yesterday, Michael Kingston, who lost his father, Tim, in the disaster, also opened up the possibility of a legal challenge in the High Court that could pave the way for a fresh inquiry. Mr Kingston, an internationally renowned lawyer who specialises in maritime safety, likened the Whiddy Island disaster to the Hillsborough disaster, and demanded what he called full disclosure from Government.

Addressing some of his comments from the pulpit to the most senior minister in attendance, Fine Gael mental health minister Jim Daly, Mr Kingston said he now faced his own Andy Burnham moment, referring to the British Labour MP who helped kickstart the review into the events at Hillsborough Stadium in 1989. He said he would like Mr Daly to raise these issues at Cabinet level and if the Government does not act then the families may go to the High Court, adding: I hope you will do the decent thing and save us the trip.

Mr Kingston and members of other families affected by the Whiddy disaster, when a fire all but consumed the islands jetty and the Betelgeuse oil tanker, have long argued that justice was not done in the aftermath. Mr Kingston also called for corporate manslaughter laws to be introduced in Ireland.

He said he would also be writing an open letter to all members of the Oireachtas and described as Trump-esque the actions of some ministers in recent years, referring to correspondence sent by him to them which went unanswered, and the continued failure to ratify other maritime safety laws. He also referred to the absence of senior Cabinet ministers and of the leader of the Opposition.

He said his father died of asphyxia from drowning, citing the delay in assisting those on the ship and the jetty and multiple safety failures.

All the deaths should be confirmed as unlawful deaths, he said, before referencing EU laws on the right to life and adding: Those who died did not receive their right to proper administration of justice.

Mr Kingston also referred to the Rescue 116 helicopter tragedy in which four people died, including Capt Dara Fitzpatrick, whose father John was in attendance at yesterdays memorial Mass.

Afterwards, Mr Daly said he did not want to give a knee-jerk reaction to what Mr Kingston had said, but added: There is no doubt about it, there are a lot of lessons to be learned from the tragedy here. He said any apology would be a judgement call from the Taoiseach and he would raise what Mr Kingston had said with Government colleagues, adding that ministerial absences were not intended to be disrespectful.

As for an inquiry, Mr Daly said: That is something for the Government to decide.Animal rights campaigners have criticised the culling of deer in one of Irelands best known public parks.

A total of 34 deer were shot dead in Dublins Phoenix Park today following orders by the Office of Public Works (OPW).

The Alliance for Animal Rights (AFAR), however, accused the government of farming deer to make money.

A humane alternative of contraception works on deer but is not used by the OPW as the killing alternative is more lucrative for their coffers, a spokeswoman said.

Shooters are devoid of any empathy for innocent, undefended animals.

No animal is safe if money is to be made.

Shooting deer in view of other deer is barbaric, all animals experience fear at seeing their friends killed.

They called for the government to establish an alternative, humane way of tackling the issue of culling deer.

A total of 34 deer were shot dead in Dublins Phoenix Park on Wednesday following orders by the Office of Public Works (OPW).

It is understood the carcasses are then sold on to meat suppliers.

The spokeswoman for AFAR added: No animal is safe from human greed, an alternative exists here. With the growing opposition to violence towards animals, this policy of profit before respect must be stopped.

AFAR are launching a campaign to stop this sad and unnecessary murder of innocents.

A spokeswoman for the OPW said the deer cull was carried out as part of the sustainable management of the wild deer herd.

The spokeswoman added: The role of the wild fallow deer herd in the Phoenix Park as a valuable component of biodiversity must be recognised.

However, this must be balanced with an equal recognition of the potential for deer to impact adversely on a range of other biodiversity values, particularly where other conservation habitats and their dependent species are concerned.

Sustainable deer management must rely on sound, practical and applied scientific research, and any deer management policy must be cognisant of its application to practical deer management on the ground.

An over-abundant deer population can result in an increasing incidence of road traffic accidents and increase the potential role of deer in the epidemiology of specific diseases.

Deer management is most simply defined as the integrated management of deer populations in balance with the carrying capacity and land use objectives of land where deer exist.

It said that deer culling in the Phoenix Park is carried out according to a detailed protocol.

The spokeswoman added: Each cull is undertaken in consultation with the School of Biology and Environmental Science in University College Dublin and a vet expert in deer welfare.

Deer cull takes place in Phoenix Park

Teams in Dublin's Phoenix Park have culled 34 deer this afternoon.

The Office of Public Works says it needs to keep numbers of the animals down to lower the risk of disease and road accidents in the park.

However last February, the National Animal Rights Association said such cullings were a money-making scheme.

It was revealed that more than 200 deer were shot by a sniper two years, with the carcasses sold to a meat supplier for almost 20,000.

Images from today's cull show a number of men with rifles and deer in the foreground.

Other pictures show two men removing what appears to be dead deer from the park.

The established herd of 400 to 450 fallow deer descend from the original herd, which was introduced in the 1660s.

The fallow deer was directly responsible for the development of the park.

A large herd of the deer still remains to this day, thought to number around 500 at any given time.

The carcasses from today's cull have been sold to a game dealer approved by the Department of Agriculture.A new trade association for the forestry and timber industries forecasts major growth, as the supply of raw material from Irish forests doubles in the period to 2035.

Forest Industries Ireland (FII), officially launched today, predicts 6.4 billion will be earned by 21,000 forest owners who supply the raw timber product, and the many timber contractors and hauliers that harvest and transport it to the sawmills, by 2035.

Almost all the major forestry and timber companies in Ireland are members of FII.

They include the largest timber processors, as well as companies in the establishment and management of forests.

FII predicts creation of an additional 6,000 rural jobs on top of 12,000 existing jobs.

The new association will spearhead the industry response to crucial challenges such as Brexit, and will be the primary voice of the sector in Ireland, working closely with Government to deliver the full potential of the industry.

Brian Murphy, the inaugural chairman of FII, CEO of the Enniskillen-based timber processor, Balcas, said, The industry is enjoying a period of major capital investment, market buoyancy and substantial growth in wood supply.

The UK is the key market where we intend to increase market share and we will continue to grow our presence there.

We are confident that the industry will prosper in the long term even with Brexit.

As well as driving economic activity and employment, our forests absorb 3.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, the equivalent of annual emissions of 80% of the cars on Irish roads.

Forests and wood products are a vital tool in our efforts to combat climate change.

Andrew Doyle, Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture welcomed the launch of FII.Oil prices extended gains, supported by hopes that talks in Beijing between US and Chinese officials might defuse a trade dispute between the worlds two biggest economies, while Opec-led supply cuts also tightened markets.

The price of Brent crude  the global benchmark  rose by over $1, or 1.75%, to $58.35 a barrel. US benchmark, the West Texas Intermediate crude oil, climbed 95 cents, or almost 2%, to $49.47 a barrel.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said earlier this week there was a very good chance of reaching a settlement, while Chinas foreign ministry said Beijing had the good faith to resolve trade friction with the United States.

Some analysts warned, however, that the relationship between the superpowers remained shaky and tensions could flare anew.

Surely there will be more twists and turns in the saga and increasing US tariffs on Chinese goods after March from 10% to 25% cannot be excluded, Tamas Varga of PVM Oil Associates said.

For now, however, optimism prevails, the analyst said.

There is also concern that a worldwide economic slowdown will dent fuel consumption, leading the hedge fund industry to cut significantly its bullish positions in crude futures.

S&P Global Ratings said it had lowered its average oil price forecasts for 2019 by $10 per barrel to $55 and $50 a barrel for Brent and WTI, respectively.

Our lower oil price assumptions reflect slowing demand and rising supply globally, said S&P Global Ratings analyst Danny Huang.

Crude prices so far in 2019 have been buoyed by supply cuts from Opec, including top exporter Saudi Arabia, as well as non-member Russia.

Saudi-based Arab Petroleum Investments, a firm specialising in funding petroleum projects, estimated in a report that oil prices are likely to trade at $60 to $70 a barrel by mid-2019.

But looming over the Opec-led cuts is a surge in US oil supply  now the worlds top producer  driven by a steep rise in onshore shale drilling. As a result, US crude oil production rose by two million barrels per day (bpd) last year to a world record 11.7 million of barrels a day. With drilling activity still high, most analysts expect US oil production to rise further this year.

Consultancy JBC Energy said it was likely that US crude production was significantly above 12 million bpd by early January.

ReutersUp to 25,000 jobs here could be affected by a hard Brexit, according to Enterprise Ireland.

The State body has identified 600 Irish companies most vulnerable to the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

Enterprise Ireland is celebrating its best ever year as it now has 215,207 people working in companies it supports right across the country.

The State agency is keen to point out that 60% of the nearly 19,000 new jobs created last year were outside Dublin.

However, Brexit is a big fear for many of these firms and Enterprise Ireland has identified 600 companies it says are most vulnerable to the UK leaving the EU.

Up to 74m in funding has been given to firms as they get ready for whatever happens come March 29.

Julie Sinnamon, Chief Executive of Enterprise Ireland, said thousands of jobs would be impacted by a no-deal Brexit.

Ms Sinnamon said: "Almost 25,000 jobs associated with us, it really depends on what the end deal is as to what the level of exposure would be."

She hopes setting up offices in Germany, the USA and Australia could open new markets post Brexit.January 9, 2019 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Despite a drop in its share, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with its large population base and strong requirement for electricity generation capacity, will continue to influence the global solar PV module market over the forecast period 2018-2022, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

The companys latest report, Solar PV Module, Update 2018, reveals that market saturation, reduction in subsidies and declining costs of technologies are the major factors impacting the global solar PV module market. It states that the global market volume is estimated to decline at a negative compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.8% from 87.5 gigawatt (GW) in 2018 to 78.13GW in 2022.

The large markets of China, India, Japan and the US are likely to decline, due to changes in their energy markets. In 2017, APAC constituted 73.6% of the market value due to the significant movements in the Chinese market.

Nirushan Rajasekaram, Power Analyst at GlobalData, comments: "The declining prices of PV modules and other auxiliary technologies such as inverters has translated into lower project costs; benefitting project developers and enabling proliferation within price sensitive markets. The declining price trend will be critical in driving the global market value down to $23.7bn in 2022."

The various levels of economic progress exhibited by countries within APAC will help sustain the market for PV modules, despite a dip in the Chinese market. China, the largest market for solar PV is likely to see a decline in its market value, at a negative CAGR of 14.8% over the forecast period.

Rajasekaram adds: "In order to counter the redundant capacity deployment of solar, which has transformed into a cost burden, the government proposed removing subsidies for utility scale projects and moving towards a competitive bidding market. Other countries in APAC, in particular in the Southeast, would drive the market, which is estimated to be $13.4bn in 2022."

Over the forecast period, the EMEA region is estimated to have the highest solar PV installation growth rate of 7.5%. The European market is projected to hold steady over the forecast period, with Germany, France and Turkey contributing to the capacity addition.

Rajasekaram concludes: "The solar PV module market is projected to slow down, due to reduced installations in major markets. Declining price trends and environmental impact concerns of power generation would create new growth prospects in emerging nations. However, financial support and market restructuring to attract investments are critical for proliferation in countries. In addition, the simultaneous development of power grid infrastructure would support higher installations; the current lack of suitable infrastructure is inhibiting large scale installation of solar PV."

For more information

To gain access to our latest press releases: GlobalData Media Centre

Analysts available for comment. Please contact the GlobalData Press Office:

EMEA & Americas: +44 (0)207 832 4399

Asia-Pacific: +91 40 6616 6809

Email: pr@globaldata.com

Editor Notes

Quotes provided by Nirushan Rajasekaram, Power Analyst at GlobalData

Information based on GlobalData's report: Solar PV Module, Update 2018  Global Market Size, Competitive Landscape and Key Country Analysis to 2022

This press release was written using data and information sourced from proprietary databases, primary and secondary research, and in-house analysis conducted by GlobalData's team of industry experts

About GlobalData

4,000 of the world's largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData's unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData's mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, technology, energy, financial and professional services sectors.

More Info:

This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions.

More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com

Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.aspIf you are old enough to remember the hit comedy movie of 1980, Caddy Shack, then you will recall that a gopher infestation was threatening a golf course in Nebraska. The somewhat deranged groundskeeper was tasked with getting rid of the pest. His efforts at eradication include shooting, fGibraltar - January 9, 2019 (Investorideas.com Newswire) The Gibraltar Blockchain Exchange (GBX), an institutional-grade, regulated and insured token sale platform and digital asset exchange, has today added Ripple (XRP) to its Digital Asset Exchange (GBX-DAX), a state-of-the-art exchange created with the high expectations of professional crypto-traders in mind.

Nick Cowan, Managing Director and Founder of GSX (Gibraltar Stock Exchange) Group Limited, said, "Ripple is a major player within the blockchain industry. In ways similar to our work at the GSX Group, it aims to re-shape the old methods of finance and banking, transforming payments through blockchain technology. XRP is a globally traded token and by joining the GBX-DAX it further extends its liquidity and reach."

Ripple was created to bridge digital asset exchanges, payment providers, and banks via RippleNet for frictionless money transfers globally. RippleNet utilises advanced blockchain technology, boasting scalability and interoperability between networks. XRP, the digital asset used within the Ripple ecosystem, is a source of liquidity for their customers, which include major institutions such as Santander, Standard Chartered, and American Express.

The GBX-DAX is a digital asset exchange built on institutional-grade best practices and good governance, derived from the capital markets experience gained through the GBX's parent company, the Gibraltar Stock Exchange (GSX), an EU-regulated stock exchange. The GBX-DAX platform has been designed to be highly intuitive and easy to use. From strict verification requirements to the listing of a wide range of assets, every aspect of the GBX-DAX works towards creating the most professional and secure trading environment possible.

"In November last year, we were granted a full licence to operate by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commision (GFSC) and, following this, we introduced insurance coverage for assets listed on the GBX-DAX. As we move into 2019, we plan to build on this momentum with new digital assets listed on the GBX-DAX, with Ripple as the first of these new tokens," concluded Cowan.

For more information, visit https://exchange.gbx.gi/

Media Contact:

Liam Murphy

Senior Account Supervisor // Wachsman

+353 87 119 2107 // liam@wachsman.com

About the GBX:

The Gibraltar Blockchain Exchange (GBX) is a world-leading institutional-grade token sale platform and Digital Asset Exchange that is a part of the GSX Group, which also includes the Gibraltar Stock Exchange (GSX), a European Union (EU) regulated stock exchange. The GBX is a global listing and token sales springboard for utility tokens that have satisfied a strict due diligence and admissions process as well as a high-quality Digital Asset Exchange. The GBX is setting a higher standard for token issuance and trading through best practices and good governance, for the benefit of all market participants. The GBX received its full Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) Licence from the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC) in November 2018.

More Info:

This news is published on the Investorideas.com Newswire - a global digital news source for investors and business leaders

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investing involves risk and possible losses. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Contact management and IR of each company directly regarding specific questions.

More disclaimer info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp Learn more about publishing your news release and our other news services on the Investorideas.com newswire https://www.investorideas.com/News-Upload/ and tickertagstocknews.com

Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country. Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.aspSan Diego, CA - January 9, 2019 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Gopher Protocol Inc. (OTCQB: GOPH) ("Gopher"), a company specializing in the development of Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence enabled mobile technologies, including a global mesh network technology platform for both mobile and fixed solutions, announced today it started the development of the Gopher Avant! AI mobile application.

This app will complement, and synchronize with, Gopher's previously announced web-based application (https://www.avant-ai.net/). Users will be able to login via browser or the mobile app, ask questions and review history of their interactions with the Avant! AI. The Avant! mobile app will include advanced techniques to accommodate account synchronization, privacy and security control. The mobile app, together with the browser interface, will enable users to build their own personal and professional information source and knowledgebase over time to be used anywhere in the world. Gopher is also planning to enable Avant! AI training through the mobile app in the near future.

Danny Rittman, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer of Gopher, stated, "We are designing Gopher's Avant! AI mobile app, synchronized with the web interface, to ultimately provide users with an information library and user-specific knowledge base available anywhere. Users will be able to build their information library within their account for any topic that they requested when using Avant!. Further information not in the existing library can be accessed by additional Avant! AI queries.

"Upon completion of the Avant! AI app, user-generated information logged into the knowledgebase will be available to that user via any compatible device worldwide. Users will be able to train Gopher's Avant! AI to learn and grow the knowledgebase specific to the user's own experience and input. For example, doctors who carry medical reference books will now have a specific, tailored, adaptive (via machine learning) knowledgebase at their fingertips. One of the next phases of development will enable Gopher's Avant! AI to be used as a personal informational assistant for wide variety of professions to be used in the field in real time."

About Gopher Protocol Inc. (http://gopherprotocol.com)

Gopher Protocol Inc. (GOPH) ("Gopher") (http://gopherprotocol.com/) is a development-stage company which considers itself a native IoT creator, developing Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled mobile technology platforms. Gopher has a portfolio of Intellectual Property that, when commercialized, will include smart microchips, mobile and security applications and protocols, and supporting cloud software. Gophers system envisions the creation of a global mesh network. The core of the system will be its advanced microchip technology that can be installed in any mobile or fixed device worldwide. Gopher envisions this system as a low-cost, secure, private mesh network between any enabled devices, providing shared processing, advanced mobile database management/sharing and enhanced mobile features as an alternative to traditional carrier services.

https://www.avant-ai.net/auth

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements provide current expectations of future events based on certain assumptions and include any statement that does not directly relate to any historical or current fact. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors as disclosed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission located at their website (http://www.sec.gov). In addition to these factors, actual future performance, outcomes, and results may differ materially because of more general factors including (without limitation) general industry and market conditions and growth rates, economic conditions, governmental and public policy changes, the Companys ability to raise capital on acceptable terms, if at all, the Companys successful development of its products and the integration into its existing products and the commercial acceptance of the Companys products. The forward-looking statements included in this press release represent the Company's views as of the date of this press release and these views could change. However, while the Company may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, the Company specifically disclaims any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date of the press release.

Contact:

Dr. Danny Rittman, CTO

Gopher Protocol Inc.

VM Only 888-685-7336

Media: press@gopherprotocol.com

SOURCE: Gopher Protocol Inc.

Disclaimer/Disclosure: Investorideas.com is a digital publisher of third party sourced news, articles and equity research as well as creates original content, including video, interviews and articles. Original content created by investorideas is protected by copyright laws other than syndication rights. Our site does not make recommendations for purchases or sale of stocks, services or products. Nothing on our sites should be construed as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell products or securities. All investment involves risk and possible loss of investment. This site is currently compensated for news publication and distribution, social media and marketing, content creation and more. Contact each company directly regarding content and press release questions. Disclosure is posted for each compensated news release, content published /created if required but otherwise the news was not compensated for and was published for the sole interest of our readers and followers. Disclosure: GOPH is a PR, social media and publishing client and compensates Investorideas.com: More disclaimer and disclosure info: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Disclaimer.asp, https://www.investorideas.com/About/News/Clientspecifics.asp

Additional info regarding BC Residents and global Investors: Effective September 15 2008 - all BC investors should review all OTC and Pink sheet listed companies for adherence in new disclosure filings and filing appropriate documents with Sedar. Read for more info: https://www.bcsc.bc.ca/release.aspx?id=6894. Global investors must adhere to regulations of each country.

Please read Investorideas.com privacy policy: https://www.investorideas.com/About/Private_Policy.aspA Colorado man has been sentenced to 76 years in prison for securities fraud over soliciting investments for insurance marketing organizations.

The Denver Post reported 59-year-old Kelly James Schnorenberg was sentenced last month after a Douglas County District Court jury convicted him in October on 25 counts of security fraud totaling $16 million.

According to the state Department of Regulatory Agencies, the Lone Tree man bilked 240 investors.

Schnorenberg solicited investments personally and also directed agents to solicit investments for his multiple insurance marketing organizations from 2009 to 2015.

He was also twice sued by the state Division of Securities from 1999 to 2005.

The department says Judge Paul King ordered the sentence after evaluating the evidence presented at trial and examining written victim impact statements from more than 90 victims who were defrauded.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Fraud ColoradoAmTrust Financial Services announced leadership changes as it moves forward now as a private company.

Its $2.95 billion privatization plan was finalized on November 28, 2018 after receipt of all approvals, according to the company.

AmTrust Financial Services Inc. (AFSI) shareholders approved the go-private deal last June. The acquisition was spearheaded by entity formed by private equity funds managed by Stone Point Capital, along with AmTrust Chairman and CEO Barry Zyskind, and founders George Karfunkel and Leah Karfunkel. They acquired the 45 percent of the companys shares that both the Karfunkels and Zyskinds didnt already own or control.

This week, AmTrust announced retirements of two executives. Michael Saxon, executive vice president for U.S. Commercial Lines, and Max Caviet, chief executive officer of AmTrust International Ltd., the companys European parent holding company, retired effective December 31, 2018. Saxon has been with the company since 2001 and Caviet has been with the company since 2003. Saxon will continue on a consultative basis, as vice chairman of AmTrust North America.

In addition, according to the company, Christopher Longo, the companys chief operating officer, resigned effective December 31, 2018, to pursue other opportunities, following the completion of the companys go-private transaction. Longo has been with the company since 2001.

Saxon will be succeeded by Christopher Foy and Caviet by Peter Dewey.

Foy will serve as executive vice president and head of North American Commercial P&C, with responsibility for North American commercial business and specialty programs segments. Foy joined AmTrust in 2016 as president of AmTrust Underwriters, with responsibility for the specialty program business segment. Prior to joining AmTrust, Foy was president and owner of Total Program Management, a specialty managing general agency. Previously, he was senior vice president at Clarendon National Insurance Co. specializing in MGAs and program business nationwide.

Dewey will serve as executive vice president, head of International, with oversight of AmTrusts international business. Dewey joined AmTrust in 2003, and has served as CEO at AmTrust at Lloyds since 2014. Prior to joining AmTrust at Lloyds, Dewey was chief underwriting officer of AmTrusts Specialty Risk & Warranty Division overseeing a team of actuaries, underwriters and risk management professionals. Prior to AmTrust, Dewey was an underwriter with Trenwick International Ltd. and prior to that, he worked for an MGA as an underwriting manager.

In July, not long after shareholders approved the privatization plan, A.M. Best downgraded the companys financial strength and credit ratings,, citing adverse development of prior years loss reserves that occurred in 2016 and 2017. The insurers financial strength rating was downgraded to A- (Excellent) from A. Its long-term issuer credit dipped to a- from a.

A.M. Best said the privatization plan had a neutral impact on the rating.

The company has said that even though it will operate as a private company, it is maintaining its public filer status with the Securities and Exchange Commission, enabling access to public financing if needed in the future. A.M. Best said the ability of management to assess long-term plans removed from the shorter-term focus of public equity markets should allow for improved development and implementation of those plans.

This week AmTrust launched AmTrust Forward, its strategic plan for moving forward as a private company.

Our vision for AmTrust is to be a leading specialty commercial P&C insurer. We believe we can achieve this by focusing on local markets and niche products where we can add significant value, said Zyskind in prepared remarks. As a private company, we have the opportunity to return to the core of what made AmTrust so successful over the past 20 years and manage our business for long term success through sustainably profitable future growth.

AmTrust offers small commercial property/casualty insurance including workers compensation, specialty risk and extended warranty in the U.S. and internationally.

Topics Excess Surplus Property Casualty Leadership Insurance WholesaleThe U.S. Supreme Courts newest member, Brett Kavanaugh, issued his first written opinion on Tuesday as the justices in a unanimous ruling bolstered companies ability to use arbitration to resolve disputes with customers or other businesses.

The court decided 9-0 to throw out a lower-court ruling that had kept a case involving dental equipment companies from being resolved through arbitration because the court had determined the demand for arbitration was groundless.

Newly appointed justices are generally assigned non-controversial, unanimous cases as their first opinions.

Kavanaugh joined the court in October after a raucous confirmation process during which he had to fend off accusations of sexual assault by California university professor Christine Blasey Ford. He was the second conservative justice named to the court by Republican President Donald Trump, after Justice Neil Gorsuch.

Kavanaughs appointment solidified a 5-4 conservative majority on the court. He replaced retired Justice Anthony Kennedy, a conservative who sometimes sided with the courts liberals on social issues like abortion.

The arbitration case involved price-fixing claims lodged by Plano, Texas-based dental equipment distributor Archer and White Sales Inc against other manufacturers and distributors.

It centered on whether courts can prevent arbitrators from deciding if an issue can be arbitrated at all. Companies prefer to arbitrate claims because it is cheaper and faster than litigation in court, which is harder to fight and carries a greater risk of hefty damages awards by juries.

When a contract allows arbitrators to decide whether a dispute can be resolved through arbitration, a court may not override the contract, Kavanaugh said on Tuesday, explaining the decision.

Although Tuesdays ruling was Kavanaughs first opinion for the court, his first known vote as a member of the court was in December when he joined other justices to reject appeals by Louisiana and Kansas seeking to end their public funding to womens healthcare and abortion provider Planned Parenthood through the Medicaid program.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung Editing by Bill Trott)The Trump administration on Monday launched a drive to push U.S. firms to better protect their trade secrets from foreign hackers, following a slew of cases accusing individuals and companies of economic espionage for China.

U.S. companies hit by recent attacks included Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. and International Business Machines Corp. IBM said it had no evidence that sensitive corporate data had been compromised. Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) has said the security of HPE customer data is a top priority.

The National Counter-Intelligence and Security Center, which coordinates counter-intelligence efforts within the U.S. government, launched the outreach campaign to address persistent concerns that many companies are not doing enough to guard against cyber theft.

The Center is worried about cyber attacks on U.S. government agencies and the private sector from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.

Top corporate executives and directors should know the intent of our adversaries and what they are trying to do economically to gain the upper hand, William Evanina, a veteran FBI agent who oversees the center, said in an interview. We are not saying dont invest in China or with China, but know the risk.

The drive targets trade associations across the United States and their members. Videos, brochures and online informational materials describe the threat posed by cyber espionage and other methods used by foreign intelligence services.

One brochure details methods hackers use to break into computer networks and how they create fake social media accounts to deceive people into revealing work or personal details. It outlines ways to protect information, such as researching apps before downloading them and updating anti-virus software.

The first parts of this administration outreach effort called Know the Risk, Raise Your Shield, focused mainly on federal workers. The new phase follows a series of cases announced by the U.S. government against individuals and firms for allegedly stealing government secrets and proprietary information from U.S. companies for Chinas benefit.

Nine cases announced since July 2018 included the unsealing last month of an indictment of two alleged hackers linked to Chinas main spy agency on charges that they stole confidential government and corporate data. The pair allegedly belonged to a hacking ring known as APT 10.

Evanina said the new campaign also focuses on what he called Moscows aggressive, persistent attacks on computer networks of critical U.S. infrastructure, which includes power grids and communications, financial and transportation systems.

China and Russia have repeatedly denied conducting such attacks.

The most serious threats now facing companies, Evanina said, are efforts to plant malicious software in components purchased from suppliers or to substitute counterfeit parts for genuine products.

Companies need to take greater care to counter those efforts and in vetting new hires because of the growing danger of employing people acting for foreign powers, he said.

(Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by David Gregorio and Howard Goller)

Topics USA Cyber ChinaChicago State University has agreed to pay two professors $650,000 to end a lawsuit over their blog that criticized school leadership.

The Chicago Tribune reports that professors Robert Bionaz and Phillip Beverly sued the university in 2014 for allegedly violating their free speech through repeated attempts to shut down their blog. The CSU Faculty Voice launched in 2009 and criticized university administrators.

Bionaz taught history and retired from the university last year. Beverly teaches political science.

The settlement agreement also gives the university 60 days to revamp school policies about cyberbullying and computer usage. A university spokeswoman says the university is moving forward.

The university has a long history of financial problems and has paid multiple settlements to employees who filed lawsuits against the school.

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Lawsuits Education UniversitiesHub International Ltd., the Chicago-based insurance broker, announced that it has acquired the assets of TRG Group Benefits and Pensions Inc. (TRG) in Canada.

Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The acquisition continues Hubs strategy to offer clients a complete employee benefits and pension solution across Canada and marks its 13th acquisition of a Canadian employee benefits and pension broker since 2018, Hub said in a statement.

Based in Vancouver, TRG is one of Canadas leading employee benefits advisory firms with more than 400 years of combined advisory experience in the employee benefits industry, said Hub. Established in 1972, TRG customizes employee benefits, pension and retirement plans for businesses and not-for-profit organizations, helping them navigate through the complexities of todays benefit programs and develop progressive, sustainable group benefits.

Many of TRGs advisers are recognized experts, industry advocates and published authors, who frequently speak at symposiums, conferences and summits on the topic of employee benefits, Hub noted.

Rob Taylor, managing director of TRG, will be joining Hub as executive vice president, Employee Benefits, and will be a member of Hub TOSs executive management team led by President & CEO Dave Terry.

TRG provides cutting-edge employee benefits and pension solutions to clients, said Mike Barone, president of Employee Benefits at Hub International. Bringing in leading firms with an entrepreneurial spirit and new expertise to complement and strengthen our capabilities is critical for us to deliver highly differentiated benefit offerings to Hubs more than 130,000 property & casualty customers across Canada.

Since launching its initiative last year to expand its employee benefits Canadian solution, Hub has acquired 13 Canadian brokerages, increased fee revenue to more than $50 million, established seven new offices and created more than 100 jobs. With the goal to achieve more than $100 million in commission fees by 2021, Hub anticipates opening more than 10 additional new offices and creating at least 100 more jobs.

Building Hubs Canadian Employee Benefits and Pension capabilities has been and remains a central tenet in our strategy, said Tina Osen, president of Hub International Canada. We are committed to making investments that exceed our clients expectations for benefits to help them be more competitive in attracting and retaining talent with a comprehensive benefits solution.

With 170 offices in Canada, Hubs employee benefits Canadian solution includes voluntary benefits, health & performance, cost management consulting, group retirement services, employee communications, third party administration services, data analytics, and compliance & governance.

Additionally, Hub said it is continuing to seek firms and talent to round out its insurtech solutions, pension and retirement consulting, actuarial services for group insurance and retirement plans, and human resources and disability management.

Source: Hub International Ltd.

Topics CanadaA former police officer has been sentenced to prison for his role in stealing $187,000 in federal Superstorm Sandy relief funds to repair a vacation home on the New Jersey shore.

The Asbury Park Press reports 45-year-old Nikola Lulaj was sentenced to five years in prison Monday after his conviction in October on conspiracy, theft by deception and unsworn falsification charges.

Officials say the former Hoboken officer and his wife, Majlinda, falsely claimed their Seaside Heights home was their primary residence when the storm hit in October 2012.

Prosecutors say the couple lived in Dumont at the time and later moved to the Seaside Heights home.

Majlinda Lulaj will avoid prison time and serve three years of probation after completing 50 hours of community service.

Information from: Asbury Park (N.J.) Press

Copyright 2021 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Topics Fraud Law Enforcement New JerseyPresident Donald Trump has ordered the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to stop sending emergency funds to assist with the California wildfires, unless officials in the state can get their act together.

In a @realDonaldTrump tweet posted on Wednesday, the president wrote: Billions of dollars are sent to the state of California for forest fires that, with proper forest management, would never happen. Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money!Argo Group US, a member of Argo international Holdings, has announced that Gary Grose (pictured), Argo Group head of marketing and producer management, will serve as the interim head of Colony Specialty in addition to his current responsibilities. Grose will take the reins from former Colony Specialty head Ron Vindivich, who has announced plans to retire.

Gary is an effective leader with deep industry knowledge, said Kevin Rehnberg, Argo Group president for the Americas and chief administrative officer. Hes a valuable member of our executive team, and the perfect choice to assist with the transition and onboarding a new leader.However, the industry isnt ignoring its problem and many brokerages now offer their staff some form of flexible working in an attempt to combat stress and improve the work-life balance.

Its a shift which often benefits more than just employees and many studies have found flexible working not only improves staff wellbeing but also boosts productivity and engagement.

Of course, the approach isnt without its drawbacks and one expert says brokerage heads must be careful not to let their staff take advantage if theyre going to operate a flexible work policy.

Offering freedom is a competitive way to attract and retain great people  but cracks are showing, says Anna ODea, founder of Agency Iceberg. Some leaders are worried that productivity is taking a hit and team culture is dying, as people arent as present in the office. They know some employees are taking too many liberties but they dont want to snatch back the benefit.

ODea doesnt refute the benefits of flexible working  but she does warn policies must be implemented and monitored properly in order to make true business sense.

Watch for signs such as missing meetings, being difficult to reach online or via mobile within agreed working hours, not hitting targets, or failing to meet deadlines, she says.

The Melbourne-based expert also says brokerage leaders should keep an eye on flex-time requests that dont actually suit the business.

Too many Friday afternoons off, despite the promise of making up time on the weekend, is unlikely to suit client-facing roles, she says.

Finding a way to have employees earn flexible working privileges is also a possible way to keep abuse to a minimum, says ODea.

If you give freedom to one part of the business, you should give it to all, with awareness of whats appropriate for each role, she says. But for new hires, it could help to set a probation phase. You can understand their working style, build trust and ensure they know whats expected.

For brokerage heads who have identified a problem with their flexible work policy, ODea says the first step is to look at their own behaviour.

Are you being responsive when off-site, taking interest in staff so they feel energised? she asks. Then ask your team how they view the situation, as they could be struggling to adjust to digital life, and you can think about how to better manage the change.

According to ODea, simple ways to regain some structure and discipline include booking regular in-person meetings and agreeing on hours that employees must be available to clients and colleagues.

Set expectations for response times, regardless of where the employee will be working from, she suggests.

Technology must also be leveraged effectively if flexible working is going to succeed in a busy brokerage, says ODea.

You can keep everyone in easy reach by supplying quick messaging tools  such as Skype for Business, Slack or Google Chat  and video conferencing capabilities, she says.

Finally, culture is king when it come to implementing and maintaining a strong flexible working environment, so leaders shouldnt be afraid to bring staff together more often.

Culture can play a big part in getting momentum back, says ODea. Set up workshops to share insights, challenges and encouragement  theres also nothing wrong with team lunches and Friday celebrations to bring back the spark.The GB leader said maintaining customer satisfaction in catastrophic weather events involves claims triage, expectation setting, efficiency of process, and frequent communication, to deal with the elevated level of anxiety associated with peak claim events due to:

the localised disruption;

the loss or damage to the customers personal properties;

an unknown, seemingly complicated claims process; and

often a shortage of builders, repairers, and necessary materials causing delays.

It is vital that the claims consultant puts the customer at ease at the initial point of contact, Gilhooley said. An explanation of the claims process and overview of the steps involved in assessing and resolving the claim is essential.

Customers need to understand that the assessment and repair process takes time, so their expectations can be managed with regards to the whole claims process.

Similarly, a timely explanation of the customers entitlement under the policy and the steps they must take regarding proof of ownership, quotations, etc. can save difficult conversations at a later stage, when frustrations regarding delays increase, Gilhooley said.

Once the initial contact with the customer is made, Gilhooley said it is important to adopt a case managed approach to complex catastrophe claims to avoid the common frustration among customers where they have to repeat the circumstances of their claim to multiple claims consultants who may be involved with their claim from time to time.

In todays demand for immediate response and action, however, where competitive tension is high, focusing on satisfying high customer expectations has never been so important, Gilhooley said. Get it right and you will have happy and loyal customers and a great brand. Get it wrong and fail to focus on escalating customer expectations, and the wave of escalated complaints will increase. Once the wave of calls, emails and complaints gains momentum, it becomes a vicious cycle leading to unwanted disputes, media exposure and increased customer attrition.Sharp brings to his new role significant strategic communications, public affairs, media and external relations experience across multiple sectors and geographies, as well as a strong track record of building both highly effective teams and corporate reputation, having spent the past decade in roles with the Victorian governments Department of Health and Human Services, Treasury Wines, and Cadbury. Prior to that, he was an adviser within the British government.

I am very pleased to welcome Roger Sharp back to Bupa, said Richard Bowden, CEO of Bupa A&NZ. He has a strong history of building successful, engaged and positive teams.

Sharp will commence at Bupa in February.Singapore and Hong Kong are trying to establish themselves as centres for ILS vehicles, Ribeiro said in a video interview by the global insurance rating agency and information provider. There is a bit of rivalry between Hong Kong and Singapore. Singapore is seen as the centre for insurance and reinsurance, while Hong Kong is seen as the centre for banking and financial services, as well as for insurance more connected with greater China.  To date, theres nothing yet concrete, but it will happen, hopefully within the next 12 months.

Ribeiro also noted that Asia-Pacifics share of the global captive insurance market is quite small, with only 3% of the around 7,000 captive insurance companies globally based in Asia, despite the presence of giant economies such as China and Japan.

However, Ribeiro said that three domiciles in Asia-Pacific have demonstrated growth in the captive insurance sector.

Probably the most important one is Singapore, which now boasts around 80 captives, he said. The second one is Labuan in Malaysia. They currently have around 50 to 60 captives. The third one is in Micronesia, which is being mainly chosen by Japanese companies, and it has 25 captives. All of these captives are steadily growing.The Rev. Benjamin Chavis gives a clenched fist salute on December 14, 1979, after being paroled by then-North Carolina governor Jim Hunt.This time of year usually means one thing: graduation! Whether students are graduating from high school, community college or from a university, a new crop of talented and motivated individuals is entering the workforce. Workforce development has become a top-three priority for the Tucson MeReal-time social media posts from local businesses and organizations across Northern Virginia, powered by Friends2Follow. To add your business to the stream, email cfields@insidenova.com or click on the green button below.The Latest from Barchart

Sign up to receive your Watchlist or Portfolio sent to you by email up to 4 times a day; available at market open, mid-day, market close or end-of-day. Premier Members can also receive the results of custom Screeners - alerting to price or trend changes during and after each trading day. Sign up for a risk-free 30-day Barchart Premier trial.Photo: The Canadian Press RCMP at roadblock near Wet'suwet'en First Nation protest camp.

The fate of a second barrier blocking access to a pipeline project became the focus of First Nations leaders in northern B.C. Wednesday as they waited to see whether the RCMP would dismantle it.

RCMP roadblocks remained in place for a third day around the territory of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation, where 14 people were arrested on Monday after police forcibly took apart a first gate blocking access to an area where Coastal GasLink wants to build a natural gas pipeline.

Sitting by a fire outside the RCMP roadblock, Alexander Joseph said the arrest of Indigenous people on their own traditional territory brought back some difficult memories.

"I come from residential (school), I come from the '60s Scoop," Joseph said. "It feels like the same thing is happening over and over again. The RCMP and the government coming in, taking us away, from our own culture, our own nature. And that's not right."

Joseph, 61, said he plans to remain at the police roadblock, which stops access to a logging road that leads to a second gate erected by the Wet'suwet'en years ago.

Joseph is a member of the Lake Babine First Nation more than 100 kilometres away, but he said he wants to show solidarity with other Indigenous people who feel threatened on their land.

"I've got so much anger right now, I want to stay here until this is resolved in a positive way," Joseph said.

The RCMP is allowing the oil and gas company's contractors to pass through the roadblock to clear trees and debris from the road.

Monday's arrests were made as the RCMP enforced a court injunction against members of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation, who had erected the first gate blocking access to the planned pipeline.

The Coastal GasLink pipeline would run through the Wet'suwet'en territory to Kitimat, where LNG Canada is building a $40-billion export facility.

TC Energy, formerly TransCanada Corp., says it has signed agreements with the elected councils of all 20 First Nations along the path, including the Wet'suwet'en.

However, members of the First Nation opposing the pipeline say the company failed to get consent from its five house chiefs, who are hereditary rather than elected. They argue the elected council only has jurisdiction over the reserve, which is a much smaller area than the 22,000 square kilometres that comprise the Wet'suwet'ens traditional territory.Artist's depiction of the biodegradable pressure sensor wrapped around a blood vessel with the antenna off to the side (layers separated toshow details ofthe antenna'sstructure). Credit: Levent Beker

Measurement of blood flow is critical in many medical specialties, so a wireless biodegradable sensor could impact multiple fields including vascular, transplant, reconstructive and cardiac surgery, said Paige Fox, assistant professor of surgery and co-senior author of the paper.

As we attempt to care for patients throughout the Bay Area, Central Valley, California and beyond, this is a technology that will allow us to extend our care without requiring face-to-face visits or tests.

Monitoring the success of surgery on blood vessels is challenging as the first sign of trouble often comes too late. By that time, the patient often needs additional surgery that carries risks similar to the original procedure.

This new sensor could let doctors keep tabs on a healing vessel from afar, creating opportunities for earlier interventions.

Flow or no

The sensor wraps snugly around the healing vessel, where blood pulsing past pushes on its inner surface. As the shape of that surface changes, it alters the sensor's capacity to store electric charge, which doctors can detect remotely from a device located near the skin but outside the body.

That device solicits a reading by pinging the antenna of the sensor, similar to an ID card scanner. In the future, this device could come in the form of a stick-on patch or be integrated into other technology, like a wearable device or smartphone.

The researchers first tested the sensor in an artificial setting where they pumped air through an artery-sized tube to mimic pulsing blood flow. Surgeon Yukitoshi Kaizawa, a former postdoctoral scholar at Stanford and co-author of the paper, also implanted the sensor around an artery in a rat.

Even at such a small scale, the sensor successfully reported blood flow to the wireless reader. At this point, they were only interested in detecting complete blockages, but they did see indications that future versions of this sensor could identify finer fluctuations of blood flow.

The sensor is a wireless version of technology that chemical engineer Zhenan Bao has been developing in order to give prostheses a delicate sense of touch.

This one has a history, said Bao, the K. K. Lee Professor in the School of Engineering and co-senior author of the paper. We were always interested in how we can utilize these kinds of sensors in medical applications but it took a while to find the right fit.

The researchers had to modify their existing sensor's materials to make it sensitive to pulsing blood but rigid enough to hold its shape.

They also had to move the antenna to a location where it would be secure, not affected by the pulsation, and re-design the capacitor so it could be placed around an artery.

It was a very exacting project and required many rounds of experiments and redesign, said Levent Beker, co-lead author of the paper and a postdoctoral scholar in the Bao lab. I've always been interested in medical and implant applications and this could open up a lot of opportunities for monitoring or telemedicine for many surgical operations.

Making connections

The idea of an artery sensor began to take shape when former postdoctoral fellow Clementine Boutry of the Bao lab reached out to Anais Legrand, who was a postdoctoral fellow in the Fox lab, and connected those groups  along with the lab of James Chang, the Johnson and Johnson Professor of Surgery.

Once they set their sights on the biodegradable blood flow monitor, the collaboration won a 2017 Postdocs at the Interface seed grant from Stanford ChEM-H, which supports postdoctoral research collaborations exploring potentially transformative new ideas.

We both value our postdoctoral researchers but did not anticipate the true value this meeting would have for a long-term productive partnership, said Fox.

The researchers are now finding the best way to affix the sensors to the vessels and refining their sensitivity. They are also looking forward to what other ideas will come as interest grows in this interdisciplinary area.

Using sensors to allow a patient to discover problems early on is becoming a trend for precision health, Bao said. It will require people from engineering, from medical school and data people to really work together, and the problems they can address are very exciting.

###

To read all stories about Stanford science, subscribe to the biweekly Stanford Science Digest.

Additional Stanford co-authors include Clementine Boutry (co-lead), Christopher Vassos, Helen Tran, Allison C. Hinckley, Raphael Pfattner, Simiao Niu, Junheng Li, Jean Claverie, Zhen Wang and Yukitoshi Kaizawa. Bao is also a member of Stanford Bio-X, a senior fellow at the Precourt Institute for Energy, a fellow at Stanford ChEM-H, an affiliate of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and a member of the Wu Tsai Neurosciences Institute. Chang is also a member of Stanford Bio-X. Fox is also a fellow at Stanford ChEM-H.

This work was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, the European Commission, Stanford ChEM-H and the National Science Foundation.Trade Union members staged a demonstration in Bengaluru on Jan 8 in on the first day of the two-day long nationwide strike called to protest against "anti-labor, anti-people and anti-national policies of the Narendra Modi-led Central Government. (IANS photo)Once again, Amazon has found itself in the middle of another religious controversy. The online retailer recently announced its decision to stop the selection of products featuring Islamic scripture after facing a severe backlash.

Twitter/Amazon

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a "civil rights and advocacy organization", released a statement asking "Amazon to remove a number of doormats and bath mats imprinted with Islamic calligraphy, references to the Prophet Muhammad and verses from the Quran, Islam's holy text."

Cair said it received complaints about the items offered by Amazon seller Emvency that are offensive to Muslims because the Quranic verses and other Islamic references would be stepped-on or otherwise disrespected by customers, the organisation stated.

@Amazon has been asked by the Muslim community to remove offensive items for sale from their seller #Emvency b/c of the Quranic verses.

Products such as toilet seat covers decorated with the word "Allah" and shower curtains referencing Eid can still be bought through Amazon pic.twitter.com/Dhejf765my   (@salafi_writer) January 8, 2019

The products were not being directly sold by Amazon, but through a third-party seller called Emvency. Around 20 bath mats and doormats were being sold through Emvency on the online platform.

ALSO READ: Doormats & Rugs With Image Of Golden Temple Allegedly Being Sold Online, People Are Outraged

Masih Fouladi, executive director of CAIR's Washington told The Independent, "We thank Amazon for its swift action on this issue and hope it sends a message to manufacturers of such inappropriate and offensive items that they will not profit from Islamophobia or any other form of bigotry."

A few weeks ago, Amazon was severely criticised for selling toilet seats and doormats with the photos of Golden Temple on it.Photo: Lary Ash The Trans-Canada Highway was closed for most of last Thursday due to avalanche danger.

In the wake of the Trans-Canada closure last week between Revelstoke and Golden, the Ministry of Transportation is working to provide more support to those stuck in highway closures across B.C.

The highway was closed for the majority of last Thursday due to avalanche danger, and Brandon Beal was stuck for the afternoon, well into the evening. He left Alberta at 6 a.m. and didn't arrive in Salmon Arm until 3 a.m. the next morning.

Beal, who has been driving the highway for 15 years, says he was prepared with snacks and water, but many others were not.

I found myself giving out food, giving out water. Some people who had kids didn't have anything, he said.

Contracts for highway maintenance for 26 of the 28 service areas around the province have been renewed in the past few months, or will be in the coming year, and those contracts include updated requirements to provide services to those stuck in highway closures.

If there's going to be lineups, then we have the ability through our maintenance contractors to have people going up and down the line to give them updates. If it's the middle of summer and we're worried about people getting too hot, we'll make sure we have flats of water with our maintenance contractors so they can provide water, or set up porta-potties, said Ian Pilkington, project director for the ministry's highway maintenance contract renewal project.

In the winter here, we're making sure all of our maintenance contractors have highway radios so they can contact people if there's emergencies.

The ministry did not say if food would be provided in some cases.

The new contract for the Revelstoke and Golden area was renewed in November by Emcon Services, and while Pilkington did not know details of what services were provided during last week's closure, he says contractors were driving up and down the line providing information.

For a lot of people, they just want to know what's the length of the closure, he said. They had a bunch of personnel going up and down the line and had changeable message signs and messaging going.

Pilkington says the maintenance contractor will discuss with the Ministry what services they'll be required to provide on a case-by-case basis.

The maintenance contractor, they're usually in a big yellow truck with a rotating light, flag them down and they'll be able to provide you with any information, he said. They have a highways radio if you're having an issue and you need to contact somebody and there's no cell coverage, that's what they're there for.In a surprise move, Shah Faesal, an young Kashmiri IAS officer has announced that he is resigning from service.

In a Facebook post, the 2009 civil service topper said was resigned as a "protest against the unabated killings in Kashmir".

While he has not announced his future plans, there are rumours of him entering politics.

A tweet by former Jammu and Kashmir CM and National Conference Chief "The bureaucracys loss is politics gain," many believe is an indication of his next stop.

The bureaucracys loss is politics gain. Welcome to the fold @shahfaesal. https://t.co/955C4m5T6V  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) January 9, 2019

Faesal has hit the news headlines for various reason on the past, even for things that had nothing to do with him.

In July 2016, Faesal had threatened to resign after he was widely compared against Hizbul terrorist Burhan Wani.

"By juxtaposing my photos with the images of a slain militant commander, a section of national media has once again fallen back upon its conventional savagery that cashes on falsehoods, divides people and creates more hatred," he had then said.

Last year he hit the headlines once again after the government issued a show cause notice against him for his rape tweet.

Patriarchy+Population+Illiteracy+Alcohol+Porn+Technology+Anarchy = Rapistan!, Faesal had tweeted in April over a story titled Porn addict rapes 46 year old mom, arrested in Gujarat, he had tweeted.

He responded with another tweet.

remaining of

Thank you for Reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.RALEIGH  The average public-school district in the United States enrolls about 3,700 students, according to a recent Governing magazine analysis. In North Carolina, the average school district enrolls more than 12,500 students. Only six other states in the nation exceed North Carolina in this regard (including Hawaii, where all 187,000 students are in a single district).

Although North Carolina politicos and activists normally exhibit a great deal of interest in state education comparisons, most either ignore the fact that we stick out like a sore thumb on school governance or attempt, rather awkwardly, to label it virtue rather than an oddity.

For example, when it comes to the gargantuan districts in Wake (enrolling 159,000 students this school year) and Mecklenburg (146,000), increasing numbers of parents  many residing in suburban communities or hailing from other states where multiple districts per county are the norm  seem skeptical that countywide school governance serves the interests of their children and neighborhoods.

Some are explicitly demanding the creation of smaller, more manageable districts. Others arent waiting for policymakers to catch up with their preferences, opting instead for chartered public schools (each of which has its own governance board) or private alternatives if they can swing them.Cabarrus County Schools has been selected as one of the four teams to participate in locally-sponsored NAF Future Ready Labs.

NAF Future Ready Labs are a collaboration between National Academy Foundation (NAF), business partners, and academy and district representatives to offer students an internship experience with an innovative and comprehensive structure.

This program provides high school students an opportunity to put their education into practice in a unique work environment with support from local business partners. In the new iteration of this program, local businesses will partner with advisory boards to develop a strong local talent pipeline.

This year, NAF will be piloting its Future Ready Lab tools, resources and supports with a select group of participants across the country. These four teams were selected through a rigorous application process to identify strong goal-oriented school districts and advisory board teams to plan and implement meaningful internship programs for their communities high school students.The First Congregational United Church of Christ, 248 Tournament St. SW, Concord, has a free community breakfast from 7-10 a.m. the third Saturday of each month. The breakfast is a part of the outreach ministry and is open to all.

Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, will have a Community Cafe, offering a free meal, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. the third Saturday of each month. For details, call 704-932-2864.

The first Saturday of each month, New Hope Lutheran Church, 1615 Brantley Rd. Kannapolis, offers a free lunch for the community from 11:30 a.m. to 1 pm. Lunch includes a hot dog, drink, side, and dessert with a time of devotion and fellowship. Everyone is welcome, call the church office at 704-932-3716 for more information.

Sunday

Faith, hope and well-being support group provides for anyone coping with cancer or long term illness. Families/caregivers are welcome to attend. Meetings at held the second Sunday of each month at 7 p.m. at the Taylor Youth Building at Bethel United Methodist Church, 12700 Idlebrook Road, Midland. For more information, call the church office at 704-888-2653.

Food Addicts in recovery anonymous meets at Mt. Hermon Lutheran Church Main Building, 3600 US Hwy. 601 S, Concord, on Sundays at 3:30 p.m. For more information, call Esther B. at 704-488-5931 or Linda P. 704-788-4879.Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun says she is fleeing abuse by her family (Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun/Human Rights Watch via AP)

The United Nations has asked Australia to consider refugee resettlement for an 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled to Thailand saying she feared her family would kill her, the Australian government said on Wednesday.

The teenager, Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, arrived in Bangkok on the weekend appealing for asylum. Australia said it would consider resettling her if the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) deemed her a refugee.

"The UNHCR has referred Ms Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun to Australia for consideration for refugee resettlement," Australia's Department of Homeland Security said in an email.

The department said it would consider the referral "in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals". It declined to comment further.

The UNHCR office in Thailand also declined to comment.

Qunun arrived in Bangkok on Saturday and was initially denied entry.

She soon started posting messages on Twitter from the transit area of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport saying she had "escaped Kuwait" and her life would be in danger if forced to return to Saudi Arabia.

Within hours, a campaign sprung up on Twitter, spread by a loose network of activists around the world.

She was allowed to enter Thailand and on Tuesday began the process of seeking asylum in a third country through the U.N. refugee agency.

She has refused to meet her father and brother who have arrived in Bangkok, Thai immigration chief Surachate Hakparn said.

Expand Close Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, a Saudi woman who claims to be fleeing her country and family and is currently in Bangkok, Thailand, is shown in this undated photo obtained by Reuters from social media. @rahaf84427714/via REUTERS / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, a Saudi woman who claims to be fleeing her country and family and is currently in Bangkok, Thailand, is shown in this undated photo obtained by Reuters from social media. @rahaf84427714/via REUTERS

Rahaf's father met with the UNHCR representative to discuss the matter... naturally the parents are worried about their children as this is a family matter, Surachate told reporters.

Within 36 hours it prompted Thailand's government to reverse a decision to force the young woman onto a plane that would return her to her family.

Her case has drawn new global attention to Saudi Arabia's strict social rules, including a requirement that women have the permission of a male "guardian" to travel, which rights groups say can trap women and girls as prisoners of abusive families.

It comes at a time when Riyadh is facing unusually intense scrutiny from its Western allies over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October and over the humanitarian consequences of its war in Yemen.Photo: The Canadian Press

Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos is divorcing his wife MacKenzie, ending a 25-year marriage that played a role in the creation of an e-commerce company that made him the world's wealthiest person.

The decision to divorce comes after a trial separation, according to a statement posted Wednesday on Bezos' Twitter account. Both Bezos and MacKenzie signed the announcement that ended with a vow to remain "cherished friends."

Left unanswered was one of the biggest sticking points in any divorce: How the assets amassed during the marriage will be divided.

Bezos' fortune currently hovers around $137 billion, based on estimates by both Forbes and Bloomberg. Virtually all of that is tied up in the nearly 79 million shares of Amazon stock (currently worth about $130 billion) that Bezos owns in the Seattle company, translating into a 16 per cent stake. Bezos also owns rocket ship maker Blue Origin and The Washington Post, which he bought for $250 million in 2013.

Amazon's origins trace back to a road trip that Bezos took with MacKenzie, not long after they met in New York while working at hedge fund D.E. Shaw. They got married just six months after they began dating.

Not long after they got married, Bezos quit his job at Shaw and started an online book store. While MacKenzie did the driving, Bezos wrote a business plan as they travelling across the country to Seattle  chosen for its abundance of tech talent. By July 1995, Amazon was operating out of a garage, with MacKenzie lending a hand, according to a review she posted on Amazon in 2013 panning "The Everything Store," a book about Bezos and the company written by Brad Stone.

"I was there when he wrote the business plan, and I worked with him and many others represented in the converted garage, the basement warehouse closet, the barbecue-scented offices, the Christmas-rush distribution centres, and the door-desk filled conference rooms in the early years of Amazon's history," MacKenzie recalled.

Amazon has since evolved from an upstart website selling books to an e-commerce goliath that sells virtually all imaginable merchandise and runs data centres that power many other digital services such as Netflix. It also has become a leader in the voice-activated speakers in Echo, which is emerging as a command centre for internet-connected homes while also making it easier for people to buy more stuff from Amazon.The US administration has lowered the status of the European Unions diplomats in Washington. (stock picture)

US President Donald Trump's administration has lowered the status of the European Union's diplomats in Washington without notifying Brussels, EU officials said yesterday.

The change in protocol for a close US ally means the bloc's Washington-based diplomats are less likely to be invited to high-profile events and have a lower importance than under former president Barack Obama.

The snub, first reported by German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, was illustrated at the December 5 funeral of another former US president, George HW Bush, when Europe's envoy was among the last diplomats to be called to pay respects, one EU official said.

"We understand there was a recent change in the way the diplomatic precedence list is implemented by the United States' protocol," a Commission spokeswoman told a briefing.

"We are currently discussing with the relevant services in the administration possible implications for the EU delegation in Washington."

Two other EU diplomats confirmed the downgrade, with one saying it was unlikely the bloc would retaliate given its desire for good relations. US diplomats in Brussels were not available for comment.President Donald Trump speaks from the Oval Office of the White House (Carlos Barria/Pool via AP)

President Donald Trump urged Congress in a televised speech on Tuesday to give him $5.7 billion this year to help build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico but stopped short of declaring a national emergency to pay for the barrier with military funds.

Facing Democratic opposition in Congress to a wall that he promised to build as a presidential candidate, Trump said in his first prime-time address from the Oval Office that there was a growing security and humanitarian crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Using blunt language in an attempt to win public support, the Republican president said illegal immigrants and drugs flowing across the southern border posed a serious threat to American safety.

"How much more American blood must be shed before Congress does its job?" he said, recounting gruesome details of murders he said were committed by illegal immigrants.

But after days of hinting he might use presidential powers to declare an emergency as a first step toward directing money for the wall without congressional approval, Trump said he would continue seeking a solution to the impasse with Congress.

Trump's speech came 18 days into a partial government shutdown precipitated by his demand for the wall. Public opposition to the shutdown is growing and that could hurt Trump, as he said last month he would be proud to close the government to fight for the wall.

Democratic leaders, in a rebuttal also carried live on national television, accused the president on Tuesday night of using fear tactics and spreading misinformation about the situation along the border.

"The president has chosen fear. We want to start with the facts," said Nancy Pelosi, Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives.

"The fact is, President Trump has chosen to hold hostage critical services for the health, safety and well-being of the American people and withhold the paychecks of 800,000 innocent workers across the nation, many of them veterans," she said.

A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday found that 51 percent of adults mainly blamed Trump for the shutdown, up 4 percentage points from late December, while 32 percent blamed congressional Democrats and 7 percent faulted Republicans in Congress.

Expand Close Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaking on Capitol Hill in response to Donald Trumps address (Alex Brandon/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaking on Capitol Hill in response to Donald Trumps address (Alex Brandon/AP)

Republican lawmakers have increasingly expressed concerns about Trump's handling of the long-running dispute.

But he has shown no signs of giving up. He is scheduled to visit the southwest border on Thursday and may still choose to make the national emergency declaration.

Vice President Mike Pence told reporters on Monday the president was considering the possibility and the White House counsel's office was studying its legality.

Democrats and other opponents of a wall have threatened to take legal action if Trump issues an emergency order.

They say he is manufacturing a crisis in a bid to meet his 2016 presidential campaign promise for a wall that he said at the time would be paid for by Mexico. The Mexican government has refused to provide such funds.

Trump was to meet at the White House on Wednesday with Democratic and Republican congressional leaders.

Politics colored the remarks from both sides on Tuesday.

Trump said African-Americans and Hispanics were especially hard hit by the border crisis; both groups are key Democratic constituencies. Pelosi pointedly mentioned that veterans were hurt by the shutdown; Trump has courted veterans as a candidate and as president.

Trump at times tried to adopt a softer tone. "This is a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul," he said, suggesting that women and children were among the migrants often victimized by trafficking across the border.

Hoping to demonstrate flexibility during his nearly 10-minute speech, Trump said of the border barrier he wants built: "At the request of the Democrats it will be a steel barrier and not a concrete wall."

But Democrats have opposed not just the construction materials to be used, but the extent of a project that could end up costing more than $24 billion over the long run.

Democrats also argue that a mix of fencing, which already has been constructed in many parts of the border, and higher-tech tools would be cheaper and more effective in securing the border.

Pelosi said Trump rejected bipartisan legislation to reopen the government agencies shuttered as a result of the fight over the wall, and that he was obsessed with "forcing American taxpayers to waste billions of dollars on an expensive and ineffective wall."

She has previously called the wall immoral. Trump took issue with that in his speech.

"The only thing that is immoral is the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized," he said.

U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who delivered a rebuttal along with Pelosi, urged the president to reopen the government while the debate over immigration policies continued.

"The symbol of America should be the Statue of Liberty, not a 30-foot wall," he said. "So our suggestion is a simple one. Mr. President: Reopen the government and we can work to resolve our differences over border security. But end this shutdown now."Monzo, known for its coral pink bank cards, is to create more than 300 jobs in Cardiff (Monzo/PA)

Digital bank Monzo is to create more than 300 jobs in Cardiff, in a major boost to Waless fintech ambitions.

The London-based start-up bank is to open a customer operations centre in the Welsh capital, creating 312 jobs over the next four years, after receiving 950,000 of support from the Welsh Government.

Monzo, which launched four years ago, is the first challenger bank to set up operations in Wales and joins industry giants Lloyds Banking Group, Barclays and HSBC which also have hubs in Wales.

The Welsh Government is aiming to lure fintech companies to Wales in order to provide an alternative destination for start-ups outside of London.

Ken Skates, economy and transport minister in the Welsh Government, said the financial support to Monzo is part of the governments plan for supercharging the industries of the future and supporting businesses to innovate and compete in a rapidly evolving marketplace.

I look forward to Monzo joining our thriving financial and professional services sector here in Cardiff, he said.

Im very excited for us to be expanding our presence in CardiffTom Blomfield, Monzo CEO

Monzo chief executive Tom Blomfield said: Im very excited for us to be expanding our presence in Cardiff and continuing to provide amazing customer support for our 1.3 million customers.

Over the next few years, well be hiring hundreds of people into our Cardiff office as we grow our customer base by millions more people.

Monzo is one of a slew of fintech firms that have gained banking licences in recent years with the aim of poaching customers from the traditional high street lenders.

The company, like rival challenger banks Starling and Revolut, does not have any bricks-and-mortar branches but operates solely online through its app.

Monzo has grown rapidly since its launch in 2015 and currently has more than one million customers, with ambitions to hit three million by the end of this year.

The company recently appointed former Northern Rock boss Gary Hoffman as its new non-executive chairman months after it raised enough cash to reach coveted unicorn status.

Monzo is also moving into business banking as it was recently one of 11 banks approved for the Royal Bank of Scotlands alternative remedies fund.

Monzo will be entitled to a share of a 350 million incentivised switching scheme aimed at encouraging small business customers to ditch their RBS account for other banks.Former England football star Paul Gascoigne has pleaded not guilty to a sex assault charge.

Gascoigne (51) was arrested while travelling on a train between York and Newcastle for allegedly kissing a woman without consent in Darlington in August.

He appeared at Teesside Crown Court where his barrister Michelle Heeley QC said character witnesses will give evidence "about his propensity to kiss people in a non-sexual manner".

Gascoigne had to be asked to be quiet by Judge Simon Bourne-Arton. After hearing his trial could not begin before October 14, Gascoigne called out: "Sir, Your Honour."

The judge replied: "Be quiet." Gascoigne said: "I'm worried to bits. I'm scared."

He then apologised.Words of war: President Erdoan addresses the Turkish parliament, where he said preparations for an attack were almost complete. Photo: Reuters

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned the US it has made a "grave mistake" asking for protection for Kurdish fighters battling Isil (Islamic State) in Syria and threatened once again to launch an assault against them.

Mr Erdogan - who considers the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) terrorists - said Turkey would "not make concessions" and preparations for an offensive were nearly complete.

"John Bolton [US national security adviser] has made a grave mistake on this issue," a furious Mr Erdogan told parliament as Mr Bolton arrived in Ankara for talks with Turkish officials. "The (YPG's) fight with Islamic State in Syria is a huge lie."

Damage

Mr Bolton and Mike Pompeo, US secretary of state, were in Turkey yesterday as part of a tour of the Middle East aimed at limiting damage over the announcement by Donald Trump, the US president, that he would call home its troops from Syria.

Such a move would leave YPG allies, whose fighters have led a coalition to defeat Isil, exposed to a Turkish attack.

Mr Bolton said on Sunday he would be seeking assurances from Ankara they would not attack the YPG as a condition to a US withdrawal - which Mr Trump had failed to address during a December phone call with Mr Erdogan - in a bid to salvage relations with the Kurds.

Mr Bolton has talks for roughly two hours with Ibrahim Kalin, his Turkish counterpart, and other senior officials at Ankara's presidency complex but was snubbed by Mr Erdogan himself, reflecting just how at odds the Nato partners are on the issue.

Mr Trump, in a tweet before Christmas, had declared Isil defeated and said 2,000 or so American troops would be returning home as soon as possible.

However, Mr Bolton, Mr Pompeo and even Mr Trump have tried to backtrack the comments, offering differing timelines ranging from 30 days to four months for the withdrawal.

The shifting timetable has left allies and other players in the region confused and jockeying for influence over a withdrawal strategy that appeared to be a work in progress. In Turkey's case, it appears to have emboldened Mr Erdogan, who was reported to have asked the US to hand over its 22 military bases in Syria or dismantle them.

Responding to Mr Erdogan's threats, a top Syrian Kurdish official said his fighters were prepared to confront Turkish forces if they enter north-eastern Syria.

Shahoz Hasan, co-chair of the largest Kurdish group in Syria the Democratic Union Party, or PYD, says it was clear from the latest statements Turkey was planning an assault.

"We will be ready," he said.

Fighters

Any such offensive would likely see the YPG redirecting fighters battling the last Isil enclaves to the northern border with Turkey.

Despite Mr Trump's claim, fierce fighting is still ongoing for a small pocket of territory in eastern Deir Ezzor province.

In a stark reminder of the lingering threat, a war monitor reported that the jihadists had killed 23 US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters in a counterattack in eastern Syria on Monday aimed at defending their last bastion.

Isil took advantage of poor visibility to unleash suicide attackers on the SDF along the front line in the Euphrates valley, the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.Flights from London's Heathrow airport were halted for about an hour yesterday after reports of a drone sighting near Europe's busiest air hub, raising fears the chaos that affected rival Gatwick last month could be repeated on an even larger scale.

"We are responding to a drone sighting at Heathrow," the airport said. "As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate. We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience this may cause."

London's Metropolitan Police said they had received reports of a drone near the airport at about 5.05pm, which they were investigating with airport authorities. The airport confirmed about an hour later that take-offs had resumed. Flight tracker websites showed flights departing from 6.11pm.

A Reuters witness in a plane on the runway at Heathrow said multiple aircraft were waiting for permission to take off before being later told that things were starting to move.

London's second busiest airport, Gatwick, was severely disrupted when drones were sighted on three consecutive days in December, resulting in about 1,000 flights being cancelled or diverting and affecting 140,000 passengers.

Gatwick's drone nightmare - the most disruptive yet at a major airport - exposed a new vulnerability that will be scrutinised by security forces, airlines and airport operators across the world.

The British army was forced to deploy military technology to guard the area around Gatwick, reassuring the airport that it was safe enough to fly.

British Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said yesterday the military was preparing to deploy the same equipment at Heathrow "should it prove necessary".

Both airports responded to the Gatwick incident by ordering military-grade anti-drone technology.Heathrow has resumed flights after departures were disrupted for an hour on Tuesday following reports of a drone sighting, a spokeswoman for Europe's biggest airport said.

Flights from London's Heathrow airport were halted for about an hour on Tuesday after a drone was sighted near Europe's busiest air hub, raising fears that the chaos that affected rival Gatwick last month could be repeated on an even larger scale.

"We are responding to a drone sighting at Heathrow," the airport said. "As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate. We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience this may cause."

London's Metropolitan Police said they had received reports of a drone near the airport at about 1705 GMT on Tuesday, which they were investigating with airport authorities.

It said police officers were among those who reported seeing a drone and it had launched a full criminal investigation.

The airport confirmed about an hour later that take-offs had resumed. Flight tracker websites showed flights departing from 1811 GMT.

A Reuters witness in a plane on the runway at Heathrow said multiple aircraft were waiting for permission to take off before being later told that things were starting to move.

London's second busiest airport, Gatwick, was severely disrupted when drones were sighted on three consecutive days in December, resulting in about 1,000 flights being cancelled or diverted and affecting 140,000 passengers.

Gatwick's drone nightmare - the most disruptive yet at a major airport - exposed a new vulnerability that will be scrutinised by security forces, airlines and airport operators across the world.

The British army was forced to deploy military technology to guard the area around Gatwick, reassuring the airport that it was safe enough to fly.

Flights at Heathrow are operating normally. Our focus is always the safety of our passengers and colleagues and we apologise to those passengers whose journeys have been unfairly affected this evening.  Heathrow Airport (@HeathrowAirport) January 8, 2019

Police said they were carrying out extensive searches around the Heathrow area to identify any people who may be responsible for the operation of the drone.

"We are deploying significant resources - both in terms of officers and equipment - to monitor the airspace around Heathrow and to quickly detect and disrupt any illegal drone activity; some of which are as a result of learning from the incidents at Gatwick," police commander Stuart Cundy said in a statement.

He said military assistance has been implemented after the sighting but he would not give any further details as it could undermine the effectiveness of the measures.

British Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said he had been in contact with Heathrow Airport concerning the drone sighting.

"I have already spoken to both the Home Secretary and Defence Secretary and the military are preparing to deploy the equipment used at Gatwick at Heathrow quickly should it prove necessary," he said.

Expand Close Heathrow Airport (Hannah McKay/PA) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Heathrow Airport (Hannah McKay/PA)

Both airports responded to the Gatwick incident by ordering military-grade anti-drone technology.

Heathrow said it was working closely with authorities including the police and looking at relevant technology to combat the threat of drones.

The airport handled 78 million passengers in 2017 and is the main hub for British Airways. Its busiest routes in terms of passenger numbers are to Dubai and New York-JFK.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stands next to Senate Minority Leader Senator. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., left, following their meeting with President Donald Trump (Susan Walsh/AP)

President Donald Trump has walked out of a meeting with congressional leaders as talks to end the partial government shutdown remain at an impasse, leading Democrats and the president himself have said.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Mr Trump asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at Wednesdays White House meeting whether she would agree to fund his wall on the southern border with Mexico.

When she said no, Mr Schumer said, Mr Trump got up and said, Then we have nothing to discuss.

Mr Schumer added: And he just walked out, the Democrat branding the presidents actions really, really unfortunate.

Expand Close Vice President Mike Pence talks with reporters after a meeting with President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders (Evan Vucci/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Vice President Mike Pence talks with reporters after a meeting with President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders (Evan Vucci/AP)

Mr Trump called the meeting a total waste of time.

He tweeted that once Ms Pelosi rejected his border wall, he said bye-bye, nothing else works!

We face a humanitarian and security crisis at our Southern Border. The President will stand firm for border security. That includes, additional law enforcement personnel, immigration judges, a physical barrier, counter-narcotics tech, and resources to address humanitarian needs.  The White House 45 Archived (@WhiteHouse45) January 9, 2019

Vice President Mike Pence said Democrats were unwilling to even negotiate an end to the partial government shutdown and the standoff over the wall.

Mr Pence spoke outside the West Wing after the contentious meeting, saying: I think the president made his position very clear today that there will be no deal without a wall.

Expand Close President Donald Trump (Evan Vucci/AP) / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp President Donald Trump (Evan Vucci/AP)

Mr Pence said Mr Trump asked Ms Pelosi whether she would be willing to agree to funding for a wall or a barrier on the southern border if he re-opened the government quickly.

Mr Pence said: When she said no, the president said goodbye.

Mr Schumer said Mr Trump had a temper tantrum.

Mr Pence said of the president: I dont recall him ever raising his voice.Photo: The Canadian Press

Several foreign diplomatic missions were evacuated in the Australian cities of Melbourne and Canberra on Wednesday after they received packages containing suspicious substances.

Police, fire crews and ambulances were seen at a number of foreign consulates in Melbourne, including those of India, Germany, Italy, Spain and South Korea. Officials at the U.S. and Swiss missions in the city said they had also received packages.

The Vic Emergency website, the collective body of emergency agencies in Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, noted at least 10 "hazardous material" incidents in the city, though by Wednesday night none of those incidents was listed as ongoing.

There were no reports of anyone being injured at the targeted missions in both cities.

Victoria Police said they believed the incidents were targeted and did not impact the general community.

Australian Federal Police said in a statement that "the circumstances surrounding these incidents are being investigated."

The Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported that a worker from the New Zealand consulate in Melbourne had said the packages in question were envelopes labelled "asbestos." Inside were plastic sandwich bags containing a fibrous material.

The ABC reported suspicious packages were also found at the Melbourne diplomatic offices of Pakistan and possibly those of Greece, France and Hong Kong. It said the Israeli Embassy in Canberra also received a suspicious package.

It was not immediately clear which other countries' diplomatic missions in the national capital were affected, if any.

Two firetrucks, a hazardous materials vehicle and police cars were seen at India's consulate in Melbourne, where staff members had been evacuated, some wearing protective masks.

Staff were later allowed to re-enter the building, which was deemed safe by Vic Emergency.

The incidents come after Sydney's Argentinian consulate was partially evacuated on Monday after reports of a suspicious substance. The powder, contained in clear plastic bags within an envelope, was subsequently deemed not dangerous.While US President Donald Trump waits in the wings, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un arrived in Beijing yesterday for his fourth summit with China's Xi Jinping - yet another nod to the leader Mr Kim most needs to court as he tries to undermine support for international sanctions while giving up little, if any, ground on denuclearisation.

Mr Kim's four-day visit comes after he expressed frustration in his new year's address over the lack of progress in negotiations with Washington since his unprecedented summit with Mr Trump in Singapore seven months ago.

If things don't improve - meaning that if sanctions relief and security guarantees aren't in the offing - Mr Kim warned that Pyongyang might have to find "a new way" forward.

The meeting with Mr Xi could have a big impact on Mr Trump's efforts to get Mr Kim to abandon his hard-won nuclear arsenal. He has said he expects to meet Mr Kim again soon. But his own relationship with Mr Xi is deteriorating amid an escalating tariff battle and his attentions are scattered over a wide array of domestic issues.

Mr Kim's arrival in Beijing, on his birthday, underscores how important China is, and always has been, in the North Korean leader's eyes. That's a well-known fact. But it's often been lost in the glare of post-Singapore showboating.

Until news of Mr Kim's departure for Beijing broke late on Monday, attention outside North Korea had been focused on when, or whether, he would be making his first and much-anticipated trip to Seoul.

Then there was talk that another US-North Korea summit was near and officials were negotiating where it would take place. Vietnam's capital, Hanoi, was reportedly on the short list.

Mr Kim's statement about how he might have to choose a "new way" to guarantee the North's sovereignty and secure a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula caught the eye of many foreign analysts.

Ruediger Frank, a professor of East Asian economy and society at the University of Vienna, suggested it was the most important passage in the entire speech, reflecting an "almost exuberant" confidence in the growing and reliable support of China.

"I thus interpret Kim's threat of 'finding a new way' not as a hint at more nuclear tests," he wrote, "but rather as a message to Donald Trump: you are not our only option for security and economic development."Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein will go on trial in Manhattan on May 6 on charges of sexually assaulting two women, his lawyer said yesterday.

Weinstein (66) is accused of forcibly performing oral sex on a woman in July 2006 and raping another woman in March 2013. He faces five charges, including rape, and a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.

More than 70 women, mostly young actresses and others in the movie business, have accused him of sexual assaults dating back decades. Weinstein, who pleaded not guilty after his arrest, denies all the accusations, saying any sexual encounters were consensual.Helen Steele, one of Ireland's best-known designers, has launched her much-anticipated debut collection with Dunnes Stores - and like all of her work, it's accompanied by a powerful message.

Steele, who lives in Emyvale, Co Monaghan, prides herself on her thoughtfulness in her line and the paint splattered pieces which encapsulates her designs are a reflection of an artist at work. But her new activewear range is a marked departure from the red carpet dresses she is synonymous with, incorporating her trademark patterns into an athleisure range which is focused on inclusivity, influenced by colour theory and the freedom of graffiti art, incorporating

This 21-piece collection isn't just stocked up to a certain size (Dunnes already holds up to a size 18), but more impressively, it's designed with more than one body shape in mind, an accomplishment that even the most forward-thinking of multi-nationals can't yet say they've achieved.

Body positivity and inclusivity was one of the most talked about topics in fashion last year and in 2019, designers are putting their money where they mouth is, but Steele has been spearheading this movement since long before it became trendy. In fact, her 17-year-old daughter Halle, who also happens to be her muse, is the star of her campaign and she shines confidently in a crop top and leggings.

"I am inspired by the women of Ireland of all ages, who get out and walk or run on the paths, streets, beaches and forests of Ireland, come hail, rain, sleet or snow. These women are all shapes, ages and sizes, and they want to feel and look good," she said. "I created colour theory based prints for this collection, to visually stimulate and balance the mind. This was combined with the technical knowledge of the sportswear design team in Dunnes Stores, to bring to every body shape a new dimension to their workout, run or walk, or just to hang out in, feel good in, or chill out in."

While the fashion industry as a whole has been made to suppress women and question their bodies, Steele is part of a generation who want to circumvent this repression and reverse the trauma of shopping - and what better way, than by launching an activewear range in January, the month of self-improvement?

With celebrity fans including Saoirse Ronan, Amy Huberman and Ali Hewson she already has the star power behind her and now the wider market will finally get a chance to hold on to a piece of her - and it couldn't have come sooner.The DUP is now describing the Brexit backstop as poison, as though its existence is preventing them from reaching some kind of nirvana with other Brexiteers in a brave new world. They would do well to learn a few lessons from history.

One of the watershed events in the North, apart from Brexit and the conflict from 1970-1998, was the Siege of Derry. In 1689-90, a smaller force of Protestant defenders (Episcopalian, Presbyterian, non-conformist) held out for six months against a greater Irish Catholic force loyal to King James and by the slimmest of margins and the luckiest of circumstances, managed to break the boom on Lough Foyle, allowing relief ships to come to their rescue. This courageous defence secured Ulster for King William and ensured Protestant domination there for 300 years.

But not everything was rosy thereafter in Ulster's garden. For all their allegiance to King William, the Presbyterians in particular were to be sadly disappointed in thinking their loyalty to the King would count in their favour.

Firstly, English landowners killed the flourishing Irish cattle trade by procuring laws from Parliament prohibiting the importation of Irish cattle, sheep, pigs, pork, bacon and even butter and cheese. The Navigation Act was passed under which Irish ships were prevented from any share of trade with the colonies and was thus annihilated.

With the Irish cattle trade killed by the jealousy of the English, the Presbyterians and other Unionist landowners turned to sheep to produce wool of excellent quality. But English wool magnates moved swiftly to ruthlessly kill the competition. In 1699, the British Parliament enacted a law of such crushing severity that the export of Irish wool was prohibited to any country in the world. The Irish were told to switch to linen instead.

They fared better at this enterprise but already many Presbyterians, disillusioned by their treatment and the savage suppression of their agricultural and industrial success began to emigrate to the new colonies of America in large numbers.

Their descendants became US presidents such as Andrew Jackson, James Polk and James Buchanan. The heroic frontiersmen Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett were of Ulster Protestant stock. Among the most fanatical and ferocious fighters in the American War of Independence were the seed and breed of Ulster Protestant emigrants.

There is ample historical evidence to adduce that the Ulster Protestants, apart from those defending Derry in the siege, were treated humanely and fairly by their Catholic neighbours. Until the siege ended, Catholics held the overwhelming power in Ulster.

The lessons are salutary. Irishmen of every stripe, Protestant, Catholic, Presbyterian and Dissenter, should be under no illusion as to their dispensability if it comes to a choice between them and Britain.

Maurice O'Callaghan

Stillorgan, Co Dublin

Forever grateful for the children's 'midnight' Mass

It was Christmas Eve, Midnight Mass was being said at 6.30 in the evening because 20 or 30 young children were participating in the ceremony.

They were aged from five to 12 and were dressed in various hand-me-downs to resemble the Three Wise Men and a host of angels - put simply, it was something that had to be seen.

The priest who performed the ceremony was an old timer, and a true wordsmith! It was a Mass I will never forget; it had beauty, innocence, and a true feeling of God being present.

No, I am not a devout Catholic, but I made the effort to attend this gathering, and I will be forever grateful.

New Year's resolution? Well, it's more of a wish really: For children to rule the world. And 'hate' to be removed from everyone's vocabulary.

Fred Molloy

Clonsilla, Dublin 15

Exporting beef doesn't make us self-sufficient

THE Taoiseach says nobody will go hungry as we export food. This does not mean we are self-sufficient.

We export beef but we import nearly all of our flour. We do not grow enough millable wheat and we now have no commercial mills. The mills all closed when we joined the EU (EEC). We import about 95pc of our flour from the UK.

William Mathers

Co Limerick

Dublin much more dirty old town than fair city

I AM a Dubliner, living/working in Germany since 2004. I'm home on a short holiday for Christmas/New Year.

My reason for writing is to express concern at the amount of litter.

I've been jogging around Dublin these past few days. It's deplorable how dirty the streets/roads are; lack of pavement sweeping; kerbside drains stuffed with leaves and dirt.

When compared to German cities Dublin leaves a lot to be desired as far as street cleaning is concerned.

Kevin Reidy

Hamburg and Templeogue, Dublin

I'd like to Remain but control immigration

I'M AN an Englishman on a week's visit to Dublin to spend some time with friends I was at college with in the 1980s.

Though I voted Remain in the 2016 referendum, I share the concerns of the pro-Brexit people in relation to the massive levels of immigration into GB.

The area of London where I grew up in the 1960s/70s was almost totally white/English back then. The schools were almost all attended by white youngsters.

Now this area is full of Asians, Africans, Eastern European, and Chinese. The white population has been reduced to a minority. I'm not racist. I don't care what colour a person is or where they came from, but there has to be a limit on the numbers allowed into the country.

As an Englishman I just want to add that I am deeply embarrassed by what's going on in Westminster.

I would have preferred if the vote in 2016 had been to remain, but the antics of the Brexiteers in recent weeks has been appalling.

I hope there is not a crash-out nor a hard Border in Ireland, though both look very likely as I write.

Ken Litton

Address with EditorWe could not be accused of undue cynicism for saying the Brexit deadline will be extended beyond March 29.

How do we know? Well, Theresa May has formally denied any such idea.

There is plenty of form to support such a conclusion. It is very clear that a slowing down of things does arguably have the virtue of maybe staving off economic calamity.

It is also, however, also worth bearing a few simple things in mind about the idea of an extension to the Brexit deadline beyond 11pm Dublin time on Friday, March 29, next. There is provision for it in the scant Article 50 procedure as set out in the 2009 EU Lisbon Treaty - but it requires the UK to specifically seek it and all 27 other EU member states to unanimously approve.

There is a further complication in that European Parliament elections are scheduled for a day of each governments' choosing between Thursday, May 23, and Sunday, May 26, this year. These elections go ahead on the assumption the UK is leaving, with its 73 MEP seats either redistributed among the other states (where Ireland gets two more), or held back for future new member states. So, any extension beyond a few weeks would require hashing out a way around that complication. Of itself, that election issue can be got over, but it drives home a simpler point: the other EU member states - and possibly also the European Parliament - would need convincing that an extension would achieve something beyond postponing the inevitable.

Another Brexit referendum in the UK would be one good reason for delay. The prospect of a still unlikely change of heart among UK MPs about ratifying the deal might appear better again, as it would offer a prompter and perhaps a better bet.

But we can put both those prospects in the old political file labelled 'Definite Maybes'. Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney unsurprisingly gave a positive reaction to the prospect of a Brexit extension - but he was also frank about these and other obstacles in the way of such a prospect.

Officially, others in the EU were not especially positive about extension for now at least. France's Europe Minister Nathalie Loiseau warned against putting too much faith in talk of extending Article 50.

"I don't work on hypotheses - the current situation is complex enough. Let's stick to where we are now," she said.

A Brussels diplomat told Agence France-Presse: "It is clear that everyone has in mind that this possibility exists." But the diplomat also cautioned that "it is a very hypothetical option".

More immediately, things focus again on another Brexit deadline. The renewed British parliament debate begins today and the vote is likely after 7pm on Tuesday.

Unless something astonishing happens, Theresa May will lose. If we can believe the received Westminster wisdom, the redoubtable Mrs May will then begin efforts to win that vote all over again.It's just one week into the new year and there have already been attempts to normalise our homeless crisis - we cannot let it happen.

Former head of the housing agency Conor Skehan appears to have a New Year's tradition - to pop up in the media and say something controversial about homelessness.

Last year on January 2, Mr Skehan claimed some families were gaming the system by declaring themselves homeless in order to jump the queue for housing.

Given Dublin City Council prioritised homeless families in their housing allocations, he said there was a clear incentive to be labelled homeless and some were cynically taking advantage of this.

As it happens, the local authority ended the practice of prioritising homeless families in May 2018.

So, did it lead to the reduction in families declaring themselves homeless that one would expect if Mr Skehan had been right?

No. In the first four months of last year, when families were prioritised, their number was recorded at 383. But, in the four months after this priority system ended, an additional 415 families presented as homeless. On Monday's 'Claire Byrne Live' programme, Mr Skehan appeared again to discuss homelessness and argue the numbers in Ireland are "normal" and on par with other EU countries.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said something similar in 2017, when he claimed Ireland had a low rate of homelessness by international standards.

However, what he conveniently neglected to mention was that Ireland's definition of homeless is one of the narrowest in the EU - excluding, to name a few categories, rough sleepers, people forced to couch surf, those living in overcrowded accommodation, women and children made homeless from domestic abuse and living in refuges and those living in direct provision.

So when Mr Skehan or Mr Varadkar cite the level of homelessness in Sweden - 34,000 - as a means of making us look good, they are not telling the full story.

For instance, included in Swedish figures are people who have three months left on a prison sentence but who have nowhere to go once released.

While Mr Skehan may want to describe homelessness as "normal", because it is a phenomenon that happens regularly here and in other countries, that categorisation is an assault on language that seeks to undermine our empathy.

Because, if something is normal then it means it is something we have come to accept, something that should not shock and something we should care very little about.

The reality is it is not normal that the number of homeless adults and children has increased by nearly 300pc since 2014. It is not normal that children are growing up in hotel rooms and being denied a safe and secure childhood.

And we will truly have lost our soul as a nation if we can ever listen to an interview - like the one given to 'Morning Ireland' recently by a homeless teenager, who said she felt after two years in emergency accommodation like she had "no life left" - and describe it as normal.

Instead of attempting to downplay the endemic nature of homelessness in Ireland, what is really needed is an acknowledgement of just how bad and how hopeless the situation currently is.

Kudos in that regard should go to the head of housing at Dublin City Council, Brendan Kenny, who has not attempted to downplay the crisis, but rather has continually highlighted the extent of the problem.

Mr Kenny has also publicly spoken of his frustration that the efforts of the local authority to address the problem are being set at naught because of the dysfunctional nature of the wider housing crisis.

Speaking in December, Mr Kenny said the council was simply unable to keep up with the numbers being made newly homeless every month and that evictions from the private sector - which account for up to 70pc of those presenting as homeless - made it impossible to make any progress.

"We're still getting about 200 families a month coming in presenting as homeless, mainly coming from the private rented sector.

"We've a private rental sector that's dysfunctional, it's just not working and that's the biggest issue for us," he said.

It is not the job of Dublin City Council to address problems in the rental sector that are leading to homeless. That is a responsibility of central Government, which has utterly failed to stem the tide of homelessness, despite a plethora of action plans and promises.

Yet the Government, instead of acknowledging this, prefers to foist all of the blame for failure at the feet of the local authorities in an attempt to insulate itself from any blame and any negative media coverage.

At the weekend, it was alleged the Taoiseach no longer has any confidence in Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy because of the inexorable increase in homeless numbers under his watch - a contention that was swiftly denied.

But, even if a new housing minister were appointed, what are the chances that he or she would make any discernible difference?

How could they, unless the underlying housing plan and policies that the Government is so wedded to also change?

Housing and homelessness is an issue that is too important to be reduced to personalities and the insertion of yet a new minister, without an honest appraisal of the Government's own plan first occurring, would just be a pointless exercise in optics.

Given January is a time when we are invited to identify failings and resolve to make changes, now is an opportune time for the government to honestly appraise its own performance - not with an eye on opinion polls or the spinning of statistics, but with the intention to truly tackle the scourge of homelessness.

At what point is the Government going to finally admit that it doesn't have all the answers? That the problem is getting worse, not better.

That the solutions it has trumpeted for years have not been working. That those on the Opposition benches may have something useful to contribute.

At what point are alternative ideas, those coming from the Opposition or those who work day and night in the sector, going to be trialled or even entertained?

At what point is a real sense of urgency going to be injected into a Government response that has, so far, been defensive, complacent and bull-headed?

Or has the Government also decided that homelessness is normal and something we just have to tolerate?Photo: Contributed A seal is shown in a handout photo from Marystown RCMP.

A Newfoundland mayor says dozens of stranded seals are causing increasing havoc in her small town, and federal fisheries officials need to step in.

Roddickton Mayor Sheila Fitzgerald says the animals have been blocking roads, driveways and doors and residents are unable to move them because it is illegal to touch marine mammals.

She says two seals were struck by cars Tuesday.

Fitzgerald says the group of about 40 seals are becoming hungry, tired and are crying out.

Town council is formally requesting that the Fisheries Department return the animals to the ocean at the edge of the frozen inlet that has trapped the animals in the area.

Fitzgerald said a few seals are usually spotted near town every year but she's never seen such a large group, and the animals' condition is disturbing for residents whose hands are tied if they want to help.

The Fisheries Department issued a statement earlier this week saying the situation was being monitored and reminding people not to touch the animals, and said an updated statement would likely be coming on Wednesday.

The province's seal harvest is highly regulated, requiring a licence and specific tools for humanely harvesting the animals.In a way I envy Declan McEvoy. And in another way I don't. He's going to try on two wheels what put us to the limit of our endurance to partially cover on four last year.

Next March he intends to ride a motorbike on, and through, the harsh depths of an unrelenting Siberian winter.

Declan from Quin in Co Clare is a self-diagnosed motorcycle adventure addict.

This time it is to attempt a 634km ride across the frozen ice of the deepest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Baikal. In the process he hopes to set a new world record for the "longest journey undertaken by motorcycle on ice".

Expand Close Lake Baikal, the deepest freshwater lake in the world / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Lake Baikal, the deepest freshwater lake in the world

You might remember my adventures last year in a Mazda CX-5 over Lake Baikal, the lake that holds about a third of the world's freshwater. Daytime temperatures dip as low as -20C (-30C at night).

The journey poses significant risks for Declan especially as he will be driving on his own (we had massive Mazda backup). The ice acts like moving tectonic plates, heaving together in some places yet moving apart in others, sometimes leaving gaps of up to three metres. I can vouch for that. Other risks involve surviving the chill factor: at 80kmh it can feel like -60C.

Declan outlines other real dangers: getting lost in whiteouts, struggling to find fuel, shelter and to cook meals on the move. The mechanical aspects of the bike present further challenges.

There is the danger of the engine seizing because of low oil temperatures. "Batteries and electronic devices become very unreliable in these frigid temperatures," he tells me.

But he has more or less been there and done that around the world.

He has already ridden another motorcycle solo from Ireland across Europe, the Stans, Mongolia and far-eastern Russia to Alaska then south through the Yukon to the US, Mexico and central America in an on-going attempt to circumnavigate the globe solo.

Is he not afraid of this latest adventure? "Yes, I'm afraid - really afraid." But, he added: "If your dreams don't scare you then maybe they're not big enough."

He is in demand as a motivational speaker and urges his audience to "feel the fear, then do it anyway".

He believes it mentally prepares you for the challenge and not having some level of it is a bad thing. "Fear is temporary, regret is forever."

He and his wife live in the small village of Quin in Co Clare.

After more than a year of research, planning for The Baikal Project is well under way.

He is currently seeking support from motorcycle manufacturers.

Discussions with Guinness are already at an advanced stage too and Declan was quick to point out that records for such feats normally state the make and model of the chosen machine.

Clothing for extreme cold has been researched and will be soon procured. Likewise, luggage must be carefully chosen and visas and flights put in place. "The logistics are huge."

Even getting a motorcycle to Slyudyanka, the small town south of Lake Baikal, and later getting it from Severobaykalsk on the north of the lake back to Ireland are "challenging to say the least".

Not to even mention the costs.

Somehow I think he'll find a way through.

We wish him the best of luck.Sophie Ellis-Bextor has denied she was hoping for a girl after having a fifth son

As she savoured the first few hours of her new son's birth, singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor took to Twitter to share her delight at the new addition to her family.

"He's here!" she tweeted. "Mickey Jones born today weighing 7lb 1oz and he's absolutely gorgeous. Welcome to our quirky little family, sweet boy. We're so glad you're here safe."

Wonderful news for Sophie, her husband Richard Jones and Mickey's four older brothers, Sonny (14), Kit (9), Ray (6) and Jesse (2). But not so wonderful, apparently, for the the trolls of Twitter.

Within minutes, social media was awash with hurtful, negative comments about how awful it must be for her to have five sons, how she must secretly have been longing for a daughter and how she would "obviously try again after this terrible disappointment".

Expand Close Sophie's husband Richard Jones with their newborn son Mickey / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Sophie's husband Richard Jones with their newborn son Mickey

It wasn't just the trolls. A tabloid newspaper suggested that she had hinted on TV at the weekend that she was hoping for a daughter,

"I did nothing of the sort. I've only ever wanted whatever babies I've been lucky enough to have," she retorted yesterday.

But there was a similar flurry of negativity when she gave birth to her fourth son and indeed the arrival of Coleen Rooney's fourth young man also resulted in a wave of comments, outraged on her behalf.

As a mum to three boys, I know exactly how Sophie is feeling.

Expand Close Writer Arlene Harris with sons Cailan, Rodhan, Arlene, Tadhg and husband Mark, can sympathise / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Writer Arlene Harris with sons Cailan, Rodhan, Arlene, Tadhg and husband Mark, can sympathise

I was on the receiving end of similar comments after my last son was born, although some people thought they were being diplomatic by adding an extra 'ah well, as long as they are healthy' footnote.

As well as having three sons, I've got two brothers, and I'm heartily sick of the negativity around boys. The age-old expression 'boys will be boys' sums it up. It implies that we shouldn't expect much from the young males of the world. Messy, grubby, loud, wild, smelly, inconsiderate - tick whatever negative description applies, and then write off the behaviour as being typical of the gender.

I find this so offensive. I wouldn't dream of implying someone behaved in a certain way because they were male - or female for that matter - yet it seems that in today's world, it's perfectly acceptable to openly belittle the future men of the world.

When did it become ok to slate mothers for having sons? And when did it become de rigueur to treat boys as being somehow inferior?

Over the years I, and other friends with boys, have experienced veiled barbs and 'humorous' quips about how 'sons are only sons until they find a wife' and other such side-splitting witticisms. People seem to think that only daughters can possibly care about their family or their parents' welfare as they get older. What does this say about the male role models in their lives?

I know many men who are extremely good to their parents, while their female siblings get on with their own lives - and vice versa.

You can't put people into boxes and say that everyone is a certain way because of gender - I should know; each of my boys is entirely different and I wouldn't expect anything of them just because they are male (except perhaps shaving and big feet).

They are sweet, kind, loving, courteous, clever and ambitious, while, at the same time, can be noisy, messy, argumentative and stroppy - not because they are boys, but because they are human.

Having grown up in the middle of two brothers, I never experienced one iota of gender inequality and never felt inferior or superior to them. This, to my mind, is how it should be. Personality is what makes a person, not their gender. I knew families who had all girls and their house was a constant hotbed of chaos, mess and noise; a trio of boys who were the most gentle creatures imaginable; and plenty of others who were somewhere in between.

Sure there were gender differences with most of the boys preferring to run around playing cowboys and Indians while the majority of the girls opted for prams and tea-sets.

Back then, as it is now, the girls were encouraged to get their hands dirty and get involved in all of the stuff the boys liked - and so it should be - but woe betide any boy who wanted to get involved in anything which was perceived as 'girly', and that is also wrong.

We are supposed to be championing equality and I couldn't be more in favour of equal pay, equal rights and an equal voice for everyone, but it goes both ways.

Females have had the short straw for a long time and it has taken a lot of effort to reach a stage where we are on a par in most areas, but there is still much work to be done.

However, while this progress is very welcome, we shouldn't get to the stage where we are elevating females at the expense of males or letting either gender believe they are better than the other. Equality should mean exactly that: we're equal.

So in an age where being male is sometimes seen as something to apologise for, it's time to stop with the girls like 'sugar and spice and all things nice', while boys would rather a dollop of 'slugs and snails and puppy dogs' tails'.

There are countless boys and men who are kind, loving and thoughtful. And similarly, there are plenty of little girls and women who are the opposite.

People should be celebrated for who they are rather than what they are. And pitying celebrities for having a five-a-side of sons is wrong, as is the tired stereotype that all boys are an exhausting handful.

Lumping all men in with the minority of #MeToo sleazebags is also not very productive - not only is it damaging the good males in our lives, but also the young girls who will grow up with a warped idea of the opposite gender. Not everyone is a predator.

As a New Year dawns, it would be nice to think we could see every child as a blessing, and maybe think twice before posting negative and pointless remarks online.

I know from experience that having a gang of boys in your life is a wonderful thing. So to Sophie Ellis Bextor and family, enjoy your gorgeous new addition.The first female president of Ethiopia has paid tribute to Ireland for leading the way for women holding high office.

Newly-appointed President Sahle-Work Zewde met with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on the first day of his visit to Ethiopia - the first official visit by a Taoiseach to the country despite 25 years of diplomatic links between the countries.

Speaking to the Irish media following the meeting, President Sahle-Work congratulated Ireland on leading the way on female presidents.

"Congratulations on having shown the way for having women presidents. Im humbled with the opportunity I have here and I hope we will [encourage] other countries to follow so you have a good example that women can do their jobs, Im trying to do that as well."

Enjoyed meeting President of #Ethiopia earlier. Her office was once that of Emperor Haile Selassie pic.twitter.com/vMztXZOJQT  Leo Varadkar (@campaignforleo) January 9, 2019

The leader - who is the only female president currently of all 55 African countries - said she would like to visit Ireland one day.

Gender equality remains a series concern for Ethiopia with education rates, the birth rate among teenagers and unemployment against women all ranking poorly compared to international standards and with their male counterparts.

Gender-based violence also remains an issue with domestic violence and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) rates high in the country overall despite improvements and significant regional differences. As such the fact that a woman now holds the role of president is seen as especially significant.

The links between Ireland and Ethiopia are the focus of the visit - Ethiopia is afforded the largest share of Irish aid spend and several Irish NGOs also have strong roots in the country which still faces economic challenges, poverty and poor health indicators

However, the country is seen to be ushering in an era of reform since the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was appointed last April.

President Sahle-Work said she hopes Ireland will play a role in the ongoing development of the country.

"We have had a long-lasting relationship that has been growing and we hope that Ireland will be the country to continue supporting the all round transformation this country is going through. We rely on our long lasting partners and Ireland is one of them," she said.

Earlier, the Taoiseach met with the Prime Minister at his office in the sprawling capital of Addis Ababa.

The newly installed Prime Minister has been credited with ushering in significant political reforms in the country since he became prime minister in April 2018, succeeding Hailemariam Desagln who stepped down amid significant civil unrest.

Prime Minister Abiy has moved to settle relation with Eritrea following years of poor relations in the wake of a war between the two countries. The border between the two countries is being opened and the PM also ended a state of emergency in the county earlier than planned.

He has pledged significant political and economic reforms for the country and has appointed a gender-balanced Cabinet.

His significant reforms which include free and fair elections in 2020 and sweeping anti-corruption measures have seen him build support among the youth of the country and there is significant expectation among citizens about his promised changes.

Due to his youth and his approach to change the Prime Minister has been likened to an African Macron, likening him to the French president Emmanuel Macron.

Speaking at the presidential palace, Mr Varadkar said he had received a warm reception from the Prime Minister and the president.

The visit was an opportunity to talk about how Ireland, Ethiopia and Europe may work together on issues such as economic and national development and security he said.

"We really want to build a strong partnership with Ethiopia," he told local reporters.

Ireland's bid for the UN Security Council had been expected to feature in the bilateral meetings during the Taoiseach's visit to Africa.

Speaking in Mali this week he said he is confident of Ireland's chances despite the competition and today he indicated the representations made to the Ethiopian PM were well received.

Mr Varadkar also attended the launch of the Ethio-Ireland alumni network and said he believed Ireland and Europe needed to expand educational links with Ethiopia.

He said: "The present generation of leaders in Africa, there is a good chance that they were educated in Europe and America. There is a possibility that the next generation of African leaders will have been educated in Beijing or Shanghai.

"And that is a geopolitical strategic risk for Europe and the West which is one of the reason we need to increase our educational opportunity.

"About 100 Ethiopians have been educated in Irish universities. We launched today the Ethiopia-Irish Alumni Association. We want to expand that.

"I think in Europe we need to think about all that. We have so much in common with Africa, so many challenges, so many shared opportunities. If we in Ireland and in Europe do not get more involved in this region and invest in this region, we risk opening a space for other countries to enter, be it China or Saudi Arabia or Russia.

"We need to make sure we are here and we are crowding in."

He also mdiscussed the cultural outreach that has been spearheaded at home in a bid to spread Irelands cultural offerings around the world, including the appointment of actress Ruth Negga who has Ethiopian links.

Mr Varadkar paid tribute to the role Ireland has played through diplomacy and aid over the past 25 years in Ethopia and was given some unique insight to that role when he greeted by Foreign Affairs State Minister Markos Tekle who was educated in an Irish Aid secondary school.Andrea Whyte from Athlone community college west Meath with exhibit Knock knock who is there? during The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition at the RDS, Dublin Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins

Stephanie French with exhibit something to chew on during The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition at the RDS, Dublin Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins

Students Byron McGuirk & Luke Kelly from Portlaoise College Laois with exhibit Does Heading the ball in football affect your memory & reaction speed during The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition at the RDS, Dublin Photo: Gareth Chaney Collins

SOME of the best scientific minds in the country have managed to create a system for hearing impaired people to know theres a fire in their house among hundreds of projects on show at the RDS.

Kishoge Community College pair, Liyana Muhammed and Jordan Aherns project was one of 550 projects in total for the annual BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.

Their system  which involves the use of a vibrating watch  came about after Liyana (16) had previously gone to school next to a deaf village in Cabra.

Two separate smoke detectors go through a low-power computer in the ceiling of the home.

That has radio, so if they detect smoke, that will send a signal to the watch that the hearing impaired person will wear, Jordan said.

They can find out what room its in and get out as quick as possible to keep themselves safe, he added.

In his speech to open the ceremony, President Michael D Higgins praised the high number of projects on show that dealt with global warming, climate change and pollution.

More than 80 of the 500 looked at this issue, including the Food for Fuels: Air Pollution project by three students from Colaiste Iognaid SJ in Galway City.

Such was their appetite to make their work a success, they even went out on Christmas Day to measure the air pollution in the area.

Among their findings by Eoin OMaille, Maddie Mitchell and Roisin McGrath was that wood added to coal fires significantly increased pollution.

They said such was the pollution coming from open fires on Christmas Day that it gazumped pollution levels in Beijing.

In his speech, President Higgins also pointed out the need for more women in science, highlighting that more girls than boys entered into the BT Young Scientist for the 12th year in succession.THE family of a "lovely" young woman who died in a freak accident on a Christmas night out have said they are overwhelmed by the response to a fundraiser to help cover her funeral costs.

Megan O'Connor (18), from Glenshane in Tallaght in Dublin, was enjoying a night out with friends in Crumlin when she slipped in the early hours of December 23.

The popular teenager had been carrying a glass vodka bottle in her waistband and it's understood that when she fell on the Sundrive Road that the glass shattered and caused a fatal cut to an artery.

Her cousin Ashley Byrne told Independent.ie that he is still trying to come to terms with what happened.

Ashley (31) said: "I still can't understand it, I remember I woke up on December 23 and saw posts on Facebook that people had shared about Megan.

"I called family and they explained what had happened overnight, it was just a nightmare, I'm trying to get my head around it but it is hard for everyone.

"It's very early days and it's hard to accept what happened to Megan, she was a lovely girl and had her whole life ahead of her."

Dozens of family members and friends paid their respects to Megan at her funeral at the Church of St Thomas in Jobstown, Tallaght last week.

Ashley said that he decided to try to help alleviate some of the financial pressure for Megan's devoted mother Tina by setting up an online fundraiser to cover the funeral expenses.

"Funerals cost thousands these days so I wanted to help with that, I thought even people could only give 2 or 3 it would all add up but so far it's raised around 2,500 so far, which I really wasn't expecting.

"As you see the donations coming in it really is overwhelming and shows the goodwill of people.

"Irish people have always been known for coming together so I shouldn't be surprised by how kind everyone has been."

He added that he would like to warn people about what happened to Megan.

"She was such a lovely girl, very active, she always liked a bit of banter and was popular.

"She was carrying a glass bottle on a night out and that's such an innocent thing to do and I think most of us have done it at some point but unfortunately if you fall it can be fatal.

"I just want people to think twice before considering carrying glass in their waistband or pocket."Screaming: Elizabeth Piotrowska, who was described as highly respected in the Ardee community, was found by her neighbour at around 11am yesterday

A 32-year-old man remains in custody after his mother was murdered with an axe.

Elzbieta (Elizabeth) Piotrowska (57), a married mother-of-two originally from Poland, suffered horrific injuries after a violent assault.

It is believed she sustained heavy blood loss, and died at her home in the Clonmore Estate in Ardee, Co Louth, at around 11am yesterday.

A neighbour of Ms Piotrowska alerted gardai to the horrific scene after she arrived at the house and found the inside of the property covered in blood.

Ms Piotrowska was attacked with an axe in the hallway of her home. It is understood an axe was recovered in the house where she was murdered and was being forensically examined last night.

Ms Piotrowska's son Tomasz Piotrowski (32) was arrested around 90 minutes after the murder in the centre of Ardee after gardai searched two separate properties in the town.

Expand Close Gardai at Bridge Street. Photo: Seamus Farrelly / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Gardai at Bridge Street. Photo: Seamus Farrelly

Ms Piotrowska had been living with her husband in Ardee for the last seven years, and the couple were "highly respected" in the local community.

An armed Garda manhunt was launched and the suspect was arrested outside a pub in the Bridge Street area of Ardee at around 1pm.

He was being questioned last night in Drogheda garda station.

Gardai are not looking for anyone else in relation to the investigation.

A neighbour who was calling to Ms Piotrowska made the shocking discovery in the hallway of the house in the Clonmore Estate just off the Dunleer Road at around 11am. She immediately raised the alarm and gardai were called.

Locals described hearing the woman who found the body screaming in the street.

"I heard a woman screaming and someone ran down to me, and told me there was a woman hurt. I called the Garda," she said.

Gardai began a manhunt in the town, and within a short space of time three other crime scenes were established.

One was at a house on Bridge Street in the town where Ms Piotrowska's son Tomasz was arrested as shocked locals looked on, not knowing of the events which had unfolded in the Clonmore Estate.

Gardai swooped on the house on the banks of the River Dee in several vehicles and arrested the 32-year-old.

Searches were also carried out by gardai at a house in the Cherrybrook estate, around 2km from Clonmore, and at a site in the townland of Mandistown, Drumconrath, around 8km from the scene of the crime.

"Gardai responded to a call about a serious incident at the Clonmore Estate in Ardee. When we got there we found a female very seriously injured who was later pronounced dead at the scene," said Supt Des McTiernan at a press conference at Ardee garda station.

"That scene is preserved at this time. We have our technical bureau endeavouring to establish the facts as they happened.

"We have our State pathologist on the way and we have all the structures and investigative enquiries that we need to be initiated done at this moment in time.

"We have, so far, one person arrested. We are not looking for anybody else.

"There are a number of other people assisting with our investigation."

He stressed that there was a definite line of enquiry.

"I'm happy that it is contained at this moment in time. I don't anticipate that it is going to go anywhere else.

"We have the person that we believe was involved in the incident arrested and detained at Drogheda garda station," said Supt McTiernan.

The body has been removed to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda where a post mortem is scheduled to be commenced this morning by Dr Michael Curtis.

Ms Piotrowska was described by locals as a nice, pleasant woman.

She lived at the house with her husband.

They are the parents of a son and daughter. The son lives in Ireland but the daughter lives in Poland where Ms Piotrowska was from.

In her last social media post on Facebook last Friday, Ms Piotrowska is seen posing snuggled up to her little dog.

Flowers were brought to the scene last night by Richard Lynch, the landlord of the house in the Clonmore estate where Ms Piotrowska lived.

"We advertised the house seven years ago and they came on board.

"They seemed very, very genuine and down to earth people. We had no problem with them. You couldn't get better," he said.

"We were very shocked, I think it was more the gruesome way her life ended, that is the biggest shock.

"I think if it was a massive heart attack (she had died from) it was a huge shock, but the way it happened is unbelievable, you can't get over it.

"It was absolutely shocking, it doesn't bear thinking about. It is an awful tragedy," he said.

Parish priest Fr Brian Slater said most of his parishioners were shocked by the events.

He led prayers for Ms Piotrowska and her family at a prayer group meeting last night.

"A lot of people are in shock. They can't believe this is happening in their town, in sleepy wee Ardee," he said.

"They are looking for answers.

"All we can do at this time is pray for the deceased and the wider community.

"It is the worst beginning for a new year for the townsfolk," he added.

Gardai wish to renew their appeal for witnesses or to anyone who can assist with this investigation to contact Drogheda Garda Station on 041 9874200, The Garda Confidential Telephone Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.Gardai at the house in Ardee, Co Louth. Photo: Collins Dublin.

"Who would do such a thing?"

This was the most common question being asked around the small Co Louth town of Ardee yesterday.

The town was reeling as details surrounding the death of local woman Elzbieta (Elizabeth) Piotrowska (57) emerged.

Facts started to filter through as darkness fell on Ardee.

Ms Piotrowska had lived in the town for around 10 years with her husband.

They had a son and a daughter. Efforts were being made yesterday to contact her daughter, and tell her the shocking news.

Flowers were brought to the scene last night by Richard Lynch, the landlord of the house in the Clonmore estate where Ms Piotrowska lived.

"We advertised the house seven years ago and they came on board.

"They seemed very, very genuine and down to earth people. We had no problem with them. You couldn't get better," he said.

"We were very shocked, I think it was more the gruesome way her life ended, that is the biggest shock.

Tragedy

"I think if it was a massive heart attack (she had died from) it was a huge shock, but the way it happened is unbelievable, you can't get over it.

"It was absolutely shocking, it doesn't bear thinking about. It is an awful tragedy," he said.

The estate is on the outskirts of the busy town and is a quiet residential area.

Parish priest Fr Brian Slater said most of his parishioners were shocked by the events.

He led prayers for Ms Piotrowska and her family at a prayer group meeting last night.

"A lot of people are in shock. They can't believe this is happening in their town, in sleepy wee Ardee," he said.

"They are looking for answers.

"All we can do at this time is pray for the deceased and the wider community.

"It is the worst beginning for a new year for the townsfolk," he added.Photo: The Canadian Press

A recall campaign is building against B.C. legislature Speaker Darryl Plecas.

Robin Roy created the Facebook page "BCrecall2018" in Plecas's Abbotsford South riding and plans to launch an official recall campaign later this month, CTV News reports.

The move stems from the Liberal MLA's decision to take the Speaker's job, thus strengthening the NDP's minority government.

"It disgusted me that it was done very (sneakily), very backhanded," Roy told CTV. "It was not out in the open. It was not asking his constituents 'Would you like me to bolster the other side?'"

B.C.'s recall process allows voters to petition to remove an MLA from office if they can collect signatures from at least 40 per cent of eligible voters in that riding in 60 days.

Organizers are also unhappy with Plecas's role in the recent suspensions of the legislature's sergeant-at-arms and house clerk.

Roy says more than 300 volunteers are ready to mobilize.

 with files from CTV VancouverA major review of protected disclosures made by serving and former gardai has been ordered by Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan.

The Irish Independent understands around 17 disclosures have been referred to a panel of barristers for independent assessment and advice on how they should be dealt with.

The disclosures are among 24 from current and former gardai received by Mr Flanagan and his predecessors Frances Fitzgerald and Alan Shatter since 2014.

Those being assessed are understood to include disclosures made by Nicky Keogh and Keith Harrison, two gardai previously stationed in Athlone.

Both made allegations of Garda corruption in the midlands and of suffering reprisals after raising concerns.

Their allegations are to be assessed by the panel even though they are expected to be probed later this year by the Disclosures Tribunal.

In a statement confirming the exercise, the Department of Justice said it had been ordered "to ensure consistency and independence in the assessment of the content of protected disclosures".

It said the decision was taken following consultation with the Attorney General and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

"The minister is anxious to ensure that there are no unnecessary delays in carrying out the assessment and following through on any recommended actions," the statement said.

No timeframe has been specified for the completion of the assessments.

A source familiar with the matter said the assessments would not amount to an investigation of the claims, but would result in advice being given to the minister on what course of action to take.

Depending on the case, the options could range from taking no further action to seeking a report from the Garda Commissioner, referring the disclosure to the Garda Ombudsman, or establishing a commission or a tribunal.

Allegations made by Gda Keogh and Gda Harrison came into the public domain in 2014 when they were aired by a number of TDs in the Dail.

Independents4Change TD Clare Daly said Gda Keogh had made "factual, detailed and indisputable allegations of Garda involvement in serious criminal activity involving the heroin trade and entrapment, setting people up in terms of drug dealing".

Alleged

She alleged he had been subjected to harassment by senior gardai who had unsuccessfully sought to manufacture complaints against him.

Sinn Fein TD Pearse Doherty told the Dail Gda Harrison had suspicions about a garda who may have been allowing the sale and supply of drugs within the Athlone district.

The TD said Gda Harrison claimed that when he raised concerns with superiors, they fell on deaf ears.

Garda Harrison also alleges there was a campaign of intimidation against him after he arrested a garda colleague for drink driving.

Last year the Disclosures Tribunal dismissed allegations made by Gda Harrison and his partner that gardai coerced her to make a false complaint against him, and directed Tusla to visit their family home.TAOISEACH Leo Varadkar has said he expects to talk with former president Mary Robinson about her controversial trip to Dubai.

Ms Robinson has been subject to criticism since her meeting with Princess Latifa last month who had made a reported attempt to escape the Emirate.

Photographs were issued by the authorities in Dubai showing the pair having lunch together.

Mr Varadkar declined to comment on the visit saying: I just dont know enough about it and I havent had a chance to speak to Mary Robinson in a few weeks."

He added: We are in touch and I imagine we will have a chance to talk about it in the future.

Prior to Ms Robinsons visit Latifa, the daughter of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum had not been seen in public since reports she had been recaptured near the Indian coastline after her apparent escape attempt last March.

Ms Robinson had been invited to Dubai by Latifa's stepmother, Princess Haya bint Hussein.

The former President told the BBC that Latifa is a troubled young woman who is in the loving care of her family.

The nature of the visit has been criticised by advocacy groups Human Rights Watch and Detained in Dubai.

Ms Robinson has insisted that she travelled to Dubai to meet Latifa "in good faith" and has written a report of her visit for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Earlier this week she ignored questions about the Dubai visit as she she attended the 'Global Ireland 2025 Conference: Making it Happen' at Dublin Castle.

Despite posing for photographs upon her arrival at the Castle, Ms Robinson did not acknowledge a question asking for comment on her trip to Dubai as she made her way into the conference hall.A young nurse who has been working for the past three years in the Mater Hospital has said she wants to get out of the profession due to the poor pay.

Catherine O'Connor, who is three years qualified as a general nurse, said that she has gone back to college to change her career.

"I'm working part time at the moment and doing a full-time course to retrain to get out of nursing," the Dubliner said.

"I'm interested in going to psychology. I was trying to think what are the parts of nursing that I like the most.

"It's talking to the patients. You don't get the time to do that any more these days. There are far too many patients for one nurse to look after in a safe manner.

"Pay is a factor because it's at the centre of the poor conditions that we're experiencing at the moment.

"I think if we had better pay for nurses that there would be more nurses on the wards, which would increase the quality of the conditions at the moment, which would then lead to a kind of snowball effect."

Ms O'Connor was speaking as it was revealed that nurses who are set to strike on six dates for pay rises from the end of this month are already in line for pay rises worth up to 2,000 over the next two years, according to the HSE.

Read More

But some nurses would benefit by up to 8,700 if they accepted other deals that are on offer, a Government department has revealed.

The HSE said the average staff nurse's earnings were now approximately 53,000 including overtime and allowances. This will rise by around 2,000 to 55,000 by 2020 under the current public sector pay deal, according to a spokesperson.

However, when other agreements on offer are taken into account, the figures are much higher for some nurses according to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Ms O'Connor accepted the sanctions facing nurses if they go on strike - including a pay freeze and delay in wage increases already due - will hit them financially.

"It's obviously not something nurses want to do. It's something that we've been brought to," she said.

"We've thought about it very carefully. We've had numerous talks about it within the INMO ourselves. Obviously there was a very powerful ballot result of 95pc of nurses thinking this way. So it's not just a vocal minority in this case."

She said nurses were paid on average about 7,000 less than every other allied healthcare professional.

"We've the same types of degrees and we work more unsociable hours but we're getting paid less. So we're looking for parity of pay."

Hospital patients face the threat of disruption from January 30 as more than 40,000 nurses are set to go on strike.

The INMO announced a series of stoppages yesterday unless the Government agrees to pay rises and claims that low wages are causing a recruitment crisis.

Its members plan to strike on January 30 for 24 hours and, if the dispute is unresolved, on further dates on February 5, 7, 12, 13 and 14.

The nurses and midwives will provide only life-saving care and emergency response teams during the stoppages.

The Psychiatric Nurses Association, representing another 6,000 nurses, will announce strike dates tomorrow.

However, there was a significant development yesterday as Health Minister Simon Harris issued a statement to invite the INMO to talks next week.

Graduate nurses claimed they are being offered higher wages in the UK and general secretary of the union Phil Ni Sheaghdha said the number of UK employers recruiting nurses would escalate after Brexit.

"The time for goodwill is over," she said.

However, the Government was warned it faces knock-on claims from other public servants if nurses get extra pay.

Paul Bell, of Siptu, said that other workers would "not ignore the fact" if the Government made pay awards outside the terms of the current Public Service Stability Agreement.

Nurses face serious repercussions if they go on strike including delayed pay rises, an increment freeze and loss of a deal worth 3,300 to recruits.Nurses who are set to strike on six dates for pay rises from the end of this month are already in line for pay rises worth up to 2,000 over the next two years, according to the HSE.

But some nurses would benefit by up to 8,700 if they accepted other deals that are on offer, a Government department has revealed.

The HSE said the average staff nurse's earnings were now approximately 53,000 including overtime and allowances. This will rise by around 2,000 to 55,000 by 2020 under the current public sector pay deal, according to a spokesperson.

However, when other agreements on offer are taken into account, the figures are much higher for some nurses according to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

A spokesperson told the Irish Independent that a new-entrant nurse, with six years' experience, at the current midpoint of the staff nurse scale of 36,383 will benefit by an additional 8,700 approximately by the end of 2020.

As well as pay rises due under the existing deal, this figure includes increments, an additional package worth 3,000 for 10,000 nurse and midwives employed since 2011, a proposed 20pc increase in certain allowances and faster progression to senior grades.

Figures supplied by the HSE show that basic pay for staff nurses at the top end of the pay scale - excluding allowances or other payments - will rise by 1,730 under the current pay deal.

Basic pay for a staff nurse at the top of the pay scale will increase from 45,701 to 47,431 by 2020.

The highest grade of clinical nurse manager's basic pay will rise from 63,747 to 66,160.

At the lower end of the scale, a graduate's starting pay will rise from 29,346 to 30,609 a year by October 2020.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation wants further increases to bring its members' pay on a par with staff like respiratory technicians - whose basic pay is more than 7,000 higher at the top of the pay scale.

Hospital patients face the threat of disruption from January 30 as more than 40,000 nurses are set to go on strike.

The INMO announced a series of stoppages yesterday unless the Government agrees to pay rises and claims that low wages are causing a recruitment crisis.

Its members plan to strike on January 30 for 24 hours and, if the dispute is unresolved, on further dates on February 5, 7, 12, 13 and 14.

The nurses and midwives will provide only life-saving care and emergency response teams during the stoppages.

The Psychiatric Nurses Association, representing another 6,000 nurses, will announce strike dates tomorrow.

However, there was a significant development yesterday as Health Minister Simon Harris issued a statement to invite the INMO to talks next week.

Graduate nurses claimed they are being offered higher wages in the UK and general secretary of the union Phil Ni Sheaghdha said the number of UK employers recruiting nurses would escalate after Brexit.

"The time for goodwill is over," she said.

However, the Government was warned it faces knock-on claims from other public servants if nurses get extra pay.

Paul Bell, of Siptu, said that other workers would "not ignore the fact" if the Government made pay awards outside the terms of the current Public Service Stability Agreement.

Nurses face serious repercussions if they go on strike including delayed pay rises, an increment freeze and loss of a deal worth 3,300 to recruits.Authorities have tried to reassure patients at Our Lady's Hospital in Navan they were not put at risk despite a damning report revealing the discovery of rodents that posed "a grave danger to health" in the men's ward.

Officers from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) were forced to close the ward's kitchen after evidence of an problem, including fresh droppings and a dead rodent, were found at the facility.

Yesterday the FSAI released a copy of the document it sent to the hospital last month, detailing its concerns.

"The presence of rodents in the male medical ward kitchen poses or is likely to pose a grave and immediate danger to public health," it said.

It wasn't the first time evidence of rodents has closed a food area of the hospital.

In 2015, a privately owned coffee shop there was temporarily shut by inspectors after a live rat dropped from a height onto the floor and six dead rodents were found in a trap.

A statement from the HSE said funding has been made available to the hospital by HSE Estates to complete drainage works and other proofing works on the campus.

"On Saturday, December 8, staff in Our Lady's Hospital Navan discovered small-rodent activity in the outside corridor pantry of the male in-patient's ward," it said.

"The hospital has a robust environmental safety protocol which ensures that all staff were fully briefed, and no patients were placed at risk.

"The hospital is working closely with its contracted pest control company to insure proactive management of the site."

The closure order was just one of 109 issued by the FSAI in 2018.

The officers' mess at Air Corps Headquarters, in Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnell, Co Dublin, was also closed last month owing to rodents.

Inspectors wrote to the General Officer Commanding about a failure to have adequate procedures in place to control pests.

The report detailed a "large number" of access points for rodents to enter the building, including an unsealed six-inch sewer pipe and holes in the external walls.

"The Officers' Mess kitchen at Casement Aerodrome was temporarily closed by the HSE but has since been re-opened," a statement from the Defence Forces said. "All recommendations have been implemented and the kitchen has reopened on approval from the HSE."

Commenting on 2018's figures Pamela Byrne, chief executive, of the FSAI, said an increase in enforcement orders for food safety - there were 58pc more than 2017 -was unacceptable.

"There are absolutely no excuses for negligent food practices," she said.

"The types of reasons cited for enforcement orders are simple errors that should not be happening in any food business."More than two in three private schools have increased their fees this year as growing numbers of parents show a willingness to pay for advantages that money can buy.

Higher fees are driven by rising demand, with enrolments standing at about 25,500.

Economic recovery has made private education affordable for more families, while the sector is also enrolling more foreign students, partly because of Brexit.

For parents, the benefits may include smaller classes, better facilities and social networking, and while cost is not an issue for many, others make sacrifices to fund it.

While the Government covers the cost of teacher salaries, running to about 90m a year, it doesn't foot the bill for building or day-to-day costs.

There are regular calls for an end to the teacher salary subsidy, but the counter argument is that teachers would have to be paid anyway. Recent figures from the Department of Education suggest bringing private schools into the "free education" scheme would cost the State about 24m.

The situation varies between schools, but the general bounce being enjoyed in the private sector is seen in day pupil fee rises of up to 400-a-year. Some 34 of the 51 day schools raised their charges this year - in most cases by between 100-200.

Private School Pupil Numbers/Fees

Alexandra College, Dublin 6 Pupils 2015/16: 530 Pupils 2016/17: 565 Pupils 2017/18: 548 DAY FEES:  7386 Change:  145

Bandon Grammar School, Co Cork Pupils 2015/16: 660 Pupils 2016/17: 675 Pupils 2017/18: 673 DAY FEES:  3365 Change:  150

Belvedere College S.J, Dublin 1 Pupils 2015/16: 1011 Pupils 2016/17: 1008 Pupils 2017/18: 1004 DAY FEES:  6000 Change:  310

Blackrock College, Blackrock Pupils 2015/16: 1014 Pupils 2016/17: 1021 Pupils 2017/18: 1018 DAY FEES:  7100 Change:  200

Castleknock College, Dublin 15 Pupils 2015/16: 644 Pupils 2016/17: 643 Pupils 2017/18: 666 DAY FEES:  6253 Change:  223

Catholic University School, Dublin 2 Pupils 2015/16: 469 Pupils 2016/17: 503 Pupils 2017/18: 525 DAY FEES:  5400 Change:  200

Christian Brothers College, Monkstown, Co Dublin Pupils 2015/16: 450 Pupils 2016/17: 472 Pupils 2017/18: 506 DAY FEES:  4630 Change:  250

Christian Brothers College, Co Cork Pupils 2015/16: 903 Pupils 2016/17: 914 Pupils 2017/18: 903 DAY FEES:  4150 Change:  100

Cistercian College, Co Tipperary Pupils 2015/16: 173 Pupils 2016/17: 172 Pupils 2017/18: 185 DAY FEES:  5500 Change:  0

Clongowes Wood College, Co Kildare Pupils 2015/16: 434 Pupils 2016/17: 445 Pupils 2017/18: 433 DAY FEES: Boarding only Change:  0

Drogheda Grammar School Pupils 2015/16: 303 Pupils 2016/17: 320 Pupils 2017/18: 351 DAY FEES:  3780 Change:  90

Dundalk Grammar School Pupils 2015/16: 560 Pupils 2016/17: 573 Pupils 2017/18: 567 DAY FEES:  3528 Change:  69

Glenstal Abbey School, Co Limerick Pupils 2015/16: 246 Pupils 2016/17: 254 Pupils 2017/18: 249 DAY BORDER:  11550 Change:  0

Gonzaga College, Ranelagh Pupils 2015/16: 552 Pupils 2016/17: 550 Pupils 2017/18: 552 DAY FEES:  6290 Change:  165

Holy Child Secondary School, Killiney Pupils 2015/16: 368 Pupils 2016/17: 347 Pupils 2017/18: 341 DAY FEES:  6100 Change:  150

John Scottus Secondary School, Rathmichael Pupils 2015/16: 125 Pupils 2016/17: 127 Pupils 2017/18: 120 DAY FEES:  5550 Change:  0

Loreto Abbey Secondary School, Co Dublin Pupils 2015/16: 627 Pupils 2016/17: 622 Pupils 2017/18: 639 DAY FEES:  4170 Change:  120

Loreto College, St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2 Pupils 2015/16: 573 Pupils 2016/17: 576 Pupils 2017/18: 563 DAY FEES:  4400 Change:  180

Loreto College Foxrock, Dublin 18 Pupils 2015/16: 561 Pupils 2016/17: 552 Pupils 2017/18: 525 DAY FEES:  4225 Change:  150

Loreto High School , Beaufort, Dublin 14 Pupils 2015/16: 637 Pupils 2016/17: 628 Pupils 2017/18: 652 DAY FEES:  4080 Change:  180

Midleton College, Co Cork Pupils 2015/16: 417 Pupils 2016/17: 409 Pupils 2017/18: 419 DAY FEES:  4800 Change:  0

Monaghan Collegiate School Pupils 2015/16: 256 Pupils 2016/17: 266 Pupils 2017/18: 281 DAY FEES:  3070 Change:  0

Mount Anville Secondary School, Dublin 14 Pupils 2015/16: 662 Pupils 2016/17: 675 Pupils 2017/18: 677 DAY FEES:  5800 Change:  200

Mount Sackville Secondary School, Dublin 20 Pupils 2015/16: 654 Pupils 2016/17: 680 Pupils 2017/18: 661 DAY FEES:  4500 Change:  0

Newbridge College, Co Kildare Pupils 2015/16: 882 Pupils 2016/17: 882 Pupils 2017/18: 892 DAY FEES:  4400 Change:  175

Notre Dame Secondary School, Dublin 14 Pupils 2015/16: 128 Pupils 2016/17: 64 Pupils 2017/18: 27 DAY FEES: CLOSING JUNE 2019 Change:

Presentation Brothers College, Cork Pupils 2015/16: 705 Pupils 2016/17: 718 Pupils 2017/18: 717 DAY FEES:  3900 Change:  400

Rathdown School, Glenageary Pupils 2015/16: 275 Pupils 2016/17: 301 Pupils 2017/18: 257 DAY FEES:  6995 Change:  45

Rockbrook Park School, Rathfarnham Pupils 2015/16: 172 Pupils 2016/17: 167 Pupils 2017/18: 169 DAY FEES:  4080 Change:  0

Rockwell College, Co Tipperary Pupils 2015/16: 477 Pupils 2016/17: 500 Pupils 2017/18: 497 DAY FEES:  4650 Change:  200

Rosemont School, Sandyford Pupils 2015/16: 143 Pupils 2016/17: 150 Pupils 2017/18: 169 DAY FEES:  4800 Change:  0

Royal School Cavan Pupils 2015/16: 229 Pupils 2016/17: 218 Pupils 2017/18: 240 DAY FEES:  2800 Change:  200

Sandford Park School, Ranelagh Pupils 2015/16: 319 Pupils 2016/17: 349 Pupils 2017/18: 372 DAY FEES:  7150 Change:  0

Scoil Mhuire, Cork city Pupils 2015/16: 389 Pupils 2016/17: 391 Pupils 2017/18: 414 DAY FEES:  3600 Change:  0

Sligo Grammar School Pupils 2015/16: 452 Pupils 2016/17: 424 Pupils 2017/18: 427 DAY FEES:  3180 Change:  0

St Andrew's College, Blackrock Pupils 2015/16: 986 Pupils 2016/17: 996 Pupils 2017/18: 988 DAY FEES:  6855 Change:  135

St Columba's College, Dublin 16 Pupils 2015/16: 288 Pupils 2016/17: 307 Pupils 2017/18: 325 DAY FEES:  8241 Change:  241

St Conleth's College, Ballsbridge Pupils 2015/16: 238 Pupils 2016/17: 269 Pupils 2017/18: 278 DAY FEES:  5500 Change:  0

St Gerard's School, Bray Pupils 2015/16: 537 Pupils 2016/17: 545 Pupils 2017/18: 549 DAY FEES:  7339 Change:  210

St Joseph of Cluny Secondary, Killiney Pupils 2015/16: 318 Pupils 2016/17: 309 Pupils 2017/18: 244 DAY FEES:  4750 Change:  100

St Killian's Deutsche Schule, Clonskeagh Pupils 2015/16: 372 Pupils 2016/17: 396 Pupils 2017/18: 392 DAY FEES:  5150 Change:  200

St Mary's College, Dublin 6 Pupils 2015/16: 442 Pupils 2016/17: 438 Pupils 2017/18: 434 DAY FEES:  6175 Change:  0

St Michael's College, Dublin 4 Pupils 2015/16: 636 Pupils 2016/17: 641 Pupils 2017/18: 655 DAY FEES:  5717 Change:  137

Stratford College, Rathgar Pupils 2015/16: 120 Pupils 2016/17: 143 Pupils 2017/18: 154 DAY FEES:  4150 Change:  -10

Sutton Park School, Dublin 13 Pupils 2015/16: 317 Pupils 2016/17: 345 Pupils 2017/18: 359 DAY FEES:  7900 Change:  0

Terenure College, Dublin 6w Pupils 2015/16: 690 Pupils 2016/17: 682 Pupils 2017/18: 695 DAY FEES:  5200 Change:  100

The High School, Rathgar Pupils 2015/16: 691 Pupils 2016/17: 706 Pupils 2017/18: 717 DAY FEES:  6100 Change:  200

The King's Hospital, Dublin 20 Pupils 2015/16: 719 Pupils 2016/17: 727 Pupils 2017/18: 716 DAY FEES:  7190 Change:  140

The Teresian School, Donnybrook Pupils 2015/16: 205 Pupils 2016/17: 196 Pupils 2017/18: 181 DAY FEES:  5460 Change:  100

Villiers Secondary School, Limerick Pupils 2015/16: 587 Pupils 2016/17: 566 Pupils 2017/18: 562 DAY FEES:  3950 Change:  230

Wesley College, Dublin 16 Pupils 2015/16: 930 Pupils 2016/17: 907 Pupils 2017/18: 914 DAY FEES:  6370 Change:  120

While increases of the order 100-200 may appear modest in the overall context, they double last year's typical rise.

About half of private schools charge in the region of 3,000-5,000 a year.

Schools in the Church of Ireland sector, many serving rural communities whose families are not well-off, tend to have the lowest charges.

The most expensive day school is the 8,241 St Columba's College in south Dublin, which attracts many pupils from outside Ireland.

This year saw the first increase in its day fees since it dropped rates from 12,426 to 8,000 in 2016, to bring it closer into line with local competition where post-austerity recovery in fee levels was sluggish. Apart from day fees, many schools also have day boarder rates which cover meals, activities and after school study up to 8-9pm.

Read More

Fortunes

South Dublin has a big concentration of private schools and improving family fortunes has seen an almost across the board increase in fee levels this year. The market in south Dublin has been shaken up by the arrival of a so-called grind school, The Dublin Academy of Education. The 7,495-a-year Stillorgan-based academy opened in September with a full house of 200 full-time fifth- and sixth-year students.

While it may eat into traditional catchments for local establishments, with pupil numbers at second-level on the rise generally, there may be enough to go around.

Last September also saw the opening of an international school - Nord Anglia in south county Dublin - with day fees of 23,000-24,000 a year.

Expand Close Nord Anglia International School Photo: Kyran O'Brien / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Nord Anglia International School Photo: Kyran O'Brien

When fully open, the school will have capacity for 800 three-18 year olds, and is offering the globally-recognised International Baccalaureate (IB) programme, rather than the Leaving Certificate. Most of Nord Anglia's pupils are expected to be from families of international executives to moving Ireland and ex-pat families relocating home.

Ireland is also becoming a destination for international students arriving without their families, whose parents want them to have an English language second-level education.

Many are enrolling in private schools, particularly in the boarding sector, although elsewhere students may live with host families.

While not an entirely new trend, Brexit has given it a boost, particularly with families from Nigeria, Korea, Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

Emma Godsil of the Godsil Education consultancy said a few years ago, people at international student recruitment fairs "might not have known Ireland, now they are requesting to speak to us".

She said while some families want boarding schools, the consultancy also places students in day schools and with host families, and offer a guardianship service, which involves looking after a student's broader needs. From between 10-20 international students three years ago, they now have about 100 under their wing.

Boarding School Fees

Alexandra College, Dublin 6 FIVE DAY:  17552 SEVEN DAY:  18614

Bandon Grammar School, Co Cork FIVE DAY:  8475 SEVEN DAY:  11050

Blackrock College, Co Dublin FIVE DAY: N/A SEVEN DAY:  19450

Cistercian College, Co Tipperary FIVE DAY:  14300 SEVEN DAY:  15300

Clongowes Wood College, Co Kildare FIVE DAY: N/A SEVEN DAY:  19890

Colaiste Ide, Co Kerry FIVE DAY: N/A SEVEN DAY:  6950 * No tuition fee for day pupils

Dundalk Grammar School FIVE DAY:  7983 SEVEN DAY: N/A

Glenstal Abbey School, Co Limerick FIVE DAY: N/A SEVEN DAY:  19300

Kilkenny College FIVE DAY:  8850 SEVEN DAY: N/A * No tuition fee for day pupils

Midleton College, Co Cork FIVE DAY:  9600 SEVEN DAY:  11800

Newtown School, Waterford FIVE DAY: N/A SEVEN DAY:  10250 * No tuition fee for day pupils

Presentation Secondary School, Co Tipperary FIVE DAY:  7000 SEVEN DAY: N/A * No tuition fee for day pupils

Rathdown School, Co Dublin FIVE DAY: N/A SEVEN DAY:  19275

Rockwell College, Co Tipperary FIVE DAY:  12500 SEVEN DAY:  13500

Royal and Prior School, Co Donegal FIVE DAY:  6100 SEVEN DAY: N/A * No tuition fee for day pupils

Royal School Cavan FIVE DAY:  8200 SEVEN DAY: N/A

Sligo Grammar School FIVE DAY: N/A SEVEN DAY:  8950

St Columba's College, Dublin 16 FIVE DAY: N/A SEVEN DAY:  23481

The Kings Hospital, Dublin 20 FIVE DAY:  14890 SEVEN DAY:  16795

Ursuline Secondary School, Co Tipperary FIVE DAY:  8100 SEVEN DAY: N/A * No tuition fee for day pupils

Villiers Secondary School, Co Limerick FIVE DAY: N/A SEVEN DAY:  9200

Wesley College, Dublin16 FIVE DAY:  14170 SEVEN DAY:  15320

Wilson's Hospital School, Co Westmeath FIVE DAY:  8000 SEVEN DAY:  8998 * No tuition fee for day pupils

Read more:

Boarding schools: 'Parents give the opportunity but you won't find a fifth year who doesn't want to be here'Ready for action: Sophie Kelly (16), Rachelle Biayi (16) and Karl Fitzpatrick (15), pupils from Pobalscoil Neasain, Baldoyle in Dublin, at the launch of the BT Young Scientist and Technology exhibition 2019, which runs at the RDS from today until Saturday. Photo: Damien Eagers

Thousands of students will descend on the RDS today as the 55th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition gets under way.

The annual extravaganza will bring together some of Ireland's brightest young minds as they compete to take home the coveted title of the BT Young Scientist & Technologist(s) of the Year 2019. President Michael D Higgins will officially open the exhibition at a special ceremony today presented by broadcaster Aidan Power and TG4's Roisin Ni Thomain.

Pupils Sophie Kelly (16), Rachelle Biayi (16) and Karl Fitzpatrick (15), from Pobalscoil Neasain in Baldoyle, were getting fired up with scientific experiments yesterday.

Shay Walsh, managing director of BT Ireland, said he was looking forward to welcoming the next wave of future scientists and entrepreneurs to the RDS.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Friday. The overall winner will be presented with a cheque for 7,500, the BTYSTE perpetual trophy and will go forward to represent Ireland at the 31st EU Contest for Young Scientists in Bulgaria this September.Photo: The Canadian Press Migrants mainly from Mexico and Central America look on as U.S. President Donald Trump gives a prime-time address about border security on television, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, watching from a border migrant shelter in Tijuana, Mexico.

President Donald Trump urged congressional Democrats to fund his long-promised border wall in a sombre televised address that was heavy with dark immigration rhetoric but offered little in the way of concessions or new ideas to break the standoff that has left large swaths of the government shuttered for 19 days.

Speaking to the nation from the Oval Office for the first time, Trump argued Tuesday night that the wall was needed to resolve a security and humanitarian "crisis," blaming illegal immigration for what he said was a scourge of drugs and violence in the U.S. and asking: "How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?"

Democrats in response accused Trump appealing to "fear, not facts" and manufacturing a border crisis for political gain.

Using the formal trappings of the White House, Trump hoped to gain the upper hand in the standoff over his demand for $5.7 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. He plans a visit to the border Thursday as he continues to pitch what was a signature promise of his 2016 presidential campaign.

He addressed the nation as the shutdown stretched through its third week, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers going without pay and some congressional Republicans growing increasingly jittery about the spreading impact of the impasse. Trump will visit the Capitol on Wednesday to meet with Senate Republicans, and has invited Democratic and Republican congressional leaders to return to the White House to meet with him later that day.

He claimed the standoff could be resolved in "45 minutes" if Democrats would just negotiate, but previous meetings have led to no agreement.

For now, Trump sees this as winning politics. TV networks had been reticent about providing him airtime to make what some feared would be a purely political speech. And that concern was heightened by the decision Tuesday by Trump's re-election campaign to send out fundraising emails and text messages to supporters trying to raise money off the speech. Their goal: a half-million dollars in a day.

"I just addressed the nation on Border Security. Now need you to stand with me," read one message sent out after his remarks.

In their own televised remarks, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of misrepresenting the situation on the border as they urged him to reopen closed government departments and turn loose paychecks for hundreds of thousands of workers.

Negotiations on wall funding could proceed in the meantime, they said.

Schumer said Trump "just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration."

In his dire address, Trump ticked off a string of statistics and claims to make his case that there is a crisis at the border, but a number of his statements were misleading, such as saying the new trade deal with Mexico would pay for the wall, or suggesting through gruesome examples that immigrants are more likely to commit crime.Relatives of victims of the Whiddy Island disaster who attended 40th Anniversay event at Abbey Cemetery in Bantry, Co Cork. Photo: Provision

The Government has been slated for failing to properly honour the memory of 51 Irish, French, UK and Dutch nationals who died in the Whiddy Island oil tanker disaster.

The son of one Whiddy victim also hit out at the fact the Government was only represented at a special 40th anniversary memorial service by a junior minister despite all senior Irish politicians being invited.

Junior Health Minister Jim Daly attended the memorial in Bantry in west Cork - but Michael Kingston, who lost his father Tim in the oil tanker explosion on January 8, 1979, insisted someone of Cabinet rank should have attended as a mark of respect.

"Nearly every Irish maritime institution is here today but where are the responsible ministers for these areas in the Irish Government?" he said.

"Where are our leaders to welcome our French friends here today? Where is the respect for our maritime sector and our rescue services?

"Let us be clear - 43 [French] people came into our jurisdiction and died in a workplace disaster that should never have happened.

"The failures that took place both on the ship and at the oil terminal were some of the worst derelictions of duty in relation to safety in world maritime history."

Mr Kingston asked Mr Daly to immediately raise the Whiddy issue in the Dail and urged Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to issue a public apology for what happened 40 years ago.

Mr Daly later said he was representing the Taoiseach and Government at the ceremony.

"That [an apology] is a judgement call for the Taoiseach to make," he said.

Hundreds attended the special Bantry memorial to mark the 40th anniversary of the French-owned oil tanker MV Betelgeuse exploding.Appalling: Martin Joyce at Ennis Court where he was jailed for eight months over the incident in May last year in which he put a widows curse on a garda

A judge has jailed a man who told a female garda he would have a 'widow's curse' put on her after she stopped him on the road last May.

At Ennis District Court yesterday, Judge Patrick Durcan imposed an eight-month prison term on Martin Joyce (28) after stating that the Ennis man had imposed a 'lurid curse' on Garda Elizabeth McDonagh on May 18 last at Beechpark, Ennis, Co Clare.

Judge Durcan said Joyce, of St Enda's, Beechpark, Ennis, had issued a 'torrent of abuse' towards Gda McDonagh.

He said the evidence of Gda McDonagh in the case "is truly chilling".

"When the abuse wasn't having an effect from Mr Joyce's point of view, Mr Joyce in great detail imposed a curse on Gda McDonagh," said the judge.

"Most people would be upset by the curse of the lurid, vivid and appalling nature that was uttered by Mr Joyce."

In the witness box, Gda McDonagh recounted Mr Joyce's words about the curse.

She said: "Judge, Mr Joyce told me 'I am putting a curse on you. I will light a candle that your family will die and you will suffer grief in the next 12 months. When it happens, I will take pictures and send them to you and put them up for everyone to see. You will see within 12 months that your family or someone belonged to you will be dead. I am going to light a candle to give you the curse and I will get my mother to give you the widow's curse and they will all be dying belonged to you'."

Asked by Judge Durcan if she was upset over the words said, Gda McDonagh said: "This has never been said to me before."

In response, the judge said: "As far I am concerned this puts this case into a category of its own as regards the level of seriousness.

"There are many people who dismiss that type of behaviour as falling into the realm of the piseog and the world of the past but there are many, many people who become gravely upset when something like that happens."

Judge Durcan imposed a five-month prison term on Mr Joyce for obstructing a garda and a consecutive three-month term for driving without insurance on May 18 last.

Judge Durcan also imposed a 10-week prison term for the verbal abuse of Gda McDonagh to run concurrently to the eight-month jail sentence.

Insp Tom Kennedy said that Mr Joyce has 68 previous convictions, including 45 road traffic offences that include three for no insurance, four for driving without a licence and two for dangerous driving.

Solicitor Tara Godfrey said she has been instructed by Mr Joyce to apologise to Gda McDonagh directly.The family of murdered Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, shot five years ago while on armed escort duty near the border, has been awarded 1.3million damages for personal injury against the State.

Mr Justice Michael Twomey, who deals with Garda Compensation matters in the High Court, was asked to approve the negotiated settlement because of the involvement in the proceedings of the late Garda Donohoes son and daughter aged 11 and 12.

The action was taken against the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform by Garda Donohoes widow, former Garda Caroline Deloughrey, who has retired on health grounds from the force since the death of her husband.

Ms Deloughrey, a native of Co Clare, met her husband at the Garda Training College, Templemore, Co Tipperary. She had worked with the Garda National Immigration Bureau in Dundalk Garda Station to which her 41-year-old husband had also been attached.

Detective Garda Donohoe had been on armed escort duty with a colleague at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth, on January 25, 2013 when he was fatally shot.

He was granted a State funeral and was posthumously awarded a Scott Medal for Bravery.

Ms Deloughreys application for compensation for herself and the couples children was led by former attorney general Eoghan Fitzsimons SC and barrister Eamonn M J Coffey BL, who appeared with the family solicitors James McGuill and Company.

Micheal O Scanaill SC, with barrister Joseph OSullivan BL, together with the State Solicitors Office, handled settlement negotiations over the past year on behalf of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

Judge Twomey was told it had been agreed by the legal representatives of Det Garda Donohoes surviving family members that Ms Deloughrey would receive a settlement of 970,000 with the remainder of the award being divided almost equally between her two children but slightly in favour of the younger child.

Mr O Scanaill told the Garda Compensation High Court public hearing that the Minister had agreed that whatever formula of division of the overall award the family came up with was acceptable to the State and that the childrens shares would be lodged in court funds until they are 18. The 970,000 would be paid out to Ms Deloughrey.

Co Armagh man Aaron Brady (28) of New Road, Crossmaglen, has been charged with the capital murder of Det Garda Donohoe while acting in the course of his duty at Lordship Credit Union on January 25, 2013.

Garda Detective Inspector Pat Marry, in evidence during a District Court hearing last year, told Judge John Coughlan that when he charged Mr Brady with the murder he had replied: I strongly deny any involvement in the murder of Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe.

Mr Bradys defence team, led by Michael OHiggins SC, has already been served with a four-volume Book of Evidence. Prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC has told Mr Justice Michael White that the Central Criminal Court trial was expected to take between six and eight weeks.

Judge White set October 8, 2019 as the commencement date for the trial.Security is being tightened at a court building where a major security incident occurred last month.

Airport-style security scanning equipment has been installed at the Phoenix House courts building at Smithfield in Dublin, where family law cases are heard. It will become operational from Friday.

Other security measures, which are not being publicly revealed, are also being implemented.

The building was evacuated and a major security operation took place on December 20 after a man carrying an imitation firearm and wearing a suspicious wired device disrupted a family law hearing.

Armed gardai and a bomb disposal team were called in to deal with the incident, which was resolved peacefully.

A 45-year-old man appeared at Dublin District Court two days later charged with the false imprisonment of two women and one count of threatening to kill and cause serious harm to a woman.

A Courts Service spokesman said discussions were taking place with members of the legal community about the new security measures.

"We are consulting with the various legal community representatives about the introduction of this security protocol, which will also see other non-public measures adopted in the operation of the building," he said.

Unlike the nearby Four Courts and Criminal Courts of Justice complexes, Phoenix House has not had any airport-style security screening.

Until recently there was also no dedicated Garda presence at the building.

The lack of gardai was an issue raised on a number of occasions in recent years by the Courts Service, members of the judiciary and lawyers.

In the aftermath of the incident, urgent talks took place between Courts Service chief executive Brendan Ryan and senior gardai.

There have been a number of violent incidents in the courts in recent years.

In December 2015, a District Court judge was assaulted during a family law sitting.

The Bar of Ireland said barristers have also been assaulted.Gardai are investigating if a man was targeted in an acid attack by a person known to him.

The victim, aged in his 30s, was injured during the incident shortly before 9pm on Monday in the Hoey's Lane area of Dundalk, Co Louth.

He had a corrosive substance thrown at him, which caused injuries to his body and also burns to his clothing.

Gardai patrolling the area came across the victim a short time later, who was described as being in a "panicked" state and removing his clothes.

An ambulance was called and he was later transferred to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Investigating gardai have identified a person known to the victim as a suspect in the case, and gloves as well as a bottle were recovered near the scene.

No arrests have yet been made, but gardai believe the attack was premeditated and investigations are ongoing.

Members of the Garda Technical Bureau also carried out a forensic examination of the scene.

Gardai are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has any information relating to the assault to contact them.

A Garda spokeswoman said local gardai are treating the incident as an assault.

"The man was discovered on Hoey's Lane with apparent minor burns to his body and clothing at approximately 8.45pm Monday," she said.In the dock: Looking thinner after his detention, Carlos Ghosn laid out a detailed defence against charges he failed to disclose income

Former Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn has rejected prosecutors' claims of financial wrongdoing and pledged his loyalty to the firm he led for more than a decade, as he faces an extended detention following his shock arrest in Japan almost two months ago.

"I have been wrongly accused and unfairly detained based on meritless and unsubstantiated accusations," said the fallen car titan, who arrived gaunt, handcuffed and with a rope around his waist in a Tokyo courtroom as he made his first public appearance since he was detained on November 19.

His lawyers said they plan to appeal against his incarceration and will apply for bail if he is indicted on January 11, the end of the current detention period.

Looking thinner and with sunken cheeks, the dark-suited Ghosn laid out in detail his defence against charges he failed to disclose income from Nissan and passed on trading losses to the carmaker.

He told the court that contrary to accusations made by prosecutors, he got no compensation from Nissan that wasn't disclosed.

He has been indicted in Japan for under-reporting his compensation. The hearing was requested by his lawyers, seeking an explanation for why he has been detained for so long.

His defence team, led by lawyer Motonari Otsuru, says he faces not getting bail until a trial begins, which might take six months, meaning he would spend far longer in detention than the 50 days he's already been locked away.

"I have acted honourably, legally and with the knowledge and approval of the appropriate executives inside the company," he said. "Your honour, I am innocent of the accusations against me."

Once feted as Nissan's saviour, the jet-setting manager, who once came to symbolise the Davos Man, appeared to have lost significant weight and his hair was graying at the roots. His business shoes had been replaced by plastic slippers.

Judge Yuichi Tada said that, as someone with multiple bases overseas, he is being held because there's a risk he'll leave the country and tamper with evidence.

Mr Ghosn sought to highlight his loyalty and spoke of "a genuine love and appreciation" for Nissan. Nissan previously said it uncovered substantial and convincing evidence of misconduct and the board unanimously voted to oust Mr Ghosn. Nissan said: "Our investigation is ongoing, and its scope continues to broaden."

While he was dismissed as Nissan chairman shortly after his detention, Renault has kept him on as chairman and CEO because it needs evidence of wrongdoing.

BloombergChina is forecast to overtake the US and Germany to become the largest source of tourists to other countries by 2030, according to Euromonitor International's 'Megatrends Shaping the Future of Travel' report.

A megatrend is a trend with longevity, or one that represents a fundamental shift in behaviours.

For China, tourism has become a key pillar of the economy, and investments have been made to improve infrastructure and standards, in addition to the country's tourism-friendly policies and initiatives.

China will also be the largest inbound market for tourists by 2030.

Meanwhile, domestic tourism in China is big business, representing 4.7 billion tourist trips in 2018. Domestic tourism is forecast to grow to a further 6.7 billion trips by 2023.

Tourism Ireland hopes that the number of people from this potentially lucrative market holidaying here will increase, with direct flights between China and Dublin announced last summer.

Overall, the report finds that the tourist market in Asia is booming, with the region continuing to enjoy strong performances in both inbound and outbound travel, supported by fast-growing economies and an expanding middle class.

The vast majority of arrivals to the region - 80pc - also originate in Asia.

Technology is enabling tourism growth, with businesses, such as Irish company Hostelworld, developing user-friendly online booking platforms and convenient payment systems.

Closer to home, the European tourism industry remains "resilient".

Despite economic and political turmoil, the migrant crisis and terrorist attacks over the past years, the tourism industry in Europe continues to register strong growth.

While concerns have been raised around "over-tourism" in some areas, city tourism boards across Europe are responding by coming to grips with a future in which they will be looking to attract the "right" traveller.

The report also highlights concerns around the UK's withdrawal from the European Union. While the expenditure from UK tourists going abroad is expected to increase regardless of the final Brexit outcome, the report finds that as much as $11bn (9.6bn) in outbound tourist expenditure hangs in the balance depending on what form Brexit takes.

In addition, ripple effects are likely to be felt in the tourism industry in other countries, including Ireland. Last year, Failte Ireland said it estimates that a worst-case scenario would cost the sector between 380m and 390m. In Spain, where UK travellers account for 21pc of inbound tourist revenues, a no-deal Brexit could reduce 2019 receipts by as much as $747m (653m) compared to a free trade agreement. In turn, this would lead to a $66m (58m) reduction in outbound expenditure from Spain.Traders work at their desks whilst screens show market data at CMC Markets in London. Photo: Reuters

European shares hit a three-week high yesterday in a broad-based rebound as hopes of a possible trade deal between China and the US offset worries over global growth.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 benchmark jumped 1.1pc soon before the close, with all major European indices in the black just minutes before the session ended.

That included Germany's export-oriented DAX, which is particularly sensitive to trade issues. It shrugged off earlier data showing that German industrial output fell unexpectedly in November for a third month running.

"The main driver of this optimism appears to be the ongoing trade talks between the US and China in Beijing," said Spreadex analyst Connor Campbell.

"Not that there is anything too substantial to justify such positivity, but rather a lack of mood-dampening comments has green-lit an early European rebound," he said.

Strength among retailers also propped up the market.

In Ireland, the Iseq Overall Index was 0.7pc higher at 5,692 as trading neared its close. Movers included packaging giant Smurfit Kappa, which had soared 6.7pc to 24.68. Cairn Homes was 4.3pc higher at 1.20, while peer Glenveagh Homes was up 3.8pc at 81 cent. But Irish builder Abbey, which generates the bulk of its home sales in the UK, declined 7pc to 13.00.

The UK's FTSE-100 advanced 1.1pc. Germany's DAX was 0.9pc higher and France's CAC-40 had gained 1.6pc just before the close.

UK grocery chain Morrison fell as it missed its Christmas sales forecast.Ulster Bank is to repay 23,000 business customers after finding it had charged them the wrong fees

Thousands of customers are due refunds after two banks admitted overcharging them.

Ulster Bank is to repay 23,000 business customers after finding it had charged them the wrong fees.

Bank of Scotland (Ireland) is also paying back money to around 20,000 mortgage holders over a miscalculation of interest charges, the Irish Independent has learned.

The amounts are small, but a financial expert said overcharging was happening too often.

The two overcharging issues are just the latest in a long list of similar problems for banks here, the most notorious being the tracker mortgage scandal. This has affected almost 40,000 account holders and is set to cost the banks 1bn.

Now customers of Ulster Bank and Bank of Scotland (Ireland) have been written to and told they are to be given refunds.

Ulster Bank said around 23,000 business customers were overcharged in 2013. This was due to what the bank said were in-branch transactions being classified incorrectly for business customers.

The average refund is 22 per customer, with the bank refunding the overcharge, plus compensatory interest and a transaction fee to cover any transaction costs.

An Ulster Bank spokesperson said: "We are writing to some business customers who have been impacted by a past overcharging error on our part.

"Some over-the-counter business charges were classified incorrectly in branches and the average refund is 22 per customer. We apologise sincerely for this and customers with any queries can contact us on 1800 303 068."

People who took out a mortgage with the former Bank of Scotland (Ireland) got letters recently telling them they had been overcharged. It is understood this affects around 20,000 mortgage holders.

The loans were sold last year to Barclays Bank.

A spokesperson for Lloyds Bank in the UK, which took over the Bank of Scotland (Ireland) loan book soon after the financial crash, said confusion over the leap year in 2008 had led to too much interest being charged.

The mortgages are now serviced by Shannon-based Pepper.

One letter seen by this publication said the refund amount was 27.55.

"We are contacting some customers in relation to an additional day's mortgage interest charged for 29 February 2008. We are currently reviewing relevant accounts and will ensure that no customers are out of pocket as a result. Customers can contact us on 1890 812 823 Monday to Friday from 9am until 5pm should they have any queries."

The Central Bank has been informed.

Financial expert Karl Deeter said overcharging was happening too often.

"It is typical of Irish banks to catch an overcharging issue years later," he said. "If you miss a payment they will come down on you immediately."

He said banks should be forced to repay 100 times the overcharged amount as a way of ensuring they were more alert to overcharging and then rectify the situation faster.Photo: Contributed ritain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for the House of Commons for her weekly Prime Minister's question time, in London, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019.

Britain's government and its lawmakers clashed Wednesday, as Prime Minister Theresa May brought her little-loved Brexit deal back to Parliament, a month after postponing a vote on the agreement to stave off near-certain defeat.

The House of Commons opened five days of debate on an agreement with the European Union setting out the terms of Britain's departure from the bloc on March 29.

A vote, initially slated for mid-December, is now scheduled for Jan. 15  and the government still looks likely to lose.

May insisted that her agreement was the only one available, and the only way to prevent a disruptive "no-deal" Brexit in just over 10 weeks.

"The only way to avoid no deal is to vote for the deal," May told lawmakers in the House of Commons.

May called off the December vote at the last minute when it became clear that a majority of lawmakers  from the governing Conservatives as well as opposition parties  opposed the deal, a compromise that has left both pro-European and pro-Brexit politicians unhappy.

May promised to seek reassurances from the EU on the most contentious issue, the status of the Northern Ireland-Ireland border. But the bloc refuses to reopen the agreement, and opposition to the negotiated deal remains strong among British lawmakers.

May told lawmakers that "further clarification" from the EU was possible, "and those talks will continue over the next few days."Ireland's manufacturing sector is facing "significant" skills shortages in key areas including automation, engineering and polymers, according to Skillnet, the national agency that promotes workforce learning.

Its chief executive, Paul Healy, has warned that the growth of artificial intelligence, the internet of things, and advanced automation "is creating a widening gap between the jobs that need to be filled and the talent pool capable of filling them".

"Employers here in Ireland are already facing challenges recruiting for positions in engineering, polymer processing and polymer science, automation and controls," he said.

"The shortage of specific skills is forcing companies to look outside the country to fill key roles in advanced manufacturing and production environments," added Mr Healy.

Speaking to the Irish Independent, Mr Healy warned that the economy is nearing full employment, and that the issue is also compounding the skills shortages.

He said Ireland is in the bottom quartile of OECD and EU nations in terms of SMEs engaging in management development, for instance.

"Is there great productivity happening in Ireland? The answer is yes, but it's being masked by the performance of large corporations and multinationals," said Mr Healy. "What we see in our indigenous SMEs is stagnating productivity," he added, pointing out that Skillnet expects to train at least 60,000 people this year.

Skillnet has also warned that Brexit is underscoring skills gaps here, and urged businesses to address the issue.

Read more:

"Along with operational considerations, it is clear that different skills will be needed so that firms can adapt to the new circumstances they are presented with," said Mr Healy, who was speaking in advance of next week's National Manufacturing and Supply Chain Conference in Dublin.

"For now, the single greatest challenge for business owners is making sound future-proofing decisions in the context of ever-changing events," he said.

The most up-to-date figures from the Central Statistics Office show that there were just over 201,000 people working in the manufacturing sector in Ireland in 2016.

That made it one of the largest sectors in the State, after retail and the health services sector.

The manufacturing sector has been spurred by a recovering economy.

But the pace of growth decelerated in December to its slowest rate in nine months, according to the latest IHS Markit purchasing managers' index.Developer: Sean Dunne was declared bankrupt in the US and Ireland in 2013 and remains bankrupt

A key piece of evidence collected by the official assignee of the estate of bankrupt developer Sean Dunne in relation to the 58m sale of a house on Dublin's Shrewsbury Road must be disclosed to a Cypriot company that purported to once own the property, and a trust connected with billionaire financier Dermot Desmond, the High Court has ruled.

In 2014, the official assignee to the Sean Dunne estate, Chris Lehane, conducted an interview with Caroline Crowley - one of the vendors of the Shewsbury Road house, called Walford - in a private meeting. Ms Crowley acted as an executor in the sale.

Mr Lehane claimed privilege over the transcript of that interview, insisting that at the time he was contemplating possible litigation in respect of the ownership of Walford.

But the High Court has ruled that such privilege cannot be claimed. It has also ruled that a number of emails between Mr Dunne and Mr Desmond must be disclosed to the official assignee.

Walford was the most expensive residential property ever in Ireland, when it was sold in 2005 for almost 58m. It was bought by Mr Dunne, who claimed in 2014 that he had acquired the property in trust for his wife, Gayle, and that she was the beneficial owner. Mr Dunne was declared bankrupt in the US and Ireland in 2013 and remains bankrupt.

Mr Lehane has contended that the property was beneficially owned by Mr Dunne from 2005 to March 2013, when it was transferred to a Cypriot company called Yesreb, which had been established, it's claimed, on instructions from Mr Dunne's wife, and, or his father.

Mr Lehane has claimed the transfer to Yesreb was part of a series of "sham transactions" and void under law.

Celtic Trustees, the trust headed by Mr Desmond and which was established for the benefit of his children, acquired Walford from Yesreb in 2016 for 14.25m, the High Court was told.

That was around the time that Mr Lehane initiated proceedings against Yesreb.

Yesreb has mounted a full defence of the action, and demanded access to the transcript of the interview with Ms Crowley.

The High Court also said that disclosure must also be made by Celtic Trustees to the official assignee of three emails sent by Mr Dunne to Mr Desmond, in relation to a separate but related legal action being taken against the official assignee by Celtic Trustees.Irish retail sales increased 0.4pc year-on-year in value terms in November, excluding the motor trade.

Sales of electrical goods (up 6.8pc) and in bars (up 4.1pc) - helped the volume of sales grow 0.2pc compared to October of year.

Merrion Capital economist Alan McQuaid said the figures were weaker than expected, but that consumers were still spending solidly. Sales volumes excluding the motor trade rose 1.9pc year-on-year.

"Retail sales continue to remain erratic on a monthly basis and are still swinging back and forth, but the underlying trend is positive.

"Even with the fluctuation in consumer sentiment, overall personal spending has been positive in the past couple of years, boosted by the increase in the numbers employed in the country.

"This is despite the fact that the weakness in sterling since the June 2016 Brexit referendum has enticed some shoppers to spend in Northern Ireland," Mr McQuaid said.

Retail Ireland, the Ibec body that represents retailers, said the figures showed the "distorting" impact that November discount event Black Friday has had.

"There were significant variations in the performance of the various retail sub-categories during November, with those categories most active around the promotional event performing best. Unsurprisingly electrical goods sales were strong," the body's director Thomas Burke said.

"There was notable weakness in department store and clothing and footwear sales in the period, with the relatively mild winter to date and the growing online challenge heavily impacting these categories."IRISH clinical trials firm Icon said it expects its revenue to increase as much as 9pc this year.

The Leopardstown-based company, which helps pharma giants such as Pfizer conduct drug trials, is guiding revenue of $2.74bn- $2.84bn (2.4bn-2.5bn).

Icon chief executive Dr Steve Cutler said the company had performed well at winning business. He said the company would seek to boost efficiency and that this should help increase earnings per share.

"We feel we have the strongest balance sheet in the industry and will continue to focus on deploying capital to maximise shareholder value through a combination of M&A and share repurchases," Dr Cutler added.

The company was presenting at an event in San Francisco yesterday, where it told attendees that economic fundamentals were healthy in its industry.

It said it expected value growth to intensify in the areas of rare disease, adding that biotech companies that have raised large sums are looking to allocate cash. It also wants to boost its use of robotics and automation.Galway medtech company Atlantic Therapeutics has raised 28m in funding.

The money will be used to launch in the US market, with the firm having received FDA approval for a device known as Innovo, which is designed to treat incontinence.

The funding will also help accelerate sales in other countries, further develop existing products, and expand into new medical areas.

The Innovo product is a garment similar to a pair of shorts, which is designed to strengthen the pelvic floor and guard against bladder leaks.

LSP, one of Europe's largest healthcare investors, is the lead investor in this funding round.

Other investors in the round include Irish venture-capital firm Atlantic Bridge. Existing investors Seroba Life Sciences, another Irish firm, and Earlybird Venture Capital also participated in the investment.

"Innovo has already transformed the lives of many thousands of people in Europe," said Atlantic Therapeutics CEO Steve Atkinson.

"We are delighted to have completed our series-B financing with such renowned investors and look forward to working together to accelerate the growth and value of Atlantic Therapeutics."More than 700 people have been on the dole for more than 20 years despite major Government efforts to get them back to work.

Figures reveal a total of 8,633 people have been on the Live Register for more than 10 years - representing 4pc of the total.

Of these, 6,407 have been registered for between 10 and 15 years and another 1,503 between 15 and 20 years. The remaining 723 have been on the list for more than 20 years.

They represent under 1pc of the total Live Register, according to the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection figures.

A department spokesperson refused to say how long the longest-term claimant had been on the dole or the number on it for more than 30 years for data protection reasons.

Fianna Fail spokesperson on Social Protection, Willie O'Dea, said it was hard to believe some people could be on the dole for more than 20 years, given the criteria they must be actively seeking work.

"The Government has spent a great deal of money bringing in private contractors Turas Nua and Seetec and spent 70m to 80m on them and their main job is to identify those who are long term unemployed and find them suitable work," he said.

"In the overall context, it's a small number but it still seems to be a significant number when employers are saying there is very little spare capacity in the jobs market and we are near full employment."

He urged Social Protection Minister Regina Doherty to ask regional managers in social protection to provide details of people in this category and interview them to assess what the problem is.

Brid O'Brien at the Irish National Organisation for the Unemployed said many factors contributed to long-term unemployment, including ageism and the authorities' lack of engagement with claimants.

"The system left a lot of people alone, either because of their background, or address, or maybe they could have had personal issues like mental health or drug use," she said.

She said in some cases, individuals experienced discrimination looking for work because they had a Traveller background or "postcode-ism", in terms of where they lived, went against them.

"Some employers do not entertain you if you are unemployed for a long time so they don't even get a chance to do a job interview," she said.

She said a more personalised approach and supports were needed for those on the long-term list. Some 58pc, or 116,249 people, are on it up to a year.

There are a further 22,050 on it for between one and two years, representing 11pc, with 6pc on it for two to three years.

In a statement, the department said Government policy focused on supporting the long-term unemployed, particularly its JobPath service.After the blizzards, the deluges and the drought of 2018, how bad might Brexit be by comparison?

While this is a new year, base prices for bullocks and heifers have remained exactly as they were in my last report before Christmas, ie 3.75/kg for steers with heifers 10c/kg better at 3.85/kg.

On the bull side, the story is at best the same as it was before the break, with under 24-month U grade bulls selling for 3.80/kg, Rs making 3.70/kg, while O grades are around the 3.50/kg mark. That's the good news. The bad news is that there appears to be, from what I'm hearing, an awful lot of bulls in the system at present, resulting in the factories being able to pick and choose their customers.

Those suffering the most appear to be the men with Friesian types, with many reports circulating of factories unwilling to take the numbers they are being offered. Those that do find a new home, seem to be doing so at a flat price of 3.50/kg.

The story among those with cull cows to sell is that prices for Rs continue to hover around the 3.00/kg mark, with maybe a shake more going on occasion. O grades are at 2.70-2.80/kg, while your better P grade is in the 2.50-2.60/kg price range, depending on cover. After that, it's a lottery but it can also depend on how good your agent is.

There does come a point, however, when I believe the factory prices of very poor cull cows are calculated not so much on what their meat actually might be worth but on what their hides and offal will make. I know of Jersey cows sold to a factory recently on the basis that the farmer told the lorry driver agent: "Get what you can for them." The eventual price varied from 1.50-1.60/kg.

I don't have a problem with the price, what bothers me is that animals who in their entirety could end up going into cat and dog food because they are not really worth boning out are taking up space on a kill line at a time when those with prime beef can't get in the door.

What of the future? What might 2019 bring? After the blizzards, the deluges and the drought of 2018, how bad might Brexit be by comparison? Some experts and politicians have painted a picture of a total trade shutdown as the British system wrestles with the logistics of implementing WTO tariffs.

Both the Kaiser and Hitler tried to starve the British people, so are we saying that where both of these warlords failed, the Conservative Party may succeed?

In an attempt to understand the possible outcomes for the Irish beef trade of various Brexit scenarios, I spoke over the New Year with cattle farmers, factory agents and senior processing staff about Brexit.

To be honest, no one knows how Brexit will pan out but all agree that a no-deal scenario will be a mess - if only because implementing complex WTO tariff arrangements at short notice would be a real challenge for the British authorities.

In the final analysis, however, I'm inclined to go with one senior factory official's assessment: "From a business perspective, you can only deal with the situation according to what cards are dealt and so far we have no idea how those cards might fall."

A farming colleague put it differently, but the point was the same: "Forecasting Brexit is like trying to predict the weather three months in advance, it can't be done."

The question that must be asked is whether the processing sector has contracts in place with its British supermarket customers post-March 19, the date on which the UK is supposed to finally and officially withdraw from the EU.

While I am led to believe that they have, I maintain that the industry owes it to their farmer suppliers to clarify this point 100pc.

In relation to the current situation as regards pricing and supply, industry sources, while acknowledging the difficulties being experienced by those with young bulls, were at pains to point out that January is traditionally a tough month as households adjust back to their spending post-Christmas.

They also pointed out that returns from the British high street for Christmas 2018 were below those of 2017 as British shoppers adopted a more cautious approach to their finances with possibly one eye on March 19.

That slowdown in retail spending may help explain why some factories have reduced killing days and/or numbers.

However, I got the feeling from speaking to those at the coalface that while some factories may be reducing their kills as they possibly concentrate on trying to reduce their cold store tonnage, others are waiting to see exactly how the first couple of weeks pan out as regards supplies.

The question needing answering going forward is whether lots of bulls this year meant less bullocks?Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service picture of the rescue of three cows who had fallen into a slurry tank at a farm oustide Dromore, Co Down.

Firefighters recently saved three cattle from a slurry tank after the cattle fell in and almost drowned and Teagasc is reminding farmers to check their slats for signs of cracks and faults.

Checking slats should be a task completed prior to housing time, according to Teagasc Farm Management Specialist, Tom Ryan. However, he said the next best time to check is today.

Regardless of how new slats are, the Kildalton based Advisor recommended to check slats every year for cracks and faults. He said although slats are more likely to show signs of faults after the 15-year mark, some can show faults earlier on.

Farmers should check the slats in their shed every year regardless, but obviously with age the likelihood of cracks are increased, he explained.

He advised to replace the slats sooner rather than later if cracks are found in slats, as the outcome of slats failing can be disastrous for any farmer.

Some farmers might ask if they could get away with replacing them for another year, but what is another year? Is it really worth taking the chance? What is a year if youre going to be taking a chance on it?

Expand Close Picture: Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service/PA Wire / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Picture: Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service/PA Wire

How to check your slats

In order to check the slats, he said that farmers should firstly power hose down the slats.

Look for any signs of rust stains, as this can be the first sign of slats failing. The steel in the slats rusts and swells as time goes on. When it swells it will push away the concrete away from it and eventually it will break and the slats will give way. He said that farmers should check the sides of the slats with a torch for cracks and test with a fork to see if concrete crumbles away. By using a two-pong pike, push it down on the underside of the slats and see if anything crumbles away. The damage is already done if you can push it away, you wont be breaking off anymore.

He also urged farmers not to forget about the slats in the collecting yards. Theoretically the slats in the collecting yards are under more pressure than the ones in the wintering sheds as they are used all year round.

Ideally farmers should check the slats prior to housing, in order to replace the slats in time before the winter period.

However, checking today is a lot better than seeing your slats fail before the cattle are let out. Especially this time of year, if cattle do fall in and tanks are already 8ft deep with slurry, there will be serious repercussions.

Manholes, the slurry agitation access point, should also be checked and is often the first part of slats to cause trouble. He asked farmers to replace the grid if it does rust or is dropped or misplaced for safety reasons.Bord Bia CEO, Tara McCarthy with Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed at the launch of Bord Bias Export Performance and Prospects 2018-2019.

The value of Irish food, drink and horticulture exports fell 4pc last year on the back of Despite a year of unprecedented global volatility, involving political uncertainty, extreme weather events and continuing currency fluctuations.

The UK market remained central to the 12.1 billion Irish food and drink exported in 2018.

The UK accounted for 4.5 billion, an increase of 2pc compared to 2017 despite the tail effects of significant currency challenges in 2017 and political uncertainty over the outcome of Brexit.

Launching Bord Bias Export Performance and Prospects 2018/2019 report today, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed said while the possibility of a disorderly Brexit poses an unprecedented strategic challenge, the Irish agri-food sector has repeatedly demonstrated that it is both durable and innovative.

Last year marked the highest ever volume of Irish exports (+2pc), representing the ninth consecutive year of volume growth.

The total agri-food exports figure for 2018 was valued at 13.6 billion when non-edible products such as forestry are included.

Minister Creed said Market and trade insights suggest that the global demand for Irish food and drink will remain positive in 2019, but of course the potential impact of Brexit is a very significant risk.

"In circumstances such as these, it is more important than ever that we redouble our efforts to extend our reach in the global marketplace, that we continue to strive for the highest quality and improve the marketability and quality of our produce.

"My department will continue to work closely with Bord Bia to ensure that Irish food retains its global reputation for the highest quality.

According to Bord Bias new report, Irelands largest export categories, meat and dairy, which account for two thirds (66pc) of total exports, remained stable.

Bord Bia CEO, Tara McCarthy said that total export volume increased significantly across many categories this year, although this was counteracted by global price volatility.

While Irish producers exported more in volume terms (+50,000 tonnes), the Euro value recorded for those exports declined.

Dairy

Dairy was the strongest performer in terms of export volume growth in 2018, with volumes up 5pc compared to 2017.

The value of dairy exports remained stable, exceeding 4 billion for the second year in a row.

Butter had an exceptional year in the US and continental Europe and for the first time the value of Irish butter exports exceeded 1 billion for the year, representing a 22pc increase on 2017s value.

More than 50pc of Irelands cheese exports  of which 83pc is cheddar  is destined for the UK.

However in 2018, 22pc of cheese exports were destined for countries outside of the UK and continental Europe, a significant increase from 17pc in 2010.

In 2018 the value of cheese exports to Asia and to North America increased 12pc and 35pc respectively to a total value of 75 million.

Meat and livestock

Meanwhile, the value of meat and livestock exports from Ireland in 2018 was just under 4 billion, an increase of 1pc on 2017 and a record high for the category.

Production volumes are up across all meat species and new markets are being targeted. Beef exports were valued at 2.5 billion (+ 1pc), while strong price growth saw a 15pc rise in the value of sheep exports to reach 315 million.

Significant downward price pressure saw the value of pigmeat exports decline by 6pc to 666 million for the year, even though production increased by 4pc.

The value of poultry exports increased by 8pc to 316 million, as the sector reached its highest ever production levels of 157,000 tonnes.

Finally the overall value of live animal exports declined by 8pc in 2018 to 161 million despite an increase in the number of animals exported. This was due to an increase in calf exports and a decline in higher value finished cattle.

Seafood

Seafood exporters suffered from reduced quotas in mackerel and from decreased production of farmed salmon in 2018. As a result and because of more broadly challenging global market dynamics, the value of Irish seafood exports declined by 8pc to 562 million.

Horticulture

Edible horticulture and cereal exports were worth 208 million in 2018, a reduction of 10pc on 2017, mainly due to UK market volatility. The major elements of Irish edible horticulture exports are mushrooms, which account for 40pc of the total, and cereals, which account for 36pc. The only market of significant value for both is the UK, accounting for 88pc of all cereal exports and 99pc of all mushroom exports.

Prepared Foods

The overall value for prepared foods declined by 16pc to 1.8 billion, primarily due to a significant decline in the value of exports to the US in 2018. However, confectionery, chocolate and frozen food exports saw stand out growth last year. This was driven mainly by innovation, new product development and newer channels for exporters in mature markets.

Beverages

Irish beverage exports were valued at 1.5 billion, a year on year decline of 1 per cent. Volume growth in the sector is largely driven by continued double-digit demand for Irish whiskey in many markets and a sustained change in fortunes for the Irish cream liqueur category. Irish whiskey had another record year of export growth with the value of exports increasing by 45 million to 623 million.

Export Destinations

The UK market remains central to Irish food and drink exports. The UK accounted for 4.5 billion, an increase of 2pc compared to 2017 despite the tail effects of significant currency challenges in 2017 and political uncertainty over the outcome of Brexit.

Exports to other EU states exceeded 4 billion for the second year running, up 1pc on 2017s value. Notably strong growth can be seen in pigmeat, poultry and dairy exports to the EU, with export values increasing to the Netherlands, Italy and Spain in particular.

International markets have been the focus of exceptional growth in Irish food and drink exports over the last eight years. In 2010, Irelands total food and drink exports to countries outside of the EU were valued at just 1.8 billion compared to 3.45 billion last year. In 2018, international markets represented 29pc of the total export values.Sinn Fein has said the EU would remain resolute on the border backstop, and urged Taoiseach Leo Varadkar "not to panic" in coming weeks.

President Mary Lou McDonald met chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels on Wedneday.

Expand Close Standoff: Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray, left, and a pro-Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament. Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Standoff: Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray, left, and a pro-Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament. Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images

Europe has repeatedly said it will not renegotiate the backstop, which is designed to prevent the imposition of a hard Irish border and protect all-island trade if no better solution is found.

Unionists believe it would create a de-facto border in the Irish Sea and separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

Ms McDonald said: "Despite the chaos of Westminster and the brinkmanship of the British government it is clear that European leaders remain resolute.

"All whom we met today made clear that the Withdrawal Agreement and the backstop must remain as negotiated.

"The Taoiseach must be equally clear. He must not panic in the face of British Government threats or brinkmanship in the coming days and weeks."

She said there was a uniformity of approach and unanimity of purpose among all she had met in Europe to safeguard Ireland's interests, the rights of citizens and to protect its agreements.

"The EU has made it abundantly clear there can be no undermining of the Withdrawal Agreement and its backstop.

"The DUP continues to play a reckless game in its pursuit of a Brexit at the cost of our institutions, agreements and economy.

Expand Close A pro-Brexit protester demonstrates outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London. Photo: Getty Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A pro-Brexit protester demonstrates outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London. Photo: Getty Images

"The British government continues to attempt and placate DUP.

"The DUP is massively out of step with the majority opinion in the North in relation to Brexit, the Withdrawal Agreement and the backstop."

Veto

Ms McDonald's comments came after it was reported today that the Northern Ireland Assembly would have the power to veto new EU rules if the so-called backstop came into effect post-Brexit under proposals published by the British government today.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is desperately seeking to build support for her Brexit deal ahead of a Westminster vote on the Withdrawal Agreement next week.

The backstop to avoid a hard border in Ireland is the main sticking point with Brexit-supporting MPs fearing it would lock the UK into EU rules indefinitely.

The proposals published today are designed to allay concerns over the backstop but they were rejected by Northern Irelands DUP, who Mrs Mays government relies on to stay in power.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson dismissed the document as window-dressing and a meaningless piece of paper insisting the backstop has to go.

Earlier British Cabinet Office minister David Lidington Mrs Mays de facto deputy said the measures in the document make clear the continuing place of Northern Ireland within the UK internal market

He added that the proposals give the Northern Ireland Assembly - when, as we all hope, it is reconstituted and working again - a veto over introducing any new areas of law and policy into that backstop.

Under the British governments plans the Assembly  which collapsed almost two years ago amid a row between the DUP and Sinn Fein  would have a strong role if the backstop is ever triggered.

If a comprehensive EU/UK trade deal is not sealed by the end of the Brexit transition period in 2020, there would be a legally-binding commitment to "consult" with Stormont before deciding to either enter the backstop or ask for an extension of the Implementation Period.

The view of the Northern Ireland Assembly would then be presented to Parliament in Westminster before MPs took a final decision on the issue.

If the backstop does come into effect, the British Government said the Stormont Assembly and Executive would then be given a strong oversight role in its operation.

If the EU proposed changing any laws that impacted the operating of the backstop, the UK would have to consent to such a measure applying to Northern Ireland and the British Government has now committed to seek the agreement of the Assembly before signing off on any such change.

There was a cautious response to the proposals.

Earlier, Leo Varadkar has said it would not be acceptable for Northern Ireland to have a veto over conditions attached to the backstop.

Speaking in Ethiopia, Mr Varadkar said he had not been fully briefed on the position paper published by the British government today which indicated Stormont would be given a veto over new EU laws if the so-called backstop is triggered.

The existing Irish protocol does provide for an input by the Northern Ireland Assembly already but I dont think we could have a situation whereby the Northern Ireland Executive or Assembly had a veto power because that would essentially give one of the two communities a veto power over the other and that would create a difficulty, he said.

Mr Varadkar said the people of Northern Ireland want to avoid a hard border which the current agreement provides for and said ratification for that deal is being sought now.

He said he did not have prior sight of the document before it was published but was given an indication some commitments would be made.

They did indicate to us some weeks or months ago that they may make some unilateral commitments to Northern Ireland that would not contravene the Withdrawal Agreement but I didn't have prior sight of what was published today, he said.

Mr Varadkar said he was supportive of an amendment proposed in the House of Commons today that would give the Uk parliament a chance to vote on triggering the backstop or extending the transition period if a trade deal has not been reached by 2020.

He said Ireland was happy with the proposal and had previously discussed it with the UK government.

We are happy with parliament making that decision because either way it means there will be no hard border and thats fundamentally the red line that we stand over, he said.

Meanwhile, Business Minister Heather Humphreys was asked on RTE Radio is she thought the proposals would change anything.

She said: I think its important that Northern Ireland do have a role and thats why we want to see the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive back up and running again because at the minute there is no voice in Northern Ireland.

She reiterated the governments commitment to avoiding a hard border and also said: Brexit is good for nobody. Theres nothing good in this for anybody and thats why we need to help businesses to continue to trade and continue to carry on as normal.

Asked about the British proposals a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: It is our hope that the backstop will not be used and instead a deep and comprehensive trade agreement that avoids a hard border will be in place by the end of the transition period.

However, if the backstop is used, it will only apply unless and until a better deal is struck.

It would be a matter for the UK how it implements it internally and under its devolved arrangements.

Any measures couldnt be at odds with what is set out in the Withdrawal Agreement.

Additional reporting: PACOMMENTS WELCOME

Comments are pre-moderated to ensure they meet our guidelines. Approval times will vary. Keep it civil, and stay on topic. If you see an inappropriate comment, please use the flag feature. Comments are the opinions of the comment writer, not of Castanet. Comments remain open for one day after a story is published and are closed on weekends. Visit Castanets Forums to start or join a discussion about this story.THE Northern Ireland Assembly would have the power to veto new EU rules if the so-called backstop came into effect post-Brexit under proposals published by the British government today.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is desperately seeking to build support for her Brexit deal ahead of a Westminster vote on the Withdrawal Agreement next week.

Expand Close Standoff: Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray, left, and a pro-Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament. Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Standoff: Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray, left, and a pro-Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament. Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images

The backstop to avoid a hard border in Ireland is the main sticking point with Brexit-supporting MPs fearing it would lock the UK into EU rules indefinitely.

The proposals published today are designed to allay concerns over the backstop but theyve already been rejected by Northern Irelands DUP, who Mrs Mays government relies on to stay in power.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson dismissed the document as window-dressing and a meaningless piece of paper insisting the backstop has to go.

Earlier British Cabinet Office minister David Lidington Mrs Mays de facto deputy said the measures in the document make clear the continuing place of Northern Ireland within the UK internal market

He added that the proposals give the Northern Ireland Assembly - when, as we all hope, it is reconstituted and working again - a veto over introducing any new areas of law and policy into that backstop.

Under the British governments plans the Assembly  which collapsed almost two years ago amid a row between the DUP and Sinn Fein  would have a strong role if the backstop is ever triggered.

If a comprehensive EU/UK trade deal is not sealed by the end of the Brexit transition period in 2020, there would be a legally-binding commitment to "consult" with Stormont before deciding to either enter the backstop or ask for an extension of the Implementation Period.

The view of the Northern Ireland Assembly would then be presented to Parliament in Westminster before MPs took a final decision on the issue.

Expand Close A pro-Brexit protester demonstrates outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London. Photo: Getty Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A pro-Brexit protester demonstrates outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London. Photo: Getty Images

If the backstop does come into effect, the British Government said the Stormont Assembly and Executive would then be given a strong oversight role in its operation.

If the EU proposed changing any laws that impacted the operating of the backstop, the UK would have to consent to such a measure applying to Northern Ireland and the British Government has now committed to seek the agreement of the Assembly before signing off on any such change.

There was a cautious response to the proposals.

Leo Varadkar has said it would not be acceptable for Northern Ireland to have a veto over conditions attached to the backstop.

Speaking in Ethiopia, Mr Varadkar said he had not been fully briefed on the position paper published by the British government today which indicated Stormont would be given a veto over new EU laws if the so-called backstop is triggered.

The existing Irish protocol does provide for an input by the Northern Ireland Assembly already but I dont think we could have a situation whereby the Northern Ireland Executive or Assembly had a veto power because that would essentially give one of the two communities a veto power over the other and that would create a difficulty, he said.

Mr Varadkar said the people of Northern Ireland want to avoid a hard border which the current agreement provides for and said ratification for that deal is being sought now.

He said he did not have prior sight of the document before it was published but was given an indication some commitments would be made.

They did indicate to us some weeks or months ago that they may make some unilateral commitments to Northern Ireland that would not contravene the Withdrawal Agreement but I didn't have prior sight of what was published today, he said.

Mr Varadkar said he was supportive of an amendment proposed in the House of Commons today that would give the Uk parliament a chance to vote on triggering the backstop or extending the transition period if a trade deal has not been reached by 2020.

He said Ireland was happy with the proposal and had previously discussed it with the UK government.

We are happy with parliament making that decision because either way it means there will be no hard border and thats fundamentally the red line that we stand over, he said.

Meanwhile, Business Minister Heather Humphreys was asked on RTE Radio is she thought the proposals would change anything.

She said: I think its important that Northern Ireland do have a role and thats why we want to see the Northern Ireland Assembly and the Executive back up and running again because at the minute there is no voice in Northern Ireland.

She reiterated the governments commitment to avoiding a hard border and also said: Brexit is good for nobody. Theres nothing good in this for anybody and thats why we need to help businesses to continue to trade and continue to carry on as normal.

Asked about the British proposals a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs said: It is our hope that the backstop will not be used and instead a deep and comprehensive trade agreement that avoids a hard border will be in place by the end of the transition period.

However, if the backstop is used, it will only apply unless and until a better deal is struck.

It would be a matter for the UK how it implements it internally and under its devolved arrangements.

Any measures couldnt be at odds with what is set out in the Withdrawal Agreement.

Earlier, Sinn Fein said the EU would remain resolute on the border backstop, and urged Taoiseach Leo Varadkar "not to panic" in coming weeks.

President Mary Lou McDonald met chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier in Brussels on Wedneday.

Europe has repeatedly said it will not renegotiate the backstop, which is designed to prevent the imposition of a hard Irish border and protect all-island trade if no better solution is found.

Unionists believe it would create a de-facto border in the Irish Sea and separate Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK.

Ms McDonald said: "Despite the chaos of Westminster and the brinkmanship of the British government it is clear that European leaders remain resolute.

"All whom we met today made clear that the Withdrawal Agreement and the backstop must remain as negotiated.

"The Taoiseach must be equally clear. He must not panic in the face of British Government threats or brinkmanship in the coming days and weeks."

She said there was a uniformity of approach and unanimity of purpose among all she had met in Europe to safeguard Ireland's interests, the rights of citizens and to protect its agreements.

"The EU has made it abundantly clear there can be no undermining of the Withdrawal Agreement and its backstop.

"The DUP continues to play a reckless game in its pursuit of a Brexit at the cost of our institutions, agreements and economy.

"The British government continues to attempt and placate DUP.

"The DUP is massively out of step with the majority opinion in the North in relation to Brexit, the Withdrawal Agreement and the backstop."

Additional reporting: PADUP leader Arlene Foster said Mrs Mays Brexit deal is "dead".

She told the BBC: "We would prefer if the backstop disappeared, what we've been presented with is a narrative and doesn't add anything."

Expand Close Standoff: Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray, left, and a pro-Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament. Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Standoff: Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray, left, and a pro-Brexit supporter outside the Houses of Parliament. Photo: Jack Taylor/Getty Images

Ms Foster added: "We told Theresa May to stop wasting time last November, she is still not listening and she is going to put a plan to Parliament that is dead."

The DUP leader spoke as it was reported today that the Northern Ireland Assembly would have the power to veto new EU rules if the so-called backstop came into effect post-Brexit under proposals published by the British government.

British Prime Minister Theresa May is desperately seeking to build support for her Brexit deal ahead of a Westminster vote on the Withdrawal Agreement next week.

The backstop to avoid a hard border in Ireland is the main sticking point with Brexit-supporting MPs fearing it would lock the UK into EU rules indefinitely.

The proposals published today are designed to allay concerns over the backstop but they were rejected early by Northern Irelands DUP, who Mrs Mays government relies on to stay in power.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson dismissed the document as window-dressing and a meaningless piece of paper insisting the backstop has to go.

Earlier British Cabinet Office minister David Lidington Mrs Mays de facto deputy said the measures in the document make clear the continuing place of Northern Ireland within the UK internal market

He added that the proposals give the Northern Ireland Assembly - when, as we all hope, it is reconstituted and working again - a veto over introducing any new areas of law and policy into that backstop.

Expand Close A pro-Brexit protester demonstrates outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London. Photo: Getty Images / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp A pro-Brexit protester demonstrates outside the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London. Photo: Getty Images

Under the British governments plans the Assembly  which collapsed almost two years ago amid a row between the DUP and Sinn Fein  would have a strong role if the backstop is ever triggered.

If a comprehensive EU/UK trade deal is not sealed by the end of the Brexit transition period in 2020, there would be a legally-binding commitment to "consult" with Stormont before deciding to either enter the backstop or ask for an extension of the Implementation Period.

The view of the Northern Ireland Assembly would then be presented to Parliament in Westminster before MPs took a final decision on the issue.

If the backstop does come into effect, the British Government said the Stormont Assembly and Executive would then be given a strong oversight role in its operation.

If the EU proposed changing any laws that impacted the operating of the backstop, the UK would have to consent to such a measure applying to Northern Ireland and the British Government has now committed to seek the agreement of the Assembly before signing off on any such change.

There was a cautious response to the proposals.

Leo Varadkar has said it would not be acceptable for Northern Ireland to have a veto over conditions attached to the backstop.

Speaking in Ethiopia, Mr Varadkar said he had not been fully briefed on the position paper published by the British government today which indicated Stormont would be given a veto over new EU laws if the so-called backstop is triggered.

The existing Irish protocol does provide for an input by the Northern Ireland Assembly already but I dont think we could have a situation whereby the Northern Ireland Executive or Assembly had a veto power because that would essentially give one of the two communities a veto power over the other and that would create a difficulty, he said.

Mr Varadkar said the people of Northern Ireland want to avoid a hard border which the current agreement provides for and said ratification for that deal is being sought now.

He said he did not have prior sight of the document before it was published but was given an indication some commitments would be made.

They did indicate to us some weeks or months ago that they may make some unilateral commitments to Northern Ireland that would not contravene the Withdrawal Agreement but I didn't have prior sight of what was published today, he said.

Mr Varadkar said he was supportive of an amendment proposed in the House of Commons today that would give the Uk parliament a chance to vote on triggering the backstop or extending the transition period if a trade deal has not been reached by 2020.

He said Ireland was happy with the proposal and had previously discussed it with the UK government.

We are happy with parliament making that decision because either way it means there will be no hard border and thats fundamentally the red line that we stand over, he said.Leading Brexit campaigner and British government minister Michael Gove has compared MPs waiting for something better than Theresa May's Brexit deal to "mid-50s swingers waiting for Scarlett Johansson to turn up".

The comparison was reportedly made by Mr Gove at a meeting of Theresa May's Cabinet yesterday.

It prompted a few quips in the same spirit from colleagues. "They're waiting for Scarlett... on a unicorn," Justice Secretary David Gauke volunteered. "Or Pierce Brosnan," minister Amber Rudd added.

Downing Street refused to deny that Mr Gove had made such a quip.

The Cabinet's exchange came amid a wider discussion about Mrs May's deal and plans for a no-deal exit. Ms Rudd warned colleagues that history would "take a dim view of a Cabinet that presses ahead with a no-deal".

This comes after Business Minister Richard Harrington warned on Monday night that he would "definitely" resign to stop a no-deal.

Expand Close Actress Scarlett Johansson / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp Actress Scarlett Johansson

He also suggested on BBC's 'Newsnight' programme that others would join him.

Meanwhile, MPs have fired a warning shot across the government's bows as they backed an amendment intended to limit ministers' tax-raising powers in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The Commons voted by 303 to 296 - a majority of seven - in favour of the cross-party amendment to the Finance Bill, tabled by senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper and Conservative former Cabinet minister Nicky Morgan.The Central Bank has had to "re-prioritise" ordinary supervision activity because of the large number of firms looking to relocate here after Brexit using up the bank's resources.

Central Bank deputy governor Ed Sibley told colleagues that there had been a "material" increase in firms looking to come here.

Previous reports have suggested there could have been as many as 175 by the end of 2018.

Earlier this week, EY said Dublin has remained the most popular choice for financial service companies looking to relocate after Brexit, despite concerns that the high cost of housing might put firms off coming to the Irish capital.Yann Moix is the author of a dozen novels and has won literary prizes, but he is perhaps best known as a speaker on popular late night talk shows, where he delivers scathing criticism of his guests. In the last few years, Moix has carefully nurtured his reputation as a public provocateur and regularly makes headlines for his altercations with various actors and writers  who often happen to be women.

Now Moix is at the heart of a new controversy. In an interview with Marie Claire on 4 January, the 50-year-old writer declared himself to be incapable of loving women over 50.

Describing women his age as invisible to him, Moix candidly added: I prefer younger womens bodies, thats all. End of. The body of a 25-year-old woman is extraordinary. The body of a 50-year-old woman is not extraordinary at all.

 Men should be 'free to hit on' women, 100 prominent female French artists say

The comments caused outrage on social media. Former first lady Valerie Trierweiler hit out at Moix the macho on her Instagram account. Only one year and 14 days left to sleep with #yannmoix, comedian Marina Fois quipped. Meanwhile, hundreds of women responded to Moixs words with sarcasm, circulating ironic pictures and memes, such as a photograph of 51-year-old Julia Roberts claiming she has no chance with Moix.

If Moixs comments are deeply shocking, they are from being exceptional. Most French women  the author of these lines included  have experienced casual sexism and demeaning remarks from (older) men. That Moix felt confident expressing his views in a glossy magazine at the risk of alienating parts of his readership underscores one fact: that, for too long, powerful men in France have felt entitled to adopt sexist behaviour in the name of candour and resistance to puritanism.

Moixs reaction to the controversy, in this respect, reflects some well-established tactics. Despite the public backlash, the writer remains unapologetic and has presented himself as a victim of puritanism, saying that he doesnt have to answer to the court of taste. Others have adopted similar language, including French psychoanalyst Gerard Miller when he denounced la police du fantasme (i.e the fantasy police).

The overwhelming response from women (and men) to Moixs crass comments, however, shows that the puritanism argument is no longer working, and that previously tolerated behaviour has become unacceptable. In this respect, the Moix affair is the manifestation of a broader phenomenon: French societys change when it comes to gender relations and sexism.

Several events in the last two years have led up to this change. The #MeToo movement which swept through Hollywood in late 2017 reactivated a debate about everyday sexism in France. Arguably, the movement did not catch on in France in the same way that it did across the Atlantic, and it even met with some resistance.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The actor Catherine Deneuve, alongside other high-profile French women, signed an open letter in Le Monde in which she defended mens freedom to importune women. Nonetheless, #MeToo  Balance ton Porc, or expose your pig, as it came to be known in France  encouraged hundreds of women to speak up, with long lasting impact.

Last summer, footage of a harasser hitting a young woman outside a Parisian cafe after she talked back at him became a stark reminder of the everyday sexist violence that women continue to experience. But the changes in social attitudes are reflected in new legislation.

In May last year, the government passed a bill introducing fines for sexual harassment on the street (the bill also penalised sexist comments). And more recently, thousands of men and women demonstrated against sexist violence in 50 French cities.

If Moixs aim in insulting women was to attract publicity, the strategy has backfired. Moix has made headlines, but the headlines have revealed an unflattering picture: that of a tired-looking and ageing man, striving to stay relevant. The overwhelming response to the Moix affair has also served as a warning that French women are ready to hit back at the culture of sexism.Far-right yobs yelling abuse and threatening MPs and journalists in Westminster. The gilets jaunes, a rag bag of populists and discontents, burning the streets of Paris. A far-right German MP beaten up in Bremen.

Nothing to trivialise there. And yet none, even taken together, and even with several degrees of escalation, seriously threaten the future of European liberal values. But there is a much more lethal threat to European democracy  from the ballot box itself, and it will soon enough be upon us.

In May, there will be elections to the European parliament. It seems very likely indeed that this important European institution, once the very seat of federalist ambitions, will be transformed into a sort of playpen for the fruitcakes, nutcases and plain evil hard cases of European politics.

They are what is usually, and too politely, termed populists. We know that Steve Bannon, architect of Trumpism, has been in Europe working to build up the ant-EU forces. We should be warned.

They are a mixed bag, as well as being mixed up themselves. Some are, in reality, neo-fascists, neo-Nazis, far-right nationalists, ultra-conservatives, separatists, anti-migrant, anti-globalisation, anti-EU, anti-Islamic, even anti-democratic (covertly or overtly)  and every permutation of the foregoing.

DO NOT USE -Brexit protesters harass Anna Soubry calling her a fascist

Together, by the looks of things, they will garner about a fifth to a third of the available vote, and perhaps more if there is another migrant crisis or economic disaster that will galvanise people and push the traditionally low turnout rates much higher. Proportional representation makes it easy for small groups to gain seats, but in many of the largest EU states the far right is well past the usual thresholds imposed in direct elections. They have their chance, and conditions are favouring them.

Elections for the European parliament are traditionally used as a protest vote about domestic or European politics, and there are plenty of unpopular governments across the continent to fuel a drive by the far right and their allies for increased numbers and a louder voice. And boy will they shout  about migration, about free movement of people, about the rules of the European single currency, about the supposed arrogance of the European Commission, Court and European Central Bank, and much else.

Imagine a parliament full of people like Nigel Farage, but, unlike Ukip, actually prepared to turn up, vote and generally do something about shoving Europe in a reactionary, racist and anti-EU direction.

They will invade the European parliament from almost every corner of Europe, because the far right has recently been scoring terrifyingly high poll ratings everywhere from Sweden to Italy.

For example, if the UK actually does leave the EU, and its representation of 73 seats in the European parliament disappears, the seats will be redistributed, with certain demographic discrepancies corrected. Germany, the most populous nation, keeps the greatest number of allocated seats, at 96 out of the grand total of 705.

By the looks of the polls there, the extreme Alternative for Germany movement (AfD) might grab, say, a fifth of those, as it seems to have some momentum in recent regional elections. And dont be in any doubt about how awkward they are  the AfD re actually talking about taking Germany out of the EU  Dexit  and without Germany there is no EU at all.

France gets 79 seats, and the far right there might win a third or more of the vote. There, where civil unrest is most obvious, recent polling suggests that Marine le Pens National Rally  a rebranded National Front  has overtaken President Macrons En Marche!, itself a rare centrist insurgent grouping. Politics are more fluid than at any time since the Second World War  and that is boosting the radicals of the right and, occasionally, Green-Red left.

Italy? Well, the Five Star and Liga parties are already in coalition government in Rome, and have used all their influence to blame Europe ad Macron for Italys problems  another bloc for the far right ready to turn up in Brussels. The Netherlands, Sweden, Demark, Finland, Austria, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic will also send sizeable contingents, with a handful of others from virtually every other member state.

There are two main groups in the European parliament representing the far right and fellow travellers  the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (EFDD) group, which includes Ukip and the bunch known as Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF), which features the French National front/Rally and Geert Wilders Dutch Freedom Party.

According to Politico, together they could win 105 seats on current poll ratings, putting them third, just behind the social democratic S&D (Progressive alliance of Socialists and Democrats), on 133 seats, and the conservative European Peoples Party, on 177.

And what will they do when they get there?

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

They will clown around, pull stunts and cause chaos. They wont have a majority, but in the fragmented assembly they could still disrupt the workings of the EU. The European parliament has powers which can be abused. Thus a loose ENF-EFDD bloc of far right MEPs can support their allies in government in Poland, Hungary and Italy to defy the EU's rules on human rights and freedom of the judiciary; on EU migration policy; and on the rules about government budget deficits and the euro.

The parliament has powers of co-decision with the Commission and Council of Ministers; it has the right of legislative initiative; it has scrutiny over the Commission; and (as now with Brexit) it has the right to veto treaties. They could block new EU members in East Europe form joining.

If nothing else, the far right in the European parliament will form a rallying point for those who want to close Europes borders and end freedom of movement around the Union itself. They may not succeed entirely, this time, but there is no doubt about what they are about. Brexit may be just the start of it.

The only cause for optimism is that, being nationalists and erratic, the ENF/EFDD are bound to quarrel between and within themselves, and splinter, and they may end up being utterly ineffective in pursuing their own various random agendas, from Flemish independence, to eliminating an independent media in Hungary, to a public register for Swedish paedophiles.

But as a negative, wrecking, anti-democratic and anti-European force, their energy and malevolence should not be underestimated.There are many powerful democratic arguments in favour of a second, Final Say, referendum on Brexit. There are also many perfectly legitimate reasons to object to such an exercise. They have been widely aired. What is, however, not an acceptable way of opposing a further vote on Brexit is to threaten violent action, however obliquely.

Consciously or not, too many in senior political positions who should know better have been doing just this. The most recent example has dropped from the lips of the Brexit secretary, Stephen Barclay. Commenting on the violent verbal abuse hurled at Remainer Tory MP Anna Soubry, Mr Barclay said the incident showed how divisive the Brexit debate had become. He then elided that point into another, adding that holding a second EU referendum to break the Brexit deadlock would be hugely damaging to our democracy; to our politics.

Wrong, wrong, wrong. And how ironic it is that a further, and essential, exercise in democratic legitimacy should be thwarted by the threat of undemocratic direct action by a few small gangs of hot-heads.

Mr Barclay is hardly alone. The former leader of Ukip, Nigel Farage, has said, a little oddly, that he would don khaki, pick up a rifle and head for the front lines if Brexit were frustrated  words that are at the very least open to misunderstanding. Barry Gardner, Labour shadow international trade secretary, said last autumn that a second referendum could lead to civil disobedience and would be socially disruptive. That was before the Labour Party conference backed the notion of a referendum if a general election failed to materialise, so perhaps Mr Gardiner has reconsidered his prognostications about civil disobedience. As in most areas, on this subject Mr Gardiner is unlikely to be crystal clear about whatever it is he does think.

There is a further problem with this sort of talk, which is that it actively encourages those most susceptible to suggestion and violent reaction to redouble their efforts, only this time not demonstrating for Brexit, but to actively disrupt a democratic national vote. Who knows what lengths some of them might go to in order, as they see it, to protect their country from treachery and treason?

It is rather like those old examples of journalists who used to report that trouble is expected at some event, with it becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Most notoriously  and a real warning from history  there is the faintest echo of the Enoch Powell line about foreboding and rivers of blood.

It is perfectly true, such is the emotional state that many on both sides of this debate have frothed themselves into, that there will be unhinged individuals who will take all sorts of action in the coming months, second referendum or not. Some will certainly be enraged by it. Yet that is not, and can never be, an argument against the free and fair exercise of democracy. If, as some people are claiming, the second referendum is an attempt to frustrate Brexit, then so what? The 2016 referendum result did not close down debate, or force everyone to sign up to some sort of compulsory Brexit orthodoxy, imposing a one-party pro-Brexit state in the UK. We did not even do that during the Second World War, when the Commons debated motions critical of Winston Churchills handling of the war. Hitler was not subjected to such scrutiny in the Reichstag. This is what makes Britain a democracy.

When Theresa May makes such claims about frustrating Brexit in the chamber of the House of Commons, the SNP MPs delightedly and loudly proclaim their determination to do just that. They are open and honest about it. They are entitled to do so  just as Nigel Farage and Ukip were entitled to campaign against the EU for decades before. No referendum can shut down debate or stop people thinking  and, for that matter, rethinking  their views. Seeking to frustrate or reverse Brexit, or perhaps in due course rejoin the EU, is not some sort of crime, an act of treason on a par with trying to burn down a naval dockyard or violate Princess Anne. It is a simple act of political judgement.

It has always been the case that some people regard Labour voters as nothing better than communists and Russian spies, for example, but that has never prevented us from allowing a general election or a Labour government to be formed.

So we will have arrived at a strange place if sovereignty is not allowed to rest with the people as a whole or with parliament, but is instead subject to a veto exercised by a self-appointed bunch of patriotic guardians with union jacks draped around their shoulders wandering abound Westminster yelling insults at MPs and broadcasters. They are not a silent majority, but a very noisy and silly minority. Some of them, a faction within a faction, may have their minds so bent by events that they seek to sow violence.

The assassination of Jo Cox, the thinly veiled threats of the far right and some half-baked murder plots against politicians remind us that there are men and women of evil out there. Their business is to frustrate democracy. That is why they are dangerous, and that is why they should not be given undue weight and encouragement by ministers and other politicians. The fighting talk has got to stop.Thats my name, dont wear it out. So went a popular epigram from my primary school days, demonstrating that even eight-year-olds have an inherent sense of the dangers of semantic erosion: say a word, any word, 20 times in a row and watch as its meaning evaporates, leaving an empty shell.

When a small band of pro-Brexit protesters, cosplaying as French yellow vests, interrupted a BBC interview with Conservative MP Anna Soubry to call her a Nazi over her support for a second EU referendum, they were operating at the avant-garde of a semantic inversion thats been a long time in the forging, one facilitated by decades of overuse and casual misapplication.

Coming from James Goddard, the far-right Islamophobic leader and a supporter of the EDLs Tommy Robinson, it may have seemed a classic if unremarkable case of wolf crying wolf, yet understanding whats become of the word Nazi is helpful to understanding our current political discourse  and a dilemma now faced by the left.

Once a proper noun with a singular, universally understood referent, Nazi has undergone a semantic broadening in recent decades: first there were grammar Nazis, then soup Nazis, then Zionazis. A Nazi was no longer someone who committed genocide but a person who withheld bread rolls or pointed out grocers commas. Meanwhile, its overuse as a byword for evil led to a semantic softening. An internet axiom known as Godwins Law states that, as an online comment thread develops, the probability of someone being compared to a Nazi or Hitler approaches one. In recent years, as the gap between on and offline interactions shrinks and URL becomes IRL, Nazi has worked its way back into mainstream political discussion.

 Anna Soubry stops BBC interview as Brexit protesters call her a Nazi

In many ways, the return of Nazi to frontline politics ought to come as a welcome intervention; with far-right parties making gains across Europe, Brazil electing a fascist leader, Donald Trump shutting down the US government to build a border wall to keep out Mexican rapists and discussion around Brexit continuing to circle the drain of ethno-nationalism, what better time to remind ourselves of where these things can ultimately lead?

But the word Nazi, in its current usage, is less a warning from history than a reflection of our fractured present. At times, its meaning can seem slippery, even quantum; at others its perfectly clear, and recalls Jeremy from Peep Shows claim that justice is just another word for what I wanted to happen. A Nazi, in 2019, is someone you disagree with.

And no one knows this better or has capitalised on it more shrewdly than the far-right. It takes a certain chutzpah to try to ban a word as a slur, as if labelling fascism is the same as fascism, while also claiming that the true Nazis are the students who refuse a platform to hatemongers and the MPs wary of our jingoist tendencies. But its typical of a moral equivalence (and cognitive dissonance) the far-right increasingly relies on.

The genius and danger of this is that it appeals to traditional left-wing values of free speech and tolerance  and the left, as well as the media and the police, have indulged a resurgent far-right on the grounds that denying them protest permits and seats on Newsnight is the same as trampling their rights.

Really, though, this isnt such an unsolvable paradox: tolerance of intolerance is not tolerance, its a failure of both judgement and conviction. All of us may be guilty of exaggerating views we disagree with and demonising those who hold them, but that doesnt mean we can lower our guard when there are those among us who mean others harm.

Matt Greene is the author of Ostrich. His forthcoming book, Max & Me, deals with contemporary antisemitism and the changing face of Holocaust denialPhoto: Contributed

Yellow Vest protesters plan to greet Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Kamloops on Wednesday.

Organizer Kevin Proteau says the anti-tax group will leave from Kelowna after an early morning meet-up, 5:30 a.m. at the Burger King on Harvey Avenue.

"Show our prime minister we are united with the rest of Canada, and we need to put Canadians first," the event's Facebook page states.

"Please bring tasteful signs and Information to hand out. We do not want to be portrayed as a racist group, as this is about more than immigration and our current economy."

Trudeau will be speaking at 11 a.m. at a Liberal fundraiser at the Coast Kamloops Hotel & Conference Centre.An aircraft worthy of the title Son of Concorde has moved one stage closer.

Boom Supersonic has obtained funding of $100m (79m) for the next stage of its project to create a commercial aircraft, known as Overture, planned to fly at more than twice the speed of sound, with a range of 5,180 miles.

A half-size prototype, known as XB-1, is set to fly later in 2019. The firm claims it is historys first independently developed supersonic jet and the fastest civil aircraft ever built.

Once the Boom Overture is in commercial service, routes such as London to Mumbai, Manchester to Dallas-Fort Worth and Edinburgh to Vancouver will take around four hours  better than half the time of conventional jets.

Virgin Atlantic has options for 10 of the aircraft. Sir Richard Branson's airline unsuccessfully fought for the right to keep Concorde flying.

The British Airways Concorde was restricted largely to supersonic journeys from London to New York, Washington and Barbados, with the last of those requiring a fuel stop in Ireland.

The project to build a viable supersonic transport (SST) is aiming for a cabin barely half the size of Concorde: just 55 seats, compared with 100 on the Anglo-French jet.

But the three-engine Boom aircraft will fly further, more economically and less noisily, with a sonic boom at least 30 times quieter than Concorde.

At landing and takeoff, the company says: Overture will be as quiet as the subsonic aircraft flying similar routes today.

But in July 2018, the International Council on Clean Transportation warned: Emerging SSTs are likely to fail current and perhaps historical landing and take-off noise standards.

New Boom Supersonic airliner  in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 New Boom Supersonic airliner  in pictures New Boom Supersonic airliner  in pictures A model of the Boom Overture, designed to carry 55 passengers at more than twice the speed of sound Boom Supersonic New Boom Supersonic airliner  in pictures Boom Supersonic has obtained funding of $100m (79m) for the next stage of its project to create a commercial aircraft, known as Overture, planned to fly at more than twice the speed of sound, with a range of 5,180 miles Boom Supersonic New Boom Supersonic airliner  in pictures A half-size prototype, known as XB-1, is set to fly later in 2019. The firm claims it is historys first independently developed supersonic jet and the fastest civil aircraft ever built Boom Supersonic New Boom Supersonic airliner  in pictures Once the Boom Overture is in commercial service, routes such as London to Mumbai, Manchester to Dallas-Fort Worth and Edinburgh to Vancouver will take around four hours  better than halve the time of conventional jets Boom Supersonic New Boom Supersonic airliner  in pictures Virgin Atlantic has options for 10 of the aircraft. Sir Richard Branson's airline unsuccessfully fought for the right to keep Concorde flying Boom Supersonic New Boom Supersonic airliner  in pictures The project to build a viable supersonic transport (SST) is aiming for a cabin barely half the size of Concorde: just 55 seats, compared with 100 on the Anglo-French jet. But the three-engine Boom aircraft will fly further, more economically and less noisily, with a sonic boom at least 30 times quieter than Concorde Boom Supersonic New Boom Supersonic airliner  in pictures At landing and takeoff, the company says: Overture will be as quiet as the subsonic aircraft flying similar routes today. But in July 2018, the International Council on Clean Transportation warned: Emerging SSTs are likely to fail current and perhaps historical landing and take-off noise standards. Boom Supersonic New Boom Supersonic airliner  in pictures The organisation also predicts supersonic aircraft will consume between five and seven times as much fuel per passenger relative to comparable subsonic aircraft. Concorde used about as much fuel to fly 100 passengers as an Airbus A380 does on the same distance with five times as many people onboard. The supersonic jet flew for Air France and British Airways, but was permanently grounded in October 2003 as high fuel costs rendered the economics hopeless. Since then all commercial air travel has been subsonic Boom Supersonic New Boom Supersonic airliner  in pictures Boom says: From 1903 to 1976, the speed of passenger aviation increased relentlessly from 7mph to Mach 2. Then something broke. Over the last 40 years, not only have we failed to generate further speed increases, weve lost supersonic capability. Supersonic flight removes a critical barrier to new business relationships, new cultural experiences, and more time with loved ones. The company is even claiming health benefits, saying: Sitting in one place for too long causes blood circulation to slow, which can cause serious problems such as deep vein thrombosis. Because supersonic flights are shorter than subsonic ones, passengers spend less time sitting still. Boom Supersonic New Boom Supersonic airliner  in pictures Investors in the Colorado-based company include the Emerson Collective, headed by Laurene Powell Jobs  widow of Apples former chief executive, Steve Jobs. This new funding allows us to advance work on Overture, the worlds first economically viable supersonic airliner, said Blake Scholl, founder of Boom Supersonic. Prices are planned to be similar to todays business class. One immediate problem: supersonic flight is currently banned over the United States. Boom will focus on routes that are primarily overwater. The company cites routes such as San Francisco to Tokyo  though at 5,155 miles the journey will require a refuelling stop, probably in Anchorage Alaska Boom Supersonic

The organisation also predicts supersonic aircraft will consume between five and seven times as much fuel per passenger relative to comparable subsonic aircraft.

Concorde used about as much fuel to fly 100 passengers as an Airbus A380 does on the same distance with five times as many people onboard.

The supersonic jet flew for Air France and British Airways, but was permanently grounded in October 2003 as high fuel costs rendered the economics hopeless.

Since then all commercial air travel has been subsonic.

Boom says: From 1903 to 1976, the speed of passenger aviation increased relentlessly from 7mph to Mach 2. Then something broke.

Over the last 40 years, not only have we failed to generate further speed increases, weve lost supersonic capability.

Supersonic flight removes a critical barrier to new business relationships, new cultural experiences, and more time with loved ones.

The company is even claiming health benefits, saying: Sitting in one place for too long causes blood circulation to slow, which can cause serious problems such as deep vein thrombosis.

Because supersonic flights are shorter than subsonic ones, passengers spend less time sitting still.

Investors in the Colorado-based company include the Emerson Collective, founded and headed by Laurene Powell Jobs  widow of Apples former chief executive, Steve Jobs.

This new funding allows us to advance work on Overture, the worlds first economically viable supersonic airliner, said Blake Scholl, founder of Boom Supersonic.

Prices are planned to be similar to todays business class.

One immediate problem: supersonic flight is currently banned over the United States.

Boom will focus on routes that are primarily overwater. The company cites routes such as San Francisco to Tokyo  though at 5,155 miles the journey will require a refuelling stop, probably in Anchorage Alaska.

You can leave San Francisco a whole day later and still make a morning meeting in Tokyo, the firm claims. You can even return before jet lag sets in.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Japan Airlines is one of the launch customers.

The onboard experience will be comparable to short-haul first class, with the airliner designed so that airlines can make a profit while charging the same fares as todays business class.

Our ultimate vision is to reduce operating costs to make supersonic flight even more affordable and accessible, said Mr Scholl.

Boom is in competition with Aerion Supersonic and Spike Aerospace to revive high-speed air travel.At eight minutes to eight in the evening of 8 January 1989, a brand-new Boeing 737-400 jet belonging to British Midland took off from Heathrow Airport. Flight BD92 to Belfast International was commanded by Captain David Hunt, assisted by first officer David McClelland. There were 118 passengers and six cabin crew on board.

As the aircraft climbed through 28,300 feet on its way to a cruising altitude of 35,000 feet, the outer panel of one of the fan bands in the left-hand engine detached  causing what was described in the official report as airframe shuddering, ingress of smoke and fumes to the flight deck.

Mistakenly, the crew throttled back and then shut down the right-hand engine.

They reacted to the initial engine problem prematurely and in a way that was contrary to their training, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch concluded.

The pilots also failed to assimilate the indications on the engine instrument display before shutting down the healthy engine. When the first officer was asked which engine was causing the trouble, he responded: Its the le  its the right one. The captain said: OK, throttle it back.

Immediately the engine was shut down, notes the report: They were so sure that they had contained the situation that the commander engaged in lengthy communications with BMA [British Midland] Operations.

After this conversation they initiated a diversion to British Midlands home base at East Midlands Airport.

Many on board, including three members of cabin crew, had witnessed flames from the left-hand engine. But no-one told the pilots, even after the captain made a cabin announcement explaining the fault lay with the right-hand engine. The report called this extremely unfortunate.

Remarkably, the damaged left-hand engine continued to function until the aircraft was just under three miles from the runway threshold. But as the pilots commanded an increase in thrust before what they expected to be a normal emergency landing, the left-hand engine failed completely.

Only at this point did the captain and the first officer attempt to re-start the right-hand engine. Their efforts proved futile.

The aircraft was approaching the runway at East Midlands from the east, just south of the Leicestershire village of Kegworth. It is an approach which crosses the M1 motorway immediately before the runway threshold. With insufficient speed for controlled flight, the rear of the Boeing struck the eastern embankment of the M1 at 130mph.

The damaged aircraft was still aloft as it crossed the motorway, which miraculously was clear of traffic, destroying a lamp standard on the way. The 737 hit the western embankment at a speed of around 100mph and broke up into three sections.

Thirty-nine passengers died in the crash. A further eight passengers died later from their injuries. Of the remaining 79 occupants, all but four passengers and one crew member suffered serious injuries.

The official report makes grim reading, but led to a number of changes which have helped to make aviation safer.

 Micronesia plane crash: Boeing 737 passenger jet crash-lands in Pacific lagoon after missing runway

Immediate steps included Boeing revising the flight manual for the 737-400, with advice passed onto pilots.

Recommendations centred on pilot training and better coordination between cabin crew and the flight deck. The report also led to better passenger safety briefing and awareness of the importance of adopting the right brace position.

Additional recommendations included more frequent engine inspections, more robust overhead stowage bins and for air-traffic controllers always to use a separate radio frequency when dealing with an aircraft emergency.

One recommendation which has not led to change was for aft-facing passenger seats.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The Kegworth accident was notable for something else: the presence of the airline boss in front of the worlds media. Michael Bishop (now Lord Glendonbrook), chairman of British Midland, was alerted to the crash by his secretary, who lived in the village of Kegworth. He reached the site within 30 minutes, and provided the media with information as it reached him.

Mr Bishop also made immediate initial payments of 5,000 to the injured survivors and the families of the victims.

The Kegworth disaster was the last major fatal accident involving a UK airline. Since 8 January 1989, the safety record of British  and Irish  carriers has been unparalleled.Donald Trump emphatically declared a week before Christmas the US would withdraw its 2,000 troops from Syria following the defeat of Isis.

International military observers were quick to denounce the presidents triumphalism as premature or naive and, a day later, secretary of defence Jim Mattis resigned, telling Mr Trump in his farewell letter the position should be held by someone whose views are better aligned with yours.

Pentagon chief of staff Kevin Sweeney and Washington envoy Brett McGurk also resigned over the issue.

National security advisor John Bolton has since visited the Middle East to reassure the USs allies in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) they will be shielded from Turkish aggression, incurring the wrath of Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.

Turkeys president considers one of the SDFs constituent militia groups, the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units (known as YPG), a terrorist organisation.

With the US caught between conflicting loyalties to the SDF and Turkey, which is a fellow Nato member, the truth on troop withdrawal, as well as the future threat posed by Isis, is a great deal less clear-cut than Mr Trump suggests.

What the president says

We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency, Donald Trump tweeted on 19 December.

A day later, obviously bruised by the scepticism with which his remarks were greeted, Mr Trump repeated praise from Fox News pundit Laura Ingraham and became defensive, making clear his priorities were domestic, not foreign.

Getting out of Syria was no surprise. Ive been campaigning on it for years, and six months ago, when I very publicly wanted to do it, I agreed to stay longer. Russia, Iran, Syria & others are the local enemy of ISIS. We were doing there work. Time to come home & rebuild. #MAGA, he wrote.

His distaste for the fight was confirmed by remarks made during a televised cabinet meeting on 2 January, in which Mr Trump dismissed Syria as an arena of sand and death.

Were talking about sand and death. Thats what were talking about. Were not talking about vast wealth. Were talking about sand and death, he said.

There is still, however, no timeline in place for American withdrawal at the time of writing.

The situation on the ground

President Trump was emboldened to hail the end of Isis after the SDF announced it had taken back most of the town of Hajin on 14 December.

Lying on the banks of the Euphrates, Hajin had been the scene of bloody fighting since September between US soldiers, the SDF and the last of the Islamist terrorist fighters, already driven out from the north and east of the country.

The town represented a last stand for many of the extremists' most experienced fighters and the battle left heavy casualties on both sides.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated in December that some 793 Isis fighters and 464 SDF soldiers had been killed in the three-month assault on Hajin. There will also significant civilian casualties, many swept up in allied air strikes.

The surviving 5,000 Isis combatants had been driven back to Deir Ezzor, a final outpost the SDF expected to capture in the coming weeks, according to commander Lilwa al-Abdullah.

If this does come to pass, a military conquest may not mark the end of the feared terrorist organisation.

As James Jeffrey, the US special representative for Syria, observed in November: An enduring defeat means not simply smashing the last of Isiss conventional military units holding terrain, but ensuring that Isis doesnt immediately come back in sleeper cells, come back as an insurgent movement.

Republican senator Lindsey Graham agreed, branding the removal of US forces a mistake in response to the presidents tweet.

An American withdrawal at this time would be a big win for Isis, Iran, Bashar al-Assad of Syria and Russia. I fear it will lead to devastating consequences for our nation, the region, and throughout the world, he said in a statement.

It will make it more difficult to recruit future partners willing to confront radical Islam. It will also be seen by Iran and other bad actors as a sign of American weakness in the efforts to contain Iranian expansion.

French president Emmanuel Macron was also critical: I very deeply regret the decision made on Syria. To be allies is to fight shoulder to shoulder, its the most important thing for a head of state and head of military. An ally should be dependable.

The threat from Turkey

With the resignation of General Mattis from the Pentagon, a development President Trump characteristically sought to rebrand as essentially a firing, Mr Bolton has assumed responsibility for Syria.

There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal, he said in Israel on 6 January, alluding to the Americas allies in the YPG when he stressed the president will not allow Turkey to kill the Kurds.

Mr Bolton said the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General Joseph Dunford, would continue negotiations with his Turkish counterparts to seek protection for Americas Kurdish allies in Syria.

He also said US soldiers would remain in al-Tanf in southern Syria to counter growing Iranian activity in the region, all of which placed him at odds with Mr Trump  and President Erdogan.

It is not possible for us to accept and swallow the message that Bolton gave from Israel, Mr Erdogan told his countrys parliament in a televised speech on 8 January, after apparently refusing to meet with the hard-line US hawk.

If the US evaluates them [the YPG] as Kurdish brothers then they are in a serious delusion, the Turkish president said. John Bolton made a serious mistake on this issue. Whoever thinks like that is making a mistake.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

President Erdogan also criticised the US militarys aerial bombardment of the cities of Raqqa and Mosul and repeated his threat to neutralise those terror organisations in Syria very soon.

He has made similar threats before and in March 2018 sent his army and allied Syrian rebel groups to take majority control of the Kurdish province of Afrin from YPG, the authoritarian Turkish leader fearing an empowered Kurdish nationalist movement on his doorstep.

The Kurds have meanwhile begun talks with the Assad regime as well as Vladimir Putins government in Moscow to handover border areas to Syrian forces in return for a guarantee of internal autonomy over the Kurdish region of Rojava, pointing out they have no alternative in the wake of Mr Trumps decision.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

If there is a Turkish attack, the YPG forces will be forced to come protect the borders, to defend their families, YPG general Mazloum Kobani warned on 13 December.

A US withdrawal from the region risks leaving its former SDF allies exposed to an attack from Turkey, which, if it were to happen, would give the last remaining remnants of Isis a chance to regroup, potentially posing a revitalised terror threat in a new guise.

A senior British military officer has suggested a missile attack that left two SAS officers wounded indicated Isis had already taken encouragement from President Trumps stance.Photo: CNN

Im in a love-hate relationship.

No, its nothing to do with my husband. Its with my iPhone.

One of the best and the worst things was finally upgrading to a phone that could receive emails. So convenient. Maybe too convenient.

As a mindfulness practitioner, Im keenly aware of the challenges created by the virtual reality of our minds, where we ruminate on the past or worry about the future.

Our minds can keep us from experiencing the present moment. In this virtual reality of our minds, so much of lifes richness is missed, often fuelling the fight-or-flight response.

In todays society the growing dependency on our digital devices adds fuel to the fire.

Its so easy to get sucked into the vortex of technologys virtual world. I know, because it started happening to me.

My awareness of the growing epidemic of cell phone addiction heightened when I viewed a photo series, Removed, by Eric Pickersgill.

Pickersgill captured photos of people in modern life, consumed by their devices, except the devices were removed from their hands; an image all too familiar becomes odd and absurd.

This photo series was a cold slap of reality. The stark truth of whats happening caused me to wake up and notice the isolating and intrusive nature of life married to digital devices.

I realized how I was also becoming addicted to my phone, and began noticing the effect in todays world. It causes me concern.

During a recent visit to beautiful Coal Harbour in Vancouver, more than 75 per cent of the people I saw were either looking at, or looking through their device. Families and friends standing together, each totally alone as they were absorbed in the virtual reality of technology.

I call it the invasion of the zombies.

As one of my mindfulness students mused, Beware the cyber-toothed tiger!

There are many health costs arising from cellphone addiction.

Technology is good, but overusing it creates challenges for the cognitive function of our brains.

It may be startling to realize the abilities of our brains are changing due to the increased use of technology.

We are harming our ability to remember and to solve simple problems on our own.

How many phone numbers are you able to remember?

Are you able to quickly calculate sale prices in your head?

Our spatial awareness is being altered through the use of Google Maps.

Use it or lose it.

As I stood with a young clerk in a store recently, she was shocked when I quickly calculated the final price of an item when the sale price was 20 per cent off. She was impressed. Im concerned she was impressed.

Digital dementia, a term coined by Manfred Spitzer in 2012, is the breakdown of the brains ability to think. Poor short-term memory, anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders are only a few of the consequences of the overuse of technology.

I grew concerned when I noticed my tendency to reach for my device to simply pass the time. I frequently see people eating out, absorbed in scrolling on their device. Do they even notice what theyve eaten?

Through the holiday season, I paid attention to the people who were sitting at the mall waiting. Most were glued to their phones, and only very few just sat and engaged in the age-old delight of people watching.

Injuries from distracted walking are on the rise. Ive had people walk straight into me on the streets with their eyes transfixed by their screens. Thank goodness Im not a car.

Distracted people are increasingly walking into traffic, unaware of their surroundings. Its becoming such a problem some municipalities are now banning texting while walking. Its hard to believe.

What to do?

Awareness is curative.

Utilizing the weekly screen time report on your phone is a great way to draw attention to your use of your device. Being mindful of your usage can lead to positive change.

Notice your own habits with technology. As we say in mindfulness, be gentle, patient and kind in your noticing. Be curious. Self-criticism is not helpful, but gaining insight into your own ways is a place to begin.

Next week, I will continue the conversation. Ill share the consequences of digital over-use and some strategies for using technology without technology using you.China may seek to further build up its man-made islands in the South China Sea if it feels the outposts are under threat, one of the country's senior naval officers has said.

The country reserved the right to do as it pleased on the islands it has created in the strategically vital waterway, which it claims virtually in its entirety, according to Senior Captain Zhang Junshe, a naval academy researcher.

If our on-island personnel and installations come under threat in future, then we necessarily will take measures to boost our defensive capabilities," he said during a briefing with journalists.

Chinas claims in the region clash with those of several other countries. Competing claims have been made by Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei and Taiwan.

The US believes president Xi Jinping has broken a 2015 promise not to expand development in the South China Sea, where Beijing has piled sand and cement on coral reefs to create seven islands, some with airfields and other fortifications.

Recommended Russian and Chinese intelligence have more in common than you think

Both US Navy and Royal Navy vessels have sailed close to these installations to assert international freedom-of-navigation rights in the busy trading route. China says its developments serve primarily civilian purposes.

Capt Zhang accused Washington of endangering safety in the region with its operations, while it warned the UK that it risked endangering any post-Brexit trade deal by engaging in such provocation.

At the same briefing, military scientist Lieutenant General He Lei said the Peoples Liberation Army would not rule out establishing additional overseas land bases to serve its United Nations peacekeeping missions if necessary  and if host nations approve.

He compared Chinas modest overseas military presence to the more than 100 US bases spread across the globe, and claimed China had no intention of using its facilities to project power.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

While China cannot yet match the US militarily it has nonetheless displayed advancements in conventional and asymmetric, especially cyber and AI, technology in recent years and particularly under Mr Xi, experts have previously told The Independent.

China cannot realistically catch up in the near to medium term with the US military in either a qualitative or quantitative sense [because] it does not have the economy or skills to do so, Dr Nicola Leveringhaus, a war studies lecturer at Kings College London, said in an interview last year.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

But a bipartisan group of experts warned in a report commissioned by the US congress that America could lose a war against China, particularly if it was forced to fight on two or more fronts simultaneously.

They also called for greater military investment.

Additional reporting by APAn 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled her family and refused to leave her Bangkok hotel room is a refugee, a UN agency has said.

The case of Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun has been referred to Australia for possible asylum. In a brief statement, Australia said it would consider the request in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR [United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees] referrals.

Ms Al-Qunun said she had renounced Islam  known as apostasy and punishable by death in Saudi Arabia  and that she feared her family would kill her as a result.

She arrived in Thailand on Saturday on a layover between Kuwait and Australia, but was detained by the Thai authorities.

Publicising her case on social media, Ms Al-Qunun refused to board a flight back to Kuwait, barricading herself in a hotel room. She was later placed in the care of UNHCR workers while her bid for refugee status was considered.

Earlier on Wednesday, Thailands immigration police chief said Ms Al-Qununs father and brother had arrived together in Bangkok but that Ms Al-Qunun had refused to meet them.

The case has been held up as an extraordinary example of the power of social media to rally an international community behind a cause.

Ms Al-Qunun started posting messages on Twitter from the transit area of Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi Airport, saying she had escaped Kuwait and her life would be in danger if forced to return to Saudi Arabia.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Within hours, a campaign sprung up on Twitter, spread by a loose network of activists around the world, and after no more than 36 hours it prompted Thailands government to reverse a decision to force the young woman onto a plane that would return her to her family.

She was allowed to enter Thailand and begin the process of seeking asylum in a third country through the UN refugee agency.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The Australian government has previously stated that Ms Al-Qunun will not be given special treatment due to the high profile nature of her case.

Nonetheless, Australian health minister Greg Hunt has hinted an application would be accepted. He told ABC news: If she is found to be a refugee, then we will give very, very, very serious consideration to a humanitarian visa.

Additional reporting by agenciesA special train believed to be carrying Kim Jong-un departed Beijing after a two-day visit by the North Korean leader to the Chinese capital.

Mr Kim could not be seen, but he was presumed to be on board the long train as it crossed on elevated tracks over a busy Beijing street and headed towards eastern China and the border with North Korea.

The North Korea leader's trip to China  his fourth in the past 10 months  is believed to be an effort to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a possible second summit with President Donald Trump. It comes after US and North Korean officials are thought to have met in Vietnam to discuss the site of the summit.

Details of his visit have not been released, but Mr Kim reportedly met with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Earlier, Mr Kim's motorcade headed out to an unannounced destination and returned about an hour later.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said Mr Kim visited a technology development zone and spent around 20-30 minutes touring a factory run by famed traditional Chinese medicine maker Tong Ren Tang.

North Korean and Chinese state media announced his visit shortly in advance of his arrival in Beijing, in a break with standard protocol dictating such trips are only confirmed after they happen. However, neither side has provided details of what he has done since arriving aboard his personal armoured train earlier this week.

Mr Kim met with Mr Xi for about an hour Yonhap reported. He later attended a dinner at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing hosted by Mr Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan. Mr Kim was accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, the news agency said.

At a daily Foreign Ministry briefing, spokesperson Lu Kang said details of Mr Kim's visit would be released "in due course."

He said Beijing remains supportive of efforts to end tensions over US demands for a halt to North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes.

North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits Show all 16 1 /16 North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, portraits of former supreme leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il are required by law to be hung in the home, the classroom, the factory and all manner of other private and public places Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the classroom AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the living room AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the maternity ward of the hospital Alamy North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits On board the ship Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits At the ballot box Mannen av bord North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the office AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits On the bridegroom Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits On the Pyongyang subway Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits On a government building Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the teacher training facility AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In Kim Il Sung square in Pyongyang Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the home AFP/Getty North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits At the military parade Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits In the hall Reuters North Korea's pervasive leaders: the Kim portraits At the Chinese border AFP/Getty

"We always believe that, as key parties to the Korean Peninsula issue, it's important for the two sides to maintain contact and we always support their dialogue to achieve positive outcomes," Mr Lu said.

Tuesday was Mr Kim's birthday. His visit is also seen as part of an effort to win Chinese support for a reduction of United Nations sanctions imposed over his nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes, which have severely impacted his country's already-ailing economy.

While North Korea has not conducted any launches or detonations in more than a year, it has displayed no real intention of abandoning the programmes that are seen as guaranteeing the hard-line communist regime's survival.

Mr Kim's visit also came after he expressed frustration in his annual New Year's address over the lack of progress in negotiations with Washington since the Singapore summit with Mr Trump in June, saying that if things do not improve  meaning that if sanctions relief and security guarantees are not in the offing  Pyongyang might have to find "a new way" forward.

While Mr Trump says he considers Mr Xi key to enticing Mr Kim into taking concrete steps towards denuclearisation, the US president's own relationship with his Chinese counterpart has frayed over the trade war between the two countries.

Officially, at least, China says it considers the tariff battle and North Korea's weapons programmes to be entirely separate.

Associated PressIndias lower house of parliament has approved a bill that would give citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants, leading to protests that brought the countrys northeast to a standstill.

Critics say the Citizenship Amendment Bill is blatantly anti-Muslim and an attempt by prime minister Narendra Modis Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to boost its votes among Hindus ahead of a general election due by May.

But Home Minister Rajnath Singh denied the bill, which he introduced and must now pass the upper house, was discriminatory.

It would give citizenship rights to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis and several other non-Muslim religious groups who allegedly migrated to India illegally from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

They have no place to go except India, Mr Singh told parliament. The beneficiaries of the bill can reside in any state of the country.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

It sparked protests in Assam, where residents have complained for years that immigrants from Bangladesh have put a strain on resources.

Demonstrators set up blockades with burning tyres and vandalised two BJP offices, disrupting traffic and businesses for much of the day.

Police used tear gas to disperse crowds. Assam police spokesman Mukesh Agarwal said more than 700 demonstrators were arrested.

Protest organiser Samujjal Bhattacharya, a leader of the All Assam Students Union, said the legislation would confer citizenship on the basis of religion, violating Indias secular constitution.

He also said providing residency and citizenship rights to migrants from Bangladesh, with which Assam state shares a long open border, would threaten indigenous communities.

Already, we have a whole lot of Muslim migrants from Bangladesh who entered Assam illegally over the years, Mr Bhattacharya said. Now, the government is trying to make a law seeking to confer citizenship to Hindus from Bangladesh. We want all illegal migrants to be detected and deported, irrespective of their religion.

 Hindu nationalists demand demolition of one of India's biggest mosques during protest

The issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh has spurred periodic public uprisings in Assam since the Indian government granted rights to Bangladeshis who entered the country after winning independence from Pakistan in a 1971 war.

Mr Singh tried to reassure Assam it would not have to bear any burden alone. The burden of those persecuted migrants will be shared by the whole country. Assam alone should not have to bear the entire burden, he said.

However, the bill is unlikely to pass the upper house of parliament, which isnt controlled by the ruling party. But even if it isnt passed, the government could pass an ordinance that wouldnt require the approval of politicians.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Members of religious minorities often face discrimination and sometimes violence at the hands of militant members of Muslim majorities, particularly in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Additional reporting by agenciesChinas detention of millions of Uighur Muslims in re-education camps amounts to human rights abuse on a scale not seen since in the country since Chairman Maos era, British MPs have been told.

The UK must not remain silent over grave violations committed during Beijings crackdown on the minority in western Xinjiang province, the foreign affairs committee heard.

Up to three million Uighurs have been arbitrarily detained in centres which Amnesty International has compared to wartime concentration camps. Released internees have alleged they were tortured into denouncing Islam and swearing loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party.

Steve Tsang, director of the London School of Oriental Studies said: When you have an identifiable group of citizens in a country where something like one tenth of that identifiable group live in camps, you have an enormous human rights problem.

Ever since the end of Chairman Maos era in 1976, and probably including the period of hard military crackdown in 1989, we have not seen the scale of human rights abuse that we are seeing today in Xinjiang.

An estimated 45 million people were worked, starved or beaten to death under rule of Mao Zedong, who founded the People's Republic of China.

Speaking to MPs on the committee, Prof Tsang urged politicians to speak out over abuses against Uighur Muslims

He said: I think if we believe in our values, in our system  even though theres probably not much we can actually do to change the situation in China  it would be wrong for us to remain silent on the subject.

China denied the existence of the camps until October last year, and since claimed it is detaining people guilty of minor crimes in what it describes as vocational education centres.

Eva Pils, a China human rights expert and professor of law at Kings College London, said Beijing had been careful to present the crackdown as a response to the threat of Islamist terrorism.

She said there was credible evidence human rights abuses were happening on vast scale.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Prof Pils told MPs: The grave human rights violations that Professor Tsang was alluding to in my view almost certainly  include not only arbitrary detention of people in these camps but also the use of torture to transform them, to de-extremify them.

That, in my view, especially as we have credible evidence that it happens at this very vast scale, is extremely concerning.

Beijing faces mounting international criticism over its treatment of the Uighur minority, an estimated 15 million of whom live in China.

UN human rights official Michelle Bachelet, said in December her office was seeking access to Xinjiang to verify worrying reports. The UK government has also raised concerns and pledged to press China to change its approach.

I think its extremely important to continue raising the issue, said Prof Pils. The ability of any western country, including the UK, to influence China is limited, but I think that at least we need to ask for investigation. It would be appropriate, I think, to seek the appointment of international observers.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Committee, warned Chinas Muslim crackdown could put Britain at greater risk of Islamist terror attacks.

He said: On jihadi websites today, you are starting to see very clear condemnation of the Chinese governments actions on the Uighar population. You seeing very, very clearly the imprisonment and torture of Muslims in western China being cited as reasons for jihad.

Indeed, there is a real issue here for countries like our own that the mass torture, imprisonment and in some cases possibly even execution of Muslims in western China is leading to a rise in jihadism that could easily have repercussions for us, not just in China.

Prof Tsang replied: The basic point you make is a very, very true one. China did have a very, very small terrorist problem before.

If this policy is continued you will have a very large number of Muslim people  Uighurs or sometimes other nationalities who will turn to jihadism because they have got nothing else.A warrant to obtain DNA from all male employees at a care centre where a woman gave birth despite being in a vegetative state for 14 years, has been served by police in Arizona.

Lawyers for the patients parents said they were outraged at the neglect of their daughter at the nursing home in Phoenix.

Police launched a sexual abuse investigation after the woman delivered a baby boy on 29 December.

She had been a patient at Hacienda Healthcare for more than a decade after a near-drowning left her severely brain damaged.

The facility said it welcomed the DNA testing of employees and its chief executive had stepped down over the scandal.

Recommended Nursing home boss resigns after woman in vegetative state gave birth

We will continue to cooperate with Phoenix police and all other investigative agencies to uncover the facts in this deeply disturbing, but unprecedented situation, a company statement said.

It is unclear whether carers were aware of the patients pregnancy until the birth.

The San Carlos Apache tribe, of which the woman was a member, said she remained in a vegetative state when she delivered her son.

I am deeply shocked and horrified at the treatment of one of our members, tribal chairman Terry Rambler said. When you have a loved one committed to palliative care, when they are most vulnerable and dependent upon others, you trust their caretakers. Sadly, one of her caretakers was not to be trusted and took advantage of her. It is my hope that justice will be served.

The family of the woman, who has not been identified, released a statement condemning the abuse.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Their lawyer, John Micheaels, added: The family would like me to convey that the baby boy has been born into a loving family and will be well cared for.

A spokesperson for Hacienda Healthcare said investigators served a search warrant to obtain DNA samples from all male workers.

Board member Gary Orman said in a statement that the facility will accept nothing less than a full accounting of this absolutely horrifying situation.

He added: We will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of every single one of our patients and our employees.

Hacienda chief executive Bill Timmons resigned earlier this week. His decision was unanimously accepted by the firms board of directors, a spokesperson said.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The facility provides 24-hour care for children and young adults who are medically fragile or have developmental disabilities, according to its website.

The Arizona Department of Health Services said new safety measures had been implemented in the wake of the scandal, including increased staff presence during any patient interaction and additional security measures for visitors.

Hacienda Healthcare would be unlikely to escape liability in court if the womans family bring legal action, according to legal experts.

Things like this dont happen without someone either knowing about it or should have known about it, said Martin Solomon, a personal injury lawyer in Phoenix whose clients are mostly vulnerable adult victims of abuse and neglect. Whether its an employee or someone from the outside, the facility has an obligation to protect residents.

Additional reporting by agenciesHarvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig, a respected constitutional law expert has disregarded Donald Trumps description of a crisis at the Mexican border, saying the real national emergency is the president himself.

Mr Lessig was asked about Mr Trumps threatening call to declare a national emergency to get the funds to build his $5.6 billion steel border wall without congressional approval.

The man is using words that have no connection to reality, the professor told MSNBC. He says we have a national crisisa national emergency. I agree we have a national emergency, but the emergency is this president.

He added that the emergency is that Americans do not have an executive whos exercising his power in a responsible way.

The constitutional law scholar said Mr Trump cannot simply build his wall without congressional approval.

Ultimately he has no constitutional authority to exercise the power to build this wall without Congress approval, he added. These statutes were certainly not written with the intent to give a man like Donald Trump the power that hes now claiming.

Mr Lessig has criticised Mr Trump and the Republican Party for failing to uphold the Constitution amid the government shutdown. In an op-ed published in the Guardian on Friday, he said the Constitution would not approve the actions of a president who shutdown parts of the government as ransom for insisting on establishing a programme that is not supported by constituents.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mr Lessig referred to the Trump administration as a veto-cracy, ruled by petulance instead of principle.

He also argued that if the Republican Party continues to support Mr Trump and his quest for a border wall, they are essentially saying that any president support whatever policy he likes, including nationalized healthcare.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The fools are they who enable this constitutional immorality, Mr Lessig added. Those fools are the Senate Republicans, who have placed party over country, and President Trump over the Republican Party.Senior Democrats have dismissed Donald Trumps first national address from the White House in which the president declared a "growing humanitarian and security crisis" on the US-Mexico border, saying it was intended to stoke fear and malice.

In a ten-minute address from the Oval Office that began as the shutdown passed 17 days and 21 hours, Mr Trump repeated his demand for funding for a border wall, saying it would stop the flow of drugs and violent illegal immigrants. Such dubious claims have been a mainstay of his hardline stance on immigration.

However, the president did not, as some had anticipated, declare a national emergency to try and obtain funding without congressional approval.

This is humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul, said the president, in a sober address in which he appeared to be trying to speak not just to his base of supporters.

He urged Democrats to return to the White House on Wednesday to continue negotiating a funding package to reopen those parts of the government that have been closed. He said it was immoral for politicians to do nothing.

But senior Democrats, who have refused to provide the president with the $5.6bn he wants to build a wall, or steel barrier as the president called it during the address, rejected his claim that they were responsible for the shutdown that has affected up to 800,000 government employees. It leaves the country no closer to ending a partial government shutdown that is quickly heading towards being the longest America has ever faced.

Speaking shortly after the president, Chuck Schumer, the Democrat leader in the Senate, said Mr Trump had used his prime-time address to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear, and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration.

We can secure our border without an expensive, ineffective wall. And we can welcome legal immigrants and refugees without compromising safety and security, he said. The symbol of America should be the Statue of Liberty, not a thirty-foot wall.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose party now controls the House of Representatives and has been working to pass budget measures to reopen those shuttered parts of the government, said the presidents speech was full of misinformation and even malice. The fact is: the women and children at the border are not a security threat, they are a humanitarian challenge.

US presidents typically use the setting of the Oval Office to speak only of the gravest matters.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

In October 1962, John F Kennedy spoke from there to inform the public of the Cuban missile crisis. In 1974, Richard Nixon used the setting to announce his intention to resign. In 2001, George W Bush spoke to the country, and the world, following the Al-Qaeda attacks of 9/11.

Mr Trump, in his first Oval Office address, sought to portray the events he was talking about in similarly stark terms.

I am speaking to you because there is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border, he said.

Every day customs and border patrol agents encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country. We are out of space to hold them and we have no way to promptly return them back home to their country.

He added: America proudly welcomes millions of lawful immigrants who enrich our society and contribute to our nation. But, all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled illegal migration.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mr Schumer said the president could easily solve the shutdown problem, by delinking the issue of border security from government funding. This president just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear, and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration, he said.

Commentators immediately leapt on the presidents speech to point out several inaccuracies: the vast majority of drugs entering the US do through border crossings so a wall would not stop them; the greatest source of illegal immigration is people overstaying visas not crossing the desert; the crime rate in immigrant communities in the US is typically lower than in others.

This week, his administration was forced to backtrack after White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Fox News that nearly 4,000 known or suspected terrorists had crossed into the US from Mexico last year. When NBC News pointed that border officials caught a total of six people on a security watchlist over a six-month period, Kellyanne Conway told reporters Ms Sanders had made an unfortunate misstatement.

Following his meeting with Democrats at the White House on Wednesday, he is due to travel to the US-Mexico border on Thursday. It may be, that he declares a national emergency then, if Democrats continue not to provide what he wants. The party has offered $1.3bn for general border security, but nothing for the wall.

While experts say say there is no immigration crisis at the border  in 2017 the number of illegal immigrants hit a low of 310,000 from a high of 1.6m in 2000  what is true, is that the number of asylum seekers arriving at the border has soared.

These people, mainly from the Central American nations of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, all very poor and with horrifying levels of violence have been gathering at the US-Mexico border to seek asylum. Many have made their way on foot as part of the caravans that walked there through Mexico.

Many of those have been families, and while Mr Trump sought to talk about the plight of women and children in his address when speaking of the "humanitarian crisis" in reality they are not a big part of the narrative the president wants to create. Many border posts following Mr Trump's immigration policies have been ill-equipped to house and deal with families.

Experts say the president, who last year sent troops to the border ahead of the midterm elections, has conflated the asylum seekers with illegal immigrants for political reasons. During his 2016 run for the White House, Mr Trump claimed to supporters he would build a wall and that Mexico would pay for it.Donald Trump is putting his case to America for the US-Mexico border wall to be funded  despite the fact many of the current issues can be traced back to the president.

The border crisis will become the 32nd active national emergency in the US if the president decides to go that far. Some of those emergencies  relating to Iran and other long-term issues  stretch back to previous administrations including Bill Clintons. Even ignoring that fact, the picture Mr Trump paints of the border bears little relation to the situation on the ground. His portrayal is solely to energise his staunchest supporters.

The president likes to claim that illegal immigrants are streaming across the border, a fact he highlights whenever teargas is used on the rare occasion the border is rushed by some of those waiting on the Mexico side. However, the fact is that illegal border crossings have fallen dramatically over the last two decades from 1.6 million in 2000 to about 400,000 in 2018  with the recession having removed many of the jobs that such immigrants would seek to fill.

In 2017 that number hit a low of 310,000, with Mr Trumps push for increased border enforcement having an effect, as well as fear about future policies keeping people away. It is this sort of case that Mr Trump uses to try to convince the nation, whether from the Oval Office or otherwise, but it misrepresents what is happening.

Most illegal immigrants to the US do not come across border on foot, but instead outstay their visas having been granted legal entry to America. Around two-thirds of undocumented immigrants are said to become that way after entering legally. If Mr Trump wants to really tackle the problem, he should be looking at that issue rather than concentrating on the border.

It is the same circumstances with the idea suspected terrorists are crossing the border with Mexico en masse; in reality the majority of suspected terrorists caught by US authorities are at airports.

The reason Mr Trump has not yet declared a national emergency, and may not do so, is that he can use the rhetoric in speeches such as the one at the White House without actually having to get into a thorny legal issue.

And Mr Trump would almost certainly face a legal challenge if he makes good on his threat to get funding for a US-Mexico border wall by declaring a national emergency and circumventing Congresss signoff.

Legal scholars said it was unclear how such a step would play out, but they agreed a court test would likely focus on whether an emergency actually exists on the southern border, and on the limits of presidential power over taxpayer funds.

Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn  has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

Mr Trump triggered the partial shutdown last month by demanding that more than $5bn (3.93bn) in funding to pay for part of his wall be part of any legislation to fully reopen agencies whose funding expired on 22 December. The wall was a key campaign promise for the president in 2016, and he has reacted to bad press from networks like Fox News over the possibility he is not pushing his hardest for it as part of the latest negotiations to reopen the government.

The longest government shutdown lasted 21 days, and with day 19 of he latest closure being on Wednesday, Mr Trump is clearly looking for a way to appease his supporters while also appearing to be seeking to bring Democrats to the table. It is a delicate balancing act. Mr Trumps address to the nation will push his case to supporters hard, but contain no substantive action on the border wall.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

In reality it is the increase in families on the southern border that is leading to long waits and a buildup of people.

Many detention centres are ill-equipped to deal with housing families, as opposed to individuals, and the long wait to apply for asylum has led some to seek to cross illegally and then deal with their situation on the US side of the border. The recent two cases of children having died in the custody of US authorities has increased scrutiny of how families are treated, but you are unlikely to hear Mr Trump talk expansively about it.

The rhetoric from the president will not change; talking about crime, despite many counties lining the border being statistically safer than other parts of the nation, terrorism and a crisis at the border. But the case he is putting to the American people misrepresents what the situation needs. It will fire up his supporter base but will not bring us any closer to fixing the issue.The latest attempt to end the US government shutdown lasted less than 30 minutes, as Donald Trump walked out of a meeting at the White House after Democrats refused to release funds for his promised wall on the US-Mexico border.

Democrats and Republicans traded blame outside the White House in the wake of the meeting, the acrimony a clear sign that the two sides are no closer to a deal after 19 days of shutdown. Mr Trump tweeted the meeting was a total waste of time.

Chuck Schumer, the leading Democrat in the Senate, accused Mr Trump of a temper tantrum, claiming the president slammed the table and left the room after House of Representatives speaker Nancy Pelosi said no to specific wall funding.

He asked [House] speaker [Nancy] Pelosi, Will you agree to my wall? She said no. And he just got up and said, Then we have nothing to discuss, and he just walked out. Again, we saw a temper tantrum because he couldnt get his way,

Mr Trump said he had offered to open up the government if in 30 days the Democrats supported $5.7bn (4.46bn) in funds for the wall and border security. He added he said bye-bye after being turned down.

I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Mr Trump wrote on Twitter. Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works!

Republicans sought to defend the president outside the White House, led by vice president Mike Pence.I think the president made his position very clear today that there will be no deal without a wall, he said.

Mr Pence said that Democrats were unwilling to even negotiate. He refuted that Mr Trump had had a tantrum, saying: I dont recall him ever raising his voice.

House Republican whip Steve Scalise said nobody slammed a hand on a table, it was merely that Democrats offering no support for a border wall is not an acceptable answer to the problems on the border.

Mr Trump said earlier on Wednesday that he had a right to declare a national emergency to build a wall on the southern border if no deal with congress can be reached on his request for funds. A move that will be sure to bring legal challenges.

Democrats plan to test Republicans resolve on the issue by advancing a bill to immediately reopen the Treasury Department, the Securities and Exchange Commission and several other agencies that have been partially shut down since 22 December.

Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn  has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

However, the White House Office of Management and Budget said on Wednesday it would recommend Mr Trump veto any spending bills currently in congress.

Moving these four bills without a broader agreement to address the border crisis is unacceptable, a statement said.

Before the afternoon meeting in the White House, Mr Trump said the government shutdown that has had an impact on up to 800,000 federal employees may be a blessing in disguise.

I really believe the Democrats and the Republicans are working together. I think something will happen, I hope, he said during a bill-signing event in the Oval Office. Otherwise well go about it in a different manner, he said, in reference to a possible national emergency declaration.

The president claimed he was open to a broader immigration deal and said the shutdown could be a blessing in disguise, but would force the nation to focus on the issue. We would like to see real immigration reform in this country.

We can all play games, but a wall is a necessity, the president said. They say its a medieval solution, a wall. Its true because it worked then and it works even better now.

Democrats have offered Mr Trump $1.3bn for general border security but argue that a wall is ineffective and that the president is simply using the request for $5.7bn to energise his supporters.

The latest meeting followed a televised speech to the nation in which Mr Trump sought to defend his demand for a wall on the southern US border. 

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

During his speech on Tuesday evening, Mr Trump said: I am speaking to you because there is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border

Every day customs and border patrol agents encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country. We are out of space to hold them and we have no way to promptly return them back home to their country.

Mr Trump concentrated on violence committed by illegal immigrants, talking about American blood being spilt. This is a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul, said the president.

Commentators immediately leapt on the presidents speech to point out several inaccuracies: the vast majority of drugs entering the US do so through border crossings, so a wall would not stop them; the greatest source of illegal immigration is people overstaying visas, not crossing the desert; the crime rate in immigrant communities in the US is typically lower than in others.

His comments were dismissed by Democrats as designed to stoke fear and malice.

Ms Pelosi, whose party now controls the House of Representatives, said the presidents speech was full of misinformation.

The fact is  the women and children at the border are not a security threat, they are a humanitarian challenge, she said.Photo: Contributed

Having trouble making that New Years resolution stick?

UBC professor Heather Gainforth says look for the culprit to help you nail your goal.

Gainforth has a strategy and can offer specific tips to help you nail your resolution.

Professor Gainforth teaches in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences and researches methods to help people engage in positive behaviours.

"We do our own detective work by talking to individuals about the reasons why they do not engage in the behaviour. To change behaviour you need the same three things," she said.

Those things include:

Capability: You need to have the physical ability and knowledge of how to do the behaviour. Opportunity: You need to have the time, resources and social groups that allow you to engage in the behaviour. Motivation: you need to see the benefits of the behaviour, have confidence and must want to make the change.

"For example, your New Years resolution may be to go swimming twice a week. You may have the motivation but not know how to swim and you may not have a swim pass. Your culprit would be opportunity and capability," Gainforth she said.

"To begin swimming, you will need to address these barriers. You may need to take swimming lessons or ask a friend to help you learn. You would also need a swimming pass and make sure it fits in your budget,".

A SMART goal can help you reach what your heart desires. These goals require you to set a Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-based goal.

"Once you set a SMART goal, it is important to have specific plans for how you are going to change your behaviour and handle stressful situations. If your New Years resolution involves getting active, you need to plan exactly when, where and how you plan to exercise,"Gainforth adds.A Republican at the centre of a voter fraud scandal has reportedly been told to stand and fight for his disputed seat by Donald Trump.

Mark Harris, who was thought to have won North Carolinas ninth congressional district with a razor-thin 905 majority in November, now faces questions over his campaigns connections to Leslie McCrae Dowless Jr, a local political operative and convicted felon.

Democratic leaders in the US House say they will not allow Mr Harris to take office while an investigation into discrepancies in an absentee ballot operation he paid McCrae to conduct is ongoing.

Mr Harris, who denies any knowledge of wrongdoing, caused controversy earlier this week by using an alarmed fire escape to exit a government building in Charlotte in an attempt to avoid questions about the scandal from reporters.

Speaking to local news station WSOC on Tuesday, he apologised for the incident, before claiming the president had told Republican congressman Jim Jordan to pass on his backing in a phone conversation.

The president had asked him to call Mark Harris and let Mark Harris know that he was thinking about me, and for me to stand and fight, and we were not going to let this seat be taken from us, he told the channel.

Investigators are trying to determine whether Dowless ran a sophisticated operation over multiple election cycles to collect absentee ballots from voters, potentially altering the selections or not turning them in to be counted.

Under state law, it is illegal for anyone other than a voter or their immediate family to handle an absentee ballot before it is sealed and mailed.

Also at issue is whether Dowless was working as part of a larger local political machine, including whether he could have had improper help from current or former Bladen County officials.

Marshall Tutor, a retired investigator for the North Carolina Board of Elections, said his office first looked into allegations nearly a decade ago when Dowless was involved in giving voters cash to fill out ballots the way he requested.

Dowless was throwing a lot of money around, Mr Tutor said, recalling the probe he conducted in 2010.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

There was no paper trail. Witnesses refused to give sworn statements or testify in court. No one was going to admit they were paid $5 to vote. But where there's that much smoke, there was fire.

Dowlesss attorney issued a statement last month asserting he had not broken any campaign laws.

Nevertheless, questions have been raised over whether such an operation could have affected the outcome of last Novembers election, particularly given the narrow margin of victory.

Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn  has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

But Mr Harris, who filed a lawsuit last week asking a state judge to order his certification as the winner of the vote, claims the number of ballots that could be thrown out by the investigation would not overturn the election outcome.

Very rarely is there an election anywhere in this state or anywhere in this country where somebody doesnt raise a complaint, he told WSOC.

I do think the number of ballots involved and I do think the number of difference in the victory is still a very major important part and I think by law, reason tells you why thats where the Board [of Elections] has tended to operate.

Additional reporting by APDonald Trump says he has ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to stop sending money to the State of California to help the state deal with deadly forest fires "unless they get their act together"  just a day after the governors of California, Washington, and Oregon requested more federal funding to clean up forests.

Mr Trump claimed in a tweet that California's mismanagement of forests has led to dangerous situations in which wild fires can quickly build into massive and unwieldy blazes, in an apparently reference to last year's deadly Camp Fire in the state.

"Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forrest fires that, with proper Forrest Management, would never happen", Mr Trump wrote in a tweet that was later replaced with one spelling "forest" correctly.

He continued: "Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money!"

In response, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi  who represents a California congressional district  said that Mr Trump's tweets are an insult to the people who died last year during the fires.

Recommended Death toll rises to 72 as forest fire continues to rage in Portugal

The president's "threat insults the memory of scores of Americans who perished in wildfires last year & thousands more who lost their homes," Ms Pelosi said, before calling on the Republican minority leader in the House  a fellow Californian to denounce the president's remarks. Representative Kevin McCarthy "must join me to condemn & call on POTUS to reassure millions in CA that our govt will be there for them in their time of need".

California Governor Gavin Newsom shot back at the president to say that California residents should not be the victims of partisan politics in Washington.

In a statement, Mr Newsom said that "disaster and recovery are no time for politics".

California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze Show all 15 1 /15 California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze Rex California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze AP California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze Rex Features California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze AP California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze AP California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze Rex Features California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze AP California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze AP California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze AP California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze AP California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze AP California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze AP California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze AP California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze AP California wildfires: thousands flee homes after devastating blaze AP

Mr Trump last year approved expedited disaster relief for the deadly wildfires that became the deadliest forest fire in California history with 86 deaths. At that time, he expressed dissatisfaction with the way that the State of California had managed its forests, even though the vast majority of forest land in the state is owned by the federal government.

The president's choice to hone in on forest mismanagement last year  whether by federal or state authorities  was quickly criticised by experts who noted that forest management played little part in the development of the deadly fires in California last year.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Instead, the fires that quickly tore through the state burnt through cities, fuelled in part by the expansion of homes and businesses in the state where buildings were designed to older codes that are not suitable for the current fire scenarios playing out in the state.

These fires arent even in forests, Max Moritz, a wildfire specialist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told The New York Times at the time.

He continued: We have vulnerable housing stock already out there on the landscape. These are structures that were often built to building codes from earlier decades and theyre not as fire resistant as they could be. This issue of where and how we built our homes has left us very exposed to home losses and fatalities like these".

But, while forest management may have played less of a part in the urban fires that raged last year, forest fire experts and reports have noted that Mr Trump is not all wrong to say that forest mismanagement poses a significant and ongoing risk to the state.

A century of mismanaging Sierra Nevada forests has brought an unprecedented environmental catastrophe that impacts all Californians, a February report from the Californias Little Hoover Commission investigating fire danger in the state begins.

Even so, researchers have noted that California's wildfires are becoming bigger and less predictable for more than just poor forest management.

Dry and hot conditions in the state have exacerbated conditions, making wooded areas in California into tinderboxes that are ready to ignite. Hotter temperatures at night have made it even more difficult to respond to the raging fires, and for fire fighters to take advantage of cooler nighttime air to make headway towards putting out the fires.

It is not clear what funding Mr Trump might ultimately withhold from California if he follows through on his threat, but the state of California has already allocated $256 million last year towards mitigating forest fire risk.

The state has roughly 33 million acres of forest, of which federal agencies including the US Forest Service and Interior Department own and manage 57 per cent. Another 40 per cent are owned by families, companies, and Native American tribes. State and local agencies own and manage just 3 per cent of the forest land in the state.The first misleading statement in President Donald Trump's Oval Office address on Tuesday night came in the first sentence.

Mr Trump, addressing a national television audience from behind his desk, warned of a "security crisis at the southern border" - even though the number of people caught trying to cross illegally is near 20-year lows.

Another false claim came moments later, when Mr Trump said border agents "encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country" every day, though his administration puts the daily average for 2018 in the hundreds. A few sentences later, he said 90 per cent of the heroin in the United States comes across the border with Mexico, ignoring the fact that most of the drugs come through legal entry points and would not be stopped by the border wall he is demanding as the centrepiece of his showdown with Democrats.

Over the course of his nine-minute speech, Mr Trump painted a misleading and bleak picture of the situation at the US-Mexico border. He pumped up some numbers, exaggerated the public safety risks of immigration and repeated false claims regarding how to fund a border wall.

The appearance, coming as a partial federal government shutdown resulting from the wall fight enters its third week, underscored the extent to which Mr Trump has relied on false and misleading claims to justify what has long been his signature political issue.

One false claim noticeably absent from the speech was the assertion made by the president and many of his allies in recent days that terrorists are infiltrating the country by way of the southern border. Fact-checkers and TV anchors, including those on Fox News, spent days challenging the truthfulness of the claim.

Below are the truths behind Mr Trump's claims from the Oval Office address:

"Tonight I am speaking to you because there is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border."

By any available measure, there is no new security crisis at the border.

Apprehensions of people trying to cross the southern border peaked most recently at 1.6 million in 2000 and have been in decline since, falling to just under 400,000 in fiscal 2018. The fall is partly because of technology upgrades; tougher penalties in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks; a decline in migration rates from Mexico; and a sharp rise in the number of Border Patrol officers. The fiscal 2018 number was up from just over 300,000 apprehensions at the US-Mexico border for fiscal 2017, the lowest level in more than 45 years.

There are far more cases of travellers overstaying their visas than southern border apprehensions. In fiscal 2017, the Department of Homeland Security reported 606,926 suspected in-country overstays, or twice the number of southern border apprehensions. In fiscal 2016, US officials reported 408,870 southern border apprehensions and 544,676 suspected in-country overstays.

While overall numbers of migrants crossing illegally are down, since 2014, more families from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras began to trek to the United States in search of safer conditions or economic opportunities, creating a humanitarian crisis.

"Record numbers of migrant families are streaming into the United States, overwhelming border agents and leaving holding cells dangerously overcrowded with children, many of whom are falling sick," The Washington Post reported on 5 January. "Two Guatemalan children taken into US custody died in December."

 President Trump makes televised plea for border wall funding as he declared there is 'a humanitarian crisis'

"Every day Customs and Border Patrol agents encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country."

Southern border apprehensions in fiscal 2018 averaged 30,000 a month (or 1,000 a day). They ticked up in the first two months of fiscal 2019, but it is a stretch to say "thousands" a day. Better to say "hundreds."

"America proudly welcomes millions of lawful immigrants who enrich our society and contribute to our nation, but all Americans are hurt by uncontrolled illegal migration. It strains public resources and drives down jobs and wages. Among those hardest hit are African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans."

Some context here: In general, economists say illegal immigration tends to affect less-educated and low-skilled American workers the most, which disproportionately encompasses black men and recently arrived, low-educated legal immigrants, including Latinos.

The US Commission on Civil Rights in 2010 found illegal immigration has tended to depress wages and employment for black men. However, there are other factors at play, and "halting illegal immigration is not a panacea even for the problem of depressed wage rates for low-skilled jobs," it found.

The consensus among economic research studies is that the impact of immigration is primarily a net positive for the US economy and to workers overall, especially over the long term. According to a comprehensive 2016 report by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine on the economic impacts of the US immigration system, studies on the impact of immigration showed "the seemingly paradoxical result that although larger immigration flows may generate higher rates of unemployment in some sectors, overall, the rate of unemployment for native workers declines."

"Our southern border is a pipeline for vast quantities of illegal drugs, including meth, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. Every week, 300 of our citizens are killed by heroin alone, 90 per cent of which floods across from our southern border."

In 2017, more than 15,000 people died of drug overdoses involving heroin in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That works out to about 300 a week.

But while 90 per cent of the heroin sold in the United States comes from Mexico, virtually all of it comes through legal points of entry. "A small percentage of all heroin seized by CBP along the land border was between Ports of Entry (POEs)," the Drug Enforcement Administration said in a 2018 report. So Mr Trump's wall would do little to halt drug trafficking. Mr Trump's repeated claim that the wall would stop drug trafficking is one of his more dubious.

Miguel Saavedra (L) and his friend Oswaldo Hernandez (C) watch President Trump on TV from their home in Miami, Florida (EPA)

"In the last two years, ICE officers made 266,000 arrests of aliens with criminal records, including those charged or convicted of 100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000 violent killings. Over the years, thousands of Americans have been brutally killed by those who illegally entered our country, and thousands more lives will be lost if we don't act right now."

Mr Trump warns about dangerous criminals, but the numbers he is citing involve a mix of serious and non-violent offences such as immigration violations. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement reports yearly arrest totals without breaking down the type of offence, which could be anything from homicide to a DUI to illegal entry.

Notice how Mr Trump switches quickly from the 266,000 arrests over two years to charges and convictions: "100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000 violent killings." In many cases, the people arrested face multiple counts, so that switch gives a confusing picture.

In fiscal 2018, ICE conducted 158,581 administrative arrests for civil immigration violations. The agency's year-end report says two-thirds (105,140) of those involved people with criminal convictions and one-fifth (32,977) involved people with pending criminal charges. Of the 143,470 administrative arrests in 2017, 74 per cent involved people with criminal records and 15.5 per cent who had pending charges. But these totals cover all types of offences - including illegal entry or re-entry.

In the fiscal 2018 breakdown, 16 per cent of all the charges and convictions were immigration and related offences.

"Last month, 20,000 migrant children were illegally brought into the United States, a dramatic increase. These children are used as human pawns by vicious coyotes and ruthless gangs."

No government statistic tracks children smuggled in by bad actors, "coyotes" or "drug gangs." What Mr Trump is referring to is CBP's number for family unit apprehensions, a monthly statistic. The family unit by definition must include at least one parent or legal guardian and one minor. (There is a separate figure for unaccompanied alien children.)

That number was 25,172 in November, the most recent month for which data are available, but it is wrong to describe it as a statistic that represents children being "smuggled" into the country.

Mr Trump describes this as 20,000 children, but it could be many more considering that some families have multiple children. More important, Mr Trump describes this as children being smuggled in by coyotes or drug gangs, but border officials screen for false claims of parentage. To imply as Mr Trump does that a child's mother, father or legal guardian is a smuggler, coyote or drug gang member in all of these cases is wrong.

Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn  has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

"Furthermore, we have asked Congress to close border security loopholes so that illegal immigrant children can be safely and humanely returned back home."

The Trump administration considers the Flores settlement agreement a loophole. That policy requires the government to release unaccompanied immigrant children who are caught crossing the border within 20 days to shelters, family members or "least restrictive" settings.

The president also wants to tighten US asylum laws generally and the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorisation Act, with the goal of restricting some immigrants' opportunities to file asylum petitions. Mr Trump describes these asylum provisions as "border security loopholes," but supporters call them core provisions of US laws that cover refugees.

"Finally, as part of an overall approach to border security, law enforcement professionals have requested $5.7 billion for a physical barrier. At the request of Democrats, it will be a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall."

Mr Trump suggests Democrats requested a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall, but the proposed switch to steel was an idea the Trump administration brought up. No Democrats are on record demanding a steel barrier along the US-Mexico border.

"This is just common sense. The border wall would very quickly pay for itself. The cost of illegal drugs exceeds $500 billion a year, vastly more than the $5.7 billion we have requested from Congress."

Mr Trump tweeted a similar claim in March, citing a study from the Centre for Immigration Studies, which supports more restrictive immigration policies. Essentially, the claim that the wall pays for itself turns on three numbers: a) estimated savings from each undocumented immigrant blocked by the wall, b) the total number of undocumented immigrants stopped over 10 years, and c) the cost of the wall.

It is (a) $75,000 multiplied by (b) 160,000 to 200,000 equals (c) $12 billion to $15 billion. So, if the wall actually costs $25 billion, the number of undocumented immigrants halted by the wall would need to be doubled, or one has to assume it would take 20 years to earn the money back. But other experts offer different estimates for each of those numbers.

Plus, as we have previously reported, the wall would do little to stop drugs from entering the United States, since they primarily come in through legal points of entry, making the cost of illegal drugs irrelevant to this issue.

"The wall will also be paid for indirectly by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico."

This is a Four Pinocchio claim. During the campaign, Mr Trump promised more than 200 times Mexico would pay for the wall, which the administration says would cost at least $18 billion. Now, he says a minor reworking of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) will earn enough money to pay for the wall.

This betrays a misunderstanding of economics. Countries do not "lose" money on trade deficits, so there is no money to earn; the size of a trade deficit or surplus can be determined by other factors besides trade. Congress must still appropriate the money, and the trade agreement has not been ratified.

"Senator Chuck Schumer, who you will be hearing from later tonight, has repeatedly supported a physical barrier in the past, along with many other Democrats. They changed their mind only after I was elected president."

Mr Schumer, Hillary Clinton and many other Democrats voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which authorised building a fence along nearly 700 miles of the border between the United States and Mexico. But the fence they voted for is not as substantial as the wall Mr Trump is proposing. Mr Trump himself has called the 2006 fence a "nothing wall."

The Washington PostDonald Trump has said the government shutdown that has impacted up to 800,000 federal employees, may be a blessing in disguise.

As the shutdown entered its 19th day and the president prepared to meet with both Democrats and Republicans amid mounting pressure to do a deal, Mr Trump suggested he would use executive authority to secure funds for a border wall if negotiations were not successful.

I really believe the Democrats and the Republicans are working together. I think something will happen, I hope, he said during a bill signing event in the Oval Office, before heading for Capitol Hill to meet Republican politicians worried about the impact of the shutdown. Otherwise well go about it in a different manner.

The president claimed he was open to broader immigration deal and said the shutdown could be a blessing in disguise, but would force the nation to focus on the issue. We would like to see real immigration reform in this country.

At the same time, he appeared adamant that any deal with Democrats would have to include funding for a border wall. He was due to meet with both Democrats and Republicans at the White House later in the day.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

We can all play games, but a wall is a necessity, the president said. They say its a medieval solution, a wall. Its true because it worked then and it works even better now.

During his speech on Tuesday, Mr Trump said: I am speaking to you because there is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border, he said.

Every day customs and border patrol agents encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country. We are out of space to hold them and we have no way to promptly return them back home to their country.

His comments were dismissed by Democrats as designed to stoke fear and malice.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Mr Trumps comments followed a televised speech to the nation he delivered on Tuesday evening in which he sought to defend his demand for a wall on the southern US border.

He has refused to compromise with Democrats on a spending bill that would reopen the government if it does not contain $5.6bn for a wall or steel fence. Democrats have offered $1.3bn for border security, but argue that a wall in ineffective and that the president is simply using the issue to energise his supporters.

During his speech on Tuesday, Mr Trump said: I am speaking to you because there is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border

Every day customs and border patrol agents encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country. We are out of space to hold them and we have no way to promptly return them back home to their country.

His comments were dismissed by Democrats as designed to stoke fear and malice.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose party now controls the House of Representatives and has been working to pass budget measures to reopen those shuttered parts of the government, said the presidents speech was full of misinformation. The fact is  the women and children at the border are not a security threat, they are a humanitarian challenge.Donald Trump's former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, has been accused by federal prosecutors of lying about sharing polling data related to Trump's 2016 presidential campaign with a business partner with alleged ties to Russian intelligence, according to portions of a court filing by Manafort's defence team that were inadvertently made public.

Before sending the document to a public database for federal court filings, lawyers for Manafort had tried to black out the portion on polling data and other information about Manafort's interactions with Konstantin Kilimnik, a former business partner who Mueller has claimed in court filings has ties to Russian intelligence.

The filing was soon replaced in the public database with a properly redacted version.

Manafort's lawyers did not respond to a request for comment on the matter. A spokesman for special counsel Robert Mueller, whose office is prosecuting Manafort, declined to comment. Kilimnik could not be reached for comment.

According to the unredacted versions posted online, the blacked-out sections showed that Manafort has been accused by Mr Mueller of lying about his sharing of polling data on the 2016 campaign with Kilimnik.

Recommended Mueller accuses Manafort of five key lies in latest court filing

The sections posted online also stated that Mr Mueller's office believes that Manafort lied to prosecutors about his discussions with Kilimnik about a Ukrainian peace plan and a meeting that Manafort had with Kilimnik when they both were in Madrid.

The filing did not provide further details on the Madrid meeting or the peace plan, although Mr Mueller has scrutinised a proposal by a Ukrainian legislator that involved, among other outcomes, the lifting of US sanctions on Russia, according to people familiar with the matter.

In the document Manafort's lawyers referenced a December court filing in which Mr Mueller alleged that Manafort had conceded to discussing the peace plan, which they argued was an indication that their client was forthcoming when his memory was refreshed of past events.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

The inadvertent disclosures offered a rare glimpse into details that were meant to remain private while Manafort's lawyers and Mr Mueller's office battle over whether Manafort has breached a plea agreement struck in September by lying.

In December, Mr Mueller accused Manafort in a court filing of telling multiple discernible lies related to five subjects, including his interactions with Kilimnik and his contacts with Trump administration officials in 2018.

At the time Manafort's lawyers said their client never intentionally provided incorrect information to prosecutors, but asked the judge for time to consider whether they wanted to contest Mr Mueller's allegations or proceed to sentencing.

US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson had given Manafort's lawyers until Monday to make a decision.

The defence contests the Government's conclusion and contends that any alleged misstatements, to the extent they occurred at all, were not intentional, Manafort's lawyers said in the filing, which was filed on Monday and released by the court on Tuesday.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

In the filing Manafort's lawyers said they would not seek an evidentiary hearing to contest Mueller's allegations of lying, arguing that such factual matters could be addressed in a pre-sentencing report.

Following the filing by Manafort's lawyers, Judge Jackson ordered the government to submit evidence supporting their allegations by January 14, and held out the option of holding a hearing on the matter on 25 January.

ReutersDavid Hogg, a survivor of the Parkland high school shooting, has told Donald Trump that the 40,000 Americans who die each year from gun violence is a a pretty damn good national emergency to deal with.

As the president prepares to address the nation about the partial government shutdown and what he has termed a national crisis at the US-Mexico border, the 18-year-old student said there were genuine issues Mr Trump could be tackling. Most Democrats, and others, have accused the president of not telling the truth about the situation regarding immigration and has created the so-called crisis for political reasons.

If we really want to start talking about the national emergency like the president likes to talk about, 40,000 Americans dying annually from gun violence is a pretty damn good one to start off with, Mr Hogg told CNN.

The teenager, who became one of several students campaigner for gun regulations and background checks after a former classmate stormed into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in February 2018, killing 17 students and staff, and injuring 17 more.

He and fellow survivor Jaclyn Corin, said on Tuesday that gun control should be considered a nonpartisan issue among Democrats and Republicans. Both Democrats and Republicans die from gun violence. Bullets dont discriminate and neither should our legislators, said Mr Hogg.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

His spoke as Democrats, who now control the House of Representatives, sought to introduce a bill requiring background checks on private transactions related to gun sales. The introduction of the measure, by Democratic congressman Mike Thompson and Republican Peter King, came on the eighth anniversary of 2011 Tucson mass shooting that left six dead and nearly killed former Arizona congresswoman Gabby Giffords.

Ms Giffords said she intended to return to Capitol Hill this week to support the measure.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

In a statement, she said: Thanks to the relentless efforts of advocates, courageous gun violence survivors, and the American voters who elected new leaders to Congress, I am thrilled that for the first time in decades, the United States House of Representatives will no longer sit silent as our nation reels from the growing gun violence epidemic.

Mr Trumps speech to the nation from the Oval Office, comes as the government shutdown enters its third week.

The president has refused to compromise with Democrats over a funding measure that would reopen the government, unless is contains at least $5bn for a border wall. He has threatened to declare a national emergency to give him the executive power to build such a wall, without backing from Congress.

We can call a national emergency because of the security of our country, absolutely, he said last Friday.

We can do it. I havent done it. I may do it. I may do it, but we can call a national emergency and build it quickly, its another way of doing it.Congressional Democrats launched a fresh push for the most significant gun control in years as a former colleague who survived a mass shooting eight years ago made an emotional plea for action.

"Stopping gun violence takes courage: the courage to do what's right, the courage of new ideas," former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords said at a Capitol Hill news conference. "Now is the time to come together. Be responsible - Democrats, Republicans, everyone. We must never stop fighting."

A bipartisan group in the House introduced a measure that would require background checks for all gun sales and most gun transfers. Federally licensed gun sellers are required to run background checks on people who buy guns, but private sellers who are not federally licensed do not.

The House measure is among the first actions taken by the newly elected Democratic majority, which pledged to make gun control a top priority. Many members were elected by making gun control a centrepiece issue, arguing for restrictions on firearms and universal background checks.

It is also a bill that garnered the support of five House Republicans, a rare feat on an issue that has cleaved along party lines. It was co-sponsored by New York's Republican representative Peter King, and supported by his colleagues Brian Mast, Fred Upton, Brian Fitzpatrick and Christopher Smith. The measure was also co-sponsored by California Democrat Mike Thompson.

Recommended Newly empowered Democrats vow action on gun control after bar shooting

Joining some of the bill's proponents was Ms Giffords, who was shot in the head eight years ago at a constituent event in Tucson, Arizona. Six people died, and 15 were wounded in that attack.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has signalled that the bill is a priority; she assigned the bill a low number, HR 8, to show its importance and mark the anniversary of the Tucson shooting.

"We say enough is enough by finally bringing common-sense, bipartisan background-check legislation to the floor of the House," Ms Pelosi said. "Gun violence is an epidemic that requires the energy and engagement of the entire nation."

Ms Pelosi was joined by gun safety advocates and newly installed Georgia Democrat Lucy McBath whose son Jordan Davis, a black teenager, was fatally shot by a white man in a dispute over loud music in Florida.

Students walk out of US schools to protest gun violence Show all 10 1 /10 Students walk out of US schools to protest gun violence Students walk out of US schools to protest gun violence Young people march from the White House to Capitol Hill while participating in the national school walkout over gun violence. EPA Students walk out of US schools to protest gun violence Thousands of local students march down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to the US Capitol during a nationwide student walkout for gun control. AFP/Getty Students walk out of US schools to protest gun violence A student has the words,'don't shoot,' written on her hands as she joins with other students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School after walking out of their school to honor the memories of 17 students and teachers that were killed. Getty Students walk out of US schools to protest gun violence Students take part in a walkout at General McLane High School. AP Students walk out of US schools to protest gun violence Students from Harvest Collegiate High School stand in Washington Square Park in New York to take part in a national walkout to protest gun violence. AFP/Getty Students walk out of US schools to protest gun violence Students rally in front of the White House in Washington after walking out of school to protest gun violence in the biggest demonstration yet of the student activism that has emerged in response to last month's massacre of 17 people at Florida's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. AP Students walk out of US schools to protest gun violence Airport High School juniors Tony LaFata, 16, left, and Noah Doederlein, 17, stands for a moment of silence during a walkout at General McLane High School. AP Students walk out of US schools to protest gun violence Young people rally on the West Front of the US Capitol to participate in the national school walkout over gun violence, in Washington. EPA Students walk out of US schools to protest gun violence Students from Passaic High School hold photos of some of the 17 victims killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. AP Students walk out of US schools to protest gun violence Students join hands as they take part in a student walkout in Lafayette. AP

Despite progress at the state level, gun control has stalled in Congress since calls for action after a shooting killed 20 children and six teachers at a Newtown, Connecticut, elementary school in 2012. After several other mass shootings in the past six years, advocates for gun control argue the country, and Congress, is finally poised to act on the issue.

"For years, that seemed like a pipe dream," Peter Ambler, executive director of Giffords, the gun control organisation named for the former congresswoman, told a group of people whose lives have been affected by gun violence. The midterm elections, he said, "delivered a mandate" to Congress to introduce gun safety legislation.

He added: "The folks running at least one of the houses in Congress know that in the face of nearly 40,000 people dying from gun violence each year, that we can no longer sit idly by and let that go on as if it doesn't matter."

Any gun control legislation will face a major roadblock in the Republican-led Senate, and the National Rifle Association (NRA) announced its opposition.

"So-called universal background checks will never be universal because criminals do not comply with the law," said Jennifer Baker, director of public affairs for the NRA. "Instead of looking for effective solutions that will deal with the root cause of violent crime and save lives, anti-gun politicians would rather score political points and push ineffective legislation that doesn't stop criminals from committing crimes."

Despite long odds in the Senate, Senator Chris Murphy and 40 other Democratic senators also introduced legislation that would require background checks for gun sales.

"We must have a national standard: no background check, no sale," Democratic senator Richard Blumenthal said in a statement. "In this past election, gun violence prevention was on the ballot and gun violence prevention won. We're now at a tipping point - on the cusp of breaking the grip of the NRA and special interests who are in the way of reasonable reforms. Beginning with background checks, we must seize this historic opportunity to move forward on common sense gun safety measures that will end the American epidemic of gun violence."

The Washington PostThe Democrat presidential possibility who has done the least to prepare for a run is poised to benefit from an early-state campaign organisation - albeit one that operates independently, works for free and puts its fundraising dollars in escrow for now.

An effort to encourage former congressman Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, into the race, DraftBeto.org, has distinguished itself from similarly named efforts by attracting sought-after talent to its ranks, including two leaders of former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley's 2016 presidential campaign.

Mr O'Malley, who wrote last week in the Des Moines Register that he sees Mr O'Rourke as "the new leader who can bring us together," has been encouraging the effort behind the scenes, after meeting privately in December with Mr O'Rourke in Washington, DC.

That enthusiasm helped push former O'Malley advisers in South Carolina, consultant Tyler Jones and former legislator Boyd Brown, to volunteer for the group. They were joined by Michael Soneff, a former communications adviser to the Nevada Democratic Party, who has taken on the task of organising Nevada and California.

The group has been interviewing potential Iowa operatives as well, with the hopes of announcing a new adviser in that state later this week.

"I had a long conversation with Governor O'Malley," said Mr Brown, who co-chaired Mr O'Malley's 2016 campaign in South Carolina. "Martin's words to me were, 'I am seeing green lights and some yellow lights, but no red lights.'"

Mr Brown said a mutual friend had connected him with Mr O'Rourke and they had "traded a couple of texts" that did not include any admission from Mr O'Rourke of his presidential ambitions.

Mr O'Malley did not respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Mr O'Rourke said the congressman was not in contact with the Draft Beto effort.

"I have got experience building campaign structure in South Carolina, and if I need to hand it off, I will hand it off," Mr Brown said. "We are taking a shot in the dark here."

Mr O'Rourke became a Democratic star last year after raising nearly $79 million (62 million) in his losing race against Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas. Since then, Mr O'Rourke has fanned speculation that he is leaning towards a presidential campaign by backing away from the denials he made during the Senate race and meeting with former president Barack Obama.

Draft efforts have been a mainstay of presidential politics since the advent of online fundraising. The current Draft Beto effort differs from the others in that all the fundraising so far has been for an ActBlue account that will be held in escrow and then delivered to Mr O'Rourke's campaign should he decide to run.

Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Show all 23 1 /23 Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Joe Biden The former vice president - poised to be a frontrunner - has announced his run. He recently faced scrutiny for inappropriate touching of women, but was thought to deal with the criticism well AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Bernie Sanders The 2016 runner-up has announced that he will be running again in 2020 Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Hillary Clinton The 2016 Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State says she is still considering whether she will run again. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Pete Buttigieg The Indiana mayor and war veteran will be running for president. If elected, he would be the first openly LGBT+ president in American history. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kamala Harris The former California attorney general will be running for president in 2020. Introduced to the national stage during Jeff Sessions testimony, she has endorsed Medicare-for-all and proposed a major tax-credit for the middle class. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Elizabeth Warren The Massachusetts Senator has formally launched her bid for president in 2020. A progressive Democrat, she is a major supporter of regulating Wall Street. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Beto ORourke The former Texas congressman told Oprah Winfrey that he has been thinking about running for presidency, but stopped short of formally announcing his bid to run in 2020. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Wayne Messam Mayor of the city of Miramar in the Miami metropolitan area, Wayne Messam has announced his bid. He intends to run on a progressive platform against the "broken" federal government. He favours gun regulations and was a signatory to a letter from some 400 mayors condemning President Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accord. Vice News Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Kirsten Gillibrand The New York Senator formally announced her presidential bid in January, saying that healthcare should be a right, not a privilege. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Cory Booker The New Jersey Senator has announced that he will be running for the presidency in 2020. If he secures the nomination he said finding a female vice president would be a priority. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Delaney The Maryland congressman was the first to launch his bid for presidency, making the announcement in 2017. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Julian Castro The former San Antonio mayor announced his candidacy in January and said that his running has a special meaning for the Latino community in the US. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Tulsi Gabbard The Hawaii congresswoman announced her candidacy in January, but is likely to face tough questions on her past comments on LGBT+ rights and her stance on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Andrew Yang The entrepreneur has announced his presidential candidacy, and has pledged that he would introduce a universal basic income of $1,000 a month to every American over the age of 18. AFP/Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Marianne Williamson The author and spiritual advisor has announced her intention to run for president. She had previously run for congress as an independent in 2014 but was unsuccessful. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? John Kerry The former secretary of state has said he is still thinking about whether to run. Getty Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Michael Bloomberg The entrepreneur and former New York mayor with a net worth of around $50bn  has said he will decide by the end of February whether to seek the presidency. AFP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Howard Schultz Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has not yet ruled out running for president in 2020, despite criticism that his bid could help re-elect Mr Trump by dividing the Democrat vote. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Holder The former attorney general has said he will decide in the next month or so whether to run as a 2020 presidential candidate. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Eric Swalwell The California congressman said he is ready to do this and will decide before April whether to run. MSNBC Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Terry McAuliffe The former Virginia governor, who worked to elect Democratic governors during 2018 midterms, said there was a 50 per cent chance he would run. AP Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Sherrod Brown The Ohio senator is still undecided about whether to run for president in 2020. Who could be running against Trump in 2020? Mitch Landrieu The former New Orleans mayor said he doesnt think he will run for president, but never say never. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

One of the group's founders, Nate Lerner, said he has so far paid the only expenses - about $1,500 - out of his own pocket. The group, which began in mid-December, has so far raised about $15,000 from 300 people, with about 5,000 email sign-ups, Mr Lerner said.

"The Beto campaign isn't secretly pulling the strings behind the scenes," he added.

Mr Lerner said he had not communicated with Mr O'Rourke, but he expected the group would reach out soon to share what it has been doing. He said the group was likely to mount distinct fundraising efforts in the future for specific projects, such as Draft Beto billboards in early primary states.

A separate draft effort, DraftBeto2020.org, was started last year by a group of New England political strategists and has published an organising guide to encourage volunteers around the country to hold house parties.

Will Herberich, one of the founders, said his group was interested in working with the similarly named DraftBeto.org. "We're excited that people all over the country are rallying behind the goal," he said. "We're looking forward to working together."

Mr O'Rourke's ability to attract early-state talent without any personal efforts is notable in an election cycle that has seen a scramble for talent from more than 20 Democratic candidates actively exploring campaigns. Both Mr Soneff and Mr Jones said they had been approached by other potential campaigns but opted instead to run an unpaid effort without a committed candidate.

"My barometer is, who would I want to get out of my house to go see speak?" Mr Jones said on Monday. "Just in the last 24 hours I have had lots of people reach out to me and say, 'I am going to support him if he runs.' Some of those people are elected officials."

Mr Jones was the state director for Mr O'Malley in 2016 and helped Representative Joe Cunningham, D-SC, win the state's marquee House race last year, giving Democrats a takeover of a seat previously held by former governor Mark Sanford, who had been defeated in the Republican primary.

"Tyler being a part of [the Draft Beto effort] is a big deal just because of his political background and his ability to run a race in South Carolina," said Amanda Loveday, a former executive director of the South Carolina Democratic Party.

Mr Jones, Mr Brown and Mr Soneff said they would work in the coming weeks on building a fundraising and organising network in the state, which Mr O'Rourke could take over if he decides to run.

"We have more people throwing themselves at the campaign than we know what to do with," said Mr Soneff, who said many have reached out to him since he signed on to marshal support in the West. "We've got artists who want to paint walls."

The Washington PostDonald Trumps new pick to be attorney general does not believe Robert Mullers investigation is a witch hunt and will allow him to complete the probe, a top Republican has said.

The president has repeatedly denounced the special counsels inquiry into Russias alleged interference in the 2016 election, and whether there was collusion with the Trump campaign, as a witch hunt. His comments have long triggered concerns he would try and shut down the investigation.

But senator Lindsey Graham told reporters that after a meeting with William Barr, the legal veteran nominated by Mr Trump to be his attorney general, he had been assured the special counsels probe would go ahead.

I can assure you he has a very high opinion of Mr Mueller and he is committed to letting Mr Mueller finish his job, Mr Graham said.

Mr Graham, who is expected to chair the Senates judiciary committee, met with Mr Barr for about 20 minutes on Wednesday, a week before the nominees confirmation hearing is due to take place.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

I asked him if he thinks Mr Mueller is on a witch hunt, and he said, No. I asked him if he thought Mr Mueller would be fair to the president and the country as a whole, and he said, Yes, Mr Graham said. He said he will make sure Mr Mueller finishes the job.

Mr Barr, 68, who worked in the administration of Ronald Reagan and served as attorney general for two years under George HW Bush, was nominated for the position after Mr Trump last November fired Jeff Sessions, whom the president had spent a year criticising. Mr Sessions chief of staff, Matthew Whitaker, was appointed to serve as attorney general in an acting capacity, rather than Mr Sessions deputy, Rod Rosenstein.

On Wednesday it was reported Mr Rosenstein, who oversaw Mr Muellers probe after Mr Sessions recused himself from the task  something that infuriated Mr Trump  intends to stand down soon after Mr Barr is confirmed as the countrys most senior legal and law enforcement official.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

While there has been no official statement from the Department of Justice (DoJ) or the White House, US media, quoting anonymous Trump administration officials, said Mr Rosenstein would not stay on.

The Associated Press said while it was usual for an attorney general to pick their own deputy, Mr Rosensteins departure was noteworthy given his high-profile role overseeing Mr Muellers probe. Like Mr Sessions, Mr Rosenstein also had a twisting relationship with the president, and last September went to the White House expecting to be fired.

Mr Grahams committee will hold confirmation hearings for Mr Barr on 15 January, and 16 January for Mr Barr. Last month, Chuck Schumer, the Democrats leader in the Senate, said that a memo Mr Barr had written criticising Mr Muellers investigation should disqualify him from serving as attorney general.

Mr Barr, who will take charge of the investigation if confirmed by the senate, sent the unsolicited memo to the DoJ last year. In it, he said the part of Mr Muellers investigation that sought to examine whether Mr Trump had obstructed justice when he fired the FBI director James Comey was fatally misconceived.

Mueller should not be able to demand that the president submit to an interrogation about alleged obstruction, Mr Barr wrote in the 20-page note. If embraced by the department, this theory would have potentially disastrous implications, not just for the presidency, but for the executive branch as a whole and the department in particular.Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has doubled down on her claim that Donald Trump is racist, amid an ongoing government shutdown fuelled by the presidents anti-immigrant politics and nationalist world view.

Ms Ocasio-Cortez, who on Sunday called the president racist during an appearance on CBS 60 Minutes, reiterated her claim on Tuesday in a tweet that listed Mr Trumps policies and history to make her case.

The President defended Neo-Nazis who murdered a woman in Charlottesville. The Dept of Justice sued him for not renting to black tenants. He launched his campaign by calling Mexicans rapists. He banned Muslims, Ms Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.

She then put a finer point on the message: The President is a racist.

Her comments come as Mr Trump has refused to let-up on his demand for $5.7bn in border wall funding that has led to one of the longest government shutdowns in history.

Later on Tuesday, Mr Trump delivered his first prime time address from the Oval Office of his presidency, arguing that a porous border has left America vulnerable to immigrant crime and drugs.

Mr Trumps claims on immigration have been frequently fact checked, and on Tuesday evening Ms Ocasio-Cortez weighed in after his speech to call the presidents border and immigration policies inhumane

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

No one should feel unsafe in the United States of America. And that includes our amazing, and beautiful, and productive immigrant community, she said during an appearance on MSNBCs Rachel Maddow Show.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

She continued: Moreover, the one thing that the president has not talked about is the fact that he has systematically engaged in the violation of international human rights  on our border. He has separated children from their families. He talked about what happened the day after Christmas  on the day of Christmas, a child died in ICE custody.The Supreme Court has agreed to hear Marylands gerrymandering case, as well as a similar case in North Carolina, in March. This news may be seen as a light at the end of the tunnel for those who want to end partisan gerrymandering that has essentially allowed politicians to pick the voters in their district, rather than voters choosing who is representing them in Congress.A Florida substitute teacher has found a peculiar way to settle an apparent grudge against someone at her school.

Heather Carpenter, a substitute teacher at Phillippi Shores Elementary School, will be arraigned on Friday for allegedly spreading human excrement on the tables and grills of a public park to sabotage the school principals birthday party for her 6-year-old daughter.

Witnesses saw the 42-year-old educator, wearing rubber gloves and a face mask, allegedly smearing human faecal matter around 6.30am on 1 December nearby a pavilion in Urfer Park.

The police spoke to the principal who said there was an ongoing dispute between her and the substitute teacher. The principals daughter is in Ms Carpenters class.

When investigators visited the home of Ms Carpenter, the 42-year-old confessed to the revenge-filled sabotage attack, according to police. She police officers that she threw the excrement around the pavilion because she was disappointed over how a complaint she filed at school was being handled and wanted to break up the birthday celebrations.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Ms Carpenter was arrested on 7 December on suspicion of criminal mischief. Court reports show that she was released the following day on a $2,500 bond.Two women have been charged with kidnapping and sexual assault following an attack on a transgender woman in a bar toilet, according to reports.

Police in North Carolina said the alleged victim told them she was inside the toilet of a bar in Raleigh, the state capital, when the pair began to verbally abuse her.

They then exposed themselves and touched her, she claimed.

The attack was said to have continued outside the toilet, the Associated Press reported, despite the womans pleas and a bartenders orders for it to end.

Amber Harrell, 38, and Jessica Fowler, 31, were arrested and charged with sexual battery and second-degree kidnapping following the incident at Milk Bar in December 2018.

AP reported that it was not clear whether they had legal representation.

The women were released on bail, the site said.

In 2016 politicians in North Carolina passed legislation requiring transgender people to use bathrooms in many government-run buildings that corresponded to their sex as defined at birth.

Though this measure was replaced the following year with legislation that does not say who can use which toilets, USA Today reported in July 2018 that there were still complaints about the latest provisions.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

WSOCTV reported on Tuesday that continuing controversy over the replacement legislation may cause the production team on a new Netflix programme to film elsewhere.

The new law still prevents local officials from creating anti-discrimination rules until 2020, the site said.Daniel Borden, one of four men convicted of beating a black man at a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017, has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison.

In May, Borden entered a plea acknowledging there was enough evidence to convict him but he did not acknowledge guilt for taking part in the malicious wounding of DeAndre Harris at the Unite the Right rally. After a months-long postponement, he received a 20-year sentence earlier this week, with all but three years and 10 months of it suspended.

The 20-year-old was one of six men who surrounded and attacked Mr Harris, 20 at the time, in a parking garage on 12 August 2017, beating him with metal pipes and wooden boards. Mr Harris was left with a broken wrist and a head wound that required staples. The beating was captured in a video that spread widely on social media.

Two of the six men remain unidentified. Of the four who were arrested, Borden was the last man to be sentenced.

The three others  Jacob Scott Goodwin, Alex Michael Ramos, and Richard W Preston  were sentenced in August of last year. Goodwin, 24, was sentenced to serve eight years in prison; Ramos, 35, received a sentence of six years; and Preston, 53, who was described as a Ku Klux Klan leader, was sentenced to four years in prison for firing a gun at the rally.

Recommended James Fields sentenced to life in prison by jury over Charlottesville

Borden, who is white, was initially supposed to be sentenced in October 2018, but the judge rescheduled the sentencing for January after Borden declined to speak with probation officers and his lawyer, Michael J Hallahan II, asked to bring character witnesses to a sentencing hearing.

Mr Hallahan could not be reached for comment on Tuesday.

Television station WVIR reported Bordens parents attended the sentencing. His father insisted his son was innocent and Bordens mother asked the court to consider that Borden had learning issues.

Borden told the court he was remorseful and was not a bigot, and he apologised to Mr Harris and to the people of Charlottesville, WVIR said.

Charlottesville one year on Show all 15 1 /15 Charlottesville one year on Charlottesville one year on Mary Grace, from Durham, North Carolina, walks through the downtown mall area August 11, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Charlottesville has been declared in a state of emergency by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam as the city braces for the one year anniversary of the deadly clash between white supremacist forces and counter protesters over the potential removal of Confederate statues of Robert E. Lee and Jackson. A "Unite the Right" rally featuring some of the same groups is planned for tomorrow in Washington, DC. Getty Charlottesville one year on Chris Jessee (R) hands out placards to people visiting downtown Charlottesville as the city marks the anniversary of last year's 'Unite the Right rally' in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, 11 August 2018. On 12 August 2017, a bloody clash between white supremacists and counterprotestors in Charlottesville left three people dead and dozens injured Getty Charlottesville one year on A member of the Virginia State Police waits outside the park where a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee is located August 11, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. Charlottesville has been declared in a state of emergency by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam as the city braces for the one year anniversary of a deadly clash between white supremacist forces and counter protesters over the potential removal of Confederate statues of Robert E. Lee and Jackson. A "Unite the Right" rally featuring some of the same groups is planned for tomorrow in Washington, DC Reuters Charlottesville one year on A woman displays a shirt ahead of the one-year anniversary of 2017 Charlottesville "Unite the Right" protests, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 10, 2018. Reuters Charlottesville one year on A sign reading "Strength, which was taken down at the request of police officers, hangs by the statue of Civil War Confederate General Robert E. Lee, ahead of the one-year anniversary of 2017 Charlottesville "Unite the Right" protests, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 10, 2018. Reuters Charlottesville one year on Law enforcement arrives ahead of the one year anniversary of 2017 Charlottesville "Unite the Right" protests, in Charlottesville, Virginia, U.S., August 10, 2018 Reuters Charlottesville one year on A vendor displays wares on the mall as State Police lock down the downtown area in anticipation of the anniversary of last year's Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018. The Governor has declared a state of emergency in Charlottesville AP Charlottesville one year on A Police bike patrol takes a break in the downtown area in anticipation of the anniversary of last year's Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018. State and local authorities framed the weekend's heightened security as a necessary precaution. AP Charlottesville one year on State Police arrest a local resident, John Miska, in the locked down downtown area in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018. Miska purchased razor blades, which are banned items, in a downtown drugstore. On the the anniversary of white supremacist violence, state and local authorities framed the weekend's heightened security as a necessary precaution. AP Charlottesville one year on State Police escort local resident, John Miska, red hat, after he was arrested in the locked down downtown area in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018. Miska purchased razor blades, which are banned items, in a downtown drugstore. On the the anniversary of white supremacist violence, state and local authorities framed the weekend's heightened security as a necessary precaution. AP Charlottesville one year on A group Anti-fascism demonstrators, march in the downtown area in anticipation of the anniversary of last year's Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, AP Charlottesville one year on A group anti-fascism demonstrators march in the downtown area in anticipation of the anniversary of last year's Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Va., AP Charlottesville one year on People receive first-aid after a car accident ran into a crowd of protesters in Charlottesville, VA on August 12, 2017. A vehicle plowed into a crowd of people Saturday at a Virginia rally where violence erupted between white nationalist demonstrators and counter-protesters, witnesses said, causing an unclear number of injuries AFP/Getty Charlottesville one year on Alt-right rally members in Lee Park in Charlottesville, VA on Saturday August 12, 2017 White nationalist 'Unite the Right' rally, Charlottesville, USA Rex Charlottesville one year on A counter protester who got hit with a stick by alt-right member covered with blood on his face in Lee Park in Charlottesville, Rex

Joseph Platania, the commonwealths attorney for Charlottesville and the senior-assistant commonwealths attorney, Nina-Alice Antony, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Mr Platania said, As with all prosecutions surrounding the 12 August 2017, attack of DeAndre Harris, this office is hopeful that todays outcome brings some measure of solace and closure to him and the community at large.

In March 2018, Mr Harris himself was acquitted of assault in connection with an incident that took place moments before he was attacked. He had intervened in a scuffle after a friend tried to yank a Confederate flag away from a marcher, Harold Crews.

A complaint by Mr Crews, a state chairman of the neo-Confederate group League of the South, eventually led the Charlottesville Police Department to issue a warrant for Mr Harris arrest.

The 2017 Charlottesville rally drew white supremacists, neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members who marched in protest of the citys plan to remove a statue memorialising Confederate general Robert E Lee. Counter-demonstrators gathered in opposition. It ended in violence and death.

At one point, a man drove a car into a crowd of counter-protesters, killing one woman, Heather D Heyer, 32, and injuring dozens of others. The driver, James Fields Jr, was convicted of first-degree murder, and a jury recommended in December that he spend the rest of his life in prison.

The New York TimesRwanda has started enforcing its nationwide ban on skin bleaching products, according to reports.

Whitening creams and soaps are being removed from shelves across the African nation, just two months after the government announced that it was banning them from being sold.

It is believed that President Paul Kagame instigated the crackdown when he condemned the use of the products in November, urging Rwandas ministry of health to take action.

Quite unhealthy among other things. Includes use of prohibited chemicals," the president told a Twitter user who voiced their concerns over the use of such creams. MoH and RNP need to reign this in very quickly.

According to Al Jazeera, Rwandas ban follows similar crackdowns in South Africa, Kenya and Ghana, where the importing of such products is prohibited.

Recommended Blac Chyna under fire for promoting skin bleaching cream

Many skin-bleaching products contain chemicals like hydroquinone and mercury and have been linked to skin cancer as well as kidney and liver damage.

However, the move has raised fears that consumers will be forced to buy unregulated products, which could put their health at risk. Some of the products sold on the black market are smuggled into Rwanda.

A woman would always find a way to lighten her skin. The fact that Rwanda has banned skin bleaching products does not mean women would not do it, one person tweeted.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Banning is never an effective answer for products like this, forcing their use underground. Education gives the greatest power. Everyone wants to be a different colour, another wrote.

Skin bleaching is a multibillion-dollar global industry. At least four out of every 10 women in Africa bleach their skin, according to the World Health Organisation.The international body responsible for protecting endangered animals is to consider relaxing restrictions on the ivory trade, prompting fears such a move could trigger a huge rise in elephant poaching.

Wildlife experts warned against any loosening of the rules as several African countries pushed to end a near-global ban on sales of the material extracted from tusks.

Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe are all demanding they be allowed to sell off stockpiles of raw ivory on their home soil as well as from South Africa.

Zambia, meanwhile, is pressing to have the status of its elephants downgraded to a category not necessarily threatened with extinction, allowing its ivory to be legally sold.

Leaders of the four countries have put their controversial proposals to the next meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), to be held in Sri Lankan capital Colombo in May.

African elephant numbers have plummeted in recent decades, largely because of widespread poaching for ivory, which is illegally sold to south-east Asian buyers.

According to WWF, every year about 20,000 African elephants are killed by poachers for their tusks  an average of one every 25 minutes.

Born Free believes that populations have dropped from five million a century ago to fewer than a tenth of that number now.

Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, who argue that ivory trading will pay for conservation, want to sell government-owned stocks of raw ivory.

After seeing decades of poaching, Cites banned international sales of new ivory in 1989, allowing elephant numbers slowly to recover.

But in 1999 and 2008, Cites let first Japan, then Japan and China, buy many tons of ivory in experimental sales, which conservationists say enabled traffickers to again ply their trade because it can be impossible to tell legal ivory from poached.

The poaching crisis is still acute, and any legal market has the potential to stimulate demand for ivory Matt Collis

Today China, the US and the UK have banned ivory sales but many countries still allow some commercial trade, and illegal poaching has continued despite efforts by African governments to crack down.

Cites watchers suspect on balance that the three proposals are unlikely to win the two-thirds majority  of 183 members  needed for them to pass.

There isnt really any appetite in the international community to agree to this, said Colman OCriodain, a wildlife trade expert for WWF.

But Peter Knights, chief executive of the WildAid charity, warned that any relaxation of restrictions could lead to a massive rise in elephants killed.

He said Cites earlier one-off sales had failed to stem demand.

Between 1975 and 1989, elephant numbers halved due to poaching and ivory being laundered into the legal trade, he said. In 2008 the experiment was re-run with similar results  poaching escalated up to 33,000 a year.

Recommended Surge in African elephant killings for ivory leads to drop in numbers

History has shown that traders find a way to use legal trade as a poaching conduit so we need to use other income sources, such as tourism, to support conservation.

The proposals are likely to be opposed by Kenya and Gabon, supported by conservationists, who believe even limited trade fuels demand and drives up killing.

Kenya and Gabon want elephants in southern Africa to be promoted from Appendix II to Appendix I, which would mean the creatures were officially considered at risk of extinction.

Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa have more than half of Africas total elephant populations between them.

In October, Botswanas president Mokgweetsi Masisi joined the Giants Club, which aims to protect half of Africas elephants by 2020.

As human populations increase, wildlife habitats are under increasing pressure, putting the mammals at greater risk of being killed as they stray onto land where crops are grown in search of food.

In 2016, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature reported that Africas elephant population had suffered its worst decline in 25 years. In East Africa, elephant populations had nearly halved in a decade.

A census across 18 countries also found that in seven years, 30 per cent of Africas elephants had disappeared.

Zambia said elephants were competing with people in rural areas for resources and that Zambians would be more tolerant if they see economic returns earned from the sustainable use of elephant.

At its last meeting in Johannesburg in 2016, Cites rejected appeals to relax ivory trade bans, and Matt Collis, a Cites expert at the International Fund for Animal Welfare, agreed that unless anything substantial had changed, the new proposals would probably not have enough support.

Mr Collis said it made no sense to sell off stockpiles again when the poaching crisis remained so severe.

Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants Show all 11 1 /11 Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants The treatment of captive elephants in Kerala is branded 'India's shame' World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants 'Elephants' in chains World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants At the Indian High Commission World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants Protesters wore black World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants The protesters were fighting to open the world's eyes to the hidden crisis, urging people to use the hashtag breakthechains World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants Campaigners came in elephant masks World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants Outside the High Commission, India House World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants 'Elephants' in chains World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants World Animal Protection Campaigners call on Indian PM to end torture of captive elephants World Animal Protection

The divisive proposals were a distraction from what the world should focus on: supporting countries to put more resources into elephant protection, he said.

The poaching crisis is still acute, and any legal market has the potential to stimulate demand for ivory, he added.

China banned ivory trading in 2017, and last year Hong Kong promised to phase out its elephant ivory trade by 2021.

Last month a UK law banning ivory sales  with a few strict exceptions  passed through parliament.

But Vietnam, Thailand and Laos remain big markets.

The US has effectively banned ivory deals, and after some wrangling with Donald Trump, US officials now review permits on a case-by-case basis.

But the worlds largest exporter of legal ivory is Europe.

In 2017, the European Commission banned the export of raw ivory, but not products containing it. Just two months ago, officials shied away from introducing a total ban despite respondents to a consultation calling overwhelmingly for tighter rules.

Mr Collis said that in 2010 all African-range countries agreed the African Elephant Action Plan, tackling poaching on the ground and targeting transit countries and markets such as China.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Cites has been contacted for comment on the three proposals.Egypt says an ancient artefact has been returned after it was illegally smuggled out of the country to the UK, where it was found on sale.

The artefact is a carved stone tablet with the cartouche (royal emblem) of King Amenhotep I, who reigned from 1526 to 1506 BC.

According to Egypts Antiquities Ministry in Cairo, the carved relief had been found for sale at a London auction house.

The item had originally been on display at the open-air museum in the Karnak Temple Complex in the city of Luxor, but was stolen in 1988.

The ministry did not say how the artefact was originally smuggled out of the country.

The statement on the Antiquities Ministrys website thanked the concerted efforts of all the concerned British authorities and the Egyptian Embassy in London until it succeeded in stopping the sale of the piece, when it was found in September 2018.

Egypt has stepped up efforts in recent years to stop the trafficking of its antiquities.

It has warned foreign museums that it will not help them mount exhibits about ancient Egypt unless they return smuggled artefacts.

In November, two ancient Egyptian sarcophaguses were found in Luxor by a French archaeological team.

Egyptian authorities opened one, while the French team which found them opened the other.

Black sarcophagus found in Egypt is finally opened Show all 4 1 /4 Black sarcophagus found in Egypt is finally opened Black sarcophagus found in Egypt is finally opened Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities Black sarcophagus found in Egypt is finally opened Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities Black sarcophagus found in Egypt is finally opened Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities Black sarcophagus found in Egypt is finally opened Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities

It was the first time a previously unopened sarcophagus was opened before international media.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The well-preserved 3,000-year-old remains of a woman were found inside.Theresa May is on a collision course with parliament after Downing Street indicated she would take Britain out of the European Union without a deal if MPs reject her proposals in a crunch vote.

At cabinet the prime minister acknowledged defeat could be on the cards next week, telling ministers she would move quickly to make a statement if her plans fall.

Her spokesperson later underlined that while she would prefer a deal, she is going to deliver Brexit on 29 March regardless  and that is why no-deal preparations had been implemented.

But the scale of the battle she faces became immediately apparent as two cabinet ministers signalled they would not stand for the country leaving without a withdrawal agreement.

Two different groups of cross-party MPs also moved to block her from pursuing no deal  with one including senior Conservative MPs flexing their political muscles by inflicting a defeat on her administration in the Commons.

The stakes were raised ahead of the resumption of debate on Wednesday about the Brexit deal agreed between the prime minister and Brussels.

At the mornings cabinet meeting the prime minister was asked what would happen if the meaningful vote on the deal confirmed for Tuesday 15 January goes against her, with Ms May responding she would move quickly to make a statement.

Asked at a briefing later in the day whether it would ultimately mean leaving without a deal, her spokesperson said that was not a preferred option.

 Commons defeats government to pass motion making no-deal more difficult

But pressed again, he said: The British people voted to leave the European Union on March 29 this year and that is what she is going to deliver.

Its the position of the government that we want to leave with a deal, but we are preparing to leave in other scenarios and that includes no deal.

The prime minister made clear in cabinet to her ministers that there would be no extension of Article 50 and is said to have once again poured scorn on the idea of a new referendum, highlighting recent polling that it is strongly opposed by Conservative supporters.

But the controversial nature of her stance was immediately underlined as business secretary Greg Clark told MPs in the Commons chamber that no deal should not be contemplated.

At the cabinet meeting itself pensions secretary Amber Rudd, one of Ms Mays closest allies, told colleagues: History will take a dim view of a cabinet that presses ahead with no deal.

The fact that so much was almost instantly leaked from the meeting, even before Ms Mays aides had a chance to fully brief journalists, appeared to speak to the cabinets strained unity.

"Brexit betrayal" march in London Show all 43 1 /43 "Brexit betrayal" march in London "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester holds an anti-BBC sign Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator holds a sign in the picket line Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester carrying a noose at the "Brexit betrayal" march. The man carrying it told a reporter: "That's what the traitor May deserves." AP "Brexit betrayal" march in London Pro-brexit supporters hold a sign opposed to Nigel Farage Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Protesters carry a defaced British flag on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Tommy Robinson addresses a rally after taking part in a Brexit 'betrayal' march in central London PA "Brexit betrayal" march in London Police officers attempts to keep rival protesters from clashing at the Brexit 'betrayal' march in London Victoria Jones/PA "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester holds an anti-Theresa May sign Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator and his dog Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator at the protest Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit sign at the rally Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Pro-brexit demonstrators endorse UKIP Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A Brexit 'betrayal' march protester wearing a Make Britain Great Again hat in London on 9 December 2018 Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty "Brexit betrayal" march in London Brexit 'betrayal' marchers gathering on Park Lane ahead of a protest Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London The "Brexit Betrayal" march passes through Central London Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Tommy Robinson tells protesters to join Ukip via their mobile phones on stage next to leader Gerard Batten (right) at the Brexit 'betrayal' march Gareth Fuller/PA "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester speaks thorugh a megaphone on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator walks in the picket line Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit anti-May sign at the rally Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester carries a Union Jack on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator wrapped in the Union Jack Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit anti-May sign at the rally Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Pro brexit demonstrators move through Central London Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator marches with sign Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A pro-brexit demonstrator holds a rude sign in the rally Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London The march passes down Victoria Street near Parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A festive protester marches near Parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester holds a mock noose as the march passes down Victoria Street towards Parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester wrapped in the Union Jack marches down Victoria Street towards Parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester makes some noise on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester dressed as a dinosaur holds a sign rallying against "Davocracy" - in reference to the annual World Economic Forum meeting in Davos Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester holds a pro-brexit sign on the march Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London The march approaches parliament Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A protester distributes pro-brexit lapel badges Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A demonstrator wears an anti-EU poster and holds an anti-BBC sign Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A smoke bomb is deployed in Parliament Square as the march comes across the counter-demonstration Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London A flag bearing the Arms of Plantagenet flies in theprot Angela Christofilou/The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Protesters on the Brexit 'betrayal' march in London on 9 December 2018 Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Protesters on the Brexit 'betrayal' march in London on 9 December 2018 Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Brexit 'betrayal' marchers gathering on Park Lane ahead of a protest on 9 December 2018 Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Brexit 'betrayal' marchers gathering on Park Lane ahead of a protest on 9 December 2018 Angela Christofilou/ The Independent "Brexit betrayal" march in London Angela Christofilou/The Independent

Brexiteer ministers told The Independent the choice being put forward by the prime minister is indeed her deal or no deal by 29 March, with one source being certain it would not change even if cabinet Remainers quit their jobs.

The debate on Ms Mays deal will start on Wednesday, opened by Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay, for five days, with government whips already having seen off an attempt by MPs to bring the final vote forward from next Tuesday to this Thursday.

But that was just one of several moves launched by different groups of cross-party MPs to take control of the governments Brexit strategy as the clock ticks down towards Britains withdrawal.

One group, led by former Labour cabinet minister Yvette Cooper and ex-Tory education secretary Nicky Morgan, pushed through an amendment to the governments Finance Bill to prevent the government introducing new tax rises in the case of a no-deal Brexit, unless MPs have specifically voted in favour of them.

Government insiders said the amendment was undesirable but would not ultimately be significant enough to prevent a no deal or the governments ability to act appropriately, but with around 20 Tories backing the move it did point to a hardening cross-party coalition against no deal.

Another group  led by former Tory cabinet minister Caroline Spelman and Labour shadow minister Jack Dromey, who had penned a letter signed by more than 200 MPs calling on the PM to rule out no deal  went in to see Ms May in Downing Street.

The Independent understands Mr Dromey told Ms May she could not simply keep saying my deal or no deal, but added that the prime minister refused to respond with any other message than her deal was the only option on the table.Theresa May has suffered a humiliating blow to her Brexit plans after MPs ordered her to bring back a plan B within three days if she loses a critical vote next week.

John Bercow, the Speaker, allowed a vote on a controversial amendment tabled by ex-attorney general Dominic Grieve, which aims to prevent the government from running down the clock to exit day on March 29.

The row stems from a complex bit of parliamentary procedure, which could have serious implications for the government. Here we explain why.

Recommended MPs vote to force May to reveal Brexit plan B within days

What is the Grieve amendment?

MPs are about to begin a five-day debate on the Brexit deal, ahead of a critical vote on Ms Mays plans on Tuesday. The vote was due to be held in December but the prime minister delayed the clash at the eleventh-hour in the face of certain defeat.

The debate is now being re-run, beginning on Wednesday and running through to Tuesday night, when the so-called meaningful vote will be held.

Under current rules, if Ms Mays deal is defeated in the Commons, the prime minister has 21 days, plus seven sitting days, to return to the chamber and offer MPs an alternative, or another vote.

But Mr Grieve, a leading Tory Brexit rebel, tabled an amendment to the business motion which would require Ms May to return within three days of losing the vote.

Cross-party MPs backed the move, defeating the government by 308 votes to 297.

Why are MPs so annoyed about it?

Conservatives are furious that Mr Bercow accepted the Grieve amendment, as parliamentary rules usually only allow a government minister to amend motions of this kind.

The Commons descended into chaos as Brexiteers accused the Speaker of being partisan and overruling long-held procedures. Labour MPs cheered and spoke in support of Mr Bercow.

It ties into long-running anger among some Tory MPs, who say Mr Bercow is too friendly towards Labour and pro-EU groups  as the Speaker is supposed to be impartial.

What does it mean for Mays deal/vote next week?

Mr Bercow made it clear that the motion does not carry legal force, but it does significantly increase the pressure on Ms May to speed up the Brexit process.

The prime minister is still expected to lose the vote next week, as she does not appear to have won fresh concessions from Brussels over the Christmas break that would convince her mutinous MPs to support the deal.

If she loses, the Grieve amendment means she has three working days to return to the Commons with new plans  limiting the amount of time she has to go back to the EU.

Does it increase the likelihood of a general election/second referendum?

The defeat is a fresh humiliation for Ms May and a clear sign of her weak grip on her party and the Commons. But she has endured defeats that would have toppled other prime ministers, so this is not enough to end her premiership.

The key outcome from the Grieve amendment is MPs will be allowed to put forward their own ideas, such as a Norway-style deal or even a second referendum.MPs have inflicted a major defeat on Theresa May by passing a motion that will drastically speed up the Brexit process.

The controversial move, known as the Grieve amendment, will force the prime minister to put forward an alternative plan within three days if her proposed withdrawal deal is voted down by the Commons next week.

Under current laws, she has three weeks to announce how she plans to proceed.

More than a dozen Tory MPs broke ranks to vote for the change, which was proposed by former attorney general Dominic Grieve and backed by other senior Conservatives.

It was passed by 308 votes to 297.

Opponents of a no-deal Brexit hope the move would make it harder for ministers to run down the clock and take Britain out of the EU with no agreement, unless they had secured parliaments approval for such an outcome.

Currently Britain is on course to leave the bloc on 29 March regardless of whether ot not a deal is in place.

The move is not legally binding but is likely to pile pressure on Ms May to address parliament swiftly if her deal is rejected.

Mr Grieves amendment sparked a furious row, with Eurosceptic MPs accusing John Bercow, the Commons speaker, of acting unconstitutionally by allowing the vote to go ahead.

Under parliamentary rules, only a government minister can table a business motion outlining what the Commons will debate in the coming days. But to the fury of the government, Mr Bercow ruled that Mr Grieves motion was an amendment to the business motion and was therefore allowed.

He told MPs: My understanding is the motion is amendable, Im clear in my mind about that.

Im trying to do the right thing and make the right judgments. That is what I have tried to do and what I will go on doing.

Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Show all 11 1 /11 Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray (left) and a pro-Brexit protester argue as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A pro-Brexit protester argues Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround the pro-Brexit protester after he confronted Steve Bray, a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer as he argues with a remain supporter, Steve Bray, outside Parliament PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament MPs in Parliament are to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week after her December vote was called off in the face of a major defeat Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police look on as anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament. Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police hold back a leave supporter PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A police officer speaks with anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround a pro-Brexit protester after he confronted a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Conservative MP David Davies, wearing a gopro camera, speaks to anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images

But Tory MP Mark Francois, a leading Eurosceptic, said the decision was ridiculous and accused Mr Bercow of utter sophistry.

He said: Mr Speaker, I have not been in this House as long as you but I have been here for 18 years and I have never known any occasion when any Speaker has overruled a motion of the House of Commons.

You have said again and again youre a servant of this House and we take you at your word, and I have heard you many times on points of order when people have challenged you say I cannot do X or Y because I am bound by a motion of the House.

You have done that multiple times in my experience, so why are you overruling this today?

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

In a heated exchange, Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the House, called on Mr Bercow to publish the advice he had received from parliamentary clerks. He refused, saying this was given privately and thats absolutely proper.

The fresh defeat for Ms May came just hours after the government failed to block a motion that will make it harder for minister to implement a no-deal Brexit.

The amendment to the Finance Bill was tabled by a cross-party group of senior MPs and voted through after 20 Tory MPs rebelledJust 24 hours after becoming the biggest news story in the country, the yellow vest protesters seemed a little more reticent.

A gaggle of six or seven men, wearing Union Jack bobble hats instead of their trademark garments, skulked quietly a few metres away from a vocal crowd of pro-EU campaigners outside parliament on Tuesday.

A day earlier, led by far-right rabble-rouser James Goddard, the ardent Brexiteers had chanted Nazi at Remain-supporting Tory MP Anna Soubry, before pursuing her down the street in Westminster. They also crowded around left-wing journalist Owen Jones, who they branded a communist bully and lying little toad.

The next day there were few signs of such aggression, nor any sign of Mr Goddard himself.

Hes not coming down today. Its a bit hot at the moment, explained one follower.

He meant the increased police presence following Mondays confrontation, which prompted Commons speaker John Bercow to urge Scotland Yard to take action to halt these toxic attacks.

Four police vans were parked opposite parliament on Tuesday, while patrolling officers outnumbered the activists themselves.

It followed weeks of protests from the loosely organised group, who have been targeting pro-EU activists, politicians and journalists, as well as blocking roads and scuffling with police.

Anti-Brexit campaigners said the yellow vest group had been harassing them on an almost daily basis outside parliament since earlier December.

They put cameras in our faces, insulting us, trying to pull our flags down  just intimidation, basically. Weve been called Nazis, paedophile enablers, traitors, one pro-EU activist told The Independent.

Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Show all 11 1 /11 Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray (left) and a pro-Brexit protester argue as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A pro-Brexit protester argues Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround the pro-Brexit protester after he confronted Steve Bray, a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer as he argues with a remain supporter, Steve Bray, outside Parliament PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament MPs in Parliament are to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week after her December vote was called off in the face of a major defeat Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police look on as anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament. Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police hold back a leave supporter PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A police officer speaks with anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround a pro-Brexit protester after he confronted a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Conservative MP David Davies, wearing a gopro camera, speaks to anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images

The yellow vest protesters who gathered at College Green on Tuesday suggested anti-Brexit protesters were fair game because they wanted to reverse the result of the referendum.

We voted to come out, we won the vote and thats it, said Andy, a 57-year-old former Tesco worker who did not want to give his surname.

He justified the harassment of Ms Soubry by claiming she had called us Nazis on Twitter and on Facebook.

It works both ways, dont it, the Londoner added. If you give it, youve got to take it. Shes a human being, isnt she. She brings it all on herself.

Another member of the group, a younger man who gave his name only as Alex, complained about being associated the far right. He described himself as a normal lad who had recently left the army and hoped to become a firefighter.

Its all well and good for the left to go and do [protests] like this, but if we do something like this were branded Nazis, far right, everything else, he added.

Both men claimed their aims extended no further than securing the UKs withdrawal from Europe.

Yet they also, entirely unprompted, complained about refugees arriving on British shores - boatloads of them with "designer tracksuits on, iPhone 7 in their hands," suggested Andy. "Fighting age males," Alex chipped in.

Hope Not Hate, which monitors extremism, said the far right was attempting to hijack the Brexit debate to stir up trouble and harass, threaten and attack their political opponents.

The organisation said yellow vest activists were planning protests this week in Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, and were considering targeting the offices of Remain-voting Labour MPs.

Nick Lowles, Hope Not Hates chief executive, said: While everyone should be allowed to protest peacefully, it is time for the authorities to clamp down on the bullying and threatening tactics used by these extremists before someone is seriously injured.Trump told the troops, They said: You know, we could make it smaller. We could make it 3 percent. We could make it 2 percent. We could make it 4 percent. I said: No. Make it 10 percent. Make it more than 10 percent. This statement is false. Trump also told the troops that it would be their first raise in 10 years. You havent gotten one in more than 10 years  more than 10 years, Trump said. And we got you a big one. I got you a big one. I got you a big one. Again, this is false and, like so many of Trumps lies, easy to check.Vanuatu turns the Corner LETS USE THIS AS A SPRINGBOARD FOR THE FUTURETheresa May is being urged to wield her powers as prime minister to ensure Brexit is forced through  regardless of whether there is a successful vote of no confidence against her government.

Brexiteer ministers have indicated that even if the no-confidence vote planned by Labour goes against her, it would be in her gift to set the date of an ensuing election after Brexit day on 29 March.

One cabinet minister backing the plan told The Independent it would mean Ms May could steer the country out of the EU with or without a deal before going to the polls in early April, adding: The public are saying, just f***ing get on with it.

Recommended PM faces fresh defeat over bid to make her reveal plan B within days

The prime minister acknowledged in cabinet on Tuesday that she could lose the meaningful vote on her Brexit deal next week, with Downing Street later indicating it would in that case be ready for a no-deal scenario.

Labour shadow cabinet members today reiterated Jeremy Corbyns intention to call a vote of no confidence in the government at that point, with around a dozen Tory MPs thought to be willing to vote to trigger a new general election.

But one Conservative cabinet minister said: Failing to make Brexit happen would destroy the last bit of faith in politics  it is either this deal or no deal, those are the only two choices.

If Tory Remainers threaten to join a no-confidence vote, the PM should use her power to set the date of the election. And she should set it for 4 April, after Brexit happens. There would be nothing parliament could do.

Under the 2011 Fixed-term Parliaments Act the prime minister can be forced into an early election if MPs pass a motion saying that this house has no confidence in Her Majestys government.

 Richard Harrington threatens to resign as minister to stop no-deal Brexit

There would then need to be a 14-day hiatus in which the government might attempt to overturn the motion.

But the legislation then goes on to say that after that, it is for the sitting PM to choose the election day, with no maximum time limit set.

In part 2, subsection 7, it states that the polling day for the election is to be the day appointed by Her Majesty by proclamation on the recommendation of the prime minister.

The cabinet source pointed out that while parliament is dissolved during an election campaign, the government still exists, and the civil service can still carry out pre-existing policies.

Such an extraordinary move would be likely to cause resignations from the cabinet, with Amber Rudd, Greg Clark and David Gauke having indicating that they would not stand for a no-deal Brexit.

But asked what Ms May should do if ministers opted to resign, the cabinet minister told The Independent said: Say bye bye.

 Anna Soubry stops BBC interview as Brexit protesters call her a Nazi

The Brexiteers who didnt agree with the policy quit. They should do the same.

The frontbencher added: The PM has not shown any signs of wavering so far.

Ms May is on a collision course with parliament after Downing Street indicated she would take Britain out of the European Union without a deal if MPs reject her proposals in a crunch vote scheduled for Tuesday 15 January.

At cabinet the prime minister acknowledged defeat could be on the cards next week, telling ministers she would move quickly to make a statement if her plans fall.

Her spokesperson later underlined that while she would prefer a deal, she is going to deliver Brexit on 29 March regardless  and that is why no-deal preparations had been implemented.

Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Show all 11 1 /11 Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray (left) and a pro-Brexit protester argue as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A pro-Brexit protester argues Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround the pro-Brexit protester after he confronted Steve Bray, a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer as he argues with a remain supporter, Steve Bray, outside Parliament PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament MPs in Parliament are to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week after her December vote was called off in the face of a major defeat Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police look on as anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament. Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police hold back a leave supporter PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A police officer speaks with anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround a pro-Brexit protester after he confronted a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Conservative MP David Davies, wearing a gopro camera, speaks to anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images

He said after cabinet: The British people voted to leave the European Union on 29 March this year and that is what she is going to deliver.

Its the position of the government that we want to leave with a deal, but we are preparing to leave in other scenarios and that includes no deal.

Mr Corbyn has vowed to call a vote of no confidence in the government if it loses the meaningful vote on the Brexit deal next week.

Shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner reiterated the position, telling BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Were now talking as if it is expected that the government next Tuesday will be defeated on the most important piece of legislation that has come before parliament probably in 50 or more years, that the government has devoted two years of its time to try to negotiate, and were now almost accepting that this will simply be defeated and voted down.

Obviously, the next thing to do immediately after that is for there to be a vote of confidence in the government.Seven in 10 MPs think Theresa May has done a bad job of handling Britain's withdrawal from the EU, a new survey has found.

Even 47 per cent of Conservatives think the prime minister has managed negotiations poorly, compared with just 34 per cent who think she has performed well.

The Ipsos MORI poll also found that a majority of Tory MPs believe the difficulty of reaching an agreement with the EU over the Northern Ireland border has been exaggerated.

The findings will come as a fresh blow to Ms May just days before MPs are due to vote on her proposed Brexit deal.

The Commons is widely expected to reject the proposed agreement over widespread opposition to the Northern Ireland backstop, which Tory Eurosceptics fear could keep the UK trapped in a customs union with the EU against its will.

The issue is at the heart of the row over the proposed deal, with ministers insisting that the backstop will be temporary and that there cannot be a withdrawal agreement without one.

However, the poll found that just 30 per cent of Tory MPs think the government is facing genuine problems in finding a solution on the Northern Ireland border, while 55 per cent think the issue has been exaggerated as a negotiating tactic.

Among all MPs, though, 60 per cent think there are genuine difficulties in reaching an agreement on the matter.

The poll was carried out on behalf of The UK in a Changing Europe group at King's College London and the Mile End Institute at Queen Mary University of London.

Professor Anand Menon, director of The UK in a Changing Europe, said: The House of Commons is clearly very divided. It is hard to see, given the numbers, how the prime minister can get her deal through. That being said, it is hard to see how any outcome can command a majority.

Queen Mary's Professor Tim Bale said: None of this will make easy reading for the PM - the attitudes of Leave-voting Tories appear to be hardening rather than softening and they seem amazingly unfazed by the difficulties presented by both the Irish border issue and a no-deal Brexit.

Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Show all 11 1 /11 Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray (left) and a pro-Brexit protester argue as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A pro-Brexit protester argues Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround the pro-Brexit protester after he confronted Steve Bray, a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer as he argues with a remain supporter, Steve Bray, outside Parliament PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament MPs in Parliament are to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week after her December vote was called off in the face of a major defeat Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police look on as anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament. Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police hold back a leave supporter PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A police officer speaks with anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround a pro-Brexit protester after he confronted a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Conservative MP David Davies, wearing a gopro camera, speaks to anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images

With speculation rife as to how Ms May will respond if her deal is voted down, a group of MPs from across the Commons is pushing her to pivot to a softer Brexit that would see the UK agree a Norway-style deal to stay in the EU's single market.

The poll found that MPs are more opposed to such a plan than they were 12 months ago. 58 per cent now believe that staying in the single market would not honour the result of the 2016 referendum, compared with 42 per cent who said the same last year.

The change is mostly a result of a shift among Labour MPs, 36 per cent of whom are now opposed to the UK retaining its single market membership - up from 8 per cent last year.

There is more support for remaining in a customs union with the EU, however, with half of MPs saying this would still deliver Brexit.

Ipsos MORI conducted face-to-face interviews with 98 MPs in November and December.The Labour Party could force Jeremy Corbyn to dump his plan to push through Brexit if there is a snap general election, his spokesman has admitted.

All manifesto commitments would be decided by the usual internal party democracy, he acknowledged  not by the leader or his close advisers.

The statement opens up the prospect of senior party figures deciding Labour should back a Final Say referendum  or even adopt a pro-Remain position  before the country goes to the polls.

Mr Corbyns spokesman insisted he would accept any decision  despite his pre-Christmas vow that Brexit would go ahead if he won an election before the 29 March departure day.

Last month, the Labour leader vowed to defying growing pressure to back a fresh referendum, insisting he would, as prime minister, head to Brussels to try to strike softer exit terms.

Recommended MPs vote to force May to reveal Brexit plan B within days

Youd have to go back and negotiate, and see what the timetable would be, Mr Corbyn told The Guardian.

The comments triggered a furious backlash from many Labour members, who are demanding a special conference to put power in the hands of activists.

Mr Corbyns spokesman, speaking to journalists, said Labour was still committed to respecting the result of the referendum.

However, he acknowledged the current policy, to renegotiate a better deal  with customs union membership and a strong single market deal  was only the position at the moment.

Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Show all 11 1 /11 Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray (left) and a pro-Brexit protester argue as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A pro-Brexit protester argues Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround the pro-Brexit protester after he confronted Steve Bray, a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer as he argues with a remain supporter, Steve Bray, outside Parliament PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament MPs in Parliament are to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week after her December vote was called off in the face of a major defeat Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police look on as anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament. Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police hold back a leave supporter PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A police officer speaks with anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround a pro-Brexit protester after he confronted a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Conservative MP David Davies, wearing a gopro camera, speaks to anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images

What our policy in a general election would be would obviously be decided by our internal party democracy, the spokesman said.

The manifesto that any Labour party stands on is always decided by the democratic procedures. Its set out in our constitution  thats a fact.

Clause 5 of the constitution states that, when Labour is in opposition, various strands of the party must decide which items from the party programme shall be included in the manifesto.

They are: the national executive committee, the shadow cabinet, the parliamentary Labour partys committee; and the chairman and vice-chairmen of the national policy forum.

The spokesman said Mr Corbyn would not seek to overrule the clause 5 decision and, asked if he would stay on as leader even if he opposed, he replied: Of course.

In December, asked if the paralysis in parliament made the case for a fresh referendum Mr Corbyn replied: I think we should vote down this deal. We should then go back to the EU with a discussion about a customs union.

Today his spokesman refused to be drawn on whether Labour would support an extension of the Article 50 process, to allow either an election or a referendum,

We are not pressing for an extension to Article 50, but, if that has to happen, thats the responsibility of the government.

But in the Commons chamber, Sir Keir Starmer, Labours Brexit spokesman, said a pause beyond 29 March may well be inevitable.

There is a question of extension of Article 50 and that may well be inevitable now given the position that we are in but of course we can only seek it because the other 27 [member states] have to agree, he told MPs.Theresa May is on a fresh collision course with Brussels after the government said it would give MPs the chance to override a key part of the exit deal agreed with the European Union.

In a new bid to win over Tory rebels, ministers announced they would support moves to ensure parliament is given a vote in 2020 on whether or not to enter the controversial Northern Ireland backstop.

That could see MPs vote to block the UK entering the backstop, even though it would be legally bound to do so under the terms of the withdrawal agreement.

The government said on Wednesday that it will accept an amendment tabled by former Tory minister Sir Hugo Swire.

The motion says that if no trade deal with the EU is in place by 2020 ministers must hold a vote in parliament on whether or not to enter the backstop, and must limit the UKs participation in the mechanism to one year.

Recommended MPs vote to force May to reveal Brexit plan B within days

Both appear to contradict the terms of the withdrawal agreement with Brussels, which states that the backstop is the default option if a deal on the future relationship is not in place by the end of 2020 and says that this will apply indefinitely.

UK efforts to secure a time limit on the backstop were firmly rebuffed by the EU, and European officials are likely to be angered by the government supporting Sir Hugos attempt to introduce a unilateral time limit.

Confirming the decision to support the plan, Ms Mays spokesperson said: The amendment means that if parliament were to choose not to commence the powers needed to implement the backstop, then the government would have to find another way to meet its obligations under the withdrawal agreement, which are to prevent a hard border in relation to Northern Ireland.

That legislation would need to be passed by parliament.

He suggested there were alternative ways, including technology, of avoiding a hard border, which would still allow the UK to meet its legal obligation to do so.

Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Show all 11 1 /11 Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray (left) and a pro-Brexit protester argue as they demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A pro-Brexit protester argues Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround the pro-Brexit protester after he confronted Steve Bray, a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer as he argues with a remain supporter, Steve Bray, outside Parliament PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament MPs in Parliament are to vote on Theresa May's Brexit deal next week after her December vote was called off in the face of a major defeat Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A leave supporter is spoken to by a police officer PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police look on as anti-Brexit protesters demonstrate outside the Houses of Parliament. Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police hold back a leave supporter PA Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament A police officer speaks with anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Police surround a pro-Brexit protester after he confronted a pro-European protester Getty Images Police separate clashing Brexit protesters outside Parliament Conservative MP David Davies, wearing a gopro camera, speaks to anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray Getty Images

Under the terms of the withdrawal agreement, the UK and EU must attempt to strike a deal on their future relationship before the end of 2020.

If that is not possible, they will either trigger the backstop, which sees the UK enter into a temporary customs union with the EU, or will be able to extend the transition period for a maximum of two years to allow for a deal to be completed.

Any decision made by the UK in relation to the backstop or an extension of the transition period would need to be approved by the EU. If the two sides could not agree, the matter would go to independent arbitration.

It is thought that, while the UK would still be legally obliged to enter the backstop if there is no alternative, even if MPs vote against it, the political pressure would be so great that ministers would likely have to try to agree an alternative plan with the EU.

Stephen Barclay, the Brexit secretary, admitted that accepting Sir Hugos amendment would not be enough to satisfy angry Brexiteers but said that, together with new plans to give the Stormont Assembly a strong role in managing the backstop, it marked a welcome step forward.

He told the Commons: I recognise that that alone will not be sufficient for all of the concerns that colleagues may have, but I think it is a welcome step forward.

But the move was swiftly dismissed by leading Tory Brexiteer Steve Baker, who said: This flimsy rubbish will only persuade those who have decided to be persuaded. Most of us have made our decision on the treaty text, which is what matters.The prime minister will give the Northern Ireland assembly a veto over changes to the Irish border backstop in an attempt to persuade her MPs to vote for her Brexit deal.

The Department for Exiting the EU published the text of this Stormont lock  named after the parliament buildings at Stormont in Belfast  on Wednesday morning, as MPs prepared to recommence their debate on the deal, ahead of a vote next week. The key paragraph is 23, which says: We will  legislate in domestic law to ensure that a UK Minister will be required to seek agreement of the Northern Ireland assembly before reaching any agreement in the UK-EU Joint Committee to add additional alignment provisions to the scope of the Protocol.

What this means in principle is that, if the backstop comes into effect, the Northern Ireland assembly would be able to block changes to it.A Christian man who was allegedly beaten and repeatedly threatened with execution by Islamic extremists in Pakistan is to be deported imminently.

Asher Samson, 41, is currently being driven to a charter flight set to take off at 10pm tonight after 15 years living in the UK.

He told The Independent on Wednesday afternoon that he was terrified at the prospect of being sent back to his home city of Abbottabad in Pakistan, where says he has no one and nowhere to go.

His brother, Aamir Samson, pleaded for help to prevent the removal, saying: "The Home Office has put my brother through so much mental torture  they aren't listening to anything.

"On his return to Pakistan he will be in danger. He will be a target. I don't think it is wise to send him back to a situation where he will suffer persecution."

Due to religious persecution in their home country, Mr Samson's entire family has left and he and his two siblings settled in the UK. But while his siblings both have spousal and unmarried partner visas, he has been unable to secure his status.

Mr Samsons asylum claim was rejected earlier this year and he was detained in Morton Hall Detention Centre in Lincoln last month, where he was told he was to be deported.

After he was detained in December, he said: If they do send me back my life will be really in danger. Im so scared. People know who I am, they know I am a Christian and they have seen me on social media.

They told me they had booked me a flight and I refused to go. They said next time they will take me by force. They are trying to send me to a place where I will be at risk.

Mr Samson and his family are regular churchgoers in Hall Green, Birmingham, and have spent more than 10 years as active members of the Christian community.

Revered Lorraine Shorten, who has known the family for 15 months and is pastor at their church of 10 years, said he was a well-thought-of member of the community.

The church leader added: This is shameful  we are a Christian country yet we cant help them. Its terrifying to send him back there with the situation for Christians in Pakistan.

They are a part of this community. They want to live and work and remain here. They are not a risk to anybody. The Home Office just sees them as a number.

At home they were threatened and they lived in fear. This is so extremely short-sighted by the Home Office.

Friends of Mr Samson, who say they fear he is in mortal danger, have started a petition for him.

The grant rate for asylum applications dropped from 33 per cent per cent to 30 per cent in the two years to 2017, while the overall number of applications fell by 8 per cent.The UKs most senior judge has condemned the effects of government austerity on families, women and minorities, in an unusual political attack.

Lady Hale, president of the Supreme Court, said cost-cutting had worsened the struggle of some families to find enough money for daily life and had caused problems in the legal system.

In a speech about human rights and family life to the Isle of Man Law Society, she talked about how a law allowing different-sex civil partnerships would become law in October.

But she went on: While some families are fighting for legal recognition of their relationships, we should not forget that other families are fighting for enough to live on and to make ends meet.

The UK governments austerity policies have undoubtedly made this worse and have posed some uncomfortable problems for the courts.

She added: The problem that we have in the courts is that it is quite obvious  indeed it is officially conceded  that many of the recent changes to the benefits system impact more harshly on women, children and disabled people than they do on other groups: for example, the recent report from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, Is Britain Fairer?, states that UK-wide reforms to social security and taxes since 2010 are having a disproportionate impact on the poorest in society and particularly affecting women, disabled people, ethnic minorities and lone parents (p 87).

Speaking last month, she also quoted the report as saying: Government policies on social security and taxation have increased pressure on living standards for some groups, particularly disabled people, women and some ethnic minorities.

It is rare for senior judges to comment on politics.

In response to the global financial crisis of 2008, David Cameron as prime minister initiated a programme of public spending cuts that became known as austerity.

The aim was to keep the UK economy in good shape while reducing the national deficit by relentlessly reducing public spending.

Austerity affected most areas of public life, from police numbers to healthcare, and from a public sector pay freeze to social services.

Funding for local authorities was halved. The sharp rise in people turning to food banks was also blamed on austerity.

But last month former chancellor George Osborne denied that a lack of money was the cause of Britains homelessness crisis.

Earlier this month, Lady Hale spoke out in favour of diversity among judges, saying the judiciary needed to be more diverse so that the public felt those on the bench were genuinely our judges rather than beings from another planet.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The 12-seat Supreme Court was established in 2009 as the final court of appeal in the UK for civil cases.

A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions said: We continue to spend around 90billion a year on working-age benefits, and we are spending more than 50billion a year to support disabled people and those with health conditions.

We are committed to helping families improve their lives by moving into work, and there are now more women in work than ever before.A 14-year-old boy was knocked off his moped by attackers then stabbed multiple times in a targeted attack in east London, Scotland Yard said.

Officers found the teenager with stab wounds after they arrived at the scene in Leyton, in Waltham Forest.

It is believed that three males got out of the car and then stabbed the victim before returning to the vehicle and driving off, a spokesman added. Despite efforts of paramedics, he was declared dead.

No one has been arrested.

One man who did not want to be named described how a witness of the incident came into the premises where he works nearby, clearly horrified by what they had seen.

He said the witness told him how the teenager who was on the moped was struck by the car which was travelling in the opposite direction.

They said they knocked him off the moped and four people got out of the car and they stabbed him seven times  there were unsurvivable wounds in his back, he said.

He said the witness recalled how the boy was possibly unconscious when he was stabbed, with his helmet thrown up to 10 metres away.

The man added: He thought it was an accident, that somebody had knocked someone, but then he said they quickly came [out of the car]. They beat him up, and they stabbed him, and they left.

Forensic investigators at the scene in Leyton, Waltham Forest in north-east London where a 14-year-old boy died after he was found with stab injuries (Yui Mok/PA)

Chief superintendent Richard Tucker said the age of the victim beggars belief and a section 60 order was put in place to allow officers to search anyone in the vicinity of the scene for weapons.

In 2018, around a fifth (17 per cent) of homicide victims in London were teenagers, most of whom were stabbed. The youngest were 15.

Detective chief inspector Larry Smith, from the Metropolitan Police murder squad, said: Everything that we have learned about this attack so far indicates it was targeted and intent on lethal force from the outset.

We are doing everything we can to catch those who carried out this cowardly attack and bring them to justice.

Forensic officers assess and comb the area for evidence (Yui Mok/PA)

Investigators are trying to trace the black Mercedes B Class involved in the crash, which is believed to have extensive damage to the front.

Residents who live nearby said they did not hear any shouting or screaming.

They said it was not until they saw the blue flashing lights from the emergency services that they knew something had happened.

Met Police say teenager found with stab wounds was riding moped before collision with car (Yui Mok/PA) (PA)

Anthony Anderson, a mechanic who works near the scene, described the victim as a very nice guy whom he had tried to persuade to go to school and stay off the street.

Mr Anderson said he would often give the victim fatherly advice and thought he was older than 14 because he had a mature attitude.

He last saw the teenager, who would sometimes come to get his bike fixed, walking down the alley last week.

Hes somebody I really spoke to a lot, tried to get him off the street, tried to just get him to go to school ... it really, really hit me when I heard last night.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan tweeted to say he was greatly saddened by the news of the fatal stabbing.

My thoughts are with his family and friends. If anyone has information about this horrific incident  please contact the Met Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously, he added.

Cabinet Office minister David Lidington told the BBCs Today programme: Anybody and particularly any parents heart goes out to the family of that young lad  nobody should have to live through their children being attacked, being murdered in this way.

We need to make sure we have the right law in place to deter stabbings, and the unlawful carrying of knives. The law has been strengthened but critically we have to really step up efforts to wean young people away from getting sucked into these gang networks in the first place.

Additional reporting by Press AssociationBillions of stars across space are turning into giant crystal spheres as their liquid cores slowly turn solid, astronomers have revealed.

The finding suggests traditional ways of measuring star age may have to be adjusted, as some could potentially be billions of years older that currently thought.

This shift was observed in thousands of white dwarfs  the remains of stars that have exhausted the nuclear fuel that keeps them burning.

Our own Sun will eventually succumb to this process, gradually solidifying over the course of about 10 billion years.

Astronomers had previously predicted that as white dwarfs cooled they underwent such a process, but until this point they had no evidence from direct observations of the stars.

But a new study, published in the journal Nature, provides such evidence, after the scientists collected data from 15,000 stars within 300 light years of the planet, mainly using the European Space Agencys Gaia satellite.

They found a point at which the gradual cooling of these stars slowed down, a phenomenon they attributed to a massive release of heat that signalled a transition from liquid to solid.

The process, in which the sea of liquid oxygen and carbon in the stars core transforms into a solid crystal, is something like the transition of liquid water into ice.

It was predicted fifty years ago that we should observe a pile-up in the number of white dwarfs at certain luminosities and colours due to crystallisation and only now this has been observed, said Dr Pier-Emmanuel Tremblay, an astronomer at the University of Warwick.

Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427  more commonly known as WR 124  and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead  sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later  having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region

Unlike water becoming ice, this process takes place at incredibly high temperatures, as well as extreme pressures that pack the atoms very closely together.

As the white dwarf core cools to around 10 million C, the carbon and oxygen fluid begins to solidify.

Dr Tremblay said the heat energy release suggested by their results is likely a result of oxygen crystallising first, sinking to the bottom of the core and pushing carbon upwards.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

The life cycles of white dwarfs  some of the oldest stars in the universe  are well understood, and are often used as a reliable tool to determine the age of nearby stars.

However, the lag in cooling the scientists revealed suggests some of these stars may be up to two billion years older than previous estimates.

All white dwarfs will crystallise at some point in their evolution, although more massive white dwarfs go through the process sooner, said Dr Tremblay. This means that billions of white dwarfs in our galaxy have already completed the process and are essentially crystal spheres in the sky.A recently discovered black hole has provided the clearest insight yet into how these systems consume matter, and may help scientists explore far larger phenomena playing out across the universe.

Astronomers first spotted the J1820 black hole  which lies around 10,000 light years from Earth  in March, when a burst of X-rays was detected by an instrument aboard the International Space Station.

Such outbursts are produced when material is sucked into a black hole, and the high-energy rays can be used by scientists to understand these complex systems in greater detail.

As these beams reflected off the swirling gas around the black hole, they were detected by Nasas Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) instrument.

Known as light echoes, these bouncing rays provided new insights into the size and shape of the environment around the black hole in a manner comparable to sonar mapping the marine landscape using sound waves.

Parts of the environment being mapped include the accretion disc through which the black hole sucks gas from a companion star, and a region of particles above the disc known as the corona.

Whether the burst of X-rays that follows material falling into a hole is generated by the corona or the disc has been a hot topic of debate.

Now, the data collected by the scientists and published in the journal Nature suggests the corona changing shape is linked to the outburst.

Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427  more commonly known as WR 124  and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead  sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later  having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region

Understanding these relatively small black holes, including how and why they change shape as they consume material from nearby stars, could have big implications.

"Previously, these light echoes off the inner accretion disk were only seen in supermassive black holes, which are millions to billions of solar masses and undergo changes slowly, said Dr Erin Kara, an astronomer at Nasas Goddard Space Flight Centre.

Supermassive black holes are the size of solar systems, while stellar mass black holes like J1820 are closer to the size of cities.

Stellar black holes like J1820 have much lower masses and evolve much faster, so we can see changes play out on human time scales," said Dr Kara.

 First footage offers further proof of supermassive black hole within Milky Way

Unravelling the processes by which stellar mass black holes change in a matter of weeks could help astrophysicists understand how supermassive black holes evolve across millions of years and influence the galaxies in which they sit.

"NICER's observations of J1820 have taught us something new about stellar-mass black holes and about how we might use them as analogues for studying supermassive black holes and their effects on galaxy formation," said co-author Dr Philip Uttley, an astrophysicist at the University of Amsterdam.

"We've seen four similar events in NICER's first year, and it's remarkable.

It feels like we're on the edge of a huge breakthrough in X-ray astronomy."Pugh has been meeting with state lawmakers about her priorities for the city in the session and getting aid to hire and train officers is part of that wish list. She said Baltimore has too few officers patrolling its streets, and that the city needs the states help to solve such issues.Chancellor Philip Hammonds response to the Treasury Committees call for more information on the impact of Theresa Mays Brexit deal can be summed up thusly: Thanks for your interest but youll get what youre given. Now bugger off.

Nicky Morgan & Co made it clear that they didn't believe MPs had received adequate information from the Treasury with which to make an informed choice. Haivng considered its evidence, she he and her colleagues called on the Chancellor to offer a realistic, as opposed to the most optimistic reading of the May deal's consequences for the UK economy, an analysis of the short term effect of various Brexit scenarios, and the inclusion of the vexed issue of the Irish customs backstop in all of them.

Such evidence wouldn't have a prayer of moving the baying mob of extremist Brexiteers, who will vote against it regardless. Ditto the opposition. The same is probably true of hardcore Tory remainers, who have belatedly realised that theres no more benefit to be had from compromising and trying to work with May than there is with Jacob Rees-Mogg and his chums.

But it would be a misreading of the situation to see this as an academic debate.

As Morgan pointed out, MPs will be voting without being in possession of the necessary facts and analysis, and without being able to properly consider the impact on their constituents' jobs and livelihoods, which is what they ought to be doing even though most won't.

They're faced with a blind vote on a blind brexit.

"This is not a position which MPs, as representatives of constituents across the UK, should be put in by any Government," she said. And she's right.

While it might not make a blind bit of difference, a more constructive response from Hammond would at least have proved somebody in Government was capable of acting in the interests of good governance, and the nation as a whole.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

The Chancellor has in the past a given the impression that he is well aware of the disastrous impact of a no deal Brexit. There is little doubt that he is equally well aware that the May deal is a dismal one that will make Britain poorer and leave him, and his successors, struggling to find the funds needed to address Britains deep seated problems.

But faced with the choice of being honest about it or indulging in the cynicism that has become such a depressing feature of this administration, he opted for the latter.

Quelle surprise, you might say. But he should still be ashamed of himself. Sadly, it seems theres no shame to be had in the halls of a government that is bent upon scorching the earth of the country it is supposed to be running.There wasnt much festivity at Sainsburys over the festive season. Its seasonal trading update rather cemented its status as the supermarket sectors current problem child.

CEO Mike Coupe said Christmas came late for the grocer. Critics immediately questioned whether it came at all.

Sales for the 15 weeks to January 5 fell by 1.1 per cent excluding fuel, driven by a 2.3 per cent decline in general merchandise, for which read clothes and the stuff that Argos sells.

Food did better, but a 0.4 per cent increase is hardly anything to shout about.

The chain is still seeing action at its convenience stores (up 3 per cent) and online (twice that).

But those numbers only serve to underline how poorly its big supermarkets are faring.

Worryingly, the grocer is beginning to establish a reputation for foul ups.

Online, customers have complained about empty shelves at some of the stores. Then there was the PR debacle of the recently launched wellness hubs. The reception was less than positive, not least when high profile commentators spotted sugary cereal bars that were, mistakenly we were told, included in the range.

Isolated incidents? Perhaps. But too many of them and you start to develop a decidedly unhealthy narrative.

As for that general merchandise, Argos has on occasion showed itself to be one of the better arrows in Coupes bow, but Sainsburys decided it would go easy on Black Friday discounting with entirely predictable results.

The only consolation? It could have been a lot worse. Asos, the online clothes retailer, chose the same course and ended up having to issue an ugly profit warning. Retailers not named Amazon must wish they could send the event back to the US from whence it came. They should be so lucky.

Yet again Coupes Sainsburys has given the distinct impression that it is drifting, with its executives focused on driving through the controversial planned merger with Asda at the expense of the core business. The latter has also had its troubles but recently it has been showing signs of life and is starting to look like Sainsburys saviour.

Business news: In pictures Show all 13 1 /13 Business news: In pictures Business news: In pictures Flybe collapses Airline Flybe has collapsed. All future flights on the Exeter-based airline have been cancelled  leaving more than 2,300 staff facing an uncertain future, and wrecking the travel plans of hundreds of thousands of passengers. The chief executive, Mark Anderson, said: Europes largest independent regional airline has been unable to overcome significant funding challenges to its business. AFP via Getty Business news: In pictures Future product placement will be 'tailored to individual viewers' Marketing executives say that product placement in films and televison shows on streaming services such as Netflix may be tailored to individuals in future. For instance, if data shows that a viewer is a fan of pepsi, a billboard in the background of a shot would host an advert for pepsi, while for a viewer known to have different tastes it could be for Coca-Cola Paramount Business news: In pictures Corbyn wishes Amazon a happy birthday In a card sent to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos on the company's 25th birthday, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn writes: "You owe the British people millions in taxes that pay for the public services that we all rely on. Please pay your fair share" Business news: In pictures No deal, no tariffs The government has announced that it would slash almost all tariffs in the event of a no-deal Brexit. Notable exceptions include cars and meat, which will see tariffs in place to protect British farmers Getty Business news: In pictures Fingerprint payment NatWest is trialling a new bank card that will allow people to touch their hand to the card when paying rather than typing in a PIN number. The card will work by recognising the user's fingerprint NatWest/PA Wire Business news: In pictures Mahabis bust High-end slipper retailer Mahabis has gone into administration. 2 Jan 2019 Mahabis Business news: In pictures Costa Cola Coca-Cola has paid 3.9bn for Costa Coffee. A cafe chain is a new venture for the global soft drinks giant PA Business news: In pictures RIP Payday Loans A funeral procession for payday loans was held in London on September 2. The future of pay day lenders is in doubt after Wonga, Britain's biggest, went into administration on August 30 PA Business news: In pictures Musk irks investors and directors Elon Musk has concluded that Tesla will remain public. Investors and company directors were angry at Musk for tweeting unexpectedly that he was considering taking Tesla private and share prices had taken a tumble in the following weeks Getty Business news: In pictures Jaguar warning Iconic British car maker Jaguar Land Rover warned on July 5, 2018 that a "bad" Brexit deal could jeopardise planned investment of more than $100 billion, upping corporate pressure as the government heads into crucial talks AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures Spotif-IPO Spotify traded publically for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday. However, the company isn't issuing shares, but rather, shares held by Spotify's private investors will be sold AFP/Getty Business news: In pictures French blue passports The deadline to award a contract to make blue British passports after Brexit has been extended by two weeks following a request by bidder De La Rue. The move comes after anger at the announcement British passports would be produced by Franco-Dutch firm Gemalto when De La Rues contract ends in July. The British firm said Gemalto was chosen only because it undercut the competition, but the UK company also admitted that it was not the cheapest choice in the tendering process. Business news: In pictures Beast from the east economic impact The Beast from the East wiped 4m off of Flybes revenues due to flight cancellations, airport closures and delays, according to the budget airlines estimates. Flybe said it cancelled 994 flights in the three months to 31 March, compared to 372 in the same period last year.

Unfortunately, the deal is in the gift of the Competition Commission, the same Competition Commission that Sainsburys took to a judicial review because, despite having had months to work on its submissions, it wanted still more time.

Way to go about winning friends and influencing the people that count.

The Commission wouldnt lack for political support if it did bring the hammer done on the deal. If it did force, shall we call it a Saixit, the business would be left scrambling for answers and wondering whats next. Sound familiar?A sexual assault helpline reported an increase in calls during the airing of the Surviving R Kelly documentary.

The six-part series, which premiered on US channel Lifetime on 3 January, recounts the multiple allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct that R Kelly has faced, all of which he has denied.

During the showing of the first episode, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) saw a drastic rise in the number of calls being made to the National Sexual Assault Hotline, which offers survivors of sexual assault confidential support from a trained professional.

The helpline received 27 per cent more calls on that Thursday than the same day the previous week, the organisation told The Daily Beast.

On the day the first episode of the documentary aired, RAINN tweeted: Watching or reading about Surviving R. Kelly and need to talk? The National Sexual Assault Hotline is here 24/7, and added a link to the helpline.

The network also recorded an increase in calls when Christine Blasey Ford testified against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh in court in September 2018, when she spoke about an alleged incident of sexual abuse that took place when she was 15 and he was 17.

When the hearing occurred, RAINN saw the number of calls being made to the helpline soar by 147 per cent.

According to Katie Russell, spokesperson for Rape Crisis England and Wales, this pattern is very common when programmes shown on TV refer to sensitive themes such as sexual assault.

Through our experience we tend to see a spike to our specialist helplines from victims and survivors of sexual violence when there are documentaries or fiction TV dramas covering these topics, she tells The Independent.

Sometimes we can see that as a positive thing, because often victims and survivors dont talk about whats happened to them, which can lead to them feeling isolated and ashamed.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

Something like this can make them feel less alone and more likely to be believed.

Russell notes that watching a programme like Surviving R Kelly can also trigger painful memories and make survivors of sexual abuse feel as though theyre reliving their distressing experiences.

This speaks to the importance of handling these topics sensitively and making sure, most importantly, that there are clear warnings before a programme airs about the kind of content it contains, she says.

Its not a case of shielding survivors from content, but a case of making them decide whether or not to watch.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Russell emphasises the importance of including the contact details for support organisations throughout and after these programmes, stressing that the need and demand for these services are "not going away".

The first episode of Surviving R Kelly is going to air in the UK on 5 February on the Crime + Investigation channel.

You can contact the Rape Crisis England and Wales helpline by calling 0808 802 9999. The helpline is open from 12pm-2.30pm and 7pm-9.30pm daily.Lindsay Lohan has spoken about how her friendship with Oprah Winfrey gave her a different perspective on life following her past struggles with substance addiction and time spent in jail.

In 2013, Lohan was famously interviewed by Winfrey about being an addict for TV series Oprahs Next Chapter after spending 90 days in court-ordered rehab.

The actor and businesswoman has now opened up about how Winfrey has influenced her outlook over the past few years.

While appearing on the aftershow for her new MTV reality show Lindsay Lohans Beach Club, Lohan spoke to her Mean Girls co-star Jonathan Bennett about how Winfrey helped her get her life back on track.

I think Oprah really gave me a different perspective on life, she said, according to People.

I was tired of being there for everyone and taking care of everyone and just wanted to be there for myself and be okay with being alone. Its okay to be alone.

Lindsay Lohans Beach Club is the second reality show Lohan has taken part in, having starred in an eight-part documentary series called Lindsay in 2014, which aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network.

During her 2013 interview with Lohan, Winfrey spoke about how alcohol addiction is often a symptom of something else thats going wrong in your life that needs healing, because youre using that to cover up or to repress.

The actor responded to this statement by explaining that her recovery from alcohol addiction has been a difficult process due to the impact of her chaotic childhood.

Lohans new reality show follows The Parent Trap star as she manages a beach club in Mykonos in Greece, having previously opened a nightclub in Athens in 2016.

The actor revealed shes invited Winfrey for a visit to the beach club, although shes unsure whether the media executive will take her up on her offer.

I talk to her. I actually invited Oprah to come to the beach club next summer, so lets see if she bites, Lohan told Hollywood Reporter.

I would love to have her come and see it. It would really mean a lot to me.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Lohan recently said shed be on board to star in a Mean Girls sequel should the opportunity arise.

The actor told Variety shes suggested the prospect of a second film so many times, and she thinks the cast would have so much fun doing it.Khadija Ben Hamou, winner of the 2019 Miss Algeria beauty pageant, has hit back at the racist abuse shes received since taking part in the competition.

Ben Hamou became the second black woman ever to be crowned Miss Algeria on 5 January, following Nassima Mokadem who was made the winner in 2005.

Since her win, Ben Hamou has been inundated with racist comments from online trolls who've insulted her skin colour and facial features.

The beauty pageant contestant has responded to the derogatory comments, sharing the pride that she feels in her identity.

"I will not back down because of the people who criticised me," she told Algerian news site TSA.

"I am honoured that I have achieved my dream, and I am honoured by the state of Adrar where I come from."

Ben Hamou comes from southern Adrar, the second largest province in Algeria.



Adrar is situated around the Sahara Desert and is a predominantly agricultural area.

Miss Algerie, the organisation that runs the Miss Algeria beauty pageant, has expressed its disapproval over the racist vitriol Ben Hamou has had to face.

"Miss Algeria's organisation deplores the racist behaviour and comments of several people," it stated on Facebook.

Ben Hamou has also received numerous messages of support from people online.

"This beautiful lady is Khadija Ben Hamou. She was just chosen Miss Algeria 2019," tweeted Jenan Moussa, a reporter for television station Al Aan TV.

"Sadly some users on Arab Twitter are attacking and insulting her because she is a woman of colour.

"You are stunning Khadija. Let's show her some love."

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Ben Hamou will go on to represent Miss Algeria at the Miss World 2019 beauty pageant.A self-driving Tesla car has allegedly crashed into and "killed" a robot in Las Vegas in an apparent hit-and-run incident.

The Russian-built Promobot robot was filmed falling over as a Tesla passed it, though doubts have been raised over whether it was a publicity stunt.

A video of the incident was posted to YouTube by Promobot, receiving more than half a million views and prompting speculation over whether it was an elaborate hoax.

The video's description states: "A self-driving Tesla Model S hit and destroyed an autonomous Promobot the robot model v4 in Las Vegas in a car accident."

Promobot shared the video with Tesla boss Elon Musk on Twitter but the billionaire entrepreneur is yet to respond.

Tesla Model X reviewed Show all 11 1 /11 Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X Tesla Model X reviewed Tesla Model X

Some viewers of the video have pointed out that the Tesla does not appear to actually strike the robot, while others have pointed out that there appears to be a rope attached to the robot.

A spokesperson for Promobot could not immediately be reached for comment but the firm's development director Oleg Kivokurtsev said in a press release that he was "vexed" by the damage to the robot.

The Promobot robot, a version of which has previously shaken hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin, is irreparably damaged, according to Mr Kivokirtsev.

"We brought this robot here from Philidelphia to participate at CES. Now it neither cannot participate in the event or be recovered," he said.

"We will conduct an internal investigation and find out why the robot went to the roadway."

A video shared by Russian robotics firm Promobot showed a Tesla knocking over a robot (Promobot)

Promobot claims that Nevada police attended the scene following the incident, while the Tesla driver was reported by the firm as saying that the vehicle was in Autopilot mode.

There was nobody there, no men, no cars. I switched this Tesla into a self-driving mode and it started to move. And wow! A robot on the track," , said George Caldera, a Tesla passenger, according to Promobot's press release.

"I thought the flivver would come round, but it bumped straightly into the it! I am so sorry, the robot looks cute. And my sincere apologies to the engineers."

The Independent has reached out to Tesla for comment.Scientists have spotted repeated blasts of radio signals coming from deep in space.

The breakthrough is only the second time scientists have seen such a repeating radio burst. It both deepens the mystery and offers a potential opportunity to finally understand what might be throwing out the burst from a galaxy billions of light years away.

Fast radio bursts have been speculated to be the result of everything from exploding stars to transmissions from aliens. But they have remained entirely mysterious, with little evidence at all of where they might be coming from.

The flashes only last for a milisecond but they are flung out with the same amount of energy the sun takes 12 months to produce.

Probably most exciting of the new bursts is one that scientists saw repeat six times, apparently from the same location. Of the more than 60 fast radio bursts detected so far, only one of them has ever repeated.

 Fast radio bursts: the most mysterious message in the universe

Until now, there was only one known repeating FRB. Knowing that there is another suggests that there could be more out there. And with more repeaters and more sources available for study, we may be able to understand these cosmic puzzleswhere theyre from and what causes them, said Ingrid Stairs, a member of the CHIME team and an astrophysicist at UBC.

Seeing two repeating signals probably means that there exists  and that humanity will probably find  a "substantial population" of repeating signals, the researchers write in one of the two papers published in Nature.

Having two sets of repeating bursts could also allow scientists to understand what distinguishes them from single bursts, helping them understand more about their source and watch for future blasts.

Recommended Nasa finds strange alien planet hiding outside our solar system

In all the researchers spotted some 13 of the bursts in just a three week period, offering a vast new trove of data for the scientists hunting for their source. Together they could offer some evidence of the extreme or unusual environment they are coming from  or the mysterious technology that some claim alien civilisations could be launching them into space with.

Whatever the source of these radio waves is, its interesting to see how wide a range of frequencies it can produce. There are some models where intrinsically the source cant produce anything below a certain frequency, says team member Arun Naidu of McGill University.

The blasts were discovered by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment in British Columbia. Some scientists had worried that the range of frequencies it can pick up would be too low for it to receive the FRBs  but it found far more than expected, and scientists expect it to identify even more.

Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427  more commonly known as WR 124  and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead  sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later  having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region

Of the 13 new blasts that were picked up, at least seven of them were recorded at 400 MHz  the lowest frequency of any yet discovered. That suggests there might be even more of them, too low to be picked up by CHIME.

[We now know] the sources can produce low-frequency radio waves and those low-frequency waves can escape their environment, and are not too scattered to be detected by the time they reach the Earth. That tells us something about the environments and the sources. We havent solved the problem, but its several more pieces in the puzzle, says Tom Landecker, a CHIME team member from the National Research Council of Canada.The organisers of CES 2019 have been forced to apologise after they revoked an innovation award given to a sex toy company because the device was deemed immoral.

Lora DiCarlo had been named an innovation honoree in CES robotics and drone category after putting forward its hands-free Ore vibrator, the company said in a statement.

The firm claimed the device contained micro-robotic technology that mimics all of the sensations of a human mouth, tongue, and fingers, adding that it had been developed in partnership with a top university robotics engineering laboratory in Oregon.

The companys small team rejoiced and celebrated at the news earlier this year, its statement continued.

However, bosses were told some time afterwards that the award had been rescinded and they would not be permitted to show off their invention at the annual tech show in Las Vegas, they claimed.

Lora DiCarlo cited CES organisers the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) as saying that entries deemed by CTA in their sole discretion to be immoral, obscene, indecent, profane or not in keeping with CTAs image will be disqualified.

The conventions leaders later said the sex toy had not been eligible for an award in the first place.

Lora DiCarlo founder Lora Haddock said she thought the reasoning was insulting and frankly ridiculous.

She added: A literal sex doll for men launched on the floor at CES in 2018.

World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China. China will celebrate national day marking the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st Getty World news in pictures 27 September 2020 The Glass Mountain Inn burns as the Glass Fire moves through the area in St. Helena, California. The fast moving Glass fire has burned over 1,000 acres and has destroyed homes Getty World news in pictures 26 September 2020 A villager along with a child offers prayers next to a carcass of a wild elephant that officials say was electrocuted in Rani Reserve Forest on the outskirts of Guwahati, India AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 September 2020 The casket of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is seen in Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to lie in state in Washington, DC AFP via Getty World news in pictures 24 September 2020 An anti-government protester holds up an image of a pro-democracy commemorative plaque at a rally outside Thailand's parliament in Bangkok, as activists gathered to demand a new constitution AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 September 2020 A whale stranded on a beach in Macquarie Harbour on the rugged west coast of Tasmania, as hundreds of pilot whales have died in a mass stranding in southern Australia despite efforts to save them, with rescuers racing to free a few dozen survivors The Mercury/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 22 September 2020 State civil employee candidates wearing face masks and shields take a test in Surabaya AFP via Getty World news in pictures 21 September 2020 A man sweeps at the Taj Mahal monument on the day of its reopening after being closed for more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic AP World news in pictures 20 September 2020 A deer looks for food in a burnt area, caused by the Bobcat fire, in Pearblossom, California EPA World news in pictures 19 September 2020 Anti-government protesters hold their mobile phones aloft as they take part in a pro-democracy rally in Bangkok. Tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters massed close to Thailand's royal palace, in a huge rally calling for PM Prayut Chan-O-Cha to step down and demanding reforms to the monarchy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 September 2020 Supporters of Iraqi Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr maintain social distancing as they attend Friday prayers after the coronavirus disease restrictions were eased, in Kufa mosque, near Najaf, Iraq Reuters World news in pictures 17 September 2020 A protester climbs on The Triumph of the Republic at 'the Place de la Nation' as thousands of protesters take part in a demonstration during a national day strike called by labor unions asking for better salary and against jobs cut in Paris, France EPA World news in pictures 16 September 2020 A fire raging near the Lazzaretto of Ancona in Italy. The huge blaze broke out overnight at the port of Ancona. Firefighters have brought the fire under control but they expected to keep working through the day EPA World news in pictures 15 September 2020 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny posing for a selfie with his family at Berlin's Charite hospital. In an Instagram post he said he could now breathe independently following his suspected poisoning last month Alexei Navalny/Instagram/AFP World news in pictures 14 September 2020 Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba and former Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida celebrate after Suga was elected as new head of the ruling party at the Liberal Democratic Party's leadership election in Tokyo Reuters World news in pictures 13 September 2020 A man stands behind a burning barricade during the fifth straight day of protests against police brutality in Bogota AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 September 2020 Police officers block and detain protesters during an opposition rally to protest the official presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus. Daily protests calling for the authoritarian president's resignation are now in their second month AP World news in pictures 11 September 2020 Members of 'Omnium Cultural' celebrate the 20th 'Festa per la llibertat' ('Fiesta for the freedom') to mark the Day of Catalonia in Barcelona. Omnion Cultural fights for the independence of Catalonia EPA World news in pictures 10 September 2020 The Moria refugee camp, two days after Greece's biggest migrant camp, was destroyed by fire. Thousands of asylum seekers on the island of Lesbos are now homeless AFP via Getty World news in pictures 9 September 2020 Pope Francis takes off his face mask as he arrives by car to hold a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 8 September 2020 A home is engulfed in flames during the "Creek Fire" in the Tollhouse area of California AFP via Getty World news in pictures 7 September 2020 A couple take photos along a sea wall of the waves brought by Typhoon Haishen in the eastern port city of Sokcho AFP via Getty World news in pictures 6 September 2020 Novak Djokovic and a tournament official tends to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic during his match against Pablo Carreno Busta at the US Open USA Today Sports/Reuters World news in pictures 5 September 2020 Protesters confront police at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne, Australia, during an anti-lockdown rally AFP via Getty World news in pictures 4 September 2020 A woman looks on from a rooftop as rescue workers dig through the rubble of a damaged building in Beirut. A search began for possible survivors after a scanner detected a pulse one month after the mega-blast at the adjacent port AFP via Getty World news in pictures 3 September 2020 A full moon next to the Virgen del Panecillo statue in Quito, Ecuador EPA World news in pictures 2 September 2020 A Palestinian woman reacts as Israeli forces demolish her animal shed near Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank Reuters World news in pictures 1 September 2020 Students protest against presidential elections results in Minsk TUT.BY/AFP via Getty World news in pictures 31 August 2020 The pack rides during the 3rd stage of the Tour de France between Nice and Sisteron AFP via Getty World news in pictures 30 August 2020 Law enforcement officers block a street during a rally of opposition supporters protesting against presidential election results in Minsk, Belarus Reuters World news in pictures 29 August 2020 A woman holding a placard reading "Stop Censorship - Yes to the Freedom of Expression" shouts in a megaphone during a protest against the mandatory wearing of face masks in Paris. Masks, which were already compulsory on public transport, in enclosed public spaces, and outdoors in Paris in certain high-congestion areas around tourist sites, were made mandatory outdoors citywide on August 28 to fight the rising coronavirus infections AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 August 2020 Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe bows to the national flag at the start of a press conference at the prime minister official residence in Tokyo. Abe announced he will resign over health problems, in a bombshell development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy AFP via Getty World news in pictures 27 August 2020 Residents take cover behind a tree trunk from rubber bullets fired by South African Police Service (SAPS) in Eldorado Park, near Johannesburg, during a protest by community members after a 16-year old boy was reported dead AFP via Getty World news in pictures 26 August 2020 People scatter rose petals on a statue of Mother Teresa marking her 110th birth anniversary in Ahmedabad AFP via Getty World news in pictures 25 August 2020 An aerial view shows beach-goers standing on salt formations in the Dead Sea near Ein Bokeq, Israel Reuters World news in pictures 24 August 2020 Health workers use a fingertip pulse oximeter and check the body temperature of a fisherwoman inside the Dharavi slum during a door-to-door Covid-19 coronavirus screening in Mumbai AFP via Getty World news in pictures 23 August 2020 People carry an idol of the Hindu god Ganesh, the deity of prosperity, to immerse it off the coast of the Arabian sea during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in Mumbai, India Reuters World news in pictures 22 August 2020 Firefighters watch as flames from the LNU Lightning Complex fires approach a home in Napa County, California AP World news in pictures 21 August 2020 Members of the Israeli security forces arrest a Palestinian demonstrator during a rally to protest against Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank AFP via Getty World news in pictures 20 August 2020 A man pushes his bicycle through a deserted road after prohibitory orders were imposed by district officials for a week to contain the spread of the Covid-19 in Kathmandu AFP via Getty World news in pictures 19 August 2020 A car burns while parked at a residence in Vacaville, California. Dozens of fires are burning out of control throughout Northern California as fire resources are spread thin AFP via Getty World news in pictures 18 August 2020 Students use their mobile phones as flashlights at an anti-government rally at Mahidol University in Nakhon Pathom. Thailand has seen near-daily protests in recent weeks by students demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha AFP via Getty World news in pictures 17 August 2020 Members of the Kayapo tribe block the BR163 highway during a protest outside Novo Progresso in Para state, Brazil. Indigenous protesters blocked a major transamazonian highway to protest against the lack of governmental support during the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic and illegal deforestation in and around their territories AFP via Getty World news in pictures 16 August 2020 Lightning forks over the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge as a storm passes over Oakland AP World news in pictures 15 August 2020 Belarus opposition supporters gather near the Pushkinskaya metro station where Alexander Taraikovsky, a 34-year-old protester died on August 10, during their protest rally in central Minsk AFP via Getty World news in pictures 14 August 2020 AlphaTauri's driver Daniil Kvyat takes part in the second practice session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona ahead of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix AFP via Getty World news in pictures 13 August 2020 Soldiers of the Brazilian Armed Forces during a disinfection of the Christ The Redeemer statue at the Corcovado mountain prior to the opening of the touristic attraction in Rio AFP via Getty World news in pictures 12 August 2020 Young elephant bulls tussle playfully on World Elephant Day at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya AFP via Getty

A CES spokesperson told Motherboard: The product does not fit into any of our existing product categories and should not have been accepted for the innovation awards programme.

CTA has communicated this position to Lora DiCarlo. We have apologised to the company for our mistake.Diane Kruger is asking for privacy after paparazzi photos of her newborn baby were published earlier this week.

Taking to Instagram, Kruger, who welcomed her first child with fellow actor Norman Reedus in November, posted one of the images with her babys face blurred out.

The Welcome to Marwen star explained the photos of herself with her baby were leaked without permission and asked for people to respect her familys privacy.

Dear fans, dear non fans, dear paparazzi and anyone with a conscience. We were just tagged in these paparazzi pictures of me and our daughter. These pictures were taken without our consent and expose a vulnerable and innocent baby, Kruger wrote.

While we understand that some people would like to see a picture of our daughter, we as parents, want nothing more than allow her to grow up in privacy and safety.

Me and @bigbaldhead would kindly ask you not to repost these pictures and help us achieve that goal.

Kruger concluded: Whoever has already posted them, please take them down. Please put yourself in our shoes. We are just like any parent wanting the very best for our child. Thank you for your support.

Fans praised Kruger for the request, with many apologising that she had to ask in the first place.

This is so wrong. Im so sorry to see your privacy invaded like this. Some people are so far detached from reality and fail to see yourself and @bigbaldhead as anything more than a commodity, one person wrote.

Hopefully your post will go some way in educating people into knowing where the line is and to be respectful. This should never have happened to you.

Another added: Good for you calling them out. Why cant they respect people privacy; it doesnt matter if you are famous or not. Everyone is entitled to privacy.

Kruger and Reedus have been dating since March 2017 when their relationship was revealed to the world after they were spotted kissing in New York City.

The Walking Dead star is already a father to 18-year-old son Mingus Lucien Reedus with supermodel Helena Christensen, whom he dated for five years before they split in 2003.What kind of a criminal mind devises a modus operandi that involves toilet-based, cold-blooded murder?

Thats the challenge that faces the Silent Witness (BBC1) team, as we find ourselves midway through a two-part mystery that ought to have been subtitled the phantom khazi serial killer of old London town. Its not supposed to be The Two Ronnies, I grant you, but it is eerie how no one, but no one, ever cracks a smile on Silent Witness.

Most of us have experienced a few violent struggles of our own in the loo, but those perpetrated by the phantom khazi killer are of a totally different order.

The killer(s) appears to be targeting trans people, or those with a connection to a charity that helps trans people. Three have been knocked off so far, and the routine is the same. Its carefully documented by our team of superheroes, returning for a 22nd series of arterial blood-spattered adventures: Dr Nikki Alexander (Emilia Fox), Jack Hodgson (David Caves), Clarissa Mullery (Liz Carr) and Dr Thomas Chamberlain (Richard Lintern). This softly spoken, absurdly conscientious, self-possessed and mutually respectful team must be the only workplace in the country where no one backbites or bitches or tells a joke in poor taste about some cadaver theyve recently carved up, but so it is. The worst bad-mouthing is some tepid criticism of government cuts. Everything is, in traditional Silent Witness style, filmed in subdued light, in subdued tones and subdued emotions. Anyway, its all conducive to intense forensic scrutiny.

Talking of which, the teams forensic analysis soon reveals a consistent pattern in the attacks. The apparently drunk victims are seen on CCTV staggering into a public loo. That in itself is something never undertaken lightly, so the team correctly assume that the unfortunates were truly desperate. So desperate in fact, that by the looks of the loos in question, theyd be willing to risk typhus or dysentery as they approach the toxic contents of the lavatory pan. I dont know about Dr Alexander and her colleagues, but these are the worst Ive seen on screen since the infamous Worst Toilet In Scotland sequence in Trainspotting (its on YouTube, if you think youre hard enough).

Once ensconced, they throw their guts up, whereupon the killer(s) bursts into the cubicle and slashes them with a serrated blade. The team then goes about finding whether this transphobic killer is trans themselves. There are tiny DNA and fingerprint clues that lead them towards members of a trans community, and they find that the date rape drug GHB has been administered to render the victims helpless.

So its a bad example of the forensic thriller genre, this story, and it suffers from two main problems (apart from the state of the bogs). First, the dialogue, concerning as it does the topical issue of trans rights (including use of public toilets), is sometimes a bit too didactic. I can see that this might be necessary in our still unenlightened times, but it is a bit clunky to hear a detective utter a perfectly turned soundbite as if straight from a public health leaflet: Gender is what you go to bed as; sexuality is who you go to bed with.

 Support free-thinking journalism and attend Independent events

Second, though, is the murder technique itself. Because, as we all know, sometimes you lose your guts, in one direction or other, long before you reach the relative sanctity of a bathroom. Sometimes, to the embarrassment of all concerned, you may find yourself vomiting all over your father-in-laws new suede shoes (just for an example, there). In which case, the serial killer would be lucky to escape splashback, and would have to abandon the attempt, with the clear possibility that their doping exercise would be uncovered. I havent spent much of my life plotting the deaths of others (fun as it can be), but even I could see the flaws there.

So, some of the credibility of Silent Witness finds itself being flushed away before the detectives really have a chance to investigate their suspects. Even as they stand around the public loos, as the coppers sometimes say, theyre left with nothing to go on.Big data is probably still part of the answer for brands' desire to know their customers and prospects in 2019. But if so, it's not because of the sheer scale of the data. Rather, it's due to having the right data -- and using smart software to unearth intelligent insights.

And consumer privacy?

It's right up there with marketer's other top priorities.

At least, that's what almost 200 chief marketing officers and top corporate leaders told me as part of a marketing data 2019 project with Singular. (Full disclosure: I consult with Singular.) Perhaps Felicity Carson, CMO for Watson, IBM's artificial intelligence division, said it best:

"Among all the marketing data challenges, the biggest in 2019 will be how marketers instill trust in data -- both for the marketing discipline and customers -- balanced with the need to improve customer experience by identifying meaningful patterns buried deep within the deluge of data."

Recently I asked 199 top marketing pros one simple question: What will be the biggest challenge with marketing data in 2019?

One answer stood out: actionable insights. But two others were not far behind: consumer privacy, and unifying marketing data.

The top challenges with marketing data are:

Actionable insights: 31% Privacy/trust/security: 20% Unified data: 19% AI/automation: 13% Accuracy/quality: 9% Too much data: 8%

The problem is not too little data anymore. As the last answer shows, many marketers have too much data now. "Marketers are drowning in data from various analytics systems,' Jo Ann Sanders, VP of Product Marketing at Optimizely, told me.

And the ceaseless avalanche of big data is actually becoming the problem it intended to solve, says SurveyMonkey CMO Leela Srinivasan.

"With the exponential growth of data over the past decade and into the new year, it's becoming harder daily to turn information into action. While more data has the potential to deliver more meaningful insights, prioritizing an action plan to address it is critical."

What that means is that investment in marketing analytics is shifting.

Brands have the data they need, by and large.

What they lack is the ability to see the forest for the trees. And ... see the one or two trees that really matter, which might point towards a transformative growth opportunity.

"Marketing data still struggles with insights and it would be amazing to see more of a focus on this essential craft," says Tara Hunt, CEO of Truly. "There are endless tools for gathering the WHAT -- numbers and histories and basic information about your customers -- but very little that helps us figure out the WHY. The big challenge in 2019 (and likely for a few more years) is going to be training people to understand how to read the what to get to that why."

Training is critically important. But it's probably not enough.

Smart insights from smart software are key

Marketers need tools that can help them figure out the why. And those tools, increasingly, are intelligent. As consumers we all use AI every day: in Google searches, in Facebook grazing sessions, in asking Siri to start a call, in telling Alexa to turn on the lights.

But high-level scientific marketing is increasingly getting impossible to do without smart insights from smart software. Increasingly, that's some form of artificial intelligence using machine learning or neural networks.

"Marketing professionals are spending way too much time searching for information and clicking through multiple pages in applications to gather the insights they need to design, execute, and measure effective campaigns," says Tim Minahan, Chief Marketing Officer and SVP for Citrix. "To tackle this problem, marketing organizations need to tap into intelligent technologies like machine learning that can make data-driven marketing smarter and easier to execute."

AI can indeed make use of all that data marketers have been gathering.

And CMOs are already using it that way

"We ... believe marketing and customer engagement will be an excellent first use-case for enterprise AI," says OpenText CMO Patricia Nagle. "AI systems can analyze structured and unstructured data to identify opportunities for marketing outreach, customer support, and other actions that enhance overall customer experience."

But AI alone won't help solve the other major problem marketers see. That will take a different marketer mindset.

Customer privacy and data security: now a top priority

Marketers have been given a bad rap for invading consumer privacy. Increasingly however, they're working to protect privacy while still providing excellent, customized engagement.

That's leading toward a new "social contract" between people and brands.

"In 2019, marketers will struggle with the social contract of data exchange between consumers and brands," says Jessica Groopman of Kaleido Insights. "They'll wrestle with these questions: How will users be compensated beyond personalization? How can marketers do this without being 'creepy?' And, as more biometric data emerges, how can marketers use in an ethical manner?"

That struggle is real.

In the era of smart products, brands are starting to know us better than we know ourselves. Nokia knows my weight, how it fluctuates, and my body fat percentage, thanks to my smart scale. Google knows when I'm cold and need to turn up the (Nest) thermostat. Apple knows when I take a workout, and how high my heart rate goes, as measured by the Apple Watch. And Spotify knows what kind of mood we're in when we select an upbeat or a sad or a romantic playlist.

Smart products for smart homes -- smart matter, is what I call it -- is bringing a whole new mindset to how we think about actions, data, and privacy.

And it's going to have huge implications.

"Data ethics will become more important than data analytics," says SAP senior vice president Lloyd Adams.

"The single biggest challenge B2B marketers face in the coming year will be balancing privacy and personalization to regain the trust of their audiences," says Hootsuite CMO Penny Wilson. "In many ways, 2018 was a tumultuous year for brands, marketers, and customer experience leaders. Concerns around fake news, fake followers, and data privacy led individuals to question their trust in politicians, media outlets, social networks, and businesses alike. Those same concerns extended to how brands -- both B2C and B2B -- forge relationships with customers, and the data they use to do so."

For 2019, Wilson says, marketers have to focus on reassuring customers that their data is safe and that their privacy is respected. That requires openness and transparency, and Wilson says it means brands need to focus more on quality engagement than maximum reach.

And it requires better communication.

That needs to change, says Zappo's VP Kedar Deshpande.

"There's currently a huge lack of communication between brands and customers as to how and why that data is being used," Deshpand says. "Without more transparency with customers around why personalized outreach is happening and how it's benefiting them, the immediate reaction is one of distrust, uncertainty, and even fear or anger."

Unifying marketing data is critical

Smart insights are great. Protecting consumer privacy is essential. But without unified marketing data, most marketers can't do either. They can't generate smart insights from disparate datasets ... and they don't actually have a good handle on exactly how much data they have on their customers and prospects.

"Everyone's data is a mess," says Peter Reinhardt, CEO of Segment.

Why?

Simple: so much of it is in disconnected silos.

"The biggest issue with marketing data is federating it into a meaningful whole picture," says Eric Quanstrom, CMO of Cience. "As CMO, I live in (literally) a dozen different dashboards, daily. And that number is growing."

That's not a sustainable situation.

It's stressful to manage, it's insecure by design, and it virtually ensures that marketers can't generate quality insights from the data that they ethically possess. And so it's clear that here is one of marketing's key challenges for the coming year.

"The biggest data-related challenge will be consolidation and a full 360-degree view of the customer relationship," says John Hernandez, CEO of the Selligent Marketing Cloud. "As it stands, data lives in different places -- sales, customer service, digital marketing -- and migrating it into a single platform and making sense of it all is going to be difficult. I hope that in a year's time, we'll see a lot of progress."

The marketing technology industry's ongoing expansion is not going to help here, according to DemandBase CTO Aman Naimat.

It is simply increasing in size, complexity, and diversity.

The only option in Naimat's opinion?

Integrate key marketing technologies -- even if you can't integrate them all -- to get a more unified picture of your customer across CRM, marketing automation, and account-based marketing platforms. For B2C marketers, that picture looks different, of course, and probably incorporates a variety of attribution, social, web, and mobile tools to understand consumer needs and behavior.

Summing it all up

Marketing is changing.

It's not about getting all the data you can anymore and getting out of Dodge. That ship has sailed. Now, it's about getting the right data ethically, connecting it programmatically, and generating insights from it intelligently.

Only then can brands have good insight into their customers and consumers have good faith in their suppliers.

And only then will marketers no longer hold their breath in fear when they hear about the next implementation of GDPR legislation in another country or state.

. . .

. . .For Palantir and Oracle, time reveals all--even trade secrets.

After citing their diversity numbers as trade secrets--in an effort to keep those stats under wraps--the true makeup of the executive ranks at the Silicon Valley stalwarts is now known, and it's not good.

According to the companies' 2015 Employer Information Report EEO-1, an official form companies must submit to the U.S. Department of Labor, women held precious few top slots, as recently reported by the nonprofit news organization Reveal. That year, which is the latest for which the firms' data is available, Peter Thiel's Palo Alto, California-based big-data company Palantir had no female executives and counted only one woman among its managers, according to the report. Oracle, the Redwood Shores, California, computing giant, showed only slightly better results. Fewer than 13 percent of its executive roles were occupied by women, which includes its co-CEO Safra Catz.

Both companies paled in comparison to other major companies in Silicon Valley. According to Reveal's report, two-thirds of major Silicon Valley firms had a "better representation of female executives" than Oracle in 2015. And out of 167 of the largest tech companies in the San Francisco Bay Area, only 10 failed to employ a woman in an executive role that year, Reveal reports.

In recent years, major Silicon Valley tech titans have opted to make their diversity efforts public. Companies including Facebook, Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Intel, Salesforce, and Uber publish their annual EEO-1 forms online. Oracle and Palantir, however, are not among them. Reveal obtained the company records through a Freedom of Information request filed in 2017. Calls for a response from both companies regarding the revelation of these stats were not immediately returned.

"There is a very real threat to [Oracle's] competitive position" if its diversity report becomes public, the company argued in a letter sent to the Department of Labor in hopes of blocking the release of its EEO-1 form. Oracle and Palantir believe that sharing anonymized data of their workforce diversity would give rival companies sufficient information to poach their employees, according to the report.

"Competitors could identify where Palantir has made significant progress in hiring women and minorities and target recruitment strategies at specific job categories to steal this talent," reads Palantir's letter to the Department of Labor.SoftBank has backed off its plans to invest an additional $16 billion into the privately held workspace startup WeWork, according to the Financial Times.

Instead, the Japanese tech company will invest just $2 billion, according to the report. The deal has not yet been finalized.

SoftBank's initial plan, reported in October, would have given it a majority stake in WeWork. But the size of the deal reportedly upset some of its biggest financial backers in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi.

SoftBank has backed away from its plan to invest $16 billion into the shared-workspace company WeWork, according to Financial Times.

Instead, SoftBank will invest just $2 billion, according to Financial Times, which said WeWork and SoftBank are late in the negotiation process. The deal is expected to be announced early next week, though it has not been finalized, according to the report, which cites anonymous sources.

SoftBank has already invested $8 billion into the startup.

SoftBank's plan to invest $16 billion into WeWork was first reported by The Wall Street Journal back in October.

That investment would have given the Japanese tech company a majority stake in WeWork. But SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son reportedly faced criticism from the company's biggest backers in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi over the size of the deal.

Under the new terms, the deal will not include money from the SoftBank Vision Fund, the investment arm of the company which backed the majority of its existing $8 billion investment.

A WeWork spokesperson declined to comment on the report. SoftBank did not immediately return requests for comment.(The Center Square)  Illinois state lawmakers are back this week to continue the regular session and energy legislation is expected to top the agenda, but there could be some differences in what the governor wants versus what lawmakers actually pass.The International Federation of Journalists reiterates its support to the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) call for the immediate release of journalist Sabri Salmeen bin Makhashin, editor in chief of Al-Muharrir newspaper and Al-Muharrir Net website, who has been under arbitrary arrest in Hadramout, a governorate of Yemen, since December 3, 2018.

The Military Intelligence Apparatus arrested Bin Makhashin in the city of Mukalla without explanation for his detention.

According to the YJS, who has followed the case since the beginning, and Makhashins family, the journalist is in very poor health. The family has also denounced that he was prevented from receiving medical treatment including for diabetes.

The IFJ reiterates its demands to stop violence against journalism and journalists by the different parties in Yemen and to ensure a safe working environment for journalists and freedom of speech.

The arbitrary detention of Makhashin was not an isolated case. In its annual report on the situation of press freedom in Yemen, the YJS recorded a total of 226 violations during 2018. These include attacks against photographers, dozens of newspapers, websites, media headquarters and the seizure of journalist equipment.

The report reveals that the majority of the violations were committed by the Houthi group (136 violations, 60% of the total) while the legitimate government bodies committed 68 violations (30% of the total). The Arab coalition was responsible for 11 violations (5%), unidentified perpetrators committed 9 violations (4%) and the Southern Movement 2 violations (1%).

The YJS reported 86 kidnappings and arrests, 38 cases of blocked websites and social media sites, 17 physical attacks, 17 court cases and 15 seizures of media equipment, among others. Moreover, 17 journalists remain kidnapped by the Houthi group, from whom most have been held for more than 3 years. They include Wahid Al-Soufi who disappeared on 6 April 2015 and Muhammad Al-Maqri who has been held captive by Al-Qaeda since 12 October 2015.

Furthermore, according to the IFJ killed journalists list for 2018, Yemen was the third deadliest country in the world for journalists with 11 killed journalists. Yemen was one of the five countries the IFJ chose for its 2018 End Impunity Campaign due to the war between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition which resulted in increased violations of journalists rights.

IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: We condemn the detention of our colleague Sabri due to his professional work and we demand his immediate release from those who are detaining him. We also call on the Yemeni government, the United Nations General Secretary and his envoy to Yemen to take these outrageous violations seriously. We reiterate our call to all parties involved in the war in Yemen to enforce United Nations Security Councils resolutions which protect journalists in Yemen and to end taking journalists as hostages.On 7 January 2019, Federico Marconi and Paolo Marchetti, an Italian journalist and a photographer both working for the Italian weekly magazine Espresso, were attacked by members of two neo-fascist groups, Avanguardia Nazionale and Forza Nuova. The two journalists were near the Verano monumental cemetery in Rome to cover the event organized by Avanguardia Nazionale in memory of the Acca Larentia killings, in 1978.

The International and European Federation of Journalists (IFJ and EFJ) join their Italian affiliate, the Italian Federation of Journalists Unions (FNSI), in condemning the attack and express their serious concerns for the increasing climate of violence and threats against journalists in the country.

A group of neo-fascists approached Marchetti and took his cameras memory card. Other militants then surrounded the journalist Federico Marconi and began to hit him with kicks and slaps. The boss of Forza Nuova together with a militant of Avanguardia Nazionale took the journalists mobile phone and the wallet to identify him. They deleted photos and videos of the day from his phone. All their personal effects have not been returned to them until the arrival of the police.

Indeed, this only another example of the dramatic situation of media freedom in Italy. The data published on the Platform of the Council of Europe for the Protection of Journalism shows a serious deterioration of the working conditions of journalists in the country. Italy is one of the countries with the highest number of alerts in 2018. There are 13 of them, the same number as for Russia. Thats almost as much as the top-ranked countries, Turkey and Ukraine (both with 14 alerts). Italy is also the state whose situation has deteriorated most seriously last year: the number of press freedom violations has more than tripled compared to 2017. No other European state has experienced such degradation. Since July 2017, the Italian authorities have not responded to any of the alerts posted on the Platform.

The majority of alerts recorded in the last year relate to events that occurred after the official installation of the populist government, on 1st June. The two Deputy Prime Ministers of this government, Luigi Di Maio and Matteo Salvini, express on social networks rhetoric particularly hostile to the media and journalists. Minister Salvini has threatened to abolish police protection for investigative journalist Roberto Saviano. Minister Di Maio insulted journalists and initiated a policy of abolition of public subsidies to the press that may threaten, in the long term, media pluralism in Italy.

Several journalists have been intimidated or even attacked by members of neo-fascist groups throughout 2018. The platform also recorded three cases of journalists facing death threats. According to the Italian Federation of Journalists Unions (FNSI), media professionals now face a new threat in the country: a constant risk of violence fueled by the hostile rhetoric of members of the government and ruling coalition parties."Using existing funds, we were able to keep FSA offices open as long as possible, but unfortunately had to close them when funding ran out," Perdue said in a statement. "We will therefore extend the application deadline for a period of time equal to the number of business days FSA offices were closed, once the government shutdown ends."Santos has had to complete the check-ins since Frederick County sheriffs deputies arrested her 2008 while she was sitting on a curb eating her lunch. Deputies at the time asked to see her identification and arrested her on an outstanding immigration warrant related to her failing to show up to court after having been detained after crossing into the country years before, court records state.Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation2@journalnet.com for help creating one.Since then, the original national leadership of the event has divided over issues of anti-Semitism and diversity, and some local marches have been canceled while other groups have disavowed ties to the organization, Womens March. Leaders of that organization have worked with or praised Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, and some have called on them to resign for his repeated anti-Semitic remarks. One of the original organizers of the first march left and now heads a separate group, March On. Both groups have websites that list marches going on the weekend of Jan. 19, including Baltimores.We are a hub for our community and are always looking for ways to provide everything under one roof, Smallwood-Smoot said. The addition of Planet Fitness represents the evolution of our shopping center and we know our community will embrace it.We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@idahopress.com for help creating one.Carbon emissions up as Trump agenda rolls back climate change work

by Emily Holden

January 08,2019 | Source: The Guardian

A new analysis shows US greenhouse gas levels are increasing as the Trump administration unravels efforts to slow climate change.



Carbon emissions rose sharply last year, increasing 3.4%, according to new estimates from the economic firm Rhodium Group. That years jump in emissions is the biggest since the bounce back from the recession in 2010. It is the second largest gain in more than two decades.



Coal plants are shutting down, but electricity demand is growing. Natural-gas fired power emits about half as much carbon as coal but still contributes to climate change. The fossil fuel is replacing most of the coal plants that are closing and also fed most of the higher demand, increasing power-sector climate pollution. Outside of the power sector, transportation, industry and buildings all increased their emissions as well, according to the estimates.



The numbers undercut one of the Trump administrations key defenses for dismissing federal science reports that show rising temperatures will wreak havoc on the economy, kill people and cause more extreme weather. Trump has said he doesnt believe the findings and his officials have argued they are exaggerated.



The Environmental Protection Agency chief, Andrew Wheeler, often trumpets declines in greenhouse gases, citing data showing that they fell 2.7% from 2016 to 2017.



But the EPA is rescinding Obama-era climate work, including regulations meant to speed a shift from coal. The agency contends that Donald Trumps agenda is driving energy innovation that could help cut emissions. Energy experts, however, say Trump is doing the opposite by rolling back the rules and policies that could have sped renewable growth and by forgoing new regulations beyond the electricity sector.



Rhodium Group tracks the most prevalent greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. The firm found a modest decrease in carbon emissions between 2016 and 2017, in part because of a warmer-than-usual winter that didnt require as much heating. Since then carbon output has surged.



The tailwinds of Obama administration policy are dissipating, said Trevor Houser, a partner at the firm. This year makes it abundantly clear that energy market trends alone  the low cost of natural gas, the increasing competitiveness of renewables  are not enough to deliver sustained declines in US emissions.



Houser said the numbers would have been worse without the state and local policies enacted during the past five to 10 years. But that the groundswell of climate commitments by governors and mayors since Trump said he would exit the international Paris climate agreement might not translate into policy for some time, he added. He said those efforts are likely to be significant but not sufficient to meet the levels the US pledged.

 2019 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved.

Theme(s): Others.Indonesia wants Malaysia to look into abducted fishermen

January 05,2019 | Source: Malaysiakini

The Republic of Indonesia consulate in Tawau is concerned about the fate of three Indonesians who are still hostages of kidnappers from southern Philippines while working as fishermen in the Eastern Sabah Security Zone (ESSZone) last year.



Its consul, Sulistijo Djati Ismojo said Indonesia hoped the Malaysian government and other related parties including the victims employers would look into the fate of the three Indonesians.



We are leaving the matter to Malaysia to seek a solution, he told Bernama here.



Djati was commenting on a video showing one of its citizens abducted by an armed group linked to Abu Sayyaf, squatting in a hole crying for help.



Help me, boss, help me boss, cried the kidnapped victim in the video.



Also seen in the 13-second video clip, were two armed men in jungle fatigues standing behind the victim, identified as Samsul Sangunim. Samsul was abducted with two colleagues while fishing in the waters of Pulau Gaya in Semporna on Sept 11 last year. However, one of their friends, Usman Yusof, 30, managed to escape from the kidnappers on Dec 5.



In this regard, Djati said the consulate was of the view that the video was a tactic of the kidnappers to get attention for their ransom soon.



Earlier, it was learnt, the group demanded 4 million pesos to free Usman and Samsul.



Meanwhile Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCom) commander Hazani Ghazali confirmed the video is real.



The kidnap-for-ransom group has to date abducted three other individuals comprising a Malaysian and two Indonesians from the waters of Kinabatangan in December while fishing.

Theme(s): Communities and Organisations.EU withdraws ban threat on Thai fisheries after reforms

January 08,2019 | Source: AP

The European Union has withdrawn its threat to ban Thai fisheries exports into the bloc after Bangkok pushed through reforms to contain illegal fishing.



Thailand, one of the main global fish exporters, had been faced with the threat of a ban for more than three years over its failure to combat illegal fishing, but consultations with the EU and legal and compliance reforms allowed the bloc to take back the so-called yellow card.





EU fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella met with Thai deputy prime minister Sarikulya Chatchai Tuesday and said that as combating illegal fishing remains a priority for the EU, he was "excited that today we have a new committed partner in this fight.

 2019 Business Standard Private Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theme(s): Fishing Craft, Gear and Fishing Methods.Gambia-EU fishing deal is the best agreement so far, says Fisheries Permanent Secretary

January 04,2019 | Source: The Point

The permanent secretary at the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters has said that the recent EU fishing deal with The Gambia is the best agreement so far compared to other countries, clarifying that the government of The Gambia would never involve in an agreement that would not be of interest to the country.



Dr. Bamba Banja was speaking recently during the Association of Gambian Sailors (AGS) annual general meeting held in Banjul. In the recent past, rumours are making rounds on the social media regarding the EU fishing deal, which many believed is not in our best interest.



He clarifies: The government will never involve in such an agreement that will not be in the interest of The Gambia. This fishing agreement will also benefit citizens that are Gambian sailors and it will create an atmosphere of job opportunity.



According to him, the EU fishing vessels will also employ Gambians to work onboard.



Fisheries PS made it clear that looking at the level of the EU fishing agreement; it is the best agreement deal so far compared to other sister countries.



He noted that since the new government took over, his ministry recorded seven hundred and forty sailors, who have already secured job opportunity onboard.



Ebrima Jammeh, an experienced sailor, who attended the Regional Maritime University in Ghana, said the training is a requirement for all seafarers in accordance with the standard of training, certification and watch keeping for seafarers 2010 manila convention.



Jammeh, is serving as a second officer onboard and his duties include: to prepare navigational equipments, chats and navigational books of reference.



The medical certificate going to be issued to the trainees would be accepted throughout the world, he added, further calling on sailors do their best to stop smoking as it can make them to fail their medical exams.



Mr. Jammeh was a senior instructor with the Gambia Maritime Institute since 2000 to 2008 and he also served in different positions within the administrative level.



Starting sailing in 2010, Jammeh also worked in different vessels, ranging from tanker vessels, tug boats, barges and cargo vessels.

 The Point Newspaper

Theme(s): Fisheries Development and Aquaculture.Translation:

Croissance solide du trafic de passagers en novembre, mais en ralentissement (pdf)

Demanda de pasajeros solida, pero moderada, en noviembre (pdf)

201811 (pdf)

Demanda de passageiros solida, com aumento moderado em novembro (pdf)



Geneva - The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced healthy but moderating global passenger traffic results for November 2018. Total revenue passenger kilometers (RPKs) rose 6.2% compared to November 2017, a slight deceleration from 6.3% growth in October. Capacity (available seat kilometers or ASKs) increased by 6.8% over the year-ago period, and load factor dipped 0.4 percentage point to 80.0%. It was only the third time in two years that load factor fell on a year-to-year basis.

Traffic is solid. But there are clear signs that growth is moderating in line with the slowing global economy. We still expect 6% demand growth this year. But trade tensions, protective tariffs and Brexit are all uncertainties that overhang the industry, said Alexandre de Juniac, IATAs Director General and CEO.

november 2018 (% year-on-year) World share1 RPK ASK PLF (%-pt)2 PLF (level)3 Total Market 100.0% 6.2% 6.8% -0.4% 80.0% Africa 2.2% 2.2% 1.2% 0.7% 69.8% Asia Pacific 33.8% 6.3% 7.4% -0.8% 80.2% Europe 26.7% 8.8% 8.8% 0.0% 81.7% Latin America 5.1% 6.2% 6.0% 0.1% 82.0% Middle East 9.4% 2.6% 5.2% -1.8% 69.4% North America 22.8% 5.1% 5.0% 0.0% 83.6%





International Passenger Markets

November international passenger demand rose 6.6% compared to the year earlier period, up from 6.2% in October. All regions showed growth, led by carriers in Europe. Total capacity climbed 6.7%, and load factor dipped 0.1 percentage point to 78.4%.

European carriers saw demand increase by 9.0% in November 2018, which was a nine-month high. Given the mixed signs on the economic backdrop in the region it is unclear whether this pace of growth can be sustained. Capacity climbed 9.1% and load factor slipped 0.1 percentage point to 82.1%, the highest load factor among the regions.

Asia-Pacific airlines November traffic climbed 6.0% compared to the year-ago period, up from 5.7% growth in October. Capacity also rose 6.0% and load factor was flat at 79.1%. Growth is underpinned by rising living standards and continuing expansion of options for travelers.

Middle East carriers had a 2.8% demand increase, which was the lowest among the regions for a third consecutive month. Capacity rose 5.6% and load factor slipped 1.9 percentage points to 69.0%.

North American airlines traffic climbed 6.1%, in November, up from 5.7% in October and well ahead of the five-year average rate of 4.0%. Capacity rose 3.8% and load factor edged up 1.7 percentage points to 80.6%. Demand is supported by comparatively strong momentum in the US economy.

Latin American airlines November traffic climbed 5.8% compared to November 2017, which was an increase from 5.2% growth recorded in October. Despite the increase, growth has slowed on a seasonally-adjusted basis. Capacity rose 6.6% and load factor slipped 0.6 percentage point to 80.6%.

African airlines experienced a 5.7% rise in demand compared to November 2017, down from 6.4% in October but higher than the five-year average of 5.8%. Growth is occurring despite challenges in the continents largest economies, Nigeria and South Africa. Capacity rose 3.9% and load factor climbed 1.2 percentage points to 68.9%.



Domestic Passenger Markets

Domestic travel demand rose 5.6% in November 2018 compared to the same month in 2017, its slowest pace in 11 months and down from 6.5% in October. All markets except Australia showed growth. Domestic capacity climbed 6.9%, and load factor dropped 1.0 percentage point to 82.8%.

November 2018 (% year-on-year) World share1 RPK ASK PLF (%-pt)2 PLF (level)3 Domestic 35.9% 5.6% 6.9% -1.0% 82.8% Dom. Australia 0.9% -0.7% -1.1% 0.3% 82.6% Domestic Brazil 1.2% 5.3% 4.1% 1.0% 83.6% Dom. China P.R. 9.1% 7.2% 10.2% -2.3% 82.0% Domestic India 1.4% 13.3% 19.8% -4.8% 84.4% Domestic Japan 1.1% 1.5% 3.0% -1.1% 75.6% Dom. Russian Fed. 1.4% 13.8% 10.9% 2.1% 81.6%

Domestic US

14.3% 4.9% 5.9% -0.8% 85.2%





Indias domestic traffic rose 13.3% in November compared to November 2017, marking the 51st consecutive month of double-digit domestic growth. However, it was also the slowest increase in 16 months.

Brazils domestic traffic rose to a four-month high of 5.3% in November, against a fragile economic backdrop.

Read full November passenger traffic analysis (pdf)



For more information, please contact:

Corporate Communications

Tel: +41 22 770 2967

Email: corpcomms@iata.org

Notes for Editors:Employees from other restaurants left their posts at 11 a.m. on Tuesday to pressure McDonalds and other fast-food chains to provide protection and training for workers and managers, Tampa Bay Times reported.

The protesters, who form part of the Fight for $15 movement calling for better wages and benefits, are pushing for McDonalds to implement security protocols and give a voice on the job for its predominantly Black and Latinx women workforce.

McDonalds representative Khim Aday said the fast-food chain is investigating the incident and offering workers counselling. We will always stand with our people and remain committed to their safety and wellbeing, Aday said.

Fast-food workers are often the target of physical and verbal assault by irate customers, even over simple mistakes in their orders.

The majority are also reportedly subjected to an unsafe work environment. Nearly nine in 10 fast-food workers sustain injury in the workplace, according to a survey from the Hart Research Associates.As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content.

When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to.

After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS!

OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK

The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those.Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print.

Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition.

If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create.A free chance to win $1 million or more in lottery

Free tickets to sporting events

A paid day off work

I'm anti-vax and think incentives are a distraction

Vote

View ResultsNick Winke, a photographer in the Pacific northwest, was perusing internet forums when he came across a complaint that alarmed him: On certain Samsung Electronics Co. smartphones, users arent allowed to delete the Facebook app.

Winke bought his Samsung Galaxy S8, an Android-based device that comes with Facebooks social network already installed, when it was introduced in 2017. He has used the Facebook app to connect with old friends and to share pictures of natural landscapes and his Siamese cat -- but he didnt want to be stuck with it. He tried to remove the program from his phone, but the chatter proved true -- it was undeletable. He found only an option to "disable," and he wasnt sure what that meant.

It just absolutely baffles me that if I wanted to completely get rid of Facebook that it essentially would still be on my phone, which brings up more questions, Winke said in an interview. Can they still track your information, your location, or whatever else they do? We the consumer should have say in what we want and dont want on our products.

$1,000: At the core, Apple's iPhone prices are too high

Consumers have become more alert about their digital rights and more vigilant about privacy in the past year, following revelations about Facebooks information-sharing practices and regulators heightened scrutiny of online data collection. Some people have deleted their Facebook accounts in protest of the companys lapses, while others simply want to make sure they have the option to do so. Many Android phone users have begun to question Samsungs deal to sell phones with a permanent version of Facebook -- and some of them are complaining on social media.

A Facebook spokesperson said the disabled version of the app acts like its been deleted, so it doesnt continue collecting data or sending information back to Facebook. But theres rarely communication with the consumer about the process. The Menlo Park, California-based company said whether the app is deletable or not depends on various pre-install deals Facebook has made with phone manufacturers, operating systems and mobile operators around the world over the years, including Samsung. Facebook, the worlds largest social network, wouldnt disclose the financial nature of the agreements, but said theyre meant to give the consumer "the best" phone experience right after opening the box.

Balwinder Singhs experience wasnt what he would consider the best. Singh, who lives in the Susquehanna Valley of the eastern U.S. and works in transportation, bought his Samsung phone seven months ago. He first tried to delete the Facebook app when he was setting up the device.

NO PRIVACY: Your apps know where you were last night, and they're sharing

My news feed was full of negative stuff, people going crazy on social media, he said. It was affecting me emotionally and mentally. Even after disabling the app, he was bothered to still have it on his phone.

Samsung, the worlds largest smartphone maker, said it provides a pre-installed Facebook app on selected models with options to disable it, and once its disabled, the app is no longer running. Facebook declined to provide a list of the partners with which it has deals for permanent apps, saying that those agreements vary by region and type. There is no complete list available online, and consumers may not know if Facebook is pre-loaded unless they specifically ask a customer service representative when they purchase a phone.

Consumer-advocacy groups have been skeptical of such arrangements for years, according to Jeff Chester, executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy.

Its only recently that people have become to understand that these apps really power the spy in your pocket, he said. Companies should be filing public documents on these deals, and Facebook should turn over public documents that show there is no data collection when the app is disabled.

Facebook isnt the only company whose apps show up on smartphones by default. A T-Mobile US Inc. list of apps built into its version of the Samsung Galaxy S9, for example, includes the social network as well as Amazon.com Inc. The phone also comes loaded with many Google apps such as YouTube, Google Play Music and Gmail; Google is the creator of the Android software that powers the phone. Other phone makers and service providers, including LG Electronics Inc., Sony Corp., Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T Inc., have made similar deals with app makers. When Twitters app is loaded on a new phone by default, it wouldnt collect any data unless a user had an account or created a new one, and opened the app and logged in, the company said.

But Facebook, which has spent the past year apologizing for security breaches and data privacy scandals, is the one drawing ire about its irrevocable presence on Samsungs phones. Very slimy, Twitter user Gopinath Pandalai in Bangalore, who goes by @gopibella, wrote on the site in October. Been a Samsung customer for 10 years. Time to move on.

ACCESS: Facebook offered users privacy wall, then let tech giants around it

In December, Justin McMurry, whose Twitter handle is @BoutSebm, wrote that he considered Facebook a privacy threat. If I cant delete it, this will be the last Samsung product I ever own."

Apple Inc., whose iPhone is the top-selling smartphone in the U.S., doesnt pre-install Facebook or any other third-party apps on its new phones.

Jose Cortes, a Spaniard living in Sweden, has started using Facebook on his phone more infrequently, sharing less because he doesnt like the way it broadcasts his activity to his friends. If theres an event coming up on Facebook, he never marks that hes going or interested, even if he is, because he dislikes that his attendance will advertise the event to his other friends.

I understand Samsung is trying to make it easy for the user, but I dont like that it does not allow me to uninstall, he said. For his next phone, he said hell consider buying something else.

--With assistance from Selina Wang and Sam Kim.

2019 Bloomberg L.P.Health care, and specifically pre-existing conditions, remain in the news. The new Democratic majority in the House of Representatives has lined up two votes  one last week and one this week  authorizing the House to intervene in Texas lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., claims that the intervention will protect Americans with pre-existing conditions.

In reality, the pre-existing condition provisions represent Obamacares major flaw. According to the Heritage Foundation, those provisions have served as the prime driver of premium increases associated with the law. Since the law went into effect, premiums have indeed skyrocketed. Rates for individual health insurance more than doubled from 2013 through 2017, and rose another 30-plus percent last year to boot.

As a result of those skyrocketing premiums, more than 2.5 million people dropped their Obamacare coverage from March 2017 through March 2018. These people now have no coverage if and when they develop a pre-existing condition themselves.

A recent Gallup poll shows that Americans care far more about rising premiums than about being denied coverage for a pre-existing condition. Given the publics focus on rising health care costs, Republicans should easily rebut Pelosis attacks with alternative policies that address the pre-existing condition problem while allowing people relief from skyrocketing insurance rates.

Unfortunately, thats not what the Republican leadership in the House did. Last Thursday, Rep. Kevin Brady, R-The Woodlands, offered a procedural motion that amounted to a Republican endorsement of Obamacare. Bradys motion instructed House committees to draft legislation that guarantees no American citizen can be charged higher premiums or cost sharing as the result of a previous illness or health status, thus ensuring affordable health coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.

If adopted  which thankfully it was not  this motion would only have entrenched Obamacare further. The pre-existing condition provisions represent the heart of the law, precisely because they have raised premiums so greatly. Those premium increases necessitated the mandates on individuals to buy, and employers to offer, health insurance. They also required the subsidies to make that more-expensive coverage affordable  and the tax increases and Medicare reductions needed to fund those subsidies.

More to the point, what would one call a health care proposal that treats everyone equally, and ensures that no one pays more or less than the next person? If this concept sounds like socialized medicine to you, youd have company in thinking so. None other than Kevin Brady denounced Obamacare as socialized medicine at an August 2009 town hall at Memorial Hermann Hospital.

All of this raises obvious questions: Why did someone who for years opposed Obamacare as socialized medicine offer a proposal that would ratify and entrench that system further?

Republicans like Brady can claim they want to repeal-and-replace Obamacare from now until the cows come home, but if they want to retain the status quo on pre-existing conditions then as a practical matter they really want to uphold the law. Conservatives might wonder whether its time to repeal-and-replace Republicans with actual conservatives.

Jacobs is Founder and CEO of Juniper Research Group, a policy consulting firm.There are facts and then there are ideological positions. In the chaos and name-calling over Houston Independent School District schools, its best to stick with facts  accurate portrayals of the state of our public schools and what works to lift student achievement. Promoting ideological beliefs not grounded in facts will get us nowhere and does a disservice to our students and community.

Gov. Greg Abbotts inaugural foray into Houston school issues was quite a doozy of a tweet, criticizing HISD leaders self-centered ineptitude and pushing his go-to ideological position for a state takeover of the districts school board and privatization of low-performing schools. All this despite the fact that the District was rated a B overall by the accountability system he signed into law just last session.

In no school district does a B mean failure.

State takeovers of school districts and privatization of public schools have poor track records. A 2015 report by the Southern Education Foundation and the Annenberg Institute for School Reform found that state takeover models have not proven effective, noting they overwhelmingly target African American and low-income communities and are usually promoted by charter advocates itching to take over traditional public schools. The report studied state takeovers in Louisiana, Tennessee and Michigan and concluded none demonstrated sustained improvement in student outcomes across the board. Here in Texas, the El Paso Independent School District was taken over in 2013 after a cheating scandal and in two years the performance gap widened and post-secondary readiness plummeted.

Here are the facts for Houston. While we cant declare mission accomplished, there has been significant turnaround of low-performing schools that, not coincidentally, correlate with the end of HISD board policies that Abbott promotes. These include ending a local accountability system that was test-focused and punitive, and rejecting explicit support of privatization of schools pushed by charter school networks. Houston has been able to reduce the number of schools failing to meet state academic standards from 58 in 2015 to 21 in 2018  accomplished despite some unfortunate kerfuffles in board meetings and the sad fact that the district has been without a permanent superintendent since March.

Imagine what could be accomplished without the drama and with a permanent superintendent who understands what students need and how to get there.

Another fact is that local school boards are elected by the people and not intended to be taken over by a governor. State takeovers of boards or individual schools do not have a strong track record because they are often mere Trojan horses to push an ideological whim without tangible improvement plans. After decades of experience with vouchers, for-profit charters and state takeovers across the country, the research is clear: They fail most of the children they purportedly are intended to benefit.

We need to get serious and agree on an improvement plan comprised of programs with proven track records. Our focus should be on giving all students, especially those in low-performing schools, the sorts of resources and programs that have worked at other campuses in boosting student success. . Instead of perpetuating drama over renaming schools and other incidental issues, lets focus on whats working and what we need to continue to pursue.

For example, we have started developing true community schools and investing in teachers by increasing embedded time for collaboration and development. These initiatives have already made a real difference in reducing the number of Improvement Required (IR) schools and, if expanded, will help all Houston students and teachers. Community schools provide programs to help students overcome the consequences of poverty, such as food and clothing banks, health clinics and access to counselors and social workers. Students need to be healthy  mind and body  to learn. And when teachers are trusted, respected, get the resources they need to do their jobs well and have a voice in classroom decisions, their students are the beneficiaries.

Instead of setting us back by doing what doesnt work  which could double or triple the number of improvement required schools  HISD needs to implement programs backed by facts. Parents and communities are telling us that is what they want. The HISD board needs to keep its banter behind closed doors and the governor needs to stay off Twitter, because the ship is finally steering in the right direction and that is where we should keep our focus.

Capo is president of the Houston Federation of Teachers.President Trump wants America to fear immigrants, and more than about 10 minutes Tuesday night he used his first prime time address from the Oval Office to make his most explicit case yet for why we must build a wall to protect our nation from the humanitarian and national security crisis we face on our southern border.

But in doing so, Trump once again missed nearly everything thats important about the situation on the border. To begin with, its not a crisis. Its a challenge - and one this nation is plenty capable of solving if only the presidents phony panic and his manufactured talk of an invasion werent forever getting in the way of solutions.

There is much in Trumps proposal for Congress that Democrats and moderate Republicans could live with. Trump is asking for more border agents, more drones and other surveillance equipment, and more judges and case workers to help speed up the handling of asylum and other immigration cases. Theres support for that.

What there is not support for is the presidents fear-mongering demand that Congress provide $5.7 billion for the wall, or what he described last night as a physical barrier. Democrats in Congress know that the wall is not popular among the majority of Americans. They know the Republicans dont have the votes in Congress to fund it  they didnt before the midterm election and they certainly dont now. And also they know that the wall is a metaphor more than anything else, an easy way to tell would-be migrants from Central America and Mexico to keep out.

They also know it wont help America address the problem that actually exists on the border. Nearly everyone agrees that the spiking number of asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors in the past several years has stressed the system. Addressing that requires bipartisan congressional action.

To encourage that cooperation, Trump should drop the bid for a physical barrier and instead seize on Democrats willingness to add funding to the border. In doing so, he could notch a victory and still live to fight another day for his pet project of the wall.

Its true that some Democrats have dug their own heels into the sand over refusing to fund the wall. But on balance they have the right side in this argument, as Trump knows he lacks the votes to get his wall. Hes pulled out all the stops to try to get his way in Washington, even triggering a partial shutdown of the government to pressure the Democrats.

As the consequences of the shutdown keep piling up, it appears that his efforts have backfired. Thousands of federal workers have been forced to miss paychecks. Important services, even those that arent a matter of life or death, have been turned off for the duration. From national parks to the Smithsonian to the Panda cam at the National Zoo, the shutdown is telling Americans and foreign visitors alike that we cant count on the federal government to do its job.

The president gladly took responsibility for the shutdown during an Oval Office meeting last month, but now hes desperate the pass the blame.

Trump flies to Texas on Thursday. We hope that just as Texans listened to him Tuesday, he listens to Texans when he arrives. Immigrants, even many of those who are not yet documented, have greatly enriched our city and our state. The president is right that we should enforce our immigration laws and patrol our border, but he is dead wrong to demonize immigrants as likely murderers, rapists and drug-smugglers. Those scourges exist, but they do not define the millions of immigrants who risk so much in coming here.

Study after study shows that immigrants, documented or otherwise, are less likely to commit violent crimes than natural born citizens.

Whats needed in Washington is a cool-headed recognition that the borders challenges can be fixed. But they wont be addressed in a climate of fear, or of manipulation.

Mr. President: Open the government. Work with Democrats to add money to the border security efforts.

And then get to work on the comprehensive immigration reform that has come so close to reality in Congress but keeps getting washed out amid the fear and cheap politics.AUSTIN  Moments after he was elected House Speaker on Tuesday, Rep. Dennis Bonnens voice cracked as he repeated his late fathers advice to leave the House and Texas better than he found them.

In a state as big and diverse as Texas, there are plenty of ideas about what we should do on any one issue and these ideas often point in different directions. Its our job to reconcile the differences, said Bonnen, R-Angleton, contrasting the state with dysfunction in Washington, D.C. He called for members to mentor one another and invest in our relationships.

Bonnens plea for unity was strategic, too. The last Texas Legislative Session ended with a bitter clash between the House and Senate and no consensus on how to quell escalating property taxes or pump more state funds into education, two issues that are now the top priorities for both Bonnen and Gov. Greg Abbott.

Bonnen wasted little time pushing those goals Tuesday, stocking the members lounge with Styrofoam cups that read School Finance Reform, The Time Is Now.

You will be reminded every day of our goal, Bonnen told members before adjourning the first days session.

The promise of cooperation  and perhaps more money for education  is giving Democrats hope they can have a more influential voice in the House this year. While still outnumbered, Democrats gained 12 seats in the November election, narrowing their margin to 83 Republicans to 67 Democrats, needing just nine votes to sway passage of a bill.

At this margin, we think it gives our Republican colleagues more room to maneuver in a bipartisan and less ideological manner. And it gives us more numbers to make those demands of the body, that they be responsive to all of Texas on issues that bring us together and not issues that divide us, said Rep. Rafael Anchia, a Dallas Democrat who chairs the Mexican-American Legislative Caucus.

The biggest challenge will be in education. While Texas has made gains in graduation rates, the state slipped to 46th in the nation in fourth grade reading and is struggling to prepare students for college. A commission tasked with studying the issue called for the state to invest $1.7 billion over the next two years to boost literacy and teacher pay. Its unclear how the Legislature could also cover the costs of changing the property tax system that is now the biggest funding source for education.

Special education will also need another $3.2 billion over the next three years to take on a surge of students needing additional services after years of the state artificially capping the number of students eligible for them, as revealed in a 2016 Houston Chronicle investigation.

Were all in this boat together

Talking about honesty and courage, the members of the Texas House unanimously elected Bonnen House Speaker. Members of both parties attested to his integrity in backing his nomination before making him the first new House Speaker in a decade.

He promised an opportunity to increase benefits for teachers, improve early education and child protective services along with mental health, and fight human trafficking. He said the state has an opportunity to reform a broken property tax system he says is taxing people out of their homes, support trauma care in areas like the Rio Grande Valley and boost training of medical professional to fill shortages in rural counties.

Bonnen drew no opponents for the position. More than a half-dozen other candidates who were vying for the position, including a Democrat, dropped out shortly after he entered the race in the fall. In addition to conservative and moderate Republicans of his own party, he won over Democrats. They say it was largely with candid conversations about education and a deep belief that lawmakers need to work in an nonpartisan way.

That was a driving force that got me to support him, said Rep. Gene Wu, a Houston Democrat. It might not be someone who is going to be a Democrat, but we just want someone who is going to do a good job.

Related: Bathroom bill in 2019? New House Speaker says Texas doesnt need that distraction

Rep. Senfronia Thompson, who has served in the Legislature for 45 years, said she has faith that the House can bring about necessary change, particularly in how the state funds public education.

Because of the magnitude of the problems we face, were all in this boat together. This is going to be a session where were going to make a decision if we are either going to sink in this boat or were going to make this boat serve all of us. I think thats where we are now. If we do it on a partisan basis well never achieve anything, said Thompson, a Democrat who vouched for Bonnen on the House floor.

Others like Bonnen because he wont be pushed around. He will be undaunted from any naysayers who arise in this body or across the hall, said Rep. Lyle Larson, R-San Antonio in his nomination speech, hinting at the past conflict with the Texas Senate.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a former conservative radio talk show host who oversees the Senate, has supported the new speaker. However, in a rare turn of events Patrick skipped the first day of the Legislature. Hed been called to the White House to assist the president ahead of his visit to the Texas-Mexico border, according to his staff, but did not say whether Patrick will accompany Trump to the border on Thursday.

Bold predictions from the governor

In speeches to members in both the House and Senate, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott made bold predictions that lawmakers and his administration would "solve school finance reform and property tax reform in Texas" this session.

"You will be an inspiration for future generations of senators to live up to the standard you set this session," he said. School safety, Hurricane Harvey relief and mental health are other top issues to address this year, he said.

Heading into his second term, Abbott floated proposals to cap what local school districts can raise in property taxes each year. But he has yet to offer specific details about how such a plan would be funded and has said those decision will largely fall to lawmakers.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Five things to watch in the Texas Legislature in 2019

The opening day also drew citizens to the capitol with other ideas about priorities. Some carried signs urging the legislature to end gerrymandering while others draped marijuana flags around their shoulders and said they want lawmakers to legalize the drug.

To most of the public, this building tends to side with money and not with peoples lives, said Jody Ladd, a welder from the Dallas area who wants Texas to legalize medical marijuana. They need to start doing the will of the people.

Allie Morris, Jeremy Wallace and Paul Cobler contributed to this report.Russian space agency officials are demanding answers from NASA after their leaders invitation to Houston was rescinded last week.

We are still waiting for clarification on the current situation from the American agency through our established partner channels or from NASA representatives in Russia, Vladimir Ustimenko, a representative for the Russia state space corporation Roscosmos, told state-run news agency TASS on Sunday. So far even formal notifications about the cancellation of the official Russian visit have not been received yet.

NASA officials, many of whom are furloughed because of the federal government shutdown, did not respond to a request for comment.

Space agency Administrator Jim Bridenstine on Friday night revoked Roscosmos CEO Dmitry Rogozins invitation to visit Houston  home of NASAs Johnson Space Center where the nations astronauts live and train  that was extended in October. Bridenstines announcement came just days after criticism over Rogozins visit grew from a quiet whisper to a steady roar.

We had heard from numerous senators suggesting that this was not a good idea and I wanted to be accommodating to the interest of the senators, Bridenstine told the Washington Post late Friday.

Rogozin, who previously served as Russias deputy prime minister, was banned from entering the United States after Moscow seized the Crimean peninsula in 2014. He also has a history of making racist and homophobic comments.

It was rumored that the meeting would take place at Rice University, Bridenstines alma-mater. But Rice officials said Wednesday they had no plans to bring Rogozin onto campus.

A good working relationship with Russia in space is vitally important, especially in the years after the Space Shuttle program was shuttered in 2011. Russia is the U.S.s primary partner on the International Space Station, which they began building in 1998 and NASA astronauts have relied on them for transportation to and from the orbiting laboratory since shuttled ended.

Tensions over this canceled meeting come as Russia tries to recover from two space station-related mishaps.

First, astronauts aboard the space station discovered an air leak-causing hole in a Russian Soyuz spacecraft attached to the space station in August. Astronauts aboard the orbiting laboratory at the time, including NASAs Serena Aunon-Chancellor, were able to quickly patch the hole and there was no danger to the crew. Russia still is investigating the cause of the leak, though officials have said it was caused by an errant drill either on Earth or in space  a sabotage accusation that did not sit well with NASA personnel and astronauts alike.

Then in October, a different Soyuz carrying American astronaut Nick Hague to the orbiting laboratory was forced to abort its launch because of a rocket booster failure  the first time such an event had occurred in 35 years. Hague and his crewmate were safe and good condition. They will get a second chance to live on the space station in April.

Roscosmos officials told TASS on Saturday that the revoked invitation had not impacted cooperation on the International Space Station.

Work on the negotiating position of the state corporation on cooperation of the sides on the International Space Station program and other space programs has not been suspended as of yet, TASS reported.

But last week, Bridenstine told the Post that NASA will continue our strong working relationship with Russia as it relates to the International Space Station and sending our astronauts into space.

Alex Stuckey writes about NASA and the environment for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach her at alex.stuckey@chron.com or Twitter.com/alexdstuckey.The tragic murder of Jazmine Barnes brought an onslaught of financial support from within Houston and around the country.

Jazmine, 7, was shot and killed Dec. 30 near Houston in an apparent case of mistaken identity, authorities said. Two men  Eric Black Jr., 20, and Larry Woodruffe, 24  were both charged with capital murder in the girl's death.

Some celebrities, including Texans star DeAndre Hopkins, pledged money to help Jazmine's family and to help find her killer.

LAID TO REST: Community remembers 'Princess Jazmine' at funeral service

Others, such as New York-based social activist Shaun King, offered thousands of dollars for tips from the public like vigilante Crime Stoppers.

It was a tip delivered to King (who in turn delivered it to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez) that ultimately landed Black and Woodruffe in jail.

So, what happens with all that money now that there have been significant arrests in the case?

The answer is fuzzy, but we have some idea of how Jazmine's family wants the money spent.

As for King's contributions, the activist tweeted that the funds will be delivered to his tipster. It's unclear exactly how and when the funds will be delivered.

Bishop James Dixon, of Community of Faith Church, who led Jazmine's funeral service Tuesday, told reporters that the family has yet to receive any funds from those who pledged.

All of the funds, including Hopkins' pledge and thousands of dollars raised in a GoFundMe account, will be placed in the Jazmine Barnes Educational and Scholarship Funds.

The exact amount of money, and how it will be spent down the road, is still unclear  but the family hopes it will create a lasting legacy for Jazmine, whose life was cut short.

Anyone wishing to donate to the fund can address an envelope "ATTN: Jazmine Barnes Educational and Scholarship Funds" and send it to Frost Bank, 6750 W. Loop South, Bellaire, TX, 77401.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text messageHouston housing officials say low-income and flood-prone residents will be the first priority of various housing assistance programs approved Wednesday.

Tom McCasland, director of the city's Housing and Community Development, said he hopes targeting such communities will ease some of the frustration among those that have waited more than a year for the arrival of federal Hurricane Harvey-related housing recovery funds.

"The more vulnerable the population, the higher the priority they will need to be," McCasland told City Council on Wednesday. "We're at the point in disaster (recovery) where people have lost all hope in getting assistance. ...We are now in the moment of being able to help, and people are losing hope because they've applied and applied and applied."

McCasland's comments came moments before City Council approved guidelines for programs funded by $1.17 billion in federal dollars the city will receive through the Texas General Land Office after approving its contract with the state agency last week.

Earmarked in that funding is more than $392 million for a homeowner assistance program that would reimburse eligible applicants for some completed home repairs. Other applicants could contract with firms to rebuild, repair or redesign their homes. The program also would allow some applicants to swap "substantially damaged" homes for new ones built to withstand future flooding.

Another $321 million will go to a multi-family rental program. Some of that money, housing officials said, can be leveraged to finance between 1,500 and 3,000 affordable rental units in the next six years.

In general, 80 percent of the funds will go to households earning up to 80 percent of the area median income, which is about $42,000 for a single person or about $60,000 for a family of four.

Mayor Sylvester Turner called Wednesday's approval of the guidelines a significant step forward, but, like McCasland, noted that it still will be some time before money starts flowing to flooded residents. He also said there could be scheduling hiccups because of the ongoing government shutdown that has furloughed some staff at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"This is the beginning of the process," Turner said. "It's going to require a lot of community engagement."

The next step, officials said, is getting residents to complete a survey, expected to be released Monday, through which housing officials will gauge community needs and steer applicants to the appropriate recovery programs. That process will include some home visits from housing officials; other residents can complete the survey at one of the six recovery centers set up around the city.

Mayra Bontemps, assistant director for disaster recovery for city housing, said the survey will take fewer than 15 minutes to complete and will not require any documents to be collected.

"As we review the surveys, the city's intake specialists will begin to contact Houstonians in the priority groups about taking the next steps to apply for the programs best suited to their needs," she said.

Council member Amanda Edwards called on officials to not "leave any door unknocked" in the recovery effort.

"I'm very anxious and hopeful that we are going to be able to reach all Houstonians with our housing program," she said. "We're almost a year and a half out (from Harvey) and many Houstonians still feel the brunt of this on a day-to-day basis."

Maddie Sloan, director of Texas Appleseed's disaster recovery and fair housing project, said Wednesday that the nonprofit is encouraged by statewide rules that allocate funds for specific income groups.

She also expressed concern about what she called the public's "well-justified mistrust" of recovery processes. She said she fears the survey planned by Houston officials could add to that frustration.

"That may be discouraging to folks who are already impatient and are justifiably impatient to get help, and who have been through a lot of focus groups and surveys," she said.

A November analysis of federal data by the nonprofit advocacy group Texas Housers shows that nearly half of Texas homeowners making less than $15,000 a year were denied help by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The denial rate for all applicants, the report authors wrote, was 26 percent.

Three months after Harvey made landfall, a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Episcopal Health Foundation noted that poorer Texans were disproportionately affected by the storm, but also were more likely to be denied federal help.

That, coupled with lack of flood insurance and the losses of hourly-wage jobs, only worsened existing disparities in income, housing and health, the report said.

"(Poor communities) had these disadvantages before Harvey," Elena Marks, chief executive at the Episcopal Health Foundation, told the Chronicle at the time. "What Harvey did was give them new things to be even more disadvantaged about."

A follow-up study released by the groups in August again showed disparate progress among the 24 counties surveyed, particularly among low-income and minority communities.

"One year later, many of those with the fewest resources are still struggling to bounce back from Harvey's punch," Marks said when that report was released.

Robert Downen covers City Hall for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Twitter or email him at robert.downen@chron.com.The accused gunman in Jazmine Barnes' tragic death has a lengthy criminal history, court records show.

Larry Woodruffe, 24, is facing a capital murder charge for allegedly shooting Jazmine to death Dec. 30 outside Houston after allegedly believing he was shooting up someone else's vehicle.

Jazmine was killed instantly, and her mother and three sisters were injured, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

Woodruffe and Eric Black Jr., 20, were both charged with capital murder in Jazmine's death, although Woodruffe has been identified as the shooter.

ABBOTT CHIMES IN: 'Too many gangs in Houston'

His run-ins with Harris County law enforcement date back to December 2012, which is when he was arrested for marijuana possession and evading police on foot.

While awaiting trial on those two charges, he was arrested for illegally carrying a gun in January 2013, court records show.

The weapon and marijuana charge were eventually dropped in exchange for a 30-day jail sentence on the evading charge.

More Information Jazmine Barnes' accused killer has lengthy criminal history See More Collapse

He spent 10 days in the Harris County Jail after an August 2014 arrest for trespassing, court records show.

COURT DATE MOVED: Woodruffe expected in court Thursday

Then, in December 2015, he was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and cocaine, both felony charges. The cocaine charge was eventually dropped.

He received three years' probation on the meth charge, court records show.

In June 2016, while on probation, he was arrested for choking a family member and was handed a two-year prison sentence.

It is unclear if he was released from prison early, but in November 2017, he was arrested in Harris County for illegally possessing a gun as a convicted felon.

He was given a nine-month jail sentence on that gun charge, court records show.

He spent 2018 mostly out of sight from law enforcement until his arrest in Jazmine's death last week.

If convicted, he will face life in prison on the capital murder charge. He is also eligible for the death penalty, although prosecutors typically take months after an arrest to determine if they will seek the capital punishment.

Black's capital murder charge is his first arrest in Harris County, court records show.

Jay R. Jordan covers breaking news in the Houston area. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and our subscriber site, HoustonChronicle.com | Follow him on Twitter at @JayRJordan | Email him at jay.jordan@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text messageI purchased Elaine Pagels book Beyond Belief a number of years ago when she discussed the Gnostic Gospels, some of Christianitys earliest texts discovered in Egypt in l945. Her fascination with The Gospel of Thomas is examined in detail throughout the book.

When I learned that her newest book was titled Why Religion, it seemed the perfect topic for this column. Our search for gnosis, which is often interpreted as knowledge, Pagel explains that it really means insight or understanding, since its actually about knowledge of the heart.

This search is detailed in The Gospel of Thomas this way: Knock upon yourself as on a door, and walk upon yourself as on a straight road. For if you walk on that road, you cannot get lost, and what you open for yourself, will open. Again, Let the one who seeks not stop seeking until he finds, and when he finds, he will be troubled, and then he will be astonished.

C.S. Lewis, the great Christian apologist, found himself astonished in his search, which he shares in his book Surprised by Joy, that through his many years as an atheist, he would be stunned to feel flashes of joy. It was only later in his momentous discovery of God, that he realized Joy and God are inseparable, since joy comes directly from God, in fact, is God revealing him/herself.

One fascinating revelation of Pagels is her realization that the Gnostic Gospels often depict God as feminine, as in her quote from The Secret Revelation of John, when the disciple John, devastated by Jesuss death, goes out to the desert to grieve, when suddenly the whole creation shines with light, and John hears Jesuss voice saying: John, why do you weep? Dont you know I am with you always? I am the Father, and I am the Mother, and I am the Son.'

Pagel asks: What difference does it make how we imagine God? Mary Baker Eddy, the discovered and founder of Christian Science, was ahead of her time, when she described God multiple times in her seminal work: Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures, as Father-Mother God.

So, the question, Why Religion? During a difficult period in my life, I was caring for my severely handicapped husband, working as an adjunct professor training education interns for FGCU, and conducting all the Sunday and Wednesday services for the Sanibel Christian Science Church. My religious work at times seemed to hold me above the daily burdens, and gave me glimpses of unexpected joy. One morning when my hip and leg were painful and I had to drive to Fort Myers, something took over the steering wheel and gas pedal. It was so mystical, I thought, So this it is what its like! Arriving at the corner of Gladiolus and Route 41, my car was filled with light, but so were all the cars I could see in the six lanes around me. An inner voice said: All you need is already here, and all the needs of those in the other cars, are already met. An indescribable joy and lightness stayed with me for hours, even when I was back home helping my husband from the bed to his wheel-chair. The visiting caregiver said to me, You dont look troubled at all. Youre all shiny bright!

Why religion? For some of us, its as real, and necessary as breathing.

June Sieber is affiliated with the Sanibel Christian Science Church.Harris County Commissioners Courts first meeting of the year was one of its longest in decades, as new County Judge Lina Hidalgo sought to make good on her campaign promise of greater transparency in county government and the two Republican commissioners grappled with Democratic control of the chamber for the first time in a generation.

The result was a nearly seven-hour session that included comment from more than 50 residents on a variety of topics and sometimes lengthy discussions on new proposals and routine measures alike, including a 15-minute debate over who should be on a committee to review the countys sexual harassment training for employees.

Among the topics covered was a proposal by new County Clerk Diane Trautman to implement countywide voting centers, a request from new Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia to study the feasibility of a $15 minimum wage for county employees, and a call to direct the flood control district to determine how the $2.5 billion flood bond projects will benefit rich and poor areas equally.

In the past, the twice-monthly meetings at the countys downtown administration building often concluded in less than an hour. Tuesdays affair, which attracted more than 250 people between the court chambers and an overflow room, adjourned after 6 hours and 52 minutes and included a recess for lunch.

Hidalgo, who campaigned on making county government more open and less mysterious to residents, said she was pleased by the turnout.

The most important part of making sure that government delivers is the ability of citizens to know what government does, to engage with government, so Im very happy to make Commissioners Court meetings an avenue for participation, she said.

IN FORT BEND COUNTY: KP George oversees first commissioners meeting

The first-term Democrat acknowledged the need to develop a more efficient way to handle public speakers. Many scheduled to speak gave up and went home as morning turned to afternoon. One man, who said he arrived before 9 a.m. to ensure he would have a seat, waited until 4:30 p.m. for his opportunity to speak.

Hidalgo has encouraged her colleagues to examine whether to hold meetings at different dates, times and locations to provide less of a hassle to residents, who may be reluctant to skip work and battle traffic for a weekday meeting.

Trautmans voting centers proposal received a warm reception from most public speakers, many of whom were from advocacy groups that favor the idea. Under the proposal, Harris County voters would be able to cast ballots at any polling place rather than only their assigned precinct. Trautman said that would make voting more convenient, since residents easily would be able to cast ballots near their work or school.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Jack Cagle said he was concerned the shift to voting centers could lead to the closure of some polling places cherished by residents, such as in their nearby churches or community centers. The concern was shared by black and Hispanic advocacy groups, who are especially sensitive to polling site changes, given Texas history of limiting ballot access.

Trautman assured the court that the county only would consolidate polling sites under a new voting center system after extensive discussions with neighborhood groups.

The county operates some 46 polling locations during early voting, but voters may only use their assigned precinct poll locations on Election Day. Trautmans plan would use those 46 early voting sites, in addition to precinct polling locations, on Election Day.

More than 50 counties across Texas, including Fort Bend, Brazoria and Travis, already use voting centers. The county must apply to the Texas Secretary of State for permission to use the centers. Trautman said she hopes to use the centers first for low-turnout elections, such as school board balloting in May and this falls city of Houston election, before a high-turnout November general election.

Except for its lack of brevity, Hidalgos first meeting went much as those run by her predecessor, Ed Emmett, whom she defeated in November. Court members were collegial and at times made jokes, and Hidalgo sought input from each. She was confident and enthusiastic, and did not hesitate to ask for advice on parliamentary matters, such as whether an item required her to make a formal motion, from First Assistant County Attorney Robert Soard.

Not only was the meeting the first to be led by Hidalgo, it was the first she had even attended, a point for which she drew criticism during her campaign, though she said she had watched the proceedings online.

GRIEDER: Give Lina Hidalgo a chance to lead Harris County

In this new era of Democratic control of county government, Republican commissioners Steve Radack and Jack Cagle found themselves squarely in the minority on several occasions. They appeared perplexed during an Ellis soliloquy on the importance of ensuring flood bond funds are spent equitably among high- and low-income neighborhoods, as both commissioners had joined Ellis last year in including language to that effect in the bond proposal.

The pair suggested that, as in the past, the court should complete its agenda so that employees of county departments could return to their jobs before proceeding to public speakers. They were overruled by the three Democrats, who decided to schedule the speakers based on the agenda item they planned to address. The result  coupled with the fact that the loquacious Garcia and Ellis spoke on many more agenda items than was typical on the previous court - was that the meeting stretched far longer than usual.

Radack and Cagle also lost a 3-2 vote directing the county attorneys office to write an amicus brief for several lawsuits challenging the inclusion of a citizenship question on the 2020 U.S. census.

Garcia proposed the $15 minimum wage study and said no county employee should be paid less than that rate. Other commissioners previously have pushed for increasing the pay for the countys low-wage employees.

Budget Director Bill Jackson said Monday that just 666 employees earn an hourly wage less than $15, though he expects that figure to drop to 140 with the countys new budget proposal in March.Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that legislation targeting Houston ISD is "nothing that I'm contemplating" as lawmakers begin their biennial session this week.

Abbott's comment comes one week after he blasted HISD's leadership as a "disaster" and retweeted two posts highlighting state Sen. Paul Bettencourt's pledge to file legislation that would change the way HISD trustees are elected.

"There could always be legislation (that could) come up. There is nothing that I'm contemplating," the Republican governor told reporters Wednesday during a press conference with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker of the House Dennis Bonnen.

"What I want to see is the local school districts take care of their business to educate their kids to prevent failing schools. We're committed to providing the resources that are needed and the strategies that will be needed to make sure that the children will be educated adequately, if not superiorly. But we do also expect school districts and their leaders to behave responsibly and to advance their schools appropriately."

Abbott and HISD trustees have clashed in recent days following the governor's blistering 43-word tweet about the district on Friday. Abbott wrote HISD's leadership "has failed the children they are supposed to educate," and that "if ever there was a school board that needs to be taken over and reformed, it's HISD."

Several trustees have responded that Abbott is unfairly demonizing the district, pointing to HISD's "B"-level grade this year under the state's new accountability system and its steep reduction in the number of schools failing to meet state academic standards.

Some trustees also have criticized Abbott and Republican legislators for not providing more funding for Texas schools. Abbott and lawmakers have pledged to reform Texas' school finance system this year and increase education funding during the 140-day legislative session, though they have not committed to how they will raise additional money for schools.

While Abbott has not endorsed legislation aimed at HISD, his retweets of posts about Bettencourt's proposed legislation raised questions about the governor's appetite for state-mandated change in the district.

Currently, HISD is divided into nine single-member districts, with no at-large representatives. That means voters only cast ballots in one race, choosing the trustee seeking to represent the single-member district in which the voter resides.

Over the past several weeks, Bettencourt has said he plans to introduce legislation changing the makeup of HISD's board to five single-member districts and four at-large seats. Under that setup, all voters could cast ballots in their single-member district race, as well as the four at-large races.

Bettencourt has said HISD's current board setup leads to trustees focusing too much on the needs of their own single-member districts, creating divisions that hurt HISD as a whole. Opponents of the legislation argue it represents an improper state intervention that will reduce geographic and racial diversity on the board.

In an interview Monday, Bettencourt said he likely will file his legislation next week.

Staff writer Andrea Zelinski contributed to this report.As president, Donald Trump has the power to declare that whats happening on Americas southern border a national emergency.

For that matter, Trump could declare that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a national emergency. To his credit, he hasnt, though many Republicans were thrown into a panic when Ocasio-Cortez won the Democratic primary in New Yorks 14th Congressional District.

Although the law that gives the president the power to unilaterally declare an emergency gives him the latitude to issue such a declaration about literally anything, Trump has been judicious in his declarations thus far and hasnt tried to use them to usurp the powers of the legislative branch.

Read more: Border security debates should be grounded in reality

Last October, for example, Trump declared that the opioid epidemic is a national emergency. I approved of that decision, even though the directive he issued was arguably symbolic. It was a way of acknowledging the magnitude of the issue and its gravity. What it symbolized was worthwhile.

Trumps hawkish views on border security, for that matter, are partly related to his desire to crack down on drug trafficking. That being the case, I wasnt unduly disturbed that he might declare Tuesday night whats happening on the southern border a national emergency.

But I am troubled by Trumps determination to build a border wall, because Ive never been convinced that when he calls for a border wall, hes using the phrase as a metaphor. Im also troubled by how Republicans have responded to his threat to use his emergency declaration power to pursue the multibillion-dollar project.

Read more: Donald Trump deserves a lump of coal in his Christmas stocking

Trump seems to be under the impression that declaring a national emergency would enable him to proceed with the construction of a literal border wall, using the governments power of eminent domain and funds appropriated to the Department of Defense.

Thats ridiculous. If Trump can do whatever he wants after declaring a national emergency, so can any other president.

Republican members of Congress can presumably see that, since everyone else can. And U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, who represents Texass 13th Congressional District, had the audacity to say in public that Trumps power isnt limitless.

Im opposed to using defense dollars for nondefense purposes, Thornberry said on Tuesday, after being asked to weigh in on the scheme Trump was toying with.

It was impossible to know at that point whether Trump would declare a national emergency. But Congressional Republicans should have have spoken up in their capacity as members of Congress, as Thornberry did.

Read more: Texans should be prepared for a tumultuous 2019

Im in favor of border security, by which I mean operational control of Americas southern border. Strategic fencing is among the forms of technology that can be useful, to that end. And, in fact, weve already built such fencing along some 700 miles of the border.

The southern border is more than 2,000 miles long, though. And strategic fencing isnt a great solution in Big Bend National Park, for example, or the Rio Grande Valley.

Trump wants a border wall, though, and it's not clear what he means by that. He wasnt able to persuade Congressional leaders to furnish the funding he desires last year. He may find it harder to cut a deal, now that Democrats control the House.

As president, Trump can declare a national emergency whenever he wants. And members of Congress, Republican and Democrat, should be prepared to show him that the powers of the executive branch are limited.

erica.grieder@chron.comWASHINGTON - At a 1994 news conference, a passionate Nancy Pelosi spoke critically against extending China's trading privileges with the United States because of Beijing's record on human rights, a cause that had pitted a bipartisan congressional coalition against President Bill Clinton.

Among those who accompanied Pelosi as she detailed her opposition was then-Rep. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., who couldn't help but admire the oratory skills of the congresswoman from San Francisco.

"She's so good," Schumer murmured to an aide afterward as they left the meeting room in the House offices. "Man, she's so good."

Nearly a quarter-century later, Pelosi and Schumer are again working in tandem to battle a president, on a far bigger scale, as President Donald Trump and his Republican administration tries to wear down Democrats until they give Trump money for his prized border wall amid a partial government shutdown that has no end in sight.

No two principals in the shutdown fight have presented a more united front than "Chuck and Nancy," as Trump has dubbed them. The two leaders have refused to make any key strategic moves in the ongoing shutdown fight without consulting each other and have become so simpatico that their staffs now regularly joke that the two are finishing each other's sentences.

The two Democratic leaders - together, of course - delivered the rebuttal to Trump's first Oval Office address as he made the case for his controversial border wall, continuing a stream of joint statements and appearances as they hold firm against the administration's immigration demands.

"We are only strong if we're unified. They understand that better than anyone," said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, a member of Schumer's leadership team. "They trust each other, and therefore the caucuses from the different chambers are able to work well together."

In their response, Pelosi and Schumer took turns chastising Trump for spreading misinformation in making his case for a border wall while insisting that the federal government should not be used as leverage for a wall that remains unpopular with the broader public.

"President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis, and must reopen the government," Pelosi said.

Schumer added: "There is an obvious solution: separate the shutdown from the arguments over border security. There is bipartisan legislation - supported by Democrats and Republicans - to reopen government while allowing debate over border security to continue."

Pelosi, 78, and Schumer, 68, are both veteran lawmakers with roots in the House who ultimately rose to the highest levels of party leadership in the Capitol and have worked closely under the Trump presidency to protect the Affordable Care Act and limit Democratic defections on the Republican tax bill that became law in late 2017.

Their relationship dates to at least 1987, when Schumer was a roommate of then-Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., a longtime Pelosi ally who retired in 2015. In addition to sharing a townhouse on D Street SE, Miller, Schumer and then-Reps. Leon Panetta, D-Calif., and Martin Russo, D-Ill., would hold regular Tuesday night dinners and, on occasion, invite other lawmakers to join them.

One such guest that year was a freshly elected lawmaker by the name of Pelosi, whom Miller brought to the dinner club and said, as he introduced her: She's going to be the first female speaker.

Schumer has "always remembered this story," a person close to the senator said. "It's something that sticks out in his mind."

Two decades later, Miller would prove correct. In another 10 years, Pelosi and Schumer would become the respective Democratic chamber leaders and find themselves in a bitter shutdown fight against an administration determined to drive a rift between them as it puts forward its own competing messages.

Administration officials, believing Schumer would be more amendable to a deal to end the shutdown, have tried to isolate Pelosi and depict her as the intractable figure, particularly as she waited to be formally elected speaker again.

After meeting with Schumer and Vice President Mike Pence immediately after the shutdown began, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney told Fox News, "My gut was that he was really interested in doing a deal and coming to some sort of compromise."

"The more we're hearing this week is that it's Nancy Pelosi who's preventing that from happening," Mulvaney said during the interview.

Aides dismiss any notion of daylight between Pelosi and Schumer, and there's been no public evidence that would suggest a split.

Indeed, it's been the opposite.

The two have talked several times a day since the shutdown battle began, aides say, mostly from their cellphones and so frequently that they are often relaying updates to their staff, not the other way around. Schumer, who is famous for having memorized the cellphone numbers for every member of the Senate Democratic caucus, has also committed Pelosi's digits to memory.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., met privately with Schumer on Dec. 18 to offer him a deal on behalf of the White House to stave off a shutdown - passing a negotiated funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security as well as an additional $1 billion for the administration's various non-wall immigration policies. Schumer declined to commit on the spot and instead called Pelosi to his Capitol office, where the two agreed the offer was unacceptable, according to an official familiar with those conversations. Pelosi left Schumer's office and promptly told the reporters who had assembled outside that they would not take that deal.

"Remember that they fought a lot of battles together in the '90s," one senior Democratic aide said, citing as an example the Brady gun legislation, for which Schumer was the lead lawmaker and Pelosi helped whipped votes. "They've just known each other for a very, very long time. That helps this relationship along quite a bit."

The two Democratic leaders have also prepared in-depth before White House meetings, another of which will occur on Wednesday afternoon with the eight top congressional leaders. Pelosi and Schumer - along with their top deputies, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and Senate Minority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill., - convened before the two Situation Room meetings last week to ensure all the Democratic leaders were on the same page. (Pelosi served chocolate doughnuts at the Friday meeting in her speaker's office, held around breakfast time.)

The decision to deliver Tuesday's rebuttal together was also a joint one, made when Pelosi was speaking to Schumer on the phone as she traveled back to San Francisco from Sacramento after watching newly elected California governor Gavin Newsom, D, be sworn in.

"He promised to keep government shutdown for 'months or years' - no matter whom it hurts," Pelosi said as she concluded her remarks. "That's just plain wrong."

- - -

The Washington Post's Glenn Kessler contributed to this report.Less than two months after the famed Waterway Cruisers in The Woodlands were scrapped after sustaining irreparable damage during Hurricane Harvey, officials with the townships tourism entity discussed options for new boats.

On Tuesday, members of the Visit The Woodlands Board of Directors discussed re-issuing a Request for Interest for a new water vessel operation  the first step in potentially bringing boats back to the townships waters. However, after lengthy discussion, no action was taken and the issue was rescheduled for discussion in February.

There arent a lot of cities in Texas with a waterway, said Visit The Woodlands board Chairman Bruce Rieser. I think we should maximize what we have.

Tuesdays discussions were not the first push for new vessels on the Waterway. In March, officials with Visit The Woodlands issued an initial short-term request for proposals from outside contractors. The board approved the removal of the boats from the Waterway in August, most of which had not been functional since Hurricane Harvey dumped more than 50 inches of rain on greater Houston. One boat was put back into service in December 2017, but was soon rendered inoperable and by early February, the service was shuttered.

Tuesdays decision, introduced by Visit the Woodlands board President Nick Wolda, would create a new time period for officials to hear bids and formalize the process for already interested parties, of which Wolda said there are five or six.

People still call every day to ask what time theyre running and when they can book them, Wolda said of the cruisers.

But, the path to a replacement for the cruisers may be more complicated than just accepting the most attractive bid  the proposal was met with opposition from fellow board members Fred Domenick and John Anthony Brown, who cited low interest in the old boats and a hesitance to use local funds on the project.

Domenick, the general manager of The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, said staff at the property have noticed little to no curiosity from guests as to where the cruisers went, much less fielded inquiries about how to book a seat on one. And, he added, the responsibility to bring back the boats should fall to a different department.

The proposal also showcased the many moving, intricate parts of bringing back any sort of major water vessel to the Waterway. Before their removal, the six Waterway Cruisers were owned and operated by Waterway Events, LLC., maintained by the Brazos Transit District. They were removed by Florida-based maritime company MGSIII from the Waterway, which is owned by the Howard Hughes Corporation.

I dont see this as part of our core mission as the (Convention and Visitors Bureau), Domenick said.

In their 13 years on the Waterway, the cruisers saw almost half a million riders and were heavily used in township marketing materials. Ten swan-shaped pedal boats were introduced on the Waterway in Town Green Park in August as a partial replacement for the boats, but there remains a gap in the market.

For Rieser, the proposal represented an open door  should the township choose to proceed with replacing the Waterway Cruisers  adding that neither Visit The Woodlands nor the Township Board of Directors would go forward with a proposal that was less than ideal.

It never hurts to listen, Rieser said.

mrincon@chron.comNewly seated County Judge Mark Keough made good on a campaign promise Tuesday to reduce his salary 12 percent.

The court approved Keoughs compensation cut from $174,778, which was former County Judge Craig Doyals salary, to $154,774. Additionally, the court approved the reduction of new Chief of Staff Jason Milsaps, from $121,723 which was former Chief of Staff Jim Fredrickss salary, to $108,000.

Keoughs reduction was just shy of 12 percent at 11.44 percent.

Having looked at salaries commensurate with my position with other counties with like population I concluded that our salaries were out of line, Keough told The Courier after the meeting. So during the course of my campaign for county judge I ran on reducing my salary 12 percent. This would take place at the first court that I would hold. Todays action was a follow through on that commitment. Also I looked into the salaries of my staff and it became clear that the chief of staff position was over compensated as well. So I reduced the salary of my chief of staff by a similar percentage.

During a candidate forum in January 2018, Keough was one of several candidates at that time to vow to lower their pay if elected.

MONEY PROBLEMS: Texas officials, former political candidates with unpaid ethics fines

In June 2016, The Courier reported Montgomery County's elected officials are among the highest paid in the state. Montgomery County commissioners earn $164,851 (with Mike Meador about $1,000 less due to not taking a cellphone allowance).

All the salaries listed include benefits and any additional stipends. The court did not increase its salaries for 2017-18.

On the very first agenda, the very first commissioners court, I will have on the agenda that  I personally am going to take a 12 percent cut in my salary for county judge, Keough said during the Montgomery County Eagle Forum Jan. 18.

The total amount saved, about $26,000, is being transferred by the Precinct 4 Commissioners budget after former Precinct 4 Commissioner Jim Clark moved $30,000 from his asphalt budget to the countys judge for miscellaneous items including furniture for the Keoughs office.

ICYMI: Keough sworn in as Montgomery County judge

Milsaps said that money was not needed for new furniture and Keough wanted to ensure new Precinct 4 Commissioner James Metts got the funds back in his budget.

I admire you for what you are doing and I appreciate it, Metts said. Thank you sir.

There was no discussion on if commissioners would follow Keoughs lead in reducing their salaries but Precinct 2 Commissioner Charlie Riley and Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack have said in previous Courier articles they would not support pay reductions for themselves.

While I ran on personal salary reduction I did not run on making salary changes for the other members of the court and their staff, Keough said. Even though I am the county judge I am still but one vote on the court and do not have the authority to mandate salary changes. Instead I have chosen to lead by example and my hope is that the commissioners would do the same or at least in someway do something to reduce their salary burden on the people of Montgomery County.

cdominguez@hcnonline.comWhen we last left Cesar Cano, the Houston teacher was sweating out the most nail-biting finale of Fox's "MasterChef" competition for amateur home cooks.

During that gripping September broadcast, Cano also cut his finger, adding to the evening's tension and culinary drama. As "MasterChef" fans know, Cano did not come out on top and capture the $250,000 purse, but he won the hearts of home cooks across the country for his polite, caring demeanor and accomplished style of cooking invested with the flavors of his native Mexico.

After the well-deserved hoopla surrounding his quest for one of food television's biggest competitions, Cano returned to his life as an English teacher at Pasadena Memorial High School where his goals were about writing good sentences instead of building a perfect sauce.

SPECIAL TREAT: How to make excellent, restaurant-quality salsa at home. Recipes available for HoustonChronicle.com subscribers

But not for a second did Cano relinquish his ultimate goal of running his own intimate restaurant where he could cook for small groups of people the kind of food his Mexican mother taught him.

Cano has launched a new series of pop-up dinners, under his handle Taque Son, held in his Houston home. The multi-course dinners all center around the taco, which he calls the world's most perfect food. Limited to a dozen or fewer guests, Cano acts as host and chef of the pop-ups where guests can watch the house-made flour and corn tortillas being made and topped with a variety of creative, flavorful fillings.

Aided by his sister Elda Cano who helps serve and his mother Marina Cano (on "MasterChef" he credited her as his culinary inspiration) who makes the tortillas, Cesar's Taque Son is one of the most unique offerings in a city that enjoys foodie pop-ups. Since "MasterChef" aired, Cano has held about eight Taque Son pop-ups which began in 2017 as experimental home cooking for groups of family and friends.

Today, Cano has his act down and Taque Son begins the new year with plans for pop-ups on the first and last weekends of the month.

At a recent dinner Cano began his meal with an amuse of cream of garlic soup with croutons. That segued into five different tacos all built on fresh corn or flour tortillas and dressed with a variety of house-made salsas. The taco courses included a mushroom, chickpea and pasilla chile taco on a green-hued chive corn tortilla, followed by a skirt steak, chorizo and bacon taco on a flour tortilla. Next came a simple construct of corn tortilla with cubes off queso fresco with contrasting salsas: green tomatillo and red morita chile salsas. That was followed by chunks of chicken breast sauteed with peppers in a lime butter sauce on a flour tortilla and the finale taco of pork belly, potatoes and carrots on a chile de arbol-flavored corn tortilla. For dessert Cano served tiny empanadas filled with pear, apple and guava and a queso fresco ice cream.

Cano said he is pursuing his dream of opening a restaurant he describes as a "cenaduria," a neighborhood "eating house" that were familiar to him as a child growing up in Salamanca, a city in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. The restaurant would serve only 10 to 12 people at a time with about three services per night, with Cano acting as host, cook and server.

LIVING IN HOUSTON: Food, fun and tips to get the most out of the city at HoustonChronicle.com

The Taque Son dinners are priced at $80 to $96 per person based on the taco lineup; including beverages. On my visit Cano began the meal with a shot of good tequila for the guests; beverages included water, sodas and Mexican beer. To experience Taque Son, follow Cano on Instagram at Taque_Son or contact him at the.taque.son@gmail.com.

Houston's Christine Ha, who won Season 3 of "MasterChef" posted this video on YouTube of her recent Taque Son dinner.

Greg Morago writes about food for the Houston Chronicle. Follow him on Facebook or Twitter. Send him news tips at greg.morago@chron.com. Hear him on our BBQ State of Mind podcast to learn about Houston and Texas barbecue culture.The All Island Book Club is returning for a second season, with its first session coming up.

Founded and organized by the Captiva Civic Association, the club is free and open to all  island residents, renters and visitors of all ages. The only requirement is reading the featured selection.

Its a casual come-as-you-are gathering of folks who love to read, CCA Vice President Merni Libonate said, noting that people do not need to be a member of the association to take part.

Our only requirement is that you read the book, she said.

The first session will be held on Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. at the Captiva Civic Center.

The book of choice is The Water Is Wide, by Pat Conroy.

We chose this book because of its wonderful message and also Conroys love for his surroundings, Libonate said. We think its an uplifting start to this seasons book club and the new year.

He also authored The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini.

The Water Is Wide is Conroys 1972 memoir of his experience as a teacher on Daufuskie Island, South Carolina  which he changes to Yamacraw. She explained that the island is a poor one, with no bridges and little contact with the mainland. Many of the islanders are direct descendants of slaves.

Conroy ended up falling in love with the island and his students, waiting only the best for both.

She added that it was a love for ones community people on Captiva may relate to.

Libonate explained that the gathering and discussion lasts for about an hour.

Attendees will get to decide on next months pick.

Well select our February read with the help of everyone, she said.

The next session will be held on Feb. 12.

The All Island Book Club was well received for its first season. Last year, the book selection theme was American classics  the books everyone was forced to read in high school, Libonate said.

She added that it led to some interesting discussions.

As of now, there is no decided theme for this seasons reading list.

Libonate encouraged people to come and participate.

The wonderful thing about book clubs is that you read books that otherwise you would have ignored, Libonate said. Its a great exercise and a great way to get to know new people.

For more information, call 239-472-2111 or visit www.ccacaptiva.org.

The Captiva Civic Center is at 11550 Chapin Lane.Heights Mercantile, the less-than-2-year-old shopping center that brought some of the countrys hippest retailers into the Heights neighborhood, has been sold to a national real estate firm in an under-the-radar deal that closed over the summer.

Asana Partners of Charlotte, N.C., purchased the property from Radom Capital, a Houston developer that built the shopping complex along 7th Street between Heights Boulevard and Yale.

Principal Steve Radom said he was in the process of refinancing a construction loan when he was introduced to Asana executives who made an offer. The property was not on the market.

We were very happy owning it forever, Radom said Tuesday. We built it with the idea that our kids would be fighting over it.

The parties struck a deal for Heights Mercantile, as well as three other Radom Capital properties: Lowell Street Market, a redevelopment of three industrial warehouse buildings at North Shepherd and 18th Street; 201 East 20th Street, a redeveloped 1955 masonry building; and 420 East 20th Street, a redeveloped washateria from 1955.

The purchase price was not disclosed, but the properties are valued at a combined $14.3 million, according to the Harris County Appraisal District.

Heights Mercantile is a collection of six buildings, including historic brick bungalows and old industrial warehouses  across from the Heights Donovan Park.

The structures, which are laced together through leafy landscaping, a bike trail and other green space, accommodate 45,000 square feet of space.

Tenants include the athletic apparel retailer Lululemon and ice cream shop Cloud 10 Creamery, which operate out of restored Craftsman bungalows. Others, such as eyeglass maker Warby Parker, Postino Wine Cafe, Aesop and Local Foods, operate in new and repurposed buildings. Theres also a gallery space with rotating works from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

Radom Capital will continue to manage and lease the property.

Asana was founded in 2015 by former executives of Edens, a South Carolina commercial real estate firm that owns Uptown Park in Houston.

Steve Radom owned Heights Mercantile with his brother-in-law, Evan Katz. His company is working on its next project, the redevelopment of an industrial park at the northeast intersection of North Shepherd and 6th Street. The project is called M-K-T and is a joint development with Triten Real Estate Partners.

nancy.sarnoff@chron.com

rebecca.schuetz@chron.comMexicos opposition is accusing the government of addressing the issue of fuel theft irresponsibly as supply fears spread to the nations capital.

Members of the senate are calling for the newly appointed energy minister Rocio Nahle and Petroleos Mexicanos chief executive Octavio Romero to explain how they will fix fuel distribution amid shortages at gasoline stations in central Mexico, according to Lopez Doriga.

At least six stations in Mexico City ran short of fuel, leading to panic buying, national newspaper Excelsior reported. Fuel shortages are also affecting as many as three Mexico airports, Rodrigo Perez-Alonso, head of the national air transport commission Canaero, said in a tweet on Tuesday.

THIEVERY: Mexican gasoline thieves steal $1B from Pemex every year

Mexicos President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, in an interview with El Financiero Bloomberg TV thats airing late Tuesday, said the fight against illegal pipeline taps by fuel thieves known as huachicoleros will take some time, and that the gasoline supply would begin to normalize bit by bit.

We have enough gasoline, theres no problem, its a matter of distribution, Lopez Obrador said. In the worst of cases pipelines could reopen, he said.

The mounting crisis, which is compounded by congestion at Mexicos ports and refinery closures, could not come at a worse time for Pemex and the Energy Ministry. In the past two months, they have let go some of their most experienced executives to make way for their replacements under the government of Lopez Obrador.

RELATED: Tapped-out pipelines cause gas shortage in Mexico

Lopez Obrador has sought to reduce soaring gasoline theft by using more tanker trucks to transport fuel while increasing pipeline surveillance and sending the army to Pemexs refineries and fuel terminals. On Monday, Mexicos newly elected president said that the plan was advancing and pipelines were reopening.

Pemex said in a statement on its Twitter account that there is enough gasoline in Mexico City to meet demand.

--With assistance from Dale Quinn.

2019 Bloomberg L.P.Discovery Midstream Partners

Dallas pipeline and storage terminal company Discovery Midstream Partners has received $1 billion of private equity funding that will be used to develop the company's second round of oil and natural gas infrastructure projects.

New York private equity firm Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners has agreed to invest $1 billion for the launch of Discovery Midstream Holdings II LLC, the companies reported in a statement released on Monday evening.WASHINGTON - Talks between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats aimed at ending the partial government shutdown collapsed in acrimony and disarray Wednesday, with the president walking out of the White House meeting and calling it "a total waste of time" after Democrats rejected his demand for border-wall funding.

Furious Democrats accused Trump of slamming his hand on the table before he exited, and they said he ignored their pleas to reopen the federal government as they continue to negotiate over his border-wall demands. With the shutdown nearing the three-week mark, some 800,000 workers are about to miss their first paycheck.

"He thinks maybe they could just ask their father for more money. But they can't," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., an implicit dig at Trump's wealthy upbringing.

"Well unfortunately, the president just got up and walked out," said Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. "He asked Speaker Pelosi, 'Will you agree to my wall?' She said no. And he just got up and said, 'Then we have nothing to discuss' and he just walked out."

Trump himself tweeted: "Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy, a total waste of time. I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works!"

The breakdown left no end in sight to the shutdown even as its effects spiral around the nation on services for farmers, food inspection services and national parks. Trump ended the day Wednesday even further dug in on his demands for $5.7 billion to build more than 200 miles of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and Democrats were equally forceful in rejecting his demands. Democrats are refusing to provide more than $1.3 billion to continue existing funding levels for security barriers at the border.

It's not clear when - or if - negotiations will resume. On Saturday, the shutdown will become the longest in U.S. history.

As an early test of divided government in Washington, with Democrats in their second week in control of the House, the standoff portends more clashes to come. The new Congress faces a string of consequential votes, including raising the federal borrowing limit to avoid defaulting on U.S. government debts, and the political pressure will only intensify as the 2020 presidential race heats up.

After the White House meeting broke up in startling fashion, Republican and Democratic officials took turns addressing reporters at the White House and on Capitol Hill, trading blame and accusing each other of mischaracterizing the meeting and being intransigent.

"The president walked into the room and passed out candy," Vice President Mike Pence said. "I don't recall him ever raising his voice or slamming his hand."

Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., said later that the candy distributed was Baby Ruth bars, M&M's and Butterfinger bars.

But Schumer told reporters upon returning to the Capitol: "It was an amazing meeting. The president threw another temper tantrum, slammed the table and walked out."

"It wasn't even a high-stakes negotiation," Pelosi said. "It was a petulant president of the United States."

The breakdown at the White House occurred shortly after the president dug in defiantly at a private meeting with Senate Republicans, attempting to rally GOP senators to his side even as he faced skepticism from a few lawmakers.

"There was no discussion of anything other than solidarity," Trump told reporters after meeting with GOP senators.

Trump plans to visit the border in McAllen, Texas, on Thursday to highlight conditions there, and Wednesday's chaotic events followed Trump's first Oval Office address Tuesday night, which he used to make the case for an unfolding border crisis. Taken together, the events amount to a sustained and public effort by the president to make the case for his demands, after a holiday season he spent largely holed up in the White House tweeting.

But inside the meeting with senators Wednesday, there was not unanimity on Trump's approach.

Moderate Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Susan Collins, R-Maine, pleaded with Trump to reopen the government, according to lawmakers present.

Trump said he was doing everything he could - but that he wouldn't end the standoff by taking nothing, according to two people familiar with the exchange who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the private discussion.

During the lunch, Trump talked about a subject he brings up often - winning, according to a person in the room who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting.

His main message, according to this person, was that Republicans needed to stick together in the border security fight, and that they could lose if they don't.

After the meeting, Murkowski told reporters: "I shared my support for the need for border security in the country and what we should do from a humanitarian perspective, but a recognition that when the government is shut down there are consequences and people are starting to feel those consequences."

Collins urged Trump to consider a previous deal she was a part of that would trade $25 billion for the wall for permanent protections for undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children. Trump dismissed that idea.

But the discontent expressed by a handful of GOP lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol appeared unlikely to change the basic contours of the standoff between a president demanding a border wall and Democrats who refuse to give it to him.

Congressional GOP leaders and the bulk of rank-and-file lawmakers made clear they support the president's approach, even as federal services have been cut in some areas since the shutdown began Dec. 22.

"We're all behind the president," Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said as he left the Capitol Hill meeting at Trump's side.

Asked Wednesday how long he was willing to let the shutdown continue as he seeks money for a border wall, Trump replied: "Whatever it takes."

Collins and Murkowski, two of the most outspoken advocates of ending the shutdown, were also the last two senators to address Trump during the lunch meeting on Capitol Hill. As a result, Trump turned to Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who was running the lunch, and somewhat jokingly told Blunt that the Missouri senator must really not like him.

Then, Sen Cory Gardner, R-Colo., joked that Jeff Flake - the retired U.S. senator from Arizona who has been a vocal Trump critic - was waiting right outside.

A group of Senate Republicans met privately late Wednesday afternoon with Jared Kushner, senior White House adviser and presidential son-in-law, and legislative director Shahira Knight on Capitol Hill. Senators left the meeting saying they were trying to find a way out of the shutdown by devising an agreement involving border security, but no decisions were reached. Democrats did not attend the meeting.

GOP unity behind Trump faced a fresh test Wednesday afternoon, when House Democrats held a vote to reopen the Treasury Department, legislation that would fund the Internal Revenue Service at time when millions of taxpayers are filing their 2018 returns.

Trump has said he would not sign any legislation to reopen the government unless it contains the wall money he wants, and McConnell has made clear he won't bring up any bill that does not have the president's support.

The spending bill passed 240-188, with only eight Republicans breaking ranks to vote with Democrats for passage - just one more than the seven who voted with Democrats on a package of spending bills last week aimed at reopening government without funding Trump's wall. There had been concerns among Republicans that the number of defections could be higher, and the fact that it wasn't amounted to a success by the White House and a ratification of GOP unity.

The vote to reopen the Treasury Department and IRS comes after concerns surfaced that the IRS would not be issuing tax refunds during the shutdown. Since then, the IRS has reversed position and said it will continue to issue refunds during a government shutdown, but other services remained impacted.

Behind closed doors, administration officials have been urging GOP lawmakers to hold the line on Trump's demand that any legislation to reopen government include wall money - even as the prolonged partial shutdown becomes more painful for their constituents.

There was little optimism at the Capitol that the stalemate would end anytime soon.

"Both sides are not reading the other side properly. I think both sides think that there's greater weakness on the other side than there really is," said Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., a leading House conservative who is close with Trump.

"The Democrats think that we're about ready to fold - most of you were writing about that yesterday. I think Republicans think that Democrats are ready to fold, and neither of those two things are accurate by any stretch of the imagination," Meadows said, adding: "I think you can't cave. That's what the Democrats don't understand - it's all or nothing."

With border funding negotiations at an impasse, Trump has also threatened to circumvent lawmakers by declaring a national emergency to use Defense Department funds for the wall - a move that would activate executive powers and almost certainly face legal challenges.

"I may do that at some point," Trump said after meeting with Senate Republicans, saying that it could happen if he doesn't get what he wants from "Chuck and Nancy" - his way of referring to Pelosi and Schumer.

"It's a very bad political issue for the Democrats, that I can tell you," Trump said, referring to the wall issue generally.

Trump continues to demand U.S. taxpayer dollars for the southern border wall he long claimed Mexico would pay for.

A House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal caucus dynamics, said: "No one thinks we're losing, and therefore we continue." Like others in the GOP caucus, this lawmaker said there is no end in sight to the partial government shutdown, and no plan to end it.

- - -

The Washington Post's Paul Kane, David Weigel, Karoun Demirjian and Jenna Portnoy contributed to this report.

---

Video Embed Code

Video: Republican senators spoke to reporters before meeting with President Trump on Jan. 9, the 19th day of the partial government shutdown.(Rhonda Colvin,Jorge Ribas/The Washington Post)

Embed code:WASHINGTON - Divisions grew among congressional Republicans on Tuesday over President Donald Trump's shutdown strategy, as a number of lawmakers expressed consternation over the possibility that he'd declare a national emergency to build his border wall, while others voiced some support for Democrats' plans to reopen most of the government without the wall money Trump has demanded.

Ahead of a nationally televised address by Trump, Vice President Mike Pence lobbied House Republicans behind closed doors to stand with the president, reminding them that Trump would not sign any spending bills passed by Democrats unless he gets the wall funding he wants and urging them to reject the Democratic strategy.

But in a potentially perilous sign for Trump on the 18th day of the partial shutdown, cracks were multiplying within GOP ranks even before Pence ventured to Capitol Hill late Tuesday. The dissension was especially evident over whether Trump should declare a national emergency that would allow him to circumvent Congress and draw on military construction funds to build his wall, with some normally reliable supporters voicing concerns over the approach.

"Right now, I don't support that. We need to go through the system," said conservative Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas. "I think there's better ways to do it."

Opposition also came from members of the House Armed Services Committee, who voiced concerns over cannibalizing the military budget to pay for the wall.

"I think border security is very important. It is not a responsibility of the Department of Defense," said Rep. Mac Thornberry, R-Texas, the top committee Republican. "In short, I'm opposed to using defense dollars for nondefense purposes."

The GOP fissures suggested that Trump's showdown with the Democrats had entered a new and politically perilous phase. While Trump has largely maintained loyalty among Republican lawmakers, at least until now, additional GOP defections could isolate the president and force his hand on reopening the government without delivering on his signature campaign promise - a potentially embarrassing outcome for a businessman who presented himself as a master negotiator.

Pence's presentation failed to quiet concerns from some Republicans who would like to see most of the government reopen while the fight over the border wall continues, an approach Democrats will attempt anew starting Wednesday by putting a series of spending bills on the House floor to fund shuttered agencies.

"My positions haven't really changed," Rep. Will Hurd, Texas, who was among around a half-dozen Republicans who broke ranks last week and voted with Democrats on an earlier spending bill to reopen the government without funding Trump's wall, said after hearing from Pence on Tuesday night.

"Shutting down the government is never a good idea," Hurd said.

Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., said that although he would vote against the Democrats' bills, it was "hard to say" whether the House GOP conference was unified around that stance.

"We've got some people that may be predisposed to voting for the individual bills that are going to come up to reopen portions of the government, but we'll see," Womack said.

In the Senate, Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, noted that lawmakers remained far apart on the Homeland Security spending bill that funds the wall, so "Eventually maybe we go to the ones that are already settled, pass those," while continuing to negotiate on the Homeland Security bill.

"Those bills, some of them have been passed all the way out of the Senate, some of them have just been passed through the Appropriations Committee. I would imagine it could happen very quickly. I want the government to reopen," Capito said, adding she wanted to hear what the president had to say first.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, whose state has many federal workers and vast stretches of federal land, called for Congress to pass bipartisan bills that would reopen much of the unfunded parts of the federal government, separating their funding from the debate over the border."I continue to stress that there is no good reason for a shutdown," Murkowski said Tuesday. "It's possible to provide for security and to address the humanitarian crisis on our border, while still doing our jobs to keep the government fully functional."

Trump has demanded $5.7 billion to build more than 200 miles of a wall along the border with Mexico, while Democrats have refused to offer more than the current funding level of $1.3 billion for border barriers, a standoff that resulted in a partial shutdown of the federal government beginning Dec. 22.

As a candidate and earlier in his presidency, Trump promised the border wall would be paid for by Mexico. That has not happened.

Continuing the administration's pressure campaign on Republicans, Trump planned to address Senate Republicans at their weekly lunch Wednesday. Later Wednesday, he was to meet with top congressional leaders of both parties at the White House for another round of negotiations that have thus far failed to produce results.

In recent days, administration officials have begun describing conditions at the border in crisis terms, an argument that Pence, acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and others repeated in their closed-door meeting Tuesday with House Republicans.

Their message, according to Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y.: "There's a crisis at the border. It's real, it's not made up, and this needs to be fixed."

Negotiations have broken down as the impasse has continued with no end in sight, leading Trump to float the idea of declaring a national emergency, relying on a law would allow the defense secretary to order military building projects, drawing on funds already appropriated by Congress.

"The president has made very clear that he is considering that. He has the right to do it. He has said his legal counsel are looking at it," presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway said as she left the meeting with House Republicans, where the issue of a national emergency was not discussed.

"But it would also let Congress off the hook," Conway added. "And they've been off the hook too long."

The fact that defense funds would have to be taken from other projects if a national security were declared emerged as an immediate hurdle for some Republicans on Capitol Hill.

"I particularly hope to get clarity on what specific military construction projects would inevitably be delayed," said Rep. Mike Gallagher, R-Wis. "At a broader level, I mean, as conservatives we don't generally favor just allowing everything to be done through executive order, and I think this would continue that trend. I think it's on Congress to step up and actually get this done and secure the border."

Other GOP lawmakers in both the House and the Senate said that Trump needed to explain more clearly what he had in mind before they could offer their support.

Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., said that people had different interpretations of whether Trump had the authority to declare a national emergency in this situation. Democrats have already warned repeatedly that such a declaration would be challenged in court.

"Right now, we're in the process of really understanding that better; it's just come up," Boozman said. "I think there are people who say he does and people who say he doesn't. We really need to find out what he's exactly saying he's going to use. I think we have an emergency on the border."Nike collaborated with Los Angeles-based boutique Undefeated for several special edition Kobe 1 Protros in 2018, which has set the stage for even more Kobe-related projects in 2019.

This Spring, Undefeated and Nike will be releasing a collection Kobe 4 Protros, according to multiple reports.

It is believed that Undefeated has at least three Nike Kobe 4 Protro colorways in the works, including the following: "Team Orange/Team Orange-Multi-Color," "Sail/Sail-Multi-Color," and "Black/Black-Multi-Color."

The Nike Kobe 4, the first of Bryant's long line of low-top silhouette, was originally introduced in 2008 and fans of the Black Mamba's signature line will surely welcome a run of retros.

The Undefeated x Nike Kobe 4 Protro collection has not yet been revealed but rumors suggest the kicks will be up for grabs sometime in April. Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.Jeff Weiss Washington Post article detailing the inaugural Posty Fest isnt a traditional stinkpiece so much as it as an unwavering Comedy Central roast. What Post Malone is selling is the chill-bro relatability of the third-most-sensitive member of a frat house, softly crooning acoustic guitar rap covers to seduce Gammas after a pledge paddling. He is the dynamite hack  the platonic playlist substitute at the Duke University coffee shop so the vice president doesnt fire you for playing Young Dolph.

While the biting hot take was promptly lambasted across the internet as a snobbish attempt at satire, with Post responding rather curtly via Twitter, it contains one undeniable truth: America has fallen head over heels for the rhinestone cowboy who looks like he crawled out of a primordial swamp of nacho cheese. Critics have long complained about the lack of substance in pop music, issuing lengthy diatribes that range from sensationalistic narcissism to pretentious finger-pointing. When it comes to Post Malone, theyre rarely complimentary. Purposefully inflammatory pieces from both sides of the aisle fuel the raging fires of hypocrisy to the point where its impossible to find an answer that will satisfy everyone. And attempting to appease all parties involved, as it turns out, can have the complete opposite effect.

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Austin Richard Post, the suburban-Dallas-raised rapper who was named by Nielsen as 2018s most popular musician, is by no means a revolutionary, but he is a harbinger of the times. Hes a descendant of the melodic drift that set sail the day Kanyes 808s & Heartbreak blueprint was released to the masses. Dubbed by Weiss as the avatar of algorithm culture, Post boasts music that is moored in sentient lethargy and watered down understandings of heartbreak, loneliness, and self-pity. His quirky and occasionally endearing sing-song tunes are designed for Get Turnt and Sad Boy Hours playlists alike.

Nonetheless, the 23-year-old has had to develop a thick skin ever since he reached mainstream attention in 2015. Hes been called a glorified country star, artistically problematic, impulsive and short-sighted, talentless, outright deaf to the narratives of ownership that course through hip-hop, and just about every other insult imaginable. Some critics have expressed more comprehensive concerns, with radio personality Charlamagne Tha God condemning Post as the next Great White Hype and citing Iggy Azalea and Macklemore as previous examples of white rappers who have found massive commercial success.

To say that Posts music is en vogue would be a laughable understatement. The Ringer staff writer Lindsay Zoladz put it simply: hes so popular right now that you cant ignore him. Last April, the aspiring genre lane-changers Beerbongs & Bentleys debuted at No. 1, shattering streaming records via the same candy-coated formula of previous efforts. Posts Twitter proclamation that he wanted to take hip-hop and stretch it so far that people who may not listen to it, listen to it proved to be wildly prophetic, with his sophomore outing landing as the second most-streamed album in the U.S. on Spotify in 2018. Perhaps even more impressive is that Stoney, his two-year-old debut, somehow managed to hold on at No. 5, a statistic that speaks volumes on its own.

Post comes off as a sincere and likable goofball in all the interviews that hes been a part of, whether its crushing hot wings with Sean Evans, going undercover with GQ, or casually chatting with Ethan and Hila Klein of H3H3. A lot of the hate that he endures is superficial: he looks like the Pig-Pen equivalent of a gas station clerk who would happily offer to share the California rolls that he purchased at an employee discount price. He seems well aware of this unfortunate even my shadow reeks of cigarettes characterization: On Halloween, they came dressed up like me, which is easy: Just look homeless. Over the past year or so, he has undergone a quasi-Queer Eye makeover, abandoning the White Iverson cornrows for a stringy man-bun before most recently settling on a musty mess of curls after claims surfaced of him smelling so bad that it induced vomiting among those who met him. His limited-edition collaboration with foam clog company Crocs (which sold out in mere minutes) is a testament to his oddball, cowboy shit tendencies and 21-century status as a living and breathing music-meme hybrid.

For those whose objections run much deeper, Post stands an embarrassing embodiment of everything wrong with hip-hop, an industry plant embalmed in day-old Bud Light and zapped back to life to roam unchecked across the music charts for the amusement of unsavory white rap fans. These accusations have been fueled in part by incidents such as an apology-inducing 2015 video of pre-fame Post using the N-word, a rambling response to a question about the Black Lives Matter movement during an interview with The Breakfast Club, and his dismissal from XXLs annual Freshman cover in 2016 due to reports that he was going in more of a rock/pop/country direction.

Hes made numerous attempts to distance himself from the rapper title in favor of the more nebulous musician, a move that is perceived by critics as ignorantly dismissive due to the way that it caters to white artists. His struggles to wrestle with questions of race and what it means to be black in America have elicited cries of white fragility and privilege. "If you're looking for lyrics, if you're looking to cry, if you're looking to think about life, don't listen to hip-hop," Post told Polish news outlet NewOnce in 2017. He later passed off his provocative comments as being the result of a beer-tasting session that took place during the interview (NewOnce denied these claims).

And yet, the pop savant has been handsomely rewarded for his efforts. Its a bizarre conundrum: are listeners to believe Posts assertion that genre is stupid, and that theres no contradiction in him making a song with Justin Bieber one moment and 21 Savage the next? Or is he not appropriately exercising due diligence in partaking in a predominantly black artform?

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

There exists a perceptible grey area between musical inclination and self-perception that leaves plenty of room for criticism, although Posts diehard fans seem wholly unbothered by such matters. In fact, his curated outlaw renown has only made him more popular. "Post is like the Donald Trump of hip-hop," bragged Rob Stevenson, an executive at Malone's label, Republic Records. "Things that should've killed his career have only made him bigger."

Posts desire to reinvent himself, to achieve artistic anonymity without consequences, is the root cause of this controversy. The empty signifiers, or rather empty calories, of his entire musical existence are ironically both the reason for his enormous success and the reason for his perceived culture vulture inferiority. Hes a product of the current climate in which music that is instinctively accessible trumps all. Sonic aesthetic is increasingly prized by a mainstream consumer-base that enjoys music as a passive activity, something to be thrown on in the background and forgotten until later notice (or until Spotify updates its Rap Caviar playlist). Palatable, pop-friendly trap trends are whats in, and Post has continued to mine this jackpot with a sound that is undemanding and mind-numbingly catchy.

For better or worse (depending on your view), hes part of the new wave of rappers blurring the edges of hip-hop and expanding its boundaries. Emo, rap, and folk no longer function as distinct boxes to be checked in a drop-down menu. Instead, theyre now elements to be blended every which way. Its a particular kind of musical experimentation that is difficult to pull off in convincing fashion, but Post remains undeterred in his quest to create bops for everyday use. And his current moment of pop ubiquity as a sequined redneck country rebel has shown no signs of letting up anytime soon.

Post Malones staying power was cranked up to the absolute max in 2018, as evidenced by his streaming monopoly. Its true that numbers dont lie, but one cant help but wonder if hes built for the long haul, or if its a forgone conclusion that his expiration date is just over the horizon. I know it piss you off to see me winnin, he confidently warbles on new single Wow. Its his latest entry in a catalogue that includes plenty of thematically cheesing odes to the haters. Admittedly, Post seems to be fine with the giant target on his back. While its possible that there will be future missteps and more cringeworthy, off-color remarks, his growing legion of supporters will continue to drown out the incredulous outbursts from critics. Whether or not you believe that hes exploiting modernitys most bankable music form by churning out one of the shallowest bastardizations of rap to date, his appeal remains as sturdy as ever, much to the chagrin of industry gatekeepers.Dream Hampton did an impeccable job putting a spotlight on the numerous allegations of sexual abuse against R. Kelly. Since the docuseries aired, it reignited the conversation surrounding separating art from the artists. While many argue that you can listen to R. Kelly's music without supporting his alleged actions, two radio stations in Dallas feel the exact opposite. Earlier today, KRNB and K104 vowed to never spin another R. Kelly record on-air again.



George McGinn/Getty Images

Claudia Jordan, a radio host at KRNB, revealed on-air that the radio station will no longer be supporting R. Kelly's music anymore. Jordan admitted that Kellz makes incredible music, but the allegations against him are too horrid to separate the art from the artist in this case.

"I just feel like, in good conscience, we just cant continue to support this guy. Sadly there are a lot of people out there and what they do in their workthey are talented peoplebut they have demons. And I feel like as a woman that is an advocate for other women... We cannot support this man anymore," she said. "Ive been a victim of abuse from a man, and it wasnt as extreme as this. But reading all the comments, we have to at some point take a stance."

K104's DeDe McGuire agreed with Jordan and stated she's happy a stance is being taken against R. Kelly. She stated that if the courts aren't doing the victims justice, then his music must be removed from their rotation.

"I'm glad that radio is taking that stance. Radio has always played a major role in the black community," she said. "That goes back to the civil rights movement. We have to take care of our own. If the courts wont take care of [Kelly] in terms of punishing him, then well stop playing his music as punishment."Can you remember what it looked like when prosecutors and alleged victims began piecing together their cases against Harvey Weinstein and Bill Cosby? The situation that R. Kelly is currently in feels eerily akin to those cases. An outpouring of victims, a passionate outcry from the internet, and a microscope on the entire situation are all factors that have come in to play in cases where we've seen celebrities lose their legacy and credibility. As we reported, the Chicago Police Department encouraged anyone with evidence that could lead to the prosecution of Kelly to step forward. There is nothing more important to CPD than integrity, accountability and the highest of professional standards, the Chicago Police Department said in a statement. While we do not have any current complaints of misconduct, we strongly encourage anyone who may have information related to the domestic violence allegations or who suspect or have information about wrongdoing on the part of officers to please contact Internal Affairs or the external Office of Police Accountability or Chicago Inspector Generals Office so these matters can be independently investigated.



Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

According to TMZ, at least one alleged victim of Kells, and families of two other alleged victims, are planning to bestow the Chicago prosecutors with evidence that they believe will lead to the prosecution of the R&B icon. The media site also reports that Joycelyn Savage and Azriel Clary, two of the ladies living with Kells, are hiring lawyers to stop their parents from attempting to force them to leave Kelly's house.Bowmans Beach on Sanibel recently ranked in the top 50 on two lists of the best beaches.

Flight Network, a Canadian-owned online travel agency in Canada, compiled The Worlds Best Beaches for 2018, which highlights the best beaches on almost all of the continents. According to the website, it conferred with over 1,200 journalists, editors, bloggers and agencies to create the lists.

Among the categories are the Worlds Top 50 Beaches, Top 50 Untouched Beaches and Top 50 City Beaches, along with the Top 50 Beaches for Africa, Asia, Oceania, Central America and the Caribbean, Europe, North America, and South America.

On the Worlds Top 50 Beaches list, Bowmans Beach comes in at No. 39. It is the only Florida beach ranked and joins just a couple of other American beaches on Hawaii and in California and Oregon.

Located on picturesque Sanibel Island, Bowmans Beach is a shell-seekers paradise and has even won awards for being one of the best shelling beaches in the world, the description reads.

Fishing, bird watching, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming are other popular pastimes on this pristine beach, which is one of the only stretches of sand on the island that has barbeque grills, it continues. Those who enjoy nature unfettered by buildings will be right at home on this charming shore.

On the North Americas Top 50 Beaches list, Bowmans Beach ranks No. 9. It is the only beach in Florida to break the top 10, joining other U.S. spots like Honokalani Beach on Maui, Lanikai Beach on Oahu and Honopu Beach on Kauai. The other top placers listed are located in Mexico and Canada.

Lower on the North America list, Bowmans Beach is joined by only three other stretches of Florida sand  Calusa Beach at No. 24, Fort Lauderdale Beach at No. 28 and Grayton Beach at No. 50.

For more information or to see the lists, visit https://www.worlds50beaches.com/.Lil Wayne recently linked up with Barbados-based rum company Bumbu for a Q&A video series titled "The Bumbu Room," during which he was asked to weigh in on a number of topics including: Shaq or Tim Duncan, Prince or Michael Jackson, and which location has the hottest women in the world.

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Additionally, Weezy was asked to pick between Nike or Adidas.

His response (H/T Sole Collector):

"I'm rocking with Nike, I've been rocking with Nike since a kid," Wayne says, as seen in the video embedded below. "Only because the check was a little harder to draw in class, when you was a kid. So I mean, if you're about to draw some shoes and you draw some shoes with Three Stripes on them, that's cool. And you know, that's cool, the girls like that, that, 'oh, he drew some shells [Superstars],' but if you come back with that Nike, and you draw that Nike, that same girl is going to want you to draw that on her folder. The cover of her folder for class, that whole year."

Check out the full clip embedded below.2018 was an extremely productive year for Kenny Beats, but he's keeping that same energy in 2019. To kick off the new year, Key! returns with his new single, "Peppermint."

Key! isn't wasting any time in 2019. The rapper is back with his new single, "Peppermint" which he released on Soundcloud yesterday. The rapper delivers a chaotic banger that features production from Treez Lowkey. The producer serves up a noisy and aggressive bass-heavy beat which Key! also matches with his in-your-face delivery on the track.

"Peppermint" is already looking like it'll be a certified moshpit catalyst at future shows. Key! is set to be hitting the road with MadeinTYO at the end of the month for the Sincerely Tokyo tour that kicks off on Jan. 24th in Vancouver, BC.

Key!'s latest single follows the release of his "Never Been Freestyle" which he dropped last month. Key! released a lot of music last year including the Kenny Beats-assisted, 777 and the deluxe edition which featured Skepta, Jay Critch, Rico Nasty and more. Keep your eyes peeled for more new music from Key! as well as TreezLowkey.

Quotable Lyrics

If you can't fuckin' stand it, ball face first

Aye, re-rocc, like I'm Fred Durst

Big FN, in a man purseAs TMZ is reporting, Cristiano Ronaldo is prepared to defend himself against allegations mounted by a UK fashion model he once dated. Jasmine Lennard claims she dated Ronaldo for well over 10 years while he was stationed in Manchester, England. After viewing Lifetime's Surviving R. Kelly in its entirety, Lennard was inspired to assist in the efforts of Kathryn Mayorga, the woman who accused CR7 of rape.

Ronaldo is quickly mobilizing his legal team in an effort to expunge Lennard's additional claims of emotional abuse (while they dated). Ronaldo contended that Lennard's claims were "false and defamatory," as a result of Lennard airing her grievances to a highly-impressionable Twitter audience.

As for Cristiano's legal situation with Mayorga, who he reportedly met in Las Vegas back in 2009, the case is being re-opened in Nevada Court. No charges were ever formally administered. Ronaldo is unrelenting in his refusal of Mayorga's story, which accounts for him paying him $375,000 in hush money. Mayorga openly states that although she accepted the "hush money," she will refund him the proceeds in order to re-investigate the case with law enforcement officials. As it stands, Ronaldo now has two legal battles to contend with, the latest one constituting defamation, and again, no formal charges have been placed.Owned and managed by Sunray Group of Companies, Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Airport East, previously under the name Quality Hotel & Suites Toronto Airport East, offers 14 well-appointed suites with kitchenettes and 186 spacious guest rooms.

Marriott International, Inc. today announced the opening of Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Airport East. Catering to the needs of today's everyday traveler, the hotel offers approachable design, stylish comfort and all the brand's popular extras including a 24-hour fitness center, 24-hour complimentary airport shuttle, fast and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, and the Best Brews & BBQ program, detailed below.

Owned and managed by Sunray Group of Companies, Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Airport East, previously under the name Quality Hotel & Suites Toronto Airport East, offers 14 well-appointed suites with kitchenettes and 186 spacious guest rooms, over 940 sq. ft. of meeting space, a 24-hour fitness center, business center and fast and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. Guests will enjoy full-service dining at Fionn's Pub and the brand's iconic Best Brews and BBQ program, which serves guests refreshing, curated local beers and seasonal BBQ-style appetizers. Stonehookers Broadreach from Stonehooker Brewing Company is the Best Brew at Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Airport East.

Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Airport East is just a short drive from Woodbine Racetrack. It is also within driving distance of downtown Toronto and is roughly five miles from Toronto Pearson International Airport for a convenient trip.

"Designed with the everyday traveler in mind, Four Points by Sheraton Toronto Airport East will be a convenient stay for anyone looking to enjoy the world-class attractions of Toronto," Janis Milham, senior vice president and global brand leader, Classic Select Brands. "Accessible to families and business travelers alike, the friendly design of the property will make anyone's stay comfortable."

Four Points is the most globally distributed brand in Marriott's Classic Select category, boasting nearly 250 hotels in more than 40 countries and territories. The brand has more than 120 signed hotels in the pipeline, with nearly 50% of Four Points' current portfolio of rooms located outside of North America, and over 65% of its signed pipeline expected to open outside of North America.

Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe

 2021 Hotel News ResourceThe hotel distribution space could be in for a massive shake-up as talks over fees between Expedia and Marriott are said to be in their final stages.

Excerpt from Travel Weekly

The hotel distribution space could be in for a massive shake-up as talks over fees between Expedia and Marriott are said to be in their final stages.

Last week, a financial analyst said the pair were negotiating a new commission rate, which could ripple through the entire industry as other large hotel chains look to flex their muscles.

Hotel industry analysts say it's a good time for Marriott, and possibly others, to be negotiating, given the strong business environment of recent years.

Phocuswright analyst and hospitality specialist Robert Cole says the hotel industry in the United States has seen nine consecutive years of increases in revenue per available room, which is driving Marriott to "lock in lower OTA compensation terms" before any downturn in economic fortunes.

In addition, Marriott has a significant size advantage after its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts in 2016.

He points to other dynamics at play, including the desire from large hotel groups to attract independent hotel owners as franchisees who might be lured by lower OTA fees.

It's not all one-sided, however, as Expedia has its own leverage and will be seeking concessions from Marriott.

Click here to read complete article at Travel Weekly.

Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe

 2021 Hotel News ResourceHyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced the launch of a public bug bounty program with HackerOne in which ethical hackers are invited to test Hyatt websites and mobile apps for potential vulnerabilities and securely disclose them to Hyatt.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) today announced the launch of a public bug bounty program with HackerOne in which ethical hackers are invited to test Hyatt websites and mobile apps for potential vulnerabilities and securely disclose them to Hyatt. In working with HackerOne, Hyatt is able tap into the vast expertise of the security research community to accelerate identifying and fixing potential vulnerabilities.

At Hyatt, protecting guest and customer information is our top priority and launching this program represents an important step that furthers our goal of keeping our guests safe every day, said Hyatt Chief Information Security Officer Benjamin Vaughn. As one of the first global hospitality brands to launch this type of program, we extend the ways we care for our guests and deepen our commitment to protecting their sensitive information.

Through the bug bounty program, security researchers will be able to earn cash rewards, also known as bounties, if they report valid security flaws on Hyatt.com, m.hyatt.com, world.hyatt.com, and the iOS and Android versions of the Hyatt mobile app so they can be safely resolved. All ethical hackers that have agreed to HackerOnes terms and conditions, and adhere to disclosure guidelines are eligible to participate in this program.

Bug bounty programs are a proven method for advancing an organizations cyber security defenses, trusted by leading enterprises across industries, said HackerOne CEO Marten Mickos. In todays connected society, vulnerabilities will always be present. Organizations like Hyatt are leading the way by taking this essential step to secure the data they are trusted to hold.

Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe

 2021 Hotel News ResourceIn EyeforTravels industry-wide AI survey, over half of all travel executives disclosed that they were investing in AI and machine learning.

In EyeforTravels industry-wide AI survey, over half of all travel executives disclosed that they were investing in AI and machine learning. AI and deep learning was also found to be the number one set of tools set to be most transformative for everyday business.

The industry now appears to accept that artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and advanced digital marketing and pricing are the only means to win back lost loyalty, optimize revenue and grow market share.

EyeforTravel spoke to over 250 travel executives to create the Analytics & AI in Travel Survey, which, in an infographic format, discloses investment patterns, insight on job security, concrete results on how AI is already benefiting travel and the sources of data you need to be using to drive growth.

Compiled with feedback from Heads of Pricing and Marketing Analytics, Chief Data Officers and Machine Learning Engineers, these exclusive survey results will allow you to benchmark your AI and analytics investments and initiatives with the rest of the industry and adjust your strategies accordingly.

Although an overwhelming 65% of respondents agreed that AI will revolutionize travel, the real question is which departments seek to gain the most and how will your bottom line be affected?

Take a look at the survey here for the full results

The results will give you answers on these critical matters:

- Which travel department has the most to gain from analytics

- If deep learning and machine learning investments are set to increase in 2019

- The analytics tools that are going to be most transformative for your business

- If AI will disrupt your role for the better or worse

Access the full results by clicking here

These are part of the run-up to Analytics and AI in Travel North America (San Francisco, March 14th-15th) where 350 brands leading the way in machine learning and analytics will be present. Hilton, Hopper and Google AI are confirmed  get in touch with the event director below to join them.

Kind regards,

Leo Langford | Event Director

EyeforTravel Ltd.

(Global) +44 (0)207 375 7158

leo@eyefortravel.com

Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe

 2021 Hotel News ResourceThe PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is the most rigorous industry-recognized payment-card security standard available globally. The PCI DSS Security Standard is designed to minimize the exposure of credit card data to risk of fraud or compromise.

Track Hospitality Software (TRACK), a product of TravelNet Solutions and an industry leading provider of integrated CRM, guest communication management, and property management solutions for hospitality, today announced the company has validated compliance with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) version 3.2 as a Level 1 service provider.

The PCI Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is the most rigorous industry-recognized payment-card security standard available globally. The PCI DSS Security Standard is designed to minimize the exposure of credit card data to risk of fraud or compromise. Although the PCI standard is more commonly associated with merchant activities, call centers that capture sensitive data must also follow stringent security protocols before their operations can be deemed safe for capturing consumer information.

The completion of PCI DSS Level 1 Certification follows TRACKs enhancement of its Property Management System for leading Vacation Rental Management Companies in 2018, showing the companys commitment to providing the highest level of technology solutions to the hospitality industry.

The PCI Data Security Standard requires that any merchant that outsources the transmission, processing, or storage of payment card data to a third party provider verify that the provider adheres to the standard. As a provider of CRM, Contact Center Management and Property Management Software to Resorts, Hotels, Lodges, Vacation Rentals Management Companies, and other leading hospitality providers, TRACK has proactively met this requirement for its business in support of the PCI compliance needs of its customers to better serve and protect the personal data of travelers around the world.

TRACKs completion of the PCI DSS Level 1 certification illustrates our dedication to ensuring that we provide a secure and reliable environment for our customers critical business applications, said Ryan Bailey, CEO of TRACK. TRACK users process massive amounts of PCI sensitive data, and are committed to meeting a wide range of regulatory requirements.

The PCI DSS is a comprehensive set of standards that require merchants and service providers that store, process, or transmit customer payment card data to adhere to strict information security controls and processes. It was created by the founding brands of the PCI Security Standards Council, which includes American Express, Discover Financial, JCB International, MasterCard Worldwide, and Visa Inc. The standard includes twelve requirements of which the goals are to:

 Build and Maintain a Secure Network

 Protect Cardholder Data

 Maintain a Vulnerability Management Program

 Implement Strong Access Control Measures

 Regularly Monitor and Test Networks

 Maintain an Information Security Policy

About The PCI Data Security Standard

Please visit the PCI Security Standards Council website located at www.pcisecuritystandards.org.

About TravelNet Solutions:

Our mission is to transform how hospitality works. Every day we strive to solve the most difficult technology and workflow challenges, and we work tirelessly to provide solutions to help our customers become more efficient and profitable. Our vision of the future is a world where every hospitality company is able to compete on a level playing field. Our goal is to become our customer's business concierge. It all starts with one question: How can we help you?

About TRACK Hospitality Software:

TRACK Hospitality Software is a leading omnichannel cloud communication platform for hospitality companies. It provides TRACK Pulse, the leading voice, email, text, chat and secure messaging platform built specifically for hotels, resorts and vacation rental management companies, TRACK CRM, which is a full suite of sales and marketing solutions that can send real-time confirmation letters, pre-stay/post-stay, and life cycle communication to guests, and TRACK Cloud Connect which is a hosted PBX solution to replace current call hardware. In addition, TRACK offers a suite of consulting and professional services to help reservations, sales, marketing and revenue teams increase conversions and customer delight. For more information, please visit https://trackhs.com.

Daily News Delivery Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest Hotel industry news and trends. Subscribe

 2021 Hotel News ResourceJavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.



You should upgrade or use an You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.You should upgrade or use an alternative browserThe bias does not seem to be abating as the Sunday edition has no less than four anti-Trump cartoons. I realize that the slant of political cartoons may not seem significant, but it is an illustration of how subtle bias can be. Determination of what is newsworthy, page or section placement, above or below the fold placement, headline creation, where retractions are placed or buried  all are forms of bias that the average reader may not aware of and probably is not concerned about.Press Release

9 January 2019

Hotels in the U.S. did not have much to be thankful for in November, posting a 5.2-percent year-on-year drop in profit per room, the single biggest margin of decline so far in 2018, according to the latest data tracking full-service hotels from HotStats.

Advertisements

November was only the third month in 2018 that hotels in the U.S. recorded a drop in profit following a year-on-year decline in both January (down 0.5 percent) and July (down 2.2 percent).

Profit per room dropped to $84.26 for the month, a full one-third decline off the $126.34 GOPPAR recorded in October.

Profit levels were hit by increasing costs, which included a 1.4-percentage-point uptick in labor costs to 37.1 percent of total revenue, as well as a 0.7-percentage-point increase in overheads, which grew to 23.8 percent of total revenue.

As a result, profit conversion came in at 33.9 percent of total revenue, well off the year-to-date figure of 38.2 percent.

In concert with profit declines were modest revenue setbacks across departments including Rooms (down 0.7 percent), Food & Beverage (down 1.9 percent) and Conference & Banqueting (down 3.9 percent), on a per-available-room basis.

TRevPAR remained relatively unmoved, recording a decline of 0.3 percent year-on-year to $248.29, and was 5.1 percent below the year-to-date figure of $261.55.

Profit & Loss Key Performance Indicators - U.S. (in USD)

November 2018 v. November 2017

RevPAR: -0.7% to $150.58

TRevPAR: -0.3% to $248.29

Payroll: +1.4 pts. to 37.1%

GOPPAR: -5.2% to $84.26

On a lighter note, hotels continued an upward trend in achieved average room rate, which has now grown by 5.7 percent over the last 24 months, on a rolling 12-month basis, to $208.29. As ARR has risen, room occupancy has been flat to down over the last 24 months.

For November, occupancy fell by 1.4-percentage points to 73.6 percent, which was the second-lowest occupancy of the year, ahead of only January.

"While November isn't historically as strong as September or October, it is normally a pretty positive month for hotels in the U.S.; however, softening toward the end of the year will no doubt recenter the conversation on cost creep, principally in labor expense," said David Eisen, Director of Hotel Intelligence & Customer Solutions at HotStats.

In line with the decline across the U.S., hotels in Seattle recorded a drop in profit per room in November, falling 9.8 percent YOY to $71.89.

This was the third month of decline in profit per room in 2018 for the city, following a larger drop in February of 11.1 percent. More worrisome, it is the second consecutive month of profit decline, following a 5.1-percent drop in October.

Profit pressure is partly a result of considerable additions to hotel supply in the city, which has primarily impacted top-line performance, illustrated by a 4.5-percent drop in RevPAR in November to $142.21a combination of room occupancy down 2.6 percentage points, to 79.3 percent, and achieved average room rate down 1.4 percent to $179.38.

Further departmental declines were in Food & Beverage (down 5.3 percent) and Conference & Banqueting (down 4.5 percent).

Profit & Loss Key Performance Indicators - Seattle (in USD)

November 2018 v. November 2017

RevPAR: -4.5% to $142.21

TRevPAR: -3.6% to $203.67

Payroll: +2.7 pts. to 36.8%

GOPPAR: -9.8% to $71.89

As a result of the movement across all revenue departments, TRevPAR at hotels in Seattle fell by 3.6 percent this month to $203.67, which was 20.5 percent behind the year-to-date figure of $255.99.

Profit performance was further affected by an uptick in labor costs, which increased to 36.8 percent of total revenue. As a result, profit conversion at hotels in Seattle was recorded at 35.3 percent of total revenue.

"The Seattle hotel market has added 2,550 rooms since January 2017, highlighted by the recent opening of the 1,260-room Hyatt Regency Seattle, the largest hotel in the Pacific Northwest," said Eisen. "The city's hoteliers now face a challenging period of operation, which will be further exacerbated by properties in the planning or development phases across King, Snohomish and Pierce counties."

PacNW neighbor Portland is also a market suffering from growing pains, as supply increases continue to impact top- and bottom-line performance levels.

In November, profit per room at hotels in Oregon's largest city fell by 12.2 percent, which is a fifth month of profit decline in 2018 and a second consecutive month of GOPPAR decline, following the 12.6-percent drop in October. (YTD November, GOPPAR is up 0.6 percent in the city.)

Rising costs, which included a 1.2-percentage-point increase in labor to 36.3 percent, contributed to profit per room being recorded at just $78.79 this month, 29 percent off the year-to-date figure of $110.55.

Profit & Loss Key Performance Indicators - Portland (in USD)Pipeline

9 January 2019

The Biltmore, Mayfair is set to open as LXR Hotels & Resorts' first UK property, following an agreement between Hilton (NYSE: HLT) and Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc (LSE: MLC). The luxury hotel, situated in a super prime location in the heart of Mayfair on Grosvenor Square, will open for business in Spring 2019, marking the new brand's European debut.

The hotel, which will be known as The Biltmore, Mayfair - LXR Hotels & Resorts, has undergone a multimillion-pound redevelopment following its closure in early July 2018. Designed by Goddard Littlefair, the hotel will offer 257 luxuriously appointed guest rooms, many with views over Grosvenor Square, as well as 51 highly curated and beautifully designed suites, which will reflect the property's origin as a sophisticated and elegant London private residence.

Moments from Bond Street's exclusive retailers, the green spaces of Hyde Park and Green Park and London's famous landmarks, Grosvenor Square has a rich history housing the capital's aristocracy since the early eighteenth century.

The Biltmore, Mayfair will boast new culinary concepts headed by internationally renowned chefs, an all-year round alfresco terrace, an exclusive cocktail bar and a large gymtech fitness suite. In addition, the hotel will showcase an impressive 500 sqm ballroom, ideal for large-scale events and weddings, with capacity for up to 700 guests for a cocktail reception. For smaller functions, the Waterloo and Manhattan Suites are suited to more intimate receptions of up to 100 guests, while the Kendal Suite lends itself perfectly to small groups of 25 guests or boardroom meetings.Enter the Once Upon A Child Spring Style Sweepstakes today for the chance to WIN! Refresh your child's wardrobe! You could be the LUCKY WINNER of $200 in Store Cash!Just scan and upload a photo of your completed "news story" and you'll be entered for a chance to have your story published.People are desperate to reclaim their democracy. So it was gratifying on the first day of the 116th Congress to lead the new Democratic majority in unveiling and introducing H.R. 1, the For the People Act  a bold and transformative reform bill that will return power to the people by making it easier, not harder, to vote; breaking the grip of big money on our politics; and strengthening ethics laws so that the public officials serve the public, not themselves.Click here to find out where to get a COVID-19 vaccine or test.

To find out how many local residents have been vaccinated for COVID-19, click here. Use the map to find numbers for individual counties.

Find detailed statistics about COVID-19 tests, cases and deaths by county and for the state as a whole on the Indiana State Department of Health's online dashboard.Lima, OH (45805)

Today

Mixed sun and clouds. Slight chance for a brief shower. High 77F. Winds NW at 5 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 52F. Winds NE at 3 to 6 mph.Support local journalism

Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution.

ContributeThe world is full of uncertainty, and few like it. Trump not included. He uses chaos brilliantly to dominate the news and put himself as the key historical actor. Will he or wont he make a trade deal with China and a nuclear deal with Kim Jong-un in North Korea, build a beautiful wall, turn around the stock market, or get the government back to work? Most iffy, will he survive the Mueller investigation or get impeached? Uncertainty galore!Half Moon Bay, CA (94019)

Today

Some clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High near 65F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

A few passing clouds. Low 52F. N winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.Please be aware that Cache Valley Publishing does not endorse, and is not responsible for alleged employment offers in the comments.

Recommended for youIm now taking time off from my fourth job to come to speak to you, said Abbott, who has been teaching in the county for 18 years. More than 40 percent of Maryland educators have second jobs, according to a survey by the statewide teachers union.The United Nations has found that a teenage woman who fled Saudi Arabia is a legitimate refugee and has asked Australia to take her in, officials in Canberra said Wednesday.

The UNHCR has referred Ms Rahaf Mohammed Al-Qunun to Australia for consideration for refugee resettlement, the Department of Home Affairs confirmed in a statement.

The decision marks a significant victory for the 18-year-old, who is currently in Bangkok where she says Thai authorities attempted to block her from travelling to Australia to claim asylum.

The home affairs department said it will consider this referral in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals.

Australian officials have strongly hinted that Qununs request will be accepted.

Watch: Thai police wont deport Saudi woman seeking asylum

If she is found to be a refugee, then we will give very, very, very serious consideration to a humanitarian visa, health minister Greg Hunt had said before the UN determination was public.

Qunun has documented her bid to flee her allegedly abusive family with minute-by-minute social media updates.

Her plight shot to public attention when she barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room to avoid deportation and shared dozens of fearful but defiant messages online insisting on her right to asylum.

Video footage posted on Twitter by a Saudi human rights activist appeared to show a Saudi official complaining that Thai authorities should have confiscated Qununs smartphone.

When she arrived, she opened a new (Twitter) account and her followers grew to 45,000 in one day, he said in Arabic. It would have been better if they had confiscated her mobile instead of her passport.

AFP was unable to contact Saudi authorities for comment on the footage.

Saudi Arabia has some of the worlds toughest restrictions on women, including a guardianship system that allows male family members to make decisions on behalf of female relatives.President Donald Trump used the gravitas of an Oval Office national address to blame Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown and seek $5.7 billion for a wall , telling Americans there was a humanitarian crisis  a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul unfolding at the border.

Democrats pushed back just minutes after, also in a national address, laying the blame for the shutdown back at the Presidents feet, accusing him of throwing temper tantrums to have his way, manufacturing a crisis and misleading Americans with his counterfactual claims.

Fact-checkers, an army of them ranged across news publications, counted off multiple false and misleading claims in the Presidents short, 9-minute speech which he had read off a teleprompter, and not ad-libbed, which is when he has tended to get most adventurous with the truth.

An Oval Office address has been used by US president to mark momentous moments for the nation  President Barack Obama used one to announce the end of combat operations in Iraq  and Trumps choice of the grandeur and gravitas of the setting had triggered speculation that he could announce a national emergency.

He didnt, and chose to make a case, instead, to the American people that the nation was facing a crisis on the border and that Democrats were denying him the funding to deal with it and had precipitated a shutdown to prevent him from what he had been elected to do  end illegal immigration through the southern border.

This is a humanitarian crisis  a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul, the President said, as he reeled off statistics of killings, sexual crimes, assaults and trafficking to flesh out the crisis, with heartrending accounts of victims of illegal immigrants  such as Indian-origin police officer Ronil Singh, who was killed by an illegal immigrant in California on Christmas eve.

The President said he had proposed a plan to the Congress with a series of steps to boost border security. Among them, and he mentioned it last, was a request for $5.7 billion for a wall, the dispute over which has partially shut down the federal government for 19 days on Wednesday.

At the request of Democrats, it will be a steel barrier rather than a concrete wall, the President said, in one of the many problematic claims in his short, prepared address.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of NY, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif. pose for photographers after speaking on Capitol Hill in response President Donald Trump's address on Tuesday. (AP)

Democrats have not made any such suggestion, and have opposed any barrier at the border. Chuck Schumer, the top Senate Democrat, in a rebuttal jointly delivered with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, said he would like the United States to be seen as the land of the Statue of Liberty and not a 30-foot wall.

Pelosi, who delivered the first rebuttal, slammed Trump for holding hostage critical services for the health, safety and well-being of the American people and withhold the paychecks of 800,000 innocent workers across the nation  many of them veterans.

He promised to keep government shut down for months or years  no matter whom it hurts. Thats just plain wrong.

As for Tuesday night, the two sides remained as far apart in the dispute as they were on December 22, the first day of the partial shutdown because of which 800,000 federal employees have been furloughed or made to work without pay.

The President is meeting Congressional leaders at the White House Wednesday afternoon in another attempt to break the stalemate and end the shutdown.US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad will be briefing and consulting New Delhi on the ongoing Afghan peace talks in his first visit to India in this capacity starting later Wednesday. He is on a four-nation tour that will include China, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Leaving Washington again to continue my work towards facilitating a negotiated settlement to the conflict in #Afghanistan, he wrote on Twitter Wednesday. This time to #India for the #raisinadialogue, as well as Afghanistan, #China and #Pakistan.

Khalilzad, an Afghan-American diplomat who oversaw the 2001 transition of power after the overthrown of the Taliban government, has been a regular at recent Raisina Dialogue conferences as a participant and a speaker. This time he will be a participant only, as a speaking slot did not work out.

But this will be his first visit after he was appointed Special Representative for Afghanistan reconciliation by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in September 2018. He has been to the region twice since, but skipped India both times, causing some anxiety in New Delhi.

The state department said in a general announcement Tuesday that the special envoy is heading an interagency delegation and will meet with senior government officials in each country to facilitate an intra-Afghan political settlement.

India, which has been deeply invested in reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, a role endorsed and affirmed by President Donald Trump in his 2017 South Asia strategy, would like to hear from his progress on his efforts and, equally importantly, like to convey  hold consultations  its own views to him.

New Delhi supports an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned reconciliation effort, as also envisaged by the United States, and has been watching US efforts in the region closely with President Trump seemingly eager to end Americas military engagement there that is in its 18th year and is its longest war.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Trump discussed how to increase cooperation between their nation on Afghanistan in a phone call that took place on Monday in the backdrop of reports that the US president was considering a drawdown of troops, from 14,000 to 7,000, according to reports.

The White House has since indicated the president has not made that determination yet. And it has since refused to comment on the discussion  We are not going to comment on future strategic developments, said a Trump administration official. The Pentagon has also said it has not received orders to start bringing home troops stationed there.

But The Washington Post has since reported that discussions on a drawdown continue and planners are now considering a much lower figure than the 7,000 reported earlier; in fact, it is supposed to be half that number. There is still no confirmation of these discussions or of the numbers.

The United States supports the desire of the Afghan people and the international community for a political settlement that ends the 40-year conflict and ensures Afghanistan never again serves as a platform for international terrorism, the state department said in the announcement of Khalilzads four-country tour.

He will meet with Afghan government officials and other interested parties to support and facilitate an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan, empowering the Afghan people to chart a shared course for their nations future.North Korean leader Kim Jong-un left Beijing on Wednesday, ending his unannounced visit to China with scarce details emerging about his meetings here with the Chinese leadership.

Kim arrived in Beijing on Tuesday and held summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping hours later, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported, adding that after the closed-door talks, Xi hosted a dinner banquet for Kim. Details of their hour-long meeting were not disclosed by Chinas official media

Before his departure, Kim is said to have visited a Beijing-based company that produces traditional Chinese medicine.

Questions remain what else did Kims fourth visit to China in less than a year produce? Or what else was it expected to produce?

For one, it could have been to send a message that Beijing-Pyongyang ties remain exclusive  China being the poor Communist nations closest ally.

It could be as  Chinese state-controlled media said Tuesday  to ensure that Kim has Beijings backing at the expected soon-to-be meeting with US President Donald Trump; the two had met last June at a high-profile summit in Singapore.

My sense of why this visit at this time is that although logistical preparation of the second Trump-Kim summit has reportedly made progress, no real progress has been made on the substantive issues, especially over the key issue of denuclearisation, Tong Zhao, fellow at the Carnegie-Tsinghua Centre, said.

North Korea is not prepared to surrender its nuclear weapons for the foreseeable future and the United States is not backing down from the maximum pressure campaign. This makes Kim feels it may not be so easy for him to trick Trump into making important concessions this time, compared with his easy win at Singapore, Tong told HT over email.

Worried about the results of this upcoming summit, Kim wants to publicly show that China has his back and that even if Washington insists on economic sanctions and diplomatic isolation, North Korea can still fare well, he said.

This could very well be Kims negotiating strategy to increase his leverage when he meets Trump soon, Tong added.In his televised address to the US, President Donald Trump, while demanding $5.7 billion to build a wall on the border with Mexico, cited the murder of an Indian-origin police officer who was killed a day after Christmas.

The police officer, Corporal Ronil Singh, 33, was shot dead at a traffic stop a day after Christmas by an illegal immigrant named Gustavo Perez Arriaga. Arriaga was planning to flee to Mexico when he killed the Corporal Ronil Ron Singh.

In his televised speech from the Oval Office, Trump said, Americas heart broke the day after Christmas when a young police officer in California was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien, who just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country.

Last week, Trump spoke to Ronils widow, Amanika Mika Chand-Singh and expressed his condolences.

Trump has described the situation of illegal immigrants in the US as a growing crisis that has hurt millions of Americans.

Listing out other such crimes, Trump asked, How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?

To those who refuse to compromise in the name of border security, I would ask: Imagine if it was your child, your husband, or your wife whose life was so cruelly shattered and totally broken? he said.

He called on the Congress to pass a bill that ends this crisis and asked every citizen to Call Congress and tell them to finally, after all of these decades, secure our border.Paul Manafort, ex-chairman of Donald Trumps presidential campaign, had shared poll data with a Russian associate who is said to have had links to Russian intelligence, according to an inadvertent court filing error by his lawyers.

Some experts are saying this is the clearest indication yet of coordination between the Trump campaign and Russians. This is the closest thing we have seen to collusion, Clint Watts, a senior fellow with the Foreign Policy Research Institute, told The New York Times.

In court filings in response to charges from Special Counsel Robert Muller that Manafort lied after agreeing to a plea deal, the former campaign chairmans lawyers left un-redacted the portion that showed he has he been accused of passing on campaign material to the Russian man, Konstantin Kilimnik.

Kilimnik was supposed to pass on the data to Oleg V Deripaska, a Russian businessman close to the Kremlin, who was owed money by Manafort.

The filings also revealed that Manafort and Kilimnik had discussed plans for resolving Ukraine, which had been invaded by Russia in 2014 and annexed Crimea, which had attracted a slew of sanctions from the United States and eviction of Russian from the G-9 (now G-8) group of industrialized nations.

There has been a growing list of interactions between members of the Trump president campaign with Russians, with the Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer being the most high-profile of them, which is being investigated by Special Counsel Mueller, who is also looking at possible collusion.

Manafort, who headed the Trump campaign for a few months in 2016 but not all the way through, has already been convicted by one court, and is facing charges in another court  but none of the charges implicate him for involvement with the Russian interference. He had served as a an adviser to and a lobbyist for a former Ukrainian government, which was close to Kremlin.

He was cooperating with the special counsels team in a plea deal in regards to the second court case. But he has been accused since of breaching the deal by lying.Protestants in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Tuesday added their voice to that of the Catholic Church in urging the authorities to publish the results of a delayed presidential election.

In a statement, the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC) appealed to the DRCs election commission to uphold its promises, made before God and before the nation, to offer the nation the truth, and nothing but the truth, of the ballot box.

Elections postponed three times over the last two years were held on December 30 to choose a successor to long-term President Joseph Kabila.

But the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) has put off announcing the provisional results, saying it is having problems in collecting the data.

Those results were due to have been published on Sunday, followed by definitive results on January 15 and the swearing-in of the new president three days later.

Last Thursday, the powerful Roman Catholic Church said it knew who had won the ballot from its own monitors at polling stations.

It called on CENI to publish the election results in keeping with truth and justice.

The Catholic Churchs National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) said it had deployed more than 40,000 observers around the vast country.

Catholicism is the main religion in the DRC. The ECC, the largest Protestant church, said it had 10,000 election observers on December 30.

The coalition of governing parties, the Common Front for Congo (FCC), has accused CENCO of bias and breaching electoral law and says opposition candidate Martin Fayulu is trying to force CENIs hand.

The DRC has a long history of political violence and suspicions of political manipulation and electoral fraud run deep.

It has never experienced a peaceful transition of power since gaining independence from Belgium in 1960.

The country suffered two wars between 1996 and 2003 that claimed millions of lives through bloodshed, fighting, starvation and disease.

Bloody clashes also marred elections in 2006 and 2011.Finance minister Arun Jaitley and defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman are expected to visit London in the near future for talks on economy and security cooperation, a senior Foreign Office official said here on Wednesday.

While Jaitley is due to attend the annual Economic and Financial Dialogue between the two countries in February, Sitharaman will meet defence secretary Gavin Williamson. She was to meet her counterpart last June, but the visit was called off.

Giving details of a range of activities in the bilateral relationship during the year, the official said a Home Office team is due to visit New Delhi next week to discuss the recently-released white paper on post-Brexit immigration proposals announced on December 19.

We are keen to see how the white paper has been received, both by the Indian government and other stake-holders, such as tourists, students, entrepreneurs, the official said.

The issue of returning Indian over-stayers and illegal migrants will be an important part of talks related to the white paper and other official interaction with New Delhi, he said. A memorandum of understanding on their return was to be signed during the April 2018 visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but it did not materialise.

There are differing views in London and New Delhi on the number of overstayers and illegal Indians in UK. The figure is not officially published but officials here have previously claimed that Indians top the list, numbering more than twice the number of the next country: Nigeria. Indian diplomats have disputed such estimates.

Terming the bilateral relationship as being in good health, the senior official noted the increase in trade figures and the number of students coming to the UK in recent years, adding that Indian professionals continued to be granted more than 50 per cent of all visas granted.

Other key areas on the agenda for 2019 include the tech partnership launched during Modis visit, cyber-security, defence security partnership and cooperation in the Indian Ocean. The British diplomatic network in India will see further expansion during the year, the official said.It is a strategy by HUD, which has admitted defeat on a more than $20 billion backlog of repairs and rebuilds on public properties. It allows local housing agencies to sell their assets for the money to repair the buildings, but still gives HUD general oversight while the developer is under contract with the agency to maintain the property.A total of 55 state transport buses and 16 extra suburban train services during non-peak hours were what various authorities implemented as relief measures for a harrowing public commute on Tuesday.

Nearly 29 lakh regular commuters of the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses were inconvenienced after labour unions called for an indefinite strike over their demands, including better pay, from Monday midnight. With lack of coordination between authorities, there was no concrete plan to tackle the situation. Commuters had to deal with autorickshaw and taxi drivers who charged arbitrarily, overcrowding in trains or traffic snarls. The BEST buses are the second largest mode of transport in the city after the local train network.

Commuter woes are likely to continue on Wednesday as the unions have not withdrawn the strike even after a Shiv Sena-affiliated union decide to withdraw their support to the BEST Sankyut Kamgar Kriti Samiti or joint-action committee of labour unions. This withdrawal means about 500 of 3,337 BEST buses would be running on Wednesday, bringing slight relief.

The state-owned Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), on BESTs request, ran 55 buses, but on limited routes like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) to Mantralaya and operated about 125 services. This means not even three services for each bus.

Central Railway (CR) and Western Railway (WR) operated four and 12 extra services respectively, but only during non-peak hours.

Unlike past strikes, the state did not authorise private vehicles to ferry passengers. This was despite a government resolution (GR) issued following a week-long strike of truckers last year. It stated in case of a strike, a seven-member panel chaired by district collectors should be formed for making necessary transportation arrangements and maintaining law and order. It also directed setting up a 24X7 control room and a nodal officer for coordination to avoid disruptions.

Neither had the authorities formed any committee nor were they aware of the GR, despite the threat of the strike looming mid-December. Now, instead of following the standard operating procedure (SOP), authorities are pointing fingers at each other.

Shivaji Jondhale, collector of island city, said he was unaware about the GR. BEST had not asked for alternate arrangements, he said. Suburban collector Sanjay Kurve could not be reached for comment.

Surendrakumar Bagde, general manager of BEST, said they had informed the state government much before the strike. As the state has invoked MESMA (Maharashtra Emergency Services Maintenance Act), it is clear that the state was aware, he said.

Ashish Kumar Singh, state transport secretary, did not respond to calls and text messages.

Railways said they operated the extra services suo motu. There was no demand from the state government. The services were planned in the morning, said a WR spokesperson.

Activists suggested that as the strike does not look to end soon, the government should take necessary steps. Why did authorities not follow the SOP. The CM should take action against authorities, said AV Shenoy, transport expert.

He said there should be a single-point authority to take action in such cases.Commuters in Mumbai faced a second day of travel chaos on Wednesday as Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) workers continued their strike to demand better pay and benefits among other things after talks between the management and the protesting staff failed.

Despite the Shiv Sena affiliated union withdrawing its support from the strike on Tuesday night and announcing the operation of 500 BEST buses, the turnout of the staff was poor.

Lakhs of commuters complained of waiting in queues as the most buses of the citys second-largest mass transport system stayed off the roads.

I had to wait for 30 minutes to get an auto rickshaw to travel from Andheri Metro station to my office. There was a crowd and no proper steps are being taken by the government, said Bhakti Lokhande, a Sakinaka resident.

Passengers also took on Twitter to complain about the non-availability of buses.

Today in Mumbai BEST is on strike which means no buses. Bus which carried at least 60 people in one trip....so approx half of the peoples will use their own vehicle, means high level of pollution (sic), tweeted @tanmaydeo7.

Among the demands of the employees, led by BEST Sankyut Kamgar Kriti Samiti (BSKKS) or Joint Action Committee of Labour Unions, is higher grade pay for those recruited from 2007.

They also want compassionate appointments to resume, and discussions on a new wage agreement that was to come into effect from April 2016. They have also demanded bonuses on par with BMC staffers.

Merging the budget of the loss-making BEST with the civic bodys budget is another demand. This, said labour union leaders, would end the financial woes of BEST and ensure staffers get salaries on time. The unions are also strongly against the managements decision to get new buses on a lease.

BEST officials said that at 8am on Wednesday out of the 2,477 buses that were scheduled to ply, only nine buses operated. And 11 out of 2,958 drivers and 12 out of 3,184 conductors reported for work.

The Central and Western railways announced they will run additional services to facilitate passengers during the strike. The Western Railway will operate 12 additional local train services between Churchgate-Borivali, Churchgate-Andheri and Churchgate-Goregaon.

The Central Railway will operate four additional local train services between Thane- Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT), CSMT-Kalyan, Vashi-CSMT and CSMT- Panvel.

The government did not intervene on Tuesday to end the strike. Instead, state transport minister Diwakar Raote seemed to pass the onus to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The BEST undertaking is governed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which comes under the state urban development department that is headed by the chief minister. It is up to them to take a call, Raote said.

Shashank Rao, leader of the BEST Workers union, the biggest union of the workers said nothing came of the talks with the management, despite repeated meetings.

BEST is the second largest mass transport system in Mumbai after the suburban trains and ferry 25 lakh commuters every day.A majority of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses will continue to stay off the roads for a second day in a row on Wednesday, as talks between the management and the protesting staff failed. However, at least 500 of the 3,337 buses could ply as a section of the staff, led by a Shiv Sena-affiliated union, has decided to withdraw support.

We were never a part of the strike, but only offered our support, said Suhas Samant, BEST committee member and leader of the Sena-affiliated BEST Kamgar Sena. But we have taken back our support and will operate 500 buses on Wednesday.

On the first day of the strike, lakhs of commuters struggled to get around Mumbai as the citys second-largest mass transport system came to a halt on Tuesday. The staff, led by BEST Sankyut Kamgar Kriti Samiti (BSKKS) or joint action committee of labour unions, has been demanding better pay and benefits, among other things.

There was no fruitful outcome of the talks with the management, despite repeated meetings, said Shashank Rao, leader of the BEST Workers union, the biggest union of the workers. We have decided to continue our strike on Wednesday, Rao said.

At the time of going to press, the government had not intervened to end the strike. Instead, state transport minister Diawakar Raote chose to pass the onus on to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The BEST undertaking is governed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), which comes under the state urban development department that is headed by the chief minister. It is up to them to take a call, he said.

Commuters were caught in the middle of the tussle, especially in the morning and evening peak hours. Students who had examinations said they had a harrowing time getting to their destinations, while autos, taxis and app-based cabs charged exorbitant prices. Many relied on private buses to get to work or college and school.

I waited for 20 minutes but there was no sight of any BEST bus. Autorickshaws were charging a lot. The commuters only hope was the private bus, said Amna Khan from Bandra.

Khar resident Kunal Gupta said his usual auto fare from Bandra station to BKC was 20, but on Tuesday, autorickshaw drivers charged 30 to 40 a seat on share autos.

Social media was flooded with complaints, suggestions for alternate routes, and adivsories. #BEST buses completely off roads as union has called for indefinite #strike in Mumbai. No alternate arrangements at #Kurla. Auto Ricksha charges 20,30 & 100 seat.... plan your travel., tweeted one use, @mandar2005.

For over a week now, BEST workers have been talking about striking work, but authorities made no alternative arrangements until Tuesday morning. Further, there was little coordination between the authorities that handle public transport.

Among the employees demands is higher grade pay for those recruited from 2007. The staffers also want compassionate appointments to resume, and discussions on a new wage agreement that was to come into effect from April 2016. They have also demanded for bonuses on par with BMC staffers. Merging the budget of the loss-making BEST with the civic bodys budget is another demand. This, said labour union leaders, would end the financial woes of BEST and ensure staffers get salaries on time. The unions are also strongly against the managements decision to get new buses on lease.

The BEST management on Tuesday, along with BMC, its parent body, held two meetings with the unions. The first was at the BMC headquarters, but it failed to reach a consensus. The second meeting was held at the BEST headquarters in Colaba, with senior BEST officials and members of the union.

The management is in constant touch with unions. We have told the workers that we are open to negotiation, said Surendrakumar Bagde, general manager, BEST. Bagde, however, added that discussions would only take place once the strike is called off. Despite financial problems, the organisation has been paying staff salaries every month, he said.

Not a single bus moved out of the citys 27 bus depots on Tuesday. Ten buses were vandalised after midnight on Monday, and one driver was injured.

In a bid to give passengers some relief, 55 Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) bus services ran on the Kurla -BKC, Kurla- Mahul, Dadar- Mantralaya, Panvel- Mantralaya, CSMT- Mantralaya and Thane- Mantralaya routes; contractual buses, autorickshaws, taxis, app-based cabs also ferried passengers.

By afternoon, both the Central and Western Railways operated special services  western railway operated 12 special services on the Churchgate- Borivali, Chruchgate- Andheri and Churchgate- Gorgegaon routes, while the Central Railway operated four special trains on the Thane-CSMT, CSMT- Kalyan, Vashi- CSMT and CSMT - Panvel railway stations.

Despite this, there were long queues outside most railway stations.Congress president Rahul Gandhi sharpened his attack against the NDA government on Wednesday as he launched his partys Lok Sabha election campaign in Rajasthan at a farmers rally.

He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not doing enough for the farmers. The PM always plays on the backfoot, I want the youth of the country to play of frontfoot and hit a sixer.

Sending out the message that he has kept promises made to farmers, Rahul Gandhi credited the newly formed Congress governments in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh for announcing farm loan waivers. What Modi couldnt do in four- and-a half years, we did it in two days, he said.

Amid questions about the viability of the farm loan waiver, the Congress president said waiving farm loans is a small step towards addressing the agriculture distress and a new green revolution (harit kranti) is needed to address the problem.

Rahul Gandhi said the youth of the country are tired of Mr. Modi and his empty promises. With demonetisation he wrecked small businesses. He waived off loans of Indias richest, but how many young entrepreneurs received financial support from Modi govt, he asked.

Read more| Quota, citizenship bills wont trample on anyones rights, assures PM Narendra Modi

The Congress chief continued his attack on the NDA government and Modi over the multi-crore Rafale jet deal.

Rahul Gandhi also targeted defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying that though he spoke for 150 minutes she couldnt reply to his questions on the deal.

Chowkidaar could not stand in Lok Sabha for a minute during the debate on Rafale issue. 56-inch chowkidar ran away and asked a woman colleague to save him. We demand a JPC (joint parliamentary committee) probe of the Rafale deal, he said.Opposition veterans Sharad Pawar of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and N Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) are trying to convince Mayawati of the BSP and Akhilesh Yadav of the SP to get on board the proposed grand alliance of non-National Democratic Alliance (NDA) parties that they are attempting to stitch up for the 2019 parliamentary elections, leaders familiar with the matter said.

Mayawati and Yadav met in Delhi on January 4 and entered into a broad agreement about seat sharing for Uttar Pradesh that, until now, excludes the Congress, but keeps the door open for smaller parties, such as the Rashtriya Lok Dal of Jat leader Ajit Singh. Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 representatives to the Lok Sabha, holds the key to New Delhi. In 2014, the BJP won 72 of these seats.

An NCP leader in Mumbai said Pawar is in touch with Mayawati and that former Union minister Praful Patel had reached out to Yadav to convince them about the need to join the grand-alliance-in-the-making.

On Tuesday, Naidu was in Delhi and met with Congress president Rahul Gandhi. He also met Pawar later in the evening. As many as 21 opposition parties came together on the eve of Parliaments winter session, and resolved to work together to defeat the BJP, but the two UP stalwarts skipped the event. They also did not show up at the swearing-in of Congress chief ministers in three states, which many senior opposition leaders attended. The Congress has wrested three key Hindi heartland states, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, from the BJP.

The NCP leader cited above said Pawar was also keen on getting the BSP to be part of the Congress-NCP led coalition in Maharashtra since two prominent Dalit leaders, Ramdas Athawale and Prakash Ambedkar, are not with it. While Athawale of the Republican Party of India has decided to stick to the NDA, Ambedkar of the Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh has tied up with Asaduddin Owaisis All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen .

Naidu, a leader close to him said, also believes that a three-cornered contest in Uttar Pradesh  when Congress contests independently of the SP and BSP  could be detrimental to opposition unity and ultimately benefit the BJP. HT had reported that the Congress is considering all options, including going it alone in the state.

I am going to Delhi tomorrow to meet important regional party leaders as part of my efforts to build an anti-BJP platform, Naidu said on Monday. The SP and the BSP both consider the Congress intention to contest about 18 seats in Uttar Pradesh as unrealistic and much beyond its actual strength on the ground. The Congress fielded candidates in 67 out of 80 Lok Sabha seats in 2014, polled 6 million votes and won just two seats. It got more than 200,000 votes in just seven seats, including Rae Bareli and Amethi, which are represented by United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, respectively.

An SP leader said Yadav believes his party did not benefit from an alliance with the Congress during the 2017 assembly elections and that the Congress treated him unfairly after the election was over.

Mayawati, a BSP leader said, is of the view that Congress strength is limited to only half-a-dozen parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh and any extra seat will be a waste.

She is, however, conscious of the damage that a split in minority votes, particularly in Western UP, can do. Gilles Verniers, an assistant professor of political science at Ashoka University, said both the SP and the BSP are crucial for any opposition alliance.

An SP-BSP alliance is the crux of the coming election. It is also because Uttar Pradesh is the only Hindi belt state where regional parties can bring the BJP down by several notches.

Gilles Verniers, an assistant professor of political science at Ashoka University, said both the SP and the BSP are crucial for any opposition alliance. An SP-BSP alliance is the crux of the coming election. It is also because Uttar Pradesh is the only Hindi belt state where regional parties can bring the BJP down by several notches.Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Solapur town in Maharashtra on Wednesday to lay the foundation stones of a number of projects and address a gathering.

Modis visit to Maharashtra, his third trip to the state in four months, assumes significance with the uncertainty over the alliance between his BJP and the Shiv Sena as leaders of both parties have asked their cadres to be ready to fight in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls independently.

On Sunday, Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah had asked workers to be ready to fight the polls with or without Sena. Amit Shahs remarks came days after Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at a rally in Pandharpur town of Solapur district used the guard is thief term for Modi while saying that he is not interested in an alliance.

With 48 Lok Sabha seats, Maharashtra is one of the most crucial states for BJP as the party had won 23 seats in 2014 Lok Sabha polls while its ally Sena bagged 18 seats.

In this south Maharashtra town, Prime Minister Modi will launch Rs 3,168 crore worth of infrastructure and housing projects which include laying the foundation stone for a Rs 1,811.33-crore housing project under the Prime Ministers housing scheme that offers 30,000 houses.

The Prime Minister will also commission a four-lane Solapur-Tuljapur-Osmanabad section on National Highway 211 (New NH-52). The Rs 972.50-crore project was awarded to IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd. The highway will improve connectivity between Solapur and the Marathwada region.

According to a senior BJP leader, the Prime Ministers public meeting in Solapur is part of the partys strategy to reach out to the masses after its defeat in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh.

The Hindustan Times had reported that the BJP has crafted a fresh approach which is centred around a public speaking spree by Modi over the next three months ahead of the general elections to be held later this year.

Interestingly, when Modi will be addressing the gathering in Solapur, Thackeray will be on a visit to drought-affected areas in neighbouring Aurangabad district.While Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will kick off his tour of the drought-affected areas of Maharashtra on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) poll campaign in the state, with the inauguration of several infrastructure projects in Solapur, 190km south of Beed.

Thackeray is scheduled to visit Beed, Jalna and Aurangabad in Marathwada region and likely to criticise the BJP-led government over the agrarian crisis. According to Sena leaders, Thackeray will interact with farmers and distribute food grain and fodder for animals.

A Sena MLA from Marathwada said the party will distribute about 30 tonnes of fodder in Beed and 10 tonnes in Jalna. He will visit the drought-hit villages in Marathwada region. He will also speak to farmers on the relief measures required, said Anil Desai, Sena secretary and Rajya Sabha MP.

This is Thackerays first public appearance, after BJP national president Amit Shah made a statement in the state on Sunday that his party would defeat allies if there is no alliance. Sena leaders have attacked the BJP after Shahs statement, and all eyes are on what Thackeray has to say.

Modi will lay the foundation stone for 30,000 houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the four-lane section of the Solapur-Tuljapur-Osmanabad highway. The project will improve connectivity between Solapur and Marathwada region. The PM will also inaugurate other local development projects. Modi is expected to address a public rally in Solapur after the inaugurations.

Subsequently, Sena leader and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray will also tour drought-affected areas of the state from January 12. During his visit, the party plans to provide food grain, vegetables, water tankers, cooking oil to 5,000 farmers. While the tour is viewed as launch of the partys campaign for Lok Sabha, Desai dismissed it.Annapolis Opera director Kathy Swekel wants you to know opera isn't the snooty show you may think it is. "Opera was used as the everyday mans place to complain about the king or politics or to share a story. It was really meant for everyone," she said.In a blistering attack on the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the partys desperation was visible in their attack on a woman defence minister.

Modis attack came hours after Congress president Rahul Gandhi had claimed at a rally in Jaipur that the PM had run away to Punjab and had left a woman to defend him in the Rafale debate in Lok Sabha.

On Rafale, when we raised questions in the Lok Sabha, we asked the PM to answer some questions. The PM didnt come to the Lok Sabha for even a minute. Nirmala Sitharaman spoke for two and a half hours, but couldnt answer our questions. We demolished her arguments. But the PM couldnt show his face in Lok Sabha even for one minute, he said.

He asked a woman to defend him, and you saw how for two and a half hours, she couldnt defend him, Rahul Gandhi said.

Responding to Rahul Gandhi in Agra, Modi lauded Sitharaman and said it was the first time that a woman was holding the office of Defence Minister. (Follow live updates here)

Without taking her name, he said that a couple of days ago, she had answered the Oppositions questions (on Rafale) in Parliament and had left them speechless.

When she called their bluff and revealed the truth (about the Rafale deal) in Parliament, they (Congress) was left stunned and resorted to mocking the defence minister, Modi said.

They insulted a woman defence minister. They didnt insult just a woman defence minister, but all women of the country. And for that these irresponsible, sexist politicians must pay, Modi said.

Also read: PM Narendra Modis rally in Agra to kick-start poll campaign in Uttar Pradesh

Speaking in the same rally, Modi spoke about the Quota bill that was passed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, and gave his reasoning for why there should be simultaneous Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections. Referring to the Quota bill, he said that the opposition is saying that the government brought in the bill ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections to gain electoral benefits.

Also read: At Rajasthan rally, Rahul Gandhis sixer analogy to attack PM Modi

Had we brought the bill three months ago, they would have said we brought it before the Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh elections. Had we brought it before that, they would have said we brought it before Karnataka elections. In our country some or the other election takes place every six months. That is why I say we should have Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections once in five years, he said.

Also read: Was Rafale deal held up because of Michel mama?: Modi attacks CongressA day after saying that he needs time to think over the possibility of joining an opposition grand alliance, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday made it clear that he wont be a part of it.

As far as the mahagathbandhan is concerned, the BJD is not a part of it, said the Biju Janata Dal chief, adding that his party will maintain equidistance from both the BJP and the Congress.

The talk of a grand alliance has gained momentum after Akhilesh Yadavs Samajwadi Party and Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party suggested that they have firmed up a seat-sharing deal minus the Congress. Rahul Gandhi was earlier keen to join the alliance but has now accepted the idea of the Congress going it alone in 2019 polls. He even said the Congress may surprise people with results in UP.

In this backdrop, Telugu Desam Party chief Chandrababu Naidu met Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday to cement an opposition alliance against the BJP in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Naidu has taken a lead role in building an opposition front against the BJP.

Many parties are trying to court Naveen Patnaik as the Lok Sabha polls draw closer. A fortnight ago Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief and Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao met him in Bhubaneswar to discuss the possibility of forging a non-Congress, non-BJP federal front.

There have also have been speculations of the Odisha CM joining the NDA in the event of its failure to get a clear majority in the 2019 polls. The rumours were fuelled when Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not utter a word against the BJD chief in two public meetingsKhurda and Baripadawhile he was all fire and brimstone against him just 3 months ago in a meeting in Jharsuguda district.

State Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik said Naveen Patnaiks equidistance policy is only for self-preservation. BJD not joining mahagathbandhan does not bother us. We have always known BJD as a party of opportunists, he said.

BJP national secretary Suresh Pujari said for his party, BJD not joining the grand alliance makes no difference. Naveen Patnaik works in myterious ways. Even God would be unsure about his next step. For us, both BJD and Congress are rivals, said Pujari.Speaking on two important bills  Quota and Citizenship -- passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured that rights of all sections are secure and these bills will in no way impinge on them.

I want to assure the people of Assam and North-East that their rights will not be hurt after passage of the Citizenship Bill, Modi said at a function in Maharashtras Solapur, according to PTI

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the bill that seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, triggering protests in Assam and other North East states.

Protests had erupted across Assam on Monday evening as the the NDA government cleared changes to the Citizenship Act prompting one of its regional allies, the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), to break ties.

Also read | Lok Sabha nod to 10% quota for poorer sections: Will reservation help upper castes?

The All Assam Students Union, the influential student body which was at the forefront of the Assam agitation against foreigners, is leading the protest against the proposed amendment which, according to them, violates the Assam Accord which promised to detect and deport foreigners irrespective of their religious background.

The Opposition Congress says the Bill would create ethnic divisions not just in Assam but the entire North-East and could lead to a resurgence of extremist groups.

On Quota bill, the Prime Minister said the smooth passage of the bill which provides 10 per cent quota for the general category poor in jobs and education in the Lok Sabha is a strong answer by the Parliament to those spreading lies.

As the Rajya Sabha witnessed uproar over the bill, the Prime Minister Rajya Sabha said the rights of the deprived sections, including the Dalits and the tribal people, will not be affected because of this bill, PTI reported.

He termed the the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha as a historic step which seeks to uplift the deprived sections and also illustrates the commitment of the government to prioritising the good of those needing it the most.

Projects inaugurated

Speaking after inaugurating a highway project built at an investment of over Rs 970 crore, Modi said Solapur will soon be covered under the Udaan scheme which seeks to link far off places with air connectivity.

He also laid the foundation stone of a over Rs 1,800 crore project of 30,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana here.

Also read | 10% quota for poor was your jumla: Arun Jaitleys comeback to Congress in Lok SabhaPrime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Congress and alleged that AgustaWestland middleman Christian Michel was also lobbying for French manufacturer Dassault Aviations rivals in the Rafale deal.

Modi cited media reports and said that Michel, who was arrested in connection with the VVIP chopper scam, was lobbying for a contender other than Rafale.

The onus is on the Congress to come clean on what is driving its allegations on the Rafale deal, Modi said at a rally in Solapur in Maharashtra.

Congress should answer which leader of their party, now shouting about this (Rafale deal), has a connection with Michel, he said.

Was the deal stopped because of Michel mama?, Modi said.

The nation wants answers. Those who have dealings with middlemen will have to answer for the compromises done with the nations security, he said.

Referring to himself as the watchdog, he said that he has embarked on a mission to root out corruption and that he cannot be bought or scared and will work relentlessly.The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed a Bihar State Electricity Board order that reverted an employee from the post of a bill clerk to khalasi 25 years after he was appointed. The demotion was done on the ground that he had fraudulently obtained the job in 1981.

A bench led by Justice Arun Misra set aside the government order and termed the allegations against Sukh Bilash Thakur unfounded. It termed unjust, inequitable and arbitrary suffering from the vice of unreasonableness the decision of the authorities to demote him.

Indisputably he was appointed after verification of his qualifications and through the process of a competitive examination followed by an interview. There have been no allegations against him in discharge of his duties as a bill clerk, the court said.

The bench passed the direction while upholding an appeal filed by Thakur challenging the decision of the board to revert him to the post of khalasi, a class four employee.

In the case at hand, the board had passed an order of reversion against Thakur on August 9, 2007, after he sought to appear in a departmental exam for a higher post. He had completed the requisite 18 years of service to sit for the test.

The order of reversion was passed on a complaint that he had fraudulently obtained the job in 1981 by misrepresenting facts of his qualifications in mathematics.

Thakurs appeal was dismissed by Patna High Court in 2017. Aggrieved, he approached the top court.

The appellant had passed the departmental examination in service. It is only when he staked his claim for selection grade, the respondents appear to have woken up from their stupor nearly 25 years later seeking to raise issues with regard to the appointment. Unfortunately, these factors did not fall for consideration by the High Court despite being available on record, read the judgment, authored by Justice Navin Sinha, the other bench member.Finance minister Arun Jaitley Wednesday accused the Left-affiliated trade unions of manufacturing a protest on non-existent issues, saying the NDA government has taken a host of decisions for the welfare of workers.

His statement comes on the second day of the Bharat Bandh organised by ten central trade unions to protest against the alleged anti-labour policies of the Centre.

If the Left trade unions insist on politicising the trade union movement to manufacture a protest on non-existent issues, it is for the workmen in the country to seriously analyse what the present government has done for them and compare it with the relatively blank record of several earlier governments, Jaitley said in a Facebook post titled The Present Government and the Workers.

Listing out the steps taken by the NDA regime for the welfare of workers, Jaitley said no government in the past has taken, within a short period, so many continuous pro-worker decisions in order to ensure that the advantage of a better quality of life is ensured to them as a result of the economic development of the country.

Even though procedural simplifications have been done in several legislations in order to cut down the paper work, the government has desisted from taking any decision which hurts the interest of the employees, he said.

Also read: Arun Jaitley, Nirmala Sitharaman to visit UK before Lok Sabha elections

The NDA government since 2014 has set up a group of ministers to continuously maintained a dialogue with the trade unions and taken a host of steps like raising the bonus and gratuity ceiling, hiking minimum wages, increasing maternity benefits, and guaranteeing fixed pension of Rs 1,000 per month.

Are there any real issues before them (trade unions) or is it a part of the strategy of the Left political organisations to organise a symbolic unrest to ensure that they are not wiped out from the political map of India, Jaitley said.

Also read: Mixed response to union strike on Day 2; violence in Bengal

He further said the strength of the Left parties has been significantly eroded in West Bengal and Tripura. In the recent past, the political environment in Kerala is also building against them.Japan is focused on boosting defence and security ties with India and would like the first 2+2 dialogue between the defence and foreign ministers of the two sides to be held as early as possible, a Japanese spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Bilateral economic cooperation has been the driving force for the past decade and defence and security cooperation was catching up, Natsuko Sakata, a spokesperson of Japans foreign ministry, said while briefing the media on foreign minister Taro Kanos meetings with Indian leaders.

The two sides had agreed on holding a 2+2 dialogue during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Japan last October and Tokyo would like the inaugural round to be held as early as possible though it appears the talks may only be held after Indias general election, Sakata said.

Japan is also keen on beginning negotiations for the proposed Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA), which is aimed at logistics and cross-servicing arrangements between the Indian military and Japans Self Defense Force. Sakata said Japan currently has similar agreements with the US, the UK, Australia, France and Canada, and these could serve as a template for the pact with India.

The agreement could also be modified for India, she added.

During his meetings with external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj and Modi, Kano also discussed cooperation on cyber security and the proposed first space dialogue. Sakata said Japan had also identified three signature projects  the Chennai Metro, a project to promote dairy products and a system of regular check-ups for pregnant women.

She acknowledged there had not been any forward movement on plans to sell Japans SinMaywa US2 amphibious aircraft to India or the construction of Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project. The US2 continues to be on the agenda and Japanese authorities were in close touch with Indian counterparts on the bullet train project, she added.Tamil Nadu will get a new district Kallakurichi to be carved out by bifurcating Villupuram, one of the largest in the southern state.

The new revenue division, 207 km from state capital Chennai, would be the 33rd district in the state.

Announcing this in the state assembly on Tuesday, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said this would fulfil the two-decade-old demand of the people of Kallakurichi.

The decision to carve out a new district was taken in view of administrative convenience, Palaniswami said.

Late chief minister J Jayalalithaa had promised to make Kallakkurichi as a district in her 2016 election campaign.

This would help develop the backward region comprising the Kalroyan hill range of the Eastern Ghats. Tribals of this area often fall prey to middlemen scouting for woodcutters for the red sanders smuggling gang in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), which has its social base among the dominant OBC Vanniar community in northern Tamil Nadu, has welcomed the move.

PMK founder S Ramadoss said, We welcome the governments decision of making Kallakkurichi as a district.

Kallakurichi MLA A Prabhu, owing allegiance to rebel AIADMK leader and AMMK chief, TTV Dhinakaran, had recently staged a walkout in the assembly protesting the delay over the creation of the new district.

Tiruppur was the last district to be formed in Tamil Nadu in 2008 with parts from Coimbatore and Erode districts.The 48-hour shutdown called by trade unions crippled normal life in Kerala for the second consecutive day on Wednesday even as stray incidents of violence triggered by Sabarimala temple row were reported from parts of north Kerala.

Strike supporters attacked a bank in the state capital and blocked train services in many parts of the state. In many areas, the strike turned into a forced shutdown.

The manager of State Bank of India treasury branch in Thiruvananthapuram, located close to the state secretariat where state leaders were organizing a sit-in protest, said a group of people forcibly entered the bank which was working with skeletal staff and damaged office furniture and equipment and tried to manhandle the people working there. Though a number of policemen were on duty a few yards away, none of them intervened.

We have identified some of the assailants and they will be booked under non-bailable offences, a senior police officer said.

The incident came a day after the state government promulgated the Kerala Prevention of Damage to Private and Public Property and Payment of Compensation Ordinance 2019 to prevent damages to the private/public properties during work disruptions. Though tourism industry sought exemption from recurring shutdowns, many popular tour destinations in Alappuzha, Wayanad and Kochi were badly affected.

Violence over the row over entry of two women in their 40s to the Sabarimala temple continued in north Kerala with crude bombs thrown at the houses of a Communist Press of India (Marxist) supporter in the early hours in Perambra in Kozhikkode. A CPI(M) worker was meanwhile arrested for pelting stones at the Sabarimala stir venue in the state capital.

Police also raided the RSS office in Nedumangad in Thiruvananthapuram and allegedly seized some raw material used for making country-made bombs. Police said its raid came after information that district leader P Praveen who was involved in a bomb attack last Thursday was hiding there. But RSS leaders later criticized the raid and said police were foisting wrong cases on them.The Supreme Court on Tuesday took serious note of the alleged kidnapping and assault of a realtor at the instance of former MP Atiq Ahmed in Deoria jail recently, when the gangster-turned-politician was lodged there, and sought a report within a week from the state government on the incident.

Ahmed was shifted to Bareilly jail following the incident.

Ahmed is accused of getting the realtor kidnapped, taken to Deoria jail and then assaulting and forcing him to transfer his businesses in his aides name.

The case involving Ahmed was brought to the courts notice while it was hearing a PIL by lawyer and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay, who sought a life ban on politicians convicted in criminal cases, besides the setting up of special courts to expeditiously try cases involving elected representatives.

The state administration recently conducted a raid at Deoria jail after real estate dealer Mohit Jaiswal filed an FIR on December 28, alleging that he was kidnapped from Lucknow and taken to the prison where he was assaulted by the jailed don and his aides and forced to transfer five of his firms in the name of Ahmeds aide.

Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, who is assisting the bench in the matter, and advocate Sneha Kalita, informed the court about the incident. Ahmed, they said, had over 20 heinous cases against him and he still had the audacity to kidnap the businessman while being in jail.

The combined assets of the firms that were transferred were worth Rs 45 crore, claimed Jaiswal. Ahmed even took away his car and other belongings before letting him go.

On Monday, a Prayagraj-based realtor Mohd Zaid Khalid also lodged a complaint alleging that he, along with two of his associates, was abducted and taken to Deoria jail where Ahmed assaulted and pressured him to transfer his land in the name of his (Ahmeds) aide.Severna Park's Lee Schatz is going to Hollywood this weekend, the second trip this month.



The first time, he and his family were there for the premiere of "Argo," the film depicting the 1980 escape from Tehran of six Americans who had slipped out of the U.S. embassy when it was overrun by a revolutionary mob.



He's not in the movie.



He lived it.



Schatz was one of the six Americans protected by Canadian officials who helped them escape nearly three months after the embassy's fall.



After seeing the premiere, he walked out of the theater with Tony Mendez, the CIA operative who helped pull off the escape. "I leaned over and told Tony, 'I think I preferred it live.' "



In the fall of 1979, Schatz was a 31-year-old agricultural attache. He arrived on Labor Day to take up his second overseas post since joining the Agriculture Department's foreign service.



He left the embassy after the daily briefing on the morning of Nov. 4, going out of the compound after one crowd of demonstrators dispersed and before another gathered.



Minutes later he saw the crowd grow more agitated - and then the embassy gates were scaled, the compound stormed.



"I saw that scene from about a 90-degree angle from my office window," the tall, gregarious, 64-year-old said last week in Severna Park, where he lives with his wife, Pat, and their two sons.



After reporting goings-on to embassy personnel by walkie-talkie, using the codename Palm Tree, he was ordered to move out of his office. He hid in a Swedish embassy office two floors up.



Meanwhile, the crowd rushed into the embassy and took all the personnel hostage.



All but about 10 others.



"A group of them got out of the compound, then split up. One group went left, the other went right," he said. One of the groups ran into a crowd of students and was captured and returned to the embassy.



The 52 Americans in the compound would be held for 444 days.



The other five Americans eventually were taken in by Canadian officials.



Schatz holed up in the Swedish office for a day and half, maintaining contact with U.S. State Department officials and reporting what he could see through binoculars.



Schatz then moved to a Swedish woman's house and stayed there for the next 10 days.



When that got too precarious, he was told he was being moved.



He packed quickly and was picked up by a brusque man whom he assumed to be CIA.



Once in the car, his handler smiled and introduced himself as a Canadian, John Sheardown, who had already taken in three of the escaped Americans. Schatz would spend the next weeks at Sheardown's home with the others.



"The Canadians, the Sheardowns and Ambassador Ken Taylor took great risk," Schatz said. "If we were caught, we would have been taken to the embassy with the other hostages. But they might have been arrested, or worse."



Life in hiding, while tense and dangerous, was actually rather luxurious.



"We had dinner every night, good wine, and lots of books and newspapers," he said. "We passed the time playing Scrabble."



He and his fellow hidees were aware of plans to extricate them. Some of the other embassies in town and the Canadians discussed ways to get them out.



Enter Tony Mendez. Three months after the embassy's fall in January 1980, Mendez and his assistant came to dinner. No one was the wiser.



"Tony presented three ideas. The third was the movie crew," Schatz said.



The plan: Mendez and the six Americans would pose as a Canadian film crew scouting locations to film a bogus science fiction movie, "Argo." Back in the states, the CIA had set up an elaborate back story, creating a fake film company - Studio 6 Productions - and even getting stories and ads placed in Variety.



Schatz and his compatriots had two days to learn their covers. He became the film crew's cameraman, Henry W. Collins (Mendez provided a camera lens for him). Each person had a full kit of clothes, identification cards and Canadian passports.



"They even had Canadian shaving cream and toothbrushes. I got a Molson's beer hat, a Canadian pin. They even had matchbooks from the hotels we would have stayed at in other countries on our tour," he said.



Then it was time to go.



The movie takes liberties with the facts, as movies do. A scene in which Mendez and the group have to go to Tehran's main bazaar, to convince Iranian officials that they're a real film crew checking out a location, didn't happen.



The movie also has a scene at the airport in which the crew's tickets initially aren't ready because Washington officials had tried to nix the plan.



"That didn't happen. We had tickets in hand. In fact we had tickets for two flights, one on Swissair and a second on British Airways," he said.



Also unlike the movie, Schatz was the first to go through the line to board the plane. In fact, he jumped in a short line for nonsmokers, while the others went through the longer line for smokers.



"After we lifted off and they announced we had left Iranian airspace and the drink cart would come around ... we all got Bloody Marys. And people wondered why these six Americans all raised their glasses," Schatz said.



People kept wondering for 17 years. In 1997, the CIA's 50th anniversary year, the mission was declassified. Mendez was honored as one of the top 50 agents in the history of "The Company."



And now the movie version. Schatz was flown to Los Angeles by Warner Brothers this weekend so he, Mendez and others involved in the real story could present an ensemble cast award to the "Argo" actors at the Hollywood Film Festival.



To this day, no one needs to tell the six who escaped that they had it easier than those held captive.



"I am no hero," Schatz said. "Those are the real heroes - the people who endured that and the people who worked to get them out alive."



In a setback to the Gujarat government, the Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected its plea to keep confidential the report submitted by justice HS Bedi, a former top court judge, on the 24 alleged cases of fake encounters in the state between 2002 and 2006.

The bench headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi handed over a copy of the report to both the parties and sought a response from them within four weeks.

The top court observed that it is yet to accept the probe report and would decide on it after hearing both parties.

The Supreme Court had asked justice Bedi in December last year to inform it if the final report on the fake encounters was prepared in consultation with other members of the monitoring committee that had supervised the investigations in the cases.

That order came after the Gujarat government raised an objection that justice Bedis final report was unilateral and in contradiction with its earlier reports, where views of other members of the monitoring authority were taken.

Justice Bedi was appointed as chairperson in 2012 of the monitoring committee investigating the encounter cases from 2002 to 2006 in Gujarat on a petition filed by lyricist Javed Akhtar and journalist BG Verghese.

The task of the monitoring committee was to oversee investigations in encounter deaths by a special task force and to receive complaints from the victims families. The monitoring committee had submitted its report in a sealed cover in February last year.

Imputing motive behind the PIL that sought probe in the fake encounters, solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for Gujarat argued that the petitioners conscience awakens only for encounter deaths in a particular state. Mehta argued that the final report submitted by justice Bedi is a unilateral action on his part.As technology, travel and other forces are bringing the world together, said ex-UK prime minister Tony Blair, it is important to understand the different types of people we meet. What you dont understand, you fear and what you fear, you dislike, he warned.

Blair was speaking to schoolchildren and teachers at the Tagore International School in East of Kailash, one of 200 Indian schools that are part of his Institute for Global Changes Generation global programme.

The programme promotes intercultural dialogue between students in nearly 40 countries to avert the frictions that Blair believes globalization can cause between people.

The children at the Tagore school, for example, video conference regularly with their counterparts from Palestine to the Philippines, Ukraine to Pakistan. Students shared with Blair their experiences and how struck they were at the similarities they had with other children.

I was 12 years old when I met my first non-white person, noted Blair. That was the world I grew up in. It was not until he went to college that he began to really know people not like me and two of his greatest influences there were an Ugandan and an Indian. The birthday parties of my children are filled with people of different cultures and colours, he added.

Real education is about how to become creative, said the ex-UK prime minister, adding that creativity comes from open and not closed minds. He said his programme is ultimately about teaching people how to have open minds.The legislation to provide 10% reservation in jobs and education for the economically weaker section, including upper castes, got Parliaments approval on Wednesday even as leaders from Opposition parties questioned the Union governments haste in pushing the bill through just months ahead of the 2019 general elections.

From its introduction in the Lok Sabha to the final approval in Rajya Sabha, the 124th amendment to the Constitution was cleared in two days.

As compared to the Lower House, where the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) enjoys a big majority, the nine-hour-long debate in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday witnessed a sharper Opposition onslaught on the government over issues such as the timing of the bill, its constitutional validity, the governments alleged inability to create jobs, and issues related to its implementation. Some leaders asked for the bill to be first sent to a select committee, while others also demanded that the government bring in the pending womens reservation bill.

Read more| Tribute to Constitution makers, says PM on Parliaments nod to 10% quota

The bill, however, was passed with a 165-7 count in the Upper House of the 172 members present and voting. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress voted in favour, with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Dravid Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) voting against it. In the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the bill was passed with 323 ayes and just three noes.

Shortly after the bill was passed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: Passage of The Constitution (One Hundred And Twenty-Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2019 in both Houses of Parliament is a victory for social justice. It ensures a wider canvas for our Yuva Shakti to showcase their prowess and contribute towards Indias transformation. Speaking in Rajya Sabha, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal accused the government of bringing the bill at a time when more jobs were being lost than created in the country.

Watch: Forward Quota Bill: Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas strengthened, says PM Modi

Who are you bringing in reservation for if we are not creating jobs? Jobs will come with economic growth. If you growing at 7.2%, you are not creating jobs, Sibal said.

He also maintained that the 10% reservation would create jobs for only 4,500 people from the economically weaker section annually. India has a population of 1.3 billion. You have brought a bill to benefit 4,500 people. Thats what you are amending the Constitution for? He based the figure on his claim that the government created only 45,000 jobs annually in the last five years.

Investment is flying out of country Jobs are being reduced, who are you trying to fool, whats the purpose of this amendment, Sibal added, asking the government if it had collected any data before bringing the bill to Parliament and expressed apprehension that the bill could face enormous constitutional hurdles and also big problems in implementation. He said a nine-judge bench of the Supreme Court had struck down 10% reservation for the economically backward category in the Indira Swahney case in the 1990s, calling it unconstitutional. Law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad countered Sibal by saying that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government sat on a panel report on reservation for economically backward classes.

Prasad said the UPA government sat on the 2010 Sinho Commission report on reservation for economically backward classes. What stopped the Congress from implementing it? You did no work for five years and are questioning us now. Maan liya hum late aaye, par durust aaye (Agreed we came in late, but we did the right thing)... Parliament is making history today and this will be discussed even 25 years later. Today is the day of change, Prasad said.

Congress leader Anand Sharma also questioned the bills timing and said that it was aimed at political gains in the general elections: What took you four years and seven months to bring the bill in the last session before the election? It has been brought by a government that is in the departure lounge of an airport, Sharma alleged.

He asked that the session be extended by one more day and the government bring in the womens reservation bill.Congress president Rahul Gandhi will kick off the partys Lok Sabha election campaign at the Kisan rally in Jaipur on Wednesday, said Avinash Pande, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in charge of Rajasthan.

Gandhi will sound the poll bugle for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Jaipur and will send out a message for the country that the promise made by him to the state and farmers has been fulfilled, Pande told reporters at Vidhyadhar Nagar Stadium, the venue of Wednesdays public meeting.

According to police, the Congress president will address the rally at 12.30pm. He will fly from Delhi around 11.10am and will return around 2.30pm, said an officer who is part of the security management for the visit.

Congress state unit president Sachin Pilot said the Kisan rally is being held in Jaipur as the promise made by Gandhi was fulfilled by the government in two days.

PM Narendra Modi government has been cheating the public for the past four-and-half years by failing to fulfil promises, Pilot said.

Pilot said thousands of people are expected to attend the rally to express their gratitude to the Congress party for farm loan waiver. The central government will be questioned on its promises when the Congress waived farm loans immediately after forming governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh... farmers were committing suicide but no steps were taken to give relief, he said.

Five years of hardship is over. I am confident the way Congress won the by-elections in two Lok Sabha seats; 23 more will be won, for which the campaign will begin on Wednesday. It should not be forgotten that Gandhi launched the poll campaign on August 11 and on January 9 also, the announcements made from here will echo across the country, said Pilot.

On the Union cabinet move to provide 10% reservation to economically weaker sections in general category, he said: Our government in Rajasthan proposed 14% reservation to the upper class around 20 years ago. They kept sleeping for four-andhalf years and now that the BJP is losing in the state, they are giving 10% reservation. If you want to provide quota, give but where are the jobs and opportunities? Yesterday (Monday) alliance parties of Assam left the NDA. Parties supporting them are leaving it and by the time of Lok Sabha elections, it will be left alone.

BJP spokesperson Mukesh Pareek said in Rajasthan, Congress had their government for long but it was the BJP that waived farm loans up to ?50,000 for the first time.

Congress loan waiver is a mere announcement as the committee constituted have not come out with any decision. The eligibility is not clear nor there is clarity over budget. They are holding a rally without doing anything, it would have been if they had organised it after waiving the loan, he said.

Pareek said the BJP will come to power again in the Centre. The results of the recently held pancahayat by-elections has shown peoples faith in the party, he said.Elaborate security arrangements have been made at the Kothi Meena Bazar ground for Prime Minister Narendra Modis election rally in Uttar Pradeshs Agra on Wednesday.

The PM will fly to Agra from Bidar in Karnataka and reach the rally ground around 3:15 pm, said district authorities. Prior to this, Modi had addressed gatherings at same venue in 2013 and 2016.

Officials said traffic diversions will be in place across the city in wake of the PMs visit.

Ten companies of paramilitary forces and 4,000 policemen will provide security cover.

BJP leaders said they expected over two lakh people to attend the rally, which will kickstart the partys election campaign in Uttar Pradesh.

The rally is going to be a grand success with a huge crowd at the venue, stated Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan, BJP MLA from Etamadpur in Agra district.

The Prime Minister will address the gathering in Agra, which is considered to be the Dalit capital of north India. The occasion comes 48 hours after the declaration made by the government for providing 10% reservation to economically weaker sections in jobs and education. It would be interesting to watch what he says and the crowds response to it, stated a political analyst in the city.

Modi is expected to unveil various development projects, including the Gangajal project, for which water from Ganga had reached Agra. The city being connected with Palda fall in Bulandshahr through a pipeline laid for the purpose.

Meanwhile, lawyers reiterated their demand for a high court bench in Agra and gave a call to stay away from work in courts on Tuesday and Wednesday.

They plan to move towards Kothi Meena Bazar to raise the issue before the PM, but the administration is expected to keep an eye on them on Wednesday.

The preparations were finalised on Tuesday evening and the seating zones were demarcated in the audience arena at the venue. The ground was equipped with CCTV cameras and BJP workers placed party flags at various spots.Proud of first woman defence minister: PM

Proud of first woman defence minister (Nirmala Sitharam) who is taking of care of the countrys security and gave a reply to the Opposition in the Parliament that left them speechless, said PM Modi.

Rivals coming to together just to oppose us: PM

Political rivals, who didnt even like to look each other, are now coming together just to oppose us, said PM Modi in Agra.

Be careful of those spreading lies: PM Modi

We need to be careful of those selfish people who are spreading lies, said PM Modi.

They fear the chowkidar: PM Modi

They fear the chowkidar, which is why they want to throw me out of power, said PM Modi.

99% items brought below 28% GST slab: PM

Approximately 99% items have been brought under 28% GST slab, said PM Modi.

Over 7 lakh benefitted within 100 days of Ayushman Bharat scheme: PM

With Ayushman Bharat Yojna or Modi care scheme in place, patients with critical illnesses have been benefitted. Within 100 days of introducing the scheme, over 7 lakh people have undergone or are undergoing treatment, said PM Modi in Agra.

A step towards smart city: PM

With projects like Gangajal project, and facilities like CCTV cameras are step towards Agra becoming a smart city. These facilities will also attract tourists, said PM Modi.

Cleaning Ganga also our priority: PM

I want to inform you that under Namami Ganga Mission, the cleaning of river Yamuna is also our priority, said PM Narendra Modi in Agra

Gangajal project will also help tourism sector: PM

Along with the people of Agra, tourists will also get clean Ganga water to drink, which is why they would want to spend more time here. Thus, helping the tourism sector as well, said PM Modi.

A step towards development: PM Modi

The projects worth Rs 3000 crore that have been inaugurated today are a step towards the development of Agra. Its a measure to step up facilities related to water, education, and sanitation.

PM Modi address public meeting

After laying the foundation stone of the Gangajal project, PM Modi began addressing public meeting in Agra.

PM Modi inaugurates Gangajal project in Uttar Pradeshs Agra

PM Modi today inaugurated Gangajal project in Uttar Pradeshs Agra.

PM to gift Gangajal Project to Agra: UP CM

PM Modi will today inaugurate the Gangajal Project, which is a gift to the residents of Agra, said UP CM Yogi Adityanath today while addressing a public rally.

UP CM addresses rally

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath began addressing a public rally in Agra.

UP CM welcomes PM

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath along with a huge crowd welcomed Prime Minister Modi in Agra.

PM Modi reaches Agra

PM Modi reaches Agra to inaugurate several development projects related to health, sanitation, and education.

Projects relating to health, sanitation, education will also be inaugurated: PM Modi

Projects relating to health, sanitation, education will also be inaugurated, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

PM Modi is expected to unveil various development projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to unveil various development projects, including the Gangajal project, for which water from Ganga had reached Agra.

Ten companies of paramilitary forces and 4,000 policemen will provide security cover

Officials said traffic diversions will be in place across the city in wake of the Prime Ministers visit.Ten companies of paramilitary forces and 4,000 policemen will provide security cover.

PM Modi will visit the Taj city today where he will address a mega rally

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Taj city today where he will address a mega rally. Elaborate arrangements have been made in view of the Prime Ministers visit to the city.

PM Modi to kick-start BJPs campaign for Lok Sabha polls from Agra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick-start the Bharatiya Janata Partys campaign for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh from Agra.

Hope PM Modi learns the lesson of affection and love from Taj Mahal: Akhilesh Yadav

I hope Prime Minister Modi learns the lesson of affection and love from Taj Mahal, says Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav hours ahead of PMs Agra visit.

Christian Michel was lobbying for other contender in the multi-role combat aircraft deal: PM

Citing media reports, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says Christian Michel, the alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland deal, was lobbying for other contender in the multi-role combat aircraft deal.

Middleman of helicopter deal was also involved in France fighter jet deal of previous government: PM Modi

As per media, the middleman of helicopter deal who has been brought to India from foreign country was not only involved in the helicopter deal, but also in France fighter jet deal of previous government, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This chowkidar cannot be bought or scared: PM Modi

This chowkidar cannot be bought or scared; can pick up a wrongdoer even in darkness: PM Narendra Modi targets Congress-led opposition at rally in Maharashtra.

Solapur will soon be covered under the Udaan scheme: PM Modi

Solapur will soon be covered under the Udaan scheme which seeks to link far off places with air connectivity, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This chowkidar has tried to remove middlemen: PM Modi

This chowkidar has tried to remove middlemen. The middlemen have to give answer to the nation. Your blessing gives me strength, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Want to assure people of Assam and North East that their rights wont be hurt after passage of Citizenship Bill: PM

I want to assure the people of Assam and North East that their rights will not be hurt after passage of the Citizenship Bill, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Quota bill is a strong answer to those spreading lies on the move: PM

Passage of bill that provides for 10 per cent quota for the poor sections in general category is a strong answer by Parliament to those spreading lies on the move: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Maharashtra

Misconceptions being spread about the quota bill: PM Modi

There are misconceptions being spread about the quota bill. However, I expect it will be passed in Rajya Sabha too. It was extended by a day for this quota bill only, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A Rs 1,000 crore rail line has been approved, itll be ready soon: PM

A Rs 1,000 crore rail line has been approved, itll be ready soon, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Nothing will be taken away from any other weaker section: PM

Yesterday, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in Lok Sabha. I want to assure people from northeast & Assam that their rights will not be compromised with this decision. Nothing will be taken away from any other weaker section, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Happy infrastructure issues have been worked upon: PM Modi

Last time I visited Solapur, I spoke about the infrastructure issues and I am happy they have been worked upon: PM

10% quota signifies strong work of BJP towards Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas: PM

The Lok Sabha took an important decision yesterday. I hope important decision will be taken today in the Rajya Sabha. On Tuesday, a historic Bill was passed in Lok Sabha. 10% quota signifies strong work of BJP towards Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas: PM

BJP has strengthened and worked towards Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas: PM Modi

BJP has strengthened and worked towards Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas, says PM Modi.

PM Modi launches four-laning of Solapur-Osmanabad section of NH-211

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launches four-laning of Solapur-Osmanabad section of NH-211, underground sewerage system and three sewage treatment plants and lays foundation stone of 30,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Glad to be in this wonderful city: PM Modi

Hello Solapur! Glad to be in this wonderful city, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

PM Modi inaugurates and lays foundation stone for various development projects in Solapur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurates and lays foundation stone for various development projects in Solapur.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis is speaking in Solapur

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis is speaking in Solapur.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari is addressing a public meeting in Solapur, Maharashtra

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari is addressing a public meeting in Solapur, Maharashtra.

PM Modi at foundation laying ceremony of various development projects in Solapur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the foundation laying ceremony of various development projects in Solapur.

Maharashtra: PM Narendra Modi at the foundation laying ceremony of various development projects in Solapur. pic.twitter.com/fUP3OVBtIh  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

PM Modi will inaugurate several infrastructure projects in Solapur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate several infrastructure projects in Solapur, 190km south of Beed.

PM Narendra Modi to launch BJPs poll campaign in Maharashtra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) poll campaign in Maharashtra today.The Congress and other opposition parties on Wednesday strongly protested in the Rajya Sabha over the introduction of the bill to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to economically poor among the general category and supported demands for sending it to a select committee.

Social Welfare and Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot introduced The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenth- Four Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the House amid the din with opposition members accusing the government of playing politics on the issue. (Follow live updates here)

Gehlot, however, countered the opposition charge claiming that the governments intent was good and was aimed at uplifting the poor of the nation.

The bill seeks to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to economically weaker sections in the general category, but the opposition has dubbed it as an election gimmick ahead of general elections.

The Congress, DMK, RJD and Aam Aadmi Party were in the well of the house and continued to raise slogans against the government.

Sensing the mood, Deputy Chairman Harivansh adjourned the house till 2 pm while the discussion on the bill was on.

DMK member Kanomozhi demanded sending the Constitution amendment bill to a select committee for further scrutiny and sought division on her motion.

Also read: Irresponsible opposition mocked woman Raksha Mantri: PM Modi attacks Cong

Her demand was supported by members of some parties including D Raja (CPI), with Congress also asking the deputy chairman to take up her plea first and allow division on her motion.

But, deputy chairman Harivansh said it will only be taken up after the discussion, prompting the opposition members to raise further slogans.

Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Goel accused the opposition of seeking to stall the passage of the bill that has been brought for the welfare of the poor.

This was strongly opposed, with Congress member Anand Sharma saying his party supported the bill, and Manoj Jha (RJD) stating the charge was incorrect and that the bill was interference with the basic structure of the Constitution.

Sharma alleged that Goel has not done justice by making the charge as the Congress was in favour of the bill but had issues with the manner in which it was brought.

After the deputy chairman allowed the minister to move the bill amid the din, he heard various members raising points of order, but refrained from giving any ruling.

Congress member Madhusudan Mistry raised a point of order saying the bill was incomplete as the statement of objectives were not there.

He asked what was the urgency of the government in bringing this bill in such haste.

The deputy chairman said Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu had already granted two-day exemption for introducing the bill and the same should be taken up.

The government Wednesday introduced in Rajya Sabha a legislation to give 10 per cent quota in state jobs and educational institutions for upper caste poor.

Also read: At Rajasthan rally, Rahul Gandhis sixer analogy to attack PM Modi

Social Justice minister Gehlot said The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenth-Four Amendment) Bill 2019 is a historic bill and a step brought to ensure equal opportunities for the poor in the general category.

He said previous governments have attempted to bring such a step but their actions have been struck down by court as there was no such provision made in the Constitution.

Gehlot said it was under Prime Minister Narendra Modis government that this bill was brought to make such a provision for reservation for economically weaker sections.

This decision has not been taken in haste. It is brought with good intention keeping in view the welfare of the poor in general category people, the minister said.

He said the constitution did not allow reservation on economic basis and many among the poor of general category missed out on opportunities.

He said the poor in general category had a complaint that they could not avail of government benefits and the decison to bring a bill was taken after much consideration.

Seeking passage of the bill, Gehlot said this day will be remembered as an important one when crores of poor will benefit from this legislation that seeks to ensure equality and social harmony in the country.

The Congress members earlier also raised slogans over the citizenship amendment bill.

Also read: Very dangerous: Arvind Kejriwal sees a conspiracy in 10% quota move

The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and was brought to the Upper House after the sitting of the House was extended by a day.

Congress members, including Ripun Bora, wanted Home Minister Rajnath Singh be called to the House to make a statement on the citizenship bill that seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Goel said the same could be done at 2 PM.After the entry of two women in Sabarimala temple last week which triggered widespread protests in the state, a Dalit woman activist, who is in her 30s, on Wednesday claimed she entered the hill shrine and had a darshan of the presiding deity Lord Ayyappa in the early hours of Tuesday.

P Manju (36) made this claim in her Facebook post saying she entered the shrine by acting as an old woman who was over 50 years of age. She also posted her photo offering prayers at the temple. Though police said her pictures show she made it to the temple dodging protestors, they are yet to confirm it.

Claiming she did not seek police protection and trekked to the temple among milling devotees, Manju also said she scaled 18 holy steps, considered most sacrosanct as far as the pilgrimage to the hill temple is concerned. Interestingly she is one among the 20-odd women who unsuccessfully tried to enter the temple in October last and right wing activists had attacked her house in Kollam in south Kerala.

WATCH: Sabarimala Temple, shut after 2 women entered, reopens after purification

I had a fruitful darshan of the presiding deity. I came as an ordinary pilgrim. But, of course, to dodge protestors, I dyed my hair grey and pretended to be an aged woman. Nobody noticed me and I will continue my visit in future also, said Manju, an active worker of the Mahila Dalit Federation, a left-leaning Dalit outfit. Some of her friends also claimed she entered the temple and refused to disclose her location. Bindu Ammini and Kanakadurga, who were the first to enter the temple with police, are yet to come out in the open and reported to be under police protection.

The Sabarimala Karma Samiti, an outfit leading the agitation against women entry, alleged that since review pleas against the Supreme Courts September 28 verdict, which allowed women of all ages to offer prayers at the temple, were coming before the court on January 23, police and others were fudging records to show more women entered the temple to make their case strong. After the reported entry of Sri Lankan woman Sasikala last week the tantri had checked the CCTV visuals and found no visuals proving her presence at the sanctum sanctorum and decided not to do a fresh round of purification rite, sources close to him said. Similarly there are unconfirmed reports of 10 women visited the temple.

Regulars at the temple said it was really difficult to make out from the milling pilgrims whether a particular woman is below 50 years or not and chances are there they can sneak after donning male attire or pretending to be an aged.The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA government has thus far (between 2014-15 and December 2018) bought 460 million cm of advertisement space in print media, as compared to 560 million cm bought by the previous Congress-led UPA government between 2010 and 2014, numbers that government officials claim belie allegations that it has advertised a lot more than the previous government.

According to data from the government, the Congress paid Rs 1,896.73 crore while the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government has so far paid Rs 2,156.22 crore.

The money spent by the NDA government is more even though the space it purchased is less because advertising rates have gone up, said a government official aware of the development, asking not to be named.

If we were to put a value to the space that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government paid for, in term of the current rates, it works out to Rs 2,558 crore, the official added.

To be sure, this number does not include advertising across electronic and digital media. It is likely the current government has spent more on digital media simply because the space is more evolved now than it was five years ago.

In July last year, minister of information and broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore told Rajya Sabha in a written reply that the government, through the bureau of outreach and communication or BOC, released 52 advertisements worth Rs 60.9442 crore in 2015-16, 142 advertisements in 2016-17 worth Rs 83.2686 crore, and 309 advertisements worth Rs 147.9600 crore in 2016-17, all publicising schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Swachh Bharat Mission, Smart City Mission and Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana.

As per the details provided to Parliament through the Bureau of Outreach and Communication, the Union government spent at least Rs 4,880 crore in advertisements across electronic, print and other media between financial year 2014-15 and July 2018. Of this, Rs 979.78 crore was spent in 2014-15; Rs 1,160.16 crore in 2015-16; Rs 1,264.26 crore in 2016-17, and Rs 1,313.57 crore in 2017-18.

A BJP leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that many of the ads released by the UPA featured the then Congress party chief, Sonia Gandhi. In most of the advertisements issued, whether they were about the LPG scheme or old age pension, Sonia Gandhis photograph was carried in addition to that of the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, this person added.

The Congress dismissed the governments claims. Former minister for information and broadcasting Manish Tewari said, No amount of chicanery or spin can cover up the reality of cold numbers. The NDA has outspent its predecessors. Tewari also said the photographs of Gandhi were carried in her capacity as an elected chairperson of the UPA government. Unlike them [the BJP] we are not a single, individual-centric party, he said.The Supreme Court ruling that Monsanto can claim patents on its genetically modified (GM) Bollgard-II Bt cotton seed technology that resists the bollworm pest is likely to aggravate the agrarian crisis in India, activists said.

Some cotton-growing farmer groups, however, say it wont change the situation as domestic seed companies are as much to blame for rising prices. Monsanto, a US company, is the worlds biggest seed-maker.

Intellectual property rights experts say the judgment should be viewed with caution. The case has gone back to the trial court. Yes, the Supreme Court has restored the injunction, so Monsanto wins for the time being. But we will have to wait and see. The trial court has to do a determination of the patent claim, which is very complex. The technology also needs to be assessed, said Shamnad Basheer, founder of the website SpicyIP, and former chair professor of intellectual property law at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata.

What is Bt Cotton? Bt cotton is an insect-resistant transgenic crop designed to combat the bollworm pest.

It was created by genetically altering the cotton genome to express a microbial protein from the bacterium -- Bacillus thuringiensis. The transgene inserted into the plants genome produces toxin crystals that kill the pests that eat it.

About 50 million packs of GM cotton seeds are produced each year, according to the National Seed Association of India. Why does the Indian market matter? India is the worlds biggest cotton producer, growing around 6.21 million metric tonnes of the plant fibre in 2017-18. Why did Monsanto go to court? March 2002 Bt cotton was Indias first transgenic crop and was commercialised in March 2002. The Bt (Bollgard 1) is not patented.

Bt cotton was Indias first transgenic crop and was commercialised in March 2002. The Bt (Bollgard 1) is not patented. March 2007 Monsanto licensed its Bt cotton technology (bollgard II), superior to bollguard I to many Indian seed companies, including Nuziveedu Seeds Limited, to sell to farmers. The seed companies paid royalty to Monsanto.

Monsanto licensed its Bt cotton technology (bollgard II), superior to bollguard I to many Indian seed companies, including Nuziveedu Seeds Limited, to sell to farmers. The seed companies paid royalty to Monsanto. October 2015 Eight Indian seed companies stopped paying Monsanto royalties because Monsanto had refused to lower royalty after many states capped cotton seed prices.

Eight Indian seed companies stopped paying Monsanto royalties because Monsanto had refused to lower royalty after many states capped cotton seed prices. February 2016 Monsanto appealed for an injunction against three Indian seed companies for patent and trademark infringement before Delhi High Court.

Monsanto appealed for an injunction against three Indian seed companies for patent and trademark infringement before Delhi High Court. March 2017 Delhi High Court declares Monsantos termination of contracts with Indian seed companies is illegal and allowed Nuziveedu and others to continue using Bt technology.

Delhi High Court declares Monsantos termination of contracts with Indian seed companies is illegal and allowed Nuziveedu and others to continue using Bt technology. April 2018 Delhi High Court rejected Monsantos patent for Bt cotton technology saying Patents Act prohibits the grant of patents for "plants, plant varieties or seeds or any part thereof".

Delhi High Court rejected Monsantos patent for Bt cotton technology saying Patents Act prohibits the grant of patents for "plants, plant varieties or seeds or any part thereof". January 8, 2019 The Supreme Court overturned the Delhi High Court order saying royalties on GM technology would be decided by a specialised agency in the agriculture ministry. Whats the significance of the judgment? Activists say Bt cotton technology effects biodiversity, and farmers and consumers rights.



In 2016, in the Mahyco Monsanto Biotech and others vs Union of India case, the Centre filed an affidavit saying rising prices of Bt cotton seeds was financially burdening farmers, who still had to spend on pesticides and other resources to make the crop pest-resistant.

The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh which is the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, said the Centre should review the Patents Amendment Act, 2005, to see if there are any lacunae in the law that Monsanto used to convince the Supreme Court to allow its patent.

Ashwani Mahajan, SJMs national co-convenor, said: As per our estimates, Monsanto has already earned more than Rs 7,000 crore as royalty for Bt cotton seeds. Article 3 (j) of the Patents Amendment Act says an invention which causes serious prejudice to human, animal or plant life or health or to the environment is not patentable. We should check how Monsanto proved that Bt cotton technology is not affecting the environment, said Mahajan.

Farm activists and environmentalists argue that Bt cotton technology affects biodiversity as well as farmers and consumers rights.

According to farm activist Kiran Kumar Vissas impleadment in the Monsanto Technology LLC and others Vs Nuziveedu Seeds Limited and others, Monsanto had filed for patent in 2001 for an invention titled The method for transforming plants to express Bacillus thuringiensis delta endotoxins.

Vissa, in his petition, said that Monsanto described the nucleic acid construct in Bt technology as a chemical compound, having a chemical structure but the function of genetic material. Activists have argued that under the Cartagena Biosafety Protocol, a living modified organism (LMO) means any living organism that possesses a novel combination of genetic material and Bt technology falls under the LMO category, so Monsantos claim on the patent is contestable.

The case goes beyond an inter-corporation dispute as it has implications on the livelihood of farmers, insist activists. Bt cotton pushed up costs for farmers and resulted in farmer suicides. The governments own affidavit has said that Bt cotton has pushed farmers to the edge. We wanted to point out to the court that it is in fact a matter of life and death, said Kavitha Kuruganti of Alliance for Sustainable & Holistic Agriculture, who impleaded with Kiran Vissa.

Rakesh Tikait, Bharatiya Kisan Union chief, said, We condemn the Supreme Court order. Farmers have been under severe economic stress because of failure of Bt cotton; it may also be unsafe for cattle which graze in cotton fields. We dont want this technology in India.

The cotton-growing belt of Vidarbha and Marathwada in Maharashtra, which is Indias largest cotton-producing state, will not be affected by the judgment, say farmer leaders from the region.

This decision has no real impact on farmers, it is between Monsanto and local seed companies. I dont think paying royalty of ~50 to ~70 is an issue. The real issue is that Indian seed companies have been selling BT seeds at inflated costs to farmers and there is no check on this, said Vijay Jawandia, a farmer leader and expert from Vidarbha.

Seeds companies are not to blame, said Ajit Mulay, president of the Seed Industries Association of Maharashtra.

We have been fighting against the unreasonable royalty demanded by Monsanto and its Indian arm. The royalty has come down over the years but only after our legal fight. We will adhere to the Supreme Court verdict.Its that time of year again, when nature lovers from all over the country come to Southwest Florida to see the real Florida. Not just the beaches and palm trees, but the birds and native plants and even some threatened species.

On Friday, Lee Countys Conservation 20/20 will host a guided nature walk at Powell Creek Preserve at 1560 Hart Road from 9 to 10:30 a.m.

Two certified Florida master naturalists will identify and discuss native plants, wildlife and birds, according to Jason Boeckman, Conservation 20/20 coordinator.

The walk length is a one-mile elevated loop trail of crushed shell and grass path.

Possible wildlife sightings include wading birds such as the blue heron, warblers, woodpeckers, and gopher tortoises, which Boeckman said could be the most exciting.

A native planting occurred at the preserve last summer to improve foraging habitat for the gopher tortoise, a state-listed threatened species. The plants included gopher apple and prickly-pear cactus. This improved habitat can be observed from the walk path, Boeckman said. As a result of hat planting six months ago, we have documented some new burrows that did not exist before.

Last fall there was also a mechanical brush reduction of some pine trees in an area of the preserve. This helped so that too many pine trees would not shade out important gopher tortoise food source plants from growing, Boeckman said.

Since the native planting and pine reduction, several new gopher tortoise burrows have been documented at the preserve.

Powell Creek is a 77-acre preserve acquired by Lee County in 2003 as a Conservation 20/20 preserve.

Bring a water bottle, hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. The nature walk is free and no registration required. There are no restroom facilities, but Boeckman said it is a great place to take a stroll.

Its a nice stroll. There are a lot of neighbors who are regulars to the preserve to get exercise, Boeckman said. Its especially pleasant in the morning and later afternoon. It has its own retention ponds, so its fun to see wading birds and see nature.

For additional information, call 204-1125 or www.conservation2020.org.The president of Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal resigned on Wednesday following a sharp criticism over the withdrawal of an invitation to writer Nayatara Sahgal as the chief guest and keynote speaker at a literary event.

Sahgal was invited by the Mahamandal president Shripad Joshi to the 92nd Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Sammelan, which she had accepted. The prestigious Marathi literary meet is scheduled to begin at Yavatmal on January 11.

However, the invitation was withdrawn after protests from political groups, including the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), for inviting a writer in English to a Marathi literary meet. MNS chief Raj Thackeray said on Monday his party has no objection or opposition to Sahgals presence at the meet and apologised for the conduct of his party leaders.

Also read: MNS chief Raj Thackeray apologises after writer Nayantara Sahgal dropped from Marathi literature meet

I have sent an email tendering my resignation to the organisers and I have been portrayed in a wrong manner. I plan to meet Nayantara Sahgal in Delhi and explain my situation, Joshi said in a statement.

The withdrawal of the invitation to Sahgal resulted in fierce criticism from a number of authors, with calls from prominent writers and social activists such as Vidya Bal to boycott the event to register their protest.

Also read: Pune-based writers criticise withdrawal of Sahgals invite

This sammelan was of historic importance for two reasons; one being that Aruna Dhere is the first woman president of the Sammelan and second, that Nayantara had agreed to be part too despite her age and her health, Bal, who was to receive an award at the literary meet, said.

The organisers have not just insulted Nayantara by withdrawing the invite but also Aruna Dhere and the government of Maharashtra. Sahgal is not just a national figure but known internationally and even the government has not taken cognisance of this great author. Is the Chief Minister not capable of controlling and protecting this sammelan from being disrupted? Bal asked.

On Tuesday, however, a number of writers from Pune opposed the call to boycott the literary meet and issued a signed statement. The statement said that while they strongly oppose the withdrawal of the invitation to Sahgal, they will not boycott the sammelan.

Also read: Writers oppose call to boycott Marathi literary meet over withdrawal of invitation to Sahgal

They also appealed to other writers not to boycott the literary meet as it would disappoint the thousands of lovers of literature who would be attending the event.Tuesday began for Sanket Tiwari with news of the governments proposed quota for people like him. His family WhatsApp group, of which he is one of the administrators, has been buzzing all morning with messages that alternate between congratulatory texts and disparaging comments for those quotawales (the other quota people  a reference to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes).

The 23-year-old moved to Delhi a couple of years ago with dreams of getting a government job, but has failed in clearing any competitive examination since. How could I when everything is always for the reserved guys? I am sure my position was taken by one of them with lower marks, said the son of a primary school teacher.

Keenly aware that his Brahmin family back in rural Uttar Pradesh is banking on him, Tiwari says he has always opposed reservations and had even participated in an anti-reservation rally in college. But he supports the new 10% quota for economically weaker sections (EWS). Why? The earlier reservation was caste-based, which are against merit and efficiency. They promote undeserving people who are already rich. But this quota is for people who actually need it.

Tiwari is of the 190 million-odd people who are expected to benefit from the Union cabinets EWS quota and the key demographic of upper castes that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is targeting ahead of the 2019 general election. But in doing so, many upper-caste people like Tiwari may have to battle their own years-old anti-reservation stance, which experts say is steeped in casteist attitudes.

Upper-caste opposition to reservation spilled out onto the streets during the protests against the Mandal Commission recommendations for OBC quotas in 1990. Since then, an anti-reservation feeling has been pervasive among the upper castes with any SC/ST person availing of reservation benefits facing a raft of prejudices and biases right from their school years.

They create the farcical logic of merit, which is constructed to exclude certain people. When we are in an unequal society, when we are starting differently, how can you talk of merit? asked Vivek Kumar, professor of sociology at Delhis Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Watch | 10% quota for poor: Heres who will benefit from it

In a 2016 paper in the Economic and Political Weekly as well, Sukhadeo Thorat, Nitin Tagade and Ajaya Naik argued that there was no basis for prejudice against caste-based quotas and that the suggestion of replacing caste with economic criteria has no validity.

Tiwari says everyone in his family has welcomed this quota because it is based on a criterion of poverty, not caste. But a study by Thorat and Attewell in 2010 showed that the two are not unconnected, and that, in fact, the scheduled castes are significantly more poor and disadvantaged.

The study of around 10,000 respondents found that SCs had 67% less chance of receiving calls for an interview than equally qualified upper-caste candidates. SCs also had the highest levels of unemployment across communities.

The government says the EWS quota is aimed at giving jobs to disadvantaged sections. But as a HT analysis showed in August 2018, the reservation pie in government jobs is fast shrinking and share of public sector jobs in organised sector employment has sharply declined since liberalization was introduced in the 1990s.

At a time when the rate of employment is at an all-time low, this move seems tokenistic. It is important for the government to focus on generating employment for the masses instead of securing reservations for the upper castes, said Priyanka Samy, a development professional.

India has been roiled over the past decade by demands for quotas by a number of dominant castes, which have political influence, but are fast losing social and economic dominance  such as the Jats and Gujjars in Haryana, Patidars in Gujarat and Marathas in Maharashtra. Experts say these communities are unlikely to be satisfied by the EWS quota.

If the quota is implemented, it will be appropriated by culturally dominant groups with large cultural or social capital who already dominate the upper echelons of every institution. Groups such as Jats and Gujjars , who have little tradition of education or few civil servants, will be left out again, said Kumar.

The other problem is that of implementation, which has plagued SC/ST communities. The implementation of schemes meant for SC/STs is fraught with issues which continue to impede its implementation and access to these marginalised communities. An important question here is how is the Govt doing to address these gaps, Samy said.

Marathas

Vinod Patil never went to college and blames the lack of reservation for it. The 38-year-old Maratha man from Aurangabad jumped into the quota protests in 2016 and even filed a petition in the Bombay high court seeking time-bound implementation of the 16% quota granted in November.

I come from a poor farmer family. Like me, I have seen many frustrated youth from poor background as we all had the urge to study further but we could not, he said, blaming the lack of education for the joblessness. While we saw people of other communities, who had the support of quota, progress; they studied, got government jobs, etc, he said.

Some Maratha leaders have welcomed the 10% EWS reservation, but others arent sure if it will benefit them, or if the decision will stand legal scrutiny. It is a positive step as it will help the Maratha community. We have been demanding quota on economic background since the 1980s, but successive governments did not pay heed to this demand, said Virendra Shashikant Pawar, coordinator, Maratha Kranti Morcha.

But Nanasaheb Kute Patil, another coordinator of the Maratha Kranti Morcha, said that there was a lack of coordination between the Maharashtra and central governments on the reservation. Maharashtra government gave 16% reservation, now the Centre has given 10% reservation. I dont think open category will benefit from this quota for EWS.

Patidars

Sagar Savaliya knows his dream is unlikely be fulfilled, and is ready to settle for the next best thing. The civil engineering student from Ahmedabad wants OBC status for Patidars but dislikes the current reservation for SCs/STs, saying it hurts deserving students.

If not OBC, then we are happy with EWS. It will be very helpful for students like me, he said, but is not sure if the move will hold up in court. The Gujarat government had also offered 10% EBC quota through an ordinance, which was struck down by the high court.

We have now understood that OBC (status) for Patidars will not be possible. We are happy with the EWS reservation but we will believe it only when it passes all the tests, said Purvin Patel, spokesperson of the Sardar Patel Group, but added that only reservation wont solve their problems. First, we need quality education at affordable fees. Jobs come next, he said.

Jats

Images of protesters setting eateries, houses and schools on fire in Haryana pushed the Jat quota agitation into limelight in 2016. More than two years on, the community says the EWS quota will not benefit them as they have already been notified as an OBC, a move the court has stayed.

We want our separate reservation in OBC and our next protest will happen in February as planned, said All India Jat Arakshan Sangharsh Samiti national president Yashpal Malik. He felt the Bharatiya Janata Party had not fulfilled its promise of Jat quotas.This government killed our innocent children and backtracked on all promises multiple times, he said.

Gujjars

For an agitation that began in 2006, the Rajasthan high courts 2016 decision to roll back the 5% Gujjar quota came as a blow for the community. Gujjar Aarakshan Sangarh Samiti president Colonel Kirodi Singh Bainsla said giving reservations to the needy should be the aim of the government, but at the same time there must be a review of the whole reservation system.

It should not be implemented to please people and serve own purposes, he said. At present, five castes -- the Banjara, Gadia-Lohar, Gujjar, Raika/Rebari and Gadaria -- are getting the benefit of reservation under other backward classes and 1% under the Most Backward Classes categories.

Other upper castes

The Samanya Pichra evam Alpasankhyak varg Adhikari Karmachari Sanasthan (SAPAKS), a Madhya Pradesh upper-caste body opposing the SC/ST Act that seeks to protect the marginalised communities, welcomed the EWS quota but demanded that the government also introduce creamy layers in the SC/ST quotas.

This quota will not solve problems because it will only divide society further. Our solution is that creamy layer of each section should be excluded and then the quota should be 50% of the population and the remaining 50% should be on merit, said SAPAKS secretary Kedar Singh.

Some Brahmin bodies asked for the quota to be increased to 14%. If the governments intention is clear ,then a special parliament session should be called in a day or two and 14% reservation is provided instead of 10%, said Sarv Brahmin Mahasabha president Suresh Mishra.

Rajput Sabha Bhawan president Giriraj Singh Lotwara said the community welcomed the move as it opened new gates for reservation system as it is for the economically weaker (sections), therefore people from any caste and community will be there.

(Inputs by Swapnil Rawal, Hiral Dave, Hardik Anand, Sachin Saini and Punya Priya Mitra)A leopard cub, who was dragged around by some unidentified locals in Kolyari village, some 150 kms from Nagpur in Gondia district of eastern Vidarbha, died on Tuesday morning at a forest department rescue centre.

A video, in which a group of villagers could be seen pulling a dehydrated cub from bushes, dragging him around with his tail, hitting with sticks, had gone viral on Sunday. The cub was found abandoned by forest officials, who took him to its Kohmara rescue centre. The cub succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday, said MR Sheikh, the assistant conservator of forests.

Another sub-adult female leopard, was found abandoned in the area on Monday. This leopard was kept at the rescue centre and is reported to be out of danger. The mother leopard is missing.

Kolyari village, where the two cubs were found, falls in the buffer zone of Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve corridor.

Reports reaching here late on Tuesday said some villagers dragged the cub by its tail, while others kicked and assaulted it. The cub, which was very weak attacked in self-defence. A video of the incident purportedly shows the pathetic condition of the leopard cub, aged around six months.Shah Faesal, the outspoken IAS topper whose success inspired many young Kashmiris to join the civil services, announced on Wednesday that he has decided to resign from the government and join electoral politics. Faesal, 35, attributed his decision to protest what he described as the unabated killings in Kashmir and absence of any credible political initiative from Union Government.

I have decided to resign from IAS. Kashmiri lives matter, Faesal said in a Facebook post that was severely critical of the central government.

Faesal, a 2010-batch IAS officer, was the first Kashmiri to top the civil services examination held by the Union Public Services Commission, or UPSC. His appointment was then seen to reflect the changing mindset of Kashmiris.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Faesal, however, said he will announce his plans on Friday. He is expected to join the National Conference and contest the Lok Sabha polls from Barmulla in north Kashmir.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah welcomed Faesal to politics.

The bureaucracys loss is politics gain. Welcome to the fold @shahfaesal, Abdullah tweeted.

Abdullah refrained from outlining any more details, saying Shah Faesals future political plans are his to announce.

Omar Abdullah has supported Shah Faesal on social media more than once, particularly when Faesal was trolled for his blunt remarks. He was as scathing in his Facebook post announcing his decision to resign.

I wish to reiterate that voices of reason in this country cannot be muzzled for long and the environment of siege will need to end if we wish to usher in true democracy, he wrote.

Faesal, from Jammu and Kashmirs Kupwara district, got into trouble with the government last year and was issued a show-cause notice for tweeting a comment on a story of a man raping his mother.

Patriarchy+Population+Illiteracy+Alcohol+Porn+Technology+Anarchy = Rapistan!, Faesal had tweeted in April over a story titled Porn addict rapes 46 year old mom, arrested in Gujarat.

In August last, he said repealing of Article 35A of the Constitution would end Jammu and Kashmirs relationship with the rest of the country. I would compare Article 35A to a marriage-deed/nikahnama. You repeal it and the relationship is over. Nothing will remain to be discussed afterwards, he said in a tweet.

Lets not confuse the issue. Sovereignty and integrity of India cant be challenged. Not at all. But the Constitution has kept some special provisions for J&K state. Its a unique arrangement. It isnt a threat to Indias integrity at all, he said.

Article 35A empowers the Jammu and Kashmir states legislature to define permanent residents of the state and provide special rights and privileges to those permanent residents.The selection committee on CBI chief comprising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief justice of India and leader of largest opposition party in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge met on Wednesday evening to discuss the case of reinstated director Alok Verma.

Senior Supreme Court judge, Justice AK Sikri is part of the selection committee in place of the chief justice Ranjan Gogoi. Chief Justice Gogoi stayed away from the meeting as he authored the judgement by which Verma was on Tuesday reinstated as CBI Director and his powers were restored albeit with a rider that he would cease and desist from taking any major policy decisions and only attend routine functions.

According to reports, the panel is reported to have decided to hold a second meeting tomorrow, according to TV reports.

Kharge had earlier asked the government to defer the meeting since he had been busy with the Lok Sabha proceedings and hadnt studied the Supreme Courts order on Alok Verma. In his letter, he had asked for the meeting to be held on January 11, giving him enough time to study the judgment. He said that he would be able to put forth his partys point of view only after studying the judgment.

The Supreme Court had on Tuesday conditionally reinstated Verma as the CBI chief a day earlier, months after the government divested him of the duties of the director following an internal feud with his deputy Rakesh Asthana in the agency.

Verma took charge as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director on Wednesday and is expected to rescind the transfer orders of some of his key people, sources familiar with the matter said.

The top court has given the selection committee one week to meet and discuss whether Verma needs to be removed or not.

The transfer of the director without the consent of the selection committee negates the legislative intent that is to ensure independence of CBI, the court said.

Within a week, the selection committee, led by the PM, will meet and look into the aspect of whether Verma needs to be removed or not, it said.

That bench of the court had chief justice Ranjan Gogoi and that is why he is believed to have dropped out of the selection committee on the CBI director.

Alok Verma was divested of duties shortly after midnight on October 23 following a feud with his deputy Rakesh Asthana. Verma had contested his removal in the Supreme Court, saying due procedure was not followed in taking the action, which should have been done by the selection committee. The court reinstated him and asked the selection panel to take a call.

The government had however claimed that the decision to send Verma and Asthana on leave was taken on a report by CVC following corruption charges against both the officials in connection with cases being probed by the agency.

While opposition claimed victory over the SC order, with Congress president Rahul Gandhi saying some justice has been done, government defended itself. Finance minister Arun Jaitley said the removal of the two officials was necessary in the larger interest of fair and impartial investigation and credibility of CBI.India has permitted an Iranian private bank to open a branch in Mumbai that is expected to begin operations by March to handle transactions related to New Delhis oil purchases in view of American sanctions on Tehran.

Road transport and shipping minister Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday gave details about the branch of Bank Pasargad after talks with Irans foreign minister Javad Zarif, who discussed the possibility of buying rail steel and around 300 railway locomotive engines from India.

The complete operationalisation of Shahid Beheshti terminal of the strategic Chabahar port, taken over by India Ports Global Limited in December, also figured in talks between Gadkari and Zarif. The Iranian side raised the issue of certain equipment that India is committed to procure for this process, people familiar with developments said.

Gadkari told reporters that the two sides were close to resolving several issues, including banking payment mechanisms. The government has already given an Iranian bank the permission to open its branch in India and they are going to open it in Mumbai in three months. It will be more easy for transactions, he said.

Also read | India hopes to start full operations soon at Irans Chabahar port, says Nitin Gadkari

Zarif said, We are very happy that UCO Bank from India and Bank Pasargad from Iran are getting started with the business. We hope that despite illegal US sanctions, Iran and India can cooperate further.

India, Irans top oil buyer after China, will pay for crude imports in rupees to UCO Bank. Iran will use the funds for importing Indian goods. India got a six month waiver last November to buy crude oil from Iran after it cut imports, and it also got a waiver for developing Chabahar port.

The two sides had a good discussion on Chabahar port, including the machinery and equipment needed to fully operationalise the terminal taken over by India. The financial arrangement is ready, and there were some problems but we have resolved the issues, he said, adding India has placed orders for machinery worth $85 million and is confident full operations at the terminal will begin as early as possible.

Gadkari said Zarif gave him several proposals, including procuring rail steel and around 250 to 300 railway locomotive engines from India. They are also ready to provide urea at a low cost, Gadkari added.

Addressing the India-Iran Business Forum, Zarif criticised the US sanctions and said the political will of the two governments and the strong economic interests of the two business communities would certainly overcome the challenges that exist. Without naming the US or President Donald Trump, he said a single country and a single individual were preventing the normalisation of Irans economic relations.

We providealmost a third of the required urea fertilisers to India, which your farmers need. Today they are paying 38% more because of these US sanctions that prevent Iran from selling them to you directly, he said.

Zarif added, Iran, I can assure you, is the most reliable energy provider for India. We have never allowed any consideration to impede our economic relations with our partners.

Chabahar port, on Irans southern coast along the Gulf of Oman, is being developed as a transportation corridor for landlocked Afghanistan that bypasses Pakistan.

Ircon and Construction, Development of Transport and Infrastructure Company (CDTIC) of Iran are now building the Chabahar-Zahedan railway line.

Vishwas Udgirkar, a partner at Deloitte India, said: India has been trying to make the port operational since more than a decade. There were various external, internal and political issues. Therefore, it is a good positive development that India has finally taken over operations. Particularly, if we look at Iran for availability of gas, it is a very critical development.

Also read | Why Chabahar port is a win-win for IndiaIndian-origin man Jagdiep Dhonsi was among three men jailed for involvement in the illegal supply of potentially dangerous prescription-only medicines in the United Kingdom, officials said in London on Wednesday.

The Southwark Crown Court sentenced Dhonsi to 38 months in jail, while Amrin Mirza got 18 months and Shirina Ali nine months imprisonment respectively for their roles in the crimes following a complex investigation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

MHRA said its officials seized more than 300,000 tablets, worth over 315,000, adding that they believe the haul represented a fraction of the overall illegal operation.

The three West London-based men were convicted of conspiracy to supply unauthorised medicines, including diazepam, zolpidem and zopiclone which are also controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act, together with other powerful prescription-only medicines.Indian Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat on Wednesday endorsed the option of dialogue with the Taliban provided there are no preconditions and the talks are aimed at bringing lasting peace and stability to Afghanistan.

Rawats remarks came against the backdrop of efforts by Pakistan, the US, Russia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table. However, the Taliban have refused to engage with the government in Kabul and India has kept a close watch on these developments because of Pakistans influence on the militants.

Speaking during a session on countering terrorism at the Raisina Dialogue, Rawat said youngsters in Jammu and Kashmir had been radicalised through disinformation but the Islamic State was unable to gain a foothold among Indias Muslims because of family values and the work done by security agencies.

When you talk to the terrorists or any organisation of that kind, you have to talk without preconditionsbecause when you start attaching preconditions, then it kind of gives a sense of a notion of victory, that one or the other side is talking from a position of strength or victory, he said in response to a question on talks with the Taliban.

There should be talks with the Taliban so long as they do not come out with any preconditions and so long as they are looking at lasting peace in Afghanistan and bringing about stability in that country. It is in our interest, it is in the regions interest and in Pakistans interest. We all want stability.

Rawat expressed misgivings about Pakistans role, saying it had always treated Afghanistan as its backyard. He added, So they would always want a situation in Afghanistan which is more favourable to them. So even if it implies speaking to the devil, I think they will do it.

Read more| Tehran offers Delhi a channel to Taliban

Husain Haqqani, a former Pakistani envoy to the US and a vocal critic of the Pakistan Army, who was part of the same session, said the Taliban have the psychological upper hand because the US had never focused on a key problem  the safe havens for the militants in another country.

The Taliban understand that the Americans are anxious to leave and this made them feel stronger and show disrespect to the Afghan government. He questioned whether the Taliban would change their ideology if the US were to withdraw and said: A settlement that makes the Taliban feel they have won will embolden those who sponsor terrorism.

Rawat said radicalisation had taken a different form in India, especially in Jammu and Kashmir, where youngsters under the sway of misinformation, disinformation and a lot of falsehoods on religion have taken to terrorism. So long as there are nations which are going to continue to sponsor terrorism as a state policy, this phenomenon will continue, he added.

The Islamic State had not been able to find its feet in the manner it has found in some other countries in spite of our nation being populated with a large number of Muslims, Rawat said. This was because we have rich family values and the good work done by security agencies in tracking terrorist activities.India and Norway on Tuesday agreed to closely collaborate on the ocean economy and the Sustainable Development Goals and to boost bilateral trade as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg.

During delegation-level talks, Modi and Solberg discussed ways to give new energy and direction to bilateral ties. The two sides signed an MoU for an India Norway Ocean Dialogue.

Solberg, who arrived here on Monday on her maiden visit to India, was accorded a ceremonial reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan before the talks with Modi.

We reviewed all areas of cooperation and discussed ways of giving new energy and direction to bilateral ties, Modi said in a statement after the talks. He said they had fruitful discussions on all aspects of the ocean economy.

Solberg said given the importance of Indias economy, the world wont be able to achieve the SDGs unless India is on board. She said: As the worlds largest democracy, India plays an important role both regionally and globally. We had an open and constructive dialogue on how we can work more closely together to protect rules based international governance. She added, I think it is important that both big countries like India and smaller countries like Norway join forces and talk about multilateralism in times when there is increased protectionism.

People familiar with developments said India raised the issue of Norwegian regulations that insist on the entire face being visible in photos used for official purposes, and pointed out that such rules impose restrictions on the use of turbans by Sikhs. The Indian side conveyed that this was a matter of serious concern for the Sikh community and the Norwegian side it would examine the matter, the people said.HAL CMD, R Madhavan met defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and three service chiefs met in Parliament on Wednesday against the backdrop of the Rafale controversy.

Army chief General Bipin Rawat, Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa and Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba were seen arriving at the Parliament complex shortly after noon.

The meeting was to discuss the finances of the distressed state-run aircraft manufacturer. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has frequently borrowed from banks and financial institutions to meet its operational expenditure.

Delhi: Army Chief General Bipin Rawat, Air Chief Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, and Naval Chief Sunil Lanba arrive at the Parliament. According to the sources, they are expected to meet the Defence Minister pic.twitter.com/SUutk86m2u  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

The meeting comes as Congress led by its president Rahul Gandhi has been accusing the Narendra Modi government of corruption in the Rafale fighter jet deal with France.

Rahul Gandhi has accused the Modi government of bypassing the defence ministry and the air force in making changes to the deal and have questioned how Anil Ambanis Reliance Defence was made the offset partner of French firm Dassault after removing HAL.

The Modi government has dismissed all allegations of corruption as false. Reliance Defence and Anil Ambani too have rejected the allegations.Long-time Pine island resident and Fire Commissioner Dr. Michael Dreikorn announced Monday that he is running for County Commissioner District #1 in the 2020 election. District 1 is currently held by retiring County Commissioner John Manning.

Ive been a Pine Island resident since before Hurricane Charlie in 2004, Dreikorn said. I believe I can help bring Lee County where it needs to be with regards to infrastructure, water quality, property rights and sustaining the Old Florida feel of Lee County.

Dreikorn, originally from southern California, joined the military at 18 years old and traveled the world. While working in Hartford, Connecticut, Dreikorn found Pine Island on the Internet on a Wednesday, flew down on a Saturday, bought a house on Sunday and moved to the island 3 weeks later.

Six months after moving here, Hurricane Charley destroyed my house, Dreikorn said. I could have taken the insurance and lived someplace else but I wanted to stay on Pine Island and Im glad I did.

I decided to make my announcement at the Matlacha Bridge because the bridge and the waters are symbolic of some of the problems we are facing, Dreikorn said. District 1 is an important district because it includes most of coastal Lee County. As you know, Lee County has struggled with its representation, especially in the coastal and unincorporated areas, for several years and I mean to change that. What we need is an active commissioner to get things done.

The election for the seat will take place in November 2020.Feed tests reveal lower digestibility

New seasonal feed quality test results showing the stark differences between wet and dry seasons have underlined the need for end users to measure and know what they are feeding.The government is planning to shift the countrys entire milk sector to solar energyfrom farmers onward to processorsthrough an upfront subsidy of 30%. A policy, in the works, will be announced soon, Dilip Rath, the chairman of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), told HT on Wednesday.

The largest chunk of Indias milk business runs on a co-operative business model, which is essentially a collectivised model of dairy farming where producers and milk processors are stakeholders. In the first phase, the milk sectors power consumption from conventional sourcesmainly grid electricity and dieselwill come down by up to 25%.

Farmers will also be able to sell back surplus power to a solar grid at rates decided by state agencies.

This is nearly certain as a dairy farmers net use of solar power (only for dairy activities) will be less than total solar power that can be produced, based on usage patterns, as seen in the case of farmers of Gujarats Solar Pump Irrigators Cooperative Enterprise. We are looking at the entire milk value chain for this transition. The 30% subsidy will come from the ministry of new and renewable energy, he said.

District-level milk unions will get the subsidy to install solar equipment for dairy farmer households, who use common plants for chilling milk to increase their shelf life. Frequent power outages affect milk quality. Solar will give a more reliable power source and through these unions, farmers will be able to sell surplus power back to the grid, Rath said.

Milk cooperatives, who aggregate milk supplies and process them, will also qualify for the subsidy. The programme will be then dovetailed to the so-called KUSUM (Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahaabhiyan) scheme, which aims to incentivise farmers to rely more on solar power. The NDDB propelled the Operation Flood that saw India emerge as the worlds largest milk producer.As millions prepare to descend on Allahabad to celebrate one of the holiest religious fairs of the Hindu calendar, the six-yearly event is entangled in a war of nomenclatures: is it the Kumbh 2019 or the Ardh Kumbh 2019?

The fair, which this year will take place from January 15 to March 4 at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers, has traditionally been called the Ardh Kumbh. The one held every 12 is called the Kumbh and the event slated every 144 years, the Maha Kumbh.

The row began on December 12, 2017, when Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, while launching the Kumbh logo, announced the renaming of the Ardh Kumbh as the Kumbh. On December 22, his government introduced the Prayagraj Mela Authority Bill in the assembly and duly made the change announced by the CM.

The state governments move hasnt gone down well with the Opposition and most Hindu religious figures, who are sticking to calling the imminent six-year event as the Ardh Kumbh.

Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on January 2 tweeted that the government shouldnt be playing politics over the Ardh Kumbh.

Now they have changed the Kumbhs name. They should know history and traditions. They are publicising the Ardh Kumbh as the Kumbh, read the tweet.

The Leader of Opposition in the UP assembly, SP leader Ram Govind Chaudhary, tore into the government and said it was violating the Vedas and other holy scriptures.

Congress Intellectual Cell chairman Sampoornanand said, Kumbh is our tradition. It should not be redefined in any manner. The [upcoming] Kumbhs traditional nomenclature is the Ardh Kumbh.

Revenue-generating tourism may have motivated the UP CM to scale up the name by a notch. The thinking seems to be that the state coffers could benefit from a Kumbh being held every six years instead of 12.

Why is the Opposition so upset if the government is making efforts to attract more and more people from India and abroad to the fair? asked UP Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak. The Kumbh doesnt belong to any party or government, its a matter of faith and tradition.

Yogi Adityanath, meanwhile, cited a philosophical mantra from the Yajur Veda, and offered a riposte as mystifying as the verse itself. Nothing is incomplete in Hindu philosophy, he said. Therefore, the word ardh [half] doesnt fit.

Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the upcoming religious jamboree as the Ardh Kumbh during a rally in Allahabad on December 16, while seers well-versed in Hindu holy texts are on the warpath too.

For us, the sarkari Kumbh will remain the Ardh Kumbh, said mahant Maheshwar Dasji. The mahant, who belongs to the Panchayati Akhara Bada Udasin, one of 13 recognised monastic orders in India, said that the Kumbhs are calculated in accordance to the positions of celestial bodies. Those cant be changed by a mere resolution, bill or government order, he said.

Balak Yogeshwar Das Maharaj, head of the Ati Vishnu Mahayagya Samiti, dismissed the UP CMs comments and attempts to rename the gathering as wordplay designed to make the event look grander.

The Sanatan Dharm follows traditions and customs as per ancient holy scriptures and this cannot be changed, he said.

Meanwhile, ordinary citizens are shaking their heads over the brouhaha. Whether its called the Kumbh or the Ardh Kumbh, what difference does it make? asked professor Yogeshwar Tiwari, head of Allahabad Universitys department of medieval and modern history. It is the occasion thats significant.

(with inputs from Padma Rao Sundarji in New Delhi)The last session of Parliament before the next Lok Sabha election will take place from January 31 to February 13, during which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government will present an interim budget and give the final push to some key pending bills.

The Winter Session of Parliament came to an end Wednesday after both Houses passed the Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill to reserve 10% of government jobs and university seats for the poor. Although the session saw the passage of four bills, including the Constitution 124th Amendment, the RTE Amendment Bill (disbanding the no-detention policy) and The National Trust for Autism and Cerebral Palsy, its initial days were marred by prolonged protests and adjournments over issues including the contentious Rafale jet fighter deal, the Cauvery water dispute between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and controversies surrounding the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Reserve Bank of India.

Overall, the Lok Sabha managed to make use of only 46% of its allotted time, making it the fourth least productive session during the NDAs rule. In the monsoon session, it managed to work for 110% of its allotted time.

The Rajya Sabha fared worse and could only use 26% of its allotted time. In the monsoon session, the Opposition-dominated upper house made use of 68% of the time meant for legislative business.

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, headed by home minister Rajnath Singh, met on Wednesday to discuss the schedule for the next session. Officials familiar with the development added that the government may prorogue the winter session that ended on Wednesday and opt for a new session.

The government is all set to re-promulgate the ordinance on Triple Talaq. Now, the citizenship amendment bill has also remained pending. So, the Centre might prorogue this session and go for a new session, said a senior official who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A final decision will be taken shortly.

President Ram Nath Kovind is likely to address the joint sitting of the two Houses on January 31 and the Economic Survey may also be tabled the same day. The next day, the NDA government will place its last budget  an interim one  before going to the polls.

The government managed to introduce 16 new bills; only four prices of legislation could be cleared by both Houses of Parliament. As many as 12 bills passed by the Lok Sabha could not be taken up in the Rajya Sabha.A man who had attacked a 21-year-old woman with a hammer at a south Delhi hotel for breaking up with him after eight years of relationship had lied about his breakthrough in the Mumbai TV industry to lure her to the place of assault, police said on Tuesday.

The 24-year-old unemployed man was arrested on Monday after he rushed the woman to the Indian Spinal Injuries Centre and said that she had fallen and hurt her head.

But the doctors realised that the injury was not from a fall and restrained the man until a police team arrived at the spot. The woman later told us that the man had attacked her with a hammer after she turned down his requests for a patch-up, said Devender Arya, deputy commissioner of police (south-west).

The woman works with a private firm and lives with her family in Sarojini Nagar. The man stays in RK Puram. They were in a relationship for eight years, but she broke up with him three months ago as he didnt seem keen to settle down in life, said the DCP.

The man first lured the woman to a hotel in Mahipalpur on Sunday. The man told her he was going away to Mumbai as he had got a breakthrough in the TV industry and that he wanted to meet her one last time. During their two-hour stay at a room in the hotel, she refused to get back with him, said the DCP.

They parted ways that day, but the woman forgot her Aadhaar card in the hotel room, said the DCP. He called her again on Sunday on the pretext of giving her the document. He again persisted with his demand for a patch-up, but when she refused, he attacked her with a hammer, said the DCP.

When and from where the man had purchased the hammer remains to be ascertained, but it was small enough to be concealed in his bag, said the officer.

When he hit the woman nearly half-a-dozen times, he believed she would die and he could pass it off as a mishap. But the woman survived and told us everything, said the DCP, adding that she is out of danger.The Delhi High Court Wednesday agreed to examine a plea by the Centre seeking to restrain AgustaWestland from continuing with the arbitration process initiated by it in the wake of scrapping of contracts for supply of 12 VVIP choppers to the Indian Air Force (IAF).

The mandate of the Arbitral Tribunal, constituted under the agreement dated February 8, 2010, in the present case, does not stand terminated, Justice Pratibha Singh said while hearing a plea by the Centre seeking permanent injunction on the arbitral proceedings initiated for the cancellation of the contract.

The court sought the response of the Anglo-Italian firm while stating that the question as to whether the arbitration agreement stands nullified in the present case, owing to the allegations that there are allegations of corruption and fraud, cannot be rejected at this stage.

In its interim order, the single-judge bench stated that it cannot go into the merits of the case as it had not seen any of the orders passed by the tribunal.

Justice Singh asked AgustaWestland to reply to the petition within three weeks. The matter would be now heard on February 28.The newly elected Congress government in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday named controversial police officer SRP Kalluri as the head of a special investigation team (SIT) that will probe alleged irregularities in the public distribution system (PDS).

The 12-member SIT will be headed by SRP Kalluri, who is currently posted as IG ACB [Anti-Corruption Bureau] and will have other police officers, said Taran Sinha, director of public relations, Chhattisgarh government.

The state government had on January 1 formed the SIT to probe the alleged scam, which came to light in 2014 after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) conducted raids in various parts of the state and seized cash and documents.

However, the opposition BJP on Tuesday took strong exception to Kalluris appointment as SIT chief.

On January 2 last year, Inspector General of Police Kalluri was transferred from Bastar to the state police headquarters following allegations of human rights violations.

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Sachinand Upasane said that the Congress criticised same the police officer when it was in opposition.

This shows that Congress government is trying to save someone, he said.

Former chief minister Raman Singh also questioned the appointment: The formation of SIT in itself is not legitimate. When the case is going on in [high] court and the charge sheet has been filed, then why an SIT? Congress is doing vendetta politics, Singh said.

The alleged PDS scam was unearthed in 2014 and a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed by Sudeep Shrivasatva, an advocate, in Chhattisgarh high court demanding an SIT investigation in the case.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau had also recovered coded diary entries about pay-offs to officials and politicians, officials familiar with the investigation said.

The Congress, then in the opposition, claimed that the scam was worth Rs 36,000 crore.

Shirvastava claimed a total of 27 people were named in the FIR registered by Anti-Corruption Bureau, of which only 12 were charge-sheeted.

Later, six other accused were added which included two Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers. According to the charge sheet, samples of rice, salts that were found to be unfit for human consumption were cleared by officers and distributed among public.CBI director Alok Verma, who took charge of his office Wednesday after being reinstated in the post by the Supreme Court, rolled back most of the transfer orders of 13 officials shifted out after he was sent on forced leave last October.

On October 23, the Centre had divested both Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana of their powers after a feud had broken out between the two officers who had accused one another of corruption.

Joint director M Nageswara Rao, who was appointed interim director on October 24, had immediately ordered transfers and postings of 13 officials including the agencys powerful joint director (policy) AK Sharma, deputy inspectors general MK Sinha, Anish Prasad, KR Chaurasia, and Tarun Gauba, additional superintendent of police SS Gurm and deputy superintendent of police AK Bassi.

The Supreme Court, while hearing the case filed by Verma, had set aside the government order that divested him of his powers and sent him on forced leave. It, however, barred him from taking any major policy decisions till the selection committee, comprising the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha, met and decided on his continuation.

According to agency officials, Verma went ahead with rolling back the transfer orders of some of his key people, considering that transfers are seen as administrative and not policy decisions.Trade unions protesting on non-existent issues: Jaitley

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Wednesday accused the Left-affiliated trade unions of manufacturing a protest on non-existent issues, saying the NDA government has taken a host of decisions for the welfare of workers.

His statement comes on the second day of the Bharat Bandh organised by ten central trade unions to protest against the alleged anti-labour policies of the Centre.

If the Left trade unions insist on politicising the trade union movement to manufacture a protest on non-existent issues, it is for the workmen in the country to seriously analyse what the present government has done for them and compare it with the relatively blank record of several earlier governments, Jaitley said in a Facebook post titled The Present Government and the Workers.

SBI treasury branch at Thiruvanathapuram attacked

Parts of Kerala continued to be in disarray Wednesday with trains blocked and a SBI branch vandalised while in Karnataka an effigy of the Prime Minister was burnt but rest of the south was largely peaceful on the second day of the two-day nationwide stir.

In Kerala, a treasury branch of the State Bank of India at Thiruvanathapuram was attacked by a group of people.

Banking operations hit in MP

Banking operations in Madhya Pradesh remained affected Wednesday, the second day of the two-day strike called by central labour unions.

Around 14,000 employees from 5,000 out of the total 7,426 bank branches in the state stayed away from work on Wednesday as well, Madhya Pradesh Bank Employees Association chairman MK Shukla told PTI.

Except State Bank of India, employees of 20 government banks took part in the shut-down, he added.

Strike evokes mixed response in Chhattisgarh

The two-day strike against the Central governments alleged anti-worker policies on January 8 and 9 evoked a mixed response in Chhattisgarh which remained peaceful during the stir.

Services in key sectors like banking and insurance, however, were affected.

Normal life affected in Tripura

Normal life in Tripura was affected for the second day on Wednesday due to the nationwide shutdown called by 10 central trade unions in protest against the pro-corporate, anti-workers and anti-people policies of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

SBI branch attacked in Kerala

Train services were disrupted, public transport remained off roads and an SBI treasury branch attacked on the second day of the nation-wide trade union strike, even as shops in suburbs of major towns in Kerala were open on Wednesday.

Cheques valued over Rs 20,000 crore not cleared due to strike

Clearance of cheques valued over Rs 20,000 crore was affected by the bank strike that continued for the second day on Wednesday, said the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) -- a leading union in the banking sector.

In a statement issued here, AIBEA said cheques worth about Rs 20,000 crore could not be cleared by the clearing houses all over the country.

School students injured in stone pelting by strike supporters

Some school children were injured in stone pelting as sporadic incidents of violence were reported from parts of Bengal on Wednesday, the second day of the two-day nationwide strike called by central trade unions protesting against the anti-people policies of the Centre.

The general strike in Bengal had also put up a picture of CPI(M) and Congress joining hands to ensure that the general strike takes place in Bengal.

Banks, post offices affected in Gujarat

Banking and postal services continued to be affected in Gujarat on the second day of the two-day strike called by central trade unions Wednesday.

Unions also staged protest marches and demonstrations in major cities, said Arun Mehta, general secretary of the Gujarat unit of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

Violent protests, rail blockades

Sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal and Kerala and rail blockades in certain states were witnessed Wednesday on the second day of Bharat Bandh, which also saw a partial disruption of banking and insurance services across the country.

Other sectors like mining, road transport, power supply too bore the brunt of strike call given by countrys 10 major central trade unions, except RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, to protest against the governments alleged anti-labour policies and unilateral labour reforms. They had given a call for a two-day Bharat Bandh on January 8 and 9.

Train services in Eastern Railway zone disrupted

Train services in Eastern Railway zone were disrupted Wednesday after supporters of the Bandh resorted to blockades at many places. A suspected bomb was found on the railway tracks at Ashoknagar in Sealdah-Bongaon section that led to suspension of train services in the route.

Commuters face hardship in Mumbai

In Mumbai, lakhs of commuters faced hardships as an indefinite strike called by BEST, the citys civic transport undertaking, continued. There were only five buses plying on city roads.

Some impact of strike seen in Goa

Some impact of the strike was seen in Goa as private buses and tourist taxis remained off roads. Long queues of passengers were seen at various bus stands after the private buses association in the state shut operations.

Trains stopped by protesters in TN, banking services hit

Trains were stopped by protesters at a few places in Tamil Nadu and banking services in some public sector banks interrupted in Telangana but life largely remained unaffected Wednesday during the second day of the two-day nationwide stir.

Bus services affected in Karnataka

Bus services were Wednesday hampered across Karnataka on second day of the two-day nationwide strike called by trade unions against the alleged repressive labour policies of the Narendra Modi government, officials said.

Textile, spice shops in Kochi open

Most textile and spice shops in Broadway Market in Kochi and Mittayi Theruvu (sweet street) in Kozhikode are open. Sabarimala pilgrims, tourists, social and religious functions have been exempted from the strike

Shops, commercial establishments shut in Thiruvananthapuram

In many places in Thiruvananthapuram, shops and commercial establishments remained shut. Buses and autorickshaws were off the roads. Many shopkeepers alleged that they were asked by protesters to down their shutters.

CITU worker arrested for pelting stones at BJP protest

A CITU worker, who allegedly hurled stones at a BJP protest in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, arrested.

Trains blocked in Kerala

At Thiruvananthapuram railway station, the Thiruvananthapuram-Hyderabad Sabari Express and Venad Express were blocked, while the Kottayam-Nilambur passenger train in Kalamassery was held up for a while.

RJD, SP, HAM, Left participate in strike in Patna

RJD, SP, HAM and Left parties participate in the two-day nationwide strike in Patna.

Visuals from Patna: RJD, SP, HAM & Left parties participate in the two-day nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. #Bihar pic.twitter.com/rx8pnACkGS  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

Close to 400 arrests in Bengal on Tuesday

357 men and 34 women were arrested from different parts of Bengal on Tuesday on charges of disrupting public life.

Police arrest two accused of attacking examinees

Police arrest two agitators on charges of attacking the car of two examinees who were going to the exam venue in Memari in East Burdwan district on Tuesday. TV footages revealed that the culprits did not spare the vehicle even after the examinees pleaded with them saying they have exams to write.

Tension Bengals Midnapore town

Tension spread in Midnapore town of West Bengal when two processions, one by the Left in favour of the strike and another opposing the bandh, came face to face.

Strike supporters attack SBI main branch in Kerala

Strike supporters attack SBI main branch in Thiruvananthapuram and destroyed office equipment and furniture. Employees who were on work manhandled. Police book 20 persons. This happens a day after the state government promulgated an ordinances against destruction of public properties.

Protesters vandalise bus in Bengal, two injured

Protesters vandalise government bus in Dinhata, Cooch Behar, West Bengal; two people, including bus driver, injured, police present at the spot. Another bus was vandalised in Suri town in Birbhum district.

#WestBengal: Protesters during 48-hour Central Trade Unions strike vandalised a government bus in Dinhata, Cooch Behar; 2 people including bus driver injured, police present at the spot pic.twitter.com/1lmOpwgQGO  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

Kerala crippled on second day of bandh

Kerala crippled on second day of bandh. Road and rail services blocked at many places. Shops opened in some areas with police help. People are seen stranded outside train and bus terminals. Sabarimala pilgrims are also affected

Students injured after protesters pelt stones at bus in Bengal

Two students injured after protesters participating in the two-day nationwide strike called by central trade unions pelt stones at a bus at Shanpur Mor in West Bengals Howrah district.

Howrah: Two students injured after protestors participating in the two-day nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others, pelt stones at a bus at Shanpur Mor on Jhikira-Howrah route. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/R3YpOEmUFs  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

Vehicles vandalised in north Bengal town

Two passenger vehicles vandalised in the north Bengal town of Cooch Behar.

Left Front meeting to chalk out strategy

CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakrabortys detention trigger meeting of Left Front leaders to chalk out a strategy to spread the agitation in Kolkata and suburbs.

CPI(M) activists detained in Kolkata

CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty, along with other protesters, detained by police in Jadavpur, Kolkata, while they were participating in the two-day nationwide strike called by central trade unions. He was detained on Tuesday too from the same area.

Kolkata: CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty along with other protestors detained by police while they were participating in the two-day nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/umdCeJitKc  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

Bengal govt issues warning to agitators

West Bengal transport minister Subhendu Adhikari says the administration is determined not to allow agitators paralyse the streets.

Jute mill workers on strike in Bengal

Workers did not report for work in several jute mills in North 24 Parganas district.

Stones hurled at bus in Bengal

Reports of stones being hurled at a bus in Dasnagar in Howrah district of West Bengal that injured two students.

Train services disrupted in Bengal

In Bengal, train services were disrupted at a few stations in Nadia, East Burdwan and South 24 Parganas districts. While at some spots, protesters blocked tracks, at others, banana leaves were placed on overhead wires. Railway Protection Force personnel dispersed agitators at Shimurali station in Nadia district.

Bengal govt asks bus drivers to wear helmets on duty

The West Bengal government has directed bus drivers to wear helmets while driving, in view of the nationwide strike called by central trade unions.

Visuals from Kolkata-Jadavpur bus stand in Kolkata: State govt directs bus drivers to wear helmet while driving, in view of nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages, social security schemes & against privatisation of public&govt sector. #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/Hsw0tCxhtp  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019Reinstated Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) director Alok Verma wasted no time on his first day back at work on Wednesday after a forced 77-day leave of absence, and promptly scrapped all but one of the transfer orders issued by interim director M Nageswara Rao.

The high-powered selection committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi met on Wednesday to decide on Vermas fate, but could not arrive at a decision, and will meet again on Thursday.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court conditionally reinstated Verma, but said the selection committee should meet within a week to go into the charges against him.

Vermas scrapping of the transfer orders could be interpreted as a reopening of the hostilities that forced the government to, on the intervening night of October 23 and 24, divest him of his powers and send him on leave.

Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana had been engaged in an internecine battle that roiled the agency and almost split it down the middle, forcing the government to act.

Read more| The SC judgment is a good starting point to remake CBI

The scrapping of the orders, many of which were issued on October 23, and some earlier this month, means that the team of officials probing CBI special director Asthana, who too was divested of his powers on the intervening night of October 23 and 24, is back to carry on with their probe.

During the selection committee meeting, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who attended the meeting as the leader of the largest opposition party in the Lok Sabha, asked for an explanation of the events that led to the sudden divestment of Vermas powers. He also asked the committee to compensate Verma, who lost 77 days of his service (he is due to retire on January 31) .

Kharge told reporters after the meeting that he also  asked for a copy of the Central Vigilance Committee report that looked into the allegations against Verma and suggested that the CBI director be given a chance to defend himself before the committee. Kharge added that he advised the committee not to arrive at any decision in haste.

The high-level Select Committee comprises the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India and leader of the largest opposition party. Apart from Mallikarjun Kharge, Justice AK Sikri, nominated by the chief justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, attended the meeting at the prime ministers residence on Lok Kalyan Marg.

While reinstating Verma, the Supreme Court prevented him from taking major policy decisions until the selection committee looked into the charges against him, emanating from a letter witten by Asthana to the Cabinet secretary in August.

Transfers are not considered policy decisions but administrative ones.

Read more| Head must be role model: SC in major order on Alok Verma reinstatement

Prominent among those reinstated by Verma are the Gujarat cadre 1987 batch Indian Police Service official AK Sharma who was handling the key charges of the policy division, which handles the communication interception mechanism of the agency, and the anti-corruption (headquarters) unit which handles big ticket corruption cases. Sharma was shunted to the almost defunct charge of joint director (multi-disciplinary monitoring authority) which is looking into the conspiracy behind former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhis assassination.

HT reported on Wednesday that Verma may roll back all the transfer orders effected by Rao.

Earlier in the day, at least three officials  deputy inspector general (DIG) MK Sinha and deputy superintendents of police (DySPs) Ashwini Gupta and AK Bassi  who were among 13 officials transferred by Nageswara Rao made formal representations to Verma seeking cancellation of their transfer order, said an official familiar with the development.

DIG Sinha was transferred to Nagpur from Delhi and DySP Bassi to Port Blair. DySP Gupta was sent back to his parent cadre, the Intelligence Bureau. All three were involved in the probe against Asthana.

All three of them moved the Supreme Court and filed an intervention applications when Verma challenged the governments decision to send him on forced leave.

Another official, additional SP SS Gurm, who didnt move the SC against the transfer order, was part of the Asthana probe team and was transferred to Jabalpur. He too has been brought back.

When Verma reached the CBI headquarter in the morning, he was received by interim director Rao at the entrance to the building.

Verma didnt say anything to reporters waiting outside for his arrival.

He quietly resumed charge and had meetings with various key officials. He didnt call any group meeting. senior officials kept coming and meeting him throughout the day. He also cleared few files, said another agency official.Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer Bhukya Chandrakala, 38, who has been accused of corruption in the illegal mining case being probed by the CBI, was known as a dabangg (fearless) officer popular on social media before her fall from grace.

The alleged scam dates back to 2012-16 when the Samajwadi Party was in power under Akhilesh Yadav.

Chandrakala, a 2008-batch IAS officer, was best known for taking action against her subordinates, mostly due to her widely-circulated videos in which she went on surprise inspections, pulling up civic officials over lack of quality in building material or poor sanitation.

Popular As A Fearless Officer

Her stint as Bulandshahr DM was an eventful one. She first came into limelight for expressing outrage over substandard quality of construction work and even confronted local politicians.

Her videos reprimanding municipal corporation officers for poor quality construction of pavement and sewer line went viral. In the video, she is heard threatening the officials that she would lodge an FIR against them if they indulged in corruption.

Later, she registered a case against contractors at the local police station.

Residents of Bulandshahr recall that she maintained a good relationship with the media but a selfie episode turned a section of the media against her.

It all started when a youth from a nearby village walked up to her outside her office and clicked a selfie with her without her consent.

She objected to it and handed over the boy to the police. When a mediaperson called her up for her comment, she allegedly used objectionable language which resulted in a war of words between her and a section of the media for several months.

The controversy ended only after Chandrakala was transferred to Meerut as DM.

An officer who worked under Chandrakala in Bulandshahr said, She always maintained a cordial relation with her staff. The CBI raids against her seem to be a political move, he said.

During her tenure in Meerut, students of various schools created the world record of making the longest painting on a single day.

Vishal Jain, owner of one of the schools which participated in the event, said: She was very cooperative during the event which helped the students in creating a world record.

Accused Of Extending Largesse To Mining Syndicate In Hamirpur

In Hamirpur, where the average tenure of a DM is one year, Chandrakala remained for three years from 2012 to 2015.

She was moved out of the district amid allegations of illegal mining under her watch by a mining syndicate allegedly headed by SP MLA Ramesh Mishra.

According to Vijay Trivedi, on whose PIL the Allahabad high court ordered a CBI inquiry, she went for an image makeover after her Hamirpur stint.

Hamirpur, however, remembers her as pliant to politicians and an officer who did everything to help the mining mafia. This was perhaps the only reason she stayed that long in the criminally sensitive district, he said.

Those who have worked with her in Hamirpur recall that Mishra had free access to the DMs residence.

He would arrive unannounced and go inside without informing the staff. That was the clout of someone who was deep into illegal mining, said an officer who was posted in Hamirpur in 2014.

In his public interest litigation (PIL) petition, Trivedi highlighted two aspects  issuance of 41 leases of mines and unabated illegal mining.

The leases were not only found to be issued against rules but in many cases, fraudulent means were employed to issue them. As a result, the high court quashed all the leases and ordered a CBI inquiry, said Trivedi.

The then ADM Ramesh Prajapati filed an affidavit in the court claiming that no illegal mining was taking place in the district. The ADM had filed the affidavit on behalf of the district magistrate, superintendent of police and mining officer, who were asked by the court to do so, he said.

However, a day after the affidavit was filed, Trivedi came up with evidences which showed that Rs 75 lakh were deposited as fine levied by the administration on a person for illegal mining.

More documents were submitted about trucks illegally transporting red sand seized by the police and the ARTO, which collected Rs 19 lakh as fine.

There are many evidences to prove her association with the mining mafia. The CBI has established a money trail allegedly leading to Chandrakala. In one example, the CBI has found that days before certain mines were leased out to a member of a mining syndicate, he transferred money to an account in the State Bank of India which belonged to a relative of Chandrakala.

A Symbol Of Women Empowerment In Mathura

During her posting as Mathura DM, Chandrakala became a symbol of women empowerment.

Her term during the Akhilesh Yadav government was marked by a unique coincidence as almost all the prominent officials in Mathura were women.

Besides Chandrakala, the other prominent women faces at that time in Mathura were member of Parliament Hema Malini, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manzil Saini, chief development officer (CDO) Durga Shakti Nagpal and chairperson of Nagar Palika Manisha.

Chandrakala was posted to Mathura from Hamirpur, but she could not enjoy a long tenure. She was transferred to Bulandshahr in the same capacity within a year.

Residents of Mathura remember her as a fearless officer.

Dr Laxmi Gautam, a social activist and founder president of Kanakdhara, an organisation working for social causes at Vrindavan, recalled Chandrakala as a no-nonsense officer known for her dabangg style of working.

While refusing to comment on the ongoing CBI investigation against Chandrakala, she said: There are many people on social networking sites who are now talking ill of the same lady officer with whom they once used to proudly share their photographs.

As Mathura DM, Chandrakala was a regular visitor to the state children home and used to spend time with inmates. She stood for the cause of the deprived. We know her as an officer with a big heart, she said.

Several others in Mathura are not able to accept what is now being revealed about Chandrakala, who, according to them, was a straightforward and a popular officer in Mathura and Vrindavan.

According to residents, she did not have many friends in political circles due to her style of functioning and could not stay long in Mathura.

Family In Shock

Chandrakala, who hails from Karimnagar district in Telangana, has been separated from her husband A Ramul Naik in Karimnagar district for the last three years.

According to a source close to her family, Naik, belonging to Yellareddypet in Siricilla district, is presently working as executive engineer in Sriramsagar Project in Karimnagar, and is fighting a divorce case filed by his wife.

He has gone on leave since the CBI case against Chandrakala surfaced and has switched off his mobile phone. Chandrakala is also said to be on study leave.

Chandrakala married Naik when she was in her second year of graduation in geography at Koti Womens College under Osmania University, in Hyderabad, in early 2000.

The couple has a daughter Kirthi Chandra, now around 10 years. She is said to be staying with her mother, a family acquaintance said.

Chandrakalas father B Kishan, who retired as senior technician with Fertiliser Corporation of India in Ramagundam in Peddapalli district (earlier part of Karimnagar) died recently and her mother Lakshmi is staying alone at Gowliwada colony in Ramagundam, where she owned a rice mill, which is now not in operation.

Lakshmi expressed shock over the raids on her daughters residence. She told local media that she had no information about any such case against her daughter. She is a tough woman and I hope she would come out of the case, Lakshmi said.

Born on September 27, 1979, Chandrakala hailed from Banjara tribes. She is the third child in the family and has two brothers and a sister.

After her marriage, she continued to pursue her studies and completed her post-graduation from Osmania University through distance education. She cracked Group-I services examination conducted by Andhra Pradesh Public Service Commission and emerged as a topper in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) category. She was appointed as the deputy registrar of cooperative societies.

Simultaneously, she started preparing for the All India Civil Services examinations of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC). She could not succeed in her first three attempts, but in the fourth attempt in 2008, she secured the 409th rank.

She was allotted the UP cadre and has worked in Allahabad, Hamirpur, Mathura, Bulandshahr and Meerut, before being picked up by the NDA government as director of Swachch Bharat Mission under the Union ministry of drinking water and sanitation in 2017.

Soon, she was repatriated to her parent cadre and posted as secretary, Madhyamik Shiksha Vibhag.

(With inputs from Haidar Naqvi in Kanpur, S Raju in Meerut, Hemendra Chaturvedi in Agra and Srinivasa Rao Apparasu in Bengaluru)Cape Coral City Council debated a pair of issues Monday with each ultimately failing to get a unanimous nod.

Mayor Joe Coviello was the lone dissenting vote involving a resolution to authorize City Manager John Szerlag to pay up to maximum when hiring the new Economic Development manager, presumably Ricardo Noguera, who received a conditional offer of employment contingent on Council action.

The city manager can, at his discretion, pay a newly hired employee up to the mid-point of a pay grade. With Council approval, he can hire in at a higher rate for the position, in this case at the top of the scale.

The position pays $74,672  $119,516.80 per year. Szerlag would like Noguera to start at the maximum, $119,516, with the possibility of a job classification, and so a raise, six months after hire based on performance.

Councilmember John Gunter said an EDO manager is one of the most important positions in the city, as he or she is responsible for attracting and retaining business.

Councilmember Jennifer Nelson said she was impressed by Nogueras credentials.

According to his resume, Noguera has a Masters in City & Regional Planning: Emphasis: Land Use & Community Economic Development from U.C. Berkeley and 27 years of experience, including tenure in South Florida.

A city interview panel, consisting of Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais, interim Assistant City Manager Connie Barron, Community Development Director Vince Cautero and Szerlag, independently and unanimously rated Noguera as the top candidate.

Mr. Noguera has extensive experience (more than 25 years) in municipal economic development and redevelopment in the states of California, Florida and Washington  With his broad knowledge base and enthusiasm for the job, he will bring a new direction to our economic development efforts, Szerlag said in his memo to Council.

An attached background check outlined allegations of discrimination with regards to a hostile work environment in Tacoma, Washington, where Noguera served as the Community and Economic Development Director. It was ultimately resolved via a mediated settlement with neither side accepting fault. Based on positive references and a review of the investigation (or lack thereof), Cape Coral Police Chief David Newlan found that  the investigation lacked accuracy and was not meticulous to define a proper disposition. Therefore, it is my recommendation that the City of Cape Coral should move forward and offer Mr. Noguera the position he applied for with the City.

Coviello asked about the six-month probation period contained in the citys offer and whether it was standard practice to have it be six months.

He did not specify if that was the reason he voted against the higher starting compensation.

If Noguera accepts the position, he is expected to start Feb. 4.

In other business, Gunter and Councilmember Rick Williams disagreed with the decision to approve the appointment of Kevin Shedd to the Construction Regulation Board.

Despite Shedds 40 years of experience in the electrician field and being the holder of a journeymans card, he is not licensed by the state, which was a deal breaker for Gunter.

Williams was concerned that since the positions open were for roofing and plumbing, even though Shedd had installed roofs, if that was the best fit.

I feel it is important if we had a plumbing or roofing contractor for the position. I feel a person should be a licensed contractor here who is familiar with the codes and regulations, Gunter said.

Also, even if it didnt come to a vote, City Council debated who will go on a scheduled visit to China as part of a Sister City program.

Nita Whaley spoke to Council about a scheduled visit from a delegation from Baise, China, set for the end of February. She added that part of the agreement would be for a delegation from Cape Coral to go to China, preferable in late April or early May.

The delegation would likely include Coviello, Noguera, if hired, Whaley, Barron, JoAnne Killion, Vince Cautero and possibly one council member, along with some private entities who would pay their own way.

Coviello said he wanted his assistant, Pearl Taylor, to go, since she had attended the meetings. He said bringing another council member could result in a Sunshine Law issue.

But Gunter and others on Council thought it was a bit much.

Szerlag agreed the EDO director would be a great choice to go, and said he declined to go himself.

City Council voted unanimously to approve $10,000 for the visiting delegation.

In other business, the city also formally approved the issuance of $60 million in General Obligation Bonds to finance a wide range of parks and recreation projects. That vote was unanimous.

Council also approved an interlocal agreement for joint water quality and storage improvements to Yellow Fever Creek Preserve.Widespread protests against the Citizenship Bill continued in Assam Wednesday with agitators blocking roads and marching with their clothes off in several parts of the state.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 that seeks to provide citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangaldesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan was passed by the Lok Sabha Tuesday.

Agitators across the Northeast, including Assam, have been blocking roads and rail tracks, seeking revocation of the Bill.

In Guwahati, members of 70 organisations, led by Akhil Gogois Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, protested outside central government offices and also tried way through the barricades to the state secretariat, leading to a scuffle with police.

Police had to resort to mild lathicharge and fire rubber bullets to disperse the protesters who refused to move back despite warnings. Some of them were also taken into custody to prevent deterioration in law and order situation, a senior officer said.

In Golaghats Numaligarh area, members of Asom Aikya Manch took to the streets with their clothes off to protest against the Bill.

At Digboi, the agitators tried to block a highway to stop Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal from attending Gorkha Mahatsov. They were, however, dispersed by the police.

AASU activists in Nagaon waved black flags to BJP state unit president Ranjeet Das.

Protests by students were also reported from Cotton State University and Dibrugarh University.

An 11-hour shutdown was called by AASU and NESO, and supported by over hundred organisations Tuesday, bringing life to a standstill in Assam.

The agitators have said they would not allow locally produced oil, petroleum products, coal, forest products and limestone to be taken out of the state.

Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which withdrew support to the BJP-led government in Assam Monday, also extended its support to the bandh.

BJP spokesperson Mehdi Alam Bora resigned from the party, saying the Bill would harm the Assamese society and nullify the Assam Accord.

Former Assam chief minister and AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta demanded that the BJP government in the state resign and face a fresh election.

State minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, however, said the AGP had committed a historic blunder by not extending support to the Bill.Senior army leaders of India, Australia, France, Japan and the US on Wednesday batted for freedom, a rules-based order and strategic alliances in the Indo-Pacific to counter Chinas growing reach and assertiveness.

The Chinese Navy added 80 warships in last five years and is a force which is here to stay, Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba said during a session on Indo-Pacific at Raisina Dialogue.

No navy has grown so rapidly in the last 200 years as the Chinese Navy, he said, adding the force has six to eight warships in the northern Indian Ocean.

The Chinese Navy has had a permanent presence in the Indian Ocean, in the form of an anti-piracy escort force, since 2008, he said. There is no doubt that they are spending a huge sum of money in developing their military capabilities. They are modernising their forces and command structure, he added.

French Navy chief Admiral Christophe Prazuck said his country is monitoring the change in the strategic landscape as the Chinese Navy is growing very fast in an area where it has not been present for centuries.

Admiral Philip Davidson, head of the US Indo-Pacific Command, said his country is focused on capabilities that will allow it to dominate in all domains, including alliances and partnerships.

Admiral Katsutoshi Kawano, chief of joint staff of Japans Self-Defense Force, said his country was engaged in a severe conflict with China in East China Sea, while Gen Angus Campbell, chief of Australias Defence Force, acknowledged Chinas growth and expanding capability had caused uncertainty.

Australian foreign minister Marise Payne said her country and India both support an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. She added: Our respective futures are intertwined and heavily dependent on how well we cooperate on the challenges and opportunities in Indian Ocean in decades ahead. Australia wants to develop a deep strategic partnership with India, supporting its role as an anchor and welcomes Indias leadership in Indian Ocean, she added.With key bills coming up for passage today, Rajya Sabha proceedings started on a stormy note with the Opposition Congress attacking the government for extending the Winter Session of Parliament without discussion.

The way the House proceedings were extended without the consent of the opposition parties was not right. The situation now is such that there is no dialouge betweeen the Opposition and the government. The government is foremost responsible if the House doesnt function, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said in Rajya Sabha.

(Read: Live updates on Rajya Sabha proceedings)

On this, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said,The country expects the House to function. As per normal working days, we should have been working, on most of them the House stood adjourned. There is one extra day to consider legislations.

The government has extended the session by a day as it scrambles to pass key bills, including a constitution amendment bill to provide quota for poorer sections among general category, a bill on the Citizenship Act and one on instant triple talaq.

Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a constitution amendment bill to introduce 10 per cent reservation for poorer sections among general category aspirants for jobs and educational institutions. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the bill had been supported by 323 members while only 3 members voted against it.

Watch| Cant treat unequals equally: Arun Jaitley on 10% reservation in Parliament

The bill, to be taken up by the Rajya Sabha today, if passed will mean that economic status would entitle a person to reservation benefit at a national level.

The 10 per cent quota covers nearly 190 million people from the general category and is seen as an effort by the BJP-led national coalition to reach out to upper caste groups and once-dominant agrarian communities such as the Patidars, Jats, Gujjars and Marathas who have been lobbying for reservation.

The Congress, which had expressed reservations at the government pushing the bill without getting a parliamentary panel to study the law, also voted in favour of introducing the reservation.

Also read | Lok Sabha nod to 10% quota for poorer sections: Will reservation help upper castes?

Another bill pending with Rajya Sabha is the contentious triple talaq bill. Lok Sabha had cleared the bill in December with 245 voting in its favour and 11 against it. The Congress and other opposition parties had staged a walkout from Lok Sabha to protest against the bill.

The fresh bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 17 to replace an ordinance or the executive order criminalising the practice. The ordinance was issued in September after the government failed to have an earlier version of the bill passed in Rajya Sabha in December last year.

The fresh bill provides for a jail term of three years for a husband quality of pronouncing instant divorce. It supersedes the earlier bill, which sought to make instant divorce a punishable, cognisable and a non-bailable offence.

The government has brought some amendments, including the introduction of a bail provision, to make the bill more acceptable amid opposition to the bill. Opposition parties have suggested the bill be sent to a joint select committee for further review.

Citizenship bill passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday is also on Rajya Sabha table today. The bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Home minister Rajnath Singh tabled the Citizenship Bill in the Lower House and said that the Bill is not only for Assam or for migrants from a particular country.

The Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) had on Monday withdrew its support to the ruling BJP in Assam over differences regarding the Bill.

I want to clarify that Citizenship Amendment Bill is not for Assam alone, this Bill is also for migrants who have come from the western borders. Assam is dealing with illegal migration for a long time now and Assams burden is Indias burden, Rajnath said on Tuesday.

Opposition MPs raised slogans during the home ministers speech in the Lok Sabha with some of BJPs allies in the Northeast also joining in. Congress MPs walked out while the Trinamool Congress warned that Northeast will burn due to this Bill.

Also read | Citizenship bill that triggered protests in northeast passed by Lok SabhaMaharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE) has announced the results for the Winter Diploma examinations. The results can be checked on the official website of MSBTE.

According to media reports, the exam was held in October-November 2018 and was taken by around three lakh candidates.

MSBTE Winter Diploma Result 2018: Here is how to check

1) Visit the official website of Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education

2) Click on the link Click here to see Winter 2018 Diploma Results

3) Enter the seat number/Enrollment no in the login space

4) Click on submit

5) Take a printout of the result displayed

Note: Visit Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE) website for latest news and updates.The December 2018 notification by the ministry of home affairs, which specified 10 agencies for interception, monitoring and decryption of information under the section 69 of Information Technology (IT) Act in pursuance of Information Technology Rules 2009, turned into a hot topic of debate. The question the notification raises is: whether the circular diminishes or improves the protection of citizens against misuse of power for surveillance by the agencies.

To my mind, by specifying the list of agencies, the notification streamlines the process of surveillance and, hence, is a positive step. However, fears of unreasonable violation of privacy may not be unfounded.

The problem does not lie in the notification; it is ingrained in section 69 of the IT Act itself, which is a loose piece of legislation. According to the section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act 1885, interception and monitoring is permitted under five conditions: in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India; the security of the State; friendly relations with foreign States; to maintain public order; and prevent incitement to the commission of an offence. Further, under this Act, the communication on fly  when it is passing through the network of the telecom service providers  can be intercepted and monitored.

On the other hand, section 69 (1) of the IT Act has an additional sixth condition: investigation of crime. It includes not only the communication on fly but also the stored data, information and communication. It also enables the agencies to reach subscribers directly, besides through intermediaries.

The implications of these seemingly innocuous differences are gigantic. By including the investigation of crime, scope of the law increases many more times because eventualities covered under the five conditions of Indian Telegraph Act are far less than the eventualities covered under the additional sixth condition of IT Act, simply because there are lakhs of cases under investigation.

By including the provision of storing data, agencies reach increase both in scope and time-dimension. Although the time limit for the validity of an order has been prescribed as a maximum of 180 days under the rules notified in 2009. But there is nothing to prevent an agency from accessing the information and data once stored in the system irrespective of the time it was stored first.

Whereas Indian Telegraph Act envisages the network of Telecom Service Providers as the location for interception, the section 69 covers not only a large number of intermediaries but also subscribers, making it highly intrusive kind of surveillance as against the non-intrusive one under the Indian Telegraph Act. These differences make the section 69 of the IT Act a highly potent tool against privacy of individuals.

But the icing on the cake is making it a punishable crime with seven years of imprisonment for not assisting the agencies. Under the Indian Telegraph Act, illegal interception and monitoring do allow for punishment, but there is no mention of explicit imprisonment if cooperation is not extended. Telecom service providers are merely controlled by licensing terms and conditions which are reflected in rules of Interception and Monitoring notified vide notification dated 1st March 2007.

Political parties accuse each other of turning the country into a surveillance State but in power their policies remain same as that of the previous regime. This is probably because political parties have little role in drafting such legislations, and indeed in most of the legislations; they broadly get a brief on intent, and wording the legislation reflects mostly the bureaucratic thinking. Politicians having signed the document become an invested party and are left with no choice but to defend them  unless they are very bold.

The undercurrent of the countrys political system has changed a lot since Independence, but the undercurrent of the bureaucracy, still the de facto rulers of the country's large proportion and without much accountability, has not undergone any fundamental change with respect to governing the citizens of the country, resulting in such loose legislations.

As communication and information technology changes,if the section 69 is required or not, and the efficacy of checks and balances in interception, approval and review are the topics for another time. But it can be concluded that though the section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act appears to pass the test of necessity and proportionality of surveillance, the section 69 in its present form does not appear to do so.

Ram Narain is former senior deputy director general, Department of Telecom

The views expressed are personalThe Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking removal of AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal as chief minister of the national capital as he was facing prosecution in a criminal case.

A bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao said prosecution was still pending in the case and elected authorities cannot be removed like this.

Prosecution is still going on. He may get acquitted. What will you do then? Come after he is convicted, the bench said.

Nothing doing, dismissed, it said.

The court was hearing a petition by Harinath Ram, an advocate, seeking direction to the Lieutenant Governor for immediate removal of Kejriwal and other ministers named as accused in a criminal case relating to assault of the then Delhi Chief Secretary Anshu Prakash.

The petition, filed through advocates Shashak Deo Sudhi, Bijender P Kumar and Shashi Bhushan, alleged that Kejriwal committed breach of oath under the Constitution as he was allegedly involved in acts of violence in conspiracy with other elected members.

It is an unimaginable constitutional crisis that the same prosecuting machinery is taking care of the criminal proceedings of the chief minister which is legally under the department of home of government of NCT of Delhi, it alleged.

The petition said people of the state have a right to be governed under the law by a truthful citizen and those who indulge in criminal acts have no legal or constitutional right to continue as the chief minister.An 18-year-old domestic help died after allegedly falling from the balcony of a flat on the 18th floor of Valley View Estate, a condominium on the Gurugram-Faridabad road in Gwal Pahari, on Monday evening, the police said.

According to the police, the woman jumped from the flat in Tower six of the condominium, as she was under duress due to her parents disapproval of her relationship with a man from Bangladesh.

The deceased, a native of West Bengal, was hired by the family of six as a help, primarily to take care of their infant girl who was born last year and had been living with the family in their flat for over a year.

Suresh Kumar, in-charge, police post, Gwal Pahari, said that the incident took place around 6pm and the police were informed by the security staff of the complex.

It appears to be a case of suicide. No suicide note has been recovered. At the time of the incident, two girls, aged one and six, and their grandparents were in another room and were unaware that the woman had jumped from the balcony. Neighbours said the children had grown quite close to the help and the older girl was crying when she heard the news, said sub-inspector (SI) Kumar.

He added that the reason for the alleged suicide is not certain.

Kumar said the woman was rushed to the Civil Hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival.

The police said that the womans family members were on their way to the city from West Bengal and investigation would proceed after their statements are recorded.

The woman wanted to marry a man from Bangladesh and her parents were not agreeing to the alliance. She was having disagreements with her family members on the matter and had not been answering her mothers phone calls for the past two days. A preliminary probe does not suggest the possibility of foul play. The parents of the children were at work when the incident took place, said Amit Kumar, assistant sub-inspector (ASI), the investigating officer.

Gaurav Prateek, secretary, residents welfare association (RWA), Valley View Estate, said, An RWA member informed me of the incident and I immediately asked the security officials of the condominium to call the police. Tower six, where the incident took place, is a closed tower and does not have an external balcony. The woman fell from the internal balcony of the flat.

The police have initiated inquest proceedings under Section

174 of the code of the criminal procedure (CRPC). Police said the parents of the children work with private firms in the city and the grandparents had retired from government service.

On October 27, 2018, a 32-yearold woman, a resident of the same condominium, had died after her husband had allegedly pushed her from the internal balcony of their eighth-floor house.Scientists from IIT-Delhi are working on bi-weekly action plans to help authorities fight pollution in the national capital, particularly during the winter when air quality dips to abysmal levels, officials said.

The plans, which would suggest pre-emptive measures, would not just forecast how pollution could spike in the next fortnight, but would also tell which areas would encounter higher spikes, sources which needs to be controlled during that period, measures that should be enforced and by what percent the pollution could go down if the plan is implemented.

The plans would be submitted to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) at least a week in advance so that authorities get the time to take decisions and act on it. The measures suggested for every fortnight would change according to forecast and the probable pollution sources, said Sri Harsha Kota, assistant professor at civil engineering department of IIT-Delhi, who specialises in developing air quality models.

Officials familiar with the matter said the first plan is expected to be submitted by February 2019. The project is being funded by the CPCB from the Environment Protection Charge that is collected from heavy duty diesel vehicles. While the scientists had initially planned to restrict the project to Delhi, the CPCB has urged to cover the adjacent towns of NCR as well.

Scientists would take into account the latest emission inventory report of Delhi prepared by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology in Pune under the Union ministry of earth sciences. Three-years data from the India Meteorological Department and National Physical Laboratory would be then fed into a US atmospheric dispersion modelling system to forecast how pollution could rise over the fortnight, the probable pollution hotspots and the top sources. Pollution data of that fortnight from preceding years would be used to validate the forecast and action plans.

Based on these forecasts, we would prepare biweekly or fortnight action plans primarily targeting the PM2.5 levels in the pollution hotspots. The plans would also try to tell by what percent the pollution could drop if the measures are implemented, said Mukesh Khare, a professor at IIT-Delhi and coordinator of Centre of Excellence for Research on Clean Air.

The measures that would be suggested would be lifted from the Graded Response Action Plan. The plans would however be different from GRAP because while GRAP is a general emergency response plan for entire National Capital region and steps mentioned under the GRAP come into play when pollution has already spiked, the bi-weekly plans would suggest pre-emptive measures targeted to bring down pollution in hotspots.

As the plans would not just forecast spikes in pollution levels but would also suggest measures that need to be taken, it would be more scientific. We would be better equipped to take informed decisions, said a senior official of the CPCB.Ranveer Singh is in high spirits these days as his latest film Simmba draws closer to the Rs 200 crore mark. The actor looked super excited as he arrived like a king while waving to the crowd form the sunroof of his car at the success bash of the film. On the personal front too, Ranveer is in a happy state of mind and has been praising his wife Deepika Padukone in all his interviews. In a recent interview with Famously Filmfare, Ranveer can be seen calling her gharelu and how he just loves this side of hers.

The actor who wears his heart on his sleeve says in the interview, She is so gharelu...I love it...I love it. He can also be seen singing praise of himself by saying, I am telling you I am going to be the husband of the millennium. I am going to glide and breeze through it.

The small clip also shows him talking about flirting as he says, Having a polite conversation with a person for a moment is not flirting.

Watch | Simmba success party: Ranveer Singh dances from cars sunroof

The actor is overwhelmed after working with Rohit Shetty in Simmba. The film got good response from the critics and continues to hold fort ever since it hit the theatres on December 28. Simmba is Ranveers highest opening film as well. Talking about the film, the actor says, Everything I was born to do, I have done in Rohit Shettys film from running at high speed, dialogues, fights to larger-than-life projection from a low angle on a huge canvas.

Ranveer has also made a few visits to the movie theatres to witness the reaction of the audience. He was recently spotted by the paparazzi with his face covered with a muffler at the Gaiety Galaxy movie theatre.

The actor is now gearing up for the release of his next flick Gully Boy. He plays a rapper in the film based on the life of rapper Divine. The film has been directed by Zoya Akhtar and stars Alia Bhatt as the leading lady.

Follow @htshowbiz for moreThe Supreme Court of India will be celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2020. It is a good time for our judiciary to seriously consider diversifying the institution. While there has been a well argued case for a stronger representation of women in the higher judiciary, there have been fewer arguments made in relation to the inclusion of academics in the higher judiciary.

There are four reasons that justify the appointment of outstanding academic scholars as judges of high courts and the Supreme Court of India. These are: promoting institutional diversity; developing theoretical foundations of law; comparative judicial practices; and interdisciplinary approaches in law and justice. The case for the appointment of outstanding scholars to become judges has never been strongly made in India. Even the constitutional provision that provides the constitutional basis for appointing a law professor as a judge of the Supreme Court uses a vague phrase: a distinguished jurist. India must contemplate a constitutional amendment to expand the pool of potential candidates that the collegium comprising three senior most Supreme Court justices may examine for elevation to high courts.

Law professors have been routinely appointed to the higher judiciary in foreign countries. During the drafting of our Constitution, it was stressed by the Constituent Assembly member, HV Kamath, that there was no point restricting the pool of candidates to judges and lawyers. Kamath wanted to widen the field of choice to include law professors to be considered for appointment to the Supreme Court. His amendment was adopted and the phrase distinguished jurist was included in article 124(3). But how many law professors have been appointed under the distinguished jurist clause? None.

What is the potential pool of candidates from which the Supreme Court collegium considers for elevation as justices of high courts and the Supreme Court? For high courts, article 217(2) of our Constitution provides two categories: those who have held judicial office in India for at least 10 years, and those who have been an advocate of a high court or two or more high courts for at least 10 years. For the Supreme Court, article 124(3) provides three categories: those who have been a judge of one or more than one high court for at least five years; those who have been an advocate of one or more than one high court for at least 10 years; and those who are in the opinion of the President a distinguished jurist. Theoretically, a law professor can be appointed to the Supreme Court under the distinguished jurist clause. But why should appointment of a law professor be restricted to the Supreme Court only? Can they be considered for elevation to the high courts in the present legal framework? No.

The Article 217(2) itself makes it impossible for a law professor to even be considered for elevation to the high court. The professor must give up her academic work and join the Bar and practise law for several years before she can be considered. Anyone who has seriously pursued the academic legal profession knows that this is an impossibility. For a dedicated academic, that is a very difficult position to be in. But the law professor is also not alien to the task of being a judge. She is routinely engaged in researching in law, interpreting statutes and analysing law and judgments, judging moot courts where she has to assess the quality of the written arguments, legal research, and oral arguments of law students.

The rigours of the academic legal profession are very different from that of the practice. Like all legal professionals, law professors have to read a lot. These include court decisions (theirs and foreign), critical legal commentary (law reviews and books), reports of all kinds and varieties. But a law professors approach is more theoretically consistent as compared to a practitioners. Senior law professors also write legal treaties and commentaries on their areas of expertise. And now, more than ever, law professors are taking an interdisciplinary approach to law. Hard sciences, sociology, economics, history, anthropology, and all kinds of other disciplines are being brought to bear in legal analysis.

A law professor is always just as, if not more, busy and engaged as a high court advocate or a district court judge  the other two pools of candidates in Article 217(2). Why should a law professor therefore not be considered for elevation to a high court?

We need a constitutional amendment in Article 217(2). Though more than a constitutional amendment, we need a paradigm shift in the approach and mindset of the Supreme Court collegium. There is a grave need for attracting outstanding minds into the judiciary, many of whom can be from the legal academia.

C Raj Kumar is the founding vice chancellor, OP Jindal Global University and dean, Jindal Global Law School . The article is co-authored by Khagesh Gautam, associate professor, Jindal Global Law School

The views expressed are personal| BY Lynchy |

The APAC Effie Awards has named Publicis Groupes Jonathan Akwue and Fuji Xeroxs Susie Wong as Heads of Jury for the APAC Effie Awards 2019.

Akwue (left) is an Executive Vice President at Publicis Groupe based in Singapore. His current role is focused on implementing a truly integrated multi-agency Publicis model across the Asia Pacific region. With over 20 years of multi-disciplinary experience, his career spans design, advertising, social media, digital strategy, data driven marketing and media.

Prior to his current role, he was Managing Partner at Digitas and the CEO of Lost Boys, an award winning creative content agency in London. While in the UK, he played a key role in designing the ground-breaking Government Digital Service (GDS). He went on to launch Moment Studio, an agile creative newsroom that produced real-time social content for brands. Jonathan has worked with leading brands including Microsoft, Unilever, Rolls Royce, Sky, UBS, and Samsung.

A frequent industry speaker and commentator, in 2017, Akwue received a Legacy Award for his contribution to the Media Industry. He was also acknowledged by the Financial Times as the UKs 3rd most influential ethnic minority person in technology in 2018, in recognition of his efforts to champion diversity and inclusion. Having judged the UK Effie Awards since 2016, he passionately believes that marketing should be judged by its effectiveness.

Akwue said, I am honoured to be a Head of Jury for the APAC Effie Awards, 2019. In a world of fads and fake news, effective marketing is the benchmark we should all be aiming for. While it can be disruptive, truly effective marketing doesnt seek to deceive its audience. Instead, it feels personal, timely, relevant and valuable. Anything else is just noise.

As Fuji Xerox Singapores Chief Digital & Marketing Officer, Wong (right) is responsible for driving profitable market share and mindshare through helping customers in their transformational journey, from document to digital intelligence. Her new charter includes Customer Experience, Field & Digital Marketing, Brand & Product Management, and e-commerce strategies.

Wong is recognised for championing technologies that create personalised customer experiences at scale. She brings to Fuji Xerox data-driven, customer-centric marketing, and leadership experience that create a real and lasting impact for brands.

Prior to Fuji Xerox, Wong was the Director of Performance & Programmatic Marketing with IBM Asia Pacific. She took on a multitude of regional and global responsibilities in her IBM tenure which included heading the ASEAN Marketing Strategy & Communications, leading integrated marketing & Communications for ASEAN and South Asia & communications, and developing brand strategies for IBMs growth markets. In these roles, her teams have clinched numerous local & global industry awards. Throughout her career, Susie has thrived in diverse industries, led marketing transformation and built marketing capabilities both large and small.

Wong said I am super pumped to be involved with the APAC Effies once again, this time in the capacity of Head of Jury. The Effie Awards are where the best works of technology and storytelling converge to prove theyve delivered business results.

The APAC Effie Awards spotlight marketing Ideas that work, and recognise all forms of marketing communications that contribute to a brands success.

The remaining Heads of Jury and the full jury line-up of judges will be announced progressively. To view the first group of judges.Firefighters inspect the damage at the base of Harrison Mouhtain north of Base Line after the King Fire on Aug. 6.After almost two years of Trump demanding that Congress fund his desire for an expanded southern border wall, little time has been spent determining how the project might actually come together. A project of this scale has rarely been attempted  not even by the developer-president himself when he was erecting New York skyscrapers.

The borders landscape is uniquely remote and difficult. The project site is narrow and runs for miles. And there are unknowns, such as the maximum wind load for a fence reaching about three stories high.

The wall design currently favored by Trump appears to make heavy use of steel  which the president said would be good for the U.S. steel industry. About 3 million tons of steel would be needed for 1,000 miles of steel-slat wall and concrete base, according to Zarenskis calculations, which factored in 8-inch hollow steel tubes standing 30-feet high and spaced every 14 inches.

But the demand for that steel would not land all at once. It would be stretched over the projects life. If it took an optimistic 10 years to build, the wall would require less than half a percent of the annual U.S. appetite for finished steel.

The wall would have a very limited impact for U.S. steelmakers, said Josh Spoores, a steel analyst with the research firm CRU.BASKERVILLE, Va.  The government check hadn't arrived, and John Boyd was out of seeds.

So he left his family farm here in southern Virginia on Tuesday and went to the local Farm Service Agency office, a last-ditch attempt to see if any essential personnel with the U.S. Department of Agriculture were still working. He was hoping they could help, even with the partial federal government shutdown stretching to its 19th day.

The Trump administration had promised to help farmers like Boyd, those who suffered as a result of the international trade war after Chinese purchases of soybeans - once 60 percent of the market - plummeted to next to nothing. With farmers on the edge of ruin, the U.S. government offered $12 billion in support since September, checks that had become a lifeline.

But with the government shutdown moving into its third week, Boyd was left waiting for his support check to arrive. Other farmers who still must have their crop totals approved by the government to receive aid were left with no way to apply for it.

The delay has been the latest blow to a soybean farming community of more than 300,000 that has suffered steep price declines and bad weather, leaving some to contemplate switching crops for the coming year - or getting out of farming altogether.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said Tuesday that the government would extend the application deadline for the second round of support payments beyond the Jan. 15 deadline due to the shutdown, while urging Congress to pass a bill President Donald Trump would sign to "end the lapse in funding so that we may again provide full services to our farmers and ranchers."

At the farm office here, about 15 miles from the North Carolina border, Boyd, 53, a fourth-generation farmer, saw that the lights were on inside. He rattled the door. Nothing. A note outside told the story: The office was closed due to a lapse in federal government funding.

"This shutdown is affecting small people like myself, but if it continues, America is going to feel the impact everywhere - grocery stores, small businesses," Boyd fumed, angry about the "fiasco" he feels Trump has created. "Right now, I need seed and diesel fuel; I do not need a damn wall. That does not help me in my farming operation."

Perdue's statement came as Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill are coming under increasing pressure to address the impact of the shutdown with no clear resolution in sight. In an address to the nation Tuesday night, President Trump reiterated his push for a wall to address what he sees as a humanitarian and security crisis at the southern border, blaming Democrats for the impasse that is causing the shutdown; Democratic leaders retorted with claims that Trump is holding the U.S. government hostage for political purposes, hurting hundreds of thousands of Americans in the process.

Photo gallery: See photos from President Trump's Oval Office speech on immigration at the end of this story

Among them are the farmers at the center of the nation's agricultural economy. In agricultural states, which tend to lean conservative and have shown strong support for Trump and the GOP in the past two elections, Republican senators expressed concern about the impact of the shutdown on their farmers.

Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, said he asked the administration to extend the deadline for farmers to certify their crop production and qualify for the bailout funds before Perdue's Tuesday announcement.

On the other side of the aisle, House Democrats plan to hold a vote this week to fund the Agriculture Department, applying a new round of pressure on Trump to back down from his demands for border wall money as a condition for signing legislation to reopen the government.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, said her concerns about the impact of the shutdown on farmers extend beyond bailout payments. Dairy farmers are unable to take advantage of new support in the recently passed farm bill, she said, and USDA crop reports aren't available for farmers as they make spring planting decisions.

"I think that every single day this continues, it gets more serious for farmers," Stabenow said.

Driven by demand from China - which uses American soybeans largely to feed livestock - American soybean output skyrocketed in the past two decades, with export totals rising to 30 to 35 metric tons in recent years.

But that plunged when Trump began waging the trade war with China in July.

The administration's efforts to help tariff-damaged farmers include about $11 billion in direct cash assistance to farmers - the bulk of which would go to soybean producers - as well as $1 billion to purchase excess supply and distribute it to food banks and nutrition programs.

About $5.2 billion in checks already have gone out since the program began, including 360,000 payments collectively worth $3 billion since the government shut down, according to Tim Murtaugh, a USDA spokesman. But farmers who did not certify their crop production before the shutdown began cannot do so until the government is running again because the offices of the Farm Service Agency, which is administering the bailout, are closed.

"A lot of these farmers had late harvests, so being able to submit that was a real challenge," said Mike Steenhoek, executive director of the Soy Transportation Coalition, which works with soybean farmers. "There's a lot of worry."

The bailout checks have "made a significant difference" for farmers facing not only the trade war but also lower commodity prices after a bumper year for soybean crops, said Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist at INTL FCStone Financial, a global financial services firm.

"These are tight times, and they have bills to pay, particularly the closer we get to spring planting time," Suderman said. "For certain individuals and certain farm areas, it can be very serious."

The government shutdown also means that several key economic reports and other economic data will be delayed - including measures of how many tons of surplus soybeans are still sitting unshipped in grain storage, for example.

In the Midwest, even as snow blankets many fields, bankers are beginning to evaluate whether to extend another year of credit to farmers.

"They're being asked to make planting decisions in an informational vacuum," said Steve Suppan, senior policy analyst at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy. "Unless you're a very large operator, it's got to be very difficult right now to do farm management planning with any kind of confidence at all. The shutdown aggravates that."

Businesses also are bracing for new challenges shipping their products overseas. A few dozen exporters discovered over the weekend that the government's electronic system for approving exports was not working, said Peter Friedmann, executive director of the Agriculture Transportation Coalition. The system appeared to have been fixed as of Monday morning.

As the shutdown drags on, Republicans in Congress have expressed confidence that Trump and the party had not yet lost the rural base.

Kevin Cramer, a North Dakota Republican elected to the Senate in November, said a major reason he won his seat was because voters were concerned about border security, an issue that Republicans articulated during the campaign and that Trump has elevated again in the shutdown. Republicans accused Cramer's opponent of supporting lax border rules, a status quo he said voters obviously didn't like.

"If it was playing well for them, I wouldn't be a senator," he said.

But some warned that a prolonged lapse of key services for farmers could spell political trouble for Trump and the GOP.

"In general, rural and ag state voters have stuck with the president even when his policies caused them short-term pain," said Republican pollster Chris Wilson. "If the shutdown drags on, things will likely change if farmers and farm states start suffering lasting economic harm."

In Boyd's little corner of Virginia - southern Mecklenburg County, where fields of corn, wheat and soybeans nestle amid fragrant pines - not all of his farming peers agree Trump is the sole problem.

Another soybean farmer, Robert Proffitt, 60, said he was disgusted by Congress and politicians in general. In his view, they're not addressing the core issues in the country, such as opioid addiction.

"They have politicized the wall, and now they're just making news," Proffitt said.

Boyd, president and founder of the National Black Farmers Association, has farmed his family property in Mecklenburg since 1983, and he says this is the most difficult year he has experienced. He's struggling to pay the bills for his family of six, a goat, a cattle dog named Fatso and scores of pigs.

Boyd, who farms 300 acres of soybeans, checked his soybean crop Tuesday for moisture content before deciding it's still too wet to harvest. In any case, the local grain elevator is buying beans for just $8.54 a bushel - nearly half the $16 a bushel he got in 2012.

He climbed aboard a tractor to start planting his winter wheat crop under a blue sky scudded with white clouds. But he quickly ran out of seed, and couldn't buy more. Without his anticipated support check of $13,200, he's in dire straits.

"This shutdown is really affecting us dramatically," he said. "We're not in financial shape to miss a whole planting season. Congress needs to address this - with the urgency of now."

Photos: President Trump's Oval Office immigration speech

Photos from President Donald Trump's prime-time address on immigration on Tuesday night:

Stein and Sullivan reported from Washington. The Washington Post's Juliet Eilperin in Washington contributed to this report.| BY Lynchy |

Leo Burnett Malaysia has announced a cooperation agreement with Xiamen University Malaysia (XMUM), a renowned Chinese university in Malaysia, with an aim to foster and promote a collaborative learning culture between professional practice and academia that is mutually beneficial for both parties.

Signing the agreement at Xiamen University Malaysia Campus today were Tan Kien Eng, Chief Executive Officer of Leo Burnett Malaysia (pictured left) and Dr. Wang Changsong, Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator of Advertising, Xiamen University Malaysia (pictured right).

Under this strategic collaboration, in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), LB Malaysia will be working closely with XMUM to inspire and further enhance the advertising students learning experience in their respective fields.No charges have been filed in the two-car collision on Interstate 40 that sent seven people to area hospitals Wednesday.HICKORY  With the start of the new year comes the arrival of Girl Scout cookies. Now through March 3, the public can stock up on Thin Mints, Caramel Delites, Peanut Butter Patties and more.

Through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, girls not only discover their inner leadership potential, but also use their earnings to power experiences for themselves and their troop, including travel, outdoor adventure and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programming.

This year, along with the classic cookie flavors, Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont is celebrating a tasty new way to support young female entrepreneurs with a recently debuted Girl Scout cookie added to the 2019 lineup: Caramel Chocolate Chip. This gluten-free option features rich caramel, semisweet chocolate chips and a hint of sea salt in a chewy cookie. This gluten-free cookie will retail for $5 a box, while the other cookies are $4 a box.

To find cookies near them, consumers can visit the cookie booth locator at www.girlscoutcookies.org or download the official Girl Scout Cookie Finder app, available for free on iOS or Android devices. They can also contact the council at info@girlscoutsp2p.org.| BY Ricki Green |

The APAC Effie Awards has named Publicis Groupes Jonathan Akwue and Fuji Xeroxs Susie Wong as Heads of Jury for the APAC Effie Awards 2019.

Akwue (left) is an Executive Vice President at Publicis Groupe based in Singapore. His current role is focused on implementing a truly integrated multi-agency Publicis model across the Asia Pacific region. With over 20 years of multi-disciplinary experience, his career spans design, advertising, social media, digital strategy, data driven marketing and media.

Prior to his current role, he was Managing Partner at Digitas and the CEO of Lost Boys, an award winning creative content agency in London. While in the UK, he played a key role in designing the ground-breaking Government Digital Service (GDS). He went on to launch Moment Studio, an agile creative newsroom that produced real-time social content for brands. Jonathan has worked with leading brands including Microsoft, Unilever, Rolls Royce, Sky, UBS, and Samsung.

A frequent industry speaker and commentator, in 2017, Akwue received a Legacy Award for his contribution to the Media Industry. He was also acknowledged by the Financial Times as the UKs 3rd most influential ethnic minority person in technology in 2018, in recognition of his efforts to champion diversity and inclusion. Having judged the UK Effie Awards since 2016, he passionately believes that marketing should be judged by its effectiveness.

Akwue said, I am honoured to be a Head of Jury for the APAC Effie Awards, 2019. In a world of fads and fake news, effective marketing is the benchmark we should all be aiming for. While it can be disruptive, truly effective marketing doesnt seek to deceive its audience. Instead, it feels personal, timely, relevant and valuable. Anything else is just noise.

As Fuji Xerox Singapores Chief Digital & Marketing Officer, Wong (right) is responsible for driving profitable market share and mindshare through helping customers in their transformational journey, from document to digital intelligence. Her new charter includes Customer Experience, Field & Digital Marketing, Brand & Product Management, and e-commerce strategies.

Wong is recognised for championing technologies that create personalised customer experiences at scale. She brings to Fuji Xerox data-driven, customer-centric marketing, and leadership experience that create a real and lasting impact for brands.

Prior to Fuji Xerox, Wong was the Director of Performance & Programmatic Marketing with IBM Asia Pacific. She took on a multitude of regional and global responsibilities in her IBM tenure which included heading the ASEAN Marketing Strategy & Communications, leading integrated marketing & Communications for ASEAN and South Asia & communications, and developing brand strategies for IBMs growth markets. In these roles, her teams have clinched numerous local & global industry awards. Throughout her career, Susie has thrived in diverse industries, led marketing transformation and built marketing capabilities both large and small.

Wong said I am super pumped to be involved with the APAC Effies once again, this time in the capacity of Head of Jury. The Effie Awards are where the best works of technology and storytelling converge to prove theyve delivered business results.

The APAC Effie Awards spotlight marketing Ideas that work, and recognise all forms of marketing communications that contribute to a brands success.| BY Ricki Green |

With the holiday season over, families across Australia are gearing up for the first exercise of 2019: Back to School shopping. BIG W, has launched a campaign, developed by M&C Saatchi Sydney, inspiring kids to Start Something Great, harnessing the excitement around the start of a new school term.

Airing across the country from this week, the campaign encompasses three 15-second TVC spots which capture kids treasured experiences at school.

Says Kristen Linders, general manager marketing, BIG W: Back to School is a defining occasion in childs year, so we wanted to authentically celebrate the moments that Aussie kids experience  from new friendships to fun schoolyard games. As a mother, I appreciate just how challenging Back to School shopping can be  so its great that BIG W enables families to save both time and money by getting everything they need under one roof, at low prices.

BIG Ws Start Something Great campaign also features the retailers inaugural study on Australians Back to School shopping habits. Led by integrated agency Magnum & Co, the research unearthed interesting spending insights of Australian parents.

The campaign is also supported through social with the Proud Parent Moment competition on BIG Ws Facebook, inviting Aussie parents to share a photo and story of an achievement their child has made in the lead up to starting school.

BIG Ws Start Something Great integrated campaign comprises TV, radio, online, social, OOH, SEM, and PR.

Creative Agency: M&C Saatchi

Media Agency: Woolworths@DAN

PR Agency: Magnum & Co

BIG W brand team:

Kristen Linders  General Manager, Marketing

Carly Bowra  Head of Brand & Category Marketing

Ruchi Agarwal  Marketing Manager

Rebecca Spurr  Head of Design, Production & Store Marketing

Fiona Harrop  Head of Media Buying, Social Media and Public Relations

Michelle Bartolo  Public Relations ManagerGEORGE MICHAEL

The Herald-Mail

Environmental activists were likely very happy to hear of the vote by the Maryland Board of Public Works last week denying access for the natural gas pipeline to pass under the Western Maryland Rail Trail. But is this a victory for everybody else?

Many environmentalists have a knee-jerk reaction to almost any new energy project. Most of us benefit from lower energy costs made possible by companies getting more fuel to market, whether it be gasoline or, as in this case, natural gas. I like that I have the energy I need to fuel my car and heat my home. It seems, however, that for some the goal is to oppose progress at any cost.

What is the benefit of denying gas running through underground pipes to get to markets in West Virginia compared to having more trucks or more rail cars deliver the gas from Western Pennsylvania? The gas will need to get to market one way or the other. Is more truck traffic on Interstates 70 and 81 the best option?

This is one reason why the statement in the press by Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot seems shortsighted when he suggested that Maryland has none of the economic benefits from the pipeline. Is that really the case?

Having more gas available is a regional supply issue reducing energy costs, which at least indirectly benefits us. Certainly, less truck traffic carrying natural gas through Western Maryland is not a small thing. And some of the companies receiving the gas may very well have workers (aka jobs) who live in Maryland.

The vote to deny the easement specifically under the rail trail is a real puzzle. Is that the only authority the Board of Public Works has? Dont get me wrong. I often go biking on the rail trail and enjoy the beauty of our county along the way. But is an 8-inch pipeline far below the trail somehow a threat to a bike path? Is the rail trail really that fragile?

The Maryland Department of the Environment has already announced that the proposed pipeline does not represent a safety-risk. The builder of the rights-of-way for the pipeline, Mountaineer Gas Co., has spent millions of dollars and provided mounds of testimony about the operation of the pipeline. The project has cleared multiple hurdles over a number of years.

The legal and technical investment to accomplish this task is huge. Do the people who show up at public hearings in an attempt to block the pipeline really speak for the majority? Are they well informed about the features and the benefit of getting the gas to market? Or is it just more of the typical not in my backyard?

Already 12 natural gas pipelines owned by Columbia Gas run under the Potomac River. Will this pipeline designed to connect to the main line cause serious damage to the environment?

How much of the vote by Gov. Larry Hogan and Peter Franchot, generally pretty smart and reasonable guys, a sop to the environmental community? And will it be the final word on the matter?

The day after the vote by the Board of Public Works was announced, another article in our paper quoted Moses Skaff, senior vice president of Mountaineer Gas, who seemed unbothered by the decision. He stated that the project is more than 95 percent complete. He expressed confidence that the pipeline project would be finished, referring to appropriate actions which will likely follow.

The bottom line is that the pipeline is an interstate project going from Pennsylvania to West Virginia. It would seem logical that a federal court could overrule last weeks decision and allow the pipeline to be finished. After all, Maryland cannot pass a law to disallow trucks carrying gas from passing through our state. How could we block a pipeline?

The Interstate Commerce Clause in the Constitution is a strong legal foundation. In the past, almost all such big projects were approved based on the concept of the necessary commerce and the right of eminent domain for the public good. Hopefully, Mountaineer Gas will soon prevail in this matter.

It is nice for the pipeline opponents to have had their day to be heard. It is a free county. But after years of study and groundwork completed with great effort and care by Mountaineer Gas, it is time to finish the job for the greater benefit of everybody else.

George Michael, a lifelong resident of Washington County who lives in Williamsport, is a former principal of Grace Academy. His email address is gfmichael46@gmail.com.The Associated Press

The Herald-Mail

By The Associated Press

CHARLESTON, W.Va.  West Virginia legislative leaders want to attract more jobs to the state by addressing some taxes and expanding opportunities for workforce training and community and technical college enrollment.

Senate President Mitch Carmichael and House of Delegates Speaker Roger Hanshaw discussed the priorities during a news conference Tuesday.

The news conference was held outside the state Senate chambers, the same spot where thousands of teachers gathered during boisterous rallies last year during a nine-day strike in which they ultimately won a 5 percent pay increase. Gov. Jim Justice is planning another 5 percent raise for them this year.

We recognize that our students are the most important aspect of our future, Carmichael said. We want to empower and enable them to be all that they can be. Its critically important that we provide them with a world-class education.

Carmichael also said a bill that died in the House of Delegates last year will be reintroduced to provide free community and technical college for in-state residents. Recipients would have to pass a drug test, perform community service and work in West Virginia after graduation.

Other expected legislation would include unspecified expanded opportunities for workforce training.

Empowering people, whether theyre students or those returning to the workforce, to gain a stackable skill set that they can take to the marketplace and earn a living and be productive members of society is a worthy, worthy, worthy investment, Carmichael said.

He also said he supports establishing charter schools in West Virginia, although Justice indicated earlier Tuesday that he was opposed to the move and instead wants to keep public education a centerpiece.

Lawmakers also plan to introduce bills that would eliminate a state tax on Social Security benefits and phase out a tax on business equipment and inventory.

The inventory tax bill failed to pass last year. It has been viewed as a roadblock to the state economy and job growth. But revenue from the tax would have to be replaced  most of that money goes to counties to support their school systems.

Carmichael said no bills that would raise taxes are expected to be introduced.

Other planned bills would enhance broadband-internet access and would make it easier for adults to become foster parents.

Hanshaw said the theme of this legislative session will be to make West Virginia the best place to raise a family.

Another expected bill would address the states opioid addiction crisis. West Virginia leads the country by far in the rate of drug-overdose deaths.

Hanshaw said the bill would help law enforcement and give convicted drug offenders an opportunity to re-enter the workforce.Matthew Umstead

mumstead@herald-mail.com

MARTINSBURG, W.Va.  Starting Thursday and continuing through Sunday, hunters in West Virginia will have one final opportunity before the fall 2019 season to kill a deer or bear, but may only use primitive weapons during the states first Mountaineer Heritage Season.

Were calling it the Mountaineer Heritage Season because hunters may use only the types of rifles and bows that the original mountaineer settlers had available, Stephen McDaniel, director of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, said in a news release.

At a time of year when hunting activity is usually slow, we hope this will encourage people to get outside and enjoy a hunting adventure without the aid of modern technology and that it will give them an understanding and appreciation for the historical significance of hunting in West Virginia, he said.

Hunters are restricted during the four-day session to using only long or recurve bows, or single-shot side-lock or flintlock muzzle-loading rifles of .38 caliber or larger, according to the state agency.

Telescopic sights, in-line muzzleloaders, firearms converted into muzzleloaders by use of a plug, and double-barreled or swivel-barreled muzzleloaders are not allowed this weekend. Hunters also are not permitted to hunt with a crossbow or compound bow, or to hunt bear with dogs.

Hunters may take a bear or a deer of either sex, but those who took their limit of three bucks in the 2018 fall seasons may only take an antlerless deer.

Hunters also are required to purchase a 2019 hunting license and stamps to participate in the Mountaineer Heritage Season because it is a new year, and bear hunters must buy a bear-damage stamp, unless they hold a senior lifetime license or qualify for a free license, DNR officials said.

This season was created because a large number of hunters have been requesting additional hunting opportunities in the new year following the end of the traditional big-game seasons in December, said Paul Johansen, chief of the DNRs Wildlife Resources Section.

Hunters must wear an orange outer garment of at least 400 square inches, except for those hunting in bow-only counties.

They also are required to use their permanent DNR identification numbers to check their game at https://www.wvhunt.com. Check-ins also may be made by calling 1-844-WVCHECK (1-844-982-4325) or at a hunting and fishing license agent.

Hunting licenses and stamps may be purchased at https://www.wvhunt.com, as well as at license agents or DNR district offices across the state.Matthew Umstead

mumstead@herald-mail.com

MARTINSBURG, W.Va.  The Martinsburg Police Department announced Tuesday that it has targeted three more properties under the citys drug-house ordinance.

They include:

A property at 123 S. High St. owned by Alex Hershaft of Bethesda, Md., and managed by Jason Baker.

The execution of a federal search warrant issued Friday for one of the buildings apartments resulted in the recovery of 7 grams of crack cocaine and $1,514 in suspected drug money, according to a police department news release.

Allen Craig, 56, the tenant of the apartment, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, police said.

The property also was determined to be out of compliance with outstanding rental repairs by city officials.

A property at 222 Surrey Court owned by Maan Said Amer of Martinsburg.

The execution of a search warrant issued Thursday resulted in the recovery of 2 grams of heroin, scales and bags used in the distribution of narcotics, and $535 in suspected drug money, police said.

Jessica Sue Nicholson, 22, a resident of the home, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, the release said.

The property also was found to not be registered or inspected as a rental unit by city officials.

A property at 618 Virginia Ave. owned by Harry C. Van Metre Jr. of Martinsburg.

A search warrant issued Dec. 14 resulted in the seizure of 680 grams of marijuana with an estimated street value of $3,000, police said.

Jessica Monique Dancey, 27, a resident of the home, was charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana, the release said.

The property owners are due to appear Feb. 20 before Municipal Judge Dale Buck to address their compliance with the drug-house ordinance.

The ordinance has been used to shut down 41 drug houses since the city adopted it in 2016, Police Chief Maury Richards said Tuesday.

The search warrants were executed by members of the police departments Special Response Team and the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.Matthew Umstead

mumstead@herald-mail.com

MARTINSBURG, W.Va.  A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Grand Home Furnishings new Martinsburg store on Foxcroft Avenue is set for Friday, and a new Starbucks location also is slated to open this month on the commercial corridor along Interstate 81.

Grand Home Furnishings at 840 Foxcroft Ave. is the family-owned furniture chains 20th store. The new locations approximately 60,000-square-foot showroom is in space formerly occupied by The Bon-Ton at the former Martinsburg Mall.

The new Martinsburg store will join other West Virginia locations in Beckley, Lewisburg, Princeton and Summersville, according to the companys website.

The new 2,200-square-foot Starbucks at 925 Foxcroft Ave., which is part of the redevelopment of the former Ryans restaurant property, will offer a drive-thru option for customers, as well as Nitro Cold Brew, the company said.

Starbucks is always looking for great locations to better meet the needs of our customers, and we are happy to confirm that we will be opening a new location ... this month, a Starbucks spokesperson said in an email.

The coffee chain joins Blaze Pizza, which opened last year at the renovated property.

The Bon-Ton closed in August after the closure of J.C. Penney in summer 2017 and Sears in 2011 at the former mall property.

Arts-and-crafts retailer Hobby Lobby moved into the space occupied by J.C. Penney in April. The existing gap between the Hobby Lobby and Grand Home Furnishings stores was created when the interior portions of the mall were demolished after it closed in fall 2016.

Paramount Development Corp., the shopping centers owner, obtained city approval to build new commercial-store frontage between the two stores, but the company has not yet completed that phase of redevelopment.

A 5,000-square-foot building under construction near Panera Bread will be occupied by Firehouse Subs, Q Nails and Spa, and Boost Mobile, said Eric Cornett, the companys chief operating officer.

The building should be complete with tenants open in March, Cornett said in an email.

We are actively working with other prospective tenants, and we expect to be able to make more exciting announcements in 2019, he said.

Other new businesses along the commercial strip between exits 12 and 13 of I-81 include;

Flowers Unlimited Foxcroft at 734 Foxcroft Ave. is projected to open Feb. 1.

Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins at 980 Foxcroft Ave., in the former First United Bank & Trust building, is slated to open within the first quarter of the year.

In other business activity, China City Buffet Sushi & Grill at 1001 Foxcroft Ave. was shut down Nov. 14 by the Berkeley County (W.Va.) Health Department. The restaurants owners since have notified the city that it has closed.

An inspection documented 19 critical violations, including pest-control issues, records show.

Health department Administrator Bill Kearns said last week that a very low percentage of the countys more than 600 food-service establishments are shut down as a result of an inspection.

The restaurant previously was shut down in August after an inspection found water damage and mold on a back wall of the building, according to health department inspection records.Jennifer Fitch

waynesboro@herald-mail.com

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.  The Franklin County (Pa.) Prison Board on Tuesday pledged to seek ways this year to ease overcrowding at the county jail on Opportunity Avenue.

The jail had an average daily population of 516 inmates in December. The state considers the jails rated capacity to be 308 inmates.

Nine inmates were being housed in other counties due to space constraints.

Our female population has gone down a little bit, so we have brought some females back, Warden Bill Bechtold told the prison board Tuesday.

The average length of stay for an incarcerated individual was 68.2 days.

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Carol L. Van Horn asked the county government to prepare suggestions about how to lessen overcrowding at the jail. Earlier talks about a community corrections center were shelved.

The prison board should actively review the suggestions and take action this year, Van Horn said.

The prison board  whose members include the county commissioners and criminal-justice professionals  unanimously agreed to support her suggestion.

Douglas Wilburne, the countys deputy chief of adult probation, provided the prison board with an overview of how the probation department manages pre-trial release, which historically has been successful for 85 percent of those approved for pre-trial release arriving for court dates such as a trial or plea hearing.

Developed in 1992, the pre-trial release program is designed for unsentenced inmates who are deemed low risk if they are under supervision.

To qualify for pre-trial release, inmates not only need to post bail, but also have a home plan and not be subject to warrants or detainers from other jurisdictions.Don Aines

daines@herald-mail.com

A judge will decide soon whether the case of a 17-year-old accused of an armed carjacking will remain in adult court or be transferred to juvenile court.

Washington County Circuit Judge Mark K. Boyer heard two days of testimony and argument in the hearing for Xavier Leon Smith.

Smith and another teenager were charged as adults with stealing a female security guards vehicle at gunpoint on June 4, 2018, in Hagerstown.

In addition to armed carjacking, Smith faces several other counts, including kidnapping and use of a firearm in a crime of violence.

The hearing began Friday and recessed until Tuesday. Boyer said he would review exhibits, including calls Smith made from a juvenile facility after his arrest, and make a ruling by Jan. 18.

Smith and Ashur Komaki Hooper, also 17, left a Baltimore County, Md., group home, stole a car and drove it to Hagerstown, according to charging documents. The two fled an attempted traffic stop by a Washington County sheriffs deputy, wrecked the stolen car and stole another at gunpoint from a female security guard at a Hagerstown business, authorities said.

Hooper walked her into a wooded area at gunpoint before he and Smith left with her vehicle, according to information shared at Tuesdays hearing. The victims cellphone was still in the car and police tracked it to the group home.

In December, Hooper pleaded guilty to carjacking and was sentenced to 15 years in prison, with 10 years suspended.

Assistant Public Defender Sean Mukherjee argued that Smith and the community would benefit more if his case were moved from adult to juvenile jurisdiction.

There are no guarantees either way ... but we do have the numbers, Mukherjee told Boyer. Recidivism is dramatically higher for juveniles kept in the adult system.

This is a serial car thief, Assistant States Attorney Leon Debes told the judge, adding, there are four different stolen cars tied to Mr. Smith since 2016.

Smith did not perform well in juvenile programs, including Cedar Ridge Childrens Home near Williamsport, Debes said. Smith admitted to committing a burglary and frequently using marijuana while at Cedar Ridge, he said.

Mukherjee told Boyer that Smith has done well academically and behaviorally at a juvenile detention facility in Baltimore, where he has been held pending his Washington County case.

Smiths chances of becoming a productive citizen are higher if he receives treatment and support through juvenile programs, Mukherjee said.

There were disputes between the state and defense on whether Smith or Hooper used a real firearm in the carjacking. Mukherjee said the victim was not physically harmed during the incident, while Debes emphasized the psychological trauma the woman experienced.

The victim must have thought she was going to be killed when Hooper marched her into the woods, Debes told Boyer.Alexis Fitzpatrick

afitzpatrick@herald-mail.com

In the 2020-21 school year, Washington County will have the first public-school students in Maryland able to enroll in a program specializing in artificial intelligence, or AI, and cloud computing.

Washington County Technical High School will begin offering the program then, along with one in advanced manufacturing.

Also in the fall of 2020, Barbara Ingram School for the Arts students will offer expanded and updated course programs on computer game development and animation, along with digital communications.

Associate Superintendent of Curriculum/Instruction Peggy Pugh told Board of Education members Tuesday that the programs are part of WCPS development of new and expanded technology-related, high-value career pathways for students.

Principal Rodney Gayman said the AI and cloud computing curriculum brings together networking, security, analytics and management. Students will learn about public, private and hybrid cloud programs, which offer virtual external memory, and how to program machines.

Students will be able to earn Cloud certifications through the curriculum.

According to a WCPS news release, Tech Highs AI and cloud computing program still needs the Maryland State Department of Educations approval.

Manufacturing, he said, is increasingly tech-heavy and has been one of the fastest-changing careers in recent years.

Students in Tech Highs advanced manufacturing program will be expected to learn using AI and robotics and can earn a national manufacturing certification.

The programs will be funded through money the General Assembly provided in 2018 for the local implementation of innovative career technology education programs across the state, according to a WCPS news release.

BISFA Principal Robert Hovermale said the school was excited to expand its computer game development and animation and digital communications programming as its new facility addition opens in downtown Hagerstown.

Students will work with the latest 3D modeling and animation software. They also will make audio compositions, musical scores and sound effects for games and other programs.

Digital communications emphasize photography and general video production and will provide training in video and television production, along with fashion and portrait photography.

Superintendent Boyd Michael said he was excited for the new offerings at BISFA and Tech High to get students ready for high-paying jobs upon graduation.

Cody Pine, Washington County Public Schools supervisor of career technology education, said the state-of-the-art programs developed through partnerships with local businesses, higher education and the MDSE.Julie E. Greene

julieg@herald-mail.com

Repair work was scheduled to begin Wednesday on a sewage leak that began in September off Wright Road, Washington County officials said Tuesday.

A sewer force-main pipe behind Dot Foods, along Elliott Parkway northeast of Williamsport, broke during flooding in September, Division of Environmental Management officials said.

Since then, sewage has been leaking into a wooded area about 10 feet in diameter, said Mark Bradshaw, the countys deputy director of engineering service for water quality.

Repairs involve installing a bypass pipe through an existing casing under CSX railroad tracks, according to Bradshaw and Environmental Management Director Dan DiVito. The county couldnt get a temporary easement from CSX, allowing the work, until mid-December.

The contractor will build a fairly large temporary structure around at least one manhole and pumps to protect them from freezing temperatures, Bradshaw said.

The repairs are expected to take approximately two weeks.

On Tuesday, the county commissioners unanimously approved a change to the original contract that was needed because a third manhole needs replacing.

The additional work, including the temporary structure and heating, will cost $114,750, according to a county document. That brings the total contract with Carl Belt Inc. of Cumberland, Md., to $251,250.

The Maryland Department of the Environment is aware of the sewage leak and asks regularly when it will be repaired, DiVito told the commissioners.

DiVito said any state fines would be determined after the work is done and the state environmental agency has reviewed the file.

Weve done everything we possibly can, DiVito said.Julie E. Greene

julieg@herald-mail.com

Washington County Commissioners Cort Meinelschmidt and Jeff Cline said Tuesday that county employees with complaints or grievances can contact them without facing retaliation.

Meinelschmidt raised the issue on Tuesday during the commissioners meeting, noting reports about the countys workplace environment on the website A Miner Detail, run by Ryan Miner, a former candidate for school board.

If you feel like you cannot file a valid complaint or grievance, please know that I will personally make sure that theres no retaliation against you, Meinelschmidt said during the commissioner comments portion of the meeting.

But at the same time, I cannot and will not act on rumors, he said.

Cline, the boards president, said employees also can contact him any time and be free of any retaliation or revealing who you are.

Among the recent posts on A Miner Detail about employee complaints was one Jan. 1 alleging that Chief Operating Officer Jim Hovis filed a complaint against Cline and a county employee. Miner wrote that it was a move that employees fear is retaliatory and without merit.

The same post mentions an alleged grievance filed against Hovis by a county employee.

The post, citing county employees as the source, does not list the name of the employee.

Asked after the meeting if there was any truth to Hovis filing a complaint against him, Cline said his attorney advised him not to comment.

Clines attorney, Ira C. Cooke, said later in a phone interview: If a complaint has been filed, it has not been specifically shared with me or my client.

Cooke had no further comment.

Hovis was not at Tuesdays meeting. Reached by phone later Tuesday, Hovis said he had no comment.

During the meeting, Meinelschmidt, who joined the board in December, also asked that the county attorneys office and human resources look at the countys grievance and complaint procedures.

The board agreed, by informal consensus, for that to be done.

In November, the last board of commissioners approved updates to the countys policies on anti-harassment and complaint procedures, whistleblowers, and anti-discrimination and complaint procedures.

Cline cast dissenting votes at the time.

Cline said then that he voted against the policy changes because he didnt think the county should change who receives an employees complaint from the human resources director to the county attorneys office. He asked what would happen if the attorney who hears an employees complaint later ends up on the other side of the table, representing the target of the complaint.C.J. Lovelace

cj.lovelace@herald-mail.com

More details about a new signature event in downtown Hagerstown this summer have come into focus  namely, a name.

The cultural event over four weekends in June essentially will take the place of the now-defunct Western Maryland Blues Fest. It would tentatively be called Imagine Hagerstown: A Month of Arts and Music.

Mayor Bob Bruchey and three members of the Hagerstown City Council agreed to the title during a brainstorming session with city staff members Tuesday night. Councilwomen Shelley McIntire and Emily Keller werent as keen with the idea.

Its not a title. Its just a statement, said Keller, who was more in favor of using the Imagine Hagerstown phrase as part of a larger marketing campaign for the city, rather than just a singular event.

Council members threw around several iterations of names for the event, which, as proposed, would feature free music performances in University Plaza on Fridays and a variety of art and music happenings along the citys Cultural Trail on Saturdays.

Proposed as a trial run for a larger event in 2020, musical performances and artist demonstrations are being planned for the weekends of June 7 and 8, 14 and 15, 21 and 22 and 28 and 29.

On June 15, the city is planning to offer a ticketed event at The Maryland Theatre.

Kitty Clark, the citys events coordinator, told council members that finalizing a name for the event as soon as possible is a critical step for finalizing plans and marketing it.

The city put out an open call to musicians in late 2018. Planners are now reviewing more than 100 submissions to select anchor artists for programming, she said.

Im a little concerned about the time, Clark said. Thats my issue.

Other titles discussed included New Hub City Arts and Culture Festival, New Hub City Music and Arts Festival, Celebrate Hagerstown and various combinations of each.

McIntire said the Imagine Hagerstown title was not her favorite, prompting a response from Councilman Lew Metzner, urging her to come up with a more suitable idea in the next 24 hours.

I just dont feel like its catchy enough, McIntire said of the proposed title after the meeting. I want everyone to agree on it.Alexis Fitzpatrick

afitzpatrick@herald-mail.com

Years of planning culminated Tuesday in the ceremonial groundbreaking for a new $21.75 million Sharpsburg Elementary School, yards away from the current 80-plus-year-old facility.

Im very glad to be standing here today for the council and that were actually putting this school here in Sharpsburg, Mayor Hal Spielman said to the crowd. The reason we know that we need a new school is because I graduated from this one in 1961, so they know its time for a new one.

The existing school, built in the 1930s, received additions and renovations in 1967 and 1983.

WCPS Superintendent Boyd Michael said the current building has served the community well, but the time has come for it to be replaced with something modern and up-to-date. He said it was the lowest-scoring facility in the WCPS system, meaning it is considered the most in need of replacement.

Its time to move into the 21st century and beyond, Michael said. This is a big day, not only for Sharpsburg Elementary and the community of Sharpsburg, but certainly our students, our families, future students of Sharpsburg Elementary, and we are very, very excited.

Students, Washington County Public Schools employees, Board of Education members and county commissioners were among those who attended the event.

The three-round, 60,054-square-foot facility is the only full replacement school in the works for WCPS, but Michael previously called the current replacement rate of about 188 years unsustainable.

Wed sure like to do this every year, President Cline, Michael said to laughter as he introduced Washington County Commissioners President Jeff Cline.

Following the ceremony, Principal Keith Allshouse said the school administration is most looking forward to the increase in updated instructional space.

Currently, the 31,684-square-foot building has a state-rated capacity of 229 kindergarten through fifth-grade seats and 20 prekindergarten seats. The new building can hold 431 K-5 seats and 40 for prekindergarten.

A new attendance zone for the school is in the works, with the possibility of extending into Boonsboro, Pleasant Valley, Rockland Woods and Fountain Rock elementary schools areas to help level capacity at all facilities.

The facility itself  with the gymnasium and the new cafeteria and the sound systems  thatll be terrific, Allshouse said. Im just most excited that the teachers will have a really purposeful space to use.

Allshouse, in his second year as principal, said students are excited about the new building. He said he has received a lot of support from the community about the project, especially WCPS effort to maintain and honor some of the schools and areas past.

Sharpsburg is a history-driven place, and theres a lot of rich history, and the fact that youve got three to four generations with a lot of these families that have come through this school, it was really meaningful for them to know a lot of aspects of the history of the building will stay, Allshouse said.

Several current Sharpsburg Elementary students were at the ceremony, something Michael said afterward was important, as the new building is going to serve students and the community for a long time.

As the facility is built on property along Shepherdstown Pike behind the current school, students can view the constructions progress.

According to Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Proulx, surveying work began on the construction site in late December.

On the last day of school next year, when the students walk out, well move in and actually start the [demolition] process to the current building, Michael said.

The new school is set to open in September 2020.

BOE President Melissa Williams said she was looking forward to students in Sharpsburg learning in a modern environment and thanked everyone who helped make the day possible.

Its not every day you get to break ground for a new elementary school in Washington County, she said.

Robert Gorrell, the executive director of Marylands Interagency Commission on School Construction, presented a citation from the governor in recognition of the outstanding commitment of the students, faculty and staff of Sharpsburg Elementary School to quality education and academic excellence.Dave McMillion

davem@herald-mail.com

ANNAPOLIS  Despite the partial federal government shutdown, Comptroller Peter Franchot said in a news release Tuesday that there are no plans to delay processing personal income tax returns for the 2018 tax year.

The federal Internal Revenue Service and Maryland remain on track to begin processing individual returns on Jan. 28, according to a news release from Franchots office.

Processing of business tax returns began Tuesday, according to the release.

Marylanders should go about their typical preparations to file their personal income tax returns, Franchot said. My agency is in direct communication with the IRS to monitor the situation. If there are any changes at the federal level, we will immediately notify taxpayers.

The IRS has asked furloughed employees to return to their jobs during the shutdown to avoid any impact to the processing of tax returns, according to the release.

As in previous years, the comptrollers office will not immediately process a state tax return if W-2 information is not on file with the agency. Employers are required to report wage information to the comptrollers office on or before Jan. 31.

The filing deadline for 2018 tax returns is April 15.

Taxpayers are encouraged to file their returns electronically for the fastest possible processing and to ensure they receive all possible refunds, according to the release.

A list of approved vendors for use in filing an electronic return is at www.marylandtaxes.gov.

Free state tax assistance is available at all of the agencys 12 taxpayer service offices, Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For more information on any tax-related matter, taxpayers can go to the comptrollers website or call 800-MD-TAXES (800-638-2937) or 410-260-7980 in central Maryland.Bulletin photo by Stephen Dow

Second-grader Emmi Pickett practices her math skills on IXL Math. IXL is a new supplementary computer-based program being used in Meadowlark Elementary and Kaycee School. Students are encouraged to use the program both in school and at home, according to Meadowlark Principal Laurie Graves.It might not have been a coincidence that as the new Congress convened Thursday, Saudi Arabia announced the opening of a trial of 11 people charged in the slaying of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. After all, the U.S. Senate so far has come closest to imposing meaningful consequences on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who the CIA believes oversaw the 15-member hit team that awaited Khashoggi when he entered the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2. In December, the outgoing Senate unanimously approved a resolution holding the crown prince responsible for the killing, in spite of his denials and President Donald Trumps attempts to cover for him. Senators also invoked provisions of a human rights law that will require the administration to issue a finding about Mohammed bin Salmans responsibility in the coming months.

If the Saudi action was meant to head off further congressional action, it was pathetically weak. The government press agency reported that an initial court hearing had been held and that a state prosecutor planned to seek the death penalty for five of those charged. But the court hearing was not public, and none of the suspects was named. By all indications, not just the crown prince but also other senior officials whom Saudi authorities have previously accused of involvement in the killing have not been charged. Instead, a small group of security personnel, who undoubtedly followed orders when they participated in the attack, are being set up as scapegoats. Those to whom the death penalty is applied will be beheaded, in keeping with the kingdoms barbarity.BRISTOL, Tenn.  Bristol Tennessee City Council voted on Tuesday night to add another development project within its border region retail tourism district.

The inclusion means that Bristol Hospitality, developers of the planned Holiday Inn Express along West State Street near Exit 74 of Interstate 81, will get tax incentives to compensate for the costs associated with developing the hotel.

Site plans indicate the hotel will have four floors and 81 rooms and be no less than 40,000 square feet.

The tax incentive will allow the developer to use a large chunk of state sales taxes and usage taxes generated by rental of hotel rooms to pay for applicable costs incurred from development. The city will also get a small portion of the state sales taxes, which will be used to pay for infrastructure improvements associated with the development. The state will pocket the rest.

For example, on a $1,000 retail purchase, state sales tax would come to $70  the state would keep $28.75, the developer would get $37.12, and the city would get $4.13.

The incentives will not take effect until the hotel is up and running. Additionally, if the hotel does not meet the minimum size and room requirements specified by the site plans, the developers would not receive the incentive.ABINGDON, Va.  Washington Countys Board of Supervisors passed a resolution Tuesday in support of three state legislators seeking state funding for a road connecting The Pinnacle, off U.S. Highway 11W in Bristol, Tennessee, to U.S. Highway 58 in Washington County, Virginia.

County Administrator Jason Berry reported that The Pinnacle developer Steve Johnson was ready to develop 350 acres in Washington County and was seeking state support to extend Pinnacle Parkway to reach U.S. 58 (Gate City Highway).

State Sen. Bill Carrico, R-40th, Del. Israel OQuinn, R-Bristol, and Del. Todd Pillion, R-Abingdon, had requested the board pass a resolution before seeking a state budget amendment of $10 million for the road project at this years session of the state Legislature, Berry said.

No money from Washington County is being sought to build the road, Berry added.

Johnson is slated to bring a $250 million investment with an amphitheater, hotel and waterpark resort and other recreational venues to Washington County, the resolution states.Jason Matthew Shortt, 34, was last seen leaving a residence in the Nance White Branch area near Council and Honaker, according to the Buchanan County Sheriffs Office. Since his disappearance, investigators said they have been working with the Russell County Sheriffs Office, the Virginia State Police and U.S. Marshals to find Shortt. Search teams have scoured the region and conducted several interviews.Bulletin courtesy photo by Wyoming Game & Fish

The Upper Powder River mule deer herd was recognized as a herd of interest in the Sheridan Region in 2014. Wyoming Game & Fish Department, along with personnel from the University of Wyoming and the Bureau of Land Management, collared 70 of the adult doe mule deer in the Kaycee area to be studied for the next three years.Support local journalism

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free.

Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

Buffalo, WY (82834)

Today

Sunshine to start, then a few afternoon clouds. Record high temperatures expected. High 103F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph..

Tonight

A clear sky. Low 68F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph.



1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament of the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths.

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments, editorial writing, policymaking positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art."

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press.

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the "big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture--education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI.

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand.

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special-interest groups should rise up and use united force to solve economic, political or social problems.

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government.

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal.

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike.Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email customercare@heraldandnews.com for help creating one.Gardai believe that skeletal remains found in a ditch in Co Wexford belong to a foreign woman, possibly Italian, who was in her 50s when she died.

A post-mortem examination showed no signs of foul play, and at this stage her death is not being treated as suspicious.

The discovery was made in a rural area near the village of Ferns, in the townland of Ballyandrew shortly after 11.30am.

Sources said there was no evidence of any injuries.

Documents found in a bag close to the scene have led gardai to investigate whether the woman was Italian.

However, DNA tests will need to be carried out before this can be confirmed.

A pathologist spent more than an hour yesterday at the scene examining the area where the body was found before it was removed to Waterford Regional Hospital for a post- mortem examination.

The remains were found around 4km from Ferns, and the case is being investig- ated by Enniscorthy gardai, who have appealed for information.

Conceal

Gardai said there appears to have been no attempt to conceal or bury the body, but they were concerned by the discovery, particularly as it was made in a relatively quiet area.

A major garda investigation has been launched and a case conference was held by detectives last night.

It is as yet not known how long the body had been in the location.

Local farmer Harry Murphy said he was shocked when he realised a body had been discovered within a mile of his home.

"I was coming through and I didn't know what was happening when I saw the guards," he said.

"This is a quiet area and I was shocked because nothing ever really happens like this around here.

"I go up and down that road every day."

Residents in the quiet farming community said they were not aware of anyone missing from the area.

Local Fianna Fail councillor Pip Breen said the local community was shocked.A taxi driver who is the prime suspect in the horrific multiple rape of a 22-year-old woman, has claimed that he had consensual sex with his alleged victim in his cab.

The Tallaght-based suspect made the claims while in custody after being arrested at Dublin Airport after flying back in from a European country.

The cabbie left Ireland for a number of weeks after allegedly attacking the young woman who was raped on December 9 after attending a Dublin 4 Christmas party.

Sources believe that he returned to Dublin last week, even though he knew gardai were seeking him, because he has a number of children and other "family ties" here.

Arrest

Officers yesterday announced details of the arrest of the taxi driver who was questioned for a number of hours at Irishtown Garda Station last Thursday before being released without charge the next day.

Expand Close CCTV of the taxi / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp CCTV of the taxi

A file on the case will be now be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions but sources say the man claims that he did not rape the woman but had consensual sex with her.

After he fled Ireland in the aftermath of the rape, gardai raided his Tallaght home and carried out forensic examinations of the property.

It was reported yesterday that the suspect was abroad but it later emerged that gardai had arrested him when he arrived back in the country.

The taxi in which the woman was attacked in the early hours of December 9 has also been located, seized and forensically examined by officers.

The victim suffered most of her ordeal while the taxi she was in was parked at Emmet Street in Dublin's north inner city.

Witnesses came forward after investigating gardai issued an appeal for people who may have seen her in the Mountjoy Square area in the immediate aftermath of her ordeal.

The witnesses told gardai that she was in a very distressed state. A senior source said the woman was raped three times in the vehicle between 12.43am and 2.14am.

The woman had attended a Christmas party in a Ballsbridge hotel the night before.

She told detectives she hailed a taxi from the venue, but got out of the car in the Shelbourne Road area after she became unwell. She believes she got into another taxi in the Dublin 4 area and officers think she was raped in this vehicle and ended up in Mountjoy Square.

Assaults

The woman made a complaint at Mountjoy Garda station on December 9, but because of where the sexual assaults were originally alleged to have taken place, the case is being investigated by officers from Irishtown Garda Station.

The 22-year-old was taken to the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit at the Rotunda Hospital where examinations confirmed that she had been brutally sexually assaulted.

However, the chief suspect in the case has denied he raped the alleged victim.

Gardai say that a "protracted investigation" will now need to take place in light of the suspect's denial.Some 40,000 angry nurses yesterday announced they will begin a series of 24-hour work stoppages, starting on January 30, in pursuit of better pay.

They will follow with further 24-hour strikes on February 5 and 7, 12, 13 and 14.

The strike over pay will involve members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

The strike will see INMO members withdraw their labour for 24 hours, providing only life-saving care and emergency response teams.

Expand Close The INMO union announcing the strikes / Facebook

Twitter

Email

Whatsapp The INMO union announcing the strikes

The union said the dispute centres on safe staffing in the public health service.

It insisted the HSE has not been able to recruit and retain enough nurses and midwives on current wages.

General secretary Phil Ni Sheaghdha said this would be only the second national strike in the INMO's 100-year history.

"Going on strike is the last thing a nurse or midwife wants to do. But the crisis in recruitment and retention has made it impossible for us to do our jobs properly," he said.

"The HSE simply cannot recruit enough nurses and midwives on these wages.

"Until that changes, the health service will continue to go understaffed and patient care will be compromised."

Health Minister Simon Harris said he does not believe that industrial action is warranted and could be avoided.

The HSE is to invite the union to a meeting next week.

Meanwhile, the escalating trolley crisis has forced 20 sick children to wait for a bed so far this week, with some hospitals now suffering crippling levels of overcrowding.

The young patients were forced on to trolleys in emergency departments of the main children's hospitals in Dublin.

Nationally, the shortage of beds for emergency patients got worse for a second day yesterday, leaving 583 patients without a bed across the country - up from 541 on Monday.

Crammed

There were nine children on trolleys in the emergency departments of Our Lady's Hospital Crumlin and Temple Street yesterday and 11 on Monday.

The worst-hit adult hospital yesterday was Cork University Hospital, where 61 patients were stranded without a bed.

Letterkenny University Hospital was crammed with 43 patients on trolleys and the picture was equally bleak in University Hospital Limerick.

Meanwhile, waiting list patients scheduled for surgery again lost out yesterday as operations were cancelled to make room for the influx of emergency cases. A number of children have been struck by swine flu and had to be isolated.

The highest rate of admissions has been among the under-fives.

However, unlike in the UK, the Department of Health has yet to start a scheme offering the flu vaccine to healthy children, which would protect them and also reduce the risk of spread to vulnerable adults.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) is an independent committee which makes recommendations on vaccination policy in Ireland.

"NIAC is currently considering the need to expand current recommendations for influenza vaccine to include all children."

Relatives of patients waiting on trolleys in Cork described claims overcrowding is easing as a "bad joke".

"Nurses and doctors are absolute saints - I just don't know how anyone could cope with it day after day," said Mike O'Sullivan, who was attending with elderly relatives.

"From what I could see, there were a lot of elderly people on trolleys. I was chatting to one nurse and she said that the worst has yet to come from flu cases.

"We were lucky - my cousin had a bed in a couple of hours. There is little difference to last winter."A garda stands at the site near Kerrykeel where officers are searching for the body of doctor Deirdre OFlaherty (inset)

Gardai have started a dig for the remains of a missing doctor after a letter was sent to them claiming to know the exact location of her body.

The excavation, which is expected to last up to five days, is taking place between Rathmullan and Kerrykeel, in Co Donegal.

A number of gardai using a mini-digger moved to the site yesterday.

A letter received from a person some weeks ago claims to know the exact place where 46-year-old Deirdre O'Flaherty is buried.

Remote

The dig is taking place in a remote area of bogland popular with dog walkers.

Dr O'Flaherty, from Strabane, Co Tyrone, was reported missing on January 11, 2009, at Moville.

It is understood that gardai are treating the letter writer's claim as genuine.

Officers had initially considered using geothermal imaging in an attempt to locate any body.

However, because of the rocky nature of the terrain, they have decided to scrape away layers of soil using a smaller digger.

Gardai have cordoned off the area to prevent members of the public from accessing the site while the excavation is being carried out.

Mystery has always surrounded Dr O'Flaherty's sudden disappearance.

Her car was found at Kinnego Beach and she was known to have suffered from depression, leading to suspicions that she had taken her own life on February 11, 2009.

She had been staying at a holiday home with her husband and their children.

In February 2012, the High Court in Belfast ruled that it was satisfied that Dr O'Flaherty had died. The judge used new legislation for the first time in the North to declare that he was satisfied that she drowned after going into the sea off Co Donegal.

The Presumption of Death Act 2009 was introduced to clarify the law and speed up the process by which a missing person may be officially declared dead.

Unused

Before that, the family of a missing person had to wait seven years before obtaining a declaration of death.

Dr O'Flaherty's disappearance featured on RTE's Crimecall but there were no positive sightings of her.

Following her disappearance, her credit cards and bank accounts have remained unused.

A garda family liaison officer has been appointed during the latest search for Dr O'Flaherty.

The search will be carried out by members of the Donegal Divisional Search Team and Garda Technical Bureau, along with private contractors.Ciara Roche was caught while fleeing the scene of the raid

A young mother-of-two caught burgling a car dealer- ship with a hammer was a "follower" rather than a main player in what happened, a court has heard.

Ciara Roche (20) and a co- accused fled the scene after gardai responded when the alarm was raised.

Judge Michael Walsh adjourned the case for a probation report.

Roche, of Culvert Apartments, Pim Street, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court to burglary and possession of a claw hammer for use in the course of a theft.

The court heard the incident happened at Rathborne Motors in Ashtown last April 7.

Gardai received a report that two people were trying to break into cars and Roche and another person were seen exiting the building.

Dropped

They both fled on foot and a hammer was dropped. Nothing was taken.

The court heard Roche was apprehended but the other person escaped. He had since been arrested.

Roche was taken to Finglas Garda Station and was shown the hammer but made no admissions.

Judge Walsh asked if Roche was a "main player in this exercise".

A garda replied that she was not, and was "more a follower".

Roche was a young mother with two children, her solicitor Aoife McNicholl said. She was highly intoxicated on the night.

Roche was homeless at the time, but since then she had taken up stable accommodation with her children.

She had work lined up in sales with a media organisation.

Ordering a probation report, the judge said he was taking into account the fact that Roche was a "follower", was turning her life around and had expressed remorse.Garda alleged that the accused subjected his ex-partner to a prolonged assault lasting several minutes by the Royal Canal. (Stock picture)

A Dublin man subjected his former partner to a serious, protracted assault in an "isol- ated location" by a canal, it has been alleged.

Gardai heard the woman scream and arrived to find her shaking and crying.

The accused led gardai on a lengthy chase, making "every effort to evade capture", Dublin District Court heard.

Judge Bryan Smyth granted the accused bail subject to strict conditions and adjourned the case for the directions of the DPP. The man, in his 20s, is charged with assault, causing harm.

Objecting to bail, Gda Sean Sammon said it was alleged that the accused subjected his ex-partner to a prolonged assault lasting several minutes by the Royal Canal in north Dublin on January 5.

It was alleged that he beat her with his fists, dragged her across the ground and then subjected her to a sexual assault. He was not charged with sexual assault, but the garda said he "strongly anticipated" further charges.

fled

Gda Sammon said two plainclothes gardai heard the alleged victim screaming and went to investigate.

When they arrived, they saw the accused making off. Gda Sammon identified himself but the accused fled, was pursued for a considerable distance and caught at a shopping centre.

The woman was treated in hospital for extensive bruising and a suspected broken rib.

Gda Sammon alleged it was a "serious, protracted and unprovoked" assault.

When he met the alleged victim at the scene, she was "shaking and crying".

He said she had come to court earlier in the day but left as she was "nervous, anxious and in fear".

The accused was presumed innocent, his barrister said. The garda had said he did not witness the alleged assault taking place.

Judge Smyth said it was unfortunate that the alleged victim did not stay in court.

He granted bail subject to a cash lodgement of 500.

Conditions are that the accused has no contact with the alleged victim or any of her family or friends.

He is to live at his home address in south Dublin and "not cross the Liffey into the north side of Dublin save for court appearances".Bristol academics, Dr Alba Lanau and Professor David Gordon met with representatives of the High Commission last month to discuss plans to build evidence-based anti-poverty policies and interventions in Spain.

The fight against child poverty is a high priority in Spain which has the highest child poverty rates in Europe. Indeed, the first public announcement of the Spanish socialist president Pedro Sanchez was to create the High Commission for the Fight against Childhood Poverty. Spain has the fourth highest proportion of children at risk of poverty and social exclusion, about one in three children experience either income poverty, material deprivation or live in a jobless household.

During the visit, Professor Gordon gave a talk at the Third Sector Summit Against Child Poverty on the British experience of reducing child poverty between 2000 and 2010. The summit, which gathered charities, third sector organisations and policy makers, aimed to identify the priorities to build a national strategy to fight against child poverty. There was great interest in the experiences of the End Child Poverty Coalition, which holds the Government, and all main political parties, to account for their commitment to eradicate child poverty by 2020. At the Summit, President Sanchez announced a doubling of child benefit rates and his intention to increase the value again the following year.

Professor Gordon and Dr Lanau also had an opportunity to discuss child poverty measurement with Spanish researchers at the Spanish National Research Council, where Prof Gordon gave a talk on the EU child deprivation measure that he helped develop.

This first visit has set up the foundations for an ongoing collaboration between Bristol University, the High Commission for the Fight against Childhood Poverty and Spanish researchers.A new device developed by Stanford University researchers could make it easier for doctors to monitor the success of blood vessel surgery.

The sensor, detailed in a paper published Jan. 8 in Nature Biomedical Engineering, monitors the flow of blood through an artery. It is battery-free, wireless and biodegradable, so it doesnt need to be removed. It can warn a patients doctor if there is a blockage.

Measurement of blood flow is critical in many medical specialties, so a wireless biodegradable sensor could impact multiple fields, including vascular, transplant, reconstructive and cardiac surgery, said Paige Fox, MD, PhD, assistant professor of surgery and a senior author of the paper. As we attempt to care for patients throughout the Bay Area, Central Valley, California and beyond, this is a technology that will allow us to extend our care without requiring face-to-face visits or tests.

Monitoring the success of surgery on blood vessels is challenging, as the first sign of trouble often comes too late. By that time, the patient often needs additional surgery that carries risks similar to the original procedure. The new sensor could let doctors keep tabs on a healing vessel from afar, creating opportunities for earlier interventions.

Flow or no

The sensor wraps snugly around the healing vessel, where blood pulsing past pushes on the sensors inner surface. As the shape of that surface changes, it alters the sensors capacity to store electric charge, which doctors can detect remotely from a device located near the skin but outside the body. That device solicits a reading by pinging the antenna of the sensor, similar to an ID card scanner. In the future, this device could come in the form of a stick-on patch or be integrated into other technology, like a wearable device or smartphone.January 2019, yes, it is! I want to wish each and every one of you the best of the New Year. By the time you read this, Judy and I will already be in Helena and the 2019 Legislature will already be in session. I am excitedly anticipating session this year. Having already been through one, I am familiar with the processes and procedures. Im looking forward to getting back into the swing of things quickly and to see and talk with other lawmakers in Helena.

My plan is to get a short article in the newspapers most weeks, as I did last session. If there is an issue you would like mentioned or if you would like specific updates, please let me know. As of now, I have met with some county folks, school personnel, hospital employees, friends and neighbors in order to hear your most pressing concerns for our local north-central Montana district. Thank you all for the input and support. While we all may not agree on everything, everyones input is integral for a successful democracy to work. For the next four months, you can check online to get updates on bills, view live committee meetings, find any legislators information, plus just about anything that happens in Helena (leg.mt.gov).

A note that the state has changed servers, therefore my email has changed. It is now Russ.Tempel@legmt.gov. Any emails sent to the old address are being forwarded, but I am not sure for how long. That being said, if you email me, please include the name of the town you are from in the subject line. We do get plenty of junk, scam, and other solicitations, so by having your town up front I can identify and prioritize your email. If you would rather contact me by phone, a message can be left at the Capitol at 406-444-4800 and I will call you back shortly. Thank you in advance. Again, happy New Year!



Sen. Russ Tempel, R-Chester, can be emailed at Russ.Tempel@legmt.gov.Rep. Gianforte reintroducting his bill in the House today

Staff and wire report

Montanas U.S. senators are again starting the process to try to achieve federal recognition for the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Montes U.S. Sens Jon Tester and Steve Daines are re-introducing bipartisan legislation to grant the tribe federal recognition.

The Little Shell Tribe has sought federal recognition for nearly four decades, and has been recognized by the State of Montana since 2000.

The Little Shell deserve to have their sovereignty recognized, Tester said in a press release. Its time for the federal government to do right by the Little Shell. After years of fighting, Im hopeful we can get it done this Congress.

The Little Shell Tribe has waited far too long and jumped through too many bureaucratic hurdles to secure federal recognition. We can no longer keep kicking the can down the road, Daines said in the release. Last month we were close to getting this across the finish line, and I wont give up the fight now. I look forward to working with Senator Tester and my colleagues to get this important bill signed into law so the Little Shell Tribe receives the recognition they greatly deserve.

A bill recognizing the Little Shell was set to pass the Senate in the closing days of the 115th Congress, until Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, blocked the bill from receiving a Senate vote.

A bill sponsored by Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., to recognize the tribe had passed the House, the first time such a bill had passed in that body.

Gianfortes office said this morning that he is reintroducing the bill this afternoon

Native American Tribes must be recognized as sovereign nations by the federal government to exercise full self-governance. Under this nation-to-nation relationship, Tribes can access critical resources for economic development, health care and education resources, and regulate affairs on tribal lands on terms socially and culturally appropriate.

Federal recognition can be granted via Congressional legislation, a U.S. Court decision, or an administrative process through the U.S. Interior Department.

Tester first introduced legislation to federally recognize the Little Shell Tribe in 2007. It was the first bill he introduced as a U.S. senator.

The Little Shell, a tribe with 4,500 or more members concentrated in the Great Falls area but spread throughout central and northern Montana and across the nation, have been formally trying to gain federal recognition since at least the 1930s.

Montanas members of Congress have repeatedly sponsored bills to have Congress recognize the tribe.

The tribe has been without a recognized homeland since the late 1800s, when Chief Little Shell and his followers in North Dakota broke off treaty negotiations with the U.S. government. Tribe members later settled in Montana and southern Canada.

Tribal historians trace the tribes other attempts to gain recognition back to the 1860s, when the Pembina Band of Chippewa signed a treaty with the U.S. government.

In 1978, the Little Shell petitioned the Bureau of Indian Affairs for recognition through the Bureaus Federal Acknowledgement Process. Despite a favorable report by the Department of the Interior in 2000 and recognition of the tribe by the Montana government that same year, the Bureau of Indian Affairs denied the tribe recognition in 2009 and again in 2013.Staff and wire report

Montanas U.S. senators are again starting the process to try to achieve federal recognition for the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Montes U.S. Sens Jon Tester and Steve Daines are re-introducing bipartisan legislation to grant the tribe federal recognition.

The Little Shell Tribe has sought federal recognition for nearly four decades, and has been recognized by the State of Montana since 2000.

The Little Shell deserve to have their sovereignty recognized, Tester said in a press release. Its time for the federal government to do right by the Little Shell. After years of fighting, Im hopeful we can get it done this Congress.

The Little Shell Tribe has waited far too long and jumped through too many bureaucratic hurdles to secure federal recognition. We can no longer keep kicking the can down the road, Daines said in the release. Last month we were close to getting this across the finish line, and I wont give up the fight now. I look forward to working with Senator Tester and my colleagues to get this important bill signed into law so the Little Shell Tribe receives the recognition they greatly deserve.

A bill recognizing the Little Shell was set to pass the Senate in the closing days of the 115th Congress, until Senator Mike Lee, R-Utah, blocked the bill from receiving a Senate vote.

A bill sponsored by Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., to recognize the tribe had passed the House, the first time such a bill had passed in that body.

Native American Tribes must be recognized as sovereign nations by the federal government to exercise full self-governance. Under this nation-to-nation relationship, Tribes can access critical resources for economic development, health care and education resources, and regulate affairs on tribal lands on terms socially and culturally appropriate.

Federal recognition can be granted via Congressional legislation, a U.S. Court decision, or an administrative process through the U.S. Interior Department.

Tester first introduced legislation to federally recognize the Little Shell Tribe in 2007. It was the first bill he introduced as a U.S. senator.

The Little Shell, a tribe with 4,500 or more members concentrated in the Great Falls area but spread throughout central and northern Montana and across the nation, have been formally trying to gain federal recognition since at least the 1930s.

Montanas members of Congress have repeatedly sponsored bills to have Congress recognize the tribe.

The tribe has been without a recognized homeland since the late 1800s, when Chief Little Shell and his followers in North Dakota broke off treaty negotiations with the U.S. government. Tribe members later settled in Montana and southern Canada.

Tribal historians trace the tribes other attempts to gain recognition back to the 1860s, when the Pembina Band of Chippewa signed a treaty with the U.S. government.

In 1978, the Little Shell petitioned the Bureau of Indian Affairs for recognition through the Bureaus Federal Acknowledgement Process. Despite a favorable report by the Department of the Interior in 2000 and recognition of the tribe by the Montana government that same year, the Bureau of Indian Affairs denied the tribe recognition in 2009 and again in 2013.Rocky Boys Indian Reservation has started a new aggressive initiative to combat the drug problem within the reservation.

(The drug problem is) present, Project War Shield Program Coordinator Gary LaMere Jr. said Tuesday. Its significant. Thats why our efforts are aggressive  because the problem calls for that.

He said most of the drugs are coming from Washington state, along U.S. Highway 2. LaMere added that the drugs are originating from Mexico, going into California, then to Oregon and Washington, with U.S. Highway 2 being a main route into the reservation.

LaMere said Project War Shield started as a conversation between the Tribal Business Committee members about two years ago, about how discouraged they were about the growing drug problem within the reservation. To them, it almost seemed like there was not enough going on as far as drug enforcement, he said.

Through these talks, LaMere said, the Business Committee passed a resolution called Project War Shield. He added that this resolution created the program and funding for positions. He said that was when the tribal committee members reached out to him and offered him a job as coordinator.

LaMere, who was raised in Rocky Boy, said he has 21 years in law enforcement, starting out with the Fort Belknap Police Department, where he worked for 17 years as a special agent investigating major crimes that took place on the reservation.

He also worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, was a special agent in Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, the Crow Agency and was a chief of police in New Mexico.

LaMere also was the regional agent in charge of the BIA division for drug enforcement.

He said when the Rocky Boy Business Committee approached him asking him if he would like the job of coordinator for Project War Shield he knew he had to get involved.

I loved it, LaMere said.

I have been all over Indian Country and Ive never seen anything like War Shield, he said. The way it was presented to me, its pretty unique.

He added that he wanted to focus on a specific area, one reservation where he can focus all of his efforts, because the drug problem does not only affect the reservation but the surrounding communities.

LaMere said he brings many different resources and knowledge about drug enforcement, coordinating and facilitating efforts as well as bringing in resources from the federal government.

After he got involved with Project War Shield, he said, he met with the Rocky Boy Police Department. He said he spoke with the department and they agreed to put together a resolution to create the drug enforcement unit. He said this was done so that the unit can investigate and present federal felony drug cases for prosecution directly to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Montana.

It just had to have been done because all the dynamics of whats going on and what wasnt going on, LaMere said. We had to make a drug unit here.

He said they wrote the resolution and the committee passed it.

The official start date of the drug enforcement unit was Dec. 15. Since then, the unit has made several arrests and confiscated a variety of drugs, firearms and money.

Its very impressive, LaMere said. These guys are motivated.

Project War Shield is separate from the Drug Enforcement Unit, he said. His job as the program coordinator, LaMere said, is facilitating all drug enforcement matters with the police and assuring everyone is on the same page, working as a team, in order to get their mission accomplished.

Drugs dont only take from the community, LaMere said. It takes from the tradition and culture, as well.

He added that in the future he hopes to be able to incorporate cultural and traditional pieces into the project to help preserve the culture.

Project War Shield, LaMere said, is taking a three-pronged approach to fighting drugs: enforcement, treatment and prevention.

He said the project has already applied for several federal grants to help with prevention and treatment for drug addicts, adding that Rocky Boy also has a drug treatment center that will be utilized.

On the prevention side, LaMere said, Project War Shield will also be doing presentations at different schools, the college and for the tribal government staff about drug awareness and educating the community and the public of the dangers.

Everybody is motivated and wants to carry and continue the work thats going on, LaMere said.

He added that Project War Shield will be working with the FBI, Tri-Agency Task Force and other federal agencies. LaMere said they need to work with these agencies because many of the drugs dont come from the reservation but are brought in from other places.

Project War Shield is also developing an anonymous mobile phone tip line so anyone can make a text message and provide any information about drug crimes and remain 100 percent anonymous, he said.

LaMere said he wants to follow through with the objectives Project War Shield has for their two-year operations plan. He added that he also wants more community awareness and to be able to treat people who are addicted to drugs. Making it so children are safe and creating a better quality of life for those who live in the Rocky Boy community, he said.

The community members are responding well, he said. People are already coming in giving reports and utilizing Project War Shield.

He added that he is very proud of both Project War Shield and the Drug Enforcement Unit.

Both units started from the ground up, he said, but with everybodys effort and hard work, coming together to carry out a plan and seeing the positive results from it.

Im looking forward to the future of War Shield and the DEU and our other efforts, as well, as far as treatment and prevention, LaMere said.Meeting focuses on livestock trucking

Press release

Montana Pork Producers Council has invited Montana pork producers to attend the annual meeting Thursday, Jan. 17, at the Mansfield Civic Center in Great Falls.

By design, the event coincides with the MAGIE Ag Expo for attendee convenience.

Themed Moving Forward, the educational event this year concentrates on the safe transportation of animals with specific focus on biosecurity and welfare.

Speakers include Dr. Harry Snelson of American Association of Swine Veterinarians, or AASV, who will provide guidance on biosecurity protocols, especially surrounding the aspect of trucking. Snelson serves as the executive director of AASV and is regarded as a national industry expert. National Pork Producers Council Assistant Vice President of Domestic Affairs and Legal Counsel Michael Formica will present an update on electronic logging devices and hours of service rules affecting truckers. National Pork Board Assistant Vice President of Animal Welfare Sara Crawford, Ph.D., will focus on worker safety and animal welfare in the travel from farm to packing plant.

Registration and tradeshow begin at 8:30 a.m. and educational sessions begin at 10 a.m. Other highlights include updates on then checkoff from National Pork Board Director of Producer Services Ernie Barnes; MSU Extensions Thomas Bass on the DEQ permitting process; and a noon luncheon honoring the Symbol of Excellence youth carcass contest winners.

The MPPC membership will elect officers and directors and review industry issues late Thursday afternoon in a general meeting.

A social will follow with an evening meal served featuring Montana products.

Registration for the event can be made by calling the MPPC office at 406-557-2982 or via email at mtpork@midrivers.com by Jan. 14. Cost of attendance is $20 per person, which includes lunch and dinner. Meals may also be purchased separately at $5 and $15, respectively.

Contributors to the Strategic Investment Program in 2018 will receive free admission up to four individuals but registration is still required. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door.The uncompleted section of U.S. 31, south of I-94, is pictured in 2013. The Michigan Department of Transportation was awarded a $20 million grant Thursday to complete the U.S. 31 relocation project from Napier Road to I-94 in Berrien County. - photo by Don CampbellMichigan City, IN (46360)

Today

Mostly sunny. High 72F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

A clear sky. Low near 55F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.



Haiti - News : Zapping...





The trial of Clifford Brandt again suspended

On Tuesday, in the context of the trial of Clifford Brandt, judge Denis Pierre Michel of the Criminal Court of Gonaives, decided to accede to the request of the Public Ministry concerning the hearing of the flrmer police inspector, Edner Come, considered as a key element in the kidnapping of the two Moscosso children. The hearing has been suspended and will resume on January 15, 2019.



2,000 road accidents in 6 months

On Monday, the Haitian organization Technical and Operational Services for Accident (STOP-Accidents) revealed to have registered in partnership with the National Ambulance Center and the Haitian Red Cross, nearly 2,000 road accidents throughout the country for 6 last month of 2018 (June 2018 to January 6, 2019), which resulted in the death of 231 people.



Diaspora : Record of Transfers

The diaspora transfers to Haiti in 2018 reached a record $ 3.2 billion, or 37% of all wealth produced in the country. An amount that is 3 times higher than the country's exports, 10 times more than tourism revenue and double the state revenue.



NOTICE French Guiana : Passports ready

The Consulate of Haiti in French Guiana informs those concerned that the passports requested in October and November 2018 are available at the Consulate. Thank you for returning your receipts and old passports to pick up new ones at office hours: Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 13:00 and Saturday from 9:00 to 12:00.



Diaspora : Requiem Mass

The Consulate of the Republic of Haiti in Orlando invites the Haitian Community of Central Florida to a Requiem Mass in memory of the victims of the earthquake that occurred on January 12, 2010 in Haiti. This Mass will be sung on Saturday, January 12, 2019 at 6:30 pm at St. Andrew's Church located at 801 North Hastings Street, Orlando, FI 32808.



Haiti in the final of the International Youth America Ballet Competition

The Lynn William Rouzier Dance Institute ranked third in the International Youth America Ballet Competition and is qualified for the Grand Final to be held next April.



HL/ HaitiLibre





















Haiti - Venezuela : Government of Nicolas Maduro, Haiti in a delicate position





On Thursday, January 10, 2019, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) will hold a special meeting in Washington DC on the situation in Venezuela and the position to take on the actions of President Nicolas Maduro, who will be sworn in on the same day for a second term.



Regarding this session Bocchit Edmond the Minister of Foreign Affairs said "Haiti will behave in friendship with Venezuela. There may be problems with other countries, but we feel that this is an internal problem in Venezuela in which we decide not to interfere [...] Haiti is not willing to abandon a friend like Venezuela..."



There is no doubt that President Moise's decision is delicate, while Haiti has a debt of almost $2 billion with Venezuela, which is its main creditor.



Several sources suggest that US authorities would put pressure on Haiti to take a stand against the Maduro Government. Chancellor Bocchit Edmond in good diplomacy recognizes exchanges with the United States on the subject, but is careful not to speak of "pressure", not to be against the United States, the main contributor of aid from Haiti...



Moreover, no decision has been communicated so far on the presence of top Haitian leaders at the inauguration of President Maduro. If the Haitian authorities can not go to Venezuela, Haiti will be represented by Lesly David the Ambassador of Haiti to Venezuela.



HL/ HaitiLibre

















A mid-level restaurant, like Chilis, Red Robin or Panera.

Light industry to keep jobs in the area.

More retail so we don't have to go to Tucson.

Better and more mass transit options.

All of the above.

Vote

View Results



Have any questions? Please give us a call at 520-625-5511During its keynote at CES 2019 in Las Vegas, Qualcomm said it's expecting a little over 30 5G-capable devices this year with most of them being smartphones.

The spokesperson then went on to say that Qualcomm has won the majority of contracts with OEMs looking for 5G deployment in 2019. This might be not too far from the truth as even Samsung will be using Qualcomm's modem for its smartphones in the US because the Snapdragon X50 modem is better suited for the 2.5GHz spectrum. Meanwhile, T-Mobile will be relying on Intel's 5G mobile platform in 600 MHz smartphones.

One thing is for sure, though - 2019 will be the year of 5G smartphones although the new tech will only be available from the start in some countries.

ViaThe Nokia 8 Sirocco is finally getting a stable release of the Android 9 Pie update. It brings the new gesture navigation, slices and app actions. Also, it adds Adaptive Battery and adaptive screen brightness level to improve battery life.

All of these are standard features of Pie, of course. They lean on machine learning to predict what you will do next and which apps you will use to speed up operation and improve efficiency. Digital wellbeing features are also included.

The update also bumps up the security patch to December 2018 (Google released the January 2019 patch for Pixel 3 phones only a couple of days ago).



Nokia 8 Sirocco getting the Android 9 Pie update (1.4GB download)

The Pie update for the Sirocco, HMDs de facto flagship, was originally scheduled for November, but got delayed. Beta testing started in December.

SourceThe U.S. military is drafting plans to withdraw a few thousand troops from Afghanistan while continuing all major missions in the longest war in American history, U.S. officials said, three weeks after President Donald Trump sought options for a more drastic pullout.

The planning is underway after Trump ordered the Pentagon to prepare the withdrawal of up to half of the about 14,000 U.S. troops deployed in Afghanistan, six officials said. The officials, who work in several parts of the government, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions.

Trump still wants to remove troops from Afghanistan - and eventually all of them - but the current withdrawal will likely be far fewer than 7,000, two senior White House officials said. Military advisers have convinced him that a smaller, and slower, withdrawal for now is best - though officials cautioned that a final decision had not been reached, and that the president could order a full pullout at any moment.

"Trust me, he's heard every single argument on Afghanistan he could hear," one administration official said, adding that he continues to complain that many of his advisers want him to stay in "all these wars forever."

Several officials who described the plan were hesitant to name a specific number, citing the evolving nature of the discussions. But some said it could be about half of what Trump was initially seeking.

That would mark nearly a full rollback of the 3,900-troop increase Trump authorized in August 2017, after months of internal debate and strong advocacy from former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who resigned last month.

It also would stand as a symbol that Trump is serious about getting out of the war, even if he is convinced for now that it is not possible.

"The president is very frustrated about our progress in Afghanistan," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R.-S.C., a confidant of the president. "But an immediate withdrawal would be an unmitigated disaster because Afghanistan is the center of gravity in the war on terror."

The discussions about Afghanistan come as Trump and his advisers more publicly discuss a military withdrawal in Syria, which was ordered the same week Trump asked for withdrawal plans for Afghanistan. Mattis resigned afterward, citing differences of opinion with the president. Trump initially said he wanted all 2,000 troops out of Syria within 30 days but has since said the exit will be done in an orderly fashion.

But the war in Afghanistan - far costlier, and with more troops involved - has mostly stayed out of the spotlight. In a rare exception, Trump caustically derided it during a Cabinet meeting on Jan. 2, and attempted to tie the military stalemate there to Mattis.

"What's he done for me? How has he done in Afghanistan? Not too good. Not too good," Trump said. "I'm not happy with what he's done in Afghanistan, and I shouldn't be happy."

The Pentagon has been virtually silent about the situation since, as it attempts to walk a fine line between reassuring U.S. allies and Afghan partners and not getting out front of the president.

Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Army Gen. Scott Miller, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said late last month that they have received no new orders for the war, and three U.S. officials said Monday that that remains the case.

Miller, speaking in a meeting last month broadcast by the Afghan television station Tolo, sought to reassure Afghans that even if there is a partial withdrawal coming, U.S. troops will remain alongside their Afghan counterparts.

"If I do get orders, I think it's important for you to know that we are still with the security forces," Miller said. "Even if I have to get a little bit smaller, we'll be OK. We've thought about this before, and we will be able to do the things that you require in terms of support."

Reports last month of Trump's plans for Afghanistan, and his subsequent harsh comments about the direction of the war, triggered alarms in Kabul and among current and former U.S. officials. American diplomats, led by envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, have sought to negotiate a peace settlement with the Taliban, and their position in part relies on the idea that the U.S. military is not leaving until the conditions on the ground are right.

A Pentagon spokesman, Army Col. Rob Manning, offered a one-sentence response to questions about where the military stands on an Afghanistan drawdown plan right now.

"The Department of Defense remains in support of Ambassador Khalilzad's reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan," he said.

Christopher Kolenda, a retired Army colonel involved in previous rounds of peace talks with the Taliban, said U.S. officials are now likely trying to put reports of a steep Afghan withdrawal "back in the box," considering the harm they could cause negotiations. The withdrawal of troops, he said, should occur only after the Taliban makes promises in negotiations and follows through on some of them.

"Unilateral troop withdrawals simply eviscerate the leverage of our negotiator," said Kolenda, who now leads the Strategic Leaders Academy, a leadership development firm. "When you're in negotiations, forfeiting more of your leverage voluntarily is strategic malpractice."

Erik Goepner, a retired Air Force colonel who is now a scholar with the libertarian Cato Institute, said that he remains in favor of withdrawal from Afghanistan, but that Trump's behavior suggests a problematic lack of concern for details.

"In a combat environment, when you're not concerned with details, it can lead to loss of life," said Goepner, who commanded a unit in Afghanistan in 2010. "Any time you're moving to an end state - and this case, the end state is let's reduce our forces - and you are not coherent in how you do that, you introduce an incredible amount of risk, and that goes to the lives of Americans and some Afghans that we fought alongside."

On Monday night, the president took aim at enduring U.S. conflicts abroad in another tweet.

"Endless Wars, especially those which are fought out of judgement mistakes that were made many years ago, & those where we are getting little financial or military help from the rich countries that so greatly benefit from what we are doing, will eventually come to a glorious end!" he wrote.

- - -

The Washington Post's Anne Gearan and Missy Ryan contributed to this report.New Years Eve found me collapsed on a couch at a friends house, barely able to move. Across from me, two fathers sat in an exhausted state of shock.

Do you realize its only 8:30? one father asked as a feral pack of 7-year-old boys ran through the living room. For some reason, they had decided to take off their shirts, reinforcing the primal nature of their stampedes through the house.

We were at a New Years Eve party, and with hours to go we had already mediated a bed-jumping altercation (involving a 6-year-old who was inadvertently kicked in the mouth) as well as a door-slamming incident that nearly amputated an 8-year-olds finger.

So . any New Years Eve resolutions, Claire? one of the fathers asked.

The question just dangled there in the living room, like a single sock with no hope of ever becoming a pair.

Aghhh, I sighed. What IS IT about New Years Eve?

There was a long pause.

Older, wiser  whats the other one? Its SUCH a crock! Getting old sucks  things get worse and worse, lets face it! one Dad said, gaining momentum  and suddenly he was hollering I hate this night! Its like the worst night of the year! Talk about a set-up!

And just like that, we had lost him. Another one down; mid-life crisis had struck again.

But New Years Eve always kind of sucked, to be fair. When I was single and party-hopping in New York City, there was always this hellish pressure to get somewhere by midnight, which often ended in being stuck in a cab somewhere in the East Village. What party to go to, what resolutions to make and worst of all the panic of not finding someone to kiss at the stroke of midnight.

When babies came into the picture, we finally had an excuse. On New Years Eve we could get into bed by 9 p.m., maybe face a midnight feeding but no horn blowing or confetti in sight. Instead there was a sound machine set on some form of whale call at top volume. The New Year brought one hope and one hope only: a baby who could sleep through the night. Forget the kiss, look at where that got us 

When our children were 4, 3 and 1 years old we figured it was time to venture out and actually do something on New Years Eve together. After some research on toddler-friendly New Years Eve events, I signed us up for the Family Jumpin Noon Ball Drop at Pump It Up in Norwalk. Pump It Up (or the Inflatable Party Zone) was a place we had just discovered. It was a giant warehouse filled with inflatable slides, bouncy houses and obstacle courses that did one thing very well: exhaust our children.

Moving from New York City party-hopping to an early bedtime on New Years Eve was adjustment enough. But if you want to plummet to an even lower rung on the ladder, I highly suggest the Pump It Up New Years Eve Family Jumpin Ball Drop.

Imagine a room full of drooling children and toddlers, all with varying degrees of mid-winter illnesses, screaming and jumping. At some stage, a clearly traumatized Pump It Up staff member announced it was time to count down to 12  noon  and then the inflatable party zone ball would drop. Herds of children charged for the ball drop zone, as we watched our one-year-old lick an enormous inflatable slide. You could practically see the Nora or Coxsackie virus teaming on every surface. I might know who to kiss at the stroke of 12  noon  but I wasnt risking it.

But then your kids get older, and somewhere along the line word gets out on the playground that New Years Eve means no bedtime. And here you are into the wee hours of the morning with all your children wondering if you will still be left standing, not to mention find someone to kiss at midnight.

The ball has to drop! The ball is gonna drop! several kids hollered, as the stampede made another loop around the living room.

If you want to see balls drop you should just come to our house! We drop balls ALL DAY LONG, a father hollered enthusiastically into the crowd.

But then something started to happen. The two exhausted Dads and I started to laugh, and after a few minutes we found ourselves unable to stop; we had reached some kind of tipping point.

Someone put DJ Dimitri from Paris Love Love Mode on full volume and suddenly we were on our feet dancing to happy Euro House music, as the stampede of children weaved its way through our legs.

I feel like I am in a dance club in Oslo! I hollered in wild abandon.

But youve never been to Oslo, my husband responded.

I could tell he was getting nervous. He was using the same tone of voice that he used at my friends fortieth, when he had to pull me away from the Karaoke machine because other people want a turn, too, Claire.

But not even Killjoy could stop me now.

Everyone lets pretend were in Oslo, where there is free childcare, endless maternity leave and the federal government never shuts down!

We danced and even the kids started to join in. Juice boxes and champagne flew around the room, and two mothers decided to scream 2018 out of the door, the way Trump hollers at Mexico, China and really everything.

Good riddance, 2018! they yelled into the rainy night.

And suddenly the entire pack of us gathered around the living room, as the Times Square ball drop count-down commenced on the TV. Kids and parents alike held their breath and suddenly horns, streamers and fruit roll-ups sailed through the room.

And just like that it was 2019. My family of five jumped amid friends in the wild abandon that only New Years Eve can bring.

From across the room my husband winked at me with a wary smile, as if to say, Here we go again; another year.

And suddenly I knew exactly who to kiss.

Claire Tisne Haft is a former publishing and film executive, raising her family in Greenwich while working on a freelance basis on books and films.GREENWICH  After dropping the International Baccalaureate program at Western Middle School last fall, district officials are proposing a new schoolwide magnet theme.

A new proposal calls for using the AVID program, which targets students performing in the middle academically and prepares them for college. The goal is to attract more students to enroll at Western.

Administrators expect the school board to approve a new theme this March, to give teachers time to train and prepare for the new school year. The proposal, which is slated to go before the Board of Education on Thursday, puts the yearly cost at $50,000.

School officials last discussed dropping the IB theme in October, when Board of Education members discovered explanations in a proposed budget transfer that referenced a discussion last February among administrators and board members.

At the time, board members asked Deputy Superintendent Ann Carabillo to develop a project plan that included research, a timeline for implementation, projected costs for materials and personnel, and goals for measuring the success of a new program.

Thursdays proposal, written by Western Principal Gordon Beinstein, seventh grade guidance counselor Erin Montague and science teacher Kimberly Matarese, has a timeline through 2025, a list of projected annual costs as well as input from teachers and parents.

The magnet theme change marks another effort by administrators to attract students from Eastern or Central to balance Westerns racial makeup, of which 56 percent are students of color, according to district enrollment data from October. That is 17 percent higher than the district average, and nears the state definition of racial imbalance.

For many years, Greenwich Public Schools have been cited for buildings that are much more or much less diverse than the district average. In response, the district drafted a Racial Balance Plan, approved by the state, which relies on magnet schools to even out racial disparities.

Western became an International Baccalaureate school in 2013 in an effort to attract incoming sixth-graders from International School at Dundee, an elementary IB school, but the magnet failed to attract ISD students.

In fact, more students applied to be magnet students at Western without a specified theme this past year than during its last four years combined as an IB school, according to Beinstein, Montague and Matarese.

Students in Greenwich schools with AVID classes apply and commit to the program until they graduate high school. During class, students learn how to organize, solve problems and ask for help, and teachers encourage them to take harder courses, school officials said.

The program is aimed at students who come from a lower socioeconomic status; are an underrepresented ethnicity on college campuses; are first-generation college students; perform in the academic middle; and are determined to succeed on their own, school officials said.

AVID was first introduced as an elective at the high school, and later expanded to Central and Western. The program was in high demand its first year, with 32 applicants for 17 spots, and four years later, 50 students are enrolled.

Much of the staff has received training in AVID strategies. Currently, 28 of 66 certified staff have received formal AVID training, and all teachers will have some exposure by the end of the year, the principal, guidance counselor and science teacher said.

Switching to AVID has wider parent support than an Innovation Lab theme (the interdisciplinary, four-year program at Greenwich High) or a science, technology, engineering and mathematics theme. About 57 percent parents said they would like to see an AVID theme, compared to the 24 percent who supported Innovation Lab, and the 18 percent who wanted STEM.

Learning how to learn benefits everyone, one parent said in a survey of Western parents on the proposed change. Some parents will write this off as common sense, but I wholly disagree. Few people have these skills naturally and not everyone can learn them at home. STEM is trendy, but not everyone is interested in math and science above all else.

jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.comGREENWICH  Greenwich Academys plan to move its day-care and preschool operations to an off-campus house is facing fierce opposition from neighbors and skepticism from the towns Planning and Zoning Commission.

The all-girls private school presented its plan to the commission Tuesday night. Under the proposal, the program now operated on campus at the Cowan Center would be moved to nearby 96 and 100 Maple Ave., where a historic home now stands. The two parcels would be combined, and the home would be converted from a multifamily residence into a mixed-use building.

In addition to the preschool and day care center, the building would also include three residential units for academy staff.

The current Cowan Center is outdated, Greenwich Academys Head of School Molly King said. Its not an ideal space for this program.

The Cowan Center serves 60 youngsters, mostly the children of Greenwich Academy and Brunswick teachers and parents, which would not change under the proposal.

But whether the proposal is legal under current town zoning codes was a point of debate. Greenwich Academys attorney Bruce Cohen said it would be allowed because the property is covered by a historic overlay, but commission members were not so sure.

Margarita Alban, the commissions acting chair, said she was struggling with her view that the proposal is at odds with the original historic overlay for the property that allowed for residential use  not professional or institutional.

You are proposing to change the character of the historic overlay that was approved 40 years ago and the intent, Alban said. It would be so simple if the school were to keep the property as residential and instead make it into four units for faculty residences, she said.

Cohen, who went back and forth with Alban on the issue, said the use was proper under zoning codes that allow nonprofit educational uses in a residential zone. But Alban said schools must integrate well with residential neighborhoods.

Dozens of community members attended the meeting. Several spoke out against the proposal, citing concerns about increased traffic congestion, parking headaches and other disruptions.

This application must be denied as a matter of law because the applicant seeks to do something that the regulations do not allow it to do, said James Fallon, an attorney representing the newly formed Maple Avenue LLC, made up of neighbors opposed to the project. The regulations do not allow changes to a nonresidential use.

Ellen Brennan-Galvin said the plan is unfair to neighborhood homeowners, who are at a disadvantage in fighting the plan due to Greenwich Academys deep coffers.

Long-term residents and newer residents who have bought or rebuilt expensive houses should not be forced to hire costly lawyers to preserve their quality of life, Brennan-Galvin said. This is truly a case of David versus Goliath. Greenwich Academy has net assets of somewhere in the vicinity of $200 million and is currently in the process of conducting a $75 million capital campaign. It is time to draw a red line and stop the encroachment of an extremely wealthy private school.

But moving the day-care operations and preschool is a necessary part of the master plan for the campus, King said. It would free up space and allow the school to focus more on first through 12th grades, she said.

Relocating the Cowan Center provides an opportunity to both better address the learning needs for early childhood development and it allows us to leverage current (floor area ratio) on our main campus, King said.

The program helps to attract and retain teachers with young families, she said. Maureen Corbo, a sixth grade English teacher at Greenwich Academy, stressed that point as she talked about enrolling her two children, including a 2-month-old, at the center.

It means just about everything to me, Corbo said. Twelve years ago when I started at GA, I quickly realized the Cowan Center was something extraordinary. I love to see the red buggy strollers around campus and would stop to say hello to friends smiling babies. GA faculty would talk about Cowan with awestruck voices. It is the stuff of legends.

Now that she has two children there, Corbo said she more deeply appreciates the schools commitment to providing quality child care and preschool education for its faculty.

But after Corbo spoke, two project opponents mockingly clapped for her and one said the remarks brought a tear to my eye.

The campus needs to be modernized, King said, noting that the lower school is an aging building built in the 1970s.

Teaching and learning have evolved significantly since that time and is focused on more open, flexible spaces that support collaborative and small group learning options, she said. This has been reinforced in our studies of other schools, both public and private.

Greenwich Academys application with the towns Planning and Zoning Commission remains open. Cohen is expected to submit documents, including a legal brief on his position, for the commissions review. Additionally, changes could be made to the plan to move the preschool and day care to the house.

Greenwich Academy planned to present its master plan to modernize its campus to the towns Historic District Commission on Wednesday night. The zoning commission will examine those plans at a later date.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.comGREENWICH  Making Greenwich an age-friendly community would benefit residents of all ages, not just members of the growing population of seniors, according to two experts from the town.

A livable community is one that is safe and secure and has affordable and appropriate housing, transportation options and offers supportive community features and services, said Lori Contadino, director of the towns Commission on Aging. Isnt that the kind of community that we want to not only grow up in, but grow old in.

You can see the features that make a community age-friendly is not just elder friendly advocacy, but something wed want anyone who lives in our community to experience, she said in a presentation Wednesday morning to the Retired Mens Association of Greenwich.

Steven Katz, the commissions vice chair, joined Cotadino in discussing their work to have Greenwich officially declared as an Age Friendly Community, which is an AARP and World Health Organization designation, as well as a Dementia Friendly Community.

That age-friendly initiative, which was approved by the towns Board of Selectmen, has been in motion since 2016. It comes as the number of older adults is increasing  locally, nationally and internationally.

On Jan. 1, 2011, the oldest of the Baby Boomers turned 65. Every day for the past eight years and every day for the next 11 years, 10,000 individuals will have turned 65 and will continue to turn 65 each and every day, Contadino said. That will continue until the year 2030, when the last of the Baby Boomers turns 65. That will result in approximately 18 percent of our nations population being 65 or older.

By 2050, one in five Americans will be 65 or older, Contadino said. On a local level, she cited a 2016 Greenwich United Way study that found 17.5 percent of the towns population was 65 or older. That number was projected to increase to 19.5 percent by 2020, according to the study.

People are living longer due to healthier, more active lifestyles as well as breakthroughs in modern medicine. This has an impact on everything from retirement and leisure to transportation, housing, and health care as well as aging in place in your own home, Contadino said.

We know these elements will have a profound effect on our community, she said. The time is now. Actually, the time was 10 years ago, but here we are now planning for the age boom.

When the Board of Selectmen made the commitment to be an Age Friendly Community, it agreed to follow the AARPs process in which the town is examined and assessed, and then an action plan is put in place to enhance the towns livability and age-friendly nature. As part of the AARP effort, Greenwich is joining a network of other towns and cities around the country in developing a sustainability plan.

Contadino and Katz presented results from a study done last spring with a work group from Columbia Universitys Mailman School of Public Health Administration. The survey boasted more than 1,800 responses.

It shows what a core issue this is, Katz said.

The survey was followed up by several listening sessions, in which residents who are aging in Greenwich listed their needs. Their wish list for the town included traffic safety, ease of parking and well-maintained public restrooms as well as transportation and housing.

What was really striking ... is 91 percent of the people who live in the town of Greenwich actually really want to stay in the town of Greenwich, Katz said. People seem to like living in Greenwich. ... However, when we asked them how likely it was they were going to have to go to a different place instead of staying in Greenwich, it gets problematic because people dont think they can stay in the town.

They dont think the town is a place they can age and retire in, he said.

Katz said focusing on that perception is at the top of our agenda. The commission is looking at the survey results to find gaps in services, determine priorities and set up an action plan by June to cover the next five years.

We will be looking for the low-hanging fruit and seeing what we can do kind of right away, Katz said.

The dementia-friendly initiative looks at some of the same issues, Contadino said. The issue is important as the prevalence of dementia shows signs of increasing in the aging population.

We want to be that community that is more understanding of and more supportive of individuals in our community or in our lives that have memory impairment, she said.

kborsuk@greenwichtime.comGREENWICH  Two students representing Greenwich schools have been named scholars in a prestigious science and math competition, and each received an award of $2,000.

Bennett Hawley, of Greenwich High School, was honored for his research into landfill pollution, and Anisha Laumas, of Greenwich Academy, received recognition for her research into leukemia. They were among the 300 high school seniors selected from nearly 2,000 students to become scholars in the Regeneron Science Talent Search. The announcement was made Wednesday.

Environmental science has always been Hawleys passion, said GHS science teacher Andy Bramante. Regeneron has picked between one and seven of Bramantes students annually since he started teaching more than a decade ago.

For his experiment, Hawley demonstrated how a gut bacteria in the common wax worm eats polystyrene and aluminum, and in large quantities, could reduce the amount of these long-lasting pollutants in landfills.

Before this project, he devised a buoy that generates energy from waves and demonstrated that trash dumped into sewage systems in Greenwich pollutes the Long Island Sound.

To me, this is an awesome culmination of everything he has been doing, Bramante said.

No other scientist has done a direct and sophisticated analysis of this topic, he said.

Hawley was also able to use an electron microscope that Tachi donated to Bramante in November. With the scope, he could even see chew marks.

Next, 40 of the 300 scholars will travel to Washington, D.C. in March, where they will interact with leading scientists, display their research and meet with members of Congress as they compete for $1.8 million in prizes. Winners will be announced on the last day of the trip.

These students are the future leaders of tomorrow and are using innovative thinking to improve our world, said Hala Mirza, senior vice president of corporate communications and citizenship at Regeneron in a statement.

Science Talent Search alumni have gone on to have world-changing careers in science and earn more than 100 of the most esteemed science and math honors, including 13 Nobel Prizes, 42 National Academy of Sciences members, 19 MacArthur Foundation fellows, 13 National Medals of Science and five Breakthrough Prize winners.

These amazing young people have demonstrated an exceptional degree of hard work and passion for discovery, said Maya Ajmera, president and CEO of Society for Science & the Public and publisher of Science News in a statement. We are inspired by their brilliant thinking, and look forward to continue supporting them in their scientific endeavors.

This years scholars represent 184 American and international high schools in 38 states, the District of Columbia and two countries. Each of the 300 scholars and their schools will be awarded $2,000.

For the complete list of scholars, visit the website for the Society for Science.

jo.kroeker@hearstmediact.comREIDSVILLE  Newly elected 65th District Representative Jerry Carter has taken his oath of office.

Carter was sworn in, with his immediate family by his side, by Supreme Court Justice Paul Newby at Reidsville Baptist Church on Jan. 3.

Following the swearing-in process, an emotional Carter spoke to the more than 130 people in attendance.

He thanked Rep. Bert Jones for his mentorship, and said he didnt have the words to express his gratitude for his family who stuck with him after he made the decision to run and his wife Brenda, who he said worked just as hard for the position as he did.

Carter recognized several attendees and family members, including his 87-year-old mother. He held back tears as he shared that he wished his father was alive to witness the moment.

But, I thank you for being here and I do need your prayers. I really do, Carter said. I want to serve this county, this is my county. This is my state. I will represent you well, I give you my word of honor on that.

Carter replaces former Rep. Bert Jones, who announced at the end of 2017 that he would not seek re-election.The figure showing why this can happen is based on the November 2017 recent report of Lazards Levelized Cost of Energy Analysis  Version 11.0, which is used by most utilities to plan their future electricity supply. We have added to it the implementation of our new nuclear technology called Proton*Power with 0 percent CO2 emissions now being readied for possible deployment at closed coal sites such as Glen Lyn, Virginia and Glasgow, West Virginia near Charleston. At the bottom photovoltaic (solar) is shown at a cost of about $47 per megawatt hour (MWH) for new thin film utility-scale with 0 percent CO2. (Roof-top solar costs more.) Wind is shown above it at about the same cost. The asterisks over to the right on the same lines show the cost if solar and wind unreliability could be overcome by storage, escalating them from among the lowest cost to among the highest. But ADNA Corporations new Proton*Power on a new site with 0 percent CO2 emissions costs half as much as new coal or todays present nuclear. Placing new Proton*Power on an existing coal fired plant site and producing steam from both coal and Proton*Power reduces the wholesale cost of electricity further to $28 per megawatt hour compared to new natural gas at $60 per megawatt hour.It may not make a big, visible difference in your paycheck, but youre making a little more money this year because North Carolina is taking less.

On Jan. 1, the states personal income tax rate dropped from 5.499 percent to 5.25 percent. And the standard deduction  the amount you can earn before the state starts taxing your income  is rising from $17,500 to $20,000 for a married couple and from $8,750 to $10,000 for individuals.

For corporations, the news is even better. The corporate tax rate is dropping from 3 percent to 2.5 percent. It already was the lowest in the country among the states that impose a state income tax and now theres no one even close to us.

If thats enough to lure new businesses to North Carolina, or to encourage existing businesses to expand, well be happy to lead a chorus of cheers.

But well do it with a nagging concern in the back of our minds: As we keep cutting taxes here, and even imposing constitutional limits on tax rates, what are we going to do in the next steep and deep economic downturn? Where will we find the money to fund our schools, public safety and other essential parts of government?While I applaud efforts to secure our borders and enforce laws to restrict citizenship to legally eligible migrants, I have not appreciated the extreme measures adopted by the Trump administration.

In this context, I was heartened to read about the recent ruling by Judge John Tigar of the U.S. District Court in San Francisco that blocked the Trump proclamation allowing only those migrants for asylum who arrived in America legally or applied at a port of entry.

What stunned many observers was the 5-4 Supreme Court decision to turn down the Trump administrations request for a stay of Tigars ruling. Chief Justice John Roberts, in a relatively unpredictable move, decided to side with the four liberals on the court. I believe this bodes well for all of us.

Another capricious move whose outcome is certain to impact our national security is the decision by President Trump to pull all U.S. troops from Syria and a significant number from Afghanistan.

It is mind-boggling that Trump made this decision without consulting Secretary of Defense Mattis, Secretary of State Pompeo, military leaders serving here and abroad, or any allies whose troops are also involved in combating terrorism around the world.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the president has "chosen fear" in making the case to the American people for the border wall and Democrats "want to start with the facts."

Pelosi said Tuesday night in a rebuttal to President Donald Trump's Oval Office address that "we all agree that we need to secure our borders."

She noted that the House passed legislation to reopen government on the first day of the new Congress. But Trump rejects that legislation because it doesn't have funding for his border wall.

She says: "The fact is: President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis, and must reopen the government."GREENSBORO  Since 2005, eight Southern colleges have appealed the loss of their accreditation. Just one has succeeded.

Could Bennett College be the second to win? That depends on how much money the college can raise in the next three weeks  but its not clear exactly how much the private school must collect.

The issue is finances, Belle Wheelan, the president of the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the accreditation body, said in an interview Monday. Youve got to show that you have enough money to keep the institution open for a while.

Bennett had been on probation for the past two years because of financial issues resulting largely from enrollment losses. Layoffs and program cuts werent able to prevent annual budget deficits.

The commission announced Dec. 11 that it would take away Bennetts accreditation. The college immediately appealed and will keep its accreditation until a hearing next month.

Its a crucial battle for Bennett. Colleges and universities that arent accredited cant take federal funds  Pell Grants, federal student loans and other federal monies  as payment for tuition or other school expenses. Nearly all of Bennetts students get financial aid.It simply isnt feasible economically for many small and rural communities to change over to a career format for their fire departments, Kimberly Quiros, the chief of communications for the National Volunteer Fire Council said. These communities have always had these volunteer systems, and just dont have the tax base to do otherwise.

Nationally, the number of volunteer firefighters was slightly higher in 2016 (the latest year for which the National Volunteer Fire Council has figures) than it was 30 years before  about 815,000 compared to 808,000 in 1986. But the amount of calls those firefighters deal with has nearly tripled over those 30 years.

The Guil-Rand Fire Department, which serves about 90 square miles, has about 60 personnel, roughly half of whom are volunteer.

The number of paid personnel in the department has gone up as the number of volunteers has fallen. And the number of calls is continuing to increase.

Our volunteer resources are aging out, Causey said. And you can get people to come in, but the hard part is retaining those folks. Everybody sees a need, and goes, Oh yeah, I want to help out. But then when they come and realize the dedication that it takes, the training that it takes, we lose them.But the council did not say what might happen next.

It has been an eventful week in the case.

In a Dec. 28 letter to Scott released Friday by the city, former District Attorney Doug Henderson, who retired as district attorney on Wednesday that week, said after reviewing evidence that included an investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation, that the four officers primarily involved in what happened that day showed patience and intended to help Smith before they restrained him with the Ripp Hobble device that medical examiners said contributed to his death.

Henderson said he considered the case closed.

The police department released multiple videos from body-worn cameras of officers who responded Sept. 8 to the 100 block of North Church Street downtown where, according to video footage, they found a disoriented and agitated Smith running and walking back and forth on Church Street near its intersection with East Market Street.

Smith often asks for help and says at least once, Im gonna kill myself, and also suggests he is in danger. Police stand back and ask him to stop so they can help him. Eventually they put him in the back of a police car without restraints.In 1861, Mississippi became the second state to secede from the Union, the same day the Star of the West, a merchant vessel bringing reinforcements and supplies to Federal troops at Fort Sumter, S.C., retreated because of artillery fire.

In 1908, French philosopher and feminist Simone de Beauvoir was born in Paris.

In 1914, the County of Los Angeles opened the countrys first public defenders office.

In 1931, Bobbi Trout and Edna May Cooper broke an endurance record for female aviators as they returned to Mines Field in Los Angeles after flying a Curtiss Robin monoplane continuously for 122 hours and 50 minutes.

In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, in his State of the Union address to Congress, warned of the threat of Communist imperialism.

In 1987, the White House released a January 1986 memorandum prepared for President Ronald Reagan by Lt. Col. Oliver L. North showing a link between U.S. arms sales to Iran and the release of American hostages in Lebanon.

In 2009, a Saudi supertanker, the Sirius Star, and its crew of 25 were released at the end of a two-month standoff in the Gulf of Aden after pirates were reportedly paid $3 million in ransom. (Five pirates were said to have drowned with their share of the money when their boat overturned.)

For other highlights from this date, see On This Day in the gallery area of greensboro.com. You can search the News & Record Historical Archive at greensboro.com/archive.Egyptian restaurant Koshary has closed.

Samah and Sam Helmi opened the downtown restaurant at 200 S. Elm St. in 2014.

They have also operated Oakcrest Family Restaurant at 2435 Battleground Ave. for 18 years.

Koshary offered Egyptian and Middle Eastern food such as shawarma, kabobs, fattoush, falafel, zaatar dip and hummus

Sam Helmi said operating both Koshary and Oakcrest became too much for his wife and him.

Sitting and waiting for customers to come in everyday is very hard, Helmi said.

He said he will focus on Oakcrest but will continue to cater the Koshary menu, including the restaurants namesake koshary, a dish of rice, lentils and pasta in a tomato sauce.

Weve done a lot of banquets and weddings and events, Helmi said.

For catering information, visit http://mykoshary.com.

Mexican breakfastHolleman said the utility already has an existing landfill nearby that could be used for the now-submerged ash. He said that either using the current facility or building another landfill would give residents greater protection from the ash that contains trace levels of various chemical pollutants that can be harmful to human health.

Holleman noted that Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam recently endorsed a proposed law in that state requiring coal ash either be recycled or buried in lined landfills. He said that in South Carolina, Duke Energy and other utilities serving that state are using the landfill approach to phase out that states coal ash ponds.

The Belews Creek situation offers Gov. Coopers DEQ the chance to make a similar statement in North Carolina that shows state officials value effective stewardship of the environment and healthy communities more than the unrealistic demands of a major corporation, Holleman said.

Hollemans organization is pressing an ongoing federal lawsuit against Duke Energy on behalf of plaintiffs that include the North Carolina NAACP and its Stokes County chapter, seeking an order in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina forcing Duke Energys hand at Belews Creek.First: North Carolinas most selective schools have capacity. Duke and Wake Forest are relatively large private schools that draw the vast majority of their students from out of state. And UNC-CH is big enough that even with out-of-state freshman enrollment capped at 18 percent annually, it still brings in somewhere around 600 or so U.S. students from outside North Carolina.

Second: North Carolina has a well-regarded (and relatively cheap) public university system and a bunch of private colleges that give N.C. residents lots of options. Why go anywhere else, right?

Third: I suspect theres not as much wealth in North Carolina as there is in, say, New York or New Jersey or California. Even if theres a will to attend the University of Virginia or the University of Chicago or George Washington University, there might not be an affordable way.

But Ruiz does lay out clearly why he thinks this is an issue that state leaders, not just college presidents, have to pay close attention to:(CNN)  U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton made "a serious mistake" telling reporters that the United States would only pull out of Syria if Turkey pledged not to attack its Kurdish allies there, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday.

"Bolton's remarks in Israel are not acceptable. It is not possible for me to swallow this," Erdogan said during a speech in parliament. "Bolton made a serious mistake. If he thinks that way, he is in a big mistake. We will not compromise."

The extraordinary public rebuke comes as the U.S. has been sending starkly divergent messages on Syria and signals further tension in the U.S.-Turkey relationship. U.S. President Donald Trump announced late last month that the U.S. had defeated ISIS in Syria and was pulling its 2,000 troops out of the country "now."

But Bolton -- who is currently on a four-day trip to Israel and Turkey -- appeared to add several conditions to Trump's announcement, saying over the weekend that the withdrawal was contingent upon preventing ISIS from reviving itself and on obtaining security guarantees from the Turks for U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria.

Those conditions, along with the physical requirements of a withdrawal, mean the U.S. presence could be indefinitely extended, effectively reversing the agreement that Trump made with Erdogan about a withdrawal.

"We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States at a minimum so they don't endanger our troops -- but also so that they meet the President's requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered," Bolton told reporters in Jerusalem on Sunday, Reuters reported.

Turkey considers several Kurdish groups -- including the People's Protection Units, also known as the YPG -- to be terrorist organizations. The YPG is the backbone of the Syrian Democratic Forces, which is the main U.S. partner on the ground in the battle against ISIS and has controlled a large swathe of northern Syria for the past several years.

Trump's initial withdrawal announcement blindsided U.S. allies -- not least the Kurds -- but was praised by Erdogan, who launched an operation in northwest Syria last January to clear the border area of Kurdish fighters.

In late December, the YPG announced it was withdrawing from the flashpoint town of Manbij, and called on the Syrian government forces to protect the area from an incoming Turkish attack.

"We completed our military preparations. We are determined to take steps on YPG. We will soon move to eliminate terror groups in Syria," Erdogan said Tuesday.

U.S. National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis did not respond directly to questions about whether Erdogan had cancelled an appointment to see Bolton while the national security adviser was in Turkey. In a statement, Marquis said that Bolton had a "productive discussion" with Erdogan's senior adviser Ibrahim Kalin on Tuesday.

"They had a productive discussion of the President's decision to withdraw at a proper pace from northeast Syria, identified further issues for dialogue, and emphasized the strong bilateral relationship between the U.S. and Turkey," said Marquis.

"The U.S. looks forward to the ongoing military-to-military consultations today on our cooperation in Syria," Marquis said.

The Syria announcement handed victories to Russia and Iran, betrayed Kurdish allies on the ground, undermined Israel, appalled lawmakers and triggered resignations from Defense Secretary James Mattis and the senior State Department official in charge of the anti-ISIS campaign.

Trump's agreement with Erdogan also undercut a central administration goal of containing and beating back Iran -- a primary focus for both Bolton and Pompeo.

Pompeo, on his own trip through the region, insisted during a press conference in Jordan that the planned U.S. withdrawal from Syria does not affect the anti-ISIS coalition's ability to pursue the terror group or push back on Iran. He did not answer a question about the Turkey's role given Erdogan's rebuke of the Trump administration.

'Just as effective'

The coalition is "just as effective today as it was yesterday," Pompeo said, adding that he is hopeful it will become increasingly effective in the future.

"This is not just about a particular tactic that we take amongst the coalition. This is about a combined understanding that the most significant threat to the region is Daesh and the Islamist Revolution and their revolutionary efforts in the region," Pompeo said.

"There is enormous agreement of the risk that poses to Jordan and to other countries in the neighborhood, and that'll continue," the top U.S. diplomat said. "So our President's decision to withdraw our folks from Syria in no way impacts our capacity to deliver on that."

And Pompeo hinted at further economic sanctions against Tehran. "You'll see in the coming days and weeks we are redoubling not only our diplomatic, but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran to achieve what we set out for them back in May," he said.

No timelines

Pompeo has repeatedly refused to put a timeline on the US withdrawal, creating another source of uncertainty for U.S. allies.

Kalin, Erdogan's senior adviser, said Tuesday that Turkey's main concern is "the future of American bases" after U.S. troops withdraw from Syria.

"We are happy with Trump's withdrawal decision, but what will be left behind -- the future of American bases, logistical centers and heavy weapons are important for us," Kalin told a press conference from Ankara.

"The important issues for us is what will happen to arms delivered to PYD/YPG and how and when America will finish their engagement with the YPG. Complete seizure of arms is Turkey's main expectation."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Turkey's Erdogan slams Bolton's Syria comments as a 'serious mistake'."

Thank you for reading! We hope that you continue to enjoy our free content.Support local journalism

Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution.The US Department of Energy (DOE) will award $25 million to 12 research projects for next-generation marine energy devices. Funded by DOEs Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Water Power Technologies Office, these 12 innovative projects will reduce capital costs and accelerate the innovation cycle by testing new concepts. Marine energy includes ocean wave power, tidal, and river/ocean current devices that convert movement of water into electricity.

Selections were made across three topic areas. The first two aim to address fundamental scientific and engineering challenges of generating power from dynamic, low-velocity and high-density waves and currents. The third topic area is targeted to provide better information to reduce the costs and time to permit projects.

Early Stage Device Design Research

Oscilla Power, Inc of Seattle, Washington will demonstrate the effectiveness its wave energy converter through open-ocean scaled testing in partnership with the University of Maine.

Atargis Energy Corporation of Pueblo, Colorado will advance its wave energy converter through numerical simulations at the model scale, as well as 1:20 scale wave tank tests.

Columbia Power Technologies, Inc of Charlottesville, Virginia will design and test a prototype low-power wave energy converter that reduces costs and provides a quickly deployable mobile power system for maritime sensors, monitoring, and communications equipment.

Littoral Power Systems, Inc of Fall River, Massachusetts will improve on its turbine design to increase power, reduce costs, and test a fully integrated sub-scale prototype that is ready for pilot site installation.

University of Hawaii at Manoa, of Honolulu, Hawaii will advance its wave energy converter concept and conduct testing in the open ocean.

North Carolina State University of Raleigh, North Carolina will develop integrated numerical models and open water experimental prototypes for an energy-harvesting ocean kite system.

Texas A&M University of College Station, Texas will develop and test a scaled prototype of its surface-riding wave energy converter which will be ready for open-sea testing at the end of the project.

Florida Atlantic University of Boca Raton, Florida will develop and prototype a low-flow marine current turbine to provide partial power to recharge battery banks onboard an unmanned mobile at-sea recharge station for aerial drones and potentially other unmanned marine vehicles.

Controls and Power Take Off Design Integration and Testing

Portland State University of Portland, Oregon will demonstrate a newly-invented adjustable magnetic spring that allows for greater power adjustability and controllability.

CalWave Power Technologies, Inc of Berkeley, California will improve on its sub-scale prototype by integrating a new control architecture to improve costs and efficiency.

AWS Ocean Energy Inc of Wilmington, Delaware will optimize a prototype hydraulic/electrical system and demonstrate performance in a laboratory environment.

Dissemination of Environmental Data and Analyses to Facilitate the Marine Energy Regulatory ProcessWhat's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 814-368-3173 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com.The Colville Confederated Tribes sold a portion of the hemp they grew in the Swawilla Basin area to a Hood River, Oregon company in late 2018.

"From what we received so far, we have cold pressed and bottled hemp seed oil and then milled and concentrated the expelled seeds/hulls into protein powder," said Tonia Farman from Hemp Northwest, whose products are sold under the brand name Queen of Hearts Hemp Foods.

Farman explained how the symbiotic relationship between them and the CCT developed. "Our relationship with the CCT was more collaborative than one reaching out to the other," she said. "We were brought to 'the table' together through mutual interests in building a sustainable hemp industry in Washington state, connected well, and developed a great farmer/processor business relationship. We plan on working with them in 2019, as well."

2018 was the second consecutive year the tribe has grown hemp, expanding from a 55-acre farm in 2017 to 120 acres.

"We are anticipating a yield of 500 to 800 pounds per acre on seed and 2.5 tons per acre of fiber," Jackie Richter of the tribe's Conservation District told The Tribal Tribune last August.

Farman said that, depending on grade, they pay between between 50 and 75 cents per pound for the product, but doesn't know how much they have bought yet because they haven't yet taken possession of it all.

Another part of the plant, the flower, is not yet allowed by state law to be harvested for its valuable cannabidiol or CBD, a chemical compound that, unlike Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the active ingredient in marijuana, doesn't get a person "stoned."

CBD is used in ointments and beauty products such as lotions and shampoos, and is also taken orally in foods or drops, and is said to be good for health issues.

A 2018 article in High Times entitled "What Is CBD (Cannabidiol) and What Does It Do?" claims researchers are finding that CBD is beneficial for pain relief, treating seizures, neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, fighting cancer, treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, reducing inflammation, and, unlike THC, doesn't produce any paranoia or other unpleasant qualities sometimes associated with marijuana.

A 2012 British Epilepsy Association paper shows evidence of CBD treating seizures, a 2006 Journal of Molecular Medicine paper shows CBD as an effective treatment for Alzheimer's, a 2015 paper in the Journal of Neuroimmune Pharmacology shows CBD as affecting tumors, and a 2015 article in the journal Neuroendocrinology offers evidence of CBD as being effective for treating PTSD.

"Allowing the farming and processing of flowers would open up the opportunity for a CBD industry to develop, which would most likely spur economic growth, especially in small farming communities," Farman said. "It can create quite a few jobs and opportunities through the development of businesses throughout the supply chain - from grower to processor to marketer/distributor. That's what has happened in Oregon, but there are rules in place in Washington that limit the same kind of growth, one of the main ones being the four-mile rule where hemp farmers cannot grow industrial hemp within a four-mile radius of a marijuana grow, which are everywhere in Washington."

The Colville hemp crop "was apparently the first Washington-grown hemp commercially processed since federal lawmakers allowed controlled cultivation four years ago," a Capital Press article from December 2018 states.Note: We've recently updated our online systems. If you can't login please try resetting your password. You must login with an email address. If you don't have an email associated with your account email circulation@skagitpublishing.com for help creating one.AIMEE AMBROSE | THE GOSHEN NEWS Baugo Township Firefighters view the remnants of a building behind the stacks of wood that was destroyed by a fire at Recycled/New Pallets Inc. on C.R. 45 in Dunlap. An investigation into the cause began Tuesday after firefighters from about 10 different departments responded to the blaze Monday night.Carl Ray Kennedy pleaded guilty in Danville Circuit Court on Wednesday morning to several charges related to the abduction of his then 7-month-old daughter, Emma Grace Kennedy, in June 2018.

The 52-year-old man now faces as much as 36 years in prison for six charges, including parental kidnapping, child neglect and grand larceny from a person.

The guilty plea came in exchange for the Danville Commonwealths Attorneys Office not charging him for contacting his estranged girlfriend Kristen Winnes  mother of the kidnapped girl  in violation of a protective order, on more than one occasion while in jail.

We agreed he would plead guilty and we would not charge him with those, Chief Deputy Commonwealths Attorney Petra Haskins told the Danville Register & Bee.

One charge includes possession of a shank by an inmate, after a self-made knife was found in a jail day room and was linked to Kennedy, who had told another inmate that he planned to use it to stab Winnes, Haskins said. It was not stated in court how he planned to reach Winnes from jail.

The grand larceny charge was a result of Kennedy taking Winnes cellphone from her. Though the mothers name is Winnes, she has stated her preference to go by her maiden name of MurphyGloucester, MA (01930)

Today

Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 70F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 58F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.British Base in Southeast Asia Would Antagonize China

By Ralph Jennings January 09, 2019

A British amphibious warfare ship passed through the South China Sea in August and China, Asia's strongest military power with a claim to almost the whole waterway, expelled it. Now the European country with a once powerful colonial foothold in Asia wants to set up a new base in the region, according to news reports citing the British defense secretary.

A British base in Southeast Asia, where four countries dispute China's maritime claims, would give ships quicker access to any further missions like the one August 31.

More likely, Asian political experts say, it will let the U.K. challenge China's influence  and get challenged back  in the resource-rich sea by helping British ships join allied American vessels for periodic naval exercises. Britain alone lacks the money and must mind relations with former colonies in Southeast Asia, they say.

"They would have to team up with the U.S., otherwise it doesn't make sense," said Eduardo Araral, associate professor at the National University of Singapore's public policy school. "They would join the U.S. in their so-called freedom of navigation operations."

Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson told the British news outlet The Telegraph in December that his country was looking for a new base in Southeast Asia.

Newcomer to wider maritime conflict

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam contest China's maritime sovereignty claims but have gone on the back foot since 2010 as Beijing uses technological and economic advantages to expand at sea. It has landfilled a series of tiny islets, some for military use.

China claims about 90 percent of the sea that extends from Hong Kong to Borneo, spanning 3.5 million square kilometers. China and rival claimants in Asia value the sea for its fisheries and fuel reserves. The UK government does not have a claim.

Washington regularly sends naval ships into the sea to pressure China. It calls the missions "freedom of navigation operations."

Earlier this month a U.S. warship passed through waters off the sea's Paracel Islands, which China controls despite a competing claim from Vietnam.

Japan and Australia have sent their own ships to keep China in check, though less often. The UK would anger China if it fell into that line, scholars say.

"China would of course object heavily, but I think for the rest of Southeast Asian countries it's not something new," said Oh Ei Sun, senior fellow with the Singapore Institute of International Affairs.

In September, Beijing treated the single ship, the British navy's HMS Albion, as an intrusion into Chinese territory. The vessel "entered China's territorial sea without the Chinese government's approval," Chinese state-controlled media outlet Gbtimes.com reported, citing Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying.

The UK probably lacks funds for a major South China Sea initiative, Oh said. "I think we have to be very realistic about this," he said. "Even the UK's naval fleet is not like during the British empire."

Britain may be planning the base to expand into Asia strategically and economically "as an independent actor" after leaving the European Union, said Carl Thayer, emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales in Canberra.

In 2016, Thayer noted, British Prime Minister Theresa May and the former foreign secretary began to "float the idea of a Global Britain in the post-Brexit era."

Southeast Asian reactions

Southeast Asian countries might struggle to accept a British base.

The UK has sighted Singapore and Brunei as candidates for a base, The Telegraph says.

Southeast Asian leaders would worry that allowing a base hearkens back to colonialism or other foreign domination, scholars say. Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar and Singapore are former British colonies in Southeast Asia.

"There is always a domestic element to it for the host country," said Collin Koh, a maritime security research fellow at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

"Basically it would impinge upon perceptions of sovereignty, for example, and the fact that people will start to question the government whether it will allow in foreign presence to sort of subvert our foreign policy," he said.

Countries such as Brunei must also mind their own growing, economically vital ties with China before entering a military deal opposed by Beijing, he added.

The UK now maintains a logistics facility at the Sembawang Naval Base in Singapore.

In Taiwan, President Tsai Ing-wen indicated support Saturday for British presence near the South China Sea. Taiwan claims the whole sea but holds just two of its hundreds of disputed islets. It has its own territorial issues with China and Tsai has asked other countries to help resist Beijing.

"We respect any country to exercise its rights of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, and we are open-minded about these issues as long as it helps to maintain peace in this region," she told reporters on Saturday.Overseas bases might be just wishful thinking for UK

People's Daily Online

By Mu Xiaoming (China Military Online) 09:02, January 08, 2019

The UK is working on plans to build two new military bases in the Caribbean and Southeast Asia, said Britain's Secretary of State for Defense Gavin Williamson in an interview. Gavin Williamson claimed that "where we have economic interests, where we should have military presence".

Overseas military bases have served as the "bridgehead" for the UK to safeguard its overseas interests, control strategic arteries, consolidate leadership position, and prevent other major powers from seeking sea power since modern times.

Some analysts pointed out that the UK's plan of establishing two new overseas military bases and the previous British military revitalization plan mean that the UK is trying to strengthen its international presence after Brexit. Some also said that the move by the UK may further complicate the strategic situation in relevant regions.

The UK's security environment has undergone major changes since it officially launched the Brexit process. In particular, the US President Donald Trump has contempt for NATO, demanding that NATO member states apportion more defense spending. This has intensified the UK's anxiety about NATO's future and increased the urgency to improve its defense capabilities.

British Ministry of Defense issued a report in December 2018, which argues that the world has returned to an era of fierce competition after 30 years of relative stability. In order to deter and defeat potential rivals, the UK should be able to deploy a 50,000-strong task force including an aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, which can carry F-35 stealth fighter jets, an army division with three brigades, one battle group consisting of fighter jets, transport aircraft and reconnaissance aircraft, and on especial operations force. At the same time, the UK must maintain at least one ballistic missile submarine at sea.

In fact, the deployment and adjustment of overseas military bases can be seen as a "barometer" reflecting Britain's global military dominance and political influence. The past 300 years have witnessed a transformation of Britain's strength from strong to weak. At present, its overseas military bases can only be found in Brunei, Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, Cyprus, and some trust territories located at oceans.

However, the UK has always considered itself as the "suzerain" of the developing countries of the Commonwealth. Its ambition to maintain its status as a major power has enabled the UK to keep seeking maintenance its overseas military bases.

As early as in 2003, the British national defense white paper pointed out that its Royal Navy would pay more attention to the rapid delivery of military personnel and equipment than at any time in history.

In December 2014, the UK signed a military cooperation agreement with Bahrain. Accordingly, the UK has strengthened its military presence and established a permanent military base in Bahrain. This is the first time that the UK redeployed a military base in Bahrain since the withdrawal of British troops from the east of the Suez Canal in 1971.

The re-establishment of a military base in Bahrain can neither reinvigorate Britain's one-time national prestige nor reverse its downward momentum. However, it reflects the geopolitical ambition of Britain in the new era.

Seen from the operational level, given that the British territory is small and narrow and its domestic climate, topography and natural conditions are not diverse, it is not suitable for British armed forces to carry out combat training under various natural conditions. Overseas bases make up for this disadvantage. Hence, the new overseas military bases are of great significance to the British armed forces that intend to reinvigorate its strategic influence.

However, Williamson's claim to build overseas military bases was criticized by the British Conservative Party and the opposition party, saying that Williamson showed his ambition and ignorance. They also asked him where his budget would comefrom.

Some media questioned the feasibility of the plan.They argued that although the UK is ambitious and hopes to restore its past glory as a global power, it remains to be seen whether the UK has the capability to build more overseas bases while struggling with austerity budget for many years to maintain a strong military deterrence.Erdogan Rejects U.S. Request For Assurances On Kurdish Fighters

By RFE/RL January 08, 2019

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the U.S. national-security adviser of making "a very serious mistake" by demanding that Turkey not harm Kurdish fighters in Syria as President Donald Trump plans to withdraw U.S. troops from the war-torn country.

"John Bolton has made a very serious mistake. We cannot make any concessions in this regard," Erdogan said on January 8, just before Bolton left Turkey with tensions between Washington and Ankara at new highs.

Bolton visited Ankara to seek assurances that Turkey won't attack U.S.-allied Kurdish militia in northeastern Syria that Ankara views as terrorists.

He held a two-hour meeting at the presidential complex in Ankara on the morning of January 8 with Ibrahim Kalin, a senior adviser to Erdogan.

A spokesman for the U.S. National Security Council, Garrett Marquis, said in a statement the two sides had identified further issues for dialogue and that the United States looks forward to ongoing military-to-military consultations.

But in what was reported in Turkey as a "snub" over disagreements about Kurdish fighters in Syria, an expected meeting between Bolton and Erdogan did not take place on January 8.

Marquis said U.S. officials were told Erdogan would not meet with Bolton because of local election campaigns in Turkey and because of a speech that the Turkish president was due to give to parliament.

Erdogan later told reporters there was no need for him to meet Bolton.

Just hours after Bolton's visit to the presidential complex in Ankara, Erdogan said in his speech that Turkey's preparations for a new military offensive against terrorist groups in Syria are "to a large extent" complete.

He criticized Bolton over comments suggesting the United States would prevent attacks on Syrian Kurdish fighters.

Erdogan said that "those involved in a terror corridor" in Syria "will receive the necessary punishment."

There also was no immediate word on whether Bolton held an expected meeting with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and intelligence chief Hakan Fidan.

Bolton said before his visit he would seek assurances that Turkey won't attack Kurdish militia fighters in Syria who are allied with the United States in the fight against Islamic State extremists.

Bolton said that is a "condition" for Trump's planned withdrawal of American forces in northeastern Syria.

Bolton's visit to Ankara parallels a similar trip to the region by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and follows Trump's abrupt announcement that he was ordering 2,000 U.S. troops out of northeastern Syria.

Trump's announcement stunned U.S. allies and led to the resignation of U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis.

U.S. officials and others fear that a U.S. pullout could destabilize Syria further and lead to the slaughter of Kurdish militias who have been fighting alongside U.S. forces.

Prior to visiting Turkey, Bolton traveled to Israel, which has also been concerned about a U.S. withdrawal.

In Jerusalem, Bolton walked back Trump's initial announcement, saying instead that the United States wanted to ensure that Islamic State "is defeated and is not able to revive itself and become a threat again."

But he also said Turkey must agree to protect the U.S. Kurdish allies.

In an opinion piece published by The New York Times on January 7, Erdogan warned that the U.S. withdrawal must be planned carefully and carried out with the right partners.

Erdogan said Turkey was the only country "with the power and commitment to perform that task." He also wrote that Turkey was committed to defeating Islamic State and "other terrorist groups" in Syria.

In comments broadcast on January 7 on CNBC, Pompeo said that Erdogan had promised to protect Kurdish fighters in Syria.

Pompeo this week is visiting eight Arab capitals to discuss Syria, as well as discuss U.S. efforts to contain regional power Iran.

The U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units form the backbone of the opposition Syrian Democratic Forces.

But Turkish authorities say those Syrian Kurdish fighters are linked with the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK), which is banned in Turkey and has been considered a terrorist group by the United States since 1997.

With reporting by Reuters, AP, AFP, and The New York Times

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/bolton-syria-turkey -us-withdrawal/29696719.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.Taiwan Proposes Ramping Up Biowar Defense Research With New Labs

Sputnik News

22:10 08.01.2019(updated 22:12 08.01.2019)

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense has proposed a five-year program to improve the autonomous island's biological warfare defense capabilities, including upgrading existing labs to compete with new facilities opened on the Chinese mainland.

The ministry's proposal includes a $1.8 million, three-year overhaul of the Sansia level-4 biolab in New Taipei City as well as funding for new epidemiological research to keep pace with developments in China, in particular. The proposal tops out at $16.1 million, the Taipei Times reported.

The World Health Organization (WHO) rates biolabs on a scale of one to four according to their ability to safely handle highly dangerous diseases. Level 4 labs are those approved to handle the most lethal and easiest to spread, such as those that can be spread via aerosol or that are responsible for deadly pandemics. Some of the viruses handled in level 4 labs include ebola and other hemorrhagic fevers, smallpox and viruses in the henipavirus genus, according to a 2016 US Department of Health & Human Services biolab safety publication.

Such labs can research important vaccines and treatments as well as enhance scientists' understanding of how the mysterious pathogens work, but they also play an important role in biological warfare research, Asia Times noted.

According to Xinhua, the autonomous island hosts two such labs; the other is the Preventive Medical Institute of ROC Ministry of National Defense in Taipei. Until last year, the only such labs in Asia were in Taiwan and Japan, but then China opened its own level 4 biolab in Wuhan, Hebei: the Wuhan Institute of Virology, a special facility high above the floodplain that's reinforced against magnitude 7 earthquakes, Xinhua noted. A second facility followed in August 2018 in Harbin, the capital of the northeastern Heilongjiang Province, which Beijing boasts is the largest such facility in Asia.

Beijing has planned to open a total of seven level 4 biolabs across the country by 2025, with the next two planned for Kunming and the capital itself. South Korea's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has indicated it's open to building such a facility in Osong, the Taipei Times noted.

 SputnikPresident did not use "welcome" for British base: Presidential Office

ROC Central News Agency

2019/01/07 22:27:57

Taipei, Jan. 7 (CNA) The Presidential Office issued a statement on Monday to clarify a report by a foreign media that stated President Tsai Ing-wen () "welcomed" a British military base in the South China Sea.

The unnamed report was not correct because according to the full text of Tsai's remarks, she was expressing that Taiwan's principle is very clear, which is to maintain peace in the area, the Presidential Office said.

To that end, the report was inaccurate by saying Tsai "welcomed" a British military base, the Presidential Office noted.

Meanwhile, Tsai also expressed that freedom of passage is a very important insistence of Taiwan with regards to the South China Sea, the Presidential Office said, adding that the government will have an open attitude toward whatever contributes to maintaining peace and freedom of navigation in the region.

It is also hoped that all countries will be able to cooperate on the issue while respecting various standpoints, the Presidential Office added.

(By Matt Yu and William Yen)

Enditem/csWhite House urges Beijing to end coercion and talk with Taipei

ROC Central News Agency

2019/01/08 12:06:59

Taipei, Jan. 8 (CNA) A senior White House official on Monday called on China to stop its coercion of Taiwan and resume dialogue with Taiwan's government after Chinese President Xi Jinping () recently reasserted China's right to use force against Taiwan.

"Beijing should stop its coercion & resume dialog w/ the democratically-elected administration on Taiwan," Garrett Marquis, spokesperson of the National Security Council under the White House, said in a tweet Monday.

In a previous tweet earlier the same day, Marquis reiterated Washington's opposition to any threat or use of force to get the people of Taiwan to act against their will.

"Any resolution of Cross-Strait differences must be peaceful and based on the will of the ppl on both sides," it said.

Asked to comment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) deputy spokesperson Joanne Ou () expressed Taiwan's appreciation for the tweets, which showed support for the country's democratic system and its people.

Xi's warning was delivered on Jan. 2 during his address in commemoration of the 40th anniversary of China's "Message to Compatriots in Taiwan."

Xi said in his speech that China is willing to talk with any party in Taiwan to push forward the process of peaceful unification on the basis of the "one China principle."

However, "we make no promise to renounce the use of force and reserve the option of taking all necessary means" to serve the end, Xi said.

He said China will not target compatriots in Taiwan but the interference of external forces as well as the very small number of Taiwan independence activists.

(By Joseph Yeh)

Enditem/lsBolton's Turkey Visit Ends in Acrimony Over Syria Withdrawal

By Dorian Jones January 08, 2019

U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton ended a visit to Turkey in acrimony Tuesday with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan refusing to meet him. Erdogan dismissed Bolton's calls for the protection of the YPG Syrian Kurdish militia as a precondition to a U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria.

"Bolton has made a serious mistake and whoever thinks like this has also made a mistake. It is not possible for us to make compromises on this point," Erdogan said in an address in the Turkish parliament.

The YPG is a crucial ally in Washington's war against Islamic State, but Ankara considers it a terrorist group linked to an insurgency inside Turkey.

Erdogan also warned that preparations were complete for a military operation against the YPG.

"We will very soon mobilize to eliminate the terrorist organization in Syria," he said. "If there are other terrorists who would attempt to intervene in our intervention then it is our duty to eliminate them as well."

Turkish forces have been massing for weeks along the Syrian border. Observers said the threat of a Turkish operation against the YPG in northeastern Syria, where around 2,000 U.S. soldiers are deployed, was the reason for U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from Syria.

Once Trump announced his intention, Erdogan said Turkey would delay any operation until all U.S. forces left.

Turkey's anger over preconditions announced by Bolton before a U.S. withdrawal, including security guarantees for the Kurdish militia, may have brought forward the timing of a strike against the YPG.

Erdogan sought to downplay his refusal to meet with Bolton, telling reporters it was not a deliberate snub. He maintained that Bolton's meeting with both the presidential spokesman and the defense minister was sufficient.

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin, in speaking to reporters, tried to put a positive spin on his meeting with Bolton.

"A process of dialogue with U.S. military and officials would carry on," he said. "Syria should be cleansed from all terrorist organizations, no stepping back from the fight against Islamic State."

Dduring a two-hour meeting with Bolton, the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford and U.S. Syria envoy James Jeffrey, Kalin pressed for a commitment to recover all weapons handed to the YPG by American troops in its war against IS.

"They [Bolton, Kalin] had a productive discussion of the president's decision to withdraw at a proper pace from Northeast Syria," said a statement read by National Security Council spokesman Garrett Marquis. "The U.S. looks forward to the ongoing military-to-military consultations."

Containing the fallout

Despite apparent efforts by both sides to contain the diplomatic fallout, analysts suggest the U.S. position in the region has weakened since the withdrawal from Syria was announced.

"From a diplomatic point of view, it's a very difficult if not impossible position," said former senior Turkish diplomat Aydin Selcen. "To negotiate by starting to say 'yes, we are leaving and then putting some strings attached on your withdrawal' or try to impose some conditions to your counterparts, be they your adversaries or your allies."

Despite the heightened rhetoric and the threat of imminent military action, analysts suggest Ankara will try to avoid a full-blown crisis with Washington.

"Turkey cannot do anything against America," said international relations professor Huseyin Bagci. "We had a crisis in recent months and Turkey got her lesson from this conflict."

Economic cost

Last year, the Turkish currency collapsed after Trump imposed sanctions over the detention in Turkey of American pastor Andrew Brunson, who has since been released. Although the sanctions lasted only a few weeks, Turkey's economy is now facing a recession. The lira fell sharply Tuesday on fears of renewed U.S.-Turkish tensions.

Turkish media are also reporting divisions within Turkey's military over the launching of a military operation into Syria in winter and before the full withdrawal of U.S. forces.

Selcen predicts Erdogan will now look to Trump to resolve the current tensions.

"We have to wait to see what Mr. Erdogan has to say with Mr. Trump," he said, "because he [Erdogan] himself managed to persuade Mr. Trump that the United States will be leaving Syria."

Bolton under fire

Turkish media are already blaming Bolton for the latest tensions, accusing him of going "rogue." Washington is also facing criticism in Turkey for sending conflicting messages on its Syria policy.

Analysts, however, suggest Turkey is banking on shared regional interests and the personal chemistry of Trump and Erdogan to prevent a new crisis.

"There will be a lot of crisis and trouble, but both sides will try to solve this according to their national interest without violating the interests of the other," said Bagci. "And I see there is the political readiness and political will to do this between President Trump and President Erdogan."Turkey Criticizes US Demands for Syrian Kurds' Safety

By VOA News January 08, 2019

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday White House National Security Adviser John Bolton was making "a very serious mistake" in demanding that Ankara guarantee the safety of Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria before the United States pulls its troops out of the country.

Criticizing the remarks Bolton made earlier in the week, Erdogan was quoted as saying there would be "no concessions" in Ankara's push against what the Turkish leader describes as terror groups in Syria. Turkey denied promising the U.S. that Ankara will ensure the safety of the militia, known as the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG.

Erdogan made his comments after Bolton visited Ankara for consultations with government officials. Erdogan did not meet with him. Bolton instead met with other officials, including Erdogan's special adviser and spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, as well as the country's defense minister, Hulusi Akar.

Kalin told reporters, "Nobody should expect Turkey to provide assurances to a terror organization."

A senior U.S. official told the Reuters news agency Bolton did not consider himself snubbed by Erdogan, as plans for a meeting between the two had not been confirmed. According to Reuters, Bolton was told that Turkey would not take offensive action in Syria while U.S. forces were there.

Washington backs the YPG in the war against Islamic State. Turkey has linked the YPG to the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, a Kurdish group that has waged a decades-long insurgency in southeastern Turkey. Turkey, along with the United States and the European Union, consider the PKK a terrorist organization.

Bolton was rebuffed after trying to negotiate for roughly two hours the safety of the Kurdish allies in northeastern Syria. Bolton's spokesman, Garrett Marquis, said talks between U.S. and Turkish military officials would continue Tuesday. Turkey and the U.S. are NATO allies.

U.S. President Donald Trump last month announced the withdrawal of the 2,000 U.S. troops in Syria as part of the fight against IS. Pentagon spokesman Sean Robertson said Monday that "an approved framework for the withdrawal" is in place and that is not subject to an "arbitrary timeline."

Erdogan also said his military has been planning a new offensive against terror groups in Syria and those plans are "to a large extent" complete.

In an opinion piece published on The New York Times' website Monday, Erdogan praised Trump for making "the right call to withdraw from Syria." A top Syrian Kurdish official told The Associated Press his forces are ready to confront Turkish forces if they enter northeastern Syria.

A U.S. withdrawal could allow Turkish troops to move against the Kurdish fighters.

But Erdogan also warned that Turkey would continue to work to defeat all terror groups, mentioning the YPG in that categorization.Russian Military Police Begin to Patrol Manbij Area in Syria's Aleppo Province

Sputnik News

06:52 08.01.2019(updated 12:30 08.01.2019)

MANBIJ (Syria) (Sputnik) - The military police of the Russian Armed Forces began patrolling the territory in the Manbij area in the Syrian province of Aleppo near the Turkish border, the police's spokesman Yusup Mamatov told reporters.

After the United States decided to withdraw troops from Syria, Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) appealed to Damascus to establish control over the areas they had previously occupied, including Manbij, and to protect them from the Turkish invasion. In late December, Syrian troops entered Manbij. In early January, Syrian Defence Ministry reported that about 400 YPG fighters left Manbij and were heading toward the eastern bank of Euphrates to focus on fighting the Daesh* terrorist group.

"Today, patrols have begun to patrol the security zone in the area of the settlement of Manbij and its suburbs. The task is to ensure security in the area of responsibility, to control the position and movement of armed formations," Mamatov said.

The first patrol route of military police officers passed along the rear border of the security zone near Manbij, he explained.

The military patrolled several tens of kilometres in the northern part of the province, and the route will change regularly in the future, Mamatov added.

According to the spokesman, the military police receive from local residents reports about arms dumps and unexploded shells that have remained here since the occupation of the territories by militants.

*Daesh (ISIL/ISIS/Islamic State/IS), a terrorist group banned in Russia and a wide number of other countries.

 SputnikErdogan Says Only Turkey Can Protect US Interests in Syria Amid Troop Pullout

Sputnik News

10:08 08.01.2019(updated 13:37 08.01.2019)

In mid-December, US President Donald Trump announced the pull-out of American troops from Syria, having declared victory over Daesh - the sole reason, he said, for the soldiers presence in the Arab country. He subsequently tweeted that Turkey had promised to wipe out the remaining terrorists in Syria.

In an extensive article penned for The New York Times, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote that Daesh* had been defeated in Syria, "militarily speaking".

US Troop Withdrawal  Right Call

Erdogan noted that his American counterpart, Donald Trump, had "made the right call" to pull out US troops from Syria, but the withdrawal must be planned "carefully" and carried out in close cooperation with "the right partners to protect the interests of the United States, the international community and the Syrian people".

According to the Turkish president, Turkey is "the only country with the power and commitment to perform that task".

Erdogan elaborated that Ankara's military operations against Daesh prevented terrorists from attacking Turkey and Europe.

He further wrote that "unlike coalition operations in Raqqa and Mosul, which relied heavily on airstrikes that were carried out with little or no regard for civilian casualties", Turkish troops' approach guaranteed that Al Bab's infrastructure remained "largely intact" and that it was possible for people to return to normal life within days.

"This stable environment is the only cure for terrorism. [] There will be no victory for the terrorists. Turkey will continue to do what it must to ensure its own safety and the well-being of the international community", Erdogan wrote.

New Stabilisation Force

While the Turkish president claimed that Daesh had been defeated in military terms, he expressed deep concern that some "outside powers" may use the terror group's remnants as an "excuse to meddle in Syria's internal affairs".

"A military victory against the terrorist group is a mere first step. The lesson of Iraq, where this terrorist group was born, is that premature declarations of victory and the reckless actions they tend to spur create more problems than they solve. The international community cannot afford to make the same mistake again today", Erdogan warned.

He laid out a "comprehensive strategy" to eradicate the root causes of radicalisation in order to guarantee that people "do not feel disconnected from government", while terrorist organisations do not "get to prey on the grievances of local communities and ordinary people can count on a stable future".

According to him, the first step is to build a stabilisation force that will include fighters from all parts of Syrian society. Such a diverse body, he said, has the sole ability to serve all Syrians and bring law and order to the Mideast country.

"In this sense, I would like to point out that we have no argument with the Syrian Kurds. Under wartime conditions, many young Syrians had no choice but to join the P.Y.D./Y.P.G., the Syrian branch of the P.K.K., that Turkey and the United States consider a terrorist organisation. According to Human Rights Watch, the Y.P.G. militants have violated international law by recruiting children", he penned.

Erdogan stressed that once the US withdraws from Syria, Turkey will complete an "intensive vetting process" to reunite those children with their families and include all fighters with no links to terrorist groups in the envisaged stabilisation force.

Adequate Political Representation

Erdogan also addressed another key point of his plan, namely the need to ensure "adequate political representation" for all communities in Syria.

He wrote that the Syrian territories that are now held by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), or Daesh, would be governed by "popularly elected councils" under Turkey's watch.

The Turkish president emphasised that his country sought to cooperate and coordinate its actions with its closest friends and allies, and stressed that Turkey is "the sole stakeholder that can work simultaneously with the United States and Russia".

"We will build on those partnerships to get the job done in Syria. It is time for all stakeholders to join forces to end the terror unleashed by the Islamic State, an enemy of Islam and Muslims around the world, and to preserve Syria's territorial integrity. Turkey is volunteering to shoulder this heavy burden at a critical time in history. We are counting on the international community to stand with us", he concluded.

Erdogan Promised to Protect US-Allied Kurds  Pompeo

Speaking to CNBC, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Erdogan had pledged to defend US-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria:

"Erdogan made a commitment to President Trump that the Turks would continue the counter ISIS [Daesh] campaign after our departure, and that the Turks would ensure that the folks that we'd fought with  that assisted us in the counter ISIS [Daesh] campaign  would be protected".

He added that US National Security Adviser John Bolton was visiting Turkey this week "to have a conversation with the Turks about how they will effectuate that in light of the US withdrawal".

Pompeo's statement came shortly after Bolton stated that Turkey must agree to protect the United States' Kurdish allies  a new condition to the US withdrawal from Syria.

Trump reiterated on Sunday that the United States would pull its troops out of Syria but suggested it will take several months to complete the withdrawal.

In December, Trump declared victory over Daesh and announced a subsequent withdrawal of US forces from Syria.

*Daesh, also known as ISIL/ISIS/Islamic State/IS, is a terrorist group banned in Russia and many other countries.

 SputnikErdogan Calls Bolton's Remark on Kurdish Militias 'Serious Mistake'

Sputnik News

12:46 08.01.2019(updated 18:12 08.01.2019)

US National Security Adviser John Bolton spent 7 January in Israel discussing the US troop withdrawal, stating that the country's forces would not leave Syria until Turkey agrees not to attack US-allied Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria and until the remaining Daesh* terrorists have been defeated.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has commented on Bolton's call for Ankara not to undertake military operations in Syria without an agreement with the United States.

Erdogan has criticised US National Security Adviser John Bolton's recent statement, saying he made a "serious mistake", and that Turkey could never compromise on the issue of the Kurdish YPG militia.

"Bolton is making a big mistake, his statement is unacceptable. Terrorist organisations do not represent Kurds. Those who spread lies about Turkey killing Kurds in Syria are trying to play on the mood of the world community", Erdogan said during his presentation to the parliamentary faction of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Erdogan underlined, addressing members of the AKP Party, that the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia's fight against Daesh was nothing but a huge lie.

As the Turkish president stated, Ankara could start operation in Syria at any moment after Bolton's visit.

There is No Slowdown in US Withdrawal From Syria

Turkish presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin has commented on the US troops withdrawal, stressing that Turkey will not allow the American military pullout from Syria to create new opportunities for terrorists.

"The US attitude to the YPG is worrisome. The withdrawal of American troops should not be a new chance for terrorists. We said that this process should not be protracted, and we see a positive response from the US. Implementation of the road map on Manbij should be continued as agreed, we will also continue efforts to form a constitutional commission", Kalin told reporters in Ankara.

The spokesman continued by questioning the fate of US bases and weapons that had been given to Kurdish fighters, noting that there was no slowdown in the United States' withdrawal from Syria. As he specified, Turkey had urged the US to seize arms given to the Syrian Kurdish militia.

"We have discussed the issue of collecting weapons. Turkey expects the United States to return weapons delivered to Syria to Pentagon's arsenals. This condition is not only for our safety, but also for the safety of local residents. We were informed that work in this direction is underway, the details will be known in the coming days," Kalin told reporters.

Moreover, the spokesman noted that the Turkish president did not pledge in contacts with Trump to protect the Kurdish militia in Syria. Besides, he stressed that Ankara would not seek permission to coordinate any operation in Syria.

Pompeo and Bolton Discuss US Troops Withdrawal With Middle East Officials

On 7 January, the Trump administration dispatched Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton to the Middle East to discuss the withdrawal of US forces in Syria and a claim that the Daesh terror group has been defeated. The Secretary of State is expected to visit Cairo, Egypt; Manama, Bahrain; Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Doha, Qatar; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Muscat, Oman; and Kuwait City, Kuwait from January 8-15, to discuss controversial issues with the region's leaders. Pompeo will also deliver a keynote speech in Cairo outlining the US commitment to peace and security in the region.

Meanwhile, Trump's initial announcement was followed by a build-up of Turkish forces near the Syrian city of Manjib, where Kurdish forces remain, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned on Friday that the United States needed to first ensure that Turkey would not massacre the Kurds in the US-backed People's Protection Units (YPG) when US troops departed. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist group.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia

 SputnikTurkey Reportedly to Ask US to Hand Over Military Bases in Syria

Sputnik News

13:42 08.01.2019

White House National Security Adviser John Bolton earlier arrived in the Turkish capital of Ankara to hold talks with senior Turkish officials on US troop withdrawal from Syria, as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hailed the pull-out as "the right call".

Turkey will ask US officials to hand over its military bases in Syria to Ankara or destroy them, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported. "Give them or destroy them", the publication's headline read, referring to what it said were 22 US military bases in the Syrian Arab Republic.

The newspaper cited unnamed sources as saying that Turkey would not accept Washington handing them over to the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which Ankara considers to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton arrived in Ankara for talks with his Turkish counterpart Ibrahim Kalin on Tuesday just days after Bolton set forth a new condition for the US withdrawal, insisting that Turkey must agree to protect the US-allied Kurdish militia.

"We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States, at a minimum so they don't endanger our troops, but also so that they meet the president's requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered", Bolton told reporters, as quoted by NBC News.

Most recently, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blasted Bolton's remarks, saying that he had made a "serious mistake", and that Ankara could never compromise on the issue of the YPG.

On Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNBC that Turkish President Erdogan had promised to protect US-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria:

"Erdogan made a commitment to President Trump that the Turks would continue the counter ISIS* [Daesh] campaign after our departure, and that the Turks would ensure that the folks that we'd fought with  that assisted us in the counter ISIS [Daesh] campaign  would be protected".

In an op-ed for The New York Times, Erdogan wrote that his American counterpart Donald Trump had "made the right call" to withdraw US troops from Syria, but the withdrawal must be planned "carefully" and performed in cooperation with "the right partners to protect the interests of the United States, the international community and the Syrian people".

On 19 December, President Trump announced that the US would be leaving Syria over a period of several months, having declared that Daesh had been defeated.

*Daesh, also known as ISIS/IS/Islamic State, is a terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries.

 SputnikIt is Vital to Maintain Dialogue With US on Pullout From Syria - French Minister

Sputnik News

16:12 08.01.2019

PARIS (Sputnik) - Paris believes it is vital to maintaining close contact with Washington on conditions of the US troops' withdrawal from Syria, French Minister of the Armed Forces Florence Parly has stated, following her first meeting with US Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan.

"Last night, I had first talks with my new US counterpart, Patrick Shanahan. Political dialogue on conditions of the withdrawal of the US troops from Syria is necessary, and we will continue it in the coming days and weeks", Parly wrote on Twitter.

The statement comes after US President Donald Trump announced in December that his country would pull out its forces from Syria because the Daesh* terror group had been defeated. The move has prompted Defence Secretary James Mattis' resignation. Mattis' deputy, Shanahan, was appointed as acting defence secretary starting from January 1.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia

 SputnikBolton Slams Erdogan's Article in NY Times on US Withdrawal From Syria - Reports

Sputnik News

19:40 08.01.2019(updated 20:39 08.01.2019)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan earlier had an article on the US withdrawal from Syria published in the New York Times. The Turkish president, while describing the Trump's move as "the right call", noted that the withdrawal must be planned "carefully".

US National Security Advisor John Bolton has reportedly told Turkish officials that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's article, which was published on 7 January 2019, was wrong and offensive.

Bolton, who is currently on a tour of the Middle East attempting to convince US regional partners that they won't leave them to fend for themselves in the fight against Daesh*, noted that Washington would oppose any mistreatment by Turkish forces of the its Kurdish allies in Syria, Reuters reported, citing an unnamed senior US official.

John Bolton didn't believe that he had been disregarded due to the Turkish president's refusal to meet with him, as plans for bilateral talks had not been confirmed in advance, the unnamed US senior official said.

Previously, Erdogan, while commenting on Bolton's statement regarding a possible Turkish operation against Kurdish forces, criticized him by saying that Turkey could never compromise on the issue of the Kurdish YPG militia, as, according to the president, they had never actually fought against Daesh.

"Bolton is making a big mistake, his statement is unacceptable. Terrorist organisations do not represent Kurds. Those who spread lies about Turkey killing Kurds in Syria are trying to play on the mood of the world community", Erdogan said during his presentation to the parliamentary faction of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

On 7 January 2019, The New York Times published an article written by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan where he evaluated the US withdrawal from Syria, noting that Trump's move needs to be carried out in close cooperation with "the right partners to protect the interests of the United States, the international community and the Syrian people".

The Turkish president highlighted that Turkey is "the only country with the power and commitment to perform that task".

In mid-December, US President Donald Trump announced the pull-out of American troops from Syria, having declared victory over Daesh  the sole reason, he said, for the soldiers presence in the Arab country.

*Daesh, also known as Islamic State (IS)/ISIS/ISIL  a terrorist group, banned in numerous countries, including Russia

 SputnikTrump right on Syria, US pullout must be done with right partners: Erdogan

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 07:56AM

The Turkish leader says US President Donald Trump's plan to pull military forces out of Syria should be put into action carefully and with the "right partners," saying Turkey is the only country that can help its NATO ally get the job done.

In an opinion piece published in The New York Times on Monday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his American counterpart "made the right call" last month to withdraw some 2,000 US forces from Syria.

The withdrawal, Erdogan said, "must be planned carefully and performed in cooperation with the right partners to protect the interests of the United States, the international community and the Syrian people."

"Turkey, which has NATO's second largest standing army, is the only country with the power and commitment to perform that task," Erdogan wrote.

The Turkish head of state further warned the international community against repeating the same mistakes Washington and its allies had made in Iraq.

Trump has said that the US is leaving Syria because the mission to defeat the Daesh terror group has been accomplished.

"The lesson of Iraq, where this terrorist group was born, is that premature declarations of victory and the reckless actions they tend to spur create more problems than they solve," Erdogan wrote.

He went on to say, "The first step is to create a stabilization force featuring fighters from all parts of Syrian society. Only a diverse body can serve all Syrian citizens and bring law and order to various parts of the country."

Erdogan's comments come amid an uncertainty surrounding the timeframe for the US exit. Trump administration officials have made it clear that the troop withdrawal from northeastern Syria would not happen quickly.

On Monday, Trump said the US "will be leaving [Syria] at a proper pace," while continuing to fight Daesh terrorists "and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!"

A day earlier, Trump's national security adviser John Bolton added a new condition to the US withdrawal, saying Turkey must agree to protect US-backed Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in Syria, which is viewed by Ankara as a terrorist group.

"We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States at a minimum so they don't endanger our troops, but also so that they meet the president's requirement that the Syrian opposition forces that have fought with us are not endangered," Bolton said.

Bolton, who arrived in Ankara on Monday, said during talks with Turkish officials, including President Erdogan, he would stress that Kurdish militants must be safeguarded.

Bolton is expected to discuss the details of the US pullout from Syria with Turkish officials, among other issues.

The US has been arming and training Kurdish militants under the banner of helping them fight Daesh, but Syria and several other countries see ulterior motives behind the deployment.

Syria and its allies pushed the Takfiri terrorist group out of its last stronghold in the eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr early last year.

Turkey, a key US ally in the region, has repeatedly questioned Washington's deployment of heavy weapons in Syria despite the defeat of Daesh in much of the Arab country.

Ankara views the YPG as a branch of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been fighting a decades-long deadly war against Turkey for an independent state in the country's southeast.

Kurdish forces, who were left exposed by Trump's pledge to pull out American soldiers from Syria, have asked Syrian government forces for help amid indications that Turkey is considering a military campaign against them.

Erdogan slams Bolton over YPG comments

In an address to lawmakers from his ruling justice and Development Party (AKP) in Ankara on Tuesday, Erdogan slammed Bolton's comments in Israel as "unacceptable" and a "grave mistake."

The Turkish president said that the Kurdish YPG militia's fight with Daesh was "a huge lie," adding that Turkey could never compromise on the issue of the YPG Kurdish militants.

Over the past two years, Turkey has conducted operations against Kurdish militants in parts of northern Syria that lie west of the Euphrates River. It has not gone east of the river, partly to avoid direct confrontation with US forces.

In December, however, Erdogan announced plans to start a new military operation in Syria and then decided to delay it following Trump's withdrawal announcement.

Turkey has been infuriated by US support for the YPG, which forms the backbone of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an anti-Damascus alliance of predominantly Kurdish militants.

'US must hand Syria bases to Turkey or destroy them'

Meanwhile, Turkey's English-language Hurriyet newspaper reported that during the talks with the US delegation on Tuesday, Ankara would ask Washington to either hand over US military bases in Syria to Turkey or destroy them.

"Give them or destroy them," the newspaper's headline said, in reference to 22 US military bases in Syria.

The daily cited unspecified sources as saying that Ankara would not accept Washington handing the bases over to the YPG.

A senior Turkish security official also told Reuters last week that Washington needed to allow Turkey to use its bases in Syria.Erdogan rebukes Bolton's 'unacceptable' comment on Syrian Kurdish YPG forces

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 02:43PM

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has censured as "unacceptable" and a "grave mistake" latest comments made by US National Security Adviser John Bolton about the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), which forms the primary component of the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in northern Syria.

"It is not possible for us to accept and stomach the message Bolton gave from Israel.

"Regarding this matter, Bolton has made a serious mistake and whoever thinks like this has also made a mistake. It is not possible for us to make compromises on this point. Those who are part of the terror corridor in Syria will receive the necessary lesson. There is no single difference between the PKK, YPG, PYD and Daesh," Erdogan told lawmakers from his ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party at the parliament in the Turkish capital, Ankara, on Tuesday.

He then accused Bolton of complicating US President Donald Trump's plan to withdraw US troops from Syria.

Trump said last month that he was bringing home the some 2,000 American troops deployed in Syria, alleging they had succeeded in their mission to defeat the Daesh Takfiri terrorist group.

His abrupt move sparked concern among officials in Washington, prompting Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to step down in protest.

"Despite reaching a clear understanding with Mr. Trump, different voices have started emerging from different segments of the administration. Despite that, Trump's views on Syria and his decision to withdraw remains our point of reference," Erdogan said.

The Turkish leader pointed out that his country has largely completed its preparations for a military offensive against Daesh terrorists in neighboring Syria.

"In compliance with the agreement we reached with Mr. President (Donald Trump), we have largely completed our preparations for a military offensive against elements of Daesh, who are still active in Syria. At the same time, we are determined to take steps against terrorist organizations such as PYD and YPG along with Daesh. We will mobilize to neutralize these terrorist organizations in Syrian lands very soon," Erdogan stated.

Bolton on Sunday outlined conditions for a US troop departure from Syria. Those "conditions" appeared to contradict Trump's insistence that the withdrawal would be immediate and without conditions.

One of those provisions is that the government of Turkey guarantees the safety of YPG forces in Syria.

"There's no timetable for when that may happen or when the US may begin withdrawing its ground forces from the region," Bolton said, but he highlighted that the US will leave northern Syria.

"There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal," Bolton told reporters in Jerusalem al-Quds. "The timetable flows from the policy decisions that we need to implement."

Bolton touched down in Ankara on Monday to hammer out a deal for Kurdish YPG forces in Syria. He met Turkish officials on Tuesday, but left Turkey without holding expected talks with President Erdogan.

A spokesman for the US National Security Council said on Tuesday that Bolton and his Turkish counterpart Ibrahim Kalin had a productive discussion regarding Washington's decision to withdraw military forces from Syria.

Garrett Marquis also said in a statement the two sides had exchanged viewpoints on other issues, and that the United States looks forward to ongoing military-to-military consultations.

Meanwhile, Kalin said there is no slowdown in the United States' withdrawal from Syria, stressing that Ankara is focused on what would happen to American bases and weapons given to Kurdish fighters.

Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist organization and an extension of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been fighting for an autonomous region inside Turkey since 1984.Syria's return to Arab League depends on political progress: Egypt's FM

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 09:48PM

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry says the incumbent Damascus government needs to implement a number of measures toward the political settlement of the ongoing Syrian crisis in order for the conflict-plagued country to reinstate its membership in the Arab League.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his Moroccan counterpart Nasser Bourita in Cairo on Tuesday, Shoukry said such measures are required "in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolution 2254," which endorsed a road map for a peace process in Syria, and set out the outlines of a nationwide ceasefire.

"There's a need to get out of the current crisis in Syria through the political framework sponsored by the UN envoy in Geneva," the top Egyptian diplomat pointed out.

Shoukry also noted that he has no information about the possible participation of Syria in the upcoming Arab League summit.

"Such a decision should be made by the Council of the Arab League, and then approved at the highest level  As of now, the situation [on the reinstatement of Syria in the organization] remains unchanged," the Egyptian foreign minister said.

Earlier, some reports had hinted at Syria's possible participation in the forthcoming Arab Economic and Social Development Summit that is slated to be held in the Lebanese capital city of Beirut later this month.

Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan to propose Syria's return to Arab League

Meanwhile, Lebanese diplomatic sources said on Tuesday that Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan are going to table a tripartite proposal aimed at Syria's return to the Arab League during the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit.

The sources, requesting not to be named, said the proposal, which enjoys Egypt's support, will be put forward on Wednesday.

They added that caretaker Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil is trying to turn the forthcoming event into "a summit of reconciliation with Damascus."

The Arab League suspended Syria's membership in November 2011, citing alleged crackdown by Damascus on opposition protests. Syria has denounced the move as "illegal and a violation of the organization's charter."

On December 28, 2018, Bahrain's Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that work at the kingdom's embassy "in the Syrian Arab Republic is going on whilst the Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic to the Kingdom of Bahrain is carrying out its duties and flights connecting the two countries are operational without interruption."

The statement also affirmed "the Kingdom's keenness on the continuity of its relations with the Syrian Arab Republic and stresses the significance of enhancing and activating the Arab role in order to maintain Syria's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and avert the hazards of regional interference in its internal affairs and progress."

It came a day after the United Arab Emirates officially reopened its embassy in Damascus.

The Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said the reopening of its embassy "reaffirms the keenness of the United Arab Emirates to restore relations between the two friendly countries to their normal course."

The move "will strengthen and activate the Arab role in supporting the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and to prevent the dangers of regional interference in Syrian Arab affairs," the ministry pointed out.

On December 16, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir became the first Arab League leader to visit Damascus.

Syria's official news agency SANA said Bashir was greeted by his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad upon arrival at Damascus International Airport, before they both headed to the presidential palace.

The two leaders discussed bilateral ties and the "situations and crises faced by many Arab countries," the Syrian presidency said in a statement.

SANA quoted the Sudanese leader as saying during the meeting that he hoped Syria will recover its important role in the region as soon as possible.

He also affirmed Khartoum's readiness to provide all it can to support Syria's territorial integrity.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the country.U.S. security adviser arrives in Turkey for Syria talks

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 15:46, January 08, 2019

ANKARA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton and his delegation arrived in Ankara on Monday to discuss security arrangement as the U.S. troops withdraw from Syria.

Talks between U.S. and Turkish officials scheduled for Tuesday are expected to focus on the coordination of regional security following U.S. troops pullout from Syria, the roadmap for Syria's Manbij, and the fight against Islamic State (IS) and other terror groups, reported Anadolu Agency.

The sale of U.S. Patriot air defense systems and extradition of Fethullah Gulen, U.S.-based preacher, are among the topics as well.

Monday's visit comes a day after Bolton said the U.S. will not withdraw troops from Syria unless the Turkish government guarantees it won't attack Kurdish fighters.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar responded on Monday, saying that Turkey's fight isn't against Kurds but against the People's Protection Units (YPG) and IS group.

Ankara sees the YPG as the Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey. However, the United States has supported the YPG to combat the IS in Syria.

The U.S. delegation is due to leave on Tuesday.Daesh suicide attack kills 5, injures 8 in northern Syria

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Jan 8, IRNA -- The suicide attack conducted by Daesh (ISIS) terrorists in the city of Raqqa, northern Syria has claimed the lives of 5 and injured 8 more.

A suicide bomber using an explosive belt detonated himself near the Kurdish forces' checkpoint in Raqqa on Monday, Russian media ' RT Arabic', quoted the Syrian Human Rights watch as saying.

A Kurd force and four civilians were killed in this attack, Syrian HRW added.

The Human Rights body went on to say that due to the serious condition of the injured people, the number of casualties are subject to increase.

The terrorist group Daesh has claimed the responsibility of Raqqa deadly attack.

Earlier, head of Raqqa Medical Association Jamal Al-Isa said that every day, more crimes are discovered from Daesh terrorist group and the illegal Western coalition led by the United States in Raqqa.

After transfer of Daesh terrorists from Raqqa, the US coalition conducted blind bombardment on the city and destroyed 85% of it, he added.

Some 4,000 dead bodies have so far been discovered in mass graves, he noted.

Raqqa also called Raqa, Rakka and Al-Raqqah, once the stronghold of ISIS in Syria, is a city located on the northeast bank of the Euphrates River, about 160 km east of Aleppo. It is located 40 km east of the Tabqa Dam, Syria's largest dam.

Syrian Army expelled Daesh terrorists from western and southern Raqqa in summer 2017 and took control of the city which is 368 kilometers to northeast of the capital, Damascus.

9376**1771Saudi forces conduct deadly raid in Qatif village

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 05:09AM

Qatif region in Saudi Arabia has been the scene of fresh bloody violence. Saudi forces have stormed a small village in the Shia-populated region, killing five people and injuring an unspecified number of others.

Social media users have reported clashes, mortar attacks and shooting in the Umm al-Hamam village on Monday, and have even identified some of the victims.

According to local sources, Saudi forces surrounded the village for about 15 hours. They stormed a number of rural houses, claiming they were searching for a number of wanted people.

Qatif, situated in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, has been the scene of anti-regime protests since 2011, with demonstrators demanding free speech, the release of political prisoners, and an end to economic and religious discrimination.

Riyadh has suppressed pro-democracy rallies, but they have intensified since January 2016 when the Al Saud regime executed respected Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.

In 2017, Awamiyah, another Shia-populated Qatif town, witnessed a deadly military crackdown on protests that were being held against the regime's attempt to raze the historical Musawara neighborhood.

Saudi rulers claimed the district's narrow streets served as a hideout for armed men who were behind the attacks on Saudi forces in Eastern Province.

Riyadh then deployed military forces with heavy weapons to the town, while bulldozers escorted by heavily armored military vehicles demolished several houses, businesses and historical sites across the region.

Dozens of civilians were killed during the weeks-long military crackdown. Some 30,000 people also fled the town.Contrasting Trump, Pompeo vows to punish Saudi over Khashoggi murder

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 09:46AM

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says his country will punish Saudi Arabia for the "heinous" murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, contrasting President Donald Trump's statements that doing so would hurt American interests.

While Trump had suggested in the aftermath of the murder that there was too much at stake for Washington to go after Riyadh, Pompeo made it clear that Khashoggi's murderers were not getting away with their deeds.

"We've taken a very clear message to the world with respect to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi," the top US diplomat told CNBC on Monday. "This was a heinous act. It's unacceptable. It's inconsistent with the way nations ought to behave around the world."

Weeks after Khashoggi, a US resident, went missing after entering the Saudi consulate in Turkey's Istanbul on October 2, Riyadh admitted that he had been killed by security agents in a brawl.

Mounting evidence released by Turkish officials, coupled with a controversial CIA assessment, left little doubt that the hit job had been ordered by Saudi leaders, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in particular.

Defying his own intelligence agents, however, Trump said back then that punishing the Saudi would jeopardize billions of dollars in weapons deals with the kingdom and cause oil prices to skyrocket.

At the time, Trump even warned that punishing Saudis puts Israel in the harm's way.

Asked whether oil prices had anything to do with Washington's response, Pompeo said: "They're disconnected."

"We've told the Saudis that we've held Saudi citizens accountable for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. We will continue to do so as new facts arise," Pompeo said, referring to a series of sanctions that Washington slapped on 17 Saudi officials in the aftermath of the killing.

"At the same time, we're going to continue to do the things that protect the American people, and that includes a deep and lasting relationship with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia" he continued.

Mixed messages

Pompeo made the remarks a day before setting off on a Middle East tour that would include stops in Jordan, Egypt and several countries in the Persian Gulf region.

It was not yet clear how serious Pompeo's pledge was because several outlets reported later on that he was planning to applaud Riyadh's handling of Khashoggi's murder in a speech in the Egyptian capital on Tuesday.

The Trump administration's reluctance to punish bin Salman over Khashoggi's murder as well as the kingdom's deadly war on Yemen has prompted bipartisan fury in Congress.

Last month, the Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution that called MbS an "accomplice" in the murder.

American senators also voted to end Washington's continued support for Riyadh's deadly war on Yemen, which has killed thousands of Yemeni civilians and put millions other on the verge of famine since its onset in March 2015.US faces unprecedented defeat in Iran sanctions campaign: Ayatollah Khamenei

Iran Press TV

Wed Jan 9, 2019 11:30AM

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has warned the United States of an "unprecedented defeat" in its campaign of sanctions and pressure against the Iranian nation.

Addressing a group of people from the holy city of Qom on Wednesday, the Leader said the Americans speak gleefully of "strongest sanctions in history" against Iran, "but the Iranian nation will, God willing, make them suffer an unprecedented defeat in history."

"The nation and authorities should attentively work to turn the American sanctions into an unprecedented defeat for the Great Satan (the US), as was done during the era of Sacred Defense (the eight-year Iraq-imposed war)," said the Leader.

The United States first brought Iran under sanctions in the wake of the Islamic Revolution in 1979. It slapped new bans against the country in 1987 at the height of Iraq's Western-backed war against Iran.

The eight-year war is known in Iran as the Era of Sacred Defense due to the extreme sacrifice and resistance exercised by the Iranian nation in the face of the invader and its Western patrons.

Washington lifted some of its sanctions after the implementation of a 2015 multilateral nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic and other world countries. It, however, left the deal unilaterally last year -- even though the accord has been ratified in the form of a United Nations Security Council resolution -- and reimposed the sanctions.

The Leader further urged steadfastness in the face of the US and Europe's "militarism, bluster, and idle talk," saying, "Neither their threats, nor their words and promises, and not even their signatures is creditworthy."

Ayatollah Khamenei also referred to predictions of a "regime change" in Iran by certain US officials by the end of 2018.

"A while ago, a US politician had said, among a gathering of terrorists and thugs, that he hopes to celebrate this Christmas in Tehran," Ayatollah Khamenei said.

The Leader was referring to comments by US National Security Advisor John Bolton, a long-time regime change advocate, who often speaks at gatherings of the anti-Iran MKO terrorist outfit.

"Before 2019, we here will celebrate in Tehran," Bolton told an MKO meeting in July 2017.

Ayatollah Khamenei said, "Christmas was a few days ago. This is how US calculations work."

"Some US officials pretend that they are mad. Of course I don't agree with that. Rather, they are first-class idiots," he said.

During the Sacred Defense Era, "the enemies would not even let us have barbed wire," the Leader recalled, adding, "But the nation and authorities used the sanctions as a means of [enabling] dependence on domestic capabilities and the flourishing of talents in a way that it turned Iran into the region's unparalleled power today."Iran Not Going to Wait for EU to Develop Ways to Bypass US Sanctions - Zarif

Sputnik News

13:50 08.01.2019(updated 13:53 08.01.2019)

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iran will focus on cooperation with its traditional partners such as China, India and Russia instead of waiting for the European Union to develop financial mechanisms bypassing US sanctions, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has stated.

"We are in touch with Europe but we are not waiting for Europe. The Europeans have been trying but unfortunately, they have not been able to move forward as we have expected them. We are not waiting for them, we are working with our traditional partners like India, China and Russia so that we are working in the interests of our people", Zarif said, as quoted by the IRNA news agency.

The statement comes after the Iranian Foreign Ministry criticized last week the European Union for delaying the establishment of a so-called Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which aims to facilitate non-dollar trade with Iran and bypass unilateral US sanctions.

The Foreign Ministry said that the European Union was responsible for not implementing the SVP, and called on the block to think about possible consequences.

Following a September ministerial meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, China, Russia and Iran announced that the European Union would establish a financial mechanism to enable trade with Iran after a decision of the United States to reimpose sanctions on Tehran.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini has commented on the matter, saying in early December that she expected the instrument to be established before the end of 2018.

Following the United States's withdrawal from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), known as the Iran nuclear deal, and Washington has re-imposed a series of sanctions against Tehran that had been lifted under the agreement. The first package of the US restrictions came into force in August. In early November, Washington imposed sanctions targeting core sectors of Iran's economy.

 SputnikTurkey Turns Back to Iranian Crude Imports Using US Wavier  Report

Sputnik News

21:46 08.01.2019

The US imposed sanctions on Iranian oil exports in November 2018 following its unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal. At the same time, Washington issued temporary waivers to several countries, allowing them to continue importing Tehran's crude.

Turkey has resumed imports of Iranian oil, receiving two tankers in December, importing at a rate of some 54,000 barrels per day, Reuters reported. Currently the country is allowed to import up to 60,000 barrels per day under the waiver from the American sanctions, as compared to the roughly 200,000 barrels per day that the country was importing from Iran prior to the imposition of the restrictions in November 2018.

According to Reuters, Turkey had reduced its imports to zero in the months prior to November, but on the very day that the sanctions were imposed, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that China, India, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Turkey would receive temporary 6-month waivers, allowing them to continue buying Iranian crude in limited quantities without being sanctioned by the US.

Washington re-imposed sanctions against Iranian energy companies and banks on 5 November 2018, which were initially lifted under the provisions of the JCPOA. Trump announced in May 2018 that the US would abandon the Iran nuclear deal, which he labelled "flawed at its core". The move was unilateral, with other signatories slamming Washington for the move and expressing readiness to continue to adhere to the deal.

 SputnikIndia begins commercial activity at Chabahar port

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 02:53AM

India has started its commercial activities in Chabahar within the framework of a trilateral deal, also including Afghanistan, aimed at developing the southern Iran port into a regional trade hub.

The countries signed the agreement in Tehran in May 2016 to establish a strategic transit and transport route connecting the trio, with Chabahar as the focal point. India then inaugurated a headquarters called India Ports Global Chabahar Free Zone (IPGCFZ) at the port to help it commit to its part in the accord.

On Monday, India's Shipping Ministry said in a statement that commercial operations had begun at the IPGCFZ with the arrival of a Cyprus registered bulk carrier bearing 72,458 million tons of corn at the port on December 30, The Times of India reported.

The vessel MV Macheras discharged the cargo, which had been imported from Brazil, the statement added.

"This is the first time India will be operating a port outside its territories," the Ministry pointed out.

"India is to equip and operate two berths in Chabahar Port Phase-I with capital investment of $85.21 million and annual revenue expenditure of $22.95 million on a 10-year lease," the paper added.

The port provides the easiest access to the high seas to landlocked Central Asian countries of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kirgizstan, and Kazakhstan.

"This step marks the beginning of a long journey. India has written a history with its engagement in Chabahar and is now leading the regional cooperation and joint efforts to support landlocked Afghanistan," the Ministry further said.

India's operations at Chabahar are also aimed at cutting its crude oil and urea transportation costs by around 30 percent.

India relies heavily on Iranian oil imports. It has secured a waiver from the United States illegal sanctions preventing countries from purchasing Iranian crude.

Also on Monday, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif arrived in New Delhi at the head of a large economic delegation for a three-day visit, assuring, "Iran has always been and will continue to be a trustworthy provider of oil to India."Turkey resumes importing Iranian crude oil under US sanctions waiver

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 02:06PM

Turkey has resumed imports of crude from Iran under waivers granted by the United States to almost all Iranian oil clients after Washington re-imposed the "toughest" sanctions ever against Tehran, trading and shipping sources say.

The US administration agreed to allow Turkey and other countries to continue purchasing Iran's crude oil in early November.

Turkey said it was permitted to import three million tonnes a year, equivalent to about 60,000 barrels per day (bpd), under the waiver.

Turkey used to import about 200,000 bpd of Iranian crude before US President Donald Trump's move to withdraw in May 2018 from the landmark 2015 nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and to re-impose unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

Under the deal, reached between Iran and six major powers - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany - Tehran agreed to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions.

Turkey had decreased its crude imports from Iran in the months prior to sanctions coming into force. Its imports fell to zero in November.

However, Turkey received two tankers carrying Iranian crude equivalent to about 54,000 bpd in December, according to a shipping and trading source familiar with the issue.

The Solan tanker delivered into the Turkish port of Aliaga while the Sea Topaz I discharged at Tutunciftlik.

According to the sources and Refinitiv Eikon ship tracking, Turkey is set to receive a cargo from Sinopa tanker in January.

US pure obsession with Iran like attitude of failing psychotic stalkers: FM Zarif

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 05:30PM

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says the United States has a "pure obsession" with Iran which is very much like the attitude of "persistently failing psychotic stalkers."

The top Iranian diplomat took to his official Twitter account on Tuesday to react to recent remarks made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton against the Islamic Republic.

"While ordinarily it might be flattering, @SecPompeo's and @AmbJohnBolton's pure obsession with Iran is more and more like the behavior of persistently failing psychotic stalkers," Zarif said.

He emphasized that the US is "substituting a real foreign policy with Iran- obsession and -phobia."

Speaking during a news conference with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi in Amman on Tuesday at the start of his second trip to the Middle East, Pompeo said that his country was "redoubling not only our diplomatic but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran."

He pointed to the US decision to withdraw troops from Syria and claimed that the move would not jeopardize Washington's efforts to counter threats in the region, which, he alleged, came from Iran and the Daesh terrorist group.

"The most significant threats to the region are Daesh and the Islamic Revolution," said the US secretary of state.

Last month, US President Donald Trump made an abrupt announcement to withdraw the roughly 2,000 American troops from Syria, claiming that the US had accomplished its goal of defeating Daesh.

"We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency," Trump said in his Twitter account, using an acronym for the terrorist group.

US National Security Adviser John Bolton also claimed on Sunday that Iran poses a threat to the region through its "quest for deliverable nuclear weapons."

"We've got the continuing threat of Iran's quest for deliverable nuclear weapons," Bolton said during a joint declaration with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said on Monday that the era of American order and Western hegemony has reached its end and time has come to usher in the post-West age in West Asia.

"The Islamic Revolution (in Iran) and the resistance in Syria, Iraq and Yemen show the reality that the West is not the center of regional developments anymore, and the compulsory US exit from Syria indicates the failure of their (the US) strategies in the region," Hatami said in an address to the International Conference on Defense and Security in West Asia in Tehran.

Also on Monday, the Iranian foreign minister reacted to a picture showing the US national security advisor wearing virtual reality goggles allegedly reconstructing the past on a tour in the Israeli-occupied holy city of Jerusalem al-Quds.

On Sunday, Bolton and others were photographed wearing the device during a visit to the Jewish holy site of the Western Wall in East al-Quds, which Palestinians want as the capital of their future state.

"It's said a picture says a thousand words. This picture, however, says more than a thousand words about decades of failed US policies in our region," Zarif tweeted on Monday.Slamming bans, Zarif says accusing Iran won't absolve EU responsibility for housing terrorists

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 07:33PM

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has lambasted the European Union (EU) for harboring notorious MKO terrorists, warning that "accusing" Iran and imposing sanctions against the Islamic Republic will not "absolve" Europe of responsibility for housing members of the terror outfit.

Iran's top diplomat made the remarks on Tuesday, hours after the customs union froze the assets of an Iranian intelligence unit and two of its staff over terror charges. It was the first time the EU imposed sanctions on Iran since lifting an array of embargoes following Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

"Europeans, incl Denmark, Holland & France, harbor MEKwho killed 12000 Iranians & abetted Saddam's crimes against Iraqi Kurdsas well as other terrorists staging murder of innocent Iranians from Europe. Accusing Iran won't absolve Europe of responsibility for harboring terrorists," Zarif said in a post on his official Twitter account.

The Iranian foreign minister referred to the Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MEK or MKO), a terrorist group which is detested for collaborating with the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein during his war on Iran in the 1980s and killing thousands of Iranians in a violent campaign of assassinations and bombings, particularly in those years.

Earlier on Tuesday, Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said in a tweet that the "EU just agreed to enact sanctions against an Iranian Intelligence Service for its assassination plots on European soil."

He further described the step taken by the union as a "strong signal from the EU that we will not accept such behavior in Europe."

Also on Tuesday, the Netherlands government accused Tehran of hatching plots and involvement in two killings in 2015 and 2017, sending a letter, signed by the foreign and interior ministers, to the Dutch parliament to warn of further economic embargos if Tehran did not cooperate with European probes.

The letter said representatives from Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands and Belgium had met Iranian officials to convey "their serious concerns regarding Iran's probable involvement in these hostile acts on EU territory," Reuters reported.

"Iran was informed that involvement in such matters is entirely unacceptable and must be stopped immediately ... further sanctions cannot be ruled out," the letter said.

The provocative move by the European bloc follows last year's statements by Denmark and France that they suspected a so-called Iranian government intelligence unit pursued killing plots on their territories. Copenhagen at the time sought an EU-wide response.

Tehran has time and again strongly denied any involvement in the purported plots, saying the accusations were merely intended to damage EU-Iran relations. Iran also stresses that it is a victim of terrorism, particularly inflicted by the MKO outfit, whose members largely live freely in the EU countries.

The MKO was once listed as a terrorist organization in the US and Europe and is still widely viewed as a Marxist cult built around the personality of its leader, Maryam Rajavi.

Some of its uncouth practices include forcing the group's male members to divorce their wives and have them married to Rajavi's husband Massoud.

The terrorist group is also known for its extremely suppressive control over members in its camps where access to the Internet and other information sources is prohibited.Iran's ground forces turned offensive, rapid reaction units: Cmdr

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Tehran, Jan 8, IRNA -- The commander of the Ground Forces of the Islamic Republic Army says the Islamic Republic Army's ground force units have turned into 'offensive mobile' and 'rapid reaction' units.

Brigadier General Kiomars Heidari said on Tuesday that the Army's Ground Force have undergone a profound transformation in their units in recent years in line with the order of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

He added that with the guidance of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Islamic Republic Army's ground forces crossed the traditional units, and nowadays it is comprised of an offensive mobile and rapid reaction units.

The commander explained, 'These units are more efficient and more operational than the former army units that were operating in the past.'

Heidari described the formation of these units as unprecedented and impressive, saying that the formation of offensive mobile units and rapid reaction could have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of the Army's Ground Force.

9455**1420Indian Defence Forces Lost 334 Men to Suicide and Fratricide Since 2016

Sputnik News

13:16 08.01.2019(updated 13:17 08.01.2019)

The state defence minister, speaking to the Indian parliament currently in session, said that the government has taken major steps to boost a healthy environment that includes yoga and meditation.

New Delhi (Sputnik)  The Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre informed the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament, that suicide is a major killer in the three branches of the Indian Defence Force  the Army, Air Force and Navy. He was speaking in response to a query that was raised in this regard.

Citing numbers, Bhamre said that the Defence Services have lost 334 personnel to suicide and fratricide alone since 2016. In the year 2016, India lost 129 troops (104 from the army, 6 from navy and 19 from air force), while the year 2017 saw 101 deaths (75 from army, 5 from navy, 21 from air force). The year 2018, the country lost 104 personnel (80 from the army, 8 from navy and 16 from air force).

The junior minister also informed that there were five cases of fratricide in the three forces in the same time period.

Apprising the Rajya Sabha on the steps taken, Bhamre informed that his government has undertaken measures to foster a good environment among rank holding officers and other non-rank holders. Such measures include better quality in terms of facilities offered to the defence personnel.

Currently, the forces enjoy clothing, food, married accommodation, travel facilities, schooling for kids, recreation and periodic welfare meetings.

The minister said that the government has deployed psychological counsellors and has incorporated yoga and meditation routines as stress management tools.

"The government has worked towards institutionalization of projects named 'MILAP' and 'SAHYOG' for stress reduction and has established 'Mansik Sahayata Helpline' (helpline for mental wellbeing) in the army and the air force wherein troops can avail professional counselling", he said.

The formation of Military Psychiatry Treatment Centre at INHS Asvini and establishment of Mental Health Centres in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Port Blair, Goa, and Karwar are among other curative measures taken by the Indian Forces, elaborated the minister.

 SputnikNorth Korea's Kim Visits Beijing Amid US-China Trade Talks

By Bill Ide January 08, 2019

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is in Beijing this week, his fourth visit in a less than a year. The trip comes as Chinese and U.S. officials held a second day of trade talks and as Kim prepares for a second possible meeting with President Donald Trump.

Analysts say the visit is likely to be an opportunity for the two countries to discuss North Korea's plans for another meeting with Trump. When the two met for the first time last March, they agreed to communicate more with each other about domestic and international affairs.

China's Xi Jinping and Kim Jong Un held three summits last year before and after meetings with Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

During his visit this week, which ends on Thursday, Kim will be looking for assurances that if talks with the United States fail, it will still have support from China, says Shi Yinhong, a political science professor at Beijing's Renmin University.

"Just like his previous visits to China, he will want China to give him more economic help and continue to appeal to the U.N. Security Council to reduce sanctions against North Korea," Shi said.

At a regular briefing on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang had this to say when asked whether there was a connection between the visit and a possible second Trump Kim summit.

"China has always supported North Korea and the U.S. to hold talks and to reach a positive outcome," Lu said.

Lu said China believes contact between the U.S. and North Korea is important. When asked whether North Korean officials would meet with U.S. officials during their visit, he said the delegations were at different levels.

In a New Year's Day address Kim warned that it might take an alternative path if U.S. sanctions and pressure did not ease. But how much support Beijing is willing to give and how much influence it has over Pyongyang is still a matter of debate both outside and in China.

An optimistic report in the communist party backed nationalist tabloid the Global Times said 2019 may be a seminal year for North Korea, quoting one analyst who argued that this year could be like China's move in 1979 to move away from isolation toward economic reform and opening up in 1979.

Analysts believe that North Korea is already moving in that direction taking small steps toward opening up its economy, but they also add that any changes that do come will come at a very slow pace.

The article said Kim arrived in Beijing seeking a breakthrough in denuclearization talks and ways to improve ties with the United States. The timing of the visit  as U.S. and Chinese officials work to hash out a trade deal - has some wondering whether Beijing is trying its hand at playing the so-called North Korea card, to use the issue as leverage.

Hu Xijin, the editor in chief at the Global Times said on Twitter Tuesday that "the timing of Kim's China visit is clearly linked to the planned second summit between him and President Trump."

"As to whether this is used as a bargaining chip by China in trade talks, I believe more Americans would think so than Chinese do," the tweet went on to say. Twitter is blocked in China.

Renmin University's Shi said there is no connection between the visit and the trade talks and that these two were unlikely to influence each other.

"But Kim Jong Un's visit to Beijing could indirectly show President Trump that although China has maybe less economic cards, China still has some strategic and diplomatic cards," Shi said.Kim Jong-un Accompanied by N Korean US Negotiator in Beijing Visit - Reports

Sputnik News

08:10 08.01.2019(updated 08:17 08.01.2019)

TOKYO (Sputnik) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, during a visit to Beijing, is being accompanied, apart from his wife Ri Sol-ju, by North Korea's Vice Chairman Kim Yong-chol, who is in charge of the nuclear talks with the United States, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported on Tuesday.

Earlier, media reported that Kim Jong-un was paying a visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping from Monday through Thursday. This is the fourth visit by the North Korean leader to China in less than a year. The previous visits were on March 25-28, May 7-8 and June 19-20 last year.

Senior Researcher from Beijing-based Taihe Institute, Ding Yifan, suggested in an interview with Sputnik that Kim Jong-un would discuss with Chinese counterpart the upcoming meeting with US President Donald Trump, and that his trip to China was indirect evidence of the upcoming US-North Korean summit. The parties are also expected to discuss denuclearisation.

Other members of the high-level North Korean delegation include the country's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho and People's Armed Forces Minister No Kwang-chol, the KCNA noted.

On Tuesday, the North Korean leader is celebrating his 36th birthday.

 SputnikNorth Korea's Kim in China for 4th summit with President Xi

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 06:13AM

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has arrived in China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, only days after warning he would take an "alternative path" if the United States kept his country under pressure and sanctions.

Kim and his wife, Ri Sol-ju, arrived in Beijing for a three-day visit on Tuesday, Chinese and North Korean media reported.

In a report earlier in the day, the official news agency of the North, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), said Kim had left the capital, Pyongyang, on Monday afternoon with his wife and a delegation of key diplomats, including Kim Yong-chol, who has led negotiations with the US and other countries in the past.

South Korea's media had reported earlier that a heavily armored train "possibly carrying a senior official" had crossed the North's border into China on Monday.

The train entered China on Monday and arrived in Beijing on Tuesday morning, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

The South's media also said that the visit coincided with Kim's 35th birthday, on January 8.

This is Kim's fourth trip to China since last year, when Pyongyang started unprecedented diplomatic engagement with other countries.

Kim's last visit to China came days after he met with US President Donald Trump in a June summit in Singapore, where the two agreed to work toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Trump has recently said officials are working to arrange a second meeting between him and Kim.

But diplomacy between North Korea and the US has already snagged, because the US refuses to remove any of its harsh sanctions on Pyongyang. This is while the North Korean government has already taken several unilateral measures toward denuclearization.

In his New Year address last week, Kim said that there would be faster progress on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula if the Trump administration took corresponding action. If that didn't happen, he warned, North Korea would take an "alternative path."

An analyst at a US think tank, the Washington-based Center for the National Interest, described Kim's statement as a veiled threat to move closer to Beijing, which remains its closest ally and most important trading partner.

"Kim is eager to remind the Trump administration that he does have diplomatic and economic options besides what Washington and Seoul can offer," said Harry Kazianis, the director of defense studies at the think tank.

Kim's visit also coincided with another development in China, where a delegation of US negotiators has already started talks over a trade war between Beijing and Washington.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, however, told CNBC on Monday that the trade talks and the North Korean issue were not related.

"The Chinese have been very clear to us that these are separate issues," he said. "Their behavior has demonstrated that as well and we appreciate that. China has actually been a good partner in our efforts to reduce the risk to the world from North Korea's nuclear capability; I expect they will continue to do so."

On the contrary, Kazianis, the analyst at the think tank, said that the timing from China's perspective "could not be any better," as "Beijing clearly has a North Korea card to play if it sees fit" amid the trade talks with the US.China's ship-killer missiles mobilized to Northwest China plateau

Global Times

By Liu Xuanzun Source:Global Times Published: 2019/1/9 16:37:52

China's far-reaching, anti-ship ballistic missile the DF-26 has been mobilized to Northwest China's plateau and desert areas, reported China's national broadcaster on Tuesday after a US warship trespassed into China's territorial waters off the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea on Monday.

The DF-26 is China's new generation of intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of targeting medium and large ships at sea. It can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads.

The DF-26 is attached to a brigade under the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Rocket Force that operates in Northwest China's plateau and desert areas, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

The report said the missiles are now capable of mobile operations across the country. It was unclear from the CCTV report when the missiles were mobilized.

A mobile missile launch from deep in the country's interior is more difficult to intercept, a Beijing-based military expert, who asked not to be named, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

During the initial phase of a ballistic missile launch, the missile is relatively slow and not difficult to detect, making it an easier target for enemy anti-missile installations, the expert noted.

After the missile enters a later stage, its speed is so high that chances for interception are significantly lower, the expert said.

This is also the first time the missile has made a close-up public appearance since it came into service with the PLA, cctv.com reported.

The timing of the report sparked discussions among Chinese military observers online, as it came after the USS McCambell, a US guided missile destroyer, trespassed into China's territorial waters off the Xisha Islands on Monday without permission from the Chinese government.

China dispatched aircraft and warships to warn the US vessel and has lodged a solemn representation with the US, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lu Kang said at a daily briefing on Monday.

The report is a good reminder that China is capable of safeguarding its territory, the anonymous expert said. "Even when launched from deeper inland areas of China, the DF-26 has a range far-reaching enough to cover the South China Sea."

It can hit targets 4,500 kilometers away, china.com reported, making it capable of striking targets including US naval bases in Guam in the western Pacific.

In April 2018, Ministry of National Defense announced that the missile has officially joined the PLA Rocket Force.

Chinese military warns off US warship and keeps alert to situation

People's Daily Online

(China Military Online) 08:39, January 08, 2019

BEIJING, Jan. 7 (ChinaMil) -- Naval and air force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command conducted whole-process monitoring of a US warship that trespassed into Chinese territorial waters off the Xisha Islands without permission, and warned it to leave, a spokesperson of the command said on Monday.

The USS McCampbell, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer of the US Navy, trespassed on Monday into Chinese territorial waters off the Xisha Islands without permission of the Chinese government. The PLA Southern Theater Command soon sent naval ships and aircraft to identify and warn off the U.S. warship.

Senior colonel Li Huamin said in a statement that China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters, the provocation of the US warship infringed China's sovereignty, is a grave violation of Chinese law and relevant international law and also a grave threat to regional peace and stability.

"We urge the US side immediately cease such provocative actions. The PLA Southern Theater Command will remain on high alert, closely monitor relevant maritime and air situations and resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty and security," he said.No Reason for setting up US military base in Brazil: Defense minister

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 03:11PM

Brazil's Defense Minister General Fernando Azevedo e Silva says he sees no reason to allow the United States to establish a military base in the South American country, in direct defiance of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who said he would be open to the idea.

The defense minister made the comment at the Tuesday edition of Valor Economico, adding that the matter "is complex" and he had not yet discussed it with the president.

"This needs to be carefully evaluated. I don't see what the reason is for such a base," Reuters further quoted him as saying.

Separately on Tuesday, the Brazilian daily newspaper Folha de S.Paulo, citing unnamed sources, reported that Bolsonaro had backtracked on the idea.

Bolsonaro, 63, who took office on January 1, announced in a televised interview on Thursday that he might be willing to allow an American base in Brazil as a way to "counter Russian influence" in Venezuela, a move that would mark a dramatic shift in direction for the largest South American country's foreign policy.

On Friday, Silva said in an interview that Bolsonaro, a former army officer-turned-politician, had yet to discuss his plans with the defense ministry, the part of the government that the minister said would oversee any such move.

Furthermore, Brazil's Ministry of Defense said on Saturday that it had not been informed of the so-called US base proposal by the president.

"The president has not discussed this with the defense minister," said Major Sylvia Martins, a spokeswoman for the ministry.

Additionally on Saturday, Reuters cited an unnamed top military official that the Brazilian Armed Forces are against a US base in the country and Bolsonaro's comment has not been well received by the military.

Bolsonaro is an ardent admirer of US President Donald Trump and the White House's policies, particularly those with regard to opposing the "authoritarian regimes" of left-wing governments in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela.

The right-wing Brazilian president, who is also known as "Tropical Trump," has sparked controversy by following Trump on relocating his country's embassy in Israel to the occupied Jerusalem al-Quds.

If the Brazilian president follows through the plan, the Latin American country would become the third nation  after the US and Guatemala  to have an embassy in the highly sensitive city, which is the third holiest Muslim site.No Sign of Compromise on Wall at US-Mexico Border

By Ken Bredemeier, Michael Bowman January 09, 2019

U.S. President Donald Trump and congressional leaders are meeting again Wednesday, but there were no signs they were ready to compromise over Trump's demand for funding for construction of a barrier wall along the U.S.-Mexican border, a dispute that has led to a 19-day partial government shutdown.

Trump is having lunch on Capitol Hill with Senate Republicans and later meeting at the White House with both Republican and Democratic congressional leaders, the day after Trump called for construction of the border barrier in a televised address to the nation from the Oval Office, his first during his two-year presidency.

Minutes later, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer gave a rebuttal, saying the wall was unnecessary and imploring Trump to reopen the quarter of the government that has been shuttered since Dec. 22, while talks continue over a border wall Trump says is necessary to thwart illegal immigration. It is the second longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

It is the second longest government shutdown in U.S. history, furloughing 800,000 government workers or forcing them to work without pay. In past shutdowns, civil servants were paid retroactively once the impasses ended.

Trump said on Twitter, "Thank you for soooo many nice comments regarding my Oval Office speech. A very interesting experience!"

In another tweet, he reiterated the call to "fix" the southern border.

He told reporters, "We have to do what's right at our border."

Trump said he still may declare a national emergency to build the wall without congressional approval, adding, "My threshold will be if I can't make a deal with unreasonable people."

Democrats have offered Trump $1.3 billion in new funding for border security, although none for a wall. But Trump has demanded more than $5 billion for a barrier, which he now says could be steel slats rather than the solid concrete.

During his successful run for the White House in 2016, Trump's most fervent supporters cheered his call for a wall that he said Mexico would pay for.

Reaction from Democrats

In their rebuttal, Pelosi and Schumer derided Trump's claim that the U.S.'s southern neighbor would pay for the wall, instead of U.S. taxpayers.

"The president of the United States  having failed to get Mexico to pay for his ineffective, unnecessary border wall, and unable to convince the Congress or the American people to foot the bill  has shut down the government," Schumer said. "American democracy doesn't work that way. We don't govern by temper tantrum."

Other Democratic senators also said they were unmoved by Trump's demand for a barrier.

"I didn't hear the president say anything that would change my mind. We should be re-opening the government," Senator Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire told VOA.

"I think we ought to solve this shutdown. It's ridiculous," said Senator Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats.

Senator Doug Jones of Alabama said, "We need to dial back the rhetoric and not use fear. Let's talk strictly about border security in the long run, not just a short-term fix. We need to figure out how to get this government open, number one, and fix our borders, number two."

Reaction from Republicans

Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana called Trump's comments about border security "very appropriate." He said Schumer and Pelosi's support for border security but not a wall was "juvenile ... very disingenuous. I think most Americans understand that it's purely political."

Senator John Boozman of Arkansas told VOA he thinks that a compromise might eventually be reached. "I think the president will wind up with not all that he wants," Boozman said, "and Democrats are going to have to give some. I think that's really the solution."

Trump said in his address that it is up to Democrats to "pass a spending bill that defends our borders and reopens the government." He suggested the issue could be resolved in a quick meeting, but past discussions at the White House have not ended the stalemate.

In their joint response to Trump's speech, Pelosi and Schumer pointed to a number of spending bills lawmakers have already passed that would reopen the government and provide money for border security. They say the shutdown continues only because Trump refuses to drop his demand for $5.7 billion in wall funding.

'Humanitarian crisis'

In his speech, Trump sought to make a case that not having a wall is putting Americans at risk of being victims of violence at the hands of people who enter the country illegally, and endangering them by allowing large amounts of illegal drugs to cross the border.

"Over the years, thousands of Americans have been brutally killed by those who illegally entered our country and thousands more lives will be lost if we don't act right now," Trump said. "This is a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul."

He said hundreds more people are killed each year by drugs, particularly heroin, most of which, he said, comes into the United States through the southwestern border.

An October 2018 report by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency detailed the prevalence and source of a number of drugs, including those Trump mentioned Tuesday  heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. In each case, the report said the vast majority of the drugs comes in through existing points of entry, most commonly in cars, which would not be stopped by a border wall.

Trump accused Democrats of not acknowledging what he calls the "crisis" at the border and says they refuse to support funding for border security and what he calls the "common sense" wall.Trump prepares border visit as wall funding still hangs in air

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 15:41, January 08, 2019

WASHINGTON, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- The White House said Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to visit the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday, as the partisan fight over his demand for funding a border wall has left the federal government partially shut down for more than two weeks.

"President @realDonaldTrump will travel to the Southern border on Thursday to meet with those on the frontlines of the national security and humanitarian crisis. More details will be announced soon," White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted Monday, without elaborating on specific arrangements for the presidential trip.

Shortly after Sanders' tweet, Trump took to Twitter to announce his Tuesday primetime speech on border security. "I am pleased to inform you that I will Address the Nation on the Humanitarian and National Security crisis on our Southern Border. Tuesday night at 9:00 P.M. Eastern," he said.

The trip will be the first time Trump leaves the capital since the partial government shutdown took effect on Dec. 22. Trump has demanded for 5.6 billion dollars in the 2019 budget for building a wall along the border with Mexico to keep out what he said are illegal migrants and drug traffickers.

Congressional Democrats, while saying they are also committed to strengthening border security, view the wall as both immoral and ineffective. "A wall is an immorality, it's not who we are as a nation... We are not doing a wall," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Thursday, when she assumed speakership.

Trump said on Sunday that he expects "some serious talks" over the wall from Monday to Wednesday but continued to reject giving up his request for the funding. "There's not going to be any bend right here," he said.

It seems that the only change he has made so far concerning the issue is the wording. He told reporters Sunday that he had asked his aides to switch to the term "steel barrier." "The Democrats don't like concrete, so we'll give them steel," he said.

The president also suggested that he would declare a national emergency so as to use the money from the Department of Defense to build the wall, thus bypassing the Congress. Democrats said he might face legal challenges if doing so.

In a tweet he sent on Monday, Trump partially cited Democratic Congressman Adam Smith as saying "Yes, there is a provision in law that says a president can declare an emergency. It's been done a number of times."

The quote was from Smith's appearance on ABC News' "This Week" program, where the congressman also said Trump will have to point out where the emergency is, otherwise the move will be potentially illegal.

"In this case, I think the president would be wide open to a court challenge saying, 'Where is the emergency?' You have to establish that in order to do this," Smith said. "But beyond that, this would be a terrible use of Department of Defense dollars."US Military Hits Somali Militants in 4th Airstrike This Week

By Carla Babb January 09, 2019

The United States military has killed six al-Shabab militants in Somalia, in the fourth airstrike there this week, according to the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).

The latest attack was carried out Tuesday in Somalia's Bay region and destroyed one vehicle, an AFRICOM official told VOA. He said no civilian casualties resulted from the attack.

On Monday, the U.S. military said it carried out two strikes in Somalia killing four al-Shabab extremists, in defense of Somali forces who "were engaged by al-Shabab militants."

AFRICOM said another U.S. airstrike on Sunday killed six al-Shabab members near Dheerow Sanle in the Lower Shabelle region, and a strike on January 2 killed 10 militants in the same area.

The U.S. military says no civilians were killed or injured in these airstrikes.

According to AFRICOM, the U.S. military carried out 47 airstrikes in Somalia last year and 35 in 2017, killing hundreds of militants. Most targeted al-Shabaab, while some targeted Islamic State militants in the African country.

The al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militant group continues to control large areas in southern and central Somalia. They are also responsible for deadly bombings in the capital, Mogadishu.Beijing to Beef Up Defence if Its Islands in S China Sea Threatened - Officer

Sputnik News

17:26 09.01.2019(updated 17:27 09.01.2019)

Beijing is already in control of the vast majority of the islands and shoals in the South China Sea, which are also claimed by Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. US Vice President Mike Pence insists that the disputed South China Sea area is not the domain of any one country.

Chinese Navy academy researcher Senior Captain Zhang Junshe has reiterated Beijing's position on the matter, insisting that the Asian superpower has the legal right to take any steps to expand its clout in the South China Sea.

Zhang also warned that "if our on-island personnel and installations come under threat in future, then we necessarily will take measures to boost our defensive capabilities".

Separately, he claimed that the US Navy jeopardises regional security by conducting its "freedom of navigation" missions in areas adjacent to the South China Sea islands.

The comments came after US Vice President Mike Pence claimed in mid-November that the disputed South China Sea "doesn't belong to any one nation".

"[] You can be sure: the United States will continue to sail and fly wherever international law allows and our national interests demand," Pence said.

Washington has repeatedly accused Beijing of building artificial islands in the South China Sea region and constructing facilities on the contested islands, voicing concerns that they could be used to restrict free movement and broaden Beijing's strategic reach.

Apart from "freedom of navigation" operations in the South China Sea, US Air Force bombers sometimes conduct "flyovers". These operations have prompted Beijing, in turn, to urge Washington to stop "actions that undermine China's sovereignty and security interests".

Earlier, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi stressed that China had "indisputable sovereignty" over the region's disputed Spratly Islands and has the right to build civilian and defence facilities on the territory.

Jiechi was echoed by Lt. Gen. He Lei, vice president of the Chinese People's Liberation Army's Academy of Military Science, in turn, who said that China has a sovereign right to deploy its forces and equipment on artificial South China Sea islands and considers any criticism of its actions to be interference in its domestic affairs.

China and six more countries, including Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan, have competing claims over parts of the South China Sea, a strategic and economically important waterway through which some $5 trillion in annual global trade passes.

China controls the vast majority of the sea's islands, reefs and shoals, and has built a number of artificial islands in a bid to further shore up its claims.

 SputnikMoscow: Japan's Claims on Peace Treaty With Russia Distort Previous Arrangements

Sputnik News

19:23 09.01.2019(updated 21:30 09.01.2019)

Last week, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that Tokyo had no plans to displace Russian residents from the Kuril Islands if Russia transfers the territory as a result of talks.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday that the recent statement by Tokyo on a peace treaty with Russia distorted the essence of agreements between President Vladimir Putin and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

The ministry went on to note that it summoned Japan's ambassador over Tokyo's remarks on the peace treaty with Russia.

Moscow also stressed during the meeting with the Japanese envoy that its position on the agreement was principled and unchanged.

Earlier this month, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said in an interview with national media that Japan is willing to obtain the disputed Kuril Islands, adding that they have no plans to seek the displacement of Russian residents from the territory if Moscow transfers the territory as a result of negotiations. Moreover, reports stated that Tokyo was plotting a plan in which it will be able to suggest to Russia to reject the mutual pretensions to get compensations.

The Russian-Japanese relations have long been complicated by the fact that the two nations never signed a permanent peace treaty after the end of World War II. The deal was never reached because of a disagreement over a group of four islands  Iturup, Kunashir, Shikotan and Habomai  that are claimed by both countries. They are collectively referred to as the Southern Kurils by Russia and the Northern Territories by Japan.

Since Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Japan in December 2016, the relations between the two nations have been improving, with the two sides agreeing to develop joint projects on the disputed islands.

 SputnikRetired US General Resigns as Trump Envoy to Resolve Qatar Dispute - Reports

Sputnik News

01:14 09.01.2019(updated 01:17 09.01.2019)

WASHINGTON, January 8 (Sputnik)  Retired Marine General Anthony Zinni, President Donald Trump's handpicked envoy to try and resolve disputes between Qatar and a Saudi-led coalition of other Persian Gulf and Arab states has resigned, US media reports said on Tuesday.

Zinni resigned from his post at the Department of State on Monday because he was unable to achieve a successful resolution of the issues as regional leaders rejected a proposed US-led mediation effort, he told CBS News.

A Saudi led-coalition of other Middle East countries issued a trade blockade against Qatar in 2017 over accusations that it supported terrorism, sparking a diplomatic crisis. Qatar firmly denies the allegations.

A senior State Department official described Zinni's departure as a soft resignation, The Hill newspaper reported.

Zinni's resignation comes only a few weeks after General James Mattis resigned as secretary of defence in late December following Trump's decision to withdraw US military forces from Syria.

 SputnikUS Navy Destroyer Discreetly Tested Hyper Velocity Projectiles at 2018 RIMPAC

Sputnik News

01:25 09.01.2019

A US Navy vessel's standard Mk 45 deck gun fired 20 hyper velocity projectiles  which are getting Pentagon funding over the electromagnetic railgun - in the shadows of the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2018 international exercise, a new report says.

Twenty hyper velocity projectiles were fired from the destroyer USS Dewey as part of a study conducted by the US Navy and the Defense Department's Strategic Capabilities Office (SCO), unnamed officials familiar with the test told USNI News Monday.

The maritime warfare exercise is held in the waters off of Honolulu, Hawaii, every two years.

The test was part of a greater SCO effort to prove a 40-year-old deck gun filled with freshly designed ammunition could effectively neutralize large unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and cruise missiles, USNI News added. The report makes no mention of whether the test was a success.

The hyper velocity projectile is being cast as a low-cost alternative to the weapons currently used against cruise missile threats. Each Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, for example, costs $2 million; every Rolling Airframe Missile runs another $1 million; shooting a single Standard Missile 2 has a price greater than $400,000.

"If you think about the kinds of threats you might face in the Middle East, the lower-end cruise missiles or a larger UAV, now you have a way to shoot them down that doesn't require you use a $2 million ESSM or $1 million RAM, because a hyper velocity projectile  even in the highest-end estimates have it in the $75,000 to $100,000 range, and that's for the fanciest version of it with an onboard seeker," Bryan Clark of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments told USNI News.

Officials told the publication the RIMPAC test was unclassified, but the Office of Secretary of Defense and the Office of Naval Research have declined to acknowledge it.

There is a chance Beijing knew about the weapons test before USNI News did. A Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy surveillance vessel approached the exclusive economic zone of the islands during the 2018 drills to keep tabs on what was happening there, Sputnik News reported. A retired Chinese general suggested in comments to South China Morning Post that the spy ship's presence was a response to US surveillance of Chinese warships.

The PLA Navy made headlines last week when a Type 072II-class landing ship equipped with a demonstrator electromagnetic railgun, another weapon rival countries are racing to develop, was spotted sailing out for sea trials. The prospect of China fielding the weapon before Washington has been described as a potential "strategic coup" for Beijing by some US analysts.

The hyper velocity projectile is a touch slower than rounds fired from an electromagnetic railgun but provides a similar capability to shoot down aerial threats with very fast, relatively cheap ammo rounds. In the eyes of the SCO, it makes sense to put the projectiles in Mk 45 deck guns, which are mounted on virtually every American warship in the surface fleet.

It's "not that we're not interested in railgun  we are  but if you look at the delta between fielding in quantity  we have [more than] 1,000 powder guns; we have very few railguns," said Will Roper, founding director of SCO, during a 2016 talk at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

The SCO was established by then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Ash Carter in 2016. The office's task was to discover new applications for old technological systems.

The SCO's days appear to be numbered, however. Page 43 of the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2019, signed by US President Donald Trump on August 13, 2018, provides for the secretary of defense to submit a plan for eliminating the office "not later than March 1, 2019," to Congressional defense committees.

 SputnikGabon Coup Attempt May Have After-Effects

By Anita Powell January 08, 2019

The three uniformed, armed men who took over Gabon state television before dawn Monday had a stern message  and neatly followed a script that has become typical for military-led coups in West and Central Africa.

"Wake up your neighbors ... rise up as one and take control of the street," the group's leader read from a statement.

The young men identified themselves as members of the "National Restoration Council" and launched into their appeal. The tiny central African nation  rich in oil but struggling economically  "has lost its dignity," the leader, a young man in military fatigues, said during the 4:30 a.m. broadcast.

The leader, identified as Lt. Kelly Ondo, urged young citizens to "take charge of their destiny." He lambasted President Ali Bongo, who has been out of the country for months after a stroke in October, for his "shameful" New Year's television address, in which his speech was slurred.

And then, within hours of this attempted putsch, it was all over. By 10 a.m., authorities said they had restored order, killed two of the putschists and arrested several more.

But, analysts say, this is likely not the end of the story.

Gabon has been politically delicate for years, possibly starting with Bongo's last election win in 2016. That poll was widely criticized for both its unlikely numbers  in one area, Bongo is said to have won by an extremely high 93 percent of the vote with a 99 percent turnout  which was followed by deadly clashes between protesters and authorities. Opposition leader Jean Ping refused to acknowledge the result, and has since repeated his claim that he won the poll.

Francois Conradie, head of research for NKC African Economics, said the next challenge to the government may look different, but the risk remains.

"I think the coup itself, or the current iteration of it, is over," he told VOA. "It looked like quite an amateurish effort that wasn't backed by any significant power abroad. But you can see that when President Bongo had a stroke in October, you can tell that some elements in the opposition are sensing that opportunity here. So, the risk is certainly more elevated of more efforts of this kind happening, as long as he's unwell."

Additionally, Conradie said, the price of oil has fallen, and the government has been forced to cut civil service wages, further stirring discontent.

In a report released hours after the attempt, Exx Africa Business Risk Intelligence echoed that prediction.

"There remains a heightened risk of military and civil unrest as long as there is no clarity on the condition of President Bongo, and the government does not initiate constitutional provisions for the presidential succession," the report read.

But Conradie said he's concerned about the government's heavy-handedness in the wake of the mutiny attempt. Authorities shut down the internet and canceled foreign radio broadcasts.

"The whole drama was, to a certain degree, a gift to the government because this provides a pretext for them to crack down on opposition activities, to justify searches and seizures on people that they suspect," he said. ''... I think that the government will continue to limit political rights and civil society rights using this as a pretext for that."Russian Lawyer at Heart of Trump Tower Meeting Indicted

By Masood Farivar January 08, 2019

Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, who attended the infamous 2016 Trump Tower meeting with members of then-candidate Donald Trump's campaign, has been charged with obstruction of justice in a case that is unrelated to the special counsel probe but underlines her ties to the Kremlin.

According to a grand jury indictment unsealed on Tuesday, Veselnitskaya secretly worked with a senior Russian prosecutor in 2015 to draft a false declaration that she later used to defend a Russian company in a money laundering and forfeiture case brought by federal prosecutors in New York.

Veselnitskaya, who is believed to be in Russia, faces up to 10 years in prison.

The 43-year-old Russian lawyer entered the spotlight in 2017 amid reports she met in secret with Donald Trump Jr., Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort at Trump Tower in June 2016.

The president's eldest son initially maintained that the subject of the meeting was adoption of Russian children. But he later released emails showing he agreed to the meeting after being told by an intermediary that Veselnitskaya represented the Russian government and had damaging information about Trump's rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton.

The meeting has become a focal point of special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating allegations of collusion between Trump's campaign and Moscow during the 2016 election.

During the meeting, Veselnitskaya also brought up Russian hopes for a repeal of the Magnitsky Act, a U.S. law named after Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer and auditor who was allegedly beaten to death in a Russian prison in 2009 after exposing a massive tax fraud scheme involving corrupt Russian officials.

In 2013, the Justice Department sued Russian firm Prevezon Holdings to recover several million dollars' worth of property, mainly New York real estate, arguing that the property had been used to launder some of the proceeds from the $230 million tax scheme.

In 2014, the U.S. government requested Russian assistance with the case. Instead of responding to the request, the Russian government sent U.S. prosecutors a copy of a report that exonerated Prevezon and Russian officials of any wrong]doing.

Veselnitskaya, while representing Prevezon Holdings in the case, secretly worked with a senior Russian prosecutor to prepare the report, according to the indictment. In 2015, she moved to quash the U.S. lawsuit, submitting the findings of the report without disclosing her role in drafting it.

"Fabricating evidence  submitting false and deceptive declarations to a federal judge  in an attempt to affect the outcome of pending litigation not only undermines the integrity of the judicial process, but it threatens the ability of our courts and our Government to ensure that justice is done," U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said in a statement.

The special counsel's office declined to comment on the latest indictment.

A spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office in New York told VOA that the case "grew out of our own investigation" and was not a "referral" by the special counsel's office.

Trump has defended the meeting while distancing himself from it. Last year, he tweeted the meeting was "totally legal and done all the time in politics."

Veselnitskaya, who has previously denied any links to the Kremlin, told CNN on Tuesday that she will "defend her professional honor."

The Prevezon case was settled in 2017 with the company agreeing to pay about $6 million, a little less than half the amount prosecutors had sought.Madagascar: UN chief commends leaders, State institutions following 'historic milestone' election

8 January 2019 - Following a run-off election for the Presidency of Madagascar which saw former leader Andry Rajoelina declared the winner on Tuesday, the UN chief has commended all those who contributed to the "peaceful and orderly" voting process that began at the end of November.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement that "the Independent Electoral Commission (CENI) and the High Constitutional Court (HCC), civil society and religious leaders, as well as the leadership of the Government", should be "commended for being part of this historic milestone."

In a hotly-contested campaign, 44-year-old Mr. Rajoelina won the 19 December run-off with more than 55 per cent of the vote, while his main rival for the Indian Ocean island's top job, another former President, Marc Ravalomanana, took more than 44 per cent, in figures released by the HCC, and quoted in media reports.

World Bank figures show that in 2017, around three-quarters of Malagasys were living in extreme poverty, earning $1.90 or less per day. This is despite steady improvements to the economy overall since constitutional order was restored, in 2014 following 5 years of political crisis. President-elect Rajoelina, first served during that period as President of the transitional Government.

"The Secretary-General notes the announcement of the final resultsand congratulates President-elect Andry Rajoelina," said the statement. "He also commends all stakeholders for the peaceful and orderly conclusion of the presidential election."

"The Secretary-General will continue to follow developments in the country through his Special Adviser, Mr. Abdoulaye Bathily, with the support of the United Nations Country Team, and in close coordination with the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and other international partners," the statement continued.

The fifth-largest island in the world, located off the coast of southeast Africa, Madagascar is also home to many unique animal species including its famous lemurs; and a centre for vanilla and cloves production, as well as tourism.The US is greatly downplaying the size of the Afghan Taliban

Rupert Stone 08 Jan 2019

Official estimates of the Afghan Taliban's manpower are wildly off the mark and the Taliban is likely as strong now as it was at the start of the Afghan war in 2001.

The US government is significantly underestimating the size of the Taliban, experts tell TRT World, which has around three times as many fighters as official estimates say, along with tens of thousands of support personnel.

The Taliban has been gaining territory and is now stronger than ever since the start of the war. Its manpower has also been expanding. Estimates given by US officials have risen from 20,000 fighters a few years ago to 60,000 in 2018.

But this figure is "far too low" says Dr Antonio Giustozzi, a visiting professor at King's College London who has conducted various research projects on the Taliban and is now authoring a book on the history of the group since 2001.

Giustozzi's latest figures show that the Taliban has around 150,000 fighters, of which 60,000 are full-time fighters and the rest part-time local militia, and reserves based in Pakistan.

These numbers include the Haqqani Network, which broke from the Taliban in 2007 but rejoined in 2015. Fighters also go away on leave for months at a time.

The Taliban has approximately 50,000 support personnel involved in intelligence, logistics, propaganda, justice and other aspects of civilian administration. The Taliban now operates a shadow government in large parts of rural Afghanistan where it provides services, collects taxes and conducts law-enforcement.

All in all, the Taliban's size likely exceeds 200,000, making it the largest insurgency in the world. But Giustozzi noted that, of the 150,000 fighters, the local militias are becoming redundant because they rarely fight outside their villages and "these remote rural areas have been lost by the government."

Full-time mobile fighters are "what matter from a strategic point of view", he says, because they are "more professional", deployed around the country to attack cities and government checkpoints.

Those trying to measure the Taliban's manpower face the problem that official data is limited, while numbers fluctuate as part-time fighters join and leave. However, Giustozzi devised an elaborate methodology to estimate the group's size. He and his team conducted multiple interviews of individual Taliban at different times and places to prevent the possibility they would collude to inflate statistics.

His findings contrast sharply with recent US military estimates. A 2018 Department of Defense Inspector General report contained estimates that the Taliban had a maximum of 40,000 fighters (including the Haqqanis).

The Long War Journal, which tracks the Afghan conflict, found these figures to be "wildly unrealistic given the level and intensity of fighting in Afghanistan, as well as the number of Taliban casualties claimed by Afghan security forces."

According to LWJ's analysis, the size of the Taliban is "likely to number well over 100,000 fighters".

Bill Roggio, editor of the Long War Journal and a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, tells TRT World that Giustozzi's figure of 150,000 fighters was a "reasonable estimate".

According to Rahimullah Yusufzai, a security analyst and Taliban expert, official US figures are "wide of the mark". Borhan Osman of the International Crisis Group told TRT World that the Taliban's size is "well beyond 60,000 fighters". The BBC's Dawood Azami stated that a figure of 200,000 (including support personnel) "makes sense".

Neither the US-led NATO Resolute Support mission nor the Afghan government responded to TRT World's request for comment.

Despite its fearsome reputation, the Haqqani Network does not account for a large percentage of Taliban manpower. The Haqqanis say they have 13,000 active fighters, according to Giustozzi. But the Network has "shrunk significantly" in recent years, according to Borhan Osman, as a result of aggressive US actions and declining Pakistani support.

Pakistan has long been accused of harbouring Taliban fighters, and the group continues to recruit among its sizeable population of Afghan refugees. But the Taliban increasingly recruits fighters from inside Afghanistan as its territorial control grows, Borhan Osman tells TRT World.

Moreover, the Taliban has formed a relationship with its old foe, Iran, where Taliban fighters have apparently received funds, arms, and training.

Giustozzi says that the group is recruiting fighters among Afghan refugees inside Iran, according to Taliban sources and Afghan intelligence. He maintains that the mass expulsion and departure of refugees from Iran and Pakistan has not dented Taliban recruitment.

The Taliban, already vast, is increasing its manpower. The core fighting units were "expanding", Giustozzi said. Osman says that the Taliban has been growing continuously throughout the war to become the "massive organisation" it is today. Rahimullah Yusufzai said the Taliban were "growing in size" and "growing in confidence about their strength."

There is also a contingent of foreign fighters aligned with the Taliban, according to Giustozzi. These fighters mainly hail from Pakistani militant groups like the Lashkar e Taiba. A Taliban commander stated late last year that there were 2000-3000 foreign fighters. But Giustozzi believes the number is higher in fighting season.

The growing strength of the Taliban is in stark contrast to the deterioration of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF), which have suffered heavy casualties and desertions. The ANDSF has been losing more people than it can recruit and may struggle to sustain its military effort against an adversary that continues to expand.

However, the Taliban's strength cannot be measured solely in terms of troop numbers, according to Barnett Rubin, a former senior official in the US State Department who is now a professor at New York University.

"The Taliban is not an armed group but a political organization, whose organisational capacities and legitimacy enable it to recruit armed men," Rubin tells TRT World.

"Viewing the struggle in Afghanistan through a military lens is a recipe for losing, and, indeed, we are not winning," he said.

The lack of a military solution to the war has been belatedly acknowledged by the Trump administration, which  after a failed troop surge intended to roll back the insurgency  is now pursuing a negotiated settlement. Direct talks between US and Taliban officials commenced last year and are still ongoing, with another meeting planned this month.

A Taliban spokesperson did not respond to TRT World's requests for comment.US Issues New Venezuela-Related Sanctions on 7 Individuals, 23 Entities

Sputnik News

17:56 08.01.2019(updated 20:05 08.01.2019)

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States has designated seven individuals and numerous entities over Venezuela-related sanctions, the US Department of Treasury said on its website on Tuesday.

"Today, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) is issuing Venezuela-related sanctions", the Treasury Department said.

The sanctions will affect seven people and almost two dozen entities, including the privately held Globovision Tele, one of the biggest broadcasters in the country.

"The following companies were designated or blocked today for being owned or controlled by the aforementioned individuals Globovision Tele CA, Corp. is registered in Miami, Florida", OFAC added.

According to the Treasury Department, the sanctioned Venezuelans  faced with a shortfall in their bolivar currency needed to fund government projects  went to black-market exchange houses to sell dollars at a higher than official rate.

The alleged scheme generated more than $2.4 billion in proceeds, which went to government-approved exchange houses and ultimately to the officials themselves, who stashed the money in US and European bank accounts and investments, the Treasury Department said.

"Our actions against this corrupt currency exchange network expose yet another deplorable practice that Venezuela regime insiders have used to benefit themselves at the expense of the Venezuelan people", Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement.

The new wave of restrictions comes after Washington last year imposed sanctions on Venezuelan ministers, as well as Cilia Adela Flores de Maduro  President Nicolas Maduro's wife.

 SputnikEU's Mogherini, Kosovar Delegation Discuss Normalizing Relations With Serbia

By RFE/RL January 08, 2019

BRUSSELS -- EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini on January 8 met with Kosovo's recently appointed negotiators for Pristina's dialogue with Belgrade and urged them to revoke customs tariffs imposed on Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina last year.

After meeting with a team of negotiators appointed by the Kosovar parliament last month, Mogherini reiterated "the urgency for Pristina to revoke the customs tariffs."

Mogherini also noted that "reaching a comprehensive legally binding agreement on full normalization of relations in the context of the Pristina-Belgrade Dialogue requires a climate that contributes to good neighborly relations, whereby past agreements are respected and implemented, and actions and statements which are not compatible with the overall interest and strategic objectives of the region are avoided."

Kosovo imposed a 100 percent tax on Serbian and Bosnian products in response to what Pristina said was Belgrade's lobbying to prevent Kosovo from joining Interpol at the police organization's annual conference in Dubai in November.

Shpend Ahmeti, the co-head of the Kosovar delegation, told journalists after the meeting with Mogherini that "tariffs are the only instrument in Kosovo's foreign policy available in order to pressure Serbia. They are a consequence of a long, aggressive campaign that culminated in the Interpol nonrecognition."

Relations between Pristina and Belgrade have been tense since Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. More than 110 countries, including the United States, recognize Kosovo's independence, but Serbia does not.

Both Kosovo and Serbia have been told they must resolve their differences in order to make progress toward potential membership in the 28-member bloc.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-s-mogherini- kosovar-delegation-discuss-normalizing- relations-with-serbia/29697712.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.Russian Lawyer Who Met With Trump's Son Charged By U.S. In Money Laundering Case

By Mike Eckel January 08, 2019

U.S. prosecutors have charged a Russian lawyer who met with President Donald Trump's son and top campaign officials during the 2016 presidential election with obstruction of justice in a separate, but parallel case that focused on Russian money laundering.

The indictment, unsealed January 8 by a U.S. judge in Manhattan, targets Natalya Veselnitskaya, who has been at the center of scrutiny for her June 2016 meeting with Donald Trump Jr., Trump's then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort, and others.

The indictment, which was dated December 20, concerns a $230 million tax fraud case that has shadowed U.S.-Russian relations for more than decade.

The case concerned a Russian-controlled company known as Prevezon Holdings, which U.S. authorities accused of using proceeds of the tax fraud to buy real estate in Manhattan.

In May 2017, on the eve of the trial, U.S. officials and Prevezon's lawyers agreed to settle the case, with Prevezon paying nearly $6 million but admitting no wrongdoing.

According to the indictment, Veselnitskaya, who was co-counsel to Prevezon, allegedly lied to U.S. authorities about her cooperation with the Russian Prosecutor-General's office in drafting a response to a U.S. request for help in the case.

Veselnitskaya, according to the filing, worked closely with the Russian prosecutors as they rebuffed the U.S. request, and sought to pin blame for the original tax fraud on a British-American investor named Bill Browder.

A Russian citizen, Veselnitskaya is believed to be in Russia, and is unlikely to be turned over U.S. authorities for prosecution.

She could not be immediately located for comment.

In June 2016, at the time she was representing Prevezon, Veselnitskaya secured a meeting with Trump Jr. at the Trump Tower in Manhattan.

That meeting has been under scrutiny by U.S. congressional investigators, and Special Counsel Robert Mueller, after it emerged that Trump Jr. was promised damaging information on Trump's rival, Democrat Hillary Clinton. Also attending that meeting was Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Trump Jr. has acknowledged that he agreed to the meeting after being promised information on Clinton.

Manafort, meanwhile, has been convicted by a federal jury in Virginia, and pleaded guilty to foreign agent charges in a separate case charges that arose from his work prior to joining Trump's campaign.

However, U.S. authorities have been investigating whether Manafort's prior work mainly for pro-Russian Ukrainian politicians and business interests may have helped influence Trump's policy positions on Russia.

In a filing on January 8, Manafort's defense lawyers revealed that Manafort shared Trump campaign polling data with a Russian-Ukrainian man whom U.S. intelligence suspect of being tied to Russian spy agencies.

Those accusations came to light in a document that was supposed to be partly blacked out but instead accidentally revealed the information.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-lawyer -at-trump-tower-meeting-indicted-in- separate-u-s-case/29697956.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.Taliban Calls Off Peace Talks In Qatar With U.S. Officials

By RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan January 08, 2019

KABUL -- Afghan Taliban representatives say they have called off two days of peace talks with U.S. officials in Qatar, just hours after they had announced the talks would take place without any delegates from Afghanistan's government.

A Taliban representative in Afghanistan had told Reuters early on January 8 that the talks would begin in Qatar's capital, Doha, on January 9.

That Taliban figure also had said the group was refusing to allow what he called "puppet" Afghan officials to take part in the Doha meetings.

But a Taliban representative in Doha told RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan later on January 8 that the militant Islamic group had "postponed" the talks "until further consultations" could resolve an "agenda disagreement."

Another Taliban source told Reuters the disagreement focused on Washington's insistence that Afghan government officials must be involved in the talks.

He said there also was disagreement on a possible cease-fire deal and a proposed prisoner exchange.

"The U.S. officials insisted that the Taliban should meet the Afghan authorities in Qatar and both sides were in disagreement over declaring a cease-fire in 2019," he said. "Both sides have agreed to not meet in Qatar."

The Taliban has consistently rejected requests from regional powers to allow Afghan government officials to take part in peace talks, insisting that the United States is its main adversary in Afghanistan.

The talks in Doha this week would have been the fourth in a series between Taliban leaders and U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

The Taliban also called off a meeting with U.S. officials in Saudi Arabia earlier this week because of Riyadh's insistence on bringing the Western-backed Afghan government to the negotiating table.

Former Afghan Interior Minister Omar Daudzai, a senior adviser to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, was traveling to Pakistan on January 8 for expected talks with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmud Qureshi about the peace process.

With additional reporting by Reuters and BBC

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/taliban-announces -two-days-of-peace-talks-in-qatar-with -u-s-officials/29697280.html

Copyright (c) 2019. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.Pentagon rejects any troops withdrawal timetable for Syria

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 03:21AM

The United States Department of Defense has rejected any timetable for its allegedly finalized plan to withdraw troops from Syria.

A withdrawal framework for Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) has been approved and is currently being executed by US forces, said Pentagon spokesman Commander Sean Robertson in a statement on Tuesday.

"That framework is conditions-based and will not subject troop withdrawal to an arbitrary timeline. The framework will be influenced by a number of factors, including weather," said Robertson.

Operation Inherent Resolve is the name of a US military campaign launched in August 2014 after the Daesh terrorist Takfiri group overran large swaths of Syria and Iraq.

The US has ever since maintained military presence in Syria without any authorization from the Damascus government or a UN mandate.

The Pentagon statement came after US President Donald Trump called for a swift troop pullout on December 19, alleging the defeat of Daesh and surprising many within the US establishment and abroad.

The announcement further resulted in the resignation of Secretary of Defense James Mattis, US anti-Daesh coalition envoy Brett McGurk and Pentagon chief of staff Rear Admiral Kevin Sweeney who disapproved of the president's decision.

Trump, nevertheless, seemingly gave in to pressure to slow down the troops pullout two weeks later, granting the US military up to four months to withdraw.

The Pentagon's recent statement, nonetheless, further confirms what Trump's national security adviser John Bolton had said during a visit to Israel earlier this week.

Bolton had said that the United States must achieve certain "objectives" before withdrawing troops, effectively laying out conditions that could entrench American forces in Syria for probably many months or even years to come.

Some media reports cited Bolton's comments as a sign that the president had abandoned his initial swift withdrawal order.

Trump, however, lashed out at the reports, claiming to have never said anything other than what Bolton had suggested.

Only three months before Trump announced his surprise pullout plan, Bolton had declared that US forces would remain in Syria as long as Iranians were "outside Iranian borders."

Last week, Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu met US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to reportedly urge a slowdown in Trump's Syria troop withdrawal.

Israeli media later reported that Netanyahu had got "almost everything it asked for", with Pompeo granting "seven out of eight" of his requests, without further elaborating on the matter.'Houthis agreed to Sweden peace deal over deepening humanitarian crisis in Yemen'

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 04:51PM

A high-ranking Yemeni official says delegates from the Houthi Ansarullah movement agreed to sit at the negotiating table with representatives loyal to former Yemeni president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi during the latest round of UN-sponsored peace negotiations in Sweden, and struck a peace deal only because of the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the crisis-hit Arab country.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Press TV television news network on Tuesday, Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, the Chairman of the Supreme Revolutionary Committee of Yemen, said despite some violations by Saudi Arabia and its allies, the peace deal continues to stand feebly.

He, however, underlined that Yemeni army forces and allied fighters from Popular Committees are fully prepared to respond to any act of aggression committed by Saudi Arabia.

Houthi then stressed the need for a political solution to the ongoing Yemen conflict, and an end to the atrocious Saudi-led bombardment campaign on the country.

He concluded that Saudi Arabia has failed to attain its goals in the war on Yemen, and that the oil-rich conservative kingdom will never reach them.

Ansarullah delegates and Hadi loyalists held a round of peace negotiations in Rimbo, north of the Swedish capital city of Stockholm, last month. The talks resulted in the announcement of a break-through agreement.

The document includes three provisions: a ceasefire along the Hudaydah front and the redeployment of armed forces out of the city and its port; an agreement on prisoner exchange; and a statement of understanding on the southern Yemeni city of Ta'izz.

'Saudi-led coalition violated Hudaydah truce 1,942 times'

Meanwhile, the spokesman for Yemeni Armed Forces says the Saudi-led military coalition has on nearly 2,000 occasions breached a UN-brokered truce in the strategic port city of Hudaydah ever since it was declared late last year.

During a press conference in the capital city of Sana'a on Tuesday, Brigadier General Yahya Saree presented a video, showing the flagrant violations of the Saudi-led military alliance in Hudaydah, including shelling a number of residential neighborhoods and construction of roads around the city.

Saree then showed an aerial image of a military camp, where Emirati troopers had purportedly installed missile launch pads to target various areas across Hudaydah as well as Kilo 16 and al-Durayhimi districts.

The top Yemeni military official highlighted that the Saudi-led military coalition carried out 162 airstrikes on different Yemeni regions, 183 ground offensives and 12 attempted acts of infiltration in the first week of January.

Saudi Arabia and a number of its regional allies launched a devastating military campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the aim of bringing Hadi's government back to power and crushing the country's Houthi Ansarullah movement.

According to a new report by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit conflict-research organization, the Saudi-led war has so far claimed the lives of around 56,000 Yemenis.

The Saudi-led war has also taken a heavy toll on the country's infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN has already said that a record 22.2 million Yemenis are in dire need of food, including 8.4 million threatened by severe hunger. According to the world body, Yemen is suffering from the most severe famine in more than 100 years.

A number of Western countries, the US and Britain in particular, are also accused of being complicit in the ongoing aggression as they supply the Riyadh regime with advanced weapons and military equipment as well as logistical and intelligence assistance.Pentagon let $27.7b in funds expire in 2018, watchdog says

Iran Press TV

Tue Jan 8, 2019 10:37PM

The US Department of Defense (DoD) allowed $27.7 billion in funds to expire last year, a new government watchdog report says, boosting calls by Democrats that Pentagon dollars should be trimmed.

The department's Inspector General (IG) office made the announcement in a 33-page document about fiscal year 2018 released Tuesday.

"If the DoD does not spend its funds within the legal timeframes, the funds expire. In FY 2018, the DoD reported $27.7 billion of expired funds, meaning that, generally, the DoD can no longer use those funds for new spending," read the report.

Democrats, now in control of the House, have been calling for using the extra money going to Pentagon for domestic priorities.

The Trump administration wants some $750 billion for defense in the budget, a figure reportedly considered too high by the Democrats.

The report, which followed the Pentagon's first ever audit, was meant at enabling "Congress and the public to receive a more accurate assessment of how the DoD spends its money; ... prevent wasteful practices; and assist the DoD to improve operational decisions," according to Acting DoD Inspector General Glenn Fine.

"The road to a clean opinion is not short; it will not happen immediately," Fine said. "Continued progress requires sustained effort and attention throughout the Department."

Last week, US President Donald Trump told Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan to stop publicly releasing watchdog reports.

"For these reports criticizing every single thing  and even in some cases saying good, perhaps  but for these reports, to give it out, forget about the public, given out to the enemy is insane. And I don't want that to happen anymore, Mr. Secretary, you understand that," Trump said.First female F-35 test pilot completes flight mission

By 412th Test Wing Public Affairs, 412th Test Wing Public Affairs / Published January 08, 2019

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) -- A routine F-35 Lightning II flight test mission recently marked a significant event in Air Force history at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

Maj. Rachael Winiecki, 461st Flight Test Squadron developmental test pilot, completed the first flight mission led by a female.

"I may be the first female developmental test pilot (in the F-35), but (test pilots) are just one small part of the test enterprise," Winiecki said.

She said although aviation tends to be a male dominated field, the number of women in flight test is increasing. Winiecki said that there are several female test directors, test conductors, discipline engineers and flight test engineers at the 461st FLTS, in addition to those serving in engineering, maintenance and support functions. Namely, she spoke about her crew chief for the mission, Airman 1st Class Heather Rice, of the 412th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.

"It was great having Airman Rice there," Winiecki said. "I am very proud of the work she does on the line, and I'm glad that she is part of our team."

Before joining the 461 FLTS, Winiecki commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps. Upon completion of pilot training, she flew the A-10C operationally including deployments to Southwest Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Pacific theater. She then graduated from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards and was previously assigned as an F-16 Fighting Falcon test pilot with the 416th Flight Test Squadron.

According to Lt. Col. Tucker Hamilton, 461st FLTS commander, Winiecki's experience with the A-10 was one of the factors to her being selected as an F-35 test pilot.

"Major Winiecki was selected to become an F-35 test pilot based on her exceptional flying ability and the important voice she brings to the F-35 development as a prior A-10 (Thunderbolt II) pilot," Hamilton said.

Winiecki said that having the ability to bring the A-10 mission sets to the 461st FLTS, such as close-air-support, combat search and rescue and forward air controller, is important so the focus is not just on the air-to-air capabilities of the F-35, but also the air-to-ground capabilities.

"I really do appreciate the perspective that I can bring coming from the A-10 and the F-16 to hopefully bring some influence from that perspective. As testers, the contacts we have back in the Combat Air Force are valuable," she said. "We can reach out to our networks to solicit feedback, solicit information on how we could and should accomplish our mission sets in the future. That's really where we can open doors. I can reach back to my friends and contacts in my previous community just like other test pilots here."

As a member of the 461 FLTS, Winiecki will be part of a team that oversees developmental testing of all variants of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

"I'm honored to have the opportunity to become part of the diverse team at the 461st. While there may only be a few individuals in these photos (of the event), there are countless dedicated personnel working hard to ensure we execute safe, secure, effective and efficient flight tests."

After Winiecki concluded her first mission, she reflected not just on her milestone, but also on the other women who have contributed to the history of Edwards and the Air Force, while also looking to the future.

"I am grateful for the women who have broken barriers previously, they built the path," Winiecki said. "I look forward to the day when sorties like this are a regular occurrence."

"Major Winiecki's accomplishments are exactly why we continue to be at the center of the aerospace testing universe," said Brig. Gen. E. John Teichert, 412th Test Wing commander. "Breaking barriers is what we do, with history-making impact every day for the warfighter."(CNN)  A 20-year-old man arrested in connection with a data breach that affected thousands of people in Germany has confessed to police, the country's federal prosecutor, Georg Ungefuk, told reporters at a press conference in Wiesbaden on Tuesday.

Hundreds of politicians and public figures were among those affected by the attack, with personal data and documents released online.

"During questioning, the defendant stated that he had acted alone in the data spying and unauthorized data releases," Ungefuk said.

The suspect was arrested in the German state of Hesse on Sunday as part of a joint investigation by Frankfurt's Attorney General, the Central Office for the Suppression of Cybercrime (ZIT) and the Federal Criminal Investigation Office.

''The investigations have so far revealed no evidence of any third-party involvement," reads a statement from Germany's federal crime office (BKA) released on Tuesday.

"On his motivation, the defendant stated that he acted out of annoyance at public statements made by the politicians, journalists and public figures concerned."

The man was released on Monday evening due to a lack of grounds for detention, according to the statement, but evidence such as computers is still being evaluated.

In response to the data breach, Germany's interior minister Horst Seehofer told reporters that he would work to put safer measures in place to protect data in future, including a new IT security law.

A draft bill could be presented to cabinet within a few months, Seehofer said during a press conference, but the exact timings are still to be confirmed.

Seehofer reiterated that challenges would remain despite this new law.

''We cannot promise absolute, total security, especially in the field of cyber security," he said.

Details of the data breach were provided by government spokeswoman Martina Fietz on Friday.

Fietz told reporters that German lawmakers at all levels, including from the European parliament, German parliament, and local politicians, had been affected.

The data included credit card details, phone numbers and email addresses, one political party told CNN.

Several German media outlets reported that German Chancellor Angela Merkel was affected by the breach, but Fietz said no sensitive information from Merkel's office had been published.

This is not the first time German politicians have been targeted.

A cyberattack targeted parts of the German government network, including the foreign ministry, early last year, Reuters reported.

And in 2015, pro-Russian hackers claimed responsibility for a series of cyberattacks that brought down government websites.

On Friday, Fietz told reporters that it was "too early at this stage to compare this incident to that in previous years."

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Man confesses to cyberattack on German politicians."Iran Sanctions Won't Clear EU 'Responsibility For Harbouring Terrorists' - Zarif

Sputnik News

12:38 08.01.2019(updated 20:59 08.01.2019)

Denmark earlier called for a new series of sanctions against Tehran, accusing the Iranian intelligence service of an alleged assassination plot on Danish soil, purportedly targeting the exiled leader of a separatist group that had carried out attacks in Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, firing back at the EU's recent decision regarding the imposition of sanction against Tehran, which has been accused of being behind murder plots, said that sanctions "will not absolve Europe of responsibility for harbouring terrorists".

Iran's foreign minister took to Twitter, where he noted that Europeans, including "Denmark, Holland & France, harbor MEK", referring to the exiled Iranian opposition group Mujaheedin-e Khalq.

Earlier EU member states have reportedly agreed to impose sanctions against Iran's intelligence service for its alleged assassination plots on European soil.

"Important day for European Foreign Policy! Strong signal from the EU that we will not accept such behaviour in Europe", Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen wrote on Twitter.

Commenting on the issue, Stef Blok, the Dutch foreign minister, and Interior Minister Kajsa Ollongren, noted that the reason for the sanctions is that Iran was allegedly involved in the politically-motivated killings.

"[The General Intelligence and Security Service] has strong indications that Iran was involved in the assassinations of two Dutch nationals of Iranian origin, in Almere in 2015 and in The Hague in 2017. These individuals were opponents of the Iranian regime", Blok and Ollongren said in a letter to the president of the country's House of Representatives.

The ministers also admitted that the ongoing investigations into the alleged assassinations "have not confirmed [yet], in a criminal law sense, the intelligence that suggests interference by Iran".

In November 2018, the foreign ministers of EU member countries agreed to consider the possibility of widening anti-Iranian sanctions.

Previously, Denmark recalled the country's ambassador to Iran for consultations following accusations regarding the alleged murder plot. A Norwegian citizen of Iranian background was arrested in connection with the allegations.

The alleged assassination plot reportedly targeted the leader of the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz (ASMLA).

Tehran has rejected all of the allegations made by the Danish Intelligence and Security Service (PET).

"Such statements correspond to plans and conspiracies against strong and constantly developing Iranian-European relations in the conditions of modern serious and special conditions", Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Kasemi said, as quoted by IRNA.

 SputnikSamsung Galaxy S10 Lite with 6GB RAM spotted on Geekbench News oi-Sandeep Sarkar The Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite spotted on the Geekbench was carrying the model number SM_G970U.

Samsung's upcoming flagship Galaxy S10 series is the one which most of us are looking forward to. The Samsung Galaxy S series is the most promising smartphone lineup out there in the market and it never fails to impress the masses. With the MWC approaching, the number of leaks and rumors surrounding smartphones has also seen a hike. The Samsung Galaxy S10 lineup is also not left behind and we have been coming across numerous reports and rumors surrounding his lineup. This time again, it is the Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite which is being suggested by the rumor mill. We recently came across some reports that the device will pack a small 3,100mAh battery unit which is a bit let down, however, new reports have information on some other specifications of the device.

The latest leak comes from SlashLeaks who have spotted the smartphone on the popular benchmarking platform Geekbench. The Samsung Galaxy S10 Lite spotted on Geekbench had the model number SM_G970U and the device is said to pack some powerful internals.

The Geekbench listing of the upcoming Galaxy S10 Lite shows the device running on an octa-core Qualcomm processor that clocks at 1.78GHz with the motherboard model "msmnile" which is for the flagship Snapdragon 855 chipset. The listing also reveals the scores which the device has achieved in the single and multi-core tests. The device has scored 1986 points in the single-core test and 6,266 in multi-core test.

The listing further shows the device featuring 6GB of RAM for multi-tasking and an Android 9 Pie OS. The internals suggests that the smartphone will offer some premium user experience; however, it would be interesting to see what other new features this device will offer. Notably, some recent leaks had suggested that the smartphone will pack a smaller 3,100mAh battery unit which by looking at the internals seems less powerful. However, nothing concrete can be said as of know as there is no confirmation from Samsung on the same.

Best Mobiles in India

Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow NotificationsCES 2019: HTC brings Vive Pro Eye and Vive Cosmos VR headsets News oi-Sandeep Sarkar The HTC Vive Pro eye is designed primarily for PCs, whereas, the Vive Cosmos is compatible with both smartphones and PCs.

HTC, the Taiwanese consumer electronics brand primarily known for their smartphones and tablets had a slow pace in releasing smartphones in 2018. The company once known for their quality Android smartphones didn't manage to surprise us last year. Though the company is not yet out of the picture and it had released some decent smartphones such as the HTC Desire 12+/ Desire 12 and others. Now, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019, the company has introduced its two new products for the masses. And these are not any smartphone or tablet, rather, they are VR headsets by the company.

HTC has announced its latest virtual reality headsets called Vive Pro Eye and Vive Cosmos at the ongoing CES 2019 which is being hosted in Las Vegas, Nevada. While the HTC Vive Pro Eye is a virtual reality headset that is primarily designed to work with PCs, the Vive Cosmos VR headset will be compatible with both PCs as well as smartphones. As per HTC this is "an evolution in the enterprise VR space" which tells you who it's aimed at, cites a report form GSMArena.

HTC Vive Pro Eye

The HTC Vive Pro Eye comes with a gaze-tracking menu navigation feature with which the images 'follows' the direction a user is looking. With this feature, all a user will need to do is change the direction they are gazing rather than moving the head much. To further improve the content watching experience the device uses a "foveated rendering" technology which sharpens the images wherever the user is looking.

HTC Vive Cosmos

The HTC Vive Cosmos is the second VR headset which the company has announced at the ongoing CES 2019 event. The new HTC VR headset features dual front-facing cameras and dual-rear cameras and comes with a pair of 'Vive wands' which are the motion controllers. The wands will offer joystick, traffic ring along with some cool light effects. Currently, there is no word on the pricing and availability of the new HTC VR headsets, however, we will keep you updated on the same.

Best Mobiles in India

Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow NotificationsGillette, WY (82718)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. Gusty winds diminishing during the afternoon. Record high temperatures expected. High near 105F. Winds SW at 20 to 30 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 64F. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.In other business

Clerk Kris Winchell and secretary Denise Jensen received Promise Keeper Awards from Superintendent Steve Pophal for their work on Bags of Hope. The program provided about two weeks of food for 350 families and 50 senior citizens over the Christmas holidays.

Jensen and Winchell are co-organizers and helped raise more than $40,000 for the event. They also manage the bagging and delivery of the equivalent of more than two semitrailer trucks full of food.

"This project does not happen without these two people," Pophal said.

The school board approved hiring Stephanie Jacobs as interim principal at Washington Elementary School. Jacobs was an elementary school principal in the Beloit School District.

Jacobs will be taking the place of Rob Connor, who is retiring effective Jan. 17.

Jacobs will be paid $50,343 for a 110-day contract.Images

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images.News

Candlelight vigil held for young boy who drowned

jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Tobias Oliver places candles along a fence Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, for a memorial for Xavion Young, 7, whose body was found Monday in a floodwater detention pond near Costa Mariposa Apartment Homes in Texas City where the young boy lived. More than 100 people gathered at the apartment complex near the detention pond Tuesday for a candlelight vigil to honor Young. jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Veronica Garza hugs Aniyah York during a community vigil Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, for Xavion Young, 7, whose body was found Monday in a floodwater detention pond near Costa Mariposa Apartment Homes where the young boy lived. More than 100 people gathered at the Texas City apartment complex near the detention pond to honor Young. jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Reecey DeRouen, mother of Xavion Young, 7, whose body was found Monday in a floodwater detention pond near Costa Mariposa Apartment Homes in Texas City, bows her head in prayer during a community vigil in Young's honor Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. More than 100 people gathered at the apartment complex near the detention pond holding candles, balloons and coat hangers, which the young boy liked, for the memorial vigil. jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Myesha Franklin hold up a candle Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, during a community vigil for Xavion Young, 7, whose body was found Monday in a floodwater detention pond near Costa Mariposa Apartment Homes where he lived. jenniferreynolds / JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Community members hold up candles Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, during a memorial vigil in honor of Xavion Young, 7, whose body was found Monday in a floodwater detention pond near Costa Mariposa Apartment Homes where he lived. STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News A stuffed animal hangs on a tree beside a retention pond at a memorial for Xavion Young, 7, in Texas City on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. After an extensive search, Young's body was found in the pond Monday afternoon. Officials believe Young, who was last seen on Sunday, wandered from the Costa Mariposa Apartments where he lived and drowned in the pond. STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Dawn Fontenot and her children Noble Fontenot, 4, and Kaitlynn Perkins, 13, place mementos on a tree beside a retention pond at a memorial for Xavion Young, 7, in Texas City on Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. After an extensive search, Young's body was found in the pond Monday afternoon. Officials believe Young, who was last seen on Sunday, wandered from the Costa Mariposa Apartments where he lived and drowned in the pond. JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Christina Torres bows her head in prayer Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, during a community vigil in honor of Xavion Young, 7, whose body was found Monday in a floodwater detention pond near Costa Mariposa Apartment Homes where he lived. More than 100 people gathered at the Texas City apartment complex near the detention pond for the vigil. JENNIFER REYNOLDS/The Daily News Patrice Denton, right, lights candles Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, at a memorial for Xavion Young, 7, whose body was found Monday in a floodwater detention pond near Costa Mariposa Apartment Homes where he lived. More than 100 people gathered at the Texas City apartment complex near the detention pond for a community candlelight vigil. Afterwards, the candles, hangers, balloons and stuffed animals were left along the fence for as a memorial.

TEXAS CITY

More than 100 people gathered at a candlelight vigil Tuesday to comfort a grieving mother and to celebrate the life of a young boy who drowned Sunday in a floodwater detention pond.

The memorial service, which took place behind Costa Mariposa Apartment Homes, the apartment complex where Xavion Young, 7, apparently wandered into a nearby pond while feeding a goose, attracted both people who knew his family and those who didnt.

Im just here mother to mother, said Kimberly Fletcher, who attended the vigil with her three young children. I dont know the family, but just as a person, as a mother, I know something like this has to be extremely hard. Were going to help her get through this, thats why Im here  for support.

Reecey DeRouen, Youngs mother, was surrounded by relatives and friends during the vigil, all of them hugging her, holding her up and praying while Youngs favorite song played over a loudspeaker.

We ask you Lord Jesus to continue to be everything we need you to be, a relative prayed. We are here celebrating a life; family is very important and we ask you to let it be our safe haven, Lord.

Meanwhile, attendees lifted their candles in the air and on the count of seven released dozens of balloons into the air.

He was my baby cousin, he was a son, he was family, a family member said. Were a strong family, and we come together for anything.

Earlier on Tuesday, police confirmed that the body found near Costa Mariposa Apartment Homes was that of Young, who had been missing since Sunday.

Three anglers found the body about 6 p.m. Monday, Texas City Police Chief Joe Stanton said during a news conference on Tuesday afternoon.

Volunteers and law enforcement officers had searched the pond, which is about 7 feet deep, earlier that day with sonar equipment and a dragnet, but debris had hindered their efforts, he said.

It wasnt until the body began to float later in the afternoon that the fishermen discovered it, he said.

Drowning was determined to be the cause of death, Stanton said.

Foul play isnt suspected and the death is believed to have been an accident, Stanton said. Child Protective Services officials were investigating the incident according to its standard procedure, he said.

The 1-acre detention pond, on the northeast side of Costa Mariposa Apartment Homes, 7555 Medical Center Drive, where Young and his mother, DeRouen, were at the time, is separated from the complex by a gate and is on apartment property.

Police are investigating whether the pond is in compliance with Texas City rules, Stanton said, noting that such ponds arent required to be fenced off.

We have recovered video and were going through that, he said, referring to security video taken by apartment complex managers. This is just a tragic accident. We want to go back and take a look just to see how he got out.

DeRouen told police that Young usually fed bread to a goose through the gate that separated the pond and the apartment, but wasnt allowed to go to the pond by himself.

Young went missing when DeRouen had left him by himself while she went to the restroom, police said.Galveston, TX (77553)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 91F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low around 80F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph.Graveside services for Ruby Mae Brackeen, 93, of Gainesville, are set for 10:00 AM Tuesday, June 8, 2021 at the Fairview Cemetery in Gainesville with Bro. Gary Carter officiating under the direction of the Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home. A visitation will be held at 7:00 PM Monday, J



Have any questions? Please give us a call at 907-352-2250Would you like to receive breaking news notifications from The Post and Courier?

Sign up to receive news and updates from this site directly to your desktop.

Breaking News Columbia Breaking News Greenville Breaking News Myrtle Beach Breaking News Aiken Breaking News

Click on the bell icon to manage your notifications at any time.

Success! Please click the 'Allow' button in the 'Show Notifcations' alert in your browser if one is available. Thank you for signing up!

Please enable notifications in your browser and reload the page.An independent commission is only fair way to redistrict

Virginias redistricting process needs to be handled by an independent commission, as OneVirginia 2021 is advocating.

That group, of which I am a member, is seeking to have the General Assembly put this proposal before the voters to approve a constitutional amendment to allow this to be done.

Our political system is broken because of partisan politics. Virginia taxpayers have spent over $5 million in recent years for expensive private lawyers to defend the current failed system in court challenges.

Fredericksburg is a victim of the current process, given the problems with precinct boundaries in the city.

The city boundaries for General Assembly seats have been designed to favor the adjoining counties, thus making it impossible for city residents to be viable candidates for the House of Delegates.

An independent redistricting commission appointed by the General Assembly, as proposed by Del. Mark Cole, R-Spotsylvania, will not work.And David Weston Newton, also of Fredericksburg, was charged with murder for allegedly shooting and dismembering 19-year-old Megan Metzger of Pamplin after a group attending a multi-day methamphetamine party in Spotsylvania County last July mistook her for a police informant.

Its true that the criminal justice system in the United States has been too quick to incarcerate low-level, non-violent offenders who pose no real threat to society. But keeping people who break the law out of jail is not the same thing as declining to prosecute them for their crimes.

Shoplifting and petit larceny may seem like petty offenses, unless youre a small business owner struggling to stay afloat who cant afford the financial hit. Trespassing, threats and malicious destruction of property may not be a big deal to some prosecutors, but theyre a very big deal to victims whose peace of mind and sense of safety has been shattered. And as weve seen, drug possession with the intent to distribute directly led to three homicides in the Fredericksburg region alone last year.The trend is clear, and its easy to see why. Certainly, governments are attracted to the tax revenue from marijuana sales. Further, marijuana decriminalization expresses a sensible desire to reduce the discrepancy between how we treat it and how we treat other addictive and probably more harmful substances, such as alcohol and tobacco.

In Mexico, the party of the new president introduced a bill in November that would legalize the commercial cultivation of marijuana, a measure supported, according to reporter Tallet, because of its potential to decimate the power of drug cartels and their violent criminal enterprises.

And in Texas, one rationalization for decriminalization is expressed by Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg, who says that the $25 million that the county spends prosecuting and incarcerating low-level pot offenders reflects wasteful policy. The money could be better spent fighting other crimes and protecting public safety.

So whats not to like about marijuana legalization? Last week in the New York Times, Alex Berenson argued that much of the unstoppable march toward legalization is driven by persistent lobbying by for-profit cannabis interests, who have managed to recast marijuana as a medicine rather than an intoxicant.The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Virginia Republicans request to halt the implementation of a new House of Delegates map for the 2019 elections.

In a brief order released Tuesday, the court said it had denied a stay application filed by attorneys for House Speaker Kirk Cox, RColonial Heights. Coxs team had argued that the lower courts plan to redraw portions of the map should be paused until the Supreme Court hears an appeal in the case in the next few months.

The Supreme Courts order means the lower court can proceed with redrawing the map, a process that could lead to a more Democratic-friendly landscape for the 2019 General Assembly races.

Obviously we hoped for a stay, but the courts decision was not unexpected because the burden for a stay is very high, said Cox spokesman Parker Slaybaugh. However, the court will hear our argument on the merits this spring and we are confident the map will be upheld.

The timeline could get tricky as political parties and election officials gear up for this years legislative races, when all 140 seats in the General Assembly will be up for grabs and Democrats will be looking to upend slim GOP majorities in the House and Senate. The primaries are scheduled to take place June 11, but candidates are already lining up their campaigns.Finally, to wrap up this brief lesson, there is the false dilemma (also called either/or) fallacy. It hinges on distorting or ignoring third or fourth plausible options. A child does this when insisting on having pizza or hot dogs for lunch. A responsible parent reminds the child of other options. According to several students, President Trumps campaign began with a false dilemma: Either build a wall or Americans will soon have Mexican rapists, gangsters and drug-dealers invading their neighborhoods. As if talking to a child, students point out that there are other reasonable options.The School Boards purchase late last year of a former Christian school off Garrisonville Road is expected to free up classroom space at many elementary schools next year. Preschoolers with disabilities who meet at various elementary schools will attend the former Christian school, which has been named the North Star Early Childhood Center.

Enrollment at the 948-student Winding Creek Elementary School, which is almost at capacity, would decline by more than 200 students under both of the consultants options. One proposal recommends moving students who live in Embrey Mill from Winding Creek to Park Ridge Elementary School.

The 884-student Rocky Run Elementary School, which is also nearing capacity, would lose 209 students next school year under one scenario and 156 under the other.

Winding Creek and Rocky Run would be at just 73 percent and 74 percent capacity, respectively, next school year, according to one of the options. Under that scenario, Winding Creek is projected to be at 87 percent capacity by 2025 while Rocky Run would be at 80 percent capacity in six years.

Meanwhile, Garrisonville and Rockhill elementary schoolsthe countys most underused, according to the consultantwould gain 178 students and 154 students, respectively, next school year under one of the options.Volunteers are needed to restore native underwater grasses by growing them at home, school or work through the Chesapeake Bay Foundations Grasses for the Masses program.

Wild celery grasses are submerged plants that play an important role in local rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. They have been seriously depleted over the years by pollution and cloudy water.

Underwater grasses are essential to a healthy, vibrant Chesapeake Bay. Grasses provide habitat for our beloved fish and crabs, absorb excess nutrients, stabilize shorelines, and improve water clarity, said CBF Virginia Grassroots Coordinator Gabby Troutman in a news release.

They also provide food and shelter for important Bay species, such as blue crabs, fish and waterfowl.

We need your help to ensure these grasses thrive, Troutman said. The Grasses for the Masses program is a fun way for people of all ages to take a hands-on approach to protecting Virginias rivers and the Bay.

Volunteers grow the grasses from seed in trays submerged in tubs. They nurture the grass sprouts until late spring, when they are mature enough to be transplanted to permitted sites in the James, Rappahannock, Chickahominy, and Potomac rivers.A Spotsylvania County man was found dead Tuesday in the backyard of a home in Lanham, Md., police said.

Thomas J. Baldwin, 29, a former student at Stafford High School, had been shot in the upper torso. Authorities had not determined Wednesday who shot him or why.

According to a release from the Prince George's County, Md., Police Department, a resident on Lundy Drive was alerted to the presence of the body at 7:15 a.m. Her son, an officer with the Greenbelt Police Department, had stopped by to check on her and noticed the body.

The woman told police she had no idea who the man was or what he was doing in her yard. Neighbors reported what sounded like a gunshot sometime between midnight and 1 a.m. Tuesday, but no one called police at that time.

Police are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to an arrest and indictment of a suspect or suspects. Anyone with information is asked to called Prince George's police at 301/772-4925. Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-8477.

Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.A letter sent from the Rappahannock Regional Jail could mean more trouble for a man already facing 10 charges for his role in a grisly slaying in Spotsylvania County during the summer, court records show.

Robert Patrick Keating, 26, is one of four people charged in connection with the July 17 slaying of 19-year-old Pamplin resident Megan Metzger. According to evidence presented in court hearings and documents, Metzger was shot to death at Keatings home on Post Oak Road in Spotsylvania and later dismembered.

Keating is not charged with the actual slaying, but he and others are accused of being part of a grotesque effort to cover up the slaying and hide parts of Metzgers body in at least two different localities.

According to an affidavit for a search warrant filed in Stafford Circuit Court by Virginia State Police Special Agent Michael Covert, Keating recently wrote a letter from the jail to his brother that was intercepted by jail officials.

In the letter, Keating asked his brother, Brandon, to testify that Keating gave the handgun used to kill to Metzger to another suspect, David Newton, prior to leaving for Washington that day. Newton is the only suspect charged with murder.More typical January temperatures have arrived in Fredericksburg.

Yesterdays pleasant spring-like interlude was rudely interrupted by a strong cold front that roared through the Fredericksburg area around 10:00 p.m. last night. Strong northwesterly winds ushered in cold Canadian air such that this (Wednesday) morning area thermometer readings are in the low 40s. Thats roughly todays high as temperatures will tumble further this afternoon behind another front that will provide even colder air while reinforcing todays gusty winds.

This second boundary will scoot southward through the Fredericksburg vicinity between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. and looks to bring scattered showers and perhaps a few snowflakes as it passes. The winds will continue to be blustery tonight as temperatures drop to the mid-20s by dawn Thursday. That combination will reintroduce area residents to the shivery concept of wind chill. The graphic shows the potential wind chill value (circled in red) at dawn tomorrow so bundle up before heading outdoors to go to work or school!!Much of the bad blood with Russia is caused by the Fake & Corrupt Russia Investigation, headed up by the all Democrat loyalists, or people that worked for Obama, the President tweeted in April. Mueller is most conflicted of all (except Rosenstein who signed FISA & Comey letter). No Collusion, so they go crazy!EASLEY, SC (FOX Carolina)- The Easley Police Department says that is searching for a man they say was involved a hit and run incident that took place on June 3, according to a post from Easley PD on their official Facebook page.TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (AP)  The road to this years Westminster Kennel Club dog show passed through a pandemic and a major change of date and venue. The road also proved dangerous for one of the nations best known dog handlers. His wife and fellow star handler said Saturday that Bill McFadden waIn a call with reporters on Tuesday, Agriculture Department officials said that they will give states the money for February's food stamps ahead of time - by Jan. 20 - to circumvent the expiration of federal appropriations. States, which administer the SNAP program, will have to ask for the money to be allocated earlier than they normally would.According to the CDC, nearly 800,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke each year. One American dies from a stroke every 4 minutes.

Fast treatment can significantly reduce the brain damage that stroke can cause. It's critical to recognize the signs and symptoms early -- and know what to do as soon as possible, when someone has a stroke.

The American Stroke Association has added BE to its stroke acronym: BE FAST. It stands for:

B - balance, sudden loss of coordination

E - eyesight, flashes or sudden loss of vision

F - face, look for the droop on one side

A - arms, hold both out - does one drift down?

S - speech, slurring or speaking incoherently

T - time to call 9-1-1

A monthly Stroke Survivor and Caregiver Support Group meeting is held at University Hospital. The meetings are held in the cafe conference room at the hospital.

SUPPORT GROUP MEETING DETAILS:

Upcoming dates:

Tuesday, January 15

Tuesday, February 19

Tuesday March 19

Tuesday, April 16

Tuesday, May 21

Tuesday, June 18

Tuesday, July 16

Tuesday, August 20

All meetings are from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Meetings are free of charge and open to the community.

The group consists of stroke survivors, caregivers and people with an interest in preventing a stroke. Each month the topic varies, focusing on stroke prevention or health issues.

Please call the Stroke Certification Coordinator at (251) 471-7671 or email sross@health.southalabama.edu for additional information.It was an unexpected twist of things for law enforcement in Baldwin County today after a runaway case turned violent.

Two Baldwin County Sheriff's deputies are recovering tonight after a scuffle with a man while looking for a runaway juvenile.

One of the deputies was knocked unconscious during the struggle. He was air-lifted to University Hospital.

Sheriff Huey Hoss Mack says the deputy is in stable condition and being monitored at the hospital.

"This is a runaway juvenile case. This is not responding to an armed robbery or something where you might normally encounter violent resistance, but you don't know," said Sheriff Mack.

Sheriff Mack says they got reports of a 17-year-old who ran away with a man in the Bay Minette area. During today's search, while deputies were questioning witnesses who saw the juvenile with the 18-year-old, Mack says the two popped up.

"Once they were in the area looking around, one of our deputies actually saw 2 people fitting this description walk out of the wood line. It was then the deputy went to confront them and got into an altercation with the male who is 18 years old," he explained.

The deputy was knocked unconscious. Investigators say anotehr deputy that was close-by responded seconds later. A scuffle started and that deputy was injured too.

"He engaged both the male and the female, during that time he was assaulted and then they were able to get both of them detained at that time," the Sheriff said.

Police had to shut down Highway 287 in Bay Minette. By Helicopter, the deputy that was unconscious was taken to University Hospital in Mobile. Mack says the precaution was for his safety.

"This was a big concern simply because the deputy was knocked unconscious and had a pretty severe laceration. So that's why we took all the precautions in that," he added.

Several other law enforcement officers were at the hospital in support. Mack says he's in stable condition.

"Everything's good. We're just happy taht apparently the deputy is going to be fine," Mack added.

The Sheriff says the deputy has been with them for 14 years. We did ask for the names of the suspect, but the Sheriff's officer says they don't plan to release it until some time tomorrow.DAPHNE, Ala. -- The Daphne Police Department is attempting to identify the owner or occupants of this vehicle (see image). Can you help them?

About 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, police say, a white male approached a residence in Lake Forest and told the homeowner he was from her alarm company. She was suspicious and sent him away.

She verified through her alarm company that they do not make unsolicited contact with their customers, so police were contacted.

Officers were not able to locate the vehicle. However, it was captured by a neighbor's security camera.

It appears to be a Toyota Tacoma with severe front end damage.

There are no criminal charges at this time, but police say they would like to speak with this person. If you recognize the truck or have information about its owner, you are asked to contact the Criminal Investigation Division at 251-621-2839.LOXLEY, Ala. -- A Baldwin County Sheriff's Office SUV and a civilian SUV were involved in an accident in Loxley Wednesday morning, according to the Sheriff's Office.

It happened at Rawls Road and Alabama 59.

Photographs of the accident aftermath, which were submitted by a FOX10 News viewer, show the civilian SUV with damage to its rear and the BCSO vehicle with damage to its front.

Baldwin County Chief Deputy Anthony Lowery told FOX10 News an occupant of the civilian SUV was transported "to be checked out." Lowery said a child was a passenger in that vehicle. He said he did not know if the child was injured.

According to Byron Piggott with the Alabama Law Enforcement agency, a young woman stopped on highway 59 and a Baldwin Co. deputy rear-ended her. He said the woman and the child were transported to a local hospital with no major injuries.

Piggott, says distracted driving was not a factor.

He said the deputy who was driving the BCSO SUV was not injured but was checked out.Yes, I have been vaccinated

Not yet, but I plan to get vaccinated

No, I don't want to get vaccinated

Vote

View Results In January 2017, 15-year-old Damaris Reyes Rivas, of Gaithersburg, was tortured and killed by Venus Romero Iraheta in the woods of Northern Virginia. Iraheta, 18, was sentenced to 40 years in prison in November and overall, 10 associates of MS-13 were convicted of the attack, the Washington Post reported. The case has been used in the past by the Trump administration to highlight the resurgence of MS-13 in the Washington area.Police served a search warrant on Tuesday to get DNA from all male employees at a long-term care facility in Phoenix where a patient who has been comatose for years gave birth

Phoenix: Police served a search warrant on Tuesday to get DNA from all male employees at a long-term care facility in Phoenix where a patient who had been in a vegetative state for years gave birth, triggering reviews by state agencies and putting a spotlight on safety concerns for patients who are severely disabled or incapacitated.

Hacienda HealthCare said it welcomed the DNA testing of employees.

"We will continue to cooperate with Phoenix Police and all other investigative agencies to uncover the facts in this deeply disturbing, but unprecedented situation," the company said in a statement.

Local news website Azfamily.com had first reported that the woman, who had been in a vegetative state for more than 10 years after a near-drowning, delivered a baby on 29 December.

Her identity has not been reported, and it's not known if she has a family or a guardian. It's also unclear if staff members at the Hacienda de Los Angeles facility were aware of the pregnancy until the birth.

In a statement, board member Gary Orman said the facility "will accept nothing less than a full accounting of this absolutely horrifying situation."

"We will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of every single one of our patients and our employees," Orman said.

Hacienda CEO Bill Timmons stepped down on Monday, spokesperson David Leibowitz said. The decision was unanimously accepted by the provider's board of directors.

Governor Doug Ducey's office has called the situation "deeply troubling." Phoenix police so far have declined comment.

The Hacienda facility serves infants, children and young adults who are "medically fragile" or have developmental disabilities, according to the website.

In the wake of the reports, the Arizona Department of Health Services said new safety measures have been implemented. They include increased staff presence during any patient interaction, more monitoring of patient care areas and additional security measures involving visitors.

The state's online complaint database for care facilities shows multiple complaints about Hacienda de Los Angeles going back to 2013.

Most of them involve fire drill and evacuation preparation or Medicaid eligibility. But one complaint from December 2013 outlines an allegation that a staff member made inappropriate sexual comments about four patients two months earlier. Nobody relayed the incidents to an administrator.

That employee was later fired.

Martin Solomon, a personal injury attorney in Phoenix whose clients are mostly vulnerable adult victims of abuse and neglect, said a lawyer representing this woman should call for all pertinent medical records, a list of current and ex-employees and any past litigation involving Hacienda.

It would be the police who would lead DNA testing to figure out who fathered the baby, Solomon said.

It would be hard for Hacienda to escape any kind of liability in court.

"There's a lot of information we do not have. But things like this don't happen without someone either knowing about it or should have known about it," Solomon said.

"Whether it's an employee or someone from the outside, the facility has an obligation to protect residents."

Advocates for the disabled say Arizona needs to find a way to monitor allegations of sexual abuse and sexual violence in these group settings.

Doing background checks isn't enough, said Erica McFadden, executive director of the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council.

"I think when you've had somebody who's had multiple allegations from different parties, there has to be some way to track that," McFadden said.

"If it's the same story from different people, then there's something wrong."

The council recently formed a task force to look at how to improve training for healthcare workers when it comes to identifying and reporting sexual abuse.

"We don't have a systematic way to train people what's a good touch or a bad touch. We also don't have required training for providers," McFadden said.

"We really need a lot of work in this area." Jon Meyers, executive director of The Arc of Arizona, an advocacy group for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, called the allegations "disturbing, to put it mildly".

"I wasn't there. I clearly don't have firsthand knowledge of what happened," Meyers said. "But I can't believe someone receiving that level of constant care wasn't recognized as being pregnant prior to the time she delivered."US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the most dogged human guardrail for the Robert Mueller probe into alleged Russian collusion with the 2016 Donald Trump election campaign is reportedly on his way out of the Justice Department.

New York: US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, the most dogged human guardrail for the Robert Mueller probe into alleged Russian collusion with the 2016 Donald Trump election campaign is reportedly on his way out of the Justice Department after weathering two years of nonstop threats by the US president to fire him. One of the most fascinating characters in the Trump era bureaucracy, Rosenstein is the man who appointed Robert Mueller, protected the Russia probe every inch of the way and knows every detail of the probe that is sucking the oxygen out of the Trump White House. Trump has made it clear for long that he wants Rosenstein out, now he will get it but Rosenstein may have stayed long enough that his exit doesn't make life any easier for Trump.

Endgame time?

So, what does a Rosenstein exit mean? Is this that moment when the Mueller - Trump confrontation becomes real? The air is thick with the smell of a looming bombshell, we just don't know what form it will take. We don't know what all Mueller is looking for and what he has found but now, there's a big neon sign that if Mueller's looking for Russia-Trump campaign collusion, there's something close to a smoking gun in the latest redacted filings by the special counsel.

Until a few months ago, the question was always about who would make sure Mueller's work could continue if Rosenstein is booted out. Now, after the torrent of Mueller filings before Christmas 2018, that question is less of an issue. Mueller, by all available accounts so far, is almost through with his work. His final report, the ultimate firestorm, is likely to drop soon, even if a lot of his work is already out there in court filings. Even as the Rosenstein exit story got fleshed out all of Wednesday, Rosenstein has has whispered to confidantes that he's not leaving without ensuring a safe landing for the Mueller report.

Rosenstein as witness?

It's also possible that Rosenstein knows he's needed as a witness after the Mueller report lands and wants to leave to avoid conflict of interest issues. How dangerous is that for Trump? Immensely. In addition to every word of the Mueller report, Rosenstein can testify on conversations he has had with the US president and if he, like fired FBI chief James Comey, has ever been pressurized to do illegal things to protect White House occupants or their cronies.

"One step before treason"

Meanwhile, news is tricking in that Trumps AG pick William Barr has pledged not to interfere in the Mueller probe. All this comes less than 24 hours after the latest batch of stunning revelations that Trump's former campaign chief Paul Manafort passed on sensitive polling data to a Russian operative. Is this the final piece in a giant puzzle that comes tantalizingly close to Trump campaign "collusion" with the Russians? Yes, say analysts picking through the trove of Mueller memos already in public domain. If Mueller connects the dots from here and comes to the conclusion that this is the data that Russians used to rig election results in key swing states, then we're looking at wrongs that are "one step before treason", said Malcolm Nance, terrorism analyst, on prime time telly today.

New York prosecutors scare Trump more than Mueller does

Although the Robert Mueller probe has more name recognition in the public domain, the real peril for Donald Trump comes from the way the Mueller probe and New York investigators are collaborating across a total of 17 different investigations into Trumpworld. The raid on Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen that blew the lid off the Trump storyline on hush payments to women was the work of New York investigators; they are a powerhouse team going after all the actors in the now famous Trump Tower meeting. Early on in his presidency, Trump has tried often to bend New York prosecutors to his will but his strong-arming tactics bombed.

Why hasn't Trump fired Rosenstein?

As for Rosenstein, if anyone is wondering why Rosenstein is heading towards the exit, the real question is how he is still working at the Justice Department and why Trump hasn't fired him yet. Even Rosenstein believed he was about to be canned last September but that did not happen. That likely has something to do with terrific poll numbers for Mueller. If Trump fires Rosenstein or had fired him, it will be widely viewed as an indication that he is preparing to shut down the Mueller investigation. Data even from Trump's favorite network Fox say that public reaction to this will be a huge negative.

The revolving door

A new name will soon be injected into this complex web: William Barr. Barr, Trump's pick to replace former AG Jeff Sessions who was fired soon after the November midterm congressional elections, is set to appear for a confirmation hearing next week before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which must weigh his nomination before the full Senate considers his approval. If confirmed, Barr, who was U.S. Attorney General under the late President George H.W. Bush from 1991 to 1993, would oversee the investigation led by Mueller, a fellow Republican chosen by Rosenstein.

Barr's nomination is likely to meet heavy scrutiny regarding the ongoing investigation, particularly from Democrats, following reports he had written a memo in June questioning the probe. Rosenstein has said the memo had no impact on the department's work. What Trump has either ignored or brushed aside is this: The US Justice Department works like a big family. There may be bickering but it all stays within the family. Trump is the outsider here, his family is in the crosshairs and with Trump's firing of Comey began the revenge of the career bureaucrat against the US president. Rosenstein is part of the resistance, so is Mueller and so are the New York prosecutors.

Just in: House Democrats are going to subpoena Donald Trump's eldest son Donald Trump Jr over the infamous Trump Tower meeting with Russian operatives offering dirt on Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign. The White House is lawyering up for what promises to be a terrible year.By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked the Security Council to approve the deployment of up to 75 observers to Yemen's port city of Hodeidah for six months to monitor a ceasefire and redeployment of forces by the warring parties. After a week of U.N.-sponsored peace talks in Sweden last month, the Iranian-aligned Houthi group and Saudi-backed Yemen government foes reached the deal on Hodeidah, the entry point for most of Yemen's commercial goods and aid supplies, and a lifeline for millions of Yemenis on the verge of starvation. The 15-member U.N

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has asked the Security Council to approve the deployment of up to 75 observers to Yemen's port city of Hodeidah for six months to monitor a ceasefire and redeployment of forces by the warring parties.

After a week of U.N.-sponsored peace talks in Sweden last month, the Iranian-aligned Houthi group and Saudi-backed Yemen government foes reached the deal on Hodeidah, the entry point for most of Yemen's commercial goods and aid supplies, and a lifeline for millions of Yemenis on the verge of starvation.

The 15-member U.N. Security Council will need to take action on Guterres' request by about Jan. 20, when a 30-day authorization for an advance monitoring team led by retired Dutch General Patrick Cammaert expires.

It was not immediately clear how many monitors were currently on the ground with Cammaert. The United Nations has said the monitors are not uniformed or armed.

The Security Council had asked Guterres to recommend - by the end of last month - a larger monitoring team. Diplomats said Britain was working on a draft resolution to approve Guterres' proposal, but had not yet circulated it to council members.

In his Dec. 31 proposal to the council, seen by Reuters, Guterres described the proposed 75-strong team as "a nimble presence" to monitor compliance of the deal and establish and assess facts and conditions on the ground.

"Appropriate resources and assets will also be required to ensure the safety and security of U.N. personnel, including armoured vehicles, communications infrastructure, aircraft and appropriate medical support," Guterres wrote.

"Such resources will be a pre-requisite for the effective launch and sustainment of the proposed mission," he said.

A Security Council resolution unanimously adopted last month to approve the advance monitoring team was only agreed after days of wrangling that unusually pitted the United States against ally Britain.

Guterres said the larger monitoring mission would contribute to sustaining a "fragile political process" re-launched by U.N. Yemen envoy Martin Griffiths. Griffiths is aiming to convene another round of talks between the warring parties this month.

Griffiths and U.N. aid chief Mark Lowcock are due to brief the Security Council on the situation in Yemen on Wednesday.

Guterres also called on Yemen's neighbouring states to assist the monitors by "ensuring the free, unhindered and expeditious movement to and from Yemen" of all personnel, equipment, supplies through their territory and the stationing of "support personnel, vehicles and aircraft on their territory."

He said similar commitments were needed to scale up humanitarian operations in the country.

A military coalition led by neighbouring Saudi Arabia intervened in Yemen in 2015 to back government forces. The U.N. and Western countries have criticized the coalition for killing a high number of civilians, including children.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Tom Brown)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will make his case to Americans on Tuesday that a wall is urgently needed to resolve what he calls a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, trying to make good on a campaign promise in a dispute that has sparked an 18-day partial government shut-down. Trump's prime-time address, scheduled for 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Wednesday) will be the Republican president's latest attempt to persuade Democrats to back his push for a steel barrier on the southern border.

By Jeff Mason

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump will make his case to Americans on Tuesday that a wall is urgently needed to resolve what he calls a crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, trying to make good on a campaign promise in a dispute that has sparked an 18-day partial government shut-down.

Trump's prime-time address, scheduled for 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Wednesday) will be the Republican president's latest attempt to persuade Democrats to back his push for a steel barrier on the southern border.

Amid his talk of crisis, Trump is considering declaring the border situation a national emergency, which could get him out of an impasse by enabling him to bypass Congress' mandate to approve federal spending and to build the wall without its approval. However, such a step would likely face an immediate legal challenge.

The White House has not said why the situation might constitute a national emergency. In television interviews on Tuesday morning, Vice President Mike Pence said Trump would tell Americans there is "a humanitarian and security crisis" at the border.

"We believe we can solve this through the legislative process," Pence told CBS, urging Democrats to negotiate. He did not say whether Trump had made a decision about declaring a national emergency or if the White House had completed its legal review of such a declaration.

Trump has long maintained that a border wall is needed to stem the flow of illegal immigration and drugs, and in recent weeks has made the issue a priority. Democrats, who now control the House of Representatives, have consistently opposed it, calling it an expensive, inefficient and immoral way of trying to resolve immigration issues.

The dispute over wall funding - with Trump demanding $5.7 billion to help build it - led to a stalemate in Congress over funding for parts of the government. About a quarter of U.S. agencies have been shut down since last month and hundreds of thousands of government workers are likely to miss pay checks this week.

Trump's remarks on Tuesday evening will also aim to shore up support among Republican lawmakers, who are wary of potential backlash from the public as the shutdown drags on. Pence was scheduled to meet with Republican lawmakers before Trump's speech.

When asked about the chance of Trump using his speech to declare a national emergency, White House adviser Kellyanne Conway told reporters:

He is not talking about that at all. He is not giving a likelihood. He is not saying yes or no."

A growing proportion of Americans blame Trump for the government shutdown, although Republicans mostly support his refusal to approve a budget that does not include funds for the wall, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday.

While Trump has frequently painted a picture of an "unprecedented crisis" of illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexican border, illegal crossings there have dropped dramatically in recent years. There were nearly 400,000 apprehensions on the border in the 2018 fiscal year, far down from the early 2000s when arrests regularly topped 1 million annually.

But in recent years, the border has seen many more Central American families and unaccompanied children turning up - sometimes in caravans of thousands of people - to seek asylum and the government does not have the facilities to take care of them. Such asylum-seekers often present themselves at official crossing points, something that would not change if a wall were built.

Despite the focus on the border with Mexico, most immigrants living in the United States without authorization entered with visas and then stayed on when their documents ran out.

NOT THE 'AMERICAN WAY'

All major U.S. television networks agreed to broadcast Trump's speech, prompting Democrats to seek equal air time. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer will deliver a televised response after Trump speaks.

Democrats have said they support increased border security measures such as additional U.S. border agents and technology, but have rejected the administration's claims about the security risks at the border and have raised concerns that Trump will use his speech to present a false narrative.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said House Democratic leadership have not yet worked out how to respond if Trump declared a national emergency in order to circumvent Congress and build a wall.

But he said that if Trump did use a national emergency, the president would be like authoritarian leaders of other nations who use martial law to circumvent the rule of law.

We dont think thats the American way, Hoyer told reporters on Tuesday.

Trump will continue pressing his case for the wall with a trip to the border on Thursday.

Federal employees will feel the pinch from the shutdown on Friday, when they will miss their paychecks for the first time, unless a deal is reached. The shutdown, which has left some 800,000 government workers furloughed or working without pay, is also affecting national parks, airline security screening, housing and food aid, and economic data.

Trump's promise of a wall was a signature issue in his 2016 White House run. He said Mexico would pay for it, although Mexico was always clear it would not, and he has now turned to Congress for the money.

In rejecting Trump's demands, Democrats also point to the Trump administration's controversial handling of families and other migrants from Central America at the border.

Critics have decried the previous separation of migrant children from families, the use of tear gas at the border and the case of two Guatemalan migrant children who died in U.S. custody in December.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by Susan Heavey, Alex Alper and Ginger Gibson in Washington and Kenneth Li and Mica Rosenberg in New York; Writing by Alistair Bell; Editing by Frances Kerry)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.The Indian and US consulates on Melbourne's St Kilda Road as well as the British, Swiss and German diplomatic mission are believed to have been targeted. Reports have said that the Korean, Greek, Italian, Pakistani and Egyptian consulates have also been put on lockdown.

At least 10 international consulates in Australia's Melbourne, including the Indian consulate, were evacuated on Wednesday following reports of "suspicious packages" being delivered to them, local media reported. Similar packages were delivered to consulates in capital city Canberra, as well, according to Reuters.

In Melbourne, the Indian and US consulates on St Kilda Road as well as the British, Swiss and German diplomatic missions are believed to have been targeted. Reports said that the Korean, Greek, Italian, Pakistani and Egyptian consulates have also been put on lockdown.

Unverified reports claimed that packages bearing the word "asbestos" and "wear a mask" were received. The packages are not believed to be dangerous, but police, fire crews and forensic teams were urged to use breathing apparatus as they documented and double or triple bagged the materials for further testing.

"The packages are being examined by attending emergency services," the Australian Federal Police said in a statement. "The circumstances surrounding the incidents are being investigated."

According to The Guardian, staff at the Consulate-General of India were evacuated from the building and ordered not to talk to the media, while reporters outside the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea reported seeing at least one person in a hazmat suit enter the building. Some of the sites -- which also included locations near the Spanish, Swiss, Egyptian and Pakistani consulates -- were evacuated as a precaution but have since been declared safe

Fire crews and police are at the Indian consulate in Melbourne. Staff evacuated sitting outside @AAPNewswire pic.twitter.com/Roc06bVxwj  Kaitlyn Offer (@KaitlynOffer) January 9, 2019

Victoria Police said there was no threat to the public: "At this time we believe the matter is targeted and not impacting the general community."

A British High Commission spokesperson said it had been one of the facilities targeted, but "all our staff are safe and accounted for."

The development comes two days after a suspicious white substance was found inside a package sent to the Argentine consulate in Sydney.Kim Jong-un met for one hour with Chinese President Xi Jinping and the two later dined with their wives at Beijing's Great Hall of the People

Beijing: Kim Jong-un's train left Beijing on Wednesday after the North Korean leader visited his key ally on a trip seen as a strategy session ahead of his expected summit with Donald Trump.

Kim arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for his fourth visit to Pyongyang's sole major diplomatic friend, reportedly visiting a factory and meeting President Xi Jinping.

The North Korean leader's motorcade was spotted arriving at the Beijing central railway station early afternoon, and the train departed shortly after on a day-long ride back to the northeast border, according to AFP journalists.

The unannounced trip was largely shrouded in secrecy. Beyond confirming his presence in Beijing, no details have been provided by either North Korea or China on his schedule.

Kim met for one hour with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday  believed to be the North Korean leader's birthday  and the two later dined with their wives at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

The meeting focused on Kim's expected meeting with Trump, according to Yonhap.

In a New Year speech, Kim warned that Pyongyang may change its approach to nuclear talks if Washington persists with sanctions.

Relations between China and North Korea had deteriorated in recent years over Pyongyang's nuclear activities, but Kim has made sure to keep Xi informed about his dealings with the United States and South Korea as ties appear to have warmed.

"In order to resist the high pressure of the US, he must communicate with Xi in advance to see what steps he can take to deal with Trump," Beijing-based independent political commentator Hua Po told AFP.

"Kim needs the support of Xi so as to ask the US to make substantial steps, such as providing assistance to North Korea and normalising relations with North Korea," Hua said.

Kim chose China for his maiden official trip abroad last year before holding meetings with South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Trump.

Trump said on Sunday that the United States and North Korea are negotiating the location of their next summit.

Discussions between the US and North Korea over Pyongyang's nuclear arsenal have stalled since Kim and Trump's high-profile summit in Singapore in June where they issued a vaguely worded declaration about denuclearisation.

The United States insists that United Nations sanctions must remain in place until North Korea gives up its weapons, while Pyongyang wants them immediately eased. China also wants the sanctions to be relaxed.

But Chinese officials also likely want to impress on Kim  who has so far pursued only limited reforms to his statist economy  the benefits the giant Communist country has enjoyed in its transformation from impoverished nation to economic powerhouse.

Yonhap, citing unidentified sources, reported that Kim toured a factory operated by medicine firm Tongrentang for about half an hour in an economic zone in the Chinese capital.

He then went to the Beijing Hotel where he was expected to have lunch with Xi before his departure.

"For North Korea itself, 2019 is his strategic turning point. If he wants to shift his focus to the development of the economy, he needs China's cooperation," said Lu Chao, a North Korea expert at China's Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences.

"China will also introduce some successful experiences to Kim to help North Korea achieve economic transformation and realise the denuclearisation of the peninsula as soon as possible," Lu told AFP.

In the New Year speech, Kim focused on North Korea's moribund economy, saying that improving people's lives was his top priority and tackling energy shortages was an urgent task.

Hua, the Beijing-based analyst, said changes in the economic model will affect politics, "which poses new challenges to his control over the country."

"For this point, he must ask for advice from China." The visit coincided with negotiations between US and Chinese officials in Beijing to resolve a bruising trade war between the world's two biggest economies.

Some analysts say China could use its cooperation on the North Korean issue as a bargaining chip in the US trade talks. But Hua said Kim's visit would have a "limited" effect on the trade negotiations.

"The Sino-US trade negotiations are a matter between China and the US. The weight of North Korea is limited and cannot play a decisive role," he said.Jan. 18 _ Deadline for the governor to submit his budget bills in both chambers. Legislators can only cut the governors proposed operating budget; they cant add to it or move funding around.PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron's popularity ratings recovered in January, a survey showed on Tuesday, after a series of government concessions aimed at ending a wave of 'yellow vest' protests against high living costs. The demonstrations shaking France since mid-November had further dented Macron's standing at the end of last year, with his popularity dropping to record lows amid a backlash that started out as an outcry over planned fuel tax hikes

PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron's popularity ratings recovered in January, a survey showed on Tuesday, after a series of government concessions aimed at ending a wave of "yellow vest" protests against high living costs.

The demonstrations shaking France since mid-November had further dented Macron's standing at the end of last year, with his popularity dropping to record lows amid a backlash that started out as an outcry over planned fuel tax hikes.

These were dropped in early December and Macron has since offered up further measures to appease protesters, including wage rises for the poorest workers.

The 41-year-old's approval ratings jumped by 5 percentage points to 28 percent in January from a month earlier, the Ifop-Fiducial poll for Paris Match and Sud Radio showed, after two straight months of declines in its poll.

Some other recent surveys also showed improvement in Macron's popularity in late December, albeit smaller ones.

The Ifop poll of 1,014 people was carried out on Jan. 3-4, before the latest marches last Saturday when rioters torched motorbikes and set barricades ablaze in Paris.

The French government has since toughened its stance and said it would crack down harder on undeclared protests and violence on the fringes of demonstrations.

Attendance at the anti-government rallies across France also regained some ground last weekend after losing steam over the Christmas holidays.

People surveyed by Ifop gave Macron the most credit for defending France's interest overseas, but only 19 percent said they believed he understood voters' concerns. Thirty percent gave the thumbs up to his economic policies.

Elected in mid-2017 on a platform of liberalising the economy, Macron has promised to press on with his reform programme and overhaul French institutions in spite of the "yellow vest" crisis.

With European elections looming in May - another big test for Macron - France's far right "National Rally" party, formerly known as the National Front and headed up by Marine Le Pen, is consolidating its position, the Ifop poll also showed.

For the first time since May 2017 in the pollster's rankings, Le Pen's party emerged as the one that best represented the government's main opposition, according to 35 percent of those surveyed. That put it just ahead of the far-left La France Insoumise (France Unbowed).

(Reporting by Sarah White and Julie Carriat; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.BEIRUT (Reuters) - Storms in Lebanon have flooded Syrian refugee camps, ruining tents, mattresses and food and compounding the misery of people enduring powerful winter winds and biting cold.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Storms in Lebanon have flooded Syrian refugee camps, ruining tents, mattresses and food and compounding the misery of people enduring powerful winter winds and biting cold.

More than a million Syrians fled to neighbouring Lebanon since war broke out at home in 2011, and U.N. agencies say most live of them live in poverty.

"There is almost half a metre of water on the ground and in the tents ... the war in Syria forced us into this situation," said Hussein Zeidan who came to Lebanon from Homs in Syria in 2011.

He lives in a makeshift camp near a river in north Lebanon's Akkar region. He and some of its other residents said the storm had left them and their children with no clothes, furniture or food.

Families were moving around in search of dryness and warmth.

"Water flooded us in the camp: me and my children. Our situation is bad ... God bless our neighbours, they welcomed us in yesterday night. Today, water flooded them so we came here, as you can see, to this half-built house with no windows or doors," Ghazwan Zeidan, who has three children, said in Akkar.

The U.N. refugee agency said on Tuesday that the storm had completely flooded or collapsed 15 informal settlements out of at least 66 that were "heavily impacted".

In the Bekaa valley in east Lebanon, the cold temperatures have also brought snow.

Abu Shahid, who fled Hasaka in Syria three years ago with his family, stood in flooded water in an informal camp in Bar Elias village. He described how his tent had completely submerged, damaging all his family's belongings.

"The only solution is to leave our things and move, run away with our lives ... Water is everywhere, where do we go?," he said. The previous night, he and his wife and two children had slept in a neighbour's tent that was less damaged by the floods.

For 19-year-old Hamed Haj Abu and his relatives, the night was cold and wet.

"We did not sleep all night. Some were sleeping for an hour, others were waking up. Water was coming on us, in the tent, from everywhere," he said in Bar Elias.

"My brother and his family first came to us, they are living nearby. We all did not sleep, we left the tent all together, we can't sit, look, water is flooding, we can't sleep on water."

(Reporting by Issam Abdallah in Bekaa and Walid Saleh in Akkar, Writing by Yara Abi Nader in Beirut, Editing by Angus McDowall and Alison Williams)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.By Joanna Plucinska WARSAW (Reuters) - Italy and Poland should join forces to reshape Europe, Italy's far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on Wednesday during a visit to Warsaw to drum up support for a eurosceptic alliance to contest May elections to the European Parliament. The eurosceptic governments in Rome and Warsaw are both keen to repatriate some EU powers from Brussels to national capitals and hope like-minded parties will do well in the May elections, which will follow Britain's planned exit from the bloc in March. 'Poland and Italy will be part of the new spring of Europe, the renaissance of European values,' he told a press conference with Poland's Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski.

By Joanna Plucinska

WARSAW (Reuters) - Italy and Poland should join forces to reshape Europe, Italy's far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on Wednesday during a visit to Warsaw to drum up support for a eurosceptic alliance to contest May elections to the European Parliament.

The eurosceptic governments in Rome and Warsaw are both keen to repatriate some EU powers from Brussels to national capitals and hope like-minded parties will do well in the May elections, which will follow Britain's planned exit from the bloc in March.

"Poland and Italy will be part of the new spring of Europe, the renaissance of European values," he told a press conference with Poland's Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski.

Salvini's visit to Warsaw was initiated by Brudzinski, who said the two had discussed migration and EU border security.

Salvini has repeatedly railed against the EU and says the May elections are vital for creating a "reformist" bloc that can overhaul Brussels institutions from within.

Salvini, whose anti-immigrant League is the most popular party in Italy, said his talks on Wednesday with Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), had gone well.

PiS has echoed the League's calls for Brussels to interfere less in the affairs of EU member states, though the parties are not currently allied in the European Parliament.

"At a party level, we have started a journey, a sharing of ideas, visions and projects for the future of the European Parliament that will, at long last, be profoundly different to what went before," Salvini said.

"We started a dialogue. To close a deal in half an hour seems overly optimistic," he added.

Salvini said he wanted to put together an alliance of like-minded EU parties that would campaign on a shared, 10-point programme that has yet to be fully defined.

"We proposed a common programme to be offered to other parties and peoples in Europe founded on certain themes, like (economic) growth, security, the family, Europe's Christian roots that some have denied," Salvini said.

At present, Salvini is allied to a small group of far-right parties such as Marine Le Pen's National Rally in France and the anti-Islam Freedom Party in the Netherlands. But he wants to extend its reach and draw in conservative groups like PiS.

Previous attempts by populist right-wing parties to form a eurosceptic alliance in the European Parliament have not been very successful as they often have different priorities or interests and show little appetite for compromise.

Despite its euroscepticism, PiS has recently been trying to mend fences with Brussels, agreeing to reverse a law criticised by the EU that had forced Polish Supreme Court judges into early retirement.

Salvini has also called for an end to EU sanctions against Russia, while Kaczynski and other Polish conservatives support them and are deeply distrustful of Moscow.

(Reporting by Joanna Plucinska in Warsaw and Crispian Balmer in Rome; Editing by Gareth Jones)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.By Ben Blanchard URUMQI/KASHGAR/HOTAN, China (Reuters) - China will not back down on what it sees as a highly successful de-radicalisation programme in Xinjiang that has attracted global concern, but fewer people will be sent through, officials said last week in allowing rare media access there.

By Ben Blanchard

URUMQI/KASHGAR/HOTAN, China (Reuters) - China will not back down on what it sees as a highly successful de-radicalisation programme in Xinjiang that has attracted global concern, but fewer people will be sent through, officials said last week in allowing rare media access there.

Beijing has faced an outcry from activists, scholars, foreign governments and U.N. rights experts over what they call mass detentions and strict surveillance of the mostly Muslim Uighur minority and other Muslim groups who call Xinjiang home.

In August, a U.N. human rights panel said it had received credible reports that a million or more Uighurs and other minorities in the far western region are being held in what resembles a "massive internment camp."

Last week, the government organised a visit to three such facilities, which it calls vocational education training centres, for a small group of foreign reporters, including Reuters.

In recent days, a similar visit was arranged for diplomats from 12 non-Western countries, including Russia, Indonesia, India, Thailand, Kazakhstan, according to Xinjiang officials and foreign diplomats.

Senior officials, including Shohrat Zakir, Xinjiang's governor and the region's most senior Uighur, dismissed what they called "slanderous lies" about the facilities.

Speaking in Xinjiang's capital, Urumqi, Shohrat Zakir said the centres had been "extremely effective" in reducing extremism by teaching residents about the law and helping them learn Mandarin.

"As time goes by, the people in the education training mechanism will be fewer and fewer," he said.

Shohrat Zakir said he could not say exactly how many people were in the facilities.

"One million people, this number is rather frightening. One million people in the education mechanism - that's not realistic. That's purely a rumour," he said, stressing they were temporary educational facilities.

Dilxat Raxit, spokesman for the Munich-based exile group the World Uyghur Congress, told Reuters the Chinese government was using extremism as an excuse to lock people up.

"What they are trying to do is destroy Uighur identity," he said.

INSIDE THE CENTRES

Human rights groups and former detainees have said that conditions in the camps are poor, with inmates subject to abuse. They said detainees did not receive vocational training.

Seeking to counter that narrative, the government took reporters to three centres, in Kashgar, Hotan and Karakax, all in the heavily Uighur-populated southern part of Xinjiang, where much of the violence has taken place in recent years.

In one class reporters were allowed to briefly visit, a teacher explained in Mandarin that not allowing singing or dancing at a wedding or crying at a funeral are signs of extremist thought.

The students took notes, pausing to look up as reporters and officials entered the room. Some smiled awkwardly. Others just looked down at their books. All were Uighur. None appeared to have been mistreated.

In another class, residents read a Chinese lesson in their textbook entitled "Our motherland is so vast."

There was plenty of singing and dancing in other rooms reporters visited, including a lively rendition in English of "If You're Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands," that seemed to have been put on especially for the visit.

Several residents agreed to speak briefly to reporters, though all in the presence of government officials. Reporters were closely chaperoned at all times.

All the interviewees said they were there of their own accord after learning of the centres from local officials.

Many answers used extremely similar language about being "infected with extremist thought."

Pazalaibutuyi, 26, told reporters at the Hotan centre that five years ago she had attended an illegal religious gathering at a neighbour's house, where they were taught that women should cover their faces.

"At that time I was infected with extremist thought so I wore a face veil," she said, speaking clear Mandarin after a year at the centre.

Government officials came to her village to talk to the villagers and after that, she said, "I discovered my mistake."

In the Kashgar centre, Osmanjan, who declined to give his age, said he had incited ethnic hatred, so village police suggested he go for re-education.

"Under the influence of extremist thought, when non-Muslims came to my shop I was unwilling to serve them," he said in unsteady Mandarin.

It was not possible to independently verify their stories. All the interviewees said they had not been forewarned of the visit.

Residents said they can "graduate" when they are judged to have reached a certain level with their Mandarin, de-radicalisation and legal knowledge. They are allowed phone calls with family members, but no cell phones. They are provided halal food.

Only minimal security was visible at any of the three centres.

Reuters last year reported on conditions inside the camps and took pictures of guard towers and barbed wire surrounding some. (https://tinyurl.com/y9zzouss)

'A GOOD LIFE'

The situation in Xinjiang has stirred concern in Western capitals.

At least 15 Western ambassadors wrote to Xinjiang's top official, Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo, late last year seeking a meeting to discuss their concerns. Chen did not meet reporters on the trip.

Diplomatic sources told Reuters the ambassadors did not get a response.

The United States has said it is considering sanctions against Chen, other officials and Chinese companies linked to allegations of rights abuses in Xinjiang.

Maya Wang, a Hong Kong-based Human Rights Watch researcher, said international pressure needs to increase.

"The fact that they feel they need to put on a show tour is a sign that this pressure is working," she told Reuters.

Both Wang and Dilxat Raxit noted that the tight control over the visits and interviews showed China's concern about their true nature.

Over a lunch of lamb kebabs, horse meat and naan, Urumqi party boss Xu Hairong told Reuters that "all of the reports are fake" when it comes to foreign coverage of Xinjiang. He dismissed worries about U.S. sanctions.

"We, including Party Secretary Chen, are working all out for the people of Xinjiang to have a good life," Xu said. "If the U.S. won't allow me to go, then I don't want to go there. That's the truth."

The government says its goal is for Uighurs to become part of mainstream Chinese society. Shohrat Zakir said in parts of southern Xinjiang people couldn't even say hello in Mandarin.

Officials point to a lack of violence in the past two years as evidence of programme's success.

Urumqi's Exhibition on Major Violent Terrorist Attack Cases in Xinjiang, normally closed to the public, displays graphic images and footage from what the government says are attacks.

"Only with a deeper understanding of the past can you understand the measures we have taken today," Shi Lei, Xinjiang's Communist Party committee deputy propaganda chief, told reporters.

One member of the Chinese armed forces, who has served in Kashgar, said the security situation had improved dramatically.

"You can't imagine what it was like there in 2014 and 2015. There were attacks all the time, bombings, stabbings. It was chaos," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

In Kashgar, Hotan and Karakax, petrol stations are still surrounded by barbed wire and heavy security barriers. Residential areas are dotted with small police stations.

The stations have broader public service in mind, Zhang Yi, commander of one of the stations, told reporters. The one reporters visited provided pamphlets on a wide range of subjects, including how to legally change your sex.

Kashgar deputy party chief Zark Zurdun, a Uighur from Ghulja in northern Xinjiang, where many ethnic Kazakhs live, told Reuters that "stability is the best human right."

"The West should learn from us" on how to beat extremism, he said, dismissing concerns Uighur culture was under attack.

"Did Kazakh vanish in the USSR when they all had to learn Russian?" he said. "No. So Uighur won't vanish here."

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Gerry Doyle)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.ATHENS (Reuters) - A Greek urban guerrilla group claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a blast last month outside one of Greece's biggest TV stations and it accused media of promoting a 'capitalist' agenda in the country. In the claim posted on a website, the Group of People's Fighters (OLA), accused media of helping to preserve a 'rotting economic and political system'. Greek authorities had considered the group a suspect in the Dec

ATHENS (Reuters) - A Greek urban guerrilla group claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a blast last month outside one of Greece's biggest TV stations and it accused media of promoting a "capitalist" agenda in the country.

In the claim posted on a website, the Group of People's Fighters (OLA), accused media of helping to preserve a "rotting economic and political system".

Greek authorities had considered the group a suspect in the Dec. 17 attack on Skai TV's headquarters in Athens.

The makeshift explosive caused widespread damage to the building in the early morning attack. Two warning calls had preceded the blast and there were no injuries.

OLA said the explosives had been placed in a manner to minimise the risk of injury, but added that the media were fair game to be on the receiving end of "social counter-violence".

"From the time of their creation private media businesses have been an incubator for the reproduction of a dominant far right, xenophobic and neo-liberal narrative, and as such are rightly the recipients of social counter-violence," the declaration said.

The attack on Skai was roundly condemned across the political spectrum as an attack on democracy.

Small-scale attacks on businesses, police and politicians are not uncommon in Greece, which has a long history of political violence and emerged in August from its third international bailout since 2010.

OLA emerged during Greece's debt crisis which broke out in late 2009. It claimed responsibility for two attacks in 2013 - on the headquarters of the conservative New Democracy party and on the German ambassador's residence, where more than 60 gun shells were found by police on the ground.

The group has also said it was behind a gun attack against the Israeli embassy in Athens in 2014 and a blast outside the premises of the Greek business federation in 2015.

It has also attacked banks and businesses in Athens.

(Reporting By Michele Kambas; Editing by Gareth Jones)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.By Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) - Flights from London's Heathrow airport were halted on Tuesday after the airport said there had been sightings of a drone near Europe's busiest air hub. 'We are responding to a drone sighting at Heathrow,' the airport said.

By Paul Sandle

LONDON (Reuters) - Flights from London's Heathrow airport were halted on Tuesday after the airport said there had been sightings of a drone near Europe's busiest air hub.

"We are responding to a drone sighting at Heathrow," the airport said. "As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate. We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience this may cause."

A Reuters witness in a plane on the runway at Heathrow said multiple aircraft were waiting for permission to take off. Later, passengers were told that things were starting to move but there was no official confirmation of that from the airport.

London's second busiest airport, Gatwick, was severely disrupted when drones were sighted on three consecutive days in December, resulting in about 1,000 flights being cancelled or diverting and affecting 140,000 passengers.

Gatwick's drone nightmare - the most disruptive yet at a major airport - exposed a new vulnerability that will be scrutinised by security forces, airlines and airport operators across the world.

The British army was forced to deploy unidentified military technology to guard the area around Gatwick, reassuring the airport that it was safe enough to fly.

British Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said on Tuesday the military was preparing to deploy the same equipment at Heathrow.

"We are in contact with Heathrow Airport concerning the drone sighting," he said.

"I have already spoken to both the Home Secretary and Defence Secretary and the military are preparing to deploy the equipment used at Gatwick at Heathrow quickly should it prove necessary."

Both airports responded to the Gatwick incident by ordering military-grade anti-drone technology.

Heathrow said it was working closely with authorities including the police and looking at relevant technology to combat the threat of drones.

(Editing by Guy Faulconbridge)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.A Hail Mary presidential address from a bully pulpit on steroids. Thats what we got today on the Donald Trump parallel reality prime time show from the Oval Office as the US president exploited his powerful office to spread more lies about a non-existent humanitarian crisis and thousands of terrorists are streaming through the US border.

New York: A Hail Mary presidential address from a bully pulpit on steroids. Thats what we got today on the Donald Trump parallel reality prime time show from the Oval Office as the US president exploited his powerful office to reel off a litany of scare stories about illegal immigration and a non-existent humanitarian crisis at the US border while 800,000 federal government workers are working without pay since 22 December last year because of the ongoing shutdown over Trump's tantrum over getting his $5.7 billion for a border wall.

"This is a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul", Trump said, reading off a teleprompter and retreating from his big beautiful "wall" and introducing a Wall version 3.0. Now, he's saying he'll take a "barrier" for a deal. Trump's shtick is getting old and boring, Republicans are slowly breaking from his creed, the first rumblings are being heard today.

Conflating the cultural fears of many white voters and reality-free nonsense that he passed off as data, Trump on Tuesday night griped about his all time favourite poison arrow - immigration. Trump fooled nobody, the racial fears he spouted today are merely a preview of the racial demagoguery that will headline his 2020 campaign. He milked national television networks to deliver a divisive speech certain to rile up his most loyal voters. This was not a national crisis speech, it was Trump using the Oval Office to find an emergency exit out of the soon-to-be longest US Govt shutdown in the last 50 years which is already the fourth-longest in history.

"At the request of the Democrats, it will be a steel barrier instead of a concrete wall. The border wall would very quickly pay for itself. The wall will also be paid for, indirectly, by the great trade deal we have made with Mexico. Democrats in Congress have refused to acknowledge the crisis", Trump said. The Democratic rebuttal by Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer tore into Trump's claims saying he is spreading "malice" and showed him a mirror that says Trump is the sticking point here and nobody else.

We need to build the wall, the wall need not be a wall, Mexico will pay for the wall and we need to pay for the same wall that Mexico is already funding - we got all versions today from Trump about the phantom wall or unicorn or whatever we choose to call it.

Pure and unadulterated rubbish is how Donald Trumps critics are reacting to the US presidents unhinged address laying the groundwork to bypass a Democratic Congress after threatening all week to invoke a national emergency to prove his eagerness to build the metaphorical (or maybe real) wall along the US-Mexico border.

The Oval Office address is a very specific genre and the reason it was marshalled today belongs in some bizarre comic book version. This one today blurs the lines between the partisan, false and even illegal. This is the Trump angst laid bare, a desperation that has nothing to do with any epochal moment in American life, politics or security. Think John F Kennedy after the Cuban missile crisis, Richard Nixons resignation or George Bush after the 9/11 attacks and then compare the Trump show tonight. Hes terrified that his base will leave him, hes terrified of Robert Mueller and todays prime time outburst is how Trump deals with his fear: appeal to the worst instincts of his least educated voters. This is something he loves doing in his raucous political rallies, theres no reason for Trump to hijack the most revered physical space in the 18 acres of the White House to whip up the American people with imagined crises coming from immigrant invaders threatening to degrade the country. Well, he just did.

Cornered on multiple flanks both political and legal, this is Trumps attempt to shoot the moon with what was a totem for his campaign, and hope people will buy it or maybe skeptics will swing over to his side. Nothing of that sort is happening. If anything, Trump is keeping far right rabble rousers like Rush Limbaugh  who goaded Trump to shutdown the government  and Ann Coulter very happy.

In real time, critics are tearing into Trumps claims of a humanitarian crisis at the Southern border, panning the US president for possible executive overreach.

Former American presidents like Roosevelt and Lincoln and Truman in war situations have stretched the law to see how far they could go but this is the first time in American history that a politician is pushing the limits of the Oval Office address to see how far he can take a political gambit via reality television.

I can do it if I want, Trump has said multiple times in the last week about declaring a national emergency. He stopped several steps short of that today.

If Donald Trump was hoping for a quiet news day where he could play the star role, the Russia probe swept back into the headlines after a recent lull, inching closer to his closest family members, including his eldest son and son-in-law.

Hours before Trump took the worlds loudest megaphone to justify a non-emergency as a crisis, federal investigators indicted the Russian lawyer who met with Trump's former campaign manager Paul Manafort, Donald Trump Junior and Jared Kushner in Trump Tower New York during the 2016 campaign. That's a prelude to whats to come. If Robert Muellers playing chess, the prosecutors in New York may be his queen. Maybe Trump's emphasis on building a wall is to hold back the walls of the Russia probe closing in, is how Harvard Law Professor Laurence Tribe explains the Trump spectacle tonight.

Coming back to Trump, what is this wall, anyway? What does Trump want built? There isnt a blueprint out in public domain, theres no prototype of what it should look like. Not just average Americans, even Congress members are scratching their heads.

So, whats Trump trying to do here? At a more straightforward level, Trump is trying to see how Republicans could agree to open up the government without looking like they've caved to Democrats. Does Trump care? More likely, he would delight in the filter-free messaging to his base that hes sticking to his bedrock promise.

Popcorn tubs came out, the jokes wrote themselves and one of Karl Marx's most quoted statements - that history repeats itself, "the first as tragedy and then as farce", is trending on talk shows during Trumps first Oval Office address as president. So, why did Trump do this Oval Office 'address'? There wasn't anything new, Trump is circling back the same old horror stories he's been saying all week and telling his cronies to spout, so what was the big deal? White House sources say Trump wasn't for this speech but his aides wanted him to do it. If Trump agreed reluctantly, he decided he might as well stir the witches brew from the Oval office.

Meanwhile, Robert Mueller and the New York investigators are rapidly closing in on Trump's front porch. Fear, Trump has repeatedly said to insiders, is real power. It's all coming full circle. You can see it on Donald Trump's drawn face in the video embedded on the top of this story.The White House remained coy about whether Trump will declare a national emergency allowing him to bypass Congress and order his controversial wall project to go ahead using military resources  a move that would send already heated political temperatures to boiling point.

Washington: President Donald Trump will tell Americans in a primetime speech on Tuesday that the US-Mexico border is in "crisis" and Congress must approve construction of a wall to end a government partial shutdown, now in its 18th day.

After weeks of lashing out at Democratic opponents, mostly via Twitter and impromptu press conferences, Trump will deploy the presidency's biggest PR gun: a formal address to the nation at 9 pm (0200 GMT) on live television from the White House Oval Office.

Vice President Mike Pence told ABC television that Trump would lay out the "real humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border."

But the White House remained coy about whether Trump will declare a national emergency allowing him to bypass Congress and order his controversial wall project to go ahead using military resources  a move that would send already heated political temperatures to boiling point.

"He's not saying yes or no," top advisor Kellyanne Conway told journalists at the White House a few hours before the speech was due. He's "considering it," she added.

Trump wants $5.7 billion to build a wall or fence along the Mexican border. Democrats in Congress have refused, saying he is hyping up immigration issues to appeal to his right-wing base.

In retaliation, Trump has refused to sign off on a broader spending bill, leaving some 800,000 federal employees and many more contractors without pay.

That partial government shutdown has brought Washington's partisan dysfunction into ordinary Americans' homes across the country, raising the stakes for lawmakers who must face their voters as the chaos drags on.

Historic stage

The Oval Office has witnessed many historic announcements, ranging from George W Bush's reaction to the 9/11 attacks to John F Kennedy's televised appearance at the height of the Cuban missile crisis.

Trump's gambit is that the solemn setting will allow him to regain the momentum on the Mexico wall issue that helped him get elected in 2016 and has become an obsessive goal for supporters. He will follow up with a rare trip to the Mexico border itself on Thursday.

But with many Americans far from sold on Trump's lurid claims about illegal immigrants, criminals and terrorists overwhelming the border, the speech faces its own high barrier: credibility. "I think the best thing the president can do for the Republican Party is to make a persuasive case of why he wants more money, of why it's a crisis," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, told reporters.

"The better he does with that, the better it helps us to get to where we need to go."

Democrats, who ended the Trump presidency's dominance of domestic politics when they seized the House of Representatives from his Republicans in November, cried foul before a word was spoken. "If his past statements are an indication, (the speech) will be full of malice and misinformation," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the senior Democrat in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, said in a statement.

The Democratic leaders were due to give on-air rebuttals immediately after Trump's speech.

Presidential overreach?



The big question was whether Trump would use the occasion to declare a national emergency at the border, giving himself considerable new powers and sidestepping Congress's control of the purse strings.

Some argue that this is a way out of the impasse, as it could free Trump to build the wall and therefore to lift his blocking of the wider government funding.

Democrats have said the move would at a minimum mean presidential overreach, sparking court challenges to block the powers. But even if blocked, Trump could claim to his base that he had done what he could, while ending the damaging government shutdown.

Some Republicans have voiced doubts about the tactic, with Senator John Boozman telling AFP there was "some controversy" over Trump's authority to declare an emergency. "I think it would probably end up in a lawsuit, so I'm not sure how productive it would be," Senator John Cornyn said.

While political junkies were fixated on the policy issues in the standoff, others took a rather less decorous view of the proceedings.

Betting site bookmaker.eu was offering odds for wagers on whether Trump would lie during his speech, declare a national emergency or end the shutdown by 18 January.

And Stormy Daniels, the pornographic film performer and stripper famous for claiming she was paid off to keep quiet about an affair with Trump, proposed another way to keep entertained. "If you're looking for anything even remotely worth watching tonight at 9 pm EST, I will be folding laundry in my underwear for 8 minutes on Instagram live."By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) - Prosecutors in the trial of 'El Chapo' Joaquin Guzman on Tuesday played excerpts from what they said were incriminating phone calls made by the accused Mexican drug lord and intercepted by the FBI after they infiltrated his encrypted messaging system. Nearly two months into the trial of Guzman on charges of drug trafficking as leader of the Sinaloa cartel, FBI special agent Steven Marston testified the 61-year-old was easily identifiable by his higher-pitched voice, which had 'kind of a sing-songy nature to it' and a 'nasally undertone.' The phone call excerpts that wafted through the Brooklyn courtroom on Tuesday included discussions of dealings with local officials, including one where Guzman appears to admonish an associate to be careful dealing with police

By Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Prosecutors in the trial of "El Chapo" Joaquin Guzman on Tuesday played excerpts from what they said were incriminating phone calls made by the accused Mexican drug lord and intercepted by the FBI after they infiltrated his encrypted messaging system.

Nearly two months into the trial of Guzman on charges of drug trafficking as leader of the Sinaloa cartel, FBI special agent Steven Marston testified the 61-year-old was easily identifiable by his higher-pitched voice, which had "kind of a sing-songy nature to it" and a "nasally undertone."

The phone call excerpts that wafted through the Brooklyn courtroom on Tuesday included discussions of dealings with local officials, including one where Guzman appears to admonish an associate to be careful dealing with police.

"Well, you taught us to be a wolf, acting like a wolf," the associate replied.

Guzman was extradited to the United States in January 2017 to face charges of trafficking cocaine, heroin and other drugs into the country. Prosecutors have said he also played a central role in a Mexican drug war in which more than 100,000 people have died.

Guzman's lawyers have portrayed their client as a scapegoat for what they called Sinaloa's real leader, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada, who also faces U.S. charges but remains at large.

The trial began Nov. 13 and is expected to last a few more weeks. Guzman faces life in prison if convicted.

Marston said the FBI tapped into more than 800 calls on the encrypted system with the help of a cooperating witness, Cristian Rodriguez.

The agent said the system's servers were moved to the Netherlands, where they "would not be suspicious" to Sinaloa, and that calls were intercepted from April 2011 to January 2012.

Jurors had previously heard from former Guzman associates testifying about multi-ton drug shipments, deadly wars between rival drug lords, and corruption by Mexican public officials.

The defendant mostly sat quietly during testimony, but waved enthusiastically to his wife in the courtroom before it started.

Tuesday's proceedings began with testimony from government witness Edgar Galvan, a low-level drug trafficker who the defence said fabricated payments from another trafficker to Guzman with the hope of reducing his own 24-1/3-year prison term.

Galvan denied making up the payments, though he admitted to having previously lied to investigators.

"Would you say you're a pretty good liar?" defence lawyer William Purpura asked Galvan.

"I used to be," Galvan said.

(This story corrects spelling of cooperator's first name provided by the Justice Department to Cristian, not Christian, Rodriguez in 8th paragraph)

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.By Zeba Siddiqui CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh - The first time I met Formin Akter, she wanted to talk about Helen Keller.

By Zeba Siddiqui

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh - The first time I met Formin Akter, she wanted to talk about Helen Keller.

Formin was 18. She was sitting on a plastic stool in a bamboo shelter at a refugee camp in Bangladesh. Like the hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees around her, she and her family had fled a campaign of mass murder, rapes and arson in Myanmar the previous year.

But Formin wanted to talk about Keller, the deaf and blind American author she considered an inspiration. She wanted to talk about Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, another hero. She wanted to talk about her books ravaged in the burning of her house amid deadly violence in Myanmars northern Rakhine state. She spoke of her dream of becoming a lawyer, and of inspiring other Rohingya girls deprived of education.

By then, I had spent nearly a year making reporting trips to the refugee camps, interviewing girls Formins age, many survivors of rape and sexual assault. Women and girls at the Rohingya camps are usually seen fanning cooking pots, cradling babies or tending to their family inside bamboo shelters. Most from the long-persecuted community who live at the camps are illiterate, and the few who did manage to study in Myanmar often only speak Burmese.

I had never met anyone like Formin. Between fits of shy giggles, sometimes burying her face inside her lap, Formin spoke with a burning passion about books and education. She was stateless and single-minded about the value of education. She had witnessed brutality in Myanmar, but she was determined to remain idealistic.

Reuters Myanmar Bureau Chief Antoni Slodkowski and I felt almost immediately upon meeting her that she had an important story to tell. It became a Special Report, published in December. (https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/myanmar-rohingya-malala/)

And her story started to seem more and more remarkable as I learned more about her over the next few months. She came from one of the remotest villages in the poor Rakhine state. She was among a few Rohingya who had taught themselves English, she had counselled rape and sexual assault victims at the refugee camps and was among 25 girls selected to study at a university in Bangladesh.

Piecing together the rest of her story took effort. With help, I tracked down her uncle who had fled to Norway years ago as a refugee. In the sprawling camps, I found Formins teachers, including the one who first told her about Malala.

I learned that of the 150 girls who sat for the high school exam at Formin's school in March 2017, she was among only four who passed. Nearly everyone who knew her growing up spoke of Formins determination and her talent for English. Math, they said, had been a challenge.

Friends and family also spoke of her equally bright and determined older sister, Nur Jahan. The girls had made a pact as kids to go to college together. But their family decided that Nur Jahan would be married instead.

When I interviewed Nur Jahan, her husband insisted on sitting next to her and her in-laws watched from behind a partition in the tent. I asked about Formin and their dream of going to college together, and Nur Jahan began to cry. Heavy rain lashed the tarp roof of the shelter as Nur Jahan wiped tears with an end of her scarf.

Over the months we talked, I saw Formin grow in confidence. At college, she wore jeans, lipstick, a scarf neatly secured with pins around her head, and walked toward me while waving around at multiple new friends she had made, among them refugees from Afghanistan who were teaching her Farsi, Formin said.

She was learning karate, guitar, and spoke of an Indian-American teacher she adored. Her English is so good! I want to speak like her.

But some things had not changed. At the library, she showed me her favourite new book - Charlotte Brontes "Jane Eyre" - and spoke about the importance of education in Eyres life.

Shortly after the Reuters profile of Formin was published, Malala retweeted it with a link. Formin was thrilled. She remembered sitting in school back in Myanmar listening in rapt attention to her teacher who narrated Malalas story. She could not imagine that Malala was now reading about her.

I cant explain how I feel, she texted me. U know I love her!

Over the break between semesters, Formin said she planned to do some work translating for non-profit groups working in the refugee camps. Much of the money she had saved from a year of work had gone to Nur Jahans wedding, she said.

Myanmar burning https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/myanmar-rohingya-malala/).

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>

(This story corrects 4th paragraph to make clear the illiteracy is among refugees in the camps and 9th paragraph to make clear she was one of 150 girls in a single school rather than 500 students in all of Rakhine state)

(Editing by Lauren Young and Howard Goller)

This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed.Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said in a statement Wednesday that Barr acted on his own initiative. Those views were based solely on publicly available information, she said. Following the announcement of Mr. Barrs nomination, senior Department ethics officials were consulted and advised that, under the applicable rules of professional conduct, Mr. Barrs memo would present no conflict as to his duties as Attorney General. Mr. Barr has stated that, if confirmed, he will make any decisions based on the actual facts and circumstances of any particular matter.(CNN)  Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday misleadingly claimed that nearly 4,000 "known or suspected terrorists" were caught trying to enter the US as he made the Trump administration's push for a southern border wall.

"Nearly 4,000 known or suspected terrorists were apprehended attempting to come into the United States through various means in the last year," Pence said on ABC's Good Morning America.

That number, however, is deeply misleading as justification for a wall on the southern border.

According to a senior administration official familiar with Customs and Border Protection data, just 12 of those were encountered on the southern border between October 2017 and October 2018.

That data concerns individuals attempting to travel to the U.S. by air, sea or land, and includes those who made efforts to obtain visas from embassies and consulates around the world. In July 2017, the State Department said there was "no credible information that any member of a terrorist group has traveled through Mexico to gain access to the United States." The vast majority of those 4,000 individuals attempted to enter by air.

"Overwhelmingly at airports, not at the border," ABC's Jon Karl told Pence Tuesday.

"Yeah, but 3,000 special interest individuals, people with suspicious backgrounds that may suggest terrorist connections were apprehended at our southern border," Pence replied. A 2016 DHS Office of Inspector General report defined special interest countries as those "that are of concern to the national security of the United States, based on several U.S. Government reports."

The figure floated by Pence is separate from the 3,755 individuals the Department of Homeland Security has cited as "known or suspected terrorists" and requires some context.

Juliette Kayyem, a DHS assistant secretary in the Obama administration and a CNN national security analyst, has said there are more special interest countries than the State Department's list of officially designated states that "promote or have a tendency to promote terrorism." The White House also said last year that Customs and Border Protection enforcement actions had been carried out against individuals from 22 "'Special Interest Aliens' countries." There's no uniform definition of the term "special interest alien," but former Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly defined "special interest" as being "from parts of the world where terrorism is prevalent, or nations that are hostile to the United States."

Pence also stated that "last year alone, 17,000 individuals with criminal histories were apprehended at our southern border."

Customs and Border Protection data counts nearly 17,000 criminal aliens "encountered" by the Office of Field Operations and the Border Patrol in fiscal year 2018. But it should be noted that large portions of the immigrants being arrested at the southern border committed nonviolent crimes, like illegal entry or re-entry  the act of crossing into the U.S. illegally  and driving under the influence of alcohol. Customs and Border Protection statistics also measure immigrants convicted of crimes in the US or abroad.

Pence also told ABC's Karl that "90% of all the heroin that comes into this country that claims the lives of 300 Americans every week comes through our southern border."

According to the latest Drug Enforcement Administration threat assessment report, the majority of heroin that enters the US does come through Mexico, but via legal ports of entry.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to address the nation Tuesday night to discuss what the administration has called a "crisis" at the southern border. The government has partially shut down over a budget impasse between Democrats and Republicans over whether to fund Trump's demand for a border wall.

This story was first published on CNN.com, "Pence misleadingly claims nearly 4,000 terrorists caught trying to enter US."tech2 News Staff

A legendary physicist who had the rare ability to break down his complex and layered theories on the workings of the universe for lay readers, Stephen Hawking left the world on 14 March, 2018 a household name.

Over the course of his career, Hawking became an undeniable force in the field of theoretical physics. With his unparalleled contributions to a lot of what we know today about the universe's structure  be it the Big Bang, black holes or worm holes  Hawking revolutionized the field.

He wrote books  all of which were best-sellers  found their way into hands of millions that didn't know the first thing about relativity, closed loops or mass-energy curves. The beauty of Hawking's popular books were just that: they were immersive, funny and incredibly easy to read considering the content and author.

People were keen to know what he had to say, and his sense of humour made it all-the-more enjoyable for his enormous fanbase.

Hawking in a Newsweek special had once said, "I like simple experiments...and champagne. So, Ive combined two of my favorite things to see if time travel from the future to the past is possible."

I gave a party for time-travelers, but I didn't send out the invitations until after the party. I sat there a long time, but no one came, Hawking told Ars Technica in 2012. "I have experimental evidence that time travel is not possible.

Theoretically, time travellers that were from the future would have been able to see invitation, which specified the exact location and time. They would have travelled back in time to attend the party.

What a shame, he joked in his documentary, Into the Universe. I was hoping a future Miss Universe was going to step through the door.

The epitome of his professional career has been his groundbreaking contributions to theories on black holes. Among his books, the most resonant with the world was the multi-million seller, A Brief History of Time, which flew off shelves in 35 languages and stayed on London Sunday Times' bestseller list for over five years since its release in 1998.

Hawking was born in England on 8 January 1942  300 years to the exact day after astronomer Galileo Galilei died.

His alma mater was University College, Oxford, where he studied physics and applied mathematics, heading on to Cambridge to study cosmology and the universe as a whole.

In 1963, inching towards his 21st birthday, Hawking was diagnosed with a motor neuron disease, known as Lou Gehrig's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The doctors had given him 2 years to live after he was diagnosed, and he managed 54.

Hawking slowly became less mobile over time and was forced to eventually use a wheelchair. In 1985, he lost his speech, which he addressed using a voice synthesizer built at Cambridge. This would serve as Hawking's iconic, electronic voice, giving him control over his words by the movement of his cheek muscles.

In a statement by his children Lucy, Robert and Tim announcing his passing, they said, (Hawking) once said: It would not be much of a universe if it wasnt home to the people you love. We will miss him for ever.

It seems the world shares in their sentiment.

Today would have been Stephen Hawking's 77th birthday, so we're taking some time to remember him, his words, his work, and his groundbreaking scientific legacy. He truly was an incredible human being. #StephenHawking pic.twitter.com/DJGAya8AFR  Humanists UK (@Humanists_UK) January 8, 2019

All India Radio remembers one of the World's finest scientific minds, #StephenHawking on his birth anniversary today. pic.twitter.com/qsUwnS0yfh  ALL INDIA RADIO (@AkashvaniAIR) January 8, 2019

Scientist #StephenHawking was born #OTD in 1942. Last year his ashes were buried in the Abbey near the graves of Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. The stone shows the equation for Hawking radiation and mirrors that of Newton's. Find out more  https://t.co/19ANMBrler pic.twitter.com/uZb8aFs2OH  Westminster Abbey (@wabbey) January 8, 2019

Remembering #StephenHawking today.

His excellence and sense of humour is truly missed. pic.twitter.com/bol1unMi8R  Warner Bros. UK (@WarnerBrosUK) January 8, 2019

Happy Birthday to #StephenHawking who utilized his intelligence, knowledge and abilities to make remarkable contributions to the field of cosmology despite his challenges. pic.twitter.com/JmOpq0Ux1Z  ScienceDirect (@sciencedirect) January 8, 2019

The kings condition was beyond repair

And yet he made significant discoveries, wrote books with the help of a software

His life is a huge inspiration to all those who sit in despair

Remembering the genius, Im sure hes begun his new research somewhere #StephenHawking  Siddhi Sankalkar (@SiddhiSankalkar) January 8, 2019

Happy birthday, #StephenHawking! This brilliant physicist would have been 77 today, the same age as Galileo and Niels and Bohr. Coincidentally, he was the same age as Einstein when he passed. We will never forget you. Enjoy your time in the Cosmos. pic.twitter.com/MnqEkU2fM0  Inspired Space  (@InspiredSpace_) January 8, 2019

"We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special." -- English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, & author #StephenHawking, born today in Oxford, UK (1942-2018) R.I.P, Sir. pic.twitter.com/cufJr2KT8W  Dr. Paul (@DrPnygard) January 8, 2019

Happy 77th birthday, Stephen Hawking.

You're eternal.tech2 News Staff

Google Assistant may be quite common today on Android phones but that isn't stopping Google from making it more accessible. At CES 2019, Google is making every Home and Smart Display into a translation device with the introduction of Interpreter Mode.

Now translation has been a part of the Google Assistant since the introduction of the Pixel Buds in 2017, but Interpreter Mode brings real-time translation to smart displays and speakers.

With support for 27 languages at launch, you can now just holler "Hey Google" and say "Be my Spanish interpreter". You can then have your Google Home or smart display translate Spanish for you into English or any other language you choose.

As for smart displays, 'Interpreter mode' will be of great help to, say, a hotel concierge. For example, at a hotel desk, it could help foreign visitors ask and receive local help from staff. Well, we're not quite sure whether this is a feature a person in a home setting would use quite often, the hotel industry clearly falls into Google's target demographic.

The 'Interpreter' feature is launching today and will be seen as a small pilot at a few hotels in the US, but for everyone else, the feature is launching in the coming weeks on Google Home devices and Smart Displays.

CES 2019: To catch up with all the announcements from the world's largest consumer electronics show, head here.Reuters

A student confessed to one of Germanys biggest data breaches, police said on Tuesday, ending the mystery over who hacked Angela Merkel and other public figures but doing little to ease the embarrassment of cybersecurity authorities.

Police did not name the 20-year-old but said he lives with his parents, is not a computer expert and had no previous conviction. Despite that, he managed to access and leak personal data and documents from about 1,000 people, including Chancellor Merkel, other politicians and journalists.

The student was detained after police searched a property in the central state of Hesse on Sunday evening. Investigators recovered a computer that the suspect had removed two days before the search, and a data backup.

He has been released and is cooperating with investigators.

The accused admitted to having acted alone in data spying and the unauthorized publication of data, the Federal Crime Office (BKA) said in a statement.

The investigations have so far provided no indication of the participation of a third party.

Suspicion had fallen on Russian hackers - blamed for previous German data breaches, though denied by the Kremlin.

There had also been speculation that the hack may have involved German far-right activists. Prosecutors declined to comment on any political sympathies the suspect may have but said no radical material had been found.

The accused said his motivation had been irritation over public statements made by the politicians, journalists and public figures affected, senior prosecutor Georg Ungefuk said.

Ungefuk told reporters the suspect, who faces a maximum of six years behind bars, was repentant and unaware of the full consequences of his actions. He said the student also helped authorities on other areas of interest of cyber crime.

The breach has prompted calls for tighter data security laws, especially after the BSI cyber defense agency said it was contacted by a lawmaker in early December about suspicious activity on private email and social media.

Shoring up security is considered particularly important by German officials given a threat by Steve Bannon, former chief strategist of US President Donald Trump, to use the May European Parliament elections to undermine the EU.

I see a danger the European election can be manipulated - with fake news, with false statements. There are many ways you can influence an election, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told Reuters after a news conference in Berlin.

Konstantin von Notz, a Greens lawmaker who was hacked, described the case as a final warning shot and called for urgent steps to improve IT security.

Seehofer said steps to do so were already under way, including creation of an early warning system. One important lesson was to raise awareness that there are more effective passwords than iloveyou and 12345.

However, Sabine Vogt, who heads the federal police division for serious and organized crime, said it was up to individuals to secure their data.

We dont want a surveillance state based on the fact that something like this can happen here, she told reporters.In a jibe at the ruling dispensation, veteran industrialist Rahul Bajaj on Tuesday alleged that none of the politicians who support cow protection and mob lynching in the name of it have done anything worthy for the animal. He also said everyone should ask these politicians what their fathers or forefathers had done to protect cows.

Mumbai: In a jibe at the ruling dispensation, veteran industrialist Rahul Bajaj on Tuesday alleged that none of the politicians who support cow protection and mob lynching in the name of it have done anything worthy for the animal. He also said everyone should ask these politicians what their fathers or forefathers had done to protect cows.

"My grandfather (Jamnalal Bajaj) lived in a kutir (hutment), himself washing the cows, but today, we are lynching for cows. I won't name political parties, who are talking of gau mata. But ask them what they, their parents or grandparents have done for the gau mata?

"Ninety-five percent of them have done nothing. Those who have done, they don't talk about it. That is the difference between a politician and a genuine worker, a Gandhian," Bajaj said, while launching an English version of the autobiography of Jankidevi Bajaj (his grandmother).

Comments from the octogenarian industrialist, widely respected for speaking his mind, come amidst rising incidents of mob lynching since the BJP formed governments at the Centre and most states, wherein dozens of Muslims have been killed by ravaging mobs for allegedly carrying cow meat or engaging in non-buffalo cattle trade.

The first lynching took place near the national capital at Dadri in Uttar Pradesh in September 2014, when an old Muslim man, Mohammad Akhlaq, was killed by self-appointed cow protectors for allegedly keeping cow meat in his refrigerator, which a forensic test confirmed later that it wasn't cow meat but that of buffalo. Also, official data last week showed that only 7 percent of the meat confiscated and sent in for forensic tests in government labs were cow meat.

Last week, the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh introduced a 0.5 percent 'gau raksha cess' in the state to protect stray cattle as the bovines have become a law and order problem in many parts of the state and harried villagers are locking them up in any public place, including schools and hospital compounds, to prevent them from rampaging their farms, which are nearing harvest now.

The Devendra Fadnavis government in Maharashtra has also been under pressure from farmers protesting over stray cattle destroying their crops, following the aggressive crackdown on illegal cow slaughtering/trade.

The Uttar Pradesh government has also introduced an additional 0.5 percent cow welfare cess on eight profit-making public sector infra companies to fund the construction and maintenance of cow shelters. The cess will also apply on travel on some expressways where motorists already pay a toll.

In addition, mandis that have been giving 1 percent of their income for cow welfare, will now be asked to pay 2 percent, according to the new UP government order.

Bajaj also said with the passing away of noted Gandhian and former acting chief justice of the Bombay High Court Chandrashekhar Dharmadhikari, the country has "lost the last true Gandhian. "He will be irreplaceable. Today, we don't have someone who is sensible (like him), who talks like him or have those value system," he said.

It can be recalled that Bajaj had turned down an invite from the RSS headquarters last week (when he was there for the cremation of Dharmadhikari) to meet the Sangh leadership.Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the passing of the 124th Constitution Amendment Bill 2019 in both houses of the Parliament as a 'victory for social justice', which will allow the youth of India a wider canvas to 'showcase their prowess and contribute towards Indias transformation'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the passing of the 124th Constitution Amendment Bill 2019 in both houses of the Parliament as a "victory for social justice", which will allow the youth of India a wider canvas to "showcase their prowess and contribute towards Indias transformation".

Delighted the Rajya Sabha has passed The Constitution (One Hundred And Twenty-Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2019. Glad to see such widespread support for the Bill. The House also witnessed a vibrant debate, where several members expressed their insightful opinions.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 9, 2019

Immediately after the Rajya Sabha cleared the historic Bill which provides for 10 percent quota for the general category poor in jobs and education, Modi took to Twitter to congratulate the Parliament for passing the historic amendment.

Terming the bill "inclusive", the prime minister also said that by passing the constitutional amendment bill, Parliament paid tribute to the makers of the Indian Constitution and the freedom fighters who envisioned an India that is strong and inclusive.

Modi also tweeted, saying, "Passage of The Constitution (One Hundred And Twenty-Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2019 in both Houses of Parliament is a victory for social justice. It ensures a wider canvas for our Yuva Shakti to showcase their prowess and contribute towards Indias transformation."

The Bill was moved and passed in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, and then sent to the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Earlier, Modi termed passage of the Bill in the Lok Sabha as a historic step aimed at the welfare of the deprived sections. He also said the rights of deprived sections, including Dalits and tribals, won't be affected because of this Bill.A Delhi based fashion designer had filed a PIL, seeking a stay on the trailer of The Accidental Prime Minister, claiming it represented incorrect facts about Manmohan Singh.

Anupam Kher-starrer The Accidental Prime Minister has been in the eye of the storm ever since the trailer was dropped. Now, Delhi High Court has dismissed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the release of the trailer of The Accidental Prime Minister, according to news agency ANI.

Delhi High Court has dismissed a PIL against the release of the trailer of the movie "The Accidental Prime Minister". Court questioned the locus of the petitioner Pooja Mahajan. Petitioner's counsel says we are moving supreme court. pic.twitter.com/FS73AO7JOS  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

The PIL was filed by Pooja Mahajan, a fashion designer based in Delhi, seeking the revocation of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) nod to the film and the subsequent withdrawal of its trailer, claiming that the film violated Section 416 of the Indian Penal Code as impersonation of a living character or living persons is not permissible in law. Further, it said that the the film is not based on Sanjaya Baru's book, a fact that has been maintained by the makers of The Accidental Prime Minister.

As per Bar and Bench, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V Kameswar Rao refused to entertain the PIL on the ground that the petitioner had no locus.

Her counsel Arun Maitri said that they are moving the Supreme court over the matter.

Anupam Kher plays Manmohan Singh in the biopic based on the book The Accidental Prime Minister: The Making and Unmaking of Manmohan Singh by Sanjaya Baru, who was Singh's media advisor.

The film is slated for a release on 11 January.Chances of the BJP and Shiv Sena contesting the Lok Sabha polls as allies have become bleak after BJP chief Amit Shah asked the party to contest the polls alone. However, going by the spate of losses for the BJP in the 2018 Assembly polls an alliance with the Shiv Sena is exactly what the BJP needs to maintain its stronghold.

Chances of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena contesting the Lok Sabha polls as allies have become bleak after Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam has threatened to "bury" the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

"They (BJP) have already lost elections miserably in five states. Don't come to Maharashtra and threaten us or we will bury you. Don't forget that we won 63 seats despite the (Modi) wave," Kadam, who is a minister in the Maharashtra government, told reporters on Tuesday evening.

Kadam's comments are in response to BJP chief Amit Shah's threat on Sunday, which said that if an alliance happened, the saffron party will ensure victory for its allies, but if it did not, the party will thrash its former allies in the general election.

Other Shiv Sena leaders have also responded to Shah's comments, saying that the BJPs position shows its arrogance. "You don't want Hindutvavadis. With this statement, you have shown that you would rather enter into an alliance with EVMs," party chief Uddhav Thackeray said on Monday.

The Shiv Sena chief added his party was ready to take on whoever challenges it. "This state will show you defeat," Thackeray said.

'BJP needs Sena as much as Sena needs BJP'

However, despite the sharp exchange of words between the two parties, both the political outfits know that their survival depends on support to each other, and not in abandoning each other. Whether a pre-poll or post-poll alliance, one is requisite to stay in power, or for that matter retaining it. This posturing is just good theatre for the media.

Going by the spate of losses for the BJP, as well as talks of Opposition parties forming alliances to defeat the saffron party at the Centre, an alliance with the Shiv Sena is exactly what the BJP needs to maintain its stronghold.

According to The Times of India report, a BJP functionary as said that: "The BJP needs the Sena as much as the Sena needs the BJP." The functionary added that whatever the Senas public posturing may be, it cannot join hands with the Congress-NCP alliance, nor can it venture to go alone in the polls.

The BJP has seemingly recognised this as well, with Minister for Finance and Planning Sudhir Mungantiwar denying any deadlock or breakdown in talks with its ally. He said on Tuesday that the leadership was pretty confident of a pre-poll alliance with the Shiv Sena.

"Even Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is confident of a pre-poll alliance with the Sena. While the BJP has always been open for a pre-poll alliance with like-minded parties, it was for the Sena leadership to take a call," Mungantiwar said.

Fadnavis, while speaking at an event, said the BJP will certainly seal a poll pact with the Sena in the state. "What he meant is that the BJP debacle in Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh will not have an adverse impact on the Maharashtra polls, and that the Sena shouldnt be apprehensive about teaming up with the BJP," the BJP functionary told The Times of India.

A history of troubled relations

The Shiv Sena and BJP had contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls in the alliance but split up at the time of Assembly elections following differences in opinion over the seat split between the two parties. The Sena joined the state government later that year.

This same seat sharing debate between the two parties has soured relations between them considerably for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as well. On 23 January, 2018, the Shiv Sena parted ways with the BJP and decided to go solo for upcoming elections.

The Sena has since attempted informal negotiations, seeking an equal seat-sharing arrangement. "We want an equal seat sharing formula in Lok Sabha (24:24 seats) and assembly polls (144:144). We are prepared to settle for 144 seats in Assembly polls but we will not leave some of these seats for smaller allies. The BJP can allot some seats out of its quota for others," a Sena leader was quoted as saying in December 2018.

But a senior BJP minister, requesting anonymity, admitted that Shah's remarks from Sunday had complicated matters.

To add to the feud, the Shiv Sena has also been sharply critical of the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "failure" to construct the Ram Temple though it has been in power for over four-and-a-half years now. On several occasions, Thackeray has demanded that Modi declare the Ram Temple promise was a jumla to the Hindus and his party would take the lead to build it, claiming its priority was "temple before government".

From harsh comments on demonetisation to criticism of party's pet schemes, the Sena steadily upped its ante.

Another blow to the reconciliation efforts from the BJP camp was Sena's unrelenting attack on Mungantiwar following tigress Avni's killing. Sena chief Thackeray himself had opened the attack against Mungantiwar following Avni's death demanding a probe in the incident. A hurt Mungantiwar pulled back from the reconciliation efforts, saying he was hurt by his "friend" Uddhav's stance.

The Sena appears to be using these tactics to show its alliance partners that it holds all the cards and will emerge as the big brother in the state.

With inputs from agenciesIAS officer Shah Faesal, the first Kashmiri to top civil services, has announced that he is resigning from his post to enter active politics ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

IAS officer Shah Faesal, the first Kashmiri to top the civil services exam, has announced that he is resigning from his post to enter active politics ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. He is reportedly set to contest elections from Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla on a National Conference (NC) ticket.

To protest the unabated killings in Kashmir and absence of any credible political initiative from Union Government, I have decided to resign from IAS.

Kashmiri lives matter.

I will be addressing a press-conference on Friday.

Attached is my detailed statement. pic.twitter.com/Dp41rFIzIg  Shah Faesal (@shahfaesal) January 9, 2019

Reacting to the speculations, NC leader Omar Abdullah "welcomed" Faesal to the political fold on Wednesday. He tweeted:

The bureaucracys loss is politics gain. Welcome to the fold @shahfaesal. https://t.co/955C4m5T6V  Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) January 9, 2019

Omar, however, clarified that he wasn't welcoming Faesal to NC itself. Actually I welcomed him to fold of politicians. His future political plans are his to announce, he further tweeted.

In 2018, Faesal had had a run-in with the authorities after he posted "sarcastic tweets" commenting on the frequent incidents of rape in the country, prompting the Jammu and Kashmir administration to initiate a departmental inquiry against him.

Love letter from my boss for my sarcastic tweet against rape-culture in South Asia.

The Irony here is that service rules with a colonial spirit are invoked in a democratic India to stifle the freedom of conscience.

I'm sharing this to underscore the need for a rule change. pic.twitter.com/ssT8HIKhIK  Shah Faesal (@shahfaesal) July 10, 2018

A doctor by profession, Faesal was the managing director of the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKPDC) before he went to Harvard University in the United States to pursue further studies. In 2009, Faesal was allotted the Jammu and Kashmir cadre, and served in various capacities, including as the director, Education and deputy commissioner.Trinamool Congress MP Saumitra Khan joined the BJP on Wednesday, giving a fillip to the saffron party's campaign in West Bengal in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MP Saumitra Khan joined the BJP on Wednesday, giving a fillip to the saffron party's campaign in West Bengal in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls. Khan, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party following a meeting with party president Amit Shah, lashed out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that there was no democracy, but "police raj" in the state.

The 38-year-old leader said he, like many other young people, has faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, he added, would bring about a change in the state. "There is no democracy in the state. People cannot vote. Police raj is there," he told reporters at a press conference here. Khan represents the Bishnupur constituency in the Lok Sabha and was earlier a member of the state assembly as well.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan made the announcement of Khan joining the party in the presence of Mukul Roy, a former top TMC leader who had defected to the BJP in 2017. Pradhan claimed that the development marked the changing politics of the state, saying the BJP's acceptance and credibility were at an "all-time high" in eastern India as the Modi government had given the region a priority in its agenda of growth and progress. "There is an atmosphere in the favour of the BJP. Eastern India will provide a strong pillar for the government's return to power at the Centre in the Lok Sabha polls," Pradhan said.

The BJP has identified the state as one of the priority states and party chief Amit Shah had set a target of 22 seats. It had won two of the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2014, while the TMC won 34. There have been reports that Khan might have been dropped by the Trinamool from its candidate list in the Lok Sabha polls.Still, Ali said, he has lost out on potentially thousands of dollars in income because of the order. For example, he had planned to bid to complete one such state project for $50,000, which would have meant about $15,000 in income had he won.For a student leader who went on to become the Jatiya Nayak and then the chief minister, the rise and fall of Sarbananda Sonowal in the public eye has been mercurial.

Ei jui jalise jaliboi.

This is Assamese for 'this fire is burning and will keep burning'. And the fear is that it will torch the political career of Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and leave it in a pile of ashes. His failure either to prevent the passing of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019  that allows Indian citizenship for non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan  in the Lok Sabha or to mark any significant protest against it has been viewed by many as an outright betrayal of the people who voted him to power.

The Lok Sabha passed the bill on Tuesday and is likely to be placed in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday for the nod from the Upper House. If it gets the go ahead from the Rajya Sabha, it will become an Act before the country votes for a new Lok Sabha in April-May this year.

For a student leader who went on to become the Jatiya Nayak, a title that was lovingly accorded to him by the Assamese society for being the petitioner in the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, 1983 (IMDT Act) case which was struck down by the Supreme Court on 12 July, 2005, the rise and fall of his esteem in the public eye has been mercurial. Ironically, Jatiya Nayak itself means leader of the community. And the Assam chief minister is no phoenix to rise from the ashes.

More than his tenure as the president of the All Assam Students' Union which he had held from 1992-99, this legal victory ensured a phenomenal rise in his stature in the entire state. Sonowal, who was part of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), was already a Lok Sabha MP from Dibrugarh when the verdict came. The AGP itself was an offshoot of the AASU as many leaders from the student organisation graduated into the political outfit. The current Assam chief minister is no exception.

Assamese society as a whole had reasons to celebrate as the IMDT Act threatened to turn the majority Assamese into a minority in their homeland due to the unabated influx of Bangladeshi nationals and with hardly any effective mechanism to identify and deport them. While giving its judgment on the IMDT Act, the Supreme Court very rightly observed, "As a result of population movement from Bangladesh, the spectre looms large of the indigenous people of Assam being reduced to a minority in their home State. Their cultural survival will be in jeopardy, their political control will be a weakened and their employment opportunities will be undermined." The Supreme Court finally declared IMDT Act "to be ultra vires the Constitution of India and are struck down".

The 12th day of July in 2005 was indeed a red letter day when it comes to Assamese sub-nationalism and Sonowal was undoubtedly the hero of the day.

Despite his glory in the Supreme Court, Sonowal lost the Lok Sabha election in 2009 from the Lakhimpur constituency to Ranee Narah of the Congress and it was obvious that regionalism was fast losing appeal in the political arena of the state. Hence, the charm for national parties grew and the BJP which was keen to make inroads into the welcomed many AGP and AASU leaders into its fold. In 2011, Sonowal joined the BJP and was immediately appointed to the party's National Executive. He, later on, went on to become the state spokesperson, state general secretary and state party president before regaining the Lakhimpur Lok Sabha seat in 2014 and then going on to become the chief minister and win the Majuli Assembly seat.

This was indeed a dream period for Sonowal and he always knew that for his dream run to continue he would have to be in the good books of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. Even now, caught between the call of his people and the desire to serve his political bosses, Sonowal chose the latter giving only half-hearted assurances all the while that he would not allow anything to happen against the interest of the community he belongs to. Perhaps what Sonowal didn't realise in his own political wisdom is that a tough stand against the bill would have only enhanced his stature and not pushed him the path of political suicide that he strangely opted for.

Even after the Lower House nod to the Citizenship Bill, Sonowal on Tuesday in his Twitter handle thanked Modi and Union home minister Rajnath Singh for granting of ST status to six communities of Assam calling it "a momentous decision and one more step towards securing our Jati, Mati & Bheti". He was totally silent on the clearance to the Citizenship Bill in Lok Sabha which threatened the very Jati, Mati & Bheti (community, land, foundation) that he appears to steadfastly want to protect.

Granting of ST status to Six Communities of Assam is a momentous decision and one more step towards securing our Jati, Mati & Bheti. Thanks to PM Shri @narendramodi ji and HM Shri @rajnathsingh ji for this historic step. https://t.co/H1NGHxL2av  Sarbananda Sonowal (@sarbanandsonwal) January 8, 2019

Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leader Akhil Gogoi warned of severe agitation if the Bill gets through Rajya Sabha.

"We have approached all the Opposition parties and urged them to take a united stand against the Bill. If the Bill scrapes through even after that the condition of Asam will worsen. Sarbananda Sonowal has ruined his own career and has no political future by siding with the BJP. He has become the enemy of the people of Assam and has no ground beneath his feet. People of Asam hate him because of his betrayal. He acted completely against the wishes of the people of Assam," Gogoi said.

There are also talks that the KMSS leader might himself plunge into active politics as he is building on his own profile owing to the rising Assamese sub-nationalism sentiment towards him.

"This is not the right time to speak about it. But if this bill becomes an Act, the people of Assam will throw BJP into the dustbin and we will definitely have to think about a political alternative," Gogoi said.

Assam Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed said that his party will do all it can to stall the Bill in Rajya Sabha.

"Under the leadership of Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Upper House, the Congress will do all it can to prevent the Bill from getting passed. The Congress party like all others wants Sarbananda Sonowal to quit as Assam chief minister," Ahmed told Firstpost.

Although the Union Cabinet approved the grant of Scheduled Tribe status to the six communities of Assam  Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Chutia, Tea Tribes, Moran and Matak  it is only seen as an attempt to pacify the anger of the people and as an electoral gimmick. Except for the chief minister and members of his cabinet, no one is seeing it as a "momentous decision".

In the Report of the Joint Committee on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, vehement opposition to the Bill was seen which was otherwise available in every single media.

"The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 makes the ongoing revision of the National Register of Citizenships (NRC) redundant as the cut off date for consideration of Citizenship which now stands at 1971 will be extended to the year 2014," said one of the objections. "Assam Accord finding manifestation in the Citizenship Act, 1955 is a medium of ensuring identity of indigenous people of Assam. The spirit of Assam accord should be retained to stop any challenge to the demography of the state," read another.

Although being privy of the stiff objections to the Bill from the man in the street to the civil society, the chief minister preferred to keep mum and showed little audacity, unlike his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad Sangma who even threatens to walk out of the NDA.

With all of three AGP ministers likely to resign on Wednesday from the Sonowal government including party president Atul Bora, after it pulled out of the alliance on Monday, the regional outfit would have to rethink its political path. The party, however, appeared little undecided on Sonowal.

"Let us quit first. Then we will decide if we should seek Sonowal's resignation," Bora told Firstpost.

The Leader of Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly Debabrata Saikia asked Sonowal to act according to his conscience.

"Even if I call for his resignation, he won't because he is from another party. The call should come from within and no one should call for it. He should resign on his own based on his own thinking. Sonowal needs to understand that the BJP wants to ruin Assam. He has compromised his own position politically. All the while BJP has only been anti-people, anti-tribal, anti-Assam and violated the Consitution numerous times. It has not delivered as it promised before the polls," Saikia said.

In a missive to the Bodoland People's Front (BPF), the Assam Leader of Opposition assured that the Congress would support any government if the BJP is thrown out of power in the state.

"Like the AGP, if the BPF comes out of the state government and allow the Sonowal government to fall, we will support the next government which will come up in lieu of the BJP," Saikia said.

However, that's not happening immediately as BPF leader and Tamulpur MLA Emmanuel Mosahary denied any such possibilities.

"We have not thought about going out of the government," he said.

When pointed out that Bodoland itself has suffered much because of Bangladeshi immigrants, Mosahary said, "Even if Bodoland suffered due to illegal migrants we will stay within the system and fight it. Anyway, successive governments did nothing about it so far."

Sonowal must be quietly praying that the storm blows over soon and that he could retain his office when the state goes for Assembly polls next year. Only on Monday, the chief minister laid the foundation stone of Tinsukia Medical College in Assam, which is going to be the biggest in the state, perhaps oblivious to the fact that his career is already in ICU.Congress leader Salman Khurshid also criticised the bill seeking to accord Indian citizenship to certain minority community refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and said that there must be a uniform law for all.

New Delhi: Congress party's willingness for alliance should not be seen as its weakness asserted former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid on Tuesday.

While speaking to ANI on prospects of an alliance in Uttar Pradesh, he said, "Every party in this country is capable of fighting on their own but an alliance sometimes gives a greater advantage. The fact that we have an open mind for an alliance doesn't mean that we have a weakness. We can improve by an alliance and through it, we can improve the general theme of the grand alliance which is to try and push the BJP out of power. It doesn't mean we are doing it out of weakness, we are doing it to gain more strength."

Outlining that there may or may not be an alliance, Khurshid further added, "Alliance can happen and if it happens it is good. If its rational and reasonable and objective alliance, even better. But we are not going to stop working because there may or may not be alliance. We have to continue preparing for the elections. We don't have closed mind or heart. We just think what is best for the country. We can't force anyone for anything."

He also criticised the bill seeking to accord Indian citizenship to certain minority community refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday and said that there must be a uniform law for all.

"When you have a brute majority you can pass anything. But the fact remains that people of Assam are taking this to be a very unpleasant development because we haven't heard the government explain why it's being done and the explanation that the Prime Minister has given is completely unacceptable. Why does he see that this is correcting the wrongs of history? Who has done wrong? These are people who are in different countries if they seek citizenship of India and they want to come to India, one should have uniform law that applies to them. You can't pick out and say what their religion and background is. Suddenly we have two citizenship laws in this country, one for all others and one for only some particular people based on religion. This is appalling," said Khurshid.

It is learnt that the SP-BSP is likely to contest the coming Lok Sabha polls as allies and the two parties have even agreed on the number of seats they would be contesting.BJP chief Amit Shah also responded to Rahul's comments. He accused the Opposition of resorting to 'misogyny' and asked for an apology.

Rahul Gandhi's recent statement on Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's speech on the Rafale deal provoked a sharp retort from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday. The Congress president had said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi got a "woman" to defend him in the Parliament over the alleged Rafale scam.

Rahul was referring to Sitharaman's recent speech on the aircraft deal in Lok Sabha, News18 reported.

While addressing a rally at Jaipur in Rajasthan, Rahul said the prime minister, who "claims to have a broad chest" had "run away" from a debate in the Parliament on the matter.

"The watchman with a 56-inch chest ran away and told a woman, Sitharamanji, defend me. I won't be able to defend myself, defend me," he said.

"For two and a half hours, the woman could not defend him. I had asked a straight question  answer yes or no  but she couldn't answer," Rahul said.

Later on Wednesday, in his public meeting in Agra, Modi reacted strongly at the Congress chief's remark, saying that the Opposition is bent on insulting women.

"This is an insult to the women in the country," Modi added.

Rahul's "misogynistic" statement also drew flak from National Commission for Women (NCW).

The Commission tweeted on Wednesday that it would serve notice to Rahul regarding his statement in question.

BJP chief Amit Shah also responded to Rahul's comments. He accused the Opposition of resorting to "misogyny" and demanded an apology.

Defence Minister @nsitharamans outstanding speech in Parliament has silenced the opposition. Unable to counter her on facts, theyre resorting to misogyny. They owe an apology to Indias Nari Shakti. pic.twitter.com/Pw0nepcu6s  Amit Shah (@AmitShah) January 9, 2019

With inputs from PTIDeputy Chairman Harivansh said that it may be considered his 'personal lapse' and a 'lapse in his understanding' in not conveying at the time of adjourning proceedings on Tuesday that the sitting of the Rajya Sabha has been extended by a day.

New Delhi: Opposition parties on Wednesday criticised the "bypassing" of rules and procedure in extending the current Winter Session by a day in Rajya Sabha, saying the members were neither informed nor was their consent taken for the move.

Congress, TMC, and AIADMK members cited rule book to criticise the extension.

Deputy Chairman Harivansh said that it may be considered his "personal lapse" and a "lapse in his understanding" in not conveying at the time of adjourning proceedings on Tuesday that the sitting of the House has been extended by a day.

He said the extension of sitting of the House was on agenda of the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting of Tuesday after a request was received from the government.

BAC minuted acceptance of the request, he said, adding that when he on Tuesday adjourned the proceedings of the House till 11 am on Wednesday, it was "implied" that the sitting of the House has been extended by a day.

"If it was not communicated (in so many words), please consider it owing to my personal lapse and a lapse in my understanding," he said.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Leader of the House Arun Jaitley conceded the rules provide for taking sense of the House for extending the sitting but added, "We don't question the ruling of the Chair."

The government on the other hand maintained that the Chairman was within his rights to extend the sitting in view of important legislations, including the one to provide 10 percent reservation in educational institutions and government jobs to poor from upper castes, pending.

When the House met for the extended one day on Wednesday, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy (TMC) cited Rule 12 of Rajya Sabha to state that the sitting can be extended by the Chairman after making an announcement in the House and the change being published in the Rajya Sabha Bulletin.

"No announcement from the Chairman was made," he said adding no one was questioning the power of the chairman to extend the session but that the rules were not followed.

He said the issue was utter disregard of parliamentary procedures and the session being extended "illegally".

Congress MP Anand Sharma said no one was challenging the right of the government, but that the House has to be run by rules.

No decision on extending the sitting of the House was taken at the BAC meeting and no time was allocated, he said, adding this was the first time there was no dialogue between the government and the Opposition on that matter.

It is the government's responsibility to take Opposition into confidence for smooth running of the House, he said. "The government has not taken initiative to run the House."

Sharma said it is the established practice in Rajya Sabha that no bill be brought without scrutiny of parliamentary committees but this was not being followed.

Sensitive bills are being brought bypassing Parliament scrutiny and treating the House as a rubber stamp, he said.

AIADMK leader SR Balasubramoniyan said rules provide for variations in the sitting of the House to be done by taking sense of the House but that it was not done in case of extending Winter Session of the House by a day.

Jaitley said since important legislations were pending, the sitting of the House was extended. "We don't question the ruling of the Chair," he said.

The House had not functioned on normal days and so it was decided to have one extra day, he said.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel said members should have been concerned about half of the 20 days of the session being washed out in pandemonium.

It is the right of the government to change or increase sitting of the House, he said, adding the decision to extend the House was first taken at the BAC meeting and then the Chairman holding an informal meeting with leaders of Opposition parties.In a veiled warning to the Shiv Sena, BJP president Amit Shah said Sunday that if an alliance happened, the party will ensure victory for its allies, but if it did not, the party will thrash its former allies in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Mumbai: Senior Maharashtra BJP ministers Tuesday tried to douse the fire set off by party president Amit Shah over his remarks of "thrashing" its former allies if a pre-poll alliance did not take place.

In a veiled warning to the Sena, BJP president Amit Shah said Sunday that if an alliance happened, the party will ensure victory for its allies, but if it did not, the party will thrash its former allies in the coming Lok Sabha polls.

Speaking to reporters at the state secretariat Tuesday, Minister for Finance and Planning Sudhir Mungantiwar said the state BJP leadership was pretty confident of a pre-poll alliance with the Shiv Sena, denying any deadlock or breakdown in talks with its saffron ally.

Minister for Revenue Chandrakant Patil downplayed angry reactions from the Sena and claimed he was hearing reports of breakdown and eventual split only from the media.

"Even Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is confident of a pre-poll alliance with the Sena. While the BJP has always been open for a pre-poll alliance with like-minded parties, it was for the Sena leadership to take a call," Mungantiwar said.

He added that it was certain the BJP-Sena alliance would be voted back to power and now it was for the Sena to decide on whether to hand over that power on a platter to the opposition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party.

Another senior BJP minister, requesting anonymity, admitted that Shah's remarks had complicated matters.

Drawing an analogy from history of Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan, who was betrayed by his trusted general just because the king kept him waiting for hours, he said it was for the Sena to decide what it wants to do.

Shah's statement Sunday came immediately after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis set BJP workers a target of winning 40 of the state's 48 Lok Sabha seats in the general polls slated this year.

Shah and Fadnavis had addressed BJP workers from Latur, Osmanabad, Hingoli and Nanded districts in Latur city Sunday.

Late Sunday evening, the Shiv Sena had hit back at the BJP, saying the latter's plan to win 40 seats meant it would rely on manipulation of Electronic Voting Machines.

"Amit Shah's arrogant and boastful statements have exposed that party... Shiv Sena talked about Hindutva and Ram temple, but it seems our stand did not go down well with the BJP," an aide of Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had stated in the statement.Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar met NCP stalwart Chhagan Bhujbal in Mumbai on Wednesday, raising speculations of BBM joining the Congress-led anti-BJP bloc

Mumbai: At a time the Congress is dreaming to captain an alliance of like-minded parties against the BJP for the upcoming Lok Sabha election and trying to woo Prakash Ambedkar to the proposed bloc, the Dalit leader Wednesday called upon NCP stalwart Chhagan Bhujbal in Mumbai.

Ambedkar later said the meeting was both "political" as well as a "courtesy" call.

The Congress has been trying to bring Ambedkar's e (BBM) to the opposition fold against the BJP.

Interestingly, the BBM already announced its tie-up with Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM which was looked down on as communal by the Congress.

When asked about what transpired at the huddle, the Dalit leader said he and Bhujbal didn't talk about the BBM joining the proposed alliance of the like-minded parties.

"It was a political meeting (with Bhujbal) in a sense that they (NCP) are strong in certain areas, while we too are strong in certain pockets," Ambedkar told reporters after the meeting.

"We discussed what could be done to see that the BJP government doesn't come to power again. Accordingly, we exchanged information," he said.

Bhujbal could not be reached for comments.

A senior NCP leader had recently said that the Sharad Pawar-led party and the Congress have reached an agreement to contest 40 of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra together.

They are likely to leave remaining eight seats for smaller allies.Chandrababu Naidu's latest visit to the national capital comes after BSP and SP announced to join hands in Uttar Pradesh, leaving the Congress out. According to sources, this was the second round of meetings between the TDP chief and Opposition leaders.

New Delhi: Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday met Opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, in New Delhi and held discussions on forging an anti-BJP platform ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Naidu also met National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Naidu's latest visit to the national capital comes after Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party announced to join hands in Uttar Pradesh, leaving the Congress out. According to sources, this was the second round of meetings between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief and leaders of other opposition parties in the national capital.

"The Delhi chief minister met Andhra Pradesh chief minister at Andhra Bhawan. They discussed several political issues, including a grand alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls," the sources said.

After meeting Naidu, Pawar said, "We discussed West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's invitation to attend a rally in Kolkata on 19 January. We decided to accept her invitation and participate in the rally."

"When we reach Kolkata, there will be every possibility of meeting other party leaders. We have not met them, neither we have discussed with them... But both of us are going to suggest them after the rally, let us sit together and discuss the future course of action. And if there is agreement, then start agreeing with the programme that we have finalized after the rally," he said.

Naidu said he expects all opposition leaders to attend the rally in Kolkata where " the future course of action" will be decided. "Mamtaji has invited. We are all going. I am expecting all leaders will come. There, we will decide the future course of action. On January 19, we will meet and discuss and if necessary, we will have a meeting in Delhi," he said.

The TDP chief said the coming together of opposition parties was a "democratic compulsion".

"To save the nation, all of us have to join. It's a democratic compulsion. At the same time on the secular front, we are one. There may be some political compulsions in some states. But at the national level, how to come together ... that's what we are working on," Naidu said.

Asked if the Congress was invited to attend the Kolkata rally, he said, "It is not true that there is no invitation to attend the rally."

On the decision to provide 10 per cent quota to the economically weak poor, he questioned the haste shown by the BJP government. "They should have bought the bill earlier and convinced everyone. Anyways, we are supporting the bill," he said.Tibets development boom has left downstream Nepal more vulnerable to floods and dam collapse  with both governments turning a blind eye By Ramesh Bhushal This is the first in a five part series on the Karnali River. Read an overview of the whole trip here. Preparing soup for her grandson under a dim solar powered bulb, 50-year-old Pema Angmo explained how frightening life is on the bank of the Karnali river in western Nepals Hilsa village, on the border of Tibet. Large embankments protect the huge immigration office and villages in Tibet, but Nepalis on the other bank are left without any protection from the floods. I tell my relatives in Tibet that the gabion walls (as the embankments are known) protect you, but the gods protect us Nepalis, she smiled. About two decades ago, she started the first hotel on the flood plains of the Karnali River, which originates about 80 kilometres northwest in Tibet. Now, there are dozens of hotels. This small town is the last stop in Nepal for people visiting Mount Kailash in the Ngari province of southwestern Tibet.

Image by Nabin Baral

The scale of potential flood threats along the Karnali River is clear from the large embankments constructed in Burang city  30 kilometres northwest of Hilsa in Tibet. The river, called Mapcha Khambab in Tibet, becomes the Karnali once it enters Nepal. The capital city of Burang county is a trade hub serving people from Nepals Humla and Darchula districts, as well as Dharchula in India.

Image by Nabin Baral

Different worlds across the border Born in Tibet, Pema fell in love with a Nepali from Hepka village in Humla and they married about 30 years ago. As the years passed, Tibet saw unprecedented development, but Nepal has remained the same. Blacktopped roads built in Tibet over the last decade have made road travel much easier there. Many pilgrims  mostly from India, who in the past had to fly to Lhasa in the east and then drive west for hundreds of miles to reach Kailash  started flocking to Hilsa on small planes and helicopters from Nepalgunj in southern Nepal. Mount Kailash is holy for Hindus who believe God Shiva once meditated there. According to the immigration office in Nepal, about 15,000 tourists go to Kailash via this route every year  equivalent to a quarter of the total population in Humla district. The sound of helicopters wake us up every morning as they land and take off every few minutes near Pemas hotel. Only helicopters can land at this busy airport. While business is getting better, people are worried about how to protect their hard earned property from the floods and disasters that may come in future. It took two decades to build these two buildings, but it wont take a minute to destroy them if there is a big flood or a dam bursts upstream, Pema added. Interview with Pema Angmo, Hilsa from thethirdpole on Vimeo. Darkness in Nepal The Chinese have built a hydropower dam a few kilometres upstream. This has improved the lives of Tibetans by bringing electricity, but increased fear among the Nepalis living next to the border. They have built strong embankments on their side, but we have nothing. If the dam bursts, we will be swept away, Pema said. There is hardly any communication between the local people and the Chinese authorities. Its terribly hard to talk to the authorities, as they dont listen to us. We face serious problems, said Amar Lama, another hotelier in the town. Unfortunately, the leaders in our capital have turned a deaf ear to problems. At first, the villagers in Nepal heard they would also be provided electricity. But later, the local authorities in Tibet said they would need to wait for a formal agreement between China and Nepal. Over the last several years, locals in Hilsa have welcomed the Prime Minister and other leaders and pleaded for electricity. Two years ago, the then Prime Minister of Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, inaugurated a bridge that linked Nepal and Tibet and promised to send a team of experts to start work on a hydropower project in Nepal on a tributary of the Karnali River at a cost of NPR 30 million (USD 265,090). Two years later, there is no sign of any work starting. Prime ministers and ministers fly here, make promises and go to Kailash with their family. Once they fly back, they forget everything. They have amnesia. I am really angry, you know, please tell them if you meet them, Pema Angmo said as we were preparing to film her. Out of the 77 districts of Nepal, Humla is the only district not connected to the national road network. It also lacks electricity and a mobile network. To go to Nepals capital it takes weeks if we walk, costs hundreds of dollars if we fly. Who listens to us? she said, her frustration spilling over.

Image by Nabin Baral

After a couple of weeks walking along the river to the south, we met Mahendra Bahadur Shahi  the Chief Minister of the Karnali province and asked him if there were any plans to address the problems people face. He had big project plans to talk about, but no answers to the problems Pema faced. We are talking with the Chinese to link the northern border in Hilsa to southern Nepal via a railway network, Shahi said. We have had a few rounds of bilateral talks in past few months. Dreams of railways are deeply etched into the psyche of leaders, but the sad reality is that less than 100 kilometres of road connecting Hilsa to the district headquarter of Simikot, which started in late 1990s, has not been completed. Disasters loom As the river's level peaks in the summer, it poses serious landslide threats. We are trapped but we cant leave this place as we make our living from these hotels, Pema added. Her hotel started with a couple of tents three decades ago. Now she has three buildings with about 50 rooms. This is the only property we have and its our future, but its at risk, reiterated Pema. In 2012, a landslide killed four people from a family, including a mother and children, just a few hundred metres away from her hotel. She remembers that dark day. It still shakes my heart. It looks beautiful now, but the mountains are hard to live in. Landslides are the major cause of disasters in Nepal, accounting for about 30 percent of total annual casualties. According to Dave Petley, a landslide researcher at the University of Sheffield in Britain, there were 83 fatalities in 2017 due to landslides.

Image by Nabin Baral

The high losses from landslides are partly the result of the terrain and climate, he wrote in his blog recently, but they are also largely due to poor land use, planning and construction practices. Nepal is blessed with good levels of expertise in landslides managementbut it lacks political will to solve the problem. Apart from floods and landslides, studies warn that a mega earthquake is looming in Nepals western region after a big quake in the central region in 2015 killed more than 10,000 people. Its been more than 300 years since the last mega earthquake struck western Nepal. Seismologists say there are two dangers lurking beneath the Himalaya: one is the unfinished business of 2015, and the other is a looming mega quake in western Nepal, a report in the Nepali Times stated a few months ago. Rivers run dirty People in Hilsa used to drink water from the Karnali in the past, but with the development boom in Burang 30 kilometres upstream, this is no longer possible. We dont drink water from the river nowadays. Its polluted by sewage disposed in the rivers upstream, Pema said. The locals bring water from a nearby spring into their homes through pipes.

Image by Nabin Baral

This source provides water round the year and is the lifeline of the town. If you litter around the water source, you will be cursed and swell up, she said when we walked with her to see the source a few hundred metres from her hotel near the bank of the Karnali River. Still shrouded in darkness, with no road connection or mobile network, the locals in the border town of Hilsa face more challenges as development upstream gathers pace. And both the Chinese and Nepali governments ignore the problems facing downstream people. This story is jointly published by thethirdpole.net and Nepali Times. The Third Pole is a multilingual platform dedicated to promoting information and discussion about the Himalayan watershed and the rivers that originate there. This report was originally published on thethirdpole.net and has been reproduced here with permission.Villagers in Bihar say the Swachh Bharat Mission has failed to live up to the hype

Patna: The progress of Prime Minister Narendra Modis much-hyped programme to make the country open defecation free (ODF) under Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) has been lackadaisical in Bihar, so much so that the evidence is in plentiful supply outside the capital city of Patna. While the state aims to achieve the target of making all 38 districts ODF within the national target of 2 October, 2019  Mahatma Gandhis 150th birth anniversary  officials in the concerned department claim it will be achieved by March.

The SBM website pegs the toilet coverage in rural Bihar at 99.36 percent. In Patna, however, only 27.40 percent of the rural area is ODF, as per the website. Faecal matter abounds along the defunct R Block-Digha railway line which passes through the Secretariat, Punaichak, Shivpuri and Rajiv Nagar localities in the state capital. Even in Khagaul, on the outskirts of the state capital, the mobile toilet is not used by the residents of slum areas. For reasons which become obvious at first glance. It stinks, said Ganesh Ram, who resides under an over bridge in a slum near Danapur railway station in Khagaul. The latrine is littered with faeces.

Five districts  Sitamarhi, Rohtas (Sasaram), Begusarai, Kaimur (Bhabua) and Sheikhpura  have been declared ODF. Similar efforts are underway in around a dozen other districts. Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, speaking at an event in Patna recently, said the state would be declared ODF before Bihar Diwas celebration on 22 March. However, till 8 January, other districts with extremely low ODF coverage  Arwal (3.13 percent), Madhubani (5.17 percent), Araria (8.22 percent), Madhepura (9.44 percent), Samastipur (14.90 percent)  cast a doubt on the overall figure of 99.36 percent ODF coverage across rural Bihar, as displayed on the homepage of the SBM website. Of the 18,703 villages (self) declared ODF, only 3,413 have been verified as of 8 January.

Contrary to these figures, Rural Development Secretary Arvind Kumar Chaudhary claims that 19 districts of the state are already ODF and the task was near completion in remaining 19 districts as majority of areas in these districts had been covered (from 89 percent to 99 percent). However, construction of toilets is one thing. Proper use of these is another thing entirely. The menace of open defecation continues despite construction of large number of toilets under previous Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, he noted. Until people start using toilets, their construction alone would not serve any purpose, Chaudhary added.

Union Minister of State for Drinking Water and Sanitation Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi in Lok Sabha on 27 December informed members that 21,532 villages and 33 districts in Bihar were yet to be declared ODF.

In a meeting in August 2018, the secretary of the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation (MDWS), Parameswaran Iyer, said Bihar and Odisha are a cause of concern as they still show household coverage around 65 percent. He said in terms of socio-economic parameters, the districts lagging in these states figure at the bottom.

Challenges in implementation

Even the latest report by Niti Aayog states that one of the main constraints faced by the SBM is implementation challenges, such as lack of availability of space for construction of household toilets and issues regarding operation and maintenance of toilets, primary among which are scarcity of water and sustaining the change in behaviour patterns.

While the Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation is the nodal ministry coordinating SBM nationally since its inception on 2 October, 2014, states are free to assign the responsibility of driving rural sanitation to the department they choose. In Bihar, the rural development department is overseeing the drive.

Barely 35 kilometres from Patna, Navdiha village in Naubatpur block has an abysmal record of 23.93 percent ODF coverage. Not a single toilet has been constructed in this village for the past two years. It is ironic that Navdiha, around 14 kilometres northwest of Naubatpur block headquarters, saw initial momentum due to the push by the then sarpanch Devendra Chauhan, but the villagers interest in safer sanitation soon fizzled out.

The construction work is still incomplete, said Bunda Devi, 45, wife of Hriday Prasad, a Navdiha farmer. I have not been able to use the toilet in my home even after two years. At night, I have to go outside to attend the natures call. It is shameful, not only for me, but also for my two newly-wed daughters in-law.

Bunda is not alone. Her neighbour Shailendra Kumar, 26, said his family has to go to the fields to defecate. A graduate from Magadh University, Bodh Gaya, Shailendra said he feels embarrassed to see the women of his family being forced to do so. Its not only shameful, but also harmful, he said. Shailendra cited a lack of awareness, lethargic process of payment of grants (which is often less than the required amount) as the main reasons behind the slow pace of toilet construction.

Navdiha panchayat comprises nine villages: Navdiha, Reganiabagh, Ramcharan Chhatni, Paltu Chhatni, Danaganj, Bisarpur, Rampur, Udaipura and Dhobia Kalapur. Navdiha still has 1,135 households without toilets, as per official figures.

Navdiha sarpanch Aradhna Devi, who was elected in 2015, said the panchayat now has 1,492 households, and claimed the work to achieve the target would start soon. Her husband Ashwini Kumar, a former panchayat samiti member, said a team of officials led by Naubatpur block development officer (BDO) Sushil Kumar visited the villages under Navdiha panchayat recently to take stock of the construction work. We hope the work will gain momentum in days to come, he added.

Impractical grant

Contrary to the claims of the panchayat head and her husband, the residents of Reganiabagh village said the scheme hasn't lived up to the hype. Lal Mohan Prasad, 52, a daily wage labourer from Reganiabagh, explained the people's disinterest in the sanitation by saying it was not only difficult, but impossible to build a toilet for Rs 12,000 (the government grant paid to the house owner).

A thousand bricks cost between Rs 7,000 and Rs 8,000. The sand that is needed costs between Rs 3,000 and Rs 3,500. At least five bags of cement are required: which cost a minimum of Rs 2,500. Similarly, Rs 3,000 will be spent on labour (one mason and two labourers for three days). In addition, a good amount will be spent on the door, plastic pipes and toilet seat, said Lal Mohan, a college dropout. He pegs the cost of a durable toilet between Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000.

Hemraj Prasad, 40, a farmer from Reganiabagh, said, Corruption is rampant in all government schemes and ODF (SBM) is no exception. Moreover, there are people who dont have land to construct a house. It will be misnomer to talk of toilets for such landless people.

Locals said a survey of households that did not have a toilet was conducted at the village in December 2018. The results were sent to the block office and the district headquarters.

Naubatpur BDO Sushil Kumar, when reached for comment, only promised to achieve the target by March-end. The representatives of the people have been asked to enthuse residents and cooperate with the administration in making the sanitation programme a grand success, Kumar said.

Despite repeated attempts, Patna district magistrate Kumar Ravi remained unavailable for comment. However, a senior official from the rural development department said only 1.65 lakh toilets were constructed in the state in 2014- 2015 after the scheme was launched on 2 October, 2014. The figure jumped to 4.27 lakh in 2015- 2016 and 8.37 lakh toilets were built in 2016- 2017. The figure went up to 35.73 lakh in 2017- 2018. Till November that year, 37,59,947 toilets were built in Bihar, the officer who did not wish to be named claimed. Bihar has 1.65 crore households.

Santosh Kumar, a Patna-based social activist said the purpose of SBM will not be fulfilled till the government makes a provision for community toilets in villages. He also suggested building community toilets by national highways and major roads for travelers. Even Patna, which is slated to become a Smart City by 2025, lacks public toilets, and as a result commuters can be seen urinating in public places, Santosh lamented.

Atyasha Singh and Ramakant Mishra are Patna-based freelance writers and members of 101Reporters.comStudents of two state-run universities and over 15 colleges across Assam decided on Wednesday to boycott their classes indefinitely to protest against the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019, in the Lok Sabha

Guwahati: Students of two state-run universities and over 15 colleges across Assam decided on Wednesday to boycott their classes indefinitely to protest against the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019, in the Lok Sabha.

The Dibrugarh University students' union also banned the entry of any member of the ruling BJP into the campus.

The student bodies at Tezpur University, Jorhat Medical College, Pub Kamrup College, JB College, DCB College and others have held protests in their campuses, although no decision to boycott classes has been taken.

"We have appealed to all our affiliating unions to start protesting in their campuses against the Bill. We have asked our boys to mobilise as many students as they can," All Assam Students' Union (AASU) central committee member Uddipjyoti Gogoi told PTI.

In a statement, Cotton University Students' Union general secretary Pranjal Kalita said the student community was against the Centre's move to pass the Bill, which would eventually "destroy" the Assamese community.

"In protest against the Bill, we have started an indefinite class boycott from today. We are also talking to all college and university unions across Assam to mobilise support for the agitation," he added.

In a joint statement, Dibrugarh University Post-Graduate Students' Union president Mridul Gogoi and general secretary Rahul Chetry said they were concerned at the "dangerous conspiracy to finish the unity and existence" of the Assamese society.

"We, the students of the Dibrugarh University and hundreds of other affiliating colleges, have decided to boycott our classes indefinitely in protest of the Bill.

"Also, we announce a complete ban on the entry of the agents of the communal party into the university campus. We are ready to face the consequences for this. We appeal all to come out and join the movement," they said.

Tezpur University Students' Council president Tirtharaj Gohain and general secretary Maitreya Rajan Mahanta said, "We have been protesting against this destructive bill since the beginning."

So far, the students' unions of Pub Kamrup College, Margherita College, Dibru College, Lahowal College, Tengakhat College, Gorgaon College, CKB College, Jorhat College, Dhakuakhana College, Chabua College, Madhabdeb College, Bokakhat College, Moran College, Tinsukia College and MNC College have announced their decision to boycott the classes.

The Lok Sabha had on Tuesday passed the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, amid protests in the northeastern states and the Opposition parties terming the proposed law "divisive" and "flawed".

A number of students' organisation and political parties had observed an 11-hour Northeast bandh on Tuesday to protest against the Bill.Pugh quickly named New Orleans Police Superintendent Michael Harrison on Tuesday to replace him, then sought to address concerns expressed by City Council members, advocacy groups and citizens over how she arrived at the choice of Fitzgerald. Such critics said they had not had enough opportunity for input, time with Fitzgerald or information about his background. At a City Hall hearing Saturday on his nomination, machine operator William Washington urged the council to reset the process of finding a commissioner.Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die late on Wednesday after passing the historic Constitution Amendment Bill to provide 10 percent reservation to the economically weaker section in general category.

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha was adjourned sine die late on Wednesday after passing the historic Constitution Amendment Bill to provide 10 per cent reservation to the economically weaker section in general category. The Winter Session, which began on 11 December, witnessed several hours of disruptions on various issues ranging from the Rafale jet controversy, agrarian crisis to Cauvery river issue.

The Rajya Sabha was originally scheduled to adjourn on Tuesday. However, the session was extended for a day to take up the Constitutional (124th) Amendment Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Vice Chairman Harivansh regretted that 78 hours of business were lost due to disruptions and that the House functioned for only 27 hours. A total of five bills were introduced and four were passed. "Out of the 285 starred questions admitted, only 31 could be answered orally and others could not be addressed.

Only 38 matters could be raised by the members," he said, adding that just nine special mentions were made in the entire Winter Session of the Parliament in the house. "This is the sad reflection of the functioning of the Upper House," he said, adding that the House saw continuous disruptions of the proceedings and members could not raise matters of urgent public importance. Members were deprived from listing statements from the Home Minister on the devastation caused by cyclones and Gaza, he added. The House paid obituaries to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Lok Sabha speaker Somnath Chatterjee and Parliamentary Affairs and Fertiliser Minister Ananth Kumar, among others.

Parliament is again scheduled to meet on 31 January for the Budget session, which is expected to be the last of the current government. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is likely to present his sixth and the present government's last budget, which will be an interim budget ahead of the general election scheduled in April-May.At least 15 fishermen from Gujarat were apprehended early on Wednesday by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency near the boundary on the Arabian Sea.

Ahmedabad: At least 15 fishermen from Gujarat were apprehended early on Wednesday by the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) near the international maritime boundary on the Arabian Sea, the second such incident in the last five days, officials said.

The PMSA also seized three fishing boats during the operation, said officials of the Porbandar-based National Fishworkers' Forum (NFF).

"The seized boats, which were registered at Porbandar, had set sail a few days back," NFF Secretary Manish Lodhari said, adding that the PMSA apprehended the fishermen near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) off the coast of Gujarat.

On January 4, five fishermen from Porbandar were apprehended by PMSA, which claimed that they had crossed the IMBL. The IMBL jurisdiction is a contentious issue between India and Pakistan.

Fishermen from both the countries eyeing big catch often stray across the line.The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case to probe an alleged conspiracy by some youths in Kerala to join Salafist terror organisations Jund al-Aqsa and Jabhat al-Nusrah in their attempt to overthrow the Bashar al-Assad government in Syria

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has registered a case to probe an alleged conspiracy by some youths in Kerala to join Salafist terror organisations Jund al-Aqsa and Jabhat al-Nusrah in their attempt to overthrow the Bashar al-Assad government in Syria.

The agency has registered a case under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy and waging war against an Asiatic power at peace with the Indian government.

The NIA has also booked the youths under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, the agency said in a statement.

The NIA said it had received credible information that from 2013 onwards, certain youths, originally from Kerala and Karnataka but based in Qatar, had hatched a criminal conspiracy to wage war against Syria, an Asiatic power at peace with the Government of India.

The youths conducted preparation or travelled to Syria and joined the terrorist organizations Jund al-Aqsa and Jabhat al-Nusrah with the intention to commit terrorist acts, it said.The president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, Shripad Joshi, resigned amid controversy over the withdrawal of a lit meet invitation to writer Nayantara Sahgal.

Nagpur: The president of the Akhil Bharatiya Marathi Sahitya Mahamandal, Shripad Joshi, resigned on Wednesday. The resignation came amid controversy over the withdrawal of invitation to writer Nayantara Sahgal for the annual Marathi literature meet by the event's organisers.

Opposition parties in Maharashtra have alleged that the invitation was cancelled at the behest of the ruling BJP.

The 92nd All-India Marathi Literary Meet, held every year under the aegis of the Mahamandal, is to start at Yavatmal in eastern Maharashtra on 11 January. Secretary of the Mahamandal Dr Indrajit Oraker said Joshi sent the resignation to the president of the Vidarbha Sahitya Sangh.

Joshi himself was not available for comments. The organisers of the literary meet rescinded their invite to Sahgal, a noted Indian English writer, after protests on 6 January.

Sahgal was to inaugurate the meet. The Mahamandal, which is an umbrella body of Marathi literary organisations, had said the decision to withdraw the invitation was taken by the organisers and it had nothing to do with it. The Shiv Sena had claimed that the invitation was rescinded after the organisers learnt about Sahgal's intent to speak on issues such as violence by cow vigilantes and lynchings.

Sahgal was at the forefront of the 'award-wapsi' (returning of awards) campaign earlier. She was to inaugurate the literary meet in the presence of Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Meanwhile, secretary of the organizing committee Dhanshyam Dharne said a meeting of the executive committee of the Mahamandal will be held Thursday, where it will be decided who will inaugurate the meet. Sahgal had said that even if a fresh invitation was sent to her, she would decline it.The passage of the bill that provides 10 per cent quota for the general category poor in jobs and education is a 'strong answer' by the Parliament to opposition's lies, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Solapur.

Solapur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday defended introduction of the 10 per cent quota for the general category poor in jobs and education, adding the bill's passage in the Lok Sabha is a strong answer to those "spreading lies". Targeting the Congress, Modi asked it to clarify what was driving its ongoing allegations on the Rafale fighter jet procurement issue.

Addressing a public rally here, Modi said the smooth passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha is a "strong answer" by the Parliament to those spreading lies.

Hello Solapur! Glad to be in this wonderful city. Addressing a public meeting. Watch. https://t.co/ZBo0n8suQ4  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 9, 2019

Hoping the Rajya Sabha will pass the Bill on Wednesday, Modi said the rights of deprived sections, including Dalits and tribals won't be affected because of this bill. He termed the the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha as an historic step aimed at welfare of the deprived sections.

On the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, seeking to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangaldesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, Modi assured people of Assam and northeast that their rights will not be curtailed in any way through the bill's provisions.

Modi indicated that alleged middleman Christian Michel, arrested in the AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, was lobbying for French manufacturer Rafale's rivals in the multi role aircraft deal.

"During the earlier (UPA) regime, the middlemen culture had become a part of the system. They had snatched the rights of the poor and also played with the security of the nation," Modi said.

Citing media reports, Modi said Michel was lobbying for "some other contender" as well. "He (Michel) has made a shocking revelation. As per media reports, he was not just involved in the helicopter deal but also involved in the deal of the fighter planes (Rafale), when the earlier government was in power," Modi said.

"Media says that Michel was also lobbying for some other company. Congress should answer which leader of their party, now shouting about this (Rafale deal), has a connection with Michel. They should give an account of each and every penny spent," he said.

Calling himself a chowkidar (watchman), Modi said he has undertaken a "safai" (clean-up) mission to uproot corruption and that he cannot be bought or scared and will continue with his work relentlessly.

"Modi is made up of a different soil. He cannot be bought nor can anyone scare him. I will take an account of every single penny. This chowkidar doesn't sleep and can pick

a wrongdoer even in darkness. They may continue abusing me but I will not stop my mission to uproot corruption," Modi said.

Criticising the functioning of the previous Congress-led government, Modi said it indulged into vote bank politics and ignored the development of the country's backward areas.

"After coming to power, we undertook developmental works and projects in areas which were ignored only because they (Congress) indulged in vote bank politics. We managed to uproot this attitude of vote bank politics and have undertaken a slew of projects in areas where they were needed," he said.

Modi said had the previous government undertaken these projects, the situation would have been far different today. Citing some initiatives taken by his government in the last four years, Modi said that till 2014, India had a highways network of over 91,000 km, which has now reached over 1.30 lakh km.

Modi launched the four-laning of the Solapur-Osmanabad section of the National Highway 211, underground sewerage system and three sewage treatment plants and also laid foundation stone of 30,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

"We do not just stop at laying foundation stones or announcing projects; we also launch them. There are projects worth lakhs of crores undertaken by the BJP government and most of them are in advance stages of development," Modi said.

The movement against shutdown strikes (hartals) in Kerala has gained strength with more and more traders and service providers coming forward.

The movement against shutdown strikes (hartals) in Kerala has gained strength with more and more traders and service providers coming forward to open their outlets and the state government coming out with an ordinance to curb destruction of private property during protests.

The movement was initiated by merchants organisations in the wake of a flash hartal called by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the Sabarimala issue on 14 December by forming a Joint Action Council Against Hartal (JACAH).

The forum, comprising 45 organisations and representing chambers of commerce and industry, merchants, service providers, tourism industry, transport operators, Indian Medical Association, Kerala Management Association and educational institutions, was formally launched on 3 December, when the Sabarimala Karma Samithi called another hartal to protest against the entry of two women below the age of 50 in the Sabarimala temple.

However, the movement failed to take off with the protesters, including BJP and RSS workers, going on a rampage attacking shops, vehicles and public and private property throughout the state. However, this did not deter the anti-hartal forum from carrying forward the movement.

The Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi (KVVES), which is leading the forum, sought to defy the 48-day nationwide strike called by the central trade unions on 8 and 9 January armed with a blue volunteer force to provide protection to the traders who come forward to open the shops.

With the help of the force, shops and business establishments were opened in many places across the state. The members of the force deployed in major business centres succeeded in chasing away the strike supporters with the help of police.

The organisers of the strike had cautioned the workers against resorting to force for enforcing the strike. They also considered the high court direction to the state government to take suitable steps to ensure that the trade union strike does not affect the general public and their everyday life as well as large scale arrests in connection with the 3 December hartal.

The government responded to the court direction by promulgating an ordinance with provisions for imprisonment up to five years and a fine for those found guilty of causing loss to private property. The ordinance has also incorporated stringent provisions for granting bail to the accused. According to the ordinance, the accused will be granted bail only after furnishing bank guarantee or cash amounting to 50 percent of the damage.

Traders consider the ordinance significant since they have been shutting shops during hartals, fearing attack. KVVES president T Nazurdeen said that the provision in the ordinance to claim compensation from those causing damage to the property would embolden the traders to open their outlets.

We came forward to defy the hartal as it had ruined our lives. The frequent hartals after the August flood have shattered the business. We do not claim our resistance a total success. But I am confident that it will send a strong message to those who play with our lives, Nazrudeen said.

The anti-hartal activists do not consider the ordinance effective in curbing the menace. K Chandrababu, general secretary of the Anti-Hartal Front, said that the ordinance may not deter the protesters since a similar law against destruction of public property has not prevented attacks on the public property during protests.

The ordinance is just a ploy to avoid stringent directions from the high court, which had asked the government to enact a law to curb unnecessary hartals. The provisions in the ordinance may be used by government as a tool against political opponents, says Chandrababu.

He pointed out that the police had not registered even a single case against the trade union workers who had indulged in violence during the 48-hour strike. This is because the accused are people belonging to the ruling front.

On the contrary, the police had gone on an overdrive in arresting protesters and registering cases against them during the hartals organised by BJP and other Hindu organisations over the Sabarimala issue. As many as 7,000 persons were arrested and 2,000 cases registered in connection with the violence during the 3 December hartal called by the Sabarimala Karma Samithi alone.

Anti-hartal activists feel that the menace cannot be curbed by law. They have stressed the need for a sustained movement by the masses to end hartals, which have assumed the form of a bandh in Kerala after the Supreme Court banned bandhs.

The Kannur-based Anti-Hartal Front is planning to launch such a campaign from Republic Day to Independence Day. The campaign named I hate hartal seeks to involve all sections of people, including school and college students in the campaign.

Public opinion has been mounting against hartal after the state witnessed as many as nine hartals over the Sabarimala issue since the Supreme Court lifted the ban on menstruating women from entering the Lord Ayyappa temple on 28 September.

The state witnessed as many as 97 hartals during 2018. Estimates put the states average income loss on a day of hartal at Rs 2,000 crore. Anti-hartal activists feel that hartal was being promoted by political parties as it does not require any effort to make the protest a success.

Other forms of protest require huge efforts to mobilise people. Political parties have been choosing the easy way as people have lost faith in them. The people have started realising that the parties are calling hartals for their political gains and not for the good of the people, says Vijayan Nair, a member of the Say No To Hartal Forum.

He said that the parties will resist from calling hartals only if they realise that people are against the menace. Nair said that the current resistance against hartal will serve as a strong message to those calling them and holding the life of common people to ransom.The Supreme Court appointed senior advocate and former solicitor general Ranjit Kumar as amicus curiae to assist it in a matter related to the administration of the Jagannath Temple in Puri.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday appointed senior advocate and former solicitor general Ranjit Kumar as amicus curiae to assist it in a matter related to the administration of the Jagannath Temple in Puri.

The apex court had, on 30 November, 2018, accepted the request of senior advocate Gopal Subramanium to relieve him as amicus curiae in the matter.

During the hearing on Wednesday, the issue of appointing a new amicus in the case arose before a bench headed by Justice A K Sikri.

The bench requested Kumar, who was present in the court, whether he would assist it as an amicus in the case. Kumar agreed. The bench has posted the matter for hearing on 5 February.

An advocate, who has filed an application in the court seeking intervention in the case, told the bench that a person with knowledge on the Jagannath Temple should be appointed as an amicus. The counsel appearing for Odisha told the apex court that "wild allegations" were levelled against Subramanium in an application filed by an advocate following which he had sought to be relieved from the role. "Unfounded allegations were levelled against Gopal Subramanium in the application."

To this, the bench said, "What are those allegations? We will see". However, the counsel who had filed the application said his plea was dismissed earlier by the court.

He said he had "simply" said in his application that salary of sevaks (staff) of the temple had not been given since 5 July, 2018, and it should be released immediately He said some concrete steps were required to be taken in the matter since violence had erupted there in October, 2018. Nine policemen were injured in the violence at Puri during a 12-hour bandh called by a socio-cultural organisation protesting the introduction of a queue system for devotees visiting the temple.

The bench said applications filed by other stakeholders in the matter would also be considered on 5 February.

On 6 June, 2018, the court had appointed Subramanium as an amicus curiae to assist it in the matter in which a plea was filed highlighting the difficulties faced by the devotees at Jagannath Temple and their alleged harassment or exploitation by the sevaks of the temple.

On 10 October, the apex court had said that no policeman should enter Jagannath Temple "with weapons and shoes" after it was alleged before it that during the 3 October violence at the shrine, cops had entered there with boots and guns.

The Odisha government's counsel had termed the allegations as "absolutely false" and said no policeman had entered the temple as the incident had taken place at office of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration which is situated around 500 metres from the main temple.

In July, 2018, the top court had directed the Jagannath Temple management to consider allowing every visitor, irrespective of faith, to offer prayers to the deity. However, it had said that it would be subject to regulatory measures regarding dress code and giving an appropriate declaration.

It had directed the Centre to constitute a committee to look into the issues raised by the district judge of Puri regarding alleged exploitation of devotees, abolishment of hereditary system of employing sevaks and their appointment in the temple.The Army is also looking to induct women as jawans in the military police wing to help troops in operations. The women officers were inducted initially as short service commission officers where they had to leave the service after a maximum of 14 years.

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing debate for inducting women in combat roles in the forces, the Indian Army is planning to provide 400 permanent commission for women in the field of languages, cyber and space operations.

The work in this direction has been going on for the last few months and the government is expected to make announcements in the coming months.

"We see a lot of opportunity for lady officers in the cyber and space operations which are coming up very fast due to changing nature of warfare. Women can be permanently inducted as specialist officers there and serve for long periods," senior army sources told ANI.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently cleared setting up of cyber and space agencies for the defence forces to tackle the challenges in these fields, they said.

According to the sources, there is a requirement of over 400 lady officers to take care of these issues. The need for language specialist officers can also fully be taken care of by the lady officers as it is felt that the forces lack interpreters for Chinese, Sinhalese, Myanmarese and Vietnamese languages. Women officers, in addition to that, would provide continuity in this field as they would be posted for longer periods and can develop a super specialisation in these areas.

"We deal with these forces on a very regular basis and there have been situations in social gatherings where the two sides end up just smiling at each other due to language barriers. With specialist women officers holding this front, we can overcome these issues," the sources said.

In the past, women officers have been given permanent commission in the legal and education corps already.

The Army is also looking to induct women as jawans in the military police wing to help troops in operations. The women officers were inducted initially as short service commission officers where they had to leave the service after a maximum of 14 years.The council typically meets on the first and third Mondays of the month, and legislation introduced at one meeting is usually subject to a public hearing  and final vote  at the next meeting. But the process is being expedited because municipalities must have regulations in place by Jan. 14, in accordance with new federal and state regulations governing the siting of wireless infrastructure.The financial issues of the HAL, which had to borrow about Rs 962 crore for paying salaries to employees, were also discussed in the board meeting held on Tuesday in Bengaluru.

New Delhi: Amid the ongoing row over orders given to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), its chairman R Madhavan is expected to meet Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday at her South Block office. During the meeting, Madhavan is likely to brief her about the financial issues related to HAL.

"The HAL chairman is likely to meet the defence minister along with HAL finance director Ananth Krishnan tomorrow (Wednesday) and brief her about the financial issues his organisation is facing," defence ministry officials said on Tuesday.

The financial issues of the HAL, which had to borrow about Rs 962 crore for paying salaries to employees, were discussed in the board meeting held on Tuesday in Bengaluru.

The board meeting of HAL took place at a time when Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked Sitharaman for "lying" in the Parliament about placing orders of Rs 1 lakh crore to the PSU, which has been refuted by her.

In the wake of the war of words between Rahul and Sitharaman, the HAL had clarified that it had taken an overdraft of Rs 962 crore but with orders for 83 light combat aircraft, 15 light combat helicopters and other products, and its finances are expected to improve.

HAL issued the clarification after media reports quoting its chairman suggested that the firm was forced to borrow money to pay salaries to its employees.Almost a 23 percent of those who own a latrine defecated in the open, a figure that has remained unchanged since the Swachh Bharat Mission was launched in 2014. This can mostly be attributed to deeply entrenched beliefs about caste impurity associated with emptying latrine pits, the paper concluded.

New Delhi: More Indians living in villages owned a latrine in 2018 than four years ago, yet 44 percent of them still defecate in the open, according to a survey covering Rajasthan, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh that was released on 4 January. These four states together contain two-fifths of India's rural population and reported high open defecation rates, over 68 percent in 2016, as per this government report.

Almost a quarter (23 percent) of those who own a latrine defecated in the open, a figure that has remained unchanged since 2014, researchers found. This can mostly be attributed to deeply entrenched beliefs about caste impurity associated with emptying latrine pits, the paper concluded.

Changes in open defecation in rural North India: 2014-2018, a working paper published by the research and policy advocacy Research Institute for Compassionate Economics (RICE) and New Delhi-based policy think tank Accountability Initiative (AI), is based on surveys of over 9,812 people and 156 government officials in 2018.

The researchers first visited these participants in October 2014, a few months before the launch of Indias national sanitation programme Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) or Clean India Mission. In August 2018, they revisited them to gauge the impact of the mission. Observations from AI's 2017 survey in Udaipur, Rajasthan were also added to the survey.

We emailed secretary, Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, in-charge of the Swachh Bharat Mission (rural) for a response to the findings of the paper. We will update the article when we get a response.

There has been a decrease of 26 percentage points in open defecation since 2014, when 70 percent of people did not use toilets, as per the study. By 2018, almost 57 percent of households without a latrine in 2014 had acquired one.

However, there was a problem with the new structures: Most were based on the single-pit design, not the twin-pit one the government recommended. The twin-pit design allows decomposition of faecal sludge in one pit while the other is being used, providing a safe way of emptying it. Single pits require undecomposed sludge to be emptied manually or through expensive suction machines.

The Swachh Bharat campaign was largely focused on latrine construction, and it did little to address attitudes to latrine pits, rooted in notions of purity and pollution, said Aashish Gupta, research fellow at RICE, PhD candidate at the University of Pennsylvania, and the lead author of the paper. Consequently, while toilet coverage increased, open defecation among toilet owners did not decline, he said.

A FactChecker.in investigation in Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh in 2018 also found fudged data and unusable, poor quality toilets with high open defecation.

Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh not open defecation-free yet, contrary to claims

Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, two states that had declared themselves open defecation-free, have yet to achieve that goal. In Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, 53 percent and 25 percent, respectively, were estimated to be defecating in the open.

Open defecation had not been eliminated in any of the districts surveyed in North India, researchers said. This is despite a rapid decline of almost 6 percentage points in open defecation rate every year, as per the paper.

The government is both overselling its claim and not measuring what needs to be measured [open defecation], said Gupta.

There has been 34-percentage-point increase in latrine ownership in North India from 37 percent in 2014 to 71 percent in 2018. The highest difference was reported in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan  47 percentage points.

However, the survey found 40 percent of households with a latrine and 56 percent of all households had at least one family member defecating in the open. Bihar at 60 percent and Rajasthan at 53 percent led the four-state open defecation list. Madhya Pradesh had the lowest rate  25 percent.

Researchers analysed the results and found that the decrease in open defecation rate in the past four years was driven not by behaviour change but was the result of increased latrine ownership. This is the also reason that the 23 percent of latrine owners who defecated in the open unchanged from 2014 to 2018.

This finding is consistent with our qualitative interviews, which found that local officials were far more likely to stress latrine construction as a priority of the SBM than they were to stress use of latrines, noted the paper.

Self-constructed latrines more likely to be used

Of the 57 percent of participants who built a latrine during the four years covered by the survey, 42 percent got some kind of government support. Also, an average of 17 percent of these latrines were built by the government or a contractor. The number of contractor-built structures was the highest in Madhya Pradesh (33 percent), followed by Uttar Pradesh (22 percent).

It matters who built the latrines: Contractor-built latrines were generally of poorer quality and it was found that households that built their own latrines were 10 percentage points more likely to use them than others.

The paper found most contractor-built latrines were in Adivasi households which could be because these were poorer and unlikely to spend their own money on toilet construction. Also, corrupt contractors have an easier time skimming funds in Adivasi areas, it was alleged in the paper.

Manually scavenged single pits still preferred

Most toilets built (40 percent) had single pits, while twin pits were observed in only 25 percent of latrines. Moreover, 31 percent of the latrines had a containment chamber which meant they had to be emptied by a suction machine and was the most expensive of all toilet designs.

However, in the latrines that were supported by the government, the twin pit was the design of choice especially in Uttar Pradesh where 61 percent of latrines had this design. One reason for this could be that people could access a government subsidy of Rs 12,000 if they opted for a twin pit.

Local government officials admitted in interviews to researchers that most villagers preferred containment chambers and 48 percent latrine owners with twin pits said that both the pits were used at the same time, defeating the idea of the sustainable design.

Adivasis, Dalit households more likely to face threats, fines

In all four states, 56 percent of respondents said they were aware of coercive methods  fines, threat of denial of benefits, stopped from open defecation  used to persuade people to construct a latrine. In Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, 47 percent and 42 percent of respondents, respectively, had heard of government benefits being denied to those without latrines.

Instead of challenging caste, Swachh Bharat Mission ended up reinforcing it, said Gupta. This is because while the programme used community-led total sanitation approach of creating a demand in the community, it overlooked the fact that Indian villages are highly divided among caste lines, he added.

In all four states, among households that owned a latrine, Dalit households were twice as likely, and Adivasi households thrice, to face coercive practices compared to other social groups. They were more likely to face threats irrespective of whether or not they owned a latrine, the survey showed.

Also, those who were coerced into constructing a latrine were less likely to use the latrine.

Most local officials did not think these measures were inappropriate or excessive. They relied on these measures to reach the toilet construction target in an unreasonably short time, the researchers noted.

Taboos linked with idea of purity still rampant

Researchers found Hindu households with latrines were more likely to defecate in the open than Muslim households. Also, Hindu households with larger pits were less likely to defecate in the open than those with smaller pits. This could be because smaller pits require frequent emptying, which is associated with caste impurity.

To accommodate bigger pits, households that built their own toilet, on average, spent Rs 34,000  nearly three times the government subsidy of Rs 12,000. This difference explains why households had to be coerced into building a latrine, said researchers.

Efforts to spread awareness about the twin-pit design and sustainable and affordable faecal sludge management  the video campaign featuring actor Akshay Kumar emptying a latrine is one example  were not sufficiently prominent, said the paper.

To end open defecation, coercive tactics should end. Instead, latrine use should be encouraged alongside efforts to transform the social attitudes that have made open defecation so challenging to change, Gupta said.

The author is a principal correspondent with IndiaSpendUS president Donald Trump furthered the clamour for a border wall with Mexico, saying Ronil Singh had been 'savagely murdered'.

Washington: US president Donald Trump on Tuesday described as a "national hero" the Indian-origin policeman Ronil "Ron" Singh who was recently killed in California, saying America's heart broke the day the young officer was "savagely murdered" in cold blood by an "illegal alien".

Corporal Singh, 33, of the Newman Police Department was shot and killed during a traffic stop on 26 December, allegedly by an illegal immigrant.

Trump spoke on Thursday with the family members and law enforcement colleagues of Singh, a native of Fiji who joined the force in July 2011. "America's heart broke the day after Christmas when a young police officer in California was savagely murdered in cold blood by an illegal alien (who) just came across the border. The life of an American hero was stolen by someone who had no right to be in our country," Trump said.

The Californian police have arrested 33-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico identified as Gustavo Perez Arriaga on charges of killing Singh.

In his first address to the nation from the Oval Office, Trump made a case for building a wall along the Mexico border. He said precious lives were cut short repeatedly by those who have violated the borders.

"In California, an air force veteran was raped, murdered, and beaten to death with a hammer by an illegal alien with a long criminal history. In Georgia, an illegal alien was recently charged with murder for killing, beheading and dismembering his neighbour.

"In Maryland, MS-13 gang members who arrived in the United States as unaccompanied minors were arrested and charged last year after viciously stabbing and beating a 16-year-old," he said.

Trump added that over the last several years, he has met with dozens of families whose loved ones were killed by illegal immigration.

"I've held the hands of the weeping mothers and embraced the grief-stricken fathers. So sad. So terrible. I will never forget the pain in their eyes, the tremble in their voices and the sadness gripping there. So how much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job," he said.

"This is a choice between right and wrong; justice and injustice. This is about whether we fulfill our sacred duty to the American citizens we serve," Trump said.

The President alleged that the Democrats in Congress had failed to acknowledge the crisis and refused to provide the border agents with the tools they desperately need to protect families and the nation. "The federal government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only because Democrats will not fund border security," he alleged.

Noting that his administration was doing everything in its power to help those impacted by the situation, Trump said the only solution was for Democrats to pass a spending bill that defends the borders and reopens the government. "This situation could be solved in a 45-minute meeting," he said.

Trump has invited Congressional leadership to the White House on Wednesday to find a solution. "Hopefully, we can rise above partisan politics in order to support national security," he said.

Observing that some people have suggested that a barrier is immoral, Trump asked why wealthy politicians build walls, fences and gates around their homes. "They don't build walls because they hate the people on the outside, but because they love the people on the inside. The only thing that is immoral is the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimised," Trump said.

Trump has been seeking $ 5 billion in Congressional funding for the wall, which he believes is essential to stop the flow of illegal immigrants into the US. The opposition Democratic party has opposed such a funding and blocked its passage from the Congress. The stalemate has resulted in a partial federal government shutdown. Trump says only a wall can stop the flow of illegal immigrants.The US State Department said Donald Trump's special Afghan envoy Zalmay Khalilzad will lead an inter-agency delegation to India, China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

Washington: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump discussed efforts to enhance cooperation in war-torn Afghanistan, the US government's special Afghan envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is headed for India, according to an official announcement.

The US State Department on Tuesday said Khalilzad will lead an inter-agency delegation to India, China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan from 8 January to 21 January. However, country-specific dates of his travel were not announced.

This is Khalilzad's first trip to India after he was appointed as the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation in 2018. Since then, he has made multiple trips to the region, without being to India.

During a telephone conversation on Monday evening, Modi and Trump, among other things, discussed the contentious issue of the US's trade deficit with India and increasing their cooperation in war-torn Afghanistan.

Trump last week took a jibe at Modi for funding a "library" in Afghanistan, saying it is of no use in the war-torn country as he criticised India and others for not doing enough for the nation's security.

Khalilzad will meet with senior government officials in each country to facilitate an intra-Afghan political settlement, the State Department said.

"The United States supports the desire of the Afghan people and the international community for a political settlement that ends the 40-year conflict and ensures Afghanistan never again serves as a platform for international terrorism," it said.

Khalilzad will meet with Afghan government officials and other interested parties to support and facilitate an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan, empowering the Afghan people to chart a shared course for their nation's future, it said.

The State Department noted that Khalilzad continues to coordinate his efforts with the Afghan president Ashraf Ghani, chief executive Abdullah Abdullah and other Afghan stakeholders to ensure an intra-Afghan peace process.

It said the American goal is to promote dialogue among Afghans about how to end the conflict and to encourage the parties to come together at the negotiating table to reach a political settlement where every Afghan citizen enjoys equal rights and responsibilities under the rule of law.

During his last trip to the region in December, Khalilzad had reiterated that the only solution to the conflict is for all parties to sit together and reach an agreement on the political future of Afghanistan with mutual respect and acceptance, the State Department said. PTI LKJ NSD

01090403

NNNNToday's top stories: The Centre will table the Bill for 10 percent quota for poor sections in the Rajya Sabha; Bharat Bandh expected to continue on Day 2; civil society organisations in Assam to launch the second phase of agitation against the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Quota bill for poor sections, Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to be tabled in Rajya Sabha

A landmark bill seeking to provide 10 percent reservation in jobs and education for the poor in the general category was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, with most parties backing the measure. The government had described it as "historic" and in the country's interest.

As many as 323 members voted in support of the Bill and only three voted against it, underlining the cross-party support the politically crucial bill elicited. The government will table the bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill  which seeks to make six minority communities of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who came to India till 31 December, 2014, without valid travel documents eligible to apply for Indian citizenship and not be treated as illegal migrants  will also be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

"Assam's burden is the whole nation's burden," Rajnath Singh had said while tabling the bill, adding that "the proposed amendment will make persecuted minorities in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan "eligible to apply for citizenship".

Bharat Bandh to continue on Day 2

The two-day Bharat Bandh launched by labour unions on Tuesday to protest against the Narendra Modi government's "anti-worker" policies will continue on Wednesday.

Over 32,000 employees of Mumbai's civic transport undertaking BEST also went on an indefinite strike on Tuesday in support of various demands, including higher salaries.

The strike is expected to continue into Day 2 as talks between the undertaking's management and striking workers failed, even as a Shiv Sena-affiliated union in the transport body said its members had withdrawn from the stir.

West Bengal, where the Trinamool Congress-led state government had made elaborate security arrangements, reported an incident of stone pelting at a school bus and other sporadic incidents of vandalism at a few places.

In southern India, public transport services were largely unaffected in cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. However, Left-ruled Kerala witnesses a total shutdown.

Economic blockade over Citizenship (Amendment) Bill

Civil society organisations in Assam are bracing for the second phase of the agitation against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the form of an economic blockade. As many as 70 civil society organisations have already declared an indefinite economic blockade, restricting movement of commodities from Assam to other parts of India.

The economic blockade is going to take place a day after the state observed 11-hour bandh in protest of the Bill.

Speaking about the declared protest programme that is going to take place from Wednesday, Junmoni Devi Khound, one of the female leaders of the movement told Firstpost, "The economic blockade has started from today (Tuesday) itself. But since a bandh was already called, the blockade programme was not evident. It will start in a full-fledged manner from tomorrow (Wednesday).

The passing of the controversial Bill in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday was marked by the strike, which brought life to a standstill in Assam and had its spillover effect in the other states of the North East.

Tuesday saw a BJP spokesperson quitting the party, moments after the Bill was passed in the Lower House of Parliament, a former chief minister demanding the resignation of the BJP-led Assam government and a state minister describing the Asom Gana Parishad's (AGP) withdrawal from the government as a "historic blunder".

HAL officials likely to meet Nirmala Sitharaman

Officials of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) are likely to meet Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and top government officials on Wednesday to discuss ways to resolve the cash crunch the aerospace firm is facing.

In the wake of reports that it is facing a financial crisis, HAL had said on Sunday that its finances are expected to improve.

"In view of the various media reports on HAL, following is clarified: HAL has taken overdraft of Rs 962 crore. With anticipated collection up to March, the cash position is expected to improve. Orders for LCA Mk1 A (83) & LCH (15) are in advanced stages," it said in a tweet.

Narendra Modi to visit Agra, Solapur

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick-start the BJP's election campaign in Uttar Pradesh by addressing a rally in Agra on Wednesday. He is scheduled to fly to Agra from Bidar in Karnataka and reach around 3.15 pm.

Modi is expected to inaugurate a number of projects. Around two lakh supporters are expected to attend the rally at the Kothi Meena Bazar ground.

Modi is set to launch a series of developmental projects in Solapur, where he will also dedicate to the nation revamped section of the Solapur-Tujlapur-Osmanabad highway on NH-221.

Supreme Court reinstates Alok Verma as director

In a jolt to the Centre, the Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated Alok Verma as CBI director, quashing the unprecedented "overnight" order in which he was stripped of his power and sent on leave along with his deputy Rakesh Asthana after they traded corruption charges, sparking a bitter feud in the agency.

The court, however, clipped Verma's wings saying he cannot make any major policy decision till the high-powered committee, which selects the CBI chief, decides on his continuation since the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is probing charges of corruption against him.

Verma's two-year tenure as CBI director ends on 31 January.

Asking the committee to meet within a week, the court said it was "still open" for the panel to consider the matter involving Verma. The committee comprises the prime minister, the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.

Kevin Spacey appears in court, pleads not guilty

Actor Kevin Spacey has pleaded not guilty of allegedly groping an 18-year-old at a bar in Nantucket, Massachusetts in 2016. The House of Cards fame star was on Monday arraigned on a charge of indecent assault and battery, a felony charge that comes with up to five years in prison.

The alleged victim is the son of former television news presenter Heather Unruh, who spoke publicly about the incident in 2017. She accused Spacey of buying her then 18-year-old son alcohol  the drinking age in Massachusetts is 21  and then groping him.

Spacey has been ordered to stay away from the alleged victim and his family by Nantucket District Court Judge Thomas Barrett.

Gold prices up even as global trend shows decline

Gold prices advanced by Rs 40 to Rs 32,690 per 10 gram at the bullion market on Tuesday on continued buying by local jewellers, even as the global trend marked a decline. Silver, however, met with resistance at prevailing higher levels and shed Rs 210 to Rs 39,800 per kilogram.

Traders said sustained buying by local jewellers at the domestic spot market to meet increased demand kept gold prices higher but a weak trend overseas limited the gains. Globally, gold fell 0.54 percent to $1,282.40 an ounce and silver shed 0.74 percent to $15.60 an ounce in New York.

Lamborghini Huracan Evo unveiled

Lamborghini has unveiled a version of the Huracan supercar, termed the Huracan EVO. As the suffix suggests, this is not a complete rethink of the brand's most popular model after the Urus but an attempt to update the package to make it that much more cutting edge.

The Huracan EVO has received a few minor updates to its styling. The basic shape remains unchanged, but it now gets a new more aggressive bumper that highlights the motifs seen across Lamborghini's cars.Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been clamped at Tripura's Madhabbari and adjacent areas following clashes between Citizenship Amendment Bill protesters and police.

Agartala: Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) have been clamped for an indefinite period at Tripura's Madhabbari and adjacent areas, where at least seven people were injured when Citizenship Bill protesters clashed with police on Tuesday, according to a police official.

Madhabbari sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Prankrishna Das said the police launched a search operation at Madhabbari and Dasharambari in Jirania police station of West Tripura district since Tuesday night during which one country made gun and a machete were recovered.

"The situation is completely under control now," the SDPO told PTI.

"The Assam Rifles and state police personnel have also been patrolling these areas to avoid any untoward situation," Das said.

Superintendent of police Ajit Pratap Singh said on Wednesday that an FIR has been lodged against three persons on the charge of rioting, but so far no one has been arrested.

"The seven injured, some with gunshot wounds, in Tuesday's incident included a Tripura State Rifles (TSR) personnel and six Twipra Student Federation (TSF) members who had blocked the Assam-Agartala National Highway at Madhabbari area to oppose the Bill," Singh said.

The TSF member, identified as Sumit Debbarma, who received a bullet injury on his back will be shifted to Kolkata due to deterioration of his condition, Dr Sulakkhana Mitra of the Trauma Care Centre in G B Pant Hospital said on Wednesday.

"Five injured, including one TSR jawan, are admitted at G B Pant Hospital and one other is being treated at a local hospital in Jirania subdivision," Mitra said.

SMS and mobile Internet services remained suspended throughout the state till Wednesday while broadband services, though available, were very slow.

NESO, a joint platform of eight student organisations, including the TSF, had called for 11-hour-long northeast bandh on Tuesday to protest against the move of the Central government to introduce the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the Parliament.

The bill that seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangaldesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.A day after the Supreme Court reinstated Alok Verma as the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi nominated Justice AK Sikri to be part of the Selection Committee that will decide on Verma's fate at the agency for the remainder of his tenure till 31 January.

A day after the Supreme Court reinstated Alok Verma as the Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi nominated Justice AK Sikri to be part of the Selection Committee that will decide on Verma's fate at the agency for the remainder of his tenure till 31 January.

The Centre had sent Verma on forced leave for 77 days through a much-criticised, late-night order on 23 October, 2018.

In its order on Tuesday, the Supreme Court had restrained Verma from making any major policy decision till the Central Vigilance Commission completes its investigation into the corruption charges against him.

Justice SK Kaul, who had pronounced the judgement for CJI Gogoi, had said that the high-powered Selection Committee is to meet within seven days and decide on Verma's fate.

The Selection Committee also comprises Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, taking the place of the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Along with Sikri, they are scheduled to meet at Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi at 8 pm on Wednesday, reported News18. However, the meeting is likely to be postponed as Kharge has requested the government to reschedule it to Friday, citing prior engagements.

The CBI director's two-year tenure at the agency ends on 31 January.Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel tabled the resolution in the House, saying that an appropriate initiative is required to be taken towards amendment of Article 164 (1A) of the Constitution to increase the strength of cabinet ministers from 15 percent to 20 percent

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution urging the Centre to amendment Article 164 (1A) of the Constitution so that the state can expand its cabinet size from the existing 15 percent to 20 percent.

The main opposition BJP opposed the resolution and staged a walkout from the Assembly.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel tabled the resolution in the House, saying that an appropriate initiative is required to be taken towards amendment of Article 164 (1A) of the Constitution to increase the strength of cabinet ministers from 15 percent to 20 percent in Chhattisgarh in view of its bigger geographical area and in the interest of its rapid development.

"The area of Chhattisgarh is bigger than states like Tamil Nadu and Bihar. Each minister in the state cabinet had to handle more than one portfolio as there are several departments. Even chief minister had to keep several departments," he said.

"Keeping in view the population and the geographical area a bigger number of ministers are required for the smooth functioning of the administration and rapid development. It is incorrect to say that the resolution has been brought for appeasement," he said.

During the discussion, Opposition members opposed the resolution, terming it as unlawful and unnecessary.

Earlier, BJP MLA and former Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ajay Chandrakar, while countering the demand made through the resolution, said the step has been taken just to appease Congress MLAs who were vying for ministerial berths.

After the discussion, BJP legislators staged a walkout from the assembly while opposing the resolution. However, the resolution was passed with a voice vote.

Article 164 (1A) of the Constitution provides that the strength of council of ministers headed by the chief minister cannot exceed 15 percent of the total number of members of the legislative assembly of that state. As per the current provision, the strength of cabinet in Chhattisgarh cannot exceed 13 including the chief minister.

The Congress, which ended BJP's 15-year reign in the recent state election, has 68 members in the newly-elected 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly. The new state cabinet has 12 members including Baghel.Returning to his office Wednesday after a 77-day exile, CBI director Alok Verma annulled most of the transfers effected by M Nageshwar Rao, who was holding the charge as the interim director

New Delhi: Returning to his office Wednesday after a 77-day exile, CBI director Alok Verma annulled most of the transfers effected by M Nageshwar Rao, who was holding the charge as the interim director.

A 1979-batch AGMUT cadre IPS officer, Verma arrived the headquarters at around 10.40 am Wednesday, a day after the Supreme Court set aside a controversial government order divesting him of all powers, amidst unprecedented public spat with Special Director Rakesh Asthana, who was booked by the agency under corruption charges.

Verma and Asthana were sent on forced leave by the government along with Verma, through two separate orders issued on October 23, 2018, late evening.

Upon his arrival at the CBI headquarters, Verma was received by Rao, officials said.

Then Joint Director M Nageswar Rao, a 1986-batch Odisha cadre IPS officer who was later promoted as Additional Director, was given the duties and functions of the CBI director late night on 23 October, 2018, after Verma and Asthana were divested of their powers.

The next morning, Rao had issued seven transfer orders including those probing corruption case against Asthana, like DySP A K Bassi, DIG M K Sinha, Joint Director A K Sharma, among others.

On 3 January, 2019, he had transferred officers of Joint Director Rank.

Verma issued two orders Wednesday "withdrawing" all the transfers done by Rao on 24 October, 2018, and 3 January, 2019.

In his expansive office on the 11th floor of the imposing glass and concrete CBI headquarters building, Verma also kept a keen ear on the developments related to meeting of high-powered selection meeting announced for the evening as a stream of senior officers kept him busy, officials said.

He remained in office till late night, they said.

In sending Verma on leave, the government overlooked the immunity given to the CBI director by the Supreme Court ensuring a two-year minimum tenure to protect the incumbent from any political interference.

The government tried to justify its decision, saying it became necessary amid an unprecedented feud between the two senior-most officials of the agency who had levelled charges of corruption on each other, an argument rejected by the apex court Tuesday.

In its order Tuesday, the Supreme Court set aside Verma's forced leave but restrained him from taking any major policy decision till the CVC probe into corruption charges against him is over.

In the absence of any clear definition of "major policy" decisions, the grey area exists as to what extent Verma's powers will be limited.

The apex court said any further decision against Verma, who retires on 31 January, would be taken by the high-powered committee which selects and appoints the CBI director.

The Supreme Court in the Vineet Narayan judgment had fixed a minimum tenure of two years for the CBI director to give him immunity from any political interference.

Later, through the Lokpal Act, the process of selecting the CBI director was handed over to a selection committee.Bharat Bandh day 2 LIVE updates: The workers participating in the strike will go on a protest march from Mandi House to Parliament Wednesday at noon, and similarly protests would be seen in other parts of the country as well.

Auto refresh feeds

As the Lok Sabha passed the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in the Lok Sabha, despite widespread protests in Assam and other parts of North East India, the civil society organisations in Assam are bracing up for the second phase of agitation against the Bill in the form of an economic blockade. Seventy civil society organisations have already declared indefinite economic blockade restricting movement of commodities from Assam to other parts of India.

The bandh called by workers groups and various traders' unions enters day two today. Reports have already started filtering in that protesters are stopping buses and trains to enforce the bandh. All India Trade Union Congress spokesperson said that yesterday, as many as five states of Assam, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, and the union territory of Puducherry witnessed complete bandh while other states like Karnataka, Delhi, Goa, West Bengal reported 100 per cent strike by workers.

Venkatachalam from All India Bank employees association said, "In Tamil Nadu 40,000 bank employees working in 10,000 branches participated in the strike called by trade unions. Apart from State Bank and Indian Overseas Bank, HDFC and ICICI rest all banks including co-operative and Reserve Bank employees are also participating in the strike. 6,000 crores cheque transactions have been affected in the first day and the strike continues today also. "

In spite of Tamil Nadu government's stern warning, over 8 lakh state government employees from various departments are participating in the protest today as well. Over 3 lakh teachers and over 1.5 lakh central government employees are also taking part in protests in Tamil Nadu.

The West Bengal government has directed bus drivers to wear helmet while driving, in view of nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions. The move comes as Trinamool Congress vowed not to let the bandh take effect in West Bengal, following which CPM supporters who were backing the shutdown clashed with TMC workers at several places.

Heavy police deployment has been ensured at the sensitive jadavpur 8B bus stop after CPM workers created a huge ruckus here yesterday. The bandh supporters vandalised vehicles, held rallies and blocked the traffic on roads on Tuesday.

Buses operating from Kanyakumari district to Kerala were halted for the second day in Kaliyakavillai in Tamil Nadu at Kerala border.

CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty, along with other protestors detained by police while they were participating in the two-day nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others.

The Kerala Vyapari Vyavasayi Epokapana Samithi, the largest traders body in the state, has pressed into service a blue volunteer force, to provide protection to traders who open shops and business establishments during shut down strikes. The volunteers have been deployed in major centres under the leadership of the KVVES youth wing. The traders body president T Nasurdeen said that the volunteers had helped traders in Kozhikode, Ernakulam, Thiruvananthapuram and some other districts to open the shops on the first day of the strike. The volunteers will be deployed in more areas on the second day on the second day on Wednesday.

The ordinance is similar to the Central Act which provides for penal action against destruction of public property. The present ordinance provides for imprisonment up to five years and a fine to those who cause loss to private property. Those arrested in connection with the breach of law will be granted bail only after furnishing a bank guarantee or cash amounting to 50 percent of the damage.

An ordinance curbing the destruction of private property in the name of protests has come into force in Kerala on Wednesday. Governor P Sathasivam has promulgated the Kerala Prevention of Damage to Private Property and Payment of Compensation Ordinance, 2019, aimed at providing protection to private property from violence that erupts during protests such as hartals, bandhs, demonstrations, communal violence and road blockade.

Shops are opened at Kozhikode while Chala the main market in Thiruvananthapuram is shut down. Attendance in banks and insurance offices are below normal. Private vehicles ply while trucks stay off the road bringing cargo movement to a halt.

The trade organizations call to defy shutdown strikes has started yielding results with more and more traders coming forward to open shops and business establishments. Reports reaching from various districts said that a large number of shops were opened in both urban and rural areas on the second day of the 48-hour strike. Shops in the main business centres in Kochi were opened with posters saying It is our livelihood, allow us to trade on the shop windows. Several restaurants and medical shops were opened at Manjeri where the trade union workers had clashed with the traders on the first day of the strike on Tuesday.

The workers participating in the strike will go on a protest march from Mandi House to Parliament Wednesday at noon, and similarly protests would be seen in other parts of the country as well.

Five country made crude bombs were recovered on Bongaon-Sealdah railway line near Habra station. Following this, the train movement has been disrupted. and the local police and bomb squad are inspecting the spot.

This follows incident of police firing on Tuesday in which six persons, including five tribal youths, protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and a security personnel were injured.

After Tuesdays police firing in Tripura, mobile internet services have been suspended to stop propagation of fake messages through WhatsApp and other social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. The para-military force also held a flag march in the affected areas of Madhabbari, in West Tripura.

Members of the striking trade unions vandalised the treasury branch of State Bank of India near the Kerala secretariat at Thiruvananthapuram. The protestors barged into the banks office, evicted employees and smashed the computers and other equipment in the office when the bank employees refused to close the branch, which had functioned on Tuesday without any troubles.

All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur has said that there will be a complete bandh in Goa and Bihar, while 100 per cent strike is expected in other parts of the country too. Farming communities, through their associations, have also extended support to the strike. Student and teacher organisations of various universities have also declared support. Meanwhile, public transport in West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala remain disrupted.

AITUC says bandh near total in Goa, Bihar; 100 percent participation in strike from other states too

On Western Railway suburban section in Mumbai, 12 extra services will be run today due to BEST strike. On the Central line. additional services include: Main line - Thane departure at 13.44 hours and CSMT arrival 14.40 hours, CSMT departure at 14.49 hours and Kalyan arrival at 16.15 hours; Harbour line: Vashi departure at 13.44 hours and CSMT arrival 14.32 hours, CSMT departure at 14.45 hours and Panvel arrival 16.05 hours.

Long queues of passengers were seen at various bus stands after the private buses association in the state did not operate its services. To mitigate the woes of passengers, the state-run Kadamba Transport Corporation was operating 800 additional bus services, a senior official of the corporation said.

Normal life was affected in Goa on Wednesday as private buses and tourist taxis remained off roads in response to the two-day nationwide strike called by trade unions to protest the alleged anti-people policies of the central government.

Discussions are underway between police and government transportation associations but due to this sudden decision, students are struggling without transportation to go to schools and colleges. Students who came from different villages are struggling to get back to their homes and are now stranded.

All the government buses in Karnatakas Gadag district have been completely stopped after the bus drivers association decided not to work on the second day of Bharat Bandh. CPI leader Doulat Kuri said they will stop the buses if they start working again.

Kids playing on National Highway which whore a deserted look due to the ongoing Bharat Bandh, in Bhubaneswar. Like yesterday, today also no public transport vehicle is playing in the city. All educational institutions have been closed in Khurda district, under which Bhubaneswar city falls.

Around a hundred picketers including members of various trade unions and left party cadres have been arrested in Silchar. Partial impact of bandh in the district. Bank service is shut but other services like rail and road transport are regular. Shops and markets are almost open here.

Buses were attacked in more than 25 places when protesters hurled stones at them in places like Magadi Road, Vittal Mallya Road, Mysore Road and Mudalpalya in Bengaluru. As soon as the buses were attacked, BMTC asked drivers to get back to bus depots and stop working. Buses that were on the road asked the passengers to get down in the middle of the road and are getting back to bus depots. One bus was attacked in Nelamangala and stones were thrown at two buses in Dasanpura.

The main opposition party in Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janta Dal, has extended its support to Bharat Bandh. RJD state chief Ramchandra Purve announced it in Patna. Earlier, erstwhile BJP ally and now a supporter of Mahagathbandhan, Hindustani Awam Morcha chief Jitan Ram Manjhi also extended his support to the bandh.

Traffic congestion near Bengalurus town hall was reported as hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the municipal building. The city, otherwise, remained largely unaffected as the state run KSRTC buses made up for the BMTC buses staying off roads. Only 13 percent of BMTC buses (428 out of 3226 service) are operational today. Yesterday, on the first-day of the strike 36% of the buses were plying, News18 reported.

Bengaluru sees partial effects of shut down, but commuters face massive traffic jam as protesters gather outside town hall

A large number of people took out a protest rally in Karnatakas Madikeri. The rally was organised by Kodagu Kriya Samiti in which more than 1,500 people, including men and women took part.

Banana leaves thrown on overhead wires at different places in the Sealdah South section led to disruption in train services in Sealdah-Diamond Harbour, Sealdah-Lakshmikantapur and Sealdah-Namkhana routes from 5.20 am.

An Eastern Railway spokesman said that a suspected bomb was found on the railway tracks at Ashoknagar in Sealdah-Bongaon section that led to suspension of train services in the route. However, the suspected country-made bomb, was promptly removed by the civil authorities and train services resumed in the section at 10.25 am, the spokesman said.

Train services in Eastern Railway zone were disrupted after supporters of the two-day nationwide strike resorted to blockades at many places.

In Davangere, protesters disrupted the bus services, staged demonstration and burnt the effigy of the prime minister to vent their anger against the central government's workers policies. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses remained stationed in their respective depots across the state as protesters damaged the vehicles.

Kids playing on National Highway which whore a deserted look due to the ongoing Bharat Bandh, in Bhubaneswar. Like yesterday, today also no public transport vehicle is playing in the city. All educational institutions have been closed in Khurda district, under which Bhubaneswar city falls.

Around a hundred picketers including members of various trade unions and left party cadres have been arrested in Silchar. Partial impact of bandh in the district. Bank service is shut but other services like rail and road transport are regular. Shops and markets are almost open here.

Over 700 labourers belonging to various unions including CITU were arrested in Coimbatore for attempt to road roko and rail roko

Buses were attacked in more than 25 places when protesters hurled stones at them in places like Magadi Road, Vittal Mallya Road, Mysore Road and Mudalpalya in Bengaluru. As soon as the buses were attacked, BMTC asked drivers to get back to bus depots and stop working. Buses that were on the road asked the passengers to get down in the middle of the road and are getting back to bus depots. One bus was attacked in Nelamangala and stones were thrown at two buses in Dasanpura.

The main opposition party in Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav's Rashtriya Janta Dal, has extended its support to Bharat Bandh. RJD state chief Ramchandra Purve announced it in Patna. Earlier, erstwhile BJP ally and now a supporter of Mahagathbandhan, Hindustani Awam Morcha chief Jitan Ram Manjhi also extended his support to the bandh.

Traffic congestion near Bengalurus town hall was reported as hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the municipal building. The city, otherwise, remained largely unaffected as the state run KSRTC buses made up for the BMTC buses staying off roads. Only 13 percent of BMTC buses (428 out of 3226 service) are operational today. Yesterday, on the first-day of the strike 36% of the buses were plying, News18 reported.

Bengaluru sees partial effects of shut down, but commuters face massive traffic jam as protesters gather outside town hall

A large number of people took out a protest rally in Karnatakas Madikeri. The rally was organised by Kodagu Kriya Samiti in which more than 1,500 people, including men and women took part.

Banana leaves thrown on overhead wires at different places in the Sealdah South section led to disruption in train services in Sealdah-Diamond Harbour, Sealdah-Lakshmikantapur and Sealdah-Namkhana routes from 5.20 am.

An Eastern Railway spokesman said that a suspected bomb was found on the railway tracks at Ashoknagar in Sealdah-Bongaon section that led to suspension of train services in the route. However, the suspected country-made bomb, was promptly removed by the civil authorities and train services resumed in the section at 10.25 am, the spokesman said.

Train services in Eastern Railway zone were disrupted after supporters of the two-day nationwide strike resorted to blockades at many places.

In Davangere, protesters disrupted the bus services, staged demonstration and burnt the effigy of the prime minister to vent their anger against the central government's workers policies. Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses remained stationed in their respective depots across the state as protesters damaged the vehicles.

In Chennai, protest took place in Guindy, Tambaram and Pallavaram stations as the protesters tried to disrupt rail routes. They were later arrested. CITU member Soundarrajan said "if our demands are not heard then we will sit on a vigorous strike. So I urge the government to look into our needs".

Thiruverumbur protesters used another form that is they made a human chain and raised slogans against the Central government in front of the Government institution

In Pondicherry the 300 government employees, who tried to lay siege the secretariat, were arrested. Another group which was protesting in front of the Pondicherry post office was also arrested. Normal life was badly hit in Pondicherry as buses autos and share autos were not on road. Many schools and educational institutions were shut.

In Salem, thousands of protesters were arrested after they walked from old Salem bus stop to the head post office and raised slogans against the ruling government.

SwaTrade unions went on protest in 11 places in Kanniyakumari district including road roko. Thousands who were involved in the incidents were arrested and were taken into custody in a private marriage hall.

Bharat Bandh day 2 Latest updates: The workers participating in the strike will go on a protest march from Mandi House to Parliament Wednesday at noon, and similarly protests would be seen in other parts of the country as well.

After Tuesdays police firing in Tripura, mobile internet services have been suspended to stop propagation of fake messages through WhatsApp and other social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. The para-military force also held a flag march in the affected areas of Madhabbari, in West Tripura.

Two students were injured after protesters pelted stones at a bus at Shanpur Mor on Jhikira-Howrah route.

An ordinance curbing the destruction of private property in the name of protests has come into force in Kerala on Wednesday. Governor P Sathasivam has promulgated the Kerala Prevention of Damage to Private Property and Payment of Compensation Ordinance, 2019, aimed at providing protection to private property from violence that erupts during protests such as hartals, bandhs, demonstrations, communal violence and road blockade.

Trade union workers continued to disrupt rail services in Kerala on the second day of the 48-hour general strike. A group of activists blocked the Venad Express and Sabari Express at Trivandrum Central Railway Station for nearly one hour resulting in in delayed running of several trains. The trains resumed service after police arrested and removed the protestors. The blockade of trains may affect functioning of businesses and offices as the other modes of public transport, including taxis and auto rickshas are off the roads.

The West Bengal government has directed bus drivers to wear helmet while driving, in view of nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions. The move comes as Trinamool Congress vowed not to let the bandh take effect in West Bengal, following which CPM supporters who were backing the shutdown clashed with TMC workers at several places.

Assamese protesters are enforcing an economic blockade against citizenship Bill, whereas trade unions and workers are enforcing a bandh in rest of India against the alleged anti-labour policies of the government.

As the Lok Sabha passed the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in the Lok Sabha, despite widespread protests in Assam and other parts of North East India, the civil society organisations in Assam are bracing up for the second phase of agitation against the Bill in the form of an economic blockade. Seventy civil society organisations have already declared indefinite economic blockade restricting movement of commodities from Assam to other parts of India.

Tuesday saw a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson quitting the party, moments after the bill was passed in the Lower House of Parliament, a former chief minister demanding the resignation of the BJP-led Assam government and a state minister describing the Asom Gana Parishad's (AGP) withdrawal from the government as a "historic blunder".

The protesters brought life to a standstill and vented their ire at the ruling BJP by gheraoing the houses of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Power Minister Tapan Kumar Gogoi and attempting to attack the saffron party's offices in different parts of Assam during the 11-hour "bandh" called by the All Assam Students' Union (AASU).

The protesters stormed the chief minister's personal house in Dibrugarh and that of Gogoi's in Sonari during the bandh, which started at 5 am and ended at 4 pm, the police said.

Moments after the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, BJP spokesperson Mehdi Alam Bora resigned from the party, saying the bill would harm the Assamese society and nullify the Assam Accord.

The issue brought the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) allies  the BJP and the AGP  face-to-face.

Former Assam chief minister and AGP leader Prafulla Kumar Mahanta demanded that the BJP government in the state resign and face a fresh election as the saffron party's pre-poll alliance with his party was snapped on Monday.

"The BJP-led government was formed in Assam on the basis of a pre-poll alliance with the AGP. As this alliance no longer exists, we demand that the government be dissolved," he said.

State minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the the AGP had committed a "historic blunder" by not extending support to the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Mahanta had committed the first blunder by signing the Assam Accord when he was the chief minister and his party made the second "historic blunder" by not extending support to the bill, Sarma, who holds the Finance and Health portfolios, said.

"I am proud of being an Assamese and the BJP is committed to protecting the interest of the indigenous population," the leader, who is regarded as the saffron party's face in the north-east, told reporters here.

"We have to do it on the basis of religion. On the basis of what else can we stop illegal immigration? It is well known that our land has been taken by Muslim migrants and now, we cannot allow anymore encroachment of our assets like the 'sattra' (monasteries) and Kaziranga.

"We are grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the bill and saving 18 Assembly seats in Assam from going into the hands of 'Jinnah' or the AIUDF's (All India United Democratic Front) Badruddin Ajmal," he said.

Assam BJP chief Ranjeet Kumar Dass claimed that the AGP leaving the NDA did not matter as the alliance would still get 11 of the 14 seats in the state in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

The AGP accused Sonowal of not "cooperating" on the bill and not giving due respect to the emotion and interests of the Assamese people.

The three AGP ministers -- Atul Bora (agriculture), Keshab Mahanta (water resources) and Phanibhushan Choudhury (food and civil supplies) will tender their resignation and complete the other related formalities on Wednesday.

The "bandh" was by and large peaceful with the police resorting to mild lathicharge to disperse the protesters at some places, Director General of Police Kuladhar Saikia said.

There were attempts to attack BJP offices in Dibrugarh, Lakhimpur and Golaghat, but those were foiled by the security forces.

Actor Naseeruddin Shah was among a host of air passengers stranded for hours at airports due to the non-availability of public transport.

Normal life came to a halt in the Brahmaputra valley and was partially hit in the Bengali-majority Barak valley, following a "north-east bandh" called separately by the North East Students' Organisation (NESO) and supported by over 100 organisations to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.

The agitators blocked roads and national highways at various places, while picketers squatted on the railway tracks at various places in Guwahati and Dibrugarh district, but the movement of trains, including the Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express and the Kolkata-bound Kamrup Express, continued after the GRP removed them from the tracks, railway sources said.

There was no movement of vehicles, including goods-laden trucks, on national highways, following an economic blockade called by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), sources said.

The 11-hour bandh called by the NESO was enforced by its member organisations, including the AASU, the Mizo Zirlai Pawal (MZP), the All Arunachal Pradesh Students' Union (AAPSU), the Khasi Students' Union (KSU), the Garo Students' Union (GSU), the Naga Students' Federation (NSF), the All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) and the Twipra Students' Federation (TSF).

In Tripura, seven persons -- a Tripura State Rifles personnel and six TSF activists -- were injured at Madhabbari in West Tripura district, when the police and paramilitary personnel resorted to lathicharge and opened fire to disperse a group of students who had blocked the Assam-Agartala national highway.

The "bandh" also hit normal life in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland.

With inputs from agenciesHes well liked as a person; hes respected by the troops, said Eric Hessler, attorney for the Police Association of New Orleans, the union that represents officers. He was a good police officer. He did his job, and he did it the way it was supposed to be done.Army chief General Bipin Rawat said terrorism is a menace spreading like a multi-headed monster.

New Delhi: Asserting that terrorism is fast becoming a new form of warfare, Army chief, General Bipin Rawat, said on Wednesday that the menace is spreading its head like a "multi-headed monster" and is "here to stay" as long as countries continue to use it as a state policy.

Rawat, speaking at a panel discussion at the Raisina Dialogue in the national capital, also said that there was need to control social media as it was aiding the spread of radicalisation.

Army Chief Bipin Rawat: Biggest issue is that the social media needs to ensure that radicalisation does not happen through false information & misinformation. Radicalisation through social media is becoming one of the reasons for raising funds for terrorists organisations. pic.twitter.com/3VQAdkSc6o  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

He said a different kind of radicalisation was being witnessed in India and in Jammu and Kashmir, where youth have been getting radicalised due to "misinformation, disinformation, and a lot of falsehoods on religion" being fed to them.

"That is why you find more and more educated youth being drawn into terrorism," he said.

Terrorism is here to stay as long as there are nations that continue to sponsor it as a state policy, General Rawat said, without naming Pakistan. "It is becoming a new form of warfare. A weaker nation is using terrorists as proxy to put pressure on another nation to come to terms with it," he said.

"The phenomenon of terrorism is now spreading its head like a multi-headed monster," the Army chief added.

On the Afghan peace process, General Rawat said there should be negotiations with the Taliban, but without conditions. He also asserted that Pakistan has always kept the Taliban "in its backyard" and should be concerned about it.In a written reply to a question in the House, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said that 838 terrorists were neutralised by security forces in the state from 2014 to 2018.

New Delhi: As many as 183 civilians were killed in terrorist-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in the last four years, while 300 terrorists are active in the state, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.

In a written reply to a question in the House, Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said that 838 terrorists were neutralised by security forces in the state from 2014 to 2018. "1,213 terrorist incidents have taken place in the state during the same period," he added.

"According to reports around 300 terrorists are active in Jammu and Kashmir and they are helped by some locals," the House was further informed.

Apart from Jammu and Kashmir, six incidents involving terrorists were reported from other parts of the country during the same period in which 11 civilians lost their lives and seven terrorists were neutralised, Union Minister Ahir stated in the Lower House of Parliament.

Union Minister Ahir said that to tackle the situation, the government has adopted a zero tolerance policy towards terrorism and "effective response is being given by security forces to counter terrorist activities."

Replying to another question, the Union Minister informed the House that the government was aware of the misuse of social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook by terrorists. "Since police and public order are state subjects," the minister said, "prevention, detection, and investigation of such crimes are being done through their law enforcement machinery."Yes Bank Ltd said on Wednesday it has finalised the potential candidates for the position of chief executive officer to replace the incumbent Rana Kapoor, but did not disclose names.

Yes Bank Ltd said on Wednesday it has finalised the potential candidates for the position of chief executive officer to replace the incumbent Rana Kapoor, but did not disclose names.

The private sector bank will now seek approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for the CEO appointment, and will make the relevant disclosures after the RBIs approval, the lender said in a statement.

According to the bank, the candidates were finalised on the basis of recommendations made by the Search & Selection Committee (SSC) and the Nomination and Remuneration Committee (NRC). The SSC was mandated to evaluate both internal and external candidates and make suitable recommendations to the Board of Directors.

"As mandated under the extant RBI norms, the Bank's Board will submit an application to the RBI on 10 January, 2019, seeking approval for the appointment of the new MD & CEO of Yes Bank," the lender said in a regulatory filing to the BSE.

"On receipt of the RBI approval, the bank shall duly make the requisite disclosures to the stock exchanges, in terms of 'Regulation 30 of the Listing Regulations'."

Yes Banks governance was thrown into question in September when the RBI asked Kapoor to step down by the end of January, sending its stock plunging and causing several resignations from its board. The central bank had asked the lender to find a new CEO by 1 February.

In November, independent director Rentala Chandrashekhar had tendered his resignation from the board of directors of Yes Bank.

In the same month, former SBI chairman OP Bhatt resigned from the panel set up by the bank to find a successor for Kapoor. Bhatt was under CBI's scanner in connection with loans given to the now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, promoted by fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya.

On 14 November, the bank's non-executive chairman Ashok Chawla had resigned as his name figured in a CBI charge sheet filed in the Aircel-Maxis case.

Another independent director Vasant Gujarathi too had tendered his resignation on the same day over audit committee performance issues. The RBI, it is learnt, had found corporate governance issues and under-reporting of non-performing assets, which has led to a series of negative developments in the private sector lender's functioning in the recent past. With inputs from agencies

To keep watching Indias No. 1 English Business News Channel  CNBC-TV18, call your Cable or DTH Operator and ask for the Colors Family Pack (inclusive of 24 channels), available for Rs. 35/- per month, or subscribe to the channel for Rs. 4/- per day.

To keep watching the Leader in Global Market & Business News  CNBC-TV18 Prime HD, call your Cable or DTH Operator and ask for the Colors Family HD Pack (inclusive of 25 channels), available for Rs. 50/- per month, or subscribe to the channel for Rs. 1/- per day.This acquisition will help strengthen Yatra's foothold in southern India, along with adding over 100 corporate clients to its existing client base of over 700, Yatra Online Inc said in a statement.

New Delhi: Online travel firm Yatra Online Inc Wednesday said it has acquired the corporate travel business of Chennai-based PL Worldways.

The company, however, did not provide any financial details of the acquisition.

This acquisition will help strengthen Yatra's foothold in southern India, along with adding over 100 corporate clients to its existing client base of over 700, Yatra Online Inc said in a statement.

Yatra Online Inc co-founder and CEO Dhruv Shringi said, "With this acquisition, we not only strengthen our position in the growing corporate travel market in India, but also in southern India, which has been in our cross-hairs for some time."

Yatra's endeavour will be to deliver best-in-class service to PL Worldways' existing customer base, through its self-booking platform and expense management solution software, he added.

PL Worldways chairman Anil Pathak, said, "PL Worldways' local connect and customer service expertise will complement Yatra's technology platform and leverage the largest hotel network in the country, helping clients optimise their travel spend and improve their travel processes."Offers for US crude arriving in Asia in the second-half of March or April are about 50 cents a barrel lower than a month earlier, they said, making it more competitive against oil from the Middle East.

Singapore/New York: US crude oil exports to Asia are set to rise in the second quarter as sellers cut prices following sharp drops in freight rates and expected weaker demand in the United States, trading and shipping sources said.

Offers for US crude arriving in Asia in the second-half of March or April are about 50 cents a barrel lower than a month earlier, they said, making it more competitive against oil from the Middle East.

US crude grades popular with Asian buyers include light oils such as West Texas Intermediate (WTI) Midland and Eagle Ford, as well as Mars and Southern Green Canyon among heavier grades.

The United States has boosted crude sales to Asia, helped by a steep discount for US oil to the global benchmark Brent.

There is the potential for Q2 US crude exports to Asia to be higher year-on-year if the WTI/Brent spread remains in the range it has in recent months and with the lower freight rates, said David Arno, oil analyst at analytics firm Genscape.

There are a few variables, though, with the ongoing US-China trade war and the potential for the waivers for Iranian crude exports to Asian countries to not be extended.

A US decision not to extend waivers allowing some Asian countries to import Iranian oil despite sanctions would boost demand from South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, China, and India.

Freight rates fall

The rate for chartering a very large crude carrier, to ship 2 million barrels of oil from the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) in Houston to Singapore has fallen more than 40 percent from late-October to about $5 million, data on Refinitivs Eikon shows.

VLCC prices spiked late last year during the winter season and as buyers boosted imports ahead of renewed Iran sanctions.

Enquiries for ships to send oil from the US Gulf coast or South America to Asia have picked up, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) at Houston - also known as MEH  and Mars are seeing strong demand from Asia, US-based trade sources said.

Companies looking for ships include P66, Mercuria, Reliance and Vitol while Royal Dutch Shell has a VLCC on the way to Asia, said one source.

More US crude could also be freed up for exports as US refineries prepare to shut for seasonal maintenance from February before ramping up for the summer driving season, the sources said.

In Asia, offers of WTI Midland crude for delivery to North Asia have fallen by 50 cents a barrel to about a $2.50 a barrel premium to the Dubai benchmark, while Eagle Ford crude can be delivered to Asia at about $3 a barrel premium, the sources said. US Mars crude has become cheaper than Oman on delivery, they said.

The US price cuts have also depressed spot prices for Middle East grades such as Murban and Oman, the sources said.

China uncertainty

While demand from big US oil importers  South Korea and Taiwan  is expected to remain strong, Chinese buyers are likely to stay cautious amid trade talks with the United States.

Right now, we see one cargo headed for China, which set sail on 31 December and is set to land in mid-February. It marked the first US crude export to China since late September, and only the second one since late July, Genscapes Arno said.

Two VLCCs that loaded US crude in December had been scheduled to head to China, shipping data on Refinitiv Eikon showed. But VLCC Nasiriyah is now heading to Rotterdam and VLCC Manifa is set for Singapore, Refinitiv analyst Emma Li said.Industry chamber CII has urged the government to double the income tax exemption threshold to Rs 5 lakh and increase the deduction limit under Section 80C to Rs 2.50 lakh to incentivise savings in the Union Budget to be presented on 1 February

New Delhi: Industry chamber CII has urged the government to double the income tax exemption threshold to Rs 5 lakh and increase the deduction limit under Section 80C to Rs 2.50 lakh to incentivise savings in the Union Budget to be presented on 1 February.

In its pre-Budget recommendations to the finance ministry, the CII also suggested lowering the highest personal income tax slab to 25 percent from 30 percent at present and allow exemption for medical expenses and transport allowance.

Currently, income up to Rs 2.5 lakh is exempt from personal income tax. Income between Rs 2.5-5 lakh attracts 5 percent tax, while that between Rs 5-10 lakh is levied with 20 percent tax. Income above Rs 10 lakh is taxed at 30 percent.

The industry body has recommended that income below Rs 5 lakh should be exempt while between Rs 5-10 lakh should be taxed at a lower rate of 10 percent. For those having income between Rs 10-20 lakh, the tax rate should be 20 percent, and those earn over Rs 20 lakh should be taxed at 25 percent.

In view of the forthcoming general elections, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will present in Parliament an interim Budget for 2019-20 on 1 February. The new government will come out with the final budget for the fiscal.

The CII also suggested that corporate tax rate should be reduced to 25 percent, irrespective of turnover, and should be brought down to 18 percent in a phased manner.

It also recommended that the limit for claiming deduction under Section 80C of I-T Act be raised from Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs 2.50 lakh to provide saving opportunities to public at large.

"The exemptions for reimbursement of medical expenses and transport allowance may be reinstated along with the standard deduction of Rs 40,000," the CII said.

It also suggested that long term capital loss should be allowed to be set off with short term capital gain.

The CII further recommended that employer's contribution to superannuation fund under Section 17 of I-T Act should be removed to avoid double taxation, in line with the taxability of contribution by employer to Provident Funds.

To keep watching Indias No. 1 English Business News Channel  CNBC-TV18, call your Cable or DTH Operator and ask for the Colors Family Pack (inclusive of 24 channels), available for Rs. 35/- per month, or subscribe to the channel for Rs. 4/- per day.

To keep watching the Leader in Global Market & Business News  CNBC-TV18 Prime HD, call your Cable or DTH Operator and ask for the Colors Family HD Pack (inclusive of 25 channels), available for Rs. 50/- per month, or subscribe to the channel for Rs. 1/- per day.A Japanese court on Wednesday rejected a bid by former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn to end his detention over alleged financial misconduct, a day after he denied all accusations in a dramatic court appearance

Tokyo: A Japanese court on Wednesday rejected a bid by former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn to end his detention over alleged financial misconduct, a day after he denied all accusations in a dramatic court appearance.

Ghosn's lawyers had appealed to the court to free the auto tycoon, claiming at a special hearing in a Tokyo court there were no grounds for his detention, which has now lasted more than 50 days.

But the court batted off the request, saying in a terse statement: "The request to cancel the detention filed by Mr Ghosn's lawyers yesterday... was rejected on 9 January."

Ghosn stands accused of under-reporting his income in documents to investors, apparently in response to criticism that he earned too much.

He is also under investigation for allegedly seeking to pass off personal investment losses to Nissan's books and paying a Saudi businessman from company funds to stump up collateral to cover the losses.

Ghosn on Tuesday mounted a systematic denial of all the allegations, concluding that he had been "wrongly accused and unfairly detained based on meritless and unsubstantiated accusations".

The presiding judge explained that Ghosn continued to be detained because he presented a flight risk and there were concerns he could tamper with evidence.

On Friday, Ghosn's latest maximum period of detention will end and he will either be freed on bail or -- more likely -- see his detention extended.

Even his main lawyer Motonari Otsuru has acknowledged the 64-year-old executive has little chance of being released soon, describing it as "very difficult" to win bail before the case goes to trial.

And that, he said, could take at least six months.Tokenisation differs from encryption significantly.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has permitted tokenisation of debit and credit cards with a view to enhancing data security and prevention of hacking of sensitive information. Currently, tokenisation can be done in India through ones smartphone and tablet and not with other devices.

Let us understand what tokenisation is all about:

What is a token and how is it different from encryption?

Your card contains a 16-digit number with a security code. When this is hacked, or someone lays his hand on this piece of data, he can possibly misuse your card. To nip this mischief in the bud, tokenisation was brought in. It is akin to a surrogate number except that it is randomly generated by the card companys system through a complex algorithm using the card owners details and the transaction underway, i.e. the merchant establishments details.

Tokenisation differs from encryption significantly. Encryption is not fool-proof. The one with the decryption key can penetrate the secret codes but with tokenisation this is not possible because it is randomly generated afresh each time by the system. Only the card company would be able to relate the token with the primary account number (PAN) of the card holder like his card number, bank account number etc.

An analogy is in order. Some banks earlier allowed online card payments to go through on entering the registered secret code. While this was good, it wasnt good enough because the secret code can also pass into wrong hands. The RBI rightly started insisting on OTP because OTP is generated afresh each time a transaction is sought to be put through just like a token except that a token is more complex containing alpha-numeric unique codes derived from the card holder and the merchant.

Where can I use the token-based cards?

Instead of using actual card details, this token is used to perform card transactions in contactless mode at point of sale (POS) terminals, quick response (QR) code payments. In other words, you flash your android smartphone to the cashier in a store whose scanner captures the token, thus triggering the payment process

How do I get started?

There is an Apple Pay app just as there is an android pay app, for example. These two are the most popular smartphone technologies and hence used as metaphorically in this discussion. On your android phone, snap the card with its details. Immediately the app converts it into a token thus securing you immediately. This token number is immediately sent to the card company.

When you go a merchant establishment which is on the Visa or MasterCard token platform, the process of payment verification and authorisation kicks off as earlier but with a difference---both the payer and the merchant are sent the freshly generated token along with the amount. He then explicitly approves payment as usual by clicking the confirm button which completes the process. In other words, apart from the first round of registration, there is an additional safeguard of fresh randomly generated token for each transaction.

How is token different from the existing mobile payment services like UPI?

The National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) brought in the Unique Payment Interface or UPI a few years ago so that one doesnt have to carry the card wherever one goes and tediously and carefully type out the 16-digit number each time a payment is made. But instead of the dynamic and real-time token it sets store by the static email address of the account holder. And ones bank details including card details are linked to the email address.

In other words, the UPI server does the rest once you share your unique email address as the bank details are dovetailed into your email address. So all that a UPI payer has to remember is his email address which isnt a big deal.

The risk is if a hacker gets to know the trigger, i.e. the email address, he can systematically work backwards and access all the banking details. This is not possible under the tokenisation regime because a token is generated afresh each time. In short, both token and OTP are dynamic as opposed to static numbers and details that are amenable to hacking and misuse.

Is a token device-specific?

Yes, every smartphone has a unique number and the tokenisation regime takes all the unique features while generating and dispensing a token number. In other words, if the request for a token emanates from a different device, the request would be rejected. In other words, unless the request comes from the card holder through his registered device for payment to a token-compliant establishment or app, the payment cannot be proceeded with.

Is tokenisation compulsory?

No, it is not. In other words, it is for a card holder to decide whether he wants to secure his payments through his mobile or tablet device. The merchant cannot compel him either though he himself might be tokenisation-compliant.

(The author is a senior columnist and tweets @smurlidharan)The increase in public grievances is due to the prompt and responsive grievance redressal mechanism, the minister said

New Delhi: Public grievances against various government departments has seen an eight-fold jump to reach an all-time high mark of 16 lakh, according to an official statement issued Tuesday.

Addressing a function, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh said one of the major achievements of the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is that the grievance cell under his ministry has become more active and vibrant.

The minister said the number of grievances received has reached about 16 lakh per year now as compared to about 2 lakh per year in 2014, recording an increase of about 8 times, the statement issued by the Personnel Ministry said.

"This increase is due to the prompt and responsive grievance redressal mechanism," he said.

The minister said the government has worked on the principle of 'citizen participation' and 'maximum governance, minimum government'.

Singh was speaking after giving away awards to the select government departments for their efforts in timely resolution of public grievances during July-September 2018 quarter.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), that issues Aadhaar, has been awarded in the category of government departments receiving over 2,000 public grievances.

The Ministry of Textiles was honoured in the category of departments getting over 300 and up to 2,000 public complaints.

The Department of Investment and Public Asset management has been awarded in the category of organisations getting up to 300 grievances from people, the statement said.ONGC plans to invest Rs 6,000 crore more for four Coal Bed Methane (CBM) blocks including the Ranigung belt in West Bengal

Kolkata: Oil and gas downstream major ONGC on Tuesday alleged that it was not getting the no objection certificate for petroleum mining licence (PML) from the West Bengal government which was long due.

The company plans to invest Rs 6,000 crore more for four Coal Bed Methane (CBM) blocks including the Ranigung belt in West Bengal, an official said.

"We are not getting the NOC for getting the PML within the Ranigung coal belt from the West Bengal government", an official said.

A major portion of the coal belt falls under the existing airport of Andal in Burdwan, the official added.

Along with IOC, ONGC was supposed to do the downstream activity but the marketing rights lay with the former.

ONGC had been given CBM blocks at Ranigung, Jharia, Bokaro and north Karanpura.

The bidding process conducted by Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board will cover 10 districts of West Bengal and bring substantial investment to the state along with employment opportunities, an official of the board said.In order to get any piece of legislation passed in the Maryland House of Delegates, you have to get at least 70 friends to come along and support that legislation, Shoemaker said. In Carroll County, our delegation has had some success in doing that because most of the times it is common sense, and I think most of our colleagues recognize and respect that.Financial woes of Jet Airways, Indias biggest full-service carrier by market share, worsened in 2018 amid rising oil prices

Debt-laden Jet Airways Ltds lenders proposed a $900 million resolution plan, a daily reported on Wednesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The financial woes of Jet Airways, Indias biggest full-service carrier by market share, worsened in 2018 amid rising oil prices and intense price competition in the Indian skies.

The resolution plan was shared with the airlines lessors and vendors at a meeting chaired by State Bank of India and attended by the airlines senior management, including chairman Naresh Goyal and a representative of Etihad Airways, the report added.

Goyal and Etihad are likely to infuse $450 million together in Jet Airways, while Indian lenders will restructure another $450 million of its debt, Mint quoted sources as saying.

If the plan is approved by all stakeholders, it will result in Goyals stake falling below the current 51 percent, the report added.

The airline, part-owned by Etihad Airways, was in talks with the Abu Dhabi-based carrier to infuse more equity, but any money would be conditional on Jets founder Naresh Goyal ceding control, sources told Reuters.

The State Bank of India (SBI) is reportedly considering to convert its debt to equity in Jet Airways, the Business Standard reported. Lenders of the airline want Goyal to quit the board, the newspaper said. "The conversation is around reducing Goyal's say in operating the airline," a banker was quoted as saying in the report.

Jet Airways was in discussions with the SBI for raising Rs 1,500 crore short-term loan to meet its working capital requirement and some payment obligations.

Last week, Jet said it had defaulted on debt payment to a consortium of Indian banks, prompting ratings agency ICRA to downgrade the carrier.

Jet Airways and SBI did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment.

Aviation regulator DGCA has been assessing the "health" of cash-crunched Jet Airways on a fortnightly basis following a financial audit of the carrier in August this year.

In late August, the DGCA had carried out a financial audit of Jet Airways to assess its fiscal health and ensure that the carrier was not compromising on safety due to financial stress.

--With inputs from ReutersIndusInd Bank's overall exposure to the MSME sector stands at Rs 32,000 crore and there is no demand for a loan recast as of now, Sobti said.

Mumbai: Loan exposure to the troubled infra financier IL&FS continued to depress IndusInd Bank's earnings for the second quarter in a row, as provisions for this account has led the lender on Wednesday report a sharp decline in profit growth for the December quarter.

The bank managed a paltry 5 percent increase in net income at Rs 985 crore for the third quarter of the fiscal year on impact of a Rs 255-crore provision on its IL&FS exposure, which had yanked down its bottomline growth to a tepid 4.6 percent in the September quarter as well.

The crippled company, which is being run by a government appointed board since October, owes Rs 3,000 crore to the company and has not been serviced since October, making it an SMA 2 account.

The Hinduja group-controlled bank was known for booking 20-25 percent profit growth quarter after quarter for years. Even during the note-ban quarter the one after it, the lender had one of the best sets of numbers.

And signalling more troubles for the days ahead, managing director and chief executive Romesh Sobti guided towards more provisions in the March quarter, the exact quantum of which will be known only after the bank assessed the likely impact of the IL&FS saga in toto, But he said they have already built a buffer of Rs 600 crore to cushion nay negative surprises.

The overall provisions for the quarter stood at Rs 607 crore, almost three-times higher from Rs 237 crore in the year-ago period and but marginally higher from Rs 590 crore in the preceding quarter.

He said of the bank's Rs 3,000-crore exposure to the IL&FS Group, Rs 2,000 crore is to the crippled parent and the bank is analysing the "realisable value" of the collateral securities to decide on the extent of additional buffer.

The IL&FS account is classified as SMA 2 now, which means the account is due for 60 days. In another 30 days if the account is not regularised by clearing the dues, the lender can take the borrower to the bankruptcy court.

All the additional provisioning required will be done in March itself, he said, adding the exposure to the special purpose vehicles of the IL&FS Group does not require any provisioning.

At present, the exposure to IL&FS Group is "standard", but in the SMA1 and SMA2 categories showing initial signs of stress, which has led to the provisioning, Sobti explained.

It can be noted that the exposure to IL&FS, which started defaulting from late August last had led the bank to set aside additional provisions in the preceding quarter too. The IL&FS Group owes banks over Rs 55,000 crore of its overall Rs 94,000 crore-plus outstanding debt.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reportedly rejected lenders' plea for a special dispensation for letting them not classify their exposure to the infra lender upfront.

Sobti said excluding IL&FS exposure, it is business as usual at the bank, pointing out to the 27 percent jump in operational profit at Rs 2,117 crore for the reporting period and that the bank is in line to achieve its credit costs guidance for the fiscal at 0.60 percent, excluding the money set aside for IL&FS exposure.

Its net interest income grew 21 percent to Rs 2,288 crore, and it was a faster clip of 24 percent in other income due to gains on the trading front at Rs 1,469 crore that helped the overall bottomline from falling.

It registered a loan growth of 35 percent during the reporting period, driven largely by large corporate and vehicle loans, which is its mainstay. Sobti said its exposure to the non-bank financiers like IL&FS has gone down to under 4.6 percent of the overall book.

The bank had net interest margin was stable at 3.83 percent and he expects this to move up despite the prospect of reverses on yields it faces from IL&FS exposure. The share of the low-cost current and savings accounts deposits stood at 44 percent as of December end.

The bank's overall exposure to the MSME sector stands at Rs 32,000 crore and there is no demand for a loan recast as of now, Sobti said, when asked about the impact of the special dispensation that RBI had allowed recently.

A senior bank official said borrowers are unlikely to come forward to recast their loans as it hurts their credit histories, which may hurt their future borrowing capabilities.

Sobti said the bank had hardly used the dispensation after demonetisation or after the Kerala deluge as well.

The bank continues to be in the race for IL&FS' securities arm and has the advantage of being the only one having regulatory approvals, Sobti said.

The takeover of microlender Bharat Financial is expected to get all the remaining regulatory approvals from the NCLT and the monetary authority by February.

The bank scrip saw some buying after the earnings and closed 1.47 percent up at Rs 1,600.80 a piece on the BSE as against a 0.64 percent gain on the benchmark.

To keep watching Indias No. 1 English Business News Channel  CNBC-TV18, call your Cable or DTH Operator and ask for the Colors Family Pack (inclusive of 24 channels), available for Rs. 35/- per month, or subscribe to the channel for Rs. 4/- per day.

To keep watching the Leader in Global Market & Business News  CNBC-TV18 Prime HD, call your Cable or DTH Operator and ask for the Colors Family HD Pack (inclusive of 25 channels), available for Rs. 50/- per month, or subscribe to the channel for Rs. 1/- per day.The powers of the RBI are wide-ranging and comprehensive to deal with various situations that may emerge in all banks, including public sector banks (PSBs), said Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla in the Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: The government is not currently considering any proposal to give more powers to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to deal with state-owned banks, said Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

The powers of the RBI are wide-ranging and comprehensive to deal with various situations that may emerge in all banks, including public sector banks (PSBs), he said in written reply.

No proposal with regard to change in the RBIs powers in respect of public sector banks is presently under consideration/consultation, he said while replying to a question if the government was contemplating to give more powers to the RBI to enable it to regulate public sector banks in wake of recent scams.

The minister further said improvement in regulatory functioning being an ongoing process, the government engages with stakeholders, including the RBI, and discusses issues as they evolve.

To another question, Minister of State for Finance P Radhakrishnan said the government has requested the RBI for an interim surplus on analogy of the previous year when interim surplus was requested by the government and transferred by the RBI.

In 2017-18, the government received Rs 10,000 crore as interim surplus in March 2018, over Rs 30,659 crore surplus in 2016-17.

He also said the amount of surplus to be transferred for 2018-19 would be ascertained only after closure of books of the RBIs accounts in June 2019.

RBI follows July to June calender.The open immigration policy in Canada has become the alternative for Indians, as well as job-seekers from Latin countries too

Mumbai: Canada and Britain have gained popularity amongst international job-seekers, including Indians, over the US which has been a decline in searches for

vacancies due to its immigration policies, says a report.

The more welcoming immigration policies in Canada and the recent developments in British immigration policies as the Brexit inches closer have made them popular choices among international job-seekers.

In fact, the report opines that the open immigration policy in Canada has become the alternative for Indians, as well as job-seekers from Latin countries too.

The searches are primarily for high paying roles in technology, research and finance, according to a report by global job site Indeed.

"Clearly what used to be every high-skilled Indians' dream to move to the US has now been impacted by the turbulent immigration climate there which has worked in Canada's and Britain's favour. While there could be several factors triggering this sudden shift of interest, it is inferred that this trend, which began in the mid-2017, has been witnessing a sudden up-shoot towards the end of 2017," says the report.

This is the period when the H1-B restrictions came into light, with visa applications and processes being delayed, which has resulted in the lookout for career options

in an alternative country, notes the report.

Data indicate that Indian job-seekers are exploring opportunities in Canada nearly twice as much as they did two years ago with a massive shift in cross-border searches from the US to Canada.

Between August 2016 and July 2018, the US' share in job searches from India fell from 60 to 50 percent, while there was a rise in searches for Canada from 6 to 13 percent, says the report.

While looking for employment abroad, there is greater demand for jobs in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics sector, especially for niche roles.

Given the rate at which Canada is booming in terms of technology, the number of foreign applications the country is receiving has been huge, not just due to the immigration policy, but also the growth potential offered by the technology industry, it adds.

When it comes to Britain, data indicates that jobs which involve technology, finance and language skills are popular with foreign job seekers.Last year, 11 Airbus 320 (Neo) PW fitted planes were grounded by IndiGo and GoAir.

New Delhi: Ministry of Civil Aviation led by MoS Jayant Sinha conducted a three-hour long meeting with Airbus 320 (Neo) Pratt & Whitney (PW) engine makers and other stakeholders including Indigo, Go Air and Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

During the meeting, a proposal was put forth to implement fixed and stringent directives for Airbus Pratt & Whitney engines aircraft at the earliest.

The Ministry discussed several issues of Pratt & Whitney engines based on the incidents experienced by India's aviation industry in the recent past, and sought for the DGCA to issue directives for Airbus Pratt & Whitney engine aircrafts.

In the meeting, discussions were also held seeking Pratt & Whitney to submit an engine status report to the DGCA in the coming days.

Last year, 11 Airbus 320 (Neo) PW fitted planes were grounded by IndiGo and GoAir. On December 10, an IndiGo flight made an emergency landing in Kolkata after smoke was detected in its cabin, and on December 23, IndiGo A320neo flight from Port Blair to Kolkata reportedly suffered mid-air engine snag.The Assistant Registrar of Companies under the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) has issued summons to the directors and officers of Usha Martin Limited which had sold its steel business to Tata Steel

Kolkata: The Assistant Registrar of Companies under the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) has issued summons to the directors and officers of Usha Martin Limited which had sold its steel business to Tata Steel.

The summons, issued under section 207(3) of the Companies Act, 2013 on Monday, asked the directors and officers of the company to appear personally before the Assistant Registrar of Companies (West Bengal) on Friday.

According to the summons, notices were issued u/s 206 of Companies Act in respect of Usha Martin, and an inquiry was instructed to be conducted corresponding to the complaints of Basant Kumar Jhawar against the company.

Usha Martin later filed its reply in later part of October last year.

The present management under Rajeev Jhawar could not be contacted for his comments.

The summons were issued to Rajeev Jhawar, Pravin Jain, Rohit Nanda and Shampa Ghosh Roy.

Other directors and officers - Prashant Jhawar, Brij Kishore Jhawar, Basant Kumar Jhawar, G N Bajpai and Partha Sarathi Bhattacharya - were also asked to come to keep them informed of the development.

The ministry had asked for all the minute books of the board meeting and annual general meetings relating to the issues mentioned in the complaints for the last five years.

Facing huge losses, the management of Usha Martin under Rajeev Jhawar decided to sell the steel business to Tata Steel and said the proceeds would be used to retire debt.

Usha Martin would stick to its wire rope business after exiting from steel.

To keep watching Indias No. 1 English Business News Channel  CNBC-TV18, call your Cable or DTH Operator and ask for the Colors Family Pack (inclusive of 24 channels), available for Rs. 35/- per month, or subscribe to the channel for Rs. 4/- per day.

To keep watching the Leader in Global Market & Business News  CNBC-TV18 Prime HD, call your Cable or DTH Operator and ask for the Colors Family HD Pack (inclusive of 25 channels), available for Rs. 50/- per month, or subscribe to the channel for Rs. 1/- per day.Air India has a debt burden of Rs 55,000 crore

New Delhi: The government is eyeing around $1 billion (about Rs 7,000 crore) from the sale of national carrier Air India in the next financial year, a government official said.

The government will initiate the process of strategic disinvestment of Air India in the second half of 2019-20 and in between it would work towards selling some of its subsidiaries and monetise assets.

Air India has a debt burden of Rs 55,000 crore. In November last year, a ministerial panel headed by finance minister Arun Jaitley had approved transferring Rs 29,000 crore debt to a special purpose vehicle (SPV)-- Air India Asset Holding Company.

"We are eyeing $1 billion from the sale of Air India," the official told PTI.

After a botched attempt to sell Air India in May last year, the Jaitley-led panel in June decided to scrap the stake sale plan for the time being. It was decided to infuse more funds into the carrier and cut down debt by raising resources by selling land assets and other subsidiaries.

The government had initially planned to offload 76 percent equity share capital of the national carrier as well as transfer the management control to private players. The buyer was required to take over Rs 24,000 crore debt of the carrier along with over Rs 8,000 crore of liabilities.

However, the stake sale failed to attract any bidders when the bidding process completed on 31 May.

In August 2018, the government had received Parliament nod for Rs 980 crore equity infusion in Air India under a "turn around plan". Earlier this month, Parliament approved a further Rs 2,345 crore equity infusion into the airline.

The ministerial panel has already cleared the strategic sale of Air India's ground handling subsidiary, Air India Air Transport Services. Plans are afoot for selling another subsidiary, Air India Engineering Services.

The proceeds from the sale of subsidiaries and land and building assets would go to the SPV and will be utilised towards lowering the debt burden of the airline.

The national carrier had in September last year invited bids to sell its properties located across India.

The airline had put up for sale 28 flats in Mumbai, seven flats in Ahmedabad, and two flats and office space in Pune, besides several other properties across the country.

On December 27, the civil aviation ministry told the Lok Sabha that the government has prepared a revival plan for Air India.

A comprehensive financial package, including the transfer of non-core debt and assets to an SPV, implementation of robust organisational and governance reforms by the board and differentiated business strategies for each of the core businesses of Air India, are part of the plan.Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 9, 2019) - Intrinsic4D Inc. (NEX: IFD.H) (the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of its special meeting of shareholders that was held on January 8, 2019 (the "Shareholders Meeting"). Each of the following items of business was approved by shareholders at the Shareholders Meeting: (a) amending the Company's articles to (i) delete the Class B Restricted Voting Shares from the Company's share capital, and (ii) revise the terms of the voting common shares issued by the Company in their entirety and re-designate the class of voting common shares as the common shares of the Company, (b) consolidating the Company's common shares on the basis of one (1) post-consolidation common share for up to thirty (30) pre-consolidation common shares, with the final ratio to be selected by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion, and (c) changing the Company's name to "Must Capital Inc.".

Following the Shareholders Meeting, the Board of Directors adopted a resolution where the consolidation ratio was set to one (1) post-consolidation common share for every twenty-five (25) pre-consolidation common shares. On a post-consolidation basis, the Company will have approximately 4,075,987 common shares issued and outstanding.

The Company will be filing articles of amendment to effect the changes in the Company's share capital, the consolidation of the Company's shares, and the change of the Company's name. The Company is also working to obtain the approval of the NEX trading board of the TSX Venture Exchange to the share capital amendment, share consolidation, and name change with the goal of setting a date on which the shares of the Company will begin to trade on a post-consolidation basis.

The Company also wishes to correct the early warning report and accompanying press release that were issued on April 18, 2018 by Scharfe Holdings Inc. ("Scharfe Holdings") and 2444444 Ontario Inc. ("2444444"). The early warning report stated that each of (i) Scharfe Holdings and its affiliates, and (ii) 2444444 and its affiliates beneficially owned 17,320,541 Class B Restricted Voting Shares in the capital of the Company (the "Class B Shares"). Subsequent to filing the early warning report and press release, the Company was advised that the Class B Shares were escrowed shares and given the nature of the TSXV escrow, they were required to be cancelled. As a result, neither Scharfe Holdings nor 2444444 own any Class B Shares. Scharfe Holdings and 2444444 each currently hold 3,410,968 voting common shares, representing approximately 3.4% of the issued capital of the Company.

For further information contact: Intrinsic4D Inc.

Michele (Mike) Marrandino

President and Chief Executive Officer

Telephone #: (604) 722-5225

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release constitute "forward-looking information" as such term is defined in applicable Canadian securities legislation. The words "may", "would", "could", "should", "potential", "will", "seek", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions as they relate to the Company, including the closing of the transactions contemplated herein, are intended to identify forward-looking information. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking information. Such statements reflect the Company's current views and intentions with respect to future events, and current information available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Material factors or assumptions were applied in providing forward-looking information, including the Company receiving final approval of the transactions from the NEX trading board of the TSX Venture Exchange. Many factors could cause the actual results, performance or achievements that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking information to vary from those described herein should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize. Should any factor affect the Company in an unexpected manner, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, the actual results or events may differ materially from the results or events predicted. Any such forward-looking information is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. Moreover, the Company does not assume responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this press release is made as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, other than as required by applicable law.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

The securities referred to in this news release have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any applicable state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent such registration or an applicable exemption from such registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction. Any public offering of securities in the United States must be made by means of a prospectus containing detailed information about the Company and management, as well as financial statements.BRAMPTON, Ontario, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Evergreen Consumer Brands announced today it has expanded its Salon Selectives Trade Mark rights to the European Union.

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/806349/Evergreen_Consumer_Brands_Logo.jpg

Salon Selectives features an extensive range of trusted hair care products, including shampoo, conditioners, styling aids and treatments for all hair types. Salon Selectives was the first salon-inspired mass market hair care brand in the global market. Salon Selectives was originally introduced by Helene Curtis in 1987. In 1996 Unilever acquired Salon Selectives. In 2011 the line was relaunched to give consumers salon quality product at everyday value pricing. In 2018 Salon Selectives was acquired by Evergreen Consumer Brands for several global markets including North America.

"We are excited to reintroduce Salon Selectives to the European market. Salon Selectives has a very positive history throughout Europe. The European consumer is going to be excited to once again have the opportunity to purchase Salon Selectives," says Steve Immel, Co-CEO of Evergreen Consumer Brands.

"Evergreen will launch Salon Selectives throughout Europe in 2019, our goal is to appeal to the consumer seeking Premium Value products that consistently deliver quality, and innovative offerings at affordable prices. Our focus will be all channels of retail including mass, drug, food and value. We are very confident that Salon Selectives will offer a compelling value proposition to consumers across Europe, we are excited about our newest launch," says Bruce M.Friedman, Co-CEO of Evergreen Consumer Brands.

"Evergreen will continue to produce Salon Selectives at its manufacturing headquarters in Ontario, Canada. Evergreen, will develop line extensions and formulations specifically targeted for the European consumer," says Susan McCabe, Chief Marketing Officer.

About Evergreen Consumer Brands

Evergreen Consumer Brands has over 30 years of experience in manufacturing, marketing, and distributing Health and Beauty products. Evergreen owns, a portfolio of personal care and household brands and licenses including Daily Defense, Salon Selectives, Silkience, Spa Haus, Lavoris, PureSilk, Barbasol, Tame, EarthScents, Inspire, Redline and Dubble Bubble. Evergreen is the leading manufacturer of Premium Value Health and Beauty products globally. Evergreen "coined" the term Premium Value to best describe its family of products. Evergreen's core philosophy is to deliver a premium user experience at a value price. As a Canadian based company, Evergreen is socially and environmentally responsible and always looking at ways to be a better global citizen.

For more information on this topic or to schedule an interview please contact:

Susan McCabe

Chief Marketing Officer

Tel: 416-691-3697

Email: Sue@evergreen-brands.comWeekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft).

Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.B.C. Brewery also has a line of gluten-free ciders and beers, overseen by Beth Vita, which uses many natural fruit flavors like peach and pawpaw, a fruit with the tropical essences of banana, pear and mango, grown locally in Maryland at Deep Run Pawpaw Orchard. They also have a dedicated food truck, BcB EATS, headed up by executive chef Dave Magdeburger, which delivers table-side in the taproom.Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 9, 2019) - Appia Energy Corp. (CSE: API) (OTCQB: APAAF) (FSE: A0I.F) (FSE: A0I.MU) (FSE: A0I.BE) (the "Company" or "Appia) wishes to announce that as a result of an issue oriented review of its continuous disclosure record by the Ontario Securities Commission (the "OSC"), the Company is issuing this news release to clarify certain disclosures made in its news releases, in its management discussion and analysis for the year ended September 30, 2017 (the "2017 Year-End MD&A") and for the nine-month period ended June 30, 2018 (the "2018 Q3 MD&A"), on its website and in certain presentations filed on its website. The clarifications substantially relate to the noncompliance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"), section 2.3 (1) (d), by disclosing the grades of the total rare earth element ("TREE") or total rare earth oxide ("TREO") without disclosing the individual grades of the rare earth elements ("REEs") or rare earth oxides ("REOs") that make up the TREE or TREO grades reported.

Corrective Disclosure relating to MD&A

The Company is today re-filing its 2017 Year-End MD&A and 2018 Q3 MD&A which now both include appended tables disclosing the individual grades of the REEs and REOs that make up the previously reported TREE and TREO results relevant to the Company's Alces Lake showings. All of the other information contained in the original 2017 Year-End MD&A, which was filed on SEDAR on December 11, 2017, and in the original 2018 Q3 MD&A, which was filed on SEDAR on August 28, 2018, remain unchanged. The revised 2017 Year-End MD&A and 2018 Q3 MD&A can be viewed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Corrective Disclosure Relating to News Releases

The news releases issued on March 5, 2018, May 7, 2018, June 11, 2018, June 26, 2018, August 2, 2018 and October 10, 2018 all disclosed TREE and TREO grades without providing the individual grades of the REEs and REOs. The table appended to this news release provides clarifying disclosures made in respect of the individual REE and REO grades that make up the TREE and TREO grades previously reported.

The news releases dated October 29, 2018, November 8, 2018 and November 26, 2018 (collectively the "Re-Filed News Releases") had links to tables of results which were posted on the Company's website but the tables and information on the website were not filed on SEDAR. The three news releases are now being re-filed on SEDAR and now include tables and figures within the Re-Filed News Releases.

The news releases included a factor to convert the elemental grade of the rare earths to an oxide grade. The OSC was concerned that using a factor to multiply the elemental grade to convert it to an oxide grade was misleading since the elemental grade is generally a fraction of the oxide grade. The disclosure in the Re-Filed News Releases and in all future press releases to be issued by the Company will have the multiplier factor removed.

The Company has also retracted disclosure in the October 29, 2018 news release that included "total in situ value" for a delimited high-grade core on the Wilson showing.

In the "About Appia" section of the news releases, the Company previously disclosed mineral resource estimates as contained U 3 O 8 and TREEs contrary to NI 43-101 without disclosing the quantity and the grade or quality for each category of the mineral resources. All future news releases that disclose mineral resources will disclose those mineral resources as tonnage and grade. Future disclosure will not state or imply that estimates are"NI 43-101 compliant". The following erroneous disclosure: "The Company also has NI 43-101 compliant resources of 8.0 M lbs U 3 O 8 and 47.7 M lbs Total REEs Indicated and 20.1 M lbs U 3 O 8 and 133.2 M lbs Total REEs Inferred in the Teasdale Zone plus 27.6 M lbs U 3 O 8 Inferred in the Banana Lake Zone in the historic mining camp of Elliot Lake in Ontario (previously reported in the Company's news release dated August 14, 2013). The resources are largely unconstrained along strike and down dip." should be replaced with the following disclosure: "The Company also has a 100% interest in 12,545 hectares (31,000 acres), including rare earth element and uranium deposits over five mineralized zones in the Elliot Lake Camp, Ontario, which historically produced over 300 million pounds of U 3 O 8 and is the only Canadian camp that has had significant rare earth element (yttrium) production. The deposits are largely unconstrained along strike and down dip."

Corporate Website

The Company has updated its website to amend the disclosure relating to "contained U 3 O 8 and contained REEs" to the following: "Appia has NI 43-101 Mineral Resources of 14,435,000 tons grading 0.554 lbs. U 3 O 8 /ton and 3.30 lbs. TREE/ton for a total of 8.0 M lbs U 3 O 8 and 47.7 M lbs TREE Indicated and 42,447,000 tons grading 0.474 lbs. U 3 O 8 /ton and 3.14 lbs. TREE/ton for a total of 20.1 M lbs. U 3 O 8 and 133.2 M lbs. TREE Inferred in the Teasdale Zone plus 30,315,000 tons grading 0.912 lbs. U 3 O 8 /ton for a total of 27.6 M lbs U 3 O 8 Inferred in the Banana Lake Zone in the Elliot Lake, ON, historic mining camp. The resources are largely unconstrained along strike and down dip. *Refer to the Teasdale Lake zone and Banana Lake zone pages for qualifying notes regarding the Mineral Resource estimates, and individual element grades supporting the reported TREE results."

All references to the Alces Lake TREOs have been addressed with a table (Alces Lake - Summary REO Assay Results) in the "Geochemistry Results" section which discloses the grades of each of the REEs that make up the TREOs mentioned on the website (excluding news releases).

Corporate Presentation and Fact Sheet

The Company has amended and posted an updated corporate presentation and fact sheet with tables of results that disclose the individual REE and REO grades of the reported TREEs and TREOs for the Elliot Lake and Alces Lake properties, respectively.

Alces Lake Technical Presentation

The slide deck entitled "New Discoveries and Geological Perspectives for High-Grade Rare Earth Element Mineralization on the Alces Lake Property, Northern Saskatchewan" has been updated and re-filed on the website to disclose the individual REO grades that make up the reported TREOs.

About Appia

Appia is a Canadian publicly-traded company in the uranium and rare earth element sectors. The Company is currently focusing on delineating high-grade critical rare earth elements and uranium on the Alces Lake property, as well as prospecting for high-grade uranium in the prolific Athabasca Basin on its Loranger, North Wollaston, and Eastside properties. The Company holds the surface rights to exploration for 63,980 hectares (158,098 acres) in Saskatchewan.

The Company also has a 100% interest in 12,545 hectares (31,000 acres), including rare earth element and uranium deposits over five mineralized zones in the Elliot Lake Camp, Ontario, which historically produced over 300 million pounds of U 3 O 8 and is the only Canadian camp that has had significant rare earth element (yttrium) production. The deposits are largely unconstrained along strike and down dip.

Appia's technical team is directed by James Sykes, who has had direct and indirect involvement with over 450 million lbs. U 3 O 8 being discovered in five deposits in the Athabasca Basin.

Appia currently has 62 million common shares outstanding, 82.6 million shares fully diluted.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This News Release contains forward-looking statements which are typically preceded by, followed by or including the words "believes", "expects", "anticipates", "estimates", "intends", "plans" or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance as they involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward- looking statements and shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information, please contact:

Tom Drivas, President, CEO and Director: (tel) 416-546-2707, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) appia@appiaenergy.ca

James Sykes, VP Exploration & Development, (tel) 306-221-8717, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) jsykes@uraniumgeologist.com

Frank van de Water, Chief Financial Officer and Director, (tel) 416-546-2707, (fax) 416-218-9772 or (email) fvandewater@rogers.com

(PLEASE SEE THE APPENDED TABLE)

Individual REE and REO grades supporting reported TREE and TREO grades

Zone From

(m) To

(m) Interval

(m) Sample

Source La 2 O 3

(wt%) CeO 2

(wt%) Pr 6 O 11

(wt%) Nd 2 O 3

(wt%) Sm 2 O 3

(wt%) Eu 2 O 3

(wt%) Gd 2 O 3

(wt%) Tb 4 O 7

(wt%) Dy 2 O 3

(wt%) Ho 2 O 3

(wt%) Er 2 O 3

(wt%) Tm 2 O 3

(wt%) Yb 2 O 3

(wt%) Lu 2 O 3

(wt%) Y 2 O 3

(wt%) Sc 2 O 3

(wt%) ThO 2

(wt%) U 3 O 8

(wt%) TREO

(wt%) CREO

(wt%) Reference News Release - March 5, 2018 Ivan (2017) 0.00 1.85 1.85 Outcrop (cut) 9.847 22.118 2.743 8.714 1.325 0.015 0.608 0.052 0.115 0.011 0.085 0.005 0.003 0.001 0.277 0.002 4.722 0.193 45.920 11.639 Reference News Releases - May 7, 2018 and June 11, 2018 Wilson (2017)





Boulder (grab) 6.556 14.864 1.788 5.867 0.881 0.008 0.413 0.035 0.085 0.007 0.058 0.003 0.002 0.001 0.193 0.002 3.624 0.133 30.764 7.783 Ivan (2017) 0.00 0.95 0.95 Outcrop (cut) 10.731 23.708 3.008 9.506 1.426 0.016 0.662 0.056 0.124 0.011 0.091 0.005 0.003 0.001 0.292 0.002 5.505 0.199 49.645 12.711 Reference News Release - August 2, 2018 Wilson (2017) 1.50 2.00 0.50 Outcrop (cut) 6.075 13.881 1.607 5.492 0.815 0.007 0.382 0.034 0.075 0.007 0.056 0.003 0.002 0.001 0.179 0.002 3.399 0.130 28.618 7.214 Ivan (2017) 0.00 1.20 1.20 Outcrop (cut) 11.235 25.182 3.129 9.899 1.496 0.017 0.685 0.059 0.130 0.013 0.097 0.006 0.003 0.001 0.314 0.002 5.687 0.247 52.269 13.234 Reference News Release - October 10, 2018 (range of values) *Ivan (2017)





Outcrop (cut) 10.147 22.657 2.833 8.980 1.360 0.015 0.626 0.054 0.118 0.011 0.087 0.005 0.003 0.001 0.282 0.002 4.988 0.221 47.181 12.000 Wilson (2017)





Boulder (grab) 6.556 14.864 1.788 5.867 0.881 0.008 0.413 0.035 0.085 0.007 0.058 0.003 0.002 0.001 0.193 0.002 3.624 0.133 30.764 7.783 Wilson (2017) 0.00 1.80 1.80 Outcrop (cut) 4.457 10.106 1.213 4.016 0.605 0.005 0.282 0.025 0.055 0.005 0.040 0.002 0.002 0.001 0.130 0.002 2.487 0.085 20.945 5.315 Wilson (2017) 0.00 2.70 2.70 Outcrop (cut) 3.944 8.963 1.050 3.556 0.527 0.005 0.250 0.022 0.049 0.004 0.036 0.002 0.001 0.001 0.117 0.002 2.176 0.076 18.529 4.681 Danny (2017)





Outcrop (grab) 2.850 6.511 0.761 2.636 0.385 0.003 0.196 0.020 0.054 0.001 0.034 0.001 0.003 0.001 0.171 0.002 2.010 0.052 13.630 3.475 Danny (2017)





Outcrop (grab) 2.639 6.007 0.672 2.438 0.348 0.003 0.176 0.018 0.048 0.001 0.030 0.001 0.003 0.001 0.150 0.002 1.732 0.037 12.537 3.179 Wilson (2017)





Outcrop (grab) 2.568 5.921 0.714 2.379 0.361 0.003 0.175 0.015 0.038 0.002 0.025 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.090 0.002 1.604 0.064 12.298 3.150 Danny (2017)





Outcrop (grab) 2.533 5.823 0.674 2.298 0.327 0.002 0.150 0.013 0.032 0.002 0.023 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.074 0.002 1.486 0.035 11.956 3.019 Danny (2017)





Outcrop (grab) 2.111 4.778 0.509 1.901 0.266 0.001 0.124 0.012 0.026 0.001 0.019 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.065 0.002 1.187 0.026 9.819 2.449 Danny (2017)





Outcrop (grab) 1.935 4.471 0.476 1.843 0.275 0.002 0.145 0.015 0.049 0.001 0.026 0.001 0.005 0.001 0.156 0.002 1.122 0.020 9.405 2.386 Wilson (2017) 0.00 4.60 4.60 Outcrop (cut) 1.929 4.373 0.519 1.740 0.260 0.003 0.123 0.011 0.025 0.003 0.018 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.060 0.002 1.093 0.036 9.069 2.298 Hinge (2017)





Boulder (grab) 1.888 4.263 0.454 1.680 0.225 0.001 0.111 0.009 0.024 0.001 0.017 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.055 0.002 1.090 0.031 8.733 2.169 Wilson (2017) 0.00 1.80 1.80 Outcrop (cut) 1.409 3.191 0.375 1.277 0.184 0.002 0.090 0.008 0.018 0.002 0.013 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.045 0.002 0.835 0.024 6.619 1.680 NW Wilson (2017)





Outcrop (grab) 1.082 2.432 0.324 0.960 0.146 0.001 0.075 0.007 0.016 0.001 0.011 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.038 0.003 0.660 0.024 5.101 1.308 NW Wilson (2017)





Boulder (grab) 0.997 2.309 0.256 0.923 0.131 0.001 0.069 0.007 0.017 0.001 0.011 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.047 0.002 0.666 0.015 4.775 1.204 Hinge (2017)





Boulder (grab) 0.971 2.211 0.211 0.875 0.109 0.001 0.063 0.006 0.014 0.001 0.010 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.034 0.002 0.624 0.021 4.513 1.107 Hinge (2017)





Boulder (grab) 0.800 1.818 0.197 0.721 0.101 0.001 0.050 0.005 0.010 0.001 0.008 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.022 0.002 0.591 0.015 3.738 0.934 Danny (2017)





Outcrop (grab) 0.482 1.137 0.124 0.495 0.072 0.001 0.041 0.005 0.015 0.001 0.008 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.047 0.002 0.300 0.001 2.434 0.640Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 9, 2019) - Hi Ho Silver Resources Inc. (CSE: HHS) (OTC Pink: HHSRF) (FSE: H9T1) ("Hi Ho" or the "Company") As a result of a review by the British Columbia Securities Commission, we are issuing the following news release to clarify our disclosure.

In May 2018, the Company disclosed a non-compliant inferred resource estimate for the Company's Fairview Gold Property in corporate presentations that were available on the Company's website. The corporate presentations also implied economic and technical viability of mineral resources for the property, contrary to National Instrument 43-101. The Company advises investors that the Company does not have have a current technical report supporting a mineral resource estimate at the Fairview Gold Property. These corporate presentations have now been removed from the website, and previous disclosure of a mineral resource on the property (on the Company's website and in investor materials such as corporate presentations) should not be relied upon until the Company is able to file a current and complete technical report. The Company is in the process of having a current and complete technical report for the Fairview Gold Property prepared and will provide an update when the technical report has been filed.

About the Company

Hi Ho Silver Resources Inc. is a Vancouver based mineral exploration company dedicated to the exploration and development of precious and base metal mineral deposits and other mineral opportunities in North America and elsewhere.

For further information contact:

William G. Jorgenson

C. 778-989-0770

Email: bill@hihoresources.com

Website: www.hihoresources.com

The Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or the accuracy of the contents of this news release.

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". The use of any of the words "anticipate', "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "would", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents which can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com.Virsec Security Platform Wins Gold Award for Best ICS/SCADA Cyber Security

Virsec, a cybersecurity company delivering a radically new approach to protect against advanced targeted attacks, today announced it has been recognized by American Security Today's Homeland Security Awards. The Virsec Security Platform received both a Gold Award for Best ICS/SCADA Cyber Security and Silver Award for Best IT Intrusion Detection Prevention Solution.

"It's very rewarding to be honored for our pioneering work in addressing the important security needs of government, critical infrastructure and IoT systems. As these systems become connected, they are increasingly at risk, and numerous recent attacks have targeted power plants, water facilities, and other critical infrastructure. Virsec stops these advanced attacks in real-time, before damage is done," said Bobby Gupta, MD Vice President Asia Pacific, Europe and Middle East of Virsec.

Because of its unique approach to security and patented technology, Virsec has been deployed by Raytheon, AVEVA, and GHD in demanding defense and critical infrastructure applications. Raytheon and Virsec have also partnered to bring commercial cybersecurity tools to global government and critical infrastructure customers. Virsec through its direct sales team and channel partners is focused and getting traction in key markets of APAC EMEA, Gupta added.

The ASTORS program is specifically designed to honor distinguished government and vendor solutions that deliver enhanced value, benefit and intelligence to end users in a variety of government, homeland security, enterprise and public safety vertical markets.

"Today, the United States is increasingly focusing on protecting IT/cyber security networks, and government and security professionals are calling on innovative companies like those honored with 2018 ASTORS Awards to help them do so," said Michael Madsen, co-founder and publisher of American Security Today.

"ASTORS' nominations are evaluated by American Security Today's panel of sector experts on their technical innovation, interoperability, specific impact within the category, overall impact to the industry, relatability to other industry technologies, and application feasibility outside of the industry," according to Tammy Waitt, co-founder and editorial director of American Security Today.

Virsec's patented Trusted Execution technology protects any application, across the full application stack including web applications, interpreted code, malicious scripts, compiled binary code, and process memory protecting memory usage on a block by block basis. The solution maps correct application behavior, and instantly detects and blocks deviations caused by attacks. This deterministic approach stops threats in real-time, delivering unprecedented accuracy, without false positives.

About Virsec

Headquartered in San Jose, California with a strong presence in India, Australia and UK, Virsec delivers innovative solutions to counter today's advanced cyberattacks. The company is led by industry veterans who have driven one of the world's top processor teams, and created innovative technology in network security, embedded systems and real-time memory systems. The team has broad leadership experience at companies including AMD, Cisco, IBM, Palo Alto Networks, Juniper, Dell, NextGen, BMC Software, ForcePoint, as well a long list of high-growth start-ups. More information and demos are available at www.virsec.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005239/en/

Contacts:

Dan Chmielewski

Madison Alexander PR, Inc.

Office +1 714-832-8716

Mobile +1 949-231-2965

dchm@madisonalexanderpr.comToronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 9, 2019) - Debut Diamonds Inc. (CSE: DDI) ("Debut Diamonds" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of its previously announced non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of $600,000 (the "Private Placement") and the settlement of $90,000 in debt (the "Debt Conversion"; together with the Private Placement, the "Transactions"). Under the Private Placement, the Company issued an aggregate of 200,004,000 units ("Units") at a price of approximately $0.003 per Unit, or $0.05 per Unit after adjusting for the Consolidation (as defined below) (the "Issue Price"). Each Unit is comprised of one (1) common share of Debut (a "Common Share") and one half of one (1/2) Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"), with each Warrant being exercisable into one Common Share at the Issue Price for a period of five years following closing of the Private Placement. Under the Debt Conversion, the Company issued 30,000,600 Common Shares at a deemed price equal to the Issue Price in settlement of certain outstanding debt.

The Transactions were completed pursuant to the grant of a discretionary waiver of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE") minimum price requirement based on the Company's undertaking to seek shareholder approval of a share consolidation on or before the date that is six months following the closing date of the Transactions. The Company intends to consolidate its outstanding Common Shares on the basis of 16.667 existing common shares for one (1) new common share (the "Consolidation") and will seek shareholder approval of the Consolidation at the Company's next annual meeting of its shareholders. The Company currently has 434,264,534 Common Shares issued and outstanding. If the Consolidation is approved by shareholders and implemented by the Company, the Company will have approximately 26,055,351 Common Shares issued and outstanding.

MI 61-101 Disclosure

KWG Resources Inc. ("KWG") was, at the time the Debt Conversion was agreed to, considered a "control person" of the Company under applicable securities laws. Accordingly, the Debt Conversion is considered a "related party transaction" under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). However, the Debt Conversion, insofar as it involves KWG, is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value of the debt settled by KWG under the Debt Conversion, nor the fair market value of the Common Shares issued in settlement thereof, exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization. A material change report regarding KWG's participation in the Debt Conversion was not filed more than 21 days prior to closing since the extent of KWG's participation was not fully determined at that time.

Early Warning Disclosure

Prior to the Transactions, Greg Wilson of Ottawa, Ontario held 36,734,550 Common Shares. Pursuant to the Transactions, the Mr. Wilson has acquired (i) 62,501,250 Common Shares, which, together with the Common Shares held prior to the Transactions, represents approximately 22.85% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on an undiluted basis, and (ii) 30,000,600 Warrants, which together with such acquired Common Shares, and assuming full exercise of the Warrants, represents approximately 27.84% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis (assuming exercise of Mr. Wilson's convertible securities). Mr. Wilson acquired these securities for investment purposes and may, from time to time, acquire additional securities of Debut Diamonds or dispose of such securities as Mr. Wilson may deem appropriate.

Prior to the Transactions, Prior to the Transactions, Jason I. Goldman Professional Corporation ("JGPC"), a corporation incorporated under the laws of Ontario, held 36,734,550 Common Shares. Pursuant to the Transactions, JGPC has acquired (i) 62,501,250 Common Shares, which, together with the Common Shares held prior to the Transactions, represents approximately 22.85% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on an undiluted basis, and (ii) 30,000,600 Warrants, which together with such acquired Common Shares, and assuming full exercise of the Warrants, represents approximately 27.84% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis (assuming exercise of JGPC's convertible securities). JGPC acquired these securities for investment purposes and may, from time to time, acquire additional securities of Debut Diamonds or dispose of such securities as JGPC may deem appropriate.

Prior to the Transactions, Marc Lustig of West Vancouver, British Columbia held 36,734,550 Common Shares. Pursuant to the Transactions, Mr. Lustig has acquired (i) 62,501,250 Common Shares, which, together with the Common Shares held prior to the Transactions, represents approximately 22.85% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on an undiluted basis, and (ii) 30,000,600 Warrants, which together with such acquired Common Shares, and assuming full exercise of the Warrants, represents approximately 27.84% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis (assuming exercise of Mr. Lustig's convertible securities). Mr. Lustig acquired these securities for investment purposes and may, from time to time, acquire additional securities of Debut Diamonds or dispose of such securities as Mr. Lustig may deem appropriate.

Copies of the respective early warning reports that will be filed by Mr. Wilson, JGPC, and Mr. Lustig may be obtained on the Company's SEDAR profile or by contacting the Company at 416 642-3575.

Additional Information

For additional information on Debut Diamonds Inc.:

Please visit the company's website at www.DebutDiamonds.com or contact Bruce Hodgman at (416) 642-3575, or at info@debutdiamonds.com.

About Debut Diamonds Inc.

Debut Diamonds has both joint-ventured and wholly-owned diamond exploration properties that include the previously discovered MacFadyen and Good Friday kimberlite pipes contained in a claim block contiguous to the DeBeers claim block containing the Victor Diamond Mine and other prospective diamond bearing kimberlite pipes, west of James Bay on Ontario's Attawapiskat River.

In addition, Debut Diamonds has an interest in the diamond bearing Kyle kimberlite pipes about 100 kilometers to the west.

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws including statements regarding the Company's intention to obtain shareholder approval for and to implement the Consolidation. Although the Company believes in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, the failure to obtain the requisite shareholder approvals, and the Company being unable to complete the Consolidation. The statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release.

Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.By 2019, 42 million service bots will be operating for domestic use and 2.5 million industrial robots are expected to be part of the future workforce

SANTA CLARA, California, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies such as machine learning, computer vision, natural language processing, and gesture controls is changing the way personal robots are used in homes and hospitals. As robots become more intelligent, they will be able to sense their surroundings, avoid static and dynamic objects, understand emotions, and communicate, which will allow them to seamlessly move about in congested and crowded spaces such as homes. Advanced AI will also endow them with the intelligence to make informed decisions in real time, thereby enabling them to be fully autonomous. This opens up a range of applications in home environments, from cleaning to assisted elderly care, and support for children with special needs.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/806301/Frost_Sullivan_Personal_Robots.jpg

For further information on this analysis, please visit: http://frost.ly/32e.

"The lack of doctors, caregivers, and primary and secondary teachers is making a strong case for the use of personal robots in the healthcare and education sectors," said Vijay Narayanan, Visionary Innovation Senior Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan. "With more children requiring special attention and the yearly costs of childcare escalating, there will be a huge market for robots with the ability to understand the unique needs of children and play the role of an entertainer, companion, or mentor."

Frost & Sullivan's recent analysis, Future of Personal Robots-AI Advancements Drive the Use Case of Robots in Personal Environments, Forecast to 2025, identifies the various transformational shifts that are fueling the use of personal robots. It assesses the market potential for robotic applications in home environments and the cost savings they can help achieve. It also studies the disruptions robots can effect in major service industries such as hospitals, hotels, supermarkets, and logistics.

Personal robots' application scope will expand due to growth opportunities such as:

1,536 million people across the world will be aged 65 or older by 2050, with the majority expected to be from the APAC and Africa region. Robot density in countries such as Japan is expected to be more due to the high aging population.

and region. Robot density in countries such as is expected to be more due to the high aging population. Personal robots are set to be an $18.85 billion opportunity by 2020. The Asian market for robots will explode with China emerging as one of the major countries expected to provide innovative, low-cost autonomous mobile robots in the next few years.

opportunity by 2020. The Asian market for robots will explode with emerging as one of the major countries expected to provide innovative, low-cost autonomous mobile robots in the next few years. The advent of AI is resulting in smart autonomous bots that will eliminate manual tasks. By 2019, 2.5 million industrial robots are set to be part of the future workforce, with 42 million service bots operating for domestic use.

Cloud robotics, 3D vision, virtual foresight, and smart materials are some of the emerging technologies in robotics that will create new capabilities in future robots.

"To enter the mainstream, robotics will have to plug the gaps in technology. Scientists are still working on improving the speech interaction, navigation capabilities, and emotion detection capabilities of the current generation of robots," noted Narayanan. "Another important area of development is safety; firms have been incorporating worst-case execution time (WCET), which gives robots reflexes equivalent to those of a fighter pilot. In the future, robots will work in collaboration with human beings in the same environment, with enhanced human-like capabilities to carry out daily activities."

Future of Personal Robots-AI Advancements Drive the Use Case of Robots in Personal Environments, Forecast to 2025 is part of Frost & Sullivan's global Visionary Innovation (Mega Trends) Growth Partnership Service program.

About Frost & Sullivan

For over five decades, Frost & Sullivan has become world-renowned for its role in helping investors, corporate leaders and governments navigate economic changes and identify disruptive technologies, Mega Trends, new business models and companies to action, resulting in a continuous flow of growth opportunities to drive future success. Contact us: Start the discussion.

Future of Personal Robots-AI Advancements Drive the Use Case of Robots in Personal Environments, Forecast to 2025

K2A3-MT

Contact:

Francesca Valente

P: +54 11 4777 5300

E: Francesca.Valente@frost.com

http://ww2.frost.comSpendEdge, a global procurement market intelligence firm, has announced the release of their Global PPM Consultancy Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005695/en/

Global PPM Consultancy Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The increasing adoption rate of cloud-based operation services by various organizations is creating significant demand for PPM consultancy. End-user sectors such as BFSI are leveraging PPM consultancy services that are known to make the processes more transparent and eliminating instances of fraudulent activities. Innovative strides being made by the PPM consultancy service providers regarding process assessment, improvement, and analysis and reporting are attracting more subscription, thereby; driving the category send momentum. Read the Free Sample of the market intelligence report on PPM consultancy here!

Factors like the emergence of SMEs and infrastructure developments will favor the category growth in APAC, which is also projected to register the fastest category spend growth rate. However, saturated demand from various end-user industries and stringent regulations by the EU will have a negative impact on the European market. The growing complexity of projects is compelling industries in the US to leverage the PPM consultancy services to cater to the need for cost and time management.

This market intelligence report offers a detailed overview of the key cost drivers and category management insights that can aid in devising a sustainable procurement strategy for PPM consultancy solutions. This PPM consultancy procurement research report also highlights the current supply market developments to help the buyers choose the appropriate vendors who can promise quality and steady supply assurance. Not what you are looking for? Request for free customization

"Buyers are advised to engage with service providers who provide value-based pricing instead of flat-rate pricing. This allows buyers to pay as per the performance, cost-saving opportunities, and insights offered by service providers," says SpendEdge procurement expert Sumit Yadav

This market intelligence report on PPM consultancy has highlighted the following KPIs to play a critical role in influencing category spend. They include:

Service defect rate is an important supplier KPI for category managers

Optimum resource utilization is also an important supplier KPI to buyers

Get the full market intelligence report to know more about the complete scope of this report

SpendEdge is now offering limited-time discounts on report purchases. Buy two reports and get the third one for free

SpendEdge's procurement market intelligence reports for the facility management category offer information on critical cost drivers and category pricing strategies to help the buyers achieve significant cost-savings. The supply market forecasts provide information on supplier performance benchmarking criteria to help buyers reduce spend and establish better SLAs. Additionally, SpendEdge's reports offer category management insights and procurement best practices for the category.

Report scope snapshot: PPM consultancy

Category ecosystem

Market favorability index for suppliers

Competitiveness index for suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Interested to know more about the scope of our market intelligence reports? Download a FREE sample

Category management enablers

Procurement organization

Category enablers

Want customized information from our PPM consultancy procurement research report? Get in touch

Category definition

Category hierarchy

Category scope

Category map

To view the complete table of contents for the market intelligence report, Download a FREE sample

Do you purchase multiple reports in a year? Our subscription platform, SpendEdge Insights, provides ready-to-use procurement research reports for multiple categories. Now access latest supplier news, innovation landscape, markets insights, supplier tracking, and much more at the click of a button. Start your 7-day FREE trial now.

Related Reports:

Global Janitorial Services Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report

Global MRO-PPE Category Procurement Market Intelligence Report

About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more, https://www.spendedge.com/request-free-proposal

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005695/en/

Contacts:

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

US: +1 630 984 7340

UK: +44 148 459 9299

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-usATEME (ISIN: FR0011992700), the emerging leader in video delivery infrastructure, today announces its financial communication agenda for 2019. Each publication will be released after Euronext market closing.

Thursday, January 31, 2019 2018 Annual Revenues Thursday, March 28, 2019 2018 Year-End Results Tuesday, May 7, 2019 2019 First Quarter Revenues Thursday, June 6, 2019 Annual Shareholders Meeting Thursday, July 18, 2019 2019 Half-Year Revenues Thursday, September 26, 2019 2019 Half-Year Results Tuesday, November 5, 2019 2019 Third Quarter Revenues

This calendar of publication dates is for reference only, it is subject to change if necessary.





About ATEME: the emerging leader of video delivery infrastructure, servicing the world greatest content and service providers.

ATEME was founded in 1991 as a design house with a focus on video processing. In the 2000s, ATEME specialized in video compression and shortly afterwards introduced a complete video delivery solution. In 2014 ATEME announced its initial public offering at Euronext Paris.

ATEME has and will continue to transform video delivery. ATEME was the first to market with a 10-bit 4:2:2 solution, the first production ready HEVC & HDR, and recently, the first true video delivery NFV software solution, designed to lead and win the service providers transition to video datacenter. To complement our cutting-edge technology, ATEME has partnered with leaders such as Intel, Apple and Microsoft to create the best in class video delivery solutions.

ATEME is a leading member of forums, and organizations, such as the DVB and SMPTE. ATEME actively participated at the ITU in the standardization of HEVC in 2013. In June 2014 ATEME joined the Alliance for Open Media to help develop the AV1 open and royalty-free video codec.

ATEME headquarters are Velizy-Paris, with worldwide support and R&D offices in Rennes, Denver, Sao-Paulo and Singapore. With a commercial presence in 14 countries, ATEME is 260 employees strong, including 100 of the world finest R&D video experts. In 2017 ATEME served close to 350 clients worldwide, generated 30% of year on year growth with revenues of 48.6 million, 91% of which was from overseas, and 8% net profit.

Name: ATEME - ISIN Code: FR0011992700 - Ticker: ATEME - Compartment: B



ATEME INVESTOR RELATIONS PRESS RELATIONS Michel Artieres

President and CEO Caroline Lesage

Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 79

ateme@actus.fr Anne-Catherine Bonjour

Tel: +33 (0)1 53 67 36 93

acbonjour@actus.fr

------------------------



 Copyright Actusnews Wire

Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free

Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-56633-ateme_pr_2019-financial-calendar_2019.01.09.pdfRegulatory News:

The Korian group (Paris:KORI), European leader in care and support services for the elderly, announces three new acquisitions in Spain, France and Germany, and the issuance of 450m in Schuldschein financing.

Sophie Boissard, Chief Executive Officer of the Korian group, stated: "The acquisition of the Spanish firm Seniors marks an important phase for Korian. Our Group is expanding its European presence and now has a first platform in Spain from which we can deploy our locally based development strategy, a source of value creation. In France and Germany, where we are already market leaders, we are strengthening our geographical reach and accelerating the diversification of our offering. Thanks to its increased financial flexibility, Korian is well positioned to accelerate its growth and fully harness the strong momentum of the markets we operate in."

Expansion into Spain

The Group announces the acquisition of Seniors, a Spanish company which operates a group of seven high-end long-term care nursing homes around Malaga, in Andalusia, representing a diversified portfolio of around 1,300 beds, incuding assisted living facilities and day care. Seniors, which generated revenue of around 15m in 2018, and which is recognized for the quality of its service, has significant potential growth, notably, with three facilities still in ramp-up phase. This acquisition allows Korian to gain a foothold in the Spanish market, which is already the fourth European market in its activity sector and in which the Group intends to actively pursue its expansion by drawing on the strength of Seniors' experienced management team.

Pursuit of the Group's locally based development strategy in France and Germany

Korian consolidates its position in France with the acquisition of the Omega group, who is specialized in elderly care and is based in south-west France. The Omega group operates in all sectors of elderly care services. They own a network of 14 long-term care nursing homes in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Occitanie regions and in Spain, as well as three assisted living facilities (two of which are under construction and will open in 2019 and 2020), with a total of around 1,000 beds. They also manage nine home-based care and services agencies. The Omega group generated revenue of 40m in 2018. This acquisition consolidates Korian's presence in the Nouvelle Aquitaine and Occitanie regions, where the Group is already firmly established thanks to a network of 54 long-term care nursing homes, 22 post-acute care clinics and two hospital home care facilities.

In Germany, Korian has acquired Schauinsland, which operates six long-term care nursing homes in the Baden-Wurtemberg area with a total capacity of around 420 beds. The company, which generated revenue of 17m in 2018, has also developed a home-based care offering. Korian is the leading private senior care operator in Germany with a network of 230 facilities, and this acquisition will strengthen its operations in Baden-Wurtemberg, a particularly dynamic region, and one which is at the cutting edge of elderly care services.

Finally, in Belgium, Korian has finalised the ownership of 20 premises, worth 153 m, following the transaction announced last September regarding the Belgian activities of the group Senior Assist

Increased financial flexibility

In December, the Group issued 450m of Schuldschein financing (a German private financing tool) composed of tranches with maturities of five to eight years. This operation was largely over subscribed and raised to 450m due to high demand and favourable rates and margin conditions. The funds raised were notably used to refinance existing lines of credit, thereby enabling Korian to extend the average maturity of its debt and reduce the cost of it. The operation's strong success reflects investor confidence in the Group's strategy and its mid- to long-term growth potential.

Next event: February 5th, 2019 after the close of trading

2018 annual revenue

About Korian

Korian, an expert in care and support services for the elderly, manages Europe's leading network of nursing homes, specialized clinics, assisted living facilities, hospital care and home-care services, with more than 800 facilities all together on 31/12/2018. Present today in five countries (France, Germany, Belgium, Italy and Spain) serving 300,000 patients and residents, the Group employs more than 50,000 people. www.korian.com

Twitter: @_Groupe_Korian

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/groupekorian/

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005666/en/

Contacts:

INVESTOR RELATIONS

Nadine Coulm

VP Investor Relations Financing

nadine.coulm@korian.com

Tel.: +33 (0)1 55 37 53 55

PRESS

Marjorie Castoriadis

Medias manager

marjorie.castoriadis@korian.fr

T +33 (0)7 63 59 88 81(AMF Autorite des Marches Financiers)

Regulatory News:

Genkyotex (Paris:GKTX) (Brussels:GKTX):

Genkyotex shares ISIN code FR00011790542 Euronext Paris Brussels Date Number of shares

making up the

share capital Number of voting rights December 31, 2018 79,347,621 Theoretical number of voting rights(1): 79,347,621 Number of voting rights exercisable at a shareholders'

meeting(2): 79,253,081

(1) In accordance with Article 223-111 of the AMF's General Regulation, this number of shares is calculated based on all shares carrying the right to vote, including those stripped of voting rights.

(2) Less shares stripped of voting rights.

About Genkyotex

Genkyotex is the leading biopharmaceutical company in NOX therapies, listed on the Euronext Paris and Euronext Brussels markets. A leader in NOX therapies, its unique therapeutic approach is based on a selective inhibition of NOX enzymes that amplify multiple disease processes such as fibrosis, inflammation, pain processing, cancer development, and neurodegeneration.

Genkyotex's platform enables the identification of available small-molecules that selectively inhibit specific NOX enzymes. Genkyotex is developing a pipeline of first-in-class product candidates targeting one or multiple NOX enzymes. The lead product candidate, GKT831, a NOX1 and NOX4 inhibitor is evaluated in a phase II clinical trial in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC, a fibrotic orphan disease) and in an investigator-initiated Phase II clinical trial in Type 1 Diabetes and Kidney Disease (DKD). A grant from the United States National Institutes of Health (U.S. NIH) of $8.9 million has been awarded to Professor Victor Thannickal at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to fund a multi-year research program evaluating the role of NOX enzymes in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic lung disease that results in fibrosis of the lungs, the core component of the program will be to conduct a Phase 2 trial with the GKT831 in patients with IPF. This product candidate may also be active in other fibrotic indications. Its second product candidate, GKT771, is a NOX1 inhibitor targeting multiple pathways in angiogenesis, pain processing, and inflammation, currently undergoing preclinical testing.

Genkyotex also has a versatile platform well-suited to the development of various immunotherapies (Vaxiclase). A partnership has been established with Serum Institute of India Private Ltd (Serum Institute) and could generate approximately 150 million in future revenues for Genkyotex, before royalties on sales.

For further information, please go towww.genkyotex.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005414/en/

Contacts:

GenkyotexVancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 9, 2019) - MAX Resource Corp. (TSXV: MXR) (OTC Pink: MXROF) (FSE: M1D1) ("MAX" or the "Company") is pleased to provide this corporate and exploration update.

Exploration Activities:

During the second half of calendar year 2018, MAX has secured 100% of 89 mineral applications for a total area of 1,757sqkm located within the Choco Province approximately 100km SW of the city of Medellin, Colombia.

Sixty three of the 89 applications, representing 1,270sqkm and collectively referred to as the "Choco Project" are outside or adjacent to the "Novita Project" area, which is the subject of the proposed Noble Metals Transaction. (see MAX News Release dated 18 June 2018).

Compania Minera del Choco Pacifico ("Choco Pacific") produced 1.5 million ounces of gold and 1.0 million ounces of platinum from the Choco district between 1906 to 1990, largely limited to an average depth of 8 meters or less. The "Choco Project" covers or is adjacent to much of Choco Pacific's historic exploration and production areas. The MAX applications include the "Big Flat", a largely unexplored area of 100sqkm, hosting extensive historical workings.

Choco Pacific historic reports indicate that the underlying hard rock conglomerates, located within the "Choco Project" area, are anomalous to gold and platinum group elements. The reports also indicate the hard rock conglomerates are shallow, extensive and generally flat lying with thicknesses from a few metres to 20 metres. (Source: R.J. Fletcher and Associates (2011) Review of Gold and Platinum Exploration and Production in Choco Province Colombia Part 3. Private Report for Condoto Platinum Ltd)

The Company's exploration strategy is to confirm through current exploration programs, the presence of gold and platinum group elements and the lateral extent of these underlying hard rock conglomerates.

MAX cautions investors it has yet to verify the historic information.

Trial Bulk Sample Program

MAX has now collected trial bulk samples over an area of 6 square kilometres, within one of its applications near the town of Novita to obtain geologic data, establish sampling methodology and develop a system for bulk sample processing and analysis.

Six test pits of 2m x 2m by 30cm deep were excavated by pneumatic hammer, each yielding 2500kg to 3000kg of hard rock conglomerate. Additionally, 50kg of conglomerate was collected from the base of a 12m thick conglomerate outcrop to provide an initial assessment through the thickness of the hard rock conglomerate horizon.

The map can be viewed at: http://maxresource.com/resources/MXR_Choco_Map.pdf

Roughly 50kg of conglomerate from each bulk sample along with the 12m outcrop sample have been shipped to Activation Laboratories Ltd (Actlabs) Medellin, Colombia preparation facility for processing prior to dispatch to the Actlabs Lancaster, Ontario facility for analysis. Analytical results are pending.

MAX's geological team has identified a number of conglomerate occurrences throughout the Choco Project area. An evaluation and sampling program have commenced.

Brett Matich, the Chief Executive Officer of MAX, commented: "This bulk sampling program supports historic reports of hard rock conglomerates underlying the alluvial gold bearing mineralization. Our initial evaluation of these conglomerates included one sighting of visible gold within the excavated material". Mr. Matich added "the lateral extent of the gold bearing conglomerates combined with the confirmed 12 metre thickness substantiates our belief the Choco Project is an exciting opportunity".

Sampling and Assay Methodology

Sampling integrity is essential. The conglomerate surface is cleaned and a 2m by 2m square is marked. A pneumatic hammer then chips and breaks the conglomerate outcrop to a depth of 30cm. The broken conglomerate is then collected in rice bags; approximately 25kg per bag. Each prenumbered bag is sealed by the geologist and transported to secure, locked storage at the Novita Camp, in Choco. Two bags per pit are then transported by Company personnel to the regional centre of Quibdo, where it is transported to Medellin for pickup by Company personnel and transported to the Actlabs prep lab in Medellin.

The 50kg sample is crushed to 2 millimetres (2mm). The -2mm and +2mm fractions are separated by sieving. The -2mm is concentrated and bagged for analysis. The +2mm material is pulverized, then concentrated and bagged for analysis. Samples from the -2mm and +2mm tailings from the concentrating are also taken for analysis.

All samples are sent from the prep lab to the Ancaster laboratory for gold fire assay analysis using a 30g charge. Activation Laboratories Ltd. Ancaster is an ISO 17025 accredited facility certified to 9001:2008. The Medellin prep lab is also 9001:2008 ISO certified.

Noble Metals Transaction

MAX Resource Corp. entered into a binding Letter Agreement dated June 14, 2018 with Noble Metals Ltd. ("Noble") pursuant to which MAX agreed to acquire three Noble subsidiaries - GPS Metals Lab Inc., Global Products Manufacture & Services S.A.S. and Condoto Platinum Limited ("Condoto"). Although binding, the obligations of the parties under the Letter Agreement were subject to due diligence and other conditions. During the course of its due diligence investigation, MAX decided that it was only interested in purchasing the Condoto assets which, through a 'Sucursal' (a local branch formed in Colombia), include an exploration camp, a mineral concession and, most important to MAX, rights of first refusal over the 105,975-hectare Novita Higher Community Council indigenous land package (the "Novita Project") located in the Choco Department, Colombia, which is held by Noble and Condoto pursuant to a Tenement Assignment and Royalty Agreement with the Novita Higher Community Council dated January 25, 2011.

The parties propose to enter into a definitive asset purchase agreement that would supersede the Letter Agreement. Under this definitive agreement, the parties intend to abandon the share purchase in favour of an asset purchase agreement in which MAX will acquire all of the Condoto assets in exchange for $500,000 in cash and 26,665,896 MAX common shares (the "Transaction").

The Transaction remains subject to TSX Venture Exchange and shareholder approval, in addition to the execution of the definitive agreement, which will contain other closing conditions typical of transactions of this nature.

Upon closing of the Transaction, Noble will become a control person of MAX. MAX has already paid a non-refundable $100,000 deposit to Noble and, within five days after receipt of conditional approval from TSX Venture Exchange and execution of the definitive agreement, MAX will be required to pay an additional non-refundable deposit in the amount of $150,000. On closing MAX will receive a credit against the cash portion of the purchase price for the $250,000 deposit.

There are no finders and no finder's fee will be paid in connection with this Transaction.

Corporate Update

In May of 2018, MAX formed Gachala Colombia Corp. ("Gachala") as a British Columbia subsidiary and caused Gachala Colombia Corp. to form a local branch (a "Sucursal") in Colombia. MAX has conducted the bulk of its exploration activities in Colombia through the Sucursal of this wholly-owned subsidiary.

At its annual general and special shareholders' meeting held December 31, 2018, the MAX shareholders elected all four incumbent directors to the Board for 2019 (Brett Matich, Stuart Rogers, Paul John and John Theobald), approved and adopted the 2018 Stock Option Plan, re-appointed the Company's auditors, approved the Company's advance notice policy and the continuation of the Company out of the Province of Alberta and into the Province of British Columbia. MAX proposes to affect that continuation into British Columbia shortly.

About MAX Resource Corp.

MAX Resource Corp.'s focus is to explore and consolidate gold and platinum group mineral assets in the richly endowed Choco mineral district of Colombia and to explore the Gachala sedimentary copper hosted mineral belt of Colombia.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF MAX RESOURCE CORP.

"Brett Matich"

Brett Matich, CEO and President

Tim Henneberry, P. Geo (British Columbia), a member of the MAX Resource Corp. Advisory Board, is the qualified person who has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release on behalf of the Company.

Further information regarding the Company can be found on SEDAR at www.SEDAR.com, or by contacting the Company directly at (+1) 604 365 1522.

Website: www.maxresource.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed as "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements pertaining to completion of the Transaction and any approvals required in connection with the Acquisition. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include: changes in market conditions, unsuccessful exploration results, changes in the price of commodities (particularly copper), unanticipated changes in key management personnel and general social, economic or geo-political conditions. Mining exploration and development is an inherently risky business. Accordingly the actual events may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. We seek safe harbor.Rehfeld said in a statement: I am thrilled by the opportunity to work collaboratively with a dynamic professional team of deans, program directors, academic administrators, and faculty. These are challenging times for the Jewish People that I believe HUC-JIR, as a multi-faceted institution of higher education, is well suited to address.-Barcelona-Based Biotech is a Daughter Company of Life Biosciences-

-Funded and Supported by Pioneer in the Study of Age-Related Decline-

BOSTON, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Senolytic Therapeutics, an innovator in senescent cell research and one of the first Daughter companies to join the hub-and-spoke business model of Life Biosciences, is being recognized by leading institutions for its work to combat aging and age-related decline.

Marc Ramis, PhD, co-founder and chief executive officer of the company, is speaking at Longevity Therapeutics in January 30 in San Francisco and at the Longevity Leadership Conference, February 4 in London.Manuel Serrano, PhD, co-founder and leading scientist in this field, presents at Undoing Ageing, March 30 in Berlin. The pair co-founded Senolytic Therapeutics to advance therapies to treat biological aging and associated diseases. The company, now based in Boston, as well as in Barcelona, was recently named a SME Phase I Instrument Company, a prestigious recognition granted by the European Union annually to genuinely innovative firms.

Senolytic Therapeutics is a pharmaceutical company developing novel classes of medicines by targeting senescent cells, often referred to as "zombie cells," which accumulate and persist in the body, secreting inflammatory factors that prevent normal cells from functioning. Senescent cells are associated with many different pathologies, as well as with aging. Eliminating or reducing senescent cells is known to halt or reverse degenerative disease and rejuvenate tissues in experimental animal models.

"The opportunity to present our work in front of the world's experts is humbling," Ramis explained. "The presentations I will share in San Francisco and London offer important illustrations of the potential of our approach. For example, at the Longevity Therapeutics Conference, I am discussing the Challenge of Developing Novel Senolytic Medicines, focusing on our work in the design of senolytic medicines."

"Life Biosciences is thrilled Senolytic Therapeutics has become our first European-based Daughter company," noted Life Biosciences co-founder David Sinclair, PhD, AO. "Their important work on targeting and eliminating senescent cells can potentially extend healthy lifespan for those with pulmonary fibrosis. I am gratified that the two co-founders will continue to lead Senolytic, as we build our Dream Team of researchers."

-Leadership Background-

Ramis brings a professional career focused on creating new ventures in the Life Sciences field. Ramis is also supporting new scientific investments and strategic partnerships at Life Biosciences Inc. in Europe. Prior to that, Ramis co-founded Chasing Science, an early-stage incubator for novel biomedical ventures and Tech & Business Innovation (TBI), an academic venture focused on knowledge exchange and corporate-academic partnerships.

Ramis is a strategic advisor and board member for multiple organizations and a co-founder of several biotech companies. From 2010 to 2012, he worked at Isis Innovations/University of Oxford as an associate consultant in Europe. Prior to that, he was a business development director at Endor Nanotechnology, a nanomedicine company. Previously, Ramis also worked in the pharmaceutical company Novartis. He earned a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Oxford in 2006 and a M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering in 2001 and a B.Sc. in Chemistry from IQS (Barcelona) in 2000. He also received a certificate from the Harvard Business School Program for Leadership Development in 2011.

Manuel Serrano is internationally recognized in the field of tumor suppression and aging. From 1991 to 1996, Serrano worked as a postdoctoral researcher on David Beach's team in Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, NY. During this period, Serrano made his most important discovery with the identification and characterization of a key inducer of cellular senescence.

Serrano led a research group, first at the National Center of Biotechnology (CNB), and then, from 2003 to 2017, at the Spanish National Cancer Research Center (CNIO), both in Madrid. In 2017, Serrano moved to the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), in Barcelona.

The Serrano team was also a pioneer in the generation of genetically-modified long-lived mice resistant to damage and cancer. His research extends to metabolism and cellular reprogramming in relation to aging. Now, his focus is to apply his knowledge on senescence and reprogramming to degenerative diseases such as lung, kidney and heart fibrosis, as well as, to cancer therapy. Serrano obtained his PhD in 1991, at the University of Madrid (UAM).

-Life Biosciences Overview-

Life Biosciences was co-founded in 2017 by David Sinclair, PhD, AO, a professor in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, and Tristan Edwards, who developed its innovative structure as Chapter Two in his life, after a highly successful career as a global institutional investor, working across all asset classes. Life Biosciences is addressing health decline due to aging as a systemic breakdown of the body, rather than a series of isolated events and conditions.

Currently, there are six Daughter companies working independently and together within the Life Biosciences research environment. The company provides Daughter companies with the resources required to maximize human potential, including Life Lua's data and communications platform, experienced management, drug development experience, and a 24,000 square foot, state-of-the-art vivarium, robotics and drug screening facility in Cambridge, Mass (USA), augmented by laboratories and offices on four continents.

Co-founded in 2017 by David Sinclair, PhD, AO, and Tristan Edwards, Life Biosciences is addressing the eight pathways of age-related decline (ARD) as a systemic breakdown of the body, not a series of isolated symptoms and conditions. It has established Daughter companies around the world to independently and collaboratively attack these pathways through pioneering research and product development. The company provides Daughter companies with the full resources of Life Lua's data and communications platform; LifeLab, its 24,000- square-foot, state-of-the-art research facility that includes a vivarium, robotics, and drug screening capabilities. Life Biosciences seeks to increase healthspans for everyone, including companion animals.

For more information on Life Biosciences, please visit www.lifebiosciences.com.

Press Contact:

media@lifebiosciences.com

susanm@lifebiosciences.com

erinf@lifebiosciences.comSpendEdge, a well-known procurement intelligence solution provider, has announced the completion of their latest vendor management best practices study for an IT services provider

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005493/en/

Vendor management best practices study for an IT services provider. (Graphic: Business Wire)

The growth of the IT services industry is highly dependent on economic cycles as IT services are project-based and often represent discretionary spending. However, with the relative growth in tech-savvy consumers in the IT sector, the need for unconventional and innovative ways to enhance growth opportunities has grown significantly. With consumers becoming technologically driven and less confined to outdated technologies, leading IT services providers have been compelled to offer customized products. They are relying on innovations in their product offerings to improve customer satisfaction and increase overall profitability. However, such innovations require proper supplier governance and control measures to avoid overspending of revenues. This has forced many large enterprises to increase their dependencies on external suppliers and leverage vendor management best practices to reduce cost and improve corporate compliance.

According to the procurement experts at SpendEdge, "The rising volume of data in the IT industry has increased instances of various security breaches. Therefore, it has become mandatory for IT services providers to streamline their efficiency and improve security in their operations."

The Business Problem: The client is a well-known IT services provider based in the United States. The IT services company employs around 12,000 people and generates an annual revenue of $30 billion. The client was spending half of their IT budget on suppliers, with no formal oversight, which resulted in increased costs and missed opportunities. This increased the pressure on the IT services provider and compelled them to leverage SpendEdge's vendor management solutions to maintain both the original value proposition and identify further opportunities for supplier portfolio optimization. They wanted to implement vendor management best practices and increase their overall efficiency, especially when it comes to the security of confidential files. The IT services provider also aimed at enhancing requisitions, approvals, expense management, payment, and reporting and set up a smooth vendor management system by leveraging SpendEdge's suggestions on vendor management best practices.

Unclear information on the unpredictability of billing and vendor costs can result in revenue losses when not managed tactfully. To know how our vendor management process can help you to save resources, sustain systems and processes, and secure customer information, Talk to our experts

The Solution Offered: SpendEdge's team of experts helped the managed IT services provider to implement vendor management best practices and access potential supplier risks in terms of both unforeseen cost implications and regulatory compliance. Following the vendor management best practices helped them gain a comprehensive view into the unpredictability of billing and vendor costs that result in lost profits when not managed efficiently. They also gained access to vendor performance tracking, provided spend visibility, cost controls, cost reduction results, document management, process improvement, compliance tracking, and more with the aid of SpendEdge's suggestions on vendor management best practices. Subsequently, IT services provider was also successful in developing a standard set of processes between departments to select, engage, manage, retain and disengage suppliers with little or no disruption to the enterprise while extracting the necessary value from suppliers.

An unconsolidated vendor management process can increase risks, reduce net profits, increase costs from audits, and decline performance of vendors. Request a free proposal and know SpendEdge's vendor management best practices can help you reduce cost and improve corporate compliance.

SpendEdge's vendor management process helped the client to:

Access potential supplier risks in terms of unforeseen cost implications or regulatory compliance.

Gain a comprehensive view into the unpredictability of billing and vendor costs.

The rising volume of data can lead to various security breaches in the IT industry. Request a free demo and see how our solutions can help you improve security in your operations.

SpendEdge's vendor management process also offered predictive insights on:

Providing spend visibility, cost controls, cost reduction results.

Developing a standard set of processes between departments.

Read the complete article to know more: https://www.spendedge.com/casestudy/vendor-management-it-services

About SpendEdge:

SpendEdge shares your passion for driving sourcing and procurement excellence. We are the preferred procurement market intelligence partner for 120+ Fortune 500 firms and other leading companies across numerous industries. Our strength lies in delivering robust, real-time procurement market intelligence reports and solutions. To know more, https://www.spendedge.com/request-free-proposal

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005493/en/

Contacts:

SpendEdge

Anirban Choudhury

Marketing Manager

US: +1 630 984 7340

UK: +44 148 459 9299

https://www.spendedge.com/contact-usThe global flowmeter market research report by Technavio predicts the market to post a CAGR of close to 6% during the period 2019-2023.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005485/en/

Technavio predicts the global flowmeter market to post a CAGR of close to 6% by 2023. (Graphic: Business Wire)

A key driver for the global flowmeter market is the rising production of shale gas. The scope for the adoption of gas detection products and solutions is rising due to the increasing shale gas production in countries such as the US, Russia, Iran, Qatar, Canada, China, Norway, and Saudi Arabia. This is promoting the adoption of flowmeters. Additionally, the presence of government mandates and need to minimize casualties are also fueling the adoption of flowmeters in shale gas production processes.

As per Technavio, the gradual recovery of upstream activity will have a positive impact on the market and contribute to its growth significantly over the forecast period. This global flowmeter market 2019-2023 research report also analyzes other important trends and market drivers that will affect market growth over 2019-2023.

This report is available at a USD 1,000 discount for a limited time only: View market snapshot before purchasing

Global flowmeter market: Gradual recovery of upstream activity

Flowmeters, particularly flowmeters with multiphase technology, play an important role in upstream activity in the oil and gas industry. Once petroleum liquid reaches the surface in the upstream sector, it goes through a test separator to physically separate the oil, gas, and water. A flowmeter measures each fluid as it leaves the separator and analyses the content and the flow of oil, water, and gas as they leave the well on a real-time basis, which allows operators to improve the analysis of the contents of the reservoir.

"Onshore rig utilization has grown considerably in many countries over the last year with increasing crude oil price. This indicates growth in E&P activities and drives the demand for flowmeters from the upstream sector. The biggest growth opportunities are anticipated to arise from the resurging investments in shale resources in the US, which is a key oil and gas market," says a seniorresearch analyst at Technavio.

Global flowmeter market: Segmentation analysis

This flowmeter market analysis report segments the market by end-users (industrial, commercial, and residential) and geography (the Americas, APAC, and EMEA).

The industrial segment held the largest flowmeter market share in 2018, accounting for over 56% of the market. This end-user segment is expected to dominate the global market throughout the forecast period.

The EMEA region led the market in 2018 with more than 36% of the market share, followed by the Americas and APAC respectively. The EMEA region is expected to dominate the market throughout the period 2019-2023.

Looking for more information on this market? Request a free sample report

Technavio's sample reports are free of charge and contain multiple sections of the report such as the market size and forecast, drivers, challenges, trends, and more.

Some of the key topics covered in the report include:

Market Landscape

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

Market Sizing

Market definition

Market size and forecast

Five Forces Analysis

Market Segmentation

Geographical Segmentation

Regional comparison

Key leading countries

Market Drivers

Market Challenges

Market Trends

Vendor Landscape

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

Competitive scenario

About Technavio

Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions.

With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 10,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios.

If you are interested in more information, please contact our media team at media@technavio.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005485/en/

Contacts:

Technavio Research

Jesse Maida

Media Marketing Executive

US: +1 844 364 1100

UK: +44 203 893 3200

www.technavio.comVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 9, 2019 / EastWest Bioscience Inc. (the "Company" or "EastWest") (TSX-V: EAST) is pleased to announce that Mr. Paul Marjerrison, B. Comm., CPA, CA, has been appointed Chief Financial Officer of the Company. In 2018, Mr. Marjerrison assisted EastWest with its acquisition of Sangster's Health Centres, including pre-closing diligence, the purchase and sale agreement, and post-closing integration, as well as financial planning, analysis and reporting for EastWest. Since 2015, Mr. Marjerrison has owned and operated a financial management business, working as a contract Chief Financial Officer or financial advisor for several clients. From 2011 to 2015, Mr. Marjerrison worked with a mid-market corporate finance firm, assisting clients with divestitures, acquisitions, debt financings and exempt market capital raises. Prior to 2011, Mr. Marjerrison worked in public practice with a national accounting firm, focusing on audit engagements. Mr. Marjerrison has a Bachelor of Commerce in finance and accounting from the University of Saskatchewan.

Mr. Marjerrison succeeds Mr. Geoff Balderson who has resigned as Chief Financial Officer of the Company to pursue his other business interests. The Company would like to thank Mr. Balderson for his service to the Company.

About EastWest BioScience Group

EastWest Bioscience is a seed-to-sale organization that offers world class manufacturing and premium hemp-based consumer goods. Since it was founded in 2016, EastWest continues to grow as a high-quality producer, manufacturer and distributor of multiple lines of premium hemp products. EastWest is strategically positioned in mainstream consumer markets with wholistic natural products and has developed distribution channels into mainstream stores and markets in Canada. The Company has a Health Canada licensed, GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) certified manufacturing facility and produces premium brands offering natural products for a preventive care lifestyle. EastWest consumer product lines are divided into four distinct brands: 1) Natural Advancement - natural biopharmaceutical health supplements; 2) Earth's Menu - all-natural hemp superfoods; 3) Natural Pet Science - pet food and pet supplements; and 4) Chanvre Hemp - all-natural health and beauty products. The organization will continue to focus on ongoing development of innovative, hemp-based consumer products through advanced science with clean, natural ingredients to complement its current product offerings.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EASTWEST BIOSCIENCE GROUP

"Rodney Gelineau"

Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, President and Director

For further information, please visit www.eastwestbioscience.com or contact EastWest Bioscience Investor Relations at 1-647-394-7383 or email us at investors@eastwestscience.com.

Reader Advisory

This news release may contain statements which constitute "forward-looking information", including statements regarding the plans, intentions, beliefs and current expectations of the Company, its directors, or its officers with respect to the future business activities of the Company. The words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" and similar expressions, as they relate to the Company, or its management, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future business activities and involve risks and uncertainties, and that the Company's future business activities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, fluctuations in market prices, successes of the operations of the Company, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such information will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. The Company does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking information except as required under the applicable securities laws.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

SOURCE: EastWest Bioscience Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/532186/EastWest-Announces-Appointment-of-New-Chief-Financial-OfficerGURUGRAM, India, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Korea's Green Energy Policy is likely to contribute to growth in demand for lithium ion batteries through increase in supporting EV infrastructure and EV and ESS (Energy Storage System) subsidies.

Rising production and demand for EVs expected to augment growth in the market.

Growth in ESS sector in South Korea will also contribute to the lithium ion cell and battery market in South Korea .

Rising Demandfor Electric Vehicles: Lithium ion batteries are widely used in electric vehicles and have slowly been replacing lead acid batteries. EV sales in South Korea, including EV, PHE and HEV, have been projected to grow from 121,812 units in 2018 to 423,448 units in 2022, registering a strong CAGR of 36.5% in the coming 5 years. This high demand for EVs will stem from the subsidies that the government is providing to the buyers through its own differentiated subsidy system as well as through the application avenue of Korea Environment Corporation. Adding to this is the growing infrastructure of electric vehicle charging stations and falling prices of EVs on an overall level. This expansion in demand for EVs will raise demand for lithium ion batteries, thus augmenting growth in the market.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661352/Ken_Research_Logo.jpg )



Growth in the ESSSector in South Korea: In 2017, KEPCO (Korea Electric Power Corporation) became the world's largest operator of ESS for frequency regulation with a total capacity of 376 MW at 13 sites across the country. South Korea is gradually making the shift towards renewable energy from fuel based energy in line with its Green Energy Policy. Future pathways under the scheme include energy reforms such as price discounts for 10 years for ESS using companies and permitting ESS trading to promote investment of KRW 40 billion in addition to intensive support for the green energy industry. This is likely to augment the market through project based demand for lithium ion batteries. Provision of both ESS consumer and ESS producer based subsidies by the government will encourage a shift on part of the industrial and commercial sectors as well. Deployment of lithium ion batteries for ESS projects such as the Ulsan project will also augment growth in the market.

Future EV Trends and Developments (Saean Motors): In CY'2017, a Korean start up, Saean Motors released Korea's first electric 3 wheeler vehicle which costs between KRW 6 million to KRW 8 million and uses either lithium ion or lithium polymer batteries. If the government subsidy of KRW 5 million per vehicle is included, the WID-U becomes much more reasonably priced. WID-U sales are expected to increase in the future due to changing demographics and the growing trend of ordering food, especially online. This is likely to lead to a rise in demand for lithium ion batteries as it is one of the major raw materials utilized in manufacturing of electric vehicles.

Analysts at Ken Research in their latest publication "South Korea Lithium Ion Cell and Battery Market Outlook to 2022 - by Type of Batteries (Li-NMC, LFP, LCO and Others), Power Capacity (0-3,000 mAh, 3,000-10,000 mAh, 10,000-60,000 mAh and More than 60,000 mAh) and Application Areas (Consumer Electronics, ESS/UPS, Automotive Sector, Industrial Sector and Others)" believe that investing in promotions and marketing of lithium ion cells and batteries and partnering with the government on ESS and EV projects can aid the companies in the lithium ion cell and battery market in South Korea.

The lithium ion cell and battery market in South Korea is expected to register a positive CAGR of 15.3% in terms of revenue during the forecast period 2018-2022. Increased reach of the government's Green Energy Policy and establishment of partnerships by companies with the government for its projects will augment the growth in the market.

For more information on the market research report, please refer to the below link:

https://www.kenresearch.com/energy-and-utilities/power/south-korea-lithium-ion-cell-battery-market/175019-103.html

Keywords

South Korea Lithium Ion Battery

Global Lithium Ion Battery

South Korea Lithium Ion Ecosystem

Manufacturing Lithium Ion Batteries

Lithium Ion Battery Anode Korea

Lithium Ion Battery Cathode Korea

Lithium Ion Battery Electrolyte Market

Lithium Ion Battery Separator Market

Lithium ion Materials Major Manufacturers Korea

Cathode Major Manufacturers Korea

Anode Major Manufacturers Korea

Electrolyte Major Manufacturers Korea

Separator Major Manufacturers Korea

Lithium Ion Battery Type Korea

Lithium Ion Battery Capacity Korea

Lithium Ion Battery Application Korea

Lithium Ion Consumer Electronics Korea

Lithium Ion Battery ESS/UPS Korea

Lithium Ion Battery Automotive Korea

Lithium Ion Battery Industrial Korea

Lithium Ion Battery Exports Korea

Lithium Ion Battery Imports Korea

Lithium Ion Cell Trends Korea

Lithium Ion Cell Developments Korea

Lithium Ion Cell Issues Korea

Lithium Ion Cell Challenges Korea

South Korea Lithium Ion Regulations

South Korea Lithium Ion SWOT

Lithium Ion Battery Cost Korea

Decision Making Lithium Ion Korea

South Korea Lithium Ion Competition

EV Segment Asian Players Korea

South Korea Lithium Ion Company

South Korea Lithium Ion Future

South Korea Green Energy Policy

Lithium Ion Recommendations Korea

Key Segments Covered

Market Segmentation

By Battery Type (Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide, Lithium Iron Phosphate, Lithium Cobalt Oxide and Others)

By Power Capacity (0-3000 mAh, 3000-10,000 mAh, 10,000-60,000 mAh and More than 60,000 mAh)

By Application Areas (Consumer Electronics, ESS/UPS, Automotive Sector, Industrial Sector, and Others)

Key Target Audience

Manufacturers of Batteries

Distributors of Batteries

Battery Assemblers

Telecom Companies

Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles

Consumer Electronics Manufacturers

Importers of Batteries

Governmental Departments

Time Period Captured in the Report:

Historical Period - 2012-2017

2012-2017 Forecast Period - 2018-2022

Companies Covered:

Samsung SDI Company Limited

LG Chem Limited

SK Innovation Company Limited

Kokam Company Limited

Enertech International, Inc.

Routejade

Related Reports

China Lithium Ion Battery Market Outlook To 2022 - By Application (Consumer Electronics, Power Storage And Energy Storage), By Type (Ternary, Lithium-Ion Phosphate, Lithium Manganese Oxide And Others), By Shape (Square Shaped, Cylindrical And Soft Pack Battery)

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Lithium Ion Battery market in China. The report focuses on overall market size for lithium-ion battery market in China, market segmentation by application (Consumer Electronics, Power Storage and Energy Storage), by type of battery (Ternary, Lithium-Ion Phosphate, Lithium Manganese Oxide and Others), by shape of battery (Square Shaped, Cylindrical and Soft Pack Battery). The report also covers the overall trade scenario, SWOT, decision making process, competitive landscape and growth drivers and trends and government role and regulations. The report concludes with market projection for future market described above and analyst recommendations highlighting the major opportunities and cautions for the China Lithium-ion Battery market.

India Lithium Ion Cell and Battery Market Outlook to 2023 - by Type of Battery (LFP, NMC, LCO, MCA and Others), By Application (Consumer Appliances, Telecom Towers and Services, Industrial Application, Automotive and Others) and By Power Capacity

The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the Lithium Ion Cell and Battery market in India. The report focuses on the Type of Battery, Area of Application and Power capacity of the batteries. The report also covers Investment Model, SWOT Analysis, Trends and Development, Issues and Challenges, Competition Scenario, Decision making process and the Future outlook of the Lithium Ion Cell and Battery Market.

Contact Us:

Ankur Gupta

Ken Research Pvt Ltd, Head Marketing

Ankur@kenresearch.com

+91-9015378249

NEW YORK and GIG HARBOR, Washington, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Partnership Extends Computop's Payment Offerings In-Store, Enabling a Seamless Omnichannel Payment Solution in the US

Computop, a leading global Payment Service Provider (PSP), and POSDATA Group, Inc., the premier payments systems distributor for the North American channel, today announced a strategic partnership. Through this agreement, POSDATA will distribute, manage and support P2PE Point-of-Sale (PoS) terminals connected to Computop's global payment platform in the US. The P2PE PoS terminals will protect retailers and consumers from data theft, as credit card data is heavily encrypted, as well as enable retailers to reduce their PCI certification efforts.

POSDATA is a North American distributor for payment technologies, offering deployment related services, including key injection. Computop offers Computop Paygate, a PCI-certified omnichannel payment platform that provides merchants with secure payment solutions and efficient fraud prevention. Together, the companies will provide US retailers with a smooth deployment, implementation, and ongoing first line support of their terminal landscape and a secure, managed offering for their in-store payments.

"This solution will have a significant impact in the US market by having POSDATA provide deployment services and technical support for Computop end-users," said Jeffrey Creighton, CEO of POSDATA. Creighton continued, "It is an effective way for both companies to provide best-in-class service in their unique areas of expertise."

"POSDATA's PCI certification and experience ensure compliance with the high demands that the PCI P2PE standards set regarding the registration and security measures for every single card reader. Through this partnership, our US customers will benefit from POSDATA's ability to quickly deploy and service their day-to-day terminal needs," said Ralf Gladis, CEO of Computop. "Computop now provides US retailers with a complete omnichannel solution -- from PoS to e-commerce to mobile commerce. With one comprehensive offering, not only do merchants benefit from a highly secure payment platform across their channels, but they also gain a consolidated reconciliation, reporting and analytics tool through Computop's Paygate."

About POSDATA Group, Inc.

POSDATA Group, Inc. is the premier payments systems distributor for the North American channel. We build lasting relationships with OEM vendors and channel partners based on integrity, expertise and service excellence. Our seasoned professionals have deep domain expertise, which enables them to customize solutions to meet unique commercial requirements that drive real business results.

Founded in 1973, POSDATA is headquartered in Gig Harbor, Wash. and is privately held. The company has a certified point-to-point encryption (P2PE) key injection and distribution center in Louisville, KY and sales offices around the country. In addition to offering leading payment equipment brands, POSDATA provides comprehensive, single-source deployment, configuration, installation, and support services.

About Computop

As one of the very first payment service providers, Computop offers its customers around the world local and innovative omnichannel solutions for payment processing and fraud prevention. The Computop Paygate payment platform enables seamless integrated payment processes for e-commerce, at PoS and on mobile devices. With this internally developed software, retailers and service providers have the flexibility and freedom to choose from over 250 payment methods enabling them to specifically tailor their payment options per country.

Computop, a global player with its head office in Germany and locations in China, England and the USA, has been servicing large international companies in the service, retail, mobility, gaming and travel industries for more than 20 years. These companies include global brands such as Bigpoint, C&A, Fossil, illy Cafe, the entire Otto Group, Sixt and Swarovski. Computop also provides its payment system to banks and financial service providers as a white-label solution. Through its customer network and collaboration with the global marketplace Rakuten, Computop processes commercial payment transactions for more than 15,000 retailers annually, with a combined value of USD 31 billion. With its individual and secure solutions, Computop makes a major contribution to the future of international payment processing.

For further information, please visit www.computop.com.Thunder Bay, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 9, 2019) - Benton Resources Inc. (TSXV: BEX) ("Benton" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has received the final payment of 500,000 shares from Sokoman Iron Corp. ("Sokoman") pursuant to an option to purchase agreement for the Alder East gold project located in Central Newfoundland (see Benton PR dated December 16, 2016). In accordance with the option agreement, Benton may also receive further future payments should various defined project resource estimate milestones be achieved by Sokoman and will also retain a 2% NSR on the Alder East project with Sokoman having the right to buy back 1% NSR for $1 million.

Benton would also like to announce the results from three of the four drill holes completed during a recent drill campaign at the Bolton Bay project. Anomalous gold values over significant widths were intersected in the first three drill holes while the results from a fourth hole, testing a 10m thick ultramafic unit prospective for base metal and PGE mineralization, are still pending. While the results prove that the Bolton Bay project has potential for widespread gold mineralization, the drilling failed to intersect a higher grade, sulphide-rich 'pocket' from which Benton surface samples returned up to 145g/t Au this past summer.

Results from the three drill holes appear below:

From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Grade (g/t Au) BB-18-01 7.6 43.6 36.0 0.30 Incl. 39.6 43.6 4.0 0.83 Incl. 40.6 41.6 1.0 2.55 BB-18-02 23.4 67.4 44.0 0.36 Incl. 23.4 41.4 18.0 0.54 Incl. 23.4 34.4 11.0 0.74 Incl. 23.4 24.4 1.0 3.37 Incl. 33.4 34.4 1.0 3.77 BB-18-03 53.0 56.0 3.0 0.42 BB-18-04 Pending

Note: Reported intercepts are core lengths not true widths

Finally, the Company has executed a contract with diamond drill contractor Rugged Aviation Inc. of Thunder Bay for the upcoming drill program on the Panama Lake Gold project in Red Lake Mining district located approximately 50km along strike from Great Bear Resources Ltd.'s recent Dixie Lake discovery (see the Great Bear Resources Ltd. press release dated August 22, 2018). The drill program will commence in approximately 10 days with a focus on the Company's new surface discovery (see Benton PR dated September 18, 2018) from the previously announced grab samples grading up to 6.17g/t Au located on Slate Lake and only approximately 120m north of the area where glacial till sampling survey by the Geological Survey of Canada, 1999 (Open File 3038) identified 107 gold grains in till sampling, the highest count in the survey. A second series of holes will test the Panama Zone where historical diamond drilling completed by Noranda Exploration Company Ltd. in 1988 yielded results of up to 2.8g/t Au over 4.5m within a 20-30m wide mineralized shear zone. Benton views the project as having many similarities in geology and structure to that of the Great Bear discovery in the Red Lake district noted above.

Nathan Sims (P.Geo.), Senior Exploration manager for Benton Resources Inc., is the qualified person responsible for this release and has prepared or supervised the preparation of or reviewed and approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release.

About Benton Resources Inc. (TSXV:BEX)

Benton Resources Inc is a well-funded Canadian-based project generator with a diversified property portfolio in Gold-Silver, Nickel, Copper, and Platinum group elements. Benton holds multiple high grade projects available for option which can be viewed on the company's web site. Most projects have an up to date NI 43-101 report available. Interested parties can contact Stephen Stares using the contact details below.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Benton Resources Inc.,

"Stephen Stares"

Stephen Stares, President

THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE HAS NOT REVIEWED AND DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be "forward-looking statements."

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation: risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. These forward looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. Actual events or results could differ materially from the Company's expectations or projections

For further information contact Stephen Stares @:

684 Squier Street,

Thunder Bay, ON

P7B 4A8

Phone (807)475-7474

Cell (807)474-9020

Fax (807)475-7200

www.bentonresources.ca

sstares@bentonresources.caHighest Quarterly Sales Achieved in the Company's History

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 9, 2019) - Ted Konyi, CEO, Smartcool Systems Inc. (TSXV: SSC) (OTC Pink: SSCFF) (FSE: R3W) is pleased to announce that sales for the 4th Quarter 2018 exceeded $2,400,000 CDN. This is the highest quarterly sales achieved in the company's history.

"I'm extremely excited about the sales that our team has achieved last quarter. It is becoming clear to me that these sales are not an anomaly. The sales funnel has continued to grow and we are seeing that advance into the first quarter with many multilocation opportunities proceeding to rollout of our technologies." explained CEO Konyi "Total Energy Concepts (TEC) continues to accelerate their sales and has developed its sales funnel at an unprecedented rate. Activity in the UK continues to grow and should produce a substantial result for 2019"

Damian Smith, President of TEC commented "The cost of electricity and the cost to maintain equipment seems to be increasing exponentially, which means more expenses for a company's bottom line. What TEC brings to the table not only helps business cut expenses, save energy, and improve efficiency and infrastructure, but we also bring years of engineering expertise to ensure what we bring to the customer is the best possible solution that will improve the bottom line and energy efficiency immediately. And with our $0 capital required procurement option, we can deliver positive cash flow results month after month, year after year. The time is now to save energy and help business owners give their business a raise!"

In the US, TEC is also benefiting from the REAP Grant program that has been extended to 2023, which can pay for up to 25% of energy efficiency project costs in rural communities. The program has already provided funding for some TEC projects and others are being considered.

Smartcool is currently negotiating sales channels with major companies and distributers in Europe, Asia and around the world that, if successful, should add to the overall revenue and profitability in 2019.

About Smartcool

Smartcool Systems Inc. provides cutting edge energy efficient and energy cost reduction solutions for businesses around the world. The ECO3, ESM and ECOHome are Smartcool's unique retrofit technologies that reduce the energy consumption of compressors in air conditioning, refrigeration and heat pump systems by up to 40%.

Total Energy Concepts (TEC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Smartcool, is a national leader in Power Protection, Energy Management, Power Quality, Facility Grounding, and Lighting Solutions that help companies improve their bottom line by reducing expenses that drastically cut into company profits. TEC focuses on a holistic approach to energy efficiency with proprietary technologies for power factor correction and third party technologies including LED, voltage conditioning and intelligent motor controls.

For more information please visit www.smartcool.net and www.totalenergyconcepts.com

Investor Inquires

Mike Kordysz

Vice President, Investor Relations

TEL +1 604 904 8632 EMAIL mike.kordysz@smartcool.net

Legal Notice Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains "forward looking statements". Forward-looking statements are projections of financial performance or future events. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "believe", "estimate" and words of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and they are subject to risks that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include those concerning the company's belief in the growth opportunities in the Israel. These statements are subject to risks that may cause the actual results to be materially different in future periods from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. Risks that may prevent or delay the forward looking statements from coming to fruition as anticipated include the availability of working capital, risks inherent in product development, as well as market factors that may increase costs or time to market. It is our policy not to update forward looking statements except to the extent required under applicable securities laws. Further information on the Company is available at www.sedar.com or at the Company's website, www.smartcool.net.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / January 9, 2019 / New analyst comments out of Canada's largest banks suggest that Cobalt 27 Capital Corp. (TSX-V: KBLT; OTCQB: CBLLF; FSE: 27O) could be due for a re-rating thanks to the Company's recent decision to acquire Highland Pacific Limited in an all-cash offer for C$96 million.

Previously structured as a streaming transaction, the newly proposed acquisition would provide Cobalt 27 shareholders with a direct 8.56% interest in the producing Ramu nickel-cobalt mine in Papua New Guinea. The Company will also hold the option to increase its interest in Ramu to 11.3% once construction and development loans are repaid.

Ramu is a large-scale, open pit mine estimated to hold mineral reserves totaling approximately 1 billion pounds of nickel and 100 million pounds of cobalt. The mine, which came online in 2012, is already responsible for 3% of globally produced bi-product cobalt each year. Ramu is considered one of the most efficient nickel-cobalt operations in the world, ranking it in the lowest-cost quartile. In 2017 the operational output totaled 34,666 tonnes of contained nickel and 3,308 tonnes of contained cobalt, both exceeding nameplate capacity.

The proposed acquisition of Highland Pacific, if successful, will increase Cobalt 27's attributable production from Ramu to over 600,000 pounds of cobalt and 2,900 tonnes of nickel annually. The transaction would be directly accretive for shareholders on a net asset value basis and provide a superior platform in Australasia, allowing the Company to assess additional opportunities in the region.

National Bank of Canada analyst, Rupert Merer, says that the proposed deal could return over 10% cash flow yield at Cobalt 27's current share price and that the stock 'looks cheap relative to the US$300 mln invested in Voisey's Bay stream, it's roughly C$240 mln in cobalt inventory (at current prices) and more than C$40 mln in cash before the transaction. At the current stock price, investors would be buying cobalt and cash, with Voisey's Bay for free and no upside for Ramu included. KBLT should rise from here.'

Analysts at Haywood Securities also see the deal as a positive development for Cobalt 27. Haywood, which has a buy rating on the stock, noted in its recent report that the acquisition 'provides greater nickel and cobalt production exposure at a lower cost (~$83-96M vs. ~$145M for the original stream)' and that direct ownership in Ramu should result in greater attributable cash flow compared to the originally proposed transaction.

Canaccord Genuity analysts maintained their speculative buy rating on Cobalt 27 after the announcement, suggesting that the new proposed deal structure 'addresses potential market concerns about the original stream deal while satisfying its thirst for growth in quality battery materials exposure' while also reiterating that they 'continue to view Cobalt 27 as the premier investment vehicle for exposure to battery materials in the burgeoning electric vehicle theme.'

In a press release issued by the Company on January 1, 2019, Chairman and CEO Anthony Milewski stated: "The acquisition of Highlands will allow Cobalt 27 to gain a direct interest in the Ramu nickel-cobalt mine and materially increase its attributable exposure to the mine's nickel production from 27.5% to 100% and cobalt production from 55% to 100%, relative to the previously announced Ramu Cobalt Nickel Stream. It does so at nearly half the cost of the previously announced Ramu Cobalt Nickel Stream, provides increased balance sheet flexibility, and enhances value for Cobalt 27 shareholders. It also brings cash flow to our business, something we have told our shareholders was important from the beginning."

Ramu Mine

Construction and commissioning of the US$2.1 billion Ramu mine was completed in 2012. The mine utilizes traditional open-pit mining methods and a 135km pipeline that transports a mineralized slurry to the Basamuk processing plant where it is further processed to produce a mixed hydroxide product that contains nickel and cobalt. The mine is jointly owned by Highland Pacific, the PNG Government and Landowners and Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd. (MCC). MCC is a publicly traded company listed on the Shanghai and Hong Kong stock exchanges that boasts a market capitalization of approximately US$9 billion. MCC also acts as mine operator.

Figure 1. Regional Map showing location of Ramu mine assets



Cautionary Statement:

Junior Mining Network ('JMN') is not a financial advisory or advisor, investment advisor or broker-dealer and does not undertake any activities that would require such registration. The information contained herein is not intended to be used as the basis for investment decisions and should not be considered as investment advice or a recommendation, nor is the information an offer or solicitation to buy, hold or sell any security. JMN does not represent or warrant that the information posted is accurate, unbiased or complete and make no representations as to the completeness or timeless of the material provided. JMN receives fees for producing content on financial news and has been compensated US$750 by Cobalt 27 Capital Corp. to publish this report. Investors should consult with an investment advisor, tax and legal consultant before making any investment decisions. All materials are subject to change without notice.

CONTACT:

Junior Mining Network

info@juniorminingnetwork.com

SOURCE: Junior Mining Network

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/532066/New-Strategic-Acquisition-Could-Significantly-Increase-Cobalt-27s-Attributable-Production-of-Cobalt-to-over-600000-Pounds-AnnuallySudbury, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 9, 2019) - Canadian Gold Miner ("CGM" or "the Company") and Transition Metals Corp. (TSXV: XTM) ("Transition Metals") are pleased to announce the discovery of a new gold zone dubbed "Behold Zone" located approximately 10 kilometres south of Kirkland Lake, Ontario. The zone is located near the northwest edge of a recently identified 800 metre long, Induced Polarization (IP) chargeability and resistivity anomaly occurring within a favourable structure and alteration corridor that the Company has been able to trace for more than 1.5 kilometres along strike.

Canadian Gold Miner CEO Greg Collins commented, "Our work has highlighted a large exploration target located just south of the heart of the Kirkland Lake gold mining camp (Fig. 1). Trenching has exposed sub-cropping mineralization more than 800 metres northwest from a cluster of strongly mineralized occurrences identified and sampled by the Company in 2017. The newly discovered Behold Zone occurs near the interpreted northwest end of an IP anomaly approximately 300 metres north of the Lincoln Nipissing break. The Lincoln Nipissing Fault has recently been highlighted by the Metal Earth research initiative as an underexplored fault system having similar characteristics to other major gold producing structures in the Abitibi."

Field work completed in 2017 by the Company highlighted an approximate 500 metre wide corridor that hosts extensive alteration associated with favourable structure developed around the Lincoln Nipissing Fault northwest of the Cook and Zenith showing areas reported in 2017 (Fig. 2) (see news release dated Sept 14, 2017 - Canadian Gold Miner Sampling at Cook Showing in South Kirkland Returns of up to 8.13 Grams per Tonne Gold in Selected Grab Samples).

Channel sampling at the Behold Zone in late 2018 has returned assays ranging from nil to 8.6 g/t Au over 0.30 metres and 5.42 g/t Au over 0.67 metres from select channel samples (Table 1). The Behold Zone is situated 800 metres northwest of any previously known mineralization.

In September, the Company engaged geophysicists from Intelligent Exploration services to review historical IP data collected over this area. Intelligent Exploration highlighted an 800 metre long untested coincident chargeability and resistivity anomaly situated at the core of this now 1.5 kilometre long open mineralized trend.

Table 1. Summary of Highlight Assays from the Behold Discovery

Location Type Length (m) Au (ppm) Behold Channel 1.94 1.72

including 0.52 6.13 Behold Channel 1.94 1.72 Behold Channel 0.62 7.67

including 0.28 8.60 Behold Channel 1.56 1.50

including 0.42 5.18 Behold Channel 3.86 2.46

including 0.36 5.41

including 0.40 4.06 Behold Channel 1.92 1.63

including 1.21 2.19 Behold Channel 0.88 4.00

including 0.29 6.66

Qualified Person

The technical elements of this press release have been approved by Mr. Thomas Hart, P.Geo. (APGO), a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101. All samples were collected by Company representatives under the supervision of the Qualified Person and transported directly by the company to the lab. Transition Metals employs in-house QA/QC procedures that conform to industry best practices. All analytical work was conducted at ALS-Chemex with sample preparation completed in Sudbury, Ontario and analyses completed in North Vancouver, B.C. The quality system used by ALS-Chemex complies with international standards ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 17025:2005. All reported historical values have not been independently verified by the Qualified Person and as such do not conform to NI 43-101 standards for disclosure, and should not be relied upon.

About Canadian Gold Miner

Canadian Gold Miner Corp. is 39% owned by Transition Metals Corp (TSXV: XTM) and is a Canadian private corporation focused on exploring for gold in the Larder Lake Mining District near Kirkland Lake. The Company was founded by Transition to leverage its data, expertise and extensive portfolio of high quality gold projects. CGM has assembled a dominant land position in excess of 229 square kilometres around the Cadillac Larder, Lincoln-Nipissing and Ridout Structures in the southwestern part of the prolific Abitibi Greenstone belt in Ontario. The Abitibi Greenstone belt is Canada's most prolific gold district located in a stable political jurisdiction with excellent mining infrastructure in place.

Transition Metals Corp

Transition Metals Corp (TSXV: XTM) is a Canadian-based, multi-commodity project generator that specializes in converting new exploration ideas into discoveries. The award-winning team of geoscientists has extensive exploration experience which actively develops and tests new ideas for discovering mineralization in places that others have not looked, often allowing the company to acquire properties inexpensively. Joint venture partners earn an interest in the projects by funding a portion of higher-risk drilling and exploration, allowing Transition to conserve capital and minimize shareholder's equity dilution. The company has a portfolio that currently includes gold, copper, nickel and platinum projects primarily in Ontario, Nunavut and Saskatchewan.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Information

Except for statements of historical fact contained herein, the information in this news release constitutes "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities law. Such forward-looking information may be identified by words such as "plans", "proposes", "estimates", "intends", "expects", "believes", "may", "will" and include without limitation, statements regarding estimated capital and operating costs, expected production timeline, benefits of updated development plans, foreign exchange assumptions and regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate; actual results and future events could differ materially from such statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, among others, metal prices, competition, risks inherent in the mining industry, and regulatory risks. Most of these factors are outside the control of the Company. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking information. Except as otherwise required by applicable securities statutes or regulation, the Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Further information is available at www.transitionmetalscorp.com or www.canadiangoldminer.com

or by contacting:

Greg Collins

President and CEO

Canadian Gold Miner Corp.

Tel: (705) 669-0590

Scott McLean

President and CEO

Transition Metals Corp

Tel: (705) 669-1777

Figure 1. Lincoln Nipissing - Behold Zone Location Map





To view an enhanced version of Figure 1, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2766/42021_8482d7f6d4f8e8e4_003full.jpg

Figure 2. Behold Discovery Area and Targets





To view an enhanced version of Figure 2, please visit:

https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/2766/42021_8482d7f6d4f8e8e4_004full.jpgUpton Station briefly closed so MTA police could investigate the incident, spokeswoman Sandy Arnette wrote in an email. The man has not been identified.HOUSTON, TX / ACCESSWIRE / January 9, 2019 / Camber Energy, Inc. (NYSE American: CEI) based in Houston, Texas, a growth-oriented, independent oil and gas company engaged in the development of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids, announced today that its Interim Chief Executive Officer, Louis G. Schott, issued a letter to shareholders. The letter is set forth below:

To Our Shareholders:

The purpose of this letter is to provide a recap to the shareholders of Camber Energy, Inc. ("Camber" or the "Company") on behalf of its management. As we look back on the last eighteen months, we believe the Company has made significant strides. As of June 30, 2017, the Company was facing a major deficiency in cash, which was stifling its ability to operate its business, let alone grow. Additionally, the Company was out of compliance with its bank, International Bank of Commerce ("IBC"). Furthermore, the Company was attempting to massively reduce its general and administrative expenses. Finally, around the same time, the Company received a letter from NYSE American (the 'NYSE') stating that Camber was not in compliance with NYSE listing standards and that Camber would be de-listed unless remedial measures were taken. In short, the condition of the Company was bleak.

In order to move forward, the Company had to first evaluate whether survival was a possibility. With no protection against failure, the management team, which included the previous CEO, the current CFO and the current interim CEO (as an advisor), moved forward with a plan to continue cost reductions, complete the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, which at that time was already due, develop a plan to regain compliance with the NYSE and somehow maintain a standstill with IBC, which at any time could have taken adversarial steps against the Company and its assets, including foreclosing on such assets, which would have resulted in a liquidation of the Company.

Upon completion of the 2017 Form 10-K, our next step was to raise funds to begin the clean-up of Camber's legacy, existing and ongoing liabilities, with the goal of improving Camber's balance sheet as well as undertaking efforts to request extensions from IBC, with the ultimate goal of regaining compliance with IBC's loan covenants.

The terms of the Company's 2016 equity financing arrangement with a third-party investor (the "Investor"), which included the sale of Series C Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Series C Preferred Stock"), which financing was needed to provide the Company much needed capital to support its operations and pay outstanding liabilities, coupled with the sharp decline in the trading prices of the Company's common stock during 2017, resulted in substantial dilution to shareholders, which continues today. Due to the state of the Company and the trading prices of its stock, the Company had no equity alternatives that made financial sense in 2017, but was able to secure up to $16 million in financing from the Investor in connection with the sale of Series C Preferred Stock though its entry into an equity purchase agreement in October 2017.

With these funds in hand, the Company next began to attempt to clean up the balance sheet by paying down legacy liabilities and negotiating with IBC for extensions. Additionally, at that time, the Company submitted a formal plan to regain compliance with the NYSE, which was accepted and required the Company to regain compliance with the NYSE continued listing standards by no later than August of 2018 (which has since been extended as discussed below).

IBC Bank Debt

As the Company began 2018, it was still not in compliance with its loan with IBC. Additionally, the Company did not have cash flow to support interest or principal payments on the loan. To increase its asset value, as well as cash flow, the Company attempted a workover program on its Oklahoma operated assets and closed an acquisition in a different county in Oklahoma, producing from the same Hunton formation (the "Okemah Assets"), in early 2018.

While the workovers helped the Company, the overall value of the old Oklahoma assets appeared on the decline and management did not believe such assets would support reclaiming compliance with IBC. Additionally, while the Okemah assets appeared to have substantial potential, it was determined that these assets required time and funding to fully maximize their value.

As the Company completed its 2018 fiscal year (in March 2018), it was apparent that neither the reserves, nor the cash flows, would support the IBC debt or the Company's attempts to regain compliance with the NYSE stockholders' equity requirements. As a result, the Company had to undertake immediate action to remedy its ongoing defaults with IBC before IBC foreclosed on its assets. Since, Richard N. Azar II, Camber's CEO at the time, and Donnie Seay, then a member of Camber's Board of Directors, were both guarantors of the IBC debt, it was clear that the negotiations had to involve each of them. Therefore, Mr. Azar and Mr. Seay each resigned from their positions with the Company, and the Company pursued a transaction with those individuals and IBC. Following extensive discussions and negotiations, on June 25, 2018, Camber executed a non-binding letter of intent with a proposed buyer, affiliated with Mr. Azar and Mr. Seay, in connection with a contemplated exchange of a substantial portion of its assets in consideration for the buyer's assumption of all of Camber's debt with IBC.

Following further extensive negotiations and extensions, on September 26, 2018, Camber closed the above referenced transaction, pursuant to which the buyer, N&B Energy, LLC ("N&B"), assumed all of Camber's debt with IBC in exchange for all of the Company's assets located in Oklahoma. Camber retained its assets in Glasscock County and Hutchinson Counties, Texas, the assets the Company purchased in March of 2018, as well as a production payment and overriding royalty interest on the Okemah assets, and an overriding royalty interest on certain undeveloped leasehold interests. In summary, this transaction extinguished approximately $36.9 million of debt, significantly enhancing the Company's balance sheet and cash flow by eliminating the monthly debt service payments of $425,000 per month which were required by IBC.

Balance Sheet and Compliance with the NYSE American

As previously reported, in 2017, the Company received notice from the NYSE that the Company was not in compliance with Sections 1003(a)(i) through (iii) of the NYSE American Company Guide (the "Guide"). In order to maintain its listing on the NYSE, the NYSE had requested that the Company submit a plan of compliance addressing how the Company intended to regain compliance with Sections 1003(a)(i) through (iii) of the Guide by August 3, 2018. The plan was submitted timely and the NYSE previously granted the Company until August 3, 2018, which date was subsequently extended until December 15, 2018, prior to being extended further to February 3, 2019, to regain compliance with the continued listing standards of the Guide. Specifically, pursuant to Sections 1003(a)(i) through (iii) of the Guide, the Company is required to have at least $6 million of stockholders' equity as of February 3, 2019 to regain compliance with the NYSE continued listing standards.

Considering the Company had started the year with substantial negative stockholders' equity and had a $28 million stockholders' deficit at the end of the 2nd calendar quarter of 2018, the Company was in an extremely precarious position. Nevertheless, closing the N&B transaction extinguished the bank debt and with completed equity sales, the Company was able to increase its stockholders' equity to $2 million by the end of the third calendar quarter of 2018. Although this $30 million gain in stockholders' equity was incredible, the Company had still not reached its goal.

With less than a quarter to go before the NYSE's August 2018 deadline, the Company needed to increase its stockholders' equity by another $4 million. Over the first 75 days of the quarter, the Company increased its stockholders' equity through the conversion, by the Investor, of a $495,000 outstanding convertible debenture into shares of common stock on October 31, 2018 and the sale of an additional $3.5 million of Series C Preferred Stock on October 29, 2018 and $2.5 million of Series C Preferred Stock on December 3, 2018, to the Investor. The result of these transactions was that the Company had unaudited pro forma stockholders' equity, as of December 4, 2018, of approximately $8 million, which exceeds the $6 million minimum amount of stockholders' equity required by the NYSE for the Company to maintain the continued listing of its common stock on the NYSE. While there are no guarantees, we anticipate having to wait until the end of the plan period (as extended), in order to receive formal approval by the NYSE American of our re-compliance with the applicable continued listing standards, assuming that we continue to maintain stockholders' equity over $6 million through the end of such compliance period.

The December 24, 2018 Reverse Split

Because Camber's stock price unexpectedly dropped below $0.10 per share during the week beginning December 17, 2018, the Board of Directors believed they were forced to take immediate action to avoid Camber's common stock trading below $0.06 per share, which typically triggers immediate delisting by the NYSE. In connection therewith, the Board of Directors approved on December 19, 2018, effective as of December 24, 2018, a 1-for-25 reverse stock split, under applicable Nevada law (Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Section 78.207 ), proportionally adjusting both the Company's (a) authorized shares of common stock; and (b) issued and outstanding shares of common stock. The effect of the reverse split was only to divide Camber's issued and outstanding common stock by 25 and to simultaneously divide Camber's authorized common stock by 25, the result of which (other than minimal changes due to rounding), was a purely mechanical change (in a ratio of 1-for-25) to our stock price (which was adjusted upward by a factor of 25 at the open of trading), and issued and outstanding shares of common stock. While this was not the ideal moment for the split, the risk of an automatic delisting from the NYSE if the stock had dropped below $0.06 per share was too great. The Board of Directors believes that taking action without approval of the shareholders (as was allowed under Nevada law) to affect the reverse was borne out by the fact that the Company's common stock actually traded as low as $0.07 per share at one point between the date the reverse was announced and effective.

Proxy Statement

On January 9, 2019, we filed a definitive proxy statement in connection with the Company's 2019 annual meeting of shareholders to be held on February 19, 2019. The proxy statement requested shareholder approval for, among other things, the amendment to our Articles of Incorporation to increase the number of our authorized but unissued shares of common stock (from 20 million shares following the reverse split described above, to 250 million) to provide sufficient available room for future transactions and issuances (as described in the proxy statement we currently have more shares reserved for future issuance than are available when taking into account our current number of shares of authorized common stock); to increase the number of shares available under our 2014 Stock Incentive Plan from 1,600 shares to 2.5 million shares (10% of the authorized shares following the proposed increase described above), to provide sufficient shares to incentive our management and employees); the approval of the issuance of more than 19.99% of our shares of common stock, as is required under NYSE rules, in connection with both of our prior 2018 funding agreements with the Investor (which approval is a required term and condition of such funding agreements and a closing condition to us receiving any further funding under the November 2018 agreement); and approval for a further reverse stock split, in the discretion of our Board of Directors, of between 1-for-5 and 1-for-25, at any time prior to the earlier of one year after the meeting and the date of the 2020 annual meeting. The reverse stock split approval is currently only being sought in order for our Board of Directors to implement a further reverse stock split, if one is necessary to maintain the listing of our common stock on the NYSE or in the event a transaction requires us to increase the trading value of our common stock, or the number of shares of common stock available for future issuance. Shareholder approval is being sought in advance of the need for another reverse stock split to avoid the time and expense associated with the calling of another shareholders' meeting in the future, in the event a reverse stock split is deemed necessary or warranted by the Board of Directors. At this time the Board of Directors has no intention to implement a further reverse stock split, even if approved by the shareholders at the annual meeting.

Conclusion

Overall, the Company accomplished several major milestones in 2018. Extinguishing the bank debt, cleaning up the balance sheet, and hopefully becoming fully compliant with the NYSE are all major steps towards the future.

As we move into calendar 2019, the Company continues to seek out both large and small acquisitions as well as merger opportunities with the goal of increasing shareholder value.

The Board of Directors and the Executive Management Team want to thank our loyal shareholders for their continued encouragement, and want to share our excitement about this year and the Company's future.

Best regards,

/s/ Louis G. Schott

Interim Chief Executive Officer

About Camber Energy, Inc.

Based in Houston, Texas, Camber Energy (NYSE American: CEI) is a growth-oriented, independent oil and gas company engaged in the development of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids in the Texas Panhandle as well as other basins. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.camber.energy.

Safe Harbor Statement and Disclaimer

This release includes 'forward-looking statements' within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements give our current expectations, opinion, belief or forecasts of future events and performance. A statement identified by the use of forward-looking words including 'will,' 'may,' 'expects,' 'projects,' 'anticipates,' 'plans,' 'believes,' 'estimate,' 'should,' and certain of the other foregoing statements may be deemed forward-looking statements. Although Camber believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual future activities and results to be materially different from those suggested or described in this news release. These include risks inherent in natural gas and oil drilling and production activities, including risks of fire, explosion, blowouts, pipe failure, casing collapse, unusual or unexpected formation pressures, environmental hazards, and other operating and production risks, which may temporarily or permanently reduce production or cause initial production or test results to not be indicative of future well performance or delay the timing of sales or completion of drilling operations; delays in receipt of drilling permits; risks with respect to natural gas and oil prices, a material decline which could cause Camber to delay or suspend planned drilling operations or reduce production levels; risks relating to the availability of capital to fund drilling operations that can be adversely affected by adverse drilling results, production declines and declines in natural gas and oil prices; risks relating to unexpected adverse developments in the status of properties; risks relating to the absence or delay in receipt of government approvals or third party consents; risks relating to funding we may never receive pursuant to the November 2018 Stock Purchase Agreement; risks relating to extensions and approvals provided by the NYSE American and other risks described in Camber's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and other filings with the SEC, available at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Investors are cautioned that any forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof. The Company takes no obligation to update or correct its own forward-looking statements, except as required by law, or those prepared by third parties that are not paid for by the Company. The Company's SEC filings are available at http://www.sec.gov.

SOURCE: Camber Energy, Inc.

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/532169/Camber-Energy-Incs-CEO-Issues-Letter-to-ShareholdersSAN FRANCISCO, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

The global furniture market size is expected to reach USD 718.3 billion by 2025, according to a study conducted by Grand View Research, Inc. It is projected to expand at a CAGR of 5.1% over the forecast period. High demand for branded home furniture coupled with rising spending capacity of consumers on home decor products are some of the driving factors for the growth of this market. Additionally, government initiatives to provide housing for all is also expected to positively impact the growth. For instance, since the last few years, Germany has witnessed immigration of various refugees and migrants resulting in rising demand for housing or shelter. Owing to this, the government of Germany is encouraging public and private developers to build new rental flats to solve the issues like shortage of affordable housing, resulting in a supplementary demand for furniture products.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/661327/Grand_View_Research_Logo.jpg )

The commercial segment includes hotels, offices, and other public buildings. It held a market share of more than 30.0% in 2017 and is anticipated to register substantial CAGR over the forecast period. This growth is attributed to extensive industrialization due to expanding development of corporate offices and hotels. For example, India is one of the key countries witnessing an extensive establishment of IT parks.

Furthermore, increasing job opportunities and employment across the globe creates a need for additional office spaces, which subsequently fuels demand for office furniture. This is also a prominent factor expected to bolster growth of the furniture market. Companies are adopting innovative furniture to enhance workforce productivity and to inculcate creativity in workspace. For instance, in March 2017, Microsoft Corporation announced its collaboration with Steelcase. Steelcase offers a diverse range of architecture, furniture, and other technology products. This collaboration was intended to introduce creative and modern furniture in the work space with a view to boost productivity and creative thinking.

Additionally, growing global population has led to a requirement for an increase in the number of schools, colleges, and other educational institutions, resulting in rapid infrastructural growth. The growing demand for furniture from the hospitality industry is also a key factor boosting growth of the commercial segment. Furthermore, rising requirement for furniture from restaurants, coffee shops, and bars, among others is expected to accelerate market growth. Increasing global competition, high cost of raw material processing and labor, and ageing workforce are some of the key challenges likely to hinder market growth.

The residential segment in North America is expected to expand at the highest CAGR over the forecast period owing to the presence of key players offering luxurious interior design products. Consumer inclination towards purchasing luxury furniture can further drive the regional demand. Additionally, increasing adoption of modern furniture and the growing popularity of online distribution channels that offer convenience and time-saving during furniture purchase are anticipated to fuel growth. Furthermore, growing demand for multi-functional products, in addition to the rising awareness about environmental concerns and the use of eco-friendly products are anticipated to gain prominence in U.S.

Middle East is expected to witness significant growth over the forecast period owing to boosming commercial and industrial sectors. The government of Kuwait has invested substantial amount of capital in the construction of public hospitals and other healthcare infrastructure. Additionally, increasing investments from private and public sectors aimed at expansion of commercial and residential construction projects in the country is another factor contributing to market growth.

Browse full research report with TOC on "Furniture Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Material (Metal, Wood, Plastic, Glass), By End Use (Residential, Commercial), By Region (North America, Europe, APAC, MEA), And Segment Forecasts, 2018 - 2025"at:https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/furniture-market

Further Key Findings From the Report Suggest:

In 2017, the wood furniture segment accounted for more than 30% market share in terms of revenue attributed to usage of wood in combination with other materials for the production of different furniture products. For instance, objects classified as metals also use wooden components or wood in furniture fittings.

Middle Eastern and African is also anticipated to witness substantial growth over the forecast period accredited to growing residential and commercial construction industry

The furniture market is highly fragmented and has an array of players across different regions holding varied market shares. Major players include Herman Miller , Inc.; Kimball International; HNI Corporation; and KOKUYO

, Inc.; Kimball International; HNI Corporation; and KOKUYO These players engage in partnerships and collaborations with a view to expand their market presence. For instance, in June 2018 , HNI Corporation announced partnership with Nowy Styl Group, a Europe -based manufacturer of office furniture and chairs. As a result of this partnership, both companies expect to establish a homogenous support and service network to ensure consistency in client services and solutions.

Connect with our analyst for more details about this market

Browse related reports by Grand View Research:

Earthmoving Equipment Market - The global earthmoving equipment market size was estimated at USD 98.43 billion in 2014.

Portable Oil-Free Air Compressor Market - The gobal portable oil-free air compressor market exceeded USD 6.0 billion in 2014.

Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) Market - The horizontal directional drilling market size was estimated at USD 5.12 billion in 2014.

Cryogenic Equipment Market - The global cryogenic equipment market is expected to reach USD 25.05 billion by 2022.

Grand View Research has segmented the global furniture market based on material, end use, and region:

Furniture Material Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) Metal Wood Plastic Glass Others

Furniture End-Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) Residential Kitchen & Dining Living Room Bedroom Outdoor Others Commercial Office Hotels Others

Furniture Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Billion, 2014 - 2025) North America U.S. Canada Europe U.K. Germany France Italy Asia Pacific China India Japan Singapore Malaysia Latin America Brazil Mexico Middle East & Africa



Explore the BI enabled intuitive market research database,Grand View Compass, by Grand View Research, Inc.

About Grand View Research

Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare.

Contact:

Sherry James

Corporate Sales Specialist, USA

Grand View Research, Inc.

Phone: +1-415-349-0058

Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519

Email: sales@grandviewresearch.com



Web: https://www.grandviewresearch.comDETROIT, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Stratview Research announces the launch of a new research report on Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) Market by Pipe Diameter Type (<1 Foot, 1-2.5 Feet, 2.5-5.0 Feet, and >5.0 Feet), by Resin Type (Polyester, Vinyl Ester and Epoxy), by Fabric Type (Polyester, Glass, and Other Fabrics), by Cure Type (Hot Water, Steam and UV Cure), by Weaving Type (Woven, Nonwoven, and Others), by Coating Type (Polypropylene, Polyethylene, Polyurethane, Non-Coated, and Other Coatings), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2018-2023.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/660595/Stratview_Research_Logo.jpg )



This 336-page market report, from Stratview Research, studies the global cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) market over the trend period of 2012 to 2027 and forecast period of 2018 to 2023. The report provides detailed insights on the market dynamics to enable informed business decision making and growth strategy formulation based on the opportunities present in the market.

Cured-in-Place Pipe(CIPP) Market: Highlights

There are various trenchless techniques available for the rehabilitation of damaged pipelines, such as CIPP and slip lining, among which CIPP is gaining popularity, owing to its numerous benefits over the competing ones. It is suitable for the rehabilitation of pipelines with a wide range of diameter as well as applications including sewer, potable water, and stormwater. It gives a new life to the damaged pipelines. As per a study, about 49% of the respondents cited that CIPP is by far the most preferred trenchless method. CIPP liner manufacturing must be compliant under various standards governed by ASTM and must follow the emission norms of regulatory bodies, such as OSHA regulation.

As per Stratview Research, the global Cured-In-Place Pipe (CIPP) market offers healthy growth opportunities and is likely to reach US$ 2,615.4 million in 2023. Aging potable and sewage water structure, increasing spending by municipalities and utilities on rehabilitation, increasing awareness about the benefits of trenchless techniques, and high performance of CIPP over competing technologies are major growth drivers of the global CIPP market.

<1 foot is projected to remain the growth engine of the global CIPP market during the forecast period. Small diameter pipes require less funding and are easy to install as compared to large diameter pipes. This has resulted in a huge installed base of small diameter pipes. 8" diameter pipe is a standard and has been one of the largest used pipelines across the world.

Register Here for a Free Sample of the 336 Pages Exhaustive Report

Based on the resin type, polyester resin-based CIPP is expected to remain the largest segment of the market during the forecast period. Polyester resin impregnates liner materials well and can be cured even when ambient temperatures drops to near or below freezing. However, vinyl ester resin-based CIPP is likely to witness the highest growth over the next five years, owing to its caustic and high-temperature material resistance properties. It offers inherently better impact resistance and is stronger than the polyester resin-based CIPP construction.

Based on the fabric type, polyester fabric-based CIPP is projected to remain the largest segment of the market during the forecast period. Polyester fabric exceeds the desired tensile strength and meets the ASTM D461 standard at a very competitive price compared to other fabrics. Glass fabric is likely to remain the second largest but fastest-growing fabric type and is the preferred choice for CIPP where curing is done through UV.

Click Here to Browse the Table of Contents of the Report

In terms of region, North America is expected to remain the largest CIPP market during the forecast period as the region has most of the pipelines installed post world war II which are at retirement age and need rehabilitation. Asia-Pacific is likely to remain the fastest-growing market during the forecast period. Various emerging countries in the region, such as China, have currently been practicing other technologies for the rehabilitation of pipelines but they have now started implementing CIPP at a faster rate.

The global market for CIPP is moderately consolidated with the presence of more than 100 players. The supply chain of this market comprises raw material suppliers, tube manufacturers, CIPP liner manufacturers, resin impregnators, CIPP installers, municipalities, and utilities. The key CIPP manufacturers are Insituform Technologies Inc., Layne Inliner LLC, iMPREG GmbH, Inland Pipe Rehabilitation, Reline Europe AG, Saertex multiCom GmbH, Ashimori Industry Co. Ltd., and Norditube Technologies SE. Developing thinner, stronger and eco-friendly liners, mergers & acquisitions, and forming long-term contracts with installers and utilities are the key strategies adopted by the major players to gain a competitive edge in the market.

Report Features

This report provides market intelligence in the most comprehensive way. The report structure has been kept such that it offers maximum business value. It provides critical insights on the market dynamics and will enable strategic decision making for the existing market players as well as those willing to enter the market. The following are the key features of the report:

Market structure: Overview, industry life cycle analysis, supply chain analysis.

Market environment analysis: Growth drivers and constraints, Porter's five forces analysis, SWOT analysis.

Market trend and forecast analysis.

Market segment trend and forecast.

Competitive landscape and dynamics: Market share, product portfolio, product launches, etc.

Attractive market segments and associated growth opportunities.

Emerging trends.

Strategic growth opportunities for the existing and new players.

Key success factors.

This report studies the global CIPP market and has segmented the market in seven ways, keeping in mind the interest of all the stakeholders across the value chain. Following are the seven ways in which the market is segmented:

Cured-In-Place Pipe Market by Pipe Diameter Type:

<1 Foot (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

1 to 2.5 Feet (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

2.5 to 5.0 Feet (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

>5.0 Feet (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Cured-In-Place Pipe Market by Resin Type:

Epoxy Resin (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Polyester Resin (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Vinyl Ester Resin (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Cured-In-Place Pipe Market by Fabric Type:

Polyester Fabric (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Glass Fiber Fabric (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Carbon Fiber Fabric (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Cured-In-Place Pipe Market by Cure Type:

Hot Water (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Steam (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

UV Cure (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Cured-In-Place Pipe Market by Weaving Type:

Woven (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Non-Woven (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Others (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Cured-In-Place Pipe Market by Coating Type:

Polypropylene Coated (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Polyethylene Coated (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Polyurethane Coated (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Non-Coated (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Other Coated (Regional Analysis: North America , Europe , Asia-Pacific , and RoW)

Cured-In-Place Pipe Market by Region:

North America (Country Analysis: USA , Canada , and Mexico )

Europe (Country Analysis: Germany , UK, Spain , France , and Rest of Europe )

Asia-Pacific (Country Analysis: Japan , Australia , Singapore , China and Rest of Asia-Pacific )

Rest of the world (Country Analysis: Latin America , Middle East , and Others)

Stratview Research has several high value market reports in the chemicals and materials industry. Please refer to the following link to browse through our reports:

Click Here for Other Reports from Stratview Research in the Chemicals & Materials Industry

Related premium market reports in the advanced materials industryare:

Below-Grade Waterproofing Marketby Material Type (Polymers, Bitumen, Bentonite, Rubberized Asphalt, and Others), by Membrane Type (Sheet-based and Liquid-coated), by Position Type (Positive side, Blind side and Negative side), by Application Type (Fluid-Applied, Fully Bonded, Self-Adhered, and Loose-Laid), by End-User Type (Commercial Building, Residential Building and Public Infrastructure), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2018-2023

Spoolable Pipe Marketby Reinforcement Type (Fiber Reinforcement and Steel Reinforcement), by Product Type (Spoolable Composite Pipe and Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipe), by Application Type (Onshore, Offshore, Downhole, Water, and Others), by Diameter Type (Small Diameter and Large Diameter), by User Type (Operator, EPC Contractor, Drilling Contractor, and Others), by Sales Channel Type (Direct Sales and Distributors), and by Region (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World), Trend, Forecast, Competitive Analysis, and Growth Opportunity: 2018-2023

About Stratview Research

Stratview Research is a global market intelligence firm providing wide range of services including syndicated market reports, custom research and sourcing intelligence across industries, such as Advanced Materials, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive & Mass Transportation, Consumer Goods, Construction & Equipment, Electronics and Semiconductors, Energy & Utility, Healthcare & Life Sciences, and Oil & Gas.

We have a strong team of industry veterans and analysts with an extensive experience in executing custom research projects for mid-sized to Fortune 500 companies, in the areas of Market Assessment, Opportunity Screening, Competitive Intelligence, Due Diligence, Target Screening, Market Entry Strategy, Go to Market Strategy, and Voice of Customer studies.

Stratview Research is a trusted brand globally, providing high quality research and strategic insights that help companies worldwide in effective decision making.



For enquiries,

Contact:

Stratview Research

E-mail: sales@stratviewresearch.com

Phone: +1-313-307-4176

ALBANY, New York, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

The global automotive coatings market was valued at US$ 19.53 Bn in 2017 and is anticipated to expand at a CAGR of 6.28% from 2018 to 2026, according to a new report titled 'Automotive Coatings Market: Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast, 2018-2026,' published by Transparency Market Research (TMR). The global automotive coatings market is driven by the rise in demand for these coatings in the automotive OEM segment. Asia Pacific accounts for major share of the global automotive coatings market, led by the increase in automotive production in the region.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/664869/Transparency_Market_Research_Logo.jpg )



Increase in Automobile Production, Especially in Asia Pacific, to Boost Automotive Coatings Market

Rise in urbanization and increase in purchasing power are boosting the demand for automobiles. New vehicle sales and number of on-road vehicles are increasing in regions such as Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. This is propelling the demand for automotive coatings in these regions. Asia Pacific has become a hub for automotive manufacturing. India, China, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, and Indonesia are some of the major countries in the global automobile production landscape. China is the leading producer of automobiles in the world. Production of automobile in India is increasing at a rapid pace. These factors are projected to drive the demand for automotive coatings in Asia Pacific during the forecast period.

Request a Sample of Global Automotive Coatings Market:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=3568

Rise in Consumer Preference for Esthetically Appealing Vehicles

Esthetic appeal, scratch resistance, and durable finish are some of the features of automotive coatings that are influencing vehicle-buying decision of consumers. Buyers are increasingly looking for colors and textures that enhance the esthetic appeal of vehicles. These developments have put clear coat in focus. Clear coat is an exterior coat applied on the automotive body. Rise in disposable income of consumers and increase in GDP of developing countries such as India and China are factors augmenting the automotive coatings market.

Strict Norms Regarding VOC Emissions, Especially in Europe, Hampering Market

Solvent-borne automotive coatings are formulated by using a solvent and base resin. Upon application of this coating, the solvent material evaporates. Solvents contain significant amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are toxic and responsible for formation of ozone. Ozone at the ground level is a pollutant and can cause breathing issues. The use of solvent-based automotive coatings leads to deterioration of air quality. Its long-term harmful effects on human health are leading to implementation of strict norms on the usage of solvent-based coatings. Agencies and associations in the U.S. and Europe such as the EPA (Environment Protection Agency) and REACH (Registration Evaluation Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) have enacted stringent rules pertaining to VOC emissions. An apparent shift from solvent-based to water-based coatings has taken place in Europe and North America.

Request For Multiple Chapters:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=MC&rep_id=3568

Polyurethane Segment to Dominate Global Automotive Coatings Market

Based on product type, the global automotive coatings market has been segmented into polyurethane, epoxy, acrylic, and others. Polyurethane is the dominant segment of the automotive coatings market, as it provides resistance against corrosion and abrasion. Coatings made from polyurethane are extensively used in automotive clear coats due to their shiny appearance. They can be applied as water-borne and solvent-borne formulations. Thus, the polyurethane segment is estimated to maintain its dominance in the market during the forecast period. The acrylic segment is projected to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period. Acrylic automotive coatings are water based and contain lower amounts of VOCs. This is expected to drive the acrylic segment during the forecast period.

Water-borne Segment to Lead in Terms of Demand

In terms of technology, the global automotive coatings market can be divided into solvent-borne, water-borne, powder, and UV-cured. The solvent-borne segment accounts for major share of the market. However, demand for solvent-borne coatings is gradually decreasing, due to presence of VOCs in these coatings. The water-borne segment is estimated to expand at a rapid pace owing to its low VOC content and environment friendly nature. Powder and UV-cured segments are also anticipated to expand at a rapid pace during the forecast period due to their excellent chemical resistance and high speed of curing.

Request For Discount On This Report:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=D&rep_id=3568

Clear Coat Segment to be Dominate Global Automotive Coatings Market

Based on coat, the global automotive coatings market can be classified into e-coat, primer, basecoat, and clear coat. These are applied in the same order on automotive surfaces. Clear coat is likely to be the dominant segment in the near future. However, the basecoat segment is anticipated to lead in terms of demand during the forecast period.

Automotive OEM Application Segment to Lead Global Automotive Coatings Market

In terms of application, the global automotive coatings market can be bifurcated into automotive OEM and automotive refinish. Automotive OEM was the leading application segment in 2017. It is estimated to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. This can be ascribed to the growth in the global automotive industry. The automotive refinish segment constituted key share of the global automotive coatings market. Rise in incidence of accidents and increase in preference of esthetically appealing cars are boosting the automotive refinish segment.

Asia Pacific Dominates Global Automotive Coatings Market

Based on region, the global automotive coatings market can be split into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa, and Latin America. In terms of value and volume, Asia Pacific was the leading region of the global automotive coatings market in 2017. The region is estimated to maintain its dominance during the forecast period. In terms of consumption, North America and Europe follow Asia Pacific. However, the market in North America and Europe is anticipated to expand at a sluggish pace due to the implementation of stringent regulations on VOC emissions in the regions. Demand for automotive coatings is projected to rise significantly in Middle East & Africa and Latin America in the near future. In terms of demand, these regions accounted for small share of the global automotive coatings market in 2017. However, they are projected to create lucrative opportunities for automotive coatings manufacturers in the next few years.

Browse Press Release:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/pressrelease/automotive-coatings-market.htm

High Degree of Competition among Market Players

The market is dominated by large players. Presence of large numbers of small- and medium-sized players makes the market highly competitive. Key players operating in the market are BASF SE, Axalta Coatings, PPG Industries, Valspar Corporation, The Sherwin-Williams Company, Akzo Nobel NV, Nippon Paint Holdings, KCC Corporation, and Jotun.

Global Automotive Coatings Market, by Product Type

Polyurethane

Epoxy

Acrylic

Others (including Melamine, Saturated Polyester Resin, and Alkyds)

Global Automotive Coatings Market, by Technology

Solvent-borne

Water-borne

Powder

UV-cured

Global Automotive Coatings Market, by Coat

Clear Coat

Basecoat

Primer

E-coat

Global Automotive Coatings Market, by Application

Automotive OEM

Automotive Refinish

BrowseChemical and Materials Market Research Reports

Popular Research Reports by TMR:

Automotive Refinish Coatings Market (Process - Primer, Base Coat, Clear Coat, Activator, Filler; Technology - Solvent-borne, Water-borne): https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/automotive-refinish-coatings-market-2018-2026.html



Thermal Barrier Coatings Market: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/thermal-barrier-coatings-market.html



High-performance Anti-corrosion Coatings Market:https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/high-performance-anticorrosion-coatings-market.html

About Us

Transparency Market Research is a global market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Our experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information.

Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.

Contact

Mr. Rohit Bhisey

Transparency Market Research

State Tower,

90 State Street,

Suite 700,

Albany NY - 12207

United States

Tel: +1-518-618-1030

USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453

Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.com



Website: https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com

Research Blog: https://tmrblog.com/

SAN FRANCISCO, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

The global Dental Floss Market is set to witness a higher CAGR of 5.3% by 2022. Flossing is a vital part of tooth-cleaning process since it removes plaque between the teeth. Periodontal disease often begins here. The disease is prevalent mainly in the middle and low- income group countries and largely differs from social and genetic factors. Therefore, the prevention of this disease has mainly become a subject of improved healthcare and economic benefit to the society and individual as a whole. The dental floss market is highly driven by rise in dental care, patient awareness and availability of medical technology. Use of advanced devices and equipment for dental surgery and flossing is likely to propel the market growth in the forecast period. Dental flossing is gaining much traction due to patient inclination towards preventive healthcare diagnosis. The market is also stimulated by consumer demand for dental care products such as denture care, whitening strips and mouthwash. Product segmentation for dental floss market includes unwaxed floss and waxed floss. Waxed floss is a leading segment due to consumer demand and spending capacity.

Geographical segmentation for dental floss market include North America, South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa. Asia-Pacific regions account for a significant market share in the forecast period. Factors such as enhanced medical infrastructure, availability of specialists and consumer demand is likely to propel the market growth during the forecast period. North American and European markets are likely to grow at a significant pace due to availability of specialized dental surgeon and increase in demand for dental flossing. Inclination towards preventive oral healthcare measures and rise in consumer awareness is driving the dental floss market during the forecast period. The key players in the dental floss market include Colagte-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble, Sunstar Suisse, Dr. Fresh, DenTek, Lion, Water Pik, Shantou Sanjiao and Perect. The report segments the market and forecasts its size, by volume and value, on the basis of product type (Waxed flosses, Unwaxed floss, etc.), and by geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, MEA and South America).

Access 84 page research report with TOC on "Dental Floss Market" available with Radiant Insights, Inc. @https://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-dental-floss-market-outlook-2017-2022

The report covers forecast and analysis for the dental floss market on a global and regional level. The study provides historic data of 2012-2016 along with a forecast from 2017 to 2022 based on both output/volume and revenue. The study then describes the drivers and restraints for the dental floss market along with the impact they have on the demand over the forecast period. Additionally, the report includes the study of opportunities available in the dental floss market on a global level. The report has been prepared based on the synthesis, analysis, and interpretation of information about the global dental floss market collected from specialized sources. The competitive landscape section of the report provides a clear insight into the market share analysis of key industry players. Company overview, financial overview, product portfolio, new project launched, recent development analysis are the parameters included in the profile. Demand for this market rises both from the Waxed flosses and Unwaxed floss segment. All the segments have been analyzed based on present and future trends and the market is estimated from 2017 to 2022. Relevantly, the report and company profiles specify the key drivers that are impacting the demand in global dental floss market.

Key Product Types : Waxed flosses Unwaxed floss



Key Regions : North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East and Africa South America



Key Vendors : Procter & Gamble Colgate-Palmolive Johnson & Johnson Sunstar Suisse Dr. Fresh DenTek Lion Water Pik Shantou Sanjiao Perect request free sample to get a complete list of companies



Key Questions Answered in this Report : What will the market size be in 2022? What are the key factors driving the global dental floss market? What are the challenges to market growth? Who are the key players in the dental floss market? What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key players?



Browse reports of similar category available with Radiant Insights, Inc.:

Optical Brighte n ers Market



Organic Personal Care Ingredients Market



Morocco Cosmetics Market



Beauty and Personal Care Products Market

About Radiant Insights, Inc.:

At Radiant Insights, we work with the aim to reach the highest levels of customer satisfaction. Our representatives strive to understand diverse client requirements and cater to the same with the most innovative and functional solutions.

Contact:

Michelle Thoras.

Corporate Sales Specialist

Radiant Insights, Inc.

Phone: +1-415-349-0054

Toll Free: 1-888-928-9744

Email: sales@radiantinsights.com



Web: https://www.radiantinsights.com

Blog: http://www.radiantinsightsinc.blogspot.com/

Decines, 7 January 2019



OL Groupe has terminated the liquidity contract it had until now and has signed a new liquidity contract with Kepler Cheuvreux.

Termination of existing liquidity contract

The liquidity contract signed with Exane BNP Paribas on 15 February 2008 was terminated as of 31 December 2018. On the date the liquidity contract was signed, the following resources had been allocated to the liquidity account:

- cash: 12,273.14 euros

- shares: 73,500

As of the date the contract was cancelled, the liquidity account contained the following resources:

- cash: 190,384.17 euros

- shares: 294,516

Signature of new liquidity contract

OL Groupe has entered into a new liquidity contract with Kepler Cheuvreux as liquidity provider in respect of its ordinary shares (ISIN code: FR0010428771) admitted to trading on Euronext Paris, with effect from 2 January 2019 for a 12-month term, automatically renewable by tacit agreement. The liquidity contract complies with the decision n 2018-01 of 2 July 2018 introducing liquidity agreements on equity securities as permitted market practice.

The following resources have been allocated to the liquidity account for the purpose of implementing this liquidity contract:

- cash: 190,384.17 euros.

- shares: 294,516



OL Groupe

Tel: +33 (0)4 81 07 55 00

Fax: +33 (0)4 81 07 45 65

Email: investisseurs@ol.fr

www.ol.fr



Euronext Paris - Segment B

Indices: CAC Small, CAC Mid & Small, CAC All-Tradable, CAC Allshares, CAC Consumer Services

CAC Travel & Leisure

ISIN code: FR0010428771

Reuters: OLG.PA

Bloomberg: OLG FP

ICB: 5755 Recreational services



------------------------



 Copyright Actusnews Wire

Receive by email the next press releases of the company by registering on www.actusnews.com, it's free

Full and original release in PDF format:https://www.actusnews.com/documents_communiques/ACTUS-0-56618-olg-070119-tranfert-contrat-de-liquidite-gb.pdfNew year, new Mapp

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Mapp unveiled their new brand last week. With striking new colors, bold taglines, and a rebellious sheep as their mascot, Mapp has repositioned themselves as a rad digital marketing platform for companies that want to break away from the pack.

"We are taking a bold stance and telling marketers that they need to break away from the pack with respect to marketing technology. Blindly following the crowd when making a marketing technology decision is a mistake, as you might end up with a huge, overpriced marketing cloud or multiple point solutions that need to be hacked together. Mapp helps mid-enterprise marketers build cross-channel campaigns for acquisition and engagement - without costing a fortune," said Steve Warren, CEO of Mapp.

With Mapp's flagship product, Mapp Cloud, marketers can then "break away" from their competition by running smarter campaigns that draw from unified customer data - from one simple platform. In 2018, Mapp transformed their data architecture into a customer data platform (CDP) to enable data-driven marketing.

In addition to supporting consumer brands, Mapp has also identified the need for an agency-friendly email marketing solution amongst agencies and consulting firms with multiple clients. As a result, Mapp relaunched its BlueHornet eMS product as Mapp Empower. Mapp Empower, which boasts white-label, multi-tenant capabilities and self-service deployment, will become the top choice for Mapp partners going forward. Current eMS customers, both brands and agencies, will benefit from newly-invested innovation in 2019, as well as the continued service for this platform. For resellers, their opportunities to partner with Mapp are expanding to include Mapp Acquire, Mapp Engage, and Mapp Empower.

The company's new market positioning and product relaunch represent Mapp's continued commitment to delivering technology that meets the evolving needs of marketers in 2019 and beyond.

To check out Mapp's edgy new brand, visit www.mapp.com or join Mapp's webinar on January 29, 2019, with a leading research firm, to learn more about Mapp's approach to align with the current MarTech landscape.

About Mapp:

Mapp helps companies break away from the pack - without breaking the bank. Mapp Cloud is a badass digital marketing platform that combines customer acquisition and engagement into one simple platform, with built-in, cross-channel capabilities. Underlying Mapp Cloud is Mapp's native customer data platform (CDP) that enables campaigns to draw from real-time, unified customer data, so marketers can be one step ahead of their customer. Mapp also offers an email marketing platform, Mapp Empower, designed for digital agencies.

Mapp is headquartered in San Diego with global offices in eight countries. They help more than 3,000 companies market smarter and achieve maximum return from their digital marketing efforts. Mapp customers include Puma, Xerox, PepsiCo, Quantas, Infinity, and Lloyds Banking Group.

Contact:

Christine Paulson

Senior Director, Marketing

Christine.paulson@mapp.com

Video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M42KQ-K5058

Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/429224/Mapp_Digital_Logo.jpgVIKMANSHYTTAN, Sweden, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Leading global brand retains top spot

CTEK, a leading global brand in the care and maintenance of vehicle batteries, is pleased to announce that their CT5 TIME TO GO charger, has been awarded the Autobild 'Highly Recommended' award, following a comparative product test undertaken by independent testing organisation GTU. The CT5 TIME TO GO beat off competition from brands including Noco, Gys & Bosch, to ensure that CTEK once again retained its 'TESTsieger' crown.



(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/804256/CTEK_CT5_TIME_TO_GO.jpg )





(Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/804255/Christian_Fritz.jpg )



The test compared 14 different chargers and involved many different test stages. Quality of charge and charge retention, charger functionality, chargeability of deeply discharged batteries and build quality, were just some of the areas tested. Each test stage involved chargers being scored points and the charger with the most points overall was 'Highly Recommended.'

The CT5 TIME TO GO charger scored 448 out of a possible 500 points, winning the test. Scoring maximum in the electrical tests stage, where quality of charge & charge retention was tested, as well as adaptive charging for different battery chemistries, the CT5 TIME TO GO charger impressed testers with its ability to charge deeply discharged batteries, automatic battery detection and overall quality of battery charge.

"We continue to see new entries into this category and we are absolutely delighted to win this highly prestigious award once again. It's a reflection of our continuous commitment to bringing innovative, high quality, safe and reliable products to the market." - Christian Fritz, Sales Manager Germany

Fritz continued "We really understand the changing demands on today's vehicle batteries and the needs of our customers - they expect nothing but the best from our products. The award is testament not only to the unrivalled technology contained within our complete range of consumer chargers, but also to the safety and useability of the CT5 TIME TO GO charger that meets the needs of today's motorists."

The CTEK CT5 TIME TO GO charges, conditions and maintains all types of 12V lead-acid batteries including maintenance free types and all chemistries including Wet, Calcium, GEL, AGM and EFB - the last two types fitted to Start Stop vehicles. As with all CTEK products, the CT5 TIME TO GO is fully automatic, foolproof to connect, spark proof and reverse-polarity protected, for user safety and comes with a free 5 year manufacturers warranty.

Click here to see the full test results.

For more information or to find the nearest stockist, visit http://www.ctek.com.

ABOUT CTEK

CTEK SWEDEN AB is a leading global brand in the care and maintenance of vehicle batteries. CTEK's unparalleled knowledge, and continuous investment in innovation, means they push the boundaries of research and development to bring new and unique battery charging technologies to the market.

CTEK offers the market high-quality, reliable chargers and accessories that are effective, user friendly and, most importantly, safe (for the user, the vehicle electronics, the battery and the charger).

With products and solutions for 6, 12 & 24V lead-acid & lithium (LiFePO4) as well as Electrical Vehicle batteries, CTEK products are designed and tested to deliver maximum performance in a range of different situations.

CTEK sells over one million battery chargers each year across the globe and regularly tops independent battery charger competitive tests.

CTEK supplies chargers to the world's most recognized manufacturers including Audi, Bentley, BMW, Corvette, Ferrari, Jaguar, Maserati, McLaren, Mercedes, Porsche, and Rolls- Royce.

Press Enquiries

Katharine Parker

PR & External Communication Manager

Tel: +44-(0)7974-141266

E-mail: katharine.parker@ctek.comWerbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann.In his prepared statement, Walker said he is committed to navigating the red tape in the government process. Through spokeswoman Brandi Francis, the county executive said he valued the broad network that he has built during his time on the council and (as) the president of the Maryland Association of Counties.Frankfurt am Main (ots) -- EUR 1 billion of loan requests in 2018 - EUR 100 million of loans arranged for the German Mittelstand - Strong credit investor base allowing 100% funding of loans - creditshelf management expects growth momentum to continue in 2019 with further investments into technology allow even faster loan originationcreditshelf Aktiengesellschaft, a pioneer in the field of digital SME financing in Germany, has broken a new lending milestone: In 2018 alone, creditshelf has processed loan requests totalling EUR 1 billion. Since inception, the company has arranged more than EUR 100 million of loans to German SMEs helping them to grow their businesses and ultimately support more than 5,000 jobs in Germany.creditshelf is establishing itself more and more as a trusted partner to German SMEs increasing its footprint: For the full year 2018 the company has processed loan requests worth EUR 1 billion compared to EUR 450 million for the previous year continuing its strong multi-year growth trajectory. Also, the volume of arranged loans has hit a new record. "Having arranged EUR 100 million of loans to German SME is an important milestone in the history of creditshelf and we are very proud to support the Mittelstand, and the German economy", says creditshelf CEO Dr. Tim Thabe. "SME clients are increasingly turning to online channels when it comes to financing solutions due to efficiency and convenience. This shows that amongst other financing alternatives our product gains relative importance", he adds.Over the past years, creditshelf has built a strong base of professional and institutional credit investors backing the loans on its platform. These investors comprise of dedicated fund and asset managers, endowments, banks as well as cash rich corporates. "Being able to attract different types of investors and sources of capital is key as it has allowed us to fund a 100% of the loans we have presented on our platform", explains Dr. Daniel Bartsch, creditshelf COO and co-founder. Currently, creditshelf is negotiating with a number of additional key investors aiming to strengthen its funding base even further.With a view on 2019, creditshelf management is optimistic to continue the growth story. "We see significantly more client flow and expect this trend to continue through 2019", says Dr. Daniel Bartsch. One of the key areas for investment is technology to increase operational efficiency and cut down loan processing times allowing even faster loan originations. "Select investments will allow us to make better, faster loans attracting additional investors and cheaper funding, which will help us attract more borrowers", explains creditshelf CEO Dr. Tim Thabe.About creditshelf - www.creditshelf.comcreditshelf is a pioneer in the field of digital SME financing in Germany that enables loans via its easy-to-use online platform www.creditshelf.com. creditshelf, which was founded in 2014 and is based in Frankfurt/Main, sees itself as a market and technology leader in the fast-growing business of digital SME financing in Germany. As a provider of SME financing, creditshelf has developed its platform to meet the financing needs of German SME borrowers through loans from investors interested in this asset class. In this process, creditshelf offers to broker unsecured loans and thus enables small and medium-sized companies to access highly attractive financing alternatives. At the same time, creditshelf offers professional investors looking for attractive investment opportunities access to SME financing. The core competencies of creditshelf include the selection of suitable credit projects, analysis of the creditworthiness of potential borrowers and the provision of credit scoring and an indicative coupon margin. creditshelf receives fees for its services from both SME borrowers and investors.Daily news from creditshelf on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/creditshelf/ Twitter https://twitter.com/creditshelf LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/5317762/ and Xing https://www.xing.com/companies/creditshelfagOriginaltext: creditshelf digital press kits: http://www.presseportal.de/nr/118656 press kits via RSS: http://www.presseportal.de/rss/pm_118656.rss2Further information: creditshelf Aktiengesellschaft Birgit Hass Head of Marketing and Communication Mainzer Landstrae 33a 60329 Frankfurt Tel.: +49 (69) 348 77 24-13 birgit.hass@creditshelf.com www.creditshelf.comPress and Public Relations: Thoring & Stuhr Partnerschaft fur Kommunikationsberatung Arne Stuhr Managing director Mittelweg 142 20148 Hamburg Tel: +49 (40 )207 6969 83 Mobil: +49 (177) 3055 194 arne.stuhr@corpnewsmedia.deInvestor Relations: cometis AG Maximilian Franz Unter den Eichen 7 65195 Wiesbaden Tel: +49 (611) 20 585-0 franz@cometis.de www.cometis.deThe newly established partnership helps Danish companies use the innovative technology, and the first client has already started.

Copenhagen, January 9, 2019 - NNIT enters into partnership with Virsabi focusing on life sciences and Danish manufacturing companies.

As a leading provider of IT services and consultancy NNIT thereby adds Virsabi to its group of partners specialized in transforming technology. Virsabi is one of the first companies offering consultancy, advisory and technical development for the utilization of virtual reality and augmented reality.

With the advanced solutions employees will be able to assist one another and collaborate in a virtual space. Technicians will, for example, be able to help each other in highly specialized production environments across continents. The technology also allows for training to take place in a safe virtual environment without interrupting daily operations.

Especially augmented reality has the potential to transform manufacturing facilities, explains Brian Troelsen, Business Development Director, NNIT:

"Digital innovation takes place also in the production facilities that now tend to resemble what most people would recognize as scenes from a science fiction movie." He continues:

"Our clients explore the area and look for concrete solutions they can implement, so it has been important for us to tie a market leader of this niche area closer to us, and we have a productive collaboration with Virsabi already."

The new solutions could contribute to the revolution of Danish production and maintenance of production facilities in the life sciences industry. Michael Harboe, CEO, Virsabi, comments:

"We look very much forward to working closely together with the experts from NNIT who come with a deep knowledge about highly regulated industries and are used to accommodate strict requirements to security, regulation and business critical processes."

The partners have initiated the first joint assignment where they test and implement solutions based on augmented reality for the production environment in a company from the life sciences industry.

********

More information

Helga Heyn, NNIT Communications, +45 30 77 81 41, hhey@nnit.com

About NNIT

NNIT is an international consultancy in the development, implementation, validation and operation of IT for the life sciences industry. We create value for our clients by treating their IT as if it was our own, and of course, we meet the industry's strictest regulatory requirements. We apply the latest advances in technology to make our clients' software, business processes and communication more effective. NNIT A/S has more than 3,200 employees. For more information please visit www.nnit.com.

About Virsabi

The Copenhagen based company helps Danish and international companies utilize the business potential of virtual, augmented and mixed reality. As a operational and creative production partner, Virsabi works with enterprise clients to create immersive and educating Virtual Reality

AttachmentMILAN, January 9, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --

Digital client management and portfolio managementtools, and an investor portal

Objectway announces its ongoing collaboration with BNY Mellon's Pershing, a market leading provider of trading, clearing, settlement and custody services, to deliver Pershing's new integrated front-end solutions: Pershing Nexus Wealth, with digital client management portfolio management tools, and Pershing Nexus Investor, an investor portal.

(Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/700775/Objectway_Logo.jpg )



Objectway has been working closely with Pershing since July 2017 to phase in all the required services. The solutions are available now and will be enhanced with the addition of execution only functionality and financial planning tools.

"We are committed to providing a range of highly secure, flexible and innovative solutions to our clients," said Geoff Towers, Pershing's CEO, "and believe the addition of these integrated front-end tools enhance our core clearing and custody proposition and will offer a simplified solution with a single point of contact for wealth management clients across the EMEA region."

Pershing already offers clients live integration between its services and selected third-party customer relationship management, data warehouse and front-end solutions. Using Objectway's integrated digital platform, Pershing will be able to implement a single, fully integrated, straight-through processing solution, all within a single contract.

"We are extremely pleased to have succeeded with Pershing's extensive selection process," said Luigi Marciano, CEO of Objectway.

Objectway's solutions will empower Pershing's offering of workflow capabilities to wealth managers, improving management of their clients; from customisable engagement models through the whole advice process, combining human interaction with digital capabilities. The integrated portfolio management and CRM systems will also automate operational processes while enhancing service offering, in full compliance with a post-MiFID II environment.

Investors, will have a multi-channel user experience, and will be able to communicate with their advisers across many devices using online chat, video, phone or email. They will be able to check their investments, and if they wish, and ask for their adviser's help through real-time collaboration using co-browsing; thus enabling easy review and discussion remotely.

Objectway is a leading provider of financial software and digital solutions to the worldwide financial services industry, with clients in 15 countries. Objectway has more than 500 employees supporting approximately 100,000 investment professionals to manage more than one trillion euros in wealth.Sidley Austin LLP announced today that Mark Knight has joined the firm as a partner in its London office. He will be a member of Sidley's global Restructuring practice. Mr. Knight is experienced in leading complex, precedent- setting multijurisdictional restructurings on both the creditor and debtor sides.

Before joining Sidley, Mr. Knight served as a partner and general counsel of an investment platform that services non-performing loans in some of Europe's most challenging restructuring jurisdictions, including Greece and Italy. Prior to this, Mr. Knight was a partner in the restructuring group of an international law firm where he advised clients on the acquisition, disposal and reorganization of distressed businesses.

James Conlan, global head of the Restructuring practice at Sidley, and Patrick Corr, firmwide Restructuring practice area team leader, said, "Mark Knight adds strength to our market-leading Restructuring practice."

With 2,000 lawyers in 20 offices around the globe, Sidley is a premier legal adviser for clients across the spectrum of industries. Follow Sidley on Twitter @SidleyLaw.

For purposes of the New York State Bar rules, this press release may be considered Attorney Advertising and our headquarters are Sidley Austin LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, +1 212 839 5300; One South Dearborn, Chicago, IL 60603, +1 312 853 7000; and 1501 K Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005, +1 202 736 8000.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005053/en/

Contacts:

Kellie Mullins, Director, Public Relations

+1 312 456 8716;

kmullins@sidley.comNotification of Interim Results and Webcast

GUILDFORD, SURREY / ACCESSWIRE / January 9, 2019 / ANGLE plc (AIM: AGL, OTCQX: ANPCY), a world-leading liquid biopsy company, will be releasing its interim results for the six months ended 31 October 2018 on Thursday 31 January 2019.

A meeting for analysts will be held at 12.30pm on 31 January 2019 at the offices of FTI Consulting, 200 Aldersgate, Aldersgate Street, London EC1A 4HD.

A live webcast of the analyst meeting will also be available on ANGLE's Investor Centre page,http://www.angleplc.com/investor-information/investor-centre/. Please log on to the web address approximately 5 minutes before 12.30pm on the day of the results.

A recording of the webcast will also be made available on ANGLE's website, www.angleplc.com, following the results meeting.

For further information:

ANGLE plc

Andrew Newland, Chief Executive

Ian Griffiths, Finance Director

+44 (0) 1483 343434 finnCap Ltd (NOMAD and Joint Broker)

Corporate Finance - Carl Holmes, Simon Hicks, Max Bullen-Smith

ECM - Alice Lane +44 (0)20 7220 0500 WG Partners (Joint Broker)

Nigel Barnes, Nigel Birks, Andrew Craig, Chris Lee +44 (0) 203 705 9330 FTI Consulting

Simon Conway, Stephanie Cuthbert, Ciara Martin

Matthew Ventimiglia (US)

+44 (0) 203 727 1000

+1 212 850 5612

For Frequently Used Terms, please see the Company's website on http://www.angleplc.com/the-parsortix-system/glossary/

About ANGLE plc www.angleplc.com

ANGLE is a world leading liquid biopsy company with sample to answer solutions. ANGLE's proven patent protected platforms include an epitope-independent circulating tumor cell (CTC) harvesting technology and a downstream analysis system for cost effective, highly multiplexed analysis of nucleic acids and proteins.

ANGLE's cell separation technology is called the ParsortixTM system and it enables a liquid biopsy (simple blood test) to be used to provide the cells of interest. CTCs enable the complete picture of a cancer to be seen as they allow DNA, RNA and protein analysis and the live cells harvested can be cultured. Parsortix is the subject of 21 granted patents in Europe, the United States, Canada, India, China, Japan and Australia and three extensive families of patents are being progressed worldwide. The system is based on a microfluidic device that captures live cells based on a combination of their size and compressibility. The Parsortix system has a CE Mark in Europe for the indicated use and FDA clearance is in process for the United States with a 400 subject study in metastatic breast cancer. ANGLE is seeking to be the first ever FDA cleared CTC harvesting system and only the third ever FDA cleared liquid biopsy test. ANGLE has undertaken 400 subject clinical verification studies in an ovarian cancer pelvic mass triage test that achieved best in class accuracy (ROC-AUC) of 95.1% and is being optimised.

ANGLE's analysis technology for proteins and nucleic acids of all types is called the HyCEAD Ziplex  platform and is based on a patented flow through array technology. It provides for low cost, highly multiplexed, rapid and sensitive capture of targets from a wide variety of sample types. A proprietary chemistry approach allows for the capture and amplification of over 100 biomarkers simultaneously in a single reaction. The HyCEAD Ziplex system is ideal for measuring gene expression and other markers directly from Parsortix harvests and was used in the ovarian cancer pelvic mass triage test to achieve the 95.1% accuracy.

ANGLE's proprietary technologies can be combined to provide automated, sample to answer results in both centralised laboratory and point-of-use cartridge formats.

ANGLE has established formal collaborations with world-class cancer centres and major corporates such as QIAGEN, Abbott and Philips, and works closely with leading CTC translational research customers. These Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) are working to identify applications with medical utility (clear benefit to patients), and to secure clinical data that demonstrates that utility in patient studies. The body of evidence as to the benefits of the Parsortix system is growing rapidly from our own clinical studies in metastatic breast cancer and ovarian cancer and also from KOLs with 13 peer-reviewed publications and 23 publicly available posters, available on our website.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

SOURCE: ANGLE plc

View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/532119/Angle-PLC-Announces-Notice-of-ResultsAmsterdam, 9 January 2019 - Heineken N.V. announced today that it will propose to the 2019 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders ("2019 AGM") on 25 April 2019 that Mrs. Ingrid-Helen Arnold be appointed as member of the Supervisory Board of Heineken N.V. per the conclusion of the 2019 AGM.

Mrs. Arnold (50) was appointed President of SAP's Data Network in April 2016 tasked with building a new "data as a service" business for SAP globally, capitalising on her strong background in leading SAP's digital transformation as Chief Information Officer ("CIO") and Chief Process Officer ("CPO"). In building this new growth engine for SAP, she works closely with the SAP Executive Board and relocated with her family to Silicon Valley.

Previously Mrs. Arnold held various positions within SAP, including CIO and CPO for SAP SE as member of the SAP Global Managing Board, head of Enterprise Analytics & Innovative Solutions, business controller for the Global Consulting Organisation and COO for Controlling. She began her career in the finance department at Lafarge (Canada) before joining SAP in 1996. Mrs. Arnold holds a Master's degree in Business Studies from the University of Applied Sciences, Ludwigshafen.

Subject to approval of the AGM on 25 April 2019 of the nomination of Mrs. Arnold and the previously announced changes in the composition of the Supervisory Board, the composition of the Supervisory Board of Heineken N.V. will be as follows as per the conclusion of the 2019 AGM:

Jean-Marc Huet (Chairman)

Jose Antonio Fernandez Carbajal (Vice-Chairman)

Maarten Das (Delegated Member)

Michel de Carvalho

Christophe Navarre

Javier Astaburuaga Sanjines

Pamela Mars Wright

Marion Helmes

Rosemary Ripley

Ingrid-Helen Arnold

ENDS

Press enquiries

John-Paul Schuirink / Michael Fuchs

E-mail: pressoffice@heineken.com

Tel: +31-20-5239-355

Investor and analyst enquiries

Federico Castillo Martinez

E-mail: investors@heineken.com (mailto:investors@heineken.com)

Tel: +31-20-5239-590

Chris MacDonald / Aris Hernandez

E-mail: investors@heineken.com (mailto:investors@heineken.com)

Tel: +31-20-5239-590

Editorial information

About HEINEKEN

HEINEKEN is the world's most international brewer. It is the leading developer and marketer of premium beer and cider brands. Led by the Heineken brand, the Group has a portfolio of more than 300 international, regional, local and specialty beers and ciders. We are committed to innovation, long-term brand investment, disciplined sales execution and focused cost management. Through "Brewing a Better World", sustainability is embedded in the business. HEINEKEN has a well-balanced geographic footprint with leadership positions in both developed and developing markets. We employ over 80,000 employees and operate breweries, malteries, cider plants and other production facilities in more than 70 countries. Heineken N.V. and Heineken Holding N.V. shares trade on the Euronext in Amsterdam. Prices for the ordinary shares may be accessed on Bloomberg under the symbols HEIA NA and HEIO NA and on Reuters under HEIN.AS and HEIO.AS. HEINEKEN has two sponsored level 1 American Depositary Receipt (ADR) programmes: Heineken N.V. (OTCQX: HEINY) and Heineken Holding N.V. (OTCQX: HKHHY). Most recent information is available on HEINEKEN's website: www.theHEINEKENcompany.com (http://www.theHEINEKENcompany.com) and follow us on Twitter via @HEINEKENCorp.





Please click here for full media release. (http://hugin.info/130667/R/2230874/876796.pdf)



This announcement is distributed by West Corporation on behalf of West Corporation clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: HEINEKEN NV via Globenewswire

TechnipFMC (NYSE: FTI) (Paris: FTI) has been awarded a significant(1) integrated Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Installation (iEPCI) contract by BP for the Atlantis Phase 3 project.

Following final investment decisions from all partners, TechnipFMC will manufacture, deliver and install subsea equipment, including subsea tree systems, manifolds, flowline, umbilicals and subsea tree jumpers, pipeline end terminations, subsea distribution and topside control equipment.

This contract also includes provisional services for tooling and personnel required to install the hardware.

Arnaud Pieton, President Subsea, commented: "We are very pleased TechnipFMC has been awarded an iEPCI contract for the Phase 3 development of the BP Atlantis project. This award reinforces TechnipFMC's position as the market and technology leader for subsea equipment and demonstrates the added value of iEPCI our unique integrated offering. We look forward to extending our successful relationship with BP on the Atlantis project in the Gulf of Mexico."

The Atlantis Phase 3 field is located approximately 150 miles south of New Orleans at a water depth of roughly 2,100 meters (6,800 feet) and will be tied back to the existing platform.

(1)For TechnipFMC, a "significant" contract is between $75 million and $250 million.

Important Information for Investors and Securityholders

Forward-Looking Statement

This release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The words "believe", "estimated" and other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which are generally not historical in nature. Such forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and our present expectations or projections. For information regarding known material factors that could cause actual results to differ from projected results, please see our risk factors set forth in our filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, which include our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any of our forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except to the extent required by law.

About TechnipFMC

TechnipFMC is a global leader in subsea, onshore/offshore, and surface projects. With our proprietary technologies and production systems, integrated expertise, and comprehensive solutions, we are transforming our clients' project economics.

We are uniquely positioned to deliver greater efficiency across project lifecycles from concept to project delivery and beyond. Through innovative technologies and improved efficiencies, our offering unlocks new possibilities for our clients in developing their oil and gas resources.

Each of our more than 37,000 employees is driven by a steady commitment to clients and a culture of purposeful innovation, challenging industry conventions, and rethinking how the best results are achieved.

To learn more about us and how we are enhancing the performance of the world's energy industry, go to TechnipFMC.com and follow us on Twitter @TechnipFMC.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108005984/en/

Contacts:

Investor relations

Matt Seinsheimer

Vice President Investor Relations

Tel: +1 281 260 3665

Email: Matt Seinsheimer

Phillip Lindsay

Director Investor Relations Europe

Tel: +44 203 429 3929

Email: Phillip Lindsay

Media relations

Christophe Belorgeot

Senior Vice President Corporate Engagement

Tel: +33 1 47 78 39 92

Email: Christophe Belorgeot

Delphine Nayral

Director Public Relations

Tel: +33 1 47 78 34 83

Email: Delphine NayralWith the operation of masternodes, servicenodes and witnesses being a capital-intensive form of investment that is not accessible to most individuals, the Company has formed an aggregation Platform that enables customers to pool funds for the needed collateral for this purpose. The Platform will support masternodes, servicenodes, and witnesses on the Dash, Zencash, Loki, Steem, and Nuvocash blockchain networks, though it will be adaptable to many other blockchain networks as well. The Platform will become available on February 15, 2019.

Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 9, 2019) - GLOBAL BLOCKCHAIN MINING CORP. (CSE: FORK) (OTC Pink: GBCHF) ("FORK" or the "Company") proudly announces that it has completed development of a proof-of-stake resource aggregation platform (the "Platform") for the operation of masternodes, servicenodes and witnesses ("Consensus Services") on five blockchain networks. This will enable the Company to use pooled funds from customers, giving them access to an asset class that has a relatively high barrier to entry through any other means. Providing Consensus Services profitably has a capital requirement that is prohibitive to most individuals, necessitating the commitment of large sums as collateral. The Company will be able to syndicate capital from a multitude of parties to meet these capital requirements, and distribute the earnings proportionately to one's capital contributions.

At the outset, the Platform will support Consensus Services on the blockchain networks of Dash, ZenCash, Loki, Steem, and Nuvocash. It has been developed to be able to easily provide support for Consensus Services on other blockchain networks, which can be onboarded based on market conditions at a given time. The Company will oversee all aspects of the Platform's operation, including selecting and maintaining hardware, allocating resources to a given category of Consensus Services, and performing market analytics to optimize returns. FORK will retain 15% of all gross earnings derived from Consensus Services, and return the balance to customers who will have the option to allow their earnings to remain on the Platform, or cash out. The Platform will be offered starting on Friday, February 15, 2019, and interested parties may contact the Company beforehand to express their interest.

Private demonstrations of the Platform were given this week to several attendees of the Consumer Electronics Show ("CES") in Las Vegas, Nevada, with positive reception from professionals in many categories of the technology sector. FORK President and CEO Shidan Gouran delivered an educational session at CES yesterday along with Nolan Bushnell, which was similarly well-received, reflecting the technology field's sustained interest in blockchain technology.

"As most financially-savvy people and entrepreneurs know, your opportunities widen when you pool resources with others", said Shidan Gouran, President and CEO of the Company. "Whether you're buying real estate, or you're running a pool of masternodes and servicenodes, you're going to get a better return on your money by teaming up with others to buy something Grade-A, as opposed to whatever you can afford on your own. Since Consensus Services require significant capital outlays to provide, we believe that our Platform will benefit customers by giving them exposure to this profitable method of earning. As the Platform will be able to support virtually any other new blockchain network that comes out as well, this has excellent long-term earning prospects for all types of customers."

FORK Chairman Steven Nerayoff added "With Consensus Services being the backbone of any blockchain network, there will always be a demand for them. In proof-of-stake models, which are becoming a lot more common, the average person cannot benefit from this demand, since it requires tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to be committed as collateral. FORK's Platform will go a long way in efficiently, fairly, and sustainably availing the lucrative nature of Consensus Services to the general public, and this will deliver considerable value to FORK shareholders and customers on the Platform alike."

On behalf of the Company:

Shidan Gouran, President and CEO

info@globalblockchain.io

For more information please contact:

Global Blockchain Mining Corp. Investor Relations

ir@globalblockchain.io

About Global Blockchain Mining Corp.

Global Blockchain Mining Corp. is a technology company that is engaged in the business of mining blue-chip cryptocurrencies through the deployment of hardware and associated infrastructure to mine these coins. Investors, through their investment in the Company, are provided with exposure to these cryptocurrencies without the lengthy, and complicated process that interested investors must undergo in order to gain exposure to these cryptocurrencies.

The Company is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE") and its common shares trade under the ticker symbol "FORK". Additional information relating to the Company is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, the CSE at www.theCSE.com as well as on the Company's website at: www.forkcse.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

Forward-Looking Information: This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "would", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this News Release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents which can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com.

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.Pantene Japan Launched the Advertising Campaign "HairWeGo My Hair Moves Me Forward" in a New Year's Newspaper on January 7th, 2019 Selected the First Ever Gray Hair and Baby Celebrities for Pantene Japan Adverting Ambassadors.

Ms. Sato Kondo who Gained Respect and Admiration for Choosing to Keep Her Natural Grey Hair and a Japanese Baby Girl "babychanco" Known as Full Head of Voluminous Hair All Over the World had Taught Us the Importance of Expressing Our True Selves.

Pantene Japan (Headquarters: Kobe City) launched the adverting campaign "HairWeGo My Hair Moves Me Forward" in the Japanese national newspaper "Asahi Shimbun" on January 7th, 2019 featuring Ms. Sato Kondo and babychanco. Pantene Japan selected Ms. Sato Kondo who is the first ever gray hair advertising ambassador for Pantene Japan and Japanese baby girl called babychanco known as full head of voluminous hair all over the world who both attracted attention with their own style of expressing themselves through their hair in 2018.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108006168/en/

Sato Kondo (Photo: Business Wire)

Summary of the Advertisement

Newspaper advertisement:

January 7th, 2019 (Monday) Asahi Shimbun Newspaper morning edition

Advertisement image DL: https://bit.ly/2s7xIIx

Pantene Official Twitter: @PanteneJapan

Pantene Official Instagram: @pantene_en_official

The Message of the Advertisement

In 2019, let your hair move you forward. From the time we were born, we've lived our lives feeling a little anxious about being different and constantly comparing ourselves to others. Somehow, we grew up believing that it's better to be the same as everyone else, without really understanding why. However, in 2018, Sato Kondo, who proudly lives without coloring or hiding her grey hair, won the admiration of many women.

Japanese baby girl "babychanco" who has full head of voluminous hair, received love from people all over the world. In some way or other, these two may have taught us the importance of expressing our true selves.

In 2019, We hope many more women will take a step forward towards who they want to be. Pantene Japan celebrates all women in taking that first step forward towards who they want to be.

The Special Birthday Movie for babychanco

Pantene Japan sent the short movie titled "The Hairy Tale by babychanco HairWeGo PANTENE" on December 23rd, 2018 which was the babychanco's 1st year birthday. The movie features the memory of babychanco's one year from her birth who is well known all over the world as full head of voluminous hair. Looking back at her various hair episodes with our celebration greetings, the story encourages viewers to embrace their own individuality and difference.

This babychanco project started by chance when one of the team member of Pantene found a magazine article about her. The U.S. weekly magazine "People" introduced the baby girl with a comment, "Get this kid a Pantene ad!" babychanco's unique natural born voluminous hair has been inspiring people around the world to love themselves and to embrace difference which overlaps with the Pantene Japan's brand message,"HairWeGo My hair moves me forward."

Movie title: The Hairy Tale by babychanco HairWeGo PANTENE

Launch timing: December 23rd, 2018

Movie URL (English version): https://youtu.be/zqF41BUKLy8 (youtube)

Pantene Japan Supports All Women Through Their Own Beautiful Hair.

Pantene Japan has a philosophy "Great hair gives women the courage to take a step forward". We hope many more women will move forward towards who they want to be. Pantene Japan will keep supporting all women who step forward with their beautiful hair.

The Profile of Ms. Sato Kondo

July 11, 1968 born in Gifu prefecture.

Started career from Fuji TV. Assigned many kinds of TV program such as information and comedies with her calm voice.

As a special professor of the department of broadcasting at Nihon University College of Arts, teaching announcement practice, recitation, graduation research guidance from 2011.

The Profile of babychanco

Born in Kyoto Prefecture in December 2017.

She became popular all over the world when she was at the age of 4 months when her mother started post her pictures in Instagram at the age of 4 months. Her followers are over 300,000 in 7 months from first posting. Many of her fans are attracted not only her unique voluminous hair but also her prettiness. Shown with many of domestic TV medias and picked up in overseas magazine "People".

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190108006168/en/

Contacts:

For inquiries on this release or its publication:

VECTOR INC.

Akari Suda

Takeshi Shimizu

pantene-pr@vectorinc.co.jpLa pubblicazione di contributi, approfondimenti, articoli e in genere di tutte le opere dottrinarie e di commento (ivi comprese le news) presenti su Filodiritto e stata concessa (e richiesta) dai rispettivi autori, titolari di tutti i diritti morali e patrimoniali ai sensi della legge sul diritto d'autore e sui diritti connessi (Legge 633/1941). La riproduzione ed ogni altra forma di diffusione al pubblico delle predette opere (anche in parte), in difetto di autorizzazione dell'autore, e punita a norma degli articoli 171, 171-bis, 171-ter, 174-bis e 174-ter della menzionata Legge 633/1941. E consentito scaricare, prendere visione, estrarre copia o stampare i documenti pubblicati su Filodiritto nella sezione Dottrina per ragioni esclusivamente personali, a scopo informativo-culturale e non commerciale, esclusa ogni modifica o alterazione. Sono parimenti consentite le citazioni a titolo di cronaca, studio, critica o recensione, purche accompagnate dal nome dell'autore dell'articolo e dall'indicazione della fonte, ad esempio: Luca Martini, La discrezionalita del sanitario nella qualificazione di reato perseguibile d'ufficio ai fini dell'obbligo di referto ex. art 365 cod. pen., in "Filodiritto" (https://www.filodiritto.com), con relativo collegamento ipertestuale. Se l'autore non e altrimenti indicato i diritti sono di Inforomatica S.r.l. e la riproduzione e vietata senza il consenso esplicito della stessa. E sempre gradita la comunicazione del testo, telematico o cartaceo, ove e avvenuta la citazione.Trump has struggled to change public opinion in part because this is not a new fight. Immigration worked for him in the 2016 campaign, and there are still elements of the issue that put Democrats on the defensive. But in the most recent test, it did not work. In the run-up to the midterm elections, the president used campaign rallies to warn of the threat of an "invasion" by a caravan of migrants moving north through Mexico toward the U.S. border. He ordered U.S. troops to take up stations on the border. He accused the Democrats of being defenders of open borders.(CNN)  China will face an "unstoppable" population decline over the coming decades, with fewer and fewer workers struggling to support an increasingly aging society, according to a report by a leading state-sponsored Chinese thinktank.

The report, which comes more than three years since China officially ended its controversial decades-long one-child policy, warns that the "the era of negative population growth is almost here," forecasting that the country's population will peak at 1.44 billion in 2029.

The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences report suggests that the decline in fertility rates will lead to a decrease in overall population to 1990-era levels of 1.172 billion by 2065. World Bank data from 2017 showed a Chinese population of 1.386 billion.

The country's working-age population has stagnated, the report states, while its dependency ratio -- the number of working people in relation to non-working, largely children and retired people -- continues to skew.

"In theory, long-term population decline, especially accompanied with the increasing escalation of aging of population, is bound to bring very negative social and economic consequences," the report states, without elaborating on what these consequences could entail.

Experts have warned that as China's working age population shrinks so too will domestic consumption, which could have unintended consequences for the global economy, which has relied on China as a growth engine.

The report says that the country should start preparing and crafting policy to meet the challenges of the impending decline.

After decades of following a strict one-child policy, in 2015 Beijing announced that it would drop the controversial policy, which, for decades has been blamed for infanticide and forced sterilizations.

Under current family planning rules, the majority of Chinese couples are limited to two children, following the easing of the country's notorious policy, which was enacted in 2016.

However, the changes failed to produce a spike in the birth rate. In 2017, the country's total fertility rate was 1.6 children per woman, well below the 2.1 rate estimated to be necessary to keep the population steady.

The current, two-child restrictions look set to be further relaxed under a draft reform to the country's Civil Code, potentially allowing families to have multiple children for the first time in decades.

Despite the projected declines in the world's most populous nation, the United Nations expects the global population to continue to rise, albeit at a slowing rate.

A 2017 report from the world body estimated the 2017 number at 7.6 billion, which is expected to reach 8.6 billion in 2030, 9.8 billion in 2050 and 11.2 billion by the end of the century.

India, the world's second-largest country by inhabitants, is expected to overtake China as the world's most populous by 2024, according to that report.Yesterday, on the occasion of KGF star Yash's birthday, one of his hard core fans tried committing suicide by setting himself on fire. The fan by the name Ravi, who couldn't meet the actor set himself on fire right in front of Yash's residence. He was shifted to Victoria hospital in Bengaluru immediately. However, after suffering severe burns, Ravi passed away today, Yash had been to the hospital yesterday to meet Ravi. According to Chitraloka's reports, he passed away around 1:30 am today.

Yash, while interacting with the media said that he's extremely upset with what Ravi did. He also told that he came to see him only because it happened for the first time, and henceforth he wouldn't come to see any fan who would resort to such brutal ways to meet him.

The KGF actor even apologised to Ravi's parents for what their son has done. But, they said it is not Yash's fault. He called Ravi's parents kind-hearted and requested his fans to not repeat such an act that can cause so much damage to themselves and the family as well.

MOST READ : KGF Actor Yash Is Upset With Fan Who Set Himself On Fire; Says Wouldn't Come Next Time

Yash, who celebrates his birthday every year with fans, decided not to do so this year as he is still mourning the loss of Ambarish. He shared a video with fans on Facebook addressing the same. However, Yash's birthday turned into a nightmare when one of his fans committed suicide.Yash Won't Meet Fans Next Time

After meeting Ravi and his parents, Yash has issued a statement saying he's really upset with this behaviour of his fans and doesn't encourage such acts. He also said that he came to see him only because such an incident has take place for the first time. He further added that he wouldn't be meeting fans henceforth if they resort to such violent acts.

He Meets Injured Fan's Parents

Yash also apologised to Ravi's parents who were present at the hospital. However, Ravi's parents told the actor that it's not his fault that their son tried commiting suicide. He called Ravi's parents kind-hearted and requested fans to support him by watching his movies only.

Yash Fan Tries Commiting Suicide

The incident took place last evening, when a fan by the name Ravi came to see Yash on the occasion of his birthday. As the actor had told previously that he won't be able to meet his fans, Ravi didn't get to see him. Irked by this, Ravi tried committing suicide by pouring petrol and setting himself on fire.

He's Being Treated In Bengaluru

He suffered from severe burn injuries and was rushed to the hospital immediately. He is currently being treated in Victoria hospital in Bengaluru. Upon hearing the news, Yash took the time off to come to the hospital to meet Ravi.

Yash Has A Busy B'day

The KGF actor maintained a low profile on his birthday. He was even spotted at the NTR Kathanayakudu press meet yesterday along with Power Star Puneeth Rajkumar, producer-actor Balakrishna and Bollywood actress Vidya Balan.Golden Star Ganesh is currently busy shooting for his next film 99 in Mangaluru and Puttur. The actor is very fond of the place and there's a sweet reason behind that. While talking Time Of India, Ganesh revealed that he has a special bond with Karavali for a lot of reasons. But, he has one particular reason to like the region so much that'll melt your heart. Ganesh's spouse Shilpa is from Karavali and hence the actor holds a special bond with the place as it gave him his beloved wife.

He said, "Karavali gave me Shilpa, my wife. So, I'm the son-in-law of this region. What could be a greater bond than that? In fact, my house is half Kannadiga and half Tuluva. The kids converse with me in Kannada and Shilpa has taught them her mother tongue. I keep hearing 'bala' (meaning, come) all the time,".

Ganesh futher added, "The first time I came here was with friends from college. It was the first time I ever saw a beach. Incidentally, the makers, director and music director (Jagdish Kotyan, MD Sridhar and Guru Kiran) of my first film Chellata were also from Mangaluru. Subsequently, I shot for many films in the region (almost eight); the last one being Buguri. Now I'm back for 99, and I couldn't be happier."

MOST READ : Puneeth Rajkumar Fans Are Upset About Nata Sarvabhouma Audio Release Telecast! Here's Why

He said he is excited to be back in Mangaluru considering how much the place means to him. Describing the experince he said, "We shot at this 100-year-old school in Puttur, which is an hour away from Mangaluru. The airport and the University College were some of the other places we shot at. I feel fortunate to have shot at these locations because, of their heritage value."Rakesh Roshan Cancer: Rajesh Roshan gives update on his Brother's Health | FilmiBeat

Yesterday, Hrithik Roshan dropped a shocker when he revealed that his father has been diagnosed with early stage cell carcinoma of the throat. The actor took to his social media page to break the news with an emotional note.

Hrithik wrote, "Asked my dad for a picture this morning. Knew he wouldn't miss gym on surgery day. He is probably the strongest man I know. Got diagnosed with early stage squamous cell carcinoma of the throat a few weeks ago, but he is in full spirits today as he proceeds to battle it.As a family we are fortunate and blessed to have a leader like him. Love you Dad."

Soon after the 'Super 30' actor shared the news of his father's diagnosis and surgery, many of his fans and well-wishers sent wishes for Sr. Roshan's speedy recovery. And now, Rajesh Roshan has opened up about his brother's health while speaking to Mumbai Mirror.

Rajesh Roshan Is Recovering Well Post Surgery "He is better now and recovering well. We were all very tense about the surgery and the entire family was in the hospital with him," Rajesh Roshan told the tabloid. Roshan Sr. Will Be Discharged Soon From The Hospital He further added, "God willing, he will be up in the next three days and should be discharged from the hospital." Earlier, PM Modi Too Had Wished For Rakesh Roshan's Good Health The Prime Minister had tweeted, "Dear Hrithik, praying for the good health of Shri Rakesh Roshan Ji. He is a fighter and I am sure he will face this challenge with utmost courage. @RakeshRoshan_N." To this, Hrithik had replied back, "Thank you Sir for your concern and good wishes. I am very happy to inform that according to the doctors his surgery has gone off well." For The Uninitiated Cell carcinoma of the throat is a cancer which is characterised by an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the lining of the throat.

The Real Reason Why Akshaye Khanna Failed To Grab A Role In Ranbir Kapoor's SanjuThe Fauquier Times is honored to serve as your community companion. To say thank you, we are excited to offer 4 weeks FREE Digital & Print access to all subscribers new and returning alike.

We are dedicated to continuing providing reliable, high quality journalism. This is possible with the trust and support of our subscribers in the community we are proud to serve.Welsh lamb and beef producers have been set targets to reduce antibiotic use by 10% by 2020, with an attention towards reducing prophylactic use.

Farmers in Wales are being urged to avoid blanket use of antibiotics during lambing and calving this spring with the implementation of preventative strategies.

A series of Welsh Government 'Farming Connect' meetings advised farmers on appropriate antibiotic use, and beef and sheep farmers were urged to implement such measures.

Harry Williams, of Teilo Vets, Llandeilo, said that while there was minimal use of Critically Important Antibiotics (CIAs) in the beef and sheep sector, prophylactic practices are widespread.

Farmers routinely blanket dose with Spectam to avoid watery mouth in lambs whilst Oxytetracycline is used to avoid abortion in ewes.

Routine antibiotic use is outdated for abortion control, Mr Williams warned. Whilst it can help to contain an outbreak, a vaccination programme is more effective and economically viable to control the disease.

Routine prophylactic antibiotics in neonatal lambs must only be used in high-risk situations, he warned, referencing the Farm Assured Welsh Livestock (FAWL) health and welfare review which has sections on antibiotic usage and anthelmintic protocols.

Whilst antimicrobials still play an important role in animal health and welfare, Mr Williams urged farmers to consider if changes in flock management could reduce their use.

When considering whether they are required, each case should be evaluated on an individual basis, he said.

Understanding different categories of drenches is a first step in parasite control. These should be administered at the correct dose rate and excessive dosing of adult ewes should be avoided.

Worm control programmes should be carried out in conjunction with faecal egg counting, which indicate the level of worm burden. This will help in selecting the most appropriate time for dosing.

In the beef sector, hotspot areas for antibiotic use include respiratory diseases, calf scour and lameness, but cases can be prevented with strategies such as improving building ventilation and foot trimming.

Mr Williams said vaccines will play a key role in reducing antibiotic use but handling and storage is critical to their effectiveness. Most should be stored at 2-8 degrees Centigrade, he advised.

Cleanliness and hygiene are essential during administration to stop dirt being introduced on the needle, which could result in an abscess forming.

Although the targets for reducing antibiotic use are ambitious, Mr Williams advises a step by step approach. He said identifying the conditions that require antibiotic treatment on an individual farm level is a first step to making changes.Supermarkets should have specific aisles where local produce is sold as a way to help farmers, the Scottish Conservatives have suggested.

The move would also support smaller firms in the region where the supermarket is located, according to the party.

Brian Whittle, the Scottish Conservatives wellbeing and sport spokesman, said it presents an opportunity to improve the relationship between major supermarkets and local businesses.

Most major supermarkets have sections showcasing food from around the world, so theres no reason why this cant be replicated specifically for local produce, he said.

It would signpost people to where they can get food and drink made in their local area, which will be popular among those passionate about supporting small, local businesses.

The relationship between major supermarkets and local firms hasnt always been great, but this presents an opportunity to improve that.

And if shoppers arent keen on this and want to continue as normal, they can just walk straight past, Mr Whittle added.

Last year, a thinktank proposed the introduction of a pre-paid voucher which would encourage the public to buy British produce after the UK leaves the EU.

According to the Policy Network, the vouchers would help farmers who face financial struggle as EU subsidies are withdrawn after Brexit.

Famous figures have also called on the public to buy local as political uncertainty continues, including deputy Labour leader Tom Watson and Great British Bake Off host Prue Leigh.The partnership builds on an informal partnership the two organizations established about six years ago, when Sinai Hospital partnered with the BCAC to staff a board-certified child abuse pediatrician. Sinai was seeing a high volume of children who had been abused, said Neil Meltzer, the president and CEO of LifeBridge Health, who at the time served as president and CEO of Sinai.The Prime Minister's Brexit deal traps Britain in the EU's failing museum of farming, according to the former Defra Secretary, Owen Paterson.

The prominent Conservative Brexit campaigner, who is MP for North Shropshire, said leaving the European Union represent a wonderful opportunity for British agriculture.

A public figure well-known to be against Theresa May's Brexit direction, Mr Paterson said her deal would forfeit the UKs regulatory independence and see it yoked to the EUs extreme technological risk aversion.

Writing in The Telegraph, Mr Paterson said the EU's hostility to new technology, driven by powerful but misguided campaign groups, is causing European research to stagnate and agricultural yields to suffer.

Mr Paterson said: Consumed by an overarching desire for bureaucratic uniformity, the Common Agricultural Policy is consigning the EU to become the Museum of World Farming.

Its hostility to new technology, driven by powerful but misguided campaign groups, is causing European research to stagnate and agricultural yields to suffer.

France, for example, is missing out on over 4.5 tonnes per hectare in its maize yield compared to the US, amounting to a total loss of over six million tonnes. That crop could be worth an extra 600 million, or France could free up half a million hectares for wildlife, recreation, or forestry.

He added: Brexit should, therefore, represent a wonderful opportunity to boost productivity outside this failing model. We should embrace the opportunities of innovation, offering farmers the greatest freedom to grow their businesses and consumers the greatest choice of products, while improving the natural environment.

We should balance the precautionary principle  currently interpreted in the most severely prescriptive manner by the EU  with a requirement to uphold the innovation principle, he said.

Mr Paterson's comments follows a speech given by Defra Secretary Michael Gove last week, who said leaving the EU provides farmers with a world of opportunity.

Whilst he acknowledged that May's Brexit deal isn't perfect, he said it will allow a 21 month transition period in which current market access is completely unaffected.

He used his speech at the Oxford Farming Conference to call on MPs to support the Brexit deal, due to take place on 15 January.A Pembrokeshire farmer who diversified into growing organic crops is seeking a new and younger business partner to work alongside him, and could even take over the reins long-term.

Pembrokeshire-born second-generation farmer Romeo Sarra decided many years ago that unlike his father, he had no intention of devoting his working life to dairying.

He slowly began to reduce livestock numbers, gave up milking and began to diversify into horticulture.

For the last 24 years, Mr Sarra and his family have been producing organic field-scale vegetables and although business is booming, hes now looking forward to scaling back his day to day involvement in the enterprise.

With an eye to the future, he has turned to the Welsh Government's Farming Connects Venture programme to help him find a new younger business partner for Peepout Organic Farm.

Venture matches up farmers and landowners wanting to step back from the industry with those seeking a foothold or new business opportunity.

Through the programme, Mr Sarra is hoping to find an individual who will be happy to work alongside him, on a trial basis to start with, with a view to taking over the reins long term.

'Unrivalled taste'

In the early 90s, Mr Sarra purchased a 40-acre smallholding at Portfieldgate near Haverfordwest, with the intention of growing cereals and potatoes.

A few years later, he decided to convert the farm to organic. This winning combination has resulted in him growing, packing and selling a wide range of organic root crop vegetables, brassicas and summer salad crops to an ever-growing customer base of niche buyers.

He currently sells mainly through bespoke box schemes, both locally and on the M4 corridor, offering both delivery and collection options and he also sells larger quantities to a local Pembrokeshire wholesaler.

He said: Ive steadily developed the business year by year, building up a regular customer base of individuals who value the unrivalled taste and provenance of fresh organically grown local farm produce.

I provide my customers with an experience above and beyond that which large-scale retail giants can offer but at a competitive price.

Having realised early on that he didnt want to either compete or deal directly with large scale packers and supermarkets, which he says would have given him little say over the crops grown or pricing, Mr Sarras early sales strategy was to focus on promoting the healthy, tasty and good value angle, which was largely down to word of mouth and personal recommendations.

In recent years however, social media has transformed his approach to marketing, freeing up his time to grow the business and offer an even wider range of produce.

We now rely mainly on our Peepout Organic Farm Facebook page where we regularly upload photographs and price lists of everything available, which varies according to the time of year and weather, he said.

Rotational basis

Today, Mr Sarra manages the land on a rotational basis, and says that up to ten acres of ground is now given up to various potato types, carrots, parsnips, swedes and other root crops, together with brassicas including cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and curly kale.

Summer crops include various peas and beans including French and runner beans, salad crops, courgettes, sweetcorn and many more.

Mr Sarra has already purchased two large scale poly-tunnels and says that once he has introduced a new partner to the business and these are erected, they will significantly extend the growing season throughout the year.

Facilities for office space and packing can be made available and horticulture-related machinery will be provided. He believes the new partner should be able to hit the ground running and says there is plenty of scope for developing the business further.

He said: The person Im looking for will need to be conversant with social media and have some experience of horticulture and ideally of growing in polytunnels, as the work will involve every element of the growing and selling process from production through to harvesting, packing marketing and distribution.

On hand to offer as much or as little guidance and support as and when required, he has also said that hes open to working with a more experienced grower, who may have their own ideas and proposals.

He said that more available land could be brought into the Venture agreement if, after a trial period, both parties felt that would be advantageous.

Accommodation is not presently available on the premises so this opportunity would suit someone either living in the area or willing to relocate. Mr Sarra says there are numerous reasonably priced options available locally.

If you are interested in a joint venture opportunity with Mr Sarra or require further information about the programme, contact Delyth Jones, Venture Officer for South Wales on 01970 631422 or email delyth.jones@menterabusnes.co.uk.A Derbyshire farmer has pleaded guilty to leaving dead sheep, lambs and calves on his farmland to rot for as long as three months.

Richard Hobday, 55, of The Mews, Alstonefield, Ashbourne, pleaded guilty at Northern Derbyshire Magistrates Court to offences of failing to clear up dead, rotting, decaying sheep, lamb and calf carcasses from land at Elton Moor.

Some of the remains were discovered in February 2018 but not cleared away until May.

The law states that carcasses should be collected without undue delay under conditions which prevent risks to public and animal health, and not following the requirements is contrary to the Animal By-Products (Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013.

The court heard that Hobday failed to clear the dead animals despite being warned by Derbyshire County Council trading standards officer to do so.

At the hearing, Hobday also admitted failing to apply ear tags to two calves within 20 days of their birth in January 2018 and failure to record their births and the death of an animal in a herd register, contrary to the Cattle Identifications Regulations 2007. These regulations are in place to ensure that livestock and ultimately food is traceable.

Hobday also pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to keep an up-to-date register for his sheep containing the minimum information, for example, their individual identification codes and the dates on which they were identified.

Hobday will return to court on 18 February when he will be sentenced.

Cabinet Member for Health and Communities Councillor, Carol Hart said the case is very worrying, and is made worse by the fact that despite a trading standards warning the farmer still failed to do what was required.

Leaving these dead animals for four months in a field posed a threat to public health and the health of other animals due to the potential transmission of disease, and would also have been distressing for anyone coming across such a scene, she said.A farmer has been ordered to pay nearly 4,000 after polluting a steam with liquid fertiliser, killing about 2,000 fish.

Northumberland farmer Graham Simpson, 61, pleaded guilty on Tuesday (8 January) to two separate offences of polluting a tributary of Long Nanny Burn.

He was fined 2,261 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge amounting to 3,922.

Prosecuting for the Environment Agency, Matthew Treece told the court that on 18 May 2017, Mr Simpson reported a spill of around 3,000 litres of liquid fertiliser from an overturned tractor mounted sprayer at Home Farm, Ellingham.

Environment Agency officers attended and found the fertiliser had gone into a tributary of the Long Nanny through two highway drains.

Mr Simpson had covered the drains with soil to try to stop the fertiliser entering.

However, water quality samples along Long Nanny found high levels of ammonia. Officers also saw thousands of dead fish, with the official mortality count at 2,110 caused by the increased levels of ammonia in the water.

'Stream affected for days'

The elevated levels of ammonia lasted 24 hours over a length of almost 10km from the source at Ellingham to the confluence with the North Sea, and affected the watercourse for four days. Dye tracing confirmed the source of the pollution.

In interview, Mr Simpson said he had hit the steps of one of the farm buildings which overturned the sprayer and spilled the fertiliser, which travelled down the road and into the drains.

Mr Simpson said he had hit the steps of one of the farm buildings which overturned the sprayer and spilled the fertiliser (Photo: Environment Agency)

He believed a malfunctioning rear axle may have caused the issue, but the sprayer was not adequately checked before he started the work.

He took immediate action to block the highway drains with soil and apply sawdust to the road surface to absorb the spill.

In a second incident, on 29 September the same year, the Environment Agency received an anonymous report of a fuel spill in the same area, again affecting the tributary of the Long Nanny. Investigations revealed kerosene was polluting the stream.

Mr Simpson said he was transporting a fuel storage container with kerosene heating fuel oil inside, to top up his home heating system.

The tank was unsecured on top of a pallet which was on a fork lift truck, and when he turned a corner the tank slipped off the pallet in to the ground causing the spill.

He had put down absorbent straw pellets to reduce the impact of the spill but the oil had already entered the stream. He was remorseful about both incidents. He now carries drain mats which are designed to temporarily seal drains.

'Serious pollution incident'

Laura Mollon, Water Quality Lead for the Environment Agency in the North East, led the investigation, calling the incident 'serious'.

The first incident was a serious pollution incident which affected 10km of stream and killed thousands of fish, including more than 60 critically endangered eels.

The watercourse had not even started recovering when the second incident happened, which again polluted the stream, this time with oil.

Ms Mollon added: This shows why its so important that landowners and farmers check their equipment thoroughly before starting any work on their land and take great care when transporting and spraying substances.

Pollution incidents such as this, caused by negligent or reckless breaches of environmental permits, have a serious negative impact on our environment and are something we work hard to prevent, she said.Two leading farming organisations have joined forces to write to MPs urging them to ensure that a 'no deal' Brexit is removed from the negotiating table.

As MPs begin their deliberations on the Prime Ministers Brexit agreement, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) and the Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) have joined together to warn MPs of the dangers of a no deal Brexit for both landowners and tenants across England and Wales.

A no deal Brexit, where the UK leaves the European Union at the end of March without a withdrawal agreement in place, would leave all farmers facing significant tariffs on exports or potentially the inability to trade with the EU.

In 2017 this accounted for 60% of all UK food and drink exports. The lack of a secure supply of migrant labour would also leave the danger of crops being unpicked this summer and food rotting in the fields, the organisations say.

CLA President, Tim Breitmeyer said: Avoiding the uncertainty and catastrophic effects of a no deal Brexit is critical for both landlords and tenants as well as the wider rural economy and the entire farming community is united in our opposition to a no deal Brexit.

Leaving the EU without an agreement firmly in place is likely to have disastrous long-term consequences for the nations countryside and its rural communities.

The UKs future relationship with the EU must include the free and frictionless trade on which so many rural businesses depend. A no deal scenario would throw this into doubt. It is crucial that all MPs and the Government work together to ensure a deal is in place before 29 March.

'Confidence to invest'

TFA Chief Executive, George Dunn added that the sustainability of the landlord tenant system in agriculture depends on ensuring the long-term profitability of the sector.

Landlords and tenants cooperate to manage over a third of the agricultural land of the country producing great food and a host of wider public benefits, he said.

Both landlords and tenants need the confidence to invest for the future and the ramifications of a no deal Brexit would put that in jeopardy.

Farm tenants are proud of the high-quality output for which they are responsible and the thought that these standards could be undermined by cheaper, lower quality imports in a no deal Brexit is a major concern.

It is vital that the Government delivers a viable framework to ensure that Brexit provides more opportunities through a good deal than the challenges that would be presented by a no deal scenario.

The letter follows the NFU calling a 'no deal' scenario 'catastrophic' and could have a 'devastating impact' on the millions of people working in the industry, 'threatening' livelihoods and 'severely undermining' farm businesses.Campaigners are calling for local abattoirs to be recognised as a public good as they are the 'linchpins' of the UK's food systems.

There are now only 56 small red meat abattoirs left in the UK, with a third having closed between 2007 and 2017 and a further seven closing in 2018.

Campaigners at the Oxford Real Farming Conference highlighted how local abattoirs ensure traceable meat production and multiple public goods associated with local food.

The findings of a survey by the Campaign for Local Abattoirs shows a sector under pressure. One owner described running the business as a continual struggle.

None of the abattoir owners surveyed considered their profitability to be good, whereas half of them described it as poor, and over 10% said they were making a loss.

This is due in part to a combination of high running costs and, with a growing move away from using natural animal by-products and towards synthetics, a collapse in the value of products that had previously provided income, particularly hides and skins.

President of National Craft Butchers and small abattoir owner, John Mettrick said: Recently we slaughtered 89 lambs but received only 10 pence each for their skins, in addition to being charged 1 each for 12 that were damaged.

This resulted in us actually making a loss for something that in my fathers day would have generated about 500 in profit.

On top of this loss, small abattoirs must pay 800-1000 per month to have their waste taken away. This has a knock on effect for farmers and retailers as abattoirs have no choice but to pass on these costs.

'Protect and enhance'

Nick Allen, Chief Executive of the British Meat Processors Association, called for recognition that small abattoirs are the sharp end of the market and a useful alternative to relying on mainstream outlets, which can often mean big retailers dominate. We need to keep as many open as possible.

The crux of the issue is the need to 'protect and enhance' local food systems, according to Peter Greig of Pipers Farm, who said: We need to believe in the future of relocalised markets.

Patrick Holden, Chief Executive of the Sustainable Food Trust, said: We can only bring change if we can touch the hearts and minds of the public. We need a campaign looking at how far animals have to travel to slaughter and bring this issue to the attention of consumers.

To fully address this problem 'urgent government action' is needed, according to Lady Parker who chaired the session at the Oxford Real Farming Conference. She said: All participants agreed that small abattoirs cannot survive in the current economic climate unaided.

They will only have a sustainable future if it is recognised that they provide a vitally important service, and they receive financial support to subsidise some of the excessive costs they currently face, based on the concept of public support for the public good they provide.New legislation banning the slaughter of animals without prior stunning comes into effect in parts of Belgium, showing that a similar ban is possible in the UK, according to the veterinary industry.

The ban in the Flanders region of the country was put in place on New Years Day, following on from legislation that was passed by Belgiums parliament in July 2017.

Similar restrictions are expected to be implemented in the countrys Wallonia region from September.

Belgium follows several other countries including Iceland, Estonia, Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark in its decision to ban the slaughter of animals without prior stunning.

John Fishwick, Senior Vice President at the British Veterinary Association (BVA), said: This shows that there is considerable strength of feeling on the issue and that a ban would be possible within domestic law of EU member states.

BVA would like to see all animals stunned before slaughter and this call has received widespread support from the veterinary profession and general public, including a petition with over 120,000 signatures.

Our focus on this has nothing to do with the expression of religious beliefs, but is about finding ways to reduce the welfare harm of non-stun slaughter.

Mr Fishwick added: If slaughter without stunning continues to be permitted in the UK, then meat and fish from this source must be clearly labelled, to help customers make informed choices about the food that they buy and eat.

The BVA has previously said that slaughter without stunning 'unnecessarily compromises' the welfare of animals at the time of death, and has called for all livestock to be stunned before slaughter.

Humanists UK have also called the Government to expand its definition of the 'welfare needs of animals' by explicitly including pre-stunning of animals at time of slaughter.

It follows research from the National Secular Society which shows that at least 18 councils in the UK are supplying non-stunned meat to schools  most of which are not Islamic faith schools.The 2018 Farm Bill includes provisions for growing industrial hemp, but that means South Dakota or the U.S. Department of Agriculture needs to set up regulations. TNS photoby Sean Fitzpatrick | Magic Correspondent | Tue, Jan 8th 7:27pm EST

Gary Harris has been ruled out for Tuesday's game versus the Miami Heat with a sore hammy. Harris just made it back after an extended absence so this certainly doesn't bode well for him. Malik Beasley will start on Tuesday. (Nuggets PR on Twitter)by Sean Fitzpatrick | Hawks Correspondent | Tue, Jan 8th 6:34pm EST

Kevin Huerter has been ruled out for Tuesday's game versus the Toronto Raptors with a mild back strain. DeAndre Bembry will start in his place with Vince Carter seeing more minutes. (KL Chouinard on Twitter)Stefano Di Carlo, the Tokyo-based head of operation support for the doctors relief group, said officials would like to move larger cargo farther. People in war zones likely would be wary because drones are also used as weapons, but poor areas lacking in infrastructure would be among the places most eager for such delivery.Could This Seattle Pot Stock SOAR as Legal Weed Market Expands? (Ad)

Fifteen states plus the District of Columbia now permit the recreational use of cannabis and Congress is on track to decriminalize marijuana possession on the federal level. As a result, the North American cannabis market is expected to TRIPLE in size from $30 billion to $100 billion by the year 2027  and one Seattle manufacturer is poised to cash in!

Details in Brand-New Special Report!CBD's War On Big Tobacco (Ad)

This new invention has the $930 billion tobacco industry shaking in its boots. Don't miss this coming trend.

Get The Full Story Before Wall StreetSome of the passengers said they had years of experience experimenting with the drug as medication outside of the law, while others described themselves as marijuana virgins who once stigmatized the controlled substance but have come to view it through an enlightened lens since it became legal at the state level for certified patients to purchase in December 2017.While not a supporter of President Donald Trump, I endorse his withdrawals of U.S. troops from Syria and Afghanistan. We have no business interfering in the sovereignty of other countries. Our national security is not at risk. These endless wars secure the assets of international corporations, promote the careers of the military, and open new markets for armaments manufacturers.

The late Marine Corps. Maj. Gen. Smedley D. Butler, a great patriot and Americas most decorated soldier, accurately stated that war is a racket. In a speech in 1931 before the American Legion, he said of his military service, I spent most of my time being a high-class muscle-man for Big Business.

He explained, in part, I helped make Honduras right for American fruit companies in 1903. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international banking house of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I helped make Mexico safe and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American Sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City bank boys to collect revenue in. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints.

The outcries against Trump for this action come from the military industrial complex and our warmongering public officials.

George Farias

White House, too

Put the people who work in the White House residence on furlough. Lets see how Mrs. Trump likes cooking meals, dusting the furniture and picking up after her husband.

Doris Alderman

Required listening

Im reading U.S. Sen. Ben Sasses book Them. In it, I learned that on each Feb. 22, the Senate reads aloud George Washingtons farewell address.

It occurred to me that given the deep distrust between the people and their government, this Senate reading might actually be broadcast on national television and perhaps become a healing tool for a very serious problem in this country.

From Sassess book: Historians estimate that the Farewell Address was the most published American document in the first half-century of the new republic. It provided the model for how Americans should think about our government, its limits, and the necessity of modesty and humility from both leaders and the citizenry. It was more studied in schools than the Declaration of Independence.

Ive emailed the idea to Sen. Sasse. At first, I thought of contacting my Texas senators, but somehow I just dont think they would be interested in such things.

Bobby Riley

Party clones

Thank you, Express-News, for periodically showing us how our representatives to Congress have voted on the legislation before them. Its apparent from the information in Sundays paper that we have elected party clones to Congress rather than thinking men and women.

Shame on them for solely voting along party lines. Shame on us for not doing a better job during the midterm elections of electing people who think for themselves and their constituents.

Mike HorridgeAccess and safety.

In the end, after 30 years of the iconic Guadalupe Plaza anchoring the heart of San Antonios West Side, after two years and two months of the plaza being enclosed by a cyclone fence, and after a four-month process that brought the West Side community together in a series of input meetings, access and safety have surfaced as the issues that matter most.

It makes sense. The community wants its plaza back. That means no fence to keep people out. But safety is a real, palpable concern. The fence was installed  temporarily  to keep the plaza free of crime.

Its not as simple as it sounds, though. The idea of access in the West Side brings familiar feelings of neglect and exclusion. West Siders dont take well to being kept out, because for generations the community has been systematically isolated from progress  you cant go from downtown to the West Side without having to cross a highway, then railroad tracks, then a jail complex.

The idea of safety takes on an added dimension here, too. Yes, theres crime around the plaza. But theres crime everywhere in the city  each part of town has its own brand of criminal. But for too long, when San Antonians think of the West Side they immediately think poverty, and crime.

I think something different, and the meetings weve had with West Side neighbors since September cemented two things in my mind: The West Side has dignity and community.

Thats how you renew and return Guadalupe Plaza to its neighbors  you answer the need for access and safety with dignity and community.

What does that look like? It looks like investment, programming and whichever opposite of neglect you care to choose: respect, use, attention, care.

But it could also mean completion. When the plaza was designed 30 years ago, it was part of a larger complex intended to revive that part of town. Funding shortfalls stopped the complex from fulfillment. Preliminary work has already begun to renovate the site and, among other needed things, bring it to ADA compliance. And there are funds to spark programming that bring families back to the plaza.

Its a good start. But more is needed. Millions of dollars have been spent renovating parks and plazas around town  Milam Park, Main Plaza, Hardberger Park, to name three. The question was raised at our last community meeting  why not Guadalupe Plaza? Generations of infrastructure and, until 40 years ago, political neglect put that question in stark relief.

Its a question of dignity. Whats needed is a response that matches the abundant dignity of West Side families and businesses and schools and neighborhoods.

Much has been said and written about the now notorious fence that encloses the plaza. The problem, though, is not the fence. The problem is that weve been asking the wrong question. Removing the fence is not an answer on its own. The fence is a symptom of the chronic disregard of one of the oldest, most traditional, most vibrant parts of the city. It would be a poor investment on the citys part to remove the fence and spend a little on renovations and programming without addressing the root causes of neglect.

On Friday, Ill be meeting with the wonderful young people from Latinos In Architecture who unveiled their proposed Guadalupe Plaza redesign in mid-December. Well be discussing the feedback we received from community members and planning the best way to move forward on this long-needed change. Im determined to make sure that its also the beginning of renewed hope, attention and dignified investment for the Guadalupe community.

Access and safety go beyond the plaza, and our answer  dignity and community  should go beyond it, too.

Shirley Gonzales represents District 5 on the San Antonio City Council.Confronted with heart-wrenching images of children snatched from parents at the U.S.-Mexico border, good people will feel as if there is nothing one person can do to make their sliver of the world a kinder and gentler place.

Robert Kennedy understood that feeling. And yet, at the University of Cape Town in South Africa in June 1966, the U.S. Senator from New York pushed back.

First is the danger of futility, Kennedy told his audience. The belief there is nothing one man or one woman can do against the enormous array of the worlds ills  against misery, against ignorance, or injustice and violence. Yet many of the worlds great movements, of thought and action, have flowed from the work of a single man.

One such man is Richard Villasana, a bi-national guardian angel who works to spare children the pain of family separation.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents often add to the pain. In El Paso, Texas, on Christmas eve, ICE agents played Scrooge by dumping hundreds of asylum-seekers in the parking lot of a bus station.

Villasana hates the thought of thousands of children being funneled into foster care. And whether those children come to the United States as unaccompanied minors, or come with parents who wind up incarcerated or deported, foster care is where many of these would-be refugees wind up. When they turn 18, theyre released into the streets  with no family, no home, and no hope. The first time they run across a predator, they wind up on the menu.

But not if Villasana can help it. As the founder of a nonprofit organization called Forever Homes for Foster Kids, he spends his days trying to locate the relatives of some of these children who find their way into foster care in the hopes that the kinfolk will take in these kids and get them out of the system.

What a great idea. Simple but effective.

But there is a catch. Not just anyone can do this magic trick. Were talking about tracking down people in Third World countries with scant personal information to go on. Locating someone in the Mexican state of Oaxaca is not like finding someone in the midwestern state of Ohio.

Luckily, Villasana has a gift. Its a knack for finding people by putting information together, using just phones and people skills, following a paper trail and analyzing data until the bread crumbs lead to an aunt, cousin, grandma or parent.

You gotta remember, when I started, I was doing all this pre-Google, he told me.

Born in Houston, Texas, and raised as one of nine kids, the Mexican-American Villasana at first had no use for hyphens.

I thought of myself as American growing up, he said. I wouldnt think of being Mexican until many years later.

It was also years later that hed learn to speak Spanish. His parents remembered well the bigotry and racism they experienced as children, he said. And they didnt want their kids to experience the same sort of thing.

Now Villasana speaks four languages  Spanish, English, and some Italian and French.

Like they say, join the U.S. Navy and see the world. And he did. He left for Desert Storm with the Naval Reserves in 1989, and later relocated to San Diego. There, he developed an international consulting business that required him to often cross the border into Tijuana. His specialty: helping U.S. companies do business in the Mexican medical/health care field. You have to do and say the right thing to open doors in a foreign country.

Before long he was known as The Mexico Guru, and he was giving seminars about doing business in Mexico. He even wrote a book, titled: Insider Secrets for Doing Business in Mexico. I asked him to share one of those secrets.

Whether you speak Spanish has nothing to do with it, he said. The key is knowing how to talk to the Mexican people, including the Mexican government. If you approach them with respect, it puts them at ease. And they want to help you.

Reuniting children with family is a labor of love, with an emphasis on the labor part. The organization operates in the red.

This is dogged work, he said. Its hard, and its depressing. But I keep going because, I know that on the other end of this long road is a child who needs help.

This is a good man. Just the kind of person we need when things on the border are so bad.

ruben@rubennavarrette.comRay Lopez never appears to be in a hurry.

During his eight years on the City Council, the gray-haired, mustachioed former AT&T marketing director was legendary for his calm assurance and willingness to speak at length  often at great length  on any subject. He came to be seen by his colleagues as the councils easygoing, consensus-building uncle.

But Lopez finds himself in a hurry now, thanks to Gov. Greg Abbott. The governor announced Monday that the special election to fill the Texas House District 125 seat, vacated last week by new Bexar County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez, will be held on Feb. 12, with early voting starting on Jan. 28.

After getting the green light last Friday from Evelyn, his wife of 48 years, Lopez has decided to run for the seat. That means a sprint for a man who likes to live his life at the pace of a casual stroll (or boating excursion on Medina Lake).

OnExpressNews.com: At least two candidates already prepping for Feb. 12 special election to fill San Antonio's open House seat

The race likely will get crowded between now and next Mondays filing deadline. Former District 125 Rep. Art Reyna and policy advocate Coda Rayo-Garza already have declared their interest and others will follow. Like Lopez, they will run as Democrats.

Lopez, 69, however, enters the race as a clear front-runner. The bowling pins simply couldnt be lined up much better for him.

His old City Council district, which covered the far West Side of San Antonio  from U.S. 90 West, on its south end, past Helotes, on its north end  matches up well with Texas House District 125. He won four consecutive elections in that council district and has been out of office for less than two years.

By comparison, Reyna lost his Texas House seat 17 years ago to Joaquin Castro, in blowout fashion, and his subsequent work on the Leon Valley City Council cant match Lopezs high-profile position in San Antonio.

Lopez said he eyed the Texas House District 125 seat for years, but never thought of running against people that I had confidence in, like Joaquin Castro, before, and Justin Rodriguez, both doing fantastic jobs.

My philosophy is if theyre a doing a good job, join them and help them do a better job.

Lopez also mulled a 2018 Democratic primary campaign for the Precinct 2 County Commissioner seat which went to Rodriguez last week after the death of veteran Commissioner Paul Elizondo.

Lopez said he met in 2017 with Elizondo  who told Lopez that he planned to run for a 10th term  and with County Judge Nelson Wolff, who made it clear that he planned to support Elizondo for another term. So Lopez stayed out.

OnExpressNews.com: One seat is filled, another opens: County court pick will ripple through San Antonio politics

One of the most timeworn cliches in politics involves the reluctant politician  the elected official who frequently runs for office yet claims to hate the political game.

Nonetheless, when Lopez says he loves governance but doesnt get much enjoyment from campaigning, its easy to believe him. After all, theres evidence to back him up.

Most observers of his first City Council campaign, a 2005 runoff with Delicia Herrera, concluded that Herrera won primarily because she knocked on more doors and outworked Lopez. He had to wait until 2009 for his opportunity to join the council.

In 2013, Lopez sought a third term on the council and faced hard-charging challenger Greg Brockhouse. Lopez survived the challenge, but there were moments when it looked like his nonchalant approach might cost him his seat.

Thats why the abbreviated nature of this special election only works to Lopezs benefit. His name recognition and long history of service provide him a built-in advantage over any other candidate in this race.

Lopezs political history stretches back to 1990, when he won the first of three terms on the Northside Independent School District Board of Trustees. He ultimately became board president and later won election to the Board for the Education Service Center, Region 20.

In addition to education, Lopez can claim subject-matter expertise in transportation  with his history as the chairman of the Metropolitan Planning Organization and current work with the San Antonio Mobility Coalition  and job creation, given his stint as chairman of the City Councils Economic Development Committee.

A Lopez victory would reunite him with two of his old council colleagues, Diego Bernal and Philip Cortez. Bernal cast a vote for Lopez in July 2014 when the council had to fill the mayoral vacancy created when Julian Castro resigned to become the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

That mayoral vote might have been the best public demonstration of Lopezs team-player mentality.

After two rounds of balloting, he and Ivy Taylor were stuck in a stalemate, with Taylor ahead 5-3, but unable to get the necessary sixth vote. Determined to avoid a political bloodbath, Lopez conceded the race, a move which Taylor later said reflected his graciousness and love for our city.

Lopez might want to cash in some of those political karma points on Feb. 12.An 8-month-old infant is still missing and foul play is suspected as San Antonio police announced the arrest Monday of a relative suspected of assisting the boys father in staging an abduction.

We can say without a doubt that this was not a car theft, this was not a kidnapping, SAPD Chief William McManus said Monday during an update into the Friday disappearance of King Jay Davila. This was a staged event as we had said previously.

McManus said he could not elaborate on the details of what police suspect occurred to King Jay, whom he said was never in the car.

Ask yourself, why would someone concoct such a story, McManus said.

The woman, a cousin to King Jays father Christopher Davila, was arrested Monday on unrelated charges. Police said her identity would be released when she is booked into jail.

We know who the person was who dropped her off as well, McManus said Monday.

RELATED: Family of missing S.A. baby slam SAPD as authorities search a West Side park

King Jays father, 34-year-old Christopher Davila, called police to say that his car had been stolen from a convenience store at about 7 p.m. Friday in the 300 block of Enrique Barrera. A video shows a woman walking up to the vehicle and driving away.

Davila had gone inside the store to purchase items and left his car running and the door unlocked.

Investigators said that the cousin was dropped off at an adjacent street the moment before Christopher Davila arrived at the gas station. She then entered the car and drove it to an intersection near Rodriguez Park, where she left the car and walked away with the car seat, investigators said.

Police scoured Rodriguez Park on Sunday after finding a babys bottle. It is being tested by police to determine if it belongs to King Jay.

Rodriguez Park was due diligence, McManus said. We had to search the body of water in there.

On the Express-News: Police: Father of missing infant staged kidnapping to cover up 'foul play'

McManus took a moment during the conference to address the criticism of police by King Jays mother, Jasmine Gonzales, as well as a jailhouse interview done over the phone between her, King Jays father and a local media station.

He spent more time speaking with the media, answering media questions, than he spent with us or answering our questions, McManus said.

Gonzales said Sunday that, Davila, her fiance, was innocent, and that the police were focusing more on family members rather than searching for King Jay. Both she and Davila repeated this sentiment during the jailhouse interview.

We understand the anguish and the pain that the mother is going through right now, but I think the information that we have just uncovered throughout this day  refutes all of the allegations made against the police department in this investigation, McManus said.

The mother has since been cooperative with police as they continue their investigation, officials said.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

McManus also thanked the FBI agents who have been assisting police in their investigation without pay because of the government shutdown.

No Amber Alert was issued for King Jay, McManus said, because the incident did not meet the criteria set by Texas Department of Public Safety.

Even if you are not directly involved in this, if you are withholding information, if you have lied to the police, then we will charge you at the conclusion of this investigation, McManus said.

Investigators said they have obtained details of what occurred from family members, but they are still looking everywhere to find King Jay.

Theres one answer that we dont have, and that is where is King Jay.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information is available.

Text "NEWS" to 77453 for breaking news alerts from mySA.comAccording to Spacey, the ensuing flirtation between the two was welcomed by the victim, as he told police in his report that he accepted drinks from Spacey, let the actor put his arm around him near the piano while they did sing-alongs, and even left the bar with him to smoke a cigarette after giving (him) his phone number.A proposed settlement has stalled in a federal court fight involving more than $6 million worth of San Antonio real estate seized during a money laundering investigation of a former Mexican governor.

The deal hit a snag recently when San Antonio real estate agent Ruben Solis filed a motion seeking to intervene in the suit, saying he had a limited partnership with Luis Armando Reynoso Lopez, the son of a former governor of the central Mexican state of Aguascalientes, and an interest in three of the seven properties at issue.

During a hearing Friday, Solis lawyer, Clint Buck, told Senior U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth that his client never had proper legal notice of the forfeiture lawsuit the government filed against the governors son, and wants to join it to protect his interests.

RELATED: Marshals seize Ferrari, Mercedes, jewelry at Alfaro's Shavano Park home

Solis was the purchasing agent for four model homes in a gated subdivision off TPC Parkway that Reynoso Lopez  who lives in Mexico  bought on June 30, 2009. Solis also joined a limited partnership with Reynoso Lopez, R&S International Investments LP to purchase, own and operate two undeveloped parcels west of town and commercial office space on West Blanco Road, just inside Loop 1604.

Terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, but Lamberth was advised a deal was reached so he could cancel a trial in the case that had been scheduled for this week.

Solis interest is 7.32 percent in the vacant parcels and office space, records show.

Unless Solis can be heard, the defendant property may be lost through a pending settlement with the United States orchestrated by Mr. Reynoso Lopezs attorney and the assistant United States attorney, Buck wrote in a motion to the judge. Neither Mr. Reynoso Lopez nor the United States speak for Solis interests in preserving (his) right to (the) property.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Nelda Valadez argued that Solis was on notice years ago about the case when federal agents interviewed him about the properties during their investigation. Valadez and Reynoso Lopezs lawyer, David Dilley, both argued that Solis is trying to come in too late.

Permitting Solis to intervene at this late stage would prejudice (Reynoso Lopez) by threatening to disrupt a hard-fought litigation battle which resulted in a settlement that (Reynoso Lopez) reached with government petitioner, Dilley said.

RELATED: Unsealed documents: Former governor of Aguascalientes laundered stolen money in San Antonio

Dilley argued that Solis likely may get a cut from the sales of the properties once the settlement is done.

Lamberth said he would rule later on whether Solis can join the suit.

Most civil cases involving the U.S. government as a party have been put on hold across the country because the partial government shutdown has furloughed federal lawyers who work on them. But those who work forfeiture cases, like federal prosecutors in criminal cases, are considered essential employees and remain on the job.

In 2014, the properties came into the crosshairs of the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Attorneys Office in San Antonio, whose agents were investigating Reynoso Lopezs father, Luis Armando Reynoso Femat. The governor of Aguascalientes from 2004 to 2010, he was sentenced in 2017 to more than six years in prison in his own country for embezzlement.

U.S. investigators alleged Reynoso Femat used $5.5 million he embezzled from Aguascalientes to buy the San Antonio properties in his sons name.

Beginning in 2008, Reynoso Femat and his son, Reynoso Lopez, conspired together, and with others, to divert monies illegally derived from the Mexican state of Aguascalientes through financial institutions in Mexico, to bank accounts they established in the U.S., said an affidavit unsealed in the forfeiture case in 2017.

But U.S. prosecutors have never charged anyone criminally in the case. Defense attorney Dilley said Valadez, the assistant U.S. attorney, has acknowledged that prosecutors closed their criminal investigation against his client, who denies wrongdoing. Reynoso Femat has not filed any claims to the properties nor responded to the allegations here.

My client has never wavered that these properties were purchased with legitimate funds that were not tainted by illegal activity, Dilley said of Reynoso Lopez.

Guillermo Contreras covers federal court and immigration news in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | gcontreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland9:00 p.m. UPDATE: The San Antonio Police Department located Savannah Ozuna who they described as a potential witness in the case of missing baby King Jay Davila.

"At this time, we have no further information," the department wrote on its social media pages.

Meanwhile police were photographed searching the home of King Jay's father, Christopher Davila.

-----

ORIGINAL STORY: San Antonio police are looking for a possible witness in the case of an 8-month-old boy whose disappearance Friday was determined by police to be a staged kidnapping.

Savannah Ozuna may have information in the case of King Jay Davila, according to SAPD.

Police are asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of Ozuna to call 911 or 210-207-7273.

RELATED: SAPD: Woman in baby-kidnapping video was related, part of a cover up

King Jay was reported missing at 7 p.m. Friday after his father, Christopher Davila, 34, reported that his car and his son were taken from a convenience store on the West Side.

Investigators later determined that the incident was staged with help from Davilas cousin Angie Torres.

Torres took the Dodge Dart that Davila left at the gas station and drove it an intersection near Rodriguez Park, police said, where she left it and was seen walking away with an empty car seat.

Davila was arrested that night and charged with child endangerment. He posted bond and was released from jail Sunday, according to court records.

Torres, 45, was arrested Monday and charged with aggravated robbery in an unrelated incident. She was still in jail as of Tuesday.

FIND OUT FIRST: Get San Antonio breaking news directly to your inbox

Chief William McManus said Monday that the kidnapping was staged to hide foul play.

He said he could not elaborate on what occurred to King Jay, but that investigators have been obtaining information from family members.

King Jay is still missing as of Tuesday.A woman who San Antonio police say stole razors from a Dollar General store and kicked an employee on Sunday was the same woman sought by authorities in the fake kidnapping of an infant two days earlier.

It was another bizarre twist in the mysterious disappearance of 8-month-old King Jay Davila. He is still missing, and police believe he was the victim of foul play.

On Tuesday night, police searched for evidence in the home of his father, 34-year-old Christopher Davila and mother, Jasmine Gonzales. They removed several large bags with unknown contents.

RELATED: Police: Father of missing infant in San Antonio staged kidnapping to cover up 'foul play'

On Monday evening, police used dogs to scour the home of his Davilas parents. They also tracked down a possible witness, Savannah Ozuna, who could have information about the missing boy.

Police caught a break in the case Sunday when they pieced together that the woman accused of theft at the store was the same woman they think was seen in a survelliance video of the fake kidnapping.

Police believe Davila staged the kidnapping Friday night with help from his cousin, Angie Torres, 45, as a cover story for King Jays disappearance.

Davila told police that he left his Dodge Dart running with King Jay inside while he went into a convenience store on the West Side to buy water. He said that when he exited the store he realized the car, which was unlocked, had been stolen, and with it, his son.

In the store surveillance video, a woman wearing a hoodie covering most of her face walks up to the Dart without hesitation, opens the door and drives away.

RELATED: Potential witness sought in case of missing 8-month-old

A short time later, she was seen in a different video walking and carrying a babys car seat. The Dart was found 3.5 miles from the store near Rodriguez Park without the baby or car seat.

To police, Davilas story didnt add up and they were immediately suspicious. They charged him with child endangerment. He is now out of jail on bond.

While detectives were working to identify the woman in the videos, other officers were investigating the theft of some razors at a Dollar General that turned violent Sunday night.

Three women entered a Dollar General store on Castroville Road on the West Side around 8:15 p.m. A store employee told police she saw one woman  later identified as Torres  take a pack of razors and place it in her purse, according to an arrest affidavit. The employee confronted Torres but Torres said the razors were hers and that she had the receipt inside her car to prove it.

According to police, as the employee insisted that Torres pay, Torres pushed her aside and attempted to punch her in the face.

The employee dodged the punch and Torres kicked her in the leg. The other two women pushed the employee against the wall.

In the midst of the scuffle, the employee dialed 911. Torres and her two friends drove away, but the employee managed to get the cars description.

As police investigated the robbery, they learned that Torres had been interviewed about King Jays disappearance.

The sergeant working on the robbery contacted the detectives on the missing child case. After viewed the surveillance video from Dollar General, they believe they recognized Torres.

She was arrested Monday night and charged with aggravated robbery. She was in the Bexar County jail on a $50,000 bail.

On ExpressNews.com: Father of missing infant staged kidnapping to cover up foul play

Chief William McManus said Monday that Davila knew that Torres had been dropped off near the convenience store to purportedly steal the car and that King Jay was not even in the car, as Davila claimed.

Authorities have not elaborated on why the two would stage a kidnapping.

Ask yourself, why would someone concoct such a story, McManus said.

Police believe others were involved, including the person who dropped Torres off at the convenience store.

According to her Facebook, Torres attended John F. Kennedy High School and studied at San Antonio College. She has been arrested five times in Bexar County, mainly in the early 1990s. Shes been convicted of burglary, resisting arrest, and theft between $200 and $750. She received probation in all three cases.

We have a lot of information right now, McManus said Monday. We want that additional information. It helps us tie everything together.

Anyone with information about King Jays whereabouts is encouraged to call 911 immediately.

Staff writers Caleb Downs and Jacob Beltran contributed to this report.

Emilie Eaton is a criminal justice reporter in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read her on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | eeaton@express-news.net | Twitter: @emilieeatonThe field of candidates vying to become San Antonios newest state representative continues to grow, and the result could be a crowded race that requires a runoff election to decide the victor.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced this week that the special election to replace former Rep. Justin Rodriguez in the Texas House will be Feb. 12, setting up a frenzied, five-week campaign in San Antonio as lawmakers in Austin begin the legislative session.

Candidates have until 5 p.m. Monday to file the necessary paperwork to appear on the ballot.

Whoever wins will have to catch up in a legislative session that will be in full swing by the time the race is over.

On Monday, three Democrats confirmed they intend to run for the seat: Ray Lopez, who served for eight years on the San Antonio City Council; Coda Rayo-Garza, a policy advocate who is a coordinator for the San Antonio Independent School District; and Art Reyna, who held the seat from 1996 through 2002 and also has served on the Leon Valley City Council.

At least two others are seriously considering mounting a bid, according to veteran Democratic strategist Christian Archer: Cris Medina, who was ousted from the City Council in 2017, and Scott Metzger, who started Freetail Brewing Co. and often has advocated for the craft beer industry in Austin.

On ExpressNews.com: Gov. sets special election for San Antonio's open House seat

Archer said he isnt looking to join a campaign in the race and hasnt worked for any of the named candidates in the past.

It wouldnt surprise me if this field grows from five to 10, he said.

Medina confirmed he is considering running and would make a final decision this weekend.

Metzger declined to comment on his intentions, but he confirmed he lives in the district, which is a Democratic stronghold covering a swath of the West and Northwest sides.

Rodriguez said both men reached out to him this week, along with the three confirmed candidates.

He resigned his House seat when he accepted an appointment to the Bexar County Commissioners Court on Friday, taking the Precinct 2 seat held for decades by the late Paul Elizondo.

The vacancy left the Bexar County delegation down a member when the session began Tuesday.

Archer said the race will be defined by quirks of its timing, including the likelihood that turnout will be extremely low.

The size and quality of the field mean its likely the election will go to a runoff, Archer said.

Anything can happen in an off-cycle special election, he said.

The prospect of a runoff election means it could be months before the seat is filled. Runoffs occur when no candidate garners a majority of the vote and the top two finishers proceed to a final round.

Candidates must be American citizens 21 or older who have lived in the district for at least one year and in Texas for at least two years.

The filing fee to enter is $750.

Theres a long way between, Heres my $700, and confetti cannons going off, Archer said.

Dylan McGuinness covers local politics and the Bexar County government for the Express-News. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | dylan.mcguinness@express-news.net | Twitter: @DylMcGuinnessCouncilman Greg Brockhouse on Tuesday called for City Manager Sheryl Sculley to be suspended for leaking to an online news organization an internal city document damaging to a District 2 council candidate.

Brockhouse lambasted Sculley for releasing the document to Robert Rivard, editor and publisher of the Rivard Report, in part because other news organizations had requests pending for the same information. Rivard cited the document in a Sunday column suggesting that the candidate, a retiring firefighter, was unfit to serve on the council.

The document, subsequently released to the San Antonio Express-News, outlines the work history of firefighter Dereck Hillyer. He is one of 13 people who have applied to complete the unexpired council term of William Cruz Shaw, who resigned to accept a judicial appointment.

The one-page summary of Hillyers work history shows that he was suspended for five days without pay in 2016 for insubordination, failure to follow orders and poor on-duty performance, and that he was counseled on numerous deficiencies, including absence without leave.

RELATED: Retiring S.A. firefighter's past likely will disqualify him for council seat he seeks

The document also states that Hillyer, 57, owes the city $11,251 because he mistakenly received duplicate workers compensation between 2016 and 2018. Officials have tried repeatedly to obtain reimbursement, without success, the document says.

Everybody whos in the press ... you should find it egregious and a violation of public trust that there are pending open-records requests and another member of the media is able to utilize personal relationships to obtain information outside of the open-records process, Brockhouse said.

Brockhouse, an ally of the firefighters union and a frequent adversary of Sculleys, said the council should delay its selection of the next District 2 council member and afford Hillyer time to defend himself.

City Council is expected to choose Shaws successor Thursday. That person will serve until voters select a new council member in the May 4 election.

Rivard, a former editor of the Express-News, denied that Sculley had provided him the document about Hillyer, and he criticized Brockhouse for making an issue of the matter.

I wish Councilman Brockhouse cared as much about a well-informed public and the competency of City Council candidates as he does about protecting his fire union cronies, Rivard said by email.

Sculley said in an interview that she did provide the document to Rivard. She said Rivard asked for information about Hillyer and she told an assistant to send it to him.

Jeff Coyle, the citys chief spokesman, said Sculley acted appropriately.

RELATED: New Texas House Speaker pledges unrelenting push for education funding

The media requested and received factually releasable information about a city employee, he said in a statement.

Nirenberg has said hed asked for information on Hillyer when it became apparent that a city employee was seeking a council seat. He said the document, prepared by Deputy City Manager Erik Walsh and other officials, was necessary due diligence as the council weighs who to appoint to the District 2 seat.

Brockhouse was the only council member to support the fire unions campaign to amend the city charter, an outgrowth of its longstanding contract battle with the city. Voters approved two union-promoted amendments in November.

One gave the union unilateral authority to take contract disputes to arbitration. The other  widely seen as a slap at Sculley  limits the tenure and compensation of future city managers.

Several weeks after the election, Sculley announced that she was retiring after 13 years in the position. Nirenberg has said hed like to appoint a successor by the end of this month.

Josh Baugh is a staff writer in the San Antonio and Bexar County area. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | jbaugh@express-news.net | Twitter: @jbaughAshlie Bagwell, a lobbyist for the Maryland Medical Dispensary Association, said the danger to independent dispensaries is that dispensaries owned by big companies that grow and process their own marijuana would be able to buy those products for less than independent businesses like Windsors. Others said the minority owned license holders whom the commission is beginning to recruit for a new batch of licenses would enter the market at a major disadvantage if consolidation is allowed to continue.Carlos Uresti co-defendant Gary Cain now calls a low-security federal prison in Seagoville home, but a fight is playing out over the Shavano Park estate where he previously lived.

Cains daughters this week filed court papers seeking to terminate a restraining order obtained by federal prosecutors, who alleged in September that Cain was using friends and family to shield assets to avoid paying restitution to the victims of his crimes.

The order prevents the Cain sisters from selling the property.

Cain and Uresti, the former San Antonio state senator, in February were convicted on a combined 20 felonies for their roles at an oil-field services company that defrauded investors.

RELATED: Title company that lost record $706M Bexar verdict loses again

Cain was sentenced to 68 months in prison, while Uresti received a 12-year sentence. They, along with four others, must pay $6.3 million in restitution to the investors. Cain, 62, is appealing his conviction but not his sentence, which he started serving in November.

In a September court filing, prosecutors took issue with a series of transactions involving 414 Bentley Manor Holdings LLC, a company owned by Cains daughters Nicolette Cain and Keana Cain Herrera.

The company owns the Shavano Park home at 414 Bentley Manor where Gary Cain lived prior to his incarceration.

Prosecutors alleged that the series of transactions appear designed to strip the equity from the property. Its valued at almost $1.3 million by Bexar County Appraisal District.

Prosecutors say almost $1.1 million in liens were encumbered on the property in June, about three weeks before Cain was sentenced on nine felonies, including various money-laundering and wire-fraud charges.

In one of the transactions, 414 Bentley Manor Holdings, which took title to the house June 8, conveyed a deed of trust to Michael LaHood, the father of then-Bexar County District Attorney Nico LaHood, for $850,000 that same day. A deed of trust is essentially evidence of a debt.

Nico LaHood is listed as the trustee on the deed of trust, according to the document. A trustee in a deed of trust has authority to take back a property on behalf of a lender in the event of a default.

Parties bound by the restraining order obtained by prosecutors include Gary Cain, 414 Bentley Manor Holdings and the LaHoods. The order was obtained ex parte, meaning those named in the order were not present to oppose it when it was issued by the judge.

RELATED: Settlement stalls in money-laundering case tied to S.A. property

Gary Cain may argue that he has no ownership in the Real Property. However, such a justification should be cold comfort to the Court, prosecutors said in their September filing. The reality is that (Cain) resides in an exclusive part of San Antonio in a very valuable home.

Prosecutors added Cain once had an interest in the property through a partnership and placed title to the property into 414 Bentley Manor Holdings.

His friends are now his creditors, and the only ones who stand to lose through this convenient arrangement are his victims, prosecutors alleged.

Eric Sherer, attorney for 414 Bentley Manor Holdings and Cains daughters, did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

In seeking to dissolve the restraining order, the Cain sisters disputed that their father has an ownership interest in the property.

He was merely a tenant/occupant/caretaker of the Property, the sisters say of their father in a Monday court filing. The sisters said prosecutors had failed to provide evidence of Cains alleged ownership of the property  other than innuendo, supposition, guesswork, inferences, speculation, drama.

The sisters want the restraining order lifted so they can sell the property.

They were joined in the motion by Michael LaHood.

414 Bentley Manor Holdings borrowed $850,000 from Michael LaHood to purchase the property for $700,000. The remaining $150,000 was earmarked for renovations on the property. The sisters retained their uncle, Forestt Ronald Ronnie Cain, Gary Cains brother and a former Windcrest city manager, as the general contractor. Ronnie Cain is the sole manager of 414 Bentley Manor Holdings.

This does not involve any nefarious or suspicious activities on the part of either (of the Cain brothers) in the renovations of the Property nor does it imply any ownership or control by (Gary) Cain in the Property other than as tenant/caretaker, the sisters say in their court filing.

The restraining order stopped all renovation work, the sisters filing said. The improvements need to be completed before they can list the property for sale, they added.

The LaHood loan came from Michael LaHood and his brother George, a disabled veteran, according to the court filing. Michael LaHood, an attorney, has power of attorney over Georges affairs.

In their court filing, the sisters said there were various deficiencies in the restraining order and prosecutors motion asking for the order. As a result, they say, they restraining order should be dissolved.

The sisters also note that some of the various transactions involving the property happened before their fathers indictment in 2017.

It is beyond the realm of believability that Gary Cain would or could mount a strategy for the Property that would have anticipated his indictment, conviction and the restitution order, they said.

The U.S. attorneys office had no comment Tuesday.

Patrick Danner is a San Antonio-based staff writer covering banking and civil courts. Read him on our free site, mySA.com, and on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com. | pdanner@express-news.net | Twitter: @AlamoPDFrom: Ad Council For Immediate Release: Dateline: New York , NY Wednesday, January 9, 2019







Office Dreams: Touring LOreal USA This article is part of a series from the Ad Council, touring interesting office spaces around the country and taking AdLibbing readers inside the workplaces of some of the most innovative companies in the U.S.

In one of the fastest growing areas of Manhattan,

The highlights:

Company: LOreal USA

LOreal USA Office Location: 10 Hudson Yards, New York City

10 Hudson Yards, New York City Employees in LOreal USA HQ : 1,400

: 1,400 Square Feet : 418,000 square feet, 10 floors 12,740 sq. feet dedicated to lounge/informal meetings 3-6 bubble rooms for quiet work per floor

: 418,000 square feet, 10 floors Moved In : 2016

: 2016 Architecture + design : Gensler

: Gensler And plenty of perks! Moving LOreal USA HQ to Hudson Yards, a growing hub of innovation, fashion, technology, art and culture gave the company a rare opportunity: the chance to build their new headquarters from scratch. A blank slate that enabled them to create a space that suites their current and future needs, grounded in the collective ideas and feedback of their employees.

What did the employees of LOreal want? More space for collaboration and informal meetings, more natural light and inspiring surroundings, more amenities connected to their business and a more digitally connected environment for exchanging with colleagues in other parts of the world. And, they certainly got it.

Enjoy your private tour below:



One of the most dramatic elements of the companys headquarters is the impressive 4,000 square foot terrace that overlooks the Hudson River and downtown Manhattan. On a sunny (or cloudy) day, its a great place to take meetings, connect with colleagues, or simply plug away on your laptop. And the WiFi is great.



LOreal USA created a Virtual Reality Room where merchandising and marketing departments can simulate a real-store setting. This gives brands and retail partners a better way to understand how consumers interact with products in real life, drastically speeding up the time it takes to bring new displays and designs to stores.



Just looking at the companys cafeteria and juice bar on the 36th floor, your mouth is likely to water. Buy beyond healthy food options and to reinforce the spirit of collaboration and connectivity at LOreal USA, the company partnered with Never Eat Alone, an app that allows employees to connect with each other based on their shared interests. In the cafe, you will find tables designated for these meet-ups.



What would you discuss while sitting around this boardroom?



There is also a working salon in the corporate office  the Consumer Beauty Lab  complete with vanities and hair washing stations where consumers are invited to try out LOreal products before they hit the market in exchange for their feedback on performance.



One of many perks, the private nail salon gives employees a chance to pamper themselves and try out the latest Essie nail productswhile taking in gorgeous views of the Hudson River.



Who doesnt like a motorcycle in their office? This is a vintage bike from the collection of Kiehlsand should not be used in case you need to ride downtown quickly.



The organization has adopted an open plan for much of its space, allowing for sunlight to stream in and the 360 views to be shared.



Need to give an informal presentation? The office has couches and presentation screens scattered throughout the space for employees to collaborate in unique ways.



And it wouldnt be complete without an opportunity for staff (and visitors) to purchase top products  at discount  from the companys portfolio of more than 30 iconic brands.



Another innovation in their office, a light room that has different settings to mimic moonlight, beach lighting, sunset, interior and more, so various products can be photographed and tested all in one location.

So what do you think of the LOreal USA headquarters? Want to submit your office for an AdLibbing tour? Let us know!

The post

This article is part of a series from the Ad Council, touring interesting office spaces around the country and taking AdLibbing readers inside the workplaces of some of the most innovative companies in the U.S.In one of the fastest growing areas of Manhattan, LOreal USAs headquarters in Hudson Yards is a true manifestation of the cutting-edge technology and timeless style the burgeoning neighborhood is now known for. The beauty company, famous for its iconic brands Maybelline, Essie, NYX Professional Makeup, Carols Daughter, Garnier, Urban Decay, and Lancome, among others let AdLibbing tour their impressive space, custom-designed in partnership with Gensler , the global architecture and design firm.The highlights:Moving LOreal USA HQ to Hudson Yards, a growing hub of innovation, fashion, technology, art and culture gave the company a rare opportunity: the chance to build their new headquarters from scratch. A blank slate that enabled them to create a space that suites their current and future needs, grounded in the collective ideas and feedback of their employees.What did the employees of LOreal want? More space for collaboration and informal meetings, more natural light and inspiring surroundings, more amenities connected to their business and a more digitally connected environment for exchanging with colleagues in other parts of the world. And, they certainly got it.Enjoy your private tour below:One of the most dramatic elements of the companys headquarters is the impressive 4,000 square foot terrace that overlooks the Hudson River and downtown Manhattan. On a sunny (or cloudy) day, its a great place to take meetings, connect with colleagues, or simply plug away on your laptop. And the WiFi is great.LOreal USA created a Virtual Reality Room where merchandising and marketing departments can simulate a real-store setting. This gives brands and retail partners a better way to understand how consumers interact with products in real life, drastically speeding up the time it takes to bring new displays and designs to stores.Just looking at the companys cafeteria and juice bar on the 36floor, your mouth is likely to water. Buy beyond healthy food options and to reinforce the spirit of collaboration and connectivity at LOreal USA, the company partnered with Never Eat Alone, an app that allows employees to connect with each other based on their shared interests. In the cafe, you will find tables designated for these meet-ups.What would you discuss while sitting around this boardroom?There is also a working salon in the corporate office  the Consumer Beauty Lab  complete with vanities and hair washing stations where consumers are invited to try out LOreal products before they hit the market in exchange for their feedback on performance.One of many perks, the private nail salon gives employees a chance to pamper themselves and try out the latest Essie nail productswhile taking in gorgeous views of the Hudson River.Who doesnt like a motorcycle in their office? This is a vintage bike from the collection of Kiehlsand should not be used in case you need to ride downtown quickly.The organization has adopted an open plan for much of its space, allowing for sunlight to stream in and the 360 views to be shared.Need to give an informal presentation? The office has couches and presentation screens scattered throughout the space for employees to collaborate in unique ways.And it wouldnt be complete without an opportunity for staff (and visitors) to purchase top products  at discount  from the companys portfolio of more than 30 iconic brands.Another innovation in their office, a light room that has different settings to mimic moonlight, beach lighting, sunset, interior and more, so various products can be photographed and tested all in one location.So what do you think of the LOreal USA headquarters? Want to submit your office for an AdLibbing tour? Let us know!The post Office Dreams: Touring LOreal USA appeared first on AdLibbing.org

Faxing continues to be a popular way for citizens to communicate with their elected representatives. Of the 1,896,564 faxes sent via the internet fax service FaxZero.com during 2018, many were free faxes sent to members of the U.S. House and Senate.

Kevin Savetz, the founder of FaxZero, saw a similar uptick in faxes to Congress last year and had dubbed 2017 "The Year of Protest Faxing."

"After again examining which companies and government entities received the most faxes in 2018, I can confirm that FaxZero's free, one-click fax-your-representatives service remains extremely popular," Savetz said.

Just a couple of years ago, the Top 25 most-faxed destinations mostly consisted of businesses and government agencies. While those entities still get a lot of faxes, elected officials are receiving more and more messages from constituents via FaxZero.

Amazon.com received the most faxes overall via FaxZero for the third year in a row, but the next two slots were occupied by three key swing voters: Republican reps Susan Collins of Maine, Jeff Flake of Arizona and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Combined, the three of them received 21,583 faxes via FaxZero's free fax-Congress service.

Also receiving a lot of faxes were: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pennsylvania), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), and Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina). The top Democrat fax-getter was Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

With FaxZero.com, anyone can send up to five free faxes per day in the U.S. and Canada. That count includes the ability to fax the senate and fax congress. FaxZero pre-fills the legislator's name and number so it just takes a couple of clicks to send the fax. The site has been updated to reflect the newly seated 116th Congress. FaxZero also facilitates free faxes to state governors as well as the U.S. Attorney General's Office.

"I'm gratified that so many people find FaxZero a great way to reach out to their elected officials as well as to do business day to day," Savetz said. "With busy phone lines and filtered email so prevalent, faxing continues to be a popular option for making one's voice heard."

Other often-faxed entities in 2018 were credit and financial services (including student loans), social services entities, a military personnel center, insurance claims centers and health-related agencies.

Savetz has been an expert on faxing online since the early 1990s and started FaxZero in 2006. The simple interface allows documents in DOC, PDF, JPG and other formats via cell phone, handheld device or desktop computer. The faxes usually take five minutes or less to transmit, and all personal information is carefully guarded.

"More than 18.3 million faxes have been sent via FaxZero in the nearly 13 years since its inception," Savetz said.

FaxZero allows the sending of five free faxes per day of up to three pages each to anywhere in the U.S. or Canada. For additional or longer faxes, the premium faxing option is $1.99 per fax. international faxing is available for as low as $2, depending on the nation faxed, to more than 180 countries around the world.

FaxZero has been featured in publications such as U.S. News, Reuters and PC World. Savetz is also the creator of more than 100 FreePrintable.net sites including FreeFaxCoverSheets.net, with its nearly 400 fax cover sheet designs.

FaxZero.com is part of Savetz Publishing, Inc., a company devoted to creating useful and informative web sites of interest to consumers and small businesses.Confusion Abounds Over Article 50 Extension as MPs Prepare for Brexit Deal Debates

Tuesdays session saw the Pound Sterling (GBP) pull back slightly from, but remain in the vicinity of, weekly highs ahead of Parliaments second run at Brexit deal debates preceding a vote in the House of Commons which could on the one hand see Brexit technically resolved or, on the other, prompt fresh bouts of investor uncertainty as the UK barrels towards an increased likelihood of a no deal exit.

Commenting on GBP price action, strategist Jane Foley of Rabobank said Sterling traded a little bit stronger today and I think investors took the opportunity for some position adjustment ahead of the potential volatility in the next few sessions, adding At the end of the day, May doesnt have enough support to support her deal in parliament, so investors are looking for opportunities to cut their positions,

While the Pound Sterling (GBP) appreciated over recent days versus the US Dollar (GBPUSD), the gains have largely been attributed to a broadly weakened USD, capped by growing expectations of a pause or halt of the Feds late cycle rate hikes alongside dismal PMI printings fuelling concerns of a slowdown in global economic growth.

Parliamentary debates over the current Brexit deal are due to recommence on Wednesday following Decembers aborted meaningful vote in the face of overwhelming opposition to the proposals laid out by PM May in her withdrawal agreement. Opposition still remains but the Government hopes that relentless iterations that Brexit under the current deal or the potentially economically devastating no deal are the only two options for MPs will bolster support for the less than perfect withdrawal agreement.

Unconfirmed reports earlier in the session, printed by the Telegraph, indicated that UK officials had been testing the waters and putting out feelers amongst EU officials regarding a possible extension to the deadline imposed by Article 50 which as it stands would see the UK exit the EU, deal or no deal, on March 29th 2019.

However a spokesperson for number 10, when asked to confirm the reports, said The PM has always said that we would be leaving the EU on 29 March 2019, and we would not extend Article 50, echoed later in the session by French Europe Minister Nathalie Loiseaus It has not been asked by the British authorities.7

Brexi Secretary, Stephen Barclay, speaking to the BBC neither confirmed nor denied the rumours of an extension, stating Its not a unilateral decision for the UK ... It would also generate some very practical issues, for example EU parliamentary elections at the end of May.

EU officials remained adamant that while assurances may be sought and offered which would help Prime Minister May garner domestic support for her withdrawal bill, they refuse to reopen negotiations on the 585-page withdrawal agreement which saw technical agreement between UK and EU officials in November 2018.

Loiseau commented The Withdrawal Agreement is indeed a good agreement, both for the UK and for the European Union. We should stick to it."

Another EU official struck a more conciliatory tone, saying We can provide reassurances But whatever it might be will just reiterate the (summit) conclusions from last month, following PM Mays late December meeting with EU leaders, in which they dismissed her vague requests for legal assurances.

The Irish backstop remains a key sticking point with pro-Brexit campaigners and politicians concerned that the UK could remain indefinitely tied in to a customs union with the EU should an overarching trade agreement fail to be reached during the transition period  a risk highlighted by the controversial Brexit legal advice obtained by the government - with Euro-sceptics worried there will be little impetus for the EU side to end such an arrangement, aimed at preventing a hard customs border within Ireland.

Attempting to allay concerns, Irish Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar said We dont want to trap the UK into anything  we want to get on to the talks about the future relationship right away, adding I think its those kind of assurances we are happy to give.

Elsewhere, reports that Tory rebels intend to side with the Labour party in backing an amendment to a flagship Finance Bill, which if passed would effectively limit the governments ability to pursue a no deal exit in lieu of support for the current deal, threaten to throw a curve ball PM Mays way as she attempts to rally support for her deal.

Indicative of the rising tension both politically and publicly, Scotland Yard have announced they intend to enhance the police presence around Parliament following the harassment and intimidation of several MPs.

Pound Sterling (GBP) Volatility Expected as Brexit Debates Get Underway

While the Pound Sterling (GBP) gains in recent sessions may not be attributed to inherent strength, the lack of a significant decline is indicative that at least some hope remains for an orderly Brexit scenario to unfold. However, given the resistance to PM Mays deal, the EUs refusal to renegotiate and the impending deadline, its hard to see how a smooth exit could unfold.

The GBP remains stuck in a range versus both the Euro (GBPEUR) and US Dollar (GBPUSD), with investors erring away from big bets until uncertainty abates and clarity over Brexit emerges.

Currencies strategist, Kit Juckes, of Societe Generale said GBP/USD can bounce fiercely if only theres some good news, adding Under these circumstances it is clearly impossible to make reliable GBP forecasts. Anything from an endlessly drawn-out Brexit to an amicable agreement or a hard Brexit, everything remains within the realms of possibility, so that the outlook for sterling also ranges from a recovery rally to currency crisis.

Piggy-backing on expected political turmoil, RBC's chief currency strategist suggests GBP short positions closed out ahead of the meaningful vote may prove fruitful as investors cut long Sterling positions and uncertainty weighs, dragging on GBP-paired FX rates "We go short GBP... As the Brexit debate reopens ahead of a likely Commons vote early next week, and with news flow having been minimal for the last three weeks, we expect renewed focus on the likelihood of that vote failing and the risk of no deal exit.

While support remains distinctly lacking for PM Mays bill, a poll conducted by Nomura analysts over the upcoming meaningful vote suggested the most likely outcome would be a second vote on the same deal, a scenario which depends on PM Mays bill not losing by more than 72 votes.One of the major causes of stress at the airport is congestion.

Airports around the world are reaching or are operating beyond their maximum capacity due to the growing number of passengers and cargoes. Measures are being taken to alleviate congestion, such as increasing the number of staff on ground or expanding airports. However, understanding human behavior, meaning, the actions people take depending on their attributes and information given, becomes important to tackle this problem at its core.

Professor Shingo Takahashi of the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering at Waseda University and Fujitsu Laboratories Ltd. developed a new technology that automatically analyzes the factors leading to congestion based on the results of human behavior simulations.

Conventionally in this kind of analysis, experts used the results of large numbers of congestion prediction simulations to try and find the root cause of congestion, but this process overlooked potential causes due to human error from time to time and required the simulations to be evaluated one by one, which sometimes took several months.

"The new technology groups categories that have a certain degree of commonality, and expresses the characteristics of respective agents (which represents a diverse group of people) in a small number of combination categories without listing the results of movements and routes of tens or hundreds of thousands of agents individually through simulation-based modeling," explains Professor Takahashi.

"This makes it easier to discover the cause of congestion and answer the question of what sort of measures can be taken to change the mindset or actions of people with specific sets of attributes in a matter of just few minutes."

To evaluate its effectiveness, Professor Takahashi and Fujitsu applied this technology to a human behavior simulation developed in 2015 for analyzing countermeasures for congestion at an airport1. As a result, they discovered approximately four times as many causes of congestion in comparison to analysis by experts.

To be specific, in an analysis of congestion at security screening, the system found that passengers lining up at a specific check-in counter caused sudden congestion. The measures implemented according to the findings of the technology reduced the number of people waiting in line by one sixth than the measures proposed by experts. Additionally, the number of staff required to implement the measure was reduced by two thirds.

This technology enables a quick evaluation of measures to ameliorate congestion in commercial facilities, event venues and other locations that deal with congestion due to high attendance or urban centralization as well.

Professor Takahashi says that he hopes this technology will contribute to improving safety and comfort in our community.

Aspects of this technology were presented at the Winter Simulation Conference 2018, an international conference held in Gothenburg, Sweden on December 9-12.

###

Learn more about this research from the university news: https:/ / www. waseda. jp/ top/ en-news/ 62886

1: Using simulations created in a field trial at Fukuoka Airport

About Waseda University

Waseda University is a leading private, non-profit institution of higher education based in central Tokyo, enrolling over 50,000 students in 13 undergraduate and 20 graduate schools. Founded in 1882, Waseda continues to fulfill its mission to produce leaders, counting among its alumni seven prime ministers and many politicians, business leaders, journalists, diplomats, scholars, scientists, actors, writers, athletes and artists. The University is also number one in Japan in international activities, including the number of international students, and has the broadest range of degree programs fully taught in English.When five school counselors who were part of a counseling team were interviewed to learn how they professionally and personally experienced the deaths of multiple students in one year in their school while attending to the needs of the school community, several themes emerged.

The Journal of Counseling & Development study's first theme, gravity of the losses, related to the significance of the losses the counseling team and broader school community experienced as each student died.

The second theme, logistics of care, pertained to how the school counselors managed and navigated the student deaths with the rest of the student body, other school personnel, and each other, both in the initial moments after learning about the deaths and later as students and staff were continuing to process what happened.

The third theme of personal versus professional conflicts reflected how the school counselors reported experiencing a conflict between attending to students' grief as professional counselors and experiencing their own personal grief.

The fourth theme of increased student cohesion represented the school counselors' description of a deeper sense of community among the student body that resulted from the student deaths.

The final theme of efficacy reflected how the counselors repeatedly questioned themselves about their effectiveness as school counselors in general, even with evidence that their work supported strong graduation and employment rates and a safe school environment.

"The collective narrative of these school counselors has provided us with invaluable lessons and perspective. A community is, oftentimes, connected by its local schools, and school counselors are on the front lines when crises occur," said lead author Dr. Michael Hannon, of Montclair State University. "The school counselors who contributed to this study offer us insight into how they provided acute and ongoing care for the school community, while simultaneously balancing and trying to meet their own personal and professional needs. My co-authors and I are deeply grateful for their transparency about such a demanding time."

###(San Antonio, Jan. 09, 2019) -- Floyd L. Wormley Jr., the Microsoft President's Endowed Professor in the UTSA College of Sciences, has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). His election by his peers recognizes his "distinguished contributions to the field of medical mycology, immunology and host-pathogen interactions."

Wormley will be formally inducted at the 2019 AAAS Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 16, 2019.

A microbiologist by training, Wormley's academic and research specialties include host-pathogen interactions, medical mycology (the study of fungal organisms that cause infectious diseases) and microbial pathogenesis (the study of the mechanisms that microbes use to cause disease).

His current research focuses on interactions involving host and fungal pathogens such as Cryptococcus neoformans, which causes cryptococcosis, a central nervous system disease usually seen in immunocompromised individuals, and Candida albicans, which can cause the invasive disease candidiasis in humans. In the laboratory, he employs both molecular and immunological techniques to study disease processes.

Wormley's research has the potential to lead to the development of vaccines, immune-based therapies and novel anti-fungal drugs that protect immune-compromised patients from infections. The UTSA faculty member has extensive experience investigating various vaccine strategies, and he has a vast understanding of host cellular-mediated and antibody-mediated immune responses. His research is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Department of Defense.

An active researcher and member of the South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases (STCEID), Wormley rapidly has made significant contributions to the medical mycology profession. The STCEID, comprised of more than two dozen researchers, was established to focus state and national attention on UTSA in the fields of molecular microbiology, immunology, medical mycology, virology, microbial genomics, vaccine development and biodefense. One of the major areas of emphasis within the STCEID includes research to determine the mechanisms that potentiate and/or resolve the pathogenesis associated with several emerging infectious diseases.

In 2010, Wormley became the youngest person ever to be elected president of the Medical Mycological Society of the Americas, the leading professional organization for mycology researchers in North, Central and South America. He was also named as a fellow of the prestigious American Academy of Microbiology in 2016 and a Fulbright Scholar for the Fulbright International Education Administrators Program in 2017.

Wormley earned his bachelor's degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology at Tulane University and his master's and doctoral degrees in Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. He also completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Duke University Medical Center.

In 2005, Wormley joined the UTSA faculty. He was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 2010. In 2013, he was named associate dean for research in the UTSA College of Sciences. The college makes significant contributions in infectious diseases and vaccine development, as well as nanotechnology, brain health, stem cells, medicinal drug discovery, and cybersecurity, where UTSA ranks number one in the nation.

"Dr. Wormley is one of our brightest and strongest researchers in infectious disease. His pioneering work is recognized by a growing number of outstanding scientists and that reality is reflected in his induction as an elected Fellow of the AAAS," says Howard Grimes, interim dean of the UTSA College of Sciences. "Furthermore, our growth as a research university is bolstered by the increasing number of our scientists and engineers recognized by the AAAS."

###

The American Association for the Advancement of Science was founded in 1848 and is the world's largest general scientific society. The tradition of electing AAAS Fellows began in 1874 to recognize members for their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.

UTSA is recognized as one of the top 400 universities in the world and one of the top five young universities in the nation by Times Higher Education.A UniSA scientist has called for Australia to embrace pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing to deliver medication more effectively and slash around $2.4 billion wasted each year through unsafe and ineffective drug prescriptions.

Dr Vijay Suppiah, a senior lecturer in pharmacy at UniSA, says PGx testing - mapping a person's genetic makeup - is the most effective way to ensure patients are prescribed drugs which suit their specific DNA profile.

"Most people expect that when they get a prescription filled from a pharmacy, it will be effective and have minimal side effects. Unfortunately, that only happens in up to 60 per cent of cases," he says.

"People don't realise their genetic makeup plays a large role in whether a specific drug will work or not, or even have adverse side effects."

In an article published in the Australian Journal of Primary Health, Dr Suppiah says while heavy investment into PGx research is happening in the US and Europe, Australia is lagging far behind.

"This technology exists right now and, internationally, PGx testing is slowly evolving into a specialised area to guide drug selection based on genetic findings. However, in Australia, apart from a selected few medications, such as those in oncology, most other medical specialities are yet to be involved."

A pharmacogenetic analysis by Deloitte Economics Australia suggests that PGx testing would deliver an economic benefit of $12 billion over five years to the national health system if it was widely adopted in Australia.

"It would minimise adverse drug reactions, avoid wastage and improve quality of care for patients by enabling doctors to target the right drug and the correct dose for a patient. Also, PGx testing needs to be performed only once which is unlike blood glucose or blood pressure monitoring where patients have to do repeated testing."

PGx testing could also address issues around polypharmacy, commonly defined as the use of five or more medicines - which raises concerns, particularly for older people.

A 2018 survey of 40 elderly people in Adelaide found that almost 78 per cent used five or more medicines. Only 17 per cent were aware of the potential interactions between their medicines and just over 37 per cent said their GP had not discussed possible side effects of their medications.

"Most participants could not describe the condition for which each medicine was prescribed, which is also very concerning," Dr Suppiah says.

He says pharmacogenetic testing would help clarify the potential impact of drug interactions at the genetic level for different people- an area rife with risks.

A common example involves the interaction of drugs treating depression and pain.

"Some of the anti-depressants prescribed by doctors decrease the effectiveness of opioids to provide pain relief. This would result in these patients seeking out larger doses of opioids for pain relief. By knowing their genetic makeup, community pharmacists would be able to pick up this interaction and suggest alternative pain treatment. Also, patients on multiple drugs have a higher risk of falls because many drugs work centrally in the brain and dull the senses."

People seeing several health practitioners - GPs as well as specialists - are also more likely to have issues with drug interactions if there are communication gaps between health practitioners.

These risks could be curtailed if trained community pharmacists are able to implement pharmacogenetic testing within their community pharmacies, Dr Suppiah says.

"We need to do a lot more research investigating the genetic basis of drug interactions with polypharmacy and this could lead to better tailoring of treatment based on an individual's genetic makeup.

"If community pharmacists had access to their clients' PGx test results in their database, they could tell straight away if a particular drug or dose is going to work optimally for that client based on that individual's genetic makeup."

###AMHERST, Mass. - Deploying a new technique for the first time in the region, geoscientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have reconstructed the longest and highest-resolution climate record for the Northeastern United States, which reveals previously undetected past temperature cycles and extends the record 900 years into the past, well beyond the previous early date of 1850.

First author Daniel Miller, with Helen Habicht and Benjamin Keisling, conducted this study as part of their doctoral programs with advisors geosciences professors Raymond Bradley and Isla Castaneda. As Miller explains, they used a relatively new quantitative method based on the presence of chemical compounds known as branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetra ethers (branched GDGTs) found in lakes, soils, rivers and peat bogs around the world. The compounds can provide an independent terrestrial paleo-thermometer that accurately assesses past temperature variability.

Miller says, "This is the first effort using these compounds to reconstruct temperature in the Northeast, and the first one at this resolution." He and colleagues were able to collect a total of 136 samples spanning the 900-year time span, many more than would be available with more traditional methods and from other locations that typically yield just one sample per 30-100 years.

In their results, Miller says, "We see essentially cooling throughout most of the record until the 1900s, which matches other paleo-records for North America. We see the Medieval Warm Period in the early part and the Little Ice Age in the 1800s." An unexpected observation was 10, 50-to-60-year temperature cycles not seen before in records from Northeast U.S., he adds, "a new finding and surprising. We're trying to figure out what causes that. It may be caused by changes in the North Atlantic Oscillation or some other atmospheric patterns. We'll be looking further into it."

He adds, "We're very excited about this. I think it's a great story of how grad students who come up with a promising idea, if they have enough support from their advisors, can produce a study with really eye-opening results." Details appear in a recent issue of the European Geophysical Union's open-access online journal, Climate of the Past.

The authors point out that paleo-temperature reconstructions are essential for distinguishing human-made climate change from natural variability, but historical temperature records are not long enough to capture pre-human-impact variability. Further, using conventional pollen- and land-based sediment samples as climate proxies can reflect confounding parameters rather than temperature, such as precipitation, humidity, evapo-transpiration and vegetation changes.

Therefore, additional quantitative paleo-temperature records are needed to accurately assess past temperature variability in the Northeast United States, the researchers point out. An independent terrestrial paleo-thermometer that relies on measuring two byproducts of processes carried out in branched GDGTs in lake sediment, a method first introduced two decades ago by researchers in The Netherlands, offered a promising alternative, Miller says.

Source organisms are not known for branch GDGTs, he points out, but they are thought to be produced in part by Acidobacteria. "These are compounds likely produced by different algae and bacteria communities in the membrane, or skin," he notes. "Just like for humans, the skin regulates the organism's body temperature and these compounds change in response to temperature. So if they grow in summer, they reflect that and the compounds are different than if they were produced in winter. We record the compounds to get the temperature curves. We found there seems to be a huge bloom of these organisms in the fall. After they die, they settle into the lake bottom. We think it's mainly a fall temperature that we're detecting."

For this work, Miller and colleagues constructed large plastic sediment traps and deployed them about ten feet below the surface of a small, 106-foot-deep lake in central Maine in May, 2014. They then dove under to collect a catchment bottle from the bottom of each trap every month in June, July, August and September, and the following May 2015.

Miller says, "This lake is very deep for its small area, with very steep sides. It doesn't seem to have much mixing of water layers by surface winds. We think that has helped to preserve a bottom water layer with no oxygen year-round, known as anoxia, which helps in the preservation of annual layers in the sediments at the bottom of the lake. It's rare for a lake to have such fine, thin lines that represent annual deposition, so all you have to do is count the lines to count the years. We double-checked our results with radiocarbon dating and other methods, and it turns out that reconstructing the temperature record this way was successful."

Miller and colleagues say this project enjoyed notable support from many quarters, including the UMass Amherst Alumni Association supporting student field work and data collection in Maine; the geology department at Bates College; funding from the U.S. Geological Survey; and at UMass Amherst, sophisticated biogeochemistry laboratory equipment and the Joe Hartshorn Memorial Award from the geosciences department, and other assistance from the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center.

The researchers conclude that this first paleo-temperature reconstruction coupled with site-specific knowledge from Basin Pond "informs our understanding of climatic variability in the Northeast U.S. beyond the era of human influence" and "contributes to our understanding of the production and fate of brGDGTs" in lake systems.

###For a $1.95 delivery charge, the service is available seven days a week from noon to 4:30 a.m. Orders can be placed through the goPuff mobile app or through goPuff.comAcademics experience that by using the Recorded Audio Feedback (RAF) in higher education they can give more relaxed and dialogic feedback for their learners and reduce their own workload both mentally and physically.

Recorded Audio Feedback (RAF) is one method for providing feedback for learners that is becoming increasingly popular, especially in e-Education. RAF can be defined as formative or summative messages that are recorded and distributed by academics as digital audio files to individual learners or learner groups in response to both on-going and submitted work. Academics' experiences of using recorded audio feedback (RAF) in higher e-Education were studied at the University of Jyvaskyla in the Faculty of Information Technology and at the Tampere University of Technology.

- Based on case academics' experiences they felt that by using RAF they can provide learners more relaxed and dialogic feedback. Academics could use their tone of voice to add semantics, for example be supportive, instructive, critical in constructive way, motivational or conversational. This way the participants also felt relaxed when talking to their learners via RAF and that RAF is personal and fun to work with, says Senior Lecturer Anneli Heimburger from the University of Jyvaskyla.

- At the same time academics reduce their own workload both mentally and physically. The cognitive load decreased when speaking the dialect of his/her own instead of using literary language, as usual in emails. For physical aspects, for example eyestrain decreases with RAF compared to working with display terminals. Participants reported approximated 30% - 50% saving of working time compared to time used when writing feedback via emails, tells Senior Lecturer Ville Isomottonen from the University of Jyvaskyla.

- RAF is also pedagogically flexible. All case academics reported the scalability of RAF, in other words that RAF can be used with different types of learners' writing assignments such as course reports, group works, individual works, learning diaries, theses and article drafts, continues Heimburger.

According to previous studies, most learners have an overall positive attitude towards RAF. However, many of the studies have been carried out only from learners' point of view.

- To complement RAF research, the aim of our study was to shed light on how academics experience using RAF as a feedback method, explains Lecturer Harri Keto from Tampere University of Technology.

###

The RAF study results were presented and discussed in IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference in San Jose, USA.

Further information:

University of Jyvaskyla, Faculty of Information Technology, Senior Lecturer Anneli Heimburger, anneli.a.heimburger@jyu.fi, tel. +358 50 428 5271

University of Jyvaskyla, Faculty of Information Technology, Senior Lecturer Ville Isomottonen, ville.isomottonen@jyu.fi

Heimburger, A., Isomottonen V., Keto, H. and Nieminen, P. (2018). How do Academics Experience Use of Recorded Audio Feedback in Higher Education? A Thematic Analysis. IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE 2018, October 18 - 21, 2018 Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. To be published in IEEE Xplore Digital Library.

Heimburger, A. and Isomottonen V. (2017). Moderating Cultural Effects in a Higher e-Education? Supervisor's Tone of Voice in Recorded Audio Feedback. IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, FIE2017, October 18 - 21, 2017 Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. https:/ / ieeexplore. ieee. org/ document/ 8190646 .

Heimburger, A. (2018). Using Recorded Audio Feedback in Cross-Cultural e-Education Environments to Enhance Assessment Practices in a Higher Education. Advances in Applied Sociology, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 106-124. doi:10.4236/aasoci.2018.82007.Alison Weiss, PhD, professor in the Department of Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Microbiology in UC College of Medicine, has been awarded a four-year grant of $1.6 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to study Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli 0157:H7, also sometimes referred to as Hamburger E. coli.

Hamburger E. coli is the cause of foodborne illness and is an infection that often leads to bloody diarrhea and can result in kidney failure. It is mostly associated with eating undercooked, contaminated ground beef, and can be spread by person-to-person contact. In severe cases it can be fatal.

The infection was first discovered in hamburger meat, but it is carried asymptotically by many creatures so anything that has fecal matter from cattle can contaminate food, says Weiss. Vegetables and fruits can also carry E. coli if contaminated with animal fecal matter during field irrigation or as a result of harvesting or preparation of produce. Human hygiene practices can also spread E. coli.

Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC), including 0157:H7, are an important cause of diarrheal disease, causing about 265,000 illnesses in the United States annually.

"It's a human specific disease and it has been impossible to understand until we can study these human tissue models," says Weiss.

She says researchers have used embryonic stem cells to create intestinal tissue which her laboratory will now use to test potential treatments for Hamburger E. coli. Weiss says that Shiga toxin is responsible for hemolytic uremic syndrome, a condition caused by the abnormal destruction of red blood cells resulting in those damaged red blood cells clogging the kidneys leading to their failure and possibly death.

Weiss and Suman Pradhan, PhD, research associate in the Weiss Laboratory, explained their findings on Shiga toxin producing E. coli in a 2017 article "Intestinal Organoids Model Human Response to Infection by Commensal and Shiga Toxin Producing Escherichia coli" published in the scholarly journal PLOS One.

The largest E. coli outbreak of 2018 in the United States occurred March to June because of possible contamination of romaine lettuce which health officials say came from Arizona's Yuma growing region. The outbreak sickened 210 people in 36 states. Five people died and 96 were hospitalized. A second outbreak due to lettuce grown in California began in October. Fortunately, some romaine lettuce products are now labeled with a harvest location by region, allowing produce from unaffected regions to be marketed, says Weiss.

"What is interesting is in the cattle that carry the disease, the organisms just live right at their anal junction," says Weiss. "It doesn't bother the cattle systematically so we can't identify them as sick and then they inoculate all of their fecal matter when they defecate.

"For humans, the organisms grew in our small intestine and colon and those are very vital parts of our body that are attacked by the bacteria whereas a non-essential part of animal's body is attacked. We had no way of looking at what the bacteria do until we got these human intestinal organoids."

###

Research on E. coli is funded by NIAID grant 1R01AI139027-01.Women and underrepresented minorities in STEM fields are more likely to advance professionally, publish more research and secure postdoctoral and faculty positions if their institutional culture is welcoming and sets clear expectations, according to a study of hundreds of Ph.D. students at four top-tier California research universities.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) sought to understand how gender, race and ethnicity impact graduate students' success in math, physical sciences, computer sciences and engineering as measured by publication rates in academic journals.

The findings, published today in the journal PLOS ONE, suggest that doctoral scholars in STEM fields are more likely to publish if enrolled in well-structured graduate programs that lay out clear, unbiased expectations for assessing students and supporting their careers.

"Our study strongly indicates that the onus should not fall on minority students to make changes to succeed in STEM settings," said study lead author Aaron Fisher, an assistant professor of psychology at UC Berkeley. "Institutional changes that make students feel welcome and provide clear guidelines and standards for performance are optimal ways to ensure the success of all students."

The interventions identified in the study are especially relevant to the success of black graduate students, who are publishing at lower rates than their peers, Fisher said.

While white, Asian and underrepresented minority males and females in STEM fields recruited for the study at the four campuses were found to have published at roughly equivalent rates, black graduate students were nearly three times less likely to have published a paper in an academic journal.

However, when accounting for black students' perceptions of departmental structure and sense of preparedness and belonging, the statistical model used in the study shows that this racial disparity is due in large part to negative experiences associated with being a minority in otherwise white settings.

"African Americans have been communicating for decades about the difficulties and discomforts of being black in white-majority settings, and our data represent a clear example of empirical support for that narrative," Fisher said. "It's not so much that being black results in fewer publications, but that the experience of being black in a university setting presents challenges and obstacles that white students are either not facing, or facing to a lesser degree."

The study was conducted through the UC Berkeley-led California Alliance of Graduate Education and the Professoriate, a partnership of UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford and Caltech that seeks to boost the ranks of underrepresented minorities in STEM fields at research universities and national laboratories.

Previous research published by UC Berkeley members of the alliance, which was launched in 2014 with a $2.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation, found that underrepresented minorities publish in academic journals at significantly lower rates than their majority counterparts, placing them at a disadvantage in competing for postdoctoral and faculty positions.

"Publishing in academic journals is a key predictor of future success in academia, which is why our research is so concerned with this often-neglected indicator," said study senior author Mark Richards, a UC Berkeley professor emeritus of earth and planetary sciences, and provost and executive vice president for academic affairs at the University of Washington.

Colette Patt, assistant dean for diversity, equity and inclusion in UC Berkeley's Mathematical & Physical Sciences Division, director of the California Alliance and a co-lead author of the study, said the results represent a trend seen at universities across the nation.

"African Americans are severely underrepresented in almost every discipline in academia, and at every level," Patt said. "What is totally new in this study is that it points to specific reasons and offers a direction for institutional action."

Between them, UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford and Caltech produce an estimated 10 percent of the nation's underrepresented minority Ph.D. students in science and engineering. Each campus has made commitments to recruit, retain and advance underrepresented minority students including African Americans, Chicanx and Latinx Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders in STEM fields.

Among the more targeted efforts underway is the alliance's Research Exchange, a national consortium of nine universities made up of the four California Alliance campuses as well as Georgia Tech, Harvard, the University of Michigan, the University of Texas, Austin, and the University of Washington.

The UC Berkeley-led cross-institutional program combines mentorship, scientific collaboration and career development to prepare underrepresented minority Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows for competitive research and teaching careers.

For this latest California Alliance study, researchers surveyed more than 500 Ph.D. students at UC Berkeley, UCLA, Stanford and Caltech, comparing their perceptions of belonging, competence, well-being and departmental structure.

In addition to providing demographic and academic performance data, students were asked about their mental well-being; whether they feel accepted or insignificant in a STEM setting; whether they consider themselves prepared in their first semester of a graduate STEM course; whether they have published in an academic journal; and whether the standards they are held to are appropriate.

Of the 430 students deemed most likely to publish academic papers, white, Asian, Latinx and Native American students were found to have published at roughly equivalent rates while black graduate students were nearly three times less likely to have published a paper in an academic journal.

Moreover, female students were more likely to feel insignificant in STEM settings, less likely to feel accepted and less prepared for graduate classes. Underrepresented minority graduate students also perceived themselves as less prepared for graduate courses than their majority male peers.

That said, positive perceptions of their respective departments reduced feelings of insignificance for all the study participants.

"These results show that it is possible to rapidly and effectively remedy these disparities with relatively straightforward interventions," Fisher said. "We could ensure that departmental expectations and standards are not only clear for students of color in an explanatory sense, but also clear in terms of how to navigate the program to meet those expectations and standards."

###

In addition to Fisher, Richards and Patt, co-authors of the paper are Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton, Ira Young and Andrew Eppig of UC Berkeley; Robin Garrell of UCLA; Douglas Rees of Caltech and Tenea Nelson of Stanford University.BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The hygiene hypothesis may explain why asthma and other allergic airway diseases have dramatically increased over the past decades in industrialized countries. The hypothesis suggests that decreased exposure to microbial products in our cleaner homes and environments -- due to improved sanitation or no longer growing up on farms -- is the main driver of increased allergic airway disease.

But how could less exposure to infectious agents or parasites lead to more asthma? Research published in the journal Immunity by Beatriz Leon, Ph.D., and colleagues at the University of Alabama at Birmingham suggests an answer. Leon and colleagues describe a mechanism in a mouse model of asthma that supports the hygiene hypothesis -- they found that infant mice need a higher exposure to a bacterial endotoxin, compared to adult mice, to avoid developing asthma-like reactions to house dust mites.

Without the higher levels of the microbial lipopolysaccharide, or LPS, the infant mice developed allergic airway disease after repeated exposure to house dust mite, or HDM, allergen, and this window of susceptibility for allergic airway disease was open only while the mice were the equivalent ages of human infants and toddlers. The UAB researchers have detailed the mechanism underlying this window of susceptibility, which may then inform research into human disease.

"When we know the mechanism, then we perhaps can intervene," said Leon, assistant professor in the UAB Department of Microbiology.

About 10 percent of U.S. school-aged children now have asthma, and almost all began developing the disease in very early childhood, before age 5. Asthma is marked by inflammation, spasms of the muscles around the airways and excess mucus secretion that obstruct the airways and make breathing difficult. The most common form, atopic asthma, is triggered by inhaled allergens like house dust mites, animal dander, fungal spores, and plant or tree pollen.

In the mouse model, airway exposure to HDM triggers the disease. Interestingly, it was known that if HDM was given simultaneously with a dose of bacterial LPS -- one of the most immunogenic substances known -- the mice did not develop asthma-like disease.

Leon and the UAB researchers took that observation further. They found that the amounts of LPS needed to prevent HDM asthma differed greatly between very young mice and adult mice. A low dose of LPS, in combination with the HDM, was sufficient to prevent asthma in adult mice; but that low dose did not prevent asthma in infant mice. Instead, very young mice needed 10 times as much LPS to prevent the HDM asthma. These different thresholds for suppression of disease by LPS led the researchers through a long series of experiments to unravel the mechanism causing this difference.

The story is complex because immune responses in mammals involve a complicated chain of cell-to-cell contacts among immune cells, migration of some of those immune cells throughout the body, and intricate "cross-talk" among cells using small protein signaling compounds called cytokines that interact with cell receptors.

The end point for HDM asthma is the activation of naive T-cells into pathogenic T helper 2 cells that cause inflammation in the airways. However, the researchers found that the different infant and adult responses to LPS was not due to any difference between the T-cells of the infants or adults. Instead, the different response was located upstream.

In adult mice challenged with HDM and a low dose of LPS, migratory dendritic cells -- immune cells that process the antigens from allergens or infectious microbes and present them to T-cells -- was associated with upregulation the transcription factor T-bet in the dendritic cells, which caused production of the signaling compound interleukin-12. As a consequence of the interleukin, naive T-cells interacting with the migratory dendritic cells in the adult mice upregulated the transcription factor T-bet, and that step precluded differentiation of the T-cells into inflammatory T helper 2 cells and thus prevented a subsequent pathogenic allergic response.

In contrast, the migratory dendritic cells from infant mice failed to upregulate T-bet and interleukin-12 in low-LPS conditions. Thus, the naive T-cells interacting with the migratory dendritic cells in infants failed to receive the suppressive interleukin-12 signals and did not upregulate T-bet. Without the T-bet, the T-cells fully differentiated into pathogenic T helper 2 cells.

The different responses of the migratory dendritic cells turned out to be due to another cell signaling protein -- tumor necrosis factor alpha. Adults rapidly produced that cytokine in response to the low-dose LPS sensitization, while infant mice had an impaired ability to produce the tumor necrosis factor alpha in response to LPS. The source of the tumor necrosis factor alpha was not specified in the UAB study, but indirect evidence points to some type of white blood cells in the lung.

"Collectively," Leon said, "our data demonstrate that LPS prevents T helper 2-dependent allergic responses with different thresholds in adults and infants; as such, a high content of LPS in airborne house-dust is required to mediate protection from allergic airway disease, specifically during infancy. Our data, therefore, provide a plausible mechanism underlying the higher susceptibility to allergic airway inflammation observed in children raised in uber-clean and sanitized environments."

###

Co-authors with Leon on the paper "Impaired tumor-necrosis-factor-alpha-driven dendritic cell activation limits lipopolysaccharide-induced protection from allergic inflammation in infants" are Holly Bachus, Amber M. Papillion and Andre Ballesteros-Tato, UAB Department of Medicine, Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology; Kamaljeet Kaur, UAB Department of Microbiology; Tatiana T. Marquez-Lago, UAB Department of Genetics; and Zhihong Yu and Sadis Matalon, UAB Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. All the departments are in the UAB School of Medicine.

Support came from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and from National Institutes of Health grants AI116584, ES026458 and AI110480.Armed with advanced genomic tools, Columbia scientists have uncovered an ingenious mechanism that underlies the brain's ability to distinguish different smells

NEW YORK -- The human nose can distinguish one trillion different scents -- an extraordinary feat that requires 10 million specialized nerve cells, or neurons, in the nose, and a family of more than 400 dedicated genes. But precisely how these genes and neurons work in concert to pick out a particular scent has long puzzled scientists. This is in large part because the gene activity inside each neuron -- where each of these 10 million neurons only chooses to activate one of these hundreds of dedicated genes -- seemed far too simple to account for the sheer number of scents that the nose must parse.

But now, a Columbia study in mice has uncovered a striking resourcefulness: by rearranging itself in three-dimensional space, the genome coordinates the regulation of these genes in each neuron, thereby generating the biological diversity needed to detect the scents we experience. The findings were published today in Nature.

"With today's study, we've pinpointed a genomic mechanism by which a finite number of genes can ultimately help distinguish a seemingly near-infinite number of scents," said Stavros Lomvardas, PhD, a principal investigator at Columbia's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute and the paper's senior author.

Smell, also known as olfaction, is mind-bogglingly complex. The receptors in our noses must not only identify a scent, but also gauge how strong it is, scan our memories to determine whether it has been encountered before, and determine if it is pleasing or toxic.

Olfactory receptor neurons, specialized nerve cells that snake from the nose to the brain, make all this possible. And though each neuron contains the full suite of the 400 dedicated olfactory receptor genes, only one of these genes is active in each neuron. Adding to the confusion: the gene that is active appears randomly chosen, and differs from neuron to neuron.

This unusual pattern of gene activity is known as the "one gene per neuron" rule, and has long been a focus of study by scientists such as Dr. Lomvardas. Indeed, deciphering how each olfactory receptor neuron manages to activate only one of these genes -- and how this process results in such a finely tuned sense of smell -- remained mysterious for decades.

"In mice, olfactory receptor genes are scattered across the genome at about 60 different locations -- on different chromosomes that are quite far apart from each other," said Kevin Monahan, PhD, a postdoctoral research scientist in the Lomvardas lab and the paper's co-first author. Mice have about 1,000 olfactory receptor genes, more than twice that of humans, potentially indicative of a superior sense of smell.

Traditionally, it has been thought that genes located on different chromosomes rarely, if ever, interacted with each other. By employing a new genomic sequencing technique called in situ Hi-C, Dr. Lomvardas and his team recently revealed that the chromosomes interacted much more frequently than expected.

"In situ Hi-C is revolutionary in large part because it allows us to map, in 3D, the entire genome inside a living cell," said Adan Horta, PhD, a recently graduated doctoral candidate in the Lomvardas lab and the paper's co-first author. "This gives us a snapshot of the genome at a particular point in time."

Snapshots taken by the researchers showed clusters of olfactory receptor genes, located on different chromosomes, physically moving toward each before choosing an olfactory receptor gene. Soon after these genes huddled together, another type of genetic element known as enhancers clustered in a separate 3D compartment. Enhancers are not themselves genes but regulate the activity of genes.

"We previously discovered a group of enhancers, we named the Greek Islands, located near the various olfactory receptor genes," said Dr. Horta. "This work showed that these enhancers create hotspots of activity to regulate the "chosen" olfactory receptor gene.

The team also found that the protein Ldb1 plays a key role in this process. It holds the Greek Islands together, allowing them to switch on a specific olfactory receptor gene that then -- as a team -- interpret the particular scent at hand.

"These teams of genes endow the olfactory system with the ability to respond in diverse ways," said Dr. Monahan. "The flexibility of this process could help to explain how we easily learn and remember new smells."

Though specific to olfaction, the researchers' findings could have implications for other areas of biology in which inter-chromosome interactions play a role.

"Interactions between chromosomes may be the culprit for shifts in the genome -- called genomic translocations -- that are known to cause cancer," said Dr. Lomvardas, who is also a member of the Kavli Institute for Brain Science at Columbia University as well as professor of biology and molecular biophysics and of neuroscience at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. "Could the activities of other cells be shaped by the three-dimensional changes we see in olfactory receptor neurons? This is an open question that we hope to explore."

###

This paper is titled "Lhx2/Ldb1-dependent multi-chromosomal compartments regulate singular olfactory receptor transcription."

This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (F31 DC016785, F32 GM108474, U01DA0408052, R01DC013560, R01DC015451, S10OD020056)

The authors report no financial or other conflicts of interest.

Columbia University's Mortimer B. Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute brings together an extraordinary group of world-class scientists and scholars to pursue the most urgent and exciting challenge of our time: understanding the brain and mind. A deeper understanding of the brain promises to transform human health and society. From effective treatments for disorders like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, depression and autism to advances in fields as fundamental as computer science, economics, law, the arts and social policy, the potential for humanity is staggering. To learn more, visit: zuckermaninstitute.columbia.edu.LA JOLLA--(January 8, 2019) Salk scientist Saket Navlakha has received a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) totaling more than $1 million over the next five years. The CAREER award supports faculty who exemplify the role of teacher/scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations.

"Saket's work is as innovative as it is interdisciplinary, with an approach that spans the fields of plant biology, computer science and neuroscience to reveal fascinating patterns in nature, including the brain," says Salk President Rusty Gage. "We are grateful that his research is being recognized and supported by the NSF, as it will help advance our understanding of how mathematics is intrinsically linked with the natural world, with relevance to topics as diverse as finding the causes of Alzheimer's disease or enhancing crop yields."

An assistant professor in the Integrative Biology Laboratory and a Pioneer Fund Developmental Chair, Navlakha received the CAREER award to fund his proposed study, "Algorithms in nature: uncovering principles of plant structure, growth, and adaptation." The goal of this project is to elucidate the naturally occurring algorithms in biological systems, such as the branching of a tree in search for light, and compare the network design strategies and optimization principles to that of developing neurons in the brain and human engineered transportation structures. The results of his study will help reveal the basic patterns that evolution has used to design these systems and will offer an improved understanding of how these natural networks process information and function in both health and disease.

Navlakha received his PhD in computer science from the University of Maryland and completed his postdoctoral fellowship at Carnegie Mellon University. In the Integrative Biology Laboratory at the Salk Institute, Navlakha and his team study how groups of distributed molecules and cells communicate and process information to collectively solve computational problems important for survival.

###

About the Salk Institute for Biological Studies:

Every cure has a starting point. The Salk Institute embodies Jonas Salk's mission to dare to make dreams into reality. Its internationally renowned and award-winning scientists explore the very foundations of life, seeking new understandings in neuroscience, genetics, immunology, plant biology and more. The Institute is an independent nonprofit organization and architectural landmark: small by choice, intimate by nature and fearless in the face of any challenge. Be it cancer or Alzheimer's, aging or diabetes, Salk is where cures begin. Learn more at: salk.edu.

About the NSF:

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2018, its budget is $7.8 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 50,000 competitive proposals for funding and makes about 12,000 new funding awards.Energy storage systems with high energy density have been strongly pursued. The current commercial lithium (Li) ion batteries (LIBs) have achieved impressive advance since released by Sony Corporation in 1991 and dominate a chunk of the portable electronic and electric vehicle markets. However, the practical energy density of LIBs is approaching their theoretical limits with current intercalation chemistry. In light of the ever-growing demands for even higher energy density storage, Li metal batteries (LMBs) have been revisited. While replacing the graphite anode of LIBs with Li metal of LMBs, the theoretical energy density of LMBs can be significantly improved due to its ultrahigh specific capacity (3860 mAh g-1) and the lowest redox potential (-3.04 V vs. the standard hydrogen electrode). However, uncontrolled lithium dendrites and infinite volume change during repeated plating/stripping cycles hinder the practical applications of Li metal battery immensely.

Researchers in Tsinghua University and Beijing Institute of Technology proposed a house-like Li anode (housed Li) to circumvent the above issues. The house matrix was composed of carbon fiber matrix and affords a stable structure to relieve the volume change. An artificial solid electrolyte layer was formed on composite Li metal, just like the roof of a house, which facilitates uniform Li ions diffusion and serves as a physical barrier against electrolyte corrosion. With the combination of solid electrolyte layer and matrix in the composite Li metal anode, both dendrite growth and volume expansion are remarkably inhibited. The housed Li | LiFePO4 batteries exhibited over 95% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 1.0 C in coin cell and 85% capacity retention after 80 cycles at 0.5 C in pouch cell.

The rationally combination of solid electrolyte layer protection and housed framework in one Li metal anode is a breakthrough on the design principle of a safe and long-lifespan Li metal anode for Li metal batteries. This work is expected to provide a practical anode for next-generation rechargeable batteries. The paper describing this work was published on Nov. 30 in Journal of Energy Chemistry.

###

See the article: https:/ / www. sciencedirect. com/ science/ article/ abs/ pii/ S2095495618310696#!

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program (2016YFA0202500, 2015CB932500, and 2016YFA0200102), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21676160, 21825501, 21805161, and 21808125), and China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2017M620773, 2018M631480, and BX201700125).Staple and economically important crops throughout the world could be at serious risk if efficient measures are not taken soon

Known to be feeding on many economically important crops cultured across the world, including maize, rice, sugarcane, sorghum, beet, tomato, potato, cotton and pasture grasses, the larvae of the native to the Americas fall armyworm moth seem to have already found a successful survival strategy in a diverse and changing world.

Furthermore, having taken no longer than 2 years to invade and spread throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa, the pest has already demonstrated its huge potential in severely affecting livelihoods around the globe.

A recent study in the open-access journal NeoBiota, conducted by Dr Regan Early of Exeter University, United Kingdom and her colleagues at the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International: Dr Pablo Gonzalez-Moreno, Sean T. Murphy and Roger Day, looks into the factors and likelihood for the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) to spread to other regions and continents.

Invasion progress

The alarming reports started in January 2016 when major outbreaks of fall armyworms were registered in Nigeria and Ghana, preceding signals from Benin, Sao Tome and Togo shortly after. By September 2017, the pest had already been confirmed in 28 sub-Saharan African countries, with nine states expected to follow suit.

While unaided dispersal of the species in Africa is considered unlikely, it is speculated that the pest had arrived on a passenger flight from America. To back this theory, the researchers point out that the first countries to house the invader are also the major air transportation hubs in Africa and have warm, moist climate similar to those in the pest's natural habitat.

In the aftermath, recent estimates point to up to 50% maize yield loss in Africa attributed to the fall armyworm. However, scientists believe that the species is far from finished spreading and is highly likely to invade new continents.

Who's next?

To find what makes a region an inviting new habitat for the fall armyworm, hence which countries face the highest threat of future invasions, the researchers looked into both the native and African distributions of the species, and the effects different temperatures and precipitation levels have on it.

Having concluded that the lowest temperatures and the maximum amount of rain play the main role in determining whether the fall armyworm is to establish in a certain region, the scientists concluded that South and Southeast Asia, as well as Australia face the most serious risk, since their climate is very similar to the one preferred by the pest.

However, the authors of the study remind that this forecast shall in no way be taken with a sigh of relief by countries with milder climatic conditions. While the moth needs particular temperature and precipitation amplitudes at its year-round habitat, it could easily travel back and forth up to several hundred kilometres during its seasonal migrations. Therefore, if the fall armyworm establishes in North Africa, it could migrate to Europe during the warmer months, just like it has already been observed to travel from its year-round localities in Argentina, Texas and Florida all the way to Canada's Quebec and Ontario in the north.

The increasing transportation and international trade are also likely to facilitate the further spread of the fall armyworm outside Africa. The scientists conclude that, given the current travel air routes, it is Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand which are at high risk of becoming the pest's new habitat.

What's next?

Having concluded that there is a considerable potential for near global invasion and seasonal migration of fall armyworm, the scientists call for vigilance from farmers and programme managers alike. They remind that early detection of small larvae is crucial, since it is only at this stage that chemical insecticides would work effectively.

"As fall armyworm has huge potential to affect staple and economic crops globally, we urgently need information on the pest's potential distribution and environmental limitations," comment the researchers.

"Management decisions would be improved by further research on fall armyworm's seasonal migration and population dynamics and the environmental dependency of interactions with other species."

###

Original source:

Early R, Gonzalez-Moreno P, Murphy ST, Day R (2018) Forecasting the global extent of invasion of the cereal pest Spodoptera frugiperda, the fall armyworm. NeoBiota 40: 25-50. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 3897/ neobiota. 40. 28165

A preprint of the study was published earlier on bioRxiv.The stomach contents of ancient whale Basilosaurus isis suggest it was an apex predator, according to a study published January 9, 2019 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Manja Voss from the Museum fur Naturkunde Berlin, Germany, and colleagues.

The authors uncovered an adult B. isis specimen in 2010 in the Wadi Al Hitan ("Valley of Whales") site in Cairo, Egypt. This site was once a shallow sea during the late Eocene period and is remarkable for its wealth of marine fossils. While excavating this main B. isis specimen, the authors also revealed the remains of sharks, large bony fish, and, most numerously, bones from Dorudon atrox, a smaller species of ancient whale. The Basilosaurus skeleton was distinct from other skeletons in the cluster, containing pointed B. isis incisors and sharp cheek teeth as well as bones. Most of the fish, and Dorudon whale remains showed signs of breakage and bite marks, were fragmented, and tended to be clustered within the body cavity of the B. isis specimen.

One hypothesis to explain the clustering of these remains was that D. atrox had scavenged the B. isis carcass and fish. However, the D. atrox were juveniles, capable only of drinking mother's milk. Bite marks on prey skulls also indicated predation rather than scavenging, since predators commonly target the head. The authors therefore position B. isis as a top predator which ate its prey live, rather than by scavenging. They propose that the remains of fish and juvenile D. atrox in the cluster are remnants of previous B. isis meals, while the teeth of sharks indicate postmortem scavenging.

Voss and colleagues draw a comparison with the modern-day killer whale (Orcinus orca), another toothed whale apex predator which often feeds on smaller whales and frequently hunts humpback whale calves during humpback calving season. The authors hypothesize that the Wadi Al Hitan site was a whale calving site for prey whale Dorudon, making it a hunting site for top predator B. isis during the late Eocene.

###

In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS ONE: http://journals. plos. org/ plosone/ article?id= 10. 1371/ journal. pone. 0209021

Citation: Voss M, Antar MSM, Zalmout IS, Gingerich PD (2019) Stomach contents of the archaeocete Basilosaurus isis: Apex predator in oceans of the late Eocene. PLoS ONE 14(1): e0209021. https:/ / doi. org/ 10. 1371/ journal. pone. 0209021

Funding: Field work was supported by U. S. National Science Foundation grant EAR-0920972 to PDG. MV was supported with a travel grant by the Innovationsfonds of the Museum fur Naturkunde Berlin to finalize this research project. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.A small percentage of Americans, less than 9 percent, shared links to so-called "fake news" sites on Facebook during the 2016 presidential election campaign, but this behavior was disproportionately common among people over the age of 65, finds a new analysis by researchers at New York University's Social Media and Political Participation (SMaPP) Lab and Princeton University.

The study appears in the journal Science Advances.

"Despite widespread interest in the fake news phenomenon, we know very little about who actually shares fake news," says Joshua Tucker, a professor of politics at NYU and co-director of the SMaPP Lab. "This study takes a first step towards answering this question.

"Perhaps most significantly, we find that sharing this type of content on Facebook was a relatively rare activity during the 2016 presidential campaign."

Among the overall sample of study participants, drawn from a panel survey conducted by the polling firm YouGov, only 8.5 percent shared links from fake news sites via Facebook.

Notably, only 3 percent of those aged 18-29 shared links from fake news sites, compared with 11 percent of those over age 65. Critically, the association with age appears to be independent of respondents' ideological or partisan affiliations.

"If seniors are more likely to share fake news than younger people, then there are important implications for how we might design interventions to reduce the spread of fake news," adds Andrew Guess, an assistant professor of politics and public affairs at Princeton University.

In explaining their findings, the researchers outline how the correlation with age could reflect differences in more fundamental traits or skills -- such as digital media literacy -- that are theoretically related to social media sharing behavior. Exploring these possibilities, they note, should be a focus of future research.

Jonathan Nagler, a professor of politics at NYU and a co-director of the SMaPP Lab, also notes that "these findings suggest that teaching digital literacy in schools -- no matter how beneficial that might be for other reasons -- is unlikely to fully address the sharing of fake news if such sharing is more prevalent among older citizens."

By contrast, education, income, and gender were not systematically related to being more likely to share fake news, the study found.

The researchers did find a strong partisan difference: 18 percent of Republicans shared links to fake news sites, compared to less than 4 percent of Democrats. However, they cautioned against associating ideology with an underlying proclivity to share fake news, noting that this finding might simply be a result of the fact that most fake news produced during the campaign was pro-Trump or anti-Clinton in orientation.

"This is consistent with the pro-Trump slant of most fake news articles produced during the 2016 campaign," they write, "and of the tendency of respondents to share articles they agree with, and thus might not represent a greater tendency of conservatives to share fake news than liberals conditional on being exposed to it."

Methodology note:

The panel survey, conducted in three waves from April to November 2016, included a sample of approximately 1,300 respondents who agreed to allow an app to temporarily share with the researchers information about their own timeline posts, including external links. The researchers did not have access to the content of people's News Feeds or information about their friends. Respondents read a privacy statement that informed them that they could withdraw at any time and that the researchers would not share any personally identifying information.

To identify "fake news" sources, the researchers relied on a list of domains assembled by Craig Silverman of BuzzFeed News, the primary journalist covering the phenomenon in 2016. They classified as fake news any stories coming from such sites. They supplemented this list with other peer-reviewed sources to generate a list of fake news stories specifically debunked by fact-checking organizations. The findings were found to be robust to multiple alternative measures of fake news.

###Last month a Prince Georges County Circuit Court judge found the man accused of vandalizing multiple city vehicles last June incompetent to stand trial.

Joseph William Clark of Bowie allegedly set five city vehicles on fire and vandalized another eight at a public works facility on Annapolis Road, according to police. In the June incident, officers also reported the inside of a public building was vandalized.

Police said Clark caused $113,700 in damage, and he was charged with five counts of second-degree arson, maliciously setting fire to property, malicious destruction of property less than $1,000 and malicious destruction of property more than $1,000.

At approximately 12:40 a.m., June 12, a patrolling officer observed a burning vehicle outside the facility on Annapolis Road, according to a police incident report. In addition to the cars and graffiti found in the building, furniture was damaged, police said.

Some utilities and electronics were destroyed, several security alarms were cut and destroyed and a message was left on a whiteboard that referenced Chuck Palahniuks popular novel Fight Club, according to court documents.

Prince Georges Circuit Court Judge Nicholas Rattal ordered on Dec. 17 Clark be committed to the Maryland Department of Health because he was found incompetent to stand trial for reason of mental disorder or retardation, and is a danger to himself, others or property. He has been committed until the court finds that he is no longer a danger, or that he is competent to stand trial.

A hearing has been scheduled Nov. 8 before Rattal.

Jack Chavez contributed to this report.

Support local journalism. Subscribe to The Capital. (Evanston, IL) - January 9, 2019 - NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) and Color today announced a groundbreaking partnership to deliver the power of genomics to routine primary care at population scale. Known as "DNA10K," the initiative will engage more than 10,000 patients and will be the largest known primary care-based genomics program in the U.S.

This innovative approach will build on NorthShore's years of expertise in genomics and actionable electronic medical records information, while providing access to Color's clinical-grade genetic testing and whole genome sequencing to inform patients about their risk for certain hereditary conditions. The knowledge will help patients learn about their genetic makeup, including risk factors for certain disease types such as common hereditary cancers and heart diseases. This insight will help NorthShore personalize care for each patient to support improved outcomes, prevention and overall health.

"NorthShore is committed to enhancing our connection to the patients and families we serve," said J.P. Gallagher, President and Chief Executive Officer of NorthShore University HealthSystem. "Our experience and expertise in genomic medicine allows us to bring a greater level of understanding and new insight, which leads to deeper and more powerful patient relationships, better outcomes and informed preventative actions for the individual and family."

NorthShore is proud to expand the collaboration with Color through the launch of "DNA10K" which will deliver genomic insight to patients at the primary care level with the expertise of the Mark R. Neaman Center for Personalized Medicine at NorthShore. Today's announcement comes on the heels of a successful pilot between NorthShore and Color that unlocked the benefits of genetic information in routine care.

In less than two months, more than 1,000 patients signed up for the Color population health program as a part of their primary care visit, an adoption rate of more than 40% of those eligible and significantly beating expectations of the pilot program. This is a strong indicator of patients' interest in understanding genetic factors that can influence health and the opportunity to work with NorthShore care providers to make more informed treatment or prevention decisions.

"NorthShore is a leader in their commitment to build a future where healthcare moves from reactive to proactive and using genomics as a core component to improve individual health at population scale," said Othman Laraki, Color CEO. "Color is proud to join NorthShore through this unique collaboration to unlock the role of genomics in routine care."

DNA10K will support NorthShore's efforts to improve patients' health outcomes at a population level, with genomics as a foundation for informing individualized healthcare. Patients who take advantage of the "DNA10K" offering will provide a blood sample, which is then analyzed in Color's CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited lab, and results are returned to healthcare providers and their patients. In addition to their NorthShore primary care provider, patients will also have access to board-certified genetic counselors and clinical pharmacists from Color and NorthShore. This collaborative group can help interpret test results and develop personalized risk and screening guidelines to better inform care throughout a patient's life.

###

About NorthShore University HealthSystem

NorthShore University HealthSystem (NorthShore) is an integrated healthcare delivery system consistently ranked as a Top 15 Major Teaching Hospital in the U.S. The NorthShore system, headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, includes four hospitals - Evanston, Glenbrook, Highland Park and Skokie. NorthShore also includes a 900-physician multispecialty group practice, NorthShore Medical Group, located in over 100 locations in the Chicagoland area. NorthShore is a Magnet recognized organization, the first in Illinois to receive this prestigious honor as an entire system that demonstrates excellence in nursing and high standards in patient care. The system also supports the NorthShore Research Institute; the NorthShore Foundation; and the NorthShore Home & Hospice Services. In addition to launching Be Well Lake County, a community health initiative committed to providing greater access to comprehensive care, NorthShore contributes $235 million in charitable care and services to the communities it serves. Learn more at NorthShore.org.

About Color

Color is a population genomics technology company. Color's clinical-grade sequencing, software and analytics platform makes it easy and affordable for people around the world to access their genetic information to learn about their hereditary risk for common cancers and heart diseases, and how their genes can influence how the body processes certain medications. Color's physician-ordered tests can be conveniently started by providing a simple saliva sample from home. Color clients can get access to an ongoing service that provides tools and insights to help manage key aspects of their long-term health. Large populations such as employers (Visa, Levi Strauss, Salesforce, SAP, dozens of others) and health systems (including UCSF, Jefferson and University of Chicago) are partnering with Color to bring genetics and preventive health to their populations in a streamlined and integrated way. Learn more at color.com.Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new technique that allows them to assess radiation exposure in about an hour using an insulator material found in most modern electronics. The technique can be used to triage medical cases in the event of a radiological disaster.

"If there is a large radiological event in a populated area, it would be difficult or impossible to treat everyone who could potentially have acute radiation syndrome," says Robert Hayes, an associate professor of nuclear engineering at NC State and first author of a paper on the work. "You'd need to be able to figure out who was exposed to enough radiation to require treatment."

The approach relies on testing crystalline insulators found in everything from thumb drives to smartphones. Because the technique is high-throughput, accurate and precise, it can adequately assess an individual's exposure in about an hour, Hayes says. Prior methods can take weeks.

"Given that health providers have a one- to two-week window to start treating victims of acute radiation syndrome, the technique should be sufficient to identify which patients require the necessary care," Hayes says. "It could not only identify individual cases of acute radiation syndrome, but also help authorities determine which geographic areas received the most radiation.

"But it's not just about identifying those that require care," Hayes says. "For example, our technique might have been useful in a place like Fukushima, for putting people's minds at ease. It's like having your own personal radiation detector."

The technique requires the insulator to be removed from its electronic device and cleaned. The sample is then placed in a thermally stimulated luminescence reader, which collects spectra relating to the number of electrons found in the flaws inherent to the sample's crystalline structure. That spectral data is then fed into a custom algorithm that calculates the sample's radiation exposure.

"This technique requires specialized equipment and expertise, so it's not something most locales would have on hand," Hayes says. "But labs like mine could run the tests and provide the authorities with good data very quickly. In addition to NC State, I know there's another lab with relevant expertise and infrastructure at Oklahoma State University, and one in Denmark, though there are likely others.

"Hopefully, this technique won't be necessary for a long time, if ever. But we think it's important to develop these tools before they are needed."

###

The paper, "Retrospective dosimetry at the natural background level with commercial surface mount resistors," is published in the journal Radiation Measurements. The paper was co-authored by Ryan O'Mara, a Ph.D. student at NC State. The work was done with support from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission under grant number NRC-HQ-84-14-G-0059. The work was also done with support from NC State's Consortium for Nonproliferation Enabling Capabilities, which is sponsored by the Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation R&D of the National Nuclear Security Administration.A global resource that includes data on thousands of inherited variants in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes is available to the public. The BRCA Exchange was created through the BRCA Challenge, a long-term demonstration project initiated by the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH) to enhance sharing of BRCA1 and BRCA2 data. The resource, available through a website and a new smartphone app, allows clinicians to review expert classifications of variants in these major cancer predisposition genes as part of their individual assessment of complex questions related to cancer prevention, screening, and intervention for high-risk patients.

The five-year BRCA Challenge project was funded in part by the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, and through the Cancer Moonshot?. A paper detailing the development of the BRCA Exchange was published January 8, 2019, in PLOS Genetics.

"This project has yielded a meta-analysis of BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants collected from multiple sources to understand how experts annotate specific mutations in the two genes," said Stephen J. Chanock, M.D., director of NCI's Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics and lead author of the paper. "There's an urgent need for sharing data in cancer predisposition research. The BRCA Exchange is proof of principle that large-scale collaboration and data sharing can be achieved and can provide the latest and best quality information to enable clinicians and individuals to improve care."

Certain inherited variants in these genes can increase the risk of breast, ovarian, and other cancers by varying degrees, whereas others are not associated with disease. Clinicians and patients need to know whether a given variant is likely to be disease-associated (pathogenic) and how likely a pathogenic variant is to cause cancer (penetrance). Until now, the available data on the inherited variants in these genes were not aggregated in a comprehensive way.

The BRCA Exchange dataset is composed of information from existing clinical databases--the Breast Cancer Information Core, ClinVar, and the Leiden Open Variation Database--as well as population databases and data from clinicians, clinical laboratories, and researchers worldwide. It currently includes more than 20,000 unique BRCA1 and BRCA2 variants. More than 6,100 variants in the database have been classified by an expert panel, the Evidence-based Network for the Interpretation of Germline Mutant Alleles, and approximately 3,700 of these variants are known to cause disease. The BRCA Exchange pools variants from data resources worldwide, which should lead to inclusion of rare variants that are very occasionally observed.

With a single-point-of-access website, the BRCA Exchange provides information on these gene variants to clinicians, researchers, data scientists, patients, and patient advocates. It also serves as a demonstration project showing that this kind of comprehensive data sharing--requiring collaboration across hundreds of organizations, the establishment of an infrastructure to house the information, and the development of data-sharing protocols--is possible for other cancer predisposition genes and, indeed, for genes associated with other diseases.

Next steps for the project include collaboration with additional global data generators and data holders, continued technical development, and increased engagement with patients and patient advocates around the world.

###

About the National Cancer Institute (NCI): NCI leads the National Cancer Program and NIH's efforts to dramatically reduce the prevalence of cancer and improve the lives of cancer patients and their families, through research into prevention and cancer biology, the development of new interventions, and the training and mentoring of new researchers. For more information about cancer, please visit the NCI website at cancer.gov or call NCI's Contact Center (formerly known as the Cancer Information Service) at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237).

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit nih.gov.The National Academy of Engineering and Ohio University announced today that the 2019 Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ Prize will be given to Julio Palmaz, Leonard Pinchuk, Richard Schatz, John Simpson, and Paul Yock

Jan. 3, 2019

Washington- The National Academy of Engineering and Ohio University announced today that the 2019 Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ Prize will be given to Julio Palmaz, Leonard Pinchuk, John Simpson, Richard Schatz, and Paul Yock for innovations leading to the widespread adoption of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), previously known as angioplasty with stent or coronary angioplasty. The $500,000 biennial prize, which recognizes a bioengineering achievement that significantly improves the human condition, cites PCI for "seminal contributions to coronary angioplasty, enabling minimally invasive treatment of advanced coronary artery disease."

The Russ Prize will be presented at a gala dinner event in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 20, 2019. "The Russ Prize recipients personify engineering creations that advance health and healthcare every day," said NAE President C. D. Mote, Jr. "The PCI makes a remarkable contribution to patient well-being, helping millions afflicted with advanced coronary artery disease and significant angina. "

Percutaneous coronary intervention, also referred to as percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), is a minimally invasive procedure that uses a catheter to place a small structure called a stent to open up blood vessels in the heart that have been narrowed by plaque buildup. PCI improves blood flow, thus decreasing heart-related chest pain, making patients feel better and increasing their ability to be active. Ten of millions of patients have benefited from PCI worldwide, and this procedure has replaced or significantly delayed the need for open heart coronary bypass surgery.

Julio C. Palmaz, inventor of the first FDA-approved balloon-expandable vascular stent (1990), is Ashbel Smith Professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio and scientific adviser of Vactronix Scientific. The Palmaz stent is on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. In 1994 he and Richard Schatz created a modified coronary stent -- two Palmaz stents joined by a single connector -- approved by the FDA as the first stent indicated for the treatment of failure of coronary balloon angioplasty. The Palmaz-Schatz stent became the gold standard for every subsequent stent submitted for FDA approval.

Leonard Pinchuk is an inventor and entrepreneur in biomedical engineering, with 128 U.S. patents and 90 publications. He has co-founded 10 companies where his major accomplishments include invention of the Nylon 12 angioplasty balloon, helical wire stent, modular stent-graft, a drug-eluting stent (TAXUS), several biomaterials (Bionate and poly(styrene-block-isobutylene-block-styrene) [SIBS]), a novel glaucoma tube (InnFocus MicroShunt), and the next generation intraocular lens. He is a Distinguished Research Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Miami. John Simpson has helped revolutionize the field of cardiology through innovations that fundamentally altered how physicians treat cardiovascular disease. In 1981 he created a new catheter system for coronary angioplasty with an independently steerable guidewire in the central lumen of the balloon catheter, patented as the over-the-wire balloon angioplasty catheter. He now focuses his efforts on the treatment of vascular disease through the development of new technologies combined with a new approach to optical imaging.

Richard Schatz is research director of cardiovascular interventions at the Scripps Heart, Lung, and Vascular Center and director of gene and stem cell therapy. He is a recognized international expert in interventional cardiology and has published and lectured extensively. His seminal work in coronary stents spurred a revolution in the treatment of coronary artery disease--over 2 million of them are placed annually worldwide, with an immeasurable impact on relieving mortality and morbidity, improving patients' lives, and reducing healthcare costs.

Paul Yock is the Martha Meier Weiland Professor of Medicine and founding co-chair of Stanford's Department of Bioengineering, with a courtesy appointment in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. He is also founder and director of the Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign. He has authored over 300 peer-reviewed publications, chapters, and editorials and two textbooks, and holds over 50 U.S. patents. Yock is internationally known for his work in inventing, developing, and testing new devices, including the Rapid Exchange stenting and balloon angioplasty system, which is now the primary system in use worldwide. He also invented the fundamental approach to intravascular ultrasound imaging and founded Cardiovascular Imaging Systems (CVIS), later acquired by Boston Scientific.

###

The Russ Prize was established in 1999 with a multimillion dollar gift to Ohio University by alumnus and esteemed engineer Fritz Russ and his wife, Dolores. Awarded biennially, the prize recognizes bioengineering achievements worldwide that are in widespread use and have improved the human condition.

The mission of the NAE is to advance the well-being of the nation by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and by marshalling the expertise and insights of eminent engineers to provide independent advice to the federal government on matters involving engineering and technology. The NAE is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, an independent, nonprofit organization chartered by Congress to provide objective analysis and advice to the nation on matters of science, technology, and health.

Contacts:

Brandon Green

Communications/Media Specialist

202-334-2226

email BGreen@nae.edu

Deborah M. Young

Program Officer

202-334-1266

e-mail DYoung@nae.edu

NewsroomJan. 8, 2019

Washington- The National Academy of Engineering announced today that the 2019 Bernard M. Gordon Prize for Innovation in Engineering and Technology Education will be awarded to Wendy Newstetter, Joseph Le Doux, and Paul Benkeser from the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, "for fusing problem-driven engineering education with learning-science principles to create a pioneering program that develops leaders in biomedical engineering." The $500,000 annual award recognizes new methods and concepts in education aimed at developing engineering leaders.

The Gordon Prize ceremony will be held at the Academy of Medicine at Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Tuesday, May 14, 2019.

"I am honored to recognize these educators who have created a remarkably innovative biomedical engineering program to create future leaders in the field," said NAE President C. D. Mote, Jr. "The Gordon Prize will help advance their program's global impact on one of society's great challenges - developing engineering leaders in service of human health and well-being."

The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering is housed at both Georgia Tech and Emory. With the help of scientists who specialize in learning and engineering educators, the program is designed to foster the next generation of leaders in biomedical engineering who will play an integral role in improving health and well-being worldwide. This groundbreaking program pioneered bringing best practices in education and learning to engineering. As part of the curriculum, students experience problem-driven learning (PDL), which replicates in class the industry environment that graduates will face as future industry leaders.

Wendy Newstetter is assistant dean for educational research and innovation in the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech. She was a founding faculty member in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, where she was a cognitive and learning scientist (2000-2012). During this time, she worked with faculty to build an innovative curriculum both based on the principles of problem-based learning (PBL) and informed by the ethnographic studies she and her research team conducted in biomedical engineering research laboratories. The objective was to enhance fidelity between the authentic, unscripted learning environment of a research lab and the synthetic or designed environment of a classroom. What started as a single PBL class has grown to a suite of carefully designed engineering learning environments collectively referred to as PDL. This unique collection of classroom environments was recognized in 2013 with the Georgia Regents' Teaching Excellence Award.

Joseph Le Doux is associate chair for undergraduate learning and experience and an associate professor in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. He joined the department in 1999 as an assistant professor because he was inspired by the vision of the department's founding chair, Don Giddens, to educate engineers who were integrative thinkers who could operate seamlessly between the engineering and life sciences. As part of his contribution to the department's efforts to realize this vision, Le Doux invented the problem-solving studio approach for teaching engineering, which he implemented in 2008 in a sophomore-level introductory course. He has since worked with faculty and learning-science colleagues to refine and adapt the approach for use in multiple courses in biomedical and other engineering disciplines.

Paul Benkeser is a professor and senior associate chair in the Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. A member of the Georgia Tech faculty since 1985, he was one of the founding faculty of the Coulter Department in 1998 and served as its first associate chair for undergraduate studies. His early research interests were in therapeutic and diagnostic applications of ultrasound. After joining the department, he redirected his energies toward enhancing undergraduate biomedical engineering education, with particular interests in integrating problem-driven learning and global experiential learning opportunities in the curriculum. His research and education endeavors have been funded by grants from NIH, NSF, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Whitaker Foundation.

###

The Gordon Prize was established in 2001 as a biennial prize acknowledging new modalities and experiments in education that develop effective engineering leaders. Recognizing the potential to spur a revolution in engineering education, NAE announced in 2003 that the prize would be awarded annually.

The mission of the NAE is to advance the well-being of the nation by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and by marshalling the expertise and insights of eminent engineers to provide independent advice to the federal government on matters involving engineering and technology. The NAE is part of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, an independent, nonprofit organization chartered by Congress to provide objective analysis and advice to the nation on matters of science, technology, and health.

Contacts:

Brandon Green

Communications/Media Specialist

202-334-2226

email BGreen@nae.edu

Deborah M. Young

Program Officer

202-334-1266

e-mail DYoung@nae.edu

NewsroomA Canadian-led team of scientists has found the second repeating fast radio burst (FRB) ever recorded. FRBs are short bursts of radio waves coming from far outside our Milky Way galaxy. Scientists believe FRBs emanate from powerful astrophysical phenomena billions of light years away.

The discovery of the extragalactic signal is among the first, eagerly awaited results from the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), a revolutionary radio telescope inaugurated in late 2017 by a collaboration of scientists from the University of British Columbia, McGill University, University of Toronto, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and the National Research Council of Canada.

In a resounding endorsement of the novel telescope's capabilities, the repeating FRB was one of a total of 13 bursts detected over a period of just three weeks during the summer of 2018, while CHIME was in its pre-commissioning phase and running at only a fraction of its full capacity. Additional bursts from the repeating FRB were detected in following weeks by the telescope, which is located in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley.

Discovery of second repeating FRB suggests more exist

Of the more than 60 FRBs observed to date, repeating bursts from a single source had been found only once before -- a discovery made by the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico in 2015.

"Until now, there was only one known repeating FRB. Knowing that there is another suggests that there could be more out there. And with more repeaters and more sources available for study, we may be able to understand these cosmic puzzles--where they're from and what causes them," said Ingrid Stairs, a member of the CHIME team and an astrophysicist at UBC.

Before CHIME began to gather data, some scientists wondered if the range of radio frequencies the telescope had been designed to detect would be too low to pick up fast radio bursts. Most of the FRBs previously detected had been found at frequencies near 1400 MHz, well above the Canadian telescope's range of 400 MHz to 800 MHz.

The CHIME team's results -- published January 9 in two papers in Nature and presented the same day at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle -- settled these doubts, with the majority of the 13 bursts being recorded well down to the lowest frequencies in CHIME's range. In some of the 13 cases, the signal at the lower end of the band was so bright that it seems likely other FRBs will be detected at frequencies even lower than CHIME's minimum of 400 MHz.

FRB sources likely to be in 'special places' within galaxies

The majority of the 13 FRBs detected showed signs of "scattering," a phenomenon that reveals information about the environment surrounding a source of radio waves. The amount of scattering observed by the CHIME team led them to conclude that the sources of FRBs are powerful astrophysical objects more likely to be in locations with special characteristics.

"That could mean in some sort of dense clump like a supernova remnant," says team member Cherry Ng, an astronomer at the University of Toronto. "Or near the central black hole in a galaxy. But it has to be in some special place to give us all the scattering that we see."

A new clue to the puzzle

Ever since FRBs were first detected, scientists have been piecing together the signals' observed characteristics to come up with models that might explain the sources of the mysterious bursts and provide some idea of the environments in which they occur. The detection by CHIME of FRBs at lower frequencies means some of these theories will need to be reconsidered.

"Whatever the source of these radio waves is, it's interesting to see how wide a range of frequencies it can produce. There are some models where intrinsically the source can't produce anything below a certain frequency," says team member Arun Naidu of McGill University.

"[We now know] the sources can produce low-frequency radio waves and those low-frequency waves can escape their environment, and are not too scattered to be detected by the time they reach the Earth. That tells us something about the environments and the sources. We haven't solved the problem, but it's several more pieces in the puzzle," says Tom Landecker, a CHIME team member from the National Research Council of Canada.

###

About CHIME

CHIME is a revolutionary new telescope, designed and built by Canadian astronomers. "CHIME reconstructs the image of the overhead sky by processing the radio signals recorded by thousands of antennas with a large signal processing system," explains Perimeter Institute's Kendrick Smith. "CHIME's signal processing system is the largest of any telescope on Earth, allowing it to search huge regions of the sky simultaneously."

CHIME is a collaboration of over 50 scientists led by the University of British Columbia, McGill University, University of Toronto, and the National Research Council of Canada (NRC). The $16-million investment for CHIME was provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the governments of British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec, with additional funding from the Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. The telescope is located in the mountains of British Columbia's Okanagan Valley at the NRC's Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory near Penticton.

To read the papers:

"Observations of fast radio bursts at frequencies down to 400 megahertz," CHIME FRB Collaboration, Nature, published online Jan. 9, 2019, http://www. nature. com

http://dx. doi. org/ 10. 1038/ s41586-018-0867-7

"The source of a second repeating fast radio burst," CHIME FRB Collaboration, Nature, published online Jan. 9, 2019, http://www. nature. comThe Roman poet Lucretius' epic work "De rerum natura," or "On the Nature of Things," is the oldest surviving scientific treatise written in Latin. Composed around 55 B.C.E., the text is a lengthy piece of contrarianism. Lucreutius was in the Epicurean school of philosophy: He wanted an account of the world rooted in earthly matter, rather than explanations based on the Gods and religion.

Among other things, Lucretius believed in atomism, the idea that the world and cosmos consisted of minute pieces of matter, rather than four essential elements. To explain this point, Lucretius asked readers to think of bits of matter as being like letters of the alphabet. Indeed, both atoms and letters are called "elementa" in Latin -- probably derived from the grouping of L,M, and N in the alphabet.

To learn these elements of writing, students would copy out tables of letters and syllables, which Lucretius thought also served as a model for understanding the world, since matter and letters could be rearranged in parallel ways. For instance, Lucretius wrote, wood could be turned into fire by adding a little heat, while the word for wood, "lingum," could be turned into the world for fire, "ignes," by altering a few letters.

Students taking this analogy to heart would thus learn "the combinatory potential of nature and language," says Stephanie Frampton, an associate professor of literature at MIT, in a new book on writing in the Roman world.

Moreover, Frampton emphasizes, the fact that students were learning all this specifically through writing exercises is a significant and underappreciated point in our understanding of ancient Rome: Writing, and the tools of writing, helped shape the Roman world.

"Everyone says the ancients are really into spoken and performed poetry, and don't care about the written word," Frampton says. "But look at Lucretius, who's the first person writing a scientific text in Latin -- the way that he explains his scientific insight is through this metaphor founded upon the written word."

Frampton explores this and other connections between writing and Roman society in her new work, "Empire of Letters," published last week by Oxford University Press.

The book is a history of technology itself, as Frampton examines the particulars of Roman books -- which often existed as scrolls back then -- and their evolution over time. But a central focus of the work is how those technologies influenced how the Romans "thought about thought," as she says.

Moreover, as Frampton notes, she is studying the history of Romans as "literate creatures," which means studying the tools of writing used not just in completed works, but in education, too. The letter tables detailed by Lucretius are just one example of this. Romans also learned to read and write using wax tablets that they could wipe clean after exercises.

The need to wipe such tablets clean drove the Roman emphasis on learning the art of memory -- including the "memory palace" method, which uses visualized locations for items to remember them, and which is still around today. For this reason Cicero, among other Roman writers, called memory and writing "most similar, though in a different medium."

As Frampton writes in the book, such tablets also produced "an intimate and complex relationship with memory" in the Roman world, and meant that "memory was a fundamental part of literary composition."

Tablets also became a common Roman metaphor for how our brains work: They thought "the mind is like a wax tablet where you can write and erase and rewrite," Frampton says. Understanding this kind of relationship between technology and the intellect, she thinks, helps us get that much closer to life as the Romans lived it.

"I think it's analogous to early computing," Frampton says. "The way we talk about the mind now is that it's a computer. ... We think about the computer in the same way that [intellectuals] in Rome were thinking about writing on wax tablets."

As Frampton discusses in the book, she believes the Romans did produce a number of physical innovations to the typical scroll-based back of the classic world, including changes in layout, format, coloring pigments, and possibly even book covers and the materials used as scroll handles, including ivory.

"The Romans were engineers, that's [one thing] they were famous for," Frampton says. "They are quite interesting and innovative in material culture."

Looking beyond "Empire of Letters" itself, Frampton will co-teach an MIT undergraduate course in 2019, "Making Books," that looks at the history of the book and gets students to use old technologies to produce books as they were once made. While that course has previously focused on printing-press technology, Frampton will help students go back even further in time, to the days of the scroll and codex, if they wish. All these reading devices, after all, were important innovations in their day.

"I'm working on old media," Frampton says, "But those old media were once new."

###

Related links

BOOK: "Empire of Letters" https:/ / global. oup. com/ academic/ product/ empire-of-letters-9780190915407?cc= us&lang= en

Stephanie Frampton https:/ / lit. mit. edu/ people/ sframpton/Bottom Line: The specialty of dermatology is one of the least diverse medical fields. In this study, a survey was conducted among 155 medical students (58 percent of whom were nonwhite) to understand perceived barriers to pursuing a career in dermatology by minority medical students. Major barriers cited by minority students included the lack of diversity in dermatology; perceived negative perceptions of minority students by residency programs, such as expecting lower performance; socioeconomic factors, such as lack of loan forgiveness; and a lack of mentors. The findings highlight the need to actively recruit and mentor students of all backgrounds. The survey respondents may not be representative of all U.S. medical students.

Authors: Yssra S. Soliman, B.A., Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, and coauthors

To Learn More: The full study is available on the For The Media website.

(doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.4813)

Editor's Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, financial disclosures, funding and support, etc.

###Genetics may play a bigger role in the body's disease-fighting ability than scientists previously thought, according to the results from a new study of twins in Queensland, Australia.

Scientists have long known that people build their own immune defence networks using antibodies - which are disease-fighting molecules that are deployed when our bodies are exposed to different viruses and other pathogens.

There is strong evidence, however, that genetic factors play a key role in how effectively and efficiently the body builds and deploys these disease-fighting molecules.

Researchers from James Cook University's Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM) and the University of Queensland's (UQ) Diamantina Institute have analysed blood samples from 1835 twins and thousands of their siblings.

The participants were recruited as part of the Brisbane Adolescent Twin Sample (BATS, also known as the Brisbane Longitudinal Twin Study; BLTS) conducted at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (QIMRB).

AITHM Principal Research Fellow, Associate Professor John Miles of JCU said the team looked at the body's immune response to six common human viruses, including the Human Herpes virus, Parvovirus, Epstein Barr virus and the Coxsackie virus.

"We were surprised to see that the 'power' of your immune system is predominantly controlled by the genes passed down from your mother or father," said Associate Professor Miles.

"These genes determine whether you mount an intense or weak immune response when confronted with a viral infection."

Professor David Evans, from UQ's Diamantina Translational Research Institute said environmental factors shared between the twins appeared to be more important in determining whether individuals had been exposed, and generated an antibody response, to a virus in the first place.

"The classic twin study compares trait similarity between identical twins, (who are derived from the same fertilised egg and therefore share identical genomes), with the trait similarity between fraternal twins (who are derived from different eggs and therefore are as genetically similar to each other as ordinary siblings)," said Professor Evans.

"Demonstrating that antibody response is heritable is the first step in the eventual identification of individual genes that affect antibody response."

The next step in the research is to identify the exact genes that are involved in tuning the strength of the immune response, said Dr Miles.

"If we can identify these genes we can imitate 'super defenders' when we design next generation vaccines. Likewise, if we can identify the genes that are failing in an immune response we could possibly correct that dysfunction using immunomodulation," he said.

Professor Evans said the findings had very important implications for research into auto-immune disease.

"In the future, we are interested in seeing whether the genes that affect antibody response to particular viruses are also the same genes that affect risk of autoimmune disease (diseases where the body's immune system attacks itself).

"Demonstrating that the same genes underlie both response to viral infection and risk of autoimmune disease would provide powerful evidence that infection by certain viruses are involved in triggering or maintaining disease."

Queensland Minister for Science Leeanne Enoch said these results showed the high quality of science being conducted in Queensland. "It is wonderful that Queensland scientists have been able to generate ground-breaking research such as this," Ms Enoch said.

"These results highlight the importance of scientific collaboration and shows how Queensland is a leader in science and innovation."

The research was published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and was conducted in partnership with JCU's AITHM, UQ's Diamantina Institute and QIMRB. The work was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC) and the Australian Infectious Diseases Network.

###PHILADELPHIA--Integral Molecular, the industry leader in membrane protein technologies, was awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the NIH to initiate a target discovery program for Alzheimer's disease. Under the grant, Integral Molecular will use its highly successful Membrane Proteome Array (MPA) platform to discover novel neuroimmune targets for treating Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Neurodegenerative diseases are a leading cause of death and disability for 6.5 million older Americans. A major roadblock in the development of new treatments has been the lack of druggable targets. Recent research suggests that dysregulation of the immune system can cause or exacerbate many neurodegenerative diseases. The identification of new proteins that can regulate the neuroimmune system could enable the discovery of an entirely new generation of therapeutics with the potential to treat, delay, or even prevent Alzheimer's disease.

"The lack of effective targets in Alzheimer's disease has held back the discovery of new drugs to treat it," says Benjamin Doranz, CEO of Integral Molecular. "We have already identified new targets in the immuno-oncology and infectious disease fields using our MPA platform, so we are excited to expand our work to include neurodegenerative diseases."

Integral Molecular's MPA technology is composed of 5,300 human membrane proteins expressed in their functional form on the surface of live human cells, allowing signaling and binding assays to detect functional interactions. Integral Molecular has already used the MPA to identify novel targets and protein interactions in various therapeutic areas, as well as to obtain off-target binding profiles to derisk drug development.

###

About Integral Molecular

Integral Molecular is the industry leader in membrane protein antibody discovery, with a pipeline of therapeutic antibodies against GPCRs, ion channels, transporters, and immuno-oncology targets. Built on the company's extensive experience optimizing membrane proteins, this platform enables the isolation, characterization, and engineering of MAbs against otherwise intractable targets. Integral Molecular discovers antibodies for partners in parallel with independent work developing antibodies for licensing. The company currently has therapeutic programs focused on cancer, pain, immunity, and metabolic disorders.The first appearance of trilobites in the fossil record dates to 521 million years ago in the oceans of the Cambrian Period, when the continents were still inhospitable to most life forms. Few groups of animals adapted as successfully as trilobites, which were arthropods that lived on the seabed for 270 million years until the mass extinction at the end of the Permian approximately 252 million years ago.

The longer ago organisms lived, the more rare are their fossils and the harder it is to understand their way of life; paleontologists face a daunting task in endeavoring to establish evolutionary relationships in time and space.

Surmounting the difficulties inherent in the investigation of a group of animals that lived such a long time ago, Brazilian scientists affiliated with the Biology Department of Sao Paulo State University's Bauru School of Sciences (FC-UNESP) and the Paleontology Laboratory of the University of Sao Paulo's Ribeirao Preto School of Philosophy, Science and Letters (FFCLRP-USP) have succeeded for the first time in inferring paleobiogeographic patterns among trilobites.

Paleobiogeography is a branch of paleontology that focuses on the distribution of extinct plants and animals and their relations with ancient geographic features. The study was conducted by Fabio Augusto Carbonaro, a postdoctoral researcher at UNESP's Bauru Macroinvertebrate Paleontology Laboratory (LAPALMA) headed by Professor Renato Pirani Ghilardi. Other participants included Max Cardoso Langer, a professor at FFCLRP-USP, and Silvio Shigueo Nihei, a professor at the same university's Bioscience Institute (IB-USP).

The researchers analyzed the morphological differences and similarities of the 11 species of trilobites described so far in the genus Metacryphaeus; these trilobites lived during the Devonian between 416 million and 359 million years ago (mya) in the cold waters of the sea that covered what is now Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, the Malvinas (Falklands) and South Africa.

The Devonian Period is subdivided into seven stages. Metacryphaeus lived during the Lochkovian (419.2-410.8 mya) and Pragian (410.8- 407.6 mya) stages, which are the earliest Devonian stages.

The results of the research were published in Scientific Reports and are part of the project "Paleobiogeography and migratory routes of paleoinvertebrates of the Devonian in Brazil", which is supported by Sao Paulo Research Foundation -FAPESP and Brazil's National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq). Ghilardi is the project's principal investigator.

"When they became extinct in the Permian, 252 million years ago, the trilobites left no descendants. Their closest living relatives are shrimps, and, more remotely, spiders, scorpions, sea spiders and mites," Ghilardi said.

Trilobite fossils are found abundantly all over the world, he explained - so abundantly that they are sometimes referred to as the cockroaches of the sea. The comparison is not unwarranted because anatomically, the trilobites resemble cockroaches. The difference is that they were not insects and had three longitudinal body segments or lobes (hence the name).

In the northern hemisphere, the trilobite fossil record is very rich. Paleontologists have so far described ten orders comprising over 17,000 species. The smallest were 1.5 millimeters long, while the largest were approximately 70 cm long and 40 cm wide. Perfectly preserved trilobites can be found in some regions, such as Morocco. These can be beautiful when used to create cameos or intaglio jewelry. Trilobite fossils from Brazil, Peru and Bolivia, in contrast, are often poorly preserved, consisting merely of the impressions left in benthic mud by their exoskeletons.

"Although their state of preservation is far from ideal, there are thousands of trilobite fossils in the sediments that form the Parana basin in the South region of Brazil, and the Parnaiba basin along the North-Northeast divide," said Ghilardi, who also chairs the Brazilian Paleontology Society.

According to Ghilardi, their poor state of preservation could be due to the geological conditions and climate prevailing in these regions during the Paleozoic Era, when the portions of dry land that would one day form South America were at the South Pole and entirely covered by ice for prolonged periods.

During the Devonian, South America and Africa were connected as part of the supercontinent Gondwana. South Africa was joined with Uruguay and Argentina in the River Plate region, and Brazil's southern states were continuous with Namibia and Angola.

Parsimonious analysis

The research began with an analysis of 48 characteristics (size, shape and structure of organs and anatomical parts) found in some 50 fossil specimens of the 11 species of Metacryphaeus.

"In principle, these characteristics serve to establish their phylogeny - the evolutionary history of all species in the universe, analyzed in terms of lines of descent and relationships among broader groups," Ghilardi said.

Known as a parsimonious analysis, this method is widely used to establish relationships among organisms in a given ecosystem, and in recent years, it has also begun to be used in the study of fossils.

According to Ghilardi, parsimony, in general, is the principle that the simplest explanation of the data is the preferred explanation. In the analysis of phylogeny, it means that the hypothesis regarding relationships that requires the smallest number of characteristic changes between the species analyzed (in this case, trilobites of the genus Metacryphaeus) is the one that is most likely to be correct.

The biogeographic contribution to the study was made by Professor Nihei, who works at IB-USP as a taxonomist and insect systematist. The field of systematics is concerned with evolutionary changes between ancestries, while taxonomy focuses on classifying and naming organisms.

"Biogeographic analysis typically involves living groups the ages of which are estimated by molecular phylogeny, or the so-called molecular clock, which estimates when two species probably diverged on the basis of the number of molecular differences in their DNA. In this study of trilobites, we used age in a similar manner, but it was obtained from the fossil record," Nihei said.

"The main point of the study was to use fossils in a method that normally involves molecular biogeography. Very few studies of this type have previously involved fossils. I believe our study paves the way for a new approach based on biogeographic methods requiring a chronogram [a molecularly dated cladogram] because this chronogram can also be obtained from fossil taxa such as those studied by paleontologists, rather than molecular cladograms for living animals."

As a vertebrate paleontologist who specializes in dinosaurs, Langer acknowledged that he knows little about trilobites but a great deal about the modern computational techniques used in parsimonious analysis, on which his participation in the study was based. "I believe the key aspect of this study, and the reason it was accepted for publication in as important a journal as Scientific Reports, is that it's the first ever use of parsimony to understand the phylogeny of a trilobite genus in the southern hemisphere," he said.

Gondwanan dispersal

The results of the paleobiogeographical analyses reinforce the pre-existing theory that Bolivia and Peru formed the ancestral home of Metacryphaeus.

"The models estimate a 100% probability that Bolivia and Peru formed the ancestral area of the Metacryphaeus clade and most of its internal clades," Ghilardi said. Confirmation of the theory shows that parsimonious models have the power to suggest the presence of clades at a specific moment in the past even when there are no known physical records of that presence.

In the case of Metacryphaeus, the oldest records in Bolivia and Peru date from the early Pragian stage (410.8-407.6 mya), but the genus is believed to have evolved in the region during the Lochkovian stage (419.2-410.8 mya).

Parsimony, therefore, suggests Metacryphaeus originated in Bolivia and Peru some time before 410.8 mya but not earlier than 419.2 mya. In any event, it is believed to be far older than any known fossils.

According to Ghilardi, the results can be interpreted as showing that the adaptive radiation of Metacryphaeus to other areas of western Gondwana occurred during episodes of marine transgression in the Lochkovian-Pragian, when the sea flooded parts of Gondwana.

"The dispersal of Metacryphaeus trilobites during the Lochkovian occurred from Bolivia and Peru to Brazil - to the Parana basin, now in the South region, and the Parnaiba basin, on the North-Northeast divide - and on toward the Malvinas/Falklands, while the Pragian dispersal occurred toward South Africa," he said.

Fossil trilobites have been found continuously in the Parana basin in recent decades. Trilobites collected in the late nineteenth century in the Parnaiba basin were held by Brazil's National Museum in Rio de Janeiro, which was destroyed by fire in September 2018.

"These fossils haven't yet been found under the rubble and it's likely that nothing is left of them. They were mere shell impressions left in the ancient seabed. Even in petrified form, they must have dissolved in the blaze," Ghilardi said.

###

About Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

January 9, 2018



An elephant never forgets. This seems to be the case, at least, for elephants roaming about Namibia, looking for food, fresh water, and other resources.

The relationship between resource availability and wildlife movement patterns is essential to understanding species behavior and ecology. Landscapes can change from day-to-day and year-to-year, and many animals will move about according to resource availability. But do they remember past resource conditions? Just how important is memory and spatial cognition when seeking to understand wildlife movement?

Researchers in Etosha National Park, Namibia, examined this question through an iconic mammal. "African elephants (Loxodonta africana) are ideal for this study - they have excellent cognitive abilities and long-term spatial memory," lead author Miriam Tsalyuk of University of California Berkeley explained, "which helps them return to areas with better food and water. African savannas are unpredictable with a prolonged dry season, where knowledge of the long-term availability of resources is highly advantageous." The study was published today in the Ecological Society of America's journal Ecological Monographs.

Using GPS collars, the researchers tracked the movement of 15 elephant groups for periods ranging from 2 months up to a little over 4 and a half years. Key to this study, Tsalyuk emphasized, were satellite-based imagery and observations, which were used to create detailed data on vegetation types and biomass. Together with maps of surface water and man-made constructs, Tsalyuk and her colleagues then correlated these variables with the elephant movement data to look for patterns in behavior.

"Most ecological research to date examines how wildlife respond to the current environmental state," she said. "However, animals use spatial and social memory to return to locations that have been beneficial in the past. Satellite imagery provides information about these past conditions and unravels the complexity of wildlife spatial use."

Their analyses revealed that the elephants certainly seem to remember where to find the best food and reliable water. Long-term information (up to a decade) on forage conditions was a bigger factor in elephants' decisions where to go than current conditions, particularly in the dry season.

"The results were very surprising indeed," Tsalyuk said. "We thought that if we could capture the vegetation conditions as close as possible to the time the elephants passed there, we could better explain preference for a particular location. But we found the complete opposite - elephants have a stronger preference for locations where forage conditions have been better for many years, over the forage availability they see around them at the moment."

The researchers were also surprised about the variability of the elephants' preference for resources - different vegetation types and water sources - over time of day and over seasons.

Elephants' strong inclination to be close to water is expected in the semiarid environment of Etosha. Preference for permanent water sources increases as rainfall declines. As the dry season progresses, elephants become increasingly dependent on artificial (human-made) water sources, such as bore holes.

Somewhat less expected was the elephants' fondness to walk close to roads.

"Roads are often dangerous to wildlife," Tsalyuk said. "However, this research was performed within Etosha National Park, where most of the roads are dirt roads with relatively little traffic." Elephants highly preferred to travel along roads in the dry season, when road conditions are best and when the elephants need to move farther between water and vegetation resources. It seems they use roads as easy walking terrain to conserve energy.

It's possible that they may also take advantage of browsable plants in roadside ditches, or could position themselves behind tourist vehicles as a potential shield from predators.

The elephants in Etosha prefer areas with higher grass biomass, but lower tree biomass. When food is abundant, the elephants feel more comfortable to explore the landscape for greener patches or higher quality forage. In the dry season, however, when food becomes scarcer and less nutritious the goal becomes reducing the risk of starvation, and the elephants restrict themselves to areas where forage productivity has been favorable for many years.

Elephants are important ecosystem engineers - they control habitat conditions or availability of resources to other organisms. For example, they enhance plant diversity by suppressing tree cover and promote seed dispersal and nutrient transport, while dense elephant populations may cause vegetation degradation and tree damage. Unfortunately for these integral animals, elephant populations throughout Africa are in steep decline in the last decade due to poaching and greater restriction of their range.

If we want to better understand the changes in elephant-savanna vegetation dynamics and to improve land management, it is crucial to account for the variation in the movement-related responses of elephants to changing resources.

###

Contact: Zoe Gentes, 202-833-8773 ext. 211, zgentes@esa.org

Journal Article

Miriam Tsalyuk, et al., 2019. "Temporal variation in resource selection of African Elephants follows long term variability 2 in resource availability." Ecological Monographs. DOI: 10.1002/ecm.1348.

Authors

Miriam Tsalyuk, Department of Environmental Sciences, Policy & Management, University of California Berkeley

Werner Kilian , Etosha Ecological Institute, Namibia

Bjorn Reineking, Universite Grenoble Alpes, France

Wayne Marcus Getz, School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Author Contact

Miriam Tsalyuk miri.tsa@gmail.comDURHAM, N.C. -- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has tapped the expertise of electrical engineers at Duke University to design and develop a new type of X-ray scanner that combines the best features of two technologies.

With the ability to detect not just the 3-D shape of an object but its molecular composition, the resulting device could one day become standard in airports the world over.

Under a three-year, $5.83 million contract with DHS, Duke researchers will work with collaborators at the University of Arizona, the private industry firm Smiths Detection, and a Durham, NC-based startup, Quadridox, Inc., to bring to market the advanced X-ray detection technology.

The project is being led by Duke's Joel Greenberg, assistant research professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Michael Gehm, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. They are joined by Amit Ashok, associate professor of optical sciences and of electrical and computer engineering at the University of Arizona.

"A hospital will spend a million dollars on a thorough scanning device that can process four relatively predictable people in an hour," said Greenberg. "An airport wants a device that can process thousands of bags -- which could literally contain just about anything -- each hour for less than $100,000. That's why airport security technology is so challenging."

The technology at the heart of the new project is a hybrid X-ray system that combines multi-view transmission with X-ray diffraction tomography. The former involves passing X-rays through an item from multiple angles to develop a 3-D image, and is already in use in many airport screening devices. The latter doesn't exist outside of laboratory prototypes and was originally explored beginning in 2012 by Greenberg and David Brady, the Michael J. Fitzpatrick Professor of Photonics at Duke.

X-ray diffraction tomography involves gathering information from X-rays that have bounced off of an object to determine what materials it is made out of. When an X-ray ricochets off of an object, its deflection angle and wavelength create a sort of "fingerprint" unique to that material's atomic structure. The technology to ID these fingerprints already exists. The challenge is in engineering a system that can do it quickly.

The standard approach is to block all X-rays except those coming from a specific direction to ensure the detector only gathers the ones carrying the fingerprint information. This results in very few X-rays reaching the detector, however, and takes too long to gather enough data to be useful to a high-throughput security scanner.

The Duke team's approach has been to use a coded aperture, a sort of pierced shield that allows X-rays travelling at many different angles to pass through its holes. The trick is in knowing the exact pattern being used to block the X-rays, which a computer can then use to process the larger, more complex signal. This allows the researchers to gather enough deflected X-rays in a short time to make a positive ID on the material being scanned.

The original project culminated in a prototype that worked, but was far from a commercially viable product. Now, Greenberg and Gehm along with Arizona's Ashok plan to use computer simulations to improve on that initial design while simultaneously integrating multi-view transmission technology.

"We're actually kind of taking a step back in this project in the hopes of taking several steps forward," said Greenberg. "We're going back to the drawing board in terms of system design and trying to determine the fundamental performance limits of such a hybrid system. That will help us then create an optimal design and build a real, robust scanner that considers performance as well as commercial and deployment constraints."

"We've spent the past five years developing a really high-performance X-ray simulation tool that allows us to probe many thousands of synthetic pieces of baggage to explore the performance of arbitrary systems," said Gehm. "We'll be turning that simulation capability loose on the problem of finding the hardware configuration that provides the best hybrid transmission/diffraction approach."

Ashok will computationally model various configurations to determine the optimal framework for the system's hardware and software before anything is even built.

"A system can succeed despite bad software if the signal coming from the hardware is excellent," said Ashok. "Similarly, it can have terrible hardware but get the job done through an amazing algorithm. Information theoretic design allows us to disentangle these two aspects of a final system to determine the optimal solution for each."

Helping move these simulations forward will be a new $400,000 GPU-enabled computing resource being added to the Duke shared computing cluster. Once the system is designed, the team will turn to Smiths Detection, a global leader in threat detection and screening technologies, and a local startup called Quadridox -- formed by Greenberg, Gehm, Ashok and Anuj Kapadia, assistant professor of radiology at the Duke University School of Medicine -- to build and test a prototype device.

"The initial work on this technology never quite got to the point where a commercial partner would want to take a shot at developing a device," said Greenberg. "But we're hoping that in taking a slightly different approach, we can engineer a security scanner that combines two useful technologies for the first time that works much better than any scanner that relies on only one or the other."

###Nearly 25 years after the genocide against the Tutsi of Rwanda took the lives of up to one million victims, the offspring of Tutsi survivors, who weren't even born at the time, are among those most affected by trauma, according to a new study published by researchers at Bar-Ilan University, in collaboration with a Rwandan therapist and genocide survivor.

The study assessed complex PTSD (CPTSD) among Tutsi genocide survivors and its impact on their offspring. The researchers found that the intergenerational effects of genocide were most prominent among offspring of survivors who suffer from CPTSD. These offspring suffer from more symptoms, such as thoughts and nightmares about the genocide, and feel less equipped to handle adverse situations. The findings also allude to the possibility that whereas both parental PTSD & CPTSD increase secondary traumatization in offspring, parental CPTSD additionally affects offspring self-perceptions.

Whereas PTSD includes symptoms such as nightmares and overall restlessness, CPTSD includes graver impairments such as affective dysregulation, negative self-concept, and disturbed relationships. Following studies pointing to additional consequences of extreme traumatic events such as genocide, which are not covered by existing diagnosis of PTSD, CPTSD is scheduled to appear in the upcoming 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as a new diagnostic entity.

The preliminary findings, published in the journal Psychiatry Research, highlight CPTSD as a rather frequent debilitating condition among Tutsi genocide survivors. "For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, these findings demonstrate that CPTSD may have grave consequences not only for survivors themselves but also for their offspring who were born after the genocide," said Prof. Amit Shrira, of Bar-Ilan University's (BIU) Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences, who co-authored the study with Dr. Ben Mollov, a political scientist at BIU who specializes in conflict resolution, and Ms. Chantal Mudahogora, a therapist who survived the Tutsi genocide and currently resides in Canada. "The bulk of existing literature focuses on the effects of parental PTSD, but we know of no works that looked at parental complex PTSD," he added. This pattern is also evident among Holocaust survivors and their offspring, whom Shrira has studied extensively.

"We need to understand that genocide and massive trauma can leave their mark not only on survivors who were directly exposed, but also on their offspring and probably on other family relatives, as well. We also know from previous studies that the effects of trauma may extend across several generations and linger for decades after the focal trauma took place. These insights should guide policy makers and clinicians when planning interventions aimed at mitigating the plight of traumatized individuals and their families, particularly in terms of increasing resilience. This can also bear relevance for improved intergroup relations," said Mollov.

The opportunity for Shrira and Mollov to study the genocide against Tutsi of Rwanda and cooperate with Mudahogora arose when Mudahogora heard Mollov present a research paper in Bangkok. When she shared with him her concern about the effects of post trauma on survivors of the genocide and their offspring, Mollov brought Shrira, who has studied extensively intergenerational trauma suffered by Holocaust survivors and their offspring, into the research partnership.

As the researchers learned more about survivors of the Tutsi genocide, they were especially surprised to discover that they live among the Hutus who took part in the mass killing, and to learn from Mudahogora that through the Unity and Reconciliation Program spearheaded by the government of Rwanda, together with non-profit organizations and faith-based groups, both ethnic groups are making progress in living together peacefully and in harmony; there are even cases of Tutsi survivors who married Hutu perpetrators and brought them into their families. In the near future the researchers intend to gain a better understanding of this phenomenon among survivors and their offspring.

The researchers hope to present their findings at a seminar in Rwanda and offer assistance in developing applied research and intervention strategies, such as treatment of trauma and seeking to promote unity and reconciliation, to Rwandan stakeholders.

With the agreement between the Israeli prime minister and the Rwandan president to open embassies in each other's countries and establish closer ties, the researchers hope that their applied research can help strengthen Israeli-Rwandan relations for the social benefit of Rwanda.

###WASHINGTON, D.C., January 9, 2019--Bullying rates among middle school students in the spring of 2017 were 18 percent higher in localities where voters had favored Donald Trump than in those that had supported Hillary Clinton, according to a study published online today in Educational Researcher, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Educational Research Association. Similarly, student reports of peers being teased or put down because of their race or ethnicity were 9 percent higher in localities favoring the Republican candidate.

Prior to the 2016 presidential election, there were no meaningful differences in bullying and teasing rates between Democratic and Republican localities. The study examined a Virginia statewide sample of more than 155,000 seventh- and eighth-grade students across the state's 132 school districts.

The study--conducted by Francis Huang, an associate professor of statistics, measurement, and evaluation in education at the University of Missouri, and Dewey Cornell, a professor of education at the University of Virginia--used school climate survey data collected in 2013, 2015, and 2017. Researchers used a standard definition of bullying to ask students if they personally had been bullied at school, but also asked more general questions about bullying and teasing they had observed happening to others in their school.

Survey results were then mapped onto presidential election results for each school district's locality. The study controlled for several locality-wide variables, including prior bullying and teasing rates, socioeconomic status, population density, and the percentage of white student enrollment.

Huang and Cornell found that a 10 percentage point increase in voters supporting the Republican candidate in 2016 was associated with a 5 percent jump in middle school teasing because of race or ethnicity and an 8-percent increase in middle school bullying.

"We found consistent differences in teasing and bullying rates that were linked to voting preferences," said Huang. "While our findings do not indicate that support for Trump caused bullying to increase in Republican districts, they do provide some credence to the widespread perception that some types of teasing and bullying have increased, at least in some localities."

The researchers noted that the findings support nationwide concerns voiced by teachers about bullying following the presidential election.

"While the ways in which the presidential election could have affected students is likely complex, educators and parents should be aware of the potential impact of public events on student behavior," said Cornell. "Parents should be mindful of how their reactions to the presidential election, or the reactions of others, could influence their children. And politicians should be mindful of the potential impact of their campaign rhetoric and behavior on their supporters and indirectly on youth."

The researchers noted that further research is needed to determine whether there is a causal link between Trump's behavior and student aggression against peers, and, if so, how the mechanism works.

"It may be that presidential behavior has indirect effects on the social environment experienced by students, but we won't know until more studies are conducted," said Huang.

###

About AERA

The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national interdisciplinary research association devoted to the scientific study of education and learning. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good. Find AERA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Contacts:

Tony Pals, tpals@aera.net

(202) 238-3235, (202) 288-9333 (cell)

Collin Boylin, cboylin@aera.net

(202) 238-3233, (860) 490-8326 (cell)On December 29, 2008, staff scientist Sheri Sangji was working on a chemical synthesis in a lab at the University of California, Los Angeles, when one of the reagents ignited. Sangji's clothes caught fire, causing injuries that led to her death on January 16, 2009, at age 23. Now, a decade later, chemists discuss ongoing efforts to improve academic lab safety in Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN), the weekly newsmagazine of the American Chemical Society.

Sangji's tragic death inspired some chemists to improve academic lab safety to prevent similar accidents at their own institutions and elsewhere, writes Executive Editor Jyllian Kemsley. These efforts include incorporating safety into chemistry education, improving training, and creating a lab safety culture through the development of new resources and improved communication. However, some worry that although progress has been made, the efforts haven't gone far enough, as evidenced by several other unfortunate lab accidents in recent years.

Some universities have developed standard operating procedures to describe the safe handling and storage of various chemicals. Others are considering courses on how to work with hazardous chemicals. One institution, Stony Brook University, celebrates an annual Chemistry Safety Day with training and demonstrations. On an individual level, Sangji's death has caused some researchers and students to reflect on how such an accident could happen to them and has prompted them to have more routine safety discussions with each other.

###

The article, "10 years after Sheri Sangji's death, are academic labs any safer?," is freely available here.

The American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society, is a not-for-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. ACS does not conduct research, but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

To automatically receive news releases from the American Chemical Society, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Follow us on Twitter | Facebook2019-01-09

Maeci

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Enzo Moavero Milanesi, attended todays meeting of the Ambassadors of the European Union Member States accredited to Italy. The meeting was organised by the Ambassador of Rumania, George Gabriel Bologan, to inaugurate Rumanias 6-month rotating Presidency of the EU Council.

Minister Moavero illustrated the Governments principal positions on the decisions and initiatives of the European Union scheduled over the next six months. In particular, he highlighted the peculiar nature and importance of the upcoming election of the European Parliament, which is the first to have a strong political connotation, both because its scope is more clearly transnational and because of the contrasting positions between different institutional visions. He also emphasised how ongoing events and the many situations that are similar to past circumstances reveal how essential and urgent it is for EU Countries to adopt a truly common migration policy  based on joint commitment and burden sharing  capable of addressing its different aspects and of fully fulfilling citizens expectations.

Ministro Moavero also said that Italys position on the draft EU Multiannual Financial Framework under negotiation remains critical and outlined the main reasons for this: the clear shortage on the revenue side continues to be linked to the contributions of each Member State without envisaging alternative resources such as, for example, large emissions of EU debt securities to finance investments that would have a positive fallout on the economy and job creation, both within and outside the Union, for example in the African Countries originating most of the migration flows. He went on to say that it is also necessary to assure a better and fairer balance between the most recent priorities (e.g.: security, combating terrorism, managing climate change, digital innovation) and traditional EU policies (e.g.: agriculture and cohesion policies, that Italy does not want to be downsized). With reference to the investments envisaged in the EU budget, the expenditure relative to compulsory national co-financing should no longer be considered in evaluating a States compliance with the debt parameters. Lastly, he said that it is necessary to avoid introducing inappropriate conditions on the provision of pre-assigned EU funds to the States and eliminate any form of discount on the contributions granted to certain Countries on the example of the discount granted to the United Kingdom.

The Minister concluded by wishing the best possible success to the Rumanian Presidency, confirming Italys support for the four priorities chosen by Bucharest for its agenda: A Europe of convergence, a safer Europe, Europe as a stronger global actor, Europe of common values.YPG/PKK terrorizing Syrian refugees east of Euphrates

Terrorist group threatens refugees with death if they don't vacate the area, local sources report.

The YPG/PKK terrorist group is forcing Syrian civilians to leave refugee camps set up east of the Euphrates River, local sources say.

According to information compiled by Anadolu Agency correspondents in the area, the YPG/PKK is terrorizing people staying at refugee camps in rural areas in Syrias Deir Ez-Zor province.

YPG/PKK terrorists accuse refugees of being members of the Daesh terrorist group, threatening them with death if they do not relocate to the Al-Hawl district near the Syrian-Iraqi border. The incidents are occurring in residential areas, such as Ayn al-Arab, Tal Abyad, al-Tabqah and Qamishli, where more than 70 percent of the population is Arab.

Since Daesh lost its influence in eastern Syria, the YPG/PKK has prevented displaced Syrians from returning to their homes, drawing accusations that the group is trying to change the regions demographic composition.

A recent report by the Federation of Syrian Tribes and Clans stated that some 1.7 million people in the region had been displaced by YPG/PKK terrorists.US Senate rejects bill against Israel boycott movement

With Democratic senators' support, vote protects opposition to Israel's mistreatment of Palestinians.

Democratic US senators have slapped back a bill that would have given supporters of Israel new ammunition against the pro-Palestinian Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement. The bill was defeated 56-44 late Tuesday, short of the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, with all but four Democrats voting against.

BDS WORKS TO END ISRAEL'S OPPRESSION

The measure would have allowed state and local governments to refuse to deal with businesses that engage in BDS conduct. BDS supporters see the increasingly popular movement as a tool to oppose Israels oppression of the Palestinian people, but the bill would have been a weapon against it. The vote came amid a government shutdown and growing tension between the Republicans and Democrats over funding of a wall on the Mexican border demanded by US President Trump.

The BDS movement works to end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law, according to its official website.

Progressives and liberals across the U.S., including civil rights groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), have fiercely opposed the bill, saying it violates the right to free speech.Trump appeals for wall funding to thwart 'crisis'

Democrats quick to strike back, saying president is seeking to 'manufacture a crisis, stoke fear'.

President Donald Trump sought to convince the American public Tuesday night that his long-promised $5 billion wall along the U.S.-Mexico border is vital to defending the country's national security as he sought to heap blame on the Democrats for an ongoing partial government shutdown.

Making a prime-time address from the Oval Office, Trump doubled down on many of his previous talking points, asserting the U.S. is facing a "growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border" while saying the country is facing "a crisis of the heart, and a crisis of the soul".

"GOVERNMENT REMAINS SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF THEY DON'T FUND THE WALL"

Despite vowing he would be proud to "take the mantle" of a possible government shutdown in the run-up to the funding impasse, Trump blamed Democrats for the current deadlock.

The federal government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only: because Democrats will not fund border security, he said. The only solution is for Democrats to pass a spending bill that defends our border and reopens our government. Democrats were quick to dismiss the president's allegations.

Addressing the nation shortly after the president, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Trump "just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration.

The president of the United States -- having failed to get Mexico to pay for his ineffective, unnecessary border wall, and unable to convince the Congress or the American people to foot the bill -- has shut down the government, Schumer said, flanked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

The president's speech and its swift rebuttal come as the partial government shutdown stretches through its third week with the effects continuing to mount across the country. Waste has piled up at national parks, major government-funded cultural institutions are shuttered, and some people seeking home loans requiring federal documents are facing delays.Russian forces start patrolling around Syria's Manbij

Russian military police have begun patrolling around the Syrian city of Manbij, a spokesman said Tuesday, moving into an area once held by US-backed forces.

After the US decided to withdraw troops from Syria, Russian forces want to take over the control of the region as well as the Assad regime forces.

YPG terror forces, called regime forces to Manbij late last month after US President Donald Trumps surprise announcement of a full American withdrawal from Syria.

"THE TASK IS ENSURE SECURITY"

Speaking in a report on Rossiya 24 television, Russian military police spokesman Yusup Mamatov said MPs had started patrolling the security zone around Manbij. The task is to ensure security in the area of responsibility (and) to monitor the situation and movements of armed formations, Mamatov said.

The report said Russian military police would be deployed in the area on a regular basis.

It showed a group of around a dozen khaki-clad armed military police driving through villages in jeeps and trucks flying the Russian flag.11-29-1938 - 6-12-2021 Burial for Daniel Escalante Flores will be 10 a.m. Thursday, June 17, 2021, at Enid Cemetery. Surviving are daughters Denise, Donna and Judy and seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by wife Angelina.I was born near Denver, later moved to Selah, Washington and then attended the University of Kansas, graduating in May 2017. Prior to Enid News, I interned with the Yakima-Herald Republic and wrote arts and features for the University Daily Kansan.

Follow Ryan Miller | area reporter Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up TodayLila Jean Wales, 70, of Athens, passed away Friday, June 11, 2021. Services will be 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at Spry Funeral Home with Bud White officiating. Visitation will be 9:30 a.m. until service Tuesday. Interment will be in Limestone Memorial Gardens. She is survived by husbandRoad safety event for horse riders

The British Horse Society are inviting riders to attend a road awareness event this evening.

The event is taking place at the NSC in Douglas at 7pm.

Speakers will include BHS Director of Safety Alan Hiscox, Constable Richard Goldie from the Island's Roads Policing Unit and Samantha Heard who is the Government's road safety manager.

Attendance is free although you will need to book a space by emailing Helen Goldie - missmoneypenny@manx.netCagayan de Oro (CNN Philippines, January 9)  As Manila holds its annual Traslacion that usually takes more than 20 hours attended by millions of Catholic faithful, around 250,000 devotees joined the annual procession of the image of the Black Nazarene in Cagayan de Oro City on Wednesday, local police said.

No untoward incidents were recorded during the 2.5-hour procession, except for two people who fainted, said Supt. Mardy Hortillosa II, spokesperson of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Offfice (COPCO).

The 1.8 kilometer procession from the St. Augustine Cathedral to the Nazareno Church started around 5 a.m. and ended before 8 a.m.

Hortillosa said they noted an increase of around 50,000 devotees who participated in this year's procession because of the success of prior events.

COPCO deployed 900 policemen for the event, excluding personnel in checkpoints. Over 500 barangay police officers helped maintain peace and order during the procession.

Stringer Alwen Sariling contributed to this report.Library data request a serious concern for Onchan

A request to gather statistics on library use has been met with serious concern by Onchan Commissioners, who are reluctant to agree.

The government-established Libraries Working Party has asked for data as part of an investigation into a central, rather than local, structure for organising and funding Manx libraries.

Its after a Tynwald report found differences in the cost of providing the service among local authorities.

The group is asking for 12 months-worth of data via the Library Forum to help prepare a report for parliament, due by December this year.

Onchan Commissioners are sceptical about the request, as they do not support a move to a centralised system, and are happy with the current status quo.

After receiving a presentation this week (7 Jan) from a representative of Onchans Harvey Briggs Library, the board voted to inform the working party of its serious concerns about the data-gathering exercise.

Chairman Martin Macfarlane said we need to know what data they require and what it will be used for before we agree, particularly if takes up time and resources.

Chief Executive Linda Radcliffe cautioned the board that if youre not part of it you cant influence it, but accepted theres a growing number of data requests from government which dont seem to be guided by obvious policy.

The Commissioners agreed they would consider future requests for information and supply it only when the Board consider it appropriate to do so.

By Ewan Gawne - Local Democracy Reporting ServiceStay up to date on COVID-19

Get Breaking News

Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox.

Sponsored By: St Anthony's Hospital

Decode Your Future with an Online Computer Science Degree from Drexel

Drexel University's online computer science programs are designed to prepare you for work on the cutting edge of technology. The curriculum is designed for students with any level of experience or previous knowledge. Choose the program thats right for you. Learn More.

With the holidays fast approaching, are you looking to buy presents online?

The holiday season has become synonymous with online shopping. This isn't really surprising as physical stores usually attract crowds of deal hunters. This often conjures up images of throngs of people waiting in line outside the store, some even camping out. This activity is tolerable for some and even fun for others. However, for many others, it's not worth the hassle.

Why would it be, when there are perfectly legitimate and convenient alternatives online?

Well, for one thing, many people shop online without first thinking about their security. Most people are led to believe -- or want to believe -- that all e-commerce sites are secure. This isn't completely true. With so much personal and financial information being exchanged, online shoppers aren't the only ones enjoying the holiday rush -- cybercriminals are too!

Still, it's possible to add security to your e-commerce transactions by using a virtual private network. A VPN can help you enjoy your online shopping experience without worrying about falling prey to cybercriminals.

The Cybercrime Problem

First, here are some of the pressing reasons for securing e-commerce transactions in the first place.

As you know, e-commerce stores usually require you to register with their site in order to enjoy their services. This involves trusting them with your personal information, usernames, passwords, and credit card details -- information that you'd rather did not fall into the wrong hands.

The thing is, cybercriminals know this fact. They will descend to any depth just to get their hands on such information. How exactly do they do this?

KRACK Attacks

A KRACK (key reinstallation attack) is a severe replay attack on the WiFi Protected Access protocol that secures WiFi connections.

An attacker gradually matches encrypted packets seen before and learns the full keychain used to encrypt the traffic by repeatedly resetting the nonce transmitted in the third step of the WPA2 handshake. This attack works against all modern WiFi networks.

Simply put, KRACK attacks can intercept sent data by infiltrating your WiFi connection, no matter which major platform you're on (Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, OpenBSD and others). These attacks require the attacker to be within the range of the WiFi connection they're trying to infiltrate, which means they might lurk somewhere near or inside your home, office or school.

MitM Attacks

In a MitM (Man-in-the-Middle) attack, the attacker secretly relays and possibly alters the communication between two parties who believe they are directly communicating with each other.

This attack can succeed only when the attacker can impersonate each endpoint to the other's satisfaction, delivering results as expected from the legitimate ends.

In the context of e-commerce transactions, these attacks are done on unprotected WiFi networks like the ones you find in airports, hotels and coffee shops. This is actually one of the reasons I often suggest that people stay away from public WiFi unless they're packing some security software.

With this type of attack, you never know if the person sipping coffee at the next table is simply checking up on social media accounts or is actually sifting through the data being sent by other patrons.

Rogue Networks

Imagine yourself going to a downtown hotel to visit a friend. You wait in the lobby and decide to connect to the hotel WiFi while you wait. You find that there seem to be two networks with the same name, so you connect to the one with the stronger signal.

STOP! You may be connecting to a rogue network.

Rogue networks are ones that impersonate legitimate networks to lure unsuspecting users into logging in. This usually is done by setting up near a public WiFi network and then copying that network's name, or making it appear that it's an extension of the legitimate network.

The main problem with this is that you never know who set up the rogue network or what data is vulnerable to monitoring and recording.

The Green Padlock's Trustworthiness

Now, you may have heard that HTTPS sites can give you the security you need while you visiting them. Most, if not all, e-commerce sites are certified and will have a green padlock and an "HTTPS" prefixing their URL to reassure visitors that their transactions are safe and encrypted.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure, HTTPS, is a variant of the standard HTTP Web transfer protocol, which adds a layer of security on the data in transit through a secure socket layer (SSL) or transport layer security (TLS) protocol connection, according to Malwarebytes.

The thing is, just because your connection to a site is encrypted doesn't automatically make the site safe. Bad actors actually can forge SSL certificates and make it appear that their site is safe. Even worse, anyone can get an SSL certificate -- even cybercriminals. The certificate authority simply needs to verify the site owner's identity and that's it -- the owner gets an SSL certificate.

Now, bringing it all back, I'm not saying that all sites with green padlocks are unsafe. What I am saying is that you shouldn't rely solely on the presence of these green padlocks to keep your transactions safe.

A VPN Can Provide Security

I'm now getting to the meat of the matter: using a VPN to secure your e-commerce transactions.

A virtual private network, or VPN, is software that routes your connection through a server or servers and hides your online activity by encrypting your data and masking your true IP address with a different one.

Once you activate the client, the VPN will encrypt your data, even before it reaches the network provider. This is better understood if you have basic knowledge of how online searches work.

Let's say that you're looking to buy some scented candles to give as emergency gifts. You open your browser and type in "scented holiday candles" and press "search."

Once you do, your browser will send a query containing your search words. This query first goes through a network provider (your ISP or the owner of the WiFi network you've connected to), which can monitor and record the contents of these queries.

After going through the network provider, your query is sent to a DNS (domain name system) server that searches its databanks for the proper IP address corresponding to your query. If the DNS server can't find the proper IP address, it forwards your query until the proper IP address is found.

The problem with this is that the contents of your query consist of easily readable plain text. This means that hackers or your ISP are able to view and record the information contained therein. If that information is your name, username, password, credit card information, or banking credentials, they're in danger of being viewed or stolen.

These queries also can be traced (by hackers or your ISP) back to your IP address which usually is traceable to your personal identity. This is how bad actors infiltrating your connection can discover what you're doing online.

So, with a VPN active, your online transactions and private information will get an extra layer of protection through encryption and IP address masking.

When discussing VPNs, it's always important to consider the protocols they use. These protocols determine the security level and connection speed. As of this moment, there are five major VPN protocols:

PPTP (Point-To-Point Tunneling Protocol) PPTP is one of the oldest protocols still in use today. It originally was designed by Microsoft. The good thing about this protocol is that it still works on old computers. It's a part of the Windows operating system, and it's easy to set up. The problem is, by today's standards, it's not the most secure. You wouldn't want a VPN provider that offers this protocol alone. L2TP/IPsec (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol) L2TP/IPsec is a combination of PPTP and Cisco's L2F protocol. On paper, this protocol's concept actually is quite sound: It uses keys to establish a secure connection on each end of your data tunnel. The problem is in the execution, which isn't very safe. While the addition of the IPsec protocol does improve security a bit, there are still reports of NSA's alleged ability to crack this protocol and see what's being transmitted. Whether the rumors are true or not, the fact that there's a debate at all should be enough of a warning to anyone relying on this protocol. SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol) SSTP is another protocol that traces its roots to Microsoft. It establishes its connection by utilizing SSL/TLS encryption which is the de facto standard for modern day Web encryption. SSL and TLS utilize setups built on symmetric-key cryptography in which only the two parties involved in the transfer can decode the data within. Overall, SSTP is a very secure protocol. IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange, Version 2) IKEv2 is yet another Microsoft-built protocol. It's simply a tunneling protocol with a secure key exchange session. Although it is an iteration of Microsoft's previous protocols, it actually provides you with some of the best security. It requires pairing with IPSec to gain encryption and authentication, which is what most mobile VPNs use because it works well while your VPN reconnects during those brief times of connection loss or network switching. Unfortunately, there is also strong evidence that the NSA is spying on mobile users using this protocol. OpenVPN This takes what's best in the above protocols and does away with most of the flaws. It's an open source protocol based on SSL/TLS, and it is one of the fastest and most secure protocols today. It protects your data by using, among other things, the nigh-unbreakable AES-256 bit key encryption with 2048-bit RSA authentication, and a 160-bit SHA1 hash algorithm. One notable flaw it does have is its susceptibility to VORACLE attacks, but most VPNs already have solved this problem. Overall, it's still the most versatile and secure protocol out there.

About Free VPNs and Jurisdictions

Now you've learned about the risks you may face with your e-commerce transactions and how you can avoid those risks by using a VPN with the right protocol. However, you may have heard rumors about VPNs not being as safe as they seem to be.

These rumors are partly true.

Not all VPNs can be trusted. There are VPNs that purport to be "free forever" while you're actually paying with your personal information. Needless to say, you should avoid these types of VPNs and instead look for trustworthy VPN services.

Another rumor you may have heard is that trusting VPN companies with your personal data is just as bad as trusting your data to your ISP. This is only true for VPNs that log your data and are situated in a jurisdiction under any of the 14-eyes countries. This is why you should look into your VPN's logging and privacy policy, as well as the country it is situated in.

In Conclusion

Buying online for the holidays can be an enjoyable and fulfilling experience if your transactions are secure. Protect your private information from KRACK, MitM, and rogue networks by using a VPN to encrypt your data and hide your IP address.

When using a VPN, remember to choose the most secure protocol available, and beware of free VPNs or those that log your data while inside 14-eyes jurisdictions.

Follow these steps, and you'll be well on your way to more secure e-commerce transactions.

John Mason, an avid privacy advocate, is founder of TheBestVPN and serves as its chief researcher.



A Brand's Guide to Digital Shelf Analytics | eBook

What can you do to improve your digital commerce game? The first rule of the digital shelf is to make sure your products can be found. Some might say its mission impossible. Unless, of course, you use digital shelf analytics (DSA). Get the eBook Today!

As e-commerce has gained serious momentum over the past 10 years, there have been dire predictions about the impending death of brick-and-mortar retail. The narrative has been framed largely as "technology is killing retail," but the reality is not quite so simple. While technology undoubtedly has transformed the retail landscape, it also has been pushing the industry forward to create new kinds of customer experiences. Technology may be killing retail, but it could be saving it as well.

More than 12,000 stores shuttered in 2018, according to estimates by commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield.

A wide assortment of retailers -- from Toys 'R' Us to Best Buy to Sears to Gap -- have been closing and filing for bankruptcy in droves. At the same time, others -- like Target and Walmart -- have been thriving. Some businesses that started out in e-commerce have opened up brick-and-mortar stores: Warby Parker, Glossier, Bonobos and even Amazon. These companies wouldn't invest in a physical footprint if they didn't believe the strategy would pay off.

The issue, then, is not that physical retail is irrelevant. Rather, the retailers that succeed offline are those that embrace the online space and use it to enhance their customer experience, while those that struggle have failed to adapt to this new, digital world.

Sears is an example of this. It attempted to replicate what Amazon was doing and build an online marketplace. However, this moved the company away from its core business without improving the shopping experience, and Amazon's experience was still better. Meanwhile, Target, Walmart, and even Best Buy have succeeded through technology deployments that benefit consumers.

The recent evolution of retail has made it clear that technology is an important part of succeeding in today's market, but using "technology for technology's sake" just doesn't cut it. Retailers have to think creatively and thoughtfully about how to blend online and offline experiences and address specific customer pain points. Following are six predictions about technology's impact on retail in 2019.

1. Influencer Marketing, Social Media Takeover

Influencers have been taking over the world -- or at least the marketing world. This relatively new phenomenon has been gaining steam steadily, along with the rise of platforms like Instagram. In 2019, it will hit an inflection point. Brands across industries and sizes will begin incorporating influencers in their marketing campaigns and retail experiences.

Non-celebrity bloggers are 10 times more likely to influence an in-store purchase than celebrities, suggests a survey conducted by Collective Bias. That's a dramatic difference.

Seventy percent of millennial consumers are influenced by the recommendations of their peers in buying decisions, the same survey also found.

Today's shoppers place a premium on authenticity, and less value on traditional gatekeepers or tastemakers. They respond to people they can relate to, and spend far more time on social media than previous generations, who didn't have it as an option.

Brands can leverage these shifts by working with influencers on social platforms to get the word out about new products and raise brand awareness -- but that's just the beginning. Brands also can use the wealth of data held by social media platforms to segment and target consumers with offers, incentives and promos. Features like a "buy button" embedded into social media apps enable them to capture moments of interest and turn them into purchases.

"Buy buttons" enable customers to make frictionless purchases from within social apps. In 2019, we will see retailers providing these types of one-click experiences through direct purchase from advertisements across Display, Search and Video. Shoppers will see an ad and be able to buy the product through one-click or voice command, without having to go through multiple e-commerce checkout steps.

2. Bigger Emphasis on 'Have It Your Way'

As much as today's consumers value authenticity, they also value personalization. Younger shoppers especially do not respond to a one-size-fits-all approach. They were raised with the "have it your way" mentality and want to buy things that make them feel special and unique, and that reflect who they are.

All the buyer data out there has made it possible for retailers to surface products tailored to a customer's shopping history and interests. Amazon excelled early on with personalized recommendations, and online advertisers have leveraged data to send targeted, personalized ads.

In 2019, more retailers are going to start using personalization in brick-and-mortar stores. Because we carry our phones with us everywhere, it's possible for brands to engage shoppers with personalized, digital content when they are out and about. Furthermore, the actual retail experience will become more personalized through capabilities like dynamic pricing.

3. More Options and Flexibility

Personalizing the retail experience also means providing more flexibility around how items are purchased and picked up or delivered. One of the reasons people buy so much from Amazon is convenience -- they pay with one tap and the purchase shows up at their door.

That said, the majority of shopping still takes place offline. Consumers appreciate being able to see items and try them on. They like the immediacy of walking out of a store with an item in hand, and the experience of shopping itself. What they don't like is waiting in long lines or having to lug large packages around with them.

This is why the future of retail includes giving customers a full range of options so they can buy online and pick up in-store or buy in-store and have items delivered. The checkout experience will become increasingly blended, customized and seamless across channels.

Moreover, retailers will try out new ways of improving in-store experiences with things like self-checkout, so customers who may have bought something online and then added items to their cart in-store wouldn't have to wait in the regular lines. The most compelling retail experiences are those that combine the best of both worlds.

4. More Mobile-Assisted Checkouts and Payments

One aspect of the checkout experience that will evolve in 2019 is the greater penetration of mobile payments. With players like TenCent and Alipay waiting in the wings (both juggernauts in China), U.S. retailers need mobile payments to stay relevant. This is one reason mobile payments on smartphones and smartwatches are likely to gain significant ground in mainstream America this year. Just as debit/credit card acceptance led to a decline in cash usage, mobile payments will begin to eclipse credit cards.

Another reason mobile payments are set to soar is that people are now more comfortable checking out with their Starbucks and Amazon apps. Starbucks' mobile order-and-pay system accounted for 12 percent of all U.S. transactions, the company reported.

This trend has paved the way for people to embrace paying with dedicated retailer apps in-store. These retailer apps will merge payment, promotions and loyalty (like Kohl's Pay), which will increase adoption among regular shoppers in particular. "Scan and buy" features will gain ground as well, allowing shoppers to point at items they see in the store and then buy them online from that retailer.

Furthermore, peer-to-peer payments will gain steam in 2019. This method isn't just for millennials any more, and more retailers will start accepting payment types like Venmo and Square Cash or both for online and in-store transactions.

5. Experiments With Augmented Reality

The trends outlined above already have been edging toward mainstream adoption, whereas the following two are in a "test and learn" phase, meaning some retailers will try them out on a small scale as an experiment before they'll experience wider adoption.

The first in this category is augmented reality, or AR. Brands including Sephora, Lacoste, and Magnolia Market experimented with AR in 2018, allowing consumers to test makeup, try on clothes, and see how furniture would look in their homes, respectively. More retailers likely will dabble in AR this year.

The infrastructure is partly there, as more than 90 percent of consumers use smartphones while shopping in a physical store, and retailers can deliver AR content via mobile.

AR is a great way to deliver more information about an item, such as product specs and reviews. It also can deliver personalized offers, including promotions, options for financing and payment, dynamic pricing, product bundles and reward programs.

6. Shift to Smaller Store Footprints and Virtual Aisles

Lastly, AR will enable another trend that is tied into larger economic forces: smaller store footprints, supplemented with virtual aisles. Real estate is expensive, as is maintaining a physical store. Even retailers that are doing well have been downsizing to save money and be more efficient with their costs.

Smaller store footprints inevitably mean a reduction in the amount of in-store inventory. Retailers can use mobile devices and augmented reality to create virtual aisles that allow people to shop a larger online inventory while in store, and see more options for colors, sizes, etc.

In addition, brick-and-mortar stores will evolve into experience centers geared toward engaging customers and showcasing the brand, rather than closing sales then and there. For example, Vans has a skatepark in a London store, Ikea has hosted in-store sleepovers, and Glossier has nailed highly Instagrammable pop-up experiences. The idea of a "store" is fundamentally changing.

2019 is shaping up to be a great and exciting year for retail driven by innovative and forward thinking about what customer experiences can be.

Laura Giddings is the senior vice president of product at Omnyway, an integrated platform for payments, loyalty rewards and offers that encourages consumers to use their mobile phone for all aspects of the buying journey.

If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here.

SubmitAndover - Sidney H. Wicker, 89, of Andover and formerly of Haverhill, died Friday, June 11, at High Pointe House, Haverhill. He was born in Haverhill, July 15, 1931, son of the late Louis and Rose (Zeeburg) Wicker. Educated in the Haverhill school system, Mr. Wicker earned his bachelor's degWhere are the best places to shop? Who gives the best haircut? Who cooks the best burger? Join our readers in selecting the "Best of Windham."

Make your picks!Australias first neo lender, Wisr, has joined Platform Finances consumer lending panel allowing more than half of all finance brokers access to Wisrs unsecured personal loans.

Wisrs head of growth Peter Beaumont said Wisr had a sharp focus on growing and supporting its broker channel.

We are extremely pleased to be working with Platform Finance. We aim to help their brokers create new business streams while providing a smarter, fairer, wiser deal for their customers, he said.

Wisr has recently recorded 46 per cent quarter on quarter growth in loan settlements through the broker channel as at 30 September 2018. Following on from this growth, the company has announced two key appointments in broker business and digital development. Kyle Abourizk has been promoted to Business Development Manager and will work with the national business development team to support brokers in NSW, WA and SA.

The new head of digital, Per Thoresson joins Wisr from IBM IX. He will lead the companys digital strategy, including the development of existing digital channels and new product introduction.

Wisr Chief Executive Officer, Anthony Nantes said Wisr was focused on delivery industry-leading digital solutions that exceed borrower expectations.

It has been a big part of our record growth during the past year, he said.

Almost 80,000 Australians have engaged with Wisr through our digital channels so far this financial year and we continue to add new customers every month. The appointment of such a senior professional will deliver an even more engaging experience and pave the way for future digital product innovation.

Wisrs rapid growth has led to the company almost tripling the number of staff during the past 12 months as the company continues to go through a period of significant growth.On the evening of Friday June 21 2019 and through the whole next day, as the sun shines longest on our northern hemisphere, new music will burst forth in Dundalk.

The midsummer sun brings some of the most exciting composers and outstanding musicians from around the globe to the town for Louth Contemporary Music Societys annual festival of new music.

This year, in the image of a ritual journey, Stations of the Sun will follow the solar cycle in a sequence of five concerts.

The path begins and ends with music by the Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, making her first visit to Ireland. Internationally esteemed for her sonic imagination and expressive power, Saariaho works with contemporary digital means and ancient scales to create dreamlike music, loaded with a strong feeling for nature and with primal human emotion. In Dundalk, vocal and instrumental pieces from throughout her career will be performed by musicians including Aliisa Neige Barriere, Meta 4 String Quartet, Jakob Kullberg, Camilla Hoitenga and Raphaele Kennedy with whom she collaborates closely.

Stations of the Sun is also proud to present a new work by the Hungarian composer Gyorgy Kurtag, who, at the age of 92, has recently been acclaimed worldwide for his first opera, setting Samuel Becketts Endgame. There will also be a performance of Kurtags Bach-inspired HiPartita for solo violin, given by the musician for whom it was written: the extraordinary Hiromi Kikuchi.

Music by three diverse composers will follow in the atmospheric and resonant space of the old Dundalk Gaol. Linda Caitlin Smiths new work comes out of North American minimalism, carrying a care for detail that is uniquely hers and intensely telling. Peter Garland, coming from something of the same background but going very much his own way, arrives with a new piece for string quartet and tenor voice. Pascale Criton uses special tunings to explore very small intervals in music that is mesmerizing.

Also to be heard for the first time in Ireland are the sonorous voices of the Moscow Russian Patriarchate Choir, in new pieces and venerable chants. The Moscow Russian Patriarchate Choir, with conductor Anatoly Grindenko, led the way in the rediscovery of Orthodox church music in the late years of the Soviet regime. At this time - when the music was far from approved by the government - the choir spent years decoding ancient manuscripts and giving the first performances of works that had lain in obscurity for centuries.

Further details available from www.louthcms.org

Tickets available hereThis morning, Wednesday January 9 2019 the Criminal Assets Bureau assisted by the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) carried out a search operation in Monaghan.

According to the Garda Press Office, eight searches were conducted  six at residential addresses and two at professional addresses.

The press office has not yet indicated where exactly in Monaghan the searches took place.

The following items of note were seized: Cash (Sterling & Euro) approximately 10,000. A quantity of documents and electronic devices including mobile phones were seized for analysis. A quantity of Viagra tablets and evidence of illicit tobacco and alcohol smuggling was seized.

This operation centres on an Organised Crime Gang operating in the border region with Northern Ireland and who are heavily involved in the importation and distribution of illegal cigarettes and counterfeit goods.

No arrests have been made and investigations are continuing.POTTSBORO [ndash] Thelma Irene Toney passed away on June 11, 2021, in Denison, Texas. She was born on Feb. 28, 1924, in Francis, Oklahoma to John Franklin and Essie Akins Scroggins. She attended grade school at Cedar Grove School and then attended and graduated from Francis High School. She Discuss this article with your neighbors or join the community conversation.

Click here to get accessIn this photo released by the Immigration Police, Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, second left, shakes hand with Chief of Immigration Police Maj. Gen. Surachate Hakparn before leaving the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. A Saudi woman who says she is fleeing abuse by her family and wants asylum in Australia has sent out desperate pleas for help over social media. Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, 18, began posting on Twitter late Saturday after her passport was taken away when she arrived on a flight from Kuwait. (Immigration police via AP)What really happened in Afghanistan:

On April 27, 1978, a communist coup overthrew and murdered Afghanistan President Sardar Mohammed Daoud and installed a communist regime in Afghanistan against the will of the Afghani people. Rebellion by the Afghani people against the communists began later that year and, two years later, Soviet Russia invaded Afghanistan to keep the communists in power.

The real truth is that the terrorists were the communists and the Soviet Union, and they refused to let the Afghanis rule themselves.

All you have to do is a search on the phrase communist coup in Afghanistan -- and the truth is laid out right before you.

I am getting sick and tired of the lies of Donald Trump. The lying tyrant needs to be impeached and removed from office.

Karen Hedwig Backman

DothanOn Dec. 6, Hawk Houston Youth Enrichment Center (formerly Boys & Girls Clubs of Hawk Houston) had its 2nd Annual Alveta Houston Hawk Wine & Food Fest and silent auction. We are happy to report to our donors, sponsors, and volunteers that it was very successful because of their support. For a complete list please visit our website www.hawkhoustonyec.org .

2018 was a particularly challenging year for this historic youth organization, from having our BG Club charter revoked to the years of ongoing financial struggles. Our programs and services to youth who need us the most and families remain strong as does our commitment to them. Unfortunately, for several years now community support has not been as strong as previous years. However, we continue to believe that our efforts are not in vain. As president of the board of directors, I appeal to our businesses, companies, foundations, churches, civic clubs and individuals to help us help ourselves. In the Bible, James 4:2 reads, You have not because you ask not. We end the year thanking you for your past support and begin 2019 asking for monetary, in-kind, and volunteer support.It appears more updates may be in store for the City of Dothans alcohol ordinances after the Dothan City Commission met Tuesday to discuss proposed changes.

Last year, the commission asked the planning department to review the alcohol ordinances especially in regards to the buffers the city institutes to insulate churches, schools and similar entities from alcohol sales. The buffer, currently set at 600 feet, has caused some economic development conflicts as businesses that want to sell alcohol have limited options in where they can locate.

Churches locating in shopping complexes had been one of the main issues, which is why planning director Todd McDonald suggested an exemption for shopping centers. As the proposal is currently written, churches currently in shopping complexes would not be protected from an alcohol retailer from moving into the same complex.

While Ferguson supported the shopping complex idea overall, he disagreed with the lack of protections for churches currently occupying a space in a shopping complex.

Before we do this, we should notify all churches to give them time to move if they feel led to, District 5 Commissioner Beth Kenward added.The Alabama Legislatures regular session doesnt convene until March 5, but the discord has already begun.

Lawmakers gather this week in an organizational session, and among the changes to the rules of the House of Representatives proposed by the Republican majority is one that would end a two-hour period of debate for items on the special order calendar. Instead, the House Speaker would determine how much time to allow for debate. The change, Republican leaders say, will help speed up debate. It will also undermine the ability of the minority party to be heard, Democrats say.

This is supposed to be the people's House, a house of debate, Assistant Minority Leader Merika Coleman said. It doesn't matter if you are conservative or if you are liberal or if you are independent, the best pieces of legislation actually end up being formed when everybody is forced, or chooses, to negotiate. People have to listen to each other.On June 2 of 2018, Kyla Mathner was named Distinguished Young Woman of Coffee County for 2019. Kyla Mathner is the daughter of Robert and Dawn Mathner of Enterprise; she is a senior at Enterprise High School. In June of 2018, Coffee County awarded $10,500 in cash scholarships to several local participants. From this strong group of young women, Kyla was chosen to represent Coffee County and personally earned $4,500 in cash scholarships to the college of her choice.

The Distinguished Young Woman of Alabama competition is scheduled for Jan. 11-18 in Montgomery. Mathner will compete against several other outstanding county representatives from across the state of Alabama for thousands of dollars in scholarships. A send-off reception in her honor was given on Jan. 6th at the home of Greg and Helen Faught. All county participants, friends, and patrons of the Distinguished Young Women of Coffee County were invited to attend and wish Mathner the best prior to her departure in the state competition.Deputy Peadar Toibin told a crowd of over two hundred people who gathered at a meeting in the Clanree Hotel on Tuesday night that he hopes to field a candidate from each Donegal municipal area in the upcoming local elections.

Deputy Toibin left Sinn Fein because of his opposition to abortion. Members of the pro life campaign were among those present at the meeting.

Cumainn to be established by February

Deputy Toibin told those gathered that membership was key if people wanted to see change in the political Irish landscape. He envisaged that the cumainn would be established by the month of February. He said that vital positions within the party would be filled, canvas training would get underway and that local elections would be contested. He said that the party would be given a name, a brand and a logo ahead of the local elections, which are set to take place on May 24.

Choreographed political messages

He said that Ardfheiseanna sent out choreographed messages to the general public.

He claimed that many deputies in Leinster House vote on bills that they do not know the name of and adhere to details in press statements in order to keep abreast of issues.

I want to say that respectful opposition is missing, he said.

It is difficult to differentiate between Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein he told those gathered.

Sinn Fein are on a ceasefire when it comes to the government, he said.

Unified Ireland

He stressed that the party would be an All-Ireland one and discussed the economic merits of a unified Ireland. He spoke of the importance of supporting the Irish language for generations to come.

He outlined difficulties that people in the north west are experiencing amongst which are limited infrastructure and the closure of vital rural services.

He warned of another housing bubble on the horizon and developers hoarding large segments of land to sell at higher prices in the future and a better banking system in Ireland.

He said that fundraising would need to start at grassroots level in order to have a warchest to take on the present political establishment.

Read the Donegal Democrat on Thursday for more on this storyKashmir IAS topper Shah Faesal resigns from service, to join politics

Civil services topper and IAS officer Shah Faesal has resigned from civil services and is set to join politics. The 2010-batch topper from the Kashmir who had invited government wrath for his tweet on the countrys rape culture is likely to join the National Conference to contest Lok Sabha elections.

Faesal has submitted his resignation to the government. A senior official in the J&Ks general administration department said they had received Faesals resignation. Sources said Faesal could be the NCs candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

To protest the unabated killings in Kashmir and absence of any credible political initiative from union government, I have decided to resign from IAS. Kashmiri lives matter, Faesal tweeted.

Faesal is also the first bureaucrat to join the debate on Article 35A of the Constitution.

Faesal said he would be addressing a press conference on Friday, adding that he has attached a detailed statement on his decisaion.

National Conference vice president and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah welcomed Faesals decision. The bureaucracys loss is politics gain. Welcome to the fold @shahfaesal, Omar tweeted.

Omar, however, clarified that he didnt welcome Faesal to the fold of National Conference. Actually I welcomed him to fold of politicians. His future political plans are his to announce, Omar tweeted.

The bureaucracys loss is politics gain. Welcome to the fold @shahfaesal, Omar Abdullah tweeted.

A doctor by profession, Faesal was the managing director of the Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKPDC) before he went to Harvard University in the United States to pursue further studies. He was supposed to join his department in June this year.

In 2009, Faesal topped the civil services examinations, becoming the first one to ace the test from Kashmir. He was allotted the Jammu Kashmir cadre and served in various capacities, including Director Education and Deputy Commissioner.

Faesal had invited the wrath of the government last year for his tweet on rape culture. Patriarchy+Population+ Illiteracy+Alcohol+Porn+Technology+Anarchy = Rapistan! he had tweeted.Sensex closes over 230 points higher, Nifty above 10,850

Market at Close: Equity benchmarks have closed the session with strong gains. The Nifty has ended the session around 10,850-mark.

There was some weakness seen among metals and energy sectors, along with PSU banks. Meanwhile, banks, automobile and consumption names rose during the trade.

The Nifty Midcap index ended with cuts of around one-tenth of a percent.

Bharti Airtel, Axis Bank and ITC are the top gainers, while Yes Bank, Tata Steel, GAIL and HPCL lost the most.

Jet Airways falls 1%: Shares of Jet Airways fell over a percent in morning trade on Wednesday as investors reacted to multiple developments.

The Naresh Goyal-led airline flew 14.7 lakh passengers in November 2018, down by about 1.5 lakh passengers from January.

In January 2018, the airline had flown 16.2 lakh passengers, show statistics from the DGCA.

Additionally, investors turned wary of State Bank of India (SBI) seeking a progress of turnaround plan by the airline, CNBC-TV18 reported, quoting banking sources.

Further, the report added that banks want Goyal to give up majority control and step down from the Board of the carrier. It has suggested that his son, Nivaan Goyal replace him on the Board.

Media stocks rally: Shares of HT Media, Jagran Prakashan and DB Corp rose 8-17 percent as investors cheered government hiking ad rates by 25 percent.

The government on Tuesday hiked by 25 percent the rates at which the Bureau of Outreach and Communication releases its advertisements to the print media.

The government said the decision will be of great benefit especially to the medium and small newspapers, including a large number of such papers in regional and vernacular languages.

Market opens: The market has begun the day on a strong note, with the Sensex jumping over 200 points up.

The Sensex is up 210.98 points or 0.59% at 36191.91, and the Nifty up 54.10 points or 0.50% at 10856.30. The market breadth is positive as 330 shares advanced, against a decline of 109 shares, while 30 shares were unchanged.

Banks, automobiles and pharmaceutical sectors are gaining the most, while the Nifty Midcap index is higher by half a percent.

Infosys, Tata Motors, and Bharti Airtel are the top gainers, while Tata Steel and Eicher Motors have lost the most.

Market at pre-open: Equity benchmarks have begun the day on a positive note in pre-opening trade.

The Sensex is up 185.20 points or 0.51% at 36166.13, and the Nifty up 66.80 points or 0.62% at 10869.00.

The Indian rupee opened higher by 15 paise at 70.05 per dollar on Wednesday versus previous close 70.20.

Rupee outlook: The battered Indian rupee will take another bruising this year, despite a recent revival, weighed down by uncertainty around national elections in May and an expected economic slowdown, a Reuters poll found.

While the currency recovered nearly 6 percent after touching a record low of 74.485 per dollar on October 11, the January 2-8 poll of more than 65 analysts showed the rupee will weaken again.

However, fewer than 20 percent of contributors in the latest poll expected the rupee to breach that all-time low in the next 12 months, compared to nearly 50 percent in a November survey and about one-third in December.

SGX Nifty: Trends on SGX Nifty indicate a positive opening for the broader index in India, a gained of 74.50 points or 0.69 percent. Nifty futures were trading around 10,912-level on the Singaporean Exchange.Brazil offers genomic chips for genomic selection indigenous breeds

India will promote technical cooperation with Brazil for rapid growth of production and productivity of indigenous breeds, union minister of agriculture and farmers welfare Radha Mohan Singh said on Tuesday.

Singh also met a 5-member delegation from Brazil led by Dr Jose Ribamar Felipe Marques, director, Buffalo Research and Development, Brazil, on Tuesday with the aim of promoting technical cooperation between India and Brazil.

The minister said Brazil has expertise in embryo transfer technology (ETT), In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), sex-sorted semen production and has carried out extensive research on Indian indigenous breeds. Brazil will also offer training of professionals in the country so that the production and productivity of indigenous breeds can be increased rapidly, he said.

By adopting modern breeding technologies and implementing scientific breeding programmes, Brazil has achieved an increase in the productivity of indigenous breeds of India, the minister said, adding that the genomic chips developed by Brazil can be very useful for implementing genomic selection for our indigenous breeds.

In order to promote the latest development in breeding techniques, Singh said, four animal breeding centers of excellence are being set up for ETT, IVF, sex-sorted semen, genomics and training of skilled manpower. These centers will not only serve as training centers but also work as centers of research and development. Germplasm produced at these centers will be made available to all the states. Two CoEs in Kalsi Uttarakhand and Central Agricultural University, Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Motihari are being established with the help of Brazil.Bharat Bandh: Strike supporters vandalise SBI branch in Thiruvananthapuram

Supporters of striking workers today attacked and vandalised a treasury branch of the State Bank of India in Keralas capital Thiruvananthapuram and blocked trains in various parts of the state as the 48-hour trade union strike entered its second day.

Sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal and Kerala and rail blockades in certain states were witnessed on the second day of Bharat Bandh, which also saw a partial disruption of banking and insurance services across the country. Other sectors like mining, road transport, power supply too were hit by the strike called by 10 major central trade unions (except RSS affiliate Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh), to protest against the government's alleged anti-labour policies and unilateral labour reforms turned violent.

In Bengaluru, commuters had a harrowing time as bandh supporters blocked the road near Town Hall, while nearly 13 per cent of Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) buses remained off roads.

Normal life was also disrupted in Goa and Odisha where public transport was affected and tyres were burnt on roads.

Lakhs of commuters in Mumbai continued to face hardships due to an indefinite strike called by the BEST, city's civic transport.

Banking and postal services continued to be affected in Gujarat on the second day of the two-day strike. Unions also staged protest marches and demonstrations in major cities. Workers in industrial units at Ankleshwar in Bharuch and those at ports also joined in the shut-down.

Barring interruption to banking services in some of the public sector banks, it was business as usual in Telangana. Employees belonging to the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees Federation of India participated in the strike affecting banking transactions partially across the state.Construction of the first Christian (Syrian-Orthodox) place of worship of the Republican era should start at the end of February in Yesilkoy, an Istanbul neighbourhood not far from the international airport. It will serve as a point of reference for the citys 17,000 Assyrians.

Istanbul (AsiaNews)  The construction of a Christian church will start in late February in Istanbul, the first since the founding of the modern Turkish republic, said a city official during a meeting with a Syriac Orthodox Church prelate.

Freedom of worship is guaranteed in Turkey, but freedom of religion has been violated on various occasions in the recent past.

The Turkish government has interfered in the selection of Church leaders. Some clerics have been killed, namely Fr Andrea Santoro in 2006 and Mgr Luigi Padovese in 2010. Some churches and Church-owned buildings have been confiscated. A US clergyman, Rev Andrew Brunson, was detained and later released.

Yesterday, Bulent Kerimoglu, the mayor of Istanbul's Bakirkoy municipality, met with Yusuf Cetin, the Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan for Istanbul and the capital Ankara. He told reporters that all the paperwork for the new church is done and a permit issued.

Construction is expected to take about two years. Once completed, the church will a point of reference point for 17,000 Assyrians living in the city.

Despite "different religions, ethnic roots ... everyone's hearts beat for our Turkey, Cetin said. "We're proud of living under the Turkish flag in this land.

The new church is planned for the Yesilkoy neighbourhood in Bakirkoy, an area close to Istanbul Ataturk Airport, with a capacity for some 700 worshippers, a parking lot and a cafe.

The only Assyrian church available now is the Virgin Mary Syriac (Assyrian) Orthodox Church, also known as Surp Asdvadzadzin, which located in Istanbul's Beyoglu district, too far for many churchgoers.

Around 25,000 Assyrians still live in Turkey, the majority in Istanbul, with others found in the eastern provinces of Mardin, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, and Elazig.SC refuses to stay NGT order to reopen Sterlite plant in TN

The Supreme Court has refused to stay the National green Tribunals (NGT) order allowing Sterlite to resume operations at its copper smelter at Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu, even as it sought response from Vedanta plc, the parent company of Sterlite, on the state governments appeal against the green tribunals order.

The SC order, which comes days after the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court ordered that Sterlite should not be opened till 21 January, comes as a setback to the Tamil Nadu government.

The directions that have been passed by the National Green Tribunal, by its judgment dated 15.12.2018, will continue to subsist and will be subject to the ultimate outcome of the appeal, the Supreme Court bench headed by Justice RF Nariman said in its order.

The apex court, however, asked Sterlite to fulfil all the conditions imposed by the NGT in its 15 December order and gave it three weeks time to comply with the conditions imposed by the NGT. It also gave the company three weeks time to fulfil NGTs conditions before resumption of operations.

Hearings in the case will continue once Vedanta files a response on the matter.

The order came on an appeal filed by the government of Tamil Nadu against the NGT order. In its appeal, the state government had argued that the NGT did not have a jurisdiction in the matter and had sought a stay on its order.

The Tamil Nadu government had in May last year issued orders to close the plant after the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board refused to renew operating licence to the plant citing violation of environmental norms.

The closure of the plant also comes in the wake of violent protests by local residents seeking closure of the unit, which, they claimed, endangered their lives.

It was on May 28, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) ordered the closure and disconnection of electricity supply under provisions of Section 33A of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and Section 31A of Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1971.

Vedanta moved the NGT against the closure orders. The NGT formed a three-member expert committee headed by former Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court Tarun Agarwal to probe the matter.

The NGT followed the expert committees opinion that the company may be allowed to operate the plant as long as it is willing to abide by the pollution control norms and take precautions and that the state government cannot shut down plants based on hyper-technicalities.

NGT order also directs Sterlite to spend Rs100 cr on welfare of the locals

The government of Tamil Nadu in its submission to the Supreme Court said the NGT has no right to form any committee to look into the matter and that the observations made by the committee were not based on facts.As woke global travellers we like to think of ourselves as doing right by our little blue ball. However, as soon as you start doing your best to reduce your impact, or inspire others to do the same, its as if a giant neon sign appears above your head (or below your Instagram feed) that says, Roast me please.

Whether youve decided to go vegan, stop using plastic straws or buy a keep cup, ridicule is often not far behind. And while people might snigger quietly about your dodgy haircut, activism is the one area of life where it appears even close family and friends delight in calling you out, face to face, to see how you react.

However, as Australian climate activists Joel Hayes and Keegan Taccori point out: There are many different ways to go green, and something is always better than nothing. So while its tempting to roll your eyes at the decision of a professional surfer (for instance) who burns tonnes of CO 2 per year travelling the globe, to campaign against plastic straws, Joel and Keegan encourage us to see the bigger picture.

What I think is most powerful, Keegan tells us, Is the conversations an individual can generate: if a pro surfer dedicates their career to campaign against plastics, theyre using the platform they have to create some serious impact amongst their fans. To me, this has quantifiably more impact then the next pro surfer who flies around the globe and does not campaign for such a cause.

Lifestyle changes do need to be adapted and altered to fit within this, but it (going green) shouldnt have to be at the detriment of someones livelihood.

Well get back to that later. But first: who are these guys? Joel and Keegan are two young Aussie blokes that are spending two years driving a solar powered, 100% electric camper van from Alaska to Argentina, following what they have dubbed the Route Del Sol, in an effort to spread awareness about (and demonstrate one practical way of tackling) the global issue of anthropogenic climate change.

Joel, a 29 year old scientist from Tweed Heads started this journey, building a custom solar electric camper van with a company called Solarrolla. Posting about the expedition online he came in contact with Keegan, a 23 year old journalist from the Blue Mountains. After just two weeks of talking onlineand yet to meet in personKeegan was on a plane to Alaska, ready to embark on the 2 year expedition.

Were driving a solar powered, 100% electric camper van from Alaska to Argentina, and were the first people in the world to do it. Were trying to establish an enormous online community with Route Del Sol to highlight our worlds transition towards renewable energy, and share the communities and individuals stories that we meet along the way that are in this process.

The pair are currently biding their time in Vancouver, Canada, as it is the middle of winter and there is not enough sun to continue their journey (they plan to begin the US leg in March). As they have some downtime on their hands we thought wed ask (amongst other things) what possessed themtwo complete strangersto jump into a van together and travel halfway across the world.

DMarge: So what made you consider doing a trip like this?

Keegan: Not much to be honest. I spoke to Joely for the first time on the phone and realised the potential for a project like this and how fun it sounded. Then I flew into Alaska two weeks later and we met for the first time!

Joel: (I spent) many night shifts at work conjuring up a crazy fun adventure like this that would prove a point about sustainability, lifestyle and travel. Then I thought theres no better time than right now to make that happen.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by RouteDelSol (@routedelsol) on Nov 20, 2018 at 4:49pm PST

DMarge: What made you pull the trigger?

Joel: I broke up with a long-term girlfriend, flew back to Australia and started seriously researching into the feasibility of it. I got into contact with Brett Belan from Solarrolla who was completely stoked on the idea and invited me to come live with him in Ashland, Oregon and hed help make it happen (May, 2018). Then it was a matter of: can we pull this off before winter hits in Alaska? Apparently, the answer was yes.

DMarge: Favourite moment so far?

Keegan: Definitely the frontal range of Kluane National Park up in the Yukon, where the white capped mountains TOWER straight above you. Its absolutely gorgeous.

Joel: When I first drove off the ferry in Haines, Alaska. Everything suddenly felt so real and all I was thinking was this is craaazy, what am I doing out here and does this van actually even work?!

DMarge: What is the best aspect of van life?

Joel: The freedom!! Without a doubt. The ability to be completely mobile, to be able to just jump in the drivers seat and drive our home wherever we want. It allows for a sweet lifestyle balance of surfing, climbing, education and activism.

DMarge: What is the most challenging aspect of van life?

Keegan: For Joel it would be that hes an introvert, and so spending so much time in a confined space with me, an extrovert, would be the most challenging aspect. Its about knowing how to give each other space when its needed, and also being in a location where thats physically possible too.

DMarge: How do you think we can, as a society, find the balance between living a little and looking after the plant?

Keegan: We need industrial and global sized change to make serious reductions of our greenhouse emissions, and to move towards alternatives rapidly faster than we are currently doing.

Education and conversations are the building blocks of generating change.

Without a doubt, an individual can make changes within their own lifestyle to help reduce their personal impact on the planet, but also need to be able to live a life which provides them happiness and comfort, which is a right as a human to want to strive for.

DMarge: Whats your take on long distance flights, and their environmental impact?

Keegan: Unfortunately, there is no major viable alternative to international travel for long distances in a short amount of time, although there are innovative solutions out there. You can advocate for change through other methods without going abstinent, for example campaigning for renewable energy initiatives from your local government, buying an EV, demanding wholesalers to not use plastic, putting solar power on your roof or taking your bicycle to work every day.

If you do want to fly to the other side of the world to go travelling, dont go for two weeks. Stay for a much longer period of time, and explore other places within that location. Make lifestyle changes that allows you the longevity of that trip, and make other conscientious decisions everyday about how you can help reduce your impact on the planet in other ways.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by RouteDelSol (@routedelsol) on Sep 17, 2018 at 7:25pm PDT

DMarge: Can you give us an example?

Keegan: An example is going vegetarian: I understand that as an individual (this) wont make a difference to the animal agricultural industry. However, if I manage to generate at least 100 conversations each year around sustainable food practices, and 5 of those people just reduce their intake of beef (Im seriously lowballing those numbers), that has a serious impact. Times that by the amount of conversations they will have the next year  its exponential growth.

To all the keyboard warriors out there that try to hassle someone driving an Electric Vehicle because its not truly green because of x, y, z but then jumps in their own petrol car and races down to the shops for milk instead of walking: its absolute hypocrisy.

Theres many different ways to go green, but also many different levels of it. We all make decisions every single day, and the least anyone can do is to educate people to think more critically about their every day practices, and the industries they support as a consumer.

DMarge: Where can I get an electric van like that!?

Keegan: There are plenty of EVs on the market, you just need to google around! Unfortunately, our vehicle is quite rare otherwise everyone would be doing it. But hopefully by the end of this trip we would have generated enough hype around solar powered, electric van life that more and more engineers will be creating vehicles like this to put on the market and drop the cost down for your average customer.

RELATED: Influencers Are Provoking Environmentalists By Posing In Dangerous LocationsSubscriber content preview

Photo by Core Commercial Properties [enlarge] Saratoga Capital now owns Bayview Apartments (on the left) and 2616 Western (in the center).





An old commercial building at 2616 Western Ave. has sold for about $4.3 million, according to King County records.





. . .Subscriber content preview

EVERETT (AP)  Final federal approval of commercial passenger service at Paine Field, which was expected to begin Feb. 11, could be delayed by the ongoing government shutdown.

Gregory Martin, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman in Washington, D.C., told The Daily Herald that the partial shutdown could potentially delay the agency's approval or disapproval, which will be based on a revised environmental assessment.





. . .Subscriber content preview

Cascade Care would help lower-income people who don't qualify for federal assistance get coverage by 2021.



By SALLY HO

Associated Press

Washington's governor and New York City's mayor unveiled major initiatives to expand health insurance coverage Tuesday, the latest moves by key Democratic leaders to address Trump administration health policies they say are keeping people from getting the care they need.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a likely presidential candidate, proposed a publicly run health insurance option for state residents who are not covered by private employers and buying insurance off the marketplace created under former President Barack Obama's health care law.





. . .Subscriber content preview

By MARLEY JAY

AP Markets Writer

NEW YORK  Stocks climbed for the third day in a row Tuesday as the latest round of trade talks between Washington and Beijing continued. It's the longest winning streak for U.S. indexes since late November.

News reports said the trade negotiations would be extended to a third day, a potential positive sign even though no major developments have been announced so far. Experts say it will take months for them to resolve the causes of the trade war, which include disagreements over Beijing's handling of technology and intellectual property.





. . .Subscriber content preview

ANCHORAGE (AP)  About 1,200 properties in the Anchorage area are waiting for damage inspections more than a month after the magnitude 7.0 earthquake shook south-central Alaska, city officials said.

The deadline to apply for a state individual assistance grant is Jan. 29, but city officials said residents do not need the inspection before they submit applications for state or federal disaster aid, the Anchorage Daily News reported Monday.





. . .by Melani Manel Perera

In 2009, Lasantha Wickremetunge, chief editor of the Sunday Leader newspaper, was killed in the middle of the day on his way to work. He had criticised former president Mahinda Rajapaska. To cover up the case, four people have been killed.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - Ten years after the murder of Christian journalist Lasantha Wickremetunge, the culprits are still at large, says Lal Wickrematunge, the slain journalists brother, in a message issued to commemorate his death on 8 January 2009.

Lal's letter was read by his daughter Raisa during a memorial ceremony held yesterday at the Borella cemetery. Friends, relatives and ministers were present at the event.

"The search for Lasantha's assassins is slow, but the investigation is at a good point," said Minister Mangala Samarasinghe.

Another minister, Eran Wickramaratne, expressed "great embarrassment that the case has not yet been resolved. The police have done their part. Now the Attorney General department and the judiciary should take this case. It is not just Lasanthas family who wants justice but the whole society."

The Christian journalist was the chief editor of The Sunday Leader newspaper. He was killed in the middle of the day on his way to work.

From the pages of his newspaper he had harshly criticised former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has always denied any involvement in the assassination. According to the investigation, soldiers were behind the journalist's murder.

For his brother Lal, who lives in exile, " A decade is a long time to grieve, too long to solve a murder." What is more, Four persons have been killed in the cover up. Four innocents.

High ranking police officers are suspected of tampering with evidence, he added. Such was the state of our Nation. Reconciliation and closure will not be possible without prosecution.Highlights:

Apple wants to focus on making good phones rather than cheap ones

Apple calls for cuts in duties in India

Tim Cook accuses Qualcomm for spreading fake news

When Apple launched its $1000 iPhones in India, the company was heavily criticised for its ever increasing prices. Charging $1000 and upwards for a phone in India can only be seen in one way - Apple wants to target only the ultra premium smartphone buyers or the hardcore fans who probably save money all year long just to afford an iPhone. Apple did introduce affordable EMIs in India with its various partners for those who absolutely want to own a flagship iPhone, and the likes of Flipkart even run guaranteed buyback programmes for these devices, however, to say India is a price sensitive market would be an understatement. Because of this price sensitivity, Apples Korean and Chinese rivals managed to gain an upper hand and iPhone sales reportedly saw a drop in India for the first time in four years in 2018.

Speaking to CNBCs Jim Cramer in an Interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook dismissed the possibility of a cheaper iPhone for the Indian market when Cramer asked him about allowing Walmart-Flipkart to subsidise the handsets in the country. Cramer indicated that he spoke to folks over at Walmart and they possibly expressed an interest in an arrangement with Apple to take over India with a budget iPhone. When asked what Cook thought about the proposal, he said, For us, were about making the best product that enriches peoples lives. Were not about making the cheapest. We want to make a great value but thats not necessarily the cheapest. What weve seen is that theres enough people in every country in the world that we play in that we can have a really good business by selling the best phones. We knew that when we went to the the iPhone X and the follow up with the XS and XS Max, that everybody would not want to spend a $1000 for the phone and so we made the iPhone XR.

A question on letting Flipkart subsidise the iPhone was left unanswered and instead, Cook pointed to the fact that India is a very important market for Apple. The CEO said, In India in general, were all in. It is a major focus. If you look at how weve done over the years, weve gone from a $100-200 million dollar business to last year we exceeded $2 billion that 2 billion was flat year over year so we have more work to do. Cook also expressed the companys desire to open up retail stores in India and that he would like to see cuts in some duties and taxes in the country. We would like to put stores there, we would like some of the duties and so forth that are put on the products to go away. We are working closely with the team there. I believe we will have better results at some point in the future there, He said.

After talking about Apples India strategy, the conversation in the interview moves towards Apples ongoing patent conflict with Qualcomm. In a shocking statement, the Apple CEO accuses Qualcomm of spreading fake news. Cook said that contrary to reports, Apple has not been in any settlement talks with Qualcomm since Q3 2018. The issue that we have with Qualcomm is that they have a policy of no license no chips. This is in our view is illegal and so many regulators in so many countries agree with us. Secondly, they have an obligation to offer their patent portfolio in a fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory manner and they dont do that. They charge exorbitant prices, he said. He also added that he has an issue with some of Qualcomms tactics like paying somebody to write fake news and then promoting it.

You can catch Tim Cooks entire interview with CNBCs Cramer at this link.

Related Reads:

EXCLUSIVE: First look at 2019 Apple iPhone XI rendersHighlights

Google unveils the Google Assistant Connect platform

Google Assistant integrated with Maps

Assistant can now check in to flights and book hotels

Google Assistant gets new Interpreter Mode for Home speaker and smart displays

Amongst the many new hardware announcements made at CES 2019, Google stepped and introduced a few new features added to the Google Assistant. This includes integration with Google Maps, Interpreter Mode, Flight check-in and Google Assistant Connect platform. Further, the company also unveiled a couple of new devices in partnership with third-party manufacturers.

Google Assistant Connect

Google Assistant Connect is a new platform for device manufacturers that allows them to integrate the Assistant into their products. The platform uses Googles existing smart home platform to expand to new device types. In its press statement, Google gave the example of a manufacturer who could create an e-ink display that would project weather or the users calendar, while using the Assistant Connect platform to deliver content from a connected smart speaker. The Assistant would be able to handle the tasks that require higher-order computing. This could include thanks link checking whats on the calendar, check for updates and so forth. Google notes that it will share more about the Google Assistant Connect platform later this year.

Google Assistant integration with Maps

The Google Assistant has been integrated with Google Maps on Android and iOS. Users will now be able to share share their ETA with friends and family, reply to text messages, play music and podcasts, search for places along the route, and add stops using their voice. Google notes that on Android, the Assistant will work with messaging services such as WhatsApp, Messenger, Hangouts, Viber, Telegram, Android Messages and more.

Google Assistant flight check-in and hotel booking

The Google Assistant on Android and iOS will soon be able to check into flights, as well as save and retrieve boarding passes. However, it should be noted that the feature will initially be available with United Airlines. Further, Google has partnered with Choice Hotels, AccorHotels, InterContinental Hotels Group, Priceline, Expedia, Mirai and Travelclick to allow the Assistant to book hotels. Besides this, the company will be adding support for Google Keep, Any.do, Bring! and Todoist.

Interpreter Mode

Google is also rolling out Interpreter Mode for Google Home devices and smart displays over the next few weeks. A phrase such as :Hey Google, be my French interpreter will start the mode and offer real-time spoken translation. Smart display will also offer written translation.

New devices

Google also highlighted some new devices made in partnership with other manufacturers. This included the Lenovo Smart Clock, which feature a 4-inch touch screen that also offers alarm suggestions based on the users daily routine. It also features an auto-adjusting screen brightness, animations as well as the option to control other smart home devices.

Whirlpools new KitchenAid Smart Display features the Google Assistant and guides users through recipes, while giving them the the option to control smart home devices as well. JBL and Anker will also launch in-car accessories with the Assistant built-in. This includes the Anker Roav Bolt and the JBL Link Drive, both of which will connect the cars socket. These accessories will allow users use the Assistant, without the need to unlock their phone. Further, Google announced that it will be integrating the Assistant with the Sonos One and the Sonos Beam.Among the celebrations of a religious nature, the procession of the "Black Nazarene" is one of the most famous and popular. Along the way, faithful flock to touch or kiss the sculpture as a sign of devotion. PIME Missionary: "The image of the suffering Nazarene is in the heart of Filipino spirituality and religiosity".

Manila (AsiaNews) - More than 800,000 Catholics flocked to the streets of central Manila this morning to take part in the traditional procession of the Black Nazarene, a century-old wooden statue of Christ. Every year, the translation of the sacred sculpture from its original site - the church of St. Nicholas from Tolentino - to the parish of Quiapo concludes a novena (December 31-January 9) and sees the participation of millions of faithful gathered in prayer, to ask a personal grace or miracle.

In the Philippines, over 82% of the 105 million people are Catholics. Among the celebrations of a religious nature, the procession of the "Black Nazarene" is one of the most famous and popular. The statue of the Black Nazarene represents Jesus bent under the weight of the Cross. It was brought to Manila by an Augustinian Spanish priest in 1607 on board a ship from Mexico. According to tradition, the boat caught fire during the journey, but the image of Christ miraculously escaped the fire taking on the black color. The procession recalls the first movement of the statue, which took place on January 9th 1767.

Along the whole route (seven kilometers) of the Translation the faithful flock to touch or kiss the sculpture as a sign of devotion. In the middle of the morning, the Philippine Red Cross claims to have assisted more than 600 people with breathing problems, fainting and bruising. Three people were transported to the hospital. To prevent the toll from escalating, this year the organizers reiterated to the faithful that it is not necessary to climb over other devotees to honor the Black Nazarene.

Impressive security measures are ordered by the authorities. The head of the Filipino police, Oscar Albayalde, claims to have deployed more than 7 thousand agents to ensure the security of the event, while mobile phone networks have been deactivated as a precaution against remote-controlled explosive devices.

"In the Translation of the Black Nazarene, the devotion of the Filipino people finds its maximum expression. There is nothing like this in the world " Fr. Sebastiano D'Ambra, missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) tells AsiaNews. For over 40 years the priest has carried out his pastoral work on the island of Mindanao, where in 1984 he founded Silsilah, a movement for Islamic-Christian dialogue.

"Since the days of Spanish domination," says the priest, "the Holy Week and the Passion of Christ have assumed great importance in the life of the nation in the Philippines. The image of the suffering Nazarene has thus entered the heart of spirituality and popular religiosity. Many people, among the millions of devotees who participate each year in the celebrations, attend the Translation to fulfill a promise made ".

"I know the event well - concludes the priest - because in the past I helped with the organization. Furthermore, one of our groups operates in the parish of Quiapo. In fact, near the church there is a mosque, the Golden Mosque. Years ago, the parish priest asked us to work together for interreligious dialogue with the local Islamic community. I often go to the parish and on every occasion I find long lines of faithful who pay homage to the statue, even with a caress or a prayer. Every first Friday of the month the church is even more crowded and the priests celebrate a mass every hour of the day, from five in the morning until seven in the evening ".Highlights:

Some Samsung Galaxy phones have Facebook app installed permanently.

The app cannot be deleted but only be disabled.

Samsung and Facebook say it is due to a deal between the two tech companies.

It seems like Facebook is stuck in a temporal loop in which controversies hit the social media every now and then. In a latest incident, users of selected Samsung phones are perturbed after they found out that they cannot delete, but only disable the Facebook app on their phones. Bloomberg reports of two incidents where users have talked about their privacy concerns and their helplessness on not being able to remove the app from theri devices.

The report talks about Nick Winke, a photographer in the Pacific northwest, who owns a Samsung Galaxy S8. He says that his phone came with Facebook app already installed on it. He has used the app to connect with friends and to share pictures but after sometime, he decided to remove it from his phone. To his surprise, he found that the app was undeletable and could only be disabled on the phone.

It just absolutely baffles me that if I wanted to completely get rid of Facebook that it essentially would still be on my phone, which brings up more questions. Can they still track your information, your location, or whatever else they do? We the consumer should have say in what we want and dont want on our products, Bloomberg quoted Winke as saying.

Since the revelations last year, Facebook is being pulled up for its information-sharing practices leading regulators to reinforce the rules on how the data is collected online. Last year, #DeleteFacebook was trending all around the world in the wake of Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data leak scandal. People across nations advocated the move protesting against the social media giants questionable user privacy policies and the way it handled private data.

For Balwinder Singh, who lives in the Susquehanna Valley of the eastern US and works in transportation, the experience was bothering. He bought his Samsung phone seven months ago and when he was setting up the device, he first tried to delete the Facebook app. My news feed was full of negative stuff, people going crazy on social media. It was affecting me emotionally and mentally, he was quoted as saying. The report says that even after disabling the app, he was bothered to still have it on his phone.

Facebook and Samsung say its because of a deal

According to a Facebook spokesperson, the disabled version of the app acts like its been deleted, so it doesnt continue collecting data or sending information back to Facebook. The company says that said whether the app is deletable or not depends on various pre-install deals it has made with phone manufacturers, operating systems and mobile operators globally over the years, including Samsung. Samsung echoed Facebooks comments saying that it provides a pre-installed Facebook app on selected models with options to disable it, and once its disabled, the app is no longer running. Reportedly, Facebook declined to provide a list of the partners with which it has stuck deals for permanent apps, saying that those agreements vary by region and type.

Related Read:

Deleting your Facebook account just became a 30-day long processHighlights:

Nokia 8 Sirocco starts getting Android 9 Pie update.

A total of eight Nokia phones are now running Android Pie.

HMD Global, the Finnish company that sells Nokia-branded phones, has announced that the Nokia 8 Sirocco device will now begin receiving the latest Android operating system, Android 9 Pie. The company says that with this rollout, a total of eight Nokia smartphones will now be running the latest Android OS. With the update, user will be able to use App Actions and Digital Wellbeing features that are exclusive to Android One devices and Google Pixel phones.

Nokia 8 Sirocco users using Android 9 Pie will enjoy improvements to their smartphone experience based on their daily phone use. This is due to features like predictive system navigation, which adjust and anticipate each users personal needs, the company said in a press note. The announcement comes 20 days after Juho Sarvikas, HMD Global Chief Product Officer said on Twitter that the beta build of Android Pie is already under testing for the Nokia 8 Sirocco.

The update brings the standard set of Android Pie features for the phone, like Adaptive Brightness and Adaptive Battery, along with the new system navigation scheme. It is possible that the update brings along the January 2019 Android Security Patch that was recently rolled out to all Google Pixel smartphones. Owners of the Nokia 8 Sirocco device can wait for the update notification or can navigate to their phone's Software Update tab to check for the update.

The update will also bring Digital Wellbeing features like Dashboard, which highlights screen time and phone usage, including how many times the device has been unlocked and number of notifications received. The phone will also get App Timers (to set time limits on app usage) and Wind Down mode as well as Do Not Disturb features (to set a daily schedule to get your phone ready for bed). The Wind Down feature fades the screen to Grayscale and Do Not Disturb silences all the notifications.

Related Read:

Nokia 5.1 Plus is the latest handset to get updated to Android 9 PieTake A Closer Look At The Lives Of Divine And Naezy, The Inspiration Behind Gully Boy!

Ranveer Singh and Alia Bhatts Gully Boy has rocketed our expectation. With Ranveer Singh going smooth with his rap, with talented actors like Alia and Kalki, who can just nail anything and with a director like Zoya Akhtar, we are almost sure that this film is going to be something to watch out for. But the most important aspect of this film is its story, which is inspired from the lives of Indian rappers Divine and Naezy.

But do you know what is so awe-inspiring about their lives that a movie is being made on them? Well, take a closer look at the lives of Divine and Naezy here:

1. Divines real name is Vivian Fernandes and he switched from English to Hindi raps

Born in the slums of Bombay, he was raised by his naani. After their dad left him, he used to be alone because his mother and brother had left abroad to work. It was during this time that he would write for 5-6 hours and then hone his skills at writing raps. He can now compose raps in minutes!

2. Thanks to the gully, he had people who encouraged his talent

His friends from the Gully had given him a CD of 50 Cents and that proved to be a turning point for him. The founder of the Gully Gang believed in writing about the gully and their people instead of the desi rap/ hip-hop scene prevalent in Punjab and Delhi that are mostly about gaddi/ daaru/ chokdi!

3. He was a changed man after he heard Lecrae

When he heard Lecrae, he was smitten about the fact that all the raps were about God. The devotional rhythm blew him off and he could only think of the name Divine for himself!

4. Naezy was a part of his success story!

Talking to Verve magazine about how he reached to the point where he is now, Divine revealed,

 I performed Mere Gully Mein with Naezy at Blue Frog; we were the opening act for a Sony artiste. We had just written the song and it was super rough, but a representative from the label heard it and approached me. I luckily had a few songs ready to present, and the rest is history.

5. Naezy was born as Naved Sheikh and was changed because of Sean Pauls Temperature

A DJ played the song in his Kurla Chawl and that was his turning point. He not just went and printed the lyrics the very next day, but also memorised it as soon as he could.

6. At 22, he made the video Aafat.

It was shot and conceptualized by Naezy himself who did the entire thing in an iPad. Naezy became a part of the documentary, Bombay 70, post this video and also got a deal from Only Much Louder, India's biggest alternative culture promoter and management agency.Uri Review : Aditya Dhars Uri-The Surgial Strike Ensures 2019 Gets A Humongous Start At The Movies

Movie: Uri: The Surgical Strike Rated: 4.0/5.0 Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Yami Gautam Director: Aditya Dhar

Verdict: Vicky Kaushals Phenomenal Performance And A Gripping Premise DESERVES A HUGE THUMBS UP!

Uri-The Surgical Strikes is one film that reinstates the heaviness of content in the films of today. A film of this sort reinstates that cinema is a Directors medium. The actors are supposed to work according the script and film is as good as its script!

Having said that, it is a known fact that the film is based on real events. The Surgical strike that was conducted by the Indian army in the year 2016 in retaliation of the Fidaayeen attack made by four militants on an army base near the town of Uri. In the attack nineteen army soldiers were killed.

The film has Vicky Kaushal, Kirti Kulhari, Paresh Rawal, Rajit Kapoor, Mohit Raina, Swaroop Sampat, Kirti Kulhari and Yami Gautam playing prominent characters.

Vicky Kaushals portrayal of Major Vihaan Singh Shergill was goose bump inducing. He looked the part and how. He owned his character. As a viewer, it never for a moment felt as though I am watching an actor enact a part and that is commendable! Kaushal has indeed come a long way. The intensity in his eyes, the sharpness in his demeanour and the seriousness of his countenance was more than convincing. It seemed as though he was the best choice for the film and no one else could have done justice to the role the way he did!

Mohit Raina did make his presence felt in the first half of the film and it was quite an impressive debut. Paresh Rawal was good as usual. He is an actor par excellence and he has proven it for years and thats nothing new. To watch him play the national security advisor was a treat - the panic of the outcome was palpable in his eyes when the attack was being executed, the happiness was evident in his countenance when the Indian army emerged victorious. There was nothing that was unbecoming of sorts in his performance.

The characters of Prime minister Narendra Modi played by Rajit Kapoor and the then defence minister Manohar Parrikar wasnt really carved out well and therefore did not work out well. It is almost necessary for me to mention in this context that in the beginning of the film, it was mentioned that even though the film was based on true events there were certain parts in the film that did not confirm to the exact way things happened and certain cinematic [liberties were taken and hence that aforementioned fallacies do not count, precisely because we were not watching a documentary. We were watching a feature film that has every right to mould a little to make room for emotions which cater to the viewing public! Therefore, it is fine as long as it did not outweigh the facts and the narrative on the whole!

Kirti Kulharis Indian Air Force Officer Seemat Kaur played a crucial role in the operation and she very convincingly played the part. What I particularly liked about choosing the best team for the purpose was that the emotions directed logic and that really made a lot of sense!

You see, now that I have seen the film, it is kind of difficult for me to talk about it or dissect it into halves. I loved the film in its entirety! It all was pretty flowing! Every character was well rounded and their backgrounds were laid in front giving he viewers ample understanding of where they were coming from!

Yami Gautam is good too, however, she did not quite get ample to display her acting skills much in the film but with whatever time she had, she did a fairly decent job. I have to mention the name of Swaroop Sampat who played the role of Vickys Alzheimer ridden mother. She is a wonderful actress and she too has proved her mettle over the years! In this film too, she was phenomenal. Her expressions, her feeble looks or just the way she stares into nothingness deserves applause! She was lovely!

The soundtrack by Shashwat Sachdev also deserves a special mention. It was hair-raising! Thankfully there was just one song in the film and no other song was forcefully crammed into the narrative. That was perhaps the best part. It was sharp, it made hearts skip a beat and that is what is desired at the end of the day! The cinematography by Mitesh Mirchandani too was edgy. At once tranquil with the rays of the sun cutting through the forest greens and at once palpitating. There were some chase scenes (not literally though)  there were scenes of the camera tracking with the actors running at full force and it wouldnt be an exaggeration to state that they were perhaps the best running scenes shot in Indian cinema till date. However, the over usage of the camera jerks in some of the initial night-war scenes in the film could be eliminated because the jerky movement looked overtly forced.

The director Aditya Dhar has made a tremendous effort and it shows. What a film! The current trend of films thankfully are no more dependent on the stars and CONTENT once again has become the king and rightfully so! Cinema has always been the directors medium and film such as this one reinstates the fact. The film has ensured that 2019 will be a great year for the movies. What a start to the year. A big thumbs up to Uri-The Surgical StrikeJanuary 9, 2019 -- OPENEDGES Technology, Inc. and TAKUMI Corporation reached an agreement that TAKUMI provides technical and sales support of OPENEDGES' ORBITTM memory subsystem IP cores throughout Japan.

TAKUMI Corporation, a Japan-based advanced Graphics Intellectual Properties (IP) provider, has designed 2D/3D Graphics IP cores for many years. TAKUMI's 2D/3D graphics IP has been licensed for a variety of embedded systems including mobile devices, digital home appliances and in-car information systems.

Japan has started broadcasting 8K on a permanent basis this year. With the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games not too far away, this is a major step in transitioning viewers to what the broadcasters call a "New era of full-scale super high vision." This 8K broadcasting has significant impact on the whole SoC industry in Japan that has never seen before. For those 8K SoCs, memory bandwidth is becoming a critical bottleneck. Other applications, especially AI/ML, are starved of high memory bandwidth, too. TAKUMI's 2D/3D GPU IP customers also face challenges of high memory performance with low latency.

To meet these exploding memory bandwidth requirements, OPENEDGES provides ORBITTM Memory Subsystem IP with exceptional bandwidth capabilities. DDR Memory Controller IP (OMCTM) and Network-on-Chip Interconnect (OICTM) are tightly integrated and the combo brings lots of synergy in terms of performance, bandwidth, latency & others. ORBITTM memory subsystem IP makes it possible to cut down the average & peak latency to more than 50% than before with the highly effective quality-of-service management feature (ActiveQoSTM). OPENEDGES cutting edge DDR Memory Controller IP also features extremely low write latency than conventional DDR controller. This exceptionally low write latency helps boost performance of a lot of data-driven applications including GPU and AI/ML.

Latency comparison/NS, for STB application @ 16nm

"Today's SoCs that integrate GPU IPs are becoming very complex and are getting increasingly hungry for a high performance memory subsystem IP more and more", says Osamu Shigenami, President and CEO of TAKUMI. "OPENEDGES' memory subsystem IP is a perfect solution for our 2D/3D GPU IP customers. With this partnership, TAKUMI can provide our 2D/3D GPU IP together with OPENEDGES' memory subsystem IP for our valuable customers, helping them to design more bandwidth efficient SoCs. Moreover, it can also significantly strengthen the performance of our GPU and Image Warping IPs, too. We are sure that this partnership will provide great value for our customers' SoCs."

Sean Lee, CEO of OPENEDGES, said, We are so excited to be partnering with TAKUMI. TAKUMI has earned a professional reputation for very long time in this industry with their advanced graphics IP cores. With this partnership, TAKUMI and OPENEDGES will provide the best memory subsystem IP with high bandwidth efficiency and end-to-end quality-of-services (QoS) features to Japan customers.

OPENEDGES is expanding its global footprint in 2019 and as part of this effort, it has set up technical support center in China, too.

About OPENEDGES

OPENEDGES is a semiconductor IP provider for smart computing empowering Internet of Smart Things. Committed to democratizing artificial intelligence technology at the edge devices, OPENEDGES delivers IPs in two key technology areas of smart computing; highly efficient Artificial Intelligence Acceleration and high-performance Memory Subsystem. By synergy of these two technologies, OPENEDGES offers the sorely needed boost in performance, efficiency and reliability for Internet of Smart Things. ORBITTM DDR memory controller IP currently supports DDR3, DDR4, LPDDR3, LPDDR4 and LPDDR4x and support of LPDDR5, DDR5, GDDR6 and HBM2 will be available very soon. More information about OPENEDGES technology can be found on www.openedges.com.

About TAKUMI

TAKUMI Corporation licenses the GPU IP Cores, complying with standards including OpenGL ES and OpenVG, that can be integrated in SoCs for such embedded systems as digital still cameras/camcorders and set top boxes, as well as other industrial systems. The company's silicon proven GPU IP Core brand "GSHARK-TAKUMI Series" boasts over 100 million commercial shipments. In addition, TAKUMI also licenses the advanced Image Warping IPs that have been developed upon the proprietary GPU technologies. For more information about the company's products,





SALT LAKE CITY  Jimmy Fallon gave a shoutout to a 94-year-old Utah woman who still works at Arbys during his opening monologue on The Tonight Show Tuesday night.

What happened: Fallon opened the show talking about President Donald Trumps border wall speech, poking fun at the speechs sponsors and content. He also poked fun at the Democratic Partys response.

Utah woman: Fallon said he read about a 94-year-old woman in Utah who is Arbys oldest employee.

When asked what it was like to work with her, the manager said, Oh thank God, you can see her, too.

See the clip below:

The story: The Deseret News reported on this star employee earlier this month. Dorothy Bale, 94, still works at the Holladay Arbys location. And she doesnt plan to retire anytime soon.SALT LAKE CITY  Heres a look at the news for Jan. 9.

An aspiring rapper inspired Utah Sen. Mike Lee to change the U.S. criminal justice system. Here's why.

In an exclusive interview, Bob Woodward talks with the Deseret News about trust and integrity. Read more.

An inmate regrets actions with entire heart and soul. Victims fear a release would lead to more abductions. Read more.

Utah leaders reacted to President Donald Trumps border wall speech. Read more.

Here are 10 things to watch for this years All-Star Dual for Utah high school wrestling.

New Utah Rep. Ben McAdams is already setting himself apart from Mia Love. Read more.

A look at our political coverage:

A look at our most-read stories:

News from around the U.S. and world:SOUTH SALT LAKE  The Granite School District Board of Education voted 4-2 Tuesday to close Oquirrh Hills Elementary School after a three-year effort to improve student achievement resulted in lower end-of-year test scores and a school grade of "F."

The school board also voted to change the boundaries of nearby schools to accommodate students affected by the closure. The building will remain in use for special programs and to house students from South Kearns Elementary while that school is rebuilt.

The school closure raised the ire of Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City, who in a letter to the school board questioned whether there was a "different agenda in the mindset for Oquirrh Hills" because it was the only Granite District school that worked with turnaround experts that will be shuttered.

In 2015, eight elementary schools and two junior highs in Granite School District were identified by state education officials as turnaround schools.

Eight improved student achievement and improved one letter grade, which allowed them to exit the state's turnaround program.

Redwood Elementary improved enough to qualify for an extension of its turnaround program, but Oquirrh Hills did not qualify under state statute, Granite district officials said.

Oquirrh Hills' school grade was a "D" in 2015, according to year-end state assessments. In successive years, the grade fell to an "F."

Kearns Metro Township Mayor Kelly Bush said the intent of state law on school turnaround was to impose "certain consequences" for school districts with struggling schools.

"What are the consequences for you? Are you going to be in turnaround status?" Bush asked.

Mayne and Bush expressed concern that the school district had not kept the community apprised of what was happening at Oquirrh Hills Elementary, particularly that the school had not made sufficient progress to exit turnaround status.

"You don't tell the community with a handful of days (within a vote of whether to close a school). That's not how we do it," Mayne said. She vowed to amend the school turnaround law in the coming legislative session.

"This law has holes you can drive a dump truck through," Mayne said.

Rick Anthony, assistant superintendent over Title 1 schools, school improvement, and educator support and development, said the chain of communication in schools typically flows through the school community  school community council, PTAs and parent nights, and that is what is required under state statute.

"I'm not saying that was adequate. Certainly there were voices that they would have liked more," Anthony said.

Paula Larsen, representing the Kearns Community Council, said the children of Oquirrh Hills were failed by the Granite School District.

"You failed them and now you want to send them somewhere else. Whatever you did, you didn't do your best," Larsen said.

"I challenge you to fight for these children. That's your job."

Board member Todd Zenger questioned why the board needed to act now.

Granite School District Superintendent Martin Bates said the school board was already beyond the 90 days in which it is supposed to address a finding by the state that the school had not progressed sufficiently to exit turnaround status.

To wait any further would put the district's state education funding in jeopardy, Bates said.

Still, the closure will come at a cost for the school community, said Sherry Talbert, who volunteers at the school.

She blamed the former school administrator. "You needed to get rid of that principal a long time ago. She didn't care about that school. She did nothing," Talbert said.

Bush concurred.

"This has broken the heart of the Kearns community. I am proud of my community. We are doers, not sitters," she said.TAYLOR, Weber County  Carl and Georgene Smith have lived in their Taylor home for over 20 years, but they said they've never before experienced anything like what happened Tuesday morning.

"He come walking up my driveway, and I come walking out," Carl Smith recalled. "I didn't know there was a fire at that time."

Corrections Lt. Joshua Marigoni was driving in the area of 2850 S. 4700 West in an unincorporated area of Weber County when something caught his attention.

"As I pulled up, it was a lot of smoke, coming out of the roof, and out of the attic vents," Marigoni said Wednesday when talking about the incident.

Marigoni stopped and met Carl Smith in the driveway to warn him the home was on fire. He then went to the back bedroom where Georgene Smith was sleeping.

"He said, 'You've got to get outside. Your house is on fire.' So I grabbed my dogs, and off we went," she said Wednesday with a laugh.

In all, three adults, five dogs, and five cats, all got out safely.

"He must have been our guardian angel because we couldn't smell any smoke or anything," she said.

Marigoni said firefighters were quick to respond and several neighbors stopped by to check on the family.

On Wednesday, the lieutenant said he only did what many others would have done. "I just figured that's what we're here to do, and when we're given that opportunity, we need to jump in and we need to help," Marigoni said.

The Smiths said Marigoni saved their home, possibly their lives. The roof and ceiling were burned, but can otherwise be repaired.

"He saved our lives, I believe," she said.

Contributing: Ashley Imlay

Correction: Photo captions on a previous version said the fire occurred on Dec. 8, 2018. It happened on Jan. 8, 2019.FARMINGTON  Patrick Springer offered to match any college scholarship money his children receive as an incentive to do well in school.

But he can't keep that pledge to his oldest daughter at the University of Utah because the Springers lost their life savings in what he and others allege was a bogus "silver pool" investment program.

"It's devastated us," the Highland resident said, adding the family lost hundreds of thousands of dollars. "For us, it's had a major impact."

Springer is among 20 people involved in a federal class-action lawsuit filed against Zions Bank on Tuesday, claiming the bank "aided and abetted" and "perpetuated" an alleged Ponzi scheme involving Rust Rare Coin and its owner Gaylen Rust.

The Securities and Exchange Commission, Commodity Futures Trading Commission and Utah Division of Securities filed a civil complaint against Rust Rare Coin, Gaylen Rust, his wife Denise Gunderson Rust, and his son Joshua Daniel Rust late last year.

The government agencies claim the company defrauded more than 430 investors nationwide of at least $200 million since 2008. Rust is accused of tricking people into believing they were pooling their money to buy and sell silver, but the funds were allegedly used to pay other investors, according to the SEC complaint.

U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell issued a restraining order in November freezing the assets of Rust Rare Coin.

Gaylen Rust has not been charged criminally, but FBI agents have interviewed investors, according to court documents.

Zions Bank knew that investors' money being deposited in and withdrawn from Rust's account were not being used for silver trading but did nothing about it, according to the lawsuit.

"It's a pattern that really shows a Ponzi scheme, no underlying business. Investor money in, investor money out," Alan Rosca, a Cleveland, Ohio-based attorney representing investors in the lawsuit, said at a news conference Tuesday. "There was no silver exchange. There was no real business."

Zions Bank "aided and abetted" the scheme and "breached" its duty to take action once it became aware Rust diverted the funds to himself, family members and "flailing" companies, the lawsuit says.

"Rust could not have perpetrated the silver pool scam on his own. Instead, he crucially depended on the knowing participation of his bank, Zions Bank, through which Rust committed his fraud," according to the lawsuit.

Rosca said the bank might have let the activity continue because there's a lot of money to be made from a customer with an account the size of Rust's.

"That's a customer that the bank would want to keep happy," he said.

Rosca said the investors sued the bank because they have no reason to believe Rust Rare Coin has any assets and a court order in the civil case bars litigation against the company while it is in receivership.

Zions Bank Executive Vice President Rob Brough said the company doesn't generally comment on pending litigation.

"We became aware of this complaint earlier today and are in the process of reviewing the charges filed. After completing our review, we may have further comment, although our comments may be limited due to the ongoing nature of the litigation," he said in a statement.

"Subsequent to litigation filed against Mr. Rust and Rust Rare Coin in November, we have been actively reviewing all our interactions with Rust Rare Coin and have been cooperating with the receiver and authorities.

In addition to running Rust Rare Coin, Gaylen Rust founded the Legacy Music Alliance, through which he made generous donations to school music programs. Some of the alleged fraud victims  inside and outside Utah  came to invest in his silver pool through their shared membership in The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints, said Bart Goplerud, a Des Moines, Iowa, attorney who also represented investors in the lawsuit.

According to the lawsuit, Rust "lured" investors with the promise of 20 percent to 25 percent returns and claimed he had large amounts of silver stored in warehouses owned and operated by Brinks Incorporated.

"In reality, however, plaintiffs investment in the silver pool was a sham," the lawsuit says. "Rust was not buying or selling silver, nor did he have physical silver stored in a Brinks warehouse."

Investors included newlyweds, retirees, young families, wealthy people and people with disabilities who invested anywhere from a few thousand to tens of millions of dollars, Rosca said.

Goplerud said there are some "truly harrowing" stories of people losing everything.

Travis and Nicole Gregory, of Taylorsville, initially put in $4,000. When the returns were good, they borrowed to invest more and eventually "went all in," said Nicole Gregory.

The Gregorys say they trusted Rust. Travis Gregory said he gave them a silver "round" he had minted as a token of the investment, which Gregory now says was "just a tease."

"I feel cheated," he said. "I dont know how a guy could be like that."

Gregory and his wife followed what they believed was silver trading on a cellphone app.

"It was so real," Nicole Gregory said.

Travis Gregory said Rust had answers for everything. When Nicole Gregory wanted to see the vault where Rust stored the silver, she said he told her it would be too difficult to get in because of the security.

"I believed that," she said.

The Gregorys and Springer say looking back, what they thought were small red flags are now big ones. They say that if an investment looks to good to be true, it is.

"You have a lot of self-loathing when this happens," Nicole Gregory said.

Although the investors want Rust to face criminal charges, they say Zions Bank should also be held accountable.

"We're just little Davids and they're the big Goliath," Springer said. "We feel like if they had just done what they were supposed to do, then we wouldn't have been in the situation we are."

Rick Van Wagoner, a Salt Lake attorney listed as representing Gaylen Rust in the SEC case, said he has not be formally retained but is fielding inquiries about the case. He said he has not reviewed the lawsuit and had no comment.Sheikh Saad Askar shouted warnings to Christians after two Al-Azhar students noticed the possible attacker. The imam calls on Christians and Muslims to stand by each others side and take care of each other. Those who target places of worship have no religion and are neither Muslim nor Christian.

Cairo (AsiaNews)  A bomb attack against a church in east Cairo was averted thanks to the prompt action of a Muslim cleric, Imam Saad Askar (pictured) who called the police.

When the bomb squad tried to dismantle the devices, one exploded killing a bomb disposal expert.

Visiting the church afterwards, Imam Askar said: We have to stand by each others side and take care of each other. Those who target places of worship have no religion and are neither Muslim nor Christian.

The incident took place last Saturday at the end of the celebrations for Coptic Orthodox Christmas at the Church of the Virgin Mary and Abu Seifin in Ezbat al-Haganah, Nasr City, an eastern suburb of the Egyptian capital.

Two al-Azhar students told the imam about a stranger with a suitcase. Together with mosque worker Gouda Shaaban Khalifa, 63, Askar ran after him, but he fled the scene leaving behind a trolley case.

The police found three explosive devices inside. Major Mostafa Ebeid al-Azhari, from the bomb squad at the Cairo Security Directorate, defused two bombs before the third one exploded, killing him.

According to local sources, Coptic Christians who were celebrating their Christmas, were the target. Sheikh Saad Askar, the imam of the mosque opposite the church, was thus able to warn people at the church, urging them to leave.

A video posted on social media shows the sheikh warning people in the church to quickly get away. When police arrived, they set up an exclusion zone. After dismantling the bombs, they fanned out looking for other explosive devices.

Christians (mostly Orthodox Copts) are substantial minority (10 per cent) in Egypt, a Muslim majority country of almost 95 million people.

In 2016 and 2017, several violent attacks were carried out against the Christian community.

For this reason, this years Christmas celebrations were held under tight security, especially around churches and Christian-owned buildings.

For experts, such places are a weak link and easily accessible to extremists who target them because of their high international visibility.Editor's note: This is the ninth of a weekly series featuring highlights from a KSL investigative podcast series titled "Cold" that reports new information about the case of missing Utah woman Susan Powell.

TACOMA, Wash.  A pair of FBI agents warned Steven Powell that his son, Josh Powell, might murder his own children two years before the younger Powell did exactly that.

That previously undisclosed fact is coming to light for the first time in Episode 9 of the KSL podcast series Cold.

At the time, Josh Powell was the primary suspect in the Dec. 7, 2009, disappearance and presumed murder of his wife, Susan Powell.

If Josh did that, somethings broken inside there, special agent Russell Johnson told Steve Powell during a more than three-hour interview at an FBI facility in Tacoma, Washington, on Feb. 24, 2010.

You might think hed never do anything to his kids, but if somethings broken, maybe he would.

Steve Powell responded by saying he didnt believe that would happen, instead telling the FBI that it was more likely that Susan Powell would have wanted to kill her husband.

Just shy of two years later, on Feb. 5, 2012, Josh Powell killed his sons and himself by setting fire to his rented home in Graham, Washington, during a court-authorized visitation with the boys.

Steve Powell had requested the meeting with the FBI to discuss his theory that his missing daughter-in-law might have absconded to Brazil with another missing person, Steven Koecher  a St. George man who went missing days after Susan Powell disappeared. He provided the bureau with a typed statement and hand-drawn maps explaining his reasoning.

FBI interview

Johnson and another special agent, Gary France, conducted the interview. West Valley police detective Gavin Cook and Assistant Chief Craig Black observed from another room, having traveled to Washington from Utah. Steve Powell was not made aware that West Valley police were present.

Steve Powell told the special agents that hed at first doubted his sons story about taking his boys camping in the desert during a snowstorm. His views had changed in the 2  months since. Hed decided he was 75 percent convinced Susan Powell was still alive and 100 percent satisfied that Josh Powell had nothing to do with it.

If you knew Josh did something or if he told you something, would you come forward and tell us, France asked.

Im not sure I would, Steve Powell replied.

The agents thanked Powell for his honesty but warned him he could be held criminally liable if he at any point helped his son conceal or destroy evidence. They urged him not to become involved in any kind of cover-up.

If he  when he gets arrested for this, those grandkids are going to need people that they know and love around them, Johnson said.

Father-son relationship

During the interview, Steve Powell made several statements that seemed to suggest Josh Powell had not been forthcoming with his father.

Steve Powell incorrectly claimed that West Valley police had not requested additional interviews with Josh Powell or had spoken to his attorney. He told the agents that a red stain on the living room carpet in Josh and Susan Powells home might have been wine, in spite of the fact that both Josh and Susan abstained from drinking alcoholic beverages.

Steve Powell did, however, tell the agents that Josh Powell had spoken with him in detail about his two original interviews with West Valley police detective Ellis Maxwell on Dec. 7 and Dec. 8, 2009.

During the second interview, Maxwell had confronted Josh Powell with his son Charlies statement that Susan Powell had gone camping with them two nights prior.

In the back of his mind he said, Youre lying to me, Steve Powell told the agents. He said that to me later. He said, They were lying to me. I figured theyre trying to trump something up here.

Steve Powell added that one of his other sons, Michael Powell, had debriefed his brother after that police interview. Michael Powell had previously served five years in the U.S. Army doing intelligence work and was familiar with such techniques.

It was only after they started asking him questions that suggested that they were trying to get a confession out of him for something he didnt do, basically. Thats when it started occurring to us that theyre not trying to find out where Susan is, theyre trying to find out what Josh did to Susan. Two different things, Steve Powell said.

There is no way in hell we are ever going to try to put this on anybody just to solve a case, Johnson said. We want to find out what happened to Susan and we want to bring justice to what happened to Susan. That is our goal.

Subscribe for free to the new KSL podcast at thecoldpodcast.com. Engage with "Cold" on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @thecoldpodcast.SALT LAKE CITY  On the 18th day of the government shutdown, President Trump will address the nation in prime time Tuesday night, in an attempt to persuade Americans that a humanitarian and security crisis on the southern border must be addressed before the shutdown can be resolved.

There have been rumblings that Trump will use the address to declare a state of national emergency. Over the weekend, the White House proposed the idea that Trump could invoke emergency powers to build the wall without the approval of Congress.

"We can call a national emergency and build it very quickly," Trump said Friday. "But if we can do it through a negotiated process, we are giving that a shot."

A senior White House official told The Washington Post Tuesday that Trump is not in fact planning to call for a national emergency, but to focus on building a public case for the wall.

It will not be that drastically different than what the president has said so far, but its to a bigger and different audience, said the official.

Vice President Mike Pence offered a preview of Trumps anticipated remarks during appearances on morning television shows Tuesday.

What I expect the president will do tonight is explain to the American people that we have a humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border, Pence said on NBCs Today show. Hell explain the need, not just to build a wall, which hes determined to do, but also to provide our Border Patrol with additional resources, humanitarian and medical assistance, new technology.

But while Pence emphasized Tuesday that the Trump administration was committed to hammering out a solution with Congress, he did not rule out the possibility that Trump at some point would declare a national emergency and direct the military to build the wall.

Though such a move could resolve the shutdown by giving Trump a way to sign bills that do not include funding for his wall, it would be an extraordinarily aggressive move that would violate constitutional norms and likely face immediate challenges in the courts, The New York Times reported.

After some equivocation, all the major networks agreed to air Trumps broadcast from the Oval Office at 9 p.m. MT. While presidents have used Oval Office national addresses to make big announcements for decades, this is Trump's first time using the venue to address the public.

Following the news that the networks would air Trumps address, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., demanded equal television time in a joint statement.

Can Trump declare a national emergency?

The short answer is yes. The president can declare a national emergency, allowing him to enhance his executive powers by creating exceptions to the rules that normally restrict him, according to The New York Times. The purpose is to allow the government to respond quickly to a crisis situation.

"Trump can surely test whether he has the power to declare a national emergency for this purpose," said Kim Lane Scheppele, a professor at Princeton University's Center for Human Values, told USA Today. "The National Emergencies Act allows him to declare a state of emergency without approval from anyone else, but then he has to stay within congressionally delegated emergency powers after that."

The National Emergencies Act, passed in 1976 in the post-Watergate era, created increased oversight over how presidents may invoke emergency powers.

The law requires the president to cite the specific powers he is activating under existing statutes There are hundreds of "provisions of federal law delegating to the executive extraordinary authority in time of national emergency, according to the Congressional Research Service.

"Under the powers delegated by such statutes, the President may seize property, organize and control the means of production, seize commodities, assign military forces abroad, institute martial law, seize and control all transportation and communication, regulate the operation of private enterprise, restrict travel, and, in a variety of ways, control the lives of United States citizens," according to a 2007 CRS report.

But the presidents ability to declare a national emergency does not necessarily mean he could do so to free up funds for the border wall.

"So the question on the border wall is: Is there any emergency power stashed somewhere in an already-existing law that could be stretched to include the movement of funds appropriated for one purpose to be used for another?" Scheppele told USA Today.

What is an 'immigration emergency'?

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the president has the authority to declare an immigration emergency, defined as an "influx of aliens which either is of such magnitude or exhibits such other characteristics that effective administration of the immigration laws of the United States is beyond the existing capabilities" of immigration authorities "in the affected area or areas."

The law requires the attorney general or head of a local government to petition the president directly, describing the immigration emergency at hand and what is needed to solve it.

An Immigration Emergency Fund exists for this purpose. But the law only approves $20 million for the fund on an annual basis, USA Today reported. Thats far less than the $5.6 billion Trump is asking for the wall.

Another law allows the secretary of the Army to halt civil works projects during a national emergency and direct troop and other resources to help build authorized civil works, military construction and civil defense projects that are essential to the national defense, Elizabeth Goitein, co-director of the Brennan Center Liberty and National Security Program told The New York Times.

A different law permits the secretary of defense to begin military construction projects during a presidentially declared national emergency using funds Congress set aside for military building projects but that had not yet been earmarked for specific initiatives.

The fundamental principle is that no president or official may spend funds that were not appropriated for that purpose, William C. Banks of Syracuse University told The New York Times. But I think that its possible that the president could declare a national emergency and then rely on authority Congress has historically granted for exigencies to free up some funds to support constructing a barrier along the border.

Would an emergency declaration hold up in court?

If Trump uses emergency powers to build a wall, he is almost certain to invite a court battle, The New York Times reported.

In addition, if Congress wanted to terminate a declared emergency, they would require a joint resolution to do so, USA Today reported. House Democrats would need to convince Senate Republicans to join them in blocking Trumps actions.

Then they would have to get a signature from the president himself  the same person who declared the emergency to begin with  or override his veto.SALT LAKE CITY  Utah Sen. Mike Lee was still a federal prosecutor when he first heard about Weldon Angelos.

Angelos, a 23-year-old music producer and father of three young children, was arrested in Utah in 2002 for selling dime bags of marijuana to a confidential police informant while carrying a gun. He was sentenced to 55 years in prison.

Judge Paul G. Cassell wrote a blistering opinion disagreeing with the harsh sentence he was forced to impose: The court believes that to sentence Mr. Angelos to prison for the rest of his life is unjust, cruel and even irrational, it said. It is also far in excess of the sentence imposed for such serious crimes as aircraft hijacking, second-degree murder, espionage, kidnapping, aggravated assault, and rape.

But Angelos conviction came with a mandatory minimum sentence, part of a system of non-negotiable rules dictating specific prison terms for specific crimes. The judge said his hands were tied  he had no choice but to impose what amounted to a lifetime behind bars.

But then the judge said something else: Only Congress can fix this problem.

Lee, R-Utah, said those words would haunt him. He had seen severe sentences handed down before, but when a colleague told him about the Angelos case, the punishment struck him as plainly excessive, and caused a significant shift in Lees attitude toward mandatory minimum sentences.

When Lee was elected to the Senate in 2010, the words of the judge still rang clear in his mind, he told the Deseret News. He began to look for allies to help reform the criminal justice system.

When the public sees judges handing out unfair punishments, it undermines trust in the entire public system, Lee wrote in a Fox News op-ed. Incarceration is an essential law enforcement tool that protects communities and keeps families safe. But it also inflicts costs on communities and families, and at some point the negative impact of incarceration on marriage and family can become too stark to ignore.

Eight years later, in 2018, Congress passed the bipartisan First Step Act, the first major criminal justice overhaul in decades, co-authored and co-sponsored by Lee. It was signed into law by President Donald Trump on Dec. 21, 2018.

Lee recounted Angelos story hundreds of times to generate support for the cause on both sides of the aisle, he said.

And it was with Angelos in mind that he wrote the portion of the act that modified mandatory minimum sentences. The act also broadened job training and expanded early-release programs for federal prisoners.

Lee and Angelos didnt meet in person until 2016, when Angelos was unexpectedly released from prison after 13 years. Angelos used his newfound freedom to become a political activist, helping to circulate a letter signed by more than 50 celebrities, including Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, and Alyssa Milano, urging Congress to pass the legislation.

Lee and Angelos stayed in touch after their initial meeting, and Lee said hes grateful for Angelos active support of the legislation.

Im thrilled, Im ecstatic that it passed, said Lee. There were countless occasions when we had to make adjustments and compromise. Nevertheless, what we ended up with is really good.

'Tough on crime' vs. 'smart on crime'

Lee said that at first it was the Democrats who were more sympathetic to his efforts because many Republicans had relied on tough on crime platforms to get elected.

We had to help people understand that ... you cant be tough on crime without being smart in the way you fight it," said Lee.

Lee said a big part of being smart on crime is reducing recidivism  the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend. The U.S. has seen a huge growth in the size of the federal prison population to the point of overcrowding, in part because of mandatory minimum federal sentencing in cases like Angelos'. Ultimately, the vast majority of these offenders will be released, so the focus should be on making sure they dont reoffend once they get out, Lee said.

Thats where the acts provision for job training and other programs to help reduce recidivism comes in. The new act, Lee said, will help make sure prisoners stay out of jail once they are released. Giving them skills and tools to reintegrate and become productive members of society will result in a safer America, he added.

The act also relaxes mandatory minimum sentence requirements by allowing judges to hand down less prison time in certain circumstances and by easing the life-in-prison penalty of the three strikes law, which requires that felons found guilty of three serious crimes be locked up for 25 years to life.

It also expands good time credits that well-behaved inmates can put toward a shorter prison term and creates earned time credits which encourage inmates to take part in rehabilitation programs that can lead to an earlier release.

Lees argument that such reforms were smart on crime without being soft on crime was key to convincing some hesitant Republicans, including Trump, to back the act.

Lee said conservatives like himself want to protect against government overreach, and nowhere is the risk of government overreach greater than when you are talking about locking people up for years.

Lee also said the president was influenced by his son-in-law Jared Kushners dogged support of the act. Kushner's own father was sentenced to two years in prison for illegal campaign contributions and was released in 2006.

As I sat in the Oval Office across from the president, I said, You promised to make the American people safe, and this act is part of that promise,' said Lee. That seemed to resonate with him.

Rare bipartisan cooperation

The passage of the First Step Act was the result of an unlikely coalition of liberals and conservatives  including the American Civil Liberties Union, the American Conservative Union, the Koch brothers and the Center for American Progress  who pushed lawmakers to reevaluate the way the federal government administers justice.

In the Senate, every Democrat and all but 12 Republicans voted in favor of the legislation.

This act in its entirety has been endorsed by the political spectrum of America, said Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., who led the push for changes along with Lee and Sen. Charles E. Grassley, R-Iowa, to The New York Times. I cant remember any act that has this kind of support, left and right, liberal and conservative, Democrat and Republican.

Trump quickly lauded the Senate vote, saying on Twitter that the changes would keep our communities safer, and provide hope and a second chance, to those who earn it.

Lee said that the First Step Act is a powerful example that bipartisanship is alive and well in Washington.

You have people coming together around a common principle, said Lee. There are some principles in which the parties are ideologically at odds with one another. This is one case in which the parties dont have a philosophy that is diametrically opposed to the other party.

Lee said the acts overwhelmingly bipartisan support was made possible by the emotionally charged nature of the topic.

Theres something wrong with a criminal justice system that can bring about such unduly harsh consequences, said Lee. "But it took some time and education for that message to catch on."

Lee also said the support of two very different presidents  Obama and Trump  was fundamental to the acts success.

Obamas focus on criminal justice reform was revolutionary, Lee said, adding that before Obama took office, it was difficult to get the countrys leaders excited about the topic. But Obamas determination to effect change galvanized the commitment of congressional representatives and their constituents to do something about the injustices of the system.

When Trump first came into office, it wasn't clear where he would stand on the issue.

"But the president came through," Lee said. Trumps strong, vocal and courageous leadership and support on this issue really made the difference."

Criticisms

The act is not without its critics, who point out that the legislation falls short of standards set by a more comprehensive reform proposed in Congress during Obamas presidency.

Even the acts strongest supporters acknowledge it will have a relatively small impact on the size of the federal prison system, and none at all on state and county facilities.

The First Step Act is pretty limited and applies just to people in federal prison. It wont change anything for the much larger state prison and county jail populations, said Peter Wagner, executive director of Prison Policy Initiative, a think tank based in Massachusetts.

Eighty-seven percent of prison inmates are held in state facilities, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. That doesnt account for local jails, where hundreds of thousands of people are held on a typical day.

To put that in perspective, if Trump pardoned every single person in federal prison right now, it would push down Americas overall incarcerated population only from about 2.1 million to about 1.9 million.

Lee said that while it's true that the First Step Act only impacts the federal prison system, that's because the federal government has no legal power to alter incarceration policy at the state level.

However, Lee said he does hope that changing federal policy will inspire similar reform at the state level. As its name suggests, the act is a critical first step toward reducing prison overcrowding and keeping America safer, he said.

Its the biggest criminal justice effort that weve seen in decades, said Lee. Im honored to have been a part of it.Provo Police Chief Rich Ferguson told reporters Sunday he is furious.

He has every reason to be.

Indeed, that is a feeling no doubt shared by many law-abiding Utahns after the senseless killing Saturday of police officer Joseph Shinners, a young father who, according to those who knew him best, was someone who entered policing for the right reasons and who had a gift for combining the attributes of toughness and compassion.

Ferguson said Shinners was an example of the nobility of policing. That is an apt description of the profession that is charged with protecting democracy by enforcing the laws enacted by elected officials and guarding the safety of the public, which relies on sworn officers to keep the peace and maintain order.

Furious, indeed. No one has a right to rob the community of someone performing such a duty. No petty desire to escape punishment for a crime; no grievance or grudge can equal the cost.

Shinners, only 29 years old, leaves behind a wife and a 1-year-old son who now will grow up only hearing stories of his hero father. The fallout from such crimes cannot be isolated. It spreads and permeates with the pangs of grief and life-altering loss.

Officer Shinners represents every one of us. He represents every one of us who enjoy peace, who enjoy freedom. Today a little bit of that freedom has been eroded away.  Gary Giles, Orem Police Chief

The only positive outcome would be a resolve by the public to feel a renewed sense of gratitude to police officers who risk their lives each day, struggling with the knowledge that their work sometimes requires split-second life-or-death judgments, and that some criminals view them as targets.

Utah has seen too many of this noble profession die lately. Shinners was the second such death since late November, when South Salt Lake police officer David Romrell died after being hit by a car driven by a burglary suspect, who subsequently was killed by other officers.

Each such tragedy is an affront to all who live in the state. Or, as Orem Police Chief Gary Giles so eloquently put it on Sunday:

"Officer Shinners represents every one of us. He represents every one of us who enjoy peace, who enjoy freedom. Today a little bit of that freedom has been eroded away."

Not long ago, a portion of the national mood was focused on police abuses, usually associated with racism. In many of the cases receiving national attention, anger was justified, and badly needed reforms were exposed. But those problems reside far from the deaths of Shinners and Romrell, and in no instance should they justify violence against any officer.

According to the National Law Enforcers Memorial Fund, 144 officers died in the line of duty nationwide in 2018, a 12 percent increase over the 129 who died in 2017. Fourteen of those deaths happened while an officer was trying to make an arrest.

That appears to have been the case with Shinners, as well.

As of the end of last year, 21,541 names were inscribed on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, representing officers killed in the line of duty since 1791. Now, sadly, another name will be added from Utah.

Fury and anger are natural feelings. But they must be tempered with gratitude and a desire to honor Shinners and all fallen officers through gratitude and respect.

Correction: A previous version incorrectly stated fallen Utah officer David Romrell worked for Salt Lake City. He was a part of the South Salt Lake Police Department.SALT LAKE CITY  Ballet buns and tights will plie and jete their way up to the campus of the University of Utah this weekend as hundreds of young ballet dancers compete for scholarships at the semifinals of the Youth America Grand Prix.

We strive for excellence, said Larissa Saveliev, founder of Youth America Grand Prix.

Over the past 20 years, Youth America Grand Prix  the world's largest network of dance  has provided scholarship auditions and performance and education opportunities and has connected students, teachers, schools, dance companies, dancers and audiences, according to yagp.org.

As the daughter of two college professors, it's not a big surprise that Saveliev discovered in herself a passion for teaching young people. By combining her love of ballet and her affection for students, she eventually created the Youth America Grand Prix in 1999. This year marks the competitions' 20th anniversary season.

It is a place where bunheads get together, said Saveliev, who lives in New York, referencing the term of endearment associated with ballerinas.

Hundreds of young bunheads, ages 9-19, from the Salt Lake area will audition for the Youth America Grand Prix in Salt Lake City, with 21 other North American cities also hosting semifinals. Finalists will travel to New York City in April to compete for scholarships to top schools and companies around the world.

Saveliev danced with the world-renowned Bolshoi Ballet for about six years before defecting to the United States in 1995. Her intense training in Moscow with one of the oldest and most famous dance companies in the world taught her the importance of striving for excellence.

Called the "Simon Cowell" of this ballet competition, Saveliev has seen her competition award young dancers more than $250,000 annually in scholarships, according to a news release. Youth America Grand Prix alumni have gone on to join American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, New York City Ballet and many other prestigious schools and companies.

Ballet West is one of those companies with Youth America Grand Prix alumni. Beckanne Sisk, principal dancer with Ballet West since 2015, competed in the program and was a New York City finalist from 2006-2010 according to balletwest.org. And Adam Sklute, artistic director of Ballet West since 2007, has been active with Youth America Grand Prix since 2010, according to yagp.org.

The friendly relationship with Ballet West and Utahs talented dancers has been important as Youth America Grand Prix semifinals have been held in Salt Lake City for the past few years.

Salt Lake City is very cultural, its very educated, its very clean and people love art, Saveliev said, adding that she thinks Ballet West is a fantastic company.

Between seven and 10 judges will be at the Salt Lake City competition. And while some young dancers may not yet be technically strong, Saveliev said judges will look for physique, coordination, musicality and potential.

Savelieve hopes that young talent can be discovered, cultivated and inspired at the semifinals in Utah.

I think the path to try to keep youngsters involved with the arts is very important, Saveliev said. Maybe some younger dancers will be inspired  and theyll become actively involved in this beautiful art form.

If you go 

What: Youth America Grand Prix 2019 Regional Semi-Finals

When: Jan. 11, noon-9:30 p.m.; Jan. 12, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m; awards ceremony, 8:30-9:30 p.m.

Where: The Hayes Christensen Centre, 330 S. 1500 East, University of Utah; awards ceremony at Kingsbury Hall, 1395 E. Presidents Circle

How much: $10 for general, free for youths ages 21 and younger; tickets are available at the door and are good for the entire weekend

Web: yagp.orgEditors note: The following is a transcript of the episode. It's been edited for clarity.

Boyd Matheson: The state of integrity is never static. It's as susceptible to corruption and degradation as it is amenable to improvement or fortification. We're in unique times, challenging times, but with an age-old fight for essential principles. With the current backslide of public trust, we get a glimpse of what we stand to lose in our homes and our communities. The hard-fought for values of trust and integrity form the bulwark of strength for the nation, but that foundation will crack and crumble through apathy, arrogance and neglect. The issue of trust transcends today's headlines, the principle of integrity surpasses current politics and politicians. Beyond the government or the media, this is a We the People problem that requires We the People responses. The Deseret News will convene, in Washington, D.C., "Integrity and Trust: Lessons from Watergate and Today." We will be joined by legendary reporter Bob Woodward on this week's edition of Therefore What?

We are very excited to have Bob Woodward join us today for Therefore What? Bob, thanks for coming on the program. We are really looking forward to the event in Washington, D.C. next week at the Newseum, where we will talk about "Integrity and Trust: Lessons from Watergate to Today." And so I want to spend just a little bit of time doing just a quick backdrop in terms of the Watergate scandal, the lessons that you learned from that. Could you have imagined when you and your partner began that whole journey, where that would possibly lead you, not just in that era, but for the next 40 years?

Bob Woodward: No way. Of course, it was a piece at that time. What's interesting, in the context of what you're talking about today is, all the Watergate investigations, and of course, in the case of Richard Nixon, thousands of hours of his tapes, showed that Watergate was much larger than a burglary into the Democratic headquarters. It was a series of wars that Nixon launched a couple of years before the Watergate burglary, actually. And the focus initially was to expand wiretapping and break-ins at the people who were leading the anti-Vietnam War movement. And there was a document, top secret, signed by Nixon called the Houston plan. It was rescinded because J. Edgar Hoover objected. He felt the FBI, their job was wiretapping and breaking and entering. Then Nixon launched a war against the news media, 17 wiretaps on reporters and White House officials, the plumbers unit which went around and broke in to the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg, who had leaked the Pentagon Papers, then the war against the Democrats, then the war against the system of justice, the Watergate cover-up and then Nixon spent 20 years after he resigned in a war against history trying to say, Oh, actually, it didn't happen that way, when, of course, the tapes documented that it did.

BM: So this was a long-running war, and obviously integrity and truth and trust were really at the core of that. As you began to kind of put some of those pieces together, what were some of the things that were surprising to you early on? What were the moments when you thought, Oh my gosh, this is way more than a simple new story we're doing?

BW: That's a great question. First was the amount of money involved, that it was hundreds of thousands of dollars, and you just knew from the way any organization works, or the Nixon re-election committee, or the Nixon White House, that if they're spending hundreds of thousands of dollars, that means there was higher level approval. So the follow the money directive was very important in this. And then you saw a strategy that Nixon launched to make the conduct of the news media the issue, rather than his own conduct.

BM: And I wanted to drill down on that. So let's sidetrack from the Watergate lesson to today's lesson, because obviously, you've covered every administration since Nixon, and a little before, and you've seen how that battle against the media plays out when a White House is going against that. Last year the escalation of the battle between the current White House and the news media really got to the point where the news media had to punch back a little bit. Over 300 newspapers across the country weighed in with editorials on that. We chose to do something slightly different here at the Deseret News, because we felt there were some, in the national press in particular, who were making themselves the story or the center of it. Obviously, the President was doing his portion. So for our editorial we simply ran the First Amendment with our most compelling one-word editorial that just said, ditto.

So give me your perspective, Bob. Where are we? Are we always going to have these battles between the press and the presidency? Where do we stand on that today?

BW: Well, there's going to be tension. But of course, President Trump has adopted the Nixon strategy with attacking the news media as fake news, enemy of the people. And it's worked to a certain extent and I think it's worked in part because many people in the news media have become emotionally unhinged about Trump, and particularly go on TV and show their hand that they are not just reporters, neutral fact gatherers, but have become advocates and I, in my book "Fear: Trump in the White House," tried to focus on scenes and actions where things happened that show the governing crisis we have now and that there's no advocacy. I was in Maryland last night doing a talk and being interviewed in Frederick, Maryland, in an old theater. 1,100 people there, and the discussion really was very much about the news media needs to stick to that and not become part of what's called the resistance. It's not our job and so the tension is exacerbated by Trump and, look, let's face it, sometimes the media I think we make mistakes. I know we make mistakes. I've made mistakes and you just need to own up to it and not get defensive. My overall conclusion is the news media, though sometimes we get too emotional or do make mistakes, most of the work is done in good faith

BM: One of the things I know you've mentioned from your Watergate episodes is this idea of restraint and that restraint always works. What really drilled that into you during Watergate and then how do you think that needs to be applied today?

BW: Well in Watergate we had the great editor Ben Bradlee who would always say, like the night Nixon resigned, he ran around the newsroom and said, Don't gloat, just play it straight. And I think that's really good advice always. And too, you need strong editors. The scenes in our book, "All the President's Men," and the movie version where we would write a story and it was Bradlee who would slap the copy and say, No, you don't have it yet, go talk to more people, get more sources, get more specifics, the building blocks of good journalism. And so there was no political posturing on his part and I think that's essential to any good journalism.

BM: So as you look at that, Bob, you know, integrity obviously is not party specific. You can just look at anything happening on any day of the week and there's something going on, whether it's a Democrat or Republican or a business person or a media mogul. And so it's not party specific for sure. But from a journalism standpoint, how do you balance  some of the politicians are saying, well, the ends justify the means; some reporters are saying, well, the ends justify the means. How do you balance that?

BW: Well, I think the ends don't justify the means. And we need to really, really be careful about that. And you've just got to be cool. I have the luxury of time working on books. So I can work for a year or two on one, don't have to rush to print, can try to get specifics, documents and meeting notes. And it's the authenticity. People can look at that. I've found Trump supporters who've looked at my book on Trump and they don't like it, but they realize that it's done, in fact, the moderator last night in Frederick, Maryland, was saying he'd read the book and he thought it's very fair. It let's Trump have his say. You see where he asks very good questions in a number of meetings, and so forth. So that's part of the story and we're not prosecutors, we are journalists.

BM: And don't you think, too, that we live in this age of  I think one thing that battles the truth is instant certainty. You know, we have to have that instant hit or you've got to be the first to the story or the first talking head to declare this or that. Is that an enemy of truth?

BW: Yes, that's a great term, instant certainty. And what happens, particularly on cable TV, both sides, left, right, with Fox News, people are so, This is the way it is, there's no alternative. There's not another side. And the point I was making about my book on Trump is very tough. And I think it establishes there's this, as I call it, the governing crisis. But at the same time, it's not saying, Oh, this means only one side. What it says is it's a story. And, you know, we learn, and this is the great teaching, I think that comes from trying to understand human nature.

In the end, of course, no one, certainly myself, understands human nature. But everyone is a mixed bag. They may have positive traits, negative traits, and even the great leaders in the American presidency. Look at Abraham Lincoln or Franklin Roosevelt and there were negative traits also. And things that they did that maybe reached too far. So in journalism, you need to absorb that understanding of human nature and apply it in a way that is  go back to that word cool. You've got to be emotionally detached from what you're trying to explain and understand.

BM: I think one of the things that you proved out during the Watergate, not only during the Watergate area, but in your work since then. It's an old quote that's attributed to Buddha. I'm not sure we can confirm that or not. But it says "three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth." And so two-part question for you on this one, Bob. One, how have you seen that play out? How did that play out in Watergate? And in particular, how did it play out in terms of your relationship or your perception of then Vice President Gerald Ford?

BW: Well, first of all, I don't know about the sun and the moon. The truth, as Ben Bradlee said, the truth emerges. But it takes time. It is the enemy of your notion of instant certainty. You need to dig and listen and revisit and adopt this stance of, as I say, you need to be a little dispassionate, you need to show some forbearance, but also you need to be as aggressive as possible. So it takes time and that's the patience. You need the boss to be patient.

BM: OK. And as it relates to Gerald Ford, how did that emerge for you?

BW:Well first, when Ford announced he was pardoning Nixon 30 days after Ford became president, my immediate reaction was, this is corrupt. It had the aroma of the deal. I, 25 years later, did a book called "Shadow," about the legacy of Watergate and the presidencies of Ford through Clinton, and discovered in the documentation and extensive interviews with Ford that there really was no deal and that Ford took the high road, trying to do what was in the national interest, and that was to get Nixon off the front page. Everyone was consumed, what's going to happen to Nixon? As a private citizen in September 1974, 30 days after he resigned, and it was continuous. And Ford said to me, in a very plaintive voice, I needed my own presidency. So he acted on the pardon, in what he deemed to be the national interest. And I think he had a strong case, I think he acted in the national interest and it was not a corrupt deal.

BM: Do you think we have many in Washington today who are asking that question? What is in the best interest of the country?

BW: Well, that's the question, isn't it. No, and we've set up a political system that's become increasingly polarized, obviously, and everyone's looking at their own personal interest, or the interest of their party or their interest group. There is such a thing as the national interest. You and I could sit down with a whiteboard  what are the things that we really need to accomplish, the whole nation? Or at least what will be what I call the getting to the what is the greater good for a majority of people in the country and not be interest group or party-driven.

BM: Absolutely. Well, I want to shift now, we're going to have this event that the Deseret News is hosting at the Newseum on Jan. 14, and I'm really looking forward to not only have you on the stage for a Watergate perspective, and a perspective on integrity and trust, but you're going to be joined by Elder D. Todd Christofferson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he obviously has a very interesting connection to Watergate in that he was the young law clerk to Judge John Sirica, one of the first to hear the Watergate tapes. Tell me, what is interesting to you, what are you looking forward to in terms of your interaction with Elder Christofferson?

BW: Well, the whole role of Judge Sirica in this was incredibly significant and he was very tough when he sentenced the Watergate burglars and others at the middle level who were involved in this. He was the one who said no, Nixon had to turn over the tapes and that eventually went to the Supreme Court and he was vindicated. So I want to ask Todd about what was it like? I've heard stories of the first moment Judge Sirica heard some of these tapes and what his reaction was, and his reaction was, as I understand it, he was appalled that the President of the United States was ordering all kinds of illegal activity. And he said, we can't have this and so there was a trial subpoena for the tapes and Sirica said it had to go forward and was vindicated in the Supreme Court. And finally, it was just two weeks after the Supreme Court ruled in Judge Sirica's favor that Nixon resigned.

BM: I know that Elder Christofferson was often the spokesperson for Judge Sirica in that whole process. Were there any moments you remember crossing paths or any of those moments jump out?

BW: Not with him, but with Judge Sirica, I was at a meeting in the whole Watergate process. And Judge Sirica said to me that he, of course, presided at the first Watergate trial where the prosecutor said it was the five burglars and their two operation directors, Gordon Liddy and Howard Hunt, who did all this on their own. And Gordon Liddy was the mastermind. Carl Bernstein and I had written in the Post before this trial, higher-ups were involved, we're proving the money and so forth, including the former Attorney General, people in the White House, people in the Nixon campaign. And Sirica said to me, it was very important, he saw the total contradiction of what was appearing in this courtroom with what we were writing in the Washington Post. And so he started questioning people as judge in the case. And eventually one of the burglars, the lead burglar James McCord, wrote his famous letter to judge Sirica saying there was cover-up, higher-ups were indeed involved. And so the pressure that he applied was critical to getting to the truth here.

BM: And I remember there was the scene where Fred Thompson was questioning, during the Watergate hearings, and it was an open hearing. And he asked Andrew Butterfield if there were any recordings. And then when he said yes, it was sort of this stunned moment. I was curious, were you there that day? Or if not, when you heard that? What what kind of chaos did that bombshell cause in your newsroom?

BW: OK, well, it was Alexander Butterfield who was one of Nixon's top aides, and the Friday before that public testimony two people had told me that Butterfield had come in for a confidential interview and disclosed this taping system. And I was stunned and finally called Ben Bradlee at home on Saturday night and said, Nixon taped himself. And Bradlee was stunned also. But I said, What do you think? And should we try to do a story, should we pursue it? And Ben, in his style said, Well, I wouldn't bust one on it. And I said, Well, what do you think overall? I said, I think it's just a B-plus. And so I took the next day, Sunday, off and when there was that testimony, which was on live national television, it just, it was an explosion, talk about a bombshell. And Bradlee came by my desk and knocked it and said, OK, it's more than a B-plus.

BM: Definitely more than a B-plus on that one. Well, as we come down the homestretch here, Bob, I want to have you just weigh in a little bit in terms of the lessons for today from Watergate. We call this show Therefore, What? for a reason, because we always like to end with a focus on Therefore, What? Those who've been listening for the last 20 minutes or so, what do you hope they come away with? How do you hope they think different? How do you hope they act differently?

BW: Well, you know, that's not my job. As a journalist, it's to try to find out what happened and present it in articles or in books, and in the most authoritative way. And I have a kind of undying optimism and belief in the political system we have in this country. And it's the job of the politicians, particularly, to sort through what the facts are and decide what to do. And that's in the hands of the politicians. I think it's, in the end, in the hands of citizens to make their own judgment, and they should, but I can't step back. We were talking about the Ford pardon of Nixon in '74, I was sure it was corrupt. Twenty-five years later, I investigated in detail what happened and it turns out not to be corrupt, it turns out to be that Ford was operating in what he deemed to be the national interest. So that gives you pause as a journalist, and so you know, it's in other people's court, in my view, and I think too many people in my business, even opinion writers, are saying this and that, and it means the following and that's fine. But for me, I stand on the sidelines and try to find out as much of the truth and what the facts are as possible.

BM: Fantastic, Bob, we appreciate you joining us today. We're looking forward to a great conversation, "Integrity and Trust: Lessons from Watergate to Today," featuring Bob Woodward and Elder D. Todd Christofferson. Thanks so much for joining us today. Bob, we look forward to seeing you on Monday.

BW: Thank you.

BM: Remember, after the story is told, after the principle is presented, after the discussion and debate have been had, the question for all of us is Therefore, What? Don't miss an episode, subscribe to this podcast on Apple podcast or wherever you're listening today and be sure to rate this episode and leave us a review. Follow us on DeseretNews.com/Tw and subscribe to our newsletter. This is Boyd Matheson, opinion editor for the Deseret News, thanks for engaging with us on Therefore What?

Find and subscribe to this and other podcasts from the Deseret News at DeseretNews.com/Podcasts. Or find us on iTunes, Google Play or wherever you listen to podcasts."THE LION IN WINTER," through Jan. 19, Pioneer Theatre Company, 300 S. 1400 East (801-581-6961 or pioneertheatre.org); running time: 2 hours, 30 minutes (one intermission)

SALT LAKE CITY  Ah, there's nothing quite like family at the holidays. And if that family is the royal Plantagenet clan of 1183, such as chewed the scenery at the Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre Friday night, that is probably a good thing.

Playwright James Goldman's 1966 historical drama "The Lion in Winter," running through Jan. 19 and directed by Wes Grantom, isn't short on turncoat schemers and wily manipulators, and Pioneer Theatre Company's handsome production does justice to the whole power-hungry, fictionalized group.

Even for nonhistory buffs, some of the play's characters might be familiar: Richard the Lionheart, King John (the "phony king of England" in Disney's animated "Robin Hood") and Eleanor of Aquitaine, England's most famous gothic queen. They are three of the play's cast of seven who make and break alliances with astonishing speed over the course of this two-hour-plus production.

The play opens on Christmas Eve with England's Henry II, played with a deep humanity and gorgeous swagger by Esau Pritchett, explaining to his lovely young mistress Alais (Maryam Abdi) why he has invited his family over for Christmas  including his wife Eleanor (Celeste Ciulla), who he imprisoned for the last 10 years after she made an attempt on his life. Henry wants the group together when he reveals which of his three sons will be his successor.

Richard, the eldest and most thuggish son, played with a bloodthirsty intensity by William Connell, is Eleanor's choice for king, but Henry has his eye on their youngest son, played with a wonderful daftness by Austin Reed Alleman. It's not hard to see why his brothers hate him and use him, nor why his father favors him, such is Alleman's ability to be both weak and endearing. And then there's poor Geoffrey, the oft-forgotten middle son. Damian Jermaine Thompson's Geoffrey is fiercely intelligent but furious at his impotent role in the family. The three brothers are best described by their mother as a "greedy little trinity."

France's King Philip (Grayson DeJesus) and his sister Alais round out the Christmas party, and although they are not immediate family, the two of them have a vested interest in the outcome of Henry's decision  especially Alais who, raised by Eleanor and in love with Henry, is betrothed Richard. With her sweet bearing, Alais functions as the Shakespearean fool of the play, seeing troubles others do not but largely powerless to do anything about them.

Lording over the group are Henry and Eleanor, or rather Pritchett and Ciulla, who strut, shout and never seem to say a sincere thing throughout the play. Ciulla playing Eleanor  a role made famous by Katharine Hepburn's Oscar-winning turn in 1968  leaned into the role's theatricality, making her queen a woman always performing, tossing off quips with a studied air and never quite revealing the real woman inside the royal robes. The historical Eleanor was a woman to contend with  twice a queen, fabulously wealthy, leader of a crusade and multiple armies  and Ciulla made her most real when contemplating her life as a prisoner. For a woman with such an independent spirit, being locked up seemed to be Eleanor's most devastating hell and Ciulla well conveyed her fury.

But the man who imprisoned her didn't seem all that fussed by her banishment. Pritchett's Henry was every inch the king  tall and broad, he wore his golden crown and fur-lined robes like he was born in them. He was understanding, clever, inclined to double cross for any purpose that suited him and surprisingly gentle and tender  especially in his scenes with Abdi's Alais. But he was most interesting when sparring with Ciullla's Eleanor. Like flint and steel, they were easy to spark, quick to burn.

Speaking of Henry's fur robe, Phillip R. Lowe's costumes were sumptuous, all furs and jeweled-colored velvets fit for royal bodies. Likewise, Jason Simms' stage design  four gothic arches ingeniously lit from above and below by Driscoll Otto  provided a cozy backdrop to the drama onstage.

There were times when this production felt a little one-note  there really was a lot of familial unpleasantness  but the strong cast and the play's clever writing caused this historical drama to feel, if perhaps not familiar, then at least contemporary. It was the sort of family affair that made the phrase "I'll be home for Christmas" not a promise, but a threat.

Content advisory: "The Lion in Winter" contains plenty of anger and double crossings, as well as a little bawdy talk, but would likely be rated PG, according to Pioneer Theatre Company_._"Too many things" are politicized in Hong Kong, the prelate explains. The exclusion of auxiliary Msgr. He "suggests" that he is among the candidates for office. Thanks to the choice of Msgr. Tong the diocese will continue its work.

Hong Kong (AsiaNews) - The defiant Card. Joseph Zen, who has often criticized the Vatican for its overly servile policy towards China, has defended the Holy See in its choice in naming Card. John Tong as apostolic administrator of the diocese after the death of Msgr. Michael Yeung.

Many Catholics and many people of the territory have accused the Vatican of once again making a "pro-Beijing" choice by designating Card. Tong, in place of auxiliary bishop Joseph Ha, known for his pro-democracy sympathies and religious freedom in China.

Card. Tong is known to be a supporter of the Sino-Vatican agreement and his appointment as apostolic administrator of the diocese has been criticized by young Catholics, politicians, intellectuals and teachers. For many, the appointment of Card. Tong is "a way for the Vatican to take time" and to ensure that in this period of transition "there will be no difficulties in relations with Beijing".

AsiaNews sources in Hong Kong have explained instead that the choice of the Vatican - although not usual - has merit because it allows the diocese to continue to work at full speed, pending the appointment of the new bishop.

Moreover, a "neutral" apostolic administrator, someone who is not among the possible candidates to the ordinary episcopate of Hong Kong, is needed because he is the one who must announce the new bishop. From this point of view, excluding Msgr. Ha from this position assumes that he is among the candidates for the future office.

Also yesterday Card. Zen defended the choice of the Vatican, publishing a statement in which he explains that the Pope has the power to choose who he wants as apostolic administrator. He also stressed that the choice of Card. Tong, who left the post of bishop of the diocese a little more than a year ago, will allow the Church in Hong Kong to immediately have a competent person. Furthermore, if Msgr. Ha were chosen  whom Card. Zen believes could possibly become ordinary - it risked putting him in a situation of embarrassment when announcing the new bishop.

All things considered, the Cardinal concludes, too many things in Hong Kong "are politicized".Greg Masi, a member of the Philadelphia Second-Alarmers Association, presents Luke LeTourneau, center, with a photograph Masi took of Matthew LeTourneau while he was a member of Engine 57 with the Philadelphia Fire Department.Chris Freind is an independent columnist and commentator whose column appears every Wednesday. He can be reached at CF@FFZMedia.comA request has been sent to the Australian government to accept Rahaf Mohammed Al-Qunun and grant her asylum. Canberra is evaluating the application; no comment from the Riyadh authorities. The importance of online mobilization for her case. Saudi official: better to withdraw her phone rather than her passport.

Bangkok (AsiaNews / Agencies) - UN experts have granted refugee status to Saudi 18-year-old Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, who has been blocked in Thailand in an attempt to flee to Australia in search of "freedom and rights". The UN has sent a request to the Canberra government to give the go-ahead for her to enter its territory and to guarantee political asylum to the young woman.

The Australian Interior Ministry reports that the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has sent the file of "Rahaf Mohammed Al-Qunun to Australia" for a possible "granting of asylum", as a beneficiary "of the status of refugee". Now it is up to Canberra to assess the situation and a possible relocation to the country.

The Australian government has confirmed that "it will evaluate the request under the usual rules" and "there will be no further comments" on the matter, even if the granting of asylum is quite probable. The Saudi front remains tight lipped with no official statements or comments since the beginning of the dispute.

Yesterday, the young womans father, together with her brother, arrived in Thailand; however, Rahaf refused to meet them. In Saudi Arabia the crime of apostasy is punishable by the death penalty and the girl has repeatedly stated that, in case of repatriation, she would be killed.

The United Nations decision and the now likely final landing place in Australia represent a victory for the 18 year old Saudi, who is still in Bangkok where she has been stuck for days waiting to embark for Australia. At first the Thai authorities tried to prevent her from leaving, to send her back to her country of origin.

In recent days, the story has taken on international significance, thanks also to the constant update on the girl's twitter profile, managed by a compatriot and feminist. In one of the many videos released on social networks, a Saudi official complains to the Thai authorities, guilty of not having confiscated the 18-year-old's cell phone. "When she arrived, she opened a new (Twitter) account and her followers grew to 45,000 in one day," he said in Arabic. "It would have been better if they had confiscated her mobile instead of her passport."Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 10)  After 21 hours, the Traslacion or the commemoration of the transfer of the image of the Black Nazarene from Intramuros to Quiapo Church in Manila ended Thursday.

The image of the Black Nazarene returned home to the Quiapo Church a little past 2 a.m. The procession began shortly after 5 a.m. Wednesday, with a large crowd of devotees seeing it off as it weaved through various streets in its nearly six kilometer journey around Manila.

The route varied a bit as the procession skipped two streets, according to Metro Manila Police Chief Guillermo Eleazar.

The image was welcomed inside the Quiapo Church by devotees who waved white towels and cloths to show their fervor.

This year's Traslacion was completed an hour less than in 2018 and 2017.

The annual procession is a tradition that has been observed for over two centuries and is a reenactment of the transfer of the image of the Black Nazarene from Intramuros to the Quiapo Church  also known as the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene.

Eleazar said a total of 4 million people took part in the Black Nazarene festivities leading up to the Traslacion  among them the thanksgiving mass and Pahalik. Of this number, 2.5 million people directly took part in the procession.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Red Cross said as of 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, they helped 1,295 patients during the Traslacion.

At the Fiesta Mass held at midnight Wednesday, Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle said, "Pagmamahal na wagas, katapatan na naglilingkod, at pakikipagkaiisa kay Hesus, yan ang deboto ng Poong Hesus Nazareno."

[Translation: True love, honest service, and unity with Jesus, that is what makes a true devotee to the Nazarene.]Officers injured in pursuit, crash on I-95 in Tinicum; suspect still on loose18-year-old Saudi woman Rahaf Mohammed al-Qanun (2nd L) being escorted by a Thai immigration officer (R) and UNHCR officials at Suvarnabhumi international airport in Bangkok. (Photo: AFP)

Sydney: The United Nations has found that a teenage woman who fled Saudi Arabia is a legitimate refugee and has asked Australia to take her in, officials in Canberra said Wednesday.

The UNHCR has referred Rahaf Mohammed Al-Qunun to Australia for consideration for refugee resettlement, the Department of Home Affairs confirmed in a statement.

The decision marks a significant victory for the 18-year-old, who is currently in Bangkok where she says Thai authorities attempted to block her from travelling to Australia to claim asylum.

The home affairs department said it will consider this referral in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals.

Australian officials have strongly hinted that Qununs request will be accepted.

If she is found to be a refugee, then we will give very, very, very serious consideration to a humanitarian visa, health minister Greg Hunt had said before the UN determination was public.

Qunun has documented her bid to flee her allegedly abusive family with minute-by-minute social media updates.

Her plight shot to public attention when she barricaded herself in a Bangkok airport hotel room to avoid deportation and shared dozens of fearful but defiant messages online insisting on her right to asylum.

Video footage posted on Twitter by a Saudi human rights activist appeared to show a Saudi official complaining that Thai authorities should have confiscated Qununs smartphone.

When she arrived, she opened a new (Twitter) account and her followers grew to 45,000 in one day, he said in Arabic.

It would have been better if they had confiscated her mobile instead of her passport.

AFP was unable to contact Saudi authorities for comment on the footage.

Saudi Arabia has some of the worlds toughest restrictions on women, including a guardianship system that allows male family members to make decisions on behalf of female relatives.US President Donald Trump on Tuesday repeated his demand for USD 5.7 billion in funding for a wall on the border with Mexico, but stopped short of calling for a much-touted state of emergency. (Photo: File)

Washington: The situation along the US border with Mexico is a "growing crisis," President Donald Trump said Tuesday, stressing that uncontrolled illegal immigration is hurting millions of Americans.

"There is a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border," the president said in a rare live Oval Office address to the nation, adding that every day US Customs and Border Patrol agents "encounter thousands of illegal immigrants trying to enter our country."

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday repeated his demand for USD 5.7 billion in funding for a wall on the border with Mexico, but stopped short of calling for a much-touted state of emergency.

"As part of an overall approach to border security, law enforcement professionals have requested USD 5.7 billion for a physical barrier," Trump said in a rare address to the nation from the Oval Office.

Trump had spent days mulling declaring a state of emergency along the border that would have given him powers to bypass Congress, which has so far refused to fund the wall project, and draw funds from the military to build the border barrier.

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi responded to Trump saying that the US President must stop holding the country "hostage" over the government shutdown.Whether by generating alerts about drowsiness, unfastened seat belts or wallets left in the backseat, the emerging technology aims not only to cut back on distracted driving and other undesirable behavior, but eventually help automakers and ride-hailing companies make money from data generated inside the vehicle.

As vehicles get smarter, your car will be keeping eyes on you. This week at CES, the international consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, a host of startup companies will demonstrate to global automakers how the sensor technology that watches and analyzes drivers, passengers and objects in cars will mean enhanced safety in the short-term, and revenue opportunities in the future.

Whether by generating alerts about drowsiness, unfastened seat belts or wallets left in the backseat, the emerging technology aims not only to cut back on distracted driving and other undesirable behavior, but eventually help automakers and ride-hailing companies make money from data generated inside the vehicle.

In-car sensor technology is deemed critical to the full deployment of self-driving cars, which analysts say is still likely years away in the United States. Right now, self-driving cars are still mainly at the testing stage.

The more sophisticated in-car monitoring also could respond to concerns that technology that automates some  but not all  driving tasks could lead motorists to stop paying attention and not be ready to retake control should the situation demand it.

When self-driving cars gain broad acceptance, the monitoring cameras and the artificial-intelligence software behind them will likely be used to help create a more customized ride for the passengers. Right now, however, such cameras are being used mainly to enhance safety, not unlike a helpful backseat driver.

Interior-facing cameras inside the car are still a novelty, currently found only in the 2018 Cadillac CT6. Audi and Tesla Inc have developed systems but they are not currently activated. Mazda, Subaru and electric vehicle start-up Byton are introducing cars for 2019 whose cameras measure driver inattention. Startup Nautos camera and AI-based tech is used by commercial fleets.

Data from the cameras is analyzed with image recognition software to determine whether a driver is looking at his cellphone or the dashboard, turned away, or getting sleepy, to cite a few examples.

Companies such as Israels Guardian Optical Technologies and eyeSight Technologies, Silicon Valleys Eyeris Technologies Inc, Swedens Smart Eye AB SEYE.ST, Australias Seeing Machines Ltd, and Vayyar Imaging Ltd, another Israeli company using radar instead of vision, are crowding the space. Many have already signed undisclosed deals for production year 2020 and beyond.

It is not yet clear how consumers in the age of Facebook Inc and virtual assistants like Amazon.com Incs Alexa will react to the potentially disconcerting idea of being watched - then warned - inside a vehicle, especially as cars become living rooms with the advent of self-driving.

Theres no doubt this is a hot area, said Modar Alaoui, founder and CEO of Eyeris, in a recent interview. His company combines five 2D cameras with AI technology for in-vehicle scene understanding, including car occupants height, weight, gender and posture.

Alaoui believes once automakers see the benefits of a camera tracking the driver, they will opt for more.

Automakers are paying attention for multiple reasons. As Guardian Optical CEO Gil Dotan said, What automakers want is what either sells cars, or what regulators tell them to do.

Regulators like the technology at its most basic. Eye tracking can determine if a driver is not paying attention, or worse, is asleep. That will become essential as cars become more autonomous, for Level 3 autonomy where the car handles most driving but returns control to the driver in trickier situations.

European car safety rating program Euro NCAP has proposed that cars with driver monitoring for 2020 should earn higher ratings. In the wake of a 2016 fatal Tesla crash, the US National Transportation Safety Board recommended automakers develop means to better track driver engagement.

But automakers are more excited by the revenue possibilities when vehicle-generated data creates a more customized experience for riders, generating higher premiums, and lucrative tie-ins with third parties, such as retailers.

The reason (the camera) is going to sweep across the cabin is not because of distraction ... but because of all the side benefits, said Mike Ramsey, Gartners automotive research director. I promise you that companies that are trying to monetize data from the connected car are investigating ways to use eye-tracking technology.

DATA BRINGS TIE-INS

Potential uses go way beyond mere tracking of a drivers gaze. The future of the technology rests in deciphering what a vehicle occupant wants, then fusing that with other technologies in order to create a more personalized ride.

The more you know about the user, the more youre able to fulfill his or her needs, said Eric Montague, senior director of strategy for Nuance Automotive. Nuances connected car platform mixes eye-tracking technology, voice recognition and even emotion analysis, from a company called Affectiva.

Analysis from driver monitoring technology could help turn on the heat, lower the seat or play a certain kind of music when a particular occupant enters the car. If a passenger looks toward the dashboard, a certain control could light up to help anticipate a need.

Carmakers could gather anonymized data and sell it. A billboard advertiser might be eager to know how many commuters look at his sign, Ramsey said.

Tracking the gaze of a passenger toward a store or restaurant could, fused with mapping and other software, result in a discount offered to that person.

Companies say automakers will decide how the metadata is used, but consumers will be able to opt out.

Some still see interior cameras as a bad idea, however. Vayyar uses radar that tracks head movements without cameras. Cars are still considered private zones, said CEO and cofounder Raviv Melamed, who pointed to how many people perform personal tasks in their cars.

They think theyre in their own living room, they behave like theyre not outside! Its obvious no one wants a camera, Melamed said.

Tesla owners have speculated about the Model 3s currently inoperational interior camera, with some asking in forums whether Big Brother was watching.

Put a small piece of scotch tape on it ... and you can nose pick again ... advised one post.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.The data from PitchBook showed that both Berlin and Paris gained ground against London in the race for funds across Europe, and that London failed to match the record levels it attracted in 2017, but the gap still remained significant.

London remained the top destination in Europe for technology investment in 2018, with nearly double the amount being plowed into companies in the British capital than nearest rival Berlin, data showed on Wednesday.

Technology companies in London attracted 1.8 billion pounds ($2.3 billion) in venture capital funding, 72 per cent of the total 2.5 billion pounds raised by UK tech businesses, according to data from funding database PitchBook on behalf of the Mayor of London.

Eileen Burbidge, a partner at venture capital firm Passion Capital, said London was the leading hub for financial technology thanks to its position as one of the worlds biggest financial centers, while its universities helped to create companies offering artificial intelligence (AI).

We get a lot of calls and inquiries from investors in the US and Asia looking for fintech opportunities, she told Reuters. In fintech, AI and a few other sectors such as life sciences and robotics, London genuinely leads the world.

Londons tech sector and its mayor, Sadiq Khan, have warned that Britains departure from the European Union could damage its appeal. However, Burbidge said there was no sign of this happening yet, beyond companies asking many more questions when looking to hire from abroad.

The data from PitchBook showed that both Berlin and Paris gained ground against London in the race for funds across Europe, and that London failed to match the record levels it attracted in 2017, but the gap still remained significant.

Berlin attracted 937 million pounds of investment in 2018 almost double the previous years total, while 797 million pounds went to tech groups in Paris as President Emmanuel Macron stepped up his promotion of the country.

In Britain as a whole, investment in AI rose 47 per cent to 736 million pounds while 1.2 billion pounds went into the booming fintech sector and companies such as digital banks Revolut and Monzo.

Total venture capital funding in European tech slipped slightly in 2018, with 10.44 billion pounds raised, against 10.47 billion pounds in 2017.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.NXP has never specialized in the kind of heavy-duty computing chips required to interpret the mass of sensor data.

NXP has sought to chart a new path while larger rivals like its erstwhile suitor and Nvidia Corp push deeper into the nascent self-driving car computer market with increasingly powerful processors. (representational image)

Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors NV said on Tuesday it will team up with French chip firm Kalray SA to craft computers for self-driving cars, in an effort they hope will ease the path to winning future approval of their computers from safety regulators.

NXP has long supplied chips to the automotive market and boasts deep ties in that industry, one reason that Qualcomm Inc agreed to pay $44 billion for the firm even though the deal was eventually abandoned.

But NXP has never specialized in the kind of heavy-duty computing chips required to interpret the mass of sensor data that helps self-driving cars see the road.

Ever since the Qualcomm deal fell apart last year after failing to win Chinese regulatory approval, NXP has sought to chart a new path while larger rivals like its erstwhile suitor and Nvidia Corp push deeper into the nascent self-driving car computer market with increasingly powerful processors.

To obtain the computing muscle needed to help cars see, NXP said on Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas it will team with a 10-year-old French chip firm that started in the aerospace sector. Kalray makes what is known as a parallel processor, which, similar to chips made by Nvidia, excels at processing the visual data that cars will use to see the road.

Kalray Chief Executive Eric Baissus told Reuters in an interview that chip reliability has long been the companys focus because of its aerospace history. Its chips have 288 so-called cores that can each be run independently, so that if one fails another can take over without the chip missing a beat.

The whole architecture has been designed with safety in mind, he said.

Kamal Khouri, head of NXPs advanced driver assistance unit, said in an interview that automakers have told the Dutch chip firm that proving the safety of self-driving computers is a key challenge. That can be harder when the two elements of self-driving - interpreting the sensor data that helps the car see the road, and making so-called path-planning decisions about how to drive - are combined.

Khouri said automakers think it will be easier to prove systems are safe in a segmented system like NXPs, where Kalrays chips will do the seeing and NXPs chip will make the driving decisions.

Its not so much about putting technology out there its about asking ourselves how we solve some of these really complex safety problems, he said.

NXP, Self driving car, ChipsEY, a global professional services organization, strengthened its collaboration with IBM with the launch of advanced Security Operations Centre (SOCs) as part of its Managed Services offerings in India. Equipped with leading-edge NextGen Threat Detection capabilities and powered by IBMs QRadar platform, these SOCs are designed to detect, respond and address advanced cyber-attacks and risks encountered by organizations today.

Given the rapid pace of digital disruption, it is important for organizations to not only maintain traditional security controls but also build or enhance their threat detection abilities. The next-gen SOCs will provide continuous real time monitoring and play a significant role in protecting an organizations crown jewels with their in-built capabilities and resilience.

As cyberattacks grow in volume and complexity, these next-gen SOCs form a crucial part of EYs Managed Services in India. These services not only provide internal and external threat intelligence but also offer active guidance on containment, eradication and remediation of possible risks.

According to EYs Global Information Security Survey (GISS), 77% of Indian organizations, in 2018, are working beyond their cybersecurity essentials, and are rethinking their cybersecurity framework and architecture to support the business more effectively and efficiently. Indian organizations have matured and realize that addressing cyber risk, and building in cybersecurity from the start are imperative to succeed.

Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter.Indias relations with Japan are one of the most unique ones covering trade, infrastructure and strategic issues in a wide sweep. Its gravitas was visible during Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to Japan in October for the 13th annual bilateral summit, along with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan. Of the many issues that were discussed, if we look at the strategic connectivity spanning Indias Northeast with Southeast Asia or even the Africa-Asia Growth Corridor, engagement with civil society will help bring in well-grounded perspectives that are so essential for the buy-in of local citizens and the success of the partnership.While the identification of joint work areas is still in progress, it is important to consider the need for some evolving mode of cooperation between the countries.

Despite support from both Mr Abe and Mr Modi towards the need for more people-to-people ties as a practical and effective collaboration channel, the relationship mostly remains government-to-government, pivoted on security cooperation and strategic connectivity and seeking more investments, trade and business. The need of the hour is to make more effective investments in people by involving civil society organisations at the planning and implementation level.

The India-Japan summit also took place against the backdrop of rising pro-China sentiments in Japanese politics, due in large part to the Donald Trump factor. Mr Abe met Mr Modi just a day after his historic visit to Beijing, where he had discussions with several top Chinese leaders, including President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Keqiang. The discussions went as far as joint infrastructure development in third countries. Notwithstanding the lingering historical tensions, for Japanese policymakers, China remains the biggest single threat to their security and independence. And befittingly, Japan is keen to nurture its international ties and build up an informal network of the regions leading democracies to create a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Indias Act East Policy aligns well with Japans interest in a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP). As the largest democracy of the world and a major fast-growing economy, India plays an important role in Japans scheme of things. With a shared anxiety about being pushed around by China, New Delhi and Tokyo have every reason to work together. Despite suffering from falling popular approval ratings over cronyism scandals and deflation, Mr Abe has been re-elected, scoring a hat-trick, as the president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He is well on track to becoming the longest-serving elected Japanese leader in post-war history.

Mr Abe realises the importance of stronger ties with India as the key to maintain the balance of power in Asia. In December 2006, barely three months into his premiership, Mr Abe met his then Indian counterpart, Dr Manmohan Singh, in Japan and launched the annual bilateral summit series. The relationship between the two countries has come a long way since then. In the past decade, the two countries have deepened their strategic ties. The incumbent Indian PM has now visited Japan three times, which was reciprocated by the visit of the Japanese PM in every alternate year. During these meetings, the two countries have discussed various infrastructure and defence projects in and outside India, including the India-Japan Compr-ehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the India-Japan Investment Promotion Partnership, the high-speed railway project connecting Ahmedabad with Mumbai, the nuclear project, and defence and other security-related projects.

However, the scope of the India-Japan partnership goes much beyond the Asia-Pacific region. The partnership can play an important role equally for the African continent. In May 2017, during the African Development Bank (AfDB) annual meeting in Ahmedabad, the two countries have pledged a whopping $200 billion for the Asia-Africa Growth Corridor (AAGC) project. Support for this infrastructure project across two continents is an attempt to counter Chinas Belt and Road Initiative through an alternative multi-billion Connecti-vity Initiative. The AAGC is formed under the Trilateral Development Cooperation Framework, where two or more southern countries (South-South) are technically and financially supported by a northern donor. By linking Africa with South and Southeast Asia, this project can pave the way for Japan to address its concerns on Chinas aggressive strategies. The project will benefit Japan as well by leveraging Indias existing strong links with different African nations.

These links include civil society organisations like CUTS, which have extensive trilateral development experience and centres in Sub-Saharan Africa. Capaci-ty building, technical assistance and soft infrastructure development are key component of AAGC and the firsthand experience of civil societies on the regulatory regime, sound working relations with key decision-makers and understanding of their style of work will help the project to deliver its desired impact. The Japan Fair Trade Commission once used CUTS services in conducting capacity building event for the African competition authorities, knowing that developing country knowledge is app-ropriate technology.It will thus be crucial for the Japanese government to come out of its traditional model of working only with the government and involving more with civil soci-ety groups working at the grassroots level. Similarly, India needs to adjust to the new economic realities and decide the course of its own strategic autonomy, keeping in mind the evolving dyna-mism in the Indo-Pacific theatre.

As international relations are becoming a paradoxical mix of competition and cooperation, the partnership of India and Japan offers a much-needed nuanced approach, based on mutual interest. The partnership affirms the intention of the two countries of working not only for their mutual benefit, but for the rest of the world as well. A more broad-based India-Japan relationship can bring in prosperity and stability to the entire Indo-Pacific belt, and much beyond.

The writer is the secretary-general of CUTS International, a global public policy research and advocacy group.

Samir Bhattacharya of CUTS International contributed to this article.The Lok Sabha on Tuesday swiftly passed the redrafted Citizenship Bill, which seeks to provide citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, hours after it was introduced after being cleared by the Union Cabinet on Monday. Resistance to the bill, that seeks to divide on the basis of religion in Assam and parts of the Northeast, is only logical. A religious twist to Indian citizenship is a clear sign that electoral politics has seeped into a complex issue that will define how the we deal with migration, whether for sanctuary or economic reasons. The Asom Gana Parishad has quit the BJP-led coalition in Assam in protest, saying the bill goes against the 1985 Assam Accord. The reworking of citizenship for Hindu Bangladeshis is bound to raise hackles in north Assam, which has been fighting the entry of all foreigners.

The two major key issues are a projected demographic change and the effects of migration on locals. Both are weighty enough to cause furrows on Indias brow. Post-Partition, our broader vision on migration was tested sorely by the birth of Bangladesh and the protests that followed in Assam in 1970s-80s. It rankled that religion should obtrude, that too for political reasons, as the key ruling party at the Centre and in Assam appears more focused on winning over south Assams Bengali Hindus, with an eye on West Bengal politics, than tackling the issue of Indian citizenship across the sensitive Northeast. The very idea of India and whos an Indian is challenged in these circumstances. Things get more complex with the perceived need to offer shelter to persecuted Hindus in the neighbourhood, while deporting Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar. The question is: do we have the vision to decide on citizenship?In the dying moments of the Winter Session of Parliament, the Narendra Modi government has moved to reserve 10 per cent seats in higher education and government employment for the poorer sections of all Indians who are in the unreserved category. This is clearly an undisguised election move to woo the savarna communities, or high-caste Hindus, as well as the dominant peasant communities in various regions, like the Patels of Gujarat, the Marathas in Maharashtra, and the Kapus of Andhra Pradesh, who have missed the reservation bus, besides poorer sections of Muslims and Christians.

Principally, of course, the idea seems to appease upper caste Hindu voters  the BJPs mainstay  who punished the party in the recent Assembly elections. The move is unlikely to be opposed by any section of society, especially the SC/ST and OBC groups, whose own reservation status is not threatened, or by any political party. This means the BJP has nothing to lose, except attract the charge of cynical opportunism.

In 1991, the P.V. Narasimha Rao government had brought an identical 10 per cent reservation move for the poor among upper castes in the wake of the backlash among the savarna groups against the Mandal Commission reservation for OBCs brought in by the V.P. Singh government. But this was struck down by the Supreme Court.

This was for two reasons. The conceptual aspect is that reservations were meant for people who, for cultural reasons, had been socially and educationally deprived over the centuries. Poverty among the upper castes, on the other hand, is not a consequence of any discrimination, and the means to address it should be different  such as scholarships or special training. Two, the Supreme Court had ruled that reservations must not exceed 50 per cent of the total pool, and adding a further 10 per cent will do just that.

The practical difficulties in passing the latest quota move, besides the looming legal challenge, is that it will have to clear a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament, and be endorsed by half the states, since it can only be brought as a constitutional amendment. There may not be enough time for that before the general election.

But the BJP is trying to manage perceptions and score symbolically on election eve. The criterion is that only families with incomes of above `8 lakh per year will be excluded. Thus, 96 per cent of India will now be eligible for reservations. But the big question remains: Where are the jobs, as Union minister Nitin Gadkari tellingly asked recently. The government realises the country is underwhelmed with its performance, and appears to be taking desperate measures to show electoral results.LETS not blame Mahatma Gandhi for the removal of his own statue from a university campus in Ghana following protests from students and faculty alike.

True, the hero of Indian nationalism held racial ideas about the black community during his tenure in South Africa. South African scholar Ashwin Desai has dilated on the Mahatmas pro-colonial role on behalf of the rich Indian diaspora in The Stretcher Bearer of the Empire. Arundhati Roys introduction to Ambedkars Annihilation of Caste offers a sharp reminder of Gandhis regressive approach towards the black communities in South Africa, and with the Hindu caste system in India.

However, blaming Gandhis worldview, which he is believed to have subsequently discarded, for the latest episode in Ghana is to miss the woods for the trees. Or, as Samuel Becketts tramp says in Waiting for Godot: its like blaming the boots for the faults of the feet.

Consider the likelier possibility that the anger in Ghana was a reaction to a more contemporary provocation than Indians  living in India, or those doing business in Africa  would be willing to concede. The reaction, in fact, appears to be rooted in the affront the average African feels when African students are harassed or beaten up in (only) northern India for their eating habits, or lifestyle, or simply out of pure malicious racism.

The anger is even likelier to be the outcome of the growing clout of Indians as part of the power elite in many African countries, owning vast tracts of lands and eyeing more, not any different from the way they are vying for the virgin forest tracts of Chhattisgarh, while blaming the native tribespeople for the ensuing violence.

What happened in Ghana the other day had occurred in Malawi in 2015 and elsewhere on the continent, though the Indian-blacks run-in has remained a lurking feature in South Africa. Nelson Mandelas rainbow nation vision of Indians, whites, and blacks living harmoniously was challenged in his lifetime when an anti-Indian song stirred up racial and ethnic tensions among groups that had unified in the fight against apartheid. The source of the controversy was Mbongeni Ngema, a noted anti-apartheid songwriter and playwright who has long championed a multiracial society. But one cut on his album was at odds with his past.

AmaNdiya, written in Zulu, the language of the African people who live in Natal, said: Oh brothers, Oh my fellow brothers. We need strong and brave men to confront Indians. This situation is very difficult, Indians do not want to change, whites were far better than Indians. Even Mandela has failed to convince them to change.

Even the New National Party, the remnant of the party that built apartheid, and Mandela roundly condemned the song. So its not about Gandhi. The malaise is more immediate, and the trigger lies in a daily experience of inequality. Youve got the Indian trader, the Indian shopkeeper, who is constantly in the eyes of the African because he trades with them, Dr Fatima Meer, head of the Institute for Black Research at the University of Natal, is on record as saying. The African looks at him and thinks, even he has more than I do.

Deepening the existing racial faultlines is a radically new image of the nouveau riche Indian as depicted approvingly in Hindi movies. Sample a much-travelled Amitabh Bachchans instructions to Sridevi who was on her maiden flight to America in the movie English Vinglish. You can press the call button at will as many times as you wish. Have no hesitation. It is the job of the airhostess to come running to you. Dont be afraid.

Then, in the same movie, Mr Bachchan gets asked by the US immigration officer about the purpose of his visit, which is what any officer on duty would be asking visitors to their country. Ive come here to spend some dollars. You dont want me here? I can go back. Contrast this arrogance rooted in new money with the clamour for work visas for Indian computer graduates at the highest levels in the Indian government, and you would wonder whether the politicians ever cared as much for the farmers who are committing suicide in droves.

Instead of blaming Gandhi or his detractors for African anger, observe the widespread influence-peddling and power play, which impoverished Africans watch rich Indians indulging in.

By arrangement with DawnVijayawada: When YSRC chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy completes his Praja Sankalpa Yatra at Ichapuram in Srikakulam on Wednesday, he would have set a record with the longest walk by a politician in the Telugu states.

Earlier, his father Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy and sister Y.S. Sharmila and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu undertook similar padayatras. Dr Rajasekhar Reddy and Mr Naidu went on to become Chief Ministers after their padayatra.

Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy will unveil a pylon and address a massive meeting with party workers and leaders at Ichapuram to mark the occasion. He was stabbed in the arm at the Vizag airport while he was on his weekly break to attend court.

The YSRC president started the padayatra on November 6, 2017, from his family estate of Idupulapaya in Kadapa. Though the yatra was scheduled for 180 days, he decided to extended on the back of the enthusiastic response. He covered 13-15 km a day. The total distance travelled by him 3,648 km.

Over 341 days, he has covered 2,516 villages, addressed 124 public meetings and 55 community meetings.

He also had 42 meetings with select groups which included fisherman, auto drivers, teachers, Nayee Brahmins, weavers, goldsmiths, anganwadi teachers, advocates, ambulance employees, government employees and unemployed youth.

By the time he ends the yatra, Mr Reddy would have interacted with more than two crore people, which is close to 40 per cent of the total population of the state

n Page 5: Yatra changed YSRC equationsHyderabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi took Telangana Rashtra Samiti MPs who had gone to meet him by surprise, as he asked them for sweets to celebrate their partys massive win in the state.

TRS won with a big majority in the Telangana assembly elections, but you did not give me sweets, Mr Modi reportedly told the MPs.

TRS MPs K. Kavitha, A.P. Jithendar Reddy, B. Vinod Kumar and others had gone to meet Mr Modi on Monday evening and requested them to allot land in Delhi to build a party office. To this Mr Modi replied, You distributed sweets to all ministers and MPs to celebrate your victory, but you did not give me a single sweet.

They assured him that they would bring him special Pulla Reddy sweets. Mr Jithendar Reddy said that he would bring sweets made of jaggery and cashew.

The MPs said that TRS had 17 MPs in Parliament and were eligible to get 1,000 square yards land in Delhi to construct a party office. They requested a vacant parcel of land on Rajendra Prasad Road in Delhi for the same.New Delhi: Questioning the timing of the bill to provide reservation to the poor in the general category, the Congress and the opposition in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday slammed the ruling BJP saying the government was playing election "politics".

They said it was a disrespect shown to the Indian democracy's highest institution.

'The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenth-Four Amendment) Bill, 2019' seeks to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and educational institutions to economically weaker sections in the general category.

The bill was introduced in the Upper House amid din following protests by the opposition which demanded it be sent to a select committee for scrutiny.

Speaking on the legislation, Congress senior leader and former Minister Anand Sharma said, You brought the bill in haste because you had to before the Model Code of Conduct comes into force, thinking ... let's dangle a carrot in front of the public, show them another dream that Modiji made arrangements for their childrens employment.

He said by the haste shown in bringing the bill, it was beyond comprehension that a government "on departure lounge" after "befitting" defeat in three state elections brought the bill on the eve of elections.

He dared the BJP to bring the women reservation bill. "If you are really concerned about women...bring the women reservation bill instead of 'beti bachao beti padhao' slogans and we will pass it tonight," he said.

He charged the government with not taking the opposition into confidence saying "there is no consent from the Opposition. The situation is such that there is no dialogue between the Opposition and the government."

On job promises, he said, "The government promised to give two crore jobs every year in 2014. Forget about generating jobs, 11 million people lost their jobs in the year 2018 itself". He said there was a sharp decline in jobs whether in government or public sector enterprises.

He said the Congress was not opposed to the bill as it was very much there in its manifesto and had always been in its favour but the way the BJP government was showing disrespect to the institution was deplorable.

"I deplore it, this is calculated, deliberated disrespect to the highest institutions of the Indian democracy... We are all political parties but it is the government which is playing politics," he said.

Samajwadi Party leader Ram Gopal Yadav, while supporting the bill, demanded that reservation for OBCs be enhanced to 54 per cent keeping in mind the increase in their population.

"When you have already decided to break the 50 per cent barrier set by the Supreme Court, I demand from the government that OBC of this country should be given 54 per cent reservation keeping in mind their population," Yadav said.

"What stopped you for bringing this bill earlier? This is not even a money bill...If you had honesty, this bill could have come earlier and could have really benefitted people," Yadav said.

He added that even if the bill is passed it will have to face judicial scrutiny as there is "no dearth of professional PIL" filers.

Terming the bill as unconstitutional and unsustainable, AIADMK's A Navaneethakrishnan opposed the bill.

He said that Tamil Nadu government already provides reservations of 69 per cent to backward classes and the bill would impact the 31 per cent people who fall in "open quota" in the state.

Derek O' Brien (TMC) said his party is "disgusted and angry" by the way the government has been "insulting" the Parliament.

He said that the bill is nothing but government's acknowledgment of guilt over non-creation of jobs in the country over the last 4.5 years.

BJP leader Prabhat Jha said Prime Minister Narendra Modi by this bill was not only fulfilling the party's promise to people but also promise made in every party's manifesto.The passengers admitted that the gold was smuggled into the country and they did not have any valid documents to prove its licit purchase/import.

Vijayawada: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) staff seized gold worth over Rs 1 crore at the Vizag railway station that was being smuggled into India from Myanmar. Three persons were taken into custody.

Based on specific intelligence, officers of the DRI, Vizag, intercepted two passengers travelling in Train No. 12514 Guwahati-Secunderabad Express from Guwahati to Secunderabad at Visakhapatnam railway station. On examination, it was found that the passengers were carrying gold concealed inside the pockets of the cotton vests worn by them. These packets were specially made to conceal the contraband.

The total weight of the smuggled gold was found to be 3,314 grams. Inquiries revealed that the gold was smuggled to India from Myanmar and someone handed it to them for onward transfer to Secunderabad.

The passengers admitted that the gold was smuggled into the country and they did not have any valid documents to prove its licit purchase/import.New Delhi: Just days after US President Donald Trump took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Indias development efforts in Afghanistan, the two leaders spoke on phone and discussed a range of issues which apparently included strengthening coordination in Afghanistan.

The US plans to withdraw thousands of its troops from that country. President Trump apparently also raised the issue of reduction in the trade deficit with India.

News agency reports from Washington quoted the White House as stating, The leaders agreed to strengthen the U.S.-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan.

In its own statement meanwhile from New Delhi, the MEA said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald J. Trump of the United States exchanged New Year greetings in a telephonic conversation last evening. They expressed satisfaction at the progress in India-U.S. strategic partnership in 2018. They appreciated developments such as the launch of the new 2+2 Dialogue mechanism and the first-ever Trilateral Summit of India, the U.S. and Japan. The MEA added, The two leaders took positive note of growing bilateral cooperation in defen-ce, counter-terrorism and energy and coordination on regional and global issues. They agreed to continue to work together for further strengthening India-U.S. bilateral relations in 2019.  PTIChinese investment in Israeli technology has been on the rise for years.

Mobileye, bought by Intel in 2017 for $15 billion, has been making inroads in China, the worlds biggest auto market where self-driving projects are being rolled out at pace.

Israel-based Mobileye, which makes technology for autonomous driving, said on Tuesday it was expanding its business in China with two new partnerships, paving the way for smaller Israeli competitors that could benefit from US-Sino trade tensions.

Mobileye, bought by Intel in 2017 for $15 billion, has been making inroads in China, the worlds biggest auto market where self-driving projects are being rolled out at pace.

Israeli rivals have also been winning work in China and could get a boost from the trade war that has effectively cut off Chinese investment in US tech-hub Silicon Valley.

Mobileye has signed a memorandum of understanding with Great Wall Motors to integrate advanced driver assistance systems in a range of vehicles over the next three to five years and to develop more advanced autonomous systems for China. A second partnership with Beijing Public Transport Corp and Beijing Beytai aims to bring autonomy to public transport.

Mobileye did not disclose financial details of the deals.

There is a strong pull for Israeli technology in China, Erez Dagan, the companys vice president of product and strategy, told Reuters.

Mobileye signed 16 deals in China in 2018, when half of the companys design wins were Chinese, he said.

Israel and China do more than $10 billion a year in trade.

Chinese investment in Israeli technology has been on the rise for years. Israeli tech startups raised $325 million from Chinese investors in the first three quarters of 2018, up 37 percent from a year earlier, according to the Israel Venture Capital Research Center. The third quarter was the strongest for Chinese investment in the past five years.

Intels deal with Mobileye put a spotlight on Israels autonomous driving sector, comprised of more than 500 start-ups and largely based on technology that has helped the countrys military drive tanks, guide and intercept missiles, and keep its computer systems secure.

WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY

Some in the industry say new US regulation aimed at curbing Chinas access to American innovation could send more customers and investors their way.

This is an opportunity for Israeli companies and this is why we are considering going more to China. China will look more to Israel, said Ronny Cohen, CEO of VayaVision, whose perception technology creates a 3D model of a self-driving cars surroundings.

VayaVision, which in October raised $8 million, has one project in China, on which Cohen declined to elaborate.

Driver monitoring technology firm EyeSight Technologies has raised $50 million, including $16 million from Chinas Kuang-Chi. CEO Gideon Shmuel also sees opportunity in the wake of the US-China trade war.

China is our fastest growing market in terms of geographies, he said.

At the same time, too strong of an embrace of China could risk a backlash from the United States, which remains Israels key ally.

The trick is going to be how Israeli companies dance at both weddings. You really have to be careful not to jeopardize our core relationship with the US, said Jon Medved, CEO of crowdfunding firm OurCrowd, which has invested in 30 auto-tech firms.

Unlike in the regulated defense and cybersecurity sectors, there are no restrictions in Israel on auto technology exports.

China doesnt have enough advanced technologies so Israel can play an important role in Chinese smart transportation, said Cui Yuting, counselor of science and technology at Chinas embassy in Tel Aviv.

Israeli companies still need a better understanding of the Chinese market and which technologies are suitable and they should look for Chinese partners, he added.

Innoviz Technologies, an Israeli maker of laser-based sensors called lidar for self-driving cars, has raised $83 million from investors like automotive suppliers Magna and Aptiv, but also Chinese venture capital firm Glory Ventures.

(China) possibly could become our biggest market, said CEO Omer Keilaf, adding that he sees Israel as well-positioned to compensate there for any loss of American technology.New Delhi: A landmark, but contentious Bill that seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangaldesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Piloting the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, home minister Rajnath Singh told the Opposition that the Bill was not against the provisions of the Constitution and would give succour to persecuted minorities in the three neighbouring countries.

The Bill provides for according Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 years now, even if they do not possess any document.

They have no place to go to, except India, he said, adding that several leaders, including Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, had been in favour of giving shelter to persecuted minorities in the neighouring countries.

The Congress and several Opposition parties opposed the Bill, and they demanded the Bill be sent to a select committee.

As the government refused to heed this demand, the Congress and some others staged a walkout. Trinamuls Saugata Roy dubbed the Bill as divisive and insidious that goes against the basic tenents of the Constitution.

This is the worst form of votebank politics, Mr Roy said.

While introducing the Bill, Mr Rajnath Singh clarified that the law will not be confined only to Assam but would be applicable to all states and Union territories.

This means that beneficiaries of this Bill can reside in any part of the country. The home minister said the burden of these persecuted migrants will be shared by the entire country, not just Assam.

Mr Singh said the intent of the Bill was to help minority communities from the three neighbouring countries facing discrimination and religious persecution. He said it will give relief to persecuted migrants who have entered India through its western borders to states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and elsewhere.

These migrants were earlier given protection against legal action in 2015 and 2016 by giving them long-term visas. The proposed amendment will make

these persecuted migrants eligible to apply for Indian citizenship.

The home ministry said these migrants will be given citizenship only after due scrutiny and the recommendation of the district authorities and the state governments.

Mr Singh rejected the Oppositions contention that the bill sought to discriminate on the basis of religion, and said anyone eligible under the provisions under the law will be accorded citizenship.New Delhi: A landmark Bill seeking to provide 10 per cent reservation in jobs and education for the general category poor was passed by the Lok Sabha Tuesday, with most parties backing the measure, described by the government as historic.

As many as 323 members voted in support of Bill and only three voted against, underlining the cross-party support the politically crucial Bill elicited.

The debate on the crucial Bill lasted for an over four and half hour.

Replying to an over four and half hour debate, Social Justice Minister Thaavarchand Gehlot sought to allay doubts raised by several opposition members about the legislations fate if challenged in the Supreme Court, saying he can say with confidence that the apex court will accept it.

The Modi governments policy and intention is good and that is why it has enabled the reservation for the poor in the general category with constitutional amendment, he said, seeking support of all parties for the passage of The Constitution (124th Amendment) Bill 2019.

Your doubts are unfounded. Put them to rest, he told opposition members, many of whom dubbed the bill as jumla and gimmick, questioned its legal standing and accused the government of bringing it in haste with an eye on the Lok Sabha polls.

Gehlot claimed that the Bill is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modis assertion when he assumed power in 2014 that his government would be devoted to the cause of the poor and work for sabka saath sabka vikas (With all, development for all).

This is an historic decision and in the interest of the country, he said.

Mr Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were present in the House when the Bill was passed. The government will table the bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.Hyderabad: Telangana Rashtra Samiti president and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has become a trend setter not only in government schemes but also in electoral strategy. With the Rythu Bandhu (farmers investment subsidy) scheme Mr Rao attracted national attention.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is thinking of announcing the same scheme across the country ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

And Y.S.R. Congress president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy announced in Ichhapuram on Wednesday that he would implement the same scheme if he is voted to power in the ensuing Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also announced economic assistance to farmers similar to the Rythu Bandhu scheme.

Political parties are also emulating Mr Raos strategy of announcing candidates early in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections and in Andhra Pradesh in the Assembly elections.

Mr Rao had dissolved the Assembly nine months before schedule, on September 6, 2018, and announced the names of 105 party contestants (of a total 119) on the same day.

The Peoples Front led by the Congress did not announce its candidates till the last minute.

By then the TRS candidates had completed their first round of campaigning.

Having realised its mistake, the Congresss central leadership has decided to announce its Lok Sabha candidates in advance and asked all Pradesh Congress Committees (PCCs) across the country to send their candidates lists by the end of this month.

Candidates will be announced in a phased manner by the end of February.

Meanwhile, in Andhra Pradesh, the main political parties, the ruling Telugu Desam, and the YSR Congress, the main Opposition party, are considering announcing their candidates in advance, probably in February.

The convener of the Peoples Front, Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS) president Kodandaram, recently said that the main reason for the defeat of the Peoples Front was delay in announcing the candidates.

The Central Election Commission is likely to announce the election schedule in the last week of February or in the first week of March 2019.New Delhi: The government on Tuesday described its action to send the CBIs two senior officers  director Alok Verma and special director Rakesh Asthana  on leave as perfectly bonafide and said it was the CVCs recommendation and the move was to protect the integrity of the investigating agency. The government said that it would comply with the Supreme Courts order after the apex court reinstated the CBI director.

The government took this decision to protect the integrity of the CBI... Government took the action of sending two senior officers of CBI on leave on CVCs recommendation, said Mr Jaitley adding that the governments decision was completely legal as the two officers in question were at loggerheads.

This action taken was perfectly bonafide as there were cross-allegations made by both the officers, and in accordance with recommendations of the CVC. The government felt that in the larger interest of fair and impartial investigation and credibility of CBI, the two officers mu-st recuse themselves, th-e finance minister said.

The government had accepted the CVC recommendations with full honesty and today a reinterpretation on the matter has been givenand we will take action accordingly, he said, adding that the CVC was an independent body and submitted its recommendations to the SC.  PTIKOCHI: After long wait, the Kochi Metro Police Station, an exclusive station to deal with various offences in the metro, will be inaugurated on February 10 by Chief Minister Pinarayi Viajayan.

The 2500- square feet building near CUSAT metro station at Kalamassery was renovated in 2017, and its launch was getting inordinately delayed. Though the office was all set for operation, the wild growth was engulfing the station for months because of the delay.

Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) CMD, A.P.M. Muhammad Hanish told DC that cleaning works at the station premises will be done very soon. It is not a serious issue. A team of officials has inspected the station, and all pending works will be done for the inauguration soon. However, the station is all equipped for starting the operation and the final preparations are going on, he said. Meanwhile, the Inspector who was posted at the station earlier got transferred to the state capital.

Posting an official is not an issue and it will be done soon. The station is already furnished and records are all updated, M.P. Dinesh, Commissi-oner of Police, Kochi City told DC. The crimes occurring in the metro trains and stations will be exclusively dealt by Met-ro Police. They will also maintain the law and or-der in the metro and station premises from Aluva to Petta and further in the next phase, he said.

The station will be headed by an officer in the rank of an Inspector along with 28 other personnel including three sub-inspectors, six ASIs, six head constables, ten constables, one part-time sweeper and a driver.

The force also includes 13 women personnel. Currently the metro service is operated in the 18-km Aluva - Maharajas College Ground section. The next section from Maharajas to Thykoodam, a distance of five kms, is set to be opened in June 2019.Police personnel look on as tyres are seen ablaze during a strike called by All Assam Students' Union and the North East Students Organisation in protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, in Dibrugarh. (PTI)

Guwahati: The normal life came to grinding halt in Assam and most of Northeastern states on Tuesday following the 11-hour bandh called by North East Students Organisation (NESO) in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016.

In Assam the bandh called by All Assam Students Union (AASU), which crippled the normal life in Brahmaputra Valley, turned violent in different parts of the state where incidents of stone pelting, tyre burning, and occasional lathi charges were reported from various places.

Thirty ethnic organisations also supported the bandh in Assam.

The citizenship bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act 1955 to grant Indian citizenship to people from minority communities - Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians - from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they do not possess any proper document.

The AASU and other organization opposing the bill are saying that the provisions of the bill will nullify the 1985 Assam Accord, which provides for deportation of all illegal migrants, irrespective of religion, who had entered the state after March, 1971.

The bill has created an emotional upraise among the indigenous people of the state who accused the BJP of betraying them.

The anger against the BJP was such that protestors also attacked BJP offices at least at two places. The bandh supporters vandalize the office of BJP at Golaghat. Police and CRPF resorted to blank firing to control rampaging bandh enforcers in Dibrugarh.Over a hundred members from the transgender community across the city gathered in Perumbakkam to discuss their struggles and ways to overcome them, in their vibrant, extravagant, never-say-die spirit that they are recognised for. (Representational image)

Chennai: Over a hundred members from the transgender community across the city gathered in Perumbakkam to discuss their struggles and ways to overcome them, in their vibrant, extravagant, never-say-die spirit that they are recognised for.

The meeting, organised by Pharm Foundation, an NGO, dedicated to the development and wellbeing of the transgender community outlined the

education, employment and legal access that is available for them. Every trans woman says that they have been sidelined by society, society doesnt treat them equally. Its not the society. There is no point blaming something else. You must be aware of your rights in the country, said Dhaya, whom they call Amma as she took hundreds of transwomen under her wing when they had to leave home.

We are not bad. The way people look at us is bad. That makes some of us do bad things. We have transwomen who are heads of department in prominent colleges, who are HR managers and models. How did they do it all? Perseverance is the key, she added.

Speaking at the gathering, I Jayanthi, Secretary and Judge, District Legal Services Authority, said that most transwomen did not know that a ration card, Aadhaar card and other government schemes could be acquired.

Love is a weapon greater than anything else in the world. The Supreme Courts judgment on Section 377 highlighted just as I am, which means everybody is equal in the world. Everybody is our children, she said. She also urged the women to visit her at her office in North Fort Road whenever they needed to.

Pallikaranai inspector, Albin Raj too, promised to ensure that their rights were protected. We have invited so many transwomen to our station to understand their needs. Many of them dont know what rights they have, be it the social welfare ID or a job, he said.

The meeting was held at the Perumbakkam Panchayat Community Hall with the support of secretary, Jayaraman. He gave the hall for free and also took part in it, said Nila M, managing trustee, Pharm Foundation. We have had only each other in our journey of life. We want to be a support system for anybody else who has left home, she said. Schools need to teach children about equality and sensitise them, Nila added.'Terrorism is becoming a new form of warfare. It is now spreading its head like a multi-headed monster,' Rawat said. (Photo: ANI | Twitter)

New Delhi: Speaking at Raisina Dialogue, Army Gen Bipin Rawat said terrorism is here to stay as long as there are nations that continue to sponsor it as state policy.

Terrorism is becoming a new form of warfare. It is now spreading its head like a multi-headed monster. There should be negotiations with the Taliban but without conditions. Pakistan has always kept Taliban in its backyard and should be concerned about it, Rawat said.

Talking on the spread of terrorism, Rawat said that there should be a control on social media as it is becoming a source of spreading radicalisation.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said India is committed to protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity and border issues can be resolved bilaterally.

Today, no country is immune from the existential threat of terrorism. Ensuring zero tolerance towards terrorism and those using it as an instrument of convenience is the need of the hour, Swaraj said.

Swaraj added that Indias success will augur well for the world.Atiq Ahmed is named in over 70 cases ranging from murder to kidnapping and extortion. (Photo: File)

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday took note of an alleged incident of former Samajwadi Party lawmaker Atiq Ahmed kidnapping a businessman in a jail in Uttar Pradesh and assaulting and forcing him to transfer his business.

A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and S K Kaul considered the alleged incident and asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file a status report within a week.

The top court was hearing a PIL filed by lawyer and BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay seeking a life ban on politicians convicted in criminal cases besides the setting up of special courts to expeditiously try cases involving elected representatives.

The Uttar Pradesh administration recently raided the Deoria jail where Ahmed was lodged after real estate dealer Mohit Jaiswal filed an FIR on December 28 alleging that he was kidnapped from Lucknow and taken to the prison where he was assaulted by the jailed don and his aides and was forced to transfer his business to them.

Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, who is assisting the bench as an amicus curiae along with advocate Sneha Kalita, and Ashwini Upadhyay told the court that there were over 20 heinous cases pending against the former MP and still he had the audacity to kidnap the businessman into the jail.

Lucknow-based realtor Jaiswal alleged that he was tortured and forced to transfer five of his firms in the names of former lawmaker and his jailed son.

The combined assets of the firms were worth Rs 45 crore, the FIR said, adding that Atiq also took away Jaiswal's car and other belongings before releasing him.

Later, the state government ordered shifting of the former MP to Bareilly district jail.Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan made the announcement of Saumitra Khan joining the party in the presence of Mukul Roy. (Photo: Twitter | ANI)

New Delhi: Trinamool Congress MP Saumitra Khan joined the BJP on Wednesday, giving a fillip to the saffron party's campaign in West Bengal in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.

Khan, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party following a meeting with party president Amit Shah, lashed out at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that there was no democracy, but "police raj" in the state.

The 38-year-old leader said he, like many other young people, has faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi who, he added, would bring about a change in the state. "There is no democracy in the state. People cannot vote. Police raj is there," he told reporters at a press conference in New Delhi.

Khan represents the Bishnupur constituency in the Lok Sabha and was earlier a member of the state assembly as well.

Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan made the announcement of Khan joining the party in the presence of Mukul Roy, a former top TMC leader who had defected to the BJP in 2017.

Pradhan claimed that the development marked the changing politics of the state, saying the BJP's acceptance and credibility were at an "all-time high" in eastern India as the Modi government had given the region a priority in its agenda of growth and progress.

"There is an atmosphere in the favour of the BJP. Eastern India will provide a strong pillar for the government's return to power at the Centre in the Lok Sabha polls," Pradhan said.

The BJP has identified the state as one of the priority states and party chief Amit Shah had set a target of 22 seats. It had won two of the state's 42 Lok Sabha seats in 2014, while the TMC won 34. There have been reports that Khan might have been dropped by the Trinamool from its candidates list in the Lok Sabha polls.A Tesla driven by Barrett Riley with passenger Edgar Monserratt Martinez crashed into a concrete wall and erupted in flames.

Less than two months before the crash, Riley's parents had a limiter installed at a Tesla service center to prevent the vehicle from reaching over 85 mph, but it was removed at another Tesla service visit without his parents' knowledge, the law firm said here (Photo-AP)

Chicago law firm Corboy & Demetrio said on Tuesday it filed a lawsuit against electric carmaker Tesla Inc alleging that its 2014 Model S sedan had a defective battery pack that caused the death of an 18-year old passenger in an accident last year.

Last May, a Tesla driven by Barrett Riley with passenger Edgar Monserratt Martinez crashed into a concrete wall and erupted in flames in Fort Lauderdale, Florida killing both the teenagers, according to the lawsuit.

The law firm represents the estate of Edgar Monserratt Martinez.

Less than two months before the crash, Riley's parents had a limiter installed at a Tesla service center to prevent the vehicle from reaching over 85 mph, but it was removed at another Tesla service visit without his parents' knowledge, the law firm said here

An additional count in the lawsuit alleges Tesla was negligent in the removal of the limiter.

It added that Riley was driving the vehicle at 116 mph, immediately before the collision.

The lawsuit also alleges that Tesla failed to warn purchasers of its vehicles of the batterys dangerous condition.

The US National Transportation Safety Board had said last year it was investigating the crash.

There have been at least a dozen worldwide reported cases of Tesla S batteries catching fire in collisions as well as while being stationary in the last five years, the law firm said.

Tesla did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.Late on Monday night, the leopard attacked goats in Kothapally tanda that is located 2 km from Kothapally. (Representional Image)

Hyderabad: A leopard struck near Kothapally village for the fifth time in the last six days on Monday night. The leopard has attacked goats in the village, leaving the locals apprehensive about their safety.

Forest officials have set up two cages to catch the leopard. They have also installed camera traps to try and spot the leopard at Kothapally village.

Late on Monday night, the leopard attacked goats in Kothapally tanda that is located 2 km from Kothapally. The residents of the tanda heard some noise at about 10 pm. On Tuesday morning, they say the carcass of a goat and pug marks of the leopard.

Forest officials have now shifted one of the cages to the Kothapally tanda.

Amangal FDO M. Janakiram said, Usually leopard come to eat their previous kill. As we are taking away the carcass, it is going for a fresh kill. Wild animals are careful about the surroundings. So, it might have noticed the movement of the forest staff at Kothapally and moved to the tanda. We suspect that it is not comfortable hunting in the rocky terrain in the nearby forest.The issue came during the hearing on Monday when the authorities apprised the court about the Building Construction departments affidavit that talks about the provisions of allotment to former CMs for lifetime. (Photo: File)

Patna: The Patna High Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Bihar government over its rules allowing official bungalows to former chief ministers for lifetime.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice A P Sahi and Justice Anjana Mishra also sought responses from former chief ministers on the issue of allotment of bungalow for lifetime.

The court fixed February 11 as the next date of hearing in the case.

The court sought responses within four weeks from the state government and former CMs as to why the Amendment Act framed by the state government in 2010 not be quashed in the light of Supreme Courts judgement in Lok Prahari case.

The Act made the provisions for allotment of bungalows for lifetime to the former CMs.

The court issued notices after taking suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the rules Monday while hearing an appeal filed by Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav challenging the order of the single bench which had dismissed his plea to retain 5, Deshratna Marg bungalow which was allotted to him as Deputy CM during Grand Alliance government.

The division bench had dismissed Yadavs appeal on Monday.

The issue came during the hearing on Monday when the authorities apprised the court about the Building Construction departments affidavit that talks about the provisions of allotment to former CMs for lifetime.

The court directed the Registry to register a suo motu PIL for Tuesday.The Keesara police said one Sai Ram Sai Kiran, 26, of Yapral, who earlier worked with the company, was identified as the accused. (Representational Image)

Hyderabad: Three persons including the former employee of a cash management services company were arrested by the Keesara police on Monday for stealing Rs 47.37 lakh cash deposited in an ATM at Nagaram.

On December 21, the Keesara police received a complaint from Mr Maryada Krishna Reddy, assistant manager of the NCR Corporation India Private Limited, located at Begumpet, stating that Rs 47,37,700 that was supposed to deposited in an ATM of Karur Vysya Bank at Nagaram had gone missing and they suspected the role of a former employee of another cash management service company.

The police registered a case under and collected technical evidence including footage of CCTV cameras from the ATM, and found a person had removed cash by opening the lock of the chest. The Keesara police said one Sai Ram Sai Kiran, 26, of Yapral, who earlier worked with the company, was identified as the accused.

Kiran, while working with the company, had access to the keys of the ATM chest. He used the keys to steal the cash and deposited it into the bank accounts of his girlfriend Pooja and friend T. Nagaraju. Police recovered Rs 40,24,909 and a car, three chequebooks and passbooks from the trio.'The BJP leaders told Kushwaha to come with them as a chartered plane was ready. But he refused to go with them,' Singh said. (Photo: File)

Bhopal: Veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh Tuesday claimed the BJP had offered "Rs 100 crore" to a Congress MLA in Madhya Pradesh to topple the Kamal Nath government.

The BJP, in response, dared Singh to prove his allegations and also tried to run down the former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister's claims as irrelevant.

"BJP MLA Narayan Tripathi contacted Sabalgarh (Morena district) MLA Baijnath Kushwaha (of Congress) and took him to a dhaba (eatery), where former ministers Narottam Mishra and Vishwas Sarang (both from the BJP) met him (Kushwaha). They offered Rs 100 crore to Kushwah to topple the government. He was also offered ministerial post in the new BJP government," Singh told reporters in the Madhya Pradesh assembly premises.

He went on allege that the BJP, which was unseated in Madhya Pradesh after being in power since 2003, had made such offers to several Congress MLAs.

"The BJP leaders told Kushwaha to come with them as a chartered plane was ready. But he refused to go with them," Singh said.

"Shivraj Singh Chouhan is dazed as he is unable to digest defeat," he added.

Meanwhile BJP leaders, including those named by the Congress veteran, hit back.

Mishra said, "He has been making such allegations for a long time. This is merely a publicity stunt. Digvijaya Singh should take legal action if he has proof."

Leader of Opposition Gopal Bhargava dubbed Singh a "gossip monger" and said, "You must have never heard about such a huge amount. Everybody knows that Digvijaya Singh is a gossip monger. He should not be taken seriously."

"You know that the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government had fallen by a vote. The BJP doesn't believe in such practice (horse-trading)," Bhargava added.

BJP MLA Vishwas Sarang, also named by Digvijaya Singh in his allegations, dared the Congress leader to prove them.

"He should prove in which dhaba this meeting took place. There is a Congress government (in MP) and it should take action. Digvijaya should show the video of the incident," Sarang said.

On the 10 per cent quota in jobs and education for economically backward sections of the general category, Singh said the Congress was always in favour of such reservation.

"The Congress is in favour of this reservation. But can this be done without constitutional amendments? Otherwise, this would prove to be a jumla (poll rhetoric)," he said.

The Congress has 114 MLAs in the 230-member House apart from the support of seven other MLAs. The BJP has 109 MLAs.Following a series of chain-snatching incidents at Kushaiguda, Neredmet and Jawaharnagar, special teams were formed in the Rachakonda police commissionerate to arrested the accused. (Representational Image)

Hyderabad: The Rachakonda police arrested driver from Kapra in Secunderabad for six chain-snatching incidents. The police recovered property worth Rs 6.5 lakh from accused, identified as Gaddan Madam Mohan, 35, of Gandhinagar, Kapra, and produced him before the court for judicial remand.

Following a series of chain-snatching incidents at Kushaiguda, Neredmet and Jawaharnagar, special teams were formed in the Rachakonda police commissionerate to arrested the accused. He was identified and nabbed near a hotel in Chakripuram crossroads on Monday evening.

Rachakonda police commissioner Mahesh Bhagwat said Madan Moha was a graduate and was work as a car driver. He had previously worked for about seven years in a pharmacy.After making her South debut last year with Veedevadu, Esha Gupta will next sizzle in a special number opposite Ram Charan in his forthcoming Telugu film, Vinaya Vidheya Rama.The Boyapati Srinu directorial features the Commando actress in a special song, Ek bar Ek bar.

Says Esha, It was a no brainer to do this song; I love dancing and am happy to have shared the floor with Ram Charan. I hope I was able to do justice. It was a great project and I am glad to be a part of it, even if it was just a song.

Esha Gupta

Talking about working with Charan, the actress shares, I actually became his admirer after watching his film, Magadheera. He is one of the best dancers in the industry, so doing a dance number with him was a great experience. Ask her whether she is looking forward to more projects in the South, she replies, Of course itll be my honour to be a part of a few of those films. Some of the best Indian films come from the south industry.Kevin Hart has once again issued an apology to the LGBTQ community for his old homophobic tweets.

The controversy over using gay slurs in his past Twitter posts led Hart to step down as the emcee of Academy Awards 2019, after apologising for his comments.

On his SiriusXM radio show, "Straight From the Hart", the comic on Monday said that his words have been "chopped up" following previous apologies.

"Once again, Kevin Hart apologises for his remarks that hurt members of the LGBTQ community. I apologise," he said.

He later explained the original homophobic joke that landed him in trouble.

Hart quoted the joke, "I want to say that I have no problem with gay people. I don't have a homophobic bone in my body. I want you to be happy, be gay, be happy.'"

"And then I say as a heterosexual male, if I can do something to stop my son... That's where the joke starts!" he argued.

"The only clip that I have seen all over the media is the one where I go, 'Stop! That's gay'. I really had to dive into the whole thing, even the tweets," Hart said.

The comedian said the words were "not I said to gay individuals".

"I didn't say these words to people, at the time, this was our dumb a**es on Twitter going back and forth with each other. We thought it was okay to talk like that, because that's how we talked to one another. In that, you go, f**k! This is wrong now," he said.

On the other hand, Hart's contemporary Chris Rock has said his name can be crossed off this year's potential Oscars hosts list.

Chris Rock declared that he had no interest in hosting the Oscars ceremony.

The actor-comic, who has hosted the Academy Awards twice, made his intentions clear during his emceeing gig at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards dinner in Manhattan.

"If it was five years ago, I could say something really offensive and funny right now, but I can't do that anymore, so... hey!" Rock quipped.

In his impromptu stand-up of sorts, he looked into the audience at Steve Martin and suggested the veteran actor host the ceremony.

"Steve Martin is here. You should host the Oscars. You're the best. Steve Martin should host the Oscars! Because I'm not doing it, goddammit! You're not getting me," Rock said.Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription and are still unable to access our content, please link your digital account to your print subscription If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.It is by no means only men, though, who construe menstruation as unclean, nor is the phenomenon restricted to Hindu culture.

Even if that is a slight exaggeration, it was an amazingly inspiring endeavour, protesting against the continuing refusal to allow females aged between 10 and 50 into the Sabarimala temple in the south of the state despite a Supreme Court ruling decreeing otherwise.

Initially there was cause to fear that Rahaf al-Qununs attempted flight to freedom would come to a sticky end. The Saudi teenager evidently hopped on a plane to Bangkok during a family vacation in Kuwait, in the hope of seeking asylum in Australia.

Some of the details are murky, which is invariably inevitable in any developing story, but she was apparently greeted in Thailand by Saudi diplomatic and Kuwaiti airline officials who took away her passport, and the Thai immigration authorities seemed amenable to the idea of deporting her to Kuwait on the next available flight.

Rahaf had the good sense, though, to sign on to Twitter and publicise her plight, declaring that she had been abused by males within her family, and feared that she would be killed if she were forced to return. Furthermore, she barricaded her airport hotel room to avoid forcible deportation, while pleading for attention from the UNHCR.

Almost miraculously, the Thai authorities shifted their stance, saying they would not deport someone who faced the death penalty. By day-before-yesterday morning, Rahaf was out of the airport and under UNHCR protection. It would take another miracle for her to find safe haven in Australia, which has opted for a particularly inhumane attitude towards refugees and is chuffed by the fact that its belligerent approach resonates with the mindset of European neo-fascists.

It must be hoped, though, that some nation will take pride in welcoming Rahaf, at the risk of annoying the Saudis  where it has lately been decreed that women divorced by their husbands have the right to be informed of the development by text message. It was previously not uncommon for female divorcees to be unaware of their status. Such progress only serves to illustrate the depths of patriarchal depravity that the likes of Rahaf seek to escape.

One of those who failed early last year was Sheikha Latifa of Dubai, a daughter of the emirates ruler. With the help of foreign friends she almost made it to India on a yacht via Oman, but Indian and Emirati authorities connived in her abduction from international waters.

Her fate remained uncertain until late last year, when former Irish President and UN high commissioner for human rights agreed to serve as a useful idiot for the Maktoum family and posed for a photo-op with the 33-year-old Latifa, subsequently describing her as vulnerable and troubled. Which is hardly a surprising state of mind for someone coerced into spending the rest of her days in a cage, gilded or otherwise.

In the Indian state of Kerala, meanwhile, the new year was greeted by a womens wall of, by some estimates, more than five million souls. Even if that is a slight exaggeration, it was an amazingly inspiring endeavour, protesting against the continuing refusal to allow females aged between 10 and 50 into the Sabarimala temple in the south of the state despite a Supreme Court ruling decreeing otherwise. The justification for the ban is that the 800-year-old temples mythological deity, Lord Ayyappa, took a vow of celibacy, and this imaginary entity could be tempted to break his pledge if he spots any woman of child-bearing age in his sanctum. Such objections to biological processes that include childbirth can be seen as an existential threat to common sense and perhaps even to humankind, given that the objectors seemingly have an issue with the basis of their own creation. It is by no means only men, though, who construe menstruation as unclean, nor is the phenomenon restricted to Hindu culture.

Opinion polls suggest that up to 75 per cent Keralans disagree with the Supreme Courts verdict, which helps to explain why the BJP and Congress have both arrayed themselves against the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led state government, which organised the impressive womens wall. What is essentially in contention here is the right not to be discriminated against. As Barkha Dutt argued in the Washington Post last week, What sort of global power can the worlds largest democracy aspire to be when our monthly period is still used to make women feel like polluted pariahs  ?

Sad to say, its the same country where the national science congress gets to be illuminated by revelations about ancient stem-cell technology, aircraft, airports and Narendra Modi waves. .

But to accentuate the positive in the here and now, let us honour the women who have lately stood up to be counted  from Rahaf al-Qunun to Kanaka Durga and Bindu Ammini, who breached the Sabarimala ban, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, who have lit up the US House of Representatives.

By arrangement with DawnFree Event

Free Screenings of Paul Laurence Dunbar: Beyond the Mask

Paul Laurence Dunbar may be better known today for the single line of poetry that became the title of Maya Angelous book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, than for any of his other writings. But in his time, Dunbar was a national celebrity and the most famous African American writer in the country. Paul Laurence Dunbar: Beyond the Mask is a feature-length documentary screening free at six Dayton Metro Library locations this spring:

Mon., Jan. 14, 6 p.m. - Westwood Branch, 3207 Hoover Ave.

Sat., Feb. 2, 11:30 a.m. - Main Library Eichelberger Forum, 215 E. Third St.

Thur., Feb. 7, 6 p.m. - East Branch, 2008 Wyoming St.

Mon., Feb. 11, 6 p.m. - Main Library Eichelberger Forum, 215 E. Third St.

Thur., Feb. 14, 1 p.m. - New Lebanon Branch, 715 W. Main St.

Sat., April 6, 3 p.m. - Trotwood Branch, 651 W. Main St.

Sat., April 20, 2:30 p.m. - Northwest Branch, 2410 Philadelphia Dr.

Writer/director Frederick Lewis spent more than eight years making the documentary, which incorporates images from the Dayton Metro Librarys Paul Laurence Dunbar collection. The project received support from the Ohio Humanities Council as well as major funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities for his project.

Born in Dayton in 1872 to former slaves, Dunbar was a contemporary and classmate of Orville Wright. While he wrote essays critical of Jim Crow laws and lynching, he also wrote poems in plantation dialect and composed songs in the style of blackface minstrels. Dunbars story reflects the African American experience at the turn of the 20th century, and is deeply connected to the history of Dayton.

Join us for this free screening of a documentary more than eight years in the making! For more information, visit the Events Calendar at DaytonMetroLibrary.org/Events or call (937) 463-2665.

Related: Step Inside the Home of Paul Laurence DunbarA Darien man has been indicted on Long Island for allegedly causing the death of a husband and wife in what authorities described as a "catastrophic" motor vehicle crash, then fleeing the scene.

Suffolk County District Attorney Timothy D. Sini announced 12-count indictment against a Patrick Poillon, 24, of Darien on Monday, Jan. 7.

At approximately 10:11 p.m. on Dec. 22, Poillon was allegedly driving a 2006 Ford Explorer southbound on Huguenot Drive in Mastic Beach when he drove through a stop sign and struck a 2004 Subaru Legacy traveling east on Forest Road West. Poillon allegedly fled the scene of the crash on foot, leaving the Explorer and a passenger at the scene.

The two passengers in the Subaru, William Molnar, 50, and Jean Molnar, 41, both of Mastic Beach, were pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. According to a Facebook memorial page, the Molnars left behind three children and two grandchildren.

Poillon is charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter, two counts of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, and tampering with physical evidence, all felonies in New York; second-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree assault, leaving the scene of an incident without reporting, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle in the third degree, all misdemeanors; and speeding and failure to stop at a stop sign, which are both traffic infractions.

"The defendant was allegedly driving more than twice the legal speed limit and blowing through stop signs in a residential neighborhood at the time of this horrific crash," District Attorney Sini said in a press release. "Because of his reckless actions, a husband and wife were killed just days before Christmas."

On Tuesday, Brendan Ahern, chief of Suffolk's Vehicular Crime Bureau, told The Darien Times Poillon was allegedly driving in a "grossly dangerous fashion."

"Two days before Christmas Eve, he was out with his friends driving through these very small residential roadways," Ahern said.

"He was blowing through every single stop sign," Ahern said.

Ahern said the couple was "killed instantly" in the "catastrophic crash."

A 22-year-old male passenger in the front seat of Poillon's Explorer was transported by Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of injuries.

Ahern told The Darien Times that Poillon allegedly admitted his involvement in the crash to those at the residence he had come from and returned to.

Following an investigation by Suffolk County Police Major Case Unit detectives, Poillon was arrested at a relative's residence in Mastic Beach at approximately 3:37 a.m. on Dec. 23, 2018.

Poillon was allegedly driving at approximately 68 mph at the time of the crash, which occurred in a 30 mph zone. Poillon was also allegedly holding a "Natty Daddy," which is a 25-ounce can of Natural Light beer, while driving.

Vermont Charges

Poillon also has criminal charges pending in Brattleboro, Vt., from an incident that occurred in August 2016 in which Poillon and a co-defendant allegedly assaulted a man in a supermarket and stole alcohol from him. The charges also include a hate-motivated aggravated disorderly conduct charge for allegedly attacking an African-American woman during the incident and calling her a racial slur. Poillon pleaded not guilty to those charges.

In August 2016, The Brattleboro Reformer reported a man told Brattleboro Police he was purchasing two alcoholic beverages in a store on Elliot Street when a man fitting the description of Poillon began punching and kicking him.

A black woman who drove up to the scene "stopped her car because of the subjects blocking the roadway," police said. Poillon called her a racial slur after she exited her car and started picking up glass from the road using a handkerchief.

"I'll (expletive) fight you, I'll (expletive) kill you!" Poillon said, according to an affidavit, before assaulting the female victim, the Reformer reported.

The Reformer reported Poillon fled the scene, but was later arrested hiding in a bedroom closet at a private residence. The Reformer also reported that an officer from the Dover Police Department contacted Brattleboro police during their investigation of the incident, identifying Poillon as a person who had bitten him in a previous incident.

Arraignment

On Monday, Jan. 7, Poillon was arraigned on the indictment in front of Suffolk County Acting Supreme Court Justice Fernando Camacho. Bail was set at $1 million cash or $5 million bond and his license was suspended. He is due back in court on Feb. 4.

Sini told The Darien Times Tuesday Poillon is still in custody and due to the bond amount it is expected he will remain in custody. He said the bond amount requested takes into account Poillon's alleged previous criminal history.

If convicted of the top count, Poillon faces a maximum sentence of five to 15 years in prison.

Sini said the next steps will include the discovery process and "invariably some sort of conversation to dispose of the charges" via plea negotiations, which will also take previous charges into account.

The Mastic Beach case is being prosecuted by assistant district attorneys Jacob DeLauter and Maggie Bopp, of the Vehicular Crime Bureau.

It is unclear where Poillon lives or has lived in Darien, or when. Ahern said Poillon's relative has a home in Mastic Beach.

Despite possible plea discussions, Sini said, "We are prepared to try this case."

"However, we always do consider a just result prior to trial," he said.

Timothy Sini is the cousin of Planning & Zoning Commission chairman John Sini.

DARIEN  With several developments looking to break ground as early as spring, the town has a year of big changes ahead.

That was the theme of First Selectman Jayme Stevensons Wednesday morning State of Darien address, in which she described 2019 as a year of transformation. Stevenson was joined by local business owners and members of the Darien Chamber of Commerce.

In 2019 I think were going to see some shovels on the ground, Stevenson said.

With the recent approval of the downtown redevelopment project dubbed the Corbin Project, several development projects are planned to begin this year.

Many of the things happening in and around Darien are because of incredible partners like Baywater Properties, the Palmer family, and Federal Realty who are changing the face of the town of Darien, Stevenson said.

Along with these redevelopments, the town, Federal Realty and Palmers will collaborate to handle one of Dariens major problems  flooding.

Were going to kick that off in the town and put in a large infilitration system in our commuter parking lot adjacent to the depot, Stevenson said, adding that future redevelopment projects will include flood mitigating features.

Along with the commercial redevelopments, the town is taking on some renovation projects of its own. The Pear Tree Beach Building Committee is currently working on upgrades to the beach, while a building committee for the redevelopment of Ox Ridge Elementary School has also been formed.

Were looking at bringing into our building projects an element of sustainability, she said, adding discussions on best practices for school security are also being held.

At the state level, Stevenson said she was excited for newly elected Gov. Ned Lamont.

Ned Lamont is going to bring his business experience to the state of Connecticut, she said. Hes also from Fairfield County so he understands the uniquess of where we live.

During the address, residents asked about Ox Ridge, which has been renamed as Highland Farm.

Its open for public passive use now, Stevenson said. You will see some parks programming beginning in the spring.

Darien Toy Box owner Bill Jensen also brought up one of the long-discussed potential town projects: a community pool.

I know there was something discussed for Weed Beach, then the high school and middle school, Jensen said.

Stevenson said there are people who support a pool, but others dont; without a general consensus, the town doesnt believe it can get the Board of Finance to back the idea.

We have to set priorities on spending, she said. Unfortunately that one hasnt risen to the top yet. I really do hope that one day soon where comfortably enough financially to make that investment.

dj.simmons@hearstmediact.com, 203-842-2568AASU is not amused at the timing of the Union Cabinets move to set up the committee to look into Clause 6 of the Assam Accord.

This fortnight, Assam once again saw the stewing of its citizenship soup. The master chef, of course, was the BJP-led government at the Centre which touched raw nerves when the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) lent its approval to the draft Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 without any changes, after having rejected amendments proposed by the Opposition members who were a part of the committee. After the due push by the BJP-majority JPC, Union home minister Rajnath Singh moved the bill in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, and it was passed the same day after some hasty discussions that saw Opposition members stage walkouts. The bill, that is about to become law, would empower the government to provide Indian citizenship to Hindu migrants from Bangladesh as well as other allegedly persecuted non-Muslims from Pakistan and Afghanistan. Then, waking up from its slumber, the nearly five-year-old Narendra Modi government decided at a Cabinet meeting to take a fresh look at the 35-year-old Assam Accord. Now, the decision taken was to set up a high-level committee to look into the existing recommendations on implementation of Clause 6 of the accord that provided for constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to the Assamese people.

What is the linkage between the two  the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha and its subsequent transformation into a law, and the Cabinet decision to set up a committee to look at the issue of implementation of Clause 6 of the Assam Accord? And why is the timing of the two moves so significant? The JPC nod was a demonstration of the Modi governments intent to have the Citizenship Bill passed so that Hindu migrants from Bangladesh and elsewhere can be conferred with Indian citizenship. This, obviously, is a sticky point for the BJP-led government in Assam as the same people who gave the party a huge mandate in the 2016 Assembly elections are vehemently opposed to the move to amend the Citizenship Act. Mass organisations like the All Assam Students Union (AASU), the protagonists of the six-year Assam agitation against illegal Bangladeshi migration of the 1980s, dont want any illegal Bangladeshi to stay in the state, irrespective of religion. The BJP at the Centre and the state has been bent on facilitating stay rights for Hindu migrants who fled countries like Bangladesh and elsewhere, claiming that India is the natural refuge for such people.

The BJP was aware of the sentiments of the people in Assam and elsewhere in the Northeast and decided to push the process of granting constitutional, legislative and administrative safeguards to the Assamese people with perhaps the hope that it would neutralise the anger over the move to bring the new citizenship law. AASU is not amused at the timing of the Union Cabinets move to set up the committee to look into Clause 6 of the Assam Accord. The student group has since rejected the high-level committee headed by a former IAS officer, M.P. Bezbaruah, and raised a serious question articulated by AASU leader Samujjal Bhattacharya thus: When you seek to violate Clause 5 of the Assam Accord that provides for detection and expulsion of illegal migrants from Bangladesh, why are you talking about implementation of Clause 6 for safeguards to the Assamese people. If the illegal migrants are deported, the interests of the indigenous people would be automatically served and further safeguards can come later. The question is also being asked as to why the Modi government did not choose to look into the Assam Accord earlier in its tenure. The term of the committee, for instance, has been fixed at six months, and by then the Lok Sabha polls would have been over and a new government installed!

Again, many see a clear contradiction in the Centres move of granting citizenship to Hindu migrants from Bangladesh (those who had come over till December 31, 2014) and its mega `1,500-crore exercise to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The draft NRC had left out the names of over 40 lakh people from among those who had applied to have their names in this list. More than 30 lakh of them have since filed claims for inclusion of their names in the final NRC. The process will take time, but many say Hindu Bangladeshis who had migrated illegally to India comprise the bulk of those whose names did not figure in the final draft NRC. Therefore, organisations like AASU argue that it is the BJP-led government at the Centre and in Assam which are engaged in a deliberate move to protect a section of illegal Bangladeshi migrants, and the Citizenship Bill or the new law that is coming contradicts the provision of the Assam Accord as well as negates the very purpose of having an updated NRC.

The immediate political fallout of the BJPs move to enact this new citizenship law is the exit of the regional Asom Gana Parishad from the coalition in Assam. The AGPs position as a coalition partner of the BJP in Assam and the continuance of its three ministers, including party chief Atul Bora, in the Sarbananda Sonowal Cabinet became untenable as the Narendra Modi government wanted the Citizenship Bill to become a law at any cost. The AGP had come to power with the promise of freeing Assam of illegal Bangladeshi migrants, and therefore the party couldnt stay with the BJP that wanted to confer citizenship to Hindu migrants from Bangladesh.

The Sonowal government does not face any danger as the BJP has 60 seats of its own in the 126-member Assam Assembly, besides enjoying the support of the 12-member Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF). The AGP does not enjoy its past popularity, but the fact that the BJP decided to go for a pre-poll alliance with the regional party ahead of the 2016 state elections indicated the latters hold in certain pockets. Now the BJP will not have the AGPs backing in 2019 and will have to go it alone in the Brahmaputra Valley except, of course, with the BPF by its side. The agitation has only begun with the 11-hour shutdown in Assam and the rest of the Northeast on Tuesday. The murky politics over citizenship will unfold in its ever-expanding avatars in the days ahead.Indias politicians, particularly in state governments, feel disempowered versus foreign companies.

Indias elites - the top 0.1 per cent of families, who only shop overseas and have grown fatter the fastest - have a visceral fear of buyouts. The Indian couldnt care less - they look for lower prices and better quality.

Indias politicians, particularly in state governments, feel disempowered versus foreign companies. There is a cultural gap. But also the strong arm of the law, a favoured weapon to discipline foreigners, is difficult to impose overseas. Disciplining Union Carbide for its gas leak was tough in 1984. Even today extraditing rogue Indian businessm-an Vijay Mallya remains a challenge. Western CEOs dont kowtow to Indian politicia-ns. Walmarts annual revenues at $500 billion are more than double that of the Centres Budget. It hurts. Thats where domestic big business lucks out. Nothing wrong with home-grown retail e-commerce as in China. But India is no China.

Explosive double-digit Chinese growth in the 1990s fuelled its ability to support domestic digital giants - Tencent and Alibaba. India, with a 2016 per capita gross national income (PCGNI), in constant terms, of $1,841, is still a decade away from equalling Chinas 2011 PCGNI of $4,925. Also, democracy doesnt help overtly pushing domestic big business.

The UPA-2 government did try. In the post-2008 global economic downturn, there was interest among Western retail chains to invest in rapidly-growing India, and 100 per cent FDI in B2B, or wholesale trade, met no opposition. But opening up retail to FDI was opposed by the BJP, then the main Opposition. On December 6, 2012, in the Rajya Sabha, a much younger-looking Arun Jaitley pressed all the right buttons to create fear and alarm: 40 million small traders would go out of business; Indians would become shopboys and shopgirls; ownership and control would pass to foreigners, as in the Raj. Not surprisingly, sundry regional parties, on both sides of the aisle, were similarly opposed.

Commerce minister Kamal Nath fought a lonely, losing battle.

The Narendra Modi government, to its credit, despite its deep roots in business, used its majority in Parliament to push retail trade liberalisation, albeit ste-althily, innocuous tinkering with constraining regulations, to enlarge the presence of marquee foreign brands in India. This worked.

The Foreign Investment Promotion Board, a regulatory relic of the 1990s, was abolished in 2016. Since March 2016, 51 per cent FDI in single-product retail trade is possible under the automatic route. For foreign companies like IKEA, obsessed will full control, 100 per cent FDI is possible with government approval. A minimum domestic sourcing of 30 per cent protects small, medium and micro enterprises.

Investing in physical retail outlets allows foreign investors to sell their own brands online through e-marketplaces. But regulations fog FDI in multi-brand retail. Only a maximum of 51 per cent equity is permitted and that too with government approval. The killer is that online sales, through an owned e-marketplace, are banned for a multi-brand retail chain. This is irrational. Why should we stop an e-commerce player like Amazon, Walmart (now owner of domestic e-marketplace Flipkart) or even Alibaba from manufacturing goods in India and selling these along with other brands, on its e-marketplace?

This irrationality is designed to give time to domestic big retailers to shape up. Trai did something similar in 2016. Applying a concept of net neutrality - a principle junked by even its author, the US Federal Communications Commission, in 2017, it sopped Facebook from offering free connectivity via Airtel to its curated content Free Basics - a proposal eminently suitable for price-sensitive Indian consumers. Curiously, this irrational decision did work in our national interest. It enabled Reliance Industries to roll out its broadband service Jio, offering universal access to content, at near-free prices. An Indian deep pockets company won out over a foreign one.

A similar tactic of holding-off foreign investors is being used in multi-brand e-commerce. Shoppers Stop, a large physical retailer, tied up last year to sell its brands through Amazon. Amazon bought five per cent of its equity, enabling it to reduce debt and enhance profitability. Also, the groups online access to customers increased from four million earlier to 40 million on Amazon - a win-win for both. The Future Group, which owns the retail chain Big Bazaar, has similarly tied up partnerships with several foreign brands. Talks are reportedly on with Walmart to enlarge the groups online presence. Walmart, a physical retail chain in the US, acquired Indian e-marketplace Flipkart to mount its e-commerce challenge to Amazon in India.

The Indian retail e-commerce market is minuscule. Per India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF). online retail share is only 1.5 per cent in 2017 (compared to 13 per cent in US), valued at Rs 39 billion (or $0.6 billion), just 0.03 per cent of global retail e-commerce of $2.3 trillion. But the future belongs to e-commerce - 54 per cent millennials prefer to shop online. By 2026, online shopping in India will be Rs 200 billion (or $3 billion). A healthy growth of 20 per cent per year, though still small beer in a global retail e-commerce market of $10 trillion by then.

In its Press Note 2, the department of industrial policy and promotion on December 26, 2018 set the cat among the foreign and Indian pigeons hoping to roost in the Indian e-commerce space. It emphasises the neutrality rule to stop Indian (Snapdeal) and foreign (Amazon) e-marketplaces from buying into a suppliers equity to scale up capacity, improve quality and efficiency. This is just absurd. Barring direct investment in suppliers is easily negated by routing investment through layered companies to live within such irrational regulations. But if the government gets heavy on such indirect investments, it will impose regulatory inefficiency, disrupt a thriving marketplace and hurt good jobs.

The good news is that the big boys  political and business - are set to talk this through at Davos (where else?) later this month. After the general elections, the new government will not need to posture in favour of the anti-retail trade reform crowd. Also, there is nothing like a regulatory jolt to remind bumptious foreign investors of just who is the boss. Business sanity might prevail over populism after the 2019 elections if a single party gets an outright majority. That, of course, is a big if.

The writer is adviser, Observer Research FoundationPresident Trump apparently also raised the issue of reduction in the trade deficit with India.

New Delhi: Just days after US President Donald Trump took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Indias development efforts in Afghanistan, the two leaders spoke on phone and discussed a range of issues which apparently included strengthening coordination in Afghanistan. The US plans to withdraw thousands of its troops from that country. President Trump apparently also raised the issue of reduction in the trade deficit with India.

News agency reports from Washington quoted the White House as stating, The leaders agreed to strengthen the U.S.-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the U.S. trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific, and increase cooperation in Afghanistan.

In its statement from New Delhi, the MEA said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald J. Trump of the United States exchanged New Year greetings in a telephonic conversation last evening. They expressed satisfaction at the progress in India-U.S. strategic partnership in 2018. They appreciated developments such as the launch of the new 2+2 dialogue mechanism and the first-ever Trilateral Summit of India, the U.S. and Japan.

The MEA added, The two leaders took positive note of growing bilateral cooperation in defence, counter-terrorism and energy and coordination on regional and global issues. They agreed to continue to work together for further strengthening India-U.S. bilateral relations in 2019.

Indian government sources had earlier reiterated Indias stand that it would not deploy its security forces in Afghanistan but would continue to pursue development activities in that country.

Just last week, President Trump had said, I get along very well with India and PM Modi. But hes constantly telling me he built a library in Afghanistan. Thats like five hours of what we spend. And he tells us and hes very smart, and were supposed to sayoh! thank you for the library. I dont know whos using it in Afghanistan. ... I dont like being taken advantage of.

As reported by this newspaper last week, President Trump is believed to have mistaken the Parliament building that India built for Afghanistan over three years ago with the library. The Parliament building was inaugurated in December, 2015, in Kabul in the presence of PM Modi.Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee announced decision of expelling Saumitra Khan and Anupam Hazra.

Kolkata: The Trinamool Congress expelled its parliamentarian Saumitra Khan hours after the Bishnupur MP in Bankura joined the BJP in New Delhi on Wednesday ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee's party has also expelled its another young MP Anupam Hazra of Bolpur Lok Sabha constituency for anti-party activities fuelling speculation that he might follow the footsteps of Khan soon.

Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee announced the party's decision of expelling Khan and Hazra in Nadia where he is accompanying party supremo Mamata Banerjee on a visit to the district.

On Khan's removal from the Trinamool, Chatterjee who is also the party's observer of Nadia said, "He was not in touch with the party's organisation for the past year. Moreover, he was involved in different types of controversy. We took the decision of his expulsion after waiting for a long time and discussing his fate with our party chief."

Khan's switchover to the BJP and expulsion comes a day after a video airing his allegations against a police officer in Bankura went viral. In the video, he is seen accusing sub-divisional police officer Sukamal Das of threatening of murder and abducting his personal assistant Sushanta Da alias Gopi. After Khan joined the BJP, his personal assistant was arrested by the police.

Banerjee's nephew and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee against whom Khan lashed out countered him. "He had been MP for the past four and half years. But why could not he spend the funds he received under MPLAD scheme? I challenge him to contest an election at a booth, forget an Assembly or Lok Sabha seat. I am sure he will lose."

On Hazra's expulsion, Chatterjee, the education minister, pointed out that Hazra has been involved posting such comments on Facebook and in other activities which are against the party.

"He was into more heinous activities. He shared many posts on Facebook time to time and he was also associated with such activities which do not suit the party's policies. That is why he faced expulsion."'The watchman with a 56-inch chest ran away and told a woman, Sitharaman ji, defend me,' Rahul had said.

Jaipur/Agra: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the Prime Minister got a woman to defend him in Parliament as he couldn't do so himself, a remark that appeared to trigger a sharp retort from Narendra Modi who accused the opposition of insulting Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Calling PM Modi a prime minister who claimed to have a broad chest, Gandhi said, the Prime Minister had "run away" from a debate in Parliament on the defence deal. The watchman with a 56-inch chest ran away and told a woman, Sitharaman ji, defend me. I won't be able to defend myself, defend me, he said at a farmers' rally in Jaipur.

For two and a half hours, the woman could not defend him. I had asked a straight question  answer yes or no  but she couldn't answer, the Congress chief said, using the word mahila' for a woman in his speech in Hindi.

Later in the address, he accused the Prime Minister again of running away from the debate, but this time did not refer to the defence minister in the same manner.

In his public meeting a few hours later in Agra, PM Modi accused Congress leaders of insulting the country's women. He said Defence Minister Sitharaman had floored the Opposition in the Lok Sabha by coming up with "fact after fact" on the Rafale deal. "They are bent upon insulting a woman defence minister," he said, without naming Gandhi.

"This is not an insult to a woman, but an insult to entire India's women power, for which these irresponsible leaders will have to pay the price," PM Modi added.

The Prime Minister said it was a matter of pride that a woman had become defence minister for the first time in the country.

Rahul Gandhi was addressing his first public meeting in Rajasthan since the Congress came into power there, and in two other Hindi heartland states, after the recent assembly elections.

The Congress leader repeated the Congress accusation of corruption in the deal for 36 Rafale aircraft being bought from French firm Dassault, an accusation constantly denied by the government.

The opposition leader claimed PM Modi failed to reply to the specific questions asked by him on the deal. He said the Prime Minister went off to Punjab when the Lok Sabha was debating the deal.

Modi didn't step in the Lok Sabha for a minute because the chowkidar has committed theft, and ran away out of fear, he said. He accused the Prime Minister of spreading hatred.

The BJP's ideology is different from that of the Congress. We will fight against them, but we will pay respect, be it to the Prime Minister, a chief minister or any minister, he said.

Wherever there is a need to pay respect to them, the Congress party will do that. But if in the Rafale deal Narendra Modi stole 30,000 crore, justice will be done, he said.

There will be no victimisation, but there will be justice, he said, in an apparent reference to the possibility of the Congress coming to power in the next elections.Gandhi had accused Mr Modi of allegedly removing him in an attempt to stop the officer from investigating the Rafale scam.

New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Rafale fighter jet deal. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Mr Gandhi said the CBI chief was ousted at 1am as he was about to begin an investigation into the Rafale jet agreement and Mr Modi and his government cannot run away from a probe into the deal.

The CBI chief has been reinstated and we have got some relief. Now lets see what happens, Mr Gandhi said.

The Congress party has been targeting Mr Modi on the Rafale deal alleging the price of each Rafale aircraft has sharply increased from `526 crore, negotiated by the previous UPA government, to `1,600 crore and that the contract will help Anil Ambani get `30,000 crore benefit through offset contract. Mr Ambani too has rejected the charges.

Mr Gandhi also said that no one can save the PM from Rafale investigation and the entire nation will know without a shadow of doubt that he has taken `30,000 crore of peoples money and given it to his friend Anil Ambani.

Soon after Mr. Verma was sent on leave late in October, Mr. Gandhi had accused Mr Modi of allegedly removing him in an attempt to stop the officer from investigating the Rafale scam.

The Congress has often pressed the charge against the government since then. It had also said that divesting Mr. Verma of his statutory powers abruptly amid a feud with his deputy Rakesh Asthana was illegal. In the ongoing winter session of parliament the Congress has been demanding that the PM should come to the house and answer questions being raised on the Rafale fighter jet deal.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 9)  The centuries-old devotion to the Black Nazarene, an image of a dark-skinned Jesus Christ carrying a cross, had been passed down from generation to generation, along with tales of its origins and supposed miracles, but some of these deserve to be corrected.

For starters, Msgr. Sabino Vengco, from the Loyola School of Theology of the Ateneo de Manila University, told CNN Philippines' The Source that the image of the Black Nazarene never turned dark because it was burned on its way to Manila.

"Actually, the Black Nazarene has been black from the very beginning," said Vengco, who flew to Mexico to conduct research on old religious icons in the Philippines.

Vengco explained that the image, whose annual procession in January draws millions of people to the city of Manila, was sculpted from mesquite wood, akin to the local kamagong wood.

"If people are not given the right stories and explanations, nature abhors vacuum. They will come up with their own speculative speculations," he said. "And the fire aboard that transporting ship, you know, that's always a handy explanation  but there's no truth to that."

The theologian also said the feast of the Black Nazarene, traditionally celebrated on January 9th, should be changed as that date only refers to the transfer of the image from the possession of the Recolletos congregation in Intramuros to its current location in the parish of St. John the Baptist in Quiapo.

"The liturgical celebration of the Black Nazarene ... in Intramuros and even today for the Church should be in connection with the Lenten season, particularly the Holy Week, on a Friday," Vengco said.

He said the Black Nazarene had to be moved from the parish of San Nicolas de Tolentino because the church was destroyed by two quakes. He added that the devotion to the image was put "in limbo" for 80 years, so the Archbishop of Manila then had to order the Recolletos fathers to turn over the image to the Archdiocese of Manila.

The Recolletos had a second image of the Black Nazarene in their possession, Vengco said, but this, along with the church it was in, was destroyed during the second World War.

Patient guidance needed

While Vengco would prefer the celebration of the feast of the Black Nazarene moved for liturgical correctness, he admitted that this cannot be easily done.

"We patiently wait for that because you are dealing with masses, with people. You do not just command them; that would be idiotic, no one would pay attention to you. You educate them, you guide them  and guidance, as any parent will tell you, it requires a lot of patience," he said.

He added that while the Church encourages different expressions of faith from its adherents, these should always be in harmony and never contrary to its "liturgy [and] official prayer life."

Devotees of the Black Nazarene have sometimes encountered people of other faiths on the route of the Traslacion bearing signs warning them against idolatry and fanaticism.

In his homily during a Mass before the Black Nazarene's procession began, Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle defended devotees from being tagged as "fanatics," saying that what distinguishes fanatics from devotees is that the latter shows love, faithful service and oneness with God.

Vengco said the priests of Quiapo Church, who he said were once his students, are trying their best to connect the feast of the Black Nazarene with the liturgy of the Church.

"May [There is a] morning prayer na ngayon, mayroong Misa, mayroong stations for the people [now, there is a Mass, there are stations,] telling them, 'You do not have to kill yourself trying to touch. Just, doon na lang kayo maghintay [wait somewhere else.]' putting sanity into it," he said.

He added that people who do not understand the devotion to the Black Nazarene should just be tolerant of the devotees.

"You cannot judge other people as to what is in their hearts and in their minds. It is a matter between them and God. They're not doing you anything, so why are you so bothered and why are you so concerned about correcting them? Because you cannot correct them," Vengco said.

Pope Innocent X granted recognition to the Cofradia de Jesus Nazareno, the first confraternity dedicated to Jesus in the Philippines in a Papal Bull in 1651. Some 200 years later, Pope Pius VII gave the image his apostolic blessing, granting anyone who prays to it plenary indulgence, or the removal of all temporal punishment for sins.Conflict over the removal of the Lee and Jackson statues is bigger than the current council for the City of Charlottesville. Consider the historical context of the statues. When were the statues erected? Both of these statues were put up on public land in the 1920s, which was a time of Jim Crow laws, the heyday of the Ku Klux Klan, and much pushback against post-Civil War Reconstruction.

Why were the statues placed where they were placed? The Jackson statue is near a public courthouse and on the same block of town where slaves once were bought and sold. This auctioning of slaves now is marked with a plaque no bigger than a shoebox. Without searching diligently, this plaque easily could be overlooked. Meanwhile, in comparison, the statue of Jackson on a horse is huge.

And what prompted the Charlottesville City Council to vote to remove these statues? It was not the election of any one member of the Council. Remember that the church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina, occurred in 2015, and it prompted localities like ours to rethink having Confederate monuments, flags, and statues in public spaces.

Our town has a history tinged with racism, and we cannot pin this on the current council. It is bigger than a group of elected officials. Lets face this reality with eyes wide open.

Mark Martin, Greene CountyThe Green Leaf Grill in downtown Waynesboro will finally open again to the public at 4 p.m. Wednesday after being closed for the past year because of the pandemic.Then in March 2016, Wolfe pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder, use of a firearm, and one drug conspiracy charge, in an agreement where he faced a range of 29 to 41 years in prison, with credit for the 15 years he had already served. The handwritten confession Wolfe filed with the plea stated that he and Barber plotted together to kill Petrole, and "I am responsible for Danny's death even though I didn't pull the trigger. If I had not been involved Danny would never have been killed." Wolfe had previously maintained his innocence. He was sentenced to 41 years in prison.

Wolfe's new lawyer, Marvin Miller of Alexandria, argued to the Supreme Court that Wolfe entered his plea because he faced the possibility of another death sentence and concluded that "the Commonwealth was determined to deny him a fair trial." Miller's brief said the Prince William trial court "erred in accepting his guilty plea because he was the target of a vindictive prosecution" after Wolfe won relief from the federal courts.

Both the Virginia Court of Appeals and the Virginia Supreme Court rejected Wolfe's appeals last year, saying he waived his right to appeal the issue because he pleaded guilty without any conditions allowing for such appeals.A pitched public battle over a natural gas compressor station for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline in Buckingham County ended with a vote of approval for a permit that state officials hailed as a new national standard for air pollution controls on gas turbines and opponents branded as tainted by political interference from Gov. Ralph Northam.

The State Air Pollution Control Board voted 4-0 to approve the compressor station permit Tuesday, acting without three of its seven members  two of whom Northam had replaced abruptly in November. The vote came during a raucous two-hour meeting at a Chesterfield County conference center that was thronged by protesters and Virginia State Police.

The bottom line here is the Buckingham Compressor Station will be the most stringently regulated compressor station in the country and the publics health will be protected, said Mike Dowd, director of the Department of Environmental Qualitys Air Division, as dozens of protesters stood behind him with their backs turned.

Opponents vowed to continue the fight against the compressor station permit in court and accused the board of ignoring the disproportionate impact of the project on Union Hill, a community centered around two African-American churches and the former site of a slave-holding plantation that spawned it.PM Modi is scheduled to visit Agra during which he will launch several projects worth Rs 2,980 crore and address public meeting.

Akhilesh Yadav also said he hoped that PM Modi will remember the pain of farmers growing potato and sugarcane and wheat in nearby areas. (Photo: File | ANI)

Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said he hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would learn a lesson of affection and love from Taj Mahal during his visit to Agra.

Yadav tweeted hours before the Prime Minister's visit to the city during which he will launch several projects worth Rs 2,980 crore and address a public meeting.

"Hope the PM will return from Taj Mahal after learning a lesson of affection and love from it," he tweeted.

Yadav also said he hoped that PM Modi will remember the pain of farmers growing potato and sugarcane and wheat in nearby areas.

"UP was never so far from Delhi that the country's head did not have news about the plight of farmers and traders," he said.Don Gathers has delayed the start to his campaign for City Council, while fellow Democrat Michael Payne kicked his run into gear on Tuesday.

Gathers also resigned from the Charlottesville Civilian Police Review Board at its meeting later that evening.

Gathers, 59, said he had a heart attack a few months ago and on Tuesday learned of recurring issues with his health that need to be addressed before he can campaign.

He said he isnt dropping out of the race, just waiting to get started.

Im not going away. I just need to refocus, rededicate and take care of the temple the Lord blessed me with, he said.

Payne and Gathers on Tuesday hosted what was supposed to be a campaign launch party for both candidates at Kardinal Hall after they announced their candidacies on Monday morning.

Three seats on the five-member City Council are available in the November election. Democrats Kathy Galvin, Wes Bellamy and Mike Signer have not announced plans for re-election to four-year terms.The money raised in the area stays in the area and the donations collected provide shoes, clothing, medicine, eyeglasses, school supplies and other essentials to children in need.

We cant be more thankful for all of the support we have received for the Santa Fund this year, from the most generous gift in the history of the fund to the hundreds of other donations that have helped us get to this point, said Peter Yates, publisher of The Daily Progress. We are within reach of the goal, and we are counting on our community to help us help as many kids as possible this year.

So many children go without a warm coat or adequate school supplies or shoes that fit, Respeto said. Eyeglasses are also so important for kids. If they cannot see the white board in class, they cannot do their best in school. We set that ambitious goal so we could meet more of these needs.

The Santa Fund is unique in that there are no family income requirements and vouchers are distributed by the United Way to be redeemed in local stores.

Teachers, pastors and others in the community who see a child in need can help arrange a voucher from the Santa Fund to take care of those needs.By the time he started releasing recordings of music in this vein, McLeod truly revealed what a quick study he was with old-time folk sounds. His earliest recordings are filled with rambling banjo and guitar originals that occasionally tumble into more freeform territory, as well as spirited takes on traditional fare like Yell in the Shoats and The Carter Familys Wildwood Flower.

McLeods experimental interests havent been completely quieted down, however. His most recent album, Mug Hummies, is one of his first efforts to more fully blend the two halves of his musical personality. Sitting in the center of the record, surrounded by renditions of Hawaiian tunes from the 30s and some of his favorite gospel tunes, are songs like I Know I Will Be Gone, a 10-minute exploration of spare guitar figures that weave in and out of a single humming chord played on an organ.

That side of myself has always been there, McLeod said. I just didnt want to copy anybody or do anything with that until I really knew how to do it on my own. I have a more clear vision now that involves a few instruments  specifically, this electric organ I found, and the fiddle. Having those two instruments be the center of the drone music I make put me on a path where I was comfortable doing it my own way  not worrying about sounding like other people as much.Douglas Dynamics, Inc. operates as a manufacturer and upfitter of commercial work truck attachments and equipment in North America. It operates through two segments, Work Truck Attachments and Work Truck Solutions. The Work Truck Attachments segment manufactures and sells snow and ice control attachments, including snowplows, and sand and salt spreaders for light trucks and heavy duty trucks, as well as various related parts and accessories. The Work Truck Solutions segment primarily manufactures municipal snow and ice control products; provides truck and vehicle upfits where it attaches component pieces of equipment, truck bodies, racking, and storage solutions to a vehicle chassis for use by end users for work related purposes; and manufactures storage solutions for trucks and vans, and cable pulling equipment for trucks. This segment also offers up-fit and storage solutions. It also provides customized turnkey solutions to governmental agencies, such as Departments of Transportation and municipalities. The company sells its products under the BLIZZARD, FISHER, HENDERSON, SNOWEX, WESTERN, TURFEX, SWEEPEX, HENDERSON, and DEJANA brands. It distributes its products primarily to professional snowplowers who are contracted to remove snow and ice from commercial and residential areas. The company was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Sealed Air: AFP (Shanghai) Limited, AFP Inc. (Branch), AFPTOH LTD, Aconcagua Distribuciones SRL, Air Ride Pallets Hong Kong Limited, Austin Foam Plastics Inc., Auto-C LLC, Automated Packaging Systems, B+ Equipment, B+ Equipment SAS, Beacon Holdings LLC, Biosphere Industries, BluPack (New Zealand), Blue Dot Packaging Pty Ltd., CPI Packaging Inc., CPI Packaging Systems Inc., Cactus (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Cactus Shanghai Trading Co. Ltd., Ciras C.V., Ciras C.V. - Luxembourg Branch, Ciras C.V.  Luxembourg Branch, Cleanwise Inc., Cryovac (Malaysia) SDN. BHD, Cryovac (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Cryovac Brasil Ltda., Cryovac Chile Holdings LLC, Cryovac Holdings II LLC, Cryovac Inc., Cryovac International Holdings Inc., Cryovac LLC, Cryovac Leasing Corporation, Cryovac Londrina Ltda., Cryovac Packaging Portugal - Embalagens Ltda., Cryovac Packaging Portugal Embalagens Ltda, Cryovac Sweden AB, Cryovac-Sealed Air de Costa Rica S.R.L., DELTAPLAM Embalagens Industria e Comercio, Deltaplam Embalagens Industria e Comercio Ltda, Diversey, Diversey Australia Pty. Ltd., Diversey Austria Trading GmbH, Diversey B.V., Diversey Belgium BVBA, Diversey Brasil Industria Quimica Ltda., Diversey Canada Inc., Diversey Centroamerica S.A., Diversey Danmark ApS, Diversey Hungary Acting Off-shore Capital Management Limited Liability Company, Diversey J Trustee Limited, Diversey Trustee Limited, Diversey Ceska republika s.r.o. clen koncernu Diversey, Entapack Pty. Ltd., Fagerdala (Chengdu) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Chengdu) Packing Co. Ltd. (Chongqing Branch), Fagerdala (Chongqing) Packaging Co. Ltd. (Branch), Fagerdala (Huiyang) Packaging Co. Ltd, Fagerdala (Huiyang) Packaging Co. Ltd. (Branch), Fagerdala (Shanghai) Foams Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Shanghai) Polymer Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Shenzhen) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Suzhou) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala (Suzhou) Packing Co. Ltd. (Hefei Branch), Fagerdala (Thailand) Limited, Fagerdala (Xiamen) Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala Leamchabung Limited, Fagerdala Leamchabung Ltd., Fagerdala Malaysia Sdn Bhd., Fagerdala Mexico S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Mexico S.A. de C.V. (Chihuahua Branch), Fagerdala Mexico Supply Chain S.A. de C.V., Fagerdala Packaging Inc. (Indiana), Fagerdala Shanghai Foams Co. Ltd., Fagerdala Singapore Pte Ltd, Fagerdala Singapore Pte Ltd (Branch), Fagerdala Singapore Pte. Limited, Fagerdala Singapore Pte. Limited (Taiwan Branch), Fagerdala Singapore Pte. Ltd., Fagerdala Suzhou Packaging Co. Ltd., Fagerdala Suzhou Packaging Co. Ltd. (Hefei Branch), Fagerdala Thailand Ltd., GEIE VES, Getpacking.com GmbH, Indonesian Rep Office of Sealed Air Hong Kong Limited, Invertol S. de R.L. de C.V., JCS Sealed Air Kaustik, JSC Sealed Air Kaustik, Kevothermal LLC, Kevothermal LLC, Kevothermal Limited, Nelipak Holdings, Pack-Tiger GmbH, Packaging C.V., ProAseptic Technologies S.L., Producembal - Producao de Embalagens Ltda., Proxy Biomedical Ltd., Reflectix Inc., SLD Air Packaging Paketleme Malzemeleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Saddle Brook Insurance Company, Sealed Air (Asia) Holdings B.V., Sealed Air (Barbados) S.R.L., Sealed Air (Canada) Co./CIE, Sealed Air (Canada) Holdings B.V., Sealed Air (China) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air (China) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air (China) Limited, Sealed Air (China) Ltd., Sealed Air (India) Limited, Sealed Air (Israel) Ltd., Sealed Air (Korea) Limited, Sealed Air (Latin America) Holdings II LLC, Sealed Air (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Sealed Air (New Zealand), Sealed Air (Philippines) Inc., Sealed Air (Singapore) Pte. Limited, Sealed Air (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Sealed Air (Thailand) Limited, Sealed Air (Ukraine) Limited, Sealed Air Africa (Proprietary) Limited, Sealed Air Africa (Pty.) Limited, Sealed Air Americas Manufacturing S. de R. L. de C. V., Sealed Air Argentina S.A., Sealed Air Australia (Holdings) Pty. Limited, Sealed Air Australia Pty Ltd., Sealed Air Australia Pty. Limited, Sealed Air B.V., Sealed Air Belgium N.V., Sealed Air Central America S.A., Sealed Air Chile S.P.A., Sealed Air Colombia Ltda., Sealed Air Corporation (US), Sealed Air Denmark A/S, Sealed Air Embalagens Ltda., Sealed Air Europe Holdings C.V., Sealed Air Europe Holdings LP, Sealed Air Finance B.V., Sealed Air Finance II LLC, Sealed Air Finance II LLC (Sucursal Mexico), Sealed Air Finance Ireland Unlimited Company, Sealed Air Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l. Luxembourg (L) Root Finance Branch, Sealed Air Finance Luxembourg S.a.r.l. US Finance Branch, Sealed Air Funding Corporation, Sealed Air Funding LLC, Sealed Air General Trading LLC, Sealed Air Global Holdings C.V., Sealed Air Global Holdings I C.V., Sealed Air Global Holdings I LLC, Sealed Air GmbH, Sealed Air Hellas S.A., Sealed Air Holding France S.A.S., Sealed Air Holding France SAS, Sealed Air HoldingS I LLC, Sealed Air Holdings (New Zealand) Pty. Ltd., Sealed Air Holdings I C.V., Sealed Air Holdings LLC, Sealed Air Holdings South Africa Proprietary Limited, Sealed Air Hong Kong (Jakarta Indonesia Branch), Sealed Air Hong Kong Limited, Sealed Air Hungary Ltd., Sealed Air International Holdings LLC, Sealed Air International Holdings LLC , Sealed Air Investment and Management (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Investment and Management Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Japan G.K., Sealed Air Korea Limited, Sealed Air LLC, Sealed Air Limited, Sealed Air Luxembourg (I) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg (II) S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Luxembourg S.a.r.l., Sealed Air Management Holding Verwaltungs GmbH, Sealed Air Multiflex GmbH, Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) I B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) II B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) II B.V. - Deutsche Zweigniederlassung, Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) II B.V. - Deutsche Zweigniederlassung, Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) III B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands (Holdings) III B.V., Sealed Air Netherlands Holdings V B.V., Sealed Air Nevada Holdings Limited, Sealed Air Norge AS, Sealed Air OY, Sealed Air Packaging (India) Private Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Shanghai) Co. Limited, Sealed Air Packaging (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Sealed Air Packaging LLC, Sealed Air Packaging Materials (India) LLP, Sealed Air Packaging Materials (India) LLP, Sealed Air Packaging S.L.U., Sealed Air Paketleme Malzemeleri Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Sealed Air Peru S.A.C., Sealed Air Polska Sp. Zoo, Sealed Air Pty Limited, Sealed Air S.A S., Sealed Air S.A.S., Sealed Air S.r.l., Sealed Air South Africa (Pty.) Ltd., Sealed Air Svenska AB, Sealed Air Taiwan Limited, Sealed Air US Holdings (Thailand) LLC, Sealed Air Uruguay S.A., Sealed Air Venezuela Corporation, Sealed Air Verpackungen GmbH, Sealed Air de Mexico Operations S. de R.L. de C.V., Sealed Air de Venezuela S.A., Sealed Air s.r.o., Shanklin Corp, Shanklin Corporation, Soinpar Industrial Ltda., TART s.r.o., TART s.r.o. Joint Venture, TTS-Ciptec, TXAFP Asia Pacific Ltd., TXAFP GP LLC, TempTrip LLC, Trigon Industries, and Vietnamese Rep Office of Sealed Air Hong Kong Limited.BlackRock, Inc. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to institutional, intermediary, and individual investors including corporate, public, union, and industry pension plans, insurance companies, third-party mutual funds, endowments, public institutions, governments, foundations, charities, sovereign wealth funds, corporations, official institutions, and banks. It also provides global risk management and advisory services. The firm manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios. It also launches and manages open-end and closed-end mutual funds, offshore funds, unit trusts, and alternative investment vehicles including structured funds. The firm launches equity, fixed income, balanced, and real estate mutual funds. It also launches equity, fixed income, balanced, currency, commodity, and multi-asset exchange traded funds. The firm also launches and manages hedge funds. It invests in the public equity, fixed income, real estate, currency, commodity, and alternative markets across the globe. The firm primarily invests in growth and value stocks of small-cap, mid-cap, SMID-cap, large-cap, and multi-cap companies. It also invests in dividend-paying equity securities. The firm invests in investment grade municipal securities, government securities including securities issued or guaranteed by a government or a government agency or instrumentality, corporate bonds, and asset-backed and mortgage-backed securities. It employs fundamental and quantitative analysis with a focus on bottom-up and top-down approach to make its investments. The firm employs liquidity, asset allocation, balanced, real estate, and alternative strategies to make its investments. In real estate sector, it seeks to invest in Poland and Germany. The firm benchmarks the performance of its portfolios against various S&P, Russell, Barclays, MSCI, Citigroup, and Merrill Lynch indices. BlackRock, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is based in New York City with additional offices in Boston, Massachusetts; London, United Kingdom; Gurgaon, India; Hong Kong; Greenwich, Connecticut; Princeton, New Jersey; Edinburgh, United Kingdom; Sydney, Australia; Taipei, Taiwan; Singapore; Sao Paulo, Brazil; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Washington, District of Columbia; Toronto, Canada; Wilmington, Delaware; and San Francisco, California.

Read MoreShinde claimed cable TV will be shut down in view of PM Modi's visit, adding that democracy was being 'murdered' in Solapur.

She claimed the prime minister's routes had been changed thrice with intelligence agencies having inputs about protests on issues such as farm loan waiver and reservation. (Photo: File)

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be visiting Solapur today to launch various developmental project. A day ahead of his visit, Congress leader and local MLA Praniti Shinde Tuesday claimed that "Emergency-like" situation prevailed in the city and alleged that protests were not being allowed against the government.

Shinde claimed cable TV will be shut down in view of PM Modi's visit, adding that democracy was being "murdered" in Solapur.

Shinde also claimed that the prime minister's visit may even get cancelled given the opposition to it.

She claimed the prime minister's routes had been changed thrice with intelligence agencies having inputs about protests on issues such as farm loan waiver and reservation.

"Cable TV will be banned tomorrow. Cell phone jammers too would be used. There is a report in a newspaper that cable TV will be banned and there is almost Emergency-like

atmosphere here (in Solapur)," she told a regional TV news channel.

"Democracy has been murdered and insulted here just because the prime minister is going to come. Opposition is part of democracy, but we are not being allowed to register (our protest)," she alleged.

The prime minister will be in Solapur on Wednesday to launch various developmental projects.

He will dedicate four-laning of Solapur-Osmanabad section of NH-211 and lay the foundation stone for 30,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna.

He will also launch an underground sewerage system and three sewage treatment plants.Fifteen states plus the District of Columbia now permit the recreational use of cannabis and Congress is on track to decriminalize marijuana possession on the federal level. As a result, the North American cannabis market is expected to TRIPLE in size from $30 billion to $100 billion by the year 2027  and one Seattle manufacturer is poised to cash in!

KAR Auction Services, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides used vehicle auctions and related vehicle remarketing services for the automotive industry in the United States, Europe, Canada, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. The company operates through two segments, ADESA Auctions and AFC. The ADESA Auctions segment offers whole car auctions and related services to the vehicle remarketing industry through online auctions and auction facilities. It also provides value-added services, such as auction related, transportation, reconditioning, inspection, title and repossession administration and remarketing, vehicle research, and analytical services, as well as data as a service. This segment sells its products and services through vehicle manufacturers, fleet companies, rental car companies, finance companies, and others. As of December 31, 2020, this segment had a network of 74 whole car auction facilities in North America. The AFC segment offers floorplan financing, a short-term inventory-secured financing to independent used vehicle dealers; and sells vehicle service contracts. The company provides wheel repair and hail catastrophe response services. It serves vehicle manufacturers, vehicle rental companies, financial institutions, commercial fleets and fleet management companies, and dealer customers. The company was formerly known as KAR Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to KAR Auction Services, Inc. in November 2009. KAR Auction Services, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana.

Read MoreFirst Republic Bank, together with its subsidiaries, provides private banking, private business banking, and private wealth management services to clients in metropolitan areas in the United States. It operates through two segments, Commercial Banking and Wealth Management. The company accepts deposit products, such as checking, money market checking, savings, passbook deposits, and individual retirement accounts, as well as certificates of deposit. It also offers a range of lending products that comprise residential mortgage loans, home equity lines of credit, multifamily loans, commercial real estate and construction loans, personal and business loans, single family construction loans, and other loans and lines of credit to businesses and individuals. The company's loans are secured by single family residences, multifamily buildings, and commercial real estate properties. In addition, it provides wealth management services, which include various investment strategies and products, online investment management services, trust and custody services, full service and online brokerage, financial and estate planning, and access to alternative investments, as well as investing, insurance, and foreign exchange services; and treasury services. Additionally, the company offers online and mobile banking services; refinancing services; and ATM and debit cards. As of December 31, 2020, the company offered its services through 92 offices, including 80 licensed deposit-taking offices in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Newport Beach, and San Diego, California; Portland, Oregon; Boston, Massachusetts; Palm Beach, Florida; Greenwich, Connecticut; New York, New York; and Jackson, Wyoming, as well as 12 additional offices that provided lending, wealth management, and trust services. First Republic Bank was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of InterContinental Hotels Group: 2250 Blake Street Hotel LLC, 24th Street Operator Sub LLC, 36th Street IHG Sub LLC, 426 Main Ave LLC, 46 Nevins Street Associates LLC, Allegro Management LLC, Alpha Kimball Hotel LLC, American Commonwealth Assurance Co. Ltd., Asia Pacific Holdings Limited, BHMC Canada Inc., BHR Holdings B.V., BHR Luxembourg SARL, BHR Pacific Holdings Inc., BHTC Canada Inc., BOC Barclay Sub LLC, Barclay Operating Corp., Bristol Oakbrook Tenant Company, Cafe Biarritz, Cambridge Lodging LLC, Capital Lodging LLC, Compania Inter-Continental De Hoteles El Salvador SA, Crowne Plaza Amsterdam (Management) B.V., Crowne Plaza LLC, Cumberland Akers Hotel LLC, Dunwoody Operations Inc., EVEN Real Estate Holding LLC, Edinburgh IC Limited, General Innkeeping Acceptance Corporation, Guangzhou SC Hotels Services Ltd., H.I. (Ireland) Limited, H.I. Soaltee Management Company Ltd, HC International Holdings Inc., HH France Holdings SAS, HH Hotels (EMEA) B.V., HH Hotels (Romania) SRL, HI Sugarloaf LLC, HIM (Aruba) NV, Hale International Ltd., Hoft Properties LLC, Holiday Hospitality Franchising LLC, Holiday Inn Mexicana S.A. de C.V., Holiday Inns (China) Ltd, Holiday Inns (Chongqing) Inc., Holiday Inns (Courtalin) Holdings SAS, Holiday Inns (Courtalin) SAS, Holiday Inns (England) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Germany) LLC, Holiday Inns (Guangzhou) Inc., Holiday Inns (Jamaica) Inc., Holiday Inns (Malaysia) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Middle East) Ltd., Holiday Inns (Philippines) Inc., Holiday Inns (Saudi Arabia) Inc., Holiday Inns (South East Asia) Inc., Holiday Inns (Thailand) Ltd., Holiday Inns (UK) Inc., Holiday Inns Crowne Plaza (Hong Kong) Inc., Holiday Inns Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd, Holiday Inns Inc., Holiday Inns Investment (Nepal) Ltd., Holiday Inns of America (UK) Ltd., Holiday Inns of Belgium N.V., Holiday Pacific Equity Corporation, Holiday Pacific LLC, Holiday Pacific Partners LP, Hotel Inter-Continental London Limited, Hotel InterContinental London (Holdings) Limited, Hoteles Y Turismo HIH SRL, IC Hotelbetriebsfuhrungs GmbH, IC Hotels Management (Portugal) Unipessoal Lda, IC International Hotels Limited Liability Company, IHC (Thailand) Limited, IHC Buckhead LLC, IHC Edinburgh (Holdings), IHC Hopkins (Holdings) Corp., IHC Hotel Limited, IHC Inter-Continental (Holdings) Corp., IHC London (Holdings), IHC M-H (Holdings) Corp., IHC May Fair (Holdings) Limited, IHC May Fair Hotel Limited, IHC Overseas (U.K.) Limited, IHC UK (Holdings) Limited, IHC United States (Holdings) Corp., IHC Willard (Holdings) Corp., IHG (Australasia) Limited, IHG (Marseille) SAS, IHG (Thailand) Limited, IHG ANA Hotels Group Japan LLC, IHG ANA Hotels Holdings Co. Ltd., IHG Bangkok Ltd, IHG Brasil Administracao de Hoteis e Servicos Ltda, IHG Commission Services SRL, IHG Community Development LLC, IHG Cyprus Limited, IHG ECS (Barbados) SRL, IHG Franchising Brasil Ltda, IHG Franchising DR Corporation, IHG Franchising LLC, IHG Hotels (New Zealand) Limited, IHG Hotels Limited, IHG Hotels Management (Australia) Pty Limited, IHG Hotels Nigeria Limited, IHG Hotels South Africa (Pty) Ltd, IHG International Partnership, IHG Istanbul Otel Yonetim Limited Sirketi, IHG Japan (Management) LLC, IHG Japan (Osaka) LLC, IHG Management (Maryland) LLC, IHG Management (Netherlands) B.V., IHG Management MD Barclay Sub LLC, IHG Management SL d.o.o, IHG Management d.o.o. Beograd, IHG Orchard Street Member LLC, IHG PS Nominees Limited, IHG Systems Pty Ltd, IHG Szalloda Budapest Szolgaltato Kft., IHG de Argentina SA, IND East Village SD Holdings LLC, Inter-Continental D.C. Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Investment Corp., Inter-Continental Florida Partner Corp., Inter-Continental Hospitality Corporation, Inter-Continental Hoteleira Limitada, Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Operating Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Montreal) Owning Corp., Inter-Continental Hotels (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation, Inter-Continental Hotels Corporation de Venezuela C.A., Inter-Continental Hotels of San Francisco Inc., Inter-Continental IOHC (Mauritius) Limited, Inter-Continental Management (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental (Branston) 1 Limited, InterContinental (PB) 1, InterContinental (PB) 2, InterContinental (PB) 3 Limited, InterContinental Berlin Service Company GmbH, InterContinental Brasil Administracao de Hoteis Ltda, InterContinental Gestion Hotelera S.L., InterContinental Hotel Berlin GmbH, InterContinental Hotel Dusseldorf GmbH (Germany), InterContinental Hotels (Puerto Rico) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Australia) Pty Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Canada) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (Espana) SA, InterContinental Hotels Group (Greater China) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (India) Pvt. Ltd, InterContinental Hotels Group (Japan) Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group (New Zealand) Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group (Shanghai) Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Customer Services Ltd., InterContinental Hotels Group Healthcare Trustee Limited, InterContinental Hotels Group Operating Corp., InterContinental Hotels Group Resources Inc., InterContinental Hotels Group Services Company, InterContinental Hotels Group do Brasil Limitada, InterContinental Hotels Italia S.r.L., InterContinental Hotels Limited, InterContinental Hotels Management GmbH, InterContinental Hotels Nevada Corporation, InterContinental Management AM LLC, InterContinental Management Bulgaria EOOD, InterContinental Management France SAS, InterContinental Management Poland sp. z.o.o, InterContinental Overseas Holding Corporation, Intercontinental Hotels Corporation Limited, KG Benefits LLC, KG Gift Card Inc., KG Liability LLC, KG Technology LLC, KHP Washington Operator LLC, KHRG 11th Avenue Hotel LLC, KHRG 851 LLC, KHRG Aertson LLC, KHRG Alexandria LLC, KHRG Alexis LLC, KHRG Allegro LLC, KHRG Argyle LLC, KHRG Austin Beverage Company LLC, KHRG Baltimore LLC, KHRG Born LLC, KHRG Boston Hotel LLC, KHRG Canary LLC, KHRG Cayman Employer Ltd., KHRG Cayman LLC, KHRG DC 1731 LLC, KHRG DC 2505 LLC, KHRG Donovan LLC, KHRG Employer LLC, KHRG Goleta LLC, KHRG Gray LLC, KHRG Gray U2 LLC, KHRG Hillcrest LLC, KHRG Huntington Beach LLC, KHRG King Street LLC, KHRG La Peer LLC, KHRG Miami Beach LLC, KHRG Muse LLC, KHRG NPC LLC, KHRG Onyx LLC, KHRG Palladian LLC, KHRG Palomar Phoenix LLC, KHRG Philly Monaco LLC, KHRG Pittsburgh LLC, KHRG Reynolds LLC, KHRG Riverplace LLC, KHRG SFD LLC, KHRG Sacramento LLC, KHRG Savannah LLC, KHRG Schofield LLC, KHRG Sedona LLC, KHRG State Street LLC, KHRG Sutter LLC, KHRG Sutter Union LLC, KHRG Taconic LLC, KHRG Tariff LLC, KHRG Texas Hospitality LLC, KHRG Texas Operations LLC, KHRG Tryon LLC, KHRG VZ Austin LLC, KHRG Vero Beach LLC, KHRG Vintage Park LLC, KHRG WPB LLC, KHRG Wabash LLC, KHRG Westwood LLC, KHRG Wilshire LLC, KHRG Zamora LLC, Kimpton Hollywood Licenses LLC, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group, Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group LLC, Kimpton Phoenix Licenses Holdings LLC, Kimpton Sedona Licenses LLC, Louisiana Acquisitions Corp., MH Lodging LLC, Mercer Fairview Holdings LLC, PML Services LLC, PT SC Hotels & Resorts Indonesia, Pollstrong Limited, Powell Pine Inc., Priscilla Holiday of Texas Inc., RM Lodging LLC, Regent Hotels and Resorts, Resort Services International (Cayo Largo) L.P., SBS Maryland Beverage Company LLC, SC Cellars Limited, SC Hotels International Services Inc., SC Leisure Group Limited, SC NAS 2 Limited, SC Quest Limited, SC Reservations (Philippines) Inc., SCH Insurance Company, SCIH Branston 3, SF MH Acquisition LLC, SPHC Group Pty Ltd., SPHC Management Ltd., Semiramis for training of Hotel Personnel and Hotel Management SAE, Six Continents Corporate Services, Six Continents Holdings Limited, Six Continents Hotels Inc., Six Continents Hotels International Limited, Six Continents Hotels de Colombia SA, Six Continents International Holdings B.V., Six Continents Investments Limited, Six Continents Limited, Six Continents Overseas Holdings Limited, Six Continents Restaurants Limited, SixCo North America Inc., Solamar Lodging LLC, Southern Pacific Hotel Corporation (BVI) Ltd., Southern Pacific Hotels Properties Limited, Universal de Hoteles SA, White Shield Insurance Company Limited, and World Trade Centre Montreal Hotel Corporation.Barnes Group Inc. provides engineered products, industrial technologies, and solutions in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments: Industrial and Aerospace. The Industrial segment offers precision components, products, and systems used by various customers in end-markets, such as transportation, industrial equipment, automation, personal care, packaging, electronics, and medical devices. This segment also designs and manufactures hot runner systems, mold cavity sensors and process control systems, and precision high cavitation mold assemblies for injection molding applications; provides force and motion control solutions for various metal forming and other industrial markets; and designs and develops robotic grippers, end-of-arm tooling systems, sensors, and other automation components for intelligent robotic handling solutions and industrial automation applications. In addition, it manufactures and supplies precision mechanical products, including mechanical springs, and high-precision punched and fine-blanked components used in transportation and industrial applications, including mechanical springs, and high-precision punched and fine-blanked components. This segment sells its products primarily through its direct sales force and distribution channels. The Aerospace segment produces fabricated and precision machined components and assemblies for turbine engines; and nacelles and structures for commercial and defense-related aircraft. It also provides aircraft engine component maintenance, repair, and overhaul services for turbine engine manufacturers, commercial airlines, and defense market; and manufactures and delivers aerospace aftermarket spare parts. This segment serves original equipment manufacturing industry. The company was founded in 1857 and is based in Bristol, Connecticut.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Hyatt Hotels: CHANCELLOR STREET CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION INC., GLENDALE HOTEL PROPERTIES L.L.C., HT-SEATTLE HOLDINGS LLC, 1379919 ALBERTA INC., 319168 ONTARIO LIMITED, 3385434 CANADA INC., ADMINISTRACION DE PERSONAL ANDARES S. DE R.L. DE C.V., AIC HOLDING CO., AIRPORT PLAZA ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, AIRPORT PLAZA HOTEL LLC, AIRPORT PLAZA OFFICE BUILDING LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, AMERISUITES FRANCHISING L.L.C., ARANCIA LIMITED, ARUBA BEACHFRONT RESORTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, ARUBA BEACHFRONT RESORTS N.V., ASIA HOSPITALITY INC., ASIA HOSPITALITY INVESTORS B.V., ASIAN HOTEL N.V., ATRIUM HOTEL L.L.C., AUSTIN RESORT BEVERAGE LLC, AmeriSuites Hotel, BAKU HOTEL COMPANY - AZERI, BAKU HOTEL COMPANY - CAYMAN, BASTROP MARKETING L.L.C., BAY II INVESTOR INC., BELLEVUE ASSOCIATES, BH PLAZA LLC, BRE/AMERISUITES PROPERTIES L.L.C., BRE/AMERISUITES TXNC GP L.L.C., BRE/AMERISUITES TXNC PROPERTIES L.P., BURVAN HOTEL ASSOCIATES, CAL-HARBOR SO. PIER URBAN RENEWAL ASSOCIATES L.P., CELAYA RESORTS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., CHESAPEAKE COMMUNITIES LLC, CHESAPEAKE RESORT LLC, CIUDAD DEL CARMEN DIAMANTE RESORT S. DE R.L. DE C.V, COAST BEACH L.L.C., COMPAGNIE HOTELIERE DE LAGON BLEU, CPM SEATTLE HOTELS L.L.C., CRW INVESTMENT LLC, CTR INTEREST HOLDCO INC., DALLAS REGENCY LLC, DENVER DOWNTOWN HOTEL PARTNERS LLC, DESARROLLADORA HOTELERA ACUEDUCTO S. DE R.L. DE C.V., DH BEVERAGE LLC, DIAMANTE RESORT LA PAZ S. DE R.L. DE C.V., DISTRICT HOTEL PARTNERS LLC, EXHALE ENTERPRISES GIFT SERVICES COMPANY, EXHALE ENTERPRISES II L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES III INC., EXHALE ENTERPRISES IV L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES V L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES VIII INC., EXHALE ENTERPRISES X INC., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XII L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XIV L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XIX L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XV L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XV TCI LTD., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XVI L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XVII L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XVIII L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XX L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXI INC., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXIV L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXV L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXVI L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXVII L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXVIII L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXXI L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXXII L.L.C., EXHALE ENTERPRISES XXXIII INC., FAN PIER L.L.C., FAR EAST HOTELS INC., G.E.H. PROPERTIES LIMITED, GAINEY DRIVE ASSOCIATES, GALAXY AEROSPACE COMPANY LLC, GHE HOLDINGS LIMITED, GRAND HYATT BERLIN GMBH, GRAND HYATT DFW BEVERAGE LLC, GRAND HYATT SAN ANTONIO L.L.C., GRAND HYATT SF L.L.C., GRAND RIVERWALK BEVERAGE LLC, GRAND TORONTO CORP., GRAND TORONTO VENTURE L.P., GREENWICH HOTEL LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, H.E. ATLANTA CENTENNIAL PARK HOLDINGS L.L.C., H.E. AUSTIN L.L.C., H.E. BERMUDA L.L.C., H.E. CAP CANA L.L.C., H.E. DRISKILL LLC, H.E. GRAND CYPRESS L.L.C., H.E. IRVINE L.L.C., H.E. KANSAS CITY L.L.C., H.E. LENOX L.L.C., H.E. NASHVILLE L.L.C., H.E. NEWPORT L.L.C., H.E. ORLANDO L.L.C., H.E. PHILADELPHIA HC HOLDINGS L.L.C., H.E. PHILADELPHIA HC HOTEL L.L.C., H.E. PHILADELPHIA HC PARKING L.L.C., H.E. PHILADELPHIA HC RETAIL L.L.C., H.E. PHILADELPHIA SANSOM L.L.C., H.E. PORTLAND HC L.L.C., H.E. PORTLAND L.L.C., H.E. PROPERTIES HOLDING L.L.C., H.E. PROPERTIES L.L.C., H.E. SAN ANTONIO I L.L.C., H.E. SAN ANTONIO L.L.C., H.E. TUCSON HOLDINGS L.L.C., H.E. TUCSON JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., H.E. TUCSON JV L.L.C., H.E. TUCSON OWNER L.L.C., HAPP INVESTOR LTD., HARBORSIDE HOTEL LLC, HARBORSIDE LAND LLC, HC PORTLAND JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., HC ROYAL PALMS L.L.C., HCV CINCINNATI HOTEL L.L.C., HE ORLANDO HOTEL LLC, HGP (TRAVEL) LIMITED, HH NASHVILLE HOLDINGS L.L.C., HH NASHVILLE JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., HH PORTLAND L.L.C., HHMA BURLINGTON BEVERAGE L.L.C., HI HOLDINGS (SWITZERLAND) GMBH, HI HOLDINGS BAJA B.V., HI HOLDINGS BRAZIL S.A.R.L., HI HOLDINGS CELAYA B.V., HI HOLDINGS CIUDAD DEL CARMEN B.V., HI HOLDINGS CYPRUS LIMITED, HI HOLDINGS CYPRUS-INDIA LIMITED, HI HOLDINGS GUADALAJARA B.V., HI HOLDINGS HP CABO B.V., HI HOLDINGS HP TIJUANA HOTEL B.V., HI HOLDINGS KYOTO CO., HI HOLDINGS LA PAZ B.V., HI HOLDINGS LATIN AMERICA B.V., HI HOLDINGS NETHERLANDS B.V., HI HOLDINGS PLAYA B.V., HI HOLDINGS RIO S.A.R.L., HI HOLDINGS RIVIERA MAYA B.V., HI HOLDINGS VIENNA S.A.R.L., HI HOLDINGS ZURICH S.A.R.L., HI HOTEL ADVISORY SERVICES GMBH, HI HOTEL INVESTORS CYPRUS LIMITED, HIHCL AMSTERDAM B.V., HIHCL HP AMSTERDAM AIRPORT B.V., HIHCL HR AMSTERDAM B.V., HILP HOTEL SERVICE PROVIDER LLC, HOTEL AM BELVEDERE HOLDING GMBH, HOTEL AM BELVEDERE HOLDING GMBH & CO KG, HOTEL INVESTMENTS HOLDING CO LLC, HOTEL INVESTMENTS L.L.C., HOTEL INVESTORS I INC., HOTEL INVESTORS II INC., HOTEL PROJECT SYSTEMS PTE LTD, HOTEL SERVICES CIUDAD DEL CARMEN S. DE R.L. DE C.V., HOTELS CS CELAYA S. DE R.L. DE C.V., HP ATLANTA CENTENNIAL PARK JV LLC, HP AUSTIN L.L.C., HP BEVERAGE DALLAS DFW AIRPORT LLC, HP BEVERAGE SUGAR LAND LLC, HP BOSTON HOLDINGS L.L.C., HP GLENDALE JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., HP GLENDALE L.L.C., HP INDIA HOLDINGS LIMITED, HP LAS VEGAS BEVERAGE L.L.C., HP M STREET L.L.C., HP ROUTE 46 TEXAS LLC, HP SAN FRANCISCO L.L.C., HP SAN JUAN L.L.C., HP TEN TEXAS LLC, HPHH ATLANTA L.L.C., HPHH DENVER L.L.C., HPHH SAN JOSE JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., HPHH SAN JOSE L.L.C., HQ CHESAPEAKE LLC, HR LOST PINES RESORT LLC, HR MC HOTEL COMPANY S. DE R.L. DE C.V., HR MC SERVICES II S. DE R.L. DE C.V., HR MC SERVICES S. DE R.L. DE C.V., HRHC LLC, HT- WAILEA LLC, HT-AVENDRA GROUP HOLDINGS L.L.C., HT-AVENDRA L.L.C., HT-CHESAPEAKE COMMUNITIES INC., HT-CHESAPEAKE RESORT INC., HT-HOTEL EQUITIES INC., HT-HUNTINGTON BEACH INC., HT-JERSEY PIER INC., HT-JERSEY PIER L.P., HT-JERSEY PIER LLC, HT-LONG BEACH L.L.C., HT-MIAMI BEACH L.L.C., HT-PARK 57 INC., HT-SEATTLE LLC, HT-SIERRA L.L.C., HT-VANCOUVER INC., HTLB L.L.C., HTS - NS L.L.C., HTS - NY L.L.C., HTS-ASPEN L.L.C., HTS-BC INC., HTS-INVESTMENT L L.C., HTSF L.L.C., HTW BEVERAGE LLC, HY LONG BEACH HOTEL LLC, HYATT (BARBADOS) CORPORATION, HYATT (JAPAN) CO. LTD., HYATT (THAILAND) LIMITED, HYATT ARUBA N.V., HYATT ASIA PACIFIC HOLDINGS LIMITED, HYATT AUSTRALIA HOTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LIMITED, HYATT AUSTRIA GMBH, HYATT BEACH FRONT N.V., HYATT BORNEO MANAGEMENT SERVICES LIMITED, HYATT BRITANNIA CORPORATION LTD., HYATT CC OFFICE CORP., HYATT CHAIN SERVICES LIMITED, HYATT CRYSTAL CITY LLC., HYATT CURACAO N.V., HYATT DISASTER RELIEF FUND, HYATT DO BRASIL PARTICIPACOES LTDA, HYATT EQUITIES L.L.C., HYATT FOREIGN EMPLOYMENT SERVICES INC., HYATT FRANCHISING CANADA CORP., HYATT FRANCHISING L.L.C., HYATT FRANCHISING LATIN AMERICA L.L.C., HYATT FULFILLMENT OF MARYLAND INC., HYATT GLOBAL SERVICES INC., HYATT GTLD L.L.C., HYATT HOC INC., HYATT HOLDINGS (UK) LIMITED, HYATT HOSPITALITY SERVICES L.L.C., HYATT HOTEL MANAGEMENT LIMITED, HYATT HOTELS CONSULTANCY SERVICES ASIA PACIFIC LIMITED, HYATT HOTELS CORPORATION OF KANSAS, HYATT HOTELS CORPORATION OF MARYLAND, HYATT HOTELS FOUNDATION, HYATT HOTELS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION, HYATT HOTELS OF CANADA INC., HYATT HOTELS OF FLORIDA INC., HYATT HOTELS OF PUERTO RICO INC., HYATT HOUSE CANADA INC., HYATT HOUSE FRANCHISING L.L.C., HYATT HOUSE HOTEL HOLDING COMPANY L.L.C., HYATT INDIA CONSULTANCY PRIVATE LIMITED, HYATT INTERNATIONAL (ASIA) LIMITED, HYATT INTERNATIONAL (EUROPE AFRICA MIDDLE EAST) LLC, HYATT INTERNATIONAL - JAPAN LIMITED, HYATT INTERNATIONAL - SOUTHWEST ASIA LIMITED, HYATT INTERNATIONAL -ASIA PACIFIC LIMITED, HYATT INTERNATIONAL -SEA (PTE) LIMITED, HYATT INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION, HYATT INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS CO., HYATT INTERNATIONAL HOTEL MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO. LTD., HYATT INTERNATIONAL MILAN L.L.C., HYATT INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (BEIJING) CO. LTD., HYATT INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL SERVICES INC., HYATT JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., HYATT LACSA SERVICES INC., HYATT LOUISIANA L.L.C., HYATT MAINZ GMBH, HYATT MARKETING SERVICES INC., HYATT MARKETING SERVICES NIGERIA COMPANY LIMITED, HYATT MINNEAPOLIS LLC, HYATT MINORITY INVESTMENTS INC., HYATT MSS L.L.C., HYATT NORTH AMERICA MANAGEMENT SERVICES INC., HYATT OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, HYATT OF BAJA S. DE R.L. DE C.V., HYATT OF CHINA LIMITED, HYATT OF FRANCE S.A.R.L., HYATT OF GUAM LIMITED, HYATT OF ITALY S.R.L., HYATT OF LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN L.L.C., HYATT OF LATIN AMERICA S.A. DE C.V., HYATT OF MACAU LIMITED, HYATT OF MEXICO S.A. DE C.V., HYATT OF PHILIPPINES LIMITED, HYATT PARTNERSHIP INTERESTS L.L.C., HYATT PLACE ANNE ARUNDEL BEVERAGE INC., HYATT PLACE CANADA CORPORATION, HYATT PLACE FRANCHISING L.L.C., HYATT PLACE OF MARYLAND INC., HYATT REGENCY COLOGNE GMBH, HYATT REGENCY CORPORATION PTY. LIMITED, HYATT SERVICES AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED, HYATT SERVICES CANADA INC., HYATT SERVICES CARIBBEAN L.L.C., HYATT SERVICES GMBH, HYATT SERVICES INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED, HYATT SHARED SERVICE CENTER L.L.C., HYATT TRINIDAD LIMITED, HYCANADA INC., HYCARD INC., HYSTAR L.L.C., Hyatt Corporation, INFORMATION SERVICES LIMITED, INTERNATIONAL RESERVATIONS LIMITED, JOINT VENTURE ITALKYR CLOSED JOINT STOCK COMPANY, JUNIPER HOTELS PRIVATE LIMITED, KSA MANAGEMENT INC., KYOTO HOLDING CO., LHR-PARTNERS LTD., LORING PARK ASSOCIATES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, LOST PINES BEVERAGE LLC, MACAE PARTNERS S.A.R.L., MAHIMA HOLDINGS PRIVATE LIMITED, MARION RESERVATION CENTER L.L.C., MEXICO CITY HOTEL INVESTMENTS B.V., MILAN HOTEL INVESTMENTS B.V., MIRAVAL ARIZONA GUARANTOR LLC, MIRAVAL GROUP LLC, MIRAVAL RESORT ARIZONA HOLDINGS LLC, MIRAVAL RESORT ARIZONA LLC, MIRAVAL RESORT ARIZONA OPERATING CO. INC., MIRAVAL RESORT TUCSON LLC, MONROE MR HOLDINGS I LLC, MONROE MR HOLDINGS II LLC, MONROE MR HOLDINGS III LLC, MONROE MR HOLDINGS LLC, MONROE MR HOLDINGS TRUST, MRG ATX BEVERAGE HOLDINGS LLC, MRG ATX HOLDINGS II LLC, MRG ATX HOLDINGS LLC, MRG ATX INVESTMENT LLC, MRG ATX MANAGEMENT I LLC, MRG ATX MANAGEMENT II LLC, MRG ATX OPERATIONS LLC, MRG CRW HOLDINGS LLC, MRG CRW MANAGEMENT I LLC, MRG CRW MANAGEMENT II LLC, MRG CRW OPERATIONS LLC, MUNICH OPCO GMBH, Miraval Resort, OASIS LUXURY RENTALS INCORPORATED, PARIS HOTEL COMPANY B.V., PARK HYATT HAMBURG GMBH, PARK HYATT HOTEL GMBH, PARK HYATT WATER TOWER ASSOCIATES L.L.C., PH NEW YORK L.L.C., PHMC RESIDENCIAS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., POLK SMITH REGENCY LLC, PT HYATT INDONESIA, PVD INVESTMENT COMPANY S.A.R.L., Peabody Hotels & Resort, RCG PROPERTIES LLC, REGENCY BEVERAGE COMPANY LLC, REGENCY RIVERWALK BEVERAGE LLC, RESERVATIONS CENTER L.L.C., RIO JV PARTNERS PARTICIPACOES LTDA., RIO PRETO PARTNERS HOTEIS LTDA., RIO PRETO PARTNERS S.A.R.L., ROSEMONT PROJECT MANAGEMENT L.L.C., ROUTE 46 MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES CORP., RUNWAY HOLDING L.L.C., RUNWAY L.L.C., SAO PAULO INVESTMENT COMPANY INC., SAO PAULO INVESTORS LIMITED, SASIH, SDI EQUITIES INVESTOR L.L.C., SDI INC., SDI SECURITIES 11 LLC, SDI SECURITIES 6 LLC, SELECT HOTELS GROUP L.L.C., SELECT JV HOLDINGS L.L.C., SEOUL MIRAMAR CORPORATION, SERVICIOS DE HOTELERIA SAN JOSE S. DE R.L. DE C.V., SERVICIOS HOTELEROS LA PAZ S. DE R.L. DE C.V., SETTLEMENT INVESTORS INC., SHG PUERTO RICO INC., SIERRA HEALTHSTYLES LLC, SJC DESARROLLOS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., SKS CORP. N.V., SMC HOTELS B.V., SOROCABA PARTNERS HOTEIS LTDA, SOROCABA PARTNERS S.A.R.L., STANHOPE L.L.C., STARHILL LORING PARK L.L.C., SUGAR LAND/HP LLC, THE GREAT EASTERN HOTEL COMPANY LIMITED, THE GREAT EASTERN HOTEL HOLDING COMPANY LIMITED, TIJUANA PARTNERS S. DE R.L. DE C.V., TR MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT LLC, TUCSON VILLAS HOLDINGS LLC, TUCSON VILLAS LLC, TWO SEAS HOLDINGS LIMITED, Two Roads Hospitality, WAILEA HOTEL & BEACH RESORT L.L.C., WAILEA HOTEL HOLDINGS L.L.C., WAILEA MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION L.L.C., WAILEA RESORT VILLAS HOLDINGS L.L.C., WAILEA RESORT VILLAS L.L.C., WEST END RESIDENCES L.L.C., XENIA ASSURANCE COMPANY INC., XENIA ASSURANCE COMPANY OF ILLINOIS, ZURICH ESCHERWIESE HOTEL GMBH, and ZURICH HOTEL INVESTMENTS B.V..Ford Motor Company designs, manufactures, markets, and services a range of Ford trucks, cars, sport utility vehicles, electrified vehicles, and Lincoln luxury vehicles worldwide. It operates through three segments: Automotive, Mobility, and Ford Credit. The Automotive segment sells Ford and Lincoln vehicles, service parts, and accessories through distributors and dealers, as well as through dealerships to commercial fleet customers, daily rental car companies, and governments. The Mobility segment designs and builds mobility services; and provides self-driving systems development services. The Ford Credit segment primarily engages in vehicle-related financing and leasing activities to and through automotive dealers. It provides retail installment sale contracts for new and used vehicles; and direct financing leases for new vehicles to retail and commercial customers, such as leasing companies, government entities, daily rental companies, and fleet customers. This segment also offers wholesale loans to dealers to finance the purchase of vehicle inventory; and loans to dealers to finance working capital and enhance dealership facilities, purchase dealership real estate, and other dealer vehicle programs. Ford Motor Company has a strategic collaboration with ARB Corporation Limited to develop a suite of aftermarket products for the new Ford Bronco. The company was founded in 1903 and is based in Dearborn, Michigan.

Read MoreWall Street analysts have given iShares Russell 3000 ETF a "N/A" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but iShares Russell 3000 ETF wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.KeyCorp operates as the holding company for KeyBank National Association that provides various retail and commercial banking products and services in the United States. It operates in two segments, Consumer Bank and Commercial Bank. The company offers various deposits, investment products and services; and personal finance and financial wellness, student loan refinancing, mortgage and home equity, lending, credit card, treasury, business advisory, wealth management, asset management, cash management, portfolio management, and trust and related services to individuals and small and medium-sized businesses. It also provides a suite of banking and capital market products, such as syndicated finance, debt and equity capital market products, commercial payments, equipment finance, commercial mortgage banking, derivatives, foreign exchange, financial advisory, and public finance, as well as commercial mortgage loans comprising consumer, energy, healthcare, industrial, public sector, real estate, and technology loans for middle market clients. In addition, the company offers community development financing, securities underwriting, brokerage, and investment banking services. As of February 25, 2021, it operated through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and 1,400 ATMs in 15 states, as well as additional offices, online and mobile banking capabilities, and a telephone banking call center. KeyCorp, through its subsidiary, KeyBank National Association, has a strategic alliance with XUP, Inc. to provide digital and physical merchant services. The company was founded in 1849 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.

Read MoreCoreLogic, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides property information, insight, analytics, and data-enabled solutions in North America, Western Europe, and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Property Intelligence & Risk Management Solutions (PIRM) and Underwriting & Workflow Solutions (UWS). The PIRM segment combines property information, mortgage information, and consumer information to deliver housing market and property-level insights, predictive analytics, and risk management capabilities. It also offers proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with decision-making and compliance tools in the real estate and insurance industries. This segment primarily serves commercial banks, mortgage lenders and brokers, investment banks, fixed-income investors, real estate agents, MLS companies, property and casualty insurance companies, title insurance companies, government agencies, and government-sponsored enterprises. The UWS segment combines property, mortgage, and consumer information to provide comprehensive mortgage origination and monitoring solutions, including underwriting-related solutions, and data-enabled valuations and appraisals. This segment also provides proprietary technology and software platforms to access, automate, or track the information and assist its clients with vetting and onboarding prospects, and meeting compliance regulations, as well as understanding, evaluating, monitoring property values. It primarily serves mortgage lenders and servicers, mortgage brokers, credit unions, commercial banks, fixed-income investors, government agencies, and property and casualty insurance companies. The company was formerly known as The First American Corporation and changed its name to CoreLogic, Inc. in June 2010. CoreLogic, Inc. was incorporated in 1894 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.

Read MoreComerica Incorporated, through its subsidiaries, provides various financial products and services. It operates through Commercial Bank, Retail Bank, Wealth Management, and Finance segments. The Commercial Bank segment offers various products and services, including commercial loans and lines of credit, deposits, cash management, capital market products, international trade finance, letters of credit, foreign exchange management services, and loan syndication services for small and middle market businesses, multinational corporations, and governmental entities. The Retail Bank segment provides personal financial services, such as consumer lending, consumer deposit gathering, and mortgage loan origination. This segment also offers various consumer products that include deposit accounts, installment loans, credit cards, student loans, home equity lines of credit, and residential mortgage loans, as well as commercial products and services to micro-businesses. The Wealth Management segment provides products and services comprising fiduciary, private banking, retirement, investment management and advisory, and investment banking and brokerage services. It also sells annuity products, as well as life, disability, and long-term care insurance products. The Finance segment engages in the securities portfolio, and asset and liability management activities. It operates in Texas, California, Michigan, Arizona, Florida, and Canada. The company was formerly known as DETROITBANK Corporation and changed its name to Comerica Incorporated in July 1982. Comerica Incorporated was founded in 1849 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Read MoreA small, rapidly expanding Seattle cannabis company is gaining attention from investors. Founded by two cannabis veterans, the company has increased sales 8-fold and is looking to double sales again in the next two years. Now selling for less than $1 per share, this is an opportunity to acquire thousands of shares  a potential windfall.

Invesco Ltd. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm provides its services to retail clients, institutional clients, high-net worth clients, public entities, corporations, unions, non-profit organizations, endowments, foundations, pension funds, financial institutions, and sovereign wealth funds. It manages separate client-focused equity and fixed income portfolios. The firm also launches equity, fixed income, commodity, multi-asset, and balanced mutual funds for its clients. It launches equity, fixed income, multi-asset, and balanced exchange-traded funds. The firm also launches and manages private funds. It invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe. The firm also invests in alternative markets, such as commodities and currencies. For the equity portion of its portfolio, it invests in growth and value stocks of large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap companies. For the fixed income portion of its portfolio, the firm invests in convertibles, government bonds, municipal bonds, treasury securities, and cash. It also invests in short term and intermediate term bonds, investment grade and high yield bonds, taxable and tax-free bonds, senior secured loans, and structured securities such as asset-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities, and commercial mortgage-backed securities. The firm employs absolute return, global macro, and long/short strategies. It employs quantitative analysis to make its investments. The firm was formerly known as Invesco Plc, AMVESCAP plc, Amvesco plc, Invesco PLC, Invesco MIM, and H. Lotery & Co. Ltd. Invesco Ltd. was founded in December 1935 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia with an additional office in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Read MoreFifteen states plus the District of Columbia now permit the recreational use of cannabis and Congress is on track to decriminalize marijuana possession on the federal level. As a result, the North American cannabis market is expected to TRIPLE in size from $30 billion to $100 billion by the year 2027  and one Seattle manufacturer is poised to cash in!

AmerisourceBergen Corporation sources and distributes pharmaceutical products in the United States and internationally. Its Pharmaceutical Distribution segment distributes brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, outsourced compounded sterile preparations, and related services to various healthcare providers, including acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, medical clinics, long-term care and other alternate site pharmacies, and other customers. It also provides pharmacy management, staffing, and other consulting services; supply management software to retail and institutional healthcare providers; and packaging solutions to various institutional and retail healthcare providers. In addition, this segment distributes plasma and other blood products, injectable pharmaceuticals, vaccines, and other specialty products; provides other services primarily to physicians who specialize in various disease states, primarily oncology, as well as to other healthcare providers, including hospitals and dialysis clinics; and offers data analytics, outcomes research, and additional services for biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturers. The company's Other segment provides integrated manufacturer services, such as clinical trial support, product post-approval, and commercialization support; offers specialty transportation and logistics services for the biopharmaceutical industry; and sells pharmaceuticals, vaccines, parasiticides, diagnostics, micro feed ingredients, and various other products to customers in both the companion animal and production animal markets, as well as provides demand-creating sales force services to manufacturers. AmerisourceBergen Corporation was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Chesterbrook, Pennsylvania.

Read MoreIs this Seattle Penny Pot Stock a Potential Blockbuster? (Ad)

A small, rapidly expanding Seattle cannabis company is gaining attention from investors. Founded by two cannabis veterans, the company has increased sales 8-fold and is looking to double sales again in the next two years. Now selling for less than $1 per share, this is an opportunity to acquire thousands of shares  a potential windfall.

Get Free Report on #1 Cannabis Pick for 2021The following companies are subsidiares of Caterpillar: Advanced Tri-Gen Power Systems LLC, Anchor Coupling Inc., Asia Power Systems (Tianjin) Ltd., AsiaTrak (Tianjin) Ltd., Banco Caterpillar S.A., Berg Propulsion International Pte Ltd., Bucyrus, Bucyrus Australia Surface Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Holdings Ltd., Bucyrus Europe Limited, Bucyrus International (Chile) Limitada, Bucyrus International (Peru) S.A., Bucyrus Mining Australia Pty. Ltd., Bucyrus Mining China LLC, Bucyrus UK Limited, Cat Rental Kyushu LLC, Caterpillar (Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar (China) Financial Leasing Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Investment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (China) Machinery Components Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (HK) Limited, Caterpillar (Huainan) Machinery Service Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Langfang) Mining Equipment Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Luxembourg) Investment Co. S.a r.l., Caterpillar (NI) Limited, Caterpillar (Newberry) LLC, Caterpillar (Qingzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Shanghai) Trading Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Suzhou) Logistics Co. Ltd., Caterpillar (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar (U.K.) Limited, Caterpillar (Wujiang) Ltd., Caterpillar (Xuzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar (Zhengzhou) Ltd., Caterpillar Acquisition Holding Corp., Caterpillar Americas C.V., Caterpillar Americas Co., Caterpillar Americas Funding Inc., Caterpillar Americas Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Asia Limited, Caterpillar Asia Pacific L.P., Caterpillar Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Asset Intelligence LLC, Caterpillar Belgium S.A., Caterpillar Brasil Comercio de Maquinas e Pecas Ltda., Caterpillar Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Brazil LLC, Caterpillar Castings Kiel GmbH, Caterpillar Centro de Formacion S.L., Caterpillar China Limited, Caterpillar Commercial Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Commercial LLC, Caterpillar Commercial Northern Europe Limited, Caterpillar Commercial S.A., Caterpillar Commercial S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Commercial Services S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Communications LLC, Caterpillar Corporativo Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Cote DIvoire, Caterpillar Credito S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., Caterpillar DC Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Digital Services & Solutions SARL, Caterpillar Distribution International LLC, Caterpillar Distribution Services Europe B.V.B.A., Caterpillar East Real Estate Holding Ltd., Caterpillar Emissions Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Energy Solutions GmbH, Caterpillar Energy Solutions Inc., Caterpillar Energy Solutions S.A., Caterpillar Energy System Technology (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Engine Systems Inc., Caterpillar Equipos Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Eurasia LLC, Caterpillar FS (QFC) LLC, Caterpillar Finance France S.A., Caterpillar Finance Kabushiki Kaisha, Caterpillar Financial Acquisition Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Aftermarket Solutions Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Australia Leasing Pty Limited, Caterpillar Financial Australia Limited, Caterpillar Financial Commercial Account Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Corporacion Financiera S.A. E.F.C., Caterpillar Financial Dealer Funding LLC, Caterpillar Financial Funding Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Kazakhstan Limited Liability Partnership, Caterpillar Financial Leasing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial New Zealand Limited, Caterpillar Financial Nordic Services AB, Caterpillar Financial Nova Scotia Corporation, Caterpillar Financial OOO, Caterpillar Financial Receivables Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Renting S.A., Caterpillar Financial SARL, Caterpillar Financial Services (Dubai) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services (Ireland) plc, Caterpillar Financial Services (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Argentina S.A., Caterpillar Financial Services Asia Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Financial Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Financial Services CR s.r.o., Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation, Caterpillar Financial Services GmbH, Caterpillar Financial Services India Private Limited, Caterpillar Financial Services Leasing ULC, Caterpillar Financial Services Limited Les Services Financiers Caterpillar Limitee, Caterpillar Financial Services Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Caterpillar Financial Services Netherlands B.V., Caterpillar Financial Services Norway AS, Caterpillar Financial Services Philippines Inc., Caterpillar Financial Services Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Financial Services South Africa (Pty) Limited, Caterpillar Financial UK Acquisition Funding Partners, Caterpillar Financial Ukraine LLC, Caterpillar Fluid Systems S.r.l., Caterpillar Fomento Comercial Ltda., Caterpillar Forest Products Inc., Caterpillar France S.A.S., Caterpillar GB L.L.C., Caterpillar Global Investments S.a r.l., Caterpillar Global Mining America LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Equipamentos De Mineracao do Brasil Ltda., Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Europe GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Expanded Products Pty Ltd, Caterpillar Global Mining Germany Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining HMS GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Holdings GmbH, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong AFC Manufacturing Holding Co. Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining Hong Kong Limited, Caterpillar Global Mining LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Global Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Global Mining SARL, Caterpillar Global Mining U.S. Parts LLC, Caterpillar Global Services LLC, Caterpillar Group Services S.A., Caterpillar Holding (France) S.A.S., Caterpillar Holding Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Holdings Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Hungary Components Manufacturing Ltd., Caterpillar Hydraulics Italia S.r.l., Caterpillar IPX LLC, Caterpillar IRB LLC, Caterpillar Impact Products Limited, Caterpillar India Private Limited, Caterpillar Industrial Inc., Caterpillar Industrias Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Industries (Pty) Ltd, Caterpillar Insurance Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Insurance Company, Caterpillar Insurance Holdings Inc., Caterpillar Insurance Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Finance Designated Activity Company, Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Finance Luxembourg S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Holding S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg I S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Luxembourg II S. a r.l., Caterpillar International Product SARL, Caterpillar International Services Corporation, Caterpillar International Services del Peru S.A., Caterpillar Investment Limited, Caterpillar Investment One SARL, Caterpillar Investment Two SARL, Caterpillar Investments, Caterpillar Japan LLC, Caterpillar Latin America Services S.R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Latin America Services de Panama S. de R.L., Caterpillar Latin America Servicios de Chile Limitada, Caterpillar Latin America Support Services S. DE R.L., Caterpillar Leasing (Thailand) Limited, Caterpillar Leasing Chile S.A., Caterpillar Leasing GmbH (Leipzig), Caterpillar Leasing Operativo Limitada, Caterpillar Life Insurance Company, Caterpillar Logistics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Logistics (UK) Limited, Caterpillar Logistics Inc., Caterpillar Logistics ML Services France S.A.S., Caterpillar Logistics Services China Limited, Caterpillar Luxembourg Group S.ar.l., Caterpillar Luxembourg LLC, Caterpillar Luxembourg S.a r.l., Caterpillar Machinery Nantong Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Marine Asset Intelligence, Caterpillar Marine Power UK Limited, Caterpillar Marine Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Maroc SARL, Caterpillar Materiels Routiers SAS, Caterpillar Mexico LLC, Caterpillar Mexico S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Mining Canada ULC, Caterpillar Mining Chile Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Motoren (Guangdong) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Co. KG, Caterpillar Motoren Henstedt-Ulzburg GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Rostock GmbH, Caterpillar Motoren Verwaltungs-GmbH, Caterpillar Netherlands Holding B.V., Caterpillar North America C.V., Caterpillar Operator Training Ltd., Caterpillar Overseas Credit Corporation SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Investment Holding SARL, Caterpillar Overseas Limited, Caterpillar Overseas SARL, Caterpillar Panama Services S.A., Caterpillar Paving Products Inc., Caterpillar Paving Products Xuzhou Ltd., Caterpillar Pension Trust Limited, Caterpillar Poland Sp. z o.o., Caterpillar Power Generation Systems (Bangladesh) Limited, Caterpillar Power Generation Systems L.L.C., Caterpillar Power Systems Inc., Caterpillar Power Ventures International Ltd., Caterpillar Precision Seals Korea, Caterpillar Prodotti Stradali S.r.l., Caterpillar Product Services Corporation, Caterpillar Propulsion AB, Caterpillar Propulsion International Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Italy S.R.L., Caterpillar Propulsion Namibia (Proprietary) Limited, Caterpillar Propulsion Production AB, Caterpillar Propulsion Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar Propulsion Singapore Pte. Ltd., Caterpillar R&D Center (China) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe LLC, Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Ramos Arizpe Servicios S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar Reman Powertrain Indiana LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Drivetrain LLC, Caterpillar Remanufacturing Services (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Renting France S.A.S., Caterpillar Reynosa S.A. de C.V., Caterpillar SARL, Caterpillar Services Germany GmbH, Caterpillar Servicios Limitada, Caterpillar Servicios Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Servizi Italia Srl, Caterpillar Shrewsbury Limited, Caterpillar Skinningrove Limited, Caterpillar Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd., Caterpillar Special Services Belgium S.P.R.L., Caterpillar Switchgear Americas LLC, Caterpillar Switchgear Holding Inc., Caterpillar Tianjin Ltd., Caterpillar Torreon S. de R.L. de C.V., Caterpillar Tosno L.L.C., Caterpillar Transmissions France S.A.R.L., Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Holdings Ltd., Caterpillar Tunnelling Canada Corporation, Caterpillar Tunnelling Europe Limited, Caterpillar UK Employee Trust Limited, Caterpillar UK Engines Company Limited, Caterpillar UK Group Limited, Caterpillar UK Holdings Limited, Caterpillar Undercarriage (Xuzhou) Co. Ltd., Caterpillar Underground Mining Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar Used Equipment Services Inc., Caterpillar Venture Capital Inc., Caterpillar Work Tools B.V., Caterpillar Work Tools Inc., Caterpillar World Trading Corporation, Caterpillar Xuzhou, Caterpillar of Australia Pty. Ltd., Caterpillar of Canada Corporation, Caterpillar of Delaware Inc., Centre de Distribution de Wallonie SPRL, CleanAir Systems, Downer Freight Rail, ECM Railway Evolution Romania s.r.l., ECM S.p.A., EDC European Excavator Design Center GmbH, EMC Holding Corp., EMD International Holdings Inc., ERA Information & Entertainment (BVI) Limited, ERA Mining Machinery Limited, Electro-Motive Diesel Limited, Electro-Motive Locomotive Technologies LLC, Electro-Motive Technical Consulting Co. (Beijing) Ltd., Energy Services International Limited, Equipos de Acuna S.A. de C.V., Eurenov S.A.S., F. G. Wilson (Proprietary) Limited, F. Perkins Limited, FG Wilson (Engineering) Limited, GB Holdco (China) Inc., GFCM Comercial Mexico S.A. de C.V. SOFOM E.N.R., GFCM Servicios S.A. de C.V., Gremada Industries - Assets, Hong Kong Siwei Holdings Limited, Inmobiliaria Conek S.A. de C.V., JCS Co., Kemper Valve & Fittings Corp., Leo Inc., Locomotive Demand Power Pty Ltd., Locomotoras Progress Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Lovat, M2M Data Corporation, MGE Equipamentos & Servicos Ferroviarios, MWM, MWM Austria GmbH, MWM Benelux B.V., MWM Energy Australia Pty Ltd, MWM France S.A.S, MWM Real Estate GmbH, MaK Americas Inc., MaK Americas Inc. (Canada), Magnum Power Products LLC, Marble, Maschinenbau Kiel GmbH, Mec-Track S.r.l., Metalmark Financial Services Limited, Motoren Steffens GmbH, Nippon Caterpillar LLC, P. T. Solar Services Indonesia, PT Caterpillar Finance Indonesia, PT. Bucyrus Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia, PT. Caterpillar Indonesia Batam, PT. Caterpillar Remanufacturing Indonesia, Perkins Engines, Perkins Engines (Asia Pacific) Pte Ltd, Perkins Engines Group Limited, Perkins Engines Inc., Perkins Group Limited, Perkins Holdings Limited LLC, Perkins India Private Limited, Perkins International Inc., Perkins Japan LLC, Perkins Limited, Perkins Machinery (Changshu) Co. Ltd., Perkins Motores do Brasil Ltda., Perkins Power Systems Technology (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines (Wuxi) Co. Ltd., Perkins Small Engines LLC, Perkins Small Engines Limited, Perkins Technology Inc., Progress Metal Reclamation Company, Progress Rail Arabia Limited Company, Progress Rail Australia Pty Ltd, Progress Rail Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Equipamentos e Servicos Ferroviarios do Brasil Ltda., Progress Rail Equipment Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Holdings Inc., Progress Rail Innovations Private Limited, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems GmbH, Progress Rail Inspection & Information Systems S.r.l., Progress Rail International Corp., Progress Rail Leasing Canada Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing Corporation, Progress Rail Leasing de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Progress Rail Locomotivas (do Brasil) Ltda., Progress Rail Locomotive Canada Co., Progress Rail Locomotive Chile SpA, Progress Rail Locomotive Inc., Progress Rail Maintenance de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Progress Rail Manufacturing Corporation, Progress Rail Raceland Corporation, Progress Rail Rocklin Corporation, Progress Rail SA Proprietary Limited, Progress Rail Services Corporation, Progress Rail Services Holdings Corp., Progress Rail Services LLC, Progress Rail Services UK Limited, Progress Rail Switching Services LLC, Progress Rail Transcanada Corporation, Progress Rail Welding Corporation, Progress Rail Wildwood LLC, Progress Rail de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Pyroban Group, Pyroban Group, Pyrrha Investments B.V., Pyrrha Investments Limited, S&L Railroad LLC, SCM Singapore Holdings Pte. Ltd., SPL Software Alliance LLC, Sabre Engines, Servicios de Turbinas Solar S. de R.L. de C.V., Shandong SEM Machinery Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines, Solar Turbines (Beijing) Trading Services Co. Ltd., Solar Turbines (Thailand) Ltd., Solar Turbines CIS Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Canada Ltd./Ltee., Solar Turbines Central Asia Limited Liability Partnership, Solar Turbines EAME s.r.o., Solar Turbines Egypt Limited Liability Company, Solar Turbines Europe S.A., Solar Turbines India Private Limited, Solar Turbines International Company, Solar Turbines Italy S.R.L., Solar Turbines Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Solar Turbines Middle East Limited, Solar Turbines New Zealand Limited, Solar Turbines Saudi Arabia Limited, Solar Turbines Services Company, Solar Turbines Services Nigeria Limited, Solar Turbines Services of Argentina S.R.L., Solar Turbines Switzerland Sagl, Solar Turbines Trinidad & Tobago Limited, Solar Turbines West-Africa SARL, Tangshan DBT Machinery Co. Ltd., Tecnologia Modificada S.A. de C.V., Towmotor Corporation, Traction & Mining Motor Repairs Pty Ltd, Turbinas Solar S.A. de C.V., Turbinas Solar de Colombia S.A., Turbinas Solar de Venezuela C.A., Turbo Tecnologia de Reparaciones S.A. de C.V., Turbomach, Turbomach Endustriyel Gaz Turbinleri Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited, Turbomach France SARL, Turbomach GmbH, Turbomach Netherlands B.V., Turbomach Pakistan (Private) Limited, Turbomach S.A. Unipersonal, Turbomach Sp. Z o.o., Turner Powertrain Systems Limited, UK Hose Assembly Limited, Underground Imaging Technologies Inc, United Industries LLC, VALA Inc., Vasky Energy Ltd., Wealdstone Engineering, Weir - Oil & Gas Division, West Virginia Auto Shredding Inc., Western Gear Machinery LLC, Wetland Sustainability Fund I LLC, Williams Technologies, Yard Club, Zhengzhou Siwei Mechanical and Electrical Equipment Sales Co. Ltd., and okyo Rental Ltd..TransUnion provides risk and information solutions. The company operates in three segments: U.S. Markets, International, and Consumer Interactive. The U.S. Markets segment provides consumer reports, actionable insights, and analytics, such as credit and other scores, as well as technology solutions for businesses. These businesses use its services to acquire new customers; assess consumer ability to pay for services; identify cross-selling opportunities; measure and manage debt portfolio risk; collect debt; verify consumer identities; and investigate potential fraud. This segment serves various industry vertical markets, including financial services, healthcare, insurance, tenant and employment, collections, public sector, media, and other markets. The International segment offers credit reports, analytics, technology solutions, and other value-added risk management services; consumer services, which help consumers to manage their personal finances; and consumer credit reporting, insurance and auto information solutions, and commercial credit information services. This segment serves customers in financial services, retail credit, insurance, automotive, collections, public sector, and communications industries through direct and indirect channels. The Consumer Interactive segment provides credit reports and scores, credit monitoring, fraud protection and resolution, and financial management solutions that enable consumers to manage their personal finances and take precautions against identity theft. This segment offers its products through online and mobile interfaces, as well as through direct and indirect channels. The company serves customers in approximately 30 countries and territories, including North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, India, and the Asia Pacific. The company was formerly known as TransUnion Holding Company, Inc. and changed its name to TransUnion in March 2015. TransUnion was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Read More5 hours ago

| June 15th | 2021 7:40 AM

Does Wendys (NASDAQ: WEN) Have What It Takes To Be A Winner In 2021?

Though Wendys (NASDAQ: WEN) stock was cut in half during the dark days of February and March of last year, Wall Street quickly realized that convenient fast food would probably be towards the bottom of the list of things to be cut by hard-hit consumers who were tightening the proverbial belts. So back the stock roared and since this time lastMetro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 9)  A subpoena has been issued for Daraga, Albay Mayor Carlwyn Baldo over his alleged involvement in the killing of AKO BICOL Rep. Rodel Batocabe.

Personnel from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Bicol served the document to Baldo in his municipal office, but the mayor was not around. They instead went to Baldo's residence, where the subpoena was received by his mother, Gloria Go Baldo.

The subpoena, issued by Fiscal Remiel Nibungco, officer in charge of Albay Provincial Prosecution Office, ordered Baldo to respond within 10 days to two counts of murder and six counts of frustrated murder in the slay of Batocabe and his aide SPO2 Orlino Diaz. The police refused to furnish copies to the media.

Batocabe and Diaz were fatally shot last December 22 during a gift-giving activity.

All six suspects in the killing have pointed to Baldo as mastermind, which he has repeatedly denied.

READ: Incumbent Albay town mayor denies PNP's allegation he is mastermind in Batocabe slay

The Department of Justice on Tuesday issued a lookout bulletin for Baldo, confessed gunman Henry Yuson, and four other suspects who surrendered in separate incidents.

CNN Philippines' stringer Rosas Olarte contributed to this report.Attention: Late Cannabis Investors - Check This Out Now! (Ad)

Experts say this technology could change everything for the retail cannabis market. So, if you were late last time, check this out now!

Click Here For The Full StoryNabors Industries Ltd. provides drilling and drilling-related services for land-based and offshore oil and natural gas wells. The company operates through five segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions, and Rig Technologies. It provides tubular running, wellbore placement, directional drilling, measurement-while-drilling (MWD), equipment manufacturing, and rig instrumentation services; and logging-while-drilling systems and services, as well as drilling optimization software. The company also offers REVit, an automated real time stick-slip mitigation system; ROCKit, a directional steering control system; SmartNAV, a collaborative guidance and advisory platform; SmartSLIDE, an advanced directional steering control system; and RigCLOUD, which provides the tools and infrastructure to integrate applications to deliver real-time insight into operations across the rig fleet. In addition, it manufactures and sells top drives, catwalks, wrenches, drawworks, and other drilling related equipment, such as robotic systems and downhole tools; and provides aftermarket sales and services for the installed base of its equipment. As of December 31, 2020, the company marketed approximately 354 rigs for land-based drilling operations in the United States and Canada, as well as in 14 other countries worldwide; and 29 rigs for offshore platform drilling operations in the United States and internationally. Nabors Industries Ltd. was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Read MoreSecurity forces have been deployed at the slum areas of Burmamines following clashes between two sections. Several families were forced to left their homes in fear at Shri Ram Ashram and Seva Ashram in Burmamines following section of youths of adjoining slum attacked them late night.

They have taken shelter at Vinoba Ashram in Burmamines, fearing attack by the residents of other slum, Carriage Colony Muslim Bustee.

One of the victims, who has also taken shelter at Vinoba Ashram along with his family said they had been staying at Shri Ram Ashram since the past five decades, but now it is not possible to stay at homes. The youths from the nearby Carriage Colony Muslim Bustee use to enter into our slum and molest girls.

He said the miscreants coming from the Carriage Colony Muslim Bustee tend to attack the people of Shri Ram Ashram.

The latest attack started due to a fight between two minor boys over kite-flying might be a reason behind the clash between the two slums. But this has become a regular concern, said a resident.

According to sources, a quarrel had taken place between two minor boys over kite flying at Shri Ram Ashram on January 4. Soon after the minor quarrel started into a major clash as supporters had joined the two minors who were residents of Shri Ram Ashram and Carriage Colony Muslim Bustee joined them causing the youths from either side resorting to stone-pelting on each other.

Superintendent of police (City) Prabhat Kumar confirmed about residents of Shri Ram Ashram to have vacated their homes, but said that the administration has taken several youths into custody.To commemorate 150th birth centenary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi, a symposium on Gandhijis return to India from South Africa and its significance was jointly organised by Press Information Bureau and Regional Outreach Bureau, Raipur at Swami Vivekananda Auditorium of Govt. J. Yoganadam Chhattisgarh College here on Wednesday.

Addressing the participants, Sudarshan S. Pantode, Additional Director General of Press Information Bureau and Regional Outreach Bureau, Raipur said the event of Gandhijis return to India from South Africa has its own importance as Gandhiji imbibed two principles one Satyagrah and another Non-violence among the people, this two principles which were used by him during the grand march, taken out by him in South Africa against Black Act.

Speaking on occasion, Principal, Dr. C.L. Devangan said that such type of inspiring programmes should be organised from time to time so that our students can understand the importance of freedom movement and sacrifice of our great freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi.

Students of Chhattisgarh College  Aditya Singh, Shanu Jaiswal, Pooja Verma, Yash Kumar Sahu, Dharmendra Sinha and Ashish Jadhav also participated in the symposium.

Prizes were given away to the participants at the hands of S.S. Pantode and Professor Dr Pushpa Kaushik.

Professor Shilpi Bose conducted the proceedings of the function while Pradeep Vishwakarma, Regional Outreach Bureau proposed vote of thanks.Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav hailed the raids by the Central Bureau of Investigation teams on the premises of Samajwadi Party leaders in connection with the mining scam.

The action is late. There was brazen loot in mining during the previous Bahujan Samaj Party and Samajwadi Party regimes, Shivpal said at a press conference in Lucknow on Wednesday.

Incidentally, Shivpal Yadav was a powerful minister in the two previous Samajwadi Party governments, headed by his elder brother Mulayam Singh Yadav from August 2003 to March 2007 and in the Akhilesh Yadav government from March, 2012 to October, 2016, when he was dropped from the Cabinet by his nephew.

Shivpals comments came days after it surfaced that his nephew and former Chief Minister of UP, Akhilesh Yadav, might be questioned by the CBI in connection with the mining scam.

During Bahujan Samaj Party regime from 2007-12 and Samajwadi Party regime from 2012-17, there was a loot in mining due to which people had to face steep price rise of essential minerals like sand and coarse sand, Shivpal said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has been late in taking CBI action against it. I was myself Mining Minister from 2004 to 2007, but there was no allegation against me, the PSPL chief clarified.

Asked to comment on the Centres move to provide 10 per cent reservation to economically backward sections of general category, Shivpal termed it as lollipop politics.

I was in its (reservation) support and it is good that the BJP initiated this. But, there are a number of promises made by the BJP which are yet to be fulfilled. I dont trust the BJP. I doubt whether all these promises can be fulfilled. This (reservation) is the BJPs lollipop. When the Supreme Court had once disallowed its implementation, how can reservation in this form be given? he asked.

Shivpal, however, sought to claim credit for the 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker upper castes saying, I would like to remind you that at our first rally, we raised the demand for reservation for economically weaker upper caste people. We are happy that the demand has been met.

On his partys alliance with the Congress, Shivpal said, My party is ready for a tie-up with any party if given respectable number of seats.

On meeting Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav again if the later initiated the move, Shivpal parried a direct reply and said, Whatever disrespect I had to face, I have faced. But, for defeating the BJP, we are ready for alliance with any secular party.

At the press conference, former minister and senior Samajwadi Party leader from Kanpur, Shiv Kumar Beria, joined Shivpals Yadav party and vowed to strengthen it.Residents of North Delhi can register all the complaints pertaining to the North Corporation by just dialing a centralised toll free number 155304.

NMC Mayor Adesh Gupta said the move is taken to bring more transparency and accountability in administration besides providing easy access of civic services to citizens.

Gupta said as soon as the complaint is received at this number, the software would sort out subject and area-wise and forward the complaint automatically to the concerned authority for its timely redressal. "The complainant would get an SMS confirming about their complaint along with a link to know the real time status of the complaint online. The complainant can also know the status of their complaint by clicking the link sent to them," he said.

Mayor further said that the civic body received approx 2161 complaints per month. "The residents can lodge 37 types of complaints on this number. The complaints such as Garbage dumping, sweeping, Water logging, air pollution, dangerous buildings, pot holes etc can be registered on this platform," he said.

The Chairperson of Standing Committee Veena Virmani, Commissioner Varsha Joshi, Additional Commissioner R S Meena and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.Haryana DGP BS Sandhu on Wednesday met Professor Raj Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, Panjab University here and deliberated upon collaborating for need based research studies.

During the meeting, the Vice Chancellor and the DGP agreed that various Departments of PU like Defence Studies, Police Administration, Human Rights, Forensic Science, Woman Studies, UIET, Hotel and Management, Dental College and Haryana Police can have collaboration in terms of cyber security, student internship and training, running short term programmes for police and conducting need based research studies.

Possibility for setting up a tourist police station was also discussed. Apart from collaboration related to patient care through mobile dental van of PU Dental College for the 65 students in Police Public School in Panchkula was also deliberated upon.

The DGP shared that Haryana Police is running 22 Public Schools with 16000 students studying there.

He also discussed in details the issue related to women safety in Haryana and requested Panjab University to do a special project for Haryana Police with respect to women protection. He also assured of stipend to research scholars for doing internship related to these projects.As part of Delhi Government's first policy on animal welfare, various recommendations, including birth control of monkeys, a new regime for sterilisation of stray dogs and electronic chips to identify owners of abandoned pets, were made on Wednesday during a meeting discussing the 'Animal Health and Welfare Policy 2018.'

The policy also proposed a cowshed at Ghumanhera where cows will be kept along with elderly people in a unique coexistence.

Delhi Cabinet Minister, Gopal Rai said, "There was no such policy before to consider animal welfare in entirety covering issuing like menace caused by monkeys and stray dogs. We aim to keep this policy open ended so that it is updated from time to time."

Discussing the menace caused by the abandoned animals, a suggestion to tag pets and cattle with electronic chips in order to identify their owners was also made in the meeting.

The policy provides for undertaking monkey birth control programme under animal birth control (ABC) initiatives. It observes that sterilisation of stray dogs under the ABC programme in Delhi through NGOs is not as per expectations.

"It should be further re-evaluated for its shortcomings and necessary measures should be taken to strengthen it," the policy draft said.

In order to strengthening infrastructure through a network of veterinary hospitals, polyclinics, aviaries, the plans to open new animal hospitals were also discussed. As a part of it, a veterinary hospital that will be operational round the clock will be inaugurated at Tis Hazari on January 16.

Apart from that, helpline for distressed animal and birds and ambulance service are other measures will also be taken, suggested the policy.

It has been suggested that the Animal Husbandry unit of Development Department should be named as Animal Health and Welfare Department, Rai said.

He said under the policy efforts will made to make Delhi rabies free through an effective check on stray dog menace. Setting up 12 check posts and quarantine facilities at the borders of Delhi are part of the policy.Under the public distribution system, all the ration depots of Haryanas Panchkula district would be provided cashless facility on pilot project basis.

This was announced by Haryana Minister of State for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, Karan Dev Kamboj while reviewing the functioning of the Department here.

He said that later, this facility would be implemented throughout the state. Discussions are being held with Punjab National Bank, in this regard, the Minister said.

Kamboj directed the officials to ensure that no person in the state would be left without LPG gas connection by January 26.

For this, LPG gas connections would be provided to the remaining people of the state under Ujjwala scheme of the Central Government and other ongoing schemes of the state, he said.

The Minister also said that as the public distribution system is for the people belonging to poor families and any negligence in this regard would not be tolerated. The problems being faced by people in the public distribution system should be resolved on priority basis, he directed.

Kamboj added that the delivery of Custom Milled Rice (CMR) in Haryana last year was more than 99 per cent, which is now aimed at 100 per cent this year.

Those present in the meeting included Additional Chief Secretary Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Ram Niwas, Director, Food Civil Supplies, and Consumer Affairs, Sanjeev Verma and other senior officers.To woo the farming community in Haryana ahead of 2019 general elections, the State Government will soon roll out its Kisan Pension Scheme. A meeting of committee in this regard was held on Wednesday under Haryana MLA from Tohana and state BJP chief Subhash Barala.

After the meeting, Barala said that soon, the committee constituted for formulating the pension scheme for farmers, would submit its report to the Chief Minister Manohar Lal.

This was the second meeting of the committee.

Barala said that the committee would soon take unanimous decision for the benefit of the farmers and submit its report.

It has been decided in the meeting that Deputy Commissioners of all the districts would be directed to send the existing data of the farmers of their districts as soon as possible and send the entire data within 10 days, so that the committee can take further action on the basis of collected data, he added.

The BJP state chief also said that the committee members also deliberated over the eligible age of farmers for the scheme. As the retirement age in government sector is 58 years, we are considering having the similar criteria of 58 years age limit or may be less than that, he said.

The issues related to age limit, amount of pension, number of farmers to be covered under the scheme were discussed at the meeting, he added.

The draft preparing committee for Kisan Pension Scheme is headed by Subhash Barala with members of the committee including MLAs namely Abhay Singh Yadav, Mahipal Dhanda, Ghanshyam Das Arora, Pawan Saini and Director, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Ajit Balaji Joshi.Selection Panels meeting on CBI chiefs fate ends inconclusively, to meet again today

A day after he was reinstated by the Supreme Court, CBI Director Alok Verma on Wednesday resumed office and revoked most of the transfer orders issued by then director (incharge) M Nageshwar Rao.

Rao had transferred 13 officials, including those probing the corruption case against second-in-command Rakesh Asthana. They include Deputy SP AK Bassi, who was probing the case against Asthana, to Port Blair. Other officers probing Asthana, including SS Gurm and DIG MK Sinha, too were transferred to Jabalpur and Nagpur respectively by Rao on October 24.

A Sai Manohar, Joint Director, Special Investigation team probing several major cases, has been transferred by Verma. Joint Director Policy AK Sharma, also incharge of the anti-corruption wing, was transferred to Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency by Rao.

Deputy SP Tarun Gauba had replaced Bassi after interim director Raos orders and other officers Satish Dagar and DIG V Murugesan were appointed by Rao to probe the case against Asthana.

Through a midnight order on October 23, the Government had sent both Verma and Asthana on leave pending an enquiry by the Central Vigilance Commission and appointed Rao as the interim CBI director. Rao had ordered the transfers on October 24.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led High Power Committee for Selection of CBI Director met here late in the evening to take a call on the fate of Verma.

Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogois nominee Justice AK Sikri and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge also attended the meeting at the PMs residence at the Lok Kalyan Marg. The committee will again meet on Thursday.

Sources said the CVC briefed Modi on the findings of the vigilance watchdog against Verma. The CVC had earlier probed allegations of graft against Verma under the monitoring of retired SC judge AK Patnaik. The SC had during the hearing of Vermas petition challenging the Government decision to send him on leave termed some findings of the CVC as very uncomplimentary.

During the meeting, Kharge is learnt to have pointed out that Verma should be given a chance to defend himself before the committee headed by the PM.

Kharge also demanded that Verma lost 77 days of office due to the Governments decision to send him on leave so he should be compensated and a probe should be ordered on the events of October 23/24 leading to the transfer of Verma.

Kharge also demanded that a copy of the CVC report against Verma should be given to him, sources said.

While there was no official communication on the outcome of the high powered panels meeting, sources said it could meet again.

The apex court had on Tuesday reinstated Verma as the CBI Director. It quashed the governments unprecedented overnight order of October 23, stripping him of his powers and sending him on leave after he and his deputy Asthana were engaged in a bitter feud alleging corruption against one another.

The court, while reinstating Verma, however, made it clear that he will cease and desist from taking any major policy decision till a high-powered committee considers the issue of divestment of power and authority.

Verma is scheduled to superannuate upon completion of two-years tenure as CBI Director on January 31.

Chief Justice of India Gogoi and senior Congress leader Kharge are among the members of the panel. But Justice Gogoi is learnt to have recused from the Committee meeting and nominated Justice AK Sikri as a representative.

Following the SC order on Tuesday reinstating Verma as CBI chief, Verma joined the office at about 10.40 am.

The Modi Government had on October 23, 2018 sent Verma and Asthana on forced leave.Rahul to chair todays meet to discuss LS poll strategy

The Congress has convened a meeting of top party leaders and State unit chiefs to initiate the discussion to strategise for the Lok Sabha polls and prepare a plan B for the party if it has to face the Uttar Pradesh election alone. The meeting on Thursday will be chaired by party chief Rahul Gandhi. The meeting is also expected to take a call on appointing Delhi PCC president following resignation of Ajay Maken.

The reluctance of Akhilesh Yadav-Mayawati combine to include the Congress in the UP mahagathbandhan has irked the grand old party. Reports suggest that Congress may be left out in the SP-BSP combination that will set aside just two seats in its strongholds of Amethi and Rae Bareli.

In this backdrop, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said Congress willingness to form an alliance should not be seen as its weakness.

Every party in this country is capable of fighting on its own but an alliance sometimes gives a greater advantage. An alliance with other parties will help the party gain more strength and push the BJP out of power, said the former Union Minister.

The fact that we have an open mind for an alliance doesnt mean that we are weak. We can improve by an alliance and through it we can improve the general theme of the grand alliance which is to try and push the BJP out of power, Khurshid said.

Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar called on Rahul Gandhi to sort out differences on the eight of the 48 Lok Sabha seats from Maharashtra on which the two parties have not yet arrived on a consensus. According to AICC sources, both the Opposition parties have so far decided to share 20 seats each.

Also present in the meeting was Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and NCP leader Praful Patel.

Both Congress and NCP had suffered a drubbing in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, winning only two and four parliamentary seats respectively of the total of 48 seats.

Congress and NCP are scheduled to start a mass contact programme - Parivartan Yatra - next week in Maharashtra to highlight failures of the Central and State Governments. Separately, top leaders from both the UPA partners including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Congress leaders Ashok Chavan, and Prithviraj Chavan will lead a Jan Sangharsh Yatra next week.Describing India as Britain's "closest partner", a senior British Foreign and Commonwealth official on Wednesday said the bilateral relations between the two nations are in "good health".

The official, who does not want to be named, said a number of senior UK ministers will also participate in the three-day Raisina Dialogue, which started from January 8.

The dialogue is India's flagship conference of geopolitics and geo-economics and annually attracts high-level participants from all over the world. The theme for the 2019 edition of the conference is "A World Reorder: New Geometries, Fluid Partnerships, Uncertain Outcomes."

India is Britain's "closest partner", the official said, adding, "bilateral relations between UK and India is in good health".

Without specifying the exact figures, he said there has been a 20 per cent increase in Indian students studying in the UK last year. Similarly, there has been a 10 per cent increase in Indian tourists in Britain last year and a "big increase" in the number of skilled workers coming to the UK.

The official also said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman are expected to visit London for talks with their UK counterparts.

He said a UK Home Office team will visit India to discuss a number of issues, including "terrorists' use of internet".

Both sides are currently in talks on the issue of illegal migrants from India, which number "many tens of thousands", he added.

The official said the British Mission in India is the largest in the world and "new staffs" would be posted in British High Commission in New Delhi and its offices in Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad.

The UK will also set up a new tech hub in Delhi, he said.BNPs fulminations about wholesale rigging of the recent elections would make a horse laugh

Time was when horse-drawn carriages were an important part of Dhakas transportation system. Those driving them, addressed as Chaudhuris, were a law unto themselves. Their favourite retort to requests for fare reduction was, Ki koitachhen Karta! Shuinle ghodaye hashba! (What are you saying Sir! The horse will laugh on hearing it!). I was reminded of this by the Bangladesh Nationalist Partys (BNP) fervid allegation that wholesale rigging had rendered the recent parliamentary elections into a farce.

How did it conduct elections when it was in power? On July 1, 2004, a by-election was held at the Dhaka-10 parliamentary constituency. The contestants were Major (Retd) MA Mannan of Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, and Mosaddek Ali Falu of BNP, a close confidante of Begum Khaleda Zia. The Daily Star reported on July 2, 2004: The ruling [BNP-Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami] alliances intimidation of voters and polling agents, false balloting and absence of the army at every centre in violation of a High Court (HC) order marred the much-talked-about Dhaka-10 by-polls yesterday. The report then gave chilling details of how the voting was turned into a farce and the Election Commission refused to act.

The BNP was all set to rig the 2006 parliamentary elections. The Daily Star of September 21, 2005, reported that out of the 328 upazila (sub-district) election officers ahead of the next parliamentary elections, 150 were from a list of Chhatra Dal (BNPs students wing) leaders from colleges and universities. The report further cited a source saying that there could be many more persons loyal to the Government among the controversial appointees.

Effort to rig the elections had begun even before these appointments with an attempt to ensure a friendly caretaker Government which, under the practice then, was to supervise the holding of the elections. The increase of the retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 years, provided for by the 14th Constitution Amendment Act, passed on May 16, 2005, was widely perceived to ensure the appointment of KM Hasan as the chief adviser and head of the caretaker Government. Hasan, a pro-BNP person, did not accept the position in the face of massive wave of protest over it. Following a stalemate over the appointment of a chief adviser, the then President Iajuddin Ahmed, who had been elected to office by the BNP, appointed himself to the position. There was tumult and violence. The military intervened on January 11, 2007 and Iajuddin Ahmed resigned on January 12. Fakhruddin Ahmed of the World Bank was appointed chief adviser to head the caretaker Government. The parliamentary elections held under its auspices on December 29, 2008, were swept by the Awami League and its allies.

The BNPs allegations now have to be seen in the context of the fact that the charge of rigging has been levelled by the losing side in every election since 1991. The Awami League proclaimed the 1991 parliamentary elections, which the BNP won, as rigged. The BNP said the same about the 1996 elections, which the Awami League won. It was the Awami Leagues turn to cry foul when the BNP swept to power in 2001. The BNP did the same after the Awami Leagues landslide victory in 2008. The BNPs indignant condemnation of the 2018 elections is, thus, a part of a well-established post-poll ritual. It would have been surprising had it been otherwise.

Further, it has been said that the Awami Leagues massive sweep of parliamentary seats  288 out of the 298  could not have been possible without largescale rigging. What this overlooks is that the Awami League and its allies had swept the parliamentary elections in 2008, universally considered to have been free and fair, winning in 263 of the 300 seats. Of the 263, the Awami League had won 230.

The Awami Leagues higher tally of seats this time could have been due to a significantly higher turnout of Hindu voters. In all elections prior to 2018  except perhaps so some extent in 2008  BNP-Jamaat storm troopers had generally terrorised Hindus into not voting. For a long time before the 2018 elections, leaders of the Forum for Secular Bangladesh and Trial of War Criminals as well as the Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee (Committee for the Eradication of the Killers of seventy one  Shahriar Kabir, Professor Muntassir Mamoon and Kazi Mukul  had sustained a powerful campaign for creating conditions under which the minorities could vote freely and fearlessly. The momentum thus generated as well as the iron-clad security arrangements made for the elections had clearly emboldened Hindus many Hindus to vote.

Besides, the surge of Islamist terrorist violence in Bangladesh, underlined by the savage attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in the upscale area of Gulshan in Dhaka, on July 1, 2016, had created a climate of fear. A large section of people seems to have voted for Sheikh Hasina who has taken firm steps to curb terrorism, veering away from the BNP, as the surge in fundamentalist violence began during its coalition Government with the Jamaat (2001-06) when it did little to counter the menace.

(The writer is Consultant Editor, The Pioneer, and an author)The remarkable story of Rahaf Mohammed Al-Qunun, the 18-year-old who fled her family in Saudi Arabia, has received global attention.

By January 9, the United Nations (UN) had found her to be a legitimate refugee, and asked Australia give her asylum, in line with the teens wishes.

Australia has said its seriously considering her request.

Rahaf had said her family would kill her if she was sent back. (Photo: Reuters)

Rahaf had arrived in Thailand on January 5, after managing to slip away from her family in Kuwait. She was planning to proceed to Australia, for which she had a tourist visa, but was detained at Bangkok airport. She then barricaded herself in a hotel room and started tweeting about her case, saying her father and brother would kill her if she was sent back.

??? ??? ????? ????? ?????? ???????? ???????? ?? ???? ???????? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ????????? ??????? ???????? ?? ?????? ???? ??? ??? ?????? ??????? ???? ?? ??? ??? ????? ?????? ??? ?? ?? ??? ????? ?? ????.??  Rahaf Mohammed ??? ???? ?????? (@rahaf84427714) January 7, 2019

Really such wonderful news Rahaf! If your father causes any problems, call me right away. We will keep pushing until you are safe in a 3rd country!  Phil Robertson (@Reaproy) January 7, 2019

With the help of a few friends in other countries, she managed to raise enough noise on Twitter for human rights activists and the UN to take notice, and ensure that Thailand does not deport her.

Rahafs is a tale of incredible bravery, and the international support for her, a story of hope.

But why was Rahaf forced to be so brave?

Because, in her country, a woman is still legally required to have a male guardian, without whose permission she cannot study, work, marry or travel. Rahafs family was allegedly abusing her physically and mentally for cutting her hair and professing to atheism. But she could not have gone to the police against them  the authorities would most likely not have registered a complaint without the presence of the male guardian.

In fact, in her country, she could have been imprisoned for disobeying her father  the laws allow that.

One hopes Rahaf manages to find asylum and now lead a happy life.

But her story is proof that under all the noise of liberalisation under the great moderniser, Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, the women of Saudi Arabia continue to be given sub-human treatment.

In fact, the token modernisation seems to be a convenient cover to ward off international attention, while the country refuses to recognise women as adults. Or humans.

For instance, the Saudi lifting of the driving ban on women had created much euphoria internationally  even making it to the cover of Vogue. But in reality, scores of women activists who had campaigned against the ban were imprisoned soon after as well, and continue to be in jail.

The picture not seen is that of the activists suffering in prison. (Photo: Twitter)

The international bodies that spoke up for Rahaf must remember that their job does not end there.

The guardianship system is unconscionable  and every country or organisation that claims to stand for human rights needs to exert pressure on Riyadh to change this, irrespective of geopolitical considerations.

In 2000, Saudi Arabia had actually ratified the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women  including the guardianship system. Rahafs case is just more proof that the move was not implemented.

Yet, Saudi Arabia continues to be a member of the UN Human Rights Council.

To claim immunity for such horrific human rights violations in the name of religion is disingenuous. Several other Islamic countries in the world have women participating equally in every walk of life.

Saudi Arabia gets away with this because it is rich, because it is a monarchy, because the international community is refusing to do its bit.

The first two might not change anytime soon.

But the third factor can.

The institutions that helped Rahaf out can claim no credit till they actively work to dismantle the system that made her a victim in the first place.

Also read: Chinas chilling debt trap for Pakistan: How everything China invests goes back to it, along with a lot moreBrahim Diaz claims Real Madrid are the only club he would have left Manchester City for.

The highly-rated teenager was formally unveiled as a Real player on Monday after passing a medical and completing the formalities of his 22million switch from the Etihad Stadium.

The 19-year-old Spanish forward made only 15 first-team appearances for City but was regarded as one of their most promising academy graduates and was offered a lucrative deal to stay.

But Diaz, who had just six months remaining on his City contract, says he had no hesitation in opting for Real.

When I was told of Real Madrids interest I didnt think twice about it, said Diaz at his presentation at the Bernabeu, which was broadcast on Real Madrid TV.

Today is the most important day of my life, arriving at the team I dreamed of playing for when I was a child. This is the best present for me for Christmas.

When I decided to leave Manchester City I only thought about three options. The first one, play for Real Madrid; the second one, play for Real Madrid and the third one, play for Real Madrid.

Diaz was paraded at the Bernabeu Stadium (AP)

I didnt want to go anywhere else. It was impossible to go to a better club.

Diaz, who will wear the number 21 shirt at Real, spoke to media and posed for photographs on the pitch in front of fans.

Coming after the loss of Jadon Sancho in 2017, Diazs departure is another blow for Citys much-vaunted academy with the youngster sensing there may be better first-team opportunities elsewhere.

Diaz, however, had no bad words for the club he joined from Malaga at the age of 14.

He said: I am really grateful to City for they helped me a lot but I am very really pleased to be here now at the biggest club in the world. I really just want to get started.

City are understood to have secured a basic 15.5million fee for Diaz with a potential extra 6.5million in add-ons. The deal includes a 15 per cent sell-on clause but that rises to 40 per cent if the buying club are Manchester United.

Diaz has signed a six-and-a-half year contract with the European champions.Irelands culture minister has said she remains hopeful a deal can be struck between the British Government and the European Union.

Josepha Madigan said it is difficult to anticipate what will happen when MPs go to vote on the Withdrawal Agreement at Westminster next week.

Theresa May will increase her efforts this week to win over her Brexit critics and seek fresh guarantees from Brussels ahead of the crunch vote on her deal.

Ms Madigan said that the Prime Ministers main priority is to secure enough support for her deal.

I think from listening to her comments yesterday (Sunday) she is certainly going to endeavour to do that and thats her main priority at the moment but I think we have to allow the UK Parliament to do it themselves, she added.

I dont think its going to be helpful for me to comment on how they should do that but obviously we are hopeful that they will.

The Culture Minister added she didnt know if there will be a hard Brexit.

I would remain hopeful that a deal can be struck and we hope that Theresa May will get this deal through her Parliament and there will be a Withdrawal Agreement and then a future relationship can be ironed out and there will be no hard border.

I think at this stage it will be premature to try and say anything other than that.

She added that the Irish Government has contingency plans in place for a no-deal Brexit while Ministers will be updating Cabinet every two weeks on their preparation for a chaotic Brexit.

Meanwhile, the minister also defended her comments after she advised aspiring female politicians who want to run for office to get a good husband if they do.

She told the Irish Independent: Get good childcare, get a good husband, have the confidence and dont over-think it.

However, Fianna Fail TD Anne Rabbitt said that women dont need a husband to succeed in politics.

Ms Madigan defended her remarks saying she was paying tribute to her husband.

When youre a politician whatever family support you have is going to be crucial, she said.

When you have school runs and extra-curricular activities and if you are based at Leinster House, I would have found it very difficult in the absence of his support and that was the point I am making.

You need a support system and I think every politician would say that. It doesnt necessarily have to be a husband, it can be a partner, or wife, or mother or father or neighbours but I think you need the support particularly if you have dependants living with you.Maurizio Sarri wants a new midfielder for Chelsea after advising Cesc Fabregas to leave the club for the good of his career.

The Blues boss, speaking ahead of Tuesdays Carabao Cup semi-final first leg with Tottenham, insisted Callum Hudson-Odoi was ready for big games and that the 18-year-olds future was at Stamford Bridge.

But Sarri insisted Fabregas  at the other end of the age spectrum in Chelseas squad  should seek to complete an anticipated move to Monaco, after the 31-year-old appeared to bid farewell to Chelsea following last Saturdays FA Cup win over Nottingham Forest.

Maurizio Sarri, left, has told Cesc Fabregas to leave Chelsea for the good of his career (John Walton/PA)

In my opinion, he needs to go, Sarri said.

You know very well the situation. You know very well in this club there is a rule: the renewal of players over 30 is usually one year.

He has an offer for two years. I dont want a very important player as Cesc unhappy.

If Cesc will go, of course we need a replacement.

Sarri said Fabregas suffered cramp against Forest and may not be available to face Spurs, although Eden Hazard and David Luiz were among those to suggest after the match that it was the Spaniards farewell.

The Blues boss said Fabregas had a free day on Sunday, refusing to confirm or deny reports the playmaker went to France to meet with Monaco.

The boss on @cesc4official: "Since I left @Arsenal, we talk every two or three days and that hasn't changed in recent days. Cesc [Fabregas] is a player who interests every club." - @ThierryHenry #ASMSRFC pic.twitter.com/ssA1u2GQiR  AS Monaco EN (@AS_Monaco_EN) January 7, 2019

Thierry Henry, Fabregas former team-mate at Arsenal, is now Monaco boss.

Henry said on Monday, according to Monacos official Twitter account: Since I left Arsenal, we talk every two or three days and that hasnt changed in recent days. Cesc is a player who interests every club.

Ruben Loftus-Cheek is out of the Spurs fixture, with Chelsea seeking to determine the full extent of his back problem.

Forwards Pedro, Willian (both hamstring) and striker Olivier Giroud (ankle) have returned to training following injury and could be in contention to play.

Hudson-Odoi should be in the squad after providing both goals for Alvaro Morata against Forest.

The teenager has also been linked with a move, to German giants Bayern Munich, with 18 months remaining on his current contract and the offer of a new deal with Chelsea as yet unsigned.

Sarri said: For me, hes a very important player. I think to stay here is better for him. Hes an English player.

Hes very young. He has a very great future here, in England, with the national team and with Chelsea.

We have very important players in the same position. (But) I think now he is ready.

Sometimes he will be on the bench, as Willian, as Pedro. Now I can start to consider him at the same level (as Willian and Pedro).

Looking back at November's defeat to Tottenham, Sarri says we must approach tomorrow's match in a different way, firstly matching their application and determination, and only after considering the tactical changes required. #TOTCHE  Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 7, 2019

Sarris first two losses as Chelsea boss came at Wembley, in Augusts Community Shield against Manchester City, and, after an 18-match unbeaten run, against Spurs on November 24.

Spurs scored twice in the opening 16 minutes and Sarri afterwards bemoaned his sides attitude.

He said his team must match Spurs desire before tactics can be taken into account on Tuesday night.

He added: We need to approach the match in another way, because we lost the match in the first 15 minutes. They were really more aggressive than us, more determined than us.

Now we know very well if we approach the same theres no solution for us. I want to speak before about this, otherwise its useless to speak about tactics.Downing Street has expressed concern over the case of fugitive Jack Shepherd who disappeared during his Old Bailey trial over the death of his date Charlotte Brown in a speedboat crash.

Shepherd has been accused by Ms Browns parents of making a mockery of justice by appealing against his conviction for manslaughter by gross negligence while on the run.

According to reports, he has received nearly 100,000 in legal aid, despite refusing to give himself up to the authorities.

The Prime Ministers official spokesman said the case raised significant public concerns and urged Shepherd to hand himself in.

The Prime Ministers strongest sympathies are with the family of Charlotte Brown, and Jack Shepherd should give himself up right away to face justice, the spokesman said.

The Metropolitan Police are rightly doing all they can to track down Shepherd to bring him to face justice.

The Prime Minister understands and sympathises with the significant public concerns around this case.

That is why the Ministry of Justice is looking into the case and the issues that it raises.

Shepherd was convicted in his absence and sentenced to six years imprisonment in July last year after disappearing part way through the trial.

Charlotte Brown died after Shepherds speedboat hit a submerged log (Metropolitan Police/PA)

In December, he was given permission to challenge his conviction by a judge at the Court of Appeal.

The Metropolitan Police has said there was no tangible trace of Shepherd since he last appeared in court, despite him subsequently contacting his lawyers to mount an appeal.

Ms Brown, 24, died after Shepherd handed her the controls of his speed boat and it struck a submerged log which tipped them into the icy waters of the Thames in December 2015.

The court heard how Shepherd had bought the 14ft Fletcher Arrowflyte GTO from Gumtree to pull women.

In the months before Ms Browns death, he had entertained up to 10 women on the 1980s model, having invited them back to his houseboat.

During that time, he had been caught speeding by marine police more than once and advised on the importance of wearing a life jacket.Police are seeking two men who made off with a five-figure sum of money after robbing a security guard outside a bank in Glasgow.

The 57-year-old was at the Clydesdale Bank in Shettleston Road when he was approached by the men at around 6:20pm on Sunday.

They threatened him with a weapon and robbed him of a money cassette containing the cash before making off in a blue Ford Focus.

The guard was taken to Glasgow Royal Infimary with an injury to his hand, before being released.

Although not seriously injured, he is said to have been left badly shaken.

Officers believe that a car which was set on fire at the rear of flats in Budhill Avenue shortly after the incident is the vehicle involved in the robbery.

Detectives are seeking information about the robbery (Andrew Milligan/PA)

One of the suspects that detectives are searching for is around 6 feet tall, of a stocky build and was wearing a dark green jacket.

The other man is described as around 5 feet 8 of medium build and wearing dark coloured clothing.

Detective Inspector Clark Hill said: This violent robbery has left the victim extremely distressed. It is totally unacceptable that someone is targeted whilst simply trying to do their job and the men responsible quite clearly had no regard for the victim.

We are carrying out extensive enquiries into this cash in transit robbery and are appealing to the public for any information that will help us trace the men responsible for this robbery as soon as possible.

I would urge any witnesses to the robbery itself, or anyone with information on car set on fire at Budhill Avenue to come forward to police. This vehicle is currently undergoing forensic examination.

Detective Inspector Hill said that Police are not currently linking the robbery to a similar incident which took place outside the Royal Bank of Scotland on Duke Street on Friday afternoon, although indicated they would not rule out the possibility.Theresa May has hailed the launch of a 10-year plan for the NHS in England as a truly historic moment.

Health chiefs say that up to 500,000 lives could be saved under the plan, which involves greater use of high-tech treatments and diagnostic testing and could prevent 150,000 heart attacks, strokes and dementia cases.

The plan has been welcomed by campaigners, but experts warned that implementing it would be difficult.

Presenting the document at the Alder Hey Childrens Hospital in Liverpool, Mrs May said that she had asked the NHS to draw up a long-term plan in return for the Governments commitment to a 20.5 billion real-terms boost to health spending over the next five years.

Nobody knows the NHS better than hard working staff, our wonderful patients and their carers and families. Thats why they have been at the heart of how we have planned to make the NHS #fitforthefuture https://t.co/i9B4I0NCdd pic.twitter.com/P73KWe1wVr  NHS England and NHS Improvement (@NHSEngland) January 6, 2019

Together, the additional funding and the long-term plan would provide both the certainty and the long-term direction needed to transform patient care and secure the future of our NHS, the Prime Minister said.

She said that it was affordable in part because the UK would no longer be sending vast annual sums to Brussels after it leaves the European Union.

But Labour insisted that the extra money announced last year would not be enough to deliver the care that patients need.

The Tories have spent nine years running down the NHS and now they are asking for another ten years to sort out their mess, said the partys leader Jeremy Corbyn.

NHS Confederation chief executive Niall Dickson welcomed the vision to strengthen and improve services set out in the document, but warned: The plan cannot escape the harsh reality that the NHS will still face tough decisions on what it can and cannot do.

And Local Government Association spokesman Ian Hudspeth said the goals can only be fully realised if the Government plugs a 3.6 billion funding gap in adult social care and reverses 600 million in reductions to councils public health grants.

(PA Graphics)

NHS chief executive Simon Stevens said that about 23,000 premature deaths could be prevented by putting 100,000 people with heart complaints through a healthy living and exercise programme every year.

And the plans aim to ensure three-quarters of cancers are diagnosed early, when they can be treated more successfully, up from half at present.

As part of the drive to use new technology to help treat and prevent conditions:

 The NHS will become the first health service in the world to offer whole genome sequencing for children with cancer to help target treatment specifically at their needs.

 There will be genetic testing for about 30,000 people with dangerously high inherited cholesterol.

 Pilot schemes will see smart inhalers given to respiratory patients to monitor their condition.

 Cutting-edge scans and the potential use of artificial intelligence to improve stroke care.

 Patients will be able to access health care at the touch of the button through a digital front door to the NHS.

The #NHSLongTermPlan will reinforce the NHS as a world leading health system when it comes to the money it spends on mental health services and the support and treatment it offers those who need it.  PM @Theresa_May pic.twitter.com/mbDuaMgOka  UK Prime Minister (@10DowningStreet) January 6, 2019

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: Whether its treating ever more people in their communities, using the latest technology to tackle preventable diseases, or giving every baby the very best start in life  this Government has given the NHS the multi-billion pound investment needed to nurture and safeguard our nations health service for generations to come.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said the NHS needed to ensure care was provided efficiently.

Writing in the Daily Mail, he said: The public hates waste in the NHS and quite rightly want to know that their taxes are spent effectively, to deliver excellent front-line services to patients.

Under the plan there will be a 4.5 billion boost for primary and community care, and investment in mental health services will rise to at least 2.3 billion a year by 2023/24.

About two million more people who suffer anxiety, depression or other problems will receive help over the next decade.

(PA Graphics)

Mr Stevens said the plan keeps all thats good about our health service and its place in our national life.

It tackles head on the pressures our staff face.

And it sets a practical, costed, phased route map for the NHSs priorities for care quality and outcomes improvement for the decade ahead.

Prime Minister Theresa May visiting the wards at Alder Hey Childrens Hospital in Liverpool (Charlotte Graham/Daily Telegraph)

Kay Boycott, chief executive of Asthma UK, said smart inhalers were game-changing devices that track how often and well people are taking their asthma medication so that those most at risk of asthma attacks can be identified and helped before they need hospital treatment.

Stroke Association chief executive Juliet Bouverie said the plan makes tackling stroke a national priority, adding: We know this plan can and will ensure that more lives are saved and more people spared from serious disability.

But Nigel Edwards from health think tank the Nuffield Trust said that while the plans aims were right there are several big pitfalls ahead, with the extra funding still below what experts thought was needed and a lack of key staff presenting the biggest obstacle of all.Vladimir Putin has marked Christmas in Russia with a show of strength  by firing a really big gun.

Under the Russian Orthodox liturgical calendar, Christmas is observed on January 7.

During a visit to his home town of St Petersburg, the Russian president visited the Petropavlovsky Fortress on the banks of the Neva River and pulled the lever on the howitzer, which fires a daily noontime salute.

Vladimir Putin prepares to shoot a fortress cannon at the Peter and Paul Fortress in St Petersburg (Alexei Druzhinin, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

The midday shot has been a tradition since 1865.

Mr Putins steely image was in full force for the event  bareheaded in the winter cold, he appeared to flinch only slightly when the cannon roared, then turned away with a thin smile.Phil Jones believes next weekends clash with Tottenham will test the strength of Manchester Uniteds recent revival.

United have won their last five matches in all competitions since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer came in as caretaker manager following the sacking of Jose Mourinho last month.

Spurs, who are third in the Premier League, are likely to provide the toughest challenge so far at Wembley on Sunday.

Defender Jones said: Spurs is a good test. We are in good form and have some momentum going. We have steadied the ship a bit.

We have not done anything yet, we have not achieved anything, but we need to keep it going.

Possibly Spurs will be an indicator for us and how far we can go but it is a game we need to win.

Phil Jones hopes Manchester United can maintain their momentum against Tottenham (Martin Rickett/PA)

They are in good form and doing well and we need to have a good week, train well and prepare for a tough game. Hopefully the momentum can carry us on to win that match.

United, who will spend the week preparing at a warm-weather training camp in Dubai, are six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea after their successive wins over Cardiff, Huddersfield, Bournemouth and Newcastle.

Reaching the Champions League places is a clear target but Jones does not want to look too far ahead.

The 26-year-old, who helped United see off Reading in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, said: Of course we should be in the Champions League next season and that is the aim but we have done nothing yet. I know it is a cliche but it has to be game by game.

I dont really want to think about the top four, or the Champions League or the FA Cup. It has to be game by game. Tottenham is tough and we aim to see where we are after that.Around 20,000 worth of jewellery has been stolen from a house while the people living there were out for the day.

Police said rings, watches, pendants and bracelets, some with sentimental value, were stolen in the raid at the house in Philip Avenue, Newton Stewart, on Saturday morning.

The occupants of the house discovered there had been a break-in when they returned home on Saturday evening.

Police are appealing for information about the robbery which happened sometime between 9.40am and 9.30pm on January 5 in the Dumfries and Galloway town.

Detective Constable Jackson Service said: The occupants of the house were out for the day and on returning home in the evening were met with a break-in to their home.

At this stage we are appealing for anyone who may have been in the area around Philip Avenue in the town on Saturday to call us if they saw or heard anything suspicious.

Police are investigating the robbery (David Cheskin/PA)

We are carrying out door-to-door inquiries in the area at this time. In particular we would be keen to hear about details of any vehicles which appeared strange to the area, being parked in the streets around the Philip Avenue area on Saturday.

Whilst the value of the property is high, no cost can ever be placed on the sentimental value of some of the pieces stolen.

Anyone with any information is asked to call police on 101, quoting the reference number 3638 5/1, or ring Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where anonymity can be maintained.Low-income families in Scotland have been urged to seek free financial advice, with around half a million cases of people not claiming all the support they are entitled to.

A financial health check service was launched in November, offering impartial advice and support to help people maximise their income and reduce costs.

The scheme, backed by 3.3 million of Scottish Government funding, is being delivered by the Citizens Advice Network in Scotland.

People are currently able to access the service by calling a free helpline, with a face-to-face version also to be implemented.

Aileen Campbell, Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, said that the check can help assist people with a range of financial issues.

The Financial Health Check is an invaluable source of support for families on a low income and friendly, experienced advisers are on hand to walk through all options, said Ms Campbell.

Low-income Scots have been encouraged to use the free financial health service (David Cheskin/PA)

Too many people are not accessing everything they could be, and we want to ensure the right support is there to help people make the most of their financial situation.

The service will cover issues such as access to free school meals, benefit uptake, council tax reduction and cheaper deals on energy and other utilities to reduce household costs.

If youre a parent struggling to make ends meet, youre not alone. It doesnt matter if youre in work or out, one call to the free phoneline is all it takes get some advice that could make a real difference.

We would therefore urge people to pick up the phone for a free financial health check today.

Derek Mitchell, CEO of Citizens Advice Scotland, said: We know from research large numbers of Scots are still not claiming support they are entitled to.

We are pleased to have this opportunity to reach those people who need support the most, particularly at this time of year, given the extra financial pressures it can bring for families.

Through this service, and all the core work of the Citizens Advice network in Scotland, CAB teams are here to help alleviate financial worries, so people can access their basic rights to food and a warm home for their families.

For more information call the free Financial Health Check helpline on 0800 085 7145 or go to parentclub.scot/money or facebook.com/parentclubscotlandCharities could be struck off if they repeatedly fail to publish annual accounts of their spending and activities, under new proposals from the Scottish Government.

Ministers are consulting on bringing in new legislation covering charities in Scotland, stressing the need to improve public trust and confidence in the sector.

The proposed new charity law could require all organisations on the Scottish Charity Register to publish annual reports and accounts.

If charities persistently fail to do so they could be removed from the register, and may no longer exist, under one of the options out to consultation.

It comes after the Oxfam sex scandal in 2018 dented public confidence in the sector.

Do you have a view about how charities should be regulated in Scotland? 



Today marks the opening of a new consultation on charity law. Communities Secretary @ClydesdAileen @scotgov are looking for your views.



Get involved here  https://t.co/HeFLrjTHjS  Scot Gov Fairer (@ScotGovFairer) January 7, 2019

A survey by the Scottish Charity Regulator OSCR last year showed almost nine out of 10 people (88%) would trust charities more if they could see evidence of their achievements and how much cash from donations went to good causes.

The Scottish Government is consulting on new charity legislation (Anthony Devlin/PA)

Scottish ministers are seeking to increase the transparency and accountability of charities.

Other options put forward in the consultation include establishing an external register of charity trustees, and a requirement for all organisations on the Scottish Charity Register to have and retain a connection in Scotland.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: Charities play a vital role in our society, from supporting individuals and communities, to informing policy at a national level, they are key to us achieving our ambition of creating a fairer and more prosperous country.

It is therefore important that we do all we can to maintain and increase public trust and confidence in the charity sector and making sure legislation supports that.

I would encourage anyone with an interest in the charity sector to share their views by responding to this consultation.A Conservative MP has hit out at the Governments plan to use a disused airfield to ease lorry congestion if there is UK border disruption in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Charlie Elphicke criticised the idea as nearly 100 lorries descended on Manston Airport near Ramsgate in Kent on Monday morning to test out using the runway as an HGV holding bay to prevent traffic jams on roads to Channel ports.

The trial, called Operation Brock, has seen lorries directed along the A256 towards Dover in a 20-mile journey which should take around half-an-hour.

Manston should only be used as a last resort. The speed lorries can be got down to the port is too slow. Trying to explain to lorry drivers - many from overseas - to go there will be very difficult. The whole route plan is far to complex and will cause enourmous confusion 2/  Charlie Elphicke (@CharlieElphicke) January 7, 2019

Better to stick to what lorry drivers are most used go - going to the Channel Ports via the M20/A20. Yet using traffic management to keep the motorways open and use Manston only after road capacity is used up 3/3  Charlie Elphicke (@CharlieElphicke) January 7, 2019

The MP for the town lashed out at the plan branding it too complex and likely to cause enormous confusion for drivers.

On Twitter, he said: Routing lorries via Manston is not the answer.

Far better to extend the tried and tested traffic management system on the A20 at Dover to Kents motorways.

Lorries form up on the A256 outside Dover (Gareth Fuller/PA)

That way lorries can be effectively managed, got most speedily to the ports and all our motorways can be kept open.

Manston should only be used as a last resort.

Trying to explain to lorry drivers  many from overseas  to go there will be very difficult.

The whole route plan is far too complex and will cause enormous confusion.

In response to the post, Dover resident Gary Moore said the town is badly affected by truck traffic which can bring the whole road system there to a standstill, adding: There has to be a plan that works.

However Ben Pearce, a driver taking part in the exercise, said the test seems to be going quite well.

He added: It will give them a fair idea how the traffic will behave if they do use the space as a holding bay.

The large convoy of lorries from regional and national haulage companies descended on Manston from 7am on Monday to form a queue along the runway.

Eddie Stobart led the convoy. Other companies taking part in the trial included Ramsgate-based Whites Transport Ltd, Salvatori Group from Canterbury and Swains in Rochester.

Eddie Stobart led the convoy (Victoria Jones/PA)

The drivers congregated in a large group before being directed by officials from the Department for Transport (DfT), Kent County Council and police officers.

The first practice run began in rush-hour shortly after 8am, with four convoys leaving at intervals between 8.13am and 8.39am. The first of the convoys arrived in Dover at 8.52am where they were directed to do a loop around the Eastern Docks roundabout, travel along Jubilee Way and drive straight back to the airport.

The 20-mile journey takes around half an hour depending on traffic. So far traffic has been relatively light on the route and the first test did not appear to cause any queues or extra congestion, according to witnesses and bystanders.

Up to 150 lorries were initially anticipated to take part but only 89 were involved, the DfT confirmed after the first test.

(PA Graphics)

Each driver participating in the exercise cost the department 550, their spokeswoman confirmed, meaning 48,950 was paid out.

The plans emerged last week after the DfT and council sent letters to hauliers explaining this was to establish the safest optimum release rate of HGVs.

A DfT spokeswoman said: We do not want or expect a no-deal scenario and continue to work hard to deliver a deal with the EU.

However, it is the duty of a responsible Government to continue to prepare for all eventualities and contingencies, including a possible no deal.

We will be testing part of Operation Brock to ensure that, if it needs to be implemented, the system is fully functional.

Lorries lined up during a trial at the former Manston Airport site in Kent (Steve Parsons/PA)

However the exercise is too little too late, according to the Road Haulage Associations chief executive Richard Burnett.

He added: Todays trial cannot possibly duplicate the reality of 4,000 trucks that would be held at Manston Airport in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Its too little too late  this process should have started nine months ago. At this late stage it looks like window dressing.

Congestion at the Channel ports caused by the reintroduction of customs checks on goods has been one of the most commonly cited negative effects of a no-deal withdrawal from the EU at the end of March.

Also known as Kent International Airport, the site closed in 2014 after owners were unable to find a buyer.A man accused of killing a father who was stabbed nine times in front of his teenage son said he was innocent until proven guilty as he appeared in court.

Darren Shane Pencille, 35, is charged with the murder of Lee Pomeroy, 51, and possessing an offensive weapon.

His partner, mother-of-one Chelsea Mitchell, 27, is charged with assisting an offender over allegedly helping Pencille to leave the scene and to change his appearance.

Staines Magistrates Court heard Mr Pomeroy, who lived in Guildford and owned an IT firm, suffered nine stab wounds when he was knifed to death in front of his 14-year-old son.

A manhunt led detectives to a flat in Farnham on Saturday morning and they made two arrests.

Mr Pomeroy, who would have celebrated his 52nd birthday on Saturday, was described by his family as an honourable man and would always help somebody who was in trouble.

In a statement, the family said he was a cultured man, who loved his 50-year-old wife Svetlana Pomeroy.

He was a devoted family man and did everything for his family, they said.

Mr Pomeroy and his son boarded the 12.58pm train service between Guildford and London Waterloo at London Road station on Friday afternoon.

Police believe a brief row broke out leading to Mr Pomeroys death.Former glamour model Katie Price has denied being almost twice the legal alcohol limit while legally in charge of a pink Range Rover.

The 40-year-old, of Horsham, Surrey, who is accused of being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle on October 10 last year, appeared at Bromley Magistrates Court on Monday.

Police found Price in charge of the stationary vehicle at 1.40am at Shooters Hill in Greenwich, south-east London, the court heard.

A man in a block of flats was said to have concluded an accident of some sort had occurred involving his parked black car, which had pink paint on when he later inspected it, District Judge Nigel Dean told the hearing.

CCTV footage appeared to show the Range Rover was in the vicinity of his vehicle, he added.

It is alleged Price had 69 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35 microgrammes.

Wearing a grey fur coat, blue jeans and black stilettos, Price spoke only to deny the charge and give her name, address and date of birth.

Judge Dean said Price will rely on the defence that there was no likelihood of driving while the level of alcohol exceeded the proscribed limit.

Price initially asked not to give her address because she did not want press knowing where she lived.

After the judge insisted, she gave her address but asked that journalists not print it.

The Metropolitan Police previously said she had been charged by postal requisition on December 10 and told to appear at the court on January 7.

It follows her arrest in Woolwich, south-east London, in October.

Police at the time said officers had come across a car, showing signs of damage, stationary at the roadside at about 2am.

Price was bailed to attend Bexley Magistrates Court on February 25 when her trial will start.

She thanked the judge before leaving the court room.The front-page story by Patrick Kingsley in todays print edition of the NY Times, Rescued Migrants, at Sea for Weeks, Struggle to Reach a New Life, calls from the depths. We are crying, said one of the migrants in an interview on the boat this week. We can see Malta with our own eyes, but we are still stuck on this ship. Their depths are not the same as the tale of despair that Gericault pictured, but they might as well be.The chair of a new body which will scrutinise the Scottish social security system has been announced.

Dr Sally Witcher, CEO of Inclusion Scotland and deputy chair of the Disability and Carers Benefits Expert Advisory Group, has been appointed to the role by Scottish ministers.

The establishment of the Scottish Commission on Social Security was announced in January last year.

It will aim to provide independent and expert scrutiny of the Scottish social security system (including the benefit regulations), and hold ministers to account for delivering a system based on dignity, fairness and respect.

Dr Sally Witcher wants to promote `accountability (Scot Gov)

A member of the Scottish Governments Poverty and Inequality Commission, Dr Witcher has accumulated around 30 years of experience working on matters relating to social security.

Dr Witcher called the appointment an honour and described the chance to build on the bill passed by the Scottish Parliament in April 2018 as historic.

Dr Witcher said: The Social Security Act Scotland represents an historic opportunity to establish a coherent system based on dignity and respect.

The challenge now will be to ensure that the positive commitments set out in the Charter are translated into the real-life experience of people claiming devolved benefits.

The Scottish Commission on Social Security will have a key role to play in scrutinising developments and promoting accountability.

It is a great honour to be appointed to the role of Chair of the Commission.

Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP said: I am delighted to appoint Sally Witcher to this new but vitally important role.

As we continue to build a Scottish social security system it is only right that we are held to account for the decisions we take.

I know that Sally shares my desire to create a social security system based upon the principles of dignity, fairness and respect and I warmly welcome her to this position.The Irish premier has said that a man captured in Syria by militants fighting Isis is entitled to consular assistance from the state.

Speaking from Mali on Monday, where he is visiting Irish Defence Forces, the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, said: Ive only heard about that in the last short while.

The information we have is that an Irish citizen has been taken into custody in Syria.

We dont know the details of that so I cant comment on it in any detail but what I can say is that any Irish citizen around the world is entitled to consular assistance and will get that.

A Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman said it was looking into the matter but had not received any requests for consular assistance.

It is understood the man is 45 and had lived in Dublin but left the country in 2013.

Leo Varadkar said any Irish citizen was entitled to consular assistance (Tom Honan/PA)

He is believed to be among five suspected jihadists captured in Syria for allegedly fighting for Islamic State.

The US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces claimed they arrested the militants in the east of the country.

A spokesman for the group said they included two US citizens and two Pakistanis.

The operation Jazeera Storm, carried out with the aim of liberating the last regions under the occupation of Isis, continues steadily towards clearing the last bastions of the group, a statement said.

Recently, in order to prevent the advance of our forces, terrorists have attempted to carry out attacks several times.

In this context, a group of terrorists who had been preparing to attack the civilians who were trying to get out of the war zone in masses was detected.

A spokeswoman for the Irish police service said the force was aware of the report.

The individual may be identical to a naturalised Irish citizen who, it is understood, departed Ireland in 2013.

An Garda Siochana is monitoring the reported development.Greenhouse gas emissions by Scottish industry are at a ten-year-low, according to new figures.

A report by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) indicates a change in the pollutants emitted by Scottish regulated businesses as the country moves to become more sustainable and resource efficient.

The analysis was published in the 2017 Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI), which is a database of annual mass releases of specified pollutants to air, water and land from SEPA regulated industrial sites.

Since 1993, owners or operators of facilities that have met the SPRI reporting requirements have reported on an annual basis.

Data from SPRI is used to fulfil the reporting requirements of the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (E-PRTR).

It also provides information about off-site transfers of waste from industry sites.

Greenhouse gases from industry have decreased in Scotland, according to the report (John Giles/PA)

There has been an increase in the number of sites included in the data, with 1,237 reporting sites in 2017, compared with 1,221 in 2016.

Scottish industry puts pressure on the environment through emissions to the air and water environment and through waste management activities.

Green house gas levels have reduced 57% since 2007 when 26 Megatonnes (Mt) of pollutants were released. The 2017 total was 11 Mt.

The largest decrease, according to the data, was in 2016, with Longannet power station only operational for the first few months of the year.

There was a further reduction of 6% (just under 1 Mt) in 2017 as the first full year with no emissions from the plant.

Terry AHearn, SEPA chief executive, said: The most successful countries in the 21st century will function within our planets means to support us.

Through our regulatory strategy, One Plant Prosperity, SEPA is helping business grow sustainably while reducing their environmental burden.

Whilst its encouraging to see greenhouse gases from Scottish industry at a ten-year low, we recognise further progress needs to be made.

The data that SPRI holds is vital to helping us understand how these changes are impacting on our environment both directly and indirectly, ensuring Scotland can identify priority areas to reduce releases and track progress.Former glamour model Katie Price has arrived at court to face a drink driving charge.

The 40-year-old of Horsham, Surrey, who has been accused of being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle, is set to appear at Bromley Magistrates Court on Monday.

Katie Price (centre) arriving at Bromley Magistrates Court

The Metropolitan Police said she had been charged by postal requisition on December 10 and told to appear at the court on January 7.

It follows her arrest in Woolwich, south east London, in October. Police at the time said officers had come across a car showing signs of damage stationary at the roadside at about 2am.Starling Bank is to enter the German and French markets this year as it prepares for life after Brexit, with the digital lenders boss moving to reassure customers that they will not face disruption.

Starling, which is challenging the industry giants for a share of the retail banking market, previously said that it would create a subsidiary in Ireland ahead of Britains departure from the European Union.

The bank already has a single euro payments area licence which allows it to carry out direct debit and card payments and transfers across the EU.

The bank, like other financial services firms, is looking to protect passporting rights that allows it conduct business across the EU, which will be lost if Britain leaves the bloc without a deal or transition period.

Chief executive Anne Boden said: Its no secret that Brexit is a major cause of uncertainty for everyone. Were putting contingency plans in place to ensure that normal service to customers is not interrupted.

Starling is targeting expansion in Ireland, where we will establish a subsidiary. Subsequently, we will target the French and German markets.

Starling Bank was founded in 2014 by Anne Boden (Starling)

We take great pride in being based in London, but are proud too of our international outlook and of having an employee base drawn from around the world.

Ms Boden, an industry veteran who launched Starling in 2014, has also called on the big UK banks to scrap fees and charges for unarranged overdrafts, declined transactions and international transfers.

She said high street banks were updating their products and features akin to Starling  she stressed that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery  but were still clinging to outmoded practices.

Ms Boden maintained that Starling has a different mindset from the big banks.

We dont charge for declined transactions because the process of declining a transaction is automated and the incremental costs to us for each such transaction is very small.

Its the same for the big banks, but they still charge. Why? Because, until now, they have got away with it.

If the fat cats of banking really want to copy us, let them copy our fees and charges too.

Starling also does not charge any fees for customers using their debit card abroad and nor does it impose a monthly cap on free overseas card transactions or cash withdrawals.

Last month, the Financial Conduct Authority announced plans to overhaul how banks charge customers for overdrafts  including stopping firms charging higher prices for unarranged borrowing.

The City watchdog will also ban fixed fees for borrowing through an overdraft and make charges simpler to understand under its proposals.

Ms Boden said Starling already complied with the FCAs proposals and that the lenders overdraft rate was at 15% EAR (effective annual rate).

She added that she wouldnt be surprised if the old banks are already planning how they are going to replace banned charges with new ones.

In a blog outlining the banks manifesto for the year ahead, Ms Boden said Starling would launch a new credit card and euro accounts for UK customers in 2019 along with other new products, and expand its lending activities.

The bank already offers a contactless debit card having launched its first mobile personal current account in May 2017.

Starling also expects to hit one million customers in 2019, putting it on a par with rival challenger start-up Monzo which has already pushed past that threshold, and that it will be profitable by 2020.

During 2018 customer numbers grew from 50,000 to more than 400,000.

The company operates solely from its mobile app and does not have any bricks and mortar branches, although it does have an agreement with the Post Office for customers who want to make or withdraw cash deposits.

Starling was recently named as one of 11 challenger banks that was approved for the 350 million banking competition and remedies fund that is aimed to take business customers away from the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The fund is a condition of RBSs 45 billion bailout a decade ago.

The chosen banks will be able to make offers to RBSs business customers from the end of February.Britain has notched up the most number of wins at the Golden Globe Awards in a decade, bagging a total of six awards.

Olivia Colman and Richard Madden were among the big winners at the ceremony in the most successful year since 2009, the year of Slumdog Millionaire, when Britain had a total of seven wins.

Broadchurch star Colman took home the best actress in a comedy or musical prize for her role as Queen Anne in black comedy The Favourite, while Madden was awarded the best actor in a TV drama prize for the BBC series Bodyguard.

Christian Bale scored the best actor in a musical or comedy for his role as the former vice president Dick Cheney in Vice, and Ben Whishaw was honoured in the best supporting actor in a limited series or TV movie category for playing Norman Scott in A Very English Scandal.

Music producer Mark Ronson won the best original song prize for Shallow from A Star Is Born, which he co-wrote with Lady Gaga and American musicians Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt.

(PA Graphics)

Bohemian Rhapsody, a British-American co-production, won the best drama film accolade.

Colman thanked her co-stars Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, who she referred to as ma bitches, while telling the audience: I would like to tell you how much working on this film meant to me but I cant remember because Im too excited.

Scottish actor Madden paid tribute to the cast and crew of TV hit Bodyguard as he collected his prize, including co-star Keeley Hawes and writer Jed Mercurio.

Elsewhere in television, Michael Douglas won best actor in a TV comedy for his Netflix series The Kominsky Method, which also took the best TV comedy prize.A large convoy of lorries has descended on a disused airfield as the Government carries out a major test of its plans for UK border disruption in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Nearly 100 lorries arrived at Manston Airport near Ramsgate in Kent early on Monday morning to line up along the runway before driving along the A256 towards Dover.

The trial, called Operation Brock, is testing out the site as a mass HGV holding bay to ease congestion on roads to Channel ports.

Road signs were erected on Sunday night directing drivers to the test.

Lorries parked in a queue on the runway at the former Manston Airport (Victoria Jones/PA)

Lorries from regional and national haulage companies  with Eddie Stobart leading the pack  started to arrive at the airfield from around 7am on Monday to form a queue along the runway.The drivers congregated in a large group before being directed by officials from the Department for Transport (DfT), Kent County Council and police officers.

Signs on the runway ahead of the test at Manston Airport (Gareth Fuller/PA)

The first practice run began in rush-hour shortly after 8am, with four convoys leaving at intervals between 8.13am and 8.39am.

The first of the convoys arrived in Dover at 8.52am.

Lorries taking part in the trial begin to arrive at the eastern roundabout of the Port of Dover in Kent, following their journey from the former Manston Airport site (Gareth Fuller/PA)

Up to 150 lorries were initially anticipated to take part. So far 89 have been involved, the DfT confirmed after the first test on Monday morning.

The plans emerged last week after the DfT and council sent letters to hauliers explaining this was to establish the safest optimum release rate of HGVs.

The 20-mile journey takes around half an hour depending on traffic.

A second test is expected to take place at 11am.

Lorries begin to line up during the trial at the former Manston Airport in Kent (Victoria Jones/PA)

A DfT spokeswoman said: We do not want or expect a no-deal scenario and continue to work hard to deliver a deal with the EU.

However, it is the duty of a responsible Government to continue to prepare for all eventualities and contingencies, including a possible no deal.

We will be testing part of Operation Brock to ensure that, if it needs to be implemented, the system is fully functional.

Lorries line up during a trial at the former Manston Airport site in Kent (Victoria Jones/PA)

Congestion at the Channel ports caused by the reintroduction of customs checks on goods has been one of the most commonly cited negative effects of a no-deal withdrawal from the EU at the end of March.

Also known as Kent International Airport, the site closed in 2014 after owners were unable to find a buyer.A Saudi woman who was stopped in Bangkok as she was trying to travel to Australia for asylum to escape alleged abuse by her family will not be sent anywhere against her wishes, the head of Thailands immigration police said.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, 18, was allowed to temporarily enter Thailand under the protection of the UN refugee agency, which was expected to take at least five to seven days to evaluate her case and claims for asylum status.

Thai immigration police released photos of Ms Alqunun after she left the room at a Bangkok airport hotel where she had been holed up.

Ms Alqunun had stayed in the room while sending out desperate pleas for help over social media.

She began posting on Twitter late on Saturday after her passport was taken away when she arrived in Bangkok on a flight from Kuwait.

Now and immediately Rahaf needs protection in particular from the following country

European countries/Canada/United States/ Australia /United kingdom, please contact us!  Rahaf Mohammed   (@rahaf84427714) January 7, 2019

The agreement allowing her to leave the airport came after officials from the UN refugee agency, known as UNHCR, met Thai immigration police chief Major General Surachate Hakparn, and then with Ms Alqunun.

UNHCR declined to release any details of its meeting with Ms Alqunun, but its representative in Thailand Giuseppe De Vincentiis noted a good spirit of collaboration so far with Thai officials.

According to Maj Gen Surachate, Ms Alqununs father was due to arrive in Bangkok on Monday night, and officials would then see if she was willing to depart with him.

As of now, she does not wish to go back and we will not force her. She wont be sent anywhere tonight, Maj Gen Surachate said at one of several news conferences at the airport.

She fled hardship. Thailand is a land of smiles, he said. We will not send anyone to die. We will not do that. We will adhere to human rights under the rule of law.

On Twitter, Ms Alqunun had written of being in real danger if forced to return to her family in Saudi Arabia, and has claimed in media interviews that she could be killed.

She told the BBC that she had renounced Islam and is fearful of her fathers retaliation.

Ms Alqununs planned forced departure on Monday morning was averted as she stayed in her hotel room, with furniture piled up against the door, photos she posted online showed.

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunan wants asylum in Australia (Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun/Human Rights Watch via AP)

Her plight mirrors that of other Saudi women who in recent years have turned to social media to amplify their calls for help while trying to flee allegedly abusive families.

Ms Alqununs Twitter account attracted more than 50,000 followers in less than 48 hours and her story grabbed the attention of foreign governments as well as the UN refugee agency.

Her pleas for asylum have also brought international attention to the obstacles women face in Saudi Arabia under male guardianship laws, which require that women, regardless of their age, have the consent of a male relative  usually a father or husband  to travel, obtain a passport or marry.

They also show the limits of reforms being pushed by Saudi Arabias powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as he struggles to repair damage to his reputation after the killing three months ago of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents in Istanbul.

Ms Alqunun told Human Rights Watch that she was fleeing beatings and death threats from her male relatives who forced her to remain in her room for six months for cutting her hair.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said Thailand should give Ms Alqunun back her passport and let her continue her journey to Australia.

She has a valid Australian visa, he said. The key thing is she should not be sent back to Saudi Arabia, she should not be sent back into harms way.

Maj Gen Surachate challenged parts of Ms Alqununs story, including her claim that she had an Australian visa.

However, he did not show her passport.

The fact is she didnt have any money, he said. She intended to come here and didnt have any visa to go to Australia. So we have to state the facts here. But we will provide assistance nonetheless.

Ms Alqunun had been travelling with her family in Kuwait, from where she may have chosen to flee because it has fewer restrictions than her homeland on womens travel.Olivia Colman, Richard Madden and Christian Bale were among the Brits to triumph at the Golden Globes, where Bohemian Rhapsody and Green Book were the big winners of the night.

Broadchurch star Colman took home the best actress in a comedy or musical prize for her role as Queen Anne in black comedy The Favourite and thanked her co-stars Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz, who she referred to as ma bitches.

She added: Every second of working with you was such a joy and I was so sad that it finished.

I would like to tell you how much working on this film meant to me but I cant remember because Im too excited.

Olivia Colman said she was "too excited" (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

She added: I went on a private jet and I ate constantly through the film and it was brilliant and I promise I will keep on enjoying this, because its amazing.

Scottish star Madden was awarded the best actor in a TV drama prize for the BBC series Bodyguard.

Richard Madden (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Madden paid tribute to the BBC hits cast and crew as he collected his prize, including co-star Keeley Hawes and writer Jed Mercurio.

He said: I didnt see this coming at all, I wouldnt be here at all if it wasnt for the amazing cast and crew who worked really hard and thank you to Keeley Hawes, who is the best actress I could ever work with, who is amazing and generous.

He also had a few words for his parents: Mum and dad, who flew all the way from Scotland, I wouldnt be here without you.

Bale scored the best actor in a musical or comedy for his role as the former vice president Dick Cheney in Vice and thanked his director, Adam McKay.

He joked the filmmaker chose him because he thought I have got to find someone who can be completely charisma-free and reviled by everyone, its got to be Bale.

Best actor in a musical or comedy winner Christian Bale and Sibi Blazic (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

He joked he would play Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell next, adding: Thank you Satan, for giving me inspiration for this role.

Meanwhile Ben Whishaw was honoured in the best supporting actor in a limited series or TV movie category for playing Norman Scott in A Very English Scandal.

Whishaw thanked the BBC for continuing to make idiosyncratic and powerful work, as well as his co-star Hugh Grant and writer Russell T Davies as he collected his gong.

He dedicated the award to Scott, praising him for taking on the establishment with a courage and a defiance that I find inspiring, calling him a true queer hero and an icon.

Ben Whishaw was honoured for his role in A Very English Scandal (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Bohemian Rhapsody was the big winner of the night, scooping the prize for best drama and best actor, which was awarded to Rami Malek for his portrayal of Freddie Mercury.

I am beyond moved, my heart is pounding out of my chest right now.

Addressing his castmates, he said: I am going to tackle you in a moment, I am going to jump all over you guys.

He also thanked Queen and the bands late frontman, saying: Thank you to Freddie Mercury for giving me the joy of my lifetime. I love you, you beautiful man. This is for  and because of  you, gorgeous.

Rami Malek portrayed Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

There was also triumph for Green Book, which won best musical or comedy, best screenplay and best supporting actor for Mahershala Ali.

Glenn Close triumphed in the best actress in a drama category for The Wife, while Regina King won best supporting actress for If Beale Street Could Talk.

Glenn Close won for her role in The Wife (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

It was a disappointing night for A Star Is Born, with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper losing out in the acting categories and Cooper losing out on the directing prize to Roma filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron.

The films only win was best original song, for Shallow, which was collected by Lady Gaga and Mark Ronson.

Lady Gaga, left, and Mark Ronson who picked up the best song award (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Gaga told the packed ballroom at the Beverly Hilton: I just want to say as a woman in music it is really hard to be taken seriously as a musician and as a songwriter, and these incredible men lifted me up and supported me.

The ceremony was hosted by Sandra Oh and Andy Samberg, who largely stayed away from political topics.

The pair joked they had been chosen to host due to being the only people left in Hollywood who haven not got in trouble for saying something offensive.

Sandra Oh co-hosted the show and picked up an award (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

While last years ceremony saw the majority of women wearing black for the launch of the Times Up movement for gender equality, this year a smaller number of women wore wristbands for Times Up X 2, encouraging companies to double the number of women in decision-making positions.

Oh also enjoyed a moment at the winners podium, as she collected the gong for best actress in a TV drama for Killing Eve and thanked her parents in Korean before bowing to them.

The show, penned by Briton Phoebe Waller-Bridge, was also nominated for best drama series, alongside Bodyguard, but lost out to The Americans, who finally picked up the prize for its final series.

Elsewhere in television, Michael Douglas won best actor in a TV comedy for his Netflix series The Kominsky Method, which also took the best TV comedy prize.

Michael Douglas was the first winner of the night (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

And Rachel Brosnahan was named best actress in a TV comedy for The Marvellous Mrs Maisel.A 17-month-old girl who was snatched along with the car she was sitting in may have been given extra clothing by the suspect before she was abandoned, police said.

Maria Tudorica was sitting in a passenger seat of an Audi A5 when a man  purporting to be interested in buying the vehicle  took the car from an east London street.

The car was ditched without the child as police searched frantically, but police said at about 8pm that she had been found safe and well.

Maria Tudorica was inside the car when it was taken (Metropolitan Police/PA)

Officers said on Monday that Maria was last seen wearing a white top and red trousers, but was found wearing an additional item of clothing.

Scotland Yard said: Officers believe that either the suspect put the clothing on the child before abandoning her, or that a member of the public dressed her due to the cold, but who at the time did not wish to contact police.

Her car trader uncle, Gheorghe Stelica, told the Press Association he felt born again after learning she had been located.

Earlier that day, he had asked his brother, 35-year-old Claudia Stelica, who is Marias father, to show the car to the prospective buyer as a favour because he was out of London.

I put the car on sale today and one guy called me on my phone, the trader said.

He didnt seem suspicious on the phone, he was talking very nicely. I said to him, If you dont want to wait for me, no problem.

The father met the stranger outside his brothers home in Nine Acres Close, Manor Park, and placed the girl in the black car as he demonstrated the engine. But then the supposed customer asked to try it.

The car drove off from Nine Acres Close in Newham (John Stillwell/PA)

He jumped up in the drivers side and  boom  straight away he went with the car, Gheorghe Stelica said.

The family were in pieces.

Teacher Nazneen Saleh, a 25-year-old visiting her parents in the street, said a woman she believed was Marias grandmother was in a frenzy.

The car, listed on Gumtree for 4,650, was found abandoned in Hathaway Crescent but Maria was absent.

Scotland Yard, however, announced at 8pm that she had been found safe and well in the nearby Ruskin Avenue area.

Delighted to report that missing child Maria Tudorica aged 17months has now been found safe and well in the Ruskin Avenue, E12 area. Thanks to media and all members of the public who have helped with this appeal.  Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 6, 2019

God bless, the 25-year-old uncle told PA. I feel born again.

He continued: I feel over 1,000-times relief.

(My brother) hes happy. He thanks so much the police for their service.

Police were yet to apprehend a suspect, who they described as a slim Asian man dressed in black clothing.

Anyone with information should call the police or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.ROME - Italian online university UniNettuno, thanks to its work "to reach the objectives of sustainable development by 2030", is among 102 universities selected by the UN for a network to promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies and change the negative perception towards refugees and migrants, the Rome-based university said in a statement.



The dean, Prof. Maria Amata Garito, signed in New York a statement with which the college joined the Universities #JoinTogether Network, a worldwide collaboration, to share best practices for the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (Sdg) with a focus on the objective n.16, which vies to promote "just, peaceful and inclusive societies".



#JoinTogether is a global initiative led by the United Nations with the objective of changing the perception and negative attitudes towards refugees and migrants and boost social ties between them and hosting communities, also thanks to universities.



The initiative is part of the United Nations Academic Impact (Unai), promoted to boost the connection between education and sustainable development.

TORONTO (AP) - China's ambassador to Canada accused the country Wednesday of "white supremacy" in calling for the release of two Canadians detained in China last month, while describing the detentions as an "act of self-defense."

The arrests were in apparent retaliation for the arrest of a top Chinese tech executive in Canada.

But Ambassador Lu Shaye's charged in op-ed in the Ottawa-based Hill Times that Western countries are employing a "double standard" in demanding the immediate release of the Canadians.

"The reason why some people are used to arrogantly adopting double standards is due to Western egotism and white supremacy," Lu writes.

"What they have been doing is not showing respect for the rule of law, but mocking and trampling the rule of law."

China detained Canadian ex-diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor on Dec. 10 on vague allegations of "engaging in activities that endanger the national security" of China.

In the op-ed, Lu seemed to admit detaining the Canadians was in retaliation for the arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, something China has previously denied.

"I have recently heard a word repeatedly pronounced by some Canadians: bullying. They said that by arresting two Canadian citizens as retaliation for Canada's detention of Meng, China was bullying Canada. To those people, China's self-defence is an offence to Canada," Lu wrote.

The arrests came 10 days after Meng was arrested in Canada at the request of the U.S., which wants her extradited to face charges that she misled banks about the company's business dealings in Iran. A Canadian judge granted Meng bail while she awaits extradition proceedings.

Le writes that "elites" in Canada are completely dismissing China's law by demanding the immediate release of the Canadians.

"It seems that, to those people, the laws of Canada or other Western countries are laws and must be observed, while China's laws are not and shouldn't be respected," Lu writes.

Lu also writes that Meng was arrested without violating any Canadian law, suggesting that Canada should never detain someone for extradition.

"It seems that, to some people, only Canadian citizens shall be treated in a humanitarian manner and their freedom deemed valuable, while Chinese people do not deserve that," he writes.

Roland Paris, a former foreign policy adviser to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, called Lu's claims "hogwash."

"I don't know what the ambassador was trying to accomplish but his article won't help China's cause. The reference to white supremacy was bizarre and unfortunate," Paris said.

"There is false equivalency in this article. Canada is a rule of law country. China is a rule by law country and the distinction is important. Meng was not illegally detained as the ambassador claims."

Paris noted Canada is following the letter of the extradition law it has with the U.S. and while the Canadians were grabbed in China under suspicious circumstances and China has held them without charge.

Julian Ku, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Hofstra Law, called Lu's claims ridiculous and said he is playing the race card in an apparent effort to win sympathy from Chinese Canadians and Americans.

"He's making it seem like the two legal proceedings are morally equivalent and they are not," he said. "On one side you have due process, which makes a huge difference, and the other side you don't, but he says it's all the same."

Ku noted China has still not revealed any specific information about what Kovrig and Spavor are charged with and have not given them a judicial hearing and thus Canada is not wrong with calling the arrests arbitrary.

"I am struck by how brazen they are being by making this appeal," Ku said. "He says "You are being racist by not respecting our law.' That's an easy card to play."

A message for the Chinese embassy in Ottawa was not immediately returned.

Alex Lawrence, a spokesman for Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, did not address Lu's claims, but reiterated that Canada is "deeply concerned by the arbitrary detention by Chinese authorities of two Canadians last month and reiterate our call for their immediate release."

Canada has embarked on a campaign with allies to win the release of the detained Canadians. The U.S., the U.K. the EU and Australia have issued statements in support. Trudeau called U.S. President Donald Trump this week about it and the White House called the arrests of the Canadians "unlawful." Trudeau spoke with Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, on Wednesday and thanked him.

"Canada remains closely engaged with partners, who have also spoken in support of these detained Canadians and the rule of law, including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the EU, the United States, and Australia," Lawrence said.NEW YORK (AP) - A trial in New York over the Trump administration's move to cut off permission for thousands of Haitians to live in the U.S. is spotlighting emails between officials downplaying health and safety crises in the Caribbean nation as they tried to justify the change.

The case centers on the Temporary Protected Status program, which has allowed about 50,000 people from Haiti to live and work in the U.S. temporarily since a devastating earthquake in 2010. The emails, filed with documents in the case, bolster the argument by migrant advocates that the Trump administration was so bent on ending TPS that it ignored the U.S. government's own research showing that Haiti was in no shape to take people back.

"The problem" with that analysis, one Trump appointee to the Department of Homeland Security, Kathy Kovarik, wrote in an October 2017 email, "is that it reads as though we'd recommend an extension (of TPS) because we talk so much about how bad it is."

"The basic problem is that it IS bad there," another official responded. "We can ... try to get more, and/or comb through the country conditions we have again looking for positive gems, but the conditions are what they are."

The non-jury trial in federal court in Brooklyn stems from one of seven lawsuits filed by immigrants and advocates over the 2017 moves to end TPS. The program has allowed about 300,000 people from Haiti, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Sudan and other countries to stay in the U.S. for years after their home countries were upended by natural disasters or violence.

In October, a California judge hearing another of the lawsuits temporarily blocked the changes covering people from those four countries, forcing the administration to maintain their TPS status for now.

FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2018 file photo, Haitian activists and immigrants protest on City Hall Plaza in Boston. A trial in New York over the Trump administration's move to cut off permission for thousands of Haitians to live in the U.S. is spotlighting emails between officials downplaying health and safety crises in the Caribbean nation as they tried to justify the change. The case centers on the Temporary Protected Status program, which has allowed about 50,000 people from Haiti to live and work in the U.S. temporarily since a devastating earthquake in 2010. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

But the Brooklyn case, which covers only Haitians, is the first time the administration's move to end TPS has been put on trial. U.S. District Judge William F. Kuntz said Monday he expects to issue a decision after both sides file written arguments in March. Whatever the ruling, it is likely to be appealed.

Previous administrations periodically reviewed conditions in countries beset by war and catastrophe before deciding whether to grant, renew or expand temporary protected status, lawyers for Haitian migrants contend. But they say the Trump administration followed a very different path this time.

The debate over the decision has turned on comments by President Donald Trump last year that the U.S. does not want Haitians and others from "shithole countries."

Those comments have come up in the New York trial, with the attorneys representing Haitians citing the remark but using the term "s-hole" out of concern for courtroom decorum.

The judge, though, seemed offended by the omission.

"We're in the real world here," Kuntz told lawyers. "Use the term. This is grown-up land and that's how we're going to roll."

Lawyers for immigrants have argued that the comments show racial bias contributed to the decisions to end TPS. They have contended, too, that the administration failed to follow the usual practice of making decisions based on analysis by staffers at the Departments of State and Homeland Security.

Instead, the lawyers said, Trump appointees rewrote or edited those findings to suit their purposes. In another email filed as part of the case, for example, a DHS appointee, Robert T. Law, wrote that a draft decision on Haiti "is overwhelming(ly) weighted for extension (of TPS) which I do not think is the conclusion we are looking for."

"The defendants are entitled to their own opinions, but not to their own facts," one of the lawyers representing Haitian immigrants, Howard Roin, said in court.

But lawyers for the government told the judge that the decision was the product of lengthy consideration and consultation, and reminded the court that TPS was always intended to be temporary.

"TPS is not asylum. It is not akin to having a green card. It is a temporary humanitarian response," Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Marutollo said.

Haitians living in New York testified they fear being forced to return to their homeland.

"It has been really stressful because we don't know how to plan our lives now," said Naischa Vilme, a recent college graduate who hopes to become a clinical psychologist.THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) - Dozens of refugees housed in tents in a camp in northern Greece have been protesting living conditions as temperatures have plunged well below freezing and snow has blanketed the area.

Police said about 40 refugees in the overcrowded Diavata camp protested outside the facility, burning tires and blocking a road outside the camp. A passing truck driver and one refugee were injured in a fight that broke out after the driver attempted to break through the barricade. Four people were detained, police said.

The Diavata camp has a capacity of 700 people but currently houses 1,410. Of those, 700 live in containers turned into small houses, a further 300 are staying in large communal buildings in the camp and about 400 live in tents.GENEVA (AP) - A former employee with Swiss bank UBS is going on trial for allegedly selling account information to tax authorities in Germany for over 1 million euros ($1.1 million).

The ex-employee, who has not been officially identified, is accused of having sifted through the bank's electronic databases and paper documents between 2005 and 2012 and then selling the information for nearly 1.15 million euros.

The defendant allegedly used the money to buy a holiday home in Spain as well as purchasing banned munitions that he kept in his apartment. He faces charges including violating commercial and banking secrecy, and money laundering.

The trial opened Monday in federal criminal court in the southern city of Bellinzona.

The former banker and their lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment. UBS declined to comment, saying it was not party to the case.HONG KONG (AP) - In a move widely seen as kowtowing to Beijing, the Vatican appointed a retired China-friendly cardinal to head the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong on Monday, effectively blocking the succession of the highest-ranking serving bishop known to be critical of the Chinese government.

Cardinal John Tong will serve as the church's interim administrator in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory of more than 500,000 Catholics, after Bishop Michael Yeung died on Thursday.

At a time when the Holy See is eager for rapprochement with Beijing, Yeung's natural successor, Bishop Joseph Ha, is widely seen as being too outspoken to be acceptable to China.

"Just like the Chinese Communist Church doesn't respect the rule of law, the Church has broken with convention," said Willy Lam, political analyst and adjunct professor at the Centre for China Studies, Chinese University of Hong Kong. "It's difficult to dispel the impression that the Vatican has succumbed to pressure from Beijing. With his past records of supporting democracy, Ha is not Beijing's favorite."

Cardinal Tong, however, advocated for the reopening of China-Vatican dialogue.

In his annual speech on Monday, Pope Francis praised the provisional agreement between the Holy See and Beijing reached last September on bishop appointments, calling it the "result of a lengthy and thoughtful institutional dialogue."

In recent months, Chinese authorities have renewed their efforts in cracking down on unauthorized houses of worship.

At the Christmas Mass shortly before his death, Bishop Yeung called on his flock to pray for the persecuted underground Catholics in mainland China.

Some of the church's local leaders in Hong Kong, notably Ha and Tong's predecessor, Cardinal Zen, remain politically active moral forces who champion pro-democracy fights and other causes, both religious and secular. Beyond serving the flock, the diocese runs many grade schools and high schools that are popular with lay parents.

The 79-year-old Tong resigned as head of the diocese in 2017, as he passed the retirement age of 75.

___

Associated Press writer Frances D'Emilio in Rome contributed to this report.ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan's foreign ministry says Indian troops have killed a villager and wounded another along the two countries' line of control in the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir.

The ministry says it summoned an Indian diplomat Monday to lodge a protest. It said this "unprecedented escalation in ceasefire violations by India" has been continuing since 2017 and that India has committed 1970 such violations.

The Pakistan military said it returned fire after Indian forces hit civilians.

There was no comment from India.

Pakistan and India often accuse each other of initiating fire in Kashmir, which is split between them.

Pakistan and India have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir since their independence from British rule in 1947.VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis expressed concern Monday over the rise of populism and nationalism, including separatist tendencies in Europe, partly blaming those growing trends on reactions to waves of migration and on globalization's disorderly development.

Francis offered wide-ranging and sometimes glum views on world issues in an hour-long speech to diplomats at the Holy See. Without specifying countries or political parties, Francis lamented national policies favoring "quick partisan consensus" over patient efforts for long-range solutions for the common good.

He cited challenges posed by "increased technological growth, which eliminates jobs, and the weakening of economic and social guarantees for workers." His concerns included "the evil of child labor" and "a progressive decrease in the value of wages, especially in developed countries, and continued discrimination against women in the workplace."

Francis acknowledged worry in Europe and North America about migrants, but urged sympathy for them, saying governments should help those fleeing poverty, violence, natural disasters and climate change and help integrate them into their host countries.

"All human beings long for a better and more prosperous life, and the challenge of migration cannot be met with a mindset of violence and indifference, nor by offering merely partial solutions," he said.

Italy's populist government has been denying port entry to private aid vessels that rescue migrants from Africa, Asia and elsewhere, in hopes of improved lives in Europe. U.S. President Donald Trump is sparring with lawmakers over his demands for a wall to thwart Latin American migrants crossing into the United States from Mexico.

Pope Francis poses for a group photograph with members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, inside the Sistine Chapel, at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. (Ettore Ferrari/Pool Photo via AP)

Francis praised Colombia and other South American nations for accepting large numbers of Venezuelans fleeing food shortages and other economic difficulties.

Francis also reflected on the resurgence of nationalism in developed countries and cautioned against euro-skepticism gaining traction in Europe.

He warned that in the decades before World War II, "populist and nationalist demands proved more forceful" than international efforts for peace.

He said that one of the causes was a "globalization that has in some respects developed in too rapid and disorderly a manner, resulting in a tension between globalization and local realities."

In addition, Francis said that "waves of migration in recent years have caused diffidence and concern among peoples in many countries, particularly in Europe and North America, and this has led various governments to severely restrict the number of new entries, even of those in transit."

Still, he said, "I do not believe that partial solutions can exist for so universal an issue."

Citing the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall and the end, shortly afterward, of "the painful division of Europe" during the Cold War, Francis urged Europeans not to forget the need to stay united amid a "temptation to erect new curtains."

"May Europe not lose its awareness of the benefits - the first of which is peace - ushered in by the journey of friendship and rapprochement between peoples" following WWII, Francis said.

___

Frances D'Emilio is reachable at www.twitter.com/fdemilio

An unidentified member of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See walks past Pope Francis during the traditional exchange of New Year greetings at the Sala Regia, at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Francis says next month's meeting of bishops from around the world aims to "shed full light" on clergy sex abuse and covers-ups, speaking to diplomats Monday at the Vatican, Francis called the abuse of minors "one of the vilest and most heinous crimes conceivable." (Ettore Ferrari/Pool Photo via AP)

Pope Francis walks after posing for photographs with members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, inside the Sistine Chapel inside the Sistine Chapel, at the Vatican, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. (Ettore Ferrari/Pool Photo via AP)

In this photo taken with slow shutter speed Pope Francis leaves after celebrating an Epiphany Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. Pope Francis has appealed to European leaders to show "concrete solidarity" to 49 migrants stranded aboard a pair of rescue vessels. Francis, addressing faithful in St. Peter's Square Sunday, noted that the migrants, rescued in the Mediterranean. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)PARIS (AP) - Cartoonists, religious leaders and top French officials are paying respects to 17 people killed by Islamic extremists targeting satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket.

The attacks that started exactly four years ago Monday were the first of several to hit France, which remains on high alert for terrorist violence.

In solemn silence, mourners lay flowers at the entrance to Charlie Hebdo's offices in Paris, where 12 people were killed by two French brothers linked to al-Qaida.

Commemorations are continuing at the Hyper Cacher market, where a radical Frenchman who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group held hostages and killed four people. He also killed a policewoman.

Government ministers and the mayor of Paris presided over Monday's events.

The attackers were killed in shootouts with police.

A wreath of flowers is seen outside the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo's former office, before a ceremony to mark the fourth anniversary of the attack in Paris, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. 2015. Cartoonists, religious leaders and top French officials are paying respects to 17 people killed by Islamic extremists targeting satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo and a kosher supermarket in 2015. (Gonzalo Fuentes, Pool via AP)NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Police in Louisiana say officers have shot and killed a man who was suicidal and fired at one of them.

New Orleans police Superintendent Michael Harrison tells news outlets that an officer was shot at on Friday night while responding to "what we believe was an attempted suicide." The officer was struck twice in his protective vest.

Harrison says that officer and three others then shot the man several times. He was pronounced dead at a hospital. Authorities say the targeted officer was later treated for bruising and released. Authorities didn't immediately release the identities of those involved.

The department's Public Integrity Bureau is investigating. Authorities say the shooting may have been recorded by multiple body cameras. The involved officers have been reassigned pending the investigation.COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - A trial has started in Stockholm of three men suspected of preparing an extremist attack in Sweden.

Swedish Radio, quoting the prosecutor, said the men had gathered some 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) of chemicals, knives, gas masks and military equipment, and photos of potentials targets in Stockholm were found on their cell phones.

They and three others are also accused of financing the Islamic State group in Syria. SR said the men - five Uzbeks and a citizen of Kyrgyzstan - communicated via closed chatrooms. The men lived legally in Sweden and have denied wrongdoing.

SR said there was no apparent link to Rakhmat Akilov, the Uzbek man behind the 2017 deadly Stockholm truck attack.

The trial is due to run until Feb. 11.ROME - Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced a European agreement on the 49 migrants aboard the ships Sea Watch and Sea Eye, who have been stranded at sea for weeks without a port.



Malta will transfer the migrants to its own ships, and the migrants will then be distributed among eight EU countries, including Italy.



"The operation to transfer the migrants onto our armed forces' ships will start as soon as possible," Muscat said.



He said the eight EU countries who will receive the migrants are: Germany, France, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Italy.



"In a sign of goodwill on the part of those who recognised the rescue missions carried out by Malta in recent days, another 131 migrants already in Malta will be transferred to other member states," he said.



"We favorably welcome this demonstration of solidarity, in recognition of the fact that Malta has done much more than was expected of it," he said.

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini on Wednesday said he "is and remains absolutely against new arrivals in Italy", commenting on the accord. He said the EU government in Brussels "pretends not to understand, and facilitates the work of traffickers and NGOs". "Giving in to Europe's and the NGOs' pressure and threats is a sign of weakness that Italians don't deserve," he said.KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - Malaysia's royal families will meet on Jan. 24 to pick a new king after Sultan Muhammad V abdicated unexpectedly after just two years on the throne, an official said Monday.

The 49-year-old ruler resigned Sunday as Malaysia's 15th king, marking the first abdication in the nation's history and cutting short his five-year term. No reason was given, but the move came after he reportedly married a 25-year-old former Russian beauty queen in November while on medical leave.

Keeper of the Ruler's Seal, Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, said the Council of Rulers held a meeting Monday and set Jan. 24 to elect a new king. He said in a statement that the new king would be sworn in on Jan. 31.

The council comprises nine hereditary state rulers who take turns as Malaysia's king for five-year terms. Malaysia is the only country in the world to have a rotational monarchy under a unique system maintained since the country's independence from Britain in 1957.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said earlier Monday that it was up to the Council of Rulers to pick the new king, but added that he hoped it would be done quickly.

During his first stint as prime minister for 22 years until his retirement in 2003, Mahathir pushed through constitutional amendments that stripped the sultans' power to veto state and federal legislation, and curbed their legal immunity.

FILE - In this July 17, 2018, file photo, Malaysian King Sultan Muhammad V salutes during the national anthem at the opening of the 14th parliament session at the Parliament house in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Malaysia King Sultan Muhammad V has abdicated in an unexpected and rare move, just after two years on the throne. The palace said in a statement on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, that Sultan Muhammad V, 49, has resigned with immediate effect, cutting short his five-year term, without giving any reasons. Sultan Muhammad V, ruler of northeast Kelantan state, was installed in December 2016 as one of the country's youngest constitutional monarchs. (AP Photo/Yam G-Jun, File)

The monarch's role is largely ceremonial, since administrative power is vested in the prime minister and parliament. But the monarch is highly regarded, particularly among the ethnic Malay Muslim majority, as the supreme upholder of Islam and Malay tradition.

Still, some sultans have in recent years become more active in business and politics. Sultan Muhammad V delayed Mahathir's swearing-in as prime minister after a historic election victory in May last year, and also delayed giving his consent to the appointment of a non-Muslim attorney general.

Sultan Muhammad V was installed as king in December 2016. He was one of Malaysia's youngest constitutional monarchs and has a love for extreme sports.

Reports in Russian and British media and on social media featured photos of his wedding with a former Miss Moscow that reportedly took place in Moscow. Neither the sultan, the palace nor the government had officially confirmed the wedding.

Speculation that Sultan Muhammad V would step down emerged last week, shortly after he returned from a two-month leave, but Mahathir had said Friday that he was unaware of any abdication plans.

National police chief Mohamad Fuzi Harun warned the public Monday not to speculate on Sultan Muhammad V's abdication. He was quoted as saying by local media that police had received several reports of provocative statements being made on social media and were investigating.

Next in line for the top job is Sultan Azlan Shah of central Pahang state, who was king from 1979 to 1984, but the 88-year-old is now unwell and didn't attend Monday's council meeting. Some observers said he can abdicate in favor of his son, who can become king.

After Pahang is the billionaire Sultan Ibrahim Ismail of southern Johor state, who is involved in business, owns a fleet of jets and loves Harley-Davidson motorcycles.THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - Dutch police say that a man has been taken to the hospital after reportedly setting himself on fire in the Turkish consulate in the port city of Rotterdam.

Police spokesman Gijs van Nimwegen says officers were called to the consulate around 9 a.m. (0800 GMT) Monday to deal with reports of a self-immolation.

Van Nimwegen declined to confirm that the man set himself ablaze, saying that police do not give out details about cases of attempted suicide.

Nobody else was injured and Van Nimwegen says police did not increase security at the diplomatic post following the incident.

The identity and nationality of the man were not released.

The consulate could not immediately be reached for comment.KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - An Afghan official says a roadside bombing has killed five civilians and wounded seven in the country's eastern Paktika province, while separate attacks in the country's west killed at least eight security force members.

Nawroz Ishaq, the provincial governor's spokesman, gave the casualty figures for Monday's blast in the Jani Khail district.

No one claimed responsibility for the bombing. Ishaq blamed insurgents who usually plant bombs on roads to target Afghan security forces.

Meanwhile in Afghanistan's western Badghis province, the provincial governor's spokesman says eight security force members were killed in two Taliban attacks late Sunday.

Spokesman Jamshid Shahabi says the attacks wounded five security force members and saw 10 insurgents killed.

However, Abdul Aziz Beg, the head of Badghis' provincial council, said the attacks killed 21 security force members.BEIJING (AP) - The Latest on trade talks between China and the U.S. in Beijing (all times local):

6:00 p.m.

A Chinese government spokesman has urged the U.S. to create good conditions for reaching agreement in trade talks after Beijing complained over the sighting of a U.S. warship in what it said were Chinese waters.

Lu Kang's comment to reporters Monday came after officials from both sides sat down for talks in Beijing aimed at resolving a dispute over Beijing's technology ambitions.

Lu said China had made "stern complaints" and that the USS McCampbell had violated Chinese and international law.

He said, "As for whether this move has any impact to the ongoing China-U.S. trade consultations... to properly resolve existing issues of all kinds between China and the U.S. is good for the two countries and the world."

U.S. Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade Gilbert B. Kaplan arrives as part of a trade delegation at a hotel in Beijing, China, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. The U.S. delegation led by deputy U.S. trade representative, Jeffrey D. Gerrish arrived in the Chinese capital ahead of trade talks with China,(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

He added, "The two sides both have responsibility to create necessary and good atmosphere to this end."

___

8:22 a.m.

China has sounded a positive note ahead of trade talks with Washington, but economists warn they face lengthy wrangling over technology and the future of their economic relationship.

Both sides have expressed interest in settling their tariff battle over Beijing's technology ambitions. Yet neither has indicated its stance has changed despite a Dec. 1 agreement by Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping to postpone further increases.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Lu Kang, said American and Chinese envoys will have "positive and constructive discussions" during meetings Monday and Tuesday.

Trump imposed tariff hikes of up to 25 percent on $250 billion of Chinese imports over complaints Beijing steals or pressures companies to hand over technology. Beijing responded with penalties on $110 billion of American goods.

Members of a U.S. trade delegation including deputy U.S. trade representative, Jeffrey D. Gerrish, left, arrive at a hotel in Beijing, China, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. The U.S. delegation led by Gerrish arrived in the Chinese capital ahead of trade talks with China,(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

Members of a U.S. trade delegation arrive at a hotel in Beijing, China, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. A U.S. delegation led by deputy U.S. trade representative, Jeffrey D. Gerrish arrived in the Chinese capital ahead of trade talks with China,(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

U.S. Undersecretary for International Affairs David Malpass, right, arrives as part of a trade delegation at a hotel in Beijing, China, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. A U.S. delegation led by deputy U.S. trade representative, Jeffrey D. Gerrish arrived in the Chinese capital ahead of trade talks with China,(AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)JERUSALEM (AP) - Moshe Arens, a former Israeli defense minister, foreign minister and an early political mentor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, died Monday. He was 93.

An engineer by training, the American-raised Arens was instrumental in developing Israel's military and aircraft industries and served three stints as the country's defense minister. He was a longtime stalwart in the hawkish Likud party.

In the early 1980s, Arens was the first to recognize the skills of a young Benjamin Netanyahu, who then was running an anti-terror institute and working in marketing. Arens took Netanyahu under his wing and brought him into Israeli politics.

"There was no greater patriot. Moshe Arens' great contribution to our people and our state will be remembered forever," Netanyahu said in a statement.

Addressing Arens by his nickname Misha, Netanyahu concluded: "I loved you as a son loved his father."

Arens was born in Lithuania in 1925 but grew up in the United States, where he was active in the Beitar youth movement of Likud's precursor, the Herut party of Menachem Begin. He served in the American military during World War II before immigrating to Israel in 1948.

FILE- In this Jan. 11, 1999 file photo, Moshe Arens, speaks at a press conference where he announced his candidacy for the post of Prime Minister, in Tel Aviv, Israel. Moshe Arens, a former Israeli defense minister, foreign minister and an early political mentor to Benjamin Netanyahu, has died. He was 93. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik, File)

After completing his engineering degrees at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the California Institute of Technology, Arens settled in Israel permanently. He worked as a professor of aeronautics at the Technion - the Israel Institute of Technology - and as an executive at Israel Aircraft Industries before going into politics. Arens was first elected to parliament in 1973.

In 1982, he was appointed Israeli ambassador to the United States and named his young protege Netanyahu as his deputy. The position gave Netanyahu great exposure, led to his posting as ambassador to the United Nations and launched his political career.

Arens served as foreign minister and twice as defense minister under Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir. He briefly served as defense minister again under Netanyahu in the late 1990s. He later became a columnist for the liberal Haaretz newspaper, wrote several books and won numerous awards in Israel and overseas.

President Reuven Rivlin remembered Arens as a pillar of the Likud's ideological wing, and "a man of honor who never flinched from the fight."

"Misha was one of the most important ministers of defense the state of Israel ever had. He was not a commander or a general, but a devoted man of learning who toiled day and night for the security of Israel and its citizens," Rivlin said. "His internal compass and Zionist vision showed him the way in everything he did."

Arens is survived by his wife Muriel, four children and numerous grandchildren.

FILE - In this Feb. 10, 1992 file photo, then leaders of Israeli Likud ruling party, left to right, Defense Minister Moshe Arens, Housing Minister Ariel Sharon, Foreign Minister David Levy and Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir attend a Likud Party convention in Tel Aviv, Israel. Moshe Arens, a former Israeli defense minister, foreign minister and an early political mentor to Benjamin Netanyahu, has died. He was 93. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik File)ANKARA, Turkey (AP) - A cargo ship sank in rough waters off Turkey's Black Sea coast on Monday, killing six crew members including its captain, officials and media reports said. Seven other crew members were rescued.

Turkish authorities launched a search and rescue mission off the Black Sea coastal province of Samsun after receiving a distress signal from the Panama-flagged vessel, Volgo Balt 214, the governor's office said.

Samsun Gov. Osman Kaymak told reporters after visiting the survivors in hospital that six crew members, including the captain, died before rescuers could reach the area. He quoted one of the survivors as saying that the hull split into two after being hit by a powerful wave.

The vessel, which was carrying coal, was heading to Samsun from the Russian port of Azov, the coast guard said. It was located about 80 nautical miles (92 statute miles) from Samsun when it sent a distress signal at 8:10 a.m. (0510 GMT; 12:10 a.m. EST).

The crew included 11 Ukrainians and two Azerbaijan nationals, Kaymak said.

The Turkish Coast Guard said a plane, three helicopters and two boats took part in the rescue operation.It was a moment when everyone - absolutely everyone - expected to see an ebullient Lady Gaga climbing to the stage in her dramatic periwinkle gown. Instead, a visibly stunned Glenn Close got the Golden Globe. But her deeply personal speech about women's need for fulfillment outside the family soon had the crowd on its feet, providing the emotional highpoint of the night.

A year ago the Golden Globes were all about #MeToo and Time's Up. A year earlier, it was all about politics. The 2019 Globes were much less overtly activist or political, but speeches by Close as well as co-host Sandra Oh and actress Regina King kept issues of equality and diversity alive in a more personal way.

Oh, and of course there was the usual Globes craziness: "Bohemian Rhapsody" as best drama? The groundbreaking "Black Panther" snubbed? And nothing for Bradley Cooper - really?

Some notable moments of the night, in no particular order:

THE POWER OF NICE

Taking the stage for their opening monologue, co-hosts Oh and Andy Samberg had an explanation for why they'd been chosen: they were "the only two people left in Hollywood who haven't gotten in trouble for saying something offensive." Then they riffed on that by pretending to roast people by actually saying nice things. ("Bradley Cooper: You are hot!" ''Jeff Bridges, I wish you were my Dad!") The bit didn't get uproarious laughs but was pleasantly, well, pleasant.

This image released by NBC shows Sandra Oh accepting the award for best actress in a drama series for her role in "Killing Eve" during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

BUT ... SATAN?

Was this the first time Satan got a shout-out in an acceptance speech? If so, we have Christian Bale to thank. The Welsh actor was accepting his award for "Vice," in which he made a stunning transformation into a chubby and bald Dick Cheney. After thanking castmates and director Adam McKay, he extended a "thank you to Satan for giving me inspiration for this role." He also mused that he might try to play Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell next.

A DECENT NIGHT FOR 'OLD MEN'

"Mary Poppins Returns" may have gone home empty-handed, but 93-year-old Dick Van Dyke, who has a wonderfully spry cameo in the film, got a big ovation when he came out with Emily Blunt, who plays Mary. And Michael Douglas, winning his Globe for "The Kominsky Method," exulted that "alte kakers rule!," using the Yiddish term for "old man." The 74-year-old actor also dedicated his award to his 102-year-old father, Kirk Douglas.

A TIME'S UP CHALLENGE

A year after the Globes carpet was a sea of shimmering black, worn in solidarity with #MeToo and Time's Up, colorful gowns were back - though some attendees wore ribbons saying "TIMESUPx2," marking the second year of the gender equality movement. On the carpet was actress Alyssa Milano, who sent the tweet that made #MeToo go viral; she noted that in the past year, a "really wonderful sisterhood has formed." It was actress Regina King of "If Beale Street Could Talk," though, who made the most memorable reference to Time's Up, resisting the orchestra's efforts to play her off, and vowing that in the next two years, her producing projects would be staffed by 50 percent women. She challenged those in other industries to do the same.

OH TURNS EMOTIONAL

After an opener with Samberg full of zingers, Oh suddenly became emotional, explaining that she'd agreed to host the show - and overcome the fear - to celebrate the diversity of the nominated casts. "I wanted to be here to look out on this audience and witness this moment of change," she said. "I am not fooling myself. Next year could be different. But right now this moment is real." Soon after, Oh herself won best actress in a TV drama for "Killing Eve," and thanked her parents, movingly, in Korean.

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

When Close won best actress in a movie drama, she seemed as shocked as everyone else. But then the 71-year-old actress made a heartfelt connection between her role in "The Wife," in which she plays a wife who sublimates her own ambitions to those of her husband in a stunning way, and her own life. "I am thinking of my mom who really sublimated herself to my father her whole life," Close said. She added that women are expected to be nurturers, "but we have to find personal fulfillment. We have to follow our dreams. We have to say, I can do that and I should be allowed to do that." The crowd rose to cheer.

GAGA'S WIN

At least Lady Gaga didn't go home empty-handed: She won as a co-writer for best song, "Shallow," which she performs with Cooper in "A Star is Born." In her speech, she too referred to the challenges women face, not in the film industry but in music. "As a woman in music it is really hard to be taken seriously as musician and as a songwriter," she said, adding that her co-writers "lifted me up, they supported me." Gaga wrote the song with Mark Ronson, Anthony Rossomando and Andrew Wyatt.

COLMAN'S 'FAVOURITE' THING

Not every speech had a serious tone to it. Olivia Colman, who won best actress in a musical or comedy for 'The Favourite,' in which she plays a comically troubled queen, told the crowd: "I would like to tell you how much this film meant to me, but I can't think of it." She also noted that one of her "favourite" things about making the film was that she "ate constantly through the film."

WHAT WAS THAT, DUDE?

We're not really sure what he was saying in his rambling speech accepting the Cecil B. DeMille Award - especially when he started talking about ships, and saying, "Tag, you're it!" But hey, Jeff Bridges is best known as a stoner icon in "The Big Lebowski," so it was sort of apt that he wasn't so easy to follow. It was simply fun to experience his joy; it's just too bad he wasn't wearing a bathrobe. Harrison Ford, coming next, was even crustier than usual. "Nobody told me I had to follow Jeff Bridges," he said.

WOW, SHE KNOWS ME?

It was a sweet red carpet moment as Elisabeth Moss, star of "The Handmaid's Tale," discovered that Taylor Swift was a fan. Ryan Seacrest presented her with a video from Swift, gushing about the show. "I can't believe she even knows who I am!!" Moss exulted, showing that stars can sometimes be exactly like us.

This image released by NBC shows Glenn Close accepting the award for best actress in a drama film for her role in "The Wife" during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

This image released by NBC shows Regina King accepting the award for best supporting actress in a motion picture for her role in "If Beale Street Could Talk" during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019 in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

This image released by NBC shows hosts Andy Samberg, left, and Sandra Oh at the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

This image released by NBC shows Christian Bale accepting the award for best actor in motion picture musical or comedy for his role in "Vice" during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

This image released by NBC shows presenters Emily Blunt and Dick Van Dyke during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

Lady Gaga poses in the press room with the award for best original song, motion picture for "Shallow" from the film "A Star Is Born" at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

This image released by NBC shows Olivia Colman accepting the award for best actress in a comedy film for her role in "The Favourite" during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)

This image released by NBC shows Jeff Bridges accepting the Cecil B. Demille Award during the 76th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Paul Drinkwater/NBC via AP)ATHENS, Greece (AP) - Greek police detained ten people and formally arrested two of them Monday after the U.S. Embassy in Athens was vandalized with paint.

Police said the 10 were detained after a group of people on motorbikes threw red paint at the embassy's parking entrance at around 3:30 a.m. local time. An anarchist group known as Rouvikonas claimed responsibility for the attack in an internet post.

It cited "American imperialism" as well as Greece's deal with neighboring Macedonia for the latter to change its name to North Macedonia in return for NATO membership, and the recent US decision to pull out of Syria, a move it said delivers Kurdish forces there "to the semi-fascist state of Turkey."

Rouvikonas has carried out similar paint attacks in the past against embassies, Greek state organizations and political party offices.

U.S. Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt condemned "this morning's silly and senseless vandalism" in a Twitter post.

A man stands at an entrance of the US embassy in Greece, some hours after an anarchist group threw red paint, in Athens, on Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Police said Monday that eight were detained after about 10 people on motorbikes threw red paint at the embassy's parking entrance at around 3:30 a.m. local time. An anarchist group known as Rouvikonas claimed responsibility for the attack in an internet post. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) - Nigeria's military has arrested two journalists who wrote a report critical of the army's performance fighting against Boko Haram extremists in the country's troubled northeast.

Witnesses said armed soldiers and security officers in several military vehicles arrived at the offices of the Daily Trust newspaper in Maiduguri on Sunday afternoon and arrested the two journalists and took them to an unknown destination.

The journalists shared the byline on a front page story that detailed the military's difficulties in battling Boko Haram, who have seized the strategic town of Baga. Nigeria's military has been battling for more than a week to try to regain the town, which was the headquarters of a regional military force and had a supply of weapons.

The military's spokesman could not be reached for comment.JERUSALEM (AP) - The Israeli military has struck Hamas sites in Gaza in response to rocket fire toward Israel.

The military says it targeted a militant camp in the northern Gaza Strip early Monday. It followed an overnight rocket attack toward the city of Ashkelon. The rocket was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome defense system. There were no reported injuries on either side.

The exchange marked a brief flare up two months after a massive wave of rocket attacks led to fierce Israeli retaliation and nearly brought the region toward another war. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars over the past decade.

The Israeli military says it holds Hamas responsible for all rockets emanating from its territory. Hamas has ruled Gaza since it seized control of the coastal territory in 2007.(ANSA) - Paris, January 9 - Eric Drouet, one of the leaders of the Yellow Vest protest movement in France, said Wednesday that he was ready to take up an invitation to meet Italian Deputy Premier Luigi Di Maio for talks. The lorry driver, the leader of the more militant wing of the protest movement, told ANSA that a meeting with Labour and Industry Minister Di Maio "absolutely feasible". He said he was "always very happy about the various expressions of support for the Yellow Vests. It's important support for us". There has been tension between Paris and Rome after Di Maio said this week that his 5-Star Movement (M5S) was ready to offer support to the Yellow Vests.

Fellow Deputy Premier, Interior Minister and League leader Matteo Salvini also expressed support for the protestors. In an interview published by daily newspaper Il Fatto Guotidiano on Wednesday, Di Maio said he would meet Yellow Vest representatives soon and wanted to form a group for this year's European elections.

"Macron can work on alliances in Europe, but if I do so, am I committing lese-majeste?," he said.

In contrast to Drouet, the leader of the more moderate wing of the Yellow Vests, Jacline Mouraud, said on Tuesday that Di Maio was meddling in French domestic affairs.

BEIJING (AP) - Huawei Technologies Ltd. showed off a new processor chip for data centers and cloud computing Monday, expanding into new and growing markets despite Western warnings the company might be a security risk.

Huawei and other Chinese technology companies that rely on Western technology are stepping up efforts to develop their own.

The company based in southern China's Shenzhen has pushed ahead with commercial initiatives despite the Dec. 1 arrest of its chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, the daughter of Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei, in Canada on U.S. charges related to possible violations of trade sanctions on Iran.

Huawei said the Kunpeng 920 chip is designed for servers that handle a flood of data from smartphones, video and other network services - a fast growing sector with the development of artificial intelligence and the "internet of things." The company said it is part of a planned product lineup to support "intelligent computing."

Huawei, founded in 1987 by a former military engineer, is China's first global tech competitor and a national champion at the head of an industry the ruling Communist Party is eager to promote. The company says it is employee-owned and rejects accusations by Washington and some other governments that it is controlled by the ruling party and might facilitate spying.

Chinese and U.S. envoys met Monday for talks over a tariff war triggered by American complaints about Beijing's technology policies.

A Kunpeng 920 chip is displayed during an unveiling ceremony in Shenzhen, China, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled a processor chip for data centers and cloud computing as it expands into an emerging global market despite Western warnings the company might be a security risk. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

The Trump administration, Europe and other trading partners complain initiatives such as "Made in China 2025," which calls for state-led creation of Chinese global champions in robotics and other fields, violates Beijing's market-opening obligations. American officials worry they might erode U.S. industrial leadership.

The company says its 2018 global sales are forecast to top $100 billion despite curbs imposed on use of its technology by the United States, Australia, Japan and some other governments.

Huawei, headquartered in the southern city of Shenzhen, has steadily expanded into new industry segments. Its smartphone brand, launched in 2010, passed Apple to become the global No. 2 seller behind Samsung in the third quarter of 2017, according to IDC. The company has developed the Kirin line of chips for its phones and Ascend chips for artificial intelligence.

The Kunpeng 920 chip is based on the ARM system used increasingly in smartphones and distributed computing. It competes in some settings with the x86 standard used by traditional industry leaders Intel Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

Also Monday, Huawei unveiled three servers based on the new chip that are intended for global sale.

"Where we see the biggest value for the Kunpeng 920 is in data centers, servers and big data," William Xu, Huawei's chief strategy marketing officer and a member of the company board, said at a news conference in Shenzhen.

Huawei has China's biggest corporate research and development budget at $13 billion in 2017.

Those investments have helped to reduce Huawei's reliance on Western technology but its servers, smartphones and other products still use billions of dollars' worth of U.S., European, Japanese and other chipsets and other technology.

Executives at Monday's event avoided replying directly when asked whether American security warnings might hurt sales or about concerns U.S.-Chinese rivalry in technology might split the world into separate spheres with their own incompatible standards.

Xu responded to a question about possible industry fragmentation by saying the outlook for the server market is "very bright." The general manager of Huawei's server business, Redfox Qiu, added later, "in any country or region that we operate, we run our business in strict compliance with local laws and regulations."

Global shipments of Huawei servers grew to 980,000 last year, a twelve-fold increase over 2012, according to Qiu.

Xu tried to play down suggestions the Kunpeng 920 might compete directly with Intel, a major supplier to Huawei.

"Intel will remain our most important strategic partner," said Xu. The Kunpeng 920 is "definitely not a replacement for Intel processors."

___

Huawei Technologies Ltd.: www.huawei.com

A Kunpeng 920 chip is displayed during an unveiling ceremony in Shenzhen, China, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled a processor chip for data centers and cloud computing as it expands into an emerging global market despite Western warnings the company might be a security risk. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

A Kunpeng 920 chip is displayed during an unveiling ceremony in Shenzhen, China, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled a processor chip for data centers and cloud computing as it expands into an emerging global market despite Western warnings the company might be a security risk. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

William Xu, director, chief strategy marketing officer, chairman of the Investment Review Board of Huawei, speaks during an unveiling ceremony for a processor chip in Shenzhen, China, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled a processor chip for data centers and cloud computing as it expands into an emerging global market despite Western warnings the company might be a security risk. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

William Xu, director, chief strategy marketing officer, chairman of the Investment Review Board of Huawei, displays a processor chip during an unveiling ceremony in Shenzhen, China, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled a processor chip for data centers and cloud computing as it expands into an emerging global market despite Western warnings the company might be a security risk. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)

William Xu, director, chief strategy marketing officer, chairman of the Investment Review Board of Huawei, speaks during an unveiling ceremony for a processor chip in Shenzhen, China, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019. Chinese telecom giant Huawei unveiled a processor chip for data centers and cloud computing as it expands into an emerging global market despite Western warnings the company might be a security risk. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)WASHINGTON (AP) - Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez is at the center of the biggest test his party has faced in recent history.

The party has rebounded from its disastrous 2016 performance with key midterm victories , but now stares at a long and potentially divisive presidential primary fight that could include dozens of candidates. The DNC is rehabilitating from years of neglect and infighting and lags its Republican counterpart in fundraising and data capabilities - key elements a national party organization provides its nominees.

The decisions Perez faces in the coming weeks - from finalizing rules for presidential debates to convincing state leaders to give up control of voter files and choosing which city will host next year's Democratic convention - will be picked apart for any sign that he's throwing his weight behind one candidate or another. That underscores what could be Perez's most daunting task: convincing party faithful and activists that the DNC is a neutral actor in the primary process. It's a tough argument to make to a Democratic base scarred by a bitter primary in 2016 that many supporters of Bernie Sanders said was tilted in favor of Hillary Clinton.

"Tom really does have the hardest job in politics," said Tina Podlodowski, the Democratic chairwoman in Washington state, who backed Perez for his job but sometimes criticizes him. "It's thankless."

Nearly two years into his post, Perez, who was President Barack Obama's labor secretary, has already navigated tricky intraparty tumult. Most notably, he led the DNC through negotiations to scale back the role of so-called "superdelegates" who overwhelmingly backed Clinton.

But he knows the biggest fight lies ahead.

FILE - In this this Nov. 6, 2018, file photo, Tom Perez, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, introduces Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., as he speaks about Democratic wins in the House of Representatives to a crowd of Democratic supporters in Washington. Perez is staring ahead at the prospects of a long and potentially divisive presidential primary fight that will define his tenure as Democratic National Committee chairman. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

"If we have 15 candidates, 14 of them aren't going to make it to the mountaintop," Perez told The Associated Press. "My job, our job is to ensure that every candidate and their supporters feel like they got a fair shake."

"I come to this with sobriety," he said as he contemplates his next move.

At least publicly, Perez shows no signs of strain.

The 57-year-old son of Dominican immigrants was ebullient at a recent gathering of top party donors in Washington, calling the November midterms "historic." He praised other party committees for their work regaining House control and flipping seven governor's offices and almost 400 state legislative seats. But he made sure to argue that a "culture change" at the DNC also played a leading role.

There is irony to Perez positioning himself as an agent of change. He ran for chairman after the 2016 election at the urging his old boss, Obama, who is widely acknowledged to have let the DNC and party network around the country wither. It wasn't exactly Perez's plan - he hoped to become attorney general in a Clinton administration.

The approach he took to winning the DNC post offers clues about how he will manage the challenges ahead.

He competed for the job against Keith Ellison, then a Minnesota congressman and favorite of the liberal base. Using Obama's inner circle to lobby DNC members, Perez echoed Ellison's calls to "organize everywhere," invest "in every zip code" and give a voice to activists, particularly those who backed Sanders over Clinton in 2016.

After Perez came out on top during a raucous party meeting, he called Ellison to the stage and essentially declared him co-chairman, a maneuver with dubious justification under party rules. The move and the campaign that preceded it demonstrated that Perez, much like Obama, seeks to maintain at least a toehold in multiple camps, giving critics enough of what they want but still using brute political force when needed.

A "pragmatic progressivism," he likes to say, explaining his approach both to policy and politics.

Perez immediately got behind a "Unity Commission" that Sanders and Clinton conceived to overhaul how the party chooses its nominee. He eventually pushed changes that went further than an initial compromise on superdelegates. Now, DNC members and elected party leaders, including the chairman himself, will not vote on the first presidential ballot of the 2020 convention.

Multiple previous DNC chairs cried foul, as did the Congressional Black Caucus, arguing the change punished long-serving party leaders in favor of activists from outside the party machinery. When the overhaul passed last summer, the activists who had been skeptical of Perez cheered.

"One thing I like about Tom's leadership is that you can be critical and still be heard," said Melissa Byrne, an Ellison backer and former Sanders presidential campaign aide who served on Perez's transition team.

"So much of politics is the conversations you have in hallways, but you have to be there," she said. "Tom got us in the door."

Perez says he's applying the same philosophy to the debate rules. He's committed to a low qualifying threshold for early debates to avoid blocking legitimate candidates. The DNC will draw lots to place candidates on two stages rather than picking an "A list" and "B list" as Republicans did with their own large 2016 field. Perez said he and his team are talking to previous campaigns for their input, but not to prospective candidates themselves.

To be sure, there have been rocky stretches and inconsistencies, with more to come.

Perez has mandated that no DNC employee endorse any presidential candidate. He criticized the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for venturing into a hotly contested 2016 congressional primary in Texas. Yet Perez endorsed New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo over his primary challenger, actress Cynthia Nixon, who had the backing of the Working Families Party.

Leaders at WFP and Indivisible, a grassroots group founded since Trump's election, declined to comment on Perez's stewardship.

The chairman has embraced the #MeToo movement, but never wavered in his support for Ellison when the deputy chairman's ex-girlfriend accused him of abuse. An investigation found no wrongdoing; Ellison quietly resigned from his party post after his November election as Minnesota attorney general.

Perez downplays the intraparty fights, arguing Democrats are as different as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a democratic socialist from New York City, and Sen. Joe Manchin, an occasional Trump ally from West Virginia. But he says they share common priorities like accessible health care, defending pensions and supporting organized labor.

"Those are FDR Democratic issues," he says.

While Perez has his detractors, particularly among state party chairs who accuse him of a power grab on voter data files, even some of those critics join his allies in saying he's already accomplished his first goal: imposing a steadiness that didn't exist under Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the last elected chair and another of Obama's hand-picked choices.

"I don't want to cast any blame because they are both friends of mine," said Woody Kaplan, a prominent Democratic donor from Boston, referring to Wasserman Schultz and Perez. "But he just had such a mess to dig out of."

___

Follow Barrow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/BillBarrowAP.MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Prominent Democrats, Republicans and political observers answer the same question: What will be Scott Walker's legacy?

___

Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson

"Governor Walker devolved power away from Madison and public sector unions, giving local governments the ability to balance their budgets and Wisconsin businesses the ability to grow and create better opportunities. He leaves office with the tax burden at a 50-year low and unemployment near record lows, and every employer I talk to tells me there are more jobs available than there are people to fill them."

___

Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, who served in the state Assembly when Walker was first elected

"Scott Walker was a better failed candidate for president than he was a governor. Unfortunately, the people of Wisconsin were never front of mind like previous governors, and that showed. His attacks on working people were especially divisive and left many in Wisconsin worse off after eight years of his governorship."

___

Republican Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald

"There's no avoiding Act 10 (the law that effective eliminated public sector collective bargaining) because it had such an impact on everyone that was here and across the state. You can't find a governor that was more focused on making sure the state was in a good financial position. He always tried to hold the line on property taxes. ... He was driven by that. He wanted to make sure the state was in a good place fiscally, and it is."

___

Democratic Senate Minority Leader Jennifer Shilling

"Gov. Scott Walker's legacy will be one of division and political ambition. Families, businesses, and communities continue to feel the effects from Gov. Walker's self-described 'divide and conquer' tactics. Whether it was his repeal of worker rights in 2011, his short-lived presidential campaign or the slew of lame luck proposals ... Walker has always prioritized his personal political ambitions rather than what's best for the state."

___

Republican strategist Mark Graul

"Scott Walker dramatically improved the tax and business climate in Wisconsin. Pre-Walker, our state consistently ranked as a top 10 tax hell and, by most measures, was not considered a good place to do business. We now have the lowest tax burden we've seen in 50 years and we have become an international draw for business expansion. Of course, the collective barraging reforms will always be a part of his legacy as well. But, his work to control taxes and improve the business climate has been far more transformative for our state."

___

Mike Browne, deputy director of liberal group One Wisconsin Now

"When you're talking about legacy, we remember elected officials who showed inspired leadership bringing people together in times of crisis and we remember the crooks. Scott Walker didn't bring people together and he wasn't charged with anything. Legacy also suggests a finality to the political career of Scott Walker. While he may never again be a successful candidate for public office, politics is all he has ever known in his adult life. His inability to be gracious in defeat will be our last memory of him as governor, but to the extent there is a Scott Walker legacy it is that after eight years of his cronyism, corruption and incompetence he leaves Wisconsin politics worse than he found it."

___

Republican strategist Brandon Scholz, a former state party director

"When Scott Walker gave his inaugural address in 2010, 'austerity in government' was a central focus. Each year of his two terms, Walker worked to reduce taxes, whether it was property taxes or income taxes cutting nearly $8 billion in taxes. The property tax is lower that when Walker was elected and the state has a $588 million surplus that didn't exist when he was elected."

___

Democratic strategist and former state party chairman Mike Tate

"Scott Walker is without a question the most significant governor of Wisconsin in modern times. His legacy will be of a governor that actively sought and succeeded in dividing Wisconsin by race, class, geography, and station in life; pitting citizens against each other in a brazen effort to further his own political ambition and reward his donors. His conduct and that of those like him laid the groundwork for the modern Republican Party led by Donald Trump."

___

University of Wisconsin political science professor Barry Burden

"He will be remembered for presiding over the longest stretch of single-party control of state government since the 1950s, and a highly productive stretch at that. Walker and his Republican colleagues in the state Legislature transformed state government to reflect his conservative take on unions, gun ownership, election laws, public education, the environment, and more. Walker will also be remembered for fiscal austerity in the name of economic development."MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Key moments in the life of outgoing Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker:

Nov. 2, 1967: Scott Walker is born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to mother Patricia, a bookkeeper, and father Llew Walker, a Baptist minister.

1977: Walker family moves to Delavan, Wisconsin.

1986: Walker graduates from Delavan-Darien High School and begins studying at Marquette University in Milwaukee.

February 1990: Takes a job with the American Red Cross, drops out of Marquette 34 credits short of graduation.

November 1990: At age 22, runs for the state Assembly and loses to Democrat Gwen Moore.

Feb. 6, 1993: Marries Tonette Tarantino.

June 1993: Wins election to state Assembly at age 25.

April 30, 2002: Wins special election as Milwaukee County Executive. At age 34, he is the youngest person to hold the job and the first Republican.

April 6, 2004: Elected to his first full, four-year term as county executive.

June 23, 2005: Announces run for governor.

March 24, 2006: Drops out of gubernatorial race and backs U.S. Rep. Mark Green of Green Bay.

April 28, 2009: Announces he will run for governor in 2010.

Sept. 14, 2010: Easily defeats former U.S. Rep. Mark Neumann in Republican primary.

Nov. 2, 2010: Defeats Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett to win election as governor on his 43rd birthday.

Feb. 11, 2011: Unveils his proposal, later known as Act 10, to effectively end collective bargaining for public workers, require them to pay more for pension, retirement benefits. Protests grow as large as 100,000 people at state Capitol as Senate Democrats leave the state for three weeks in failed attempt to block the bill.

March 11, 2011: Signs Act 10 into law, his signature accomplishment as governor.

May 25, 2011: Signs bill requiring photo ID to vote.

Jan. 17, 2012: Organizers file petition with more than 900,000 signatures to recall Walker from office.

June 5, 2012: Walker defeats Barrett for a second time in recall election, becoming first governor in U.S. history to defeat a recall.

2013: Walker freezes tuition at the University of Wisconsin in his state budget in 2013 and kept the freeze intact for six years.

Nov. 19, 2013: Walker's book "Unintimidated" is released.

July 31, 2014: Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds constitutionality of Act 10.

Nov. 4, 2014: Walker wins election to second term, defeating Democrat Mary Burke, a former state Commerce Department secretary and current member of the Madison school board.

Jan. 24, 2015: Walker speaks at Iowa Freedom Summit about his record as governor, making him an early favorite in presidential race.

March 9, 2015: Signs bill making Wisconsin a right-to-work state.

July 2, 2015: Files paperwork to officially create a presidential campaign committee.

July 13, 2015: Launches bid for president.

July 16, 2015: The Wisconsin Supreme Court rules that Walker did not illegally collaborate with conservative groups during the recall campaign, ending an investigation that grew out of an earlier secret probe into close Walker aides and associates when he was Milwaukee County executive. Six people were charged with a variety of crimes as a result of that investigation.

July 20, 2015: Walker signs bill banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy.

Sept. 21, 2015: Drops out of presidential race, urges Republicans to unite behind someone other than front-runner Donald Trump.

March 29, 2016: Endorses Texas Sen. Ted Cruz for president.

May 2016: Supports Trump after he becomes the Republican Party's presumptive nominee.

Sept. 18, 2017: Signs bill into law making about $3 billion in state tax incentives available to Foxconn Technology Group if it invests $10 billion and hires 13,000 people to work at a display screen factory and complex in southeast Wisconsin.

Nov. 6, 2018: Loses to Democrat Tony Evers in Walker's bid for third term.

Dec. 14, 2018: Signs legislation curbing powers of the incoming governor and attorney general and limiting the time for early voting.

Jan. 1, 2019: Announces he will join a speakers' bureau, travel the country advocating for President Trump and conservative issues

Jan. 4, 2017: Says he may run for office again.

Jan. 7, 2019: Evers replaces Walker, becoming Wisconsin's 46th governor.China's first domestically manufactured aircraft carrier, known as 'Type 001A', has been undergoing sea trials

China needs "at least three aircraft carriers" to protect its extensive coastline and its interests abroad, a senior Chinese naval expert said Wednesday.

"Our country has an 18,000-kilometre (11,000-mile) long coastline. Also, our economy is outward looking and our interests abroad are growing," said Commodore Zhang Junshe, a member of the Naval Research Institute.

"All this requires us to send a military force to distant seas to protect (these interests). In these circumstances, I think we need at least three aircraft carriers. Of course, depending on economic development, we could legitimately revise this figure upwards," he said during a meeting with the Chinese and foreign press.

In November, the English-language China Daily, citing the official Xinhua news agency, said the Asian giant had begun construction of a third aircraft carrier. The defence ministry has not confirmed this.

China currently has only one operational aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, a secondhand Soviet ship built nearly 30 years ago and commissioned in 2012.

A second carrier -- the first built entirely by China and known only as "Type 001A" -- was launched a year ago and has been undergoing sea trials.

With just one fully operational aircraft carrier, China is far behind the United States, which has 11 such warships, but is on a par with Russia, France, India and Britain, which have one each, according to Nick Childs, a naval specialist at Britain's International Institute for Strategic Studies.

"Since the first Opium War in 1840 until the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, we have suffered 470 naval attacks from Western countries or Japan," said Zhang.

During this period, China suffered several defeats by Britain, Japan and France which resulted in the colonisation of Chinese territories.

"We will not be invading other countries, but the Chinese are afraid that their country will be invaded again, so the main reason we are strengthening our defence is to ensure our security," he said.

With a buildup of its military capability in recent years, Beijing is seeking to assert its extensive claims to the South China Sea and to deter any independence moves by Taiwan.Former Israeli cabinet minister Gonen Segev, seen here being escorted from court after a July 5, 2018 hearing, has reached a plea bargain that will see him serve 11 years in prison for spying for his country's arch-foe Iran

An Israeli ex-minister charged with spying for the country's arch-foe Iran has reached a plea bargain with prosecutors that will see him serve 11 years in prison, the justice ministry said Wednesday.

As part of the agreement, Gonen Segev will plead guilty to serious espionage and transfer of information to the enemy, the ministry said in a statement.

A sentencing hearing was set for February 11.

The trial of Segev, who served as energy and infrastructure minister from 1995 to 1996, opened in July but was held behind closed doors, with few details of the accusations publicly released.

Segev served in the Labour government of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin after defecting from the far right to cast the decisive vote in favour of the Oslo II peace agreement with the Palestinians.

He has previously served prison time on criminal charges.

In 2004, he was charged with trying to smuggle 30,000 ecstasy pills into Israel from the Netherlands using a diplomatic passport with a falsified expiry date.

The following year, he admitted the charges as part of a plea bargain.

He has also been convicted of attempted credit card fraud.Vietnam has said the bill is designed to improve cybersecurity but critics say the legislation is aimed at silencing online dissent

Vietnam has accused Facebook of violating a new cybersecurity law by refusing to scrub anti-government content from its site, the first reprimand since the controversial bill came into effect days ago.

The law, which went live January 1 and has drawn criticism from the US, the EU and web freedom groups, requires internet companies to remove "toxic content" and hand over user data when requested by authorities.

It also stipulates that companies should host servers in the one-party state -- including banks and e-commerce companies -- sparking fears of data and privacy breaches and cybersecurity threats.

State broadcaster Vietnam Television reported Wednesday that Facebook failed to take down pages allegedly calling for anti-government activities, citing requests from the Ministry of Information and Communications.

The ministry sent several letters and emails requesting the removals, according to the report.

But Facebook "delayed and even failed to remove information, claiming the information did not violate community standards," VTV reported.

Vietnam also accused the company of hosting advertisements for "illegal products" including counterfeit money, fake goods, weapons and firecrackers, the report added.

The ministry could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The consequences for violating the law are expected to be laid out in a decree which has yet to be made public.

Vietnam has said the bill is designed to improve cybersecurity in the country, but critics say the legislation -- which mirrors China's draconian internet rules -- is aimed at silencing online dissent.

In a statement to AFP Wednesday, Facebook said it is "transparent about the content restrictions we make pursuant with local law in our Transparency Report".

"We have a clear process for governments to report illegal content to us, and we review all these requests against our terms of service and local law," a spokeswoman told AFP.

Social media is a crucial platform for activists in communist Vietnam, where all independent press and public protests are banned.

Facebook is by far the most popular tool for activists, though several have complained to AFP in recent months that posts have disappeared and accounts been blocked.

Unlike in China, social media and instant messaging services like WhatsApp are not banned, and analysts say the cybersecurity law is a means to control online expression without banning services -- a move that would likely cause widespread outcry.

There are more than 53 million Facebook users in Vietnam -- over half of the population -- many of whom use the site as a crucial platform for business and commerce.United Nations special envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths is pictured upon his arrival at Sanaa International airport on January 5, 2019

The United Nations envoy for Yemen held talks Tuesday with the war-torn country's president in Riyadh, as he sought to shore up a shaky truce in key port Hodeida.

Diplomat Martin Griffiths met with the Yemeni authorities after seeing Huthi rebels in their stronghold Sanaa on a tour aimed at ensuring both sides make good on a ceasefire deal agreed in Sweden last month.

Yemen's internationally recognised leader Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi expressed his "support for the efforts and work" of Griffiths at the talks in the Saudi capital, the Saba news agency reported.

The head of the president's office Abdullah al-Alimi wrote on Twitter that Hadi remained committed to the Sweden accord and stood ready to open up "all humanitarian access".

Griffiths is set to brief the UN Security Council Wednesday on the state of the ceasefire deal and his latest efforts to end Yemen's nearly four-year war, diplomats have said.

Rebel-held Hodeida was for months the main front line in the Yemen war after government forces supported by Saudi Arabia and its allies launched an offensive to capture it in June.

The Red Sea port is the key point of entry for humanitarian aid and supplies to Yemen, where millions are on the brink of famine as the war has grinded on.

The United Nations has said that the truce has largely held in the city since the agreement came into force on December 18.

Griffiths is looking to push on with steps agreed by the warring sides in Sweden, including the redeployment of rival forces from Hodeida.

He is also hoping to bring the sides together again for a new round of peace talks later this month.

The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the government escalated in March 2015, when President Hadi fled to Saudi Arabia and the Riyadh-led coalition intervened.

The conflict has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, which says 14 million Yemenis are on the brink of famine.The SDF ousted IS fighters from Raqa city in 2017, more than three years after the jihadists overran the city and made it their de-facto Syrian capital

An Islamic State group suicide bomber attacked a centre for Kurdish forces in the northern Syrian city of Raqa on Monday, killing four civilians and an anti-jihadist fighter, a monitor said.

The attacker blew himself up after entering the centre run by the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

"A suicide attacker wearing an explosives belt blew himself up inside a YPG centre after opening fire on a security checkpoint at its entrance," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said.

At least four civilians and a YPG fighter were killed in the attack, he added.

The YPG forms the backbone an alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters called the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) battling to expel IS from its last redoubt in eastern Syria.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack they said targeted a "recruitment centre" for Kurdish forces.

"The attacker aimed at them with a machine gun then blew up his explosives vest in the middle of them," it said in a statement on the Telegram messaging app.

Backed by the US-led coalition, the SDF has in recent weeks advanced against IS fighters in their last holdout in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor near the Iraqi border.

The jihadists are clinging on to a handful of villages in the Euphrates River Valley, including Sousa and Baghouz.

They also retain a presence in the country's vast Badia desert.

IS swept across large swathes of Syria and neighbouring Iraq in 2014, proclaiming a "caliphate" across areas under its control. But it has since lost most of that territory to various offensives.

The SDF ousted IS fighters from Raqa in 2017, more than three years after the jihadists overran the city and made it their de-facto Syrian capital.

Syria's war has killed more than 360,000 people and displaced millions more since it erupted in 2011 with the repression of anti-government protests.Indian officials say around 40,000 Rohingya are living in the country

Amnesty International on Monday accused India of disregarding international law after a Rohingya family was deported to Myanmar where the military is accused of genocide against the stateless Muslim minority.

The family of five, who had been in prison in India's northeastern Assam state since 2013, was handed over to Myanmar authorities on Thursday -- the second such deportation in just months after seven men were returned in October.

The United Nations expressed concern over the forcible repatriation of the Rohingya while rights groups warned New Delhi was putting the community at serious risk by returning them to Myanmar, where for decades the minority has been targeted in violent pogroms by security forces.

The Rohingya are despised by many in Buddhist-majority Myanmar, which refuses to recognise them as citizens and falsely labels them "Bengali" illegal immigrants.

They were concentrated in Rakhine state, the epicentre of a Myanmar army offensive that since August 2017 has driven some 720,000 Rohingya Muslims into Bangladesh.

"The Rohingya population in Rakhine state in Myanmar continue to live under a system of apartheid," Amnesty India's Abhirr V. P. said in a statement.

"The expulsion of asylum-seekers and refugees amounts to a violation of India's obligations under customary international law, which prohibits governments from returning people to a territory where they are at risk of serious human rights violations."

India is not a signatory to the UN Refugee Convention.

Indian officials say around 40,000 Rohingya are living in the country, where Hindu hardliners have called for their mass deportation.

Around 18,000 Rohingya in India are registered with the United Nations refugee agency.

UNHCR said despite repeated requests they were not granted access to the Rohingya family detained in Assam before their deportation.

India's home ministry told parliament last week that 478 Rohingya were arrested between 2015 and 2018, with last year topping the list with 230 detentions along the nation's borders.(ANSA) - Palermo, January 9 - Carabinieri police on Wednesday staged a big anti-terrorism operation to execute warrants for the detention of 15 people in Palermo and the provinces of Trapani, Caltanissetta and Brescia, sources said. The suspects are accused of felonies including instigation to commit terrorism-related crimes, criminal association to aid illegal immigration and tobacco contraband. Investigators believe that the suspects organized the transportation of small groups of migrants from Tunisia to Italy via fast boats.

Videos of executions carried out by infamous ISIS terrorist Jihadi John were found on the Facebook profile of one of the people detained, sources said.

Brazil's new President Jair Bolsonaro voiced concern about a tie-up between Embraer and American giant Boeing -- but he's not against the deal

The Brazilian government is not poised to interrupt plans for a tie-up between national planemaker Embraer and US giant Boeing, a senior official said Monday, days after President Jair Bolsonaro expressed wariness over the venture.

The government "is not thinking of interrupting this negotiation," Augusto Heleno, secretary for institutional security, said after accompanying Bolsonaro to an event in Brasilia appointing the new heads of public banks, the O Globo news website reported.

Bolsonaro last week sent shares in Embraer diving after saying that, while he approved of the $5.2-billion tie-up, he wanted reassurance that Boeing would not simply gobble up the Brazilian company.

Under the planned joint venture, Boeing is to take 80 percent of Embraer's commercial plane manufacturing business, giving it capacity to produce aircraft of up to 150 seats -- a market in which it currently does not compete.

Embraer's military division is excluded from the deal, which was announced mid-2018 and is meant to be finalized by the end of this year.

Embraer is the third-largest aircraft manufacturer in the world. It was privatized in 1994, but the Brazilian government retains a "golden share" with veto power over strategic decisions.

Heleno, a retired military officer, said "there is a concern" over Embraer's technological assets "that we don't intend to lose." But he said that "can be perfectly set out" in the negotiations.

Embraer shares were trading slightly lower, down 0.5 percent, in Sao Paulo midway through Monday.Three soldiers wearing the green beret of the Republican Guard were visible on a video of a speech read on state radio which circulated on social media

The chief military rebel who led a failed coup in Gabon on Monday has been arrested and two of his commandos killed after they stormed a public radio station, the presidency said.

A group of soldiers attempted to take power and called in a radio appeal for a popular uprising against ailing President Ali Bongo, who is abroad recovering from a stroke.

Security forces stormed the radio station in the capital Libreville to take it back, killing two rebel troops, arresting their leader and freeing journalists who had been forced to help rebels make their appeal.

"The situation is under control," the presidency statement said.

Six rebel troops earlier Monday burst into the state radio broadcasting station, "neutralising" gendarmes in front of the building before making their broadcast, it said.

Officials earlier said five rebels had entered the building and four had been arrested.

The message was read by a person who identified himself as Lieutenant Ondo Obiang Kelly, the deputy commander of the Republican Guard and head of a previously unknown group, the Patriotic Youth Movement of the Gabonese Defence and Security Forces.

He said a "national restoration council" would be formed in the former French colony "to guarantee a democratic transition for the Gabonese people".

Bongo is staying at a private residence in the Moroccan capital Rabat after suffering a stroke. He made a televised speech on New Year's Eve but has not been in the West African country since October.Both of the murdered hikers were students at the University of Southeastern Norway, where the ceremony was held

Hundreds of people observed two minutes of silence on Monday in Norway in honour of two Scandinavian women hikers murdered in Morocco's Atlas Mountains in December.

Standing in the cold with flags flying at half-mast at the University of South-Eastern Norway in the town of Bo, the participants gathered to remember 28-year-old Maren Ueland from Norway, and 24-year-old Dane Louisa Vesterager Jespersen. Both were both students there.

The two women were killed at an isolated hiking spot south of Marrakesh overnight December 16-17, where they were vacationing. Their bodies were found the following day.

The authorities have said they were beheaded and are calling the crime a "terrorist" act.

The university addressed the murders with students on Monday morning as classes resumed after the Christmas break.

"We talked with the students and tried not to understand what can't be understood, but we tried to make it easier for the students to put words on what has happened," Annette Bischoff, the head of the faculty where the two women were studying to be travel guides, told AFP.

"This is very difficult for all of us, especially for the students who lived and studied with them," she said.

The Moroccan authorities have arrested a total of 22 people in connection with the murders. They include the four main suspects and a Spanish-Swiss man who had links to some of the suspects and who subscribed to "extremist ideology", say Moroccan officials.

The main suspects belonged to a cell inspired by Islamic State group ideology, but none of the four had contact with IS members in Syria or Iraq, Morocco's counter-terror chief Abdelhak Khiam told AFP.Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki (2R), Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (5R) have been engaged in a process of reconciliation

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki on Monday reopened a border crossing between their countries as part of an ongoing reconciliation between the former foes.

The two leaders re-opened the border crossing between Humera in Ethiopia and Oum Hajer in Eritrea on the western edge of both nations, according to the state-owned Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporation.

In September, an initial two land crossings between the countries were ceremonially reopened for the first time in 20 years, after Abiy settled a long-standing border dispute by agreeing to adhere to a United Nations ruling.

However, the major crossings between Bure-Debay Sima in the east and Zalambessa-Serha in the west were closed again last month without explanation, according to local media reports.

Nevertheless, relations between the neighbours have continued to improve rapidly with Monday's reopening of the Humera-Oum Hajer border post the latest sign of normalisation allowing the free movement of people and goods.

Borders were sealed in 1998 as the neighbouring Horn of Africa nations cut diplomatic ties at the outbreak of a short but bloody two-year frontier battle.

An ensuing cold war stymied development and trade, and undermined regional security, but in a surprise move last year, Abiy began peace overtures, which were welcomed by Eritrea.Followers of the evangelist Shembe Church begin each New Year with a pilgrimage to their sacred mountain, where they camp for up to four weeks.

Thousands of white-robed devotees of the Shembe Church in South Africa greeted the New Year last week by climbing the mountain of Nhlangakazi, sacred to them for more than a century.

A devotee of the church, founded by Isaiah Shembe more than a century ago, prayed on the holy mountain on Friday

Every New Year, people mostly from Inanda township, near the coastal city of Durban, trek barefoot about 80 kilometres (50 miles) and set up camp at the foot of the peak. They believe that on its heights, itinerant preacher Isaiah Shembe received divine instructions to found the church.

Created in 1913 and also known as the Nazareth Baptist Church, the institution is one of the largest African traditionalist churches, combining Christianity with the Zulu culture. Followers revere Shembe, who died in 1935, as their prophet.

Wearing traditional dress, followers of the Nazareth Baptist Church, also known as the Shembe Church, climb the Nhlangakazi holy mountain in Ndwedwe, 85 kilometres (53 miles) north of Durban, on January 5, 2019, as part of their annual pilgrimage.

After arriving at the base of the mountain, worshippers clamber up and down twice a day, led by women followed by men carrying sticks and then children.

They also tend wayside graves, laying flowers. It takes about an hour to reach the top, where they listen to sermons dedicated to peace and unity.

The Shembe Church is the oldest independent indigenous Church in Southern Africa

Yet while the church has many millions of followers, it is plagued by divisions and court disputes over leadership and access to the mountain. A larger faction today climbs a different mountain. Due to the tensions, police have been on duty at Nhlangakazi.The appeals court said it did not have the jurisdiction to force Maithripala Sirisena to be examined, and ordered the petitioner pay the state 100,000 rupees ($540) in legal costs

A Sri Lanka court Monday rejected calls to subject the president to a mental health examination after he sacked a former ally, dissolved parliament and plunged the country into crisis.

The Court of Appeal rejected a petition to force Maithripala Sirisena before a panel of psychiatrists to scrutinise his mental state in the wake of the political upheaval in the Indian Ocean island.

The turmoil began in October when Sirisena dismissed Sri Lanka's prime minister and dissolved parliament, both decisions later overturned by the country's highest court.

For more than a month, Sri Lanka drifted without a government as two rivals jostled for the prime ministership and protests rocked the capital Colombo.

The instability ended peacefully when Sirisena's controversial appointee Mahinda Rajapakse stood down, and the deposed prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe returned to power with the support of parliament.

Mental infirmity is grounds for removing a president if two-thirds of parliament agree, but no party or coalition in the legislature commands such a majority.

The two-judge bench of the appeals court said it did not have the jurisdiction to force Sirisena to be examined, and ordered the petitioner pay the state 100,000 rupees ($540) in legal costs.

Sirisena came to power in 2015 in a coalition with Wickremesinghe. But personal differences festered and their alliance imploded in October when Sirisena kicked his former ally out of office.

Wickremesinghe refused to stand down and allow Rajapakse, a former president and divisive war-era strongman, to take his place.

The crisis dragged on for weeks until the Supreme Court denied Rajapakse the right to rule and he bowed out in December.

Some factions within Sri Lanka's parliament have pushed for Sirisena to be investigated for orchestrating an alleged coup.At least 15 militants were killed in the fighting in Qadis and Ab Kamari districts of Badghis province that began late Sunday

Taliban fighters attacked two checkpoints in western Afghanistan, killing at least 10 members of the security forces and pro-government militia, officials said Monday, in a bloody 24 hours in the war-torn country.

At least 15 militants were killed in the fighting in Qadis and Ab Kamari districts of Badghis province that began late Sunday, provincial governor spokesman Jamshid Shahabi told AFP.

Provincial council chief Abdul Aziz Bek gave a higher death toll of 21 -- 14 police and seven militia members -- but that figure could not be immediately confirmed by AFP.

"The Taliban captured both checkpoints and took all the military equipment and ammunition with them," Bek said.

The Taliban, who have been slaughtering Afghan security forces in record numbers, claimed responsibility for both attacks.

On the other side of the country in the southeastern province of Paktika, eight civilians were killed and 12 wounded on Monday when a roadside bomb exploded near a market in Janikhail district.

Among the dead were two brothers aged 10 and 12, provincial police spokesman Shah Mohammad Aryan told AFP.

A group of children had been trying to remove the explosive device from the ground when it exploded, Aryan said.

It was not clear if the bomb had been deliberately planted or was left over from decades of conflict.

Civilians have long borne the brunt of the war, with 8,050 people killed or wounded in the first nine months of 2018, according to the latest UN figures.

The bloodshed comes amid a flurry of diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table and ending the 17-year war.

Taliban representatives recently met with Iran, as Tehran makes a more concerted and open push for peace ahead of a possible US drawdown.

Other countries, including the United States, Turkey and Russia, are also involved in the drive to bring about peace in Afghanistan.

US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has met with the group several times in recent months, but the leaking of President Donald Trump's plan to slash troop numbers in Afghanistan has threatened to derail those efforts.

strs-us-emh/amj/st/rmaThe country's troubled western Rakhine state has seen a series of clashes in recent weeks between security forces and the Arakan Army

Myanmar has called on its military to "launch operations" against ethnic Rakhine rebels behind a deadly attack on four police stations last week, a government spokesman said Monday, as a surge of violence forces thousands more from their homes.

The country's troubled western Rakhine state has seen a series of clashes in recent weeks between security forces and the Arakan Army (AA), an armed group calling for more autonomy for the state's ethnic Rakhine Buddhist population.

The area is one of the poorest in Myanmar and is scarred by deep ethnic and religious hatred.

A brutal army campaign in 2017 forced hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims over the border into Bangladesh, operations justified by the army as a way to stamp out Rohingya militants.

This picture taken on January 4, 2019 shows people displaced by violence between ethnic Rakhine rebels and Myanmar's army, arriving at a camp in Kyauktaw, Rakhine state

The latest violence by ethnic Rakhine rebels culminated on Friday -- Myanmar's Independence Day -- in brazen pre-dawn raids on four police posts in Buthidaung township near the Bangladesh border.

Authorities said that the attack by hundreds of militants left 13 police officers dead and nine wounded before the army, known locally as the Tatmadaw, were able to provide back-up.

The AA said that three of its fighters had been killed, accusing the military of using the police stations as a base from which to fire heavy artillery.

"The president's office has already instructed the Tatmadaw to launch operations to crack down on the insurgents," government spokesman Zaw Htay told reporters in the capital Naypyidaw.

- Civilians flee -

Some 4,500 people have been displaced by the recent weeks of violence, the UN's humanitarian agency said on Monday.

Over the weekend, people streamed to nearby monasteries and other makeshift camps to escape the crossfire, carrying infants and bags of belongings.

The increase in fighting comes just two weeks after the military declared a four-month ceasefire with a number of armed groups in Kachin and Shan states on the other side of the country.

But Rakhine was a notable exception, and army operations against the AA have continued.

Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi stated that the peace process would be her top priority after her party swept to power in landmark 2015 elections.

There are around two dozen conflicts festering around the country's restive borderlands, some of which date back 70 years to when the nation declared independence from colonial power Britain.

Independent analyst David Mathieson told AFP the reasons behind the recent uptick in violence were still largely opaque.

But he said the fighting could mean that greater numbers of AA fighters have "infiltrated the borderlands and are extending their reach" in what he described as "classic guerrilla strategy".

The AA has expanded its ranks since its formation in 2009 and is now believed to have several thousand recruits.

Zaw Htay, the government spokesman, called on ethnic Rakhine people not to back the rebels.

"Consider Rakhine's future deeply. Think carefully about the future you want to see before giving them your support," he said.Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari (L) ordered an end to the newspaper office siege, his spokesman said

Nigeria's military was on Monday accused of attacking press freedom after troops raided a newspaper for publishing a front-page story about its handling of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Computers were seized and two journalists in the northeast city of Maiduguri were detained following the Daily Trust story about military plans to recapture the town of Baga on the shores of Lake Chad.

The army said it acted because the newspaper had compromised national security by publishing details of future operations against the jihadists.

Soldiers and operatives from the secret police and civil defence paramilitary raided the daily's offices in Maiduguri, the capital Abuja, and commercial hub, Lagos, on Sunday.

Army spokesman Brigadier-General Sani Usman said the report "divulged classified military information, thus undermining national security".

He alleged it gave the Islamist extremists "early warning" and as a result "sabotaged the planned operations... putting the lives of troops in imminent and clear danger".

Usman, who has previously threatened the media with legal action for publishing unofficial information on the violence, said the action was conducted in good faith.

Operatives had only wanted to "invite" those behind the report to discuss its implications, he added in a statement late on Sunday.

Daily Trust editor Mannir Dan-Ali condemned the action as "unlawful" and said the stand-off at the newspaper's Abuja headquarters lasted five hours.

President Muhammadu Buhari ordered an end to the newspaper office siege, his spokesman said, which provoked strong condemnation on social media and comparisons to media repression under decades of military rule.

Some commentators compared the action to harassment of the media and censorship during former army general Buhari's previous time as military head of state in the 1980s.

In 2018 Nigeria ranked 119 in Reporters Without Borders' global press freedom index, a notch lower than war-torn Afghanistan.

The Africa Program Coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, Angela Quintal, said the army's raid of the Daily Trust was "outrageous" and a "blatant violation" of media and citizens' rights.

Amnesty International Nigeria said the authorities had an "obligation to protect freedom of the press... as provided by the constitution and international human rights laws".

The Daily Trust was one of four newspapers that were targeted under the previous administration of president Goodluck Jonathan in 2014 after publishing articles critical of the military.

The newspaper last week reported that Boko Haram, which the government has repeatedly said is on the verge of defeat, had captured six locations in northern Borno state, including Baga.

The claimed seizure came after months of attacks on military bases in the remote region blamed on or claimed by the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, ISWAP.

More than 27,000 people have been killed in the violence since 2009 and more than 1.8 million remain homeless.Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plans for job quotas for 'upper caste poor' would require a change in the constitution

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government announced plans Monday to set aside a quota of government jobs for poorer members of India's upper caste, months before what looks set to be a challenging re-election bid.

India already "reserves" jobs for impoverished and disadvantaged lower castes for civil service jobs and college places, but this has caused resentment among other communities, who say it is unfair and freezes them out.

Modi's plans would help households with an annual income of less than $11,000, the Press Trust of India news agency reported. The change would require a change to the constitution, which caps the number of reserved jobs and college places at 50 percent.

The plans were approved by Modi's cabinet on Monday. They require approval from both houses of parliament.

Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept to power in 2014, but late last year it suffered painful defeats in three key state elections to the opposition Congress party led by Rahul Gandhi, scion of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty.

Abhishek Singhvi, a Congress spokesman, said on Twitter that the latest move was an "election gimmick" and "proof positive" of Modi's "fear" of losing power in the vote, which is due to take place by May.

Caste-based quotas are meant to provide equal opportunities for India's poorest and most marginalised groups. Nearly one in four Indians still lives on less than $1.25 a day.

Demands for quotas for highly sought-after government jobs and university places have escalated in recent years as unemployment has risen and conditions in rural areas have worsened.

In 2016 at least 10 people were killed when thousands of Patidars, a relatively well-off caste of farmers and traders, took to the streets in the western state of Gujarat to demand they be included in those quotas.

Similar protests by upper caste groups have been witnessed in other states including Maharashtra and Haryana.(ANSA) - Brussels, January 9 - Italy has told the EU it will take some of 49 migrants aboard the Sea Watch and the Sea Eye, European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos said Wednesday when asked if the closure of Italian and Maltese ports caused the stand-off that had lasted over two weeks.

"Italy has informed the European Commission that it will take the migrants landing in Malta and the priority will be given to vulnerable groups, like women and children," he said.

"Cooperation between Italy and Malta has produced this positive result announced today, but we must find a mechanism to avert these ad hoc solutions.

"I will talk about this with the interior ministers at the next EU council meeting."Israel's former defence minister Moshe Arens (R), seen here in this February 1999, who died on Monday January 7, 2019 was a one-time mentor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Moshe Arens, a former Israeli defence minister and one-time mentor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, died Monday aged 93, officials said.

Arens, an aeronautics engineer, was also known for having played a key role in Israel's aerospace and military industries, including by pushing for the development of the Lavi Israeli fighter jet.

Netanyahu and Israeli president Reuven Rivlin eulogised the Lithuanian-born, US-raised Arens.

"My wife Sara and I shed bitter tears over the passing of our beloved Moshe Arens," Netanyahu said in a statement.

He recalled Arens's terms as ambassador to Washington, foreign minister and defence minister, using his nickname Misha, and said he remained clear-headed even in the last stages of his illness.

"A few weeks ago, I visited Misha at his home," Netanyahu wrote. "He was as lucid as ever, as sharp as a razor."

Israeli public radio said Arens was suffering from "a severe sickness," a common media euphemism for cancer.

Haaretz newspaper said he died in his sleep at his home near Tel Aviv.

The Times of Israel said he was survived by his wife Muriel, four children and nine grandchildren.

"Misha worked his whole life in key positions to ensure Israels development and success," Rivlin said in a statement.

"As a scientist and engineer, as a statesman, as an ambassador and as a manager of the most important industries for Israel's security."

- Lithuania to New York -

Moshe Arens who died on Monday January 7, 2019 aged 93 is seen in this 199 picture sharing a toast with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

Arens, of the right-wing Likud party, personally brought Netanyahu into politics in 1982 -- hiring the then US furniture salesman as a diplomatic liaison officer in Israel's Washington embassy.

Two years later Netanyahu, the son of a historian active in Israeli right-wing politics, became Israel's ambassador to the United Nations.

Arens later backed the younger man's bid to lead Likud after the party's 1992 election loss to the Labour Party.

But after Netanyahu won election as prime minister in May 1996, Arens grew increasingly critical of his protege's style.

Arens was born in Kaunas, Lithuania on December 27, 1925 and in 1939 emigrated with his family to the United States, where he grew up in New York City.

He studied mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which Netanyahu also attended later.

His studies were interrupted in August 1944, when he enlisted in the US Army Corps of Engineers.

He served for two years, reaching the rank of sergeant first class.

After discharge he returned to MIT, receiving a degree in mechanical engineering, then immigrated to Israel on the state's founding in 1948.

He later went back to the US to take a masters degree in aeronautical engineering at the California Institute of Technology.

He would become vice-president of engineering at Israel Aircraft Industries, where he managed aircraft and missile development projects.

Arens entered parliament in 1973, remaining there until he retired from politics in 2003, except for a year as Israel's ambassador to the US in 1982-1983.

A hawk, he voted against the 1978 Camp David accords with Egypt, Israels first peace agreement with an Arab country.Anarchists from the Rubicon Anarchist Collective have regularly denounced US "imperialism" and have carried out a series of similar actions, causing minor material damage but no injury

Two Greek anarchists were arrested Monday after hurling red paint at the US embassy in Athens, police said.

A further eight members of the Rubicon Anarchist Collective were also detained but later released over the incident, which caused minor material damage but no injuries, police added.

The Greek foreign ministry condemned an action it said undermined "longstanding friendly relations between the two peoples and the strategic relationship between Greece and the United States (which is) crucial for our country and the region."

The Rubicon group, which regards Washington's interventions in numerous regions including the nearby Balkans as "imperialism", arrived outside the embassy in the early hours and sprayed the entrance before police intervened.

Another gripe is the planned US withdrawal of troops from Syria, which the group said would "abandon the Kurds into Syria's hands".

Rubicon has carried out a number of similar acts on embassies, banks and public buildings in recent years, causing some material damage but no injury.

Last October, the group daubed paint over the facade of the Canadian embassy to protest the presence of a Canadian gold mining firm in northern Greece.

A month earlier, Rubicon targeted the Iranian embassy in "solidarity" with Iranian Kurds. Media reports say it plans to join a January 17 meeting of other anarchist organisations in Rome.Authorities said the suspects included "high ranking" BASF officials

Six former and current engineers for German chemicals giant BASF have been arrested in Taiwan on suspicion of leaking valuable technology to a competitor in China, authorities said Monday.

Taiwan's Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) released a statement saying the suspects were involved in a plot "to leak crucial technology and manufacturing processes... to make illegal profits".

An official with knowledge of the investigation said the group allegedly sold the trade secrets to Jiangyin Jianghua Microelectronics Materials, a tech company based in China's eastern Jiangsu province, pocketing $1.3 million.

"The technology involved in the case has an estimated market value of 100 million euros ($114 million) although the suspects were caught before they could sell the most confidential information," the official, who asked not to be named, told AFP.

The CIB did not provide a breakdown of how many suspects were working for BASF at the time of the arrests but they said they included "high ranking" officials including at least one at factory director level.

In a statement on its local website BASF said one current local employee was under investigation.

"We have taken immediate steps to support the investigation led by local law enforcement officials and protect the relevant information," the company said.

The arrests come as US President Donald Trump spars with China over its alleged theft of US technological know-how, one of a litany of grievances in his trade war with the Asian power.

In March, Trump imposed tariffs on $50 billion worth of imports from China for punishment over alleged IP theft, which the US says costs its companies as much as $600 billion a year.

China has denied the allegations and has taken steps to improve IP protections in recent years, including establishing specialised courts to handle matters including patent disputes, copyright and trademark infringement.

But a recent report by US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer's office accused China of continuing a campaign of state-backed cyber-attacks on American companies.

Employees at Taiwanese companies have previously faced allegations of trade theft benefiting China.

In October 2018, the US restricted sales of crucial technology to China's state-owned chipmaker Fujian Jinhua, accusing it of stealing trade secrets from US-based semiconductor giant Micron with the help of officials from Taiwan's United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC).

A year earlier, five former employees of Taiwan's local Micron subsidiary were charged with passing trade secrets to China.Wickrematunge endured years of harassment and intimidation for his work

Ten years after top newspaper editor Lasantha Wickrematunge was killed by a suspected government death squad the failure to secure a prosecution has come to highlight Sri Lanka's struggle with a dark past.

Just days before he was due to give evidence against the brother of the country's then strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse, two assailants on motorcycles blocked the car of the 50-year-old editor of the Sunday Leader newspaper before smashing the windows and stabbing him in the head.

The assassination is one of many unresolved killings of journalists carried out during Rajapakse's decade in power -- which also saw a 37-year conflict with Tamil separatists brought to a brutal conclusion, raising other ugly, unanswered questions.

Journalists and relatives will hold a vigil at Wickrematunge's grave on Tuesday, to put a new spotlight on the case that drew US-led condemnation.

"Lasantha's case attracted international attention, his killing was condemned globally, but we have not been able to secure justice yet," Free Media Movement (FMM) spokesman C. Dodawatte told AFP.

"We want to use the tenth death anniversary to step up a campaign for justice for the dozens of journalists killed in the past two decades," Dodawatte added.

- Litany of sabotage -

Before his death Wickrematunge -- who endured years of harassment and intimidation for his work -- had uncovered corruption in a multi-million dollar purchase of second-hand MiG planes from Ukraine implicating Rajapakse's brother Gotabhaya, a top defence ministry official at the time.

Critics say the investigation into the killing has been a litany of deliberate sabotage and misdirection.

A doctor who performed the first autopsy reported that Wickrematunge was shot dead. But a second examination after the body was exhumed in September 2016 said he had been fatally stabbed in the head.

Furthermore, a deputy inspector-general of police who was initially in charge of the case was arrested for trying to destroy evidence before being released on bail, while the then-head of military intelligence was taken into custody for his alleged involvement in the killing.

- Possible breakthrough -

After Rajapakse lost a 2015 election, a breakthrough in the case saw investigators inform a court that army spies had been responsible for Wickrematunge's killing.

A former army commander accused Gotabhaya in court of running a secret unit used to target journalists and dissidents during his brother's presidency.

Gotabhaya has denied any link to the killings and remains under investigation for corruption related to the MiG deal.

Rajapakse staged a brief return to office last year amid a power struggle between the president and prime minister.

Shortly after his return, the lead investigator in the Wickrematunge case was transferred, sparking alarm among rights groups.

As the crisis dragged on, Amnesty said in November it was concerned about the "seeming interference by the authorities" into investigations into attacks on journalists and human rights violations during the civil war.

"Justice in these cases is long overdue," it added.

Following widespread protests, President Maithripala Sirisena restored the investigator and Rajapakse was forced out of office.

-'Worth a killing'-

In a letter released to the media ahead of the anniversary of her father's death, Wickrematunge's daughter Ahimsa, who lives in Australia, said she had full confidence in the investigators.

But she doubted whether they would be allowed to do their job given Sirisena's new political alliance with Rajapakse.

"It becomes clearer by the day that covering up the truth of the MiG deal was literally worth a killing," she said.

Sirisena came to power in 2015 promising accountability for atrocities during the Tamil war as well as to reopen the investigations of media murders under the Rajapakse regime. Activists say he has failed to deliver.

Four months after Wickrematunge's murder, Sri Lanka's 37-year-long Tamil separatist war came to a bloody end. The rebel leadership was wiped out while some 40,000 Tamil civilians were also killed in the final months of fighting.

Successive Sri Lankan governments have resisted international calls for independent investigations.Prosecutors say Lee Hsien Yang's share of his father's will increased after his wife worked on the document

A fragile truce in Singapore's founding family was shattered Monday after state prosecutors alleged the wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's estranged brother may be guilty of professional misconduct.

The allegations mark the latest flare-up in a bitter quarrel between Premier Lee, and his younger brother and sister following the death in 2015 of their father, Singapore's revered founding leader Lee Kuan Yew.

At the centre of the dispute is a century-old family bungalow, which the late Lee wanted demolished after his death to avoid the creation of a personality cult.

The prime minister's siblings -- Lee Hsien Yang and Lee Wei Ling -- accuse their brother of blocking the house's demolition to capitalise on their father's legacy for his own political agenda.

The scandal erupted into public consciousness in 2017 and for months gripped a city-state not used to open criticism of its leaders, but had largely died down since the siblings vowed to stop their attacks on social media.

But tensions rose again in a separate case Monday when prosecutors announced the wife of Premier Lee's brother, a top corporate lawyer, had been referred to a body that oversees the work of lawyers due to possible professional misconduct.

The Attorney General's Chambers (AGC), the government's prosecuting arm, said Lee Suet Fern's involvement in the preparation of the elder Lee's last will involved a conflict of interest as her husband was one of the beneficiaries.

"Mr Lee Hsien Yang's share increased under the last will," the AGC said in a statement.

It said it had asked Lee Suet Fern multiple times to explain her position since October last year but did not receive a reply, prompting it to refer the matter to the professional lawyers' body for disciplinary action.

Lee Wei Ling said in a Facebook post also shared by Lee Hsien Yang that the AGC's 500-page complaint was a repetition of allegations made by Premier Lee.

She called the prosecutors' actions an "unprecedented use of such legal process involving a private will" and "wholly without merit".

Premier Lee has denied the allegations of blocking the bungalow's demolition.Yusaku Maezawa is chief executive of Japan's largest online fashion store and is the 18th richest person in Japan

Billionaire Japanese tycoon and future space tourist Yusaku Maezawa said Monday his tweet promising a cash giveaway of nearly $10,000 was the most retweeted ever.

The 43-year-old Maezawa posted a tweet on Saturday promising one million yen ($9,250) in cash each to 100 randomly selected followers who had retweeted it by Monday.

The tweet -- now retweeted more than 4.3 million times -- is the most shared in history, according to the entrepreneur.

"Hit the new world record. Surpassed Twitter's world record number of retweets (it was 3.55 million RTs before) and more people are still retweeting," wrote the high-profile Maezawa.

The previous record-holder was an American teenager in 2017 trying to win a year's supply of chicken nuggets from fast food chain Wendy's, according to media.

In October, Maezawa said he paid an undisclosed sum for a ticket on fellow tycoon Elon Musk's SpaceX rocket around the moon as early as 2023.

Maezawa will hitch a ride aboard Musk's Big Falcon Rocket, which SpaceX has acknowledged may not be ready for human flight for at least five years.

Known as a passionate art collector, he also plans to take around half a dozen artists with him on the trip.

Maezawa is chief executive of Japan's largest online fashion store and is the 18th richest person in Japan, with an estimated fortune of $2 billion, according to business magazine Forbes.Gabon's president Ali Bongo (R), who took over from his father in 2009, has been absent since October when he suffered a stroke in Saudi Arabia

Gabon, one of Africa's top oil producers, has been ruled for more than 50 years by the Bongo family.

President Ali Bongo, who took over from his father in 2009, oversaw the swearing-in of a new government on Tuesday, the day after returning home from an absence that prompted a foiled coup.

Bongo had been abroad since October when he suffered a stroke in Saudi Arabia.

Here is an overview of the lush African nation.

- On the equator -

Straddling the equator on Africa's Atlantic coast, Gabon shares borders with Congo-Brazzaville, Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.

A former French colony, it spans 268,000 square kilometres (103,000 square miles) with a population estimated at just over two million, according to the World Bank in 2017. One in two Gabonese is aged under 20.

Roughly 80 percent of its people are Christian, wit Muslims and animists accounting for the other 20 percent.

- Half-a-century of Bongo rule -

Gabon has enjoyed relative political stability since its independence in 1960 and has had just three presidents over half a century, two of them from one family.

After nationalist president Leon M'Ba, Omar Bongo took power in 1967 and ruled for 41 years, making his the third longest reign in modern Africa.

France's closest ally in Africa, Bongo was a key figure in a murky network of trade and political ties between France and its former African colonies known as "FrancAfrique".

When he died in 2009, his son Ali was elected, winning a second term in 2016 although the results were contested, plunging the country into a wave of post-vote violence.

Ali Bongo, 59, suffered a stroke on October 24 while in Saudi Arabia and was transferred to Morocco for treatment, being away from Gabon for nearly three months.

- Oil 'emirate' hits hard times -

Gabon has been an oil producer since the 1960s, earning it the title of "central Africa's little emirate".

Before a global slump in oil prices in 2015, black gold represented 45 percent of Gabon's gross domestic product, but this plunged to 27 percent of GDP in 2017.

An economic crisis since 2015 has led to a rise in unemployment, repeated strike action, companies operating on slowdown, and austerity measures being slapped on workers.

To reduce its dependence on oil, Gabon has looked to diversify its economy.

After taking power, Ali Bongo launched a string of construction projects, such as hospitals and roads, but several were halted due to lack of funds.

Despite its rich natural resources, about one-third of Gabon's population still live below the poverty line.

- Natural riches -

Gabon's forests cover about 80 percent of its territory, hosting exceptional wildlife and biodiversity which the country has sought to exploit through eco-tourism that highlights wild gorillas, chimpanzees, panthers, elephants and hippos.

In 2002, Omar Bongo created 13 new national parks that cover around 11 percent of Gabon to protect its wildlife and forests from excessive logging.

It is also the world's second largest producer of manganese, while forests provide 12 percent of global timber exports, including coveted tropical hardwoods.The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have spearheaded the battle against the Islamic State group in eastern Syria

The Kurdish-led force battling the remnants of the Islamic State group in eastern Syria said Monday it captured five foreign jihadists, including two US citizens.

The two Americans, two Pakistanis and an Irishman were part of a cell planning an attack on civilians fleeing the jihadist group's last bastion, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said.

The SDF has spearheaded the battle against IS in eastern Syria and is close to flushing out the jihadists from their last pocket near the Iraqi border.

The force, which receives key support in the air and on the ground from the US military, said in a statement that the jihadists were captured on December 30.

The SDF said its forces detected "a group of terrorists who had been preparing to attack the civilians who were trying to get out of the war zone".

"An operation against the cell was carried out by our forces," it said.

It published mugshots of the five foreign fighters and provided the following names:

- Warren Christopher Clark, USA

- Alexandr Ruzmatovich Bekmirzaev, Ireland

- Zaid Abed al-Hamid, USA

- Fadel al-Rahman, Pakistan

- Abed al-Azem Rajhoud, Pakistan

The Kurds in northeastern Syria say they hold around 1,000 foreign jihadist fighters, as well as 550 foreign women and 1,200 children who lived with them.

They are from dozens of different nationalities and include a significant contingent from France, the main US partner in the coalition assisting Kurdish forces.

The numbers of US jihadists held by the Kurds are believed to be small.

The fate of these foreign fighters and their families is a complex and sensitive issue.

Many countries are reluctant to bring them back home while Syria's Kurds argue they do not have the capacity to keep them locked up much longer.

The SDF, backed by coalition air strikes, has achieved major gains since the launch four months ago of an offensive to root out IS from the last rump of the once-sprawling "caliphate" it proclaimed in 2014.

The jihadists are clinging to a handful of villages in the Euphrates River Valley.

The largest ones are Sousa and Bahgouz, following the capture on Saturday of Al-Shaafa, according to the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights war monitor.The 15th king of Malaysia, Sultan Muhammad V, seen here in July 2018, gave up the throne just two years into his term

A new Malaysian king will be elected and sworn in this month, royal officials said Monday, after Sultan Muhammad V abdicated in a historic first following his reported marriage to a Russian former beauty queen.

The king stepped aside Sunday following intense speculation about his future after reports surfaced in recent weeks that he had taken medical leave, and then wed the former Miss Moscow.

As the country reacted with shock to the news, Malaysia's Islamic royal families met at the national palace to push ahead with the task of picking a king to take over from Muhammad V, 49, who gave up the throne after just two years.

Keeper of the Ruler's Seal, Syed Danial Syed Ahmad, said after the meeting that a new king and his deputy would be elected on January 24 and installed on January 31.

Swearing in ceremonies for Malaysian kings are lavish affairs, marked by honour guards and Islamic prayers and attended by hundreds of guests in traditional finery.

Muslim-majority Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy, with a unique arrangement where the throne changes hands every five years between rulers of the country's nine states.

The royal households take it in turn to provide the country's king, and it is usually known before the formal election who will become the monarch.

While their role is ceremonial, Malaysia's royalty command great respect, especially from Muslim Malays, and criticising them is strictly forbidden.

But the succession may not be as straightforward this time as the next in line to the throne, Sultan Ahmad Shah of Pahang state, is elderly and reported to be ailing. Royal officials said he did not attend Monday's meeting due to ill health.

- Game of thrones -

After him, the next in line under the rotation system is the sultan of southern Johor state.

Sultan Nazrin Shah of northern Perak state is the acting king, as he is the current deputy and performed Muhammad V's duties after he went on medical leave at the start of November.

Despite mounting speculation in recent days the king might give up the throne, there was still palpable shock across the country at the first abdication of a king since the end of British rule in 1957.

"I am naturally stunned. The (king) is a man of the people," Siti Nur Fahimah Razali, a 25-year-old trader from the king's home state of Kelantan, told the New Straits Times newspaper.

The relatively youthful Muhammad V was known for his relaxed persona and love of off-road driving and other extreme sports.

But there had been growing unease at his reign after reports emerged in foreign media in late November -- several weeks after the king went on leave -- that he had married the Russian, Oksana Voevodina, in a lavish ceremony in Moscow.

Royal officials in Malaysia have not so far commented on the reported wedding, or said what condition prompted him to take medical leave.

But such a marriage is unlikely to sit well with the country's conservative royal households.

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who had a tense relationship with the royals during his first stint as premier from 1981 to 2003 as he sought to curb their powers, said the government accepted Muhammad V's abdication, official news agency Bernama reported.

The leader said he hoped that a new king would be elected soon while insisting the government would not "interfere in this matter", it said.The US and its allies periodically send planes and warships near the Paracel Islands, an area claimed by China

A US Navy guided-missile destroyer on Monday sailed near disputed islands in the South China Sea where Beijing has built military installations, sparking anger in China as trade talks between the two countries kicked off.

The US and its allies periodically send planes and warships through the area, which is claimed by China, to signal to Beijing their right under international law to pass through the waters.

The USS McCampbell sailed within 12 nautical miles (22 kilometres) of the Paracel Islands "to challenge excessive maritime claims," US Pacific Fleet spokeswoman Rachel McMarr told AFP.

She added that so-called "freedom of navigation" operations are "not about any one country, nor are they about making political statements."

Beijing confirmed the sail-by, calling it a violation of China's sovereignty which has damaged "peace, safety and order" in the South China Sea.

Aircraft and warships were scrambled, sending out warnings for the American vessel to leave the area, known as Xisha in Chinese.

"We urge the US to immediately stop such provocative actions," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told a regular press briefing, adding that Beijing had lodged a diplomatic complaint with Washington.

"China will continue to take the necessary measures to defend national sovereignty and security."

The operation came as Chinese and US officials kicked off talks in Beijing to find a solution to a bitter trade war that prompted the two sides to impose tariffs last year on more than $300 billion in total two-way trade.

"All operations... demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows. That is true in the South China Sea as in other places around the globe," McMarr said.

The Paracel Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Beijing asserts nearly all of the South China Sea as its territory, while Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts.Bongo has not been back to Gabon since he fell ill in Saudi Arabia on October 24

Gabon soldiers on state radio early Monday called on the people to "rise up" and announced a "national restoration council" would be formed, as an ailing President Ali Bongo is out of the country.

Shots were heard in the around state television headquarters in the centre of the capital at about the same time as the message was read at 6:30 am (0530 GMT).

Military vehicles blocked access to the boulevard where the offices are located, an AFP correspondent said.

The message was read on state radio by a person who identified himself as the deputy commander of the Republican Guard and head of a group called the Patriotic Youth Movement of the Gabonese Defence and Security Forces.

Three soldiers wearing the green beret of the Republican Guard were visible on a video of the speech circulating on social media and authenticated by AFP.

The movement "calls on all young people from forces for the defence and security and Gabonese young people to join us," the officer said, announcing that a "national restoration council" would be formed.

"We cannot abandon our homeland," he said.

"The eagerly awaited day has arrived when the army has decided to put itself on the side of the people in order to save Gabon from chaos.

"If you are eating, stop; if you are having a drink, stop; if you are sleeping, wake up. Wake up your neighbours... rise up as one and take control of the street," he said on the radio.

He called on people to occupy public buildings and airports throughout the country.

The developments came as Bongo is recovering at a private residence in the Moroccan capital Rabat.

The 59-year-old leader has not been back to Gabon since he fell ill in Saudi Arabia on October 24.

It was revealed last month that he had suffered a stroke.

On December 31, he addressed the country for the first time since falling ill, saying in a recorded speech from Morocco that he had "been through a difficult period."

The Bongo family has governed the oil-rich equatorial African nation for five decades.

Ali Bongo was elected head of state after his father's death in 2009.

He was narrowly re-elected in 2016 following a presidential poll marred by deadly violence and allegations of fraud.Thousands attended the ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime

Tens of thousands of Cambodians packed a stadium in Phnom Penh Monday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the expulsion of the brutal Khmer Rouge regime -- a day strongman Prime Minister Hun Sen called the country's "second birthday".

The ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, installed a reign of terror in 1975 that left two million Cambodians dead from starvation, hard labour, torture and mass executions.

It ended on January 7, 1979, when Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge cadre, led Vietnamese forces into the capital to expel the murderous regime.

The 66-year-old premier hailed the day as Cambodia's "second birthday" at an elaborate ceremony in Phnom Penh's Olympic Stadium, where he was joined by traditional Khmer apsara dancers and marching bands.

"Today we celebrate this ceremony in order to recall unforgotten memories of the most heinous crimes of Pol Pot's group," Hun Sen told the crowd, and thanked Vietnam for saving the country.

A UN-backed tribunal found two top Khmer Rouge leaders guilty of genocide in a landmark ruling in November.

Traditional Khmer apsara dancers and marching bands joined the celebrations to mark what Prime Minister Hun Sen called the country's 'second birthday'

The feisty prime minister -- who has ruled the country for 33 years -- also took the opportunity to revisit history, hitting back at countries which continued supporting the Khmer Rouge after its ouster.

"These countries ... boasted about humanitarian and human rights and democracy (but) unjustly blocked" when the people needed assistance from the international community, he said, without naming any specific nation.

After the regime was toppled in 1979, Hun Sen found his Vietnam-backed government caught between geopolitical forces as the US sought to keep the ousted Khmer Rouge at the table in the United Nations.

The Southeast Asian country in recent years has tilted towards China thanks to loans for infrastructure and few complaints on human rights issues.

Last July, his party won a much-criticised election handily, after his government dissolved the country's main opposition group and jailed its leader -- effectively turning Cambodia into a one-party state.

Hun Sen on Monday vowed to "deny the actions of extremist opposition politicians and the foreign circle behind them", claiming that they were trying to push Cambodia from a democratic path.

Critics say Hun Sen's 33-year reign, as one of the longest serving premiers in the world, has created a more repressive Cambodia, where journalists, rights defenders and opposition politicians are routinely jailed for dissent.The fishing vessel was not licensed to be in Marshall Islands waters

The grounding of a Chinese-flagged fishing vessel in the Marshall Islands is being treated as a "crime scene", officials in the Pacific Ocean archipelago said Monday.

The 308-foot (94-metre) boat, which ran aground last week on a remote northern atoll, was not licensed to be in the country's waters.

"What they were doing in Marshall Islands' waters is still unanswered," Chief Secretary Ben Graham said, adding that the government "is treating this as a crime scene".

The boat's 24-member crew arrived in the capital Majuro on Sunday after being rescued by a government patrol boat and a Chinese fishing vessel, with the US Coast Guard providing aerial reconnaissance.

The grounded vessel, the Ou Ya Leng No 6, is a frozen fish carrier and the owner is reported to be a squid supplier to longline vessels fishing in the region.

Sam Lanwi, deputy director of the Marshall Islands Marine Resources Authority, said the boat was "not licensed to operate in the Marshall Islands exclusive economic zone".

Graham said investigators were interviewing the crew while other officials were heading to the scene of the incident to inspect the vessel and assess damage to the atoll.

"This is already an environmental disaster but there may be additional impacts if it begins leaking fuel," Graham said.Immigration is a hot button issue in Australia, where nearly half of the population was either born overseas or has at least one parent born abroad

An Australian senator faced criticism from across the political spectrum and possible censure Monday, after it emerged that he used taxpayer cash to fly business class to a far-right rally.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and opposition leader Bill Shorten both condemned Senator Fraser Anning's participation in the rally in the southern city of Melbourne on Saturday, a rare show of political unity.

Morrison accused the independent politician -- who often votes with the prime minister's Liberal coalition government -- of "associating himself with extreme and offensive racist views."

"He is a repeat offender on these issues," Morrison said.

Anning once called for a "final solution" to Australian immigration.

An anti-immigration rally at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne drew hundreds of demonstrators -- some of whom made Nazi salutes -- and counter-demonstrators.

Anning initially defended the rally as the "start of something bigger," but was forced to later defend his attendance.

Claiming he was 100 metres (yards) away from the neo-Nazi elements, Anning said he attended the rally -- on the other side of Australia -- in the interests of his constituents.

He denied the rally was racist, telling the Nine Network that: "There were decent Australian people who demonstrated their dislike for what the Australian government has done which has allowed these people to come into this country."

Labor deputy leader Tanya Plibersek called on Anning to pay back the cash.

"I think the vast majority of Australians would be disgusted to think their taxes are paying for an Australian senator to attend an event which seeks to divide, not unite our country."

Immigration is a hot button issue in Australia. Nearly half of the country's 25-million population was either born overseas or has at least one parent born abroad.

Morrison's government has taken a hard line on immigration policy, defending the use of controversial offshore detention centres.

He has come under pressure for not immediately denouncing Anning's attendance at the rally.

"Genuine concerns held by fair minded Australians about immigration levels, border protection or law and order should not be used as a cover or be hijacked to push hateful and ugly racist agendas," Morrison said.

"I'll always be prepared to call out extremism in all its forms."Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League party and its allies won the December 30 elections by a landslide, securing 288 seats in the 300-seat parliament

Sheikh Hasina was sworn in as Bangladesh's prime minister for a record fourth term Monday after a crushing election victory marred by deadly violence and claims of widespread rigging.

Hasina, 71, has presided over record economic growth in the South Asian country of 165 million people but critics have accused her of creeping authoritarianism.

Her ruling Awami League party and its allies won the December 30 elections by a landslide, securing 288 seats in the 300-seat parliament compared to just seven for the main opposition.

The campaign saw mass arrests of opposition activists and candidates and allegations of widespread rigging including ballot stuffing and voter intimidation.

Seventeen people were killed on election day.

The European Union has called for a probe into allegations of irregularities, saying "significant obstacles to a level playing field... tainted the electoral campaign and the vote."

The United States expressed concern about "credible reports of harassment, intimidation and violence".

The United Nations on Friday said there were indications that "reprisals" have targeted the opposition since the election, including physical attacks, arbitrary arrests, harassment, disappearances and filing of criminal cases.

The opposition, which last week boycotted the oath taking ceremony of the newly elected MPs, has demanded fresh polls under a neutral caretaker government -- something Hasina and the election commission have rejected outright.

- 'Mother of humanity' -

President Abdul Hamid administered Hassina'a oath in a ceremony at the presidential palace, Bangabhaban. A 47-member cabinet with many new faces was also sworn in.

To her supporters, Hasina is known as Bangladesh's "mother of humanity" for allowing in hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees fleeing a military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar in 2017.

Opponents accuse her of jailing arch-foe Khaleda Zia on politically motivated charges, of orchestrating mass arrests, enforced disappearances and passing Draconian anti-press freedom laws to try to cling to power.

Hasina was abroad in August 1975 when a group of renegade military officers assassinated her father, Bangladesh's first president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his wife and three sons.

She started her political career as a hero of the people, returning from exile in 1981 to take over as Awami League leader and beginning a long struggle to restore democracy in Bangladesh.

Hasina joined forces with Zia's BNP to help oust military dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad in 1990 but the pair soon fell out and were branded the "Battling Begums".

Their rivalry has dominated Bangladeshi politics for the last 30 years.

Hasina was first elected prime minister in 1996 but she struggled to emerge from the shadow of her father during her first term and lost the 2001 contest.

She returned to power after winning the December 2008 polls by landslide, just months after she was imprisoned by a military-backed government on corruption charges.

She has been in power ever since, presiding over economic expansion of more than six percent every year since 2009. GDP growth last year was 7.86 percent and Hasina has promised to take that into double digits.Bluebottle stings are a frequent occurrence in Australia

Highly venomous jellyfish have stung more than three thousand people on Australia's northeastern shores in just a few days, authorities said Monday, forcing the closure of several beaches.

The massive influx of Portuguese man o' war jellyfish, whose stings are notoriously painful, has been described as an "invasion" by local media in the state of Queensland.

Coastguard association Surf Life Saving said a "whopping" 3,595 people had suffered painful burns after encounters with the creatures, also known as bluebottles for their transparent bluish appearance.

At least four major beaches remained closed as the organisation warned that even more jellyfish were on their way.

"A wall of bluebottles is approaching #Rainbow beach. Lifesavers are closing the beach. Please stay out of the water," read one of several warnings from Surf Life Saving.

Bluebottle stings are a frequent occurrence and it is not uncommon to hear howls of pain from changing rooms along Australia's eastern beaches during the southern hemisphere's summer.

But the sheer number of people stung in the last few days has surprised authorities.

The stings of Portuguese Man o' War jellyfish, also known as bluebottles, are notoriously painful

There are usually around 10,000 cases of bluebottle stings each year on the east coast of Australia, according to the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

The extraordinary number of stings in the last few days has occurred as strong onshore winds have come in from the north-east, bringing the creatures into contact with swimmers.

The doctors' group describes the symptoms of a sting as an "immediate sharp pain and acute inflammatory skin reaction".

"The intense skin pain can last from minutes to many hours... The sting can also cause systemic signs such as nausea, vomiting and general feeling of malaise."

Treatment includes rinsing the wound with water at 45 degrees Celsius or using icepacks.

It is less straightforward to treat stings from the fearsome Irukandji variety of jellyfish, however.

Stings from these box jellyfish -- which can be smaller than a finger nail -- can cause acute muscular pain, violent vomiting, feelings of "impending doom", hair that stands on end, strokes, heart failure and death within minutes.

State-backed broadcaster ABC reported that the number of people taken to hospital with Irukandji stings in Queensland this season is already 20, double the normal yearly average.Kevin Spacey faces up to five years in prison if charged for molesting a teenager in 2016

Actor Kevin Spacey was due in court Monday to appear before a judge on the tony destination island of Nantucket, Massachusetts over accusations he sexually assaulted a teenager in 2016.

The "House of Cards" star had asked that his lawyers represent him at the hearing, but Judge Thomas Barrett declined, forcing Spacey to appear before him at 11:00 am (1600 GMT).

The formal charges come more than 13 months after the complaint was filed, and is part of the latest chapter in the #MeToo movement after the sentencing of actor Bill Cosby and the indictment against Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein.

The case marks the first time Spacey has faced charges, although there are dozens of claims against him.

The actor faces five years in prison if charged for repeatedly reaching down into the pants of a man identified as William Little, who was 18 at the time of the alleged assault in July 2016 at a Nantucket restaurant.

The young man had been working as a bus boy for the summer at the restaurant.

He had remained in the bar after his shift had finished to see Spacey, of whom he was a fan.

After meeting the actor and telling him he was 23 years old -- the legal drinking age is 21 in Massachusetts -- he said he started drinking first beer and then whiskey with Spacey at his urging.

Spacey then allegedly invited him back to his place, along with some other friends. The young man declined, suspecting the actor was trying to seduce him. But he stayed in the bar in the hopes of getting a picture with Spacey.

It was then Spacey began sexually molesting the young man, according to court filings.

The two-time Oscar winner -- for his supporting role in "Usual Suspects" in 1996 and his lead role in "American Beauty" in 2000 -- told the judge in a letter that he intends to plead not guilty.

- 'Without evidence' -

Spacey was considered one of the finest actors of his generation but his career nosedived starting in 2017 following allegations of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen men in the United States and Britain

Spacey, who was forced out of public life by accusations of sexual misconduct in 2017, posted a video online in December of himself speaking about allegations of sexual abuse in the character of Frank Underwood, the scheming politician he played in "House of Cards" before the show dropped him.

The message has several levels of interpretation, evoking both the destiny of Underwood, the lead character written off the show, and the claims against Spacey.

"You wouldn't believe the worst without evidence, would you? You wouldn't rush to judgments without facts, would you? Did you? No, not you. You're smarter than that," Spacey said in the video.

"Of course, some believed everything and have been just waiting with baited breath to hear me confess it all. They're just dying to have me declare that everything said is true and that I got what I deserved.

"Only you and I both know it's never that simple, not in politics and not in life."

Spacey was considered one of the finest actors of his generation, but his career nosedived following allegations of sexual misconduct by more than a dozen men in the United States and Britain.

In addition to the Nantucket case, two other investigations are underway in Los Angeles and London, where Spacey served as artistic director of the prestigious Old Vic theater from 2004 to 2015.

Mexican actor Roberto Cavazos, who performed in several Old Vic productions, said "it seems that it only took a male under 30 to make Mr Spacey feel free to touch us."

The first public report of alleged abuse by him came from actor Anthony Rapp, who claimed that Spacey sexually abused him when Rapp was 14, in 1986.

Spacey has not appeared on the screen or on stage since Rapp came forward.

Director Ridley Scott even removed Spacey from his film "All the Money in the World" (2017) by shooting all scenes in which the actor appeared again with another star, Christopher Plummer.Carlos Ghosn will finally get his day in court

The case of auto tycoon Carlos Ghosn has gripped Japan and the business world since his stunning arrest in November, and now he is finally getting his day in court.

Ghosn will be able to make his first public statement at a brief hearing on Tuesday, after his lawyers used an obscure article of Japan's constitution to demand an explanation for his detention.

- What will happen in court? -

The hearing is "a dialogue between the lawyer and the judge, and the prosecutor is not required to be present," said Yasuyuki Takai, a former investigator at the unit that arrested Ghosn.

The judge is likely to give a brief explanation for Ghosn's detention, and the Constitution mandates that the accused be permitted to speak as well.

However there is no allotted time for his comments, and the judge could require Ghosn to read a prepared statement rather than give off-the-cuff remarks.

In theory he is free to say what he wants until the judge tells him to stop, said Takai. "He can wear what he wants, but he'll be handcuffed until the entrance of the courtroom," he added.

He will not, however, be permitted to speak to reporters, the general public or family members in court.

"This hearing will have no bearing on the rest of the case," Takai said. "There's no chance that Ghosn's release will be ordered tomorrow."

- What is Ghosn accused of? -

Prosecutors are investigating three separate lines of enquiry:

-- He is accused of under-reporting his salary by around five billion yen ($44 million) between 2010 and 2015 in official documents sent to shareholders.

-- He is accused also of under-reporting his salary by a further four billion yen between 2015 and 2018.

-- He is further accused of trying to transfer 1.85 billion yen in personal investment losses during the financial crisis to Nissan. He is also accused of wiring company funds to a Saudi associate who put up collateral for him in the investment scheme.

Authorities have so far only pressed formal charges over the first accusation.

Ghosn reportedly denies all the allegations.

- Why is he still in prison? -

Under Japanese law, a suspect can be held for weeks, or even months, as prosecutors probe different allegations.

After the initial arrest they have 48 hours to question the suspect. They can then apply for two consecutive 10-day extensions.

After a maximum of 22 days they must either press formal charges, release the suspect on bail or come up with new allegations.

Ghosn was initially held until December 10 as prosecutors investigated the first allegation against him. They then formally charged him, kicking off a two-month period of pre-trial detention that is renewable.

But prosecutors also simultaneously re-arrested him on the second set of allegations, restarting the 22-day clock.

A court rejected a further extension of that set -- raising the possibility of Ghosn's release on bail -- but in another twist, prosecutors slapped the tycoon with a third set of allegations, restarting the whole process.

The case has sparked criticism of the Japanese legal system, especially from overseas.

- What happens next? -

The detention period for the third allegation against Ghosn expires on January 11, by which time prosecutors must decide whether to charge him, re-arrest him on new allegations or allow him to apply for bail.

Even if prosecutors do not level new allegations, the former Nissan chief could remain in jail in pre-trial detention.

If prosecutors charge him with either of the outstanding allegations that would also restart the pre-trial detention clock.

If no new allegations are levelled against Ghosn he could apply for bail. His alleged accomplice and former right-hand man at Nissan, Greg Kelly, successfully won bail on December 25 on the condition he stays in Japan.Goldman Sach's role is under scrutiny as the Wall Street titan helped arrange $6.5 billion in bonds for 1MDB

An ex-Goldman Sachs banker facing charges in the US and Malaysia over a massive financial scandal Monday had his bid to be freed on bail rejected by a Kuala Lumpur court.

Huge sums of public money were purportedly stolen from state fund 1MDB and used to buy everything from yachts to artwork in a scheme that allegedly involved former premier Najib Razak and contributed to his government's shock election defeat in May.

Goldman's role is under scrutiny as the Wall Street titan helped arrange $6.5 billion in bonds for 1MDB, with Kuala Lumpur accusing the bank and its former employees of misappropriating billions of dollars.

Ng Chong Hwa, a Malaysian former managing director at the bank, was indicted over the controversy in November in America -- investigators believe stolen cash was laundered through the US financial system -- and US authorities are seeking to extradite him.

Malaysia then filed charges against Ng last month, as well as Goldman and another of its former employees, Tim Leissner.

Ng's lawyers applied for the ex-banker, who has been in custody in Malaysia since the US filed charges, to be released on bail as part of proceedings linked to the American extradition request.

But Judge Edwin Paramjothy Michael Muniandy rejected the application.

"The respondent poses a serious flight risk," he told the court.

"I am of the view that the respondent's presence will not be secured by the setting of bail."

Ng plans to appeal.

Authorities have offered bail of $239,000 related to the Malaysian charges, meaning if Ng's application was granted then he could have paid that amount and left custody.

Lawyer Tan Hock Chuan argued that Ng, who had his head shaved and looked weak during the court appearance, had suffered health problems in prison, including food poisoning and dengue fever.

He also complained that Ng's legal team was not being granted enough access to him.

Malaysian prosecutors say there is no conflict between the American attempt to extradite Ng and the charges he faces in Malaysia, and suggest the US will wait for proceedings in Malaysia to wrap up before moving forward with their case.

Leissner was also charged in the US over the scandal, and pleaded guilty.

Goldman has vowed to fight the charges against it.Australian veteran Samantha Stosur has defied her poor home record to claim a first-round victory at the Sydney International.

Stosur appeared on her way to losing another tournament-opener on home soil when she lost the first set to former Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova on Monday night.

However, the 35-year-old, now ranked 74th in the world, wound back the clock by smashing 15 aces on her way to prevailing 6-3 3-6 4-6 on Ken Rosewall Arena.

The former US Open champion will now meet Timea Bacsinszky in the second round.

"I thought I played really well, and as the match went on I got better and better," Stosur said.

"I thought I served great. I was really confident going into that last game because of all the momentum I felt like I had. Yeah, obviously really pleased."

The victory is a major confidence boost ahead of next week's Australian Open at Melbourne Park, where she hasn't won a match since 2015.

Stosur has been criticised in recent years for a disappointing on home soil, and again lost her first match in Brisbane last week to 139th-ranked Marie Bouzkova.

It was her fifth first-round exit in Brisbane in six years.

She also hasn't made the quarter-finals in the harbour city since 2014, but will be buoyed by a vintage performance against the 25th-ranked Cibulkova.

Stosur, who had also lost her past six matches against a top-50 opponent, is hopeful Monday's result changes the perception about her struggles on her home turf.

"I don't feel like it's been the issue all the time for me here. It's kind of something that happened a few times, and then it just gets repeated," Stosur said.

"I don't know. Maybe tonight's helped change that.

"It's funny because it's not like we are playing easy players, either.

"This is a really tough tournament, so you're playing someone who is top 30 in the world every single round. It's not a given that everyone wins everything."Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 9)  President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to close down hotels near Manila Bay without proper water treatment systems following his order to rehabilitate the polluted body of water.

"Kaya sabi ko kay [I told] Roy Cimatu at General (Eduardo) Ano, you start cleaning the Manila Bay. And they will start to clean it." Duterte said in a speech before barangay officials in Pasay City Thursday.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), headed by Cimatu, earlier said 47-billion pesos will be alloted for the bay's clean-up.

The President then warned hotels near the bay to shape up with their waste disposal measures.

"Lagyan ninyo ng water treatment (system) 'yang hotel ninyo, kung hindi sarahan ko 'yan. Wag mo akong hamunin," he said. "Kung wala tayong turista, eh di wala. Di naman tayo mamamatay."

[Translation: Place water treatment systems in your hotels or else I will shut you down. Do not dare me. If we do not have tourists, it's fine. We won't die.]

The 2,000-square kilometer Manila Bay has been found to have extreme levels of coliform -- bacteria which indicate disease-causing organisms are present -- at 333 million most probable numbers per 100 milliliters (MPN/100ml), according to the DENR.

Cimatu earlier said the long-term goal is to reduce the coliform level to 100 MPN/100ml, or low enough for the bay to be safe for swimming.

The Manila Bay is one of the many locations needing rehabilitation in the Philippines. In April 2018, Duterte ordered the six-month clean-up of Boracay Island after calling it a "cesspool."

A Supreme Court ruling in 2008 ordered the DENR to lead government agencies including itself for the bay's clean-up. Among the agencies included are the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of Budget and Management (DBM),Department of Education (DepEd), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

These agencies are required to submit quarterly reports on the clean-up.

DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said involved agencies will have a preliminary meeting on the project with the local government units on January 15.STR/AFP/Getty Images(LONDON) -- The United Nations granted refugee status to a Saudi woman on Wednesday who was publicly pleading for help in Thailand.



Eighteen-year-old Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun started calling for support on Monday via Twitter. She said Thai authorities took her passport as she was trying to fly to Australia, where she planned to apply for asylum. She claimed her family abused her.

Please help @TLHR2014 @sunaibkk I am in bangkok about to be forced on a flight back to Saudi where my life is in danger  Rahaf Mohammed   (@rahaf84427714) January 6, 2019

Please help, al-Qunun posted on Twitter, I am in Bangkok about to be forced on a flight back to Saudi where my life is in danger.



Al-Qunun barricaded herself in her hotel room in the Bangkok airport after authorities tried to remove her from her room. She said they were attempting to force her to board a flight to Kuwait, where she had flown to Thailand from.



She uploaded videos to Twitter of her interactions with Thai authorities and pleas for help, writing, I want UN! and I want UNHCR."



Hours later, Melissa Fleming, chief communications spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) wrote on Twitter that Thai authorities granted the agency access to al-Qunun.



UNHCR has been following developments closely and immediately sought access from the Thai authorities to meet with Ms. Mohammed Al-qunun, 18, to assess her need for international protection, the agency said in a statement.



On Wednesday, the UNHCR officially gave her refugee status after reviewing her case. Thai officials then agreed to let al-Qunun leave the airport with UNHCR officials.



On Wednesday, 48 hours after her ordeal began, al-Qunun posted a photo of herself on Twitter. Hey... Im happy, she wrote.

Hey.. Im happy  pic.twitter.com/FJJvz8Kzu0  Rahaf Mohammed   (@rahaf84427714) January 9, 2019

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.A man has been shot and another three have been arrested following a street fight outside an automotive business in Sydney's west.

Emergency services were called to Berry Street in Clyde just before 5pm on Monday following reports of a shooting.

A 48-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound to his foot and police were told he had just before been involved in a fight.

He was taken to Westmead Hospital in a stable condition.

Three men were arrested near the crime scene, including two 22-year-olds taken to Granville Police Station.

The third man suffered facial injuries and was taken to hospital under police guard.The NSW police force has officially apologised to state Greens MP Jenny Leong after officers posted racists comments about her on Facebook.

The offensive comments in early 2016 mocked Ms Leong's ethnic background and included the lines "2 dolla sucky sucky lub u long time" and "swamp monkey".

The Newtown MP in November 2018 lodged a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission alleging the comments amounted to racial hatred under Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.

She sought an apology from NSW Police and a public statement acknowledging officers engaged in unlawful and offensive behaviour.

She also demanded the force provide cultural and racial awareness training.

NSW Police responded on Monday by stating all officers should treat every member of the community with respect.

"In December 2017, (the) NSW police force made sustained findings including that the off-duty conduct had taken place and took disciplinary action against some of the officers," the force said in a statement.

"The NSW police force has apologised to Ms Leong."

The statement concluded: "As part of the NSW police force's commitment to ongoing training of all officers a training package specifically focusing on the use of social media will be developed to complement the existing training undertaken by all officers and members."

Ms Leong on Monday welcomed the police response.

"This statement was the result of the (AHRC) complaint," she told AAP.

"We settled the complaint on a confidential basis. I'm pleased this is resolved."SO WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT BLUEBOTTLES?

Sometimes confused with larger, more venomous Atlantic cousin, Physalia physalis (or Portuguese Man o' War), the common bluebottle is known as Physalia utriculus.

Bluebottles appear to be single animals but are actually colonial organisms called siphonophores.

Within the colony, specialised polyps make up the float, tentacles, digestive system and reproductive organs.

The float, or sac, supports the colony and can grow up to 15cm.

These floats or sails lean left or right, ensuring only part of a population is blown into shore and stranded during certain conditions.

A group of bluebottles is called an 'armada', which is Portuguese/Spanish for a naval fleet.

HOW AND WHAT DO THEY EAT?

Bluebottles are active fishers, dragging their tentacles through the water in search of prey.

They catch, sting and kill fish and other small marine life and then the main fishing tentacle contracts the prey towards its mouths (yes, plural).

The tentacles are armed with batteries of powerful stinging cells (nematocysts), which inject potent immobilising venom.

WHERE DO THEY LIVE?

Bluebottle armadas travel the ocean's surface at the mercy of wind.

They are most prevalent in sub-tropical regions but sometimes turn up en masse in North Queensland.

Generally, though, large armadas can be found along beaches on the Gold Coast, around Sydney and Perth, and across Tasmania.

IF YOU GET STUNG

Surf Life Saving Queensland advises to remove stingers, take a very hot shower and apply ice.

Source: Australian GeographicShe's a British icon, a global supermodel and fashion royalty.

But Kate Moss was on big sister duties when she rung in her half sibling Lottie's 21st birthday at the La Famiglia restaurant, in Chelsea on Wednesday.

The supermodel, 44, cut a trendy figure in a furry jacket and flares while she juggled two presents as well as a card for the birthday girl in her hands.

Moss be in the family! Kate Moss, 44, wowed in a furry wrap as she carried two presents on the way to celebratory dinner for her half-sister Lottie's 21st birthday

Having stood the test of time in the world of flashy photoshoots and catwalks for 30 years, it's no wonder Kate made her modelesque beauty prominent with make-up.

The stylish businesswoman took great care as she carried one huge gift and another small box in her hands en route to the snazzy eatery.

Kate's golden mane looked glossy in the lights as her tresses caressed her cheeks and tumbled down to her shoulders.

It's so cold outside: Only the thigh-grazing hem of Lottie's saucy number was visible beneath her stylish mid-length raincoat as she braved the dismal temperatures of 3 degrees

Fur-ever in fashion: The supermodel, 44, cut a trendy figure in a furry jacket and flares while she juggled two presents as well as a card for the birthday girl in her hands

Fur-ever beautiful: Having stood the test of time in the world of flashy photoshoots and catwalks for 30 years, of course Kate made her modelesque beauty prominent with make-up

Only the thigh-grazing hem of Lottie's saucy number was visible beneath her stylish mid-length raincoat as she braved the dismal temperatures of 3 degrees.

The model, who has followed in the starry footsteps of her half-sister, brought a dash of sparkle to her look with her rhinestone covered heels.

Although a natural blonde like her fashionable sister, Lottie continued to style out being a brunette as she groomed her dyed locks into picture-perfect coiffed curls.

Birthday girl! Although a natural blonde like her fashionable sister, Lottie continued to style out being a brunette as she groomed her dyed locks into picture-perfect coiffed curls

Freezing: Also on the plush scene to celebrate was the models' mother Inga Moss who made her arrival in a very quirky ensemble

She's fur-ever beautiful: Kate's golden mane looked glossy in the lights as her tresses caressed her cheeks and tumbled down to her shoulders

Despite shunning a reality star TV career unlike her close Made In Chelsea BFFs, Lottie upheld the glamorous image she has established on star-studded nights out.

Also on the plush scene to celebrate was the models' mother Inga Moss who made her arrival in a very quirky ensemble.

Dressed for the spine-chilling conditions, the mother-of-two looked snug in a loose-fitted over sized grey turtleneck which she paired with striped flares.

Kate may have been in the modelling game for 30 years after she was scouted by a talent spotter at JFK airport, in New York City just aged 14.

She's so stylish: Despite shunning a reality star TV career unlike her close Made In Chelsea BFFs, Lottie upheld the glamorous image she has established on star-studded nights out

Stand proud: The model, who has followed in the starry footsteps of her half-sister, brought a dash of sparkle to her look with her rhinestone covered heels

And while she always looks fantastic, the catwalk stunner confessed she still gets 'jitters' when she struts her stuff on the runway all these years later.

'I still get nervous when I walk on set,' she told LOVE magazine in January.

Kate elaborated: 'I still kind of think, "OMG I don't know what I'm thinking", then I get on set, then one pic is done, then I know what I'm doing.

'It's more about figuring who the character is that I'm playing or who I'm going to play that day. Figuring out who that is, then I'm OK.'

Blooming lovely: Kate helped her half-sister carry out her presents as she was seen making her departure from the eatery with a huge bouquet of flowers in a bright pink box

What an exit: The supermodel kept her look casual as she paired her flares with a grey top for her sister's birthday celebrationsShe put on a glamorous display as she attended the Golden Globes with husband Sasha Baron Cohen on Sunday evening.

But actress Isla Fisher looked equally gorgeous dressed down as she took her dog for a walk in Studio City, Los Angeles, on Wednesday.

The Aussie starlet flaunted her slender figure in activewear - including a pair of clingy leggings, a white T-shirt and a blue cropped hoodie.

Natural beauty! Isla Fisher, 42, shows off her incredibly youthful visage as she goes makeup free while taking her dog for a walk

The 42-year-old also showed off her youthful visage by going makeup free during the outing.

The mother-of-three picked up a cup of coffee and a healthy breakfast snack on the walk, and appeared in good spirits with her pooch by her side.

Meanwhile, Isla oozed with old Hollywood glamour as she arrived at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills on Sunday.

The flamed-haired beauty stepped out in a black lace gown alongside her husband Sacha, 47, who was nominated for for his role in comedy series Who Is America?

Fit as a fiddle! The Aussie starlet flaunted her slender figure in active wear - including a pair of clingy leggings, a white T-shirt and a blue cropped hoodie

Mane attraction: Isla's red locks were centre parted and glossed to perfection

Chic: Isla shielded herself from the winter sun in a pair of chic sunglasses

Isla looked simply ravishing in the floor-sweeping ballgown, which appeared to be a tribute to the fashion trends of yesteryear with its vintage silhouette.

Her couture gown featured a horizontal panel design consisting of delicate lace and gorgeous sheer mesh.

She styled her copper-coloured locks into soft waves which cascaded beautifully down her right shoulder.

Coffee break: The mother-of-three picked up a cup of coffee and a healthy breakfast snack on the walk, and appeared in good spirits with her pooch by her side

Strolling: Isla added to the low-key look with a pair of comfortable blue trainers

Happy: Isla appeared in a fabulous mood as she continued on about her day

Meanwhile, Sacha looked dapper in a midnight blue velvet jacket, which he paired with a black bow tie and white shirt.

Sacha was a surprise nominee for his provocative show, which embarrassed U.S. politicians who were duped by fake persona.

Isla first met the English comedian in 2002 at a party in Sydney. The pair were engaged two years later and married in 2010 in Paris.

The couple share three children: daughters Olive, 11, and Elula, eight, and son Montgomery, three.

Glam: Meanwhile, Isla oozed with old Hollywood glamour as she arrived at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills on Sunday

By his side: The flamed-haired beauty stepped out in a black lace gown alongside her husband Sacha Baron Cohen, 47, who was nominated for for his role in comedy series Who Is America



Tammy Hembrow has revealed she was born with a rare genetic mutation that caused her to have 12 fingers.

The Instagram model, 24, made the startling confession in a YouTube video early last year.

In the video titled, '10 things you don't know about me', Tammy explained her two extra fingers were 'chopped off' soon after she was born.

'I got them chopped off': Tammy Hembrow has revealed she was born with 12 FINGERS due to a rare genetic mutation that runs in her family. Pictured in a YouTube Q&A video

'I was actually born with two extra fingers,' said the fashion entrepeneur.

Explaining the bizarre condition, Tammy said the additional digits were attached to her little fingers on each head.

The fingers had nails but were completely boneless.

'They had no bones': Explaining the bizarre condition, Tammy told her fans the additional digits were attached to her little fingers on each head

Scars: In the video, Tammy also showed the scars from her operation to remove the extra fingers, and admitted she didn't know she had the condition until 'late primary school'

'They were like another pinky with a nail and everything, but it had no bones in it. So when I was born I got them chopped off,' she added.

Tammy explained that the mutation 'runs in her family', with her older sisters Emilee, 26, and Amy, 28, also being born with extra fingers.

In addition, her mother and grandmother were born with extra fingers.

However, Tammy's children with ex-fiance Reece Hawkins - son Wolf, four, and daughter Saskia, two - were not born with the mutation.

Internet sensation: Tammy is a popular Instagram model, influencer and business owner based on Queensland's Gold Coast

Genetics: Tammy explained the mutation 'runs in her family', with sisters Emilee and Amy also being born with extra fingers. Pictured: Tammy with sisters Amy (left) and Starlette (centre)

In the video, she also showed the scars from her operation to remove the extra fingers and admitted she didn't know she had the condition until 'late primary school'.

'One day, my friend was like, "What's that?" And I was like, "What do you mean? That's just part of the human body,"' she recalled.

'Then I checked and no one else had them [the scars].'

Tammy apparently then spoke to her father, actor Mark Hembrow, about the marks on her hands and he revealed she had the condition.

What's this, dad? Tammy didn't know she had the condition until 'late primary school' when she asked her father Mark Hembrow (right) why she had scars on her hands. Pictured left: Tammy's sister Emilee, who was also born with 12 fingers

That's a blessing! Tammy said her children with ex-fiance Reece Hawkins - son Wolf, four, and daughter Saskia, two - were not born with the mutation. Pictured: Reece with Wolf and SaskiaNicole Kidman certainly made an entrance at the 2019 Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills on Sunday.

Looking every inch the Hollywood star, the Australian actress flaunted her slender figure in an extravagant figure-hugging sequinned dress by designer Michael Kors.

But according to Who's Golden Globes coverage this week, the 51-year-old required help behind the scenes to get back into her gown after going to the restroom.

A helping hand! Nicole Kidman shared VIP Golden Globes bathroom with another major star while being assisted back into her Spanx

The article claimed Nicole was escorted to one of two VIP bathrooms during the evening, which were reserved for top-tier attendees.

'At one point, Nicole Kidman and Lady Gaga were in the bathrooms at the same time before handlers helped Kidman back into her Spanx.'

It's alleged the pair were being tended to at the same time, as Gaga required assistance to get back into her oversized blue frock.

Bathroom buddies! It's alleged Nicole (left) and Lady Gaga (right) were being tended to at the same time in the VIP bathrooms, as Lady Gaga also required assistance to get back into her oversized blue frock

Daily Mail Australia has contacted Nicole Kidman's management for comment.

Nicole's full-length red dress was accessorised with a glitter ball handbag and black hair bow.

It featured a long split up the back, long sleeves and a high neckline.

Beauty in blue! Lady Gaga stole the show on the Golden Globes red carpet in a flowing, eggshell blue Valentino dress

Meanwhile, Lady Gaga stole the show on the red carpet in a flowing, eggshell blue Valentino dress.

Nicole and Gaga had been nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture for their roles in Destroyer and A Star Is Born, but lost the award to Glenn Close of The Wife.

Gaga, 32, didn't walk away empty handed though, as she claimed a statue for Best Original Song for A Star Is Born's Shallow.

Winner! Gaga, 32, didn't walk away empty handed though, as she claimed a statue for Best Original Song for A Star Is Born's ShallowYes, there was a luxury hotel, in the Maldives no less, but as honeymoons go, it's far from the usual set-up.

Gwyneth Paltrow and her new husband Brad Falchuk spent the holidays in one of the most beautiful places on earth - and to join them, brought along her ex-husband Chris Martin, his new love Dakota Johnson, their kids, and Gwyneth's best friend and her family.

'It was a very modern honeymoon,' actress turned lifestyle guru Gwyneth laughed as she was interviewed on Live With Kelly and Ryan on Wednesday.

'Modern honeymoon': On Live With Kelly And Ryan on Wednesday, Gwyneth Paltrow revealed the many others who joined her and Brad Falchuk on their vacation to the Maldives

Gwyneth explained: 'We just took our honeymoon in the Maldives and we had a big family honeymoon over Christmas.

'So, my new husband and his children, my children, my ex-husband, our best family friends. It was a very modern honeymoon.'

She said the trip wasn't awkward, despite the company.

'Oh, just great conversation and lots of kids,' she said of the unconventional trip. 'It was great. We had such a good time.'

As fans may recall, Gwyneth and Glee producer Brad, who married in September, celebrated their union with a whirlwind tour of Europe's most romantic spots.

So for their tropical break, they were more than happy to bring along a crowd.

Not quite getting away from it all! Gwyneth Paltrow opens up about 'very modern honeymoon' with husband Brad Falchuk, ex Chris Martin, his new love Dakota and the kids

Still had fun: Gwyneth is pictured during the getaway

Romance: Both Brad and Gwyneth have two children from their previous marriages

While they have both now found love a second time round, Gwyneth and Coldplay rocker Chris have stayed in close contact since the end of their ten-year-marriage four years ago.

As well as spending Christmas in the Maldives, they were also together for Thanksgiving along with Apple, 14, and Moses, 12.

Opening up: 'It was a very modern honeymoon,' actress turned lifestyle guru Gwyneth laughed as she was interviewed on Live With Kelly and Ryan on Wednesday

Busy Gwyn: The Goop founder is making the media rounds this week to promote her newest cookbook, The Clean Plate

TV spot: The actress spoke to Kelly and Ryan about her holiday

'We just wanted to minimize the pain for the kids,' explained the cookbook author.

'They just want to see their parents around the dinner table, basically, so we try to keep that.'

Goop founder Gwyneth is making the media rounds this week to promote her newest cookbook, The Clean Plate, and was also on Good Morning America on Wednesday morning, where she talked of her love for Brad.

When asked how they were finding marriage she said: 'I love it. Everything is great.'On Wednesday, HBO released the first image of Jude Law in The New Pope as he reprises his controversial role from 2016's The Young Pope.

The 46-year-old English actor will be joined in the new series by veteran star John Malkovich, 65.

It might be a while before the succession mystery is solved, as The New Pope currently lacks a premiere date.

Sinful savior: On Wednesday, HBO released the first image of Jude Law, 46, and John Malkovich, 65, in The New Pope, the sequel to The Young Pope

In the original series, Jude played Lenny Belardo, Archbishop of New York.

His youth and novel status as an American leads to his election as the first American pope.

Rather than being a force for rejuvenation, the new Pope Pius XIII doubles down on the Vatican's gamesmanship and intrigue, threatening to upend the organization's top chain of command.

Smoking hot: In the original series, Jude played Lenny Belardo, Archbishop of New York; still from The Young Pope

Still green: Lenny's youth and novel status as an American leads to his election as the first American pope; still from The Young Pope

New at this: Rather than being a force for rejuvenation, the new Pope Pius XIII doubles down on the Vatican's gamesmanship and intrigue, threatening to upend the organization's top positions; pictured filming The Young Pope in 2015

The 10-episode limited series was created and directed by Paolo Sorrentino, who also helms each episode of its follow-up, The New Pope.

The Italian auteur is best known for his 2013 film The Great Beauty, which captured the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and was nominated for the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival.

The series takes up after The Young Pope's cliffhanger ending, which saw Pius XIII confronted with a moment of weakness that threatened to destroy his papacy.

The New Pope? The stage and screen actor filmed scenes from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome in which he appeared to be giving an Urbi et Orbi papal address to the crowds; pictured in November in Rome

Who's playing who? John was also dressed in the pure white outfit associated with the Catholic patriarch, bringing into question who exactly The New Pope refers to; still from The Young Pope

Little has been revealed about the plot of this follow-up series, and John Malkovich's character has yet to be revealed.

However, the stage and screen veteran was seen filming from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, where he appeared to be giving an Urbi et Orbi papal address to the crowds.

John was also dressed in the pure white outfit associated with the Catholic patriarch, bringing into question who exactly The New Pope refers to.

He and Jude appear to wear the same outfits in the first look photo released by HBO.

The series will come out some time in 2019.She's got Hollywood in her veins, as the daughter of famed Hitchcok actress Tippi Hedren.

And it was in her hometown that Melanie Griffith was spotted on Tuesday, as she stocked up on groceries after returning from her New Year's break.

The Working Girl star wore her blonde hair in a messy topknot as she shopped, pushing hr trolley around the store.

Hitting the store: Melanie Griffith goes casual as she shops for groceries with her hair in a topknot in West Hollywood on Wednesday

Melanie, 61, spent the start of the year in her second home of Aspen, Colorado, with her youngest child, daughter Stella, 22, born during her 18-year marriage to Antonio Banderas.

Melanie is also mother to actress Dakota Johnson, 29, from her marriage to Don Johnson, and her only son, 33-year-old Alexander Griffith Bauer, from her marriage to Steven Bauer.

Melanie married 50 Shades star Dakota's father twice. He was her first husband in the mid-1970s, then the two reconnected following her divorce from Bauer, remarrying in 1989 and welcoming their daughter.

Back to reality: Melanie, 61, spent the start of the year in her second home of Aspen, Colorado, with her youngest child, daughter Stella, 22, born during her marriage to Antonio Banderas

Last month, Melanie revealed she desperately tried to seduce Alec Baldwin while filming Working Girl  but he turned her down.

She gave an Oscar-nominated performance as secretary Tess McGill, trying to scramble up the corporate investment ladder in the 1988 classic.

Alec, 60, played her cheating boyfriend in one of his first big roles.

Alec Baldwin is handsome and charming, and I just had such a crush on him,' she dished to The Hollywood Reporter in an interview to celebrate the movies 30th anniversary.

'But he wouldnt go there with me. I was like, "Oh come on, have a romance with me!" But no, Alec said, "I cant do this with people I work with." Hes a sweetheart.'Newlywed life is going great for Gwyneth Paltrow.

The Goop founder is making the media rounds this week to promote her newest cookbook and was spotted heading into GMA in a bold ensemble on Wednesday.

During her segment, the 46-year-old gushed about her new husband Brad Falchuk while whipping up healthy eats.

Newlyweds: Gwyneth Paltrow gushed about her marriage to Brad Falchuk during a segment on GMA Wednesday while promoting her fourth cookbook

When asked about her new marriage, the healthy living guru was quick to exclaim how happy she is.

'I love it!' Paltrow enthusiastically quipped.

Adding: 'So far, so good.'

For the segment the Royal Tenenbaums star donned a vibrant monochromatic look with a purple short sleeve top tucked into a matching pair of purple trousers, both from Genny.

Bold: The star rocked a vibrant monochromatic Genny ensemble in a bright purple shade

Married life: 'I love it!' Paltrow enthusiastically quipped about being the wife of producer Brad Falchuk

Outside of the show she threw on a long black double breasted coat.

Her signature California girl blonde tresses were blown out straight in her usual style.

The Academy Award Winner was doing a cooking demo for the morning show and made some clean, allergen free Teriyaki chicken from her newest book The Clean Plate: Eat, Reset, Heal.

Eat pretty: Gwyneth did a cooking demo for the morning show with a clean, allergen free Teriyaki chicken recipe

In love: While cooking the Goop founder shared some details about her September wedding

Wow! Later the star had a costume change for Live with Kelly and Ryan where she discussed her unique honeymoon

Goop: The healthy living maven just released her newest book The Clean Plate: Eat, Reset, Heal

During the clip, the blonde beauty shared some details about her recent wedding.

Gwyneth met her new husband, Glee producer Brad Falchuk on the set of the hit musical comedy in 2014, the same year she 'consciously uncoupled' from rocker Chris Martin.

The pair tied the knot in The Hamptons at the end of September in 2018.

Sleek: Gwen was later spotted in this chic ensemble as she headed for a chat on the Tonight Show

Ditch the heels: She then slipped into something a little more comfortable for sprinting in

'We had a very small wedding,' the best-selling author said on GMA. 'We both have really old friends from elementary school and high school and that was really the bulk of our friends that were there.'

'It was just really special,' she added as she cooked.

The newlyweds recently came back from a delayed honeymoon in the Maldives over the holidays.

Honeymoon: Brad and Gwyneth just came back from their delayed 'modern' honeymoon to the Maldives with their family and friends

During an appearance later on Live With Kelly and Ryan, Gwyneth called the trip a 'modern honeymoon.'

The happy couple were apparently joined for the exotic holiday by not only their blended family of children but other family and friends attended to.

Two notable guests who vacationed with the couple was Gwyneth's ex and the father of her two children, Chris Martin and girlfriend Dakota Johnson.Cobie Smulders arrived in style to Good Morning America in New York City on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old Avengers actress was dressed in a sultry scarlet outfit that accentuated her trim figure.

The How I Met Your Mother vet was there to talk about her new season of Netflix's Friends From College with co-star Keegan-Michael Key, 47.

Woman in red: Cobie Smulders, 36, arrived at Good Morning America in New York City on Wednesday to talk about her new season of Netflix's Friends From College with co-star Keegan-Michael Key, 47

The 5ft8in Canadian actress arrived in a bright red one shoulder sweater with an elegant cream-colored overcoat atop it.

She wore a pair of floor-length, flared red sacks with black stripes running down the outer sides.

Cobie matched a cute, boxy red purse with a large decorative buckle to her stylish outfit.

Hot red: The 5ft8in Canadian actress arrived in a bright red one shoulder sweater with an elegant cream-colored overcoat atop it.

Stunning outfit: She wore a pair of floor-length, flared red sacks with black stripes running down the outer sides

Elegant style: Cobie matched a cute, boxy red purse with a large decorative buckle to her stylish outfit.

The Spiderman: Far From Home star was on Good Morning America with Keegan-Michael to plug the second season of their Netflix series Friends From College.

Cobie and Keegan-Michael play Lisa and Ethan, respectively, a married couple who have recently moved back to New York to be closer to their Harvard alumni chums.

Their situation is complicated by Lisa's status as the sole breadwinner and Ethan's ongoing affair with a mutual friend.

Comedic co-star: Cobie and Keegan-Michael play Lisa and Ethan, respectively, a married couple who have recently moved back to New York to be closer to their Harvard alumni chums; shown in New York in November

Rocky relationship: Their situation is complicated by Lisa's status as the sole breadwinner and Ethan's ongoing affair with a mutual friend

Comic attraction: Cobie spends most of her time with another TV funnyman, former SNL star Taran Killam, 36

Cobie spends most of her time with another TV funnyman, former SNL star Taran Killam, 36.

The two were engaged in 2009 and finally tied the knot in 2012.

Their first daughter, Shaelyn, was born in 2009, followed by a second daughter whose name the couple haven't publicly revealed.Peaky Blinders series five airs in the Spring, but Cillian Murphy and Sam Claflin are still busy shooting key scenes as they were pictured in Stockport on Wednesday.

The production has descended onto the Manchester town this week for a two day shoot which has seen it transformed into 1930s Birmingham.

Cillian, 42, Sam, 32, and a series of extras were seen shooting in the town Plaza where the theatre and cinema has been transformed into Bingley Hall, a former exhibition centre in Birmingham which will be the location for a political rally plot point.

They're back: Peaky Blinders series five airs in the Spring, but Cillian Murphy and Sam Claflin are still busy shooting key scenes as they were pictured in Stockport on Monday

The stars in period costume were seen outside the transformed cinema, while all signs of modern life were expertly hidden by the crew.

Cillian, who plays Thomas Shelby, was pictured in costume outside an Oswald Mosley meeting, with the politician being played by Sam.

The leading character can be seen stopping union leader Jessie Eden, played by Charlie Murphy, getting arrested by police officers.

New role: The production has descended onto the Manchester town this week for a two day shoot which has seen it transformed into 1930s Birmingham (newcomer Sam Claflin pictured)

Transformation: Cillian, 42, Sam, 32, and a series of extras were seen shooting in the town Plaza where the theatre and cinema has been transformed into Bingley Hall

Plot: The building has transformed into the former exhibition centre in Birmingham which will be the location for a political rally plot point

Arrested: Cillian, who plays Thomas Shelby, can be seen stopping union leader Jessie Eden, played by Charlie Murphy, getting arrested by police officers

While later on, the two appear in good spirits as they have an animated conversation in the streets.

For the scenes, Cillian wore his infamous black flatcap, a pin-striped waistcoat, a white shirt and a huge black jacket over the top.

Charlie's character looked very stylish in a burnt orange coat with a matching coloured hat, she added a fur collar, a pair of dark brown heel shoes and a matching handbag.

Leading character: Cillian was pictured in costume outside an Oswald Mosley meeting, with the politician being played by Sam

Iconic look: For the scenes, Cillian wore his infamous black flat cap, a pin-striped waistcoat, a white shirt and a huge black jacket over the top

Good spirits: While later on, Cillian's character and Jessie appear in good spirits as they have an animated conversation in the streets

Stylish: Charlie's character looked very stylish in a burnt orange coat with a matching coloured hat

Details: The actress added a fur collar, a pair of dark brown heel shoes and a matching handbag

Tense: However, later on during filming, things appeared tense between the two characters

Speaking out: Cillian could be pictured approaching the police as they held Charlie's character Jessie

Impressive: The stars in period costume were seen outside the transformed cinema, while all signs of modern life were expertly hidden by the crew

Meanwhile, new cast member Sam, who is playing politician Oswald Mosley, looked unrecognisable as he sported dark locks and moustache.

The actor wore a navy blue three-piece suit with a white shirt and striped tie, he layered the ensemble with a matching coloured coat.

During the filming, dirt had been thrown over the street to disguise the tarmac and road markings while vintage posters and signs were up in the street.

Unrecognisable: Meanwhile, new cast member Sam, who is playing politician Oswald Mosley, looked unrecognisable as he sported dark locks and moustache

Period costume: The actor wore a navy blue three-piece suit with a white shirt and striped tie, he layered the ensemble with a matching coloured coat

Politics: Sam's character Oswald Mosley, who was the MP for Harrow between 1918 and 1924 before becoming leader of the British Union of Fascists in 1932, hosting a rally at Bingley hall

New series: The story of the Peaky Blinders and of the Shelby family gets woven into the political fabric of Britain and Europe as the 1920s end and the thirties begin

Transformation: The Greater Manchester town has been transformed into late 1930s Birmingham with period awnings hiding modern shop fronts

Protest: Extras were pictured protesting Oswald Mosley with black signs outside the venue

One poster outside the venue reveals the storyline, with far right politician Oswald Mosley, who was the MP for Harrow between 1918 and 1924 before becoming leader of the British Union of Fascists in 1932, hosting a rally at Bingley hall.

Surrounding buildings had also been given a makeover by the crew with period awnings covering modern shop fronts.

It's thought around 120 extras are filming scenes in Stockport over the next days, while multiple period cars have been bought in for filming.

Hitting back: One poster during the filming scenes, said: 'Stop fascism'

Crowd: There were a crowd of extras dressed as protesters as they challenged Oswald Mosley

Pictured: Jessie was pictured in front of a Oswald Mosley rally poster during the scenes

Nice ride: Vintage vehicles were parked next to the crew cars as the cameras prepared to roll

Crowd scene: Extras in period costume were seen outside a local theatre which had been transformed into Bingley Hall, a former exhibition centre in Birmingham

Hard at work: A crane made sure the awnings on the surrounding buildings were in place, with the transformed theatre the location for a political rally plot point

While the drama is set in Birmingham, filming has taken place across Manchester in recent months.

Series five is set in the aftermath of the 1929 Wall Street Crash, with creator Steven Knight revealing: '

The story of the Peaky Blinders and of the Shelby family gets woven into the political fabric of Britain and Europe as the 1920s end and the thirties begin.'

All in the detail: Dirt had been thrown over the road to disguise the tarmac and road markings while vintage posters and signs were up in the street

Clue: One poster outside the venue reveals the storyline with far right politician Oswald Mosley

New recruit: Oswald is being played by new cast member Sam Claflin

'Tommy Shelby faces the darkest force he has ever faced and his struggle is as relevant today as it was then.'

Peaky Blinders fans were given their first look at season five in a BBC drama trailer which aired on New Year's Day ahead of an expected Spring 2019 air date.

While the one minute clip featured snippets of Killing Eve, Line of Duty and Luther, it was the brief but explosive tease of Peaky Blinders which has really got fans talking.

Action! While the drama is set in Birmingham, filming has taken place across Manchester in recent months

Keen for a glimpse: Locals lined the streets hoping to see the show's stellar cast

Cillian Murphy, who plays Thomas Shelby in the BBC One series, is seen in a number of blink and you'll miss it scenes in the trailer, including the aftermath of what looks like a deadly car explosion.

Seconds after a shot of a burning car is shown, Tommy is seen looking distraught as he appears to cradle a body in his arms.

Fans have been left desperate for more, with one tweeting: 'When BBC trailer gives you a two second glimpse at season five of peaky blinders after months of waiting' alongside a gif of Tommy.

Coming soon: Peaky Blinders fans were given their first look at season five in a New Year's Day BBC trailer, which showed brief snippets of the hit drama starring Cillian Murphy

Drama: Cillian, who plays Thomas Shelby in the BBC One series, is seen in a number of brief scenes in the trailer, including the aftermath of what looks like a deadly car explosion

'The peaky blinders fandom is living after just 0.03 seconds of new footage,' agreed another.

'After seeing #PeakyBlinders in this trailer I took no notice of the other clips! #sorrynotsorry,' tweeted another excited viewer.

The conclusion of season four saw Tommy being elected as an MP for Birmingham South while the Shelby family finally confronted mob boss Luca Changretta (Adrien Brody)

Who is it? Seconds after a shot of the burning car is shown, Tommy is seen looked distraught as he appears to cradle a body in his arms

Annie Harrison-Baxter will produce the new series, which sees the welcome return of a host of familiar characters following a vicious gang war.

There will also be some new faces joining the cast, including Claflin and Split actress Anya Taylor-Joy.

The drama will also make the big move from BBC Two to BBC One following the huge success of the first four series.

It had been rumoured Peaky Blinders' fifth series could be its last, with Deadline reporting the new series will see the story of the Shelby clan 'come to a conclusion'.

Anticipation: Fans have been left desperate for more, with one tweeting: 'When BBC trailer gives you a two second glimpse at season five of peaky blinders after months of waiting'

However, the show's creator Knight confirmed in May last year, that the gangster drama will come to a close after the seventh season.

Show creator Steven explained that he's keen to develop two more seasons.

He told Digital Spy: 'My ambition is to make it a story of a family between two wars, so always I've wanted to end it with the first air raid siren in Birmingham in 1939. It'll take three more series [to reach that point].'

There's also been rumours of a big screen outing for the series, as one of the show's director's claimed it is being made into a movie.

Otto Bathurst, who directed three episodes in season one of the gritty gangster drama, said Knight is currently writing a script.Michelle Dockery was showing off her effortless chic sense of style on Tuesday morning, as she touched down in London's Heathrow airport after flying in from Los Angeles.

The 37-year-old Downton Abbey star showed off her casual sense of style in a grey trench coat and trilby hat, over jeans and a simple black top to stroll through the terminal.

Also seen arriving in London via. the same flight was Sherlock star Martin Freeman, who was sporting a flat grey as he headed back into the capital.

Low-key: Michelle Dockery was showing off her effortless chic sense of style on Tuesday morning, as she touched down in London's Heathrow airport

Michelle was putting on a stylish display as she wheeled her luggage through the airport, sporting the long grey trench coat over her trim physique.

The Never Been Kissed star teamed the cover up with a simple black top and blue jeans, along with white trainers and the wide-brimmed black hat.

Styling her brunette tresses into a sleek side braid, Michelle hid her eyes behind 60s round frame sunglasses, but appeared to be sporting barely a scrap of makeup for the outing.

Relaxed: The 37-year-old Downton Abbey star showed off her casual sense of style in a grey trench coat and trilby hat, over jeans and a simple black top

Relaxed: Styling her brunette tresses into a sleek side braid, Michelle hid her eyes behind 60s round frame sunglasses

Also seen exiting from the same flight was actor Martin Freeman, who looked jovial despite the lengthy flight as he also touched down in the capital.

The British actor, 47, showed off his own laid back sense of style in a white t-shirt and a black overcoat, along with a grey flat cap as he wheeled his bag through the airport.

Luckily both he and Michelle seemed to dodge the drone sighting which had led Heathrow to close the previous evening, though it was re-opened after around an hour.

Good spirits: Also seen exiting from the same flight was actor Martin Freeman, who looked jovial despite the lengthy flight

Happy: The British actor, 47, showed off his own laid back sense of style in a white t-shirt and a black overcoat, along with a grey flat cap

At ease: Martin also had a hint of greyed scruff on his face, after also flying back to the UK from California

Michelle's back in London after last being seen in the city last month, filming the Guy Ritchie crime drama The Toff Guys alongside Matthew McConaughey.

She landed the part after Kate Beckinsale reportedly dropped out, with sources claiming she could no longer commit due to an ill family member.

According to IMDB, the details of Kate's former role have been kept tightly under wraps including the name of the character she was meant to be playing.

Michelle has already proved her action movie credentials with her Emmy-nominated turn as a gun-toting widow in Netflix's acclaimed Western series Godless.Advertisement

She played Maid Of Honour at her sister Laura's beach wedding on Tuesday.

Yet hours before, Vicky Pattison was quite the Maid Of Dishonour as she enjoyed a boozy, bikini-clad trip to the pool alongside her mum Carol and the rest of the bridal party in Mexico shortly before.

The 31-year-old former Geordie Shore star was showing off her famous curves in a sexy red bikini she had also exhibited on Instagram, as she proudly paraded her frame for the sizzling poolside party, shortly before the nuptials which culminated in Vicky hitting back at trolls for her position in the wedding snaps.

Cheeky! Vicky Pattison was quite the Maid Of Dishonour as she enjoyed a boozy, bikini-clad trip to the pool alongside her mum Carol and the rest of the bridal party in Mexico shortly before the wedding

Vicky, whose own engagement to John Noble fell apart in November, has made no secret of her raucous getaway as she has been littering social media with sizzling snaps as well as stunning shots of the wedding, in which Laura wowed in a frothy white gown while Vicky wore blue.

She has been living it up in boozy style with her family since touching down last week, as she shirks her love woes following John's alleged infidelity during a lads' trip to Dubai, after which she was said to be 'humiliated'.

Away from her own romances, the stunner was seen throwing herself into the hen do before her sister's nuptials, in which she wore a stunning red bikini which highlighted her cleavage and curvy frame.

Despite loving life, Vicky was left disheartened when she was forced to hit back at trolls after she was criticised for her stance in her sister's wedding pictures, following the Mexican nuptials on Tuesday.

Hot stuff: The 31-year-old former Geordie Shore star was showing off her famous curves in a sexy red bikini she had also exhibited on Instagram, as she proudly paraded her frame for the sizzling poolside party, shortly before the nuptials which culminated in Vicky hitting back at trolls for her position in the wedding snaps

Perky! She showed off her peachy assets as she shared a smouldering selfie from beside the pool

Vicky looked sensational in a midnight blue bridesmaid dress as she posed on the beach yet her positioning was criticised. Standing before Laura, who looked phenomenal in a strapless gown, fans blasted the star for blocking the bride, however Vicky hit back at critics, as she insisted she was asked by Laura to stand in that place.

Hours after the trolling first began, she took to her Instagram stories to state: 'Morning everybody. It's 7.48am here and I have just woken up to a slew of negativity. First of all, I'd like to say congratulations, Laura and Daniel, beautiful day yesterday the Adamsons. Welcome to the family, Daniel...

'Laura, you looked stunning. I'm so proud of both of you. So obviously Laura got married in Mexico. It was a super hot day and she looked stunning. Somewhere from getting to the room, finishing the wedding and getting the photos taken she got a little mark on her dress, which understandably she was sensitive about...

Hitting out: Despite loving life, Vicky was left disheartened when she was forced to hit back at trolls after she was criticised for her stance in her sister's wedding pictures, following the Mexican nuptials on Tuesday

Strutting her stuff: Vicky enjoyed a dip during the mini hen which came the day before the wedding

Hot stuff! Vicky shared a shot from the hen do in which she sizzled in the swimming pool

'I mean, she still looked stunning, a solid 10 out of 10. But for her it was a bug bear, it was an issue. So when we were taking photos at the end she asked if someone would angle themselves just in front of her so you couldn't see the stain, not that anyone would have really noticed...

'But that's what Laura asked, so that's what I did because she was the bride, because I love her, because I would do anything for her. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that people on my social media would attack me for that...

'The decisions that I've made with my life are mine, I never regret them and feel so incredibly lucky to be in the public eye. However, me sister didn't make the same choices, me mam didn't, me friends didn't, me family didn't, so that's why I don't put them on my social media a lot. Especially me sister. Because they didn't make the decision to have everyone else have an opinion about them.

Hitting the shores: Vicky was reclining while her youthful mum chilled out alongside

Here the girls! Vicky was at the helm of the fun as she grabbed the Champagne glasses to dish out to her friends and family

Having a dip: She enjoyed a splash in the pool as she joined her pals for the fun-filled dip

Cheeky! Vicky and her gal pals all used gold tattoo decals on their cleavage

Hot stuff: Despite a week of boozing and indulging in Haribo, Vicky maintained her taut stomach

'It was her wedding day, in what world would I deliberately stand in front of my sister, the most important person in my life, and try and detract attention away from her? Do you think that I can't have the spotlight on someone else for a single second? That I'm that pathetic?..

'It's just mental to me, it's insane that people would assume that about us or write it under me Instagram, or take something as special as me sister's wedding day and mar it with your negativity and nastiness.

'Understand here, I'm not speaking for everyone, there are some gorgeous comments and some lovely people, and for that I thank you. But Christ, can you think before you speak? These people writing hateful things about not only me, but me family.

'After the year me sister, her fiance, all of her friends, all of her family have had, I would call for compassion, please. I'm just blown away.'

Having a giggle: Her eye-popping bust was just about contained by her tiny string bikini, which she had plugged on Instagram

Accessorising to perfection: The brunette beauty wore stacks of gold chains which drew attention to her cleavage

Cheeky! Vicky's surgically-enhanced cleavage stole the showThey have thrilled fans all over the globe with news of a 20th anniversary reunion tour and the release of their first single in eight years.

And Westlife proved to be better than ever as Nicky Byrne, Kian Egan, Mark Feehily, and Shane Filan arrived at London's Magic Radio on Wednesday to chat about their return and new single Hello My Love, which is set for release the following morning.

Showing their heartthrob status is firmly in place, the dashing foursome were clad in their usual stylish uniforms ahead of their chat on the show.

Here come the boys: Westlife proved to be better than ever as Nicky Byrne, Mark Feehily, Shane Filan and Kian Egan (left-right) arrived at London's Magic Radio on Wednesday to chat about their return and new single Hello My Love, which is set for release the following morning

Westlife soared to fame in 1998 when they were formed in Dublin, with the original line-up also featuring Brian McFadden, who later left in 2004.

The group broke hearts of their fan around the globe when they announced plans to disband in 2012 before all embarking on respective solo careers over the years.

In October, Westlife announced their return - with both new music and an anniversary tour - as Shane delightedly revealing: 'We still have a lot that we want to achieve as a band and we want to bring our new music to fans all over the world'.

With the Ed Sheeran-penned Hello My Love pegged for release on Thursday, the foursome are blazing the promo trail with force.

Way back when: Westlife soared to fame in 1998 when they were formed in Dublin, with the original line-up also featuring Brian McFadden, who later left in 2004 (pictured in 2000)

Happy days: Showing their heartthrob status is firmly in place, the dashing foursome were clad in their usual stylish uniforms ahead of their chat on the show

As they appeared at the London radio station, they proved themselves to be ageing with style as they each wore edgy ensembles.

Leading the pack was Shane, 39, who opted for a sharp light blue shirt tucked into an indigo jeans with a navy linen blazer over top.

Kian, 38, went for a bold statement in a black and white checked shirt, while Nicky, 40, wore a grey acid wash denim jacket buttoned up the entire way.

Mark, 38, looked extremely dashing as he opted for a stylish black shirt with a grey blazer over the top while his hair was styled into a quiff.

Heading out: As they appeared at the London radio station, they proved themselves to be ageing with style as they each wore edgy ensembles

Taking to Twitter, excited fans counted down the hours to the release of Hello My Love, with users writing: 'WESTLIFE MUSIC EVE sounds like music to my ears...

'One of the best things about @westlifemusic comeback is that it brought back the happy feeling I get seeing my family getting excited for me...

'Brace yourselves, Westlife's coming back. #HelloMyLove drops 10 January 2019... I know I literally just said it about 5 minutes ago but Westlife are releasing new music tomorrow. New music for the first time in S E V E N years...

'This is happening TOMORROW!... We're less than 24 hours away from hearing brand new Westlife music, folks. In true @NickyByrne style'.She has just received her first ever BAFTA Film nomination for her performance in First Man.

And Claire Foy appeared in great spirits as she delivered a Q&A for the biographical drama film at Santa Monica's Aero Theatre in California on Tuesday evening.

The Crown star, 34, displayed her trendsetting ways as she rocked a sophisticated checked two-piece, featuring a longline blazer and matching ankle-grazing trousers.

Style savvy: Claire Foy appeared in great spirits as she delivered a Q&A for the biographical drama film at Santa Monica's Aero Theatre in California on Tuesday evening

Mixing comfort with glamour, the actress complemented her outfit with a simple white tee and a pair of studded brogues.

The Promise star commanded attention with her statement accessories as she wore a sparkling gold ring and toted a quilted chain-strap handbag by Chanel.

Claire, who shares three-year-old daughter Ivy with former husband Stephen Campbell Moore, enhanced her radiant complexion with dewy foundation and nude lipgloss.

On Wednesday morning, the nominations for the 72nd British Academy Film Awards were revealed, ahead of the glittering ceremony on February 10 at London's Royal Albert Hall.

Looking good: The Crown star, 34, displayed her trendsetting ways as she rocked a sophisticated checked two-piece, featuring a longline blazer and matching ankle-grazing trousers

Effortlessly chic: Mixing comfort with glamour, the actress complemented her outfit with a simple white tee and a pair of studded brogues

Claire received her first BAFTA Film nomination as the Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in First Man.

She was previously received a BAFTA TV nomination for Best Actress in Wolf Hall in 2016, as well as the same award for her role as the Queen in The Crown in 2016 and 2017.

First Man also scooped seven nominations altogether this year - with nods for Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Editing, Production Design, Sound, and Special Visual Effects, as well as Supporting Actress for Claire.

Moon landing biopic: The screen star has just received her first ever BAFTA Film nomination for her performance in First Man

First Man, directed by Damien Chazelle, is based on a true story as it follows the life of Neil Armstrong on his quest to become the first man to walk on the moon.

Claire, who plays Ryan Gosling's wife in the motion picture, went to great lengths in the hopes of channelling her character Janet in the most authentic way possible.

During a recent interview on BBC with Tom Ravenscroft, Claire revealed she had time to familarise herself with the role of Janet, alongside her on-screen husband Ryan.

'We had two weeks of improvised film rehearsal, many of scenes are in the film. We had time to get to know each other. There were happy moments and Ryan was carrying the whole ship!'

Stellar stint: She was previously received a BAFTA TV nomination for Best Actress in Wolf Hall in 2016, as well as the same award for her role as the Queen in The Crown in 2016 and 2017 (pictured)

Mark Armstrong, one of the late astronaut's three children, opened up about the experience of seeing just how focused the British-born star was when it came to filming scenes for the movie.

'When I saw her on screen, I was overwhelmed with emotion,' Armstrong reveals. 'Mum only passed away recently so, to see her up there, alive and so real it was incredible.

'Foy wanted to know the minutiae. Mum called me Marco and my brother Ricky. She wanted to know the balance and strength of my mother. What she was really like?' Claire captured Mum's essence. She communicates so many feelings without words. I got very emotional.'Jenna Jameson has quit Twitter after trolls mocked her Jewish faith and her sobriety.

Taking to the microblogging site on Wednesday, she revealed she would be taking an 'indefinite break' as it was 'near impossible to have normal conversations' online anymore.

The former porn star, 44, converted to Judaism in 2015 so that she could marry her Israeli fiance Lior Bitton, the same year that she gave up drinking.

Quit: Jenna Jameson has quit Twitter after trolls mocked her Jewish faith and her sobriety. Taking to the microblogging site on Wednesday, she revealed she would be taking an 'indefinite break'

Jenna regularly publicly shames her trolls by retweeting their comments and replying, but confessed it had now taken its toll on her.

She informed her 695,000 followers: 'Alright I'm taking an indefinite break from Twitter. It's near impossible to just have normal conversations without hundreds of people attacking me for the past I cannot change.

'I want to clarify why I'm leaving. My sobriety and faith are the most important things to me. I am being attacked for my faith. Being Jewish. I must protect my love for G-d above everything, my sobriety and strength stem from him and his grace.'

Jenna made no announcement about whether she'd be leaving Instagram, instead posting a selfie captioned: 'Goodnight... say your prayers. Hug the people you love.'

Full of love: Jenna made no announcement about whether she'd be leaving Instagram, instead posting a selfie captioned: 'Goodnight... say your prayers. Hug the people you love'

Jenna was a catholic until 2015, when she announced that she would be converting to Judaism after getting engaged to Lior.

The couple documented her transition in a reality TV series, then welcomed their child two years later, a daughter named Batel.

In September, Jenna spoke about her decision to give up alcohol as she celebrated three years of sobriety.

Happily family: The former porn star, 44, converted to Judaism in 2015 so that she could marry her Israeli fiance Lior Bitton, the same year that she gave up drinking

In an Instagram post, she wrote: 'Sobriety has taught me a lot about myself, my coping mechanisms that I ignored came bubbling to the surface quickly after getting sober.

'That scared me. Everything I knew was wrong. Everything I believed in was hurting me, not helping. Meetings and leaning on my Sober friends made things bearable the first year. I was surviving. Sober. It was shocking at first, but now it's my new normal.'

Now, she recognizes that her substance abuse was an attempt to fill a void. 'I think back to the way I used to run... run as far and as fast as I could, and I pray to God I never feel that emptiness again,' she wrote.Kate Wright has revealed her secret battle with crippling anxiety, saying 'most days are a battle'.

The former TOWIE star, 27, who is engaged to Rio Ferdinand, took to Instagram on Tuesday to speak out about her mental health.

Known for her picture-perfect social media page, which is littered with bikini-clad snaps from sun-soaked holidays, fancy parties and gym workouts, Kate vowed to shared more of life's ups and downs and not just a fake illusion of reality.

Honest: Kate Wright has revealed her secret battle with crippling anxiety, saying most days 'are a battle'

In the lengthy post, she penned: 'One of my New Years resolutions is to accept myself, something I struggle with.

'Anyone that knows me well knows I suffer with bad anxiety & really struggle to love myself.

'Most days are a battle with whats going on in my head. Ive sort of kept this off social media as Ive been to scared to share it, and the less I shared the more distant instagram is from my daily life... thats going to change this year.

'Im going to give more of the ups and downs, not just the fun times.

Candid: The former TOWIE star, 27, who is engaged to Rio Ferdinand, took to Instagram on Tuesday to speak out about her mental health

Self love: In the lengthy post, she penned: 'One of my New Years resolutions is to accept myself, something I struggle with'

'This year I will not let societys views on who I should be and what I should look like effect me.

'I have been so busy making sure everyone else if ok that I have forgot about looking after myself properly .... This year I am working on me; mind, body, soul.'

Kate uploaded the candid post alongside a quote, which read: 'I am obsessed with becoming a woman comfortable in her own skin'.

Her refreshingly honest post comes after the television personality fired back at an online troll who criticised her lavish lifestyle with fiance Rio, 40.

Far cry from reality: The star is known for her picture-perfect social media page, which is littered with bikini snaps from sun-soaked holidays (L), fancy parties and gym workouts (R)

Instagram vs reality: Kate vowed to shared more of life's ups and downs and not just a fake illusion of what her life is like

Over the Christmas break, the couple shared a plethora of snaps from their family holiday in the Maldives, with his three children; Lorenz, 12, Tate, ten, and Tia, seven.

When one user brought up the couple's wealth in a now deleted comment, Kate quickly hit back. She wrote: 'Money doesn't make looking after 3 children that have lost their mum easier.

'Yes we can have nice holidays but money can't bring back loved ones and heal grief.

'Looking after children and caring for them comes from the heart not the bank.'

Furious: Her refreshingly honest post comes after the television personality fired back at an online troll who insinuated she has a lavish lifestyle with fiance Rio, 40

Kate started dating Rio in early 2017, two years after he tragically lost his wife and the mother of his children, Rebecca Ellison, 34, following a short battle with cancer.

Rio proposed to Kate in front of his children in November in a romantic gesture while the family where on holiday to Abu Dhabi.

Taking to her Instagram account at the time to share the happy news with her followers on Thursday morning, Kate wrote: 'The perfect end to our holiday ... How could the answer not be yes.'

The former England star proudly revealed he had included his kids in his proposal plans, and praised them for keeping the secret for so long.

Posting a sweet snap of the trio watching the special moment, he wrote: 'She said yes. How these 3 kids kept it a secret I'll never know.'

The former TOWIE star has spoken out about her close relationship with the children, revealing they are keen for her to have a baby so they have another sibling to play with.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Mail's YOU magazine earlier this year, Kate said: 'The kids would like a little brother or sister; they say, "I dreamt that you were pregnant". But right now we're just happy with our little unit.'Her return home from her tropical holiday was derailed after her plane malfunctioned on Monday.

And on Wednesday, Kiki Morris let her fans know she made it back to Sydney safely while sharing a sizzling Instagram snap.

The former Bachelor star left little to the imagination in a black G-string bikini.

That's cheeky! Former Bachelor star Kiki Morris leaves little to the imagination as she flaunts her figure in a G-string bikini

She showed off ample side-boob and her pert derriere as she posed in the sand.

'Time to dust the sand off, back to work I go!' she captioned.

The cheeky snap comes after Kiki's return home was derailed after her plane back to Australia malfunctioned on Monday.

Delay: The cheeky snap comes after Kiki's return home was derailed after her plane back to Australia malfunctioned on Monday

The former Bachelor star recalled the terrifying ordeal, revealing that the pilot was forced to turn back and land in Honolulu after a generator blew up mid-flight.

'A generator has blown up after take off on my flight home,' she wrote on Instagram.

'We just had to dump fuel for an hour to land safely back in Honolulu. Looks like one more night on the island.'

Bikini babe: Kiki shared sizzling snaps from her sunny holiday

The blonde beauty has been documenting her tropical holiday on social media over the past week.

Stripping down to nothing but a pair of tiny bikini bottoms, the 31-year-old took to Instagram on Monday with a collection of very raunchy photographs.

Enjoying a sun-drenched day out in Waimea Bay, the stunner posed up a storm topless.

Racy: Kiki recently posed topless in this beachside selfie

She was captured staring seductively into the camera while caressing her lips with her hand.

Kiki flaunted her bodacious booty in a pair of barely-there swim briefs, that were adorned with a light blue print.

She accessorised the look with a white straw hat, a glamorous makeup look and pulled her blonde tresses up into a messy bun.

'Nothing Feels Better Than This (sic),' Kiki wrote in the caption of one post.

'Filming and shooting with @shannonvision @wmsurfing for Da Hui Backdoor Shootout.'She's no stranger to dazzling on the catwalk and at red carpet events.

And Miranda Kerr looked every inch the chic traveller as she made a very stylish arrival at Narita International Airport in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday.

The supermodel, 35, looked effortlessly elegant in impeccable tailoring, teaming navy blue high-waisted cropped trousers with a simple black crew-neck sweater.

Elegant: Miranda Kerr looked every inch the chic traveller as she made a very stylish arrival at Narita International Airport in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday

The Australian cover girl threw a charcoal grey wool coat over her shoulders, while teetering on blue suede stiletto heels.

Miranda carried a blue leather Louis Vuitton satchel bag, and opted for natural hair and make-up to accentuate her striking features and glowing complexion.

The mother-of-two seemed delighted to be back in Japan, posting a series of Instagram stories of her arriving to a sea of thrilled fans posing with her Kora Organics products.

Alongside one shot, she wrote: 'I love coming to Japan! Thank you for the warm welcome as always.'

Chic traveller: The supermodel, 35, looked effortlessly elegant in impeccable tailoring, teaming navy blue high-waisted cropped trousers with a simple black crew-neck sweater

Glowing: Miranda carried a blue leather Louis Vuitton satchel bag, and opted for natural hair and make-up to accentuate her striking features

The entrepreneur also shared a glimpse into her flight rituals, sharing snaps of products from her own organic beauty line Kora for a mid-air pamper session, as well as a book on the psychology of success for her to get stuck into.

Miranda welcomed her second son, Hart, in May 2018 with husband, Snapchat founder Evan Spiegel, 28.

The couple tied the knot in an intimate backyard ceremony at the billionaire businessman's home in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles in May 2017, in front of just 45 family and friends.

Miranda and Evan made their debut as a couple in June 2015 after first meeting at a Louis Vuitton dinner in New York City in 2014.

Good to be back: The mother-of-two seemed delighted to be back in Japan, posting a series of Instagram stories of her arriving to a sea of thrilled fans posing with Kora Organics products

What a welcome! The former Victoria's Secret Angel stopped to pose for selfies with her army of fans and signed plenty of autographs before making her way through the terminal

The former also has a son Flynn, eight, with her ex-husband, Pirates Of The Caribbean star Orlando Bloom, 41, who she was married to from 2010 to 2013.

Miranda recently spoke out about encouraging women to be positive about their bodies after childbirth.

Speaking in an interview with the January issue of Marie Claire magazine, she said: 'It's really important that we're gentle with ourselves and don't feel like we have to snap into shape after a baby.

'I took nine months - well, 10 months - to grow a beautiful child and it might take 10 months to feel good in a swimsuit again. Or longer. Or never.'

Flight rituals: The entrepreneur shared snaps of products from her own organic beauty line Kora for a mid-air pamper, as well as a book on the psychology of successFerne McCann launched her fitness DVD Fit As Ferne earlier this month.

And while the instructive video is flying off the shelves, it seems the DVD has found an unlikely fan as her best friend Billie Faiers' daughter Nelly was seen indulging in an exercise session with the assistance of Ferne on Tuesday night.

While Nelly's dad Greg Shepherd took to social media to share a hilarious video of the tot enjoying the exercise, Ferne took to her own Instagram account to show off the fruits of her hard-worked labour in a sizzling bikini snap.

Work it on out: Ferne McCann's DVD Fit As Ferne seems the DVD has found an unlikely fan as her best friend Billie Faiers' daughter Nelly was seen indulging in an exercise session with the assistance of Ferne on Tuesday night

Ferne looked incredible in the snap as she posed in the bikini while proudly lauding her toned 'glutes & hammies' in the comments section.

Turning to the side to show off her fabulous side profile, it was not just her legs that stole the show but also her toned arms and totally flat stomach.

Her post was in aid of the release of Fit As Ferne, with the star proving she is the perfect advocate for the training program as she displayed her enviable results.

Elsewhere however, she had a rather more unique form of support as Greg took to Instagram to share a video of Nelly in her bed holding up the DVD.

Wow! While Nelly's dad Greg Shepherd took to social media to share a hilarious video of the tot enjoying the exercise, Ferne took to her own Instagram account to show off the fruits of her hard-worked labour in a sizzling bikini snap

Pumping iron! Elsewhere however, she had a rather more unique form of support as Greg took to Instagram to share a video of Nelly in her bed holding up the DVD

Fanatic: Her post was in aid of the release of Fit As Ferne, with the star proving she is the perfect advocate for the training program as she displayed her enviable results

Tagging the mother-of-one in the post, Greg wrote: 'Ferne, Nelly insisted on watching this before bed', while the tot held up the DVD proudly.

In the next hilarious clip he showed that Nelly had decided to try out some of the moves as she expertly replicated some of the exercise in the video.

Ferne's promo trail comes as she revealed she's ready to start opening herself up to the possibility of dating once again, almost two years after being left heartbroken.

In April 2017, the former TOWIE star was pregnant with boyfriend Arthur Collins' baby when he injured 14 people by hurling acid on revellers at an east London nightclub  bringing an abrupt end to their relationship ahead of his resulting prison sentence.

Support: Ferne's pal Billie threw her support behind the stunner with her daughter's help

Woo! Tagging the mother-of-one in the post, Greg wrote: 'Ferne, Nelly insisted on watching this before bed', while the tot held up the DVD proudly

And as Ferne raises their daughter Sunday alone, the TV personality  who has recently been linked to a mystery 'older confidante' and Love Island's Charlie Brake  has stated that she's ready for romance.

'For so long I've been saying I don't have the time, she told The Sun.

'I've always thought that this comes first, or that comes first, and couldn't imagine how I would have fitted dating into my busy life.

My priority is my daughter Sunday and I have to work to provide for her, but she's a year old now and life is moving on. My friends are getting married and I'm a bridesmaid at my sister's wedding.

She's got it! In the next hilarious clip he showed that Nelly had decided to try out some of the moves as she expertly replicated some of the exercise in the video

The whole clan: Greg (pictured) shared the side-splitting clip of Nelly

'I'm at that stage of my life, so I am more open to dating now. That's my New Year's resolution.'

Ferne has often spoken of the struggles she has faced being a single mother.

She told Closer last year: 'While I was pregnant, I knew I was going to be a single mum, but it didn't hit me until I actually had Sunday. That was tough to deal with  realising I really was totally on my own. I don't have another person to confer with.'They gave fans a look at their family life during the inaugural episode of their reality series, Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too on Monday.

Yet Vogue Williams, 33, and Spencer Matthews, 30, were overwhelmed with the positive response they received after the show, as they took to Instagram to thank fans for their kind comments.

The series follows the couple as they embark on the journey of parenthood, with episode one showing the arrival of their baby boy, Theodore.

Family fun: Vogue Williams, 33, and Spencer Matthews, 30, were overwhelmed with the positive response they received after the show, as they took to Instagram to thank fans

After being flooded with kind remarks from fans, the couple took to social media to share their delight, with Vogue uploading an adorable snap of the trio clad in matching outfits whilst holidaying in St Barts.

She captioned the sweet pose: 'We are beyond delighted with the response to our show last night. I was slightly nervous all day yesterday but Im glad you all liked it as much as we liked making it.

'There were definitely some tears shed when we got to see the arrival of our beautiful Theodore again. I doubt T will be very happy when he sees weve dressed him the same as us!'

She also shared an Instagram Story post where she admitted that watching the show back she couldn't believe just how much Theodore, now four months, has grown.

Adorable: Spencer shared a snap with their son as he penned, 'He takes selfies now... A huge thank you for the wonderfully positive and heartwarming response that our show received'

Cute: Vogue shared an Instagram Story post where she admitted that watching the show back she couldn't believe just how much Theodore, now four months, has grown

Spencer then shared a snap with the adorable tot as he penned: 'He takes selfies now... A huge thank you for the wonderfully positive and heartwarming response that our show received last night.

'Working with my family to entertain you all is something that both my wife and I really enjoy doing so cant thank you enough for taking the time to watch and offer your feedback.

'We hope you enjoy the rest of the series!!'

All access: Spencer and Vogue had fans in hysterics in the (VERY unfiltered) first episode of their new E4 show Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too on Monday night

In just two years of dating Spencer and Vogue become engaged, tied the knot and welcomed their first child.

And giving fans an all-access pass to what goes on behind closed doors, the couple had fans in hysterics as they discussed everything from their sex life to dilation in the first (and VERY unfiltered) episode of their new E4 show Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too.

Airing on Monday night, viewers got to see the final stages of Vogue's pregnancy, before the arrival of baby Theodore and how the couple have adjusted to becoming first-time parents with fans praising Spencer's transformation from Made In Chelsea party boy into a husband and father.

So sweet: The episode included Theodore's first moments with his mum and dad

The couples chemistry was apparent from the get go, with the fun-loving pair not afraid to poke fun at each other. While Spencer quipped Vogue was infatuated with him from the moment they met on The Jump in 2017, Vogue claimed: Spencer was way more into me than I was him.

Seeming to agree, he revealed: Pretty sure I told you I loved you on our first date. Vogue couldnt resist remarking: I went for the smaller man, never thought I would.

Conversation then turned to their impending arrival, with Spencer revealing the couple already knew theyd be having a boy: I was like, Is that the umbilical cord? She was like, No, thats his penis, I was like, Wow kids packing!

Behind closed doors: Fans got to see the duo's relationship home life and the final stages of Vogue's pregnancy, as well as the model going into labour

Fans then saw the parents-to-be head out baby shopping as they picked up supplies for their new arrival, with Spencer urging his wife not to go too overboard.

After seeking out a long list of items, Vogue asks Spencer if he is happy with their purchases, with the Chelsea star telling her: Anything that makes you happy, makes me happy, before dryly adding: Im quite certain we have everything.

As the duo prepared for Vogue to go into labour, Spencer was seen quizzing his model wife on how exactly she gives birth, with the pair then giving a visual representation of how much Vogue will dilate.

Starting with a cheerio, the pair then hilariously go through the stages of dilation using everything from a banana slice, to a cookie and a bagel, with a concerned Spencer asking Vogue: 'Does that mean if you drink a bottle of wine its just going to pour out of you?'

Hilarious: An inquisitive Spencer was seen grilling Vogue on how she will give birth to their son and the duo made a visual representation of her dilating

Lovely: Using everything from a cheerio to a banana slice to a doughnut, Vogue took her husband through the process of preparing to give birth

Amusing: Spencer was grossed out by the explanation, with Vogue even admitting: 'That is gross... that's huge'

Slightly taken aback with their edible reconstruction, Vogue admits: 'Oh my god, thats huge. That is gross. The babys head is bigger than that.'

Such scenes left viewers in hysterics, as many rushed to Twitter to comment on Spencer and Vogue and how much they were enjoying seeing the couple onscreen together.

They penned: 'Spencer, Vogue and baby too is making me laugh out loud...

'So far I'm loving Spencer, Vogue and Baby too! They are such a funny couple and so well suited.

'Absolutely creasing': The married couple were a hit with fans, as many rushed to Twitter to share their amusement over Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too's first episode

'Loving the new show - never realised how funny Spencer is; am literally crying... Vogue must have the patience of a saint! Thanks for making Monday night's great again.

'Aw stop Vogue and Spencer have me in stitches in fairness. Really like them!

'Already loving Spencer, Vogue and bay too... it's only been on 10 minutes and I'm hooked.

'Actually creasing at Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too.'

Transformation: Fans were delighted to see how much ex Made In Chelsea star Spencer had changed since he was last starring in a reality series

Fans were also delighted to see how much ex Made In Chelsea star Spencer had changed since he was last starring in a reality series. One viewer tweeted:

'Am watching that spencer vogue and baby too bc i'm a loser who likes to procrastinate and i'm really liking spencer he's much less of a d**khead than he was in 2011.'

Another agreed, writing: '@SpencerMatthews is adorable as a Dad! Far cry from the slightly n***ish #MadeInChelsea Spenny I mean that in the nicest way!'

'@SpencerMatthews has evolved guys!!! He isn't a d**khead anymore and he actually hilarious' declared another.

Couple goals: Others praised Vogue for helping her husband, who revealed this week he is seven months sober, to turn his live around

Others praised Vogue for helping her husband, who revealed this week he is seven months sober, to turn his live around.

'Watched #mic since beginning & #vogue is perfect for #spencer' gushed one fan as others used the hashtag Couple Goals.

Spencer was seen discussing his new role as a dad during the show with best pal and fellow MIC star Hugo Taylor - comparing his life as a father to his former partying ways.

Hilarious: In a bid to bring on labour, Vogue was seen attending a barre class with Spencer

Giving it his all: The former MIC star couldn't resist making it all very tongue-in-cheek as he supported his wife

Amusing: Spencer entertained viewers as he messed around, while impressing himself with his own ball skills

He claimed: 'The old me and the me now wouldnt even be mates. I would hate me a year ago now. Its not all because of the kid, finding Vogue, Ive really just found my place and I love it. Its great, honestly, it gives your life a whole new meaning.'

Tweets also came flooding in as the couple were seen candidly discussing their sex life, both pre and post baby Theodore, in a no holds barred chat. Vogue had been discussing ways she was trying to bring on her labour after passing her due date, confessing: 'Weve been trying to have more sexy times because weve heard that helps.

'Its not lasting long enough, so the baby doesnt even realise its happened.'

Funny: The light-hearted couple struggled to take things seriously, as they joked about together while exercising

Be prepared: Vogue was seen going through her hospital bag ahead of her labour with beau Spencer

Unimpressed: Although, he was a little confused by how much the Irish star wanted to take with her - she had even packed scented candles

Sweet: Spencer was seen declaring his love for Vogue, as he joked: 'Most married people hate each other and we are just madly in love arent we, I do love you, I do'

Spencer hit back: 'Im good at sex, plain and simple,' to which Vogue replied: 'Hes quick and efficient.'

Prior to Vogue giving birth, the couple were joined by Spencer's BFF Hugo for a dinner date at their home, where Spencer revealed: 'Vogue keeps asking me if Im going to cry [at the birth].

Confiding in his best pal, he said: 'I feel like if I dont, Im going to get hell for it. Nothing would give me more pleasure to be breathlessly blown away and unable to speak. If all else fails, Ill think of Mufasa dying in the Lion King and it gets me every time.'

Spencer was then seen accompanying Vogue to a barre class, as she determinedly tried to bring on her labour - before the duo were seen going through the documentary-maker's hospital bag, in which she had hilariously packed scented candles.

The time has arrived! The excited couple were seen heading into hospital as Vogue finally went into labour

Excited: They were seen discussing their impending arrival, as Vogue was prepped

Sweeter scenes saw Spencer and Vogue become parents for the first time, as fans saw Vogue go into labour.

Reflecting on the impending arrival of his son, Spencer told the camera: 'This is the end of my life as I know it, vogue and mines relationship is going to take a massive turn.'

As Vogue's contractions became more regular, Spencer struggled to watch on, saying: 'She needs pain relief, its really hard to watch her, shes in total agony.'

Things didn't exactly go to plan and Vogue was rushed to theatre to have a C-section, as Theodore's heart rate had started to spike and was 'all over the place'.

Overdue: Vogue appeared totally at ease as she settled back into her hospital bed

Struggling: As the contractions became more regular, Vogue was seen struggling with the pain

Ouch: The beauty appeared in agony as she prepared to give birth to their baby boy

On hand: Spencer was ever the supportive beau, as he rubbed his wife's back

Providing an update, Spencer revealed: 'The babys heart rate is spiking, so its a bit worrying but Im sure they know what theyre doing.'

Although, all was well as he later revealed Vogue didn't need a C-section in the end and delivered naturally while she was wheeled back to her hospital bed, cradling little Theodore in her arms.

'It hasn't really sunk in,' said Spencer on seeing his baby boy. 'It's pretty amazing.'

He told Vogue: 'I thought you handled that like an absolute superstar.'

The cameras then returned to the couple's home when Theodore was seven weeks old, with Vogue joking that there were moments that she 'hated' Spencer during the early stages of parenting.

Proud as punch: New dad Spencer couldn't hide his delight as he welcomed his son

Safe and well: He revealed that baby Theodore's heart rate had spiked prompting doctors to prepare Vogue for a C-section, but in the end she was able to give birth naturally

Gorgeous: The new parents were seen sharing a sweet moment as they cuddled up together with their son, and Spencer told Vogue she had 'handled childbirth like a superstar'

Later Spencer was seen quizzing Hugo on when he and his wife, Millie Mackintosh, will start a family.

Hugo replied: 'We talk about it all the time,we love kids, but right now were very happy seeing all our friends having babies [it's] quite close.'

As the episode drew to a close, viewers saw Spencer babysit Theodore with his friend Jake Quickenden, who had starred on The Jump alongside him and Vogue, while his wife enjoyed her first night out since becoming a mum.

He's here! After a tense arrival, little Theodore was safe and sound in his mum's arms

Getting close: Spencer was seen having some skin-on-skin time with his son

Adorable: Speaking of fatherhood and meeting his newborn, Spencer said: 'It hasn't really sunk in, it's pretty amazing'

As Spencer took to looking after Theodore swimmingly, Vogue was seen pumping her breast milk in the nightclub toilets, as she claimed: 'Going on a night out is definitely different, I had to pump in the nightclub toilet before I had a drink.

'Im sitting in the toilet pumping, maybe Im not ready to go out.'

Little did she know that back at home, Jake and Spencer were discussing said breast milk, with the former X Factor star actually trying a bit - much to Vogue's later disgust.

'That's rank,' she told beau Spencer. 'How much did he drink?!'

Boys night in: The show then fast-foward to when Theodore was seven weeks old and Spencer was preparing to babysit with his pal Jake Quickenden

Boys will be boys: Jake was seen pulling a face as he tried a tiny bit of Vogue's breast milk

On the go: Meanwhile, Vogue was on her first night out after becoming a mum, but was seen expressing her milk in the nightclub toilet

So glamorous: She revealed, 'Im sitting in the toilet pumping, maybe Im not ready to go out'

Reflecting on the past seven weeks as parents, Vogue told the camera it was 'mad' to think that their little bundle of joy had now arrived and was sleeping in the room next to them.

She and Spencer then joked over baby number two - both sharing their willingness to expand their brood as Spencer joked in response to his wife's declaration for another baby: 'I've already hidden your pills.'

Always one step ahead, Vogue cheekily replied: 'I haven't started taking them.'

Spencer and Vogue married in a private ceremony within the grounds of Spencer's family estate in Scotland last year. He had proposed on stage at the Lyceum Theatre in London's West End in February 2018 - just over a year after meeting Vogue on The Jump.

Spencer, Vogue and Baby Too airs Monday on E4 at 9pm

Family: Reflecting on the past seven weeks as parents, Vogue told the camera it was 'mad' to think that their little bundle of joy had now arrived and was sleeping in the room next to themVicky Pattison has hit back at trolls after she was criticised for her stance in her sister's wedding pictures, following the Mexican nuptials on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old former Geordie Shore star, whose own engagement to John Noble fell apart in November, looked sensational in a stunning midnight blue bridesmaid dress as she posed on the beach yet her positioning was criticised.

Standing before Laura, who looked phenomenal in a frothy strapless gown, fans blasted the star for blocking the bride, however Vicky hit back at the 'b****y' critics, as she insisted she was asked by Laura to stand in that place.

Blocking it out: Vicky Pattison has hit back at trolls after she was criticised for her stance in her sister's wedding pictures, following the Mexican nuptials on Tuesday

Vicky has been living it up in boozy style with her family in Mexico since touching down last week, as she shirks her love woes following John's alleged infidelity during a lads' trip to Dubai, after which she was said to be 'humiliated and heartbroken'.

As she moves on from the pain, she threw herself into bridesmaid duties for her sister, who looked incredible for her beach wedding, yet fans criticised Vicky for posting a picture in which she stood in front of her sister.

Slamming her critics, Vicky shared a lengthy video on her Instagram stories on Wednesday as she fumed: 'Morning everybody. It's 7.48am here and I have just woken up to a slew of negativity.

'First of all, I'd like to say congratulations, Laura and Daniel, beautiful day yesterday the Adamsons. Welcome to the family, Daniel. Laura, you looked stunning. I'm so proud of both of you.'

Emotional: Slamming her critics, Vicky shared a lengthy video on her Instagram stories on Wednesday as she fumed that she had 'woken up to a slew of negativity'

With the pleasantries out the way, Vicky explained the reasoning behind her controversial pose in the snaps, revealing that her sister had a stain on her dress and she was told to stand in front to cover it up.

She explained: 'So obviously Laura got married in Mexico. It was a super hot day and she looked stunning.

'Somewhere from getting to the room, finishing the wedding and getting the photos taken she got a little mark on her dress, which understandably she was sensitive about.'

Reasoning: With the pleasantries out the way, Vicky explained the reason behind her controversial pose in the snaps, revealing that her sister had a stain on her dress

Lashing out: Vicky explained that her sister had asked if someone would angle themselves just in front of her so you couldn't see the stain that was on the front of her bridal gown

Vicky, who looked close to tears, continued: 'I mean, she still looked stunning, a solid 10 out of 10. But for her it was a bug bear, it was an issue.

'So when we were taking photos at the end she asked if someone would angle themselves just in front of her so you couldn't see the stain, not that anyone would have really noticed.

'But that's what Laura asked, so that's what I did because she was the bride, because I love her, because I would do anything for her. Never in my wildest dreams did I think that people on my social media would attack me for that.'

Explaining herself: Vicky, who looked close to tears, continued 'I mean, she still looked stunning, a solid 10 out of 10. But for her it was a bug bear, it was an issue'

Hitting back: Vicky reasoned, 'It was her wedding day, in what world would I deliberately stand in front of my sister, the most important person in my life, and try and detract attention'

In an impassioned rant against her critics, she continued: 'The decisions that I've made with my life are mine, I never regret them and feel so incredibly lucky to be in the public eye.

'However, me sister didn't make the same choices, me mam didn't, me friends didn't, me family didn't, so that's why I don't put them on my social media a lot. Especially me sister. Because they didn't make the decision to have everyone else have an opinion about them.

'It was her wedding day, in what world would I deliberately stand in front of my sister, the most important person in my life, and try and detract attention away from her?

'Do you think that I can't have the spotlight on someone else for a single second? That I'm that pathetic?'

Mental: Going further in her rant, she added, 'It's just mental to me, it's insane that people would assume that about us or write it under me Instagram'

Going further in her rant, she added: 'It's just mental to me, it's insane that people would assume that about us or write it under me Instagram, or take something as special as me sister's wedding day and mar it with your negativity and nastiness.

'Understand here, I'm not speaking for everyone, there are some gorgeous comments and some lovely people, and for that I thank you. But Christ, can you think before you speak? These people writing hateful things about not only me, but me family.

'After the year me sister, her fiance, all of her friends, all of her family have had, I would call for compassion, please. I'm just blown away.'

Emotional: Vicky then moved on from the drama as she shared a slew of snaps with her friend and fellow bridesmaid Stephanie and recalled them both crying their eyes out at the wedding

A friend in need: Vicky also shared a snap of Stephanie tending to her injured foot after she hurt it doing a cannonball into the swimming pool which resulted to her falling into a drain

Vicky then moved on from the drama as she shared a slew of snaps with her friend and fellow bridesmaid Stephanie including a snap of her tending to Vicky's foot after the reality star injured it falling down a drain.

She penned: 'I will hold the memory of me and you blubbing our hearts out watching Lau walk down the aisle with me forever- as one of our proudest no doubt.

THANKYOU for being more than a friend to both me and @laurajadamson - youre a sister. Heres to 15 more years of friendship wifey'.

Here comes the bride: Vicky has been living it up in boozy style with her family in Mexico since touching down last week

The rant came after Vicky had shared a snap with the bride, penning: 'My ladies for life Im just so lucky to know you both @laurajadamson and @sk_nowles!! Congratulations my darlin Laura- no one deserves this more than you'.

While many fans gushed over both Laura and Vicky's stunning looks, others were left baffled over Vicky's positioning in the snap - as she stood in front of her sister.

Users penned: 'It's not about being a hater at all, it's just odd your blocking the view of the beautiful bride!!... I wondered the same so dont worry. And not in a mean spirited way either. Just made me chuckle...

A vision: As she moves on from the pain, she threw herself into bridesmaid duties for her sister, who looked incredible for her beach wedding as she wowed in a frothy white gown alongside Vicky and one other pal

'Its only because it blocks her pretty dress and I love a wedding dress! I thought the reaction comment was pretty strong, but I guess I am not in her position...

'Unfortunately, if you post a lot of pics of yourself posing and pouting in a swimsuit, then people may assume that you want the focus on you so this photo would then seem a bit off?...

'Usually people dont stand in front of a bride and take up the photo, its seen as wrong isnt it? purely because the focus is totally on the bride. Never mind, everyone does look very nice and I hope she had a really lovely day...

Shocker: She shirked her love woes following John's alleged infidelity during a lads' trip to Dubai, after which she was said to be 'humiliated and heartbroken'

'If she did feel weird about the way she looked and wanted to hide a bit, please tell her she looked absolutely beautiful. i totally agree with you. I was thinking exactly the same thing. It is not criticising...

'I just wanted to see the beautiful dress. When posting this pic maybe the caption should say my sister asked me to stand there. She has no reason to hide. She's beautiful... Why are you standing in front of bride?? Manners Vic, manners its not all about you!'

Enraged Vicky hit back, saying: 'Thats where my sister asked me to stand. Now, what exactly did you gain from that bitchy comment?!...

Shock: Fans were cruelly mocking her stance however she remained defiant

'Or were you hoping Id say that Im that attention hungry and desperate I couldnt imagine the thought of my baby sister, the most important person in my life, having the focus on her for one day?! Just get a life...

'people like you are the precise reason I dont post pictures of my friends and more importantly family on my instagram more regularly- as you make something that should be wonderful and happy quite dark and negative.'

Other fans however defended Vicky, saying: 'Jesus id hate to be famous and having to question every single little thing I posted and the position of every single thing before I posted it...

'Let's just enjoy the pic guys you all look lovely @vickypattison have fun... omg youre ridiculous! @vickypattison has put a pic up of the couple and hes stood in front of her to, you saying the same about that?! Just ridiculous!

'You look unreal haters everywhere you go and there always will be !! Jealousy gets you know where guys I can still Cleary see the bride no problem so what's everyone's f**king problem! Got nothing better to do with your lives than sit qon Instagram at 6am writing your negativity everywhere!!...

'No one can even post a picture nowadays without nasty t**ts everywhere! I doubt you listen to them anyway u look absolutely stunning I think your amazing'.CoverGirl brand ambassador Issa Rae glammed up to host a meet-and-greet at the opening of a new flagship store in Manhattan's Times Square on Tuesday evening.

The Insecure creator and star - turning 34 this Saturday - beamed as she posed with many fans at the promotional event in the Big Apple.

The two-time Golden Globe nominee looked sophisticated in a white plunging blouse, black silk trousers, and peep-toe heels selected by stylist Jason Rembert.

Sitting pretty: CoverGirl brand ambassador Issa Rae glammed up to host a meet-and-greet at the opening of a new flagship store in Manhattan's Times Square on Tuesday evening

'So this happened today!' The Insecure creator and star - turning 34 this Saturday - beamed as she posed with many fans at the promotional event in the Big Apple

Hairstylist Anthony Dickey coiffed Rae's tidy top bun, which helped to show off her Alexis Bittar earrings, while make-up artist Joanna Simkin applied her red pout for the function.

'See you soon!' Issa - who boasts 3.6M social media followers - Insta-storied ahead of the event.

'Purchase some exclusive merch & come say hi  can't wait to see you there!'

The Stanford University grad has repped the all-American cosmetics company as far back as September 2017.

Werk! The two-time Golden Globe nominee looked sophisticated in a white plunging blouse, black silk trousers, and peep-toe heels selected by stylist Jason Rembert

Sleek: Hairstylist Anthony Dickey coiffed Rae's tidy top bun, which showed off her Alexis Bitter earrings, while make-up artist Joanna Simkin applied her red pout for the function

Issa Insta-storied ahead of the event: 'See you soon! Purchase some exclusive merch & come say hi  can't wait to see you there!'

'I've definitely gone to drugstores and not seen my shade': The Stanford University grad has repped the all-American cosmetics company as far back as September 2017

The former YouTube sensation told Refinery29 last July: 'I don't [associate myself] with anything that doesn't prioritize inclusivity and diversity. That's been my own personal mission'

'I don't [associate myself] with anything that doesn't prioritize inclusivity and diversity. That's been my own personal mission,' the former YouTube sensation told Refinery29 last July.

'I've definitely gone to drugstores and not seen my shade. I feel like that's an experience so many of us have had. It can be discouraging and now I feel like there's a priority in terms of making sure that all shades are represented.'

On September 6, HBO renewed Rae's dramedy series Insecure for an eight-episode fourth season, which will likely premieres this summer.

In it, Issa (born Jo-Issa Rae Diop) plays Issa Dee, a 29-year old black woman who used to work as the youth liaison of the non-profit organization called We Got Y'all.He's a Hollywood leading man with one of TV's hottest shows and legions of fans, but Liev Schreiber's kids will never find him to be cool.

The 51-year-old Ray Donovan actor, appearing on Wednesday's edition of Ellen, says that his sons, Sasha, 11, and Samuel Kai, 10, with ex Naomi Watts, will never give him the honors.

'You're never cool to your own kids, I don't know anybody that's cool to their own kids,' Schreiber said. 'I've accepted the fact that it's impossible, I'll never be cool.'

Scroll below for video

Can't help it: Liev Schreiber, 51, appears on Wednesday's edition of Ellen, and says that his sons, Sasha, 11, and Kai, 10, with ex Naomi Watts, will never find him cool

The San Francisco native said that a professional decision he made four years ago, to be in more kids' geared works, didn't do the trick either.

'The [kids'] reactions to them is, "Yeah, but you're just a voice,"' said Schreiber, who has lent his voice to films such as Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and My Little Pony: The Movie in recent years.

The Showtime star said the two kids did get a kick when 'they got to meet Lil' Wayne' when he was the musical guest when Schreiber hosted Saturday Night Live this past November.

Schreiber opened up about relocating Ray Donovan to New York City this season, amid a growing trend of productions filming there.

Tough task: The actor told Ellen, 'You're never cool to your own kids, I don't know anybody that's cool to their own kids ... I've accepted the fact that it's impossible, I'll never be cool'

Home is where the heart is: The actor said it's a priority to be on the East Coast to be near his kids

'There was something like 19 new shows shooting in the city last season,' he said.

The actor said it's a priority to be on the East Coast to be near his kids: 'It's home I miss California a little bit but I'm also enjoying being close to my family.'

Asked about the rough-and-tumble nature of the fixer character he plays on the popular Showtime series, Schreiber said he takes some lumps every now and again while filming the show.

'Yeah I'm not as young as I used to be,' the TV tough-man said. 'I get knocked down a lot and I pretend to punch people and that hurts your shoulder sometimes.'

Lauded: The actor was recently nominated for a Golden Globe for his work on the Showtime series for the fifth straight year

Perks: Schreiber said the two kids did get a kick when 'they got to meet Lil Wayne' when he was the musical guest when Schreiber hosted Saturday Night Live this past NovemberShe's a first time mom at 47.

And on Tuesday, Kenya Moore joked on Instagram about how challenging it is being the mother of a two-month-old.

The Real Housewives Of Atlanta star shared a photo of herself with a mass of unruly hair, writing in the caption: 'When you're a new mom and don't have time to do your hair!'

Challenged: She's a first time mom at 47. And on Tuesday, Kenya Moore posted this selfie to her Instagram, sharing: 'When you're a new mom and don't have time to do your hair!'

Moore pulls a face for the camera as she poses and wears a fine gold chain around her neck with the letter 'B' as a pendant .

The 'B' is for her baby girl Brooklyn Doris whom she welcomed with husband Marc Daly on November 4.

On Sunday, she posted a close-up photo of the adorable infant and thanked her fans for all their well-wishes.'

'Thank you for all the outpouring of love for this little Angel @thebrooklyndaly,' she wrote. 'We have received hundreds of gifts and emails and well wishes from people we know and some we have never met.'

Cute: The Real Housewives Of Atlanta star welcomed daughter Brooklyn Doris on November 4. And on Sunday she thanked fans for all their support as she posted a pic of the adorable infant

Devoted: Moore had turned to IVF to get pregnant and had a high-risk pregnancy with multiple health scares. She ended up delivering her daughter via emergency c-section

Moore had turned to IVF to get pregnant and ended up delivering her daughter via emergency c-section.

Despite the 'scary' birth that came at the end of a high-risk pregnancy with multiple health scares, the reality star told People she'd still like to have another baby.

'I don't know if my body can do it, but we would love to have one more,' she told the publication last month. 'I want a little boy!'

'At first, when I was starting to feel really bad in my pregnancy, I was like, 'I cannot possibly do this again.' But within the first week after giving birth, I don't know  I missed the baby bump!' she said. ''I missed the whole thing of carrying her, feeling her move inside me and all that stuff. I would love to feel that again.'

Moore and Brooklyn-based restaurateur Daly married in June 2017 and they divide their time between Atlanta and New York.She's the Victoria's Secret model, who's often hailed for her statuesque frame.

However on Tuesday, Georgia Fowler, appeared to have a minor career setback when she lost her 'dream job' due to a flight cancellation.

In a video shared to Instagram, the New Zealand-born model, 26, was seen fighting back tears as she explained her 'nightmare' run at LaGuardia Airport in New York City.

Scroll down for video

'I just lost a dream job!' Victoria's Secret model Georgia Fowler tearfully rants about missing out on a modelling job when her flight was cancelled

'So how's this for a nightmare. I am at the airport, I've been here since 4:30...it's now 10:30. Flight was delayed,' she explained.

'I was en-route to the next dream job and then it was postponed (flight) and we all had to deplane.

'Then it was 1:30 and we waited another few hours and it was cancelled and now it's too late for me to fly into my job!

'But I actually have to fly into there anyway because my flight tomorrow leaves from there!'

Ouch! In a video shared to Instagram, the New Zealand -born model, 26, was seen fighting back tears as she explained her 'nightmare' run at LaGuardia Airport in New York City

Tearful: However the moment proved to be too much for the model (pictured) as seconds later she posted a clip to the photo-sharing app, revealing a set of very watery peepers

The catwalk queen tried to remain positive in the face of her misfortune, sharing: 'Oh well...onwards and upwards. We forge on forward. Hopefully it happens again!'

However the moment proved to be too much for the model as seconds later she posted a clip to the photo-sharing app, revealing a set of very watery peepers.

'Never travel with luggage again! I'm going to be here for the next...I don't even know?' the disappointed star said in the clip as her eyes filled with tears.

'Seven hours later...gone nowhere...lost a dream job...very tired,' she captioned the video.

Heaven sent! Georgia (pictured) stormed the runway for luxury lingerie brand Victoria's Secret first in 2016, then again in November 2018

Red hot! Georgia stripped down to a skimpy red bikini last month, while on Christmas holidays in her native New Zealand

Georgia stormed the runway for luxury lingerie brand Victoria's Secret first in 2016, then again in November 2018.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia at the time, Georgia said the energy at last year's show in New York was 'electric'.

'Everyone was screaming for us and all the girls were screaming for each other. It was very special,' she said.

The glamazon, who followed a strict exercise regime prior to the show, said that she and the other Victoria's Secret models indulged in a cheat meal afterwards.

'We all have a little cheat meal after. We've been working for a long time. We were all just enjoying it, letting our hair down at night,' she added.They've been together since 2012.

But Kim Kardashian proved that love hurts at times when she shared a quirky photo with husband Kanye West on Tuesday.

The reality diva, 38, was seen affectionately biting the side of the rapper/fashion designer's face in the photo which was simply captioned: 'Throwback.'

Though it was unclear when exactly the 'throwback' was from, the style of her hair (wavy, blonde and just past her shoulders) seemed to suggest the photo was snapped around spring of 2016.

The grainy picture showed a platinum Kim K leaning against her love as she nipped at his cheek.

Kanye stared straight into the camera, looking stylish in a camo shirt dressed up with a single chain.

The couple recently revealed they were expecting a fourth child, a boy, via surrogate.

Expensive treats: Kim Kardashian buys $1k Louis Vuitton bags for all her nieces including the babies (and she got one too)

Christmas treat: Kim bought the bags for all the girls in her family, including her own two daughters and four nieces

Earlier in the day the mother-of-three revealed her Christmas gifts for her nieces via her social media.

The 38-year-old shared a picture of a collection of miniature Louis Vuitton bags, which retail for a cool $1,100 each.

'I got these for all of the baby girls in the fam for Xmas from Japan,' she captioned the haul.

Eagle eyed fans pointed out that there were eight bags in the picture, while Kim has only two daughters and four nieces.

Wrote a fan called Lex: 'am i missing some? I counted p, north, dream chicago, stormi true... who's the remainder two?'

Stocking up: Kim bought two extra bags

Kim, who is currently expecting a son via surrogate, replied: 'Oh wait I kept one for myself and extras for the future lol.'

While Kim's fourth child is going to be a boy, the reality star has said her husband Kanye West wants an even bigger family - with seven children in total.

Speaking to her friend Larsa Pippen on their reality show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, she said: 'Kanye wants to have more, though. He's been harassing me. He wants like seven. He's like stuck in seven.'

And even if Kim doesn't produce the extra daughters, her sisters might.

Sorry Saint! Pictured L-R are cousins Stormi Webster, True Thompson, Chicago West and Dream Kardashian

After Kim, Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner all welcomed children in early 2018, the siblings are said to be considering joining Kim in having another tot.

A source said: 'Kim having another baby this year is heavily influencing her other sisters and their baby plans. They all loved being pregnant at the same time and everyone wants all of the kids to be close in age. Everyone jokes about having another round of 'triplets' all the time.'

Kim - who has kids North, five, Saint, three, and 11-month-old Chicago - previously claimed that having children has helped her to feel 'more connected' with her own sisters.

She said: 'I definitely feel like we are more connected now, especially that Khloe's back and we're hanging out with all the babies. All the kids want to hang out. It's just a whole different experience now. It's so much fun.'Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club aired it's premiere episode on Tuesday.

The MTV reality show revealed the entrepreneurial skills of Lindsay Lohan as she opened a lounge in Mykonos with the help of her creative partner Panos Spentzos.

And the two were extremely selective as they handpicked the VIP hosts to represent her brand: ''I dont want these kids f***king up my future!'

First foray: Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club aired it's premiere episode on Tuesday

'This summer I'm bringing in the best VIP hosts from America,' she announced.

Her crew included a mixture of bartenders, bottle service experts and nightclub hosts, including Michael Mulderrig, Juliana Wilson, Brent Marks, Sara Tariq, Aristotle Polites, Billy Estevez, Gabi Andrews, May Yassine and Jonitta Wallace.

After the bevy of beauties arrived to the Greek isle, Panos began giving a tutorial on how the beach club is going to be run.

'I want you to be the ambassadors WE want you to be, not what you've done before,' Panos explained.

Partners: The MTV reality show revealed the entrepreneurial skills of Lindsay Lohan as she opened a lounge in Mykonos with the help of her creative partner Panos Spentzos

Reasons: Lindsay then gives her reason for opening the beach club - to make the vacation spot a safe space after she was allegedly assaulted by then-fiance Egor Tarabasov

'I grew up watching Linsday and wanted to be her, I still think this is a dream' May revealed after the initial meeting with Panos.

Soon the young group meets for their first dinner and they all confess to being single. Attractions become apparent and Mike even admits he's bisexual.

Lindsay then surprises the group for their first meeting with their new boss and finds Gabi to be all about herself.

New crew: Brent Marks, Sara Tariq, May Yassine and Michael Mulderrig signed on

Additions: Jonitta Wallace, Juliana Wilson, Gabi Andrews, and Aristotle Polites joined in

'Growing up in the spotlight has taught me to be a quick judge of character and I don't think Gabi is here for the right reasons,' the Mean Girls star dished.

'I think you want your own show...' Lindsay said to Gabi before storming out.

Lindsay was upset that Gabi had been swimming in her bra and presented herself in such a way for their initial meeting.

Tutorial: After the bevy of beauties arrived to the Greek isle, Panos began giving a tutorial on how the beach club is going to be run

Reveals: Attractions become apparent and Mike even admits he's bisexual

'When you meet your boss, don't show up in a bra. It's like me going to Steven Spielberg in a bra and wet hair.

'Im going to watch everything they do. Everyone is going to think they are on vacation. I didn't bust my ass for people to take vantage of me,' she said.

Lindsay then gives her reason for opening the beach club - to make the vacation spot a safe space after she was allegedly assaulted by then-fiance Egor Tarabasov.

Surprise: Lindsay then surprises the group for their first meeting with their new boss and finds Gabi to be all about herself

Tear soaked: Lindsay broke down in tears talking about her mom seeing the sign for her first beach club

'She wanted to remember the beach as a fun place,' added Panos.

And Lindsay broke down in tears talking about her mom seeing the sign for her first beach club.

'I made it something that is meaningful to me,' Lindsay said.

'When I went for the first time with my mom, nothing was finished yet. It was just a sign. She started crying. She was in awe. She was really happy for me.'

Meaningful: 'I made it something that is meaningful to me,' Lindsay said

Upset: Lindsay was upset that Gabi had been swimming in her bra and presented herself in such a way for their initial meeting

The ambassadors are then sent out to try and sell cabanas for the club. Sara starts taking control and begins giving attitude to the other ambassadors even going so far to make May cry.

'I don't want cry babies in the club. Lindsay has a heart for that. I don't,' said Panos.

Lindsay nurtures May and takes her under her wing.

Be ready: 'When you meet your boss, don't show up in a bra. It's like me going to Steven Spielberg in a bra and wet hair'

Eye on you: 'Im going to watch everything they do. Everyone is going to think they are on vacation. I didn't bust my ass for people to take vantage of me,' she said

'Lindsays very approachable,' May said.

'The fact that shes sitting there listening and I can tell she understands made me cheer up. I never had a boss I could talk to that way, and I feel like she cares.

Meanwhile, Brent is given a special VIP guest - Greek model Natasha - to take care of and he ends up making out with her.

No tears left to cry; 'I don't want cry babies in the club. Lindsay has a heart for that. I don't,' said Panos

Thin line: ''There's a thin line between business and pleasure and Brent crossed the line,' said Jonitta

''There's a thin line between business and pleasure and Brent crossed the line,' said Jonitta.

The episode ended with Lindsay laying down the law once again.

'This is not a summer vacation,' she said.

'To make it, you have to be the best of the best, but after yesterday, Im not sure these VIP hosts have what it takes. If their intention is not to do a good job and work hard, its not going to fly with me.'

Lindsay Lohan's Beach Club returns next Tuesday on MTV at 8pm EST.From his wealth of experience to his outspoken presenting style, it's easy to see why Karl Stefanovic would be a great fit for talkback radio.

And according to industry website Radio Today, the sacked Today host may pursue a full-time job on the airwaves after his Channel Nine contract expires in 2020.

The publication reported on Wednesday: 'Could Karl be transformed from a divisive TV host into a radio shock jock? Industry reports suggest he was strongly sounded out by Southern Cross Austereo for 2Day FM and Triple M Sydney Breakfast.'

Is Karl Stefanovic the next Alan Jones? The former Today host (pictured) may have a future in talkback radio after his contract with Channel Nine expires in 2020. Pictured during a recent appearance on KIIS FM's The Kyle and Jackie O Show

Karl, who is no stranger to early starts after 14 years hosting the Today show, could also make the move to a breakfast program on WSFM or Smooth FM.

A move to Macquarie Radio could be on the cards too, given the recent merger of Channel Nine and Fairfax.

It comes after The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Karl was keen to 'branch out' and host his own breakfast radio show.

'He loves broadcasting,' said a source close to Karl shortly before Christmas.

'The next stop is for him to branch out into radio and move into a new phase of his TV career.'

The publication also claimed that Karl was rumoured to be 'in the running' to replace Matty Johns on Triple M's Sydney breakfast show, The Grill Team.

Next stop, radio? A move to Macquarie Radio could be on the cards for Karl, given the recent merger of Channel Nine and Fairfax. Pictured with Georgie Gardner (right) on the Today show

However, it was announced last month that comedian Lawrence Mooney would instead be replacing Matty in 2019.

Meanwhile, Karl certainly has plenty of experience when it comes to radio.

Over the years, he has made countless appearances on KIIS FM and Nova, as well as a host of other breakfast shows.

Close, but no cigar! Karl was rumoured to be 'in the running' to replace Matty Johns (pictured) on Triple M's Sydney breakfast show, The Grill Team, before the role went to Lawrence Mooney

Good to go! Meanwhile, Karl certainly has plenty of experience when it comes to radio. Over the years, he has made countless appearances on stations such as KIIS FM and Nova

Darren Wick, the director of news and current affairs at Nine, has confirmed Karl will be staying with the network despite his departure from the Today show.

'Karl remains on contract with the network and will continue to host This Time Next Year, which records in February,' he said in a statement.

Karl's deal with Channel Nine, which is worth a reported $3million per year, expires in 2020.Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon bonded with her daughter Ava Elizabeth Phillippe during a shopping spree at Barneys New York in Beverly Hills on Tuesday.

The 42-year-old Draper James founder repped her own brand in a $150 blue floral bell-sleeved frock as the 19-year-old high school grad rocked a vintage Nirvana T-shirt beneath a cardigan.

The Grammy-winning grunge band released their single Heart-Shaped Box (inspired by frontman Kurt Cobain's wife Courtney Love) in 1993 - six years before Ava was even born.

Family fun: Oscar winner Reese Witherspoon bonded with her daughter Ava Elizabeth Phillippe during a shopping spree at Barneys New York in Beverly Hills on Tuesday

Different styles: The 42-year-old Draper James founder repped her own brand in a $150 blue floral bell-sleeved frock as the 19-year-old high school grad rocked a vintage Nirvana T-shirt

Speaking of dead rock legends, Witherspoon tweeted about listening to seven-time Grammy winner David Bowie on what would have been his 72nd birthday had he not succumbed to liver cancer in 2016.

Missing from the mother-daughter outing were Reese's two sons - Deacon, 15; and Tennessee, 6 - from her marriages to Shooter star Ryan Phillppe and CAA agent Jim Toth.

On Monday, the Louisiana-born blonde teased a new still from the seven-episode second season of HBO's Big Little Lies for her 22.1M social media followers.

In it, Witherspoon's outspoken housewife Madeline Martha Mackenzie stood in a police line-up alongside Jane (Shailene Woodley), Bonnie (Zoe Kravitz), Celeste (Nicole Kidman), and Renata (Laura Dern).

Feel old? The Grammy-winning grunge band released their single Heart-Shaped Box (inspired by frontman Kurt Cobain's wife Courtney Love) in 1993 - six years before Ava was even born

'On repeat all day!' Speaking of dead rock legends, Witherspoon tweeted about listening to seven-time Grammy winner David Bowie on what would have been his 72nd birthday had he not succumbed to liver cancer in 2016

December 24 family portrait: Missing from the mother-daughter outing were Reese's two sons - Deacon, 15; and Tennessee, 6 - from her marriages to Shooter star Ryan Phillppe and CAA agent Jim Toth (R)

The cable network debuted a new trailer Sunday in which mourning mother Mary Louise Wright (Meryl Streep) demands, 'I want to know what happened that night' to her son Perry (Alexander Skarsgard).

'I was on set, yes. I can't disclose what I did on set,' the Swedish 42-year-old coyly said on the September 27 episode of The Tonight Show.

'Maybe I was acting. I might have been just moral support. I might have just made coffee for the ladies. I might have helped Meryl Streep with her acting - not help, but just give her little pointers, fine tune it a bit.'

According to THR, both Reese and 51-year-old Nicole earn an eye-popping $1M per episode as stars and executive producers of the Sausalito soap, which likely premieres next month.

'It's all happening!' On Monday, the Louisiana-born blonde teased a new still from the seven-episode second season of HBO's Big Little Lies for her 22.1M social media followers

Audrey Hepburn afterparty: In it, Witherspoon's outspoken housewife Madeline Martha Mackenzie stood in a police line-up alongside Jane (Shailene Woodley), Bonnie (Zoe Kravitz), Celeste (Nicole Kidman), and Renata (Laura Dern)

Newcomer! The cable network debuted a new trailer Sunday in which mourning mother Mary Louise Wright (Meryl Streep) demands, 'I want to know what happened that night' to her son Perry (Alexander Skarsgard)

The Swedish 42-year-old coyly said on The Tonight Show: 'I was on set, yes. I can't disclose what I did on set. Maybe I was acting' (pictured September 27)He was clean shaven in the first look for his upcoming Quentin Tarantino movie Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.

But 55-year-old film star Brad Pitt rocked a grizzled beard when he was spotted heading out in Los Angeles this Monday.

The brunette bombshell wore a stylish black jacket over an olive green tee, contrasting his top with silver jeans and a grey pageboy cap.

Looking good: Film star Brad Pitt rocked a grizzled beard when he was spotted heading out in Los Angeles this Monday

He accessorized his ensemble with a cloth print handbag slung over his right shoulder, rounding off the look with aviators and white sneakers.

Brad has three biological children with his ex-wife Angelina Jolie - twins Knox and Vivienne, 10, as well as 12-year-old daughter Shiloh.

The erstwhile couple, who married in 2014 at their chateau in France before she filed for divorce in 2016, are the adoptive parents of Maddox, 17, Pax, 15, and Zahara, 13.

Eminently stylish: The brunette bombshell wore a stylish black jacket over an olive green tee, contrasting his top with silver jeans and a grey pageboy cap

'Brangelina' became a couple after Brad infamously left his first wife Jennifer Aniston for Angelina in 2005, setting off a media sensation.

After their breakup, a custody battle ensued, but a representative for Angelina told Us Weekly that they had come to an arrangement in November.

'Angelina agreed to a deal that gives Brad joint physical and legal custody of the children,' an insider explained, dishing that Brad 'got what he wanted.'

Image of chic: He accessorized his ensemble with a cloth print handbag slung over his right shoulder, rounding off the look with aviators and white sneakers

Brad and Leonardo DiCaprio are co-starring in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, which is set in 1969 against the backdrop of the Manson Family murders.

The movie was partly filmed at the Playboy Mansion, the new owner of which is getting an associate producing credit, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Brad previously acted for Quentin in 2009's Inglourious Basterds, while Leonardo earned critical acclaim in the director's 2012 movie Django Unchained.The movie awards season is getting into full swing.

And on Tuesday night, Olivia Wilde was among the stars who showed up for the annual National Board Of Review awards ceremony in New York.

The actress, 34, looked gorgeous in a sleeveless shiny dark blue dress decorated with red flowers.

Scroll down for video

Shining star: Olivia Wilde was among the stars who showed up for the annual National Board Of Review awards ceremony in New York on Tuesday night

The pretty frock had a sweetheart neckline and shoulder straps.

After hugging the waist, the dress fell to mid-calf and featured a wide ruffled hem.

Olivia added black peep-toe heels with platform soles and carried a black evening purse.

She wore her caramel-colored locks styled back from her face and was made-up with black eye-liner and mascara, a dusting of blush and pale pink lip color.

Fashionista: The actress, 34, wore a sleeveless shiny dark blue dress decorated with red flowers

Lovely: The pretty frock had a sweetheart neckline and shoulder straps. After hugging the waist, the dress fell to mid-calf and featured a wide ruffled hem

Poised: Olivia added inches with a pair of black peep-toe heels with platform soles

The Vinyl star left partner Jason Sudeikis and their two children at home as she attended the gala. The couple are parents to son Otis, four, and daughter Daisy, two.

Meanwhile, Olivia has directed her first feature film - a comedy called Booksmart.

The film, to be released in May, revolves around two overachieving high school seniors (Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever) who on the day of graduation, start to think they should have worked less and played more.

So they decide to try and pack in four years of partying into one night, according to Variety.

Olivia recently told Variety that she was determined to ooze confidence on set even though it was the first movie she had helmed.

'Actors can smell fear in a director, and sometimes it stops them from doing their best work,' she explained. 'So I just wanted to create this super-safe environment, where everyone knew that I had their backs in every department.'

Calling the shots: Olivia recently directed her first feature film - a comedy called Booksmart that will be released in theatres in MayNetflix's hit thriller Bird Box had a huge first week on the Netflix streaming service.

Nielsen figures (via Variety) state that 26 million people watched the movie.

Last week, Netflix reported that 45 million subscribers watched the Sandra Bullock film in its first week.

Despite this down-shift in the opening week numbers, Bird Box still broke the record for the most-watched Netflix original film over its first seven days.

Big debut: Netflix's Bird Box was watched by 26 million subscribers in its first week, down from the previously-reported figure of 45 million

Shortly after Netflix revealed their opening week figure for Bird Box, they clarified that number was only subscribers who had viewed at least 70% of the movie.

Netflix didn't specify what percentage of the 45 million (roughly a third of their entire subscription base) had not watched the whole movie.

Nielsen's figure of 26 million is still enough to be the most-watched Netflix Original movie over its first seven days, breaking the previous record of 20 million set in December 2017 by Bright.

Netflix hit: Shortly after Netflix revealed their opening week figure for Bird Box, they clarified that number was only subscribers who had viewed at least 70% of the movie

Nielsen also concluded that Bird Box also had the second highest 'unduplicated reach' of any Netflix original, behind just Stranger Things Season 2.

The Nielsen data also revealed Bird Box had 3.5 million viewers on its premiere date (December 21), below the 5.4 million viewers who watched Bright on opening day.

While Bright quickly dropped off after its premiere, Bird Box retained strong word of mouth and ended its first week with 26 million viewers.

Big reach: Nielsen also concluded that Bird Box also had the second highest 'unduplicated reach' of any Netflix original, behind just Stranger Things Season 2

Nielsen also revealed that Bird Box had an average reach of over 4 million viewers each day for its first 10 days of release.

It's highest single day was its eight day in release, where it had an average minute audience of 3.9 million U.S. viewers.

Nielsen also revealed intriguing demographics numbers, indicating that more than 57% of the total audience was female.

Bird Box figures: Nielsen also revealed that Bird Box had an average reach of over 4 million viewers each day for its first 10 days of release

The highest viewer concentration was between the ages of 18 and 34 (36%), with 46% of the audience either black (24%) and Latino (22%) combined.

While Netflix has continually dismissed the Nielsen ratings data, but insiders claim that the numbers are 'pretty close.'

The film opened in limited theatrical engagements in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and London on Dec. 13, and was released globally on Netflix on Dec. 21.

Bird Box stars: Sandra Bullock poses with Trevante Rhodes at the Bird Box premiereAussie model Kendal Lee Schuler flaunted her enviable bikini body as she stepped onto Sydney's Bondi Beach on Tuesday.

Wearing a bright yellow two-piece, the 27-year-old ex of Leonardo DiCaprio was accompanied by her 21-month-old son, Ryker Lee.

It's the first child for Kendal and her partner, Jacob Pedrana.

Beach babes: Kendal Lee Schuler flaunted her enviable bikini body when she stepped onto Sydney's Bondi Beach on Tuesday with her 21-month-old son, Ryker Lee

Kendal first made headlines back in 2011, when it was revealed she was dating the 44-year-old Oscar-winning actor following his split from Blake Lively.

According to a 2011 report in The Courier Mail, the Cairns-born model first met Leo in Los Angeles, but they only struck up a romance following a night out in Sydney's Kings Cross.

But on Tuesday, Kendal was happy to leave her Hollywood connections in the past, as she doted on her young son.

Keeping dry: Kendal was seen kneeling down on the sand to towel her young son off following a swim in the ocean

Play time: She was then seen playfully lifting Ryka up over her head while lying on a towel stretched out on the sand

Holding her son's hand, Kendal was seen walking across the sand with the little boy.

She then knelt down to towel him off following a swim in the ocean.

Kendal was then seen playfully lifting Ryka up over her head while lying on a towel stretched out on the sand.

Hollywood connections: Kendal first made headlines back in 2011, when it was revealed she was dating Leonardo DiCaprio following his split from Blake Lively

Happy family: Ryker Lee, born in 2017, is the first child for Kendal and her partner, Jacob Pedrana

Taking to Instagram in April 2017, shortly after Ryka's birth, Kendal revealed a fast labour meant the little boy ended up arriving at home.

'Our little man Ryka Lee Pedrana touched down in spectacular style. The brave little guy couldn't wait for hospital and jumped straight into dad's arms, on the bathroom floor at home!' she wrote at the time.

'I couldn't thank you more @mattyb for becoming an instant midwife. What a crazy 12 hours it's been. We are feeling so blessed!'Silent Witness was positively mild coming after Luther.

Or negatively - depending on how terrifying you like your ridiculous psycho serial killers and their thrillers to be.

Yes, the BBCs forensics-based drama (tonight starting its TWENTY SECOND series) has never been nearly as alarming or loopy as John Loofer Luthers escapades.

But then what is?

Tame: Silent Witness was positively mild coming after Luther. It has never been nearly as alarming or loopy as John Loofer Luthers escapades... but then what is?

(Idris Elba may bring his tormented DCI back for another season but God only knows what the writers will come up with to top that piquerism fetishist in the clown mask and groovy illuminated hoodie).

So compared to last weeks fun and games, inevitably Silent Witness was like watching Heartbeat (or Quincy M.E, if you wanted an investigator with more medical credentials).

In theory of course, it was a relief when the first episode of the two-part storyline Two Spirits didnt give us nightmares about aspects of our lives like having surgery, catching the night-bus, or buying things on eBay.

At the same time, it wasnt exactly a walk in the park either.

Easy: Compared to last weeks fun and games, inevitably Silent Witness was like watching Heartbeat (or Quincy M.E, if you wanted an investigator with more medical credentials)

It opened with a woman making the same mistake as one of last weeks victims: going home after an evening clubbing in London and waiting for a night bus.

Hadnt she seen Luther?!

Ill be fine! she told her friend #WordsYouShouldNeverSayInSilentWitnessOrAnyCrimeSeries

Incredibly she then managed to do something even more dangerous than the piquerists target: she went to find a ladies loo.

Only a public convenience would do too.

(She really did like to live on the edge).

Ominous: It opened with a woman making the same mistake as one of last weeks victims: going home after an evening clubbing in London and waiting for a night bus

For reasons best known to herself, rather than find a coffee bar or pretend to buy a burger and use the facilities in McDonalds as most of us would, the blonde tottered off in her high-heeled dancing shoes towards a sign TOILETS situated improbably in the scariest-looking housing estate in the West End.

Would you go down there late at night if you were a woman? asked a detective later, ingeniously working out a fundamental flaw with the plot.

Even one of the programmes main characters, forensic scientist jack Hodgson agreed with us (NO!) scoffing: I wouldnt go down there at all.

Bizarre: Incredibly she then managed to do something even more dangerous than the piquerists target - she went to find a ladies loo... situated improbably in the scariest-looking housing estate in the West End and looking like the toilet from Trainspotting

Having descended into somewhere resembling a creepy multi-storey car-park, she was strangely undeterred even when she found the Ladies was out of order, simply going into the Gents instead.

This was something only a madman would do  literally, it turned out  not least because it appeared to be the very same toilet used in the famous scene in Trainspotting.

She was clearly bursting though, settling down on the filthiest toilet seat in London to do a wee and carrying on when a man in the next cubicle started puking his guts out.

Amazingly, she survived - even when someone came into the Gents and murdered him, not even bothering to check for any witnesses nearby.

Blast from the past: To be fair viewers under 30 had been confused about what was happening from the beginning  when they saw someone going into this funny glass box on the pavement, tap some buttons on a metal box, and somehow make a phone call  rather than use a mobile

To be fair viewers under 30 had been confused about what was happening from the beginning  when they saw someone going into this funny glass box on the pavement, tap some buttons on a metal box, and somehow make a phone call  rather than just use their mobile.

This was the killer, saying he was going to cut someones throat.

We had then watched one of the Metropolitan Polices finest in action when an officer jumped out of the patrol car, run into the phone box in question frantically looking around, before reporting back to her colleague: No, the suspect wasnt in there.

Here we go: Only when Professor Thomas Chamberlain performed the autopsy on a person killed in the Mens toilet did the theme become clear

Curious: The body showed evidence of a double mastectomy and phalloplasty surgery

Only when Professor Thomas Chamberlain performed the autopsy on the person killed in the Mens toilet did the theme become clear.

The body showed evidence of a double mastectomy and phalloplasty surgery.

Hes transgender, concluded D.I. Murphy. (Nothing gets past her.)

From there, the thrust of the storyline emerged.

The call from the phone box had been to the charity/support group Transaction, and the victim a volunteer.

Target: Evie was the next victim, a woman who was stabbed as she threw up after inexplicably buzzing someone into her flat without checking who it was

The next one was too  Evie, a woman who was also stabbed as she threw up, after inexplicably buzzed someone into her flat without checking who it was.

Her mother (Phil Mitchells solicitor Richie) told police after Evie appeared on television talking about Transaction she had received hate mail from far right groups, religious extremists, some feminists...

The two prime suspects were both connected to Transaction: Toby Logan, one of its fund-raisers, and Nick Marlowe, a sergeant in the army and married man with kids that Evie had helped with the crisis he was having about his identity, specifically gender.

In the frame: The two prime suspects were both connected to Transaction: Toby Logan (L) one of its fund-raisers, and Nick Marlowe (R) a sergeant in the army and married man with kids

Drama: To say Silent Witness was issue-led would be an understatement. (It made EastEnders look subtle)

Evie Williams told me once: gender is who you go to bed as. Sexuality is who you go to bed with, Marlowe tried to explain to his wife.

It feels like youve had a affair with another woman, she tried to explain back. But that woman is you.

To say Silent Witness was issue-led would be an understatement. (It made EastEnders look subtle).

The two detectives investigating the murders and our heroes from the pathology lab debated all the topical Transgender issues (personal and political) at great length, virtually constantly.

As did all the characters working at or using the help centre, especially Nick Marlow and his friend Kelly Hayes.

Marlows conflicting feelings were clear from two of his speeches in particular.

Plenty to talk about: Our heroes from the pathology lab debated all the topical Transgender issues (personal and political) at great length, virtually constantly

I just went out in the street dressed as I want to be for the first time, he celebrated during one call to Transaction, over footage of him walking down the street in a wig, full make-up, and womans clothes. The rest of the time Im stuck in a kind of limbo. I cant be who I am  this woman inside of me that is desperate to get out. This is my ego, my id, my spirit, my essence. Shes everything. Its who I am.

Later though Nick phoned his wife and pledged: I love you Amy. I have been a bad person and made you suffer. I am going to do my best to drive this out of me with everything I can. Youll see.

When he strutted out of a bar to the sound of Spandau Ballets Gold (gold...) seconds later, moments after yet another member of the Transaction team had been murdered (throwing up in the toilets downstairs) there didnt seem to be any doubt he was the killer.

Mind you, with an episode to go there was still plenty of time for a twist.

The way that anything to do with Marlowes conflict was accompanied by sweeping violins also seemed incongruous  his dilemma surely not that sad if he kept on killing people.

In fact it would be really be a turn-up for the books after so many Politically Correct musings, if the culprit really was someone from the Trans community.

More startling than anything in Luther...A group of teenagers have been caught 'vandalising' the abandoned Big Brother house, located at the Dreamworld amusement park on the Gold Coast.

Footage captured by 'urban explorers' apparently shows young people smashing up the property on Foxwell Road in Coomera, according to the Gold Coast Bulletin.

In the video, an unidentified vandal is shown breaking one of the Big Brother house's two-way mirrors using what appears to be a sledgehammer.

Don't they respect history? Teenagers (not pictured) have 'vandalised the abandoned Big Brother house' at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast. Pictured: The house during its glory days

'Check on what they are doing,' a man can be heard saying in the video, referring to the actions of the vandals.

The urban explorers who recorded the confronting footage insisted they were not involved in the destruction of property.

'We take nothing but photos but I was told these guys were smashing up glass everywhere,' one of them told the Bulletin.

Someone is watching! In the video, an unidentified vandal is shown breaking one of the Big Brother house's two-way mirrors using what appears to be a sledgehammer

Pictured: Big Brother housemates at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, on August 13, 2012

'It's just disrespectful. These sites should be kept in place until they are developed for something, not trashed,' they added.

The publication inspected the derelict site on Tuesday and discovered that entry gates were without padlocks and barbed wire fences were bent out of shape.

A Dreamworld spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday that the management team had been 'made aware of trespassers' at the former Big Brother house earlier this week.

Incident: In a statement to the Gold Coast Bulletin, a Dreamworld spokeswoman said the management team had been 'made aware of trespassers at the former Big Brother house'. Pictured: Big Brother housemates on August 13, 2012

They added: 'Dreamworld security attended the site, now owned and operated by Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC), to ensure all persons were safe and not breaching the Dreamworld premises.

'The persons were no longer at the site upon arrival.'

Located among gum trees on the Gold Coast, the Big Brother house once resembled a palatial Miami mansion with a splash of Hollywood glamour.

Funhouse to hell hole: Located among gum trees on the Gold Coast, the Big Brother house once resembled a palatial Miami mansion with a splash of Hollywood glamour. Pictured: Female Big Brother contestants entering the complex in on September 9, 2014

Housemates would have been greeted by a grand staircase leading to a salmon-coloured building and a backyard complete with pink flamingos, a lavish swimming pool, deckchairs and a tree house.

The property, which took three months to design and four months to construct, apparently drew inspiration from the world-famous Beverly Hills Hotel.

Big Brother captivated viewers for 11 seasons, before being cancelled in 2014.Viscountess Emma Weymouth is devastated by the death of one of the koalas that came to live at their stately home Safari Park Longleat last year

Stop all the clocks. One of Lord and Lady Weymouths beloved koalas  brought over from Australia just a few months ago to Britain amid great fanfare  has suddenly died.

The five marsupials were flown from their natural habitat Down Under to the grounds of the Weymouths stately home at Longleat safari park in a pioneering conservation project aimed at ensuring the survival of the species.

Lady Weymouth was photographed with a koala on a visit to Australia last summer (right), when she said she was looking forward to them becoming part of the Longleat menagerie. They are the most extraordinary and adorable animals, wrapping their limbs around you almost like an infant, she said.

While northern koalas can be found at Edinburgh Zoo, this was the first time southern koalas had been brought to Europe. Despite the best efforts of koala experts, Wilpena succumbed to oxalate nephrosis, a kidney disorder.

Wilpena, aged three, arrived at Longleat along with three other females and a male, in October from Cleland Wildlife Park in South Australia. Emmas husband Viscount Weymouth, who runs the Longleat estate, is patron of the International Koala Centre of Excellence (IKCE) which protects koalas in the wild.

Lord and Lady Weymouth aim to use the death of Wilpena as a catalyst for fundraising and research into the mystery of why koalas succumb to kidney disease.

Cleland Wildlife Park director Professor Chris Daniels said: Wilpenas passing does bring into stark relief why we need initiatives like IKCE.

Emma Weymouth arrives at The Fashion Awards 2018 In Partnership With Swarovski at Royal Albert Hall on December 10, 2018

Known for doing little more than chewing gum leaves and napping for up to 22 hours a day, the animals will be the prime attraction at Longleats Koala Creek, opening this Easter.

Unfortunately there is a high incidence of oxalate nephrosis in southern koalas. Longleats head of animal operations Darren Beasley tells me: All of the koalas were given kidney score checks prior to coming to Longleat. If any had a high score, which suggested there were underlying issues, they would not have been permitted to travel.

Some koalas are capable of living with the disease for many years, but sadly others, like Wilpena, are much more seriously affected. I am delighted to report the health of the remaining four koalas is excellent.

Cherie Blairs latest property business has got off to a shaky start after making a loss of 76,600 in its first year. The company was set up to manage rental income from her and Tony Blairs 7 million investment in a West End office.

But, somewhat sheepishly, Mrs Blair, sole director of Harcourt Ventures, was obliged to acknowledge the financial shortcomings.

The report for the companys first accounts said: The director notes the companys net liabilities of 76,609 at the period end. The director is confident that they will be able to repay sums due from future profits.

Les Mis star Dominic West takes a year break for family

Les Miserables star Dominic West, who turns 50 this year, reveals hes taking a break from work for the sake of his children.

Dominic West as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables

Ive always been a bit frightened of death. What Im really frightened of is the worry that I didnt do as much as I might have.

But really, its all about my kids, he says.

Im very conscious right now that Im at the stage when its my last chance to be a big thing in their lives.

'So Im taking a lot of the year off to do that.

The Old Etonian, who has four young children aged between one and 13 with his wife, Catherine Fitzgerald, adds: I dont have a great foreboding about the future, but I do feel Im in the summer of my life. And it cant last for ever.

Known for her turbulent love life, actress Sheridan Smith, 37, so far child-free, says she could never be a single mother, like the character she plays in her new ITV drama, Cleaning Up.

I dont know how people do it. How do people do this for real? How do they manage to juggle having a job and being a single mum? Hats off to anyone who has to do it. They really do deserve a medal. Sheridans fiance, Jamie Horn, 28, whom she met on Tinder, take note!

Nescafe star is still hot stuff

It's been 32 years since the steamy advert for Nescafes instant coffee first hit our TVs, but its star, Sharon Maughan, finds it hard to let go.

The Liverpudlian blonde, 68, was delighted to discover a jar of the beverage this week on holiday with her husband, Waking The Dead star Trevor Eve, in Central America.

Look what I found! she captioned this selfie online.

After more than three decades, Sharon, whose daughter is Hollywood bombshell Alice Eve, still has the same piercing blue eyes that caught the attention of Anthony Head, her smoothie neighbour in the ads, inset.

Bake Off Sues holiday fare? Rats and spiders

Comedian and former Great British Bake Off presenter Sue Perkins is used to sampling some tasty delights.

However, she admits she once ate barbecued rat.

I ate it as part of a banquet in Yunnan, China, she says. Theres an awful lot of When in Rome type eating in deepest Asia.

Same goes for roadside spiders garnished with pig guts in Cambodia. Etiquette-wise, you have to weigh up a brief window of indigestion with this wonderful experience of community with the locals.

My advice is drink through it. Get a tumbler of the local grog and just wash it down. Dont ask too many questions.

Drink the undrinkable. Eat the inedible. Dance all night.

Thats what Imodium is for.

Cold Feet actress Fay Ripley is no fan of roughing it at music festivals. How I always do a festival is to arrive immaculately dressed and have a hotel booked, insists the 52-year-old mother-of-two, who is married to Australian actor Daniel Lapaine.

A sleeping bag is not for me. Its the hygiene.

Cold Feet actress Fay Ripley, 52, who is married to Australian actor Daniel Lapaine, is not a fan of slumming it at music festivals

Princess Anne to visit Rose West jail

While Meghan Markle gets the glamorous royal jobs, Princess Anne carries out the donkey work without so much as a murmur of complaint.

Next week, the Queens daughter will visit HM Prison Low Newton, whose inmates include the serial killer Rosemary West, convicted of ten murders. Anne is visiting in her role as patron of prisons charity the Butler Trust.

Lets hope she doesnt have to eat anything prepared by West, 65.

Last September, the child murderer reportedly won first prize in a prison baking contest after impressing fellow lags with her Victoria sponge.

Prince William will be relieved that the attempted coup against Ali Bongo Ondimba, president of the West African republic of Gabon, has ended in failure.

The president has been one of Williams staunchest allies in the battle against ivory poaching in Africa. In 2014 he was an honoured guest at the Illegal Wildlife Trade conference, hosted in London by the British Government and attended not only by William but also by the Prince of Wales and Prince Harry.

Ali Bongos influence is generally considered more beneficial than that of his autocratic father, Omar Bongo, who amassed an immense fortune.

The president, a devoted Anglophile who sends his sons to British public schools, is convalescing in a royal palace in Morocco after suffering a stroke.

A call from his friend William would surely pep him up.

Tamara Ecclestones husband shows off his new 200,000 toy

Just back from holiday in Mexico, Jay Rutland lost no time posting this snap on social media of his new Range Rover and personalised number plate.

Have been looking forward to this coming for a while, writes Rutland, 37, who is married to billionaire Bernie Ecclestones daughter, Tamara, 34.

Since posting a photo of him and Essex pal Sam Palmer  engaged to Tamaras sister Petra, 30  and captioning it Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Rutland has defensively commented that money is not what really matters. But it helps when buying bespoke Range Rovers which go for up to 200,000-apiece.

Jay Rutland (left), husband of billionaire Bernie Ecclestones daughter Tamara, has a new Range Rover

Unflappable Ann Widdecombe reveals that shes only ever once been lost for words. I was once asked by a member of the audience at a show: Why would anyone want to have an affair with John Prescott? says the 71-year-old Tory MP turned TV celebrity referring to the former deputy prime minister, who had a fling with his diary secretary.

And I still dont know the answer to that question!He helped bring The Good Doctor to television and is an executive producer on the series.

But Daniel Dae Kim is now set to step in front of the camera on the hit ABC show, according to reports from Deadline.

The 50-year-old actor will have a four-episode arc, starting on season two's fifteenth episode.

Camera ready: Daniel Dae Kim is now set to step in front of the camera on the hit ABC show, according to reports from Deadline

According to reports from the outlet, the Lost alum will play Dr. Jackson Han, a new Chief of Surgery at St. Bonaventure.

His arrival will put Freddie Highmore's character's career in jeopardy.

Kim's arc is currently only set to take part during the last four episodes of the show's 18-episode second season, but there is a chance he will return for the shows third season - if it's renewed.

Stepping up: The 50-year-old actor will have a four-episode arc, starting on season two's fifteenth episode

New in town: According to reports from the outlet, the Lost alum will play Dr. Jackson Han, a new Chief of Surgery at St. Bonaventure

The Good doctor is based on a South Korean series of the same that Kim bought the rights to and helped bring to production.

Kim has acted as an EP on the series since the beginning and brought on David Shore, creator of the Fox hit medical drama House, to help in the development of the series.

The show debuted in September of 2017, and was renewed last March, with its second season staring in September 2018.

Beginning: The Good doctor is based on a South Korean series of the same that Kim bought the rights to and helped bring to production

It is set to be a busy year for Kim, as he is starring in two movies, outside of his role in The Good Doctor.

The first will find him playing Ben Daimio is the reboot of Hellboy, which also stars Stranger Things breakout David Harbour.

He will also star in romantic comedy Always Be My Maybe, which finds Ali Wong and Randall Park in the lead roles.Broadway thespian Vanessa Hudgens flashed her toned torso in a patterned Chloe mini-dress while at a promotional event for Fox's Rent: Live in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old Second Act actress paired her leggy, seventies-style frock with nude Brian Atwood 'Valerie' pointy pumps selected by stylist Jason Bolden.

Hairstylist Chad Wood coiffed the half-Filipina beauty's sleek raven bob for the press junket.

Peek-a-boo! Broadway thespian Vanessa Hudgens flashed her toned torso in a patterned Chloe mini-dress while at a promotional event for Fox's Rent: Live in Los Angeles on Tuesday

And make-up artist Allan Avendano made sure Vanessa's bronzed comlexion was glowing and brought out her brown doe eyes.

Once seated, Hudgens - who boasts 53.6M social media followers - Insta-storied herself singing a few bars of Rent song Over the Moon while holding up the coordinating cookie.

The High School Musical alum will portray lesbian performance artist Maureen camoflageJohnson following in the footsteps of the originator, Tony winner Idina Menzel.

And it's the So You Think You Can Dance judge's second time tackling a live, televised musical after her impressive 2016 turn as Rizzo in Fox's Grease: Live despite her father Gregory's passing.

Leggy: The 30-year-old Second Act actress paired her seventies-style frock with nude Brian Atwood 'Valerie' pointy pumps selected by stylist Jason Bolden

Center part: Hairstylist Chad Wood coiffed the half-Filipina beauty's sleek raven bob for the press junket

Over the shoulder: Make-up artist Allan Avendano made sure Vanessa's bronzed comlexion was glowing and brought out her brown doe eyes

Confection: Once seated, Hudgens Insta-storied herself singing a few bars of Rent song Over the Moon while holding up the coordinating cookie

The made-for-TV adaptation of the Broadway adaptation of the 19th century Puccini opera La Boheme will air January 27 on Fox.

'Everyone's really stepping into their own shoes, bringing their own selves into the characters,' Vanessa said on the December 11 episode of The Tonight Show. 'I feel like we're going to do the story justice.'

Stealing the spotlight from Hudgens was her towering castmate Valentina looking fierce as ever in a nude strapless leather jumpsuit beneath an ostrich feather wrap.

It was the same look the 27-year-old drag performer wore during the 'Boots the House Down' runway challege on the December 28 episode of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars on VH1.

Big shoes to fill: The High School Musical alum will portray lesbian performance artist Maureen Johnson following in the footsteps of the originator, Tony winner Idina Menzel

'I feel like we're going to do the story justice': The made-for-TV adaptation of the Broadway adaptation of the 19th century Puccini opera La Boheme will air January 27 on Fox

Vanessa said on the December 11 episode of the Tonight Show: 'Everyone's really stepping into their own shoes, bringing their own selves into the characters'

Before the Mexican-American glamazon started doing professional drag in 2016, he was an Echo Park native called James Andrew Leyva.

Valentina was excited to put on 'the Dora the explorer wig' and play drag queen and street percussionist Angel Dumott Schunard, who's battling AIDS in Rent.

'I'm so honored to be a part of this amazing cast, to study this amazing special character, and to be given the opportunity to sing, dance, and act on live television,' Valentina wrote in October.

Vanessa missed meeting Miss Congeniality 2017 by one season when she guest judged the January 25, 2018 episode of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars.

Yasss! Stealing the spotlight from Hudgens was her towering castmate Valentina looking fierce as ever in a nude strapless leather jumpsuit beneath an ostrich feather wrap

Rerun: It was the same look the 27-year-old drag performer wore during the 'Boots the House Down' runway challege on the December 28 episode of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars on VH1

Named after the hot sauce: Before the Mexican-American glamazon started doing professional drag in 2016, he was an Echo Park native called James Andrew Leyva

'I'm so honored!' Valentina was excited to put on 'the Dora the explorer wig' and play drag queen and street percussionist Angel Dumott Schunard, who's battling AIDS in Rent

Hey girl! Vanessa missed meeting Miss Congeniality 2017 by one season when she guest judged the January 25, 2018 episode of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars

Tinashe showcased her taut tummy in a black crop-top under a blue fuzzy coat, unflattering desert camouflage cargo pants, and gold pumps.

The 25-year-old former DWTS contestant (last name Kachingwe) plays S&M club dancer and HIV-positive drug addict Mimi Marquez in Rent.

Hamilton thespian Jordan Fisher also opted for a blue faux fur over a striped chambray shirt, suspenders, and black trousers.

The 24-year-old DWTS Mirrorball champ is playing documentary filmmaker and narrator Mark Cohen, who was recently dumped by Maureen (Vanessa).

'We here! It's almost time!' Tinashe showcased her taut tummy in a black crop-top under a blue fuzzy coat, unflattering desert camouflage cargo pants, and gold pumps

Lovely Latina: The 25-year-old former DWTS contestant (last name Kachingwe) plays S&M club dancer and HIV-positive drug addict Mimi Marquez in Rent

'Love this crew!' Hamilton thespian Jordan Fisher also opted for a blue faux fur over a striped chambray shirt, suspenders, and black trousers

'I'm Mark!' The 24-year-old DWTS Mirrorball champ is playing documentary filmmaker and narrator Mark Cohen, who was recently dumped by Maureen (Vanessa)

'Rent dis': Angie Tribeca's Kiersey Clemons bared her midriff in a b&w-striped crop-top under a black jacket, white pants, and black pumps

'My gay black heart is no longer inside of my body': . The biracial 25-year-old plays public interest lawyer and lesbian Joanne Jefferson, who stars dating Maureen (Vanessa)

Angie Tribeca's Kiersey Clemons bared her midriff in a b&w-striped crop-top under a black jacket, white pants, and black pumps.

The biracial 25-year-old plays Ivy League-educated public interest lawyer and lesbian Joanne Jefferson, who stars dating Maureen (Vanessa).

Two castmembers clad in black ensembles were Empire's Mario and former X Factor contestant Brennin Hunt.

In Rent, the 32-year-old Grammy nominee plays the 'yuppie scum and sell-out' landlord Benjamin Coffin III, and 33-year-old Brennin plays HIV-positive struggling singer-guitarist Roger Davis.

Dapper dudes: Two castmembers clad in black ensembles were Empire's Mario (L) and former X Factor contestant Brennin Hunt (R)

'My favorite musical of all-time': In Rent, the 32-year-old Grammy nominee (L) plays the 'yuppie scum and sell-out' landlord Benjamin Coffin III, and 33-year-old Brennin plays HIV-positive struggling singer-guitarist Roger Davis

Hands in pockets: Jesus Christ Superstar's Brandon Victor Dixon covered up in a plaid coat, maroon top, black pants, and work boots selected by stylist Symone Marie

'Cant wait for you guys to see what we've been working on!' The 37-year-old Tony winner plays an anarchist professor with AIDS Tom Collins, who dreams of opening a restaurant in Santa Fe

Maestro: And co-director Michael Greif, who's helming Rent: Live with Alex Rudzinski, wore a dark denim blazer with a black polo and dark-rinse jeans

Jesus Christ Superstar's Brandon Victor Dixon covered up in a plaid coat, maroon top, black pants, and work boots selected by stylist Symone Marie.

The 37-year-old Tony winner plays an anarchist professor with AIDS Tom Collins, who dreams of opening a restaurant in Santa Fe.

And co-director Michael Greif, who's helming Rent: Live with Alex Rudzinski, wore a dark denim blazer with a black polo and dark-rinse jeans.Jack Fincham has reportedly been barred from drinking during the National Television Awards (NTAs) when he hosts the backstage coverage with Dani Dyer.

The Love Island winner  who has just returned from a week of boozing with Dani  was said to have been given a warning about partying before the awards night.

A source told The Sun: 'Jack has been warned not to party ahead of the NTAs and not to drink on the night. Hes got form when it comes to cancelling work commitments and people are worried hes going to let down everyone working on the event.'

Pictured: Love Island's Jack Fincham 'BANNED from alcohol and partying ahead of his National Television Awards hosting duties' after VERY boozy holiday with Dani Dyer in Dubai

The insider added: 'This is the biggest presenting job he has had since being a contestant on Love Island and his team know he needs to prove he can do it. No one wants him to screw it up. Jack has been asked to give his word that hell slow down his partying beforehand.

'He said he would clean up his act and hit the gym to stay out of pubs with his mates. But its not stopped anyone feeling nervous.'

A representative for Jack Fincham told MailOnline: 'There is no partying ban. However Jack is currently very focused on his training as he prepares for his return to boxing.'

The Love Island winners have returned home from their booze-fest and glorious getaway in Dubai where they sipped cocktails all day by the poolside.

Make a change: The Love Island winner  who has just returned from a week of boozing with Dani  was said to have been given a warning about partying before the awards night

Jack and Dani landed their first ever presenting role as the co-hosts of the red carpet and backstage coverage at the NTAs on January 22.

The Jack and Dani love story is a hot topic at the start of new year with the couple appearing in their reality show Life After Love Island.

Despite their popularity earning them their crowns on Love Island, it appears the show has failed to capture the same love for the reality star couple.

As their debut episode aired, elsewhere Dani admitted her Instagram split from beau Jack was a 'silly mistake' but insisted they are 'stronger than ever'.

Big job! Love Island winners Jack and Dani landed their first ever presenting role as the co-hosts of the red carpet and backstage coverage at the NTAs on January 22

Shockwaves were sent through the reality star scene when she announced she had dumped her love on Instagram at the beginning of December.

She posted of the news: 'Jack & I have sadly decided to part ways. It's been an incredible six months, and we will always have a place in our hearts for each other, but sadly we've come to the realisation that it's not meant to be long-term.'

The Survival Of The Fittest star confided in Roman Kemp about her initial insecurities about her romance before revealing they are stronger than ever.

Newsflash: The Jack and Dani love story is a hot topic at the start of new year with the couple appearing in their reality show Life After Love Island

Such a shame: Despite their popularity earning them their crowns on Love Island, it appears the show has failed to capture the same love for the reality star couple

'You know what, it was tough. I think I definitely made the whole mistake of the whole Instagram thing,' she explained on Capital Breakfast.

She elaborated: 'You know, like, as a girl you think "Im just going to do it", you think its done but it wasnt.

'And with me and Jack, were trying to build on things and grow as a couple and learn about each other, and when youve got everyone sort of on you and taking pictures of you, you make bad decisions and you think "well maybe we cant do it".He made his name as part of the Jackass crew.

But now Bam Margera, who checked into rehab for the third time a week ago, says he is done with alcohol.

'I'm 39 years old, the party is over,' he declared in a handwritten note he shared to his Instagram while in treatment.

'I'm 39 years old, the party is over': He made his name as part of the Jackass crew. But now Bam Margera, who checked into rehab for the third time a week ago, says he is done with alcohol

The former reality star continued: 'I dont plan on drinking anymore. I have wasted too much time at the bad and all my friends who needed decades of help are now all sober. I would like to join the sober parade.'

Margera explained that he had been using alcohol as a way of coping with the loss if his friend Ryan Dunn who was killed in a drunk-driving accident in 2011.

'I'm sick of people always thinking Im drunk, crazy or f***** up,' he wrote. 'I am sober.'

He has taken to sharing images of his handwritten notes on social media, explaining in one caption: 'Writing is one thing to do in rehab.'

Personal declaration: The former reality star made the vow to stay sober in a handwritten note he shared to his Instagram while in treatment over the weekend

Making a change: He revealed on New Year's Eve that he was 'Off to alcohol rehab for the 3rd time' as he shared a snap of him holding one-year-old son Phoenix Wolf

He had already spent time in rehab in January 2018 after being arrested for DUI. He was sentenced to three years probation in the case.

The pro skateboarder had been sober for eight months when he came off the rails again after being robbed at gunpoint in Colombia.

No doubt a major incentive for Margera to deal with his addiction is the birth of his first child.

His son Phoenix Wolf was born in December 2017 and he shares the little boy with his second wife Nicole Boyd.

In another note he shared, he revealed that he is finding it very hard to be away from his family and other loved ones and to not be able to communicate with them at this stage in his rehab.

'I don't do well with not being allowed to facetime my wife and kid,' he wrote. 'I don't do well with not being able to answer important calls with important people.'

He and Nicole tied the knot in Reykjavik, Iceland, on October 5, 2013.

Hard: The pro skateboarder also said he is finding it very hard to be away from his wife Nicole Boyd, pictured, and son and to not be able to communicate with them at this stage in his rehab

Honest: Margera shared his loneliness and struggles as he focuses on his sobriety in a residential treatment facility



Ariana Madix was told to ignore a cancerous mole for years.

But the Vanderpump Rules star opened up to ET about her recent melanoma scare on Tuesday, showing off the 'gnarly' scar she is now left with.

The 33-year-old revealed she had been asking doctors for years about the mole, but was continuously told: 'If it's not growing or changing, it should be fine.'

Scary: Ariana Madix opened up to ET about her recent melanoma scare on Tuesday, showing off the 'gnarly' scar she is now left with

'But once I got some decent insurance, I made my way to a dermatologist who said we should just get rid of it anyways,' she recalled.

A biopsy revealed the mole was cancerous; 'And because it's close to the lymph nodes, then I had to go for a "real" surgery and have a giant chunk [removed],' she said.

'It's pretty gnarly, she said, showing off her painful-looking scar just below her neck. 'And then I have one down here in my under-arm area.'

She revealed that she is completely cancer-free now; however she knows she may be susceptible to a return.

False diagnosis: The 33-year-old revealed she had been asking doctors for years about the mole, but was continuously told: 'If it's not growing or changing, it should be fine'

Gone: A biopsy revealed the mole was cancerous; 'and because it's close to the lymph nodes, then I had to go for a 'real' surgery and have a giant chunk [removed],' she said

'Everything has come back negative,' she confirmed. 'I do have to, every six months, go see a specialist and make sure Im on top of everything because once you have it, its much easier to have it again or have it throughout your life especially because Im young.'

She added: 'Its going to be an ongoing thing, but right now I do not have cancer in my body.'

The reality star only revealed her ordeal in a New Years Eve post on Instagram, when she summarized her mostly-positive 2018.

'Had to have a lil bit ocancer removed': The reality star only revealed her ordeal in a New Years Eve post on Instagram, when she summarized her mostly-positive 2018

'I had to have a lil bit ocancer removed from my body and lymph nodes biopsied. (In the clear now!),' the actress wrote amid her list of achievements.

In a self-shot and slightly drowsy video, she explained a little more, but seemed more concerned about not being allowed to shower than the cancer itself.

On Tuesday she laughed off her appearance in the video, insisting: 'You can tell I'm on painkillers.'Great news for NYPD Blue fans.

Kim Delaney, 57, and Bill Brochtrup, 55, have signed on and will step back into their roles as Diane Russell and John Irvin in the ABC pilot of the revival of the hugely successful series, according to TV Line.

The sequel will revolve around the son of Dennis Franz's character Detective Andy Sipowicz, who is working at the 15th Precinct and trying to earn his detective's shield while investigating the murder of his father.

They're back! Kim Delaney and Bill Brochtrup are joining the ABC pilot, NYPD Blue

Delaney, who earned three Emmy nominations and an Emmy win during her run on the original series, made her debut in season two in 1995.

The role was slated to be only for four episodes, but she was bumped up to series regular in season three after her character's relationship with Detective Bobby Simone (Jimmy Smits), became a hit with viewers.

She eventually left the show as a regular after season eight, but returned as a recurring role in the final two seasons, 11 and 12.

Brochtrup, who played an openly-gay police administrative aide, had a recurring role for seasons two through four, before becoming a regular from season five to the end of the show's run.

The original: The NYPD Blue ran from 1993 to 2005 and was a huge hit with fans; the pilot for the revival will be up for a fall 2019 premiere or later; the cast are pictured in 1999 include (front row) Andrea Thompson, Delaney, Dennis Franz, Ricky Schroder and Godon Clapp (back row) Brochtrup, Nicholas Turturro and James McDaniel

Delaney and Brochtrup will be joining a cast that also features Alona Tal as Detective Nicole Lazarus, who is the lone woman in the precinct's core group of cops.

NYPD Blue executive producers Matt Olmstead, Nick Wootton and Jesse Bochco are all on board for the sequel.

The pilot was written by Olmstead and Wootton. Bochco, son of NYPD Blue co-creator Steven Bochco, who helmed 10 episodes of the original series, is set to direct.

All three executive produce, while Steven Bochcos widow, Dayna Bochco, serves as a producer.

Not on board: Dennis Franz, who played Andy Sipowicz, will not return for the reboot

Sadly for fans, Dennis Franz will not be in the reboot.

'I did receive a call, and I'm flattered but not interested,' he said in an interview with Deadline Hollywood . 'NYPD was a high point in my life and career, and I think of it so fondly. I wish them all well and much success.'

The 74-year old, who won three Emmy's for his role on NYPD Blue, has been retired from acting for the most part, but has said he remains open to opportunities.

The NYPD Blue reboot will be considered for a fall 2019 premiere or later.She's recently announced her engagement to beau Sam Palmer.

And Petra Ecclestone stepped out without her husband-to-be as she made a solo appearance for a day at the stores in Beverly Hills on Tuesday.

The mother-of-three, 30, went low-key for the outing as she dressed in a forest green Addidas sweatshirt which she paired with matching bottoms.

Casual: Petra Ecclestone stepped out without her husband-to-be as she made a solo appearance for a day at the stores in Beverly Hills on Tuesday

She tied a yellow and blue plaid shirt around her waist while donning a pair of quirky trainers and toted her belongings in a navy Birkin bag.

The ever-glamorous socialite left her blonde locks loose and opted for a grey Balenciaga cap atop her head while sporting plenty of heavy eye makeup.

Earlier this week Petra looked radiant as she stepped out for a family dinner with new fiance Sam, sister Tamara and her husband Jay Rutland at Madeo in Beverly Hills.

Keeping it real: The mother-of-three, 30, went low-key for the outing as she dressed in a forest green Addidas sweatshirt which she paired with matching bottoms

Style: She tied a yellow and blue plaid shirt around her waist while donning a pair of quirky trainers and toted her belongings in a navy Birkin bag

Design: The ever-glamorous socialite left her blonde locks loose and clad a grey Balenciaga cap atop her head while sporting plenty of heavy eye makeup

Meanwhile, Sam recently posted a sweet tribute to the socialite after exclusively announcing the couple's engagement to MailOnline.

The art gallery manager took to Instagram to ring in the new year posting a snap of the couple and telling his followers the socialite accepting his proposal was one of his personal highlights of 2018.

As the former electrician delighted over the news, Petra's Formula 1 tycoon father, Bernie Ecclestone, 88, seemed less impressed, saying he 'doesn't know what the hurry is' - just 14 months on from his daughter's explosive divorce.

Celebrating: Earlier this week Petra looked radiant as she stepped out for a family dinner with new fiance Sam, sister Tamara and her husband Jay Rutland at Madeo in Beverly Hills

Loved-up: Meanwhile, Sam recently posted a sweet tribute to the socialite after exclusively announcing the couple's engagement to MailOnline

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: 'I told her I dont know what the hurry is I dont understand the reason.'

The businessman's reaction stood in stark contrast to Sam's words.

The vintage car dealer wrote: 'A personal thank you to everyone that made opening Maddox Gallery Los Angeles possible.

'I hope everyone had as an amazing year as us and that 2019 brings lots of love,health and happiness to all.

'My personal highlights have been opening the gallery in LA with the woman I love and her agreeing to marry me  Here is to a fantastic 2019.'

Petra and Sam announced their engagement on New Year's Eve after one year of dating, and just 14 months on from her acrimonious divorce from James Stunt, with whom she shares three children.She starred as one of the most popular TV mothers ever on The Cosby Show for years.

And now Phylicia Rashad, 70, will take on a new role when she makes a guest appearance on NBC's This Is Us.

The Tony-winning actress will be playing another mother, this time for series regular Beth, played by Susan Kelechi Watson, 37.

Major role: Phylicia Rashad, 70, will take on a new role when she makes a guest appearance on NBC's This Is Us; pictured in New York in April

The popular comedy-melodrama series uses a flashback structure to flesh out much of its still unrevealed backstory.

Phylicia will appear on episode 13 of the show's third season, a flashback episode focusing on Susan's character and upbringing.

The Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood actress stars opposite The People Vs. O. J. Simpson actor Sterling K. Brown, 42, in the NBC hit, where she plays Beth, his supportive and occasionally flustered wife.

Into the past: The popular comedy-melodrama series uses a flashback structure to flesh out much of its still unrevealed backstory; cast pictured in 2017

Famous mother: Phylicia will appear on episode 13 of the show's third season, a flashback episode focusing on Beth, played by Susan Kelechi Watson, 37; shown on Sunday in Beverly Hills

Despite her classic Cosby Show role, Phylicia has been a reliable presence on television ever since it's 1992 finale.

Recently, she was featured in the main cast of the Amazon original series Jean-Claude Van Johnson in 2017 and played a recurring role on Fox's Empire, beginning in 2016.

The Creed actress has also had a longstanding relationship with the theater. She had the distinction of being the first black woman to win the Tony Award for Best Actress for her role in the 2004 revival of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin In The Sun.

She has also been seen in productions of August: Osage County, Into The Woods, and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.

Still at it: Phylicia has been a reliable presence on television ever since her Cosby Show heyday, having recently appeared on Empire and Jean Claude Van Johnson; pictured in Paris in 2017

Off screen, the Cosby Show actress has courted controversy for her statements defending former co-star Bill Cosby, 81.

In 2015, the actress told Showbiz 411 that she loved her former co-star. She claimed that the renewed accusations of sexual assault against Cosby had been 'orchestrated' and represented the 'destruction of a legacy.'

The famous comedian was charged with three counts of aggravated indecent assault in December of 2015.

He was convicted of all three counts in 2018 and sentenced to three to ten years in prison.Sometimes being a model isn't all makeup and couture clothing.

Taylor Hill revealed that bleaching her eyebrows was the 'craziest thing' she ever did for the sake of modeling in a new interview with Glamour.

The ordeal left the 22-year-old beauty in tears but, she said she did it for the sake of the job.

Bold look: Taylor Hill said she cried when she was forced to bleach her eyebrows in a new interview with Glamour published on Tuesday

The beauty sat down with the magazine to discuss her latest campaign with real-life boyfriend Stephen Shank and opened up about the industry.

When asked about something crazy she'd done 'in the name of beauty,' Taylor had an answer ready.

'I bleached my eyebrows for the Alexander McQueen show because Pat McGrath was doing the makeup,' she revealed.

'I was 18, and it was my first major London Fashion Week,' the VS Angel explained.

My eyebrows are my thing! Theyre my look, theyre my staple,' Hill told Glamour

She continued: 'My eyebrows are my thing! Theyre my look, theyre my staple.'

Taylor's notable bold brows have her in the eyebrow hall of fame with the likes of Brooke Shields, Cara Delevingne and Lily Collins.

'I was crying, saying I couldnt do it,' she recalled. 'And then Pat looks at me and shes like, "Darling, its McQueen! So I did it.'

Adding: 'Ive always loved Brooke Shields; she made me appreciate my eyebrows.'

No more tears: Taylor said famed makeup artist Pat McGrath told her to get over her hang ups because 'it's McQueen!'

Taylor isn't the only one to done barely there brows.

In 2014, Kendall Jenner joined her fellow models with platinum brows during the Marc Jacobs show.

Taylor's bleached brow look at the McQueen show helped put her on the map and the beauty has gone on to become one of the faces of Lancome.

Alexander McQueen remains one of the industry's most coveted and cutting edge fashion houses.

In good company: In 2014, Kendall Jenner joined her fellow models with platinum brows during the Marc Jacobs show

Duchess Kate famously wore a McQueen design to marry Prince William in 2011.

A year earlier, the label's eponymous designer, Lee Alexander McQueen, took his own life.

Taylor's most recent campaign is one that wasn't a hard decision.

The twenty-something and her beau were tapped to pose together for the 20th anniversary of the Ralph Lauren Romance fragrance.Brenton Ragless was the bookies' favourite to take the reins from Karl Stefanovic as host of the Today show.

And shortly after Deborah Knight ended up landing the job instead, it was reported that Brenton was actually offered the role first.

But speaking to Adelaide radio station FIVEaa on Tuesday, the affable newsreader denied management had ever made a formal offer.

Scroll down for video

'The choice was not mine to make': Brenton Ragless (left) has denied rumours he turned down an offer to host the Today show before Deborah Knight was appointed as Karl Stefanovic's (right) replacement

'I expressed my thoughts about the whole thing but there was no formal offer. There's never actually been any formal offer,' said the father-of-two.

'The choice was not mine to make and I'm grateful for that.'

Brenton continued: 'Naturally we did consider [the possibility of hosting Today in Sydney]. This would be beneficial, but I've always said money isn't everything.

'For the peace and the comfort, the life balance and the things that we're afforded here in Adelaide this is from my heart, we were quite comfortable if [Channel Nine] came back and said, "Thanks but no thanks", which they did.'

Setting the record straight: 'I expressed my thoughts about the whole thing but there was no formal offer. There's never actually been any formal offer,' Brenton told Adelaide radio station FIVEaa on Tuesday. Pictured with Deborah Knight (right)

On Tuesday, Channel Nine's director of news and current affairs, Darren Wick, also denied the reports that Brenton was offered the role before Deborah.

'I'm at the centre of the decision-making process,' Darren told Daily Mail Australia.

'I'm the guy who spoke with everyone. Everyone we offered the jobs to, took the jobs. No one we offered to rejected.'

Clarification: On Tuesday, Channel Nine's director of news and current affairs, Darren Wick, also denied the reports that Brenton (pictured) was offered the role before Deborah

Darren did acknowledge that Brenton was a contender to replace Karl, but added that he was 'probably not ready for it just now'.

'To say he was never on the cards isn't accurate,' he said. 'We had a look at him. We wanted to put him in the chair and see whether he was right for it.

'He's probably not ready for it just now, plus it's also a tricky thing because he's doing pretty well in Adelaide as a newsreader for us.

'He wasn't offered the job and then said he didn't want to do it for the family. That's just not correct.'

Revamp: The new Today line-up features newsreader Tom Steinfort (left) and co-hosts Georgie Gardner (centre) and Deborah Knight (right)



She welcomed her third child, a daughter named Adelaide, last month.

And Carrie Bickmore revealed on Tuesday she is suffering from mastitis, a common breastfeeding condition experienced by many mothers in the weeks after giving birth.

The 38-year-old took to Instagram to share a photo of herself breastfeeding her newborn baby alongside boyfriend Chris Walker.

'A trip back to hospital': Carrie Bickmore has revealed she is suffering from mastitis a month after giving birth to daughter Adelaide. Pictured on The Project

In the caption, The Project host addressed the many ups and downs she had experienced since her daughter was born.

Carrie mentioned in her list that she had made 'a trip back to hospital with mastitis'.

However, she still had plenty of positive experiences, telling her followers she had been crying 'tears of happiness' and enjoying 'late-night pram walks'.

Roller coaster: In the caption to this photo, The Project host addressed the many ups and downs she had experienced since her daughter was born, one of which was mastitis

WHAT IS MASTITIS? Mastitis can occur when a milk duct in the breast becomes blocked. This leads to milk banking up and the surrounding tissue becoming inflamed, with initial signs including flu-like symptoms, aches and sore breasts with red marks. Treatment of antibiotics and plenty of rest is recommended as soon as the illness is detected. Source: Australian Breastfeeding Association Advertisement

But some of the less-than-ideal moments included: 'Googling "what is reflux" at 3am?', 'arguments', 'conflicting advice', 'feeling overwhelmed', and 'tears of exhaustion'.

Carried concluded her post on a positive note, however, admitting she was 'bursting with love and gratitude'.

It comes after Carrie praised her supportive partner Chris for his hands-on approach to fatherhood.

Taking to Instagram two weeks after giving birth, the Channel 10 star shared a black-and-white photo of little Adelaide's hand gripping her own, alongside a heartfelt message about the challenges of motherhood.

Bundle of joy! However, Carrie still had plenty of positive experiences, telling her followers she had been crying 'tears of happiness' and enjoying 'late-night pram walks'

'While I rest. Chris looks after Adelaide': It comes two weeks after Carrie praised her supportive partner Chris for his hands-on approach to fatherhood

'While I rest. Chris looks after Adelaide, wrangles a [crazy] three-year-old, folds the clothes and entertains a bored 11-year-old,' she wrote in the caption.

'You can tell I am feeling grateful today... it would be so hard without support... grandparents helping out, and friends dropping off meals. Thanks to everyone helping us get through these early days.'

In addition to baby Adelaide, the couple share a three-year-old daughter named Evie.

Carrie also has an 11-year-old son, Oliver, from her previous marriage to Greg Lange, who died of cancer in 2010.She confirmed her engagement to billionaire Doug Barrowman last Wednesday, with a sweet snap on Instagram.

And now Michelle Mone has spoken exclusively to MailOnline about his romantic Christmas Eve proposal and plans for their wedding, admitting she's 'scared' about her upcoming hen party.

The Ultimo founder, 47 - who on Wednesday launched 'Connect 2 Michelle Mone', a free app for those seeking advice, guidance and inspiration - opened up about how Doug asked her to become his wife.

Exciting plans: Michelle Mone has spoken exclusively to MailOnline about his romantic Christmas Eve marriage proposal from billionaire Doug Barrowman and plans for their wedding

Michelle explained: 'It was Christmas Eve. The night of Christmas Eve, and I was running around organising presents and everything else.

'And then, Doug said he wanted to talk to me in the drawing room. The whole family were in the house, so he closed the double doors.

'We were in front of the big Christmas tree and he said: "I want to tell you something," and I went: "Oh no, what is it?" - I thought it was something bad that he wanted to tell me.

Fearing the worst, Michelle explained that her trepidation grew as he asked her to sit down on the sofa.

Looking ahead: The Ultimo founder, 47 - who on Wednesday launched 'Connect 2 Michelle Mone', a free app for those seeking advice, guidance and inspiration - opened up about how Doug asked her to become his wife

'I sat down and he said: "I just want to tell you that I love you so, so much," and I thought: "What else are you gonna tell me?"

'He went, "Well, I want to ask you something?" and I thought: "Oh no, what is it?" and then he went down on one knee and asked me to marry him.'

'I had my hand over my mouth and my face, and I was going: "Oh no, oh no, oh no," until he said: "What's your answer? Hurry up, you've not given me your answer."'

After finally composing herself, Michelle managed to give Doug her response.

She said: '"I'm sorry, yes of course. I'm just in complete shock." And that was it.'

With no ring in his hand, Michelle explains that he pointed her to the 'horrible' Christmas card which he'd given her earlier on.

Opening up: Michelle revealed how the businessman proposed as they prepared to celebrate Christmas with their family

'He got me a really romantic Christmas card, but he got me this other, really horrible one of an ape holding a beer.

'He said: "You know the horrible Christmas card that you hate. Go and look behind the card," and I looked behind it and there was a big box.

'He said: "Lift the box and open it," so I did and there was the most incredible ring. It was absolutely perfect. He knew my size was M after my name.'

Doug proposed with a sparkling eight carat diamond placed on a silver band surrounded by smaller diamonds.

Stunned: 'I sat down and he said: "I just want to tell you that I love you so, so much," and I thought: "What else are you gonna tell me?" she explained

Michelle revealed that none of their family members knew that the proposal was coming, saying: 'No-one had a clue.

'My daughter was in the house, so we went and told her, and then we told his dad who was in the house. And then we phoned my mum and dad and all of our other kids.'

The businesswoman admitted that wedding planning hasn't begun, but that she has her eye on the pair marrying 'at the end of this year' at the earliest.

She said: 'We need to plan it. Big, small, Scotland, London, abroad? Right now, both of us don't have a clue. But we need to decide. There are no plans whatsoever.

'It's definitely going to be towards the end of this year, because we need time to plan. So it'll definitely be at the end of this year, at least - maybe even the beginning of next year.'

Stunning: Doug proposed with a sparkling eight carat diamond placed on a silver band surrounded by smaller diamonds

And, as she looks forward to their big day, Michelle revealed that she's terrified of what her hen party will entail.

The Ultimo founder said: 'I think my friends will organise it, I'm actually scared. The majority of my friends are Irish and they're mental. I'll have to do on a detox after it.

'My daughters will definitely be coming on the hen party though, definitely.'

And, regarding Doug's stag-go, Michelle has a fairly laid-back approach, saying: 'He can do whatever he likes, within reason.'

Nervous: As she looks forward to their big day, Michelle revealed that she's terrified of what her hen party will entail

The blonde beauty opened up about the first time she met her beau, revealing that they ended up out in a London club until 4.30am.

'We both invested in the same tech company. We met at a share holders dinner. I was only going along for a quick drink. I couldn't be annoyed with anything that night.

'I got talking to Doug and he convinced me to stay with them for dinner. I stayed for dinner and then the two of us, on a school night, ended up going to Tramp nightclub in London, which I've never been to in my life.

'I'm into nightclubs at all. We stayed there until like 4.30 in the morning, and then he dropped me home. We met at 6.30, and we ended at 4.30, so ten hours of talking.

'So after that we became friends. We were friends for a while before we actually went out.'

In safe hands: 'I think my friends will organise it, I'm actually scared. The majority of my friends are Irish and they're mental. I'll have to do on a detox after it,' she said

The successful pair, who came together through business, have much more in common that meets the eye, according to Michelle.

'We've got so, so much in common. We're both creatives, both entrepreneurs. I really look up to Doug as an entrepreneur. He teaches me a lot as well.

'It's no nice that we've got a lot in common. We have so much fun as well, and we love spending time with our families.'

'Him growing up, me growing up in the same part of Glasgow. That whole culture thing brings us together.'

The pair share seven Children between them, and Michelle says that 'hey all get along great. So it makes it all so much nicer.'

And despite constant travel, with speaking engagement all over the world, the bra mogul says that they don't actually spend much time apart.

'We tend to go away together. Doug is a very very busy guy. But if I've got a big speaking event in Singapore, for example, he'll say: "Well why don't we go together and spend a few days there."

'We're very very rarely apart. It's only sometimes during the week that we might be apart.'

Happy couple: Michelle and Doug will end the year as man and wife following his Christmas marriage proposal

Just a week after their engagement, the businesswoman launched her new app Connect 2 Michelle Mone, which is free to download.

She explained: 'The app isn't just for entrepreneurs. It's for everyone who's looking for motivation or inspiration. So you can be working for someone else, or be unemployed at the moment, or have a business, or you want to start a business.

'The app is there to really help people and motivate people in different sections. It's taken 14 months to make the app and create the videos, and hundreds of thousands of pounds of investment, that has not been government backed. It's all been funded by myself.

'And hopefully the app will grow and we can have events, and bring everyone together and it can be a real network for people.

'I always have thousands of people asking for my help and it's difficult to give one-on-one advice, so hopefully this app can help. There's nothing really out there like this.'

Michelle revealed that if she could have given her younger self any business advice, it would have been to have more confidence.

She said: 'I wish I wasn't as nervous. I wish I wasn't as scared. But you know, it's those ingredients that make you hungry and make you determined.

'I'm a lot more relaxed now than I've ever been and I suppose that's down to being more mature and learning a lot about business, and real life experience. I'm an oldie now,' she laughed.His dad Boris has a reputation for being a ladies man.

And Noah Becker looked like he was following in his father's footsteps as he appeared loved up with his girlfriend Taina in Miami on Friday.

The eldest son of three-time Wimbledon champion Boris and his former wife Barbara Becker, Noah, 24, looked effortlessly cool as he strolled along the beach with his bikini-clad partner.

Ladies man: Noah Becker looked like he was following in his father's footsteps as he appeared loved up with his girlfriend Taina in Miami on Friday

The Berlin-based artist and musician sported a colourful patterned shirt, which he left partially open to reveal his toned chest.

He paired the statement garment with black shorts, while accessorising with some vibrant red sunglasses.

Carrying his shoes in his hands as he walked in the sand barefoot, Noah styled his locks into a messy bun.

Looking good: Taina looked incredible in a white two-piece bikini, which featured a leafy design

Opting for an equally low-key vibe, Taina looked incredible in a white two-piece bikini, which featured a leafy design.

The freelance producer teamed her stunning swimwear with a billowing white skirt and matching trainers.

Adding a pop of colour to her ensemble, she sported a vibrant striped hat on top of her curly locks and a bright red lipstick.

Meanwhile, Last year, Noah pressed charges against a German nationalist lawmaker who he says called him a 'little half-n****'.

Stylish: Noah, 24, looked effortlessly cool as he enjoyed his beach day-out with his bikini-clad partner

Noah Becker's lawyer Christian-Oliver Moser said charges were filed on behalf of his client following 'unbearable and racist remarks' from the Twitter account of nationalist lawmaker Jens Maier.

The tweet emerged after an article in a German magazine quoted Noah as saying that Berlin was a 'white city' compared with London or Paris, and that he had been attacked there because of his skin colour.

The lawmaker later denied being responsible for writing the controversial tweet. He said one of his employees had written it, the German news agency dpa reported.

The parents: Noah is the eldest son of three-time Wimbledon champion Boris and his former wife Barbara Becker, pictured here in 1999She turned 26 years of age on Monday.

And Olympia Valance was celebrating in style, starting with a martinis and croissant breakfast.

The actress took to Instagram to reveal she had been treated to the luxurious birthday treat at Entrecote, an upscale eatery in South Yarra, Melbourne.

Martinis and croissants for breakfast followed by a sumptuous sushi dinner with friends: Olympia Valance celebrates her birthday in style

In the caption, Olympia revealed she'd been talked into the sumptuous breakfast but 'wasn't mad about it' meaning she was pleased.

The table was set with very fancy-looking orange martinis and fluffy, glossy pastries.

Later that evening, Olympia shared video footage from her birthday dinner with friends.

Fancy: The actress took to Instagram to reveal she had been treated to the luxurious birthday treat at Entrecote, an upscale eatery in South Yarra, Melbourne

The group gathered at Kisume, a trendy Japanese restaurant in Melbourne's hip Flinders Lane.

Described as 'the most ambitious Japanese restaurant in Melbourne', Olympia appeared to be enjoying the pageantry of having her food made before her.

Delighted friends laughed and smiled as a fish dish was gently blow-torched before them.

Eats: Later that evening, Olympia shared video footage from her birthday dinner with friends

Trendy meal: The group gathered at Kisume, a trendy Japanese restaurant in Melbourne's hip Flinders Lane

Happy brithday! The former Neighbours star turned 26 years of age on Monday

The former Neighbours star captioned one of the video clips: 'Birthday dinner at my favourite restaurant in the world!'

Olympia also took to Instagram earlier in the day to share a number of birthday messages that friends had posted for her on their own social media.

She re-posted several good wishes, including one from MasterChef winner Khan Hong which read: 'Happy birthday my love'.She's a breakout star from Bachelor in Paradise.

And now, Elora Murger, 29, could set pulses racing on the new season of I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.

The brunette bombshell is currently taking in the spectacular sights of South Africa, with talk she could be on the reality show.

Scroll down for video

Is Bachelor star Elora Murger headed to the jungle? Reality TV star is spotted in South Africa ahead of filming for I'm A Celebrity

She shared an Instagram post on Monday, while driving from Durban in the north of the country, down to Cape Town, in the country's Western Cape.

I'm A Celebrity is filmed at the Kruger National Park, which is near Johannesburg in Gauteng, a province in the north of the country.

Elora has been spotted driving near the filming location, with the starlet being vague about why she's crossing the country.

What's the reason for the trip? Elora has been busy working while taking in the spectacular sights of the country. Here modelling a Judy Copley Couture gown at game reserve

Work, however, is clearly on Elora's mind with the busty reality star sharing a number of sponsored posts, including from high fashion brand, Judy Copley Couture.

This wouldn't be the first time a Bachelor star has entered the jungle, with fellow breakout Bachelor star Keira Maguire appearing on the show in 2017.

Daily Mail has reached out to Elora for comment.

Breakout star: Elora (R) has gained a legion of fans after appearing on The Bachelor and most recently Bachelor in Paradise last year. Pictured here with co-star Megan Marx (L)

Elora has become somewhat of a low-key Channel Ten starlet, debuting on The Bachelor in Matty J's season of the show in 2017.

She then entered Bachelor in Paradise with her in a failed love triangle with hunky magician Apollo Jackson and busty Brit, Simone Ormesher.

On Tuesday, Channel Ten announced that Gogglebox stars Angie Kent and Yvie Jones would be the first to enter the jungle.

Not the first time: Fellow Bachelor breakout star Keira Maguire, 32, (pictured) appeared on the Channel Ten series in 2017

Former Channel Ten journalist Natasha Exelby is also thought to be starring on the show, after her memorable ABC on-air blooper.

Currently, the show is teasing a controversial TV host, comedian, famous foodie and gossip guru all to enter the jungle.

Returning hosts Julia Morris and Chris Brown have been drumming-up viewers for the show ahead of its premiere this week.

First in: In a surprise choice Gogglebox stars Angie Kent and Yvie Jones were announced as the first stars landing in the South African jungle

On Saturday, Julia showed herself disembarking a plane in South Africa, looking very excited.

'The Jungle 2019 ... we're baaaaaack,' the comedian wrote.

I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! returns to Channel 10 on January 13, 2019.She's the busty new girlfriend of Tammy Hembrow's ex-fiance, Reece Hawkins.

And London Goheen, 20, has admitted to having breast implants.

The brunette bombshell made the revelation to Instagram on Monday.

Scroll down for video

'Where did you get your breasts done?': Reece Hawkins' girlfriend London Goheen admits to having a boob job. Pictured left in 2016 and right in 2017

'Where did you get your breast augmentation you look amazing,' one fan asked to which London replied 'Houston.'

A boob job is not the only thing the American beauty is believed to have had done.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia last month, plastic surgeon Dr Randal Haworth claimed the Texan had undergone rhinoplasty and non-surgical lip fillers.

Candid: 'Where did you get your breast augmentation you look amazing,' one fan asked to which London replied 'Houston'

Busty: London is known for her Barbie doll-like proportions

'It is clear to me her previously pleasing nose has been further refined with rhinoplasty,' said Dr Haworth.

'Specifically, her slightly bulbous tip has been narrowed to form a perfect streamline with her thin nasal bridge. All-in-all, it's good work.'

Dr. Haworth further speculated that London has augmented her lips with filler to create a more 'sensual' look.

'Her lips have been obviously augmented, most likely with a hyaluronic acid filler such as Juvederm, Volbella or Restylane,' he said.

Expert opinion: 'It is clear to me her previously pleasing nose has been further refined with rhinoplasty,' a surgeon said of London. Pictured left: in her teenage years, and right: in 2018

London first made headlines in September when Reece Hawkins publicly confirmed they were dating.

The new relationship began just months after Reece ended his engagement to fitness model Tammy Hembrow, leaving fans devastated.

Reece and Tammy - who share two children, Saskia and Wolf - rose to stardom on social media back in 2014.

Many fans weren't happy to see the District Goods designer move on so quickly, with London herself targetted by trolls.Advertisement

There are some people out there who put drones to good use - as these photographs show.

These incredible pictures were all taken by drone users and entered into the fifth annual International Drone Photography Contest, which is run by photography website Dronestagram.

This year's winning image was snapped by the photographer known only as 'zekedrone' and it shows hippos in a muddy pool in Tanzania.

Second place was awarded to Trung Pham for his amazing shot of a fisherman throwing open his net in Vietnam, while finishing third was 'Qliebin' for their picture of a pair of dog walkers on a beach in Ukraine.

Eric Dupin, the founder of Donestagram, said: 'Despite the regulations and constraints that increasingly weigh on recreational drones, creativity has not been curtailed and the unique worldview allowed by drones continues to make us dream.'

Scroll down to see some of the mesmerising winners and entries....

The winning image in the fifth annual International Drone Photography Contest was taken by drone user Zekedrone. It shows a group of hippos bathing in mud in Tanzania. The photographer said: 'This by far was the highlight of my trip to Tanzania'

Last May, photographer Trung Pham captured this mesmerising image of a fisherman casting his large net out to sea in Vietnam. It scooped second prize in the contest

South African photographer Luke Maximo Bell managed to captured this incredible image using his drone off the coast of Cape Town, South Africa. It shows a mother southern right whale swimming alongside her baby

One of the most eye-catching drone pictures was captured by Russian Maksim Tarasov, while he was travelling in Iceland. It shows the sun setting on top of one of the country's beautiful mountains

The shadows of two dogs and their owners are exaggerated in this fascinating shot snapped by drone user Qliebin. He captured the image above a beach in the coastal city of Odessa in Ukraine, which is on the Black Sea. It won third prize in the contest

Another entry that won the praise of the judges was another shot by Trung Pham. It shows lobster breeding cages spread out across the water in the coastal province of Phu Yen, Vietnam

Drone user J Galamba snapped this stunning aerial image of the river meeting the ocean in Timor Leste. He said: 'The first rains of the year make the rivers start flowing again, bringing to the ocean the mud and trash from the mountains. The water is then clearly separated in two: the brownish muddy river water and the deep blue ocean water. The fishes are attracted and get closer to the shore. And where there is fish, there are fishermen'

The mind-boggling roof of an unusual building in Singapore was one of the entries praised by judges. The snap was taken by drone user Macbook BoyRyanair cabin crew staff in Spain have called off another two 24-hour strikes planned for later this week after 14-hour talks with the airline.

Staff had planned to walk out tomorrow and Sunday (January 10 and 13) but this morning, unions announced they had come to an agreement over pay and working conditions with the no-frills carrier.

Cabin crew had also planned to walk out yesterday but that 24-hour strike was also cancelled to allow further progress on talks.

Ryanair cabin crew staff in Spain have called off another two 24-hour strikes planned for later this week after 14-hour talks with the airline, it was revealed this morning

The industrial action had been called by the USO and SITCPLA unions, which claimed Ryanair was 'refusing to abide by the Spanish constitution' and provide work contracts according to the Spanish law.

According to the unions, the strike days were cancelled following 'an agreement reached in the early hours of the morning'.

The unions say the agreement sets the foundations 'towards the normalisation of the labour relations' under Spanish legal and labour framework.

The agreement signed with Ryanair includes the commitment to immediately begin the negotiation of the first collective agreement for the cabin crew of the airline, which, according to the unions, was 'unthinkable' a few months ago.

The unions said in a joint statement: 'The achievement of the agreement reached at dawn today is the result of a long year and a half of struggle and union actions coordinated both in the national territory and in the framework of the European Union.

'As a result of signing the agreement we will proceed immediately to the recall of the strikes scheduled for 10 and 13 January 2019.

'From USO we will continue working tirelessly for the coming months to ensure a proper transition and normalisation of the company, always defending the interests of workers.

'Very soon all Ryanair workers in Spain will be able to fully enjoy their rights as citizens of the European Union.'

Staff had planned to walk out tomorrow and Sunday (January 10 and 13) but this morning, unions announced they had come to an agreement over pay and working conditions

In the next few days, the unions will hold assemblies in different bases to explain how the agreement reached affects each worker.

Ryanair, Europe's biggest low-cost airline, only began recognising unions for the first time in its 30-year history in December 2017, to avert mass strikes during the busy Christmas period.

In July, strikes by cockpit and cabin crew disrupted 600 flights in Belgium, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain, affecting 100,000 travellers.

Then on September 28, cabin crew walked out again in Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain and in some countries pilots' unions also took action.

The budget carrier has so far managed to clinch labour agreements with staff in several countries including Britain, Germany, Portugal and Italy.

Spain is Ryanair's third biggest market. The airline has 13 of its 89 bases in the country.

Ryanair has been contacted for an official comment.Dutch authorities have refused Ryanair the right to lay off all of its pilots and crew members based in the Netherlands.

The Dublin-based carrier said last month that it would fire 16 Dutch pilots and 15 cabin crew members who refused to relocate after the company's decision to shut its base in Eindhoven.

Under Dutch law, companies planning to make staff redundant must secure approval from the government's social security department, UWV, to ensure they abide by labour regulations and have good grounds for their plan.

Dutch authorities have refused Ryanair the right to lay off all of its pilots and crew members based in the Netherlands

But a spokesman for the FNV labour union, Leen van der List, said UWV had rejected the airline's plan to make the Dutch workers redundant as the company had failed to negotiate a severance plan.

A spokeswoman for UWV confirmed that the department had rejected Ryanair's plan but would not give details.

Ryanair was not immediately available for comment.

Mr Van der List said: 'Ryanair will have to talk to us. They will have to convince us of the absolute necessity to close the base.'

A Dutch court in November said the low-cost carrier had abused its powers as an employer by ordering crew to move abroad, and said the shutdown of the Eindhoven base seemed to be retaliation for the European-wide strikes Dutch pilots had joined last year.

After the court's ruling, Ryanair said the crew members still had the choice between a base transfer or redundancy.

However, Ryanair employees said that the company had been pushing them to accept transfers to hubs as far flung as Morocco, Romania, Bulgaria or the Azores, which is located in the middle of the Atlantic, 850 miles from the Portuguese coast.

The Dublin-based carrier said last month that it would fire 16 Dutch pilots and 15 cabin crew members who refused to relocate after the company's decision to shut its base in Eindhoven Airport, pictured

Speaking last month, a union spokesman for pilots union VNV said: 'The goal was not higher wages or more days off, but a change in culture and a guarantee of basic rights for employees in accordance with Dutch standards.

'Ryanair has to stop with the divide-and-conquer culture, and has to respect employee's fundamental rights. However, our actions have made Ryanair decide to close its Eindhoven base.

'That means that the pilots are being forced to move to southern or eastern Europe or even to North Africa.'

Despite deciding to close its Eindhoven base, Ryanair flights to and from the Dutch city will remain in operation.Heathrow is proposing the biggest changes to its flight paths since the airport opened in 1946 - and hundreds of thousands living near the airport could have their noise respite cut.

People living in parts of west London will find noise breaks shortened under the plans being put to a public consultation, according to analysis by anti-expansion group Hacan.

These communities are currently given half a day's break from noise as the direction of take-offs and landings is alternated at 3pm.

A graphic showing the current flights paths for Heathrow Airport and the proposed changes in a new consultation report

This will be reduced to one third of a day as part of measures to be implemented if a third runway is built, Hacan (Heathrow Associated For The Control Of Aircraft Noise) stated.

But the proposals also mean vast swathes of London and the Home Counties could enjoy a predictable break from aircraft noise for the first time, as the principle of providing respite is extended to more areas.

Heathrow is also proposing to accommodate 25,000 more flights a year before a new runway opens.

This would require a cap of 480,000 annual flights  imposed as a condition of Terminal 5 opening  to be eased. The consultation will run until March 4.

Heathrow's executive director for expansion, Emma Gilthorpe, said: 'Heathrow's aim is to design a sustainable, fair and more efficient future airport while connecting the UK to global growth.

'It is crucial that our plans maximise the benefits of expansion across the country, including for the communities closest to us, and working in partnership with our neighbours is just one way of ensuring they do so.

Heathrow, pictured, is proposing to accommodate 25,000 more flights a year before a new runway opens

How the expansions will impact flight numbers at Heathrow Airport 2017 Flight movements per day: 1,299 Flight movements per year: 474,033 Maximum flight movements per year: 480,000 With proposed extra flights Estimated flight movements per day: 1,367 Estimated flight movements per year: 505,000 After third runway Maximum flight movements per year: 740,000 Maximum passengers per year: 130 million Advertisement

'We are committed to delivering expansion responsibly and we encourage everyone to have their say and take part.'

However, Hacan chairman John Stewart said: 'A lot of west London will be badly hit by these proposals, but there will be many other communities who will be relieved at the prospect of all-day flying coming to an end.

'It amounts to a near-revolution to Heathrow's flight paths.'

Heathrow's bid to build a third runway moved a step closer in June 2018 when the Government easily won a Commons' vote on the plan.

Support from Labour helped push through the proposals to expand Europe's busiest airport.

The plans will create 114,000 extra jobs in the area around the airport by 2030, with an extra 16 million long-haul seats by 2040, according to officials.

The 14billion project will also allow the airport to grow from its annual cap of 480,000 aircraft movements per year to 740,000.

Heathrow is expected to be able to serve up to 130 million passengers per year after the expansion.Japan has started charging each person leaving the country a $9 (7) departure tax, a measure aimed at raising funds to further boost tourism.

The International Tourist Tax will cover everyone regardless of nationality - from business people to holidaymakers older than two years of age - and will be tacked on to the price of an airline ticket.

The government wants to use the estimated 50billion yen ($460million/360million) it will generate in additional tax revenue to improve tourism infrastructure.

Japan has started charging a $9 (7) departure tax on each person leaving the country. Pictured is the busy Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, which is extremely popular with tourists

This includes making airport immigration processes faster and encouraging visitors to explore areas beyond traditionally popular destinations.

Japan has been aggressively courting international tourists as a new pillar of economic growth.

More than 30million foreigners are estimated to have visited Japan in 2018, a new record, thanks to a steady flow of tourists from Asia - particularly China, South Korea and Taiwan.

The country used to focus on drawing shopaholic foreign tourists to urban areas, like Tokyo's glitzy Ginza district.

But in recent years, more and more foreign visitors are venturing away from traditional tourist hubs like the capital and the ancient city of Kyoto, and going further afield, rather than buying gadgets to bring home, industry experts say.

However, busloads of tourists from around the world still regularly take a day trip from Tokyo to trek Mount Fuji and deep forests surrounding Japan's highest peak.

Busloads of tourists from around the world still regularly take a day trip from Tokyo to trek Mount Fuji, pictured

The nation aims to boost visitor figures to 40million by 2020, when Tokyo hosts the Olympic Games.

However, Japan isn't the only country to charge tourists a departure tax.

Countries including Australia, China, Costa Rica, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mexico and Sweden all enforce a levy.

In most cases, the taxes are included in the airfare.Advertisement

Supersonic travel could soon be back.

Boom Supersonic has revealed a $100m investment in Overture, a 55 seater supersonic passenger jet capable of flying at at more than twice the speed of sound, with a range of 5,180 miles.

It could take passengers from London to New York in just 3.5 hours - around half the time it currently takes.

New investors in the Colorado-based company include the Emerson Collective, headed by Laurene Powell Jobs  widow of Apple's former chief executive, Steve Jobs.

Scroll down for video

Overture, a 55 seater supersonic passenger jet capable of flying at at more than twice the speed of sound, with a range of 5,180 miles. It could take passengers from London to New York in just 3.5 hours - around half the time it currently takes.

New investors in the Colorado-based company include the Emerson Collective, headed by Laurene Powell Jobs  widow of Apple's former chief executive, Steve Jobs.

OVERTURE SPECS Top speed Mach 2.2 (1,451 mph, 2,335 km/h) 170 feet long, with a wingspan of 60 feet 2 pilots, up to 4 cabin crew 55 business class seats onboard However, only two toilets Advertisement

'This new funding allows us to advance work on Overture, the world's first economically viable supersonic airliner,' said Blake Scholl, founder of Boom Supersonic.

'Overture fares will be similar to today's business class  widening horizons for tens of millions of travelers.

'Ultimately, our goal is to make high-speed flight affordable to all.'

Boom says Overture will accommodate the use of next-generation alternative fuels and have a carbon footprint comparable to that of present-day business-class travel.

It hopes the new craft will make supersonic travel affordable.

'With 55 seats and seat-mile costs similar to subsonic business class, supersonic flight is practical on hundreds of transoceanic routesmaking it the new norm for anyone who flies business class,' the firm said.

Boom is currently assembling XB-1, a -scale manned prototype of its Mach-2.2 airliner. XB-1 will be piloted by Chief Test Pilot Bill 'Doc' Shoemaker and is set to fly later this year

Future customers include the Virgin Group and Japan Airlines, which have pre-ordered a total of 30 jets between them.

The three-engine Boom aircraft have a sonic boom 'at least 30 times quieter' than Concorde.

At landing and takeoff, the company says: 'Overture will be as quiet as the subsonic aircraft flying similar routes today.'

A fleet of 2,000 of the supersonic passenger planes could eventually link cities across the globe in the future.

The aircraft will have one business-class seat on either side of the aisle so each passenger gets both window and aisle access.

A fleet of 2,000 of the supersonic passenger planes could eventually link cities across the globe in the future

Boom Supersonic are currently working on a prototype for a passenger plane that would break the sound barrier and could take passengers from London to New York in just 3.5 hours - around half the time it currently takes.

If its full-size 55-seat plane is approved, the first passengers could be travelling at supersonic speeds around the world by 2023, with fares for a one-way ticket just under 2,000.

Scholl has previously said he believes that as many as 2,000 Boom Supersonic planes could be used on 500 routes that crisscross the world linking hundreds of cities.

Speaking at the Farnborough Airshow, Mr Scholl told the Independent: 'We are focused on accelerating long transoceanic trips.

'We want to get the economy of the plane down so that anybody who flies can fly fast.

Boom is currently assembling XB-1, a -scale manned prototype of its Mach-2.2 airliner. XB-1 will be piloted by Chief Test Pilot Bill 'Doc' Shoemaker and is set to fly later this year

'This is not a private jet for the ultra-wealthy.'

Sir Richard Branson has already backed Boom Supersonic, which expects a prototype of its passenger plane to make its first test flight by the end of this year.

The aircraft will have one business-class seat on either side of the aisle so each passenger gets both window and aisle access.

Boom has confirmed that Virgin Galactic and Japan Airlines will operate the aircraft, with Japan Airlines investing 7 million ($10 million) in Boom Supersonic in December 2017.

Together, they have pre-ordered a combined 30 Overture airliners.

As part of the deal Japan's number two carrier has the option to purchase up to 20 Boom aircraft and will provide its knowledge and experience as an airline to hone the aircraft design and help refine the passenger experience.

If its full-size 55-seat plane is approved, the first passengers could be travelling at supersonic speeds around the world by 2023, with fares for a one-way ticket just under 2,000.

Other U.S based start-ups incuding Aerion Supersonic, and Spike Aerospace are also aiming to re-start supersonic flights by the mid-2020s by modifying existing engines rather than spending billions of dollars to make new ones.

However, a study released last week claimed that reviving supersonic passenger flights will harm the environment, cause too much pollution and will be too noisy.

The US-based International Council on Clean Transportation said that modified engines will burn five to seven times more fuel per passenger than subsonic jets, exceeding global limits for new subsonic jets by 40 per cent for nitrogen oxide and 70 per cent for carbon dioxide.

Concorde, the last supersonic passenger jet, entered service in 1976 and continued flying for 27 years. It is one of only two supersonic transports to have been operated commercially.

It had a maximum speed of twice the speed of sound at Mach 2.04 (1,354 mph or 2,180 km per hour at cruise altitude) and could seat 92 to 128 passengers.

Concorde was jointly developed and manufactured by Aerospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) under an Anglo-French treaty.

Air France and British Airways each received seven aircraft.

Concorde was retired in 2003 due to a general downturn in the commercial aviation industry after the type's only crash in 2000, the September 11 attacks in 2001, and a decision by Airbus, the successor to Aerospatiale and BAC, to discontinue maintenance support.New Caledonian crows can tell how heavy an object is simply by seeing it sway in the wind, researchers have found.

The experiment makes crows the first creatures other than humans to have the ability.

Researchers say the animals use the skill to search for food.

Scroll down for video

The Cambridge experiment makes crows the first creatures other than humans to have the ability. Researchers say the animals use the skill to search for food. Pictured, the experiment in progress

HOW THE EXPERIMENT WAS DONE In the experiment, the team first trained 12 crows to discriminate between light and heavy objects. Six birds were rewarded when they dropped light objects into a food dispenser, and six were rewarded for choosing heavy objects. During this initial training, the birds were able to touch and pick up the objects. Then pairs of unfamiliar objects  one light and one heavy  were suspended from strings in front of an electric fan before the birds could interact with them. After seeing how they moved in front of the fan, the birds touched the correct object first, according to the rule they learned earlier, in 73 per cent of tests. If the test was done with the fan switched off, the birds did no better than chance. Advertisement

'If we observe an object being blown down the street by the wind, we can infer that it is light,' the researchers, led by Sarah Jelbert at the University of Cambridge, wrote.

Previous research has found crows have a reasoning ability rivalling that of a human seven-year-old.

'We reason based on how the wind works: the wind can move light, but not heavy, objects.

'Do animals make such inferences? We found that New Caledonian crows infer the weight of objects from how they act in the wind.'

Crows were trained that they needed either light or heavy objects.

After observing novel heavy and light object being blown in an (electric fan) breeze, crows interacted with the correct object first, the team found.

'Overall, our results suggest that these birds are capable of making inferences about the properties of objects in the world around them, without having to directly experience those properties themselves,' the researchers wrote.

The believe the crows use the skill to find food.

'Determining the weight of small objects may be particularly relevant to New Caledonian crows, as they consume candlenuts, for which weight correlates with quality, and drop snails, which can be very heavy relative to a crows' body weight,' they said.

This test has never been done with any other animals, so its unclear how widespread this ability is.

Id like to see the same experiment run with primates, Jelbert told New Scientist.

If you set up the situation in a way thats meaningful to the animal and remove other ways they can fail, they show they are capable of so much more than we give them credit for.Beautiful medieval illuminated manuscripts have for centuries thought to have been the work of male scribes.

But now archaeologists have found conclusive proof that nuns were involved in producing sacred texts.

Tests on the teeth of a middle-aged female skeleton at a cemetery attached to a medieval nunnery in Germany showed flecks of a rare blue pigment on her teeth.

Beautiful medieval illuminated manuscripts have for centuries thought to have been the work of male scribes, experts say. This image shows books in the monastery museum of the Orthodox Church of Ura Kidane Mehret, Zege Peninsula, Ethiopia (stock image)

Tests on the teeth of a middle-aged female skeleton at a cemetery attached to a medieval nunnery in Germany showed flecks of a rare blue pigment on her teeth, suggesting she was a scribe. This is dental calculus on the lower jaw a medieval woman entrapped lapis lazuli pigment

Scientific detective work reveals that the blue colour - ultramarine, made from the semi-precious stone lapis lazuli - indicates she must have been involved in painting the holy books, and licked the end of her paintbrush when using the rare pigment.

The discovery shows women were producing art in a time when it was considered largely the preserve of men.

Lapis lazuli was costly as it was produced from a single mine in Afghanistan.

In medieval times it was just as expensive as gold and there were few other blue pigments at artists disposal.

The use of ultramarine was reserved, along with gold and silver, for the most luxurious manuscripts and the most skilled artists.

In a study published in Science Advances, a team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History and the University of York discovered a woman had been buried at the convent at around 1100AD.

The only unusual feature about her were the blue particles found in her teeth, the researchers said.

No books were preserved from the nunnery at Dalheim, in Germany.

Archaeologists say they have found conclusive proof that nuns were involved in producing sacred texts. This is a magnified view of lapis lazuli particles embedded within medieval dental calculus

A piece of lapis lazuli. During the European Middle Ages, Afghanistan was the only known source of the rare blue stone which at the time was ground up and used as a pigment.

First author Anita Radini, of the University of York, said: It came as a complete surprise - as the calculus dissolved, it released hundreds of tiny blue particles.

She added: We examined many scenarios for how this mineral could have become embedded in the calculus on this womans teeth.

Fellow author Monica Tromp of the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History said: Based on the distribution of the pigment in her mouth, we concluded that the most likely scenario was that she was herself painting with the pigment and licking the end of the brush while painting.

The institutes Christina Warinner, a senior author on the paper, added: This womans story could have remained hidden forever without the use of these techniques.

It makes me wonder how many other artists we might find in medieval cemeteries - if we only look.Republicans aged 65 and over shared seven times more fake new articles during the US 2016 election than people aged between 18 and 29.

Ninety per cent of people did not share fake news but, of those who did, nearly a fifth (18 per cent) held right-wing beliefs and were of state-pension age, a study found.

Only four per cent of democrats shared links to fake news sites.

Each person of this age group shared 0.75 fake news articles on average, seven times more than millennials.

Authors of the study from Princeton University and New York University say the findings show the need for more education of 'vulnerable subgroups' about fake news.

Scroll down for video

Republicans aged 65 shared seven times more fake new articles during the US 2016 election than people aged between 18 and 29. Each person of this age group shared 0.75 fake news articles on average, seven times more than millennials

Much has been made of fake news by leader of the republican party and president of the United States, Donald Trump.

Comments made by the commander-in-chief of the US have included a tweet saying: 'The Fake News Media in our Country is the real Opposition Party', earlier this week.

Trump won the majority of the vote among people aged 65 and over (54 per cent).

Two other demographics of the US electorate which heavily favoured Trump over Hillary Clinton were white men (62 per cent) and white non-college graduates (64 per cent).

Joshua Tucker, professor of politics at New York University, said: 'Despite widespread interest in the fake news phenomenon, we know very little about who actually shares fake news.

'This study takes a first step towards answering this question.

'Perhaps most significantly, we find that sharing this type of content on Facebook was a relatively rare activity during the 2016 presidential campaign.'

Trump tweeted earlier this week: 'With all of the success that our Country is having, including the just released jobs numbers which are off the charts, the Fake News & totally dishonest Media concerning me and my presidency has never been worse. Many have become crazed lunatics who have given up on the TRUTH!...

'...The Fake News will knowingly lie and demean in order make the tremendous success of the Trump Administration, and me, look as bad as possible. They use non-existent sources & write stories that are total fiction. Our Country is doing so well, yet this is a sad day in America!

'....The Fake News Media in our Country is the real Opposition Party. It is truly the Enemy of the People! We must bring honesty back to journalism and reporting!'

Trump tweeted earlier this week: 'With all of the success that our Country is having, including the just released jobs numbers which are off the charts, the Fake News & totally dishonest Media concerning me and my presidency has never been worse. Many have become crazed lunatics who have given up on the TRUTH!...

The two demographics of the US electorate which heavily favoured Trump over Hillary Clinton were white men (62 per cent) and white non-college graduates (64 per cent)

Republicans aged 65 and over shared seven times more fake new articles during the US 2016 election than people aged between 18 and 29. Ninety per cent of people did not share fake news but, of those who did, nearly a fifth (18 per cent) held right-wing beliefs and were of state-pension age, a study found

Andrew Guess and colleagues surveyed 3,500 people in three different waves throughout the 2016 U.S. presidential campaign.

They hoped to shed light on the individual-level characteristics associated with sharing false articles.

Of the respondents, 1,331 people agreed to share their Facebook profile data.

Authors then linked the survey to the their Facebook sharing history throughout 2016.

The shared articles were then cross-referenced against a list of fake news domains.

This group proved only 8.5 per cent shared one or more fake news articles.

Dr Andrew Guess, an assistant professor of politics and public affairs at Princeton University in the US, said: 'If seniors are more likely to share fake news than younger people, then there are important implications for how we might design interventions to reduce the spread of fake news.'WhatsApp is developing a new security update that will mean users will have to authenticate their identity through their fingerprint to open the app.

The popular messaging platform, owned by Facebook, has started working on a fingerprint locking mechanism for Android phones.

The app has already been criticised for its unbreakable end-to-end encryption system, meaning only people in conversations can see their contents.

The latest update will make it harder for police, intelligence and other law enforcement agencies to read messages sent by criminals and terrorists.

Scroll down for video

WhatsApp is developing a new security update that will mean to get into the app, the user will need to authenticate their fingerprint. The app has already been criticised for its unbreakable end-to-end encryption system, meaning only the user can see the content (file photo)

Spotted by WABetaInfo, a website that tracks WhatsApp's developments, the update is still in the 'alpha stage of development' - the first of two testing phases - but will be rolled out in future versions.

The security system blocks governments and law enforcement from intercepting messages from people who might be using the platform for illegal activities.

WABetaInfo indicates that v2.19.3 for Android will have the new authentication feature.

It will let users open the app using their fingerprint upon loading WhatsApp, but it will not protect individual conversations.

WABetaInfo said: 'The app will be completely protected, so the user will need to authenticate his identity in order to open WhatsApp.

Last July, WhatsApp admitted that its encryption software could be abused by criminals and terrorists.

The update is still in the 'alpha stage of development' but will be rolled out in future versions, according to the website. The app has already been criticised for its unbreakable end-to-end encryption system, meaning only those people in conversations can see the content

In 2017, Security services were powerless to access Westminster attacker Khalid Masood's messages after his death in 2017. The then-Home secretary Amber Rudd vowed to 'call time' on internet firms who give terrorists 'a place to hide'. Pictured: Andrew Marr and Amber Rudd

This followed revelations that security services were powerless to access Westminster attacker Khalid Masood's messages after his death in 2017.

The then-Home secretary Amber Rudd vowed to 'call time' on internet firms who give terrorists 'a place to hide'.

'We need to make sure that organisations like WhatsApp, and there are plenty of others like that, don't provide a secret place for terrorists to communicate with each other,' Ms Rudd told BBC's Andrew Marr shortly after the attack, in which five people were killed.

The new print authentication could now make it even harder for security services to access encrypted communications from possible criminals.Mysterious repeating energy bursts have been detected for only the second time.

Fast radio bursts, or FRBs, are radio emissions that appear temporarily and randomly, making them not only hard to find, but also hard to study.

The latest signals to be detected reached Earth from a galaxy 1.5 billion light years away.

The most likely explanation is that they were created by powerful objects in space.

Experts have debated whether black holes or super-dense neutron stars are responsible, but others have suggested more outlandish theories.

Among them is Professor Avid Loeb, from the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics in the US, who believes that they could be evidence of incredibly advanced alien technology.

Scroll down for video

Over a period of three weeks last summer the team detected 13 of the flashes using a new type of radio telescope, the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (pictured)

Video courtesy of CHIME Collaboration.

FRB's were first detected accidentally in 2007, when a burst signal was spotted in radio astronomy data collected in 2001.

The new discovery, reported in the journal Nature, was made by a Canadian-led team of astronomers on the hunt for FRBs.

Over a period of three weeks last summer the team detected 13 of the flashes using a new type of radio telescope, the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (Chime).

They found that one of the FRBs was repeating.

Of more than 60 FRBs detected to date, such repeating bursts have only been picked up once before, by the Arecibo radio telescope in Puerto Rico in 2015.

Where the FRBs come from is not known - although they are thought to emanate from sources billions of light years away outside our galaxy, the Milky Way.

Chime astrophysicist Dr Ingrid Stairs, from the University of British Columbia, Canada, said: 'Until now, there was only one known repeating FRB.

'Knowing that there is another suggests that there could be more out there.

'And with more repeaters and more sources available for study, we may be able to understand these cosmic puzzles - where they're from and what causes them.'

Fast radio bursts are elusive signals that last just a few milliseconds, and are thought to originate billions of light-years away  but, scientists don't yet know what causes them (file photo)

Most of the 13 FRBs showed signs of 'scattering' that suggest their sources could be powerful astrophysical objects in locations with special characteristics, the scientists said.

Team member Dr Cherry Ng, from the University of Toronto, Canada, said: 'That could mean in some sort of dense clump like a supernova (exploding star) remnant.

'Or near the central black hole in a galaxy. But it has to be in some special place to give us all the scattering that we see.'

FAST RADIO BURSTS ARE BRIEF RADIO EMISSIONS FROM SPACE WHOSE ORIGIN IS UNKNOWN Fast radio bursts, or FRBs, are radio emissions that appear temporarily and randomly, making them not only hard to find, but also hard to study. The mystery stems from the fact it is not known what could produce such a short and sharp burst. This has led some to speculate they could be anything from stars colliding to artificially created messages. Scientists searching for fast radio bursts (FRBs) that some believe may be signals sent from aliens may be happening every second. The blue points in this artist's impression of the filamentary structure of galaxies are signals from FRBs The first FRB was spotted, or rather 'heard' by radio telescopes, back in 2001 but wasn't discovered until 2007 when scientists were analysing archival data. But it was so temporary and seemingly random that it took years for astronomers to agree it wasn't a glitch in one of the telescope's instruments. Researchers from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics point out that FRBs can be used to study the structure and evolution of the universe whether or not their origin is fully understood. A large population of faraway FRBs could act as probes of material across gigantic distances. This intervening material blurs the signal from the cosmic microwave background (CMB), the left over radiation from the Big Bang. A careful study of this intervening material should give an improved understanding of basic cosmic constituents, such as the relative amounts of ordinary matter, dark matter and dark energy, which affect how rapidly the universe is expanding. FRBs can also be used to trace what broke down the 'fog' of hydrogen atoms that pervaded the early universe into free electrons and protons, when temperatures cooled down after the Big Bang. Advertisement

The new FRBs are are also at unusually low radio frequencies.

Most previously detected FRBs have had frequencies of around 1,400 megahertz (MHz), but the new ones fell within a range below 800 MHz.

In 2017 Professor Loeb and Harvard colleague Manasvi Lingham proposed that FRBs could be leakage from planet-sized alien transmitters.

Mysterious radio signals (artist's impression) have reached Earth - from a galaxy 1.5 billion light years away. The strange beams are known as fast radio bursts (FRBs) - and last only a millisecond (file image)

Rather than being designed for communication, they would more likely be used to propel giant space ships powered by light sails.

A light sail works by bouncing light, or in this case radio beams, off a huge reflective sheet to provide forward thrust.

Professor Loeb, who discusses the idea in a paper published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, said: 'An artificial origin is worth contemplating and checking.'Facebook's app cannot be deleted off certain Samsung devices leading many users to complain on social media over concerns about their privacy.

Social media users claim they only had the option to disable the app, but none to permanently delete it from their devices.

Certain Android-based devices come with the Facebook app already installed, leading to questions about a behind the scenes deal between the two companies.

Scroll down for video

Facebook's app cannot be deleted off certain Samsung devices leading many users to complain on social media over concerns about their privacy. Certain Android-based devices come with the Facebook app already installed (File image)

Nick Winke, a photographer in the Pacific northwest, came across forums online and was alarmed to learn that the software couldn't be deleted from some Samsung phones.

Mr Winke used Facebook on his Samsung Galaxy S8, which was already built into his phone, to connect with friends but claims he 'didn't want to be stuck with it'.

After reading the comments online, he tried to delete the software but found that it was 'undeletable'.

'It just absolutely baffles me that if I wanted to completely get rid of Facebook that it essentially would still be on my phone, which brings up more questions,' Mr Winke said in an interview with Bloomberg.

'Can they still track your information, your location, or whatever else they do? We the consumer should have say in what we want and don't want on our products.'

Twitter user Stephanie Carlotti wrote: 'You can't delete the app from Android at all. You can only DISABLE it, but you cannot DELETE the app entirely; nor can you delete the many underlying data tracking and logging files you can easily find for yourself by looking in File Manager. Facebook is greedy and dishonest.'

Jake Hamby also wrote: 'I totally understand why people who buy Android phones get mad that they cant delete the Facebook app or some other bloatware from the system. '

Social media users claim they only had the option to disable the app, but none to permanently delete it from their devices. Seyfdin @Seyfdin2 wrote: 'Samsung smartphone owners can't delete pre-installed Facebook app, report says.'

Adam Lutta wrote: Samsung users found themselves that they can't delete Facebook app

Twitter user Stephanie Carlotti wrote: 'You can't delete the app from Android at all. You can only DISABLE it, but you cannot DELETE the app entirely; nor can you delete the many underlying data tracking and logging files you can easily find for yourself by looking in File Manager. Facebook is greedy and dishonest'

Samsung, the worlds largest smartphone maker, told the publication that there is an option to disable the pre-installed app and once disabled, it is no longer running.

While a spokesman for Facebook could not comment fully, he told MailOnline: 'The disabled version of the app acts like its been deleted, so it doesnt continue collecting data or sending information back to Facebook.'

The company declined to provide Bloomberg with a list of the firms it has deals with for permanent apps, saying that the agreements 'vary by region and type'.

MailOnline has contacted Samsung for a comment but had not received a reply at the time of publication.

Funny_Face_Guy wrote: 'how do I permanently delete @facebook app from my phone? Samsung users are also having that issue too. Oh your phone has too many bloatware that I can't download anything from the app store now. Piece of shit phone!!!!'

In the last two years, people have become more aware of their privacy rights after the Cambridge Analytica political scandal and Facebook's part in it.

In early 2018, a whistleblower made claims that data firm Cambridge Analytica harvested data from millions of people's Facebook profiles without their consent.

Bosses from Cambridge Analytica were secretly recorded boasting about their hand in manipulating the 2016 US election results by using online tools to target users.

While some users have deleted Facebook from their phones in protest following these revelations, others say they simply want the option to do so.

Not having this lead many Android users to question Samsungs deal to sell phones with a permanent version of Facebook installed.

While some users have deleted Facebook apps form their phones in protest following the Cambridge Analytica scandal, others simply want the option to do so. It lead many Android users to question Samsungs deal to sell phones with a permanent version of Facebook installedAn exoplanet 23 times denser than Earth has been spotted orbiting a distant star 54 light-years away.

The planet orbits the star HD 21749 which lies in the faint constellation Reticulum.

It is regarded as a 'sub-Neptune' world, meaning it is slightly smaller and is roughly three times larger than Earth.

Astronomers say planets of this size are normally gaseous but HD 21749 is unusual because it is far denser than normal and therefore has a mass 23 times greater than Earth's.

It was identified by TESS, NASA's leading mission to identify exoplanets, alongside two other worlds.

Scroll down for video

An exoplanet 23 times denser than ours has been spotted orbiting a distant star 54 light-years away. The planet orbit the star HD 21749 which lies in the faint constellation Reticulum (pictured)

It was identified by TESS -NASA's leading mission to identify exoplanets - alongside two other worlds (pictured). An unconfirmed sighting of a smaller, Earth-sized world was also found orbiting a star every 8 days but experts are yet to find conclusive evidence

'This planet has a greater density than Neptune, but it isn't rocky. It could be a water planet or have some other type of substantial atmosphere,' explained Diana Dragomir, a Hubble Fellow at MKI and lead author of apaper on the planet's discovery.

It orbits its host star every 36 days and is believed to have a surface temperature of 150C (300F).

An unconfirmed sighting of a smaller, Earth-sized world was also found orbiting the star every 8 days but experts are yet to find conclusive evidence.

Two other planet's spotted by TESS have been labelled LHS 3884b and Pi Mensae c.

Pi Mensae c is roughly twice Earth's size and can be seen in the Mensa constellation with the naked eye.

It is roughly 60 light-years away from Earth and orbits its Sun-sized star every six days.

'This star was already known to host a planet, called Pi Mensae b, which is about 10 times the mass of Jupiter and follows a long and very eccentric orbit,' said Chelsea Huang, a Juan Carlos Torres Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research (MKI) in Cambridge.

Pi Mensae c is roughly twice Earth's size and can be seen in the Mensa constellation with the naked eye. It is roughly 60 light-years away from Earth and orbits its Sun-sized star every six days (pictured)

The other discovery - is named LHS 3884b - is smaller than the other two and is only 30 per cent larger than Earth (pictured)

'In contrast, the new planet, called Pi Mensae c, has a circular orbit close to the star, and these orbital differences will prove key to understanding how this unusual system formed.'

The other discovery - is named LHS 3884b - is smaller than the other two and is only 30 per cent larger than Earth.

It is only 49 light-years away in the constellation Indus and completes an orbit of its host star at a staggering rate of once every 11 hours.

Astronomers also received data of dozens of short-lived events in space and managed to capture images of six supernovae.

These were then later spotted by ground-based telescopes.

George Ricker, the mission's principal investigator at MIT, predicted further discoveries: 'We're only halfway through Tess's first year of operations and the data floodgates are just beginning to open.'A professor faces losing his high-powered job at an American university after writing 20 fake scientific papers.

Seven of these fake pieces of research were accepted and four were published online.

Peter Boghossian, an assistant professor of philosophy at Portland State University in Oregon now faces the sack after a widespread backlash from the scientific community.

Steven Pinker and Richard Dawkins, prominent academics and science communicators, have defended the controversial the stunt.

Dr Boghossian claims he conducted the questionable experiment to challenge the 'nonsense' which features in many social science papers.

Some of the works included convoluted papers on 'dog rape culture', 'a conceptual penis' and even a re-wrote a chapter of Mein Kampf.

Scroll down for video

Peter Boghossian (pictured), an assistant professor of philosophy at Portland State University in Oregon now faces the sack after a widespread backlash

Dr Boghossian and two collaborators said their aim was to expose how 'absurdities' get published in legitimate peer-reviewed academic papers due to a lack of critical review.

In total the team of three researchers wrote 20 hoax papers on a field of study loosely defined as 'grievance studies'.

These papers were based on 'nutty or inhumane' ideas that featured 'a little bit of lunacy'.

Portland State University officials said Dr Boghossian had not eceived proper ethical approval for the exercise.

By challenging the protocols implemented by journal staff and peer-reviewers the university say the academic breached guidelines when he manipulated these 'human research subjects'.

He is also being reviewed for falsifying data and the penalty for this is dismissal from the institute.

The authors claim their prank shows that higher education's fixation with identity politics has created 'absurd and horrific' scholarship, according to an in-depth piece by Wall Street Journal.

The other two researchers involved in the deception were mathematician James Lindsay and Helen Pluckrose, who is editor-in-chief of current affairs magazine Areol.

Their aim was to expose how easily morally fashionable political ideas are published as academic research.

One paper, published in Gender, Place & Culture, claimed to be based on a year observing sexual misconduct among dogs in a US park.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE FAKED PAPERS ON? One paper, published in Gender, Place & Culture, claimed to be based on a year observing sexual misconduct among dogs in a US park. The paper said that parks were 'petri dishes for canine 'rape culture'' and said people needed to be aware of the way dogs were treated depending on their gender. The year before they had publised a paper called 'The Conceptual Penis as a Social Construct,' in the journal Cogent Social Sciences. Another paper published in the journal Fat Studies claimed that body building is 'fat-exclusionary'. They published a paper in the Journal of Poetry Therapy was about feminist spirituality meetings. It was written by an algorithm. Another paper published in peer-reviewed journal 'Affilia' was a rewrite of a chapter from Mein Kampf which was accepted despite going through a double peer review. The authors claim their prank shows that higher education's fixation with identity politics has created 'absurd and horrific' scholarship. Advertisement

The paper said that parks were 'petri dishes for canine "rape culture"' and said people needed to be aware of the way dogs were treated depending on their gender.

It was written under the alias of Helen Wilson, who claimed to have a doctorate in feminism studies. The real authors were James Lindsay and Peter Boghossian.

'I think that certain aspects of knowledge production in the United States have been corrupted,' Dr Boghossian told the Wall Street Journal.

The year before they had published a paper called 'The Conceptual Penis as a Social Construct' in the journal Cogent Social Sciences.

Their scribblings included the phrases 'gender-performative, high fluid social construct', 'exclusionary to disenfranchised communities', and 'isomorphic to performative toxic masculinity'.

They even associated male anatomy with climate change.

Another paper published in the journal Fat Studies claimed that body building is 'fat-exclusionary'.

Talking about the hoax, Dr Lindsay said each paper 'combined an effort to better understand the field itself with an attempt to get absurdities and morally fashionable political ideas published as legitimate academic research'.

They believe that people are so keen on identity politics that they will accept papers despite 'outlandish' data.

Last year Dr Lindsay's team also published a paper written by an algorithm in the Journal of Poetry Therapy.

Another paper  which was just a rewrite of a chapter from Mein Kampf  was published in the journal 'Affilia'. It was accepted despite going through a double peer review.

'A tremendous amount of garbage gets published regardless of method because a) It's hard to do good work, and b) There's tremendous pressure to publish', tweeted Kieran Healy, an associate professor of sociology at Duke University

As well as having papers published, the team were also asked to peer-review journals.

Richard Dawkins, an outspoken atheist and Emeritus Charles Simonyi Professor at the University of Oxford, wrote to the university: 'Do your humourless colleagues who brought this action want Portland State to become the laughing stock of the academic world?

'Or at least the world of serious scientific scholarship uncontaminated by pretentious charlatans of exactly the kind Dr Boghossian and his colleagues were satirising?'

'How would you react if you saw the following letter: Dear Mr Orwell, It has come to our notice that your novel, Animal Farm, attributes to pigs the ability to talk, and to walk on their hind legs, chanting Four legs good, two legs better.

'This is directly counter to known zoological facts about the Family Suidae, and you are therefore arraigned on a charge of falsifying data

Steven Pinker and Richard Dawkins, prominent academics and science communicators, have defended the controversial the stunt and sent letters to the university

Steven Pinker, the Harvard psychologist, wrote of the false data charge: 'This strikes me (and every colleague Ive spoken with) as an attempt to weaponise an important principle of academic ethics to punish a scholar for expressing an unpopular opinion.'

This was not the first instance of academics have published fake papers.

Twenty-two years ago, a respected New York University physicist called Alan Sokal published a hoax paper to the journal Social Text.

He wanted to prove people would publish 'an article liberally salted with nonsense' if it sounded good and flattered current ideological preconceptions.

The paper, which was titled 'Transgressing the Boundaries: Towards a Transformative Hermeneutics of Quantum Gravity', was accepted.

The trio behind the latest hoax say their work was research in itself.

'For us, the risk of letting biased research continue to influence education, media, policy and culture is far greater than anything that will happen to us for having done this', Dr Lindsay said.Advertisement

CES 2019 officially opened in Las Vegas on Tuesday after two days of media-only sneak peaks.

This year, the consumer-electronics show features 4,500 companies exhibiting products and services, and more than 180,000 people are expected to attend.

Major companies including Samsung, LG, Sony, and Panasonic once again held nothing back, with sprawling booths featuring wall-to-wall displays.

Virtual reality remains an ever-present force at the annual tech show, and startups and established tech giants alike have unveiled everything from utilitarian apps to splashy devices.

IBM showed off its latest collaborative efforts as well, and unveiled its voice-controlled autonomous pod with Aurrigo Tech.

Scroll down for video

CES 2019 officially opened in Las Vegas on Tuesday after two days of media-only sneak peaks. Major companies including Samsung, LG, Sony, and Panasonic once again held nothing back, with sprawling booths featuring wall-to-wall displays. Many showcased the bendable screens they are manufacturing

As usual, LG showed off its screens in a stunning visual display that took over an entire room - this time with roughly 265 screens.

'It's phenomenal,' an LG exhibitor told Dailymail.com. I can't do the math but at 1080p, it's likely worth just under a million dollars.'

And, the breathtaking 'transparent OLED' is available in the consumer market.

'Think of it as a window that can turn on and show movies,' the LG team told Dailymail.com at CES. 'We've got so much coolness going on.'

'The greatest technology in the industry right now is OLED.'

This year, the consumer-electronics show features 4,500 companies exhibiting products and services, and more than 180,000 people are expected to attend. Top names in tech showed off their best displays yet

Several other companies celebrated their first year exhibiting breakout technologies at the massive international tech show.

Royole unveiled its FlexPai smartphone in a media preview this week, and officially demonstrated its devices on the show floor on Tuesday.

This included a purse with the flexible display built right into its top flap.

Consumer goods giant P&G, best known for Pampers diapers and Tide detergent, is showcasing heated razors, a toothbrush with artificial intelligence and a wand-like device that scans the skin and releases serum to cover up age spots and other discoloration.

Royole unveiled its FlexPai smartphone in a media preview this week, and officially demonstrated its devices on the show floor on Tuesday. This included a purse with the flexible display built right in (pictured)

A Harley-Davidson Motorcycles LiveWire electric motorcycle is on display during a Panasonic news conference at CES International

Virtual reality remains an ever-present force at the annual tech show, and startups and established tech giants alike have unveiled everything from utilitarian apps to splashy devices. The 'Hurricane' ride is pictured above

P&G is also showing off an internet-connected scalp adviser: The Head & Shoulders-branded device uses ultraviolet light and other techniques to uncover scalp issues and recommend products.

The device is available only in Europe and Asia for now.

Expect these gizmos to cost more than the plain-old 'dumb' versions. P&G's Oral-B toothbrush, for example, is expected to cost $279, while a regular Oral-B electric toothbrush can be had for less than $30.

John Deere demonstrated its self-driving tractors and a 20-ton combine harvester at CES

And every new connected device means more data collection about people's personal habits - a gold mine for advertisers and hackers alike.

The North Face is using virtual reality to provide a fine-grained look at its waterproof fabrics.

Raytheon is demonstrating the everyday applications of GPS anti-jam technology, which was originally designed to protect military forces.

And John Deere has hauled in self-driving tractors and a 20-ton combine harvester aided by artificial intelligence.

The combine has cameras with computer-vision technology to track the quality of grain coming into the machine so that its kernel-separating settings can be adjusted automatically. Farmers can monitor it remotely using a smartphone app.

It's hard to imagine what 19th century Illinois blacksmith John Deere might think if he were plopped into his company's 2019 booth at the flashy Vegas convention center, but Deanna Kovar believes he'd be 'amazed and astonished.'

'His innovation was making a self-powering steel plow that could cut through the heavy, rich soils of the Midwest,' said Kovar, the company's director of production and precision agriculture marketing.

'We've been a technology company since the start.'

John Deere has hauled in a self-driving tractor aided by cameras with computer-vision technology to track the self-driving precision and program the route to be driven (left). And, IBM showed off its voice-controlled autonomous pod with Aurrigo Tech

'The greatest technology in the industry right now is OLED,' an LG exhibitor told Dailymail.com at CES

Kovar said American farmers have been using self-driving tractors for decades - and CES is a chance to let everyone else know.

Chatterjee said such messages are directed not just at a company's customers, but to investors, potential corporate partners, startup acquisition targets and the technically skilled employees these more traditional firms are hoping to attract.

'These are brands that are aggressively looking to work tech into their DNA,' Chatterjee said.

'They want to be perceived all around as a tech-forward innovative brand.'Advertisement

In just a few years, your ride to work may be an Uber taxi in the skies.

That's the vision for the Nexus flying taxi, a hybrid-electric concept aircraft unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The 6,000lb-aircraft represents one of the most advanced flying taxi prototypes yet and Bell, the aerospace company behind the product, says it'll be ready to take off as soon as 2023.

NEXUS FLYING TAXI SPECS Weighs 6,500lbs Features six 8-foot-diameter rotors Rotors tilt to 90 degrees during takeoff and landing 150-mile range, reaches speeds of up to 150mph Hybrid-electric design, with plans to become all-electric in the future Garmin touchscreen displays Advertisement

'It's an urban air mobility vehicle so what that means is we're going to carry people or things in kind of an on-demand way,' Matt Louis, aerodynamics engineer at Bell, told Dailymail.com.

'So similar to calling an Uber, we'll have a network of these vehicles available as an air taxi, or if you're a logistics company, we would have a network of these vehicles to take things from distribution center to distribution center.'

Bell is part of Uber Elevate, which is the ride-hailing giant's initiative that aims to fast-track the process of bringing taxis to the skies, a concept it has already explored with plans to launch UberAIR in the future.

Uber has already indicated that it's 'super interested' in the Bell Nexus and Bell has put a lot of thought into how its concept aircraft would be used to help passengers get from point A to point B.

In just a few years, your ride to work may be an Uber taxi in the skies. That's the vision for the Bell Nexus flying taxi, a hybrid-electric aircraft concept, unveiled at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

The 6,000lb-aircraft represents one of the most advanced flying taxi prototypes yet and Bell, the aerospace company behind the product, says it'll be ready to take off as soon as 2023. It's already inked a partnership with the Uber Elevate program

'You would pull out your uber app and say, 'I want an UberAIR or maybe an Uber Bell,' Louis said. 'It'll come pick you up and fly you somewhere.'

The company has been focusing on what it will look like when users have the ability to book an UberAIR, Levi Bilbrey, creative services manager at Bell, told Dailymail.com.

'So you'll have that option to get to a destination, but it's much faster,' Bilbrey said. 'You're flying over the traffic instead of flying through the traffic.'

Inside is a spacious - verging on luxurious - setup complete with expansive windows for future passengers, a massive screen on the ceiling and a high-tech cabin with Garmin touchscreen displays.

Six 8-foot-diameter rotors are what give the Bell Nexus its thrust, as they tilt from a flat position to 90 degrees, allowing it to enter 'high speed cruise mode,' the firm said. When the vehicle lands, the fans rotate back to a flat position for extra safety

In the cockpit, there's a pinch-and-zoom display, that lets pilots check vital information like how long it'll take to reach their destination, altitude and route information, among other things. For now, the designs are just conceptual, the firm said

Designs for the interior are still prototypes, but in a demo with Dailymail.com, Bell explained that the overhead display could be used for a number of different things, like interactive content and other uses tailored to would-be UberAIR passengers.

In the cockpit, there's a pinch-and-zoom display, that lets pilots check vital information like how long it'll take to reach their destination, altitude and route information, among other things.

Bell Nexus can transport up to five people at a time, including four passengers and a pilot.

However, the hope is that the flying taxi will be equipped with autonomous controls in the future.

The aircraft's unique design is owed largely in part to the six 8-foot-diameter fans that jut out from its body.

Inside is a spacious - verging on luxurious - setup complete with expansive windows for future passengers, a massive screen on the ceiling and a high-tech cabin with Garmin touchscreen displays. Bell Nexus can transport up to five people at a time

WHAT IS UBER AIR AND HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? UberAir is a network of small, electric, aircraft that enable four-person ridesharing flights in densely populated areas. Artist's impression shown UberAir is a network of small, electric, aircraft that enable four-person ridesharing flights in densely populated areas. The 'electrical vertical take-off and landing vehicles' (eVTOLs) differ from helicopters in that they are quieter, safer, more affordable, and more environmentally-friendly, Uber claims. Users will order the aircraft through the Uber app much like they would one of the firm's taxis. Once they have selected an UberAIR ride, the craft will fly to the nearest 'Skyport' - a series of launch pads spread across the city. Uber estimates that an all-electric, 200mph (320kph) ride across the skies of Los Angeles will be price-competitive with an UberX trip of the same distance. Uber predicts that trips from LAX to the Staples Centre during rush hour can be reduced from up to 1 hour 20 minutes on the ground to less than 30 minutes using UberAir. Its prediction includes UberX transfers to and from UberAir launch pads - the flight over LA itself will take around four minutes, the firm said. The plan will rely on a network of Skyports, which will allow the VTOL Uber Air craft to take off and land on rooftops across the country Advertisement

For now, the aerospace firm is betting on a future dominated by flying taxis - a vision that's also shared by more than a dozen other companies, such as Uber, Google co-founder Larry Page's Cora and Airbus, among others

These rotors are what give the Bell Nexus its thrust, tilting from a flat position to 90 degrees as the vehicle takes off vertically, allowing it to enter 'high speed cruise mode,' according to the company.

Once the aircraft lands on the ground, the fans rotate back to a flat position.

The massive fans are also what prevents the aircraft from being deafeningly loud as it whizzes past you.

'If you imagine a whole fleet of these flying around a city, it could be really loud,' Louis said.

'The ducts give us that noise benefit, as well as ground safety, so that people can walk up to the aircraft.'

Designs for the interior are still prototypes, but in a demo with Dailymail.com, Bell said that the overhead display (pictured) could be used for a number of things, like interactive content and other uses tailored to would-be UberAIR passengers

Bell says the concept vertical take off and landing aircraft also has applications in more areas than just ride-sharing. The inside of the vehicle can be modified for a variety of uses, ranging from military and emergency medical services

The Bell Nexus, which the company says will likely be all-electric in the future, can reach speeds of up to 150mph.

Bell says the aircraft also has applications in more areas than just ride-sharing. The inside of the vehicle can be modified for a variety of uses, ranging from military and emergency medical services.

For now though, Bell is betting on a future dominated by flying taxis - a vision that's also shared by more than a dozen other companies, such as Uber, Google co-founder Larry Page's Cora and Airbus, among others.

Louis said the firm isn't letting growing competition pressure it into being the first to bring flying taxis to the skies, however.

'We want to establish the market, but we want to do it with a safe, reliable machine,' he explained.Apple, which slashed its quarterly sales forecast last week, has reduced planned production for its three new iPhone models by about 10 percent for the January-March quarter, the Nikkei Asian Review reported on Wednesday.

That rare forecast cut exposed weakening iPhone demand in China, the world's biggest smartphone market, where a slowing economy has also been buffeted by a trade war with the United States.

However, it comes as Apple CEO Tim Cook told Mad Money's Jim Cramer, when asked about reports that the iPhone XR was a flop, Cook says he calls 'bologna on that.'

He said the iPhone XR has, in fact, been the most popular iPhone 'every single day' since it started shipping out to customers.

Many analysts and consumers have said the new iPhones are overpriced.

Apple CEO Tim Cook this week told investors that the main drag on the firm's performance in China had been a sharper-than-expected slowdown in the country's economy, exacerbated by the impact of trade tensions between Washington and Beijing.

Apple asked its suppliers late last month to produce fewer-than-planned units of its XS, XS Max and XR models, the Nikkei reported, citing sources with knowledge of the request.

The request was made before Apple announced its forecast cut, the Nikkei said.

The bleaker sales outlook, which Apple attributed to weak China demand, triggered a broad sell-off in global stock markets.

Market research firm Canalys estimates shipments fell 12 percent in China last year and expects smartphone shipments in 2019 to dip another 3 percent, to below 400 million for the first time since 2014.

Overall planned production volume of both old and new iPhones is likely to be cut to a range of 40 million to 43 million units for January-March, from an earlier projection of 47 million to 48 million units, the Nikkei reported, citing one source familiar with the situation.

Apple shares plunged over 9 percent earlier this month as Wall Street was rattled by the Silicon Valley giant's shock revenue warning. The firm said it now anticipates lower revenues of $84 billion

Apple did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

The report comes after chip suppliers Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Skyworks Solutions Inc flagged weak first-quarter chip demand for smartphones.

Apple's iPhone suppliers include Taiwanese assemblers Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd (Foxconn) and Pegatron Corp. Pegatron declined to comment on the report when contacted by Reuters, while Foxconn did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

There was little reaction to the report among shares of major Apple suppliers, as the market has already digested production cuts after the iPhone maker's forecast cut, analysts said.

Shares of Foxconn, the world's biggest electronics contract manufacturer, were up 1.6 percent while Pegatron was up 1.3 percent.

Among iPhone component suppliers in Asia, South Korea's LG Display Co Ltd was up 0.5 percent, while Japan Display Inc was flat.

As Chinese demand has faltered, Apple has increased focus on India, which recently overtook the United States as the world's second-largest smartphone market.

Chief Executive Tim Cook reiterated in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday that India was a major focus for Apple.

Reuters reported last month that Apple will begin assembling its top-end iPhones in India through the local unit of Foxconn this year, citing a person familiar with the matter.Twitter is taking steps toward becoming a place where users can have healthy conversations.

The social media giant announced at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that it will soon allow users to apply to become a part of a beta program where they can test out a range of features, according to Engadget.

In the future, all users might see features like 'icebreakers' or status indicators that show when others are online appear on their timeline.

Scroll down for video

Twitter will soon allow users to apply to become a part of a beta program where they can test out a range of features that might end up on their timeline in the future

Twitter will start letting users apply to the beta program in the next few weeks.

However, while anyone can apply to be a part of it, Twitter is only going to select a few thousand users to take part.

Once users are accepted into the beta program, they'll get to test out and give feedback on a range of features.

Twitter will then go through and review that feedback to determine whether or not the features ship out sitewide.

'We want to develop a service for the people that are using it, and we have to involve people in that way,' Sara Haider, director of product management at Twitter, told Engadget.

'We have a platform that the world uses to speak their mind, why not use that as part of our development process?'

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey confirmed the testing program. Dorsey previously announced Twitter was partnering with outside firms to assess the 'health of public conversation' on the site

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey confirmed the testing program in a tweet late Tuesday.

Earlier this year, Twitter said it was testing features to encourage healthy conversation on its platform.

Now, with the beta program, it's making good on that promise.

Those features are expected to include things like 'icebreakers' that would let users pin a question to their profile about a topic they care about as a way to start casual conversation with other users.

Other features like status indicators would show when a user is online, so that their followers know and they can start chatting.

So far, it seems the beta program won't involve tests of an edit button.

Haider told Engadget that Twitter is also exploring new features that build off of user behavior already observed on the platform.

For example, users often change their display name to show others when they're at an event, such as 'Jack is at Defcon.'

WHAT ARE TWITTER'S POLICIES? Graphic violence and adult content The company does not allow people to post graphic violence. This could be any form of gory media related to death, serious injury, violence, or surgical procedures. Adult content - that includes media that is pornographic and/or may be intended to cause sexual arousal - is also banned. Some form of graphic violence and adult content is allowed in Tweets marked as containing sensitive media. However, these images are not allowed in profile or header images. Twitter may sometimes require users to remove excessively graphic violence out of respect for the deceased and their families. Unlawful use The platform is not allowed to be used to further illegal activities. Badges Users are not allowed to use badges, including but not limited to the 'promoted' or 'verified' Twitter badges, unless provided by Twitter. Accounts using unauthorised badges as part of their profile photos, header photos, display names, or in any way that falsely implies affiliation with Twitter or authorisation from Twitter to display these badges, may be suspended. Usernames Users may not buy or sell Twitter usernames. Username squatting - when people take the name of a trademark company or a celebrity - is not allowed. Twitter also has the right to remove accounts that are inactive for more than six months. Abusive behaviour Context matters when evaluating for abusive behaviour and determining appropriate enforcement actions. Factors we may take into consideration include whether the behaviour is targeted at an individual; the report has been filed by the target of the abuse or a bystander or the behaviour is newsworthy and in the legitimate public interest. Users may not make specific threats of violence or wish for the serious physical harm, death, or disease of an individual or group of people. This includes, but is not limited to, threatening or promoting terrorism. Users may not promote or encourage suicide or self-harm. Users may not promote child sexual exploitation. Users may not direct abuse at someone by sending unwanted sexual content, objectifying them in a sexually explicit manner, or otherwise engaging in sexual misconduct. Users may not use hateful images or symbols in your profile image or profile header. Private information Users may not publish or post other people's private information without their express authorisation and permission. Users may not post or share intimate photos or videos of someone that were produced or distributed without their consent. Users may not threaten to expose someone's private information or intimate media. Source: Twitter Advertisement

With a status update feature, users might be able to pin their current location to the top of their profile, similar to the old-fashioned instant messenger statuses of yesteryear.

Other features should make Twitter easier to use and navigate overall, Haider added.

'We're making some pretty big changes to the way conversations look and feel on Twitter, and we don't want to just unveil that one day and what if you don't like it or it's not working for you?,' she told Engadget.

'We really want to bring our community along for this journey and be a part of this.'

The changes are part of Twitter's broader effort to crackdown on hate speech and abuse on its platform - something users and experts alike have complained about in the past.Advertisement

Harley-Davidson showed off its first ever electric motorcycle at CES 2019 in Las Vegas.

The twist-and-go bike ditches the traditional shifters and chirps out a turbine-like whir in lieu of the characteristic rumble  but with its ease of use, swift acceleration, and agile handling, the firm is hoping to win over new riders and long-time Harley owners alike.

Called LiveWire, Harleys first EV can hit a top speed of around 110 miles per hour and achieves a range of 110 miles of mixed urban and highway driving. The bike can go from 0 to 60mph in 3.5 seconds, Harley-Davidson says.

Pre-orders for the $29,799 vehicle are now open in the US, and it should begin shipping by fall 2019.

Scroll down for video

Harley-Davidson showed off its first ever electric motorcycle at CES 2019 in Las Vegas. The twist-and-go bike ditches the traditional shifters and chirps out a turbine-like whir in lieu of the characteristic rumble

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CHARGE? According to Harley-Davidson, the LiveWire bike allows for three charging options, relying on either a compatible charging station or a household outlet + on-board charger The three charging options are: Level 1 (standard household outlet): 13 miles range per hour of charged.

(standard household outlet): 13 miles range per hour of charged. Level 2 : LiveWire connected to a Level 2 charger, 13 miles / hour

: LiveWire connected to a Level 2 charger, 13 miles / hour Level 3 (DC Fast Charge): 192 miles range per hour charged Advertisement

LiveWire will also launch in Canada and most of Europe later this year, Harley-Davidson says.

The firm demonstrated its new motorcycle at the Panasonic booth at CES, using the Magic Leap augmented reality headset to create an immersive experience on the show-floor.

Even at a quick glance, Harleys latest motorcycle is a standout from its previous models.

Because its all-electric, its twist-and-go, Paul James, PR Manager at Harley-Davidson, told Dailymail.com at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Theres no transmission, there are no shifters, no clutch  its very easy to ride.

LiveWire is equipped with a full suite of electronic lateral aids, with a slew of sensors and programmable touch controls.

With its ease of use, swift acceleration, and agile handling, the firm is hoping to win over new riders and long-time Harley owners alike. Called LiveWire, Harleys first EV can hit a top speed of around 110 miles per hour and achieves a range of 110 miles of mixed urban and highway driving

Harley says its electric powertrain will produce a new signature Harley-Davidson sound, with minimal vibration, heat, and noise

It also has cellular connectivity, making it the first mass market motorcycle in North America with the capability.

This means it can alert the owner if the bike has been tampered with or moved. It also has built-in GPS for location tracking.

While its easy to see how the sleek EV bike might attract new riders, the motorcycle will be a drastic change for those who have grown accustomed to the traditional Harley-Davidson style.

But, the firm says its so far been well received.

Weve seen some [resistance], but at the same time, we did so many lab demos  you get a lot of positive feedback too, James told Dailymail.com.

LiveWire is equipped with a full suite of electronic lateral aids, with a slew of sensors and programmable touch controls. The firm demonstrated its new motorcycle at the Panasonic booth at CES, using the Magic Leap augmented reality headset to create an immersive experience on the show-floor

Because its all-electric, its twist-and-go, Paul James, Director of Motorcycle Product Planning at Harley-Davidson, told Dailymail.com on the show floor at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Theres no transmission, there are no shifters, no clutch  its very easy to ride

LiveWire also has cellular connectivity, making it the first mass market motorcycle in North America with the capability. This means it can alert the owner if the bike has been tampered with or moved. It also has built-in GPS for location tracking

Many of them are like "You know, it may not be the bike for me, but I get why Harley is doing it."

'Others are saying, You know what, Id love to have that in my garage too, alongside my traditional bike.

So, I think in the first years were going to have first-time Harley owners that have never ridden a motorcycle before, were going to have a lot of current Harley riders as well, James says.

As for the sound, Harley says its electric powertrain will produce a new signature Harley-Davidson sound, with minimal vibration, heat, and noise.

Were at a historic juncture in the evolution of mobility, and Harley-Davidson is at the forefront, said Harley-Davidson President and CEO, Matt Levatich.

Innovation that moves the body and soul has always been at the heart of our brand, and this next chapter in our history is about creating products and opportunities for existing and aspiring riders of all ages and walks of life.

Harley-Davidson also showed off showed off two new concept electric bikes at the Las Vegas tech show.Advertisement

An asteroid-circling spacecraft has captured a unique snapshot of home.

NASA's Osiris-Rex spacecraft took the picture days before going into orbit around asteroid Bennu on New Year's Eve.

The tiny asteroid - barely one-third of a mile (500 meters) across - appears as a big bright blob in the long-exposure photo released last week.

Scroll down for video

NASA's Osiris-Rex spacecraft took the picture before going into orbit around asteroid Bennu. Earth appears as a white dot in the lower left, with the moon an even smaller dot but still clearly visible

Seventy million miles (110 million kilometers) away, Earth appears as a white dot in the lower left, with the moon an even smaller dot but still clearly visible.

'Despite the spacecrafts distance from home Earth and the Moon are visible in the lower left due to the long exposure time used for this image (five seconds),' the mission website says.

When it was taken, the spacecrafts range to Bennu is only about 27 miles (43 kilometers), so the asteroid appears highly overexposed in the upper right.

The head of the constellation Hydra is also visible in the lower right portion of the image.

Osiris-Rex is the first spacecraft to orbit such a small celestial body, and from such a close distance - about a mile (1,600 meters) out.

Next year, Osiris-Rex will attempt to gather some samples from the carbon-rich asteroid, for return to Earth in 2023.

Osiris-Rex launched from Florida in 2016, and entered around the asteroid Bennu, 70 million miles (110 million kilometers) from Earth on New Year's Eve

It's the smallest celestial body ever to be orbited by a spacecraft.

Bennu is just 1,600 feet (500 meters) across.

The spacecraft's laps are barely a mile (1.6 kilometers) above the asteroid's surface, another record.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has found water locked deep inside the asteroid it hopes to bring a sample from back to Earth.

The craft finally arrived at asteroid Bennu last month, more than two years after blasting off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The animation above shows our closest look yet at the space rock, showing Bennu in one full rotation from about distance 50 miles away (80 km). It was captured over the course of four hours and 18 minutes

WHAT DID NASA FIND? Data obtained from the spacecraft's two spectrometers, the OSIRIS-REx Visible and Infrared Spectrometer (OVIRS) and the OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES), reveal the presence of molecules that contain oxygen and hydrogen atoms bonded together, known as 'hydroxyls.' The team suspects that these hydroxyl groups exist globally across the asteroid in water-bearing clay minerals, meaning that at some point, Bennu's rocky material interacted with water. While Bennu itself is too small to have ever hosted liquid water, the finding does indicate that liquid water was present at some time on Bennu's parent body, a much larger asteroid. Advertisement

Now, NASA says it 'made the right decision' choosing its target.

'Recently analyzed data from NASA's Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission has revealed water locked inside the clays that make up its scientific target, the asteroid Bennu,' NASA said.

'The presence of hydrated minerals across the asteroid confirms that Bennu, a remnant from early in the formation of the solar system, is an excellent specimen for the OSIRIS-REx mission to study the composition of primitive volatiles and organics,' said Amy Simon, OVIRS deputy instrument scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.

'When samples of this material are returned by the mission to Earth in 2023, scientists will receive a treasure trove of new information about the history and evolution of our solar system.

While Bennu itself is too small to have ever hosted liquid water, the finding does indicate that liquid water was present at some time on Bennu's parent body, a much larger asteroid.

During the mission's approach phase, between mid-August and early December, the spacecraft traveled 1.4 million miles (2.2 million km) on its journey from Earth to arrive at a location 12 miles (19 km) from Bennu on Dec. 3.

During this time, the science team on Earth aimed three of the spacecraft's instruments towards Bennu and began making the mission's first scientific observations of the asteroid.

OSIRIS-REx is NASA's first asteroid sample return mission.

Data obtained from the spacecraft's two spectrometers, the OSIRIS-REx Visible and Infrared Spectrometer (OVIRS) and the OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer (OTES), reveal the presence of molecules that contain oxygen and hydrogen atoms bonded together, known as 'hydroxyls.'

The team suspects that these hydroxyl groups exist globally across the asteroid in water-bearing clay minerals, meaning that at some point, Bennu's rocky material interacted with water.

NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft has finally arrived at asteroid Bennu more than two years after blasting off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.The animation above shows the craft's approach to the object, beginning August 17 when it was over 1,300,000 miles from Bennu, to November 27, when it was just 40 miles away

While Bennu itself is too small to have ever hosted liquid water, the finding does indicate that liquid water was present at some time on Bennu's parent body, a much larger asteroid.

One outlier from the predicted shape model is the size of the large boulder near Bennu's south pole.

The ground-based shape model calculated this boulder to be at least 33 feet (10 meters) in height.

Preliminary calculations from OCAMS observations show that the boulder is closer to 164 feet (50 meters) in height, with a width of approximately 180 feet (55 meters).

Bennu's surface material is a mix of very rocky, boulder-filled regions and a few relatively smooth regions that lack boulders.

However, the quantity of boulders on the surface is higher than expected.

OSIRIS-REx will spend the next year in orbit around its target before dropping down briefly so it can get close enough to scoop up a sample of dirt and rock from the surface.

'Our initial data show that the team picked the right asteroid as the target of the OSIRIS-REx mission. We have not discovered any insurmountable issues at Bennu so far,' said Dante Lauretta, OSIRIS-REx principal investigator at the University of Arizona, Tucson.

'The spacecraft is healthy and the science instruments are working better than required. It is time now for our adventure to begin.'

'We have arrived,' technicians announced, spurring high-fives and clapping around the control room.

Just days ago, Osiris-Rex flexed its mechanical arm through a full range of motion for the first time in space ahead of reaching Bennu; eventually, this instrument will be used to pluck a regolith sample from the surface to bring back home.

The craft has now traveled more than a billion miles since launching in September 2016.

Osiris-Rex' ultimate goal is to bring back a regolith sample of at least 2.1 ounces. It will first survey the asteroid's surface for a year, before selecting a safe and 'scientifically interesting' location to scoop up some rocks.

If all goes well, the craft will bring the sample back to Earth in September 2023.

Osiris-Rex has been sending back photos throughout the course of its journey, revealing glimpses at its then-faraway target and even our own planet from millions of miles way.

In August, the craft snapped its first image of asteroid Bennu.

While the blurry snapshot might not look like much, its first look was the closest we've come to the space rock yet, at 1.4 million miles away.

The craft also captured a look at Earth and moon in their 'orbital dance' back in January.

Asteroid Bennu, which Osiris-Rex will spend the next few years studying, is said to be a carbon-rich hunk of rock that might contain organic materials or molecular precursors to life.

NASA aired live coverage of its arrival starting at 11:45 a.m. ET, shortly before the spacecraft began the 20-second burn that put it on the right trajectory around the asteroid. Artist's impression

Osiris-Rex captured a 'super-resolution' view (left) of asteroid Bennu on October 29, 2018. The photo was created using eight images obtained by the spacecraft from a distance of about 205 miles (330 kilometers)

'Analyzing a sample from Bennu will help planetary scientists better understand the role asteroids may have played in delivering life-forming compounds to Earth,' NASA explains.

'We know from having studied Bennu through Earth- and space-based telescopes that it is a carbonaceous, or carbon-rich, asteroid. Carbon is the hinge upon which organic molecules hang.

'Bennu is likely rich in organic molecules, which are made of chains of carbon bonded with atoms of oxygen, hydrogen, and other elements in a chemical recipe that makes all known living things.

'Besides carbon, Bennu also might have another component important to life: water, which is trapped in the minerals that make up the asteroid.'

The Large Binocular Telescope Observatory located on Mount Graham in Arizona spotted Osiris-Rex (red) in September 2017, roughly a year after it launched

This September 11, 2016 photo shows a Centaur upper stage lifted at Space Launch Complex 41 on Florida's Cape Canaveral Air Force Station where it was attached to the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket first stage booster, carrying OSIRIS-REx

Once Osiris is ready to collect a sample, it will drop down closer to Bennu and hover over the surface like a hummingbird, with only its mechanical arm getting close enough to touch the asteroid.

The Touch-and-Go Sample Acquisition Mechanism (TAGSAM) will suck up the regolith, kicked up by its nitrogen gas thrusters, and hopefully collect enough to study back at home.

Scientists estimate the asteroid formed roughly 4.5 billion years ago.

'Bennu is a leftover fragment from the tumultuous formation of the solar system,' NASA says.

'Some of the mineral fragments inside Bennu could be older than the solar system. These microscopic grains of dust could be the same ones that spewed from dying stars and eventually coalesced to make the Sun and its planets nearly 4.6 billion years ago.'Technology built for self-driving cars could be the next step in the US fight against illegal immigrants arriving from Mexico.

Lidar, a laser-based detection system, would cost far less to install than a border fence and could alert authorities to people trying to cross the border.

Quanergy Systems, a start-up company based in California, presented its Lidar-based system at CES in Las Vegas.

The firm claims it is better for the environment, cheaper to operate and 'more capable' than Donald Trump's proposed physical wall.

His plans for a border wall have been fiercely opposed by Democrats, forcing a shutdown of the US federal government.

Last night Trump gave a defiant address from the Oval Office in which he said American blood was being shed by illegal immigrants.

Scroll down for video

Murat Atalay of California based Quanergy shows a display of technology based on systems from autonomous cars that could be used for a virtual border wall during CES 2019 in Las Vegas on January 8, 2019 (file photo)

Lidar - meaning light and radar - uses ultraviolet, visible, or near infrared light to map nearby objects in high resolution.

Quanergy Systems, among a handful of tech firms working on Lidar border security, displayed how the programme is being used by pilot projects on the India-Pakistan frontier as well as a small section of the southern US border.

'We offer a solution that is more capable than a physical wall,' said Louay Eldada, chief executive and co-founder of the Silicon Valley startup.

'It can see day and night in any weather and can automatically track intruders, and give the GPS coordinates in real time to patrol officers.'

Mr Eldada said such a system would cost 'about two to three percent' of the price of a physical barrier for the entire US-Mexico border.

An electronic solution offers additional benefits, according to Quanergy, including for the environment and in operating costs.

'A barrier is an eyesore and it intrudes on the environment, it impedes the flow of wildlife,' Mr Eldada told AFP.

And without a wall in place, 'you don't have to have patrol officers driving back and forth, so you need fewer people' to monitor the border.

A decade ago, the US government cancelled plans for an electronic fence, amid concerns it would be ineffective.

Lidar is a laser-based object detection system widely used in autonomous vehicles. It would cost far less to install than a physical wall or fence - with fewer environmental impacts. A crew works replacing the old border fence along a section of the US-Mexico border, as seen from Tijuana, in Baja California state, Mexico, on January 8, 2019 (file photo)

But Mr Eldada said that technology has vastly improved in recent years, notably with the development of Lidar - light detection and ranging technology - paired with artificial intelligence.

'With the long range of Lidar, you detect things before they get to the perimeter, and the AI software is so much more advanced,' he said.

'We can get very high resolution images, and look at someone's behaviour. You can see every articulation.

'This allows you to see how each person is moving and have a good idea of whether its a patrol officer or someone about to cross illegally.'

Last night Trump reiterated his demand that congressional Democrats fund a border wall that he has promised for nearly four years.

'How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?' Trump asked in a 9-minute speech from the Oval Office.

After the address he tweeted: 'Thank you for soooo many nice comments regarding my Oval Office speech. A very interesting experience!'Carbon dioxide (CO) emissions spiked last year in the US after three years of decline, new research has found.

Emissions rose 3.4 per cent in 2018, the largest increase in the United States since 2010 when the economy began to grow after a long period recession.

Energy-related CO emissions increased as demand on industry and fuel grew, an estimate by independent research group Rhodium claims.

Under President Trump's administration, the government has put an end to many existing environmental protections and is set to leave the Paris Agreement in 2020.

The international pledge aims to limit the increase in the global average temperature to below 2C (3.6F) - or 1.5C (2.7F) if possible.

Scroll down for video

Carbon dioxide emissions spiked last year in the US after three years of decline, according to a study. Emissions rose 3.4 per cent in 2018, the largest increase in the United States since 2010. Pictured here, gas-powered generating station in California (file photo)

The United States is the world's second largest emitter of greenhouse gases behind China.

'The US was already off track in meeting its Paris Agreement targets. The gap is even wider headed into 2019,' the report said.

The report noted that though the factors behind the rise in US emissions in 2018 are mostly economic, some are natural.

Cold spells in winter in a number of regions led to a rise in energy while a hot summer led to more air conditioning use.

The Trump administration, which announced its intent to leave the 2015 Paris Agreement, is relaxing Obama-era rules on emissions from power plants and vehicles as it seeks to boost production of oil, gas and coal.

The spike occurred even though 2018 saw a record amount of shutdowns of power plants fired by coal, the fuel richest in carbon output when burned.

Natural gas, which emits about half of the carbon of coal, replaced most of the lost coal generation, but also served the vast majority of load growth for electricity last year, the report said.

The Trump administration is relaxing Obama-era rules on emissions from power plants and vehicles as it seeks to boost production of oil, gas and coal. The country is the world's second largest emitter of greenhouse gases behind China (stock image)

Trump administration officials have said that emissions can waiver from year to year depending on the economy, but that the country can both cut emissions and enjoy a strong economy at the same time.

An environmentalist said the Trump administration needs to speed up the transition from natural gas to renewables such as wind and solar power and energy storage.

'Coal's sharp-dressed cousin is continuing us on a path to irreparable and costly climate damage,' said Greg Cunningham, who works on clean energy and climate at the Conservation Law Foundation.

'It is imperative that we shift our clean energy transition into high gear and accelerate our clean car standards to reverse this trend.'

The American Petroleum Institute, the top lobbying organisation for the U.S. oil and gas industry, says it does not take a position on forming a carbon tax.

Some environmentalists, politicians in both parties, and petroleum companies say this would harness the power of capitalism to reduce emissions.

The API says however that it backs voluntary efforts to reduce emissions.

Mike Sommers, the head of API, told reporters in a conference call that the United States can boost oil and gas and cut emissions at the same time.A police manhunt was under way last night in villages near Heathrow amid fears a third-runway protester is behind the latest drone shut down.

Officers are scouring Harmondsworth and other villages just half a mile from Europes busiest airport for the culprit, and Scotland Yard has launched a full criminal investigation.

Around 100 flights were delayed as the airport was locked down for an hour on Tuesday evening after a drone was spotted flying nearby.

Drone sightings brought chaos for thousands of passengers at Heathrow airport on last night with all flights grounded for an hour

Planes finally started to take off again shortly after 6.30pm yesterday, but it is unclear how many flights were affected after departures were halted just after 5pm. Pictured: passengers at terminal 5

Yesterday, the first pictures emerged of an object believed to be the drone, which has a flashing green and red light. They were taken by a passenger on a grounded plane and a commuter driving near the airports southern boundary.

Another witness reported seeing a drone with the same flashing green and red light hovering near Harmondsworth.

It is one of the villages, alongside Sipson and Longford, to be bulldozed as and when the third runway wins planning permission.

The witness told the BBC: I could tell it was a drone  these things have got quite distinctive lights  not a helicopter.

In July last year it became a criminal offence to fly a drone within 0.6miles of an airport. Harmondsworth is just half a mile from Heathrows northern perimeter.

Anti-Heathrow expansion campaign group Hacan said it had nothing to do with the drone.

Asked whether the mystery drone pilot could be a disgruntled local resident, one campaigner said: It wouldnt surprise me. Most local residents wouldnt do this but there are some who might.

Last night campaign groups Stop Heathrow Expansion and No 3rd Runway also said they had nothing to do with the drones.

It is not yet clear whether the drone incursion was deliberate  but with the operator of the drone which brought chaos to Gatwick still at large, police cannot rule out a link.

The travel chaos comes just weeks after passengers were stuck on planes for several hours and were forced to sleep on floors inside Gatwick Airport as flights were cancelled between December 19 and 21. Pictured: webcam footage from the airport yesterday evening

The alleged sighting came four days after both Heathrow (pictured) and Gatwick airports reported they were investing millions of pounds in equipment to prevent future flight disruption

Police confirmed it was not a hoax sighting, stressing that officers were among those who spotted a drone.

Extra officers have been sent to Heathrow, as airports around the country were put on high alert.

The RAF has flown in its own anti-drone system to Heathrow after Transport Secretary Chris Grayling spoke to Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson. Heathrow has also begun talks to install a 10million detection and signal jamming system called Auds.

Will Geddes of security service International Corporate Protection said the incident was inevitable and security should have been upgraded sooner.

He added: I continue to be utterly astounded that there were no counter measures already in place.

Last night the Department for Transport rejected claims that the military-grade anti-drones system should have been installed sooner.

Aviation minister Baroness Sugg and security minister Ben Wallace will hold a meeting with airport bosses today to discuss plans to crack down on the drone menace.Commentary by Ruth Sunderland

This week an entrepreneur named Simon Key was forced to compose an announcement that the Big Green Bookshop, an independent store he co-founded a decade ago in North London, is to shut because of absolute monster business rates.

As he was contemplating an uncertain future, Amazon  whose online might has been a scourge of independent bookstores  revealed in a letter to MPs that last year it paid 63million in business rates. That is a paltry sum in relation to its 8.8billion of UK sales.

Its corporation tax payments are even more derisory.

The most recent tax bill for its warehouse operations, Amazon UK Services Ltd, was a slender 4.7 million. And it didnt even pay it all, deferring some of the charge  perfectly legally  and only handing over 1.7 million. You may not be surprised to learn that the Big Green Bookshop paid a higher proportion of its profits in tax and rates than the U.S. Goliath.

The letter revealing Amazons obscenely small direct contribution to Britains public purse exposes the gaping loopholes in our system, and the advantage to be gained by online firms which rely on massive out-of-town distribution centres with far lower rates than town centre bricks and mortar traders.

So it is that shameless overseas mega-companies get away with minimal payments, while costs are piled without mercy on high-street business owners.

Amazon  whose online might has been a scourge of independent bookstores  revealed in a letter to MPs that last year it paid 63million in business rates. That is a paltry sum in relation to its 8.8billion of UK sales

While its easy to identify this injustice, it is harder to work out what should be done. There are no easy or painless answers. But effective solutions must be found, and fast. Otherwise, the high streets will disintegrate as thousands of entrepreneurs who are the backbone of the economy are forced to give up the ghost.

Entrepreneurs, that is, like Simon Key, who set up his bookshop because there wasnt one locally. He is continuing his business online, but independent bookstores are about more than just ringing up sales, they are about the soul of the community.

When his shop shuts, it will also be an end to the childrens drama workshops and visits by local authors. And what will arrive in their place?

Most likely a betting shop or a fast food shack.

The trouble is that theres no room for sentiment on the British high street, which has suffered its worst Christmas since the financial meltdown in 2008, with companies like Marks and Spencer, Debenhams and House of Fraser expected to report very patchy trading over the festive period.

Yet as once-proud stores struggle with weak sales and rising rates bills, Amazon continues to gorge on the income it makes from British consumers.

This week it became the most valuable company in the world, worth just under $800 billion on the U.S. stock market.

Founder Jeff Bezos is the richest man on the planet with a fortune of 107billion. His divorce from wife MacKenzie, announced yesterday, will be the most expensive in history  but even after that he will be spectacularly wealthy.

To put that vast wealth  embellished by low tax bills in the UK  into perspective, he could, as an individual, buy Marks & Spencer 20 times over and still have billions in change.

Like millions of other Amazon customers, I am a fan of its low prices and fast deliveries. The company has invested billions of pounds in the UK and provided thousands of jobs, including high-level research roles, which is to be applauded.

Our tax system was devised for an era which no longer exists, when all businesses were bricks and mortar companies

Yet these benefits are coming at an unacceptable cost. Amazon is doing nothing illegal. The problem is that the tax system here, and in other developed nations, is grievously outdated.

It was devised for an era which no longer exists, when all businesses were bricks and mortar companies. Now the corporate tax and rates rules are unfit for purpose. In particular, too much tax is extracted through business property, giving a massive unfair advantage to those who operate largely online.

Amazon argues that it does pay national insurance, PAYE and other taxes. But it pays far too little through the corporate tax and rates system towards the schools that educate its workforce, the hospitals that treat them, and the roads its lorries and vans speed along with our parcels.

So what can be done? In his most recent Budget, Chancellor Philip Hammond announced some measures, including plans to cut business rates by a third for almost half a million small high street shops.

He also unveiled a digital services tax on online operators, though this is only expected to raise 400million by 2021-22, which is chicken feed compared with their revenues.

These are welcome moves, but not enough.

The first obvious point is that Amazon and other Silicon Valley operators must be forced to come clean on the business rates and corporate taxes they pay here. At the moment, Amazon operates through a number of different UK subsidiaries and it is virtually impossible to make sense of its full tax situation.

City watchdogs should bring in a new rule that all companies above a certain size must disclose their total corporation tax and business rate payments in a simple format so the public can see exactly how much  or how little  they are handing over.

Armed with that information, consumers might decide that if lower prices online come at the expense of reduced tax funding for public services, they would prefer to take their custom elsewhere.

Corporation tax needs wholesale reform. It is charged on profits, which can easily be manipulated when offset against apparent losses, rather than sales, which are far harder to fudge.

As for business rates, they are a vital source of income for cash-strapped local authorities who need to pay for essential services.

So the money needs to come from somewhere.

One possibility is to cut, or even abolish, business rates and make up for the lost income by increasing the rate of VAT or introducing a new online sales tax. This would no doubt provoke objections that consumers, rather than businesses, would end up paying more.

The truth is that all taxes are, in the end, paid by individuals. The overall tax take would be the same, it would just be redistributed more fairly, with Amazon paying more and traditional retailers less.

There is scope for more imaginative measures, too, including a green delivery tax on the vehicles used to deliver goods. There would need to be exemptions for small firms and sole traders to avoid penalising white van man unfairly, but the delivery culture is adding hugely to emissions and road pollution.

A tax on the plastic packaging used by Amazon, on the same principle as the plastic bag charge in shops, is another possibility.

The fact is there are no magic wands to save the high street in its current form, but allowing Amazon to continue making billions to enrich its founder and its shareholders at the expense of our public purse should not be an option.A young mother has been caught up in a huge covert police operation to bring down drug dealers.

Emma Jackson's home was raided last month after she was linked to a major dealer in Woombye on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Police tracked down the 26-year-old nursing assistant after she messaged the dealer 52 times to buy marijuana and ice from him.

Caught red-handed: Emma Jackson's home was raided last month after the nursing assistant (pictured) was linked to a major dealer in Woombye on the Sunshine Coast

Busted: Jackson (pictured) was ordered to pay a $450 good behaviour bond lasting four months

In the raid on her home they found nine grams of marijuana, two phones to order drugs, and a bong, reported the Sunshine Coast Daily.

Jackson, who has a four-year-old son, said in Maroochydore Magistrates Court yesterday she was not the target of the operation and vowed to attend a drugs diversion program.

She pleaded guilty to possess dangerous drugs, drug utensils and property suspected of having been used in a drug offence.

Jackson was ordered to pay a $450 good behaviour bond that will remain in force for four months.

It comes as a new deadly drug known as 'monkey dust' which has made some users jump off buildings sweeps the Australian party scene.

Police tracked down the 26-year-old nursing assistant after she messaged the dealer 52 times to buy majijuana and ice from him

Jackson (pictured with her son) pleaded guilty to possess dangerous drugs, drug utensils and property suspected of having been used in a drug offence

The drug, also referred to as bath salts or MDPV, is increasingly being used at the nation's music festivals and on dance floors.

The potent drug is a powerful derivative of methamphetamine, or ice, and is also cheap, with a street value of as little as $10 per dose.

But expert toxicologists warn 'monkey dust' is dangerous and causes wild hallucinations and impressions of invincibility.Phoenix police said during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that a baby born to a woman who has been in a vegetative state for more than a decade nearly died during birth.

Sgt Tommy Thompson confirmed that the baby was in distress following the birth, but he and his mother are now recovering at a local hospital.

The victim gave birth on December 29 at Hacienda HealthCare.

She had been in a vegetative state for more than 10 years after a near-drowning when she delivered the baby boy.

Thompson said he didn't have many details about the birth, but to his knowledge, staff members of the facility were there when the baby was born, and it was a natural birth.

He wasn't able to confirm if the baby was full term at the time of the birth, but he said the baby boy was 'quite a long ways'.

Scroll down for video

Sgt Tommy Thompson (pictured) said during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon that a baby born to a woman who has been in a vegetative state for more than a decade nearly died during birth

Thompson confirmed that the baby was in distress following the birth, but he and his mother are now recovering at a local hospital. The victim gave birth on December 29 at Hacienda HealthCare (pictured). She has been in a vegetative state for more than 10 years

When asked if staffers at the facility knew about the pregnancy and failed to report, Thompson said: 'I'm led to believe that this [pregnancy] came to light when the baby was born.'

Thompson said that if staffers did know about the pregnancy, they will face possible charges for not reporting it to authorities.

'This was a helpless victim who was sexually assaulted,' Thompson told reporters.

He said the woman, 29, who has not been identified, was 'not in a position to give consent'.

It's unclear if the woman was assaulted more than once, but it is a possibility.

When asked whether police would speak to other women at the facility to see if they had been sexually assaulted, Thompson said the police department is only focusing on the one sexual assault case.

A lawyer for the woman's family said they were outraged at the 'neglect of their daughter' and asked for privacy.

'The family would like me to convey that the baby boy has been born into a loving family and will be well cared for,' Phoenix attorney John Michaels said in a statement.

On Tuesday, police served a search warrant to get DNA from all male employees at a long-term care facility.

Hacienda HealthCare said it welcomed the DNA testing of employees.

'We will continue to cooperate with Phoenix Police and all other investigative agencies to uncover the facts in this deeply disturbing, but unprecedented situation,' the company said in a statement.

Local news website Azfamily.com first reported that the woman, who had been in a vegetative state for more than 10 years after a near-drowning, delivered a baby on December 29.

San Carlos Apache officials announced Tuesday night that the woman was an enrolled member of the tribe, whose reservation is in southeastern Arizona about 134 miles east of Phoenix.

In a statement, tribal officials said the woman was still in a coma when she gave birth.

The woman's name was redacted from the tribal statement.

It's not known if the woman has a family or a guardian.

'On behalf of the tribe, I am deeply shocked and horrified at the treatment of one of our members,' tribal chairman Terry Rambler said.

'When you have a loved one committed to palliative care, when they are most vulnerable and dependent upon others, you trust their caretakers. Sadly, one of her caretakers was not to be trusted and took advantage of her. It is my hope that justice will be served.'

San Carlos Apache Police Chief Alejandro Benally said Phoenix police 'will do all they can to find the perpetrator' and his department will assist 'in any way possible'.

A spokesman for Hacienda HealthCare said investigators served a search warrant Tuesday to obtain DNA samples from all male staffers.

San Carlos Apache officials announced Tuesday night that the woman was an enrolled member of the tribe, whose reservation is in southeastern Arizona about 134 miles east of Phoenix. Members of the San Carlos Apache Tribe are seen in a 2014 Facebook photo

In a statement, board member Gary Orman said the facility 'will accept nothing less than a full accounting of this absolutely horrifying situation'.

'We will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of every single one of our patients and our employees,' Orman said.

Hacienda CEO Bill Timmons stepped down Monday, spokesman David Leibowitz said.

The decision was unanimously accepted by the provider's board of directors.

Gov Doug Ducey's office has called the situation 'deeply troubling'.

The Hacienda facility serves infants, children and young adults who are 'medically fragile' or have developmental disabilities, according to the website.

In the wake of the reports, the Arizona Department of Health Services said new safety measures have been implemented.

They include increased staff presence during any patient interaction, more monitoring of patient care areas and additional security measures involving visitors.

The state's online complaint database for care facilities shows multiple complaints about the facility going back to 2013.

Most of them involve fire drill and evacuation preparation or Medicaid eligibility.

San Carlos Apache Tribal Chairman Terry Rambler said: 'On behalf of the tribe, I am deeply shocked and horrified at the treatment of one of our members'

But one complaint from December 2013 outlines an allegation that a staff member made inappropriate sexual comments about four patients two months earlier.

Nobody relayed the incidents to an administrator. That employee was later fired.

Martin Solomon, a personal injury attorney in Phoenix whose clients are mostly vulnerable adult victims of abuse and neglect, said a lawyer representing this woman should call for all pertinent medical records, a list of current and ex-employees and any past litigation involving Hacienda.

It would be the police who would lead DNA testing to figure out who fathered the baby, Solomon said.

It would be hard for Hacienda to escape any kind of liability in court.

'There's a lot of information we do not have. But things like this don't happen without someone either knowing about it or should have known about it,' Solomon said.

'Whether it's an employee or someone from the outside, the facility has an obligation to protect residents.'

Thompson said that the baby's DNA will be one of their key tools in the investigation.

Advocates for the disabled say Arizona needs to find a way to monitor allegations of sexual abuse and sexual violence in group settings.

Doing background checks isn't enough, said Erica McFadden, executive director of the Arizona Developmental Disabilities Planning Council.

'I think when you've had somebody who's had multiple allegations from different parties, there has to be some way to track that,' McFadden said.

'If it's the same story from different people, then there's something wrong.'

The council recently formed a task force to look at how to improve training for health care workers when it comes to identifying and reporting sexual abuse.

'We don't have a systematic way to train people what's a good touch or a bad touch. We also don't have required training for providers,' McFadden said.

'We really need a lot of work in this area.'

Jon Meyers, executive director of The Arc of Arizona, an advocacy group for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, called the allegations 'disturbing, to put it mildly.'

'I wasn't there. I clearly don't have firsthand knowledge of what happened,' Meyers said.

'But I can't believe someone receiving that level of constant care wasn't recognized as being pregnant prior to the time she delivered.'A man has been arrested after nearly 40 suspicious packages were discovered at foreign embassies and consulates across Australia.

Chaos erupted across Melbourne and Canberra on Wednesday with emergency services racing to a number of diplomatic facilities due to reports of packages containing suspected hazardous material.

Australian Federal Police arrested a 48-year-old Shepparton man later that night at his home.

He was charged with sending dangerous articles to be carried by postal service and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison if he is found guilty.

A man has been arrested after suspicious packages were discovered at foreign embassies and consulates across Australia (pictured)

Police will allege the man sent 38 parcels to consulates and embassies in Melbourne (pictured), Sydney and Canberra, with a substance sourced from his home

The man is expected to appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday morning.

Police will allege the man sent 38 parcels to consulates and embassies in Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra, containing a substance sourced from his home.

Police have recovered 29 packages so far, with forensic testing to be undertaken to determine the nature of the substance.

Police say there is no ongoing threat to the public as they have identified all other recipients of the remaining parcels and have processes in place to seize them.

Police have recovered 29 packages (pictured) so far, with forensic testing to be undertake to determine the substance

There was no obvious pattern to which countries were targeted, with the United States, China, Italy, India, Japan and New Zealand consulates all suffering scares

Most diplomatic facilities were evacuated on Wednesday while heavily protected firefighters seized the plastic bags that had been labelled 'asbestos' by their sender.

Emergency Management Victoria issued a number of warnings from early in the afternoon.

There was no obvious pattern to which countries were targeted, with the United States, China, Italy, India, Japan and New Zealand consulates all suffering scares.

Most diplomatic facilities were evacuated on Wednesday while heavily protected firefighters seized the plastic bags that had been labelled 'asbestos' by their sender

The Department of Foreign Affairs raised the alarm with all diplomatic missions in Canberra

The packages were not believed to be dangerous, but police, fire crews and forensic teams were urged to use breathing apparatus as they documented and double- or triple-bagged the materials for further testing.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs had raised the alarm with all diplomatic missions in Canberra on Tuesday after similar incidents were reported at offices in Sydney and the Australian Capital Territory.

Local media on Monday reported that the Argentine consulate in Sydney had received a package containing white powder. It did not test positive for toxins.Catherine Harvey (pictured), 33, has spoken following an ITV drama about the police operation to trap Levi Bellfield, whose victims included Milly Dowler

A mother has described how serial killer Levi Bellfield tried to abduct her from the street when she was a schoolgirl.

Catherine Harvey, 33, has spoken following an ITV drama about the police operation to trap the predator, whose victims included Milly Dowler.

She says she is in no doubt that the horrible, sleazy man who attempted to lure her into his red car was Bellfield, adding his really intimidating behaviour terrified her.

Miss Harvey is one of three women to come forward following the screening this week of Manhunt to allege they were targeted by the killer.

The three-part series starred Martin Clunes as the Scotland Yard detective who caught Bellfield, now 50.

Miss Harvey, then 17, was approached by Bellfield in the summer of 2002  weeks after he had abducted and killed Milly, 13, but before her body had been found.

She had just finished her first year in the sixth form at Hinchley Wood school in Surrey and had decided to walk from her home in East Molesey along the A390 to Kingston upon Thames.

In 2011, Levi Bellfield (left) was found guilty of the abduction and murder of Milly Dowler (right). He is serving life in prison and has been told he will never be freed

Manhunt revealed how Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton, played by Men Behaving Badly star Clunes (left), was called in to investigate the August 2004 murder of Amelie Delagrange in Twickenham

Miss Harvey, who at the time had blonde highlights in her hair  like several of Bellfields victims  told the Daily Mail: I was used to blokes shouting things from their windows. It used to happen a lot then.

'I remember a red car pulling into a long lay-by just ahead of me and it made me nervous.

'The driver was a horrible, dark haired, sleazy guy who had the windows down and as I pulled level asked me how old I was and where I was going and said he would give me a lift. He was really intimidating and really pushy.

I said No thanks and obviously I was terrified. He must have known that but he kept insisting I get in and was driving alongside me as I walked as quickly as I could along the lay-by.

In the end he ran out of room and he realised I wasnt going to be persuaded so he sped off. He was obviously really angry and he spun his wheels and yanked the steering wheel round.

I told my parents about him. Later, when we saw the coverage of the Milly Dowler case, I felt physically sick because I thought about what had happened and that it could have been me too.

'The picture of Bellfield was definitely the same guy and there was no doubt in my mind it was the same vehicle.

Miss Harvey, now married with a young family, added: Even now, watching the programme, it has made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end thinking about what if. And I wonder if I had reported it whether things might have been different.

The ITV drama Manhunt re-tells the events leading up to the serial killer's arrest and stars Martin Clunes as detective Colin Sutton, who has inspired other women to come forward

Manhunt revealed how Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton, played by Men Behaving Badly star Clunes, was called in to investigate the August 2004 murder of Amelie Delagrange in Twickenham.

He realised the crime was linked to several others in the west London/Surrey area: Millys abduction and murder in Walton-on-Thames in March 2002, the murder of Marsha McDonnell in Hampton in February 2003 and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy, who was deliberately run over by a van in Isleworth in May 2004.

Bellfield was convicted in 2008 of the murders of Miss McDonnell, 19, and Miss Delagrange, 22, and the attempted murder of Miss Sheedy, 18.

In 2011, he was found guilty of the abduction and murder of Milly Dowler. He is serving life in prison and has been told he will never be freed.

Amelie Delagrange (left) was murdered on the night of August 19, 2004 while Marsha McDonnell, aged 19, (right) died from head wounds in Hampton on February 4, 2003, yards from her home after getting off a bus

Mr Sutton, now retired from the Met, was contacted by Miss Harvey on Twitter following the screening of Manhunt.

He suspects many more victims of peadophile Bellfield have yet to come forward.

Mr Sutton says Miss Harvey is one of three women to contact him since Manhunt was broadcast to say that Bellfield either sexually assaulted them or tried to lure them into his car.

Ive made contact with them and... Ive made arrangements to speak to those who want to be spoken to and to try and help them, he said.

He told ITV News: Its not a complete surprise, to be honest. Ive been involved in documentaries about Bellfield before and had the same effect. We just dont know what the boundaries of this mans offending were.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 9)  Concerns over the President's health grew in the latter part of 2018, according to an independent pollster.

In its latest survey, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) reported that 66 percent of Filipino adults said that they were worried about the state of President Rodrigo Duterte's health during the last quarter of 2018. This is 11 points more than the 55 percent who had the same sentiment the previous quarter.

More Filipinos also believe that the President has health problems, with a net score of 25, compared to the 19 reported the previous quarter.

According to the SWS, 17 percent of Filipinos strongly believe that Duterte has health problems, while 32 percent somewhat believe. Around 24 percent do not believe while 27 percent are undecided.

SWS found a correlation between those who worry about his health and those who are satisfied with his performance, with satisfied Filipinos more likely to worry.

However, there is no correlation between those who believe that he has health problems and those who were satisfied with his performance.

"Net satisfaction with the President hardly varied by people's opinion about his current state of health," the SWS said.

Per region, more people in Mindnao were worried about Duterte's health, followed by Metro Manila, Visayas, and Balance Luzon.

Belief that Duterte has health problems is strongest in Metro Manila, followed by Balance Luzon, Visayas, then Mindanao. This was also higher in urban areas, and from socioeconomic class ABC.

Malacanang saw concern for the President's health in a positive light.

"It means that not only many Filipinos love the President but those who care for him have increased by 11 percent. Translated into the number of Filipinos caring for the President, that's a huge chunk of the population," Presidential Spokesperson Sal Panelo said in a statement.

Panelo added the survey results is a "resounding rejection of the opposition, the critics, and the detractors."

The survey was conducted from December 16 to 19, using face-to-face interviews with 1,440 Filipinos age 18 and above, 360 each from Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, the Visayas and Mindanao.

There is a sampling error margin of 2.6 percent for national percentages, and 5 percent for regional percentages.

This story has been updated to include statements from Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.Construction of New Assyrian Church in Istanbul to Begin in February

Construction of the first-ever church built in Republican-era Turkey will begin at the end of the February, said an official in Turkey's largest metropolis on Tuesday.

The paperwork has been done and a permit issued, Bulent Kerimoglu, the mayor of Istanbul's Bakirkoy municipality, told reporters while meeting with Yusuf Cetin, the Syriac Orthodox Church's metropolitan for Istanbul and the capital Ankara.

Kerimoglu said once the church is finished, after an expected two years of construction, it will serve around 17,000 Syriac Orthodox believers.

For his part, Cetin said that despite "different religions, ethnic roots ... everyone's hearts beat for our Turkey."

"We're proud of living under the Turkish flag in this land," he added.

In 2015, then-Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced the government greenlight for a new church in Istanbul, which up to now has had only one Syriac Orthodox church.

Assyrians are an ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient northern Mesopotamia. Their language -- an Aramaic tongue -- is one of the oldest in the world, with a history stretching back 5,500 years.

The new church is planned for the Yesilkoy neighborhood in Bakirkoy, an area close to Istanbul Ataturk Airport.

Plans call for the church, with a capacity for some 700 worshippers, to feature a parking lot and a cafe.

The Virgin Mary Syriac (Assyrian) Orthodox Church, also known as Surp Asdvadzadzin, located in Istanbul's Beyoglu district, is far from many Assyrians, who mainly reside in the neighborhoods of Yesilkoy and Atakoy in Bakirkoy. The community also uses some Catholic churches in the province for services.

There are around 25,000 Assyrians living in Turkey, according to the community. The majority (around 17,000) live in Istanbul, with others living in the eastern provinces of Mardin, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, and Elazig.Churches for Sale in Iraq Spark Fears Over 'Buried Christian History'

In a move described as an insult to Iraq's history, several churches have been put up for sale to be converted into commercial or residential units.

Joseph Saliwa, a Christian who formerly served in parliament, accused the Christian clergy of being complicit in the "sale and destruction of churches in Iraq."

Along with the Syriac Catholic Church, the Church of Divine Wisdom in Adhamiya, which was founded in 1932, and the monastery of Catholic monks in the Dora area were also up for sale to be converted into residential or commercial properties.

Saliwa said there were many Christian places of worship that were previously sold but "no one knows where their money went." He pointed the finger at "the corruption and collusion of senior Christian officials."

For almost a decade, the Christian community has been subjected to harassment, murder, kidnapping and displacement; the most severe of which was the during the ISIS capture of Mosul and vast areas in Nineveh in recent years.

This had followed a period of al-Qaeda advances in Baghdad and armed militias gaining ground across Baghdad, Basra and Babil.

Saliwa criticized the government's "silence" on the matter, pointing out that there are a number of churches in various areas of Baghdad sold by the facilitation of senior Christian figures and the Catholic Church headed by Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako.

The Syriac Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary is one of the oldest churches in Baghdad, said history professor Dr. Zine Elabidine al-Jaafar.

It is located in the Shorja area between the Church of Umm Al-Ahzan and the Coptic Church of the Virgin Mary.

Al-Jaafar called on the government and the Ministry of Culture to intervene to stop the sale of the churches and said the sales "would bury the history of Christianity in Iraq."

He called for the transformation of this area into a heritage site to preserve "what remains of Syriac heritage, which is one of the chapters in the history of Iraq."Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 9)  Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno was unfazed by threats from House Majority Floor Leader Andaya to file cases against him before the Supreme Court.

"He said he will sue me if I do not adjust the pay by January 15. I said, then sue me. Go to the Supreme Court and sue me. But that is the law. If I implement it the way he wanted it, ako naman ang magkakaroon ng kaso diba [I will have a case]. Because there's no legal basis for adjusting the pay," Diokno said.

Andaya on Monday said the DBM had been using "scare tactics" by warning that a delay in the budget approval will delay the release of funds for the salary hike of soldiers, policemen, teachers and civilian employees.

Diokno said it was clear under Executive Order 201 in 2016 that Congress should allocate funds for the fourth tranche of the salary hike under the Salary Standardization Law, before the Department of Budget and Management could release it.

The government is currently under a re-enacted budget after Congress failed to give President Duterte a consolidated copy of the General Appropriations Bill. The House passed the bill in November, but the Senate said they did not have time to go through the lower chamber's bill before the yearend.

Andaya said funds for the pay hike could be pooled the same way the administration found a way to double salaries of policemen and soldiers in 2018 when they were not part of the budget.

Diokno, however, claimed that was sourced from a lump sum fund called the "miscellaneous personal benefit fund" within the programmed "personal services" in 2018.

The Budget Chief said this fund cannot be tapped for the pay hike this year because it only covers the third tranche scheduled in 2018.

Malacanang on Tuesday already asserted there was no legal basis for releasing the salary increase.

Diokno said further delays in the budget would not benefit lawmakers.

"It will deny them the essential projects that need to be implemented during the election period," he said.

The Budget chief said the Senate is optimistic they will pass their version of the budget by the end of the month.

Diokno said he hopes that the new budget will be in effect by the second quarter of 2019.

He added they are in talks with a third-party entity to conduct studies for salary increase for government workers from 2020 to 2022.

CNN Philippines' Senior Correspondent Ina Andolong contributed to this report.Christians Concerned About Religious Freedom If Turkey Enters Syria

AMMAN -- Growing numbers of Christians in North America and Europe are joining Christians in Syria's northeast in expressing concern for the future of religious minorities and Kurds in that region should the U.S. give Turkey the "green light" to take over the fight against Islamic State.

"News of any Turkish military involvement in northern Syria impacts us strongly and negatively," Chaldean Catholic Father Samir Kanoon of Qamishli, Syria, told Catholic News Service.

"Certainly, Christians don't want to see Turkish troops entering Syria given the past brutal history of the 1915 massacres of Christians carried out by the Turks," Father Kanoon told CNS by phone.

"Because of the massacres, Christians were forced to escape from Turkey, and this is where they fled, to northeastern Syria and Aleppo. Turkey is viewed by many as the enemy of Christians," he said. Qamishli is a city in northeastern Syria on the border with Turkey, close to Iraq.

"And again, Turkey now wants to interfere in Christian affairs in northern Syria and for that, it has a political agenda," said the priest. He warned that any problems could result in more Christians fleeing northern Syria.

Meanwhile, Syriac Christian organizations in Syria, the U.S. and Europe have called for a no-fly zone over northern Syria to stop any possible Turkish attack, fearing further trouble for Christians who were endangered by Turkey's takeover of Afrin early last year.

"We urgently need protection from Turkey's threats to invade and "cleanse" our territory from Christianity, religious freedom, and democracy," read the statement published Jan. 3 by the Syriac National Council of Syria, the American Syriac Union, and the European Syriac Union. The groups include Catholic and Orthodox Christians.

U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw troops and hand over the fight to Turkey "leaves us powerless and open to be destroyed by either Turkey, or other regimes scrambling to see our demise in the vacuum this will create," the statement said, a reference to Iran, which has supported Syrian government fighters.

Meanwhile, the Netherlands-based Free Yezidi Foundation also urged Washington to "delay withdrawal of forces for as long as possible" and to be able to conduct air attacks in Syria and Iraq.

In a statement Jan. 4, it warned that without a no-fly zone over northern Syria and U.S. troop presence to prevent a potential Turkish assault on Kurdish strongholds, "waves of refugees" from northeastern Syria will flood into Iraq.

The United Nations has described the Islamic State campaign against the Yazidis since 2014 as "genocide," with 3,000 killed and nearly 7,000 Yazidi women and girls abducted and sexually abused.

In late 2018 and early 2019, Turkey amassed more military hardware along its border with Syria, including tanks, howitzers and armored personnel carriers. While Turkish-backed forces inside Syria, whom analysts say include al-Qaida and Islamic State fighters, have moved closer to the strategic town of Manbij. The Kurds, Christians and other religious minorities until now felt protected by the presence of U.S. ground troops.

Trump announced Dec. 19 the U.S. would pull out 2,000 American troops from Syria, saying the extremists were "defeated" and that Turkey will finish the problem. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and senior aide Brett McGurk resigned in protest.

After much criticism of the move, U.S. National Security Adviser John R. Bolton said the U.S. troop drawdown will be conditioned on the defeat of the Islamic State and the safety of Kurdish allies.

Both Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have warned Turkey that the planned U.S. pullout must not be seen as an opportunity to attack Syrian Kurdish forces. Syrian Kurdish and Christian fighters, allied with U.S. troops, are largely responsible for eradicating much of the Islamic State presence in Syria.

Many analysts believe Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's real aim in wanting to take over the fight against Islamic State is rid Kurdish fighters in Syria, whom he calls terrorists.

Pope Francis has stressed that Christians must have a future in the Middle East, and on Jan. 6 he again urged authorities to ensure the security of Christians to live in their own countries as citizens in every sense of the word.

Meanwhile, Christian activists in Washington, D.C., called on Trump not to abandon Syrian religious and ethnic minorities.

"We hope to see Syria emerge from its civil war with religious freedom and equal rights for all faiths, ethnic groups and women," as currently evidenced in the northeast, said the International Religious Freedom Roundtable in a letter to the president. The umbrella grouping includes Law and Liberty Trust, Jubilee Campaign, the Institute on Religion and Democracy and the Netherlands-based Sallux.

"It is the best antidote to the totalitarian ideology of the Islamic State which threatens religious minorities and U.S. national security interests around the world," the Jan.7 statement urged.

Bassam Ishak who heads the Syriac National Council of Syria, warned that Turkey supports Syrian jihadists "who want to establish Islamic sharia law in land they occupy in Syria."

However, northeastern Syria under joint Kurdish and Christian control respects religious freedom for all its inhabitants for the first time in its recent history.

"It's not just freedom to worship, but also the freedom to choose your religion. This means Christians can live in a religiously diverse culture and have a secure future," said Ishak, a graduate of The Catholic University of America, Washington, who serves on the Syrian Democratic Council overseeing the self-administration region.Owner Wilson Gee plans to keep working to restore the Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course despite a 















A UFO was spotted in the skies above San Diego, leaving locals of the Californian city worried that they are being WATCHED by aliens.

One resident of San Diego managed to capture an image of what he believes is a UFO  or at least a spaceship which is under a cloaking device. The image shows a strange circular, low-lying cloud which resembles a classic flying saucer. While many have claimed this is just an odd cloud formation, some UFO experts believe it is an alien spaceship which is trying to keep a low profile.

Conspiracy theorists believe that UFOs sometimes resemble clouds, as this way they can monitor the public without making them aware that they are being watched.

Prominent alien hunter Scott C Waring uploaded the picture to his blog, UFO Sightings Daily, writing: This UFO photo was sent in by a Twitter follower in San Diego today. They noticed a UFO shaped cloud floating overhead unusually low compared to other clouds.

The fact that this cloud was so low was clearly suspicious, however its shape totally gives away the true shape of the UFO.

It is a huge disk as you can see from the lines at the bottom of the craft.

UFOs often create cloud cover around them when they want to fly unusually low to scan the residence below.

This way they do not frighten anyone and people who see the cloud only shrug their shoulders and ignore it.

However occasionally a person can sense being watched and will notice the cloaked UFO and take its photo to share with others.

However, it would seem that the most likely explanation would be apophenia  where the brain recognises specific patterns in things.

If someone has hinted something looks like a UFO for example, the brain will try to picture it in that way.Developed by the Amdec Group, Marriott's AC Hotels brand opened its doors in Cape Town closer to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront.

NASDAQ-listed Marriott International recently announced the official opening of the AC Hotel Cape Town Waterfront at The Yacht Club, marking the debut of the brand first in Africa.

In 2016, Amdec announced that it would inject R3bn into the development of five new hotels in an ongoing partnership with Marriott International  one at The Yacht Club in Cape Town, two at Melrose Arch and a further two at the Harbour Arch inner-city development in Cape Town.

The 188-room hotel is close to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and a 25-minute drive from Cape Town International Airport.

Alex Kyriakidis, president and managing director Middle East and Africa for Marriott International, said, The opening of this hotel reinforces our commitment to driving growth for our lifestyle brands in South Africa.

We are proud to pave the way for Marriott Internationals growth plans in South Africa," said James Wilson, Amdec Group CEO. "The Yacht Club mixed-use development, where the AC Hotels by Marriott is situated, is the second property in our portfolio of iconic precincts to welcome Marriott, with Melrose Arch in Johannesburg being the first and Harbour Arch in Cape Town to follow.

New Development Pipeline

Meanwhile, Amdec is makes progress on replicating Joburg's Melrose Arch success in the Cape Town.

Amdec says it will take between five and 10 years to complete Harbour Arch as it looks to replicate its flagship assets success in Cape Town.

Melrose Arch, the construction of which began in 2005, is 75% owned by Melrose Arch Investment Holdings, with the balance co-owned by the Liberty Group and Liberty Two Degrees.

MD Nicholas Stopforth said Amdec would begin constructing the first of six towers in what would eventually be a R10bn investment this year. Harbour Arch would include 220,000m2 of lettable space.

This is our largest development in Cape Town and we are very excited about it. We launched the first tower for sale off-plan in October 2017, and have almost sold out of residential units. We will begin constructing the tower in February and will then gradually roll out the others, he said.

Stopforth said Harbour Arch  which will include hundreds of apartments, office space, car dealerships and a retail portion  is located at the gateway of Cape Towns CBD, which was in dire need of a mixed-use development of this size.

Protea Hotels by Marriott, Marriott Hotels, Autograph Collection, Westin and Sheraton are some of the other brands Marriott has in South Africa.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 9)  As Catriona Gray eases into her role as Miss Universe 2018, the Filipino beauty queen said she will pursue her advocacy to a wider audience.

Speaking to CNN Philippines Newsroom Wednesday, Gray said, "Now being a Miss Universe, I have this huge audience and being able to spread the messages of my advocacy, my causes, what's near to my heart, what's dear to my heart, it just gives me so much fulfillment that I've been given this platform."

Gray said she is learning "every step of the way."

She added she wanted to continue working with Young Focus Philippines and Love Yourself Philippines, while also lending her voice to other organizations around the world.

"At the core of it, education or awareness and educating people and breaking down stigma, those are just similarities in both of my causes and I feel like there's so much work to be done," she said.

Gray said she would love to visit places that have succeeded in addressing these issues and replicate best practices locally.

A dream come true

Gray described her situation as a dream realized.

Speaking to CNN Philippines anchor Ruth Cabal, Gray said, "It really feels official now. It really feels like its really sunk in that I am Miss Universe 2018."

Gray was crowned on December 17 in Thailand, besting 93 other contestants. She is the fourth Filipina to win the title.

Despite a schedule that has seen her moving from the Philippines to the U.S. where she will be based throughout her reign, Gray is thankful to those who continue to support her.

"I am so happy that I am given this amazing platform and to see all of the Filipinos, all of the fans are still supporting in the journey, they're still alsongside by me," she said.

She cited the Miss Universe Organization which has made her move to New York smooth.

READ: Catriona Gray: 'I'll forever be your Miss Philippines'

Gray also revealed she spent a "very, very quiet holiday season" with her family, adding, aoart from seeing her parents in Thailand, she had not seen her parents since March because she was busy preparing for the pageant.

"It was really nice to have that time and the Miss Universe Organization allowed me to stay in the Philippines, but I'm really looking forward to homecoming because I really haven't celebrated with the Filipinos yet," she said.If there was ever any doubt that the resistance within the Trump administration wasnt real, what happened in light of Trumps decision to leave disproved the skeptics. Bolton and several other members of the Trump administration are committing a serious crime by preventing the current president of the United States from reversing his predecessors misguided decisions in the Syrian theater. What is happening today isnt a policy debate, but a direct challenge to American democracy by unelected paper-pushers. Indeed, many of the senior officials in his own administration are working diligently from within to frustrate President Trumps agenda.

A soft coup against Trump is underway in the United States. In recent days, anonymous U.S. officials, like the author of the infamous op-ed in The New York Times, have repeatedly lied to the American people in an attempt to force Trump to walk back from his comments about Syria. Turkey, they said, would slaughter the Kurds if U.S. military advisers leave the battlefield unconditionally. Although Turkey did not respond to that ludicrous accusation due to its absurdity, the speed at which such lies have been spreading demonstrates that malice, not ignorance, drives them.Teresa Brown lay in bed one night last year, while on vacation in the Amish Country, and prayed God would give her something to do to honor her late sister, Kandy Hartley, as well as a really good friend, Don Haught. Hartley had passed away in June, and Haught passed away shortly after. Both of these beloved ones passed away at WVUs Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown. Brown wanted to do something, in memory of Hartley and Haught, to honor them.

Brown said God brought the idea to her mind to deliver blankets to cancer patients. She pondered this idea, wondering how she could make an impact. However, Brown explained, her sister was always cold when in the hospital. Thus, Brown decided to go with the idea, which she shared through social media and to her church family at Faith Fellowship in Reader. Within a few hours, Brown received an overwhelming response.

One of the responses came from the Busy Bee 4-H group, from Wetzel County. The group wanted to adopt Browns endeavor for a community Christmas project. The Busy Bees invited Brown to a meeting, where kids of all ages brought 36 blankets. Brown was overwhelmed by this generosity; her goal had been to get 50 blankets. In total, Brown was able to deliver 107 blankets, described by Brown as beautiful.

Furthermore, each blanket included a message of hope. Brown explained she wanted to put something in each blanket that would encourage each recipient. Through research online, Browns sister-in-law discovered the Bible verse, Joshua 1:9: Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your GOD will be with you wherever you go. Browns mother, who is 85, sewed the verse in each blanket. Bookmarks containing the scripture were also tied onto the blankets, using ribbon.

Upon arriving at the hospital to deliver the blankets, Brown walked into the room the patients visit to receive chemo treatments. Brown explained there were people everywhere, some in wheelchairs or on cots, receiving treatment. They each received a blanket, and Brown described how a light seemed to come on in their eyes. This reaction encouraged Brown to take on the project again next year.

She noted the remaining blankets were handed out to other cancer patients on the floor.

Brown said she had doubts when she was first getting started on this project, because she wondered how she would fund the project. However, she noted, she was able to deliver more than double of what her goal was in the first place. Brown wants to thank everyone who made this such a great success and also give God the glory for using her to be able to bless other people.McLib to Host Criminal Record Expungement 101

The Expungement clinic will be a short presentation concerning expungement law in Kentucky. Attorney, Catherine Fuller, will answer questions concerning the process and address common issues with the expungement laws in the state. An informational packet will be available at the clinic to assist individuals with the process. Kentucky Legal Aid may be available to assist individuals with the expungement applications. Ms. Fuller will include eligibility information in the presentation and contact information for assistance.





Fuller obtained her undergraduate degree from Murray State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and paralegal studies. She completed her Juris Doctor degree at Salmon P. Chase College of Law before clerking with the McCracken County Circuit Court judge, Jeff Hines. She accepted a position with the Paducah office of Kentucky Legal Aid in 2005 and pursued her passion of public service. She continues to fight for the indigent, underserved, and abused population as a staff attorney for Kentucky Legal Aid. Currently, Catherine's focus is coordinating the program's expungement clinic in the area and assisting survivors of domestic violence with housing, public benefits, and family law issues.

More info about Kentucky Legal Aid info can be found at: https://www.klaid.org/ or call 270-442-5518



For more information, contact Bobbie Wrinkle Tel: 270-442-2510 ext. 119 Email: bwrinkle@mclib.net



PADUCAH - Criminal Record Expungement 101 will be the topic for discussion at the McCracken County Public Library on Tuesday, Jan, 15th from 7 - 8 pm. The free to the public information sharing time will be led by Catherine Fuller, staff attorney for Kentucky Legal Aid.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8)  President Rodrigo Duterte told the police and the military that they are no longer allowed to drink in public.

"Do not drink in public. Sa Davao pinagbawalan ko yan, pati kayo na ngayon (I prohibited them in Davao, now also you). All over the Philippines. You do not enter into drinking places," Duterte said at the Barangay Summit on Peace and Order at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

The President recalled an incident in Davao City, when he was still mayor, where a policeman and a member of the military got into a drunken fight in a drinking establishment.

Following Duterte's directive, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said cops who are seen drinking in public places may face administrative charges such as dereliction of duty, insubordination, and gross neglect of duty.

We cannot have armed policemen walking around in public reeking of alcohol and not in their best state of mind as it implies lack of discipline among our uniformed personnel. Respetuhin ninyo ang tsapa at uniporme ninyo, he said in a statement on Wednesday.

READ: DENR gears up for P47-billion Manila Bay rehabilitationThe United States might impose sanctions on two European contractors that are laying the pipeline for the Nord Stream 2 project, German newspaper Handelsblatt reported, citing sources in the German federal government.

According to the newspaper, the White House would primarily levy sanctions on the highly specialised companies laying the Nord Stream 2 pipeline on behalf of the operating company, Nord Stream 2 AG. These two contractors are Swiss-based Allseas Group and Italian-based Saipem.

A spokesperson from Allseas, which is set to lay over 90% of the pipeline, was cited as refusing to speculate about the possible impact of US sanctions. Saipem did not respond to a request for comment but industry sources, as per the report, called sanctions against the Italian firm "pointless" as it has already completed its part of the work, Sputnik reported.Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov said it was hard to believe that the United States would pull out of Syria completely under the current circumstances, given the strong position of those who support the continued U.S. military presence in the Arab Republic.

"I believe the positions of those who want to maintain U.S. military presence in Syria  illegal, breaching the international law  are quite strong in Washington," he stressed.

"I cannot imagine that the United States will fully and indisputably leave Syria in terms of physical military presence in the current situation where Washington is locked in unstoppable contest for world domination and driven to be present everywhere and resolve issues only on its own conditions," Sputnik cited Ryabkov as saying.

The diplomat added that the contacts on Syria between Russia and the United States do not stop even if they are not always announced.Eric Chewning, the head of the Pentagons industrial policy, has been named the Defense Departments next chief of staff.

Chewning, 41, has been the deputy assistant secretary of defense for industrial policy since October 2017, meant to help maintain the defense industry in support of national defense. He will now be the chief of staff to acting secretary Patrick Shanahan, who took over the building on January 1.

"Mr. Chewning brings an array of military and industry experience to the role," the Pentagons acting chief spokesperson Charles Summers said in the release.

According to the statement, Chewning was an investment banker at Morgan Stanley before leaving to enlist in the Army following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and was later commissioned as an Army intelligence officer. He then returned to the private sector for a decade, and was a partner at McKinsey immediately before joining DOD, the Hill reported.

The Pentagons former chief of staff, Rear Adm. Kevin Sweeney, resigned on Saturday, saying in a brief statement that he planned to return to the private sector.High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini had a phone call conversation with the new United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, at the start of his mandate.

The High Representative reiterated the continued full support of the European Union for the Geneva UN-led peace process for Syria.

The sides touched upon the modalities through which the European Union can support this process, including in the run up to the Brussels III Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region in spring. Mogherini mentioned in this context the important role that Syrian civil society and women's platforms play for the future of Syria.

The High Representative invited Pedersen to Brussels at his earliest opportunity and they agreed to stay in close contact.Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 8)  Malacanang on Tuesday shrugged off House Majority Floor Leader Rolando Andaya Jr.'s latest criticisms on the national budget, saying that the congressman "lacks common sense" on the issue.

In a media briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo came to the defense of Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno after Andaya threatened to file a case of mandamus---a court order for a government official to properly carry out his or her duties---against Diokno.

Andaya, in a statement Monday, said he "might just see" Diokno in the courts should the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) fail to implement the fourth tranche of salary increase for government workers this year, as mandated by the Salary Standardization Law (SSL).

But Panelo said there would be no legal basis in releasing the fourth tranche of the SSL as the 2019 national budget has yet to be passed.

The presidential spokesperson cited Diokno's text message during the briefing.

"It's elementary. The salary level authorized in the 2018 budget covers the third tranche of SSL only. The fourth tranche is provided for the 2019 president's budget para sa (for the) next year," Panelo told reporters. " Since the 2019 budget has yet to be approved, and we are operating on a reenacted budget, logically there is no legal basis for giving the fourth tranche."

"Kumbaga (Therefore it's just) common sense," Panelo added after reading the message. " Mukhang kulang din siya (Andaya) sa common sense kung babasahin ko 'tong sagot ni Secretary Diokno."

[Translation:It seems as if Andaya also lacks common sense based on this answer by Secretary Diokno.]

Andaya on Monday said the DBM had been using "scare tactics" by warning that a delay in the budget approval will affect the release of funds for some government workers.

Diokno cleared of insertion issue

During Monday night's Cabinet meeting, the Panelo added President Rodrigo Duterte has also cleared Diokno over alleged insertions in the 2018 budget.

"Sabi ni presidente 'Anong insertion? How can you insert something na ikaw nagpe-prepare? Kaya ka nga nagpi-prepare, edi ikaw talaga gumagawa nun,'" Panelo said.

[Translation:The President said, what insertion? How can you insert something that you prepared? If you were the one who prepared it, then it was really you who did the proposal.]

Last month, Rep. Andaya questioned Diokno for supposedly inserting multibillion-peso allocations for infrastructure projects in the budget proposal.

In a heated exchange during the question hour at the House of Representatives, Andaya said the "insertions" took place without the knowledge of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

READ: Palace berates Congress for 'disrespecting,' 'mocking' Diokno

Last week, Andaya made another allegation against Diokno, saying that funds for the DPWH's flood-control projects were being transferred to a company owned by Diokno's in-laws in Sorsogon.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov commented on a statement by the U.S. Treasury Department on December 19, 2018 about its intention to lift the sanctions against Rusal and En+, companies linked to Russian tycoon Oleg Deripaska. But later, the leaders of seven House committees in Congress called on the Donald Trump administration to delay lifting the sanctions against those companies.

The Kremlin is not apt to wearing rose-colored glasses amid selective statements on the potential easing of anti-Russian sanctions since Washington is still gripped with hostility against Russia, he noted.

"As for the hostile displays, there are still plenty of them in Washington, in Congress, in the Senate and in the US State Department," TASS cited Peskov as saying.

Responding to a question about the Russian tycoons assets, he noted that "the Kremlin would actually prefer to be quite accurate in making any statements on the sanctions against Deripaskas companies."

"Very thorough work is underway and let it be continued further," the Kremlin spokesman said.Senior Aide to the Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Jaberi Ansari has arrived to Moscow to take part in consultations with Russian representatives on January 9-10, the Iranian Embassy in Russia said.

"Mr Ansari has arrived to Moscow on a two-day visit. Negotiations in the Russian Foreign Ministry are planned to be held," TASS cited the embassys official as saying.

The situation in the Arab country is expected to become the focal point at the upcoming consultations. The Iranian Embassy said that other issues may be also discussed.Iran welcomes India's investment in its gas, oil and petrochemical sectors, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said.

Zarif said that Iran is always keen to negotiate with India and welcomes the country's suggestions, the Asian News International (ANI) TV network reported.

Saying that Iran and India can cooperate to serve each other's interests, Zarif pointed out that the economies of Iran and India are complementary.

The minister stressed that Iran needed the Indian goods and services while India was in need of Iranian resources and services as well, IRNA reported.

Zarif further hoped that in spite of the U.S. sanctions on Iran, Tehran and New Delhi would be able to expand cooperate with each other.Former Israeli minister Gonen Segev was convicted by the Jerusalem District Court of spying for Iran in a plea bargain.

The statement says that Segev will serve 11 years in prison after confessing to severe espionage and passing information to an enemy. It says the agreement will be brought to a judge next month. It provided no further information.

Segev has been accused of providing Iran information about the "energy market and security sites in Israel." the New York Times reported.

Last years disclosure was another stunning turn for Segev, who served as energy minister under Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in the mid-1990s. He was arrested in 2004 for attempting to smuggle 32,000 illegal Ecstasy tablets from the Netherlands to Israel using an expired diplomatic passport, and served prison time for that.The European Union hit Iran's intelligence services with sanctions after accusing Tehran of being behind plots to assassinate regime opponents on Dutch, Danish and French soil.

The fresh sanctions, which add two Iranian individuals and a unit of the Iranian intelligence services to the blocs terror list, follow alleged plots against Iranian opposition figures in Denmark and France. The targets assets will be frozen and other restrictions put in place.

"These listings have been adopted by the Council as part of its response to recent foiled attacks on the European soil," the statement said.

The move comes as the EU faces conflicting pressures over ties to Iran, with the bloc seeking to salvage the nuclear deal while confronting hostile Iranian behavior in its region and beyond. Some European officials back U.S. calls for a tougher response to Irans ballistic missile tests and its role in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, but the bloc is split on that.

Last summer, French authorities said Iran was behind a failed bomb plot in June on a leading opposition group in Paris. In late October, Danish authorities said they had prevented an assassination plot by Iran against a top official in an Iranian separatist organization. Iran has denied any involvement in European attacks.

Head of the Friendship and business cooperation with Arab countries society Vyacheslav Matuzov, speaking to Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that this event will not have any impact on Tehrans position of preserving the nuclear deal. "Iran has a stable and understandable position regarding the nuclear treaty. In this regard, any new negative steps on the part of the U.S. and the EU change nothing, because the West has already spoiled everything which can be spoiled in its relations with Iran. Tehran, in turn, continues to develop weapons and economic development programs in the light of all the circumstances, including sanctions adopted by the West," he said.

"I think Iran has many allies and opportunities to neutralize the impact of these Western sanctions on the development of the country. Iran has been under sanctions since 1979, and these 40 years have shown that the Iranian economy is developing successfully. Now there are no technologies which could not be obtained on the world market, there are no restrictions on the sale of oil and gas, because if the European market closes, the Eastern market opens immediately," Valery Matuzov emphasized.

"Today, when Iran reaches a high regional level, the West is increasingly looking for political pressure on Tehran. At the same time, the situation in the Persian Gulf is drastically changing, the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf and Egypt are building a line of restoring diplomatic relations with Syria. Iran has a big role in it, which makes the West nervous. I hope that in the future there will be an improvement in Irans political relations with the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf and with the Arab world as a whole," the head of the Friendship and business cooperation with Arab countries society concluded.Vice President of the European Commission Maros Sefcovic revealed the date of trilateral gas talks between Russia, the European Union and Ukraine.

"Pleased that the 2nd round of political trilateral talks with Russia and Ukraine on the long-term transit of gas to Europe will take place in Brussels on January 21," TASS cited him as saying.

Sefcovic also said that the forthcoming meeting will be based on results of previous talks held by the parties at different levels. "The meeting will build on the progress achieved during previous political and expert rounds," he added.China's trade talks with the United States were concluded with results would soon be released, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said.

According to the official, the length of the negotiations, which extended into an unexpected third day, suggests the serious nature of the discussions.

Originally scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, the talks were extended by a day amid signs of progress on issues including purchases of U.S. farm and energy commodities and increased access to China's markets, CNBC reported.

The U.S. team is led by Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish, and includes under secretaries from the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Energy and Treasury, as well as senior officials from the White House.

Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen heads the vice ministerial level talks for China, though Vice Premier Liu He, a top economic adviser to Xi, made an appearance at a meeting on Monday.Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry has commented on the possible meeting of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov with his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan.

According to Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys spokeswoman Leyla Abdullayeva, the information about the date and venue of the next meeting, according to the agreement reached between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, will be provided when the time comes.

A joint statement by the heads of delegations of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries, Azerbaijan, and Armenia following a session during the OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting in Milan on December 6 read that the sides agreed to meet in early 2019 under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.An ambulance crashed into workers at a construction site on Chavchavadze Avenue in Tbilisi this morning, which caused the death of one person and injured 12, including two doctors of the emergency medical centre.

The ambulance crashed into workers as they were entering the territory of the construction site.

The driver of the ambulance has been arrested for violating safety rules which led to the loss of human life. The investigation shows that the driver was under the influence while driving, however he has not yet been charged.

Tbilisi Emergency Medical Center has released a special statement regarding the ambulance accident, expressing its sorrow over the tragic accident on Chavchavadze Avenue and expressing condolences to the family of the victims, Agenda.ge reported.

Tbilisi Emergency Medical Center explained that the patient in the ambulance was not injured during the crash and was eventually delivered to the initial destination.

All those injured received appropriate medical assistance.

An investigation is underway into the incident, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs said."Travel is fatal to prejudice," wrote the American writer Mark Twain in 1869. He may as well have written it nowadays, coming back from a trip to Iran! Such a conclusion makes PRNews in the article Is It Really Safe and Worth Visiting? A New Image of Iran, Far From What Can Be Seen Through Media. The country is one of the most misunderstood ones. Yet, tourism has constantly been growing these past few years, reaching more than six million visitors in 2017 according to official data. Still, prejudices are coming thick and thin.

"What? You're traveling to Iran? Why? It's dangerous!" are the first things travelers hear from their relatives when they are about to set sail to Iran. Dangerous, really? Well, it's, in fact, the perfect opposite. Iran has been rated as safe as Sweden, Germany, Australia, and most European countries by the independent experts of "International SOS" in their 2019 Travel Risk Map. This study considers several criteria such as terrorism, unrest, crimes, and point out that risks for travelers in Iran are "Low."

The country is often depicted as "the safest to travel" by most visitors who experienced it, especially solo female travelers and families, and the Lonely Planet calls its people the "friendliest in the world." It's no surprise for those who are familiar with Iranian culture and the great hospitality its people are famous for. The tourist should be ready to chat with perfect strangers in the street, be invited for tea or a family meal wherever they go. Actually, Iranian people are often the first reason why people literally fall in love with Iran. So the question is not "Why?" going to Iran, but rather, "Why wouldn't you travel to Iran?"

"There are only deserts in Iran": Wrong!

It's definitely a multiple choice answer, to which a new online platform called "TasteIran" intends to provide a large range of responses. There could be found that Iran has some of the most beautiful and wild deserts of the world: one of them, the Lut desert with its huge formations of Yardang, one of the hottest spots on the earth. In the middle of these oceans of sand, cities like Yazd offer a dreamlike oasis, while old caravanserais send the traveler back at the time of the Silk Road.

But Iran is way more than deserts, and that's what "TasteIran" wants to demonstrate, by offering a large range of "experiences" rather than conventional and classic tours, to foreigners eager to discover the real Iran. And the country has one of the best four-season climates all at the same time to offer to them. Visitingnorth, to hike in the Hycarnian forest, with its dense and lush vegetation at the coastline of Caspian Sea, and observing endangered species migrating to this heavenly refuge. From blue horizon of the sea to the islands of the Persian Gulf, incredible jewels sculpted by the waters and the wind over centuries, with wild coasts of multicolor sand. And for ones with strong sensations, they can go rafting into wild canyons or climbing the snow-capped Mount Damavand.

"It's the same culture everywhere in the Middle East": Wrong!

Besides the wonders of nature, Iran is also a place of culture and history. Too often, Persian culture is mistaken with the Arabic culture of its neighbors, whereas its ancestral traditions are truly unique. Not only, thanks to the legacy of the Persian Empire  the greatness of which can be admired in Persepolis, in the blue-domed mosques of Isfahan, or in one of 23 sites registered by UNESCO as World Heritages  but also thanks to the multiplicity of the ethnics and religious groups who live on its soil, Iran is a kaleidoscope of cultural influences which can be seen by traveling off the beaten tracks.

That's why "TasteIran" has chosen experiences which give a chance to tourists to share the life of Nomads during their migration, to harvest saffron with Khorasan farmers, to discover the rituals of Zoroastrians and to go on the footstep of Sufi philosophers. These experiences are unique opportunities for travelers, who also participate, this way, in encouraging sustainable activities. In Iran, where tourism has been growing at a fast pace, and people in remotest villages still living modestly, the economic development of communities while maintaining their traditions is essential. Thanks to local initiatives mentioned, travelers to Iran can now be more than simple observers: they can also break stereotypes while empowering locals and take part in the conservation of nature and biodiversity in Iran.Manila (CNN Philippines Life)  Its difficult to write about Gantala Press Umaalma, Kumikibo (2018).

How does one start reviewing this book, a collection of 12 essays, many of them first-hand accounts of women, claiming their space in a platform that has historically excluded them? How are we supposed to critique their experiences? Should we assign them merit based on literary standards? Rank them, perhaps, based on a preconceived order of significance?

To assess it that way is to misunderstand what Umaalma, Kumikibo  and by extension, Gantala Press  stands for. Protest is the fuel of our press, says its founder Faye Cura, who is also the editor of this latest release. Her statement, written for a talk she delivered in July 2018, is fully realized in this anthology published months later.

The book title, roughly translated, means to react; to break the silence; to stir; to begin to protest. Its an interesting parallel to how Gantala has positioned and re-positioned itself since its inception in 2017. It used to call itself a womens press, aiming to champion literary works for and by women. But recent developments  the devastation in Marawi, the war on drugs, the presidents rape jokes  pushed Gantala to call itself feminist, despite the risk of alienating members or being misunderstood.

Increasingly, our publications are becoming mere instruments of protest and camaraderie with other marginalized women, rather than simply creative products or commodities, says Cura. [W]e  understand and believe that womens struggle is tightly intertwined with class struggle. Feminism is necessary as long as class struggle is necessary.

And not just class struggle. Movements  whether they push for agrarian reform or anti-discrimination or equal rights  must understand not just one form of oppression, but the entire interlocking system of oppressions. Their analysis must be inclusive, based on intersectionality, a term which sociologist Patricia Hill Collins says references the critical insight that race, class, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, nation, ability, and age operate not as unitary, mutually exclusive entities, but rather as reciprocally constructing phenomena.

Increasingly, our publications are becoming mere instruments of protest and camaraderie with other marginalized women, rather than simply creative products or commodities, says Faye Cura (right), founder of Gantala Press and editor of "Umaalma, Kumikibo." Photo courtesy of GANTALA PRESS/FACEBOOK

Applying intersectionality as described above, to be feminist is to see the womens struggle shape, and be shaped by factors other than gender: to see multiple feminisms informed by context and complexity. The 12 essays in Umaalma, Kumikibo illustrate this clearly.

Kristine Valerio, in triangulating her experiences helping victims of abuse in Palestine, South Sudan, and the Philippines, states two major systems of violence in place: patriarchy and capitalism. Katrina Stuart Santiago locates #EnoughWomen, borne out of President Dutertes populist rhetoric, in larger issues which might only be seen as anti-woman in as much as these are anti-people: oppressive labor practices, mismanaged economies, rising food prices. Roma Estrada interviews Nanay Leticia Leti Retiza, a 56-year-old woman whose bloodied image made the rounds on social media when she joined the NutriAsia picket to call for the regularization of its workers. Abbey Pangilinan, Mixkaela Villalon, and Ica Fernandez show how women respond to the nightmares of tokhang, and how some others use their power and influence to propel violence.

Simultaneously, Umaalma, Kumikibo bears witness to Gantalas insistence to include as many womens voices as it can from Mindanao, apparent in earlier books Laoanen: Kababaihan | Digmaan | Kapayapaan and Lawanen: Mga Alaala ng Pagkubkob | Mga Haraya ng Pag-igpaw. Here, Marrian Pio Roda Ching documents generations of women who run and fight throughout the genealogies of war in Mindanao. Almayrah Abbas Tiburon writes a letter to her unborn child, narrating the precariousness of a pregnancy not just as a woman, but as a woman waiting to give birth in Marawi.

The book further provides needed space for the Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women, who decry the continued militarization of farming communities by a feudal and fascist State, and its impact on women in agriculture. Sharon Cabusao-Silva testifies as part of a collective of women persecuted and detained without cause, shrouded but no less victims of the States impunity and disregard for human rights. LILA Pilipina traces how violence against women, specifically comfort women, goes back to imperialist powers and their puppets in their quest to plunder wealth and conquer territories.

As a collection of unmediated, participant womens voices, as a medium for protest  Umaalma, Kumikibo is kindling to a flame, finally igniting when were ready to burn.

Writing out of experience, Jhoanna Lynn B. Cruz tries to understand the violence of women against women, realizing how partner violence relates to patterns of coercion, power, and control. Starting from childhood, Mae Ann Hao painstakingly recalls abuse marked by the violence of men and the environment that enables it. Bea Quintos writes about dangerous women, empowerment, public spaces, domestic abuse, self-defense, and active self-protection. And yet: The harsh reality of violence is women dont often choose it as much as it chooses them.

Its fitting that Umaalma, Kumikibo was released in solidarity with, and in support of the International Campaign for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Nov. 25, 2018. But it could have been released anytime. It could have been released when martial law was extended in Mindanao for another year. It could have been released today, as we reel from yet another misogynist joke from the president, the same one who reshuffles corrupt officials, enshrines murder as policy, threatens to bomb Lumad schools, and keeps oligarchs in power, who has all but combined all these (and more) into a systematic (if not intersectional) oppression.

In this context, a book like Umaalma, Kumikibo has never been more necessary. It exists at a critical juncture of our history, as it factors in violence against women among disparate power relations that result to social injustice, in an exhausting, yet enriching exercise on how our struggles bind instead of separate us. But perhaps more importantly, as a collection of unmediated, participant womens voices, as a medium for protest  Umaalma, Kumikibo is kindling to a flame, finally igniting when were ready to burn.

***

Umaalma, Kumikibo is available at Studio Soup Zine Library, UP Press Bookstore, Bookay-Ukay, Popular Bookstore (all in Quezon City), The Common Ground Bookstore (Manila), and nationwide through Gantala Press.As of February 1, tourists from 45 additional countries will be able to travel to Uzbekistan for 30 days without a visa. The visa-free expansion was announced on January 5 by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev and follows other moves to open the country to tourists and investors alike. The Diplomat in the article Citizens of 45 More Countries to Get Visa-Free Access to Uzbekistan writes that the progress of visa liberalization, while a facet of Mirziyoyevs reform program, has with its fits and starts hinted at the contours of larger movements within Uzbekistans power structures.

The opening step was the sidelining of the National Security Service (SNB) head, 73-year-old Rustam Inoyatov. For 23 years, Inoyatov had served under Islam Karimov, running the countrys much-reviled security service. In December 2017, Mirziyoyevs year-end address feature harsh criticism directed at the SNB:[W]e should not allow a single body to collect all the powers and resources and prevent violation of the principle of checks and balances, he said after lambasting the countrys law and order bodies for overreach and failing to protect Uzbek citizens rights. In this regard, he continued, it should be noted that the bodies of the National Security Service have been acting till the present day on the basis of the Regulation approved by the government 26 years ago. Every ordinary issue, Mirziyoyev said in December 2017, has been regarded as a threat to national security which led to the groundless expansion of the agencys powers. Ordinary issues like tourism, perhaps. In late January 2018, Inoyatov was dismissed and within a week Uzbekistan announced visa changes again. This time, efforts to liberalize Uzbekistans visa regimes have proceeded largely as announced.

As of February 10, 2018 citizens from seven countries  Israel, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Turkey, and Japan  were given visa-free access up to 30 days. Uzbekistan also, at that time, simplified visa procedures for citizens of 39 countries including those in the European Union, many in East Asia and the Middle East, as well as India and the United States by removing the requirement for a voucher or letter of invitation and shortening the timeline for issuing a visa. Also promised was the introduction of an electronic visa system in July 2018.

In March 2018, Uzbekistan abolished visa requirements for Tajik citizens  an important step in the rapprochement between the two countries that has been a core effort of the Mirziytoyev administration.

In mid-July 2018, Uzbekistan introduced an electronic visa system as well as a scheme allowing visa-free entry for up to five days while in transit for citizens of 101 countries. And in October 2018, French citizens were given visa-free access for up to 30 days.

This years leap forward on the visa liberalization project features the introduction of visa-free travel, for up to 30 days, for citizens of 45 countries as of February 1, plus Germany as of January 15. In addition, the list of countries whose citizens can apply for visas electronically has been expanded by 76 countries.

While Canadians, Australians, and nearly all Europeans will soon be able to travel to Uzbekistan without a visa  as well as citizens of Mongolia, Brazil, and Chile among others  Chinese and Americans will still need a visa.

The next expected step is the introduction of a so-called Silk Road visa by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The program, announced to reporters in Tashkent by Acting First Deputy Chairman of the Uzbek State Committee for Tourism Ulugbek Qosimhojaev on December 20, 2018 and mentioned by the Kazakh Ambassador to the United States Erzhan Kazykhanov in Washington, DC the same day, would enable travelers with a visa from either country to travel to both.President Donald Trump's shifting timetable for pulling U.S. troops out of Syria has left allies and other players in the region confused and jockeying for influence over a withdrawal strategy that appeared to be a work in progress. As ABC News writes in an article "Turkey appears to snub US; no assurances on Syrian Kurds", one day after White House national security adviser John Bolton announced the U.S. pullout would not be as immediate as Trump had initially declared, U.S. allies on Monday sought clarification from American diplomats. The Kurds, who have fought alongside U.S. forces against the Islamic State group and fear an assault by Turkey if the U.S. withdraws, were still asking publicly for an explanation from Washington.

Bolton said the U.S. would first seek assurances from Turkey that it would not harm the Kurds  for the first time adding a "condition" to the withdrawal. He arrived Monday in Turkey to seek those guarantees from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, but there was little reason for optimism. In a New York Times op-ed published ahead of the Tuesday meeting, Erdogan referred to the Syrian Kurdish Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, as a terrorist group, Turkey's longtime position, and rejected any role for Kurdish fighters in restoring peace to the war-torn region.

The piece set up a contentious day of diplomacy for Bolton and underscored the destabilizing impact of Trump's shoot-from-the-hip approach to foreign policy. Trump's spur-of-the-moment withdrawal came with no details, leaving allies scrambling for answers and aides crafting a strategy that can satisfy all the players, including Trump.

Trump discussed Syria during a phone call on Monday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who had panned Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops and warned it could have dangerous consequences. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said they discussed the commitment of their two countries "to the destruction of ISIS as well as plans for a strong, deliberate, and coordinated withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria."

Bolton said Sunday, "We don't think the Turks ought to undertake military action that's not fully coordinated with and agreed to by the United States." Trump has made clear that he would not allow Turkey to kill Kurds, Bolton added. "That's what the president said, the ones that fought with us."

Erdogan proposed in his op-ed to stand up a "stabilization force featuring fighters from all parts of Syrian society" to safeguard northeast Syria once American troops leave, though he said an "intensive vetting process" will exclude fighters with "links to terrorist organizations," which in his government's view includes the YPG.

Bolton did not respond to the op-ed ahead of Tuesday's meetings, but such an offer would appear unlikely to be acceptable to the U.S. Bolton had said the protection of U.S. allies in Syria, including the YPG, was among "the objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal" of U.S. forces.

Speaking to The Associated Press from northern Syria on Monday, a Syrian Kurdish official said the Kurds have not been informed of any change in the U.S. position and were in the dark about Bolton's latest comments. "We have not been formally or directly notified, all what we heard were media statements," Badran Ciya Kurd said. Kurdish officials have held conversations with Moscow and Syrian President Bashar Assad's government about protection, but Bolton called on them to "stand fast now."

Bolton's pronouncements were the first public confirmation from the administration that the pace of the drawdown had changed since Trump's announcement in mid-December that U.S. troops are "coming back now." Trump faced widespread criticism from allies about his decision, including that he was abandoning the Kurds in the face of Turkish threats. Officials said at the time that although many details of the withdrawal had not yet been finalized, they expected American forces to be out by mid-January. At the time, Trump had also said that Turkey would step up the fight against the remnants of the Islamic State in Syria, but Bolton said Sunday U.S. troops will eliminate what remains of IS as another "condition" to northeastern Syria.

Trump on Monday struck back to the perception that his intentions in Syria had changed. "No different from my original statements, we will be leaving at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary!....." he said in a tweet.

While Sanders said last month the administration had "started returning United States troops home," the Pentagon said Monday no U.S. troops have withdrawn from Syria yet, but added that there is an "approved framework" for withdrawal.

Bolton maintained there is no fixed timetable for completing the drawdown, but insisted it was not an indefinite commitment to the region. Still, some 200 U.S. troops will remain in the vicinity of al-Tanf, in southern Syria, to counter growing Iranian activity in the region, he said.

In meetings with Turkish officials Tuesday, Bolton said he will seek "to find out what their objectives and capabilities are and that remains uncertain." He will be joined by the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford, who will remain in Turkey for additional meetings with Turkish military officials, as well as Jim Jeffrey, the special representative for Syrian engagement and the newly named American special envoy for the anti-Islamic State coalition. Jeffrey will travel from Turkey into Syria to reassure the Kurdish fighters that they are not being abandoned, Bolton said. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo left Washington on Monday for an eight-nation trip of the Middle East. Both he and Bolton are seeking input and support for the specifics of the withdrawal plan, according to one official, who said U.S. partners were eager for details.Oil on Monday continued its rise to mark an increase of more than 8 per cent since the beginning of the year as the market absorbs cuts in Opec production that come into force this month. The Financial Times reports in its article Financial Times   Oil prices zip higher with Opec production cuts in focus that Brent, the international benchmark, climbed as much as 3.3 per cent on Monday to reach $58.93 a barrel by late afternoon, continuing a trend which last week saw it book its largest weekly increase since mid-2017. West Texas Intermediate crude, the US benchmark, rose by more than 3 per cent on Monday to reach $49.61.

The rise comes as the market is torn between the price-boosting impact of supply cuts agreed by Opec in December and the dampening effect of concerns about a global economic slowdown, which last month caused prices to drop to 15-month lows.

Were rebounding from very weak levels and a lot of pressure at the end of last year, said Olivier Jakob at Swiss oil consultancy Petromatrix. The Opec cuts start now in January so youre going into a period where Opec will manage supplies to tighten or balance the crude market. So, there is some repositioning from that, but you are also coming from very weak levels, he added.

The oil price was hit in recent months as worries over the state of the global economy were fuelled by tensions between the US and China. The worlds two largest economies on Monday started their first formal talks since the beginning of a truce in their ongoing trade war.

Analysts at Energy Aspects said the downside risks of the trade dispute for the market were large and difficult to quantify, adding that China was undoubtedly the biggest concern, especially given the weakness in the latest economic data. But the beginning of the two day meeting on Monday contributed to a rally in global stock markets and sparked hopes that oil could continue its recovery.

Meanwhile seaborne exports from Opec fell by 320,000 barrels a day in December to 26.35m barrels, led by reductions from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and the UAE. Any continued rise in price may be hampered, however, by the impact of continued addition of low cost US shale production onto the market, analysts said.

Goldman Sachs, one of the most influential banks in commodity markets, lowered its three and six month oil price forecasts to $62.5 a barrel and $67.5 a barrel, down from $70 previously respectively, citing the impact of new pipelines helping to release the low-cost Permian basin into the global oil market.Australia said Tuesday it would "carefully consider" the asylum claim of an 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled alleged abuse from her family and is now in the care of the UN in Bangkok, after she fended off deportation in a gripping, live-tweeted ordeal.

This screen grab from a video released to AFPTV via the Twitter account of Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun on January 7, 2019 shows a still of Qunun speaking in Bangkok on January 7. [Photo: AFP/Courtesy of Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun]

Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun arrived at the Thai capital's main airport on a flight from Kuwait over the weekend after running away from her family, who she says subjected her to physical and psychological abuse.

Qunun said she planned to seek asylum in Australia, fearing she would be killed if repatriated by Thai immigration officials who stopped her at the airport.

Saudi Arabia's human rights record has been under heavy scrutiny since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year.

The ultra-conservative kingdom has some of the world's toughest restrictions on women, including a guardianship system that allows male family members to make decisions on behalf of female relatives.

On Sunday, Thai authorities said Qunun would be sent back to Saudi Arabia, but they abruptly changed course as her plight pinballed across social media.

Qunun posted dozens of tweets and live videos in English and Arabic, some describing how she had barricaded herself in a hotel room. Her account quickly racked up tens of thousands of followers, feeding an international media frenzy.

On Monday she was allowed to leave the airport in the care of the UN's refugee agency.

The Australian government on Tuesday teased the possibility of granting the young woman refugee status, saying it was "pleased" the UN was assessing her claim.

"Any application by Ms Al-Qunun for a humanitarian visa will be carefully considered once the UNHCR process has concluded," a Department of Home Affairs official told AFP.

In Geneva, UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch told reporters the process looking into Qunun's asylum claim had started and could take several days.

As for providing security in light of Khashoggi's murder in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, he said "that's the Thai government's job and I hope that's being looked into".

- 'Family affair' -

Thailand is not a signatory to a UN convention on refugees, and asylum seekers are typically deported or wait years to be resettled in third countries.

The UNHCR insists anyone with an asylum claim should not be sent back to the country.

In a short press release distributed to media outside its embassy in Bangkok Tuesday, the Saudi government said it had not demanded her deportation.

The case was a "family affair", but under the "care and attention" of the embassy, it added.

In an earlier and separate explanation released on Twitter, the embassy also denied sending officials to Suvarnabhumi airport to meet Qunun as she arrived or impounding her passport -- as she alleged.

It also said the embassy had made contact with her father, a senior regional government official in the kingdom, "to inform him on her situation".

Thai immigration chief Surachate Hakparn told reporters that Qunun's father and brother had arrived in Thailand on Tuesday.

Surachate said he would talk to the UN refugee agency about a potential meeting between the family members.

"Rahaf is not a political asylum case," he insisted. "It is not political at all."

The Saudi government "agrees that there should be a priority on Rahaf's safety", he added.

The immigration police released photos of Surachate and his team sitting down with Saudi embassy charge d'affaires Abdulilah al-Shouaibi.

Video footage posted on Twitter by a Saudi human rights activists apparently shows the Saudi official complaining that Thai authorities should have confiscated Qunun's smartphone.

"When she arrived, she opened a new (Twitter) account and her followers grew to 45,000 in one day," he said in Arabic.

"It would have been better if they had confiscated her mobile instead of her passport."

AFP was unable to contact Saudi authorities for comment on the footage.

Human Rights Watch's Phil Robertson, in contact with Qunun since she started live-tweeting her ordeal, said her father and brother were "the two male relatives (Qunun) most fears" and could "physically harm her in an effort to compel her to return".

"She's an adult woman who has escaped Saudi Arabia's repressive and discriminatory 'guardianship' laws and these men must recognise the rules have changed," he said.

It was "solely her decision" whether or not to meet them, he added.

Qunun has said she believes she will be imprisoned or killed if sent back, and that her family is so strict they once locked her in a room for six months for cutting her hair.Uprooted Palestinians are at the heart of the conflict in the M.E Palestinians uprooted by force of arms. Yet faced immense difficulties have survived, kept alive their history and culture, passed keys of family homes in occupied Palestine from one generation to the next.Welcome Guest! You are here: Home  India

Protesting against killings in Kashmir, marginalization of Muslims, Shah Faesal resigns from IAS

Shah Faesal said that he would be addressing media Friday to announce his future plans

Srinagar: IAS officer from Jammu and Kashmir Shah Faesal, who has been in limelight since topping the civil services exam in 2010, resigned Wednesday, protesting against the "unabated" killings in Kashmir and a "lack of sincere reach out" from the Union government.

In a brief statement on Facebook, the 35-year-old said his resignation was also to protest "the marginalization and invisiblisation of around 200 million Indian Muslims at the hands of Hindutva forces reducing them to second-class citizens; insidious attacks on the special identity of the state and growing culture of intolerance and hate in mainland India in the name of hyper-nationalism".

Faesal, who recently returned from a foreign training and was awaiting posting, said he had decided to resign from Indian Administrative Service, "to protest against the unabated killings in Kashmir, and lack of any sincere reach out from the Union government".

Without naming it, Faesal launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government at the Centre, saying the "subversion of public institutions like the RBI, the CBI and the NIA has the potential to decimate the constitutional edifice of this country and it needs to be stopped".

"I wish to reiterate that voices of reason in this country cannot be muzzled for long and the environment of siege will need to end if we wish to usher in true democracy," he added.

Faesal thanked his family, friends and well-wishers for supporting him in this "amazing journey in IAS. One of my important tasks hereafter will be (to) train and guide aspiring civil servants to help them in achieving this dream."

He said that he would be addressing media Friday to announce his future plans.

As soon as the news of his resignation spread on social media, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah welcomed Faesal to the political fold, PTI reported today.

"The bureaucracy's loss is politics' gain. Welcome to the fold @shahfaesal," Omar tweeted.

Reacting to social media posts which claimed that Faesal will join the NC in the coming days, Omar said he only welcomed the IAS officer to politics.

"Actually I welcomed him to the fold of politicians. His future political plans are his to announce," the former chief minister said.

Faesal's resignation has come six months after the Jammu and Kashmir government initiated disciplinary action against him for a tweet on frequent rapes which was seen by the Centre's Department of Personnel and Training as his failure to maintain absolute honesty and integrity in discharge of duties.

"Population+patriarchy +illiteracy +alcohol +porn+ technology+anarchy =rapistan," Faesal had tweeted, drawing the ire of the DoPT.

The outspoken officer had courted another controversy when he compared Article 35-A of the Constitution to a marriage deed between India and Jammu and Kashmir, saying if the constitutional provision granting special status to the state was scrapped, the marriage will be annulled, according to PTI.

"I would compare Article 35A to a marriage-deed/nikahnama. You repeal it and the relationship is over. Nothing will remain to be discussed afterwards," he had tweeted.

He had said the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India took place before the Constitution had come into force.

The IAS officer, however, said continuing the special constitutional provisions with respect to the state did not pose any threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the country.

"Let's not confuse the issue. Sovereignty and integrity of India can't be challenged. Not at all. But the Constitution has kept some special provisions for J&K state. It's a unique arrangement. It isn't a threat to India's integrity at all," he had said.

According to the rules, the resignation of Fesal will be forwarded by the state chief secretary along with vigilance status of the officer. The resignation will be considered by the Department of Personnel and Training.

For all the latest News, Opinions and Views, download ummid.com App .

Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic.TCN News with inputs from S N Ansari

Shah Faesal has resigned from the civil services and has shown inclination to join politics. He announced his decision today.

Shah Faesal was in the civil services having topped the exams in 2010 and was posted in Jammu and Kashmir.

Support TwoCircles



He has mentioned on his facebook page : To protest against the unabated killings in Kashmir and lack of any sincere reach-out from the Union government; the marginalization and invisiblisation of around 200 million Indian Muslims at the hands of Hindutva forces reducing them to second-class citizens; insidious attacks on the special identity of the J&K state and growing culture of intolerance and hate in the mainland India in the name of hyper-nationalism, I have decided to resign from IAS.

Ansari, a free lance journalist had interviewed Shah Faesal at a felicitation program at MIT (Maharashtra Institute of Technology) Pune for having cracked the UPSC exams and scoring the 1st rank . Ansari recalls the meeting with Faesal as one filled with positivity and saw in him a promising youth icon who was keen to bring the much needed change in the community.

As Shah Faesal has shown an interest to join politics, Omar Abdullah has welcomed him in the fold, perhaps it is an indication to join National Conference.

Shah Faesal has called for a press meet on Friday,11th.Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV), a British manufacturer of hybrid airships, was recently awarded a Production Organisation Approval from Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), enabling HAV to launch production.



HAV, the company behind the innovative Airlander hybrid aircraft, was awarded a Design Organisation Approval from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in October 2018.



A Production Organisation Approval (POA) considers the manufacture and assembly aspects of aircraft production. This includes supply chain management, processes relating to manufacture and assembly, and the production facility itself. Both the Design Organisation Approval (DOA), which covers design activities and flight test, and the POA, covering manufacture and assembly, are required to move forward into a type certification programme with the production Airlander 10.



It typically takes over a year to prepare a facility for a POA audit, a statement said.



HAV only moved into its production facility, the Airlander Technology Centre, in June and were able to be audit-ready in under six months. This success is down to the effort of the production team, led by Ivor Pope, the statement added.



In addition to preparing the facility, the team at Technology House has been working to establish rigorous supply chain and quality assurance processes.



The POA approval is a significant milestone for HAV. It is the culmination of months of hard work and focused effort, commented David Lindley, HAVs head of Aviation Safety & Quality Assurance. It demonstrates that the safety, quality assurance, and supply chain management processes are in place, along with the production facility.



Successfully being awarded our POA in the same year as our DOA is fantastic, added executive director Nick Allman. The POA is the regulators stamp of approval for us to move ahead with the productionisation of Airlander 10 on the path to type certification. This puts us in a great position going into 2019.



Founded in 2007, Hybrid Air Vehicles is the company behind the innovative Airlander hybrid aircraft. Airlander can take off and land from virtually any flat surface and offers a powerful combination of flexibility, persistence, payload capacity, and efficiency. Airlander is suitable for roles from surveillance and border patrol to search & rescue and expeditionary tourism.  TradeArabia News ServiceArmani Hotel Dubai, the iconic hotel located within the Burj Khalifa, will be host to the World Spa Awards 2019.



After winning multiple awards in 2018 for Armani/Spa from the worlds most recognised spa award programmes, the hotel will now welcome leaders from the global spa and wellness industry.



Launched in 2015, World Spa Awards is a dynamic awards programme designed to drive up standards within spa and wellness tourism, by rewarding the organisations that are influential, unique and highly-regarded in their field.



Armani Hotel Dubai offers truly distinctive, personalised and connecting lifestyle experiences, showcasing excellence through its sophisticated comfort facilities, award-winning restaurants, and its unrivalled Armani/Spa. - TradeArabia News Service

Opec and its members dont control oil prices and that the market dictates them, Suhail Mohamed Faraj Al Mazrouei, UAEs Minister of Energy and Industry was quoted as saying in a media report.



"What Opec strives to achieve is a balanced oil market that is fair for both consumers and producers, and encourages the many trillions of dollars of investment that is needed to secure future production, he added, according to a report by state news agency Wam.



In an opinion piece written to mark the end of his tenure as President of the Opec Conference, and to shed light on the organisations achievements during 2018, the UAE Energy Minister highlighted that one of the most notable achievements of 2018 was undoubtedly the progress made in developing a charter between Opec and its non-Opec partners to continue collaborating in the years ahead.



He noted that this landmark pact was initialled in December at the 175th Opec Conference, adding that this is an important step in a relationship that will continue to evolve and flourish into the future.



He also stated that the UAE has been a proud member of Opec for over 50 years, and that by working with likeminded partners, both within and outside of the Opec organisation, the goal of a more stable, less volatile oil market can be pursued.



Reflecting back to December 2016 when Opec and its partners signed the Declaration of Cooperation - a voluntary agreement to adjust production levels and thereby remove excess inventory overhang  Al Mazrouei said that the organisations goal was to deliver lasting and sustainable stability to the oil market in the interest of both producers and consumers.



In this regard, he added, that "fast forward to mid-2018 and inventory overhang had been reduced, Opec and its partners were complying well above their committed targets, and there was a sense of optimism in our industry again. This was evident at Opecs 7th International Seminar, which was held in June at the Imperial Hofburg Palace in Vienna."



On December 1, 2017 and during Opec's 173rd meeting, Al Mazrouei has been elected as president of the Opec Conference for one year, with effect from January 1, 2018.UAE-based Al Ahli Holding Group (AAHG) has signed an agreement with Sony Professional Solutions MEA for the development of the media sector and community within Nomad, a first-of-a-kind purpose-built ecosystem in Dubai.



Set to launch this year, the comprehensive development will provide production resources and advisory services to support key sectors of entrepreneurship, media, culinary arts, arts and amp; design and gaming and technology with a roadmap of unrivalled business and financial support infrastructure.



As per the deal, Sony Professional Solutions MEA, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation, will collaborate on a range of services including provision of equipment, joint development of programmes, events, accelerators, and workshops, as well as market access opportunities for the Nomad member community.



In addition to that, key members of the Sony team will be a part of its advisory board that will be instrumental in shaping a new wave of talent through the project.



Located near Dubai Outlet Mall, Nomad is a platform of opportunities and resources for entrepreneurs and the creative community to grow their ideas and innovate, said the company in a statement.



The strategic partnership will create opportunities for content creators, film-makers, artists freelancers and musicians, said Mohammed Khammas, the CEO of Ahli Holding Group and Nomad, after signing the agreement with Rob Sherman, the managing director at Sony Professional Solutions MEA.



As part of the deal, Sony Professional Solutions MEA will apply its industry-leading expertise to advise and mentor Nomad members, while also sharing its know-how on the technology and production side to help facilitate content creation.



"What we are witnessing now is a great shift towards creativity in business practice. We are steering away from being merely consumers of technology in the region towards assuming the role of innovation," remarked Khammas.



"Hence the significance of this partnership, which is not only designed to service the creative industry, but to also service small and medium enterprises at large with which creativity comes in hand in hand," he stated.



"I cannot think of any other platform such as Nomad that provides this innovative approach into content creation and utilisation of technology. This partnership with Sony is really important for the value it brings to the regional and global market," he added.



The new development will leverage both AAHG and Sony Professional Solutions MEAs significant global experience and knowledge to position itself as a world-class entrepreneurial ecosystem that will enhance Dubai and the UAEs position as a focal point for global innovation for entrepreneurs and startups from an array of disciplines from around the world; including the media, culinary arts, design, gaming, and technology sectors, remarked Khammas.



Through its industry partners and programming solutions, Nomad members will have access to a community platform and network of mentors, investors and markets to scale their ventures, he added.



The one-million sq ft Nomad build will be located within The Echo Plex near Dubai Outlet Mall, and will be developed over two years, with the Phase One launching in 2019.



In this phase, co-working spaces and production studio resources will be built, along with a pilot co-housing community in which members can live to save costs.



The Phase Two will be launched next year and will encompass larger community development and the rollout of more advanced facilities.



Rob Sherman, the managing director at Sony Professional Solutions MEA, said: "This partnership with Nomad is significant, as it provides a holistic overview on how to support talent in the region. We as Sony provide the tools, and Nomad comes in with the infrastructure that provide the ideal platform for people to use this technology."



"It is very important to build and nurture this platform locally to enable the storytellers to have a place and environment to work in. We are interested in retaining talent here in the region, and provide the right space and tools for local and regional storytellers," he added.



Khammas said: "When we first announced Nomad in May 2018, our goal was to build the right infrastructure that fosters collaboration across all sectors within the creative community in the region.



"Our mandate remains to bring forth global best practices and partnerships that will position Nomad as a world-class creative hub with unrivalled business and financial support infrastructure," he added.-TradeArabia News ServiceSaudi Arabia's Water & Electricity Company (WEC) has prequalified eight major international engineering groups as supervision consultants for the upcoming desalination projects in the kingdom.



These include Finland's Poyry, Spanish groups Typsa and Ayesa, British engineering giant Atkins Global, top German group Fichtner and Canada's WSP besides Belgian utility expert Tractebel engie and Saudi group ILF-Tecon, said the WEC in its statement.



The Saudi utility pointed out that all the eight companies will be authorised to receive RFP (request for proposals) for supervision consultancy of desalination projects being developed in the kingdom.



Each of these companies will receive qualification certificate by co-ordinating with their focal point of contact, it added.-TradeArabia News ServiceThe best bang for your buck! This option enables you to purchase online 24/7 access and receive the Sunday, Tuesday & Thursday print edition at no additional cost * Print edition only available in our carrier delivery area. Allow up to 72 hours for delivery of your print edition to begin. Print edition not available for Day Pass option.In February, Texans experienced forced rolling and extended blackouts ordered by the Electric Reliability Council of Texas as demand for electricity spiked during a winter storm. On Monday, ERCOT took precaution to avoid blackouts by urging Texans to conserve power through Friday as summer temperatures continue to rise. Approximately 12,000 megawatts of generation were offline Monday, and ERCOT officials said the outages were unexpected. Are you satisfied with ERCOTs oversight of the states electric grid?

You voted:uschools/iStock(WASHINGTON) -- Democrats came out of the latest shutdown talks at the White House on Wednesday claiming that President Donald Trump walked out in a "temper tantrum' when they repeated their refusal to meet his demand that they agree to fund his border wall and the president then tweeted that the negotiations were "a waste of time."

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that after Trump asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi whether she would "agree to my wall," and she said, "No," Trump said, "We have nothing to discuss," got up and left.



Earlier Wednesday, with the government shutdown in Day 19, Trump made a rare drive up Pennsylvania Avenue to Capitol Hill Wednesday to shore up support for his border security funding demands with Senate Republicans.



Some Senate Republicans are breaking ranks and saying the president should reopen the government while discussions over border security continue.



Earlier Wednesday, in the Oval Office for a bill signing to combat human trafficking, the president claimed lawmakers from both sides of the aisle could strike a deal and claimed he has "tremendous" Republican support.



"I really believe the Democrats and the Republicans are working together. I think something will happen, I hope, otherwise we'll go about it in a different manner," Trump said.



He said it would be "foolish" to give up on border security.



As he arrived on Capitol Hill, he said there was "tremendous" and "unwavering" GOP support.



Following lunch with Republicans, the president declared the party is "unified" but added that some members expressed concerns about what he described as "strategies."



There was no discussion about anything other than solidarity, the president said.



The president's trip to Capitol Hill is only his fifth public outing since the shutdown began in late December and it follows his first Oval Office address to the nation Tuesday night looking to make his case directly to the public.



The president argued that a "growing humanitarian and security crisis" at the southern border requires the government to put down $5.7 billion for a border wall, in addition to new technology and detention beds. Those demands have put negotiations between Republicans and Democrats at a standstill, as Democrats say they will not capitulate to what they call a "waste" of taxpayer dollars for "an expensive and ineffective wall." Meanwhile, nearly 800,000 federal employees have been furloughed.



Also on Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a news conference with federal workers to draw attention to federal workers who may end up missing a paycheck on Friday if the shutdown continues.



Schumer teed up his message for Trump: The House passed legislation to reopen the government. Its time for President Trump [and] our Republican colleagues in the Senate, to accept it, Schumer said. Our federal workers just want to do their job. Its time that you do yours.



Pelosi said Trump is being unfair and that his address from the Oval Office last night was not factual.



Last night, the president spouted more malice and misinformation appealing to fear instead of facts, Pelosi said. The reality is that the president could end the Trump shutdown and reopen government today, and he should.



Calling the shutdown a dark time for Americas workers, Pelosi urged Trump to end the senseless shutdown in over to pave the way for lawmakers to debate border security.



You wanna negotiate on the wall? Lets proceed in a way that is respectful of our security and respectful of our values, Pelosi said.



Schumer said the shutdown ought to end now and warned that federal workers could miss a paycheck without a speedy resolution to the impasse.



The president needs to come to his senses and end this shutdown now, Schumer said. I dont think he persuaded a soul with his talk last night. It was same old, same old. Mistruths. Divisiveness.



Pelosi ducked a question asking whether shed strike a middle ground on the presidents $5.7 billion request, and said she wants a Republican offer in writing to share with the public.



We have been negotiating, she said. The White House seems to move the goalposts every time they come with a proposal. They walk away from it. Pretty soon these goal posts wont even be in the stadium.



The first order of business: open up the government, Schumer stressed.



Leadership from both parties will join the president for their third meeting in the Situation Room later this afternoon. Democrats say they plan to once again present the president with the House legislation to reopen the government -- neither bills, however, included money for a wall.



Over the weekend, congressional staffers and the White House met multiple times in an effort to find common ground and reopen the government, but no progress was made.



The president has maintained he will declare a "national emergency" to obtain border wall funds if the talks aren't fruitful.



When asked by ABC News' Cecilia Vega why the president hasn't already declared a national emergency, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said it is 'certainly still on the table.



The best solution is to be able to work with Congress to get this done, you can close a lot of the loopholes, fund border security fully and thats what were hopeful theyll do," Sanders said.



On Thursday, the president plans to make a trip to the U.S.- Mexico border in McAllen, Texas, to demonstrate the need for border security. But privately, according to the New York Times, the president has expressed doubts about the trip and his speech would make any difference.



Its not going to change a damn thing, but Im still doing it, Trump said to news anchors on Tuesday, according to the Times.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.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:Richwood, TX (77531)

Today

Sunny to partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 93F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds. Low 74F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.NETGEAR demonstrated its top of the line solutions for Home and SMBs at CES 2019 in Las Vegas. Following the 5G trend this year, NETGEAR unveiled the Nighthawk 5G mobile hotspot which is set to make a huge wave among audiences. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has already started the process of auctioning the 5G spectrum in India and according to the analysts; the 5G or the fifth generation cellular technology is set to be fully adopted in India by 2022.

Speaking at CES 2019, Marthesh Nagendra, Country Manager  India & SAARC, NETGEAR quoted NETGEAR is committed to pushing the boundaries with innovative technology and solutions. With the introduction of Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot, NETGEAR is all set to revolutionize the telecom and communications sector. With the launch, NETGEAR aims to benchmark the Indian telecom sector and provide the necessary communications tools for the upcoming 5G era.

Apart from that NETGEAR was also pleased to announce its other upcoming product introductions: The Nighthawk Ultra-High Speed Cable Telephony Modem for Xfinity Voice (CM1150V), and NETGEAR Armor cybersecurity on the award-winning Orbi Whole-Home Wi-Fi Mesh Systems, available via future firmware update on RBR50 based systems and will include a free 90-day subscription.

David Henry, Senior Vice President of Connected Home Products for NETGEAR, said, NETGEAR is thrilled to be recognized again by the Consumer Technology Association for Innovation in design and engineering for our products. We are looking forward to an exciting 2019 with the introduction of new wireless technologies as well as the addition of completely new categories that showcase the capabilities of a connected world.

NETGEAR also featured their major line-up of Home and SMB solutions including:

NETGEAR Businesss Orbi Pro Mesh Wi-Fi Ceiling Satellite  The satellite connects with the Orbi Pro Router or any other Orbi Pro satellite via the patented FastLane3 technology with a dedicated wireless backhaul for environments where wiring is challenging or impossible. Alternatively, in new builds or office expansions where power outlets are unavailable or new AC wiring is cost prohibitive, the Orbi Pro Ceiling can be powered by using Ethernet cables with (PoE) utilizing 44 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi to cover denser environments. Automatic power and channel management between satellites enable superior roaming, coverage and performance making Orbi Pro the ideal solution for large areas.

Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot  The Nighthawk 5G Mobile Hotspot is the worlds first standards-based millimeter wave mobile 5G device, available exclusively on the AT&T Mobile 5G Network. The 5G mobile hotspot combines NETGEARs continued leadership and expertise in mobile hotspot devices and uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 5G modem, the worlds first commercial 5G NR modem featuring millimeter wave.

Orbi Whole Home Wi-Fi System, which utilizes patented Fastlane3 technology, will soon be available using 6th generation Wi-Fi, 802.11ax, or Wi-Fi 6. This powerful combination will set new performance benchmarks for Mesh Wi-Fi Systems and deliver sustained gigabit internet speeds via Wi-Fi across homes and estates. Performance of the industry-leading Orbi Mesh Wi-Fi Systems is improved by adding 1024 QAM with a 44 Wi-Fi 6 backhaul, increasing the speeds, coverage and capacity of this dedicated wireless link between the Orbi router and satellites.

Nighthawk Cable Telephony modem for Xfinity Voice  The CM1150V is the worlds first-to-market retail DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem with telephone jacks, and it supports all of todays internet service plans and is designed to support Multi-Gig* high-performance internet plans, now and in the future. The CM1150V includes two telephone ports that automatically prioritizes voice over internet protocol (VoIP), for clear and uninterrupted telephone calls. Multi-Gig support coming mid Q1.

NETGEAR Insight Managed Smart Cloud Tri-band 44 Wireless Access Point (WAC540) exceeds the specifications of what is needed for dense high-traffic environments, which require reliable high-performance Wi-Fi for mission-critical business and IoT connectivity. With 3 separate radios (a single 2.4GHz and two 5GHZ channels), the WAC540 brings a total of 3Gbps throughput, broad coverage and commercial-grade security. Providing superior self-managing Wi-Fi with advanced features such as band-steering, beam forming, load balancing, airtime fairness and advanced roaming, the WAC540 can support hundreds of Wi-Fi clients for businesses requiring maximum Wi-Fi performance and coverage.

NETGEAR WAC124 High-performance AC2000 Wi-Fi router  A cost-effective Wi-Fi solution for small business offices, cafes and retail shops because this affordable solution does not require complicated installation. It provides maximum coverage with 300Mbps+1734Mbps over independent channels by employing external antennas. As a router, it is capable of supporting 3 separate and secure SSIDs over a 44 802.11ac Wave2 MU-MIMO Wi-Fi.

NETGEAR Insight Cloud Management  The solution enables easy device onboarding, intuitive set-up, remote management and full monitoring of the new WAC540 and the Orbi Pro Ceiling satellite as well as the entire network. Small Businesses will now benefit from the new Insight core management functions which include:

Instant Wi-Fi- Insight using Radio Resource Management (AutoRRM+) immediately optimizes all access points at the location either automatically, on-demand, scheduled or event-based for instant Wi-Fi setup.

RADIUS authentication on Insight Switches (Insight Premium subscription only) for enhanced security and privacy

Device Backup and Restore

Meural Generation 3.0  The upcoming availability of the 3rd generation of the Meural Canvas is the first to be produced by NETGEAR, following Meurals acquisition by NETGEAR in August 2018. With NETGEAR now at the helm, the Meural Generation 3.0 Canvas will be available in four different frames and two sizes, the 27-inch flagship and the new smaller 21.5-inch size, heralding a wave of enhancements across hardware, software, and content. Through its signature hardware product, the Meural Canvas smart art frame, and its library of 30,000 curated images from museums, artists, and content partners around the world, Meural aims to bring visual art into everyday life.

Orbi Whole Home Wi-Fi System with Built-in Cable Modem (CBK40)  With the 2-in-1 Orbi Tri-band Wi-Fi Cable Modem System replacing your existing cable modem and router, you will step up to an experience of ultra-fast mesh Wi-Fi coverage for your home. Compatible with all major cable internet service providers, the Orbi Tri-band Wi-Fi Cable Modem System is designed to work, right out of the box, with Xfinity from Comcast XFINITY, Spectrum, Cox and more. This new modem router will soon pay for itself with the money you save by eliminating equipment leasing fees from your internet provider.

Armor Cybersecurity on Orbi  NETGEAR Armor, powered by Bitdefender, is a multi-layer cyber security service that will be available via software update to existing Orbi customers in coming months. As Orbi Mesh Wi-Fi provides better whole-home coverage for todays smart homes, NETGEAR Armor actively detects and protects all devices from cyber threats such as viruses, malware, spyware, ransomware, phishing, and botnets, by blocking any attempts to access websites, URLs or IP addresses that could steal your information or identity. With the Orbi app, you will receive instant notifications when malicious threats are detected and blocked. With NETGEAR Armors advanced cybersecurity protection, Orbi users will be able to protect their home and family from cyber threats. The service will be free for the first 90-days and includes Bitdefender Total Security software for an unlimited number of personal devices, available for PCs, Macs, and iOS and Android mobile devices.

NETGEAR Smart Managed Pro S350 IPV6-ready series  The series consists of five switch models, including 8-, 24- and 48-port Gigabit Ethernet switches with 2 or 4 SFP ports for fiber uplinks. The 8- and 24-port models will include PoE+ (Power over Ethernet Plus) variants. They offer powerful Layer 2 features, enhanced performance and ease of use. Purposely designed for networks where voice, video and data are all carried over a single network, these newly affordable switches will become an essential gear in the arsenal for nearly every small business network. Advanced features such as L2/L3/L4 Access Control Lists (ACLs), Quality of Service (QoS), Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) and Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) will ensure a high-speed and secure network environment for your business.

@Technuter.com News ServiceCEF Offers Sunday School Solutions

Contact: Rachel Wigginton,636-456-4321 ext 1177WARRENTON, Mo., Jan. 9, 2019 / Standard Newswire / -- The need has never been greater for children to hear biblical truth and recognize the Bible for what it iseven children in church. Americans view of the Bible has shifted substantially in recent years, and the church is not immune. According to the Barna Group, "Millennials are half as likely as Elders to believe the Bible is the actual word of God and twice as likely to believe it is a manmade book of teachings and advice." Sunday school teachers need all the help they can get as they seek to reverse this trend! That is why Child Evangelism Fellowship has launched a new training ministry geared toward giving practical help to Sunday school teachers. Called Sunday School Solutions, it is a free video and article series available online "With over 80 years of experience in ministering to children all over the USA and around the world, CEF is uniquely positioned to give advice that works in children's ministryno matter what curriculum you use. We want to help you in all aspects of your children's ministry," stated Moises Esteves, vice president, International Ministries.The series includes topics such as keeping kids' attention, adding excitement, teaching preschoolers and classroom management strategies all from people who are right beside you in the trenches of children's ministry. Each video is less than three minutes long and can be used as part of your church's teacher training program or viewed by individual teachers. Each video has an accompanying blog post with even more practical tips on that topic.As teachers improve their skills in practical areas, children will not simply do their time in Sunday school. Instead, they will engage with the Word of God. They will be able to take in the importance and the truth of the Scriptures, and most importantly, come to a saving relationship with Christ and grow in Him throughout their lives. Not only will the trend toward skepticism be reversed, but also their lives will be truly changed.Child Evangelism Fellowship is an international, nonprofit, Christian ministry that has been teaching the Bible to children since 1937. CEF has 400 offices in the USA and is organized in most nations of the world, with over 3,400 paid staff and hundreds of thousands of volunteers. In its last ministry year, CEF ministered to over 20 million children in its face-to-face teaching ministries.Astronomers have found a new exoplanet that could alter the standing theory of planet formation. With a mass that's between that of Neptune and Saturn, and its location beyond the "snow line" of its host star, an alien world of this scale was supposed to be rare.

Aparna Bhattacharya, a postdoctoral researcher from the University of Maryland and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), led the team that made the discovery, which was announced today during a press conference at the 233rd meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Seattle.

Using the Near-Infrared Camera, second generation (NIRC2) instrument on the 10-meter Keck II telescope of the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, Hawaii, and the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope, the researchers took simultaneous high-resolution images of the exoplanet, named OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb, allowing them to determine its mass.

"We were surprised to see the mass come out right in the middle of the predicted intermediate giant planet mass gap," said Bhattacharya. "It's like finding an oasis in the middle of the exoplanet desert!"

"I was very pleased with how quickly Aparna completed the analysis," said co-author David Bennett, a senior research scientist at the University of Maryland and GSFC. "She had to develop some new methods to analyze this data -- a type of analysis that had never been done before."

In an uncanny timing of events, another team of astronomers (which included Bhattacharya and Bennett) published a statistical analysis at almost the same time showing that such sub-Saturn mass planets are not rare after all.

"We were just finishing up the analysis when the mass measurements of OGLE-2012- BLG-0950Lb came in," said lead author Daisuke Suzuki of Japan's Institute of Space and Astronautical Science. "This planet confirmed our interpretation of the statistical study."

The teams' results on OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb are published in the December issue of The Astronomical Journal, and the statistical study was published in the December 20th issue of The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb was among the sub-Saturn planets in the statistical study; all were detected through microlensing, the only method currently sensitive enough to detect planets with less than Saturn's mass in Jupiter-like orbits.

Microlensing leverages a consequence of Einstein's general theory of relativity: the bending and magnification of light near a massive object like a star, producing a natural lens on the sky. In the case of OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb, the light from a distant background star was magnified by OGLE-2012-BLG-0950L (the exoplanet's host star) over the course of two months as it passed close to perfect alignment in the sky with the background star.

By carefully analyzing the light during the alignment, an unexpected dimming with a duration of about a day was observed, revealing the presence of OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb via its own influence on the lensing.

Methodology

OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb was first detected by the microlensing survey telescopes of the Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (OGLE) and the Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA) collaborations.

Bhattacharya's team then conducted follow-up observations using Keck Observatory's powerful adaptive optics system in combination with NIRC2.

"The Keck observations allowed us to determine that the sub-Saturn or super-Neptune size planet has a mass of 39 times that of the Earth, and that its host star is 0.58 times the mass of the Sun," said Bennett. "They measured the separation of the foreground planetary system from the background star. This allowed us to work out the complete geometry of the microlensing event. Without this data, we only knew the star-planet mass ratio, not the individual masses."

For the statistical study, Suzuki's team and MOA analyzed the properties of 30 sub-Saturn planets found by microlensing and compared them to predictions from the core accretion theory.

Challenging the Theory

What is unique about the microlensing method is its sensitivity to sub-Saturn planets like OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb that orbit beyond the "snow line" of their host stars.

The snow line, or frost line, is the distance in a young solar system, (a.k.a. a protoplanetary disk) at which it is cold enough for water to condense into ice. At and beyond the snow line there is a dramatic increase in the amount of solid material needed for planet formation. According to the core accretion theory, the solids are thought to build up into planetary cores first through chemical and then gravitational processes.

"A key process of the core accretion theory is called "runaway gas accretion," said Bennett. "Giant planets are thought to start their formation process by collecting a core mass of about 10 times the Earth mass in rock and ice. At this stage, a slow accretion of hydrogen and helium gas begins until the mass has doubled. Then, the accretion of hydrogen and helium is expected to speed up exponentially in this runaway gas accretion process. This process stops when the supply is exhausted. If the supply of gas is stopped before runaway accretion stops, we get "failed Jupiter" planets with masses of 10-20 Earth-masses (like Neptune)."

The runaway gas accretion scenario of the core accretion theory predicts that planets like OGLE-2012- BLG-0950Lb are expected to be rare. At 39 times the mass of the Earth, planets this size are thought to be continuing through a stage of rapid growth, ending in a much more massive planet. This new result suggests that the runaway growth scenario may need revision.

Suzuki's team compared the distribution of planet-star mass ratios found by microlensing to distributions predicted by the core accretion theory.

They found that the core accretion theory's runaway gas accretion process predicts about 10 times fewer intermediate mass giant planets like OGLE-2012- BLG-0950Lb than are seen in the microlensing results.

This discrepancy implies that gas giant formation may involve processes that have been overlooked by existing core accretion models, or that the planet forming environment varies considerably as a function of host star mass.

Next Steps

This discovery has not only called into question an established theory, it was made using a new technique that will be a key part of NASA's next big planet finding mission, the Wide Field Infra-Red Survey Telescope (WFIRST), which is scheduled to launch into orbit in the mid-2020s.

"This is exactly the method that WFIRST will use to measure the masses of the planets that it discovers with its exoplanet microlensing survey. Until WFIRST comes online, we need to develop this method with observations from our Keck Key Strategic Mission Support (KSMS) program as well as observations from Hubble," said Bennett.

"It's very exciting to see Keck and Hubble combine forces to provide this surprising new result," said Keck Observatory Chief Scientist John O'Meara. "And it's equally exciting to know that we can make these kind of advances today to help facilitate the best science from WFIRST and Keck's partnership in the future."

The NASA Keck KSMS program will continue to make follow-up observations of microlensing events detected by telescopes on the ground and in space.

References:

* "WFIRST Exoplanet Mass-measurement Method Finds a Planetary Mass of 39  8 M_Earth for OGLE-2012-BLG-0950Lb," A. Bhattacharya et al., 2018 Nov. 30, Astronomical Journal [http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-3881/aaed46/meta, preprint: https://arxiv.org/abs/1809.02654].

* "Microlensing Results Challenge the Core Accretion Runaway Growth Scenario for Gas Giants," Daisuke Suzuki, David P. Bennett et al., 2018 Dec. 19, Astrophysical Journal Letters [http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/aaf577, preprint: https://arxiv.org/abs/1812.11785].

About Adaptive Optics:

W. M. Keck Observatory is a distinguished leader in the field of adaptive optics (AO), a breakthrough technology that removes the distortions caused by the turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere. Keck Observatory pioneered the astronomical use of both natural guide star (NGS) and laser guide star adaptive optics (LGS AO) on large telescopes and current systems now deliver images three to four times sharper than the Hubble Space Telescope. Keck AO has imaged the four massive planets orbiting the star HR8799, measured the mass of the giant black hole at the center of our Milky Way Galaxy, discovered new supernovae in distant galaxies, and identified the specific stars that were their progenitors. Support for this technology was generously provided by the Bob and Renee Parsons Foundation, Change Happens Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Mt. Cuba Astronomical Foundation, NASA, NSF, and W. M. Keck Foundation.

About NIRC2:

The Near-Infrared Camera, second generation (NIRC2) works in combination with the Keck II adaptive optics system to obtain very sharp images at near-infrared wavelengths, achieving spatial resolutions comparable to or better than those achieved by the Hubble Space Telescope at optical wavelengths. NIRC2 is probably best known for helping to provide definitive proof of a central massive black hole at the center of our galaxy. Astronomers also use NIRC2 to map surface features of solar system bodies, detect planets orbiting other stars, and study detailed morphology of distant galaxies.

About W. M. Keck Observatory:

The W. M. Keck Observatory telescopes are the most scientifically productive on Earth. The two, 10-meter optical/infrared telescopes atop Maunakea on the Island of Hawaii feature a suite of advanced instruments including imagers, multi-object spectrographs, high-resolution spectrographs, integral-field spectrometers, and world-leading laser guide star adaptive optics systems. The data presented herein were obtained at Keck Observatory, which is a private 501(c) 3 non-profit organization operated as a scientific partnership among the California Institute of Technology, the University of California, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The Observatory was made possible by the generous financial support of the W. M. Keck Foundation. The authors recognize and acknowledge the very significant cultural role and reverence that the summit of Maunakea has always had within the Native Hawaiian community. We are most fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct observations from this mountain.



Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.Astronomers from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) have announced that they have developed a new tool to find otherwise-hidden galaxy mergers in data from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey of SDSS.

These results show that by going beyond simple searches for merging galaxies based just on how they look, astronomers will now be able find more galaxy mergers than ever before.

"Merging galaxies are key to understanding galaxy evolution, but finding them can be tricky," says Rebecca Nevin of the University of Colorado, the lead author of the study. Nevin is presenting this work this week as a dissertation talk, as it formed the basis of her PhD thesis at Colorado with Professor Julie Comerford.

A pair of merging galaxies is one of the most beautiful sights in astronomy, with giant tidal streams of stars and unusual shapes sometimes resembling animals (e.g., the Antennae, Mice, Tadpole, or Penguin galaxies). However, these beautiful visible features are visible are only found in a small fraction of merging galaxies -- and even then only for a small part of the billions of years it takes for two galaxies to fully merge into one. Some galaxies that otherwise look "normal" may still be in the process of merging.

Astronomers have developed a way to find these hidden mergers. They created a method that uses simulations of merging galaxies to predict both how the mergers would look and how the stars in the galaxies would move. By comparing their results with observations of galaxies from the SDSS's Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey, astronomers will be able to do much better at identifying merging galaxies in the wild.

"These simulations allow us to predict the more subtle signs of merging galaxies, so we can find mergers in SDSS data that were previously hidden," explains Laura Blecha (University of Florida), another key member of the team.

What the team is presenting today is the part of their method that analyzes galaxy images. They have essentially made a galactic photo album, including pictures of galaxies in all stages of merging. In the past, astronomers' "photo albums" of galaxy mergers were sparse, including only galaxies in the stage of merging where they looked like spectacular mergers.

"Nowadays, it would be totally unthinkable to take only one or two selfies every year," said Nevin. "We have modernized the galaxy merger photo album -- now it's like taking one galaxy merger selfie a day for years."

The astronomers plan to make these extensive photo albums publicly available to everyone. Astronomers will use them to study how galaxies change as they undergo mergers.

The team's work so far is already a giant step forward in merger identification, but they are already taking the next step. They have already begun to incorporate data on how the stars move in the galaxies from the SDSS MaNGA survey. This will allow the team to identify even more mergers -- those where the galaxy looks completely "normal."

The key to this new analysis is to incorporate data from MaNGA on how stars within galaxies are moving. "By going beyond images alone and incorporating stellar kinematics, we will find many more merging galaxies," says Karen Masters of Haverford College, the Spokesperson for SDSS. "We'll be able to learn how the merger process impacts how galaxies in our universe evolve."

These stellar kinematics are revealed in the maps created by the SDSS's MaNGA survey. Because the spectra that MaNGA observes come from the light of all the stars in a particular part of a galaxy, stars, the spectra are slightly shifted by the Doppler effect -- blueshifted for the parts of a galaxy that are moving toward Earth and redshifted for the parts moving away from Earth. These subtle shifts reveal how the stars are moving around the galaxy.

When galaxies merge, the stars in them almost never collide, but they are thrown all around, creating dramatic distortions in the pattern of how stars move around the galaxy -- patterns that astronomers refer to as "stellar kinematics." In a typical, non-merging spiral galaxy, the stars rotate in a simple, predictable pattern. But if such a galaxy is undergoing a merger, that simple pattern becomes chaotic, creating wild (but predictable) arrangements of stellar motion. When a galaxy's patterns of stellar motion have become distorted by a merger, the stellar kinematics data from MaNGA provides direct evidence of the merger. Nevin's team, which includes astronomers from the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Florida, and Princeton University, is beginning to add stellar kinematics data into their work.

"As we improve our machine learning algorithms to incorporate the stellar kinematics of merging galaxies, we are able to identify different stages of the merger. The disturbances in the stars can last longer than imaging signatures of a merger like faint tidal tails, which fade much quicker. This means we can identify later stages in the merger, when in the imaging the galaxies look just like normal galaxies. This is a powerful new technique in the study of merging galaxies."

Understanding mergers is not only important to astronomers like Nevin's team; this understanding can help us predict the future of our own Galaxy. The Milky Way will merge with the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds in about 2.5 billion years -- and is then predicted to merge with the much more massive Andromeda galaxy in five billion years, combining to form a single super-galaxy, which some dub "Milkdromeda." This event might throw the Sun out of the galaxy, but it won't matter to future inhabitants of Earth, which will have been swallowed by the Sun as it turns into a red giant star at around the same time. But maybe our descendants will see this for themselves as they travel among the stars.

About the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Funding for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV has been provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, and the Participating Institutions. SDSS acknowledges support and resources from the Center for High-Performance Computing at the University of Utah. The SDSS website is http://www.sdss.org.

SDSS is managed by the Astrophysical Research Consortium for the Participating Institutions of the SDSS Collaboration including the Brazilian Participation Group, the Carnegie Institution for Science, Carnegie Mellon University, the Chilean Participation Group, the French Participation Group, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias, The Johns Hopkins University, Kavli Institute for the Physics and Mathematics of the universe (IPMU) / University of Tokyo, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Leibniz Institut fur Astrophysik Potsdam (AIP), Max-Planck-Institut fur Astronomie (MPIA Heidelberg), Max-Planck-Institut fur Astrophysik (MPA Garching), Max-Planck-Institut fur Extraterrestrische Physik (MPE), National Astronomical Observatories of China, New Mexico State University, New York University, University of Notre Dame, Observatorio Nacional / MCTI, The Ohio State University, Pennsylvania State University, Shanghai Astronomical Observatory, United Kingdom Participation Group, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, University of Arizona, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Oxford, University of Portsmouth, University of Utah, University of Virginia, University of Washington, University of Wisconsin, Vanderbilt University, and Yale University.

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.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.



Iceland put a ban on blood donations from gay men, but in September, the health department said it would review the ban.

Now, a chief epidemiologist is saying Iceland should lift the ban, but with restrictions. orolfur Gunason, the epidemiologist, said there should still be restrictions on the law because this group is more likely to have HIV.

First of all, in this group, there is an increased chance that their blood could be carrying HIV or hepatitis C, Gunasonsaid, as the Reykjavik Grapevine reported. There are individuals in this group who are practicing safe sex, and are therefore not at risk, while there are others, with a more liberal sex life, who are more likely to spread these kinds of infections.

This directly contradicts an earlier finding from Icelands Directorate of Health, Gay Star News reported. The study found HIV levels in gay and straight men were nearly the same.Canadian citizens are getting behind two petitions to ban conversion therapy nationally. The petitions collectively have nearly 70,000 signatures.

It Gets Better Canada, a non-profit organization that benefits LGBT youth, is petitioning for the government to develop policies that prevent anyone from trying to convert a minors sexual orientation, or gender identity, according to BBC.

Its such a deep, deep transgression and violation of the gay person, the lesbian person, the trans person, it cuts to such a deep level physically and emotionally, Peter Gajdics, an activist against conversion therapy, said, according to BBC.

Gajdics has been campaigning against conversion therapy for 20 years and is happy to see the topic finally coming to light, as it has been condemned and discredited by major medical associations and the World Health Organization.The Campbell Foundation recently held its annual end-of-year Holiday Hugs event giving out $30,000 to local organizations to assist those living with HIV.

Since its founding 24 years ago, the Campbell Foundation has given over $14 million to foundations like SunServe and The Poverello Center (with $1.3 million being put towards direct services), making it one of the communitys biggest supporters of continuing HIV research. The Campbell Foundation is a huge help to foundations like SunServe and Poverello, who often feel the stress of having dwindling funds during the busy holiday season.

Poverello, which focuses on providing food and loving care to those living with HIV, couldnt be more grateful for the Campbell Foundations help.

We serve far more people than we receive grant money to feed, said Kevin Clevenger of Poverello. Anything like the Holiday Hug the Campbell Foundation gives us each year helps fill those gaps. Over the years, its been an enormous help in our work to serve those with HIV in our community. Were so grateful for their generosity toward our community.

SunServe, which provides social services to economically disadvantaged and vulnerable members of the LGBT community shared Poverellos sentiments.

SunServe uses the Campbell Foundation Holiday Hugs gift to subsidize mental health services for HIV-plus folks, both seeing a therapist or our Psych Nurse, said Mark Ketcham, when asked what the organization was planning on doing with their grant money. We have always used this gift in this manner and so appreciate the foundation's generosity.

The Campbell Foundation itself also had something to say about its generosity this year.

While funding HIV research has been our main focus since 1995, we also realize there is a significant need in our community for critical social services including housing, food, education and counseling, said the Campbell Foundations Trustee Bill Venuti in a press release. This is especially true today as nonprofits across the spectrum struggle with obtaining donations.

Ken Rapkin, the Executive Director of the Campbell Foundation, continued his colleagues sentiments.

Our Holiday Hug program allows us to invest in vital programs in our community and around the state of Florida that are helping those live and thrive with HIV, Rapkin said. Were proud to have directed about $2 million in direct support grants over the last 24 years. AIDS is still with us and South Florida leads the country in new HIV infections, but with our community partners, we can ensure support and services remain strong.

Since its founding in 1995, the Campbell Foundation has sought to continue the research of HIV by supporting nonprofit foundations that conduct clinical, laboratory-based research into the treatment of HIV and related illnesses. Now, nearly 24 years later, the Campbell Foundation still believes in providing the community with the grants necessary to bring much-needed attention to the issues that still affect the LGBT community.If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE).Seguin, Texas (78155)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. Hot. High 94F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 71F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.Extremism case against Urals resident dropped owing to legislation amendments

 RIA Novosti

10:32 09/01/2019

MOSCOW, January 9 (RAPSI)  A court in Yekaterinburg, a city in Russias Urals, has dropped an extremism case against local citizen Vladimir Munuylenko, his lawyer Alexey Bushmakov has told RAPSI.

According to the attorney, the case has been closed for absence of a crime in the act due to the recent changes in legislation.

The case against Manuylenko was opened in April 2018 because of his publications on VKontakte. Investigators claimed that he made the posts to incite national hatred and enmity against a certain group of people. In October, the man was placed in a mental hospital for a month to undergo examination.

On December 28, President Vladimir Putin signed a bill mitigating punishment for extremism and incitement of hatred and enmity into law.

Under the document, criminal punishment would be imposed for extremist acts in public, on the Internet or media committed repeatedly within a year. They would be punished with prison terms ranging from 2 to 5 years.

The first extremist violation is to be punishable in accordance with the Code of Administrative Offences by fines of up to 500,000 rubles ($7,500) for companies; and fines of up to 20,000 rubles, community service for up to 100 hours or detention for up to 15 days for individuals.



Prosecution appeals against ex-Bolotnaya case defendants acquittal of murder

 RIA Novosti, Andrey Stenin

15:23 09/01/2019

MOSCOW, January 9 (RAPSI)  Prosecutors have filed an appeal against a ruling acquitting ex-defendant of the Bolotnaya Square riot case Richard Sobolev of ethnic murder, RAPSI has learnt in the Supreme Court of Russia.

The appeal will be heard on January 17.

In October, Sobolev was acquitted of murder upon by jury. The Moscow City Court also declared his right to rehabilitation and demand for moral damage compensation.

According to investigation, in 2014, a group of people killed a citizen of Uzbekistan in Moscow. Sobolev was detained on November 30, 2016. The man has been charged with gang ethnic murder. He pleaded not guilty.

Earlier, Sobolev, who was also charged with participation in the riots in central Moscow in 2012, was pardoned under an amnesty.

Public protests erupted on Bolotnaya Square on the eve of Vladimir Putins inauguration for a third presidential term in May 2012. The rally culminated in clashes between protesters and the police. Over 400 people were arrested, and scores were injured when protesters briefly broke through police lines. Several criminal cases under Article 318 of the Criminal Code for using violence against officials were launched as a result.

Riot organizers Leonid Razvozzhayev and Sergey Udaltsov were sentenced to 4.5 years in prison each. Other defendants in the case received prison terms ranging from suspended sentences to four years. Several defendants were pardoned; two activists were sent to compulsory mental treatment.Welcome Guest! You Are Here: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Our company already export to Germany A2 pellets from Ukraine. Quality is very good. The price is: 208 EUR/t DAP your place Germany.Payment: If your company has good credit raiting we can approve you to pay when you receive the goods.Colombia Hoy



Para nunca olvidar



Paginas vistas en total

'Parasite' painted on a statue of Queen, Elizabeth in Kent, England



Sin palabras



La UE le apunta a la paz



Cada vez mas solo



Follow by Email

Precio del Brent To get the BRENT oil price, please enable Javascript.

Dolar USA Vs Euro

LULA y su Pueblo



Bye Bye



Homenaje al genial Quino



Fueron ellos



Una imagen que resume



Tan bajo ha caido que se deja tocar el trasero?



Porky y el Nene (archiconocido narcotraficante)



Ladrones al poder



Asi mira el perrito a su amo



Crazy



Clamor popular



La nueva inquisicion



Bolivia



Chile Hoy



Eso es todo amigos!



Pinerachet



No More Trump



Adios Macri, hasta nunca



La Marioneta se desinfla



Asi o mas cinico



Almugre



Mexico en 1794



Mas arrastrado imposible



La pura verdad



Solidaridad con Palestina



Serie Capitalismo



Espejismos de la clase trabajadora



Comerciantes o delincuentes



Asi es la vida



USA HOY



La avaricia no tiene limites



Chile Hoy



Asi son las cosas



Mapa Electoral de Venezuela



Patagonia argentina?



Un aniversario mas del mayor genocidio de la Humanidad



Retrato del franquismo en Espana



El Chulo de Madrid



Cuando la policia se roba la democracia



Una imagen dice mas que mil palabras



La purita verdad



Asi gobierna la maldita burguesia



Mi pobre clase media



Como Chavez nadie



Comparte La Colmena via twitter Twittear

Programa de la MUD



Asi o mas clarito



Por que Trump no ataco Corea del Norte?



Hace 15 anos Por que la OEA no se pronuncio?



Una verguenza nacional



La luz que nos guia



La Union Europea Premio Nobel de la Paz?



Feudalismo ayer y hoy



Obama, el mentiroso



Curiosa coincidencia



Un mundo de cerdos



No es extrano?



La Marioneta



Los ricos protestan, los pobres celebran



MARICORI Y OBAMA



Cuantas muertes este ano?



USA TODAY



USA HOY 6



USA HOY 5



USA HOY 4



USA HOY 3



USA HOY 2



USA HOY (1)



Insaciable



Cronologia de un agresor



Guarimbear en USA



Mexico hoy



Bolivar y Chavez



Primero Amargado



Dios los cria y ellos se juntan



USA hoy (III)



USA hoy (II)



USA hoy



Mexico hoy



Mexico hoy



Mexico hoy



Obama



La verdad sea dicha



Los ricos



Que no nos vea Obama



Pobre Obama



SOS PALESTINA



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



VICMAN



Archivo del blog Archivo del blog marzo (4) abril (9) mayo (8) junio (10) julio (11) agosto (10) septiembre (17) octubre (11) noviembre (15) diciembre (10) enero (9) febrero (10) marzo (8) abril (5) mayo (6) junio (8) julio (13) agosto (10) septiembre (7) octubre (12) noviembre (8) diciembre (15) enero (17) febrero (11) marzo (11) abril (12) junio (6) julio (11) agosto (15) septiembre (5) octubre (15) noviembre (14) diciembre (11) enero (13) febrero (9) marzo (10) abril (8) mayo (7) junio (12) julio (12) agosto (8) septiembre (8) octubre (4) diciembre (8) enero (35) febrero (20) marzo (29) abril (19) mayo (21) junio (27) julio (21) agosto (28) septiembre (40) octubre (47) noviembre (21) diciembre (34) enero (62) febrero (81) marzo (117) abril (141) mayo (114) junio (111) julio (126) agosto (98) septiembre (160) octubre (234) noviembre (493) diciembre (319) enero (219) febrero (267) marzo (230) abril (291) mayo (347) junio (223) julio (179) agosto (191) septiembre (239) octubre (350) noviembre (406) diciembre (353) enero (284) febrero (202) marzo (274) abril (250) mayo (232) junio (251) julio (188) agosto (249) septiembre (230) octubre (178) noviembre (141) diciembre (164) enero (187) febrero (147) marzo (211) abril (190) mayo (199) junio (164) julio (162) agosto (174) septiembre (182) octubre (225) noviembre (114) diciembre (132) enero (223) febrero (147) marzo (133) abril (108) mayo (387) junio (465) julio (785) agosto (748) septiembre (485) octubre (681) noviembre (754) diciembre (805) enero (708) febrero (896) marzo (735) abril (831) mayo (723) junio (555) julio (658) agosto (619) septiembre (457) octubre (455) noviembre (295) diciembre (269) enero (534) febrero (556) marzo (205) abril (119) mayo (194) junio (255) julio (294) agosto (182) septiembre (207) octubre (340) noviembre (351) diciembre (281) enero (114) febrero (128) marzo (216) abril (195) mayo (116) junio (141) julio (182) agosto (181) septiembre (50) octubre (72) noviembre (104) diciembre (88) enero (168) febrero (102) marzo (151) abril (207) mayo (43) junio (37)

Chavez Cuanto te queremos!



Por culpa de Chavez



Cerveza Polar



Algun dia Colombia volvera a la ideologia de Bolivar



Translate

LOS REVOLUCIONARIOS NO TOMAN CACA-COLA No se trata solamente de un capricho, sino de una sana actitud en todos los sentidos. Desde la solidaridad con el pueblo colombiano donde la empresa Caca-Cola ha cometido los mas grandes abusos contra sus trabajadores incluyendo el presunto secuestro y asesinato de los dirigentes del sindicato, hasta la proteccion de la salud de nuestros hijos, enviciados por ese jarabe de cola y azucar, que les produce obesidad prematura. Pensemos tambien los revolucionarios, que ese dinero que gastamos en los refrescos es utilizado por esas empresas para financiar el terrorismo en nuestro pais. Es cierto, no se trata solo de la Caca-Cola, sino tambien de la cerveza, de los cigarrillos y todos esos articulos innecesarios y mas que eso, daninos para nuestra salud. Podriamos incluso pensar en un dia de parada para cada uno de ellos. Es cuestion de irnos organizando. Pero para empezar, que tal si dejamos de comprar Caca-Cola y sus similares?



Cuando lo extraordinario se vuelve cotidiano...



Discurso del Acto de Grado en Barinas en 12 de Febrero del 2005 Queridos Graduandos:



Mas que un discurso, quiero dirigirles algunas palabras que escribi anoche, despues de visitar en las clinicas, a los estudiantes heridos, a consecuencia de los enfrentamientos con la policia de hace apenas dos dias.



Me ha tocado por razones del destino, ser la persona que les otorgue el titulo que bien merecieron con sus estudios. Y me siento sumamente orgulloso de serlo. Me consta que la Universidad de Los Llanos Occidentales Ezequiel Zamora, a pesar de lo dicho por los enemigos de esta universidad, es una universidad de primera.



No tendremos la mejor planta fisica, en los salones hace calor. En el comedor hace calor. Pero no es en lo material que las cosas deben valorarse. El mayor capital es el ser humano. Y en eso, nuestra UNELLEZ, lo digo con conocimiento de causa, esta sobrada. Los llaneros venezolanos son nobles, valientes, de coraje.



En la UNELLEZ hacen vida, en este momento, aproximadamente 67000 personas. El 97% de ellas son estudiantes. Jovenes que, como Ustedes hasta el dia de hoy, buscan ese titulo, que constata los anos de dedicacion y de estudio.



Los jovenes son el rio de la vida, ustedes graduados deben ser los capitanes de esos barcos que naveguen por el rio de la vida.



Nuestra Patria atraviesa momentos muy dificiles porque decidio dejar de ser esa matrona de edad vetusta y complaciente, para ser joven, rebelde y altanera. Nuestra imagen ya no es la de una acaudalada ricachona mayamera. En nuestro rostro brilla ahora la sonrisa del Che Guevara, con su diente delantero torcido, su pelo largo y su boina con la estrella.



Entender esto, a mi me ha tomado practicamente toda la vida. Tengo 53 anos, y ya perdi mi oportunidad de derramar sangre joven a causa de un ideal.



Ustedes son jovenes, estan en la flor de la vida. No cometan por favor el error de renunciar a su instinto de rebelion. El Che Guevara fue Ministro de a Economia en Cuba. Los billetes y las monedas se adornaban con su rostro. Nada de eso le importo. Primero fue a Angola donde paso un penoso ano de combate. Despues se fue a Bolivia, donde encontro la muerte. El Che era el ultimo que comia, el que cargaba la mochila mas pesada. Siempre se sacrificaba por los demas en un estoicismo que mas parecia fervor religioso que ideologia marxista.



Si quieren un modelo de vida. Ahi lo tienen.



Dije hace unos momentos que el 97% de la poblacion de la UNELLEZ es estudiante. Se imaginan Ustedes la Universidad que podriamos tener si todos los estudiantes tuvieran la abnegacion, la combatividad del Che?



Los momentos que se avecinan van a requerir de una gran unidad del pueblo venezolano. La alternativa de continuar siendo libres o regresar a la pobreza se nos planteara en los proximos dias de forma enmascarada, o quizas peor, desenmascarada, vestida con uniforme de soldado del Imperio.



Por nuestra parte podemos esperar lo mejor. La macroeconomia no podria ir mejor, la justicia social ha mejorado notablemente. Las misiones ocupan un papel muy importante en el pago de dicha justicia social. Aqui en Barinas ya hemos cumplido con dos de las misiones, la mision Robinson y la mision Sucre. No hay analfabetismo y no hay exclusion en la educacion superior, en estas tierras de Zamora.



Pero ay malhaya! Son precisamente estos exitos los que nos hacen mas antipaticos al Imperio. Para ellos, somos inclusive un mal ejemplo que se esta contagiando al resto del continente y cuidado sino al resto del mundo.



Nunca venceremos al Imperio. Estara siempre ahi, acechando. Por lo menos hasta que el mismo no se autodestruya. Porque, sepanlo senores, el neoliberalismo es canibal. Cuando le ataque el hambre, se devorara a si mismo.



Ustedes, queridos graduandos, a partir de hoy pasan a conformar la elite profesional que debe sostener este pais en los proximos cuarenta o cincuenta anos. Anos decisivos para el logro de nuestra libertad y del rescate de nuestra Soberania.



No se dejen comprar. No se dejen corromper. No se dejen gritar. No se dejen pisar. Que nadie les diga que comer, o que vestirse, o que leer. Sean siempre autenticos, rebeldes, contestatarios. Pero eso si, profundamente patriotas, dignos de ser hijos de Bolivar.



Muchas gracias y que Dios los bendiga.





Alguna duda?



Medio siglo de Holocausto Palestino



Oscar Zanartu Nacio en Caracas en 1960. Ha realizado exposiciones individuales en las galerias Minotauro, Clave y San Francisco, y en salas de Coro, estado Falcon, y Puerto Ordaz, estado Bolivar. En Paris su obra ha sido exhibida en el Centro Cultural Tanagra, en la Exposicion Cite Internationale des Arts, en las galerias De Mars y Arver Space, al igual que en la Galeria Municipal Levallois, en Levallois Perret (Francia). En muestras colectivas, su obra se ha expuesto en Belgica, Francia, Estados Unidos y Venezuela; en Caracas intervino en la exposicion "Del genesis a la memoria", 1995, organizada por la Fundacion La Previsora. En 1982 obtuvo el Premio Nacional Critven y en 1990 la Mencion de Honor Jose Antonio Paez, en la Embajada de Venezuela en Paris. En 1991 se le concedio el primer premio de Pintura Itinerante, en Levallois Perret, Francia.



OZ1



OZ2



OZ3



OZ4



Homenaje a Jason Galarraga



La Victoria de Samotracia



Odalisca



Mas fotos de la nevada del pasado agosto 2008



La Sierra Nevada de Merida



Nuestro precioso Churum Meru



Homenaje a Picasso



Autoretrato



Sabes lo que bebes en una Coca-Cola?

La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.

Mi profesion?

Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.

Sal en la Coca Cola?

A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.

De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:

Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gusto

Acido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)

azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)

Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantas

Mucha Cafeina

Conservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o Potasio

Dioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebe

Sal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracion

El uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.

Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.

Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.

En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).

Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.

La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.

Bebidas Light?

Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el

Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.



Publicado por loretahur



En realidad, la formula secreta de la Coca-Cola se puede detallar en 18 segundos en cualquier espectrometro optico, y basicamente la conocen hasta los perros. Lo que ocurre es que no se puede fabricar igual, a no ser que uno disponga de unos cuantos millones de dolares para ganarle la demanda que te metera la Coca-Cola ante la justicia (ellos no perderian).La formula de la Pepsi tiene una diferencia basica con la de la Coca-Cola y es intencional, para evitar el proceso judicial. La diferencia es a proposito, pero suficientemente parecida como para atraer a los consumidores de Coca-Cola que prefieren un gusto diferente con menos sal y azucar.Tuve que aprender quimica, entender todo sobre componentes de gaseosas, conservantes, sales, acidos, cafeina, enlatado, produccion, permisos, aprobaciones y muchas otras cosas. Monte mi propio mini-laboratorio de analisis de productos.A patadas. El Cloruro de Sodio no solo refresca sino da mas sed, como para pedir otra gaseosa. Y no resulta desagradable porque la sal mata literalmente la sensibilidad al dulce... del que por cierto tambien tiene mucho: 39 gramos de azucar.De los 350 gramos de producto liquido, mas del 10% es azucar, o sea que en una lata de Coca-Cola mas de un centimetro y medio es puro azucar en polvo. Aproximadamente tres cucharadas soperas llenas de azucar por lata!!La formula de la Coca Cola es muy sencilla:Concentrado de azucar quemado caramelo- para dar color oscuro y gustoAcido fosforito (para darle el sabor acido)azucar (HFCS-jarabe de maiz de alta fructosa)Extracto de hojas de la planta de Coca (Africa e India) y otros pocos aromatizantes naturales de otras plantasMucha CafeinaConservante que puede ser Benzoato de Sodio o PotasioDioxido de Carbono en cantidad para sentir freir la lengua cuando se bebeSal para dar la sensacion de refrigeracionEl uso del acido fosforito y no del acido citrico como en todas las demas gaseosas, es para dar la sensacion de dientes y boca limpia al beber. El acido fosforito literalmente frie todo y dana el esmalte de los dientes, cosa que el acido citrico lo hace en menor grado.Trate de comprar acido fosforito para ver las mil recomendaciones de seguridad que te dan para su manipulacion (quema el cristalino del ojo, quema la piel, etc...). Esta prohibido usar el acido fosforito en cualquier otra gaseosa; solo la Coca Cola tiene permiso. Porque claro, sin el acido fosforico, la Coca Cola sabria a jabon.El extracto de coca y otras hojas casi no cambia en nada el sabor. Es mas bien un efecto cosmetico. El extracto forma parte de la Coca-Cola porque legalmente tiene que ser asi. Pero sin el, no se nota ninguna diferencia en el gusto, que esta dado basicamente por las cantidades diferentes de azucar, azucar quemada, sales, acidos y conservantes.Sabor a que...? ja, ja, ja.Aqui en Bartow, sur de Orlando, hay una empresa quimica que produce aromatizantes y esencias para zumos. Envian diariamente camionadas de sales concentradas y esencias para las fabricas de helados, gaseosas, jugos, enlatados y comida colorida y aromatizada.Cuando visite por primera vez la fabrica, pedi ver el deposito de concentrados de frutas, que deberia ser inmenso, especialmente los de naranja, pina, fresa y tantos otros. El encargado me miro, se rio y me llevo a visitar los depositos inmensos... pero de colorantes y componentes quimicos.Las gaseosa de naranja no contiene naranja.En los zumos dizque de fresa, hasta los puntitos que quedan en suspension estan hechos de goma (una liga quimica que envuelve un semi-polimero).Pina, es un popurri de acidos y goma.La esencia para helado de aguacate usa peroxido de hidrogeno (agua oxigenada) para dar la sensacion espumosa tipica del aguacate.Quieres saber la cantidad de basura que tiene un refresco 'light'? Yo ni siquiera los uso para destapar mi lavaplatos pues temo que danen los tubos de PVC. Los productos endulzantes 'ligth' tienen una vida media muy corta. Por ejemplo el aspartamo , despues de tres semanas mojado, pasa a tener gusto de trapo viejo sucio.Para evitar eso, se agregan una infinidad de otros productos quimicos, uno para alargar la vida del aspartamo, otro para neutralizar el color, otro para mantener el tercer quimico en suspension porque sino el fondo de la gaseosa quedaria oscuro, otro para evitar la cristalizacion del aspartamo, otro para realzar el sabor, dar mas intensidad al acido citrico o fosforito que perderia su sabor por el efecto de los cuatro productos quimicos iniciales... y asi sucesivamente.Un consejo final !!Despues de toda mi experiencia con la produccion de bebidas embasadas, puedo afirmar sin dudar un segundo: la mejor bebida es el agua, como tambien los jugos exprimidos de naranja o limon. Nada mas, cero azucar y cero sal.Publicado por loretahur

MARGARINA o MANTEQUILLA La margarina fue producida originalmente para engordar a los pavos; cuandolo que hizo en realidad fue matarlos.Las personas que habian puesto el dinero para la investigacion quisieronrecobrarlo asi que empezaron a pensar en una forma de hacerlo.Tenian una sustancia blanca, que no tenia ningun atractivo como comestible,asi que le anadieron el color amarillo, para venderselo a lagente en lugar de la mantequilla.Que tal esa?... Ahora han sacado algunos nuevos sabores para vender mas alos incautos como usted y yo.CONOCE USTED la diferencia entre la margarina y la mantequilla?Siga leyendo hasta el final... porque se pone bastante interesante!Comparacion entre mantequilla y margarina:

1.- Ambas tienen la misma cantidad de calorias.

2.- La mantequilla es ligeramente mas alta en grasas saturadas: 8 gramos,comparada con los 5 gramos que tiene la margarina.

3.- Comer margarina en vez de mantequilla puede aumentar en 53% el riesgo deenfermedades coronarias en las mujeres, de acuerdo con un estudiomedico reciente de la Universidad de Harvard.

4.- Comer mantequilla aumenta la absorcion de gran cantidad de nutrientesque se encuentran en otros alimentos.

5.- La mantequilla provee beneficios nutricionales propios mientras lamargarina tiene solo los que le hayan sido anadidos al fabricarla.

6.- La mantequilla sabe mucho mejor que la margarina y mejora el sabor deotros alimentos.7.- La mantequilla ha existido durante siglos mientras que la margarinatiene menos de 100 anos.

Ahora... sobre la margarina:

1.- Es muy alta en acidos grasos trans. (Si, esos que recien ahora loscientificos descubrieron que son malisimos y los gobiernoscomenzaron a prohibirlos) .

2.- Triple riesgo de enfermedades coronarias.

3.- Aumenta el colesterol total y el LDL (el colesterol malo) y disminuye elHDL (el colesterol bueno).

4.- Aumenta en cinco veces el riesgo de cancer.

5.- Disminuye la calidad de la leche materna.

6.- Disminuye la reaccion inmunologica del organismo.

7.- Disminuye la reaccion a la insulina.

Y he aqui el factor mas inquietante (AQUI ESTA LA PARTE MAS INTERESANTE! ):A la margarina le falta UNA MOLECULA para ser PLASTICO...!!Solo este hecho es suficiente para evitar el uso de la margarina de porvida, y de cualquier otra cosa que sea hidrogenada (esto significaque se le anade hidrogeno, lo cual cambia la estructura molecular de lassubstancias).Usted puede ensayar lo siguiente:Compre un poco de margarina y dejela en el garaje o en un sitio sombreado.Dentro de unos dias notara dos cosas:

* No habra moscas; ni siquiera esos molestos bichos se le acercaran (esto yale debe decir a usted algo).

* No se pudre ni huele mal o diferente porque no tiene valor nutritivo; nadacrece en ella. Ni siquiera los diminutos microorganismos puedencrecer en ella.Por que? Porque es casi plastico!!



No a la guerra, Si a la Paz



Misterios de la ciencia...



Los costos de la guerra



medicos y capitalismo...



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!

Of course. You would have to be be barking mad to want to bring this rabble to NZ. But then socialists are mad by definition. It's not as if we don't have...From the early 1990s, IIT graduates have routinely left India due to high demand of IT professionals and skilled minds in western countries, particularly the UK and the US. The immigration policies also favoured skilled and qualified technocrats.

But, the trend may be finally changing. A recent finding shows that a fewer percentage of IIT students are choosing international job offers.

In the year 2016-17, students opting for foreign placements from IITs saw a considerable dip. In fact, all IITs followed the same template, with IIT-Kharagpur, IIT-Bombay, and IIT-Madras witnessing foreign placements of only 0.85 per cent, 3.84 per cent, 1.85 per cent. None of the IITs saw more than 4 per cent of students opting for positions outside India.

During 2012-13, the top IITs in India, IIT-Kharagpur, IIT-Bombay, IIT-Delhi and IIT-Madras had witnessed foreign placements of 2.4 per cent, 5.67 per cent, 7.66 per cent, 3.88 per cent, respectively.

IIT Indore candidates had accepted the least number of international job offers as only 4 students chose foreign placements between 2012 and 2017.

According to Avika Kapoor, Vice President-Operations, Kapgrow Corporate Advisory Services, there are multiple reasons for this trend of IIT students taking up more jobs within India. She said the opportunities in core engineering field have grown over the years in India. Also, a lot of IIT graduates are interested in launching their own start-ups.

"The 'Make in India' project and the thrust of the Government on infrastructure development has added opportunities for these talented students within India. Another trend is that they go for their own startup ventures and provide jobs to more people. This is a positive sign for the country," she said.Agriculture loans worth Rs 10,253 crore disbursed by Syndicate Bank have turned into non-performing assets (NPAs) in the last five fiscal years until March 2018, revealed an RTI query.

The NPA of the public sector bank increased in the last three fiscals, with the bad loans soaring to Rs 3,851 crore in 2017-2018, according to the details obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.

Also Read: 5G rollout: DoT asks technical body to finalise IoT, M2M standards in 2 months

Noida-based engineer and RTI activist Amit Gupta had sought to know from the bank the amount of loans given to farmers till 2018 and how much of that had turned NPAs till last year.

As per the bank's reply, the NPA in the agricultural sector was Rs 962 crore in 2013-14, Rs 1,658 crore in 2014-15, Rs 1,536 crore in 2015-16, Rs 2,246 crore in 2016-17 and Rs 3,851 crore in 2017-18.

"The agricultural NPAs of the bank show an almost four-fold rise in the last five years which suggests that NPAs are not restricted only to the business sector," Gupta said.

The RTI activist further said that he has sought a similar information from other banks too, and also from the Reserve Bank of India and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). "Their response is awaited," he added.

Also Read: Sterlite Copper to approach TN government to restart Tuticorin plant

Also Read: Flipkart's Myntra narrows consolidated losses to Rs 178.7 crore for 2017-18The YES Bank stock was trading marginally higher ahead of the board meeting today in which the name of a new MD and CEO and will be announced. Subsequently, the name will be sent to the Reserve Bank of India for approval. The stock was trading 0.31% higher at 192.90 level today compared to the previous close of 192.30 on the BSE. The stock touched an intra day high of Rs 193.95, rising up to 2.14% on the BSE.

The large cap stock hit an intra day low of 190 in trade today. The stock logged turnover of Rs 36.57 crore on the BSE today with volume of 19.26 lakh recorded on the bourse.

The stock has been gaining for the last two days and risen 2.89% during the period.

The stock has lost 43.36% during the last one year.

Also read: Buy, sell or hold: YES Bank stock in focus as lender to finalise name of new MD and CEO today

28 of 47 brokerages rate the stock "buy" or 'outperform', 13 "hold" , four "underperform" and 2 "sell", according to analysts' recommendations tracked by Reuters.

The stock is trading below its 50-day moving average of 180.45 but above its 200-day moving average of 271.50.

With the RBI asking Rana Kapoor, the incumbent Yes Bank managing director and CEO, to step down by January 31, the country's fourth largest private lender has reportedly zeroed in on an in-house veteran and an outsider to take over the position. Two people in the know told The Economic Times that YES Bank senior group president of financial markets Rajat Monga and Rajesh Sud, former MD and CEO of Max Life Insurance, are in the race to fill Rana's shoes.

In September last year, the RBI curtailed the term of Rana Kapoor as CEO and MD till January 31, 2019. Rana Kapoor's term was given three-year extension by the bank shareholders in June, but the central bank had not specified the exact period of his tenure.

Meanwhile, the Sensex was trading 162 points higher at 36,143 and the Nifty gained 37 points to 10,839 level.

Edited by Aseem ThapliyalThe 10th edition of the popular e-book reader checks all the right boxes - it looks good and boasts several good features. With a thickness of 8.2 mm, this device feels sleek, is lightweight (182g) and boasts an ergonomic design with the 6-inch e-ink touch display blending seamlessly into the thick side bezels and giving it a perfect grip. The wake button and the charging port are at the bottom panel while the side panels and the rear have a rubberised soft finish. Best of all, the device is waterproof and comes with an IPX8 rating, which means it can withstand an accidental dip up to 60 minutes in 2m deep water.

Setting up the e-book reader is easy. Just connect it to the Wi-Fi network (my review unit was the Wi-Fi only variant) and log in using your Amazon account. The home page is neat and well-organised. The row on the top includes all necessary icons - home, back, settings, Goodreads, store and search. These came in handy as I was able to adjust brightness, change reading options and turn the background from white to black. The homepage also features more sections - a library containing purchased and downloaded books, new & notable in Prime reading (free and unlimited access to a selection of books if you have an Amazon Prime membership), recommendations, bestsellers in Kindle Store and new releases. Also, the device quickly downloaded books from the server and added them to the library. I was also able to increase/decrease the font size by pinching in/out using two fingers and the Kindle instantly auto-fitted the text. Moreover, I could resume my reading from where I left off whenever I opened a book. And this holds good for any book I had opened in the past. The device has plenty of additional features such as looking up a word, highlighting text, creating a note, sharing and more.

Overall, images and text appear sharp on the 300 ppi screen. Then there are five built-in LEDs to enable reading in the dark. The screen is glare-free and quite comfortable to peruse even under harsh lighting. Unlike tablets and mobile phones, the e-ink display does not strain your eyes and one can easily read for long hours. Even the battery life is impressive as a single charge lasted me long enough to finish a 500-plus-page book with still some juice left. Although nothing can replace the good old feeling of holding a printed book and turning its pages, this e-reader is convenient as I was able to download new titles and old collections quickly, in real time. Plus, the 8 GB internal memory is good enough to store thousands of books.

@nidhisingalQuota bill in the Rajya Sabha: The 124th Constitution Amendment Bill, 2019 to award 10 per cent reservation to economically weaker sections was passed with majority in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. After 10-hour long debate, most of the members in the Upper House of the Parliament agreed to go ahead with the bill despite opposition from some parties.

The Congress party supported the bill in Rajya Sabha today, but raised question over its timing and implementation. Congress Rajya Sabha member Anand Sharma says the bill is being introduced considering the Lok Sabha elections, which are scheduled to be held in May. "We understand what is happening, we are not kids," says the Congress leader Anand Sharma.

"There are three hurdles that this will have to surpass - the first hurdle is that according to me there is complete non-aplicability of mind on the part of the government in bringing this bill. The second hurdle is the constitutionality of this bill. And the third hurdle is the implementation of this bill," COngress MP Kapil Sibbal said.

Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party tried to convince the Rajya Sabha that the reservation to general category will not encroach on the reservation already provided to SC/ST and OBC categories.

Below are the live updates on BusinessToday.Infrom the debate over 10 per cent quota bill for the General category:

10:08 pm: The 124th Constitution Amendment Bill has been passed in the Rajya Sabha. 165 members voted in favour, whereas only 7 voted against the motion.

10:06 pm: The voice votes are in favour of passing the Consititution Amendment Bill to award 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker sections from the general category. Members now vote through Automatic Vote Regarding System.

10:05 pm: The MPs have voted against referring the 124th Constitution Amendment Bill to a select committee of Rajya Sabha for further scrutiny. 154 MPs voted against the motion, whereas only 18 voted in favour.

09:56 pm: The Rajya Sabha turned down the motion to refer the 124th Constitution Amendment Bill to a select committee for further scrutiny by voice vote. MP Kanimozhi, who had moved the motion, called for division. MPs will not vote through Automatic Vote Regarding System.

09:53 pm: There has been backlog in recruitments with every government. This government has tried to clear this backlog in its time with special recruitment drive, Gehlot added.

09:49 pm: If the clauses are added to the Constitution after this bill, I believe that even the Supreme Court will favour this decision as Constitutional provisions, Gehlot said.

09:48 pm: The 59.5 per cent reservation given to SC/ST and OBC categories will not be mixed with the 10 per cent reservation proposed for general category, Gehlot said.

09:42 pm: "PM Modi has introduced this bill to benefit the economically weaker sections who have been left out of the welfare schemes. The Congress had promised in their manifesto that they will introduce reservation for general category. I would like to ask them whay would they have done differently in this regard," Thaawar Chand Gehlot, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment.

"Apart from a few political parties, all political parties have supported this bill. I thank them for it," Gehlot said.

08:13 pm: "Based on an interim order from the Supreme Court, reservation in promotion is in effect. If a later judgement by the Supreme Court overturns this decision, we will bring an ordinance to bring back reservation in promotion," LJP MP and Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said in response to question raised by Congress MP Kumari Selja.

08:10 pm: Kumari Selja questioned how will the members of economically weaker sections appointed under the 10 per cent reservation criteria be promoted. "This is the part of a nefarious agenda to take out reservation," she added.

08:06 pm: "Have you cleared the backlog for reservation? What about the vacancies in the Centre? How will the Quota bill be implemented in this regard?," Kumari Selja asked.

08:03 pm: "You brought this bill to the Parliament without prior consultation knowing that we will support it as it was in our manifesto. But you are not respectful to the Parliament," said Congress MP Kumari Selja.

07:54 pm: NCP MP Praful Patel asked clarification as to what impact will the 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker section from the general category have on the 16 per cent reservation given to Marathas in Maharashtra. He also questioned the legibility of paramaters laid down for giving reservation to economically weaker sections from the general category.

07:42 pm: If this amendment is only an enabling clause for state governments then will the legislations be formed to enable 10 per cent reservation for the economically weaker sections from the general category, asked BSP MP Satish Chandra Misra.

07:16 pm: If the constitutional amendments under the Quota bill are approved, the earlier restrictions on cap of reservation will not be applicable, Paswan said.

07:12 pm: "While the Constitution amendment bill was supported across the board in Lok Sabha, it is being strongly opposed by certain members of Rajya Sabha. I appeal to all members that they support the bill," LJP MP Ram Vilas Paswan.

06:56 pm: What is the constitutional definition of economically weaker sections, asked AITC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy. Since the bill says that the deifinition of economically weaker sections will decided based on the parameters decided by state governments, can it be changed to Rs 20 lakh per annum from Rs 8 lakh per annum, he added while seeking clarification.

06:26 pm: In a country of 1.3 billion people, the Quota bill is going to benefit only around 4,500 people, Congress MP Kapil Sibbal said. This discussion is not about this bill, but it is about jobs, which cannot be created without economic development, he added.

06:21 pm: Although I support the bill, I am saddened by the way it has been tableed before the House, Congress MP Kapil Sibbal said. "There are three hurdles that this will have to surpass - the first hurdle is that according to me there is complete non-aplicability of mind on the part of the government in bringing this bill. The second hurdle is the constitutionality of this bill. And the third hurdle is the implementation of this bill," Sibbal said.

06:16 pm: The Quota bill will be applicable to jobs in both union and state governments, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

06:13 pm: The Quota bill will be an enabling clause in the Constitution which will allow state governments to make legislations which will give reservation to economically weaker sections, Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

06:05 pm: We are adding certain clauses in the Consitution which will give educational opportunities and employment opportunities to the economically weaker sections, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said. The reservation given to SC/ST will not be touched, he said.

06:05 pm: Members propose that the House will remain in session till a decision is reached on the Constitution amendment bill.

06:03 pm: The Constitution does not limit the Parliament from amending the provisions of the Constitution, given that the basic structure of the Constitution is not tampered with, stated BJP MP and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

05:55 pm: What is the hurry to bring a Constitution amendment bill now apart from the fact that there are elections in a 100 days, said DMK MP Kanimozhi.

05:40 pm: Is there a machinery in place to ensure that only deserving beneficiaries are covered under the 10 per cent reservation for general poor as they might see a change in their economic status later on, asked Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai.

Will this Bill stand legal scrutiny, he further asked. Desai also sought clarification on whether the Quota bill have any impact on the 16 per cent reservation given to Marathas by the Maharashtra government.

05:28 pm: RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha called for the Constiution amendment bill to include the private sector. He said that a deeper consideration of the bill would have led to its termination on the grounds of constitutional untenability and legal untenability.

Our party openly opposes the Quota bill, Jha said.

05:09 pm: This bill is an election ploy by the government and an attempt to cover up its failure in creating jobs, CPI(M) MP Elamaram Karim said. Modernisation and AI are eating into jobs, then how will this reservation bill benefit the poor, he added.

05:05 pm: Either make reservation uniform across the nation or give the prerogative to state governments so that they can formulate reservation policies by taking into consideration the demographics of their respective states, said Prakash Banda of TRS.

04:42 pm: Although this Quota Bill will not remedy the problem of unemployment entirely, it will be first time in India that reservation will become universal instead of sectional, said Ram Chandra Prasad Singh, JD(U) said during the debate over the Constitution Amendment Bill in Rajya Sabha.

He also called for removing any limits on attempts for taking the UPSC examinations so that meritorious aspirants who will not be covered under reservation even after the Quota bill can be benefitted.

04:32 pm: "There might be issues with the Quota Bill which needs to be rectified, but our party supports this bill. We want this Bill to be passed today. We don't doubt the policy behind this Bill, but the ruling party's intention behind it," Prasanna Acharya of Biju Janata Dal said in the Rajya Sabha.

4.21pm: Derek O'Brien of TMC: On July 21, 2013, Mr Modi was asked what is the long-lasting solution on job reservation? His answer was: "Who should ask for reservation? We have to move from an era of scarcity to an era of plenty, like we have done in Gujarat."

Now tell me what prompted the government to bring this bill now, asks O'Brien.

4.13pm: Derek O'Brien of TMC: Four out of five laws have been passed here without scrutiny under this government. Total 14 new bills have been introduced in this session. How many sent for scrutiny? Only 1. Now will this bill pass constitutional scrutiny? Do you have any numbers to prove this? This bill is actually acknowledgement of guilt. Where are the jobs? You promised 2 crore jobs. Now you are asking people to do 'pakora' jobs.

4.00pm: AIADMK opposes the bill. "The state of Tamil Nadu will suffer the most due to this bill. The Supreme Court has already said that no government can bring a change in the basic structure of the Constitution. Now the bill will be challenged in the Supreme Court on these same logics, and the apex court will then reject it," said AIADMK member A. Navaneethakrishnan.

3.28pm: The government should also provide reservation in the private sector, says Ram Gopal Yadav. "Now when you have broken the 50 per cent reservation barrier, I request the government to bring 54 per cent reservation for the OBCs."

3.16pm: SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said his party supports the quota bill. However, he added that the government's intention behind bringing the bill is not right. "The bill is against SC's bigger bench decision, which can now uphold it. Moreover, there are no jobs so the talk of reservation would be a cheating," he added.

3.04pm: The Congress party supports the constitution amendment bill for the 10% reservation for the General Castes, says Anand Sharma.

2.52pm: Anand Sharma on the quota bill: "You (the government) would have never brought this bill. It's just that people have shown you that you have to work for the welfare of the people. The entire country knows what you promised and what you delivered. Why is that you did not bring the Women Reservation Bill? You brought triple talaq but you don't care about other women. Bring the law tonight, extend the Lok Sabha session, and we will support it (the Women Reservation Bill)."

2.49pm: "After every high tide, there is low tide. 'Sabka sath sabka vikas' is a good thinking but is it happening? The entire country is waiting for those days. The Article 15 and 16 already provides reservation for the socially backward people. Even the SC had rejected such a proposal. This has always been a challenge for the previous governments. The question is: what prompted you to bring this law? I am not opposing, the entire country is asking. Why did you bring this law in the last session of the Parliament? The reason his: you have faced beating in the recent Assembly elections in three states. However, the big message is yet to come in a few months. So, I can say that this bill has been brought by a government, which is already in departure mode."

2.35pm: "We need to examine the history of reservation. The Constitution provides reservation for all socially backward people," says Congress leader Anand Sharma.

2.30pm: The Narendra Modi government is committed for the welfare of all, says BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav.

2.31pm: The quota bill will ensure that more than 95 per cent of the population benefits from the reservation, says Jha. He added Congress President Rahul Gandhi thinks about 'Rafale' even in his dreams, but does not speak about the quota bill.

2.19pm: Prabhat Jha, BJP MP, on the Quota bill: "Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who comes from poor background, thought about the welfare of all and did something no previous governments could do, and proved the BJP's core principle of 'Sabka sath sabka vikas'."

2.15pm: "There are few apprehensions. But this bill is not state specific. It is applicable to all states and union territories. Assam has been facing illegal migration issue for decades and we have an Assam Accord. We are just implementing the Assam Accord. We have constituted a high power committee [prescribed under Clause 6 under Assam Accord] to safeguard the interest, integrity and welfare of people of Assam. The committee will submit its report within six months," says the Union Home Minister.

2.08pm: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh is now speaking on the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

1.24pm: Of the total 163 members, as many as 89 members of NDA, 69 of UPA, and 80 others are supporting the bill, while 13 AIADMK members have not decided so far, reported News18.

1.00pm: During a rally in Solapur, Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said "our principle of 'Sabka sath sabka vikas' has been further strengthened" after the bill was passed in the Lok Sabha.

PM Modi in Solapur: Y'day late night, a historic bill was passed in Lok Sabha. By passing the bill regarding 10% reservation being granted to economically weaker section in the general category, our principle of 'Sabka sath sabka vikas' has been further strengthened. #Maharashtrapic.twitter.com/ZGwXzy5AqG - ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

12.50pm: After an uproar by the Opposition, the Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2pm.

12.47pm: The decision to introduce the bill has been taken after a thorough consideration, says Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot.

Union Minister Thawar Chand Gehlot on 10% quota bill in Rajya Sabha: This bill will uplift the poor of the nation. This decision has been taken with thorough consideration; Opposition comes into the well of the House as the minister speaks on the Bill. pic.twitter.com/THZVUmiicZ - ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

12.46pm: The amendment bill on the 10 per cent reservation for General class should be forwarded to a select committee for the further scrutiny, says CPI leader D Raja.

12.45pm: Congress Rajya Sabha member Anand Sharma says the bill is being introduced considering the Lok Sabha elections, which are scheduled to be held in May. "We understand what is happening, we are not kids," says the Congress leader.

12.40pm: As many as 323 members supported the bill in the Lok Sabha, while three members voted against it.

12.35pm: The bill provides reservation in the central as well as educational government jobs, which also includes private higher educational institutions, to those belonging to the economically weaker sections from the upper castes.

Also read: Lok Sabha passes 10% job quota bill for upper caste poor; also covers private education institutions

12.30pm: The government introduces the Constitutional amendment bill to give 10 per cent reservation to the upper castes poor in government jobs.Bharat Bandh Live: On the second day of Bharat Bandh on Wednesday, several roads and railway lines are being blocked by the central trade unions members protesting against the Narendra Modi government. Some reports of attacks on buses have also emerged from West Bengal and Kolkata. The Bharat Bandh strike, which has the support of major bank unions, farmers' unions, and teachers' associations, has received significant support from all the workers across the country. The day-to-day banking services are also suffering due to the Bharat Bandh call, causing inconvenience in banking services like depositing cheques, demand drafts, and cash deposit. People are also facing problems in withdrawing cash as ATMs in several areas have been running dry.

Follow BusinessToday.in's live blog for more updates on the Bharat Bandh.

04:10 pm: Reports of banking services being slightly hit in branches of public sector banks in Telangana are coming in, as bank employees affiliated to All India Bank Employees Association and Bank Employees Federation of India took part in the strike. Apart from that, the 40-hour nationwide bandh called by central trade unions has been uneventful in the state.

04:01 pm: Protestors stopped trains at a few places in Tamil Nadu under the 48-hour Bharat Bandh. Meanwhile, trade unions staged a protest march in New Delhi, with members of the trade unions behind the bandh marching from Mandi House.

03:30 pm: In Bihar, RJD, SP and HAM supported the two-day nationwide bandh called by central trade unions over minimum wages, scoial security schemes and other demands.

Visuals from Patna: RJD, SP, HAM & Left parties participate in the two-day nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. #Biharpic.twitter.com/rx8pnACkGS - ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

01:32 pm: Trains were blocked in various parts of Kerala on Wednesday during Day 2 of the 48-hour trade union strike. Thiruvananthapuram-Hyderabad Sabari Express and Venad Express were blocked at the Thiruvananthapuram railway station. The Kottayam-Nilambur passenger train in Kalamassery was also held up for a while.

01:30 pm: A treasury branch of the State Bank of India in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala was attacked as the 48-hour trade union strike entered its second day. The branch manager said a group of people came to his cabin at around 10:00 am and threatened the staff, damaged a glass table top and a computer. No additional police security was sought as the security staff was on duty, he added.

12.07 pm: Cheques worth about Rs 20,000 crore could not be cleared by the clearing houses all over the country yesterday, claimed AIBEA General Secretary CH Vekatchalam.

11.55 am: In view of the strike, the West Bengal government has asked bus drivers to wear helmet while driving.

Visuals from Kolkata-Jadavpur bus stand in Kolkata: State govt directs bus drivers to wear helmet while driving, in view of nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages, social security schemes & against privatisation of public&govt sector. #WestBengalpic.twitter.com/Hsw0tCxhtp - ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

11.46 am: Several PSU bank employees came in support of the nation-wide strike call given by 10 central trade unions.

11.18 am: Two students injured during protests in West Bengal.

Howrah: Two students injured after protestors participating in the two-day nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others, pelt stones at a bus at Shanpur Mor on Jhikira-Howrah route. #WestBengalpic.twitter.com/R3YpOEmUFs - ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

11.15 am: Ten central trade unions, comprising over 20 crore workers, who have jointly called for the nationwide general strike are INTUC, AITUC, HMS, CITU, AIUTUC, AICCTU, UTUC, TUCC, LPF and SEWA.

11.13 am: All India Trade Union Congress General Secretary Amarjeet Kaur told PTI that there will be a complete bandh in Goa and Bihar, while 100 per cent strike is expected in other parts of the country too.

Also read: Bharat bandh: Protesters clash with police, block railway lines as farmers, trade unions call for 2-day strike

11.11 am: Normal life disrupts in some parts of the country. CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty along with other protestors detained by police.

Kolkata: CPM leader Sujan Chakraborty along with other protestors detained by police while they were participating in the two-day nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions demanding minimum wages and social security schemes among others. #WestBengalpic.twitter.com/umdCeJitKc - ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

10.30 am: The 10 central trade unions (CTUs), which have given a call for the two-day Bharat Bandh are protesting the government's snub of their 12-point charter of demands, seeking minimum wage of Rs 18,000, social security for workers and issue related to price rise.The blog ad industry has blackballed me and all of my websites because of my political views, so I can no longer support this site through ads. Accordingly, I have posted

my resume

for prospective employers to view.Decrease Font Size Font Size Increase Font Size

Article body

This years strain of influenza is now considered widespread in Alabama and is likely to increase, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With the flu now in its peak season, experts at Auburn Universitys Harrison School of Pharmacy encourage people to take advantage of the vaccine.

Alabama is one of 19 states reporting high levels of the flu at the end of 2018. According to the Alabama Department of Public Health, almost every county in the state is reporting significant flu activity. What makes this spike in activity more significant is data that many adults have put off getting the flu vaccine.

According to a recent survey by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, 43 percent of American adults said they had already received a flu shot. The majority of people who hadnt been vaccinated already, 41 percent of the total sample, said they were not planning to get the shot at all. Fourteen percent said they were planning to get a flu shot but had not done so yet.

Dr. Spencer Durham, an assistant clinical professor and infectious disease specialist in the Harrison School of Pharmacys Department of Pharmacy Practice, said the peak of flu season is just getting under way and people should consider getting a flu shot.

Influenza season generally begins in October and can last through May, with peak activity usually between December and February, said Durham. Patients should get vaccinated as soon as possible after the vaccine is available, and ideally prior to peak activity.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, reviews the effectiveness of the vaccine each year and oftentimes bases expectations on how virulent the strain was and how it was treated in the southern hemisphere, such as Australia. So far, the current vaccine appears to have worked well in that region and is performing better than last years vaccine.

For the current season, the H3N2 strain included in the vaccine has been updated to better match the circulating strain, which will hopefully result in better protection against this strain compared to last year, said Durham. It is important to remember that, even if a patient gets the flu after receiving the vaccine, it is not usually as severe as if the patient had not received the vaccine at all. This is one of the reasons it is so important to get vaccinated.

The CDC recommends annual influenza vaccinations for everyone age 6 months or older. Vaccination is especially important for people at high risk of influenza complications, including pregnant women, older adults and young children. Children between 6 months and 8 years may need two doses of the flu vaccine, given at least four weeks apart, to be fully protected.

Certain patients are at a higher risk of developing complications from the flu, such as pneumonia or having to be hospitalized. These patients include: children age 6 months to 5 years; adults 50 years of age and above; patients with chronic lung diseases, such as asthma and COPD; patients with diabetes mellitus; and patients who have lower immune system function, such as patients who have cancer or HIV, said Durham. It is important to keep in mind that it is recommended for all patients to receive the flu vaccine, not just these patients who are at higher risk of complications.Should he or shouldnt he? Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

In the weeks after the 2016 election, Joe Biden spent a lot of time with influential Democratic officials and operatives who were devastated by Hillary Clintons loss to Donald Trump. Biden was too, of course, and he made no secret of his disgust with the new president. In these get-togethers  when he was away from microphones  though, he also started to muse, ruefully, that his party had run the wrong candidate this time, according to Democrats who talked with him then. The outgoing vice-presidents implication was clear to those he addressed: Had he run, he thought, he could have beaten Trump. It should have been his time. Two years on, Bidens now laid preliminary groundwork for a 2020 campaign in part by trying to avoid some of the mistakes that plagued Clinton, turning down speaking contracts worth millions and making a point to campaign in places where Democrats dont usually fare very well, for example.

Its no surprise that, in considering another run, Biden would try to prove he wouldnt fall into familiar traps, and other potential candidates are doing the same ahead of 2020 (witness just about every single hopeful appearing in Wisconsin ahead of last years midterms). But Bidens most important challenge now is slightly different than the standard Democratic one this year  he is fighting off a dynamic that almost never ends well for presidential contenders. Its a pitfall thats also threatening to haunt Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bloomberg in their own 2020 ambitions, and, on the flip side, the imperative to avert it has ratcheted up the pressure on Beto ORourke to jump into the race.

Call it Chris Christie Syndrome, or the I Could  Maybe Should  Have Run Last Time Effect.

It works like this: Imagine youre publicly considering a presidential bid, or that youre the focus of serious speculation about it. You decide not to run, but your party then goes on to lose. The following election, then, is almost always doubly tricky for you if you want to run.

One of the few universal truths in politics is that its about the right person with the right message at the right moment in history, and theres no formula for figuring out who that is, or when that is, until its in front of you, explained longtime Democratic strategist Mo Elleithee, who now runs Georgetowns Institute of Politics and Public Service. Elleithee worked for Hillary Clinton in 2008, on an unsuccessful campaign that was  early on  followed by occasional questions about whether she should have jumped into 2004s fray.

Its delicate ground to tread. First, theres the potential fear that youve missed your moment to succeed, for whatever reason: Maybe the state of your opposition has changed, your own career has stalled, external factors  say, the economy  have shifted and now favor you less, and so on. Then, theres the difficulty of running an entirely new race without succumbing to the temptation of fighting the last ones strategic battles. And finally, theres the challenge of convincing the public  which knows you considered running last time  that your campaign really is about the future, not trying to lay belated claim to what might have been yours four years ago.

It is doable. Your best-case scenario is replicating Bill Clintons 1992 triumph, after he opted against a 1988 campaign. But recent history is also littered with examples of failed contenders whose runs were plagued by concerns that the political environment was better suited for them four years earlier  that their moment had passed and they were trying too hard to reclaim it. Most recently, and most obviously, that includes Christie. The thenNew Jersey governor turned down a big-money and high-powered draft effort to take on a seemingly vulnerable Barack Obama in 2012, and then fell flat in 2016 when his blunt brand was overtaken by a far louder GOP option.

He could have been a contender.

Deciding that the time just isnt right for you twice in a row is hard, of course. Former Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick  who demurred on 2016, considered 2020, and concluded that his window was still shut  did it. But it may be harder, politically, to pursue the other road.

Inevitably, pressure is on Biden, Bloomberg, and Warren (the only semi-declared candidate of the bunch) to prove that the crowded 2020 landscape is, indeed, the right one for their unique profiles, and that they didnt miss their best shots at the White House in 2016. So far, the potential candidates are treating that question differently.

People around Warren say she doesnt often talk about the last race, let alone whether she would have won if shed agreed to the flood of 2015 entreaties to run. And her quick announcement of an exploratory committee last month, followed by an aggressive rollout of veteran campaign hires, couldnt have provided a starker contrast to the last cycle, when she avoided making any sort of reveal for months as progressive groups tried pushing her into the race. Then, they failed to persuade her that she was needed in the race, and turned to Bernie Sanders. Now, Warren is no longer being treated as progressives lone would-be savior. That ground has shifted, and shes acknowledging it.

Biden still speaks openly among friends about how he wishes he could have been in a place to run last time, and his preparations reflect that. He ultimately decided against it largely because he was still recovering from the death of his son, and he thinks he could have beaten Trump if hed been able to compete. Now, hes even more convinced that the political moment is calling to him  he and his advisors speak of him as a potential remedy to Trumps inexperience and instability, and of his ability to connect with working-class Rust Belt voters who turned away from Hillary Clinton. Their main concern isnt that his partys fired-up base no longer yearns for a Biden-style moderate, but simply that, at 76, he may now be too old.

Believes he would have won big. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Bloomberg, meanwhile, has decided for a new tack entirely, recognizing the new political terrain. While he seriously explored competing as an independent in 2016, he decided against it after his teams analysis demonstrated that his entrance to the race might help elect Trump. His 2020 bid  if it happens  would be as a Democrat. He could actually win this way, he thinks.

And while the political world waits for white or black smoke to emerge from El Paso, ORourke keeps hearing one side of the argument: You dont want to look back in four years and realize youve missed your best  and maybe only  shot, well-wishers keep telling him, according to Democrats in his orbit.

Too often people try to overly calculate this and then end up missing their chance, said Elleithee. Barack Obama is the example of someone who saw it, who realized that despite his shortcomings in terms of experience and name [recognition], and all the other things that people add into their calculations, that he was uniquely positioned in that moment.

People advising the congressman and his allies have urged them to consider that hell likely only get this one chance at the White House. If he has any ambition to ever be president, he should take it, they say, or risk regretting it down the line, when hes no longer a fresh face or the new, buzzy name in Democratic politics drawing comparisons to Obama.

The conditions have almost been prepared for him, said one strategist close to ORourke and his small team.

Now, with news Monday that ORourke is looking at a national road trip to gauge his 2020 prospects, it seems like hes taking this argument more seriously. But, said multiple such Democrats, ORourke himself still isnt one for talking about his unique potential moment. For now, hes still just listening.DJ Koh, president of mobile communications at Samsung Electronics, speaks during the Samsung Unpacked product launch event in New York on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018. Photo: Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images

When news hit Tuesday that Samsung was warning its own investors to brace for a dour earnings report at the end of this month, many were quick to tie it to Apples previous announcement that it would miss its own revenue target by a significant margin. The start of smartphone decline means Apple is having trouble moving phones, so it follows that Samsungs troubles must have the same root cause, right?

Not really. Samsung is a very, very different company from Apple. While Samsung is the largest phone manufacturer in the world, it actually makes most of its profits from memory chips  notably with DRAM and NAND flash memory, which are used in a whole host of electronics, from server farms to graphics cards  and supply has now outstripped demand; the prices of both DRAM and NAND chips dropped steadily in 2018. That trend is expected to continue in 2019, and the pain has finally hit Samsung.

But if the lions share of Samsungs troubles are due to the flagging price of memory chips on the market (which will, ironically, help other smartphone manufacturers that buy their memory technology from Samsung), its phone sales havent helped. Samsung also warned that sales of its Galaxy S9 and S9+ were weaker than expected, which perhaps should not come as a huge surprise. The S9 and the S9+ are very nice phones that are, in most ways, not that different from the S8 and the S8+, which were released one year earlier.

Somewhat overlooked amidst Samsungs bad news was LGs warnings about its own flagging revenue. While the company declined to give a specific reason, its safe to assume it did not set the world on fire with its smartphone sales in the past year. LG, to put it kindly, hasnt been a major player in the smartphone space for a while, despite putting out some compelling flagship phones in its V series (if youre an audiophile who needs a good phone with a headphone jack, grab an LG V30 with a QuadDAC adapter for under $400 today).

And if things are bad for Apple, Samsung, and LG, save some sympathy for poor HTC, which reported its lowest revenue numbers since 2003. While HTC has pledged it wont exit the smartphone market, its rapidly retreating from markets like India and China, where Chinese brands like Vivo and Oppo have established dominance.

As Apple, Samsung, and other phone manufacturers release their full annual earning reports at the end of the month, therell be plenty more actual info to dig into, which should give everyone a clearer picture of how bad 2018 was for smartphone sales overall.

My guess? The entire marketplace is just waking up to fact that the smartphone market  particularly the premium smartphone market  nosedived in 2018, without anyone sounding the alarm. And 2019, the outlook on which already seems shaky for a whole host of reasons on the macroeconomic level, will be the first year that a large swath of the market will have to come to terms with a world in which smartphone sales arent shooting up by double digits.

Apple and Samsung and others manufactures have been aware that this smartphone decline has been coming for a while, but are the companies in the supply chain that support smartphones similarly prepared? What about app makers that rely on ever-growing install bases? Or the glut of factory-authorized carrier reseller stores that popped up across America during a time of cheap money and cheap commercial real estate?

It feels a bit hyperbolic to say that there was a smartphone bubble, and that 2019 is the year that bubble is gonna pop. Instead, think of it more like one of those sad helium balloons after a party, slowly contracting and floating ever closer to the floor.Heartbreaking: The worst Fox News host you know just made a great point. Photo: Fox News

Americas capitalists and social conservatives havent always been friends. In the 1760s, Evangelical Christians led one of Americas first movements for progressive taxation, debt relief, and curbing the power of private finance. A little over a century later, rural-dwelling Bible-thumpers powered William Jennings Bryans crusade against Wall Street perfidy; some decades after that, they played a part in brokering the New Deal.

In other words, the marriage between Americas cultural traditionalists and its reactionary plutocrats is a relatively young one. And if Fox News prime-time programming is any guide, the former are contemplating a trial separation.

Last week, in a much-discussed opening monologue, Tucker Carlson informed the GOP base that congressional Republicans consider it their duty to make the world safe for banking (by sending your sons to die in needless wars); that thanks to supply-side economics, an American who works for a salary pays about twice the tax rate as someone whos living off inherited money; and that human beings do not exist to serve markets, markets exist to serve human beings. This being Fox News, Carlson seasoned his pseudosocial democratic sentiments with jabs at identity politics, affirmative action, feminists, immigrants, and millennial stoners.

But free market capitalism was the true target of Carlsons indictment; all those manifestations of social liberalism were mere charges on the formers rap sheet. In Carlsons telling, the Reagan revolution devoured its own children. The heart of his case is worth quoting at length:

Thirty years ago, conservatives looked at Detroit or Newark and many other places and were horrified by what they saw. Conventional families had all but disappeared in poor neighborhoods. The majority of children were born out of wedlock. Single mothers were the rule. Crime and drugs and disorder became universal.

What caused this nightmare? Liberals didnt even want to acknowledge the question. They were benefiting from the disaster, in the form of reliable votes. Conservatives, though, had a ready explanation for inner-city dysfunction and it made sense: big government  There was truth in this. But it wasnt the whole story. How do we know? Because virtually the same thing has happened decades later to an entirely different population. In many ways, rural America now looks a lot like Detroit.

 Heres a big part of the answer: male wages declined. Manufacturing, a male-dominated industry, all but disappeared over the course of a generation. All that remained in many places were the schools and the hospitals, both traditional employers of women. In many places, women suddenly made more than men.

Now, before you applaud this as a victory for feminism, consider the effects. Study after study has shown that when men make less than women, women generally dont want to marry them. Maybe they should want to marry them, but they dont. Over big populations, this causes a drop in marriage, a spike in out-of-wedlock births, and all the familiar disasters that inevitably follow  more drug and alcohol abuse, higher incarceration rates, fewer families formed in the next generation.

Carlsons story is replete with demagogic lies. But it also contains a few important truths (or, half-truths, anyway). Tellingly, conservative criticism of the hosts monologue has largely elided the latter. In the New York Times, Brett Stephens observed that neoliberal capitalism has been kind to people like Tucker Carlson  a point wholly compatible with the Carlsons argument. In the Atlantic, Conor Friedersdorf argued that Carlson is a mendacious demagogue, whose monologue misled viewers about the prevalence of marijuana abuse in contemporary America. This is true. But its also irrelevant to Carlsons central claim, which was that Republican economic orthodoxy is undermining conservative social values. To his credit, the National Reviews David French took square aim at Carlsons thesis; to his discredit, this was the entirety of his rebuttal:

[Carlson] says, increasingly, marriage is a luxury only the affluent in America can afford. Yet a healthy, faithful marriage is often the gateway to affluence. Affluence is not a prerequisite for marriage  In fact, it is still true that your choices are far more important to your success than any government program or the actions of any nefarious banker or any malicious feminist  While there is much talk of a shrinking middle class, a large part of that shrinkage is, in fact, due to the fact that so many Americans are moving up. In other words, the upper class isnt a set population of exploiters and elitists. Its a growing population of workers and strivers.

This is an assertion of faith, not a substantiated argument. And to the extent that its true, its only trivially so. The fact that it is possible for a given individual to achieve economic security by making sound personal choices does not mean that all individuals can do the same. Our economic system would collapse if everyone did as French advises. American capitalism cant support an entire nation of ladder-climbing strivers; it requires tens of millions of low skill workers. In the coming years, were going to need increasingly large numbers of workers to look after the elderly and lift boxes in warehouses. If public policy fails to ensure that the people who perform such tasks earn living wages, then they will never be affluent  no matter how healthy their marriages are. Further, as Carlson suggests, workers who lack savings, job security, and access to affordable child care will find it more difficult to form and sustain healthy marriages. French is earnest, but fallacious. An individuals decisions might well be the proximate cause of her success or failure in economic and marital life. But that assertion tells us nothing about whether public policies (or nefarious bankers) have created an economic system that selects for bad decision-making  or even one that requires many individuals to make the wrong choices in order for it to function.

The conservative movements apologies for free market capitalism have always rested on such sophistry. Whats new is the willingness of leading conservative commentators to say that the meritocracy has no clothes. In the days since Carlsons monologue went viral, right-wing pundits like J.D. Vance  and institutions like the National Marriage Project  rallied to the hosts defense. Meanwhile, Ann Coulter (never to be outdone) announced her support for a 70 percent tax on concentrated wealth. All of which prompts the question: Why has a class war broken out at the heart of the Murdoch empire?

The alliance between family values conservatives and free-market capitalists has always been a marriage of convenience.

To understand why social conservatives are turning on their fiscally libertarian co-partisans, one must remember why they partnered in the first place. The businessmen whose fortunes built the (literal and figurative) foundations of the conservative movement saw the New Deal state as its primary enemy. But the traditionalist whites (i.e. the overlapping constituencies of Evangelical Christians, culturally conservative white ethnics, and southern segregationists) whose votes put that movement into power never did. When the welfare state appeared compatible with the patriarchal family, traditional social values, and white racial privilege, they happily supported it. Only when the Great Society began undermining those institutions did such voters sour on big government.

As the political scientist Melinda Cooper argues in Family Values: Between Neoliberalism and the New Social Conservatism, the New Deal bargain was compatible with social traditionalism in many respects. Male workers secured social insurance largely through private employment  and thus, women secured such insurance largely through their husbands. Meanwhile, by inflating blue-collar wages, strong unions made the conservative family model  a sole male breadwinner and stay-at-home wife  attainable for a much larger share of American households. And the racially exclusive eligibility requirements of many New Deal programs ensured that the median white family enjoyed access to more comprehensive public subsidies and private benefits than the median black one.

But by the 1960s, it became apparent that big government could also foster anti-normative behavior and challenges to the social order. As tuition-free colleges proliferated, young adults became less financially dependent on their parents, and thus, more willing to question inherited values. As welfare programs grew more generous, women became less financially dependent on the fathers of their children, and thus, more capable of choosing single motherhood over an unsatisfying or abusive relationship. And as African-Americans migrated North, the welfare state became more racially inclusive.

These developments (among others) made social conservatives amenable to arguments that framed the Great Society as an enemy of the traditional American family, (and in some regions, the traditional American racial order). And right-wing economists were happy to provide some. In fact, libertarian thinkers like Milton Friedman earnestly shared Evangelical Christians concerns about the decline of the traditional family  because they saw the family unit as an indispensable substitute for the welfare state that they wished to destroy. As Cooper explains:

Writing at the end of the 1970s, the Chicago school neoliberal Gary Becker remarked that the family in the Western world has been radically altered  some claim almost destroyed  by events of the last three decades.  Becker believed that such dramatic changes in the structure of the family had more to do with the expansion of the welfare state in the post-war era than with feminism per se  which could be considered a consequence rather than an instigator of these dynamics  Beckers abiding concern with the destructive effects of public spending on the family represents a key element of his microeconomics  but one that is consistently overlooked by the critical literature. Indeed, at different times and in different contexts, each of the key figures of American neoliberalism can be found invoking the idea that the natural obligations of family should serve as a substitute for the welfare state, that the altruism of the family represents a kind of primitive mutual insurance contract and serves as a necessary counterweight to market freedoms.

Thus, the bedrock logic of the alliance between social conservatives and reactionary capitalists was this: One valued small government because it (supposedly) enabled the patriarchal family (and/or racial hierarchy), while the other valued the family because it enabled small government.

Social conservatives have paid a price for hopping into bed with the worshippers of mammon.

But social conservatives were always the junior partners in the GOP coalition. And when the dual objectives of rolling back the New Deal bargain  and reviving cultural traditionalism  came into conflict, the former took priority.

As a result, the logic of social conservatives alliance with capital has fallen apart. In his monologue, Carlson correctly observed that free market capitalism is deeply implicated in the social decay of white rural America  and that, in hindsight, it was also implicated in the social decay of Detroit and Newark; which is to say, in the very species of social disorder that led many fans of the patriarchal family to embrace libertarian arguments in the first place.

These arent new truths. But contemporary conditions have made them harder for red America to ignore. Thanks to a combination of global supply chains, corporate consolidation, and network effects, capital has been fleeing rural counties and concentrating in big cities  taking many conservatives kids along with it. Americas most paranoid reactionaries long feared that big government liberals had a secret plan to coerce urbanization; market forces (and Robert Borks jurisprudence) have achieved much of what Agenda 21 never could. And as theyve done so, the rural working class has found the normative family structure harder to maintain. Carlsons suggestion that feminism  which is to say, efforts to grant women reproductive and economic autonomy  inevitably condemned countless men to empty, lonely lives is dangerous and false. But there is real sociological evidence behind the claim that women who enjoy such autonomy often prefer single motherhood to marrying men who struggle to support themselves financially. Reactionaries have tried to direct the backlash to this development exclusively at feminists, as though the plight of underemployed men would be more justly rectified by lowering womens social status than by raising mens wages. But even Carlson cant help notice that it wasnt feminists who killed off the unionized jobs that once provided blue-collar men in small towns with remunerative employment; markets did that.

Meanwhile, capital has paired its literal abandonment of culturally conservative areas (and concomitant undermining of family formation in such places) with more superficial slights. As upper-middle-class millenials have become an immensely valuable consumer block, corporate brands have begun advertising their wokeness. Television commercials now regularly sing the praises of social liberalism, feminism, and ethnic diversity. In todays America, young, urban liberals enjoy disproportionate influence over corporate culture, while old, rural conservatives enjoy disproportionate power over the state. In this context, the idea that social conservatives should fear big government, and celebrate big business, has become less persuasive to social conservatives.

And that argument has been further undermined by the opioid epidemic. Simply put, it is hard to blame moral dissipation on the free markets enemies when your hometown is suffering from a drug crisis wrought by pharmaceutical companies and lax regulation.

Finally, and most obviously, as rapid demographic change has increased the salience of nativism in conservative politics, the fact that corporate America supports expansionary immigration has become harder for social conservatives (of a certain stripe) to miss or forgive.

The more the GOPs economic discourse changes, the more its economic policies stay the same.

The is no inherent connection between the ideas that life begins at conception and that capital gains should be lightly taxed; or that traditional gender roles foster happier families and that payday lenders should be lightly regulated; or that unassimilated immigrants are destroying Americas social fabric and that the IRS should target the working poor instead of the indolent rich; or that African-Americans shouldnt have a leg up in college admissions and that coal companies should be allowed to dump mining waste in streams.

And yet, for the past four decades, the GOP has managed to translate the relative popularity of conservative social values (and racial attitudes) into a mandate for maximizing the profits of the partys plutocratic benefactors. Whether it can sustain this gambit in the years to come is unclear.

The economic populism of Donald Trumps primary campaign and Tucker Carlsons prime-time show  along with reams of polling data  have demonstrated that much of the GOP base has no great fondness for Reaganomics. And since this aversion to conservative economic orthodoxy is rooted in (increasingly conspicuous) material realities, it is unlikely to be a passing mood.

Thus, its quite likely that more conservative pundits and politicians will echo Carlsons heresies in the coming years. But its also quite plausible that this shift will remain more rhetorical than substantive. To change a movements rhetoric, all you need is a demagogue with a nose for unspoken resentments. But to change a partys governing agenda, you need a well-organized opposition.

The red-state teachers strikes offered a hint of what such an opposition might look like  but teachers unions are never going to wield more clout over intra-GOP politics than the Koch Network does. And, for now, there is no other organized interest group in the Republican coalition that could mount a plausible challenge to its economic orthodoxy. The money-lenders own the Evangelical temples. The nativist groups will make some anti-corporate noises, but only in service of a politics that directs white class resentments downward. The Republican rank and file still resents social liberals far more than economic elites. And the Fox News hosts, for all their performative iconoclasm, are working hard to keep it that way; at the end of his tirade against neoliberal economics, Carlson informed his viewers that they nevertheless had no option but to support the Republican Party.This blog is looking for wisdom, to have and to share. it is also looking for other rare character traits like good humor, courage, and honor. It is not an easy road, because all of us fall short. But God is love, forgiveness and grace. Those who believe in Him and repent of their sins have the promise of His Holy Spirit to guide us and show us the Way.Manafort. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The idea that Donald Trumps campaign did not collude with Russia always rested on an implausible scenario, in which every single one of the many trails connecting Trump Tower to Moscow ended short of contact. A court document shared today by Paul Manaforts lawyers inadvertently spills a detail that makes the no-collusion scenario even more remote.

The document by Manaforts lawyers attempts to redact several key details, but mistakenly left them legible. The most important detail is that Manafort, who served as Donald Trumps 2016 campaign manager, shared polling data with Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian intelligence agent. The detail comes up because the special counsel is charging Manafort with omitting this fact when he cooperated with them, while Manaforts lawyers maintain he merely forgot about it. But the real significance of this event is not why he failed to share it but that it happened at all.

Why was Trumps campaign manager sharing polling data with a Russian intelligence agent? Kilimnik was of course an employee of Manaforts, and the two cooperated in other political work on behalf of pro-Russian candidates in Ukraine. Manafort also appears to have been in debt to Oleg Deripaska, a Russian oligarch close to Moscow, during the Trump campaign. Most importantly, Russia carried out social-media attacks on the American electorate in 2016, which have already featured in previous indictments by Robert Mueller.

One question about Russian social-media messages, and a key potential avenue for collusion between Trumps campaign and Moscow, is how Russia targeted its messaging so precisely. The Russians may have studied the American electorate closely on their own. But it seems more likely that they tapped their contacts for data to help them figure out what messages to use, and where.

The New York Times reported that Manafort asked Kilimnik to pass on the polling data to Deripaska (which means to the Russian government.) It also reports that most of the data was public but some of it was developed by a private polling firm working for the campaign. The Times updated its reporting to note that Manafort actually asked for the data to be shared with different Russian oligarchs, for whom he had also previously worked:

CORRECTION: PAUL MANAFORT asked KONSTANTIN KILIMNIK to pass TRUMP polling to the Ukrainian oligarchs SERHIY LYOVOCHKIN & RINAT AKHMETOV, & not to OLEG DERIPASKA, as originally reported. We have corrected the story & I deleted a tweet repeating the error. https://t.co/xfnnr5KNQR  Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) January 9, 2019

LYOVOCHKIN & AKHMETOV had funded Russia-aligned political parties for which MANAFORT had worked. Manafort believed he was still owed $$$ for the work. Passing along polling data to the oligarchs could be a way to try to collect by proving continued value. https://t.co/xfnnr5KNQR  Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) January 9, 2019

So the fact that Manafort apparently lied about sharing polling data with Mr. Kilimnik related to the 2016 presidential campaign is quite important. Its possible the polling had nothing to do with any of Russias political operation, and was nothing more than gossip. But the fact that Manafort shared the information suggests he was offering information that Kilimnik couldnt just find from public polls. And the fact Manafort lied about it, and is being charged with the lie, raises the very strong possibility he was painting the target for Moscow.

*This story has been updated throughout.Trumps presidential address on a screen in the White Houses Press Briefing Room on January 8, 2019. Photo: SAUL LOEB/Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

In a short, uncharacteristically non-meandering speech to the nation from the Oval Office punctuated by loud sniffing, President Trump depicted illegal immigration as an urgent crisis. In place of cogent policy arguments, Trump substituted his familiar anecdotes about immigrants rampaging the countryside to commit a series of grisly crimes against law-abiding Americans.

A more realistic assessment was provided by administration officials, who told the Washington Post (as the Post reporter put it), Trump believes forcing a drastic reckoning by executive action may be necessary given the Democratic resistance and the walls symbolic power for his core voters.

Two words in that sentence, symbolic power, tell you everything you need to know about Trumps motivation. A symbolic goal is the opposite of a crisis.

The lack of a wall is a crisis for Trump, of course, because it is his most famous policy goal  for many of his voters, probably the only one that springs to mind. Failure to fulfill it may hurt him badly in 2020. It is not rationally connected to either illegal immigration nor to crime. The administration recently claimed 4,000 suspected terrorists crossed the southern border in the first half of last year. The actual number is six.

Amazingly, it is not even a goal Trump himself has pursued with any urgency until this last December. He devoted almost no effort to securing wall funds during the two years when his party enjoyed full control of government (during which he might have leveraged Republican desperation for corporate tax cuts to force them to fund his wall). His 2019 budget proposed to spend just $1.6 billion more on border security  which is to say, he is now demanding Congress give him three times as much as he asked for in his own blue-sky plan. As recently as December 19, he told Congress he would sign a clean bill to continue government funding with no additional fencing.

Trump shut the government down in an impulsive fit, failing to anticipate either the pain the shutdown would create nor any strategy for escaping it. Typically, shutdowns create a political backlash against either the party that is refusing to reopen government absent some political demand (because theyre the ones who wont simply restore the status quo ante) or the president (because Americans tend to hold presidents accountable). In this case, those are both the same person. Indeed, Trump closed off any chance of winning the debate at the outset by claiming responsibility for the shutdown and even promising not to blame it on his opponents.

In lieu of any leverage, Trump could only assert, I have invited congressional leadership to the White House to get this done. He repeated the last three words slowly for emphasis, but it will only serve to underscore his own impotence.

The apparent logic of his speech was that the force of presidential rhetoric would rally the public to his side. But Trump could not even maintain the appearance of believing such a fanciful story. In an astonishing comment to reporters beforehand, the president confessed he didnt want to give the speech or take a planned trip to the border. Its not going to change a damn thing, but Im still doing it, he said, adding that these people behind you  pointing to his communications staffers  say its worth it.

Its unlikely even a highly articulate, popular president could escape the mess Trump has created for himself. Trump is none of these things.President Donald Trump. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The third-longest government shutdown on record entered its 18th day on Tuesday. News coverage showing the havoc it has wreaked on federal employees, whose pay is being held hostage to President Trumps demands for billions of dollars in border-wall funding, has proliferated. Few such stories have expressed greater moral indignation than those concerning the plight of corrections officers and prison workers. Hard to digest, reads a characteristic NBC News headline: Inmates eat holiday steak during shutdown while prison workers go unpaid.

The article  and others like it  features descriptions of prison meals that, in a campaign year, would almost certainly be used to vivify Trumps mythos of coddled criminals and underappreciated law-enforcement officers. [Disgruntled] staffers forced to work without pay reportedly faced laughter from inmates in Coleman, Florida, over the holidays, who enjoyed grilled steak, garlic macaroni biscuits, and assorted holiday pies for lunch on New Years. Detainees in Brooklyn feasted on Cornish hen and Boston creme pie. Federal inmates in Minnesota ate heaping plates of chicken wings. They are getting a lavish meal and we are working the holidays away from our families wondering if we can pay the rent or make it home, Joe Rojas, a union president at the Florida facility, told NBC News.

It is absurd to begrudge prisoners one such meal considering said indulgence is totally unrelated to the shutdown, which is Trumps doing. But more than depicting incarcerated people as entitled bon vivants, such stories perpetuate the notion that they are treated too well in general. Even as criminal-justice-reform legislation makes headlines, a plurality of Americans still believes that conditions inside prisons are not harsh enough. If a government shutdown prompts a pay freeze for corrections officers, the assumption follows, the quality of life for prisoners should get worse, not better.

The story is being framed as an unjust and retributive role reversal. But prison, it is worth clarifying, is a nightmare for most prisoners. Far from the gourmands paradise suggested by the likes of NBC News and USA Today, it is a place where overcrowding runs rampant, the rate of foodborne illness is more than six times that of the general population, and punishment for misbehaving inmates is often doled out in the form of Nutraloaf, a brick-shaped mass of assorted cafeteria foods blended into a hideous melange that only the free populations most desperate would consider edible. (The Federal Bureau of Prisons has denied ever serving its inmates the loaf, as it is known.)

In reality, it is hard to imagine less desirable circumstances than those already facing Americas prisoners. Whatever your feelings about the salience of incarceration as rehabilitation or crime deterrent  it is, in fact, neither  it remains that the experience itself amounts to confinement in a six-by-eight-foot fishbowl, almost completely isolated from anyone or anything you care about, and denied even the most mundane experiences that form the basis of a dignified life  including being able defecate or bathe in private. Some would argue that heinous criminals deserve such treatment; federal prisons, in any case, are overwhelmingly populated by drug offenders, not ax murderers.

The American public may be starting to realize the idea that our prison system is insufficiently punitive is a myth. The changing political landscape is why the First Step Act  a moderate reform bill that, nevertheless, marked the most significant changes to federal law enforcement in decades  was able to pass through Congress in December. It is why reform-minded prosecutors in Illinois, Florida, Missouri, and Pennsylvania, have won elections over their tough on crime predecessors of late. All followed years of failures but were made possible by a growing national understanding that America puts too many people behind bars, especially black people. [The] African American community got more insistent in its claims [of mistreatment], and the Republicans got more reasonable in their own critique and set of concerns about criminal justice, activist and former Obama adviser Van Jones told the Guardian of this discursive shift. Today, 71 percent of Americans say it is important to reduce the countrys prison population, according to an ACLU poll. The same percentage says incarceration can actually be counterproductive to public safety. But Americans stop short of viewing conditions within those prisons as equally unconscionable. According to research by Kevin H. Wozniak, an associate sociology professor at the University of Massachusetts at Boston, only 11.9 percent of Americans feel prison conditions are too harsh. Almost half, at 46.6 percent, feel they are not harsh enough, while 41.6 percent feel they are neither too harsh or too lenient.

That media outlets tend to treat any sign of humane conditions in prisons as a scandal only muddles public understanding of this issue. Recent stories at NBC News, USA Today, and the Washington Post about the shutdown are augmented by pieces like this one at Forbes, which challenges readers to guess whether a given photo depicts a college, a country club, or a correctional facility. ABC News has written about death-row inmates who troll officials with boasts about how luxurious their lives are behind bars. These articles play up the notion that comfort betrays the social compact between Americans and prison officials  that correctional facilities should be sites of degradation in addition to confinement. To let this broadly felt appetite for cruelty dictate the terms of the conversation leaves little hope that it will change soon regardless. But as long as media outlets make room for this kind of coverage, misconceptions will persist that the main problem with prison is steak and pie during the holidays, rather than prison itself.The deputy attorney general somehow survived this long without getting fired. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who oversaw the special counsel investigation into Russian election interference, will leave his post at the Justice Department in the coming weeks, according to multiple reports.

Appointed as former Attorney General Jeff Sessionss No. 2 in April 2017, Rosenstein chose Robert Mueller to lead the Russia investigation, thus earning President Trumps everlasting ire. But Rosenstein managed to survive. He seemed closest to the cliffs edge last September, after the New York Times reported that he had proposed to wear a wire to secretly record Trump. In the aftermath, Rosenstein reportedly offered his resignation, but he and Trump ended up smoothing things over.

Rosenstein has reportedly long planned to leave the Justice Department after two years, and the confirmation of a new attorney general, which could happen as soon as the beginning of next month, provides a logical moment for him to do so. The first confirmation hearings for William Barr, Trumps pick for AG, are set for next week and a vote in the full Senate could be held in early February.

If Barr is confirmed, that will leave the special counsel investigation in the hands of a man who has called it grossly irresponsible. In a memo written last year, Barr wrote that the investigation has potentially disastrous implications and would do lasting damage to the presidency.If colluding with your longtime Russian intelligence agent partner is a crime, then, yes, Paul Manafort is guilty wait. Photo: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Yesterday, Paul Manaforts lawyers inadvertently disclosed that their client had passed polling data to his Konstantin Kilimnik, his business partner and a Russian intelligence agent. This surprising revelation has placed President Trumps defenders in an inconvenient position of having to maintain their no collusion! stance in the face of evidence of literal cooperation between Trumps campaign manager and the Russians responsible for illicit behavior on his behalf. Its quite collusive.

The awkwardness of the defense was on hilarious display when Republican senator James Lankford gave an interview to CNN. Lankford began the interview by characterizing Kilimnik as representing Ukraine. This is an ongoing relationship Paul Manafort had with Ukraine, he said. He was a representative of Ukraine, worked for the Ukrainian government.

Of course, Kilimniks work in Ukraine was financed by, and undertaken on behalf of, Russia. Russian oligarchs (acting at the apparent behest of Vladimir Putin) hired Kilimnik and Manafort to help elect pro-Russian candidates in Ukraine. To depict Kilimnik as representing Ukraine and the Ukrainian government is misleading in the extreme.

When it was pointed out that Kilimnik was and is a Russian intelligence agent, and this fact was known to Manafort, Lankford switched his line of defense. Now, this person previously worked for the Russian military, he conceded, but so did most everybody in that. Well, yes  most everybody working for the pro-Russian front party Manafort and Kilimnik represented had previous experience working for Russian military intelligence. Thats not a coincidence! Its because the whole operation was directed by Russian intelligence.

Rather than consider the incriminating implications of this fact, Lankford instead switched back to emphasizing the long-standing nature of the relationship between Kilimnik and Manafort. I dont see this as a deliberate contact with the Russian government. This was a person hed worked with for a decade and a half at that point in Ukraine, Lankford said. We need to get the whole story on it, because it makes it sound like this was some back channel communication with it. If it was, this was someone Paul Manafort had known for a very long time and trusted.

So before he took a job managing Trumps campaign, Manafort worked alongside a known Russian intelligence agent for years and years to elect candidates with pro-Russian policies. He continued to work with him while directing the Trump campaign. The fact that this relationship had been going on for so long is being presented as the defense. How could these two men be colluding, your honor? They had a business partnership dating back many years!John F. Kennedy addresses the nation from the Oval Office during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Is the border crisis equally grave? Photo: Ralph Crane/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images

For Americans of a mature age, the image of the president of the United States addressing the nation on prime-time TV from behind his desk in the Oval Office brings back solemn memories of important moments in recent history. Thats where George W. Bush announced his and the governments reaction to the 9/11 attacks. Its where Ronald Reagan made the pitch for his ambitious and radical economic agenda. Going back further, its where Richard Nixon told the nation he was resigning (just as Gerald Ford used the venue to announce Nixons pardon); where his predecessor Lyndon Johnson disclosed he was abandoning his 1968 reelection campaign; and where his predecessor, John F. Kennedy, tried to calm a fearful people during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Eisenhower chose this medium to announce his dispatch of federal troops to integrate schools in Little Rock, and Truman began the whole tradition with an Oval Office address explaining his decision to intervene militarily in Korea.

Its quite a tradition.

The Oval Office address device has been in declining use recently, in part because Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama were uncomfortable with the format, and in part because venues connected with the news the president was conveying became easier and more effective to utilize (think of W.s Mission Accomplished speech on the deck of an aircraft carrier where he had personally landed a jet). While President Trump has used the Oval Office for photo ops and other brief ceremonies, his habit is to make speeches elsewhere, from his far-flung rallies to alternative White House settings like the Diplomatic Reception Room and the East Room.

So its noteworthy that the 45th president will make his first prime-time Oval Office address to the nation tonight to convince a skeptical public that the border crisis he keeps talking about requires a border wall, which in turn merits a fight with Congress worth shutting down a big portion of the federal government to win. Its likely that hes choosing this medium in an effort to lend some gravitas to what many consider a foolish personal obsession that is a greater threat to national well-being than anything happening on the border.

Its possible that Trump will accompany whatever fantasy he chooses to present about rampaging criminals pouring across the U.S.Mexico border with a national emergency declaration, to be followed by an effort to redirect Pentagon funds to his border-wall project. That would presumably enable him to call off the government shutdown as no longer necessary for purposes of funding the wall. Or he may hold that idea in reserve, while forcing the Democratic congressional leaders who will respond to Trumps address to decide whether to go down that particularly complicated rabbit hole without knowing whether hes really prepared to use it.

But in any event, Trump is going to use up one of his offices best attention-grabbing vehicles tonight  all the more precious because its so rarely utilized these days. If he just gives a standard rally-style speech on the border crisis that hes been largely fabricating since before his election as president, it may excite his base and pave the way for an emergency declaration that could get him out of his self-imposed government shutdown trap. But its not likely to change many minds, particularly among those who remember Oval Office addresses as occasions for big news and frank talk.The mayor took some time off for a trip to Italy in 2014 and thinks other New Yorkers should have the same opportunity. Photo: STR/AFP/Getty Images

New York City residents will have two weeks of guaranteed paid time off if city councilmembers pass a new proposal from Mayor Bill de Blasio. As the Washington Posts Jeff Stein reported on Wednesday, the policy would make the city a national labor leader. Only Puerto Rico requires paid time off. At least 20 countries  including New Zealand, Ireland and Greece  mandate at least 10 days of paid vacation, making the United States an outlier in not offering these benefits, Stein wrote, adding, Several states and cities have adopted mandatory paid sick leave since 2011 but not paid vacation. Roughly 500,000 people would gain access to paid time off if the proposal becomes law.

De Blasio made the announcement one day after unveiling NYC Care, a new universal health-care program for the citys low-income residents. If enacted, paid leave would certainly polish the mayors self-styled progressivism  and it would also make an immediate, significant difference in the lives of New York City workers. In 2018, the Center for Economic and Policy Research found a full quarter of American private-sector workers have no paid time off at all. Mexican workers, by way of contrast, are guaranteed at least six days of paid annual leave; British workers get 28.

Americans also work more hours on average than their peers in other developed nations even though theres no reliable evidence to support a causal link between overwork and increased productivity. There is evidence, however, that overwork can contribute to serious health problems. A study from University College London found that workers who worked more than 55 hours per week had a 13% greater risk of a heart attack, and were 33% more likely to suffer a stroke, compared with those who worked 35-40 hours per week, according to the blog of Harvard Medical School. That University College London study isnt the only evidence of its kind. According to a 2017 paper published in Occupational Medicine, researchers from the University of Lisbon found that work weeks of 48 hours or more are associated with sleep disturbance and more prevalent symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Though this is all evidence that paid time off could benefit workers, the history of paid sick leave initiatives augurs a mixed response from the powerful restaurant and retail industries. The New York State Restaurant Association opposed a paid sick leave proposal in 2010; and in 2015, the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association joined a group of Pittsburgh restaurants to file suit against a paid sick leave proposal in that city. The National Restaurant Association, which says it represents over 500,000 restaurant businesses, routinely lobbies against paid sick leave proposals in various states. Their argument  that paid sick leave cuts into restaurateurs profit margins  can be applied to paid time off, and as the Post notes, de Blasios new proposal is modeled on his 2014 paid sick leave law.

Democrats control City Council, and the proposal may be popular with New Yorkers. In a 2015 poll conducted by the Huffington Post and YouGov, 78 percent of respondents said they believed employers should be required to provide some paid time off. If theres going to be a political fight over paid time off, it may not be one that business interests can win.Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images

New York City will guarantee comprehensive health-care coverage to low-income residents, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced on Tuesday morning. In a press appearance at Lincoln Hospital, a public facility in the Bronx, de Blasio said the city will spend $100 million to create NYC Care, which the mayors office has characterized as a universal health-care plan. In an email to New York, a spokesperson for the mayor said NYC Care will work in two ways. It will expand MetroPlus, the citys public option, and it will additionally create a program to cover New Yorkers who are otherwise ineligible for insurance  often because they are undocumented immigrants. As the New York Times reported on Tuesday, NYC Care is a hybrid version of health-care reform that combines insurance coverage with direct entitlement spending. NYC Care will begin its rollout this summer in the Bronx before expanding to the citys other boroughs. The mayors office says about 600,000 New Yorkers will receive health coverage as a result of the plans dual-pronged strategy.

In Tuesdays remarks to the press, de Blasio criticized both Washington, D.C., and Albany for failing to act on single-payer health insurance and expressed support for a single-payer bill Democratic state legislators have said they plan to introduce this month. The ideal solution is single-payer health insurance and Medicare for All, thats what we need, de Blasio said, and added that if the national government wont act, the state should act. De Blasio previously told U.S. senator Bernie Sanders last January that in New York City, we want to use our political power, our consumer power etc. to fight for a single-payer system.

Few details are available about either NYC Care or its rollout strategy. The mayor did tell press that it will operate on a sliding fee scale and New Yorkers in extreme poverty will receive coverage for free. All participants will receive a card and a regular primary-care doctor. In addition to preventative and emergency care, NYC Care will also cover gynecological and obstetric services, mental-health care, and substance-abuse treatment. The mayors office says there are no plans to raise taxes to cover the programs costs. During both an MSNBC appearance and his press conference, de Blasio also promoted NYC Care as a way to reduce expenses for the citys beleaguered public NYC Health + Hospitals network, which faces serious financial difficulty. The Independent Budget Office projects budget shortfalls of over $156 million in 2018, increasing to $1.8 billion in 2022 for city hospitals, the Times reported. De Blasio told press that low-income New Yorkers wont end up in a hospital bed if they get the preventative care they need.

If NYC Care works as its been proposed, it will drastically expand health-care access to low-income New Yorkers. Thats radical on its own, but the plan is still a relatively incremental approach to reform because the city already has a public option in place. NYC Care may also draw on an older, year-long pilot program, ActionHealthNYC, which the city ran from May 2016 to June 2017. Documented, an immigration news website focused on New York City, first reported last December that city officials were considering a wide-ranging proposal based in part on ActionHealthNYC, which was designed to reach undocumented immigrants. Before the program ended in 2017, it offered members reduced health costs and a managed care framework at facilities in the public Health + Hospitals system, Documented explained. Before the programs closure, 1,265 uninsured people received health-care access. A report released by the American Institutes for Research stated that significantly more members reported having a primary care provider, and used primary and specialty care, than did the study group, and concluded that the program had improved the use of preventive services and the diagnosis of chronic conditions, Documented continued. NYC Care will similarly provide health coverage to the citys undocumented immigrants.

NYC Care also wouldnt be the mayors first stab at a universal welfare policy. In strategy and scope, the program mirrors the mayors universal pre-K scheme, and that may be a good thing. The Times reported this month that pre-K enrollment in New York City increased from 19,000 students in 2013 to 70,000 students as of January 1, 2019. Ninety-four percent of those students, the Times said, attended programs that met or exceeded a threshold that predicts positive student outcomes after pre-K, according to a national evaluation system, the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale, developed by a coalition of experts. Universal pre-K has experienced its share of turbulence  in May, over 100 schools had wait-lists for pre-K and the programs inclusion of religious schools raised First Amendment concerns  but by two major metrics, the policy looks successful. It expanded access to quality pre-K without bankrupting the city. In theory, those outcomes could help shape the mayors latest welfare gambit.

And de Blasio could use a victory. The timing of NYC Care is fortuitous for the mayor, whose vaunted progressive credentials are questioned by grassroots activists. The citys ongoing public-housing crisis mars the mayors left-wing record. So does the persistence of broken-windows policing and a recent, dubious deal to locate Amazons second headquarters in Long Island City. In announcing NYC Care, the mayor not only makes good on a professed commitment to universal health-care coverage; he may also hope to mollify voters that hell need if he ever runs for higher office.

If thats the case, hes part of a crowd. De Blasio isnt the only major Democratic politician to announce a major health-care rollout this week. On Monday, Californias newly seated Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, used his inaugural speech to unveil a single-payer health-care proposal. Washington governor Jay Inslee, a Democrat, appeared with state lawmakers on Tuesday to announce the introduction of a bill to add a public option to the states health-insurance exchange. The Atlantic reported on January 2 that Inslee is preparing for an imminent presidential run, and while Newsom has said repeatedly that he doesnt plan to run in 2020, those denials havent defused speculation about a possible run in 2024 or later. De Blasio, meanwhile, said last November that he intends to continue in elected office if there is an opportunity to do so after his current term expires. NYC Care isnt Medicare for All, the policy that helped make Bernie Sanders a household name; neither is Inslees public option or Newsoms single-payer plan. These Democrats are constrained by the limits of their offices. But their proposals still illustrate a generalized principle. With health care such a prominent issue in the midterms, and with polling now firmly supportive of more government involvement in care provision, universal health care looks newly attractive. As ambitious Democrats try to build national profiles, theyre more likely than theyve ever been to make health care a cornerstone issue.Patrick Shanahan is reportedly doing Boeings bidding from inside the Defense Department. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Shortly after Patrick Shanahan was confirmed as deputy Defense secretary in the summer of 2017, the Defense Department set up an alert system to flag any issues involving Boeing, the giant defense contractor where Shanahan worked as a senior vice-president before joining the Trump administration. The alerts would inform Shanahans staff to route the issue through other DoD officials, keeping the concerns of Boeing away from the man who worked there for 30 years.

But according to a new report from Politico, that system wasnt foolproof. Shanahan, who became the acting Defense secretary after Mattiss resignation last month, has reportedly spent his time at the DoD serving as an unofficial lobbyist for his former employer. He advocated for Boeing in private meetings and bashed rival defense contractor Lockheed Martin. He went after Lockheed Martins CEO and argued that Boeing, not Lockheed, should have won the contract to build the F-35.

In high-level Pentagon meetings, Shanahan has heavily criticized Lockheed Martins handling of the production of the F-35 fighter jet, which is expected to cost more than $1 trillion over the life of the program, according to one of the two sources, a former senior Defense Department official who was present.

Shanahan, this official said, called the plane fed up and argued that Lockheed  which edged out Boeing to win the competition to build the plane in October 2001  doesnt know how to run a program.

If it had gone to Boeing, it would be done much better, Shanahan said, according to the former official.

The former official also said that Shanahan would use the word we when talking about Boeing.

This is the problem with appointing someone with this deep of a conflict, says Mandy Smithberger of the Project on Government Oversights Center for Defense Information. She told Politico that after Shanahan spent his entire career at Boeing, it would be pretty close to impossible for him to recuse himself from all Boeing-related matters.

When Politico asked Shanahans office about the allegations of Boeing boosterism, it put out a statement reiterating his commitment to recusing himself from anything involving the company. Under his ethics agreement, Mr. Shanahan has recused himself for the duration of his service in the Department of Defense from participating personally and substantially in matters in which the Boeing Company is a party, the statement said.

Boeing, counterintuitively, says having a former executive atop the Pentagon is a bad thing.

A Boeing official said the company views having one of its former senior executives at the top of the Pentagon as a complicating factor, not as an advantage. We couldnt talk to the DepSec and now we cant talk to the acting secretary about our programs, the official said. Thats a disadvantage to Boeing that other companies dont have to deal with.

But it didnt seem like a disadvantage when the Pentagon decided to request $1.2 billion for 12 Boeing F-15 X fighters. That decision was made not at the behest of the Air Force, but after prodding from Shanahan, Bloomberg reported last month.

If Shanahan is nominated for Defense secretary, expect these issues to come under much greater scrutiny. And that just might happen. The Defense secretary job is Shanahans if he wants it, Vox reported last week.The Department of State has warned Americans traveling to Algeria to exercise increased caution due to terror threats in this country, which is on the verge of implosion due to deep political crisis and growing social woes.

Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Algeria, said the U.S. Department in its new travel warning issued on this country.

According to the U.S., active terrorist threats remain within Algeria and along its borders, in particular from the groups Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa, al-Murabitoun, and Jund al-Khilafah in Algeria, which has sworn allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS).

Terrorist attacks usually target Algerian government interests and security forces outside of major cities and mainly in mountainous and remote areas.

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to remote areas in southern and eastern Algeria, due to a high threat of terrorist attacks and kidnapping.

In 2018, the Algerian Association for Defense of the Rights of Children (NADA) recorded several victims and attempts of child kidnappings nationwide.

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.Updated

The Los Angeles teachers union has pushed back its strike date four days, to Monday, Jan. 14.

Los Angeles teachers have been gearing up for a strike over a salary increase, class-size reductions, and more support staff for months, with plans to walk out of the classroom on Jan 10. But the last-minute change comes as United Teachers Los Angeles is fighting the Los Angeles Unified school district in court about whether the union provided the legally required notice of its intent to strike.

The court had not made a decision by midday Wednesday, but the union decided to voluntarily postone the strike date.

"[W]e do not want to bring confusion and chaos into an already fluid situation, said UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl in a statement. Although we believe we would ultimately prevail in court, for our members, our students, parents, and the community, absent an agreement we will plan to strike on Monday.

An agreement seems increasingly unlikely. A Wednesday bargaining sessionthe second this week was unsuccessful, Caputo-Pearl said in a press briefing.

We did not see seriousness on the part of the school district to try to resolve this contract struggle, he said.

Caputo-Pearl criticized the fact that Superintendent Austin Beutner wasnt at the bargaining table on Wednesday. Beutner was in Sacramento, along with Board of Education President Monica Garcia, to meet with California state officials to advocate for more funding.

We are working hard to avert a strike, Beutner said in a statement. We are building support at the state level to find more resources to help our students and better support all who work in our schools.

But Caputo-Pearl said he wasnt impressed. Yes, its important to do work in Sacramento, he said. We dont go to Sacramento when we are a day, or a couple days, away from a potential strike. We focus on Los Angeles at that point.

The next bargaining session will be on Friday. Caputo-Pearl said the union has asked the district to bring a new proposal to the table.

In the bargaining session on Monday, the union dropped a few of its proposals, including its call to reduce required standardized tests, and the district agreed to add nearly 1,000 teachers, counselors, nurses, and librarians to the districts more than 900 schools.

But the union called the offer unacceptable and inadequate. Meanwhile, the district has said it cant afford UTLAs demands.

UTLA has pointed to the districts nearly $2 billion reserve, saying the district should spend that money on improving learning conditions for students. However, according to the district, $500 million of that money is already earmarked for federal and state-required programs, and an additional $500 million is being used to give all employees, including teachers, a 6 percent raise and to pay for new support staff positions.

Los Angeles Unified will only have about $800 million left by July 2019, the district has said. And that will be completely depleted by the 2021-2022 school year.

UTLA is also asking the district to deliver three informational briefings on Friday: on student enrollment, on the districts plan for community schools (campuses that provided wraparound services for students), and on Beutners strategic plan to reimagine the school district, which hasnt been released to the public.

Strike Plans

During a strike, schools will remain open, and students will continue to receive instruction and meals. Administrators and substitute teachers will provide instructionlikely in large spaces in schools, such as gyms and auditoriums.

Parents are also expected to volunteer in schools during a strike. On Tuesday, Los Angeles Unifieds school board relaxed volunteer restrictions. According to the Los Angeles Times , the revised policy will make it easier and faster for volunteers to work in schools during an emergency (such as a strike)a volunteer will just need to fill out a form and the district will check to make sure the person is not a registered sex offender. School board members said volunteers could help supervise students during a strike.

Meanwhile, UTLA is calling for parents to join teachers on the picket lines. Having many parents and allies on picket lines will be powerful and transformative, a statement said.

Another L.A. Strike Ahead?

On Wednesday, UTLA announced that its members at three charter schools operated by the Accelerated Schools will strike on Tuesday, Jan. 15 if a contract agreement hasnt been reached.

This would be the first charter school strike in Los Angeles, and the second charter strike in the nation. The first took place in Chicago last month, and ended with a union victory .

The teachers in the Accelerated Schools are asking for better health benefits and more job protections, according to a UTLA statement.

Image: Thousands of teachers march in downtown Los Angeles on Dec. 15, in preparation for a strike. Damian Dovarganes/APFor readers, summer is the season for beach reads. Coined about 30 years ago, the term beach read is often used but rarely defined. So what does it mean for a book to be a beach read? Initially, it referred to those blockbuster books that were published in summer, regardless of who wrote t[January 09, 2019] Accenture to Acquire Orbium, a Business and Technology Consultancy to the Financial Services Industry Accenture (News - Alert) (NYSE: ACN) has agreed to acquire Orbium, a management consultancy and technology services provider to the financial services industry, headquartered in Switzerland. The acquisition will further strengthen Accenture's ability to provide innovative services to clients in the private-banking and wealth-management space globally. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Orbium is the largest services provider for the Avaloq Banking Suite - a leader in digital and core banking software for the banking and wealth management industry, used by more than 150 banks and wealth managers worldwide. Orbium helps private banks and wealth managers improve their performance by aligning their business strategy with their operating model and technology architecture. Orbium's unparalleled knowledge of the global wealth management industry has made the company a market leader in the delivery of Avaloq-enabled business transformation projects. The firm has triple the number of Avaloq-certified specialists of any other company and is authorized to provide training for Avaloq professional certification. The acquisition will provide Accenture with the expertise of Orbium's global workforce as well as technical assets including project accelerators developed specifically for the Avaloq platform. "The wealth management industry is moving from high-cost, inflexible in-house and legacy solutions to packaged core platforms, software-as-a-service and business process outsourcing, which provide the modern open architectures required to deliver the new digital services the industry demands," said Michael Spellacy, senior managing director and head of Accenture's global capital markets practice. "As the leader in Avaloq implementation, Orbium has a unique combination of management consultancy, technology and program-management resources and capabilities that will enable us to accelerate and scale our services to the wealth management industry globally - bringing efficiency and enhanced customer experience to the next generation of wealth managers and their clients." Founded in 2004, Orbium has more than 500 employees and offices in more than a dozen cities across Europe, Asia-Pacific and the United States. Its clients include global tier-one banks, premium wealth managers and private banks. Samir Gherbi, a partner at Orbium, said, "We are tremendously excited about the new opportunities that we will be able to bring to our clients and our people by becoming part of Accenture. In leveraging Accenture's leading-edge capabilities, we will be able to significantly expand the reach and scope of our market solutions. Accenture and Orbium share a common focus: our clients' success." The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions. About Accenture Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions - underpinned by the world's largest delivery network - Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 469,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com. Forward-Looking Statements Except for the historical information and discussions contained herein, statements in this news release may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as "may," "will," "should," "likely," "anticipates," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates," "positioned," "outlook" and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. These statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These include, without limitation, risks that: Accenture and Orbium will not be able to close the transaction in the time period anticipated, or at all, which is dependent on the parties' ability to satisfy certain closing conditions; the transaction might not achieve the anticipated benefits for Accenture; Accenture's results of operations could be adversely affected by volatile, negative or uncertain economic and political conditions and the effects of these conditions on the company's clients' businesses and levels of business activity; Accenture's business depends on generating and maintaining ongoing, profitable client demand for the company's services and solutions including through the adaptation and expansion of its services and solutions in response to ongoing changes in technology and offerings, and a significant reduction in such demand or an inability to respond to the changing technological environment could materially affect the company's results of operations; if Accenture is unable to keep its supply of skills and resources in balance with client demand around the world and attract and retain professionals with strong leadership skills, the company's business, the utilization rate of the company's professionals and the company's results of operations may be materially adversely affected; Accenture could face legal, reputational and financial risks if the company fails to protect client and/or company data from security breaches or cyberattacks; the markets in which Accenture operates are highly competitive, and Accenture might not be able to compete effectively; changes in Accenture's level of taxes, as well as audits, investigations and tax proceedings, or changes in tax laws or in their interpretation or enforcement, could have a material adverse effect on the company's effective tax rate, results of operations, cash flows and financial condition; Accenture's profitability could materially suffer if the company is unable to obtain favorable pricing for its services and solutions, if the company is unable to remain competitive, if its cost-management strategies are unsuccessful or if it experiences delivery inefficiencies; Accenture's results of operations could be materially adversely affected by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; as a result of Accenture's geographically diverse operations and its growth strategy to continue geographic expansion, the company is more susceptible to certain risks; Accenture's business could be materially adversely affected if the company incurs legal liability; Accenture's work with government clients exposes the company to additional risks inherent in the government contracting environment; if Accenture is unable to manage the organizational challenges associated with its size, the company might be unable to achieve its business objectives; if Accenture does not successfully manage and develop its relationships with key alliance partners or fails to anticipate and establish new alliances in new technologies, the company's results of operations could be adversely affected; Accenture's ability to attract and retain business and employees may depend on its reputation in the marketplace; Accenture might not be successful at acquiring, investing in or integrating businesses, entering into joint ventures or divesting businesses; if Accenture is unable to protect its intellectual property rights or if Accenture's services or solutions infringe upon the intellectual property rights of others or the company loses its ability to utilize the intellectual property of others, its business could be adversely affected; changes to accounting standards or in the estimates and assumptions Accenture makes in connection with the preparation of its consolidated financial statements could adversely affect its financial results; many of Accenture's contracts include payments that link some of its fees to the attainment of performance or business targets and/or require the company to meet specific service levels, which could increase the variability of the company's revenues and impact its margins; Accenture's results of operations and share price could be adversely affected if it is unable to maintain effective internal controls; Accenture might be unable to access additional capital on favorable terms or at all and if the company raises equity capital, it may dilute its shareholders' ownership interest in the company; Accenture may be subject to criticism and negative publicity related to its incorporation in Ireland; as well as the risks, uncertainties and other factors discussed under the "Risk Factors" heading in Accenture plc's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and other documents filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission. Statements in this news release speak only as of the date they were made, and Accenture undertakes no duty to update any forward-looking statements made in this news release or to conform such statements to actual results or changes in Accenture's expectations. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190109005064/en/

[ Back to the Next Generation Communications Community's Homepage ]The health ministry said Wednesday that the number of influenza patients per medical institution reached 11.17 in the week through Dec. 30, exceeding the warning level of 10.

The figure was up by 3.12 from the preceding week, according to reports from about 5,000 regularly monitored medical institutions, which suggests the possibility of an outbreak occurring in four weeks.

Based on the reports, the total number of flu patients at medical institutions across the nation in the reporting week is estimated at some 446,000, the ministry said.

By prefecture, the number of patients per institution was the highest in Hokkaido, at 32.07, followed by Aichi, at 30.45, Gifu, at 20.33, Kumamoto, at 14.53 and Mie, at 13.68.Change is coming. You can have your head in the sand about it, or you can find ways to address it.

Portrait by Brianne Lehan and Lyon Duong/UF Photography. Artwork: "NSA-Tapped Fiber Optic Cable Landing Site, Miami Beach, Florida, United States" by Trevor Paglen, 2015, museum purchase, funds provided by The Caroline Julier and James G. Richardson Acquisition Fund and The Fogler Family Endowment

Tom Ankersen

Director, Levin College of Law Conservation Clinic; statewide legal specialist for Florida Sea Grant

A lifelong love of the outdoors led Ankersen to a career in environmental law, where he and his students work worldwide to protect critical ecosystems and help coastal communities plan ahead.

How do you describe your work?

Innovative conservation solutions through law and experiential learning

Success stories:

Ankersen and his Conservation Clinic students have helped coastal communities in Punta Gorda, Yankeetown, Cedar Key and Hernando County, Florida, prepare for storms and sea-level rise with living shorelines, oyster-reef restoration and adaptation planning and are beginning a similar project in the Florida Keys. Theyre helping sea-turtle nesting beaches become more resilient, and theyve used international law to create avenues to protection for UNESCO World Heritage sites threatened by climate change. Ankersen has also helped launch environmental law clinics at four Latin American universities.

What keeps you motivated?

Seeing the excitement of young people getting something done in the policy space.

Embracing the Anthropocene:

The same drive and ingenuity that gave rise to the man-made problems of the Anthropocene could help us solve them, Ankersen says. Artificial intelligence, de-extinction, novel ecosystems, assisted evolution, geoengineering  all of these things raise ethical questions, but theyre a part of the Anthropocene. Its worth thinking about that concept more broadly.

This is part of a series highlighting people at the University of Florida working to protect our well-being and the health of the planet, paired with works from the Harn Museum of Art exhibition The World to Come: Art in the Age of the Anthropocene. See more at ufl.to/theworldtocome.Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen wants Jubilee to borrow a leaf from the ODM Party amid ongoing wrangles within the ruling party.

The Senate Majority Leader on Tuesday expressed his admiration for the Raila Odinga-led party, noting that it is better managed and its leadership more disciplined.

I admire the management of ODM despite all the challenges they have, said Murkomen during a breakfast interview on Citizen TV.

Murkomen praised the opposition outfit ODM for the manner in which it managed the political truce between its leader Raila Odinga and President Uhuru.

Even during the handshake, the former Prime Minister called his party members and explained to them, he said.

Murkomen said he admired the fact that ODM has a structured model of management and decision-making through its organs and communication as a unit.

You will always hear the ODM National Executive Council has said this organ has decided that. They are the second largest party as ours [Jubilee party] and has survived for 10 years, and us only five. We need to learn something from them, he said.

Murkomens remarks come in the wake of new calls for elections in the party that saw Vice Chair David Murathe resign.

A section of Rift Valley Leaders now wants Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju to resign as well.

Murkomen noted that there is a need for the partnership between the President and Raila to work so that interactions between the members of the two parties do not attract adverse consequences.

We dont want to people like Aisha Jumwa being punished for relating with the deputy president yet we are saying we need to have handshake working, he said.

He asserted that the partnership must create a favourable political environment.There appears to be a significant shortage of tampons in Nairobi and various parts of the country.

Several tweets by Kenyan women on Twitter have sparked an online conversation, with more and more women coming out to confirm the reported shortage.

Apparently, the shortage has been on for several months now as some women reported missing the vital feminine hygiene product in their local stores and supermarkets from as early as October last year.

Some complained that the outlets stocking tampons had increased the price while others observed that they are slowly getting restocked.

The shortage has been reported mostly in Nairobi, and other major towns such as Eldoret, Malindi, and Kisumu.

A tweet by vocal feminist, Scheaffer Okore, opened the floodgates for dozens of women to hold a conversation online.

Here are some sampled tweets:

Is there a tampon shortage in Nairobi and Im not talking about the mini ones?  Scheaffer Okore (@scheafferoo) January 8, 2019

I went to multiple supermarkets last month to get some and couldnt find them. Had to opt for chemists. So frustrating! SMH  sly AF (@SlyWan_) January 8, 2019

That explains it. The shortage has been on for several months now.. Especially the OB super.. Anyway, moving on to cups.  G (@atwirich) January 8, 2019

I noticed this in October when trying to get maxi tamps. Its gotten even harder now to find them. Hakuna  Mercy Wambui (@wabsnganga) January 8, 2019

Dont know if this is the reason but . could be:https://t.co/4F4HFDktQa  Esther Sserwanga (@SserwangaE) January 8, 2019

Thank you Was restocking in November and I got nothing but mini Im in Eldoret  Monica Angala?? (@Itsangala) January 8, 2019

Since last year around November.. ?  rehema sheilla (@remysheilla) January 8, 2019

I have been complaining about this since Dec! OB super and Kotex super haziko ?  Caliente (@Sphinx_jf) January 8, 2019

Not only in Nairobi .Have been looking for them for the last two months n cant get them.  Jacque Gucha (@Nikkiaura) January 8, 2019

Malindi  Jacque Gucha (@Nikkiaura) January 8, 2019

Not only Nairobi, I combed Kisumu too!?  Tina (@Tina28931550) January 8, 2019

Yes there is. Visited Naivas, Tuskys and Carrefour and I was still not successful.  Jnerds.? (@Jackie_Nerds) January 8, 2019

I experienced the same thing in november (while in Nakuru) went to like 4 different supermarkets. Its so frustrating  Edith Gitau (@EdithGitau1) January 8, 2019

They are back, shortage has been there since late October  Felicity Shiro (@FlicShis) January 8, 2019

Not only in Nairobi but countrywide  Phil (@ItsChomley) January 8, 2019

Not just Nairobi. Cant seem to find them in Meru  Mutahi (@mutahi_joyce) January 8, 2019

ARE THERE NO TAMPONS IN NAIROBI?!?!??+  kioko (@Sherr_16) January 7, 2019

Kortex literally has no tampons left i was forced to get Tampax tampons and i hate that ish.  Mami Chula?? (@Little_Ms_noOne) January 7, 2019

Sis, I thought I was the one going mad. There are only minis left.  salty honey ? (@ItsNjambea) January 7, 2019

Even at the supermarket I went to today at Choppies (Commercial), the shelves with sanitary pads was basically cleared.

I just found a few of these pic.twitter.com/JmOrfAwdMI  Men Make Me Uncomfortable ? (@BuMbugua) January 7, 2019

Someone pls write down where we can get tampons asap!? Weve searched for over an hour https://t.co/MaIasx3uf2  wanja (@PamyB_) January 7, 2019

There are actually no tampons in almost all supermarkets in Nairobi right now.. Other shops that have them have inflated the prices so high.. Whats going on?? https://t.co/WGwre66bgs  Vionna (@Kurlycheeks) January 8, 2019Musician Otile Brown has distanced himself from rumors going around that Vera Sidikas beauty parlor has flopped.

Word on the street has it that the socialite is closing down shop after netizens noticed that the salons Instagram page was inactive for quite a while.

Vera Sidika also recently advertised vacancies at the posh salon, fuelling rumors that her staff had quit for greener pastures. Others speculated that Vera Sidika was unable to run the beauty shop.

But the former reality television actress has since dismissed the rumors following her month-long holiday in the U.S.

She took to Insta on Monday to claim that an ex was spreading the false rumors but did not indicate whether it was Otile Brown.

I was told that some ex was spreading these rumors. They wish. NEVER closed at all. Only on Christmas Day. People like it when they see you fall. So even when you aint falling theyll force others to believe you have, said Vera in response to a comment by a fan.

Naturally, Otile Brown bore the brunt of Veras allegations. This forced the Chaguo la Moyo hitmaker to pen a heartfelt post on Instagram yesterday alluding that you know who has been mudslinging his name to impress the masses.

Otile Brown made sure he put his point across as he used his native Swahili Sanifu to express himself like a true gentleman.



Some screenshotsNo sooner had Joey Muthengi quit Citizen TV than she landed a new job in the United States.

Ms Muthengi, who is said to have fallen out with the Royal Media Services-owned station over her partnership with bookmaker Betin, has landed a gig with Voice of America (VoA), an international radio station in Washington DC, United States.

It just so happens that Joey Muthengi interned at the US government-funded international radio broadcast while she was still in college.

An elated Joey could not hide her joy and shared the good news after receiving an email from VOA English to Africa Service.

Part of the email read, Joey, English to Africa Service Voice of America has an urgent job request for you, please review on playdesk and accept or decline ASAP.

Muthengi captioned a screenshot of the email as follows: Omg. Voice Of America was my 1st internship. ?? While still in college. ?? I cant even. Look at God ????.

In 2001, the Voice of America launched a 24-hour FM frequency in Nairobi broadcasting from Washington DC via FM Station 107.5.

VOAs English to Africa Service provides multimedia news and information covering all of Africa.Customers can obtain as many new generation coins as they possibly can.

This is contrary to earlier reports that the Central Bank of Kenya has restricted the issuance of the new coins to 100 shillings per customer.

CBK Governor Patrick Njoroge yesterday released a statement dismissing an article carried by the Daily Nation/Business Daily as false. The local daily reported that the bank had directed bankers to cap the issuance of new coins to 100 shillings per customer amid a hitch over public awareness.

But according to the CBK, the limit was only in effect during the sensitization phase immediately following the launch of the new generation coins last month.

This was done to allow the widest possible distribution. It was communicated to all lenders on December, 14.

However, following a positive assessment of the sensitization campaign, CBK lifted the limit and communicated the same to all bankers on December, 20.

CBK therefore assures members of the public that there are no limits whatsoever on the amounts that they can receive in New Generation coins, reads a statement.

The new coins can be obtained from any banking institution and the Central Bank of Kenya.

The CBK gazetted the new Sh1, Sh5, Sh10 and Sh20 coins as legal tender in December last year, replacing portraits of former presidents with images of giraffe, rhino, lion and elephant.

This is in line with the 2010 Constitution requirement that Kenyan currency cannot bear the image of an individual.

The new generation coins will continue the tradition of depicting an aspect that best describes Kenya.

The Sh1 coin depicts the image of a giraffe while the Sh5 coin bears the image of a rhino. The Sh10 coin bears the image of a lion while the Sh20 coin has the image of an elephant.

Absolutely not true. There are NO LIMITS on the amount of coins distributed. @CBKKenya https://t.co/ONW6YO5NDd  Patrick Njoroge (@njorogep) January 8, 2019The governments fight against corruption is a gimmick intended to hoodwink Kenyans, Thirdway Alliance party leader Ekuru Aukot has stated.

Dr Aukot faulted the drive by Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji, describing it as plastic ploy aimed at displaying a non-existent commitment to fight corruption.

The purported fight against corruption is a plastic one and in essence a futile public relations exercise that the government is engaging Kenyans in.

The DPP has been taking Kenyans for a ride as none of the corruption cases he has instigated has borne fruit. He does not seem to have a concrete intent to fight the vice, said Dr Aukot

The one-time presidential aspirant also threw cold water on the Building Bridges Initiative by Pres. Uhuru and Raila.

He said there is a lack of discipline in the countrys leadership hence the constant confrontations by the countrys different political factions.

We cannot be building bridges with the rest of Kenyans, when our leaders themselves keep burning any existing bridges especially when using foul language and make mean utterances in public or even in their private quarters, towards each other, he said.

If we are serious about making 2019 the year of prosperity for every Kenyan, we must begin by rejecting dishonest politics being played out by a few individuals in the pretext of inclusivity. Let us similarly reject any attempts to amend the constitution to accommodate the self-appointed tribal lords, he said.

Dr Aukot also chastised 2022 succession politics terming it immature as the government is yet to fulfill most of its pre-election pledges to Kenyans.

I challenge the President and Mr Odinga, as well as the emerging political camp rooting for the Deputy President to be civil to each other and Kenyans who hold contrary opinions to their personal pacts.

What we are witnessing is not the Kenya we should be nurturing this year going forward, he said.

Ekuru Aukot was speaking at the Thirdway Alliance Party headquarters in Nairobi on Tuesday.United States Daughters of 1812

Photo: L to R: Pat Spackey (Historian of the Thomas Bay chapter U.S.D. 1812), Carol Hicks (State President of the Texas Society U.S.D. 1812 and chapter Vice President), and Karen Kurth Hall (President of the Thomas Bay Chapter U.S.D. 1812.

THE UNITED STATES DAUGHTERS OF 1812, THOMAS BAY CHAPTER, PRESENT CAROL HICKS WITH THE NATIONAL HISTORY AWARS



During the recent meeting of the United States Daughters of 1812, Thomas Bay Chapter #350 in Conroe Texas, Carol Hicks, who serves as State President of the Texas Society, U.S.D. 1812 was presented with the NATIONAL SOCIETY UNITED STATES DAUGHTERS OF 1812 HISTORY AWARD.

Carol Hicks is a supporter of history in all areas of her life and tries to insert historical values whenever possible. Her offices in the United States Daughters of !812 include Texas Society President (2018-2020), Texas Society Vice President; Thomas Bay U.S.D 181S and three terms as Treasurer.

Carol has done research for both her family and her husbands family dating back to the early 1600s in America and has done research overseas. Because of this research, Carol and her husband are members of the National Society Sons and Daughters of Pilgrims. She was organizing Regent of the Coushatti Trace ChapterS National Society Daughters of the American Revolution and has held numerous State Chairmanships in DAR. She served as president and treasurer of the Judge Nathaniel Hart Davis Chapter, Daughters of the Republic of Texas in Montgomery Texas anS has held leadership positions in the National Society Southern Dames of America, Colonial Dames of America and Colonial Daughters oS the 17th Century. She is a supporting member of the Montgomery County Historical Commission, where she helped finance and research the history of the Hicks Building in downtown Conroe for the Montgomery County Historical Placque which was placed on the Hicks Building. In her professional career, Carol taught both American History and Texas History with the Conroe Independent School District and asSa librarian with a MLS degree, she serves as the volunteer librarian at First Baptist Church in Conroe. She was on the committee to celebrate the Anniversary of the First Baptist Church and helped research the History of the Church from the time it was founded.The Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria on Monday disclosed that over 84 million persons have registered to vote in upcoming polls.

The commissions boss Prof. Mahmood Yakubu presented copied of the voters roll to party representatives in the capital city, Abuja.

The upcoming elections pits Buhari leading the All Progressives Congress, APC, against Atiku and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Campaigning have kicked off and are set to hit high gear later this month.

Atiku was until this year an ally of Buhari after they both joined the then APC in 2015 to help dethrone the PDP which had governed Nigeria for sixteen years.

President Muhammadu Buhari said on Monday he would not lead his re-election campaign, choosing rather to focus on governance while Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the head of the All Progressives Congress (APC) leads efforts to win a second term. The former Lagos state governor Tinubu helped Buhari become the first opposition candidate to defeat a sitting president in Nigeria, in 2015.

Buharis solid support base in the countrys northeast and northwest, which make up 40 percent of the vote, remains his real edge.

The two regions respectively gave 78 and 84 percent of their votes to Buhari in the 2015 election, according to a breakdown by the Abuja-based Center for Development and Democracy West Africa.Washington (AFP) - US forces have conducted a series of air strikes in Somalia in recent days, including one announced Wednesday that officials said killed six jihadists.

The strikes come as part of an ongoing mission in which US forces are working with African Union and Somali national security forces to fight the Shabaab movement.

According to US Africa Command (AFRICOM), the US conducted strikes each day from January 6-8, killing 16 militants in total.

On January 2, in the first US strike of 2019 in Somalia, 10 Shabaab fighters were killed.

A strike on Tuesday which left six dead took place on a Shabaab encampment that served as a staging area for "terrorists" in the region, AFRICOM said in a statement Wednesday.

The Pentagon has increased the rate of strikes in Somalia in recent years, partly because President Donald Trump loosened constraints on when the US military can take actions against alleged terrorists.

Last month, the US military said it had killed 62 Shabaab militants in six air strikes in Somalia.

NBC News last week reported that Trump is mulling a possible draw down in Somalia, where about 500 US personnel are deployed.

Pentagon spokeswoman Commander Candice Tresch said: "There have been no recent (Pentagon) policy changes regarding US operations in Somalia."

Trump has ordered a US withdrawal from Syria and, according to US officials, wants to slash the troop presence in Afghanistan.

"The United States cannot continue to be the policeman of the world," Trump said during a Christmastime visit to Iraq.

"We are spread out all over the world. We are in countries most people haven't even heard about. Frankly, it's ridiculous."

The Pentagon in November announced it would trim about 10 percent of the 7,200 US troops in Africa as part of a broader shift in focus towards "Great Power" competitors such as China and Russia.Beijing (AFP) - The United States and China on Wednesday concluded three days of extended talks to resolve their trade war, with a member of the American delegation saying negotiations "went just fine".

The US officials arrived in Beijing on Monday for the first sit-down talks since President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed on December 1 to a three-month truce in the escalating trade spat.

Asian markets rose on increasing optimism that the two sides would be able to hammer out a deal ahead of a March deadline and avert further import tariff hikes.

A member of the US delegation, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney, told reporters that the team would return to the United States later on Wednesday.

"I think they went just fine," McKinney said of the talks as he left the hotel with his luggage, adding the trip "has been a good one for us".

Trump boasted on Twitter on Tuesday that discussions in China were "going very well!"

China's foreign ministry confirmed the negotiations had ended in Beijing but declined to comment on the outcome, saying details would be released later.

"If it's a good outcome, it doesn't just benefit the US and China, but it is also good news for the world economy," said foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang.

The US delegation, led by Deputy Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish, had been scheduled to end its visit on Tuesday.

"The extension of the talks indicate that both sides take this very seriously," Lu said.

Washington has been clamouring for an end to the forced transfer -- and even theft -- of American technology, as well as steep government subsidies for Chinese companies.

The Trump administration also wants Beijing to buy more American goods to narrow a yawning trade gap and allow foreign players better access to the Chinese market.

The US Trade Representative office said Wednesday that the talks focused on "ways to achieve fairness, reciprocity, and balance in trade relations," as well as the need for "ongoing verification and effective enforcement" of any agreement.

Story continues

"The talks also focused on China's pledge to purchase a substantial amount of agricultural, energy, manufactured goods, and other products and services from the United States," USTR said in a statement.

- 'Encouraging words' -

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross signalled on Monday that there was a "very good chance" of reaching an agreement.

China's economy was more vulnerable to the fallout from the trade war, he said.

Apple chief executive Tim Cook said he has "heard some very encouraging words" about the talks as well.

"I don't speak for them obviously," Cook told CNBC in reference to the Trump administration. "I do talk with them and I give them my ideas and thoughts."

The US smartphone maker has felt the pinch of the bruising trade spat, and warned that 2018 revenues would miss its forecast -- in large part due to a slump in iPhone sales in China.

The temporary trade war ceasefire came after the two sides imposed import duties on more than $300 billion in two-way trade.

Without a resolution, punitive US duty rates on $200 billion in Chinese goods are due to rise to 25 percent from 10 percent on March 2.

Global financial markets retreated late last year, largely over concerns about the economic impact of a protracted trade war. Bloomberg reported that Trump is eager to strike a deal to boost markets, citing people familiar with White House deliberations.

The current trade round coincided with an unannounced visit from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who arrived in Beijing on Tuesday for talks with Xi, ahead of a possible second meeting between Kim and Trump.

China -- Pyongyang's sole diplomatic ally and main source of trade -- said it would not use Kim's visit as a bargaining chip in the US trade talks.

Kim's train left Beijing on Wednesday around the same time the US trade negotiators headed for the airport.United Nations (United States) (AFP) - UN envoy Martin Griffiths warned Wednesday that "substantial progress" was needed to advance peace efforts in Yemen before new talks can be held on ending the devastating war.

Addressing the Security Council, Griffiths said he was still "hopeful" that negotiations to follow up on a ceasefire deal reached last month in Sweden will be held "in the near future."

The Saudi-backed government and Huthi rebels agreed during talks in Stockholm to a ceasefire in Hodeida, the rebel-held port city that is a key entry point for humanitarian aid to Yemen.

The breakthrough buoyed hopes of an end to the conflict, but the envoy's statement underscored that the diplomatic gains toward peace were fragile and the pace of progress slower than anticipated.

"Both sides have largely adhered to the ceasefire and there has been a significant decrease in hostilities," Griffiths told the council by video-conference from Amman.

Talks are ongoing on a redeployment of forces from Hodeida, providing security in the city and opening up access routes to allow humanitarian convoys to reach millions in dire need of food aid, he added.

A meeting will be held in Amman next week to follow up on an agreed prisoner swap that could pave the way to an airlift of "many, many thousands" of detainees from both sides.

"It is my view and it is shared by the leadership of both parties, but also others, that substantial progress, particularly on Hodeida of course, is something that we would like to see before we reconvene the next consultations," said Griffiths.

Griffiths briefed the Security Council after a round of shuttle diplomacy in the region including talks with rebel leaders in Sanaa and President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in Riyadh on shoring up the ceasefire deal.

- Yemenis hungrier, sicker -

The United Nations is working to schedule a new round of talks, possibly in Kuwait, to build on the Stockholm agreement and advance toward a final deal to end the conflict.

Story continues

The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the government escalated in March 2015, when President Hadi fled to Saudi Arabia and the Riyadh-led coalition intervened.

The conflict has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, which says 80 percent of the population -- 24 million people -- are in need of aid.

Nearly 10 million people are just one step away from famine, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock told the council.

"Millions of Yemenis are hungrier, sicker and more vulnerable than a year ago," said Lowcock, who stressed that while the political process was important "it does not in itself feed a single starving child."

The Security Council is considering the creation of a new observer mission to Yemen to monitor the ceasefire in Hodeida, oversee the pullback of forces and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has proposed the deployment of up to 75 observers to Yemen for an initial period of six months to shore up the ceasefire while talks on a broader peace deal are held.

An advance team of about 16 international monitors, led by Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, has been deployed in Yemen, under a resolution adopted last month that endorsed the Stockholm agreement.

The council is expected to decide on setting up the new mission, which would be led by Cammaert, before the mandate of that advance team expires on January 20.Cashless payments over the past decade have been strengthened by the growing popularity of contactless cards. Source: Ian Tuttle/REX/Shutterstock

The days of carrying cash are slowly fading, and the UK currently ranks higher than all other EU nations for cashless payments, racking in a massive revenue of 94tn (120tn) via card and digital payments in 2018.

A report by payment fee comparison service Merchant Machine called Going Cashless has revealed after years of card payments slowly cutting into the dominance of cash transactions, cashless is now the most popular method of payment across the EU. The rise of cashless payments has been strengthened by the growing popularity of contactless cards, as well as a 15% drop in notes and coins used in 2018.

The UK is by far the leading nation for cashless payments in Europe. Germany ranked second in the study of cashless revenue with 56tn (86tn) generated in 2018, while France gathered 27tn (24tn) in cashless payments.

READ MORE: Time for a cashless society? Deadly bacteria found on UK cash and coins

Contactless debit and credit cards have become hugely popular since 2007, providing consumers with a fast and easy way to pay. The UK clothing industry benefited most from this technology last year, with contactless payments for purchasing clothing skyrocketing by 321%, topping all other key business types.

Source: Merchant Machine

The public transport business also reaped the benefits of contactless technology, with 91% of all payments being made with contactless cards last year. Additionally, parking payments had 132% more contactless transactions in 2018 than the year before.

Ian Wright from Merchant Machine said: The popularity and preference towards cashless payments appears evergrowing. While so many are aware of the decline of cash usage and increase in card transactions, the study helps to break down where these changes are most felt.

READ MORE: All the ways Brits are clinging onto cash

This follows an announcement from banking and finance trade body UK Finance in June 2017 that cash use has halved over the past decade, while debit payments have become the most popular form of payment across the nation. Card payments surged by 14% in 2017 compared to the previous year, while the the number of cash transactions fell by 15% in the same period.

Story continues

Experts have suggested the UK is heading towards a cashless society, but some warn that up to eight million Brits would suffer considerably in this kind of society  particularly those living in rural areas or with significant debt.



WASHINGTON, Jan 8 (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's first absence from the bench extended into a second day on Tuesday as the 85-year-old jurist continued her recovery from lung cancer surgery at home.

Although Ginsburg did not attend the oral arguments, she will participate in the cases and rulings by using the briefs and oral argument transcripts, Chief Justice John Roberts announced from the bench.

Ginsburg, who joined the court in 1993, underwent a surgical procedure called a pulmonary lobectomy on Dec. 21 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York to remove two cancerous nodules in her left lung. She was released from the hospital on Christmas Day.

Related: Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Monday was the first time Ginsburg, the oldest member of the nine-justice court, has missed oral arguments as a result of her various health scares, including two previous cancer diagnoses. Ginsburg also broke three ribs in a fall in November, which led to doctors' discovery of the nodules on her lung.

If Ginsburg, one of the court's four liberal members, were unable to continue serving, Trump could replace her with a conservative, further shifting the court to the right. Trump has added two justices to the court since becoming president in January 2017.

(Reporting by Andrew Chung Editing by Bill Trott)By Aziz El Yaakoubi DUBAI (Reuters) - The guns have mostly fallen silent around the Yemeni port of Hodeidah and the skies are clear of warplanes, but a U.N.-sponsored deal for the warring armies to quit the city has stalled, risking efforts to end a conflict that has pushed the country to the brink of famine. The Iranian-aligned Houthis and the Saudi-backed government agreed to a ceasefire in Hodeidah and to withdraw forces at peace talks in Sweden in December following months of diplomacy and Western pressure to end the nearly four-year-old war that has killed tens of thousands of people. But the agreement did not spell out who would control Hodeidah city, which is now held by the Houthis while thousands of Saudi-led coalition troops are massed on the outskirts. Both sides were to withdraw their troops by Jan. 7 under the deal. Sporadic skirmishes have taken place but the truce has put on hold an anticipated assault by the Saudi-led coalition that aid agencies feared would have terrible consequences for civilians. The air strikes that had rained death and destruction on Hodeidah have also paused, although they have continued in other regions. In New York on Wednesday, U.N. special envoy Martin Griffiths told the United Nations Security Council that both sides had largely stuck to the ceasefire but substantial progress would be needed before more peace talks could be held. "There has been a significant decrease in hostilities," he said. Griffiths had met the rival leaders in recent days and he said both had expressed determination to find a way forward but all shared the view that "substantial progress, particularly on Hodeidah, is something we would like to see before we reconvene the next consultations". The Stockholm pact had stipulated that Houthi forces leave Hodeidah port and two other ports and that international monitors be deployed. The monitors would then oversee a complete withdrawal of troops of both sides from the city, which would be run by "local authorities" under U.N. supervision. "I am afraid that agreement did not spell out how to build that authority nor who will control what," a Western diplomat involved in the peace talks told Reuters. The Houthis said late last month their fighters quit Hodeidah port and handed control to local coast guards units in place before the war. The Saudi-led coalition disputed the move, believing those units were loyal to the Houthis. The Houthi withdrawal from the ports of Hodeidah, Saleef and Ras Isa would have been met with a retreat by coalition forces from the eastern outskirts of the city, where battles had raged before the ceasefire went into effect on Dec. 18. Retired Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, head of the Redeployment Coordination Committee tasked with overseeing implementation of the deal, told U.N. chief Antonio Guterres and his envoy Griffiths it was not possible to verify the neutrality of the coast guards in position since the withdrawal of Houthi fighters, two sources familiar with the matter said. Allegiances among Yemen's many factions have shifted several times during the conflict that pits the Houthis against the internationally recognized government of Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, which was ousted from the capital Sanaa in 2014. The Houthis control most urban centers in the Arabian Peninsula country. Hadi's government is based in the southern port of Aden and controls some western coastal towns. AVERTING FAMINE Disagreements over control of Hodeidah, the main entry point for the bulk of commercial imports and vital aid supplies to Yemen, have delayed the opening of humanitarian corridors needed to reach millions of Yemenis facing starvation. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are leading the Sunni Muslim Arab coalition that intervened in Yemen's war in 2015 to restore Hadi's government. "Houthi manipulations threaten the Sweden agreement and the next steps in the political process," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs AnwarGargash tweeted on Wednesday. Houthi spokesman Yahya Sarea said the United Nations must play a stronger role to avoid "the other side taking advantage". Guterres has asked the U.N. Security Council to approve the deployment of up to 75 observers to Hodeidah for six months. The council will need to decide by about Jan. 20, when a 30-day authorization for an advance monitoring team expires. "I don't think any country will send monitors before a full withdrawal of forces," one diplomat said. Yemen descended into war after pro-democracy unrest forced late former president Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down. Hadi was elected to a two-year term to head a transitional government but the Houthis drove him into Saudi exile. The Houthis say they are waging a revolution against corruption. The conflict is widely seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Muslim Iran. The Saudi-led coalition receives weapons and logistical support from the United States, Britain and other Western countries, but their involvement has come under increased scrutiny following the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul in October, and over the civilian toll from the air campaign. (Reporting by Aziz El Yaakoubi, additional reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Ghaida Ghantous and Angus MacSwan)Tunisias tourism revenues have soared in 2018 to $1.36 billion as the country saw the arrival of a record 8.3 million visitors, official figures released on Monday showed.

Tourism revenues rose in 2018 by about 45 percent compared to 2017, the central bank figures showed.

The number of tourists jumped to 8.3 million from 7 million in 2017, as hotels were filled with visitors from Algeria, Russia and other parts of Europe.

Also, Tunisia has become an increasingly popular destination for Chinese tourists. As of Oct. 20, a total number of 21,873 Chinese tourists have visited Tunisia in 2018, with a significant growth of 43.3 percent year on year, according to the data released by Tunisian government.

Terror attacks have decimated Tunisias crucial tourism sector in recent years.

Three years ago, in the coastal resort of Sousse, 38 people were killed in a shooting rampage targeting tourists, while earlier in 2015 an attack on the National Bardo Museum in Tunis left 22 people dead.

Tourism accounts for 8 percent of Tunisias gross domestic product. A return of Europeans visitors would give a strong boost to the struggling economy and raise the countrys weak foreign currency reserves, according to Reuters.

The North African nation expects tourist arrivals to reach 9 million for the first time in 2019.WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser John Bolton raised U.S. concerns about the use of Chinese telecommunications equipment in sensitive sectors during a weekend meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a U.S. official said on Wednesday. "We are all concerned about theft of intellectual property and Chinese telecoms companies that are being used by China for intelligence-gathering purposes," said a senior administration official who was briefed on the talks. The Trump administration has taken a series of steps aimed at curbing market penetration by Huawei Technologies Cos Ltd [HWT.UL] and ZTE Corp, two of China's biggest network equipment makers. Both companies have denied that their products are used to spy. The administration does not want any obstacles to being able to share sensitive information with the Israelis, the senior official told reporters ahead of the meeting, referring to the concerns about Chinese technology and investment at the port of Haifa. "We specifically put it on the agenda," the official said. The Netanyahu government, frustrated by labor disputes that had disrupted Israel's trade arteries, gave the green light in 2013 for Chinas Shanghai International Port Group to operate a private port in Haifa - a major berth for the U.S. Sixth Fleet. In a possible sign of U.S. displeasure at the Chinese involvement in Haifa, one of the Sixth Fleet's warships in October docked in Israel's second-tier Mediterranean port of Ashdod, the fleets first such visit in almost 20 years. In December 2016 Huawei acquired Israel's HexaTier, whose technology secures databases in the cloud, for $42 million. This followed a visit to Israel by the Chinese technology giant's CEO. That same month it also acquired IT research firm Toga Networks for an undisclosed amount. According to Israeli media, ZTE has shown interest in Israel's tech sector since sending a senior delegation to the country in 2013. Israel's Haaretz newspaper reported in 2016 that Israel has an undeclared policy of not using Huwaei or ZTE technologies, out of concern about possible security breaches. (Reporting by Steve Holland and Dan Williams, writing by Roberta Rampton; Editing by Tom Brown)BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. naval operations in the South China Sea could spark conflict and the United States would be to blame if a clash occurred, a Chinese military researcher said on Wednesday. The warning came as Chinese and U.S. trade teams ended talks in Beijing that have raised hopes an all-out trade war could be avoided, but fears remain that strategic tension between two countries are growing. "Both countries warships definitely have to come into close proximity and it's easy for there to be a misunderstanding or an error of judgment, even a collision," Zhang Junshe, a researcher at China's PLA Naval Military Studies Research Institute, told reporters. "If there is a collision, the root cause is the United States." On Monday a U.S. guided-missile destroyer sailed near disputed islands the South China Sea in what China called a "provocation", just as the trade talks began. Zhang said whenever U.S. warships entered waters that China claimed, China had no option but to send warships to deal with them. Since Trump took office, there have been 14 incidents of U.S. Navy vessel entering waters that China claims to carry out what the U.S. military calls freedom of navigation operations, Zhang said. China claims almost all of the South China Sea and denounces the United States and its allies over naval operations near Chinese-occupied islands. Vietnam, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan have competing claims in the region. He Lei, former vice president of China's Academy of Military Sciences, said "foreign forces" that attempted to prevent the unification of China and Taiwan could compel Beijing to use force to bring the self-ruled island under its control. "Foreign forces that pose as world police to interfere in China's affairs, to obstruct and damage China's unification, are the main culprits that could force the mainland to use force to resolve the Taiwan issue," he told reporters. U.S. President Donald Trump last week signed into law the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act, which reaffirms the U.S. commitment to Taiwan, including arms sales. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Jan. 2 said nobody could change the fact Taiwan was part of China. (Reporting by Christian Shepherd; Editing by Robert Birsel)Donald Trump walked out of a meeting with congressional leaders Wednesday after failing to make progress on resolving the impasse over the presidents demand for funding to build a wall on the Mexico border, a standoff that has led to a government shutdown now in its third week.

President Trump addressing the nation Tuesday, photographed through the window of the Oval Office. (Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Moments after the White House meeting disintegrated, the president headed to Twitter to vent his frustration.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Exiting the White House, Democratic leaders did not dispute the substance of Trumps retelling of events.

Well, unfortunately the president just got up and walked out. He asked Speaker Pelosi, Will you agree to my wall? She said no. And he just got up and said, Then we have nothing to discuss. And he just walked out, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer told reporters.

He said Trump slammed the table in frustration as he was leaving.

Democratic leaders talk with reporters after the meeting with President Trump. (Photo: Evan Vucci/AP)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also painted the president as intransigent. Its cold out here, and the temperature was not much warmer in the Situation Room, where leaders of both parties met with Trump and other administration officials, said Pelosi. She lamented the collateral damage to federal workers living paycheck to paycheck who may not be able to pay their bills as the shutdown drags on.

The president seems to be insensitive to that, Pelosi said. He thinks that maybe they could just ask their father for more money. But they cant. They cant.

She added: If you dont understand financial insecurity, then you would have a policy that takes pride in saying Im going to keep government shut down for months or years unless you totally agree to my position.'

Schumer also placed blame for the stalemate on Trump.

I asked him to open up the government, Schumer said. Tomorrow, so many people will have trouble paying their mortgages. Paying their bills. Dealing with situations when they dont get paid. And I said, Just why wont you do that? And continue to discuss. Were willing to discuss anything. And he said, If I open up the government, you wont do what I want. Thats cruel, thats callous and thats using millions of innocent people as sort of pawns.

Story continues

Sen. Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the Senate, later told reporters that Trump said I dont know why Im doing this. I dont want to do this meeting. They told me I had to do this meeting.

Taking their turn at the microphones immediately after the Democratic leaders departed, Republicans at the meeting gave their version of events.

We continue to hear the idea, and I know there are going to be votes tomorrow, that the House will take up bills to open portions of the government, Vice President Mike Pence, the presidents lead negotiator with Democrats, told reporters. And the president literally called the question, he said, If I opened up the government quickly, would you agree to border security and a wall? The speaker of the House said no. And at that point I think the president thought there was no longer any reason to be talking at this meeting. But as we said afterwards and we had conversations with the leaders before they left, we hope they come back to the table.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy disputed Schumers account of the meeting, saying Trump was respectful, calm and polite before walking out of the room. He even brought a little candy for everybody, McCarthy said.

McCarthy sought to blame Trumps adversaries for the shutdown, saying Not once have the Democrats offered anything back, and adding, They just want to argue.

When it was over, the only thing that all parties seemed to agree on was the presidents assessment that the meeting had been a total waste of time. Disagreement continued, though, about why.

Dylan Stableford contributed to this article.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:



See our 2018 year-end features >>>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump is unlikely to declare a national emergency at the southern border with Mexico during his speech on Tuesday night, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a person who reviewed drafts of the speech. The nationally televised address did not include any declaration, according to the person, who was not identified. The speech will try to explain why the Republican president considers the situation at the border as a crisis, the newspaper said. Trump's prime-time address, scheduled for 9 p.m. (0200 GMT Wednesday), will be his latest attempt to persuade Democrats to back his push for a steel barrier on the southern border. Amid his talk of crisis in recent days, Trump has been considering declaring the border situation a national emergency, which could get him out of an impasse by enabling him to bypass Congress' mandate to approve federal spending and to build the wall without its approval. Such a step, however, would likely face an immediate legal challenge. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by David Alexander and Peter Cooney)Washington (AFP) - US President Donald Trump boasted Tuesday that US-China trade negotiations were going "very well" as officials held talks in Beijing that will spill into a third day.

A member of the US delegation said the two sides would resume talks on Wednesday as they continue their first face-to-face meetings since Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a tariff truce during a meeting in Argentina on December 1.

The talks are taking longer than expected as the Chinese commerce ministry had said last week that the meetings would take place on Monday and Tuesday.

"Talks with China are going very well!" Trump said on Twitter, but gave no further information.

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday the two sides were narrowing their differences, with Chinese officials offering greater purchases of US goods and services and Cabinet-level follow-up meetings expected later this month.

Word of progress briefly drove US stocks higher in early morning trading but major indices soon pared much of those gains.

The meeting between the US delegation -- led by Deputy US Trade Representative Jeffrey Gerrish and including officials from the Treasury, Commerce, Agriculture and Energy Departments -- and the Chinese side ran late into Tuesday night.

"I can confirm we are continuing tomorrow (Wednesday)," Steven Winberg, assistant energy secretary, told reporters after returning to his hotel in Beijing.

He declined to provide more details.

The Trump administration wants Beijing to abandon its strategy of seeking global industrial predominance through the alleged theft and forced transfer of American technology as well as massive state intervention in markets.

The truce came after the two sides imposed import duties on more than $300 billion of each other's goods.

US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said Monday that China's economy was more vulnerable to the fallout from the trade war.

"It certainly has hurt the Chinese economy," Ross told CNBC, noting that China exports many more goods to the United States than the other way around.

Story continues

Ross said there was a "very good chance" of reaching an agreement, although monitoring compliance would present a challenge.

Without a resolution, punitive US duty rates on $200 billion in Chinese goods are due to rise to 25 percent from 10 percent on March 2.

- Geopolitical distractions -

The second day of trade negotiations coincided with an unannounced visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for talks with Xi in Beijing, amid speculation of a second meeting between Kim and Trump.

Some analysts say that China -- Pyongyang's key diplomatic ally and main source of trade -- could use Kim's visit as a bargaining chip in the US trade talks.

But Bonnie Glaser, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the timing of the North Korean leader's arrival could be coincidental.

"I don't see any linkage with the trade talks," said Glaser.

"China's ability to use (North Korea) as leverage has diminished considerably since Trump opened his own channel to Kim," she said.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Kim's visit and the trade talks were "two separate matters".

"China's position in the China-US trade friction and its solutions to the friction is open, it's transparent," Lu said at a regular press briefing.

"We have shown our sincerity, we have established our stand in this, so we don't need other actions to gain the confidence of the US. The US is very clear about China's stance."

A separate geopolitical issue angered China on Monday when a US Navy guided-missile destroyer sailed near disputed islands in the South China Sea -- a vast expanse claimed by Beijing.

China called it a violation of its sovereignty that has damaged "peace, safety and order" in the waterway.

The United States periodically sends planes and warships through the area to signal to Beijing its right under international law to pass through the waters.

burs/dg/jmThe Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) in Gambia has started investigating into Jammehs 22-year era of oppression which ended in 2016 after he was forced from power.

The commission has started hearing testimonies from witnesses on Monday, local media reported.

Modelled on South Africas investigation into its apartheid era, The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission was established and launched on 5th October 2018 to look into alleged human rights violations during the 22-year rule of former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh.

Right organization such as Amnesty International have hailed the commission as a step towards securing justice, truth and reparations in the tiny west African nation.

Jammehs regime is accused of killing journalists, torturing and killing political opponents, and sponsoring a campaign that allowed so-called witch doctors to abduct hundreds of people and force them to drink unknown substances.

A paramilitary unit controlled by Yahya Jammeh summarily executed more than 50 Ghanaian, Nigerian, and other West African migrants in July 2005, Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International said last year.

Interviews with 30 former Gambian officials, including eleven officers directly involved in the incident, reveal that the migrants, who were bound for Europe but were suspected of being mercenaries intent on overthrowing Jammeh, were murdered after having been detained by Jammehs closest deputies in the army, navy, and police forces.

As a reminder, after losing power in 2016, Jammeh fled to Equatorial Guinea.

The Amnesty International campaigner for West Africa, Marta Colomer said, the hearings of the Truth Commission mark efforts to hold Jammeh accountable, whether in Gambia, Equatorial Guinea or another country.London (AFP) - A UK consultancy working on Donald Trump's US election campaign pleaded guilty and was fined by a London court Wednesday over its refusal to release personal data it secretly hoovered off Facebook.

The social media giant has admitted that Cambridge Analytica -- a political advisory that ran Trump's digital outreach in 2016 -- used an app to collect the private details of 87 million users without their knowledge.

It then strategically targeted them with political ads and produced detailed polls that allegedly helped Trump score an upset victory over Democratic hopeful Hillary Clinton.

Cambridge Analytica pleaded guilty on Wednesday of failing to comply with a UK media regulator's order to release the information it had on a US professor who demanded to know what the company knew about him -- and how.

It was fined 15,000 ($19,100, 16,700 euros) and required to pay around 6,000 in court costs.

Wednesday's hearing in a tiny courtroom in the residential outskirts of London was a test case that provided a glimpse into a scandal that has rocked Facebook's reputation and provided more work for US investigators probing Trump's campaign.

An attorney representing the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) media regulator told the court that Cambridge Analytica managed to gather what amounted to 81 billion printed pages of data about Facebook users.

Investigations by The Guardian and The New York Times published a year ago prompted the ICO to seize Cambridge Analytica's computers and servers as part of their own inquiry in March 2017.

The firm has since gone into administration.

But Wednesday's hearing showed that Cambridge Analytica is still putting up a fight.

An ICO attorney said the London-based company had initially told US Professor David Carroll that his request for information was groundless because he was neither a British citizen or resident.

"You have no right to make (a data access request) -- any more than a member of the Taliban sitting in a cave in the remotest corner of Afghanistan," Cambridge Analytica's letter to him said.

Story continues

One of the company's executives later told the ICO that he did "not expect to be further harassed with this sort of correspondence".

The company's guilty plea was also carefully crafted.

Cambridge Analytica admitted to a "failure to comply with (an ICO) enforcement notice".

But the plea notes that "this prosecution does not relate to nor suggest misuse of data or any potential action relating thereto".

- 'Not done yet' -

Professor Carroll told AFP that he felt only partially vindicated by the verdict.

"It's another step in the way. We are not done yet," he said in a telephone interview from New York.

"The quest is complete when I get all my data."

Presiding judge Kenneth Grant agreed to look into the specifics of Carroll's data request -- but not the wider issue of Cambridge Analytica releasing all the information it had.

Carroll said the biggest revelation from Wednesday's hearing was that the ICO had obtained the passwords to Cambridge Analytica's servers that the company had initially tried not to disclose.

He said this could lead to the eventual release of the data as well as a more thorough review of digital privacy rules in both Britain and the United States.

"I think the story is not over," the US professor said.

The court heard that Cambridge Analytica's guilty plea was coordinated with ICO representatives over the course of the past weeks.

It marked a last-minute change of strategy by administrators who inherited the case from the company's executives.

Cambridge Analytica pleaded not guilty in an initial hearing on October 3.

The ICO called the admission and Wednesday's sentence "a warning that there are consequences for ignoring the law".

"Wherever you live in the world, if your data is being processed by a UK company, UK data protection laws apply," the UK regulator said in a statement released to AFP.WASHINGTON  Turkeys president is fuming. Israeli leaders are nervous. Syrian Kurds are terrified.

Thats the global state-of-play three weeks after President Donald Trump abruptly announced a decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Trump National Security Adviser John Bolton are now on separate swings through the Middle East, where theyre both trying to calm jittery U.S. allies  and to walk back the presidents statements.

Theres been a lot of noise about this withdrawal from Syria, and we want to make sure they understand completely what that means, Pompeo told CNBC in an interview Monday before leaving for the diplomatic blitz.

That noise started on Dec. 19, when Trump abruptly announced a decision to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria, where they have been fighting ISIS. Trump declared three weeks ago the 2,000 American troops in Syria are all coming back, and theyre coming back now and that that ISIS had been vanquished  an assertion experts say is inaccurate.

Bolton contradicted the president during a stop in Israel on Sunday  saying U.S. troops would only leave Syria once ISIS is completely eradicated and the U.S. had secured assurances from Turkey that it would not attack Kurdish fighters allied with the U.S. The Syrian Kurds have been America's most important ally in the fight against ISIS.

There are objectives that we want to accomplish that condition the withdrawal, Bolton told reporters in Jerusalem.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, left, meets with King Abdullah of Jordan, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, in Amman, Jordan.

Bolton then went to Ankara to ask Turkey not to slaughter the Kurds, as Pompeo put it last week. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan responded angrily to Boltons entreaty, noting that Turkey views the Kurdish fighters as a terrorist group.

It is not possible to accept or swallow the message given by Bolton, Erdogan told lawmakers in Turkeys parliament on Tuesday.

Pompeo may get a similarly chilly reception on his eight-country tour of the Middle East, which started Tuesday in Jordan and will include stops in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Trumps chief diplomat said his main goal is to reassure Americas Arab allies that the U.S. is not abandoning the Middle East  specifically its efforts to curb Irans influence in the region.

Story continues

Our mission set in the region remains unchanged, Pompeo told reporters traveling with him on the trip. He declined to say what timetable, if any, the Trump administration has set for America's withdraw from Syria. And he insisted there was no difference between Trump's call for a speedy withdraw and Bolton's conditional timeline.

But Middle East experts say Bolton's conditions will be difficult to meet and could mean that U.S. troops remain in Syria indefinitely. But Trump has undermined Pompeo and Bolton, with allies unsure of who or what to believe, they argued.

In addition to the troop withdraw in Syria, Trump said last week that Iran can do whatever they want in Syria. That was particularly unsettling to Israeli leaders, who fear that Iran is trying to get a military foothold in Syria.

Natan Sachs, director of the Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institution, a liberal think tank, said Trump showed his true colors when he announced the Syria withdrawal.

His instincts about the Middle East are quite consistent over time  which is to say he doesnt quite see the point, Sachs said. He would rather not have anything to do with the mess called the Middle East.

Sachs said Trump has built up considerable goodwill with U.S. allies in the Middle East because of other policy decisions. But its not going to be easy for Pompeo to calm them over Trumps latest actions, he said.

Gerald Feierstein, a former ambassador to Yemen and now a senior vice president at the Middle East Institute, said Trump's statements can't be taken back, no matter how hard Pompeo and Bolton try to tweak the president's message.

None of these people can say that they speak authoritatively for where the Trump administration is, Feierstein said. He can upend anything that they say in one tweet.

He said Trumps moves will have far-reaching consequences beyond Americas influence in the Middle East.

The real damage  is that it has once again reduced the sense that the United States is a reliable partner, Feierstein said. And what youre seeing is an increasing move on the part of our traditional friends and partners in the region to hedge their bets  to look at Moscow to look at Beijing for alliances.

Related:

Bob Corker relished public feuds with Trump. The next Senate Foreign Relations chair has softer style.

Trump says former Soviet Union was 'right' to invade Afghanistan, prompting ridicule

'The president needs to go to Afghanistan,' Sen. Graham says as GOP alarm grows over Trump foreign policy

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: As Trump's timeline for Syria withdrawal slips, U.S. allies are nervous, angry, confusedWASHINGTON  The Trump administration wants to put on hold Democrats' attempt to defend Obamacare until the partial government shutdown ends.

In a filing Wednesday, the Justice Department said it wants to challenge House Democrats' attempt to get involved in the litigation over the Affordable Care Act. But lawyers can't meet the deadline to do so because of the federal funding impasse.

Instead, the department asked the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to pause the case.

"The Department of Justice does not know when funding will be restored by Congress," attorney Martin Totaro wrote.

Trump has said the shutdown could last for "months or even years."

Democrats oppose the administration's move to halt their appeal.

"First they refuse to fully defend the #ACA, now theyre trying to stay our ACA case," tweeted California Attorney General Xavier Bacerra who is leading the appeal.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act is being challenged by Republican attorneys general who argue it became invalid after the GOP-controlled Congress ended the law's penalty for people who don't have insurance.

U.S. District Court Judge Reed OConnor in the Northern District of Texas agreed with the attorneys general last month.

The law remains intact during the appeals process.

Democratic attorneys general have challenged the decision. House Democrats want to join that appeal. Objections to that move are supposed to be filed by Jan. 17, although the court Tuesday agreed to delay a briefing on the issue.

The Justice Department is requesting pauses not just on this issue, but in cases great and small throughout the country because the arm of the department that would normally show up in court to handle civil cases is out of money. Many judges have agreed to put cases on hold, and a few have insisted they go forward anyway.

For example, a judge paused a lawsuit brought by consumer advocates to stop the Trump administration from expanding the availability of short-term insurance plans with fewer coverage benefits.

Story continues

Litigation over whether to put a citizenship question on the 2020 census is going ahead in multiple districts.

But another judge Wednesday denied the government's request to pause a case involving a challenge to the appointment of Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

In the Obamacare lawsuit, the Trump administration last year said it could not defend all of the law, including its popular protections for people with pre-existing conditions. That decision upended a longstanding legal and democratic norm that the executive branch will uphold existing laws.

House Democrats say they're getting involved on behalf of the millions of Americans with health issues who would have trouble getting insurance without the ACA's protections.

If you support coverage for pre-existing conditions, then you will support this measure," Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said Wednesday during floor debate on whether to affirm the House's intervention.

Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., called intervention a waste of taxpayer dollars "to defend the indefensible."

If the district judge's ruling that the law is unconstitutional holds, the consequences would be far reaching. Besides eliminating protections for people with health conditions, such a ruling also would eliminate the law's expansion of Medicaid, enhanced drug benefit for seniors, bans on limits on insurance coverage, and the ability of young adults to stay on their parents' health plans, for example.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump administration seeks pause in Obamacare court case because of shutdownAnti-Brexit demonstrators gather outside Parliament (Picture: PA)

Tory rebels have promised to wage a parliamentary guerrilla campaign to prevent a no-deal Brexit if Theresa Mays plan for EU withdrawal is defeated in the Commons.

The House will begin five days of debate on Wednesday, culminating in the meaningful vote next week which could determine the fate of the government.

It comes after the prime minister dramatically pulled a vote before Christmas, admitting she was heading for defeat in the face of opposition from both pro-Leave and pro-Remain Tories.

Labour has said it will table a motion of no confidence in the government should Mrs May lost the vote on January 15.

Ahead of the debate, MPs opposed to a no-deal break were flexing their muscles on Tuesday evening to inflict another bruising defeat on the Government.

Twenty Conservative MPs joined opposition parties in backing a cross-party amendment to the Finance Bill intended to limit the Governments powers to make tax changes in the event of no-deal.

The rebels included former ministers Ken Clarke, Sir Michael Fallon, Justine Greening, Dominic Grieve, Sir Oliver Letwin and Sam Gyimah.

MPs will vote on Theresa Mays Brexit withdrawal plan next week (Picture: PA)

Sir Oliver, who supports Mrs Mays deal, said they were ready to table similar amendments to other Brexit legislation to warn they were prepared to put paid to this disastrous proposal.

The majority in this House will sustain itself, and we will not allow a no-deal exit to occur on March 29, he said.

MORE: Attackers stab 14-year-old boy to death after ramming his moped in east London

MORE: Facebook deletes page of protesters responsible for abuse of MPs outside Parliament

Downing Street insisted the amendment  tabled by senior Labour MP Yvette Cooper and Tory former cabinet minister Nicky Morgan  was no more than an inconvenience which would not prevent the government collecting taxes.

But supporters said the vote  of 303 to 296  showed there was now a clear majority of MPs who would oppose a no-deal if Mrs May cannot, as many expect, win the backing of the Commons for her agreement.

Story continues

The defeat marked the first time a government has lost a vote on the Finance Bill since 1978.

Among Brexiteers there was some suspicion as to why ministers chose to oppose a relatively minor amendment rather than avoid defeat by letting it go through unopposed.

Steve Baker, a leading member of the pro Brexit European Research Group, suggested it was a whipping tactic to deliberately advertise weakness in the hope of persuading pro-Brexit MPs to back the deal rather than risk remaining in the EU.

Shadow international trade secretary Barry Gardiner said Labour would table a motion of no confidence in the government if Theresa Mays Brexit deal is voted down next week.

Were now talking as if it is expected that the government next Tuesday will be defeated on the most important piece of legislation that has come before Parliament probably in 50 or more years, that the government has devoted two years of its time to try to negotiate, and were now almost accepting that this will simply be defeated and voted down, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme.

Obviously, the next thing to do immediately after that is for there to be a vote of confidence in the government.

Mr Gardiner said the appropriate time to table such a motion is when the government loses its key legislation and no longer commands a majority in the House of Commons.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

The prime minister has said she is still seeking fresh assurances from the EU on the Northern Ireland backstop, intended to prevent the return of a hard border with the Republic, in a bid to win over sceptical MPs.

Meanwhile, a cross-party group of pro-EU MPs have backed a new amendment that would require Mrs May to return to the Commons with a new plan within just three days if she loses the meaningful vote.

Current legislation says that if the vote is lost, ministers have 21 days to make a statement to the Commons, followed by seven days in which to table a fresh motion, a total of 28 days.

The amendment by Tory former attorney general and Brexit rebel Mr Grieve seeks to drastically shorten that time to allow an alternative to be found that heads off a no-deal Brexit.

It is backed by Tories including Sir Oliver and Jo Johnson, plus Labours Chris Leslie among others.

Downing Street had been hoping that MPs would come under pressure from their constituencies over the Christmas break to support the deal rather than risk the consequences of a disorderly no-deal break.

Brexit protestors placards lay on the ground near Parliament in London (Picture: PA)

But with the EU continuing to insist there could be no further negotiations, there was little sign that the parliamentary arithmetic had shifted significantly over the holiday period.

Labour said the wording of the Government motion confirmed it would be a continuation debate and that MPs were being asked to vote on the exact same deal as before.

Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said: The delay to the meaningful vote has achieved nothing beyond wasting a month.

If the governments deal is defeated then a general election is the best way forward to give a new government a mandate.

Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay will open the debate for the Government, with Mrs May herself due to wrap up five days of discussions in the Commons with a final appeal to MPs to vote for her deal on the evening of Tuesday January 15.The debate on Theresa Mays Brexit deal began with a defeat for the Prime Minister (Reuters)

Theresa May has suffered another significant defeat in the House of Commons that will force her to reveal her Brexit Plan B within days if MPs vote against her deal.

308 MPs voted for  compared to 297 MPs who voted against  an amendment made by Remainer Tory MP Dominic Grieve, requiring the Government to set out its alternative suggestion no more than three days after a defeat in the meaningful vote.

Crucially, MPs will be able to make and vote on amendments to this Brexit Plan B, opening the door for a second referendum to be put to the Commons.

The EU Withdrawal Act states that the Government must a statement of intent within 21 days of a defeat, meaning Mr Grieves victory has sped up the timetable and hacked into the time available to Mrs May to secure concessions from Brussels before MPs vote again.

The blow to the Prime Minister came less than a day after Conservative rebels defied the orders of their party to push through an amendment designed to frustrate a no-deal Brexit.

Todays vote followed a furious exchange in Parliament sparked by speaker John Bercows decision to allow MPs to vote on Mr Grieves amendment.

Dominic Grieves amendment was passed with support from Conservative rebels. (photo by Vickie Flores/In Pictures via Getty Images)

Brexiteer Conservatives questioned whether Mr Bercows decision should have been allowed under Parliamentary rules.

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom noted there were some concerns about Mr Bercows decision and asked him to confirm that he acted with full advice from the Commons clerk and other parliamentary advisers.

Mr Bercow confirmed he consulted the clerk and officials, saying the advice was given to him privately and thats absolutely proper.

The exchange marked the beginning of five days of debate on the PMs Brexit deal before MPs cast their ballots in a meaningful vote.

Mrs May is expected to be defeated after failing to persuade the EU to make any changes, including to the controversial Irish backstop.Thailand ICO Baht Regulation

The Ministry of Finance in Thailand has granted working licenses to three crypto trading companies and denied permits for two businesses seeking to become regulated exchanges. The ministry has also issued a working permit to a cryptocurrency broker and dealer.

The four applicants granted a license are three digital asset exchanges  namely (1) Bitcoin Exchange Co., Ltd. (BX) (website: bx.in.th), (2) Bitkub Online Co., Ltd. (BITKUB) (website: bitkub.com), and (3) Satang Corporation (Satang Pro) (website: satang.pro)  and one cryptocurrency broker and dealer Coins TH Co., Ltd. (website: Coins.co.th), Thailands Securities and Exchange Commission stated in a press statement.

Two Thai Crypto Exchanges Denied

Cash2Coins Co Ltd (website: cash2coins.com) and Southeast Asia Digital Exchange Co Ltd (website: seadex.io) failed to meet the SECs ideal standards concerning asset maintenance system and digital know-your-customer protocol. The regulator, by orders of the Ministry, denied their licensing requests for running a crypto exchange, asserting that their IT security and cybersecurity were not adequate.

The ministry has asked both the crypto exchanges to stop their business operations in Thailand. It has also given owners a deadline of January 14 to notify their users to withdraw or transfer their crypto assets from Cash2Coins and Seadex hot wallets. The companies will be liable to report their balance sheet to the SEC after returning those digital assets.

Bangkok Thailand ICO

The SEC also confirmed that Cash2Coins and Southeast Asia could reapply for the business license after taking care of the concerns raised in response to the first application.

One Licensing Request Underway

The SEC confirmed that it is reviewing a request by Coin Asset Co (website: coinasset.co.th) to come to be a licensed cryptocurrency exchange in Thailand. The regulator has decided to put the application on hold after noticing irregularities in Coin Assets management.

Story continues

There has been a change of company executives, which is material information for the consideration of the application, the SEC explained. While the Ministry of Finance is considering the material change, the company may continue business operation by virtue of the Transitional Provisions of the Emergency Degree on Digital Asset Businesses.

Thailand Could See Startups Influx

The decision has made Thailand one of the most attractive markets in Asia for crypto businesses. The country in 2018 approved crypto and ICO regulations. And in June, it legalized seven cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ethereum. More likely, the South Asian economy could witness a growing influx of crypto emigrants from nearby countries India and China, whereby stiff regulations cap the growth of blockchain startups.

The Thai government is also exploring the blockchain technology for creating tools that could track tax evasions, manage national identities, and support the development and functioning of their proposed digital Baht.

Images from Shutterstock.



The post Thailands Finance Ministry Grants Licenses to Three Crypto Exchanges appeared first on CCN.

Tarrant county Republicans in Texas will vote Thursday on an effort by a faction to remove their vice chairman, Shahid Shafi, because he's Muslim.

Fort Worth is the largest city in Tarrant county.

The campaign against Shafi, a trauma surgeon and member of the Southlake City Council, was mounted by a small group of Republicans led by Dorrie O'Brien, a precinct chairman from Grand Prairie.

OBrien writes on Facebook that she never doubted her side has the votes to remove Shafi from his post.

We dont think hes suitable as a practicing Muslim to be vice chair because hed be the representative for ALL Republicans in Tarrant County, and not ALL Republicans in Tarrant County think Islam is safe or acceptable, O'Brien wrote on Facebook, adding that "there are big questions surrounding exactly where Dr. Shafis loyalties lie, vis a vis Democrat and Republican policies.

OBrien says her effort to oust Shafi is not about his religion, but whether he supports Islam or is connected to Islamic terror groups, according to the Star-Telegram.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Shafi emigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan in 1990 and became a naturalized citizen in 2009, the Texas Tribune reports. He was appointed vice chairman six months ago by chairman Darl Easton.

Its just outrageous that we are doing this, says Easton, the Star-Telegram reports. "Its disgusting.

In a recent letter to county precinct chairs, Easton said it is an "injustice" to allow a Muslim to be a party member for over eight years, accept his donations and volunteer work, "then suddenly declare his religion is unsuitable to be in an appointed position in the Party."

Easton called that was "clearly deception of the highest order.

In an open letter, Shafi wrote that he believes much of the hate against Muslims is driven by a fear of terrorism.

Here are the facts. I have never had any association with the Muslim Brotherhood nor [the Council on American-Islamic Relations] nor any terrorist organization, he wrote. I believe that the laws of our nation are our Constitution and the laws passed by our elected legislatures  I have never promoted any form of Sharia Law. I fully support and believe in American Laws for American Courts.

Story continues

I am honored to be an American and a Republican, he added.

This is, unfortunately, not the first time that people or my political opponents have tried to use my religion against me to distract the voters, Shafi told The Washington Post ahead of Thursday's vote.And unfortunately, I dont think it will be the last either.

Several prominent Texas Republicans, including Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Land commissioner George P. Bush and former House Speaker Joe Straus have spoken out on Shafi's behalf.

The Texas GOP executive committee has also rallied to Shafi's cause, passing a non-discrimination resolution that affirms and supports all Americans right to practice their religion  and recognizes the contributions of Republicans of every faith who advance conservative policies and ideals.

"Lets be as one. Lets show everybody, this is the Republican Party of Texas. We are not the party of bigots, said JT Edwards, a member of the state Republican Executive committee, last week before the adoption of the resolution, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A Texas county GOP's faction seeks to remove 'unsuitable' Muslim vice chairReuters

Paul R. Pillar

Security, Middle East

Americans mistakenly placed their hopes in Donald Trump for a more restrained and less militaristic U.S. foreign policy.

Syria Policy: The Hawks Talons Sink Deeper into Trump

National Security Advisor John Bolton has in effect overruled President Donald Trumps troop withdrawal decision. This will have fateful consequences for Americas national interests, and none of them are good. Speaking in Israel, Bolton stated that two conditions must be met before a withdrawal of U.S. troops, and the conditions amount to a recipe for indefinitely prolonging the deployment. One is that the United States must make sure ISIS is defeated and is not able to revive itself and become a threat againan objective that is impossible for the two thousand U.S. troops in Syria to achieve. With the mini-state of ISIS largely gone, whatever threat the group poses is a matter not of military control of a patch of Syriaa patch of sand and death, as Trump put itbut instead of ideology, politics, fear, and hatred that cannot be described on a battle map.

Boltons other condition is to obtain some sort of guarantee from Turkey not to attack the Kurdish forces in northeast Syria that have functioned as clients of the United States but that Ankara sees as auxiliaries of an anti-Turkish terrorist group. Again, this is not a box likely to be checked no matter how long U.S. troops stay in Syria. A U.S. withdrawal would give the Kurds incentive to move in the direction least damaging to their interests: striking a deal with the Assad regime in which the Kurds give up any hope for independence in return for some form of limited autonomy. But as long as the United States keeps promising protection to the Kurds and offers its own troops as a tripwire to guarantee such protection, that incentive is missing. With a continuation of the current arrangement, observes former British ambassador to Syria Peter Ford, the Kurdish militia will go on infuriating the Turks and the Turkish threat will not go away. Ford further observes that on behalf of the hawks in the U.S. administration and to guard against the possibility of receiving yes for an answer from the Turks regarding a promise not to bash the Kurds, U.S. special envoy on Syria James Jeffrey has the mission of dissuading the Kurds from reaching any accords with the Damascus regime or its Russian allies.

Story continues

In his initial reaction to the turnabout in U.S. policy, Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan certainly gave no indication of willingness to offer any guarantees. He instead stated in a speech to the Turkish parliament that Bolton had made a serious mistake in imposing the condition.

Bolton in effect added a third condition when, speaking at a joint press conference with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he stated that any withdrawal would have to ensure the security of Israel and other friends in the region. So any complaining by Netanyahus government will be grounds for not proceeding with the withdrawal.

Expect Bolton and Jeffrey also to resume referring, as they frequently have in the past, to somehow pushing Iran out of Syria as yet another objective of keeping U.S. troops there. This week Sen. Lindsey Graham explicitly mentioned the Iran objective along with fighting ISIS and protecting Kurds as reasons to keep U.S. troops in Syria. This is yet another objective a continued troop presence will not achieve, especially considering how much more important Syria, Irans longest standing Arab ally, is to Tehran than it is to the United States.

The de facto reversal of Trumps withdrawal decision is a victory only for those wholike Bolton, who still avers that the Iraq War was a good ideanever met a U.S. military intervention in the Middle East they didnt like and never stop seeing regimes they would like to change with force.

The prospective result is an indefinite stay of the U.S. troops, which does not extinguish the ISIS threat and incurs the negative consequences that unwanted foreign occupations tend to incur. Anyone worried about terrorism should be aware that such occupations furnish the prime motivation for suicide bombers. In the Syrian case the U.S. military presence also furnishes propaganda points for the Assad regime, which did not invite the Americans, and for Iran and Russia, both of which it did invite.

Meanwhile, the administrations approach does nothing to make the United States a more meaningful diplomatic player in shaping the future of Syria. The previous U.S. administration started things in the wrong direction when it excluded Iran from participation in a UN-sponsored peace conference on Syria five years ago, on grounds that Iran would not accept a precondition about creating a transitional Syria government. The Trump administration has gone far beyond its predecessor, of course, in dividing the world into allies or pariahs and refusing to have any dealings with Iran. Today the most meaningful diplomatic action involving Syria is the Astana process involving Iran, Russia, and Turkey.

The episode involving withdrawal and non-withdrawal of U.S. troops in Syria should be a lesson for those who mistakenly placed hopes in Trump for a more restrained and less militaristic U.S. foreign policy. Applause lines on the campaign trail have been mistaken for deeper thought. Behind the candidates rhetoric there never was enough strategic sense, necessary knowledge, or even caring about foreign affairs to ward off the maneuvers of a determined hawk like Bolton once he was in position to do damage.

Paul R. Pillar is a contributing editor at the National Interest and the author of Why America Misunderstands the World.

Image: Reuters

Read full articleFinish this article for as low as $1 when you purchase a day pass. Just click the sign up button to purchase. If you are already a subscriber, just click log in to continue reading.United Nations (United States) (AFP) - UN envoy Martin Griffiths warned Wednesday that "substantial progress" was needed to advance peace efforts in Yemen before new talks can be held on ending the devastating war.

Addressing the Security Council, Griffiths said he was still "hopeful" that negotiations to follow up on a ceasefire deal reached last month in Sweden will be held "in the near future."

The Saudi-backed government and Huthi rebels agreed during talks in Stockholm to a ceasefire in Hodeida, the rebel-held port city that is a key entry point for humanitarian aid to Yemen.

The breakthrough buoyed hopes of an end to the conflict, but the envoy's statement underscored that the diplomatic gains toward peace were fragile.

"Both sides have largely adhered to the ceasefire and there has been a significant decrease in hostilities," Griffiths told the council.

Talks are ongoing on a redeployment of forces from Hodeida, providing security in the city and opening up access routes to allow humanitarian convoys to reach millions in dire need of food aid, he added.

"It is my view and it is shared by the leadership of both parties, but also others, that substantial progress, particularly on Hodeida of course, is something that we would like to see before we reconvene the next consultations," said Griffiths.

The United Nations is working to schedule a new round of talks, possibly in Kuwait, to build on the Stockholm agreement and advance toward a final deal to end the conflict.

The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the government escalated in March 2015, when President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi fled to Saudi Arabia and the Riyadh-led coalition intervened.

The conflict has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, which says 80 percent of the population -- 24 million people -- are in need of aid.

Nearly 10 million people are just one step away from famine, UN aid chief Mark Lowcock told the council.

The Security Council is considering the creation of a new observer mission to Yemen to monitor the ceasefire in Hodeida, oversee the pullback of forces and allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has proposed the deployment of up to 75 observers to Yemen for an initial period of six months to shore up the ceasefire while talks on a broader peace deal are held.Rod Covlin, left, is accused of murdering his wife, Shele Danishefsky (Pictures: Getty?AOL.com)

A former stockbroker accused of murdering his wife tried to frame their nine-year-old daughter for the crime, it has been claimed.

Prosecutors say Rod Covlin, 45, killed his estranged wife, Shele Danishefsky, 47, after she decided to cut him out of her will.

Her body was found in the bath of her luxury Upper East Side apartment in New York city on New Years Eve in 2009 by her daughter.

She was discovered a day after she made an appointment with her lawyer to take Colvin out of her will, prosecutors say.

Covlin, a former stock trader who became a professional backgammon player, is accused of choking her then staging her death to look like accidental drowning.

Rod Covlin is accused of murdering his wife in New York on New Years Eve, 2009 (Picture: Getty)

Shele Danishefsky was found dead in the bathtub on New Years Eve, 2009 (Picture: AOL.com)

He was arrested in 2015.

The New York Post reported that Covlin tried to frame his daughter in 2013 for his wifes death.

MORE: Attackers stab 14-year-old boy to death after ramming his moped in east London

MORE: Facebook deletes page of protesters responsible for abuse of MPs outside Parliament

Prosecutors say Covlin wrote an Apple note on June 25, 2013 that synced up with his daughter Annas email account, in which he posed as the then 12-year-old and confessed to accidentally killing Danishefsky.

All of these years I have been so incredibly afraid and guilty about the night my mom died, the note reportedly said.

I lied. She didnt just slip. That day we got into a fight about her dating  I got mad so I pushed her, but it couldnt have been that hard!

Police outside the Upper East Side apartment in New York where Shele Danishefsky was found dead (Picture: Getty)

I didnt mean to hurt her! I swear! But she fell and i heard a terrible noise and the water started turning red and I tried to pull her head up but she remained still.

Prosecutors accused Covlin of posing as his daughter and writing the note because he was panicked because the investigation into the murder was picking up pace again.

Covlins lawyer described the latest allegations as garbage.

Full custody of the couples daughter and their son was granted to Covlins parents after their mothers death.

Covlin was arrested and charged with his wifes murder in November 2015, just a few months before he was due to take control of her inheritance.

Story continues

The case will be heard this year, with jury selection starting next week. Covlin faces 25 years to life in prison if found guilty.

Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UKAbout seven million people currently take statins in the UK -  Jack Sullivan / Alamy Stock Photo

Statins can help people with mental health problems, a large-scale study has found.

The cholesterol-lowering drug was linked to significantly lower rates of hospitalisation and instances of self-harm among patients with serious disorders.

The research by University College London (UCL) also found that commonly prescribed blood pressure and diabetes medications had a positive effect.

For some patients, rates of self harm went down more than 40 per cent for those on statins or blood pressure drugs compared to those who were not, and more than 30 per cent for those on diabetes drugs.

The results have been hailed across the medical community, with experts including the scientists behind the new data calling for the drugs to be repurposed for mental health patients.

It is not know for sure how statins and the other medication improves mental ill health, however the authors suggest it they may have an anti-inflammatory effect on the central nervous system.

Approximately seven million people in the UK are currently prescribed statins, which cost 10p per patient per day, although millions more are eligible.

Conducted with the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Hong Kong University, UCL scientists examined the records of 142,691 Swedish patients with serious psychological conditions.

They compared rates of psychiatric hospitalisation, nonpsychiatric hospitalisation and self-harm between those taking MHG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors, known as Statins, LTCC Antagonists, used to reduce high blood pressure, and biguanies, used to treat diabetes and those not on the drugs.

The patients in the study were suffering from either bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or non-affective psychoses.

Dr Hayes, who led the research, added: All three studied drugs are globally licensed, commonly used, cheap, and relatively safe medications. They are therefore ideal candidates for repurposing.

If substantiated, this study has considerable implications for clinical practice and drug development.By Gabriela Mello SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Spanish delivery startup Glovo is planning a new fundraising round in the first quarter to fuel a Latin American expansion that will include a second technological center in the region, its Brazilian country manager said on Wednesday. Bruno Raposo said Brazil is likely to overtake Spain in terms of Glovo's deliveries this year, as the startup spreads to some 50 cities across Latin America's largest economy from 21 urban centers there. "The use of grocery deliveries in Latin American is broad compared to European countries where Glovo operates," Raposo told Reuters in an interview. "Here they already have the habit of ordering pharmaceutical products and groceries for delivery." He added that the far-right government of President Jair Bolsonaro was creating "a positive scenario" for foreign investment. Glovo employs 140 people in the rapidly growing and highly competitive Brazilian market, home to several other app-based delivery startups and where expanding internet delivery services has also been a big focus for food retailers like GPA. The supermarket chain, controlled by French retailer Casino, signed a deal to buy local startup James Delivery for an undisclosed sum in December. As a result, GPA severed an accord with yet another web-based delivery service, Rappi, which expanded into Brazil from Colombia in July 2017 and now operates in 13 cities. "There are retailers trying to develop their own delivery services, some seeking partnerships and others buying", said Raposo, adding that Glovo is an exclusive partner of Casino's chain Franprix in France. Glovo's investors include European restaurant operator AmRest.The scramble for the upper hand in delivery in Brazil is part of a wider proliferation of such apps, including Instacart in the United States, which raised $871 mln in its latest fundraising round and Cornershop, a startup operating in Chile and Mexico which Walmart Inc is buying for $225 million. (Reporting by Gabriela Mello; Editing by Richard Chang)At a rally in downtown Philadelphia, furloughed government workers joined by four members of Congress expressed frustration at the prolonged partial government shutdown.

"I'm fighting for my job, Sharyn Roberts told Yahoo News during Tuesdays event. We need to reopen government so federal employees can be paid. We have families and we have bills and they need to be paid. We have health insurance, car insurance, mortgages, rent and it's unfair. I'm a 39-year federal employee with federal service and this is like crazy to me. I've never been through anything like this before."

The shutdown, now at 19 days, is the second-longest in history. The longest was a 21-day shutdown spanning Dec. 16, 1995 to Jan. 6, 1996. Trump has refused to agree to any deal that doesnt provide billions in funding for a border wall and congressional Republicans have declined to join with Democrats for a veto-overriding funding bill.

The rally was organized by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). Its attendees included Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Republican, and Democratic Reps. Dwight Evans, Brendan Boyle and Mary Gay Scanlon. State Sen. Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia, a Democrat, also attended.

"We're here to get the word out to the American public to stop the shutdown, said Dave Fitzpatrick, an AFGE rep and National Park Service employee who was set to retire on Dec. 30 but is limbo due to the shutdown. This is a nonpartisan rally. We just want to go back to work. We want to put the federal workers back to work. I just met a gentleman from Spain. He came here to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. He's got to go back home and won't be able to see those things."

"Enough is enough, and that's what we need people to understand, said Evans, who represents part of Philadelphia. We've got to stop playing with people's lives and get this solved."

"The national emergency is that the president has had a temper tantrum and he has shut down the government, said Scanlon, when asked if she agreed with the White Houses framing of the border situation. Both the Senate and the House have passed bipartisan bills that would reopen the government and the only reason it's not open is because this president is trying to fulfill a campaign pledge.

Story continues

Photo: Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Nearly 800,000 workers have been off the federal payroll since the government shutdown began at midnight on Dec. 22, with about half of them still working. Employees deemed essential are being required to work without pay while others have been sent home. While some agencies allow employees to work contract jobs, they require approval from management, a problem because many supervisors are also furloughed and unable to process requests.

Workers have received their last pay checks, for the middle two weeks of December before the shutdown began, and are now entering the period where they will start missing pay dates. Four out of 10 Americans have less than $400 in the bank to cover emergencies.

While most workers received back pay after previous shutdowns, theres no guarantee that will be the case this time around. Some contract workers, including janitors, security guards and administrative staff, wont receive back pay at all. Congress has to pass  and the president has to sign  legislation that specifically authorizes the government to pay federal employees for the time they were on furlough.

Officials of unions representing federal workers are concerned about receiving makeup pay, citing President Trumps recent decision to stop scheduled salary raises via executive order. As an unintended consequence of the shutdown, a pay freeze for top administration officials that had been in effect since 2013 expired  meaning that Cabinet officers, deputies and other top administrators will receive raises of around $10,000.

Some residents of government housing may lose their homes and 38 million people on food stamps could be affected if the shutdown is prolonged. Hundreds of TSA screeners at major airports are calling out sick leaving long lines, while national parks and the Smithsonian Museums have closed due to lack of funding.Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The nominee to be President Joe Biden's top diplomat for East Asia said on Tuesday the United States should further develop its relationship with Taiwan in every sector. Daniel Kritenbrink, a career foreign service officer who served most recently as the U.S. ambassador to Vietnam, said it was important for Washington to demonstrate its resolve and commitment to meet its "rock-solid obligations" towards Taiwan in the face of pressure from China, which claims the island as its own territory. "It's ... incumbent upon us to further develop our robust relationship with Taiwan in every sector," Kritenbrink told a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his nomination to be assistant secretary of state for East Asia.What happened

Shares of drilling rig owner and operator Nabors Industries (NYSE: NBR) are up 10.5% as of 11:00 a.m. EST. The price jump comes after the company announced some financial highlights for its upcoming fourth-quarter earnings report that included significant debt reduction, a dividend cut, and a cut to executive pay.

So what

Nabors' stock has been hit particularly hard during this recent oil price decline. Before this latest uptick, shares were trading at their lowest prices in close to 30 years. The reason the stock has taken a hammering is a combination of a few things:

It has a large presence internationally, a portion of the business that has struggled to recover since 2015.

It continues to maintain a fleet of older legacy rigs in the U.S. that aren't effective at drilling shale wells and therefore drag on profitability.

Its balance sheet has looked questionable for years, with way too much debt and little to no sign of improvement despite it being a management priority.

Drilling rigs in a field.

Image source: Getty Images.

Because these are some of the problems plaguing Nabors, yesterday's announcement after the close was a welcome one. Management noted that this past quarter, the company announced it had reduced net debt by $230 million last quarter and intends to reduce debt even further in 2019 by cutting its dividend by 83% to a penny a quarter starting in the second quarter of 2019. Also, according to Bloomberg, Nabors CEO Anthony Petrello agreed to forfeit about $4 million in stock grants and will take a 10% pay cut.

Now what

It's encouraging that management is finally tackling its debt problem with some conviction. Management has said for years in its investor slides that debt reduction was a priority, but nothing ever came of it. Seeing shares rise after announcing a dividend cut is a clear sign that debt was Wall Street's more pressing concern.

It's also encouraging that management is paying some penance for this underperformance. It should be noted, though, that Petrello has been one of the highest-paid CEOs in the oil and gas industry this past decade (feel free to insert your own jokes about paying for performance).

Story continues

Whether these moves make the stock a buy remains to be seen. Again, debt reduction has been in the business plan for the better part of this decade without any real results. Investors should probably wait and see if management can finally deliver what it's promising.

More From The Motley Fool

Tyler Crowe has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley said on Wednesday that Congress will not grant any expansion of President Donald Trump's executive authority over tariff and other trade remedies. "We ain't going to give him any greater authority. We already gave him too much," Grassley, an Iowa Republican, told reporters in response to a Bloomberg report that the White House is preparing a bill that would seek to give Trump broad authority to levy new tariffs to break down other countries' non-tariff trade barriers. Trump previously sought to expand his authority on trade with an attempt last year at legislation that would allow "reciprocal tariffs" and that would abandon key disciplines agreed at the World Trade Organization. Trade has become one of the administration's key priorities, with Trump seeking new trade pacts with China, Canada, Mexico, the European Union and Japan. Washington has already reworked the North American trade treaty with neighbors Mexico and Canada, though it has yet to be voted on by the new Congress. Grassley said he thought concerns over labor and other elements of the agreement held by Democratic lawmakers could be addressed through side letters, rather than renegotiation of the deal. Steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada and Mexico are hurting farmers and "those have to go" in order to get agricultural interests to support congressional approval the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade deal, Grassley said. (Reporting by Chris Prentice and David Shepardson; editing by Richard Chang)By Raya Jalabi and Lesley Wroughton BAGHDAD/CAIRO (Reuters) - The U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria will not be scuppered despite Turkish threats against Washington's Kurdish allies there, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday, promising to ensure that the Kurds would still be protected. Pompeo met leaders in Iraq's capital and its semi-autonomous Kurdistan region on Wednesday, aiming to reassure them about Washington's plans following President Donald Trump's surprise announcement last month of an abrupt withdrawal from Syria. The unannounced visits to Baghdad and the Kurdish regional capital Erbil came on the second day of a Middle East tour also taking in Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman. Pompeo has the task of explaining U.S. policy in the region after Trump's announcement of the withdrawal of all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, which rattled allies and came as a shock to top U.S. officials. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis quit over it. The U.S. forces have been working with a Kurdish militia to fight against Islamic State. The Kurds control a swath of northeastern Syria, Washington's foothold in a conflict that has drawn in Russia, Iran, Turkey and other regional powers. Washington has repeatedly said its Kurdish allies will remain safe despite the withdrawal. But Turkey, which considers the U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish YPG militia an enemy, has repeatedly vowed to crush the group and repudiated any suggestion of protecting it once U.S. troops leave. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan denounced visiting U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton on Tuesday for suggesting that protecting the Kurds would be a pre-condition of the U.S. withdrawal, a suggestion Erdogan called "a serious mistake". Asked in Erbil if Erdogan's pushback on the protection of the Kurds puts the withdrawal at risk, Pompeo told reporters: No. Were having conversations with them even as we speak about how we will effectuate this in a way that protects our forces... "It's important that we do everything we can to make sure that those folks that fought with us are protected and Erdogan has made commitments, he understands that," Pompeo added. SMOOTH OVER RELATIONS The withdrawal of U.S. forces in Syria strengthens the hand both of Turkey and of the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad, which is backed by Russia and Iran. Pompeo has stressed throughout his trip to the region that Washington still aims to counter Iranian influence. In Iraq, Pompeo also sought to smooth over relations after political leaders were angered when Trump visited U.S. troops on the day after Christmas at a remote desert air base without stopping in Baghdad or meeting any Iraqi officials. Many politicians from the ruling coalition of mainly Shi'ite parties called Trump's visit a violation of Iraqi sovereignty and demanded the United States withdraw troops. In Baghdad, Pompeo met Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hakim, Speaker of Parliament Mohammed al-Halbousi and President Barham Salih. President Salih, answering a reporter's question on whether he wants the United States to keep troops, said Iraq "will need the support of the U.S." and expressed his "gratitude to the U.S. for support over the years". "ISIS is defeated militarily but the mission is not accomplished," Salih said, using an acronym for Islamic State. The United States withdrew its troops from Iraq in 2011 eight years after an invasion to topple Saddam Hussein, but sent thousands back after Islamic State fighters swept into the north of the country in 2014. It now has around 5,200 there, and Trump has not announced plans to pull them out. Islamic State militants are still waging insurgent attacks in the north of the country and trying to make a comeback, although they were driven from all towns and cities last year. Asked on Tuesday about what would be discussed during a possible meeting with Pompeo, Abdul Mahdi said deepening Iraq's relationship with the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State. "He's an ally, he represents a friendly country," Abdul Mahdi said of Pompeo on Tuesday. "We will raise those issues, and how to deal with regional issues altogether and deepen our economic and educational relations with the United States." (Reporting by Lesley Wroughton in Cairo, Raya Jalabi and Ahmed Rasheed in Baghdad; Editing by Peter Graff)Gear up for a years adventure at the Singapore Airlines and SilkAir Travel Fair 2019.

Now on its sixth year, Singapore Airlines, together with its regional wing, SilkAir, and in partnership with BPI, Changi Airport Group, Globe Platinum, and Singapore Tourism Board, welcomes the New Year with its much anticipated annual travel sale event of the year, featuring the best fare deals and exclusive offers of as much as US$90 in value. With the theme Making Every Journey Personal, SIA brings to you A Great Way to Fly as exemplified by its world-class service that SIA is known for  personalization driven by continuous product innovation, and an extensive global network that spans to more than 30 countries. Marking its biggest travel fair yet, KrisFlyer Members, BPI Cardholders, and Globe Platinum Subscribers from Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Bacolod will be offered exciting deals in five (5) different venues by visiting Glorietta 2 Activity Center and TriNoma Activity Center in Manila, and Ayala Center Cebu  The Gallery from January11-13, 2019, and the Mezzanine Area (Tnalak Function Rooms 1, 2 and 3) of Seda Abreeza, Davao from January 12-13, 2019. A private sale will also be held in Seda Capitol Central, Bacolod on January 18, 2019. Singapore Airlines wants to make every journey more personal for our customers, as we keep them in mind when designing products, said Singapore Airlines General Manager Lee Yong Tat. At the Travel Fair, our customers will have the opportunity to enjoy attractive deals and the best of what SIA has to offer, especially with the recent introduction of our new regional Business Class on the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, A350-900 medium-haul routes starting with Adelaide, and non-stop flights to the US with our A350-900ULR (Ultra Long Range) aircraft, including our newest destination, Seattle.Holiday hunters can get their 2019 calendar ready with over 80 destinations to choose from, at amazing all-inclusive round-trip Economy Class fares from US$188 to Singapore and other Asian destinations starting from US$194. Fares to Australia from US$563, New Zealand from US$658, Europe from US$717, South Africa from US$737, and USA from US$876. To enjoy extra comfort, all-in round-trip fares on our Premium Economy Class are available to Australia from US$1,133, India from USS1,279, New Zealand from US$1,327, USA from US$1,356, Europe from US$1,423, and South Africa from US$1,637. Customers can also travel in style and luxury on our Business Class with all-inclusive round-trip fares to Singapore from US$755, Southeast Asia from US$808, Australia from US$1,979, South Africa from US$1,957, Europe from US$2,349, New Zealand from US$2,468 and USA from US$2516.

With all these exclusive deals and perks, theres no better time to plan your year full of adventure and experience A Great Way to Fly with Singapore Airlines. American Lutheran In Jerusalem Affirms that IDF Soldiers Are Stormtroopers, Backtracks | Main | Did WCC Activists Attend A Birthday Party Promoted by Palestinian Extremist Organization? 

January 09, 2019

Reuters Falsely Links Jerusalem Embassy, Two-State Solution

The Jerusalem office park which houses Guatemala's embassy

Multiple recent Reuters articles incorrectly report that moving the Brazilian embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is a dramatic move away from the two-state solution. For instance, a Dec. 30 article, "Brazil moving its embassy to Jerusalem matter of 'when, not if': Netanyahu," (Dec. 30) reported about the possible Brazilian move:

Such a move by Bolsonaro would be a sharp shift in Brazilian foreign policy, which has traditionally backed a two-stated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

That piece appeared in Arabic as well.

A Dec. 31 article, "Bolsonaro takes office in Brazil, says nation 'liberated from socialism," took an even more extreme line, saying a Jerusalem embassy move would be a "break" from the two-state solution:

As a clear sign of that diplomatic shift, Bolsonaro plans to move the Brazilian embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, breaking with Brazils traditional support for a two-state solution to the Palestinian issue.

In fact, as is apparent from the cases of the American and Guatemalan embassies, relocation to Jerusalem is not a shift away from a two-state solution.

Daniel Shapiro, who served as Ambassador to Israel under President Obama, wrote in The Washington Post:

[N]othing about our embassys location there would prevent the emergence of a shared city with two capitals as part of a two-state solution. Perhaps inadvertently, President Trumps decision has opened the door for much more frank discussion about an eventual Palestinian capital, and U.S. Embassy to Palestine, in East Jerusalem.

He explained:

West Jerusalem has served as Israels capital since the founding of the state, and no plausible two-state map would change that. Our embassys presence in the city reinforces the legitimacy of historic Jewish ties to the city, which are too often denied by Palestinians.

Indeed, as Reuters itself just reported, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo recently expressed openness to a two-state solution ("Pompeo says US open to 'two-party solution"):

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggested on Monday he was open to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute, saying a two-party solution was likely in his first extensive comments on peace efforts since taking the job last week.

In addition, as Reuters reported Sept. 26: "Trump says he wants two-state solution for Middle East conflict."

These lines are being written dozens of meters away from Guatemala's embassy in southern Jerusalem. There is no evidence that Guatemala does not support a two-state solution.

Thus, there is no linkage between the location of a country's embassy in Jerusalem and its policy vis-a-vis a two-state solution. The location of foreign embassies in Jerusalem does not preclude the future establishment of a Palestine state, even one whose capital lies in part of the holy city of Jerusalem.

Posted by TS at January 9, 2019 04:10 AM

Guidelines for posting

This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material.

Post a commentSecretary of State Mike Pompeo, second right, and his wife Susan, right, is welcomed by U.S. ambassador to Iraq Douglas Silliman, second left, as they arrive in Baghdad, Iraq, during a Middle East tour, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019.

WASHINGTON  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made an unannounced stop in Iraq on Wednesday, meeting with the country's president, prime minister and legislative leader.

Pompeo's stop in the country was part of a swing across the Middle East aimed at reassuring American allies in the region after President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria.

Trump's decision has sparked concern in Israel and elsewhere about America's commitment to the region, including its efforts to curb Iran's influence and defeat ISIS. It came as Trump was also reportedly considering a major reduction in U.S. forces in Afghanistan, although the administration has yet to officially announce such a move.

Pompeos stop in Iraq marked the third high-profile visit by a Trump administration official in the last month. The president visited American troops in Iraq last month, although Iraqi officials were irked that Trump did not meet with Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi, as his predecessors Barack Obama and George W. Bush had done.

Pompeo and Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, have both been meeting with top American allies in the Middle East in an effort to blunt the fall-out from Trump's recent actions and statements, including an assertion that Iran can "do whatever they want" in Syria.

The U.S. has also accused Iran of meddling in Iraq and trying to destabilize the Iraqi government by financing and training militia groups that sow sectarian violence.

While in Iraq, Pompeo ignored a reporter's question on whether the U.S. was committed to keeping troops in the country. But Iraqi President Barham Salih responded by saying he wanted the U.S. to maintain its military presence in the country. About 5,200 U.S. troops are now stationed in Iraq.

"We will need the support of the U.S. Salih said. He said ISIS is defeated militarily "but mission is not accomplished."

Story continues

Contributing: The Associated Press

Syria: As Trump's timeline for Syria withdrawal slips, U.S. allies are nervous, angry, confused

Congress: Low-key Sen. James Risch contrasts combative Corker on Foreign Relations Committee

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo makes unannounced stop in IraqIn 2009 Heejae Chae was appointed CEO of Scapa Group plc (LON:SCPA). First, this article will compare CEO compensation with compensation at similar sized companies. After that, we will consider the growth in the business. And finally  as a second measure of performance  we will look at the returns shareholders have received over the last few years. This process should give us an idea about how appropriately the CEO is paid.

Check out our latest analysis for Scapa Group

How Does Heejae Chaes Compensation Compare With Similar Sized Companies?

According to our data, Scapa Group plc has a market capitalization of UK496m, and pays its CEO total annual compensation worth UK2.4m. (This is based on the year to 2018). We think total compensation is more important but we note that the CEO salary is lower, at UK443k. We looked at a group of companies with market capitalizations from UK315m to UK1.3b, and the median CEO compensation was UK996k.

As you can see, Heejae Chae is paid more than the median CEO pay at companies of a similar size, in the same market. However, this does not necessarily mean Scapa Group plc is paying too much. We can better assess whether the pay is overly generous by looking into the underlying business performance.

You can see a visual representation of the CEO compensation at Scapa Group, below.

AIM:SCPA CEO Compensation January 9th 19

Is Scapa Group plc Growing?

Over the last three years Scapa Group plc has grown its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 39% per year (using a line of best fit). Its revenue is down -1.1% over last year.

Overall this is a positive result for shareholders, showing that the company has improved in recent years. While it would be good to see revenue growth, profits matter more in the end.

Shareholders might be interested in this free visualization of analyst forecasts. .

Has Scapa Group plc Been A Good Investment?

I think that the total shareholder return of 78%, over three years, would leave most Scapa Group plc shareholders smiling. So they may not be at all concerned if the CEO were to be paid more than is normal for companies around the same size.

Story continues

In Summary

We compared the total CEO remuneration paid by Scapa Group plc, and compared it to remuneration at a group of similar sized companies. We found that it pays well over the median amount paid in the benchmark group.

However, the earnings per share growth over three years is certainly impressive. On top of that, in the same period, returns to shareholders have been great. As a result of this good performance, the CEO remuneration may well be quite reasonable. If you think CEO compensation levels are interesting you will probably really like this free visualization of insider trading at Scapa Group.

Or you might prefer gaze upon this detailed graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow .

To help readers see past the short term volatility of the financial market, we aim to bring you a long-term focused research analysis purely driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis does not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements.



The author is an independent contributor and at the time of publication had no position in the stocks mentioned. For errors that warrant correction please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com.Riyadh (AFP) - OPEC kingpin Saudi Arabia will slash its oil exports in January by 10 percent compared to November, its energy minister said Wednesday as producers move to shore up tumbling prices.

Khalid al-Falih said the kingdom, the world's top crude supplier, would cut its exports to 7.2 million barrels per day in January, down from 8.0 million bpd in November.

He also announced a further 100,000 bpd cut in February.

OPEC and its allies decided last month to cut their overall output by 1.2 million bpd starting in January, to boost prices hit by a supply glut and fears demand could plummet.

Falih said Saudi production had fallen to 10.2 million bpd, down from the roughly 11 million bpd it was pumping when oil producers decided to end a production cut deal in May.

"We are serious about restoring balance to the market," Falih told a press conference in Riyadh held to announce that the kingdom's vast oil reserves are even bigger than previously thought.

"We are concerned about volatility in the oil market," he said. "We have seen peaks and drops in prices (that are) completely unjustified by the fundamentals."

After Brent crude hit $85 a barrel in early October, prices dived more than 40 percent over the following two months due to oversupply and fears of a trade war between the United States and China that could slash energy demand.

But prices have partially rebounded in the past few days after a new deal, in which OPEC and non-OPEC oil producers agreed to trim output by 1.2 million bpd, came into effect in January.

That figure is "more than sufficient to bring balance to the market," said Falih, adding that the production cut would trim excess supply from the market.By Joanna Plucinska WARSAW (Reuters) - Italy and Poland should join forces to reshape Europe, Italy's far-right Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini said on Wednesday during a visit to Warsaw to drum up support for a eurosceptic alliance to contest May elections to the European Parliament. The eurosceptic governments in Rome and Warsaw are both keen to repatriate some EU powers from Brussels to national capitals and hope like-minded parties will do well in the May elections, which will follow Britain's planned exit from the bloc in March. "Poland and Italy will be part of the new spring of Europe, the renaissance of European values," he told a press conference with Poland's Interior Minister Joachim Brudzinski. Salvini's visit to Warsaw was initiated by Brudzinski, who said the two had discussed migration and EU border security. Salvini has repeatedly railed against the EU and says the May elections are vital for creating a "reformist" bloc that can overhaul Brussels institutions from within. Salvini, whose anti-immigrant League is the most popular party in Italy, said his talks on Wednesday with Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice Party (PiS), had gone well. PiS has echoed the League's calls for Brussels to interfere less in the affairs of EU member states, though the parties are not currently allied in the European Parliament. "At a party level, we have started a journey, a sharing of ideas, visions and projects for the future of the European Parliament that will, at long last, be profoundly different to what went before," Salvini said. "We started a dialogue. To close a deal in half an hour seems overly optimistic," he added. Salvini said he wanted to put together an alliance of like-minded EU parties that would campaign on a shared, 10-point program that has yet to be fully defined. "We proposed a common program to be offered to other parties and peoples in Europe founded on certain themes, like (economic) growth, security, the family, Europe's Christian roots that some have denied," Salvini said. At present, Salvini is allied to a small group of far-right parties such as Marine Le Pen's National Rally in France and the anti-Islam Freedom Party in the Netherlands. But he wants to extend its reach and draw in conservative groups like PiS. Previous attempts by populist right-wing parties to form a eurosceptic alliance in the European Parliament have not been very successful as they often have different priorities or interests and show little appetite for compromise. Despite its euroscepticism, PiS has recently been trying to mend fences with Brussels, agreeing to reverse a law criticized by the EU that had forced Polish Supreme Court judges into early retirement. Salvini has also called for an end to EU sanctions against Russia, while Kaczynski and other Polish conservatives support them and are deeply distrustful of Moscow. (Reporting by Joanna Plucinska in Warsaw and Crispian Balmer in Rome; Editing by Gareth Jones)In September, President Duterte wanted to push government auditors down the stairs. Now he says he wants to kidnap and torture them.

After two and a half years we have conditioned our minds not to believe, at face value, everything that comes out of the mouth of the President. That in itself is hardly idealimagine not taking the words of your leader seriously. We do this still because the alternative is much worse: If we believed everything he said, then we would be convinced that our President is an irreverent killer and rapist, who is as likely to disobey rules as he is to make them up as he goes along. Mr. Dutertes latest rant is once again against the Commission on Audit for supposedly making life difficult for local executives. Those sons of bitches in COA. That COA, every time, there is always something wrong. Whats up with this COA? What if we kidnap someone from COA, we torture them here? Sons of bitches, he said, ironically at a local summit on peace and order in Pasay City this week. Duterte, a long-time local executive before he shot to national popularity has said he sees audit processes as obstacles to governance. Reacting to the tirades, a former audit commissioner said in a Facebook post that from, the beginning, government auditors are clear about their mandate: They never intended to interfere, slow down transactions and especially create opportunities for corruption. Our role is to give the chance to correct and improve how taxpayers money is used with accountability and how it can be open to feedback from everyone concerned, she said in Filipino.The COA has flagged several transactions in the Duterte administration, among them the spending of the Presidential Communications Operations Office when the Asean summit was held here and the multi-million-peso advertisement deal between former Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo Teo and an entity owned by her brothers. The COA is a constitutional commission that is supposed to be independent of any other branch. While it is not perfect, while there could be some bad eggs and while it is in need of modernization both in facilities and mindset, many of its auditors are dedicated and hardworking. When they find red flags in a transaction, they reach out and obtain the side of that agency for an explanation. Sometimes they face risks just going about their work. They perform their tasks quietly and publish their findings without fanfare. This is not to say there is no room for improvement at the COA. There is merit to observations that it needs to be responsive to the need for emergency expenses in special situations. Still, all the caution stems from the need to safeguard public funds from the hands of greedy decision-makers in government who feel they are above scrutiny. It is unfair and unpresidential to curse at them and to threaten them with harm for simply doing their jobs. Good thing we know better than take the President seriously. We have learned that much, by now. Even the chairman of the COA seems to have caught on, merely advising his auditors to stay away from the stairs."Now this is something we didn't know before."

From depictions in art and sculpture, weve always had a mental image of the chieftain Lapu-Lapu as a muscular young man who engaged and slew the explorer Ferdinand Magellan in hand-to-hand combat. However, research by Bicolano historian Dr. Daniel Gerona upends this idea by revealing the hero of the Battle of Mactan to have been elderly at the time. Likewise, our image of Magellan as a tall, 30-ish or middle-aged adventurer is inaccurate. We always thought of Magellan as a warrior, said Gerona, but he was a short fellow, less than five-footer, and he was in fact limping. He also found out from Portuguese records that Magellan sired a lot of children outside marriage, so its probable that the explorer has many living descendants, an interesting factoid for genealogy buffs. Mhon Estrada, an instructor at Partido State University in Goa, Camarines Sur, recently shared on Facebook these and other excerpts from the lectures of Gerona, the author of Ferdinand Magellan: The Armada de Maluco and the European Discovery of the Philippines (2016), a research made from primary sources. Gerona conducted research at the Museo Naval (probably the one in Portugal) where he saw voluminous documents on Magellan, virtually untouched. Upon perusing the documents, he realized that we always thought of Lapu-Lapu as a young, muscular guy [for the last 500 years]. But in the document in Portugal, he was actually seventy years old he should no longer be carrying a bolo but probably a baston This information comes from Gaspar Correa, a sixteenth-century Portuguese historian. Gerona describes Correa as the only European chronicler who provided the only clue into the personality of this Mactan chieftain which he obtained from the reports of the survivors of the Magellan expedition. Correa described Lapu-Lapu as one who was very old (veljo in Portuguese and viejo in Spanish). Was it Lapu-Lapu himself who actually killed Magellan? Narratives show that Magellan was slain in a melee on April 27, 1521. Answering a question on quora.com, Gerona said A number of eyewitness accounts offered slightly varying details on the captains death but all of them seemed to agree on one thing, it was not Lapu-Lapu who killed Magellan. In describing Magellans death, Gerona quoted from the writings of Fray Rodrigo Aganduru Moriz (an Augustinian missionary in Cebu in the early sixteenth century) which borrowed from the account of Juan Sebastian del Cano, navigator of Magellans expedition. One of the members of the war party was one Cristobal Rabelo or Rebello, said to be Magellans illegitimate son. During the fight, a poisoned arrow or arrows killed Rebello. This so enraged Magellan that, overwhelmed with grief at the sight, he rushed into the fray as if he were a madman, whereupon the enemies encircled him and snapped his life miserably.Now thats something else we didnt know beforethat Magellan had a son with him on the expedition. It is no surprise then that he threw judgment away and waded blindly into the fight. Citing many other sources, Gerona goes on to describe what occurred. The natives realized that the Spaniards armor did not cover their legs, so they aimed their weapons there, particularly the poisoned arrows. One of these pierced Magellans right leg, prompting a gradual retreat. But many of the Spaniards ran hastily away, leaving only six or eight soldiers with Magellan, who decided to maintain their position the distance of a crossbow shot from the shore, or less than a kilometer from their boats. In water just above their knees, the Spaniards continued the fight for another hour. Magellans helmet was knocked off twice but he stood firm. Another native hit his face with a bamboo spear, but Magellan killed him with his lance, which stuck in his assailants chest. As he struggled to pull it out, another bamboo spear hit his right arm. He was then surrounded by native warriors. Trying to draw his sword, Magellan was hit in the left leg with a scimitar, bringing him down on his face. He was then overcome by sheer numbers. Natives rushed upon him and ran him through with lances and scimitars, and all the other arms which they had (from the account of Antonio Pigafetta, another member of the expedition). Other sources differ on details of the battle, but, Gerona points out, Not one of these archival sources mentioned Lapu-Lapu killing Magellan! What happened to Magellans body? Dr. Gerona said that according to Fray Rodrigo Aganduru Moriz, Magellan was decapitated in accordance with the martial custom of the natives where the victor took a trophy, which was a part of his body, commonly the head, and placed it on the tip of a lance, a pre-conquest Visayan custom. He explained, the natives regarded the body of Magellan as their dangin, which, according to Fray Alonso de Mentridas sixteenth century Diccionario de la Lengua Bisaya, was a trophy of their enemy killed or captured in war (blason, trofeo de enemigo, muerto o cautivo en guerra, la persona asi muerta o cautiva). Gerona added, In a society which put premium on prestige and prowess not only as social virtues but also equated with mystical qualities, the body of Magellan constituted as the most valuable war booty. These findings by Dr. Gerona affirm that there is still much more that we are discovering about our history. What weve taken for so long as gospel truth turns out to be questionable. Scholars are continually stumbling over old documents and materials that tell a different story from what we know at present. Estrada says after posting Geronas lecture excerpts, he has had hundreds of queries about them, and he hopes this interest may serve as an invitation to revisit our notions of history and update our knowledge of Philippine history with inquiring and open mind. And from now on, we can think of the muscular Lapu-Lapu depictions as how the chieftain may have looked in his youth, but not as he was in the Battle of Mactan."The time for piecemeal, industry-by-industry approach is long over."

At the time that the Philippines received its independence from the US, the Philippine economy was essentially agricultural. True, some manufacturing establishments had been established during the colonial erasuch as producers of power, cement, sugar and beveragesbut this countrys GDP (gross domestic product) revolved around agriculture. The production of rice, corn, sugarcane and tobacco accounted for most of Philippine GDP. In line with its premier-sector status, Philippine agriculture was at the front and center of national economic policymaking. Loans, government contracts, subsidies and all manner of performances were made possible by the fact that most of the pre-Independence political leaders represented the centers of the nations leading agricultural industries. The Osmenas, Roxases, Yulos and Alunans, among others, saw to it that the agricultural sector always got the lions share of the national economic pie. After Independence, the mindset of the economic policymaking establishment changed. Seduced by the newly popular development-economics idea that the road to economic transformation lay through manufacturing, not agriculture, the economists in the postwar NEC (National Economic Council) and their friends in the legislature to shift from favoring agriculture to favoring manufacturing. Economic policy now acquired a pro-manufacturing bias. Government loans from the GFI (government financing institutions), tariffs, subsidies and preferences now moved toward manufacturing and away from agriculture. A prime example of this economic policy shift was the allocation of most of the Philippine-Japan Reparations Program to projects in the manufacturing sector.The sugar industry, one of the Big Four sources of Philippine exports in the pre-1980s era, should have taken advantage of the Laurel-Langley Agreement (1955-1974) to improve itself and diversify. But it was complacent, with the result that the Philippine sugar industry became more and more inefficient and uncompetitive. Philippine sugars progressive uncompetitiveness became more manifest with the coming into force of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Free Trade Area. A further blow to Philippine agriculture was delivered by the exodus of Filipino workers to overseas jobs. Undoubtedly one of the best things that has ever happened to the Philippine economy, the OFW experience, by providing this country with billions of unborrowed dollars every year, has had the unfortunate effect of desensitizing the economic policymakersin NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) and in Congresstoward the needs of Philippine agriculture. The rapid growth of the BPO (business process outsourcing) industry, with its close to $20 billion of annual revenue, has added to the desensitization. With the advent of Philippine membership in the WTO (World Trade Organization), this countrys agricultural products lost whatever protection they once enjoyed. The only exception was rice, imports of which were granted MAV (maximum access volume) protection. That expired three years ago. Alarmed by statistics showing that the agricultures share of Philippine GDP was steadily declining and that the poorest Filipinos were still the farmers and fishermen, Congress passed, in the late 1990s, the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA). Considering that the lowest quartile of this countrys income structure is still made up of farmers and fisherfolk, it is clear that AFMA has been one of the high-sounding but ineffectual pieces of legislation relating to the agricultural sector. The creation of a trust fund for the return of the coconut levy to the farmers and the rice tariffication bill are the two most recent legislative actions dealing with Philippine agriculture. In the short term, and even in the medium term, these new laws cannot be expected to make much difference to the livelihoods and well-being of Filipino farmers and fishermen. The time has come to take steps to arrest the decline of Philippine agriculture and improve the economic standing of Filipinos in agriculture, who account for most of Philippine employment. These objectives can be attained only by an assessment of the agricultural sector that will review everything that has happened in the agricultural environmentat home and in the worldanalyze how the changes have impacted Filipino farmers and fisherfolk and determine what realistic solutions need to be brought into play. The time for piecemeal, industry-by-industry approach is long over. Hereafter only a comprehensive, agriculture-as-one-sector approach will do.House Majority Leader and Camarines Sur Rep., claiming that field investigators from the Office of the Ombudsman wanted to start their own probe into allegedly anomalous flood control projects in the 2019 national budget. Some of these investigators have already made contact with the House rules committee. They are requesting for copies of testimonial and documentary evidence, which our committee generated during a public hearing. Apparently, the Office of the Ombudsman has noticed red flags of corruption on the evidence presented and on the testimonies made during the hearing, Andaya said. But Ombudsman Samuel Martires would neither confirm nor deny Andayas claim, adding that investigations by his office must be considered highly confidential in nature. He said access to cases pending before the Ombudsman must be limited to avoid prosecution by publicity. Andaya, on the other hand, said his panel would cooperate with the Ombudsman. We will provide them with all the documents requested. The evidence that keeps on piling up with the rules committee are all public record. The testimonies of our resource persons were made under oath in a public hearing, said Andaya, chairman of the House rules committee. Thein the preparation of the national government budget. At the same time, Andaya pressed the Department of Budget and Management to release the pay increase of government personnel in time for the Jan. 15 payroll. Civil servants deserve the salary increase due them this year. Pay them now, not later. The Filipino people need every centavo what ever is due them by the government, Andaya said. Diokno has said that paying the increase would be unconstitutional if the 2019 national budget has not been passed. In a related development, House Minority Leader and Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez said the alleged irregularities in the budget preparation could be bigger than the pork barrel scam in terms of corruption.Suarez also suggested the House subpoena Diokno to compel his attendance at committee hearings. Andaya earlier said the House would not bother to issue a subpoena to Diokno. At a press conference,compared to the alleged flood control scam. House senior Deputy Minority Leader and Buhay Hayaang Yumabong Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza also questioned the sudden huge allocations by Diokno for flood control projects. What are the priorities of Secretary Diokno? Why all of a sudden are there a lot of flood control projects? Atienza said. Diokno earlier denied any irregularities in the allocation of funds in the national budget. The DBM believes that citing these amounts to present a picture of a flood control scam facilitated by the DBM is irresponsible and misleading, the DBM said in a statement. The amount representing the proposed allocation for FY 2019 cannot be accounted for yet. Andaya earlier said Diokno allegedly inserted billions of pesos in public funds for the flood control projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways without the knowledge of Secretary Mark Villar. READ: Congress warned budget's overdueThe Budget department will hire a third party to study the increase in the wages of government workers for 2020 until 2022, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said Wednesday. There will be [a wage increase], but how much [the increase will be] is not yet determined, Diokno told reporters. The planned wage increase comes as the fourth and last tranche of the Salary Standardization Law of 2015 is yet to be implemented this year pending Congress approval of this years proposed P3.757-trillion national budget. Diokno said the bidding for the entity that would be hired to do the study on the salary increase will be done sometime [in the] first quarter. A committee is working on it, he said. Asked about the reason for the three-year period for the wage adjustment, Diokno said that was what they wanted.I think three years is an optimal period, he said, adding it would be hard to predict the developments beyond this period. The increases in the state workers salaries are targeted to bring their level near to that of the private sector. Meanwhile, Diokno said his department could not implement the scheduled wage increase this year because Executive Order 201, which was issued in 2016 for this purpose, explicitly provides that we need a GAA [General Appropriations Act]. Plus, the amount involved does not allow us that flexibility, and we dont want to be committing errors. The best solution really is to get the budget passed.The Supreme Courts failure to stop the plebiscite for the ratification of the Bangsamoro Organic Law will now pave the way for a smooth and orderly plebiscite, Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Wednesday. I believe it will usher in the peace and prosperity that we sorely need in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Zubiri said. I, together with my colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives [who] voted almost unanimously for its approval, believe in the BOLs constitutionality. Zubiri, who led public hearings on the BOL, said he trusted the Office of the Solicitor General to defend the measure on the cases pending with the high court and that we legislators are willing to lend a helping hand to strengthen our case for the BOL. I am appealing to the Honorable Magistrates of the Highest Court of the land to hopefully be liberal in their discussions on the BOL and to consider the measure as an instrument of Peace for our Muslim brothers and sisters, Zubiri said. We appeal as well to all parties, including those who opposed the measure, to give this Organic Law a chance to uplift the lives of our Muslim Brothers and Sisters. With the passage of the BOL, Zubiri, the author of the new law, said they were elated by the statements of the largest rebel group, the MILF, that the war was finally over.He also said they could now proceed with the transformation of the combatants to social and political workers and the quick turnover of their firearms to the government for decommissioning. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said he was confident the high court would uphold the constitutionality of the BOL. I personally devoted time and attention to the crafting of the law to make sure that the BOL should be compliant with the Constitution to achieve stability in the ARMM, Drilon said. Senator Aquilino Pimentel III said he believed the BOL was constitutional. Our Constitution is a living document. It is not a straitjacket which should restrict us from adjusting to changing times and circumstances, Pimentel said. The 1987 Constitution says there should be an autonomous region in Muslim Mindanao. I believe that is what we have done.The Court of Appeals has acquitted another drug pusher convicted previously by a regional trial court due to mishandling of evidence by police. In a 20-page decision, the CAs Ninth Division overturned and set aside the judgment of Sorsogon City RTC on June 2017 convicting Noel Lasca in an illegal drug sale case, citing as basis the violation of the required unbroken chain of custody of the evidence seized from the accused by the arresting officers. The appellate court cleared Lasca of criminal complaint for violation of Section 5 of Republic Act 9165 of Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. The CA faulted the arresting officers from the Philippine National Police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency for violating the chain of custody of evidence under Section 21 of RA 9165 when they did not conduct the inventory of the sachets of shabu confiscated from the accused at the place of the seizure due to unavailability of mandatory witnesses. In this case, however, the physical inventory of the seized drugs was not immediately conducted at the place of seizure. In fact, the buy-bust team, along with the appellant, had go to the Burabod Barangay Hall, about 900 meters away from the place of seizure, to conduct the physical inventory, stated the ruling penned by Associate Justice Geraldine Fiel-Macaraig. Given that there are patent irregularities present at the point of seizure, which is the fist link in the chain, there is no more practical value to establishing the unbroken chain of custody to show the integrity and the evidentiary value of the seized items were properly preserved, the CA stressed. The appellate court explained that the entire rationale of placing witnesses at the scene and conducting an inventory and photographing in their presence immediately after the seizure of the dangerous drugs is to guarantee with moral certainty that the items were indeed recovered from the accused and not planted by the police officers. The appellate court also held that while R.A. 9165 provided exemption to the rule, the prosecution in this case failed to sufficiently provide a justification for the violation of the rule by the arresting authorities.While, this Court fully supports the States campaign against illegal drugs, it cannot turn a blind eye to breaches of the requirements under the law and the rules. We hold that it is the core duty of the prosecution to account for and explain any deviations from the mandatory requirements outlined in Section 21. Unfortunately, the prosecution in this case failed to sufficiently advance a justifiable reason for the deviation, it pointed out. With these findings, the CA ordered the immediate release of Lacsa from the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City. Associate Justices Apolinario Bruselas Jr. and Myra Garcia-Fernandez concurred in this ruling. The Supreme Court last month also acquitted a drug convict due to mishandling of evidence by police. The SC acquitted Jayson Torio and set aside the October 2013 verdict of the Lingayen RTC that found him guilty of illegal drug trade and possession of illegal drugs. The SC cited the failure of authorities to establish an unbroken custody of evidence seized from the accused and also to prove the identity of the civilian asset who acted as buyer during the buy-bust operation.The Commission on Human Rights and Qatar government have partnered to protect the rights of overseas Filipino workers and their families. Chairperson Jose Luis Chito Gascon and Dr. Ali Al Marri, National Human Rights Committee of Qatar signed a cooperation agreement for the welfare of over 250,00 OFWs in Qatar on work-related complaints. Gascon said their partnership was a welcome development to advance the human rights protection of every a Filipino worker in Qatar. Under the bilateral agreement, the Philippines and Qatar came up with 10 areas of cooperation on the improvement of public awareness on human rights principles both for Filipinos and Qataris. The partnership will cover a term of three years.Al Marri gave the OFWs the assurance that they could now bring up their concerns not only to the Doha Embassy but also to the National Human Rights Committee. [Filipino] Migrant workers can come to us directly. We will take actions to help them [OFWs] resolve their problem, she said. CHR was the first national human rights institution established in Southeast Asia in 1987.The Philippine Navy is expected to receive in March its first two anti-submarine helicopters and four out of eight amphibious assault vehicles it has ordered for the Marine Corps. This was disclosed by PN flag-officer-in-command Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad during a chance interview shortly after the New Years Call at the AFP Commissioned Officers Club in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City Tuesday. Meanwhile, the PN flagship BRP Gregorio del Pilar (FF-15), which ran aground off Hasa-Hasa Shoal last August, is expected to be available for operations before the end of 2019. This was confirmed by Empedrad, who said: We need to get the propellers from the US because these were the ones that were damaged. It will be available by yearend. If the delivery of the propellers is hastened, we will be able to fix these immediately. The determining factor of the replacement work is the availability of the propellers. For the moment, the patrol and other duties of Del Pilar are being carried by its two sister ships, the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (FF-16) and BRP Andres Bonifacio (FF-17). He said: Our personnel will be going there for) training by January...If the training ends by March or April, we will have something to use,.Also, the South Korean ship will be coming to the PN with intact guns and sonar detection systems, which are needed badly by the Navy, are included in the transfer, he added. Del Pilar ran aground off Hasa-Hasa Shoal on Aug. 29 of last year. The ship was pulled clear from Hasa-Hasa Shoal last Sept. 3 and towed to Subic Bay, Zambales on Sept. 7. Del Pilar is one of three Hamilton-class cutters acquired by the PN from the United States Coast Guard and converted into frigates. These ships have a gross tonnage of 3,250 tons, a length of 378 feet, beam of 43 feet, and draft of 15 feet while its propulsion systems consist of two diesel engines and two gas turbine engines, giving it a top speed of 29 knots. These vessels have a cruising range of 14,000 miles and has a sea and loiter time of 45 days and armed with a 76mm Oto Melara automatic cannon, 25mm and 20mm light cannons and .50-caliber machineguns.Six out of 10 Filipino adults expressed concern over the state of health of President Rodrigo Duterte, an independent pollster revealed on Wednesday. According to the latest Social Weather Stations survey, 66 percent of Filipino adults said they are worried about Dutertes health while 34 percent of those polled said they are not worried. Those worried about Pres. Dutertes health rose by 11 points from 55 percent while those not worried fell by 10 points from 44 percent, said the SWS. The net belief that the President has health problems also experienced a six-point increase, registering at 25 percent last December 2018 from the previous 19 percent recorded last September 2018. The December 2018 survey also found that 49 percent believe [17 percent strongly believe and 32 percent somewhat believe], and 24 percent do not believe [11 percent somewhat not believe and 13 percent strongly not believe], that President Duterte currently has health problems. Twenty-seven percent are undecided about the matter, the polls firm said. The SWS also noted that the proportion of those who expressed worry on the Presidents health condition was higher among those who believe the President currently has health problems at 75 percent, compared to the 62 percent who expressed ambivalence on the matter, and the 53 percent of those polled who do not believe he has health problems at all. The SWS also attributed the 11-point rise in the overall proportion of those worried about Dutertes health from September 2018 to December 2018 to the increases in all areas. The proportion of those worried about the Presidents health was highest in Mindanao at 73 percent, followed by Metro Manila at 66 percent, the Visayas at 66 percent, and Balance Luzon at 63 percent, the SWS said.Majorities across locales and socio-economic classes, ranging from 65 percent to 70 percent are worried about Dutertes health, the poll firm added. Meanwhile, the belief that Duterte has health problems was high in Metro Manila, urban areas, and upper classes. Net belief that President Duterte has health problems was highest in Metro Manila at +31, followed by Balance Luzon at +28, the Visayas at +26, and Mindanao at +14, it said. It was also higher in overall urban areas at +29, compared to overall rural areas at +22. The SWS also said that the belief was highest in class ABC at +31, followed by class E at +27, and class D at +24. The survey, conducted from December 16 to 19, used face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults. It had sampling error margins of 2.6 percent for national percentages, and 5 percent each for Balance Luzon, Metro Manila, Visayas, and Mindanao.Phillip Nelson/iStock(WASHINGTON) -- The president's nominee for attorney general, William Barr, said Wednesday that he doesn't think special counsel Robert Mueller is on a "witch hunt," doesn't think he should be fired and is committed to making sure that Mueller finishes his investigation, according to Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham.



Graham, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, spoke after meeting with Barr, who was making the rounds with senators ahead of his confirmation hearing scheduled for next week.



He said it took about "three seconds" for him to get the answer he was looking for concerning what Barr thinks of Mueller.



"I can assure you, based on what I heard, he has a high opinion of Mr. Mueller, believes that Mr. Mueller is doing a professional job - will do a professional job and will be fair to the President and the country as a whole and has no reason for Mr. Mueller to stop doing is job and is committed to letting Mr. Mueller finish," Graham said.



Graham said there was "absolutely no indication he was going to tell Bob Mueller what to do, or how to do it."



He went on to say Barr told him that he thinks it is "a moment for the country and we need to think this thing through, in terms of the discretion of a president to fire a political appointee."



Graham also told reporters that Barr said he wants the report Mueller is expected to produce to be "transparent."



"When the report is handed over, what do you intend to do with it?" Graham said he asked Barr.



Barr responded, Graham said, that he would "go through the process of what I can share with the Congress and the public, erring on the side of transparency."



After Trump fired then-FBI director James Comey in May 2017, legal experts suggested Mueller was pursuing an obstruction of justice case against the president.



In June 2017, Barr sent a letter to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein arguing that a potential obstruction of justice inquiry into the president is "fatally misconceived."



On Wednesday, when asked by ABC News Chief Justice Correspondent Pierre Thomas to assess Rosenstein's performance at the Justice Department, Barr replied: "Excellent."



Graham says Barr intends to tell senators why he wrote the letter.



The South Carolina Republican went on to say that pursuing an obstruction of justice charge for firing a political appointee is a "slippery slope" and that he shares Barr's view.



Mueller and Barr worked together in the early 1990s when Barr was Attorney General under President George H.W. Bush and Mueller was the head of the DOJ's Criminal Division.



Graham said Mueller and Barr are "best friends" and have known each other for over 20 years, their wives have been in a Bible study group together and Mueller has attended the weddings of two of Barr's daughters.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano on Wednesday urged the Duterte administration to monitor Chinas coral reef rehabilitation at the South China Sea. While China may be sincere in its alleged intention to rehabilitate the coral reefs it destroyed, let us not forget that there is an existing territorial conflict. The Philippine government to take an active role in monitoring this project being a claimant of the South China Sea. The rehabilitation project could be just one of the many ploys of China to occupy land feartures in the area, said Alejano, an oppositionist. China earlier announced that it will rehabilitate the coral ecosystem that it destroyed while building manmade islands in the contested territory. From 2013 to 2016, Chinas reclamation and construction of artificial islands caused the shredding of corals in the Spratlys. Alejano said the process of rehabilitating the coral reefs must also be accessible to the claimants of the territory other than China. To unilaterally rehabilitate them denies the other parties, such as the Philippines, of the right to cooperate. After all, environmental conservation is not only a unilateral concern, but a multi-party one. The unilateral actions of China show a clear disrespect to the Philippines as claimant of the territory, Alejano said.He asked the administration to look into the environmental conservation effort especially now that there is an existing territorial conflict among claimants. Alejano was referring to reports on environmental destruction and legal opinions on the implications of unilateral rehabilitation to the South China Sea dispute, since China has been occupying land features in the region quietly but aggressively. This issue should be given attention by the government because Chinas rehabilitation project is not merely an environmental issue. Our conflict with China necessitates us to be vigilant on this issue, Alejano said.PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago

State-run Philippine Ports Authority said it is set to endorse by February this year to the Transportation Department the unsolicited proposal of Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corp. to develop, operate and maintain the Davao Sasa Port for issuance of original proponent status. Chelsea already completed all the documents for the project. So we will evaluate it and hopefully by end of January or first half of February, PPA on its part would have been able to determine the feasibility of the proposal and if necessary PPA will recommend it to DOTr depending on the outcome of the evaluation, PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago said.The PPA endorsement would justify the DOTrs issuance of an OPS for the project. Chelsea Logistics earlier submitted an unsolicited offer to PPA to develop, operate and maintain the Davao Sasa Port for P16 billion with a proposed concession period of 25 years. The company plans to spend P16 billion for the Davao Sasa Port in phases. The National Economic and Development Authority approved the modernization of Davao Sasa Port for P19 billion under the Aquino administrations public private partnership scheme. The Transportation Department earlier prequalified Asian Terminals Inc., International Container Terminal Services Inc., Bollore Africa Logistics, Singapore-based Portek International Pte. Ltd. and San Miguel Corp. for the Davao Sasa Port project.The Duterte administration, however, decided to pursue the project through unsolicited proposal instead of the PPP scheme. Sasa Port is designed for break bulk cargo vessels, which is vital to the economy of Davao City. About 500,000 metric tons of steel, wheat, fertilizer, motor vehicles, heavy equipment and other cargo not suitable for containers went through Sasa Port in 2014, according to PPA data. Davao Integrated Port and Stevedoring Services Corp., an operator at the Sasa port, said the current capacity of Sasa is about 700,000 twenty-foot equivalent units. The yearly volume handled by Dipsscor, a unit of ICTSI, is 300,000 TEUs.



South Korea will provide North Korea about 200,000 doses of Tamiflu antiviral medication and other medical material this week, the unification ministry said Tuesday.







The Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Council has set aside about 3.56 billion won (US$3.2 million) for the project, the ministry said.







The council, made up of government officials and civilian experts, reviews important policies and decisions related to inter-Korean exchange and cooperation projects.







"The government expects the drugs will improve the health and medical conditions of North Korean citizens and prevent the spread of influenza that could occur in the process of personnel exchanges between the Koreas, thereby contributing to the health of citizens in both the South and the North," the ministry said.







The drugs will be delivered to the North on Friday through a land route on the western inter-Korean border. About 10 government officials will visit the North's border town of Gaeseong to hand over the drugs.







Along with the drugs, they will also deliver about 50,000 early medical detection kits, donated by a private entity, a ministry official said.







In December, South Korea announced a plan to provide Tamiflu and early medical detection kits to North Korea. Their leaders agreed in September to cooperate closely in fighting the spread of infectious diseases.







Seoul recently discussed the drug plan with the United States through a joint working group session on North Korea to make sure the assistance does not violate sanctions.







In 2009, Seoul provided around 400,000 doses of Tamiflu and 100,000 doses of Relenza antiviral drugs to North Korea through a land route across their western border. (Yonhap)

St. Vincent Kokomo and Community Howard Regional Health announced today that both hospitals will implement temporary visitor restrictions beginning Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019 due to widespread flue activity across Indiana.

The following restrictions are being put in place in an effort to keep the hospital environment as safe as possible for all patients:

 No visitors with flu-like illness, fever, or cough

 No visitors under age 18

 Only immediate family or partner will be allowed to see patient

St. Vincent Kokomo and Community Howard Regional Health officials will continue to work with the local health departments to monitor the volume of influenza cases, and will revise its temporary visitor restrictions as needed.

Each year, an average of 36,000 Americans die and more than 200,000 are hospitalized from serious influenza-related complications.

Influenza, most commonly known as the flu, is caused by a virus and is spread when an infected person coughs, sneezes or touches a contaminated surface. Symptoms typically include fever, muscle soreness and fatigue. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea can occasionally occur in younger children. Symptoms usually last for one to two weeks in most people. Complications such as pneumonia may develop in the elderly population and among people who suffer from chronic illnesses, although it is rare.

Vaccination is the single best way to protect against the flu. In addition, Indiana residents should follow the recommendations below to prevent the spread of influenza:

 Stay home from work, school, travel, shopping, social events, and public gatherings for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or other necessities.

 Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds.

 Avoid touching ones eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

Support Local Journalism Now, more than ever, the world needs trustworthy reportingbut good journalism isnt free. Please support us by making a contribution. Contribute

 Avoid kissing, hugging and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick.

 Disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as toys and doorknobs, especially if someone is sick.

Aside from Community Howard, these visitor restrictions will also go into effect on January 9 for all Community Health Network hospitals, including: Community Howard Specialty Hospital, Community Hospital North, Community Hospital East, Community Hospital South and Community Heart and Vascular Hospital.

Similarly, on January 9, the following St. Vincent ministries will join St. Vincent Kokomo in implementing flu-related visitor restrictions:

Peyton Manning Children's Hospital at St. Vincent

St. Vincent Anderson

St. Vincent Carmel

St. Vincent Clay

St. Vincent Dunn

St. Vincent Evansville

St. Vincent Fishers

St. Vincent Heart Center

St. Vincent Indianapolis

St. Vincent Jennings

St. Vincent Mercy

St. Vincent Neighborhood Hospital

St. Vincent Randolph

St. Vincent Salem

St. Vincent Seton Specialty Hospital

St. Vincent Stress Center

St. Vincent Warrick

St. Vincent Williamsport

St. Vincent Womens

# # #

About St.Vincent Kokomo

St.Vincent Kokomo is a ministry of St.Vincent Health, the states largest health care employer, with 20 health ministries serving 47 counties in Indiana. The Kokomo-based hospital is a sophisticated, comprehensive health care organization, providing a full range of quality health care services to the greater Howard County area. St.Vincent Kokomo is particularly well known for cancer care, cardiology, behavioral health, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services, and surgical/medical services. A 138-bed acute care hospital staffed by nearly 900 skilled associates, St.Vincent Kokomo provides spiritually-centered and holistic care. The ageless mission of St.Vincent Kokomo is to minister to the minds, bodies and spirits of those in need, regardless of religion or ability to pay. St. Vincent Kokomo is a member of Ascension, the nations largest not-for-profit health system.

About Community Howard Regional Health

Community Howard Regional Health, part of Community Health Network, offers high-quality, patient-centered services close to home. A compassionate and comfortable environment of care is provided at two hospital campusesa full-service hospital (main campus) and rehabilitation hospital. The main campus offers primary and specialty inpatient and outpatient services, which include a full-service heart program, behavioral health, oncology, orthopedics, pediatrics, emergency, sleep disorders, surgery, wound care, obstetrics and gynecology. Outpatient rehabilitation services are offered at Community Howard Specialty Hospital, located 15 minutes from the main campus. To learn more about Community Howard Regional Health, visit www.ecommunity.com/howard.By Ivan Ssenabulya.

Democratic Party president Nobert Mao has asked the speaker of parliament to create an environment for negotiations over the extension of COSASEs tenure.

The controversy came after the speaker Rebecca Kadaga extended, the committees tenure when its term is soon expiring, opposed to the opposition.

Addressing journalists Mao said the speaker was out of order for not respecting the parliaments rules and procedures, calling for negotiations with LOP, opposition Chief Whip and the FDC president.

He has accused the speaker of playing doubles standards, citing the committee changes made by the NRM immediately after the recent constitutional amendments in which those opposed to the lifting of the age-limit were dropped as committee heads.

However the speaker extended the committees tenure to allow it finalise the Bank of Uganda probe.Birthday wishes

Call 281-422-8302 or email david.bloom@baytownsun.com to wish someone a happy birthday. We will print your birthday wish on Page 2 of The Sun.

Happy Birthday WishesBy Ssebuliba Samuel.

The Uganda Police force has today lost one of its longest serving Police Officer who has served the force for fifty years.

The deceased late Josephine Kakooza has been the Commissioner of Police and the Director Uganda Police Band

According to the police spokesperson EmilianKayima, Kakooza breathed her last at Namirembe hospital today morning

Kakooza joined police force in 1969 at the age of fourteen and she has been at the helm of popularizing police band in Uganda.By Juliet Nalwooga.

Kampala lord mayor Erias Lukwago has lashed out at ministry of health officials over what he calls delayed response to healthy emergencies.

Addressing journalists at city hall, Lukwago noted that the recent suspected cholera outbreak in kabowa, a kampala sub-burb is not the first claiming that the disease was detected in some patients at Lubaga hospital during the Christmas season last year that even passed away, but no alarm was sounded.

Yesterday the public relations officer at the ministry of health Emma Ainebyona confirmed 8suspected cases of cholera with 2 people testing positive for the water borne disease in the initial medical tests at Kiruddu and Naguru hospital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

View ResultsMother and two sons die after she was banished to an outdoor shed during her period

On Tuesday, Amba Bohora was on the fourth day of her period. And as she had been forced to do countless times in the past, she was banished to a hut, because a longstanding custom in this region of Bajura considers menstruating women impure.Unwanted visitors

Paedophilia has become more pervasive over recent yearsTourist arrivals cross coveted 1-million mark

Arrivals crossed the coveted one-million mark for the first time in 2018 with 1.17 million foreign tourists streaming into the country. According to the Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal tourism reached the magic figure due to a jump in arrivals from India, China, the US, Sri Lanka and the UK.Top court quashes interim order to let Sumargi withdraw frozen money

The Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed an earlier interim order to allow the Ajeya Raj Sumargi-owned Muktishree Cement Industry to withdraw money frozen at the Nepal Rastra Bank despite his failure to disclose its sources.Speaker directs PM Oli, ministers to answer questions raised in Parliament

House Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara has directed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and other ministers to immediately answer the questions raised by the lawmakers after their speech on the issues of public importance.Schools have 10 years to convert into trust, private school operators object to the move

The High Level Education Commission in its final report has extended the duration for private schools to convert into trust from company to 10 years from seven years as proposed in its preliminary report earlier.Revenues from exports of designated products up 7pc

Nepals earnings from exports of products identified by the Nepal Trade Integration Strategy (NTIS) rose 7 percent in the first five months of the current fiscal year, largely due to a rise in demand for medicinal herbs, woollen carpet, tea, yarn and textile products.People-to-people exchange between Nepal and Japan will further increase

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono is arriving in Kathmandu today on a two-day official visit at the invitation of Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali. Konos visit comes less than two months after Gyawalis trip to Tokyo and is the first visit to Nepal by the top Japanese diplomat in seven years.Paudel new head of Nepal Oil Corporation

The government has appointed Surendra Prasad Paudel to lead Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), the countrys sole petroleum supplier, which has an annual transaction of more than Rs170 billion.Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 9

By Elchin Mehdiyev  Trend:

Such people as Azerbaijani blogger Mehman Huseynov are glorified by those who are annoyed with Azerbaijans independent policy, Azerbaijani MP Sahib Aliyev told Trend on Jan. 9.

Aliyev stressed that he does not consider Huseynov, who was arrested on certain articles, a journalist, as some Western circles call him.

In any society and in the West, public opinion is usually created by the individuals with strong character and high intelligence, who have rich life experience and merits to their homeland and people, he added.

"However, well-known circles are trying to glorify and make the individuals with low intelligence, who are not responsible for what they have said, as the leaders of public opinion, he said.

Aliyev added that Azerbaijan pursues an independent policy.

"This policy annoys those who are trying to make such individuals as Huseynov as the leader of public opinion and glorify them, they are looking for vassals, he said. As Azerbaijan has no financial or other dependence on them, they try to use other methods of pressure, one of which is to oppose our compatriots."

Huseynov was sentenced to two years in prison upon the decision of the Surakhani District Court. The decision was made on the basis of a complaint filed by the head of the Nasimi district police department, Musa Musayev, as a special charge. The blogger is charged under article 147.2 (defamation, coupled with the accusation of a person for committing a grave or especially grave crime) of the Criminal Code.Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 9

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

The relations between Azerbaijan and Israel will develop even more rapidly in 2019, head of the Israel-Azerbaijan International Association AzIz, Lev Spivak, said in an interview with the Regional Public Charitable Foundation of Mountain Jews STMEGI, Trend reports Jan. 9.

He noted that the year 2018 was a success for both countries.

Two most important events occurred last year - the first meeting of the Azerbaijani-Israeli intergovernmental commission took place in Israel in March, he said. The Azerbaijani delegation was led by Taxes Minister Mikayil Jabbarov. I am very pleased that the delegation members found time and met with AzIz members and activists. The second event is the visit of Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman to Azerbaijan.

Spivak noted that 2018 was also a breakthrough year in the field of tourism and a lot of Israelis visited Azerbaijan.

The number of flights between Baku and Tel Aviv increased dramatically, he said. I hope that this trend will continue.

As for the plans of AzIz for the future, Spivak said it is planned to expand the geography of events in 2019.

We have scheduled events in Russia and Germany, he noted. They will be associated with the anniversaries of 20 January tragedy and the Khojaly tragedy, as well as the Novruz holiday, the independence days of Israel and Azerbaijan, etc. This year we plan to hold the next, third congress of AzIz. High-ranking officials of Azerbaijan and Israel have already confirmed their participation.

In addition, Spivak noted that AzIz plans to start regular work to organize events with participation of academics, historians and political scientists.

We will build links with major universities of the world, he said.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_ZeynBaku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 9

By Leman Zeynalova  Trend:

Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry has commented on the possible meeting of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov with his Armenian counterpart Zohrab Mnatsakanyan.

The information about the date and venue of the next meeting, according to the agreement reached between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, will be provided when the time comes, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministrys spokeswoman Leyla Abdullayeva told Trend Jan. 9.

It was earlier reported that a joint statement by the heads of delegations of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries, Azerbaijan, and Armenia following a session during the OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting in Milan on Dec. 6 read that the sides agreed to meet in early 2019 under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs.

Besides, Mammadyarov also said that negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts settlement in the current format will continue in January.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.

---

Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_ZeynJoint-secretarys appointment to New York mission defies practice, experts say

The government has decided to send a joint-secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Nepals Permanent Mission in New York in a move that, foreign affairs experts say, downgrades the mission.A group of protesters who rallied outside Tehran University on Monday, December 31, 2018, have been severely battered by the Islamic Republic's security forces and several arrested, a website promoting Iran Green Movement reported on Tuesday, January 8.

The website, Kalemeh, says, all detainees were placed behind bars in political blocks of Tehran's notorious Evin prison. The report does not specify the number of those arrested.

Women among detainees, including a 65-year-old lady, are so critically beaten up that one of them cannot stand on her feet, and another has lost her balance because of a head injury, Kalemeh reported.

The protesters were assembled outside Tehran University to protest a bus crash, killing ten.

The bus hired by one of the largest universities in Iran, Islamic Azad University, was carrying 30 students along a mountainous road within the university's Science and Research branch campus when on December 25, 2018, it drove off the road and hit a concrete pole.

University officials initially blamed the crash on the driver having a stroke. The coroner's office later denied that claim.

Many students pointed to the aging bus fleet the university has hired from a private company and poor maintenance of the vehicles.

The accident led to days of protests by thousands of students both on the university campus and on Tehrans streets.

During the protest on Monday, the students were chanting, Have no fear, were all together, neither threats nor prison, can deter us, and death to the dictator.

Referring to the political advisor of the Islamic Republic's Supreme Leader who is also the head of the board of trustees of the Islamic Azad University, and former Foreign Minister, Ali Akbar Velayati, they also chanted, Velayati, Velayati, you are responsible for this crime; Incompetent official, resign, resign!, The incompetent one in charge should be tried!

Plainclothesmen stormed the rally, firing teargas canisters to disperse the crowd.

However, the political and security deputy of the Governor of Tehran, Abdol Azim Rezaei had earlier insisted that none of the protesters were arrested.

Tehran has been the scene of several protest rallies in recent weeks.

While tens of thousands of teachers and workers are demanding their rights across Iran, an advisor to the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Chief Commander, Ali Mohammad Naeini has cautioned that turmoil is waiting to happen in coming Iranian new year (beginning March 21).

An Iranian cleric who is a judicial official has said that imprisonment in the Islamic Republic can reduce punishment in your afterlife.

Ali Mozafari, who heads the Judiciary in Irans Khorasan-Razavi province declared that being imprisoned in the Islamic Republic has an impact on afterlife, including avoiding punishment in hereafter.

Khorasan-Razavi, in Irans northeast is controlled by ultra-conservative clerics, headed by a strong supporter of Supreme Leader of the country.

Mozafari reiterated that if someone went to prison in the era of monarchy in Iran, it would not help reduce punishment in afterlife.

Iran's religiously conservative and politically hardliner judiciary is controlled by Shiite clerics, who wield tremendous influence over 82 million Iranians.

International rights organizations, United Nations bodies and Western governments have repeatedly condemned lack of due process, torture and other violations in Iran's judicial system.Former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has sent a letter to the interior minister asking for a permit to hold a protest gathering in Tehran.

The letter published on Mr. Ahmadinejads Telegram channel says the gathering will be in protest to Policies and performance of officials and the way the country is managed by different branches of the state.

In his letter, Ahmadinejad asks the interior minister Andolreza Rahmani Fazli, not to look for excuses to refuse the permit", for the protest, which is an inalienable right.

It seems the former president expects his request to be rejected and attacks the minister before even having an answer to his letter.

The Islamic Republic rarely issues a permit for non-regime gatherings and if a protest starts, authorities can always clamp down by arguing that it was an illegal action.

Ahmadinejad further argued that if a permit is not granted it would be an obvious crime and loss of legitimacy for the interior minister.

Ahmadinejad has requested a permit for January 20, for the gathering to take place at Enghelab (Revolution) Square.

Since leaving office in 2013, Ahmadinejad has turned into an opposition activist, even criticizing the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and periodically attacking the performance of top officials.

His relations with the country's Larijani brothers who head both the parliament and the Judiciary is particularly tense.Poroshenko orders to send up to 20 military personnel to Mali to join UN mission

President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine has signed a decree to send Ukrainian national military personnel made up of members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to join the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali.

"To send for the participation of Ukraine in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali our national personnel (made up of members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine) of up to 20 people strong," presidential decree No 6/2019 of January 9 says.

The decree comes into effect on the day of its publication.It will be easier for Ukraine to become a member of NATO than a member of the European Union, this is a matter of a medium-term prospect, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin has said.

"It is, of course, simpler to become the NATO member, since it's a focus on security and defense sector reform. As for the European Union, you can think that this is trivial, but the better we fulfill the Association Agreement, the better we adopt European standards, the sooner we will get EU membership after we get a European prospect," Klimkin told journalists in Kyiv on Wednesday.

In his opinion, this can be achieved in the medium term.

"We need to continue changes in this country. It is not just about reforms, but about fundamental changes in this country. We have to do a lot to become members of the EU and NATO," he added.Ukraine's Culture Minister Yevhen Nishchuk has said several valuable icons have been found missing from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra complex in Kyiv and that a criminal investigation has been launched.

"We have already partially completed the inventory. Complete reports are now being sent to us. Some icons have gone missing from the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra," Nishchuk told the Pryamiy TV channel on Tuesday evening.

The minister said there would be a separate briefing on the disappearance of religious relics after the relevant paperwork is filed.

As earlier reported, MP Ihor Lutsenko of the Batkivschyna faction on January 4, 2019 criticized the work of a commission set up by the Ukrainian Culture Ministry to conduct an inspection of the relics kept at the National Kyiv-Pechersk Historic and Cultural Reserve has not reported on the results of the audit because it found cases of hallows being replaced with fake items.

"The problem is that most likely everything has already been taken out of there They took out all the hallows [holy remains of dead monks]," Lutsenko told a press conference at the Kyiv-based Interfax-Ukraine news agency on January 4.

He said he believes that this is the reason for the results of the work of the Culture Ministry's commission not having been made public yet. In connection with this, the MP thinks it necessary to analyze how the audit was carried out.

Serhiy Krolevets, former director of the National Kyiv-Pechersk Historic and Cultural Reserve, said that the state of Ukraine had handed the hallows over to the church and at present it is not their owner. In connection with this, he said he believes that objects of cultural heritage must be returned under the control of the state.

As reported earlier, a special commission made up of employees of the Ministry of Culture and the National Kyiv-Pechersk Historic and Cultural Reserve was set up by the Ministry of Culture to carry out an inspection of relics given to the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra 30 years ago. The commission's job is to make an audit of the existing ecclesiastical antiquities and holy items that have been handed over to the Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra since 1998 when the monastery there resumed operation.

The objects of the National Kyiv-Pechersk Historic and Cultural Reserve belong to the state of Ukraine; however, they are under a 50-year-long lease by the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.We came to an agreement thanks to our prime minister - "Right Wheel" initiative (video)

On December 27, 2018, members of the "Right Wheel" initiative protested in front of the government building. They met with government members and presented their proposals. Thus, as a result of discussions, the government has initiated legislative changes. The package was posted on the official website e-draft.am for public discussion. "If the National Assembly approves the draft, from the next day we will be able to import the cars by April 1." According to Davit Gasparyan, a member of the initiative, they agree with the government's program. "There is a disagreement with only some details, and for now, the "Right Wheel" initiative and the Ministry of Transport and others work on them." Initially, members of the initiative emphasized that they did not agree to turn their right-hand steering wheels into left-hand ones, as it is a dangerous and costly process. Today, the solution to this problem has also been met. "This procedure is now working, it is not our business. The wheels of our imported cars will not be changed, they will remain in the factory structure. We came to an agreement thanks to our prime minister." According to Gasparyan, there are about 500 cars on the Georgian border these days, the number is growing, and there are about 300 cars that have not yet reached the border.Ambassador Hrachya Poladyan presents credentials to Iraqi President

Armenias Ambassador to Iraq Hrachya Poladyan on January 8 presented his credentials to Iraqi President Barham Salih. During the meeting Ambassador Poladyan conveyed the warm greetings and wishes of Armenian President Armen Sarkissian to President Salih. The Ambassador assured that his daily working agenda will be directed for deepening and developing the bilateral cooperation, adding that he will make all efforts to strengthen and intensify the Armenian-Iraqi friendly ties. Hrachya Poladyan said currently the trade turnover between Armenia and Iraq reaches nearly 120 million USD, and about 5000 Iraqi tourists visited Armenia in 2018, noting that this number can grow. In his turn the President of Iraq congratulated the Ambassador on assuming office and touched upon the great role of the Armenian community in developing the relations of the two countries, stating that the Iraqi-Armenian community has historical roots in this country and is one of the creators of Iraqs cultural heritage. He also called on Armenia to be engaged in Iraqs restoration works.House committee endorses report on Medical Education Bill sans provisions of deal with Dr KC

The Education and Health Committee of the Legislature Parliament has endorsed the report on Medical Education Bill presented by its sub-committee, on Wednesday, without including provisions of the agreement that the government had forged with Dr Govinda KC.Gazprom threatens to reduce volume of investments in Armenia

Russian "Kommersant" periodical touched upon the rise in gas tariff for Gazprom Armenia. "Kommersant" writes that in 2018, after the revolution happened in spring, opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan became prime minister,and after which Yerevan's official relations with the Russian state structures have become complicated. In July of the previous year, the State Revenue Committee has registered tax violations in a number of gas companies, including Gazprom Armenia and its subsidiary, Avtogaz, but there is an agreement between the parties that the gas price will increase, but the tariffs for the domestic market of Armenia will not change. "Kommersant" talked with Russian expert Andrey Polischuk, who said that the new agreements between the Armenian authorities may lead to the reduction of Gazprom Armenia's margin, but it is not too important. Another expert, Alexey Grivach, said that under these conditions when the new authorities took drastic measures against the Gazprom's subsidiary, it would be strange if the resource remains in Armenia. However, Grivach says it can be a subject of further negotiations.With Ucom's level up tariff plans subscribers have unlimited access to Tiktok, Spotify and Coursera

PACE rapporteur welcomes Azerbaijans release of Armenian captives and Armenias handing over of mine-maps to Azerbaijan

Armenia/Azerbaijan: Statement by High Representative Josep Borrell on the latest developments

Pashinyan to publicly apology to Khachatryans

Google Ad

During EURO 2020 Ucom subscribers to take part in the uMeter voting and draw

USA to continue to press for the return of Armenian prisoners of war and detainees: Philip Reeker

Post-war Prospects for Nagorno-Karabakh: Crisis Groups new report

Ucom-1 team was recognised the winner of the 2021 futsal tournament of the Galaxy Group of Companies: The award ceremony took place

COVID 19: 11 deaths

Statement of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia regarding the criminal prosecution against the Armenian prisoners of war by Azerbaijan

The Coronavirus-Related Situation in Armenia

UCOM introduced new level up packages of voice service

President Michel has discussions with President Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Acting Prime Minister Pashinyan of Armenia

COVID19:108 new cases

Ucom launches "Hello, summer" offer and presents "U!hoo" kids magazine

182 hearing aids and 2 buses by benefactor Mikayel Vardanyan for students of Special Educational Complex

Google Ad

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

What our Homeland, Armenia and Artsakh will be like depends on us. President Armen Sarkissians message on the Republic Day

Ucom Digital lab students keep on getting high-quality technical education

Aharon Sahakyan is appointed governor of Kotayk Marz of Armenia

3503 tests were done yesterday

Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia

Covid 19: 323 recoveries and 11 deaths

Efforts by prosecutors and law enforcement to address hate crime in Armenia: ODIHR seminar

We urge Turkey to respect these calls: Head of the Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union

Prisoners of war in the aftermath of the most recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan

COVID 19: 7 deaths.

The release of all Armenian detainees is essential for building confidence and trust Helena Dalli

Andrea Wiktorin about about the full ratification of CEPAWith Ucom's level up tariff plans subscribers have unlimited access to Tiktok, Spotify and Coursera

PACE rapporteur welcomes Azerbaijans release of Armenian captives and Armenias handing over of mine-maps to Azerbaijan

Armenia/Azerbaijan: Statement by High Representative Josep Borrell on the latest developments

Pashinyan to publicly apology to Khachatryans

During EURO 2020 Ucom subscribers to take part in the uMeter voting and draw

USA to continue to press for the return of Armenian prisoners of war and detainees: Philip Reeker

Post-war Prospects for Nagorno-Karabakh: Crisis Groups new report

Ucom-1 team was recognised the winner of the 2021 futsal tournament of the Galaxy Group of Companies: The award ceremony took place

COVID 19: 11 deaths

Statement of the Foreign Ministry of Armenia regarding the criminal prosecution against the Armenian prisoners of war by Azerbaijan

The Coronavirus-Related Situation in Armenia

UCOM introduced new level up packages of voice service

President Michel has discussions with President Aliyev of Azerbaijan and Acting Prime Minister Pashinyan of Armenia

COVID19:108 new cases

Ucom launches "Hello, summer" offer and presents "U!hoo" kids magazine

182 hearing aids and 2 buses by benefactor Mikayel Vardanyan for students of Special Educational Complex

Google Ad

Statement by the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group

What our Homeland, Armenia and Artsakh will be like depends on us. President Armen Sarkissians message on the Republic Day

Ucom Digital lab students keep on getting high-quality technical education

Aharon Sahakyan is appointed governor of Kotayk Marz of Armenia

3503 tests were done yesterday

Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia

Covid 19: 323 recoveries and 11 deaths

Efforts by prosecutors and law enforcement to address hate crime in Armenia: ODIHR seminar

We urge Turkey to respect these calls: Head of the Mission of the Republic of Armenia to the European Union

Prisoners of war in the aftermath of the most recent conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan

COVID 19: 7 deaths.

The release of all Armenian detainees is essential for building confidence and trust Helena Dalli

Andrea Wiktorin about about the full ratification of CEPALAS VEGAS  The Raiders and Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles will release a specialty Raiders-branded license plate on Jan. 14. The plate features the Raiders shield and the iconic phrase Commitment to Excellence against a black background.

This will give everybody in Nevada, not just Southern Nevada, but the entire state, the ability to get a Raiders license plate for their car, Raiders President Marc Badain told the Legislatures Commission on Special License Plates. Those funds will go to support programs all over the state. I think it will be a tremendous success.

Nevada residents interested in purchasing a Raiders specialty license plate can make an appointment with their local DMV office by visiting dmvnv.com.

The Raiders license plate can be purchased for $62, with $30 from each plate sold benefitting the Raiders Foundation. The Raiders license plate can also be personalized for an additional $35 annual fee. If the car is already registered, a smog check and registration renewal arent necessary.

The Raiders Foundation, the charitable arm of the Silver and Black, is committed to increasing community and civic health through the support of the military and youth development.

For more information on the Raiders specialty license plates, visit dmvnv.com/platescharitable.htm.

Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0ELKO  A Spring Creek man was killed Tuesday morning when his commercial truck crashed on State Route 278 approximately 38 miles north of Eureka.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Zachariah Schuchard, 33, was driving a large work truck south on the highway shortly after 7 a.m. when he allowed the vehicle to drift off the right paved shoulder, according to a preliminary investigation by the Nevada Highway Patrol.

In an attempt to regain the roadway, Schuchard steered to the left, causing the vehicle to rotate and cross both lanes before overturning onto its roof at the side of the road.

Schuchard was wearing his seatbelt but died from his injuries at the scene, the NHP reported.

Love 1 Funny 7 Wow 2 Sad 57 Angry 4ELKO  Nevada Assemblyman John Ellison weighed in on immigration and the partial government shutdown Jan. 8 in anticipation of President Donald Trumps Tuesday evening address.

They just use [the shutdown] as a ploy to get people to the table, Ellison said, adding that he thinks parts of the government should re-open to allow federal employees to get back to work.

These people are not getting paid, he said. These people have families.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The recently re-elected assemblyman from Elko said there is an issue we have got to face one way or another.

The governmental stalemate over the national budget between the Democrat-controlled Congress and President Trump was in its 18th day, one of the longest in history. Trump continues to demand funding for a wall along the countrys southern border.

Listening to the experts on the wall, I think they ought to do something, Ellison said, citing his concerns over human and drug trafficking. Should they build a wall? I agree they should.

He said he expects that the partial government shutdown soon will be lifted, even if it is because Trump uses an executive order to build the wall rather than through negotiations.

Well know tonight, Ellison said. Its a wait and see kind of thing.

Love 6 Funny 5 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 13

Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.ELKO  A Carlin elementary school teacher pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine on Monday.

Charlotte E. Rhoden, 37, was arraigned Jan. 7 in Elko District Court on one count of possession of a Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substance for the purpose of sale, a category D felony.

She pleaded guilty before Judge Nancy Porter in accordance with a plea agreement filed Oct. 5 that dropped one count of trafficking in a Schedule I controlled substance, a category B felony, court documents say.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Rhoden was arrested Sept. 7 after midnight in a construction zone outside of Carlin on multiple charges including using or possessing drug paraphernalia, furnishing a controlled substance to a prisoner, and speeding.

Carlin Police Chief Dennis Fobes told the Elko Daily Free Press that officers found 13.5 grams of methamphetamine and sales and drug paraphernalia in her car.

Rhoden, a fourth-grade teacher at Carlin Combined Schools, was placed on paid administrative leave by the Elko County School District following her arrest.

A person convicted of the charge could receive one to four years in prison and be ordered to pay a fine of $5,000.

Sentencing was set for April 1.

Love 2 Funny 9 Wow 2 Sad 5 Angry 4Health assistants defy ministry decision

Health Assistant Association Nepal has opposed the decision of the Ministry of Health and Population that allows senior assistant health workers to become the chiefs of health posts.Shanghai (Gasgoo)- In 2018, Nissan became the champion Japanese automaker by annual sales gaining a slight year-on-year (YoY) growth. Toyota achieved double-digit growth in both 2018 sales and December sales, boasting the most stable and vigorous increase. However, Mazda was not that lucky. It was the only one among four carmakers tabulated here who faced negative growth in both annual sales and December sales.

Nissan

Nissan' China sales showed a YoY decline of 4.4% in December, while its full-year sales still grew 2.9% over a year ago to 1,563,986 units, making Nissan the champion among all Japanese automakers in terms of their China sales in 2018.

Both PV unit and light CV unit achieved positive sales growth last year. The PV unit, including Dongfeng Nissan and Dongfeng Venucia, sold 1,301,077 vehicles throughout 2018 with a YoY increase of 2.8%. Yet, the PV sales in December slid 6.9% compared with the same period a year ago.



Nissan's SUV sales in China edged up 3.3% YoY in December and climbed 15.2% for entire 2018. The Dec. sales of the Sylphy, the X-TRAIL, the Qashqai and the Murano all presented double-digit YoY growth with 60,833 units, 21,290 units, 17,577 units and 3,547 units sold respectively.

The sales mainstays for Dongfeng Venucia in December were the all-new Venucia D60, the T70 and the T90, whose respective sales amounted to 5,762 units, 2,987 units and 1,559 units.

The CV unit consisting of Dongfeng Automobile Co., Ltd. and Zhengzhou Nissan sold a total of 216,969 vehicles in 2018 with a YoY growth of 5.4%.

Toyota

The runner-up Toyota attained a YoY growth of 14.3% in full-year China sales. Unlike Nissan, who saw an evident gap between its yearly growth and monthly growth, Toyota's December sales in this country showed a YoY increase of 14.7%, basically the same as its annual change.

The blooming sales performance for Toyota should be attributed to the propulsion caused by such new models as the eighth-generation Camry, the C-HR and the IZOA and China's tariff slash that greatly boots Lexus's performance.

Both two joint ventures gained positive increase last year. GAC Toyota delivered 580,337 vehicles throughout 2018 with a YoY surge of 31.8%. FAW Toyota saw its 2018 sales edge up 2.0% to 720,306 units.

Premium car brand Lexus witnessed its annual sales in China jump 20.8%, for the first time exceeding 160,000 units.

Honda

Honda's China sales in 2018 were 1,432,291 units, edging down 0.6% from the year-ago period. GAC Honda achieved a tiny YoY growth of 0.6% with 735,276 vehicles delivered from January to December, while Dongfeng Honda, with 697,015 vehicles handed over last year, encountered a YoY drop of 4.1%.

The Japanese automaker reaped a good end in 2018. Last month, Honda's China deliveries reached a new high of 191,907 units, leaping 33.8% from the previous year. GAC Honda and Dongfeng Honda saw their Dec. sales significantly rose 26% and 40.6% respectively to 84,551 units and 107,356 units.

A total of 7 models, including the Civic, the XR-V, the CR-V, the Accord, the Vezel, the Fit and the Crider, all had respective sales exceeding 100,000 units on an annual basis. Especially, the Civic becomes Honda's first model whose full-year sales in China surpass 200,000 units.

Models featuring the SPORT HYBRID i-MMD (Intelligent Multi Mode Drive) are rather popular among Chinese consumers. For instance, the yearly sales of the CR-V HYBRID reached 26,360 units, making up around 20% of the CR-V's 2018 sales.

Mazda

Mazda Motor (China) Co., Ltd. announced that its annual sales in 2018 declined 12% YoY to 272,322 units. Two Sino-Japanese joint venturesFAW Mazda and Changan Mazda sold 108,970 units and 163,352 units throughout 2018, dropping 12.3% and 11.8% over a year ago.

In December, the Japanese automaker's sales in China reached 20,546 units, slumping 37.8% over the previous year. According the sales data compiled by Gasgoo, by the end of December, 2018, Mazda has suffered YoY drop in monthly sales for eight consecutive months in the world's largest auto market. However, thanks to the growing performance from January to April, the automaker's year-to-date (YTD) sales presented positive growth for first eight months in 2018.

Nobuhiko Watabe, chairman of Mazda Motor (China) Co., Ltd., said that Mazda has seen its total sales in China exceed 3 million units. Meanwhile, the cumulative sales of Mazda's vehicle carrying SkyActive Technology surpassed 1 million units in May, 2018.CARSON CITY  If the definition of America as the land of opportunity needed a singular story to illustrate it, John Mackays would be a likely choice and 19th Century Nevada the perfect backdrop.

Mackays rise from an impoverished Irish immigrant to Comstock Lode magnate lives on in myriad ways in the Silver State  from a School of Mines and iconic statue on the University of Nevada campus to a Virginia City mansion and more.

Author Gregory Crouch, a writer who specializes in adventurous and historic subjects, found both in his writing of the book, The Bonanza King: John Mackay and the Battle Over the Greatest Riches in the American West.

Crouch will share his findings as the keynote speaker at the Nevada State Museums January Frances Humphrey Lecture Series. This encore presentation (the first one sold out to museum members) is scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 25 in the museums South Gallery.

Admission is $8 for adults; free for museum members and children 17 and younger.

Crouch is also the author of books on aviation and mountaineering and has published stories in National Geographic, The Atlantic, Smithsonian, Time, American History, World War II, Outside, Popular Mechanics, Backpacker and many others.ELKO  The Western Folklife Center will host a Cowboy Poetry Gathering Volunteer Chili Feed and Training Night at 6 p.m. Jan. 15.

Come on down to the G Three Bar Theater, 501 Railroad St., and learn about volunteering for the 35th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Sign-ups are available for unfilled positions  you can register to vounteer any time on the Western Folklife Center website  and the lead volunteers for all positions as well as Western Folklife Staff will be on hand.

Volunteer participation will ensure this Gathering anniversary is a success.

The 35th National Cowboy Poetry Gathering runs Jan. 28 through Feb. 2 at multiple venues in Elko. Events, times and costs vary; visit www.nationalcowboypoetry.org for information.

The Gathering starts off with gear-making workshops.

The first evening performance, Anchoring the Tradition, is scheduled at 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Western Folklife Centers G Three Bar Theater, followed with evening shows Tuesday and Wednesday nights, then a full daily schedule Thursday through Saturday featuring nine stages in four venues and more than 45 performers.Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today (1/4) announced that New York State will provide technical assistance to the U.S. Virgin Islands for its ongoing efforts to rebuild and modernize the islands' electric grid. The U.S. Virgin Islands' power systems were heavily damaged when two Category 5 hurricanes Irma and Maria made landfall on the island in September 2017. A recovery effort by the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority has been underway to restore and improve the island's electric infrastructure, and WAPA is now requesting assistance from the New York Power Authority through the American Public Power Associations' mutual aid process. A memorandum of understanding between NYPA and WAPA was signed today to put in place the needed mechanisms for New York to provide technical consulting support for the electric infrastructure rebuild.

"More than a year after these two devastating hurricanes made landfall, the U.S. Virgin Islands are still recovering, and New York is committed to helping our fellow Americans in their greatest time of need," Governor Cuomo said. "We welcome the opportunity to offer assistance and support as the islands work to rebuild their electric grid, and we will not rest until they are stronger and more resilient than ever before."

"Severe weather events have devastated communities across the country damaging homes and infrastructure," said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul. "We're helping the U.S. Virgin Islands rebuild and recover after being hit by hurricanes last year, providing assistance to restore the island's electric grid and making improvements to ensure resiliency in the future."

WAPA, utilizing federal emergency support funding, is requesting assistance and guidance from NYPA in the pursuit of building a resilient power system able to withstand the impacts of acute weather events, including extreme weather resulting from climate change. WAPA will make investments in upgrading the island's generation, transmission and distribution systems to improve reliability, as well as incorporate a practical approach to alternative energy resources such as wind and solar to help reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.

Earlier this year, the Power Authority, leading a contingent of more than 450 New York utility personnel, completed power restoration to more than 300,000 customers in the San Juan metro-area of Puerto Rico, which also suffered severe damage from Hurricane Maria in 2017. NYPA continues to consult and assist Puerto Rico today as part of New York's commitment to support the rebuild of the island's power grid.

Gil C. Quiniones, NYPA president and CEO, said, "NYPA is standing ready to provide technical support for the rebuild and modernization of the U.S. Virgin Islands' electric grid. The mutual assistance process is an excellent, non-profit method to leverage the expertise of fellow utilities. The Power Authority is eager to provide support to WAPA to assist in its development of a modern, resilient electric system."

Lawrence Kupfer, Executive Director, U.S. Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, said, "On behalf of residents of the USVI, we thank Governor Cuomo and NYPA for their favorable response and commitment to support the USVI capital improvement projects geared to increase resiliency and reliability of its energy system. I also commend the work of American Public Power Association for their role in facilitating the assistance through the existing Mutual Aid Agreements between all publicly owned utilities, which includes a commitment to help each other out in times of need. As we move forward, the assistance of NYPA and APPA will be rewarding and for the betterment of all USVI residents."

WAPA is requesting support in its rebuild and modernization effort in five key categories:

The design, construction, operation, maintenance and repair of WAPA's power generation, transmission and distribution system, including the integration of renewable and other alternative energy generation sources, energy storage and demand management.

The development of methodologies, policies and corporate governance practices for the improvement of power grid reliability and resiliency with respect to storms and other catastrophic, environmental and economic threats.

The study and development of economically viable best practices to harden the power grid against likely major weather events in the future, including the use of new designs, materials, system monitoring and control methods to prevent or minimize the impact of outages and power grid damage, reduce repair costs, and shorten recovery times.

The development of improved corporate capacity and support services, including supply chain sustainability, physical and cyber security management, critical contractor access and availability, repair and recovery equipment, available inventory materials, internal and external communications, and response and mobilization planning for significant events.

Potential strategies for long-term infrastructure upgrade financing and economic partnering with customers, suppliers, investors and financiers.

Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez said, "Hurricanes Irma and Maria brought unprecedented damage and devastation to the U.S. Virgin Islands, destroying the islands' power infrastructure in the process. One cannot understate the need for a stable, modern electric grid that can support the island and endure future storms such as these. While we have made progress in restoring power to the islands, we must ensure that this sort of catastrophic power loss can never happen again. I thank Governor Cuomo for building upon our efforts and providing the islands with the assistance they so desperately need."

Congressman Gregory W. Meeks said, "The U.S. Virgin Islands remain greatly impacted from the devastating hurricanes of 2017. Restoring and fortifying their power grid is critical for letting residents resume their daily life, and though federal funding has helped, there is much more left to be done. I applaud Governor Cuomo for utilizing New York's expertise and lending a hand to help in this process."

Congressman Adriano Espaillat said, "We continue to make progress as the U.S. Virgin Islands work to rebuild their electric grid, but with more work to be done, assistance like this from the State of New York is invaluable. These hurricanes produced more damage than was ever imaginable, and rebuilding an electric grid in the wake of such destruction is a long, challenging task. I commend the Governor for providing such crucial support to the islands and for helping to modernize the electric grid more quickly and effectively than before."

Mike Hyland, Senior VP, Engineering Services at the American Public Power Association, said, "The American Public Power Association is excited to see the agreement between US Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority and the New York Power Authority. This is another example of the breadth and effectiveness of our national public power mutual aid network. We connect members to help not only in times of storm but also in times of calm so we can share lessons learned and be prepared for the next disaster."Today (1/8), the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission ("UTC") gave notice ("Notice") of the deemed denial by operation of law of the petition filed by Hydro One Limited ("Hydro One") (TSX: H) and Avista Corporation ("Avista") (NYSE: AVA) requesting the UTC to reconsider its denial of approval for Hydro One's acquisition of Avista. In the same Notice, the UTC also denied the petition for a rehearing on the basis that it is moot. The companies are disappointed in the UTC's decision and will determine the appropriate next steps.

Hydro One and Avista filed a petition on December 17, 2018 requesting that the UTC reconsider its December 5, 2018 order denying approval of the acquisition, together with a petition requesting that the UTC rehear the matter to accept new evidence.

A copy of the Notice denying reconsideration and rehearing are available at https://www.utc.wa.gov/docs/Pages/DocketLookup.aspx?FilingID=170970



For further information:

Hydro One

Media:

Jay Armitage

Director, Corporate Communications

media.relations@hydroone.com, 416-345-6868

Investors:

Omar Javed

Vice President, Investor Relations

investor.relations@hydroone.com, 416-345-5943

Avista

Media:

Casey Fielder, Communications Manager

casey.fielder@avistacorp.com, 509-495-4916

Investors:

Jason Lang, Director of Finance

jason.lang@avistacorp.com, 509-495-2930

About Hydro One Limited

We are Ontario's largest electricity transmission and distribution provider with more than 1.3 million valued customers, over C$25 billion in assets and 2017 annual revenues of nearly C$6 billion. Our team of over 7,400 skilled and dedicated regular and non-regular employees proudly and safely serves suburban, rural and remote communities across Ontario through our 30,000 circuit km of high-voltage transmission and 123,000 circuit km of primary distribution networks. Hydro One is committed to the communities we serve, and has been rated as the top utility in Canada for its corporate citizenship, sustainability, and diversity initiatives. We are one of only six utility companies in Canada to achieve the Sustainable Electricity Company designation from the Canadian Electricity Association. We also provide advanced broadband telecommunications services on a wholesale basis utilizing our extensive fibre optic network through Hydro One Telecom Inc. Hydro One Limited's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: H).

Forward-Looking Statements and Information

This press release and the Notice to which it refers may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Words such as "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "attempt", "may", "plan", "will", "can", "believe", "seek", "estimate", and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking information. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or actions and involve assumptions and risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may differ materially from what is expressed, implied or forecasted in such forward-looking information. Some of the factors that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from the results expressed, implied or forecasted by such forward-looking information, including some of the assumptions used in making such statements, are discussed more fully in Hydro One's filings with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Hydro One does not intend, and it disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking information, except as required by law.

About Avista Corporation

Avista Corporation is an energy company involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy as well as other energy-related businesses. Avista Utilities is our operating division that provides electric service to 383,000 customers and natural gas to 348,000 customers. Its service territory covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.6 million. Alaska Energy and Resources Company is an Avista subsidiary that provides retail electric service in the city and borough of Juneau, Alaska, through its subsidiary Alaska Electric Light and Power Company. Avista stock is traded under the ticker symbol "AVA." For more information about Avista, please visit www.myAvista.com.

This news release contains forward-looking statements regarding the company's current expectations. Forward-looking statements are all statements other than historical facts. Such statements speak only as of the date of the news release and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the company's control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations. These risks and uncertainties include, in addition to those discussed herein, all of the factors discussed in the company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2017 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended Sept. 30, 2018.Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO), a NiSource Inc., (NYSE: NI) company, reaffirms its core commitment to customers and safety with the announcement of three new Indiana-based leaders within the gas operations and electric engineering and project construction areas - effective Jan. 1, 2019.



"Serving customers and safety go hand-in-hand, and the collective experience these leaders bring to their respective roles will help us create meaningful and lasting improvements in these core focus areas of our business," said NIPSCO president Violet Sistovaris.



Joining Sistovaris' leadership team in Indiana, Dan Douglas has been named senior vice president of NIPSCO gas, based in Merrillville, Ind. reporting to Pablo Vegas, executive vice president and president for gas utilities across NiSource. Douglas will have responsibility for NIPSCO's gas operations, safety management system and financial and operations performance. Douglas first joined NiSource in 1997, serving in a variety of roles and leadership positions, including his most recent role as vice president of corporate strategy and development. Douglas earned a bachelor's degree in finance and accounting from Cedarville University and a master of business administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.



Reporting to Douglas, Steve Sylvester has been named general manager and vice president of NIPSCO Gas, based in Merrillville. Sylvester has held various leadership roles across NiSource and its Columbia Gas subsidiaries since joining in 1986, including vice president and general manager of Columbia Gas of Ohio, vice president of distribution operations and most recently, vice president of safety for NiSource.



Jim Zucal, vice president of electric engineering, projects and construction responsible for major projects, transmission and distribution engineering, transmission system reliability and development and infrastructure modernization project support, will also take on the role of program management lead for the transition of NIPSCO's electric generation portfolio. Based in Merrillville, Zucal joined NiSource in 2017 with more than 23 years of industry experience and holds a bachelor's degree in electronic engineering from Franklin University and an associate's degree in electronic engineering from the University of Akron.



These leaders join the other existing and recently announced leadership team under Sistovaris, which includes Mike Hooper, senior vice president of regulatory, legislative affairs and strategy; Ben Felton, senior vice president of electric operations; Jennifer Montague, vice president of communications NIPSCO Names New Leaders for its Gas Operations and Electric Engineering and Project Construction Teams and external affairs; Paul Kelly, vice president of major accounts; and Cliff Scott, managing director of performance management, risk and finance.



About NIPSCO: Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO), with headquarters in Merrillville, Ind., has proudly served the energy needs of northern Indiana for more than 100 years. As Indiana's largest natural gas distribution company and the second-largest electric distribution company, NIPSCO serves approximately 810,000 natural gas and 460,000 electric customers across 32 counties. NIPSCO is part of NiSource's (NYSE: NI) seven regulated utility companies. NiSource is one of the largest fully regulated utility companies in the United States, serving approximately 4 million natural gas and electric customers through its local Columbia Gas and NIPSCO brands. More information about NIPSCO and NiSource is available at NIPSCO.com and NiSource.com.Ukraine boosts exports of eggs in shell by 21.3% in 2018

The exports were estimated at US$94.1 million.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+EnterWorld Bank worsens outlook for Ukraine GDP growth in 2019

The bank says in 2018, GDP in Ukraine climbed 5%.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+EnterDespite setbacks, the port administration plans $18.5 million in capital investment, largely for dredging.

At Ukraine's Mariupol port, shipping volumes fell last year to 5.3 million tonnes, or 10% down from 2017 figures.

With the 2014 loss of most production from Donbas, the 22-berth port operated last year at 28% of capacity, according to Ukraine Business News.

A second blow came in spring 2018 with Russias opening of the Kerch Strait Bridge, which is too low for 30% of the cargo ships that traditionally served Mariupol.

Despite these setbacks, the port administration plans $18.5 million in capital investment, largely for dredging.

On Monday, an international ProZorro tender closes for $32 million of dredging work on Ukraines two Azov ports, Donetsk regions Mariupol and, 85 km to the west, Zaporizhia regions Berdyansk.

Read alsoTwo Ukrainian seaports forced to cut working hours amid Russia's blocking of Kerch Strait  Omelyan

Last year, three tenders for this dredging failed to draw the minimum of two applicants, apparently due to company fears that Russia could impound dredging vessels in the Kerch.

After dredging two Black Sea ports, China Harbor Engineering Company Ltd. may be best positioned to handle the geopolitical risk of the Azov.

One year ago, it completed dredging a major section of Yuzhne port. Two weeks ago, China Harbor completed the first phase of dredging at Chornomorsk, the ports first dredging in 20 years. Now it is working on a second phase, designed to make Chornomorsk Ukraines deepest Black Sea port.

With this dredging, Ukraine Sea Ports Authority Chairman Rajvis Veckagans says: The port will be able to receive large-tonnage vessels with a draft of up to 14.5 meters, such as Panamax and post-Panamax.Russia forced to sell technology to China in exchange for repairing ill-fated Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier

In case Russia fails to build another floating dock, all of their large naval vessels, including 1164- and 1144-type cruisers, will have to be repaired and modernized exclusively with China's help, the report says.

If you see a spelling error on our site, select it and press Ctrl+EnterGraft case filed against Joint Secretary Shrestha

The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority has filed a corruption case at the Special Court against Chandra Man Shrestha, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Forest and Environment, for amassing illegal property.There is plenty of debate on the controversial nature of the pipeline project in Europe and inside Germany itself.

By inflicting secondary sanctions on smaller European companies involved in the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia, the U.S. could seriously undermine the controversial project. After all, it worked with Iran.

Companies working on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline are always in danger, because sanctions are always possible, U.S. ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell told Handelsblatt.

The ambassador, who, unlike most career diplomats, doesnt shy away from controversy, is hinting that the U.S. could use what are known as extraterritorial sanctions  that is, secondary sanctions that do not directly target an unfriendly nation but which are aimed at other countries a little too friendly with the unfriendly nation.

In the case of Nord Stream 2, these are countries like Germany.

However Grenell may just be rattling his sabers: He also said he was sure that the involved companies would pull out of the project, of their own accord, when confronted with the threat of sanctions.

Read alsoNord Stream 2 kills Ukraine  Poland's Foreign Minister

Secondary sanctions could happen. The U.S. has already used them in the case of Iran, targeting non-American companies which have dealings with Tehran and basically torpedoing Europes plan to sidestep U.S. sanctions and remain open to the Iranian economy.

The Nord Stream-2 project is a joint venture between European energy companies Uniper, Wintershall, OMV, Engie and Shell, and the state-owned Russian energy monopoly, Gazprom.

It has drawn fierce criticism from Eastern European countries like Ukraine and Poland who say it endangers their security while the U.S. opposes the pipeline for strategic reasons, saying the new link would render European allies dangerously dependent on Russian gas.

Sources in the German government believe that, if extraterritorial sanctions did happen, the US would first target smaller, specialist firms involved in Nord Stream 2s construction. These might include the likes of the Allseas Group, with headquarters in Switzerland and operations in the Netherlands, that is responsible for laying sections of pipeline, and the Italian engineering firm Saipem.

Allseas is set to lay over 90% of the pipeline. There would be an impact on the project as a whole because Allseas is a specialist that could not easily be replaced, industry sources say.

The German government is alarmed by talk of secondary sanctions. The German Foreign Office has raised concerns with U.S. counterparts. We are in intensive talks about Nord Stream 2, the ministry said in a statement. We are trying to show them that, at all levels, this is a solely economic project, that will help improve European energy security above all.

Read alsoHow to stop Nord Stream 2 and destroy Russian-German alliance bound with gas and corruption

However, there is plenty of debate on the controversial nature of the pipeline project in Europe and inside Germany itself. For months now, opponents of the project  even some inside the German government  have been saying the pipeline needs to be reassessed because when the decision to build it was made, not enough attention was paid to the well-founded security fears of eastern European states about Russian influence.

Nord Stream 2 is killing Ukraine, Polands foreign minister, Jacek Czaputowicz, told Handelsblatt. If the Russian gas transit through Ukraine ends, the country doesnt just lose significant income, it also loses the guarantee of protection against further Russian aggression, he argued. We need more decisive actions against Russia, through the EU and NATO.

When it comes to this argument in Germany, U.S. sanctions could well backfire. Even staunch opponents of Nord Stream 2 here could change their minds about the pipeline if they witness U.S. interference in German affairs. They would essentially end up on Trumps side, a place many wont want to be.South African police said Tuesday they had seized a 700-kilogram (1,500-pound) consignment of cocaine, that was headed for Asia.

The drugs, valued at around $50 million (43.7 million euros), were stashed at the bottom of a container ship docked in Ngqura, Lieutenant-General Godfrey Lebeya, head of an elite unit known as the Hawks, told AFP.

The ship had arrived from Brazil and was bound for India via Singapore, he said.

"The drugs were hidden at the bottom floor in the ship, which had over 3,000 containers," he said.

Acting on a tipoff, investigators raided the vessel on Monday afternoon and found 706 bags, each containing a kilo (2.2 pounds) of the narcotic, Lebeya said.Vietnams Industry and Trade Minister Tran Tuan Anh issued a public apology Tuesday for inappropriate use of his official car.

The apology came after the story of a car with blue license plates driving into the restricted aircraft parking area at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi to pick up the ministers wife last Friday triggered a public backlash.

Many passengers on the Vietnam Airlines flight complained that they had to make way for the ministers wife to get off the plane, while the car belonging to the ministry picked her up right on the tarmac.

In Vietnam, blue plates are only granted to cars used by government officials, and public vehicles are to be used only for government business. Under current regulations, ministers can be picked up right in the aircraft parking area, but their relatives are not entitled to this privilege.

Following local media reports and harsh reactions on social media, Anh admitted his mistakes and extended an apology to the people.

He asked for public sympathy, explaining that he was indisposed and hospitalized when the incident took place, hence his delayed response.

The incident was a "profound lesson" for himself, his family and the ministry as a whole, the minister wrote in a letter published by major media outlets. He pledged to take steps to ensure that no similar breaches happen in the future.

This is not the first time a Vietnamese government official has drawn attention and attracted public criticism for misuse of official cars for personal purposes, but it is uncommon that senior officials apologize to the public.

In 2016, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc issued a public apology after his motorcade drove down a pedestrian-only street in the well-preserved ancient town of Hoi An.

The social media is playing an increasingly prominent role in scrutinizing the behavior of public servants, with netizens quick to express their opinions, including their grievances.

More than half of people in the 95-million strong Vietnam are online and most of them are on Facebook.North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Singapore in June 2018. Photo by AFP

Talk of Vietnam possibly hosting the second Kim Jong Un-Donald Trump meeting seems to have South Koreas backing.

The South Korean ambassador to Vietnam, Kim Do-hyon, said he highly regarded Vietnams contributions to denuclearization of and peace on the Korean peninsula.

"Vietnam has good relations with both South and North Korea and the U.S., and has experience in successfully hosting many international summits in recent years such as APEC.

"Therefore I believe that the second U.S.-North Korea summit being held in Vietnam would have tremendous significance," he said, referring to a planned meeting between the U.S. and North Korean leaders.

Vietnam had also hailed inter-Korean summits and the first U.S.-North Korea meeting last year, he said.

"I highly appreciate that Vietnam intends to provide a venue for the second U.S.-North Korea summit," he said, adding that his government hoped the summit would take place soon and there would be substantial progress toward complete denuclearization.

U.S. officials have discussed the schedule for the second meeting between Trump and Kim with North Korean officials in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi, fueling speculation that Vietnam could host the event, Korean newspaper Munhwa Ilbo reported, quoting unnamed diplomatic sources in Seoul and Washington.

The report followed visits to Hanoi by North Korea's Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho last November and Mark Lambert, the U.S. State Department's director for Korean policy, last month.

The governments of the three countries have however made no comments on the claim.

Trump and Kim first met at a historic summit in Singapore last June, with both leaders agreeing to work to denuclearize the Korean peninsula. But subsequent meetings between the two countries' officials failed to achieve significant progress as they disagreed on the definition of denuclearization.

Last Sunday Trump told reporters in Washington that the U.S. and North Korea are "negotiating a location" for a second summit.

White House scouting teams have visited Bangkok, Hanoi and Hawaii, according to CNN.

While the two sides had "a very good dialogue" and the American president had "indirectly" communicated with Kim, Trump said sanctions would remain in place until more progress is made.

In a nationally televised New Year address, Kim said, "I am always ready to sit together with the U.S. president anytime in the future, and will work hard to produce results welcomed by the international community without fail."

But he warned he might have to take an alternative path if U.S. sanctions and pressure against the country continued.Tourists sit on a boat in Hoi An in November 2017 as heavy rains triggered by storm Damrey submerged the ancient town. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran

The ancient town of Hoi An is on the list of UNESCO-recognized heritage sites at risk from climate change.

American news channel CNN recently warned that climate change is drastically impacting some of the worlds most treasured heritage sites, and the ancient town of Hoi An, which lies on the Thu Bon River around 30 kilometers south of Da Nang, is one of them.

The news site cited a joint report by the United Nations Environment Program, UNESCO and the Union of Concerned Scientists, which said Hoi An is prone to flooding during the rainy season and that climate change is expected to worsen the situation in the coming years.

Much of Hoi An is at or no less than two meters above sea level, making it vulnerable to sea-level rise and storm surges, the report says.

In November 2017, Hoi An, which was named by UNESCO a world heritage site in 1999, experienced the worst flooding in history when many parts of the town were flooded following heavy downpours triggered by storm Damrey. The storm killed at least 106 people and caused around VND22 trillion (nearly $1 billion) in loss in the central region.

Rising sea levels have caused serious coastal erosion at Cua Dai Beach, a major tourist draw near the ancient town. It already loses between 10 and 20 meters of land to erosion annually.

Cua Dai was once at risk of disappearing from the global tourism map. In October 2014, huge waves demolished a concrete embankment and eroded nearly 200 meters of the beach on a three kilometer stretch. Scientists blamed the erosion on upstream hydropower plants that robbed the beach of its sand.

Local authorities spent around VND70 billion ($3.08 million) building a new embankment, installing iron pilings and dumping sand in the area to save Cua Dai, which they viewed as a valuable tourism resource for Hoi An.

The whole of An Dinh district in Hoi An, filled with heritage houses dating back from the 16th and 17th centuries, could be flooded annually by 2020, according to a recent U.N.-Habitat vulnerability assessment.

Other climate change vulnerable world heritage sites listed by the CNN list include the Yellowstone National Park in the U.S., the Sagarmatha National Park in Nepal, the Philippines Cordilleras, Venice in Italy and Japans Shiretoko Peninsula.

"Virtually every World Heritage site has some level of threat from climate change," said Adam Markham, deputy director of the Climate and Energy Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, based in the U.S., as cited in the report.

One in four natural World Heritage sites are highly threatened by climate change, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) global assessment of 241 natural sites.

This has doubled from 2014 to 2017, according to the report, making climate change the "fastest growing threat."

Vietnam is one of the top five countries most adversely affected by climate change, according to Vietnams Institute of Strategy and Policy.

Over the last 50 years, Vietnams average annual surface temperature has increased by approximately 0.5 -0.7 degree Celsius, while the sea level has risen by approximately 20 centimeters.

The United Nations warns that if sea levels rise by one meter, Vietnam will face a loss of $17 billion each year; one fifth of the population or some 18 million will be homeless and 12.3 percent of farmland will disappear.The U.S. regards Vietnam as its leading partner in Southeast Asia, its ambassador to Vietnam has said.

The U.S. wants to boost ties with Vietnam and with ASEAN, Daniel Kritenbrink said at a meeting with Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Binh Minh at the foreign ministry in Hanoi Tuesday.

American businesses highly value the Vietnamese market and want to invest more in it and expand, a ministry statement quoted the envoy as saying.

The U.S. also seeks greater cooperation in issues such as strengthening maritime and aviation safety in the South China Sea, known as the East Sea in Vietnam, and implementing resolutions of the U.N. Security Council.

Minh too called for greater bilateral cooperation.

U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel Kritenbrink (L) meets with Vietnam's Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in Hanoi on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The meeting took place amid speculation that Vietnam could host the second meeting between the leaders of the U.S. and North Korea.

The South Korean media has reported that U.S. and North Korean diplomats recently met several times in Hanoi and discussed plans for a second summit.

The three governments have not commented on the reports but the South Korean ambassador to Vietnam, Kim Do-hyon, said Vietnam has good relations with both Koreas and the U.S. and experience in organizing international conferences, and so it "will be of great significance" if the next U.S.-North Korea meeting takes place in Vietnam.

Defense ties between Vietnam and the U.S. have been growing since 2016, when President Barack Obama decided to lift the ban on the sale of assault weapons to Vietnam. The Trump administration has identified Vietnam as a "cooperative maritime partner."Vietnamese employees work at a scooter factory in the northern city of Hai Phong, Vietnam. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Tuan

Vietnam needs to reduce its dependency on foreign businesses and foster its own private sector this year, experts say.

"FDI companies can come in and go out of the country whenever they want, therefore it is vital to increase the competitiveness of domestic private businesses," economist Nguyen Tri Hieu told VnExpress International.

Export made the most significant contribution to Vietnam's economic growth last year, but the majority of export value was created by foreign direct investment (FDI) businesses, not domestic private firms, he noted.

The country posted GDP growth of 7.08 percent in 2018, the highest in 10 years, and exports of $244.8 billion, up 14 percent year-on-year.

Last year, the majority of Vietnams exports, 71.7 percent, came from FDI businesses, while local firms accounted for just 28.3 percent, according to the General Statistics Office.

Echoing Hieu, Le Dang Doanh, former head of the Central Institute for Economic Management, said that the domestic private sector should be Vietnams main focus this year.

"The government needs to focus on domestic private companies in 2019, using them as a motivation for growth," he said.

"The unpredictable U.S.-China trade war will have negative impacts on global trade, therefore Vietnam needs to create favorable conditions for private businesses to thrive by reducing time and costs for administrative procedures," Doanh noted.

The Economic Consulting Board for the Prime Minister recently said that the government needs stronger solutions to reduce difficulties for the domestic private sector, making it account for 15 percent of the GDP this year and the next.

Experts say that one way to increase private investment is to improve Vietnams business environment.

Government leaders have also iterated that Vietnam needs to improve its business environment to help local private firms thrive. A government resolution issued earlier this month said ministries and local authorities need to review and simplify unclear business conditions.

Apart from making the business environment more favorable for existing companies, Vietnam also needs to embrace new startups and help them grow, experts say.

Hieu said that the government this year should help startups find funding from local banks and provide them with tax incentives. Licenses and administrative procedures should be minimized to help young entrepreneurs pursue their dreams, he added.

"Startups are the future of Vietnams economy," Hieu said, adding that they would gradually help Vietnam becomes less reliant on FDI businesses.

"The unpredictable U.S.-China trade war will have negative impacts on global trade, therefore Vietnam needs to create favorable conditions for private businesses to thrive by reducing time and costs for administrative procedures," he said.Among the conclusions in the report:

 Legislative leaders knew, or should have known by 2015 at the latest, about numerous allegations of sexual harassment in the Capitol. Many of those allegations involved behavior by Kruse, who resigned after an investigation that was prompted in part by formal complaints filed by Sens. Sara Gelser of Corvallis and Elizabeth Steiner Hayward.

 Legislative leaders failed to deal with the complaints in a timely or effective manner. (In fact, the report notes in an aside, leaders "took more serious steps to curb former Senator Kruse's smoking (in the Capitol) than they did to curb his sexual harassment."

 People reporting issues "were told not to speak about their complaints and some were warned about the possibility of defamation or retaliation claims for doing so. ... The record indicates that people have a fear of retaliation for coming forward."

The report went into considerable detail about how legislative leaders dealt with Gelser and her complaint, and, again, the responses are sadly common for women reporting sexual harassment. House Speaker Tina Kotek, for example, told Gelser that other lawmakers found her "unlikable" during a conversation about why the speaker hadn't yet publicly called for then-Sen. Jeff Kruse to resign over sexual harassment allegations.Bring the flyer into the West 11th shop and 50 percent of the value of your order will be donated to the Jimmy Holland Medical Fund. Patrons will also be able to purchase Fundraiser Bucks that can be used at any time and 25 percent of the value will be donated to the fund.Envoy and minister, contrary to PMs aides, say she hasnt resigned

On Monday night, several publications reported that Lucky Sherpa, Nepals Ambassador to Australia, had been sacked by the administration following a month-long controversy over her alleged involvement in a human trafficking case.Four people were injured Tuesday evening in a two-vehicle crash on Highway 20 near its intersection with Sodaville-Waterloo Drive south of Lebanon.

The collision was reported shortly after 5 p.m., and the highway was closed in that area for a little more than an hour during the investigation.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

According to Lebanon Fire District Battalion Chief Mark Fitzwater, the accident involved a sedan-type vehicle, which sustained heavy front-end damage, and a Ford Explorer.

All three people in the sedan suffered unknown injuries, Fitzwater said. Two were transported to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis while the other went to Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital. The Explorer's driver had only minor injuries and was taken to the Lebanon hospital. The names of the people involved in the accident were not available Tuesday night.

Sweet Home Fire & Ambulance District personnel also responded to the scene, as did the Oregon State Police, Linn County Sheriff's Office and Oregon Department of Transportation.

Love 3 Funny 1 Wow 5 Sad 8 Angry 3State officials have been working to replace lethal injection with nitrogen gas now going on 4 years. As time has gone on and inmates continue to wait questions are mounting about the process and whether Oklahoma will even have another execution.





Oklahoma has been working to start using nitrogen hypoxia, the process of replacing oxygen with nitrogen until an inmate dies. Executions have been on an indefinite hold since 2015 following the problematic executions of Clayton Lockett, Charles Warner and Richard Glossip, which became national news and a statewide embarrassment.





The executions of Lockett and Warner, while completed, are generally considered to have been botched. Lockett writhed in the execution chair for nearly 45 minutes, moaning and straining against his restraints. Warner could be heard saying his body felt as if it were on fire. It was later discovered the wrong drug was used as a part of the lethal 3-drug cocktail to execute Warner.





Glossip, who was sent to the execution chamber 3 times, has been waiting to be put to death after the state discovered the same incorrect drug was about to be used in his execution. At the time Gov. Mary Fallins then attorney Steve Mullin told Fallin she should move forward with the execution to avoid the exposure of problems with Warners execution.





The Oklahoma Department of Corrections spokesman Matt Elliot says the DOC is still working with the Attorney General's office to write the new hypoxia protocol saying "That process is ongoing. We will update the public once it is complete..."





Supporters of the new method say it's more humane than previous methods of execution, akin to falling asleep and used by prominent self-euthanasia groups nationwide which promote it as a painless process of death.





Opponents, point to warnings from national veterinary associations which advise against killing animals this way and that nitrogen use is still experimental, not used officially anywhere in the world. Oklahoma is the only state to make hypoxia the primary method. Alabama and Mississippi both have it listed as an alternative but none of the three states has a working protocol.





There are also still many unknowns to using nitrogen, including how the state will administer the gas. Some methods suggest building a chamber in which gas is exchanged or by using a "death mask," likely like those used in hypoxia training for pilots.





Then there's whether it's effective or can be repeated exactly. When done in training, the Federal Aviation Administration warns symptoms can differ widely; generally, not something seen as a positive in a process meant to be done with accuracy.





The rate of individual onset will vary day-to-day due to other physiological or psychological stressor, a narrator can be heard saying during an FAA training video about hypoxia.





Oklahoma kind of acted 1st and thought 2nd when it came to nitrogen hypoxia, said Robert Dunham.





Dunham is the Executive Director of the Death Penalty Information Center, a non-partisan group focused on executions. He said lawmakers' rush to have a new method in place and lack of evidence it will work could mean Oklahoma will remain without the death penalty for quite a while.





The issue just zipped through the legislature without any scientific examination. So, the question is, is it going to work? Is it something that's going to be acceptable for killing human beings and nobody really has the answer to that, Dunham said.





Support of the death penalty using any method has been on the decline both nationwide and in Oklahoma for several years. Support in Oklahoma officially dropped below 50 % in 2016. Likewise, Dunham said the use of the death penalty as a sentence has waned.





Both Attorney General Mike Hunter and Governor-Elect Kevin Stitt have said despite concerns of efficacy and a decline in public support they plan to continue to move forward with executions in Oklahoma once the protocol is finished.





 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar Wilde

news9.com, January 9, 2019Unlike most death row inmates, Scott Raymond Dozier wanted to die.





Convicted of the 2002 killing and dismemberment of a Las Vegas man, Mr. Dozier waited for years while his lawyers appealed his death sentence. But he found the wait more agonizing than the prospect of execution. 2 years ago he abandoned their efforts and urged a judge to set a date.





The state of Nevada pressed to execute him, too, in a new lethal injection chamber. Still, the delays continued, the last 6 months ago. Mr. Dozier grew increasingly despondent, those who knew him said Monday.





On Saturday afternoon, Mr. Dozier, 48, threaded a bedsheet through an air vent in his cell at the state prison in Ely, Nev., and hanged himself, prison officials said, ending one of the most significant and bizarre death penalty cases in recent years, one that highlighted the contradictions and shifting politics of modern capital punishment in America.





The prospect of eking out his existence on death row for the rest of his life was unfathomable to him, said Edgar Barens, a filmmaker who had spent time with Mr. Dozier for a documentary that is still in progress about families affected by death penalty cases.





Instead, Mr. Dozier had insisted he wanted to die even if it meant a long and potentially excruciating death from a cocktail of lethal-injection drugs that included fentanyl. But in the end, his execution was delayed after a drug company intervened, saying that it would suffer grave reputational harm if its products were used in the execution against its wishes. A lawyer representing Nevada warned that if these sorts of lawsuits could be filed, it could end the states death penalty altogether.





And a state judge chastised the state officials for operating in bad faith, finding that prison officials had used subterfuge to get those drugs in the first place, after failing to obtain them legitimately.





During all of this, as Mr. Dozier sat in prison, Nevada voters elected a new attorney general, a Democrat who was sworn in on Monday, who has declined to say whether he would even continue the states legal fight to execute Mr. Dozier.





RELATED | Nevada death row inmate Scott Dozier dies by apparent suicide





To some experts, Mr. Doziers case highlighted an aspect of the modern death penalty as its popularity wanes in many quarters: The relative frequency of executions of so-called volunteers, or those who abandon their appeals and embrace their sentences.





Nearly nine of 10 condemned inmates who agree to forgo their appeals have shown substantial evidence of mental illness, according to Robert Dunham, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center, a Washington nonprofit that tracks executions.





Mr. Doziers case was concerning, he said, because any decision by an inmate to waive death-penalty appeals is not voluntary if they are mentally ill or if it came about because of the effect of the conditions of confinement. Mr. Doziers competency did not appear to be an issue in the court process.





By his volunteering for execution and forcing the issue, Nevada had to come up with execution drugs, and they engaged in a pattern of lies and subterfuge in order to do that, Mr. Dunham said.





A prison spokeswoman said Mr. Dozier was alone in his cell and not on suicide watch at the time of his death, but state officials said he had threatened to kill himself before and had tried to obtain drugs or razors that he could use to take his life.





Still, some who knew him said they were surprised that he would do so, particularly since a botched attempt more than a decade ago had left him in a coma.





He was concerned that he wouldnt do it properly, so thats why he was pretty set in the state following through with the execution, said one of his lawyers, Tom Ericsson of Oronoz & Ericsson, a Las Vegas firm.





That Nevada might never set an execution date weighed heavily on Mr. Dozier in recent months, Mr. Ericsson continued, adding that his clients mental health had deteriorated after the delays and after being frequently kept in isolation or on suicide watch.





He was just beat down by the prison system, he said, and ready to call it a day.





Maurice Chammah, a staff writer at The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization that covers criminal justice, agreed that it was surprising that Mr. Dozier would take his own life.





The experience was so awful he could never fathom doing it again, said Mr. Chammah, who interviewed Mr. Dozier many times and wrote a profile about his case last year. But, he continued, theres definitely a part of me that feels like he got the last word in all of this.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar WildeOn January 8, a double homicide case is being presented in Babruysk court. The defendant is an ex-con who served 12 years for previous crimes.





According to the theory of the prosecution, Alyaksandr Asipovich, a 36-year-old resident of Babruysk, brutally killed two girls on July 20, 2018.





The man met them in a cafe, where they had some drinks, and then the trio headed to the mans place.





Asipovich stabbed and hammered the girls to death. Their bodies bearing multiple cuts and injuries were found in the bathroom.





The defendant fully realized what was happening at the moment of the murder; he even tried to cover up the crime, state prosecutor Volha Ivanova said. His turning himself to the police cannot be a mitigating factor, she stressed.





The state prosecutor demands the supreme penalty (execution) should be inflicted on Asipovich.





Belarus remains the only country in Europe that still applies capital punishment.





The West has repeatedly called on the Belarusian authorities to join a global moratorium as a first step towards the abolition of the death penalty.





The exact number of executions in Belarus is unknown, but local human rights defenders and journalists have worked tirelessly to uncover some information about death sentences and executions.





According to the Ministry of Justice of Belarus, 245 people were sentenced to death from 1994 to 2014.





Human rights NGOs believe that around 400 people have been executed since the country gained its independence in 1991; president Alyaksandr Lukashenka granted a pardon to only one convict.

 | Report an error, an omission, a typo; suggest a story or a new angle to an existing story; submit a piece, a comment; recommend a resource; contact the webmaster, contact us: deathpenaltynews@gmail.com



Opposed to Capital Punishment? Help us keep this blog up and running! DONATE!





"One is absolutely sickened, not by the crimes that the wicked have committed,

but by the punishments that the good have inflicted." -- Oscar WildeGoing to restaurants, bars and concerts is normal for a young woman her age. However, if you prefer not to subsidize the vacations because you feel they are excessive, discuss your feelings with her before deciding what to do.

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have lived like nomads for the last few years. We have bought, sold and moved many times for all sorts of silly reasons. Our 5-year-old daughter finally started school, yet we don't feel at home here. We now realize buying and selling may not be for us, so we are renting, but we still aren't happy.

We moved here to be close to my oldest and dearest friend, whose kids are now grown, and to my sister, who hardly talks to us or sees us. My husband's sister and her husband's family love us and treat us well. They have suggested we should move by them. They have kids our daughter's age. The only issue is possibly not finding a good home or school. Private school could be an option.

Would another move be bad? Should we make a final move before our daughter gets vested in school and friends? It would put us within walking distance to several families we spend a lot of time with and who love us very much. We are afraid of judgment from everyone. Please help us sort it out. -- HOPEFUL NOMADS IN ILLINOISTwo individuals have been charged following a Washington County pursuit on Simpson Road on Monday afternoon.

Austin Hudson, 23, of Richwoods, has been charged with class D felony possession of a controlled substance, two counts of class D felony unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts felony D unlawful possession of a weapon, class E felony resisting arrest, class E felony unlawful use of a weapon, and felony D tampering with a motor vehicle in the first degree.

Nicholas Morice, 22, of Bourbon, has been charged with class D felony possession of a controlled substance, class D felony unlawful possession of a weapon, class E felony resisting arrest, and class E felony unlawful use of a weapon.

According to the probable cause statement written by the Washington County Sheriffs Department, a deputy was conducting a traffic stop at the intersection of Simpson Road and Highway 21 when he observed a vehicle matching the description of a vehicle reported stolen out of Potosi.

The report states that the deputy pulled up behind the vehicle in his fully-marked vehicle. At that time, Hudson, the driver of the car, turned onto Nash Circle Drive. The deputy states that he then activated emergency lights to attempt a traffic stop.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}Dr KC begins his 16th hunger strike in Ilam

Senior orthopedic surgeon at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Dr Govinda KC, has begun his 16th hunger strike in Ilam on Thursday.The Missouri Retired Teachers Foundation (MRTF) has announced its classroom grant winners in St. Francois County for the year.

MRTF provides seven $500 classroom grants in each of its 14 regions around the state, according to the organizations vice president, Jack Poston.

Every school district in the state of Missouri is provided information on how to apply, he said. Region 11 is made up of Perry, Ste. Genevieve, St. Francois, Washington, Iron, Madison, Wayne, Reynolds counties, along with Bollinger County which was recently added. Every school district in the state of Missouri is provided information on how to apply.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Recognized in the Farmington School District was Tonya Cook, a fourth-grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School. The main goal of her project was to incorporate real-world experiences into the curriculum.

Recognized in the North County School District was Shannon Carr, a fourth-grade teacher at Parkside Elementary School. The main goal of her project was to share and instill a love for reading.She still has a year of high school left, and currently, Hoffman is the vice president of the math club and the secretary of the science club. She also does theater. But when she graduates, she knows she wants to go to college, even if she isnt sure where yet.

Maybe Ivy League, she said, not a far-fetched idea for a student with scores as high as hers. She also said that she thinks Washington University will be her top choice if she decides to stay closer to home.

Like many students heading toward college, Hoffman is unsure of what she would like to study. She thinks she will likely stay in the area of sciences, or perhaps genetics. Right now, though, shes just taking things one step at a time.

Rayfield has always believed that Hoffman was destined for great things.

She has always been very smart, but she also works very hard for her grades, Rayfield said. She was in the gifted program at school. In the 7th grade, she had the opportunity to take the ACT with the Duke TIP talent program and she scored a 27. She has been studying since then, doing practice tests and using the official ACT study guide.

It has always been a goal for both of us, Rayfield continued, for me because I knew I wouldnt be able to pay for her college ..."

All of the hard work from Hoffman has clearly paid off.

Rachel Gann is a reporter for the Daily Journal. She can be reached at 573-518-3617 or at rgann@dailyjournalonline.com.

Love 12 Funny 2 Wow 5 Sad 1 Angry 1

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.The High Court of Kerala has set a seven-day notice period for political parties and individuals to call for hartal and general strike in the State.

Why the 7 day notice period?

The Kerala High Court has provided the following reasons for setting a seven-day notice period:

To provide time for the citizens to approach the court with their objections and to enable courts to examine the legality of the hartal call on request of citizens.

To provide an opportunity for the State to be prepared for safeguarding the interests of the citizens.

Even though the court recognised the fundamental right of those who call for a strike to demonstrate their protests, it made it clear that the rights cannot be exercised in violation of the fundamental rights of other citizens.

The court made it clear that the fundamental right of the citizens to life and livelihood would outweigh the fundamental right of persons calling for strikes and hartals.

The court further said that since the call for hartals and general strikes denies the fundamental rights of traders, the general public, migrant labourers and those in unorganised sectors, those persons who call for hartals will be held responsible for the loses suffered due to the event.

Observations of the High Court

The court observed that Keralas economy had taken a severe hit during the recent devastating floods and the frequent strikes will only cause more sufferings for the economy of the state. Keralas economy is dependent on tourism and the travel advisories issued by foreign countries against visiting Kerala cannot be ignored.

The Court noted that in 2018, 97 hartals and strikes had taken place in the State and in 2019 one hartal was called on January 3, Trade unions have also called for a two-day strike starting January 8. Frequent strikes like these are a cause of concern.POTUS is attacked and obstructed by the MSM media and Democrats 24/7. For an incoming Republican freshman senator to attack @realdonaldtrump as their first act feeds into what the Democrats and media want and is disappointing and unproductive.

Mitts attack on the president was more than a little hypocritical, given that he had unsuccessfully begged him for a cabinet position and had happily accepted his support last fall when he was running for Utahs senate seat.

There may be many Republicans who agree exactly with everything Romney said, but thats not the point.

It was stupid of him to write a column excoriating the president two days before he even took his Senate seat.

He wants to be treated with respect in the Senate, and this is the way he starts?

He should have showed up in Washington, taken his Senate seat and said and done nothing.

If he has complaints or comments about the president, he should have made them to Trump in private.

Trump quickly put Mitt in his place with his tweets and now Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will have to do it in the Senate.Samuel Snipes, a white lawyer who held off an angry mob while representing the first black family to move into the all-white development of Levittown, Pennsylvania, has died. He was 99.

Snipes died Dec. 31 at his family farm in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, according to family members.

In 1957, he represented Daisy and Bill Myers when the black couple and their three children moved into Levittown.

He felt they had every right to live there, said David Kushner, author of the 2009 book Levittown that explored the ordeal.

He played a pivotal role in helping the first African-American family move into Levittown and left a really wonderful legacy in that regard, in taking on the system and doing what was right.

The Myers arrival on Aug. 13, 1957, sparked weeks of unrest, harassment and cross burnings. Threats were made by phone, by mail and by screaming, spitting protesters outside the familys home.

At one point, Snipes held off a mob of enraged white people until police arrived.

The Myers family stood their ground, remaining in the home until 1961.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0The U.S. job market showed a slight tapering in November, according to federal data released Tuesday, with quit rates and total job openings down, albeit still above the total unemployment volume.

The total number of job openings in the country dropped from over 7.1 million in October to 6.9 million in November, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The total number of hires dropped slightly over the same period, from around 5.9 million to 5.7 million, as did the number of workers quitting their jobs, from 5.6 million to 5.5 million.

Just over 6 million Americans were unemployed in November, according to BLS data, with unemployment increasing by nearly 300,000 people in December, even though jobs were added, due to an increase in labor force participation.

Quit rates are typically seen by economists as a sign of worker confidence, as workers are more likely to leave their job for a different one when they feel stronger about their prospects.

Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0An East Pennsboro Township man was arrested Wednesday after authorities said he sold cocaine to a confidential informant on multiple occasions.

Justin Paris Randall, 36, is charged with three felony counts each of possession with the intent to deliver and criminal use of a communications facility and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

Between Dec. 7 and Jan. 7, Randall sold cocaine to a confidential informant on three occasions, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office.

After each sale, police used a field drug test, and each time the drug test came back positive for cocaine, according to the affidavit. Authorities are awaiting further testing from the Pennsylvania State Police Harrisburg Regional Laboratory, the affidavit said.

Randall was arraigned and taken to Cumberland County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to court records.

He is scheduled to appear in front of Magisterial District Judge Michael Sanderson at 11:45 a.m. Jan. 14 for a preliminary hearing.

While drugs like heroin and fentanyl have grabbed headlines, there is data indicating the use of cocaine is on the rise in Cumberland County.Source: iStock/hxdyl

The Taiwanese municipality of Kaohsiung is set to launch a digital fiat stablecoin, backed by the local tourism bureau and financial authorities  with a pilot scheme slated for launch later this month.

Kaohsiung has a population of nearly 3 million, and is Taiwans third largest city. It is also a busy tourist destination, and has enjoyed enormous popularity among South Korean travelers of late  to the extent that regional government authorities are hoping to expand the size of the local airport to cope with demand.

Per reports from Taiwans China Times and mainland Chinese news agency Xinhua, the move is a direct response to an influx of (particularly South Korean) tourists, and a pilot for the Kaohsiung Coin project will be launched on January 18 at three tourist hotspots  the Nanhua market district, the Guanghua market area and Liuhe, another popular commercial zone.

Source: Google

China Times reports that South Korean governmental officials attended a Kaohsiung Coin transaction demonstration held at the Liuhe Night Market this week. Authorities confirmed that the coin will be underpinned by blockchain technology  although did not reveal details about which platform it would be using  and stated that users would be able to spend Kaohsiung Coin tokens via a smartphone app.

The chairman of the Kaohsiung City Tourism Bureau is quoted as saying that the stablecoin has been in the pipelines since the run-up to the Taiwanese elections last year. The tourism authorities will also set up a department to promote the use of the coin.

The reports authors claim that, if successful, Kaohsiung authorities will seek to integrate the token into the local economy more widely, allowing city residents to pay for public transport and other services using the Kaohsiung Coin.

Last year, a Taiwanese fintech startup named Green World claimed it was planning to launch its own stablecoin, and was attempting to win over the support of major Taiwanese banks and financial institutions. However, Kaohsiung authorities claim their token will indeed be Taiwans first digital currency.

Taiwan also tightened its governance of cryptocurrencies late last year  handing its regulatory Financial Supervisory Commission new policing powers over cryptocurrency exchanges, and granting the commission permission to block potentially fraudulent transactions.

Stablecoin projects have been springing up all over South Korea in recent months, with Japanese financial institutions and cryptocurrency companies also keen.

And per a recent report, three unnamed central banks are currently mulling the idea of issuing national digital currencies.Pokharel is a member of the Social Science and Research Faculty at NIMS College.Share this: Twitter

Facebook

WhatsApp

LinkedIn

Email

Telegram



Berlin, January 8, 2019Italian authorities should quickly and thoroughly investigate the harassment and physical assault of two Italian journalists by a group of far-right extremists and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.

Yesterday, extremists harassed and assaulted Federico Marconi, a reporter, and Paolo Marchetti, a photographer, who were working for the weekly magazine LEspresso, according to Italian news agency ANSA. The journalists were covering an event commemorating the victims of a deadly 1978 attack on far-right activists.

We call on the Italian authorities to quickly and thoroughly investigate the attacks on LEspresso reporters Federico Marconi and Paolo Marchetti and bring those responsible to justice, said Gulnoza Said, CPJs Europe and Central Asia program coordinator in New York. Authorities should speak out forcefully against obstruction or intimidation of the media, and ensure that journalists can freely and safely cover events of public interest, including gatherings of extremist groups.

LEspresso wrote on its website that members of the neo-fascist movement Avanguardia Nazionale approached Marchetti, shoved and threatened him, and demanded he hand over his cameras memory card. They took the card and demanded he show them his identification documents.

In the meantime, according to LEspresso, another group attacked Federico Marconi. A member of the extremist party Forza Nuova grabbed Marconi by the neck while others in the crowd shoved him and kicked him in the legs. They took his wallet and cellphone, and deleted photos and videos from the phone.

According to ANSA, when asked by reporters, Italian Minister of the Interior Matteo Salvini responded to the incident by saying, Those who beat people up should go to prison.

The Italian Interior Ministry has not responded to CPJs phone and email queries regarding the incident.TUESDAY, Jan. 8, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Teens who harm themselves are three times more likely to commit violent crimes than those who don't, a new study reveals.

"We know that some individuals who self-harm also inflict harm on others," said study author Leah Richmond-Rakerd, from Duke University.

"What has not been clear is whether there are early-life characteristics or experiences that increase the risk of violent offending among individuals who self-harm," she added in a university news release. "Identifying these risk factors could guide interventions that prevent and reduce interpersonal violence."

The investigators also found that adolescents who harm themselves and commit violent crimes are likely to have been mistreated in childhood and have poor self-control.

Incidents of teens cutting or burning themselves have substantially increased in recent years, both in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Among teen girls, about one in four tries to harm herself, as do one in 10 teen boys. In the United Kingdom, the incidence of self-injury among teen girls has risen nearly 70 percent in three years, the researchers found.

For the study, Richmond-Rakerd and colleagues compared young people who engage in "dual-harm" behavior -- self-harm plus violent crime -- with those who only self-harm.

The study participants included more than 2,200 U.K. twins born in 1994 and 1995, who took part in the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study.

The twins were followed across their first 20 years of life.

The findings showed that self-harm and violent crime didn't go together because of genetics or family risk factors, according to Terrie Moffitt, founder of the E-Risk Study.

"This means that young people who self-harm may see violence as a way of solving problems and begin to use it against others as well as themselves," Moffitt said.

The researchers concluded that teens who harmed themselves and others were likely to have been victimized. They also had higher rates of drug and alcohol addiction, and mental problems.

Richmond-Rakerd said that the study findings suggest that "dual-harming adolescents have experienced self-control difficulties and been victims of violence from a young age. A treatment-oriented rather than punishment-oriented approach is indicated to meet these individuals' needs."

The study authors advised that teens who harm themselves should be evaluated for the risk of suicide and the risk that they might harm others. In addition, helping self-harmers learn self-control might help prevent violent crime and reduce other harmful behavior.

The report was published Jan. 4 in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

More information

For more on self-harm, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness.Several faith-based organizations in Columbus are about to take part in The Walk to Jerusalem, a new program intended to promote spirituality and fitness.

Starting Jan. 27, participants will log their workout hours for the next 12 weeks. The goal is to collectively walk the distance from Columbus across the Atlantic Ocean to the city of Jerusalem, a distance of more than 7,500 miles, by Easter. Participants log their hours of walking, swimming, biking and other ways of moving. A 20-minute walk is counted as 1 mile.

Platte County Lifestyle Coalition Chairman Luke Lemke said the goal is to encourage people who may not normally exercise to be more active.

Its absolutely to get the community of Columbus more active, through individuals. I think thats the No. 1 thing, getting them more active. But also just bring them together as a sense of community in the name of physical wellness and health, Lemke said. Our overall goal of the coalition is to try to engage our neighbors, our friends and everybody to have a health environment, healthier lifestyles.

Lemke said organizers brainstormed several ideas as to how to get people more active in their community and churches.District 1 Supervisor Fred Liss served as the countys highway superintendent when research for the project first began back in 2007. He said Anderson's presentation was informative and important for the board to hear.

This is a rather larger project. And as these things progress normally, especially on federal aid projects, things can get pretty confusing," he said. "So I think there was some misunderstanding, a little bit of confusion, among the board members on what exactly was going on. So Kyle coming in and explaining it to us was paramount in my mind.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

The 29th Avenue viaduct comes after the Third Avenue viaduct opened back in August 2018, and as plans continue for another on 12th Avenue.

The viaduct wasn't all that was discussed, though. Several board-standing committees have been merged together, downsizing from 10 to six. The committees are limited to three supervisors each and are intended to discuss topics and make recommendations to the board as a whole. They cannot make any decisions of their own.

Now each supervisor, excluding board chairman and District 6 Supervisor Jerry Engdahl, will be the chairman of a single committee. Engdahl said this will help to make things more efficient.Todays the first day of work for the Unicameral, as Mike Moser begins his term as our state senator. The Chamber welcomes Sen. Moser and very much look forward to working with him on issues that impact business and the 22nd District.

Our partners at the Nebraska Chamber are the connection we use to the work in Lincoln. They monitor bills, engage with senators and the governor, and keep us abreast of issues that need the attention of the business community. Clearly the actions of state government impact our ability to recruit and retain both people and businesses.

The Chamber Legislative Committee is the arm of our organization that directly connects with the State Chamber, as well as doing their own monitoring and action on bills that can change the business climate in Nebraska. Theyll hold their first conference call with the State Chamber on Jan. 31 and basically every two weeks after that for the rest of the session. They invite you to join them to engage in this work. The meetings are open to any employee of all Chamber members."You and I dont take an oath to even care what the executive branch thinks," she told fellow senators. "We take an oath to the Constitution, which means that we must uphold the separation of powers, and act as a separate, equal branch of government. We make a promise to our constituents to do what we think is right in the policy process  not what the governor says we must do or not do."

Ebke did not succeed in her attempt for a second term, and her time as a state senator will end Wednesday when Tom Brandt is sworn in, but as a constitutional scholar, she is well-versed about the independence of the legislative branch.

This country's founders, Ebke said, intended for the legislative branch of government to be the most powerful. And all the states were guaranteed the same system of government.

Article I of the U.S. Constitution deals with the powers of Congress.

Theres a certain logic that says that the thing that they mentioned first is the most important, she said.

With discussions at the constitutional conventions and in the Federalist Papers, compromises were made to get to the idea of separate but co-equal branches of government. The legislative is not supreme, but has unique powers, Ebke said.Tax issues and health care will be on the table as Slama and her colleagues begin their 90-day session, which runs through June. After four years of lip service, Ricketts will likely try to deliver some manner of property tax relief to start his second term. With 30 Republicans in the Legislative chamber  many of them beholden to him for his financial campaign support, he likely feels his odds might be pretty good.

But, there are also 18 Democrats, one independent (the venerable Ernie Chambers), and a few independent minded, maybe even progressive, Republicans. Thatll make for some interesting discussions and challenge Ricketts and the party faithful to do more than pull the strings tighter. They might even have to seek a compromise. Somewhere out there is an on-going threat that the property tax issue could wind up on the general election ballot.

Perhaps a more pressing issue is the voter-mandated expansion of Medicaid coverage for as many as 90,000 of the states working poor who have fallen through the cracks. That issue has been debated for at least seven years. Supporters tired of partisan stonewalling and took a decision to the voters who overwhelming approved, thus forcing lawmakers to devise an implementation plan this session.PVA Adds New Representation in Michigan Published: 09 January 2019 by Chelsey Drysdale by Chelsey Drysdale

Cohoes, NY January 2019  PVA, a global expert in dispensing, coating and custom automation, is pleased to announce the appointment of BarTron, Inc. as its manufacturers representative in Michigan. BarTron represents companies supplying equipment and consumable supplies to the electronics assembly and related industries. Bob Papp, President, and Don Ernst, Account Manager, will provide sales and support for PVAs customers in their territories.

Papp joined BarTron as a Partner and Account Manager in January 2000. In April 2010 he took over as President of BarTron. Prior to joining BarTron, he was an Account Manager for REStronics Midwest for a period of 10 years, where he was responsible for servicing accounts in the Michigan and N. Ohio markets.

Ernst joined BarTron in the summer of 2013 with more than 25 year of process engineering experience in the electronics industry, including his most recent employment at Jabil Circuit, and previous time with Delphi Automotive. His role with BarTron includes servicing key accounts in Michigan while assisting the entire customer base with his extensive process engineering background.

PVA is excited to be working again with Bob Papp, who has represented us in the past, as well as Don Ersnt, says Chris Donham, Regional Sales Manager for PVA. We look forward to growing the Midwest territory and strengthening the ability to better serve our customers.

When precision matters, manufacturers around the globe rely on PVA's conformal coating systems, fluid dispensing solutions and custom automation products. For 20 years, PVA has been making manufacturing easier with customer driven solutions used in industries ranging from solar, semiconductor packaging, printed circuit board assembly, medical device manufacturing, and consumer electronics. From benchtop equipment, to inline conveyer systems, the company evaluates each opportunity independently, and without limitation, to ensure you make the most reliable product possible.

For more information about BarTron, visit www.bartroninc.com.

For more information about PVA, please contact PVA at info@pva.net or (518) 371-2684.The Swedes set jail time for the first serious OWI conviction and mandated a multi-day boot-camp course in alcohol abatement taught by professionals.

Finally, they allowed confiscating and selling a flagrant repeaters vehicle. After 1994, many Saabs and Volvos were auctioned until drinkers got the message.

Today, only 3.3 percent of drivers in Sweden involved in fatal accidents were drunk. In the U.S., its 10 times that  38.6 percent. Swedens conviction rate for repeat OWI is understandably near zero, while Wisconsin has 52,000 drivers with three OWIs.

A possible plan to strengthen Wisconsins impotent OWI law  modeled after Swedens may stop the carnage. Call it three strikes and you walk.

Strike one: The first OWI conviction would be a criminal misdemeanor with fines, suspensions and a judges order for a deadly serious AODA course like Swedens alcoholics boot camp. An ignition lockin device would be ordered, with installation verified by the court.

Strike two: If the driver went OWI-free for a prescribed period, the misdemeanor conviction would be expunged. But a second OWI in the period would trigger a wide range of punitive options to remind the two-time drunk there would no more second chances.Ellis said he met with the security units commander, Maj. Kristin Boustany, twice in 2015 to discuss the toxic culture of bullying and hostility within the unit. He said he didnt raise the sexual misconduct allegations with her because he didnt have the victims permission.

He told the AP that he approached military equal opportunity officials last October with the allegations, but the office wanted to talk to the only victim still with the National Guard and she refused to come forward.

In his letter to Baldwin, Ellis also alleges that in 2016, a female officer was discussing her sex life with a male officer during a break in training. A more senior male officer chimed in from across the room so that everyone could hear, Ellis wrote, noting that it was inappropriate for him to have done so.

Ellis said he reported the incident in an anonymous morale survey that went to Boustany, who in response warned the entire unit to know your audience during two assemblies in 2017.

Ripperger, the 115th spokeswoman, said Boustany wasnt available for an interview. She also disputed that Boustany was in command of the squadron in 2015, saying she didnt take over until 2017. Ripperger didnt immediately respond to a follow-up query to clarify Boustanys assignment in 2015.Lama is leading a team to prepare North East Region Vision 2035 as part of NITI Aayogs India Vision 2035.He said that happened after he asked Assembly Republican leaders, the night before the vote, when it would be held  but got no answer. The offices of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Assembly Majority Leader Jim Steineke did not respond Wednesday to requests for comment.

Anderson said health and logistical issues related to his disability  he was paralyzed in a 2010 car accident and uses a wheelchair  prevented him from being able to sit in the state Capitol all afternoon and night, waiting for votes to be held.

Anderson said he must coordinate his arrival and departure from the Capitol with health aides who drive him and help with other tasks. Anderson also said doctors have advised him, for health reasons, not to sit in his wheelchair for more than 16 hours at a time.

Lawmakers originally planned to convene the afternoon of Dec. 4 to pass the bill package but instead held a series of closed-door meetings throughout the afternoon and overnight. They emerged in the predawn hours Dec. 5 to convene the session and pass the bills, sending them to former Gov. Scott Walker, who later signed them.

I just remember waking up and the vote had already happened. I was frustrated, Anderson said. I represent my district and Im supposed to be there to act in the process.Dairyland Power Cooperative is asking Wisconsin utility regulators for permission to build a $700 million, jointly owned natural gas power plant in Superior.

The La Crosse-based cooperative submitted an application to the Public Service Commission Tuesday for the 625-megawatt Nemadji Trail Energy Center, which would be jointly owned and operated by Minnesota Power.

If approved, construction would begin in 2021 and the plant would go online in late 2024.

Dairyland says the plant will support the addition of 200 megawatts of renewable generation and help reduce its reliance on coal-fired electricity to less than half of total capacity by 2026. But opponents of the plant in Minnesota argued both utilities have enough existing resources to balance intermittent sources like wind and solar.

Because it is being proposed as a merchant plant  meaning the costs would not be borne by Wisconsin ratepayers  the PSC cannot consider costs, need or alternatives.

Minnesota regulators narrowly approved Minnesota Powers participation in October over objections from clean energy organizations, consumer advocates and large industry groups.Tony Evers showed his age a bit Tuesday during his first official visit as governor.

I dont think Ive been in Gundersen facilities for over 30 years, Evers said after touring the La Crosse campus of Gundersen Health System.

Things have changed  and changed for the better. They obviously provide great care for everyone who walks in the doors, Evers said.

Evers made a point of visiting the health care center and meeting with La Crosse health care leaders, saying he recalled doing the same when he began his campaign for governor.

I remember talking to several people that had decided to move across the river to Minnesota, so that they could access not only better care but also, most importantly, affordable care, Evers said.

The new governor hopes the days of losing people to Wisconsins neighbor across the Mississippi are over.

Were going to make sure that we are able to compete with Minnesota. Certainly we have good health care here, right here at Gundersen. Im sure a lot of people who work here and actually get treated come from Minnesota, but the bottom line is we need to make sure we have the best health care possible, Evers said.The drug take back program in Chippewa County recorded steady numbers in the amount of prescription drugs given back to its centers in 2018.

Brian Micolichek, lieutenant of investigations for the Chippewa Falls Police Department, said theyve continued to average between 1,000 to 1,200 pounds of medications turned in at all the boxes around the county.

The police station in Chippewa Falls received 620 pounds last year, up from 530 pounds of medication in 2017 but down from 893 pounds in 2016 and 949 pounds in 2015.

Micolichek said that some of the decrease could be due to the public becoming more aware to empty their excess pills into a plastic bag to put in the container and not put their medical containers in, which may reduce the weight.

He said there are people who come yearly to get rid of excess medications, but commonly people will be cleaning out when moving or after someone dies and bring in leftover medication then.

It all depends, Micolichek said.

The program, which has been in the county since around 2010, accepts a wide amount of prescription medicines, as well as prescriptions themselves.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

They dont take things like needles or thermometers, however.Incessant Tech: Redefining the Future of Work with Digital Automation Strategies

As businesses continue to undergo their digital transformation projects, many of them are looking to automation as part of the answer. While it may be easy to see automation as a solution to many business efficiency problems today, effective implementation isnt always as easy. Kasi Viswanath Kollati, Associate Director Business Consulting, Incessant Technologies, explained more as I caught up with him in advance of the upcoming Future of Work Expo, part of The New Intelligence Expo in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Heres what he had to say.

Please tell us a bit about the latest news at your company

Incessant Technologies, an NIIT Technologies company, helps global organizations realize their digital integration goals through the agile delivery of enterprise iBPM solutions. Incessants BPM Practice has unmatched certification levels in the industry, thereby providing highly experienced teams on customer engagements.

Incessant is the largest niche global BPM services vendor, specializing only in this field. Our focus is 100 percent on two technology platforms: Pega & Appian. With 700+ employees and delivery centers in North America, ANZ, APAC and EMEA, we empower companies to accelerate business growth by transforming the consumer experience, and creating lasting value.

Some recent exciting recognition Incessant has received includes:

Cited as a strong performer in Digital Process Automation by Forrester;

Received the Partner Excellence in Driving Customer Success award from Pega;

Earned the Appian 2018 Regional Partner of the year 2018 award at Appian World.

What pains are you taking away for customers?

Our customers feel that in order to obtain more significant benefits from automated business workflows, users need to invest more to reengineer the entire workflow, while taking into account compliance and regulation restrictions

The major pain points in Digital Process Automation are:

Documents that initiate a workflow are often in paper format Inability to find the right document or information when needed Manually extract content from digital- and paper-based documents in order to update enterprise applications

We help our customers in Orchestrating their digital processes and help in redefining the enterprise digital strategy.

How is cloud acceptance changing how your customers or your company operates?

Cloud technology is regarded as a highly useful application for organization due to long-term cost savings, easy access of data at any given time, and being economical. We see a large number of Government customers are also looking at Cloud options. Both government and private sectors are looking into optimizing their cloud data storage. However, some of them are still in the early implementation phase with both technological and human factors needing to be properly taken care of to ensure its success.

What are the most important recent communications technology innovations in your industry?

Global companies led the integration of different technologies to improve communication. Internal studies and analysis showed that the average employee uses many devices, such as a PC, a work phone (landline), possibly several mobile phones, a tablet, a fax, a notebook and/or a Netbook.

CTI-solutions linked to telecommunications with the electronic data processing allows functionalities such as adoption, termination, and the automatic dial-up telephone calls from a personal computer (PC) to be possible. Fax and voicemail are also part of unified messaging. Electronic fax can be dispatched and received from any workstation. Voicemails can take and play back voice messages using unified messaging applications.

By using these solutions there is not only comprehensive efficiency but also cost saving without investing in more new telephone systems, add-ons (plugins), proprietary software, fax machines, telephones, and more.

How is mobile changing your business strategy?

If done right, mobile marketing is unobtrusive. It fits right into a persons life and they can control how they interact with our brand and how much. That creates a more positive relationship. Further, through timing, tracking, and intelligent use of data, its possible to anticipate and seek to fulfill a customers needs before they realize they have them.

Mobile is heavily cemented into everyday life and we are finding ways to weave themselves into those daily mobile actions so that the experiences are adaptable, personalized and human.

Do you think the FAANG (Facebook, Amazon,ZApple, Netflix, Google) companies will ever face serious competition?

Every business, in all industries, faces the task of handling competition. Regardless of whether you are selling products online or providing a valuable service in your community, it is highly likely that another company is offering a similar product or service.

Competition is healthy in the business world as it encourages creativity and innovation. You can combat competition by getting to know your competitors and using information about them to your own advantage. The key to all of the tips above is building strong relationships and communicating effectively with business owners and customers in your community. Take a proactive approach to handling competition, and your business cant go wrong.

How is open source changing technology and how your company does business?



Open source business models evolve to address the challenge of monetization. The proliferation of frameworks will continue. Open source will play an even larger role as unique business logic is layered on top.

There will be an uptick in adoption of open source tools. More companies will offer proprietary services with an open-sourced core (open-core model). Open source software will start focusing on usability and adoption by the mainstream as opposed to focusing on innovation. Open source technology challenges us to keep innovating and come up with personalized service offerings for our customers.

How can blockchain transform your industry?

The following are the common use cases that we are concentrating on to transform our banking customers core business processes:

Fraud Detection: Traditionally, bank ledgers have been created within a centralized database. This model has been more susceptible to hackers and cyber-attacks as all the information is located in one place  usually secured behind outdated legacy IT systems. Hackers and cyber-criminals are well aware of evolving digital technology and have been able to bypass these security systems to commit data breaches and fraud. In contrast, as the blockchain is decentralized it is less prone to this type of fraud. By using blockchain, there would not only be real-time execution of payments, but also complete transparency, which would enable real-time fraud analysis and prevention KYC - Know Your Customer requests currently can cause delay to banking transactions, typically taking 30 to 50 days to complete to a satisfactory level. Current KYC processes also entail substantial duplication of effort between banks (and other third party institutions). While annual compliance costs are high, there are also large penalties for failing to follow KYC guidelines properly. Once a bank has KYCd a new customer they can then put that statement, including a summary of the KYC documents, on a blockchain, which can then be used by other banks and other accredited organizations (such as insurers, car rental firms, loan providers etc.) without the need to ask the customer to start the KYC process all over again.

What implications does AI have for your business and your customers?

Enhances efficiency and throughput  Concerns about disruptive technologies are common. AI today is a huge benefit to society because it enhances our efficiency and throughput, while creating new opportunities for revenue generation, cost savings and job creation

 Concerns about disruptive technologies are common. AI today is a huge benefit to society because it enhances our efficiency and throughput, while creating new opportunities for revenue generation, cost savings and job creation Frees up humans to do what they do best  Humans are not best served by doing tedious tasks. Machines can do that, so this is where AI can provide a true benefit.

 Humans are not best served by doing tedious tasks. Machines can do that, so this is where AI can provide a true benefit. Adds jobs, strengthens the economy  We all see the headlines: Robots and AI will destroy jobs. This is fiction rather than fact. AI encourages a gradual evolution in the job market which, with the right preparation, will be positive. People will still work, but theyll work better with the help of AI

 We all see the headlines: Robots and AI will destroy jobs. This is fiction rather than fact. AI encourages a gradual evolution in the job market which, with the right preparation, will be positive. People will still work, but theyll work better with the help of AI Enhances our lifestyle  The rise of AI in our society will enhance our lifestyle and create more efficient businesses. Some of the mundane tasks like answering emails and data entry will be done by intelligent assistants. Smart homes will also reduce energy usage and provide better security, marketing will be more targeted and we will get better health care thanks to better diagnoses.

What new opportunities does IoT bring your company?

We are constantly looking at the age-old business problems (Supply Chain Management, Manufacturing) through an Internet of Things dimension. Software is where the action is in the IoT space and is segmented by IoT platforms, Big Data and security. Data storage provides an example of the challenges as well as the opportunities in IoT technology. Currently, the industry and the world produce 22 zettabytes of data annually, and these numbers are growing 20-30 percent.

Manufacturing data analytics are helping manufacturers improve and streamline their operations and are what turn the information gathered from hardware and transmitted through the network into cost-saving actions.

What is your perception of the The Future of Work and how new tech is changing the face of communications?

As organizations undertake digital transformation efforts, an important realization emerges: process matters. Investments in beautifully designed web and mobile experiences wont move the needle unless application development and delivery (AD&D) professionals ensure that the processes on the back-end align to support a true end-to-end customer experience.

I believe The Future of Work Expo is a great enabler in creating everlasting relationships between the industry leaders to collaborate and share their viewpoints in this never-ending age of disruption.

What is the greatest opportunity facing your industry?

In the digital world of continuous change and evolution, Digital Process Automation is the driving force which will lead organization to succeed. The greatest opportunities in this segment are:

Helping organization improve operational stability and prevent errors

The opportunity to become more customer-oriented organization

To be better at product innovations while saving time and money

What is the greatest challenge?

Essentially there are some very basic questions to look at when deciding on where to digitize and automate. The answers are less easy. While each question and approach to look for the answers is valid and useful as such, its a least as essential to look at the full value picture.

An example: while it is possible to highly automate customer service with artificial intelligence and this automation could lead to huge cost savings and efficiencies, they might erode the overall value equation if customers want to interact with human agents for more than just exceptional cases which cant be treated in an automatic way. Nothing is more unpredictable than sudden shifts in customer preferences, even if today digital interactions and self-service are increasingly gaining traction. If the gains of such a highly automated approach are partially undone by losses, for instance on the customer experience level, full automation is not the answer.

What do you hope to achieve at the event?

To listen, learn, and connect with the worlds most powerful brands. Hear about big ideas and bold innovations. At the same time, get the real-world technology and knowledge to solve our toughest business challenges.

I want to understand on how to:

Create more meaningful customer relationships with proven, transparent AI  every interaction, every channel

Turn business into an operational powerhouse, bringing humans and bots together for end-to-end efficiency

Start fast and scale big with tools that drive success in a cloud-centric world

Why should your session be on the list of must-attend sessions at this years conference?

In today's Digital Pangea where the entire world and 'things' are interconnected, you can no longer just manage your enterprise, but must collaborate across the entire Value Chain. There won't be one cognitive system at your service, there will be many, many COGs (cognitive systems) serving all the companies and customers in your Business Network.

The session throws light in helping Business Users, Architects to rethink, reimagine the way their business processes are designed and orchestrated. The session is for organizations, the places where innovation takes place, where new digital products and services are developed, where organizational restructuring occurs to adapt to the needed outside-in transformation demanded by today's fully-empowered customers

Please make an interesting prediction about tech in 2019?

Software as we know it is changing rapidly. Previously, software never used to be User-Friendly and over a period of time it became stable and user friendly. From Web applications to Mobile Applications, the software is now in a User-Guidance mode.

With the advent of AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) technologies, 2019 will be the year for Industrial AR applications to dominate and provide Immersive customer experience. However, big businesses will find it hard to source AR experienced developers.

Kasi will be speaking on a panel, The New Wave in Automation & Business Process Management, on Friday, February 1 at 9:00am. If you havent made your plans yet, theres still time to register for The New Intelligence Expo and all the other opportunities taking place beside ITEXPO in Ft. Lauderdale.

Edited by Erik Linaskwas not a war or even asymmetric warfare but a one-sided massacre. Israel had 13 dead; the Gazans had 1,417 dead, including 313 children, and more than 5,500 wounded. According to one estimate 83% of the casualties were civilians. Israel claimed to be acting in self-defence, protecting its civilians against Hamas rocket attacks. The evidence, however, points to a deliberate and punitive war of aggression. Israel had a diplomatic alternative, but it chose to ignore it and to resort to brute military force.

- Will not know that Hamas embedded itself in the civilian population leading to higher numbers of civilian deaths.



- Will also be unaware of Israels enormous efforts to prevent loss of innocent lives.



- And the reason for the lower Israeli casualty figures? Simply that Israel goes to great lengths to protect its people.

Updates throughout the day at http://calevbenyefuneh. blogspot.com. If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.Twitter updates at LoveoftheLand as well as our Love of the Land page at Facebook which has additional pieces of interest besides that which is posted on the blog. Also check-out This Ongoing War by Frimet and Arnold Roth. An excellent blog, very important work.

.

..Honest Reporting..08 January '19..At the ten-year anniversary of Israels 2008/09 Operation Cast Lead, its expected that we will see articles in the media critical of Israels military operation against Hamas in Gaza.This was the first of a number of Israeli military operations in response to indiscriminate rocket and mortar fired from Gaza towards Israeli civilian targets.So it is the case, unsurprisingly, in, where UK-based Israeli academic and longtime Israel critic Avi Shlaim launches his own assault on Israel. According to him, Operation Cast Lead:Shlaim begins with a typical case of using casualty figures as a moral barometer. By quoting the mismatch in the deaths and injuries between the two sides stripped of context, Shlaim signals that Israel is the aggressor despite the fact that readers:By Melanie Burton and Sonali Paul MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Police in Australia are investigating suspicious packages sent to a wide range of embassies and consulates on Wednesday, which officials said included the U.S. and British missions in Melbourne, but there were no reports of harm to staff. Domestic media reported more than a dozen foreign offices received the packages and that some staff said they contained asbestos, a material used in building that can cause cancers and other health problems. There were no details of any possible motive and some of the targeted sites that Reuters reporters visited were open later on Wednesday afternoon. "The packages are being examined by attending emergency services," the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said in a short statement. It said the packages were sent to consulates in Melbourne and embassies in Canberra but did not provide a total number of affected sites or identify any of them. "The circumstances surrounding the incidents are being investigated," the AFP statement said. Officials at the U.S. and British consulates in Melbourne separately confirmed suspicious packages had been received. "We handled the package according to our standard procedures and in close coordination with local authorities ... who are investigating the incident," a spokesman for the U.S. Consulate said. A New Zealand official told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the consulate received an envelope with small plastic bags that appeared to contain concrete and asbestos, with "asbestos" written on one of the bags. The Age newspaper reported that one firefighter was seen outside the South Korean consulate carrying a large plastic bag with the word "asbestos" written on it. Other consulates in Melbourne reported by media to have received suspicious packages included those representing Greece, Italy, Spain, Thailand, India, Japan, Pakistan, Egypt, Denmark and Switzerland. Reuters could not confirm the reports. (Additional reporting by Swati Pandey and Colin Packham in SYDNEY; Editing by Paul Tait)New Saskatchewanderer 'eager' to show off province

The 2019 Saskatchewanderer hopes to give a voice to people in Saskatchewan.

Zane Buchanan, hailing from near White City, was named the Saskatchewanderer on Tuesday.

"Along with my travel companion  my trusty dog, Stedman  I'm eager to expand on the legacy left behind by the seven unique and talented wanderers who preceded me," Buchanan said in a press release.

He said he's keen on giving a voice to the entrepreneurs, artists and communities that Saskatchewan has to offer.

Buchanan has spent time on Canada's west and east coasts pursuing his education and working in broadcasting, theatre and social media.

Tourism Saskatchewan CEO Mary Taylor-Ash said Buchanan has the right combination of personality, creative nature and skills for the role.

"He will carry on the legacy of past Saskatchewanderers with great enthusiasm," Taylor-Ash said. "We look forward to the discoveries and stories that Zane will share across social media."

The Saskatchewanderer program is a CAA-sponsored inter-ministerial partnership between Tourism Saskatchewan and the ministries of agriculture, trade and export development and parks, culture and sport.

Buchanan will be posting stories from his travels around Saskatchewan on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube along with the Saskatchewanderer blog.On Raw Politics this Monday: Yellow Vest Protests in France pick up steam After a hiatus over the festive season, demonstrators were back in action across France as the Yellow Vest movement gains momentum again. Meanwhile, protests are spreading to cities across Europe, with security personnel in Berlin demanding better pay and trade unions, while protesters in Belgium were blocking roads and calling for better treatment of transport workers. US government shutdown continues Across the pond, US lawmakers are at loggerheads over a Trump demand for the funding of a border wall with Mexico. The government is now entering its third week of being partially shut down. The Democrats have taken control of the House of Representatives with Nancy Pelosi taking over as House Speaker while the deadlock with Republicans set to continue. EU-Romania spat overshadows bloc Presidency Romania has become president of the bloc for the next six months, but disagreements with the EU are set to overshadow their reign.Chaudhary wont get salary, perks

Resham Lal Chaudhary, who was elected the MP from Kailali-1, will not get salary and perks while he is in custody, Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara said on Wednesday.Protesters across Canada have come out in support of people from a northern B.C. First Nation who have been preventing a natural gas pipeline company from accessing their traditional territory.

In Ottawa, around 100 people gathered on Parliament Hill, protesting the RCMP's intervention, on Monday, at a fortified checkpoint on a forest service road near Houston, B.C. Fourteen people were arrested at the site, where some members of the Gidimt'en clan of the Wet'suwet'en Nation had set up a camp to control access to their territory.

Jessica Deer/CBC

RCMP were enforcing a court injunction, granted in December, ordering people to stop preventing Coastal GasLink from gaining access to the road and a bridge.

Coastal GasLink is a pipeline project operated by TransCanada, which manages pipeline networks, natural gas storage sites and power generation facilities in Canada, the U.S and Mexico.

Some protesters on Parliament Hill held signs saying "Oh Canada, respect Native rights" and "The RCMP, proudly suppressing Indigenous rights since the 1880s."

They also chanted, "This is wrong, this is wrong."

Jorge Barrera/CBC

The marchers briefly shut down the street in front on Parliament Hill, drumming and singing before marching down one lane.

Jorge Barrera/CBC

In Vancouver, hundreds of people gathered outside the B.C. Supreme Court building and Smithe Street was shut down as the crowd began marching down the route to Victory Square.

Many people said they were there to show support for people who were trying to protect their traditional territory. Some protesters said they are upset with the government's support for the pipeline project. They want to see more investment in green energy projects. Others said they were outraged by the RCMP response to the protest camp.

Lien Young/CBC

In Montreal, people gathered outside Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Papineau constituency office.

"This is where I really need to be, with the people who stand behind our nation, our people," said protester Marlene Hale.

Story continues

"We're out in the cold doing what we should be doing, which is really beautiful to see."

Denis Dossmann/Radio-Canada

Hale is from B.C.'s Witset First Nation. She said Monday was an emotional day because she briefly lost contact with her family, who live in the area, and saw photos over social media and news of the arrests at the camp.

"It was sad to see, especially when I see it's my elders, my chief, my family and my cousins. I don't feel helpless. I'm doing what I can, how I can to pass the message on. That's the most important [thing]."

Jessica Deer/CBC

Around 100 people rallied in Montreal. "It's important to show solidarity even though we're far away in Montreal. Canada is a big country, even what happens in B.C. is important in Quebec," said student Magalie Desmarais-Michaud.

Desmarais-Michaud spends her springs tree planting in that area of B.C.

"It's a territory that I know well and am familiar with. It's a really beautiful place and I'd hate to see anything happen to it from environmental impacts from this pipeline," she said.

Protest on Trans-Canada Highway

Rallies in support of the Wet'suwet'en clans were also held in the Atlantic region. In Nova Scotia, about 20 people with signs and flags staged a protest midday on the Trans-Canada Highway and slowed traffic between mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island.

Lenard Monkman/CBC

Organizer Madonna Bernard said the group made a point to inform the local RCMP detachment of their plans. Bernard, of Nova Scotia's We'koqma'q First Nation, said she believes RCMP officials should respect Indigenous laws and international treaty rights and stand down in B.C.

"When they swear an oath to the Crown  they're obligated to [respect] us as sovereign nations," she said.

submitted by Annie-Bernard Daisley

In New Brunswick, around 25 protesters reportedly gathered outside and inside the RCMP detachment in Richibucto, N.B., Tuesday morning, bearing signs asking the Mounties not to interfere with the protest in B.C.

In Toronto, hundreds of people came together in Nathan Phillips Square before taking to the streets through the financial district.

Nic Meloney/CBC

"I'm trying to communicate urgency and that it's time to wake up, it's time to get involved," said Eve Saint, one of the organizers of the Toronto rally.

Saint grew up in Toronto, although her father is Wet'suwet'en. She spent some time in the territory last summer and also over the winter solstice.

"It's just different when you go to the territory and be on the land," she said.

"That was the first time I was ever able to drink from the river and it tasted so sweet."

Rhiannon Johnson/CBC

$40B facility

Members of the Wet'suwet'en Nation had established two camps along the forest service road with fortified checkpoints: Gidimt'en and Unist'ot'en. They had been preventing Coastal GasLink workers from getting through their checkpoints, asserting they can only pass if they have consent from hereditary leaders.

The Coastal GasLink pipeline is meant to transport natural gas from northeastern B.C. to the coast, where a liquefied natural gas project is scheduled for construction.

TransCanada has said it signed agreements with all First Nations along the proposed pipeline route to the $40 billion LNG Canada facility being built in Kitimat, B.C., but some hereditary chiefs say those agreements don't apply to the traditional territories.

An RCMP statement says the arrests on Monday came when officers determined a resolution was unlikely after they spoke with camp members about complying with a court order and removing the checkpoint.CBC

When the Chinese-made Sinopharm vaccine was offered to Katie Gibson in Abu Dhabi, there was no doubt in her mind she should take it. The 36-year-old teacher originally from Calgary said she and her husband didn't hesitate to take the only COVID-19 vaccine they could get in the United Arab Emirates at the time. "It's available to us [so] let's just get it," she recalled thinking. "A vaccine is a vaccine." After two years abroad, Gibson said her family of four desperately wants to get home this suWhen Sherbrooke, Que., resident Edith Blais set out on her last known journey in Burkina Faso, she and her Italian companion Luca Tacchetto would have been travelling through one of the few parts of the country that was not covered by a high-alert Canadian travel advisory.

Leaving the city of Bobo-Dioulasso in the country's west, the two faced a 361-kilometre drive to the nation's capital Ouagadougou on the paved two-lane N1 toll road  the country's best.

The start and end points for the journey and all the land along the way fall under Canada's general travel advisory for Burkina Faso, which recommends Canadians "avoid all unnecessary travel"  the second-highest level for such advisories.

But the N1 route skirts an area that lies within 80 km of Burkina Faso's long border with Mali  all of which is under Canada's most restrictive level of travel advisory: "avoid all travel."

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Roadblocks, carjacking and gunplay

"Canada's travel advisory for Burkina Faso is about as explicit as you can make these things," said Gar Pardy, a former director-general of consular affairs who also served as ambassador to multiple countries. "It's a very troubled country."

Since the killing of six Quebecers in Ouagadougou in 2016, the country once known as Upper Volta has been seen as a place where jihadists can strike anywhere at any time.

And it's not just the wide swath of land along the northern border with Mali that Global Affairs Canada has labelled "avoid all travel." The same warning applies to most of Burkina Faso's east, which borders Niger, and its southern provinces bordering Togo and Benin.

Facebook

Blais and Tacchetto do not seem to have followed those warnings. They had arrived in Burkina Faso from Mali  a country flagged "avoid all travel" on the GAC website  and would have also crossed through the Burkinabe red zone on their way to Bobo-Dioulasso, where Blais made her last call home on December 15.

Story continues

After reaching Ouagadougou, the next stage of their journey would have seen them head to a reforestation project in Togo, which is considered safer by GAC. But getting there overland would have required a journey through another red zone in southern Burkina Faso. ("Avoid all travel to 40 km within borders of Benin and Togo due to the threat of banditry and terrorism.")

Global Affairs doesn't mince words about the perils of travelling by vehicle in Burkina Faso: "Incidents of illegal roadblocks and carjacking have occurred. Armed criminals don't hesitate to shoot at vehicles to stop and rob their occupants . Such incidents can happen . day or night, on both main and secondary roads."

'Totally indifferent'

Pardy said that when he was in charge of consular affairs for Canada, most Canadian travellers were "totally indifferent" to travel advisories  and little has changed.

"Canadians have their own views. We tried allying with the insurance business and with travel agencies to get the advisory out there. It didn't make any difference."

Pardy said it presents a dire dilemma for governments.

"Every hurricane season, thousands of Canadians buy tickets to the Caribbean because they're slightly cheaper. Then when the hurricane hits, they raise bloody hell for a plane to come and get them out."

At the time of Hurricane Irma, Canada's former ambassador to Cuba Mark Entwistle told CBC News he believed such rescues "should be on a cost-recovery basis."

"There are thousands and thousands of Canadians who get themselves in all kinds of trouble around the world."

Some countries try to exert stronger controls over citizens who ignore warnings. South Korea has been locked in a battle with Korean citizens who live in Libya, a country riven by fighting between rival militias and jihadist groups.

Over Christmas, Korean authorities took the unusual step of revoking the passports of the last three Koreans who refused to leave Libya.

"Countries like South Korea and China seem to have more control over their overseas communities," said Pardy. "Cancelling passports is not something you could do here. There's a guarantee of freedom of travel under section 7 of the Charter. You'd get such a strong pushback, you could never do it.

"We tried to remove the passport of a child sex offender who was overseas, and the courts wouldn't let us."

Different ransom policies

International Development Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau is also the Blais family's MP. Her office told CBC News Canada is treating the case as a potential kidnapping. But no ransom demand has been made public, nor has any claim of responsibility.

If it is a kidnapping, the citizenships of the two abductees may complicate matters.

Al-Qaeda and its affiliates are thought to have collected tens of millions of dollars in ransoms from European governments  including the 12 million euro Italy is believed to have paid jihadist group Jabhat al-Nusra to liberate aid workers Vanessa Marzullo and Greta Ramelli after they were seized in Aleppo, Syria.

The Trudeau government, on the other hand, has been vocal about its no-ransom policy and has tried to get other countries to sign on.

"There's nothing wrong with the policy per se, but you don't want to stand up and call attention to it in the middle of a kidnapping incident. Last time we did that was a disaster," said Pardy, referring to the kidnapping and murder of two Canadians by a Filipino jihadist group.

In practice, Pardy said, the no-ransom policy doesn't necessarily mean no money ever changes hands.

"The money might come from the victim's employer, from insurance, from family, from various sources, and the Canadian government can facilitate that," he said.

CBC

Calgary philanthropist Allan Markin anonymously donated $750,000 to help secure the release of Amanda Lindhout from Somali kidnappers in 2009.

But a senior government official speaking to CBC News on condition of anonymity said the Trudeau government's policy on ransoms is "ironclad" and precludes taking any part in negotiations over payouts to kidnappers  even with privately held funds  because that would undermine the message that there is nothing to be gained from kidnapping Canadians.

The official added that Canada is co-ordinating its efforts in the Blais case with the government of Italy.

Jihadist attacks, ethnic tensions worsening

The year 2019 has already seen one massacre as a result of tensions between settled farmers and nomadic pastoralists in Burkina Faso.

Last week, Fulani herders were blamed for a massacre in a village of farmers belonging to the country's dominant Mossi ethnic group. The following day the Mossi retaliated, killing a number of Fulani. A government spokesman put the final death toll at over 50.

Those events came just hours after Burkina Faso declared a state of emergency following the killings of ten gendarmes by jihadists in the country's north.

Right across the central Sahel region that includes much of Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali and Chad, settled farmers often accuse Tuareg and Fulani nomadic herders of supporting jihadist groups such as al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which kidnapped Canadian Robert Fowler when he served as UN special envoy to Mali.

Like Nigeria's Boko Haram  which means "Western learning is forbidden" in local patois  the jihadist groups in Burkina Faso have targeted schools and teachers in an effort to end secular education in the country.Canada's Food Guide is getting its first major overhaul in more than a decade. The update has been in the works for years, and is set to be released in the coming months.

This is what Canada's food guide has looked like since 2007:

Health Canada/UN Food and Agriculture Organization

While we wait to see Canada's new guide, we checked out the nearly 100 that exist around the world from a list complied by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

There is a lot of detailed information in them. Most carry the same main messages:

Eat a variety of foods.

Drink plenty of water.

Get enough exercise.

And most tend to agree that eating more vegetables and whole grains is best, while consuming sugar and excessive fats  especially processed fats  is to be avoided.

But countries can get pretty creative when it comes to getting that information across.

Some food guides are shaped like buildings

Cambodia's guide is in the shape of an Angkor Wat  a temple complex in the country and one of the largest religious monuments in the world. The guide was developed with the help of schoolchildren, who were surveyed by the Ministry of Health about the foods they most commonly eat.

Cambodia Ministry of Health/UN Food and Agriculture Organization

Benin's guide is a is a round traditional house with a thatch roof. The water in the entrance is there for two reasons: as a symbol of Beninese hospitality and a reminder that plenty of water should be consumed throughout the day.

Benin Regional Health Institute/UN Food and Agriculture Organization

China's pagoda uses the traditional five levels to indicate how much of each food group to eat.

Chinese Nutrition Society/UN Food and Agriculture Organization

Others are shaped like foods native to the country

Antigua and Barbuda uses a pineapple, while Qatar's guide is in a seafood shell.

Government of Antigua and Barbuda/UN Food and Agriculture Organization

Most guides make daily exercise a main component

In fact, only 12 make no mention of physical activity at all. Korea's is pretty blatant.

Qatar Supreme Council of Health/UN Food and Agriculture Organization

France has designed its guide as a staircase to hit home the message.

Health Industry Development Institute/Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN

Japan's guide is in the shape of a spinning top  a traditional Japanese toy. It features a person running around a glass of water or tea on top, to represent the need for adequate physical activity.

Story continues

France Ministry of Health/Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN

There are countries with more than one guide

And Canada is one of them. First published in 1942, Canada's current guide is available in English and French, as well as 10 other languages, including Chinese, Arabic and Punjabi. There is also a version designed specifically for Inuit, First Nations and Metis.

Government of Japan/UN Food and Agriculture Organization

Venezuela also has two food guides: one for the general population and one for the country's Indigenous population. The main difference lies in the recommended protein sources, with a range of wild animals shown in the Indigenous one, and cuts of meat in the other.

Health Canada

In famous form, one gets straight to the point

Sweden's guide follows that aesthetic made so famous by Swedes (think Ikea!).

Bengoa Foundation for Food and Nutrition/UN Food and Agriculture Organization

These two focus on how often to eat, rather than on how much to eat

Spain and Greece divide their pyramids into daily, weekly, and occasion consumption groups.

National Food Agency/UN Food and Agriculture Organization

And one has attracted widespread praise

Brazil has been singled out by nutritionists and food scientists for its innovative approach. Instead of publishing a colourful picture of what you should eat more or less of, it has published guidelines around eating processed versus non-processed foods, and focuses on making choices based on social and environmentally sustainability.

Spanish Agency for Consumer Affairs, Food Safety and Nutrition, Hellenic Ministry of Health/UNFOA

And because the guide is long (152 pages) and not likely to be read by most Brazilians, the government has also helpfully narrowed it down into a short, 10-step plan.(Reuters) - Smartphone shipments in China fell between 12-15.5 percent last year, market data indicated, suggesting a bleak outlook for the sector at a time when behemoths Apple and Samsung Electronics have already issued dour forecasts. China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT), a research institute under the country's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, said shipments dropped 15.5 percent to roughly 390 million units for the year, with a 17 percent slump in December. Market research firm Canalys estimates shipments fell 12 percent in China last year and expects smartphone shipments in 2019 to dip below 400 million for the first time since 2014. The Chinese smartphone market, the world's largest, could shrink another 3 percent this year, Canalys said, in what would be a third straight year of declines. Smartphone shipments in the country had fallen 4 percent in 2017. Shipments are the number of smartphones that manufacturers deliver to retailers and carriers, different from sales that happen when customers actually buy these smartphones. The plunge in Chinese shipments expected in 2018 could lead to a 1 percent contraction in the global smartphone market, Canalys said. Apple triggered a selloff in global markets last week after it took the rare step of cutting its quarterly sales forecast citing slowing iPhone sales in China. China boasts the world's biggest smartphone market, but a slowing economy, exacerbated by a trade war with the United States, has seen demand for gadgets drop across the tech sector. TuanAnh Nguyen, a Singapore-based analyst for Canalys, told Reuters that China was now a fully mature market and lengthening refresh cycles for smartphones would be the new normal. "Weaker economic growth and lower consumer confidence will likely hit the premium segment well into the first half of 2019," Nguyen said. "Apple certainly was the biggest victim of this trend, with added effects from the fact that it's lagging behind local competitors in innovation and attractive pricing," he said. Apple rival and supplier Samsung on Tuesday estimated that its fourth-quarter earnings plunged 29 percent and that profitability would remain subdued in the current quarter due to weak demand for its memory chips. Also, Samsung's display business is struggling due to the lack of growth of its own devices as well as worse-than-expected performance of Apple's X/XS/XS Max iPhone series, Nguyen said. Chinese firms Huawei and Xiaomi are challenging Samsung's dominance in many key markets, he added. Huawei dominates the Chinese market, where the once-market leading Korean firm is now nearly a bit player. Samsung controls over a fifth of the global market, followed by Huawei, which has a 14-percent market share, Canalys said. (Reporting by Sayantani Ghosh in Singapore and Adam Jourdan in Shanghai; Editing by Himani Sarkar)The Trudeau government can't afford to buy ultra-modern warships and advanced warplanes at the same time, given the limits of federal finances, a new research paper argues.

The study, written for the University of Calgary's School of Public Policy, says that  contrary to the assurances offered in the government's defence policy  Ottawa will soon be forced into a series of tough, far-reaching choices about the structure and capabilities of the Canadian military.

Using the government's own figures, researcher Alex McColl concluded that the Liberals either will have to pour more money into their defence budget in the mid-2020s or scale back their ambitions by buying a less expensive fighter jet.

The reason, according to McColl, is that the bills for both new frigates and new fighters will come due at the same time.

Absent the political will (to spend more), the Canadian Forces can no longer afford to be a modern, multipurpose force ... - University of Calgary researcher Alex McColl

"Not only will the CF-18 replacement program have to fight for funding against the general austerity and easy riding nature of Canadians, but it will also be running concurrently with the largest military procurement in Canadian history: the National Shipbuilding Strategy," he wrote.

During the 2015 election campaign, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged Canada would not buy the F-35 stealth jet  that it would go with something cheaper and pour the savings into rebuilding the navy.

The way the defence policy figures roll out, McColl wrote, suggests the government is on track to do just that.

"Absent the political will to provide considerably more than 1.15 per cent of GDP in defence spending," he wrote, "the Canadian Forces can no longer afford to be a modern multipurpose force and should instead move to a Navy centric force structure."

The Liberal defence policy, released just over 18 months ago, forecasts that by 2025, annual defence spending will rise to $32.7 billion, or about 1.4 per cent of GDP.

Story continues

However, the projections in the defence policy do not go past the fiscal year 2024-25  something the Parliamentary Budget Office flagged in a report in November 2017.

That PBO report also raised concerns about whether the Liberals would even meet their procurement targets and predicted the numbers would fall off a cliff before the 20-year defence spending policy reaches its halfway mark.

"Measured as a share of the economy, the new spending plan will raise the defence budget by over 17 per cent to about 1.1 percentage points of GDP by 2024," the PBO analysis said. "Following this, spending will decline by 38 per cent to 0.69 percentage points of GDP by 2035."

McColl said Canada may be left with no choice but to buy a cheaper fighter.

"The best value solution to the CF-18 replacement is the least expensive jet in the competition: the Saab Gripen," he wrote in his report.

In an interview CBC News, McColl said he chose the Gripen because it is "the dramatically least expensive option," although the Super Hornet is also a cheaper alternative.

The Associated Press

"I wouldn't say we would be forced (to buy them)," he said. "What I would say is that buying an inexpensive fighter that meets the minimum requirements of what we use the CF-18 for today would be the optimal policy."

National Defence announced last week it had concluded a deal with Australia to buy 18 used F-18 fighters to bolster the current CF-18 fleet until a brand-new replacement is selected.

That competition to replace the CF-18s with new aircraft is slated to kick off this spring, when the federal government puts a tender on the street. A contract award is not expected until 2022.

The first new fighters won't arrive until 2025  and it will be another year after that before they are operational.

Dave Perry, a procurement expert at the Canadian Global Affairs Institute, said that new accounting rules  which allow National Defence to spread the cost of weapons system over their lifetime, instead of accounting for them all at once  give the Liberal government a bit of flexibility.

But he also pointed out that, by trying to rebuild the navy and the air force at the same time, the Liberals are trying to do something rarely accomplished outside of a wartime setting.

Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

"Between new fighters and surface combatants [frigates], those are by far the two biggest projects that have gotten underway in this country in a long time, and doing them at the same time is not something we've done in peacetime before," said Perry. "Previously, we've done these things in sequential order."

The question of whether the federal government is organizationally and fiscally prepared to start paying big defence bills is open to debate, he added.

Almost four years ago, Perry co-wrote a seminal report that noted the number of staff dedicated to defence procurement at National Defence had never recovered from the budget cuts of the mid-1990s  dropping to 4,300 positions from 9,000.

In the time since his report was released, Perry said, there's been progress at the Department of National Defence in hiring procurement specialists and getting systems in place, but he's not certain the rest of the federal government is prepared.

"I think the biggest shortcoming is whether the Government of Canada writ large has the capacity, across government, not just in defence, to manage files this size with that level of complexity," he said.An investigating team will return to Russia to extract data from the former Moscow laboratory which was the nerve centre of the country's doping scandal.

In September last year, Russia was controversially allowed back into the international sporting community after a three year ban, on the understanding it would provide records from the lab.

But they missed a deadline of 31 December to supply the data to an investigating team working on behalf of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

It has led to calls from international athletes' groups for Russia to again be banned from international competition.

A WADA executive committee will meet on 14 January to consider what sanctions Russia should face in light of the missed deadline.

But WADA confirmed that an issue around the certification of equipment to extract the data has now been resolved and that an investigating team would return to Moscow on Wednesday.

It makes the possibility of Russia being banned again more unlikely.

WADA president Sir Craig Reedie insisted Russia could still be punished for missing the initial deadline for supplying the data.

"We are continuing to act on the basis of the 31 December deadline having been missed, with all the consequences that failure could bring," he said.

"This week's mission to Moscow is not only about us following due process and precedent. If the mission is successful in acquiring the data, it will break a long impasse and will potentially lead to many cases being actioned."Last year was a tough one for silver miners. Silver opened the year at over US$17 an ounce, but by November 2018 it had plunged to under US$14 per ounce, and there were signs that the white metal was caught in a protracted slump. While the overall outlook for silver remains stagnant for 2019 with higher gold prices the only positive catalyst for the precious metal, it shouldnt deter investors from taking a contrarian position in high-quality junior silver miners.

One that stands out is exploration and development company Bear Creek Mining (TSX:BCM), which has soared since the start of 2019, gaining over 21% in little more than a week compared to silvers modest 1%. This still leaves it down by 38% over the last year, providing a handy entry point for contrarian, risk-tolerant investors seeking exposure to silver and the potential for outsized returns.

Quality project under development

Bear Creek is focused on developing the its 100%-owned Corani mine located in southern Peru. It has been assessed to hold reserves of 225 million silver ounces, 2.7 billion pounds of lead, and 1.8 billion pounds of zinc. That is expected to sustain average annual production of eight million silver ounces and 150 million pounds of zinc and lead over a forecast 18-year mine life.

Key permits for the project, including the all-important construction permit, have been secured in a jurisdiction with a history of being mining friendly. Detailed mine engineering is currently being conducted, and to date all project milestones have been met on schedule.

What makes Corani stand out, aside from its long-life reserves, is the high quality of those reserves, which have a grade of 50.3 grams of silver per tonne of ore (g/t). This is quite impressive for an open pit operation and means that it will be very economic to extract the silver from the surrounding ore. Because of that high grade. Corani is forecast to have average all-in sustaining costs (AISCs) on a by-product basis of US$5.01 per silver ounce produced over the life of the mine.

Story continues

Even more impressive is that for the first six years Coranis AISCs are anticipated to be an incredibly low US$1.81 per ounce, underscoring the considerable profitability of the operation when commercial production commences. Those are some of the lowest AISCs in the industry and mean that the mine will be profitable, even if silver remains weak and continues trading at under US$16 an ounce.

The consensus view among analysts is that because gold will appreciate over the course of 2019 and has potentially entered a new bull market, silver will also firm and could reach US$18 an ounce during the year. That would be a boon for Bear Creek because of its leverage to silver, which means that its stock will surge even if the white metal only makes some modest gains.

Importantly for a junior precious metals miner, Bear Creek has a solid balance sheet. It finished the third quarter 2018 with no long-term debt and over US$11 million in cash and short-term investments. In mid-November 2018, Bear Creek received US$32 million from the Peruvian government as settlement for relinquishing all its Santa Ana mineral concessions. Bear Creek had acquired the Santa Ana property in 2007, and in 2011 the government issued a decree that rescinded the miners rights to the mineral concessions. That additional payment will go a long way to funding the development of the Corani project and reduces much of the risk associated with early stage mine developments.

Why buy Bear Creek?

While the outlook for silver is not especially favourable, there is every sign that it will firm over the course of 2019 as gold tracks higher. That will give Bear Creeks stock a healthy boost because of its levered exposure to the white metal. The quality of Bear Creeks flagship Corani asset, including projected low AISCs, and the miners solid balance sheet make it an attractively valued investment which could become a takeover target as senior miners move to bolster declining reserves and production.

More reading

Fool contributor Matt Smith has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.The Stormont Assembly will have the power to reject new EU laws and regulation in the backstop. Pic: Reuters

The Northern Ireland assembly will be entitled to reject new EU laws and regulations in the Brexit backstop, according to a paper published by the government on Wednesday.

As part of a series of commitments designed to shore up the support of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), the paper says that Northern Ireland will be given a strong voice and role in the backstop process.

Though the proposals fall short of an outright veto, the government said that it will seek the agreement of the Northern Ireland assembly at Stormont if it were to consider agreeing to new areas of EU law that would specifically apply to Northern Ireland.

But Nigel Dodds, deputy leader of the DUP, has already branded the proposals cosmetic and meaningless.

In a statement, he said that the assembly would not be able to override UK international legal obligations, considering the backstop provisions would form part of the withdrawal treaty with the EU.

The support of the DUP, whose 10 MPs prop up Theresa Mays government in the House of Commons, could prove crucial if the prime minister is to get her Brexit deal through parliament.

Thus far, the DUP has been strident in its opposition to the deal.

Proposals

If the backstop, which aims to prevent a hard border in Northern Ireland, comes into force, the UK would have to partly align itself with the blocs single market rules.

But, under the backstop protocol agreed, the introduction of any new regulations applicable to the UK would also require the consent of the UK.

As such, the paper says that the government will legislate to ensure that, in such a scenario, it will be required to seek agreement of the Northern Ireland Assembly before reaching an agreement with the EU about any additional provisions.

In addition, the Northern Ireland executive would be given a role on the joint and specialised EU-UK committees established by the withdrawal agreement, if Northern Ireland-specific issues are to be discussed.

Story continues

The paper also puts into writing commitments made by May that there would be no discrepancy in the rules applied to Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK

The government, it says, would ensure that there would be no divergence in the rules applied in Great Britain and Northern Ireland in areas covered by the Protocol.

By so doing we would ensure everything possible had been done to avoid any additional preventable barriers within the UK internal market.

The Northern Ireland assembly, however, has been in a period of suspension for two years, following the collapse of power-sharing in January 2017 as a result of a disagreement between the DUP and Sinn Fein.

Both parties also fundamentally disagree about Brexit, with the DUP staunchly in favour of the UKs departure from the EU, and Sinn Fein opposed.

Sinn Fein, however, has indicated that it is similarly unimpressed with the provisions outlined in Wednesdays document.

Meanwhile, the Ulster Unionist party said the proposals were merely window dressing and frankly toothless.Shoppers in Belfast city centre. Pic: PA

Brexit is having an increasingly negative impact on business growth and investment plans in Northern Ireland, according to a survey published by the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wednesday.

The UKs looming withdrawal from the EU, as well as the lack of an executive in the Northern Ireland assembly, are two major factors contributing to high levels of uncertainty, the chamber said.

Nearly 80% of businesses believe that the absence of a devolved government will be damaging to Northern Irelands economic prospects in 2019, while some 50% say that Brexit is already having an impact on costs.

More than a third of businesses said that Brexit has had a negative impact on their turnover and sales.

The prospect of a no-deal Brexit is particularly alarming for Northern Ireland, with industry groups in the region increasingly making dire warnings.

In recent months, unions have warned that a no-deal scenario would devastate the regions farming sector, for instance.

Meanwhile, despite the staunch opposition of the Democratic Unionist Party to the backstop proposals contained within prime minister Theresa Mays deal, Northern Ireland businesses have made it clear that they would prefer a backstop to a no-deal scenario.

READ MORE: Northern Ireland businesses would take backstop over no-deal Brexit any day

The chambers Brexit Watch survey suggests that Brexit is also having an increasingly negative impact on the ability of local businesses to recruit non-nationals to fill roles, with more than a third of businesses putting growth and investment plans on hold.

In October, 21 of Northern Irelands leading business organisations wrote to May, urging her to tackle severe Brexit-related labour shortages in the region.

A report from the Migrant Advisory Committee recommended the drastic limitation of the post-Brexit immigration of low-skilled European Union migrant workers.

The Northern Ireland assembly, meanwhile, has been in a period of suspension for two years, following the collapse of power-sharing in January 2017 due to a disagreement between the DUP and Sinn Fein.The History Of The "Confidence Man"

Though tricksters and con artists have existed throughout history, the 19th century confidence man was a creature that many Victorians considered to be uniquely American. Not a thief in the traditional sense, he seduced his prey with silky words and fantastical promises until his victims willingly gave him their trust, their money, and, quite literally, their confidence. This propensity for slick talk and tall tales does tend to put one in mind of a stereotypical American of that era. But was the 19th century American confidence man more than just a Victorian stereotype?

In fact, the first formally recorded confidence trick was American. It took place in New York in 1849 when William Thompson conned a man out of his watch. According to the Social History of Crime and Punishment in America:

ADVERTISEMENT

Thompson approached a man on the sidewalk, struck up a conversation, and asked him if he would trust him with his watch until tomorrow. Once the item was in his possession, Thompson walked off laughing.

Thompson was later arrested and tried for his crime. During the trial, the New York Herald reported on how Thompson had tricked men by gaining their confidence. This phrase is credited as the origin of the term confidence man.

In England, 19th century newspapers were full of reports of American confidence men coming to Britain to perpetrate swindles. Or, alternately, British men and women who were swindled by Americans while visiting the United States. Describing the American confidence man, an 1893 edition of the Pall Mall Gazette states:

The average confidence man will rob you of your last shilling if he can do so, but not by knocking you down and taking it from you by force. His plan is to work himself into your confidence, and having done so, despoil you. In accomplishing his end he has just as much pity for his victim as a highway robber, but not more.

Delmonicos, New York, 1893.

The Pall Mall Gazette goes on to report the story of what they call the cleverest confidence man who has visited England for many years. The American man in question had arrived in London the previous July and taken up residence at the Savoy Hotel. Another American, a man by the name of McDonough, introduced him as a director of the Standard Oil Company. To some, he was introduced as Mr. Griffiths. To others, he was introduced as Mr. St. Elmer. In both cases, he was presented as an American oil king.

Reporting on the same incident, the Yorkshire Evening Post identifies Griffiths victim by the pseudonym Mr. Lamb and describes him as the largest steel manufacturer in Great Britain. As the article states:

The American met this gentleman in London, and afterwards took a train for the town in which Mr. Lamb was one of the most prominent residents. He took rooms for himself and a companion McDonough at a hotel, and leaving McDonough there went to call upon Mr. Lamb.

John D. Rockefeller Senior, 1875

Griffiths was given a tour of Mr. Lambs factory, during which he casually mentioned that he expected his friend John D. Rockefeller, the president of Standard Oil, to arrive in London at almost any moment. He advised Mr. Lamb that they would need to take rooms in the local hotel for Rockefeller since, as soon as he arrived in London, he would make his way to join them.

Griffiths conducted his business with Mr. Lamb over the course of several days. During that time, he convinced Mr. Lamb to lend him a large sum of money. At the end of his visit, Griffiths hosted an elaborate dinner at the hotel for Mr. Lamb and several of his principal employees. And then, when checking out of the hotel to return to London, he informed the hotel clerk that Mr. Lamb would pay all the bills. To add insult to injury, he borrowed an additional 7 from the hotel clerk himself and told him to put that down to Mr. Lamb also.

It is not clear at what point Mr. Lamb realized that he had been duped, but at the time of printing in early December of 1893, that particular American confidence man was still wanted by the police.

A similar story, reported in an 1890 edition of the Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser, involves two Englishmen, Sir Robert Peel and Mr. Clifford Talbot, who made the acquaintance of an American confidence man on board a ship headed to the United States. Upon arrival in New York, the confidence man offered to show them the sights. He subsequently divested them of their money and jewels. According to the article:

He was arrested last night at Delmonicos whilst giving them a farewell dinner. The Englishmen started for the West to-day wiser and poorer men.

Delmonicos, New York, 1893.

Adding to the many reports of American confidence men perpetrating confidence tricks on unsuspecting Victorians were the sometimes larger than life stories of cons perpetrated by Americans against their own countrymen. For example, in an 1885 tale that has come to epitomize both the heights of con artistry and the depths of gullibility, William McCloundy famously sold the Brooklyn Bridge to a west coast tourist for $50,000.

ADVERTISEMENT

Brooklyn Bridge by Currier and Ives, 1883.

But these criminal feats of what one 1928 American newspaper calls super-salesmanship were not limited to confidence men from the United States. There were quacks and patent medicine peddlers galore in Victorian England. And con men in 19th century Europe were so far ahead of their time that they even had their own version of what many of us know today as the Nigerian prince email scam. Originating in the 18th century, it was known as the Spanish Prisoner or Spanish Treasure Trick. The October 13, 1900 Dundee Evening Post reports on its latest victim:

The victim, who is a retired newspaper proprietor of substantial means, received the usual letter from the sharper at Barcelona, stating that the writer was a political prisoner in Spain, and had in his possession plans of a spot in the Island of Barbados, where a large amount of treasure was buried. These plans he was willing to dispose of for 600.

Map of the Island of Barbados, 1682.

The retiree discussed the viability of this opportunity with a young clergyman of the Church of England. The clergyman, in turn, consulted his father. Between the three of them, they concluded that the scheme was legitimate and, in due course, the clergyman was dispatched to Barcelona with a draft for 600 and 150 for expenses. According to the newspaper report:

"In due time he reached Barcelona, found the holder of the precious plans, and received them in exchange for the 600. He was swiftly disillusioned. Once in possession of the money, the confidence man turned on the unsophisticated cleric, and he had to flee for his life.

Despite plenty of evidence that there were slick-talking fraudsters and con men from other parts of the world, the reputation of the 19th century American confidence man persisted. Some simply chalk this up to the geographic origin of the phrase. Others have argued that it has more to do with 19th century confidence men possessing qualities that many of that era saw as being quintessentially American. Qualities like inventiveness, daring, and an entrepreneurial spirit. In his book American Tricksters, author William Jackson even goes so far as to state that the confidence man is a major American cultural hero.

However you argue it, the 19th century American confidence man was a reality both at home and abroad. As for the rest, I will let you be the judge.

Canterbury Journal, Kentish Times and Farmers Gazette , September 13, 1890.

This post originally appeared on MimiMatthews.com and is reprinted here with permission.



Top image: A Confidence Trick by J.M. Staniforth, 1898.

More from BUST

Victorian Advice For Dry January

Victorians Followed These Rules About Dining Etiquette

The Best Historical Fiction To Curl Up With This Winter

Mimi Matthews is the author of The Pug Who Bit Napoleon: Animal Tales of the 18th and 19th Centuries and A Victorian Ladys Guide to Fashion and Beauty. Her articles on nineteenth-century history have been published on various academic and history sites, including the Victorian Web and the Journal of Victorian Culture. When not writing historical non-fiction, Mimi authors exquisitely proper historical romance novels. Her latest Victorian romance The Matrimonial Advertisement can be ordered at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. To learn more, please visit www.MimiMatthews.com.Opinion / National

"Given the mood within the government workforce and the country at large, it would be wise for the government to abandon its bully tactics and take the demands of the workers seriously to avoid situations that could bring chaos into the country. Threats and other forms of intimidation, as seen coming from some sections of the Zanu-PF party, are misguided and unhelpful to the government," the Standard advised."Mnangagwa needs to take charge and make bold decisions including dealing with the currency crisis to take Zimbabweans out of this misery."This advice makes as much sense as advising the farmer to bolt the stable door when the proverbial horse has already bolted!Yes, the worsening economic meltdown is causing serious suffering and deaths amongst the millions now living in abject poverty. The economic situation is so bad there is a real danger of the country descending into social and political unrest and chaos.But here is the crux of the matter; while there were many things Mnangagwa could do and should have done to revive the country's comatose economy after taking over in the November 2017 coup. The tragic reality is he has done very little and, worse still, he has done many bad things too. He had his many golden opportunities to save Zimbabwe and he has wasted them all.Mnangagwa started well with his "Zimbabwe is open for business!" call. After decades of the usual anti-business rhetoric and laws from Mugabe, here was a Zanu-PF leader keen to create a friendly economic environment to attract local and foreign investors.But given that Mnangagwa had been Mugabe's right-hand man for donkey years, it is not surprising that the investors held back to see if Mnangagwa was the democrat he claimed to be. The acid test was whether Mnangagwa would keep his promise to end corruption and hold free, fair and credible elections.In 2016, Mugabe admitted that nation was "swindled" of $15 billion in diamond revenue.He never arrested even one swindler or recovered a penny.A year after the admission, the then Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa, told Parliament that government was receiving 1/6 of the expected tax revenue from the diamond mining, thus confirming the looting was still taking place.It is now over a year and still not even one diamond swindler has ever been arrested and not one dollar of the looted billions recovered.The wholesale looting is still taking place to this day!When it came to polls, Mnangagwa contemptuously dismissed those calling for the implementation of the democratic reforms necessary for free, fair and credible as barking dogs."Zanu-PF ichatonga! Igotonga! Imi muchingovukura! nokuvukura!" (Zanu-PF will rule! And rule! Whilst you (calling for reforms) bark! And bark!) Mnangagwa boasted on many occasions. This is music to the ears of his Zanu-PF coup plotters and hardliners.The November 2017 coup plotters called it "Operation Restore Legacy!" The coup's primary objective was to wrestle power from Mugabe, because he wanted to give it to his wife and her G40 faction, and give it back to Mnangagwa and the other coup plotters. Mnangagwa and the other coup plotters are members of the Joint Operations Command, the shadowy Junta that has ruled the country for decades.So rigging the July 30, 2018 elections was to Mnangagwa and company, phase two of the Operation Restore Legacy. However, by blatantly rigging the elections Mnangagwa confirmed that Zimbabwe was still a pariah State.He could not have done more to scare away local and foreign investors he had been wooing with his "Zimbabwe is open for business!" call.It is all very well to advise Mnangagwa "to take charge and make bold decisions including dealing with the currency crisis".Bold decisions can change the political reality that Zimbabwe is a pariah state. And as long as Zimbabwe remains a pariah state there is no hope of any meaningful economic recovery.It is for us, ordinary Zimbabweans, to make our bold move. We must demand the full restoration of our freedoms and basic human rights including the right to a meaningful say in the governance of the country. We must demand that only those with the people's democratic mandate to govern Zimbabwe will govern the country.We all know the root cause of Zimbabwe's economic meltdown and political paralysis is the de facto Zanu-PF one-party dictatorship.Opinion / Columnist

On 21 December 2001 as the sun was directly overhead of the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere during the December Solstice, President George W Bush of the United States of America sealed the Southern African teapot-shaped country, Zimbabwe's fate when he signed the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001(ZIDERA) into law.President Bush went on to issue a statement at the White House justifying the enactment of the vile law."Today I have signed into law S. 494, the "Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001." This Act symbolizes the clear bipartisan resolve in the United States to promoting human rights, good governance, and economic development in Africa. My administration shares fully the Congress' deep concerns about the political and economic hardships visited upon Zimbabwe by that country's leadership. I hope the provisions of this important legislation will support the people of Zimbabwe in their struggle to effect peaceful democratic change, achieve economic growth, and restore the rule of law".The aftermath of this signing was capital flight, closure of companies especially Western ones such as Colgate Palmolive, the collapse of the economy and the near-collapse of the education system. The cost of living soared to unprecedented levels.The faltering of the health delivery system characterised the health sector for nearly two decades. Hospitals ran out of drugs and medical equipment as companies abroad which manufacture these items avoided trading with Zimbabwe fearing American government backlash or the invocation of the American Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the hefty penalties which are associated with it.Part of OFAC regulations read, "Executive Order 13391 prohibits U.S. persons, wherever located, or anyone in the United States from engaging in any transactions with any person, entity or organization found to: 1) be undermining democratic institutions and processes in Zimbabwe; 2) have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support to these entities; 3) be or have been an immediate family member of a sanctions target; or 4) be owned, controlled or acting on behalf of a sanctions target. Persons, entities and organizations referenced in Annex A of the Executive Order are all incorporated into OFAC's list of Specially Designated Nationals. Prohibited transactions include, but are not limited to, exports (direct and indirect), imports (direct and indirect), trade brokering, financing and facilitation, as well as most financial transactions".The USA sanctions saw ZANU PF, businesspeople and companies being put on the so called "targeted list". ZB Bank and Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and fertilizer manufacturer, Zimbabwe Fertilizer Company (ZFC) were also put on the list. The Americans realised that Zimbabwe's economy was agro-based and putting these entities on the sanction list would drive the economy to its knees. Former US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Chester Crocker is on record for summarising to the US Senate the rationale of the punitive measure."To separate the Zimbabwean people from ZANU PF, we are going to have to make their economy scream, and I hope you, Senators, have the stomach for what you have to do," he said.One other business entity which was indirectly affected by these sanctions is Econet Wireless Zimbabwe which was founded by billionaire, Strive Masiyiwa. In view of this background, Masiyiwa and other progressive Zimbabweans have joined the clarion call for the removal of the sanctions. Due to the prevailing sanctions-induced economic challenges, the majority of Econet subscribers cannot afford to buy airtime to access various products on offer which in turn negatively affected the company's profit margins. Masiyiwa posted on his Facebook page that "I am with the people of Zimbabwe and my record is there for over 30 years of real activism, in which I put life and property at risk."Alpha Media Holdings Chairperson, Trevor Ncube chipped in and tweeted that "I am 100% with @StriveMasiyiwa on this." While, United Refineries Chief Executive Officer, Busisa Moyo also took to the micro blogging site, Twitter stating that "I am yet to meet a single businessman worth his salt who is pro-sanctions. We have spoken out against this and so has Steve_Hanke. Sanctions should also be a crime against humanity in the near future at the International Criminal Court (ICC) because they are equally brutal to issues they purport to address."Human Rights Watch executive director since 1993, Kenneth Roth tweeted trying to sell the empty claim that the measures are targeted."US sanctions for Zimbabwe are designed not to hurt the Zimbabwean people but to squeeze the officials who are repressing (and stealing from) the Zimbabwean people".One Madzibaba Simba responded: "You seem ignorant of US laws. Treasury's OFAC, criminalises with heavy penalty any agencies, banks, investors across the (globe) seeking to engage in business with Zimbabwe. This embargo clearly isn't targeted at Government of Zimbabwe alone. Unless you are a fool to the obvious truth".To show that the sanctions were not targeted, former Finance Minister, Tendai Biti had this to say about two mining companies, Mbada Diamonds and Marange Resources which were placed on the sanctions list."They should have firstly been allowed to put their case forward before the punitive measures were taken," said Biti.Despite his strong anti-ZANU PF position, Professor Jonathan Moyo during his membership of that party was livid that sanctions were real and argued that they were not targeted. He once tasked the University of Zimbabwe to conduct a research on the extent of the effects of sanctions on the Zimbabwean economy.In a video doing rounds on YouTube, Professor Moyo said: "What greater intimidation is there than a leader of a political party supported by some powerful countries in the world calling on a powerful neighbour to cut off electricity, cut off fuel supply and cut off transport is that not intimidation? Is that not intimidation when a leader who has a political party that wants to govern in this country to sit down with legislators in America and write a law which they call the Zimbabwe Democracy Bill". This was inference to the former MDC leader, the late Morgan Tsvangirai's call for South Africa to cut Zimbabwe off energy supplies. He showed that the sanctions were penned with the assistance of the MDC.Given the above scenario, there is need to go beyond calling for the end to the sanctions and come up with sanction-bursting measures to rescue the country and the economy.In January 2018, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said "Yes, sanctions are there but we should not continue talking about them. We must have solutions and already, we have solutions in agriculture and this should cascade to all sectors. "Land reform beneficiaries should now put their shoulders to the wheel and produce food in abundance to obviate the need to import the staple food. Farmers should now strive to develop irrigation systems and maximize water bodies dotted around the country.Another area of focus should be mining. The country has in excess of 60 minerals which can be taped to the fullest. Gold production for 2018 reached 33.2 tonnes against 24.8 tonnes delivered in 2017. The fore going figures and facts indicate that it is possible to adopt a two-pronged approach to fighting sanctions.Zimbabwe will rise again.News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

We publish the statement by Mmatigari below:





On Monday exiled Former G40 Kingpin Professor Jonathan Moyo wrote a scathing statement on Twitter seeking to expose how Telecoms Guru Strive Masiyiwa funded ZANU PF campaign during the bloody 2008 run-off elections and during the 2018 harmonised elections. Moyo also revealed that Masiyiwa has always been a supporter of ZANU PF especially the faction led by Mnangagwa.On Wednesday a shadowy Twitter character Mmatigari wrote a response to Moyowhich purpotedly is meant to dismiss the statement issued by Moyo as pure lies.I don't agree with Strive Masiyiwa on a number of issues. But It's important to examine Professor Moyo's attacks on Strive. It is common cause Moyo has despised Strive for years. Between 2001-2002, he used the state media to attack him. Moyo thought Strive has Presidential ambitions.When Strive left Zimbabwe to live in South Africa, Moyo, who quickly amassed a lot of power from 1999 (during the constitutional commission) to 2004, enlisted the likes Bantu Holomisa to attack Strive and to get him removed from SA.Moyo claims Masiyiwa funded elections in 2013 outside treasury. He cites Tendai Biti and Biti conveniently keeps quiet.It's common cause that Robert Mugabe placed Telecoms industry under Nicholas Goche from Chamisa. Goche pushed Econet to pay $137.5 million in license fees.Note that Econet was manipulated into paying of license fees because Netone and Telecel didn't pay up. A referendum was held on 16 and 17 March 2013 after which our constitution was adopted. Soon after Jealousy Mawarire sued the governemnt to hold 2013 elections.The court granted Jealousy the order effectively forcing Zimbabwe into an election by July 31 2013, three months after the referendum when the new constitution was adopted. The state was forced into the election. So money to hold the election soon after the referendum was an issue.MDC was not ready for the 2013 elections. They were also enjoying being in government. It was Biti who was even more anti-2013 elections. His reason was that there was no money. The election was set to cost $132 million. So to raise the $132 million, Econet we squeezed.Note that in first half of 2013, Biti was already saying the economy would shrink by 3%. In that year, government spent nearly $400million on elections + referendum. This drained the economy of forex.Douglas Mboweni announced at an analyst briefing at the end of May 2013 that Econet Zimbabwe had settled $85 million in license fees. This money was paid to treasury contrary to Moyo's fake claim that it was paid to Patrick Chinamasa & Emmerson Mnangagwa. Biti knows Moyo's story is fake.Unlike Professor Moyo's fake claim, it was Biti who was fundraising for 2013 elections and referendum. Some of the funds were raised through a corporate Bond sold to Old Mutual and Mbada Diamonds. Biti at the time complained about sanctions on Mbada by the European Union.Old Mutual had shares in Mbada through Grandwell Holdings. The money paid by Econet as license fees and raised by Biti from a corporate bond was paid to the Ministry of Finance's CBZ Bank Account #: 06621537300017Also contrary to Biti's claims that government didn't have any debt when he was finance minister, corporate bonds sold to Old Mutual, Mbada and other institutional investors to raise money for 2013 elections and referendum are government debt.Attempts by Professor Moyo to make a link between Mnangagwa and Strive Masiyiwa on account of the fact that both men lived in Zambia at some point reflects Moyo's tribal pre-occupations in recent days.Professor Moyo's claim that Strive Masiyiwa gave Zanu $45 million for a referendum is fake. Pure Lies. There was a drought in 2006. To fund grain imports, Zimbabwean government sold diaspora bonds. Econet bought $10 million of these in forex to avert food shortage.In his diatribe and falsehoods against Strive, Professor Moyo does not deny that he organized the bombing of the Daily News . Maybe Mlevu now loves sanctions because it's convenient, but we know he doesn't quite love them.News / National

by Staff reporter

Former national healing minister Moses Mzila-Ndlovu has said only widespread protests against the President Emmerson Mnangagwa government was the only way to save the country from total collapse.The call by Mzila-Ndlovu comes at a time separate mass protests have been organised by the MDC and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) as public disenchantment against the Mnangagwa-led administration continues to grow."The general public should forget about things ever getting better in Zimbabwe, since Mthuli Ncube has openly declared that they should brace for harder times," Mzila Ndlovu told Southern News."Things can never get harder than this  they have been thrown into poverty and things will continue to go deep as long as Zanu-PF is in charge of this economy," he said.News / National

by Staff reporter

Political analysts have warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa that his government is running out of time to fix the country's worsening economic rot - which has triggered strikes and growing unrest among hurting civil servants.The warning comes as teachers have officially issued a 14-day notice to strike, following the little progress recorded in their do-or-die talks with the government on Monday.At the same time, the fuel and transport crisis in the country has reached desperate levels, with hundreds of stranded commuters now dangerously resorting to hitching lifts from lorries and pick-up trucks.And medical doctors - who have been striking for over five weeks - now also say they will stay away from work until the government clarifies its proposed fuel scheme and also avails transport money to them.Curiously, amidst this mayhem, the ruling Zanu-PF says "everyone must carry the blame" for Zimbabwe's myriad crises - adding that it was neither Mnangagwa nor his government's fault alone that things were this bad in the country.But political analysts told the Daily News yesterday that Mnangagwa was "running out of time" to fix the country's tanking economy and to lance the boil of restless citizens."The truth is that the government is living a lie on issues such as the value of the bond note versus the US dollar, as well as policies that are not being responded to favourably by business and society at large."The ongoing strikes are also symptoms of a dysfunctional government system and the earlier that Mnangagwa focuses on addressing the fundamental economic and political issues before tackling the symptoms, the better."So far the government appears lost at sea, outside of making empty promises and threats, and this crisis will only deepen," political analyst Rashweat Mukundu said.University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Eldred Masunungure, said Zimbabwe had been in a "long run crisis for nearly 20 years". To that extent, Mnangagwa needed the whole of his five-year term to solve the current problems."Politics is sadly about promises. He will make more and more promises to extend the time for him to fulfil the promises. However, he risks damaging his credibility."This is a long run crisis whose solution will take years. At least he (Mnangagwa) needs the whole of his term to solve this crisis. It is a big crisis."There is no easy way out of this. He needs to recreate the conditions seen from 2009 to 2013. He needs the help of the opposition, civil society and the international community," Masunungure said.Writing on Twitter, industrialist and former Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president, Busisa Moyo, also warned that the economic situation in the country was approaching dangerous levels - further calling for urgent national dialogue to mitigate the crisis."National dialogue is now critical. A social contract should be accelerated by concluding the TNF (Tripartite Negotiating Forum) Bill."We are entering very tumultuous waters unnecessarily. Resolution of currency distortions that worsened in September but started in 2016 ... it's time to tackle collectively," Moyo said.Meanwhile, Zanu-PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has also said that the current problems bedevilling the country needed a collective effort to solve them - rather than people "playing the blame game"."This is not about a Zanu-PF or government issue alone. It is about all Zimbabweans having to put our heads together to get the country going."The workers who are striking are not demanding to be paid by Zanu-PF, but by government, and the employer is engaging them now. So, it will be unfair to say government has failed now," Khaya Moyo told the Daily News.On Monday, the government held crunch talks with agitated civil service union leaders, in a bid to avert a national strike by restless teachers.However, the meeting was inconclusive, as the government referred the unions to the little-useful National Joint Negotiation Council (NJNC) - with the dates of convening such a gathering yet to be announced.As a result, miffed leaders of the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta), Progressive Teachers' Union (PTUZ) and other unions immediately issued a two-week ultimatum to authorities, notifying them of their intention to embark on a full scale strike."We presented our demands to the government, which include the payment of our salaries in United States dollars, adjustment of our salaries to reflect the new economic realities and we have also not minced our words on the mutilated bonus that we demand should be paid in full."Instead of addressing our concerns, the government offered nothing except a new meeting in the near future in order to discuss the adjustment," PTUZ secretary-general Raymond Majongwe, said."The government's tired story that it cannot pay in USD and that it is implementing austerity for posterity does nothing to assuage our most urgent concerns of incapacitation."We have subsidised the government for too long, and this is the time to say thus far and no more'," Majongwe added.On his part, Zimta secretary-general, Tapson Sibanda, said while nothing tangible had come out of Monday's meeting, they were still looking forward to the NJNC meeting that was promised by the government."Our position is that we remain incapacitated as nothing tangible came out of the meeting with government ... the majority of teachers might fail to report for work."The government hinted on a possible NJNC meeting soon, where legal issues of this matter are concluded ... and while we remain positive, we categorically told the government that most of our members will not report for duty because they don't have the means, despite their desire to go to work."Meanwhile a notice of 14 days has been given to government culminating in a full blown strike if our conditions are not met," Sibanda warned.Militant Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) president, Obert Masaraure, said they had submitted their 14-day strike notice on December 31, and were gearing for a full blown strike next week.Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) has defied the directive by the government for them to return to work within 48 hours, citing "severe incapacitation"."Following the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the government and health workers, the ZHDA was given the mandate to engage its members to return to work within 48 hours, ending January 7, but doctors have no transport money and the fuel scheme remains obscure."The ZHDA members have therefore remained incapacitated and will not be able to resume normal duty till these matters have been addressed by their employer."It is important to note that the few available ZHDA members who showed up for duty in various hospitals had done so as a sign of good faith and remain in solidarity with those at home,"ZHDA secretary-general Mthabisi Bhebhe said.Zimbabwe is currently in the throes of a mega economic crisis which has resulted in much suffering and anger among citizens who accuse the government of introducing a raft of measures which have further burdened them instead of alleviating their pain.As a result, Mnangagwa who first swept to power via a military coup in November 2017, amid much hope among the generality of the country's citizens - who had endured nearly four decades of hell under former president Robert Mugabe's ruinous rule - has come under increasing pressure to stem the current economic rot.Politics Kills Kids Again,

safety report from Parkland FL

By Rob Morse. January 4th, 2019

Original Source

Florida formed a study committee after 17 students and teachers were killed and an additional 17 were injured at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in early 2018. I read some of the MSDHS safety commission report. It covered the obvious points. Unfortunately, I don't see much good coming out of it. This was more than a school failure; it was a political failure. More of our children will be at risk and some will die because of problems in the Florida legislature. Sure, implement the suggestions in the report, but please don't stop there.

The report told us to do the obvious. A school could have received nearly the same recommendations from almost any firearms instructor or security consultant.

Have a safety plan. Study what worked for others and adapt it to your situation.

Teach people what to do in case of an emergency.

Report suspicious activity and act on those reports.

Lock your doors.

Select a safe place in which to shelter in case of an attack.

Contact second responders like the police and EMTs.

Have trained individuals on site to stop the threat and treat the injured until secondary responders arrive.

Conduct frequent safety drills so everyone knows what to do. Grade people on their performance.

Schools and churches should conduct multi-agency safety exercises so police, fire, and EMTs know how to respond to each particular site.

Update your safety program based on the lessons learned from each exercise.

Do those recommendations surprise anyone? This list sounds simplistic and that is a fair criticism. Unfortunately, school and police officials failed to do every one of these simple things. That is why the school district hired a public relations specialists to spin the news before the recent election.

One parent summarized the situation this way.

We already had laws to stop this murder.

What we didn't have was individual accountability.

This is what the report should have said-

 Many police and school staff failed in their assigned jobs. Widespread failure is a sign of poor leadership. These staff were retained in their positions for political reasons. That indicates corrupt management.

 Rather than seeking to immediately improve school safety after the attack, the police and school organizations acted to cover up their failings. Provide alternative educational opportunities so parents can escape these failed institutions.

 If possible, have state executives remove these failed officials from office. Prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.

 To prevent similar failures, revise state limited immunity statutes so individuals working in state and local government may be held criminally and civilly liable for their actions.

 Existing safety programs like the Florida school guardian program were crafted to provide political cover rather than to protect students. The existing guardian program deliberately excludes classroom teachers from being first responders because of union opposition.

 The school guardian program un-necessarily burdens schools and school boards as they work to improve school safety. Change legislations so school boards and local sheriffs may develop their own safety programs separate from the guardian program. Adopt safety programs modeled after the successful programs used in other states.

At least the report said trained volunteer teachers should be armed.

Back to Top

News / National

by Staff reporter

All along, the whole country had thought that the problems bedevilling the health services sector would remain confined to that sector alone.Everyone had hoped - against hope though - that the impasse would not take long to get resolved since it involved a key sector.No-one can ever gamble with health since it is an eventuality that visits everybody at some point in life, including the health workers and the seemingly insensitive leaders themselves.But because of intransigence and perhaps possible conceit, government took its sweet time to sort out issues with striking junior doctors who were soon joined by their senior colleagues and selected service providers like radiographers and physiotherapists.Now, teachers and nurses have joined the doctors with government alleging a political hand in the labour dispute.Coming out with a solution to a problem that has since worsened may not be as easy as it would have been a month ago when it was the doctors alone.The men that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had entrusted with superintending over the affairs of the Labour, Primary and Secondary Education and Health ministries have been thrust into hot seats.However, a solution has to be found sooner rather than later because people are dying in hospitals because they do not get to be seen by doctors, while pressure has mounted on private hospitals to attend to those who are turned away at public health institutions.On the other hand, the fact that teachers and nurses have joined in has obviously increased pressure on government.There is no room for lying any more. Lives are being lost on a daily basis as lies, misrepresentations, undressed insincerity have been part and parcel of negotiations and announcements to end the doctors' industrial action.Government has announced on several occasions - through State media - that the doctors had called off the strike with the public only realising later that they were being taken for a ride.Only at the weekend, doctors were said to have called off the strike but officials representing them were singing a different tune altogether.There must be something seriously wrong somewhere as no employer would give a statement that is in conflict with his employee if a labour dispute is to get a long-term solution.Insincerity breeds mistrust and the doctors - as well as other civil servants - will, without doubt, lose confidence in the employer going forward.Lies can never be the basis of agreement.News / National

by Staff reporter

The double whammy of biting fuel shortages and steep transport fares is leaving thousands of commuters stranded - forcing many of them to hitch precarious rides on lorries and pick-up trucks, in the latest desperate scenes to afflict long-suffering Zimbabweans.This comes as most commuter omnibus and long distance buses are spending endless and often fruitless hours queuing for diesel at the country's dry filling stations.Zimbabwe has, for a long time now, been struggling to pay its foreign suppliers of fuel and other commodities - due to its dire finances which economists say has been worsened by corruption and mismanagement.The president of the Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (Paz), Tafadzwa Goliati, told the Daily News yesterday that the ongoing transport blues in the country were a manifestation of "a national crisis"."Passengers are suffering because commuter operators use their own discretion to hike fares, and the government has been quiet."Passengers are now boarding transport that is not recommended, trying to save as much money as possible."Passengers are even boarding the top deck of buses, paying $1, while others are faced with the crisis of using $6 for a single trip to and from work," Goliati said.This comes as both commuter omnibus and long distance bus operators have sharply increased their fares, citing the fuel shortages and the rising prices of spare parts which they now pay for in US dollars.In the meantime, the demand for fuel has also increased following the return from the festive season by most people, as well the opening of schools.As a result, most commuters are now paying as high as $8 for trips that normally cost $1, while long distance bus operators are charging anything up to $60 on routes that once attracted a high fare of $25 before the fuel crisis kicked in.In the capital city, the representative of the Greater Harare Association of Commuter Operators (Ghaco), Ngoni Katsvairo, said until the fuel shortages were resolved, the current transport crisis would continue."All this is because the fuel situation has remained the same. We wait for hours in fuel queues and use a full tank just for about one to two days, and then we return again to the fuel queue."In terms of price hikes ... perhaps this is because of cartels, especially those who operate mushika-shika, but at the ranks fares should still be the same," Katsvairo said.According to the government, Zimbabwe now requires on average US$100 million per month to cater for its fuel imports.However, the acute shortages of foreign currency in the country have seen the worsening of long and winding fuel queues which Zimbabweans had hoped would now be a thing of the past.The country is currently in the grip of a huge economic crisis which has also resulted in shortages of basic consumer goods and medicines.Apart from shortages, the government is also struggling to end the doctors' strike and to avoid further industrial actions by the rest of the civil service, which is pressing for salaries to be paid in US dollars.News / National

by Staff reporter

Fuel prices have slightly gone down despite persistent shortages being experienced throughout the country.Diesel was previously $1,34 per litre and is now at $1,25 while petrol which was $1,38 now costs $1,32 per litre. The free on board (FOB) charge for diesel is 0,5434 per litre while petrol is 0,4726.In a statement the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera) said the prices which were implemented recently were in line with the Statutory Instruments enacted in 2015.Zera, however, notified members of the public that different fuel stations were at liberty to sell the commodity at prices lower than what the authority has established."Zera advises that in terms of Statutory Instrument 20 and 100 of 2015, the applicable FOB prices for the week starting January 7, 2019 are summarised in the table below."Please note that these figures take into account the revised excise duty and represent maximum FOB and pump prices for the different fuels. Operators may however, sell at prices below the cap depending on their trading advantages," the statement said.News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

ZANU PF Secretary for Youth Affairs Lewis Matutu has condemned Empower Bank saying the way that it is being run is not good for youths."Empower Bank is an empowerment tool for young people but the people running the bank are of a different opinion, stringent conditions on borrowing and centralization of the bank is not good for the youths." Matutu said.However social commentator Fortune Mlalazi said if the bank was following the correct system for lending then it must be allowed to do its work."I have heard what Matutu is saying, but in reality let us not forget that this is not the first time we are having a facility that gives young people loans." Said Mlalazi. " We once had the Cabs facility under the Ukondla/Kurera initiative of Old Mutul. Young people borrowed loans but never paid for them. Some drank all the money, some paid lobola etc. So it is important that to avoid the mistakes of the 1st Republic the bank must safeguard itself through collateral."Empower Bank was an initiative of exiled Minister Patrick Zhuwawo in 2017."The Empower Bank is intervening with tailor-made financial services that engage and provide for the most remote of persons and business within our economy." Zhuwawo told the media at the launch of the Bank."Its clients will be the unbanked and underbanked innovative, enterprising and resilient youth and indigenous Zimbabwean entrepreneurs.The bank shall ensure the financial inclusion of youth and indigenous Zimbabweans."Initially the government is the shareholder, having contributed $2,5 million. But the government should have not more than 10% shares."News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

Deputy minister of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Energy Mutodi has called upon exiled former minister Professor Jonathan Moyo to add his voice in the fight against sanctions.Mutodi was commenting on the current raging debate where Zimbabweans are accusing Telecom guru Strive Masiyiwa of calling for the removal of sanctions."There is nothing wrong with Strive Masiyiwa supporting President Mnangagwa in the fight against sanctions." Mutodi explained. "Zimbabweans must know when to fight and when to unite. We need everyone's voice in the fight against sanctions including the opposition Professor Jonathan Moyo."Masiyiwa's call for the removal of sanctions torched the hornets' nest causing a fight between him on one side and Human Rights activist like Dewa Mavhinga and Pedzisai Ruhanya on the other.This is not the first time that Mutodi and Moyo's relationship seem to be warming up on social media.Recently Mutodi complained that his Boss Monica Mutsvangwa and Permanent Secretary Nick Mangwana had planted a story in the media that Mutodi is charging government $500 a day for the us of his car.Prof. Moyo responded , "Their unstated but real beef that leaves them green with envy is that your own car is better than your minister's car."During the height of the G40-Lacoste succession fight Mutodi is known as having said the G40 had taken control of Zanu PF and anyone who dares to criticize it faces the boot no matter how constructive the criticism can be."These developments have now exposed ZANU PF as a suppressive regime and a dictatorship that is there only to serve a few and does not accept new ideas and neither does it tolerate dissent," he said then."It will therefore go into the books of history that Zimbabweans were not liberated in 1980 but rather were transferred from a white minority oppressive regime led by Smith to a dictatorship, authoritarian and corrupt black leadership that has not only destroyed the economy but has also dampened the people's hopes for freedom of expression, economic revival, infrastructure development and poverty eradication."Below is TN's full response:

My conversation with Tichatonga Mwanawevhu concerning the Econet IPO has attracted a reponse from some unnamed writer who quotes extensively from Ms Miriam Mutizwa, a human Rights Activist. The article that was published on bankingonafrica.com challenged me to respond. I don't like these challenges. They tend to degenerate into an unnecessary showdown as each party tries to defend their position. They are not normally genuine pursuits of the truth. They are traps intended to feed an undisclosed agenda. In the present case, the agenda is diclossed. The writer of the article and Ms Miriam Mutizwa are on a campaign to defame Mr Strive Masiyiwa and his family. But for record purposes, I must answer. I know that it doesn't matter to Ms Miriam Mutizwa what I say. She and the writer will probably continue to defend their position no matter how ridiculous and uninformed it might turn out to be. By responding, I have taken the risk of being regarded sechidhakwa chasangana nezvimwe zvidhakwa pandari or Ngome!! By responding to Tichatonga Mwanawevhi, ndakateya mbeva murutsva. Handichatya kusviba magaro!!!!!I have not found it necessary to go into records regarding an investigation instigated by Mr Mawere against FML in respect of its participation in the Econet Initial Public Offering. The investigation was never an investigation on Econet. My encounter with the investigating team that was led by Mr Mutumwa Mawere was when they came to NMB Bank demanding disclosure of client confidential information. I had to make a decision on their demand because such matters fell under my portfolio. I refused to give them access to client confidential information and advised them to first get a Court Order in accordance with the law. I am not aware of any Application by Mr Masiyiwa to stop such an investigation. There would have been no reason for him to. The Econet IPO was oversubscribed, meaning that the demand for the shares was more than the shares that were available. Investors had to be given back their money. If, for some reason, FML had to withdraw from its contractual obligations to subscribe for the shares, there was no shortage of takers to replace FML. In any event, the share and debenture offer was fully underwritten by NMB Bank. This guaranteed Strive and Econet of their money. Besides, the placement and offer of the shares and debentures with FML and other investors was handled by NMB Bank, Standard Equities and a team of very capable brokers. If there were any allegations of corruption, which is denied, these would have been raised against the institutions that handled the IPO and the placement, and not against Strive or Econet. Transactions of this nature are handled by professional advisors who hold the client's hands throughout the process. In these circumstances, I have to dismiss the allegation that Strive made an application to stop corruption investigations on FML. The allegation is not only false, but irrational. It is being made for no other reason than to tarnish the name of Strive Masiyiwa.

The article makes the allegation that it was an investment of Z$180 million by FML that gave Strive control of Econet. This is nonsense. At all material times, Econet was under the control of Strive. No one else ever controlled it. I am not in a position to verify the exact amount that FML invested in Econet at the IPO. One would need to dig into the 20 year old records to come up with the amount. But, whatever amount FML invested, it invested for itself, not for Strive. At the time of the IPO, Econet was already owned 100% by TS Masiyiwa Holdings P/L. Only 40% of Econet was offered for subscription to FML and the investing public. Whatever amount FML invested, it is false to state that the investment helped Masiyiwa gain control of Econet as if Econet was under the control of someone else other than Strive Masiyiwa! He already controlled Econet. FML and the other investors merely diluted Masiyiwa, but only from 100% to 60%. I need to emphasise that the offer was oversubscribed. Although FML was an important investor, the IPO would still have succeeded without FML.The words attributed to Ms Miriam Mutizwa in an attempt to explain the Econet IPO share issue statistics make a distortion of the financial facts. Telecel International had been a shareholder in Econet long before the IPO. When Telecel International withdrew from Econet, TS Masiyiwa Holdings P/L became the 100% shareholder of Econet. The debt to Ericson for the purchase of the mobile switch and other equipment was taken over by TS Masiyiwa Holdings P/L from Econet. In other words, the equipment that was owned by Econet was paid for by TS Masiyiwa Holdings P/L on behalf of its 100% subsidiary, Econet. Well before the IPO, Econet secured another Technical Partner, MTN. But TS Masiyiwa Holdings P/L acquired the 40% of Econet that was held by MTN well before the IPO in a restructuring exercise in preparation for the IPO. The partnerships with Telecel International and MTN were in history and did not need to be disclosed in the Prospectus. Neither Telecel International nor MTN had any claim over Econet shares at the time of the IPO. These had long been settled by TSM.When TSM took over the debt Econet had to Ericson in respect of the purchase of the telecommunications equipment, Econet credited TSM's shareholder loan account with the value of the equipment, namely Z$64,720,000.00. In order to strengthen the balance sheet of Econet, this shareholder loan was converted to shares. For the details, please refer to the disclosure at paragraph 6 of the Statutory and General Information of the Econet Prospectus. Kindly note that the significance of this conversion was to strengthen the Econet Balance Sheet. This had nothing to do with giving Masiyiwa control of Econet. He already had control. Of course the strengthening of the balance sheet meant the Company would be more valuable as its debt to TSM of Z$64,720,000 was extinguished. Indeed, 32.84% of the debt was actually written off by TSM.The Prospectus states that, " Econet, a wholly owned subsidiary of TSM" This speaks as at the date of the Prospectus. Therefore, this does not prove that Econet had never been partly owned by TSM's former partners, Telecel International and then MTN. By definition, Human Rights Activists have the important role of engaging in social or political campaigns against the violation of Human rights. They are not equipped to explain the complexities of commercial transactions. If you approach the above words derived from the Econet Prospectus with the generosity of words that Human Rights Activists are gifted in, you will be accused of lying. The prospectus does not say what the writer of the article claims it says. Paragraph 6 of the Statutory and General Information of the Econet Prospectus states that 100% of Econet was owned by TSM "immediately prior to 14 August 1998". This does not mean that TSM was always the sole shareholder. It was the sole shareholder at that point in time, namely, "immediately prior to 14 August 1998". There were other shareholders before that point in time and after!!!!Ms Miriam Mutizwa states that an amount of US$1million paid by Telecel International as a deposit towards the purchase of equipment by Econet from Ericson mysteriously ended up being an asset of TSM without the consent of Telecel International. This is a mischievous distortion of facts that is calculated to create the false impression that TSM committed fraud. When Telecel International withdrew from Econet, all its interests were paid out. Telecel International did not thereafter have any claim or interest in Econet. The Equipment did not cost US$1 million. It cost much more. The US$ 1 million was just a deposit. The debt for the equipment was assumed or taken over by TSM, which settled the debt. Econet then did not owe Ericson because TSM had settled the debt. Instead, Econet owed TSM. TSM decided to convert the debt to equity at a discount well after Telecel International and MTN ceased to be partners in the business. Ms Miriam Mutizwa is trying to distort the facts to create inconsistencies that do not exist. Therefore the allegation that the Masiyiwa family was fraudulently, unjustly and corruptly enriched is false and malicious. I think the writers of this article and its publishers owe the Masiyiwa family an apology over such unfair characterisation.The rest of the article is mere gobbledygook!!! It comprises vexatious references to technical aspects of the prospectus and exchange control regulations which have no bearing on the issues under discussion. I will not dignify that with any further comment.I must conclude by stating that I am fully aware of the provisions of Mathew 7 v 6. What I have thrown on the ground here are pearls. Very few appreciate them. Otherwise, I am ready to be torn to pieces!!!!!News / National

by Staff reporter

The Deputy Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development, Advocate Fortune Chasi has warned the public to register change of car ownership within the prescribed period of 14 days, saying the police are facing difficulties tracing real owners when investigating road crimes.While admitting that there are a few challenges at the Central Vehicle Registry (CRV) concerning the issuance of new motor vehicle number plates, Advocate Chasi however raised concern over the increasing number of motorists who are yet to change ownership details of their vehicles.He also said his ministry is currently consulting members of the public regarding registration fees among other issues.Registration of change of ownership will help in mitigating and investigating road crimes and prevention of road carnage.News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

Exiled former G40 Kingpin Professor Jonathan Moyo risks having his University of Zimbabwe acquired degrees withdrawn if ousted UZ Vice Chancellor Levi Nyagura is found guilty of awarding former First Lady Grace Mugabe a fake degree.This was revealed by senior journalist and Herald columnist Reason Wafawarova."Professor Jonathan Moyo was assigned to personally organise a PhD for Grace Mugabe, and he is the one who approached Nyagura with the idea." Wafawarova claimed."Grace's fake degree will be revoked together with Nyangura and Moyo's UZ awarded degrees."Moyo responded to Wafawarova saying the degree which Grace acquired was during the time when Dr. Olivia Muchena was in charge of the Ministry of higher and Tertiary education."Thankfully the fatal problem with your fiction is that Mrs Mugabe got that PhD in 2014 when Dr Olivia Muchena was minister of higher and tertiary education and I was minister of information."President Emmerson Mnangagwa suspended Nyagura for awarding former First Lady Grace Mugabe a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) under controversial circumstances.Wafawarova attacked Moyo calling him an ignorant person."Jonathan Moyo is the most insincere and unethical human being of our time. He is a stand for nothing crook masquerading as a renowned intellectual. But real intellectuals know him for who is. He has a constituency of the ignorant."When Wafawarova was asked what will happened to other degrees that Moyo acquired from other universities he said, "It would be up to those universities to take a decision on the cheating Professor."News / National

by Staff reporter

MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has called on the electoral authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to release results of the just-ended presidential election in that country.Kinshasa has delayed the announcement of preliminary results from the crucial presidential election, amid growing pressure from world powers and the influential Catholic Church to respect voters' wishes.The December 30 vote saw 21 candidates run to replace President Joseph Kabila, who has ruled the vast, conflict-ridden country for almost 18 years.Among the frontrunners were Kabila's handpicked successor Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary and two opposition candidates: veteran heavyweight Felix Tshisekedi and newcomer Martin Fayulu.Chamisa who disputes President Emmerson Mnangagwa's victory in last year's July 30 elections alleging it was rigged, took to social media yesterday to express his frustration with the Congolese electoral commission saying it should avoid replicating the Zimbabwean scenario."The DRC electoral body must release accurate' results timely and not undermine the voice of the Congolese people," Chamisa said."Kudos to the DRC Catholic Church bishops for standing with the truth. What Zec did in Zimbabwe must never be a script worthy emulating. Africa change, excel and shine!"Chamisa accuses the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) of manipulating figures in last year's polls in favour of Mnangagwa who was announced as winner with 50, percent of the vote to his 44,3 percent.With Zec appearing to be hell bent on delaying announcement of the July 30 polls, some opposition supporters took to the streets of Harare on August 1, 2018 to protest with government responding by sending in the military which shot and killed six civillians.Chamisa's attempts to overturn the results afterwards were quashed by the Constitutional Court after it ruled that Mnangagwa had been duly elected president.According to, Corneille Nangaa, the head of DRC's Electoral Commission (CENI), preliminary results which were set for release on Sunday will now come out this week."It is not possible to publish the results on Sunday. We are making progress, but we do not have everything yet," Nangaa said at the weekend without announcing a new date. The National Episcopal Conference of Congo (CENCO) which represents the country's Catholic bishops, warned popular anger could result in the event the final result were not "true to the verdict of the ballot box."The powerful Catholic Church, which provided more than 40 000 election observers, has claimed that it knew who had won the vote, but did not name him.In a letter to Nangaa on Saturday, CENCO president Mgr Marcel Utembi said that, given the delay, "if there is a popular uprising it would be the responsibility of the CENI."News / National

by Staff reporter

Neither the ruling party nor President Emmerson Mnangagwa are to blame for the country's economic woes that are giving rise to labour unrests, Zanu-PF's information tsar said yesterday."This is not about a Zanu-PF or government issue alone. It is about all Zimbabweans having to put our heads together to get the country going. The workers who are striking are not demanding to be paid by Zanu-PF but by government and the employer is engaging them now so it will be unfair to say government has failed now. We cannot pre-empt what the outcome will be," Simon Khaya Moyo, the ruling party's spokesperson, told the Daily News yesterday.Zanu-PF has been angered by the opposition MDC's declaration that Mnangagwa and his Zanu-PF party have failed to put back on track the country's economic fortunes hence they must step aside to give the country a fresh impetus.Khaya Moyo said such suggestions were not only misguided but also totally misconceived as the problem lies with all Zimbabweans."Our resolutions are the panacea to the problems we are facing as a country," he said in reference to the party resolutions made at its annual conference in Esigodinilast month."That is what we are focused on right now. It is a democratic right to engage in industrial action and those who must be engaged are being engaged as I speak so there is no failure to talk about now," he added.At its 17th annual national people's conference in Esigodini, Zanu-PF came up with a number of resolutions among them that Mnangagwa is the sole party's candidate for the 2023 elections and that the revolutionary party has zero tolerance to corruption.The party also noted that its supremacy over government should be effectively practised whereby it directs government policies and programmes at central and provincial levels in the context of devolution.The conference was held at a time when pressure was mounting on Mnangagwa's government to deal with a worsening economic climate.Currently, junior doctors have been on a month-long strike, which has since been joined by other civil servants including nurses and teachers who are demanding to be paid salaries in United States dollars.To rub salt into the wounds, the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC claims that the country is being held back by the "habitual dereliction of duty by those who stole an election".Addressing the media at the MDC's headquarters in Harare yesterday, party spokesperson Jacob Mafume said since Mnangagwa came to power after the disputed elections on July 30 last year, the country "is back to square one"."The MDC suggests that Mnangagwa admits failure and kick-start a process of national dialogue towards a lasting solution to the problems arresting our country," Mafume said.Mnangagwa is, however, on record saying he and his Zanu-PF party have no appetite to enter into a coalition government with "losers".Chamisa lost the presidential election to Mnangagwa after winning 44,3 percent of the vote against the former vice president's 50,6 percent.He has nevertheless refused to accept Mnangagwa as the legitimate leader of the country despite a Constitutional Court ruling against the 40-year-old's application.Mafume suggested that Mnangagwa should use part of the foreign currency receipts generated by the country to pay doctors and other civil servants.The labour-backed movement also proposed that the Mnangagwa's administration should "demonetise bond notes, secure existing RTGS balances in individuals' bank accounts and join the Rand Monitory Union"."A lasting solution can also be found through abolishing the quasi-fiscal activities by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and growing the economy through attracting foreign direct investment and creating a stable and predictable policy environment," Mafume said.Politics Kills Kids Again,

safety report from Parkland FL

By Rob Morse. January 4th, 2019

Original Source

Florida formed a study committee after 17 students and teachers were killed and an additional 17 were injured at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in early 2018. I read some of the MSDHS safety commission report. It covered the obvious points. Unfortunately, I don't see much good coming out of it. This was more than a school failure; it was a political failure. More of our children will be at risk and some will die because of problems in the Florida legislature. Sure, implement the suggestions in the report, but please don't stop there.

The report told us to do the obvious. A school could have received nearly the same recommendations from almost any firearms instructor or security consultant. (List follows.) .......

The overall message is plain - apart from a main selection of logical measures, the way to ensure the best possibility of protection for school kids is - armed personnel. There is no reason why even teachers could not be armed, if as law abiding gun owners they have some training and are prepared to take on the responsibility. It is not just schools either, we can include college campuses, churches and places of business. "When seconds count" is the overwhelming mantra.

Back to Top

News / National

by Staff reporter

A showdown is looming between the Nelson Chamisa-led MDC and the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) after the youth wing of the country's biggest opposition political party resolved to conduct massive protests against government without first notifying the police.The notorious Public Order and Security Act (Posa) makes it a requirement for the ZRP to be notified by parties that wish to stage protests or public gatherings.It also gives police unfettered powers to suspend public gatherings.But in a landmark ruling in October last year, the Constitutional Court (Con-Court) ruled in October last year that the provision empowering the local police to indefinitely ban public demonstrations in their jurisdictions was unconstitutional.As a result, the MDC is planning to embark on demonstrations to push President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration to deal with the bad economic situation, which is threatening to grind the country to a halt, while bypassing the police.Secretary-general of the MDC Youth Assembly Lovemore Chinoputsa told the Daily News yesterday that they will start rolling out the demonstrations next week."This year, we are not seeking police clearance because it's our time to liberate ourselves. We cannot leave out liberation to a group of people that are captured and that also need to be liberated from the jaws of Zanu-PF. In our end of year youth national council, we resolved to embark on a series of demonstrations to force Zanu-PF out because they have failed to run the affairs of the State," Chinoputsa said.Efforts to get a comment from the police could not yield results yesterday after ZRP spokesperson Charity Charamba said she was in a meeting.The MDC has insisted that it is their democratic right in terms of the Constitution to stage demonstrations.The party's leader, Chamisa has refused to recognise Mnangagwa as the legitimate president of the Republic despite a Con-Court ruling last year to the contrary.The Con-Court ruling came after Chamisa had challenged the results of the elections.Mnangagwa rose to power in 2017 following a de facto military coup that toppled long time ruler Robert Mugabe and subsequently won the July 30 elections after he garnered 50, 6 percent of the vote against Chamisa's 44, 3 percent.Since his inauguration, things have been going west, with cash and foreign currency shortages worsening, while fuel shortages and price increases have become the order of the day."We have an absent leadership in this country and the same spirit that drove thousands into the liberation struggle is the same spirit that's driving us. We shall be our own liberators," Chinoputsa said.He added, "Mnangagwa has had ample time to revamp the economy of this country but he has shown that he has no capacity. Worse is the fact that he surrounds himself with people that know nothing about statecraft, but the gun only. So it will be an indictment on our part as young people if we sit back and allow these old men to destroy our future. So by mid-January we will be calling for our first demonstrations which will culminate in actions all over the country".With each day passing, government seems to be running out of solutions to deal with the economic challenges, at a time the general populace is getting frustrated by the situation.Amid these trials and tribulations, the doctors have downed their tools for over a month, while teachers have also resolved to follow suit.Teachers' unions and nurses issued a joint statement last week after a meeting in which they resolved to down their tools, until government concedes to their demand to pay them in United States dollars (USDs).The meeting was attended by the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta); the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe; the Teachers Union of Zimbabwe; the Amalgamated Rural Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe; the Zimbabwe Rural Teachers Union and the Zimbabwe Democratic Teachers Union.Zimta said it is worried by the government's failure to address any of these grievances and concerns despite previous engagements and discussion."Now therefore, given the foregoing, it is thus declared as follows: a) Our members are unable to report for duty with effect from the 8th of January 2019 due to incapacitation, b) to enable the teachers to report for work and to subsist, we demand payment of salaries in USDs," the association said in a statement issued recently.News / National

by Staff reporter

The Insurance and Pensions Commission (Ipec), is closely monitoring three under-capitalised life assurance firms - Evolution Life, Heritage and Fidelity Life - after the assurers closed the third quarter of 2018 below the regulatory $5 million capitalisation threshold.In its third quarter 2018 report, Ipec said the players were required to furnish the watchdog with sound recapitalisation plans and seek the approval of the commission as required by law.Evolution Life trailed below the regulatory threshold with a $3,2 million capitalisation as Fidelity Life's capital levels were recorded at $3,9 million while struggling Heritage Life had a paltry $713 000 capitalisation."A total of three out of 11 operating life assurance companies reported capital levels, which were below the minimum required capital of $5 million The commission will be closely monitoring their progress," Ipec said, adding the commission is making appropriate regulatory interventions on the under-capitalised life assurance players in a bid to foster compliance.Statutory Instrument 95 of 2017 requires life assurance players to meet a minimum capital requirement of $5 million after adjusting assets and liabilities as per the dictates of the same statutory instrument.According to Ipec, compliance with the minimum capital requirement is critical for life assurance players as it enhances the safety of policyholders.At the end of the third quarter of 2018, the highest capitalised assurer was Old Mutual Life Assurance with a $320,8 million capital base, followed by First Mutual at$74,6 million as CBZ Life came in at $19,8 million.Zimnat Life closed the quarter with capital levels of $27,5 million.Econet Life stood at $15,6 million, with Nyaradzo at $17,2 million as ZB Life came in at $16,5 million, while Getsure Life narrowly met the threshold at $5,3 million.The report attributes the decrease in Fidelity life assurance's capital position to a decrease in assets of $4,46 million as compared to a decrease in liabilities of $1,79 million, mainly driven by a decrease in other investments of 39 percent.Ipec also noted that a significant growth in the capitalisation of Old Mutual life Assurance was mainly driven by an increase in assets by $152,37 million which was more than the increase in liabilities of $119,82 million. Assets growth was driven by increase in value of equities.Meanwhile, Gross Premium Written (GPW) for life assurers for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 amounted to $300,69 million, reflecting a 13,06 percent growth from $265,95 million that was reported for the comparative period in 2017.Growth in GPW was mainly driven by strong growth in funeral assurance business and fund business as clients' tastes shift. On the other hand, GPW reported by composite reinsurers amounted to $6,91 million for the period under review, a growth of 17,46 percent from $5,88 million reported for the nine months under review.News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

The government was thrown in panic on Tuesday after the Apex Council which is a body representing all civil service wrote to the Chairperson of the Public Service Commission informing them that the entire civil service will be engaging in a collective job action within the next 14 days.The council has cited that its members are incapacitated and the government has failed to respond to the matter.The announcement comes after government met all civil service associations who fall under the Apex Council in Harare on Monday but they failed to agree on any tangible way forward.News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

Human Rights lawyer Dr. Pedzisai Ruhanya has raised the clarion call for Econet Boss Strive Masiyiwa to come out in the open and explain his role in the ZANU PF 2018 election campaign where the party circulated text messages to voters asking for their votes.The call comes after exile former G40 Kingpin Professor Jonathan Moyo wrote a Twitter thread on Monday accusing Masiyiwa of having funded ZANU PF in 2008 bloody run-off and 2018 harmonised elections.MDC Deputy Treasurer General Charlton Hwende is the one who began by posing a question on Monday, "So who gave our phone numbers to ZANU PF in 2018 to send us those vote Emmerson Mnangagwa messages."On Tuesday Ruhanya said, "Given the relationship between Strive Masiyiwa, Mnangagwa and ZANU PF as postulated by Jonathan Moyo, how does Econet owned by Masiyiwa explain to the public how ZANU PF got phone numbers to send Vote Mnangagwa messages during the 30 July 2018 election campaigns. It's getting complex, juicy."Ruhanya further explained that the call for Masiyiwaq to explain himself is important because the matter is of public concern."It is not being jealousy to ask Mr Masiyiwa to answer the allegation by Prof Moyo that he financed the violent and murderous June 2008 presidential re-run. This is a serious matter of public concern because the military butchered unarmed and defenseless opposition MDC activists."During the elections ZANU PF admitted that they were sending text messages but said they got the numbers from their members or potential members."We took phone numbers from our supporters or potential supporters when we were updating our cell-registers," Paul Mangwana, the Zanu PF secretary for legal affairs said. "We don't need anyone to give us people's phone numbers. We don't need the POTRAZ (the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe) or ZEC to give us those numbers."News / National

by Staff reporter

BULAWAYO'S sole private radio station, Skies Metro FM has shuffled its presenters in a new set up that took effect yesterday; a move aimed at bringing diversity to its programming.The radio's station manager, Godwin Phiri, told NewsDay Life & Style that listeners should gear themselves for more exciting programming in the new season."We have had to change a few of our presenters around. The decision has been necessitated by the realisation that some of our presenters could add value to some of the shows that have been lacking in the past," Phiri said."It is our expectation that the movement of presenters will bring about the flair that our listeners have been yearning for. We are confident that there is a-little-something that the listeners will gain from the shuffling of these presenters that we have done."Popular comedian-cum-disc jockey and entertainer, Babongile Skhonjwa will now be joined in the premier Vuka Vuka breakfast show by versatile presenter Thandisiwe Dube, popularly known as TKP.Skhonjwa, in the previous arrangement, co-hosted the morning show, which has attracted huge advertising volumes alongside Donna Ncube and sportscaster Master E, real name Eli Tamirepi.The mid-morning to afternoon show will now be hosted by Ncube, who replaced Manurse Ndlovu who has taken over the drive-time radio show.Ndlovu joins main drive-time show host Benkosi "BKay" Maphosa in the show that takes listeners home after their busy daily routines."The breakfast show during the weekends, will be hosted by Khaya Drastic, christened Khayelihle Moyo, while Possenti Sikhosana, the mellow Soul Affair programme host, will hold fort on the Sunday mid-morning shows. Multi-lingual presenter Densen Kulube has now been moved to host the Sunday evening shift from 6pm to 10pm," Phiri said.Phiri said the station would keep implementing new ideas, informed by market research in its bid to maintain a grip at the apex among stations that broadcast to the City of Kings and its environs.According to the recently released Zimbabwe All Media Products Survey results, Skies Metro FM was the most popular radio station among those that broadcast to the Bulawayo audience."We would like to keep improving so that we maintain our pole position as the leading station in Bulawayo. There are other changes that will come as we go. We hope that the listeners will embrace and enjoy the programming that we have put up for the first season of 2019," Phiri said.News / National

by Staff reporter

THE chief witness in the case of MDC deputy president Morgen Komichi, who is being accused of disrupting the announcement of the presidential results last year, told the court yesterday that he reported an offence that he did not see being committed.Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) acting chief election officer Utoile Silaigwana, the chief State witness, told Harare magistrate Ruramai Chitumbura that he received a phone call from someone telling him of the disturbances that occurred during a break.Responding to Komichi's lawyer Obey Shava, Silaigwana said he reported the case to the police despite him not witnessing the commission of the offence."Confirm you are the one who reported the matter to the police?" Shava asked."Yes," Silaigwana replied."We are here because of the report?" Shava further asked."Yes," Silaigwana again responded."Please confirm that you did not see the accused committing the offence," Shava said."Yes," replied the Zec acting chief elections officer.Shava, who sought to file his application for discharge at the close of the State case, will now submit his application on January 14 and the State is expected to respond on January 18. The court will provide a ruling on January 21.Three State witnesses, who include Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation producer Phineas Gutu, investigation officer Patrick Siyakwimbi and Zec security officer Concree Chivinda gave conflicting testimonies.Siyakwimbi told the magistrate that he did not witness the commission of the offence, but only saw a Zanu PF female member shouting at Komichi who was walking away from the room.Gutu said he only witnessed the incident from the outside broadcasting van which was providing live coverage of the presidential election results announcement. While Chivinda said Komichi committed the offence at around 10pm, other witnesses said it was around 11pm.Allegations are that on August 2, 2018, Komichi was at Harare International Conference Centre where Zec was announcing the July 30 presidential election results.After a break, Komichi went to the podium reserved for commissioners announcing the results, took the microphone and began to announce what he called the MDC Alliance's rejection of the results.Komichi claimed that Zec had not followed due process as MDC Alliance agents had not been asked to verify the results. The State alleges he was stopped by the police from making further announcements and was later arrested.News / National

by Staff reporter

The second of the three prisoners who jumped off a moving vehicle transferring four inmates from Harare to Hwahwa Prison in an escape bid has died, officials said.Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) spokesman Simon Kawondo said the prisoner died from the injuries he sustained at Gweru General Hospital yesterday."He sustained serious injuries when he jumped off the moving truck around the Lalapansi area and he died at Gweru General Hospital. The first died on the spot, but the third is still at large," he said.The three prisoners jumped off a ZPCS truck after outsmarting their two security escorts, while a fourth remained behind.Kawondo advised the public not to attempt apprehending the missing prisoner, but inform the police.News / National

by Staff reporter

Former Health and Child Care minister David Parirenyatwa, who was last year taken to court for failing to settle a $291 000 outstanding balance for a house he bought in 2014, has been ordered by the High Court to vacate the property after failing to defend the litigation.The location of the property was, however, not mentioned in the court papers.Parirenyatwa was in November 2018 issued with summons by three local businessmen, Divaliben Patel, Sharmila Parbhubhai Patel and Umeshkumar Parbhuba Patel, but failed to enter appearance to defend, prompting the trio to apply for a default judgment in December 2018.The matter was subsequently presided over by High Court judge Justice Isaac Muzenda on December 19, 2018, whereupon he issued an order in his chambers evicting the former minister from the house and also slapped him with costs on a high scale."Whereupon after reading documents filed of record, it is ordered that the agreement of sale for stand 5163 Salisbury Township, of Salisbury Township lands, measuring 3 150 square metres and the improvements thereon entered between plaintiffs (the Patels) and defendant (Parirenyatwa), be and is hereby cancelled," Muzenda said."Defendant and all those claiming occupation through him are hereby evicted from the property. Defendant is ordered to pay costs of suit on an attorney and client scale."According to the court papers, the three, through their lawyers, Muronda and Malinga Legal Practitioners, had filed the litigation accusing Parirenyatwa of breaching an agreement entered into between the parties on April 8, 2014.In their joint declaration, the three said on the date in question, when the agreement was signed for the purchase of the property, they were represented by one Armutlal Patel.They said the two parties had agreed on a $400 000 purchase price, but Parirenyatwa is said to have paid $109 000, leaving a balance of $291 000.The plaintiffs said when they sealed off the deal, the former minister undertook to pay the money through a CABS mortgage bond within 21 days from the date of signing of the agreement of sale, but reneged on his obligation.According to the businessmen, Parirenyatwa breached the agreement by failing to settle the balance of the purchase price and to rectify the breach even though he was, on several occasions, called upon to do so.They also said despite demand, Parirenyatwa had refused and/or neglected to pay the outstanding balance and to vacate the property.News / National

by Staff reporter

Multichoice Zimbabwe chief executive Lovemore Mangwende has died, the company announced yesterday.In a statement, Multichoice said the circumstances around Mangwende's death were unclear."It is with deep regret and great sadness that we advise of the passing of our chief executive officer, Lovemore Mangwende Makono, on January 6, 2019," part of the statement read."Lovemore was an inspirational leader and a father figure to many. He guided and fought tirelessly for the betterment of his countrymen and the management and staff of his company. His larger-than-life persona will be missed. Lovemore joined MultiChoice Zimbabwe in 2005 and has been the CEO since 2008."Our sincere and heartfelt condolences go to his wife and family."News / National

by Staff reporter

FOUR people died while 11 others were seriously injured when a commuter omnibus and a Honda Fit they were travelling in collided head-on at the 44km peg along the Harare-Beitbridge Highway on Sunday evening, police said.Three people died on the spot, while another passenger died upon admission at Chitungwiza Central Hospital, police spokesperson Senior Assistant Commissioner Charity Charamba confirmed yesterday."Circumstances are that a Honda Fit with three passengers on board was travelling towards Harare, while the Toyota Hiace with 10 passengers on board was travelling towards Masvingo. On approaching a curve at the 44km peg along the said road, the driver of the Toyota Hiace tried to overtake in front of the oncoming Honda Fit, resulting in a head-on collision," she said in a statement.Charamba said all the bodies of the deceased were at Chitungwiza Central Hospital awaiting a post-mortem.Meanwhile, the Passengers Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) is urging schools that do not own buses to hire roadworthy vehicles to avoid road deaths as pupils return to schools."Many students will be travelling to boarding schools as schools open. Some schools have their own buses, while others do not. We are encouraging boarding schools that do not own buses to hire roadworthy buses that have passenger liability cover," PAZ said in a statement."We are calling upon all boarding and day schools to insure their buses. Passenger liability cover is a necessity. In the event of an accident, students and staff will be assured of compensation. According to our observation, there are many school buses that do not have passenger liability cover."Second Amendment Rally against

"gun control" in Downtown Pittsburgh

(Which Included a statement from JPFO)

By Colin Deppen. January 7th, 2019

Armed protesters from around the state and beyond rallied in Downtown Pittsburgh on Monday against local-level gun control regulations currently being considered by Pittsburgh City Council.

Hundreds attended in a show of solidarity against legislation that confronts head-on a statewide ban on municipal regulation of firearms. The open carry protest began at noon outside the City-County Building on Grant Street and lasted just over an hour.

The legislation includes a proposed ban on assault weapons in Pittsburgh, a prohibition on bump stocks and large capacity magazines, and would allow the courts to temporarily confiscate firearms from a person deemed an "extreme risk." .......

Following the press release yesterday of JPFO's statement for the rally, this is one report of the event with many photographs and a video clip. Apart from the protest at Pittsburgh's anti Second Amendment plans, there is the matter of preemption, whereby municipalities cannot just decide to make up their own gun laws going against the state constitution. 2019 will be a year where many attempts are likely to be made towards increased 'gun control', requiring much awareness and the need to counter infringements.

Back to Top

The labour action is the first test for recently re-elected Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her fourth mandate. The government has raised wages for entry-level workers. Some 4,500 textile and clothing factories operate in Bangladesh with exports worth US$ 30 billion.

Dhaka (AsiaNews/Agencies)  Clashes in Savar, on the outskirts of Dhaka, have left one dead and 50 injured, following three days of strikes by garment workers in Dhaka, Savar and Gazipur. Workers are demanding better wages and changes to the new wage structure that favours entry-level workers.

To restore calm, the newly-appointed Minister of Labour and Employment Begum Monnuzan Sufian said that if there are discriminations in pay structure, they will be resolved within a month.

The victim, Sumon, a 22-year-old man, was hit by a bullet fired by agents in the Ulail area. Together with thousands of others, he was protesting against the salary hike for entry-level workers.

Workers complain that the monthly wage in the seventh grade increased from Tk 5,300 (US$ 63) to Tk 8,000 (US$ 100), which is more than their senior operators, who have been working for more than seven to eight years.

The demonstrations are the first test for Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was re-elected for a fourth mandate.

In Bangladesh, the garment industry, especially the export sector, is a cornerstone of the countrys economy, making it the second garment exporter in the world after China.

At least 4,500 textile and clothing factories produce some US$ 30 billion worth of apparel for Western labels  both luxury and low-cost  like H & M, Zara, Walmart, Tesco, Kappa, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein. The workforce is made up mostly of women and working conditions are poorly regulated.

Work-related accidents are commonplace. The most serious incident occurred in 2013 when the Rana Plaza complex in Savar collapsed killing more than 1,300 people.News / National

by Staff reporter

TEACHERS yesterday said they were too poor to go back to work as schools open countrywide today, piling pressure on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to solve the worsening economic crisis.This came as talks to resolve the impasse with teachers failed, while doctors voted to continue their month-long strike for better working conditions.Addressing journalists after a meeting with Labour and Social Welfare acting minister July Moyo, Apex Council acting chairperson Thomas Muzondo said civil servants welcomed the government's commitment to negotiations, but their members will not continue working until their employer addressed their conditions of service."So for now, as government workers, we are not on strike, but you may see some other workers not reporting for work and it is really because of incapacitation and not a strike per se," Muzondo said."At this point in time, we are saying our members are unable to continue with the service. We are not saying they are on an industrial action, but they are incapacitated. They (parents) should send pupils to school; fees have gone up and their (teachers') salaries are still static. Basic commodities have gone up five or six times, but salaries have remained static over the same period."Zimbabwe Teachers' Association (Zimta) president Richard Gundani told NewsDay that all workers organisations in the Apex Council provided evidence to government of impoverishment at the meeting."We showed how incapacitated teachers and the civil servants are as a result of the spike in prices and the erosion of the salaries and justified why teachers are not able to go to work. There is unanimous agreement by all workers who were in attendance that salaries have to be reviewed," he said in response to questions."Government responded by directing that the process of negotiation, which had collapsed, should begin in order to find solutions to the problems. The meeting ended with workers insisting that incapacitation was an urgent matter that would only stop after teachers are paid salaries commensurate with the obtaining prices."Zimta's declaration of incapacitation stands until a solution is found. However, we appreciate dialogue with government at ministerial level and the frankness that characterised (yesterday's) engagement."Teachers want to be paid in United States dollars, or alternatively, at least $3 000 in the surrogate bond note currency, among other demands.The meeting was chaired by Moyo and attended by Higher Education minister Amon Murwira and a number of permanent secretaries from various ministries.Moyo called the meeting in a last-ditch attempt to stop a proposed nationwide strike by restive government workers.Addressing journalists before Muzondo, Moyo said government had an offer ready for civil servants that would soon be tabled at the National Joint Negotiating Council."The conclusion of this discussion is that there should now, whether immediately now or tomorrow, go into negotiations, where government will offer in terms of ameliorating the plight of civil service in the areas that they have demanded in transport in salaries and in other non-monetary issues such as housing," he said."Now that we have discussed broadly, they should go back to the Joint Negotiation Council because it is the statutory board that can come up with signed agreements for us to go forward. So, ours was a consultative meeting and that is why we did not want to discuss in the open glare of you members of the media and that is why we are briefing you members of the media."Yes, government has an offer certainly and they will discuss. They will discuss and agree on timing, on certain parameters and the civil service, on the trade unions side, they can also offer many alternatives. For example, if there is an increase, shall it apply to everybody across the board or do we favour those who are impacted only?"Moyo said government explained to the workers on the challenges faced in the economy and the wanton and irrational price increases and government's commitment to cushion its workers."Normally, those who are junior, whose salaries are much lower, who are impacted on by the same conditions in the economy, so that we will leave to them to make proposals, but that is when government has given them an offer," he said.Doctors at public hospitals, who have been on strike for over a month, met at major referral hospitals across the country and voted to continue their job action until government reviews their salaries and working conditions.In a statement, the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors' Association (ZHDA) said some of its members who had gone back to work yesterday had rejoined the strike.The statement was released after meetings at the country's four major referral hospitals, where the doctors conducted a secret vote to decide if they should continue the strike or return to work.Sources close to the developments told NewsDay that doctors based at Parirenyatwa, Harare Central and United Bulawayo hospitals voted overwhelmingly for the strike to continue, but Mpilo Central, with a split vote, eventually decided to go with the majority decision."The ZHDA members have, therefore, remained incapacitated and will not be able to resume normal duty until these matters have been addressed by the employer," the statement read."It is important to note that the available ZHDA members who had shown up for duty in various hospitals have since indicated they will be re-joining those at home until the grievances have been met."Since Saturday, when government claimed it had resolved the situation, a widening rift was forming among the striking doctors, as some reported for duty yesterday, while the rest carried on with their industrial action.The strike had forced government to reach out to the military to provide relief at public hospitals.Harare Central Hospital chief executive officer Nyasha Masuka confirmed that several of the striking doctors reported for duty yesterday, but were yet to write letters confirming their return to work.On the deployment of army staffers to provide relief services in hospitals during the absence of the striking doctors, Masuka said they had been given the greenlight by Health permanent secretary Gerald Gwinji to request for help from the uniformed forces to cover for the shortage created by the striking doctors.News / National

by Staff reporter

TALENTED Bulawayo-based theatre and television actor Zenzo Nyathi could trade the stage for the studio amid revelations he is working on recording an album.Nyathi has featured in a number of theatrical works that have been showcased at festivals across the world, and of note is the Cont Mhlanga-produced Amakorokoza drama series where he featured as the notorious Mzambani.In an interview, Nyathi said he was happy to be going into the studio to try his luck in the music industry."One of my plans is to go into the studio to record a music album in the first part of the year. I have engaged one of the rising artistes in Bulawayo who I cannot name at the moment. We are collaborating and he will be featuring in some of the songs on the album," he said.A "graduate" of Mhlanga's mentorship programmes, Nyathi said he was now putting to use skills he acquired at Amakhosi while under the tutelage of the veteran artist and seasoned playwright."At Amakhosi, Cont Mhlanga taught us literally everything. He ensured we were complete artistes who gained other skills other than acting. I am now putting those lessons to use and they are the ones that have enabled me to write the songs to be featured on the album," said Nyathi.He said he was working on a puppetry show, with a view to make it a teaching tool in agriculture and nutrition subjects."My production, which I have titled Stix and Stompie, is meant to be an online series that delves into agriculture and nutrition issues. This is where we are using art to communicate and educate the masses on agricultural issues," he said."I have decided to venture into the online market because it is a market that is yet to be explored, as we have artists continuously fighting for that small cake in the stage, theatre sector. The puppet series is also aimed at educating youths to eat healthy and work towards combating climate change."He said for the puppet series, the future looked bright as they had partnered with a South Africa-based organisation that has shown interest in the production and are willing to enter into a long term arrangement.News / National

by Staff reporter

THREE hard-core criminals who allegedly assaulted prison officers while on transit before jumping off a moving prison truck, were convicts with a combined jail term of 126 years, The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has said.One died, the other one is in hospital under guard after he was injured during the escape drama while the third one is on the run.The three felons, Timothy Munhare (37), Bonface Utete (39) and the late, Nyashadzashe Hove (35) who died on the spot after jumping off a moving truck, were initially convicted of armed robbery and carjacking at the Bulawayo High Court.When the incident occurred they were on their way to Bulawayo from Chikurubi Maximum Prison to face further charges.Responding to questions sent to him, ZPCS's Midlands provincial public relations officer, Chief Correctional Officer Jere Ruzive said Hove who jumped to his death and was serving a sentence for carjacking and robbery, was due to be released in 2069."The three were on their way to Bulawayo where they were set to appear before the High Court on further charges. They were due to have a stop at WhaWha Prison before proceeding. Munhare who is now fugitive after he managed to escape and is also a robbery and carjacking convict, was supposed to be released on 30 December 2054," he said.Chief Correctional Officer Ruzive said Utete who was injured in the escape bid was in hospital under guard and is serving up to 2056 after being convicted of armed robbery and possession of a fire arm. "There was a fourth prisoner, Patson Mazhanje in the same truck but he was not violent and did not attempt to escape," he said.The three all hard core criminals who were on their way to Bulawayo from Chikurubi and were in leg irons, however managed to assault the two prison officers escorting them before they jumped off a moving truck near Lalapanzi along the Mvuma-Gweru Highway.The driver of the prison truck only got to know of the incident after reducing speed as he approached a toll gate. One of the prison officers, Christopher Madzivanzira disembarked at the toll gate and informed the driver of their ordeal at the hands of the prisoners.News / National

by Staff reporter

ONE person died while 21 others were seriously injured when two kombis were involved in a head-on collision in Mbembesi at the Fort Rixon turn-off along the Bulawayo- Harare Road.The injured were rushed to the United Bulawayo Hospitals and Mpilo Central Hospital.The accident occurred at around 10AM on Sunday. Bulawayo Chief Fire Officer Mr Richard Peterson said a woman died on the spot while 21 others were seriously injured."I can confirm we received a report of a road accident that occurred at the Fort Rixon turn-off along the Bulawayo- Harare Road."The first party was driving towards Bulawayo while the other was driving towards Harare."Upon approaching the Fort Rixon turn-off, one of them attempted to overtake resulting in a head-on collision," he said.Mr Peterson urged drivers to exercise caution saying it was sad to note an upsurge in fatal road accidents caused by human error.He said speeding and reckless driving are the major causes of accidents on the country's roads."We urge motorists to avoid speeding and observe all road rules. Speeding thrills but kills," he said.News / National

by Staff reporter

A SILOBELA man fatally struck his sleeping wife with an axe on the head before committing suicide after discovering she was taking contraceptive pills without his knowledge.Busani Mandava (35) of Langton Farm in Silobela, allegedly struck his wife, Chipo Basopo once in the head while she was asleep and she died on the spot. He then covered her with a blanket, took their three- year-old child to their neighbour before he proceeded to hang himself from a tree using barbed wire.Midlands Police Spokesperson Inspector Joel Goko could not confirm the incident saying he was yet to get a report on the murder and suicide case.However, Silobela MP Mthokozisi Manoki-Mpofu confirmed the incident that happened on Friday night."Yes I received information that there is a man who killed his wife before taking his own life," said the MP who referred further questions to the area's councillor.Ward 24 councillor Mr Ephias Shoko said Mandava left a note explaining why he committed suicide after killing his wife. Cllr Shoko said on the fateful day, the couple spent the day working in their fields as usual."They spent the whole day ploughing in their field. They retired around 3PM before they went fishing in the nearby dam. Everything seemed fine for the young couple," he said.Cllr Shoko said he was shocked when people came knocking on his door at night informing him that Mandava was hanging from a tree."It is believed that the couple had a misunderstanding over family planning issues. According to a note that he left which is in the hands of the police, he got angry when he discovered that his wife was taking family planning pills without his knowledge," he said.Cllr Shoko said after fatally striking his wife with an axe, Mandava took their three- year old baby to their neighbour only identified as Hungwe before hanging himself from a tree."He was armed with a blood dripping axe and a spear and ordered Hungwe to take the baby to his young brother. When Hungwe followed to see what was happening, he threatened to kill him," the councillor said.He said after a search was conducted in the couple's bedroom, pills and poisonous chemicals were found suggesting he might have taken them as he tried to end his life.Mandava was buried on Sunday while Basopo was taken to Mpilo Hospital for post-mortem, Cllr Shoko said.Meanwhile, A 19-year-old man, suspected to be mentally ill, fatally stabbed his brother in Entumbane suburb following a misunderstanding. Bulawayo police spokesperson Chief Inspector Precious Simango yesterday confirmed the gruesome murder of Kudakwashe Hungwe (26). She said the incident happened on Sunday at around 10AM."Police in Entumbane are investigating a case of murder where a 26-year-old man Kudakwashe Hungwe died after being stabbed by his younger brother Henry," she said.Chief Insp Simango said the brothers who lived together at their parents' house had a misunderstanding leading to the fatal stabbing. Henry has since been arrested."Henry was repairing a radio in the sitting room when Kudakwashe ordered him to leave the room. There was a misunderstanding and Kudakwashe took away the radio from Henry and went to the kitchen. Henry followed him and violently took back the radio and smashed it on the floor. The younger brother took a kitchen knife which he was using as a screw driver and stabbed Kudakwashe on the left side of the chest near the armpit."Chief Insp Simango said Kudakwashe called their tenant, who with the assistance of the siblings' mother rushed Kudakwashe to Mpilo Central Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Family members refused to comment.Neighbours however said Henry has a mental problem and at times seeks treatment at Ingutsheni Hospital.News / National

by Staff reporter

MANICALAND is geared towards implementing the resolutions made at the 17th Zanu-PF Annual People's Conference to ensure that the province plays its part in growing the economy in line with Vision 2030, an official has said.In an interview with The Herald, Zanu-PF chairperson for Manicaland Mike Madiro, said the province would focus on development across all sectors of the economy in the next 12 months."As a province we are now geared to make sure that the next 12 months are part of the building block towards implementing the Transitional Stabilisation Programme and from there, we will be set to make sure that we march towards Vision 2030," he said."But that vision will not succeed if we operate in the old way. The business as usual attitude will take us nowhere. We are in the Second Republic, we now want people to move away from the corrupt way of doing things. We must have a passion to serve the people."Madiro said the province should take advantage of its abundant natural and human resources to make sure that the province's Gross Domestic Product grows."In terms of the devolution policy, Manicaland is the diamond province," he said."Our GDP is going to base on the diamond industry. The policy to value add and beneficiate those diamonds is a positive move that will create employment in the cutting and polishing of those diamonds."Madiro said the fact that the Diamond Policy document envisaged a situation where there will be a School of Mining in Marange which will train and give skills to the youth of Manicaland in particular and Zimbabwe in general, was also welcome.Madiro said the province would also take advantage of the tourism industry which has low hanging fruits that could benefit the economy."We feel that tourism is an area which will create a lot of employment," he said. "Manicaland has Nyanga, Vumba, Chimanimani and Hot Springs."We have all that it takes for the tourism industry and we now want entrepreneurs who can now come up with top world class facilities that the tourists will feel comfortable in when they visit Manicaland. "We have a competitive advantage over other provinces and beyond the borders, so we need youngsters who can now target that important industry."On agriculture, Madiro said Manicaland has the best climatic conditions to increase productivity in the sector.He said the province should fully exploit its capacity to feed the nation and reduce the import bill."This country is depending on South Africa for fruits like apples, but we have the climate to grow them here," said Madiro."We are not fully utilising the potential of Nyanga to produce fruits."And if you go down to Chipinge, we have macadamia nuts which we want our people to value add. We feel that they are being short-changed because of the lack of access to the external market."Madiro expressed hope that large-scale farmers would join hands with smaller farmers to establish macadamia processing plants as well as come up with ways to access the external markets themselves and take advantage of the good prices."Manicaland is looking at a deliberate drive to be counted so that we turn our country into a bread basket again," he said."It cannot be done by other provinces whilst we are looking. It is high time that we focus on increasing productivity through the use of technology."News / National

by Staff reporter

Chief Government workers in Mashonaland West risk losing their jobs if they are not up to the task of growing the province's economy, Provincial Affairs Minister Mary Mliswa-Chikoka has said.Addressing provincial heads of Government in Chinhoyi on Thursday last week, Minister Mliswa-Chikoka said she would not hesitate to fire workers who were not committed. The meeting was held to set up the tone for 2019 and how Government would be conducting business in the New Year in Mashonaland West."We met three months ago and today is time to introspect," she said."Over the past three months, what have we achieved? What do we have to show for ourselves in the province?"I am sure we can all confirm that there is a lot that needs to be done in the province as our beloved country is moving forward into the Zimbabwe that we all want, this is the time to put our foot onto the pedal and make sacrifices for tomorrow's generation."President Mnangagwa appointed Minister Mliswa-Chikoka in September last year."Are we giving our province, Mashonaland West, our best?" she said. "Are we working with all that is in us to make Mashonaland West a cut above other provinces?"Did you give 100 percent over the last three months? Were you laying the foundation for 2019? And now that we are in 2019, have you made a decision to apply yourselves to the best of your ability? "As I pose these questions to you, I want you to look deep within yourself, be honest with yourself because only you know, if you have given 100 percent."Minister Mliswa-Chikoka said if the Government workers did not give 100 percent they have to improve."I will not tolerate mediocrity and all weaklings among us will be replaced," she said."That is just the way it is going to be. We cannot be endowed as we are as a province, we have the best soils, abundant minerals, great climate and wonderful people, and yet fail to uplift the livelihoods of our people. That is unacceptable."Minister Mliswa-Chikoka noted with concern some complaints she had received from the public against some Government departments."Reports come through to me, people complaining about the way your departments are working," she said."I was just watching from a distance, taking everything in and just hoping that one will come and say I have a problem."Mystery workers have been going into departments. I have been sending people, which we call the mystery visitors. You don't know who they are. They are just like any other person. They have come to the departments that you head. And the reception and service they have been given is deplorable."Minister Mliswa-Chikoka took exception to the adverse reports against the Agricultural Extension Office and officials from the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development."The women are complaining and the majority of the Zimbabwean population are women," she said."So, when the women start complaining, you know that things are not okay."Only a few are benefiting from the system, the majority, sadly, are not. There are so many programmes for the women, the youth, but only a few are benefiting and yet this is for everyone."Mrs Mliswa-Chikoka said distribution of inputs in the Command Agriculture and Presidential Input Support Schemes was not done properly."The farmers are weeping, literally weeping, because of corruption in the Agritex offices in the districts," she said."And you have got to be in control of that. You cannot sit in the provincial office and think that everything is ok. No, it's not."Minister Mliswa-Chikoka said the province's GDP growth was anchored on agriculture, hence its importance."And if we don't get it right in agriculture, we are doomed," she said."The land disputes means there is no productivity. The lands commission is inundated with that, affecting production."The provincial heads of Government, she said, should follow up on their subordinates to ensure that they were performing their duties."We cannot afford people who come to work to play, but to be productive," said Mrs Mliswa-Chikoka."Some have become vendors when we are chasing away vendors from the roads. That, I am afraid, I will not tolerate. You warn them once, they do it again, (and) they are out. We have got so many students that graduated from the Chinhoyi University looking for jobs."She urged civil servants to think outside the box and be innovative.News / National

by Staff reporter

Cracks have begun to emerge among striking junior doctors after some of them returned to work yesterday as part of an agreement they signed with the Government at the weekend.However, others - in what Government described as political posturing - did not turn up as the illegal job action entered its 37th day yesterday, with the doctors demanding to be paid in US dollars.Government has rejected this demand, but had offered to implement a majority of the doctors' grievances. The Herald learnt yesterday that negotiations were repeatedly disrupted as doctors' representatives asked to be excused to make consultations on the phone outside, and then reneging on agreed positions thereafter.The Government however, continued to make concessions, according to sources privy to the negotiations. But after their long-awaited statement yesterday, the doctors' representatives said they would continue their illegal action despite everything the Government has done to alleviate their situation.The doctors went on strike on December 1 last year with a list of 10 demands out of which the Government fulfilled eight, declining to pay salaries in US dollars. It also insisted that the striking junior doctors must face disciplinary action for embarking on an illegal job action.Statistics availed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care yesterday show that several medical professionals returned to duty across the country. A majority of absences were recorded in Harare and Bulawayo, while in Marondera, Gweru, Bindura, Gwanda and Mutare all doctors reported for duty.A snap survey corroborated this. Of the 62 Junior Resident Medical Officers at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, 12 resumed duty while 50 absconded. There are 47 Senior Resident Medical Officers at Parirenyatwa and of these, 12 returned to work while 35 absconded.The hospital has 27 Houseman Medical Officers and 21 are back at work while six remain on strike. Of the 20 Senior Houseman Officers employed by Parirenyatwa,14 are at work, one on leave while five are on strike.All in all Parirenyatwa has in its employment 270 health officers and of these 71 are at work, one on leave while 195 are on strike, statistics show.In Bulawayo, at United Bulawayo Hospital (UBH) 45 doctors resumed duty yesterday while at Mpilo 17 are back at work. UBH has 184 medical officers, 105 of whom are on duty, two on leave and 60 still on strike.Mpilo has 223 medical officers and 77 are at work, 11 on leave and 103 on strike.At Harare Central Hospital four doctors resumed duty yesterday comprising three juniors and one senior. Statistics show that the hospital has a staff complement of 200 medical officers and of these 29 are at work, 11 on leave and 123 are on strike. Chitungwiza Central Hospital saw three Senior Resident Medical Officers resuming duty.The hospital has 49 medical officers and of these 27 are on duty, three on leave while 14 are still on strike. At Masvingo Provincial Hospital out of 12 medical officers, four returned to work, three are on leave and five are still on strike.Statistics also show that Chinhoyi provincial hospital which has 15 medical officers, none assumed duty, three are on leave, 11 absconded and one is on secondment. Government yesterday expressed dismay at those doctors still on strike saying it has made a lot of concessions to their demands.In a statement last night, Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Mr Nick Mangwana, said: "Government has bent over backwards and more to accommodate the demands by the junior doctors, including the most extortionate of demands. We put the patients at the centre of all our negotiations as a compassionate and responsible Government. But the doctors were negotiating in bad faith from the word go. Agreements would be signed and hours later press statements would appear rescinding all that would have been agreed. Still the Government would make concessions."He said politics was now at play."The reason for all these concessions was for the doctors to go back to work and provide the patients with the care they so desperately deserved. We are now where we are because of not only avarice but heartless political interests which take people dying in hospitals as acceptable collateral damage," said Mr Mangwana.He said issues raised by the doctors, as evidenced by the terms of agreement signed, had little to do with patients care."It is disingenuous to now claim that they are walking away from the suffering patients because of care-based issues. At the heart of their grievance was never an issue of patient welfare. It was always about themselves - cars, housing, food, allowances and money and some other frivolous demands. Still Government accommodated them even though there was no doubt that there was a political objective to this charade. We always suspected that some of the demands were calculated to collapse the talks. The doctors always seemed surprised when compromises were made," said Mr Mangwana.He said it was clear someone other than the doctors was calling the shots."It was clear throughout the negotiations that someone else was calling the shots outside those who claimed to have been mandated to resolve the impasse. The negotiators kept on asking to be excused to go and consult on the phone. Someone else or some other force was micro-managing the process. Regardless, the interest of Government negotiators was to ensure that everything returns to normalcy in the affected hospitals," added Mr Mangwana.He thanked doctors who reported for duty yesterday, saying Government would fulfill what it had pledged as a matter of policy."We wish to thank those doctors who have remembered why they joined the profession in the first place and gone back to work. They did not do the Government a favour. They just responded to the original call that made them join the profession the first place - to save lives," said Mr Mangwana."Going forward, Government and its institutions will work with those that have the conscience to go back to the wards to save lives and alleviate suffering. We will also employ the measures we have already put in place to enfeeble the effect of this callous and inhuman disregard of the suffering of fellow human beings. Healthcare is a human right."Good health delivery system is at the centre of this administration, hence the amounts that have been invested in healthcare inspite of our current challenges. Zimbabweans should not despair. Solutions are at hand as their Government takes their healthcare seriously," said Mr Mangwana.News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

ZANU PF Youth league members have blasted former G40 Kingpin Professor Jonathan Moyo for his twitter thread posted on Monday where he was accusing billionaire Telecoms guru Strive Masiyiwa for funding the bloody 2018 run-off elections.The Deputy Secretary General of the ZANU PF Youth League Mabutho moyo said, "The thread is just a string of manufactured 'truth' by a bitter rape suspect on his final trial days, judgment is coming your way Prof and soon.Mabutho further told Prof that he is full of anger because he lost in the political game."This is the most useless thread ever; it drips of mucus enforced by anger, anxiety and effects of tweeting from a shithole. Get used to the fact that you have lost all relevance in the Zimbabwean political field, keep barking to the dark."You lost a political game and you are struggling in the wilderness. Not everyone is a fool to listen to anything coming from a pathological liar like Jonathan Moyo."Another ZANU PF Youth Leader Munashe Mtutsa said, "Imagine coming home to read a 24 tweet thread by one Msorobhangu Professor Jonathan Moyo. Thinking I will be reading great wisdom from the nutty professor. But again, it was a damp squib, a lot about nothing, much and much about less and wasted Kenyan bundles. You are bitter mara."Prof Moyo on Tuesday maintained that the US$ 45 million that was given to ZANU PF in 2008 by Masiyiwa was an illegal act that can get the players prosecuted."It was a deal whose terms were unlawful & whose objective was to fund the elections outside Treasury. It's a stinking story that would send people to jail; in a normal country under the rule of law with no selective prosecution amounting to persecution of political opponents." Moyo saidNews / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

"The late Mr Lovemore Mangwende CEO of Multichoice was a pioneer in multichannel digital broadcasting. He was a prime mover in opening up of broadcasting. And the entry of private broadcasting player. He is a loss to the media industry" Sen Mutsvangwa pic.twitter.com/OG8VjTbIEo  Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) January 8, 2019

The Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Monica Mutsvangwa has sent her condolences to the family of Lovemore Mangwende the former CEO of Multichoice Zimbabwe who succumbed to heart failure on Sunday.In a statement Mutsvangwa said, "The Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Hon Monica Mutsvangwa, the Deputy Minister Hon Mutodi, the Permanent Secretary Mr Mangwana and the entire Ministry wish to condole with the Mangwende Family on the sad loss of Mr Lovemore Mangwende the Multichoice CEO."The late Mr Lovemore Mangwende CEO of Multichoice was a pioneer in multichannel digital broadcasting. He was a prime mover in opening up of broadcasting. And the entry of private broadcasting player. He is a loss to the media industry" Sen Mutsvangwa further said.Mangwende's former employer said he was a considered as a father figure in the company."Lovemore was an inspirational leader and a father figure to many. He guided and fought tirelessly for the betterment of his countrymen and the management and staff of his company. His larger-than-life persona will be missed," Multichoice said in a statement.The Cruciform Building

Lord Hoffman

Judge Edgar F. Brinkman (Senior Judge, Court of The Hague)

Dr Matt Fisher (UCL IBIL)

Dr Ursula Kinkeldey (Former Chair of a Technical (Biotech) Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office; Former Permanent Member of the Enlarged Board of Appeal of the European Patent Office)

Dr Matthias Zigann (Presiding Judge at the Regional Court Munich I)

Judge Edgar F. Brinkman (Senior Judge, Court of The Hague)

Lord Hoffman

Second-medical use "gold"

Dr Ursula Kinkeldey:

The plausibility pendulum

Dr Kinkeldy commented that the plausibility problem started with decision commented that the plausibility problem started with decision T1329/04 (John Hopkins), in which the expression plausibility was born: "The idea was to approach the problem of speculative inventions in the area of medicine and medical use inventions. The pendulum was in favour of the arm chair inventor. The Board really thought they had to correct something, where one at least has to have something at hand to come to a fair judgement. In the light of this, we have the development of quite a number of cases which were interpreted and analysed in the Supreme Court Judgement, we came to a conclusion that I would consider more or less the message of the Supreme Court."



Dr Matt Fisher argued that it was important to remember that the issue of plausibility was in the context of a second medical use claim, and that it is necessary to have a slightly higher standard where we are dealing with second use claims, than where we are dealing with pharmaceuticals in the first place. Dr Fisher went on to argue that he thought Swiss Form claims are "crippled form of claim anyway, and that this should be reflected not just for infringement purposes, but also in a slightly higher standard for sufficiency".



Questions from the audience



Opening up the discussion, Prof. Sir Robert Jacob asked whether it would be better if we took away the restriction that you can't patent methods of medical treatment, or would the problem still be there? In his words "they don't have this problem in America" (there was a certain amount of murmuring in the audience following this observation - what about the



Application of the plausibility requirement to other claim forms?



The first question from the audience was to what extent the decision was relevant to product claims. Is there a different test for sufficiency based on the claim category (i.e. second medical use, versus product claim)? or is it because of the nature of the invention relative to the prior art? The questioner noted that the Supreme Court relied on a lot of the product claim case law from the EPO.



Prof. Sir Robert Jacob first referred the question to Lord Hoffman, who commented that it was his understanding that when you have a new product claim, sufficiency is satisfied by being able to make the product. The point raised in the question transfers itself to the question of industrial application, i.e. what is the use of this new product? Dr Fisher was also very clear in his opinion that the plausibility test was not transferable to product claims, or even first medical use claims: If you are thinking about a second medical use claim, as far as I am concerned, you're sashimi slicing so that you are getting closer and closer to what has already been disclosed".



Sashimi slicing However, as commented by the audience member, why doesn't the "sashimi slicing" argument apply to a compound patent, in which you are selecting a particular compound from all the known compounds? A product claim may also take the form of a selection invention, in which a sub-range is selected from a known range (see EPO guidelines for Examination,



Dr Fisher countered that he couldn't see any real reason why you would need to pinpoint the exact benefit that a product contributes if it contributes a benefit by creating and producing it.



[Merpel wonders about the difference between "sashimi slicing" and the more common English idiom "salami slicing", do readers have any insights?]



Another member of the audience noted that the EPO have demonstrated that they can use inventive step to apply the plausibility test to products. They noted that it seemed ironic that since the Warner-Lambert decision has come out, the arguments for sufficiency have spread into the mechanical arena, as a squeeze in relation to inventive step as against sufficiency. They commented that perhaps the idea of plausibility is really what one needs to make it clear that there isn't a squeeze between inventive step and sufficiency, because sufficiency is a much lower threshold than inventive step? Will we see plausibility creeping back into inventions relating to mechanical apparatus, where there is a significant degree of uncertainty as to the underlying principle as to why it operates?



Plausible but wrong



Prof. Sir Robert Jacob raised the question of whether, if the description provides wrong reasoning for why an invention works, would the invention be considered plausible? Lord Hoffman pointed out that, if an invention is shown to work, the question of plausibility does not arise. Sir Robert Jacob persisted that "this was not the case of second medical use patents, but it is true for first use apparently".



Another member of the audience noted that the discussion regarding second medical use claims was being held in the context of the facts of the pregabalin case. In contrast to pregabalin, there is not an authorized first medical use for the majority of second medical use claims. The only use many generics are directed to is therefore the patented use. The second medical use claim form is used to overcome prior art which suggest an earlier use, which has never been authorized or used in the clinic. In this context second medical use claims may seem less like an unjustified land grab.



Application of the plausibility requirement to EPC 2000 claims?



An interesting question from the audience regarding whether the plausibility test should be applied equally to Swiss-style claims and EPC 2000 claims, was unfortunately not tackled by the panel. The discussion was instead moved into a debate on whether it is possible to apply for Swiss-style claims at the EPO. Prof. Sir Robert Jacob insisted that this is still possible, but judging from the response from the audience, many didn't agree. Following G 2/08, the Official Journal of the EPO provided that EP patents will not be granted for Swiss-Form claims with an earliest priority date of 29 January 2011 or later (



Further thoughts



At drinks and canapes, it was clear that many in the audience were somewhat dissatisfied with the discussion on plausibility, although this Kat admits that her audience sample may have been biased towards patent attorneys. European patent attorneys in the biotech and pharmaceutical fields face plausibility objections from the EPO on a daily basis, as part of both insufficiency or inventive step objections. Many therefore felt that it would have been valuable to hear more from Dr Ursula Kinkeldey on the issue of plausibility. Unfortunately, Dr Kinkeldey was not invited comment during the audience questions on this issue.



The panel also did not discuss one of the main points of the case, the degree to which plausibility must be shown across the entire scope of a claim.



Perhaps the most interesting issue to come out of the panel discussion was that of the possible applicability of plausibility to types of claim other than second medical use claims. An interesting example to consider is the invention at issue in Jushi v OCV (IPKat post



The Court of Appeal found the claim novel, after applying the test for selection inventions established by the EPO: i.e. a skilled person would not have "seriously contemplated" operating in the claimed range, in view of the broader ranges provided in the prior art. However, is this type of invention not also "sashimi slicing"? Should the inventors of sub-types of fibreglass thus be made to demonstrate that the claimed invention plausibly works over the entire scope of the claim?



The discussion on infringement will be covered in Part II. Stay tuned!



By

argued that it was important to remember that the issue of plausibility was in the context of a second medical use claim, and that it is necessary to have a slightly higher standard where we are dealing with second use claims, than where we are dealing with pharmaceuticals in the first place. Dr Fisher went on to argue that he thought Swiss Form claims are "crippled form of claim anyway, and that this should be reflected not just for infringement purposes, but also in a slightly higher standard for sufficiency".Opening up the discussion,asked whether it would be better if we took away the restriction that you can't patent methods of medical treatment, or would the problem still be there? In his words "they don't have this problem in America" (there was a certain amount of murmuring in the audience following this observation - what about the written description requirement ?).The first question from the audience was to what extent the decision was relevant to product claims. Is there a different test for sufficiency based on the claim category (i.e. second medical use, versus product claim)? or is it because of the nature of the invention relative to the prior art? The questioner noted that the Supreme Court relied on a lot of the product claim case law from the EPO.first referred the question to, who commented that it was his understanding that when you have a new product claim, sufficiency is satisfied by being able to make the product. The point raised in the question transfers itself to the question of industrial application, i.e. what is the use of this new product?was also very clear in his opinion that the plausibility test was not transferable to product claims, or even first medical use claims: If you are thinking about a second medical use claim, as far as I am concerned, you're sashimi slicing so that you are getting closer and closer to what has already been disclosed".However, as commented by the audience member, why doesn't the "sashimi slicing" argument apply to a compound patent, in which you are selecting a particular compound from all the known compounds? A product claim may also take the form of a selection invention, in which a sub-range is selected from a known range (see EPO guidelines for Examination, G-IV, 8. Selection Inventions ).countered that he couldn't see any real reason why you would need to pinpoint the exact benefit that a product contributes if it contributesbenefit by creating and producing it.Another member of the audience noted that the EPO have demonstrated that they can use inventive step to apply the plausibility test to products. They noted that it seemed ironic that since the Warner-Lambert decision has come out, the arguments for sufficiency have spread into the mechanical arena, as a squeeze in relation to inventive step as against sufficiency. They commented that perhaps the idea of plausibility is really what one needs to make it clear that there isn't a squeeze between inventive step and sufficiency, because sufficiency is a much lower threshold than inventive step? Will we see plausibility creeping back into inventions relating to mechanical apparatus, where there is a significant degree of uncertainty as to the underlying principle as to why it operates?raised the question of whether, if the description provides wrong reasoning for why an invention works, would the invention be considered plausible?pointed out that, if an invention is shown to work, the question of plausibility does not arise.persisted that "this was not the case of second medical use patents, but it is true for first use apparently".Another member of the audience noted that the discussion regarding second medical use claims was being held in the context of the facts of the pregabalin case. In contrast to pregabalin, there is not an authorized first medical use for the majority of second medical use claims. The only use many generics are directed to is therefore the patented use. The second medical use claim form is used to overcome prior art which suggest an earlier use, which has never been authorized or used in the clinic. In this context second medical use claims may seem less like an unjustified land grab.An interesting question from the audience regarding whether the plausibility test should be applied equally to Swiss-style claims and EPC 2000 claims, was unfortunately not tackled by the panel. The discussion was instead moved into a debate on whether it is possible to apply for Swiss-style claims at the EPO.insisted that this is still possible, but judging from the response from the audience, many didn't agree. Following G 2/08, the Official Journal of the EPO provided that EP patents will not be granted for Swiss-Form claims with an earliest priority date of 29 January 2011 or later ( OJ EPO 2010, 514 ).At drinks and canapes, it was clear that many in the audience were somewhat dissatisfied with the discussion on plausibility, although this Kat admits that her audience sample may have been biased towards patent attorneys. European patent attorneys in the biotech and pharmaceutical fields face plausibility objections from the EPO on a daily basis, as part of both insufficiency or inventive step objections. Many therefore felt that it would have been valuable to hear more fromon the issue of plausibility. Unfortunately,was not invited comment during the audience questions on this issue.The panel also did not discuss one of the main points of the case, the degree to which plausibility must be shown across the entire scope of a claim.Perhaps the most interesting issue to come out of the panel discussion was that of the possible applicability of plausibility to types of claim other than second medical use claims. An interesting example to consider is the invention at issue in(IPKat post here ). Whilst the issue under consideration by the Court is this case was one of novelty, it is nonetheless an interesting example of a product claim that slices out a part of the known art. Claim 1 of the disputed patent specified a fibreglass strand composed of a number of constituents at percentage weights within specified ranges. The prior art disclosed glass compositions composed of exactly the same compounds as that of the patent, at the same or overlapping percentage weights. Importantly, a skilled person would thus know how to make fibreglass according to the invention from the prior art.The Court of Appeal found the claim novel, after applying the test for selection inventions established by the EPO: i.e. a skilled person would not have "seriously contemplated" operating in the claimed range, in view of the broader ranges provided in the prior art. However, is this type of invention not also "sashimi slicing"? Should the inventors of sub-types of fibreglass thus be made to demonstrate that the claimed invention plausibly works over the entire scope of the claim?The discussion on infringement will be covered in Part II. Stay tuned!By Rose Hughes

IPKat's summary of the Supreme Court decision (can be found here . Further in-depth commentary on the plausibility and infringement aspects of the case can be read here and here The panel at the UCL-IBIL event were as follows:Prof. Sir Robin Jacob chaired the discussion. Each member of the panel were first invited to comment on the plausibility aspect of the decision.commented that thetest for plausibility appeared to be on the high side. The Judge further observed that in Dutch law, the onus is on the party challenging the validity of a patent to demonstrate that a claim is implausible. To, this is logical, given that the same burden of proof applies for both novelty and inventive step.andhad also prepared some slides, which can be foundand here commented that he had no major issues with the reasoning of the Supreme Court, and thought they had come to a sound judgement. Not wishing to paraphrase, here is his take on the decision:"On the question of sufficiency it seems to me that there is a range of options available open to the court. At one extreme, you can say the specification is sufficient only if it enables you to make the product or perform the process...if it turns out not to work it will have been a waste of money...but no harm will have been done. The objection to that, and the objection made by the minority, as I thought rightly so, was that it will enable someone who has made no contribution to human knowledge to stake out a monopoly, like a miners claim in some area of research, with the view then afterwards to do the digging to discover whether he has struck gold or not. That seems to me to be not what the patent system is about.At the other end of the range, you can require that the specification provides experimental evidence to show that it works, but for many pharmaceuticals that would be very difficult to satisfy. You can do it, you can feed it to rats, but only clinical trials will show whether it does work or not. To refuse a patent until the effect can be shown is to block potentially valuable life-saving research, particularly when it's difficult to get funding for the research, and you won't be able to get funding unless there is some way to prevent competitors from getting in ahead of the inventor.That need for compromise seemed to me very similar, although this wasn't mention in the case, to the problem which faced the Supreme Court a few years ago in deciding whether when an invention can be said to be of industrial application. You have a new product but is it of industrial application? At what level of generality do you have to specify the potential application of a new pharmaceutical product? Do you have to be able to identify the disease? Or is it enough to specify a very broad class of diseases? Again, the question that came to me in that one, was at what point in research into the potential use of a new product, or new use of an old product, can you stake out your monopoly, under cover of which you can then raise funds to carry out further research.Although the court in this case [Warner Lambert v Actavis], was divided 3 to 2, I think there was very little between them. The majority said that you must demonstrate in the light of the common general knowledge, that the claim they refuted was plausible. It may be made plausible by the specification that something was worth trying for a reason; not just because there was an abstract possibility it might work, but because of reasonable scientific grounds that it might work. That's the difference [according to the Judge] between speculation and contribution to the art. That seemed to me to be very persuasive. Lord Hodge for the minority said he agreed that the specification must disclose some scientific reason that it might well have the claimed therapeutic effect. He said that what he objected to was that there was acase for a therapeutic effect".Lord Hoffman concluded that he found Lord Sumption's judgement entirely convincing.(Former member of the TBA and EBoA)began by expressing her gratitude that the Supreme Court analysed the decisions of the Technical Boards of Appeal, and her belief that they did this well, although noting that "perhaps they left out the one or the other which might not fit well into the concept".then proposed the question of what the EPO case from the Supreme Court decision?News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

Teachers have indicated that they will not be reporting for duty on Tuesday as schools open citing incapacitation.In a message to its members the Zimbabwe Teachers Association encouraged its members that they must write letters to their respective supervisors notifying them of their whereabouts and that they are incapacitated to attend work."Good morning teachers. The union would like to urge all bonafide teachers not to fear threats from the employer. In 2019 no teacher should subsidize the employer. We demand adequate remuneration."ZIMTA said in a statement on Tuesday.The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe invited its members to gather for day 2 at Africa Unity Square and march to Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube's office to pile pressure on their demand to be paid in United Sates dollar or a bondnote equivalent."Today is day 2 of the #EconomicJustice campaign #SalaryCaravan let's be there at 9 #Injureoneinjureall ."Read the message from ARTUZ.On Monday ARTUZ members were arrested for protesting at Africa Unity Square but were later released when a Zimbabwe Human Rights Lawyers team led by Douglas Coltart was dispatched to represent them at the Harare Central police station.The government on Monday held a joint meeting between Civil servants associations and line minister to address the concerns of the workers but the meeting yielded no results.News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

The Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe will be in Bulawayo from the 7th -11th January 2019 to facilitate new supplier registration and renewals for 2019 . All Bulawayo businesses are invited to register.The call is targeted at new suppliers of goods, works and services to the public sector and as well as current suppliers published in the government gazette of 2018 who wish to renew their registrations for 2019.Find the Advert below:News / National

by Staff rpeorter

The volume of vehicular and human traffic has surged at Beitbridge border with many Zimbabweans based in the neighbouring country have started trooping back.It is understood that south bound (departures) traffic started increasing on 2 January as the festive season winds up.Long moving queues of vehicles stretching for almost 2km into the border town along the major road leading to Bulawayo and Harare, have become a common feature.Border authorities said on on Sunday that they were clearing an average of 2500 light vehicles and 150 buses going into South Africa daily."We have come up with a raft of measures to ensure that travellers spend the shortest possible time at the border."The main challenge on light vehicle is parking space on the South Africa complement of the border. You will note that most of the vehicles have been cleared for passage and we are only waiting for South Africa to create parking space for them to proceed," said a border official.The official said they were applying harmonised clearance system so as to avoid clogging the border with travellers and vehicles.According to the department of immigration the volume of people who used the border post in December increased by 10, 37 percent in last year in comparison to the same period in 2017.Over 100 000 vehicles including m private cars, haulage trucks and buses accessed both South Africa and Zimbabwe in December. Another border source said they have cleared around 10 000 light vehicle travelling to South Africa between 1 January and 5 January."During off peak the border handles less than 3000 vehicles, inclusive of trucks, private cars and buses daily and rises to 6000 at its peak," said the source.The Assistant Regional Immigration officer-in-charge of Beitbridge (Zimbabwe) Mr Nqobile Ncube could not be reached for comment yesterday, but said recently that though the volume of traffic had increased, the situation was manageable. "We are clear an average of 14 000 including arrivals and departures per day during off peak periods and the figure rises to 30 000 during peak periods."In addition, we have re-organised the border, where traffic is separated into pedestrians, motorists, buses, commercial and visitors to ensure a speedy flow of traffic," he said.Mr Ncube said they were also having periodic review meetings with both local (border) actors and their South African counterparts to ensure that the border was user friendly. He said they had set the festive period between 5 December 2018 and 15 January and harmonised operations with the South Africans.An average of 15 000 travellers inclusive of arrivals and departure are cleared daily at the border and the figures increase to 30 000 during peak periods.News / National

by Staff reporter

A subsidiary of the National Railways of Zimbabwe is seeking a private partner to operation a cargo handling and storage facility in its dry land port project at Walvis Bay, Namibia.In a notice, Road Motor Services (RMS), which is spearheading the construction of the port in partnership with the Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) and the Namibian Port Authority, is requesting for financial proposals from aspiring companies.The bid is open up to February 7, 2019.According to the notice, the request for financial proposals is for the, "Operation of cargo handling and storage facility approximately 18 000 square metres at the Zimbabwe dry port in the port of Walvis Bay, Namibia".The project came about after the Namibian government in September 2009 granted Zimbabwe the piece of land to construct a dry port, which is seen as critical to boost the country's trade.Work on the project started in 2014.According to officials, Zimbabwe's trade volumes through the port of Walvis Bay have grown significantly over the years to more than 2 500 tonnes a month.News / National

by Staff reporter

Following the announcement by Delta Corporation Limited  the Zimbabwean company part owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev  to only accept hard currency for its beverages, it appears the future of beer pricing is still far from certain, with factors such as foreign currency availability being an ongoing concern for many in the industry.Even after the government intervened a day after the measure was announced and forced Delta to abandon a plan to only sell its beverages in hard currency, there has been steep increase in the price of clear beer  by more than 100 percent.The price increases for beer have left more and more consumers believing that going to the pub is now a luxury.A number of retail outlets have hiked prices of lager beers with a 375ml bottle now retailing at $3, 50 from $1, 50, while a 750ml bottle which was initially pegged at $2, 50, is now selling at between $6 and $8.This will no doubt cool down beer consumption in pubs. The current economic climate is creating a depressing environment for the pub trade.Beer sales will certainly suffer a drop, probably the worst since independence in 1980.Opinion on what can be done to reverse this situation varies across the industry.It would be churlish not to say it's a positive move by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya to provide the foreign currency required to ensure that Delta continues to trade on the current basis. Will the governor walk the talk?Will he actually provide Delta  with a market value of $3,6 billion and 23 percent owned by the world's biggest brewer  the required foreign currency?As it is, the skint government cannot even raise money to buy fuel imports. It's even failing to stem a rolling civil service strike because of a critical funding shortfall.The current pricing structure will adversely affect pubs in particular, which have no alternative sources of revenue aside from selling drinks.They will lose most of their drink trade. Perhaps they can diversify into food, as they can no longer rely on their core drinking clientele, which is set to evaporate.Yes, beer is a habit-forming commodity, and they say its demand is inelastic despite changes in the pricing structure, but under this harsh economic environment, imbibers will have to think long and hard before downing the so-called wise waters.It is inevitable that more pubs will close, but on a positive note, perhaps, this marks an upside for casual dining chains.If prices don't come down, more and more pubs are going to close, as they won't be able to make ends meet. It's a really harsh environment out there.News / National

by Mandla Ndlovu

We publish the full cable below:

Alpha Media Holdings Boss Trevor Ncube blamed the failure of MDC led by Tsvangirai and Simba Makoni's MKD to unite on Strive Masiyiwa who whom he described as a stumbling block and full of ego.This was revealed by a Wikileaks cableJohannesburg-based Zimbabwean Trevor Ncube to inquire about losing presidential candidate Simba Makoni's strategy for a potential run-off in Zimbabwe.Ncube said that Makoni has been approached by the MDC to form a coalition but complained that MDC did not make an overture until Friday 05 April, only after the MDC realized that the Senate was evenly split. "MDC was so triumphant, it was sickening," he said.When asked why MDC and Makoni did not form a coalition before the election, Ncube laid the blame squarely on the shoulders of Strive Masiyiwa "who should not be trusted" and "whose ego got in the way." According to Ncube, Masiyiwa was annoyed that Makoni did not approach him directly and was the main "stumbling block" to a MDC-Makoni coalition, despite all outward appearances that he was working a deal.When asked what the possibilities were of MDC and Makoni coming together without Masiyiwa's intervention, Ncube responded, "Unfortunately, Strive's got the money." ELECTION MUSINGS3. (C) Ncube, who has openly admitted he is not a fan of MDC Leader Morgan Tsvangirai, criticized Tsvangirai's actions since the 29 March election. Ncube accused Tsvangirai of lacking leadership "over and over again" and said that "he is out of his depth." He believes that Tsvangirai should not have waited five days to announce he had won the presidency. He would have advised Tsvangirai to deliver an "I have a dream speech" to give people hope and to get people on the streets in an act of civil disobedience immediately. Instead, he believes Tsvangirai's delay allowed ZANU-PF "to recover at a time when they were stumbling." 4. (C) When asked why Makoni had not been out delivering a message of hope or civil disobedience -- or any message at all, in fact -- Ncube said that Makoni is "cautious; he's a thinker." He also said that it was obvious that Solomon Mujuru did not deliver votes for Makoni as promised. This is evidenced, he believes, by the fact that Makoni got 80 percent of his votes from Matebeleland.K Naomi Noinyane has been living her best life in Lamu, Kenya, and she shared photos of her lavish trip on social media.

PAY ATTENTION: Click "See first" under the "Following" tab to see Briefly news on your News Feed!

Model and television personality K Naomi took some time off to visit the beautiful Kenyan Island town of Lamu.

Briefly.co.za gathered K Naomi was accompanied by her sister in what she has since dubbed a 'sistercation'.

"And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been.. A trip with my sister to Kenya (Lamu). A few hours here...and Im already in love. #Sistercation #KInKenya #Kenya #Lamu #Travels #IstoreZA," she captioned a photo.

PAY ATTENTION: Save mobile data with FreeBasics: Briefly is now available on the app

In one of the posts on Instagram, K Noami rocks a white and red striped bikini as she hangs out at the pool.

READ ALSO: Minnie Dlamini-Jones celebrates her Indian heritage with beautiful photoshoot

Posting a photo of her sister, the model gushed about her sibling's beauty.

"My mom left me with the most beautiful sister...God you chose her for me? So grateful," she captioned the snap.

"Nothing feels better than taking out time to figure out yourself and this thing we call Life. Blessing," she captioned another photo.

K Naomi and her sister went sightseeing in Lamu and the model 'fell in love' with the character of the African town.

"Happiness...Finding myself and doing it on purpose.Walks around Lamu Town, Im literally I love with the authenticity of this place," she said.

Aside from sightseeing, the SA celeb went snorkelling and she even got her first henna tattoo. She and her sister got the opportunity to see the sunset from a floating bar- and, Cassper Nyovest also allegedly made an appearance.

Enjoyed reading our story? Download BRIEFLY's news app on Google Play now and stay up-to-date with major South African news!

Source: Briefly.co.za090119FUNDING SLOWING PREPARATIONS SAYS, GEORGE MANU

NEW DAWN FM NEWS

Preparatory work for the Bougainville Referendum scheduled for June 15th this year is been hampered by lack of funding by the National Government says the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner and a member of the Bougainville Referendum Commission, GEORGE MANU.

MR GEORGE MANU told a news conference today that because of the funding problem the Bougainville Referendum Commission cannot start work on the preparation work for the referendum.

He said that OBEC has done common roll update in parts of Central and North Bougainville and is yet to get into South Bougainville.

MR MANU said OBEC has done some preparation work with the FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND KINA contribution from the ABG to Bougainville Referendum Commission.

He said these funds have been depleted and they are just waiting for more funding from the ABG to complete the common roll update.

MR MANU said funds promised by the National government totalling TWENTY MILLION KINA has not been received and even the first instalment of ONE POINT FIVE MILLION KINA paid to NCOBA has not been remitted to the Bougainville Referendum Commission.

The Bougainville Electoral Commissioner said that BRC requires these funds to come quickly so that work can start.

He said he was confident they can prepare Bougainville for the referendum once the funds are released to them.

MR MANU said without the necessary resources, BRC cannot do much.

Ends

The Ferguson uprising was triggered by the police assassination of Michael Brown, but even before that killing, the city was a powder-keg, thanks to the practice of financing the city government by levying fines on the poor and putting those who couldn't pay in debtors' prison to encourage the rest to cough up.

The US Supreme Court has repeatedly ruled that debtors' prisons are unconstitutional and has banned the practice of imprisoning indigent people who can't pay fines for petty offenses, it is still routinely practiced across America, and the practice is growing.

Fines levied on poor people are now a major source of revenue in thousands of small American cities and towns, and since poor people don't have any money to pay these fines, fines are inevitably accompanied by the threat of debtors' prison, which makes taking out predatory loans, or borrowing from poor relatives who can't afford to pay, a relatively attractive option.





The practice is especially virulent in red states where rich people enjoy massive tax breaks, starving the public coffers of the money needed for basic services: as the rich increasingly gain the political power to making taxing them impossible, public funding comes from those who have money to give, because their very poverty makes them incapable of flexing the political muscle needed to change things.





Debtors' prisons aren't just a way to discriminate against poor people: they're also a way to make poor people poorer.





In a long, deeply reported piece, the New York Times's Matthew Shaer tells the story of Corinth, Tennessee, where judges like John C. Ross made a routine practice of jailing poor people who couldn't pay their fines, including a man who had been fined for driving without renewing their car registration (he has terminal cancer and drove his unregistered car to the hospital for treatment); a woman who fell asleep in the library while trying to find a way to get treatment for her bipolar disorder; an amputee who lost a leg to a drunk driver, and who was kept in prison without crutches (and then released without crutches to crawl home); and more.

The ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center has forced Corinth to stop imprisoning people who can't pay their fines, but that's just one town in one state. The practice is rife in Arkansas, Pennsylvania, Missouri, and elsewhere.



Theoretically, he explained, his liver cancer was in remission, although he acknowledged he had no concrete proof. In the time since his first conversation with Wood, he had been back and forth to jail two more times, and he had been to the hospital in Tupelo just once. "I would estimate that I've spent a quarter of the last year behind bars," he told me. Could he calculate exactly what he owed? "$10,000?" he responded. "$11,000?" The way he said it, it might as well have been a million dollars. "I ain't never going to pay it down," he said. "Never, ever. I'm going to be paying it down until I die." Rummaging in his bedroom closet, he produced a cardboard box, which he upended onto his bed. A blizzard of documents spilled out: tickets and warnings and second warnings and court summons. I picked one up at random. It dated back to 2005. "Now you're getting the idea," Lindsey said. Nearly every one of Lindsey's court fees related, in one way or another, to his vehicle: expired registration fees, expired driver's licenses. He couldn't pay for the right paperwork or pay down his fines, but he couldn't stop driving either, because driving was how he got to the auto body shop where he picked up the odd shift. Hitchhiking scared him, and he didn't want to bother his friends more than he had to. "My pride gets in my way a lot," Lindsey told me. "They're not embarrassed by you wanting their help, but you are."

How Cities Make Money by Fining the Poor [Matthew Shaer/New York Times Magazine]

(Image: Sixflashphoto, CC-BY-SA)

(via Naked Capitalism)

Fertility doctors often advise men that wearing boxers instead of briefs lowers scrotal temperature and possibly increase sperm count. The CoolMen device takes that idea to the extreme, instrumenting the wearer's testicles with temperature, pulse, and motion sensors while also cupping them in a specific position conducive to coolness. From the Polish start-up CoolTec:



CoolMen is an innovative device that stabilizes the temperature of the testicles in the optimum range. In a short time, CoolMen significantly improves semen parameters, contributing to increased fertility of the pair.





CoolMen can record data about temperature and time of use as well as types of activity (sleep, sitting, physical activity) by wirelessly transferring it to the mobile application on the smartphone. These data can then be analyzed by the andrologist to improve the treatment process

CoolMen has been designed to be completely invisible under clothing, providing full discretion during use.In Saudi Arabia, women can only get a divorce after proving abuse in court, but men can simply file  in secret  for a divorce from their wives, and sometimes, they don't even tell their wives, continuing to live with them so they don't have to pay alimony, fraudulently using power of attorney to access their funds, etc.



In a giant leap forward for women's rights, the Saudi government is going to start sending women a text message after their husbands divorce them.

This is "part of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's Vision 2030 project for Saudi Arabia which seeks to reinvent Saudi Arabia as an open and inviting modern nation."





Saudi Arabia is the most important Arab state ally of the US and Canada, and both countries sell arms and other materiel to the Kingdom. Prince Mohammad bin Salman ordered his state assassins to kidnap, torture and dismember the critical journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Saudi proxy war in Yemen has resulted in the worst human rights crisis in living memory, leading to the indiscriminate death of noncombatants, including children, the elderly, and women.



The Saudi Ministry of Justice said the step was "aimed at protecting the rights of female clients," but it's not clear to me how it could do that if the noticewhich, again, is a text messageonly goes out after the decree has been issued. And that does seem to be what will happen. As Bloomberg put it in a (not-very-helpful) subheading, "Measure ensures women know about marital status change," not that they will be able to do anything to affect what the decree looks like. Maybe there are post-divorce measures that can be taken, but a source quoted by Al Jazeera said that knowing about the divorce would not mean a woman would necessarily get alimony or custody of her children. But I guess if you don't even know you've been divorced, the chances you would get those things is pretty much zero. So, as Suad Abu-Dayyeh of the group Equality Now put it, this may be a "tiny step, but it is a step in the right direction." "In most Arab countries," she said, "men can just divorce their wives." But now, "[a]t least women will know whether they are divorced or not." Assuming their husbands let them have cell phones, that is.



Saudi Women Now Entitled to Text Message Notifying Them of Divorce

[Kevin Underhill/Lowering the Bar]Mass protests have wracked Serbia after critics of nationalist strongman president Aleksandar Vucic were attacked in a series of failed assassination attempts, compounding Vucic's own human rights abuses and indifference to popular will.



Among those who were attacked are Serbian Left president Borko Stefanovic and two Serbian Left party activists, who was beaten with iron bars in the city of Krusevac; another assassination attempt was directed at the journalist Milan Jovanovic.

The opposition has demanded that Vucic accede to a set of demands around respect for basic human rights; in response, Vucic has said that he would not accede to the demands, "even if five million people show up on the streets" (Serbia's population is six million). In response, protesters have taken up the slogan "#1od5miliona ("one in five million").

Protesters are also marching under the slogan "#STOPkrvavimkosuljama ("stop bloodying shirts") in reference to a TV appearance by Stefanovic in which he showed the bloody shirt he was wearing when he was beaten.

The protests have united Serbia's left and right for the first time since the 1990s, when similar protests brought down the regime of genocidal dictator Slobodan Milosevic (in whose cabinet Vucic served).



Another slogan spotted both in the streets and on social media says "it has begun" (#poceloJe), a cry of hope that the protests would grow into a country-wide movement similar to that of the late 1990s. In the past decade, Aleksandar Vucic has re-branded himself as a moderate centrist by paying lip service to Serbian integration into the European Union, something his opponents claim is mere camouflage of both his growing authoritarian tendencies at home and his servility to the Kremlin. So far, he has shrugged off the protests. While government-controlled media has attempted to minimize their size and importance, Vucic himself has dared his opponents with talks of a snap election which near-total party control over state institutions and media would likely hand him victory. Opposition leaders have said they would boycott such a move.

Belgrade protests against Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic escalate to nationwide demos [Filip Stojanovski/Global Voices]The video above is an anti-drug PSA from the early 1970s, in which a slick talking magician offers drugs to children on a playground. "Hey kiddies, gather round, the man with the goodies is here!" he says as he sets up a small performance table and uses magical flourishes to show off his illicit wares. One of the kids in the audience, playing the part of a heckler, challenges the prestidigitating pusher at every turn with spoilers like "They say amphetamines can cause something like schizophreem," "Withdrawals from barbituates can cause convulsions," and "[LSD can cause] bad trips and a chance of chromosome damage."

When I started reading Malcolm Gladwell's latest New Yorker article, Is Smoking Marijuana as Safe as We Think?, I was reminded of this commercial  specifically, the part where the magician, annoyed by the kid's heckling, makes a marijuana bouquet spontaneously appear in one hand and a joint in the other. He says to the kid, "Grass. Anything wrong with pot?" The kid replies, "They're not sure yet, they just started studying about it." Gladwell starts off his article like this kid (who was correct in 1973), by arguing that we still don't know anything about marijuana's effects. The problem is, it's 2019 and Gladwell's article disingenuously cherry-picks some facts and fails to disclose other facts as part of what seems to be a strong anti-pot agenda.

On Twitter, science journalist Dave Levitan pointed out a number of major problems with Gladwell's piece. For example, Gladwell wrote "smoking pot is widely supposed to diminish the nausea associated with chemotherapy. But, the [National Academy of Medicine] panel pointed out [in a 2017 report titled: The Health Effects of Cannabis and Cannabinoids] 'there are no good-quality randomized trials investigating this option.'"

Gladwell is correct, the report indeed states that, and it seems to support his argument that "They're not sure yet, they just started studying about it." But Gladwell fails to mention that the panel also wrote, "There is conclusive evidence that oral cannabinoids are effective antiemetics in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting." Imagine if Gladwell had been completely honest and had written: "smoking pot is widely supposed to diminish the nausea associated with chemotherapy. But, the panel pointed out 'there are no good-quality randomized trials investigating this option.' However, the panel also stated 'There is conclusive evidence that oral cannabinoids are effective antiemetics in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.'" That would have made it hard for Gladwell to write the rest of his article, which depends on the fact that he has convinced his readers that "They're not sure yet, they just started studying about it."

Hey sure, I'll join the pile-on as I read Gladwell's big pot story (https://t.co/0101wWYd5q). I'm two paragraphs in and I already went to the report he's citing and found some bullshit. Here's what he writes versus one thing the report says: pic.twitter.com/D2DvwKZi9H  Dave Levitan (@davelevitan) January 8, 2019

Many other parts of Gladwell's article are flawed, too. He confuses correlation with causation:

"[Alex] Berenson [author of Tell Your Children: The Truth About Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence], looks, too, at the early results from the state of Washington, which, in 2014, became the first U.S. jurisdiction to legalize recreational marijuana. Between 2013 and 2017, the state's murder and aggravated-assault rates rose forty per cent  twice the national homicide increase and four times the national aggravated-assault increase. We don't know that an increase in cannabis use was responsible for that surge in violence. Berenson, though, finds it strange that, at a time when Washington may have exposed its population to higher levels of what is widely assumed to be a calming substance, its citizens began turning on one another with increased aggression."

In other words, "We don't know if weed turns people into killers, but after Washington legalized weed, people turned into killers. I'm just saying."

If Gladwell needs more stories like this, I have a source for him:EU privacy rules force European companies to surrender data they hold on anyone, anywhere; and that includes SCL Elections, which owned Cambridge Analytica, the notorious Facebook data-miner and election-manipulator that extravagantly claimed to have won the election for Donald Trump.



Back in 2017, Parsons School of Design prof David Carroll teamed up with PersonalData.io to request data from Facebook and Cambridge Analytica that they hope will reveal the way the targeted ads worked; but Cambridge Analytica and SCL stonewalled the UK regulators when they were told to produce Carroll's data. The UK regulator sued, and now, the bankrupt remains of SCL/Cambridge Analytica have entered a guilty plea and will have to pay about $26,000 in fines and fees.

The settlement comes the day before the trial was to begin, and follows SCL's claim that Carroll had no more right to see the data they held on him "than a member of the Taliban sitting in a cave in the remotest corner of Afghanistan."

The UK Information Commission has seized Cambridge Analytica's computers and 700TB of data. SCL/Cambridge Analytica had refused to provide the decryption keys to the data, but their former employees have now done so.



There was no suggestion the administrators will now grant Carroll's request for access to the full data on him. That information is held on computers seized from Cambridge Analytica by the ICO, and stores around 700 terabytes of data, which the court was told equated to around 81 billion pages of information. Ben Summers, for the prosecution, admitted that finding the information on Carroll was like searching for a needle in a haystack. "But it was obvious to the ICO that in order to deal with the needle, you had to have access to the haystack." The court was told Wednesday that Cambridge Analytica and its related companies had not provided the relevant passwords to the ICO to access that data, but the administrators had now done so. That means the British watchdog may eventually be able to work out what data was gathered on Carroll and millions of fellow American voters, and how it was usedby a company that boasted of its dirty tricksto help Trump win in 2016.

Trump Campaign Consultants Cambridge Analytica Found Guilty of Breaking Data Laws [Nico Hines/Daily Beast]While it never hurts when your company name becomes a verb, but there's a lot more to Google than a simple web search. Sure, Google's search engine is also the engine that powered the firm into its current position as one of the 10 most valuable companies in America, but the company has spent the READ THE RESTThe 2018 election included a Florida ballot initiative to restore felons' voting rights (with the exception of convicted murderers and sexual offenders): the 1.4 million Americans who will get their votes restored today as a consequence are the largest cohort of Americans to get access to the ballot since women's sufferage in 1920.



The restoration of voting rights for felons is an important step in reversing the electoral suppression practiced by Republicans as part of their election-stealing tactics, which range from dark money spending to poll-taxes to gerrymandering and beyond.





97% of people who are indicted by a Federal grand jury plead guilty. That is not because US prosecutors are in possession of psychic powers that help them to solely indict guilty people: it's because the combination of inhumane prison conditions, resource-starved public defenders, farcically long prison sentences, and the proliferation of jailable offenses. If a prosecutor decides you're guilty, he'll get you indicted like a ham sandwich, charge you with a long list of felonies, threaten you with centuries of prison time in a medieval-torture-grade federal pen, stick you with an inattentive, underpaid public defender, and then offer you a plea deal (which your PD will endorse).





The ability to plead innocent is a privilege, a function of the wealth of the accused. Whiteness is also correlated with wealth in America, and banning felons from voting is mostly a way of banning Black and brown people from voting.

Florida's voting restoration ballot initiative was incredibly explicit: it restores votes today, without any need for further work from the legislature. Still, the Republican governor and Secretary of State are proposing to illegally delay the restoration of voting rights, insisting  nonsensically  that the state legislature needs to approve the initiative before proceeding.

There are local elections scheduled for February, before the next legislative sitting, and by slow-walking this, Florida Republicans can deal out one more Jim Crow-style fuck you to the Black people of Florida.



DeSantis, who opposed the amendment during the campaign, indicated that its implementation would be delayed until lawmakers can write it into law during the next legislative session. "They're going to be able to do that in March," he told the Palm Beach Post. Some local elections in Florida are scheduled for as early as February, before the next legislature meets. DeSantis's comments followed slow-walking on the amendment by other state officials, like Ken Detzner, the Republican secretary of state, who indicated in December that he believed the ballot language was unclear and would require state legislators' review. "We need to get some direction from them as far as implementation and definitions  all the kind of things that the supervisors were asking," Detzner said then. "It would be inappropriate for us to charge off without direction from them." Lack of direction from the state department  and from exiting Gov. Rick Scott  also led to confusion among election officials across the state, with the Division of Elections director saying that "the state is putting a pause button on our felon identification files .  We need this time to research it, to be sure we are providing the appropriate guidance."

1.4 Million Floridians Get Their Voting Rights Back Today, Whether Republicans Like It or Not [Alice Speri/The Intercept]As Donald Trump prepares for his 8-minute "The Wall" remarks, which will be televised live by all major U.S. networks, read Nicholas Rasmussen's take in Just Security on the so-called terrorism crisis at the southern border. Spoiler. There is none.

"Bottom line," says Rasmussen, a career defense professional who was the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center from 2014 to 2017:

"There is no crisis, and anyone who says there is probably trying to mislead or scare the American people."

Snip:

Taken at face value, rhetoric from the White House and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) would lead Americans to believe that the United States is facing a terrorism crisis at our southern border. The picture being painted is one in which thousands of terrorists have been stopped crossing our southern border to infiltrate the Homeland. If that were true, that would indeed be a crisis.

In reality, no such crisis exists.

Our federal courthouses and prisons are not filled with terrorists we've captured at the border. There is no wave of terrorist operatives waiting to cross overland into the United States. It simply isn't true. Anyone in authority using this argument to bolster support for building the wall or any other physical barrier along the southern border is most likely guilty of fear mongering and willfully misleading the American people.

Why do I know this? As Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) from December 2014 until December 2017, it was my job to lead the government's efforts to collect and analyze all available information about terrorist threats to the Homeland. It was my responsibility on behalf of the Intelligence Community to synthesize and present that terrorism picture to our most senior decision makers  up to and including the President of the United States  so that sound decisions could be made about how to protect the Homeland from terrorist attack.

Here is ground truth on this issue. Terrorist groups like al-Qa'ida and ISIS spend time talking about, brainstorming and even fantasizing about ways in which they can do harm to the United State. At times, those conversations have certainly included discussion of ways in which terrorist operatives might be inserted into the Homeland. But we also knew from intelligence reporting that terrorist groups have very high regard for our Homeland Security capabilities, including our border security. They know we had become a much "harder" target than at the time of 9/11 and that getting their operatives into the United States is an extremely challenging proposition.

In part, that's why terrorist groups pivoted in recent years to a different business model. Rather than focusing on trying to insert a terrorist operative from abroad, it has proven to be far easier for an organization like ISIS or al-Qa'ida to inspire or motivate an individual already inside the United States to act on their behalf. That change has left us with the threat condition that prevails today, in which the greatest terrorism threat we face is from what we call Homegrown Violent Extremists (HVEs)  in most cases individuals who were either born here or have lived here for most of their adult lives.Hypocrites who only want control over every aspect of our lives. They are NOT working for our benefit.

If the wall was good in 2006 and 2014 then its just as good now. Methinks it was lip service then and now Pres Trump has called them on it.

In 2013, Dem Senators Voted To Give $46 Billion To Secure Border, Build Barrier. 2006 Was Even Bigger

(vid)

"....The government shutdown over the border wall funding battle has seen a number of excuses from Democrats. One, however, has been cost for the wall. When Kentuckys Democratic Rep. John Yarmuth appeared on The Hills Rising on Friday, he admitted the amount requested is chump change compared to other amounts the Democrats have been willing to pay for border security...."

https://www.westernjournal.com/ct/2006-dem-senators-voted-50-billion-border-fence-2013-bigger/It's Hard Enough to Do Immigration Law Without the Government Shutting Down

As the government shutdown drags on, so do immigration proceedings.

Immigration court hearings are being pushed back -- some by years -- because of a political battle over the border wall. President Trump has threatened to continue the shutdown unless he gets $5 billion to build the wall.

Immigration law was hard before the political stalemate, but now it is practically impossible. If you want a hearing, take a number and get in a very long line.

Next Available?

2022. That's the number "Jose" got the week before his trial. He wanted to go to the Dominican Republic.

Because of the shutdown, now he will have to wait at least four more years to visit his dying mother there. At this pace, he won't even make it to her funeral.

Ashley Tabaddor, president of the National Association of Immigration Judges, said immigration judges are on furlough, or unpaid leave, because of the border wall impasse. She said cases may take years to be heard.

"There is an irony of shutting down the immigration courts when the whole issue on the government shutdown is about immigration," she told Roll Call.

Growing Backlog

According to reports, the backlog of immigration cases has risen dramatically since Trump began a crackdown on undocumented aliens. As of Nov. 30, 2018, the number of pending cases had grown to 809,014 -- a nearly 50 percent increase since the president took office.

Meanwhile, federal courts are using court fees and other sources to continue operations as long as possible. Immigration courts are cutting back now; civil will be next.

Some federal courts have already issued orders to suspend all civil cases involving the federal government. The Justice Department has also asked courts to delay those cases.

Related Resources:Florida Deputy Mails Fake Bomb to Coworker, Evacuates Building, Resigns

In what other state in this great nation would a sheriff's deputy package toy dynamite in a box, insert a note saying "Boom," and use interoffice mail to send it to his lieutenant as a prank? Former Pinellas County Sheriff's Deputy James Piper, a 59-year-old with 35 years on the force did just that, leading to the evacuation of the administration building and his own resignation.

Apparently not everyone thinks fake bombs are funny.

Blowing Up Your Career

Piper, who worked as a patrol deputy for the Sheriff's Office from 1982 to 2015, and was rehired in July 2017, sent the package "as a joke" to Lieutenant Joseph Gerretz, according to a press release concerning the incident:

Lieutenant Gerretz opened the box at his desk. The box was insulated with plastic packaging and contained a red cylinder shaped object with protruding wires. A handwritten note with the word "Boom" was included inside the package.

Upon opening the box, seeing the handwritten note and the wires, he immediately vacated his office and made notification of the potential threat.

Portions of the Sheriff's Administration Building were evacuated and a handler with a K-9 bomb detection dog was called to the scene. The K-9 did not alert to the suspicious package.

The Tampa Police Department's Bomb Team confirmed that the device was not a threat, and after Sheriff Bob Gualtieri sent out an agency wide communication regarding the evacuations Piper apparently contacted his supervisor, informed him that he sent the package, and immediately resigned.

Truly a Dud

As we're sure the former deputy is well aware, "hoax bombs" are illegal under Florida criminal statutes, and anyone who "manufactures, possesses, sells, delivers, sends, mails, displays, uses, threatens to use, attempts to use, or conspires to use, or who makes readily accessible to others, a hoax bomb" could be charged with a second-degree felony. That's fifteen years in prison, another fifteen years of probation, and a possible $10,000 fine.

So maybe Piper got off light with the resignation.

Related Resources:The U.S. Constitution is a work of both the historical experience of the Founding Fathers and of the eminently Protestant culture to which they belonged. It is probably futile to try to understand the legal meaning of the Constitution without first grasping its historical and cultural significance.

In the Federalist Papers, John Jay makes an unequivocal defense of this common understanding among the Framers: that the nascent republic was blessed because its citizens shared the same language, religion, and ancestries.

In the age of multiculturalism, to say such words is a heresy. But this does not make them less true.

Even among many on the modern American right, the idea that culture and historical contingency must be taken into account when trying to interpret documents or events is often underestimated in favor of a universalist interpretations that are somehow beyond culture.

Wherever it arises as a political movement, conservatism tends to be a reaction in favor of the defense of what is particular, unique, special, and inimitable, because these are the things that must be preserved. This reaction is almost always against a power that seeks homogenization, and sameness, which aims to make all people equally indistinct from each other. No matter whether this power is exercised by the tyranny of a despot, by the will of a king, or by the laws of a democratically elected Congress, the conservative always strives to ensure, to use Samuel Johnsons words, that the tyranny of the treatises never overcomes common sense as the compass of politics.

The first radical expression of contempt for particularism came with the Jacobinism which emerged during the French Revolution. This armed doctrine intended to destroy all that existed and to rebuild the world according to what the Jacobins supposed to be reason. It is therefore unsurprising that the critics of Jacobinism and its legacy appealed to national history and cultures as a counterpoint to revolutionary universalism. The English parliamentary tradition was thus seen by Edmund Burke as a shield against the seduction of the simple and wrong answers proposed by followers of the various Continental Enlightenment movements. So did all the conservatives (Joseph de Maistre, Louis de Bonald, Juan Donoso Cortez and German Romantics) and the classical liberals (Benjamin Constant and Alexis de Tocqueville) after him.

This doesnt mean that universal things dont exist. Conservatives and classical liberals have always understood that the culture and history of a particular people exist in tension with the universality of human experience, human nature, and human reason. The doctrine of natural law, for example, exposed by Catholic philosophers such as Michel Villey, John Finnis and Javier Hervada espouse a very different idea of law than that of modern philosophy of human rights. They also recognize the particularities of the different political associations as fundamental for the good application of law. That means that natural law, as they understand it, is not a set of ideas that are far-off from social reality, but it is both universally true and also very attentive to the particular. As one would expect, Burke holds a very similar position.

It is also the case, that many Enlightenment thinkers underscored the importance of grounding political institutions within local cultures. In The Spirit of Laws, Baron de Montesquieu made this point as did. In his History of England, David Hume refutes the historical progressivism of Whig liberalism in favor of a realistic interpretation of English history. Furthermore, as historian Gertrude Himmelfarb states, the sociology of virtue developed by Anthony Ashley Cooper, 3rd Earl of Shaftesbury, helped shape the thought of Adam Smith, Edmund Burke, and the U.S. Founding Fathers.

It was from the Genevan philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau that so much of todays intellectual class inherited the simplistic interpretation of human nature, the tendency to interpret all opposition to their ideas in Manichean terms, and the belief, to use Johnsons words once again, that it is possible to rule the world by following books in spite of practical experience. It is an outlook that also reflects what Lionel Trilling called moral imagination,  the ability to understand the world in all its complexity.

It was on the basis of such considerations on the imperatives of imagination that Trilling wrote his distinguished study about what he understood to be the dominant American ideology, The Liberal Imagination (1950). Progressivism, Trilling realized, was the sole intellectual tradition in the United States shaping the political and intellectual interpretation of the world. Even though there were conservative sentiments among the people, there was no continuous history of conservative ideas under debate among the intellectual class whatsoever. One of the first things Trilling noticed was the schematic rigidity of moral reactions, and the absence of honesty towards the variety and ambiguity of human experience. While conservatives like Samuel Johnson, Edmund Burke, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Matthew Arnold were able to turn into words the wealthy human experience, Progressivism tended to reduce everything to a grotesque caricature.

History seems to prove consistently that contempt toward particularism is the fastest route to chaos. During the ten months of the Terror, the French revolution killed more than the Catholic Inquisition in the three preceding centuries. Communism, another child of secularist universalism, has provoked three of the four major genocides in human history (Chinas Great Leap Forward, Red Hunger in Ukraine, and Pol Pots killing fields in Cambodia). The Nazi concentration camps, the other major genocide, were the result of experiments of another revolutionary political doctrine that sought to rebuild the world.

The recent failure of liberal internationalism to create liberal democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan and the resurgence of nationalism in the Western world shows that proposals for social engineering tend to fail even in the short run. The idea that liberal democracy is a commodity automatically fit to export would be strange to the political philosophy of the Founding Fathers. It is hard to believe that the political institutions created for an Anglo-Saxon largely Protestant republic, suspicious of every efforts to centralize power, falls within the modern definition of liberal democracy.

Jays remark or President George Washingtons Farewell address are pieces of profound wisdom and reflect great insight into the nature of human political existence. They are proof of how fortunate it was for the nascent America to be governed by a talented and historically conscious group of men. When so many of Americas intellectual class and ruling elite decided to give in to the temptation of universalism, from the Progressive Era to the Iraq War and Obamacare, the fundamental freedoms, so valued by the Protestants who founded this country, began to be destroyed.

The modern descendants of Rousseau have not yet given up on trying to destroy everything that is different, particular and special. I do not think they will succeed. But until the fetish of sameness is relegated to the rubble that it has done so much to create, the West will continue to sail in murky, unsettled waters.

Photo credit: The Second Continental Congress voting independence. Source: WikiCommons.The day after she bested a 10-term congressman by 16 points in a Democratic Party primary, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made an unlikely literary debut: She published an article in a Jesuit magazine burnishing her Catholic bona fides. The story, titled, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on her Catholic faith and the urgency of a criminal justice reform, appeared in America last Wednesday.

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) members blog offers a personal reflection about an incarcerated relative, cites U.S. incarceration statistics as proof that our criminal justice system could very well benefit from a rite of penance of its own, and concludes that America should be a society that forgives and rehabilitates criminals.

She asks:

What should be the ultimate goal of sentencing and incarceration? Is it punishment? Rehabilitation? Forgiveness? For Catholics, these questions tie directly to the heart of our faith.

Although not the focus of this article, of course it is anything but clear that her proposed reforms (e.g., rolling back anti-drug laws and eliminating mandatory minimum sentencing) lie at the heart of Catholic social teaching, much less the Catholic faith.

Nor is it clear that she properly conveys her Churchs teachings on the matter. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that the magistrates primary duty is to redress the disorder caused by the offense. The state does this by imposing penalties commensurate with the gravity of the crime, and that punishment should be voluntarily accepted by the offender to take on the value of expiation. Only after this should state-imposed justice exercise its medicinal scope and contribute to the prisoners rehabilitation, as far as possible. (It is unclear if the penalty retains its medicinal value if the offenders congressman rejects it with an intersectional rebuttal that ascribes every prison sentence to the ravages of Eurocentric, heteronormative capitalism.)

Ocasio-Cortezs views on judicial issues only tangentially touch the Catholic faith. However, she finds herself in fundamental opposition to the Roman Catholic Churchs most definitive teachings on religious liberty, economics, and anthropology.

Perhaps the most flagrant example is the fact that, as one blogger noted, the candidate apparently disagrees with her church  on abortion and marriage.

Indeed, Ocasio-Cortez calls for the newly nationalized health care sector to grant open access to safe, legal, affordable abortion  for all people, regardless of income. This is a politicians way of calling for publicly funded, unlimited abortion-on-demand  as, for instance, is practiced by Canadas collectivized health care system. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has written that any politician advocating this position is in an objective situation of sin for which an unrepentant Catholic should be denied the Eucharist.

Ocasio-Cortez also supports the ever-diversifying LGBTQIA+ movement by endorsing the Equality Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Doing so, as Heritage Foundation scholar Ryan T. Anderson explains, would endanger religious liberty and freedom of speech (as well as expand state interference in labor markets, potentially discouraging job creation).

That is to say, judging from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortezs political positions, one may conclude the dogma does not live loudly in her.

However, one of her defining characteristics alone could have made this clear: her advocacy of democratic socialism.

Religious socialism, Christian socialism, are contradictory terms, wrote Pope Pius XI in Quadragesimo Anno. [N]o one can be at the same time a good Catholic and a true socialist.

The misunderstanding of how economics works is deeper than a dispute over dull textbook definitions  demand curves, price indices, and other mystical terms that make peoples eyes glaze over. At its heart, the debate between Christians and socialists represents two diverging futures for the human race  only one of which facilitates its health and flourishing.

Just how far apart are the socialist and Christian views of the world? The New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America  to which Ocasio-Cortez belongs and which actively campaigned on her behalf  took to Twitter to make a few immodest proposals on Saturday. Among them were demands to abolish profit, abolish prisons, and abolish borders.

? Abolish profit

? Abolish prisons

? Abolish cash bail

? Abolish borders#AbolishICE pic.twitter.com/TCFIZqzJrU  New York City DSA ? (@nycDSA) June 29, 2018

The call to abolish profits flows naturally from the socialist view of economics. Capitalism, according to the DSA, aims to generate profit, and this requires the exploitation of labor, the destruction of the planet, and the immiseration of the vast majority of people. In the Democratic Socialists view, all profits are exploitative, because all value is added by labor.

On the other hand, The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes, in its section on the Seventh Commandment (Thou shalt not steal):

2432 Those responsible for business enterprises  have an obligation to consider the good of persons and not only the increase of profits. Profits are necessary, however. They make possible the investments that ensure the future of a business and they guarantee employment. (Emphasis added.)

Unemployment, the Catechism continues, almost always wounds its victims dignity and entails many risks for his family.

The Christian view holds that profits fuel private business growth, produce more of the goods necessary for our survival, and assure that a business may continue to furnish workers with life-sustaining pay and opportunities to exercise their God-given talents.

A faith-based publication ought not gloss over such substantial rifts between the socialists and the Catholic Christians worldview in its rush to publish the political celebrity of the moment.

(Photo credit: Jesse Korman. This photo has been cropped and modified. CC BY-SA 4.0.)The Legislature isnt a week old and bills have been introduced that have sparked debate over personal freedom.

Legislation to allow businesses to open before noon on Sundays, to make not wearing a seat belt a primary offense and to make it legal to leave your vehicle idling while not occupied will get a lot of attention. Some will see an effort to infringe on personal rights or improve on rights in each bill.

Those who favor keeping the remaining blue laws on the books argue it frees people from work so they can attend church. They also believe it creates a break from too much consumerism. Sunday is a day of worship, they say, and at least part of the day should be set aside.

A lot has changed since the laws were adopted. Many churches hold services several days a week to make it more convenient for their congregations. There are ways to watch and listen to services remotely. Sunday remains important, but efforts to feed the soul happen on a daily basis.FARGO  Alistair McInerny had to wait two hours at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at the Seattle airport last Friday.

He said there were only two of the normally six to seven lines open at the airport where he frequently flies to visit family.

However, that seems to be an anomaly as most airports  including Hector International Airport in Fargo  have seen no extra delays at their TSA lines during the partial government shutdown.

What has been happening at apparently only a few airports nationwide is TSA agents calling in and not reporting to work to protest the shutdown.

Hector International Airport Executive Director Shawn Dobberstein said on Tuesday, Jan. 8, that TSA employees have been showing up in Fargo.

"I think this issue has been overblown," he said about the longer lines at airports across the United States.

Nationally, Micheal Bilello, assistant administrator for public affairs, tweeted over the weekend that 99.8 percent of passengers had to wait less than the TSA standard of 30 minutes at checkpoints.

Bilello said they were monitoring the situation closely, but that so far "call-outs" appeared to be minor.Kautzman, who is also involved in BHSs writers club, is this weeks Teen of the Week.

Alex is an extremely hard worker who has high expectations for herself. She pushed herself to learn and grow and became one of my top writers  she reminds me of so many literary greats whose words have served as weapons, wrote BHS English instructor Rosann Jacobs-Fode, in a letter of recommendation. Her classmates admire and respect her and so do I.

Throughout high school, the teen attended numerous journalism conventions across the country, including Seattle, San Francisco and Chicago. A write-off competition coincides with each convention and for her impromptu poetry, Kautzman received honorary mention, excellent and superior  the highest ranking  the past three years, respectively.

Music is also one of her passions. Shes played trumpet since fifth grade and participates in the concert, pep, jazz and marching bands. Private piano lessons have been etched into her schedule since seventh grade.

The straight-A student, who scored a 32 on her ACT exam, has taken summer school every year possible to ensure that she has room in her regular school schedule for electives, such as writing classes.An estimated $7 million street improvement project on the south side of Mandan is moving forward after the city commission decided Tuesday protests by landowners due to the proposed high special assessments were insufficient at just under 13 percent.

Although the project is moving forward, members of the commission voiced on more than one occasion that if bids, which are slated for an April letting, come in considerably higher than anticipated, they have the option to reconsider.

If it came in 20 percent under and it looks really good, thats fine. If it comes in to a point where its at currently, even, or higher, then we can say, Just a minute. Those people down there cant afford it. Well can this one and well look for another option or look for a different way of doing business, Commissioner Dennis Rohr said.

The Southside Street Improvement Project includes the reconstruction of roadways, repaving of alleys, curb and gutter repairs, sidewalk improvements to ensure ADA compliance, storm sewer improvements and extension of the sanitary sewer. The replacement of streetlights was considered, too, but is not in the estimate.The governor also said the library's intended location "drives the interest" from federal agencies and national organizations, such as the National Park Foundation.

"The timing for this is particularly unique, and that's why I feel a great sense of urgency that, if North Dakota puts its stake down with this matching grant, we're going to see an acceleration of partners stepping forward," Burgum said.

Bismarck Republican Rep. Mike Nathe asked the governor about support and securing private commitments to the project, which Burgum said would be enabled with early assurance on his proposal.

"If we wait 'til the last day of the session to pass this bill, I can't guarantee we're going to see donations," Burgum said. "If we said, 'Hey, we're going to do a set-aside for this thing' in the next week, I think before the end of February we'd be coming back to even saying, 'Yeah, we've got commitments showing up.'"

Burgum said the $150 million project would provide for $100 million for facilities and a $50 million endowment.

Speaking to reporters after his testimony, the governor said he may testify a few more times this session. Burgum took office in December 2016.A state senator has introduced a bill that would allow school districts to devise safety plans and collect more in property taxes to fund them.

Sen. Donald Schaible, R-Mott, is the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 2052. The bill would allow a school board to create a school safety plan, as well as maintain a "school safety plan fund." The plan must be approved by a majority of voters in a regular or special school district election and it would be reauthorized every five years.

During a hearing on the bill before the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, Schaible told lawmakers he introduced the bill so that school districts and school boards, as well as the public, can be involved in safety discussions.

"This is just one tool for safety," he said.

The bill would allow districts to assess five mills for the school safety plan, which would be deposited into a special fund. The additional property taxes wouldn't be associated with the restrictions in the K-12 funding formula.

School safety plans would be tailored to each individual district's needs and could include covering the cost of hiring a school resource officer, installing security cameras or contracting with a clinical psychologist.Pheasant, grouse and archery deer seasons just ended Jan. 6, so I wouldnt blame hunters if theyre not quite yet starting to plan for next fall.

But if you have a child, friend or relative who will need a hunter education certificate in order to purchase a hunting license in 2019, now is the time to make sure that gets into the calendar.

In North Dakota, hunter education classes are taught by more than 700 volunteer instructors, a great group always looking for new members. These instructors offer most classes during the winter and into spring.

Hunter education certification is required for anyone born after Dec. 31, 1961, to buy a hunting license in North Dakota. The exceptions are landowners hunting only on their own land, youth who will not reach age 12 before the 2019 hunting seasons begin, and anyone age 12 and older who is eligible for an apprentice hunting license that can be used only once in a lifetime.

Youth younger than 12 may still hunt with their parents or other adults. There is no minimum age for hunting small game in North Dakota, but students need to reach age 11 before they take the hunter education class.

Enrolling yourself or a youth is easy. All it takes is a trip to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department website at gf.nd.gov.BOZEMAN  Cathy Whitlock, Montana State Universitys newest Regents Professor, will discuss the path and people that have shaped her career as a paleoecologist during a free public lecture set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, at the Museum of the Rockies Hager Auditorium.

Whitlock will present Looking backward, thinking forward: Perspectives of a paleoecologist. Paleoecology is a discipline that looks at the past to understand how ecosystems have evolved in the face of changing climate, natural disturbances and human activity.

In her lecture, Whitlock will describe the approaches she and her team developed during the 1988 Yellowstone fires that are now used to inform resource management decisions and conservation efforts around the world and her teams discoveries about the history of fire, people and climate in both hemispheres.

She will also share her thoughts on the tough question of whether  given projected climate change  knowledge of the past is still relevant for understanding the future in places like Montana.I wholeheartedly support the DOJ DUI bill, Yellowstone County Attorney Scott Twito told The Gazette recently. While Montana has made significant improvement in all areas of DUIs for years, DOJs efforts are admirable. From simplification of the DUI code, elimination of conviction lookback, and more significant possible penalties for repeat felony DUI offenders, it is a comprehensive approach for what is still a significant problem.

Twito has been especially concerned that a 2017 law actually reduced the possible penalties that had been imposed for fifth and subsequent DUI offenses by narrowing the definition of how the Persistent Felony Offender statute can be used. The new law excluded DUI, so the worst repeat DUI offenders could not be sentenced to more than 2 years.

Reversing the effect of that 2017 law is a top priority in 2019 for the Montana County Attorneys Association.

The 74-page SB65 would make numerous other changes, including:

 When sentencing on second and third DUI offenses, judges would be required to order offender participation in monitoring programs (such as 24/7 Sobriety) and installation of an ignition interlock device on the offenders vehicles.Letter to the editor: "These differences can be explained not by race but by the differences in the specific cultures."

Note: The views expressed by letter writers do not necessarily reflect those of The Gazette. To submit a letter visit https://billingsgazette.com/forms/contact/letter_to_the_editorBecause of their potency, prescription opiates can be a powerful and effective medical tool when used under the close supervision of a physician. That potency, however, makes the drugs addictive and deadly when abused. My bill would require prescribers to use Montanas prescription drug registry before prescribing certain substances, to prevent the doctor shopping that can lead to overdoses and trafficking.

Because research shows limiting first-time opiate prescriptions to five days significantly reduces rates of addiction, my bill would also enact such limitations in certain circumstances. Tightening up identification and verification requirements to prevent forged prescriptions and moving Montana toward electronic prescribing will also help prevent abuse while protecting legitimate medical use.

While illegal drugs are a significant part of Montanas substance abuse crisis, alcohol addiction remains a major cause of fatalities and a drain on public resources.

The battle against driving under the influence (DUI) in Montana is not simply a fight against the problem itself, but also against misconceptions, false assumptions, and a culture that often sees DUI as harmless or even a right. The research is clear that by the time a person has been cited for a second or third DUI, he or she has most likely been driving under the influence repeatedly.Calling it unfathomable that a Native American child could go missing for two weeks before the FBI alerted the public, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester is asking federal officials to explain their response to the disappearance of Northern Cheyenne girl Henny Scott.

The 14-year-old Scott who was found dead Dec. 28, covered in snow about 100 yards behind a home in the Muddy Creek area, was reported missing by her mother Dec 13. Bureau of Indian Affairs officials added the girl to the state database of missing persons, but no attempt was made to alert the public until the day after Christmas, when the FBI issued a missing persons advisory.

Its unfathomable that 13 days could pass between the filing of a missing person report and notification to the general public, Tester said in a letter to the directors of the FBI and BIA. Law enforcement owes a much higher standard to protecting citizens in Indian Country.Lawmakers draft a handful of drunken driving-related bills each session, but most die in committee.

The biggest thing about DUI legislation in Montana is it tends to be incremental, Barnes said. There always seems to be a lot of push-back on toughening DUI in Montana, which I think speaks to the cultural problem that we have here in terms of acceptance of DUI.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving in 2016 rated Montana worst in the nation for its track record on drunken driving. The number of DUI offenses has gone down in the past decade in Montana, but the state still outpaces the nation for its rate of alcohol-related traffic fatalities, according to the Attorney General's Office report on substance abuse.

The legislation would generally result in harsher penalties for repeat drunken drivers, but the Justice Department hasnt hammered out any projections for the number of cases the proposals would impact.

There will be a fiscal note on the bill, but the projected costs are still being determined, Barnes said. He said the legislation would also streamline the states impaired driving laws to make them simpler for attorneys and the courts to understand and apply.A federal fish and game officer has been federally indicted on charges involving sexual crimes against a child.

Shawn Thomas Conrad, 48, pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Billings Tuesday to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. The charges carry a minimum of 15 years in prison.

Conrad has worked as a special agent with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Billings region, although his current employment status could not be verified. The public affairs office for the agency was closed due to the federal government shutdown, according to a message on the agencys phone lines.

On Aug. 3, Conrad coerced or otherwise caused a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct in order to produce an image of the conduct, knowing the image would be transmitted, charges state. He also possessed a pornographic image of a child younger than 12 years old, according to the indictment.

If convicted of either of the offenses, Conrad must forfeit a Dell laptop and external hard drive.

Prior to beginning work for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2011, Conrad served as a special agent with the State Department for eight years investigating violent crime, according to an affidavit from him submitted in a search warrant in the U.S. District Court for Montana in 2014.

Love 2 Funny 5 Wow 5 Sad 5 Angry 41

Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.When asked if the weapon was loaded, Wooley said that was a detail his agency was not yet ready to release. The incident remains under investigation. No arrests were made.

Upham said parents in the student's class and others who came into contact with the gun were notified, and more parents will be notified through the district's robocall system.

Here's how parents find out when Billings schools go into a lockdown On Sept. 25, Billings police received a report of a boy walking around the Heights with a gun.

Billings school policies prohibit anyone from bringing an unapproved firearm to a school:

"No student shall possess any firearm, without authorization, on school premises, on the way to and from school or school activities, or during intermission or recess, or any school function or activity. Violation of this provision shall result in discipline up to and including expulsion.

"The Superintendent shall develop a process to notify the criminal justice or juvenile delinquency system of any student who brings a firearm to school. The District will refer to law enforcement for immediate prosecution any person who possesses, carries, or stores a weapon in a school building or on school premises. In addition, the District will refer for possible prosecution a responsible adult of any minor violating this policy on grounds of allowing a minor to possess, carry or store a weapon in a school."

+3 School safety is about more than guns, panel tells Montana legislators School shootings in 2018 supercharged the conversation about school safety  scenes of mass carnage from Parkland, Florida, and Santa Fe, Texa

Love 5 Funny 6 Wow 16 Sad 22 Angry 21

Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.Rask, whose group represents some of Montanas smallest, most isolated schools, said threats can include grizzly bears  a comment that U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos would no doubt appreciate after a similar comment she made in reference to arming teachers raised eyebrows.

But Rask said being prepared to handle a domestic dispute involving child custody between parents after school is far more likely.

Custer

Perkins comments on the panel were largely about preparing for the unlikely.

Custer is one of only a handful of Montana schools that uses a law that allows trustees to let someone carry a firearm in school. Lima and Belfry were the only other schools who reported arming a staffer during a 2017 Billings Gazette statewide records request. Since then, Shepherd has also approved a policy creating a framework for arming a staffer.

Perkins emphasized Custers distance from response hubs in the event of a violent incident, which the district estimates could be as long as an hour.

There has to be a response, he said.The city, he said, has left money on the table by not applying for the U.S. Department of Justice Community-Oriented Policing Services grants, which cover three-quarters of an officer's salary for the first three years.

He said he would apply for the grant and seek to use a portion of the $5 million annually that the city doesn't earmark in its budget to match the federal grant money.

Though the federal money ends after three years, Kirkpatrick said in an interview he's confident revenue from higher property valuations could likely sustain the long-term.

The city last used the specific program in 2014 when Mayor Chris Beutler and Chief Jim Peschong sought and were awarded a $250,000 grant to add two gang investigators.

Last summer, Mayor Chris Beutler tapped a federal grant program to help add 15 firefighters to Lincoln Fire and Rescue.

The city received a $2.2 million federal grant to cover 75 percent of the salaries and benefits for the first two years and 35 percent in the final year. The city covers the remainder.

Fellow Democrat and mayoral candidate Leirion Gaylor Baird said her opponent's proposal isn't new, and grants have been a tool the City Council has used for the last two decades to hire first responders.Fort Stevens State Park: What's Really Underneath This Oregon Coast Historical Site

Updated Periodically

By Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff

(Warrenton, Oregon)  Up on the north Oregon coast, Fort Stevens State Park has more than just the obvious history. Striking, eye-popping and realtime examples of the past are sitting all around you: the wreck of the Peter Iredale, Battery Russell, and several other physical objects and buildings  including a whole other military complex only open some parts of the year.

Whats behind it and beneath it - geologically - is rather shocking, however.

Did you know that parts of Fort Stevens didn't exist before 100 years ago?

The building of jetties at the mouth of the Columbia River in the 1890's allowed a mindbogglingly large chunk of land to be created. Many of the ponds and wetlands you see along the road going to the south Jetty weren't there when Lewis & Clark wandered these shores.

According to one lidar map from north Oregon coast geologist Tom Horning, something like a half mile of shoreline around the western side of Fort Stevens were not there until after the building of the jetties. They were inadvertantly manmade.

Horning said the changes happened quite quickly. Within a few years a lot of sand and land were added to the area.

Yet the growth of the shoreline continued, with dunes building westward as much as 20 feet each year since the early days of the Columbia River jetties. This doesnt mean the entire shoreline kept growing that much  but its helped.

Essentially, according to Horning, whats happened is sand keeps getting shuttled down from the Columbia River. Construction of the jetties really pushed this along, but continuous dredging of the shipping channel also keeps the sediment flowing.

This ebbtide delta has served as a large sediment reservoir for longshore currents to transport sand north and south to build coastal beaches, Horning said.

Its entirely possible all this shoreline growth along the north Oregon coast and southern Washington coast has ceased and may be degrading now. Climate change and higher storm surges are playing a part, but so is something else manmade.

Studies done by Oregon State University geologists have found that while so much has been lobbed onto the area by the changes in sediment and sand distribution, these areas are very vulnerable to erosion. Peter Ruggiero, a geology professor at OSU, wrote a paper several years ago that showed all this newly-created sections of shoreline are still not yet stable. Nature has not figured out if it's halted taking sand away or if it's still depositing more.

Beaches to the north and south have been affected to large degrees. Ruggiero has said that parts of the southern Washington coast may be more vulnerable to disappearing than farther south.

In explaining this, Horning mentions a littoral cell, which means the space between headlands. In this case, were talking about the 30-plus miles between Cape Disappointment in Washington and Tillamook Head by Seaside.

The many dams on the Columbia and its tributaries have created sediment sinks that intercept river sediment, preventing it from reaching the Clatsop beaches, Horning said. This will cause the sediment budget of the littoral cell to reverse itself and begin to obtain sand by eroding beaches and dunes, rather than providing it via ocean currents and winds. This commonly understood hazard will most likely begin to reveal itself in the next 20 to 50 years, mostly during storm surges, when large surf coincides with monthly high tides. Rather than dunes prograding westward, they will eventually begin to retrograde eastward.

In other words, like much of the Oregon coast and Washington coast, Fort Stevens too is looking at shrinking. Lodging in Astoria/Seaside - Where to eat - Astoria / Warrenton Maps and Virtual Tours









MORE PHOTOS BELOW

















More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....



Coastal Spotlight



LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on BeachConnection.net

All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright BeachConnection.net Unauthorized use or publication is not permittedBut Keith McClanahan, a member who spoke on behalf of the church and its Verizon contract, indicated that the church would honor the commissions decision either way. He said that allowing Verizon to build a tower on their land could help the church.

It allows us to do more mission work and support the community, McClanahan said. We continue to run out of money for people showing up at our door asking for gas and feed their families. Some asked that we send people down to the county, but that really didnt feel like it was an appropriate response for our church.

McClanahan said they notified their congregation, who were in complete support of the tower. One point that has annoyed Suby and other neighbors is how the church's congregation was notified about the tower contract in March 2015, and the neighbors were only notified after a public hearing notice was posted two weeks ago.

"I just wish the church would have been more transparent to the residents who will be living next to the tower," Suby said. "They get to go home at night. I am home."

Residents were told that the areas cell phone towers are maxed out. Verizon spokesperson Jeannine Braggs explained that being maxed out doesnt necessarily mean that users in the area would notice any problem with their service.Judy Lucous, wellness director at Cypress Court, said shes inspired every week when she visits the painting class.

I love how everyone interacts with each other and how they inspire the other residents here, Lucous said. It shows how its never too late to try something new.

John Call, 96, has macular degeneration. He has lost all vision in his left eye and has only limited vision in his right. But with Eakins help he has found a creative way to paint over the past three years. Eakin mixes Calls colors and when he puts brush to canvas he follows the motion of her finger to direct his brush strokes. After the paint dries, Eakin goes back in with a black marker to add outlines to his somewhat shapeless forms.

Calls favorite painting is a riverscape near the Valley of the Kings in Upper Egypt. A felucca boat with a lateen sail rests on a sandy shore near a mudbrick home and palm tree grove. Its a scene he remembers well from his 20 years working in the U.S. Foreign Service, including three years in Cairo. He visited this very village in the mid-1950s.

Ruth Gelgand, 86, learned how to paint many years ago from a close friend who studied art in Mexico City. But she didnt really put her training to work until she moved into Cypress Court from Valley Center four years ago.LOS ANGELESWicked Sensual Care announced the release of three new water-based flavored intimate lubricants: Aqua Cherry, Aqua Watermelon, and Aqua Strawberry

The 2018 AVN Award winner for Best Lubricant Manufacturer will showcase the new flavors at the ANME show this weekend.

Wicked Sensual Care's booth will feature a variety of the manufacturer's lines, including the new Aqua Cherry, Aqua Watermelon, and Aqua Strawberry products. Like all Wicked releases, the new flavors are vegan and paraben-free. These tantalizing January releases will be available in four-ounce and new one-ounce sizes. A favorite of consumers, reviewers, and sexual wellness authorities alike, the best-selling Wicked Aqua line has been profiled by such major media outlets as HuffPost, where it was featured in 12 Sex Toys That Sex Therapists Say Will Change Your Life, an overview of intimate products for women and men compiled by licensed sex therapists (to read the article in its entirety, click here).

Were excited to be exhibiting at ANME once again, said Cassie Parker, marketing director for Wicked Sensual Care. It's the ideal forum to gather client feedback and strategize effective ways to grow business. Thanks to customer input, we're responding to the demand for these classic flavors, but of course, formulated the Wicked way. So get ready for Cherry, Strawberry, and Watermelon the way they were always meant to be.

Wicked Sensual Care encourages all interested parties to contact [email protected] set up an appointment.

With a firm commitment to sexual wellness, beautiful design, and high-quality ingredients, Wicked Sensual Care continues to be a force for innovation in the global intimate lubricant space.

For more information visit WickedSensualCare.com.AUBURN  For five and a half hours, sewage flowed from a manhole on Chapman Avenue Wednesday morning in Auburn, according to an alert issued by the state.

The street has been blocked off between crossroads Quill Avenue and Worden Avenue as crews work to make more permanent repairs. The section of the street will hopefully re-open Friday, said Auburn Municipal Utilities Director Seth Jensen.

According to the alert, root intrusion construction on Chapman Avenue for a replacement line was already in progress before the discharge was reported. Residents were cautioned to avoid the area. The discharge rate was estimated at 690 gallons per minute.

Auburn sewer system designed to minimize risk of overflows SENNETT  As one of 600 municipalities with a combined sewer system in New York, the city of

Under the 2013 Sewage Pollution Right to Know Act, New York municipalities with publicly-owned treatment works or sewer systems must report any untreated or partially treated discharge to the state within two hours. Municipalities are required to report the same information to the public within four hours of the incident. The state alert for Wednesday's incident was issued at 9:20 a.m. and it said the event started at 2:05 a.m.

"From time to time, issues in that area have happened," Jensen said.The National Weather Service on Wednesday issued winter storm warnings for an area of central New York and the Lake Ontario shoreline that includes all of Cayuga County.

The warning was upgraded from a winter storm watch that was issued earlier, indicating more certainly that a major snow event will happen.

For southern Cayuga County and Onondaga County, NWS said the warning goes into effect from 4 p.m. Wednesday through 7 p.m. Thursday. About 1 to 3 inches of lake effect snow is expected through 4 p.m., with an additional 4 to 9 inches expected overnight into Thursday. Making matters more treacherous will be 40 mph wind gusts that will impact visibility and possibly knock down power lines.

The warning for northern Cayuga County runs from 3 p.m. Wednesday through 7 p.m. Thursday, with 6 to 11 inches of snow and 40 mph wind gusts predicted.

"A winter storm warning for heavy lake effect snow means significant amounts of lake effect snow are forecast that will make travel very hazardous or impossible," NWS states. "If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency."

For more weather information, including radar and long-range forecasts, visit auburnpub.com/weather.

Love 3 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 4India's ancient city of Varanasi is clearing the way for a grand temple corridor by razing hundreds of houses, wiping away its oldest neighbourhood and upsetting locals. The aim is to improve accessibility for pilgrims by providing a direct pathway from the Ganges river to the 18th-century shrine of Lord Shiva, the Kashi Vishwanath temple. For centuries Hindus have visited Varanasi to cremate their dead but it has often required navigating crowded alleyways to reach the city's ghats, or riverside steps, where the caretakers of the cremation grounds pass flaming torches to the bereaved families to ignite wooden pyres dotting the banks. Some 300 homes have been earmarked for demolition but locals, whose families have lived in the area for generations, say some of the properties being destroyed are as old as the temple itself. Local resident Ajay Kapoorhit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose constituency is Varanasi. "Why should he care? By demolishing 300 houses, he will lose not even 10,000 votes," Kapoor told the Hindu daily. "But Banaras (Varanasi) is defined by its galis (narrow lanes), and by creating this corridor, he is robbing Banaras of its very identity." The report added that residents have been offered compensation and relocationoptions but said that some residents feel it is not adequate reimbursement for losing homes in an area of prime real estate. The $85,000 demolition project has also unearthed several ancient temples, statues, and historic buildings, prompting debate on how best to preserve these whilst constructing the corridor. India's ancient city of Varanasi is clearing the way for a grand temple corridor by razing hundreds of houses, wiping away its oldest neighbourhood and upsetting locals For centuries Hindus have visited Varanasi to cremate their dead but it has often required navigating crowded alleyways to reach the city's ghats, or riverside steps Some 300 homes have been earmarked for demolition in Varanasi but locals, whose families have lived in the area for generations, say some of the properties being destroyed are as old as the temple itself The $85,000 demolition project in Varanasi has unearthed several ancient temples, statues, and historic buildings, prompting debate on how best to preserve these whilst constructing the corridorFBI agents and air traffic controllers were among 800,000 federal workers left unpaid Friday after a US government shutdown sparked by Donald Trump's controversial Mexico border wall plan neared record length, bringing the president to the verge of declaring a national emergency. Trump's demand for $5.7 billion to fund border wall construction has morphed from a crowd-pleasing campaign slogan to an epic political fight paralyzing Washington, setting an ominous precedent for the remaining two years of the real estate magnate's troubled first term. He renewed his Twitter barrage Friday, calling the situation on the Mexican border "an invasion" and insisting that without a wall, "our Country cannot be safe. Criminals, Gangs, Human Traffickers, Drugs & so much other big trouble." But unable to persuade opposition Democrats to give him the money, Trump refused three weeks ago to sign off on swaths of unrelated government funding for employees as varied as law enforcement officials and museum staff around the country. On Friday, that partial government shutdown hit the 21-day mark, equaling the record from previous funding freezes and marking the first day in the saga that paychecks failed to appear for many workers. Trump's strategy was to use the shutdown to pressure Congress into giving him the wall money but the Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, haven't budged, saying they won't even discuss wall funding before government is fully reopened. The impasse leaves Trump with few options other than to relent or to declare a national emergency on the Mexican border, giving himself authority to bypass Congress and order wall funds to be squeezed from other budgets. He appears close to taking the second option, which opponents say will be immediately challenged in court as a case of presidential overreach. On Thursday, Trump took his message to the Texas border with Mexico and insisted once more that he has "the absolute right to declare a national emergency." And the top Senate Republican, Lindsey Graham, tweeted that it was "Time for President @realDonaldTrump to use emergency powers to build Wall/Barrier." "I hope it works," he added. In preparation for the possible emergency move, the White House has asked the military to look into diverting funds currently allocated for disaster relief to the wall, US media reported -- a move that would heighten the polemic. - Battle of egos - The standoff has turned into a test of political ego, particularly for Trump, who came into office boasting of his dealmaking powers and making an aggressive border policy the keystone of his nationalist agenda. Democrats, meanwhile, seem determined at all costs to prevent a president who relishes campaign rally chants of "build the wall!" from getting a win. Both Democrats and Republicans agree that the US-Mexican frontier presents major challenges, ranging from the hyper-violent Mexican drug trade to the plight of asylum seekers and poor migrants seeking new lives in the world's richest country. There's also little debate that border walls are needed: about a third of the frontier is already fenced off. But Trump has turned his single-minded push for more walls into a political crusade seen by opponents as a stunt to stoke xenophobia in his right-wing voter base, while willfully ignoring the border's complex realities. Using typically polarizing language, Trump spoke in McAllen, Texas, on Thursday of cross-border criminals pouring into the country to commit murder. "They just go where there's no security and you don't even know the difference between Mexico and the United States," he told a meeting of border patrol officers. "They have women tied up, they have tape over their mouths, electrical tape. "If we had a barrier of any kind, a powerful barrier, whether its steel or concrete... we would stop it cold," Trump said. In fact, widely respected studies show that illegal immigrants generally commit fewer crimes than people born in the United States. Also, while some narcotics do enter the country across remote sections of the border, the majority is sneaked through heavily guarded checkpoints, the government's own Drug Enforcement Administration said in a 2017 report. It said that most smuggling is done "through US ports of entry (POEs) in passenger vehicles with concealed compartments or commingled with legitimate goods on tractor trailers." US President Donald Trump refused three weeks ago to sign off on swaths of unrelated government funding for employees as varied as law enforcement officials and museum staff around the country Trump met with border patrol agents and police as he visited the US-Mexico border in McAllen, Texas US government shutdowns since 1990 Trump has made building a wall -- like these prototypes seen from Tijuana on January 7, 2019 -- the central theme of his nationalist domestic policiesBelgian authorities have arrested another suspect in connection with the Paris terror attacks of November 2015, charging him with participating in the activities of a terrorist group, prosecutors said Wednesday. The suspect is believed to have been involved in the supply of automatic rifles used in the attacks that killed 130 people and wounded hundreds of others, Belgian federal prosecutors spokesman Eric Van Duyse said. The suspect, who was arrested before Christmas, "was charged with participating in the activities of a terrorist group," the spokesman told AFP. Belgian newspaper La Derniere Heure, which broke the news, named the suspect as Mohammed E. It linked him to Mohammed Bakkali, the alleged logistics coordinator for the Paris attacks who was arrested in Belgium two weeks afterward and handed over to the French authorities. Belgian investigators cite evidence that Bakkali rented at least five cars between September and November 2015 that served the jihadists who struck in Paris. Bakkali is also suspected of having rented several apartments under a false name. The French authorities, who are working with their Belgian counterparts, are looking at some 15 suspects in the November 13 attacks. The Islamic State group, based in Syria and Iraq, claimed responsibility for the attacks in the French capital, which were allegedly coordinated from Brussels. IS also claimed responsibility for the suicide bombings that killed 32 people and wounded hundreds of others in the Belgian capital in March 2016. The same Brussels cell is alleged to have carried out both terror attacks. The latest arrest was announced before Thursday's opening of the trial of Mehdi Nemmouche, a Frenchman who allegedly shot and killed four people at the Jewish Museum in Brussels in May 2014. Investigators say Nemmouche was in Syria from 2013 to 2014, where he met Najim Laachraoui, one of the Brussels suicide bombers. The November 2015 attacks targeted the Bataclan concert hall as well as a series of bars and killed 130 peopleSudanese President Omar al-Bashir, wanted on genocide and war crimes charges, remains defiant in the face of anti-regime demonstrations that have challenged his decades old iron-fisted rule. Deadly protests have rocked Sudan since the government raised the price of bread last month amid the African country's ongoing economic crisis. At least 19 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in protests that first erupted on December 19 in towns and villages, before spreading to the capital Khartoum. Human Rights Watch says at least 40 people have been killed, including children. Although similar protests marred his regime in September 2013 and in January 2017, analysts say the current demonstrations are the biggest challenge since Bashir swept to power in a coup backed by Islamists in 1989. Indicted by the Hague-based International Criminal Court in 2009 and in 2010 on genocide and war crimes charges, the president has since been re-elected twice in polls boycotted by opposition groups. The 75-year-old has proved to be a political survivor, facing down not only the ICC indictments but also a myriad of domestic challenges. On Wednesday, dancing and waving a stick in his trademark style, Bashir greeted hundreds of supporters at Khartoum's Green Yard in what was the first pro-regime rally in the capital since protests erupted last month. "This gathering sends a message to those who think that Sudan will become like other countries that have been destroyed," said a defiant Bashir, flanked by his wife and security guards. - Career soldier - Despite ICC indictments, Bashir has flouted travel restrictions by regularly visiting regional countries and also Russia. Days before the protests erupted he visited Damascus to meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, becoming the first Arab leader to do so since the country's conflict began. In a diplomatic development closer to home, Bashir last year hosted talks between South Sudanese rivals that helped reach a peace deal to end the war in the world's newest nation. South Sudan achieved independence in 2011, after Bashir surprised his staunchest critics by signing a peace deal to end more than two decades of north-south conflict. The president has more recently joined a Saudi-led coalition against Shiite rebels in Yemen, improving ties with the resource-rich Gulf nations, although the policy has been criticised by his opponents at home. A career soldier, Bashir is well known for his populist touch, insisting on being close to crowds and addressing them in colloquial Sudanese Arabic. Bashir, who has two wives and no children, was born in 1944 in Hosh Bannaga, north of Khartoum, to a farming family. He entered the military at a young age, rising through the ranks and joining an elite parachute regiment. He fought alongside the Egyptian army in the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. In 1989, then a brigade commander, he led a bloodless coup against the democratically elected government. Bashir was backed by the National Islamic Front of his then mentor, the late Hassan al-Turabi. - Hosting bin Laden - Under Turabi's influence he led Sudan towards a more radical brand of Islam, hosting Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden and sending jihadist volunteers to fight in the country's civil war with the south Sudanese. In 1993, Washington put Sudan on its list of "state sponsors of terrorism" and four years later slapped Khartoum with a trade embargo -- only lifted in 2017 -- over charges that included human rights abuses. Bashir moved to end Sudan's isolation in 1999, ousting Turabi from his inner circle. But when ethnic insurgents launched a rebellion in Darfur in 2003, his government's decision to unleash the armed forces and allied militia saw him face further international criticism. More than 300,000 people have been killed in the conflict, the UN says, and more than two million displaced. Since 2011, Bashir has also faced insurgencies in South Kordofan and Blue Nile states, launched by the Southern People's Liberation Army-North. Although he has weathered several challenges in his three-decade rule, analysts are questioning whether he will survive the latest bout of protests. "The demonstrations have weakened his position," said Khalid Tijani, editor of economic weekly Elaff. "President Bashir was about to get consitutional amendments to permit him to run for the presidency again in 2020, but he will now have to reconsider that." Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir addresses his supporters during a rally in the capital Khartoum on January 9, 2019 Supporters of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir wave their national flag in Khartoum on January 9, 2019 Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir swept to power in a 1989 coup Raising sticks and swords, a group attends a rally in support of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in Khartoum on January 9, 2019US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday Turkey had committed to protecting Washington's Kurdish allies fighting jihadists, during a surprise visit to Iraq to soothe concerns over the US troop withdrawal from Syria. The remarks by US President Donald Trump's top diplomat, on a whistle-stop tour of the Middle East, follow tensions between Washington and Ankara over the Kurds' fate. Turkey reacted angrily to suggestions that Trump's plan to pull troops from Syria was conditional on the safety of US-backed Kurdish fighters who it considers terrorists. But Pompeo, speaking in the Iraqi Kurdish regional capital Arbil, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had given assurances over the Syrian Kurds and the US withdrawal plan was intact. "It's important that we do everything we can to make sure that those folks that fought with us are protected and Erdogan has made commitments, he understands that," Pompeo told reporters. "He (Erdogan) talked about terrorists being an existential threat, we acknowledged that there is a threat to Turkey from terrorists and we will be very supportive." Before meeting officials in Iraqi Kurdistan -- whose forces have also been key allies in the fight against IS -- Pompeo visited Baghdad where he sought to reassure Iraqi officials that Washington remained committed to fighting the Islamic State group. He arrived in Cairo on Wednesday evening. His longest trip since taking office last year is also set to take him to the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, including regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia. - 'Significant threats' - Pompeo's unannounced visit to Iraq comes less than two weeks after Trump drew criticism for failing to meet a single Iraqi official during a surprise Christmas trip to US troops at an air base in the west of the country. Washington's top diplomat is in the Middle East to urge allies to continue to confront the "significant threats" posed by Iran and jihadists despite Trump's shock decision last month to pull all US troops from Syria. In Baghdad, Pompeo met several senior officials including Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi and President Barham Saleh. He underlined "US support for the new Iraqi government's efforts to deliver stability, security and prosperity to all Iraqis," a US official said. Pompeo also "discussed the recent territorial defeat of ISIS in Syria and the continuation of our cooperation with Iraqi Security Forces to ensure ISIS's lasting defeat throughout the region." Saleh said that Baghdad wanted Washington to remain engaged. "We will need the support of the US," he said, expressing "gratitude to the US for support over the years". "ISIS is defeated militarily, but (the) mission is not accomplished," Saleh added, using an alternative acronym for IS. - Rowing back - Trump used his lightning December 26 visit to Iraq -- his first to US troops in a conflict zone since being elected -- to defend his Syria withdrawal plans and declare an end to America's role as the global "policeman". He caused a political storm when he announced the troop pullout, claiming IS had been defeated despite continued deadly fighting between US-backed forces and the jihadists in eastern Syria. Trump has since rowed back, vowing the withdrawal will be done in a "prudent" way. Members of his administration have gone further, saying that the timeline of any pullout remains dependent on events on the ground. There are many in Iraq, particularly pro-Iran factions, who would like an accelerated timetable for a US withdrawal from Iraq too. But Trump has stressed that he expects US troops to remain in Iraq, from where they can carry out operations in neighbouring Syria if necessary. Iraq declared victory over IS in December 2017, but the jihadists retain a network of sleeper cells in major cities and continue to conduct hit-and-run attacks from mountain or desert hideouts. On Tuesday, a car bomb killed two people in the city of Tikrit, north of the capital, police said. The Trump administration's insistence on treating Tehran as a threat as big or even bigger than IS also poses major difficulties for Iraq. Since the 2003 US-led invasion, Tehran has become a political force in Iraq with influence rivalling that of Washington. Iran too provided support for Iraq's fightback against the jihadists after they advanced to within striking distance of the capital in 2014. And Iraq has developed a dependency on imports from its eastern neighbour that is difficult to break. Washington has granted Baghdad waivers from the crippling unilateral sanctions it reimposed on Tehran last year after Trump pulled out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal agreed by his predecessor Barack Obama. Pompeo and the Iraqi prime minister discussed on Wednesday "US support for Iraq's energy independence," the US official said. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his wife Susan arrive in Baghdad on January 9, 2019 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) meets Iraqi President Barham Saleh on an unannounced visit to Baghdad, the latest stop on a whistlestop Middle East tour aimed at reassuring allies troubled by US plans to withdraw from Syria US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (C) and his wife Susan wait to board a helicopter at Baghdad International Airport on January 9, 2019 US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo (L) meets with prominent Kurdish leader Massud Barzani in Arbil on January 9, 2019US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Iraqi officials, including the speaker, on an unannounced visit to Baghdad on Wednesday, a statement from parliament said. Pompeo's talks, on the second leg of a key Middle East tour, come less than two weeks after President Donald Trump drew criticism for failing to meet a single Iraqi official during a surprise Christmas visit to US troops. The US top diplomat was in the Middle East to urge allies to continue to confront the "significant threats" posed by Iran and jihadists despite Trump's surprise decision last month to withdraw all US troops from Syria. Pompeo flew in from Amman and was also due to visit Cairo, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat and Kuwait City on his longest trip since taking office last year. During his lightning, top secret visit to Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq on December 26, Trump spoke with US commanders and a group of about 100 mostly special forces personnel, accompanied by his wife Melania. A planned meeting with Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi was scrapped and replaced by a phone call, drawing a chorus of criticism, particularly from pro-Iran groups that form a key bloc in parliament. Trump used the visit -- his first to US troops in a conflict zone since being elected -- to defend the withdrawal from Syria and declare an end to America's role as the global "policeman." Trump caused a political storm when he announced the pullout, insisting the battle against the Islamic State group had been won, despite continued deadly fighting between US-backed forces and the jihadists for their last bastion in eastern Syria. Trump has since rowed back, vowing the withdrawal would be done in a "prudent" way, and members of his administration have gone further, saying that the timeline of the pullout remains dependent on events on the ground. Iraq declared victory over IS in December 2017 but the jihadists retain a network of sleeper cells in major cities and continue to conduct hit-and-run attacks from mountain or desert hideouts. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addresses a news conference in Amman on a whistlestop Middle East tour in which he has urged allies to confront the "significant threats" posed by Iran and jihadists despite the shock US decision to pull out of SyriaPakistani television channels may no longer show "intimate moments between couples" or "bed scenes", the conservative country's media regulator has announced, complaining of too much feminist content and warning that such "bold themes" offend viewers. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issued its warning on Tuesday, calling on channels to respect the country's existing media guidelines and refrain from airing content that does not depict a "picture of true Pakistani society". "The prevalent rampant trend of airing quite bold themes in Pakistani drama industry has resulted in massive public complaints," PEMRA said in an English-language statement. "Indecent scenes/dialogues/extramarital relations, violence, inappropriate dressing, rape scenes, caressing, bed scenes, use of drugs and alcohol, intimate moments between couples are being glamourized in utter disregard to Pakistani culture and values," it continued. Pakistani dramas and soap operas, many of which seek to challenge the deeply patriarchal country's conservative taboos, are immensely popular, according to data from PEMRA and Gallup Pakistan. Many revolve around plotlines portraying social issues such as domestic violence, child abuse, misogyny and women. Activists have previously hailed some as potentially powerful vehicles for grassroots change. Last year, a soap opera dramatising the life of social media star Qandeel Baloch -- infamous for her provocative selfies, until her shocking murder by her brother in 2016 -- topped the charts. Other shows highlighting the issues of so-called "honour" killings and forced marriages were also hits, despite being targeted by a wave of vitriol on social media, with people accusing the channels of spreading vulgarity and destroying social values. In its statement PEMRA said such dramas "depict hackneyed image of women and have confined themselves to feminist issues only... ignoring children, teenagers and men". Television channels have been told to refrain from airing content that does not depict 'a picture of true Pakistani society'Nearly 50 migrants stranded at sea for weeks aboard two rescue ships arrived in Malta on Wednesday after the island nation reached a deal with other EU member states, ending a standoff that rights groups branded "shameful". "An ad hoc agreement has been reached," Malta Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told journalists, adding that the deal also included a decision on the fate of 249 rescued migrants already on the island. The 49 migrants, including a baby and several children, were rescued by two boats on December 22 and 29 while attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing from North Africa to Europe. But with no country allowing them to dock, they were left stranded off the coast of Malta, suffering sea sickness and dehydration, with some briefly refusing food and an onboard doctor warning of psychological stress. There were ecstatic cheers on board the Sea-Watch 3 when a crew member told them "we have a safe port, it's over", according to a video tweeted by the German NGO Sea Watch International. The migrants arrived in Malta on Wednesday afternoon after being transferred from the Sea-Watch 3 and Dutch-flagged Albrecht Penck ships to Maltese coastguard vessels. Muscat said that of the total of 298 migrants, 176 would be sent to Germany, France, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Italy. Another 78 will be allowed to stay in Malta, and 44 Bangladeshi migrants will be sent back to their country. - 'Not Europe's finest hour' - Those pulled to safety by the two rescue ships had been unable to disembark because of a diplomatic deadlock among EU member states, despite an appeal by Pope Francis on Sunday. "The past weeks have not been Europe's finest hour... If human values and solidarity are not upheld, then it is not Europe," said EU migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos. Amnesty International's Southern Europe researcher Elisa De Pieri said the time taken to reach a decision on the migrants' fate was "shameful". "The dangerous, unseemly spectacle of politicians bickering whilst women, men and children are stranded in a sea of cruel indifference, must not be repeated," she said. "The Italian and Maltese authorities have brazenly undermined the search and rescue system and used people as pawns to negotiate migration policies." Muscat, who has previously complained that his country has to bear an unfair share of migrant numbers, insisted Malta had "never closed its ports and it is still a safe port". - 'Confession of state failure' - Sea Watch International welcomed that "the EU decided to release their 49 hostages. After 19 days at sea, our guests will finally reach a safe port." "This represents a confession of state failure, policy must not be made at the expense of people in distress," the NGO said. "We want to express our gratitude to... all cities, federal states and provinces that declared their ports open and their willingness to welcome people." But Muscat issued a warning to future rescuers: "I reiterate, as I did before, that this case shall not act as a precedent." Migrants rescued by ships have frequently been left in limbo since Italy's populist anti-immigration government began turning them away last summer. Since coming to power more than six months ago, the Italian government has also been demanding greater solidarity from reluctant fellow EU states. But EU members have failed to agree on a permanent mechanism to relocate migrants who reach Europe's shores, even though arrivals have dropped sharply since a peak more than three years ago. Following Wednesday's deal, Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini accused the European Commission of "facilitating the work of smugglers and NGOs". "I am and will remain absolutely against new arrivals in Italy... Giving in to the pressures and threats of Europe and NGOs is a sign of weakness." Some 113,482 migrants crossed the Mediterranean to reach Europe last year, according to the UN refugee agency, which said 2,262 people lost their lives or went missing making the perilous journey. A migrant baby is taken off the Sea-Watch 3 rescue ship on Wednesday after spending weeks stranded at sea Migrants cheer after receiving the news that Malta would allow them to disembark after weeks stranded at sea The Sea-Watch rescue vessel, along with a second boat, are carrying a total of 49 migrants and have been stranded since late last year The migrants are transferred from the rescue ships to Maltese coastguard vessels on their way to Malta The migrants suffered sea sickness and dehydration, with some briefly refusing food and an onboard doctor warning of psychological stress Rescued migrants on the Sea-Watch rescue ship, which Malta has reached a deal with other EU members states to allow to disembarkEmmanuel Macron swept away France's traditional parties in 2017 with a grassroots campaign that promised more participative democracy. He is hoping the same tactics will now defuse the biggest crisis of his presidency. The centrist leader is gearing up what he has termed the "great national debate", a public consultation to discuss the "essential questions" facing the nation after nearly two months of violent so-called yellow vest protests. The debate is the third prong of the 41-year-old's strategy for ending the demonstrations, which erupted over high fuel taxes but ballooned into a widely supported revolt over living standards.65+ Macron has already opened the state's purse strings, scrapping fuel tax hikes as part of a 10-billion-euro ($11.5-billion) package of wage boosts and tax relief for low earners. At the same time, the government has vowed to crack down on the Saturday protests in Paris and other cities since November, with their now-routine scenes of burning cars, smashed up shops and clashes with police. The "great national debate", which will see town-hall meetings held around the country, is Macron's attempt to satisfy yellow vest demands for a greater say in the running of the country, amid accusations that he is too high-handed and distant. "We believe in this debate, we think it's essential," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said on Wednesday. "We think that in the current period for our country, we need to be extremely open to having a productive debate, while also being very firm on the functioning of our institutions," he added. - Popular frustration - Macron's office is trying to corral the discussions into four overarching themes: taxes; France's transition to a low-carbon economy; democracy and citizenship; and government organisation and public services. But political scientists warn such consultations can easily be swayed by a small, motivated number of citizens, bringing "results that aren't at all representative of the majority of the French," according to Luc Rouban, an academic at the Cevipof political science institute in Paris. Some MPs in Macron's own party also fear the consultations will spur a cascade of extravagant or nebulous demands, or calls for an outright repeal of existing laws. And in France's right-wing Republicans party, many have painful memories of a debate about "national identity" organised in 2009 under their former leader Nicolas Sarkozy -- which led to more divisions. Ending same-sex marriages, which were approved by the Socialist government in 2013 in the face of massive protests, is at the top of the list of demands made on a website which is compiling the grievances of yellow vest protesters. Another is overturning the lower 80 km/h (50 mph) speed limit imposed on secondary roads last year, which furious rural drivers have assailed as symbolic of elite Parisians' disregard for the provinces. The government has ruled out any backtrack on existing laws, prompting some yellow vest protesters to deride the debates as a smokescreen aimed at smothering the movement. - Free-for-all? - The debates, to run from January 15 to March 15, are already off to a less-than-auspicious start after the head of France's national debates commission, Chantal Jouanno, withdrew her participation amid outrage over her 14,666-euro ($16,800) monthly salary. Mayors are supposed to be organising the public meetings, and local officials will receive documentation kits with economic and statistical talking points to avoid endless shouting matches. Macron will also publish a personal letter next week to households spelling out his goals for the debates before participating in one of the first, at a gymnasium in Bourgtheroulde in northwest France. The stakes are high as the president prepares to push through reforms of the retirement and unemployment systems, and streamline public services while cutting thousands of civil servant jobs. Many ministers in the government, particularly right-wing Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire, are pushing to use the crisis as an opportunity to slash taxes and public spending. France's public sector is one of the biggest in the world relative to the size of its economy, but successive governments have struggled to contain spending despite promises to do so. A lingering standoff with the yellow vests would make it nearly impossible to make headway on other reforms, analysts say. Macron is also trying to rally support for a centrist pro-Europe alliance ahead of European Parliament elections in May, at a time when populist movements appear to have the wind in their sails. "Macron has everything to fear from this exercise," the rightwing Figaro daily wrote in a front-page editorial on Wednesday. "In trying to bring fresh air into our democracy, it could quickly degenerate into a free-for-all," it said. French President Emmanuel Macron ay said he wants to discuss the 'essential questions' A 'yellow vest' protester kicks a teargas shell during a demonstration on last week Chantal Jouanno with drew from organsing the 'great debate' amid controversy over her salaryA Japanese court on Wednesday rejected a bid by former Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn to end his detention over alleged financial misconduct, a day after he denied all accusations in a dramatic court appearance. Ghosn's lawyers had appealed to the court to free the auto tycoon, claiming at a special hearing in a Tokyo court there were no grounds for his detention, which has now lasted more than 50 days. But the court batted off the request, saying in a terse statement: "The request to cancel the detention filed by Mr. Ghosn's lawyers yesterday... was rejected on January 9." Ghosn stands accused of under-reporting his income in documents to investors, apparently in response to criticism that he earned too much. He is also under investigation for allegedly seeking to pass off personal investment losses to Nissan's books and paying a Saudi businessman from company funds to stump up collateral to cover the losses. Ghosn on Tuesday mounted a systematic denial of all the allegations, concluding that he had been "wrongly accused and unfairly detained based on meritless and unsubstantiated accusations". The presiding judge explained that Ghosn continued to be detained because he presented a flight risk and there were concerns he could tamper with evidence. On Friday, Ghosn's latest maximum period of detention will end and he will either be freed on bail or -- more likely -- see his detention extended. Even his main lawyer Motonari Otsuru has acknowledged the 64-year-old executive has little chance of being released soon, describing it as "very difficult" to win bail before the case goes to trial. And that, he said, could take at least six months. Even Carlos Ghosn's lawyer has admitted it will be very difficult to get his client freed on bailA family made a disturbing discovery when surveillance video caught a man licking their doorbell for three hours.

The video shows a man walking up to the front door of the home in Salinas, California, and directly looking at the camera before proceeding to furiously lick the doorbell.

According the news station KION, the homeowners were out of town but their children were home at the time.

The man licked the door bell for three hours. Source: KION

It was 5am when the homeowners received a message on their phone alerting them there was movement outside the house.

They then reviewed the security video and made the alarming discovery.

The man was caught on camera licking the doorbell. Source: KION

You kind of laugh about it afterwards because technically he didnt do anything, homeowner Sylvia Dungan told KION.

This just kind of reinforces how important it is to have security within your home.

Police are now looking to speak to 33-year-old Roberto Daniel Arroyo in relation to the incident.A Sydney drug baron who spent time in jail for conspiring to import $225 million worth of hashish 25 years ago has been found dead in a city hotel room.

Its understood Victor Thomas Spinks body was discovered about 12.30am on Monday.

NSW Police on Wednesday confirmed they were investigating the death of a 76-year-old man at a hotel on George Street in Sydneys CBD but he had yet to be formally identified.

The death does not appear to be suspicious, a spokesman told AAP.

Spink was sentenced to at least six-and-a-half years behind bars in 1996 after he pleaded guilty to conspiring to import a commercial quantity of cannabis resin.

Victor Spink was found dead in a hotel room on Monday morning. Source: Facebook

Judge Reg Blanche told NSW District Court that a boat had left the United Arab Emirates in June 1994 and near Pakistan on-loaded about 15 tonnes of cannabis resin.

Two months later, five tonnes of the resin was loaded onto another boat which eventually went to Hervey Bay in Queensland.

That cargo was seized by Australian Federal Police and the Customs Service.

A dear friend of the former company director  who described himself on social media as a lost soul  on Monday posted a tribute to Spink on Facebook.

May (he) in Rest In Peace, I will miss him! she wrote.China needs "at least three aircraft carriers" to protect its extensive coastline and its interests abroad, a senior Chinese naval expert said Wednesday. "Our country has an 18,000-kilometre (11,000-mile) long coastline. Also, our economy is outward looking and our interests abroad are growing," said Commodore Zhang Junshe, a member of the Naval Research Institute. "All this requires us to send a military force to distant seas to protect (these interests). In these circumstances, I think we need at least three aircraft carriers. Of course, depending on economic development, we could legitimately revise this figure upwards," he said during a meeting with the Chinese and foreign press. In November, the English-language China Daily, citing the official Xinhua news agency, said the Asian giant had begun construction of a third aircraft carrier. The defence ministry has not confirmed this. China currently has only one operational aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, a secondhand Soviet ship built nearly 30 years ago and commissioned in 2012. A second carrier -- the first built entirely by China and known only as "Type 001A" -- was launched a year ago and has been undergoing sea trials. With just one fully operational aircraft carrier, China is far behind the United States, which has 11 such warships, but is on a par with Russia, France, India and Britain, which have one each, according to Nick Childs, a naval specialist at Britain's International Institute for Strategic Studies. "Since the first Opium War in 1840 until the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, we have suffered 470 naval attacks from Western countries or Japan," said Zhang. During this period, China suffered several defeats by Britain, Japan and France which resulted in the colonisation of Chinese territories. "We will not be invading other countries, but the Chinese are afraid that their country will be invaded again, so the main reason we are strengthening our defence is to ensure our security," he said. With a buildup of its military capability in recent years, Beijing is seeking to assert its extensive claims to the South China Sea and to deter any independence moves by Taiwan. China's first domestically manufactured aircraft carrier, known as 'Type 001A', has been undergoing sea trialsHundreds of US federal workers on unpaid leave since the start of the shutdown found themselves back in college Tuesday where they signed up for a diverse range of classes ranging from "Starting a Podcast" to "Dealing with Change." The one-day event was organized by the School of Public Affairs at American University and billed as a chance to engage in free learning and networking opportunities. But for many of the 550 people who signed up, it was a welcome opportunity to tackle the boredom and stress they have been facing since a budgetary impasse over a border wall sought by President Donald Trump but opposed by Democrats forced the partial closure of the government on December 22. Some 800,000 workers have been affected, forced either to stay at home or work without pay until the government is funded. "My wife was very happy to get me out of the house," quipped Adam Santo, a senior official in the US Department of Commerce. "I do childcare for my daughter, take care of the house making dinner, the laundry," he said of the three weeks he has now spent at home. For Matthew Garlipp, who lives in the capital Washington and works for the Treasury Department, there has been one major upside: "My dog really appreciates the extra time with me!" But, he continued: "The point of being here is pretty much to have something to put on the schedule." "It's a beautiful opportunity to get out of the apartment, learn a little bit," the 28-year-old added. "I'd just like to get back to work." Behind the boredom and the jokes, however, there is a real fear about the financial consequences of the shutdown, which has deprived them of their salaries as the bills pile up. - 'Demoralizing' - "The most challenging part at this moment is not knowing what is ahead and how long it is going to last," said Marcela Trask, who works for the Department of Agriculture. She considers herself "lucky" because her husband doesn't work in the public sector and they can manage for the moment on one salary. If things continue much longer, she said, "We'll have to spend our savings to cover our mortgage and childcare costs." Melinda Batson, a 44-year-old single mother who works for the Food and Drug Administration, is something of a veteran of shutdowns: her first was in 2013 and lasted 16 days, under the administration of former president Barack Obama. "I would be a fool to say I'm not worried," she said. "I have spoken to my landlord and credit card companies, so far they have been lenient, but again you are still obligated to pay what you owe." On Tuesday, she participated in a "workplace mindfulness" class. "It is really helpful to deal with my emotions as it is a situation out of my control... I know one day I will go back to work, the problem is when." Santo, who took a podcasting course, also lamented what he called a "wasted opportunity," which he was said ultimately "demoralizing." The situation could even begin to turn people away from public service, said Vicky Wilkins, spokeswoman for the School of Public Affairs. "We see restaurants doing their part, banks, hopefully landlords," she continued. "We're a university and we have training and skills that we can bring to show our support." The one-day event was organized by the School of Public Affairs at American University and billed as a chance to engage in free learning and networking opportunties Renovation work continues at the National Museum of Natural History as a sign indicates that all Smithsonian museums are closed due to the government shutdown in Washington on January 8, 2019 For many of the 550 people who signed up, it was a welcome opportunity to tackle the boredom and stress they have been facing since a budgetary impasse forced the partial closure of the government on December 22 Transportation Security Administration officers work unpaid on the first day of the US government shutdown, at Los Angeles International Airport on December 22, 2018There is the indisputable fact that the outgoing Dutch colonial power reluctantly handed control to Indonesia after its allies (notably the USA, Britain and Australia) proved unwilling to back belated efforts to prepare the province for independence.

The history of how Indonesia ended up taking over the governance of West Papua does not provide much solid evidence for claimed legitimacy.

There also have been claims and counter claims about allegations that huge numbers of Papuans have been killed or displaced as the Indonesian government has sought to gain secure control over the entire province. The veracity or otherwise of these claims is clearly a hotly contested and very partisan debate.

At least one correspondent has trenchantly defended the record of Indonesia in West Papua, maintaining that its occupation of part of the island of New Guinea is legitimate in terms of international law and recognised as such by the international community.

ADELAIDE - West Papua and its future has recently been a hot topic of debate on PNG Attitude.

And we know the allies were uninterested in offering military support in the event of conflict with the very belligerent Indonesian government of the day.

But was the Indonesian takeover of West Papua legitimate?

This history is relevant in so far as there are, politically at least, clear grounds to contest the legitimacy of Indonesian occupation even if the powers that be in Indonesia continue to insist otherwise.

The matter of interest to me is whether Organisasi Papua Merdeka (OPM), the self-styled West Papuan liberation movement, is likely to be successful in its attempts to eject Indonesia and set up an independent West Papuan state.

On the face of it, a tiny group of relatively poorly armed and untrained guerilla fighters seem highly unlikely to prevail against Indonesias very formidable military. It really looks like a gross mismatch.

However, there are lessons for Indonesia from the history of the violent decolonisation processes that occurred in the mid-20th century including, of course, its own.

To my mind, Algeria is a prime example of how an initially very tiny minority of freedom fighters (or terrorists if you prefer) overcame the military might of France.

Algeria was a French colonial possession from 1830 to 1962.

In 1830 it was a tiny and impoverished country that had no capacity to resist the French army when it seized control. Over the succeeding decades many French citizens moved to Algeria until the population of these so-called pieds noire (literally, black feet) exceeded 1.0 million.

In 1947 the indigenous population of Algeria was granted full French citizenship and Algeria thus became regarded as an integral part of metropolitan France. This action was apparently both recognition and reward for the support Algerians had given to France in the two world wars.

The first stirrings of nationalist sentiment had appeared in the 1920s but had been successfully suppressed (sometimes by extreme force) until the appearance of the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) in 1954. The granting of full French citizenship did not diminish FLN members enthusiasm for independence.

The armed wing of the FLN launched an especially vicious terror campaign against the pieds noire. The French army and pieds noire irregulars responded in kind. All sides were guilty of very dreadful atrocities and the fighting was unusually ferocious and cruel.

The French government initially thought that the insurrection could be easily suppressed, just as had been the case in the past. This time, however, it badly miscalculated and by 1955 the situation was rapidly spirally out of control.

Eventually, France committed around 500,000 troops in its efforts to suppress the FLN. Despite raids, road blocks, curfews, mass arrests and the routine use of torture to extract information, it could not prevent what became a relentless series of strikes, bombings and massacres.

Slowly but surely public sentiment amongst Muslim Algerians, who bore the brunt of the Armys excesses, turned against France. The amount of blood and treasure being consumed climbed relentlessly. This fueled growing unease and dissent about the war in metropolitan France.

By 1961, Frances position had become politically and militarily unsustainable. President Charles De Gaulle offered Algeria a chance to vote on whether or not it should become independent. Just short of 70% of the population voted yes.

Within a year, 1.4 million pieds noire had fled to France and on 5 July 1962 Algeria became independent. The residual bitterness, anger and resentment about the Algerian War remain to this day.

One legacy is that some 3.5 million French citizens (5.8% of the population) claim Algerian heritage. Their often poor treatment and circumstances in France have been such that they continue to provide recruits for ISIS and other like terrorist bodies.

The principal lesson from the Algerian War is that a very powerful state can eventually be compelled to give up its control over a colonial possession if there is a liberation movement that is willing to commit itself fully to open warfare and then unrelentingly pursue its strategic aims regardless of the costs to itself or anyone else.

The FNL was a comparatively weak organisation in 1954 but became progressively stronger over the course of the war. It was utterly unscrupulous in its actions, as were its opponents. The longer the war went on, the weaker became Frances ability to exert its legal and, perhaps most importantly, moral right to govern Algeria.

France was not defeated by military means alone. As the USA subsequently discovered in Vietnam, even the worlds most powerful military can eventually be defeated if the political and moral will to fight is sufficiently weakened at home.

This brings me back to West Papua and the OPM.

Appalling as it is to contemplate, the Algerian War offers an obvious template for the OPM. There is no particular reason why Indonesia ought to be any more or less susceptible to the impact of a long term guerilla war of attrition.

As the French discovered, even a huge and powerful army cannot be everywhere at once, leaving the broader population always vulnerable to terrorist acts. Time always favours guerilla fighters, especially when fighting in their own country, amongst their own people, against an oppressive foreign power.

Mao Zedong famously said that in order to win it is merely necessary not to lose. He also said that revolutionary fighters must be guerilla fish in a peoples sea.

These two aphorisms neatly encapsulate important guiding principles for any successful guerilla leader. They have been successfully applied in Algeria, China, Zimbabwe, Vietnam, Afghanistan and elsewhere besides.

Bearing this history and Maos aphorisms in mind, it seems to me far from impossible that the OPM can eventually achieve its aims.

By merely being in existence, the OPM offers a challenge to the Indonesian state.

Every action or atrocity by the Indonesian army (whether real or merely fake news) serves to erode its moral right to suppress what many clearly regard as the legitimate expression of dissent about West Papuas status as a colony of a foreign power.

Every young Indonesian soldier sent home in a body bag is a silent but potent symbol of a war which many Indonesian families (like the Russian, American and French families before them) might be increasingly unable to comprehend, let alone support.

So, to those who say that the OPM must inevitably fail I say look to the lessons of history and beware.

The only successful anti-insurgency action by a colonial power that I can immediately recall is that of Britain during the Malayan emergency (1948-1960). It succeeded because, rather shrewdly, Britain offered Malaya independence at a time of its choosing and subsequently honoured its promise in full.

At one stroke, a huge amount of potential support for the guerillas evaporated and they fought a long but ultimately futile war against a British colonial regime that enjoyed at least qualified support from most of the population.

Significantly, post Malaysia becoming independent, British commercial interests were not greatly damaged and relations between Britain and Malaysia remain cordial to this day.

This suggests to me that Indonesia might be wise to consider offering West Papua independence, with an agreed timetable to be negotiated between the various interested parties, including the OPM.

I say this because it seems to me better to offer voluntarily that which might eventually be taken by force. There are several obvious benefits to be derived from this approach.

First and foremost, it avoids the very real possibility of a protracted, ugly, expensive, divisive and ultimately disastrous guerilla war of the type I have described in relation to Algeria.

Also, it will allow Indonesia to negotiate the preservation of its commercial, cultural and other interests within West Papua and, very probably, ensure that West Papua remains significantly integrated with the Indonesian Republic even if standing outside of its formal constitutional arrangements.

Importantly, this approach should create a large reservoir of goodwill between the new state and Indonesia that should remain an enduring feature of their relationship long into the future. The value of such an outcome ought not to be underestimated.

I do not think that I am being too idealistic in proposing this approach. History strongly suggests that pragmatism by colonial powers pays in the long run.

Certainly, it will require wisdom, goodwill, courage and forbearance by all sides to make it work but I cannot see any reason to prefer having a war in preference to a discussion in order to determine West Papuas future.YEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Caretaker Defense Minister David Tonoyan held a meeting on January 9 with UAE Ambassador Jassim Mohammed Al Qasemi, the defense ministry said.

Opportunities of expanding defense cooperation between Armenia and the UAE were discussed at the meeting.

Tonoyan attached importance to the necessity of placing cooperation on planned and contractual basis.

The Ambassador conveyed to Tonoyan the invitation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Ruler of the Emirate of Dubai, to participate in the IDEX 2019 international conference and exhibition February 17-21.

The Armenian defense minister accepted the invitation and said that in addition to participating, the Armenian delegation will present its military-industrial production, and the Guard of Honor of the Armenian military and the military orchestra will participate in the ceremonial part of the event.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenias Ambassador to Iraq Hrachya Poladyan on January 8 presented his credentials to Iraqi President Barham Salih, the Armenian foreign ministry told Armenpress.

During the meeting Ambassador Poladyan conveyed the warm greetings and wishes of Armenian President Armen Sarkissian to President Salih. The Ambassador assured that his daily working agenda will be directed for deepening and developing the bilateral cooperation, adding that he will make all efforts to strengthen and intensify the Armenian-Iraqi friendly ties.

Hrachya Poladyan said currently the trade turnover between Armenia and Iraq reaches nearly 120 million USD, and about 5000 Iraqi tourists visited Armenia in 2018, noting that this number can grow.

In his turn the President of Iraq congratulated the Ambassador on assuming office and touched upon the great role of the Armenian community in developing the relations of the two countries, stating that the Iraqi-Armenian community has historical roots in this country and is one of the creators of Iraqs cultural heritage. He also called on Armenia to be engaged in Iraqs restoration works.

Edited and translated by Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. The political force, which is a majority in the 7th convocation Parliament, has not yet decided the date for nomination of Nikol Pashinyans candidacy for the position of prime minister, MP Alen Simonyan told Armenpress.

There is no concrete date yet, but I think that everything should be completed on January 14.I suppose that this issue will be included in the agenda on that day, he said.

The lawmaker added that the Civil Contract party and the My Step alliance have not yet discussed this issue.

Edited and translated by Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. The military police of Armenia disclosed details from the January 8 incident when a bus transporting conscripts was attacked by a group of people.

In a press release, the military police said the incident began when a group of motorists began following the bus at 10:30-11:30, January 8. The military bus was transporting new conscripts from the Kotayk military commissariat to the central station. The motorists cut off the bus numerously and forced it to stop. Then, the motorists and their passengers stepped out and began kicking the bus. The bus continued its route but was forced to stop again already in Yerevan. Two of the assailants succeeded to forcibly open the doors of the bus and attacked the military inspector that was on board to accompany the conscripts. The inspector was injured as he suffered blows to his face. Other assailants also attacked the driver of the bus, dragging him out of the drivers seat.

A criminal investigation is underway.

All assailants have been identified; they include a previously convicted 23 year old man.

Earlier it was reported that one of the suspects turned himself in to authorities.

The motive of the attack is not yet clear.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. Two U.S. Democratic representatives from the San Francisco Bay Area on Tuesday delivered to the White House trash they picked up from national parks as they urged President Donald Trump to end the partial government shutdown, The Hill reports.

California Reps. Jackie Speier and Jared Huffman carried bins labeled "Trump Trash" to the front gates of the White House.

The two lawmakers collected the garbage from parks at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which is managed by the National Park Service, one of the government agencies whose current funding has been allowed to lapse.

In front of the White House on Tuesday, Speier said the government shutdown has left the country with "a real problem on our hands."

Mr. Trump, heres your trash," she said. "We did the work of some of your employees at the National Park Service, who by the way, in our area, have a hard time making it because its such a high-cost area.  We have a real problem on our hands, Speier was quoted as saying by The Hill.

Most national parks have remained open to visitors during the government shutdown, but maintenance for the parks has been suspended.

The partial government shutdown happened when the U.S. president refused to sign a government spending bill that didn't include at least $5 billion in funding for a wall along the southern border.

The shutdown is ongoing for more than two weeks already.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. The Tourism Committee of the ministry of economic development and investments will have a new chair.

Hripsime Grigoryan, who has been appointed as chair of the Committee by the prime ministers June 11, 2018 decision, will be represented in the new Parliament of Armenia as an MP from My Step alliance.

Anna Ohanyan, spokesperson of the ministry of economic development and investments, told Armenpress that the new chair of the Tourism Committee is elected by the ministers proposal based on the PMs decision. No candidacies are being discussed at the moment because the Cabinet is not formed yet, she said.

Edited and translated by Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS. One of the people that were involved in an earlier incident around a bus transporting conscripts has turned himself in to authorities, police said.

Meanwhile, general prosecution spokesperson Arevik Khachatryan says the criminal case has been forwarded to the Investigative Committee for investigation.

The military police had earlier launched a criminal case on aggravated misdemeanor.

Footage by The Armenian Times showed a group of people blocking the bus, striking it and chanting insults, followed by a brawl. Details and what exactly the assailants wanted werent immediately clear. The bus was carrying newly conscripted military servicemen. No injuries were reported.

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanYEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. The traffic department of Georgias ministry of territorial development and infrastructures informs that the Stepantsminda-Lars highway is closed for all types of vehicles.

There are accumulated 129 trucks and 24 passenger vehicles in the Russian side, Armenias emergency situations ministry told Armenpress.

Edited and translated by Aneta HarutyunyanYEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. North Koreas leader Kim Jong-un visited a number of industrial facilities in Beijing, China, Yonhap news agency reported.

Kim also visited a pharmaceutical factory located in the economic-technological development zone in Beijing where he spent nearly 30 minutes touring the plant, getting acquainted with the technologies and production types.

North Koreas leader Kim Jong-un arrived in Beijing on January 7 at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The visit will last until January 10.

The two leaders will hold a private meeting.

They met last June, the first such meeting for a sitting US president.

Speculation had grown on Monday that Mr Kim was possibly making his way to China after South Koreas Yonhap news reported that a North Korean train had been seen crossing the border.

Dozens of security vehicles and officials blocked roads around the train station in the border town of Dandong.

Hotel guests in Dandong had also not been allowed to enter rooms that faced the border, with news outlet Kyodo calling this an apparent move to prevent the train from being seen.

Kims visit, during which he is being accompanied by several leading North Korean officials, is his fourth to China in less than a year.

Edited and translated by Aneta Harutyunyan





YEREVAN, JANUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. The Armenian community of Syria is set to carry out wide-scale restorations of national structures in 2019, the Armenian-born lawmaker of the Syrian parliament Zhirayr Reisian said in an interview with ARMENPRESS.

Reisian says active works in this direction were carried out in 2018 too, and these initiatives will continue this year.

We expect 2019 to be a peaceful year for the world, he says. A restoration process commenced after the liberation of Aleppo. We can say that life has returned to peaceful process. Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia His Holiness Aram I announced the restoration works, they have begun and are in process. For the record, this restoration process isnt happening only within the Armenian community, the Syrian government has commenced these works, he said.

The MP says several structures of the Armenian community have already been restored: the Armenian National Sanctuary of Aleppo has been entirely restored, as well as one of the buildings of the Karen Jeppe College, where the academic process is underway. Two Armenian churches and the Cilician College of Aleppo have also been restored.

Now, Reisian says the restoration works will continue in full-swing, and all structures will be restored according to priority. He says that business operators in Aleppo are actively resuming their activities, with stores and productions being opened. These also include stores and plants of Armenians, Reisian said, adding that the industrial sector too is being gradually restored.

The lawmaker says that Armenians who left the city earlier are returning to their hometown.

Infrastructures, including water and power supply, are also restored in the city, and all public services are operating normally.

After the liberation of Aleppo the Syrian Army liberated the endangered regions of the country with consecutive victories, and this process continues. All works aimed at re-establishing peace were indeed seen in 2018. In yearend, there was a decision on withdrawing the American forces, that was followed by certain practical steps. Now we expect that the Turkish invasion will be thwarted and that the Turkish forces will withdraw from Syrian territory once and for all. The Turkish presence showed that great damages have been inflicted, in terms of both human losses and looting, the MP said.

Reisian also addressed the changes in the government structure in Armenia, the planned reduction of the number of ministries, that also includes the Diaspora Ministry. Reisian expressed concern over the matter, emphasizing the significance of the Diaspora Ministry.

For me, the dissolution of the Ministry of Diaspora is a bit [perplexing]. This structure deals with a great number of Armenians and has a big role in strengthening the ties between Armenia and the Diaspora. A lot can be said about the importance of the Diaspora Ministry. We should also ask a question to the initiators of this plan, whether or not this issue has been discussed with reputable and responsible figures in the Diaspora. The case of the Culture Ministry is also noteworthy. It is planned to merge it into another ministry. Culture is the mirror of the people, the late [Catholicos] Garegin [I] often said that culture is the path to victory, Reisian said.

Interview by Anna Gziryan

Edited and translated by Stepan KocharyanThe T-Shirt Kings

Who launches a new business in the midst of a major recession?

by Cynthia Furlong Reynolds

From the January, 2019 issue

"Young guys who don't know any better," Jerry Kozak says, shaking his head and grinning.



In 2008 Jerry Kozak and longtime friend Ricky Winowiecki, both twenty-two, opened the Ann Arbor T-shirt Company in their apartment. Last year, they moved into a 32,000-square-foot warehouse on S. Maple and expect to close the books on sales of 750,000 T-shirts to customers around the world.



Theirs is a literal rags-to-riches story.



As an undergrad in the business school, Kozak had printed T-shirts on a "hobby-grade" press in his dorm room at Mary Markley Hall, earning "a couple of hundred dollars a month for college." (Winowiecki, a computer engineering major, did the website and computer graphics.) With a $16,000 investment from "family, friends, and former employers," they moved the press into an apartment on Fuller St. then into a 1,000-square-foot warehouse on the corner of South Industrial and Jewett.



"We built bunk beds there because we couldn't afford both an apartment and a business location," Kozak says. "I have to say: that was demoralizing. I'd spend eight hours a day selling our merchandise, then ten hours printing, and then go around the corner from the press to crash in a La-Z-Boy."



They initially relied on Facebook for sales connections. "In the early days of Facebook, groups would cluster around pop culture interests-'I love kiteboarding,' for instance-and we'd message the owner, offering a free kiteboarding shirt if he would send our link to the entire group. It was a great way to reach a thousand people at once." But within months, Facebook limited the reach of unpaid posts-and the men's business plan dried up.



"We probably wouldn't have succeeded if we'd started our company six months later," Kozak suggests. "We made every mistake in the book. Ricky and I have authenticity. We started from the ground up, and we've done every job, so we know what we're asking our employees to do."



After several tough years, the partners got a break: massive orders

...continued below...

from the U-M-based"When the musical became an instant hit, we had our first tiger by the tail," Kozac says as he begins a tour of the building, where installers are putting solar panels on the roof. "Instantly, we had to learn about international shipping and ordering. We treated that income as an investment, to build our product offerings on Amazon."Seventy percent of their sales are generated on Amazon, which advertises their thousands of designs, stores 300,000 shirts in Amazon warehouses, and handles the logistics. They now have fifty full-time employees, plus as many as thirty seasonals during the frenetic holiday season."Our new place is definitely a work in progress," Kozak says, greeting Heidi, one of seven dogs that come to work with their owners. "We liked the old industrial features of the building, and we like being part of a neighborhood. We want people to drop by."The front door on Maple opens onto the sales department. A few North Face and Patagonia shirts and jackets hang on the wall, hinting at plans for a showroom. Temporary walls section off the different departments: designers, shippers, embroiderers, one small conference room, and a kitchen area with long banquet tables. Every day the owners buy lunch for everyone."Our first press was abysmal, a nightmare," Kozak says as he walks into the massive press room. "We learned quickly that you can either save money temporarily and pay later or buy the best. We now buy the best."He recalls the time when the company mismanaged an early order. The partners worked through the night to correct the problem, then delivered the new shirts with a cake that read, "Sorry we suck." Kozak grins. "The lady laughed so hard. But she kept sending us orders. We knew we had to crawl out from under mistakes and make things right."As he watches shirts being printed, folded, packaged, and packed, he adds, "We have a big, audacious goal: to make our own apparel"-with machines doing the stitching. Robots haven't made many inroads in the apparel industry, he explains, because fabrics stretch and easily stain. But he is optimistic that the hurdles will be overcome.[Originally published in January, 2019.]When we celebrate the end of live sheep exports, we will look back at 2018 as being the defining year for this campaign. Never before have we achieved so much progress for animals and taken such huge strides forward  and never before have we been closer to the day that animals are not condemned to the extreme suffering on board live export ships.

In 2018,

We represented animals in the Federal Court (and won!)

We put live exports firmly back on the political agenda

We gave the victims of this cruel trade a voice in the national media spotlight for months on end .

. We stopped sheep leaving our shores during the deadliest months of the year: the scorching Middle Eastern summer.

Historic bills to end the trade have been introduced and debated in our parliament.

The Australian Senate voted to bring an end to live sheep exports, and

We have secured a historic policy commitment from the Australian Labor Party to end live sheep exports if elected in 2019.





So, where are we at now?

Well, right now Australian politicians are enjoying their summer holidays  and honestly, theyre probably going to need their rest. The Morrison Government knows it has a tough time ahead with a federal election likely in May. They know most Aussies are against live sheep exports, and in fact, so are most politicians. They know that we at Animals Australia certainly arent going to back down any time soon on this issue.

And while the Liberal/National government has a fairly appalling record when it comes to acting on live export cruelty, Agriculture Minister David Littleproud made an announcement in December that sent shock waves through the industry  a new live export animal welfare test that could effectively bring the entire live sheep trade to a halt.

And you know its a big deal, because the head honcho of the live export industry is pretty miffed about it.

Heres the gist of the new restrictions:

In summary, these new standards will make it so difficult and so expensive to export sheep, that hundreds of thousands of animals will likely be spared the horrors of live export.

The reports that led to this announcement, commissioned by the government after explosive footage of on-board suffering was aired on 60 Minutes, have exposed that the live sheep trade is incompatible with even the most basic animal welfare standards.

The most recent report by a scientific panel also confirmed what exporters have known for decades  that shipping Australian sheep across the high heat months in the Middle East results in egregious suffering.

What next?

After a tumultuous year the Morrison Government is now running the country with a minority government, and with Parliament resuming for two weeks in February and three private members Bills to end live export still on the table, anything could happen. Federal Labor MP Amanda Rishworth has recently indicated that Labor may push again to definitively ban sheep exports during this period.

If that doesnt happen, then every Australian will have the opportunity to decide on the future of live export when they vote during the Federal election, currently set down for May.

Either way, 2019 is going to be another huge year for this campaign (well make sure of it). It has never been harder to be a live sheep exporter than it is now. Lets make 2019 the year we end it.

What can I do?14:21 | Arequipa (Arequipa region), Jan. 9.





Barreda who was one of the pre-race favorites and was leading the bikes category after the second stage  had to be pulled out by helicopter at the 143-kilometer mark of Wednesday's special (timed portion).





He had crashed and got stuck at a spot roughly 300 meters (985 feet) from the right track, shortly before 9 AM, according to Dakar Rally's official website





Barreda had a slim one-minute, 31-second lead over Austrian defending champion Matthias Walkner (KTM) at the start of Wednesday's third stage, which featured a 467-km liaison portion and a 331-km special.





Following his latest mishap, the Spaniard now has abandoned four of the nine Dakar Rally events he has competed in since 2011.









He was considered the top rider for Honda, which has suffered a crushing blow in its bid to snap KTM's streak of 17 consecutive victories in Dakar's bikes competition (dating back to 2001).





The Japanese brand's hopes now rest on Argentine rider Kevin Benavides , the runner-up in the bikes category in last year's race.





The 2019 Dakar Rally is being held entirely in Peru , marking the first time the event has been hosted by a single country.





Efe Agency: All rights are reserved. It is expressly prohibited reproduction without prior written permission from the Efe agency.



(END) EFE/RMB/MVB

Spanish Honda rider Joan Barreda has pulled out of the 2019 Dakar Rally for the second straight year after his bike became stranded in a basin early in the timed portion of Wednesday's third stage from San Juan de Marcona to Arequipa Published: 1/9/2019Presidente @MartinVizcarraC: Este acto tiene una enorme relevancia para el Peru, para nuestro Gobierno y, sobre todo, para los millones de peruanos quienes, en las urnas, decidieron apoyar el camino de las reformas institucionales para construir un pais mejor. pic.twitter.com/ifMM9vgXer



President Martin Vizcarra on Wednesday affirmed ex-Attorney General Pedro Chavarry's decision to step down from the post is a step forward in the fight against corruption , adding it is necessary for Peru to rely on a solid and autonomous Public Ministry.Published: 1/9/2019New Braunfels, TX (78130)

Today

Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. Hot. High 96F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 72F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.This item is available in full to subscribers.

Attention subscribers

We have recently launched a new and improved website. To continue reading, you will need to either log into your subscriber account, or purchase a new subscription.

If you are a digital subscriber with an active subscription, then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you've not yet logged in to your account on this new site.

If you are a current print subscriber, you can set up a free website account by clicking here.

Otherwise, click here to view your options for subscribing.News

VIDEO: Imran invites Islamabad traffic warden to PM House, praises him for performing duty despite being injured

The prime minister said that the entire image of police is lifted by the effort of just one man because of such an incident. "I called you especially here to appreciate your effort and we will reward you for it as well."Police have dropped their investigation into sexual assault allegations against disgraced celebrity chef Mario Bataliat least for now. According to the NY Times, the NYPD could reopen the cases at a later date, if they come up with additional evidence that compels them to do so. At the moment, however, they say they don't have enough to arrest Batali, despite the mountain of complaints against him.

In late 2017, the so-called reckoning came for Bataliwho, until news of what multiple women classified as a pattern of predatory behavior, presided over a sprawling culinary empirein a string of damning articles. First, Eater published a report detailing the experiences of many women in the restaurant industry who said the chef routinely made inappropriate advances on them in professional contexts.

Next came an NY Times report examining Ken Friedman, former owner of The Spotted Pig, a West Village institution where Batali was an investor. Employees alleged that Batali had not only groped and verbally harassed women who worked at The Spotted Pig, but also that he had sexually assaulted an unconscious woman in the restaurant's third-floor VIP lounge, which some staffers dubbed the "rape room." In May, the employee who'd seen that encounter and intervened said on 60 Minutes that she had "no doubt" that Batali had "absolutely" touched a woman between her legs while she was passed out. During that same segment, another of Batali's one-time employees recalled waking up in an empty room at The Spotted Pig in 2005, after hanging out with him at the restaurant one night. She woke up with deep scratches on her legs and semen on her skirt, along with the feeling that she'd been drugged.

Batali denied that particular allegation, but in response to previous articles, expressed remorse for his actions (in the same breath as he promoted his cinnamon roll recipe, which arguably undercuts the sincerity) and pledged to take time away from his business, which he told Eater he would spend trying to earn back his fans' "respect and trust."

The chef reportedly spent those circumspect months planning his quiet reentry onto the culinary stage, while the NYPD launched an investigation into three allegations against him. One was the (alleged) 2005 rape at The Spotted Pig. Another came from a woman who told police that, in 2004, Batali raped her at one of his restaurants, Babbo. The third incident involved another woman who said she woke up in The Spotted Pig's aforementioned "rape room" around 2008, without any memory as to how she'd gotten there. Although the statute of limitations had run out on both of the earlier cases, according to police, the one from 2008 was viablebut unfortunately, the woman is unable to remember the details, and investigators need her memory to move forward.

"She couldn't put the pieces together," a police source told the Times. "Something happened to that victim in that room, but we don't know if it's criminal or not."

While Batali has admitted that the lewd commentary and non-consensual touching women have attributed to him jells with his behavior, as the Times points out, he has "vehemently denie[d]" having sex without consent. In any case, a few lawsuits against Batali are still pendinga former Babbo pastry chef is suing him for discrimination, and a woman is suing him for (allegedly) having groped her in a Boston barand in August, the New York attorney general announced her investigation of Friedman and Batali's reported Spotted Pig misconduct.New York finds itself mired in the worst measles outbreak it's seen in recent memory, with 55 cases confirmed in the city since September. In Rockland and Orange counties, a further 112 people have been diagnosed.

"If you go back many decades ago when we weren't vaccinating, of course there were probably more outbreaks, but in my memory, I don't know of a measles outbreak that was this significant," New York State Commissioner of Health Howard Zucker told CNN. The city itself experienced a slightly larger outbreak in 2013, with 58 cases diagnosed, but statewide, this is the most aggressive spread health officials have seen in years. In 1991, more than 2,000 cases were reported to the city health department.

Unfortunately, the source of the outbreak appears to be unvaccinated children, who were exposed to the virus on a trip to Israelwhich is also weathering an outbreakearly this fall. Those children, in turn, spread the disease to other unvaccinated kids with whom they came in contact. The disease has since clustered in Brooklyn's Orthodox Jewish communities: According to the NY Post, Borough Park has counted 32 cases, Williamsburg has had 21, Bensonhurst has seen one, as has Midwood/Marine Park. The vast majority of cases across the state have affected patients under the age of 18.

"We have immunized 13,000 children since this outbreak has begun," Zucker told CNN, but health officials are urging parents to vaccinate their children early: A Rockland County spokesperson told the Post that health officials now recommend getting the first measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine at six months, as opposed to a year, and the second as soon as 28 days later, rather than at age four.

"Parents who oppose vaccinations for measles and all other illnesses not only put their own children at risk, but endanger other children and families as well," City Council Health Chair Mark Levine said in a statement in early November. "The risk of measles affecting our New York communities is particularly acute in neighborhoods where international travel is common and frequent. I strongly urge all parents across the city to ensure their children are up to date on all AMA recommended vaccinations, including for the flu, as we enter the winter months."

Speaking of the flu, measles can initially look like that more common ailment: Coughing and sneezing spread the airborne infection, which ultimately announces itself with a distinctive, full-body rash. (Often in combination with things like fever and red, watery eyes.) Measles can cause brain swelling, and in rare cases, death.

Thanks to the development of the measles vaccine in the 1960s, medical professionals eliminated the disease in the U.S. by 2000. Now, the greatest measles risk comes with international travel, one compelling reason why it's important to vaccinate kids. How did we wind up in this current predicament? People haven't necessarily been doing that.

As Gizmodo points out, New York ranks among the 47 states that exempt parents from vaccinating their offspring if doing so challenges their religious beliefs. People of Orthodox Jewish faith are not uniformly hostile to vaccines, though. Rather, certain groups within Brooklyn's Orthodox communities subscribe to anti-vaxxer ideology, thanks in part to the efforts of organizations that have been spamming them with propaganda demonizing vaccines. And also, private schools haven't been doing an exemplary job of making sure students are up to date on their shots. So, parents, this one's on you: Vaccinate your kids! Thank you and good night.

Update: An earlier version of this story was headlined "NYC Faces Worst Measles Outbreak In Generations." In fact, 58 cases were diagnosed citywide in 2013, and in 1991, more than 2,000 cases of measles were reported to the city health department.The uproar over the on-then-off-again shutdown of the L train for repairs may make it impossible to imagine that there was ever a time when north Brooklyn residents survived without a direct subway link to Manhattan. But the L line was actually a fairly late addition to the citys roster of mass transit.

The bulk of what is now called the L train was constructed between 1916 and 1924 by Brooklyn Rapid Transit, which after its founding in 1896 ran many of Brooklyns surface and trolley lines. After the Malbone Street Wreck in 1918, the BRT reorganized as Brooklyn-Manhattan Transit (the BMT), which itself became part of the New York City transit system when the city purchased the private subway lines and combined them with the city-owned Independent lines in 1940.

Prior to the L trains construction, people traveled between Manhattan and Williamsburg via the Williamsburg Bridge, opened in 1903, which carried the tracks of several surface trolley lines as well as the elevated train that runs up Broadway, todays J train. A number of ferry routes also crossed the East River between southern Manhattan and northern Brooklyn.

As Peter Derrick explains in his 2001 book Tunneling to the Future, what ultimately became the line through northern Brooklyn was one of several ideas that stemmed from a bipartisan reform commission called the Committee on Congestion of Population in New York. One of the commissions motives was to spread New Yorks population, then largely concentrated in downtown Manhattan tenements, to other parts of the city. (Among other things, overcrowding was leading to tuberculosis epidemics.)

In 1906, Governor Charles Evans Hughes had also created the new Public Service Commission, which, among other efforts, was tasked with creating new transit lines to develop outlying neighborhoods and ease overcrowding. One result was the Dual Contracts, signed by the city in March 1913 with the Interborough Subway (IRT) and Brooklyn Rapid Transit (BRT), to build or substantially improve 36 subway and elevated lines, including the 14th Street-Canarsie Line.



Fourteenth Street-Eastern Line, Details of Gas By-passes, etc. in Scholes Street at Bushwick Avenue. 1917. (via NYCsubway.org)

The original line  then called the #16, as BMT trains did not receive letter designations until the 1960s  ran between 6th Avenue and the Montrose Avenue station, a convenient terminal in the lines early days because new subway cars could be delivered directly from the Long Island Rail Road Bushwick Branch, which terminated at Montrose Avenue and Bushwick Place, a block away from the L train tunnel on Bushwick Avenue. (The LIRR still uses this Bushwick trackage for freight to this day.)

The original section of the L train was forced to take a convoluted route because of the street layout in Williamsburg, as engineers did not want to have to tunnel beneath building foundations. Thus, the tunnel runs under North 7th Street, Metropolitan Avenue, Bushwick Avenue, McKibbin Street, and Harrison Place before straightening its route beneath Wyckoff Avenue for the bulk of its Bushwick run. The construction was done by the then-standard cut and cover method, in which trenches were dug in the streets, tunnels, tracks and signals were placed in the tunnels, and the street surfaces were then rebuilt over the tracks.



Fourteenth Street-Eastern Line, Method of Construction at Lorimer Street Stationn. 1918. (via NYCsubway.org)

In December 1928, the BMT opened the remainder of the L trains underground stations between Morgan Avenue and East New York. The line briefly enters the borough of Queens at Halsey Street (the stations southbound platform is actually in Brooklyn, the northbound in Queens), before turning south and running along the Bay Ridge Long Island Rail Road branch. At the grade-level Wilson Avenue station, the L station allows passengers a look at Most Holy Trinity Cemetery from the southbound platform. The L train then ducks into a tunnel again at the Bushwick-Aberdeen station before emerging at Broadway Junction.

The mosaics in the L trains underground stations are among the subways most interesting. The design of the subways newest system of lines, the Independent subway (IND), was decided upon in the mid-to-late 1920s. Subway station architect and designer Squire Vickers knew that the new IND stations would be monochrome and plainer in design, befitting the Machine Age aesthetic. Thus, Vickers went all out with the BMT Canarsie Line, including a rainbow of colors, eschewing the earth tones generally adhered to in previous IRT and BMT stations. To this day, the L train subway stations are perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing, as the station identification plaques and friezes (the color panels below the roofline) consist of interlocking geometric shapes, rectangles, squares and triangles, and no two stations on the line have identical mosaic colors and patterns.

A steam train to the Rockaways

The southernmost stations on the L train, running from Broadway Junction south and running through East New York and terminating at Rockaway Parkway and Glenwood Road in Canarsie, actually predate the rest of the line, having started life as a steam railroad line in October 1865. (Several of Brooklyns other subway lines, including the D, F, N and Q, also evolved from steam railroads that originally ran to seaside hotels such as the Brighton, Sea Beach and West End.) Originally, the Brooklyn and Rockaway Beach Railroad ran between the Long Island Rail Road on Atlantic Avenue and Jamaica Bay, where commuters could catch a ferry to the Rockaways. After 1913, these at-grade railroads were converted to elevated lines with funding from the Dual Contracts.



A ticket for the Brooklyn & Rockaway Beach Railroad (courtesy Art Huneke, arrts-arrchives.com)

Beginning in the 1830s, the Long Island Rail Road ran down the middle of Atlantic Avenue (as it would until it was placed in a tunnel in 1940), and the Brooklyn and Rockaway Beach line branched off to the south through Brownsville along Vesta Avenue, now Van Sinderen Avenue. The line was single-tracked until 1894, when it was placed on an elevated structure with an electrified third rail. The line ran at grade to Rockaway Parkway, where commuters would transfer to a surface trolley that ran to todays Rockaway Pier. In 1906, the Rockaway Beach Branch was extended north from Atlantic Avenue to meet the elevated Broadway and Fulton Street lines at Broadway Junction.

In 1928, this elevated trestle was joined to the rest of the Canarsie Line. The trestle retained its connection to the elevated train over Broadwaytodays J trainand in fact there was rush-hour service, known as the JJ train, running to Canarsie via the Broadway tracks until 1968. (The MTA could restore this service if it ever wished to do so.) The Fulton Street El, which originally ran over the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan from its inception in the 1880s, was cut back to service between Rockaway and Liberty Avenues in 1940 after the underground IND service opened, and ended service for good in 1956. However, the lines trackage adjoining the Canarsie Line was not fully dismantled until 2001!

An interesting anomaly on the Canarsie Line remained until 1973: the last gate crossing in the New York City subway system, which allowed East 105th Street to cross the tracks at Turnbull Avenue. After 1973, East 105th Street was closed where it crossed the tracks, and the East 105th Street station was placed on an embankment with a center platform. Leftover trolley poles from the old surface line connection at Rockaway Parkway have never been taken down, and can be seen on Rockaway Parkway and Glenwood Road in the vicinity of the station.

In June 1931, the Canarsie Line was extended one stop west to connect with the new IND 8th Avenue station at 14th Street, which was being prepared for open in September 1932. This new 8th Avenue station on the L was designed to look like an IND station, with a bold blue color band and the distinctive lettering used in all other IND stations. However, a 1999 redesign effected a more BMT-ish look, with multicolored mosaics. At the same time whimsical sculptures by Tom Otterness, depicting sewer alligators and other creatures emerging from the floors and playing along the ceilings of the station were added to the staircases and other public areas.

In all, todays Canarsie Line was 66 years in the making, with stations dating from everywhere between 1865 and 1931. To todays Canarsie Line commuters, itll just seem like the upcoming repairs  in whatever form and schedule they take  will be running that long.



Kevin Walsh is the webmaster of the award-winning website Forgotten NY, and the author of the books Forgotten New York (HarperCollins, 2006) and also, with the Greater Astoria Historical Society, Forgotten Queens (Arcadia, 2013)

Today, New York Citys oldest underwater subway tunnel celebrates its 111th anniversary of carrying commuters between the boroughs.

The Joralemon Street Tube was first put to the test during the early morning rush on January 9th, 1908. The new subway route connected Bowling Green in lower Manhattan to Brooklyn Borough Hall  a 5-minute trip that cost 5 cents. But most crucially, it helped relieve a major commuting sore spot. Up until the tunnel opened, inter-borough commuters had to rely on a short shuttle train that ran across the Brooklyn Bridge. The back-and-forth shuttle was so crowded during rush hours, it earned the nickname the Bridge crush.

One day into the new era of commuting options, the New York Times declared the subway tunnel the quicker of the two routes after sending two reporters on a race from its Times Square office to Brooklyn and back. Another Times writer predicted: [The new tunnel] means that dinner can be served on time, which is a condition not existing in Brooklyn nowif the wage earner is compelled to use the bridges during the rush hours.



A 1913 postcard showing the tunnel and City Hall subway station (Wikipedia)

Fast forward to the year 2019, and New Yorkers arent so thrilled with their underground options. Commuters are collectively experiencing L train-shutdown-whiplash, with Governor Andrew Cuomos 11th-hour announcement to maybe not fully shut down the Canarsie Tunnel for over a year after all (and to blow up the MTA while were at it).

The 111-year-old Joralemon Street Tube is still in service today, carrying the 4/5 trains. And like the Canarsie Tunnel, which was built in 1924 and now carries the L train, the Joralemon Tunnel was also damaged by Sandy. The MTA closed the tunnel during certain weekends starting in 2016 and 2017 for $75 million of Fix & Fortify repair work.

Sure, now that were weighing the options of shutting the L train down entirely for 15 months or limiting service for an indefinite numbers of weekends and nights and maybe ingesting harmful silica dust on our Monday morning commutes, things dont seem so great. But at the time these tunnels were first built, New York City was going through an infrastructure boom, building its greatest and longest-lasting projects that have come to define this city, like above- and below-ground subway systems, Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal, and the Manhattan and Williamsburg Bridges. And while those engineers expected them to last for a long time, it was impossible to say for sure how time would wear on these structures.

These things were very experimental, Jonathan English told WNYC. English is an infrastructure writer and policy consultant, working on his doctorate degree in urban planning at Columbia University

There was no playbook when a lot of these projects were done, and to some extent these experiments cost peoples lives and a lot of time.



The Joralemon Street Tunnel in 2014 (NYC Transit / Flickr)

There was one particularly infamous incident, during the construction of the Joralemon Street tube. The innovative technology of the time had workers using a huge, circular metal shield that was roughly the size of the tunnel opening. The shield had doors in it that were left open, and workers would apply even pressure to the shield to push it forward, letting the soft river muck ooze through the door openings, which the workers would then have to shovel out. And so theyd push, inch by inch, from one side of the river to the other. The workspace was carefully pressurized, to keep the walls from collapsing. Then, one spring day in 1905, a worker accidentally broke through a soft spot.

The pressure sent him through the soft spot in the ground, through the river, and then up 30 feet into the air...and then he came down and landed. And he survived! said English.

Listen to Shumita Basu look back at the history of the Joralemon Street Tubes on WNYC. (Music courtesy of the WNYC Archive Collections):Hundreds of people protested outside a NJ police station on Tuesday night, demanding answers after the death of Jameek Lowery on Monday. Lowery, 27, had visited the Paterson police station in an agitated state early Saturday morning, filming his encounter on Facebook Live and telling officers, "Im just paranoid. I just need some water."

At some point after the video stopped, he was taken to St. Joseph's University Medical Center, where he was placed on life support until Monday morning, when he died. Now, the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office is investigating.

NBC New York ran down the hours before Lowery went to the police station:



Lowery first called 911 at around 2:45 a.m. on Saturday, saying he had taken ecstasy and was paranoid, according to a preliminary investigation by the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office. EMS responded and took him to a local hospital, but Lowery became erratic there and left. At around 3:40 a.m., Lowery again called 911, this time from a Wendy's restaurant near Broadway and Memorial Drive, saying people were trying to kill him, the prosecutor's office said. He walked into the Paterson Police headquarters nearby at 111 Broadway, appearing agitated. While inside police headquarters, he called 911 yet again. Lowery live streamed to his Facebook page from inside the police station, shouting in an apparent fit of paranoia, "Please don't shoot me. This officer by the wall, I see you, they're trying to kill me. They right there!" ...He ranted, at times incoherently, "I see y'all trying to kill me. Why are you trying to kill me? What'd I do, officer? ... I said I need help, I need help, go to the hospital, somebody trying to kill me. Somebody help me." "Somebody call my mom. The cops trying to kill me, they think I'm a witness, they think I'm f---ing with the FBI. That's what they think." "Watch out, if I'm dead by the next hour or two, they did it," he shouted in the video. "I didn't touch them at all." When the officers assured him an ambulance was on the way, he responded, "Yo, they're gonna kill me in the ambulance."

The video shows the police officers at a distance from Lowery, talking to him. The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office told NorthJersey.com that "police and fire records show Lowery was taken from police headquarters to the hospital in about five to 10 minutes." Prosecutors also said, "Per initial reports and information, police used physical force and compliance holds to secure Mr. Lowery in the ambulance. Hospital records indicate no acute trauma.

Lowery's family says his face was "bloody and bruised" and his brother Jamir King told NorthJersey.com that he appeared to have suffered a broken cheekbone and eye socket after the recording, "His face wasnt like that in the video."

The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave. The head of the officers' union said, "From everything Ive seen so far, the officers acted professionally and got him the help that he was in need of by calling for the ambulance."

At Tuesday night's demonstration, one protester said police used mase against the group. Another protester asked NBC New York, "What did those cops do? What are they not telling us?"Without question Africa is a continent that is very much on the move towards democratic governance. Africa has made incredible progress in the past two decades with many of Africas 54 countries now able to be called democratic, holding peaceful and credible elections, enjoying a free press, and governments that are generally accountable to their people. A driving force behind the democratic reform on the continent is Africas youthful population that is now coming of age. More than 50% of the population of Africa is under 30 years of age and increasingly educated and connected to the internet, and thus knowledgeable about what is going on elsewhere in Africa and elsewhere around the world. Things have changed dramatically over the past two decades! Sure many daunting problem countries remain, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Togo, Somalia and Sudan, but the tide has turned and without a doubt Africa is moving forward.

We have already seen the faulty election that took place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and are anxiously awaiting the surely problematic results. Next month, two more important presidential elections are scheduled to take place that will also be closely watched in Africa and internationally -- Nigeria and in Senegal.

In Nigeria, after a very lack-luster first term, President Muhammadu Buhari (76 years old), is running for a second term as the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), against politician and business tycoon Atiku Abubakar (72 years) under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who served as the Vice-President of Nigeria under Olusegun Obasanjo. Largely because of his absence from the country on medical leave, very little was accomplished in President Buharis first term on the primary issues, which he ran on, anti-corruption and economic development and prosperity. Nigeria, despite its great oil wealth, is now on track to becoming one of the poorest countries in the world in the next 25 years if some drastic measures are not taken right away to stem corruption and to establish good governance in the country.

Senegals election, also taking place in February, has president Macky Sall (57 years old) seeking to extend his presidency for a second term. Senegal made history recently with the opening of the awe-inspiring Museum of Black Civilizations in Dakar, positioning the country as one the intellectual and cultural capital of the black world.

With a population of 15 million people, in recent years Senegal has had a 6% annual economic growth in 2015, 6.2% in 2016 and a continued growth up to 7.2% in 2017. The 2021 anticipated oil and gas extraction is very likely to give the economy an additional upward boost.

Senegal is widely seen as a beacon of stability and democracy in the West Africa region, never experienced any coup detat, an image reinforced by a peaceful and well organized 2012 presidential poll when the country faced its first test as previous president, Abdoulaye Wade, ran for a third term and was defeated by Macky Sall.

As a strong United States partner, last month Michael R. Pompeo the Secretary of State, reiterated the United States commitment to Senegal with the signing of Senegals second $600 million Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact and to maintaining Senegals democratic traditions in the upcoming February 2019 election.

With a presidential election in less than two months, concerns are growing that democracy in Senegal, long an example for West Africa, is being subverted. T wo important situations are creating political tensions.

First, a new election law approved by the Senegal Parliament in April, requiring 53,000 signatures to qualify to run for presidency caused protests with critics accusing the Macky Salls government of a plot to block minor candidates for contesting.

Second, leaders from the two historical political parties, Karim Wade (50 years old), the son of the former President Abdoulaye Wade (Senegalese Democratic Party) and popular former Dakar Mayor Khalifa Sall of Socialist Party( 63 years old) met that requirements but see their candidacies at stake because of criminal charges against them. Some political players in Senegal believe those trials are politically motivated.

Despite his condemnation, the fiercest opponent, Khalifa Sall, is still contesting while going through the appeals process. He is actually running his campaign from his jail cell! The Senegal Supreme Court dismissed his appeal on Thursday, January 3. Khalifa Salls supporters believe that the Macky Salls government is targeting him because of his potential strong candidacy!

In a report last year, Amnesty International criticized the Senegalese government for cracking down on peaceful demonstrations and said the judiciary handling Khalifas case showed a lack of independence.

Senegalese inside the country and in the Diaspora are mobilized to bring the international communitys attention to the situation they characterize as democracy in danger and are calling all stakeholders to help sustain Senegals democracy by ensuring the independence of the justice system, allowing all political candidates to contest and by conducting a transparent, free and fair elections.

Even though Senegal has made significant economic and political progress, President Macky Salls eventual victory could leave a bitter taste in the mouths of many citizens, should the other two main historical political parties not be allowed to contest freely. All Senegalese-followers will be focused on January 21, the date the Constitutional Council will release the final list of approved presidential candidates.

Both elections in Nigeria and Senegal promise to be noisy and hotly contested in many ways! Thats why West Africas regional bloc ECOWAS has also recently urged Nigeria and Senegal to ensure peaceful, free and transparent elections. It is our hope that personal ambitions will not supersede the will of the people, and may democracy win!Since Governor Andrew Cuomo and his disruptive band of hand-picked experts dropped their L-ternative shutdown bomb on New Yorkers last week, the MTA has tentatively adopted the new plan as its own. "All indicators are that this looks really promising, and were excited about it, and are going to be working really hard over the next several weeks to confirm that this is a good, workable, constructable plan," the MTA's managing director, Veronique Hakim, told Gothamist on Wednesday morning.

But Cuomo's scheme to avert a 15-month total shutdown and make the necessary repairs to the Canarsie tunnel between Brooklyn and Manhattan on nights and weekends over the course of 15 to 20 months, while keeping some trains running, is still just an outline of a plan. And once a real plan existswhich includes actual engineering design work, a renegotiated work contract, and silica dust mitigation effortsit still has to be approved by the federal government (which is providing nearly a half billion dollars in funding), and the MTA board.

"None of this has been presented up until now to the MTA board, so the MTA board has not been able to consider it," said one MTA board member, who asked for anonymity to speak candidly. "So nobody has any idea, except for the governor."

Hakim said that the MTA board members would start getting briefed on the plan next week, before the full board meeting in two weeks, and that MTA officials met with Federal Transportation Administration representatives about the new plan for the first time on Tuesday.

"They have already awarded nearly $400 million in Sandy resiliency grant money to support the program, and obviously we want to do everything we can to give them the information they need during this review process," Hakim said. In addition to the construction plan itself, the federal government also has to review the agency's mitigation efforts to get passengers where they need to go while service is hindered.

"They are also going be looking at what our alternate service plans are," Hakim said. "With the overnight and weekend service plan as currently configured, with what we think will be 20 minute headways along the Ldo we need to provide any supplemental service with that?"

Hakim couldn't say how long the federal review might take. The federal government's review of the environmental impacts of the initial shutdown plan concluded in August of 2016, nearly a year after the plan was officially adopted, according to federal DOT documents.

"The FTA is not among the most nimble fed agencies under the best of circumstances, and it is now a victim of our national government's inability to keep itself open, so when the FTA approves this, is hard to know," the MTA board member said.

A spokesperson for the FTA did not respond to a request for comment.

The MTA board meeting on January 24th gives members an opportunity to ask many pressing questions: Were these new innovations from Cuomo's engineering expertstaking the cables out of the concrete benchwall and racking them on the tunnel, the special polymer to encase and protect the benchwall, the fiber optic sensors to monitor the wall and prevent service outagesproposed years ago? If so, why weren't they adopted? Will these repairs last many decades, as Cuomo's experts have suggested they will?

"I don't think people would be very happy if we went through 15 or 20 months of a partial shutdown only to find out two years from now that we had to do a full shutdown anyway," the board member said.

Even if the board determines that Cuomo's approach is the correct one, they have to

decide whether the old contract can be amended, or if the new work requires a new contract and thus a new bid.

"If the MTA board decides [the contract] can be modified and the existing contractor can go ahead and do this, does that open the MTA up for a lawsuit?" the board member wondered.

Hakim expects that Judlau, the contractor that got the initial $477 million contract to perform the work, will move forward with the new plan. She pointed out that work outside of the tunnel began months ago. (Judlau did not respond to a request for comment.)

"What is changing in this new process is the use of the benchwall, and how to deal with the benchwall within the tunnel, from vent shaft to vent shaft," Hakim said. "Everything else still gets done. The new substations get built, accessibility gets built, entrances get built, new station work gets done."

Other questions about Cuomo's plan concern its execution, not its technique.

Michael Horodniceanu, the former head of the MTA's capital projects, said that keeping the trains in operation while the work is happening is "a complicated thing, because you have to operate, stop, operate, stop, operate. That's not simple, and it will require a very careful dance to make sure that things are happening properly."

Horodniceanu also noted that this configuration may drive up the cost of the plan.

"Once you start operating at night and as well as weekends, the labor costs increase," Horodniceanu said. "That's something that has to be worked out between the contractor and the MTA."

The MTA has maintained that the project will be completed under the same cost envelope, though the governor has suggested it would be cheaper. Current NYCTA President Andy Byford told East Village residents on Tuesday night that he is convening his own independent group of engineering experts to review all the available information before moving forward, and that operating the trains safely while the work is being done is one of his "key issues."

"If we advance this plan its because weve vetted it and feel very confident on the safety element of it," Hakim said.

Despite all of these hurdles, the MTA is still aiming to begin the tunnel work around April 27th. Whether that goal is achievable may rest on how the MTA board receives Cuomo's plan on January 24th; in the past the board has been accused of acting as a "rubber stamp."

"Of course the MTA board should be asking tougher questions," the member said. "The board has a legal, fiduciary responsibility, and that includes an oversight function to maintain a degree of quality control to make sure what management is doing makes sense and is appropriate and can be evaluated and embraced after tough questioning."

Wednesday was also the first day of the new legislative session in Albany, where Democrats now control both the Assembly and the Senate. For years, state lawmakers have failed to use their oversight powers to reveal how decisions are made within the MTA, but that is going to change, according to State Senator Timothy Kennedy, the new chair of the transportation committee.

"In very short order there will be hearings within the committee process regarding the MTA," Kennedy said.

"Quite frankly, it's been too long since the state legislature has put the proper focus on the MTA and the millions of people that utilize it every day to not only propel our statewide economy, but our national economy."

Asked about the MTA's abrupt change of heart on the L-train shutdown, Senator Kennedy replied, "I think what the governor did was he put forward a plan that the MTA ultimately has to approve or disapprove. The decision lies with the MTA."Foreign Minister emphasized that the return to the homeland will depend on the state of health of the sailors

The Embassy of Ukraine along with the Turkish partner will do everything possible to return the sailors who suffered in the ship wreck near Turkey. This event depends on their state of health, as 112 Ukraine reported citing Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.

Now our embassy, along with the Turkish partners, try to provide all the possible assistance. The return depends on their state. It will happen soon, the news are good - unlike news about our citizens who died, Klimkin said.

Concerning the origin of coal transferred by sunken ship, the Foreign Minister said that this fact is being checked.

Concerning the origin of coal, we check it. We know about Russia attempts to mix coal from occupied territories with the Russian one and transport it abroad, not only to Turkey. We work with our partners to hold the proper investigation. And the issue is not only about this incident, but we also have the grounded suspects that there were attempts to export this coal not only to Turkey. I talked to our partners from the EU as we have information that there were attempts from the Russian side to export such mixed coal to some European countries, Klimkin said.

Earlier, we reported that Ukrainian sailors, who suffered in the crash of the vessel in Turkey will be discharged from Samsun City Hospital on January 10 and then they will be transferred to Ankara.

Previously, a cargo ship under Panama flag, which came from the Russian Azov port, sent a distress signal around 148 km (92 miles) away from the north-eastern Black Sea province Samsun. It was noted that four Ukrainians died as a result, seven were rescued. According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, the tragedy happened due to a wave hit.Ex-engineer from Kharkiv design bureau agreed on the cooperation with the foreign machine-building company when he visited one of the Eastern Asian countries

The officers of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) have exposed the ex-worker of one of the research institutes of Kharkiv in the illicit cooperation with the foreign military company as SBU reported.

According to the security service, a former engineer from design studio agreed on the cooperation with a foreign machine-building company when he visited one of the Eastern Asian countries.

A man provided the foreigner with the consultations on the development and construction of particular components of military armored vehicles for a payment. In accordance with the Ukrainian legislation, the technical support in the military and technical sphere should be provided only with the authorization of the State service of export control of Ukraine.

A criminal proceeding due to the violation of the order of the international pass of the goods, which should be checked by State Export Control, was opened against the engineer, who sold the secrets of the Ukrainian armored vehicles to Asia. A man can be fined from 100 up to 200 times the individual income of the citizens and the restriction of freedom up to three years.

Earlier we reported that the SBU revealed 71 people involved in the intelligence-sabotage activities of the foreign special services in Ukraine in 2018.In total, NABU and SAP passed around 50 cases

Open source

Ukraines Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutors Office and National Anti-Corruption Bureau passed the cases concerning Ukraines ex-President Viktor Yanukovych to the State Investigation Bureau, as Ukrainian News reported referring to the SAP representative.

According to him, materials on seizing the Mezhyhirya Residence (Novi Petrivtsi, Kyiv region) were passed along with the files on seizing hunting grounds in Sukholuchhya, Kyiv region.

In total, NABU and SAP passed asome 50 cases to the State Investigation Bureau.

As it was reported, the Head of the State Investigation Bureau Roman Truba stated that the Bureau would not accept materials of the cases from other law enforcement agencies in case of such transfer.

Ukraines State Investigation Bureau intends to pass its cases to the Anti-Corruption Court.Open source

The last six agreements with lawyers, who will defend 24 Ukrainian sailors captured by the Russian side near Kerch Strait in November 2018, will be signed on January 9. 112 Ukraine reported this, citing Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.

We have signed the proper agreements with the lawyers, who will defend our guys. Today we will sign the last six agreements. We are discussing this with Nikolai Polozov who partially coordinates the actions of the lawyer now. On January 17-18, Russia will try to hold the sessions of its illegitimate courts. We are working now to provide our guys with all possible support and provide our friends and partners with a possibility to be present at these courts, he said.

Klimkin noted that Ukraine has intensified the activity of all friends and partners who can provide the aid and support to Ukrainian sailors.

As we reported, Ukraine submitted a full-fledged statement against the Russian Federation on the violation of the rights of 24 Ukrainian sailors captured near the Kerch Strait in November last year to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

On November 25, the coast guard ships of the Russian Navy attacked the ships of the Ukrainian Navy, which have been carrying out a scheduled transition from Odesa port to Mariupol port in the Sea of Azov.

21 Ukrainian sailors were delivered to Lefortovo remand center in Moscow, and the three wounded seamen ended up in the hospital of Matrosskaya Tishina prison, also in the Russian capital. On December 3, the Russian prosecutors officially accused Ukrainian sailors with the 'illegal crossing of the state border' during the attack in the Kerch Strait.Letters signed by the staff of 112 Ukraine and NewsOne TV channels were delivered to the President of the European Parliament

Open source

Problem with the pressure on independent TV channels in Ukraine was taken to the highest level of the European Union. Today, MEPs from Great Britain Nathan Gill and Jonathan Arnott passed President of the European Parliament Antonio Tajani the letters signed by hundreds of the members of 112 Ukraine and NewsOne TV channels requesting to protect freedom of speech in Ukraine.

Those letters, which carefully described the situation with the Ukrainian Parliaments attempt to close the two broadcasters through the National Security and Defense Council, were handed to Gill and Arnott when they visited Kyiv in November.

Now that the MEPs fulfilled the promise they gave to the reporters, they delivered the problem to Antonio Tajani who is the member of the senior leadership of the European Union.

112 Ukraine is an informational and analytical TV channel which broadcasts 18.5 hours per day on air and uses modern technologies to be the first channel to provide the unbiased information on important and interesting events going on in Ukraine and in the world. This is mentioned in the respective statement by Artem Marchevskyi, the Chief Producer, and Yehor Benkendorf, Director General of 112 Ukraine.The ladies were forcefully held at a night club in Granada; the employers forced them into working as prostitutes

Call girl depositphotos

The police of Spain have released five girls from Ukraine and Russia from sex slavery. RIA Novosti news agency reported this, specifying that the ladies were forcefully held at a night club in Granada; the employers forced them into working as prostitutes.

The law enforcers detained four people as suspects in the crime, three of them were taken to custody. The police refused to name their actual citizenships.

The pimps searched for their future victims via social networks, offering jobs of hostesses or administrators to gorgeous young women who needed money. The employers offered them up to 3,000 Euros of salary.

Actually, the girls ended up in the brothel where the 'employers' forced them into sexual services. If they refused, the owners of the night club threatened to throw them out without the money and passports.

The police also found guns and marijuana in the brothel.The criminal indictment says that Natalya Veselnitskaya worked on the perjury in 2014 along with the office of Yury Chaika, Russias Prosecutor General. Veselnitskaya was charged with obstruction of justice

Natalia Veselnitskaya, a Russian lawyer, who attended Trump Tower meeting in 2016, who is now accused of fabricating evidence in a separate money-laundering case Reuters

Natalia Veselnitskaya, the Russian lawyer who had a meeting with Trumps senior aides in 2016, had previously secretly schemed with a Russian official who was offering dirt on Hilary Clinton, as the U.S. authorities have alleged, The Guardian reports.

Natalia Veselnitskaya was on Tuesday accused of fabricating evidence in a US money-laundering case she was working on when she attended a now-notorious meeting at Trump Tower in New York in June 2016, the news agency says.

The criminal indictment says that she worked on the perjury in 2014 along with the office of Yury Chaika, Russias Prosecutor General. Veselnitskaya was charged with obstruction of justice.

This story goes back to 2016, when Trumps son, Donald Jr was told that Chaika could provide some damaging information on Clinton which would help Trumps campaign.

Veselnitskayas obstruction charge relates to her work representing Prevezon Holdings, a Russian investment company. Prevezon was sued by the US government in New York for allegedly laundering part of $230m stolen by a Russian criminal network into upscale Manhattan condominiums, The Guardian explains.

Veselnitskaya secretly schemed with a senior Russian prosecutor to provide false information to US law enforcement in an attempt to influence the legal proceedings in the southern district of New York, Senior FBI official in New York Angel Melendez said.

Within this case, she cited the report of an independent investigation of the Russian authorities which, according to Veselnitskaya, exonerated her clients.

In a declaration to court signed under penalty of perjury, Veselnitskaya claimed she had gone to great lengths to obtain the report, the message says.

Besides, the U.S. prosecutors stated that the Russian lawyer secretly worked with Chaikas office on drafting and editing the report. She allegedly added 29 paragraphs into the draft report.

Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, said that Veselnitskayas act undermines the integrity of the judicial process.

We take seriously our responsibility to protect the integrity of the judicial proceedings in this district, and we will not stand idly by while outside influences seek to corrupt and pervert that process, he noted.

Veselnitskaya is now a wanted person in the U.S.

The news agency says Russias authorities are unlikely to cooperate with the prosecution while Veselnitskaya remains in her home country. Yet, she will no longer be able to travel to the States without risking arrest.Russia reserved the right to conduct the counter-intelligence activities

Paul Whelan, U.S. ex-marine, who was arrested in Moscow EPA

Russian authorities rejected Britains suggestion that it might use the ex-U.S. Marine detained in Moscow on espionage charges as a pawn in the diplomatic game. The Kremlin informed it reserved a right to carry out counter-intelligence activities, as Reuters reported.

Commenting on the case earlier this month, British foreign minister Jeremy Hunt said individuals should not be used as pawns of diplomatic leverage, the news agency reads.

In Russia, we never use people as pawns in diplomatic games. In Russia we conduct counter-intelligence activity against those suspected of espionage. That is done regularly, the Kremlins Spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.

Earlier, The Washington Post informed that Paul Whelan had four citizenships. Supposedly, he is the citizen of the United States, Great Britain, Ireland and Canada.

Prior to that, Russias Federal Security Service reported that the U.S. citizen Paul Whelan was arrested in Moscow on suspicion of spying.

The service reported that the American was detained during the espionage action.New OSCE Head Miroslav Lajcak will also visit Donbas

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin at the OSCE Summit in Milan Reuters

Ukraines Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin stated that foreign ministers would visit Donbas next week, as he said during the briefing, broadcasted by 112 Ukraine.

Many ministers will visit Mariupol next week. New OSCE Head Miroslav Lajcak will also visit Donbas. I will not talk about exact places we will go to due to security issues, Klimkin said.

At the same time, the Foreign Ministry Head did not name the ministers.

Earlier, it was reported that scheduled reconstruction works of the infrastructure objects in Donbas are underway during the New Year ceasefire.

Previously, another ceasefire in Donbas started on December 29, yet the militants are regularly violating it.Ukraines Foreign Minister noted that it is necessary when it comes to observers from the aggressor country

Ukraine invited OSCE observers to presidential elections in Ukraine, however, it wont review applications from Russia. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin claimed that on Facebook.

A few days ago, I have directed a letter to Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir, Director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of OSCE with an invitation to send an observation mission to the presidential elections in Ukraine. Among other quite standard things, I noted that the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine will not accept applications for registration of Russian observers, Klimkin claimed.

Related: Russia implements scenario of interference in elections, - Poroshenko

The Minister noted that there are 'quite a few' such precedents in the practice of the organization.

I think it is necessary when it comes to observers from the aggressor country, Klimkin noted.New York City Transit president Andy Byford made an unusual appearance at Manhattan's Community Board 3 transportation committee meeting on Tuesday night to offer his assurances that hes not rubber-stamping Governor Andrew Cuomos new L train repair plan.

Typically, Byford only attends higher profile events like town halls and dispatches underlings to small community board meetings. But he told the roughly three dozen residents of CB3, which encompasses the Lower East Side from 14th Street to the Brooklyn Bridge, that he came in person because I owe it to the community to come out and explain to you as best I can what we know about what has changed and to go through what hasn't changed.

Byford, it's becoming increasingly clear, has as many questions about the plan as average New Yorkers, even as he has publicly endorsed the new timetable. And he declined to guarantee that the full L train shutdown is definitely off. We know a lot, Byford told Gothamist before the meeting began, but theres still a lot we dont know.

After briefly outlining what the new plan entailsall that stuff about the bench wall and polymers and racking cables none of us had ever heard of six days ago but now are completely sick of hearing aboutByford outlined three areas of the new plan for which he will be performing due diligence: safety, operations, and customer service.

On the safety front, Byford is convening an engineering team, which he promises will be independent not just of the MTA but of New York politics, to review the new plan and ensure it does not jeopardize anyones safety. But he has not yet determined who will be the independent reviewers or when their reportwhich he promises to publicly releasewill be done. At the same time, his team at Transit will review how often the MTA can run L trains on nights and weekends when one of the two tubes is closed, what alternate service should be provided, and how best to communicate those changes to riders.

It will take as long as it takes, Byford told the board meeting regarding his due diligence checks. I will not be steamrolled.

Indeed, Byford repeatedly assured the Lower East Side residents that he is of an independent mind and will not serve as a rubber stamp for somebody elses plan without vetting it himself.

Only about a half-dozen people asked Byford any questions after his initial remarks. Most of the questions focused on what would happen to the new bike lanes and 14th Street busway that had planned to ease commutes during a full L train shutdown. The bike lanes are entirely up to the Department of Transportation, said Byford, while the future of the 14th Street Select Bus Service will be a joint decision. (DOT had not replied to a Gothamist email by publication time.)

In the meantime, Byford will deliver an interim report to present to the MTA boards next meeting on January 24th, incorporating whatever he has learned by then. Cuomo initially proposed the board hold an emergency meeting on the L issue, but Byford told CB3 that it would take so long to arrange one that the next board meeting would come around by then, so theres really kind of no point.

Immediately following Thursdays announcement by the governor, interim MTA chairman Freddy Ferrer announced the agency had accepted the expert panels recommendations for the L repairs. But when asked directly if the L shutdown is definitely off, Byford stopped short of that, saying hes putting a slightly different angle on that announcement.

Byford stressed that while he welcomes the recommendations, he wants to review and potentially refine or finesse some of the detail around that. Plus, he noted, the board, at least in theory, could still reject the plan. He also reported that he met Tuesday morning with an administrator at the Federal Transportation Administration, which is giving the MTA $500 million towards the tunnel rehabilitation, who told him that the federal agency does not yet know how the change of plans will impact that funding. (The FTA has not replied to a Gothamist inquiry, because of the government shutdown.)

While most of the community board members who spoke sounded reassured by Byfords presence, transportation committee member Lee Berman said that the abrupt shift in the L repair plan is emblematic of why theres a major lack of faith in the MTA. He echoed concerns others have voiced over the last several days, including why the MTA did not come up with this new plan themselves at an earlier date.

Byford replied that the MTA did in fact consider several aspects of the new plan at the outset, but added that newer technology such as the structural integrity monitoring system for the bench wall made it now feasible when it had not been before. Berman didnt buy it, going on to call MTA customer service horrendous.

But Bermans attitude was very much in the minority. Nearly every other speaker, including East Side councilmember Carlina Rivera, commended Byford for his presence and urged him to continue updating the community as he learns more.

Several members of the advocacy group Transportation Alternatives in attendance urged Byford to keep the 14th Street Busway in place despite the change in plans. Even before the L train shutdown came in, the 14th Street buses were in a dire need to be upgraded and redone, said TA activist Choresh Wald. If the opportunity is here, the design is here, you can work with DOT to do that, to have a real busway on 14th Street.

Byford assured the small crowd he wants more Select Bus Service, and relayed that Polly Trottenberg, the DOT commissioner, shares that opinion. As if to prove his bona fides, he added that hes never owned a car in life, which received a round of applause. But Byford stopped short of making any commitment for expanded SBS, since DOT first has to agree to keep 14th Street designated as a busway. Local activists who opposed the bike and bus lanes are already urging the city to reverse course.

Chelsea Skye, an organizer for Transportation Alternatives, was making her case for the busway and alluded to the plan that had been changed a few weeks ago before catching herself. Or last week? Wow, its been a long week, she said. Byford looked over to a few other NYCT employees who had accompanied him to the meeting. With a big smile, he nodded and quietly mouthed, Tell me about it.After more than four years of war and a Saudi-led siege, almost 16 million Yemenis face severe acute food insecurity, according to the U.N. That means one in two Yemenis doesnt have enough to eat

If one place has borne the brunt of international lawlessness over the past year it is Yemen. The humanitarian crisis therethe worlds worstcould deteriorate further in 2019 if the key players do not seize the opportunity created over the past weeks by U.N. Special Envoy Martin Griffiths in achieving a partial cease-fire and encouraging a series of confidence-building steps.

After more than four years of war and a Saudi-led siege, almost 16 million Yemenis face severe acute food insecurity, according to the U.N. That means one in two Yemenis doesnt have enough to eat.

Fighting started in late 2014, after Houthi rebels expelled the internationally recognized government from the capital. It escalated the following March, when Saudi Arabia, together with the United Arab Emirates, began bombing and blockading Yemen, aiming to reverse the Houthis gains and reinstall the dislodged government. Western powers largely endorsed the Saudi-led campaign.

In late 2018, Yemeni militias backed by the United Arab Emirates surrounded Hodeidah, a Houthi-controlled port, through which aid for millions of starving Yemenis passes. The coalition appeared determined to move in, convinced that taking the port would crush the rebellion and make the Houthis more pliant. But the consequences of such an offensive would be almost unimaginable. The top U.N. relief official, Mark Lowcock, has warned it could provoke a great big famine. That, and the fallout from Khashoggis murder, prompted Western powers to begin restraining the Gulf coalition. On Nov. 9, the United States announced it would no longer refuel coalition jets conducting air raids in Yemen. A month later, Griffiths, with Washingtons help, reached the Stockholm agreement between the Houthis and the Yemeni government, including a fragile cease-fire around Hodeidah.

There are other glimmers of light. voted to consider legislation barring all U.S. involvement in the war.">U.S. pressure to end the conflict could intensify in 2019. The Senate has already voted to consider legislation barring all U.S. involvement in the war.

Once the Democrats assume control of the House of Representatives in January 2019, they could move more aggressively in this direction.

That and more will be needed to end the Yemen war or at least avoid it taking another turn for the worse. All partiesthe Houthis and their Yemeni adversaries, but also the Saudis and Emiratisseem to believe that time is on their side. Only pressure from Europe, Oman, and Iran on the Houthis; from the United States on Saudi Arabia and the UAE; from those two Gulf countries on the Yemeni government; and from Congress on the U.S. administration stands a chance of making a difference.Severomorsk (619) vessel serves with the Northern Fleet of the Russian Navy; the destroyer of Udaloy I class is considered the basis of Russia's firepower in the off-shore maritime zone

Russia sent another naval warship to the Black Sea. Severomorsk, the anti-submarine guided-missile destroyer appeared in the sea's waters on January 9, as BlackSeaNews portal reported.

As may be seen on the photo above, the ship crossed the Bosphorus and entered the Black Sea on Wednesday.

'Severomorsk (619), Russian designation's Project 1155 Fregat or Udaloy class - under the NATO classification, the combat vessel of Russia's Northern Fleet entered the Black Sea in the morning of January 9', the message says.

According to the contributor, it is the first time since the annexation of Crimea by Russia that the major warship of such class appears in the Black Sea. Otherwise, it is quite usual for other Russian fleets to deploy landing ships for transportations from Crimea and Novorossiysk to Syria.

The destroyer of Udaloy I class is considered the backbone of Russia's firepower in the off-shore maritime zone.

Udaloy I class is a series of anti-submarine destroyers built for the Soviet Navy, eight of which are currently in service with the Russian Navy. The Russian designation is Project 1155 Fregat. Twelve ships were built between 1980 and 1991, while a thirteenth ship built to a modified design as the Udaloy II class followed in 1999. They complement the Sovremennyy-class destroyer in anti-aircraft warfare and anti-surface warfare operations.President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko ordered to send 20 Ukrainian servicemen to take part in the United Nations Multidisciplinary Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, Africa. The relevant order was published on the Presidential Administrations website.

Related: Poroshenko to award Patriarch Filaret Hero of Ukraine title

The order  6/2016 from January 9 specifies that the actions are committed in accordance with Ukraines obligations as a UN member state, taking into account UN Security Council resolutions No. 2100 of April 25, 2013 and No. 2423 of June 28, 2018, as well as in response to a request from the UN secretariat regarding Ukraines participation in this mission.

Related: Ukraine finally severs ties connecting it with Russia, - Poroshenko

Considering that sending the national personnel for Ukraines participation in the United Nations Multidisciplinary Stabilization Mission in Mali will help to maintain international peace and security and corresponds to the national interest of the state and corresponds to the national interests of the state, on the basis of the proposal of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine and in accordance with the Law of Ukraine On the participation of Ukraine in international operations to maintain peace and security, I decide to send up to 20 people (from the military personnel of the Armed Forces of Ukraine) for the participation of Ukraine in the Multidisciplinary United Nations Stabilization Mission in Mali, reads the decree.Robert Mueller, the U.S. attorney stated that Kilimnik has ties to a Russian intelligence service and had such ties in 2016

Open source

Paul Manafort, the ex-head of the electoral headquarters of the US President Donald Trump s accused of sharing the polling data about the presidential election in 2016 with his subordinate who has ties with Russia, as The Guardian reported.

Konstantin Kilimnik, the political consultant of Manafort worked in Eastern Europe, particularly Ukraine, for pro-Kremlin politicians and it is stated that he had ties to the Russian special services.

Kilimnik studied at the university connected to Russias military intelligence agency known as the GRU, and which is stated to be involved in the Russian interference in the U.S. elections.

Besides, Manafort is accused of providing false data to the investigation about the meetings with Kilimnik. According to the investigation, they met twice in 2016 and they also had meetings in 2017.

In his turn, Robert Mueller, the U.S. attorney stated that Kilimnik has ties to a Russian intelligence service and had such ties in 2016.

The lawyers of Manafort stated that the meetings with Kilimnik really took place, but they were after the U.S. elections, and ex-consultant of Trump does not remember the details of these meetings.

Particularly, the investigation established that Manafort discussed a peaceful plan on Ukraine with Kilimnik; however, lawyers specified that Manafort was too busy with Trumps presidential campaign to deal with the Ukrainian issue.

As we reported, President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort has been found guilty on eight counts of financial crimes. After a 16-day trial, Manafort was found guilty of five tax fraud charges, one charge of hiding foreign bank accounts, and two counts of bank fraud. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on the remaining 10 counts, and the judge declared a mistrial on those charges.

Manafort faces a maximum of 80 years in prison. He faces a second criminal trial next month in Washington on seven other charges brought by the special counsel, including obstruction of justice, failure to register as a foreign agent and conspiracy to launder money.

Related: Lawyers of Manafort negotiating on pleading guilty by defendant, - Bloomberg

Paul Manafort is charged with laundering money and evading taxes over ten years of cooperation with former Ukrainian leaders. Previously, an investigation team released over 300 documents, which reveal the details of Manafort's cooperation with the currently disbanded Party of Regions - the-then pro-presidential and ruling political force in Ukraine.The attack was conducted near Novomykhailivka settlement

Open source

Over the current day, January 9, one violation of the ceasefire performed by the Russian occupation forces was recorded in the Joint Forces Operation zone in Donbas, reports the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.

The strongholds of our military were shelled from grenade launchers of different systems and heavy machine guns near Novomykhailivka settlement in Donetsk region.

None of the servicemen of the Joint Forces sustained injuries due to the shelling of the Russian occupation forces.

The Ministry says the situation in the JFO zone remains under control of the Ukranian military.

Related: Russia's mercenaries create fakes to discredit Ukrainian army in Donbas

Related: Infrastructure repairs in Donbas underway during ceasefireInterior Minister, Deputy Prime Minister of Italy and the leader of the League of the North Matteo Salvini, plans to visit Poland on January 9 to meet with the leader of the Law and Justice party Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Among the topics for negotiations, which was mentioned by the press secretary of the party Law and Justice Beata Mazurek, is trade and economic cooperation. In Poland, there are 3.5 thousand Italian firms, and bilateral trade in 2017 amounted to almost $ 11 billion. However, in this case, it should not be Salvini to go to the talks, but the Italian Minister of Economy and Finance Giovanni Tria. And he should not meet with Kaczynski, but with the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Technology of Poland, Jadwiga Emilewicz for that matter. The version of the La Repubblica newspaper that Salvini and Kaczynski will discuss elections to the European Parliament and the prospect of creating a faction consisting of European ultra-right parties is more plausible. In September 2018, the Italian politician emphasized that the new association should split the existing tandem of socialists and Christian democrats.



The European Peoples Party and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, which occupy 406 of the 751 seats, are dominating in the European Parliament. These two factions formed Christian-Democratic, moderately conservative, social-democratic pro-European parties. For example, the German CDU / CSU alliance of Angela Merkel and Horst Seehofer, the Austrian Freedom Party of Sebastian Kurz are present in the European Peoples Party, and the German Social Democratic Party of Andrea Nahles or the French Socialist Party of Olivier Faure participate in the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. In order to create a new faction in the European Parliament, Salvini needs the support of ideologically close parties from seven EU member states. At least 25 MEPs are needed to form a faction in the European Parliament, and this is clearly not enough to create an effective counterbalance to the European People's Party and the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats. Depending on the results of elections to the European Parliament, the composition of the European Commission - one of the main governing supranational bodies of the EU is formed. Salvini needs to unite scattered ultra-right parties from other factions of the European Parliament around the League of the North, and this requires experienced and authoritative allies among conservatives like Jaroslav Kaczynski.

Political consultant Bannon's project



The ideas of Salvini about the formation of a new ultra-right faction in the European Parliament echo the views of the political consultant Steve Bannon, the former chief strategist and senior adviser to the President of the United States Donald Trump. In his opinion, the elections to the European Parliament will be the first confrontation between the European populist parties and the traditional liberal parties. Bannon earlier than Salvini, allowed the consolidation of the European ultra-right parties in order to change the political landscape of the European Union. In March 2018, Bannon spoke at the congress of the French ultra-right National Front party Marine Le Pen and told Euro-skeptics who were present that they were part of a global movement that was not limited to the borders of France and Italy.



Last summer, he joined the non-governmental Movement organization, registered by the Belgian Peoples Party leader Mischael Modrikamen in 2017. Bannon believes that the Movement will support the far-right parties in financial and consulting activities so that they can take a third of the seats in the European Parliament election results. Bannon admitted that the Movement would be partially funded by European sponsors and partly by his own funds. Bannon made a fortune while working at Goldman Sachs and his own investment bank, Bannon & Co, in the 80s and 90s. European Parliament President Antonio Tajani has already expressed dissatisfaction with Bannon's activity in Europe and urged him to return home if he does not behave like an ordinary tourist.



The political consultant succeeded in Trump's campaign headquarters, and with his efforts Trump won the 2016 presidential election. Now he is going to repeat the success of the American elections in Europe and prepare the European ultra-right parties, including the League of the North, for the European Parliament elections. Bannon himself in many ways resembles euro skeptics in his views. He is an ardent conservative and republican. When he headed the conservative Breitbart News website, articles with the anti-Islamic headlines were published there. Bannon called the UN Pact on Migration dead before signing and believes that ordinary laborers from Hungary, France or the United States should not be concerned about the problems of Africa. Political consultant John Weaver considers Bannon a racist and fascist.

Apparently, the American political consultant sees Salvini as a potential leader of the ultra-right coalition in European Parliament. Salvini joined the "Movement" in September last year. Bannon was in Italy during the last parliamentary elections, in which the League of the North and the populist "Five Star Movement" won. Then he compared the parliamentary elections in Italy with the presidential elections in the United States. Bannon considers Salvini to be an illustrative example of a European conservative. The Italian minister enjoys great prestige and has a reputation for almost the main politician of his country. Like Bannon, he is opposed to migration and the European Commissions approach to solving the problem of refugees. According to Salvini, it is necessary to deport all undocumented migrants. He threatened to expel 500 thousand illegal immigrants and refuse to receive the vessels with new asylum seekers. In 2018, European border guards detained 551 ships with illegal immigrants. Italy has felt the effects of the migration crisis stronger than other EU member states, since a significant proportion of the refugees arrive in the EU through the Italian coast.



In addition, Salvini has his own vision of EU reform, which he can try to implement in case of success in the elections to the European Parliament. The League of the North rejects the idea of a united Europe, does not support the strengthening of supranational bodies, defends an alternative approach to European integration - the so-called Europe of regions, in which national governments have broad competence and determine EU policy. In the working version of the coalition agreement of "League of the North" and "Five Star Movement" it was proposed to revise the fundamental agreements of the EU regarding the common monetary policy, the common European budget, joint emergency response, control over the tax policies of member countries and the possibility of imposing sanctions against them. Salvini allows for exit from the euro area and a return to purely economic integration without political add-ons that were introduced after the entry of the Maastricht and Lisbon treaties into force. The voice of Italy is not the last in the European Union. The country ranks fourth in terms of contributions to the European Union budget (12.5%). Italy is the fourth economy in the EU, the most developed state in the south of Europe among the countries where Euro skeptics are in power. Today, the Italian authorities are in opposition to the Franco-German tandem, which since the founding of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951 has set the trend for European integration.

The role of Kaczynski



But Bannon had difficulties with the search for partners for the Movement. During his trips to the European Union last year, Bannon managed to get along with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who appreciated the activities of the Movement. Now Orban is in disgrace in the EU due to the unwillingness to place refugees on his territory, the restriction of the independence of the judiciary and freedom of speech. The European Parliament proposed to impose sanctions against Hungary, including deprivation of votes in the European Council, despite the membership of the ruling party "Fides" in the "European People's Party". The leader of the Italian ultra-right party "The Brothers of Italy" Giorgia Meloni wanted to join the organization of Bannon. Interest in Bannons initiative was expressed by Gert Wilders, leader of the Dutch ultra-right Freedom Party, and Thierry Baudet, head of the Euro-skeptics party Forum for Democracy.



However, the Movement was criticized by Alexander Gauland, one of the leaders of the Alternative for Germany Euro-skeptic party. In his opinion, Bannon will not be able to create an alliance of European forces, since the Movement is a purely American project, and the Europeans must decide their own fate. The same opinion is shared by the head of the French National Front, Marine Le Pen, the general secretary of the Austrian Freedom Party, Harald Vilimsky, the leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party, Gerard Batten. Anti-American sentiments are typical among the ultra-right euro skeptics, since they believe that the United States is interfering in the internal affairs of European countries. American Bannon is not trusted, and the Movement needs another reputable conservative who can convince euro skeptics to support the project.

Daily Mail

Poland is a political and economic heavyweight in Central and Eastern Europe, where, as in Italy, Euroskeptics and opponents of the "open door" policy are in power. That's why Salvini is trying to enlist the support in this country. Most likely, Salvini went to Poland to convince Kaczynski not only to join the Movement, but also to lead the ultra-right parties from other countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Both policies have much in common. They enjoy great prestige in their countries. Former Polish Prime Minister Kaczynski is considered almost a gray cardinal, influencing the political course of the current Polish government. On the one hand, Kaczynski and his Law and Justice party have a reason to support Bannons Movement. Poland is in conflict with the EU due to the fact that it refuses to place refugees on its territory, as well as to cancel the judicial reform, criticized in the EU. Kaczynski supports the rapprochement of Poland with the United States, therefore he should not be embarrassed that this is Bannons idea. On the other hand, disagreements between Salvini and Kaczynski may arise due to the position with respect to Russia. Unlike Salvini, Kaczynski supports the tightening of anti-Russian sanctions and opposes the construction of the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline.



20 ultra-right parties (not counting those which have already refused or agreed) from 10 European countries, which are currently scattered in small factions or are represented by out-of-party MPs in the European Parliament, can become potential participants of the Movement. The Slovak National Party, known for its xenophobic speeches, the Order and Justice Party of Lithuania, which defends the idea of protecting national identity, True Finns, which ranks second in terms of the number of mandates in the Finnish Parliament, is participating in the Europe for Freedom and Direct Democracy faction. . The Polish "New Right Congress" participates in the "Europe of Nations and Freedoms" faction and opposes same-sex marriages, claims for the restoration of the death penalty and withdrawal from the EU. In the conservative camp we can see the Bulgarian political forces "National Democratic Party of Bulgaria", "Attack", anti-Zionist, anti-communist parties "National Revival of Poland", Romanian "New Rights", Hungarian "Jobbik", "National Democratic Party of Germany", Greek " Golden Dawn , Italian "New Force". The only problem is that members of these parties can simply refuse to participate in the "Movement" on the basis of xenophobia and inter-ethnic discord. Combining the European far right is not so easy.

American interests



Bannon and Trump have long been in conflict. In 2017, Bannon resigned from his posts due to disagreements with the president. It later emerged that the political technologist made a statement for the book " Fire and Fury " by journalist Michael Wolff that the son of the American President, Donald Trump, Jr., had committed a betrayal by meeting with Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya. Trump went berserk and accused Bannon of defamation. Nevertheless, the idea of creating a faction in the European Parliament from conservative parties is close to the American Republicans. Trump's appointed US ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, like Bannon, supports European conservatives and is interested in strengthening them. He also gave an interview to Breitbart, where Bannon worked. It is not excluded that Bannon is a man of the United States in Europe, and Salvini and Kaczynski will be a ram, carving the way to the replenishment of the ranks of the Movement.



Eurosceptics are interesting for Trump as potential allies, alternative to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron, with whom he could not find a common language and overcome differences. The EU opposes the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate protection, the nuclear deal with Iran, the increase in European defense allies' expenditures within NATO. The large ultra-right faction in the European Parliament can be used by the United States as a lever of pressure on the EU to their advantage. It is beneficial for the United States to build relations with Europe as it was during the Cold War. Then the European countries agreed with US foreign policy, supported its initiatives and did not try to distance themselves from NATO for fear of a communist threat. Now the EU is in the process of creating a European army with the ideas of Merkel and Macron, which Trump considers senseless.



At the same time, we cant say that the euro skeptics will follow the direction of Washington. Many ultra-right parties, including the League of the North, the National Front, and the Austrian Freedom Party, which support the abolition of anti-Russian sanctions, are in favor of rapprochement with Russia. Even Salvini repeatedly called for the lifting of anti-Russian sanctions and justified the annexation of Crimea. This goes against US priorities, which have a lot of contradictions with Russia and with which they want to compete on the European gas market. Having strong positions in the European Commission, Euro-skeptics will lobby for the abolition of anti-Russian sanctions, which will lead to deterioration in relations between Ukraine and the EU. However, Salvini and Bannon do not care about our problems.Hanoi: The Vietnamese government has accused Facebook of violating a new cybersecurity law by allowing publications that are critical of the country`s communist regime and failing to comply with its tax obligations, the state media reported on Wednesday. "Facebook had reportedly not responded to a request to remove fan pages provoking activities against the state," said the Ministry of Information and Communication, according to the official Vietnam News Agency (VNA).

Vietnamese authorities also accused the social network of allowing the publication of defamatory and libellous content as well as anti-government sentiments, Efe news reported citing the VNA. The ministry said Facebook refused to delete the content that seriously violated Vietnam`s cybersecurity law.

The social media platform denied that it had violated any laws and refused to provide information on user accounts believed to be fraudulent by the authorities, according to the government agency. Facebook, in a statement, responded saying it had eliminated all illegal content and claimed transparency.

"We have a clear process for governments to report illegal content to us, and we review all these requests against our terms of service and local law. We are transparent about the content restrictions we make in accordance with local law in our Transparency Report," it said.

The controversial cybersecurity law, which came into force on January 1 in response to months of protests by international activists and organizations, forces technology companies to provide users` information to the government and to open local data storage branches.

In addition, the ministry accused Facebook of not complying with its tax obligations. According to the government data, Facebook derived $235 million from advertisements in Vietnam in 2018 but failed to pay taxes on that revenue. The ministry said the Vietnamese government will be forced to implement technical and economic measures to ensure a clean and healthy network if the company fails to comply with regulations.

Facebook is the most widely used social network in Vietnam with 64 million users (seventh largest user base in the world), in spite of Hanoi`s censure attempts and its promotion of local alternatives.Beijing: The trade talks between US and Chinese officials that began in Beijing on Monday, has been extended till Wednesday, according to a spokesperson for the American Trade Representative. The extension was a fresh sign that discussions were moving in a positive direction as staff for the two sides meet face to face for the first time since President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping agreed last December to restart talks, CNN quoted the spokesperson as saying on Tuesday.

China`s Commerce Ministry said ahead of the meeting that it would last only two days. The Trump administration, in its own notice announcing the US delegation, did not specify how long the visit would last, saying only that talks between the two countries were "beginning Monday". An informed source told CNN that negotiators between the world`s two largest economies needed more time to discuss issues that were part of the agenda.

On Tuesday, China also announced it would approve the imports of five new varieties of genetically modified crops, a move that would allow more American farmers to sell more biotech seeds to Beijing. The decision included long-awaited approvals by US farmers. However, it currently remains unclear exactly how deeply negotiators have been able to delve into tougher issues including forced technology transfers and subsidies.

US officials are expected to host China`s top trade negotiator, Vice Premier Liu He, in Washington later this month. The US delegation to Beijing is being led by Jeff Gerrish, deputy to the US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. In addition to Gerrish, the official delegation will also include David Malpass, the Treasury Department`s undersecretary for international affairs.SYDNEY - The United Nations (UN) has asked Australia to consider refugee resettlement for an 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled to Thailand saying she feared her family would kill her, the Australian government said on Wednesday.

The teenager, Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, arrived in Bangkok on the weekend appealing for asylum. Australia said it would consider resettling her if the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) deemed her a refugee.

"The UNHCR has referred Ms Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun to Australia for consideration for refugee resettlement," Australia`s Department of Homeland Security said in an email.

The department said it would consider the referral "in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals". It declined to comment further. The UNHCR office in Thailand also declined to comment.

Qunun arrived in Bangkok on Saturday and was initially denied entry.

She soon started posting messages on Twitter from the transit area of Bangkok`s Suvarnabhumi airport saying she had "escaped Kuwait" and her life would be in danger if forced to return to Saudi Arabia.

Within hours, a campaign sprung up on Twitter, spread by a loose network of activists around the world.

Within 36 hours it prompted Thailand`s government to reverse a decision to force the young woman onto a plane that would return her to her family. She was allowed to enter Thailand and on Tuesday began the process of seeking asylum in a third country through the UN refugee agency.

Her case has drawn new global attention to Saudi Arabia`s strict social rules, including a requirement that women have the permission of a male "guardian" to travel, which rights groups say can trap women and girls as prisoners of abusive families.

It comes at a time when Riyadh is facing unusually intense scrutiny from its Western allies over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October and over the humanitarian consequences of its war in Yemen.Bagdhad: U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met with Iraqi Speaker of Parliament Mohammed al-Halbousi in Baghdad on Wednesday, according to a statement from the Speaker`s office. Pompeo is on a tour of Middle Eastern capitals. The U.S. State Department did not immediately comment on reports of Pompeo`s visit to Iraq. Asked on Tuesday about a possible visit, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi declined to confirm it.

However, he said any meeting with Pompeo would involve a discussion of how to deepen Iraq`s relationship with the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State. "He`s an ally, he represents a friendly country," said Abdul Mahdi. "We will raise those issues, and how to deal with regional issues altogether and deepen our economic and educational relations with the United States." Pompeo told a news conference in Amman on Tuesday that the fight to defeat Islamic State and Iran remained the most pressing issues in the region.

Pompeo`s visit comes against a backdrop of escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran, as Washington seeks to counter Iran`s sway in the Middle East. It also comes weeks after President Donald Trump`s abrupt announcement that he will pull all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, which caused alarm among U.S. allies in the region. Trump has not said, however, that he intends to withdraw American forces from Iraq, where 5,200 American troops are stationed.

Trump made a visit to the Al Asad Air Base outside Baghdad on Dec. 26 in the wake of the announcement. He met with U.S. troops stationed there but not with Iraqi leaders, leading to condemnation from Iraqi political and militia leaders. A meeting between Trump and Abdul Mahdi was cancelled due to a disagreement over the venue, and the men instead spoke by telephone.Lisle, IL, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AAIS (American Association of Insurance Services), the only national not-for-profit insurance advisory organization, announces the most recent release of its openIDL blockchain platform with additional features including: improved Data Call transparency and communication capabilities specifically designed for insurance regulators, enriched core data sets, and innovative blockchain data architecture.



openIDL is an open blockchain network that enables the efficient, secure and permissioned-based sharing of statistical data between insurance carriers and regulators. With its latest release of openIDL, AAIS reveals an even more user-friendly interface and enhanced performance to invite participation and enhance the user experience.



openIDL has also been enriched with added data from more than 2 million homeowners policies, and taps the AAIS data lake to connect statistical data with third party services and data providers, creating an environment for improved data quality, dramatic visualizations, timely insights and entirely new operational capabilities. Now, up-to-the-minute information on risk context  like weather, municipal or satellite data  can help Member carriers understand impact potential, validate existing data, overlay historical details, and more, to better manage a book of business, streamline systems and connect operational systems and partners.



Regulators are now able to publicize draft data calls and invite anonymous and public feedback from their respective communities using openIDL. New reporting capabilities facilitate greater integrity and transparency to the market, while protecting the privacy of carriers contributing data.



Development also includes new support for Private Data Collections, which will enable peer organizations to upload additional data to their openIDL peer node(s), ensuring data integrity, and secure, internal reuse in operational integrations, without exposing data outside the organization.



AAIS has taken on development of openIDL as a natural extension of its role as a statistical agent and advisory organization serving the needs of Member carriers and insurance regulators. Commenting on the latest developments in openIDL, AAIS CEO Ed Kelly said, We are thrilled with the progress we are making in establishing the openIDL blockchain platform. Based on the positive feedback we are receiving from insurance carriers and regulators, I believe openIDL can be a transformational vehicle for the entire insurance ecosystem.



According to Craig Bedell, IBM Global Insurance Industry Executive, This latest release is another exciting step in the ongoing enhancement of openIDL. As with its initial version, openIDL is being designed and developed with guidance from carriers and State Departments of Insurance in Design Thinking Workshops. The value is obvious to a growing number of insurers and regulators as their reactions have been overwhelmingly supportive, and participation continues to increase.



Since launching the openIDL pilot in August 2018, AAIS and IBM have committed to quarterly releases of openIDL to meet the demand for functionality, a commitment made possible by increasing participation in Design Thinking Workshops by vested insurance carriers, regulators and the AAIS community. The next Design Thinking session is planned for January 2019. The next release of openIDL is planned for March 2019.



ABOUT AAIS

Established in 1936, AAIS continues to serve the Property & Casualty insurance industry as the only national not-for-profit advisory organization governed by its Member insurance carriers. AAIS delivers tailored advisory solutions including best-in-class policy forms, rating information and data management capabilities for commercial lines, inland marine, farm & agriculture and personal lines insurers. Its consultative approach and unrivaled customer service underscore a focused commitment to the success of its Members. For more information about AAIS, please visit www.aaisonline.com.



ABOUT openIDL

AAIS serves as the openIDL administrator, providing unbiased governance for the blockchain platform within existing insurance regulatory frameworks. AAIS Members may participate in the openIDL blockchain as part of their existing or new Program Affiliations. AAIS welcomes participation in the openIDL from across the insurance industry through Data Affiliation and Membership. Simply contact an AAIS Advisor for details, or visit www.openIDL.com to get linked.







AttachmentLONDON: Flights from London`s Heathrow airport were halted for about an hour on Tuesday after a drone was sighted near Europe`s busiest air hub, raising fears that the chaos that affected rival Gatwick last month could be repeated on an even larger scale. "We are responding to a drone sighting at Heathrow," the airport said. "As a precautionary measure, we have stopped departures while we investigate. We apologise to passengers for any inconvenience this may cause."

London`s Metropolitan Police said they had received reports of a drone near the airport at about 1705 GMT on Tuesday, which they were investigating with airport authorities. It said police officers were among those who reported seeing a drone and it had launched a full criminal investigation.

The airport confirmed about an hour later that take-offs had resumed. Flight tracker websites showed flights departing from 1811 GMT. A Reuters witness in a plane on the runway at Heathrow said multiple aircraft were waiting for permission to take off before being later told that things were starting to move.

London`s second busiest airport, Gatwick, was severely disrupted when drones were sighted on three consecutive days in December, resulting in about 1,000 flights being cancelled or diverted and affecting 140,000 passengers. Gatwick`s drone nightmare - the most disruptive yet at a major airport - exposed a new vulnerability that will be scrutinised by security forces, airlines and airport operators across the world.

The British army was forced to deploy military technology to guard the area around Gatwick, reassuring the airport that it was safe enough to fly. Police said they were carrying out extensive searches around the Heathrow area to identify any people who may be responsible for the operation of the drone.

"We are deploying significant resources - both in terms of officers and equipment - to monitor the airspace around Heathrow and to quickly detect and disrupt any illegal drone activity; some of which are as a result of learning from the incidents at Gatwick," police commander Stuart Cundy said in a statement. He said military assistance has been implemented after the sighting but he would not give any further details as it could undermine the effectiveness of the measures.

British Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said he had been in contact with Heathrow Airport concerning the drone sighting. "I have already spoken to both the Home Secretary and Defence Secretary and the military are preparing to deploy the equipment used at Gatwick at Heathrow quickly should it prove necessary," he said.

Both airports responded to the Gatwick incident by ordering military-grade anti-drone technology. Heathrow said it was working closely with authorities including the police and looking at relevant technology to combat the threat of drones. The airport handled 78 million passengers in 2017 and is the main hub for British Airways. Its busiest routes in terms of passenger numbers are to Dubai and New York-JFK.CANBERRA: The Australian Federal Police on Wednesday released a statement confirming that Several suspicious packages were delivered to embassies and consulates in Canberra and Melbourne. The statement added that law enforcement agencies were examining the packages and were also probing the circumstances around the incidents.

"Police and emergency services have responded to suspicious packages to embassies and consulates in ACT & VIC today. The packages are being examined by attending emergency services. The circumstances are being investigated," said the Australian Federal Police.

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) said it was assisting the Australian Federal Police at embassies across Melbourne. The United Kingdom Consulate, located on Collins Street, along with the Korean Consulate (St Kilda Road), German Consulate (Queen Street), Italian Consulate (St Kilda Road), Swiss Consulate (Ashwood), Pakistan Consulate (Cardigan Place), Greek Consulate (Albert Road) and the Indonesian Consulate (Queens Road) are also believed to have been affected.

Some unverified reports claimed that the diplomatic missions have received packages bearing the word asbestos and wear a mask.

(With agencies inputs)NEW DELHI: Russia is committed to keeping the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also called Iran nuclear deal, afloat and will ensure "its full implementation," said the country`s Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov here on Wednesday.

In a veiled reference to the United States (US), which recently walked out from the agreement, Ryabkov told reports at the Russian Embassy: "The departure of one country from JCPOA is an example of how achievements in the multilateral forum can be rejected unilaterally. Russia is committed to keep the JCPOA afloat and ensure its full implementation."

Ever since the Trump administration announced the withdrawal of US from the Iran nuclear deal, Russia has been a vocal opponent to Washington`s exit from the pact. In 2015, the deal was inked between five countries-the US, the United Kingdom, France, China, Russia, and also the European Union.

Under the agreement, the US and others agreed to lift sanctions on Iran in exchange for it agreeing to control its development of nuclear weapons programme.However, in May last year, Trump announced that Washington would exit from the pact, terming it as "defective" and the "worst ever deal" leading to a spike in tensions between the US and Iran.

Expressing concerns over the rising international conflicts, Ryabkov said: "The amount of international conflicts is growing. This undermines the commonly recognised international law order. We have a situation where new actors engage in activities that were not known to humankind."

"Cybercrime is an indication to turn the world into a battlefield. Another example of a growing threat is outer space. We will see some countries that could start planning attacks in outer space. Here, Russia is at the forefront of providing solutions to this," added Ryabkov.US President Donald Trump`s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was accused by federal prosecutors of lying about sharing polling data related to Trump`s 2016 presidential campaign with a business partner with alleged ties to Russian intelligence, according to portions of a court filing by Manafort`s defence team that were inadvertently made public on Tuesday.

Before sending the document to a public database for federal court filings, lawyers for Manafort had tried to black out the portion on polling data and other information about Manafort`s interactions with Konstantin Kilimnik, a former business partner of Manafort`s who Mueller has claimed in court filings has ties to Russian intelligence.

But some journalists, including at Vox and the Guardian, realized the redacted portions could be electronically reversed and posted uncensored versions on Twitter. Reuters did not independently review the filing, which was soon replaced in the public database with a properly redacted version.

Manafort`s lawyers did not respond to a request for comment on the matter. A spokesman for Special Counsel Robert Mueller, whose office is prosecuting Manafort, declined to comment. Kilimnik could not be reached for comment.

According to the unredacted versions posted online, the blacked-out sections showed that Manafort has been accused by Mueller of lying about his sharing of polling data on the 2016 campaign with Kilimnik. The sections posted online also stated that Mueller`s office believes that Manafort lied to prosecutors about his discussions with Kilimnik about a "Ukrainian peace plan" and a meeting that Manafort had with Kilimnik when they both were in Madrid.

The filing did not provide further details on the Madrid meeting or the peace plan, although Mueller has scrutinized a proposal by a Ukrainian lawmaker that involved, among other outcomes, the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Russia, according to people familiar with the matter. In the document Manafort`s lawyers referenced a December court filing in which Mueller alleged that Manafort had "conceded" to discussing the peace plan, which they argued was an indication that their client was forthcoming when his memory was refreshed of past events.

The inadvertent disclosures offered a rare glimpse into details that were meant to remain private while Manafort`s lawyers and Mueller`s office battle over whether Manafort has breached a plea agreement struck in September by lying. In December Mueller accused Manafort in a court filing of telling "multiple discernible lies" related to five subjects, including his interactions with Kilimnik and his contacts with Trump administration officials in 2018.

At the time Manafort`s lawyers said their client never intentionally provided incorrect information to prosecutors, but asked the judge for time to consider whether they wanted to contest Mueller`s allegations or proceed to sentencing. US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson had given Manafort`s lawyers until Monday to make a decision.

"The defence contests the Governments conclusion and contends that any alleged misstatements, to the extent they occurred at all, were not intentional," Manafort`s lawyers said in the filing, which was filed on Monday and released by the court on Tuesday. In the filing Manafort`s lawyers said they would not seek an evidentiary hearing to contest Mueller`s allegations of lying, arguing that such factual matters could be addressed in a pre-sentencing report.

Following the filing by Manafort`s lawyers, Jackson ordered the government to submit evidence supporting their allegations by Jan. 14, and held out the option of holding a hearing on the matter on Jan. 25.Billionaire Jeff Bezos, founder and chief executive of Amazon.com Inc, and wife MacKenzie Bezos, are divorcing after 25 years of marriage, the couple said in a joint statement on Twitter on Wednesday.

Jeff Bezos, 54, is the world`s richest person, with a fortune that has soared to more than $160 billion thanks to his stake in Amazon, which again became Wall Street`s most valuable company this week, surpassing Microsoft Inc.

The couple decided to divorce after a long period of "loving exploration" and trial separation, and expect to continue as partners in joint ventures and projects, according to the statement.

MacKenzie Bezos, 48, is an author who grew up in San Francisco, according to a 2013 profile in Vogue magazine. She attended Princeton University and met her husband when interviewing for a job at a New York hedge fund, according to the magazine. The pair have four children.

At a Business Insider event in Berlin last April, Jeff Bezos said MacKenzie`s support was instrumental when he founded Amazon as an online bookseller in 1994, and that she did the accounting for the company in its first year.

"When you have loving and supportive people in your life, like MacKenzie, my parents, my grandfather, my grandmother, you end up being able to take risks," he said at the event.

Jeff Bezos in September committed $2 billion to helping homeless families and starting pre-schools for low-income communities. He had solicited ideas on Twitter in 2017 for ways to donate some of his wealth.

In 2012, the couple donated $2.5 million to a Washington state campaign to legalize same-sex nuptials there.

From modest beginnings as an online bookseller, Bezos and Amazon branched out into almost every product category available, ending up taking on established retail giants such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

Under Bezos, Amazon launched the Kindle e-reader and revolutionized the way books are distributed and read. The company has also been a pioneer in cloud computing.

In November, Amazon picked America`s financial and political capitals for massive new offices, branching out from its home base in Seattle with plans to create more than 25,000 jobs in both New York City and an area just outside Washington, DC.Agra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hit out at the Opposition saying that the political rivals who did not even like to see each other are now coming together just to oppose the ruling BJP government.

The Prime Minister lashed out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi and said that he insulted women with his remark on Defence Minister.

PM Modi was speaking at an event in Agra where he launched civic projects worth Rs 2,980 crore.

He launched the Gangajal project to provide better and more assured water supply and also laid the foundation stone for an Integrated Command and Control Centre for the Agra Smart City project.

The smart city project is meant to develop the tourism destination as a modern world-class city.

The Gangajal programme will provide Agra with better water supply, benefitting both the residents of the city as well as tourists, officials said.

Besides, the SN Medical College in Agra will be upgraded with a 100-bed maternity wing.

This is Modi's second visit to the city.

During his earlier visit in November 2016, he had launched a housing project, the PM Awas Yojana (Gramin).

Under this scheme, 65 lakh houses have been constructed so far, including 9.2 lakh in Uttar Pradesh, according to the government.

(With inputs from agencies)Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Police on Wednesday directed their department officials to keep an eye on River Ganga and its tributaries during Kumbh Mela so that no industrial waste is disposed of in the water. Actions will be taken if such activities come to notice, police added.

The direction has come from the Director General of Police (DGP), said Praveen Kumar, IG Law and Order.

The Kumbh Mela, or the festival of the sacred pitcher, is the largest public gathering as the event draws tens of millions of pilgrims over the course of approximately 48 days to bathe at the sacred confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati.

This year, the auspicious bathing dates are Makar Sankranti (January 15), Paush Poornima (January 21), Mauni Amawasya (February 4), Basant Panchami (February 10), Maghi Poornima (February 19) and Mahashivratri (March 4).

The Mela area will also be lit by setting up more than 40,000 LED lights.NEW DELHI: A suspected spy from Pakistan has been arrested by the Military Intelligence Unit of the Indian Army from Kibitu village, the last village located on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) of Arunachal Pradesh, sources told ZeeNews. The man identified as Nirmal Rai is a resident of Assam's Tinsukhia district. He was working with Army at Kibithu and Dichu villages in Arunchal Pradesh as a porter.

He had been under the scanner of the Army but was arrested after Army acted on a tip-off. He was picked up and handed over to police. He has been booked under the Official Secrets Act and 120B of the Indian Penal Code. His phone has been seized and several pictures of sensitive Army installations and bridges have been found. Certain confidential documents were also found on his phone.

Investigating agencies believe that Rai was contacted by a Dubai man who recruited him for Pakistan spy agency. Rai, who used to work at a burger shop, was brought in touch with a handler in Dubai. This ISI agent taught him how to take pictures and pass information. As per initial reports, he has passed sensitive information of location and deployment of Army, weapons information and number of Artillery in Kibithu to his Dubai based handler.

''We have received information that Nirmal Rai was in contact with an Indonesian woman living in Dubai and a man from Dubai who later made him the ISI handler. We are working to find out how many information has been sent to Pakistan and how many people are in his spy network,'' an intelligence officer said on the condition of anonymity.

Probe is on to see if he was working alone or had any more accomplices working with him.Kharagpur: IIT Kharagpur alumnus Prakash Patnaik has been conferred with the prestigious NATO Science & Technology Organization (STO)'s Panel Excellence Award in recognition for his longstanding service and extraordinary scientific contribution.

Patnaik, a globally recognized scientist in the domain of Aerospace Materials Science and Engineering, was awarded for his work in relation to NATO-STO's Applied Vehicle Technology Panel, an IIT Kharagpur release said on Tuesday. Much of Patnaik's work over the past 30 years has been performed in a collaborative global milieu, including governments, industries and academic organisations.

Hailing from Berhampur, Odisha, Patnaik earned his B.E. in Materials Science & Engineering from NIT Rourkela and M.Tech. in 1978 from the Department of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering at IIT Kharagpur. He pursued his doctoral degree from McMaster University, Canada.

Patnaik is now leading the Defence Technology and Sustainment Programme at the National Research Council Canada (NRCC) as Principal Research Scientist at NRC's Aerospace Research Centre in Ottawa. Patnaik has made significant contributions in the domain of Aerospace Materials and Protective Coating Technologies including more than 140 research papers in international journals and conferences.New Delhi: Veteran filmmaker Rakesh Roshan is battling the deadly 'c' word. Hrithik Roshan opened up on father's ill health through a social media post leaving fans and friends in a state of shock. He revealed that Roshan senior has been diagnosed with early stage of throat cancer and underwent surgery on January 8, 2019.

Hrithik wrote: Asked my dad for a picture this morning. Knew he wouldnt miss gym on surgery day. He is probably the strongest man I know. Got diagnosed with early stage squamous cell carcinoma of the throat a few weeks ago, but he is in full spirits today as he proceeds to battle it. As a family we are fortunate and blessed to have a leader like him. .

Love you Dad.

Now, Rakesh's music director brother Rajesh Roshan told Mumbai Mirror, he is better now and recovering well. We were all very tense about the surgery and the entire family was in the hospital with him. God willing, he will be up in the next three days and should be discharged from the hospital.

The veteran filmmaker underwent the surgery at SoBo hospital in Mumbai.

After Hrithik's tweet about father's health, Prime Minister Narendra Modi too expressed his concern and wished Rakesh Roshan a speedy recovery. Hrithik replied to PM's tweet and thanked him for extending support.

Dear Hrithik, praying for the good health of Shri Rakesh Roshan Ji. He is a fighter and I am sure he will face this challenge with utmost courage. @RakeshRoshan_N https://t.co/Z0IaYSS4A4  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 8, 2019

Thank you Sir for your concern and good wishes. I am very happy to inform that according to the doctors his surgery has gone off well. https://t.co/BS42lCy0Kn  Hrithik Roshan (@iHrithik) January 8, 2019

Last year, classic actor Irrfan Khan, Sonali Bendre, Nafisa Ali and Tahira Kashyap opened up on battling the deadly 'c' word. Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor too shared the news of his health being not well and is currently in NYC undergoing treatment.

However, the cause of his ill health has not been disclosed as yet.NEW YORK, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against, Tenaris S.A. (Tenaris or the Company) (NYSE: TS) and certain of its officers. The class action, filed in United States District Court, Eastern District of New York, and indexed under 19-cv-00174, is on behalf of a class consisting of all persons and entities, other than Defendants and their affiliates, who purchased or otherwise, acquired Tenaris securities between May 1, 2014 through November 27, 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 Tenaris securities between May 1, 2014, and November 27, 2018, both dates inclusive, you have until February 11, 2019, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com. To discuss this action, contact Robert S. Willoughby at rswilloughby@pomlaw.com or 888.476.6529 (or 888.4-POMLAW), toll-free, Ext. 9980. Those who inquire by e-mail are encouraged to include their mailing address, telephone number, and the number of shares purchased.

[Click here to join this class action]

Tenaris, a holding of Techint Holdings S.a r.l., was founded in 2001. Tenaris is headquartered in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, and produces and sells seamless and welded steel tubular products and related services for the oil and gas industry, as well as for other industrial applications.

Paolo Rocca (Rocca) is Tenaris Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chairman of the Board (Chairman). Rocca has also been the Chairman of Ternium S.A. (Ternium) since 2005.

Ternium is also based in Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, and was formed in 2005 through the consolidation of Siderar of Argentina, Sidor of Venezuela, and Hylsa of Mexico. Ternium, through its subsidiaries, manufactures and processes various steel products in the United States and throughout Latin America. Ternium is Latin Americas leading flat steel producer with an annual crude steel production capacity of 12.4 million tons.

Rocca and Tenaris have a significant investment in Ternium, holding 11.46% of Terniums share capital (including treasury shares) as of December 31, 2017.

Siderurgica de Orinoco C.A. (Sidor), of which Ternium held a 59.7% stake, was nationalized by the Venezuelan government in 2008 when Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez signed a decree ordering the renationalization of Sidor.

The complaint alleges that throughout the Class Period, Defendants made materially false and misleading statements regarding Tenaris business, operational and compliance policies. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Tenaris CEO and Chairman, Rocca, knew one of his companys executives was involved in a graft scheme whereby government officials were bribed for Defendants personal gain, specifically, to expedite compensation payments due from the sale of Ternium Sidor unit; (ii) the foregoing conduct foreseeably placed Tenaris, its affiliates, and executives in greater risk of heightened regulatory and criminal scrutiny and investigation, thus depreciating Tenaris stock value; and (iii) as a result, the Companys public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

On November 27, 2018, in an article titled Tenaris Plunges in Italy as Billionaire Chairman Indicted, Bloomberg reported that Rocca was indicted for his role in a graft scheme.

According to a Reuters from the same date, [t]he sprawling notebooks corruption case, centered on bribes allegedly paid by businesses to secure contracts from the administration of former President Cristina Fernandez, has already ensnared dozens of business owners and politicians. The article also noted that Rocca was charged with illicit association and payment of bribes.

Bloomberg published an article on November 27, 2018, reporting that Rocca wanted to speed up the approximate $1.65bn compensation payments due from the Argentine government when it seized Sidor in exchange for Terniums 59.7% stake in Sidor. Tenaris was implicated because it has a significant investment in Ternium, and Rocca is Tenaris CEO and Chairman of both Tenaris and Ternium.

On this news, Tenaris stock fell $2.64 per share, or nearly 10%, to close at $24.36 per share on November 27, 2018, damaging investors.

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Kiara Advani was showered with scripts after the release of Bharat Ane Nenu, which was her Telugu debut project. But she chose to be part of Vinaya Vidheya Rama, a Ram Charan starrer. This Boyapati Seenu directorial is releasing on January 11 and the actor is pretty excited about her second Telugu project. The actor was in Hyderabad for promoting the film and here is what she has to say about the commercial entertainer.

I have watched many of Ram Charans films which were dubbed into Hindi. I am a fan of his dance and I am glad that he called me his best dancing partner. When Boyapati offered me the role of Sita, I was excited to do it only because it is something that I was looking forward to doing. Sita is a bubbly-yet-submissive girl and she is full of life. I will be seen playing a full-length role and not a character that would be present in the film only for the sake of duets and romantic scenes, said Kiara.

Kiara hopes that she will keep the audience engrossed with her performance. The actor is very outspoken and doesnt hesitate to answer to any kind of questions.

She was recently seen in Lust Stories and when asked about the bold role she played in the Karan Johar directorial, Kiara said, I was pretty shocked when Karan called and asked me to turn up at his office. He was confident that I would be able to pull off the role better than anyone else. I wasnt apprehensive about eh script and the bold role I had to play. In fact, I loved it and I thought it is necessary for people to know that even women need pleasure. Being part of Lust Stories helped me in boosting up my levels of confidence. She is currently busy shooting for Good News where she pairs up with Diljit Dosanjh.

Asked whether she is playing the leading lady in Allu Arjuns upcoming film with Trivikram Srinivas, the actor said that she is still in talks with the producers and will be confirming it soon.Mumbai: Actor Alok Nath has been granted anticipatory bail by Dindoshi Sessions Court on Wednesday in an alleged rape case filed by writer-director Vinta Nanda.

In its order, the court has observed that Alok Nath may have been falsely enrobed in the crime.

On October 17, 2018, the victim had lodged the complaint with Oshiwara Police following which the veteran actor hit back by filing a defamation case against her in a Mumbai Magistrate Court.

Alok Nath had denied all the allegations levelled by the victim and lodged the defamation case demanding Re 1 as damages and a written apology from her.

Known for his 'sanskaari' image on the big screen, Alok Nath was expelled from the Cine & TV Artistes Association last year after the rape charges came to the fore.

It was in October that Nanda, who produced "Tara", had shared her ordeal with Alok through a long Facebook post, amid the #MeToo movement wave that hit India.

(With inputs from agencies)New Delhi: Actors Alia Bhatt and Sonakshi Sinha, who flew down to Bhopal to shoot for the last schedule of Abhishek Varman's period-drama 'Kalank', have returned back to Mumbai. The actresses shot in Madhya Pradesh's Chanderi and even shared some pictures from the chilly winters where they were seen warming themselves up by the fire.

On late Tuesday, both Alia and Sonakshi were clicked by the shutterbugs as they arrived back in Mumbai. While Sonakshi was dressed in a jacket with a cap, Alia wore a white tee with denim.

(Photo courtesy: Yogen Shah)

This was the last schedule of the film.

On Tuesday, Sonakshi shared a picture on Instagram announcing it was the last shooting schedule of the film and she was eager for everyone to see the wonderful project. She wrote, "Just the beginning of the year, and the end of a new film! It's a wrap for me on 'Kalank'... a project I am proud to be a part of! Can't wait for you all to see it."

Well, it looks like Madhya Pradesh's Chanderi has become quite a favourite with filmmakers with 'Stree' and 'Sui Dhaaga' also been shot in the city.

Speaking of the film, 'Kalank' is an epic drama set in the 1940s. The film features a huge star cast of Aditya Roy Kapur, Sanjay Dutt, Kunal Kemmu and Madhuri Dixit Nene in key roles. The film will also feature Kriti Sanon and Kiara Advani in special appearances.

It is to be noted that the 'Kalank' was conceptualised by KJo and his father Yash Johar around 15 years ago. Late veteran actress Sridevi was initially signed for the character role played by Madhuri.

It is produced by Karan Johar, Sajid Nadiadwala, Hiroo Yash Johar and Apoorva Mehta and co-produced by Fox Star Studios. The film is scheduled for release on April 19, 2019.Mumbai: Over 32,000 employees of Mumbai's civic transport undertaking went on an indefinite strike on Tuesday in support of various demands, including higher salaries.

The strike is expected to continue Wednesday as talks between the undertaking's management and striking workers failed, even as a Shiv Sena-affiliated union in the transport body said its members had withdrawn from the stir.

The state government quickly moved to invoke the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act (MESMA) against the striking employees of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST), while its management asked them to end the stir and come to the negotiating table.

The employees are demanding higher pay, merging budget of the loss-making transport undertaking with that of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), deliberations on new wage agreement, resuming appointments on compassionate grounds and a bonus equivalent to that of the civic body's employees.

The protest by BEST employees coincided with the two-day nationwide bank strike called by trade unions to protest the government's "anti-worker" policies and labour reforms.

The strike, declared illegal by the industrial court here, affected nearly 25 lakh daily commuters, who take BEST buses to reach their destinations.

Some commuters complained that autorickshaw drivers were trying to take advantage of the situation and charging five times more than the normal rates.

BEST General Manager Surendra Kumar Bagde said considering the hardships faced by lakhs of Mumbaikars, the MESMA has been invoked though no disciplinary action has been initiated against the striking staffers yet.

The act empowers authorities to take strong action, like detention, against the workers of services covered under the legislation, if they go on a strike.

"Honourable industrial court has declared this strike as illegal. Therefore, first they put an end to the strike and come and talk to us. We are here to have a dialogue considering them as our family members," Bagde told reporters.

He said the BEST administration wants a long term solution to the grievances of employees.

"Therefore, it wants to discuss a comprehensive proposal with them which also deals with the revival of our loss-making entity," Bagde said.

"We are ready to hear them, but they should also listen to us. After all, a revival plan has been chalked out which is essential for the betterment of this body," he said.

Bagde said the BEST administration has given an affidavit in the court stating that not a single employee will be retrenched.

"Then why they are on strike on imaginary ground?" he asked.

He said BEST was under tremendous financial pressure and its working capital deficit stood at nearly 180 crore.

Asked about the demand for BEST-BMC budget merger, Bagde said, "The BMC is open to discuss all issues, including the merger.

"But it (merger) require lots of procedures, conditions, restructuring and a roadmap etc. We need to follow these procedures," he said.

A meeting between Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta and leaders of the workers' union that has called the strike failed to break the deadlock.

"The strike is illegal and the agitating staffers have been asked to resume work without delay, considering the hardships faced by the lakhs of passengers," a senior civic official told PTI.

The BEST has a fleet of over 3,200 buses, which criss-cross the metropolis and also operate services in the neighbouring Thane district and Navi Mumbai. It is the second-biggest mode of transport in Mumbai after local trains, which ferry over 80 lakh passengers every day.

BEST workers' union leader Shashank Rao said since their meeting with Mehta failed to yield any positive outcome, they went ahead with strike.

A BEST spokesperson said 10 buses were vandalised in different depots by unidentified persons during the night, but no untoward incident was reported since morning.

Meanwhile, the Central Railway and Western Railway operated additional suburban trains for the convenience of commuters.

The Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) ran 55 buses to ferry the stranded passengers to their destinations.

Meanwhile, a large number of police personnel were deployed near BEST depots and stands to help commuters find alternative mode of transport and prevent autorickshaw and taxi drivers from fleecing commuters.

"As there was a possibility that autorickshaw and taxi drivers will not ply to short distances and overcharge passengers, we helped commuters get vehicles for safe ride," a senior police official said.

"We had kept our men near Central, Harbour and Western railway stations located adjacent to BEST depots," he said.

"As there was a rush at these places during peak hours, our staff helped people make queues and avoid any chaos," the official said.

Late Tuesday evening, Suhas Samant, BEST committee member and leader of the Sena's BEST Kamgar Sena said 11,000 of its members would go back to work on Wednesday to mitigate woes of Mumbaikars.

The Sena union's announcement, however, invited sharp criticism from Best Workers' Union chief Rao who said the former had shown its "true character".

"Now all BEST workers will show them (Sena union) the mirror in the coming days," an irate Rao said.New Delhi: Chinese smartphone brand Oppo on Wednesday launched its latest R series product - R15 Pro in India.

Oppo R15 Pro will be exclusively available on Amazon.in at Rs 25,990.

The phone is equipped with a 6.28 inch and a 19:9 full screen with ultra-wide visual field. The company claims that R15 Pro is the first ever Oppo device which is water resistant and has a glass back surface available in Cosmic Purple and Ruby Red which has a dreamy and natural effect.

Powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor along with a Kryo 260 CPU, the R15 Pro comes with 6GB RAM and 128 GB ROM which can be expanded to 256 GB. The device also supports Adreno 512 GPU which increases the graphics rendering speed by 30 percent which results in a more fluid camera and gaming experience.

The R15 Pro comes with a host of features such as a new flagship sensor, the IMX519 which has been customised by Oppo for better portrait photography.

The water resistant device comes with AI Scene Recognition technology which can also be referred to as a photography technique consultant. The smartphone has a 20MP + 16MP dual rear camera and for selfies, users get a 20MP front-facing camera with a new and unique 3D lighting technique for artistic portraits.

The R15 Pro also supports VOOC flash charging technology, which means 5 minutes of charging resulting in 2 hours talk time and comes with a 3430 mAh battery, Oppo said.Mumbai: Domestic market is over-valued and there can be a "double-digits correction" in the first half of 2019, but a stable government after the hustings can help push the markets up in the second half, a foreign brokerage said,

The Wall Street brokerage sees "little reason to be bullish on the domestic market", and accordingly pegs the Nifty closing the year at 11,300 points, which is a paltry 4.6 percent higher than Tuesday's close. It didn't offer a Sensex target though.

"It is going to be a tough year ahead. Investors have made lots of money through expansion in multiples which are very high now," Sanjay Mookim, a research analyst at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, told reporters here Tuesday.

"There is little reason to be bullish about the domestic market," he said, adding the only sector that can work for investors is banking, as the lenders come out of the dud assets problem.

He also said along with the high valuations, we also have to factor in the global headwinds.

When asked what his advice to investors, Mookim said they should "stay away" as domestic stocks aren't cheap and so should look for opportunities outside equities.

One is "devoid of ideas" to invest in the current situation, he averred, but maintained that the macro environment has not turned bad.

He said there are very few large caps which are available at reasonable price, but was quick to note that while the massive correction in the mid-caps has created some space, the depressed sentiment in the run-up to general elections will leave with little room for growth.

The investor sentiment will be hit in the run-up to the hustings in summer as the Opposition plays its part of pointing to the present government's follies, Mookim said.

The speculated move of providing income support to farmers comes too late and may not deliver the intended political dividends, he said, adding it will also be difficult to find the right beneficiaries.

On farm loan waivers, he doubted if such a move will be helpful politically as the number of landless cultivators is higher than the landed ones who benefit from such a move.

The decline in crude prices has already been factored in by investors and the slide is unlikely to lead to a surge in stock prices, he said.

In an opinion contrary to many analysts, Mookim said the claim of recovery in the capex cycle is incorrect as the tepid uptick being reported is largely due to the low base. And he bases his view from the interactions with the industry wherein none of the corporates he met with are bullish about investing even in the medium-term.MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to first focus on farmer's issue and then talk about the coalition.

Not coalition discussions, solve the issues of farmers first, said Thackeray at a farmer's rally in Beed district in the Marathwada region.

Farmer's debt waiver is only on paper, he said, adding the drought situation is serious and needs to be solved soon.

Thackeray began his tour of the drought-affected Marathwada region in Maharashtra on Wednesday meeting farmers. He handed 100 cattle fodder-laden trucks and other essential supplies to farmers. He'll now head for Jalna district, where he will hold talks with farmers, added a Sena leader.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's frequent foreign tours, he said mere speeches and announcements will not help the public, adding that the Centre's crop insurance scheme was "a big scam". How many people received benefits of the government's crop insurance scheme after paying instalments to insurance firms.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also expected to visit Maharashtra's Solapur district later today to launch infrastructure and housing projects worth Rs 3,168 crore.Nagpur: Policemen in Nagpur found themselves in a strange situation when a youth approached them with a complaint to find his "stolen" heart. The incident took place recently in one of the police stations in Nagpur, a senior official said.

The youth wanted to file a complaint stating that a girl has "stolen" his heart and the policemen should get it back.

Police personnel often get complaints about stolen goods, but this bizarre case put the police station in-charge in a fix and he contacted his superiors for advice in dealing with the matter. His superiors informally discussed the issue and came to the conclusion that there is no section under Indian laws that deals with such a complaint.

Finally, the policemen told the youth they don't have a solution to his problem and turned him away.

This unusual incident was shared by Nagpur Police Commissioner Bhushan Kumar Upadhyay last week during a programme where the police department returned stolen articles worth Rs 82 lakh to their respective owners.

Interacting with the media, Upadhyay, in a lighter vein, said, "We can return stolen articles, but sometimes we also get such complaints which even we cannot solve."NEW DELHI - Union Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh on Wednesday slammed the Congress for asking questions from the BJP on Rafale fighter jets deal.

"Before they (Congress) seek answers,they must give a few answers. The nation needs to know why did this deal not go through when everything had been done. At the last minute, it was dropped. Can Congress explain? Can they explain why it wasn't given to HAL," the minister said.

VK Singh on #RafaleDeal:Before they (Congress) seek answers,they must give a few answers. The nation needs to know why did this deal not go through when everything had been done. At the last minute, it was dropped. Can Congress explain? Can they explain why it wasn't given to HAL pic.twitter.com/YmhOnTyMKt  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

Earlier, Singh had taken a dig at those criticising the Rafale deal calling them illiterate. "Those who are making accusations are illiterate. They don't have any knowledge about it. So it won't be right to further comment on it," Singh had said.

On January 4, Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had attacked Congress during a debate on Rafale fighter jets deal in Lok Sabha. Addressing the Lower House, Sitharaman had said that the Congress was shedding crocodiles tears for Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. She added that the Congress should have helped the HAL by giving the VVIP chopper contract to HAL and not AgustaWestland.

When Congress had the chance, they preferred AgustaWestland, not HAL, to build helicopters. This was because HAL would have given them helicopters and nothing else, said the Defence Minister.Army Chief Bipin Rawat on Wednesday warned that terrorism cannot be wiped out untill "nations continue to sponsor it as state policy". He stated that terrorism is becoming a new form of warfare. Speaking at a panel discussion at the Raisina Dialogue in the national capital, the Army Chief said that terrorism is a menace which is spreading its head like a "multi-headed monster".



Terrorism is here to stay as long as there are nations that continue to sponsor it as a state policy, Rawat said, without naming Pakistan.

"Terrorism is becoming a new form of warfare. A weaker nation is using terrorists as a proxy to put pressure on another nation to come to terms with it," he said. He also asserted that Pakistan has always kept the Taliban in its backyard and should be concerned about it. On the Afghan peace process, he said there should be negotiations with the Taliban, but without conditions.

Rawat also said that there was a need to control social media as it was becoming a source of spreading radicalisation. He said a different kind of radicalisation was being witnessed in India and in Jammu and Kashmir, the youth were getting radicalised due to a lot of misinformation, disinformation, and a lot of falsehoods on religion being fed to them.

Radicalisation through social media is becoming one of the reasons for raising funds for terrorists organisations. "That is why you find more and more educated youth being drawn into terrorism," he said.

"Terrorism is here to stay as long as there are nations that continue to sponsor it as state policy. Terrorism now spreading its head like a multi-headed monster. Terrorism becoming a new form of warfare," said General Rawat.

"Pakistan always kept Taliban in its backyard. Pakistan should be concerned about it. There should be negotiations with Taliban, but without conditions," he added.

"Need to control social media as it is becoming a source of spreading radicalisation. Radicalisation has taken a different form in our country. In Jammu and Kashmir, youth is getting radicalised due to misinformation & falsehood about religion being fed to them. This is becoming a form of warfare," he further said.

"Biggest issue is that the social media needs to ensure that radicalisation does not happen through false information and misinformation. Radicalisation through social media is becoming one of the reasons for raising funds for terrorists organisations," he added.

Raisina Dialogue is India's annual flagship event on geopolitics organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and think tank Observer Research Foundation (ORF).HILO, Hawaii, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A federal class action lawsuit alleges that Lloyds of London and its affiliated insurance brokers steered Hawaiian homeowners throughout the state away from comprehensive home insurance coverage established by the State of Hawaii.



The lawsuit states that Lloyds and its agents deceived consumers, offering Lloyds surplus lines insurance without performing the due diligence required under Hawaii law to place surplus lines insurance. Lloyds and its agents knew that they were not allowed to place surplus lines insurance unless other insurance was not available and the insurance coverage amounts exceeded the coverage available through traditional insurance carriers, including the government-established insurance coverage offered through the HPIA (Hawaii Property Insurance Association). Consumers could have qualified for HPIA-sponsored insurance, but Lloyds and its agents deceived them by artificially inflating coverage limits beyond the $350,000 dwelling coverage limit offered through HPIA, the suit alleges.

One policyholder saw his dwelling coverage limit increased to $351,000 according to the complaint, exactly $1,000 over the governments coverage limit of $350,000. The policyholder was never told about the government-established coverage known as HPIA (Hawaii Property Insurance Association); sadly, the policyholders home was destroyed after the Kilauea eruption in May and his claim was denied by Lloyds of London, according to the suit.

In addition, the lawsuit alleges that insurance brokers received kickbacks from Lloyds for steering [homeowners] to the Lloyds surplus lines policies in the form of increased commissions.

The complaint, filed December 21, 2018, alleges that Hawaiian homeowners were steered into purchasing Lloyds surplus lines homeowners insurance to insure their homes against peril. These Lloyds surplus lines insurance policies, which contained numerous exclusions, including a Lava Exclusion, are essentially worthless amounting to no coverage at all.

Surplus lines insurance policies are made available only when no other home insurance coverage is available. Lloyds is the top writer of surplus lines insurance in the United States  writing 23% of the U.S. surplus lines policies nationwide in 2017, totaling $10.3 billion in premiums. According to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and the Center for Insurance Policy and Research, in 2017, Lloyds syndicates wrote approximately $52 million in surplus lines premium in Hawaii.

The 60-page lawsuit alleges that the kickback scheme was set up so that commissions were directly tied to the amount of premium steered to Lloyds, thereby incentivizing the Broker Defendants to maximize the amount of surplus lines insurance placed with Lloyds.

A copy of lawsuit can be found at PunaClaims.com. Homeowners in Hawaii seeking further information can reach Foster Law Offices by visiting PunaClaims.com or calling 808-348-7800 or Scott+Scott Attorneys at Law at https://scott-scott.com/hawaii-homeowners or calling +1 800-404-7770.NEW DELHI: A country or regions' security cannot be achieved at the expense of insecurity of others, said Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif at the Raisina Dialogue 2019 in New Delhi on Wednesday.

It is high time for the countries in our region, this neighbourhood to abandon two destructive illusions  that security can be bought or imported and that security can be achieved at the expense of insecurity of others, said Zarif. Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held talks with her Iranian counterpart on the sidelines.

The leaders spoke on a range of key bilateral and regional issues, including the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan and the implementation of the Chabahar port project. During the talks, Zarif and Swaraj deliberated on important bilateral issues and shared perspectives on the regional situation, according to External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.

Age-old cultural & civilizational connect EAM @SushmaSwaraj met Iranian Foreign Minister @JZarif who is in Delhi for the @raisinadialogue. Held wide ranging discussion on important bilateral issues and shared perspectives on the regional situation. pic.twitter.com/zUZaj5VYtN  Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) January 9, 2019

Iran is a strategically-important country for India in the Gulf region and ties between the two nations were on an upswing in the last couple of years.

India is also an active partner in the development of the Chabahar port in Iran. In May 2016, India, Iran and Afghanistan had inked a pact which entailed the establishment of transit and transport corridor among the three countries using Chabahar Port as one of the regional hubs.Russia Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov on Wednesday asserted that Moscow will abide by its commitments and obligations in the S-400 missile system deal with India irrespective of reservations from the US.

Responding to US not being happy of the S-400 deal and the sanctions being talked about under CAATSA law, Ryabkov stated, "Irrespective of CAATSA and the illegitimate attempts of the US to distort this deal, we have the methodology to provide for payments, ideas to deal with issue of procurement and nothing can be done by the US to disrupt this."

"We know how to work in this circumstances. There is nothing dramatic about it. We have our bilateral cooperation that is of great importance to Russia and all the commitments and obligations under this and other will be honoured by Russia irrespective of CAATSA," added Ryabkov.

When asked about the current status of the ties between India and Russia, Sergei Ryabkov said, "I think the leaders of the countries have a great personal relationship between them. They have great chemistry. They understand each other in a manner that is so extraordinary to any leaders in the world. This is the essential factor of promotion of relationship. Over years they have met several times. They have agreed on frameworks of cooperation and we definitely think further contacts between the leaders would expand and promote our bilateral agenda. It is not an asset, this is something we really cherish between the leaders."

The comments come days after the two leaders had a telephonic conversation in which Putin wished PM Modi success for the upcoming 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking on the issue of terrorism he said, "We should defeat international terrorism. It can be done through more cooperation and through more understanding of best practices. Bilateral cooperation with India is extremely important. The political impetus is being given at the level of president. I am sure together we can defeat it."

When President Putin came calling in October, a key milestone was reached in ensuring that India secures her skies with an extremely advanced missile system that only Russia and China possess. Despite reservations from the United States, PM Modi and Putin, on October 5, signed a deal for the S-400 missile system that promises to change the entire military dynamics of the subcontinent.

with inputs from Sidhant SibalNAGPUR: At least seven persons got injured, two of them critically after a massive fire broke out on Wednesday at an under-construction building of a hospital in Nagpur.

Maharashtra: Fire breaks out in an under-construction hospital in Nagpur. Ten fire tenders are at the spot and the situation is under control now. pic.twitter.com/DVsCgvhyTY  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

According to initial reports, at least 20 people are trapped inside the building, most of them labourers.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known but it is believed that short circuit caused the blaze. No casualty has been reported so far. Eyewitnesses said that thick black smoke was rising from the 10-storey building.

"Fire has been controlled now, search operation is underway. The fire could have been caused due to a short circuit as construction work was underway at the building," Fire Officer Sunil Raut told ANI.

Sunil Raut, Fire Officer on a fire that broke out in an under-construction hospital in Nagpur: Fire has been controlled now, search operation is underway. The fire could have been caused due to a short circuit as construction work was underway at the building. #Maharashtra pic.twitter.com/x9s7qTRBhX  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

At least 10 fire tenders were at the spot to douse the raging inferno. Army jawans were also helping firefighters in controlling the blaze.

Nagpur Municipal Corporation fire officer Rajendra Uchke said that a major tragedy was averted as around 400 labourers, who were employed at the under-construction building, were downstairs for lunch when the fire broke out.

"Interior work was going on in the hospital when the fire started from the third floor auditorium where chairs were being fixed," Uchke told PTI. He added that it was likely that the blaze was triggered due to sparks from welding. The flames were put out completely at around 3:30 PM, he said.

On December 29, 12 firefighters were injured while trying to douse the flames when a fire broke out in Sadhana House in Worli, Mumbai.

On Dec 27, seven people lost their lives after a broke out on the 14th floor of an apartment in Chembur, Mumbai.

(With agency inputs)NEW DELHI: Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi on Wednesday nominated the second senior most judge AK Sikri as his representation in the Selection Committee which will decide the fate of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director Alok Verma. The high-powered committee is likely to meet later on Wednesday.

The selection panel also includes Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. The CJI reportedly recused himself from the meeting since he was part of the bench which authored the Supreme Court judgment to reinstate Verma as CBI chief on Tuesday.

Justice Sikri will have a huge role to play in the final decision as Kharge had vehemently opposed the government when Verma was sent on leave in October 2018. Kharge had demanded answers from the Prime Minister stating that the decision was made without consulting other members of the panel that selected him. Kharge was part of the three-member panel headed by Modi that had selected Verma as CBI chief. The then Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar was the other member of the selection committee.

In a strongly-worded letter to the Prime Minister, Kharge had accused him of acting "arbitrarily" and creating a "false equivalence of charges" between the CBI Director and his deputy Rakesh Asthana.

The decision went into the selection committee's court after the SC on Tuesday reinstated Verma as CBI chief ending his 77-day-long 'forced leave'.

In sending Verma on leave, the government had overlooked the immunity given to the CBI director by the Supreme Court ensuring a two-year minimum tenure to protect the incumbent from any political interference.

Defending the decision, the government had maintained that it was trying to protect the CBI and that it had become necessary to take the call due to the unprecedented feud between the two senior-most officials of the agency.NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Wednesday appointed senior advocate and former solicitor general Ranjit Kumar as amicus curiae to assist it in a matter related to administration of Jagannath temple in Puri.

The apex court had on November 30 last year accepted the request of senior advocate Gopal Subramanium to relieve him as amicus curiae in the matter.

During the hearing on Wednesday, the issue of appointing a new amicus in the case arose before a bench headed by Justice A K Sikri.

The bench requested Kumar, who was present in the court, whether he would assist it as an amicus in the case. Kumar agreed. The bench has posted the matter for hearing on February 5.

An advocate, who has filed an application in the court seeking intervention in the case, told the bench that person having knowledge about Jagannath temple should be appointed as an amicus.

The counsel appearing for Odisha told the apex court that "wild allegations" were levelled against Subramanium in an application filed by an advocate following which he had sought to be relieved from the role. "Unfounded allegations were levelled against Gopal Subramanium in the application."

To this, the bench said, "What are those allegations? We will see".

However, the counsel who had filed the application said his plea was dismissed earlier by the court.

He said he had "simply" said in his application that salary of 'sevaks' (staff) of the temple was not given since July 5 last year and it should be released immediately.

He said some concrete steps were required to be taken in the matter since violence had erupted there in October last year.

Nine policemen were injured in the violence at Puri during a 12-hour bandh called by a socio-cultural organisation protesting the introduction of a queue system for devotees visiting the temple, police had said.

The bench said applications filed by other stakeholders in the matter would also be considered on February 5.

On June 6 last year, the court had appointed Subramanium as an amicus curiae to assist it in the matter in which a plea was filed highlighting the difficulties faced by the devotees at Jagannath temple and their alleged harassment or exploitation by the 'sevaks' of the temple.

On October 10, the apex court had said that no policeman should enter Jagannath temple "with weapons and shoes" after it was alleged before it that during the October 3 violence at the shrine, cops had entered there with boots and guns.SOLAPUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi patted his government's back for the passage of Upper Caste Reservation Bill and Citizenship Amendment Bill in his first rally after the two key Bills were passed. The two Bills were passed in Lok Sabha where the government enjoys a majority. The Bill to provide ten per cent reservation in education and government jobs to economically weaker sections was tabled in Rajya Sabha on the last day of the Winter Session on Wednesday and will be taken up for discussion during the day.

Hitting out at the opposition parties for raising objections, he said that the Bill is a "strong answer" by Parliament to those "spreading lies". He assured that none of the reservations allotted to the weaker sections will be reduced to add this 10 per cent quota. "The rights of the deprived sections, including the dalits and the tribal people, will not be affected because of this bill. The opposition wanted some part of the reservation of weaker sections to be taken away to be given to upper castes but we were adamant that nothing will be taken away from them. This is an additional quota being made for the people from general category," PM Modi said at a rally in Solapur in Maharashtra.

He termed the passage of the bill in the Lok Sabha as a "historic" step which seeks to uplift the deprived sections and also illustrates the commitment of the government to prioritising the good of those needing it the most. "There are misconceptions being spread about the Quota Bill. Rajya Sabha was extended by a day for this Quota Bill only. I am confident that like yesterday, we will pass the bill in Rajya Sabha too," PM Modi said.

He also applauded his government for the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. "The Bill is important as migrants from other countries who want to stay here will be given Indian citizenship now. India will give shelter to these migrants. We have taken the onus of taking care of these people who have come to India," he said. He assured the people of Assam and North East that their rights will not be curtailed in any way through the bill's provisions.

PM Modi was speaking in Solapur after the inauguration of a highway project built at an investment of over Rs 970 crore. He added that Solapur will soon be covered under the Udaan scheme which seeks to link far off places with air connectivity. During his visit, he also laid the foundation stone of a project worth over Rs 1,800 crore of 30,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.NEW DELHI: In a moved aimed at wooing the central government employees to work in Kashmir, the Personnel Ministry on Wednesday issued an order

extending special concessions and incentives, including departmental arrangements for stay and security and transportation for these employyes till 2020.

The ministry officials have expressed hope that move would encourage more employees to work in Kashmir valley, which includes ten districts -- Anantnag, Baramulla, Budgam, Kupwara, Pulwama, Srinagar, Kulgam, Shopian, Ganderbal and Bandipora.

The order added that the special grant also includes departmental arrangements for stay, security and transportation to the place of work for employees. Personnel Ministry also said in its order that all central government employees posted in Jammu and Kashmir are paid messing allowance at the rate of Rs 97.85 per day.

"Pensioners of Kashmir Valley who are unable to draw their monthly pensions through either public sector banks or Pay and Accounts Officer (PAO) treasuries from which they were receiving their pensions, would be given pensions outside the valley where they have settled, in relaxation of relevant provisions," said the order.

According to the order, the new incentives will be uniformly applicable to all ministries, departments and public sector undertakings under Government of India.

"It has been decided by the competent authority to extend the package of concessions or incentives to central government employees working in Kashmir Valley for a further period of two years, with effect from January 1, 2018," said the order.NEW DELHI: India should not worry about US military withdrawal from Afghanistan if it wants to be seen "as a great power", former National Security Advisor (NSA) Shivshankar Menon said.

"We are not the only one who will be affected if the worst happens. Though I don`t think that`s going to happen," Menon said on Tuesday night during a discussion organised by the Indo-American Friendship Association.

Menon said it was Pakistan and not Afghanistan that India should worry about.

Menon, who was the NSA when Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister, said a military withdrawal from Afghanistan had been on the US foreign policy radar since the time of former President Barack Obama. India`s fear over it was misplaced.

"Have you ever seen an Afghan terrorist? You see Pakistani terrorists. Our problem is Pakistan, not Afghanistan," he added.

Menon said if India allowed itself to be fear-struck over the US withdrawal of troops, then it had "no right to be regarded as a great power".

On Indo-US relations, Menon said the two countries were seeing the "best years" of their friendship since independence. He also said that the rise of China as a great power will only bode well for India as US interests will match more with New Delhi`s.

"The source of danger now is economic," he said, referring to the protectionist trade policies of US President Donald Trump.

On US` failure to share technology, especially military, with India, Meera Shankar, a former Ambassador to the US, said: "There`s a little reluctance on the part of the US on sharing technology because it thinks `we created China, we don`t want to make the same mistake with India now`."Washington: A day after US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed efforts to enhance cooperation in war-torn Afghanistan, the former's special Afghan envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is headed for India, according to an official announcement.

The State Department Tuesday said Khalilzad will lead an inter-agency delegation to India, China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan from January 8 to January 21. However, country-specific dates of his travel were not announced.

This is Khalilzad's first trip to India after he was appointed as the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation last year. Since then he has made multiple trips to the region, without being to India.

During a telephonic conversation on Monday evening, Modi and Trump, among other things, discussed the contentious issue of the US' trade deficit with India and increasing their cooperation in war-torn Afghanistan.

Trump last week took a jibe at Modi for funding a "library" in Afghanistan, saying it is of no use in the war-torn country as he criticised India and others for not doing enough for the nation's security.

Khalilzad will meet with senior government officials in each country to facilitate an intra-Afghan political settlement, the State Department said. "The United States supports the desire of the Afghan people and the international community for a political settlement that ends the 40-year conflict and ensures Afghanistan never again serves as a platform for international terrorism," it said.

Khalilzad will meet with Afghan government officials and other interested parties to support and facilitate an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan, empowering the Afghan people to chart a shared course for their nation's future, it said.

The State Department noted that Khalilzad continues to coordinate his efforts with the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and other Afghan stakeholders to ensure an intra-Afghan peace process. It said the American goal is to promote dialogue among Afghans about how to end the conflict and to encourage the parties to come together at the negotiating table to reach a political settlement where every Afghan citizen enjoys equal rights and responsibilities under the rule of law.

During his last trip to the region in December, Khalilzad had reiterated that the only solution to the conflict is for all parties to sit together and reach an agreement on the political future of Afghanistan with mutual respect and acceptance, the State Department said.New York: Are you a leftie or a righty? The duration for which a child is breastfed may determine handedness or the dominant hand, says a research. The study, from the University of Washington, suggests that the prevalence of left-handedness is lower among breastfed infants. Children breastfed for longer than nine months were associated with the prevalence for righthandedness.

On the other hand, bottle fed infants were associated with left-handedness. The reason could be because the region of the brain that controls handedness localises to one side of the brain. Possibly, breastfeeding optimises this process towards becoming right or left-handed, the researchers explained.

"We think breastfeeding optimises the process the brain undergoes when solidifying handedness," said Philippe Hujoel, a professor from the varsity. "That's important because it provides an independent line of evidence that breastfeeding may need to last six to nine months," Hujoel added.

For the study, the researchers included 62,129 mother-child pairs. The findings, published in the journal Laterality: Asymmetries of Body, Brain and Cognition, showed that breastfeeding for less than one month, one to six months, and more than six months, when compared to bottle feeding, was associated with a nine per cent, 15 per cent and 22 per cent decreased prevalence of non right-handedness, respectively.

However, the study does not imply that breastfeeding leads to right-handedness, Hujoel emphasised. Handedness, whether it be right- or left-handed, is set early in fetal life and is at least partially determined by genetics, he noted.Delray Beach, Florida, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- IRIS, transforming documents to knowledge with OCR software and style-driven scanners, offers the first glimpse of the newest and most powerful desk document camera, scanner and visualizer on the market, the IRIScan Desk Scanner, with a demo at CES Showstoppers.

As an international reference in the scanning industry, IRIS is recognized for combining imagination and innovation into solutions which embrace hardware and software, empowering their customers with the organizational tools they need to go paperless. IRIScan Desk Scanner is the perfect combination between a camera lamp and a scanner, as a high-resolution tool to capture images, extract data, and manage all of this securely.

The applications for the IRIScan Desk Scanner are endless, from passports and drivers licenses to legal documents, professional papers and contracts up to A3 format, the device accelerates information taking into a single click, while ensuring text and images are accurate regardless of the document orientation. In only half a second, documents are available in high-resolution JPEG or PDF format (12MB/PX and 300 DPI).

IRIS also creates OCR technology integrated into the scanner and able to extract information, from family name to birthdate to passport number, without any manual intervention! With a single click, data can be exported into the format of choice (text, CVS, Microsoft Excel) to a secure FTP server or cloud storage space through Dropbox, Sharepoint, Evernote, Google Drive, with all privacy standards met.

Easy to use and quick to install, this sleek and attractive lamp is Plug & Play and compatible with all operating systems. Ultra-portable weighing only 300 grams, the IRIScan  Desk Scanner stands out as the most powerful and innovative scanner for personal or professional use.

About IRIS:

IRIS (Canon Group) is a leader in Information Management and offers a full range of innovative technology solutions, products and services.

For 30 years, the IRIS experts have successfully supported customers around the world and helped them to overcome their main business challenges by using solutions for Digitization and Capture, GED and Knowledge Management and Digital Transformation.

IRIS helps its clients by providing consulting services, research and development expertise and technology.

The company is headquartered in Louvain-la-Neuve (Belgium) and serves more than 30 million consumers. These include public organizations (Ministries, European Union), international companies, local businesses and SOHO users. As a technology company, IRIS has built a vast ecosystem of innovation, technology.

www.irislink.com

IRIS on LinkedIn : IRIS Portable Scanners & Conversion Software

IRIS on Twitter : @IRIS_OCR

IRIS on Facebook : IRIS, A Canon Company

AttachmentBoston: Stanford scientists have developed a biodegradable, battery-free sensor that can monitor the flow of blood through an artery, helping doctors assess the success of blood vessel surgery. The device does not need to be removed and can warn a patient's doctor if there is a blockage, researchers said. "Measurement of blood flow is critical in many medical specialties, so a wireless biodegradable sensor could impact multiple fields including vascular, transplant, reconstructive and cardiac surgery," said Paige Fox, assistant professor at Stanford University in the US.

"As we attempt to care for patients throughout the Bay Area, Central Valley, California and beyond, this is a technology that will allow us to extend our care without requiring face-to-face visits or tests," said Fox. Monitoring the success of surgery on blood vessels is challenging as the first sign of trouble often comes too late. By that time, the patient often needs additional surgery that carries risks similar to the original procedure. This new sensor could let doctors keep tabs on a healing vessel from afar, creating opportunities for earlier interventions.

The sensor wraps snugly around the healing vessel, where blood pulsing past pushes on its inner surface. As the shape of that surface changes, it alters the sensor's capacity to store electric charge, which doctors can detect remotely from a device located near the skin but outside the body. That device solicits a reading by pinging the antenna of the sensor, similar to an ID card scanner. In the future, this device could come in the form of a stick-on patch or be integrated into other technology, like a wearable device or smartphone.

The researchers first tested the sensor in an artificial setting where they pumped air through an artery-sized tube to mimic pulsing blood flow. Surgeon Yukitoshi Kaizawa, a former postdoctoral scholar at Stanford, also implanted the sensor around an artery in a rat. Even at such a small scale, the sensor successfully reported blood flow to the wireless reader.

The researchers are now finding the best way to affix the sensors to the vessels and refining their sensitivity. They are also looking forward to what other ideas will come as interest grows in this interdisciplinary area.New Delhi: Loans and deposits of non-bank Indians in Swiss banks decreased by 34.5 percent in 2017 as compared with the previous year, Parliament was informed Tuesday.

There was a significant reduction in Swiss non-bank loans and deposits of Indians by as much as 80.2 percent between 2013 and 2017, Minister of State for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla said in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.

"The data collected by Swiss National Bank in collaboration with Bank for International Settlements (BIS) shows that the loans and deposits of Indians, other than banks, in the Swiss banks decreased by 34.5 percent in the year 2017 as compared to 2016," he said.

Referring to the treaty signed between India and Switzerland for automatic sharing of information, the minister said the government would start receiving information from September 2019 which will help track black money held in Swiss banks.

"The necessary legal arrangements have been put in place and from September 2019 onwards, India will receive annually, information of financial accounts held by Indian residents in Switzerland for the calendar year 2018 and subsequent years. This will be useful in tracing unaccounted income and assets of Indian residents in Switzerland and bringing the same to tax," Shukla said.

The use and disclosure of the information received is governed by the confidentiality provisions of the India-Switzerland tax treaty, he added.New Delhi: The GST Council in its meeting on January 10 will discuss on the recommendations of the two ministerial panels.

The GST Council may also announce more relief to MSMEs sector by announcing extension of threshold exemption for such businesses. Currently, businesses with turnover of up to Rs 20 lakh are exempt from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which can be hiked upto Rs 50 lakh.

For small business enterprises, the all powerful Council may recommend to increase the limit of composition scheme to Rs. 1.5 crore. Service providers may also be included in the composition scheme. The council is expected give benefits of composition scheme to service providers whose annual turnover is upto Rs 50 lakh.

While for small service providers, the Council may announce a flat 5 percent GST though these businesses may not get the benefits under Input Tax Credit.

The GST council may also deliberate upon recommendations of home buyers and developers alike. It may reduce the GST on under construction properties from 12 percent to 5 percent, though the developers will not get benefits of Input Tax Credit.

The ministerial panel under Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi that approved levy of 1 percent 'calamity cess' by Kerala for a period of two years to fund rehabilitation work in the state hit by floods, may get GST Council's green nod.

The Council may also deliberate on suggestions that dealers under the composition schemes be allowed to file returns annually, even as they would continue to pay their taxes. Currently, composition scheme dealers file returns and pay taxes quarterly.

It may also discuss the suggestion by GoM that businesses with turnover of up to Rs 1.5 crore be provided with a free accounting and billing software by the GST Network.New Delhi: India's second largest IT services firm Infosys Tuesday said its board will consider a buyback programme and payment of special dividend, among other proposals, at its meeting on January 11.

"...The board of the company will consider proposal(s), including but not limited to, buyback of fully paid-up equity shares of the company, payment of special dividend, for implementation of the capital allocation policy at its meeting to be held on January 11, 2019," Infosys said in a BSE filing.

The outcome of the board meeting will be disseminated to the stock exchanges after conclusion of the board meeting on January 11, 2019, it added.

The Bengaluru-based company is also slated to announce its third quarter results on January 11.

In April last year, Infosys board had said it had identified an amount of up to Rs 13,000 crore to be paid to shareholders. This was done through a special dividend of Rs 10 per share that was to result in a payout of about Rs 2,600 crore in June 2018.

"Also, an amount of up to Rs 10,400 crore has been identified to be paid out to shareholders for the financial year 2019 in a manner to be decided by the board," it had said in its April 2018 filing.

The company had also stated that the board had decided to retain its policy of returning up to 70 percent of the free cash flow of the corresponding financial year to shareholders.New Delhi: Cyrus Mistry was removed as chairman of Tata Sons without any prior intimation, the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) was told on Tuesday by two investment firms promoted by the Mistry family.

Senior advocate CA Sundaram representing the two firms said that removal of the chairman was not even on the agenda item of the board meeting of Tata Sons on October 24, 2016, when he was sacked. "The agenda did not contained anything about removal of chairman," said Sundaram adding the proposal to remove him was brought "under any other item" of the meeting.

Questioning the order of the Mumbai bench of National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) in this, he said that it treated removal of Cyrus Mistry as "nature of employment dispute."

Later Mistry was removed as director of all Tata group companies as the trustees had "written to all companies that if you do not remove him, we would take Tata brand name from you."

Concluding his arguments for the investment firms, Sundaram said: "In our opinion, he (Mistry) is the best man for us (to protect minority shareholders)."

Janak Dwarkadas, who is representing Cyrus Mistry, in the matter has started his arguments and would continue on Wednesday.

Cyrus P Mistry has also moved NCLAT in his personal capacity against his removal.

The Tata side was represented by senior advocates, including Harish Salve, Abhishek Manu Singhvi and others during the hearing.

The Mistry camp had challenged the July 9 order of the Mumbai bench of the NCLT which dismissed the pleas against his removal as Tata Sons chairman, as also the allegations of rampant misconduct on part of Ratan Tata and the company's board.

A special bench of the tribunal had held that the board of directors at Tata Sons was "competent" to remove the executive chairperson of the company. The NCLT bench had also said that Mistry was ousted as chairman because the Tata Sons' Board and its majority shareholders had "lost confidence in him".

Under the Companies Act 2013, an order of NCLT can be challenged before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT).

Mistry, who was the sixth chairman of Tata Sons, was ousted from the position in October 2016. He had taken over as the chairman in 2012 after Ratan Tata announced his retirement.

Two months after his removal, Mistry's family-run firms approached the NCLT as minority shareholders, against Tata Sons, Ratan Tata, and some other board members.

Mistry in his pleas primarily argued that his removal was not in accordance with the Companies Act and that there was rampant mismanagement of affairs across Tata Sons.

He also alleged that Tata Trust chairperson Ratan Tata and trustee N Soonawala interfered with the day-to-day operations of the group companies, they acted as shadow directors, and all of the above caused massive revenue loss for the group.New Delhi: Veteran actor Anupam Kher's upcoming political drama 'The Accidental Prime Minister' has been courting controversies ever since its trailer released a few days back. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed the petition seeking a ban on the trailer and release of the movie.

After Delhi HC order, the petitioner Pooja Mahajan has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court. According to ANI, "Pooja Mahajan files appeal in the Supreme Court against Delhi High Courts order of dismissing her plea seeking a ban on the trailer of movie "The Accidental Prime Minister", and suspension of the release of the film during the pendency of this present petition."

Pooja Mahajan files appeal in the Supreme Court against Delhi High Courts order of dismissing her plea seeking a ban on the trailer of movie "The Accidental Prime Minister", and suspension of the release of the film during the pendency of this present petition pic.twitter.com/sTiLYyqOht  ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2019

The Delhi High Court dismissed the PIL seeking a ban on 'The Accidental Prime Minister' and its trailer on allegations that it defamed the constitutional post of the prime minister. As per PTI report, a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao said the petitioner has no locus standi to file the plea and private interest was involved in it.

Petitioner Pooja Mahajan alleged that provisions of the Cinematograph Act are being misused and the film producer has released the trailer affecting the image of the office of the prime minister and giving a bad name to it at the national and international level.

During the hearing, the producers of the film said they were not made a party in the PIL and the court should not pass any order without hearing them. PTI quoted advocate Sangram Patnaik, appearing for film producers Sunil Bohra and Dhaval Gada, objected to the petition saying it was not maintainable and how could the production house was not made a party.

He said if the adverse order is passed, it would be the producers who would be affected as it is their money which is at stake. A single judge had earlier refused to entertain the plea asking the petitioner to file it as public interest litigation.

'The Accidental Prime Minister' movie is based on the 2014 memoir of the same name by Sanjaya Baru. The film has been directed by Vijay Ratnakar Gutte and written by Mayank Tewari. It stars Anupam Kher in the titular role of former PM Manmohan Singh. The film also features Akshaye Khanna, Suzanne Bernert, Aahana Kumra and Arjun Mathur to name a few.

The film is scheduled to hit the screens on January 11, 2019.

(With Agency inputs)New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed the petition seeking a ban on the release of the film 'The Accidental Prime Minister' and the trailer, a PTI report said. The film is based on a similarly titled the book by Sanjaya Baru, the former media advisor of ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

On Tuesday, a plea filed by Pooja Mahajan, a Delhi-based fashion designer, sought a ban on the trailer of 'The Accidental Prime Minister saying it has caused unaccountable damage to the name and fame of the office of Prime Minister. The petition said that the trailer violated Section 416 of the Indian Penal Code as the impersonation of a living character or living persons is not permissible in law.

"I think this movie has been made just to create a different impression in minds of ppl and brainwash them. The trailer itself says 'this election season'. Stay should be imposed on it," the petitioner told ANI on Tuesday.

Advocate Maitri said the film's producers have not taken any consent from Manmohan Singh, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi to perform their characters or perform their political life or to dress up in the same way as they had been doing in their normal life or copy their voice in any manner.

"As per Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) guidelines on films based on real-life characters, a 'no objection certificate (NOC)' is required, but for the trailer, no such NOC was obtained," the petitioner said.

'The Accidental Prime Minister' has been directed by Vijay Ratnakar Gutte and written by Mayank Tewari. Veteran actor Anupam Kher will be seen as former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while Akshay Khanna plays Singh's former media adviser Sanjaya Baru in the film, which is slated to release on January 11, 2019.

It also features Akshaye Khanna, Suzanne Bernert, Aahana Kumra and Arjun Mathur to name a few.

(Further details awaited)On the face of it two recent Supreme Court judgements of significance have gone opposite ways for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi certainly gave something that looked like a clean chit for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party when he observed that he found nothing amiss in the confidential details of the pricing of the Rafale fighter jet contract with France's Dassault group, much to the dismay of opposition parties. In the same court, Justice Dhananjaya Chandrachud seemed to strike a blow to conservative Hindu lobbies that support the BJP when he and his fellow judges ruled that women of reproductive age should no longer be barred from entering the holy shrine to Lord Ayyappan at Sabarimala in Kerala.

However, after seeing violent protests in Kerala last week following the surreptitious entry of some activist women into the Sabarimala temple, I am tempted to think that both the Supreme Court judgements are blessings for the BJP. Here's why.

The Rafale ruling - I hesitate to call it a judgement - took the winds off the sails of the Congress-led opposition in what I would call the urban middle-class constituency. For any party to govern, it is not just enough to win elections. It is also important to get a measure of legitimacy in the urban middle class because it serves as a centre from which thoughts emanate and go back. This is the same social class that produces civil servants, media persons and jurists.

I do believe Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress lost the 1989 elections because he alienated the urban middle class as the BJP and other parties including the Janata Dal led by former Congress finance minister VP Singh successfully drove home the image that the party was lax on corruption and could even be a party to it.

As Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman thundered last week in Parliament in a spirited defence of the Rafale deal, the backing she got from the Supreme Court was such that at the very least, the furore against the BJP's decision to cut down the number of jets and pay a higher price for each in order to fit them with advanced combat capabilities was blunted.

Cut now to Sabarimala in Kerala. You need to look no further than Shashi Tharoor, a poster boy for Westernised, modern urban liberals. Tharoor's position on the temple tilts to the centre at the very least as he cluck-clucks in sympathy with those who want a traditional form of worship that barred women of reproductive age from entering the shrine upheld. The reasons he cited are based on faith, not the kind of egalitarianism that he otherwise espouses. The former UN under-secretary-general is now a grassroots politician for the Congress in Thiruvananthapuram and also recently authored a book, 'Why I Am A Hindu'.

It is clear to me, as it is to him and many Congress leaders, that it is important to stress that they are not anti-Hindu. The BJP has successfully built a narrative of Hinduism being challenged both politically and judicially. Whether its critics like it or not, both Kerala and neighbouring Tamil Nadu have entered the era of what I call post-poverty politics. Cultural issues are increasingly important. The Sabarimala shrine is also popular among Tamilians, thousands of whom make the annual pilgrimage to the mountain temple of Lord Ayyappan across the border. I do believe both Kerala and Tamil Nadu now have a larger Hindutva constituency and the BJP is a political gainer from the Sabarimala protests. In that sense, the Supreme Court verdict is a left-handed (no pun intended) compliment to the BJP's ideological moorings.

The BJP has had no significant presence in either Tamil Nadu or Kerala and has a long way to go in both states. However, the rise of Hindu customs and beliefs has been steady in Tamil Nadu, slowly eclipsing the rationalist, atheist Dravida ideology championed by 'Periyar' EV Ramaswamy Naicker, whose Dravida Kazhagam gave rise to the DMK and the AIADMK.

AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa wore her Hindu beliefs on her sleeves as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister. Tamil Nadu is gossiping about the recent visit to Varanasi by Durga Stalin, the wife of MK Stalin, the president of the DMK. Stalin has been named after one of the world's biggest communist icons. Interesting, isn't it?

At another level, the BJP is more or less in bed with a number of AIADMK functionaries or groups. We have to watch that space as general elections draw near. My guess is that the BJP has found itself a beachhead in Tamil Nadu, something it could barely dream of two decades ago.

Interestingly, the last word is not yet out on both the Supreme Court rulings as both cases have review petitions pending before the highest court of the land. For all we know, there could be twists in the tale. But I do believe the advantage now rests with the BJP. There is a delicious irony in this because Modi's party appears to be gaining in the south, where it was once considered non-existent, while its position is not as secure in the north as it was thought to be. But then, that is another story.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. You can find out more by clicking this linkEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MamaMancini's Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: MMMB), a manufacturer and marketer of specialty pre-prepared, frozen and refrigerated all-natural food products (as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture), will host an investor webinar and live Q&A session on Monday, January 14th at 4:00 p.m. EST.



The webinar will feature a presentation by Carl Wolf, Chairman and CEO, who discusses MamaMancinis competitive positioning, growth opportunities, value proposition, and more. Following the presentation, Mr. Wolf will take questions for attendees. The webinar is in lieu of the cancelled event last week due to technical difficulties.

To view and participate in the webinar, please visit: https://www.redchip.com/events/33/mamamancinis-webinar

About MamaMancinis

MamaMancini's is a marketer and distributor of a line of beef meatballs, turkey meatballs, and chicken meatballs all with sauce, five cheese stuffed beef, turkey and chicken meatballs all with sauce, original beef and turkey meatloaves and bacon gorgonzola beef meatloaf, and other similar Italian cuisine products. The Company's sales have been growing on a consistent basis as the Company expands its distribution channel, which includes major retailers such as Publix, Shop Rite, Jewel, Save Mart, Lucky's, Lunds and Byerlys, SUPERVALU, Safeway, Albertsons, Whole Foods Market, Shaw's, Kings, Roche Bros., Key Foods, Stop & Shop, Giant, Giant Eagle, Foodtown, Sam's Club, SpartanNash, Hy-Vee, Topps, Kroger, Shoppers, Marsh, King Kullen, Central Markets, Weis Markets, Ingles, and The Fresh Market. The Company sells to distributors such as Sysco, AWI, UNFI, Driscoll Foods, SUPERVALU, Monterrey Provision Co., Burris Logistics and C&S Wholesale Grocers. In addition, the Company sells a wide variety of its products through QVC, the world's largest direct to consumer marketer, via on air presentations, auto ship programs, and direct purchases through the internet.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may," "future," "plan" or "planned," "will" or "should," "expected," "anticipates," "draft," "eventually" or "projected." You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in the Company's 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2017 and other filings made by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contact:

Carl Wolf

Chairman and CEO

MamaMancinis Holdings, Inc.

Stock Symbol: MMMB

973-985-0280Noul pod peste Dunare, Golden Gate-ul de la Braila. Se lucreaza la 192 de metri deasupra solului VIDEO

Podul suspendat peste Dunare de la Braila va fi cea mai inalta constructie din Romania. Firele de otel care care vor forma cele doua cabluri de ancoraj vor avea o lungime de 81.000 de kilometri. [citeste mai departe]ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE  Immune Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCQB:IMUN) (Immune Therapeutics, IMUN or the Company), a late stage clinical biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of therapies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases, cancer and HIV/AIDS has announced today that Kevin Phelps, CPA, has been appointed to its Board of Directors.



Kevin Phelps is a finance and business development professional who has spent his career determining, satisfying and managing the operational needs of a wide range of companies. With greater than 25 years of broad, professional corporate experience, Mr. Phelps has held senior management positions, successfully raising capital for startup companies, managing financial organizations and developing new businesses through technology, strategic alliances and acquisition projects.

Mr. Phelps is a General Partner in Trillium Group, LLC, a Rochester, New York based venture capital firm and a Founder of Cashel Rock Advisors and FinanciaLink Strategic Alliances, two private wealth management firms specializing in strategies for corporations and high net-worth individuals.

His professional experience began as a CPA with Price Waterhouse (now PwC), where he consulted with over 20 companies with a principal focus on emerging growth opportunities. In 1987, he was recruited to head financial planning for Eastman Kodaks BioProducts Division. He assisted in the spinoff of the business into an international joint venture and became the Chief Financial Officer of the new entity, Genencor International, Inc. In this role, he created and managed Genencors finance and treasury groups and established the companys accounting and reporting practices. He raised in excess of $100 million in debt capital to fund Genencors operations and expansion. He also served as Vice President of New Business Development.

We are very pleased to welcome Mr. Phelps to our Board of Directors. His extensive experience as a finance specialist, along with his deep knowledge of business development and operations, will assist the company in moving to the forefront of specialized pharmaceuticals, stated Noreen Griffin, President and CEO of Immune Therapeutics, Inc.

I am excited to join Immune Therapeutics Board of Directors and to contribute my experience in entrepreneurial ventures. Immune Therapeutics has great potential, and I intend to assist in maximizing this potential to bring unprecedented ROI for investors, said Mr. Phelps.

I look forward to working with Mr. Phelps. Mr. Phelpss proven leadership in business and finance make him an excellent addition to IMUNs Board, stated Dr. Roscoe Moore, Chairman of Immune Therapeutics Board of Directors, member of the companys Scientific Advisory Board, and Former United States Assistant Surgeon General.

ABOUT IMMUNE THERAPEUTICS, INC.

Immune Therapeutics Inc. is a late stage clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of our highly innovative immunotherapies. IMUN is a biotechnology company developing T-Activation immunotherapies to achieve immunomodulation in patients with autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, cancer and other infectious disease.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ from those projected due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the possibility that some or all the matters and transactions considered by the Company may not proceed as contemplated, and by all other matters specified in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These statements are made based upon current expectations that are subject to risk and uncertainty. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements in this news release to reflect actual results, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting such forward-looking information. Assumptions and other information that could cause results to differ from those set forth in the forward-looking information can be found in the Companys filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov), including its recent periodic reports.

888-613-8802Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 23:41:12|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

MOSCOW, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that he is unaware of a plan to exchange the suspected U.S. spy Paul Whelan for the Russian agent Maria Butina, who is being detained in the United States.

"I have not heard any statements about this and so I can't say anything," Peskov told reporters commenting on media speculations about the possible exchange.

But he noted that Moscow never uses people as "pawns" in a diplomatic game.

"Russia conducts counterintelligence activity against those who are suspected of espionage. This is done on a regular basis," he said.

Whelan, a U.S. national, was detained on Dec. 28 in Moscow on suspicion of espionage. On Dec. 31, the Russian Federal Security Service said it had initiated a criminal case against him.

It was discovered later that Whelan also held a Canadian, a British and an Irish passport.

Whelan's family was quoted by media as saying that the 48-year-old former U.S. Marine traveled to Moscow to attend a friend's wedding.

The incident came after Butina pleaded guilty in a Washington court on Dec. 13 to a single conspiracy charge, admitting that she had acted as an unregistered foreign agent to advance Moscow's interests.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Butina was "literally compelled to admit to absolutely absurd charges" due to unbearable conditions created for her in a U.S. prison.

It said Moscow regarded Butina as a political prisoner and would continue working on her release and return home.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 06:42:56|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

LONDON, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Britain and Japan will launch a program of 30 million pounds (38.4 million U.S. dollars) of initial funding for cutting-edge technology to boost innovation and create high-skilled jobs.

The move was announced on Wednesday, one day ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to Britain.

An official statement from the British prime minister's office said that researchers from Britain and Japan will explore designing robotic systems for the ageing populations, finding new treatments for chronic conditions like dementia and heart failure and new forms of greener transport and energy storing.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said that her country and Japan are facing many of the same challenges and also immense opportunities.

Britain will also vow to increase the number of combined exercises between the defense forces of the two countries and "strengthen maritime co-operation", according to the statement.

"As the UK prepares to leave the European Union, we raise our horizons towards the rest of the world," May said.

During Abe's visit, the two leaders will attend a briefing chaired by British Security Minister Ben Wallace and also discuss Brexit.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 06:32:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

CHICAGO, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) soybean futures ended higher Wednesday, as traders are awaiting more hints about U.S.-China trade talks.

CBOT soybeans firmed on optimism about the U.S.-China trade after talks between governmental representatives from the two countries lasted a day longer than scheduled.

The most active corn contract for March delivery went up 2 cents, or 0.53 percent to close at 3.82 dollars per bushel. March wheat delivery was up 2.25 cents, or 0.43 percent to close at 5.2 dollars per bushel. March soybean delivery was up 5.5 cents, or 0.6 percent to close at 9.24 dollars per bushel.

Wheat futures rose for 5 consecutive sessions as rising prices in rival exporting countries such as Russia stoked expectations of a pickup in demand for U.S. shipments.

Corn futures also went up as traders turned to short covering after their prices declined in the previous session.

Spillover support from sharply higher crude oil prices and a weaker greenback, which makes dollar-denominated goods more attractive to buyers holding other currencies, offered further support to grains.

As for weather forecast for agricultural crop, cold weather is hitting parts of the U.S. states of Illinois and Indiana Wednesday morning with temperatures in the single digits in Fahrenheit degrees in some areas, according to the National Weather Service.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 06:02:45|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday announced the appointment of Jan Kubis of Slovakia as his special coordinator for Lebanon, the UN press office said in a statement.

Kubis succeeds Acting Special Coordinator Pernille Dahler Kardel of Denmark, to whom Guterres is grateful for her dedication and leadership of the office, the statement said.

Kubis, who served as special representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) from 2015 to 2018, brings with him many years of experience in diplomacy, foreign security policy, and international economic relations, both internationally and in his own country.

He served as special representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) from 2011 to 2015, the executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe from 2009 to 2011, as minister for foreign affairs of Slovakia from 2006 to 2009, as chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe from 2007 to 2008, and as secretary-general of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) from 1999 to 2005.

Kubis is a graduate in international economic relations of the Moscow State Institute of International Affairs and speaks Slovak, Czech, English, Russian and basic French. Born in 1952, he is married and has one daughter.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 05:57:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

NEW YORK, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Oil prices surged on Wednesday, sending the crude in a bull market for an increase of 23 percent from a trough in December, as U.S. crude oil inventories shrank last week.

U.S. commercial crude oil inventories decreased by 1.7 million barrels from the week ending Jan. 4. At 439.7 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories were about 8 percent above the five year average for this time of year, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in a weekly report on Wednesday.

The falling inventories came amid rising crude imports, which recorded an average of 7.8 million barrels per day (bpd) last week, the report said, further easing concerns of oversupply across the globe.

Over the past four weeks, U.S. crude oil imports averaged about 7.6 million bpd, 3.6 percent less than the same four-week period last year.

The positive momentum for crude was also driven by an upbeat stock market, which was boosted by hopes of good results from the just-concluded trade talks between U.S. trade representatives and Chinese officials in Beijing, China's Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday.

The outcomes of the talks "will be out soon," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang told reporters, adding "I believe if they are good outcomes, not only China and the U.S., but also the world economy, would stand to benefit."

"Talks with China are going very well!" U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted earlier Tuesday, without giving details.

The West Texas Intermediate for February delivery surged 2.58 U.S. dollars to settle at 52.36 dollars a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, while Brent crude for March delivery rose 2.72 dollars to close at 61.44 dollars a barrel on the London ICE Futures Exchange.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 05:52:43|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

DAMASCUS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-led coalition fired 15 missiles on the last two towns controlled by the Islamic State (IS) group in the eastern Euphrates River region in eastern Syria on Wednesday, a war monitor reported.

The coalition's shelling targeted the towns of Baghous and Sousseh, the last two IS-controlled towns in the eastern countryside of Deir al-Zour province, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The watchdog group said the shelling was coupled with intense battles between the IS group and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is aiming to dislodge IS from the last redoubts in the eastern Euphrates region.

Meanwhile, the coalition sent seven U.S. military vehicles to the frontline areas on Wednesday afternoon.

It's worth noting that the SDF with the help of the U.S.-led coalition succeeded to strip IS of key areas, such as Raqqa in 2017, as the city was the de facto capital of the terror-labeled group.

The Kurdish-led group has also been on a wide-scale offensive against IS in the eastern Euphrates since last September, during which they managed to take some important IS strongholds with the backing of the U.S. and now besieging the group in the last two towns.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 05:32:38|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

RABAT, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Morocco's King Mohammed VI congratulated on Wednesday Andry Nirina Rajoelina following his election as president of Madagascar.

In his congratulatory message, the king expressed to Rajoelina his heartfelt congratulations and best wishes for success in fulfilling his mission.

The king recalled his visit to Madagascar in November 2016, stressing that it was an opportunity to "lay the foundation for closer cooperation" which resolutely focuses on supporting Madagascar's efforts in sustainable development.

He also underlined his strong determination to work along with President Rajoelina to develop the bilateral partnership between the two countries to serve the interests of the two brotherly peoples and promote peace, stability and development in the African continent.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 05:22:35|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Yemeni government and Houthi rebels have largely honored their commitments to the Hodeidah cease-fire, said Martin Griffiths, the United Nations special envoy to Yemen, on Wednesday.

"I am pleased to report that both sides have largely adhered to the cease-fire in Hodeidah governorate that entered into force on Dec. 18, and there has been a significant decrease in hostilities since then," Griffiths told the Security Council.

There has been some violence, including in Hodeidah city, and in the southern districts of the governorate. However, the violence is very limited compared with the scale before the Stockholm Agreement, he said.

"This relative calm, I believe, indicates the tangible benefit of the Stockholm Agreement for the Yemeni people and the continued commitment of the parties to making the agreement work," said Griffiths via a video link from Amman, Jordan.

Thanks to the swift authorization of the Stockholm Agreement by the Security Council through Resolution 2451, the United Nations has deployed an advance monitoring team to Hodeidah under the leadership of Patrick Cammaert of the Netherlands, he said. "This rapid deployment has given a clear signal to the parties and the Yemeni people of the international community's desire to turn the agreement into facts on the ground."

Gen. Cammaert has already chaired several meetings of the Redeployment Coordination Committee, with participation from representatives of both parties, to oversee the implementation of the Hodeidah cease-fire agreement.

He is working with the parties on the details of the redeployments of forces, provision of security in the city and the opening of humanitarian access routes agreed in Stockholm, said Griffiths.

"The activation of the Redeployment Coordination Committee is very welcome, and I urge both parties to continue to engage regularly and in good faith with Gen. Cammaert and his team so that the security arrangements and improvements in humanitarian access can be implemented swiftly, in line with what was agreed in Stockholm," he said.

"This will build the confidence of the parties, the Yemeni people and the international community in the implementation of the agreement and will lay the groundwork for further progress in the next round of consultations," he said.

Griffiths was briefing the Security Council on the implementation of the commitments made by the parties in Stockholm in December 2018, which were collectively known as the Stockholm Agreement.

Apart from the Hodeidah cease-fire, the parties also agreed on a mechanism for prisoner exchange and reached an understanding on the city of Taiz, another frontline city.

On the agreement for prisoner swap, Griffiths said the United Nations is working with both parties to finalize the lists of prisoners submitted by each party in Stockholm.

"As agreed in Stockholm, we plan to hold a meeting of the Supervisory Committee to follow up on the prisoner exchanges on Monday, Jan. 14 in Amman. I hope these talks will allow many thousands of prisoners to go home and be reunited with their families."

Regarding Taiz, Griffiths said the parties agreed in Stockholm on the creation of mechanisms to reach consensus on how to address the situation there. Taiz is of enormous historic significance for Yemen as a whole and the city and its people have been a driving force in Yemen's economic and cultural life for many years, he said.

"I have talked with the parties and many prominent Taizis, and they all want the city to return to calm and for the people to have hope that the city will flourish once again. I am very happy that the Stockholm consultations provided a platform for them to agree to start working on this. I must therefore welcome the steps taken by the parties toward the creation of the mechanisms agreed in Stockholm, including the nomination of members of a joint committee."

The next step is for the joint committee to meet and agree on a peaceful way forward for the city and its people, he said.

The UN envoy commended the commitment and patience of the warring parties after the Stockholm consultations in mid-December. "Progress on implementation has been gradual and tentative, but it has made a tangible contribution to peace. There are doubtless many hurdles to be overcome in the days, weeks and months ahead, but the parties must not be diverted from their commitments."

The parties need to exert restraint in their media rhetoric, he said.

"I am under no illusion that these are very sensitive and challenging days for both parties and for Yemen as a whole. The war goes on in other parts of the country. Which is why we need to make progress quickly."

He indicated that the United Nations may not need to hurry into another round of talks. "We need to convene the next round but we need substantive progress on what was agreed in Stockholm. Otherwise the next round will only be a forum to discuss achievements of round 1. I heard this from both parties."

The parties had agreed on a second round of talks for January 2019.Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe attend a meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Russia Summit in Singapore on November 14, 2018. (SPUTNIK PHOTO)

MOSCOW, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday slammed the recent statements of Japan on the peace treaty with Russia as an attempt to stir up tensions around four disputed Pacific islands.

The ministry said it had summoned Japanese Ambassador Toyohisa Kozuki and told him it had drew attention to Tokyo's recent remarks, in particular, those about the need to prepare the inhabitants for the transfer of the islands to Japan and about dropping a demand for compensation from Russia.

It accused the remarks of "grossly distorting the essence of the agreements between the leaders of Russia and Japan to accelerate the negotiation process" and "disorienting the public of both countries."

"Such statements can only be interpreted as an attempt to artificially incite the atmosphere around the problem of a peace treaty and to force its own scenario of settlement on the other side," the ministry said in a statement.

Russia and Japan have not signed a post-World War II peace treaty due to their rival claims to four Pacific islands, called the Southern Kurils in Russia and the Northern Territories in Japan.

The four islands used to belong to Japan, which were seized by the Soviet Union after the war and were incorporated into Russia following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Tokyo maintains that Moscow illegally occupied the islands.

According to a joint declaration signed in 1956, Russia agreed to return two of the islands after a bilateral peace treaty is signed, while Japan refused to sign such an agreement, insisting on the return of all four islands.

Russia's principled position remains unchanged on Japan's "unconditional recognition" of the results of World War II, including Russia's Sovereignty over the islands, the foreign ministry said.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is scheduled to visit Russia around Jan. 21 and hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to Russian media.NEW YORK, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Klein Law Firm announces that class action complaints have been filed on behalf of shareholders of the following companies. If you suffered a loss you have until the lead plaintiff deadline to request that the court appoint you as lead plaintiff.

Ternium S.A. (NYSE: TX)

Class Period: May 1, 2014 to November 27, 2018

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: January 28, 2019

The lawsuit alleges that Ternium S.A. made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Defendant Paolo Rocca, Terniums Chairman, knew that one of his companys executives paid cash to government officials from 2009 to 2012 to expedite compensation payments for the sale of Terniums Sidor unit; (2) this conduct would lead Rocca to be charged in a graft scheme and subject Ternium, its affiliates, and/or its executives to heightened governmental scrutiny; and (3) as a result, Terniums public statements were materially false and/or misleading at all relevant times.

On November 27, 2018, Bloomberg reported that Rocca was indicted for his role in a graft scheme. According to the article, The judge charged Rocca after the Argentine billionaire testified that one of his companys executives paid an undisclosed amount of cash to government officials in monthly installments from 2009 to 2012. The officials were allegedly working for then-President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchners administration to speed up a compensation payment from Venezuelas Hugo Chavez for the nationalization of Sidor, a unit that had been seized by Venezuela. Roccas group was compensated with $1.95 billion for the unit.

Get additional information about the TX lawsuit: http://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/ternium-s-a-loss-submission-form?wire=3

Cheetah Mobile Inc. (NYSE: CMCM)

Class Period: April 26, 2017 to November 27, 2018

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: January 29, 2019

Cheetah Mobile Inc. allegedly made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Cheetah Mobiles apps had undisclosed imbedded features which tracked when users downloaded new apps; (2) Cheetah Mobile used this data to inappropriately claim credit for having caused the downloads; (3) the foregoing features, when discovered, would foreseeably subject Cheetah Mobiles apps to removal from the Google Play store; (4) accordingly, Cheetah Mobiles revenues during the relevant period were in part the product of improper conduct and thus unsustainable; and (5) as a result, Cheetah Mobiles public statements were materially false and misleading at all relevant times.

Get additional information about the CMCM lawsuit: http://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/cheetah-mobile-inc-loss-submission-form?wire=3

CURO Group Holdings Corp. (NYSE: CURO)

Class Period: July 31, 2018 to October 24, 2018

Lead Plaintiff Deadline: February 4, 2019

The complaint alleges that throughout the class period Defendants materially misrepresented to investors the deleterious effect that the up-front loan loss provisioning in connection with a transition of its Canadian inventory to Open-Ended loans was having on the Companys financial performance and 2018 full-year Company guidance. Because CUROs Open-End Loans had a materially lower lending yield than the Single-Pay Products, and the portfolio of Open-End Loans was still immature and unseasoned, the up-front loan loss provisioning for these loans was far greater than publicly revealed (and the yield far lower). This caused the Company to materially overstate its 2018 projected financial results, including CUROs adjusted EBITDA, net revenue and operating earnings.

Get additional information about the CURO lawsuit: http://www.kleinstocklaw.com/pslra-1/curo-group-holdings-corp-loss-submission-form?wire=3

Your ability to share in any recovery doesnt require that you serve as a lead plaintiff. There is no cost or obligation to you. If you suffered a loss during the class period and wish to obtain additional information, please contact J. Klein, Esq. by telephone at 212-616-4899 or visit the webpages provided.

J. Klein, Esq. represents investors and participates in securities litigations involving financial fraud throughout the nation. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 04:37:27|Editor: WX

Video Player Close

MADRID, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and the other is missing after a light aircraft crashed in the Basque Region in northern Spain on Wednesday, according to rescue services.

The accident happened at around 14:00 p.m. local time on the 1,078-meter high Mount Hernio, in the province of Gipuzkoa, which was covered in mist at the time.

A local resident heard an explosion and informed the Basque regional police.

Nationality of the two people on board remains unknown.

The aircraft involved in the accident was reported as a UK registered Piper, which had taken off from the Portuguese town of Cascais earlier in the day on-route to the airport at Hondarribia, which is close to the border between Spain and France.

Rescue services were quickly on the scene, although the work of a rescue helicopter was severely limited by the adverse weather conditions.

The burned out wreckage of the plate was discovered at around 15:45 p.m. local time along with the body of one of the two on board. The search for the second person had to be suspended shortly after 18:00 p.m. due to the lack of light.

The area around the crash site has been sealed off by investigators. Rescue services will renew their search for the second person on Thursday, although there is little hope of finding them alive.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 04:32:26|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

RABAT, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Morocco produced 35 percent of its electrical power in 2018 from renewable energy sources, said here on Wednesday Moroccan Minister of Energy, Mining and Sustainable Development Aziz Rabbah.

Morocco switched on an additional 840 megawatt in 2018, raising the country's renewable energy capacity to more than 3,677 megawatt, Rabbah told a press conference.

This capacity includes 700 megawatt of solar energy, 1,207 megawatt of wind energy and 1,770 megawatt of hydroelectric energy, he added.

By reaching this capacity, Morocco seems on track to meet its foreseeable goal of producing 42 percent of its electrical power from renewable energy by 2020.

The North African kingdom also aims to produce 52 percent of its electricity from clean energy by 2030.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 04:12:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- South Africa's gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to grow 1.3 percent in 2019, said World Bank in its Global Economic Prospects report released on Tuesday evening.

"South Africa is projected to accelerate modestly to a 1.3 percent pace, amid constraints on domestic demand and limited government spending. High unemployment and slow growth in household credit extension are expected to constrain domestic demand in 2019," the bank stated.

While the country's economic growth has been sluggish for more than five years, predictions show that this trend would continue for the coming years. The growth is projected to be at 1.7 percent and 1.9 percent in 2020 and 2021 respectively.

While South Africa's growth would be moderate, the sub-Saharan Africa region's growth is expected to accelerate to 3.4 percent this year. Nigeria and Angola are predicted to grow 2.2 percent and 2.9 percent respectively.

Jannie Rossouw, head of School of Economics and Business Science at Wits University, told Xinhua that South Africa needs policy certainty to boost its economic growth.

"The year's growth projection is much better that the 2018 version. It shows that we are on a rising growth trajectory, but we need much more higher growth to make inroads into unemployment. The government needs to urgently re-think its economic policy," Rossouw added.

South Africa's GDP growth rebounded to 2.2 percent in the third quarter after recovering from a technical recession in the first half of 2018.

In December, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni reached out to leading economists and other experts in an effort to come up with new ideas that would boost the struggling economy.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 03:27:11|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

KIEV, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko on Wednesday signed a decree to send officers from the Ukrainian Armed Forces to participate in the United Nations (UN) peacekeeping mission in Mali, the presidential press service said.

Up to 20 Ukrainian officers will be dispatched to assist in maintaining the international peace in the framework of the UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, said the decree published on the Ukrainian presidential website.

Since 1992, more 44,000 Ukrainian servicemen have participated in 26 international peacekeeping missions.

Currently, a total of 339 Ukrainian peacekeepers are serving overseas on eight peacekeeping operations.File Photo: Soldiers of the Yemeni pro-government forces stand on a military vehicle in Hodeidah, Yemen, on Nov. 15, 2018. (Xinhua)

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese envoy on Wednesday called on the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels to strictly implement the cease-fire agreement in Hodeidah governorate.

Endorsed in Sweden by both the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels in December, the agreement provided for a cease-fire in Hodeidah governorate and the mutual redeployment of forces from Hodeidah city and the three ports that have been under Houthi control.

"Parties in Yemen have largely adhered to the cease-fire, and recently there has been a decrease in hostilities," said Ma Zhaoxu, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, in a Security Council meeting.

"Yet challenges remain," said the Chinese ambassador, adding that there has been some violence in the area, and the humanitarian convoy cannot be deployed because the main road from Hodeidah to Sanaa has still not been re-opened as agreed.

The redeployment of both parties' armed forces should be completed on time according to the established time frame, he said.

Ma also called on all parties in Yemen to show more goodwill toward each other, to build trust and to achieve an inclusive political solution as soon as possible.

Political means is the only way to resolve the crisis. China stands ready to continue its constructive role in search for a solution, he said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 02:52:01|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

NICOSIA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Natural gas drilling on behalf of an ExxonMobil-Qatar Petroleum consortium in a Cypriot offshore block has been completed, but the companies and the government agreed to announce the results later, Cyprus' Energy Minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis said on Wednesday.

He added that the drilling ship has already moved from the drilling target called Delphine-1 in Cypriot block 10 to a new target named Glafcos-1 in the same block.

"We hope that the procedure will be completed very soon. In agreement with the companies the results of the two drillings will be jointly made in due time," Lakkotrypis said.

He added that the targets, which have a different geological structure, have been chosen by the consortium itself.

Drilling for natural gas is closely watched by the European Union, following the discovery of gas fields by Israel, Cyprus and Egypt in the eastern Mediterranean, which may become an alternative or a supplementary source of supply to European countries.

Drilling by Exxon-Mobil started on Nov. 16 amid high expectations, as block 10 is close to the giant Egyptian Zohr gas field discovered by Italian ENI.

It was the first drilling in the Cypriot offshore exclusive economic zone.

Turkey, which does not recognize Cyprus as a state, and claims that Cyprus has neither an exclusive economic zone nor a continental shelf, had kept a close watch on previous drilling activities by Cyprus and in one instance the Turkish navy prevented ENI from starting a drilling.

However, in statements to the parliamentary foreign policy committee in Ankara, which may ring a change in policies or tactics, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that Ankara "is not against drilling activities in the eastern Mediterranean".

"We too are starting drilling off the coast of Cyprus. The stability of the region is important for us. We are following developments closely but the rights of the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus' must be guaranteed and protected".

Turkey occupied part of Cyprus in a 1974 military operation, in response to a coup engineered by the military rulers of Greece at the time, and eventually set up a breakaway state, recognized only by Ankara.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 01:56:49|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

KAMPONG SPEU, Cambodia, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia dispatched the eighth batch of 184 peacekeepers to Lebanon on Wednesday to replace the seventh group, whose one-year United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon has come to an end.

The military engineering group, including 13 women, would work on landmine clearance, road, bridge and shelter construction, and humanitarian tasks during their mission there, said Pol Saroeun, a senior minister in charge of sending troops to the U.N. peacekeeping missions.

"The ceremony today once again demonstrates Cambodia's active contribution to the U.N. peacekeeping missions in maintaining peace, security and stability in the world," he said during a farewell ceremony held at the Training School for Multinational Peacekeeping Forces here.

Sem Sovanny, director-general of the National Centre for Peacekeeping Forces, said the Southeast Asian nation first sent troops overseas on the U.N. peacekeeping missions in 2006.

To date, the country has provided a total of 5,785 troops, including 277 women, to partake in the U.N. peacekeeping operations, he said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 01:41:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

WARSAW, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Poland and Italy have vowed to strengthen the European Union and ensure the safety of its citizens, Polish Interior and Administration Minister Joachim Brudzinski said here on Wednesday.

As integral parts of the EU, Poland and Italy have no plans to leave the community. Instead, they want to have an influence on what the common European home is going to look like, Brudzinski told a press conference convened after a meeting with his Italian counterpart Matteo Salvini.

It is a "mission impossible" for anyone who wants to place the two countries in an anti-European position, said the Polish minister.

He assured that cooperation between Poland and Italy will continue, and stressed that both countries want to strengthen the EU.

"We want to ensure the safety of the whole community and reform it in such a way that it is closer to the citizens," he said.

In addition, the two ministers discussed topics related to migration and the situation in North Africa and the Middle East.

"I would like to stress that in Poland's opinion, for people affected by war conflicts, the most effective is on-site assistance, meaning on the site where the citizens of these countries are experiencing a real tragedy," said Brudzinski.

He added that the Polish government had increased the amount of money available for humanitarian and development aid every year.

"In the year 2017, the amount of aid was six times higher than in 2015, and this strategy was consistently implemented also in 2018," he said.

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Italy and Poland are seeking to create a "new spring" in Europe and a "new balance" in order to revive the "real European values".

Apart from meeting with Brudzinski, Salvini also met with Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and the leader of the ruling right-wing PiS party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 01:31:37|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BUDAPEST, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Hungarian government has purchased the famous 19th century Hungarian painter Mihaly Munkacsy's monumental painting Golgotha, Minister of the Prime Minister's Office Gergely Gulyas said at a press conference here on Wednesday.

"The government purchased the painting from Hungarian-born American art collector Imre Pakh for 3 billion forints (10.75 million U.S. dollars)," Gulyas said.

Golgotha (1884) is part of a trilogy, and the acquisition means that all three pieces of Munkacsy's famous Christ Trilogy are now owned by the Hungarian state.

The state had already owned Ecce Homo! (1896) for years and bought Christ before Pilate (1881) from Canada's Art Gallery of Hamilton for 5.7 million U.S. dollars in 2015, with funding from the National Bank of Hungary's program to buy national art treasures, according to Gulyas.

The purchase of the famous painting was preceded by several years of negotiations. In 2015, talks between the Hungarian government and Pakh on the possible sale of Golgotha to the state collapsed and Pakh was ready to have the painting removed from Deri Museum in Debrecen, eastern Hungary, where it had been exhibited as a property of Pakh.

The government later initiated a procedure to place Golgotha on a list of protected artworks to prevent it from being permanently removed from the country. In response, Pakh ordered the painting to be veiled from public view.

In 2016, the Hungarian heritage authority decided to give Golgotha protected status. Pakh appealed the decision, but his claim was rejected.

The following year, Hungary's supreme court ordered a retrial in the case.

Last year, the government and Pakh entered into negotiations on the painting's purchase and a deal has finally been found.

Munkacsy (1844-1900) earned international recognition for his genre pictures and large-scale biblical paintings.

The Munkacsy trilogy has only been known in Hungary since the 1990s, as the painting had earlier been in the United States for decades. Since then, the Hungarian audience could see the pictures at several successful exhibitions.

The three paintings are exhibited in Deri Museum in Debrecen, which is two hours away by car from Budapest.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 00:51:32|Editor: WX

Video Player Close

TOKYO, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government said Wednesday an uninhabited island in the southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima will be purchased by March to be used by Japanese forces, as well as for U.S. military aircraft to practice carrier landings.

Japan's top government spokesperson told a press briefing on the matter Wednesday that along with U.S. military drills to be held on Mage Island, located 12 km west of Kagoshima's Tanegashima Island, the government is also mulling the use of the island for Japan's Self-Defense Forces' (SDF) operations.

"We will work to build a permanent facility on the island as soon as possible," said Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

The government's plan to build a new SDF base on the island has been met with staunch criticism from residents of neighboring Tanegashima Island, who have voiced their concern about the potential for military-linked accidents and noise pollution.

Shunsuke Yaita, mayor of Nishinoomote, a city on the island of Tanegashima, is opposed to the central government's plans. He said the city will continue with discussions on alternative ways Mage Island could be utilized.

"Even if the acquisition is completed, we will keep discussing how to utilize Mage Island and make proposals to the government," Yaita was quoted as saying of the island, which spans 8.2 square km and has a circumference of 16.5 km.

Drills by the accident-prone tilt-rotor Ospreys based at the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa, may be transferred to Mage, the government here has intimated, along with the construction of a new SDF facility.

This has added to the concerns of Tanegashima residents who are cognizant of the checkered safety history of the plane, which can take off and land like a helicopter and fly like a fixed-winged aircraft.

In August 2017, a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey made an emergency landing in Japan's Oita Prefecture on the eastern coast of Kyushu, and another Osprey made a crash-landing off Nago in Okinawa in December 2016.

The government's negotiations with the island's majority land owner, a development company based in Tokyo, have been protracted following the company initially asking 40 billion yen (367 million U.S. dollars) for the land.

Sources close to the matter have said that the government is close to sealing a deal with the owner to acquire the land on the island for 16 billion yen (146 million U.S. dollars).

The planned acquisition of the island is the result of a U.S. military realignment pact inked between Japan and the U.S. in June 2011.CLEVELAND, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Applied Industrial Technologies (NYSE: AIT) today announced plans to release its fiscal 2019 second quarter financial results on Thursday, January 24, 2019, before the market opens. The Companys fiscal 2019 second quarter ended December 31, 2018.

The quarterly conference call for investors and analysts will begin at 10 a.m. ET on January 24. Neil A. Schrimsher  President & CEO, and David K. Wells  CFO will discuss the Companys performance. A supplemental investor deck detailing latest quarter results will be available for reference on the Investor Relations portion of the Companys website at www.applied.com. To join the call, dial 877-311-4351 (toll free) or 614-999-9139 (International callers) using conference ID 2388424.

A live audio webcast can be accessed online through the investor relations portion of the Companys website at www.applied.com. To help ensure you do not miss any of the conference call, please dial-in or link to the call 10-15 minutes prior to the scheduled start. Replays of the call will be made available for two weeks via webcast or telephone by dialing 855-859-2056 or 800-585-8367 (both toll free), or 404-537-3406 (International) using conference ID 2388424.

About Applied

Founded in 1923, Applied Industrial Technologies is a leading distributor of bearings, power transmission products, engineered fluid power components and systems, specialty flow control solutions, and other industrial supplies, serving MRO and OEM customers in virtually every industry. In addition, Applied provides engineering, design and systems integration for industrial, fluid power, and flow control applications, as well as customized mechanical, fabricated rubber, fluid power, and flow control shop services. Applied also offers storeroom services and inventory management solutions that provide added value to its customers. For more information, visit www.applied.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION

INVESTOR RELATIONS

David K. Wells

Vice President  Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer

216-426-4755

CORPORATE & MEDIA RELATIONS

Julie A. Kho

Manager, Public Relations

216-426-4483Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 00:21:27|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

RAMALLAH, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A senior Palestinian official announced on Wednesday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will hold a meeting with the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York next week.

Reyad Mansour, the permanent representative of Palestine in the United Nations (UN), told Voice of Palestine Radio that Abbas will fly to the UN on Tuesday for chairing the Group of 77 (G77) and China.

The G77 is a large coalition of developing countries at the UN, designed to promote its members' collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity. Egypt is the chairman of the group in 2018.

Mansour said that Abbas will discuss with Guterres several issues, mainly the implementation of the UN Security Council's Resolution 2334 which considered the Israeli settlement activities in the Palestinian territories "illegal."

The Palestinian diplomat announced that Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri, Guterres and senior UN officials will attend the ceremony of moving the chair of the G77 and China from Egypt to Palestine.

Meanwhile, Abdul Rahim al-Farra, the ambassador of the state of Palestine to the European Union (EU), told Voice of Palestine Radio that several meetings are held in both Cairo and Brussels to prepare for the EU-Arab Summit scheduled in Cairo on Jan. 24.

Al-Farra expected that the summit's final statement will be committed to the principle of the two-state solution with East Jerusalem as the capital of the state of Palestine and rejecting "illegal Israeli settlement."

Earlier on Wednesday, the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Israel of burying any attempt to revive the stalled Middle East Peace Process.

The ministry said in a statement that "Israel is blocking any chance for making peace by increasing settlement activities, mainly building up more settlements and increasing the number of settlers in the occupied West Bank."File photo taken on Sept. 4, 2017 shows displaced Rohingya refugees from Rakhine state in Myanmar walking near Ukhia, at the border between Bangladesh and Myanmar. (Xinhua/AFP)

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Renewed violence in Myanmar's northern state of Rakhine, where about a million Rohingya have fled since 2017, has displaced thousands of people in the past week, a UN spokesman said on Tuesday.

Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, said that since the latest eruption of violence last Friday, an estimated 4,500 people have fled their homes in the state.

The violence was touched off by a rebel raid on government security forces, the same tactic by the Rohingya in August 2017 triggering alleged military retribution, which led to the Muslim minority exodus from the largely Buddhist nation.

"The UN Acting Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for Myanmar, Knut Ostby, is deeply concerned about the situation in northern and central Rakhine state," Dujarric told reporters at a regular briefing, adding he regrets the loss of life and offers his deepest sympathies to the families of the police officers who were killed.

According to published reports, 13 police officers were killed in the raid on four posts in Buthidaung of Rakhine and the military set out to clear militants from the area.

In addition, some 2,500 people were uprooted in December by increased violence in the state.

All sides have been urged to ensure the protection of civilians and uphold their responsibilities under international humanitarian and human rights law, Dujarric said.

"Ostby further appeals to all sides to intensify efforts to find a peaceful solution to the situation and to ensure humanitarian access to all people affected by the violence," he said.

In the 2017 exodus, more than 900,000 Rohingya Muslims fled to neighboring Bangladesh and another 200,000 into India, Thailand and other Southeast Asian nations, according to the UN Refugee Agency.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 00:06:24|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

KIEV, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ukraine is counting on receiving sniper rifles from Canada this year, Ukraine' s Ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko said on Wednesday.

"I expect that this year the first batch will be delivered to Ukraine," Shevchenko said in an interview with the Ukrainian government-run Ukrinform news agency.

Ukraine has already received permission from the Canadian government to purchase long-range sniper rifles in Canada, Shevchenko said.

In August 2017, Canadian weapons manufacturer PGW Defence Technologies said it planned to deliver LRT-3 rifles with an effective range of 1,800 meters to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.

In December 2017, Canada added Ukraine to its Automatic Firearms Country Control List, allowing its exporters to sell weapons to the East European country.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 00:06:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

JOHANNESBURG, Jan.9 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Zambian counterpart Edgar Lungu have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to release the presidential election results.

Lungu, the chairperson for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation, is on a working visit to South Africa.

"Presidents Ramaphosa and Lungu have called on CENI to speedily finalize the vote tabulation and release the election results in order to maintain the credibility of elections," said South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya on Wednesday.

"The two Presidents underscored that the delay in releasing the results of the elections can lead to suspicions and compromise peace and stability of the country," said Mabaya.

He stated that Ramaphosa and Lungu were briefed by the Zambian Foreign Minister Joseph Malanji who led the SADC Electoral Observer Mission during elections in DRC. The two Presidents believe the elections were generally peaceful and the right to vote was protected considering the number of voters, vast area had to be covered and the new technology implemented by the CENI.

"The two Presidents also called on all the political parties and the generality of Congolese to remain calm and exercise total restraint while waiting for CENI a constitutionally mandated authority to release the final results," said Mabaya.

Ramaphosa and Lungu also agreed to monitor the situation in DRC and committed SADC's support and solidarity, said Mabaya.

DRC held elections on Dec. 30 last year and the result was scheduled to be announced on Jan.6.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 00:06:22|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

LONDON, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) unveiled its nominations for this year's film awards Wednesday, with The Favourite dominating the nominations.

The Favourite, a love-triangle comedy set in the 18th century British court of Queen Anne and featuring three women as top stars, headed the field with 12 nominations, including best director for Yorgos Lanthimos, and both Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone who battle each other in the best supporting actress category.

Olivia Colman, star of The Favourite, who won the Golden Globe award in the same category for the same performance earlier this week, was nominated in the lead actress category.

Other highly-nominated films include the rock band Queen's frontman biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, astronaut Neil Armstrong biopic First Man, Roma and musical A Star Is Born.

Bohemian Rhapsody had won best film award at the Golden Globes, as well as best actor for its lead Rami Malek, and is nominated again at the BAFTAs in both categories

This year's awards are the first where a diversity standards rule has been applied, but in only two categories "best debut" and "best British film".

These means films must meet several production-stage quotas that show they have increased the representation of under-represented groups in areas including on-screen representation and industry access and opportunities.

The BAFTA awards ceremony takes place on Feb. 10 at a televised event in London's Royal Albert Hall.

The BAFTA awards take place two weeks before Hollywood's annual Oscar ceremony, and are seen as an indication of which films have gained momentum on the award circuit.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-10 00:06:21|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Sun Chunlan Wednesday called for a system to safeguard the rights and interests of veterans.

Sun, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during an inspection tour in Tianjin.

Veterans should be motivated to make positive contributions to the nation's reform, development and social stability, Sun said.

She called on Party committees and governments at all levels to implement the decisions and arrangements of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, and develop new methods to help veterans.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 23:51:15|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

MOMBASA, Kenya, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday urged local motor vehicle assemblers to innovate ways of producing quality vehicles that are affordable for Kenyans.

Kenyatta who held talks with Kenya Manufacturers Association (KAM) to discuss the National Automotive Policy geared towards promoting the sector challenged the local vehicle assemblers to ensure production of high quality vehicles as well as parts.

"We all acknowledge that the importation of used vehicles has led to the slump of the vehicle manufacturing sector in the country," he said in a statement issued after the meeting which took place in the coastal city of Mombasa.

Kenyatta said the move would help to discourage the buying of imported used vehicles which are currently selling at lower prices than those assembled locally.

"We have to think outside the box. I encourage you to come up with real solutions in motor vehicle industry that will benefit Kenyans," he said and assured the government will give them preference when purchasing vehicles.

Manufacturing is one of the key pillars of the Big Four development agenda through which the government aims at creating thousands of jobs for the youth.

President Kenyatta emphasized that he was keen to see the country's vehicle assembly industry back on track, noting that in the past, it used to be a major employer in the country.

He assured that the government was ready to work with the Vehicle Manufacturers Association to restore the local industry to its former glory.

"As we work to improve the local manufacturing industry, we also have to insist that quality standards must be observed at all times," the president said.

The manufacturers had among others proposed a number of measures that would improve the sector, including duty free importation of plant and machinery.

The vehicle manufacturers proposed the establishment of an effective institutional mechanism to provide focused and continued attention to the industry, including a national automotive council that will be charged with the responsibility of implementing the national automotive policy.

They also urged the government to provide incentives to support local content development in terms of vehicle parts and components.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 23:46:14|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

GAZA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A senior Islamic Hamas movement's official said on Wednesday that Egypt has positively promised to permanently reopen Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip.

The only key border crossing point for the Gaza Strip to the outside world had been closed for three days after the Palestinian Authority (PA) decided to pull out its employees from the crossing in protest against Hamas' crackdown on supporters of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Gaza.

Bassem Naiem, member of Hamas political department, told Xinhua that the movement has received positive signs and promises from the Egyptian side to re-operate Rafah border crossing as soon as possible.

"We don't expect that there is an agreement between Egypt and the PA to keep the crossing closed and we are looking forward that Egypt won't cooperate with the PA's decision to keep the crossing closed," he said.

After the PA pulled out its employees from the crossing point, Egypt kept the crossing partially operating and only allowed Gaza populations abroad to return to the coastal enclave.

Naiem said that the PA's decision to pull out its employees from Rafah crossing "would harm the Egyptian efforts that were exerted for so many years to achieve an internal Palestinian reconciliation and end internal division."

On Jan. 6, the PA Corporation of Civil Affairs (Liaison) announced that it decided to withdraw all its Palestinian employees from the crossing "because of Hamas practices against Fatah movement leaders and members."

The Rafah crossing point had been under Hamas' control since its violent takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007.

In November 2017, however, Hamas handed the crossing to the PA following an Egypt-brokered understanding with Fatah.

Tension between the two rival Palestinian groups has mounted after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced last week that a PA constitutional court decided to dissolve the Hamas-dominated Palestinian parliament, better known as the Legislative Council.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 23:41:10|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

RIYADH, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia will hold meetings next Sunday to discuss exporting goods to Pakistan, Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.

The Saudi Export Development Authority ''Saudi Exports'' will organize meetings of Saudi-Pakistani Trade Mission with the participation of 65 national companies and 35 Pakistani companies, wishing to import Saudi products in food and building materials sectors.

The Secretary-General of the authority Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Abdul Karim highlighted that total Saudi non-oil exports to Pakistan during the last five years amounted to 4.5 billion U.S. dollars.

Saudi Arabia has taken serious steps to diversify its economy and reduce its dependency on oil revenues with a host of business and economic initiatives and projects.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 23:36:06|Editor: Yamei

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese military is an important force in maintaining the world's peace and stability, a military expert said on Wednesday.

At a press briefing, He Lei, former vice president of the Academy of Military Science of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), said military relations between China and the United States could serve as the stabilizer of China-U.S. relations.

He said the two militaries should show sincerity and treat each other as friends, and the U.S. side should be positive on China's development as well its military.

"They should uphold the principles of 'no conflicts and confrontations, not stir up troubles, and adhere to the one-China principle and the three joint communiques as well as the consensus reached by the two heads of states," he said.

Zhang Junshe, a researcher from the Naval Research Academy of the PLA, echoed He, saying "the Pacific Ocean is vast enough to accommodate both China and the United States."

Calling freedom of navigation in the South China Sea a "pseudo-proposition," Zhang said over 100,000 ships passed through the water every year, including those from countries that have disputes with China.

"It is China's consistent stance to respect all countries' navigation freedom in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea," Zhang said.

"A total of 31 Chinese naval fleets have escorted more than 6,600 ships in the Gulf of Aden over the past 10 years, of which more than a half are foreign commercial ships and those from the United Nations World Food Programme.

"The Chinese military is taking more and more international responsibilities. All other countries should view the development of the Chinese military in a correct way."

He Lei said: "The Chinese military has always been committed to safeguarding national sovereignty and security and maintaining world peace."TORONTO, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Difference Capital Financial Inc. (DCF or the Company) (TSX:DCF), today announced that its most successful investment holding to-date, Vena Solutions Inc., has secured a $115 million equity financing (the Transaction) which will result in a material increase to DCFs net asset value (NAV)1.



This transaction will contribute an additional amount of approximately $8.3 million (or about $1.43 per share) to the Companys NAV. The current valuation of Vena represents an approximate 4x return on DCFs investment.

Management notes that, in addition to our publicly traded mark-to-market positions, potential changes to its other private holdings are still being finalized for the year ended December 31, 2018. The Company expects to release its 2018 audited financial statements in mid-March 2019.

Vena is a highly successful innovator in the financial planning and analysis software sector, states Tom Liston, Chief Investment Officer of Difference Capital. Todays announcement, a significant investment by two top-tier growth equity firms, serves as validation of the companys growth potential and strong management team. We are proud to have financed Vena with their first significant investment five years ago.

For further information on the transaction, refer to Venas press release issued today.

Debt Repayment

In connection with the Transaction, DCF monetized a portion of its Vena common share holdings. In combination with other recent transactions, this inflow has resulted in the Company currently having a cash position of approximately $13.4 million, up from $0.2 million at the quarter ended September 30, 2018. The Company plans to use a portion of these funds to retire early, by almost 1  years, its outstanding $6.7 million of private debt and thus become debt free.

Please refer to the section regarding forward-looking statements which form an integral part of this release.

About Difference Capital Financial Inc.

Difference Capital Financial Inc. invests in and advises growth companies. We leverage our capital market expertise to help unlock value in technology, media and healthcare companies as they approach important milestones in their business lifecycle.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this press release may be deemed forward-looking statements. Forward- looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words expects, plans, anticipates, believes, intends, estimates, projects, potential, scheduled, will seek, and similar expressions, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could or should occur. Although DCF believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this press release should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this press release. DCF undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by applicable law.

1 Net asset value (NAV) is a non-IFRS financial measure and is calculated by subtracting the aggregate fair value of the liabilities of the Company from the aggregate fair value of its assets. Net asset value per share is calculated by dividing NAV by the number of common shares outstanding as at the measurement date. The term net asset value per share does not have any standardized meaning according to IFRS and therefore may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 23:25:59|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BAGHDAD, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi President Barham Salih called on Wednesday for enhancing regional and international cooperation to confront extremism and fully eradicate terrorism.

After a meeting with visiting U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Baghdad, Salih asserted on the need "to decrease instability in the Arab and regional arenas" in a statement issued by his office.

Salih also stressed the importance of "strengthening international and regional cooperation to end extremism and defeat terrorism once and for all."

For his part, Pompeo confirmed that "Iraq is an important strategic partner to the U.S. in political, economic and security fields," the statement said.

He also expressed his country's readiness to "invest and contribute to the reconstruction of Iraq, especially its liberated cities."

Earlier in the day, Pompeo arrived in Baghdad on a surprise visit to meet with Iraqi leaders to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation.

According to the official Iraqiya television, Pompeo held a meeting with the Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi and is scheduled to meet with the Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi as well as other top officials.

Pompeo's visit to Baghdad is part of his tour in some Middle East countries, in which he is scheduled to reassure allies about the U.S. commitment to the region.

On Dec. 26, 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to Iraq accompanied by his wife Melania.

They landed at the al-Assad air base in Iraq's western province of Anbar to celebrate Christmas event with U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Trump's visit ignited resentment among Iraqi political blocs despite an Iraqi prime minister's statement that Baghdad had been informed of the visit.

Recently, Trump declared a plan to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria, citing full defeat of the Islamic State (IS) militants in the country.

The troops were part of a U.S.-led coalition which has been fighting and conducting airstrikes against IS targets in both Iraq and Syria.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 23:20:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese House Speaker Nabih Berri suggested on Wednesday to postpone the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit.

"The head of parliament suggested to postpone the summit which will witness weak participation by Arab countries because of the absence of a government in Lebanon," Ali Bazzi, a parliament member, was quoted as saying by the National News Agency.

Berri also insisted that Syria should take part in the summit.

However, Syria will not be capable of taking part in the summit because the Arab League passed a decree on Nov. 12, 2011 that suspends Syria's membership.

The Arab League said it frozed Syria's membership because its government failed to stop violence against civilian protesters back in 2011.

Political parties close to Syria have been pushing Lebanon to invite Syria to Beirut's summit, but Syria's membership in the Arab League must be restored for it.

The summit organized by the Arab League is concerned primarily with developmental issues in the Arab world which is scheduled on Jan. 19-20 in Lebanese capital Beirut.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 23:00:53|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry on Wednesday strongly condemned the recent European Union (EU) sanctions on a unit of Iranian Intelligence Ministry and two Iranian individuals.

The "illogical and surprising decision by the EU to slap anti-Iran sanctions is based on unfounded allegations," the Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qasemi said in a statement.

"Iran will adopt the necessary measures in response to this (EU) move," added Qasemi.

The EU announced on Tuesday that it would place a unit of the Iranian Intelligence Ministry and two of its staff on the EU terrorist list and would freeze their financial assets for alleged assassination plans in Europe.

The decision comes after Denmark's government said earlier that it suspected an Iranian intelligence service of carrying out an assassination plot against an Iranian dissident on its soil last year.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 22:50:51|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia announced on Wednesday it has arrested 171 individuals for their suspected roles in ethnic violence in the western part of the country.

The Ethiopia command post established to secure the unrest-hit border areas of Benishangul Gumuz and Oromia regional states made the arrests in the past few days, reported state media outlet Ethiopia Broadcasting Corporate.

The report further said a total of 49 Kalashnikov rifles, 71 handguns, 15 traditional rifles, 215 arrows, nine cars, three motorcycles and thousands of bullets were seized along with the suspects.

In December, Ethiopia established a command post to deal with a security crisis along the Benishangul Gumuz and Oromia regional states.

The establishment of the command post came days after 10 civilians were killed by a land mine explosion in western Benishangul Gumuz regional state.

The border areas of the two regional states have in recent years witnessed deadly unrest involving various ethnic groups residing in the border areas. The dispute is reportedly over access to land and state resources.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 22:45:48|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang (R) meets with U.S. Tesla CEO Elon Musk in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 9, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

BEIJING, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk Wednesday, saying that China welcomes enterprises from all countries to expand investment cooperation.

U.S. electric carmaker Tesla Inc. on Monday broke new ground with its Shanghai factory, becoming the first to benefit from a new policy allowing foreign carmakers to set up wholly-owned subsidiaries in China.

China hopes Tesla will become a participant in China's deepening opening up and a driver for the stable development of Sino-U.S. ties, Li said.

Li said that China will continue to be a hot destination for foreign investment.

He had an in-depth exchange of views with Musk on topics such as the development of the new energy automobile industry and the collaborative innovation cooperation covering science, technology and cultural areas.

Musk said China's development speed and efficiency are impressive, and it is hard to imagine that the process of opening a car factory could be done in such a short period of time.

Tesla will strive to build the Shanghai factory into one of the most advanced factories in the world, and will localize the products according to the needs of the Chinese market to better achieve mutual benefit and win-win results, according to Musk.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 22:35:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

TOKYO, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Tokyo District Court on Wednesday rejected a request filed by former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn's defense counsel to end his detention following his arrest in November on allegations of financial misconduct.

The court's decision came a day after Ghosn appeared for the first time since his arrest at the court where he robustly maintained his innocence regarding all allegations of financial improprieties facing him.

Following the hearing held Tuesday, during which the global automotive heavyweight was allocated 10 minutes to appeal his innocence to the court and hear the reasons for his lengthy detention -- further extended following fresh suspicions he committed aggravated breach of trust, Ghosn's lawyers filed a request with the court to end his detention.

Presiding Judge Yuichi Tada said during Ghosn's hearing that his ongoing detention was due to concerns he might try to destroy key evidence and that he was also a flight risk.

The 64-year-old's legal team said Wednesday they will seek to file a quasi-appeal against the Tokyo District Court's decision not to release Ghosn.

The ousted chairman has rigorously maintained he has in no way violated Japan's Financial Instruments and Exchange Act following allegations he massively under-reported his pay package during the five years through March 2015.

He also claimed that allegations he transferred personal investment losses to Nissan during the 2008 global financial crisis, which led to his detention in Tokyo being extended, were baseless.

Local media, citing sources close to the matter, reported Wednesday that the ex-Nissan chief intended to grant a loan through Nissan to the tune of 3 billion yen (27 million U.S. dollars) to a businessman.

The loan may have been extended as a bid to use as collateral for Ghosn's private investment contract, the sources said. Prosecutors here believe Ghosn caused financial damage to his company by paying the businessman 14.7 million U.S. dollars between 2009 and 2012, through Nissan, so as to secure credit from his Middle Eastern acquaintance.

Ghosn's detention is scheduled to end on Jan. 11 and prosecutors by this time must make an ultimate decision as to whether or not to indict him over the charges facing him.

Motonari Otsuru, Ghosn's chief lawyer, told a press conference Tuesday after the hearing that Ghosn could theoretically be detained for a minimum of another six months, citing the complexities of the case.

Bail is unlikely to be granted as Ghosn has unequivocally denied all allegations against him, Otsuru also said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 22:35:42|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

KHARTOUM, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on Wednesday said that saboteurs would be faced decisively and any change to power would be through ballot boxes.

"The way to power will be decided by the people through the ballot boxes," al-Bashir said when addressing a mass rally of his supporters in Khartoum.

He further accused unnamed trends of conspiring against Sudan and sowing sedition with the aim to economically fight and tame it.

The Sudanese president further commended the friendly countries which supported Sudan, namely China, Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.

The Sudanese national dialogue parties on Wednesday organized a mass rally at the Green Square in Khartoum in support of al-Bashir's government.

Since Dec. 19, 2018, various areas in Sudan, including Khartoum, have been witnessing popular protests over the deteriorating economic conditions and price hikes of basic commodities.

According to government statistics, 19 people have been killed during the popular protests.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 22:30:41|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

LHASA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A new legislation has been enacted at the Mount Qomolangma reserve to conserve the environment surrounding the world's highest mountain.

Founded in 1988, Mount Qomolangma National Nature Reserve in Tibet Autonomous Region covers a 33,800-sq-km area that encompasses the world's most vulnerable ecosystems.

The reserve is regulated by a new law starting from the latter half of the last year, said Kelsang, deputy director of the reserve administration.

According to the articles of the regulation, it prohibits tree-felling, herding, hunting, collecting and sabotaging of turfs in the reserve. Violators are subject to criminal punishment.

The legislation also disciplines mountain-climbing, tourism, scientific exploration, engineering projects and ranger patrol. No production facilities are allowed in the core area of the reserve, which makes up about one-third of the total area.

A total of 112 people work for the reserve administration. The new legislation demands the local government to engage the public in conservation efforts.

"The reserve is the first in Tibet to subject itself to such a regulation. It draws a red line and warns people not to cross it. The law marks progress in Tibet's environment work," said Kelsang.

"The regulation responds to growing challenges posed by economic and social development in surrounding areas," said Lei Guilong, a former forestry official and an advisor to Tibet Regional Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, which convened its annual session on Wednesday.

"I have brought up several proposals to call for legislation work to be stepped up," he said.

The administration and the Xigaze City government spent four years to complete the creation of the law.

According to the conference, political advisors in Tibet made 37 proposals regarding environmental conservation last year. They suggested raising funds for protecting grasslands and developing environment-related industries.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 22:10:36|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

by Murad Abdo

ADEN, Yemen, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials of Yemen's internationally-backed government launched on Wednesday a month-long campaign to clean up all the neighborhoods of the southern port city of Aden.

The campaign was initiated by the local government authorities in partnership with the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) and other organizations operating in the city.

It's expected to last one month in a bid to step up the cleanliness and hygiene efforts of the local government in Aden city, the country's temporary capital.

Hundreds of young volunteers and citizens joined the clean-up campaign that began in a number of areas in Aden, under the slogan "for Aden's sake...all of us will work as street sweepers."

Yemen's deputy Prime Minister Salem al-Khanbashi along with Aden's governor and ERC representatives participated with the local volunteers in cleaning the main streets in Aden's neighborhood of Crater.

"This is an important event that will play a great role in beautifying our beloved city of Aden and raising the environmental awareness among the citizens," said Ahmed Salim Rubea, the governor of Aden.

"It's our responsibility to keep our city clean. We called upon all the people in Aden, including the students, to participate in the cleaning up campaign," the governor added.

Majed Aqlan, a volunteer from Aden's University, told Xinhua that many of his colleagues enthusiastically participated in the campaign and helped in educating people about hygienic practices.

"We established a number of teams that will move across the city to meet the citizens and deliver brochures containing instructions to keep their surroundings clean," Aqlan said.

A government official told Xinhua by phone saying that the Saudi-led Arab coalition will exert larger efforts in rebuilding and beautifying Aden's infrastructure affected by the internal military conflict.

"Our partners of the Saudi-led coalition will not leave Aden alone but they will financially support all the projects aimed at rebuilding the destroyed infrastructure during the next few months," the source said anonymously.

Jamal Khadabish, head of Health Department in Aden, said that removing waste places not only help in beautifying the city but in confronting the spread of disease and epidemics.

He said that collecting garbage from the streets and moving it to safe disposal play a great role in fighting diseases such as dengue fever and cholera epidemic.

The southern port city of Aden, where Yemen's government is temporarily based since 2015, has been suffering from frequent power outages and lack of basic services including water, leading to public anger against the local authorities.

The impoverished Arab country has been locked into a civil war since the Shiite Houthi rebels overran much of the country militarily and seized all northern provinces, including the capital Sanaa, in late 2014.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition since March 2015 to support the government of Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi after the Houthis forced him into exile.

The war has killed more than 10,000 Yemenis, half of whom are civilians, and displaced over 3 million others, according to United Nations humanitarian agencies.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 21:55:29|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

VALLETTA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- An agreement has been reached on the relocation of stranded migrants rescued by Malta and NGOs from the Mediterranean over the Christmas period.

The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) have rescued 249 migrants from within Malta's search and rescue area, while two NGO vessels -- the Sea-Watch 3 and Prof Albrecht Penek -- rescued a further 49 migrants since Dec. 22.

The migrants rescued by the AFM were taken to Malta, while those onboard the NGO vessels were left stranded, pending an agreement on their relocation among EU member states.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Malta's Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the migrants would be shared with Germany, France, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Italy. Malta will be keeping 74 migrants.

"220 persons will be relocated to other member states or be returned to their country of origin," Muscat said, adding that the European Commission would facilitate an expedient return, "after due process," of 44 Bangladeshi nationals who were among the 249 migrants rescued by the AFM.

The agreement was reached after talks among EU member states coordinated by the European Commission. Muscat thanked the EU and the member states involved in the redistribution exercise for their solidarity.

Muscat reiterated that the migrants on board the two NGO vessels were rescued outside Malta's area of responsibility, meaning that Malta was not the responsible authority, nor was it the nearest safe port of call. The European Commission, he said, agreed that Malta had no legal responsibility in this case.

"It is very reassuring that the European Commission understands our concerns and stepped in to provide much needed assistance," Muscat said.

Despite the agreement, Muscat said the NGO vessels would not be allowed to berth in Malta and that the transfer of people onto an army patrol boat will happen offshore.An Incredible Tax Savings and Return Potential, with a Proven Technology



LAS VEGAS, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Vivakor, Inc. (OTC: VIVK ), a technology and asset acquisition company with a focus in the area of natural resources, has recently created a Qualified Opportunity Zone Fund, Viva Opportunity Fund, LLC, which has invested and will continue to invest in Remediation Processing Centers Design and Manufacturing, LLC (RPC), which is an Opportunity Zone designated business in Utah, creating enormous tax savings and return potential for its investors.

We have received a tremendous amount of investor interest. Not just because of the amazing, potential tax savings and returns that opportunity zones can create, but also because this company has actually developed a proven technology, stated Vivakor Chief Executive Officer Matt Nicosia. After having conducted multiple, successful pilots, the company is now scaling its proprietary technology in both the highly profitable global remediation and hydrocarbon extraction industries. We are excited to be doing this in an opportunity zone where our investors can not only benefit, but the workforce will too with the scores of new manufacturing jobs we plan on adding.

Vivakor is contracting with RPC to build its patent pending technology for remediation and extraction of Hydrocarbons from soil material. The Company is expected to launch its fully scaled RPC unit in the first quarter of 2019, with the production of up to 30 units in the next 24 months to support its business in their Fundamental Revenue Growth phase. Vivakor operates the RPCs through its VivaVentures Energy Group Inc. division currently operating in Utah and Kuwait. The need for RPCs throughout the world applies to any hydrocarbon mixed in soil remediation and certain Oil Sands operations.

For our investors, this deal makes any of their capital gains investments eligible for tax deferral through 2026, and if they hold the investment for 10 years, any realized gain on the sale of their position will be entirely income tax free, continued Nicosia. Any investor will additionally receive a K-1 deduction of up to 80% of their investment immediately, for all of the non-capitalized expenses associated with each RPC. Thats up to a 180% tax shield.

In addition to the substantial tax saving potential, investors would also be eligible for royalties of 25% of the production on each RPC. Each RPC is projected to generate between $5-6 million per year, or a royalty stream of $1.25 to $1.5 million annually. The investment may also be converted to Vivakors publicly traded stock, allowing for a high level of flexibility and liquidity.

About Vivakor, Inc.

Vivakor, Inc. ( VIVK ), a technology and asset acquisition company with a focus in the area of natural resources. Vivakors corporate mission is to create, acquire and accumulate distinct assets, intellectual properties, and exceptional technologies that produce solid returns to its valued shareholders and partners. The company currently focuses on bitumen (heavy crude) extraction from shallow, oil-laden areas in Eastern Utah, along with petroleum based remediation projects across the globe. The technologies utilized are low-cost, proprietary and proving themselves industry disruptive when measured by a number of important factors. The general business model has been to be an acquisition hub, focused on building and acquiring cash-flowing assets in discrete areas that have an acknowledged technological advantage and enable a substantial market opportunity within significant target markets across the globe. Our research, and the technology we acquire are anchored by our relationships with synergistic partners and product-specific commercialization strategies. From the point of product or technology conception, or through acquisition, development and commercialization, we expect to have strategic partners, joint ventures or licensing arrangements in place for many of our products in order to sustain revenue attainment.

For more information, please visit our website: http://vivakor.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based upon our current expectations and speak only as of the date hereof. Our actual results may differ materially and adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and uncertainties, including economic slowdown affecting companies, our ability to successfully develop products, rapid change in our markets, changes in demand for our future products, legislative, regulatory and competitive developments and general economic conditions. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties discussed in Vivakors filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which factors may be incorporated herein by reference. Forward-looking statements may be identified but not limited by the use of the words anticipates, expects, intends, plans, should, could, would, may, will, believes, estimates, potential, or continue and variations or similar expressions. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 21:35:23|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

by Burak Akinci

ANKARA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Tensions between NATO allies U.S. and Turkey flared again after President Donald Trump's walking back of his commitment to withdraw rapidly troops from Syria and seek safety for a Kurdish militia, but experts think there are still rooms to cooperate.

"The pace and the way the U.S. exit can be modified ... but at the end, the withdrawal will happen. It has become inevitable," Oytun Orhan, a researcher from the Ankara-based think tank Center For Middle Eastern Studies, told Xinhua.

He is convinced that Trump will be "insistent" on a U.S. military exit from war-torn Syria as he would like to use it as a bargaining chip against Russia and Turkey.

Washington's backing of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) militia in its war against the Islamic State (IS) pushed U.S.-Turkish relations to a breaking point.

Ankara links the militia to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has been fighting a decades-long insurgency in Turkey.

Trump's declaration of victory over IS and vow to quickly withdraw 2,000 U.S. forces based mainly with the YPG ushered in hopes of a breakthrough in strained ties with Ankara.

However, apparently conceding to pressure from his administration, Trump said afterwards that the U.S. exit would happen in a slower pace, which, according to specialists, could take many months or even years.

Trump sent on Tuesday his National Security Adviser John Bolton to Ankara for talks.

However, Bolton's mission failed as he was snubbed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan over remarks that he held on the faith of the YPG after Washington's withdrawal from Syria.

Bolton held tense talks over Syria with Erdogan's aide Ibrahim Kalin and other Turkish senior officials but afterwards, the U.S. official canceled his press conference and headed for the airport.

During his speech in parliament, Erdogan vehemently criticized U.S. proposals to assure the safety of the U.S.-backed Kurdish group after the U.S. exit, describing it as "unacceptable."

Before arriving in the Turkish capital, Bolton seriously irritated the Turkish administration by stating that the U.S. pullout is conditional on defeating the IS as well as Turkish assurances on the security of the YPG.

Bolton's comments built on frictions that flared last Friday after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in an interview that the U.S. wanted to ensure that "the Turks don't slaughter the Kurds" once its troops are out of the region.

Serkan Demirtas, political analyst and journalist, pointed out that Turkey is keen to differentiate civilian Kurds and YPG fighters militarily equipped by the U.S. Putting both in the same basket is unacceptable for Ankara.

"From the Turkish perspective, the U.S. should first clarify what they mean when they say 'Kurds'," he told Xinhua.

"If it's about civilian Kurds that have never been involved in terrorism, that would be fine for Turkey," he added.

"But if it's about the protection of the YPG terrorists even under the umbrella of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Turkey's approval on such a deal would either be a huge surprise or a drastic change in policy. Yet there is no sign that Turkey will soon change its policy, " according to Demirtas.

Turkey insists that its military actions are aimed at the YPG instead of the Kurdish people. Ankara rejected any role in restoring peace in the Syrian chessboard for the YPG and threatened to destroy this faction.

According to Demirtas, the initial waves of optimism regarding the U.S. withdrawal from Syria are fading away. "Turkey and the U.S. are going back to where it all started in Syria" to a point of friction.

Orhan seemed more optimistic on ways to diffuse the recent tensions. The U.S., he said, could address its ally's preoccupations regarding the Kurdish fighters by moving them away from the Turkish border.

"In this way, a Turkish military incursion would still happen but without a confrontation with Syrian Kurds," and thus without political stress with the U.S., he added.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 21:30:21|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

HONG KONG, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Department of Justice of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government and the Ministry of Justice of Japan on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to strengthen Hong Kong-Japan collaboration on international arbitration and mediation.

The MoC, signed here by HKSAR government's Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng and Japanese Minister of Justice Takashi Yamashita, provided a framework for the two sides to strengthen communication, collaboration and cooperation on issues relating to international arbitration and mediation and to facilitate the development of services for international arbitration and mediation in the two places, the HKSAR government's Department of Justice said.

Signing the MoC is an encouraging step in furthering legal cooperation between the two sides, Cheng said at the signing ceremony.

Hailing Hong Kong's "fine reputation as a popular international hub of international commercial dispute resolution," Yamashita said the document set the cornerstone for further cooperation on legal services between the two sides.

Cheng said her department had set up an office to enhance the overall coordination of mediation and arbitration work, taking into account the need for Hong Kong to capitalize on the opportunities offered by the Belt and Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 21:20:17|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- President Michel Aoun said Wednesday that Lebanon does not have enough resources to sustain the increase in the big number of Syrian refugees living in the country, the presidency's website reported.

"The small size of our country and its infrastructure in addition to its limited resources do not allow us to sustain any increase in population number," Aoun told foreign diplomats during a meeting at Baabda Palace.

Aoun said refugees must return home to take part in Syria's reconstruction where they will be "living with dignity."

He also criticized the international community for its attitude towards refugees' return to their homeland.

"The international community wants to link refugees' return to their homeland to a political solution which will take a lot of time," he said.

"The existence of refugees in Lebanon has weighted heavily on the economic, social and health sectors in the country," Aoun added.

Lebanon is hosting 976,000 registered Syrian refugees, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, while the government estimates the true number of Syrian refugees in the country at 1.5 million.

A Lebanese official said earlier that 270,000 Lebanese people have lost their jobs after 384,000 Syrian refugees poured into the country's employment market.

This prompted Russia to draft a strategy that would secure a safe and gradual return for Syrian refugees to their homeland.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 21:10:15|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

TEHRAN, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, urged the Iranians on Wednesday to withstand the U.S. sanctions against the Islamic republic, according to the leader's official website.

"Through the exercise of prudence, the Iranian nation and the officials should turn the U.S. sanctions into an unprecedented defeat for the great Satan (United States)," Khamenei was quoted as saying.

He called on the Iranian officials "for resistance against the U.S. and Europeans bluster and idol talk," saying that "neither their threats, nor their words, promises and signatures are valid."

The United States withdrew from Iranian 2015 international nuclear deal in May 2018 and returned the sanctions on Iran's oil exports, banking sector and other parts of the economy which had been lifted under the landmark deal.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 20:50:10|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

BRUSSELS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) has added two Iranian individuals and the Directorate for Internal Security of the Iranian Ministry for Intelligence and Security to an EU terrorist list and subject them to sanctions, it said Wednesday.

The Council of the EU said in a press release on Wednesday morning that the listings have been adopted by the council as part of its response to what it said were "recent foiled attacks" on European soil.

Iran has yet to respond to the EU's latest decision and the allegations.

The latest EU decision was adopted by its General Affairs Council on Tuesday and published in the Official Journal of the EU on Wednesday.

The Council also renewed the restrictive measures on those who had been previously put on the list, following a biannual review. The list now covers 15 individuals and 21 groups and entities.

Persons, groups and entities on the list are subject to an asset freeze. EU operators are also prohibited from making funds and economic resources available to them.

The EU did not specify the details of the "recent foiled attacks," but according to a letter published by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the new sanctions include alleged Iranian actions in the Netherlands, France and Denmark.

The Netherlands, together with Britain, France, Germany, Denmark and Belgium, met with Iranian authorities to convey their serious concerns regarding Iran's probable involvement in these hostile acts on Tuesday, the letter said.

The EU did not specify the possible impact of its latest decision on the Iran nuclear deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, but there are signs that the nuclear deal is treated as a separate issue.

In a separate development, a British Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesperson said on Tuesday, "we remain committed to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, for as long as Iran continues to implement it in full."

"This agreement remains central to international efforts to halt nuclear proliferation and is crucial for the security of the region. But we are clear that this commitment does not preclude us from addressing other hostile and destabilising activities," the spokesperson said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 20:45:09|Editor: Li Xia

Video Player Close

DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President John Magufuli on Wednesday ordered newly appointed Minister for Minerals, Doto Biteko, to put to an end to the smuggling of gold out of the east African nation.

President Magufuli appointed Biteko, a former Deputy Minister for Minerals, on Tuesday, replacing Angellah Kairuki, who was appointed Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office responsible for investment promotion.

Biteko became the third Minister for Minerals appointed by President Magufuli since he took office in November 2015.

Speaking shortly after he had sworn-in Biteko and other senior government officials at State House in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam, Magufuli expressed his dissatisfaction at the supervision of the key mining sector.

A statement issued by the Directorate of Presidential Communication at State House said President Magufuli directed the new Minister for Minerals to work closely with other relevant authorities in establishing gold selling centers in the country.

Magufuli said the Ministry of Minerals should, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and Planning and the Bank of Tanzania, create centers for selling gold.

The mining sector contributes less than 5 percent of gross domestic product, prompting the government to accuse large-scale mining companies of not paying their fare share of taxes.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 20:30:06|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for Prime Minister's Questions at the House of Commons, in London, Britain, on Jan 9, 2019. Britain's Brexit debate in the House of Commons on the proposed agreement on the terms of the UK's withdrawal and the future relations with the EU started Wednesday ahead of a vote scheduled for Jan. 15. (Xinhua/Tim Ireland)

LONDON, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday condemned abuse and harassment of MPs and journalists, days after one MP was intimidated outside the parliament house because her stance on Brexit.

May told MPs in the parliament that politicians and the media should be able to go about their work without harassment and threats.

"The whole house will join me in condemning these threats," she said.

The prime minister's comments came after Anna Soubry was shouted at and called "a liar" during live TV interviews.

The former minister, a supporter of a fresh Brexit referendum, was later called "scum" and jostled as she tried to re-enter the Palace of Westminster.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 20:25:05|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

JUBA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 42 people had been killed and over 78 others wounded in South Sudan's Bieh State after armed men attacked cattle Keepers in Duachan and Kolabiel areas, a local officials said on Wednesday.

Johnson Gony Bilu, Akobo state governor, told Xinhua that fighting erupted on Jan. 6 and escalated subsequent days in Akobo and Nyirol east in the eastern part of South Sudan, while the pastoralists were grazing their animals.

"We regret the inhuman act committed by the Murle tribesmen. The incident is outrageous and has beset the local population in the area," said Bilu.

He confirmed that more than 42 people who were mainly women and children died after the attack, while 78 others sustained injuries and more than 100 cattle stolen.

The official condemned the attack on the innocent children and women.

The region has suffered decades of communal and tribal violence, mainly caused by cattle raiding, child abduction and grazing land.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 20:25:04|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- China will keep liquidity at a reasonable level and use targeted measures to support the real economy, the country's central bank governor has said.

"The central bank will avoid damaging the real economy with too fast credit shrinkage while refraining from indiscriminate easy credit," Yi Gang, head of the People's Bank of China (PBOC) told a joint media interview Tuesday.

"Structural monetary policies will be taken to boost the vitality of firms, small- and micro-sized enterprises in particular, and incentives will be given to banks to encourage lending to the real economy," Yi said.

The central bank will make full use of credit, bonds and equities to help private firms raise fund, and work with other government agencies to improve companies' access to these financial support.

China will keep the macro leverage rate stable by proceeding with reducing overcapacity, debt and "zombie enterprises." Efforts will also be made to deal with domestic financial risk as well as the impact to financial markets from external uncertainties.

The central bank will improve supervision mechanisms such as facilitating the rollout of regulations on illegal funding. Protection for property rights and intellectual property rights will also be enhanced, Yi said.

China will keep monetary policy "neither too tight nor too loose," while maintaining market liquidity at a reasonably ample level, according to the agenda-setting Central Economic Work Conference held last December.

The monetary policy transmission mechanisms will be smoothed out while the proportion of direct financing will be increased to make financing more accessible and affordable for the private sector and small businesses, the statement said.

The PBOC decided last Friday to cut the reserve requirement ratio by 1 percentage point in a move to increase the loan funding sources of small, micro and private businesses.

It also decided last week to ease evaluation rules for qualifying financial institutions to enjoy lower reserve requirement ratios to encourage inclusive financing.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 20:15:00|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

TOKYO, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Tokyo District Court on Wednesday rejected a request filed by former Nissan Motor Co. Chairman Carlos Ghosn's defense counsel to end his detention following his arrest in November on allegations of financial misconduct.

The court's decision came a day after Ghosn appeared in public for the first time since his arrest at the court where he robustly maintained his innocence regarding all allegations of financial improprieties facing him.

Following the hearing held Tuesday, during which the global automotive heavyweight was allocated 10-minutes to appeal his innocence to the court and hear the reasons for his lengthy detention -- further extended following fresh suspicions he committed aggravated breach of trust, Ghosn's lawyers filed a request with the court to end his detention.

Presiding Judge Yuichi Tada said during Ghosn's hearing that his ongoing detention was due to concerns he might try to destroy key evidence and that he was also a flight risk.

The 64-year-old's legal team said Wednesday they will seek to file quasi-appeal against the Tokyo District Court's decision not to release Ghosn.TORONTO, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EarthRenew Inc. (formely known as Valencia Ventures Inc.) (EarthRenew or the Company) (TSXV: VVI) is pleased to announce that the Canadian Securities Exchange (the CSE) has issued a final bulletin announcing the listing of the Companys common shares on the CSE, with trading commencing on January 10, 2019 under the symbol ERTH. Consequently, the Companys common shares have now been de-listed from the TSX Venture Exchange. Please refer to the link below to access the CSEs final bulletin:



https://thecse.com/en/about/publications/bulletins/2019-0107-new-listing-earthrenew-inc-erth

Officers and Directors of EarthRenew

As per the management information circular dated as of July 16, 2018 and pursuant to the closing of the reverse take-over transaction, the following individuals have been elected as directors and appointed as officers of the Company:

Keith Driver  President, CEO and Director. Mr. Driver has served in leadership positions in several environmental technology companies over the past 15 years. His experience includes senior marketing, technical and management roles, focused on emerging products or technologies. Many of these opportunities have focused on processing organic feedstocks and marketing the end-products, such as compost and biochar. Keith holds two degrees in engineering and a MBA, and serves as a sessional instructor at the University of Calgary.

Ryan Ptolemy  Chief Financial Officer. Ryan Ptolemy is a CPA, CGA and CFA charter holder who also attained a BA from Western University. Ryan serves as CFO to many public and private companies in the resource sector, particularly development-stage companies. Ryan formerly served as CFO for an independent investment dealer in Toronto where he was responsible for financial reporting, budgeting and the companys internal controls.

Damian Lopez  Corporate Secretary. Mr. Lopez was previously the chief executive officer of Valencia Ventures Inc., a predecessor of the Company. Mr. Lopez is a corporate lawyer with extensive mergers and acquisition and corporate finance experience. Mr. Lopez is currently a legal consultant to various Toronto Stock Exchange and TSXV listed companies in various sectors including mining, financial services, agriculture and technology. Mr. Lopez also acts as the Corporate Secretary of various Toronto Stock Exchange and TSXV listed companies. Mr. Lopez began his legal career as a corporate law associate at Stikeman Elliott LLP. Mr. Lopez holds a B.Comm from Rotman Commerce, University of Toronto and a J.D. from Osgoode Hall Law School.

Catherine Stretch  Director. Catherine Stretch has over 20 years of experience in Canadian capital markets, with a particular emphasis on the natural resource and agriculture sectors. Ms. Stretch is currently the Chief Commercial Officer of Aguia Resources Limited, an ASX and Exchange dual listed company developing phosphate assets in Brazil and a consultant to Brazil Potash Corp., a company developing a major potash deposit in Brazil and Irati Energy Corp., a company developing oil shale in Brazil. Ms. Stretch is engaged in a variety of activities for these companies including capital raising and structuring, marketing and investor relations, regulatory compliance and disclosure, new market development and strategic initiatives. Previously, Ms. Stretch was a partner and the Chief Operating Officer of a Canadian investment firm that had $1 billion in assets under management and focused on managing Investment Funds. Ms. Stretch currently sits on the Board of Emerita Resources Corp., an Exchange listed company developing various mineral assets in Spain; AnalytixInsight, an Exchange listed company developing data analytics software with a particular focus on global financial markets; and, UEX Corporation, a TSX listed company engaged in the exploration and development of uranium and cobalt.

David Argyle  Director. Mr. Argyle has more than 30 years of experience in identifying, developing, financing and managing fertilizer, mining and energy projects in South America, Asia, Africa and Australia. Mr. Argyle earned an MBA from the University of Michigan and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia.

Mr. Driver, Ms. Stretch and Mr. Argyle replaces Damian Lopez, Tito Gandhi and Bernard Wilson, who have each tendered their resignation. The Company would like to thank Mr. Lopez, Mr. Gandhi and Mr. Wilson for their continued support.

About EarthRenew

EarthRenew is a low-cost sustainable power-generation company with a patented production process that converts livestock waste to nutrient-rich, slow-release pelleted organic fertilizer. EarthRenew converts natural gas to electricity from an industrial-sized gas turbine which it intends to capitalize on through various revenue drivers. These include selling surplus electricity to the electrical grid and to cryptocurrency miners which can co-locate on site and to dry manure feedstock to produce high value organic fertilizer. The Company has a commercial scale operation in Strathmore, Alberta.

For additional information, please contact:

Keith Driver

CEO of EarthRenew

Phone: (403) 860-8623

E-mail: kdriver@earthrenew.ca

Cautionary Note regarding Forward - Looking Information

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to EarthRenews ability to restart electricity production at the Strathmore Plan, EarthRenews ability to sell electricity to the electrical grid or to cryptocurrency miners, EarthRenews ability to execute its business plan, EarthRenews proposed business activity, the timing of the listing on the CSE and the delisting from the TSXV, receipt of any required third party and regulatory approvals, the impact of the reverse- take-over transaction on the Company and its stakeholders and other transaction statements. Generally, forward looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of exploration activities; regulatory risks; risks inherent in foreign operations; and other risks of the renewable energy, mining and cryptocurrency industries. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 20:14:59|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Spokesperson of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Lisa Abou Khaled said Wednesday that 150 camps hosting about 8,000 Syrian refugees were affected by the storm that started Sunday in Lebanon.

"Around 66 camps were heavily affected by the storm in Lebanon while 15 were completely destroyed, and 850 camps are at high risk of flooding," she said.

Khaled told Xinhua in an exclusive interview that UNHCR's winter program for the support of Syrian refugees has started in November with a target to help 166,000 families, or over 650,000 refugees, with a monthly financial support of 75 U.S. dollars per family for them to buy basic needs of diesel, clothes and food.

She explained that UNHCR's winter support program takes place in addition to another one by the agency where 30,000 extremely poor families receive 173 dollars per family every month.

However, some of the Syrian refugees in the Bekaa region said that they are not receiving any support by the international community.

"Our tents are full of water. We are suffering tremendously and nobody offered us any help or support so far," said Taha Aldouri, a Syrian refugee.

Aldouri said that he does not even have any heating system and his family is wrapped with blankets all day long to warm up.

Ahmad Ibrahim, another Syrian refugee, said that the camps in Bar Elias are flooded with rainwater.

"It's been raining for four days and we do not know what to do. Our kids are suffering," he said.

This is not the first time that Syrian refugees suffer from cold weather and floods due to heavy rain.

Last month, around 300 Syrian refugees were evacuated from their camps in Akkar to other neighboring camps after being flooded with rainwater.

Khaled commented on refugees' complaints, saying that "most refugees" are receiving humanitarian support in Lebanon, and the UNHCR is trying to meet all refugees' needs which is not an easy task.

"It took us time to reach these people," she said, adding that UNHCR is working with Lebanese authorities to focus on people who have their tents completely destroyed in a bid to move them to other places.

"Lots of these refugees are living in very bad conditions, and I understand when they say they do not receive enough help," she said.

Khaled noted that the UNHCR's program will continue until March, and the World Food Programme is also assisting more than 70 percent of Syrian refugees in Lebanon by distributing food.

A report issued on Jan. 7 by the UNHCR showed that the agency, in cooperation with other humanitarian agencies, has been distributing Core Relief Items, including blankets and mattresses, clothes and drainage kits, all over Lebanon.

More than 1 million Syrian refugees have registered with the UNHCR in Lebanon, while the government estimates the true number of Syrians in Lebanon at 1.5 million.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 19:54:55|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BISHKEK, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kyrgyzstan will declare 2019 the Year of Regional Development and Digitalization of the Country, the president's press service said on Wednesday.

President Sooronbai Jeenbekov will sign the related decree within the week, the press service said in a statement.

"2019 has been declared the 'Year of Regional Development and Digitalization of the Country' with a view to further developing the regions and introducing new technologies into the daily life of society," the president was quoted as saying.

Kyrgyzstan had previously declared the year 2018 the year of regional development in the country to promote regional development, job creation, and entrepreneurship in rural areas. The president said such efforts will be carried on and strengthened this year.

Jeenbekov said it is going to be part of the state policy to promote the adoption of new technologies.

"Digital technologies will permeate all walks of life. Digital infrastructure will significantly reduce the direct contact of citizens with officials, which is the main tool for the eradication of corruption," he said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 19:54:54|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

HARARE, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's umbrella body of civil servant unions has given a notice to go on industrial action, while the government says it will announce remuneration proposals at a meeting scheduled for Thursday.

Civil Service Apex Council chairperson Cecilia Alexander on Tuesday wrote to the chairperson of the Public Service Commission Vincent Hungwe informing him that the unions were giving a 14-day notice of intention to strike.

"The reason for this step is premised on the incapacitation of our members and the failure by the government to address the same. The incapacitation comes in the wake of the erosion of our static salaries due to the sky rocketing cost of living," Alexander said in the letter.

She added that despite numerous meetings between the workers and the government, there had been no way forward in addressing the workers' plight.

However, Hungwe said Wednesday in a statement that new wage proposals would be presented to the workers through the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) before the end of the week.

The NJNC is a statutory negotiating platform for the government and civil servants' associations which fixes negotiated agreements on salaries and conditions of service.

Civil servants are agitating for wage increases following hefty increases in the prices of basic commodities and other services in the past two months.

Junior doctors at government health institutions are already on a prolonged strike which started Dec. 1, 2018.

"Government will announce an integrated cost of living adjustment and the NJNC will meet not later than Thursday," Hungwe said.

Hungwe said among key issues to be discussed was how the cost of living adjustment would be distributed to rural as compared to urban workers as well as identification of non-monetary benefits including provision of land for housing, mortgages as well as vehicle loans.

The proposed meeting would also discuss establishment of a public service pension scheme, Hungwe said.

"Government remains committed to engaging its workers and improving their salaries and conditions of service," he said.

A meeting convened by the government and workers on Monday to address the same issues had left things hanging in the air.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 19:44:49|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BRUSSELS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A man suspected of supplying weapons to the terrorists responsible for shocking coordinated attacks in Paris in 2015 has been indicted in Belgium in late December, an official said on Wednesday.

The man, identified previously in news reports by Belgian newspapers "La Libre" and "La DerniereHeure" as Mohamed E., was suspected of supplying Kalashnikovs to the terrorists that were used in the attacks that killed some 130 people on the night of Nov. 13, 2015 in Paris.

Eric Van Duyse, a spokesman for the Federal Prosecutor's Office, confirmed the arrest of the suspect on Wednesday.

The suspect will now face criminal charges for his involvement in the attacks.

Some of the main suspects involved in the Paris 2015 terror attacks have been put on trial and imprisoned in France and Belgium.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 19:34:48|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

TOKYO, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left for the Netherlands and Britain Wednesday to hold talks with his counterparts there on issues of regional and global economy and trade.

The first leg of his trip will see the Japanese premier hold talks with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in Rotterdam late Wednesday, with government officials here saying Abe is likely to discuss a range of issues including enhancing trade ties as the Japan-EU trade pact will come into effect in February.

Abe, who has said his visit is being made both in his capacity as Japan's leader as well as chair of the the Group of 20 summit, slated to be held in Osaka in June, is scheduled to meet British Prime Minister Theresa May in London on Thursday.

Abe is keen to ensure that Britain's planned exit from the European Union will not negatively impact Japanese firms based in Britain, as well as the wider global economy, and said he will make this clear to May during their talks.

"As Britain's exit from the European Union has drawn global attention, I will convey Japan's position to Prime Minister Theresa May and talk about the issue," Abe said, prior to his departure.

The two leaders are also likely to confirm their positive stances on promoting free trade, with Britain indicating its interest in joining the 11-member Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

The Japanese leader will return on Friday and is scheduled to visit Russia and Switzerland later in the month, government officials said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 19:14:44|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

BANGKOK, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Wednesday called the European Commission's removal of a yellow card on Thailand's fishing industry a "historic success" of his government.

Prayut thanked the authorities under guidance of Deputy Prime Ministers Prawit Wongsuwan and Chatchai Sarikulya for successful crackdowns on the illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing with respect to the alleged employment of undocumented migrant workers, mostly Myannar nationals, as crew members of fishing boats inside and outside of Thailand's territorial waters.

The authorities have taken measures to see to it that Thailand's fisheries will get rid of IUU problems and comply with international standards, and any migrant workers will be no longer abused aboard trawlers or at seafood processing factories.

Thailand's anti-IUU measures, taken by the authorities over the last four years, have eventually prompted the EC to remove the country from its list of yellow-carded, IUU-ridden countries, the prime minister commented.

The anti-IUU measures, including the legalization of Myanmar migrant workers as well as health care and welfare benefits for them, will be carried out on sustainable basis, whereas Thailand's fishing industry has high stakes in the exporting of frozen seafood products to the European Union member states and elsewhere around the world, according to Prayut.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 19:09:44|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

SANAA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 15 Houthi rebels were killed early Wednesday when attempting to launch a ballistic missile toward Saudi Arabia from northern Yemen, the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV reported.

Missile experts were among the killed in the botched missile attack, which took place in al-Tayyar area of Majaz district in Saada province, Al Arabiya said.

However, a Houthi official at the rebel media denied the report, telling Xinhua on anonymity that the Saudi-led coalition warplanes targeted Kahlan military base in Saada overnight and killed two.

The Houthi declined to provide further details.

Houthi rebels had launched several missile attacks on Saudi border cities to retaliate airstrikes. Most of the missiles had been intercepted and destroyed in the air.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition in Yemen against the Iran-backed Houthi militia since March 2015, in order to reinstate the exiled Yemeni government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 19:04:43|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- China on Wednesday congratulated Andry Rajoelina on his election as president of Madagascar.

According to reports, the high constitutional court of the Indian Ocean island country announced Tuesday that Rajoelina received more than 55 percent of the vote in the presidential election last month.

"We congratulate Rajoelina on his election as the new president of Madagascar," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said at a news briefing.

"China always attaches importance to its relations with Madagascar as a friendly nation," the spokesperson said, noting that China is willing to join hands with the new government of Madagascar in promoting cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative and implementing the achievements from the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Summit, to advance bilateral relations to a new high.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 19:04:43|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

JINAN, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- China's "City of Springs," Jinan, was given the go-ahead to merge with its smaller neighbor city Laiwu as part of the wide-ranging efforts in regional integration and industrial upgrading, authorities announced on Wednesday.

Laiwu, some 90 km southeast of Jinan, will become two districts administered by the latter, which is capital city of east China's Shandong Province. The State Council approved the merging of the two cities, the Shandong provincial government announced.

After taking Laiwu under its wing, Jinan covers 10,244 square km and is home to 8.7 million people.

Jinan is strong in technological, medical and financial resources, while Laiwu has robust coal and steel-making industries.

The move will consolidate the strength of the two cities, create new growth and help upgrade old industries such as steel-making, chemical and mechanical engineering, the government said in a statement.

Both cities have had close economic ties and frequent personnel exchanges before the adjustment, it said.

The two cities had a combined gross domestic output of 856.7 billion yuan (125 billion U.S. dollars) in 2017.

Wang Kaiyong, a researcher in the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research in the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said the adjustment will help improve the structure of Jinan, give play to its role as a provincial capital and allow it to better integrate with the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, about 300 km away.

Jinan is known as "the City of Springs" for its natural artesian springs. It hosts one of China's four National Super Computing Centers. It is also home to China's first commercial quantum network.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 18:54:41|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. state of Washington Tuesday expressed strong objections to a federal plan that downplays the dangers of nuclear waste at the country's largest dumping site.

The new federal proposal that reclassifies as less dangerous the nuclear waste stored in a decommissioned nuclear production complex in southeastern Washington would allow the federal government to "walk away from its obligation to clean up millions of gallons of toxic, radioactive waste," Washington Governor Jay Inslee said in a statement.

"This is an attempt by the federal government to grant themselves the unilateral authority to leave high-level, radioactive waste in the ground" at Hanford Nuclear Reservation, he said.

"This dangerous idea will only serve to silence the voices of tribal leaders, Hanford workers, public safety officials, and surrounding communities in these important conversations," he added.

Hanford's underground tanks hold 60 percent of the nation's most dangerous nuclear waste, which is the deadly legacy of a half-century of plutonium production for the nation's nuclear arsenal.

Washington filed comments Monday with the U.S. Department of Energy, opposing the federal plan to "reinterpret" the classification of 56 million of gallons of waste stored at Hanford. The comments were accompanied by a letter from Inslee and Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

The Hanford site was established by the U.S. military during World War II to make atomic bombs, and the most dangerous waste was stored in 177 aging underground tanks.

Currently, all of that waste is classified as high-level, and some tanks were reported to have leaked.

But the federal energy department seeks to reclassify a potentially large percentage of the waste as lower-level waste, which would allow treatment and disposal options that would not guarantee long-term protection for local communities, groundwater and the Columbia River, Inslee said.

Ferguson also criticized the federal proposal by vowing non-tolerance of the "shortcuts in the federal government's cleanup of Hanford."

"Unilaterally re-classifying high-level waste based on criteria not found in statute, and without consultation with other regulators and states, is dangerous and wrong," he said.English French

Montrouge, 9 January 2019

Decision of the Italian competition authority

against FCA Bank

On 9 January 2019, several banks and car manufacturers were fined by the Italian Competition Authority (Autorita Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato - "AGCM") for having infringed competition law by exchanging, according to the AGCM, sensitive information notably during meetings of two trade associations (1). This decision brings an end to an investigation that was launched in May 2017 and targeted the so-called "captive" banks of car manufacturers on the Italian market.

In this decision, FCA Bank SpA, a subsidiary owned at 50% by CA Consumer Finance S.A.(2) , was fined 178.9 million euros owing to its alleged violation of competition rules.

CA Consumer Finance Group will take into account the consequences of this fine, which will have an impact of around 70 million (net of provisions previously made), in its 4Q financial statements, while at the same time considering all ways and grounds for an appeal.

(1)The investigation by the Italian competition authorities (Autorita Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato - AGCM) was mentioned in the risk factors in the update to the Credit Agricole S.A. Registration Document as of 30 September 2018.

(2) FCA Bank S.p.A. is a 50-50 joint venture between Credit Agricole Consumer Finance S.A. and FCA Italie S.p.A.

Credit Agricole S.A. press contacts

Charlotte de Chavagnac + 33 1 57 72 11 17 charlotte.dechavagnac@credit-agricole-sa.fr

Olivier Tassain + 33 1 43 23 25 41 olivier.tassain@credit-agricole-sa.fr

Pauline Vasselle + 33 1 43 23 07 31 pauline.vasselle@credit-agricole-sa.fr

See all our press releases at: www.credit-agricole.com - www.creditagricole.infoSource: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 18:54:41|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

COLOMBO, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka said Wednesday that it would launch a five-year national campaign to reduce oral cancer which has emerged as a leading type of cancer in the island country in recent years.

The island-wide campaign will be launched by the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Presidential Task Force on Drug Prevention (PTFDP) and the University of Peradeniya.

Director of the PTFDP Samantha Kumara told local media that the national campaign would include an awareness campaign of the harmful effects caused by tobacco, counselling services, cancer detection facilities, home based follow-ups for oral cancer patients and the rehabilitation of tobacco users.

Oral cancer, or cancer in the oral cavity, is one of the leading cancers in Sri Lanka, according to the Center for Research in Oral Cancer at the Dental Sciences Faculty of the University of Peradeniya.

The chewing of areca nut and the consumption of tobacco are the leading causes of oral cancer in Sri Lanka, according to a study.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 18:54:41|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

WELLINGTON, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Soaring summer temperatures in New Zealand's South Island are causing concern for penguin rescuers.

The Christchurch Penguin Rehabilitation Center said on Wednesday that between November 2017 and May last year it looked after 40 penguins.

But already so far this season, 11 have been either injured or starving, the center said, adding the hot weather was to be blamed.

The center's spokesperson Kristina Schutt said high temperatures made it harder for penguins to find food, because the fish they usually caught swam in deeper waters when it was hot.

Yellow-eyed, little blue and white-flippered penguins were often found in distress, Schutt said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 18:49:41|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

MANILA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine tourism stakeholders urged the government on Wednesday to relax the visa requirements for Chinese in a bid to attract more Chinese tourists into the Philippines.

Ryan Uy, the vice president of the Philippine Airlines, said relaxing visa requirements is "one easy solution" to encourage more Chinese tourists to visit the Philippines.

"If you remove the visa requirements, and if we can grant them visa quickly similar to what we did to Japanese (tourists), the tourists will come," Uy said in a statement.

According to the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT), it was targeting 1.5 million Chinese tourists visiting the Philippines in 2018.

Uy said that visa is one of the biggest hurdles that tourists face if they wish to visit a particular country.

For instance, he said the Philippines can perhaps run a test or trials on how to go about reducing the visa requirements, especially for Chinese tourists.

Patria Chiong, the vice president of the Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA), echoed Uy, stressing the need to wave the visa requirements for Chinese tourists.

She said she agrees with Uy. "We can easily increase the arrivals from China (this year if we waive the visa requirement)," Chiong said in a separate interview with Xinhua.

PTAA President Marlene Dado Jante expressed hope that the Duterte government can investigate the proposal to repeal the visa requirements. "I hope that it will happen in the near future," she told Xinhua.

In August 2017, the Philippine government allowed visa-upon-arrival for Chinese visitors who are part of tour groups of DOT-accredited operators and businessmen. Applications should be filed 10 days before arrival.

In July last year, the Philippines said it was exploring ways to shorten the processing of visa-on-arrivals for Chinese nationals who wish to visit the Philippines, making their entry into the country faster and hassle-free.

DOT Undersecretary Benito Bengzon said the Department of Justice (DOJ) has already agreed to look into the proposal.

He said talks are underway between the two departments to "gradually make easier" the visa processing, especially for Chinese tourists. The Philippine Bureau of Immigration is under the DOJ.

As part of the plan, Bengzon said the government also mulls deploying Mandarin-speaking personnel to airports to better communicate with arriving Chinese tourists.

Tourism has now become one of the most critical support industries of the Philippines, and it is one of the sectors that has benefitted from the Philippines' renewed relationship with China. A growing Chinese tourist arrival was noted for the past three years.

From 490,000 in 2015 and 675,000 Chinese tourists in 2016, the number posted a significant increase in 2017 with 968,000 tourist arrivals.

Nearly 1.06 million Chinese tourists visited the Philippines in the first 10 months of 2018, making China the Philippines' second largest source market of foreign tourists.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 18:44:40|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

JERUSALEM, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A former Israeli minister on Wednesday pleaded guilty of spying on behalf of Iran, six months after his arrest, the State Attorney's office said.

In an announcement to the Jerusalem District Court, the State Attorney's office said former minister Gonen Segev signed a plea bargain, under which he will serve 11 years in jail.

Segev admitted in "serious espionage" and "providing information to the enemy," the State Attorney's office said.

According to Israel's Shin Bet security service, Segev had met several times with Iranian intelligence officials over the past six years, delivering them information.

In May, Segev was extradited from Equatorial Guinea and arrested in Israel.

Segev, 62, a former parliament member with the right-wing party of Tzomet, served as Israel's minister of energy and infrastructure between 1994 and 1996.

After his political career, he turned to business. In 2004, he was arrested for attempting to smuggle thousands of ecstasy pills from Amsterdam to Israel. He admitted guilty amidst a plea bargain and served five years in prison.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 18:39:37|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

SANTIAGO, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- China ranked as the leading export market for Chile's agroforestry products in 2018, surpassing the United States for the first time, according to a government agency report released on Tuesday.

The report by Chile's Agricultural Studies and Policies Bureau (ODEPA) shows China accounted for 20.8 percent of total exports in the field while the United States came in the second place, receiving 17 percent of last year's exports.

"After four years, agricultural and forestry exports saw significant growth in 2018," said ODEPA's director Maria Emilia Undurraga.

In 2018, Chile's agroforestry exports witnessed a 17-percent year-on-year growth, which brought in 11.162 billion U.S. dollars to the Latin American country.

The sector registered an increase in wine exports, as well as grapes, cherries, apples, cranberries and frozen pork, among other goods.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 18:24:33|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

by Xinhua writer Chen Wenxian

JERUSALEM, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A series of China-Israel cultural and trade promotion activities were launched on Tuesday evening at the China Cultural Center in Tel Aviv, attracting lots of Israelis.

The three-day activities include China-Israel cultural innovation program roadshow, "China Style" cultural and creative product exhibition as well as "This Moment in Pudong" photography exhibition to commemorate the 40th anniversary of China's reform and opening-up.

"China Style" exhibition shows the development of China's cultural and creative industry with high techs, innovation capabilities and market prospects.

Shao Peiran, a 12-year-old boy, shared his oil painting "A Dream within A Dream" with Israeli people, which describes the goodliness in the eyes of a child.

"This Moment in Pudong" photography exhibition presents 30 pictures showing the great achievements in Shanghai, China's financial and business center, and its Pudong New Area.

It features the business, culture, society and life in Pudong and Shanghai Pilot Free Trade Zone.

"Jewish Refugees and Shanghai" exhibition and "Oriental Rhythms" Yue Opera class are also two important parts of these activities.

The activities will further enhance the two countries' practical cooperation in culture and promote the development of cultural and tourism industries, said Ren Yibiao, president of the National Base for International Cultural Trade (Shanghai).

Through cultural exchanges, Israeli people will have a better understanding of a changing China that is showing its culture while making innovations, Ren added.

These activities "are very good, because Israeli people are not very familiar with Chinese culture," said Gal Furer, vice chairman of Israel-China Friendship Society, in an interview with Xinhua.

As the relations between Israel and China are getting stronger, cultural exchange is also increasing, said Furer, adding that he is glad to see more and more Chinese cultural products to be brought to Israelis.

China's national intangible cultural heritage, pottery and porcelain, silk, embroidery and tea ceremony were also staged in these activities.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 17:54:27|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

SUVA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Fiji's tourism earnings achieved a record 1.9 billion Fijian dollars (about 891 million U.S. dollars) in 2018, according to a Fijian government statement on Wednesday.

The tourism industry continues to perform exceptionally as Fiji's largest foreign exchange earner during the period of January-November 2018, with total arrivals recording 793,239, a 3.6 percent rise over the same period in 2017, said the statement.

For the first time ever, in July 2018, visitor arrivals to the island nation exceeded 95,000 for a given month, setting Fiji on the path and paved the way for another record-breaking year in terms of visitor arrivals.

In 2017, the island nation with a population of more than 880,000, received 842,884 visitor arrivals, a 6.4 percent increase from 2016.

Fiji's Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism Premila Kumar said on Wednesday that in line with the Fiji Tourism 2021 Plan, the government wants to keep the industry on track to achieve the target of 2.2 billion Fijian dollars (about 1.03 billion U.S. dollars).

"Tourism Fiji has set an ambitious program of events and activities for 2019 which was well received by our industry partners at the Industry Day 2018. This will continue to drive demand for the destination and we are excited to see their plans unfold during this year," Kumar added.

For Fiji, the tourism industry's combined direct and indirect contributions to GDP average above 30 percent and the industry provides direct and indirect employment to an estimated 45,000 people.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 17:49:26|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

BAGHDAD, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Baghdad on a surprise visit to meet with Iraqi leaders to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation, an Iraqi official television reported on Wednesday.

Pompeo met with the Iraqi Speaker Mohammed al-Halbousi and is expected to meet with the Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi and other top officials, the state-run Iraqiya channel said.

Pompeo's visit to Baghdad is part of his tour in some Middle East countries, in which he is scheduled to reassure allies about the United States' commitment to the region.

On Dec. 26, U.S. President Donald Trump made a surprise visit to Iraq accompanied by his wife Melania. They landed at the al-Assad air base in Iraq's western province of Anbar to celebrate Christmas event with U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

Trump's visit ignited resentment among Iraqi political blocs despite an Iraqi prime minister's statement that Baghdad had been informed of the visit.

Recently, Trump declared a plan to withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria, citing full defeat of the Islamic State (IS) militants in the country.

The troops were part of a U.S.-led coalition which has been fighting and conducting airstrikes against IS targets in both Iraq and Syria.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 17:34:23|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

ULAN BATOR, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A photo exhibition featuring the known and unknown aspects of the China-Mongolia friendship was held here Tuesday to commemorate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The exhibition, titled "what we know and do not know about the China-Mongolia friendship," showcased China's great efforts to promote bilateral ties and support Mongolia's economic and social development since the establishment of diplomatic ties.

"I am confident that the album can provide Mongolian readers with a deep understanding of China's outstanding contribution to the development and construction of Mongolia," said Khorloo Baatarkhuu, a leading Mongolian sinologist and editor of the album.

A total of 500 photos were exhibited, including many rare archive photos on China-backed infrastructure projects.

Senior Mongolian and Chinese officials, including Mongolian Deputy Prime Minister Ulziisaikhan Enkhtuvshin and Chinese Ambassador to Mongolia Xing Haiming attended the exhibition.

In his speech, Enkhtuvshin said that since the establishment of diplomatic ties 70 years ago, Mongolia-China relations have made great progress, which is inseparable from the selfless efforts of the Chinese government and the Chinese people.

For his part, Xing said that since China-Mongolia relations entered a comprehensive strategic partnership, high-level exchanges between the two sides have been frequent and political mutual trust has deepened. Meanwhile, economic cooperation and cultural exchanges have become closer, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples.

Mongolia and China established diplomatic relations on Oct. 16, 1949. In the 1950s and 1960s, China sent large numbers of workers to Mongolia to help with its infrastructure development. Some of the projects have since become symbols of Mongolia-China friendship.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 17:29:22|Editor: zh

Video Player Close

COLOMBO, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A Sri Lankan bank said on Wednesday that Chinese tourists visiting the island country could pay for their goods and services through the WeChat Pay facility in order to attract more Chinese tourists.

Commercial Bank of Ceylon PLC, one of Sri Lanka's leading private banks, said the WeChat Pay channel would be made available through a special Point of Sale (POS) device that would be provided to merchants who attract Chinese clients in Sri Lanka.

Commercial Bank's Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer S. Renganathan said that as Sri Lanka was a country popular among Chinese tourists, this payment solution would not only increase the convenience for them, but would also enable Chinese travelers to use a payment option they were familiar with.

Commercial Bank said interested merchants could request the Bank to provide them with the special POS device.

Once this is in place, visiting customers could choose multiple WeChat Pay payment methods to make payments through QR codes.

"This solution also enables them to view the value of their purchases and pay for them in yuan or any major currency of their choice, without losing out on currency conversion rates," the bank said in a statement.

China has become one of the leading markets for Sri Lanka Tourism with the government targeting at least 1 million Chinese tourists per year by 2020.NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. Jeffrey D. Gross, a board-certified neurological surgeon, today announced he is now offering comprehensive second opinion consultations for patients everywhere considering surgery. Through his clinic, SPINE in Newport Beach, CA, new patients will receive a comprehensive evaluation via computer video conference or in-house for a range of acute and chronic spine problems, including back and neck pain, brain and head injuries, pinched nerves, and complex spinal and disc derangements.



With over 28 years of experience in the medical field, Dr. Jeffrey Gross has seen many patients sent into surgery by others without a thorough examination and evaluation. He recommends patients consider options like laser, stem cell, physical therapy, pain management, and other lower risk treatments before surgery is considered. With a thorough understanding of the spine and its multiple sources of problems, he has focused on carefully reviewing patients history, records, diagnostic films, and their individual situations to give a second expert opinion.

Surgery should be the last option when all other treatments fail, said Dr. Jeffrey Gross of SPINE. Patients are too often hurried out of most doctors' offices and given high surgery outcome expectations while overshadowing the risks of surgery. Your doctor should be up-to-date on the latest minimally invasive and non-invasive technologies for treatment before turning to surgery. Make sure you get all your questions answered by someone who will spend the time with you.

Jeffrey D. Gross MD graduated from George Washington University before doing residencies and fellowship through the University of California Irvine and the University of New Mexico. He went on to get State Medical Licenses in California and Nevada. He is certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery and is part of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS), American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and North American Spine Society (NASS).

Dr. Gross has been the first doctor Ive seen for my back injury that has taken the time to explain my condition and is careful to be sure to answer any questions and concerns, said Julie M., a patient of SPINE. Finally, I have found a doctor who spends the time and effort to be sure that I understand my treatment options.

New patients can set up an in-house or virtual medical appointment by sending an email to gotpain@ifixspines.com or by calling (949) 364-6888 to start the patient intake process. Patients can choose to do their comprehensive evaluation over the phone or via Skype or FaceTime. A face-to-face doctor visit can also be set up at one of their 2 locations in Newport Beach, CA and Henderson, NV.

All records and patient files are sent over electronically or by mail so Dr. Jeffrey Gross can see the full range of treatments, diagnostic processes and test results in the recent medical history of the patient. A follow-up appointment will be set up to go over the summary report outlining the problems and recommended treatment options.

Dr. Jeffrey Gross works with his team to provide knowledgeable spinal care throughout the CA and NV area. For more information, visit ifixspines.com or call (949) 364-6888 to set up an in-house or virtual doctor visit consultation, or to get in touch with the SPINE team about second opinions on spinal problems, injury, treatment and lastly, surgery.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 16:44:07|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. federal court in San Francisco on Tuesday rejected the appeal of an illegal immigrant who was convicted of possessing a firearm, which is in violation of federal law.

A three-judge panel of the ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously upheld the federal law that bans undocumented people in the United States from owning guns, saying it does not violate the second Amendment to the Constitution which gives the public the right to carry arms.

The appeal was brought by Victor Manuel Torres, a Mexican national residing in San Jose, Northern California, who was arrested in March after police officers found a loaded revolver in a backpack in his pickup, court documents showed.

Torres was then indicted for "one count of being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm" in violation of federal law.

However, the Mexican immigrant appealed against the indictment on grounds that he was protected under the Second Amendment.

The judges of the San Francisco court ruled that while the Second Amendment "guarantees the individual right to possess and carry weapons in case of confrontation," the constitutional right "is not unlimited."

Federal law says that it is unlawful for a foreigner "illegally or unlawfully in the United States" to possess any firearm.

The court file said that illegal immigrants are hard to monitor "due to an inherent incentive to falsify information and evade law enforcement."Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 16:34:02|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

SUVA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Littering remains a concern for Fiji, Fiji's Fisheries Minister Semi Koroilavesau said on Wednesday.

Koroilavesau said the situation was evident in the capital city Suva, particularly from the Bowling Club to the National Stadium stretch along the seafront.

He said people need to change their mindset and treat the environment with care, according to local media.

"I mean you just have to follow a public bus or a private vehicle to see the amount of plastic that comes out the window. Public awareness is so important for people to understand," he said.

Koroilavesau said his ministry launched the campaign of cleaning areas that are widely polluted.

He added they also have launched a program to clean beaches around the island nation.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 16:34:01|Editor: WX

Video Player Close

QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Militants loyal to the Taliban group have driven more than 30 villages and strategic areas out of the government control, following a massive attack in Afghanistan's western province of Badghis, local officials said on Wednesday.

Both Afghan Local Police (ALP) personnel and allied pro-government tribal militias, known as local uprising groups have left security checkpoints, abandoning more than 30 villages to the Taliban fighters in Ab Kamari district of Badghis province, Abdul Aziz Baik, a provincial council official, told Xinhua.

"Over 300 armed men including local police and the people uprising who were fighting militants since the last several years, withdrew from most parts of the district on Tuesday, after long waiting failure to receive reinforcement in the troubled district, where the Taliban fighters could easily took control of up to 30 villages and strategic sites," the official said, adding that only the district building is under security forces' control.

The government established the ALP or community police in 2010 to protect villages and districts around the country where army and police have limited presence.

As a fresh incident, an ALP commander Khudadad, leading up to 25 local policemen fled to the neighboring Herat province, after losing resistance to the intense insurgents' offensives in the district, according to the official.

The official said that currently, up to 70 percent of areas in Jawand and Qadis districts of the province, 555 km northwest of Kabul, was controlled by the Taliban militants who have blocked the security forces supplies from Herat province, through the key Laman road.

Baik also noted that Taliban fighters have now reached to the gates of Qala-e-Naw, the provincial capital city and would threat the city, if not fought.

He called on the government to take measures as militants' advancement caused threats to the security of Qala-e-Naw and areas on its outskirts.

On Monday, more than 20 Afghan soldiers and police personnel and 15 Taliban militants have been killed following a series of fierce counter-insurgents battles in Badghis.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 16:33:59|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- China had 225,000 bookstores and sales outlets for books at the end of 2018, a 4.3-percent increase from the previous year, according to an annual report on the country's bookstore industry released Tuesday.

Issued by China's Books and Periodicals Distribution Association, the report showed that the total sales revenue of publications in China reached 370.4 billion yuan (about 54.1 billion U.S. dollars) last year, up 5.9 percent year on year, while 158 billion yuan was from retail, which enjoyed an 11.3-percent growth.

Private bookstores played a significant part in the development, as 85 of the over 160 popular Sisyphe Bookstore chain as of October last year were opened in 2018 alone, and Yanjiyou, another popular brand, opened another 53 bookstores from January to November last year, according to an article on Wednesday's People's Daily.

New media also contributed to the growth, with major outlets such as Yitiao opening brick-and-mortar bookstores last year based on their high popularity.

According to the paper, the revitalization of bookstores in China was largely due to favorable policies unveiled in recent years. After a national guideline on supporting the bookstore industry was issued in 2016, 28 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities also released relevant policies to boost the industry.

For instance, 50 million yuan of subsidies has been distributed to 151 bookstores in Beijing since the release of the local guideline in July 2018, the paper reported.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 16:08:53|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

ROME, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Ready for a taste bud adventure? A restaurant in the Italian town of Castelfranco Veneto has been treating guests to an ingenious dish of "fried air."

Referred to as "aria fritta" in Italian, or "fried air" in English, this eye-catching dish was designed to capture the essence of being outdoors and inhaling fresh air, according to the restaurant's head chef, Nicola Dinato.

Made of baked and deep-fried tapioca skin, the dish features a special aroma due to a 10-minute ozone infusion, and a vivid resemblance of fluffy clouds after being placed on a bed of cotton candy.

Despite a gimmicky 30 dollars per serving, the fried air has in fact been offered for free to all customers, one of the restaurant's employees explained.

The "fired air" has been "served as an appetizer" to remind diners that "they always have to try and fill their life with real experiences," chef Dinato told the Treviso-based daily newspaper Tribuna di Treviso.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 16:08:53|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

LUSAKA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Zambian President Edgar Lungu left here for South Africa on Tuesday for an emergency meeting with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa on the general election in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).

There is anxiety in the DR Congo following the Dec. 30 election, since the Independent National Electoral Commission has put off announcing the provisional results, saying it is having problems collecting the data.

According to a statement released by his office, the Zambian leader will also undergo his annual medical review during the visit.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 16:03:50|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

GUIYANG, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A direct flight was launched Tuesday between Guiyang, capital of southwest China's Guizhou Province, and Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city.

The air route, operated by China's low-cost carrier 9 Air with a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, is the first direct flight linking Guiyang and Myanmar, according to Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport.

Three round trips are scheduled each week on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The outbound flight leaves Guiyang at 6:05 p.m. Beijing Time and arrives at Mandalay International Airport at 6:45 p.m. local time.

The return flight departs from Mandalay at 7:45 p.m. local time and arrives in Guiyang at 11:45 p.m. Beijing Time.

China is a big source of visitors to Myanmar. To attract more Chinese travelers, Myanmar has started to grant visa-on-arrival access to Chinese visitors since Oct. 1, 2018.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 15:38:47|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least 19 Afghan local police and members of allied pro-government tribal militias were killed after Taliban stormed security checkpoints in northern province of Balkh overnight, a provincial council official said Wednesday.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 15:38:46|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Candidates who want to enlist in the Chinese armed forces will be able to submit application documents through a website from Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense said Wednesday.

The website, www.gfbzb.gov.cn, will also allow users to register their enlisting records and search for relevant policies, said a statement from the ministry's conscription office.

The ministry aims to recruit the majority of new service personnel from universities, the statement said.

The priority of this year's recruitment campaign will be college graduates and students of leading universities, it added.

The country currently has 2 million service personnel.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 15:23:41|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Jim Yong Kim, president of World Bank, said on Tuesday that he will join a private equity fund next month after leaving his current post.

Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a New York-based global infrastructure investor, said that Kim will become GIP's partner and vice chairman on February 1.

"Dr. Kim's broad knowledge base along with his first hand, comprehensive experience of working with governments and institutions around the world will provide very valuable insights," said Adebayo Ogunlesi, chairman and managing partner of GIP.

Kim confirmed his willingness to work with the firm, underlining the importance of infrastructure development.

"My previous experiences and recent years working at the World Bank have been rewarding efforts that have demonstrated how vital infrastructure development has become to the world," Kim said in the statement.

"I truly welcome the opportunity to work with GIP to be a part of furthering this broad and critically important global mission," he said.

Ogunlesi also highlighted Kim's "previous involvement with infrastructure and the emerging markets" as well as "his expertise in environmental, social and corporate governance issues."

"We are indeed pleased to welcome Dr. Kim to GIP," Ogunlesi added.

GIP is an infrastructure fund managing firm that invests in transportation, freight shipping, energy and several other industries. According to Bloomberg, GIP manages more than 40 billion U.S. dollars in assets.

World Bank said its CEO Kristalina Georgieva would assume the role of interim president effective from February 1, while it would look for a new president to take the helm at the giant organization.French English

Paris, 9 January 2019, 17:45

SYNERGIE signs an agreement to acquire ENTIRE RECRUIMENT and becomes a national player in Australia



SYNERGIE announces the signing of an agreement to acquire 100% of the Australian temporary employment company ENTIRE RECRUITMENT through its local subsidiary SYNACO GLOBAL RECRUITMENT, thereby actively pursuing its international development.

Founded in 2010, the Company has grown its business in the eastern part of the country, mainly in the regions of Brisbane (Queensland) and Sydney (New South Wales), and in 2018 it generated turnover of around AUD 38 million (EUR 24 million); it is particularly active in the mining, logistics and construction sectors.

The merger of the two networks enables the Group to operate throughout Australia, with an enhanced ability to respond to large national clients.

Thanks to this geographic coverage, in 2019 SYNERGIE aims to achieve turnover in Australia of AUD 100 million (EUR 64 million) by posting more than 1,000 temporary workers on a daily basis and offering permanent placement expertise.

Lastly, the Group recently obtained approval from the Chinese authorities with a view to the imminent opening of a Chinese office in Qingdao (Shandong province), enabling it to support major European clients already present in the country. It also confirms the continuation of negotiations for new locations in Europe.

Next event:

Publication of 2018 full-year turnover on 30 January 2019 after the stock market closes

AttachmentSource: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 15:13:40|Editor: ZX

Video Player Close

CANBERRA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese visitors to Australia remain the biggest spenders out of those from any countries, data has revealed.

Australia hosted 9.2 million international visitors in the 12 months to September 2018, Tourism Australia announced on Wednesday, up 6 percent from the previous year.

The number of Chinese visitors grew 8 percent to 1.42 million while Indian tourist arrivals had the strongest growth, up 19 percent to 345,500.

There was also strong growth in the number of visitors from France, up 6 percent, and Canada, up 7 percent, while those from Italy decline 1 percent.

Visitors spent 43.2 billion Australian dollars (30.9 billion U.S. dollars) in the 12 month period, up 5 percent, with 11.5 billion Australian dollars (8.24 billion U.S. dollars), or 27 percent of the total, spent by Chinese tourists.

Despite the number of visitors continuing to grow, visitors from most countries with the exception of China spent fewer nights in Australia.

The total number of nights that American tourists spent in Australia fell 13 percent while New Zealand and British tourist nights fell 7 percent.

According to Tourism Australia, tourists were increasingly flocking to regional Australia, with 2.84 million foreigners, or 30 percent of total visitors, venturing outside major capital cities such as Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.

Australia's Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Simon Birmingham said that 43 percent of the money spent by tourists was now being spent outside those major cities and that Canberra, the nation's capital, was one of the major beneficiaries.

"We've seen strong recent growth in international tourist numbers to Canberra, but what is also encouraging is more and more Australians than ever are making the trek to Canberra," the minister told News Corp Australia on Wednesday.

"This strong growth in domestic tourism is great for local Canberra businesses," the minister said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 14:58:38|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Treasury Department announced Tuesday that sanctions have been imposed upon several Venezuelan individuals and groups for alleged corruption.

The Treasury Department accused seven individuals and 23 entities involved in a corruption scheme designed to take advantage of the Government of Venezuela's currency exchange practices, generating more than 2.4 billion U.S. dollars in corrupt proceeds, according to a statement issued by the department.

"Venezuelan regime insiders have plundered billions of dollars from Venezuela while the Venezuelan people suffer," Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin said in the statement.

All property and interests in property of sanctioned individuals and entities subject to or transiting U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them, said the Treasury.

The sanctions come right before Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's inauguration to a second term on Jan. 10.

The Trump administration has been conducting a hard-line policy against Venezuela.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed the situation in Venezuela with his counterparts from Brazil and Peru during his Brazil trip early this month, calling for increased pressure on the Maduro regime to return democracy and prosperity to the Venezuelan people.

Last November, the United States imposed sanctions targeting Venezuela's gold exports, which are a significant source of money needed by the South American country to buy medicine and food.

Maduro responded that "Venezuela will never follow the orders of the U.S. empire and Venezuela will continue to produce gold."

Venezuela has been actively seeking to expand its cooperation with Russia on trade and security. A senior Venezuelan official said last November that the two countries would start cooperation in the agricultural and mining sectors.

Earlier December, a group of four Russian military aircraft -- two Tu-160 strategic bombers, a heavy An-124 military transport aircraft, and an Il-62 long-range aircraft -- landed in Venezuela after covering a distance of more than 10,000 km.

Pompeo characterized the landing as "two corrupt governments squandering public funds, and squelching liberty and freedom while their people suffer."

The Kremlin responded later the same day, calling Pompeo's remarks "undiplomatic and inappropriate."Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 14:58:37|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

NEW DELHI, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The nationwide strike called by Central Trade Unions (CTUs) across India entered second straight day Wednesday to protest against the government's alleged anti-worker policies and unilateral labor reforms.

Reports of strikes were pouring in from many states like West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, Kerala and Karnataka.

The protesting unions demand minimum wages for workers, universal social security cover, stoppage of disinvestment in the public sector units, and enforcement of basic labor laws in the country.

Apart from protest demonstrations in almost all states, incidents of violence, rail and road traffic blockades were reported in West Bengal on Tuesday.

Police in Kolkata detained Communist Party of India leader Sujan Chakraborty and other protesters Wednesday when they tried to stage a march. Reports said the local government in West Bengal which is opposing the strike has directed bus drivers to wear helmets as a precautionary measure.

In Mumbai, commuters were left stranded as the strike coincided with agitation by Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) employees.

Over 33,000 employees of Mumbai's civic transport undertaking BEST went on an indefinite strike since midnight over their demands, including higher wages. The strike has caused inconvenience to nearly 2.5 million daily commuters.

In the national capital of New Delhi, workers planned to march from Mandi House to the parliament at around 12:00 a.m. local time. Similar marches are simultaneously expected in other cities in the country during the day.

Previously the trade unions had organized two general strikes against the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government on Sept. 2, 2015, and Sept. 2, 2016.

Trade unionists said 10 CTUs with at least 200 million workers affiliated to them have joined the strike.

The striking unions include Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Center of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the workers' arm of the Communist Party of India, and All India United Trade Union Center (AIUTUC), among others. However, Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh-affiliated Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS or Indian Workers' Union) doesn't support the strike.

A joint statement issued by the CTUs said the government undermined tripartism and continued its "aggressive attack with arrogance on the lives and livelihood of the working people."Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 14:48:34|Editor: xuxin

Video Player Close

Photo taken on Jan. 8, 2019 shows the White House in Washington D.C., the United States. U.S. President Donald Trump claimed there was a "growing humanitarian crisis" on the U.S. border with Mexico in a televised speech Tuesday night amid a partisan fight over his proposed border barrier. (Xinhua/Ting Shen)

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump claimed there was a "growing humanitarian crisis" on the U.S. border with Mexico in a televised speech Tuesday night amid a partisan fight over his proposed border barrier.

In his first national address from the Oval Office since assuming presidency, Trump described the situation on the southern border as "a crisis of the heart, a crisis of the soul," making his case that a "steel barrier" is "absolutely critical for border security."

The president's remarks came amid his contentious fight with congressional Democratic lawmakers over the appropriation of more than 5 billion U.S. dollars he demanded for erecting the barrier to keep out illegal migrants and drug traffickers.

The dispute caused a lapse in congressional appropriations for nine cabinet-level departments and other federal agencies, triggering a partial government shutdown that has entered the 18th day.

In his speech, Trump laid out a number of unchecked examples to bolster what he said was a "tremendous problem" on the border, including harm inflicted on children, sexual assaults against women, drugs that poured into the United States. His opponents have called his argument an exaggeration of reality.

The Democrats have characterized Trump's wall funding request as "an immorality." Trump rebutted that accusation in his speech by saying "the only thing that is immoral is the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized."

On the shutdown, Trump said, "The federal government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only: because Democrats will not fund border security."

In fact, House Democrats passed two separate bills on Jan. 3 aimed at resuming the function of the federal offices that have been paralyzed. Since neither of the bills included the wall funding money, the Republican-controlled Senate refused to take them up.

"My administration is doing everything in our power to help those impacted by the situation. But the only solution is for Democrats to pass a spending bill that defends our borders and re-opens the government," Trump said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer jointly responded to Trump's speech immediately after its conclusion, accusing the president of "manufacturing a crisis" and urging him to reopen the government.

Schumer said Trump "just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration."

He said Democrats agree with the president that border security has to be strengthened, but "sharply disagree with the president about the most effective way to do it."

Pelosi said the president resorted to misinformation and "even malice" to disseminate his message during the shutdown, urging him to "stop holding the American people hostage."

"The president has chosen fear. We want to start with the facts," she added.

Trump said he has invited congressional leaders to the White House for discussion Wednesday, boasting that the stalemate can be solved "in a 45-minute meeting."

The president has over the past few days been threatening to use his executive power to declare a national emergency, so that he will be able to tap into the Department of Defense money for the barrier. He made no mention of such a decision during his Oval Office speech.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 13:43:20|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

BEIJING, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The People's Bank of China (PBOC) suspended open market operations for the third day this week on Wednesday, citing abundant liquidity in the banking system.

Reverse repos worth 40 billion yuan matured on Wednesday, meaning the central bank withdrew the same amount of funds from financial institutions.

"Liquidity in the banking system is on a relatively high level," a PBOC statement said.

Through reverse repos, the central bank purchases securities from commercial banks through bidding, with an agreement to sell them back in the future.

China will keep its prudent monetary policy "neither too tight nor too loose" while maintaining market liquidity at a reasonably ample level in 2019, according to the annual Central Economic Work Conference held last month.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 13:03:13|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

CANBERRA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- An Australian senator has revealed an ambitious plan to eradicate invasive cane toads, calling on the government to pay Australians to collect the amphibians for extermination.

Pauline Hanson, leader of the right-wing One Nation Party, on Wednesday called for a three-month collect-a-toad campaign, during which time Australians would be paid 10 Australian cents (seven U.S. cents) for every toad collected and given to their local council for extermination.

The program would be run in the Northern Territory (NT), Queensland, Western Australia (WA) and Queensland, the states and territory where the cane toad infestation is worst.

Cane toads were introduced to Australia in the 1930s to eradicate beetles that were ravaging sugarcane crops in Queensland.

Since then, Australia's cane toad population has grown to 200 million with the pests killing native wildlife and spreading disease throughout the country.

"When rabbits plagued our nation, a sizeable reward was posted for the biological control of the species," Hanson wrote in an open letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

"Other invasive species such as European carp have been eradicated from waterways using biological measures and I believe it is time our federal parliament takes a swift, bipartisan approach into the eradication of this pest species.

"I would also encourage you to introduce a three-month bounty over summer months to help reduce the breeding numbers.

"A 10 cent reward for the collection of each cane toad ... would encourage most Australians living with the pest to take an active role in reducing their numbers until a biological measure is developed."

Hanson said that the plan would encourage children to be active during the summer school holidays as well as giving them an opportunity to make some money while saving Australian ecosystems.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 12:48:10|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

CANBERRA, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton has called for a public national register of child sex offenders.

Dutton on Wednesday wrote to state and territory governments asking them to support his proposal, which would make the name, appearance and general location of convicted child sex offenders available online.

"It would have a strong deterrent effect on offenders and ensure that parents are not in the dark about whether a registered sex offender has access to their children," he said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The abuse and exploitation of children is a global epidemic that is becoming more prevalent, more organized and more extreme.

"Thwarting that exploitation is a key priority for me as minister for home affairs. I have always fought for the protection of children and this is a battle we must win."

Under the plan, the details of juvenile offenders would not be included on the register.

He said that a national database would prevent any offenders from evading public scrutiny.

Senator Derryn Hinch, a long-time proponent of a public register, on Wednesday said Dutton's plan should go further to include the offenders' addresses.

"I can die happy, this is the only reason I got into politics," he told reporters.

"If you rape a child, you lose your civil rights."Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 11:43:00|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

CARACAS, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Venezuelan government on Tuesday said it has stepped up pressure on Colombia to extradite suspects involved in a failed assassination attempt against President Nicolas Maduro.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry said it made two verbal requests on Monday to its Colombian counterpart, asking for extradition of citizens involved in the attempted assassination on Aug. 4, 2018.

The latest requests "bring to 14" the number of communications Venezuela has initiated with Colombia on the matter, the ministry said, adding "no diplomatic response has been received."

During an outdoor event on Aug. 4 last year, two drones carrying explosives flew close to Maduro, who was giving a speech, and detonated them.

Maduro was unharmed but several members of the military sustained injuries.

Maduro said in the wake of the incident that investigation suggested it was linked to Colombia and the United States, where many Venezuelan exiles live.

Both countries have denied links to the drone attack.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 10:47:52|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

HAVANA, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Cuba plans to attract more Chinese visitors in 2019 in light of the growing number of Chinese overseas tourists.

"China currently ranks 14th as a tourism market for Cuba, as last year approximately 46,000 Chinese visitors came to our country, representing a 10-percent increase over 2017," Michel Bernal, director of the development sector at the Tourism Ministry (Mintur), told Xinhua in a recent interview.

That's a good start. But given the growing number of Chinese tourists traveling the globe, Cuba knows it can do better.

It plans to step up promotional campaigns in China about the Caribbean island's varied destinations.

Bernal said the majority of Chinese travelers to Cuba arrive from nearby countries and not through the weekly Air China flights connecting Havana and Beijing with a stopover in Montreal, Canada.

The route inaugurated at the end of 2015 has seen low passenger rates, and Cuba wants to tackle the "challenge" of filling those empty airline seats, Bernal said.

"We have created a working group at Mintur to improve the situation of this flight and we will visit China early this year to talk with travel agencies and tour operators, and promote Cuba as the most important destination in the Caribbean," he added.

According to the official, Cuba will participate in relevant tourism fairs in China in 2019.

"We currently have tour guides who speak Chinese, which is very important, and at several hotels in Havana, managers that work directly with tour operators who speak Mandarin," said Bernal.

Since October, professors from China's Confucius Institutes have been teaching Mandarin at the Tourism School of the University of Havana. Agreements have also been finalized to incorporate Mandarin as a second language at the university's School of Foreign Languages.

Two new Chinese restaurants will be opening in Havana this year, said Bernal.

According to the official, there's a strategy to boost Chinese investments in the Cuban tourism sectors as it provides confidence for visitors from China.

Official figures show Chinese companies are among the leading foreign partners in Cuba's tourism sector, with investments exceeding 700 million U.S. dollars.

Ties in tourism represent a significant contribution to strengthening the financial, trade and economic links between the two nations, Bernal said.

In the local car rental business, 65 percent of the fleet is Chinese brands. Nearly the entire fleet of buses were manufactured in China.

"Every day we want to insert more Chinese products and technologies in the tourism sector. And currently, in addition to buses and vehicles for rent, we have bought air conditioners for rooms in many hotels," said Bernal, adding "we are also assessing other goods for the Cuban hotel industry."

Cuba had a record 4.75 million international visitors in 2018 and this year it hopes to attract 5.1 million tourists, which will represent a 7 percent growth.

Tourism is the island's second biggest source of foreign revenue. The Cuban government considers it as one of the main driving forces of its economic development.The photo shows tsunami survivors rest at a temporary shelter in Labuan of Pandeglang in Banten Province, Indonesia, Dec. 25, 2018. (Xinhua/Du Yu)

by Abu Hanifah

JAKARTA, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- In the face of a series of natural disasters in recent months, Indonesia is taking measures to ensure public safety and step up disaster mitigation.

A series of earthquakes and tsunami have claimed the lives of thousands of people, leaving hundreds of thousands of others displaced and destroying infrastructure in various areas in recent months.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has issued order to immediately initiate disaster education in schools and in the society.

The president said the programs should be applied immediately in areas identified as being prone to natural disasters.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla on Tuesday stressed the need for National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) to initiate regular simulation program for residents so as to make people well-prepared for natural disasters.

"It can be conducted in areas prone from earthquake and tsunami, like in West Sumatra or Aceh provinces," he said.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian government has doubled its disaster mitigation allocation to 15 trillion rupiah (around 1 billion U.S. dollars) this year.

Part of the allocation would be used to cover operation of BNPB, while some would be set as standby fund that can be disbursed to finance mitigation activities for certain scale of disasters.

BNPB predicted that Indonesia would continue to see floodings and landslides throughout this year due to expansion of damaged river bank areas and poor spatial planning in hilly areas.

The risk of volcanic and seismic disasters also remained high with escalating activities of several volcanoes across the country. Earthquakes occurred almost on daily basis in several areas.

The threat of tsunami remained in concerning condition. The country lacks early warning devices, as the tsunami buoys set in the sea in several locations have been broken or stolen.DALLAS, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE -- Kali, Inc. (dba/Kali-Extracts, Inc.) (USOTC: KALY) (KALY) today featured segments of the Goldman Small Cap Research Report published yesterday that highlight KALYs cannabis pharmaceutical value:



Prior to the acquisition by Kali-Extracts, NCM Biotech was engaged with a number of different universities on a number of separate research initiatives. As an example, and as a preview of an upcoming announcement, NCM has been involved in an ongoing study with a university in Kentucky on the use of a cannabis therapy derived from Kali-Extractss patented extraction process for the treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). A paper on the results of the study using Kali-Extractss patented extraction process is anticipated to be published sometime this quarter. The World Health Organization estimates 65 million people worldwide are afflicted with moderate to severe COPD and GlobalData forecasts that the COPD treatment market will reach $14.1 billion by 2025. Thus, if the current preclinical study trajectory on the development side holds, the market opportunity is huge.

Separately, management believes that based on feedback from those that were involved in the aforementioned study that the Kali-Extracts extracts may be superior to those of GW Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Epidiolex. Plus 

We applaud the management team for engaging in an over-lapping, multi-pronged and staged approach to revenue generation. Clearly, near-term revenue is set to be driven by the wellness segment while the pharmaceutical side develops and could potentially be worth more than the wellness aspect of the overall business. Such valuations will be determined by future studies and trials. In the meantime, it appears that tangible, fairly consistent revenue streams are in the cards for KALY on the wellness side while favorable news on the pharmaceutical development front this quarter should be considered a strong milestone event. In our view, for investors interested in the hemp-based CBD industry, KALY bears watching, given its multiple shots on goal and broad-based potential."

The report is available under research on the OTCMarkets website . The research report is the first report from Goldman Small Cap Research as part of an ongoing research engagement. The report outlines the companys current positioning and potential, upcoming milestones. The report is intended to augment the current information available on the OTCMarkets website. KALY has recently updated all of its financial reports required by OTCMarkets to satisfy the OTCMarkets current filing standards and anticipates the OTCMarkets site to soon reflect Kalis current filing status. As of the publication of this release, OTCMarkets has yet to update this status. All quotation information cited in the report was derived from Yahoo!Finance which reports Kali intraday trading activity and news. While quote information is not available on OTCMarkets website pending the filing status update, investors and shareholders can alternatively obtain current quote information on Yahoo!Finance or from their own online brokerage account.

The report is also available to read or download, along with associated disclosures and disclaimers, at www.GoldmanResearch.com .

About Goldman Small Cap Research: Founded in 2009 by former Piper Jaffray analyst and mutual fund manager Rob Goldman, Goldman Small Cap Research produces sponsored and non-sponsored small cap and microcap stock research reports, articles, stock market blogs, and popular investment newsletters.

Goldman Small Cap Research is not in any way affiliated with Goldman Sachs & Co.

This press release contains excerpts of our most recently published report on Kali, Inc. The information provided in the report was for information use only and may have contained forward-looking statements along with statements of fact that may have been obtained from sources considered reliable. Thus, we neither guarantee nor represent the completeness or accuracy. Goldman Small Cap Research relied solely upon information derived from press releases issued by and due diligence related to management of Kali, Inc. some of which are referred to in authorized press releases or legal disclosures made in its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission http://www.sec.gov .

Separate from the factual content of our report, we may from time to time include our own opinions about the Companies, its business, markets and opportunities. Any opinions we may offer about the Companies are solely our own, and are made in reliance upon our rights under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and are provided solely for the general opinionated discussion of our readers. Our opinions should not be considered to be complete, precise, accurate, or current investment advice. Statements herein and in the report may contain forward-looking statements and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties affecting results.

It should be noted that Kali has recently updated all of its financial reports required by OTCMarkets to satisfy the OTCMarkets current filing standards and anticipates that the OTCMarkets site to soon reflect Kalis current filing status. As of the report publication date, OTCMarkets has yet to update this status. All quotation information cited in the report was derived from Yahoo!Finance which reports Kali intraday trading activity and news.

A Goldman Small Cap Research report, update, newsletter, article, trading alert, corporate profile, podcast interview or press release is not intended as an offering, recommendation, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities mentioned or discussed is to be used for informational purposes only. Please read all associated full disclosures, disclaimers, and analyst background on our website before investing. Neither Goldman Small Cap Research nor its parent is a registered investment adviser or broker-dealer with FINRA or any other regulatory agency. To download or view the Kali report or any of our research on Puration, Inc., or other sponsored research, please view our disclosures and disclaimers, or for more information, visit www.goldmanresearch.com .

Goldman Small Cap Research was compensated $3500 by the Company for the publication of this report. It should be noted that during 2018, GSCR was compensated by Puration, Inc. in the amount of $5500 for a research subscription service and a previous podcast interview.

About Kali, Inc. (OTC - KALY) Kali, Inc. is a health and wellness company set to generate revenue via licensing its patented cannabis extraction technology to multiple companies in the wellness and pharmaceutical industries. With promising preclinical data along with development and various commercial agreements behind it, Kali, Inc. seeks to commercialize its unique and valuable IP targeting multi-billion-dollar markets.

For more information, please visit: www.kali-extracts.com

Goldman Small Cap Research

Rob Goldman, Analyst

410-609-7100

rob@goldmanresearch.comSource: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 10:22:46|Editor: WX

Video Player Close

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump claimed a "growing humanitarian crisis" on the U.S. border with Mexico in a televised speech Tuesday night from the Oval Office, amid an ongoing partisan fight over his proposed border barrier.The photo shows Xi Jinping(L), general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and Chinese president, holds a welcoming ceremony for Kim Jong Un, chairman of the Workers' Party of Korea and chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), ahead of their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, June 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's presidential Blue House on Tuesday welcomed the visit by Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to China, as it was anticipated to contribute to building peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Kim Eui-keum, the Blue House spokesman, told a press briefing that Kim's visit to China was anticipated to contribute to the complete denuclearization of the peninsula and the settlement of permanent peace.

The spokesman said exchanges were underway between the two Koreas, between China and the DPRK, and between the DPRK and the United States, noting that each exchange was anticipated to advance others by creating a virtuous cycle among them.

He noted that South Korea hoped the exchange between China and the DPRK would become a stepping stone for the second DPRK-U.S. summit.

The DPRK leader and U.S. President Donald Trump met in Singapore in June last year, holding the first-ever DPRK-U.S. summit. Kim and Trump expressed their hopes to meet again in the near future.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee's International Department spokesperson said in Beijing that Kim is visiting China from Jan. 7 to 10.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 10:12:42|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

MONTEVIDEO, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Argentinian midfielder Exequiel Palacios said on Tuesday that he could join Real Madrid during the January transfer window, but stressed that his immediate focus is on his current club River Plate.

Speculation linking Palacios with a move to the Bernabeu has mounted since River Plate president Rodolfo D'Onofrio revealed last month that Real Madrid scouts had enquired about the 20-year-old.

"It's hard not to get carried away by everything that is said on social media, all the talk about Real Madrid," Palacios told reporters in Uruguay, where River are training following a brief summer break.

"I'm trying to be calm and taking things day by day. But then you reflect and start to think about what a big club Real Madrid is and that there is a chance that I could go there."

Palacios, capped twice for Argentina's national team, is contracted to River Plate until June 2021.

Reports in Argentina suggest that the Buenos Aires club will ask for a transfer fee of 20 million euros to release the highly-rated playmaker, who was a part of the River team that beat fierce rivals Boca Juniors in the Copa Libertadores final last month.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 07:30:32|Editor: mmm

Video Player Close

Fishermen unload fish from boats at a fish landing station in Cox's Bazar in southeastern Bangladesh on Jan. 8, 2019. (Xinhua/Stringer)Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 07:35:58|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Zhu Yue explains the design of the pilot's cabin of his "plane" in Kaiyuan, northeast China's Liaoning Province, Jan. 8, 2019. Zhu has an interest in plane since childhood. He began to build a full-size plane model of the Airbus 320 with his team members in 2017. Now Zhu is about to finish the building of the model. He plans to make it an experiencing attraction combining themed restaurant, wedding photography studio and flight simulating program. (Xinhua/Yao Jianfeng)Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 07:17:03|Editor: Lu Hui

Video Player Close

LONDON, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Britain's main opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn Tuesday night called for a no-deal Brexit to be ruled out after Prime Minister Theresa May suffered a major defeat in the House of Commons.

Twenty Conservative MPs helped inflict the defeat on May when they supported a cross-party measure aimed at blocking Britain leaving the European Union (EU) with no deal.

Labour MP Yvette Cooper put forward an amendment to the government's crucial finance bill which is making provision for taxation measures when Britain leaves the bloc on March 29.

By 303 votes to 296, a margin of just seven, MPs backed Cooper, leaving to a crippling blow for May and her Brexit strategy.

After the result was announced, Cooper said it showed the determination in parliament to come together to prevent a chaotic and damaging No Deal that would hit manufacturing, policing and security.

One leading London-based political commentator described the result as the start of constitutional trench warfare where Parliament will try to assert its power over the executive to prevent a no-deal Brexit.

The pro-Europe Guardian newspaper in London in a major editorial commentary Tuesday night said the government had failed and must go back to the people.

Corbyn welcomed the result and said the government defeat will help prevent a no-deal Brexit.

In a statement he urged May to now rule out a no-deal Brexit altogether.

He said: "This vote is an important step to prevent a no deal Brexit. It shows that there is no majority in parliament, the cabinet or the country for crashing out of the EU without an agreement."

"That is why we are taking every opportunity possible in parliament to prevent no deal. Theresa May must now rule out no deal once and for all."

Supporters of Cooper's amendment conceded that it cannot stop a no-deal Brexit. It is attached to a clause in a new finance bill which gives the government power to keep some areas of tax administration working in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

The amendment aims to prevent the government from implementing no-deal provisions in the bill without the consent of the British parliament.

During the debate Cooper, a former opposition home affairs spokesperson, told MPs they had a responsibility to prevent Britain leaving Europe with no deal.

Cooper said she put forward the amendment because she was really worried that delays, drift or brinkmanship meant that there is now a serious risk Britain will end up crashing out of the EU with no deal in just 80 days.

MPs resume debate in the House of Commons Wednesday on May's Brexit Withdrawal Bill which has been highly criticised by politicians from all parties.

A vote on the bill should have taken place last month, but was called off when May's advisors told her it faced defeat in the House of Commons.

Many leading commentators believe that despite a last-minute charm offensive by May, it still faces defeat next week.

The eventual result will depend on what concessions May can get from Brussels to allay fears about the bill among MPs. These center mainly on the fate of the border between British-controlled Northern Ireland and the neighboring Irish Republic which is an EU member.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 06:51:57|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

LONDON, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Tourism chiefs in Wales on Tuesday launched 2019 as their Year of Discovery to encourage international visitors to discover hidden gems and world-famous attractions.

It follows a successful Year of the Sea campaign during 2018. The aim this year is to encourage people to rediscover Wales, as well as attracting people who have never visited Britain's so-called Land of Song.

A multi-media international campaign on the theme of discovery is to run throughout 2019, aimed at domestic and international markets.

Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Wales' deputy minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism said: "In 2019 we want to encourage our visitors to discover Wales anew, to discover new parts of Wales and to try out enriching outdoor, adventure and cultural experiences across the country.

"Wales is full of hidden corners; as well as world-famous attractions. And so the challenge is set to visit places you have never been before, or to try something for the very first time. Go coasteering or zip-lining; tick off more of Wales's 600 castles from your must-see list; or to visit one of our galleries or museums to learn something new about our past."

As well as encouraging the people of Wales to discover new corners of its landscape, VisitWales, the official tourism agency, is also encouraging international visitors to explore more of Wales. It has produced three national touring routes with loops and detours of discovery to help visitors on their way.

VisitWales said its 2018 Year of the Sea campaign generated at least 450 million U.S. dollars for the Welsh economy.

Latest figures from the Welsh government in Cardiff show that in the first six months of 2018 around 430,000 trips were taken in Wales by international visitors, spending around 215 million dollars.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 04:51:21|Editor: Liangyu

Video Player Close

Seref Ates (L), president of the Yunus Emre Institute, poses for photos with Jin Zhi, vice president of Yidian Zixun, during a signing ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey, on Jan. 8, 2019. Yidian Zixun, a Chinese news app based on artificial intelligence and big data, and Turkey's Yunus Emre Institute agreed on Tuesday to cooperate on academic and scientific works. (Xinhua/Xu Suhui)

ISTANBUL, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Yidian Zixun, a Chinese news app based on artificial intelligence and big data, and Turkey's Yunus Emre Institute agreed on Tuesday to cooperate on academic and scientific works.

The deal builds on past cooperation between the two sides, in which Yidian Zixun provided to the non-profit Turkish institute big data related to the interests of Chinese netizens as well as premium Multi Channel Network-oriented services.

"We are working hard to strengthen academic and scientific cooperation between Turkey and China," said Seref Ates, president of the Yunus Emre Institute, which is under the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

"The value-added projects that will be created within TABIP will contribute to the development of their relations even further," Ates said at the signing ceremony.

TABIP, or Turkey Academic and Scientific Cooperation Project, was launched by Ates' institute 10 months ago and has now some 230 programs with different institutions or companies around the world.

Li Ya, CEO of Yidian Zixun which boasts as many as 70 million daily users, voiced readiness to deepen exchanges and interactions with the Turkish side under China's Belt and Road Initiative, which is promoting opening up and sharing.

Ismail Gultekin, a deputy governor of Istanbul, spoke of the efforts being made to woo more Chinese tourists, companies and artists to Istanbul, including the establishment of a Chinatown, direction signboards with Chinese characters and more Chinese restaurants.

He called for opening more flights between Turkish and Chinese cities.

"We do our best to boost the close ties between the two countries located at the two ends of the Silk Road," he said.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 04:41:20|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

HELSINKI, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy (ETLA) predicted on Tuesday that Finland could maintain a two percent economic growth during the next parliamentary period 2019 to 2023.

But it would require cutback in unemployment benefits, cancelation of the general right to sabbaticals, and easier recruitment of foreign labour, the institute noted in a media release.

In its recommendations to the government that would start after the April general election, the institute suggested that the right of long term employees to take up to a year off should be discontinued. In the current system created in the late 1990s, compensation during the sabbatical has nearly matched the unemployment benefits.

ETLA also suggested that the right of people over 60 to get extended unemployment benefits until retirement should be stopped.

The institute urged that the recruitment of persons from outside the European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) should be eased through giving up the labour market evaluation requirement. In the current system, the unfeasibility of finding a worker from within the EU and EEA must be verified.

ETLA also suggested that in the future, income transfers collected in taxation should be used to help the lowest income segment. For the rest of the nation, the maintenance of a certain consumption level should rather be based on insurance or borrowing, ETLA envisioned.

ETLA, one of the leading economic research institute in Finland, is closely associated with the industrial and commercial business scene.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 04:06:09|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

BEIRUT, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Cipriano Cassama, president of the National People's Assembly of Guinea-Bissau, on Tuesday pledged to offer all kinds of help for the Lebanese who wish to invest in his country.

"Guinea-Bissau has a promising future, and we want to share with the Lebanese this future, so we will give all the guarantees and facilities including taxes and customs exemptions to those who wish to invest in our country," he was quoted as saying by the National News Agency.

Cassama's remarks came during his meeting with Mohamed Choucair, head of the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in Beirut, in the presence of a number of Lebanese businessmen.

Cassama called on Lebanese businessmen to invest in his country, citing that "Guinea-Bissau is rich in natural resources, such as oil that has not be invested in, as well as phosphate, gold, cement and other fields."

For his part, Choucair said that Lebanon has many promising investment opportunities especially in infrastructure and oil and gas projects.

"Lebanon has also products that meet the highest international standards and can cover many of the needs of Guinea-Bissau," he said.

Also on Tuesday, Cassama met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun, House Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister-designate Saad Hariri, for talks on promoting economic cooperation between the two countries.Dublin, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Malaysia Marine Engine Market (2018-2024): Market Forecast by Power, by Propulsion Types, by Applications, by Regions, and Competitive Landscape" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Malaysia Marine Engine Market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.4% during 2018-24.



Malaysia is situated in a geographically and strategically important maritime location of the world. The country accounted for 3.28% of container port despite owning only 1% of the world's fleet. Maritime is the most important mode of trade and commerce in Malaysia with approximately 95% of the overall trade being conducted through waterways. As the trade between Malaysia and other nations in the Asia-Pacific region increases, the marine and trade industries are expected to generate significant demand for new vessels.



The Malaysian government is encouraging the shipbuilding industry through an SBSR (Shipbuilding and Ship Repair) strategic plan 2020, aimed at increasing capacity of local yards and promoting shipbuilding. The government has also introduced tax exemption schemes to recover the industry.



Marine Engines that use diesel engine propulsion systems continue to occupy the majority of the share of the market. With the decrease in permitted Sulphur emission level worldwide, the popularity of alternative propulsion systems, such as the LNG engine and steam turbine are increasing. The demand for LNG engines is expected to grow rapidly after the enforcement of new MARPOL standards for Sulphur emission from January 2020.



Amongst all the applications, offshore Oil and Gas industry in Malaysia leads the market in terms of revenue and volume share. Malaysia is one of the most important producers and exporters of natural gas in Asia. The global slowdown in the oil industry has affected the growth rate of the marine engine but the requirement of boats for Seabed Oil and Gas Drilling, Anchor handling tug supply and Offshore Supply Vessels continue to drive the demand for Marine Engines in Malaysia.



The report thoroughly covers Malaysia Marine Engine market by power, propulsion types, applications and regions. The report provides an unbiased and detailed analysis of the on-going trends, opportunities/high growth areas and market drivers which would help the stakeholders to devise and align their market strategies according to the current and future market dynamics.



Key Highlights of the Report:

Historical Data of Malaysia Marine Engine Market Revenues & Volume for the Period 2014-2017.

Market Size & Forecast of Malaysia Marine Engine Market Revenues & Volume until 2024F.

Historical Data of Malaysia Marine Engine Market Revenues & Volume, By Power for the Period 2014-2017.

Market Size & Forecast of Malaysia Marine Engine Market Revenues & Volume, By Power until 2024F.

Historical Data of Malaysia Marine Engine Market Revenues, By Propulsion Types for the Period 2014-2017.

Market Size & Forecast of Malaysia Marine Engine Market Revenues, By Propulsion Types until 2024F.

Historical Data of Malaysia Marine Engine Market Revenues, By Applications for the Period 2014-2017.

Market Size & Forecast of Malaysia Marine Engine Market Revenues, By Applications until 2024F.

Historical Data of Malaysia Marine Engine Market Revenues, By Regions for the Period 2014-2017.

Market Size & Forecast of Malaysia Marine Engine Market Revenues, By Regions until 2024F.

Market Drivers and Restraints.

Market Trends and Developments.

Players Market Share

Company Profiles.

Strategic Recommendations

Markets Covered:



By Power:

Below 100Hp

100.1 Hp - 500Hp

500.1 Hp - 1000Hp

Above 1000 Hp

By Propulsion Types:

Diesel Engine

Steam Turbine

Gas Turbine

LNG Engine

Others (Nuclear, fuel cell, solar, water jet and wind)

By Applications:

Commercial

Recreational

Offshore Oil and Gas

Navy

Others (Finishing, Coast Guards, Safety Boats)

By Regions:

Peninsular Malaysia

Subah

Sarawak

Companies Mentioned



Caterpillar Inc.

Cummins Inc.

MAN Energy Solutions

Mercury Marine

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine System Asia Pte Ltd.

Perkins Engines Co. Ltd.

Rolls Royce Public Limited Company

Wartsila

Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd

Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/q4hf46/malaysia_marine?w=12

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 03:56:08|Editor: mym

Video Player Close

A new handheld gimbal is seen during a press preview held by members of the Chinese corps attending the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the United States, Jan. 7, 2019. The 2019 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) opens on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Liu Jie)

LAS VEGAS, the United States, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- About 1,200 Chinese tech companies, including industry giants like JD.com and Huawei as well as startups, put their innovations in AI and robotics on display at the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), which kicked off Tuesday in Las Vegas.

The Chinese companies tried to expand their international market presence with their home-grown gadgets, although the number of exhibitors dropped about 20 percent as China and the United States are negotiating to ease their trade tensions.

The number of Chinese companies reached a record high in CES 2018 of more than 1,500. The shrinkage of Chinese participation amid a trade strain cast a shadow on American tech sector.

Gary Shapiro, president of the U.S. Consumer Technology Association, the show's organizer, told Xinhua that tariffs on Chinese products are actually costing the U.S. tech industry and American consumers about a billion dollars a month.

Shapiro said he was concerned about America's export control proposal on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI). He listed AI, along with 5G, self-driving tech and digital health, as trend to watch in CES 2019 at Monday's presentation.

But the export control will restrict the advancement of AI, especially in the United States, said Shapiro.

Chinese made products can still be found easily in almost every category like HD TV, robotics and smart retailing, occupying about 14 percent of the net exhibiting space. Many Chinese tech companies, especially the most innovative ones, are still looking to the long-term prospects in American market.

A Chinese company specializing in voice recognition, iFLYTEK, is one of them. Rivaling Google and Amazon, the AI tech-driven company unveiled its fully upgraded smart translator, an honoree of CES 2019 Innovation Award at CES.

Charlene Li, general manager of iFLYTEK North America, told Xinhua that expansion in the American market may be an uphill journey in the short term, but "if we wouldn't plan ahead and do spade work, we had to do it several years later, which is too late."

Alpha Mini robot developed by UBITECH, and Mabot developed by Shenzhen Bell, both Chinese startups, are also listed as CES's annual Innovation Awards.

Shapiro said Chinese companies came to CES with multiple intentions. They either meet sellers or buyers, or build their brand, or form partnership.

China's second largest online retailer JD.com made a debut at CES this year, showcasing at the exhibition booth an unmanned delivery vehicle in dense urban areas and a drone used in a delivery network for rural shipments.

Zhang Chen, JD.com's CTO, will share his understanding of the Asian retail market in a seminar on Wednesday to help American companies to make a faster presence in Chinese market.

Huawei released its two new products at CES: a high-end laptop and a smart watch. Both will be put on shelves in the United States this month but Huawei's smartphones are almost locked out of the American market.

"If you are trading with the countries you are more likely to have a good relationship with them," said Shapiro, calling for a more "normalized" trade relationship between the two countries.

CES, the world's largest trade show to present new products and technologies in the consumer electronics industry, runs till Friday, attracting about 4,500 exhibitors and 180,000 attendees in 2019.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 03:41:02|Editor: WX

Video Player Close

Spokesman of the Houthi militias Yahya Sarei speaks during a press conference in Sanaa, Yemen, on Jan. 8, 2019. Yemen's rival forces on Tuesday accused each other of being reluctant to implement a UN-brokered cease-fire and peace agreement reached in Stockholm last month, just a day after a brief visit by the UN special envoy to rebel-held capital Sanaa. (Xinhua/Mohammed Mohammed)

SANAA, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's rival forces on Tuesday accused each other of being reluctant to implement a UN-brokered cease-fire and peace agreement reached in Stockholm last month, just a day after a brief visit by the UN special envoy to rebel-held capital Sanaa.

"Stockholm peace deal has stalled," government-run Saba news agency quoted Yemeni Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Yamani as telling the ambassadors of Group 18 countries (G18) which backs peace process in Yemen in a meeting on Tuesday in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Al-Yamany counted dozens of breaches to the cease-fire deal which "were committed by the Houthi rebels in the Yemeni Red Sea port city of Hodeidah."

"The rebels have re-stationing inside the city and its ports, digging trenches, erecting barriers as they have exploited the truce to boost their military positions in Hodeidah," Al-Yamany told the ambassadors.

"Stalemate would affect the preparations to hold the next round of peace talks," Al-Yamany said, urging the United Nations and the ambassadors to press on the Houthi rebels to implement the Stockholm peace deal.

Saba news agency has not published reports specifying the recent number of rebels' breaches of the ceasefire, but it recorded 138 breaches during Dec. 18-23, 2018 and 14 breaches on Dec. 31, 2018.

Meanwhile, Saba cited a statement by the Saudi cabinet on Tuesday as "blaming the Houthi rebels of being reluctant to implement the peace deal."

"The Saudi cabinet also accused the Houthi rebels of publishing false information and inaccurate data about the humanitarian crisis in Yemen," Saba reported quoting the Saudi statement as saying.

However, Spokesman of the Houthi militias Yahya Sarei on Tuesday accused the Saudi-backed government forces of "committing 1,924 breaches of the cease-fire agreement in Hodeidah province over the past 20 days."

At a press conference in Sanaa, Sarei showed alleged videos and aerial photos of what he alleged as "attacks, airstrikes and breaches of the cease-fire by the Saudi-led coalition and its ally forces in Hodeidah."

He said "dozens of human causalities and destructions to the civil buildings and factories caused by the coalition attacks in Hodeidah despite the truce."

On Monday, the United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Martine Griffiths left rebel-held capital Sanaa after holding intensified meetings with the dominant Houthi group to cement the fragile cease-fire and push for peace progress.

During his two-day visit, Griffiths held a series of meetings with the Houthi leaders, including the rebel chief Abdulmalik al-Houthi and head of the group's highest revolutionary committee Mohammed Ali al-Houthi.

Griffiths' office has not released any statement to comment on his meetings. But Houthi media reported that the meeting discussed preparations to hold the second round of peace talks.

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi tweeted that "no date and place have been set yet for the next round of talks."

Al-Houthi said his group demand the pay of salaries to all state employees and "consider the refusal of paying the military and security institutions as the first step of an American conspiracy that seek to dissolve the Yemeni army and security institution as they did in a post-Saddam Iraq which we will never accept."

Griffiths is also due to meet with Yemeni President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and his government in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, according to a UN statement released on Friday.

Last week, the Houthi group said it began withdrawing from the Hodeidah ports in order to "implement the first phase of re-deployment."

In response, the UN said the redeployment "would only be credible if all parties and the United Nations are able to observe and verify that it is in line with the Stockholm agreement."

Under the truce, the withdrawal from the ports of Hodeidah, Salif and Ras Issa, and critical parts of the city associated with humanitarian facilities should be completed within two weeks after the cease-fire enters into force, while the full withdrawal should be completed within a maximum period of 21 days.

Saudi Arabia has been leading an Arab military coalition in Yemen against the Iran-backed Houthi militia since March 2015, in order to reinstate the exiled Yemeni government of Hadi.Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-09 01:30:23|Editor: Mu Xuequan

Video Player Close

SARAJEVO, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Bosnia and Herzegovina's (BiH) police arrested three persons and seized 240 kilograms of skunk drug on Tuesday in the area around Gacko, a town located 130 kilometers southeast of the capital Sarajevo, chief of the Police Administration Zarko Laketa confirmed to local media on Tuesday.

At an extraordinary press conference, Laketa said that this was one of the largest seizures of skunk narcotic drugs in the area of Gacko municipality.

It is presumed that the drug reached Gacko by the steady route through Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and was intended for the sale on Federation of BiH market.

In December 2018, members of BiH's Border Police seized some 200 kg of cannabis drug, known as skunk, in the borderline Bileca, 180 kilometers southeast of capital Sarajevo, where four nationals of neighboring Montenegro attempted to smuggle drugs in three vehicles.

BiH, along with other Balkan countries, lies on the route of international drug trafficking linking Western Europe and Asia.(First Coast News) - Almost all of the victims being treated after a deadly crash on I-75 have been released, according to a representative from UF Health Shands Gainesville.

Eight patients, ranging in age from nine to 50 years old, were taken to the hospital following the deadly crash last week involving two semi-trucks and a passenger van on the way to Disney. Five children and two adults were killed in the collision.

UF Health Shands Gainesville says that five individuals have since been treated and released from the hospital. Those include: Robyn Rattray, 41, Amy Joffrion,45, two 9-year-old children (one boy and one girl) and a 14-year-old boy.

One of the other patients is in fair condition, and the other two patients have asked for privacy.

The Florida Highway Patrol says the crash occurred when a semi-truck traveling northbound on I-75 crashed into another vehicle. Both the semi-truck and vehicle collided through the guardrail, into the median and into the southbound lanes of I-75 where another semi-truck and the passenger van were traveling.

Truck driver in fatal I-75 crash had several tickets including speeding

(AP) - The truck driver at the center of a fiery Florida crash that killed him, another trucker and five children received several traffic tickets over the years.

Court records show 59-year-old Steve Holland of West Palm Beach was ticketed between 2000 and 2014 in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Virginia for violations including speeding, driving an unsafe vehicle, driving an overloaded vehicle and not carrying proof of insurance.

The highway patrol said Friday that Holland was traveling north on Interstate 75 near Gainesville on Thursday when he veered into another car, lost control and went through the center divider, striking a southbound church van from Louisiana and another truck. Five children from ages 9 to 14 in the van died.

Troopers: 5 children, 2 adults killed in fiery accident on I-75

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WTXL) - Troopers say five children from Louisiana and two semi-truck drivers were killed in a fiery wreck on I-75 Thursday evening.

The Florida Highway Patrol says that the crash happened on I-75 at mile marker 394, just outside of Gainesville. Five vehicles were involved in the wreck.

They report that a semi-truck was traveling north on I-75 when, for an unknown reason, it crashed into a Honda Fit. Troopers are still investigating what caused the semi to travel into the Honda Fit's path.

After that collision, troopers say both vehicles went through the guardrail and into the southbound lanes.

As the semi went into the southbound lanes, it collided with a van that was carrying 12 people, including nine children. FHP says the van overturned multiple times in the crash, ejecting an unknown number of occupants.

The careening semi then ran into another semi-truck, sparking a massive fire.

Troopers say at least one occupant that was ejected from the van was ran over by a fifth vehicle, a Chevy pickup.

The crash is still under investigation.

Friday afternoon, FHP identified the victims who were killed in the crash:

Steve Holland, 59, of West Palm Beach, Florida

Douglas Bolkema, 49, of Albuquerque, New Mexico

Two 14-year-old boys

9-year-old girl

13-year-old girl

10-year-old girl

They also identified the other nine people involved in the crash:

Robyn Rattray, 41, of Gainesville, Florida - hospitalized in serious condition

Amy Joffiron, 45, of Mansura, Louisiana - hospitalized in serious condition

Ali Laborde, 30, of Marksville, Louisiana - hospitalized in serious condition

Karen Descant, 50, of Marksville, Louisiana - hospitalized in critical condition

Mark Houghtaling, 61, of Gainesville, Florida - uninjured

A 14-year-old boy - hospitalized in serious condition

A 11-year-old boy - hospitalized in serious condition

A 9-year-old girl - hospitalized in serious condition

A 9-year-old boy - hospitalized in serious condition

During a news conference Friday morning, Lt. Patrick Riordan said that the van the children were riding in was from Avoyelles Parish in Louisiana.

According to a statement from the superintendent of the Louisiana District of the United Pentecostal Church, the van was from the United Pentecostal Church in Marksville, Louisiana and was on their way to Orlando.

Senator Marco Rubio also treated about the fatal wreck Friday afternoon.

Absolutely horrific news of a deadly crash killing 5 children and 2 semi-truck drivers on I75 near #Gainesville. Our prayers are with their families. Thank you to the Florida Highway Patrol, @AlachuaSheriff, and @UFHealth for their quick response.  Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) January 4, 2019

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WTXL) - At least seven people have been killed in a fiery multi-car crash on I-75 near Gainesville.

Florida Highway Patrol is currently on scene and have confirmed that seven people are now dead and at least six are injured. According to FHP, several children are among the dead as well.

#breakingnews #FHP confirms children are among the dead in horrific crash on I-75. 7 confirmed fatalities and at least 6 injured. @abcactionnews I-75 south will remain closed overnight and possibly into the morning. pic.twitter.com/BrfcGfySjk  Michael Paluska (@MichaelPaluska) January 4, 2019

Alachua County Fire Rescue said the accident happened at mile marker-393 on I-75 southbound. Multiple cars were on fire before crews arrived to extinguish them.

According to ACFR, 50 gallons of diesel fuel was spilled as a result of the crash.

AP reports that two tractor-trailer rigs and two passenger vehicles were involved in the crash.

As of 8:00 p.m., the Florida Highway Patrol reports all southbound are closed and all northbound lanes are open on I-75 near mile marker 394.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - On his first official day as Florida Governor, Ron DeSantis has issued two executive orders about diversity in government, ethics, open government and preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.

According to the governor's office, the first executive order reaffirms the policy of non-discrimination in government employment.

The order seeks to prohibit discrimination in employment based on age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, or disability and to ensure equal opportunity for all individuals currently employed and/or seeking employment in the DeSantis Administration.

To see Executive Order 19-10, click HERE.

The second order directs the immediate adoption and implementation of a revised Code of Ethics applicable to the Executive Office of the Governor, as well as all agency heads, deputy agency heads and chiefs of staff at executive branch agencies.

It directs all state agencies headed by an official to review its policies and procedures regarding sexual harassment and misconduct.

To see Executive Order 19-11, click HERE.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Tuesday was a big day for Florida as the Sunshine State welcomed in new leadership.

Its been just under 12 hours since Ron DeSantis took the oath of office on the steps of the Historic Capitol in Tallahassee.

On Wednesday Floridas 46th governor plans to visit Mexico Beach, an area hit hard by Hurricane Michael.

But Tuesday night, he and his administration paused to celebrate with the traditional Inaugural Ball.

The night was full of celebration as Gov. Ron DeSantis thanked those in the crowd but also vowed now is the time to get work done.

The govenor and First Lady Casey DeSantis graced the crowd with the traditional first dance, with him saying, "Im going to try to not step on her dress."

Supporters in the crowd say they believe the future is bright with DeSantis leading Florida.

Mike Watkins, who says he is running for Florida House of Representatives District 7 in 2020, commented: Gov. Ron DeSantis started out with a bang and had some really good words of encouragement and it is a bold vision and a bright future for us and were really happy to be here with Governor DeSantis tonight."

DeSantis said Tuesday that all he can promise is the sweat off his brow, a full heart, his best judgment and the courage of his convictions.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday appointed appellate Judge Barbara Lagoa to the Florida Supreme Court as he began replacing three longtime justices who were required to retire Tuesday.

Then-Gov. Jeb Bush named Lagoa to the Miami-based 3rd District Court of Appeal in 2006, and she has recently served as the courts chief judge.

As DeSantis appoints replacements for retired justices Barbara Pariente, R. Fred Lewis and Peggy Quince, he is expected to create a solid conservative majority on the Supreme Court.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (The News Service of Florida) - Less than a year after the Florida Legislature passed a sweeping bill that requires physicians to check a statewide database before ordering opioids for patients, lawmakers are being asked to consider an exemption for doctors who care for dying people.

Its not because the requirement is burdensome for the doctors, said Stephen Leedy, a board-certified hospice and palliative care physician. Instead, its because checking the prescription-drug database each time controlled substances are ordered for dying people leads to delays, causing the patients to unnecessarily suffer at the end of life, he said.

The requirement for physicians to check the database is aimed, at least in part, at preventing drug abusers from doctor shopping to improperly get controlled substances.

We feel hospice and palliative care providers do not contribute to the diversion problem within the state of Florida, and hospice patients do not either, Leedy told members of the Senate Health Policy Committee on Monday.

Leedy said Florida had 137,000 hospice patients last year. On average, they were in hospice for three weeks before dying.

During those three weeks, these patients were not out there doctor shopping. They were not out there looking for opioids in the streets. They were mainly bed-bound and in pain, short of breath, being managed by hospice providers, he said. These are not patients that are at risk of going out there doing things that we dont want them to do.

Moreover, Leedy testified that its not unusual for a physician to adjust pain medications six or seven times within the first three days of a patient arriving at a hospice. Each time a change is made, the physician has to check the database.

You can imagine if you do the math and think about it, how ridiculous this process becomes after a while in terms of the number of queries that need to be done, he said.

The Legislature made a priority last year of trying to take steps to combat addiction to prescription painkillers, which can lead to people abusing street drugs such as heroin and fentanyl.

Lawmakers approved a bill that requires physicians or their staff members to check with a statewide database before prescribing or dispensing drugs. The bill also imposes a three-day limit on prescriptions for treatment of acute pain. Physicians can prescribe up to seven-day supplies of controlled substances if deemed medically necessary.

While the legislation exempted hospice and palliative care patients from the prescription limits, the bill did not exempt the physicians who treat those patients from having to query the database. The Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association is asking that the Legislature exempt the physicians from having to query the database altogether or require them to check it only when patients are admitted.

Paul Ledford, president of the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association, said his association was looking for lawmakers to sponsor such a bill but hasnt found any yet.

But Senate Health Policy Chairwoman Gayle Harrell, R-Stuart, told Leedy that she understood his message and that well look into it,

The Health Policy Committee on Monday received an overview of the 2018 law and the effect it has had on prescribing in Florida.

According to Rebecca Poston, manager of the states prescription-drug monitoring program, there has been a 3.8 percent reduction in the number of patients receiving controlled substances in Florida. Also, there has been a 4.6 percent decrease in controlled-substance prescriptions dispensed

Leedy stressed to the committee that physicians support efforts to address opioid abuse but said it doesnt necessarily make sense to require the database queries when patients are dying in hospice programs.

One Florida hospice had queried the prescription-drug monitoring program 180,000 times since the law passed, Leedy said. The queries resulted in finding one patient who had doctor-shopped for painkillers.

That patient was actively dying at the moment, and the fact they had doctor-shopped previously was not truly relative to the patients situation, he said.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - The community gathered together Tuesday to celebrate the inauguration of Florida's 12th Commisioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Nikki Fried.

Supporters filled the Turnbull Center on Florida State University's Campus to honor the newly sworn in commissioner.

During the event, people enjoyed a meal while they heard from different guest speakers.

According to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Fried is the first woman elected to the cabinet position.

One Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives spoke for the party as he expressed his support for the newly elected Commisioner.

Kionne McGhee, a Democratic member of the Florida House of Representatives, said: "We are ready to stand with you to protest the interests that so many have been waiting for. So we stay thank you very much. We look forward to working with you. Let's get this party started."

As the newly elected commissoner of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Fried will oversee a $1.8 billion department with nearly 4,000 employees.

Some of her top priorities include working toward reducing water pollution and providing more accountability when it comes to weapons licensing.NEW YORK, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Greystone , a leading commercial real estate lending, investment, and advisory company, announced it has provided a $18.432 million bridge loan to finance the acquisition of three skilled nursing facility (SNF) properties totaling 252 beds across Kentucky. The transaction was originated by Fred Levine, managing director in Greystones Monsey, NY office, on behalf of The Portopiccolo Group.



The $18,432,000 interest-only bridge loan carries a two-year term, with two six-month extension options. Greystones HUD group is now processing the application for the HUD 232 permanent financing.

The portfolio consists of a 94-bed facility in Glasgow, a 60-bed facility in Fulton, and the 98-bed Clinton Place facility in Clinton, KY. Each offers short-term rehabilitation services as well as complex medical, long-term and memory care, and respite care. All three properties were acquired from DiversiCare Healthcare Services and are currently operated by Clearview Healthcare Management.

We were excited to help our client quickly acquire this portfolio, and we look forward to securing the right financing for a stable, long term solution in the future, Mr. Levine. Starting with the initial acquisition financing for an asset or portfolio, we are intent on exceeding client expectations every step of the way with our deep industry expertise, broad product platform, and best-in-class execution.

About Greystone

Greystone is a real estate lending, investment, and advisory company with an established reputation as a leader in multifamily and healthcare finance, having ranked as a top FHA, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac lender in these sectors. Our range of services includes commercial lending across a variety of platforms such as Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, CMBS, FHA, USDA, bridge and proprietary loan products. Loans are offered through Greystone Servicing Corporation, Inc., Greystone Funding Corporation and/or other Greystone affiliates. For more information, visit www.greyco.com .

PRESS CONTACT:

Karen Marotta

Greystone

212-896-9149

Karen.Marotta@greyco.comHuang Wei (back, R) and other participants pose for a photo during the conference in Denmark.

Huang Wei, an expert in ancient Chinese porcelain, recently attended an international conference in Copenhagen, accompanied by two villagers from Jinkeng, eastern China's Jiangxi Province, to talk about their efforts in preserving local culture.

Huang was accompanied by Cheng Haiying, president of Jinkeng Women's Federation (JWF), and her colleague Wang Yuping. As well as being an archeologist, Huang is a member of the executive committee of Jiangxi Women's Federation and part-time vice-president of JWF.

Cheng recalled: I was so surprised when Huang said she was invited to an academic event and Wang and told me I could go with her. She is still excited about her recent experience of attending the international gathering in Denmark along with scholars from Italy, Romania and Poland.

Jinkeng lies about eight kilometers to the east of the city of Jingdezhen, China's porcelain capital in Jiangxi.

A thousand years ago, Jinkeng supplied Jingdezhen with the quality china clay that was so crucial to the production of Qingbai ware, the bluish-white porcelain considered the embodiment of excellence in the annals of Chinese ceramics.

Huang lectures at the Jingdezhen Ceramics Institute. Since 2006, she has worked with other archeologists and has discovered the sites of 15 different porcelain kilns in Jinkeng dating back over 1,000 years to the Song Dynasty.

She has researched and mapped the six-kilometer route along which the clay was transported, found several clay mines and various items of mining equipment.

Traces of the entire porcelain-making process can be found in Jinkeng, making the preservation of the village's historical heritage all the more significant, Huang said.

Huang has encouraged locals to take part in the preservation of ancient buildings and, based on discussions with them, formulated a list of 10 ways to preserve Jinkeng porcelain cultural and the local ecology.

She also established a workshop where she regularly organizes lectures to promote Jingdezhen's porcelain culture. Her efforts have helped villagers better recognize their culture, say locals.

Cheng and Wang feel proud of their hometown because it is now full vitality and the profound porcelain culture has become a part of life there.

To make their hometown even better after they returned, they showed fellow villagers many photos of the clean streets and attractive views in Denmark and told them about the environmentally-friendly lifestyle in the European city.

Jinkeng was once known for its backward living environment. In recent years, though, organized by Huang, villagers and some college student volunteers have cleared away the trash that had built up in the river and introduced a garbage classification system.

Huang also led female villagers to visit a village in Huangshan, neighboring Anhui Province, to learn how to build attractive courtyards and canals.

Although villagers longed for fast economic development and the improvement of their lives, they chose to prioritize the preservation of the environment and ancient cultural sites in the village. They grow organic rice, vegetables, lotus and chrysanthemums, which makes the village boast beautiful scenery all year round.

Huang attributed the achievements of Jinkeng in cultural heritage protection to the joint efforts of government, scholars and local people.

(Women of China)Raising the minimum wage in Pennsylvania

Smart Talk Bio Recent Stories Smart Talk is a lively and thoughtful conversation on a wide range of issues and ideas relevant to Central Pennsylvanians.

What to look for on Smart Talk Wednesday, January 9, 2019:

Its a new year and a renewed push is underway to increase the minimum wage in Pennsylvania. Governor Tom Wolf made this initiative a priority for his administration during his first term and as he begins a second term that is not changing.

The state minimum wage last increased in 2009 to match the federal wage of $7.25 an hour. In 2018, the Wolf administration proposed an increase to $12 an hour, which did not pass.

Proponents of Wolfs plan say an increase will help low-wage workers keep up with the cost increase of food, rent and private transportation. Opponents say the bigger issue to address is the income and skills gap of the workers, neither of which are helped by raising the minimum wage.

An Independent Fiscal Office analysis acknowledges both sides of the debate; While more than one million workers will see higher wages, about 33,000 fewer jobs will result.

Where does Pennsylvania go from here?

Joining us on Wednesdays Smart Talk to discuss the merits and challenges with increasing the states minimum wage are Dr. Mark Price, Labor Economist, Keystone Research Center and Alex Halper, Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry Director of Government Affairs.

Mark Price and Alex HalperORMOND BEACH, Fla., Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Rooshine, Inc. (OTC PINK: RSAU) announces that it has entered into negotiations with five additional national beverage distributors located in the USA. Furthermore, the company is preparing the first partial container for overseas shipment to the USA worth $240,000 in revenues towards their first 5 Million Dollar annual contract.

Larry R. Curran, CEO of Rooshine, Inc., stated, "Each new distributor potentially represents a Multi-Million Dollar distribution contract. I feel confident that we can come to highly beneficial terms for all parties concerned. Also, our first U.S. order is slotted for shipment in February. All our hard work is paying off and the company's future looks bright. Rooshine's plans for distribution in the European and Asian markets continue to take shape. We look forward to providing updates as we make progress.



About Rooshine, Inc. - The Company was formed under the laws of the State of Nevada in April 1998. The Company's business is currently focused on the importation, distribution and sale of high-end alcoholic spirits. The Company has a Brand Licensing Agreement with The International Spirit Vault Ltd (ISV) (f/k/a Cloudburst Distribution Pty Ltd.), to be the exclusive distributor of ISV's Rooshine brand of spirits in North America. Rooshines proprietary process allow spirits to taste like a smooth 20-year aged spirit after aging only a week. Rooshines smoking process allows the permanent infusion of smoky flavors that last the entire bottle.ABC News(PHILADELPHIA) -- The homeless man at the center of a GoFundMe scandal that raised more than $400,000 in his name has been arrested in Philadelphia, according to reports.



Johnny Bobbitt, 34, who allegedly conspired with former couple Kate McClure, 28, and Mark D'Amico, 39, to create a heartwarming story that would inspire thousands of well wishers to donate money to their cause, was arrested Wednesday. A New Jersey judge issued a warrant for Bobbitt's arrest when he failed to attend a mandatory court appearance in Burlington County, New Jersey, on Tuesday, ABC New York station WABC-TV reported.



The Burlington County prosecutor's office will begin extradition proceedings to bring Bobbitt to New Jersey, according to WABC-TV.



McClure and DAmico allegedly met Bobbitt at a Philadelphia casino in 2017, about a month before the ill-fated GoFundMe campaign was created in November of that year, claiming that Bobbitt gave his last $20 to McClure when she ran out of gas on a Philadelphia highway.



Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced in November that the story, intended to tug at the hearts and wallets of Americans, was "predicated on a lie."



Bobbitt, D'Amico and McClure were all charged with second-degree theft by deception and conspiracy to commit theft by deception, according to prosecutors.



McClure's attorney told ABC News in November that she was duped as well, adding that McClure took part in the fabrication to help Bobbitt. D'Amico's attorney did not return requests for comment after the charges were filed.



ABC News could not immediately reach a representative for Bobbitt for comment about his latest arrest.

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.Dublin, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Oncolytic Virus Cancer Therapy- Pipeline Insights, 2018" drug pipelines has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Oncolytic Virus Cancer Therapy- Pipeline Insights, 2018 report outlays comprehensive insights of present scenario and growth prospects across Oncolytic Virus Cancer Therapy. A detailed picture of the pipeline landscape is provided with summation of data from multiple sources with complete analysis by development stage, mechanism of action, route of administration and molecule type. This report provides detailed analysis of 65+ products with more than 25 companies involved. Some of the emerging products include Pexa-Vec of Transgene/SillaJen, Telomelsin of Oncolys, and Canerpaturev (TBI-1401) of Takara Bio.



Products covered by Phase

Phase III, Phase II, Phase I

IND

Pre-clinical & Discovery

Inactive

Overview of pipeline development activities for Oncolytic Virus Cancer Therapy

Pipeline analysis of therapeutic drugs include but are not limited to drug description and development activities focusing on clinical and pre-clinical results, designations, collaborations & licensing deals, grants, technology and patent details.

Therapeutic segmentation of products for Oncolytic Virus Cancer Therapy

The report comprises of comparative pipeline therapeutics assessment by development stage, therapy type, molecule type, and administration route across this mechanism.

Key Topics Covered:



Executive Summary

Overview

Introduction

History of Oncolytic Virus

Mechanism of Action

Criteria of Selection on Oncolytic Virus for Cancer Therapy

Strategies for Tumor Targeting

Types of Cancer Treated

Oncolytic Viruses vs Other Therapies

Side effects of Oncolytic Viral Therapy

Limitations of Oncolytic Viral Therapy

Conclusion and Future Perspectives

Pipeline Therapeutics (Active Products)

Pipeline Therapeutics (Inactive Products)

Comparative Analysis

Late Stage Products (Phase III)

Comparative Analysis

Pexa-Vec: Transgene/SillaJen

Product Description

Research and Development

Product Development Activities

Mid Stage Products (Phase II)

Comparative Analysis

Telomelsin: Oncolys

Product Description

Research and Development

Product Development Activities

Early Stage Products (Phase I & IND)

Comparative Analysis

Pre-clinical and Discovery Stage Products

Comparative Analysis

Therapeutic Assessment: Active Products

Assessment by Stage and Product Type

Assessment by Route of Administration

Assessment by Stage and Route of Administration

Assessment by Molecule Type

Assessment by Stage and Molecule Type

Inactive Products

Comparative Analysis

Appendix



Companies Mentioned



SillaJen

Oryx

PsiOxus Therapeutics

Daiichi Sankyo

Vyriad

Genelux

Takara Bio

DNAtrix

Merck

Oncolytics Biotech

Oncolys BioPharma

Vrittu Biologics limited

Transgene

VCN Biosciences

CZ Biomed

Cell Genesys

Lokon Pharma

For more information about this drug pipelines report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/l7tlr2/oncolytic_virus?w=12

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook, answers a question following the democratic caucus voting him to be the Minority Leader of the Kentucky House of Representatives, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2017, in Frankfort, Ky. PHOTO:AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley

Beshear, Adkins Release Fundraising Totals

By The Associated Press

FRANKFORT - A pair of Democrats running for governor in Kentucky have released fundraising totals.

Andy Beshear said he raised more than $470,000 in the past three months, giving him a total of $1.16 million raised since announcing his candidacy last summer. That figure includes $20,000 of Beshear's own money plus another $24,000 of in-kind contributions.

Rocky Adkins said his campaign raised more than $620,000 in less than two months. A spokeswoman said Adkins did not loan himself money for his campaign.

Beshear and Adkins are two of the four announced Democratic candidates. The other two are former Auditor Adam Edelen and Geoff Young, a former state employee who has run for governor before.

Republican Gov. Matt Bevin has said he will seek a second term.Phone Scam Targets Registered Sex Offenders

By West Kentucky Star Staff

MAYFIELD - State Police are warning the public about a recent phone scam.The Kentucky State Police Post 1 in Mayfield says scammers are calling people in the area listed on the Kentucky Sex Offender Registry and telling them they are non-compliant. The scammers are reportedly asking the victims go to a local store and buy gift cards.Investigators are advising anyone who gets a call like this to not give the caller any information or payment over the phone and not to call the number they provide.Anyone who has been targeted in a scam like this is asked to contact your local law enforcement agency.Ohio River May Drop Below Flood Stage Sunday

By National Weather Service

PADUCAH - Persistent high water along the lower Ohio should finally retreat within the riverbanks by the weekend.The National Weather Service said Tuesday that the Ohio River was already falling at Newburgh, Indiana, and it was cresting Tuesday night downstream at Shawneetown, Golconda and Smithland.It was estimated that the river would be below flood stage in Newburgh by Wednesday, and Golconda would be below flood stage by Thursday.Shawneetown and Smithland were forecast to be out of flood stage by Friday morning.At Paducah's riverfront, the Ohio has been steady at around 42 feet since last weekend. Flood stage in Paducah is 39 feet.Forecasters said the river at Paducah will fall slowly from Thursday through the weekend, and by Sunday could be below 32 feet by next Wednesday.Meteorologists said the Ohio River at Cairo is already falling slightly, but it would not return below flood stage until about January 16 due to high water on the adjoining Mississippi River.Possible Winter Storm This Weekend

By National Weather Service - Paducah

PADUCAH - The National Weather Service Office at Barkley Field warns of a possible winter weather event for the region this weekend.A winter storm is forecast to impact the region starting Friday afternoon and continue into early Sunday. While it is still too early to forecast specific snowfall amounts, they anticipate the greatest potential snowfall accumulation over southeast Missouri, southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, and the Ohio River counties in western Kentucky.The time period of greatest concern is Friday night into early Saturday morning. The snow is forecast to mix with or change over to rain on Saturday as temperatures warm through the 30s.Precipitation should mix with or change back over to snow from the northwest Saturday night before ending on Sunday.On the Net:McCracken Man Sentenced on Threatening Charge

By West Kentucky Star Staff

PADUCAH - A McCracken County man, convicted of a terroristic threatening charge in November of last year, was sentenced to three months in jail, with 10 days credit.Officials with the McCracken County Circuit Court Clerk's Office told West Kentucky Star, that Judge Tony Kitchen handed down the sentence to 35-year-old Robert Ingram on Monday.The charges stem from what was called a home invasion incident on January 7, 2018. McCracken County Sheriff's detectives say Ingram contacted Eric Howard and threatened to assault him, then came to Howard's Reidland home with Toby Reed. Police say they kicked in the door of the home, but were shot by Howard. Reed died from his wounds, but Ingram recovered, and was indicted by a grand jury in April.Although Ingram was originally charged with burglary and murder in the case, he was acquitted of those charges during his trial. Testimony in the trial revealed that Ingram had lived at Howard's home at some point, and Commonwealth Attorney Dan Boaz said that may have affected the verdict.Howard did not face any charges because detectives told the grand jury he was likely acting in self-defense.On the Net:Carroll Pulls Open Records Bill to 'Tighten Focus'

By West Kentucky Star Staff

FRANKFORT - State Senator Danny Carroll says he has decided to pull back a bill he pre-filed last month that could restrict access to some public records, in order to make some adjustments to the proposed legislation.The bill would exempt several state and local agencies from having to release personal information of public safety officers as part of records requests. Sen. Carroll says the bill is designed to protect those officers from possible retaliation, and he does not want to make changes to the Open Records Act that would have a negative impact on transparency.Prior to pulling the bill, Carroll told the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting that he was open to hearing from anyone with concerns about it.Carroll told West Kentucky Star Wednesday that he now wants to clarify the language in the bill, to make sure it sticks to the intent, which he says is to protect public safety officers."Last night I made a decision to go ahead and withdraw the bill today. We're gonna pull it back, take another look at it, and maybe clarify some of the language in the bill to make sure that it sticks strictly to the intent that we had meant for the bill in the beginning, and that's to protect those listed in the bill." Carroll said.Carroll, a retired Paducah Police Officer, added he did not write the bill, but he was given the proposal by a state Homeland Security employee and a Secret Service Agent working in Kentucky. Some personal information for public safety workers is already protected by law.Before Carroll's announcement, several lawyers representing media outlets issued statements opposing the bill's language. Michael Abate, a Louisville attorney who has represented KyCIR and several other media outlets on public records issues, said the bill's current language is a direct attack on transparency in the state.It strikes me as an attempt to take off the table extremely important records that media outlets  and the public in general  have used to understand what their agencies have done in their name, and on their dime, Abate said. That is the essential purpose of the open records law.BERLIN and DENVER, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Understanding that security is equally as important to small and midsize companies as large enterprises, Xerox VersaLink and Xerox AltaLink family of business printers support ThinPrint software.



ThinPrints solution ensures end-to-end encryption of print data and efficient compression and streaming of print data, delivering printouts at faster rates.

We were able to see the market relevance of ThinPrints solution in several projects, says Ammar Degani, Head of Portfolio Planning at Xerox. With our new firmware, we have created the conditions for users of the VersaLink and AltaLink series to fully benefit from ThinPrint compression technology and meet security requirements for printing.

ThinPrint print management solution already optimizes printing for over 25,000 companies of all sizes worldwide. Aside from print data encryption and compression, other valuable core functions include printer mapping as well as driver management for all potential scenarios. In addition, there are important technologies included to ensure high availability printing as well as easy integration of branch offices into the existing print infrastructure.

We have worked successfully with Xerox on a number of major projects, says Bernd Hausmann, Director Business Development Printer Manufacturer at ThinPrint. We are pleased that support for our software is now included as standard in this important Xerox product line.

Xerox VersaLink and AltaLink family printers equipped with the latest firmware support ThinPrint technology.

A free trial version of the ThinPrint solution is available at https://download.thinprint.com/software/thinprint-engine/ .



For more information on the Xerox VersaLink and AltaLink portfolio, visit https://www.xerox.com/en-us/connectkey .

ThinPrint press releases are available at https://press.thinprint.com/ , photos at https://press.thinprint.com/media .

About ThinPrint

ThinPrint, with nearly 20 years of continuous development and internationally patented ThinPrint technology, is the leading provider of print management software and services for businesses. Whether printing from traditional PCs, mobile devices, thin clients, virtual desktops, or from the cloud, over 25,000 companies across all industries and of all sizes optimize their printing infrastructure and increase productivity thanks to ThinPrint. In addition, more than 100, and growing, Desktop-as-a-Service, and Software-as-a-Service providers deliver reliable, high-performance printing from the cloud to their customers all due to ThinPrint. The investment in ThinPrint leads to a fast ROI because the easy-to-implement and manage print system reduces the burden on IT departments, results in significant performance improvements to the network while ensuring optimal, reliable print support at every workplace. ThinPrint technologies and components enable its use in almost any infrastructure and take into account integration of branch and home offices as well as mobile employees. The solutions are developed and rigorously tested at ThinPrints headquarters in Berlin  software Made in Germany. Offices in the United States, the UK, Australia, Japan and Brazil, as well as more than 350 channel partners around the world offer direct and on-site customer care. Thanks to numerous OEM partnerships, ThinPrint technology components are integrated in a variety of terminals, print boxes and thin clients of leading hardware manufacturers. Special significance is placed on the strategic partnerships of the company with Citrix Systems, Fujitsu, Fuji Xerox, Hewlett-Packard, IGEL, Konica Minolta, Kyocera Mita, Lexmark, Microsoft, OKI, Samsung, VMware, Dell/Wyse and Xerox.

Press Contacts:

Headquarters: Silke Kluckert, Public Relations Manager, Phone: +49.30.394931-66, E-mail: press@cortado.com

North America: VisiTech for ThinPrint, Kendra Westerkamp, Phone: +1-720-261-2300

E-mail: CT@visitechpr.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/2b54dbb4-7967-4d00-abfd-3d05b80d3273Recognizing the strategic importance of the training and competency development process in the completion of its strategic objectives, and the particular importance of these objectives to the modernization of its training system, the Director General (DG) of Sudanese Customs requested technical assistance from the WCO to realize these objectives. With the generous support of the Euro Customs fund, the WCO conducted a diagnostic mission in Khartoum, Sudan, from December 23 to 30, 2018, to assess the Sudanese Customs training system.

The main objective of this mission was to carry out a diagnosis of the current state of the training system and to review the extent to which it aligns with current international best practices, identify gaps, determine priorities and recommendations for the way forward. To accomplish this, WCO experts utilized used a holistic methodology to collect data from the training system. First, they conducted the short version of the WCO People Development Diagnostic Tool (PDDT) and a review of the strategic training documents (training strategy, training procedures, 2017 and 2018 training plan, etc.). Then they held meetings with all internal and external stakeholders as well as with officials responsible for the training system.

At the closeout session with the senior management on the final day of the mission, the experts made a presentation on the overall state of the training system and recommendations for improvement according to international best practices. To strategically drive Sudanese training modernization, a roadmap covering all activities was drafted and submitted to the top management for endorsement. In the coming year, the WCO experts will provide remote support to assist the training modernization team to finalize the design of the competency-based approach training system.

For further information, please contact WCO Capacity Building Directorate at : capacity.buillding@wcoomd.orgNo Deal Brexit  Mobile Roaming

In November, the European Union and the United Kingdom concluded the terms of an agreement for the orderly departure of the UK from the European Union. Gibraltar was part of that agreement. The Withdrawal Agreement includes a transitional phase until the end of 2020, which also covers Gibraltar.

This agreement is subject to ratification by the UK Parliament and by the European Parliament.

In the meantime, planning continues for the eventuality that the UK and Gibraltar leave the European Union without this agreement.

Before 29 March 2019

You can travel in the EU with guaranteed surcharge-free roaming. This means you can use your mobile devices to make calls, send texts and use mobile data services for no more than you would be charged when in Gibraltar.

In addition, the EU Roaming regulation requires mobile operators to apply a default financial limit for mobile data usage of 50. Operators are also required to send an alert once your device reaches 80% and then 100% of the agreed data roaming limit. These requirements apply regardless of where you are in the world, not only within the EU.

Surcharge-free roaming in the EU, known as Roam Like at Home, is underpinned by the EU Roaming Regulation - (EU) No 531/2012 - and its subsequent amendments - (EU) No 2015/2120 and (EU) No 2017/920. This Regulation also regulates what mobile operators can charge each other for providing roaming services and extends to the wider European Economic Area (EEA), which includes Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

After March 2019 if there is a deal

If the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement is approved, then surcharge-free roaming would continue to be guaranteed during the Implementation Period. Following the Implementation Period the arrangements for roaming, including surcharges, would depend on the outcome of the negotiations on the Future Economic Partnership.

After March 2019 if there is no deal

In the event that we leave the EU without a deal, the costs that EU mobile operators would be able to charge our operators for providing roaming services would no longer be regulated after March 2019. This would mean that surcharge-free roaming when you travel to the EU could no longer be guaranteed.

Leaving without a deal would not prevent Gibraltar mobile operators making and honouring commercial arrangements with mobile operators in the EU - and beyond the EU - to deliver the services their customers expect, including roaming arrangements. The availability and pricing of mobile roaming in the EU would be a commercial question for the mobile operators. As a consequence, surcharge-free mobile roaming in the EU may not continue to be standard across every mobile phone package from that point. Roaming may also be offered with different terms and conditions. This might affect the amount of calls that you can make, texts you can send and data you can consume, including applying limits that are less than the amount available in your bundle when you are in Gibraltar.

However, we should be clear that surcharge-free roaming for Gibraltar customers may continue across the EU as now, based on operators commercial arrangements.

In the event that we leave the EU without a deal, the Gibraltar Government advice to consumers is to:

 check the roaming policies of your mobile operator before you go abroad

 consider what your operator is saying about surcharge-free roaming post-EU exit

 check your operators terms and conditions in detail - particularly if you are a heavy user of mobile services in the EU

 be aware of your rights to change mobile operator (switching)

 know how to turn off your mobile data roaming on your mobile device if youre worried about being charged for data usage in the EU

 ensure you understand the alternatives to using mobile networks when abroad. Wi-Fi is widely available, which would allow you to make calls, send texts and use data for free or with little charge

 understand which services might be expensive to use and which are likely to be cheap. For example, streaming live television or sending large video clips (MMS) could be expensive as they use large amounts of data

More information

This notice is meant for guidance only. You should consider whether you need separate professional advice before making specific preparations.

It is part of the governments ongoing programme of planning for all possible outcomes.Dublin, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - Pipeline Insight, 2018" drug pipelines has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - Pipeline Insight, 2018" report outlays comprehensive insights of present scenario and growth prospects across Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis. A detailed picture of the pipeline landscape is provided with summation of data from multiple sources with complete analysis by development stage, mechanism of action, route of administration and molecule type. This report provides detailed analysis of 65+ products along with 50+ companies involved.



Products covered by Phase

Phase III (Thrombomodulin Alfa by Asahi Kasei Pharma Corporation)

Phase II (BG-00011 by Biogen; Pamrevlumab by FibroGen; PBI4050 by ProMetic; GLPG1690 by Galapagos)

Phase I (HEC585 by HEC Pharm; AEOL 10150 by Aeolus Pharmaceuticals; C21 by Vicore Pharma)

Pre-clinical (CG1011 by Therabron Therapeutics; GR-MD-02by Galectin Therapeutics) & Discovery (TGF- inhibitor by Pliant Therapeutics)

Inactive (Dormant and Discontinued)

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - Understanding



Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) is a debilitating, chronic, fatal disease with an excess fibrous tissue called as fibrosis in the lungs. The idiopathic (unknown cause) character of the disease make it difficult to predict and treat in the initial stages. The irreversible damaging of lungs supporting frame work, fibrous tissue and interstitium effects the respiratory system functioning. As lungs are unable carry enough oxygen due to excessive scars, make it more difficult for a person to breathe. The disease progresses very rapidly and the median survival time is just two to three years.



Causes:



The cause of IPF is idiopathic (unknown). Common risk factors responsible for IPF are:

Genetics: Genetics is the cause of about 20% of IPF. If more than one member has IPF then it is familial pulmonary fibrosis

Cigarette smoking: Approximately 75% of people are cigarette smokers with IPF

Acid reflux (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease): Approximately 75% of people with IPF have symptoms of acid reflux or heartburn

Sex: Approximately 75% of patients with IPF are male

Age: Almost all patients with IPF are over the age of 50 years

Environmental factor: Working around dust or fumes moderately increase risk of developing the disease than non-exposed people

Overview of pipeline development activities for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Pipeline analysis of therapeutic drugs include but are not limited to drug description and development activities focusing on clinical and pre-clinical results, designations, collaborations & licensing deals, grants, technology and patent details

Therapeutic segmentation of products for IPF

The report comprises of comparative pipeline therapeutics assessment by development stage, therapy type, molecule type, and administration route across this indication

Key Topics Covered:



1. Report Introduction



2. Executive Summary



3. Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Overview

3.1. Causes

3.2. Signs and symptoms

3.3. Diagnosis

3.4. Treatment

3.5. Epidemiology

3.6. Diagnosis



4. Pipeline Therapeutics (Active Products)



5. Comparative Analysis



6. Last Stage Products (Phase II)

6.1. Comparative Analysis

6.2. Thrombomodulin Alfa: Asahi Kasei Pharma



7. Mid Stage Products (Phase II)

7.1. Comparative Analysis

7.2. GLPG1690 : Galapagos

7.3. PBI4050 : ProMetic

7.4. Pamrevlumab: FibroGen

7.5. BG-00011 : Biogen



8. Mid Stage Products (Phase II)

8.1. Comparative Analysis

8.2. HEC585: HEC Pharm

8.3. AEOL 10150: Aeolus Pharmaceuticals

8.4. C21: Vicore Pharma



9. Therapeutic Assessment: Active Products

9.1. Assessment by Stage and Product Type

9.2. Assessment by Route of Administration

9.3. Assessment by Stage and Route of Administration

9.4. Assessment by Molecule Type

9.5. Assessment by Stage and Molecule Type



10. Inactive Products

10.1. Comparative Analysis



11. Appendix



Companies Mentioned



FibroStatin

AdAlta

Aeolus Pharmaceuticals

Allinky Biopharma

AnaMa

Aptuit LLC

Asahi Kasei Pharma

Beijing Tide Pharmaceutical

Biogen

Bioneer Corporation

Boehringer Ingelheim

Bristol-Myers Squibb

Celgene Corporation

Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical

FibroGen

Five Prime Therapeutics

Galapagos NV

Galectin Therapeutics

GlaxoSmithKline

Glenmark

HEC Pharm

Histocell

iBio

Inventiva Pharma

Isarna Therapeutics

Kadmon Corporation

KBP Biosciences

Lung Therapeutics

MediciNova

Merck

miRagen Therapeutics

Moerae Matrix

MorphoSys AG

MSM Protein Technologies

Nitto BioPharma

Nuevolution

Nuformix

Olix Pharmaceuticals

Palobiofarma

Pharmaxis

Pliant Therapeutics

Promedior

ProMetic Life Sciences

Pulmatrix

Respira Therapeutics

Ribomi

Saje Pharma

Samumed

Sanofi

SPR Biosciences

StemMed

Therabron Therapeutics

Unity Biotechnology

Vicore Pharma

For more information about this drug pipelines report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4snswv/global_idiopathic?w=12

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.GFIU Launches Online Reporting System for Suspicious Activity Reports

The Gibraltar Financial Intelligence Unit (GFIU) has this week launched an online reporting system for Suspicious Activity Reports (SAR). The system, called Themis, consists of two separate parts  an online portal for use by Money Laundering Reporting Officers (MLROs) and a system visible only to the GFIU.

The MLRO portal is accessible to any MLRO to which GFIU have granted access. An MLRO can represent one or more organisations and all MLROs for an organisation can see all of the information relating to their own organisation, including that created by other MLROs. When the SAR is submitted it will be automatically transferred to the internal system and an acknowledgement of receipt is automatically sent to the MLRO.

Once received, the GFIUs Financial Intelligence Officers will carry out the processing of the SAR in the internal system and an analysis of the information which may require allocation to law enforcement agencies or foreign Financial Intelligence Units.

Superintendent Edgar Lopez, the project lead for Themis said The online reporting system will not only further enhance the GFIUs capabilities to combat money laundering and terrorist financing but also enhance the security of the data shared with the GFIU. It will also ensure that we are compliant with international standards and recommendations.

Last month a large number of MLROs were provided training on the use of the new system.

Composed of officers from the Royal Gibraltar Police, HM Customs and civilian staff, the GFIU was established in January 1996 to facilitate the receipt, analysis and dissemination of SARs made by financial and other institutions. It functions in accordance with the Financial Action Task Force Recommendations and Standards and is evaluated by the Council of Europe Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL). In July 2004, it was accepted as a full member of the worldwide Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units.

Registration for those MLROs or nominated officers who wish access to be granted can be done via https://www.gfiu.gov.gi/reportingPresident Trump made the right call to withdraw from Syria. The United States withdrawal, however, must be planned carefully and performed in cooperation with the right partners to protect the interests of the United States, the international community and the Syrian people. Turkey, which has NATOs second largest standing army, is the only country with the power and commitment to perform that task.

In 2016, Turkey became the first country to deploy ground combat troops to fight the so-called Islamic State in Syria. Our military incursion severed the groups access to NATOs borders and impeded their ability to carry out terror attacks in Turkey and Europe.

Unlike coalition operations in Raqqa and Mosul, which relied heavily on airstrikes that were carried out with little or no regard for civilian casualties, Turkish troops and fighters of the Free Syrian Army went door to door to root out insurgents in Al Bab, a former stronghold of the so-called Islamic State.

Our approach left the citys core infrastructure largely intact and made it possible for life to return to normal within days. Today, children are back at school, a Turkish-funded hospital treats the sick, and new business projects create jobs and bolster the local economy. This stable environment is the only cure for terrorism.

Turkey is committed to defeating the so-called Islamic State and other terrorist groups in Syria, because the Turkish people are all too familiar with the threat of violent extremism. In 2003, when I became prime minister, coordinated attacks by Al Qaeda claimed dozens of lives in Turkey.

More recently, the so-called Islamic State terrorists targeted our citizens, our way of life and the inclusive, moderate worldview that our civilization represents. A few years back, the terrorist group called me treacherous Satan. We saw the horror in the faces of thousands of Christians and Yazidis, who sought refuge in Turkey when these terrorists came for them in Syria and Iraq.

I say this again: There will be no victory for the terrorists. Turkey will continue to do what it must to ensure its own safety and the well-being of the international community.

Militarily speaking, the so-called Islamic State has been defeated in Syria. Yet we are deeply concerned that some outside powers may use the organizations remnants as an excuse to meddle in Syrias internal affairs.

A military victory against the terrorist group is a mere first step. The lesson of Iraq, where this terrorist group was born, is that premature declarations of victory and the reckless actions they tend to spur create more problems than they solve. The international community cannot afford to make the same mistake again today.

Turkey proposes a comprehensive strategy to eliminate the root causes of radicalization. We want to ensure that citizens do not feel disconnected from government, terrorist groups do not get to prey on the grievances of local communities and ordinary people can count on a stable future.

The first step is to create a stabilization force featuring fighters from all parts of Syrian society. Only a diverse body can serve all Syrian citizens and bring law and order to various parts of the country. In this sense, I would like to point out that we have no argument with the Syrian Kurds.

Under wartime conditions, many young Syrians had no choice but to join the P.Y.D./Y.P.G., the Syrian branch of the P.K.K., that Turkey and the United States consider a terrorist organization. According to Human Rights Watch, the Y.P.G. militants have violated international law by recruiting children.

Following the United States withdrawal from Syria, we will complete an intensive vetting process to reunite child soldiers with their families and include all fighters with no links to terrorist organizations in the new stabilization force.

Ensuring adequate political representation for all communities is another priority. Under Turkeys watch, the Syrian territories that are under the control of the Y.P.G. or the so-called Islamic State will be governed by popularly elected councils. Individuals with no links to terrorist groups will be eligible to represent their communities in local governments.

Local councils in predominantly Kurdish parts of northern Syria will largely consist of the Kurdish communitys representatives whilst ensuring that all other groups enjoy fair political representation. Turkish officials with relevant experience will advise them on municipal affairs, education, health care and emergency services.

Turkey intends to cooperate and coordinate our actions with our friends and allies. We have been closely involved in the Geneva and Astana processes, and are the sole stakeholder that can work simultaneously with the United States and Russia. We will build on those partnerships to get the job done in Syria. Get our weekly newsletter and never miss an Op-Doc

It is time for all stakeholders to join forces to end the terror unleashed by the Islamic State, an enemy of Islam and Muslims around the world, and to preserve Syrias territorial integrity. Turkey is volunteering to shoulder this heavy burden at a critical time in history. We are counting on the international community to stand with us.On 6 January 2018, the US television channel, CBS, broadcast an interview with Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah al-Sissi [1] as part of their programme 60 minutes, In this interview, President al-Sissi declared that his army is working with Israel to fight terrorists in the North of Sinai.

CBSs announcement that it planned to broadcast this interview had alarmed the Egyptian ambassador to Washington. The latter had asked that the interview not be aired, a request that fell on deaf ears.

Whilst President al-Sissi is talking about collaboration, most actors in the region are persuaded that the Israeli air force had struck what Daesh call Wilayat Sinai (the province of Sinai ) more than a hundred times during the last three years.

According to the website of the Israeli Left Walla!, joint operations against Daesh are being used to conceal actions against the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, the pro-Iranian, armed branch of the Palestinian Hamas [2].Dear Members of Congress:

Congratulations to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and her entire team, on her election to be Speaker of the House. I look forward to working together on our shared priorities for the American People, including rebuilding our infrastructure, reforming unfair trade deals, and reducing the price of prescription drugs. Our recent bipartisan success on numerous legislative accomplishments such as Criminal Justice Reform, opioid legislation, and the Farm Bill, underscores the extraordinary achievements that are possible when we rise above party politics to advance the good of the Nation as a whole.

As we begin this new Congress, our first task should be to reopen the Government and to deliver on our highest duty as elected officials: the security of the Nation and its borders.

It is the sovereign right of every nation to establish an immigration program in its national interestlawfully admitting those who have followed the rules, while denying entry to those who break the rules or fail to meet the requirements established in law.

A nation that fails to control its borders cannot fulfill its most basic obligations to its citizensphysical safety, economic security, essential public services, and the uniform protection of our laws.

I was grateful for the opportunity to meet with Congressional leadership at the White House this Wednesday to discuss the border security crisis, and the need for a government funding bill that secures the border and keeps Americans safe.

During the meeting, there was debate over the nature and extent of this crisis and its impact on Americans. It had been my hope that Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen would have the opportunity to deliver a presentation discussing the facts about the depth and severity of the humanitarian crisis and the security crisis that is now unfolding at the Southern Border.

However, some of those present did not want to hear the presentation at the time, and so I have instead decided to make the presentation available to all Members of Congress. I encourage you to review it carefully, to share it with your staff, and to discuss it with other lawmakers. In crafting a Homeland Security bill, it is essential that we make decisions based upon the facts on the groundnot ideology and rhetoricand that we listen to the law enforcement personnel on the front lines. The Southern Border is a very dangerous placein fact, Border Patrol agents routinely encounter some of the most dangerous criminals, cartels, and traffickers anywhere in the world.

Effective border security must dramatically reduce the entry of illegal immigrants, criminals, and drugs; it must keep out terrorists, public safety threats, and those otherwise inadmissible under U.S. law; and it must ensure that those who do enter without legal permission can be promptly and safely returned home.

As the enclosed presentation makes clear, current funding levels, resources, and authorities are woefully inadequate to meet the scope of the problem. We are no longer in a status quo situation at the Southern Border but in a crisis situation. Status quo funding is not enough.

In fiscal year (FY) 2018, 17,000 adults at the border with existing criminal records were arrested by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and border agents.

In FY2017 and FY2018, ICE officers arrested approximately 235,000 aliens on various criminal charges or convictions within the interior of the United Statesincluding roughly 100,000 for assault, 30,000 for sex crimes, and 4,000 for homicides.

We are now averaging 60,000 illegal and inadmissible aliens a month on our Southern Border.

Last month alone, more than 20,000 minors were smuggled into the United States.

The immigration court backlog is nearly 800,000 cases.

There has been a 2,000 percent increase in asylum claims over the last five years, with the largest growth coming from Central Americawhile around 9 in 10 claims from Central American migrants are ultimately rejected by the immigration courts, the applicant has long since been released into the interior of the United States.

In FY2017, roughly 135,000 illegal and inadmissible family units arrived from Central America. Of those, less than 2 percent have been successfully removed from the country due to a shortage of resources and glaring loopholes in our federal laws.

So far in FY2019, we have seen a 280 percent increase in family units from FY2018.

300 Americans are killed every week from heroin90 percent of which floods across our Southern Border.

Illegal immigration is a humanitarian crisis: 1 in 3 migrant women is sexually assaulted on the journey northward to the U.S. border; 50 illegal migrants a day are referred for emergency medical care; and CBP rescues 4,300 people a year who are in danger and distress.

Illegal immigration is NOT progressiveby every measure, it is unfair, unjust, uncompassionate, and cruel. Many people are killed. It hurts both those who make the journey and so many communities bearing the cost in lives, safety, and dollars.

Senator Chuck Schumer once said: Illegal immigration is wrong, plain and simple. Until the American people are convinced that we will stop future flows of illegal immigration, we will make no progress on dealing with the millions of illegal immigrants who are here now, and on rationalizing our system of legal immigration. Thats plain and simple and unavoidable.

Absolutely critical to border security and national security is a wall or a physical barrier that prevents entry in the first place. Members of both partiesincluding then Senators Obama and Clinton, current Senator Schumer, and many other members of the House and Senateall voted for a hard, physical barrier. Walls work. Thats why rich, powerful, and successful people build them around their homes. All Americans deserve the same protection. In Israel, it is 99 percent effective.

We must also close the legal gaps in Americas defenses. Loopholes in federal law that prevent removals provide a magnet for illegal entry, and a lucrative business model for vicious coyotes, while overwhelming the U.S. immigration system. The worst loopholes incentivize the smuggling of minors. Under these legal loopholes, if an illegal minor, or those traveling with a minor, merely set foot on United States soil, they cannot be successfully returned home. This explains the profound increases in the arrival of minors travelling both alone and with adults on the dangerous journey to our border.

To protect these children from abuse, and stop this illegal flow, we must close these loopholes. This is an urgent humanitarian necessity. Children are terribly used by criminals and coyotes to gain access to our countrythey are the biggest victims of all.

The most pressing legal changes are as follows:

Terminate the Flores Settlement Agreementwhich is preventing families from being held together through removal; and

Amend the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), to allow for the safe and humane return of illegally-smuggled minors back to their families in their home countries.

Americans have endured decades of broken promises on illegal immigration. Now, is the time for both parties to rise above the partisan discord, to set aside political convenience, and to put the national interest first. Now is the timethis is the momentto finally secure the border and create the lawful and safe immigration system Americans, and those wanting to become Americans, deserve.

Sincerely,Danish English

9 JANUARY 2019

PRESS RELEASE, Copenhagen, Denmark

FLSmidth has reached an agreement to sell its bulk material handling business to Rainbow Heavy Machineries. The transaction has been structured as a sale of certain assets. As a result of the transaction, FLSmidth will exit the non-mining bulk material handling business.



The main part of FLSmidth's non-mining related bulk material handling business is delivered out of Wadgassen Gmbh in Germany. The non-mining bulk handling business has been for sale and reported as discontinued activities since 2015. Annual revenue for bulk material handling was 880m in 2017.

FLSmidth's plan to exit bulk material handling includes:

A transfer of employees, brand and IPR to Rainbow Heavy Machineries

FLSmidth retains all ongoing projects, but to be delivered through an operational agreement with Rainbow Heavy Machineries. The projects are expected to be finalised during 2019-2020

The subsequent business related to bulk material handling will continue to be reported as discontinued activities. The transaction has no impact on the guidance for 2018. The sale transaction is subject to various conditions and is expected to be closed by the end of January 2019.

Contacts

Media Relations

Sofie Karen Lindberg, +45 30 93 18 77, skl@flsmidth.com



Investor Relations

Nicolai Mauritzen, +45 30 93 18 51, nicm@flsmidth.com

FLSmidth delivers sustainable productivity to the global mining and cement industries. As the market-leading supplier of engineering, equipment and service solutions, FLSmidth improves performance, drives down costs, and reduces the environmental impact of operations. Present in more than 50 countries and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, the Group and its 11,700 employees generated revenue of DKK 18 billion in 2017. www.flsmidth.comNormal, IL (61790)

Today

Mainly sunny to start, then a few afternoon clouds. High 83F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 58F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph.Though many had wondered if the president would use his prime-time slot to rattle the country by declaring a national emergency to begin construction for his wall, in reality the contents of the address, and the rebuttal from Democratic leaders, was nothing out of the ordinary. Trump provided little new information, opting to portray what The Post's Fact Checker blog found to be "a misleading and bleak picture of the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border." Predictably, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., responded by slinging familiar insults at the president, looking, as many pointed out, like disappointed parents as they accused Trump of spreading "misinformation" and governing by "temper tantrum."Las Vegas, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today from booth #16744 at the 2019 Consumer Electronics (CES) Show, ZINK Holdings, the pioneer of ZINK Zero Ink printing technology, announced that Brother International Corporation VC-500W compact color printers, which use ZINKs patented inkless printing technology and paper, will be available for purchase in the United States at all major online retailers, including Amazon, Best Buy, Office Depot and Staples starting February 1, 2019.

The Brother VC-500W is an easy and fun-to-use compact, versatile label and photo printer that allows you to print directly from smart phones and tablets, in full vivid color. Consumers are drawn to devices like the Brother VC-500W for quality and convenience. With ZINK Zero Ink technology the Brother VC-500W doesnt require ink and allows the device to maintain its compact size; and printed labels dont need to dry before handling.

For businesses, the printer provides the agility to adapt and capitalize on the spike in flexible packaging. With the Brother VC-500W with ZINK Zero Ink Technology, users can quickly and easily print amazing full color labels tailored for specific branding, photos, stickers and more, up to 17 long in a single pass without the need for ink cartridges, ribbons or toners. ZINK Paper comes in 5 widths and can be printed up to 17-inch lengths.

All colors required for high-quality photo printing are embedded in the ZINK paper which is water, tear and smudge resistant and has an adhesive backing that adheres to most surfaces  perfect for creating stickers. The absence of bulky ink cartridges and ribbons align ZINK Paper with the needs of on-the-go smartphone photographers who want sleek, compact devices; all the color required for printing an image or text is embedded in the paper itself.

Todays world is inherently mobile, and both business and consumer users want portable technology that lets them capture and share their memories in a simplistic yet high-quality manner, said Brother Senior Manager of Product Marketing, Bob Brady. This ZINK-powered addition to Brothers portfolio is a direct response to our customers need for a small, lightweight compact color printer that works in both business and personal scenarios.

Over the past 12 months, not only has ZINKs global marketshare grown significantly, but also the use-cases for its technology. Brother joins Canon, HP, Polaroid, Kodak, and Lifeprint as anchor consumer brands that leverage ZINK technology in their devices, several of which will be on display at ZINKs booth at CES.

Industry innovators like Brother understand their customers want convenient yet high-quality products and the VC-500W is exactly that, said J.C. Van Dijk, president, ZINK Holdings.

ZINK CEO, Chaim Pikarski added, Weve seen the phenomenal impact of tweens and millennials who rely on image-based social media platforms on demand for instant print images, which grows exponentially every day.

However, it is also important to note how businesses now comprehend and are embracing the utility of instant label printing for an evolving market, which now extends well beyond the selfie generation.

ABOUT ZINK HOLDINGS

ZINK Holdings LLC (ZINK) is a privately-held company headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts that invented ZINK Zero Ink Technology. ZINK is a full-color printing system that eliminates the need for ink cartridges or ribbons - all the color required for printing an image is embedded in the paper itself. The ink-free value proposition enables ZINK to provide full-color printing where other technologies have been unable to meet customer requirements. For more information, visit www.ZINK.com.

ABOUT BROTHER INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

Brother is a leading provider of office equipment technology and document management solutions, including award-winning color and black and white multifunctional printers, scanners, label printers and device-based cloud and mobile technologies. The Brother P-touch line of label and ribbon printers features laminated and specialty tapes along with printable ribbons. Brother printers are consistently recognized as the best in the industry and recently received PCMags 2018 Readers Choice and Business Choice awards. Brother International Corporations At Your Side philosophy demonstrates a dedication to product quality, customer service and dynamic partnerships. Established in 1954 and headquartered in Bridgewater, N.J., Brother markets business, home office and industrial products, along with home appliances. For more information, visit www.brother-usa.com.

###

AttachmentWyoming Tribal License Plates to Benefit Native American Scholarships at UW

New Native American license plates that honor Wyomings two Wind River Indian Reservation tribes are now available through the University of Wyoming Alumni Association office. Proceeds will fund Native American student scholarships at UW. (WYDOT Photos)

New Native American license plates introduced in 2018 that honor Wyomings two Wind River Indian Reservation tribes are now available through the University of Wyoming Alumni Association office. Proceeds will fund Native American student scholarships at UW.

The tribal license plates -- which can be purchased by the public -- honor both the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes. Proceeds from selling the specially designed plates will benefit two UW scholarship programs: the Chief Washakie Scholarship and the Northern Arapaho Endowment Scholarship.

The license plates are now available for $100 for either the Eastern Shoshone or the Northern Arapaho plate through the UW Alumni Association (UWAA) or through the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT).

To purchase either a Northern Arapaho or an Eastern Shoshone plate, visit the WYDOT website at www.dot.state.wy.us/home/titles_plates_registration/specialty_plates/tribal-plate.html.

The $100 fee can either be paid by credit card or check. If paying by check, download and return the application with payment to the UWAA office, located at 222 S. 22nd St., Laramie, WY, 82070. Of the fee, $70 will go to Native scholarships at UW and $30 to WYDOT for processing.

We process the orders promptly on a regular basis and forward them to WYDOT so they can assign the plate number and forward the plate to the proper county treasurer, says Keener Fry, UWAA executive director. The plates will be available for pickup by the purchaser at the county treasurers office within a few weeks of the order being submitted.

Fry says 100 percent of the $70 fee is deposited in the two scholarship funds managed by the UW Foundation.

The Northern Arapaho Endowment Scholarship Program was created in 1987 when the Northern Arapaho tribe gave $500,000 to UW. The gift was matched by the state, creating a $1 million endowment that annually produces income for the scholarships. The endowment, with a current market value of $2.2 million, has provided scholarships to many students who have earned degrees and several others who are currently enrolled. The Northern Arapaho Endowment at UW was established to help students from the Northern Arapaho tribe gain formal knowledge, skills and abilities.

The Chief Washakie Scholarship Program was created in 2003 when the Chief Washakie Foundation gave $200,000 to UW. Funds were collected to create Chief Washakie statues in the U.S. and Wyoming capitol buildings, and at the joint tribal headquarters in Fort Washakie. The gift was matched by the state, creating a $400,000 endowment that annually produces income for the scholarships. The endowment, with a current market value of over $500,000, has provided scholarships to several students, many of whom have earned degrees and several others who are currently enrolled. The Chief Washakie Memorial Endowment at UW helps students and educators with significant ties to the Wind River Indian Reservation community gain formal knowledge, skills and abilities.

For more information on ordering the tribal license plates, call the UWAA office at (307) 766-4166 or email uwalumni@uwyo.edu.UTSA phase III architecture students present their project to health care professionals.

(Jan. 9, 2019)  Over the last year, students in the UTSA Department of Architecture have developed preplanning and architectural design proposals for the new psychiatric care facility of San Antonio State Hospital (SASH)s southeast campus. This collaboration was proposed by UT Health San Antonio, which has contracted with the State of Texas to develop a high level design for the new SASH hospital.

The project, made possible by a grant from the UT Health San Antonio, was undertaken by Sedef Doganer (chair) and Neda Norouzi, faculty members in the Department of Architecture. To provide students with hands-on experience and to complement their classroom learning, Norouzi challenged her undergraduate students to develop design ideas that break through the mental health stigma.

>> Watch this video to learn more about the 2018 Architecture Design Studio.

The project started with extensive research on best practices of psychiatric care hospitals. The students reviwed existing literature on patient-centered care, campus planning and interior spatial layouts of psychiatric hospitals as well as the needs of different demographics using the state hospital. Additionally, they conducted assessments of the hospitals existing condition, building evaluations and site analyses to better understand the new hospitals needs.

By the end of Spring 2018 semester, phase one of the project, architecture students developed and presented eight different design scenarios to health care professional architects, landscape architects and interior designers from San Antonio firms as well as the San Antonio State Hospital members and executive committee.

Phase two started in the early summer. The research team including Norouzi, undergraduate Christian Garcia 18 and graduate student Phu Trinh conducted one-on-one interviews with members of the hospital including physicians, nurses, administrators and staff to learn about the specific needs of each group from the built environment of the new hospital. The analyzed transcription of the collected data was the foundation for phase three.

Norouzi, whose expertise and interest is in health care architecture, encouraged and helped her undergraduate students to apply for research scholarship awards. She then mentored these students through literature review, data collection and analysis and the presentation of their findings. Five students won university best research award in the 2018 Undergraduate Research and creative inquiry showcase.

Phase three of the UTSA project included architecture and interior design students plus two more research assistants, Carlos Rodriguez-Ramirez, a graduate student, and Jose Castilo, a sophomore undergraduate student. The interior design students, taught by professor Analy Diego, worked on further developing the interior of the top four projects from phase one, while Norouzis second architecture studio developed an additional four design scenarios for the hospital. In this phase, Doganer and Norouzi invited guest lecturers from the local and national health care design community to lecture the students and review their projects.

In talking about this project, Doganer emphasized the importance of community engagement and research being part of successful undergraduate educational frameworks. Through research and community engagement, our students learn about the importance of civic responsibilities and collaboration, as well as leadership, humanity, and the role of an architect in society. This strengthens community ties, offers employment opportunities for students, and provides services to our local population. Health care design is a very important sub-discipline in architecture and our students are excelling on this area with real world challenges.

Norouzi also talked about the importance of architecture education as it models professional behavior. My pedagogical focus is on the process of collaboration between design practice and academia. I view design as a link between every day issues and the built environment, and the designer as a collaborator in creating the physical environment that serves people. Through this project, we focused on psychiatric health care and the effect of the built environment on patients and staff behavior, safety and quality of life. We involved undergraduate and graduate students in the research process which is not always the norm in architecture but a very important factor as it models the professional architecture practice.

In all, 42 undergraduate students participated in the Spring 2018 and Fall 2018 cohorts, assisted by two graduate research assistants and two undergraduate research scholarship students. As the semesters progressed, the students were tasked with creating architectural drawings (floor plans, sections and elevations), developing 3D digital representation of interior and exterior spaces and building architectural physical model(s) correspondent with each design scenario.

Designing for psychiatric patients requires a deeper understanding of Architecture and the principle Form follows Function. This studio provided me with insight on how to better design for the end user and be aware of the impact of architecture on human psychology. I am very grateful for the opportunity to participate in this project and for the knowledge I have gained through the extensive research and design process. This studio has and will continue to strengthen my skills as an aspiring architect, said Christian Garcia.

To culminate the project, the UTSA architecture and interior design students presented their research findings, their methods and their preliminary designs to SASH stakeholders and community members. They were evaluated on functionality, safety, amenities and cost efficiency.

The top three projects of all three studios chosen by local health care designers will be send out through a survey for San Antonio State Hospital members and their executive committee to vote on one top project. All of the research and the top design projects will be published in a book made available to the university.Published: January 08, 2019

Seniors Literature Review Prompted by Xenophobia and the Healing Power of Art

Nejat Nassir 19 grew up listening to stories about immigrants who have faced social injustice. As an immigrant herself, this hits home for her. She has spoken out about these issues and says every human being should be treated with respect and empathy.

Nassir, a nursing major who is also in the Honors Program, was excited to find out that her literary review, which she wrote in the spring of 2018, was recently published in the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association (IEATA) Newsletter. The review, titled European Refugee Crisis and Expressive Arts, was written for her honors tutorial project in the course Expressive Arts in Healing: Health Promotion Through the Arts, which focuses on the creative expression for self-care in professional practice and helps to provide stress relief through creativity.



According to Nassir, the article is about European refugees and the type of challenges many face in their transition to Europe, but also how modalities of art, like dance, artwork and music, can help ease this transition.



I come from a minority background as a Muslim American, and the transition to coming to a new country where the language and culture is completely different was hard at times, said Nassir. I chose to write about this topic, because art is a really powerful tool that helps connect people, no matter what cultural background one comes from.



Julia Riley, adjunct professor in the Department of Nursing, said she helped Nassir focus her honors project on something that was of meaning to her and her life experiences. With Nassirs permission, Riley submitted a summary of her work to the International Association of Expressive Arts Therapy.



Currently, Nejat sees herself in pediatric nursing and her passion and focus will guide her in whatever nursing specialty she pursues, said Riley



For Nassir, the Honors Program at UT has benefitted her in ways she never imagined. Many of the guest speakers the program has brought in have presented on social justice and modern politics. These speakers have influenced Nassir and made it easier to speak about certain topics.



The honors tutorials are not just for the sake of doing them, they have helped me to learn so much more and to apply my knowledge in the real world, said Nassir. The Honors Program has also helped me to see the gap in our community and overall has made me much more well-rounded.







Story by Sydney Rhodes 21, journalism major





Published: January 09, 2019

Noted Art Historian to Discuss the History of Jewish Art from Idol Smashers and Icon Makers

Noted art historian Philip Eliasoph, who specializes in Jewish art, will present a special lecture at The University of Tampa on Thursday, Feb. 7, at 7:30 p.m. on the ninth floor of the Vaughn Center. The lecture is free and open to the public, and a reception will precede the talk at 6:30 p.m.



From ancient pagan idolatry, to Rothko and the mystery of the Jews in modern art, Eliasoph, a noted authority on Jewish art, will tell a sweeping story of art that hasnt often been told before. Millennia of Jewish art from Moses to Modigliani will be discussed in a talk that is designed to appeal to art lovers and those seeking a deeper understanding of Jewish culture alike.



Eliasoph is a professor of art history at Fairfield University where he also serves as director of the Open Visions Forum. Eliasoph is an elected member of the Association Internationale des Critiques d' Art, UNESCO's art critic organization based in Paris. He has made significant contributions to the field of American art with a special focus on "resurrecting" the careers of many under-appreciated Works Progress Administrationera Urban and Social Realists and the school of Magic Realism at midcentury. His numerous books, exhibition catalogs, magazine articles and countless reviews as an active art critic have sparked the rediscovery of American masters, including Paul Cadmus, Robert Vickrey, Stevan Dohanos, Colleen Browning, Robert Bizinsky, Henry Koerner and Adolf Dehn.



The lecture is sponsored by the UT College of Arts and Letters.



Parking is available in the Thomas Parking Garage on campus.The KODAKOne PLP has generated over 1,600 new cases since October, driving the future of image licensing



LOS ANGELES, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ICOx Innovations Inc, (TSXV and OTC: ICOX) (the "Company" or "ICOx Innovations), which designs and creates blockchain economies for established companies to benefit and grow their businesses through blockchain technologies and branded cryptocurrencies, announced today that its client, the blockchain-based KODAKOne Image Rights Management Platform and the KODAKCoin cryptocurrency, has generated post-licensing cases valued at over $1M since the Post-Licensing Portal component of the KODAKOne Platform went live in private beta in October 2018.

The KODAKOne PLP has already generated 1,667 new cases since its beta launch in October. Executives from ICOx Innovations, KODAK and KODAKOnes creator RYDE Holding, Inc. are attending CES, where the intention to build the KODAKOne platform was first announced, to celebrate this milestone. Under the guidance of ICOx Innovations, the platform is positioned to be a leading service provider to the image industry with the goal to help agencies and photographers protect their work, increase image sales and ensure they are fairly compensated. The beta platform is currently operational and being used by agencies including Blaublut Edition and Food Centrale, as well as numerous photographers, with multiple international customers in the pipeline for the next phase of deployment.

Real-world use cases are critical to widespread adoption of blockchain and cryptocurrency solutions, and these early successes will pave the way for the broader rollout of the full KODAKOne platform, said Cameron Chell, Chairman of ICOx Innovations, which helped create and launch KODAKOne. We hope these accomplishments will serve as proof points for big brands curious about these technologies ability to improve their businesses and customers experiences.

The KODAKOne PLP utilizes artificial intelligence powered web crawler and image-recognition technology to offer photographers and rights-holders dependable and trustworthy online image-usage tracking. This is coupled with a positive and user-friendly approach to help convert infringers into customers. The portal gives rights infringers a simple step-by-step process to make it easy to license image usages retroactively and avoid unnecessary legal disputes.

As a business partner and equity stakeholder in the company, ICOx Innovations assists RYDE Holding with developing and integrating KODAKOnes blockchain and cryptocurrency technologies, as well as strategy and corporate business development offerings related to KODAKCoin and the KODAKOne platform. RYDE Holding has a brand licensing agreement with the iconic imaging technology company to use the Kodak brand in connection with the KODAKOne platform and KODAKCoin.

In the current unregulated media landscape, photographers are unable to control the use of their assets or the context in which they are seen, said Jan Denecke, CEO of RYDE Holding. We are excited that the PLP is live and helping content creators capture income that gets lost to image infringement. However, this is just the beginning of the KODAKOne platforms exciting future, which will be enriched by the incorporation of our blockchain.

While the KODAKOne PLP protects image creators rights today, the distributed ledger technology that KODAKOne is developing will expand efforts to prevent infringement of many kinds of digital assets in the future. The blockchain registry will immutably store more relevant information associated with an image with a smart contract-based registration. Records on the blockchain are tamper-proof, providing undeniable claims to ownership. All intellectual property such as personality rights, property rights, licensing rights, and brands can be managed by the platform in the near future. Other blockchain projects will be able to join the KODAKOne platform to protect their assets in a similar way, while they are connected.

With ongoing assistance from ICOx Innovations, the KODAKOne platform is planned to be launched and fully operational in 2019.

About ICOx Innovations

ICOx Innovations is positioned for the long term as an enterprise platform for building blockchain economies for established brands. ICOx Innovations provides a platform for the design and creation of crypto economies that solve real-world problems with established organizations. ICOx Innovations provides operational insights intended to benefit and grow its customers businesses through the use of blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies. The ICOx Innovations platform is compliance-driven and combines rigorous strategic planning, capital structuring, technical integration and token economics model development, designed to allow its clients to create sustainable economies. The ICOx Innovations team co-founded KODAKOne, a blockchain-based image-rights management platform, and is the co-architect of KODAKCoin, the token that will reward and incentivize the KODAKOne platform users. Notably the Honorable Edmund C. Moy, 38th Director of the United States Mint (2006-2011) and the Honorable Alphonso Jackson, Former US Cabinet Secretary & Former Vice-Chair of JP Morgan Chase are members of the ICOx Board of Directors, For more information on ICOx Innovations, go to: www.icoxinnovations.com.

Company Contact

Bruce Elliott, President

Phone: 424-570-9446

Bruce.elliott@icoxinnovations.com

Media Contact

ICOx Innovations

Arian L. Hopkins

Communications, ICOx Innovations

arian@icoxinnovations.com

Investor Inquiries

Phone: 424-570-9446 ext 8

ir@icoxinnovations.com

About RYDE Holding, Inc.

RYDE Holding, Inc. (formerly WENN Digital, Inc.), a brand licensee of Eastman Kodak Company, is the creator and operator of the KODAKOne Platform and the KODAKCoin Tokens. RYDE and its advisors are an experienced development and operations team with expertise in proprietary blockchain development, big data, copyright law, AI-enabled image recognition and post-licensing monetization systems. For more information, go to kodakone.com .

Disclaimer ICOx Innovations (Company) for Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forward-looking statements. Statements in this news release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements and include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the statements: that under the guidance of ICOx Innovations, the platform is positioned to be a leading service provider to the image industry with the goal to help agencies and photographers protect their work, increase image sales and ensure they are fairly compensated; that there are multiple international customers in the pipeline for the next phase of deployment; that the early successes will pave the way for the broader rollout of the full KODAKOne platform; that the Company hopes these accomplishments will serve as proof points for big brands curious about these technologies ability to improve their businesses and customers experiences; that this is just the beginning of the KODAKOne platforms exciting future, which will be enriched by the incorporation of the blockchain; that the distributed ledger technology that KODAKOne is developing will expand efforts to prevent infringement of many kinds of digital assets in the future; that all intellectual property such as personality rights, property rights, licensing rights, and brands can be managed by the platform in the near future; that other blockchain projects will be able to join the KODAKOne platform to protect their assets in a similar way; and that the KODAKOne platform is planned to be launched and fully operational in 2019.

The material assumptions supporting these forward-looking statements include, among others, that there will be no material variations in current regulatory environments in which the Company or its clients operate; the Companys operating expenses, including general and administrative expenses, will be as expected; the Company will be able to obtain any necessary financing on acceptable terms; that the Company will be able to retain and recent the of skilled personnel necessary to complete its projects. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. These forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including: the risk that the Company will be unable to efficiently manage the Companys operations, including the project for KODAKOne; the risk that there may be negative changes in general economic and business conditions; the risk that the Company may have negative operating cash flow and not enough capital to complete its projects; the risk that the Company may not be able to obtain additional financing as necessary; the risk that there may be increases in capital and operating costs; the risk the cryptocurrency and other trading platforms are relatively new, largely unregulated and may not be accepted by the public as a payment platform; the risk that the platform of the Companys clients may be subject to fraud and other failures; the risk that there may be technological changes and developments in the blockchain and cryptocurrencies that make the Companys projects obsolete; risks relating to regulatory changes or actions which may impede the Companys ability to complete its projects; the risk that other competitors may release platforms similar to those of the Companys clients; and other general risks involved in the cryptocurrency industry. Any of these risks may cause the Companys actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Further, although the Company has attempted to identify factors that could cause actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results, levels of activity, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law, including the securities laws of the United States and Canada. Although the Company believes that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this news release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Readers should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in the reports and other documents the Company files with the SEC, available at www.sec.gov, and on the SEDAR, available at www.sedar.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.Register for a FREE account to keep reading!

Register now for a FREE account to keep reading. No cost and no credit card required!

Access up to 5 articles per month when you register, or get unlimited access to all of our content online starting at $1.99 now!

Already registered? Click the log in link belowEuropean Post-Trade Still Fragmented Despite T2 Settlement

Post-trade securities processing in Europe remains fragmented despite the first year of full operation of TARGET2-Securities, the platform which aimed to harmonise settlement and reduce costs.

The European Central Bank said in a special report on T2S last month that barriers still hamper cross-border settlement integration.

Overcoming these barriers lies mostly outside T2S stakeholders competency, said the report. These obstacles include the remaining gaps regarding compliance with corporate action (non-T2S) market standards and the lack of harmonisation regarding withholding tax relief procedures.

Jesus Benito, chief executive of Iberclear and chair of the T2S central securities depositories steering group, said in the report that T2S has been a catalyst to foster harmonisation but lawmakers need to take action.

The public sector should tackle the real problems that still remain in this field, including the differences in supervision of securities issuance, the differences in tax regimes and procedures in Europe and the differences in securities legislation between the member states, he added.

Joel Merere, chair of the T2S harmonisation steering group, noted in the report that the European Commission has announced initiatives aimed at addressing conflict of laws and withholding tax processing.

In the study Marc Bayle de Jesse, director general, market infrastructure and payments at the European Central Bank, looked back on the idea to launch T2S in 2005. He said there were too many intermediaries interacting with various legacy systems in each national market, which pushed up costs for cross-border securities transactions and caused financial risk.

I vividly remember presenting the concept for what would later become T2S on a 2005 Sunday evening during a dinner that was hosted in Frankfurt by former ECB executive board member Gertrude Tumpel-Gugerell, he wrote. The initial reaction was one of cautious curiosity as my counterparts were taken aback by the bold idea of merging the two existing types of models for securities settlement.

The project was approved in the summer of 2008, just before the financial crisis took hold, and the first of wave CSDs joined the T2S platform in June 2015. The final migration was in September 2017 and NCDCP, the newly-formed Slovakian CSD joined the following month. The Central Bank of Ireland and ID2S, the new French CSD, have also connected to the platform.

The first non-Euro transactions were settled in October 2018 with the addition of the Danish krone.

At this point, I want to emphasise that T2S was conceived as a multi-currency system from the beginning, said Bayle de Jesse. Non-euro area central banks that bring their currency to the platform have the same level of influence within T2S as the Eurosystem central banks in terms of day-to-day operational control and strategic decision-making.

He continued that ECB aims to integrate T2S with the TARGET2 cash payments platform for the Eurosystem and to harmonise collateral management by launching the Eurosystem Collateral Management System (ECMS) in 2022.

The ECMS will merge 19 national collateral management systems and embed collateral management operations into the liquidity management lifecycle, added Bayle de Jesse.

The report said that during T2S first 12 months of full operation, from October 2017 to September 2018, the daily average value of delivery versus payment transactions ranged from 544.2bn ($622bn) in August 2018 and 698.5bn in May 2018.

1 2 next

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:CAPIS Acquires FinTech Securities

Capital Institutional Services, Inc. (CAPIS), an institutional securities broker/dealer, announced it has completed the acquisition of Financial Technology Securities, LLC (FinTech Securities) from Innovest Systems, LLC (Innovest).

Effective January 2, 2019, FinTech Securities, an Atlanta, Georgia-based broker/dealer that provides trading solutions to institutional money managers, was acquired by CAPIS. In the near term, FinTech Securities will continue to operate as a fully-owned subsidiary of CAPIS.

Over the past year, we at CAPIS have made an extensive commitment to serving the institutional investment community. Our acquisition of FinTech Securities will expand our footprint in this very important market segment. It is our goal to continue offering superior service and execution skills to our customers and add new clients through both sales and acquisitions, said Kristi Wetherington, CEO of CAPIS.

In support of this goal, CAPIS promoted Jon Lantz, a 12-year CAPIS veteran, to the position of Director of Bank & Trust Services. With Lantz leading the efforts, CAPIS recently released their electronic bond trading tool, BondRoute, giving clients the ability to execute fixed income securities electronically from their desk.

Tim Hall, President of CAPIS, added, CAPIS is looking to further gain market share in the bank & trust industry through this acquisition. We are continually working to widen our presence in this market. In the last year, we have also bolstered our efforts in outsourced trading and transition management. We will continue to strengthen our product line through purchases and acquiring experienced and talented individuals.

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:Air Arabia, the Middle East and North Africas largest low-cost carrier, has announced plans to introduce a new route to Serbias capital city, Belgrade, direct from Sharjah, UAE.



Air Arabias inaugural flight to Belgrade will commence on June 28 and follows the carriers recent launch of flights to the Czechs capital city, Prague.



Return flights to Belgrade will operate four times a week, every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. On Tuesdays and Fridays, flights will depart Sharjah International Airport (SHJ) at 09:00, arriving at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG) at 13:00 local time, while return flights depart Belgrade at 13:40, arriving in Sharjah at 21:00 local time.



On Thursdays and Saturdays, the scheduled departure time from Sharjah is 15:45, arriving in Belgrade at 19:45 local time, while the return flight with depart from Belgrade at 21:45, arriving in Sharjah at 05:05 local time the following day.



Adel Al Ali, group chief executive officer, Air Arabia, said: We are glad to add the capital and largest city in Serbia, Belgrade to our growing tourist hotspots with direct flights from Sharjah. The new Sharjah to Belgrade service offers our customers a unique opportunity to discover a colourful and historic city situated on the main route that connects Europe and Asia while it reflects Air Arabias commitment to continuously offer our customers affordable and value driven air travel.



Belgrade is an increasingly popular and historic tourist destination, located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers. The city has varying architecture, from the centre of Zemun, typical of a Central European town, to the more modern architecture and spacious layout of New Belgrade.



Air Arabia, currently operates flights to more than 155 routes across the globe from four hubs located in the Middle East and North Africa. - TradeArabia News ServiceHoneywell recently awarded scholarships to four chemical engineering students from Cairo University as a part of its ongoing commitment to develop and support young engineering talent in Egypt.



Honeywell awarded the students at an event hosted by Cairo University.



The recognition we have earned through the Honeywell UOP scholarship and internship program is a testament to the education we provide at Cairo University, said Professor Ehab Abadir, head of Cairo Universitys chemical engineering department.



We are very pleased with the Honeywell UOP initiative in the field of engineering with a particular focus on the oil and gas industry, enabling our students to learn about the industry in the Middle East as a whole. We look forward to further enhancing the Honeywell  Cairo University relationship in our future endeavours.



The annual scholarship program, which commenced in 2016,is part of Honeywells investment in nurturing engineering talent in Egypt. This year the scholarship program was offered to Ahmed Yousry Muhammad, Omar Emad Khallaf, Esraa Ashraf Abdel-Alam and Mohamed Ahmed Khodeir, each who were selected after a rigorous interview process led by Honeywell UOP.



In addition to the scholarship, the four students will compete for a seven-week internship placement program in the US at Honeywells Research and Development Center near Chicago.



Honeywell is committed to developing young talent in the engineering field in Egypt, and through our ongoing collaboration with Cairo University, we are able to recognize excellent academic potential, said Khaled Hashem, president for Honeywell in Egypt and Libya.



With the oil and gas industry advancing rapidly, it is now vital to equip the younger generation with knowledge of the technological disruptions impacting the industry. Initiatives like the Honeywell UOP scholarship program invests in the next generation of the countrys science talent, which will benefit our refining, gas processing and petrochemical industries for years to come.



Honeywell has a 50-year track record of working on many of Egypts most significant energy and infrastructure projects. The companys technology portfolio spans across refining and petrochemical technologies, catalysts, process and control systems, renewable fuels and chemicals and specialty materials.  TradeArabia News ServiceCanada has today (January 9) officially become a member of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).



It is the 160th member to join the global intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the widespread adoption of renewable energy.



Renewable energy accounts for two-thirds of the countrys power generation and just under 20 per cent of its total final energy supply thanks largely to significant hydropower resources, which make it the second largest producer of hydropower in the world, said a statement from Irena.



Renewable power generation in Canada increased from 78 gigawatts (GW) in 2009 to 99 GW in 2017. In addition to plentiful hydro resources, Canada also has significant wind, biomass, solar, marine and geothermal energy potential. For example, today, wind accounts for 5 per cent of electricity generation in Canada.



Canadas membership comes on the eve of Irenas ninth and largest assembly. More than 120 ministers are expected to join 1,200 delegates from150 countries in Abu Dhabi, to accelerate the deployment of sustainable sources of energy.



"The growing green economy is among the greatest economic opportunities for Canada in a generation," said Amarjeet Sohi, Canadas Minister of Natural Resources.



"Becoming an Irena member will accelerate Canadas efforts to build a clean energy future which will bring new economic growth and thousands of new, well-paying jobs," he stated.



"We are delighted to welcome Canada as a new member of the Irena family," said Director-General Adnan Z. Amin.



"Canada has vast renewable energy resource potential and long-standing experience in low-carbon development that it can share through international cooperation," he noted.



"We look forward to working with the Canadian government as well as the private sector and research institutions to advance energy transformation," said Amin.



"Canadas membership firmly underscores the leadership it can demonstrate in renewable energy technology, sustainable development and global energy de-carbonisation," he added.-TradeArabia News ServiceLevine: 'If you have a mass casualty (incident), you cant rely on one hospital'PHOENIX, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE  PetroSun, Inc (OTC PINK: PSUD) is pleased to provide the following review of 2018 operations, acquisitions and progress made during the past year; including updates of planned operations for 2019.



February - March

The AEP 16-1, a helium, crude oil and natural gas confirmation well on the Concho Dome in Apache County, Arizona was drilled to a depth of 2,705 feet. Drilling operations were suspended at this depth due to concerns regarding the drilling rig.

The AEP 16-1 will be re-entered during Q1 2019 and drilled to 4,000 feet or basement, whichever is greater, to test the primary targets for helium, crude oil and/or natural gas.

March

PetroSun Energy Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary, entered into a joint venture relationship with ELD Resources and formed Eau Resources. The purpose of Eau Resources is to exploit patented technology for the processing of production and frac water from oil and natural gas wells.

April

AEP Drilling, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PetroSun affiliate Arizona Energy Partners, executed an agreement to acquire a Stewart and Stevens Crown Duke CE750 drilling rig rated to 10,000 feet. The Crown Duke drilling rig acquisition was completed, and it is now located at the PetroSun yard at 4000 Monroe Road in Farmington, New Mexico.

April

PetroSun entered into an agreement with Golden Eagle Exploration, LLC and Golden Paradox Inc to acquire the Golden Eagle Gas Field in Grand County, Utah. The 26,800-acre natural gas field contains three wells with over 80 billion cubic feet of natural gas resources booked at the present time. The Golden Eagle Gas Field will be tested during 2019 for additional natural gas, helium and crude oil resources.

May

PetroSun entered into a lease agreement with Coastal 4000, LLC for a 2.89-acre yard and commercial building located at 4000 Monroe Road in Farmington, New Mexico. PetroSun is utilizing this location as its Four Corners field headquarters and yard, as it is strategically located to service Company operations in New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona.

May - June

PetroSun announced the planned spin-off of wholly-owned subsidiary TorusMed. TorusAg, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TorusMed will remain a subsidiary of TorusMed after the spin-off. The PetroSun shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 15, 2018 will receive a distribution of TorusMed common stock. TorusMed intends to list its securities with OTC Markets, but there is no assurance that this will be completed or if completed, when it will be completed. The Company will provide additional details of the spin-off as it becomes available.

TorusMed has subsequently entered commercial marketing operations of its hemp extract product line derived from organic industrial hemp. The TorusMed website can be viewed at www.torusmed.com .

The Farm Bill 2018 was approved and enacted, allowing for industrial hemp to be legal under Federal law, including open access to banking and crop insurance.

June

PetroSun elected Dr. R. Gerald (Jerry) Bailey to serve as a member of the Board of Directors. Dr. Bailey has over 50 years of experience in the international and domestic petroleum industry, being involved in all aspects of engineering and executive management, both upstream and downstream. His specific skill set includes the Middle East, U.S. onshore/offshore, liquid natural gas (LNG) and gas to liquids (GTL). Dr. Bailey formerly served as President of Exxon Arabian Gulf.

August

PetroSun announced the execution of a Stock Purchase Agreement to acquire M&M Production & Operation, Inc and Independent Pipeline Corporation. The asset base includes 61 producing oil and gas wells located on 9,480.85 acres of Federal, State of New Mexico, Jicarilla Apache and Navajo Nation leases and a 26-mile 4  inch pipeline that runs from Ojo Encino, NM to Lybrook, NM. PetroSun closed the Stock Purchase Agreement with the issuance of 25,000,000 shares of restricted common stock and an agreement to retire any and all outstanding accounts payable.

September

John Havener was hired as the President of Eau Resources, a subsidiary of PetroSun. Mr. Havener brings extensive technological experience and a broad level of corporate oversight with over 25 years of leadership with companies ranging from multi-billion-dollar homebuilding and lending institutions, through deep-dive technology firms supporting the highest levels of research and development.

September / October

PetroSun announced the planned spin-off of wholly-owned subsidiary Torus TechWorks. The Companys strategy is to drive its next phase of growth by consolidating technologies into the spin-off to allow for increased focus and engage symmetry in like technologies. The PetroSun shareholders of record as of the close of business on October 25, 2018 will receive a distribution of the common stock of Torus TechWorks.

Torus TechWorks initial technology asset is Eau Resources, whose focus is on the processing of oilfield production and frac water in the San Juan Basin (New Mexico) and the Permian Basin (Texas).

November

PetroSun announced that Sedona Equity Registrar & Transfer now represents the Company as its transfer agent; and that the Company is now FAST/DWAC eligible.

December

PetroSun announced that its subsidiary Arizona Energy Partners (AEP) has executed a Liquid Helium Supply Agreement with Uniper Global Commodities North America for helium molecules produced and processed by AEP from the PetroSun Golden Eagle Gas Field located in the Paradox Basin of Grand County, Utah. Unipers annual contract quantity approximates thirty-six million standard cubic feet of liquid helium.

December

PetroSun announced that its subsidiary, Arizona Energy Partners (AEP) has executed a Liquid Helium Supply Agreement with Praxair a wholly-owned subsidiary of Linde plc (NYSE: LIN; FWB: LIN), subject to the successful development of its Holbrook Basin, Apache County, Arizona helium resources and the construction and commissioning of its Oso Draw Helium Plant. The Oso Draw Helium Plant will be rated to process up to 240 million standard cubic feet of liquid helium per year.

For a complete review of the press releases, please go to our website at www.petrosun.us .

Forward-Looking Statements Disclaimer:

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: anticipate, believe, continue, could, estimate, expect, intend, may, ongoing, plan, potential, predict, project, should, will, would, or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time the statements are made and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainty and other factors that may cause our results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this press release. This press release should be considered in light of all filings of the Company that are disclosed on the OTC Market.com website.

Contact:PIGGS PEAK  During daytime he is a nurse but when the sun sets, he begins another life  that of being an inyanga.

That is the life of nurse Mzwandile Gwazumuduka Dlamini.



He is based at one of the local government hospitals where he said he practised as a nurse but this had not stopped him from continuing with his calling of being a traditional healer.



Dlamini said it was not easy in the past as he had enrolled as a nurse at one of the local mission hospitals and said they did not condone his double life.

He requested that the government hospital where he was currently employed should not to be mentioned.

Some people have told me that it was unchristian to be a traditional healer, he said.



He said at the government hospital, however, he had been welcomed, though not many people were aware that he also doubled as a traditional healer.

However, he did not hide the fact that some people were able to recognise him as a traditional healer.

I do not mix the two though, he said.



Dlamini said he was also a qualified midwife but that he had been a traditional healer long before he was a nurse.

When asked why he ventured into nursing when he was already a traditional healer, Dlamini said there were certain things he was not able to assist his clients with as a traditional healer.



He said he was passionate about helping people such that he then pursued a career in nursing.

When I see that I cannot help them as a traditional healer, I refer them to the hospital, he said.



He said there were certain ailments that did not require conventional medicine but needed the help of traditional healers.

Dlamini said many mental issues could easily be treated by traditional healers.

He revealed that during his days off, he spent most of his time treating people who had problems which medicine cannot solve.MBABANE  Hardly a few days after the release of examination results, admission spaces in some of the top performing schools are already filled.



The release of the Junior Certificate examination results on Monday has seen pupils who wished to be enrolled at some of the top schools being turned back due to unavailability of spaces.

Ka-Boyce High School Head teacher Lungelo Nhlengetfwa confirmed that there were no spaces available on the day the results were issued.



Admissions



We cannot say we have vacant spaces since all admissions were done last year, said Nhlengetfwa.

He further stated that they were only waiting for pupils who were admitted last year.



The head teacher specified that pupils who qualified to be enrolled at the school were told to return with their results this year for full confirmation.

Nhlengetfwa explained that the reason for the unavailability of spaces was because pupils were made to sit for interviews and were admitted according to the results they got.



Parents with their children had already flocked the school when this reporter arrived.

Ka-Boyce recorded a commendable 50 Merits, 33 First Class passes, 24 Second Class passes, zero Third Class passes and zero failures.



On the same breath, St Marks High was another school which confirmed the unavailability of spaces in Form I and IV. The schools deputy, who identified herself as Miss Dlamini, mentioned that spaces had been already occupied in September last year.



The school had 40 Merits, 45 First Class passes, 61 Second Class passes, zero Third Class passes and two failures.

Meanwhile, it was spaces galore at some of the lowest performing schools in the kingdom.MANZINI - One of the men wanted in connection with the First National Bank (FNB) E2.8 million theft has been arrested by the police.

However, this is not the key suspect who allegedly escaped to Mozambique and who is employed by the bank.



The arrested person was rounded up by the police on Monday as one of those who allegedly received about E1.3 million in his bank account.

Another suspect allegedly received a portion of the stolen money while a South Africa national allegedly received about E300 000.

The money was allegedly transferred by the FNB employee, Thulani Nkambule (28), who is still wanted by the police.



The arrested suspect, who is employed in one of the reputable companies, will not be named for now pending his court appearance this morning. Information gathered is that after he had been nabbed, he was questioned and is currently assisting the police with information pertaining to the theft case. Last week, the magistrates court released three warrants of arrest for Nkambule and his two friends.



The two friends will be charged for allegedly receiving part of the money belonging to the bank in their accounts.

The money is alleged to have been deposited by Nkambule, before escaping and leaving the country, however, the accounts were later frozen by the bank.



Offence



The FNB employee, who was based at the Matsapha Branch, left the country about a month ago after allegedly committing the offence.

He is said to have left the country together with a friend, who is employed in one of the major parastatals.

Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati confirmed that one of the accused persons had been arrested by the police and would appear this morning at the magistrates court.

The other two accused persons are advised to surrender to the nearest police stations, meanwhile the police are still continuing with their investigations on the matter, Superintendent Vilakati said.MATSAPHA  A very much unlikely occurrence took place in Matsapha Town Council chambers as Mayor Sandlane Zwane ruled a fourth move to oust him defective.



The unthinkable occurrence took place yesterday afternoon when some of the municipalitys councillors were supposed to moved a forth motion of vote of no confidence against the mayor.



The meeting started at 2:30pm and was officially opened by Deputy Mayor Siphesihle Sibandze as the mayor was held up in his office.

A few minutes later, the mayor came in and took over from his deputy as the chairman of the meeting.



However, before he continued with the agenda of the day, he asked to read a letter which was written to him by Matsapha Ratepayers Association.

This sparked the first confrontation among other councillors as some argued that the meeting was not for the letter from the ratepayers association.

The mayor responded by overruling any objection from the councillors by saying that they could not disregard what the ratepayers were saying because they were representing their interests in council.



He then went ahead to read the letter, which called for an end of the ongoing infighting within council.

I plead with councillors to heed to the ratepayers call as they are the ones who elected us to represent them in council, he said.



On another note, the mayor said he was not happy with the way in which the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lucky Sukati, was discharging his duties.

He said on Monday afternoon, he was with the town clerk until late and saw him receiving a defective motion of a vote of no confidence from Councillor Bongani Mamba at 5:30pm, which was after working hours.



Furthermore, he said without scrutinising the motion, the town clerk allegedly issued a notice of a meeting for the same defective vote of no confidence.

He said the motion was the one which the councillors tried to move twice towards the end of 2018 and for the third time on Monday.

He said according to Council Standing Orders, a revived motion which was dealt with in council should be moved again after six months and there should be an additional seconding member.MBABANE  Eswatini choral fraternitys perseverance has worked out for the good. After a dark cloud befell the choral community last year in Eswatini where it was revealed that the renowned Old Mutual National Choral Festival competition was not going to be hosted in the country, a huge U-turn has been made as this competition is coming back to the country.



This was revealed yesterday by impeccable sources and it was confirmed by the Eswatini National Choral Music Association.

The competition is slated for August 4 at Esibayeni Lodge in Matsapha.



The return of the competition was motivated by the high number of Eswatini choirs that participated despite them being moved to South Africa. Six choirs participated in Durban under the KwaZulu-Natal region and two competed in Johannesburg under the Gauteng region.

The sources stated that this commitment made the organising team reconsider bringing the competition back to the country.



Old Mutual Swaziland confirmed this, stating that discussions about the itinerary of the competitions were still ongoing.



Excited



Speaking on behalf of choirs, the Eswatini National Choral Music Association Chairman, Sihle Gumbi, said they were excited to have the Old Mutual NCF competition back in the country.



The choral music fraternity is very happy with what NCF has done. Actually, we knew that if we go all out to South Africa and make an impact there, they will definitely consider bringing it back home.



We also hope that choirs will prepare themselves very well for the competition and we plead with companies to support choral music in the country, said Gumbi.

Last year, Old Mutual, in partnership with their associate Premier National Choir Festival, revealed that there would be no Old Mutual National Choir Festival in the country this year.



Objective



This came after their 2018 strategic objective of being contemporary and relevant to changing trends.

This decision led to Eswatini choirs to compete in South Africa and they were given an option to either register under Gauteng or KwaZulu-Natal regions. The option of registration is in the hands of each choir.MBABANE  For multi-talented Banele Khoza, there is no place like home.



This as the Fine artist/Curator/Interior Designer and founder of BKhz Gallery has confirmed his plans of opening an art gallery in the country.

This comes after the success of his first art gallery and studio situated at 68 Juta Street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.



The gallery was officially opened late last year and attracted the Top Billing crew, who captured the opening for one of their episodes.

Khoza said the plan of having an art gallery in the country had always been there but it had to be stalled because the focus was on building a reputable brand first.



Enhancing



Eswatini is home and I love being here. The idea of opening a branch here has been growing and I have since decided to give it all the attention it deserves.

It is time I come back here and invest in my own country while also enhancing the fine art industry locally, he said.

Khoza revealed this during an interview in the country as he came to spend time with his family during the festive season.



He also added that he would first start by opening a branch in Cape Town before aiming for Eswatini.

The fine artist closed 2018 on a high after hoisting the Absa Gallery exhibition and also showing his talent in Paris.

The exhibition was rooted in one of the most pressing challenges facing the South Africa today  the support and empowerment of creative students.TORONTO, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada House Wellness Group Inc. (Canada House or the Company) (CSE:CHV) through its wholly owned subsidiary Abba Medix Corp. (Abba) has initiated the process for its facility to become EU-GMP compliant by entering into a software licensing agreement (SaaS Agreement) with Cannabis OneFive, Inc . (C15 www.cannabisonefive.com). The SaaS Agreement provides Abba with the use of C15s Veeva Quality One unified quality management and document control solution.



C15s leading software is based on its technology partners (Veeva Systems, Inc. www.industries.veeva.com) platforms configured, by C15, for the global cannabis industry. The C15 Veeva QualityOne cloud application is globally compliant with FDA 21 CFR Part 11; EU GMP Annex 11, and Cannabis Act regulations. This solution is a foundational quality management and document control system that has been adopted globally by over 650 of the top pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods companies. The software digitally automates several processes related to supply chain management, including document control, compliance management, audit management, supplier quality management, and document training management while automating and meeting Health Canada license requirements.

This is a crucial move for Abba Medix as it moves to obtain European Medical Agency's Good Manufacturing Practices ("EU-GMP") Certification for their Pickering facility, as quality and document management software is a requirement for this certification.

Receiving the EU-GMP certification is a critical step for Abba Medix to be able to export our quality cannabis and seeds to the European Union, said Canada House CEO Chris Churchill Smith, Our Pickering facility occupies over 22,000 square feet and is expected to be able to produce between 2000 and 3000 kilograms per annum of dried flower at full capacity. This capacity, along with additional production capacity in Western Canada, allows us not only to meet the demands for premium cannabis within Canada but globally. The EU is of strategic importance to Canada House and we are delighted to have initiated the process to allow Abba products to be shipped to the EU by taking the requisite first steps to EU-GMP compliance.

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.

About 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.MBABANE  The race is on. A total of 269 members of the youth are in competition to get a slice in the E7 million cake which has been availed by the Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund (YERF) as credit to either start or upgrade their businesses.



These applications were received from the Emaswati between ages of 18 to 35 years old during the period of August and September 2018.

YERF Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bhekizwe Maziya explained that the received credit applications were mostly agri-business (37 per cent), services (20 per cent), hospitality (12 per cent), manufacturing (10 per cent) and retail (nine per cent) among others.



Granted



The CEO disclosed that the loans had not been granted yet.

He mentioned that at this stage, they had only completed the screening process and forwarded the applicants details and documentation to the Industrial Development Corporation of Eswatini (IDCE) for a viability assessment.



Soon after completion of the IDCE assessment, recommendations will be sent back to YERF for approval by the Board of directors prior to the issuance of loans within a period of two months to the beneficiaries yet to be determined.



Lending



IDCE and YEF entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which entails financing applications beyond their lending limits and determining feasibility of the proposed business ideas.



Maximum



YERF lends up to E50 000 for individuals, a maximum of E100 000 for companies and does not exceed E150 000 when financing cooperatives.

Maziya pointed out that there had to be a lot of cleaning which had to be done on the received applications.



This was more so because some of the business proposals received were viable but lacked crucial documentation such as market need, market trends and cashflow.



YEF does not decline applications but rather defers them for re-submission after loopholes which were pointed out during evaluation have been addressed, clarified Maziya.Note: Special one-year subscription at a reduced price for first-time subscribers or for subscriptions that have been expired for at least one year  those living in Jackson County and the Cherokee Indian Reservation (28719) addresses qualify. Offer good through Friday, Aug. 2, 2019.

We accept Visa, Mastercard and Discover; we do not accept AMEX.GAITHERSBURG, Md., Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UltiSat, Inc., a Speedcast Company, was awarded a 5-year, $23M contract in support of a significant defense contractor to provide reliable and secure meshed/managed network services for the U.S. Government. The $23M contract value is for the core services and does not include pre-priced incremental services with significant upside potential. During the term of the contract, UltiSat will provide fully managed Internet, VoIP, and business application services at Forward Operating Base (FOB) locations across the Middle East and Southwest Asia. In accordance with common US Government procurement practice, the contract is subject to an annual review and approval process.



UltiSat is proud to be part of an incredible team providing satellite, microwave and terrestrial fiber communications services to support our military, said Garr Stephenson, Senior Vice President of ISR and Mobility Solutions. UltiSats world class network and 24/7 Secure Network Operations Center form the critical components to ensure the success of the program. Our expert and proactive staff alerts our customers of problems with their network often times even before they are aware. Problems are escalated to engineers in real-time and are sorted out and resolved to get connectivity up and restored with the utmost urgency. Our customer is very appreciative of our rapid response to this programs dynamic, emerging and evolving needs.

About UltiSat:

UltiSat Inc., a Speedcast Company, is a global leader in the provision of mission-critical, managed network solutions and high-touch professional services. Our products and services incorporate Fixed Satellite Service (FSS), Mobile Satellite Service (MSS), wireless and terrestrial technologies. We support a wide array of customer applications including treaty compliance monitoring, broadband connectivity for Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR), logistics management, maritime and tactical converged networks, and Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (AISR). UltiSat solutions are offered to end users in some of the most remote and harsh locations in over 135 countries on 7 continents around the globe. With customer networks that vary from a few sites to hundreds of locations, UltiSat's technical expertise and technology-agnostic approach ensures that our customers get the best-fit/best-value solutions. UltiSat customers include U.S. and foreign government agencies, government contractors, and Inter-Governmental Organizations (IGOs). For more information, please visit www.ultisat.com .I sat down to write this pre-holidays column, but before I did, I went through my emails one last time before I entered writing mode. It doesnt pay to get too far behind when it comes to email. Anyway, one of the emails was about a recently released book that promises to explain how to thrVANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NetworkWire: QMC Quantum Minerals Corp., (TSX.V: QMC) (FSE: 3LQ) (OTC PINK: QMCQF) (QMC or "the Company") is pleased to provide an update on the companys 100% owned Irgon Lithium Mine Project located within the prolific Cat Lake-Winnipeg River rare-element pegmatite field of South East Manitoba which also hosts Cabot Corporations nearby Tantalum Mining Corp. of Canadas (TANCO) rare-element pegmatite.



The company received an extremely positive reporting of results from the recent Mobile Metal Ion (MMI) geochemical orientation survey from SGS Canada. Based on the MMI results received after geo-referencing of the MMI ratio data, SGS was able to accurately identify the unexposed position of the western extension of the Irgon Pegmatite Dike.

In addition, two separate strong MMI anomalies were identified: one lying north of the Irgon Dike and the other lying south of the dike. At both locations, no surface rock outcropping nor spodumene mineralization is visible. SGS has indicated to QMC that these strong MMI geochemical responses are related to buried, parallel, lithium-bearing pegmatite occurrences.

QMC and SGS are extremely pleased with the initial results of MMI orientation survey and the identification of these new parallel lithium anomalies. QMC will initiate further MMI sampling across the inferred strike of these buried dikes prior to these new targets being drill tested. Both QMC and SGS believe that as these anomalies are further defined and subsequently drill tested, there is significant potential for the parallel dikes to greatly increase the resource estimate for the property.

The MMI orientation survey was undertaken over the buried, western extension of the spodumene-bearing Irgon Pegmatite Dike. Soil samples were taken along a north south trend line across the strike of the Irgon Dike. Sample spacing was set at an interval of 10 meters on top of the strike projection of the Irgon Dike and expanded to 20 meters at the line extremities for background purposes. Two sampling depths were tested. Both sample depths indicated a preferred response. This initial orientation survey consisted of a total of 40 samples.

Since this technique has responded extremely well to reflect the underlying mineralization that occurs within the Irgon Dike, QMC now plans to expand its use over other prospective target areas within the Irgon Mine Property.

HISTORICAL RESOURCE

Between 1953 and 1954, the Lithium Corporation of Canada Limited drilled 25 holes into the Irgon Dike and subsequently reported a historical resource estimate of 1.2 million tons grading 1.51% Li20 over a strike length of 365 meters and to a depth of 213 meters (Northern Miner, Vol. 41, no.19, Aug. 4, 1955, p.3). This historical resource is documented in a 1956 Assessment Report by B. B. Bannatyne for the Lithium Corporation of Canada Ltd. (Manitoba Assessment Report No. 94932). This historical estimate is believed to be based on reasonable assumptions, and neither the company nor the Qualified Person has any reason to contest the documents relevance and reliability. The detailed channel sampling and a subsequent drill program will be required to update this historical resource to current NI 43-101 standards. Historic metallurgical tests reported an 87% recovery from which a concentrate averaging 5.9% Li2O was obtained.

During this historical 1950s era work program, a complete mining plant was installed onsite, designed to process 500 tons of ore per day, and a three-compartment shaft was sunk to a depth of 74 meters. On the 61 meter level, lateral development was extended off the shaft for a total of 366 meters of drifting, from which seven crosscuts transected the dike. The work was suspended in 1957 awaiting a more favourable market for lithium oxides: at this time, the mine buildings were removed.

The mineral reserve cited above is presented as a historical estimate and uses historical terminology which does not conform to current NI 43 -101 standards. A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Although the historical estimates are believed to be based on reasonable assumptions, they were calculated prior to the implementation of National Instrument 43-101. These historical estimates do not meet current standards as defined under sections 1.2 and 1.3 of NI 43-101; consequently, the issuer is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves.

Qualified Person and NI 43-101 Disclosure

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Bruce E. Goad, P. Geo., who is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.

About the Company

QMC is a British Columbia based company engaged in the business of acquisition, exploration and development of resource properties. Its objective is to locate and develop economic precious, base, rare metal and resource properties of merit. The Companys properties include the Irgon Lithium Mine project and two VMS properties, the Rocky Lake and Rocky-Namew, known collectively as the Namew Lake District Project. Currently, all of the companys properties are located in Manitoba.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of



QMC QUANTUM MINERALS CORP.

Balraj Mann

Balraj Mann

President and Chief Executive Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

As a current print subscriber, you receive 24/7 access to our website and online e-edition at no additional charge. All you have to do is activate your access. To activate digital access, you will need your account number. You can find your account number on any recent subscription notice or bill.MONTREAL, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Maya Gold & Silver Inc. (Maya or the Corporation) (TSX: MYA) is pleased to inform its shareholders it has reached an important milestone with the installation of the last component of the mill operation which has a 3 fold effect milling capacity and output at its Zgounder silver mine. The commissioning and testing phase of its 500 ton per day (tpd) flotation mill has been completed and the company is proud to announce that it is in commercial production as of January 1st 2019.



During a 28-day period, a total of 4622 tonnes of low-grade ore with an average silver grade of 157 g/t was processed. The overall silver recovery with flotation followed by cyanidation of the flotation concentrate reached 80.3% (including in the system silver metal balance) which is better than expected for the testing phase. The flotation mill produced 321 tonnes of concentrate at a grade of 1861 g/t Ag for a 7 % weight recovery.

As of January 2019, the mill will start processing higher grade ore in order to optimize and maximize commercial production.

Nourreddine MOKADDEM, Founder, President & CEO said, Achieving commercial production at Zgounder, Mayas flagship project marks another major milestone as we continue to deliver growth and value for shareholders. Our teams execution capabilities delivered the mine on schedule and in line with our expectations. As demonstrated by its very low cash cost of below $ 6.37/oz, the Zgounder silver mine is expected to immediately start contributing to Mayas free cash flow.

Click here to watch a video* of the Flotation Plant in operation.

(*This video has been compiled from surveillance videos)

ABOUT MAYA

Maya Gold & Silver Inc. is a publicly traded Canadian company focused on the operation, exploration and development of gold and silver deposits in Morocco. Maya is currently operating mining and milling operations at its Zgounder Mine, an 85%-15% split ownership between its subsidiary, ZMSM, and the ONHYM of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Its portfolio also considers the Boumadine polymetallic deposit located in the Anti-Atlas Mountains of Eastern Morocco. The property is a joint venture with ONHYM, whereby Maya retains an 85% ownership.

Additionally, the companys portfolio includes the Amizmiz and Azegour properties, both being 100% owned, with gold, tungsten, molybdenum and copper deposits covering over 100 square kilometres in a historical mining district

Forward-looking statements

This news release contains statements about future events or future performance and reflects managements current expectations and assumptions. These are "forward-looking" because we have used what we know and expect today to make a statement about the future. Forward-looking statements usually include words such as may, intend, plan, expect, anticipate, and believe or other similar words. We believe the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable. However, actual events and results could be substantially different because of the risks and uncertainties associated with our business or events that happen after the date of this news release. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. As a general policy, we do not update forward-looking statements except as required by securities laws and regulations. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in the Corporations filings with SEDAR.

On behalf of the Board:

Noureddine Mokaddem

Founder, President & CEO

+1 514-978-6111/+212 661-196-111

nmokaddem@mayagoldsilver.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

Maya Gold & Silver Inc.:

Sophy Cesar

Investor Relations

1-514-866-2008

scesar@mayagoldsilver.com

www.mayagoldsilver.comSterling Heights, MI (48312)

Today

A mix of clouds and sun. High 73F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low near 50F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.However, Times Higher Education figures released in December 2018 show that Russell Group vice-chancellors' salaries have actually i ncreased since then. The average salary for a Russell Group vice-chancellor was just over 355,000. This marks a 1.8% increase since 2017, on top of a 3.9% increase on the previous year.

However, headlines this week echoed a similar story to Slades.





The new rules were introduced in September 2018, after it emerged that vice-chancellorswhich decided their pay.Keith Burnett at the University of Sheffield was the highest paid Russell Group vice-chancellor in 2018, earning 448,519. University of Birmingham's David Eastwood came second with 444,000, followed by Christopher Snowden at the University of Southampton with a salary of 427,000. Those pushing for the 2018 guidelines included universities minister Jo Johnson, who called on universities to limit the pay of senior management roles over a year ago, former Labour cabinet minister Andrew Adonis, and The University of Buckingham vice-chancellor Anthony Seldon.: at a time when staff salaries were barely increasing it was not good to let vice-chancellor and top salaries increase so much and without a clear explanation as to why.Since then, universities have had to justify the salaries of their senior staff. This pressure seems only to have prompted a reduction in the highest wages reported in 2016-17. The highest paid vice-chancellors in 2017-18 were paid considerably less than the highest-paid for the 2016-17 financial year. Christina Slade at Bath Spa University made headlines in 2017 when she was paid over 800,000 in her final year as vice-chancellor before stepping down. The University of Baths vice-chancellor Glynis Breakwell alsofor being the highest paid UK university vice-chancellor (excluding leaving bonuses) in 2018. Slade is due to be replaced this April by Professor Ian WhiteExeter Universitys Sir Steve Smiths bumper annual pay of 830,000 was exposed as being thein the university sector. When determining senior salaries, Bath Spa'sconsidered the pay of other universities Vice-Chancellors as benchmark information. This indicates that the issue of Vice-Chancellors' pay is likely to change only through united agreement amongst universities, or as it stands now, not at all.Kim McKee, University of Stirling

Millennials have been labelled generation rent, as growing numbers of young people are renting their homes for longer periods of their lives than their parents generation. Home ownership and social housing are increasingly out of reach for young people  a situation aggravated by the challenging youth labour market, rising student debt and welfare reforms, all of which make it more difficult for them to fly the nest and set up their own home.

Alright for some. Shutterstock.

Class matters

Stresses and strains

The growth of private renting among young people over recent decades has fuelled concerns about intergenerational inequality. Commentators such ashave portrayed the older and younger generations in conflict, accusing the Baby Boomer generation of stealing their childrens future. Clearly, young peoples experiences of the housing market have changed since the 1980s. But this tale of intergenerational unfairness overlooks the fact that there are equally significant inequalities between young people themselves. If politicians dont recognise that, theres a real risk that attempts to address the issues within the housing market wont assist those worst affected.The fact is, income and family background have a huge impact on how young people navigate the housing market. Research fromhighlights that young people from wealthier families are more likely to become homeowners. They are more likely to have financial assistance from the bank of mum and dad, and their parents are also more likely to have housing wealth to pass on. By contrast, young people from low-income households cannot rely on family support like their better-off peers. Their parents may be renters, who do not have any housing wealth to pass on. Or they may need to retain their housing wealth, to fund their retirement. So there is a stark divide among Britains young people: at the age of 30, people whose parents dont possess any property wealth are around 60% less likely to be homeowners. As part offor the, my colleagues and I investigated the experiences of young people on low to middle incomes, who were living in the private rented sector. Many of these young people are in a precarious position within the labour market, employed in low-paid, insecure work. Yet securing a tenancy in social housing is also hard, due to constrained supply and tightening eligibility criteria. Lack of resources means these young people are often concentrated in the bottom end of the private rented sector, facing poor living conditions including mice, mould and broken white goods.Where young people live in the UK also has a significant impact on how they experience life in the private rented sector. In Scotland, for example,open ended tenancies, more predictable rent increases and the possibility of rent controls. Letting agent fees were also banned. By contrast, tenants in the rest of the UK have no such protections, and can be asked to leave without the landlord giving any reason when their tenancy reaches a contractual break.have been campaigning for action to end this section 21 clause.These legal differences have real impacts. During in-depth interviews, young people told our research team about the negative effects that insecure housing had on their well-being; they found it hard to settle, put down roots and make a home. Whats more, previous research byandshows how a lack of security in tenancy agreements make it difficult for people to protest about repairs, poor conditions and unreasonable rent increases, for fear that they could be asked to leave.Our findings show that private renting also led to financial stress. Not only were rents unaffordable, especially for those on low incomes, young people also had to scrape together sizeable sums to cover letting agent fees, deposits and rent up front each time they moved  and insecure tenancies meant that they werent always in control of when this happened. Some young people only met these costs by living more frugally. Some young women we spoke to also described how theyd had to think hard about when to. Many did not want to raise their children in the insecure private rented sector, and for some, this was reason enough to delay their journey into motherhood. Those who had kids already worried about howwould affect their childrens schooling, and their connections with family and friends. Growing numbers of children are spending their formative early years in, yet throughout most of the UK they have no security of tenure.Its clear that highlighting the tensions between millennials and baby boomers will do little to address these issues: in fact, there is muchbetween the generations. Young people were clear about who they blamed for the current situation: not their parents, but government, and its inability to address the housing crisis and provide the affordable housing they needed. There is much to be learned from Scotlands reforms over the past decade, which have sought to professionalise the private rented sector and redress the imbalance of power in the relationship between tenants and landlords. Of course, housing policy alone will not be sufficient  attention must also be given to low pay, insecure work, student debt and the impacts of reforms to the housing benefit. In light of this evidence, perhaps its best to abandon the label generation rent, and focus on the inequalities that exist within generations, rather than between them. Kim McKee , Senior Lecturer, Social Policy and Housing, University of Stirling This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original articleAml Ameen and Shantol Jackson star as D and Yvonne in Idris Elbas highly-anticipated directorial debut, Yardie. Ameen explains how he got this incredible part, stating that I was on my way to LA from London in 2015 and Idris was on my flight,and we got speaking about a film he wanted to do, on the book Yardie which Id heard about previously. And he said, Are you up for doing it? and I said, What?. And he said, Are you up for doing it? and I was like, Yeah!

And I read the script on this flight to LA, and he gave me the part! And I made sure, I was like Wait a second, Idris, and I got one of the stewardesses to take a photo, so that by the time we land he couldnt take it back. So thats how I heard about it, and it was fantastic.

As for Jackson, a Jamaican actress cast as Ds love interest, she explains that the casting director told me, You know, theres a film that we want you to audition for, and I didnt know Idris was the director on it. And two weeks after I did the tape, they told me that the director was here and wanted to meet me, and I said, Sure!.

And when I got to the meeting, there was Idris! I had no idea it wouldve been him. He was so chill, and down to earth and I was panicking inside And he told me it was his first project And two weeks later I get a call telling me hed love for me to take the role. And so of course, I screamed in his ear, Jackson laughs.

When I heard Shantol had got the part, I emailed her and asked, Would you mind writing letters back in our characters?. We started work about a year before, and I was lucky that she said yes, and we started a dialogue over email, imagining what our childhood together had been like, and the different seminal moments in our lives. So, by the time we got to set, it felt like we had all this backstory and this world pre-created. Thats what made it real, Ameen emphasises.

And she would also help me a lot with dialect and with the accent, and again when youre communicating, it helps build a connection. And so those were some of the things we did to start to form the world of D and Yvonne. That and a lot of dancing, a lot of music, and a lot of hanging out, it was great!

Idris also paid a key role in it, the actress adds, because he wanted the chemistry in the film to be as authentic as possible. So, the day I landed it was straight into rehearsals. And he spent a lot of time with the both of us, trying to get the scenes the way he wanted them to go And hed said very early on that he wanted the chemistry in the film to be one of the very key points. Although it is a violent film, the love story is also very important. I think its more of a love story than a gangster film, to be honest. He wanted to capture that.

Ameen had a special challenge set by the first-time director going into filming. It was this exchange we had very early on, he explains, when he said that he wanted me to go method acting for it. And what that meant was that in 2017, I went to live in Jamaica and that informed a lot, from an energy perspective.

And what I saw, and the great people in Jamaica, from my aunties to the people at Studio One that used to work with Bob Marley, to all these music artists; all of these people helped contribute to my experience of Jamaica, and that mood would come back with me to London Idris allowed for that all to happen, he facilitated that world happening for me, so by the time I came to set he said that he trusted me to do it

One of the great things I admired about him was that he chose the actors, gave us our orders, and then he trusted us. And thats not something you get all the time for first-time directors, and Ive worked for a few. What you tend to get is micromanaging, because of a sense of fear they have about how things could look.

Equally praising of Elbas work, Jackson asserts that the fact that he came to Jamaica and auditioned Jamaican actors is very telling. He wanted that authenticity If the dialogue didnt feel quite right, hed ask Well, how would you say it? and I appreciated that a lot, because of course everyone wants to respect the culture and be sure that its fairly represented.

It was very true to the Jamaican culture and the British culture at the time And Idris told me he wanted this film to be 1 to 5 and not 1 to 10, because usually with black characters, especially women, its very elaborate in terms of how they talk. Its very aggressive and loud, and he wanted the whole film to be half of that. So, I appreciated how hands-on he was with the project, from how he wanted to cut my hair and how he wanted us to move, and how he wanted the makeup to look. Something I respect a lot about him, is that him being such a fantastic actor he also respects the actors part in it all, she says, echoing Ameens sentiment.

As a film split between its Jamaican roots and London setting, Yardie shows you what modern London culture has become, states Ameen. Its kind of like the Jamaican immigrant influence, the Caribbean influence, married in with that London Cockney culture and grime, and thats what we have And I think its good to show how Jamaica has become a subculture thats become the very essence of London modern culture, and so I love that.

It shows the beginning of that It felt great, because I think this film is going to stand the test of time. People are going to watch it, and the music  if you grew up in that era, the music takes you back, if you didnt grow up in that era, you grew up to family members listening to it. Or if you were going to Notting Hill Carnival and you dont know anything about Jamaican or Caribbean culture, now youve got context to it. Its also a film that represents London. If you take out the gangster element and focus on the DJ and sound systems, and music elements, that represents the city I love.

On the other hand, coming from Jamaica, you dont really appreciate how your culture has impacted other places, Jackson explains. I remember the music, I was so amazed at how Londoners were impacted by Jamaican music, from reggae to dance hall, it was just amazing to see that impact It was really interesting to see how culture impacts other cultures.

Theres also an educational aspect to the film, both historically and culturally, the actress states. Im sure it will be educational, because the reason Yvonne went to London in the first place was because of gang violence and political violence in that time. Just last night, I was watching this Bob Marley documentary with my father, and he was telling me how political violence was at that time. Knife violence, gun violence was rife in that time. You hear stories, but seeing it in the documentary was putting a different lens on it. So, seeing a film that shared those experiences from that time, what our parents and grandparents went through, its very educational in understanding why they interact the way they do.

Coming from the UK, Ameen says he was educated on how Jamaican society is a very matriarchal society. And with that, if you look in the film, Shantol plays my grandma. My grandma came over in the 60s or 70s, and that child that Yvonne and D have, thats my mum. And so that provides crazy context for anybody from an immigrant culture. The films first and foremost entertaining, and it draws you in; its a great story that educates. Great stories put you in the place of an empath, so youre being educated in a full circumference.

Concluding, Ameen re-emphasised, as you can tell, were very happy with the movie. Ill be happy for this film to represent part of my career for the rest of my life, and I cant necessarily say that about every project Ive been involved in. Thats how special the movie is to me and to Idris, and to the rest of the cast. Youre getting a movie with heart, youre getting a movie with spirit and soul, youre getting that nostalgic feel, its a great film.

Yardie is out now on Blu-ray, DVD and On Demand.

Photography courtesy of Alex Bailey, via IMDbWith a slew of moving topical documentaries under his belt, the acclaimed 'refugee director' Mahdi Fleifel goes back to his fictional filmmaking roots with A Drowning Man.

In a poignant short about the daily trials and tribulations of a Palestinian refugee whos fled to Greece, Fleifel does what the majority of the media either cannot or will not do in taking a moment to humanise its lead character.

A refugee is a common term these days, but one thats typically seen as a statistic or something to fear. Rarely do we get the opportunity to figuratively walk a day in their shoes, which is exactly what Fleifel offers the viewers of this grimly eye-opening short. As his award-winning documentaries, Xenos and A World Not Ours, told the real stories of refugee struggle, Fleifel is in a unique position to tell a fictional story with realism and grit.

Image courtesy of A Drowning Man

A Drowning Mans lead role, played by Atef Alshafei, is credited as The Kid, which likely refers to his lack of a social identity as a refugee, trying to settle into a new country without any family or documentation. The film opens with a brief dream sequence of The Kid isolated at sea. Grasping onto his few belongings to keep him afloat, he lets out a scream thats sonically mixed so well with the sounds the ocean, birds and sea breeze that its barely heard.

The Kid then wakes up in a dusty, dim, shared flat, where the viewer realizes that his reality isnt much different from the aforementioned dream sequence. The most menial of creature comforts, such as cigarettes, a lighter to light them or even a bite to eat, are far and few between.After getting dressed and being turned down a bit of cash to get some food in his stomach, The Kid heads out with the sole purpose of surviving in a city where hes an afterthought.

The story that ensues once The Kid sets out to the city depicts the predatory nature of people as well as the lengths that refugees are driven to in order to make ends meet in the most modest definition of the term. Where Fleifel shines, though, is in the interactions between The Kid and the citys folk as well as his time spent alone on screen. Its in these moments that the viewer gets a sense for how isolated one can feel without any crutch of support, even in a city of millions.

By the end of the short film, The Kid gets the meal that hed sought all day, but that doesnt necessarily imply a happy ending. He may not be going to bed hungry, but The Kid is in no better a position than he was the day before. The following day hell wake up and have to face the same struggles. And the day after that, and the day after that...

While most people expect refugees to pull themselves up by the bootstraps and contribute to society, A Drowning Man makes it clear that the majority of stress for an undocumented person in a new country comes simply from surviving. Its unique perspectives like this, ones that paint people in this unfortunate situation as individuals with their own wants and needs, rather than a blanket societal issue, that will be crucial in understanding how we can start solving these problems.

hereSarah Jilani, University of Cambridge

One of the most infuriating habits of these people was their love of superfluous words, thinks the colonial district commissioner to himself in the final chapter of Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart.

Christian missionaries in Congo in 1911. From the biography of Gwen Elen Lewis. Princeton Theological Seminary

Paull Young via Flickr , CC BY-SA

Language is power

Forging identity

New Yorker , CC BY-SA

Clearing ground

It is from the only section of this groundbreaking novel that is not written from the perspective of Africans. Telling of thefrom their point of view, the line foreshadows much: how colonisation will attempt to write African perspectives, deemed superfluous, out of their own histories, but also that, infuriatingly enough for an oppressor, the colonised Africans wield words of their own.Published 60 years ago this year by Heinemann in London, Things Fall Apart has sold more than 10m copies and been translated into more than 50 languages. It follows Okonkwo, a renowned warrior from a fictional Igbo village in early 20th-century eastern Nigeria. In straightforward and evocative prose, Achebe depicts how a culturally rich and well-governed society is destabilised by the arrival of Christian missionaries and British colonialists. Okonkwo is a flawed hero, but his attempts to confront the forces transforming his village speak to a long history of anti-colonial resistance. Now considered essential reading in many African Studies and English Literature courses, Things Fall Apart can hardly be dissociated from the emergence of the African novel and modern African writing in general. However, Achebes debut also sparked aon language and African literatures. With English so intimately entwined with colonial history, the fact that the novel hailed as inaugurating a modern, independent Africas literature was also written in English became a point of contention. Was Things Fall Apart upholding a Western model, or confronting and subverting it?Language is never ahistorical or apolitical, but it carries an especial charge in post-colonial contexts. Educational, administrative and religious institutions had conducted life in the colonies in the language of the coloniser. Speaking it would often mean access to privileges, while speaking only African languages could mean economic disadvantage at best, physical punishment at worst. With this history in mind, Achebe and his contemporaries had to ask: did reaching global audiences to challenge their perceptions about Africa matter more than enriching their own languages by helping African readerships flourish?The debate extended beyond the question of use and reach: it was also about post-colonial identities. Language provides the names, value systems and and discourses by which we know our world and ourselves. A dominant language dominates the terms by which your reality is constituted. To prioritise reading and writing in European languages could perpetuate colonial structures after independence, once again delineating who could speak, on what terms, and by what criteria African writers would be judged.Whether to foster post-independence African literary cultures in European or African languages fuelled the historic 1962 African Writers Conference at Makerere University in Uganda. Many of its participants went on to become well-known literary voices from the continent. These included the first African Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka , a Nigerian poet and playwright; Grace Ogot , one of the first Anglophone female Kenyan writers to be published; and Christopher Okigbo , who together with Achebe established Citadel Press. Also prominent were Kofi Awoonor , a Ghanaian poet and diplomat who was among those killed in the 2013 attack in Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, and Lewis Nkosi , whose literary career in exile from South Africa spanned nearly every genre.There was division on the issue. Kenyan playwright and academic, then a student at Makerere  believed that the restoration of cultural memory rested on rehabilitating mother tongues. Now a major voice in African letters who writes mostly in, Ngugi argued that, without this decolonisation of the mind, they would otherwise be forever living by moral, ethical and aesthetic values not their own.Born into a family of Christian converts in eastern Nigeria in 1930, Achebe was educated in local Anglican schools and went onto become one the first graduates of the. So English was indeed a part of his identity in ways not every Nigerian would have shared. But Achebe was therefore all the more aware that education and religion were complex facets of colonialism. Things Fall Apart dramatises this with nuance in the character of Nwoye, who rebels after his brothers death by converting to Christianity. Achebe advocated a both rather than an either/or approach in his 1965 essay. He argued that the African writer, in fashioning out an English which is at once universal and able to carry his peculiar experience, would bring about a far more subtle rejection of the historical dominance standard English represented.Ultimately, English was one factor that helped Things Fall Apart, as it did other works of African literature, to transcend national boundaries for six decades. But these probing political and cultural questions were carried right along with it  and they informed a legacy of African thought on the meaning and purpose of literature, which the continents contemporary voices can stand on today. When African writers choose to contribute to literatures in their mother tongues, this can only be positive. But when they chose to reach the worlds Anglophone readers, it is as Achebe: with a new English, still in full communion with its ancestral home but altered to suit its new African surroundings. Sarah Jilani , PhD Candidate, Faculty of English, University of Cambridge This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original articleHOUSTON, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orion Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: ORN) (the "Company") a leading specialty construction company, today announced it is undertaking initiatives to scale and grow its business divisions.



The Companys Board of Directors has formed a Special Committee, consisting of Board member Austin Shanfelter, to work in concert with the Companys Chief Executive Officer, Mark Stauffer, to identify process improvement opportunities. These initiatives will include conducting an operational review of the Companys business processes and tools to scale for profitable growth. The Company has engaged the services of Alvarez & Marsal Corporate Performance Improvement, LLC (A&M), a leading global professional services firm, to assist the Company in this process.

Mark Stauffer commented, My team and I look forward to working with A&M to assess and help optimize our business as we implement our strategic initiatives. Transforming and improving our processes will not only generate growth and value for our stockholders, it will also provide growth opportunities for all of our employees.

The Company will have no further comments on the business process evaluation while it is underway, but will provide an update at the conclusion of the process, which is estimated to occur during the second quarter of 2019.

About Orion Group Holdings

Orion Group Holdings, Inc., a leading specialty construction company serving the infrastructure, industrial and building sectors, provides services both on and off the water in the continental United States, Alaska, Canada and the Caribbean Basin through its marine segment and its concrete segment. The Companys marine segment provides construction and dredging services relating to marine transportation facility construction, marine pipeline construction, marine environmental structures, dredging of waterways, channels and ports, environmental dredging, design, and specialty services. Its concrete segment provides turnkey concrete construction services including pour and finish, dirt work, layout, forming, rebar, and mesh across the light commercial, structural and other associated business areas. The Company is headquartered in Houston, Texas with regional offices throughout its operating areas.

Forward-Looking Statements

The matters discussed in this press release may constitute or include projections or other forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the provisions of which the Company is availing itself. Certain forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, such as 'believes', 'expects', 'may', 'will', 'could', 'should', 'seeks', 'approximately', 'intends', 'plans', 'estimates', or 'anticipates', or the negative thereof or other comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy, plans, objectives, intentions, estimates, forecasts, outlook, assumptions, or goals. In particular, statements regarding future operations or results, including those set forth in this press release and any other statement, express or implied, concerning future operating results or the future generation of or ability to generate revenues, income, net income, profit, EBITDA, EBITDA margin, or cash flow, including to service debt, and including any estimates, forecasts or assumptions regarding future revenues or revenue growth, are forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements also include estimated project start date, anticipated revenues, and contract options which may or may not be awarded in the future. Forward looking statements involve risks, including those associated with the Company's fixed price contracts that impacts profits, unforeseen productivity delays that may alter the final profitability of the contract, cancellation of the contract by the customer for unforeseen reasons, delays or decreases in funding by the customer, levels and predictability of government funding or other governmental budgetary constraints and any potential contract options which may or may not be awarded in the future, and are the sole discretion of award by the customer. Past performance is not necessarily an indicator of future results. In light of these and other uncertainties, the inclusion of forward-looking statements in this press release should not be regarded as a representation by the Company that the Company's plans, estimates, forecasts, goals, intentions, or objectives will be achieved or realized. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company assumes no obligation to update information contained in this press release whether as a result of new developments or otherwise.

Please refer to the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed on March 13, 2018, which is available on its website at www.oriongroupholdingsinc.com or at the SECs website at www.sec.gov , for additional and more detailed discussion of risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from our current expectations, estimates or forecasts.

Orion Group Holdings Inc.

Shane Martin, Investor Relations Manager (972) 850-2001You can find your client key on your subscription renewal statement or call us at the Mountain Mail at 719-539-6691.Salida, CO (81201)

Today

Sunny to partly cloudy. Record high temperatures expected. High around 95F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Clear to partly cloudy. Low 57F. SSE winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph.Welcome back pirates! As you make your return to campus The East Carolinian has created a forum that centers around topics within the community where readers can express their experiences and concerns. With the new guidelines set in place by East Carolina University do you feel as these precautions will keep you safe?

SurveyKelowna, British Columbia, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR; OTC: FLWPF), through its subsidiary The Flowr Group (Okanagan) Inc. (collectively Flowr or the Company), announced today that it has entered into an agreement to supply medical cannabis to Shoppers Drug Mart (Shoppers) on a purchase order basis. The term of the supply agreement is three (3) years, with a two (2) year renewal term.



Flowr is a Canadian Licensed Producer of premium cannabis products and will supply Shoppers with its FlowrRx brand of premium medical cannabis products. The products initially will be sold online only as Canadian regulations currently restrict the sale of medical cannabis in retail pharmacies.



Flowr also announced that Shoppers new ecommerce site (shoppersdrugmart.ca/cannabis) will be the exclusive direct-to-patient online provider of FlowRx products. Flowr believes this agreement presents the opportunity to significantly increase its sales of medical cannabis products in Canada, a market that Deloitte has estimated could reach C$1.8 billion in sales in 2019.1 Currently FlowrRx products are available online to patients registered via the Companys website and in select clinics.



We believe that partnering with Shoppers Drug Mart to provide patients with premium medical cannabis is a game-changing opportunity for Flowrs medical business and we look forward to working with their team, said Tom Flow, Flowrs Co-CEO. FlowrRx products are grown in facilities designed to pharmaceutical industry manufacturing standards and using strict processes that should enable us to provide patients with both the high quality they seek and the consistent benefits they need.



Flowrs cultivation team employs exacting protocols throughout the growing and curing process seeking to consistently provide medical clients with their desired medicinal benefits. Flowrs products are grown in the world-famous Okanagan Valley of British Columbia in facilities that employ proprietary cultivation systems and are engineered to Good Manufacturing Process standards. Flowr then carefully harvests, hand trims and craft cures its products.



Shoppers, a division of Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE: L), is Canadas leading drug store retailer with approximately 1,300 pharmacist-owned locations from coast-to-coast.

About Flowr

The Flowr Corporation (TSX.V: FLWR; OTC: FLWPF), through its subsidiaries, holds a cannabis production and sales license granted by Health Canada. With a head office in Markham, ON and a production facility in Kelowna, BC, Flowr builds and operates large-scale, GMP-designed cultivation facilities utilizing its own patented growing systems. Flowrs investment in research and development along with its sense of craftsmanship and a spirit of innovation is expected to enable it to provide premium-quality cannabis that appeals to the adult-use recreational market and addresses specific patient needs in the medicinal market.

For more information, visit www.flowr.ca Follow Flowr on Twitter: @FlowrCanada; Facebook: Flowr Canada; Instagram: @flowrcanada; and LinkedIn: The Flowr Corporation.

On behalf of The Flowr Corporation:

Tom Flow

Co-CEO

Forward-Looking Information

This press release includes forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws regarding Flowr and its business, which may include, but are not limited to: the products initially being sold online, adding Flowrs products to Shoppers offerings will provide Shoppers clients with a premium option, the track record of Flowrs cultivation team, the agreement with Shoppers presenting Flowr with the opportunity to significantly increase sales of medical cannabis, the market for medical cannabis in Canada for 2019, the belief that partnering with Shoppers being game changing for Flowrs business and sales, Flowrs facilities being designed in a way that should enable it to provide patients with both high quality products and consistent benefits, Flowrs cultivation team employing exacting protocols throughout the growing and curing process that seek to consistently provide medical clients with their desired medicinal benefits, Flowrs investment in research and development along with its sense of craftsmanship and a spirit of innovation enabling it to provide premium-quality cannabis that appeals to the adult-use recreational market and addresses specific patient needs in the medicinal market and other factors. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as plans, is expected, expects, scheduled, intends, contemplates, anticipates, believes, proposes or variations (including negative and grammatical variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements are based on the current expectations of Flowrs management and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Although Flowrs management believes that the assumptions underlying these statements are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release may not occur by certain specified dates or at all and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Flowr, including risks relating to the inability to continue to supply patients online, the inability of the Flowr products providing Shoppers clients with a premium option, Flowrs cultivation team failing to achieve the standards or level of products described herein, including with respect to quality and consistency of product offerings, the supply agreement with Shoppers not being a game changing opportunity for Flowrs medical cannabis products in Canada, including, without limitation, not increasing sales of Flowrs medical products, the inability of Flowr to capture any portion of the expected Canadian market described herein, the inability of Flowr to maintain its facilities at pharmaceutical industry manufacturing standards and using strict processes to enable it to provide patients with high quality and consistent products, which could significantly impact sales of Flowrs products, Flowrs cultivation team not employing exacting protocols throughout the growing and curing process, which could impact the quality of the products and the medicinal benefits for patients, Flowr not being able to provide premium-quality cannabis that appeals to the adult-use recreational market and addresses specific patient needs in the medicinal market, Flowrs inability to excel at cultivating premium cannabis, Flowrs inability to construct its facilities, or in the time anticipated, Flowr requiring additional financing from time to time in order to continue its operations and such financing may not be available when needed or on terms and conditions acceptable to the Company, new laws or regulations adversely affecting the Companys business and results of operations, results of operation activities and development of projects, project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, the inability of Flowrs products to be high quality, the inability of Flowr to produce and distribute premium, high quality products, the inability to supply products or any delay in such supply, which could result in significant penalties or costs being imposed on Flowr, Flowrs securities, the inability to generate cash flows, revenues and/or stable margins, the inability to grow organically, risks associated with the geographic markets in which Flowr operates and/or distributes its products, risks associated with fluctuations in exchange rates (including, without limitation, fluctuations in currencies), risks associated with the use of Flowrs products, the cannabis industry and the regulation thereof, the failure to comply with applicable laws, risks relating to partnership arrangements, possible failure to realize the anticipated benefits of partnership arrangements, including those described herein, product launches (including, without limitation, unsuccessful product launches), the inability to launch products, the failure to obtain regulatory approvals, economic factors, market conditions, risks associated with the acquisition and/or launch of products, the equity and debt markets generally, risks associated with growth and competition (including, without limitation, with respect to Flowrs products), general economic and stock market conditions, risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in Flowrs filings with the Canadian Securities Administrators and many other factors beyond the control of Flowr. Although Flowr has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. No forward-looking information can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is made and Flowr undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

- ends -





1 Deloitte, A Society in Transition, an Industry Ready to Bloom, June 2018 Unlimited website access 24/7

 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7

 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more!

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.Dublin, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global Floating Wind Turbine Market 2019-2023" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



The floating wind turbine market will register a CAGR of more than 47% by 2023.



Rise in wind energy consumption to gain traction in the market. Wind power is a rowing renewable energy technology, which is undergoing a transition to become a commercial power generation technology. The adoption of renewable energy is supported by global clean energy initiatives and government incentives and subsidies, thereby motivating the harness of this form of energy.



Market Overview



Favorable government regulations for floating wind



To promote emission-free technologies, the use of alternative energy sources such as wind power, solar PV, and hydropower is essential. Globally, government support the adoption of wind power as it is an essential renewable energy source.



Challenges associated with the installation



Installations of floating wind turbines is a significant challenge for the global floating wind turbine market. The main challenges are installation time and vessel cost, deepwater mooring and electrical cable installations and many more.



Competitive Landscape



The market appears to be fragmented and with the presence of several companies including Senvion and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, the competitive environment is quite intense. Factors such as the favorable government regulations for floating wind and the rise in wind energy consumption, will provide considerable growth opportunities to floating wind turbine manufactures.



aerodyn Energiesysteme, General Electric, Hitachi, MHI Vestas Offshore Wind, Senvion, and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy 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

Market ecosystem

Market characteristics

Market segmentation analysis

PART 04: MARKET SIZING



Market sizing 2018

Market size and forecast 2018-2023

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

Bargaining power of buyers

Bargaining power of suppliers

Threat of new entrants

Threat of substitutes

Threat of rivalry

Market condition

PART 06: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE



PART 07: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE



Geographic comparison

Key leading countries

Market opportunity

PART 08: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY FOUNDATION



Comparison by foundation

Spar-buoy

Semi-submersible

Others

Market opportunity by foundation

PART 09: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES



PART 10: MARKET TRENDS

Decline in LCOE of wind power generation

Advances in floating wind design

Rise in wind energy consumption

PART 11: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

Overview

Landscape disruption

PART 12: VENDOR ANALYSIS

Vendors covered

Vendor classification

Market positioning of vendors

aerodyn Energiesysteme

General Electric



Hitachi

MHI Vestas Offshore Wind

Senvion

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy

PART 13: APPENDIX



For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/4wxtrz/global_floating?w=12





Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.Blackshear, GA (31516)

Today

Sunshine and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 97F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Widely scattered showers or a thunderstorm this evening. Then partly cloudy. Low 72F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.Infection Surveillance Solutions Market (By Product and Services - Software [On-premise, Web-based], Services; By Infection Type - Surgical Site Infections (SSI), Blood Stream Infections (BSI), Urinary Tract Infections (UTI), Others; By End-use - Long Term Care Facilities, Hospitals, Others) - Global Industry Size, Share, Trends and Forecast 2018 - 2026; Rise in Number of Surgeries, Growing Prevalence of Healthcare Associated Infections (HAIs), Increasing Adoption of Automation and Government Initiatives to Drive The Market Growth



LOS ANGELES, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global infection surveillance solutions market was valued around US$ 305.1 Mn in 2017 and is anticipated to expand at a stable CAGR above 14.0% during the forecast period 2018 to 2026. According to the report titled  Infection Surveillance Solutions Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2018-2026. Rise in number of surgeries, growing prevalence of healthcare associated infections (HAIs), increasing adoption of automation and government initiatives have increased the growth of the global Infection Surveillance Solutions market. The market in the North America is likely to expand at significant CAGR due to numerous advancements in healthcare infrastructure, rising incidence of HAIs and strong government initiatives in the region.

Download Report Sample Pages For Better Understanding@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/request-sample/936

Increasing healthcare infrastructure development scenario to fuel the growth for software segment

In terms of product and services, the global infection surveillance solutions market is bifurcated into software and services. Software segment accumulated the highest market share in 2017 and anticipated to dominate the market throughout the forecast period. The software segment is further categorized into on-premise and web-based software. The web based software is foreseen to witness the most noteworthy CAGR during the forecast period. The development of the sub-section can be credited to its advantages over on-premise software including accessibility in various designs, fast return investment, and ongoing technological innovations. In addition, medicinal services IT organizations are mainly focusing on innovative data management solutions that make collection of electronic health records (EHR), through their software. Moreover, the services segment is projected to exhibit a higher CAGR during the forecast period due to higher adoption of software packages in healthcare facilities.

On the other hand, by infection type, the infection surveillance solutions market has been segmented into urinary tract infections (UTI), surgical site infections (SSI), blood stream infections (BSI), and others. Tract infections (UTI) segment is likely to maintain its dominance over the forecast period.

VIEW DETAIL REPORT WITH COMPLETE TOC@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/infection-surveillance-solutions-market

Increasing occurrences of healthcare associated infections (HAIs) surging the demand for infection surveillance solution

Hospital related diseases in a clinical setting including urinary tract disease, and pneumonia and other infectious diseases are expanding because of contaminated instruments and devices, bed materials and patient garments and others. This has provoked healthcare experts and clinics to adopt infection surveillance system in order to recognize possible healthcare related infections. These systems also help in diagnosing various infections due to non hygienic medical devices and antibiotic resistant organisms (AROs). Infection surveillance solutions include fully automated HAI surveillance, specific data mining software, usage of algorithms with electronic medical records that helps in early identification of certain clinical infections.

Regional Analysis

Geographically, the global infection surveillance solutions market has been divided into North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and Middle East and Africa. In 2017, North America was the topmost revenue generating region owing to the early adoption of advanced clinical products and continuous development of healthcare infrastructure in the region. North America is anticipated to grow at significant CAGR over the forecast period. Rising incidence of HAIs and Strong government initiatives in the U.S. and Canada are fueling the growth of domestic market. Prominent players from the region are making considerable investments in order to introduce advanced infection surveillance solutions. Asia Pacific is also expected to show significant growth rate during the forecast period owing to the rising medical tourism and improving healthcare infrastructure. However, the lack of awareness among people towards automation and availability of advanced systems are some of the challenging factors for infection surveillance solutions market in Asia Pacific.

Becton, Wolters Kluwer N.V, Baxter International Inc., and Gojo Industries are likely to contribute highest market share in the global infection surveillance solutions market.

The company profiling of key players in the global Infection Surveillance Solutions market includes company overview, major business strategies and revenues. The key players of the market are Becton, Premier Inc., Wolters Kluwer N.V, Dickinson and Company, Gojo Industries, Baxter International Inc., RL Solutions, Truven Health Analytics and Premier Inc. Industry participant battle on the basis of price, new innovated product launch, and expanding market presence.

INQUIRY BEFORE BUYING@ https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/inquiry-before-buying/936

The report is readily available and can be dispatched immediately after payment confirmation.

Buy this premium research report - https://www.acumenresearchandconsulting.com/buy-now/0/936

Would like to place an order or any question, please feel free to contact at sales@acumenresearchandconsulting.com | +1 407 915 4157

For Latest Update Follow Us:

https://twitter.com/AcumenRC

https://www.facebook.com/acumenresearchandconsulting

https://www.linkedin.com/company/acumen-research-and-consulting/Denver, CO, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Ubiquitech Software Corp. (OTC: UBQU), through its subsidiary HempLife Today, is announcing to shareholders that it is increasing its direct mail campaigns for its popular new Wholesale/Ambassador program across all of its customer databases. These direct mail campaigns are in addition to the email campaigns that have shown to be very effective in both registrations, and paid access to the Wholesale/Ambassador program.



Through direct mail campaigns the Company can reach virtually all of its databases of HempLife Today customers and invite them to become Wholesale/Ambassadors through the HempLife Today Website.

Once paid and registered, a new Ambassador is given instant access to the Companys wholesale pricing and also receives CannazALL CBD brochures, business cards, customer support, and access to Phase 2 of the program announced on December 20th, 2018. All for a one-time fee of $195.

With Phase 2 of the program Ambassadors will have access to their own online sales portal, and the launching of Phase 2 will be announced this month.

The Company plans to send up to 50,000 direct mail pieces throughout the month of January and believes these campaigns will net at least 1,000 - 2,000 additional new paid and active Wholesale/Ambassadors. After these campaigns, the Company will increase its monthly direct mail campaigns to new customers, referrals, and other databases available.

The Company is proud to announce that it is well ahead of its initial projection of 10,000 active Wholesale/Ambassadors by 2022, and also its projection of each Wholesale/Ambassador adding up to $15,000 per year in gross revenue to the Company.

CEO James Ballas states, We are very happy with the incredible response to the wholesale ambassador program we are experiencing to date, and we are way ahead of our stated goals at this time. With Phase two on the way this month we will have the most unique distribution program in the industry, and we will be increasing our number of ambassadors daily. We believe that this, along with all of our marketing plans for 2019, and our pending name and symbol change, will help us to continue to have a special edge on the industry.

The Company is planning to launch its first direct mail campaign for its Wholesale/Ambassador program by Friday the 18th.

The Company will keep shareholders aware of the growth of the Wholesale/Ambassador program, as well as all pertinent Company progress on a regular basis.

The Company will have more news about the progress and filing for name and symbol change as soon as is possible.

About Ubiquitech Software Corp

Ubiquitech Software Corp, through its subsidiaries, is a dynamic multi-media, multi-faceted corporation utilizing state-of-the-art global internet marketing, DirectResponse (DRTV) Television, Radio, Internet Content, and traditional marketing to drive traffic to the new and emerging multi-billion dollar industries like its subsidiary HempLifeToday

About HempLife TodayGREENFIELD, Ind., Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A group of community and business leaders from Hancock County announced they have contracted with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) to assess future economic development opportunities associated with the Mt. Comfort Corridor. The group includes Hancock County Commissioners; the towns of McCordsville, Cumberland and New Palestine; NineStar Connect; Hancock Health; Greenfield Banking Company; Hancock County Redevelopment Commission; Mt Vernon Community School Corporation; Hancock County Economic Development Corporation; Hancock County Community Foundation; Indy Partnership; BAGI Hancock County Builder's Council; and Aqua Indiana. Click to Tweet .



ULI has long been recognized as one of the worlds most respected and widely quoted sources of objective information on community land-use planning, growth and development. Its Advisory Services program deploys teams of experts to help find creative, practical solutions for issues such as downtown development and redevelopment, land management strategies, evaluation of development potential, growth management and community revitalization.

The goal of this effort is to attain a well-developed Mt. Comfort corridor that will:

Generate consistent quality job growth over the next several decades

Grow an agri-bioscience industry cluster that leverages Hancock Countys farming legacy

Provide a growing tax base that will diversify local government revenue streams and help to control tax rates for residents and small businesses

Connect residents with jobs and businesses to enhance the quality of life for all Hancock County households

Reduce the development pressures elsewhere in Hancock County by creating planned growth districts along and adjacent to the Mt. Comfort Corridor

It is inevitable that development in the Mt. Comfort Corridor will take place, so our challenge is to ensure that development is thoughtful and plans for the future, said Tom Miller, president and CEO of Thomas P. Miller & Associates, a workforce and economic development firm. A robust economy, local development pressures, and land speculation all make this a good time to influence the direction of the Corridors development.

The ULI Advisory Panel will include experts in business development, mixed-use development (industrial, commercial, residential and open space amenities), and land-use policy. The panel will arrive in Hancock County in early January. They will engage the community in stakeholder and leadership interviews, conduct area tours and consult with regional economic development experts. The panel is expected to present their initial findings on January 18.

We are excited to partner with ULI on this important project, said Steve Long, president and CEO of Hancock Health and Hancock Regional Hospital. ULI Advisory Services Program provides a proven mechanism for our leadership and stakeholders to assess, plan, and execute a Mt. Comfort Corridor development program that will benefit our community for many years.

Mara Conklin, 847-816-9411

mconklin@teamclarus.com

Linda Muskin, 847-432-7300

lmuskin@teamclarus.comDublin, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global IoT in Oil and Gas Market: Focus on Solutions, Applications, Industry Stream - Analysis and Forecast (2018-2023)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.



Global IoT in Oil and Gas Market to Reach $39.40 Billion by 2023

The oil and gas industry operates in a volatile environment. Fluctuations in the oil prices and the digitization boom in the industry has driven the demand for innovation and investment to meet the cost, ease the cost, and optimize the industry's operations. The use of IoT can help streamline operations and help companies to enhance workflow and provide data useful in making decisions. Despite challenges in deploying IoT solutions, investment in innovation continues as oil and gas companies attempt to be more quick, efficient and productive while reducing costs.



IoT is helping the oil and gas companies in attaining global presence. Embedded sensors, automation and connectivity with data communications can gather and provide operational data from remote locations, which helps the sensor manufactures understand the operations in an accurate and detailed manner. IoT also removes physical barriers so that the companies can reach remote locations. The advantages of IoT technology for oil and gas are wide-ranging from equipment manufacturers to internet service providers. Adoption of IoT technology in the oil and gas industry results in increased productivity and sustainability. The shift towards the use of IoT in the oil and gas industry has been encouraged due to the falling cost of the sensors and the increasing availability of wireless network.



The IoT in oil and gas market research study offers a wide perspective on where the industry is heading to. The research is based on extensive primary interviews (in-house experts, industry leaders, and market players) and secondary research (a host of paid and unpaid databases), along with the analytical tools that have been used to build the forecast and the predictive models.



The report answers the following questions about the IoT in the oil and gas market:

What is the IoT in oil and gas market size in terms of revenue from 2017-2023, and what is the expected growth rate during the forecast period 2018-2023?

What is the revenue generated from the different applications, such as fleet and asset management, preventive maintenance, pipeline monitoring, security management, safety management and others?

What are the key trends and opportunities in the market pertaining to the Global IoT in the oil and gas industry?

What are the key solutions covered in the IoT in oil and gas market?

How attractive is the market for different stakeholders present in the industry on the basis of the analysis of futuristic scenario of the Global IoT in oil and gas industry?

What are the major driving forces that are expected to increase the demand for Global IoT in oil and gas market during the forecast period?

What are the major challenges inhibiting the growth of the Global IoT in oil and gas market?

What kind of new strategies are adopted by the existing market players to expand their market position in the industry?

What is the competitive strength of the key players in the Global IoT in oil and gas market on the basis of the analysis of their financial stability, product offerings, and regional presence?

The report further includes a thorough analysis of the impact of the Porter's five major forces to understand the overall attractiveness of the industry. The report also focuses on the key developments and investments made in the global IoT in oil and gas market by the players, research organizations, and government bodies.



Further, the report includes an exhaustive analysis of the regional split into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest-of-the-World. Each region details the individual push-and-pull forces in addition to the key players from that region. Some of the prominent players in the Global IoT in oil and gas market are CISCO Systems Inc., IBM, Intel, C3IoT, Microsoft, ABB Ltd., and General Electric Company among others.

Key Topics Covered:



Executive Summary

1 Market Dynamics

1.1 Market Drivers

1.1.1 Increasing cyberattacks leveraging the spending on IoT in the oil and gas industry

1.1.2 Need of Increased Operational Efficiency

1.1.3 Scarcity of Skilled Labor

1.2 Market Restraints

1.2.1 Privacy and Security Concern

1.2.2 Obsolete Communication Infrastructure

1.3 Market Opportunities

1.3.1 Introduction of Next Generation Sensors, Edge Computing and Software in the Oil and Gas Industry

1.3.2 IoT based Smart Automation Using Drones in Oil and Gas Industry

1.3.3 Growth Opportunity in IoT Analytics Market



2 Competitive Landscape

2.1 Key Market Developments and Strategies

2.1.1 Partnership, Collaboration and Joint Venture

2.1.2 New Product Launch and Development

2.1.3 Business Expansion and Contract

2.1.4 Mergers and Acquisitions

2.1.5 Others (Awards and Recognition)

2.2 Leading Player Analysis

2.2.1 Leading Player Analysis of IoT Solution Providers in IoT in Oil and Gas Market



3 Industry Analysis

3.1 Industry Attractiveness

3.1.1 Threat of New Entrant

3.1.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers

3.1.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

3.1.4 Threat from Substitutes

3.1.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

3.2 Key Venture Capital Investments

3.3 Emerging Trends in the IoT in Oil and Gas Market

3.4 Opportunity Matrix

3.5 Regulatory Bodies/Acts

3.6 Associations/Consortiums/Alliances

3.7 Privacy Laws Across Different Countries

3.8 Patent Filed by Key Companies



4 Global IoT in Oil and Gas Market, (by Industry Stream)

4.1 Assumptions and Limitations for Analysis and Forecast of the Global IoT in Oil and Gas Market

4.2 Upstream

4.3 Midstream

4.4 Downstream



5 Global IoT in Oil and Gas Market, (by Solutions)

5.1 Sensing Systems

5.2 Communication

5.3 Cloud and Edge Computing

5.4 Data Management



6 Global IoT in Oil and Gas Market, (by Application)

6.1 Fleet and Asset Management

6.2 Preventive Maintenance

6.3 Pipeline Monitoring

6.4 Security Management

6.5 Others



7 Global IoT Oil and Gas Market (by Region)

7.1 North America

7.2 Europe

7.3 Asia-Pacific

7.4 Rest of the world (RoW)



8 Company Profiles



ABB Ltd.

C3 IoT

Cisco Systems

Equinor

General Electric

Honeywell International Inc.

Intel Corporation

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM)

Microsoft Corporation

Rockwell Automation Inc.

Royal Dutch Shell

Schlumberger

Schneider Electric

Siemens AG

Telit

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/dz75vw/global_iot_in_oil?w=12

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.* Username

This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Choose wisely!A variety of events and activities are hosted at Dorothea Dix Park, which is also available for public use from dawn to dusk.Thank you for Reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a

new account and

Purchase a Subscription

to continue reading.By the time you read this the former Kings Daughters Clinic (Little River Healthcare) is now back in operation as Ascension Medical Group.Letter to the Editor

The efforts been renewed to bond for a new school. . Let me state the problem Everybody, including me, wants a new school, nobody wants to ...Many tourists when they think of Malaga, think of the beach, the sand, the sun, beach bars, espetos (sardines on skewers) and fried fish. And partly they are right. Malaga has 161 kilometres of coastline with enviable beaches. It is also a city that has always been associated with fish. In few provinces you can enjoy such a wide variety of fresh fish. The Malaga fishing fleet is made up of about 250 boats that net about 150 different species.

Malaga province has fishing ports in Estepona, Marbella, Fuengirola, Malaga and Caleta de Velez. Last year closed with 7,023,946 kilos of fish caught, worth around 22,334,570 euros at market. The most fished species is the sardine (2,984,862 kilos in 2017), followed by the anchovy (769,898), horse mackerel (629,898), octopus (563,653) and red mullet (106,454).

However, these are not the most expensive; Malaga's dearest catches include lobster, squid, langoustines, crawfish, grouper, grenadier and monkfish.

Crayfish (langostinos) are the most expensive; the average price for a kilo in 2017 was 47.07 euros and only 89 kilos were caught in total. They are fished all year round although they are most abundant April to June and November to January.

European spiny lobsters (langosta) are the second most expensive at an average price of 38.69 euros per kilo. Last year 419 kilos were caught off the coast of Andalucia.

Langoustines or scampi (cigala) are another highly priced shellfish averaging 28.15 euros a kilo in 2017. Around 24, 870 kilos were fished here last year although around 200 tonnes are caught in the Mediterranean annually.

Lobsters (bogavante) are a different species to the European spiny lobster and a different colour, usually a blue-black (the European spiny lobster is an orange-beige) that turns red when cooked. They averaged 25.37 euros per kilo last year although only 399 kilos were caught. The peak lobster fishing time is between October and January and also in April.

White prawns (gamba blanca) are the most common prawn fished off the Malaga coastline although numbers have dropped over the last fifteen years. Around 85,685 kilos were caught last year and they averaged 16.79 euros a kilo at market.

White prawns are fished all year round although they are most abundant between November and December, in April, July and August.

Baby squid (puntillas) are a delicacy and the most expensive of the molluscs at an average price of 16.85 euros a kilo. Prices go through the roof when they are tiny and between 6-8cm. The bigger ones measure up to 15cm.

In fourth place, after sardines, anchovies and horse mackerel, is the common or rock octopus (pulpo de roca), with 563, 436 kilos caught last year. Average price at market last year was 7.65 euros a kilo.

The unusual red scorpion fish (cabracho) is caught off the Malaga coast throughout the year. Around 1, 371 kilos were sold at market last year at an average price of 10.75 euros per kilo.

Grouper (mero) is a very coveted fish. Last year just 398 kilos were caught off Malaga and around 65 tonnes along the whole of the Andalusian coast. The average price was 22.04 euros per kilo last year with the majority of the catch coming from the ports of Algeciras and Conil de la Frontera.VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 09, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chemesis International Inc. (CSE: CSI ) (OTC: CADMF ) (FRA: CWAA ) (the Company or Chemesis) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a definitive agreement for the acquisition of 100% of La Finca Interacviva-Arachna Med SAS (La Finca), an integrated cannabis company that has been operational since late 2017 and which has CAD $2,300,000 in working capital on hand.



Chemesis believes the emerging Latin American market is poised for major growth. The LATAM Cannabis Report estimates the region will have a market value of US $4.2 billion by the year 2028. Furthermore, the report expects Colombia to have a market value of US $664 million in the same time frame. Colombias large market value is attributed to its large population, cost efficiency, and free trade agreements with countries around the world. 1

With the completion of this acquisition, Chemesis will significantly increase its footprint in Latin America, said Edgar Montero, CEO of Chemesis. The Company believes its exposure in Latin America will not only provide access to more opportunities in the region, but internationally as well. La Finca is ramping up as planned and has submitted all necessary documents to the Ministry of Justice to expand its cultivation area to 1,060 acres.

La Finca has made significant headway in its operations and regulatory approvals since the Company announced its intention to acquire 100% of the Colombia based company. In addition to the previously announced partnerships with Universidad Nacional de Colombia and Universidad Distrital Francisco Jose de Caldas, La Finca is also in discussion to partner with two other major Universities in Colombia that have been authorized by the Colombian Government to conduct cannabis research, develop seed strains, and other agronomical research.

La Finca is also in conversations with a major international lab that prepares compounding formulations for international markets and currently has operations in Colombia and 34 other countries.

To complete the acquisition, the Company is issuing CDN $8,000,000 in stock at a deemed price of CDN $1.25 per share and is agreeing to pay a further CDN $5,500,000 within the next 24 months. The stock issued is subject to 36-month contractual escrow agreement.

On Behalf of The Board of Directors

Edgar Montero

CEO and Director

About Chemesis International Inc.

Chemesis International Inc. is a vertically integrated global leader in the cannabis industry, currently operating within California, Puerto Rico, and finalizing an acquisition in Colombia.

Chemesis is developing a strong foothold in key markets, from cultivation, to manufacturing, distribution and retail. Chemesis has facilities in both Puerto Rico and California, allowing for cost effective production and distribution of its products. In addition, Chemesis leverages exclusive brands and partnerships and uses the highest quality extraction methods to provide consumers with quality cannabis products.

Chemesis will add shareholder value by exploring opportunities in emerging markets while consistently delivering quality product to its consumers from seed to sale.

Investor Relations:

ir@chemesis.com

1 (604) 398-3378

Social Media:

Chemesis.facebook

Chemesis.twitter

Chemesis.instagram

DesertZen.instagram

CaliforniaSap.instagram

Jay&SB.instagram

Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to statements regarding the Company's business, products and future of the Companys business, its product offerings and plans for sales and marketing, including finalizing the acquisition of La Finca. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance and developments to differ materially from those contemplated by these statements depending on, among other things, the risks that the Company's products and plan will vary from those stated in this news release and the Company may not be able to carry out its business plans or complete the acquisition as expected. Except as required by law, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation and does not intend to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information in this news release. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct and makes no reference to profitability based on sales reported. The statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release.

The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the content of this press release

1 LATAM Cannabis Report









Changes to the SunCommercial's back end processing means the e-edition is getting a facelift. The biggest change is the e-edition, by default, is now presented in Text view.As members of Congress, we must hold ourselves to the high ethical standard that our constituents expect from us. Ethics in government and the integrity of our nation's elected officials remain of great concern of the public  and rightly so, Deutch said in a statement.In a brief news conference in Miami on his second day in office, DeSantis was asked about reports that Israel has told his staff he expects hell be suspended from office by the new governor  and whether there is a timeline for an announcement.Because of her family history, she understands that in Cuba the rule of law doesnt mean anything, DeSantis said. The Cuban people do not know what laws will apply to them or whether they will receive a fair trial after arbitrarily being accused of political crimes. Fathers and mothers go to sleep without knowing whether that will be their last night outside or whether they will be able to hug their children because its all at the whim of the state. And so her backdrop understanding that I think has really made her appreciate the importance of the rule of law.But Deutch, who was active on the gun issue before the tragedy in his district, said it is important to pursue. The House of Representatives will hold a debate on the House floor about ways to address gun violence, he said. It will pass the House of Representatives. Then, Deutch said, senators will be forced to choose between supporting an idea that has broad public backing or whether theyre going to stand on the side of the gun companies who put profits ahead of public safety.He did not become a suspect in Mirack's murder until last year when it was found that DNA from the crime scene matched genetic material from one of his relatives. A motive for the slaying was not given during the hearing, according to Lancaster Online.In the meantime, theyre blaming Trump for the difficulties they and others are facing. In December, the president was willing to accept federal spending legislation without wall money  until he faced harsh criticism from conservative commentators that he needed to hold out to pressure Congress to appropriate money toward construction of a wall on the southern U..S. border.VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Colonial Coal International Corp. (TSX-V: CAD) (the Company or Colonial Coal). David Austin, Colonial Coals President and CEO, is pleased to announce that on December 21, 2018, the Company filed on SEDAR a Technical Report, in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Properties (NI 43-101) requirements, detailing the results of the recently completed Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) for the Gordon Creek Project (Gordon Creek) that forms part of the Companys 100% owned Flatbed metallurgical coal property located approximately 27 kilometres south-southeast of Tumbler Ridge in northeast British Columbia. Highlights of the Gordon Creek PEA Technical Report were previously reported by Colonial Coal in a news release dated November 12, 2018.



The PEA for the Gordon Creek Project is the second such study to be completed for Colonial Coals coking and metallurgical coal projects during 2018; the first being that for the Huguenot coking coal Project (Huguenot), previously reported by Colonial Coal in a news release dated July 10, 2018. Selected highlights from the PEAs of both Projects are re-presented below. For additional information, the reader is directed to the news releases stated above and the PEA Technical Reports filed on SEDAR on December 21, 2018 and August 2, 2018 for the Gordon Creek and Huguenot Projects, respectively.

Gordon Creek Project PEA

The Gordon Creek Project PEA Technical Report was prepared by Stantec Consulting Services Inc. (Stantec). In summary, Stantec used previously reported (November 27, 2017 and January 16, 2018 and by way of corresponding NI 43-101 Technical Report filings) metallurgical coal resources (reported by Norwest Corporation (Norwest)), developed a conceptual mine plan to exploit the coal resources using underground mining methods and prepared scoping-level cost estimates and economic analyses. In the highlights presented below, all costs are in US dollars; where Canadian dollar equivalents are provided, they have been converted using an exchange rate of US$1.00 equals CAD$1.30.

The Gordon Creek PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred mineral resources that are considered to be too geologically speculative to be subject to economic considerations that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the forecast results stated in the Gordon Creek PEA will be realized.

Coal

Price/Tonne NPV (millions) at Varying Discount Rates with IRR 5 % 7.5 % 10 % IRR (%) US$160.5 $ 1,081 $ 691 $ 446 24.4 % CAD$208.7 $ 1,405 $ 898 $ 579 24.4 %

The Gordon Creek Project has an indicative after-tax (and royalty) net present value ( NPV ) of US$691 million (CAD$898 million) using a 7.5% discount rate, and an internal rate of return ( IRR ) of 24.4%, based on a weighted average coking coal price of US$164.8 per tonne and a premium pulverized coal injection coal price of US$140.5 per tonne.





) of US$691 million (CAD$898 million) using a 7.5% discount rate, and an internal rate of return ( ) of 24.4%, based on a weighted average coking coal price of US$164.8 per tonne and a premium pulverized coal injection coal price of US$140.5 per tonne. The Gordon Creek PEA is based on a conceptual underground mine plan that targets 111.6 million run-of-mine ( ROM ) tonnes of resource, with a yield of 51%, producing 57.4 million tonnes of clean coal over a mine life of 30 years.





) tonnes of resource, with a yield of 51%, producing 57.4 million tonnes of clean coal over a mine life of 30 years. Geological modeling and resource estimation of the Gordon Creek deposit have identified an Inferred coal resource of 298 million tonnes.





In full mine operation, projected clean coal production ranges from 1.6 million tonnes per annum ( Mt/a ) to 2.6 Mt/a, and averages approximately 1.9 Mt/a.





) to 2.6 Mt/a, and averages approximately 1.9 Mt/a. The pre-production capital cost for the underground mine is estimated at US$300 million (CAD$391 million), with additional sustaining capital of US$406 million (CAD$528 million) over the life-of-mine ( LOM ). The proposed payback of initial capital is estimated to be within three years from the start of coal production.





). The proposed payback of initial capital is estimated to be within three years from the start of coal production. The Gordon Creek projects total cash operating cost is estimated at US$80.91 (CAD$105.19) per clean coal tonne. This includes direct mine site costs of US$41.16 per tonne, offsite costs (transportation and port charges) of US$25.42 per tonne and indirect costs of US$14.33 per tonne.

Huguenot Project PEA

The Huguenot Project PEA Technical Report, was prepared by Norwest now Stantec Consulting Services Inc. (Stantec). In summary, Stantec used previously reported (September 24, 2013 and by way of corresponding NI 43-101 Technical Report filings) coking coal resources and conceptual mine plans taken from a PEA prepared by Norwest, to exploit the coal resources using a combination of open pit and underground mining methods. The 2013 study was up-dated by preparing current scoping-level cost estimates and economic analyses. In the highlights presented below, all costs are in US dollars; where Canadian dollar equivalents are provided, they have been converted using an exchange rate of US$1.00 equals CAD$1.30.

The Huguenot PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred mineral resources that are considered to be too geologically speculative to be subject to economic considerations that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the forecast results stated in the Huguenot PEA will be realized.

Coal

Price/Tonne NPV (millions) at Varying Discount Rates with IRR 5 % 7.5 % 10 % IRR (%) US$172 $ 1,669 $ 1,166 $ 831 33 % CAD$224 $ 2,170 $ 1,516 $ 1,080 33 %

The Huguenot Project has an indicative after-tax (and royalty) NPV of US$1,166 million (CAD$1,516 million) using a 7.5% discount rate, and an IRR of 33%, based on a coking coal price of US$172.0 per tonne.





The Huguenot PEA is based on conceptual open pit and underground mine plans that target 122.3 million ROM tonnes of resource, with a yield of 73%, producing 89.3 million tonnes of clean coal over a mine life of 31 years.





The conceptual open pit mine plan targets 56 million ROM tonnes of resource at an average stripping ratio of 8.6 :1 (bank cubic metres :ROM tonnes) while the conceptual underground mine plan targets an additional 66 million ROM tonnes of resource. The open pit operates during Years 1 - 14 while the underground mine would operate during Years 3 - 31, with both the open pit and underground mine operating simultaneously during Years 3 - 14.





Measured and Indicated coal resources total 277.7 million tonnes (132.0 million tonnes surface plus 145.7 million tonnes underground). Inferred resources total an additional 119.2 million tonnes (0.5 million tonnes of surface plus 118.7 million tonnes underground).





In full mine operation, projected clean coal production from combined surface and underground mining operations ranges from 1.4 Mt/a to 5.9 Mt/a, and averages approximately 3.0 Mt/a.





The pre-production capital cost for the proposed surface and underground mine is estimated at US$661 million (CAD$859 million), with additional sustaining capital of US$178 million (CAD$231 million) over the LOM. The proposed payback of initial capital is estimated within 5 years from start-up of operations.





The Huguenot Projects total cash operating cost is estimated at US$106.96 (CAD$139.05) per clean coal tonne. This includes direct mine site costs of US$67.20 per tonne, offsite costs (transportation and port charges) of US$28.30 per tonne and indirect costs of US$11.46 per tonne.

Mr. Austin stated: During the past six months Colonial Coal has completed PEA studies for each of its 100%-owned Huguenot and Flatbed Projects which are located in northeastern British Columbia. The completion of the PEA for the Gordon Creek Project represents a significant milestone in the advancement of this Project and the updated PEA for Huguenot supports, at a PEA level of confidence, that Projects potential to become a stand-alone mine development.

This news release has been reviewed by each of Derek Loveday, P.Geo. (for the Gordon Creek PEA), and Warren Evenson, CPG. (for the Huguenot PEA), of Stantec, Professional Geologists and Qualified Persons as defined in NI 43-101.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

About Colonial Coal International Corp.

Colonial Coal is a publicly traded coal corporation in British Columbia that focuses primarily on coking coal projects. The northeast Coal Block of British Columbia, within which our Corporations projects are located, hosts a number of proven deposits and has been the subject of M&A activities by Anglo-American and others. Additional information can be found on the Company's website www.ccoal.ca or by viewing the Company's filings at www.sedar.com.

Forward-Looking Information

Information set forth in this news release may involve forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that relate to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address a company's expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", and "intend", statements that an action or event "may", "might", "could", "should", or "will" be taken or occur, or other similar expressions. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, among others, the following risks: risks associated with marketing and sale of securities; the need for additional financing; reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers or directors with certain other projects; and the volatility of common share price and volume. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date that statements are made and except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE SECURITIES LEGISLATION.

For further information please contact:

Colonial Coal International Corp.

Shane Austin

604.568.4962

saustin@ccoal.ca

www.ccoal.caA migrant runs from tear gas launched by U.S. agents, amid members of the press covering the Mexico-U.S. border, after a group of migrants got past Mexican police at the Chaparral crossing in Tijuana, Mexico, Sunday, Nov. 25, 2018. The mayor of Tijuana has declared a humanitarian crisis in his border city and says that he has asked the United Nations for aid to deal with the approximately 5,000 Central American migrants who have arrived in the city. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) (Rodrigo Abd / AP)Theres been an increase in these types of problems in other counties in Florida, so [the sheriffs office] advised that they really want us to get the word out to parents because they can see this becoming more of a problem, school district spokeswoman Jennifer DeShazo told TCPalm.Guttenberg said the legislation has already saved lives. Deputies have removed 156 guns since the law took effect from people deemed to be a threat to themselves or others, according to the Broward Sheriffs Office.According to lottery officials, Roundtree bought his winning ticket at the Kwik Stop, 1401 NW 31st Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, which will receive a bonus commission of $1,000 for selling the winning ticket.A committee of seven district employees unanimously recommended in October 2017 that Medina be fired. But Nichols, acting as Runcies designee, overruled the decision and instead suspended him for three days. The district said this was because there was no direct evidence of the harassment, no inappropriate physical contact and no history of discipline for Medina.Community court will be held in City Hall each Wednesday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with Judges Tuter or Barner presiding. Representatives of social service agencies will be on hand. Homeless people cited for misdemeanors like public drinking and trespassing, and who have no convictions for violence, will be eligible. Instead of going to jail, the participant will be connected with services, and required to do community service work.The further Hanssons hands moved up the leg of his pants, the more uncomfortable the teen became  until he finally left the monkey bars and went to the sit-up bench. As the teen did sit-ups, the report said, Hansson held his feet and again moved his hands up his legs and groped the boy inappropriately.Kim Daniels didn't have to pay a penny for her double mastectomy or the reconstructive surgery she had after treatment for breast cancer in June 2018. Her health insurance, PennCare, administered through Independence Blue Cross in Pennsylvania, fully covered both procedures.



Knowing that, cost wasn't an issue for Daniels when selecting the type of breast implants. She asked her plastic surgeon at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, "If I were your wife, what would you (choose)?" He went with Mentor MemoryGel implants.



According to Daniels' hospital bill, those implants came with a price tag of $3,500 apiece, or $7,000 total.



Such a high charge for the exact same item would have been unthinkable if the procedure was cosmetic breast augmentation, which is generally not covered by health insurance. When patients pick up the tab, cosmetic surgery packages for breast augmentation cost about the same $7,000 but that includes the doctor's fee, implants, operating room time and anesthesia.



The radical difference in price demonstrates in stark numerical terms how costs often depend on who is paying the bill.



Dr. Anupam Jena, a health economist at Harvard Medical School, said it's precisely because cosmetic patients pay out-of-pocket that their costs for implants are far lower than what hospitals charge reconstructive patients.



"Cosmetic surgery providers have to compete with each other," he said, and "one of the big ways they're going to compete is to compete on price."



"Whatever the cost is for the implant, they can't up-charge too much, or a patient will just go somewhere else."



Dr. Alex Sobel, a cosmetic surgeon and president of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery, said the price he charges cosmetic patients for breast implants is pretty close to the price he pays for the implants from the manufacturer. High-end implants like Daniels' would be priced at a maximum of $3,000 for a set, he added, if Daniels had been undergoing cosmetic breast augmentation surgery.



Sobel operates a cosmetic surgery practice in Bellevue, Wash., which is in the region of the U.S. with the highest cost range for cosmetic breast surgeries. He said he usually pays around $250 to $700 per implant for saline and $700 to $1,000 per implant for silicone. The most expensive form stable silicone or "gummy bear" implants are usually priced around $1,350 each.



Similarly, Dr. Brent Rosen, a cosmetic surgeon with a practice in a northern suburb of Philadelphia, said the silicone implants he buys range from $1,500 to $2,000 per individual implant.



For the entire cosmetic breast augmentation procedure with silicone implants Rosen charges $6,500. That's $500 less than the charge for just Daniels' silicone implants at the nearby Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.



Jena, the Harvard health economist, said the reason behind many of these price markups is that hospitals are like any other business trying to make a profit. They can ask more from a company like an insurer than they can from an individual.



"Why does Apple charge $1,000 for an iPhone? It doesn't cost that much to make an iPhone. It's so they can extract surplus money. Same goes for hospitals," said Jena.



Breast implants are just one example of how medical devices are significantly marked up by hospitals.



A 2017 study published in JAMA found that for knee and hip implants, insurance companies were paying double what the hospitals paid when they purchased the implants from manufacturers.



It is hard to define a reasonable manufacturing cost or wholesale price for a medical-grade bag of silicone. Mentor Worldwide and Allergan, the two biggest manufacturers of breast implants in the U.S., declined to share their products' wholesale costs or their price negotiation practices with providers. Manufacturers regard their pricing as a trade secret.



Hospitals typically obtain medical devices through health care group purchasing organizations, which are supposed to negotiate with manufacturers to get lower costs for items. Bigger hospitals or providers that offer to use more of a certain product often get steep discounts over wholesale.



In 2016, Medicare, which has huge leverage in negotiations, paid $516.59 for a "silicone or equivalent breast prosthesis."



So, the hospital markup for patients who pay for the procedure or are commercially insured is even more extraordinary.



A Penn Medicine spokesperson told KHN in an email that they were unable to comment on specific patient cases, but that the hospital receives a single "case rate" or bundled payment for all breast reconstruction surgeries and that reimbursement is not related to the type of breast implant chosen.



Of course, when dealing with powerful insurance companies, hospitals don't get paid the full asking price conveyed on their bills. The price is often merely the starting point for negotiations with insurers.



"Hospitals are absolutely marking up the prices for medical devices," said Jeffrey McCullough, a health policy professor at the University of Michigan. But, he added, "you can almost guarantee the list price you see on a hospital bill is not what the hospital is getting paid by insurance companies," which bargain for discounts.



Even so, not all patients have health insurance coverage as comprehensive as Kim Daniels'. In such cases, all or part of the hospital's high charge for breast implants could be billed directly to patients.



"If you don't have an insurance company bargaining on your behalf, the default is to charge the patient," McCullough said.



Visit Kaiser Health News at www.khn.orgWhen we look at someone with pity, we are actually putting ourselves above them. Even though its coming from a good place, we are distancing ourselves from them rather than bringing them closer, said Efrati. Israels equality laws make it clear that we must rework the educational system so that we are all operating on the same plane as part of the same system, and that it is clear that we are all deserving of the same rights.The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police and the Georgia Sheriffs Association blasted JVPs accusations. Not only do such claims lack any foundation in the facts or histories of such exchanges, but the inflammatory causal attribution that such training leads to deadly encounters in the U.S. is utterly fallacious and slanderous, the GACP wrote. In fact, participants receive a better understanding of how to network with their citizenry and enhance the service delivery to these under-served communities.English French

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nissan today unveiled the Nissan LEAF e+, further broadening the appeal of the worlds best-selling electric car by offering a new powertrain with additional power and range.



The e+ refers to the increased energy density of the models 62 kWh battery pack and the higher output of its powertrain. The new powertrain adds to the cars range by approximately 40 per cent, with NRCan range of up to 363 kilometres, ensuring that theres a Nissan LEAF to meet the driving needs of a wider range of customers.

The new Nissan LEAF e+ offers all of the style, convenience and electric vehicle benefits that have helped make LEAF the best-selling electric vehicle in the world, plus even more driving excitement, range, power and choice, said Denis Le Vot, senior vice president and chairman, Nissan North America. Customers now have a selection of powertrains and models to best suit their driving needs and budgets.

The LEAF e+ will be sold as the LEAF PLUS in Canada, with each trim level receiving its own designation of S PLUS, SV PLUS and SL PLUS. Globally, the vehicle will be referred to as the Nissan LEAF e+.

More than 380,000 Nissan LEAF vehicles have been sold globally since the 100 per cent electric model first went on sale in 2010. In Canada, the Nissan LEAF saw a surge in sales, with 5,735 units sold in 2018, four times the previous record year recorded in 2016.

Equipped with advanced technologies including ProPILOT Assist semi-autonomous driving system and e-Pedal mode for one-pedal driving, the LEAF embodies Nissan Intelligent Mobility, the companys vision for changing how cars are powered, driven and integrated into society.

Nissan Intelligent Mobility is at the core of everything we do and the new Nissan LEAF e+ takes this vision even further, Le Vot continued. EVs will play a significant part in our product lineup as we move forward and will lead the way to providing an efficient and sustainable future for the world.

Having pioneered mass-market electric cars with the LEAF, Nissan is continuing to promote alternative vehicle transportation. The LEAF family of cars play a vital role in Nissans efforts to integrate electric vehicles and energy systems into customers lives  creating an EV ecosystem. Among these efforts is Nissan Energy, the companys initiative for its electric vehicles to easily connect with energy systems to charge their batteries, power homes and businesses, or feed energy back to power grids, as well as new efforts to reuse batteries.*2

The Nissan LEAF PLUS Series is scheduled to join the LEAF at Nissan dealerships in Japan in January 2019. North American sales are expected to begin in spring 2019 and European sales to commence in mid-2019.

Nissan Intelligent Mobility

The Nissan LEAF e+ represents a step forward in each of the three key areas of the Nissan Intelligent Mobility vision: Intelligent Power, Intelligent Driving and Intelligent Integration.

Nissan Intelligent Power: increased range and performance

The Nissan LEAF e+ features a new version of the LEAFs revolutionary electric powertrain, delivering excellent energy efficiency and robust torque and power output. While the current LEAF meets the needs of many customers with its driving range of 243 kilometres, the LEAF e+ offers an NRCan range of up to 363 kilometres, allowing customers the ability to do more between charges.*3

The high-capacity battery and more powerful, 160 kW motor in the LEAF e+ combine to produce 45 per cent more power and 250 lb-ft (340 Nm) of torque, enabling faster acceleration when driving at high speeds. Accelerating from 50 mph (80 kph) to 75 mph (120 kph) is nearly 13 per cent quicker. This allows the LEAF e+ to confidently pass slower-moving vehicles, exit corners faster and more seamlessly, and merge easily with fast-moving traffic. The top speed has increased by approximately 10 per cent for comfortable cruising.

Thanks to the available new 70 kW (100 kW peak) Quick Charging system, the 2019 Nissan LEAF e+ can charge more efficiently than ever.*3 Based on early testing, Nissan LEAF e+ owners can expect similar charging times when hooked up to a 100 kW charger as current LEAF owners do with a 50 kW charger, despite a 55 per cent larger battery storage capacity.

Even with a 25 per cent increase in energy density and the increase in energy storage capacity, the LEAF e+ battery pack is almost the same size and configuration as the pack in the Nissan LEAF. Other than a 5-millimetre increase in overall height (16-inch wheels), the cars exterior and interior dimensions are unchanged.

Because ownership satisfaction and peace of mind are pivotal for all Nissan LEAF owners, the battery limited warranty of 8 years/160,000 km (whichever occurs first) is standard for all versions.

Nissan Intelligent Driving: innovative ProPILOT Assist features and smooth e-Pedal operation

Playing a leading role in Nissan Intelligent Driving is available ProPILOT Assist , an in-lane semi-autonomous driving technology that can automatically adjust the distance to the vehicle ahead, using a speed preset by the driver (between about 18 mph and 62 mph). ProPILOT Assist can also help the driver steer and keep the vehicle centered in its lane. If the car in front stops, ProPILOT Assist can automatically apply the brakes to bring the vehicle to a full halt if necessary. After coming to a full stop, the vehicle can remain in place even if the driver's foot is off the brake. If traffic restarts, the car will resume driving when the driver touches the steering wheel-mounted ProPILOT Assist switch again or lightly presses the accelerator to activate the system. All these functions can reduce stress when driving on the highway in both heavy and fast-moving traffic.

Further enhancing the LEAFs driving experience is e-Pedal, which allows the driver to start, accelerate, decelerate and stop using only the accelerator pedal.*4

To match the LEAF e+s additional power and increased mass, Nissan has reprogrammed the e-Pedal software for smoother operation and enhanced pedal feedback, especially for operation in reverse, and for smoother and more rapid deceleration, making it easier to stop the car using e-Pedal, even when backing up.

In addition to ProPILOT and e-Pedal, the NissanLEAF is available with advanced safety technologies including Intelligent Lane Intervention, Lane Departure Warning, Intelligent Emergency Braking, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Intelligent Around View Monitor with moving object detection.

Nissan Intelligent Integration: updated interface, larger display and convenient updates

The new Nissan LEAF links drivers, vehicles and communities through its convenient graphic-based Human Machine Interface. It allows the owner to use the available NissanConnect smartphone app to perform tasks such as monitoring the vehicles state of charge, scheduling charging to benefit from optimal energy tariffs, finding the nearest charging station, and heating or cooling the car before getting in.

New for the LEAF e+ (on North American and EU models) is an available larger, thin-film transistor, full-colour 8-inch display, with an updated navigation system that can be linked to a compatible smartphone. The display features smartphone-like operation including swiping, scrolling and tapping. Applications, maps and firmware are updated over the air with the simple touch of a button, instead of having to manually update by USB or at a Nissan dealership.*5

Other new available features include Door-to-Door Navigation, which syncs the vehicles navigation system with your compatible smartphone for seamless driving and walking directions. The Connections feature allows any of the cars passengers to quickly and easily connect to a device within the vehicle.*6

Integration goes beyond whats in the vehicle and now includes Nissan Energy, the companys existing and future initiatives for Vehicle-to-Grid, Vehicle-to-Building and Vehicle-to-Home connections, generating solar electricity, as well as reusing batteries. With Nissan Energy, LEAF vehicles are part of a larger electric vehicle ecosystem.*2

Sleek, modern design

One of the most eye-catching exterior elements of the new Nissan LEAF is the cars sleek, streamlined silhouette, which maximizes aerodynamic efficiency. The cars bold fascia features Nissans signature V-Motion grille with blue 3D mesh. The cars streamlined profile gives it a sporty look, while the rear features a distinctive tail light design.

The LEAF e+ carries over most of the LEAFs design. Subtle clues to its e+ designation include a revised front fascia with blue highlights and an e+ logo on the Quick Charger cap.

There will also be a rear trim level badge for U.S. and Canada which will be designated as S PLUS, SV PLUS and SL PLUS.

Like the standard model, the LEAF e+ boasts a spacious, highly functional interior with a quality, high-tech feel. The combination of premium materials throughout the cabin befits a luxury vehicle. Vibrant blue contrast stitching for the steering wheel, seats and instrument panel accentuate the car as a Nissan electric vehicle.

Pricing

Canadian pricing will be announced closer to on-sale date.

*1 Based on cumulative sales data from December 2010 to December 2018.

*2 Availability of features and components vary by geographic region.

*3 NRCAN range for LEAF S PLUS only; subject to appropriate regulator confirmation. Actual range will vary with trim levels, options and driving conditions; see Customer Disclosure Form for details. Charging capacity may vary based on battery temperature.

*4 Those who prefer conventional driving can still make full use of both the accelerator and brake pedals.

*5 The new navigation system for the European market can also have its software and maps updated via Inter vehicle communication (IVC) systems.

*6 These new features are available on North America and EU models only.

About Nissan Canada Inc.

Nissan Canada Inc. (NCI) is the Canadian sales, marketing and distribution subsidiary of Nissan Motor Limited and Nissan North America, Inc. NCI was the first Japanese-based automaker to incorporate in Canada in 1965, and now directly employs 306 full-time staff across offices in Vancouver (BC), Mississauga (ON), and Kirkland (QC). There are 208 independent Nissan dealerships, including 81 that also act as Nissan Commercial Vehicles dealers, 114 electric vehicle-certified dealers, and 42 INFINITI retailers across Canada.

More information about Nissan in Canada and the complete line of Nissan and INFINITI vehicles can be found online at www.nissan.ca and www.INFINITI.ca.

About Nissan North America

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized annually by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency as an ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year since 2010. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and INFINITI vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.INFINITIUSA.com, or visit the U.S. media sites NissanNews.com and INFINITINews.com.



About Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Nissan is a global full-line vehicle manufacturer that sells more than 60 models under the Nissan, INFINITI and Datsun brands. In fiscal year 2017, the company sold 5.77 million vehicles globally, generating revenue of 11.9 trillion yen. On April 1, 2017, the company embarked on Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, a six-year plan targeting a 30% increase in annualized revenues to 16.5 trillion yen by the end of fiscal 2022, along with cumulative free cash flow of 2.5 trillion yen. As part of Nissan M.O.V.E. to 2022, the company plans to extend its leadership in electric vehicles, symbolized by the world's best-selling all-electric vehicle in history, the Nissan LEAF. Nissans global headquarters in Yokohama, Japan, manages operations in six regions: Asia & Oceania; Africa, the Middle East & India; China; Europe; Latin America; and North America. Nissan has partnered with French manufacturer Renault since 1999 and acquired a 34% stake in Mitsubishi Motors in 2016. Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi is today the worlds largest automotive partnership, with combined sales of more than 10.6 million vehicles in calendar year 2017.

For more information about our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit

nissan-global.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.

Media contacts:

Didier Marsaud

Director, Corporate Communications

Nissan Canada

Telephone: 905-629-6400

Email: didier.marsaud@nissancanada.com

Jenn McCarthy

Manager, Product Communications

Nissan Canada

Telephone: 905-629-6350

Email: jennifer.mccarthy@nissancanada.com

Download images, here.

 Photos accompanying this release are available at

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/17b795a6-eb10-4269-80c4-ac23aeae52ca

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/84d4a186-fc7a-4e09-bb6f-60c4d91b2765

http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/06ab2085-0559-41ac-ad11-1b2bc8535870Because we believe that the Trump administration agrees with Rep. Buchanan that the federal government should not use taxpayer dollars to subsidize one of the most infamous hate groups in the United States, we are confident that these serious concerns will be addressed promptly and definitively, he added.A longtime volunteer for Jewish causes and Israel, she serves as vice chair of the New England Friends of the Israel Defense Forces and sits on the National Board of the FIDF. She and her husband have contributed for years to Israel by sponsoring FIDF scholarships and purchasing Israel Bonds. However, it was in 2015, when she attended a Jewish National Fund Breakfast for Israel that she became intrigued by the organizations mission of building in the southern and northern parts of Israel, and by the many program areas to which donors could contribute.Yet, for all its predictability as a biopic and legal drama, it's difficult not to be rapt with attention during Ruth's dramatic oral argument before the court. The stakes are high. They need this precedent, for this case and every other case of gender discrimination she needs to knock down. "On the Basis of Sex" might be a rather broad biopic, but it beautifully argues the importance of Ginsburg's work  prior to the Supreme Court  and is a lovely tribute to the woman who would become the Notorious RBG.The story travels to Puerto Rico, as Tishs mother tracks down the fleeing accuser of her son. But most of Beale Street stays within a dreamy, violent, cruel, beautiful vision of 1970s New York. Baldwins descriptions in the novel include passages such as this one, narrated by Tish, describing a moment in her loving home with a Ray Charles song on the record player. I listened to the music and the sounds from the streets and Daddys hand rested lightly on my hair. And everything seemed connected  the street sounds, and Rays voice and his piano and my Daddys hand and sisters silhouette and the sound and the light coming from the kitchen.Bruno had the look of an expectant father. Its been torture, he says. There were delays with permitting and construction. We were hoping to open in October. In coming weeks, Bruno will open Anthonys Pronto Kitchen in downtown Fort Lauderdale. So much for a relaxing holiday season. Usually Id be in the Keys now, he says.Bruno and Mozzicato bought the Ernies property for $1.45 million from Butch Samp (the Floridian) in March 2017, according to public records. Just before the sale, Ernies closed after 60 years, triggering an outcry from longtime customers who remembered the bootlegging days of founder Ernie Siebert and the original Dirty Ernies bar.Miami is the door to America. Between the mix of cultures and ethnicities, it was the perfect place to birth Cvltvra, he says. I want this to be the restaurant everyone is talking about.It is a marvel that this magic happens in a former tire shop, at the hands of a chef who never went to culinary school. Simply put, Valentino operates at a higher level than nearly all South Florida restaurants. But it also operates below the radar, in a low-key spot south of the New River tunnel that attracts well-heeled residents of the Rio Vista neighborhood but escapes the buzz and attention accorded eateries in South Beach, Miami or even Las Olas Boulevard. Auto dealer Mike Maroone, who helped bring Rocchio to the stylish new location in 2012, remains a partner. Time has marched on and some high-profile regulars have passed on, including business mogul H. Wayne Huizenga and developer Terry Stiles. The restaurants partners have brought in new managers, and a marketing push will include a new bright yellow V sign outside to alert passing motorists of its existence. The place is so sleek, its easy to miss.It counted 57 bars, 38 clubs and two breweries among the nightlife amenities. And when none of your crew wants to be the designated driver, you can always opt for a different kind of pub crawl aboard a group bike.Jim Rassol

Thousands attend the 45th Anniversary of Oktoberfest at the American German Club of the Palm Beaches in Lantana. Held on ten acres of land that includes the club's pavilion and massive tent, their "Original Oktoberfest" is one of the largest in the country. The event offers authentic German cooking such as Bratwurst, potato salad, Leberkase, Sauerkraut and Original Hofbrau Bier, imported from Munich. The event also features performers and bands from Germany. October 13, 2018. (Jim Rassol / South Florida Sun Sentinel).Back in the day, Prohibition to be precise, Surfside was a hot hamlet. The legendary Surf Club was a boozy bacchanal filled with the demimonde of the day. Later on luminaries such as Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, the Duchess of Windsor, Winston Churchill and the Shah of Iran stayed there. Recently reopened and sharing a block with the Four Seasons hotel, the Surf Club is now under the auspices of super-duper chef Thomas Keller.NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DPW Holdings, Inc. (NYSE American: DPW) a diversified holding company (the Company) announced today that on January 4, 2019 it had received a deficiency letter (the Letter) from NYSE American, LLC (the Exchange) indicating that the Company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards as set forth in Section 1003(f)(v) of the NYSE American Company Guide (the Company Guide). Specifically, the Letter informed the Company that the Exchange has determined that the shares of the Company's common stock (the Shares) have been selling for a low price per share for a substantial period of time and, pursuant to Section 1003(f)(v) of the Company Guide, the Company's continued listing is predicated on the Company effecting a reverse stock split of the Shares or otherwise demonstrating sustained price improvement within a reasonable period of time, which the Exchange determined to be no later than July 4, 2019.



About DPW Holdings, Inc.

DPW Holdings, Inc. is a diversified holding company pursuing growth by acquiring undervalued businesses and disruptive technologies that hold global potential. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries and strategic investments, the Company provides mission-critical products that support a diverse range of industries, including defense/aerospace, industrial, telecommunications, medical, crypto-mining, and textiles. In addition, the Company owns a select portfolio of commercial hospitality properties and extends credit to select entrepreneurial businesses through a licensed lending subsidiary. DPWs headquarters are located at 201 Shipyard Way, Suite E, Newport Beach, CA 92663; www.DPWHoldings.com .

Forward-Looking Statements

The foregoing release contains forward looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements generally include statements that are predictive in nature and depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, and include words such as believes, plans, anticipates, projects, estimates, expects, intends, strategy, future, opportunity, may, will, should, could, potential, or similar expressions. Statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any of them publicly in light of new information or future events. Actual results could differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement as a result of various factors. More information, including potential risk factors, that could affect the Companys business and financial results are included in the Companys filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including, but not limited to, the Companys Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. All filings are available at www.sec.gov and on the Companys website at www.DPWHoldings.com .The expo also will provide 35 seminars and five workshops for those who want to explore being in business for yourself, not by yourself, according to the organizers of Franchise Expo South.Every two years, a flurry of new bills are introduced in Congress and, as has been the case every two years since 2011, a bill was again introduced in the Senate to protect handmade cigars from damaging Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations.

Senate Bill 9, the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2019, was introduced January 3, 2019, by Florida Senator Marco Rubio. Five Senators signed on as original co-sponsors: Cory Gardner (R-CO), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), and Joni Ernst (R-IA).

In the previous Congress, Florida Senator Bill Nelson introduced the legislation, while longtime-supporter Rubio had been an original co-sponsor who supported the bill from its initial introduction. The change takes place after Nelson, a Democrat, was defeated in November by then Republican Governor Rick Scott.

Although Scott is not one of the original co-sponsors, as governor he did send a letter to the FDA Commissioner opposing FDA regulation of handmade cigars. A later report claimed Scott personally lobbied Vice President Mike Pence about the issue of how FDA regulations would be applied to cigars already on the market. The discussion was revealed in a report that noted that Swisher, which now owns Drew Estate, had made significant contributions to Scotts campaign.

Other past supporters who were defeated in November include Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) and Joe Donnelly (D-IN), though many others were re-elected. Cigar industry groups will now have to build support for the legislation in both the Senate and House.

According to Congress.gov, a companion House bill has not yet been introduced to protect handmade cigars from the FDA. Florida Republican Bill Posey, who easily won re-election in November, has traditionally introduced that bill.

Despite the House changing hands in the 2018 elections, most previous supporters of the bill survived re-election. The cigar industry did lose some champions, including Florida Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who retired after being a longtime advocate for cigar rights.

Trump-appointed FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb was initially seen by many as a positive change when it came to FDA policies towards cigars compared to the Obama FDA. However, despite delaying the implementation of some cigar regulations, some experts worry his subsequent actions are step towards a stealth ban on tobacco products, including cigars.

Patrick S

photo credits: Stogie GuysShares is the leading weekly publication for retail investors. It is packed with investment ideas, news and educational material to help build and run portfolios and get more from your money.

Shares puts on free Investor Events throughout the year across the country. They provide an opportunity for investors to learn more about companies on the stock market and hear from a range of investment experts including fund managers and Shares journalists.Investview Inc

Investview Inc: Massive Turnout in Paris- Investview Launches Kuvera France



09-Jan-2019 / 16:16 GMT/BST





Massive Turnout in Paris

Investview Launches Kuvera France

Salt Lake City, UT via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Investview Corporation (OTCQB: INVU) officially launches Kuvera France in Paris this past Sunday, January 6th, 2019.

Thousands traveled to Paris to attend the official launch of Kuvera France, a wholly owned subsidiary of Investview, which was established in late 2018 to handle the significant demand for Kuvera financial education products in the European Union with the strongest demand in France.

The launch event was held at the Pullman Dock in Paris with 2,500 attendees from all regions in France. The event was coordinated, hosted and delivered by Samba Diagne, Leading Kuvera Distributor for France along with the support of Kuvera U.S. by Rick Rowberry, Master Distributor and Anthony Napolitano, Kuvera Leader, Rank of Legend.

Annette Raynor, Investview COO and Chad Garner, Kuvera President were in attendance to address the massive turnout and officially announce the establishment of Kuvera France, a key strategic initiative for Investview worldwide growth.

"I am overwhelmed by the number of attendees and enthusiasm for Kuvera products and services in France. Despite recent unrest in the city, thousands turned out to learn, collaborate and plan for financial well-being using our products. You could feel the excitement and enthusiasm in the room and I was humbled to see the French so motivated to join us in bringing financial fitness to the world," said Annette Raynor, Investview COO.

Led by Samba Diagne, the Kuvera France launch team included Maxime Pierre, Yacine Bachir, Mohamed Bdj, Mohamed Islem, Adnane, Laura Derrien, Adeline Le Harzic, and Nassim Maouche. Over eight hours of presentations and training culminated in an ethereal moment of darkness, illuminated by audience mobile lights in a unique display of solidarity, with words of 'hope, gratitude and financial success for all,' delivered by Samba concluding a historic moment for Investview and Kuvera.

Chad Garner, President, added, "The demand, desire and execution by the French leadership team has been outstanding. Kuvera France will enable us to properly operate, expand and support sales throughout the whole European Union. Combined with the experience and dedication of Samba and the entire French team, it is clear that 2019 is going to be momentous."

Kuvera has been actively preparing for the launch of Kuvera France successfully translating the majority of their educational content to French since June of 2018. Demand in the region has been increasing significantly month over month and now with the ability to operate from France, the team is poised for significant growth.

About Investview, Inc.

Investview, Inc. is a diversified financial technology organization. The Company operates primarily through its wholly- and majority-owned subsidiaries, to provide financial products and services to individuals, accredited investors and select financial institutions. www.investview.com

About Kuvera LLC and Kuvera France

Kuvera LLC provides affordable access to valuable financial education, current market research and cutting-edge technology that enables individuals to increase and cultivate their own financial resources, enjoy life and plan for the future.

Kuvera products are distributed through a direct sales model. Product services are offered to individuals on a monthly subscription basis. Kuvera is classified as a publisher of financial research and information and exempt from securities registration. This is an exemption provided in the U.S. Securities Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Kuvera is not a brokerage firm or Registered Investment Advisor. We do not execute trades or take possession of clients' brokerage accounts. Our customers may cancel their subscription at any time and execute trades at their own discretion. www.kuveraglobal.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements". When the words "believes," "expects," "plans," "projects," "estimates," and similar expressions are used, they identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on Management's current beliefs and assumptions and information currently available to Management and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Information concerning factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements can be found in our periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We undertake no obligation to publicly release revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect future events or circumstances or reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Investor Contacts:

pr@investview.comTHIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES, FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THIS RESTRICTION MAY CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF UNITED STATES SECURITIES LAW

CALGARY, Alberta, Jan. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Jaguar Resources Inc. ("Jaguar" or the "Company") (TSX-V: JRI) announced today, pursuant to an executed Letter Agreement dated January 8, 2019, that Jaguar has received a stand-by Letter of Credit (the LC) for $132 Million USD. The letter has been issued from a large European based Bank. The letter is for the term of forty five days from the date of issuance for the benefit of Jaguar Resources Inc. The Company has agreed to pay to the Issuing Lender a fee of for this service. It will be used for to evaluate International and USA assets. It cannot be used to evaluate or purchase of any Canadian Assets. The Jaguar board of directors has approved the issuance of the LC on January 7, 2019.



For further information please contact:

Corbin Blume, CEO

Jaguar Resources Inc.

730, 1015 - 4th Street SW

Calgary, Alberta T2R 1J4

Main Phone (403) 975-4009

Fax (403) 264-5455

Email: ahblume@shaw.ca

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This news release is not an offer of securities of the Company for sale in the United States. The Common Shares of the Company have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Common Shares may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an applicable exemption from such registration. No public offering of securities is being made in the United States.

Cautionary and Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains forwardlooking statements and forwardlooking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events or future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forwardlooking statements or information. Forwardlooking statements and information are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "appear", "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "estimate", "approximate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intend", "could", "might", "should", "believe", "would" and similar expressions. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information concerning the Share Settlement, the Private Placement and the Transaction. The forward-looking statements and information are based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by Jaguar, including the Exchange approving the Share Settlement and the Private Placement, timely satisfaction of the Release Conditions, shareholders approving the Transaction, the approval of shareholders for the creation of a new "control person" and the closing of the Private Placement and the Transaction. Although Jaguar believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward-looking statements and information are based are reasonable in the circumstances, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements and information because Jaguar can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. By its nature, such forward-looking information is subject to various risks and uncertainties, which could cause the actual results and expectations to differ materially from the anticipated results or expectations expressed. These risks and uncertainties, include, but are not limited to the Private Placement or the Transaction, legal or regulatory impediments regarding completion of the Private Placement and the Transaction, Jaguars inability to satisfy the Release Conditions and Jaguar being unable to complete the Private Placement or the Transaction on terms acceptable to the Company or at all. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date hereof, and to not use such forward-looking information for anything other than its intended purpose. Jaguar undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law or the TSX Venture Exchange.How do you feel about the first half of 2021, locally?

I think the city and county are heading in the right direction.

I'm disappointed with 2021, so far.

How do I get back to the home page? View ResultsMilton, PA (17847)

Today

Cloudy. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 73F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 52F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.Optimization

Are you frustrated with a slow pc or a hard disk not performing as it should?

Try SLOW-PCfighter to speed up boot time on a slow PC, or try a free scan of FULL-DISKfighter to recover space on a full disk. The latest offering is DRIVERfighter to update your driver updater. Get complete PC optimization and extend the life of your PC with these must-have software tools.Bosnian Serbs parade for 'national holiday', angering Muslims



Sarajevo, Jan 9 (AFP) Jan 09, 2019



Thousands of Bosnian Serbs cheered parading security forces in celebration of the "national holiday" of their entity, Republika Srpska, on Wednesday, despite a legal ban and objections of Bosnian Muslims who view it as a provocation.

The event marks the creation of a "Serb republic" in Bosnia on January 9, 1992, three months ahead of an ethnic war that claimed 100,000 lives and displaced more than two million people.

Security forces and armoured vehicles filed through the northern town of Banja Luka, capital of the Bosnian Serb-run entity on Wednesday for the event, which is opposed by Muslims in Bosnia.

Post-war Bosnia is divided along ethnic lines into two semi-independent entities -- Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation.

They are linked by a loose central government and tripartite presidency that includes representatives of three major communities.

Republika Srpska is predominantly made up of Orthodox Christian Serbs who account for a third of Bosnia's 3.5 million inhabitants.

Muslims comprise half the country's population, while Catholic Croats are the third major ethnic group, representing 15 percent of the total.

Bosnia's constitutional court ruled in 2015 that the holiday discriminates against the country's Muslims and Croats.

Leaders of Republika Srpska have defied the ruling, even seeking to boost the prominence of the celebrations.

Muslim political representative in Republika Srpska Ramiz Salkic said the celebrations in Banja Luka were a "sham" and that January 9 should be a "memorial day for the victims".

"The truth is that crimes were committed on behalf of this republic of Bosnian Serbs," he was quoted by Fena news agency as saying.

Groups of Bosnian Muslims used the occasion Wednesday to visit the memorial for the Srebrenica massacre.

Bosnian Serb forces executed 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica in July 1995, the worst atrocity in Europe since the World War II, which was ruled genocide by two international courts.

Among the founders of the Republika Srpska was Radovan Karadzic, its wartime president, who is jailed by an international court for genocide for the Srebrenica massacre.

Wednesday's parade also included Bosnian Serb war veterans, firefighters, sport clubs and members of a local branch of Russia's ultra-nationalist bikers' club "Night Wolves".

"I want to thank to those who created Republika Srpska," the entity's president Zeljka Cvijanovic said at the ceremony.

Bosnian Serb strongman Milorad Dodik, who has served as the Serb member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency since November, attended Wednesday's parade, along with the Prime Minister of neighbouring Serbia, Ana Brnabic.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic also sent a message to mark the occasion, saying the Republika Srpska could "always count on the generous support" of his country.Chinese general issues 'war criminal' warning to Taiwan



Beijing, Jan 9 (AFP) Jan 09, 2019



Taiwan independence supporters would be regarded as "war criminals" if China was forced to intervene militarily to retake the island, a Chinese general warned Wednesday.

"Supporters of Taiwanese separatism must stop in time to avoid disaster, repent and return to the right path. Otherwise they will become the scum of the Chinese nation and be condemned by history," said He Lei, former vice president of the Academy of Military Sciences.

"If we are forced to use force to settle the Taiwanese issue, they will be held responsible. In other words, they will inevitably be considered war criminals," the lieutenant general said, adopting a martial tone in a meeting with journalists.

China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory to be reunified, despite the two sides being ruled separately since they split in 1949 after a civil war won by Mao Zedong's communists.

General He's warning to Taiwanese separatists comes after President Xi Jinping last week said China would not renounce the option of using force to recover the island and vowed that reunification was "inevitable".

Taiwan considers itself a sovereign state, with its own currency, political and judicial systems, but has never declared formal independence from the mainland.

Relations have been strained since the 2016 election of President Tsai Ing-wen, who has refused to acknowledge Beijing's stance that the island is part of "one China".Pompeo in reassurance mission to Iraq over US Syria pullout plans



Baghdad, Jan 9 (AFP) Jan 09, 2019



US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo sought to reassure Iraqi officials on Wednesday that Washington remained committed to the fight against the Islamic State group as he pressed a tour of regional allies troubled by US plans to withdraw from Syria.

Pompeo's talks on an unannounced visit come less than two weeks after President Donald Trump drew criticism for failing to meet a single Iraqi official during a surprise Christmas trip to US troops at Al-Asad Air Base in western Iraq.

The US top diplomat was in the Middle East to urge allies to continue to confront the "significant threats" posed by Iran and jihadists despite Trump's shock decision last month to withdraw all US troops from Syria.

In Baghdad, Pompeo met a raft of senior officials including Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi and President Barham Saleh.

Pompeo ducked reporters' shouted questions about US pullout plans, but Saleh replied that Baghdad wanted Washington to remain engaged.

"We will need the support of the US," he said, expressing "gratitude to the US for support over the years".

"ISIS is defeated militarily, but (the) mission is not accomplished," Saleh added, using an alternative acronym for IS.

Pompeo flew in from Amman and was also due to visit Cairo, Manama, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh, Muscat and Kuwait City on his longest trip since taking office last year.

Ahead of his tour, the US top diplomat said the campaign to destroy the jihadists' self-styled "caliphate" in war-battered Syria had been "enormously successful".

"And I am confident that we will continue to ensure that the kind of rise that ISIS had under the (Barack) Obama administration doesn't occur again," he told the travelling press.



- Rowing back -



Trump used his lightning December 26 visit -- his first to US troops in a conflict zone since being elected -- to defend his Syria withdrawal plans and declare an end to America's role as the global "policeman."

He caused a political storm when he announced the pullout claiming IS had been defeated despite continued deadly fighting between US-backed forces and the jihadists in eastern Syria.

Trump has since rowed back, vowing the withdrawal will be done in a "prudent" way.

Members of his administration have gone further, saying that the timeline of any pullout remains dependent on events on the ground.

There are many in Iraq, particularly in pro-Iran factions, who would like an accelerated timetable for a US withdrawal from Iraq too.

But Trump has stressed that he expects US troops to remain in Iraq, from where they can carry out operations in neighbouring Syria if necessary.

Any failure to root out IS from border districts of Syria where they retain a presence poses a security concern for Iraq.

The 600-kilometre (375-mile) long frontier is porous and districts on the Iraqi side were the last from which Baghdad's forces ousted the jihadists.

Iraq declared victory over IS in December 2017, but the jihadists retain a network of sleeper cells in major cities and continue to conduct hit-and-run attacks from mountain or desert hideouts.

On Tuesday, a car bomb killed two people in the city of Tikrit, north of the capital, police said.



- Difficult focus on Iran -



The Trump administration's insistence on treating Tehran as a threat as big or even bigger than IS also poses major difficulties for Iraq.

Since the US-led invasion of 2003, Tehran has become a political force in Iraq with influence rivalling that of Washington.

Iran too provided support for Iraq's fightback against the jihadists after they advanced to within striking distance of the capital in 2014.

And Iraq has developed a dependency on imports from its eastern neighbour that is difficult to break.

Iraq suffers from a chronic shortage of power that leads to routine outages lasting much of the day in many areas that have prompted angry protests.

It depends on imports from Iran of both electricity and gas to generate it, to keep up even existing supply.

Washington has granted Baghdad waivers from the crippling unilateral sanctions it reimposed on Tehran last year after Trump pulled out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal agreed by his predecessor Barack Obama.

But members of his administration have put increasing pressure on the Iraqi government to stop seeking waivers and call in US firms to provide an alternative.

For Baghdad, that is politically unthinkable and Iraqi officials have called for a longer-term special status instead.Pentagon Papers whistleblower wins Swedish rights prize



Stockholm, Jan 9 (AFP) Jan 09, 2019



Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, a former US military analyst who exposed Washington's secret war plans for Vietnam in 1971, won the 2018 Olof Palme human rights prize on Wednesday.

Ellsberg, 87, was honoured for his "profound humanism and exceptional moral courage," the jury said in a statement.

He famously leaked thousands of documents nearly half a century ago revealing that successive US administrations had lied to the public about the Vietnam war.

"He was well aware of risking a long time in prison and a spoiled career," the jury said.

"Regardless of such consequences, his decision led to the removal of a mendacious government, a shortening of an illegal war, and an untold number of saved lives."

His actions have been featured in several Hollywood films, including "The Pentagon Papers" in 2003 in which he was played by James Spader, and 2017's "The Post" featuring Matthew Rhys.

The Olof Palme Prize is an annual prize worth $75,000 (65,500 euros) awarded by the Swedish labour movement.

It commemorates the memory of Sweden's Social Democratic prime minister Olof Palme, an outspoken international human rights advocate -- and vehement opponent of US involvement in the Vietnam War -- who was assassinated in Stockholm in 1986.

Since 1987 the award has honoured human rights defenders around the world including last year's Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Congolese doctor Denis Mukwege, and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

The prize ceremony will take place in Stockholm on January 30.

Ellsberg -- who won another Swedish rights prize in 2006, the Right Livelihood Award -- is also a staunch anti-nuclear weapons campaigner who recently published a massive tome about the nuclear threat seen from the inside, titled "The Doomsday Machine: Confessions of a Nuclear War Planner".

He lobbied members of Congress last year about the dangers of reckless war plans and ever more powerful nuclear arsenals on hair trigger alerts.

He told AFP in an interview he hoped to drum up support for a study on the consequences of nuclear war in terms of "nuclear winter" -- a situation where smoke blocks out the sun, dooming harvests and leaving basically anyone not killed in the blast or by radiation to starve to death.Chinese warships dock in Cambodia to boost 'military cooperation'



Phnom Penh, Jan 9 (AFP) Jan 09, 2019



Three hulking Chinese warships docked in Cambodia Wednesday for a four-day visit, as Beijing parades its naval prowess alongside its staunch Southeast Asian ally.

China is the largest investor in Cambodia and has pumped billions into the economy while asking few questions about its abysmal rights record.

While doling out cash China has also sought high-profile military exchanges, fuelling speculation that it is building a naval base off the Cambodian coast, claims vehemently denied by Prime Minister Hun Sen.

Several joint military exercises have also taken place while in June Beijing promised $100 million to modernise Cambodia's armed forces.

The three warships, the longest 180 metres (590 feet), stopped at Cambodia's Sihanoukville port for a visit to January 12, Cambodian defence ministry spokesman Chhum Socheat told AFP.

"The goal of the visit is to boost ties and military cooperation, especially between the navies from both countries," he said, dismissing suggestions that the display was about touting "Chinese influence".

He said the Chinese navy delegate would meet with Cambodian military commanders and Defence Minister Tea Banh during the visit.

Rumours that China has been building ae base off Cambodia's southwest coast have been swirling for years but reached new levels after Hun Sen said US President Vice President Mike Pence sent him a letter about it in November.

The strongman leader, who has been in power for more than three decades, said Cambodia would not allow foreign military bases on its soil.

In return for its longstanding support Cambodia has proved a reliable ally among the ASEAN Southeast Asian bloc regarding disputes with China over its activities in the South China Sea.

Beijing's claims in the waterway have angered the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia who all have competing claims to its islands and potentially resource-rich waters.

China has also backed Cambodia on sensitive issues, including a controversial election in July held without the opposition.

The mutual support comes as US influence declines.

Cambodia accused the US of conspiring with an opposition leader to overthrow the government and suspended military exchanges with the country.

But while Chinese-bankrolled developments may have fanned growth they risk incubating resentment among some Cambodians who fear the country is increasingly in the pocket of the regional superpower.'Come together': US Dems introduce gun background check bill



Washington, Jan 9 (AFP) Jan 09, 2019



Democrats unveiled landmark gun safety legislation Tuesday five days after regaining the US House majority, seeking swift action on a measure to expand background checks on firearm sales.

A similar bill was introduced last year by Democrats, but Republican leaders declined to bring it to a vote.

The new bill -- which has the backing of former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who survived being shot in the head eight years ago to the day and is now one of the nation's leading gun control advocates -- has a handful of Republican co-sponsors, and is likely to pass the chamber.

But it is not expected to advance in the Senate, which is under Republican control.

Giffords joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and congressman Mike Thompson, who heads a Democratic task force on gun violence, in introducing the bill, calling for "courage" among lawmakers.

"Now is the time to come together, be responsible. Democrats, Republicans, everyone," she said. "We must never stop fighting."

Pelosi said that by introducing the legislation early in the new congressional session, Democrats are saying "enough is enough, by finally bringing commonsense bipartisan background check legislation to the floor."

Thompson said nearly 250,000 Americans have died from gun violence, including suicides, since the Giffords shooting in 2011, "all the time while Congress stood by and did nothing."

"But today is a new day," he said, adding that the vast majority of Americans support the measures.

The bill would expand background checks to all gun sales, closing loopholes in federal law requiring criminal background checks when firearms are sold by licensed dealers but allowing private citizens to sell and transfer guns to one another without any background check.

Democrats have savaged congressional Republicans for repeatedly failing to take action to prevent gun violence after tragedies like the Sandy Hook elementary school shooting in Connecticut in 2012, or the massacre at a Las Vegas concert in October 2017.

After a murderous rampage at a Florida high school last February left 17 students and staff dead, some Democratic congressional candidates campaigned on pledges to enact gun safety reform.

One of them, Georgia's Lucy McBath, whose son was murdered in 2012, won a congressional seat in November's election.

"By closing these loopholes and expanding background checks, we will make our communities safer," she said.

"States that have already expanded background checks have lowered their homicide rates, their murder rates and their gun trafficking."

Last month, President Donald Trump's administration moved to ban bump stocks, devices that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire like machine guns and that were used in the Las Vegas shooting.US startup eyes next generation of burgers with relish



Las Vegas, Jan 9 (AFP) Jan 09, 2019



Can a "high-tech" burger help save the planet?

In one sense, it's just a patty made from plant protein. But the founders of California-based Impossible Foods argue the product can have a big impact by reducing the amount of land needed for beef and other livestock production.

Impossible Foods, which began in 2011, chose the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to launch its "next generation" burger -- version 2.0 -- which has no gluten, hormones or antibiotics and is kosher- and halal-certified.

With a handful of restaurateurs and chefs on hand, the company announced Monday it now has 5,000 restaurants serving its product as it prepares to begin selling in supermarkets.

Impossible Foods also brought a food truck to the large tech show to serve more than 12,000 samples of the burger to CES attendees.

Chief executive Pat Brown, a Stanford biochemistry professor and former pediatrician, said the decision to appear at CES was logical because the company is based on technology.

"To most consumers the face of the company is a food company but the soul of the company is really R&D (research and development) and technology," Brown told AFP ahead of a news conference at the Las Vegas tech extravaganza.

"What distinguishes us is we are developing a new technology platform that will transform the global food system."

The company, which has raised some $400 million, including from Microsoft founder Bill Gates, was launch to develop a plant-based product that simulates the taste and feel of beef.

It uses wheat protein, potato protein and coconut oil, and its "special ingredient" called heme which has elements of the hemoglobin in animal protein but is developed from soy.

Impossible Foods is among a handful of firms including California rival Beyond Meat developing plant-based or lab-grown meat substitutes that claim to offer products equal to or better than animal protect.



- Global ambitions -



The Impossible Burger is served in several restaurant chains as well as the fast-food group White Castle, and is eyeing global expansion with restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau.

The company plans to launch the new recipe in Singapore within several months, with additional markets to come.

"We're doing some early work preparing for (global) expansion," Brown said.

Brown maintained that developing new kinds of protein is crucial for the environment when large areas of land -- some estimates suggest 40 percent or more of global land area -- are devoted to livestock.

Impossible Foods is "barely getting started" and hopes to be able to scale up to produce large quantities.

"Apple started with one hand-built computer," he said. "You have to start somewhere."

And he added that technology and research will help further improve the product.

"Unlike the cow we are going to be getting better every single day," he said.You are the owner of this article.Thank you for reading!

Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading.Enterprise, AL (36331)

Today

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 94F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Some passing clouds. Low 67F. Winds light and variable.System error

error: Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.

context: ... 21: </%method> 22: 23: % foreach my $c (@categories) { 24: <%perl> 25: my $category_id = $c->get_id(); 26: my @stories = Bric::Biz::Asset::Business::Story->list ( { element_type_id=>1148, category_id=>$category_id , Order=> 'cover_date', publish_status => 't' , OrderDirection=> 'DESC' , Limit=>10 } ); 27: </%perl> 28: <table width="90%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> 29: <tr> ... code stack: /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html:25

/usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm:951

/var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj:17

/usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html:149



Can't call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25. Trace begun at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Exceptions.pm line 129 HTML::Mason::Exceptions::rethrow_exception('Can\'t call method "get_id" on an undefined value at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25.^J') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/dhandler.html line 25 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 160 HTML::Mason::Component::run_dynamic_sub('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbff472aaa0)', 'main') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 951 HTML::Mason::Request::call_dynamic('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff4e43028)', 'main') called at /var/cache/mason/obj/1784076917/main/smetimes/dhandler.html.obj line 17 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbff472aaa0)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1305 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 958 HTML::Mason::Request::call_next('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff4e43028)') called at /usr/local/bricolage/data/burn/stage/oc_1027/smetimes/autohandler_template.html line 149 HTML::Mason::Commands::__ANON__ at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Component.pm line 138 HTML::Mason::Component::run('HTML::Mason::Component::FileBased=HASH(0x7fbff472e770)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1303 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 1295 HTML::Mason::Request::comp(undef, undef, undef) called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 484 eval {...} at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/Request.pm line 436 HTML::Mason::Request::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff4e43028)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 165 HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler::exec('HTML::Mason::Request::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff4e43028)') called at /usr/share/perl5/HTML/Mason/ApacheHandler.pm line 831 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handle_request('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler=HASH(0x7fbff3d081a8)', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fbff4e4c708)') called at (eval 487) line 8 HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler::handler('HTML::Mason::ApacheHandler', 'Apache2::RequestRec=SCALAR(0x7fbff4e4c708)') called at -e line 0 eval {...} at -e line 0Page Content

Over the past months, the Government of Sint Maarten has worked closely with the Netherlands, the World Bank and the European Investment Bank to secure the necessary funding for the full recovery and strengthening of Princess Juliana International Airport. The Government has initiated this process based on a request for financial assistance by the airport.





The discussions with the Netherlands, the World Bank and the European Investment Bank have resulted in a financing proposal of a 100 million US dollars for the reconstruction of the terminal and related facilitates. Under this proposal, 50 million US dollars will be provided as a grant from the World Bank Trust Fund to the Government of Sint Maarten, which will be loaned to the airport under favorable conditions. An additional 50 million US dollars will be become available as a loan through the European Investment Bank.





As reported in the media, the Netherlands as the donor of the World Bank Trust Fund, has made the approval of the airport financing by the Steering Committee conditional on the completion of an integrity check of the airport, a corporate governance risk assessment and on attracting international expertise to fill a temporary position in the supervisory board of the Holding Company and a position in the management of PJIAE.





During the Council of Ministers meeting of January 8th, the proposal for financial assistance to the airport by the World Bank and the European Investment Bank under the conditions set by the Netherlands was discussed. In its discussion on this matter, the Council of Ministers took note of the requested update from the Holding Company on alternative financing options. In this update of December 28th, the Holding Company informed the Council of Ministers that the airport was not able at that time to provide any detailed information or a recommendation to the Council of Ministers on the preparation of an alternative option for the financing of the reconstruction of the airport terminal.





Based on the information received from the Netherlands and the update of the Holding Company, the Council of Ministers has decided to express its support for airport financing through the World Bank and the European Investment Bank under the conditions set by the Government of the Netherlands. In approving these conditions, the Council of Ministers underlined that international expertise to fill positions in the holding and in the management of the airport should be attracted for a maximum period of two years.





In conclusion, the approval of the Council of Ministers is an important step in securing the necessary funding and formalizing the 100 million US dollars for the reconstruction of the airport through the World Bank and the European Investment Bank, including a much-needed bridge loan to address the pressing liquidity situation of the airport.



"With so much mineral wealth, Odisha is truly an example of a state which is nowhere near reaching its true growth potential... The Commission is of the view that the state of Odisha has a great future given political stability and other factor endowments," it said.

New Delhi: The 15th Finance Commission on Tuesday said Odisha with 72 per cent of India's mineral resources and a politically-stable environment is nowhere near its true potential, but with certain initiatives can have a great future.

The Finance Commission led by Chairman N.K. Singh is on a four-day visit to the state to hold detailed meetings with the state government led by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during which the Commission will hold discussions on the state's finances and other issues.

On Tuesday, the first day of the visit, the Commission members met the representatives of trade and industries of Odisha.

"The Commission felt that it was ironic that with 72 per cent of India's mineral resources, manufacturing sector in Odisha was still very moderate. This has resulted in low job creation," the Finance Commission said in a statement.

"Some recent initiatives of the state government have been good and effective, but deeper changes in the regulatory framework, combined with improved infrastructure and logistics are needed to make the state truly competitive," it added.

Later, the Commission will hold meetings with the representatives of various political parties and those of the Panchayati Raj institutions and Urban Local Bodies of Odisha.

It will undertake field visits to take stock of the state's poverty eradication program - Odisha Livelihood Mission. It will also visit the Self Help Groups, Drinking Water Projects, Cyclone Shelters and other development projects of the state.

Further, the Commission will also review the works undertaken by the Chilka Development Authority as well as Wet Land Research Centre.New Delhi: L&T Technology Services Limited (NSE: LTTS), a leading global pure play engineering services company has been honored with the 2018 IoT Platforms Leadership Award by IoT Evolution Magazine, a U.S. based technology publication. LTTS secured the recognition for their IoT powered Condition Based Monitoring (CBM) Solution 'Integrated MCare' that facilitates predictive maintenance of machines.

Integrated MCare, LTTS' turnkey solution which leverages the Company's IoT platform UBIQWEISE 2.0 incorporates next-gen technologies like artificial intelligence & IoT that aids manufacturers in making informed decisions in a timely manner.

The solution incorporates integrated machine learning algorithms to analyze critical data from industrial machinery used in a variety of sectors. Integrated MCare has been successfully deployed for over a dozen global customers across industries like Automotive, Energy and CPG.

IoT Platforms Leadership Awards have been among the most prestigious recognitions in the communications and technology sector worldwide. Their winners include organizations who consistently demonstrate the advancement of technologies.

This award honors enterprises delivering software or hardware solutions which enable smart homes and building industry through mass proliferation of IoT devices, networks and services.

Integrated MCare was evaluated by the members of the jury based on the following parameters:

 Platforms designed specifically for IoT systems solutions

 Platform solutions that can show customers who have earned business success by leveraging the platform

 Deep analytics functions, with a specific focus on machine learning, AI and intelligent analysis proficiencies

 Showing a clear understanding of UX design that is not just for aesthetics and ease of use, but also to help users get access to deep learning from data sets.

Dr. Keshab Panda, Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director, L&T Technology Services said, "Integrated MCare is powered by LTTS' homegrown IoT platform UBIQWEISE2.0. The Condition-Based-Monitoring solution employs machine learning principles in predictive analytics to proactively notify operators about potential machine failure. This award is a testament to the Company's leadership in the Industrial IoT marketplace and our teams' success in offering a comprehensive IoT solution that enables global manufacturers to determine real time asset conditions and make intelligent predictions."

Commenting on LTTS' award win, Ken Briodagh, editorial director for IoT Evolution said, "The solutions selected for this award reflect the innovations driving the fast-growing IoT marketplace. LTTS' Integrated MCare solution hosted on the company's proprietary cloud IoT platform UBIQWEISE not only exhibits significant benefits in IoT but also helps the company's global customers rapidly customize and seamlessly & securely deploy their products & services. I am pleased to congratulate L&T Technology Services for their innovative work and contribution to this rapidly evolving industry."

In addition, Rich Tehrani, CEO, TMC, said, "Traditional techniques and solution models are unable to rightly predict equipment health and life. Integrated MCare enables organizations to gain actionable insights in real time and detect machine faults before incident occurrence or major equipment damage with round-the-clock monitoring. LTTS rightly deserves the 2018 IoT Platforms Leadership Award for their best-in-class solution and I look forward to seeing more such innovations from the Company in the future."

New Delhi: India and Australia held discussions for collaboration between the two countries in the areas of defence, trade and investment, and counter-terrorism.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held discussions with her Australian counterpart and "friend" Marise Payne here on Tuesday, ahead of the much anticipated Raisina Dialogue, 2019. Payne is slated to deliver the Ministerial Address on 'The Arrival of Global Politics' at the event.(BPT) - There's nothing better than getting outside during the summer. Not only can it help reduce stress, but it can also bring more energy aNew Zealand shares gained, supported by growing optimism that the US and China can reach a trade deal. A2 Milk benefited from the lift in sentiment.

The S&P/NZX 50 index increased 126.07 points, or 1.4 percent, to 8,947.22. Within the index, 35 stocks gained, seven fell and eight were unchanged. Turnover was $91 million.

Asian markets pushed higher after the US and China extended trade talks in Beijing for an unscheduled third day on Wednesday, amid signs of progress. Australia's S&P/ASX was up 0.9 percent while Japan's Topix was up 1.4 percent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng was up 2.4 percent.

"Our market has a strong, firm tone with reasonable leads from offshore. It's a sea of green in Asia today and we are just part of it," said Peter McIntyre, investment adviser at Craigs Investment Partners. "It's interesting there is still a shutdown in the US and that hasn't had a material impact on markets at all but the reduced trade tensions have certainly had a significant impact on markets."

He noted, however, that volumes remain light in holiday-affected trading.

A2 Milk added 3.7 percent to trade at $11.48, benefiting from the improved sentiment.

"It has become a key pick for brokers for 2019 as far as stock performance is concerned," said McIntyre. Trading was light with only 548,970 shares changing hands versus a three month daily average of 1.36 million.

Top gainers included Meridian Energy, which was up 2.6 percent at $3.59 and Mainfreight, which rose 2.0 percent to $31.40. Trading in Meridian was relatively robust with 1.17 million shares trading versus its 90-day daily average of 1.58 million. It was the third most traded stock on the market. Mainfreight only traded about 10 percent of its average volume.

Spark made up around a quarter of the volume in today's market, gaining 0.5 percent to $4.15.

Ryman Healthcare added 4.2 percent to $11.35, but volumes were tepid. The stock remains well off last year's high of $14.09 and "some investors are saying enough is enough," said McIntyre.

Overall, he said buyers seem more confident about market valuations after a rough December and "they are starting to chip away and buy back in."

Pushpay continued to gather support, lifting 2.5 percent to $3.30. Their latest update has "just confirmed to the market that their strategy is really working," he said. Earlier this week, it said it is confident it will now have positive cash flows on an ongoing basis and reiterated its full-year guidance.

The Fonterra Shareholders Fund rose 1.3 percent to $4.77. Fonterra announced it is selling its Farm Source division to Carrfields Livestock  a livestock agency provider - as it reviews all aspects of its business.

On the downside, Kathmandu fell 1.7 percent to $2.29, still reeling from a disappointing Christmas sales update that "sent some investors away disillusioned." Around 51,000 shares were traded, versus a 90-day average of 238,826.

Plexure Group rose 1.4 percent to $0.3650. Earlier the company said it continued to comply with continuous disclosure after the NZX noted the share price was up more than 50 percent since Dec. 24.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Investore Property Limited (NZX: IPL) Divestment of Dunedin Property

15th June 2021 Morning Report

14th June 2021 Morning Report

Tower Limited (NZX: TWR) Update on Financial Impact of Canterbury Floods

SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited (NZX: SKC) Earnings Guidance for FY21 Result

11th June 2021 Morning Report

Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) Announces $284 Million Revaluation Uplift

10th June 2021 Morning Report

Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) Opening of Offer to Retail Investors

Mercury NZ Limited (NZX: MCY) FY2021 EBITDAF Guidance Revised to $460 Million

New Zealand commodity prices fell for a seventh straight month in December, with gains in log, beef and lamb prices not enough to offset weaker dairy returns, ANZ Banks monthly commodity price index shows.

The world price index fell 0.2 percent last month, the smallest of the recent declines, and ended 2018 3.4 percent lower than a year earlier.

In local currency terms, the index fell 0.9 percent in December and was down 2.2 percent for the year.

A strong year for forestry prices was not sufficient to offset the weaker prices recorded in the dairy, horticulture and aluminium sectors, ANZ agri-economist Susan Kilsby said.

The fact forestry returns have continued to push higher, despite increased harvest volumes, is pretty positive for the industry, she said.

Dairy prices, which have since shown signs of recovery, fell 2.5 percent in December. They were down 6.2 percent for the year and at their lowest level since mid-2016.

ANZ said the recent improvement in the dairy market will likely be captured in the banks January report.

Global dairy markets are benefiting from a slowing of milk production across the main dairying regions, and a decrease of in-market stocks, Kilsby said.

Prices rose 2.8 percent at Fonterras Global Dairy Trade auction this week, the first for 2019. It was the third consecutive increase in the fortnightly auctions index.

ANZs report showed aluminium prices continued their recent slide, down 2 percent last month and 8.7 percent for the year.

Kilsby noted that prices peaked in April and have trended down since. Sanctions on Russian producer Rusal are expected to be lifted later this month, which may put further downward pressure on prices.

Rusal, which is responsible for about 7 percent of global production, is reported to have about 200,000 tonnes of aluminium currently warehoused in Rotterdam. A slowdown in global market activity, particularly in China, is expected to limit demand for aluminium, putting further downward pressure on prices.

About 90 percent of the production from Tiwai Point, the countrys sole aluminium smelter, is exported. Last month, the smelter formally marked the resumption of production from the sites fourth pot line after a six-year break.

On the plus side of the export ledger, ANZs meat and fibre index rose 2.7 percent in December, having gained 1.1 percent the month before. It ended the year up 0.8 percent.

ANZ said returns for both lamb and beef lifted in December, while venison pricing was also upbeat. International lamb prices ended the year 6.1 percent higher. Beef prices were still down 3.3 percent from the prior December, despite improved demand from the United States for manufacturing beef.

Wool prices remain in the doldrums, falling 2.3 percent in December to end the year down 3.6 percent.

The horticulture index rose 0.9 percent but was still down 9.6 percent for the year. Apple prices fell 14.8 percent during the year, with kiwifruit also down 7.4 percent, despite a lift in December as the last of this seasons fruit was sold through European markets, ANZ said.

Forestry prices rose 0.8 percent in December, having fallen 0.3 percent in November. They ended the year up 3.3 percent.

ANZ said the recent positive trend is expected to continue into 2019, given log stocks on wharves in China  New Zealands biggest market  are very low.

The strength of this market has helped absorb the increase in the supply of logs being harvested in New Zealand, Kilsby said. Other main markets for New Zealand logs, such as Japan and India, are not as buoyant as China but need to pay competitive rates in order to secure supplies.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Investore Property Limited (NZX: IPL) Divestment of Dunedin Property

15th June 2021 Morning Report

14th June 2021 Morning Report

Tower Limited (NZX: TWR) Update on Financial Impact of Canterbury Floods

SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited (NZX: SKC) Earnings Guidance for FY21 Result

11th June 2021 Morning Report

Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) Announces $284 Million Revaluation Uplift

10th June 2021 Morning Report

Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) Opening of Offer to Retail Investors

Mercury NZ Limited (NZX: MCY) FY2021 EBITDAF Guidance Revised to $460 Million

The World Bank is predicting global growth will slow this year due to headwinds that include tightening financing conditions, moderating industrial production and intensifying trade tensions.

In its semi-annual report on the outlook for the global economy entitled Darkening Skies, the World Bank says global growth may slow to 2.9 percent in 2019 from an estimated 3 percent last year and slow further, to 2.8 percent, in 2020.

Moderating activity and heightened risks are clouding global economic prospects. International trade and investment have softened, trade tensions have intensified and some large emerging market and developing economies are experiencing substantial financial market pressures, it says.

It is forecasting that growth in the US economy will slow from 2.9 percent in 2018 to 2.5 percent this year and 1.7 percent in 2020. Growth in Europe will slide from 1.9 percent to 1.6 percent.

It is forecasting Chinas economy will slow from 6.5 percent in 2018 to 6.2 percent this year.

The bank says growth in emerging markets has lost momentum with a weaker-than-expected recovery in commodity exporters accompanied by a deceleration in commodity importers and downside risks have become more acute.

Disorderly financial market developments could disrupt activity in the affected economies and lead to contagion effects, the report says.

Trade disputes could escalate or become more widespread, denting activity in the involved economies and leading to negative global spillovers.

The report coincides with talks in Beijing between US and Chinese officials, who are trying to resolve or reduce their countries trade dispute, and which have entered an unscheduled third day. US President Donald Trump has been tweeting that the negotiations are going very well.

Bloomberg is reporting that Trump wants to strike a deal with China in the hopes that will perk up flagging share markets.

The broad measure of US stocks, the S&P 500 Index has dropped about 8 percent since Trump and Chinas president-for-life, Xi Jinping, agreed a 90-day truce at a Dec. 1 meeting in Argentina.

Unless the talks are fruitful, Trump is planning to increase US tariffs on about US$200 billion of Chinese goods from 10 percent to 25 percent.

The World Bank report didnt provide any specific economic forecasts for Australia or New Zealand.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Investore Property Limited (NZX: IPL) Divestment of Dunedin Property

15th June 2021 Morning Report

14th June 2021 Morning Report

Tower Limited (NZX: TWR) Update on Financial Impact of Canterbury Floods

SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited (NZX: SKC) Earnings Guidance for FY21 Result

11th June 2021 Morning Report

Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) Announces $284 Million Revaluation Uplift

10th June 2021 Morning Report

Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) Opening of Offer to Retail Investors

Mercury NZ Limited (NZX: MCY) FY2021 EBITDAF Guidance Revised to $460 Million

Michael Hill International has named Andrea Slingsby as its new chief operating officer.

Slingsby, a consultant, has been working with the jeweller since August as interim chief people officer. In November, that newly-created role was given to Joanne Matthews, who joins the firm next week.

Chief executive Daniel Bracken, who himself only joined the firm in November, said Slingsby brings more than 25 years experience in Australian and international high-growth sectors to the business.

He particularly cited her experience in business model improvement and operational excellence as a major benefit to the firm.

Slingsbys most recent roles were running Lighthouse8, an artificial intelligence and marketing technology business, and Atira Student Living.

The stock was recently unchanged at 65 cents - down 52 percent in the past year.

Brisbane-based Michael Hill makes and sells jewellery in New Zealand, Canada and Australia  its largest market. Early last year it shut its 10-year-old US chain amid declining sales and after failing to find a buyer. It also quit its three-year-old Emma & Roe business.

Bracken replaced Phil Taylor, who in September gave six months notice of his intention to retire after more than 30 years with the firm due to ill-health.

The following month the company told shareholders it needed to transform itself from a traditional retailer to a differentiated omni-channel brand if it was to remain globally relevant.

That change would require a greater focus on on-line sales, greater use of data and analytics, and more focus on proprietary, branded products.

Adding that capability  including the new roles taken up by Slingsby and Matthews  was expected to increase operating costs by about A$3 million in the current financial year, the company said in October.

(BusinessDesk)

Comments from our readers

No comments yet

Add your comment:

Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process.

Related News:

Investore Property Limited (NZX: IPL) Divestment of Dunedin Property

15th June 2021 Morning Report

14th June 2021 Morning Report

Tower Limited (NZX: TWR) Update on Financial Impact of Canterbury Floods

SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited (NZX: SKC) Earnings Guidance for FY21 Result

11th June 2021 Morning Report

Precinct Properties New Zealand Limited (NZX: PCT) Announces $284 Million Revaluation Uplift

10th June 2021 Morning Report

Me Today Limited (NZX: MEE) Opening of Offer to Retail Investors

Mercury NZ Limited (NZX: MCY) FY2021 EBITDAF Guidance Revised to $460 Million

Press Release

January 9, 2019 Sen. Ejercito eyes construction of PCG hospital Senator JV Ejercito has proposed the establishment of a hospital exclusive to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel and their dependents. Ejercito recently introduced Senate Bill No. 2128 which seeks to establish the PCG General Hospital in the Coast Guard Base Taguig in Lower Bicutan, Taguig City, aimed at providing a comprehensive and total health care service to all PCG personnel and their dependents. In his proposal, Ejercito emphasized the need to not only protect but promote the wellbeing and the medical needs of the PCG personnel and their dependents. Considering their herculean task, injuries, accidents or deaths are inevitable. Our Coast Guards have been often placed to various dangerous situations at sea that may risk their very life in the performance of their duties and functions, he said. Aside from maritime safety, environmental protection and security, Ejercito said part of the mandate of the PCG include search and rescue operations and maritime law enforcement, placing them in dangerous situations. This measure aims to recognize their hard work, bravery and heroism. To address their wellbeing is the States utmost concern without sacrificing and jeopardizing the future of their family and loved ones, he said. Hence, it is only imperative that a PCG Hospital be established, intended primarily for our Coast Guards and their dependents to address all of their medical needs and other services, Ejercito added. Putting up a PCG General Hospital will ensure the availability, accessibility and affordability of quality health care to its personnel including their dependents, the senator said. This is the most opportune time to create and establish the PCG Hospital which is in conformity with the policy of the State to provide quality and efficient health care services, in relation to the national governments health care agenda, said Ejercito. Under his proposal, at least P400 million is to be appropriated for the construction and initial operation of the PCG General Hospital. For the succeeding years, appropriations for its operations shall be included in the annual national budget, Ejercito said.Press Release

January 9, 2019 Dispatch from Crame No. 445:

Sen. Leila M. de Limas statement on the Fearless Four and the Imperative Need for an Independent Judiciary (09 January 2019) No society can call itself truly just and free without an independent judiciary. On the freedom of the courts depends so much the exercise of our liberties. On the moral authority of the judiciary relies so much of the quality of justice that we pursue. And, an independent judiciary rests largely on the integrity, competence and uprightness of its judges. The Philippine Daily Inquirer honored four (4) courageous judges as Filipinos of the Year 2018. No accolade is more fitting for the Fearless Four: Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judges Rodolfo Azucena, Jr. of Caloocan City, Arlene Lirag Palabrica of Tagum City, Alexander Tamayo of Malolos City, and Andres Soriano of Makati City. Judge Azucena convicted three (3) police officers for the extrajudicial killing of minor Kian delos Santos. Judge Palabrica ordered the immediate release of the group of activists led by Ka Satur Ocampo and Rep. France Castro, who were arrested by the military after bringing food and supplies to the beleaguered teachers and pupils in a Lumad school in Davao del Norte. Judge Tamayo convicted former Major General Jovito Palparan and two (2) subordinates for the kidnapping and serious illegal detention of UP students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan. Judge Soriano denied the DOJs applications for arrest warrant and hold-departure order on Sen. Sonny Trillanes. Napapanahon at angkop ang pagkilala sa magigiting na hukom na ito. Patunay sila na sa gitna ng dilim at lagim ng kasalukuyang panahon at pamumuno ay may ningas pa rin ng pag-asa mula sa ilang nananatiling malalaya at matatapang na instrumento ng katarungan. Babala rin sila sa mga abusado at mapaniil. Inspirasyon naman sila sa iba pang mabubuting kawani ng pamahalaan. The Code of Judicial Conduct underscores judicial independence as a pre-requisite to rule of law. Indeed, not only is it a requirement for the maintenance of public order, judicial independence is a cornerstone of constitutional democracy. It assures freedom to the individual; it guarantees the right of determination and development of a people; it safeguards against the persecution and other abuses by the different branches and functionaries of government. Sa isang malaya at matatag na hudikatura ay makakaasa ng patas na pagtrato ang lahat -- maging ang mga magbubukid, manggagawa, katutubo, babae, kabataan, mahihirap, aktibista, kritiko at iba pang naisasantabi at inaapi. An impartial and competent judge always independently acts on the basis of facts and evidence and in accordance with a conscientious understanding and application of the law, free from any extraneous influence or pressure. I therefore salute Hon. Judges Azucena, Palabrica, Tamayo and Soriano and others in their league. May your tribe truly increase! May you serve as exemplars and inspiration to workers in the public sector, diligently treating public office as a public trust, painstakingly striving to regain public confidence in our institutions, and valiantly asserting our democratic values and principles as a people. A hope-filled New Year!This article is part of State of Health, a series examining health disparities, how they affect Michigan's children and seniors, and the innovative solutions being developed to address them. It is made possible with funding from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund.

In 2016, the Otsego County Commission On Aging (OCCOA) piloted the CommunO2 SuperApp, a new online platform designed to help reconnect seniors to their communities. With a modest goal of reaching 300 older adults over six months, the program attracted 1,800 registered end users, as well as 14 partner organizations, within four months.

One of those users is a homebound woman with multiple sclerosis who can now participate in her church remotely. Another is an assisted living center resident who reconnected with her sister abroad after 15 years and now video chats regularly with her through the app.



Betty (in pink) connects with her sister in the old country using CommunO2 with the help of Mary, a retired senior volunteer in Otsego County. Betty had not seen her sister in about 15 years.

"Some of these things were seemingly small leaps in quality of life, but when folks were reflecting that it truly made a difference in their lives, we knew we were onto something that we wanted to expand," says OCCOA executive director Dona Wishart.

Studies have shown that social isolation and loneliness can have serious negative impacts on older adults' health, and many resources and programs already exist in Michigan to address isolation among seniors. But Stephanie Leibfritz, community health manager at MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland, says many residents don't know how serious isolation can be or where to look for help.

"There's really a lack of knowledge about loneliness and social isolation as a social determinant of health," Leibfritz says. "It does impact a significant number of aging adults."

However, new and ongoing efforts around the state are working to promote healthy aging by connecting older adults to their communities and the resources available to them.

Keeping in touch

Developed by Minneapolis-area entrepreneur Joel Ackerman, CommunO2 is an online platform designed to help users connect with friends and family, as well as local services, arts and cultural organizations, government offices, faith centers, and more through one central, streamlined interface. Joel Ackerman.

While there's no shortage of online communication apps today, Ackerman says those apps don't necessarily work well together, provide one community standard for users, or offer much technical support.

"That's a very complex environment, especially for novice users, people who may not have grown up with current technologies," he says.

Wishart first learned about the platform Ackerman was developing more than 10 years ago and saw the potential it had for linking people not only to their own social network, but also plugging them back into their community and its resources. She told him: "When you're ready for pilot testing, consider Otsego County, and let's see if we can move this forward to diminish social isolation in a new way."

This year, OCCOA and CommunO2 will expand the effort with a two-year pilot funded by a Michigan Health Endowment Fund grant. Work will continue in Otsego County and also extend to Traverse City and Flint with the help of local partners the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Michigan and Valley Area Agency on Aging. Dona Wishart.The expanded pilot will also work with Michigan State University's School of Social Work to measure outcomes and social determinants of health. Organizers hope to reach 5,000 end users by the end of the pilot and 28,000 users by 2025.

As the population continues to age, Wishart says a shortage of direct care workers also presents a challenge. She hopes efforts like CommunO2 can help make the connection between OCCOA's many resources and the older adults they serve.

"We are going to need to provide services in a new way, and some of that can indeed be through technology," she says. "We just have to work to figure it out carefully.  We have to be willing to take on some risks for innovation, and we need to find some new creative solutions to add quality and meaning to life."

Reaching out

In Midland, a new partnership between MidMichigan Health Foundation, Senior Services of Midland County, and Michigan 211 is forming to raise awareness of the negative health effects of social isolation for older adults. That program, called Bridge to Belonging: Partnership to End Loneliness, will also connect seniors in need to local services.

Leibfritz is leading the new effort along with Katherine Dollard, director of behavioral health for MidMichigan Health. Starting with a basic survey given at the medical center's offices, staff will determine what services seniors could benefit from and refer them to services through 211, which connects Michiganders to nonprofit and government resources.

Stephanie Leibfritz, community health manager at MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland, and Katherine Dollard, director of behavioral health for MidMichigan Health.

The goal is to increase connections, enhance social support, and improve social skills for older adults in the region. Individuals with psychological or social barriers that can lead to chronic loneliness will be referred to a staff behavioral therapist for counseling.

The program is starting in a few practices and the emergency room at MidMichigan Health Center-Midland, but the goal is to provide screenings throughout the MidMichigan Health system. MidMichigan Health serves more than 20 counties in mid- and northern Michigan.

Seniors play poker at Sanford Activity and Dining Center in Midland.

In addition to screenings, triage, and referrals, Bridge to Belonging will launch an education and awareness campaign on the health effects of loneliness and the need to reach out to family and friends considered at risk.

Leibfritz hopes the program will not only intervene on behalf of seniors in need but also help prevent isolation to begin with.

"It's really a change in the care model in the health system, to be able to work on prevention versus treatment," she says. "In my mind, that's huge."

Working together

This year in Washtenaw County, another unique new partnership will launch Intergenerational Solutions for Healthy Aging, a pilot program that connects seniors to members of the next generation.

Working in teams, Washtenaw County Girl Scouts and older adults will examine issues and resources like transportation, access to healthy food, home visit programs, and lifelong learning opportunities in the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area. They'll then design and implement programs to address seniors' needs, with the additional aim of introducing a new generation to career opportunities in the fields of aging and health.

The program is a collaboration between Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Generations United (GU); GU's newly formed Michigan team, led by Ann Arbor resident and GU senior fellow Bruce Astrein; Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan; and a senior organization partner to be determined.



Generations United's Michigan team.

"When you think about social isolation, the two groups that report feeling the most isolated are younger people and older people, so to work together to try and address what's causing people to feel so isolated and what's preventing them from connecting, we think it's just a win-win-win way of approaching it," says GU executive director Donna Butts.



Donna Butts.

If it goes well, the plan is to replicate the program with other youth service organizations and senior groups in neighboring counties and, eventually, across the state.



Astrein, who has a long history of working with children, families, and poverty, was inspired by past successes he'd seen with intergenerational programming. He pitched the idea to GU, which was founded in the late '80s in response to what Astrein calls the "false dichotomy" that young people and older people were taking resources away from each other.

"Rather than get drawn into that argument, there are ways to think about this where we could work collectively and benefit young and old with smart policies and smart programs, and it's not about pitting one against the other," Astrein says.

Astrein was also troubled by seeing family programs like the ones he had built over his career being undermined and underfunded in recent years.

"Having spent a lifetime working on these programs, it was difficult to sit by and not want to help advance them," he says.

Eric Gallippo is an Ypsilanti-based freelance writer.

MidMichigan Health photos by Ben Tierney.Bimco analyst Wei Zhuang noted that Chinese regulators have not yet placed a full ban on open-loop scrubbers as reported widely, rather it is an update on the domestic ECA regulations with effect from 1 January 2019.

He cited sources familiar with the matter saying that a full ban on open-loop scrubbers could however be adopted soon, but no specific timeline was floated.

In recent days, there has been reports that the Ministry of Transport in Beijing has now banned open-loop scrubbers from the countrys ECAs, which now cover most of Chinas territorial waters, the analyst said.

Read more: China bans open-loop scrubbers

In November, regulators said ships equipped with scrubbers were permitted to carry and use high sulphur fuel oil, subject to emissions monitoring, and that scrubber waste and water must be disposed according to relevant regulation. This remains the case, he said.

In October, there was speculation that China was planning a ban on open loop scrubbers. Chinese officials confirmed to BIMCO at the time that there were no immediate plans to impose a ban on the technology, as long as they were in compliance with prevailing regulation, he added.To chronicle this experience, MSC Cruises has enlisted a team of content creators for a 'relay race' at sea during the 119-day voyage to six continents, traveling 32,260 nautical miles and crossing 24 time zones.

Nine 'influencers'

The nine 'social influencers' from different parts of the world will each sail a different segment of the cruise and capture their experiences so their fans can follow along. Besides interacting with people in the countries they visit, they'll step into the shoes of MSC Magnifica's crew and share the experience through their eyes.

The relay team consists of Benn TK (Australia), Kara and Nate (USA), Izhan (Spain), Life to Go (Germany), Anil B (Switzerland), Human Safari (Italy), Nick Miller (South Africa), Ayumu Yamashita (Japan) and Vitor Liberato (Brazil).

Destinations include tropical paradises like Costa Rica, Honolulu and Bora Bora, cultural hotspots like Barcelona and Rome, and desert landscapes of the Arab Emirates, Oman and Egypt. The voyage offers an average stay of 13 hours in port and a choice of more than 250 shore excursions.

Star chefs

MSC Magnifica will also take travelers on a journey of the world's flavors via an all-star cast of international chefs, who will create dishes that reflect regions the ship is sailing through. The group includes current as well as former three-, two- and one-star Michelin chefs, chefs of the year, award-winning cookbook authors and recipients of other international culinary recognitions.

They include Michelin-starred Spanish chef Ramon Freixa, decorated Indian-American chef Vikas Khanna, award-winning Italian chef Carlo Cracco, two-time world champion in pastry, French chef Jean-Philippe Maury and restaurateur, cookbook author and chef Roy Yamaguchi.

Further chefs include expert all four schools of Chinese cooking, Jereme Leung, restaurateur and Brazilian chef Allan Vila Espejo, 'MasterChef Colombia' jury member Jorge Rausch and 'Sydney Morning Heralds' chef of the year French-Canadian Serge Dansereau.

During their special meals, the chefs will be on hand to greet and interact with diners. Between these events, MSC's own chefs will provide 237 different menus for the main restaurants, including themed dishes linked to the itinerary that are also served at the Sahara Buffet.

MSC Cruises plans world voyages in 2020 and 2021.Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/08/2019 -- The significant rise in lifestyle-related diseases and the developments in healthcare infrastructure are expected to influence the demand for pharmaceuticals in Saudi Arabia. In 2016, the Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market is anticipated to procure value worth US$ 5,209.5 Mn at a y-o-y growth of 6.0 % over 2015. The mounting demand for branded drug products will continue to incite the growth of the Saudi Arabian pharmaceutical market in 2016.



The demand for pharmaceuticals in Saudi Arabia is expected to register substantial growth owing to the increasing penetration of health insurance companies and the rising incidence rate of non-communicable diseases. Furthermore, the exceptional rise in the per capita income of Saudi Arabia is also expected to foster the demand for branded pharmaceutical drugs. Another key factor driving the growth of the pharmaceutical market in Saudi Arabia is the country's strategic move to allow 100% FDI in the pharmaceuticals sector. Although, the shortage of profound indigenous research capacity in the pharmaceutical industry and the delayed registration of drug and medicine patents is expected to limit the expansion of the market in 2016 and beyond.



Request Sample Report @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gc-1733



Based on the product type, the pharmaceutical market in Saudi Arabia is expected to witness an upsurge in the prescription-type branded drug products. In terms of market value, the branded drugs are estimated to reach US$ 2,760.8 Mn by 2016-end. The demand for generic drugs is projected to secure steady growth, attributing to the insisting promotion of generic drug adoption by healthcare insurance providers.



On the basis of the diseases, the pharmaceutical drugs used for treatment of cardiovascular diseases will continue exhibiting robust growth in 2016. The demand for cardiovascular medications will continue to surge due to the prominence of circulatory disorders in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the rising prevalence of disorders related to body sugar levels is expected to make diabetes a rapidly growing disease-based sub-segment in the Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market.



The pharmaceutical market in Saudi Arabia is also segmented on the basis of distribution channel, where retail pharmacies will continue to account for 80% market share compared to hospital pharmacies. The westernised modernisation of retail pharmacies in Saudi Arabia has led to the availability of a wide range drugs and medicinal products, thereby attaining a considerable growth in the retail pharmacy sub-segment in 2016 and further.



The rising resource potential in Saudi Arabia is projected to positively reform the production environment for pharmaceutical manufacturers. In order to expand the market's size, structuring alliances with well-established native companies is predicted to be a key strategy for global pharmaceutical leaders. The key players in the Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market include Novartis AG, SPIMACO, Pfizer Inc., and Glaxosmithkline plc., Jamjoom Pharma, and Tabuk Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Co. among others.



Request to View TOC @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gc-1733



Long-term Outlook: The Saudi Arabia pharmaceutical market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 9.0% over the forecast period 2016-2026. In terms of market value, the pharmaceutical market in Saudi Arabia is estimated to be worth US$ 12,281.4 Mn by the end of forecast period.Valley Cottage, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/09/2019 -- The FMI research report titled "Mining Collectors Market: Global Industry Analysis 20132017 and Opportunity Assessment 20182027" examines the mining collectors market and offers insights for the next nine years. Based on the findings specified in the report, among the product types, xanthates accounts for more than half the market share and is expected to grow with a significant CAGR during the forecast period. Mining of sulfide ores is considered as a major application area for mining collectors of important minerals such as copper, gold, zinc, lead and silver. On the basis of ore type, the sulfide ore segment is pegged to be a significant ore type segment. The sales of mining collectors are expected to be valued at US$ 682.3 Mn by the end of 2018. China is projected to account for a value share of 29.8% in the global mining collectors market by 2018 end. The market in the country is anticipated to remain prominent throughout the forecast period.



Mining Collectors Market: Dynamics



Mining collectors are used in the froth flotation process as mineral collectors. Mining collectors are also used for the recovery of heavy metal sulfides from ores. They are commonly used for the extraction of gold, copper and other metals. The average metal ore grade has decreased significantly in the past few years, which led to the exploration of new mines with targeted regions. This has been driving the growth of the mining collectors market.



Request Sample Report@ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-8179



Increasing mineral extraction activities, coupled with the rising demand for metals, non-metals and stones, are boosting the overall demand for mining collectors in mining applications. Moreover, mining and exploration companies are concentrating on extracting minerals from underground mines rather than open-pit mines to reach mineral-rich resources deep inside the earth. The ores extracted from deep down require reagents for further processing, which is expected to fuel the growth of the overall mining collectors market.



China to Witness Noteworthy Growth in the Global Mining Collectors Market



From a regional perspective, China is expected to be a significant region in the global mining collectors market during the forecast period. Gold mining in China has also been increasing significantly in the recent past, which is further expected to drive the market growth. Latin America, followed by APEC (Asia Pacific excluding China), is estimated to account for significant growth in the mining collectors market. Government and mining firms in developing countries of Latin America such as Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Mexico are focusing on tapping mineral resources through mining to drive the economic growth of the respective countries and subsequently, maximize development.



Latin America is expected to register 5.5% growth in the mining collectors market from 2018 to 2027. The Middle East and Africa region is also forecast to witness steady growth in demand for precious metals such as gold and platinum, which is estimated to drive the growth of precious metals mining activity and thus, fuel the growth of the mining collectors market.



Global Mining Collectors Market Analysis by Product Type



The xanthates segment is expected to be a prominent product type in the global mining collectors market. In terms of value, the segment is expected to account for ~US$ 372 Mn by the end of 2027. While dithiophosphates and dithiocarbamates segments account for low shares compared to the xanthates segment, they are expected to register high year-on-year growth in the coming years.



Global Mining Collectors Market Analysis by Ore



By ore type, the sulfide ore segment is a key consumer of mining collectors and is expected to register a moderate growth rate over the forecast period. Traditionally used for sulfide-ores, collectors are rapidly gaining traction for the beneficiation of non-sulfide ores such as iron ores. The shifting trend can be attributed to the degradation of ore quality and increasing demand for high-grade metals.



Need more information about Report Methodology? @ https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/askus/rep-gb-8179



Mining Collectors Market Competitive Landscape



Some of the key players involved in the manufacturing of mining collectors include China-based players such as QiXia TongDa Flotation Reagent Co., Ltd, , Tieling Flotation Reagents Co., Ltd, Hainan Huarong Chemical Co., Ltd, Yantai Humon Chemical Auxiliary Co. Ltd. and prominent global players such as Coogee Chemicals, SNF FloMin Inc., Orica Ltd, Vanderbilt Chemicals, LLC and CTC Mining Senmin International Limited (Pty) Ltd.New York, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/08/2019 -- The research presents a sufficiently detailed understanding of market segmentation, application requirement, manufacturing conditions, cost of change, gross margin and acquisition and mergers, buying capability for the forecast period 2018-2026.Additionally, evaluation of the technology advancement- and whether the factor creates sustainability can pose threat adds credibility to the complete study on the Borosilicate Glass Vials market.



The research further screens and analyses data on the market share, growth rate and size to enable stakeholders, product owners and field marketing executives identify the low-hanging fruits and reap a significant return on their investment. Importantly, the data on the current business environment of the Borosilicate Glass Vials market proves a boon for companies trying to identify next leg for growth.



Get FREE Sample Copy @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/sample-enquiry-form/27653



The major players covered in this report



NAIGAI GLASS, Nipro, Anhui Huaxin Pharmaceutical Glass, Borosilicate Glass Vials, Smith Scientific Limited, Borosilicate Glass Vials, Linuo Glassworks Group, Kimble, Four Stars Glass, Schott, Jiangsu Henli, Taisei Kako, Gerresheimer, Kapoor Glass India Pvt. Ltd, Thuringer Pharmaglas GmbH & Co. KG, Pars Ampoule



Market Segment by Regions, regional analysis covers



- North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)

- Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia and Italy)

- Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India and Southeast Asia)

- South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia etc.)

- Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)



Buy This Report @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/checkout-form/27653



Subject matter experts conducting the study also take a closer look at the products at their development stage and in the pipeline to help business owners conclude on the business strategies that can lower their cost and promise great returns or profits. Strong emphasis on new launches, acquisition and mergers, collaboration, import and export status and supply chain management empowers the business evangelists, manufacturers and business owners build a robust strategy when it comes to making an investment.



Most important types of Borosilicate Glass Vials products covered in this report are:



- 5.0 Borosilicate Glass Vials

- 7.0 Borosilicate Glass Vials



Most widely used downstream fields of Borosilicate Glass Vials market covered in this report are:



- Vaccine

- Injection

- Others



Estimating the potential size of the Borosilicate Glass Vials industry



Industry experts conducting the study further estimate the potential of the Borosilicate Glass Vials industry. Such information is important for firms looking to launch an innovative service or product on the market. Industry experts have measured the total volume of the given market. Researchers have calculated the industry in terms of sales by the competitors and end-user  customers. Data on the entire size of the Borosilicate Glass Vials market for a particular product or a service for the forecast period, 2018 to 2026 covered in the report makes it valuable. This information reveals the upper limit of the Borosilicate Glass Vials industry for a specific product or service.



Exploring growth rate over a period



Business owners looking to scale up their business can refer this report that contains data regarding the rise in sales within a given consumer base for the forecast period, 2018 to 2026. Product owners can use this information along with the driving factors such as demographics and revenue generated from other products discussed in the report to get a better analysis of their products and services. Besides, the research analysts have compared the market growth rate with the product sales to enable business owners to determine the success or failure of a specific product or service.



Complete report description available now @ https://www.marketexpertz.com/industry-overview/borosilicate-glass-vials-market



There are 13 Chapters to thoroughly display the Borosilicate Glass Vials market. This report included the analysis of market overview, market characteristics, industry chain, competition landscape, historical and future data by types, applications and regions.



Chapter 1: Borosilicate Glass Vials Market Overview, Product Overview, Market Segmentation, Market Overview of Regions, Market Dynamics, Limitations, Opportunities and Industry News and Policies.

Chapter 2: Borosilicate Glass Vials Industry Chain Analysis, Upstream Raw Material Suppliers, Major Players, Production Process Analysis, Cost Analysis, Market Channels and Major Downstream Buyers.

Chapter 3: Value Analysis, Production, Growth Rate and Price Analysis by Type of Borosilicate Glass Vials.

Chapter 4: Downstream Characteristics, Consumption and Market Share by Application of Borosilicate Glass Vials.



Continue



About MarketExpertz

Planning to invest in market intelligence products or offerings on the web? Then marketexpertz has just the thing for you - reports from over 500 prominent publishers and updates on our collection daily to empower companies and individuals catch-up with the vital insights on industries operating across different geography, trends, share, size and growth rate. There's more to what we offer to our customers. With marketexpertz you have the choice to tap into the specialized services without any additional charges.



Contact Us:



John Watson

Head of Business Development

Market Expertz | Web: https://www.marketexpertz.com

Direct Line: +1-800-819-3052

E-mail: sales@marketexpertz.com

News: https://www.marketexpertz.com/market-newsThe outlook is positive for San Diego in terms of crime statistics, crime prevention and closing the officer shortage, according to San Diego Police Departments leader.

Police Chief David Nisleit was in Rancho Bernardo on Tuesday to give an update on how the department is doing and answer residents questions at the Conservative Order for Good Governments luncheon.

Nisleit said the department was short 250 officers when he became the citys 35th police chief last March. Now, SDPD is 190 officers short of its needed staffing levels, but academy enrollment is up.

The last three academies we had 49, 44 and 50 (recruits), Nisleit said. My goal is to have 50 at every single academy.

Achieving that goal is challenging due to a shrinking applicant pool, he said. Reasons include low unemployment, nature of the profession, the publics false impressions of the profession and inherent dangers officers face each day. Not only are more police officers getting killed nationwide, but more are also committing suicide, Nisleit said.

The City Council has taken steps to help eliminate some staffing financial hurdles, he said. Attrition is on the way down and hiring is up, Nisleit said, mentioning a 25 percent raise over the past two years as a factor. The pay bump has made San Diego Police Department competitive with other local law enforcement agencies. Not long ago its financial compensation placed it 19th among the regions 19 agencies. While not the highest-paying, SDPD is now in the top third.

Finally we are leveling the playing field, he said.

In recent years, SDPD saw many officers leave for agencies that paid more. Now, some of them are returning  coming home, as he put it  and experienced officers at other agencies are applying for lateral transfers.

Despite the officer shortfall, the FBI declared San Diego to be the safest large city in the nation for 2017, he said. Achieving that is even more amazing due to the ratio of officers to those they protect. Nisleit said his 1,850 officers are serving 1.4 million residents, which is a ratio of 1.3 officers per 1,000 residents. In comparison, most cities have two officers per 1,000 residents and some even have three or more officers per 1,000.

We are the safest large city with the smallest department, which speaks of the training (of our officers) and relationship with those served, he said.

Nisleit said there were 34 homicides in the city last year  one is too many, he added  but compared San Diego to similarly-sized Phoenix that had hundreds of homicides in 2018. Closer to home and just south of the border, he said in Tijuana there were 2,508 murdered among 1.6 million residents. On Monday, 16 people were killed in Tijuana and since Jan. 1 there have been 49 homicides. According to Nisleit, Tijuanas high murder rate is largely due to the drug trade and three cartels feuding over territory.

As for San Diegos other 2018 crime statistics, Nisleit said he is happy to report that they are mostly a bit lower than 2017. Besides two fewer homicides the number of robberies remained about the same. The only spike was in sexual assaults, which reflected a nationwide trend, possibly due to the Me Too movement. More are aware (of sexual assault) and reporting their crimes, he said. In my mind, that is a positive thing.

One of the more complex issues impacting crime statistics is homelessness. Nisleit had Capt. Scott Wahl, who is leading SDPDs new Neighborhood Policing Division, speak about how police are using different methods to assist the homeless whose issues are complicated by several factors, including mental illness, drug addiction and alcohol abuse.

Our homeless outreach efforts are one of the most robust in more than 20 years, Wahl said, describing how the department has three teams going out seven days a week to help homeless individuals. When they are ready (to accept assistance), we are there to help, he said, adding officers are also working with other professionals and mental health experts to offer and render aid.

We hope to get these folks shelter, on their feet and back in society, he said.

Wahl said quality of life issues vary in the citys diverse neighborhoods, so different solutions are needed. By having one division available to address these, the department can better utilize its resources.

We take what we have to make (things) work as efficiently as possible, he said. We have to balance those (issues) of the housed with the unhoused community.

While homelessness is not a big issue in Rancho Bernardo, there are often panhandlers in the community. When asked by an attendee how the public should respond  or not  to requests for money, Nisleit said there is no simple answer.

It depends on what they are doing, Nisleit said. Panhandling is free speech and is not a crime unless they are doing it in an aggressive manner and not taking no (for an answer).

He said anyone with a concern can call the police departments non-emergency number (858-484-3154) and a homeless outreach team can come out to speak with the individual to see if assistance can be provided.

Wahl said the public can also use the citys Get It Done app to report concerns.

As for other issues raised by the audience:

 Nisleit said Assembly Bill 931 on the use of force by peace officers was defeated, but will likely be reintroduced again. It would have changed reasonable force to necessary force in a negative way since police have to make split-second decisions on whether someone has a real or loaded weapon in low light situations.

 Proposition 47, passed in 2014, decriminalized most narcotics, making possession of drugs like methamphetamines, heroin, fentanyl and cocaine non-bookable offenses, Nisleit said. This means individuals are given citations comparable to traffic tickets and cannot be booked into jail unless they have a history of failing to appear in court.

There is no leverage to get these folks help, he said, adding this has contributed to more people living on the streets. In addition, with half as many mental health facility beds from when he joined SDPD in 1988  then 600,000 nationwide, now 300,000  there are fewer places for people to get help and they are self-medicating with illicit street drugs.

 Nisleit said there is no real definition of sanctuary city and while Senate Bill 54 keeps police from working with federal agencies in regards to immigration law, police can work with them on other issues. He said police do not ask crime victims, witnesses or low-level offenders about their immigration status. I do care if (illegals) are preying on the citizens of this city, he said.

 He reminded attendees that they need to be proactive in reducing their likelihood of becoming a property crime victim. Do what you can do to help us, he said. Secure your vehicle, keep your garage doors down, turn on your outside lights and take your valuables out of your car. They can be taken in a matter of seconds.

 Regarding the Second Amendment, Nisleit said he supports peoples right to own firearms, but questions the need to possess certain weapons. The AK-47 is not a great shooting weapon or accurate; it is meant to maim and kill folks, he said. We need some middle ground and sensible gun laws. Most criminals do not go to a store to get (a gun) and wait 10 days. They break into homes where owners are not doing their best to keep them safe.

In addition, in most school shootings committed by youths, the shooter accessed a family-owned gun that was left unsecured, he said.

Email: rbnews@pomeradonews.comThe time has come to launch a study on how the city charges for water and sewer services, the Poway City Council informally agreed Tuesday night.

During a workshop on proposed rate hikes for the coming year, all five members agreed that since its been at least a decade since the rate methodologies had been reviewed, a study should be done within the next year.Meanwhile, hearing notices regarding the proposed 2019-20 increases, required under state Proposition 218, will be mailed on Jan. 16 to all city customers. A public hearing is set for 7 p.m. March 5 in the council chambers. Written protests will be accepted between Jan. 16 and March 5. If the number of protests, either written or in person do not exceed half of the customer base, the council will likely adopt the new rates on March 5.

City staff is recommending the water commodity (use) rate be increased by 4.5 percent and the fixed water meter charge be increased by 7.5 percent. The staff report also recommends a 3.35 percent increase in the sewer commodity rate and a 3.25 percent hike in the sewer service charge.

Nine residents spoke at Tuesday nights meeting, all in opposition to the increases. Several were specifically upset over the citys tiered system for sewer charges, the fact rates are based on water usage between October and April and are averaged out over three years.In cases where a customer uses and pays very little for water, sewer rates reflect a much larger usage, the residents complained.

As he has done in past years, Mike Fry suggested the city investigate metering household and/or landscaping water use to eliminate the assumption that all water used ends up in the sewer system. No California cities do this, he noted, but a number of others across the country have.

Joe St. Lucas and Chris Cruse also questioned the way the city establishes sewer charges and advocated for a flat rate system. Cruse called the rates unfair and archaic.

Joan Balazs, a Poway resident for 51 years, recited a list of things the council has done over the years of which she does not approve, including repeated water and sewer rate increases.You do what you want. You dont care, she said. I dont know what to do with you people.

Following public comments, Councilman Barry Leonard was the first to suggest a new rate study, noting it has been a decade or so since an outside consultant had evaluated the citys methods. Councilman Dave Grosch and Mayor Steve Vaus supported the idea in their comments, with Councilman John Mullin and Councilwoman Caylin Frank joining in to vote 5-0 to begin the rate review process.

Mullin said he voted for the motion, but was very apprehensive that the final results might show single-family homeowner not using a lot of water might end up being hit the hardest with a new rate plan.

Email: editor@pomeradonews.comIf youre familiar with shrubs, youre either a fan of Monty Python, chaparral climates or cocktails. But, since this is a Booze 101 primer, well just focus on the latter.

If youre serious about cocktails, shrubs should already be your rotating vocabulary. With its tart and fruity profile, it is the heart and soul of many of the best concoctions throughout San Diego.

But newbies on the scene, the term brings a certain deer-in-headlights response, or a quick-to-judge dismissal due to its vinegar component. As a result, some of the most complex and interesting flavor profiles in the market get easily overlooked.

One San Diego company, Nostrum, is endeavoring to change the anonymity of shrubs and bring it to the glasses of cocktail drinkers everywhere.

Advertisement

Dating back to the 17th Century, shrubs (which in this case are liquid in form, not plant form) are traditionally made as a syrup concentrated with fruit, sugar and vinegar. Nostrum ups the ante by using local fruits and herbs, organic cane sugar, and organic apple cider vinegar. Interesting flavors include blackberry, cacao nib and sage shrub; kumquat, lemongrass and lime leaf shrub; and strawberry, hibiscus and jalapeno shrub, amongst others.

Nostrum shrubs. (James Tran)

PACIFIC chatted with owner and creator Lucas Ryden to find out more about his Nostrum name, the local ingredients he uses, his suggestion for a starter shrub, and how to incorporate this unique liquid into food and drinks.

Where does the name nostrum come from?

LUCAS RYDEN: Its is an old medical term that means a medicine that was ineffective, like snake oil or fake medicine.

Why a shrub company?

I was living in Santa Barbara and was fresh out of college, my degree was in writing and business, and I was bartending and working in restaurants. I thought, how can I combine everything? I came across shrubs in bartending and it stopped me in my tracks. There were a lot of bitters in 2014, but there werent a lot of shrubs, so it was an unsaturated market. It started in the bars and with friends up there, and then I moved back to San Diego in 2015 and started Nostrum.

What makes Nostrum shrubs different from other brands?

Advertisement

What I saw on the market for the most part was simple, with single fruits. When I started playing with them, I thought about layering and combining ingredients into one bottle. The more you can get in one bottle, the better for the customer. I set out to create a line that was more interesting and complex and more ingredient driven with less vinegar. Most people dont want to smell or taste vinegar in their drink.

What local produce do you use?

All the berries, strawberries and blackberries come from Valley Center, from Stehly Farms. I get the citrus (like kumquats) from them, as well, or from La Vigne Organics in Fallbrook.

What are some ways readers can use shrubs easily? Any unexpected ways?

Advertisement

Yes absolutely! You can make a shrub soda with sparkling water, cook with them, and use in salad dressings. You have the base of the dressing there, just add equal parts olive oil. Try the blackberry on vanilla yogurt or ice cream.

Addiding Nostrom shrubs to cocktails at Malahat Spirits Co. (Courtesy photo)

Whats a great starter shrub for a newbie?

I think overall I would suggest the pineapple turmeric ginger. Its approachable, fruity and a little funky and spicy. I use it the most, it works with most cocktails and I cook with it. Its also my favorite for salad dressing.

Advertisement

Favorite cocktail and shrub combo?

Theres one cocktail for each shrub, but recently in the last few months, my favorite is a simple daiquiri with the white rum, lime juice and strawberry cascara ginger shrub. Its a clean cocktail.

Does anyone every use shrubs for health benefits?

The base is organic apple cider, so its definitely healthier than any cocktail mixer or standard syrup. If you are going to be having cocktails, its healthier to be doing it this way.

Advertisement

What should people know about Nostrum?

If you enjoy cocktails, a lot of bartenders have a mental block, so tell bartenders that you like shrubs. The biggest hurdle for a small company like me is that people dont know what it is, because it is far from being in mainstream consciousness yet. So the more we can educate the better.

Where can San Diegans find nostrum for a cocktail or bottle?

I (tend bar) at Realm of the 52 Remedies, so there and also Kindred, Campfire, Clara and retail at Collins & Coupe in North Park.

Advertisement

To shop nostrum for flavor selections and more recipes, visit nostrumshrubs.com

Make it at home

RAGGED POINT

2 oz. gin

3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice

Advertisement

1/2 oz. Nostrum blackberry cacao nib sage shrub

1/4 oz. simple syrup

Shake with ice and strain.

Make a cocktail at home with shrubs. (Courtesy photo)

Advertisement

INDIAN SUMMER

1.5 oz. bourbon

1/2 oz. aperol

1/2 oz. nostrum pineapple turmeric ginger shrub

Advertisement

1 oz. fresh grapefruit juice

Shake with ice and strain.

More...

Booze 101: All about beer yeast

Booze 101: All about sour beers

Advertisement

Booze 101: All about infusing spirits

Booze 101: All about absinthe

Booze 101: All about bitters

Booze 101: All about rum

Advertisement

Booze 101: All about scotch

Booze 101: All about bourbon

Booze 101: All about gin

Booze 101: All about tequila

Advertisement

Booze 101: All about malts

Booze 101: All about mezcalThe California Republican Party is in rough shape  and things could get even worse from here. Thats the biggest conclusion to draw from the news that moderate former Assemblyman David Hadley had withdrawn from the Feb. 24 race to succeed outgoing state GOP Chairman Jim Brulte. The two current candidates  former Assemblyman Travis Allen of Huntington Beach and Simi Valley activist Steve Frank  are Donald Trump Republicans who follow his playbook of saying dishonest things without the slightest evidence. The best example: Both think voter fraud was a factor in the GOPs awful showing in California on Nov. 6.

No, it wasnt. The reason that two-thirds of the state Legislature and a stunning 46 of 53 House members are now Democrats is because California Republicans remain inexplicably wedded to a narrow platform from their glory years from 1983 to 1999 when they held the governorship and wielded significant power in the Assembly and Senate. A platform that fails to embrace diversity, opposes sound environmental policies and clings to anti-tax fervor may still resonate with older white voters, but not to most young and nonwhite voters. This is why Hadley said his party is unable and seemingly unwilling to adapt to the states changing demographics.



For the record: Where Steve Frank lives was corrected.

And this is bad news for the state. A moderate, constructive California Republican Party that emphasized jobs and housing creation and shed its immigration and environmental baggage would find a receptive audience and be a party smartly more akin to Ronald Reagans big tent than a pup tent.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Advertisement

Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & OpinionGavin Newsoms first speech as governor Monday was what you might expect: unabashedly progressive, upbeat and carefully crafted to send distinct messages to everyday Californians, state lawmakers and the Trump administration. With few specifics, he declared that it was a moral imperative to address stagnant wages, inequalities in wealth and opportunity, homelessness, the school achievement gap, poverty and hunger  and he said the Golden State is up to the challenge of addressing each issue  in the process offering an alternative to the corruption and incompetence in the White House.

But after the speech and days of leaks about two big initiatives, Newsom announced a third big proposal that will be part of his administrations 2019-20 budget that must be submitted to the Legislature by Thursday. For all his tributes to predecessor Jerry Browns fiscal stewardship, its plain that Newsom is ready to go places Brown wouldnt.

Newsoms latest plan is a major expansion of Medi-Cal that would provide substantial subsidies to middle-class families for coverage  allowing families of four with income less than $150,600 to qualify. To shore up the health-care systems finances, Newsom wants to require that individuals in the state maintain health insurance. He also wants to provide Medi-Cal to unauthorized immigrants up to age 26; they now lose coverage at 19.

Newsoms office said he would seek waivers from Congress to allow California to go its own way on health care  and, presumably, to allow California to directly access the federal health-care funds that are now spent on its residents. This is sure to be an extremely contentious if not futile process. Its hard to imagine congressional Republicans agreeing to what they inevitably will see as funding Californias experiment with socialized medicine.

Advertisement

Newsom also plans to propose a $1.8 billion program intended to help children from poor families be ready for kindergarten, reflecting studies that show a lack of early childhood education can haunt kids for life. It would expand pre-kindergarten education and provide funding to the districts that dont have facilities to offer full-day kindergarten.

Nearly $750 million of spending would go to expand subsidized child-care programs. About $200 million would be used for in-home visits to help expectant and new parents with health information and their children with health screenings.

This program could be great for Californias millions of struggling families. But it must be executed with an emphasis on metrics and best practices  unlike the states K-12 system. A 2013 report by the Brookings Institution found that many preschool for all initiatives showed mixed or conflicting results. A 2018 analysis by the National Institute for Early Education Research was much more positive. But both studies emphasized the need for constant, rigorous evaluation of what works and what doesnt.

Newsoms third major initiative is no less ambitious but far less specific. He wants to offer families six months of paid leave after a childs birth, which would be the most generous program of any state. California now provides for six weeks of partly paid leave in a program funded by employee payroll taxes. Newsom is proposing gradual growth, but how this expansion would be funded is unclear.

Given that the state is on track to have a budget surplus and a rainy-day fund that are both greater than $14 billion, California progressives may see an opportunity with little risk. But California is overdue for a recession, as Brown often warned. When the Great Recession hit a decade ago, state revenue plunged $20 billion in a single year, forcing harsh cuts in social programs and education. State budget analysts say if another recession hits  even if it is less severe  the state could face $60 billion in lost revenues over three years, eviscerating both the rainy-day fund and the surplus. And that doesnt factor in the fiscal headaches ahead because of underfunded state government pension systems.

Newsom knows the risks of government expansion in a state dependent on volatile revenue streams. Yet he is forging ahead with a bold agenda from day one. With Democrats firmly in control in Sacramento, any coming policy fights may be tame. But when a recession hits, you can expect the fight over how to pay for Newsoms agenda to be fierce.

Twitter: @sdutIdeas

Facebook: San Diego Union-Tribune Ideas & OpinionPresident Trump injected new uncertainty into Californias wildfire recovery efforts, tweeting early Wednesday that he has ordered the Federal Emergency Management Agency not to send more disaster funding to state officials unless they get their act together, which is unlikely.

Neither the White House nor FEMA provided clarification, in response to emails and calls, about whether Trumps threat was bluster like other tweets he has sent making false assertions while criticizing the states fire management, or if he has actually ordered a funding cutoff to thousands of Californians trying to rebuild after the devastating fires late last year.

The president tweeted: Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forrest fires that, with proper Forrest Management, would never happen. Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money!

He later re-sent the message after correcting the spelling of forest.

Advertisement

Billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forest fires that, with proper Forest Management, would never happen. Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money!  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2019

Bluster or not, Trumps threat alarmed California officeholders. Politicians from both parties criticized the tweet, though Republicans stopped short of condemning the author and expressed sympathy with his complaints about the states Democratic governance.

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, one of Trumps closest allies in Congress, whom the president calls my Kevin, waited six hours before reacting. He issued a statement attesting that the president and his administration understand the severity of the devastation and have delivered for Californians.

Pictures in the News | Thursday Jan. 10, 2019 

Yet he did not address in the statement whether Trump would indeed stop FEMA assistance. Nor did McCarthy say whether hed raised the question with the president during a meeting at the White House on Wednesday afternoon on the 19-day-old partial government shutdown. Back at the Capitol later, McCarthy didnt answer when a reporter asked if hed talked to Trump about the disaster aid.

I will continue to work with the administration and our California Republican and Democrat elected officials to ensure that California continues to receive needed disaster-related funding, McCarthy said in his statement.

Californias Democratic politicians blasted Trump for his threat.

For new Gov. Gavin Newsom, the latest Trump rebuke to the state came a day after he had joined Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown in a letter asking the administration to double its investments in taking care of federal land in Western states.

Advertisement

In a tweet directed at Trump, Newsom said the West Coast governors had been put in office by the voters to get things done, not to play games with lives.

Newsom also has proposed $305 million to thin thousands of acres of forests and brush, expand emergency crews and modernize Californias 911 systems. Much of Californias forests is federally managed or privately owned, putting them outside the states authority to manage.

Pres. Trump's go-to is governing by fear and division. We can secure our border AND achieve comprehensive immigration reform--without wasting tax payer $ to build a pointless wall. Hundreds of thousands of fed workers are waiting on a paycheck. End the games. Open our government.  Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 9, 2019

Disasters and recovery are no time for politics. Im already taking action to modernize and manage our forests and emergency responses.



The people of CA -- folks in Paradise -- should not be victims to partisan bickering.  Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) January 9, 2019

Advertisement

.@realDonaldTrumps threat insults the memory of scores of Americans who perished in wildfires last year & thousands more who lost their homes. @GOPLeader must join me to condemn & call on POTUS to reassure millions in CA that our govt will be there for them in their time of need https://t.co/YZJQug9zh0  Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 9, 2019

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) in her own tweet called on Republicans to condemn Trump and get him to reassure Californians needing assistance. She said his threat insults the memory of those who died or lost property.

Few California Republicans responded to Trump. Rep. Doug LaMalfa of Richvale, whose district includes areas of Northern California scorched by the Camp fire, said he shares Trumps frustration with the states land management but said that Trump should remember the promise he made to the people of Paradise when he visited their destroyed town in mid-November, that the federal government would help them recover.

Trumps tweet, LaMalfa said, came out of left field, and it didnt really help with this situation. He added, as if addressing Trump, Dont make it about FEMA and the fire victims. If you want to cut off money, cut off money for stupid things like high-speed rail or other things that the federal government sends that have nothing to do with this subject.

Advertisement

LaMalfa said hes gotten no reassurance from the White House or FEMA about Trumps intent, though he is hoping that the president is simply saber-rattling, saying, California, stop being stupid about everything. 

Two Republicans who represent Paradise in the California Legislature  state Sen. Jim Nielsen of Gerber and Assemblyman James Gallagher of Yuba City  in a statement called Trumps tweet wholly unacceptable.

Republican Rep. Tom McClintock of Elk Grove declined to criticize the president, though he contradicted the point of Trumps tweet. The congressman said the federal government was at fault for its forest management, not California.

Both of Californias Democratic U.S. senators lambasted the president. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said in a statement, Attacking victims is yet another low for this president. Sen. Kamala Harris tweeted, We should work together to mitigate these fires by combating climate change, not play politics by threatening to withhold money from survivors of a deadly natural disaster.

Advertisement

In November, the Camp fire obliterated the town of Paradise, killing 86 people and destroying more than 13,900 homes in the area; and the Woolsey fire in Los Angeles and Ventura counties left three dead and leveled about 1,500 structures.

Paradise Town Councilman Steven Crowder, a Republican, called Trumps tweet disturbing.

Crowder added: Im sure Im not alone  we lost our home, we lost our business, we lost our community  and I dont think that anybody thats been through that would be too supportive of that tweet.

Feinstein and Harris have requested $9 billion in supplemental disaster funding from Congress. Their request was not considered last year and the new Congress has not taken up a disaster aid package. The House, newly under Democrats control, is planning to vote on a package as soon as next week.

Advertisement

FEMA is running on a thin staff because of the government shutdown. Calls to the agency were answered by this recording: Due to the federal funding hiatus, we are not able to return voicemail messages about general press queries. Yet an aide acknowledged receipt of questions from The Times, and said the agency would try to provide answers.

It was unclear what prompted Trump to write his provocative tweet, though often he does so after seeing a report on Fox News.

Before his tweet at 9:36 a.m. Eastern time, the cable networks Fox & Friends program  a Trump favorite  had extensive coverage of California matters. While it didnt mention the wildfires, the show reported on Newsoms inauguration as governor on Monday, prompting mockery by the shows hosts.

Hes already inviting illegal immigrants to his sanctuary state  everybody! one said of Newsom. Another added: His first order of business: expanding state-run healthcare, including full coverage to 138,000 illegal immigrants. A separate Fox News report from San Diego had migrants reacting to Trumps televised address Tuesday night, in which he demanded a border wall.

Advertisement

Times staff writer Joseph Serna in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

The latest from Washington 

sarah.wire@latimes.com

noah.bierman@latimes.comTop congressional Democrats said President Donald Trump has chosen fear in his drive to build a southern border wall and called on him to reopen the government shuttered because of the standoff over his demand for money for the barrier.

Speaking moments after Trump made his case for the wall in an Oval Office address Tuesday night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told a national television audience that the presidents rhetoric has been full of misinformation and even malice.

Standing alongside her, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Americas symbol should be the Statute of Liberty, not a 30-foot wall. He accused Trump of trying to stoke fear and divert attention from his tumultuous administration.

The Democrats prime-time remarks were something of a debut for the newly empowered opposition. Less than a week after Democrats seized control of the House, Pelosi and Schumer stood side-by-side at a lectern in a joint appearance that appeared designed to emphasize their partys unity.

Advertisement

They spoke moments after Trump warned of a growing humanitarian and security crisis at the border with Mexico. He said it was immoral for politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized by the drugs and criminals he claims are streaming across the boundary.

Trump and the Democrats have been dueling during a partial government shutdown over his demands for  and their opposition to  $5.7 billion to begin building a border wall with Mexico. Some 800,000 federal employees are working without pay or have been furloughed at dozens of federal agencies, and each side is blaming the other for the closure.

The longest shutdown ever was 21 days that stretched from December 1995 into January 1996.

Polls have shown that Trumps proposed wall and the shutdown fight have played well with his die-hard conservative supporters, but poorly with the general public. The wall was one of Trumps highest-profile campaign promises and his performance on that issue could have a major impact on his 2020 re-election effort, while Democrats have made opposition to the proposal a cornerstone goal.

Pelosi, D-Calif., said Trump forced the shutdown due to his obsession with a costly, ineffective wall, which she recently called immoral.

President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis and must reopen the government, she said.

Most presidents have used Oval Office addresses for noble purposes, said Schumer, D-N.Y. This president just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis.

The Democrats remarks lasted just over four minutes, compared with more than nine minutes for Trump.

Advertisement

Vermont independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, a potential 2020 Democratic presidential contender, delivered his own response on social media. Sanders said Trump lies all the time, citing the presidents assertions that Mexico would pay for the wall and his claims about the number of terrorists and amount of illegal drugs flowing across the border.

Sanders said true emergencies facing the U.S. include the number of people who remain without sufficient health care coverage, college costs that are unaffordable for many and global warming.

Mr. President, we dont need to create artificial crises. We have enough real ones, said Sanders.A suspect in an Orange County homicide was arrested Tuesday following a freeway chase that lasted over an hour and stretched from Anaheim to the Del Mar area during morning rush hour traffic, authorities said.

The chase started after Anaheim police officers, who were searching for a homicide suspect, attempted to stop a driver at about 7:35 a.m., Anaheim Police Sgt. Jeff Mundy said.

The suspect, whose name was not immediately released, was wanted for what investigators suspect was a gang-related shooting on Christmas Eve, Mundy said.

The victim of that shooting was taken to an area hospital, but died Monday morning as a result of his wounds, Mundy said.

Advertisement

According to Mundy, officers tried to make contact with the suspect, but he drove off. With police in pursuit, the driver jumped onto southbound Interstate 5.

California Highway Patrol officers were called in to assist with the chase about 7:40 a.m., and continued pursuing the man, who was driving a gray Honda Accord, CHP Officer Jim Bettencourt said.

The man continued down I-5 through the Oceanside area, reaching speeds as high as 80 mph, Bettencourt said.

During the chase, the fleeing driver encountered heavy traffic in Encinitas and used the center median to avoid traffic.

CHP officers deployed a spike strip around 8:30 a.m. near Leucadia Boulevard, but it was not immediately clear if the vehicle ran into the spike strip, Bettencourt said.

The man pulled over on the right shoulder south of Via De La Valle, got out of the car and attempted to flee on foot up an embankment off the rightside of the freeway, Bettencourt said.

The CHP blocked all traffic on southbound I-5 near Via De La Valle during the foot chase, he said.The San Diego Blood Bank announced Wednesday that it is in immediate need of donations of type O blood.

The blood bank is encouraging regular donors as well as first-time donors with type O positive and O negative blood to contribute due to critically low local supplies.



For the record: A headline on an earlier version of this story mistakenly said the appeal for blood donations was being made by the Red Cross. It was actually made by the San Diego Blood Bank.

According to the blood bank, O positive is the most common blood type and O negative is universal and can be given to any patient. Both are needed and used often in hospitals and emergency rooms.

Coming out of the holiday season, we typically see a decrease in donations of all types at this time due to schools being out of session for the holidays and seasonal illnesses like the flu, said San Diego Blood Bank CEO David Wellis. `The need for type O blood has hit a critically low level and we need the community to help us keep a safe supply for hospital patients.

Advertisement

Residents in good health ages 17 and older who weigh at least 114 pounds are eligible to donate blood, according to the blood bank. Those with type O blood are encouraged to make an appointment as soon as possible by visiting sandiegobloodbank.org or calling the blood bank at (800) 469-7322.

Twitter: @karenkucher

(619) 293-1350

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.comTwo men robbed a pedestrian at gunpoint early Wednesday morning in the Rolando area, San Diego police said.

Dispatchers received a call shortly before 3:35 a.m. from a man on El Cajon Boulevard near 69th Street reporting that he had been robbed by two men who had handguns, San Diego police Sgt. Robert Hawkins said.

Officers responded to the area and the 64-year-old victim told them that two men had stolen cash from him at gunpoint in front of a tire shop on El Cajon Boulevard near 72nd Street.

The thieves then fled in an unknown direction in a vehicle, described as a white pickup truck, Hawkins said.

Advertisement

No detailed descriptions of the suspects were immediately available.

Twitter: @karenkucher

(619) 293-1350

karen.kucher@sduniontribune.comTop Trump administration officials moved through the Middle East Tuesday attempting to explain their boss inconsistencies on plans to withdraw from Syria and to convince skeptical allies of Washingtons commitment to them.

On the first day of an eight-nation diplomatic blitz, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo insisted his governments efforts to block Iranian expansion in the region, working alongside key Middle East allies, were as strong as ever, despite President Trumps recent statement that Iran can do what they want in Syria.

The counter-Iran  coalition [is] as effective today as it was yesterday, and Im very hopeful that it will continue to be effective and even more effective tomorrow, Pompeo said at a brief news conference in the Jordanian capital of Amman, ahead of a meeting with King Abdullah.

The presidents decision to withdraw our folks from Syria, he said, in no way impacts our capacity to deliver on that.

Advertisement

The U.S. withdrawal from Syria, which Trump abruptly announced last month, is expected to give free rein to Iranian militias fighting there in support of President Bashar Assad.

Alarmed at that prospect, and the likelihood that neighboring Turkey would attack U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria, several administration officials have attempted to roll back Trumps pledge or obfuscate a timeline.

But in Turkey, national security advisor John Bolton ran into stiff opposition Tuesday from President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Erdogan rebuffed Boltons suggestion that the withdrawal might take longer than Trump indicated, and refused to agree to any protection of the Kurdish militias, whom he regards as terrorists.

Bolton made a very serious mistake in demanding protection, Erdogan said in a caustically worded speech in Ankara on Tuesday, adding that any compromise on the Kurds, who served as the U.S. proxy army in Syria, was out of the question.

Erdogan also said he expected Trump to abide by his original offer to withdraw an estimated 2,000 U.S. troops quickly. Since that first statement, Trump and his advisors have offered varying timetables, or no timetable at all. A spokesman for Bolton stressed the withdrawal would take place at a proper pace, again contradicting Trump.

His mission to reassure allies an apparent failure, Bolton departed Turkey without meeting with Erdogan.

Pompeo, who will also travel to Egypt and most of the Persian Gulf nations, sought to dispel the idea that Trump and members of his administration were at odds.

Advertisement

Trump and Bolton have both said the same thing, Pompeo told journalists traveling with him shortly after takeoff from Washington late Monday. Theyve both said were going to get out.

Independent of Erdogans comments Tuesday, the Pentagon continues to hold out hope for reaching an agreement with Turkey to safeguard the Kurds.

The Pentagon has approved a plan submitted by commanders in the Middle East for withdrawing the roughly 2,000 U.S. troops from northeast Syria, Defense officials said Tuesday. A contingent of about 200 troops will likely remain in the far-south Syrian area of Tanf.

Another factor behind a less rapid withdrawal: The U.S. pullout will begin once more progress has been made in defeating the remnants of the Islamic State extremist group, which could take months, a Defense official said.

Advertisement

U.S. commanders have an approved framework for the withdrawal of forces from Syria, and [are] now engaged in executing that withdrawal, the Pentagon said in a statement. The framework is conditions-based, which could include factors as unpredictable as weather and will not subject troop withdrawal to an arbitrary timeline, the statement said.

Though the plan has been approved by senior Pentagon officials, Trump could always switch course to a more rapid withdrawal if progress against Islamic State does not materialize.

In Amman, Pompeo met twice on Tuesday with his Jordanian counterpart, Ayman Safadi, who supported challenging Iran and its regional influence. But he also highlighted other key differences between his country and the Trump administration  including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Safadi reiterated the kingdoms long-standing belief in the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, which for decades was also the U.S. position. Trump, however, has refused to embrace either of those concepts, tipping his support for Israels demands over Palestinian claims.

Advertisement

Bolton was in Israel during the weekend, before traveling to Turkey, and heard Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ask for U.S. recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, a 700-square-mile section of fertile land that Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Six-Day War and eventually occupied and annexed.

Safadi opposed the Israeli claim. The Golan Heights is in occupied Syrian territory; international law is clear on that, he said in the news conference with Pompeo.

On Iran and Syria, Pompeo said the withdrawal would not weaken the administrations maximum pressure campaign against Tehran, which includes economic sanctions.

Youll see in the coming days and weeks, we are doubling not only our diplomatic but our commercial efforts to put real pressure on Iran to achieve what it is we set out for them back in May when Trump withdrew from the landmark Iran nuclear deal that curbed Tehrans nuclear program, Pompeo said.

Advertisement

Trumps order to withdraw from Syria was so abrupt that it prompted his well-regarded Defense secretary, James N. Mattis, to resign in protest. Mattis chastised the presidents worldview, disregard for traditional allies and friendliness with adversaries such as Russia.

Brett McGurk, the administrations top envoy for the anti-Islamic State coalition that was a key actor in Syria, also quit.

On Tuesday, retired Gen. Anthony Zinni added his name to the list of people leaving the administration. Zinni, a four-star Marine Corps general and former head of U.S. Central Command, was placed in charge of attempting to negotiate an end to the dispute between Qatar and many of its Gulf neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, which more than a year ago enacted a blockade on the gas-rich emirate.

Trump initially lent his support to the Saudis and their partners, against Qatar, despite it being home to the largest U.S. military base in the Gulf. That may have made the Saudis less willing to compromise.

Advertisement

Zinni told CBS News that he had found intransigent regional leaders refusing to agree to a viable mediation effort that we offered to conduct or assist in implementing.

Staff writer David S. Cloud contributed from Washington.

tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com

For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on TwitterAn Arizona woman in a vegetative state who had a baby after she was sexually assaulted at a long-term care facility is recovering at a hospital along with her child, authorities said Wednesday as they ramped up the search for a suspect in a case thats made shockwaves.

Commenting for the first time on the investigation since the Dec. 29 birth came to light, Phoenix police said they have not ruled out anyone and are still gathering DNA from all the facilitys male employees.

She was not in a position to give consent to any of this, police spokesman Tommy Thompson said. So if anyone can understand that, this was a helpless victim who was sexually assaulted.

He didnt release the conditions of the woman and her child, who will be taken in by his mothers family.

Advertisement

The case has drawn outcry from the governor to the San Carlos Apache tribe in southeastern Arizona, of which the 29-year-old victim is an enrolled member, and put the spotlight on the safety of group homes and facilities that care for those who are incapacitated or severely disabled.

Sadly, one of her caretakers was not to be trusted and took advantage of her. It is my hope that justice will be served, tribal chairman Terry Rambler said.

Some criticized authorities for not speaking out earlier or calling the case a sexual assault.

Thompson said investigators initially didnt want to say anything that could cause a suspect to go underground or go into hiding.

Hacienda HealthCare owns the care facility and said it welcomed DNA testing of its male workers. Authorities served a search warrant Tuesday, a day after the providers CEO resigned.

We will continue to cooperate with Phoenix police and all other investigative agencies to uncover the facts in this deeply disturbing, but unprecedented situation, the company said in a statement.

Thompson said police will get a court order if anyone declines to submit DNA.

Local news website Azfamily.com first reported that the woman who was in a vegetative state for more than 10 years after a near-drowning had given birth on Dec. 29.

Advertisement

Police were called that day on a report of a newborn in distress, Thompson said. It appears no staff knew about the pregnancy until the birth, he said, adding that anyone who knew but failed to report it could face charges.

A lawyer for the womans family said they were outraged at the neglect of their daughter and asked for privacy.

The family would like me to convey that the baby boy has been born into a loving family and will be well cared for, Phoenix attorney John Micheaels said in a statement.

The Hacienda facility serves infants, children and young adults who are medically fragile or have developmental disabilities, its website says. It has multiple complaints going back to 2013, most for emergency preparation or Medicaid eligibility, according to the states online complaint database for care facilities.

Advertisement

But one complaint from December 2013 alleges a staffer made inappropriate sexual comments about four patients two months earlier. Nobody relayed the incidents to an administrator. That employee was later fired.

After the birth emerged, the Arizona Department of Health Services said new safety measures have been implemented, including increased staff presence during any patient interaction, more monitoring of patient care areas and additional security measures involving visitors.

Advocates for people with disabilities say Arizona needs to find a way to monitor allegations of sexual abuse and sexual violence in group settings. They also say health care workers need better training on identifying and reporting sexual abuse.

Jon Meyers, executive director of The Arc of Arizona, an advocacy group for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, called the situation disturbing, to put it mildly.

Advertisement

I cant believe someone receiving that level of constant care wasnt recognized as being pregnant prior to the time she delivered, Meyers said.President Donald Trump says he has ended catch-and-release for asylum seekers, but in cities on the U.S. border with Mexico it is catch and cant release fast enough.

Since late October, the U.S. has been releasing asylum-seeking families so quickly they dont even have time to make travel arrangements, which it blames on lack of detention space. Families are often given court dates without even having to pass initial screenings by asylum officers. They end up in shelters run by charities, or are dropped off at bus stations in border cities.

For one Salvadoran family that dizzying series of events began when their 7-year-old daughter, Yariza Flores, landed on barbed wire after being hoisted over a border fence during their illegal crossing last month. She was rushed to a San Diego hospital to stop profuse bleeding.

Just four days later, U.S. authorities dropped her off at a San Diego shelter with her parents and 3-year-old brother. They had no money, the clothes on their backs and an order given to them during their stint in U.S. custody to appear in immigration court in Houston, where they planned to live with Yarizas grandmother and two aunts. They didnt even have time to arrange for relatives to buy bus tickets before they were released.

Advertisement

In this Dec. 11, 2018, photo the parents of Yariza Flores, 11, show where the girl cut her torso as she landed on barbed wire while crossing the border illegally, after arriving from an immigration detention center to a shelter in San Diego. Since late October 2016, the U.S. has been releasing asylum-seeking families with little time to arrange travel, which it blames on lack of detention space. To avoid putting penniless families on the streets, charities and advocacy groups from California to Texas are scrambling to provide shelter, food, clothes and help buying bus and plane tickets. (Gregory Bull / AP)

I feel happy because were finally here, were finally going to see my family, the girls mother, Tania Escobar, said in the shelter dining hall after a meal of shredded chicken, rice and beans. Her daughter sat nearby, all smiles, wearing a silver crown that a Border Patrol agent gave her and holding a stuffed animal from a doctor who treated the severe cuts on her lower back.

From California to Arizona to Texas, volunteers are scrambling to help families until they can arrange transportation to relatives across the U.S. The San Diego Rapid Response Network , an advocacy coalition that runs the shelter that housed Yariza and her family, has served more than 4,000 people since opening in a church in late October, moving five times since then because it ran out of space.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement often coordinates with these shelters. On the December night that Yariza arrived, ICE brought 125 people in buses that came every half-hour. One night during Christmas week, the facility received 180 people, forcing it to use a church for the overflow.

The situation belies Trumps assertion, in a November tweet, that Catch and Release is an obsolete term. It is now Catch and Detain.

The Trump administration announced Dec. 20 that it would make asylum seekers who enter the U.S. on its southern border wait in Mexico while their claims wind through clogged immigration courts, which can take years. But that catch and return policy has yet to take effect while the two countries work on mechanics; a legal challenge appears likely.

So, for now, many asylum-seeking families are being released in the U.S. before even they are ready. ICE dropped off hundreds of people daily at a bus station in El Paso, Texas, over the holidays. In Tucson, Arizona, charities have rented motel rooms when shelters are full.

ICE began shortening custody stays on Oct. 23 in response to the growing numbers of families crossing from Mexico. Officials say ICE previously ensured that families had travel plans first but that its not legally required to do so.

Advertisement

After decades of inaction by Congress, the government remains severely constrained in its ability to detain and promptly remove families with no legal basis to remain in the U.S., said ICE spokeswoman Sarah Rodriguez. As a result, family units continue to cross the border at high volumes and are likely to continue to do so, as they face no consequence for their actions.

At the San Diego shelter, asylum-seeking families, largely from Guatemala and Honduras, are asked about their health at the front door. A mobile clinic in the parking lot tends to people with sore throats, dehydration, vomiting, fevers and other ailments.

Once inside, a large room manned by volunteers resembles a busy travel agency. Families lined up at rows of tables tell shelter workers their plans and get help calling family to pay for travel. A whiteboard in the corner marks progress buying tickets to New York, Nashville, Austin, Texas, and other cities across the U.S. Volunteers shuttle as many as they can to a bus station or airport to make room for the next nights arrivals.

Shelter organizers say it costs $350,000 a month to operate the facility, which provides food, showers, cots, clothing and sometimes travel expenses. The state of California has donated $500,000 for administrative costs, and the city of San Diego may turn a former juvenile detention camp into a shelter.

Advertisement

We cant do everything ourselves, but I know were capable of doing more, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said after visiting the shelter in November as governor-elect, calling it a humanitarian crisis.

Kate Clark, an immigration attorney with Jewish Family Service of San Diego, said babies as young as two days old have arrived at the shelter; some migrants come without shoes. One malnourished woman weighed just 80 pounds. So far, no one has been left penniless in the streets, but, she says, Every single night is close.

Pedro Mateos, who fled violence in Guatemalas western highlands, spent two days in Border Patrol custody after climbing a fence from Tijuana, Mexico, and was given a notice to appear in immigration court in Florida, where he planned to live with an aunt.

We cant return to our country, the 37-year-old Mateos said, sipping coffee. We cant return there.

Advertisement

Yarizas familys journey began after the gangs that killed her great-uncle and threatened her grandmother gave her parents 24 hours to leave their home in the Salvadoran port city of La Libertad. Escobar, 25, said she and her husband decided they couldnt risk staying.

The family didnt want to wait weeks or months in Tijuana for U.S. authorities to process their claims at an official crossing, as U.S. authorities say asylum seekers should, so they crossed illegally.

The family took a taxi to a remote mountainous area with plans to surrender to a U.S. Border Patrol agent. Their search for an agent became urgent after Yarizas injury.

We were so desperate, Escobar said. Then she added wistfully: With Gods help we will achieve what we asked for  asylum.Many San Diegans who tuned in for President Donald Trumps prime-time speech on border security Tuesday night said they didnt hear anything new.

Trump spoke of a growing humanitarian and security crisis at our southern border, oscillating between his hard line rhetoric linking drugs and criminals to immigrants and a tone of moral necessity for ramping up the number of border agents and building his promised wall.

I dont think theres anything new that he said, said Chris Harris, a retired Border Patrol agent.

Harris wondered if the president would use the speech as evidence of a last attempt to make a deal before resorting to declaring a national emergency to pull military funding for his wall, as Washington rumors early in the week indicated the president was considering.

Advertisement

While Harris believes that more border barrier would be useful to the agents who guard the southwest border, he criticized all sides of the debate for ending up in a government shutdown that means those agents are working without pay.

I put that blame on everybody, Harris said. Youve had two years to work on this, and I think its reprehensible to wait to the last minute and do this political brinkmanship with peoples lives.

He hopes that Congress and the White House will be able to find a compromise and reopen the government quickly.

Paola Avila, vice president in international business affairs at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce, also said that Trump didnt say anything new.

She worried that Trump was confusing several different issues  border security, immigration and trade among them.

We agree that we need a secure border, but we believe that we have a secure border, Avila said. Our border region is an opportunity zone, not a danger zone.

Trumps rhetoric could damage the trade and tourism industries that are key parts of the San Diego regions economy, she said. She pointed to San Diegos low crime rate for a city of its size as evidence that its inaccurate to portray the border as a place riddled with violent crime.

She would support the presidents requests for technology at the border and more judges for the immigration system, she said.

Advertisement

For longtime migrant rights advocate Pedro Rios, director of the American Friends Service Committees U.S./Mexico Border Program, some of the language in Trumps speech seemed to be an emotional plea to reach people beyond his base, particularly people in African-American or Hispanic communities.

I think what he was trying to do is expand his base by suggesting African-Americans and Hispanics are most directly impacted by people who are in the country in an undocumented way, which is absolutely untrue, Rios said.

He noted that Trump held off mentioning the proposed border wall until well into the speech, which Rios said might be another sign of Trump trying to win over people outside his base.

Gustavo De La Fuente, executive director of the Smart Border Coalition, criticized the administrations prioritizing a border barrier over funding the federal government, but he appreciated Trumps proposing measures other than the wall.

Advertisement

This is a smarter and more practical way to manage our cross-border region, De La Fuente said.

He said that Congress and the president should debate border security separate from the federal budget.

Ariosto Manrique, a dual citizen and CEO of a market research firm in Tijuana, said the presidents remarks were the same old wall speech.

For those who live at this binational region, a wall or a fence (made out of whatever material you want), its part of our landscape, Manrique said. I personally dont see any big deal as long as you keep yourself, your family or your business updated with the current laws and, on the other hand, the U.S. government always remains open for humanitarian or political asylum according to international agreements.

Advertisement

At El Taconazo in Tijuanas upscale Colonia Cacho, waiters were busy taking orders for adobada and asada tacos as President Trumps image played out on three television screens throughout the restaurant on a TV Milenio broadcast with simultaneous translation.

Few were paying attention.

Jean Paul Villalobos, 48, an architect and dual U.S.-Mexican citizen, who had come down from Chula Vista with his wife and daughter was not won over by the presidents message.

I pay my taxes, I dont want my tax money to go to the funding of this wall, Villalobos said. We need the money to be funded for infrastructure, health care and education. I think its a bad idea.

Advertisement

Trump will travel to the Texas border on Thursday to further push his message on security and the wall.

Immigration Videos On Now New developments in family separation case 9:53 On Now A San Diego woman volunteered as a medic in Texas helping migrant families 2:35 On Now Immigration policy protests in Carlsbad nearly cancelled after permit issue 1:38 On Now When children are separated from their parents at the border, here is where they go next On Now Prospects of a deal for 'Dreamers' may hinge on separating Trump from hard-liners on his staff On Now What is DACA? On Now Border wall prototype contractors selected On Now Video: Ukrainian boxer wins asylum in U.S. On Now 30 apprehended after Border Patrol agents discover tunnel On Now Video: Kurdish diaspora prepare to vote on independence

Advertisement

Follow me on Facebook for live updates about immigration news

kate.morrissey@sduniontribune.com, @bgirledukate on TwitterHealth care executives from across San Diego County reacted with optimism, and just a hint of skepticism, Tuesday to a new executive order from freshly-minted Gov. Gavin Newsom.

In the order, made Monday shortly after he was sworn in, the governors his first action expands the states prescription drug negotiating powers, reinstates the mandate to buy health insurance that the federal government recently removed, extends coverage to currently uncovered undocumented immigrants, offers financial assistance with health insurance premiums to a broader swath of the middle class and creates a new state surgeon general who would explore root causes of serious health conditions.

For the most part, those ideas received a round of applause from local health executives, though most said theyre still waiting for the cash register to ring.

Its pretty hard to be opposed to finding ways to provide affordable health insurance to more California residents, but its not clear how this is going to be paid for, and it cannot be borne by the care providers who already receive some of the lowest reimbursement in the United States for Medicaid/Medical, said Chris VanGorder, chief executive of Scripps Health by email.

Advertisement

Local health insurance broker Craig Gussin had much the same early take.

Everyone wants affordability and access; however, there needs to be more analysis of how (California) will pay for it and what the model of care will look like in practice, Gussin said.

The devil is in the details here, as to the financing of state subsidies for purchase of such coverage, and we will work with the new administration in looking at this proposal, added Dr. Ted Mazer, immediate past president of the California Medical Association and a San Diego-area ear, nose and throat physician.

Diane Hansen, chief executive of Palomar Health in North County, found the idea of better reimbursement for patients her organization is already serving to be good news, even if the details are not yet available.

Palomar Health serves a significant undocumented population. We are in favor of Governor Newsoms proposal to increase access to healthcare for undocumented immigrants which will help us fulfill our mission to provide quality healthcare to all residents in our healthcare district, Hansen said.

Mike Murphy, chief executive of Sharp HealthCare, said that the new governors immediate action on health care issues sent a clear message.

We are please to see the Governor taking swift action to demonstrate his high priority on health care, Murphy said.

The most early excitement seemed to be around the notion of the state getting more aggressive with its drug negotiations. The governors order calls for Medi-Cal, health insurance of last resort for 13 million of the states neediest residents, to begin joint drug negotiations and begins laying the groundwork for private companies to participate.

Advertisement

We also commend the Governor for immediately recognizing the high price of prescription drugs, a main driver of high health care costs, said Jane Finley, senior vice president and area manager of Kaiser Permanente San Diego.

The idea of creating a California Surgeon general gets a bit of an initial mixed review.

Dr. Nick Yphantides, San Diego Countys chief medical officer, said he found the idea exciting.

The creation of a (California) Surgeon General is an exciting idea to galvanize the health and wellness of our State! Yphantides said.

Advertisement

But VanGorder wasnt convinced.

I dont think we need to be in competition with the U.S. government on everything, and we dont need the additional cost, bureaucracy and regulations, VanGorder said.

Advertisement

Health Playlist On Now Video: Why aren't Americans getting flu shots? 0:37 On Now Video: Leaders urge public to help extinguish hepatitis outbreak On Now San Diego starts cleansing sidewalks, streets to combat hepatitis A On Now Video: Scripps to shutter its hospice service On Now Video: Scripps La Jolla hospitals nab top local spot in annual hospital rankings On Now Video: Does a parent's Alzheimer's doom their children? On Now Video: Vaccine can prevent human papillomavirus, which can cause cancer 0:31 On Now 23 local doctors have already faced state discipline in 2017 0:48 On Now EpiPen recall expands On Now Kids can add years to your life

paul.sisson@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1850

Twitter: @paulsissonFresh off a major legal victory, the San Diego chapter of the Sierra Club called Tuesday for exploring the use of in-county carbon offsets as a way to address car and truck pollution from new suburban developments.

The conservation group defeated the county in San Diego Superior Court last month, halting its third attempt to draft a Climate Action Plan. The main sticking point was a provision that would have allowed developers to purchase offsets credits anywhere in the world, rather than having to fully address the carbon footprints of new housing developments.

San Diego Countys carbon-offset plan for developers in jeopardy but some projects could survive 

The legal victory, which may be appealed, has thrown the fate of as many as 10,000 new housing units into question.

Advertisement

Weve been contacted by a bunch of developers, which is interesting, George Courser, a spokesman for the Sierra Club San Diego chapter, told the Board of Supervisors at its Tuesday meeting. This usually isnt an occurrence that we have.

Courser said that the Sierra Club would like to meet with county staff and the development community to discuss drafting an in-county offset program to fund everything from public transit to electrifying port operations to protecting regional forest lands.

We believe that all the mitigation for any greenhouse gas should take place here in the county to benefit the citizens of California and San Diego, but it appears that county planners dont agree with that, Courser said.

Thats where Sierra Club and the developers feel this is a mistake, he added. We invite the county planners to discuss this.

The Board of Supervisors didnt respond to the Sierra Clubs request at the meeting, and the county declined to comment for this story.

The Building Industry Association of San Diego County wouldnt say whether any of its members has reached out to the Sierra Club. The development community has decried the courts December ruling as compounding the states housing shortage.

The San Diego-based Climate Action Campaign, which has vocally supported the Sierra Club in its lawsuit against the county, distanced itself on Tuesday from the groups offer to consider the use of local offsets credits as part of the countys climate plan.

The idea that were going to be able craft our own offset program thats verifiable and enforceable is dubious at best, said Nicole Capretz, executive director of the Climate Action Campaign. The idea of building sprawl is not tenable even with offsets.

Advertisement

Carbon offsets are bought through nonprofit online storefronts known as registries and can fund everything from land conservation to sustainable agricultural practices to reforestation projects. California shepherded the creation of several carbon registries and a complicated accounting system for greenhouse gases about a decade ago as part of its cap-and-trade program.

Californias carbon-credit market often pays for greenhouse gas reductions that wouldve happened anyway 

There are currently no offset programs in the San Diego region selling credits through one of the state-backed registries, such as the Climate Action Reserve, American Carbon Registry and Verified Carbon Standard.

In a sternly worded ruling, Judge Timothy B. Taylor found the countys offset program lacked oversight and violated its 2011 general plan update, which called for drafting a climate blueprint to reduce greenhouse gas locally.

Advertisement

This is the countys third attempt to draft a legally defensible climate plan since 2012. In his ruling, Taylor called the changes to its latest iteration window dressing and said the people of the county have a right to expect more from their elected officials.

Ahead of the ruling, the Board of Supervisors approved four major projects that rely on carbon offsets, including Newland Sierra, Valiano, Harmony Grove Village South and Otay 250 Sunroad.

The Sierra Club has also challenged each of those projects in court.

In November, the board put several other projects on hold, including Lilac Hills Ranch, Otay Ranch 14, Warner Ranch and dozens of smaller parcel changes.

Advertisement

Twitter: @jemersmith

Advertisement

Phone: (619) 293-2234

Email: joshua.smith@sduniontribune.comA North County professional skateboarder is being charged in a federal drug distribution case months after a search of his Encinitas home turned up heroin, methamphetamine and Xanax.

Robert Vincent Lorifice, 30, was arrested by the Sheriffs Department following the Sept. 26 search of his home on Blossom Field Way and is facing drug charges in two separate cases in San Diego Superior Court.

A federal arrest warrant has now been issued.

Lorifice grew up in Encinitas, perfecting his craft at the Magdalena Ecke YMCA and being mentored by the countys older generation of skating stars, including Tony Hawk, according to a 2010 profile in The Coast News.

Advertisement

He is an X-Games veteran competitor and won a bronze medal for Best Air in 2010.

Sheriffs detectives had to force their way into his home to serve the search warrant. They found Lorifice in the master bedroom, his hands wet with water all over the floor of the master bath, according to the complaint. Evidence suggests he had been trying to flush drugs down the toilet.

Detectives found drugs in an open safe in one closet and thousands in cash in a closed safe in another closet. Various drugs were found elsewhere in the room, and traces of drugs in Tupperware and baggies were found in the bathroom. Drugs and cash were also found in rooms occupied by other people.

In all, detectives seized a pound of meth, half-pound of heroin, 850 Xanax pills that may be counterfeit, psilocybin mushrooms, 200 grams of marijuana, about $17,000 in cash, according to the complaint and the Sheriffs Department.

Lorifice told detectives at the time that he was not selling drugs and that someone else had left them at his home, but he was afraid to get rid of them, the complaint states.

One of the homes other occupants told detectives that she had bought an ounce of meth from Lorifice for $200 a few weeks earlier.

The District Attorneys Office has charged Lorifice and two others with a slew of drug possession for sale charges relating to the stash.

Lorifice and a woman are also facing separate charges related to a Dec. 14 incident in which they are accused of possessing heroin and meth for sale, as well as possessing cocaine, according to court records. He is also charged with destroying evidence.

Advertisement

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavisA transient who fatally stabbed a homeless man and wounded a woman in what authorities said was an unprovoked attack in City Heights two years ago was sentenced Tuesday to 15 years in prison.

This was one of the most baseless homicides Ive ever seen, Deputy District Attorney David McNees told a San Diego Superior Court judge.

Alberto Lizarraga, 25, accepted a plea bargain last year before his trial on charges of murder and attempted murder was to begin.

He pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in the death of Sonny Gonzales, 29, at a homeless campsite in Manzanita Canyon in City Heights on Sept. 25, 2017.

Advertisement

Lizarraga also pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon on Gonzales girlfriend, Moriah Figueroa, the same day, and he admitted using a knife in both attacks.

He pleaded guilty to a third charge, an unrelated assault with a skateboard four days earlier on a man in the same canyon.

Gonzales mother, Mercedes Lydia Gonzales, tearfully asked Judge Kathleen Lewis to impose the stiffest possible prison sentence on Lizarraga.

Only a maximum sentence for murder could give me any kind of peace, she said, adding, You cannot understand the pain I feel every day when I wake up and when I go to bed.

Lewis told her that, under the plea deal that included a stipulated sentence of 15 years, there was no option for a longer prison term.

Lizarraga could have gotten 26 years to life in prison if he had been convicted of murder and attempted murder.

McNees said Sonny Gonzales and Figueroa had gone to visit the campsite of an acquaintance and Lizarraga showed up later with a girlfriend.

Figueroa testified at Lizarragas preliminary hearing last year that he seemed angry over something, and without warning, walked up to Gonzales and struck him in the neck.

Advertisement

Lizarraga then tried to punch Figueroa, and she blocked the blow with her arm.

However, authorities said, Lizarraga had a knife in his hand and punctured Gonzales jugular vein with one blow and gave Figueroa a minor cut to her neck.

Gonzales died at a hospital.

Lizarraga was arrested by San Diego police about a week later as he walked near Lomita Park in the Jamacha-Lomita neighborhood.

Advertisement

pauline.repard@sduniontribune.com

Advertisement

Twitter: @pdrepardFour people were arrested Monday on accusations of working for a fentanyl-smuggling ring that supplied undercover agents with thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills.

The operation acquired more than 10,000 fentanyl pills that were smuggled from Mexico through San Diego ports of entry, according to a complaint filed Tuesday in San Diego federal court.

Undercover agents put in orders for the pills, known as pressed blues, with a known Tijuana drug trafficker, the complaint states. He and his associates would then smuggle the pills into the U.S.

The latest purchase happened last month, when agents negotiated the sale of about 4,000 pills for $24,000.

Advertisement

On Monday, agents observed as three suspects drove into the U.S. through the San Ysidro Port of Entry, then parked at a Walmart. The driver, Dianna Dominguez, stayed with the car while her father, Felix Inzunza-Dominguez Jr., got out and walked to a nearby Frys Electronics parking lot to deliver the pills to the agent. Another passenger, Norma Macias-Dominguez, exited the car and walked away after it was parked.

The bag of pills that Inzunza-Dominguez handed the agent also contained two condoms, likely used to smuggle the drugs, according to the complaint. All three were arrested Monday.

Authorities say it wasnt their first delivery to the agents.

Macias-Dominguez had previously smuggled fentanyl pills from Mexico and delivered 1,000 for $8,000, authorities said. Inzunza-Dominguez had also smuggled and delivered a similar amount.

After their arrests, the agents contacted the drug trafficker in Tijuana and said their pills had not arrived as promised. He agreed to have another 2,000 pills smuggled and delivered.

That same day, Tanairi Ponce smuggled the pills in her bra and delivered them to the agent, according to the complaint. She was arrested. Agents found in her possession a business card with the name of the undercover agent and his phone number, the complaint states.

All four are charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.

Advertisement

kristina.davis@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @kristinadavisTheres a border emergency in San Diego, but its not what the president is talking about and it wont be alleviated by his extended wall.

The federal government has been abandoning increasing numbers of asylum-seekers in various locations, often under the cover of darkness.

Dealing with those applying for asylum, as with virtually all immigration matters, is a federal responsibility. As the federal government drops the ball, local nonprofits, the county and the city of San Diego have been trying to pick it up.

Immigrant advocates note that the problem became worse in October when the federal government reduced the amount of assistance it had been giving to people in the asylum system on the final leg of their journey to reach their sponsors. In that sense, its a crisis exacerbated by the Trump administration.

Advertisement

But the advocates also complain that local officials have not moved fast enough to fill the void, and that the existing situation presents a threat to public health. That concern looms large with memories still fresh of San Diegos deadly hepatitis A crisis that hit homeless living on the streets particularly hard.

A shelter for asylum-seeking families, run mostly by volunteers, is often over capacity and resources are slim. Time is running out.

Its unfortunate that local government energy and resources have to be expended when the federal government and the state are supposed to do the job. Frustrated San Diego officials say they have plenty of other problems to address  homelessness and the lack of housing to name a couple.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement says its overwhelmed with a large influx of immigrant families. Critics say if thats the case, beefing up the asylum process infrastructure is what should be done, rather than immigration officials throwing up their hands and just releasing asylum-seekers after they get a court date.

Spending billions on an extended border wall would do nothing to improve the asylum crunch. Nor would that do anything to change the burgeoning humanitarian crisis in Tijuana, where thousands of Central American migrants are staying in makeshift shelters and otherwise milling about.

Often overlooked in all this is that San Diego already has miles of border fencing that make illegal crossings much more difficult, if not impossible.

The dumping of immigrants is occurring in towns and cities all cross the southern border as shelters have reached capacity. In San Diego, immigration agents have dropped off asylum-seekers at bus stations, fast-food outlets and near shelters.

Most people seeking asylum say they are fleeing persecution, violence and other threats in their home countries. Those being assisted at the shelters are following asylum laws, though the issue will never be separated from the volatile politics over illegal immigration.

Advertisement

The local situation is unsustainable, according to the San Diego Rapid Response Network. The group operates the shelter and has had to move it five times.

Weve been patching this thing together minute by minute, Kevin Malone, executive director of the San Diego Organizing Project, a lead member of the network, told the Union-Tribunes Kate Morrissey last week. Everyone is really stretched.

Now both the city and county are looking at their own facilities to possibly provide shelter space, while continuing to urge the state to allow use of one of the regions National Guard armories. A couple of years ago, the armory in National City was used temporarily as a shelter for Haitian immigrants who came from Brazil. But recent requests to do that once again were denied by the state, though county supervisors on Tuesday told staff to keep trying.

Theres hope that newly installed Gov. Gavin Newsom, who visited a San Diego shelter during a campaign trip in the fall, will respond more positively.

Advertisement

County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, who also was sworn in to office this week, said Monday on Twitter that Newsom called a couple times since (the) election to check status of asylum seekers.

Background material for the supervisors action Tuesday says the county has provided nurses, other health professionals and social workers to assist in health assessments, give vaccines, help with translations and direct migrants to other available resources. The Department of Environmental Health has monitored food safety at the shelters, according to the document.

However, these efforts have no federal or State funding and, coupled with unclear roles and guidelines, (make) it challenging for all parties to successfully maintain support over a prolonged period of time, the report said. These are federal and State issues, and as such should come with federal and State resources. However, to date resources are lacking.

In his speech Tuesday night, President Donald Trump talked about the need not only to address border security but the humanitarian crisis developing along the border. He mentioned an urgent request for more immigration judges, bed space and other resources. However, for the past two years Republicans have controlled both the White House and Congress, and the humanitarian crisis seems to be getting worse.

Advertisement

A local resolution could take time. The city is considering use of a shuttered juvenile detention facility, Camp Barrett, that it owns in Alpine as a temporary shelter. But that process may take a while. Discussions would need to take place on how it would operate and who would run it. Also, physical upgrades are almost certainly necessary.

A county grand jury report a couple of years ago called Camp Barrett an unsuitable, deteriorating and aging facility.

While the county looks for use of county or state properties, Supervisors Greg Cox and Fletcher will organize a regional working group of local, state and federal stakeholders to determine what is needed for the asylum-seekers in the short- and long-term.

The asylum crunch doesnt get top billing in the turbulent immigration debate. Trump focused on security and crime by unauthorized immigrants to justify building his extended wall.

Advertisement

But theres a real crisis on the ground in San Diego that needs a different kind of federal solution.After the body of a black man was found in longtime Democratic donor Ed Bucks West Hollywood apartment this week, U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu announced he will donate more than $18,000 in campaign contributions he received from Buck to LGBTQ and African American civil rights organizations.

Bucks Laurel Avenue apartment has been the scene of the apparent overdose deaths of two black men in the last two years, authorities said.

I am deeply disturbed by the latest revelations of a second death by overdose at the home of Ed Buck, Lieu (D-Torrance) said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. While we await the results of the law enforcement investigation, I am going to donate the contributions I have received from Mr. Buck to my federal campaign.

Lieu said he will donate $5,000 to Lambda Legal; $5,000 to the NAACP; $3,000 to GLAAD; $3,000 to The Trevor Project; and $2,500 to the Equality California Institute.

Advertisement

In the past, Buck has donated money to President Obama, Hillary Clinton, former state Sen. Kevin de Leon, West Hollywood city council candidates and numerous other politicians, including Lieu.

The case has drawn national attention.

In a statement this week, the National LGBTQ Task Force said: We join the chorus of voices asking questions and demanding a swift and thorough investigation. Anything less, and the local prosecutors and political leadership will be held accountable. Its time that they understand that we are angry, tired and unwilling to accept placating words, inertia or indifference when these tragedies occur.

Jasmyne Cannick, a political consultant who has advocated for Moores family and organized a protest Monday outside Bucks home, says she believes Buck has gotten special treatment because of his activism and fundraising for Democratic candidates, a charge officials have denied.

Los Angeles County sheriffs homicide detectives are investigating the death of a 55-year-old man whose body was found just after 1 a.m. Monday in the apartment of Buck, a onetime West Hollywood City Council candidate and well-known figure in LGBTQ political circles. The man, whose name has not been released, died of an apparent overdose, according to Bucks attorney, Seymour Amster.

Buck, a 64-year-old white man, previously was investigated for the July 2017 death of Gemmel Moore, 26, a black man who died of a methamphetamine overdose in Bucks apartment, which was littered with drug paraphernalia, according to a Los Angeles County coroners report. Prosecutors this summer declined to file charges.

Few details are known about the death of the second man. But the Sheriffs Department said Monday that Buck was present at the time of the death  as he was with Moores  and that there will be a secondary review of the Moore case.

Amster said the second man was an old friend of Bucks who ingested a substance at another location and came over intoxicated.

Advertisement

Buck, he said, was not arrested in either case and is cooperating with authorities.

The coroner ruled Moores death an accident, and an initial review by sheriffs deputies found nothing suspicious. But homicide detectives later launched an investigation after Moores mother, LaTisha Nixon, and his friends questioned whether the drugs that killed him were self-administered.

Paramedics found Moore naked on a mattress in Bucks living room, which was littered with drug paraphernalia, according to the coroners report. Moore, who was openly gay, had been homeless and had worked as an escort, his family said.

The Los Angeles County district attorneys office reviewed and rejected four charges related to Moores death: murder, voluntary manslaughter and furnishing and possessing drugs.

Advertisement

hailey.branson@latimes.com

Twitter: @haileybransonWith the first teachers strike in Los Angeles in 30 years possibly starting Thursday, L.A. Metro is offering free rides to Los Angeles Unified School District students.

Students would be able to ride free from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. each strike day, according to Metro CEO Phillip A. Washington. The Metro Board will consider the matter at its Jan. 24 meeting if a strike is still underway.

We have to do everything possible to ease the burden on parents and children affected by a strike, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said. Free rides on Metro mean that families will have one less thing to worry about while both parties work toward an agreement.

L.A. County Supervisor and Metro Board Chair Sheila Kuehl supported the measure.

Advertisement

LAUSD is the countrys second-largest school district, with more than 600,000 students. At Metro, we want to help those kids who may be staying home from school because of the strike find constructive and educational ways to spend their time, Kuehl said. Free Metro access will help make it easier for students and their families to get to parks, museums, libraries and other facilities.

Metro bus operators will check LAUSD student IDs onboard buses, and fare enforcement officers will allow students, with ID cards, to ride without fares on Metros Gold, Blue, Green and Expo light rail lines. On the Metro Red and Purple lines, Metro will deploy TAP personnel to facilitate students free entry through subway fare gates.

Also Tuesday, the Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County announced free general admission to all LAUSD students and chaperones for the duration of the strike. The offer applies from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County includes the Natural History Museum in Exposition Park, La Brea Tar Pits and the William S. Hart Museum.A former daycare worker in Anaheim who admitted sexually assaulting two girls was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, according to the Orange County district attorneys office.

Daniel Antonio Martinez pleaded guilty to three counts of lewd acts upon a child under 14 and three counts of sexual penetration with a child under 10 years old in August, officials said in a news release.

Police initially arrested Martinez, of Buena Park, on Nov. 16, 2016. The 20-year-old had been working at Magusas Family Childcare and Preschool and, according to the release, given a position of trust with access to children.

Detectives began investigating Martinez a week earlier, after a 6-year-old girl told a family member that she was experiencing pain and the family notified police. Authorities said Martinez digitally penetrated the victim.

Advertisement

Prosecutors said that further investigation revealed that Martinez also assaulted a 7-year-old girl.

The assaults date to August 2016, when Martinez worked at a facility in the 700 block of South Dale Avenue in Anaheim.

Martinezs conviction also comes with special sentencing enhancements of multiple victims being involved and substantial sexual contact with a child.

anh.do@latimes.com

Twitter: @newsterrierA male juvenile targeted in a shooting and one of the suspected gunmen both died late Tuesday in a triple shooting in Azusa, authorities said.

Deputies were called shortly after 10 p.m. about a gunshot victim in the 600 block of East 6th Street near Azusa Pacific University, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department.

When they arrived, they found three people with gunshot wounds: the boy and two men. Investigators determined the two men targeted the juvenile, firing several rounds and hitting him in the upper torso. As the gunmen ran away, another person shot at them, killing one of them and wounding the other, authorities said.

The boy, whose age was not immediately known, and one of the suspected shooters were found dead at the scene, while the other person who had been shot was taken to a hospital. Sheriffs officials said he is expected to survive.

Advertisement

Deputies recovered three firearms at the scene. Investigators dont know whether the incident is gang-related, said Deputy Kimberly Alexander, a spokeswoman for the Sheriffs Department.

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Twitter: @r_valejandraMembers of the U.S. armed forces might again find themselves at the center of a national political debate that strikes at the heart of their commander-in-chiefs signature campaign pledge and raises questions about his use of defense assets in pursuit of a barrier on the southern border.

On Friday, President Donald Trump suggested he could declare a national emergency in order to unlock money for a border wall  money the newly-seated Democratic majority in Congress has refused to provide.

The fiscal dispute resulted in the ongoing partial government shutdown, which began Dec. 22, while Republicans still held majorities in both the House and Senate.

The president has broad powers to act in defense of the nation, but the fight over border wall funding will hinge on whether the situation at the border rises to the level of a national emergency.

Advertisement

Administration officials have been making the case that it does.

On Friday, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said 4,000 people on terrorist watch lists were stopped at the southern border  a claim NBC News reported was based on data from the Homeland Security department and was mainly comprised of people caught at airports.

The real number, according to Homeland Security data, was six.

In an address to the nation late Tuesday, Trump stopped short of declaring the situation at the southern border a national emergency and instead described it as a growing humanitarian and security crisis.

The president said it was Democrats who shut down the government and called on them to allocate $5.7 billion for the border wall, which he said now would be a steel barrier.

Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi of California and Chuck Schumer of New York, in their rebuttal, said the president was appealing to fear, not facts.

Trump did not declare a national emergency in his speech but he did not rule out such declaration, which might still be on the table if he is unable to compel Congress into funding the wall.

An emergency declaration would allow the Defense department to fund and construct the wall, but would also open the president up to further criticism that he is using the military for political  not security  purposes.

Advertisement

The president was criticized in the lead-up to the 2018 midterm election when he mobilized the military to string concertina wire and strengthen fencing along the border.

A visit to Baghdad on Dec. 26 also included a level of political rhetoric previous presidents have shied away from using when addressing active duty service members.

Were Trump to invoke his national security powers to fund the wall, hed likely face an immediate legal challenge, according to Robert Chesney, in a post on Lawfareblog.

Chesney, a law professor at the University of Texas, said any such challenge would hinge on whether the situation at the border rose to the level of national security, although courts often defer to administrations on issues of security.

Advertisement

The Pentagon did not respond to emails or phone calls for comment. A Marine Corps spokesman assigned to the border task force also did not return requests for comment.

Contact Andrew Dyer via email or Twitter.Whiskey in a Teacup, the first book by actress/designer/entrepreneur Reese Witherspoon, is a charming mash-up  equal parts memoir, cookbook and lifestyle advice.

The title is credited to Witherspoons grandmother Dorothea, who said that it was the combination of beauty and strength that made Southern women like whiskey in a teacup. Witherspoon describes her grandmother as one of the important influences in her life, an advocate of civil rights and womens rights, and one of the first women to earn a masters degree at Vanderbilt University.

The author was born in New Orleans and grew up in Nashville. She says she spent her early years trying to lose her accent, but she has since learned to embrace her cultural heritage. Its become sort of an obsession of mine, spreading the gospel of southern living, she writes in the books introduction.

She offers tips on starting a book club and how to hot-roller your hair, along with dozens of classic Southern recipes, from cheddar biscuits to mint juleps.

Advertisement

Witherspoon says her recipe for Shrimp and Grits is comforting and hearty, but in an elegant serving bowl it can also be a perfect meal to serve at a dinner party.

Shrimp and Grits

Serves 6 to 8

For the grits

1 1/2 cup grits (not quick-cooking; preferably stone ground)

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter

For the shrimp

2 tablespoons olive oil

Advertisement

1 tablespoon butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

Advertisement

1 (14 ounces) can diced tomatoes with liquid

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (the author recommends Tony Chacheres Creole Seasoning)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 pounds medium-large raw shrimp, peeled

Advertisement

1/2 cup water

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Salt to taste

Chopped fresh green onions for garnish

Advertisement

To make the grits: In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil over high heat and stir in the grits and salt. Bring back to a boil, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat to low, stir in the butter, and simmer for about 15 minutes. The grits will absorb all the water, so you will need to stir them occasionally, and you can add more water if they become too thick. The grits are easy to keep warm on very low heat, just adding water when needed, but you must stir them every now and then to keep them from sticking to the bottom or clumping.

To make the shrimp: In a large skillet or saute pan, combine the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Add the onion and green pepper and saute until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir in the tomatoes and their liquid, the Cajun seasoning, and the tomato paste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes and add the shrimp, stirring for about 2 minutes, until the shrimp turn pink. Add the water and Worcestershire sauce and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until heated through but not boiling. Taste for seasoning, and add salt if needed. Serve immediately over the warm grits and garnish with chopped green onions.

From Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon. Excerpted with permission by Touchstone, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Inc.

chris.ross@sduniontribune.comLos Angeles school officials on Tuesday loosened the rules for accepting volunteer help from parents on campus, two days before a planned teachers strike could leave their campuses stripped of staff.

The strikes starting date, however, is still subject to change because of legal wrangling between the L.A. Unified School District and the teachers union, United Teachers Los Angeles.



For the record: A previous version of this post incorrectly stated that Supt. Beutner was to deliver a report on raising district revenue by Jan. 18. The correct date is March 18.

UTLA announced a Jan. 10 strike weeks ago. But the district asserts that the union did not give the school system proper notice. The union hoped for a ruling on the matter in L.A. Superior Court on Tuesday, but a judge postponed a hearing until at least Wednesday.

A settlement, of course, would make the matter irrelevant. The two parties will give negotiations one more try on Wednesday.

Advertisement

At district headquarters just west of downtown Tuesday, it looked at first as though the school board would make no progress on a revised volunteer policy, which initially failed to win a majority.

The idea was to make it easy and faster for volunteers  especially in moments of great need  to help at schools. But board member Kelly Gonez, a new parent, wanted the speedier process limited to members of a students immediate family and legal guardians.

We know that times of crisis may be chaotic, and I think in those times we want to be even more careful, Gonez said during the board meeting. The policy needed her vote to pass.

Gonez ultimately compromised, offering an amendment to also include extended family members, subject to the principals discretion.

In interviews, Gonez and board member Nick Melvoin both said they wanted to increase access to schools, and that volunteers could help with supervision during a strike. But they stopped short of saying that the schools would be so thinly staffed that such volunteers would be necessary.

1 / 18 Parents, teachers, and students rally in support of teachers at the corner of Topanga Canyon and Ventura Blvd. in Woodland Hills. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 18 Arlene Inouye, Co-Chair UTLA Bargaining Committee and UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl walk down the front stairs to an area where they hold a press conference in front of the LAUSD offices. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 18 Arlene Inouye, Co-Chair UTLA Bargaining Committee, speaks at a press conference in front of the LAUSD offices. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 18 Anastasia Foster, center, and Timothy Hayes right and join supporters of LAUSD teachers for a rally in front of Venice High School. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 18 Michael Rothhammer gives a fist bump to Jayden Arriaga, center, and Emely Herrera, kindergartners in an after school program at Reseda Elementary School. (mel melcon / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 18 Thousands gathered in downtown L.A. in December at a march held by the teachers union, which has scheduled a strike for Jan. 14. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles TImes) 7 / 18 Michael Fono, a teacher at Thomas Edison Middle School in South Los Angeles, holds a strike sign at a planning meeting on Jan. 5. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 18 Jasper Anderson, 15, participates in what could be one of his last pre-teachers strike baseball practices on Jan. 8 at Crenshaw High School. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 18 Merwinn Rojas, a Foshay Learning Center sixth-grader, works on his homework on Jan. 8. His mother worries he might regress if teachers go on strike. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 18 Kweisi Gharreau, center, parent of two kids at Canfield Elementary School in Beverlywood, speaks to the media in support of teachers following a Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education meeting on Jan. 8. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 18 In addition to its wage proposal, the L.A. teachers union has pushed for fully staffed campuses with smaller classes and more support staff. In talks this week, the district upped its offer by $75 million to increase staffing. Above, students at Cleveland High in Reseda.

(mel melcon / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 18 Shannon Stoller picks up her children Presley and Cooper from Pacific Palisades Charter Elementary School. Soller backs the teachers union but is concerned that keeping kids out of class costs schools money. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 18 Alex Caputo-Pearl, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, speaks at a news conference about negotiations with the school district Wednesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 18 Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Austin Beutner speaks at a news conference about negotiations with the teachers union Wednesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 18 School psychologist Fabiana Lamm gets ready to go to work at a San Fernando Valley campus on Jan. 8. Shes hoping a strike will lead to the hiring of more psychiatric social workers. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 18 Students depart Belmont High School in Los Angeles after classes on Jan. 9, the first day of school of 2019, while last-ditch bargaining efforts continued to avert a Los Angeles teachers strike. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 18 Maria Espinoza, picking up son Michael from an after-school program at El Sereno Middle School, is concerned that a strike might ground school buses. Luis Sinco Los Angeles Times (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 18 A group supporting the United Teachers Los Angeles gathers at a news conference on strike negotiations Jan. 7. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

The new less-restrictive policy would kick in only when the superintendent declared an emergency. In such an event, a volunteer simply would fill out a form and the district would check a database to make sure the person was not a registered sex offender.

The revised policy passed 4-1. Board member George McKenna was absent, and Scott Schmerelson voted no because he said it would put an unfair burden on principals.

Advertisement

The change comes after the board voted in November to eliminate the $56 fee that aspiring volunteers previously had to pay when they were fingerprinted.

The district has 12,000 volunteers who have cleared background checks, said district spokeswoman Shannon Haber.

The school board also approved a resolution requiring Supt. Austin Beutner to present a three-year plan to increase district revenues by March 18. Critics, including the teachers union, have taken the district to task for not being more aggressive in pursuing higher enrollment, new tax revenue, philanthropy and increased state and federal funding.

At issue in the legal fight over the strike date is whether United Teachers Los Angeles gave L.A. Unified a required 10-day notice that its members would stop working under the existing contract.

Advertisement

In a twist, it was UTLA that went to court over whether it had followed the rules. The unions goal was to preempt the district from raising that exact issue after a strike had already started. Were that to happen, a judge could have shut down the strike for several days, killing its momentum and perhaps making union leaders look ineffectual.

UTLA is arguing that it has provided ample notice of its intent. The union publicly announced its Thursday strike date on Dec. 19.

The district, however, asserts the union provided no direct written notice until Jan. 3, and that even that notice might be deficient. If this argument holds up, a strike could be delayed as much as 10 days.

On Tuesday morning Supervising Judge Samantha P. Jessner did not address the competing claims. Instead, she took issue with the union failing to file its request for a hearing through a new electronic system by 10 a.m. the previous day. Consideration of the matter would have to wait, she ruled.

Advertisement

The union did claim one legal victory. The states Public Employment Relations Board declined the school districts request to block a strike.

L.A. Unified students came back from winter break on Monday. That day, negotiating teams from the teachers union and the district met to try to avert a strike.

That last-ditch bargaining effort fell short, although the two sides agreed to meet again Wednesday morning.

The negotiations on Monday included new proposals from each side and a newly assertive cheerleader, L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti, who was involved in separate phone conferences with both of them.

Advertisement

Yesterday was really a very positive sign that theyre at the table, Garcetti said Tuesday. An agreement wont get finalized in the street or in a press release but in face-to-face conversations.

The school district team, led by Beutner, said it upped its previous offer by $75 million to add staff to schools and decrease class sizes. The district did not change its wage proposal. It has offered teachers a 6% raise spread over the first two years of a three-year contract. The union wants a 6.5% raise that would take effect all at once and a year sooner.

UTLA has pressed for fully staffed campuses, framing its activism as a fight for the future of public education.

On its side, the union removed a demand to give teachers more control over standardized testing and budget decisions at schools. The union also dropped its demand to have a say on when the district starts a new magnet program.

Advertisement

Both sides made serious offers, Garcetti said. Beutner showed the seriousness of his commitment to issues important to the union and the union took real steps to narrow its demands to focus on the issues we all agree on: smaller class sizes, more support staff, decent pay and improving existing schools instead of opening new ones.

Garcettis last point referred to the growing presence of privately run charter schools, which are mostly non-union and compete with L.A. Unified for students. The union wants a moratorium on new charters and has accused charter backers of wanting to dismantle traditional public education. Garcetti carefully avoided criticizing charters by name or targeting charters that already exist.

Beutner has offered to create a committee to examine issues raised by charters. So far, that has not been nearly enough for Alex Caputo-Pearl, president of the teachers union.

Both leaders have stuck to their messages. Caputo-Pearl said the union would strike, if necessary, to improve students educations. Beutner said a strike would harm students and families. Some of the unions proposals, while worthy, said Beutner, would immediately push the school district into insolvency.

Advertisement

howard.blume@latimes.com

Twitter: @howardblume.    16   9.00   17.00    20-  18-        .        .               .      .           ...Thousands of signs were ready, along with thousands of teachers to hold them. Nothing, it seemed, could stop a Los Angeles teachers strike from starting Thursday.

Then, the day before, came a midday announcement from the teachers union: The strike would have to wait until Monday.



For the record: An earlier version of this post stated that the union news conference was at union headquarters. The new conference was at school district headquarters.

United Teachers Los Angeles didnt make the decision Wednesday because of progress in contract talks. A deal still seemed beyond reach for the time being. Instead, the delay was due to a legal technicality.

Union leaders were concerned over whether theyd given the Los Angeles Unified School District a required 10-day notice that they were terminating their labor agreement. Absent that notice, lawyers for the school system could potentially let the strike begin and then force teachers back into classrooms for several days, disrupting momentum.

Advertisement

UTLA officials decided not to take that chance but blamed L.A. schools Supt. Austin Beutner for pursuing legal maneuvers rather than meeting their demands.

Pictures in the News | Thursday Jan. 10, 2019 

Unlike Beutner and his administration, we do not want to bring confusion and chaos into an already fluid situation, UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl said in a statement. Although we believe we would ultimately prevail in court, for our members, our students, parents and the community, absent an agreement we will plan to strike on Monday.

Even that start date remains somewhat open to question. A hearing on the notification issue will be held Thursday in L.A. County Superior Court.

In court papers, school district lawyers argue that the union has yet to comply with notification rules set out in its labor agreement. They say the 10-day countdown has yet to start, because during this period the union is not allowed to encourage a strike.

1 / 18 Parents, teachers, and students rally in support of teachers at the corner of Topanga Canyon and Ventura Blvd. in Woodland Hills. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 18 Arlene Inouye, Co-Chair UTLA Bargaining Committee and UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl walk down the front stairs to an area where they hold a press conference in front of the LAUSD offices. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 18 Arlene Inouye, Co-Chair UTLA Bargaining Committee, speaks at a press conference in front of the LAUSD offices. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 18 Anastasia Foster, center, and Timothy Hayes right and join supporters of LAUSD teachers for a rally in front of Venice High School. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 18 Michael Rothhammer gives a fist bump to Jayden Arriaga, center, and Emely Herrera, kindergartners in an after school program at Reseda Elementary School. (mel melcon / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 18 Thousands gathered in downtown L.A. in December at a march held by the teachers union, which has scheduled a strike for Jan. 14. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles TImes) 7 / 18 Michael Fono, a teacher at Thomas Edison Middle School in South Los Angeles, holds a strike sign at a planning meeting on Jan. 5. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 18 Jasper Anderson, 15, participates in what could be one of his last pre-teachers strike baseball practices on Jan. 8 at Crenshaw High School. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 18 Merwinn Rojas, a Foshay Learning Center sixth-grader, works on his homework on Jan. 8. His mother worries he might regress if teachers go on strike. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 18 Kweisi Gharreau, center, parent of two kids at Canfield Elementary School in Beverlywood, speaks to the media in support of teachers following a Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education meeting on Jan. 8. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 18 In addition to its wage proposal, the L.A. teachers union has pushed for fully staffed campuses with smaller classes and more support staff. In talks this week, the district upped its offer by $75 million to increase staffing. Above, students at Cleveland High in Reseda.

(mel melcon / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 18 Shannon Stoller picks up her children Presley and Cooper from Pacific Palisades Charter Elementary School. Soller backs the teachers union but is concerned that keeping kids out of class costs schools money. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 18 Alex Caputo-Pearl, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, speaks at a news conference about negotiations with the school district Wednesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 18 Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Austin Beutner speaks at a news conference about negotiations with the teachers union Wednesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 18 School psychologist Fabiana Lamm gets ready to go to work at a San Fernando Valley campus on Jan. 8. Shes hoping a strike will lead to the hiring of more psychiatric social workers. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 18 Students depart Belmont High School in Los Angeles after classes on Jan. 9, the first day of school of 2019, while last-ditch bargaining efforts continued to avert a Los Angeles teachers strike. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 18 Maria Espinoza, picking up son Michael from an after-school program at El Sereno Middle School, is concerned that a strike might ground school buses. Luis Sinco Los Angeles Times (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 18 A group supporting the United Teachers Los Angeles gathers at a news conference on strike negotiations Jan. 7. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

UTLA publicly announced a Jan. 10 strike weeks ago, which is why its leaders believe they have given everyone ample notice. Its lawyers also point to a Jan. 3 email to the district  although that was fewer than 10 days ago.

The union had hoped to win the argument in court and strike Thursday, but for two days, its efforts to get a hearing were thwarted.

Advertisement

On Tuesday, Supervising Judge Samantha P. Jessner would not proceed because the union had not met new court deadlines to file papers electronically by 10 a.m. the day before.

On Wednesday, the court had trouble tracking down the case within its system. A court clerk said the union might have checked the wrong box in the filing. As a result, the records landed in a long line of pending class-action lawsuits in a different building, she told attorneys in a sidebar conversation.

By midday, it was clear the hearing was not going to happen. And by then the union had decided to delay.

At school district headquarters west of downtown, meanwhile, teams from the union and L.A. Unified met Wednesday in another effort to settle their differences. No announcement was expected.

Advertisement

Beutner, meanwhile, traveled to Sacramento to give state lawmakers an overview of what to expect if teachers strike. Democratic lawmakers who attended said the district did not make any particular requests for assistance.

It was a basic nuts-and-bolts update, said Assemblyman Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles) after he left the briefing in the state Capitol. The focus was on how the students would be taken care of and what to do with phone calls.

A California Teachers Assn. representative and a reporter were both told they could not attend.

In contract talks this week, the school district upped its previous offer by $75 million to add staff to schools and decrease class sizes, though it did not change its wage proposal. Officials have offered teachers a 6% raise spread over the first two years of a three-year contract. The union wants a 6.5% raise that would take effect all at once and go into effect a year earlier.

Advertisement

UTLA has pressed for fully staffed campuses, framing its activism as a fight for the future of public education. The union Monday removed a demand to give teachers more control over standardized testing and budget decisions at schools.

Beutner contends that, although some union demands are worthy, the district does not have the money.

L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti has talked to both sides and said there was reason for optimism.

Both sides made serious offers, Garcetti said, to focus on the issues we all agree on: smaller class sizes, more support staff, decent pay and improving existing schools instead of opening new ones.

Advertisement

Garcettis last point referred to the growing presence of privately run charter schools, which are mostly nonunion and compete with L.A. Unified for students. The union wants a moratorium on new charters, which would probably require state legislation and be met with intense opposition from charter school supporters.

The mayors recent involvement has raised the question of whether Gov. Gavin Newsom also should get involved. He was urged to do so in a Tuesday letter from local foundation leaders Fred Ali, Antonia Hernandez and Robert K. Ross.

For the sake of so many low-income students and families who will be significantly harmed by a strike, we urge you to intervene immediately, they wrote. Your involvement is needed not only to resolve this immediate crisis in Los Angeles, but also to lead the way in increasing funding for public education across the state.

Newsoms office provided no immediate response, but on the eve of his Monday inauguration, he made it clear he was watching the situation.

Advertisement

This is profound in terms of its scope and scale, Newsom said during a Sunday news conference. The stresses that our teachers are facing are real. Were going to have to do more, and theres no more important district, in terms of its size, than L.A. Unified. So all of us have a role to play, and to the extent that Im needed, Ill be there.

Times staff writers Sonali Kohli and Taryn Luna contributed to this report.

howard.blume@latimes.com

Twitter: @howardblume

Advertisement

melody.gutierrez@latimes.com

Twitter: @MelodyGutierrezLike the hero of the megahit musical Hamilton, Edred Utomi is young, scrappy and hungry  and now he has performed his way to the pinnacle of one of the biggest shows on the planet.

Tonight in Pittsburgh, the University of San Diego grad and former local actor takes over the title role in the Angelica tour of Hamilton, one of two national tours of the Tony Award- and Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical.

Utomi had joined the touring company early last year  just weeks after his last San Diego performance, in the ensemble of Dr. Seusss How the Grinch Stole Christmas! at the Old Globe.

In short order he became a standby for the role of Alexander Hamilton, the Revolutionary War hero, statesman and U.S. treasury secretary whose story is at the center of the show.

Advertisement

Utomi first went onstage as Hamilton last March, and had subbed into the role numerous times since, while also portraying such key characters as Aaron Burr (who killed Hamilton in an infamous real-life duel), George Washington, Thomas Jefferson/Marquis de Lafayette and others at various times.

But now, with the departure from the tour of longtime principal Austin Scott  who played Hamilton when the show came through San Diego a year ago  Utomi is the main man.

It is with great pride that I announce that starting tonight, I will be taking over the role of Alexander Hamilton on the Angelica Tour, Utomi posted Wednesday on Instagram from the shows current stop in Pittsburgh.

Actually, pride is not the word Im looking for. There is so much more inside me now, he added  borrowing lyrics from the Hamilton song Dear Theodosia.

On Twitter, Scott said: My man @edredutomi will be taking over as Hamilton on the Angelica Tour and I couldnt be happier. Edred has been holding it down as the Ham alternate and principal standby all year and my mind is at ease knowing that this company will have such a strong and capable leader. Much love and best wishes to you brother!

A son of Nigerian immigrants, Utomi was mostly a journeyman actor around San Diego after graduating from USD, but his talent was obvious in such shows as San Diego Reps 2015 production of My Manana Comes.

The past four years have been incredible in San Diego, Utomi said when the U-T checked in with him in late 2017. The San Diego theater community is really something special. Every theater Ive worked at is committed to putting on good theater.

And its a family  such a welcoming community, such a thriving community.

Advertisement

Now he leads a show that has received renewed exposure recently (not that publicity is ever an issue for Hamilton) as writer-composer-lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda launches a new production of the musical in Puerto Rico, the place of his own familys heritage.

Miranda, who originated the title role on Broadway, will portray Hamilton again in that production, which opens Friday.

Advertisement

jim.hebert@sduniontribune.com

Twitter: @jimhebertThe Port of San Diego and Chula Vista plan to host two workshops this month to give the public the opportunity to review design options for two parks envisioned for the citys waterfront.

The workshops are scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday to discuss the design of Harbor Park, and 6 p.m. Jan. 29 for the design of Sweetwater Park. Both meetings will be at the Chula Vista Civic Center Branch library, at 365 F St.

Plans for the two parks are part of a larger vision to transform Chula Vistas 535-acre waterfront into a vibrant destination. The so-called bayfront project includes plans for a $1 billion hotel and convention center, as well as an RV park.

The upcoming workshops represent the second phase of the design of the two parks. The design options for review were created using public comments collected during a workshop in September, Port officials said.

Advertisement

Plans for Harbor Park, which will wrap around waterfront space north of the Chula Vista Marina, include amenities and programming for recreational activities.

Sweetwater Park, which will be on the northern edge of the waterfront, will provide educational and recreational opportunities with an environmental focus.

Port officials have said they hope to increase access to the waterfront while protecting natural resources.

Final concepts for the Harbor and Sweetwater parks are expected in April. The Port and city plan to submit a coastal development permit application by August to begin construction.

Email: david.hernandez@sduniontribune.com

Phone: (619) 293-1876

Twitter: @D4VIDHernandezAfter 25 years in Escondido, Orfila Vineyards & Winery is branching out across coastal North County.

The estate winemaker in San Pasqual Valley has recently opened a tasting room in Oceanside, which will host its grand opening this coming weekend, Jan. 12 and 13. The new venue is the winerys first tasting room expansion beyond its 70-acre vineyard property, on San Pasqual Road near the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

The new tasting room at 221 N. Cleveland St. in Oceanside, is open from noon to 8 p.m. Sundays through Wednesdsays and from noon to 9 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays. The new tasting room will offer 19 of its wine for tastings and sales as well as light food items, such as cheese and charcuterie boards, crispy Brussels sprouts and tortilla flatbreads.

Justin Mund, Orfilas general manager and winemaker since 2010, said the opening of the coastal tasting room is a big step for us.

Advertisement

We have never had a tasting room in a beach community or in such a large downtown demographic. As the community here continues to grow, we look forward to growing with it and giving people another option for great wine and food, Mund said, in a statement.

Orfila Vineyards - one of San Diego Countys largest and oldest wineries  was founded in 1994 by its namesake owner, Alejandro Orfila, on the grounds of the former Thomas Jaeger Winery. The Rancho Santa Fe retiree was born into an Argentinean family that has been in the winemaking industry since 1905.

Before retiring into his life as a gentleman winemaker, the career diplomat served as the Argentine Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States, Argentine Ambassador to Japan and as secretary general of the Organization of American States.

From 1994 until his death in 2009, Orfilas master winemaker was Leon Santoro, who was widely credited with putting San Diego County on the winemaking map. In the years since Mund took over wine operations, Orfila Vineyards production has grown from 12,000 to more than 20,000 cases a year.

Among its wines that are available at the new tasting room are its Amassadors Chardonnay, Element 119 Pinot Noir, petite sirah and Sangiovese. For information, call (760) 755-7040 or visit orfila.com.

pam.kragen@sduniontribune.comMount Helix resident Kathleen Coates Hedberg is a registered civil engineer, a grade 4 water treatment operator and cross connection specialist.

On the board of directors of the Helix Water District and San Diego County Water Authority, Hedberg knows what it is like to be in a male-dominated field.

Theres only six of us on the county water board out of about 36 members, Hedberg said.

Shed like to see a shift in those numbers, and is an advocate for women seeking  and succeeding  in careers in the water and wastewater industries.

Advertisement

Hedberg said this months second annual Cuyamaca College Center for Water Studies Women in Water  Exploring Career Pathways symposium will provide a good opportunity to turn the tide.

Helix Water District Board member Kathleen Coates Hedberg has found success in the water/wastewater field. (Courtesy photo)

Cuyamacas Center for Water Studies opened in the fall of 2018. A renovated complex with new classrooms, it also has a water quality analysis laboratory and a workshop, and offers related skills-based courses.

Hedberg attended last years event that drew nearly 200 girls and women and had conversations with some of the participants, mostly high school students, about a career in the water field.

This years all-day conference starts at 8 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, and will feature two tracks of speakers.

The first track is for women contemplating a career change, military veterans transitioning to civilian life, and women already in the water and wastewater industry looking for professional development opportunities.

The second track is geared toward high school-age girls in the region wanting to learn more about career opportunities as they near graduation.

Water is a great field to be in and especially great for women, said Hedberg, who said her father deeply influenced her decision to pursue a career in the water industry.

Advertisement

Robert Coates was a civil engineer who worked at the city of Downey Water Department, was general manager of Rainbow Water District and was a San Diego County Water Authority board representative.

County Water Authority Deputy General Manager Sandy Kerl will be the keynote speaker at the event.

Lan Wiborg, deputy director of long-range planning and water resources for the City of San Diego, will moderate a general managers panel discussion that includes Tish Berge of the Sweetwater Authority; Cari Dale, water utilities director at the City of Oceanside; and Vicki Quiram from the Carlsbad Municipal Water District.

Panel topics at the symposium will cover career pathways, the importance of forming mentorships, what its like for women to work in what is now a male-dominated field, developing leadership skills, and more.

Advertisement

Women get into nursing a lot, but the water industry also uses public health ideals, and also uses knowledge of science and the environment, Hedberg said. Its a field that encompasses a lot of what women care about and are passionate about. The water industry is traditionally an old boys club, but women can be there, too.

The future in the water industry is always changing and developing new treatments and new ideas, and women should be right there.

According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics from May 2017, water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators in San Diego County earned an average annual wage of more than $70,000.

Registration for the event costs $25, but high school students will be admitted free.

Advertisement

Registration can be done at either eventbrite.com/e/2019-women-in-water-exploring-career-pathways-tickets-52025257947 or at centerforwaterstudies.org/

Cuyamaca College and the Center for Water Studies are at 900 Rancho San Diego Parkway outside of the city of El Cajon.

Advertisement

karen.pearlman@sduniontribune.comSan Diego has no shortage of flights to Las Vegas, but now you can add Frontier Airlines to the list of air carriers flying nonstop between the two popular tourist destinations.

Frontier announced this week that it will debut low-fare service between Las Vegas McCarran International Airport and five new cities starting Tuesday, April 30. In addition to San Diego, Frontier will also be offering the new Vegas service in Detroit, Dallas, Houston and Philadelphia.

Frontier will fly five days a week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays between San Diego International Airport and Las Vegas McCarran airport. The airline joins three other carriers  Southwest, Delta and Spirit Airlines  that currently fly nonstop to Las Vegas from San Diego.

Over the course of a year, there are currently 16 flights a day to Las Vegas on the three carriers, according to the San Diego airport. That number jumps to 18 during the busier summer months. With the new Frontier flight, it will rise to 19 daily flights during the peak season.

Advertisement

Despite the wide availability of Vegas flights, airport officials believe there is enough demand for more.

Las Vegas has long been one of (the San Diego airports) most popular and in-demand short-haul routes, said Angela Shafer-Payne, the airports vice president of operations. We are pleased and excited that Frontier has established this new service for our passengers.

Frontier has grown from offering just one Vegas route in 2014 to 35 different destinations, including the just announced five new cities.

The airline is offering promotional fares as low as $29 each way between San Diego and Las Vegas, but the offer will expire on Wednesday at 8:59 p.m. Pacific time. For the San Diego flights, the introductory fare is valid on Tuesdays through June 12 of this year. The one blackout date is May 28.

On Frontier, additional travel services, such as baggage and advance seat assignments, are available for an extra charge.

Business

Advertisement

lori.weisberg@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-2251

Twitter: @loriweisbergThe startup investors at Analytics Ventures are gaining significant traction in the new year, attracting A-listers to its advisory board from tech titans like Qualcomm and GE Ventures, the company announced Wednesday.

One of the newcomers is Rick Valencia, who leads Qualcomms health tech arm Qualcomm Life. Thats big news for Analytics Ventures, as the venture capital group has a good track record of building companies in health-care technology.

Valencia said Analytics has proved its savvy in artificial intelligence and health care by investing in  and growing  two notable San Diego startups: CureMatch, a software startup that uses machine learning to help doctors treat cancer, and CureMetrix, a company that uses AI to detect breast cancer.

The health-care industry has been one of the most notable beneficiaries of emerging technologies and advances in automation and connectivity, Valencia said. These things are essential if were to continue to enhance patient care at the personal and professional levels.

Advertisement

Valencia said joining Analytics Ventures advisory board will allow him to work alongside some of the brightest minds in the world to improve health care through AI.

The small group of tech investors has been toiling in downtown San Diego since 2012, first as a collection of angel investors and later formalizing into a venture studio. In this model, investors use their expertise (and money) to build startups in-house rather than seek existing companies in which to invest.

The venture studio model is growing in popularity in the investment community, as its a lower-risk way to invest in bleeding-edge ideas. Avalon Ventures, the life science-focused venture firm, does the same thing with its venture studio, COI Pharmaceuticals. And the model is prolific throughout other startup hubs in California. In Los Angeles, one of the most popular venture studio models is IdeaLab, and in San Francisco theres Third Rock Ventures, among others.

Analytics Ventures said theyve created four revenue-generating companies through their studio, and now employ 40 people with year-end compensation totaling more than $4.2 million. Since inception, Analytics has attracted $20 million combined to its studio and the startups housed there.

The tech community has taken note. Joining Valencia on the advisory board are newcomers Kiva Allgood, chief commercial development officer at GE Ventures and Business Innovation; and Michael Zeller, senior vice president of AI strategy and innovation at Software AG.

Analytics Ventures has one of the most robust and seasoned data science teams and proven business models and Im excited to join the advisory board to help bring AI solutions to the edge, Allgood said in a statement.

Related reading:

These 30-year-old tech investors just brought a $50M fund to San Diego

Advertisement

Rivaling dot-com boom, 2018 breaks record for San Diego startups raising cash

San Diego proptech startup Home Bay scores $13.5M in VC money

Advertisement

Business

brittany.meiling@sduniontribune.com 619-293-1286 Twitter: @BrittanyMeilingWASHINGTON (AP)  President Donald Trump hastened to Capitol Hill Wednesday trying to hold jittery congressional Republicans in line on the 19th day of the partial government shutdown. He suggested a deal for his border wall might be getting closer, but he also said the shutdown will last "whatever it takes."

Beyond his cautiously optimistic comments, there was little other evidence of an end to the impasse over his demand for billions for a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border. He claimed he had "tremendous" support from Republicans, but GOP senators are publicly uneasy as the standoff ripples across the lives of Americans and interrupts the economy.

Trump insisted at the White House "I didn't want this fight." But it was his sudden rejection of a bipartisan spending bill late last month that blindsided leaders in Congress, including Republican allies, now seeking a resolution to the shutdown over his signature campaign issue.

Ahead of his visit to Capitol Hill and another round of talks later Wednesday at the White House, Trump made his comments about a possible resolution. But he also renewed his notice that he might declare a national emergency and try to authorize the wall on his own if Congress won't approve the $5.7 billion he's asking.

"I think we might work a deal, and if we don't I might go that route," he said.

There's growing concern about the toll the shutdown is taking on everyday Americans, including disruptions in payments to farmers and trouble for home buyers who are seeking government-backed mortgage loans  "serious stuff," according to Sen. John Thune, the No. 2 Senate Republican.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, urged colleagues to approve spending bills that would reopen various agencies, "so that whether it's the Department of the Interior or it is the IRS, those folks can get back to work. I'd like to see that."

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, called the standoff "completely unnecessary and contrived. People expect their government to work. ... This obviously is not working."

Trump was to get a personal sense of the concern and perhaps questions about his strategy  from those in his own party at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday.

Like other Republicans, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said she wants border security. But she said there was "no way" the shutdown fight would drag on for years as Trump warned last week.

"I think certainly I have expressed more than a few times the frustrations with a government shutdown and how useless it is," Capito said Tuesday. "That pressure is going to build."

There was no sign Trump was backing down from his demand for $5.7 billion for the border wall in exchange for ending the shutdown. Before heading to Capitol Hill he said he had "tremendous Republican support."

Late in the day, Democratic and Republican congressional leaders were to return to the White House to meet with him and renew negotiations that have shown no apparent progress in the past week.

Democrats said Wednesday they will ask Trump during the meeting to accept an earlier bipartisan bill that had money for border security but not the wall. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned that the effects of hundreds of thousands of lost paychecks would begin to ripple across the economy.

"The president could end the Trump shutdown and re-open the government today, and he should," Pelosi said.

Tuesday night, speaking to the nation from the Oval Office for the first time, Trump argued that the wall was needed to resolve a security and humanitarian "crisis." He blamed illegal immigration for what he said was a scourge of drugs and violence in the U.S. and asked: "How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?"

Democrats in response accused Trump appealing to "fear, not facts" and manufacturing a border crisis for political gain.

The White House was trying to shore up GOP support even before Trump spoke. At a private meeting with House Republicans, Vice President Mike Pence cited a C.S. Lewis quote calling courage a virtue, and he said Trump has no plans to retreat.

"That pickup ain't got reverse in it," Pence said, according to people familiar with the conversation.

But a growing number of Republicans are uncomfortable with the toll the partial shutdown is taking, and Trump's response to it. They are particularly concerned about the administration's talk of possibly declaring a national emergency at the border, seeing that as an unprecedented claim on the right of Congress to allocate funding except in the most dire circumstances.

"I prefer that we get this resolved the old-fashioned way," Thune said.

Trump did not mention that idea Tuesday night. A person unauthorized to discuss the situation said additional "creative options" were being considered, including shifting money from other accounts or tapping other executive authorities for the wall.

Trump on Wednesday floated ideas that have been circulated for a broader immigration overhaul. Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham has suggested a compromise that would include wall funding as well as protecting some immigrants from deportation.

Trump addressed the nation as the shutdown stretched through its third week, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers going without pay. He claimed the standoff could be resolved in "45 minutes" if Democrats would just negotiate, but previous meetings have led to no agreement.

For now, Trump sees this as winning politics. His re-election campaign sent out fundraising emails and text messages to supporters trying to raise money off his speech. Their goal: a half-million dollars in a day.

"I just addressed the nation on Border Security. Now need you to stand with me," read one message sent out after his remarks.

In their own televised remarks, Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of misrepresenting the situation on the border as they urged him to reopen closed government departments and turn loose paychecks for federal workers.

Negotiations on wall funding could proceed in the meantime, they said.

Schumer said Trump "just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration."

In his dire address, Trump ticked off a string of statistics and claims to make his case that there is a crisis at the border, but a number of his statements were misleading, such as saying the new trade deal with Mexico would pay for the wall, or suggesting through gruesome examples that immigrants are more likely to commit crimes.

Schumer said Wednesday, "I don't think he persuaded a soul with his talk. ... Same ol', same ol' mistruths, divisiveness."

Trump, who has long railed against illegal immigration at the border, has recently seized on humanitarian concerns to argue there is a broader crisis that can only be solved with a wall. But critics say the security risks are overblown and the administration is at least partly to blame for the humanitarian situation.The mysterious death of chickens at Safaatoa, Lefaga led to an investigation by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. The Ministry has now confirmed that the chickens were infected with the contagious disease Fowl Cholera, leading to their demise. Reporter Yolanda Lavatai and Misiona Simo spoke to members of the public to get their views on the issue.

Spensor Toiva, 23, Vaitele Fou

The Fowl Cholera disease is a concern because we have a lot of families and tourist that come to Samoa. A lot of them would try our local dishes like Samoan roasted chicken, and if we are not careful, anyone could get sick. That it why it is important that the public are aware of the disease, because it could be their flock that are affected.

Larry Augustina, 38, Lalovaea

It is not the first time Samoa has come across a disease with animals, in this case chickens. But as time goes on diseases evolve to the changes, and become difficult to treat. There have been different diseases over as time passed and this is the first I have heard of Fowl Cholera. I know that if we give proper care and hygiene for our animals then we should not be worried. However, this does not mean we should not be attentive.

Delaine Tuaimau, 19, Nofoalii

A couple of our chickens died in the past years and it also affected our neighbors too. I am not quite sure if it was the exact same disease, but our parents made sure to rid the affected flock properly. To prevent any further spread, it is best to leave it to the experts, people who know what they are doing. The work is not entirely up to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries  it is all of us.

Vaital Tili, 17, Vaitele Fou

We have flock of chickens and I would hate to see them die. I personally think that once a family has noticed the symptoms of the disease, they should report it right away, so the problem can be handled properly. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries should also do follow up with families poultry farms too and not wait for the calls.

Faiva Tagatauli, 25, Vaimoso

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries were quick to respond to the familys story about their flock of chickens and thats a good thing. Issues that involve our health or safety require immediate action. Thankfully this is not something we should be afraid of. Otherwise we should just be mindful that there are diseases out there. We should protect our homes from it.

Aukuso Polamalu, 18, Vaitele Fou

I think that for now we should just stick to eating imported chicken  for safety. I dont have any chickens but I do eat chicken and I am concerned for my health and my families as well. Poultry farms should have their flocks checked for safety measures, and I am glad one family has step forward to report the issue, otherwise some of us would not know.



BANGKOK (AP)  A Saudi woman who fled her family, alleging abuse, moved a step closer Wednesday to her goal of gaining asylum in Australia after a U.N. agency granted her refugee status.

The Australian government said it was considering Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun for refugee resettlement, in a case that has advanced rapidly since the weekend when the 18-year-old barricaded herself in an airport hotel in Thailand and publicized her case on social media.

Alqunun arrived in Bangkok on a flight from Kuwait on Saturday, and planned to continue to Australia, where she held a tourist visa. But after being detained by Thai authorities, she refused to board a flight back to Kuwait.

After grabbing worldwide attention with dramatic posts on social media in which she said she feared for her safety if made to return home to her family, Alqunun eventually was placed in the care of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees as her bid for refugee status was considered.

Alqunun's father denied physically abusing her or trying to force her into an arranged marriage, among the reasons she gave for her flight, Thailand's Immigration Police chief said after meeting him Wednesday.

The father, whose name was not released and who was not seen by reporters, said he wants his daughter back but respects her decision, police Lt. Gen. Surachate Hakparn said. He described the man as being a governor in Saudi Arabia.

"He has 10 children. He said the daughter might feel neglected sometimes," Surachate said. "But he didn't go into detail."

Alqunun refused to meet with her father, who arrived in the Thai capital on Tuesday. She had said in her online postings that she was afraid of such an encounter.

Alqunun arrived in Bangkok from Kuwait late Saturday, but was stopped from proceeding to her planned destination of Australia. After mounting a campaign for assistance on Twitter, she was allowed to temporarily stay in Thailand under the care of the U.N.'s refugee agency, which ruled her claim for asylum valid.

Australia's Home Affairs Department said it would "consider this referral in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals."

Indications from Canberra suggest Alqunun may receive a sympathetic hearing.

"If she is found to be a refugee, then we will give very, very, very serious consideration to a humanitarian visa," Health Minister Greg Hunt told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. before the UNHCR's referral.

The case has highlighted the cause of women's rights in Saudi Arabia. Several female Saudis fleeing abuse by their families have been caught trying to seek asylum abroad in recent years and returned home. Human rights activists say many more similar cases will have gone unreported.

The influence of the Internet on Alqunun's case was noted by several human rights advocates.

The representative in Australia of Human Rights Watch, Elaine Pearson, said it was encouraging that Alqunun was able to highlight her situation using social media, and she hoped more Saudi women might act similarly.

"The unique thing about this case is that she had access to social media, and was able to report on it and bring the world's attention to her plight," said Pearson. "I think there are many cases like this that go unreported."

A similar point was made by UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch, who said that what was different in Alqunun's case was that "the wave of all of the voices of solidarity and support came together, joined up in terms of caring for this individual."

Surachate discussed Alqunun's situation on Tuesday with Saudi Charge d'Affaires in Thailand Abdalelah Mohammed A. Alsheaiby. In a video clip of the meeting released by Thai immigration police, Alsheaiby is heard telling Thai officials: "From the moment she arrived, she opened a new account and her followers reached almost 45,000 in a day . and I would have preferred it better if her phone was taken instead of her passport."

The comments sparked anger on social media. Surachate said that police could not confiscate her phone because she was not being detained and said that the Saudi diplomat's remark was "just an opinion" and "nothing to be taken seriously."

A Tuesday statement from the Saudi Embassy in Thailand denied interfering in Alqunun's case, and said it was only monitoring her situation. Describing her case as a "family affair," it said Saudi officials had neither seized her passport  as Alqunun had claimed several times  nor demanded her deportation back home.

The embassy and Thai officials earlier said that Alqunun was stopped by Thai authorities because she did not have a return ticket, a hotel reservation or itinerary to show she was a tourist, which appeared to have raised a red flag about the reasons for her trip.

Saudi Arabia's wider human rights record has come under intense scrutiny since the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi in October. Khashoggi, who wrote critically of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in columns for The Washington Post, had been living in self-imposed exile before Saudi agents killed and dismembered him inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

The kingdom offered various shifting accounts of the circumstances of his death before eventually settling on the explanation that he died in a botched operation to forcibly bring him back to Saudi Arabia.A permanent country office in Samoa will enable the Asian Development Bank to better support the Government and the people of Samoa, the bank has said.

Delegates from the bank concluded a three-day visit in Samoa, where President Takehiko Nakao, regional director for the Pacific Masayuki Tachiiri and Director General for Pacific Department Carmela Loscsin visited various project sites funded by A.D.B and conducted bilateral meetings.

Masayuki Tachiiri, regional director of A.D.B.s Pacific sub-regional Office in Suva, Fiji said changing their current mission in Samoa from an extended mission to a permanent office is important.

For a country like Samoa hands-on support for day-by-day operations and understanding the needs of the Government and the people is very critical.

Looking at the countries from Manila headquarters or even the Suva office is not easy, he said.

Having staff on the ground, including a Samoan national heading the office, Maria Melei, is critical as they know the political and cultural structures of the country deeply, said Mr Tachiiri.

Sometimes its difficult for foreigners to understand.

If we have Samoan nationals living here, working day by day with the Government that will be helpful.

Going forward, climate change will be a focus for the bank on where it will direct its funding, but considering the needs of a small economy is also top of the list.

Mr Tachiiri said admitting where small economies are weak helps develop them.

We understand the special needs because of the remoteness of the country, the smallness of the market, and the general weakness of the institutions.

That, we need to admit because its a small country. We do need more resources to support the Government.

Building infrastructure in Pacific Island nations costs more than it does in larger countries. Mr Tachiiri said being in Samoa has helped the A.D.B understand this better.

We need to mobilise a contractor, we need to import materials and that all adds to the cost, he said.

We now understand these issues more clearly so weve decided to increase our resources for smaller countries.

According to a statement by A.D.B, financing from the banks Asian Development Fund (A.D.F) for Samoa could reach US$100 million before 2020, and the bank intends to mobilize funds from the Green Climate Fund, the World Bank, Australia and New Zealand.

In the Pacific generally, active A.D.B projects are worth over US$3 billion dollars as of the end of 2018.Police investigations into the death of a 40-year-old man who went missing last Thursday after going for a swim will continue.

Police officer Tumaunei Soloi told the Samoa Observer yesterday that they do not have a timeframe on their investigations into the disappearance of Va Tua from Luatuanuu and they will continue with their inquiry.

As of now there is no further report, but all I can say now is that police and the village are still on the search for missing body until family has been satisfied, he said.

Today will mark one week since the swimming incident at Luatuanuu village when three men went for a swim. They hung on to a log, which was swept further out to sea by strong waves, resulting in one man dying in the swirl, another getting lost and the third hospitalised.

Va Tua is yet to be found by the Police and members of his family, who mounted a search at sea, after the three men were stricken by the tragedy last Thursday.

The family of Va Tua in Luatuanuu village invited the public to join them in a candle light vigil on Monday night to remember their missing son.

A niece Vaelei Von Dincklage, in a Facebook post, said they would gather at the beach to hold a vigil.

Tonight (Monday night) my family will be lighting candles at the beach for my uncle. If you wish to join us you are more than welcome. We will never stop until we find you, she stated in her post.Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi has acknowledged the tremendous contribution by the Asian Development Bank (A.D.B.) to the development of Samoa.

Tuilaepa offered the acknowledgement during a meeting with the A.D.B. President Takehiko Nakao on Tuesday, when he was in the country for a three-day visit. He departed yesterday.

Since 1966, the Bank has committed US$354.66 million (T$890m) in loans, grants and technical assistance to Samoa. The money has been spent to improve the delivery of basic social services such as clean water, modern sanitation, reliable energy, better internet connectivity, effective disaster relief, flood mitigation, wastewater infrastructure, drainage projects and much, much more.

For more than 50 years, we have worked with A.D.B. and together we have made progress in improving water and sanitation, establishing reliable, clean energy and better internet connectivity, Prime Minister Tuilaepa said.

A.D.B. has also been a tremendous support in times of disaster as we saw in the wake of the tsunami that devastated parts of the country in 2009.

We will continue to work with A.D.B. and our other development partners to help deliver better basic social services to the people of Samoa.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa and President Nakao also signed an agreement establishing a permanent A.D.B. office in Samoa. The office replaces the A.D.B. extended mission in Samoa opened in 2016 to manage the banks growing operations in the country.

Samoa is a founding member of A.D.B. since 1966 and we have worked in close partnership to address development challenges and create new opportunities in this country, said Mr. Nakao. A.D.B. is increasing its support to Samoa and we are committed to helping the government continue to improve access to renewable energy, extend I.C.T. connectivity, and strengthen public sector management.

According to a statement released by the Bank, economic growth in Samoa slowed to 0.9% in the fiscal year ending 30 June 2018 following the closure of Yazaki Samoa.

Growth is expected to rebound in the current fiscal year as visitor arrivals increase and infrastructure investment expands in the lead-up to Samoas hosting of the Pacific Games in 2019.

Samoa is well-placed to further expand its tourism industry, which is already a key driver of economic growth and foreign currency earning, said Mr. Nakao. It will be important to pursue sustainable tourism, which protect the environment, and ensure local communities to benefit.

A.D.B. has supported development of Samoas energy sector since the early 1990s. Projects co-financed with Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the European Union have installed almost two-thirds of the countrys current generation capacity of 45 megawatts.

A.D.B., Australia, and the World Bank supported the development and operation of a submarine cable fiber-optic system linking Samoa to Fiji. The Tui Samoa cable, launched in February 2018, will provide cost-effective internet connectivity and facilitate e-health investment.

Future support will continue to focus on economic infrastructure such as power, roads, and ports, as well as public sector management. Total financing from A.D.F. for Samoa, including resources mobilized from A.D.F. funds allocated for regional initiatives could reach $100 million in 2019-2020. In addition, A.D.B. will mobilize co-financing from development partners such as Australia, New Zealand, the Green Climate Fund, and the World Bank.Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi has dismissed claims about the alienation of customary lands through an Asian Development Bank-funded project as fake news.

He said the fuss and fear-mongering tactics are being promoted by one or two small lawyers who do not want to understand the Governments work to promote the economic use of customary lands.

He also defended the work of A.D.B. in Samoa, praising the banks tremendous contribution to the development of the country, through the improvement of drinking water, sanitation, renewable energy, internet connectivity and more (see story).

We have explained time and time again that ever since we passed our Constitution, and particularly article 102, no customary land has ever been sold, Tuilaepa said during a joint press conference with the President of A.D.B., Takehiko Nakao, who left the country yesterday after a three-day visit.

Article 102 of the Constitution states that there shall be no alienation of customary land, due to it being illegal to sell or mortgaged. Tuilaepa said the Office of the Attorney General has explained this article to members of the public frequently.

And the Attorney General, with 50 lawyers supporting him, is the only legal office that is recognised in the Constitution to advise the Government, Tuilaepa said.

So with so many Samoan chiefs, educated lawyers supported by the Office of the Commission of Law Reforms, and one or two lawyers kicking up this fuss over the dangers we are facing over our customary land, this is all fake news.

President Nakao said the bank would support the Government on the issues of customary land. Since 2014, A.D.B has been carrying out a project called Promoting Economic Use of Customary Land with the Government.

But a group of matai, led by Fiu Mataese Elisara, has lodged an official complaint that the process was carried out without due consultation with local people. They expressed fears that the project runs the risk of alienating them from their customary lands.

The A.D.B. Compliance Review Panel found evidence, which backed the groups complaint. As of today, the process is continuing.

In the meantime, President Nakao said the intention of the project is simply to make better use of customary land.

In many countries, land is the most important property for people and customary land is a long tradition, he said.

There is no such idea to damage the use of customary land or to impede ownership of customary land over tradition, but how to use land better and how to have a better registration system so there will be less dispute over land boundaries, that is our purpose.

I hope that the people understand why we do it. Its not, once again, about infringing on the rights of customary land.

Due to time constraints, he was not able to speak further.

But the Regional Director of A.D.Bs Pacific sub-regional office in Fiji, Masayuki Tachiiri, expanded.

Our assistance to the Government on land reform is nothing to do with alienation of the land, he said. It just makes better use of the land by using a lease title for collateral. Its not about facilitating alienation of the land, its just a misunderstanding Im afraid.

Mr. Tachiiri said he believes the controversy comes from the lack of consultation, which is being addressed and will continue to be improved.

I think the Government or A.D.B or anybody doesnt want any change which would affect negatively the people in Samoa, there is no intention for that.

Mr. Tachiiri said both the bank and the Government of Samoa continue to work with legal advisors, lawyers and Members of Parliament.

We acknowledge that some people are not 100 per cent satisfied or convinced but we need to continue the consultations and discussions with those people

I think gradually, people will understand the intentions and the impact of the reform and that will benefit the people.

Mr. Tachiiri said he is confident today that due consultation is being carried out by Government and government agencies in accordance with the safeguard policy of the bank.

I think Government is doing a good job and we are helping if necessary, and we support the Government for the development of the economy.

On Tuesday, a peaceful protest was staged outside the Central Bank Building in a bid to target the visit by the A.D.B. President.Here is the cold hard truth. The Government, starting from Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi, should feel duty bound to ensure every living soul in Samoa has access to clean drinking water.

That access must come through systems installed by the Government, and paid for by taxpayers and monies from development partners, which this country has plenty of.

Here is the thing; access to clean drinking water should be a matter of human rights. No ifs or buts. And why must the Government be held responsible, some people might ask. The answer is quite simple.

It is the Governments job to ensure all Samoans, wherever they are, have access to these basic utilities: water, electricity, roads and other basic infrastructure. That is what they are there for and it is why they are paid those hefty sums of monies. In other words, it is their job.

Anything less therefore is not good enough.

Which is why we find the attempt by the Prime Minister, to pass the buck in terms of his Governments responsibility to the people of this country, both odd and wrong.

We are referring to a story titled Water shouldnt be an issue for poorest, says P.M., which was published on page 7 of yesterdays edition of the Samoa Observer.

The story in question says the Prime Minister believes it is ridiculous to suggest there are Samoan people without water, pointing out that families should not be struggling, given the abundance of water in the country.

Said Tuilaepa: In Samoa, we have so much water. It would be ridiculous to say nobody has any water to drink, especially in this rain. Long ago, when we did not have pipes, what we did in our villages, there is a thing called tufu along the beaches. All you do is dig and spring water comes in. That is the value of local knowledge. In every village, there is a tufu.

Really? After all these years in power  close to 40 years that is  and this is what the leader of the H.R.P.P. has to tell the people of Samoa?

What is the Prime Minister suggesting here? That everyone returns to the tufu to find drinking water?

Now lets park here a minute, and think about the claim that there is an abundance of water, in the country. That might be true, but a lot of that water is not safe for consumption. You dont need to be a rocket scientist to know that a lot of the water is not safe to drink.

It is irresponsible therefore for the leader of this country to say such a thing. Besides, someone needs to remind him that this is 2019, where people are communicating on messenger and video calling. To suggest that people revert to the tufu, especially people living inland whose struggle for water is extremely real, is ludicrous and outrageous. Such statements are irresponsible and should be called out for what it is.

Here is another interesting issue raised in the story in question. Told about the plight of so many Samoans calling for water tanks, especially people living far away from the Samoa Water Authoritys main lines, Prime Minister Tuilaepa again passed the buck to Samoans living overseas.

We have been sending people since 1982 overseas, so almost every family will have relatives working overseas that can contribute to the development of their families here, Tuilaepa said.

The fact is that Samoa today will not be where it is  without the support and help from these families. And many of them do supply water tanks from time to time. During the past few weeks, when many of them have been to Samoa for the Christmas and New Year holidays, many would have bought water tanks  among other appliances  to help their families.

But again that is beside the point.

The goal of the Government should be to cater for everyone, regardless of the circumstances  in this case access to water. In doing that, we accept that they have limitations and challenges, which is part of life.

We also accept there are some families who could do a better job to help themselves. Some of these families happily abuse clean drinking water, when it is available to them, and then come up with all sorts of excuses as to why they cannot pay the bill. This issue is quite common and some of these people unfortunately cannot be helped.

But overall, let us remind here once again that the Government, starting from Prime Minister Tuilaepa, has a responsibility to provide every Samoan with clean drinking water. It doesnt matter where they live. To suggest now that people revert to the tufu or call up their relatives overseas is not just irresponsible, it is condescending.

Have a pleasant Thursday Samoa, God bless!Members of the public react to the plastic ban and the call to encourage the use of re-useable shopping bags. This is what they told Talaia Mika, Yolanda Lavatai and Misiona Simo.

Monica Naini, 19, Vaoala

I think the reusable bags are better than the plastic bags. I dont know about the others but in my own experience seeing people who come in our store every day, I know that they dont really love using the plastic bags. Our reusable bags are rapidly bought by customers and its good. Its safer for our environment and living.

Taimane Faasau, 40, Vaisigano

Its good to bring back our culture and traditions like weaving the Samoan bags with coconut leaves. Our family is also starting to use the reusable bags now and its very nice. It feels good knowing youre saving the environment. The only problem we sometimes encounter is when we forget the bag at home when we go for shopping so thats when we might need a plastic bag. I agree with the banning of plastic bags.

Annie Piula, 24, Lalovaea

We sell the reusable bags for $5 because for now, were not using the plastic bags anymore except the ones that are left here in our company, we still use them since the new regulation hasnt been official yet. Its nice that a lot of our customers really love buying these reusable bags for their shopping and theyve gotten used to using them by bringing them with them when they come to shop. Another thing Im noticing is that a lot of our usual customers like using the reusable bag.

Devine Lalatoa, 17, Vaitele

Plastic has always been a big contributor for polluting our ocean and wildlife. We use it, then do not dispose it properly. Transitioning from plastic bags to reusable tote bags or grocery bags is an ideal way of saying that we care about our environment and trying to stop the pollution. But it will be challenge if Samoa does not all agree and commit to it.

Nobuaki Miyata, 63, Vaoala

I am working with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (S.P.R.E.P.) that is in support with the new regulation of banning plastic bags. I personally support and have already begun using my own tote-bag for shopping.

Aiga Johnson, 70, Moataa

I have already started making a collection of my own reusable grocery bags because soon enough we will no longer be using plastic bags from the stores. Personally I think it is for a good cause. There is just too much pollution already from plastics. I hope this is just the first in many more ways to help the environment.

Ila Elia, 21, Afega

I think what the government and people in Samoa are doing is great. First it will help our local businesses save money and second it will make our nation a lot cleaner. There is just too much rubbish from the plastic bags that the public disposes in the environment.

Tulafono Tauvauu, 32, Faleatiu

Anything the government has decided to set in motion has already been decided upon. Plastic bags and plastics in general have been an issue in Samoa because it creates a lot of unnecessary rubbish, clutter and pollution to the countrys good environment. It is about time Samoa do something about it.







During the visit of the Asian Development Banks president and regional leaders to Samoa, President Takehiko was asked if he is confident the country can pay off its loans.

Since its establishment in 1966, A.D.B has committed US$385 million, over half of which comes from the Asian Development Fund. In recent times, the bank has stopped giving loans to Samoa, choosing to give grants instead.

Speaking with media, President Nakao said supporting countries vulnerable to climate change is important.

We have been careful to manage the debt issues of the countries and this year because of the debt to GDP ratio is increasing, and because of vulnerability to climate change, we will continue to give a grant 100 per cent to countries again, he said.

Funding towards building resilience and adapting to the effects of climate change is a priority for the bank, said the president, including developing the renewable energy sector.

The roads should be elevated and made stronger against flooding; we need stronger communities and a good power system with the resilience to climate change, he said.

We are supporting renewable energies."

This country has the objective of making renewable energy 100 per cent of the power supply and we continue to support that, we need a lot of effort to make it workable.

Part of President Nakaos visit included an in-depth look into Samoas renewable energy developments. Their first day saw a trip to the Sun Pacific Energy Solar Farm near Faleolo International Airport, and yesterday they toured the Fiaga Power Station and battery storage centre.

However, President Nakao added that despite the banks best efforts to support Samoa, being smart about spending was always important.

At the same time, countries should continue to pursue prudent policies regarding fiscal expenditure and debt management, he said.

The Asian Development Banks Regional Director in the Pacific Sub-regional Office in Suva, said the choice to make Samoas assistance grant based was to do with how vulnerable the economy is to shocks.

Masayuki Tachiiri said more so than before, the bank is considering vulnerability of economies, with new classification measures - especially when it comes to climate change.

With the new factors we agreed to incorporate the vulnerability of the economy, Mr Tachiiri explained.

So smaller countries subject to natural disasters, typically Pacific countries, they are now eligible for grant funding.

The debt sustainability analysis, conducted by the A.D.B, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank also measures debt size and repayment terms but Mr Tachiiri said Samoas vulnerability was the main consideration for the grant.

Small economies have a difficult to manage their economies because one cyclone has a lot of impact. Its very different from a large economy, he said.The President of the Asian Development Bank, Takehiko Nakao, visited Sun Pacific Energy  Private Sector Operations Departments (P.S.O.D.) renewable energy project at Faleolo on Monday.

The project was Mr. Nakaos first official visit on a three-day visit in Samoa.

On his first official visit in Samoa, the President was accompanied by the Minister of Finance, Sili Epa Tuioti and the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Finance, Leasiosiofaasisina Oscar Malielegaoi.

At the project site at Faleolo, Fonoti Perelini Perelini welcomed the President and provided a briefing about the project and the progress thus far.

In September 2017, A.D.B. approved the disbursement of a loan of up to US$2 million to develop solar energy capabilities and coverage in Samoa. Under the financing package, Jarcon Pty Limited and Sun Pacific Energy Limited (SPEL) will expand a 2.2-megawatt (MW) solar farm in Samoa.

Renewable energy sources are vital for Samoas efforts to achieve sustainable and inclusive development, said Jackie Surtani, Director for ADBs Private Sector Operations Department (PSOD) at the time. The project will increase access to affordable clean energy for the people of Samoa.

The project will install up to 4 MW of solar power generation, owned and operated by SPEL, an independent power producer (IPP), who sells power to Samoas state-owned utility Electric Power Corporation.

The project was expected to help the country lower its dependence on fossil fuels by generating an estimated 5.5 gigawatt-hours of solar power annually for 20 years, with estimated carbon emission reduction of 1,644 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent and save an estimated 1.7 million liters of diesel per year. This will help achieve the governments goal of inclusive, sustainable, and environment-friendly growth.

The project was P.S.O.Ds first energy deal in the Pacific and the first A.D.B. investment supporting an I.P.P. in the region.Culture Minister inaugurates First Art Exhibition for Yemeni Children in Sanaa [09/January/2019] SANAA, Jan. 9 (Saba) - Culture Minister Abdullah Al-kibsi considered that the organization of cultural events and activities is a form of steadfastness and the response to the aggression coalition, which failed in its efforts to undermine the determination of the Yemeni people, who proved to the whole world that the Yemeni man is invincible and that Yemen is the cemetery of the invaders.



He stressed during the opening of the First Art Exhibition for Yemeni Children, organized by a local initiative, that each painting displayed in this exhibition is an epic of steadfastness and that the children who painted these paintings, which reflected the suffering of children of Yemen and their aspirations and through of which they sent a message to the world that the Yemenis young And the older adore love, security and stability.



During the opening, the Minister of Culture toured the exhibition and heard from talented children to explanation about their paintings and their various artistic works, which were co-painting by 37 children.





AA

SabaCrude oil prices rose sharply on Wednesday, extending gains to an eighth successive session, amid easing concerns about energy demand and on data showing a drop in U.S. crude inventories.

Worries about energy demand have eased a bit following the high level trade discussions between U.S. and Chinese officials. It is now being speculated that the two nations will strike a trade deal ahead of a March 1 deadline established by U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping last month at the G20 summit in Argentina.

Data released by the Energy Information Administration today showed crude oil inventories dropped by 1.68 million barrels in the week to January 4, after falling by about 1.4 million barrels a week earlier. However, the drop was notably less than forecasts.

Gasoline inventories were up by 8.07 million barrels last week, while distillate stockpiles increased by 10.61 million barrels.

Crude oil futures for February ended up $2.58, or 5.2%, at $52.36 a barrel.

On Tuesday, crude oil futures ended up $1.26, or 2.6%, at $49.78 a barrel.

Saudi Arabia's energy minister is reported to have expressed confidence that action to rein in output by OPEC and its allies would bring the oil market into balance, unless there was an unexpected development.

Khalid al-Falih also said he would not rule out calling for further action by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies in future, adding that market conditions looked better than a few weeks ago.

UAE Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazroui has also stated that a global oil pact to cut production by 1.2 million barrels per day is enough to balance the oil market.

Investors shrugged off a World Bank report suggesting that global growth will drop to 2.9% this year from 3% in 2018 on the back of several downside risks.

"The outlook for the global has darkened. Global financing conditions have tightened, industrial production has moderated, trade tensions have intensified, and some large emerging market and developing economies have experienced significant financial market stress," the bank said.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Market AnalysisConstellation Brands Inc (STZ) revealed a profit for third quarter that declined from last year.

The company's profit came in at $303.1 million, or $1.56 per share. This compares with $492.8 million, or $2.45 per share, in last year's third quarter.

Excluding items, Constellation Brands Inc reported adjusted earnings of $461.7 million or $2.37 per share for the period.

Analysts had expected the company to earn $2.06 per share, according to figures compiled by Thomson Reuters. Analysts' estimates typically exclude special items.

The company's revenue for the quarter rose 9.4% to $1.97 billion from $1.80 billion last year.

Constellation Brands Inc earnings at a glance:

-Earnings (Q3): $461.7 Mln. vs. $404.3 Mln. last year.

-EPS (Q3): $2.37 vs. $2.01 last year.

-Analysts Estimate: $2.06

-Revenue (Q3): $1.97 Bln vs. $1.80 Bln last year.

-Guidance:

Full year EPS guidance: $12.95 - $13.05



For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.comAeroportos de Portugal or ANA, concessionnaire of 10 airports in Portugal and 100% subsidiary of VINCI Airports, signed n agreement with the Portuguese governement on the main principles for the extension of the airport capacity in the Lisbon Region.

As part of the agreement, ANA shall invest 1.15 billion euros by 2028, including 650 millions euros for the first phase of the extension of the existing Lisbon airport, and 500 million euros for the opening of a new civil airport in Montijo. In addition, 156 million euros will be invested to compensate the Air Force and to contribute to access works in Humberto Delgado and Montijo.

With a target capacity of 48 ATM per hour in Humberto Delgado and 24 ATM per hour in Montijo, this dual airport system will be able to absorb the expected growth of traffic until the end of the concession, which remains unchanged in 2062.

For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com

Business NewsReviews

The first day of the year saw Kolkata bringing out its dormant love for independent music when so many turned up to see a two hour long set of Ziba, a new brainchild of guitar virtuoso Amyt Datta

Q: What do you do in life? A: I play guitar.

Q: No, I mean what do you do in life? A: I play effing guitar!



Amyt Datta spat out the above sentences, dripping with disgust and frustration, to hoots and thunderous applause at the nearly packed 1100 seater Kala Mandir Auditorium. The first day of the year saw Kolkata bringing out its dormant love for independent music when so many turned up to see a two hour long set of Ziba, a new brainchild of guitar virtuoso Amyt Datta where folk music from all over the world blends into the eclectic sonic territory of the maestro to create a new identity which is immediately relatable even if it is not recognizable.



It was reminiscent of the 90s when people used to turn up to sit-down concerts without having any expectations of what music would be played; without booze, food, chit-chat. Datta remembered the days when he and late percussion guru Monojit Datta played at the same venue to a packed house as D for Brother.

The impactful energy emanated from the first note stayed same throughout the show. Loud and blaring African rhythms conveyed the first song - Oumou Sangares Moussolou and Santhali Manbhoomi folk song Shaaltole Bela Dubilo - to the crowd, Arko Mukhaerjees voice hitting sweet spots as he twirled around, his mane like hair following. Mystique moods were created over booming double stops on the bass as a Jamaican song Sheriff and the century old Bengali Manush Ekta Koler Gaari conjoined on a single soundscape.

A distinct trait of Zibas sound is that there are alter egos. One is their treatment of the song, and the other is Dattas tale incorporating that song. The transitions are breath-taking: a subtle difference and the sound shifts gears to journey through the portal to the other ego, which is mostly dark and dissonant, reeking of turbulent distortion and borderline schizophrenia.

Helmed by Ritoban Das on drums, Deboprotim Bakshi on congas and percussion (both students of Monojit Datta) and Aakash Ganguly on bass, the rhythm section is a groove machine. While the percussionists create the bed of Afro-Cuban, Indian folk and eastern European rhythms, the bass contributes the funky tangent to Dattas guitar, which rotates among solid rhythm playing, blood-thirsty solos and alter ego mood making. But the pinnacle of their flawless delivery lies in Mukhaerjees unearthly vocals, which is in parts shamanic, reaching supersonic pitches while reverberating powerfully.



The distinct worlds of Mali and Bengal  Sangares Diaraby Nene and 19th century Baul song Kotodine Deen Heener Bhaab - were traversed again in one song, without one even realizing the mood shifts; only the language changing. The anguish of the gypsy was also remembered through an eastern European Romani song  Dumbala Dumba by Taraf de Haidouks. Mukhaerjees unique usage of the ukulele in such pounding soundscapes set down twinkling riffs and folky essences.

The dreamy rendition of Senegalese artist Baaba Maals Cherie brought smiles to the audience after the aural heavy content of previous songs. Coleur Cafe was the other soft song in the setlist. Doyal Baba/Ayna was given a funk makeover, while some haunting poetry was infused into the Fakiri Sufi song from Sylhet, Bangladesh - Namaaz Amar Hoilo Na Adaay.



Though the concert officially ended with The Kabir Jam  the song with which the band unearthed themselves on the internet (Jamsteady X BlooperHouse Studio Sessions), the audience wanted an encore. So, Mukhaerjee led them into creating a rhythm bed:

Clap-Clap ; Clap-Clap-Clap; Clap-Clap-Clap; Clap-Clap;

On this, the band roared into Allah Megh De. The pop treatment of the Bengali Bhawaiya folk song was eye-opening and the contrasting shoot off into percussion heavy Gypsy Queen was even more so. Mukhaerjee also made the audience croon out the melody line at different pitches.



While reflecting on the concert, the thing that stands out is the mystique and theatricality of Zibas aura - world fusion experimental music with controlled doses of chaos and dissonance; a frontman who often raises his hands, as if to God, in the midst of onstage throes, and the audience joins him when he does Baul-like vocal throws for nearly ten seconds; and the white screen behind changing from one monochromatic hue to another while flickering lights and smoke do their bit. All of it together creates an illusion  the illusion of a portal to the other world!What happens when you have been a frequent traveller for the better part of your life thanks to your work and then retire from that career that saw you globetrotting? You look for other ways to earn those points and miles and that's what Rewards Canada reader Jim Marchbank describes for us.

I am a retired CEO of a cultural organization. I have been an Aeroplan member since 1987 and a Hilton Honors member for about 20 years. When I was working I undertook a lot of business travel and flew Star Alliance most frequently and stayed mostly in Hilton properties. I was a Diamond member of HH for many years and an Air Canada Super Elite member for almost 15 years.

Upon retirement I realized my substantial Aeroplan and Honors balances would deplete and, with only leisure travel, would eventually disappear. Until then I had never churned a credit card.

I learned about churning from sites like Rewards Canada, other bloggers and the Reddit Churning Canada forum. My wife and I were in the fortunate position of having good incomes, a mortgage free home and no debt. We also both love to travel and see the world. As a Super Elite Aeroplan member we were able to use points and status to travel long haul in Business Class. With diminishing point and mile balances replenishing them through credit cards was just what we needed.

I now have a portfolio of credit cards and frequent flyer programs. Aeroplan remains a major plan. We collect through credit cards like TD, CIBC and transfers from Amex Membership Rewards cards and the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express. Both of us have Aeroplan accounts that we build up miles in. Being retired I am able to plan our travel long in advance, sometimes at the booking limit of 355 days. In the next 5 months I plan to use my Aeroplan miles to book us trips in Business Class to South America in November 2019, and SE Asia in January-February 2020.

British Airways Executive Club is our second major program and we find it equal to Aeroplan. We have a household Executive Club account that allows us to pool the Avios earned individually into one account. The Avios balance we have has been acquired through RBC cards, both the Visa Infinite Avion and the RBC British Airways Visa, and through transfers from American Express Membership Rewards. I have used the Free Companion Certificate from the RBC BA Visa several times. For example, we are using Avios plus one certificate to fly in Business Class from Toronto to Johannesburg in January. After using Aeroplan miles on South African Airways (SAA) to cross the Indian Ocean we are using Avios for two flights, also in Business Class, on Qantas in Australia.

Our third program, a secondary one, is Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan. Our miles have been acquired through the MBNA Alaska Airlines cards, some transfers from the Amex SPG cards and through a few Rocketmiles* hotel stays. We are using Alaska miles in early 2019 to fly Sydney to Toronto on Cathay Pacific with a Hong Kong stopover, one leg in Business, the other in Premium Economy. We are now working to replenish those miles so we each have a balance of 125,000 Mileage Plan miles which will enable us to fly anywhere Cathay Pacific flies beyond Hong Kong in Business Class.

To the surprise of some, AIR MILES is our fourth program. We have one account in my wife's name but there's no problem linking credit cards in my name to the account. I used to think AIR MILES was a waste of time because point acquisition was so slow. Credit cards have changed all that. In the last few years we've had multiple BMO Air Miles cards and a couple of American Express AIR MILES cards. We buy all our gas at Shell and all our drugstore supplies at Rexall, both of which have frequent, generous bonuses. Promotions also deliver miles, the current Shop the Block being a perfect example, acquiring 2,000 AIR MILES is a no brainer.

Related: Redemption Stories: Utilizing the BMO AIR MILES World Elite Mastercard Companion Flight Benefit

In the past year we have used AIR MILES to fly LGA-YSB one way, YSB-YEG one way, YSB-CUN round trip, and have now booked YYZ-YDF one way, book YDF-YYT one way, and YSB-YVR round trip. Weve also added a stay in a hotel in Norway for a night using AIR MILES. I'm now waiting to replenish our miles to book a car rental in YYT next spring. This is a huge amount economy class flying on short to medium haul flights that have saved us a lot of money.

When we get new cards we tend to concentrate all our spending on the new card until minimum spend amounts have been reached. All our spending, even a Starbucks coffee, goes on a card. We occasionally plan to get a new card with a high minimum spend just in advance of a major payment. I pay off our cards daily online from our bank accounts and almost never carry a balance on a card. It is the easiest way to manage them and ensure we never miss a payment. We have not used any manufactured spending techniques.

I still have a healthy balance of Hilton Honors points but in retirement much of our travel is longer stay so we tend to use AirBnB to get apartments or other places with cooking facilities. So hotel points are not so important. We do use the Honors points sometimes for treats like 5 nights in a Conrad in Bangkok or Hong Kong.

While not a frequent flyer program American Express has been a major vehicle in our churning and travel success. We have each held numerous Amex cards though we have yet to churn through all of the cards. We are both holding large Membership Rewards balances which we expect to transfer to Aeroplan before American Express and Aeroplan may be separated by AC and the banks when their current agreement ends in June of 2020.

We currently have healthy point balances, have plans to keep adding to those balances and of course we have plans for travel for the next 18 months! We plan to keep on going as long as our health remains good. Churning cards has enabled us to travel more, take longer trips and travel long haul in Business Class and has been great for our retirement!

What's in Jim's and his wife's Arsenal?



Aeroplan (Air Canada)

Air France KLM Flying Blue

AIR MILES

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

British Airways Executive Club

WestJet Rewards





Best Western Rewards

Marriott Bonvoy

Hilton Honors





American Express Gold Rewards Card

American Express Business Gold Rewards Card

The Platinum Card from American Express

Business Platinum Card from American Express



American Express AIR MILES Platinum Credit Card

BMO Air Miles MasterCard

BMO Air Miles World Elite MasterCard

CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite

MBNA Best Western MasterCard

MBNA Alaska Airlines World Elite MastercardRBC Visa Infinite Avion

RBC British Airways Visa Infinite Card

WestJet RBC World Elite MasterCard

TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Card

TD First Class Travel Visa Infinite Card



* = This is Jim's Rocketmiles referral link! If you join via his link and complete a stay both you and Jim will earn 1,000 bonus miles in the Rocketmiles partner program of your choice!

We want to feature you in our Meet the Collector series!

Email us at info@rewardscanada.ca to get the ball rolling!

Talk to us!

Do you follow some of the same strategies as Jim? Do you have any tips for him or questions you'd like to ask? Tell us in the comments section below or join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter!





Rewards Canada can be found on the following social media channels:

This undated photo provided by Americas Test Kitchen in December 2018 shows Chicken Pot Pie in Brookline, Mass. This recipe appears in the book Cook It In Your Dutch Oven. (Carl Tremblay/Americas Test Kitchen via AP)Weather Alert

...The Flood Warning is extended for the following rivers in North Carolina... Contentnea Creek Near Hookerton affecting Greene, Pitt and Lenoir Counties. For the Contentnea Creek...including Hookerton...Minor flooding is forecast. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Additional information is available at water.weather.gov/ahps. ...The Flood Warning is now in effect until further notice... The Flood Warning continues for the Contentnea Creek Near Hookerton. * Until further notice. * At 10:00 AM EDT Tuesday the stage was 13.3 feet. * Flood stage is 13.0 feet. * Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. * Recent Activity...The maximum river stage in the 24 hours ending at 10:00 AM EDT Tuesday was 13.4 feet. * Forecast...The river is expected to remain steady above flood stage at 13.4 feet. * Impact...At 13.0 feet, Minor flooding of low lying areas adjacent to creek can be expected. Several homes threatened by water in northwest Greene County near HWY 58. &&Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.

0108263 License for publishing multimedia online



Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349The American Flag Symbolizes Our Values

Many of us put up our American Flags during Memorial Day weekend in honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting the sovereignty...

Letters to the Editor

Gateway Tunnel To The Editor: Advocates for the new $11.6 billion Hudson River Gateway Tunnel should be concerned by what New York Governor Andrew Cuomo...Calendar When: August 13, 2019  August 16, 2019 all-day 2019-08-13T00:00:00+10:00 2019-08-17T00:00:00+10:00 Where: Sydney Showgrounds

Sydney Olympic Park

PrintEx19 is being held at the Sydney Showgrounds from August 13 to 16.

The trade show continues to co-locate with Visual Impact Sydney and has also annexed the Label and Packaging Expo 2019.

The exhibition, along with PrintExs sister show Pacprint, is one of Australias leading showcases for the signage, engraving, display and wide format markets.

Held biennially and alternating between Sydney and Melbourne, the exhibitions are a forum for technology, innovation and education, while also providing the industry with intelligence, ideas, information and inspiration to survive and prosper into the future.

With over 6,000 square metres of state-of-the-art equipment and technology on display, an industry leading education and networking programme and an audience of more than 8,000 professionals, PrintEx is the event that brings buyers and suppliers together.

The event will be held at the Sydney Showground at Sydney Olympic Park.

For to register your attendance and find out more information please visit: http://www.printex.net.au/ . If you wish to exhibit please contact Peter Harper on +61 2 9868 1577 or by email at [email protected]

Comment below to have your say on this story.

If you have a news story or tip-off, get in touch at [email protected]

Sign up to the Sprinter newsletterUS Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas): I understand from whats been testified to the Forest Service and the BLM [Bureau of Land Management], you want very much to work on the issue of climate change. We know theres been significant solar flare activity, and so  is there anything that the National Forest Service or BLM can do to change the course of the moons orbit, or the Earths orbit around the sun? Obviously that would have profound effects on our climate.

Jennifer Eberlein, associate deputy chief for the National Forest System, responded that she would have to follow up with you on that one, after a brief pause.

Gohmert: Well, if you figure out a way that you in the Forest Service can make that change, Id like to know.The bodys immune system is incredibly complex and keeping it well-regulated relies on many factors  including diet, exercise and sleep. How much alcohol an individual consumes is also a factor. When the body processes alcohol, multiple organs are affected in different ways  all of which have negative impacts on the immune system. As more and more people turn to alcohol to cope with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic, its important to understand the potential harmful impacts of alcohol on the bodys ability to fight off diseases.To the editor:

The challenge to removal of the Chiquita Lock by Cape Coral is moving to a hearing in early March of this year. The Matlacha Civic Association and seven individuals from Cape Coral, Matlacha and Pine Island have filed a legal challenge to the Florida Department of Environmental Protections [DEP] approval for the City of Cape Coral to remove the Chiquita Boat Lock.

The challengers say that removal of the Chiquita Lock will cause damage to the waters, fish, fowl and mangroves of the Matlacha Estuary and the Caloosahatchee River.

Cape Coral wants to remove the Chiquita Lock so weekend boaters will not experience delays getting through the lock. The challengers say the damage to our waters far outweighs the inconvenience to these weekend boaters. Instead, Cape Coral should install a new high-speed boat lock, such as the one already designed by the City in 2007.

The Petition filed by the challengers calls for DEP to follow its original order from 1977. In the 1970s, DEP halted the Cape Coral canal digging by Gulf American Corporation [GAC] because the prolific dredging threatened major degradation of the mangroves and estuaries. Back then, DEP brought the largest environmental enforcement action in the history of the state, imposing massive fines on GAC and putting it into bankruptcy.

Under Consent Order No. 15 issued in 1977, DEP forced GAC to deed thousands of acres of mangrove wetlands to the State of Florida for preservation. GAC also was required to construct a water retention system including the North and South Spreader Canals, the Ceitus Boat Lift Barrier and the Chiquita Boat Lock. These serve as a water distribution system for Cape Coral to buffer, treat and improve water quality before it reaches the Matlacha Pass and the Caloosahatchee River.

However, the Department of Environmental Protection, joined by the city of Cape Coral, has filed a motion in the case to strike any reference to its own 1977 Consent Order. DEP and Cape Coral say the Consent Order is irrelevant and immaterial, and the hearing judge may not consider it.

Karl R. Deigert, president of the Matlacha Civic Association, says the challengers will oppose the motion. Its time for politics to step aside. The Consent Order of 1977 was intended to preserve Cape Corals most important fresh water resource, the 400 miles of canals. Restoration of the original system will increase canal levels and begin the process of remediating damage to the mangrove wetlands. Long-term retention of the water will sequester and eliminate pollutants and restore freshwater sheetflow to the mangroves.

The Matlacha Civic Association is helping to fund the challenge from its environmental fund, originally established in 2016.

J. Michael Hannon

MatlachaSouthwest Florida welcomed the New Year with great weather for fishing, boating and other outdoor activities.

Favorable conditions allowed anglers to fish Gulf waters from near shore to a good distance off. Reports were good, with impressive catches coming from 80 to 120-foot depths. Big snapper, including mangrove, lane, yellowtail, vermilion and a few muttons, were boated, along with red grouper up to 31 inches, plus amberjack, scamp and porgy. The larger snapper was caught from a chum line on light tackle. Shrimp, squid and cut sardines were the baits of choice.

Closer to land conditions are improving and some life is returning to near shore areas. Sheepshead, grunts and snapper, plus some catch-and-release gag grouper, were caught within sight of land. Fish werent caught in great numbers, but this is great news that these waters are rebounding.

With a long stretch of warm days, the inshore sheepshead bite was up or down as they generally are more aggressive when its cooler. As a cool front pushed down on Friday, the bite heated up and was good through the weekend. Sheepshead were reported from all their usual locations  oyster bars, docks, piers, bridges and along the gulf beaches. Extreme low tides often had them concentrated in the deeper pockets of these areas.

Many of the redfish reports came from anglers targeting sheepshead, with fish running in size from 16 to 25 inches caught on shrimp rigs. A few reds up to 28 inches were also caught off the flats of northern Matlacha Pass and mid-Pine Island Sound on the eastern side. Cut mullet or ladyfish soaked on bottom got their attention. Redfish and snook are both closed seasons, catch and release only.

The million dollar question lately is where are the trout. Its been a struggle for many to catch any numbers; some are striking out completely. The few reports with decent numbers came from south Matlacha Pass and across Charlotte Harbor around Bull and Turtle bays. Like many species, many seatrout were decimated from the summers red tide and water issues. I have seen trout get hit hard in the past with a fairly quick recovery. Lets hope the numbers improve soon.

Large ladyfish provided big smiles and bent rods for anglers young and old to ring in the New Year. They have no food value, but they sure are fun to catch, especially when you find a school. They were reported between the Caloosahatchee River and St. James City, and in northern Matlacha Pass. Bonnethead sharks, another great fighter, were hooked along sand bar edges in Charlotte Harbor and around Captiva and Cayo Costa islands. Unlike most sharks, bonnetheads prefer eating shrimp over fish. An extra long shank hook or a short trace of light wire leader is a good idea if you really want to get one to the boat.

I cannot remember the last time I have seen as many boats on the water as witnessed over the holidays. The weather was great, and a lot of folks took advantage of it. Thankfully, the holidays are behind us and we should see the next few weeks a little less crowded on the water. Then our tourist season will kick in full swing for the next couple months.

If you have a fishing report or for charter information, please contact us Gulf Coast Guide Service at 239-283-7960, via the Website www.fishpineisland.com or email gcl2fish@live.com.

Have a safe week and good fishin.

As a native of Pine Island, Capt. Bill Russell has spent his entire life fishing and learning the waters surrounding Pine Island and as a professional fishing guide for the past 18 years.The Greater Pine Island Civic Associa-tion held its monthly meeting last Thursday and the theme of the session was clean water.

Casey Streeter, co-owner of Island Sea-food Market in Matlacha and founder of the Florida Com-mercial Watermens Conservation, spoke about the severe water issues Southwest Florida is facing.

This summer we had a front row seat to the destruction of our ecosystem, fisheries, local economy and it was all red tide related, Streeter said. I reached out to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and asked what their stance is on red tide. Their reply was to explain they dont have a stance.

According to FloridaHealth.gov, red tide is a harmful algae bloom that can cause skin irritation and burning eyes. It is possible that people in coastal areas may experience varying degrees of eye, nose and throat irritation and persistent symptoms require medical attention. People with respiratory problems (asthma or bronchitis) should avoid red tide areas.

Streeter then contacted marine biologist Dr. Mandy Karwoski from the Southeast Science Center explaining that Southwest Florida commercial fishermen have been facing red tide for 29 of the last 48 months.

Karwoski and Streeter organized a workshop where commercial fishermen and scientists discussed the issue, and Streeter participated in a study aboard the Marine and Atmospheric Science vessel Walton Smith.

What they found in our water was severe stratification where the lower level has a high salinity and cold water and the two top levels are low salinity with warm water, Streeter said. These conditions create a situation where the waters have an unlimited ability to create red tide and at the same time prevents surface mixing which creates a dead zone in our case, 250 square miles of dead zone with very low oxygen levels extending from Sarasota to Marco Island.

According to NOAA, Dead zones are hypoxic (low-oxygen) areas in the worlds oceans and large lakes, caused by excessive nutrient pollution from human activities coupled with other factors that deplete the oxygen required to support most marine life in bottom and near-bottom water.

Before starting FCWC, Streeter spoke with fishermen who have been fishing the waters of Southwest Florida for generations and, he said, The story is always the same, this is not red tide. Red tide used to be 12 or 14 days, localized, and it would burn itself out and go away. We would have our red tide months, October, November and maybe December, and it would go away. Were in a pattern now that takes us into January, February and March.

The goal of FCWC is to gain a better understanding of whats going on in off-shore waters and offer scientists the data they need to break that cycle, Streeter said. Our commercial fishermen are on the water every day and we need funding to equip our in-shore and off-shore guys with water sampling kits.

Commercial fishermen would then take multiple water samples going out to and returning from their offshore fishing grounds and FCWC will make the data available to NOAA and other science organizations.

FCWC needs funding. Donations can be made by sending a check to Island Seafood Market, 4330 Pine Island Road, Matlacha, 33993. Make checks out to Florida Commercial Watermens Conservation (FCWC).

Information is available at www.FloridaWatermen.org (under construction); email: casey@floridawatermen.org; or visit FCWCs Facebook page

In other GPICA business, a zoning change was discussed for 5.2 acres in Bokeelia. The proposed change was from Residential to Agricultural 2. AG-2 uses include dwelling units, accessory buildings, animals excluding exotic species and nature trails. The property is located on Kreamers Drive.Andrew Hamilton, the chef and manager of Saltwater Smoke-house, made an appearance on the Food Networks Cutthroat Kitchen, which finally aired on Nov. 23. The TV episode was filmed more than two years ago.

The theme of Food Networks Cutthroat Kitchen is four chefs sabotaging their opponents. Alton Brown is the host and Hamilton appeared on the second episode of the 15th season entitled A Very Cutthroat Christmas.

My wife Jennifer and I, with our son Christopher, were sitting around watching Cutthroat Kitchen one day when Christopher said, Why dont you go on Cutthroat Kitchen dad? I explained that its not that easy and then checked it out on my phone, Hamilton said.

Hamilton filled out the application online not expecting to hear back from the show but within a day heard back from the producer of the show. After a brief Facetime chat, and a few months wait, Hamilton and his family received their plane tickets in the mail.

We were out in L.A. to film in July 2016, Hamilton said. The show was titled A Very Cutthroat Christmas and was supposed to be aired in December 2016. I dont know why it wasnt and I didnt hear back about the airing.

On the show, Hamilton prepared pan-seared beef tenderloin with roasted potatoes, salted asparagus with a sweet potato crab meat reduction which received high praise from host Alton Brown. Unfortunately Hamilton was sabotaged in the second round.

It was a great experience and one Ill never forget, Hamilton said. I never would have thought to be on the show except for that comment from my son Christopher. Everything was paid for and it was a great experience but its also something my children can be proud of years from now. Im really glad I did it.

Hamilton was born and raised on Pine Island. His mother owned and operated Annes Cafe in Bokeelia. His father was a commercial fisherman until the net ban (1995) and then a charter captain.

My first job was working in my mothers restaurant, Hamilton said. When I was 15 I worked at Lazy Flamingo as a dishwasher. From there I worked on the line and worked my way up from there. Ive worked in every restaurant on Pine island, several in Fort Myers, in the Keys and was executive chef in Islamorada. Ive been in this business for almost 20 years.

As a third generation Pine Islander, Hamilton was glad to return to Pine island and the opportunity to be at Saltwater Smokehouse.

A lot of people rave about the ribs and think were all about smoking meat, Hamilton said. But Im also concentrating on the saltwater part with fresh seafood dishes including Pine Island Crab, Gulf Shrimp, fresh tacos, scallops, shrimp po boys and gumbo.

Its not that I love to cook, what I like most about the restaurant business is cooking for the people of Pine Island, Hamilton said. I like to make people happy and hearing compliments is why I like really enjoy what Im doing.TALLAHASSEE -Attorney General Ashley Moody took the oath of office Tuesday, becoming Floridas 38th Attorney General.

Moody joined Gov. Ron DeSantis, Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis and Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried at the inaugural ceremony where the new governor and cabinet members assumed responsibilities of their statewide offices.

I am deeply honored to serve the citizens of this great state as Floridas 38th Attorney General, Moody said. As Floridas top legal officer, I will seek justice for all Floridians, defend the rule of law and protect our State and our citizens from crime and fraud.

Moody was sworn in by her father, James S. Moody, Jr., a Senior United States District Judge for the Middle District of Florida. The Bible she took the oath of office upon is the same Bible that her paternal grandfather, James S. Moody, Sr., took the oath of office on when he was sworn in as the presiding judge in the 13th Judicial Circuit Court of Florida in 1957.

Moody, a fifth-generation Floridian, previously served as a circuit court judge in Floridas 13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County. Prior to serving on the bench, Moody joined the United States Attorneys Office prosecuting drug, firearms and fraud crimes. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration commended Moody for her prosecutorial excellence and outstanding initiative in drug law enforcement for her work as a federal prosecutor. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement also recognized her work as the lead prosecutor of Operation Round-Up, a targeted prosecution of violent and repeat offenders.

As a judge, Moody founded the Attorney Ad Litem program to recruit volunteer attorneys to stand in place of parents who did not appear in court with their children. She also developed a mentoring program for at-risk children in the juvenile delinquency system. In 2015, the National Legal Services Corporation recognized Moody for her significant contributions to pro bono legal service and awarded her the Florida Supreme Courts Distinguished Judicial Service Award.

Moody was born and raised in Plant City. She attended the University of Florida, where she earned her bachelors and masters degrees in accounting and her Doctor of Jurisprudence degree. She later earned a Master of Law in International Law from Stetson University College of Law.

Follow Attorney General Moody on Twitter @AGAshleyMoodyA Cape Coral man was charged with burglary after police say they found him behind the wheel of a van that he had bashed with a brick.

Demetre Jon Gatteny, 20, of, 5603 Deauville Court was charged with burglary of a conveyance and criminal mischief with property damage $1000 dollars or more.

The arrest came after Cape Coral Police responded to a break-in call at 802 El Dorado Parkway E shortly before 1 a.m. Saturday. A caller had reported that a man was actively attempting to break the windshield of a van not belonging to him. The witness described the male who was smashing the windshield of the van to police.

Arriving officers saw a man sitting in the drivers seat of a red Dodge Caravan that was parked in the driveway of the home.

While approaching the van the officers could see extensive damage to the windshield and body of the van, a Cape Coral Police Department statement released Tuesday states.

The man, identified as Gatteny, was told to exit the drivers seat and was immediately detained.

A brick paver was lying within one foot of the vans drivers side door., the release states. The brick paver appeared to have been removed from an island in the front yard of the home. The entire front windshield of the van was shattered and nearly caved in rendering it undrivable. Damage was observed on the roof and hood of the van and shattered glass from the windshield was inside of the van. A black wheelchair belonging to the victim that had been inside of the van was now in the front yard.

Gatteny was arrested and later transferred to the Lee County Jail where he remained in custody Tuesday morning.

Bond was set at $5,000 on each charge.Thank you for reading the Philadelphia Tribune.

You have exhausted your free article views for this month. Please press the "subscribe" button below and see our introductory price of $0.25 per week for 13 weeks. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you next month.JJ Redick will miss Tuesday nights game against the Washington Wizards at the Wells Fargo Center with lower-back tightness.

Furkan Korkmaz will replace the shooting guard in the 76ers starting lineup. Two-way player Shake Milton played his second game of the day due to Redicks absence.

The rookie guard finished with 33 points Tuesday morning in the Delaware Blue Coats 119-108 victory over Raptors 905 at Wells Fargo. The Blue Coats are the Sixers NBA-G-League affiliate.

Redick is averaging a career-best 18.3 points while shooting 37.8 percent on three-pointers. Meanwhile, Korkmaz is averaging 6.1 points in 15.5 minutes of action. He started the past two games in place of Jimmy Butler, who was sidelines with upper respiratory infection.

Korkmaz will join Ben Simmons, Wilson Chandler, Joel Embiid, and Butler in the starting lineup. The Sixers (26-14) look to extend their winning streak to four games. The Wizards are 16-24.

Milton has made nine appearances with the Sixers. Hes averaging 3.4 points and shooting 50 percent on three-pointers.The Ocean Resort Casino in Atlantic City may be entering choppy waters, with the property possibly headed back on the market amid contractor claims of overdue payments and lagging slot-machine and table-game receipts.

Denver-based developer Bruce Deifik, who led last years $200 million purchase of the shuttered former Revel and reopened the property in June, is seeking a new buyer for the 47-story casino, according to a lawsuit filed by a former manager of the resorts HQ2 nightclub alleging breach of contract and other claims.

Atlantic County records suggest casino-owner AC Ocean Walk LLC, in which Deifik holds a majority stake, owes contractors who worked on the propertys renovation more than $1 million while its gambling revenue trails that of all Atlantic Citys other casinos.

The new round of potential troubles may represent the latest dashed hopes for what was heralded as a new beginning for Atlantic City when the casino hotel first opened in 2012 but was soon dogged by lackluster traffic and financial woes.

Gaming-industry consultant Robert Ambrose said that rumors have been swirling in Atlantic City about the Ocean Resorts possible sale but that he hoped the chatter would prove unfounded so Deifiks team had time to see the plans for the property through.

As an independently operated casino, the Ocean Resort appears to be struggling in the seashore towns shrunken market against better-known properties, said Ambrose, who also teaches casino management at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

Building the customer base and the loyal following is very difficult, especially if you dont have an established brand, he said. You need to give them the benefit of the doubt at least.

Deifik did not respond to email and phone messages seeking comment on the Ocean Resorts financial health and potential sale.

Built for $2.4 billion, the former Revel reopened as the Ocean Resort on June 27, the same day as the competing Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in what had been Trump Taj Mahal. The Revel had at that point been sitting vacant since September 2014, when it closed due to financial troubles after operating for only 2 years.

Deifik previously led Henderson, Nev.-based Greenspun Corp.'s real estate division and remains president and chief executive of developer Integrated Properties in Denver. He has said he made his initial $10 million commitment to buy the casino from investor Glenn Straub of Wellington, Fla., without ever having visited Atlantic City.

His gaming-industry experience stems from his work as cofounder of Las Vegas-based Fifth Street Gaming LLC, an operator of modest-sized casinos and gambling resorts away from the Las Vegas Strip.

When announcing his acquisition of the former Revel in January 2018, Deifik said the property had failed because it opened at a time when Atlantic City was still in economic recovery, and operationally, it just did not cater to the customer base for this destination.

In his hands, he said, it would represent one of the finest hotel-casino properties in existence today.

During his tenure, the casino introduced a loyalty program featuring Bruces Bucks illustrated with caricatures of the Atlantic City newcomer and opened a branch of actors Donnie and Mark Wahlbergs Wahlburgers restaurant chain in a space previously occupied by an offshoot of Village Whiskey, a Philadelphia gastropub.

On its gambling floor, however, the property appears to be falling behind.

Between the Ocean Resorts first full month in operation in July and November, the most recent month for which figures are available from the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement, there has been only one month  August  in which its slot and table revenue has not lagged that of Atlantic Citys eight other casinos. That includes the Resorts and the Golden Nugget casinos, which have fewer machines and tables.

In the meantime, Atlantic County clerks office records show two outstanding construction liens against the property demanding a collective $1.1 million for lighting displays and work at the casinos nightclub. At least four other construction liens also were filed but have since been discharged, according to the records.

Such liens can  but dont necessarily  indicate that property owners are under financial stress, since theyre filed by contractors or subcontractors who have performed work on a property but have not been paid, said attorney Jason Rabinovich, who specializes in real estate law in Philadelphia and New Jersey.

Alongside its possible financial woes, Ocean Resort has seen churn among its management ranks.

Mark Juliano, a former president of Caesars Atlantic City who left a job running Sands Bethlehem to lead the revamped former Revel, had moved on to another position in the Finger Lakes region of New York by the time the Ocean Resort opened.

In December, nightclub impresario Joey Morrissey, former proprietor of New Yorks now-defunct M2 Ultra Lounge and Pink Elephant, sued Deifik over his removal as manager of the Ocean Resorts HQ2 nightclub.

Morrissey accuses Deifik in the lawsuit of firing him in an attempt to deprive him of a partnership interest in the operation that he was awarded as part of his management deal. Deifik wanted Morrissey out because the nightclub managers stake in the property hadnt been disclosed to lender JPMorgan Chase & Co. and would be an obstacle to the casinos sale, the lawsuit alleges.

JPMorgan, which is also named as a defendant in Morrisseys suit, lent Deifiks group $163 million for the casino in June, an increase from the $85 million mortgage it extended when the property changed hands six months earlier, according to county records.

Deifik is currently seeking to sell the casino to a new buyer and is seeking to eliminate anyone with ownership interest who could thwart the sale, attorneys for Morrissey wrote in the suit.

In addition to at least $25 million in damages for breach of contract, defamation, and other claims, Morrissey seeks a judgment asserting that his interest in the property has priority over JPMorgans.

A JPMorgan spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Ambrose, the casino consultant, said he sympathizes with Deifik and his team.

Its tough opening a new business and being a new kid on the block, he said. Its a risky business. It was risky building the Revel in the first place.WASHINGTON  President Donald Trump stalked out of his negotiating meeting with congressional leaders Wednesday  I said bye-bye, he tweeted soon after  as efforts to end the 19-day partial government shutdown fell into deeper disarray over his demand for billions of dollars to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers now face lost paychecks on Friday.

The president is to visit the border in person on Thursday, but he has expressed his own doubts that his appearance and remarks will change any minds.

The brief session in the White House Situation Room ended almost as soon as it began.

Democrats said they asked Trump to re-open the government but he told them if he did they wouldn't give him money for the wall that has been his signature promise since his presidential campaign two years ago.

Republicans said Trump posed a direct question to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: If he opened the government would she fund the wall? She said no.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Trump slammed his hand on the table and walked out. Republicans said Trump, who passed out candy at the start of the meeting, did not raise his voice and there was no table pounding.

One result was certain: The shutdown plunged into new territory with no endgame in sight. The Democrats see the idea of the long, impenetrable wall as ineffective and even immoral, a terrible use of the $5.7 billion Trump is asking. He sees it as an absolute necessity to stop what he calls a crisis of illegal immigration, drug-smuggling and human trafficking at the border.

The president made clear today that he is going to stand firm to achieve his priorities to build a wall -- a steel barrier -- at the southern border, Vice President Mike Pence told reporters afterward.

That insistence and Trump's walking out were "really, really unfortunate," said Schumer.

Trump had just returned from Capitol Hill where he urged jittery congressional Republicans to hold firm with him. He suggested a deal for his border wall might be getting closer, but he also said the shutdown would last "whatever it takes."

He discussed the possibility of a sweeping immigration compromise with Democrats to protect some immigrants from deportation but provided no clear strategy or timeline for resolving the standoff, according to senators in the private session. He left the Republican lunch boasting of "a very, very unified party," but GOP senators are publicly uneasy as the standoff ripples across the lives of Americans and interrupts the economy.

Trump insisted at the White House "I didn't want this fight." But it was his sudden rejection of a bipartisan spending bill late last month that blindsided leaders in Congress, including Republican allies, now seeking a resolution to the shutdown.

GOP unity was being tested further late Wednesday with the House voting on a bipartisan bill to reopen one shuttered department, Treasury, to ensure that tax refunds and other financial services continue. Republicans were expected to join Democrats in voting, defying the plea to stay with the White House.

Ahead of his visit to Capitol Hill, Trump renewed his notice that he might declare a national emergency and try to authorize the wall on his own if Congress won't approve the money he's asking.

"I think we might work a deal, and if we don't I might go that route," he said.

There's growing concern about the toll the shutdown is taking on everyday Americans, including disruptions in payments to farmers and trouble for home buyers who are seeking government-backed mortgage loans  "serious stuff," according to Sen. John Thune, the No. 2 Senate Republican.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, was among several senators who questioned Trump at the Capitol.

"I addressed the things that are very local to us -- it's not just those who don't receive a federal paycheck perhaps on Friday but there are other consequences," she said, mentioning the inability to certify weight scales for selling fish. The president's response? "He urged unity."

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said "the president thinks there will be increasing pressure on everybody to come to the table once people start missing their paycheck."

Earlier, Cornyn called the standoff "completely unnecessary and contrived. People expect their government to work. ... This obviously is not working."

Like other Republicans, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said she wants border security. But she said there was "no way" the shutdown fight would drag on for years as Trump warned last week.

"I think certainly I have expressed more than a few times the frustrations with a government shutdown and how useless it is," Capito said Tuesday. "That pressure is going to build."

Democrats said before the White House meeting that they would ask Trump to accept an earlier bipartisan bill that had money for border security but not the wall. Pelosi warned that the effects of hundreds of thousands of lost paychecks would begin to ripple across the economy.

"The president could end the Trump shutdown and re-open the government today, and he should," Pelosi said.

But the meeting breakup put an end to that idea.

Tuesday night, speaking to the nation from the Oval Office for the first time, Trump argued that the wall was needed to resolve a security and humanitarian "crisis." He blamed illegal immigration for what he said was a scourge of drugs and violence in the U.S. and asked: "How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?"

Democrats in response accused Trump appealing to "fear, not facts" and manufacturing a border crisis for political gain.

A growing number of Republicans are uncomfortable with the toll the partial shutdown is taking, and Trump's response to it. They are particularly concerned about the administration's talk of possibly declaring a national emergency at the border, seeing that as an unprecedented claim on the right of Congress to allocate funding except in the most dire circumstances.

"I prefer that we get this resolved the old-fashioned way," Thune said.

Trump did not mention the idea of a national emergency declaration Tuesday night. A person unauthorized to discuss the situation said additional "creative options" were being considered, including shifting money from other accounts or tapping other executive authorities for the wall.

Trump on Wednesday floated ideas that have been circulated for a broader immigration overhaul. Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham has suggested a compromise that would include wall funding as well as protecting some immigrants from deportation.

In their own televised remarks, Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of misrepresenting the situation on the border as they urged him to reopen closed government departments and turn loose paychecks for federal workers.

Negotiations on wall funding could proceed in the meantime, they said.

Schumer said Trump "just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration."

In an off-the-record lunch with television anchors ahead of his speech, Trump suggested his aides had pushed him to give the address and travel to the border and that he personally did not believe either would make a difference, according to two people familiar with the meeting. But one person said it was unclear whether Trump was serious or joking.

The people familiar with the meeting insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the meeting publicly.

Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Colleen Long, Alan Fram and Deb Riechmann contributed to this report.WASHINGTON - House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler is preparing to subpoena acting attorney general Matthew Whitaker to testify before the panel about whether his relationship with President Donald Trump influenced his oversight of the special counsel's Russia probe if Whitaker does not agree to testify voluntarily in January.

"One could conclude that he is stalling," Nadler, D-N.Y., said Tuesday, stressing that the panel had been working since late November to set an interview date with Whitaker. "If we don't reach a date in the next day or two, we will subpoena him."

Nadler said he expects to inform Whitaker of his intentions in a letter that committee Democrats plan to send to him Wednesday. But they insist they will keep pressing Whitaker to testify, even if he attempts to avoid the subpoena, and regardless of whether Whitaker is still running the Justice Department by the time they can bring him to Capitol Hill.

Scheduling Whitaker's testimony has been a top priority for Nadler, but doing so has been complicated by a combination of factors, including the impending confirmation of attorney general nominee William Barr and the fact that House Democratic leaders still have not appointed rank-and-file members to their committees. Until the House Judiciary Committee is constituted, which Nadler said he does not expect to happen until next week at the earliest, any plans to hold hearings with witnesses are effectively on hold.

Justice Department officials have cited the partial government shutdown as a reason they have, thus far, not been able to commit to an interview date - an explanation that rankles Democratic leaderswho suspect Whitaker is trying to stall until he is no longer in office.

"If it's important enough, they can find a couple of hours sometime in January - especially since they were on notice since November," Nadler said, adding that Whitaker's departure from the Justice Department would not absolve him of scrutiny for the months he has overseen special counsel Robert Mueller III's probe, despite a recommendation from the agency's ethics office to recuse himself.

Kerri Kupec, a Justice Department spokeswoman, said the department "offered dates in February contingent on government reopening and two week window post-opening for prep. Fourteen days notice is standard and consistent with what we ask for with hearings."

She said the Justice Department had not heard back from Nadler since acknowledging a letter from him and proposing two possible dates for testimony.

Barr's confirmation process begins in the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, and if the past is precedent, he could be confirmed to his position by early next month. The Senate confirmed his predecessor, Jeff Sessions, to be attorney general a month after his initial hearing in 2017, and that was after a delay to accommodate Democrats' requests for more time to review his matierals.

Leading congressional Republicans say the commencement of Barr's confirmation process next weeks obviates the need for continued scrutiny of Whitaker.

"At this point in time, the Senate has started moving on its confirmation process," House Judiciary ranking member Douglas Collins, R-Ga., said in a statement. "Bringing Whitaker in would show that the Democrats are focused on chasing rabbits down a hole when we should be focusing on the confirmation of a new, permanent attorney general and what that means for the Justice Department going forward."

Whitaker came to the helm of the Justice Department just days after the midterm election, following Sessions' ouster. A few days after that, House Democrats sent the first of several letters to the Justice Department, demanding to know whether Whitaker could preside over the Mueller probe free from bias, given how emphatically he had decried it before he took the job.

House Judiciary Democrats say that the Justice Department has been slow to respond to their requests for most information and documents, but acknowledge the shutdown bears some blame for that.

Whitaker has never been accused of a specific instance of wrongdoing, and Mueller's team has continued to release indictments since Whitaker's appointment in November. But that has not assuaged Democrats' concerns that he was in a position to limit the reach of Mueller's probe.

Among the sources for the Democrats' concerns were Whitaker's public statements from before he took over from Sessions, urging the investigation be either restricted or defunded. Nadler and other leading Democrats also openly wondered whether Whitaker might defer to Trump before making decisions regarding the probe, or otherwise coordinate with the White House to ensure the president had access to information that might enable Trump to circumvent certain lines of inquiry.

House Democrats leading the Judiciary Committee have stated that protecting Mueller's ability to operate unfettered is a top priority; a bill to give the special counsel recourse to file a court challenge against any potential effort to terminate his position is also among the panel's top targets for the new year.

It is unclear how fully Republicans will be on board with those efforts.

Most congressional Republicans have balked at efforts to pass a special counsel protection bill, citing constitutional concerns with legislation that would guarantee judicial review for hiring and firing decisions that fall under the president's executive authority.

Republicans have also been absent thus far from Democrats' efforts to compel the Justice Department to turn over outstanding documents requested last year, even when the requests were bipartisan.

- - -

The Washington Posts Matt Zapotosky contributed to this report.Ignore President Donald Trumps fake claim of a growing security crisis on our southern border.

His fearmongering only distracts Americans from our real security crisis: a chaotic foreign policy increasingly run solo by a president who believes himself too brilliant to need advice. A president who makes consequential decisions by tweet without consulting top advisers or allies. A president who believes he is uniquely qualified to make deals with despots but gets played by them every time.

The security threat posed by Trump was vividly on display this week.

Even as Trump was misusing his prime-time address, his national security adviser and secretary of state were traipsing the Mideast in a desperate attempt to calm allies spooked by his sudden tweet that U.S. troops were quitting Syria.

Yet the presidents behavior remains so erratic, the cleanup mission was doomed to fail.

Lets briefly recap the Syria debacle: Trumps mid-December tweet came just after a phone call with Recep Tayyip Erdogan; the Turkish president pledged to take on the remaining fight against ISIS if the U.S. withdrew its 2,000 troops from Syria. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that Erdogan had also promised Trump he would protect Syrian Kurdish fighters allied with America in smashing ISIS.

Trump apparently bought both of Erdogans blatant falsehoods.

The president hasnt read his briefing books, says the Council on Foreign Relations Turkey expert Steven Cook. Erdogan has made clear over and over that his primary enemy in Syria is the Kurds, not ISIS. Indeed, when President Barack Obama asked for Turkish help in pushing back a powerful ISIS attack in 2014 near Turkeys border, Erdogan made clear hed rather kill Kurds.

Cook adds, The idea that Erdogan would fight ISIS is totally ridiculous. Turkeys military is not geared for such guerrilla warfare, nor are their Sunni Arab militia allies in northern Syria capable of doing so.

Yet the Turks are asking the United States to turn over U.S. bases in Syria, and to give the Turkish military weapons and intelligence. Says Cook: People in the U.S. military are saying, Why are we doing this when the Turkish military will turn around and kill our [Kurdish] allies?' 

The answer: Trump is so clueless about the Mideast that he accepts Erdogans pledges. Not surprisingly, Erdogan wants to deal with only a gullible Trump while ignoring the presidents unhappy security advisers, who were not consulted before the tweet and oppose a speedy pullout. The Turkish leader refused to meet with National Security Adviser John Bolton in Ankara this week, after Bolton demanded that Turkey agree to protect our Kurdish allies. (Clearly, Bolton didnt believe Erdogans promise to Trump.)

Bolton and Pompeo are each traversing the region in an effort to reassure Israel and Gulf Arabs that a U.S. pullout wont encourage an ISIS revival, and embolden Iran to expand its operations in Syria. But why should our spooked allies believe Bolton or Pompeo, when the president doesnt listen to them? (Secretary of Defense James Mattis resigned after failing to change the presidents mind on the Syria withdrawal.)

And why should any allies trust Washington, when they know Trump may sell them out with a tweet based on ignorance or pique?

The Syria case lays bare the security threat posed by a U.S. president who thinks he has infallible instincts, and has no clue that he is being played by despots whose instincts, and knowledge, are far better than his.

Just as Trump was easy prey for Erdogan, he has lapped up Vladimir Putins falsehoods, and has yet to budge Xi Jinping  or North Koreas Kim Jong Un  on key security and nuclear issues. Obsessed with leader-to-leader negotiations, the president may ultimately make bad deals, or after coming up empty, drift into military conflict.

What makes Trumps obsession with a border wall even more outrageous is that it distracts attention from all the real threats elsewhere. The White House has yet to cite one case of a known terrorist sneaking in across the southwest border and had to retract false claims by press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to the contrary.

Indeed, the primary threat to U.S. security, according to the 2018 assessment by the director of national intelligence, is cyberattacks against critical infrastructure and markets, with Russia and China atop the list of malign actors.

Yet Trump refuses to direct an all-of-government pushback against cyber warfare and has dismantled the office of White House cybersecurity coordinator. He continues to deny the realities of Russian meddling.

And his government shutdown has sidelined nearly half the staff of the Department of Homeland Securitys new cybersecurity agency, which was supposed to guard against network attacks.

Next on the threat list are the rise of smaller nuclear and biological weapons, and the still-real terror threat from ISIS and al-Qaeda. The president hasnt paid any attention to the former. And, if he follows his instincts, he will promote an ISIS revival in Syria by betraying the only Syrian fighters, the Kurds, who truly took on the jihadis.

To rephrase Pogo, We have met the security threat, and he is Trump.The passion that politics ignites on both sides of the aisle, ironically, also unites us in some ways. Regardless of which way we lean on the issues, as Pennsylvanians were passionate about our right to speak our minds and express our opinions at the ballot box.

Unfortunately, our states antiquated voter registration law  rather than harnessing this enthusiasm by making it easier for residents to vote  perpetuates an outdated system that restricts access and discourages participation.

The law, which requires residents to register at least 30 days before an election in order to vote in that election, creates unnecessary obstacles for residents already juggling the demands of working, parenting, and caring for aging parents. Its time to jettison the old law for a proposal I recently reintroduced that would allow for same-day voter registration.

Under my H.B. 101, any qualified resident would be able to go to the polls or an election officials office on election day, register to vote that day, and then cast a ballot. The process would be quick and easy, allowing residents to get back to the demands of daily life.

In addition to streamlining the process, a same-day system would help ensure prospective voters arent shut out from participating during the time theyre most engaged: the critical weeks leading up to an election, when debate and news coverage bring the issues to the forefront of voters minds. Under existing law, by the time new voters are energized to head to the polls, the clock is already running out on their time to register.

With new leadership of the House State Government Committee, Im hopeful that my newly reintroduced bill  which previously languished in committee  will regain traction. Of the various voter reform bills proposed over the years, this bill is the most realistic and, in a hyper-partisan legislature, has the best chance at making it out of committee, getting a vote in the House, and passing.

This is especially true because the new system the bill seeks to put in place has been tried and tested in other states, with excellent results. At least 15 states and the District of Columbia have enacted same-day voter registration. Not surprisingly, those states have experienced higher voter turnout. The downsides are hard to find.

Although in the past, critics of same-day voter registration have cited concerns about potential voter fraud, states with same-day registration have experienced no such problems.

Just to be safe, however, H.B. 101 would add the following safeguards against fraud:

A prospective voter would be required to present acceptable identification along with his or her completed voter registration application form.

A judge at the polling place would be required to certify the prospective voters eligibility before issuing a provisional ballot.

The Department of State would have to approve or deny the voter registration application within 10 days of the election.

The provisional ballot would not be counted until the department approved the voter registration application.

Its hard to find a good reason to stick with a burdensome voter registration law that simply makes voting more complicated and less accessible. Its time for Pennsylvania to join the other states that have already turned to a smarter, more efficient system. The results are clear: Making it easier to vote brings more people to the polls and adds more voices to our electorate.

For a representative democracy, isnt that the goal?

State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro is a fourth-term legislator in the House of Representatives serving the 3rd District.In Philadelphia, city officials want to help you shoot heroin but make your soda more expensive.

Not only does that sound backward, it is backward. Yet the Kenney administration will tell you its backward reasoning is all for your own good. After all, the government knows whats best for us.

They have studies from Toronto indicating that safe injection sites which are, in my opinion, legalized drug houses with medical supervisioncan stop people from overdosing on heroin and similar drugs. They have other studies from Toronto that say soda is the nectar of the devil, and that drinking your favorite cola is more likely to cause diabetes than consuming other sugary snacks.

But in case you havent noticed, Philadelphia is not Toronto. For one thing, Toronto has free health care, so there are opportunities for drug treatment in Toronto that simply arent available in Philadelphia or anywhere else in America. And if your Dr Pepper habit puts you in a sugar coma while youre living in Toronto, you can get free treatment for that, too.

The real difference between Philadelphia and Toronto, however, is that Toronto does not suffer from the same kind of hard-core violence that we see in Philadelphia. In Toronto last year, there were 96 homicides. Thats in a city with nearly 2.8 million people. In Philadelphia, where there were more than 300 homicides last year  many of them drug-related  such a low homicide number would be cause for celebration. But in Toronto, 96 was cause for alarm, because it was the most homicides that city had experienced in 27 years.

Remember that next time someone tells you crime decreases in places where safe injection sites exist.

Perhaps thats whats most troubling to me about Philadelphia city officials giving their blessing to a safe injection site. What do we do with the drug dealers who will battle it out in the streets of Kensington for access to a steady stream of heroin addicts? What will we do with the mothers who abandon their children in order to keep using drugs in such facilities? What will we do with the drug abusers who will rob and steal in order to get the drugs they will bring to Safe Injection Sites? What will we tell the store owners and residents who live in such communities?

Drug addiction does not happen in a vacuum. It affects everything and everyone around the substance abuser. The addicted cant adhere to a normal schedule because their addiction inhibits their ability to think clearly. They cant handle responsibility because they cant be trusted to make rational decisions. They cant work because the addiction becomes their job.

Thats why grandmothers become caretakers for children. Its why spouses become prisoners of their loved one. Its why families and communities fall apart.

This is particularly painful to watch with those who are addicted to heroin and other opioids. The drug systematically breaks down the white matter in the brain. That impacts decision-making and behavior. It reconfigures the neurotransmitters in the brain, rewiring it to make the brain crave the pleasure derived from the drug. It breaks down the users brain until it exhibits symptoms similar to Alzheimers disease.

In essence, every time someone uses heroin or similar drugs, they are harming themselves by systematically destroying their brain. There is no safe way to inject such a drug, yet the Kenney administration would have us believe that we would be helping people by assisting them in their drug use.

I dont think so. The best way to keep people from overdosing is to help them stop using. That means focusing on treatment. After all, no one has ever overdosed while not using drugs.

But instead of trying harder to get people to stop using heroin, the Kenney administration is trying to get people to drink far less soda. Or so they say.

In reality, the tax on soda and other sweetened drinks is about raising money to pay for Kenneys Pre-K program  a worthy cause that currently helps 2,500 children. It will also pay for the Rebuild Project, which will refurbish parks and recreation centers while pumping hundreds of millions into the coffers of the building trades unions that supported Kenney in his run for mayor.

Unfortunately, poor blacks and Latinos are the people drink more soda than anyone, according to studies. Therefore, poor blacks and Latinos are the ones who will foot the majority of the bill.

In a city where policy seems backward, I guess thats how things go. So go on and shoot heroin, but dont drink soda. After all, the government knows best.

Solomon Jones is the author of 10 books. Listen to him weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon on Praise 107.9 FM. sj@solomonjones.com. @solomonjones1It seems winter is finally arriving as it gets steadily chillier around here. The Philly region could even see some snow this weekend. Maybe. Possibly. You can look to the sky for certainty about one thing: whos the tallest of them all. The new Comcast tower thats been looming over Philadelphia for some time now is pretty much open for business. Our esteemed architecture critic Inga Saffron has given it a careful review that you wont want to miss. In other property news thats closer to home for many Philadelphians, the city is scaling back its assessment plans. Weve got the details for you this morning.

Reading this online? Sign up here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning.

 Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)

Though all of its tenants have yet to move in, the Comcast Technology Center  the newest Comcast tower and Phillys tallest skyscraper is effectively open for business.

That also means its open for review by Pulitzer Prize-winning architecture critic Inga Saffron. Many Philadelphians will come to know the new addition by its skyline view alone. But its on the ground and in its public spaces, Saffron writes, where the building really soars.

Earlier this month, the Philadelphia Office of Property Assessment released an audit that said the citys property assessments do not meet accuracy standards and are plagued by deficient data.

In response, Mayor Jim Kenneys administration announced Tuesday that it will not undertake another major reassessment until changes are implemented at the OPA.

That means property owners who may be paying more than their fair share in property taxes could have to wait years for relief. An Inquirer and Daily News analysis found that more than 35 percent of single-family homes are overassessed.

President Donald Trump delivered his first national address from the Oval Office Tuesday night. He spent it blaming Democrats for the partial government shutdown and calling on Congress to provide $5.7 billion for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer gave their own televised response after the speech, saying Trump was misleading Americans by claiming migrant families seeking asylum were a security threat to the country. Neither speech gave new hope that the partial government shutdown will end soon.

What you need to know today

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

Sounds cold, @filladelphie.

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and well pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!

Thats Interesting

Opinions

... as online buying proliferates, and merchants send increasingly important packages, including prescription drugs, to homes, support should grow for increased penalties for such thefts.  Sten Malanga, senior editor of City Journal, on making porch pirates pay for stealing packages.

Following the harrowing accounts of alleged abuse survivors found in the new Lifetime docuseries Surviving R. Kelly, columnist Jenice Armstrong is applauding a local effort to organize a safe space for discussing the documentary.

The new LinkPHL Wifi kiosks dotting Center City may be free, but we pay for them with our privacy and the increasing privatization of public space, writes Aaron Shapiro, a researcher at the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Pennsylvania.

What were reading

A Daily Dose of | Banchan

Korean dining is slowly expanding from communities at the edges and suburbs of Philly to Center City with full-service restaurants. That means more banchan, bibimbap, and mandu for all.New Jersey private schools will get a boost in funding for security measures under a law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.

The legislation, which Murphy signed Tuesday at a yeshiva in Passaic, adds $11.3 million for security at nonpublic schools  doubling their level of state security funding from $75 to $150 per student.

"Our administration is tasked with the vital responsibility of ensuring the safety and security of all New Jerseyans, Murphy said in a statement. The Democratic governor also signed legislation Tuesday allowing houses of worship and community centers to seek state grants for certain security measures.

Proponents said the increase  which comes after voters in November approved $500 million in added school funding, including for public school security  would enable private schools to take steps such as hiring security guards and installing cameras.

New Jersey as a state has an obligation to all of its children, wherever they go to school, to ensure their safety and well-being, said Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D., Passaic), who sponsored the bill. He said private schools previously needed more security funding, but did even more so now, because antireligious terrorism has unfortunately dramatically increased." He cited increases in anti-Semitic incidents tracked by the Anti-Defamation League and the October shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue, among other incidents.

While advocates have been pushing for a funding increase for several years, the incident in Pittsburgh probably  put this on minds of leadership in Trenton, said Dan Mitzner, director of state political affairs at Teach NJ, a group representing yeshivas and day schools around the state.

The law will increase security funding to $150 per pupil at private schools, after public school security funding was raised this year to $205 per pupil, Schaer said. Were playing catch up," he said.

The bill passed both houses of the Democratic-controlled Legislature unanimously in December. It drew criticism from the Education Law Center, which said lawmakers hadnt demonstrated a need for the increase.

Put simply, there is no basis for the Legislature to divert even more public funds to private schools when there is no documented need for such funding, and, even worse, when the State is unable to fulfill its constitutional obligation to fund a thorough and efficient education for all public school students, David Sciarra, the law centers executive director, said in a statement urging Murphy to veto the bill.

Sciarra said some schools hadnt used the existing money, citing state Department of Education data that at least $832,000 in private school security appropriations went unspent in fiscal year 2017.

Schaer said that some schools Im sure have not taken full advantage of the funds available. Thats pretty much the case in all things that state government does. He said public schools would not be harmed by the bill because the added money would come from the general fund, rather than existing education dollars.

One really has nothing to do with the other, Schaer said.Kathmandu, January 9

Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have a hectic schedule for Wednesday as two high-level foreign guests are arriving in Kathmandu for bilateral engagements today.

Nepal is welcoming Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kano and French Foreign Secretary Maurice Gourdault-Montagne this afternoon.

The Ministry says the Japanese Minister and his delegation will hold a bilateral meeting with his Nepali counterpart Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and other officials this afternoon. The officials will also sign an aviation cooperation agreement today.

The officials will brief the details during a press conference in Kathmandu in the late afternoon today.

Meanwhile, officials of Nepal and France will hold a bilateral consultative meeting today. They will also launch the year long commemoration programmes for the 70th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between Nepal and France today.

The two secretaries will show up at a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, just 45 minutes before the Nepal-Japan event.The manhunt for a person of interest in two Delaware homicides wreaked havoc in Philadelphia on Wednesday , as three officers chasing the man by car were hurt during a crash on I-95, the suspect subsequently crashed his car into a SEPTA bus, and four schools were placed on lockdown while officers flooded the neighborhood in pursuit.

As of Thursday morning, 20-year-old Dejuan Robinson was still on the lam.

Capt. Sekou Kinebrew, a Philadelphia police spokesperson, said authorities in Delaware had been seeking to arrest Robinson over a probation violation for a gun case but that they also were seeking Robinson for questioning in connection with two murders. Kinebrew did not offer further details about those cases but said police were considering Robinson armed and dangerous.

Kinebrew said police believe Robinson fled on foot after crashing his Acura sedan into the bus at Broad Street and Oregon Avenue sometime around 11:30 a.m.; a bus passenger suffered minor injuries.

Officers then launched a search on foot, by car, and in a police helicopter to look for him.

As a result, four schools were placed on lockdown: South Philadelphia High School, and A.S. Jenks, Bregy, and Fell elementary schools. School officials said Wednesday afternoon that they staggered dismissal times with the assistance of police.

The chaos began in Wilmington around 11 a.m., authorities said, when police tried to pull over the a black Acura with Robinson inside in the area of East 12th Street and Rosemont Avenue. The car sped off, triggering the chase up I-495 and then north on I-95.

Pennsylvania State Police joined in the pursuit when the car entered Delaware County.

At Exit 13, near Philadelphia International Airport, a cruiser from each agency collided. State police said a trooper and two Wilmington officers suffered minor injuries in the crash, which closed the northbound lanes of the interstate for almost three hours. Wilmington police said the suspect caused the crash when he rammed another vehicle.

Kinebrew said police were not certain whether anyone was with Robinson in the car, but police also broadcast an alert for a man with no front teeth who may have been with him and was last seen on Seventh Street near Tasker Street.

Staff writer Kristen A. Graham contributed to this article.With her four children, the woman had recently left an abusive marriage. She was behind on her rent. And, as an employee of the Department of Homeland Security in Philadelphia for nearly two decades, she is one of hundreds of thousands of federal workers who are furloughed during the government shutdown.

She called the Lutheran Settlement House on Tuesday looking for help. The Fishtown nonprofit was able to give her $2,300 toward her back rent and food from its pantry.

But the nonprofit also relies on money from the federal government, specifically the $150,000 the government reimburses it every quarter for its work providing shelter, support for domestic-violence survivors, and more. That means the group is fronting the funds this quarter with no guarantee of when it will get the money.

As the federal government shutdown continues, those who operate programs that rely on federal funds to aid vulnerable populations are starting to worry. That includes shelters women turn to when they face violence at home.

Some area domestic-violence shelters say they could have to cut services if the partial government shutdown, which began on Dec. 22, drags on. In President Donald Trumps address from the Oval Office on Tuesday, he continued to call on Congress to promise more than $5 billion for a wall or steel barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border. Democratic leaders have said that wont happen.

Advocates for survivors of domestic abuse worry their clients, who often leave unsafe households with only their children and the clothes on their backs, could decide to return to abusive partners if they can no longer rely on their own paycheck from a federal job, or if federal food assistance programs run out of money.

Lutheran Settlement House is just starting to feel the effects of the shutdown as more people call to ask for help paying rent, said Erica Zaveloff, director of development. Employees are preparing to spend a higher share of funds to keep the food pantry stocked. . If reimbursements dont come, the nonprofit could eventually furlough its own workers.

We do a lot of work with people in crisis. If we remove our services for a while, it will really impact peoples safety and their ability to be safe in their homes and rebuild their lives successfully," Zaveloff said. "Its really scary to think about.

Julie Bancroft, a spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, said most programs are still able to draw down their grant funds, which national advocates are advising them to do, in case the shutdown lingers.

Smaller, rural shelters will be the first to take a hit, and may soon have to start scaling back services and staff, Bancroft said.

Counselors may not be available for victims, they may not be able to see as many victims, and they may have to turn victims away, she said.

Not knowing when the shutdown will end is unnerving to agencies of all sizes, including larger ones in the cities.

"Primarily the biggest concern for agencies like Women Against Abuse and our clients is a climate of instability and total inability to plan for the future, said Elise Scioscia, director of policy and prevention for one of Philadelphias largest domestic-violence response agencies.

Both Women Against Abuse and the Crime Victims' Center of Chester County, a nonprofit that serves victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and other crimes, are looking to diverse funding sources to weather the shutdown. The Crime Victims' Center of Chester County may need to ask foundations and private donors for help, said Christine Zaccarelli, chief executive officer.

The nonprofit does not know exactly which federal payments could be delayed because of the shutdown, and that uncertainty is difficult to deal with, Zaccarelli said.

The scary part for us," she said, "is we just dont know.Even as New Jersey awarded billions of dollars in tax credits in a bid to spur economic development, the state failed to hold companies accountable for the jobs and investments they promised, the state comptroller found in an audit released Wednesday.

The audit, ordered by Gov. Phil Murphy, found problems in the state agency that oversees tax incentives, including a program that steered more than $1.5 billion to companies that agreed to stay in or relocate to the long-struggling city of Camden.

For example, in a sampling of projects across the state, the comptrollers office could not verify nearly 3,000 jobs the companies said they had created or retained.

In response to the audit, Murphy called for allowing the current incentive programs to expire this summer and replacing them with new tax breaks that are capped and closely monitored.

We must have a program that is strategic and smart, in other words, the exact opposite of what we got, Murphy said at a news conference Wednesday in Trenton.

The state overhauled its economic incentives program in 2013 with the passage of the Economic Opportunity Act, which was spearheaded by South Jersey Democrats and signed into law by Republican Gov. Chris Christie.

Companies as varied as the 76ers, the defense contractor Lockheed Martin, carmaker Subaru, and nuclear energy manufacturer Holtec International were awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks under the 2013 law in exchange for investment pledges and promises to create or retain jobs.

Companies receive the tax breaks only if they meet these requirements, but Comptroller Philip Degnan found shortcomings in the states oversight in the audit released Wednesday.

The report did not identify any companies by name, but found broad problems with the Economic Development Authority (EDA), which administers the tax incentives. The agency lacked a process to analyze whether New Jersey actually received economic benefits from awarding incentives, the audit found, and did not adequately verify the job creation claimed by companies.

These failures resulted in inaccurate representations of awardee performance to the stakeholders and taxpayers, the audit report stated.

The retooled incentive program was central to efforts by Christie and South Jersey Democrats, led by insurance executive George E. Norcross III, to revitalize Camden.

Liberals and conservatives alike criticized the incentives as unchecked corporate welfare, and the program came under scrutiny as tax breaks were awarded to companies with strong political connections.

For example, in 2017 the state awarded $245 million in credits to three firms, including Norcross insurance brokerage, to build an office tower in Camden.

Grow NJ, the main job-creation program administered by EDA and used to incentivize development in Camden, is set to expire July 1.

Murphy, a Democrat, pledged during his 2017 campaign to curb tax breaks for big corporations. Even so, he supported the $7 billion tax-incentive package New Jersey offered Amazon in a bid to attract the e-commerce giants second headquarters to Newark.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Murphy criticized Christie for allowing $8 billion in tax incentives to be approved under his administration.

One would hope that such a huge number would come with an equal level of internal controls designed to ensure that applicants lived up to their claims, Murphy said. We now know that they did not.

Senate President Steve Sweeney (D., Gloucester), who championed the Economic Opportunity Act, said the laws oversight requirements hadnt been followed.

That has to be rectified with any new incentive programs, he said in a statement. We will work with the administration to create replacement programs that address the same priorities of generating economic growth, creating and retaining jobs and expanding long-term opportunities.

As of February 2018, EDA had approved 1,000 projects, with applicants projecting the creation of more than 160,000 jobs and $34 billion in capital investment, according to the audit. In exchange, the state offered $11 billion in tax-credit incentives. Not all of that amount has been distributed. The earliest projects began in 1996, when the first incentive program launched.

With many of these programs reaching maturity and with a significant amount of incentives yet to be distributed through these programs, it is time to examine the manner in which these programs are administered and to make improvements to our monitoring efforts, Degnan said in a statement.

Murphy pledged Wednesday to aggressively pursue details about hundreds of tax-incentive projects approved in the last several years to ensure that they met requirements to receive tax breaks.

The public has a right to a full accounting as to why jobs that were promised were not created, and yet public money was still spent, the governor said.

EDA also has programming problems that led to improperly awarding incentives and overpaying them, the audit found. For one incentive program -- different than GrowNJ -- the audit found that an unnamed company reported incorrect job data and received an overstated incentive. In total, the audit found that miscalculations led to $1.4 million in overpaid incentives; the state Attorney Generals Office has been contacted to help recover overpayments.

EDA officials disagreed with the conclusion that some of its practices are deficient. In a letter to the comptroller, the agency said it was already working to improve its monitoring practices and disputed several other findings in the audit.SAN FRANCISCO (AP)  Human remains found on a Northern California beach belong to one of the six adopted children killed along with their parents when their mother intentionally drove their SUV off a cliff, authorities said Wednesday.

The Mendocino County sheriffs department had trouble identifying the human remains found shortly after the March 26 crash until the biological mother of Hannah Hart, 16, called the department from Mobile, Ala., in October. She was responding to a request from investigators for family members to come forward and help with the identification process.

The woman's DNA sample matched the teen's remains, the sheriff's department said.

Only the remains of 15-year-old Devonte Hart have not been found. Nonetheless, the sheriff's department says it believes all six children died in the crash. Devonte, who was black, drew national attention after he was photographed in tears while hugging a white police officer at a 2014 protest.

The sheriff's department said Jennifer Hart, 38, was drunk when she intentionally drove her vehicle off California's scenic Highway 1 and over a cliff into the ocean about 155 miles (250 kilometers) north of San Francisco. Investigators are still trying to determine a motive.

Toxicology results showed that Harts wife, Sarah Hart, 38, and several of the children ages 12 through 19 had large amounts of a drug that can cause drowsiness in their systems.

The crash happened just days after authorities in Washington state, where the family moved in 2017 from Oregon, opened an investigation following allegations the children were being neglected.

A neighbor of the Harts' in Woodland, Wash., had filed a complaint with the state, saying the children were apparently being deprived of food as punishment. No one answered when social workers checking on the report went to the familys home near Portland, Ore., on March 23.

Three days later, their SUV was found partially submerged on the ocean, below a rugged cliff.

Sarah Hart pleaded guilty in 2011 to a domestic assault charge in Minnesota over what she said was a spanking given to one of her children. Oregon child welfare officials also investigated the couple in 2013, but closed the case without taking any action.Philadelphia police arrested Johnny Bobbitt on Wednesday morning in Fishtown after a New Jersey judge ordered him picked up for skipping a court hearing in the $400,000 GoFundMe scam case.

Bobbitt, a formerly homeless veteran accused of fabricating a feel-good story with two coconspirators that bilked donors out of nearly $403,000 last year, was arrested at 10:45 a.m. near where he had been living while he was awaiting trial, according to police sources.

Joel Bewley, a spokesperson for the Burlington County Prosecutors Office, said Bobbitt will be extradited to New Jersey to answer to charges he violated the conditions of his release from jail while awaiting trial. Bewley said he had no other details of the arrest.

When Bobbitt was first charged with fraud in November, he was arrested at a home in the 1200 block of Shackamaxon Street, according to the warrant. Its not clear if that was where he was arrested Wednesday.

At a hearing last month in Mount Holly, Superior Court Judge Mark Tarantino had ordered Bobbitt to stay drug-free; attend Narcotics Anonymous hearings; provide the court with his address, a copy of his lease, and proof of efforts to find employment; and to check in with pretrial staff to provide urine tests and updates.

Then on Tuesday, Tarantino held another hearing and said there were indications that Bobbitt was using drugs again and that he last reported to court officials on Dec. 17, three days after his release. Bobbitt didnt show up Tuesday, and his public defender, John Keesler, said he hoped that he didnt have a problem getting from Philadelphia to Mount Holly on public transportation.

Keesler also said that he last spoke to Bobbitt on Friday and had expected him to make the hearing.

Bobbitt, 35, is charged with conspiracy, fraud, and theft by deception. He and his alleged coconspirators, Mark DAmico and Kate McClure, a former Florence, Burlington County, couple, are accused of fabricating a story in which they claimed that Bobbitt gave McClure his last $20 to purchase gas for her when she ran out of it on I-95 in Philadelphia, near where he was panhandling, in October 2017.

DAmico and McClure have also been released pending trial.

Bobbitt was recently accepted into drug court, a diversionary program that allows nonviolent drug addicts to plead guilty to some charges and to receive intensive rehabilitation and monitoring instead of criminal prosecution.Jessie Redmon Fauset was once described by the poet Langston Hughes as a midwife of the Harlem Renaissance, just one of many attributes listed on the blue-and-yellow historical marker outside the home in which she died on 17th Street near Berks Street in North Philadelphia.

Now all thats left where her marker stood is an ugly scar of black asphalt, speckled with sand and dirt, bumpy and messy, spilling haphazardly outside the demarcation lines of the gray concrete.

The $1,500 marker, installed in 1993 across from George Washington Carver High School for Engineering and Sciences, was removed for cleaning and reinstalled in December 2013. But it seems to have disappeared again before 2014, maybe as part of the demolition and subsequent construction of Temple Villas apartments behind where the marker stood.

But neither the city nor the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, which authorizes and maintains the historical markers, knows where it is. Howard Pollman, director of external affairs for the commission, didnt even know the Fauset marker was missing until a reporter called.

City spokesperson Mike Dunn said the Streets Department had no information about the marker.

Karen Galle, coordinator of the marker program, has not been successful in reaching the listed contractor for the demolition.

Jackie Wiggins, a retired Philadelphia teacher who now conducts tours of historical sites, knows the exact date she noticed the marker was missing: July 19, 2018.

I had come here to do a pre-tour for a church group," Wiggins said, "and I knew the marker was supposed to be here.

However, it wasnt until Wiggins alerted Faye Anderson, who calls herself a citizen-preservationist, at a Kwanzaa celebration last month that Anderson tweeted in protest. Fauset, she said, had been erased from the landscape.

Its about public memory and public spaces, Anderson said. This marker tells the public that an African American who made a significant contribution to society either lived or worked here. We cannot be left out of these public spaces. Its about whose story is told and whose story is preserved.

Fauset, a novelist, essayist, and associate of W.E.B. Du Bois, was also literary editor of the Crisis, the official magazine Du Bois founded as an organ of the NAACP. Fauset published Hughes first poem, The Negro Speaks of Rivers," in the Crisis.

Fauset, who died in 1961, also helped the careers of other Harlem Renaissance writers, including Countee Cullen, Jean Toomer, Claude McKay, and Georgia Douglas Johnson, according to the Cambridge Companion to the Harlem Renaissance.

There are more than 2,500 approved historical markers in Pennsylvania  about 300 of them in Philadelphia  though many go missing, said Galle. Pollman said the state only learns of markers damaged or missing when someone contacts the commission in Harrisburg.

A demolition permit was issued in 2013 to 1853 N. 17th St. LLC, which is owned by Ahmed Michael Alhadad, who also owns Temple Villas.

A woman who answered the phone for Temple Villas didnt know what happened to the marker but wondered whether a missing marker that hadnt been noticed for four years was all that important.

Fauset, who is believed to have been the first black woman to graduate from the Philadelphia High School for Girls and who earned degrees in classical languages from Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania, was also a novelist and essayist in her own right. She published her first novel, There Is Confusion, in 1924. Her second novel, Plum Bun, was about a mixed-race woman who left Philadelphia to be an artist in New York and live as a white woman. Most of her work dealt with the lives of middle-class blacks and topics such as colorism, class divides, and passing.

Fauset herself had a large blended family. After her mother died, her father remarried a woman who had three children of her own. Fausets father and stepmother had three more children, to make a total of 13, with Fauset the seventh sibling. According to the original application submitted for the marker, the North Philadelphia home in which Fauset went to live after her husband died in 1958 belonged to her half-brother.

Wiggins, who now lives at 20th and Diamond Streets, remains outraged. Her initial thought  that the marker was being cleaned or repaired  seems far-fetched: The pole was also torn out.

It was a total disrespect and disregard for the history and culture of a black community," Wiggins said, "that is now being diminished because of gentrification.

Wiggins, who grew up in what had been the Raymond Rosen Homes at 23rd Street and Diamond in the 1960s, said she remembers looking out a window and telling her mother: Mama, we must be rich, to see such beauty.

It has always been rough and tumble, Wiggins said. But she said the community also had its teachers and postal workers, doctors and lawyers.

People assume that were not a community, but we have always been a neighborhood of families and people. And when we select someone who has distinguished themselves and has been given the honor of a historic marker, its just total indifference to who we are.A cousin of accused murderer Joshua Hupperterz on Wednesday told jurors that he found Hupperterz cleaning blood off the floor and wall in his North Philadelphia apartment in August 2017 and then helped him transport a blue plastic bin from the unit  but that he didnt know it contained the body of Temple student Jenna Burleigh.

Erik Carlsen, 30, testified that his cousins fingers were wrapped in bloodied gauze and that Hupperterz blamed the injury on a broken bottle. He also told jurors that he agreed to help Hupperterz transport the bin to Hupperterzs mothers home in Jenkintown. Asked by Assistant District Attorney Danielle Burkavage how heavy the bin was, Carlsen said it was about 100 pounds.

"I just said, Like, dang, its heavy,' " he testified. Carlsen said that while he drove to Jenkintown, Hupperterz appeared normal and the two sang along with songs on the radio.

His testimony came as jurors heard a second day of evidence against Hupperterz, accused of beating, stabbing, and strangling Burleigh two years ago after she cut short their sexual encounter, then trying to hide her body at his grandmothers property in the Poconos.

During Carlsens testimony, Burkavage asked Philadelphia Police Officer Jacqueline Davis to show jurors the actual blue storage bin. Upon seeing it, Burleighs mother, Jaqui, sitting in the gallery, appeared emotional and soon left the courtroom.

Authorities have said that Hupperterz, then a 29-year-old former Temple student, met the 22-year-old Burleigh early on Aug. 31, 2017, at Pub Webb, a Cecil B. Moore Avenue bar, and the pair returned to his apartment on North 16th Street shortly after 2 a.m.

Temple Police Officer Aaron Allen testified that he and other officers responded to a 2:24 a.m. 911 call for a possible burglary at the building from a woman who lived above Hupperterzs first-floor rear apartment and heard noises in the backyard. He said he tried to get into the backyard, but couldnt  and didnt see anything amiss. Other officers spoke to the caller.

Allen said he also responded to a 4:13 a.m. call from the same neighbor. This time, he and another officer visited the caller, who said she heard screaming, he told jurors. Allen said he didnt see any light from Hupperterzs apartment, but knocked loudly and yelled Temple Police! a few times. No one answered and he didnt hear anything, he said.

Prosecutors contend that Hupperterz had just ended a violent fight with Burleigh by strangling her after he pummeled and stabbed her and smashed a cereal bowl over her head. Earlier, the two had consensual sex, but it turned nonconsensual when Burleigh refused to participate in anal sex, Assistant District Attorney Jason Grenell told jurors Tuesday.

Prosecutors contend that after killing Burleigh, Hupperterz put her body in the blue storage bin and hid it on his grandmothers property in the Poconos.

Hupperterzs lawyer, David Nenner, has countered that it was his clients roommate, Jack Miley, who intervened in the 4 a.m. kitchen fight and killed Burleigh. Prosecutors have disputed that contention; Miley is expected to testify this week.

Temple Police Capt. Edward Woltemate testified that he called Hupperterz about Burleighs disappearance around 5:15 p.m. Aug. 31, but got voicemail. Hupperterz called him back about 11 p.m. and claimed he was so drunk" the previous night and didnt recall leaving Pub Webb with a woman, the captain testified.

Woltemate said the next afternoon he called Hupperterzs roommate. Miley told the captain that he left the bar before Hupperterz, then went home and passed out, and didnt see Hupperterz with a woman.

Another witness, Lyft driver Avery Tucker, testified that about 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 1, he picked Hupperterz up in North Philadelphia. Hupperterz had a small dog with him. Hupperterz asked him to drive him first to Jenkintown, then to a place farther north in the state and said he would pay him $200, Tucker said.

At the Jenkintown home, Tucker testified, Hupperterz and a man who was inside the home carried a blue bin from the garage and put it in Tuckers Nissan hatchback. With Hupperterz sitting in the back next to the bin, at one time taking a nap, Tucker said he drove to a home in Wayne County, Pa., where he helped Hupperterz place the bin outside a garage. Tucker called the bin unusually heavy.

He told me they were books, Tucker testified.Four years ago when Christopher Turs lifeless body was found floating in the water near the U.S. Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, speculation quickly surfaced about whether the Montgomery County natives demise was linked to infidelity and murder.

On Wednesday, the former commander of the naval base turned himself in to face charges related to Turs death. Navy Capt. John Nettleton was charged with obstructing justice, lying to investigators, and falsifying records related to the January 2015 death of Tur, who was 42, according to a federal indictment.

Nettleton is accused of trying to hide that he was having an affair with Turs wife, that he had fought twice with Tur the night the victim disappeared, gave misleading information about Turs last whereabouts, and that he would not let Coast Guard helicopters search for Tur after he was reported missing.

But while the charges brought some answers about the mystery they also raised new concerns for the family of Tur, a retired Marine who was working as a civilian contractor at the time of his death.

Turs body was found floating near the base Jan. 11, 2015, two days after he disappeared. While drowning is the official cause of death, he also had broken ribs and a laceration over an eye, said Michael Tur, a brother.

Michael Tur said his family is troubled that Nettleton has not been charged with homicide, and that the military is not prosecuting the case. Instead, civilian federal prosecutors are handling it.

After reading the indictment, reasonable people would conclude a homicide is logical, Michael Tur said. "Innocent people dont point other people in the wrong direction and dont deny services to help the investigation, and they dont leave key details out about what happened that night. He was asked about an affair, and he denied it. "

Christopher Tur suspected there was trouble in his 20-year marriage with Lara Tur but only saw proof the night he disappeared, according to his brother.

Nettleton and Lara were engaged in inappropriate behavior during a going-away party for a Navy officer, which resulted in Nettleton and Christopher Tur fighting, Michael Tur said.

Later that evening Christopher Tur went to Nettletons home and the two men fought again, the indictment said. Turs blood was found in the house, on the deck and on a rag found behind the house, it said.

My brother Christopher had a terrible ending, one that pierced his heart  then he lost his life, Michael Tur said. He said his family paid to have an independent autopsy done and plans to ask the Navy to punish Nettleton administratively with a dishonorable discharge before he can retire next month.

Christopher Tur was a 1991 North Penn High School graduate. He grew up in Hatfield, Montgomery County, and married his wife in 1995. The couple had two daughters and moved to the Cuban naval base in 2011.

At the time of his death, Tur worked as a civilian for the Navy Exchange Service Command, which runs retail stores serving bases worldwide. His wife, also a civilian, worked as director of the bases Fleet and Family Services Center, which provides counseling and support to Navy families.

Michael Tur said his family no longer has contact with his late brothers wife. Attempts to reach her and her attorney were not successful.

Nettleton turned himself in to federal authorities in Jacksonville, Fla., on Wednesday and he is being held there by the U.S. Marshals Service. His attorney, Colby Vokey, confirmed he had been indicted and arrested but declined to comment further.

Naval officials referred questions to the U.S. Justice Department, which did not respond to an e-mailed inquiry from the Inquirer.HARRISBURG  When she saw him through the haze of whirling fur and hay dust, all that neighing and mooing and oinking began to sound like an angels harp, and the manure took on a more floral tone. Love was blooming at the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

He had a dimpled chin and his hair wasnt so gray, but what Nancy Frey, then MacCauley, saw that day among the livestock decades ago convinced her that Fritz Frey was the one.

He had really nice steers, she recalled Tuesday morning.

Pennsylvania is halfway through its 103rd annual Farm Show, with the usual prize rabbits, hog auctions, live calf births, and famous milkshakes that visitors come to expect. But for the farmers and 4-H members who converge from all corners of the state, the weeklong show is also a chance to meet new friends, catch up with old ones, and, yes, even forge a love fierce enough to melt the butter sculpture.

Well, she was showing sheep and I was showing cattle and we were about that age, Fritz Frey said. It was around 1984 and I was 19 and, you know, I figured Id go check out the girls in the sheep barn.

Nancy came from the Chester County 4-H Club. Fritz belonged to the 4-H Club in Lancaster County. In the alchemy of agricultural romance, sheep people and cattle folks dont mix well. Out west, cattlemen referred to sheep as range maggots, and a few members of the Frey family may have thrown that insult around.

Still, Fritz was smitten and would help Nancy out with the sheep at the show after tending to the cattle. Mostly, he focused on Nancy, but still learned a few things about sheep.

Yeah, that I dont like them, he said with a laugh. "I guess opposites attract.

The Farm Show is full of teens on school trips and others whove been excused from classes this week to show their livestock. Others come to help their families. Occasionally, they get free time. Farmers, in general, dont often get to meet other farmers, unless they live close by or bump into one another at the local feed and supply. The Farm Show might not be a real estate convention in sunny Las Vegas, but its still a chance to socialize.

Some of their conversations may focus on agriculture and a review of the past years growing season, but its also likely that they are talking about the many changes that have occurred over the years at the Farm Show and if their children are now showing animals in one of the competitions, said Mark ONeill, of the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.

Jeanette Stackhouse, teen program manager for the Pennsylvania 4-H, said she met her husband at a 4-H camp in Sullivan County. She was from Snyder County. He was from Columbia County. One of her tentmates at camp was in her wedding and vice versa.

That is pretty common, Stackhouse, 27, said at the show Tuesday. Its a big social circle.

Joel Rotz, manager of the Farm Bureaus government affairs and communications division, had his first date at the Farm Show in 1974. Ronda was a square dancer. He tried to keep up.

We spent the whole time hanging out together that day, he said. She had a boyfriend, and by the end of our time, I kind of thought she might be more interested in me. She sent me flowers afterward.

Joel and Ronda have been married for 41 years and went on to win ribbons for their square-dancing prowess.

Youve got to know how to move to the beat. You have a caller that tells you what to do, and when they say do-si-do, you better know how to do-si-do, he said. I have fond memories of the square dance.

Fritz and Nancy, both 51, wed in 1988 at the Upper Octorara Presbyterian Church in Parkesburg, Chester County, and the pews there were split by more than bride and groom.

They had all the sheep people on their side of the church and we had all the cattle people on ours, just like the old range," said Fritzs mother, June Frey.

Their daughter, Katrina, met her husband at the Farm Show, too.

The Freys havent missed a Farm Show, and their booth, where they sell show supplies, was full of people picking up last-minute items, including combs and halters and a whole assortment of shampoos and conditioners. The couple were in a rush that morning and Fritz said Nancy used the livestock hair spray.

We never left this world, he said.

The Freys still raise and sell some cattle, mostly for breeding stock. One burly, young steer with a lush black coat stood in a pen across from them, eating hay. His name was Duramax, and he was sold earlier in the show.

Hell be hamburger next week, Fritz said.

Cindy Johnson, of York, stood in line at Freys and recounted how her mother, Marge, and father, Leo, met at the Farm Show over 60 years ago. Marge was on roller skates, her daughter said, and faked that she needed a ride home. Leo gave her one. They own Rutters Dairy, which has been open for nearly a century.

Its funny how much it happens, Johnson said. My daughter needs a boyfriend. Maybe she should come to the Farm Show.Philadelphia Police on Thursday charged a 24-year-old man with involuntary manslaughter for allegedly throwing the punch that led to the death of a fellow dog walker in a South Philly park last weekend.

Matthew Thomas Oropeza, of the 1600 block of South Sixth Street, also faces charges of simple assault, reckless endangermentand terroristic threats in Saturdays attack on Drew Justice at Gold Star Park.

Oropeza surrendered to police Thursday afternoon, and was expected to be arraigned later in the day. As of early evening, Oropeza was still in police custody. A message left on a phone line associated with his address went unanswered.

On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Medical Examiners Office had ruled the death of Justice, a 38-year-old data management programmer, to be a homicide. Justice, who lived across the street from Gold Star Park, died from a blunt impact trauma injury to the head," the office said.

Public records show that Oropeza moved into the neighborhood last summer from Delaware County, where he lived between 2013 and June 2018. Court records show two previous arrests for fighting, in Brookhaven in 2013 and in Ridley Township in 2016. In 2013, he pleaded guilty, and in 2016 his disorderly conduct charges, as well as accompanying drug misdemeanors, were dismissed after he successfully completed a diversionary program, the records show.

Witnesses told police that Justice and his fiancee, Kristi Buchholz, were walking their black Shih Tzu shortly after 9 p.m. Saturday in the park  bounded by Wharton, Marshall, Manton and Sheridan Streets between Sixth and Seventh Streets  when Justice asked Oropeza, who was walking his dog, to put a leash on his animal.

Oropeza took offense, police said, and punched Justice in the face. Justice then fell backward and hit his head on the ground. He was pronounced dead at 9:51 p.m. at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

In Pennsylvania, involuntary manslaughter is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to five years in prison.Challenging foreign students need better teachers

From:Shanghai Daily | 2019-01-09 07:30

Shanghai Education Commission has accredited 404 courses taught in English for international students in local universities since 2013.

According to the commission, the number of international students has increased from 50,557 in 2012 to 60,870 in 2018. The number of international students pursuing college degrees reached a record 22,130 last year.

Du Xiaoli, director of the institute of human resources development at Shanghai Academy of Educational Sciences, in charge of assessment and accreditation of courses taught in English, said local teachers still needed to improve both their teaching and language skills.

An Uzbek student at Shanghai University, who asked to remain anonymous, told Shanghai Daily that some of the courses were well designed and interesting, but others were boring.

Some teachers have prepared a lot of material, but only lecture without really interacting with us, he said. Its easy to fall asleep in such a class.

Cheng Yu, an associate professor at Tongji University, has taught international students about modern China for 10 years. She said teaching could be a real challenge.

For me, language was the biggest issue at the beginning but gradually it became how to break down false stereotypes about China, deep-rooted in the minds of some foreigners, she said. Now, I always ask students to research my topics in advance and I organize all kinds of discussions to get them more involved and find out the truth by themselves.

Cheng confessed that background knowledge was a challenge. Foreign students are more likely to ask questions or even challenge teachers.

You really need to be prepared and be patient in discussions with them, she said.Contract negotiations between faculty and the administration at the Community College of Philadelphia have dragged on for the last three years with no end in sight.

But both sides recently got clarity on one thing: Faculty are required to participate in assessments designed to determine whether courses are helping students learn. If they refuse, its considered a strike activity, according to a ruling handed down by a hearing examiner for the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board.

The ruling was a win for the administration, which has argued that faculty must participate in the assessments and that failure to do so constituted a partial strike.

The teachers obtaining and providing of assessment data is as much at the core of the colleges existence as their standing in front of a classroom and providing course materials, the ruling said.

The hearing examiner, however, faulted the college for threatening to discipline and in five cases actually disciplining faculty who refused to provide the assessment data, noting that the school failed to follow protocol when a strike action occurs. Specifically, the college should have contested the strike action in Common Pleas Court before imposing any discipline, the ruling said.

College president Donald Guy Generals was pleased the ruling upheld the colleges right to require the assessments.

Its critical to our mission to be able to evaluate courses and programs, Generals said. Weve said that all along and the examiner verified that for us.

The college, he said, is weighing its options, maintaining that the union appears to have been on strike for the last couple of years by urging its members not to perform the duties. He declined to say what those options are.

We have a legal team that is looking at those things, he said.

Steve Jones, chief negotiator for the 1,300-member union, which includes full-time faculty, part-time faculty, and support staff, said the union would abide by the ruling and already had directed members to perform the work. But he disputed the assertion that the union was on strike.

Thats really stretching things," Jones said. The reason they are so focused on this ... [is that] they are trying to piece together an argument that the conditions were met for them to impose a contract on us.

If the college imposes a contract, Jones asserted, all hell is going to break loose.

The union in 2017 advised faculty that performing the assessment work was optional and that they should refrain from voluntary assignments until a new contract is in place. The move came amid tense contract negotiations that have intensified since the previous pact expired 2 years ago. Last May, the college issued its final offer to the union, which it rejected,

The hearing examiner noted in the ruling that faculty have participated in assessments for many years, and even though the college hadnt disciplined those who refrained from it prior to 2016, that doesnt mean it wasnt a required duty. The ruling affirmed the colleges position that withholding the service could jeopardize the colleges accreditation, critical to its existence.

The college has the statutory right and the contractual authority to mandate that individual faculty members collect and provide assessment data when they are teaching courses selected for assessment, the ruling said.

A mediator is continuing to try to help the two sides come together. Meanwhile, faculty at a meeting on Wednesday were scheduled to discuss the history of strikes at the college and the impact theyve had, Jones said.There is no such thing as a free lunch. Especially if its an online order that comes with speedy delivery from Amazon.

Just ask the independent operator of the West Philadelphia ShopRite that will be closing in a few months. The longtime supermarket is just a mile away from an Aldi store, a discount grocer on the Montgomery County border that has been eating competitors' profits with the bargain-basement prices that Americans are demanding.

Or ask the contract workers lugging bags of online-ordered groceries from the Whole Foods in Wynnewood to their cars Tuesday afternoon, rushing to deliver them to online customers. One told me he is a recently laid-off accountant. He pockets $24 an hour if he gets the goods out of the once-super-ritzy chain fast enough to satisfy the stores online-behemoth overlord, Amazon. Internet orders have been surging, I heard from someone else, since the rapid-delivery service Amazon Prime Now launched there in recent weeks.

For many of us, long gone are the days when we bought most of our food from a traditional supermarket. We are intoxicated by newer, cheaper, and faster alternatives. But we may not be getting the great deal we think. Because this could lead to the end of some of the neighborhood supermarkets we adore having as anchors of property values and livability in our communities.

Conventional supermarkets are losing business to the Walmarts, the Amazons, the Trader Joes, and even the drug stores. Because profit margins in the food business can be as thin as a slice of American cheese, this spells danger for the standbys we love to have around even while we cheat on them daily by sending our business to the competition.

Look no further than the ShopRite closing in March in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia, or the Acme closing in the Gladwyne section of Lower Merion, for proof of how this is changing our communities. The Acme is closing due to lower-than-desired business.

The Haverford Avenue ShopRite, meanwhile, run by super-operator Jeff Brown, is shuttering after decades in one of Phillys working-class enclaves. And Brown is no corporate slouch.

He was invited to President Barack Obamas first State of the Union address as praise for having found a way, of opening supermarkets across Philadelphia in lower-income neighborhoods that other operators had abandoned. Now, his Overbrook location is going dark. Brown is blaming the citys costly new soda tax.

I can understand why. Losing that soda revenue in the food business, while youre also facing unprecedented competitive pressure, can be a final straw.

The Aldi that opened in the past few years is a mile away on the line between Philly and far more affluent Montgomery County. It is a killer.

In its crowded parking lot Tuesday, I saw a Lexus, a Kia, a Honda. Inside, a man in spotless penny loafers browsed the produce, a mom with two toddlers grabbed cupcakes, and elderly shoppers, Spanish speakers  a full demographic rainbow  filled their carts in the very small store.

One customer told me she used to shop at Browns ShopRite until Aldi opened. Shes worried about a friend wholl be losing a job at Browns supermarket. I asked if she knew that Aldi, unlike ShopRite, is a nonunion shop. Same with Walmart, Giant, Whole Foods. She shrugged. The lines are shorter, she said, and the food is cheaper.

We can thank the Great Recession for some of this. When it clobbered us a decade ago, it took a huge (and in many ways permanent) bite out of middle-class spending power. Americans are now drawn to discount groceries like vultures to roadkill. Wages for even middle-class people have been largely stagnant.

At Aldi, you pay a quarter just to borrow a locked shopping cart, but walk out of the place expecting someone to handcuff you, the assortment is so cheap and yet so fresh.

Even Walmart, the once-reviled discount merchant, is transforming its stores into grocery-delivery meccas. We should cheer Walmart for this. It is giving borderline-monopoly Amazon a run for its money after Jeff Bezos acquired Whole Foods with a plan to do for groceries what he did to other retailing: Own It All.

An old source from my days on the business news beat, food industry maven Jeff Metzger, agrees with my analysis.

I think the traditional supermarkets in general, whether theyre urban, suburban or exurban, stand to be the biggest losers," Metzger said.

Supermarkets used to offer good wages and benefits to even part-time workers. The jobs from all the new competition? Crummier, for sure. And so we lose not just stores, but jobs that sustained households.

Be careful what you wish for, Metzger says. "The American consumer has demanded lower prices, more value, more deals. And this is what theyve gotten. "For Philadelphia managing director Mike DiBerardinis, a parks and rec man at heart, the event at the Heitzman Playground last summer was supposed to be hopeful. The tattered Harrowgate rec center, just blocks from the heart of the citys overdose crisis in Kensington, would be getting a badly needed makeover.

It was one of the first projects green-lit as part of the citys $500 million Rebuild effort, the mayors ambitious overhaul of the citys crumbling public spaces. But as the celebration kicked off, DiBerardinis and the crowd realized they would have to shout through the ceremony  because heavy equipment was clearing the elevated train tracks above the center, where dozens of people in addiction had been living. Conrail worried a train would run someone over.

For DiBerardinis, the din  and the optimism beneath it  was a perfect microcosm of his nearly half-century of activism and public service in Philadelphia.

A big step forward drowned by a citys deepest inequities.

Its the kind of contradiction that hes navigated from his first days as a Kensington street activist at the tail end of the Civil Rights Movement to his job as the citys number two honcho  a career that offered a front seat to the real story of Philadelphia, which is one of two cities. One moving forward with a posh downtown, new cultural cachet, and ambitious reforms, and one still riven with profound unfairness.

DiBerardinis, long known as Mike D, is retiring from that front seat on Tuesday. Hes turning 70; his wife, Joan Reilly, recently retired as chief operating officer of the Mural Arts Program, and there are the five grandkids, plus a professorship at Penns Fels Institute of Government and his son Justins potential at-large City Council bid. As his city career ends, its one worth examining.

The son of a millworker who grew up in working-class Downingtown, he was radicalized, as he puts it, at 20, as a college student at St. Josephs University, where the Jesuit values  service for others, critical questioning, the good in everybody  hit home. After graduation, he did what Philadelphians do: He went to the place where he could be of most help. That was Kensington. At the time, the neighborhood was still clinging to the last gasps of its industrial past. He remembers the block he lived on, the corner stores, the pharmacies. The house where he lived, just a few blocks from ground zero of the opioid crisis, is gone now. He drives by often. Its a mess, he said.

DiBerardinis took a job transforming a vacant building into a community center. He threw himself into housing advocacy, even taking to hurling toilets onto the lawn of the Housing Authority to highlight the lack of repairs in public housing, and the glut of, yes, broken toilets. When St. Christophers Hospital threatened to leave Kensington in 1983, he led a march of 1,000 children to protest  walking the same route that the legendary activist Mother Jones took in 1903, leading child laborers on a protest  at the same time 75,000 textile workers were striking in the neighborhood.

My point, he says, is that recovery is long and arduous.

That applies to his long career in city politics, too, working under three of the last four mayors, among other things running the Parks and Recreation department and the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources for Gov. Ed Rendell.

I saw a kid from the neighborhoods, remembered Rendell, who hired him in 1991 after DiBerardinis lost a tough-fought Council bid. Rendell credits DiBerardinis with helping save endangered city pools from shuttering  a victory that led to the iconic, if vaguely unsettling, photo of a shirtless Rendell jumping into the water. He wasnt Ivy League, he knew Philadelphia, he knew the neighborhoods, and he emphasized with the challenges the neighborhoods face  The taxpayers got their moneys worth with Mike D.

The activist turned bureaucrat who spent a half-century trying to make a city a little less unfair is retiring at a time when he feels the stakes couldnt be higher. A time when the federal government has turned its back on cities and the people struggling in them.

But this, for Mike D., is not a cause for despair. Because he feels that cities can carry the torch in these dark times  and that the citys progressive efforts like Rebuild, the soda tax, expanded early literacy and workforce development programs are proof. The response to the opioid crisis, which, as it does with everything, threatened to overwhelm that Rebuild celebration last summer, can be proof, too. As long as it finally redresses the suffering of the Kensington neighborhood where Mike DiBerardinis first cut his teeth.

Its still a tale of two cities, he said. But now you can feel the possibilities.More than 20 years ago, an embarrassing stumble during a workday run led to a disturbing diagnosis for a Center City lawyer: At 31, Mike Farrell had young-onset Parkinsons disease.

Now 52, Farrell is starting a different sort of run. He wants to be a Common Pleas Court judge in Delaware County and has taken the unusual step of revealing his diagnosis. He hopes that voters will see his experience with the progressive neurodegenerative disorder as a plus and that his candidacy will be an inspiration for others with disabilities to participate more fully in the world.

Farrell, a Democrat, hid the disease during three previous campaigns for public office in the heavily Republican county. He was in denial for many years, he said, about how the movement disorder was affecting his life.

It was a transition and I wish I could tell you I immediately became noble. ... I dont think I dealt with it initially. I wanted Irish stubbornness to cure it, Farrell said. ... I struggled with it.

He was forced to confront the illness when his health problems became inescapable. That led him to seek new medication and lose an impressive amount of weight: 160 pounds.

His health problems, he said, have changed his perspective. A Penn grad who went to Cornell Law School, Farrell said lawyers are trained to focus on facts and case law. But people on both sides of court cases can benefit from judges who understand what it is to struggle.

I think that theres an empathy for the human condition, he said, that an otherwise qualified judicial candidate might not have.

Farrell is one of nine people who have said they plan to run as Democrats for four trial judge positions in the heavily Republican county. Judges serve 10-year terms. The primary is in May.

Farrell ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate in 2006 and 2010 and for Common Pleas judge in 2007. He keeps trying, he said, because I have always known that I wanted to be involved in politics and public life. He lives in Springfield with his wife of 18 years, Donna Crilley Farrell, vice president of corporate communications at Independence Blue Cross, and their 14-year-old twins, Connor and Christina.

Three neurologists who specialize in Parkinsons  Amy Colcher, director of the Movement Disorders Center at Cooper University Health Care; Rebecca Gilbert, vice president and chief scientific officer for the American Parkinson Disease Association; and Andrew Siderowf, chief of the movement disorders division at Penn Medicine  said it is common for younger patients still in the workforce to hide their diagnoses as long as they can.

Thats unfortunate, Gilbert said, because symptom severity varies greatly and many patients can benefit from minor accommodations at work.

People with Parkinsons before age 50  actor Michael J. Fox is the best-known example  tend to have slower progression of symptoms than those diagnosed later, and most live many decades with the disease. While everyone with Parkinsons is at higher risk for dementia than the general population in late life, even those whose symptoms started early rarely have cognitive decline before age 70, Siderowf said.

The doctors said they saw no reason to worry about a young-onset Parkinson's patient serving as a judge. "I would not have an issue with that," Colcher said. "One of the things I try and encourage my patients to do is to live their life."

Typical first symptoms for young Parkinson's patients are tremor when sitting still and stiffness. Some have trouble with handwriting or buttoning buttons. Over time, Siderowf said, they have more difficulty with walking and balance. Facial expressions can be muted.

Describing the incident that led him to seek a diagnosis, Farrell said he tripped while running and splayed all over the sidewalk." He also noticed coordination problems and just felt different. Doctors at first thought he might have multiple sclerosis and later suspected amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). They knew it was Parkinsons when he responded to a dopamine agonist, a drug that helps the body use the chemical dopamine more efficiently. Dopamine, which helps coordinate muscle movement, is depleted in Parkinsons.

The drug helped for many years, but Farrell said he gave up his law practice in 2013 because of his health. Broad-shouldered and 6-foot-1, Farrell said his weight had ballooned to 430 pounds. Compulsive eating, shopping, or gambling can be a side effect of the medication Farrell was taking. He hit a low point and felt increasingly withdrawn. A new doctor switched him to levodopa, which replaces dopamine in the brain. His symptoms improved markedly, he said. He began swimming and using an app that tracks everything he eats. He now feels ready to work again and has started to take new cases. Most involve executive employment agreements.

Siderowf, the Penn neurologist, said doctors are now more cautious about prescribing dopamine agonists and monitor behavioral side effects more carefully. "We just kind of stuck our head in the sand about it for a long time," he said.

Farrell now has no obvious tremor in his hands. He says he cant count on muscle memory when he walks. Instead, he thinks about each movement his feet and legs must make. He walks slowly, with relatively short steps. He has a cane that he rarely uses.

He said he took a test for Mensa just to see if he was off his game cognitively. The organization for people with high IQs admits members who score in the top 2 percent on approved intelligence tests. Depending on the test, the organization says, that may translate to an IQ of 132 to 148. Farrell said he got in two years ago.

Whether he wins the judgeship or not, Farrell wants to spread the message that people with disabilities deserve a higher profile.

One of the things Im trying to do is get people not to be ashamed, he said. I want people to come out of whatever cave theyve put themselves in and realize they have something to say.Kevin Hart is officially over his recent Oscars controversy, and wont be hosting this years ceremony.

Hart, 39, discussed the situation in an appearance on ABCs Good Morning America today, giving host Michael Strahan an outright no when asked if he would host this years ceremony. The North Philly-born comedian added that he would not have enough time to rehearse the show before its broadcast in February.

Im not hosting the Oscars this year, Hart said. I would like to call myself a perfectionist, so if I do something, I want to be able to give it my all, and make sure that the production is a great representation of me and my talent. I cant do that right now.

Hart stepped down as host of the Oscars last month after a controversy erupted online over past tweets and jokes critics deemed homophobic. He said via social media that he did not want to be a distraction on a night that should be celebrated by so many amazing, talented artists. He also apologized for the tweets and jokes in question, and later noted previous apologies in 2012 and 2015.

Now, Hart says, he is done discussing the situation.

Theres no more conversation about it, Hart said on GMA. Im over that. Im over the moment.

Harts most recent refusal to host the Oscars comes following an interview with Ellen DeGeneres last week that raised the possibility of Hart possibly returning to the gig. In that appearance, DeGeneres encouraged Hart to reconsider, and told him that a source at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which produces the Oscars, was still open to having him as host. With Harts GMA appearance, that door appears to have shut.

I shouldnt have to prove who I am, Hart said. If anybody out there wants to believe that Kevin Hart is that much of a monster that he wouldnt love somebody because of their choice in life, then all power to them.

However, despite Harts refusal to host this years ceremony, he told Strahan that he has not yet ruled out future opportunities.

Its hard to predict what can happen, Hart said. I dont want people to think theres a thing about me and the Academy.

Harts next movie  The Upside, featuring Hart in his first dramatic role  his theaters on Friday. The movie was filmed in Philadelphia and Inquirer and Daily News movie critic Gary Thompson visited the Aston set of The Upside in 2017.A $4.7 billion jury verdict against Johnson & Johnson in July helped spark the company's biggest annual share loss in a decade, spotlighting the potential cost of alleged health risks from its popular baby powder.

But investors may have overreacted when a St. Louis jury sided with 22 women who claimed that asbestos in the powder caused their ovarian cancer. While the award was eye-popping  the sixth-largest in a product-defect case  J&J may pay far less, or nothing. No verdict of that size has survived appeal.

Of the 25 largest U.S. jury awards, 23 were reversed, drastically cut, or made against defendants with few or no assets, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The remaining two, including the one against J&J, are being appealed. Most such revisions are made by judges overruling apparently angry jurors or enforcing court-imposed limits on punitive damages.

Its pretty common for judges to reduce enormous verdicts, said Jean Eggen, who teaches mass tort law at Widener University. Juries sometimes can be somewhat arbitrary, she said. The civil system is set up so a judge can determine if its overvalued.

Even if trial judges dont intervene, defendants have more opportunities to knock down verdicts through multiple appeals that can lead to new trials, or force plaintiffs to settle for far less. Its become a truism in civil litigation that the larger the jury verdict, the more likely it is to be reduced or reversed.

Such lawsuits arent without risk for companies, especially in cases alleging defective products, where there may be hundreds or thousands of similar claims, putting pressure on defendants to seek settlements.

"Even though a lot of times it's vapor, a large verdict draws other cases,'' said Victor Schwartz, who represents corporations and is general counsel for the American Tort Reform Association.

Since losing its first big talc-related verdicts in St. Louis in 2016, the number of such cases against J&J jumped to more than 11,700 from 1,400, and the company expects more. The number of trials set for this year will more than triple to at least 26 from just eight in 2018. While J&J disputes any link between its baby powder talc and cancer, it may have to pay as much as $20 billion in settlements to resolve all the cases, according to Bloomberg Intelligence litigation analyst Holly Froum.

The $4.7 billion verdict in July, upheld by the trial judge in December, has been appealed by the company, which saw its shares tumble 7.6 percent in 2018. J&J probably will be able to win a reversal or reduce its liability in the long run, said David Logan, law professor at Roger Williams University in Bristol, R.I.

"That's real money," Logan said. "This particular verdict will go down."

A big reason jury awards are so vulnerable is that they often include substantial punitive damages or awards for noneconomic claims such as pain and suffering that feed a narrative of jury craziness, Logan said. These components have put verdicts in product-defect cases at risk.

Mark Lanier, the lawyer who won the J&J verdict in July, said he expected the award to survive appeals because the punitive portion, $4.14 billion, meets Supreme Court guidelines when divided among the 22 plaintiffs. The award isnt outrageous, he said. We ought to be OK.

Still, judges routinely cut back punitive awards, and the higher the verdict, the greater the level of scrutiny, according to Bob Clifford, a Chicago-based plaintiffs attorney.

Trial courts may uphold punitive awards, but theyre less likely to be sustained on appeal if they exceed guidelines issued by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003, said Schwartz, of the American Tort Reform Association. The guidelines limit punitive damages to no more than nine times a compensatory award, and the ratio may be 1-1 if the compensatory award is particularly high.

"Some lower court judges dont follow the guidelines,'' which means the awards end up being cut back or reversed on appeal, Schwartz said. The appellate courts listen to arguments. You dont have a family crying. Theres no emotional pandering. Its a different ballpark.

Some reductions are huge. A California jury in 2005 awarded $1.8 billion to plaintiffs who claimed they were cheated in an essay contest that offered a house as a prize. The judge cut the payout to $1.8 million and the case was settled the following year for $1.18 million, or 99.9 percent less than the jury award.

Even if plaintiffs win, they may have to endure long appeals along with reduced payouts. In 1994, an Alaska jury awarded $5 billion in punitive damages to fishermen, property owners, and business owners who alleged environmental harm from the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. It wasnt until 2008 that the Supreme Court ruled they were entitled to $507.5 million in punitive damages from Exxon Mobil Corp.

With so many appeals, verdicts can blow up at any stage. In 2014, a Florida jury decided R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. should pay $23.6 billion in punitive damages to the widow of a smoker who died of lung cancer at age 36, the second-largest individual verdict in a product-defect claim. The trial judge substantially cut that to $11.9 million in compensatory damages and $16.9 million in punitive damages. In 2017, the Florida Supreme Court threw out the verdict and ordered a new trial, scheduled for next month.

And some cases wind up being tried multiple times. In 2000, Exxon was ordered by a jury to pay the State of Alabama $3.5 billion in a fraud claim, including $3.42 billion in punitive damages. The verdict was reversed, and at a second trial in 2003, a new jury awarded $11.86 billion, most of which was punitive damages. The trial court cut the total to $3.6 billion. But the Alabama Supreme Court in 2007 tossed out the punitive portion, leaving only the compensatory judgment, which had grown with interest to $142 million.

It was a total miscarriage of justice, said Jere Beasley, who represented the State of Alabama. "Maybe the $11.8 billion was too high, but the judges were afraid of letting a large punitive award stand.''Star actress Juliet Ibrahim officially announces the launch of her pageant brand  Miss International Africa.



A former pageant queen herself, this project is a natural for her as she poised to continue to make a difference in the lives of young women across Africa. Her choice to affiliate with this international platform was well thought-out as she is aware of many similar projects exist. She decided on a unique brand that will stand out and have a lasting effect. The maiden edition of the pageant is scheduled for March of 2019.



Application forms are currently open for submission on the website  www.missinternationalafrica.com. The pageant is open to women of African descent and between ages 17- 25. More details regarding auditions and selection will be released.



The focus of Miss International Africa is to showcase single women of value, create global opportunity and foster women empowerment. The pageant format will consist of each contestant in an interview competition which is valued at 40% of their total score; evening gown, valued at 20%, fitness wear at 20%, and fun fashion wear at 20%. Each contestant has the opportunity to select a platform of her choice. This platform will become the mission of the winner for the coming year.



Miss Africa International is a franchise brand of Miss International originating from the United States. The International Pageant system has been developed to promote todays young women and their accomplishments. Around the world women are finding this system to be the opportunity to work with others to become positive role models. Being the premiere pageant for young women has given Miss International a chance to open doors for all women around the world..



For more inquiries & sponsorship opportunities, please contact: [email protected]



For all press and media related inquires please contact:



Omobola Fadamiro



MBmatic Limited



Tel: +2348171281234



Email: [email protected]



IG: @miafricapageant























Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoFormer Central Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs says he will join forces to resist any attempts by the Akufo-Addo government to relocate the Coastal Development Authority situated in the Central Region.



According to him, it appears everything is centralized in Accra, the capital city of Ghana and so he wouldn't allow the government to take the one significant thing that belongs to the Central Region.



He told sit-in host Nana Yaw Kesseh on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' that he has got hints of the move by government, but should they advance their plans, he won't hesitate to incite the masses in the Region against the government.



He stressed that he will incite the people with every ounce of energy in him "and we will march to the streets".



"We will not accept the removal of the Coastal Authority from Cape Coast to Accra. We will not. I will incite the people of Central Region and we will march to the streets. And I hope President Nana Akufo-Addo will not allow this," he warned.



President Akufo-Addo created the Coastal Development Authority, together with the Middle Belt and Northern Development Authorities, and tasked them to implement the Infrastructure for the Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP).



The development authorities were passed into law in November 2017.



The aim of the Authority is to champion the welfare the fisher folks in the country.





Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoFormer President John Dramani Mahama has said he is very much persuaded that the NDC will win the 2020 general election. Mr. Mahama made the revelation when he addressed NDC delegates and sympathizers in Wasa Amenfi East Constituency on Monday as part of his Western Regional campaign tour ahead of the NDC presidential primaries to elect its party flagbearer to lead the party come 2020 slated for January 26, 2019.



According to the former president, the Akufo-Addo-led administration has failed the people of Ghana in discharging its 2016 campaign promises such as one constituency, one million dollars, one district one factory, one village, one dam policy.



He accused the NPP government of collapsing the agricultural sector by non-increment of cocoa prices for the past two years, selling subsidized cocoa fertilizers meant for free to farmers to boost cocoa production in the country.



Mr. John Mahama who is contesting with other five candidates in the partys presidential primaries urged the national and constituency party executives to restructure the party and ensure unity to accelerate progression and admiration to guarantee victory in the upcoming general election which according to Mahama, power awaits NDC come 2020.



Ghanaians eyes are on NDC. So lets have our plans well because, 2020 by the grace of God as a Muslim says (x3) Insah Allah 2020 NDC will win the election, he said.



Mr. Mahama is scheduled to continue his campaign in Jomoro, Ellembelle, Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira, Ahanta West among other Constituencies.



Mr. Mahama is among other high profile aspirants within the NDC who have submitted nomination forms to contest including the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Sylvester Mensah, and Nadowli Kaleo MP, Alban Bagbin.



Other aspirants are Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah; a former Trade and Industry Minister; Former Vice Chancellor of the University for Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Prof. Joshua Alabi, GOosie Tanoh and Nurudeen Iddrisu.

Source: The Insight









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoA Unification Ministry official said on Tuesday it will deliver the drugs to the border town of Kaesong on Friday along with 50,000 rapid diagnostic test kits donated by a private company.

South Korea will send about 200,000 doses of the influenza antiviral drug Tamiflu to North Korea.

This is the first delivery of Tamiflu to the North since the Lee Myung-bak administration sent 400,000 doses in 2009, at the height of the bird flu scare, as well as 100,000 doses of Relenza.

Some W3.56 billion from the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund will be spent on purchase and transport (US$1=W1,126).

The donor company will spend another W1 billion on the rapid diagnostic test kits.

The two Koreas agreed at their summit in Pyongyang last September to strengthen cooperation in healthcare and medicine. In working-level talks in November and December, they also discussed cooperation to prevent flu epidemics.

U.S. officials approved the planned delivery in a working-group meeting discussing the implementation of sanctions against the renegade country in Seoul late last year.

"Some 150,000 were diagnosed with flu in the North between late 2017 and early 2018," the official said.The Parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency, Mr Delali Kwasi Brempong, has launched his campaign ahead of the by-election.



At the launch in Accra on Monday, officials of the party underscored that the results of the by-election scheduled for Thursday, January 31, 2019 would demonstrate the partys eagerness to wrest power from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NDC) in the 2020 elections.



According to the Acting Director of Elections of the NDC, Mr Bede Ziedeng, the partys hunger for power was necessitated by what he described as the seamless economic hardship suffered by Ghanaians, a situation which informed the call on the party by the suffering masses to rescue the situation by returning to power.



We are hungry for power. We are not hungry for the sake of it, but the majority of Ghanaians who are suffering under this government are calling on us to return to power and change the situation.



The winning of the 2020 election starts from now and the results of the by-election will demonstrate how hungry we are for power, he stated.



He, therefore, called on the constituency executive to discharge their duties with urgency and commitment and gave an assurance that since the by-election was of national importance, the entire party hierarchy would throw its weight behind them to win the seat which had been occupied by the NPP for more than two decades.



The Ayawaso West Wuogon seat became vacant following the death of Mr Emmanuel Kyeremateng Agyarko, the then occupant of the seat who died at the age of 60 on Wednesday, November 21, 2018.



Launch



Speaking at the launch, Mr Brempong, who represented the NDC in the 2016 elections and lost to the deceased, underscored that the results of the by-election would have far-reaching implications on the future of the constituency.



He cited bad road network, sanitation difficulties, low income, rampant demolition of structures, security challenges, and access to quality health care as key issues confronting the constituents and appealed to the electorate to choose a representative who understood and could share in their challenges.



For over two decades, these NPP Parliamentarians have failed to leverage the opportunity given them to drive the needed attention and development befitting the status of the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency.



A constituency with the profile as we have should have witnessed far more reaching progress than it currently has, he stated.



Mr Brempong, who is seeking to garner not less than 60 per cent of the votes, said he had prioritised issues such as security, sanitation and health and appealed to the electorate to express confidence in him.



House-to house approach



For his part, the National Organiser of the NDC, Mr Joshua Hamidu Akamba, who was present at the event, charged the constituency executives to prioritise house-to-house campaign to enable them to reach out to all the delegates irrespective of their class and status.

Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoFinancial analyst and Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Mr Isaac Adongo, has accused the government of attempting to sell the ADB Bank and the National Investment Bank (NIB) through the Ghana Amalgamated Trust Limited support package for solvent but undercapitalised indigenous banks.



By supporting private pension funds to invest in five banks, including ADB and NIB, Mr Adongo said the government was covertly ceding the states ownership in the two banks to a private entity.



Speaking in an interview with Graphic Oniline, he quipped, how can ADB, which we were all told that it has been recapitalised, turnaround in a few weeks after and be part of the GAT arrangement?



At the extraordinary general meeting of ADB, the shareholders took a decision that the Bank of Ghana (BoG) will convert its liquidity support of GH150 million into equity. The shareholders agreed to a renounceable rights issue which meant that they had agreed to bring in additional money to recapitalise, he stated.



However, fast forward, we have been told that ADB is now part of a private arrangement under GAT to recapitalise. In other words, the government of Ghana is passing through the backdoor to give ADB to a private entity, he stated.



Ownership of GAT

He said checks at the Registrar General Department (RGD) indicated that the National Trust Holding Company (NTHC) was a nominee shareholder of GAT on behalf of the government. NTHC, he said, is owned by SSNIT, NIB and SIC Insurance.



How can an institution owned by state institutions be called private entity? You say GAT is a private arrangement and yet the nominee shareholder is the NTHC so where do the private people come in? he asked.



You have indicated that GAT will have the capacity to go unto the market to raise funds, raise bonds and be able to finance its activities so if a government of Ghana entity goes to the stock exchange to raise GH2 billion and in raising that money, the pension funds decide to participate, how does that automatically make the pension funds part-owners of the entity they have invested in?



If the government is borrowing through the GAT to support the banks, how do the people lending the money become owners of the banks? he further asked.



Isaac Adongo said this was "a clever process" to allow private entities to take up ADB and NIB and therefore called on all Ghanaians to resist the move.



If Prudential Bank and the rest will allow private individuals to invest to take up stakes in their banks, I dont have a problem but we as a nation have not taken a decision and have not been told that we are going to sell NIB and ADB, he noted.



On the issue of NIB, he said the capital position of NIB was in the negative so if an investor was injecting money into the bank to meet the GH400 million, then what stake would the state have in the bank after the exercise?

Source: Graphic.com.gh









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoThe Minister of Aviation, Mr Joseph Kofi Adda, has directed that the Terminal 3 of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) be modernised to make it Ghanaian and more convenient for passengers and travellers to use.



In its current form, the minister said, the new facility was too foreign and lacked indigenous touches that would make it Ghanaian.



The terminal is a beautiful facility that we all admire, but it has a number of shortcomings which need to be addressed to meet global standards," Mr Adda said in his address on January 9, at a strategic meeting by the Ministry of Aviation at Peduasi in the Eastern Region.



Shortfalls at the terminal



An example of the shortfall, he said was the lack of Ghanaian setting about the facility with regard to the design and physic of the new terminal.



"When you fly to Ghana and you look at the facility from the airside you do not see anything Ghanaian about it. Yes there are some designs but there is nothing like Adinkra symbol, Ghanaian culture, or the national colours.



"Anybody that has not been to Ghana before should land at the airport and say this is Ghana, but in its present state the facility does not look Ghanaian," he said.



Separation of passengers



The minister also asked the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) to reengineer the facility to separate passengers with goods from those without in order to ensure convenience.



He added that the modernisation should be structured in a way that would address the present situation where travellers clash with the public at the arrival department of the airport.

Source: Graphic.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoDisclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.The Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has declared Nana Appiah Mensah, the Chief Executive Officer of troubled gold dealership company, Menzgold, wanted. This was after an Accra Circuit Court issued an order for the immediate arrest of all Directors of the company.



Peacefmonline.com sources say the arrest warrant was signed and issued to the police this afternoon in respect of four main directors of Menzgold; Nana Appiah Mensah, Rose Tetteh, Benedicta Appiah, and Abigail Mensah.



The other three whose names appeared on the warrant document were listed on the registration documents of Menzgold Ghana as Directors and are also relatives of Nana Appiah Mensah who is the main architect of Menzgold. Rose Tetteh is his wife, while Benedicta Appiah and Abigail Mensah are his younger sisters.



They all face charges of defrauding by false pretences.



The court warrant documents stated their offense as Defrauding by false pretense contrary to section 131 of 29/60 for which reason they were wanted.



The warrant further stated You are hereby ordered in the name of the President forthwith to apprehend the said Nana Appiah Mensah and produce him before court.



The arrest warrant numbers 01/19, 02/19,03/19 and 04/19, requires the police to locate and arrest immediately the four persons wherever they are.



Nana Appiah, also called NAM1, has been out of the country since September last year, following agitations by customers of his firm for a refund of their investments.



Worried customers of the company, said to have operated illegally while taking investments in gold deposits, have been clamouring for the arrest of directors of the company and the immediate return of their investments.



A section of them, numbering about 500, on Tuesday demonstrated in the Ashanti regional capital, Kumasi, to press home their demands for the intervention of authorities to redeem their monies.



The CID boss also said that the INTERPOL may be requested to effect the arrest of Nana Appiah Mensah wherever he is, if need be.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoMalaysian International Direct Selling Company, IMMERI Group of Companies, has officially launched its West African Regional headquarters in Ghana at the Kempinski Hotel, Gold Coast city in Accra.



The company has selected Ghana as its first African subsidiary as it targets 20,000 indirect jobs by the end of 2019.



Country Manager for IMMERI Ghana, Daniel Annan is hopeful this Direct Selling Initiative by the company would help create these jobs.



According to him, With wholesalers and distributors coming onboard, we are looking at creating more than 20,000 indirect jobs by years end.



Chairman and CEO of IMMERI International, Lau Chong Guan, at a press briefing explained that the choice of Ghana is based on the economic stability and overall ease of doing business.



We chose Ghana among other African economies because this country is doing well economically and various business regulations are yielding positive effects, he revealed.



Diversifying its business reach into the pharmaceutical sector, IMMERI Ghana Limited has strategized to invest heavily in health and wellness through its range of products  Adwelle (for gut cleansing, weight management), Vitide (for muscle growth) and Vaginne (for womens reproductive health).



Miss Queen Komada, Vice President of IMMERI Africa and Middle East said Ghana is the first country in Africa where IMMERI has started its operations even though it is a household name in Asia. She added that they will spread to other parts of Africa soon.



The Company aims to officially launch its new branches in Nigeria, Egypt, South Africa and Dubai in 2019. IMMERI aims to be the foremost top achiever in the direct marketing industry worldwide.



On his part, Deputy Health Minister, Kingsley Aboagye Gyedu, said the coming on board of IMMERI does not only add on to investments into Ghanas health sector but also creates job opportunities for the teeming unemployed.



Health and wellness is a fast-rising industry of today. Everybody wants to be healthy so why not combine both? Focus on your health and at the same time be open to business opportunities, he stated.





Source: Racheal Asamoah/Peace News









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoFollowing the implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative, Ghana is now in a position to export foodstuffs to neighbouring Burkina Faso and Cote dIvoire, statistics from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) have indicated.



Ejura Market



For instance, at the Ejura Market in the Ejura Sekyeredumase municipality in the Ashanti Region alone, about 2,008 tonnes of yellow maize and 2,174 tonnes of white maize were exported to Cote dIvoire and Burkina Faso, respectively, at the end of 2018.



According to data at MoFA, the Ejura Sekyeredumase Municipal Department of Agriculture had reported that an additional 1,291 tonnes and 144 tonnes of cowpea were exported to Burkina Faso and Cote dIvoire, respectively, while 296.88 tonnes of yam went to Cote dIvoire alone.



Substantiating the fact that the two countries relied on Ghana for some food supplies, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, in an interview in Accra yesterday, said six other food commodities, totalling about 351,562 tonnes, were exported to Burkina Faso alone in 2018.



Abofour Market



Documentation at the Abofour Market in the Offinso municipality in the Ashanti Region shows the impressive export of agricultural commodities to the two countries.



Providing market information from the Department of Agriculture in the Offinso Municipal Assembly, Dr Akoto said 13,394 tonnes of plantain were exported from the Abofour Market to Burkina Faso.



He said at the same market, 16,413 tonnes of banana were exported to Burkina Faso in 2018.



Between May and October 2018, between 1,200 and 1,912 tonnes of banana were exported to Burkina Faso, he added.



Dr Akoto said about 3,275 tonnes of citrus and 1,465 metric tonnes of pawpaw were carted from the same market to Burkina Faso in 2018.



For ginger, he said 1,655 tonnes were exported, while 2,294 tonnes of palm fruits and 2,207 metric tonnes of palm oil were all exported to Burkina Faso.



Tumu Market



He said even though the ministry was yet to collate market information throughout the country, it was obvious that there was a significant export of agricultural commodities to the neighbouring countries.



Citing figures from the Tumu Market in the Upper West Region, Dr Akoto said 11,187 tonnes of food produce, including white and yellow maize, sorghum, soya beans, cowpea, banana, gari, orange and yam, were exported to Burkina Faso alone.



Excitement of ministry



Dr Akoto was excited that such quantity of food was moving out of the country in terms of exports to neighbouring countries.



I engineered this whole research to strengthen the case that we are making fantastic progress with the Planting for Food and Jobs, he explained, adding that it was an indication that we are getting it right.



He said the collation of figures would be extended to previous years to find out the trend of food items that left the country by way of exports to neighbouring countries.



Dr Akoto described the data as high quality data from the primary source at the markets provided for the district assemblies.



He said officials of the ministry were moving from one market to another to collate the data to inform future planning.



Planting for Food and Jobs



The essence of this exercise is to tell the world that the Planting for Food and Jobs programme has brought about so much food in the system that we are now exporting food to neighbouring countries, Dr Akoto said.



He said the next stage was for the ministry to look at agro processing in order to add value to the farm produce.

Source: Daily Graphic









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoAn intense fight appears to be ensuing in the newly created regions over the siting of the regional capitals following the just-ended referenda which many have described as successful.



Currently, residents of the Western North carved out of the Western Region; Ahafo and Bono East, both carved out of the Brong Ahafo Region; Oti created out of the Volta Region as well as the North-East and Savannah carved out of the Northern Region, are all lobbying intensely to get their towns as regional capitals.



It is turning out that after uniting to rally their people to campaign massively for a Yes vote for the new regions, the respective chiefs and traditional leaders are the ones leading the lobbying.



Western North



From Sefwi Wiawso in the Western Region, Emmanuel Opoku reports that some residents of Sefwi Wiawso and Bibiani have started lobbying for the capital to be sited in their respective towns.



Those in Bibiani claim the town is the centre of the new region and would be easily accessible to all the people in Western North.



Traveling from the rest of the eight districts to Bibiani is not difficult, and this is a fact nobody can dispute, one of the lobbyists from Bibiani asserted.



However, some residents in the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality are insisting that the area is primed for the regional capital.



According to them, the municipality has the requisite infrastructure to host the capital of the new region.



Western Regional Minister, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, indicated later that even though discussions had been held over the siting of the regional capital, he was not in the position to declare it now.



Coordinator of the Western North Secretariat, Lt. Col. Anthony Aduhene (Rtd), remarked that we are happy that at long last, we have our own region and hoping for accelerated development.



We intend to call for a meeting of the chiefs and all stakeholders to discuss where the regional capital should be sited, he added.



The people in the proposed new region overwhelmingly endorsed the creation of the new Western North Region, as 99.52 per cent of the electorate, who participated in the referendum, voted Yes in support of the creation of the Western North Region.



Brong Ahafo



From Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, Daniel Y. Dayee writes that residents of both the newly created Bono East and Ahafo regions are fighting to get their towns to be made regional capitals.



In Ahafo, big towns like Goaso in the Asunafo North Municipality, Bechem in the Tano South Municipality and Hwidiem in the Asutifi South Municipality, all want to host the regional capital.



For Bono East, Techiman in the Techiman Municipality, Kintampo in the Kintampo Municipality, as well as Atebubu in the Atebubu Amantin Municipality, are in a tussle for the regional capital. It appears Techiman may have the advantage due to the level of infrastructure for the take off of the new region.



Oti



From the Volta Region, Fred Duodu reports that there is intense lobbying in the newly created Oti Region for the regional capital.



Big towns like Nkwanta, Jasikan, Kadjebi, Krachi and Dambai are all clamouring for the regional capitals, and the powerful chiefs in the respective areas are not leaving any stone unturned.



Savannah



In the newly created Savannah Region, Eric Kombat reports from Tamale that it appears to be a straight fight between Damongo and Salaga.



DAILY GUIDE understands that the Yagbonwura, who is the overlord of Gonjaland, reportedly made a personal request to the government to site the capital in Damongo, the traditional capital.



North-East



In the case of North-East Region, it appears to be a straight fight between three prominent towns  Walewale, Nalerigu and Gambaga.



However, the Nayiri, who is the Paramount Chief of Mamprugu Traditional Area and President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, Naa Bohagu Mahami Shirega, is on record to have called on government to select Nalerigu as the regional capital.



According to him, the request for the capital to be sited in Nalerigu started when he petitioned the presidency for a new region.



This is Mamprugu and every chief in Mamprugu has a place of residence in Nalerigu and so theres no suitable place than Nalerigu, he added.



He indicated that siting of the capital of the North-East Region in Nalerigu would bring development to the area and create jobs for the youth and good people of the area.



The Nayiri called on investors to explore the potentials in the area to help develop the North-East Region and the country as a whole.



We have investment potentials; limestone for cement, vast lands for agriculture purposes and tourism as well.

Source: Daily Guide









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoThe First Atlantic Bank has disclosed that it has met the minimum capital requirement of GHC 400 million by the Bank of Ghana.



According to management of the bank, they aimed at meeting the minimum capital requirement and committed to their vision of building a global bank out of Ghana to become a credible and dependable financial institution.



The management further promised better banking services in the year 2019 saying in a statement issued by the Managing Director of First Atlantic Bank, Odun Odunfa and copied to Peacefmonline.com that "the year 2019 holds immense promise for us in the purple family, especially as we have obtained approval from Bank of Ghana for our merger with Energy Commercial Bank Limited. This process is in line with the vision of both banks to become a bigger and stronger player in the financial services sector. The merged entity will operate under the First Atlantic Bank brand which will ensure integration of respective channels, customers and staff of both banks".



Read full statement below:



New Year Message from the Purple Family



As we enter 2019, we can confidently affirm that First Atlantic Bank has once again proven its credentials as a major player in Ghanas financial sector. We have established ourselves as the financial institution that helps to increase opportunities for our stakeholders through our purple experience.



One of the highlights of 2018 was undoubtedly the drive to meet the minimum capital requirement of Bank of Ghana. First Atlantic Bank is proud to report that we have exceeded the target of GHS 400 million within the specified time frame.



As we execute our vision of building a global bank out of Ghana, we commit to continue to be a credible and dependable financial partner to all our customers both existing and prospective.



Against this backdrop, the year 2019 holds immense promise for us in the purple family, especially as we have obtained approval from Bank of Ghana for our merger with Energy Commercial Bank Limited.



This process is in line with the vision of both banks to become a bigger and stronger player in the financial services sector. The merged entity will operate under the First Atlantic Bank brand which will ensure integration of respective channels, customers and staff of both banks.



As we welcome all customers of Energy Commercial Bank to the Purple Family, we commit to maintaining our high standards of banking service delivery and excellent customer care across all our diverse channels.



We are particularly thankful to our customers all over the country for their loyalty and commitment as well as our staff who continue to be leading lights for professional banking services across all our locations and channels.

On behalf of everyone in the purple family, we wish you a very happy and prosperous new year.



Signed



Odun Odunfa

MD/CEO







Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

Featured VideoPaxton, IL (60957)

Today

Mostly sunny. High 81F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Clear skies. Low near 55F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.Pope Francis has no plan to visit North Korea anytime soon, Voice of America quoted the Vatican as saying Monday.

"At this time pope's visit to North Korea is not foreseen," Alessandro Gisotti of the Holy See Press Office told the broadcaster.

In an e-mail to VOA in early December last year, another press officer said, "I don't see it happening in 2019 ...too many other trips on the schedule, or in the plans. And they are all easier than North Korea!"

But in an address to the diplomatic corps at the Vatican the same day, Pope Francis said, "Positive signs are arriving from the Korean Peninsula."

"The Holy See regards favorably the dialogues in course and expresses the hope that they can also deal with the more complex issues in a constructive attitude and thus lead to shared and lasting solutions capable of ensuring a future of development and cooperation for the whole Korean people and for the entire region," he added.

President Moon Jae-in suggested a visit to North Korea to the pope when they met at the Vatican last October.

New York-based streetwear brand Private Policy  helmed by designers Siying Qu and Haoran Li  has built a reputation for twisting their collections into provocative social statements. Their latest, presented during London Fashion Week: Men's, accomplishes exactly just for fall 2019.

The duo thought hard about the root of tension in our world, and used that to catapult this season's inspiration. Humans all have different relationships with money, whether it be love, hate, desire, or greed, and it ultimately fuels a class system that determines our individual roles in society.

Which is why Private Policy's entire collection rolled out as a stylized display of archetypes, or characters, all driven by money: Bankers wore oversized Wall Street-inspired wool coats, workers wore denim looks, and police officers and robbers wore vests, some filled with shredded cash ($10k in US dollars notably filling one).

PAPER caught up with the designers to break it all down.

There are references to money throughout this collection. How does it connect to the larger theme? The Private Policy fall 2019 collection tells the story of four characters who are integral to the money system: bankers, workers, police officers, and robbers. Highlights include oversized tailored wool coats and outerwear referencing bankers; clear quilted vests and harnesses that pay homage to police officers and robbers; and denim utility workwear representing the working class. With these characters, we showcase our research of different relationships humans have with money, love, hate or just stress. In the recent political climate, the tension caused by money is getting intense globally, so we think it is important to raise a discussion on the issue for this season. We see how money is dictating the world, as we make many decisions based on money only, which has made negative affects on the environment and animals. Ironically, nature does not care about money at all. So we call for more attention to actual important things, such as the Earth. So we put "In Nature We Trust," "In Love We Trust," and the globe as the center of a bill graphic, inspired by the NY street artist Acool55.

Some of your models had their hands bound together. Why? The first two looks are the bank robber characters. They have their hands tied, but a lot of cash on their face, and their vests are made of real shredded bills  one is 10k worth American dollar bills, one is Saudi Arabian 100 bills. It is a symbolic statement that money may not give one freedom as it promises, because one can become a slave for greed.

"Money is not good or evil. It is our usage and interpretation of it make the difference."

You've always been inspired by classic American silhouettes. How did that come into play with this collection? We definitely brought our New York attitude to London this season again. We have silhouettes inspired by classic American worker wear, such as overall pants with pockets, cargo pants, and the classic jean jacket and jeans sets, with our own twist by adding hardware rings and clips. The color theme of greys, black, brown, and orange is also based on common American workwear colors. In contrast, we also have the Wall street banker looks in the end of the show wearing suits and overcoats. But we changed the proportion and used our signature silk wool fabric to give them a more youthful vibe. It is maybe our wish for a more progressive generation of bankers, if that is possible [Laughs].

There are lots of these military-looking vests throughout. What inspired you to include this? The vests are inspired by police vests, such as the plaid vests, and construction worker vests, the deconstruction vest on jackets. These vests are so interesting because of the amazing details of fully velcro on pockets, adjustable straps, easy adjustable details. All these extremely functional designs give the collection depth. They linked to the concept of our worker and police characters closely. These two characters sometimes are forced to be on the opposite sides, for examples in protests. However, we find them actually on the same side when looking at the grand view, such as in the story of French police joining the yellow vest protestors in Paris. So we thought it is interesting to bring this comparison through the similarities of the vests they wear.

Related | Private Policy Invites You to Give a Speech During NYFW

Do you ultimately think money is good or evil? The collection seems to raise the question  it could be a celebration or a critique.

As usual, we think of our design process as a newspaper report, hence the newspaper layout invitations we do every season. So we don't take sides on money. Money is created by humans to be our tool. We just think it should not be treated like our God and to be allowed to dictate our world. Money is not good or evil. It is our usage and interpretation of it make the difference.

What does the shirt model Jacopo (above) is wearing say? The shirt graphic says "call for more money" in Chinese, which is the words on Qing dynasty metal coins. It is our way to add our Chinese heritage into our collection  a continuation of our all asian casting show last time in London, as well. We thought to have words call for more money on money is a perfect example of human obsession of money throughout history and across culture.

You've worked with Jacopo several times in the past. How does he represent Private Policy?

Jacopo has a very strong personality, and always bring great positive energy. Private Policy celebrities individuality and freedom, we think Jacopo showcase that on the runway very well. We do genderless clothing and encourage self-expression and self-love. [We want] to have all people feel the most comfortable to express themselves.

For more information on Private Policy, visit privatepolicyny.com.The summer of 1969 was eventful to say the least. That was the summer of Woodstock, putting a man on the moon, the Stonewall Riots, and the infamous and grisly murder of actress Sharon Tate at the hands of Charles Manson and his family. A gruesome tragedy, the Manson murders had all the makings of a blockbuster come to life with Hollywood celebrity, an apocalyptic cult, and a soundtrack of rock 'n roll all coming together in a perfect storm of horror and public fascination.

It is this fascination with the Manson Family murders that has led to numerous writers and directors to adapt the tale, from NBC's Aquarius to Quentin Tarantino's upcoming Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and whether you wanted it or not the upcoming horror-thriller, The Haunting of Sharon Tate, will be the latest to tackle the subject.

Starring Hilary Duff as the titular Tate, the movie takes place in the week leading up to the murders as a then eight-months pregnant Tate stays with friends while husband, director Roman Polanski, was away in Europe. Inspired by an oddly prescient quote from Tate that she had been having dreams about ghosts haunting her home and being murdered by a satanic cult, the movie currently has no release date but is still managing to turn heads (and garner a few unflattering words from Tate's sister).

Watch the full trailer for The Haunting of Sharon Tate below:

Photo via BFAMaking the Impossible Possible at Former Neenah Paper Mill in Vermont The Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation directly supported the purchase of the Neenah paper mill by a group of four investors and connected the group with services available at the local, state and federal level. Photo courtesy Brattleboro Reformer. Former Neenah paper mill in Brattleboro, Vermont now known as Long Falls Paperboard. By Bob Audette, Brattleboro Reformer Jan. 9, 2019 - A little more than two months ago, a meeting of the minds was called to figure out a way to keep a paper mill in operation. On Oct. 25, Neenah, the Georgia-based company that bought the formerly named Fibermark in 2015, announced it was shuttering the plant, which would result in the loss of more than 100 good-paying jobs in the Brattleboro area. When we got the notice that they were going to close the plant, we rang up Neenah and said we need to chat, said Adam Grinold, the executive director of the Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation. Our intention for reaching out was we wanted to help them maintain the plant, that we didn't want to see it close. These jobs are too important. The BDCC is a private, non-profit economic development organization, one of 12 regional development corporations around Vermont that functions as one-stop-shops for businesses and entrepreneurs seeking access to business support services. The RDCs either provide these services directly, or serve as the conduit to connect businesses to the needed services. In the case of the BDCC, it directly supported the purchase of the Neenah paper mill by a group of four investors and connected the group with services available at the local, state and federal level. Neenah said 'No,' said Grinold. They said the closure is real and that we could give them all the assistance we had available but they are closing the plant. They said 'The only thing you can do is find a buyer who can close by Dec. 31." An impossible task? It seemed like an impossible task, but word had been percolating in the industry and within the United Steel Workers, which represents paper mill employees around the country, that Ben Rankin and his partners, Phil Farmer, Mike Cammenga and Richard Normandin  going by the name Long Falls Paperboard  were in the market for a paper plant. Most recently, they had been eyeing the Carthage Specialty Paperboard in West Carthage, N.Y. When that deal fell through, Rankin and Farmer began to cast about, particularly in the Northeast, for other opportunities. That's when they heard about Neenah's plan to close its plant in Brattleboro. We had worked hard with the union on the Carthage mill, said Rankin. We had built some trust and good relations and they didn't hesitate to send us this way. I believe the union also rattled the cage a bit so that Neenah knew we were really serious and capable. Rankin and Farmer quickly arranged a trip to Brattleboro and reached out to Grinold and his staff at the BDCC. On Oct. 30, the BDCC facilitated a meeting between state agencies and Rankin and Farmer, a meeting of the minds that was meant to bypass the normal bureaucratic red tape that stood in the way of a purchase agreement being reached before Dec. 31. We sat in this room 62 days ago, Rankin said on Wednesday in the conference room at the now re-named Long Falls Paperboard paper mill. And now, here we are, the owners of this plant. Everyone rallied to the cause, said Grinold, with representatives from a number of state agencies meeting with the BDCC and Long Falls to figure out a path forward. The full story is available at the Brattleboro Reformer . SOURCE: Brattleboro ReformerWe have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription.State Senator Patty Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, was the St. Lawrence County Clerk in 2007 when she opposed Gov. Eliot Spitzer's executive order that would have made state drivers licenses available to undocumented immigrants. Ritchie and other local officials this week said they would again oppose the proposal, which is expected to be taken up by state Legislature Democrats.Because Universal Orlando owns the rights to many existing Marvel properties east of the Mississippi as far as theme parks go, there has not been much at Walt Disney World beyond the Iron Man-skinned monorail a few years back and some quiet character interactions shoehorned into spaces like Disneys Hollywood Studios.I had no idea this was even happening, he said. I got a call the night before they called a hastily (called) meeting. They didnt give real public notice. (They) put something out on the internet the night before. That is not the way to do business. My people, we are looking at the substance of this lease because I had no knowledge of it happening. That is not the way I think the water management should do business. The public has a right to know whats going on and there should be open debate on these things.Once again, a government agency has sued a public records requester  this time the Orlando Sentinel  simply for making a request for public records. Thats just wrong. The lawsuit arises out of the very important public controversy the paper has been covering concerning Frank Kruppenbacher, a prominent Orlando lawyer, who resigned as the lawyer for the Florida Virtual School in August. The resignation came as the schools board of trustees hired an outside law firm to investigate Kruppenbachers conduct. That probe and an audit determined the lawyer had used FLVS employees for his own outside work, paid his daughters boyfriend to investigate a former FLVS employee, and likely made boorish comments to female workers. The paper, as newspapers do, reported on the unfolding story and made requests for public records related to the controversy, so journalists could examine FLVSs actions and then inform readers. Easy enough.We have conflicting conversations from the governors office, said Fried, the first Democrat on the Cabinet since former Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink left office eight years ago. From (DeSantis) opinion, were just going to have a discussion. Im going to be pushing that we actually have an action item on Friday.The latest reshuffle took place about a third of the way into Moon's single, five-year term amid plummeting approval ratings as key economic policies have backfired.

Former Minjoo Party lawmaker Kang Gi-jung (55) is the new presidential secretary for political affairs, while former MBC editor Yoon Do-han (59) was appointed as the new presidential press secretary.

President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday appointed Ambassador to China Noh Young-min (66) as his new chief of staff, replacing Im Jong-seok.

Im told reporters his successor "will play a major role in achieving this year's national objective of invigorating corporations and the livelihood of citizens."

Noh struck a humble note. "I am a person with many weaknesses," he said. "Whatever my title is, I am simply [the presidents] secretary. I will try to always bear that in mind."

The new chief of staff arrived in Seoul from China on Tuesday morning. He had planned to return on Monday but postponed the trip due to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's visit to Beijing.

The post of ambassador to China is expected to remain vacant for the time being.

Asked why he came back to Seoul while Kim is still in Beijing, Noh said, "That is the reason why I postponed my return trip to Seoul. This could invite criticism."

Noh also suffered a barrage of criticism in June last year for taking a holiday in South Korea while Kim was on his third visit to China.As Frontier and Spirit have ramped up activity in Orlando, both those airlines are having to park their planes at a lot at the north end of the airport, while waiting for their turns at gates.Three years later, McCall shot Irvin and Shepherd as he drove them from the prison in Raiford to Lake County, before they were set to stand trial for a second time after their first convictions were overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court. McCall claimed the men tried to escape, but Irvin, who survived the shooting, said McCall forced them from the car and shot them point-blank. Greenlee was not included in the second trial because, as the only defendant who received a life sentence rather than death at the first trial, he chose not to appeal.After a jailhouse beating by deputies, Greenlee confessed to participating in the rape in the back seat of a car on a roadside near Okahumpka, though it was determined later that he was miles away from the alleged crime scene and already in custody on suspicion of an unrelated crime when the sexual assault allegedly happened, according to Kings research.The training program, created and run by the St. Petersburg College Center for Public Safety Innovation, is intended to teach first responders how to care for themselves after crisis events and recognize peers who may need help coping with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.A neighbor called 911 Saturday after seeing her standing over Francis Lund's body on the front porch. He told detectives he thought Lund had fallen and his wife was trying to help him up. The neighbor performed CPR until paramedics arrived.The footage captured an assembly line of crates down the length of the homes walkway, each with one or two dogs or cats. Nearby, a rescuer tended to a small dog, wrapped in blankets, for whom it was too late. This guys gone, so I dont know what you want to do, the rescuer says.MIAMI  No one had seen a young Florida mother for about a year, but her husband repeatedly assured her parents and others that Jamie Ivancic was just busy and unavailable.



Then last month, her parents and brother also went silent, prompting a relative to ask police to check on their home. On New Year's Day, Tarpon Springs police found the decomposing bodies of Richard Ivancic, 71, Laura Ivancic, 59, and Nicholas Ivancic, 25, and three dogs inside the home in a quiet retirement community not far from Tampa.



On Jan. 3, police in the Cleveland suburb of Lakewood, Ohio, arrested Shelby Svensen  who also goes by Shelby Nealy  after spotting him in his mother-in-law's stolen SUV. His two children  ages 2 and 3  were with him and are now in the care of child welfare authorities there.



Svensen confessed to killing his in-laws. That's when police in Florida announced that his wife, Jaime Ivancic, was missing under suspicious circumstances.



On Tuesday, Pasco County Sheriff's Col. Jeff Harrington told a news conference that Jamie Ivancic's body was recovered in the back yard of a home she'd lived in with Svensen, about 10 miles from her parents' home.



Harrington said no one remembers speaking with Jamie Ivancic since last January. It was about that time, he said, that she told some family members that she was planning to take the kids and leave Svensen. She wasn't seen again after that.



Karma Stewart, Jamie Ivancic's sister, told the Tampa Bay Times they last talked on Facetime on Jan. 25, 2018. Since then, she said, there were sporadic text messages from Jamie Ivancic's phone, but no one had spoken to her.



"I feel betrayed and that I was played," Stewart told the newspaper. "I didn't expect the worst when I probably should have."



"It would appear that he was able to just trick them into thinking that she was unavailable, she was somewhere else and she was unavailable for a phone call," Harrington said. He said investigators are "backtracking" to determine how Svensen was able to convince everyone his wife was OK.



"They vacated the residence, he and his kids, close to a year ago and he's been in various places, in the area and elsewhere," Harrington said.



Harrington said investigators are working with the state attorney's office and officials in Ohio to bring Svensen back to Florida and charge him with his wife's murder in addition to the three murder charges he already is being held on. It's not known whether Svensen has a lawyer.



Family members told the Times that the couple met in 2016, while Svensen was hanging out with Nicholas Ivancic. Stewart said they couple married in 2017.



"I tried to convince her a couple times that she would be better off leaving him, just being a single mom with the support of her family," Stewart told the Times. "But I don't think she ever considered it an option."



Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Lafargue, the public defender, plans to take depositions on Jan. 22 from Daniel Alvarez, who lived in the Davie apartment complex and was on the balcony when the dog was shot; and Miguel Osorio, an off-duty Pembroke Pines officer who witnessed the incident and called 911.Surviving family members of the Groveland Four, African-American men falsely accused in 1949 of raping a white woman in Lake County, wanted pardons to clear their relatives' names.About 13 percent of the state population  more than 2.6 million people  didnt have health insurance in 2017, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Some fall in whats called the Medicaid gap: they earn too much to qualify for Medicaid and too little to qualify for an ACA plan.A court has authorized the seizure of Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal's Korean assets at the request of Korean victims of forced labor during World War II.

The Daegu District Court said Tuesday that it notified the Japanese steelmaker's Korean subsidiary of the decision.

The victims asked the court to seize shares in POSCO-Nippon Steel RFH (PNR), a joint venture specializing in recycling by-products from steel making, after headquarters failed to pay compensation ordered by the Korean Supreme Court late last year.

Nippon Steel owns around 2.34 million shares of PNR valued at around W11 billion (US$1=W1,126).

Diners can design their own Neapolitan pizza at MidiCis open kitchen with ingredients that range from shrimp to truffles. Shareable plates, pasta, calzones and more are also available.Yet his glee turned sour after he went to the Lotterys District Office in Sacramento to collect his prize. The man was told the ticket was in fact not a winner, and may have even been altered.Whittaker and Board of Trustees Chairman Marcos Marchena were present at Wednesdays meeting but didnt speak. Whittaker declined to comment on the allegations afterward but said the university took the investigation very seriously. Both have told the Sentinel they didnt know the university was misusing money, though documents obtained by the newspaper and interviews with other university officials show that Whittaker and Hitt agreed to use leftover operating dollars on the new academic building, which opened in August.While we would never minimize anyones subjective views on behavior, we are confident after many substantive conversations with John, and as the investigation has affirmed, that his mistakes have been recognized, David Ellison said in a memo to staff. We are certain that John has learned valuable lessons and is ready to prove his capabilities as a leader and a colleague. And he has given his assurance that he will comport himself in a wholly professional manner [which] is the expectation of every Skydance colleague and partner.The breach exposed customer credit card data at 77 Neiman Marcus stores nationwide. Over a three-month period in 2013, about 370,000 Neiman Marcus credit cards were accessed by unknown third parties unlawfully, and at least 9,200 were used fraudulently.Withdraw anti-workers Amendments in Sales Promotion Laws





BMSRM workers at the Jantar Mantar during the Dharna

New Delhi: Bharatiya Medical and Sales Representatives Mahasangh (BMSRM) held a Dharna at Jantar Mantar against anti-employee amendments brought by Central Government in Sales Promotion Employees (Conditions of Services) Rules. The dharna was inaugurated by BMS president Shri CK Saji Narayanan. He said the amendment is totally anti-employee and hence be withdrawn. National president of the BMSRM Shri Ram Kumar, zonal organising secretary of BMS Shri Pavan Kumar and general secretary of BMSRM PN Pradeep also spoke.

After the dharna, a delegation of BMSRM called on the Union Labour Minister Shri Santosh Gangwar and submitted a memorandum. The Minister told the delegation that the amendments would be pursued further only after consultation with the trade unions. The memorandum said only the industries notified by the Government should be covered by the rules. Notified industry system should be avoided in the definition establishment. Any work related to promotion of sales or business should be covered under the Act.

The memorandum also said the Managerial and Supervisory employees drawing up to Rs 25,000 per month should be covered by the rules. The Government proposal of creating new exploitative categories like fixed term employment, temporary, apprentice, trainee was opposed. Age of retirement should be 58 years in all cases. It should not be subject to any one sided job contracts imposed by the employer. There should be effective grievance redressal mechanism even for establishments employing less than 20 workers.If you apply logic to belief system, there will be no religion: Swami Chidananda Puri on Sabarimala Traditions









"The Kerala Chief Minister and other CPM ministers must refrain from spreading blatant lies and canards about the Sabarimala movement, said Swami Chidananda Puri, Chief Patron of Sabarimala Karma Samithi, in New Delhi on January 8. He was addressing a press gathering organised by All India Sabarimala Action Council (Akhil Bharatiya Sabarimala Karma Samithi) at Constitution Club, New Delhi, intending to lay bare the state-sponsored atrocities against the Ayyappa devotees in the guise of implementing the Supreme Court verdict and elucidate on the facts about Sabarimala temple tradition .

The Chief Minister of Kerala Pinarayi Vijayan propagated outright lies to cover up the facts and protect his party men. In the brutal incident of stoning Chandran Unnithan, an Ayyappa devotee to death in Pandalam, Pathanamthitta, the Chief Minister told media that Shri Unnithan died of heart attack. The Chief Minister got his version published in the media even before post-mortem, Swami Chidananda Puri said. He also said that the Chief Minister Vijayan peddled fake news that a young woman from Sri Lanka entered into the temple. Adding insult to injury, citing this fake news, the Chief Minister challenged the Hindu believers to call for another strike against the violation of traditions in Sabarimala. Another minister in the state cabinet, G Sudharkaran insulted and made slanderous remarks against the Sabarimala Tantri (Chief Priest) and other priests. The Chief Minister and other Communist ministers must stay back from challenging and provoking Hindus in the state, Swami Chindananda Puri added.

Answering to the questions, Swami Chidanta Puri said that no women devotee in the age group of 10 to 50 has ever attempted to enter the Sabarimala temple after the Supreme Court judgement of September 28, 2018. If you go to a temple as a devotee, you are bound to obey the customs and systems of the temple. As far as Sabarimala temple tradition is concerned, the deity Ayyappa himself has stipulated some conditions and every devotee is bound to obey it.

Swamiji also requested the media to understand the reality about the Sabarimala issue. Explaining the Karma Samithis stand, Swami Chidanantha Puri said that the Sabarimala movement is not against women or womens rights. It is all about unique temple traditions being practised all across Kerala. Citing the example of Payyannur Sri Subrahmania Swamy temple, he said that no Sannyasis are allowed to enter the temple premises as it is against the customs and systems of the particular temple. In renowned Mannarasala Temple, the chief priest is a woman. In Chengannur, Kerala, Hindus celebrate celebrates a rare menstruation festival for Goddess Parvathy Devi in which men are now allowed. Only women perform Attukal Ponkala, a major ritual in Attukal Devi Temple, whereas men are not allowed in the temple premises on the particular day. Such restrictions cannot be seen as anti-men and infringements upon the fundamental rights of men. The Sabarimala traditions are also to be viewed in the same manner. The Hindus have been following such customs and practises since the time immemorial. Killing such traditions mean wiping out diversities, he added.

Women are not allowed in the tens of thousands of Mosques across the country. We do not want to question their belief, but those who cry foul over the customs and practises in Sabarimala and concerned about womens rights keep mum about this, Swami said.

Speaking to the media, All India Sabarimala Action Council president Justice (retd) N Kumar said that the atheist government in Kerala is hurting the sentiments of believers in the state. The government is twisting the debate by connection the Sabarimala issue with untouchability and misogyny. He also explained that the Sabarimala issue is not a social issue.

A statement issued by the Sabarimala Karma Samiti said that the law and order situation in Kerala has totally collapsed due to the various actions taken by the Chief Minister of Kerala, Sri Pinarayi Vijayan. Right from the beginning of the Sabarimala issue, the Marxist party and the CM has been taking a stand to politicise the issues for their benefit.

The state governments policy in this regard has been to destabilise the Hindu religious practices, temples and such other spiritual institutions so that Hindus are demoralised and to divide the Hindus into various factions. This is to appease a section of minority communities so as to get their political support. The Marxist party for quite some time has been taking a very soft stand towards Muslim extremism due to which Kerala has already become a breeding ground for extremists, both domestic and international. IS terrorists have established deep roots in the Kerala and reports regarding massive recruitment into IS are plenty. Considering these political approaches of the Marxist party it is very evident that their continuous efforts to demoralise and divide Hindus are again being reflected in their stand in the Sabarimala issue, the statement read.

The Samiti alleged that the Kerala Chief Minister is determined to implement the Supreme court order, which even the Honourable Supreme court has decided to review on January 22, 2019 in an open court, in order to achieve their above-mentioned intention, and to achieve that he has been trying to bring in anyone, irrespective of the fact whether they are devotees or not. All the young women who tried to enter Sabarimala with the help of the Police were either non-believers or extremists.

Inviting the attention of the Union Government to the Constitutional breakdown in Kerala, the Sabarimala Karma Samithi demanded the Union Government to take all appropriate steps, to establish the rights of the devotees of Sabarimala Temple and save Kerala and its people from Police Raj. The link between the Marxist party especially CM Pinarayi Vijayan and the Muslim fundamentalists and extremist groups need to be probed by a central agency, such as the National Investigation Agency, immediately. The Chief Minister Mr Pinarayi Vijayan should resign immediately and apologise to the people of Kerala for his actions against the Hindus and Sabarimala devotees in particular and also for the deteriorating law and order situation in Kerala, the statement further read.

Sabarimala Karma Samithi organising secretary A R Mohanan, general secretary S J R Kumar also attended the press conference. The also demanded a free and fair inquiry into the sporadic violence took place on the hartal day which was called by the Karma Samithi. CPM and Islamic extremist outfit PFI had jointly unleashed violence on Hindus on the Hartal day and tried to create a ruckus throughout the state. The Samithi will also conduct various programmes and seminars in connection with the Sabarimala traditions and the present challenges in the coming days in the national capital.North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was given a lavish welcome in the Chinese capital on Tuesday, which was his birthday. Kim emerged from his quarters around 4 p.m. to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People, where Kim's wife Ri Sol-ju joined them later. Xi then threw a lavish banquet for Kim to celebrate his birthday, but state-run CCTV made no mention of Kim's visit.



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his sister Kim Yo-jong (red-dotted) wave aboard a train to Beijing on Monday.

The official Global Times newspaper said Kim's visit on his birthday demonstrates the "close relationship" between the two leaders. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang only said, "It is very normal for the two parties and two states to maintain friendly exchanges." Asked if China is seeking to use Kim's visit as leverage in trade negotiations with the U.S., he added, "China's diplomacy incorporates rich and diverse contents... I don't think we need to resort to any maneuvers to get our message across to the U.S. side."

A car carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong-un heads to the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing on Tuesday. /Yonhap

Meanwhile, Cheong Wa Dae said it hopes Kim's visit to China "lays the groundwork" for a second U.S.-North Korea summit and expressed hopes of further improvements in diplomatic ties and steps toward denuclearization of North Korea. A Cheong Wa Dae spokesman declined to say whether Seoul was informed of Kim's visit by either North Korea or China. "We have maintained close communication and shared information," he added.U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said there is "a very good chance" that the United States and China will reach a trade agreement. Ross told CNBC he is hopeful such a deal would address "all the key issues."

Working-level trade talks between the United States and China began Monday in Beijing with negotiators for the world's two biggest economies trying to resolve tariff disputes that have roiled world markets in recent weeks.

In a sign the meeting was off to a good start, China's economic czar, Vice Premier Liu He, dropped by the talks on Monday to encourage the negotiators.

While Chinese officials expressed optimism at the start of the two-day talks, Beijing at the same time complained about the sighting of the U.S.S. McCampbell, a warship, in what it said were Chinese waters near disputed islands in the South China Sea.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China had made "stern complaints" with the United States about the sighting of the destroyer, but the trade talks went ahead as scheduled. There was no immediate U.S. response to the Chinese complaint. Few details have emerged from the trade talks, which are scheduled to run through Tuesday.What's Included

With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com.By Zhang Donghua and Liu Guoshun



China recently released a promotional video to gather new recruits for the PLA Air Force.

BEIJING, Jan. 9 (ChinaMil) -- The Conscription Office of the Ministry of National Defense of the Peoples Republic of China recently released the Notice on Advancing the Preparation for the 2019 Conscription Campaign, setting up instructions for the enlistment campaign this year.

According to the Notice, all relevant areas throughout the country should accomplish this years recruitment tasks effectively and agreeably. The national conscription network will begin operation on January 10th for online military service registration, enlistment registration, policy consulting, and other affairs.

The Notice also calls for maintaining the trend with college students as the primary source of enlistment, endeavoring to achieve the goal of significantly enhancing the overall quality of new recruits, and steadily increasing the proportion of college graduates, so as to provide more quality new recruits for building a world-class military.In 1998, Border Patrol found one dead migrant for every 5,767 apprehensions, but after building the fences and doubling its force, it found one dead migrant for every 1,034 apprehensions in 2017. Thats a sign that the journey is now about 5 times more dangerous. In addition, the remoteness of the locations where they were apprehended contributed to the deaths of both children who died in Border Patrol custody in recent weeks, as it was more difficult for them to get help.When Truman seized the steel mills, there was virtually no partisan divide in Congress. According to measures of ideology based on congressional voting, the ideological distance between the parties was narrower during the FDR and Truman presidencies than at any other time in our nations history. Today, the ideological distance between the parties is greater than any time in our nations history. For this reason, it is unsurprising that there is no prospect of broad bipartisan congressional support (or opposition) to Trumps wall. For similar reasons, President Obama felt the need to go it alone when pursuing his November 2014 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals initiative.Having folded, the least they could have done was to institute a 10-second delay for lies. Trump began truthfully with my fellow Americans but it went downhill from there as he repeated a hoary litany of horrors reminiscent of the announcement of his candidacy with Mexico sending us their rapists and his inaugural address invoking American carnage. We are experiencing a crisis of the heart, a crisis of the soul complete with a flood of violent terrorists, murderers, gang members and lethal drug dealers who kill more people annually than the Vietnam War did in total.In tonights speech, President Trump didnt go all the way and issue a formal declaration of a national emergency at the southern border and order the Defense Department to build a wall immediately. But Trump and some Republicans in Congress have reportedly concluded that a national emergency declaration at the southern border could give the President the escape hatchfrom the government shutdown he needs, and that this is what is next. Such a declaration, their thinking runs, would enable Trump to reopen the government, easing the financial pain felt by millions, and demonstrate to his base that he will fight to deliver on his signature promise (Build the wall!) from his 2016 White House run.Ever since New Yorkers created our sovereign state and Constitution in 1777, never has either body of the Legislature been led by a woman. That ends Wednesday when Andrea Stewart-Cousins takes the reins as Senate majority leader. A hearty congratulations to her.For example, despite being 4 times more likely to die of suicide than women, men are significantly less likely to to be diagnosed with internalizing disorders because they dont conform to traditional stereotypes about mens emotionality. Men in the United States also commit an estimated 90% more homicides than women and are also much more likely to be arrested for domestic violence.The Kurdish force known as the YPG said in a press release that its special forces rounded up the group of suspected militants on Monday and Tuesday over the course of a two-day operation in the Eastern Syrian Province of Deir ez-Zor, located about 15 miles away from the Iraqi border.How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job, Trump said in the prime-time speech, as the government shutdown was set to grind into its 19th day. To every member of Congress, pass a bill that ends this crisis. To every citizen, call Congress and tell them to finally, after all of these decades, secure our border.When the Senate Democrats take control of the chamber Wednesday afternoon for the first time in a decade, they will do away with the silly rule of not allowing people in the Senate lobby outside the chambereven when legislators werent in sessionto talk on a cell phone.By Niu Song

Recently, the "drama" on the withdrawal of the US troops from Syria has had its ups and downs. The US President Donald Trump's different rhetoric within half a month adds further confusion to the "drama".

The pace of the withdrawal has been slowed from the initial "comprehensive" and "quick". The period of the withdrawal has changed from the first 30 days to the following four months until "no timetable for the exit. Trump's contrary decisions on the withdrawal from Syria clearly show that Trump has proceeded in his usual style, except this time is not due to his willfulness.

To some extent, the pressure from the militarys opposition and the field experience from Iraq counter-terrorism frontline have prompted Trump to make a temporary compromise. In other words, Trump's latest decision to delay the withdrawal is his attempt to balance out the relationship with the military and eventually pave way for his future moves.

First, the early departure of former US Secretary of Defense James Mattis has intensified tensions between Trump and the US military.

Trump has played a series of "political cards", "religious cards", and "economic cards" which he is good at on the Jerusalem issue, as well as the withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear deal and re-imposing economic sanctions against Iran.

However, Trump is not so good at dealing with defense affairs. The claim by Trump that full withdraw American troops from Syria in a short period of time caused extreme disapproval from Mattis and led to Mattis resignation at the end of 2018. In his farewell letter, Mattis cited a line from President Abraham Lincoln's telegram to General Ulysses S. Grant, insinuating that Trump is intervening in the military decision of Pentagon.

Second, Trumps "flash visit" to the US military base in Iraq provided him an opportunity to compromise.

Trump visited the Al Asad Air Base in western Iraq on December 26 last year. This is his first visit to the battlefield after he took office. The base played an important role in the fight against the IS in Iraq. According to some media, Trump listened to the opinions of frontline officers and soldiers on combating the IS in Iraq, which changed his perception on counter-terrorism.

Trump's decision to slow down the withdrawal will have a major impact on the situation in the Middle East.

Israel responded to Trump's initial withdrawal decision strongly by launching an airstrike against the Iranian arsenal in Syria on December 25 last year. On December 30, 2018, the Associated Press also reported that Trump had ordered to slow down the withdrawal and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had authorized Iraqi troops to enter Syria to fight against the IS. This indicates Syria's attempt to win over Iraq through common counter-terrorism interests so as to further divide the US and Iraq.

Trump's visit to the US military base in Iraq has led to the condemnation of the Iraqi parliament leader Sabah al Saadi. Saadi said that Trump's visit is a flagrant and clear violation of Iraq's sovereignty.

The US' attempt to play the role of "offshore balance" in the Syrian situation through withdrawal troops has not changed. For Trump, the priority is to maintain a good balance between further consolidating the US military presence in Iraq and the goal of final withdrawal from Syria.

Disclaimer: The author is Niu Song, researcher fellow from the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University. The article was published on the China's National Defense newspaper on January 9. It is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online.De Blasios proposal calls for employers with five or more employees to provide up to 10 days of paid personal time a year, which employees would have to accrue. They would be able to take the time off after 120 days of working, and employers would be able to require two weeks notice of when an employee wanted time off to make scheduling easier. Workers would accrue an hour of paid time off for every 30 hours they work.There has to be a way to pay for it, and if you are a public servant, theres just no way to handle it. There has to be some alternative methodology, de Blasio said. And obviously this city has been very rigorous about how it approaches any issues about finances and ethics and I think that whats begin talked about here is consistent with that approach.Waiting for the undeniable outcome of an election for State Chairman would only delay the needed restructuring and revitalization our party sorely needs and would send a message to the citizens of our state that we arent serious about becoming a viable party again, the 11 county chairs wrote to Cox. For the good of the party, sir, please lead by stepping down so the process of recovery can begin now.In a 10-minute speech directly following the Trump address  which Vox described as blood-soaked  Sanders focused on those who are suffering from the shutdown and the immigration impasse. He mentioned federal workers and owners of ancillary businesses who are in danger of going broke, and the inhumane practice of separating parents from their children at the border. He also debunked falsehoods such as the assertion that thousands of terrorists and drugs have flooded into the U.S. from Mexico  not to mention Trumps initial promise that Mexico would pay for the wall itself.The new deal between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, replacing the preexisting North American Free Trade Agreement, will not necessarily actually bring in more money unless Trump raises tariffs, which goes against the nature of the agreement.I was certainly of the view that someone that had this kind of allegation against them, it would not be tenable to remain in government, testified Berkon, adding that he informed Brennan that Alvarez would soon unemployed.The order is one of the latest twists in a case that began with a complaint filed in October against de Blasio by horse carriage hack Giovanni Paliotta. His lawyer, Angelo DiGangi, contends any new rules on the carriages must come from the City Council  not the de Blasio administration.The 32-year-old Rodriguez, who started working for Chapo in his early 20s, took the witness stand after Marston and said his supremely suspicious boss would activate the microphone feature just seconds after ending calls with his lovers and associates, to see what they would say about him.Every time you use your gadget, whether you like it or not, whether you turn on your location or not, somebody can find out exactly where you are, exactly what your interests are and exactly what you are scared of," Kirill continued. Such control from one place forebodes the coming of the Antichrist.The agreement brings this ordeal to an end and allows her to focus all of her energy on what matters most to her  creating a better world, he said. Ms. McGowan will comment on the day of the plea.By Yang Hua and Xiong Huaming

BEIJING, Jan. 9 (ChinaMil) -- The Airport Authority of the PLA Air Force and the Airport Department of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) signed a strategic framework agreement on airport support techno-sharing and talent co-cultivation on the day before New Year's Day, with the purpose of enhancing the integrated and coordinated support capability of military and civil airports.



Golmud Airport, the only joint-use civilian/military airport in Qinghai Province

According to the agreement, in terms of new technology sharing, the two parties will prioritize the spreading of 26 new technologies in such five fields as airport operation support, safety management, emergency rescue, repair, and maintenance. In terms of joint talent cultivation, the two parties will establish a regular rotating training mechanism, focus on three levels' training including military and civil aviation officials, command and management personnel, and front-line support personnel, and forge a joint personnel training system that covers all realms and professions concerning airport operation and support services.

The agreement also clarifies that the two parties will jointly advance the research of a new airport technologies catalogue, formulate a roadmap for the application of those new technologies, and will give preference to the application of new technological achievements in joint-use civilian/military airports on the basis of ensuring the basic supporting standards of civil and military aviations.

The signing of this framework agreement will lay a solid foundation for the efficient operations support of the civil-military joint-use airports, Air Force's regular use of civil airports, and joint training abroad.It is not a religious statement. She received it as a gift, and its six points refer to air, water, fire, earth, light and darkness, Balarezo told the Daily News. It was a gift.Upon completion of this latest review, I am again confident, just as this office was the previous times we reviewed the case, that the countless hours of report analysis, evidence evaluation, court transcripts, and DNA evaluation solidifies that Oscar Clifton tragically and violently ended the life of Donna Jo Richmond in an orange grove the day after Christmas in 1975, he said.The minority ownership of the property belongs to Tishman Speyer Properties, and the marketing of the building will be handled by the CBRE Group, a real estate services firm. Tishman Speyer did not return a call for comment on the sale.It didnt get any better on the return, though. United also didnt have an aisle chair when the pair landed in Chicago going back, only this time they were seated far in the back of the plane, so I once again had to scoot all the way down on my butt, Schilhabel wrote on Facebook, for 31 rows, so as to get through customs in time to make their connection.These societal issues affect us all and can sometimes place our partners (employees) in scary situations, which is why we have protocols and resources in place to ensure our partners are out of harms way, a Starbucks spokesperson told the Daily News.He also described himself as a member of the Proud Boys and a believer of QAnon  in which theorists believe the U.S. government and others are plotting schemes against the Trump administration and its supporters.Mountain lion sightings in cities are extremely rare  the last one killed within Bismarcks borders was about a decade ago. Officials believe the young male had been traveling along the Missouri River in search of new territory and possibly followed a deer into the city.As with all officer-involved shootings, we are committed to a full investigation," Chief Danielle Outlaw said in a statement. "A loss of life impacts us all and I know we all immediately search for answers. I ask for patience as we continue our investigative process and then release information as soon as it is appropriate."Were in a situation where weve got really important work to do to get the border secure and to make sure that the Democrats stop playing games, come to the table, she said.The district followed established safety protocol as soon as this situation became known, she said in a statement. The parent was contacted immediately and the student was assessed by the school nurse and referred for outside medical evaluation. Child Protective Services was contacted and the Kentucky State Police opened an investigation.While this type of behavior by an individual is extremely rare, it's unacceptable and clearly it has consequences. Committing fraud, whether it takes place on or offline is against the law. We are fully cooperating and assisting law enforcement officials to recover every dollar withdrawn by Ms. McClure and Mr. D'Amico.If what hes worth was acquired during the marriage, technically in the eyes of the court in Washington, its what theyre both worth, Robertson said. But its really a matter of the court coming in and looking at all of the assets in the marriage and dividing them. And it could be she gets more of other assets to offset things hes keeping. It could be a long-term payout situation so that it doesnt affect the long-term course of business and it doesnt hurt the income."We did everything we could. Unfortunately, it was just a tragic outcome and our hearts and thoughts are with the family and friends of the crew," U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Levi Read told local CBS affiliate KPIC-TV.Elijah was attending a week-long jamboree with about 100 Boy Scouts from his Texas troop when he was killed, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The incident happened at around 4 p.m. last June 25 at the Bert Adams Scout Camp, under the jurisdiction of the Atlanta Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He and several other boys were inside their tent when a tree came crashing down onto Elijah, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He died of blunt force trauma to his head and chest, the newspaper said.The President, who has for years insisted he would make Mexico pay for a wall on their northern border, has taken responsibility for shutting down the government until Congress gives him $5 billion to start construction on the barrier. Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer have refused to free up the money Trump wants.Police reportedly found a note that detailed what would happen to the woman if the ransom was not paid. Police reports did not detail the threats and only said that they were very serious  but Norways VG newspaper reported the note said she would be killed.The bartender eventually had to step in and tell the women to stop after they left the restroom, according to the caller.Authorities haven't disclosed a motive for the shooting of the 16-year-old Holmes. He was shot by a masked man moments after he stepped away from the counter of the Jersey City restaurant.The girl, her mother and siblings moved in with Ebert after the girls father was sentenced to 30 days in jail in May 2017, investigators say. The girls mom, also not identified due to the girls age, told cops Ebert had become chummy with the girls father several months earlier. She added he had an avuncular presence in the girls life and flaunted plenty of cash.Jenkins and Atkinson used the app Grindr  which calls itself the worlds largest social networking app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people  to lure victims with fake profiles they created. The men committed the assaults on at least nine men ranging from ages 19 to 57 during the first two weeks of December 2017.ANKARA, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish presidential spokesman said on Tuesday that the United States should hand over its 16 military bases used for fighting the Islamic State (IS) militants in northern Syria to Turkey or the local authorities after its pullout.

During a press conference following a meeting with U.S. national security adviser John Bolton in the capital Ankara, Ibrahim Kalin said the U.S. plans for pullout from Syria is not "slowed down" according to the information Ankara has gathered from American officials.

Turkey also expects the United States to take back the arms that were delivered to the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) to fight the IS, the spokesman added.

Ankara sees the YPG as an offshoot of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the EU.

The U.S. authorities told Turkey that they were making efforts on the issue of arms, Kalin said.

Kalin said he had submitted two dossiers to Bolton, one about information on Turkey's policies "embracing Kurdish brothers" in the region, and the other about crimes committed by the YPG in Syria and human rights violations of the group.

Kalin noted he also told Bolton that the Manbij road map agreed upon by the two NATO allies should not be delayed.

Bolton arrived in Ankara late Monday to meet Turkish officials over guaranteeing the safety of Kurdish fighters in Syria, who act as a U.S. vital ally against extreme groups.

The closed-door meetings, which lasted around two hours, between Turkish and U.S. senior military, intelligence and diplomatic officials on Tuesday, focused on the issue of post-U.S. pullout from Syria and Turkey's planned fight against the YPG remnants.

Bolton reportedly departed Turkey at noon on Tuesday without meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an apparent snub over the disagreements about the Kurdish issue.The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says the shooting happened Friday evening in Wapello County. The Wapello County Sheriff's Office says a 73-year-old woman was cleaning her stove when she heard a loud noise and felt pain to the back of her head. When she saw that she was bleeding heavily, she drove herself to Ottumwa Regional Hospital. Doctors later removed a bullet from the back of her head.The administrator said she invited her childs classmates to the party. That included a child whose mother was Carpenter, whom the administrator had argued with earlier, according to the affidavit. Carpenter was not pleased with how the situation was handled, the administrator told detectives.Officer Clayton Townsend was inspecting a car for an expired registration and standing at the drivers side door when he was struck around 6 p.m. on the Loop 101 beltway, the Arizona Department of Public Safety said. Driver Jerry Sanstead, 40, admitted he was texting at the time he collided into the five-year veteran and the other car, according to the public safety department.William Batts, 79, called cops on Jan. 3 claiming hed been robbed of $500 by two black women hed met through friends. Police claim the the man knew the heavyset woman as Keisha, but did not know the other persons name.This is a victory for the community, said Queens Councilman Costa Constantinides. Everyone has a right to make a living, but this type of business is not one we need in proximity to public housing and a rehab center. We need pharmacies, grocery stores, businesses that are positive in the neighborhood. This would be a huge insult.Knowing that a psycho was in your office  its not a comfortable walk to the office, not having the lights on, said Santano. You cant have women working in this building, coming in Saturdays by themselves, when you know this man who is not mentally stable is sleeping in an office space.The Rev. Benedict Groeschel, who died at age 81 in 2014, came under fire for defending the church against a media persecution as allegations of child sex abuse and a coverup exploded. Two years before his death, Groeschel suggested the alleged victims of abuse were actually the seducer of the priest.The incident is currently under investigation by Internal Affairs, an NYPD spokesman said in a statement. The officers, who were aware of the local condition and familiar with the background of the two perpetrators, directed the males to depart the area over the course of approximately five minutes of interaction. The males refused to comply and when officers moved to initiate arrest, they resisted and one of the males attempted to punch the officers.Colbert also had fun with the fact that Trumps speech aired after he had already taped his show by guessing what his reactions to it would be, and sharing what he joked was an advance copy of the speech.To editor:

Abortion continues to be a topic which creates conflict and strong feelings. We must recognize that most women with unintended pregnancies do not want an abortion. Still there are many organizations that are working to limit womens access to contraception, thus paradoxically creating a demand for abortion. The Catholic Church, meanwhile, is the organization that most opposes birth control.

The Catholic hierarchy, dominated by cloistered celibate white men, think they know what is best for women. The Catholic position on contraception, explained by Pope Paul VI, considers artificial contraception for married couples intrinsically evil.

Many Catholics do not subscribe to the church teachings on contraception. By actively opposing contraception to its 1.2 billion followers, the Catholic Church is directly culpable for an increase in abortions. The Catholic Church ignores that sex drive is a powerful God-given force and, without contraception, women may have unwanted pregnancies and abortions.

I strongly encourage all women and men to fight against archaic beliefs regarding contraception and abortion fueled by an ingrained desire to dominate and control women.

Paul S. Kiefner

Cape CoralIts the start of the year and many residents, seasonal and year-rounders alike, are looking for ways to make improvements on their homes.

The Fort Myers Home & Remodeling Show this past weekend was the place to help make those decisions, and several thousand people came to the Lee Civic Center to look at the latest in spas, lighting, and everything in between to make a house a home.

The beautiful weather brought in huge crowds all three days, and with most of the snowbirds back, it proved to be the perfect time to hold the event, according to Jackielou, who promoted and managed the event.

We have new exhibitors; everyone is complimenting us on the way the show is laid out. Its been non-stop and people are here and buying, Jackielou said. People are signing up for services and we have non-profits here such as the Quilters Guild. Its been incredible.

Along with a record number of visitors were a record number of vendors, more than 150 in all, who also work locally, selling and promoting everything under the sun that directly, and even indirectly, has to do with the home.

There were vendors looking to fix or replace your roof, remodel your kitchen or install a new garage door opener, but there were also people selling pinball machines for game rooms, those handy-dandy food slicers that Julianne potatoes, and cosmeticians giving free facials.

Tim Papley, general manager of Home Plus from Cape Coral, does roofing of all kinds. He said shows like this really help to get the name out.

We did a couple of these shows last year in other areas and decided to do this one, and this is a big one, Papley said. Weve had dozens inquire about us. Weve collected their information and will follow up with them.

Papley also sold solar fans which blow the hot air out of the attic, which he said results in savings in electric bills and strain on air conditioners.

Steven Price of Windmar homes from Orlando was selling solar rooftop systems, which have become increasingly popular and less expensive.

People will see savings immediately and a return on their investment between six and 10 years. Solar is expanding within the state of Florida, Price said. Its also more affordable and we offer them with zero down.

One of the unusual aspects with this event was that there were no seminars this time, though there were so many exhibitors that there wasnt much room left to put them. Jackielou said there was only about one more row of exhibitors from the civic center being maxed out.

This was great for people like Sue Camb of North Fort Myers, who saw a lot of nice things while there, even if she doesnt plan to do too much work on her seasonal home this year.

We do work periodically over time. We just got finished doing some work on ours, so now were just getting ideas, Camb said. Those ideas would be for our home in Ohio.

Her friend, Antonette Cingolani, was also looking for her full-time home in Massachusetts.

We just finished remodeling our home here. We come to this every year and we really enjoy the show, Cingolani said.The newest way to buy your own personal aircraft online may be coming from the place you might least expect, a small office building in the middle of Cape Coral.

Started by a pair of local commercial pilots in 2016, Aircraftsales.US is a tech startup looking to capture its share of the growing online market for buying and selling planes. In many ways, modern consumers are starting to get used to the idea of regularly purchasing big ticket items like furniture or cars online, and it looks like the market for aircraft may be making the same shift. Cameron Schwartz, a spokesperson for Aircraftsales.US, said that online sales listings for planes have existed for many years, but were mostly treated as an afterthought from established publications. The Cape Coral based firm is looking to take advantage of a buying process built from the ground up to utilize the potential of internet commerce.

It seemed like there was an opportunity to improve the process of buying and selling, especially when it came to the marketing of airplanes, said Schwartz. For decades it was advertise in a magazine, and in the last few years they have just thrown them online, too. In the modern world no one is looking at publications for information on what the airplane market looks like anymore, but customers are still paying for it. Were going for a 100 percent tech focused online site and because of that, we can offer much more competitive rates.

The site offers modern features that have been previously gated-off from customers by the competition, like allowing users to create and edit their own listings at will instead of going through an agent. The site has also focused on social media integration, allowing users to share their listing on all the major platforms and maximize potential outreach. One of the largest features setting Aircraftsales.US apart, according to Schwartz, is the amount of information available in each listing. The company views the site as a learning tool which not only presents the aircraft for sale but also provides the potential buyer with information about performance and other aspects that allow them to compare aircraft on the fly.

In the past, you would have to visit several different websites to compile the information and compare aeroplanes, said Schwartz. As we add aircraft in, we include all that information and, as people add their own aircraft, all of those really important specifications are auto populated, and as time goes on more aircraft enter our database and it becomes more robust.

The site first went live in its beta form in January of 2017 and now features more than 800 listings from classic single-prop aircraft to multi-million dollar luxury jets. Schwartz estimates that those listings represent between 8 and 10 percent of the total market share, and with listing and traffic consistently up month after month, expects to see that number continue to grow.

The online marketplace has allowed Aircraftsales.US to exist in Cape Coral in a way that it probably could not a decade ago, and Schwartz sees that growth as a way for the city to diversify its economy in a way the local politicians and business leaders have been trying to do for years.

Its kind of exciting that it can be done anywhere in the world, and I think companies like this are actually great for Cape Coral. The complaint about businesses in the Cape has always been its so far from the interstate, this and that, but the simple fact is there are a lot of great people in the Cape that need work and, if it is an internet or digital style business, this is a fantastic place to do it. The neighbor on our floor is also a technology software company so its almost like we have a mini Cape Coral incubator going on here.A North Fort Myers couple are the proud parents of the first baby of the new year.

Jennifer and Sean OGrady saw their daughter, Adilynn, enter the world on Jan. 1, at 1:07 a.m. at HealthPark in Fort Myers, making her the first baby born in Lee County in 2019.

Adilynn, who was 9 pounds, 5 ounces and 20 inches long at birth, was born after 10 hours of labor without complications, even though she was a week overdue and doctors were considering a C-section.

Its very exciting. We didnt really expect it. We were expecting a Christmas baby, but she stayed a little longer and Jennifer was called in to induce labor on Dec. 31, Sean said. We finally had to kick her out.

Once it became apparent Adilynn would be born right around New Years, Sean said he was hoping she would be born just as the ball dropped. They could see the fireworks going off downtown.

Sean and Jennifer met when they were next door neighbors while in college. They were married last March.

Adilynn had a busy first evening, with her parents feeding her every 30 minutes. The family was expected to return home Thursday.

Adilynn will be going home to the small family farm with goats and chickens and horses on the property behind them.

Jennifer said Adilynn will have a least one animal of her own.

Shes getting a pony to keep all the boys away. Shes not going to have them for a long time, Jennifer said.

Sean works as a virtual school teacher for Lee County, which will allow him to stay home to care for the baby. Jennifer works as an office manager.

Cape Coral had to wait a day for the citys first baby to arrive at Cape Coral Hospital.

Connor Michael Tallmadge, 8 pounds, 3 ounces and 21.5 inches long at birth, entered the world via C-section on Jan. 2 at 8:07 a.m.

His parents are Colleen and Joshua Tallmadge of Cape Coral.Yekini Nabena, deputy spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of Peoples Democra...





Yekini Nabena, deputy spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Peter Obi, his running mate, lack integrity.





Nabena said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.





The deputy spokesman challenged Obi to explain how his administration expended his security vote while he was governor of Anambra state.





The coming presidential election will be about the integrity of the candidates and their running-mates which the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku and his running-mate does not have, he said.





Peter Obi should explain how he spent his security vote since it is on record that he collect(ed) over 470 million naira per month as security vote (220 million naira from Local Government and 250 million Naira from the state FAAC accounts).





Nabena said the PDP presidential candidate and his running mate have turned to South Africa for funds because they no longer have money to hold rallies.





Their Dubai agenda has collapsed. Several sources have revealed how the PDP and Atiku/Obi cannot longer run big rallies for lack of funding but had to contact some drug dealers in South Africa for help, he said.



Mc Oluomo The authorities of the Lagos State Police Command has declared one Mustapha Adekunle aka Seigo wanted for attempting to disr...

Mc Oluomo



The authorities of the Lagos State Police Command has declared one Mustapha Adekunle aka Seigo wanted for attempting to disrupt the APC rally held at Skypower Ground, Ikeja, on Tuesday. The authorities of the Lagos State Police Command has declared one Mustapha Adekunle aka Seigo wanted for attempting to disrupt the APC rally held at Skypower Ground, Ikeja, on Tuesday.





A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Chike Oti said the said Mustapha Adekunle aka Seigo, an NURTW chieftain, came to the rally with a group of people and were identified at the entrance as supporters of the party.

However, at the tail end of the event, Seigo and his group for a reason yet to be determined, violently engaged other supporters of the party. In the ensuing melee, one MC Oluomo, another NURTW chieftain, was stabbed and was rushed to EKO Hospital where he is currently recuperating while two other victims of the attack were taken to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for treatment.

Oti stated that it was therefore surprising that a prominent member of NURTW would attempt to violently disrupt a peaceful political rally.





In view of the development, the Command wishes to encourage members of the public with useful information on the whereabouts of Mustapha Adekunle, popularly known as Seigo to report such at a nearest police station.

Meanwhile, two persons have been arrested in connection with the incident, he saidThe Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign organisation has tackled Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives...





The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign organisation has tackled Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), over his criticism of Atiku Abubakar.





Tinubu on Tuesday questioned the integrity of the PDP presidential candidate.





The ex-governor of Lagos also described the former vice-president as being directionless.





Reacting in a statement, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesman, admonished Tinubu on behalf of the PDP campaign organisation.





He said the former Lagos governor should not forget that as the Asiwaju of Yoruba land, he has the responsibility of tutoring the younger generation on the culture of the Yorubas, which holds that when a child is given the errand of a slave, he delivers it like a freeborn.





The PDP campaign organisation said Atiku is a focused character that Nigerians trust and believe in to lead them.





At Tinubus stature, he ought to be found in the class of respected senior citizens who are decorous, speak statesmanly and not resorting to the gutters whenever he speaks in public, the statement read.





In politics, family ties and bonds as well as relationships are greater and stronger than political interests and it is the expectation of our campaign organization that Tinubu should understand this.





Our candidate, Atiku Abubakar, is a focused Nigerian who has contributed immensely to the economic and political development of our nation.





He has also displayed huge stability in character through the bridges of human and economic relationships he has built across our nation.





At this critical time, when majority of Nigerians expect true democrats, which Tinubu has always claimed allegiance, to come together and rescue our nation from the absurdity of a governance that the APC and the Presidency represent, it is unfortunate that Asiwaju chose to be tied to the aprons of anti-democratic interests.





Our advice to Tinubu is that he should be watchful ahead of his 2023 wishful presidency interests because those he is dining with today, as demonstrated in time past, that they can always use and dump him.





Tinubu should know that among the ranks of presidential candidates, Atiku Abubakar stands out as that candidate Nigerians trust and belief in as their next President, come May 29, 2019.



Gamawa Babayo, deputy national chairman (north) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has defected to the All Progressives Congress...









Gamawa Babayo, deputy national chairman (north) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).





On Monday, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesman, announced the suspension of Babayo over allegations of dereliction of duty and anti-party activities.





But on Tuesday, the suspended PDP chieftain alongside Mohammed Abubakar, governor of Bauchi state, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock villa.





The meeting with the president reportedly lasted over 30 minutes.





Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Babayo said he had no regret defecting from the PDP.





As a Nigerian, I want what is good for the country; I want good image for my country and I want to see development and progress of the country, he said.





And I have been saying it, as a politician, I play my politics not blindly. Whenever thing goes right or wrong I will say it the way it is. As Journalists, you are aware of what PDP did today  just because of an allegation they said they have suspended me.





I want to call on them to check their secretariat. If they are in politics they should know what is happening on daily basis at the secretariat  what comes in and what goes out.





They should check their mails and they will know the position of Sen. Babayo Gamawa before their action of today. I have no regret for defecting from the PDP and they (PDP) would regret their action, by God grace.





On his part, the Bauchi governor expressed delight over the defection of Babayo and Kaulaha Aliyu, a member of the PDP board of trustees (BoT).



Khadija Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, the minister of state for foreign affairs, has resigned her appointment. The minister confirmed her re...





Khadija Bukar Abba-Ibrahim, the minister of state for foreign affairs, has resigned her appointment.





The minister confirmed her resignation to state house correspondents on Wednesday in Abuja.





Abba-Ibrahim, who is from Yobe state, attributed her action on the need to run for elective office.





She seeks to represent the Damaturu/Tarmuwa/Gujba/Gulani federal constituency of Yobe.





Abba-Ibrahim, who was appointed minister in November 2015 by President Buhari, scored 1,295 votes to defeat her step son who got 15 votes.





The ministers resignation came barely six weeks after the resignation of minister of state for environment, Ibrahim Jibril, following his selection by the Nasarawa emirate council as the new emir of Nasarawa.President Muhammadu Buhari says he has been impartial in his appointments across the geopolitical zones despite the low number of vote...





President Muhammadu Buhari says he has been impartial in his appointments across the geopolitical zones despite the low number of votes he received from the south-east during the 2015 elections.





Buhari made the comment in response to allegations of marginalisation of the Igbo in his appointments.





The president touched on the matter during an interview aired on Arise Television on Monday.





He said: Somebody made an observation (and I made it clear for the first time) that I was not patronising the Igbo from the south-east. I took the paper from him, I told him that when I won the election, I studied the amount of votes I got from all the geopolitical zones.

I said I got 198,000 something from the whole of the south-east; 198, 000 which virtually any local government can give me. But I appointed ministers of foreign affairs, minister of labour, minister of industries and investment, minister of mines and tech.





But these four, I never knew them from Adam. But from seven states of the north, I have ministers of states, they are under these ministers. How fair do you want me to be?



Four farmers, Akuha Igber, Awuhe Ashwe, Gowon Genki and Takela Denke, on Wednesday appeared before a Makurdi Chief Magistrates Court ch...

Four farmers, Akuha Igber, Awuhe Ashwe, Gowon Genki and Takela Denke, on Wednesday appeared before a Makurdi Chief Magistrates Court charged with killing a 95-year-old man, Boun Adi.









The suspects, all residents of Tse-Igbazer in Gwer-West Local Government Area of Benue, were charged with criminal conspiracy and culpable homicide punishable under sections 97 and 22 of the Penal Code Laws of Benue, 2004.









At their arraignment before Chief Magistrate Regina Ochokwunu, the Prosecutor, Sgt. Regina Ishaya, told the court that the case was transferred from the Divisional Police Headquarter, Naka to the State CIID, Makurdi on Nov. 12, 2018, via a letter.









According to the letter, on Nov. 7, 2018, one Patrick Yanmile of Naka, Gwer-West reported at the Naka Police Station that his 95-year-old uncle was killed.









The letter quoted Yanmile as stating that the accused persons and others, now at large, had conspired, attacked and killed his uncle in his house for no reason.









He further stated that the accused persons, and the fleeing suspects, alleged that the deceased was a wizard and was responsible for many deaths.









The prosecutor said that two persons were earlier arrested and arraigned before Chief Magistrates Court 4, for the crime, while the accused persons, who were previously at large, were arrested during further Police investigation.









However, when the case came up for mention, the pleas of the accused were not taken because the court had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter.









The prosecutor informed the court that investigation into the matter was still in progress to enable the Police apprehend the other suspects that were still at large.









He urged the court to adjourn to a later date.





The Magistrate, Ochokwunu, adjourned the matter to Jan. 21, for mention, and directed that the suspects should be remanded in Prison custody.





(NAN)The federal government says the national minimum wage bill will be transmitted to the national assembly on or before January 23. C...





The federal government says the national minimum wage bill will be transmitted to the national assembly on or before January 23.





Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, made this known on Tuesday while speaking with journalists after a closed-door meeting with the leadership of organised labour in Abuja.





Ngige said the federal government and organised labour have signed a memorandum of understanding on the transmission of the bill.





On the part of government, we are going to try to religiously implement all the processes that will enable us to transmit this bill within the stipulated time, he said.





We have a target time of January 23, and we hope that all things being equal, the executive will be able to do so.





We will take on the statutory meetings of the federal executive council, national economic council and the national council of states to enable us to transmit the bill on the new national minimum wage.





The minister, while commending labour for its cooperation and understanding, called for the withdrawal of the threat of industrial action, saying it was no longer necessary.





Ayuba Wabba, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said: We have agreed that the agreement reached should be documented and it should be signed by government representatives and organised labour; we thought that is a more firm commitment.





We believe with this, we can actually start following up the process; we have asked them to keep faith with the timeline, so that it will be concluded, as the minimum wage issue has been on the table for the past two years.





We also thought that after having submitted the report and also drafted a draft the bill, by now, we expected that it should have been submitted.





We will shift our lobby to the NASS because once the bill is enacted, the money will be in the pockets of the workers.





The issue of industrial relations is always addressed at the roundtable. We have been diligent in the whole process and workers have been patient.





So, we are committed to the process and hope that the timeline will be respected.





We will put this across to our organs and give them all the details contained in the memorandum of understanding.



A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed January 21, 2019 to hear a suit seeking to have President Muhammadu Buhari disqualified from co...

A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed January 21, 2019 to hear a suit seeking to have President Muhammadu Buhari disqualified from contesting the 2019 general elections.









The plaintiffs, Mr. Kalu Agu, Labaran Ismail and Hassy El-Kuris, allege that the president lied in his form CF 001 submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission regarding his educational qualifications and certificates.









When the matter came up for mention on Wednesday, U.C. Ndubisi, counsel to the plaintiffs, who was holding brief for Mr. Okpai Ukiro, informed the court that the matter was for mention.









Ndubisi told the court that all the defendants had been served with the processes, and that the President filed an application asking for an extension of time as well as a preliminary objection to the originating summons.









He, therefore, prayed the court for some time to enable him respond to the applications.









The suit, which was filed on behalf of the plaintiff by Ukiro, has the President as the first defendant, APC as second defendant and INEC as the third defendant.









The plaintiffs want the court to determine whether having regards to the information in the affidavit contained in Buharis INEC form CF 001, regarding his educational qualification/certificate, he has submitted false information to INEC.









Whether from the facts and exhibits contained in the affidavit in support of the originating summons and having regards to Section 31(5)(6) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, Buhari is disqualified from running for the office of president in the 2019 general elections.









Whether Buhari, having submitted false information to INEC, the APC can validly present him as its candidate for the office of president in the 2019 general elections.









Upon the determination of the aforementioned questions, the plaintiffs seek a court declaration that the president submitted false information regarding his educational qualification to INEC to contest elections into the office of President of Nigeria in the 2019 general elections.









The plaintiffs, in addition, want the court to declare that the president, having submitted false information regarding his educational qualification/certificate, is disqualified from contesting elections into the office of president in the 2019 elections.









They also pray the court for an order directing INEC to reject or remove Buharis name as the presidential candidate of the APC submitted to INEC for the 2019 general elections.









The trial judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed adjourned the matter until Jan. 21, for hearing of the main suit and the preliminary objection.









Mohammed also ordered that hearing notices be served on APC and INEC.







Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says President Muhammadu Buhari has failed lift the mora...





Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says President Muhammadu Buhari has failed lift the morale of soldiers fighting Boko Haram insurgents.





In a statement on Wednesday, Abubakar criticised Buhari over his absence at the funeral of five air force officers who died in a helicopter crash while providing support to troops in the north-east.





They were buried at the national military cemetery in Abuja on Tuesday.





The former vice-president said Buharis failure to attend the funeral is part of a pattern of unpatriotic behaviour demonstrated by him.

At a time when the morale of our soldiers should be lifted up as they face the difficult task of defeating the terrorists who are threatening our national security, I find it most regrettable that President Muhammadu Buhari, despite being in Abuja, chose not to attend the funeral of the five airforce officers who died in a helicopter crash while prosecuting the war on terror, he said in the statement.





Last month, I had cause to advise the President to find time to attend the funerals of the hero soldiers of the 157 Taskforce Battalion in Metele, Borno state, who paid the supreme price for Nigeria in large numbers.





Sadly, due to reasons best known to him, President Buhari chose not to attend their funeral, neither was he represented by the vice-president nor any federal delegation. This was despite the fact that the President had time to host Nollywood actors and actresses the previous day. Imagine celebrating just before such a solemn event.





The most recent funeral held in Abuja, the President was in Abuja on the day of the funeral. The previous day, he had inaugurated his re-election campaign council. My question for Mr. President is this: is securing your second term, more important to you than securing Nigeria?





Abubakar urged Buhari to learn from French President Emmanuel Macron, who on March 28, 2018, attended the funeral of a French policeman killed by terrorists in Southern France.





That single event boosted the morale of the French security forces, because it showed a commitment to their wellbeing and honour for their memory by the head of state. Very sadly, President Buhari missed another opportunity to demonstrate such commitment to our armed forces, he said.



President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday pledged that he would not authorise the use of any money from the government treasury for his ...





President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday pledged that he would not authorise the use of any money from the government treasury for his re-election campaign.





He reiterated his commitment to eliminate corruption in campaign financing in the country.





The president made the declaration in a statement by Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity at the close of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in Abuja.





President Buhari directed cabinet ministers to take advantage of technology to reach out to voters on the need to return the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration in next months general elections.





Try and use text and multi-media messages to seek votes for the party and government.





There is no money from the treasury for use in the campaigns. I will not authorise that, he said.





According to him, the APC-led administration had a clear development agenda best suited to take Nigeria forward and sustain economic development.





This message needs to be taken to all Nigerians that we cannot use money from the treasury to share out to prospective voters.





Nigerians want change and we alone can deliver that change. Our people can no longer be swayed by money politics, he added.





The president also used the occasion, which was a valedictory session for the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Hajiya Khadija Bukar Abba Ibrahim, to wish the minister success in her electoral contest.





The minister had signified her desire to leave the cabinet, in line with existing regulations, to run for a legislative seat in her native Yobe.Making sense

The Open borders caller made more sense and summed things up in six lines better than Froma Harrop did in her quarter-page rant.

Minority report

When are the police going to stop all these shootings? Probably when they can hire clairvoyant officers. How in the heck do you think people can stop something before it happens? The only way we can do that is have better gun control. Get with the times.

Disappointed

I am so disappointed that the News-Press printed that column by Esther Cepeda titled, Trump era takes toll on faith in America. This woman is poison, spreading hate among the people of America. Trump has not taken a toll on my faith. Trump has given me faith that we may re-establish what America was before the destruction done by the Clintons and Obamas. Most of us who are true Americans think the country is maybe going to get this ship turned right side up.

God vs. Hollywood

Why do many far left Democrats hate Christian conservatives? The answer is because the Bible is not politically correct. Christian conservatives stick to Gods teachings and not the teachings of the Hollywood elite.

Envelope, please

Where is the envelope? The city can spend money on things we do not need but has stopped sending payment envelopes with their bills for the sewer. Dont they make enough money from the sewer bills?

Cause, effect

Do you remember when the president promised to provide better and cheaper health care for Americans? He has broken that promise and Americans are dying every day.

Pay up

I dont understand how shutting down our government is going to get Mexico to pay for that wall. I know Mexico is going to pay for that wall because Donald Trump has told American people hundreds of times on TV it was going to happen.

Wrong opinion

How about the News-Press getting some new contributors for the opinion page? Every day it is either anti-Trump or how bad the Hispanics have it or both. Enough already. Its so boring.

Value menu

To quote Nancy Pelosi, We will give you one dollar. One dollar for your wall.

Liar, liar

Trump is living proof that lying begets more lies.

Call for help

This about people buying up these little houses in neighborhoods. They turn into slumlords. They are ruining our town. These little neighborhoods, some of the backyards are deplorable. Some of us still live here and try to take care of our property. If you call the city or the health board, that is the last you hear of it.Defendants pleaded guilty unless otherwise stated.

Division 5

Judge Keith Marquart

Jailed

Dwayne Lee Scott, 37, no address provided, 40 days for misdemeanor domestic assault with credit given for 40 days served.

Levi S. Gatewood, 26, 2711 S.W. Karen Lane, No. 64, 37 days for misdemeanor property damage with credit given for 37 days served.

Suspended sentence

Joshua James Steffen, 43, Louisville, Kentucky, suspended sentence, two years probation for misdemeanor nonsupport with $408 monthly child support and $92 monthly arrearages.

Fined

Nathan J. Montgomery, 36, 816 S. 20th St., $100 for misdemeanor unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.

Division 6

Judge Rebecca Spencer

Jailed

Larry R. Newman Jr., 50, 3907 King Hill Ave., six years on a previously suspended sentence for misdemeanor passing a bad check. Court suspends execution of sentence and grants two years probation.

Jessica Kristine Allen, 24, 2321 S. 15th St., nine months on a previously suspended sentence for misdemeanor domestic assault.

Chandlyr Lee Francis, 22, 4809 Gene Field Road, one day for misdemeanor assault with credit given for one day served.

Harley R. Boyce, 21, Kansas City, Missouri, 120 days for misdemeanor tampering with a motor vehicle with credit given for time served and court costs waived.

Brandon Tyler Kay, 27, 222 Blake St., 30 days for misdemeanor violation of order of protection for adult with credit given for time served and court costs waived.

Joshua Nathan Cole Miller, 35, 507 E. Kansas Ave., 60 days for misdemeanor violation of order of protection for adult with credit given for 60 days served and court costs waived.

JN Antonio, 29, 1615 N. 36th St., 29 days for misdemeanor trespassing with credit given for 29 days served and court costs waived.

Levi S. Gatewood, 26, 2711 S.W. Karen Lane, No. 64, 21 days for misdemeanor property damage with credit given for eight days served and court costs waived.

Scott Edward Fortin, 46, Bedford, New Hampshire, two days for misdemeanor resisting/interfering with arrest, detention or stop with credit given for two days served and court costs waived.

Wayne A. Corkins, 51, no address provided, 60 days for misdemeanor stealing with credit given for time served and court costs waived.

Jonathan Carl Smith, 38, 714 Lincoln St., 60 days for misdemeanor stealing with credit given for time served and court costs waived.

Ronald Dean Owens Jr., 56, 521 Magnolia Ave., 21 days for misdemeanor assault with credit given for 21 day served and court costs waived.

Christina Lynn Phelps, 41, 124 Park Lane, seven days for misdemeanor stealing with credit given for seven days served and court costs waived.

Danae Lynn Howard, 43, 2022 Jones St., 25 days for misdemeanor violation of order of protection for adult with credit given for 25 days served and court costs waived.

David A. Lopez III, 26, 1015 S. 17th St., nine months for misdemeanor resisting/interfering with arrest, detention or stop with credit given for time served and court costs waived.

Suspended sentence

Fadila Y. G. Khalid, 18, 1509 N. 36th St., Apt. 11, suspended sentence, six months probation for misdemeanor operating a vehicle on highway without a valid license.

Jeremie Douglans Henson, 39, 608 E. Kansas Ave., suspended sentence, four years probation for felony nonsupport with $450 monthly child support, $100 monthly arrearages and court costs waived.

Thomas F. Reese Jr., 50, Rushville, Missouri, suspended sentence, one year probation for misdemeanor passing a bad check with court costs waived.

Roger W. Dredge, 49, 610 Olive St., suspended sentence, four years probation for felony nonsupport with $278 monthly child support, $272 monthly arrearages and court costs waived.

Anthony Carl Edwards, 38, 2725 S. 24th St., suspended sentence, four years probation for felony nonsupport with $206 monthly child support, $94 monthly arrearages and court costs waived.

Violet M. Barrick, 52, 419 Michigan Ave., suspended sentence, one year probation for misdemeanor violation of education requirement for a child.

Matthew J. Harrison Jr., 30, 2312 Blackwell Road, suspended sentence, two years probation, $288 monthly child support, $82 monthly arrearages and court costs waived.

Whitney Renee Shepherd, 29, 1809 S. 11th St., suspended sentence, two years probation for misdemeanor violation of education requirement for a child with court costs waived.

Joy Alda Collado, 27, 2829 Patee St., suspended sentence, one year probation for misdemeanor nonsupport with $300 monthly arrearages and court costs waived.

Michael R. Beebe, 19, Nortonville, Kansas, suspended sentence, two years probation for misdemeanor domestic assault with court costs waived.

Alversa Lynn Williams, 55, 811 N. 10th St., suspended sentence, one year probation for misdemeanor violation of education requirement for a child with court costs waived.

Fined

Craig Joseph Denton, 37, no address provided, $250 for misdemeanor driving while intoxicated.The United States Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday it is funding food assistance programs through February.

Our motto here at USDA has been to Do Right and Feed Everyone. With this solution, weve got the Feed Everyone part handled, said Sonny Perdue, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture in a press release. I believe that the plan weve constructed takes care of the Do Right part as well.

Federal funding for food assistance programs continued through January despite the government being shut down, but February was not going to be funded.

Now, the USDA is asking states to issue February benefits early to meet the 30-day time period for assistance programs like these to be funded through the Continuing Resolution. States must take action by Jan. 20.

Second Harvest Community Food Bank spokesperson Blake Haynes said it is important to provide food for people who are food insecure.

You dont know where your next meal is going to be, whether youre a child, a senior or just a family member in general. And it could be your neighbor, the person down the street, said Haynes. We always emphasize if you can help somebody and youre looking to do that, please please reach out to us and help us make an impact.

There are about 1,400 food insecure people in Buchanan County. The pantry served about 6,000 people last year.

In addition to the food pantry, Second Harvest provides boxes for food insecure seniors. The government provides the food for the boxes. The USDAs announcement includes the senior boxes.

Second Harvest provides more than 1,300 boxes of about 30 pounds every month for seniors in the food pantrys 19 counties.

We have seniors, children, families of all kinds. Hunger has no bias; it has no face; it has no gender. Anybody we can help, we do help, Haynes said.

The pantry accepts cash and food donations. Volunteers can sign up on their website: www.shcfb.org.The Missouri State Highway Patrol is offering resources to those whose lives have been impacted by an impaired driver.

Out of every 100 traffic crashes in Missouri, 4.6 involve drinking, according to the Highway Patrol. In rural areas, that statistic rises to 6.7.

The patrol offers assistance to victims of impaired drivers through its Filling a V.O.I.D. (victims of impaired drivers) program. The program provides information and support to victims and their families.

Leann Lewis, Mothers Against Drunk Drivings Heartland chapter leader, lost her father to an impaired driver. She supports the idea of the community looking out for one another after a tragic loss.

I think it takes a community to stop drunk driving and so working together and partnering together I think will really help as we create a future of no more drunk driving victims.

Preliminary statistics show there have been 4,085 traffic crashes involving impaired drivers in 2018. In those crashes, 137 people died and 2,301 people were injured.

Individuals can join the program by calling the crime victim hotline at 888-773-1800.

Removing impaired drivers from Missouris roadways is a top priority for every trooper, said Lt. Col. Eric Olson with the highway patrol. Driving impaired is never the right choice.The Buchanan County Attorneys Office and Prosecutors Office will combine into a legal team beginning next week.

After Jan. 15, County Attorney Chad Gaddie will be joining the Buchanan County Prosecutors Office and prosecutors will provide legal advice to the county as needed.

Gaddie, who served as a Buchanan County assistant prosecuting attorney for two years in the 1990s, said the merger is a win-win.

Ive got a strong background in criminal law, so I feel like I can provide some assistance to the prosecuting attorneys office during this transition, Gaddie said. Then, also its a no-brainer for the county to have access to more lawyers through the Prosecutors Office.

Gaddie has been working for the county for about a year and has done criminal defense work in private practice for about 20 years.

Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney Ron Holliday said the merger will save the county money by providing it more lawyers for no additional cost, and by saving on benefits.

He said the retirement of former Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Scroggins and the election of Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kate Schaefer to circuit judge has left his office needing someone with experience in criminal law.

Hes very important to my team, he has experience both as a prosecutor and as a defense attorney in the past, Holliday said. Weve lost a lot of experience in the office, I need experienced attorneys who can try cases.

Holliday said he has known Gaddie for over 20 years and trusts in his abilities as an attorney.A recent increase in shootings has left citizens fearful for the safety of their neighborhoods, and on Tuesday night, a neighborhood watch group voiced their concerns.

Mark Puckett, a member of the Neighbors Against Crime group, said the rise of violent crime involving gunfire is somewhat unbelievable compared to the town he grew up in.

Fifteen years ago, you had one or two shooting cases a year, and now weve had one every day since the beginning of the year, and its crazy, Puckett said.

As someone who advocates for the community bettering itself, Puckett encouraged those in attendance to help the police in their pursuit of these violent criminals.

Turn your police scanner on, Puckett said. If you see somebody running down your alley, and you know that the police are looking for them, you make that call and let them know. This is where I live, they just came through my alley and theyve headed this direction.

Puckett said he believes the St. Joseph Police Department is understaffed and would like to see more funding go to putting more officers on the street to prevent and respond to crime.

The St. Joe police force is doing an amazing job for the manpower that they have, and its a shame that we cant figure out a way to get more funding to get more officers and get more vehicles to help combat this problem, Puckett said. The citizens of St. Joe have to come together and start going to some council meetings and voicing our opinion and letting the council know that, Hey, theres a major problem, and what do we have to do get more funding in order to get more officers?

As far as the cause of the recent increase in crime, Puckett blames the increase of drugs in St. Joseph.

Its not just in St. Joe; its everywhere, Puckett said. But I live in St. Joe. I cant fix the world, but I want to try to fix St. Joe.A child is recovering after an accidental shooting in DeKalb County, Missouri.

According to the DeKalb County Sheriffs Office, deputies were dispatched to a residence in Union Star, Missouri, on the afternoon of Dec. 27 on a report of an accidental shooting. There, first responders discovered a 5-year-old girl with gunshot wounds.

Sheriff Andy Clark said the boyfriend of the childs mother accidentally shot off an AR-15. Clark said the man had taken a magazine out of the firearm and assumed it was unloaded.

He was adding or changing parts on the gun when he tripped and the gun went off, Clark said.

Deputies said the bullet struck the 5-year-old in the back, exiting through her front and then passing through her forearm. The child was taken to Childrens Mercy hospital in Kansas City.All Nippon Airways Co. said Tuesday an internal probe had found that last week one of its pilots caused domestic flight delays after drinking alcohol before flight duties despite the companyas 12-hour ban, and that he also asked a co-pilot to lie about it.

The case, which occurred at subsidiary ANA Wings Co., follows decisions by the government and Japanese airlines to tighten controls on drinking by staff after a Japan Airlines Co. pilot was convicted of heavy drinking in the U.K. that delayed a London-Tokyo flight.

The two pilots were scheduled to fly from Osaka to Miyazaki at 7:10 a.m. on Thursday last week, but the pilot drank beer and other alcoholic beverages at an Osaka restaurant until around 9:30 p.m. the day before, according to the company. The co-pilot stopped drinking around 7 p.m. but stayed at the restaurant with the pilot, according to All Nippon Airways.The Fourth High Criminal Court has adjourned the case, in which two Bahraini nationals are accused of receiving money from Qatar to influence the recently-held parliamentary elections in the country.

Bahrain News Agency had said the two suspects had been paid money into their bank accounts by former Qatari minister Abdullah bin Khalid Al Thani and made visits to Qatar to receive cash payments. The accused were arrested at Bahrain International Airport with large sums of undeclared money in their possession: BD 12,000 and 500 Qatari Riyals.

Investigations showed that one of the two nationals received from the Qatari former minister sums of money to run for the parliamentary elections set to be held this year and to support his electoral campaign, according to Prosecutors.The First High Criminal Court has upheld the verdict of a terror convict who was handed down 15 years jail sentence by the Lower Criminal Court. The lower court had also revoked his nationality and this decision was as well upheld.

According to Public Prosecution, the Bahraini man was part of the 14 February terrorist group, which is accused of carrying out many attacks in the Kingdom.

Many other members of the terror cell have been jailed, while there are many terrorists who have been sentenced in absentia. The accused many a time went to Iran and underwent training to carry out terror attacks in the Kingdom, said the Public Prosecution.

He was also a main recruiter for the group and persuaded many to join the group. He was involved in raising funds for the terror group, the prosecutors added.The Council of Representatives yesterday held its fourth meeting of the first session of the fifth legislative term. The Government Action Plan (GAP 2019-2022) was outlined during the session, which was chaired by Speaker Fawziya Zainal.

The Speaker extended deepest congratulations to His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa on leaving the hospital after undergoing successful health check-ups. She prayed to Allah the Almighty to bless HRH the Premier with abundant health, happiness and well-being to continue leading the dedicated march of development of development and progress benefiting the nation and citizens.

She hailed the recent parliamentary elections, paying tribute to the people of Bahrain for their unwavering allegiance and support to the reform project and democratic process, led by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. She stressed the importance of the Government Action Plan (GAP 2019-2022) presentation and discussion which embodies Bahrains model of cooperation between the Council of Representatives and Government.Saudi security forces carried out a pre-emptive operation in the Al Jish village of Al Qatif province, killing two wanted persons and arresting others yesterday after an exchange of fire. Security forces had immediately demanded the suspects to surrender themselves once the raid began, but they rejected their request and opened fire on them.

Informed sources quoted by Al Arabiya said that all the suspects who clashed with the security forces were outside declared wanted person lists, but has proved their involvement in cases affecting the security of the state. Most significant of those involvements came in the targeting of security elements and premises and the disruption of development projects of the province. Violence in the area has become rarer since security forces largely flushed out terror suspects in a 2017 campaign.

Deadly militant attacks on security forces have escalated since Nimr al-Nimr, a cleric, was executed two years ago after being convicted of inciting violence.The Daily News-Miner encourages residents to make themselves heard through the Opinion pages. Readers' letters and columns also appear online at newsminer.com. Contact the editor with questions at letters@newsminer.com or call 459-7574.

Community Perspective

Send Community Perspective submissions by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Submissions must be 500 to 750 words. Columns are welcome on a wide range of issues and should be well-written and well-researched with attribution of sources. Include a full name, email address, daytime telephone number and headshot photograph suitable for publication (email jpg or tiff files at 150 dpi.) You may also schedule a photo to be taken at the News-Miner office. The News-Miner reserves the right to edit submissions or to reject those of poor quality or taste without consulting the writer.

Letters to the editor

Send letters to the editor by mail (P.O. Box 70710, Fairbanks AK 99707), by fax (907-452-7917) or via email (letters@newsminer.com). Writers are limited to one letter every two weeks (14 days.) All letters must contain no more than 350 words and include a full name (no abbreviation), daytime and evening phone numbers and physical address. (If no phone, then provide a mailing address or email address.) The Daily News-Miner reserves the right to edit or reject letters without consulting the writer.Let us know what you're seeing and hearing around the community.

Submit hereWe're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

Go to form(Newser)  Iran confirmed Wednesday it is holding US Navy veteran Michael R. White at a prison in the country, making him the first American known to be detained under President Donald Trump's administration, the AP reports. White's detention adds new pressure to the rising tension between Iran and the US, which under Trump has pursued a maximalist campaign against Tehran that includes pulling out of its nuclear deal with world powers. While the circumstances of White's detention remain unclear, Iran in the past has used its detention of Westerners and dual nationals as leverage in negotiations. The semi-official Tasnim news agency, believed to be close to the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, reported the confirmation, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Ghasemi.

story continues below

"An American citizen was arrested in the city of Mashhad some time ago and his case was conveyed to the US administration on the first days" of his incarceration, Ghasemi was quoted as saying. The New York Times has quoted White's mother saying she learned three weeks ago that her son is alive and being held at an Iranian prison. His arrest was first reported by an online news service by Iranian expatriates who interviewed a former Iranian prisoner who said he met White at Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad in October. The State Department said it was aware of reports of an American citizen's arrest, but was otherwise unable to comment. White's mother, Joanne White, had told the Times that her 46-year-old son went to Iran to see his girlfriend and had booked a July 27 flight back home to San Diego via the United Arab Emirates. She filed a missing person report with the State Department after he did not board the flight.

(Read more Iran stories.)(Newser)  A Michigan reporter might want to consider a second career in law enforcement after aiding police in two cases in less than a week. WWJ's Mike Campbell was reporting at a burned-out shopping center in Warren last Thursday when he called police about a potential looter spotted breaking the window of a nail salon before rummaging within. Campbell then followed the man until officers arrived and took him into custody, ultimately laying charges. Less than a week later on Wednesday morning, the reporter was following a helicopter searching for a missing woman with dementia when he suddenly spotted 89-year-old Barbara Kasler in her pajamas and slippers at an intersection in Shelby Township, reports the AP.

story continues below

As Campbell finished a U-turn, "she just appeared at the back of this car that I had seen before," he tells WWJ, which notes Kasler had been missing in the cold for at least five hours. After Campbell warmed her up in his car, she was taken to a hospital but seemed in good health. "I just wanted to do something different," she reportedly said. "We owe you lunch!" police said of Campbell, per the AP, though he says he was just "in the right place at the right time." That was not the case during another odd encounter in August: "You always prepare yourself or leave yourself an out when you're covering these stories," Campbell told WWJ after a suspect used a metal baton to smash the windshield of his news vehicle as he reported live on a fatal crash. (This reporter helped an injured dog in flood waters.)(Newser)  "My dog ate my homework" is what Matt Branch would probably rather be saying following what must be the worst hunt of his life. The Louisiana hunter was preparing to move positions during a duck hunt with friends on family-owned property near Mississippi's Eagle Lake on Dec. 28 when a Labrador retriever managed to shoot him. Branch had put his 12-gauge shotgun into the bed of a truck as the group prepared to move 200 yards along a slough around 9:40am, reports the Clarion Ledger. That's when the dog named Tito jumped in the truck bed, stepped on the gun's safety lock, then touched the trigger, according to Branch's friend, Micah Heckford: "Within two to three seconds [Branch] realized he was hit." Per the Vicksburg Post, a bullet left in the gun's chamber shot though the side of the truck bed, hitting the inside of Branch's upper left thigh.

story continues below

After calling 911, the group drove Branch to an area accessible to first responders, who removed his pants. "That's when it hit me how serious it was," Heckford says, per the Ledger. "His pants were just soaked in blood." A former LSU offensive lineman and father to a 1-year-old son, Branchin stable condition at a Jackson hospitalhas since undergone "multiple critical surgeries including the partial amputation of his left leg and re-connecting his femoral artery in his left upper leg," Heckford writes in a viral Facebook post, intended to remind even the most experienced hunters about the importance of gun safety. "There was 80+ years of hunting experience amongst our group," it reads. "DO NOT let complacency get the best of you ... Treat ALL guns like they are loaded, at ALL times." A GoFundMe page has raised more than $70,000 for Branch's recovery. (A "good dog" did the same thing.)(Newser)  The wife of a Norwegian businessman with a $200 million fortune was kidnapped months ago, police announced Wednesday, noting the case was kept on "a low profile" because "very serious threats have been made." Anne-Elisabeth Falkevik Hagen, wife of real estate investor Tom Hagen, hasn't been seen since vanishing from her home east of Oslo on Halloween, though Norwegian media report kidnappers have demanded the equivalent of $10 million in Monero cryptocurrency for her safe return, per the BBC. "As things now stand, we advise the family not to pay," Police Inspector Tommy Broeske said at a news conference, per Reuters, noting there's been no sign since October to show Hagen, 68, is safe.

story continues below

Still, "our goal is to find the woman alive and reunite her with the family" and there are no suspects, Broeske continued, per the AP. "We need more information." Norway's Aftenposten newspaper reported Wednesday that Hagen was abducted from a bathroom of the Lorenskog home she shares with her husband, before kidnappers engaged in "limited dialogue" over the Internet, per the BBC. Norway's VG newspaper reports a note found in the home threatened Hagen would be killed if police were involved. A lawyer for Tom Hagen, among Norway's 200 richest people, calls the kidnapping "a cruel and an inhuman act," per the AP. ''It is demanding and exhausting to be in such a situation over a long period of time," he says. (Read more kidnapping stories.)(Newser)  In trying to make its case against Joaquin Guzman Loera, better known as El Chapo, US prosecutors have over the last two months offered up the kind of evidence you'd expect, like witness testimony, records of drug deals, and surveillance photos. On Tuesday came a dramatic reveal: that they also had evidence obtained though what the New York Times calls "high-tech cloak-and-dagger methods." The FBI had flipped the Mexican drug lord's IT guy and managed to access 800 phone calls, as many as 200 of which featured Guzman speaking freely about executions, corrupt cops, and drug shipments. How they did it, and what they learned:

The start of the operation dates to February 2010, when an undercover FBI agent posing as a Russian mobster met with Cristian Rodriguez at a Manhattan hotel. He asked if Rodriguez, a Colombia-based computer tech, could build him an encrypted voice-over-Internet-protocol system to make phone calls like the one he made for Guzman. That conversation was recorded, and they used it to get Rodriguez to flip, reports CNN.

story continues below(Newser)  A Saudi Arabian teenager who barricaded herself in an airport hotel room and pleaded for the world's help has won her fight to be treated as a refugee. The United Nations high commissioner for refugees assessed Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, 18, on Wednesday and determined that she is a legitimate refugee, the Guardian reports. The commissioner referred her to Australia for resettlement. Al-Qunun said Monday that she had fled her abusive family and feared she would be killed for renouncing Islam, but authorities in Thailand had refused to let her board a plane to Australia and were threatening to send her back to relatives in Kuwait, where she had been on a family holiday.

story continues below

Australian officials have hinted that al-Qunun, who was eventually allowed to leave the Bangkok airport, will be accepted as a refugee, the BBC reports. Australian officials say she won't receive special treatment, though Elaine Pearson, director of Human Rights Watch Australia, has urged them to move quickly. "She is a young Saudi woman whose face has been plastered around the world," Pearson said Wednesday. "She's more at risk than other refugees, not just from her family but threats she has faced online and from her own government." Pearson added: "We all know what the Saudi government is capable of doing on foreign soil." (Read more Saudi Arabia stories.)(Newser)  More than a quarter century had passed since the murder of a 25-year-old Pennsylvania teacher before an arrest was made in June, and now the suspect, a disc jockey known as "DJ Freez," has admitted his culpability. ABC News reports Raymond Rowe, 50, pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of first-degree murder, rape, and related counts in the case of Christy Mirack, whose body was found beaten, strangled, and sexually assaulted in December 1992 at her East Lampeter Township home. "He has told us that he did it," Rowe's defense lawyer said at a hearing Tuesday, per a Lancaster County District Attorney's Office statement. Rowewho never offered a motive, and who will receive a sentence of life in prison without parole, as well as a consecutive sentence of 60 to 120 yearswas arrested after the case stagnated for more than 25 years.

story continues below

What helped break it wide open: a new DNA technique called genetic genealogy, famously used to help bust the "Golden State Killer" in April. The technology, which takes DNA from a crime scene and tries to match it to that of either family members or suspects themselves via ancestry databases, has led to the identification of around two dozen other suspects. Per WGAL, after uploading DNA found on Mirack's body and the rug underneath her into one such database and finding matches to Rowe's relatives, investigators then got their hands on Rowe's DNA from gum and a water bottle he'd used while DJing at a school; a match was made from there. Rowe addressed Mirack's family in court Tuesday. "I can't imagine what you are going through. I apologize," he said. Mirack's brother spoke directly to Rowe, and had one pointed question: "Why? Why are we sitting here today?" (Nearly 40 years after a fatal stabbing, an arrest.)(Newser)  Rep. Rashida Tlaib is sorrynot for referring to President Trump as a "motherf--ker," nor for calling for his impeachment, but for causing a "distraction" when there were more pressing issues to focus on, especially the government shutdown. The newly sworn-in Michigan Democrat said Tuesday that she would never apologize for being "passionate and upset," but the furor that followed her remarks was a "teachable moment," USA Today reports. "I understand that I am a member of Congress, and I don't want anything that I do or say to distract us," she said. "And that's the only thing that I apologize forthat it was a distraction."

story continues below

Tlaib, whose remarks were strongly condemned by Trump and other Republicans, said her sentiments were widely shared. "I am not the only one that is this angry and this upset," she told CNN on Tuesday. "And as a personagain a woman of coloras a person that is newly elected here, the first thing I have to vote on, and I did, was to get the government back up and running." She said she had received plenty of support from her constituents. "People like us never run for office and when we do, this is who we are," she said. (Some Democrats were reportedly "fuming" after her remarks last week.)(Newser)  President Trump called the situation at the US-Mexico border a "humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul" in a national address Tuesday nightbut he stopped short of declaring a formal emergency in order to get a border wall built. In his brief speech, the president again called for $5.7 billion to build a wall, which he said would actually be a "steel barrier," reports Politico. In a quick rebuttal, Nancy Pelosi accused Trump of "manufacturing a crisis" at the border, per the AP, and she and Chuck Schumer reiterated that Democrats would not pay for any such barrier. The president, meanwhile, maintained that the wall "would quickly pay for itself," arguing that its cost would "indirectly" be covered by savings from the new trade pact with Mexico.

story continues below

Trump also said that "our Southern border is a vast pipeline for illegal drugs," and he again asserted that criminals crossing the border were endangering American lives. The impasse over funding for the proposed wall is at the center of the partial government shutdown, now in its 18th day. The president said the government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only: because Democrats will not fund border security," per the Washington Post. Countered Pelosi: "The fact is: President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis, and must reopen the government." The White House has been considering the possibility of Trump declaring a national emergency, a controversial move through which he would divert military money and resources to build a barrier without congressional approval. (Read more President Trump stories.)(Newser)  Authorities announced Tuesday that a second black man has been charged in the fatal drive-by shooting of a 7-year-old Houston black girl, the AP reports. The Harris County Sherriff's Office said 24-year-old Larry D. Woodruffe has been charged with capital murder in the Dec. 30 slaying of Jazmine Barnes. Authorities previously said that they believe Woodruffe was the person in an SUV who fired upon Jazmine and her family as they drove to a grocery store. The driver of the SUV, 20-year-old Eric Black Jr. has also been charged with capital murder. Authorities say Woodruffe and Black mistakenly thought they were attacking people they'd previously fought at a club hours earlier when they shot at Jazmine and her family.

story continues below

The family had described the shooter as a white man driving a red pickup truck, prompting concerns by them and activists that her death was a hate crime. Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said he believes the family's initial description was sincere and the man in the red truck was likely a bystander who left the scene of the shooting. Woodruffe was charged as Jazmine's funeral took place Tuesday afternoon, attended by hundreds of people at a Houston church. Woodruffe and Black were both taken into custody on Saturday. The sheriff's office said they identified Woodruffe and Black as suspects based on a tip from social activist and writer Shaun King that was corroborated by their investigation. While Black was charged on Sunday with capital murder, Woodruffe was being held in the county jail on a drug charge while authorities prepared a capital murder charge against him. (Judge makes controversial remark about black-on-black violence.)(Newser)  A woman in Scotland went to the doctor with a dry eye condition and left with a prescription for a lubricant called VitA-POS. All good so far. The pharmacist, however, read the doctor's writing as Vitaros, which, while just one letter different, happens to be a cream used to treat erectile dysfunction, reports the BBC. The mistake was discovered only after the woman suffered pain, blurred vision, and a swollen eyelid, according to a report in the British Medical Journal. Fortunately, antibiotics cleared things up quickly, but the mixup has led to calls for doctors to start using block letters.

story continues below

"Prescribing errors are common, and medications with similar names and packaging increase risk," per BMJ. But the report adds that it's a little hard to understand why nobody down the line from the doctor thought it odd that a woman received an ED cream, along with instructions to spread it on her eye. Many prescriptions are digitized these days, but the doctors who wrote the BMJ report says the incident should result in one change for doctors who still write them out by hand, reports Optometry Today. "We encourage prescribers to ensure that handwritten prescriptions are printed in block capital letters to avoid similar scenarios in the future." ("Good Catholic" pharmacist refuses to fill prescription.)(Newser)  The latest example of San Francisco's insane cost of living: A fancy dog daycare offering a $1,500 monthly membership option (and that's after paying a $7,500 initiation fee). For that price, members of Doggy Style, opening next month in the city's Noe Valley neighborhood, get much more than just unlimited daycare for their pups (and one doggy guest per visit). Other perks include a private birthday party for your dog (including up to 12 canine guests and their human companions), a hand-painted mural of your dog featured on the business's "Wall of Fame," one grooming service per month, and concierge pick-up and drop-off service. Also included are perks for the owners, including members-only events and access to a "members lounge" featuring free coffee and WiFi. Needless to say, there has been some grumbling about the daycare, though it does offer lower-priced memberships as well.

story continues below

The Guardian points to tweets calling it "over the top terrible" and complaining that the city has become "a parody of itself." But the owners of the members-only facility told SFGate last month that there were more than 250 names on their waiting list. And it's far from the only such business in the city; similar dog daycares in San Francisco offer unlimited playtime for dogs for prices ranging from $600 to $1,600 per month, and perks include webcams so owners can always check in on their pets, daily photos and report cards, group walks around the neighborhood, and waterfalls and ponds for dogs to drink from. Still, hyperlocal blog Noe Valley SF complained Doggy Style is "bringing ridicule" to the neighborhood. Co-founder Cameron Silva's response? "Youre always going to have your haters. We just freaking love our dogs. So why not?" (ZIP code 94301 has a No. 1 distinction.)Political analysts have warned President Emmerson Mnangagwa that his government is running out of time to fix the countrys worsening economic rot  which has triggered strikes and growing unrest among hurting civil servants.



The warning comes as teachers have officially issued a 14-day notice to strike, following the little progress recorded in their do-or-die talks with the government on Monday.



At the same time, the fuel and transport crisis in the country has reached desperate levels, with hundreds of stranded commuters now dangerously resorting to hitching lifts from lorries and pick-up trucks.





And medical doctors  who have been striking for over five weeks  now also say they will stay away from work until the government clarifies its proposed fuel scheme and also avails transport money to them.



Curiously, amidst this mayhem, the ruling Zanu PF says everyone must carry the blame for Zimbabwes myriad crises  adding that it was neither Mnangagwa nor his governments fault alone that things were this bad in the country.



But political analysts told the Daily News yesterday that Mnangagwa was running out of time to fix the countrys tanking economy and to lance the boil of restless citizens.

The truth is that the government is living a lie on issues such as the value of the bond note versus the US dollar, as well as policies that are not being responded to favourably by business and society at large.



The ongoing strikes are also symptoms of a dysfunctional government system and the earlier that Mnangagwa focuses on addressing the fundamental economic and political issues before tackling the symptoms, the better.



So far the government appears lost at sea, outside of making empty promises and threats, and this crisis will only deepen, political analyst Rashweat Mukundu said.



University of Zimbabwe political science lecturer, Eldred Masunungure, said Zimbabwe had been in a long run crisis for nearly 20 years. To that extent, Mnangagwa needed the whole of his five-year term to solve the current problems.



Politics is sadly about promises. He will make more and more promises to extend the time for him to fulfil the promises. However, he risks damaging his credibility.

This is a long run crisis whose solution will take years. At least he (Mnangagwa) needs the whole of his term to solve this crisis. It is a big crisis.



There is no easy way out of this. He needs to recreate the conditions seen from 2009 to 2013. He needs the help of the opposition, civil society and the international community, Masunungure said.

Writing on Twitter, industrialist and former Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) president, Busisa Moyo, also warned that the economic situation in the country was approaching dangerous levels  further calling for urgent national dialogue to mitigate the crisis.



National dialogue is now critical. A social contract should be accelerated by concluding the TNF (Tripartite Negotiating Forum) Bill.



We are entering very tumultuous waters unnecessarily. Resolution of currency distortions that worsened in September but started in 2016 ... its time to tackle collectively, Moyo said.

Meanwhile, Zanu PF spokesperson Simon Khaya Moyo has also said that the current problems bedevilling the country needed a collective effort to solve them  rather than people playing the blame game.



This is not about a Zanu PF or government issue alone. It is about all Zimbabweans having to put our heads together to get the country going.



The workers who are striking are not demanding to be paid by Zanu PF, but by government, and the employer is engaging them now. So, it will be unfair to say government has failed now, Khaya Moyo told the Daily News.



On Monday, the government held crunch talks with agitated civil service union leaders, in a bid to avert a national strike by restless teachers.



However, the meeting was inconclusive, as the government referred the unions to the little-useful National Joint Negotiation Council (NJNC)  with the dates of convening such a gathering yet to be announced.



As a result, miffed leaders of the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta), Progressive Teachers Union (PTUZ) and other unions immediately issued a two-week ultimatum to authorities, notifying them of their intention to embark on a full scale strike.



We presented our demands to the government, which include the payment of our salaries in United States dollars, adjustment of our salaries to reflect the new economic realities and we have also not minced our words on the mutilated bonus that we demand should be paid in full.



Instead of addressing our concerns, the government offered nothing except a new meeting in the near future in order to discuss the adjustment, PTUZ secretary-general Raymond Majongwe, said.



The governments tired story that it cannot pay in USD and that it is implementing austerity for posterity does nothing to assuage our most urgent concerns of incapacitation.



We have subsidised the government for too long, and this is the time to say thus far and no more, Majongwe added.



On his part, Zimta secretary-general, Tapson Sibanda, said while nothing tangible had come out of Mondays meeting, they were still looking forward to the NJNC meeting that was promised by the government.



Our position is that we remain incapacitated as nothing tangible came out of the meeting with government ... the majority of teachers might fail to report for work.



The government hinted on a possible NJNC meeting soon, where legal issues of this matter are concluded ... and while we remain positive, we categorically told the government that most of our members will not report for duty because they dont have the means, despite their desire to go to work.



Meanwhile a notice of 14 days has been given to government culminating in a full blown strike if our conditions are not met, Sibanda warned.









Militant Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) president, Obert Masaraure, said they had submitted their 14-day strike notice on December 31, and were gearing for a full blown strike next week.





Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) has defied the directive by the government for them to return to work within 48 hours, citing severe incapacitation.





Following the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the government and health workers, the ZHDA was given the mandate to engage its members to return to work within 48 hours, ending January 7, but doctors have no transport money and the fuel scheme remains obscure.





The ZHDA members have therefore remained incapacitated and will not be able to resume normal duty till these matters have been addressed by their employer.





It is important to note that the few available ZHDA members who showed up for duty in various hospitals had done so as a sign of good faith and remain in solidarity with those at home,ZHDA secretary-general Mthabisi Bhebhe said.





Zimbabwe is currently in the throes of a mega economic crisis which has resulted in much suffering and anger among citizens who accuse the government of introducing a raft of measures which have further burdened them instead of alleviating their pain.





As a result, Mnangagwa who first swept to power via a military coup in November 2017, amid much hope among the generality of the countrys citizens  who had endured nearly four decades of hell under former president Robert Mugabes ruinous rule  has come under increasing pressure to stem the current economic rot. Daily NewsSecretary for Justice Teresa Cheng (right) and Japanese Minister of Justice Takashi Yamashita sign the arbitration co-operation pact.

The Department of Justice and the Ministry of Justice of Japan have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to strengthen Hong Kong-Japan collaboration on international arbitration and mediation.

Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng signed the agreement with Japanese Minister of Justice Takashi Yamashita at a ceremony today in Hong Kong.

Ms Cheng said the department has set up an office to enhance the overall co-ordination of mediation and arbitration works, taking into account the need for Hong Kong to capitalise on the opportunities offered by the Belt & Road Initiative and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

The office will undertake a number of projects such as pursuing and concluding co-operation and partnership arrangements with other jurisdictions and international organisations.

The MOU signed with Japan is an important one of these arrangements, Ms Cheng said, adding Japan is an important and long-time partner of Hong Kong.

"Signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation, which aims at strengthening communication and collaboration between the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Justice on international arbitration and mediation, is an encouraging step in furthering our legal co-operation and working relationship," she added.Jackson, Cobb, others awarded as the best of 2020 by Chamber Roxeann Cobb received Volunteer of the Year honors and her Four E Youth Organization was touted as Civic Organization of the Year during the Washington-Wilkes Chamber of Commerce annual Community...

Council meeting Friday to hear complaint against councilmen The City of Washington will hold a special called meeting Friday to consider the recent ethics complaint filed by Mayor Bill deGolian against Councilmen Nathaniel Cullars and Maceo Mahoney. The...

Drowning in private pool June 1 appears accidental A drowning which occurred Tuesday evening, June 1, in a private pool in the 600 block of Spring Street in Washington is currently considered accidental according to the Wilkes County...Champaign, IL (61820)

Today

Sunshine and a few clouds. High 83F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Mainly clear. Low 57F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.Reporter/Columnist

Julie Wurth is a reporter covering the University of Illinois at The News-Gazette. Her email is jwurth@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@jawurth).Reporter

Mary Schenk is a reporter covering police, courts and breaking news at The News-Gazette. Her email is mschenk@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@schenk).Reporter

Debra Pressey is a reporter covering health care at The News-Gazette. Her email is dpressey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow her on Twitter (@DLPressey).By PTI

LONDON: British Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday suffered a major parliamentary defeat, the second time in 24 hours, as lawmakers voted in favour of an amendment that will force her to present an alternative plan for Brexit within three days if her controversial EU withdrawal deal does not pass in the House of Commons next week.

Today's blow to May came a day after MPs on Tuesday voted to scupper a no-deal Brexit.

Over 20 MPs from across political parties on Wednesday tabled an amendment that would give the prime minister three days to set out a 'Plan B' if the House voted against her Brexit deal next Tuesday.

While 308 lawmakers supported the amendment, 297 voted against it.

ALSO READ | MPs debate Brexit deal after stinging setback for Theresa May

The amendment gives MPs the chance to formally put forward alternatives to her deal for the first time, including a people's vote and the Norway and EFTA "soft Brexit" options.

If the UK decides on a Norway-style Brexit it would join the EU and join the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and, through the latter, become a member of the European Economic Area (EEA).

A country can be an EEA member only if it is in the EU or EFTA.

This arrangement would give the UK full access to the single market, which means there would be no new non-tariff barriers, which would have the least impact on the British economy.

Under the arrangement, though Britain would not be ruled over by the European Court of Justice, it would still have to be held accountable by the EFTA court, which means the UK would not be completely free of EU jurisdiction.

The UK will officially leave the EU on March 29.By PTI

MELBOURNE: Suspicious packages containing white powder, some reportedly marked with the word "asbestos" were sent to the Indian consulate and several other diplomatic missions here on Wednesday, prompting Australian authorities to evacuate the facilities and launch an investigation.

Australian Federal Police said a number of packages sent to at least 10 consulates and embassies in Melbourne and Canberra were being examined by emergency services and the circumstances around the incidents were under investigation.

Victoria Police said they believed the consulates were specifically "targeted" and the situation was "not impacting the general community".

The incident comes just two days after a suspicious white powder was found at the Argentinian Consulate in Sydney.

Emergency services were first alerted to the packages at the US Consulate and Indian consulate about 12.30 pm.

Firefighters and Ambulance Victoria paramedics were attending the Indian Consulate and US Consulate on St Kilda Road.

An Indian Consulate official said all was fine at the building.

"Police and emergency services have responded to suspicious packages to embassies and consulates.The packages are being examined by attending emergency services. The circumstances are being investigated," the Australian Federal Police tweeted.

There are reports the packages contain white powder laced with asbestos, and that warning were e-mailed to staffers at the consulates prior to the delivery telling them to "wear masks" when opening the packages, 9News reported.

The Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) said it was assisting the Australian Federal Police at a number of incidents at embassies across Melbourne.

"At this time we believe the matter is targeted and not impacting the general community," the MFB statement said.

"We isolated the area then identified where the actual substance was, collected it and made it safe," 9News quoted Bryan Kellett from the MFB as saying from outside the Indian consulate.

A worker at the Pakistani consulate in Melbourne opened one of the packages about 10 am on Wednesday, The Age newspaper reported.

It is understood the envelope, which looked like a normal letter, was addressed to the Consulate-General of Pakistan.

Initial suspicions were raised by a spelling mistake on the envelope, with "consulate" misspelled.

Inside, the worker discovered a small item that looked like a marble tile, and three packages of tightly packed powder, The Age report said.

The staff member did not touch the contents of the package.

Emergency workers wearing chemical suits were seen entering some of the buildings.

There was no reports of any one injured so far.

Ambulance Victoria confirmed a number of patients were examined at multiple consulates.

"No patients have required treatment or transport to hospital," it said in a statement.

The United Kingdom consulate, located on Collins Street, along with the Korean consulate (St Kilda Road), German consulate (Queen Street), Italian consulate (St Kilda Road), Swiss consulate (Ashwood), Pakistan consulate (Cardigan Place), Greek consulate (Albert Road) and the Indonesian consulate (Queens Road) are also believed to have been affected.

More than a dozen hazardous material alerts have been issued on the VicEmergency website.By PTI

WASHINGTON: Top Democratic Party leaders Tuesday asked Donald Trump to stop holding the American people hostage, stop manufacturing a crisis and reopen the government after the US President blamed them for the impasse over his controversial border wall with Mexico.

Only minutes after President Trump gave his first prime-time address from the Oval Office, House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer took to the airwaves to blame him for the partial government shutdown, which has now stretched to its 18th day, the second-longest ever.

The Republican president wants USD 5.7 billion to build a wall along the US-Mexican border, which would deliver on his signature campaign pledge.

But Democrats - who recently took control of the House of Representatives - are adamantly opposed to giving him the funds.

"Much of what we have heard from President Trump throughout this senseless shutdown has been full of misinformation and even malice.

The President has chosen fear," Pelosi said.

"President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis and must reopen the government," she said.

For weeks, the President and congressional Democrats have been at an impasse over his demand for federal funding to build the border wall.

In his eight-minute address carried live by all the major US television networks, Trump said the federal government remained shut because of the Democrats.

He said of the situation at the border: "This is a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul."

Last year, Congress passed most of its spending bills, but 25 per cent of the federal government's spending has lapsed during the fraught negotiations.

About 800,000 federal workers are not getting paid during the shutdown, which affects the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Agriculture, Treasury, State, Interior, Transportation and Commerce as well as agencies like the Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency and Internal Revenue Service.

"Separate the shutdown from the arguments over border security," said Schumer.

"There is bipartisan legislation -- supported by Democrats and Republicans -- to reopen the government while allowing debate over border security to continue."

"Democrats and the President both want stronger border security," he said.

"However, we sharply disagree with the President about the most effective way to do it."

Schumer said the American democracy does not work the way President Trump wants.

"We don't govern by temper tantrum.

No president should pound the table and demand he gets his way or else the government shuts down, hurting millions of Americans who are treated as leverage," he said.

Last week, the Democratic-controlled House passed bills to reopen the government without funding for the wall, which Pelosi has called "immorality."

On Tuesday, Pelosi and Schumer urged Trump to sign them to allow a reopening of the federal offices.

But expecting Trump to veto them, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has not brought the House bills up for a vote.

The Kentucky Republican said on the Senate floor that the whole fight is over "one-tenth of one per cent of federal spending" and pointed to a vote in 2006 in which Democrats supported building physical barriers at the border.

"This is no newfound, principled objection," McConnell said.

"It's just political spite."

Yet as the shutdown has dragged on, some Republican senators have split from their party's strategy and announced support for funding the government without money allocated to build the wall.

The majority of the public has opposed the wall and blamed Republicans for the shutdown, CNN quoted opinion polls as saying.

It is unclear how the spending fight will get resolved.

On Tuesday, Trump said, "The only thing that is immoral is the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimised.

" He has considered declaring a national emergency to circumvent Congress and get the military to build the wall -- an action that would surely be challenged in the courts, US media reported.

While there were about 416,000 apprehensions at the US-Mexico border in the first 11 months of 2018, the most since 2014, that was many fewer than in most years of the preceding three decades, according to the Pew Research Center.By AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani television channels may no longer show "intimate moments between couples" or "bed scenes", the conservative country's media regulator has announced, complaining of too much feminist content and warning that such "bold themes" offend viewers.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) issued its warning on Tuesday, calling on channels to respect the country's existing media guidelines and refrain from airing content that does not depict a "picture of true Pakistani society".

ALSO READ | Pakistan CJ says SC will not allow airing of Indian content as it 'damages our culture'

"The prevalent rampant trend of airing quite bold themes in Pakistani drama industry has resulted in massive public complaints," PEMRA said in an English-language statement.

"Indecent scenes/dialogues/extramarital relations, violence, inappropriate dressing, rape scenes, caressing, bed scenes, use of drugs and alcohol, intimate moments between couples are being glamourized in utter disregard to Pakistani culture and values," it continued.

Pakistani dramas and soap operas, many of which seek to challenge the deeply patriarchal country's conservative taboos, are immensely popular, according to data from PEMRA and Gallup Pakistan.

Many revolve around plotlines portraying social issues such as domestic violence, child abuse, misogyny and women. Activists have previously hailed some as potentially powerful vehicles for grassroots change.

Last year, a soap opera dramatising the life of social media star Qandeel Baloch -- infamous for her provocative selfies, until her shocking murder by her brother in 2016 -- topped the charts.

Other shows highlighting the issues of so-called "honour" killings and forced marriages were also hits, despite being targeted by a wave of vitriol on social media, with people accusing the channels of spreading vulgarity and destroying social values.

In its statement PEMRA said such dramas "depict hackneyed image of women and have confined themselves to feminist issues only... ignoring children, teenagers and men".By Associated Press

BEIJING: The motorcade of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un headed out Wednesday morning to an unannounced destination on the second full day of a visit to China that has been shrouded in secrecy but is seen as part of preparations for a possible second summit with President Donald Trump.

Kim could not be seen but the limousine he uses was observed zipping east down a main thoroughfare in Beijing and then returning about an hour later.

His trip to China, the fourth in the past 10 months, is believed to be an effort to coordinate with his only major ally ahead of a possible second meeting with Trump.

It comes after US and North Korean officials are thought to have met in Vietnam to discuss the site of the summit.

North Korean and Chinese state media have announced his visit but provided no details of what he has done since arriving aboard his personal armoured train on Tuesday morning.

He was believed to have met with President Xi Jinping Xi on Tuesday afternoon, but no news has been released about the day's events.

A Mercedes limousine with a golden emblem, similar to one North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has used previously, is escorted by motorcades traveling past Chang'an Avenue in Beijing, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. (Photo | AP)

At Tuesday's daily Foreign Ministry briefing, spokesman Lu Kang gave no details about Kim's schedule or China's role as an intermediary between the US and North Korea.

He said Beijing remains supportive of efforts to end tensions over US demands for a halt to North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.

"We always believe that, as key parties to the Korean Peninsula issue, it's important for the two sides to maintain contact and we always support their dialogue to achieve positive outcomes," Lu told reporters.

He said further information about Kim's activities, the outcome of his meetings and a possible visit by Xi to North Korea would be "released in due course."

North Korea's state news agency said Kim departed Monday afternoon with his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and other top officials.

Tuesday was Kim's birthday.

Kim's visit is also seen as part of an effort to win Chinese support for a reduction of UN sanctions imposed over his nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs that have severely impacted his country's already ailing economy.

While North Korea hasn't conducted any launches or detonations in more than a year, it's displayed no real intention of abandoning the programs that are seen as guaranteeing the hard-line communist regime's survival.

Kim's visit also comes after he expressed frustration in his annual New Year's address over the lack of progress in negotiations with Washington since the Singapore summit with Trump in June, saying that if things don't improve - meaning that if sanctions relief and security guarantees aren't in the offing - Pyongyang might have to find "a new way" forward.

While Trump says he considers Xi key to enticing Kim into taking concrete steps toward denuclearisation, the president's own relationship with his Chinese counterpart has frayed over the US-China trade war.

Officially, at least, China says it considers the tariff battle and North Korea's weapons programs to be entirely separate.By PTI

BEIJING: Aiming at assisting expat Indians in China as well the Chinese people and addressing their concerns, the Indian Embassy here on Wednesday launched its official account on the popular Chinese social media WeChat.

Launching the WeChat account at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas ceremony held at the embassy premises, new Ambassador Vikram Misri, who took charge on Tuesday, hoped that the initiative would bring people of the two countries closer.

WeChat, or Weixin as it is known in China, is the country's equivalent of popular messaging service WhatsApp or social media giant Facebook.

"I hope that this social media tool will help us stay in touch - with Indian and Chinese citizens alike - and exchange thoughts and ideas on bringing our two countries and our two peoples closer together," Misri said.

He said the embassy aims at remaining in close touch with expat Indians and specific community organisations in order to respond to their concerns and needs and to seek their assistance in fulfilling the common objective of strengthening the India-China relations.

He said family values of Indians, their work ethic, their law-abiding nature and their ability to become a part of the communities endears them to their neighbours.

"Though I am new here, and this is indeed my first public function after arriving in Beijing just two days ago, I am sure that our Pravasi communities in China, comprising professionals, businessmen and a large number of medical students, are no different.

"All of you, each one of you, in your own individual way, are Ambassadors and envoys of India. This is, of course, not just a title. It is a responsibility. I urge each and every one of you to keep this at the back of your mind and do your best to bring credit to India," Misri said.

A number Indian professionals attended the gathering. A 1989-batch India Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Misri succeeds Gautam Bambawale who retired in November last.

His appointment comes at a time when India and China are trying to deepen their cooperation in various areas, leaving behind the 2017 Doklam standoff, which was the most serious military face-off between the two neighbours in decades.

Before his appointment to China, Misri served as Indian envoy in Myanmar.By Associated Press

WASHINGTON: As she nears a decision on whether to seek the presidency, Sen. Kamala Harris is taking on what could be a hurdle in a Democratic primary: her past as a prosecutor.

In her memoir published Tuesday, the California Democrat describes herself as a "progressive prosecutor" and says it's a "false choice" to decide between supporting the police and advocating for greater scrutiny of law enforcement. The argument is aimed at liberal critics of her record who argue she was sometimes too quick to side with the police and too slow to adopt sentencing reforms.

"I know that most police officers deserve to be proud of their public service and commended for the way they do their jobs," Harris writes in "The Truths We Hold." ''I know how difficult and dangerous the job is, day in and day out, and I know how hard it is for the officers' families, who have to wonder if the person they love will be coming home at the end of each shift."

But, she continues, "I also know this: it is a false choice to suggest you must either be for the police or for police accountability. I am for both. Most people I know are for both. Let's speak some truth about that, too."

After high-profile fatal shootings involving police officers and unarmed people of color, the criminal justice system's treatment of minorities is a top issue among Democratic voters. The passage suggests Harris is aware that her seven years as the district attorney in San Francisco, followed by six years as California's attorney general, is something she will have to explain and signals how she may frame her law enforcement career if she decides to run for the White House.

"It's a presidential campaign, and every aspect of a candidate's record is going to be scrutinized and they're going to have to answer for it," said Mo Elleithee, a longtime Democratic operative who leads Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service. "She knows that this is something that's heading her way and a good candidate is one who doesn't wait for it to hit them. A good candidate is someone who addresses it proactively, and she appears to be doing that."

Beyond the book, Harris supported legislation that passed the Senate late last year and overhauls the criminal justice system, especially when it comes to sentencing rules.

In the book, Harris recounts an instance when she was an intern at the Alameda County district attorney's office and an innocent bystander was one of many people arrested during a drug raid. Harris said she "begged" and "pleaded" on a late Friday afternoon for a judge to hear the case so the woman could avoid spending the weekend in jail.

Kate Chatfield, the policy director of the California-based criminal justice reform group Re:store Justice, said Harris did do "some good" when she was in law enforcement, but that it was "incumbent on the public to hold her accountable for the ways in which she either didn't do enough or actually did some harm."

"When the conversation shifts, one should be expected to be questioned about those choices," Chatfield said, noting among other issues Harris's advocacy for tougher truancy laws.

By addressing policing in the book, Harris is taking on an issue that confronted Democrats and some Republicans in 2016. Democrat Hillary Clinton was criticized for her husband's role in passing the 1994 Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, which created stricter penalties for drug offenders and funneled billions of dollars toward more police and new prisons.

The issue is likely to be the subject of fierce debate in 2020 as well and could expose divisions among the wide field of candidates  presenting hurdles for some and opportunity for others.

Former Vice President Joe Biden was the head of the Senate's Judiciary Committee when the 1994 crime bill  which is now criticized as having helped create an era of mass incarceration  was passed and signed into law, which could be an obstacle for him. New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker was central to the passage of the Senate's criminal justice overhaul package and is certain to tout it if he decides to launch a presidential campaign. Meanwhile, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who is also considering a 2020 bid, often refers to her own prosecutorial past.

The memoir  and the publicity surrounding it  will shift the 2020 campaign spotlight to Harris this week after much of the focus has been on her Senate colleague Elizabeth Warren. Last week, the Massachusetts Democrat became the most prominent person yet to take steps toward a presidential run by forming an exploratory committee. Her weekend trip to the leadoff caucus state of Iowa also generated largely flattering headlines.

Some criminal justice advocates said they were happy the issue would get more attention in 2020.

"When we had the 2016 elections, it was at the height of Ferguson and Baltimore, and we still didn't have serious engagement with criminal justice reform," said Phillip Atiba Goff, the president of the Center for Policing Equity, referring to the protests that followed the deaths of black men at the hands of police officers in Missouri and Maryland. "My hope is that we require candidates to demonstrate that they know more than the catchphrases of the activists in their bases."

Surveys underscore the potency of criminal justice issues among Democrats. A February 2018 poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that majorities of Democrats  but far fewer Republicans  think there's been little progress for African-Americans on criminal justice or policing issues over the past 50 years. The poll showed that 45 percent of Americans, including 62 percent of Democrats and 19 percent of Republicans, thought there had been little to no progress on fair treatment for black Americans by the criminal justice system. Similarly, 46 percent of Americans, including 63 percent of Democrats and 23 percent of Republicans, said there's been little to no progress for African-Americans on fair treatment by police.

While it's not yet clear how Harris' prosecutorial background could affect her primary bid, it could help her if she faces President Donald Trump in the 2020 general election.

"He ran as the law-and-order president," Elleithee said of Trump. "Being able to go toe-to-toe with him on law and order in a smarter way, I think, is going to be important. Should she win the nomination and does it by navigating this topic well, then I think she would be a strong voice and a force to be reckoned with when it comes to issues of law and order, criminal justice and civil rights as they collide in a general election."By Express News Service

HYDERABAD: In what can be considered a win for Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, the Union Minister of Environment and Forests has cleared the way for Sita Rama Lift Irrigation Project by recommending its clearance. The clearance has been given with the proviso that the environmental management plan (EMP) shall be strictly adhered. A sum of Rs 1,158.72 crore has been allocated in the Budget for its implementation.

The clearance comes within days of the Chief Minister calling on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his intervention for the issuance of early approvals of projects. The orders passed on Tuesday mandate that five years after the project is commissioned, a study would be undertaken to record the projects impact on the environment and ecology in the region. The study shall be undertaken by an independent agency, decided in consultation with the Ministry.

Public hearings for the project were conducted in three districts  Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Khammam and Mahabubabad  last year. The proposed project is to divert Godavari river water from upstream areas of existing Dummugudem anicut to irrigate 2,72,921 hectares, including a new ayacut of 1,33,085 hectares and stabilisation of about 1,39,836 hectares in the three districts. The total estimated cost of the project is around Rs 13,384.80 crore and is proposed to be completed in three years. The project envisages construction of a head regulator at Dummugudem Anicut. It would draw water from Godavari through an approach canal.

Mareddy appointed Chairman of Civil Supplies Corporation

Hyderabad: TRS leader from Siddipet Mareddy Srinivas Reddy is the first party leader to be nominated for a major post. He has been named the Chairman of Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao signed the file concerned on Tuesday, according to an official release. His appointment is expected to be followed by more such nominations soon.

Main components

Construction of lined canal of about 372 km

Construction of four pump houses

Laying of pumping main of about 9 km

Cross drainage works across main canal

Construction of tunnels & cross regulators

Total land requirement

Of a total 8,476.84 hectares, 1,930 will be submerged. 9,696 families will be affected in 157 villages. It will benefit 180 villages in total.By Express News Service

SABARIMALA: A devotee who on his way to Sabarimala through the traditional forest route was trampled to death by a wild elephant near Karimala at midnight on Tuesday.

According to Pamba Forest Range Officer M Ajeesh, the deceased was identified as Paramasivam, 35, a native of Palapatti East Street in Selam district in Tamil Nadu. His 10-year-old son escaped the attack.

The father-son duo came along with a 15-member pilgrim group and had started the journey two days ago. The incident took place on the forest route between Kariyilamthodu and Karimala around 3 km off Mukkuzhi.

The pilgrims were staying in a makeshift petty shop when a herd of elephants attacked the shop. They ran to a nearby shop in panic, but Paramasivam was unable to do so.

The forest officers, along with Ayyappa Seva Sangham workers, rushed to the spot with torches and scared off the herd. A badly injured Paramasivam was rushed to Mundakkayam Government Hospital but was declared dead on the way.

Range officer Ajeesh told Express that the dependents of the deceased will be provided with a compensation of Rs 10 lakh.

The Mukkuzhy - Kariyilamthodu forest path falls on the elephant path and elephants frequent the area. Though a herd has been staying in the area for the past one week, this is the first causality due to an elephant attack reported this year.By Express News Service

SABARIMALA: A day after claiming that she had entered Sabarimala temple, Kerala Dalit Federation leader S P Manju shared three video files on the Facebook page of women's collective 'Navodhana Keralam Sabarimalayilekku', which show her entering the temple disguised as an elderly woman.

According to Manju, she entered the temple with the help of Ayyappa Seva Sangham workers at around 7.30 am on Tuesday. She said she conducted ghee abhishekam and offered prayers at Malikappuram before leaving the temple at 10.30 am.

Manju said she dressed up as an elderly woman by applying sacred ash on her hair and wearing big earrings and bindi. She had covered her face partially by tying a towel as a headscarf. According to her, she started the journey from Thrissur and reached Pamba by a KSRTC bus. She claims to have reached Sabarimala alone but said two youngsters took the video at Sannidhanam.

"As it was my first visit to Sabarimala I didn't know what to do with the pooja materials in the irumudikettu, so I sought the help of Ayyappa Seva Sangham workers. Many people on the trek route had identified me but there was no protest," she said.

The collective in its Facebook post said, "This is for the information of Rahul Easwar and Sukumaran Nair who disturbed Kerala by leading a Sudra riot. Renaissance Kerala has climbed the18 steps of Sabarimala again without stomping on anyone's chest. A 36-year-old Dalit woman has entered Sabarimala declaring that no one will be allowed to pose hurdles to the progress of Kerala. The woman reached the Srikovil of the temple at 3.30 am on Tuesday and returned to Pamba by 10.30 am after performing Ghee Abhishekam and visiting Malikappuram. By this we have challenged the anti-women Brahmanical practices. Remember, a menstruating woman who has not removed her uterus has entered Sabarimala,"By Express News Service

BENGALURU: Recent statements of Congress MLAs, including Dr Sudhakar Reddy, have not gone down well with JD(S) legislators and they made no secret of it in the party meeting held on Tuesday.The meeting of all JD(S) MLAs, MLCs and MPs was called by party supremo H D Deve Gowda and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy to discuss appointments to boards and corporations, as well as working presidents. Bickering about alliance partner Congress, however, stole the limelight. Sources at the meeting suggested that legislators expressed their anger over Congress leaders making public statements against the CM, his family as well as the party.

While Kumaraswamy promised to take up the matter in the next coordination committee meeting, he has also appealed to his party workers to be patient and not retort to taunts or jibes in public.Appointments to boards and corporations has come as a disappointment to us... but we chose to discuss it in a party forum instead of publicly. We have requested that Siddaramaiah be asked to rein in Congress leaders since we are in this together, said Sa Ra Mahesh, tourism minister. He added that Deve Gowda will be the only authority to take a call on names for boards and corporation chiefs. JD(S) legislators are also irate over Congress announcing chiefs for boards and corporations that come under JD(S) ministers ambit. Will they accept if JD(S) appoints an adviser to the Home Minister? Mahesh asked.

JD(S) for 2:1 for alliance in LS polls

Seat-sharing for the Lok Sabha elections with the Congress also came up for discussion in the meeting. All our leaders are of the opinion that it is best to go to polls with the Congress in the alliance. We think the 1:2 ratio proposed by Deve Gowda is ideal, said a party source who attended the meeting. Deve Gowda, while speaking of seat-sharing, has expressed his desire to get 10-12 seats of the 28 in Karnataka.

Apart from appointments to 10 boards and corporations, the party is keen on appointing four parliamentary secretaries, one political secretary and a chief whip. Of the four parliamentary secretaries  keeping in mind regional and caste balance  one each from North Karnataka, minority community, OBC and a Dalit is expected to be appointed.

Gowda requested sitting MLAs to make way for leaders who lost by a thin margin so there is an equal distribution of position, power and recognition, but many MLAs are reluctant, a party source said. The JD(S) is likely to accommodate eight sitting MLAs and two leaders who lost by a small margin as chiefs of the 10 boards and corporations.

Meanwhile, the Congress suspended supporters of Chikkaballapur MLA Dr Sudhakar for anti-party activities. It is alright for them to air their concerns, but to protest and make a scene when the AICC general secretary was in the city, wasnt right, said KPCC chief Dinesh Gundu Rao. He reiterated that any activity hampering the party will not be tolerated.By UNI

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has held two meetings with officers of Andhra Pradesh government regarding the development of an Access Controlled Green Field Expressway connecting the new capital city of Amaravati to Anantapuramu.

The alignment of the said road stretch has been finalized with a length of approximately 384 km.

It is envisaged to develop the expressway initially as four-laned with a provision of upgradation, expansion to eight-lane in future depending upon the traffic requirement, official sources here said.

The Andhra Pradesh government has agreed to transfer the government land free of cost and bear 50 per cent of the cost of the land to be acquired.

Further, state government has committed to obtain requisite statutory clearances that is environmental, forest, wildlife approval, award of civil work execution of work for the aforesaid expressway is being taken up expeditiously after that.Jyoti Punwani By

Last week, the prime minister spoke at a rally in Assam about atonement for the wrongs of Partition. His exact words: If the children of Ma Bharati are in trouble, isnt it the duty of India to take care of them? Is the colour of the passport more important than the colour of blood? Dont those separated by Partition have a connection with Ma Bharati? There were mistakes done during Partition and this Bill will correct them.

The PM was promoting the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which entails giving citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh who crossed over to India. The Bill faces opposition across the Northeast, whose original residents, whatever their religion, have long feared being swamped by Bangladeshi immigrants. Indeed, the long, painful process (40 suicides already) of drawing up the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, addresses these fears by aiming to deny citizenship to Bangladeshis who entered India after March 1971.

This aim is in direct opposition to the Citizenship Bill, yet, the PMs party president has repeatedly hailed the NRC as a means of hunting down illegal infiltratorsAlia, Malia, Jamalia who kept entering from Pakistan, deliberately glossing over the fact that many of those left out are Hindus. The only pocket which has welcomed the Citizenship Bill is Assams Barak Valley, where Bengali-speaking Hindus dominate. Not surprisingly, the prime minister made these remarks in the Barak Valley.

Partition was wrong, no question about it. How can the division of an ancient land populated by different faiths be right, when done on the basis of religion? That this was not the demand of the people, but one forced on them by their colonial masters and Indian leaders, became obvious immediately. The millions who left their birthplace did so reluctantly. There were many who, as the PM said, believed in those who divided (the country), and stayed back for the love of their land and home, but their hopes and aspirations were crushed.

For many years after Partition, we had more Muslims in India than there were in Pakistan, which had been created as a Muslim homeland. As a child of parents forced by Partition to migrate from their birthplace, I felt proud that the country I had been born in had proved the two-nation theory wrong.

In India, where it was difficult to accept that the country had been divided into two separate nations, atonement for the tragedy could have been done by ensuring two things. First, those who were forced to migrate to Pakistan should have been free to visit their birthplaces, their family members who had chosen to stay back, as well their childhood friends with whom they shared history, language and culture. They should also have been free to return to their birthplace forever.

Alas! This didnt continue after the initial years of Partition. Getting permission to visit relatives became a traumatic experience. This writer remembers watching old Sindhi women fall at the feet of Pakistani visa officers when temporary visa offices used to open in Mumbai in the 80s, crying for a last chance to see a sibling left behind in Sindh. The hordes of desperate visa aspirants inside and outside these offices (some would climb over the high compound wall to avoid getting crushed) exemplified the PMs two questions quoted above.

But will the prime minister accept that his two questions must apply to both countries and both communities equally? Shouldnt Indian officers handling visa requests from Pakistani Muslims who migrated from India treat these as attempts to re-establish connection with Ma Bharati? Shouldnt calls and visits by Indian Muslims to Pakistan, where many of their blood relations reside, stop being viewed suspiciously by the police? Apart from easy border crossings, the second atonement for Partition would have been to ensure that Muslims, reduced to a vulnerable minority by the exodus of their co-religionists,were protected from bullying by the majority.

Instead, the hopes and aspirations of many of these Muslims who had stayed back for the love of their land and home were crushed as brutally as were the hopes of many of the Hindus across the border who had chosen not to migrate.

But the PMs version of atonement for the mistakes of Partition is quite different. It lies in the Citizenship Bill. If welcoming Hindus from Bangladesh with citizenship amounts to righting the wrongs of Partition, then the mistake of Partition must lie in the decision to stay back, made by those who believed the promises of leaders.

Taken to its logical end, this reasoning would mean that all Hindus and Muslims should have chosen to migrate to the country of their religion. Partition should have seen a full exchange of religious populations.But this religious cleansing would have gone against the basic premise on which independent India was envisaged, by those who fought for its freedom. India was not imagined as a land for Hindus alone.

Bringing this exchange of populations to fruition today, by granting citizenship to Bangladeshi Hindus, but throwing out the Alia, Malia, Jamalia who kept entering from Pakistan, and constantly telling Muslims to go to Pakistan, is not atonement for the mistake of Partition. Its validating its basic premise. But the BJPs precursors did not participate in the fight for freedom, so they wouldnt know this.Prasanta Mazumdar By

Express News Service

GUWAHATI: All three ministers of Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and six MLAs of the party, who were serving as heads of various corporations in Assam, resigned on Wednesday. Ministers Atul Bora, who is also AGP president, Keshab Mahanta, who is the party's working president, and Phani Bhushan Choudhury met Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and tendered their resignation papers.

When the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was tabled in Lok Sabha on Monday by a Joint Parliamentary Committee, Bora had announced in Delhi that the AGP would pull out of the Sonowal government. The AGP and the BJP had aligned ahead of the 2016 Assam elections.

READ | BJP riles its Northeast allies

The alliance and the resultant seat-sharing understanding had helped them oust the 15-year-old Tarun Gogoi's Congress government. The AGP was born out of the six-year-long bloody anti-immigrants' agitation of early 1980s spearheaded by the All Assam Students' Union and as such, there was no question of the party endorsing the Citizenship Bill.

READ | Rights of deprived sections won't be affected because of quota and citizenship bills: Modi

The AGP was under tremendous pressure from various quarters to pull out of the government and as such, it tried its best to dissuade the BJP from passing the Bill but the saffron party stuck to its guns. Meanwhile, a united front of 70 organisations, opposed to the Bill, has decided to prevent the carriage of Assam's natural resources to places outside the Northeast and spearhead a civil disobedience movement from Thursday. It has appealed to students to boycott classes.

The students have already started boycotting classes in two universities and some colleges. The anti-Citizenship Bill protests were staged at various places even on Wednesday.

In Guwahati, the protestors, who were demonstrating outside the state secretariat, were dispersed by the police and paramilitary forces. Given the fraying of tempers against the Bill, the state government is beefing up security. On Wednesday, the government appointed retired IPS officer RK Pachnanda as the security advisor to the CM.By IANS

SHILLONG: Describing the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the Lok Sabha as "unfortunate", Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday said he will discuss with his National People's Party (NPP) leaders to take a call on whether to snap ties with the BJP.

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Citizenship Bill that seeks to remove hurdles in eligible migrants from six minority groups from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan from getting Indian citizenship despite opposition by political parties.

ALSO READ: Bandh against Citizenship Bill shuts down Northeast, six injured

"Well, it is very unfortunate that this Bill has been passed as this is something which we have opposed vehemently," Sangma told journalists.

Sangma, who also heads the NPP, said the Meghalaya Cabinet have passed a resolution opposing any kind of implementation of this Bill.

ALSO READ: Citizenship Bill biggest betrayal, says former Meghalaya CM Mukul Sangma

Asked if the NPP will snap ties with the NDA, the Chief Minister said: "We will see about that and will discuss with all party leaders. As you are aware, our party is present in almost five North Eastern states. Therefore, I will need to call all the party leaders and take a call on this."Mayank Singh By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat on Wednesday said any talks that Pakistan has with terrorist outfit Taliban should be on the condition that it agrees to lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan without any preconditions.In his remarks at a panel discussion on terrorism at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, he said such a peace is in our interest, it is in the regions interest and Pakistans interest.

India, which perceives the ultra-orthodox Sunni outfit as a proxy of Pakistans Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), has officially refused to hold any discussions with the Taliban but it sent Non-official observers to talks initiated between the group and unofficial leaders from Afghanistan in Moscow in 2018.

Dr Vishal Chandra, Research Fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA) and author of The Unfinished War in Afghanistan: 2001-2014, said, Taliban does not recognise the current democratically-elected Afghan government as they believe that it does not have the support of the people of Afghanistan. They also do not accept the Afghan Constitution, he said. Taliban have put certain conditions forward. They have made it clear that they will talk to the US [United States of America] but not with the current government in Kabul; that the Western forces must first completely withdraw from Afghanistan... Taliban needs to understand that they can be part of, but not be the future of Afghanistan, added Chandra.

Talking about the menace of terrorism, Rawat described it as a new form of warfare and said it was here to stay as long as states continued to use it as part of their policy.He also asserted that social media was a potent tool for spreading radicalisation and becoming a key method for raising terror funds.

Explaining why the IS had failed to make inroads in India, he said, we have a very good system of beat policeman in local thanas and chaukis. He knows everybody in his area. So long as we have the concept... I think we will be able to control things...

Omar, Mufti hit out

Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti reacted to Rawats remarks. We bat for talks with Taliban... yet we are unwilling to look at engagement in J&K, Omar said. If Gen Rawat can advocate for talks with Taliban why different standards. Accept peace offer... to put an end to the violence in J&K, Mufti said.By PTI

NEW DELHI: Describing the reservation Bill as political gimmick, opposition parties led by the Congress expressed apprehension that the law empowering 10 per cent reservation to the upper caste may not stand judicial scrutiny.

Citing P V Narasimha Rao's government effort to bring in 10 per cent reservation on the basis of economic criteria, K V Thomas (Cong) said it was struck down by the Supreme Court.

This legislation has been made in haste and has so many lacunas, he said, adding, it should be sent to Joint Parliamentary Committee for examination.

ALSO READ | Modi govt's quota move may force SP, BSP to revisit its strategy for Lok Sabha polls

"It was only yesterday that Union Cabinet approved the Constitution Amendment for 10 per cent quota for poor under the general category on an economic basis and was introduced in Parliament today. It raises the question on the sincerity of the government," he said.

It seems to be political 'jumla' to win election as Newspapers have written today, he added.

Participating in the debate, M Thambidurai (AIADMK) said a reservation is not on economic backwardness but on social backwardness.

He pointed out that government has many schemes for upliftment of economically poor sections of the society and did that mean that these schemes have failed.

Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC) said that the Bill was not about jobs but about misleading the youth.

The Bill, he said, was about promising and not delivering and was a fake dream that will never become a reality. TMC, he said, is unhesitantly extending support to the Bill.

Anandra Adsul (Shiv Sena) also rendered his support to the Bill and said it was better late than never.

Stating that the Bill was moved as a "special agenda", B Mahtab (BJD) said that the House was bereft of moving any amendment to the Bill.

Jitendra Choudhury (CPM) said that the government wants to provide 10 per cent reservation to general category but where are the jobs.

To make this Bill more comprehensive, the Bill should be referred to the Joint Parliament Committee or Standing Committee, he added.

Questioning the urgency of Bill, Supriya Sule (NCP) said if the government had been sincere, this bill would not have come on the last day of the last session.

She also said that one of the Cabinet Minister's expressed apprehension that the law may not get approval from the Supreme Court.

ALSO READ | Asaduddin Owaisi opposes constitutional amendment bill

She was referring to a remark made by Ramvilas Paswan who said the government should ensure that it should not get into a legal tangle.

Dushyant Chautala (INLD) also said the legislation would be struck down by the Supreme Court.

While supporting the Bill, Dharmendra Yadav (SP) said that upper caste also knows the intent of the government as it is just an election gimmick.

Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav (RJD) said the way the Bill has been brought in is nothing less than deceit for the upper caste.

Nishkant Dubey (BJP) said the Modi government has taken various steps to promote inclusive development of society.By IANS

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Police on Tuesday recovered around Rs 3 crore in cash from an SUV in the state's Mansa district.

The money was being carried by a couple, Nirmal Singh and Sukhchain Kaur, who hail from Sirsa district in neighbouring Haryana, police said.

Mansa district police chief Mandhir Singh said the cash was recovered from the SUV during special checking being done near the bus stand in Mansa.

The cash was in notes of Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 denomination.

The police chief said that when questioned, the couple could not give satisfactory answers as to why they were carrying so much cash.

He said the income tax department had been informed about the recovery.

The police is on alert in Haryana and some parts of Punjab as the judgement of a CBI court into the murder of Sirsa-based journalist Ram Chander Chhatrapati, in which controversial Dera Sacha Sauda sect chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim is an accused, is likely to come on Friday (January 11).Anand ST Das By

Express News Service

PATNA: With the emerging alliance of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) keeping Congress out in Uttar Pradesh, Bihars Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav of RJD on Wednesday called for wider Opposition unity at the national level.

Is your aim of getting all Opposition parties united against the BJP-led NDA taking shape ahead of the Lok Sabha polls?

Yes, the efforts are being made in that direction. More concrete efforts would be made in the coming days. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav had been the torchbearer of Opposition unity in the country. The Opposition parties today realise the importance of putting up a united fight against the BJP-RSS and their opportunist allies in order to save the Constitution and prevent the countrys disintegration.

But has not this effort got a setback in Uttar Pradesh with SP and BSP coming together and keeping Congress out of their alliance?

It is too early to see it in a sealed condition and call it a setback. Talks about formation of an alliance are not in the final stage yet in UP. I call for all secular parties to come on a single platform across the country. Ongoing efforts in that direction would soon bear fruits.

Will you personally make an initiative to bring SP, BSP and Congress on a single platform in UP?

I will do whatever I can when the time arrives. Our efforts would certainly be aimed at preventing the division of secular votes. We already have examples from the past before us, and we must take lessons from them. I am hopeful of a grand alliance of non-NDA parties being formed at the national level.

Is Congress firmly with RJD in the Bihar alliance?

There is no scope for doubt about it. The Grand Alliance led by RJD has grown stronger in the past few months after gaining new allies. This has made the ruling NDA jittery. Those who blatantly betrayed the peoples mandate in Bihars 2015 Assembly polls are now having sleepless nights.

Why is the Grand Alliance facing trouble in finalizing a seat-sharing pact in Bihar?

There is absolutely no trouble. Discussions are going on in the right direction. We will come up with a seat-sharing arrangement by the end of this month.By PTI

KOLKATA: Travel and tourism industry representatives from 42 countries will attend 'Destination East 2019', a buyer-seller meet to be held on January 14 and 15, West Bengal Tourism Secretary Atri Bhattacharya has said. He said that with emphasis on USA and Europe, around 65 per cent of the 110 buyers to participate in the event, would be from there.

An initiative to promote inbound tourism in West Bengal, the event is meant to help tour operators to expand their business by promoting new destinations to their customers, Bhattacharya told newspersons here Tuesday.

He said that this year, there would be discussions to create new circuits beyond the border, involving the bordering and nearby countries where the state has direct connectivity.

"The new circuits can be with Bhutan and Nepal, which have direct air and road connectivity with the state," Bhattacharya said. "Based on interactions, we will know the outlines of such an initiative," the tourism secretary said.

The ninth edition of Destination East would emphasise on positioning Kolkata as the cultural capital of the country and also to promote Biswa Bangla Convention Centre, where the event will be held, as a MICE destination, said Vijay Dewan of business chamber CII, which is partnering the state in organising the meet.

"With 1,700 rooms to be added to the city's star hotel capacity by 2022-23 at an investment of around Rs 2,500 crore, and large convention centres coming up, West Bengal can be an ideal destination for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences/Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism," Dewan said.

The tourism secretary said that amongst the top 10 states contributing to inbound tourism growth in India, West Bengal ranked sixth in 2017 with a contribution of 16 lakh foreign tourist arrivals (FTA), which is 5. 9 per cent of total FTAs to India ahead of states like Kerala and Goa.Harpreet Singh Bajwa By

Express News Service

CHANDIGARH: The security cover of Punjab Local Bodies Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu has been upgraded to Z-Plus and a bullet-proof Land Cruiser has been given to him by the state government.

The Amarinder Singh government has also written to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to provide him Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) security cover in wake of threats issued to him by Right-wing groups.

Sources said the number of security personnel provided to the Congress leader has been doubled from present 12.

Punjabs Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Justice) Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi has written to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba saying Sidhu has developed a very acrimonious relationship with the Shiromani Akali Dal over his criticism of their alleged anti-people policies and support to mafia and criminal elements. He has also earned the wrath of the drug and mining mafia and criminals, especially in the Majha region, due to his high-pitched campaign against them, it states.

In July last year, Dera Sacha Sauda followers had threatened Sidhu for his comments against Dera chief.

The threat perception is only likely to escalate further in view of his strident and continuous criticism of policies of the opposition parties as well as that of activities of Right-wing groups, the letter stated.

In view of such, the state government recommended that Sidhu be provided CAPF security cover, preferably by the CISF. His threat perception has increased significantly after his visit to Pakistan to attend the swearing-in-ceremony of Imran Khan, where he hugged the Pakistan Army Chief, the letter stated.

The Hindu Yuva Vahini, a Uttar Pradesh-based Right-wing group, has announced a bounty of `1 crore on Sidhus head for allegedly abusing Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.Fayaz Wani By

Express News Service

SRINAGAR: After Army chief General Bipin Rawat favoured negotiations with Taliban for restoring peace in Afghanistan, two former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti questioned central government for adopting different yardsticks on J&K saying "why "Operation All Out" was continuing and why talks are not being held Hurriyat and Pakistan."

"We bat for talks with Taliban, autonomy for Tibet and Tamil areas of Sri Lanka, yet we are unwilling to look at engagement or political initiatives in J&K," Omar tweeted. He was reacting to General Rawat's statement on favouring talks with Taliban for bringing peace to Afghanistan.

"Why is our policy all about "do as we say, don't do as we do"? Engagement for Taliban, Operation All-Out for Kashmir," he said.

The security forces have launched "Operation All Out" against militants in Jammu and Kashmir in 2017 after surge in militant violence. About 500 militants have been killed in "Operation All Out" in the Valley in two years.The security officials said "Operation All Out" would continue and there would be no let up in anti-militancy operations this year too.

Reacting to army chief's statement, PDP president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, "If General Rawat can advocate for talks with Taliban then why different standards when it comes to our own people?"

"Accept peace offer from Pakistan, initiate dialogue with Hurriyat and other stakeholders to put an end to the vicious cycle of violence in J&K," she said.Ramananda Sengupta By

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Days after his jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi boasting about a library he had built in Afghanistan, US President Donald Trump and the Indian leader exchanged New Year greetings late Monday over the phone. The leaders agreed to strengthen the US-India strategic partnership in 2019 and exchanged perspectives on how to reduce the US trade deficit with India, expand security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and increase cooperation in Afghanistan, a White House statement said.

ALSO READ: Donald Trump mocks Narendra Modi for funding library in Afghanistan

A statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs, however, did not mention the trade deficit, Afghanistan or the Indo-Pacific. It said Trump and Modi expressed satisfaction at the progress in India-US strategic partnership in 2018. They appreciated developments such as the launch of the new 2+2 Dialogue mechanism and the first-ever Trilateral Summit of India, the US and Japan.

The two leaders took positive note of growing bilateral cooperation in defence, counter-terrorism and energy and coordination on regional and global issues. They agreed to continue to work together for further strengthening India-US bilateral relations in 2019, the MEA statement said.

US Prez mocks Modi

Last week, Trump said Modi was telling me, he built a library in Afghanistan. Library! Thats like five hours of what we spend (in Afghanistan).By Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Quoting Jawahar Lal Nehru, Sucheta Kriplani and Bhupendra Singh Mahant, Union Minister for Home Affairs Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that prominent leaders in the past had envisioned and championed the idea to shelter religiously persecuted people in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, while stressing that Assams burden will be countrys burden before the Lok Sabha passed the Citizenship (amendment) bill.

The lower house witnessed strong with treasury benches sparring during discussions over the Bill. This bill is not Assam specific. Assams burden is the countrys burden. The whole country will stand with Assam and all measures will be taken to mitigate any hardships. The state has seen an excessive inflow of illegal migrants, Singh said.

The Congress, which staged a walkout, opposed the bill on the grounds that it was against the Assam and Nagaland Accords. Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjuna Kharge said a number of states also have reservations. Since the bill involves Constitutional matters, let it be referred to the Select Committee for wider consultations, Kharge demanded.

Trinamool Congress leader Saugata Roy said, We have no objections if the Bill restricts its ambit just to Pakistan and Afghanistan. Bangladesh should be deleted since similar provisions arent being made for Sri Lanka and Nepal, Roy said. He added that the bill is targeted towards about 28 lakh Hindus of the total 40.70 lakh in Assam who have not been included in the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) of the state. Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Bhartruhari Mahtab also echoed Roy.By IANS

CHENNAI: Clearance of cheques valued over Rs 20,000 crore was affected by the bank strike that continued for the second day on Wednesday, said the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA) -- a leading union in the banking sector.

The central trade unions in the country are striking work for two days -- January 8 and 9 -- protesting against the various policies of the Central government.

ALSO READ: West Bengal school students injured in stone pelting by strike supporters

In a statement issued here, AIBEA said cheques worth about Rs 20,000 crore could not be cleared by the clearing houses all over the country.

"Even though officers in banks did not join the strike, they have extended fraternal support. Hence, though branches are kept open, normal banking services like cash transactions, clearance of cheques, remittances, bills discounting, government treasury operations, foreign exchange transactions, negotiation of import and export bills, were affected," the statement said.

ALSO READ: Rail, road traffic disrupted in Odisha on day two of strike

According to AIBEA, the only major problem in the banks is the huge bad loans amounting to over Rs 13 lakh crore.

Owing to these bad loans and provisions for bad loans, 19 out of 21 public sector banks are in net loss though they earned an operating profit of Rs 155,585 crore as on March 31, 2018.

ALSO READ: Bus services affected in Karnataka on second day of strike

But amount provided for bad loans and others was Rs 240,956 crore. Hence, a net loss of Rs 85,371 crore for the 21 public sector banks, the statement said.By PTI

NEW DELHI: CBI Director Alok Verma joined office Wednesday, 77 days after he was sent on forced leave by the central government through a much-criticised late-night order on October 23, 2018, which was set aside by the Supreme Court.

The October order sent Verma and his deputy Special Director Rakesh Asthana, booked by the agency on corruption charges, into exile in a first-of-its-kind move by the government in the agency's history.

In sending Verma on leave, the government overlooked the immunity given to the CBI director by the Supreme Court ensuring a two-year minimum tenure to protect the incumbent from any political interference.

ALSO READ: Alok Verma's reinstatement partial victory, says Prashant Bhushan

The government tried to justify its decision, saying it became necessary amid an unprecedented feud between the two senior-most officials of the agency who had levelled charges of corruption on each other, an argument rejected by the apex court Tuesday.

The government had given charge to then Joint Director M Nageswara Rao who was later promoted as additional director in the agency.

Verma had challenged the move in the Supreme Court which clipped the powers of Rao as director in-charge and barred him from taking any major policy decision till a final order comes from it.

ALSO READ: Narendra Modi exposed for destroying CBI, says Congress on Alok Verma's reinstatement

In its order Tuesday, the Supreme Court set aside Verma's forced leave but restrained him from taking any major policy decision till the CVC probe into corruption charges against him is over.

In the absence of any clear definition of "major policy" decisions, the grey area exists as to what extent Verma's powers will be limited.

The apex court said any further decision against Verma, who retires on January 31, would be taken by the high-powered committee which selects and appoints the CBI director.

ALSO READ: Alok Verma's reinstatement indictment of Narendra Modi: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

The Supreme Court in Vineet Narayan judgment had fixed a minimum tenure of two years for the CBI director to give him immunity from any political interference.

Later, through Lokpal Act, the process of selecting the CBI director was handed over to a selection committee.

The selection committee comprises the prime minister, the leader of opposition and the chief justice of India.By UNI

KOLKATA: Train services on busy Sealdah-Bongaon-Sealdah were disrupted for hours today after five live crude bombs were detected on the track at Habra station in North 24 Parganas, stone pelted on a moving bus injuring two school going children in Howrah, and CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty (MLA) was detained again in south Kolkata as the 48-hour shut down called by various trade unions entered the second day, official sources said.

Both Up and Down train services on Sealdah-Bongaon section was affected for hours after five live crude bombs were found planted on tracks at Habra station this morning forcing Eastern Railway authorities to suspend service for precautionary measure.

The train services on the section was restored at around 1100 hours after the bomb squad defused the bombs at an isolated place.

The railway authorities have been investigating that who planted the bombs.

Train services at south section's South Barasat,Mathurapur and Diamond Harbour and Kakdwip were also affected after plantain trees thrown on the overhead wires in a bid to disrupt the movement.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) lawmaker Sujan Chakraborty was today detained from Jadavpur for alleged disrupting traffic in south Kolkata, barely a night after the MLA was released unconditionally from Lalbazar, headquarters of Kolkata Police.

In Howrah, two minor school students were injured when unidentified miscreants hurled stones on a moving private bus at industrial Das Nagar this morning.

Elsewhere a Toto and auto, both three-wheeler, vandalised in north Bengal's Coochbehar district.By PTI

SHILLONG: The Indian Navy Tuesday augmented five more unmanned remotely operated vehicles to survey the nearby abandoned mines and ascertain if they are linked with the main shaft, where the 15 miners got trapped on December 13 last.

As of Tuesday, two out of four mines that may be connected with the main shaft have been sanitised and the unmanned remotely operated vehicles (ROV) explorations were also undertaken at night, operation spokesperson R Susngi said.

The ROV exploration, however, could not be continued as the diameter of the rat-holes inside the shafts are too small and further exploration will continue as and when feasible, Susngi said.

On Monday, the Navy had sent a ROV down the 370-feet-deep main shaft to determine visibility at the base of the shaft, but it got stuck.

ALSO READ: Two miners found dead in another coal mine tragedy in Meghalaya

This unmanned vehicle was put into service Monday to determine the visibility deep down at the bottom of the mine shaft and in case if there was any sign of the trapped diggers.

Coal India Ltd, which ran their pump in the abandoned mine Tuesday for 8 hours, drained nearly 11 lakh litres of water, while the Odisha Fire Service pumped out 5.

4 lakh litres respectively using two pumps in another adjacent abandoned shaft.

East Jaintia Hills district Deputy Commissioner F M Dopth, who is also the chairman of the district disaster management authority, informed the state government that it might take 30 days or up to two months to pump out the water from about 20 shafts in the area.

Based on the expertise of the local coal miners and endorsed by experts from the North Eastern Coal Fields, Dopth quoted Rs 4.61 crore as the amount required for procurement of materials and manpower to pump the water out of the mines.

Tuesday was the 27th day of the Meghalaya mine disaster which also had drawn the attention of the Supreme Court.Arunkumar Sekhar By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: When Baasha released on January 12, 1995, little did fans think it would be almost another 25 years before they got another Pongal release from Superstar Rajinikanth. Ajith, who had acted in barely half a dozen films at that time, is now a star in his own right and will be taking on Rajini for the box-office honours this Pongal when his Viswasam releases alongside Petta on Thursday.

However the films fare, the release of two big-budget movies on the same day has brought much cheer to the Tamil film industry. Of the 1,000 screens in Tamil Nadu, close to 900 have been allotted to Viswasam and Petta.

ALSO READ | Nawazuddin looks South Indian, I'm a big fan: 'Petta' director Karthik Subbaraj

The other 100 screens will be featuring the three Telugu releases and a few English films, said Tirupur Subramanian, the newly-elected president of the Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association (TNTMOA). Srinivasan, secretary of TNTMOA, handling North Arcot and South Arcot zones, says that Ajiths Viswasam is edging out Petta by 60-40 outside of the three Cs (Chennai, Chengalpet and Coimbatore).

Meanwhile, the industry is also eagerly awaiting the government order that will enable them to add one extra show. As things stand right now, theatres are allowed to show four shows on weekdays and five on weekends. Subramaniam feels that with the extra show, at least 10 per cent more footfalls can be expected, which could turn into a 3-4 per cent increase in revenue.

I do expect though that for both Petta and Viswasam, the first four days (till January 13) will see a lot of hardcore fans coming to the theatres. Only from January 14 will the families start coming in, he predicts.

ALSO READ | I want to leave behind a database of rooted music: D Imman

National Award-winning author, producer and trade expert Dhananjayan agrees. This Pongal is quite special because I dont think we have, in recent times, seen two big films getting 10 days of free run time. This is unprecedented. Given that big films that release over a festival weekend typically garner 1.5 times the regular returns, I see both Petta and Viswasam getting nothing less than twice the return, he says.

Subramaniam believes theatres will benefit a lot. It has been a good two months for the business. After the success of 2.0, even though we saw a whole bunch of films coming out for Christmas, theatres still enjoyed a lot of footfalls, thanks to the good content, he notes.

Petta is expected to release in 150-200 screens in Andhra and Telangana. In Kerala too, it seems to have got close to 130 screens. Karnataka has allocated 350 screens for Petta, making it as big a release as any top Kannada film.

In Mumbai, given the success of 2.0 and the presence of Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Petta, it is expected to get a good run, at least till the Bal Thackeray biopic releases the following week. In Qatar, pre-booking has started for Petta for 40 shows while Viswasam has bagged 28 shows. However, Viswasam seems to have won in UAE with over 50 shows compared to 40 for Petta.

Seventh Sense Cinema, which released Rajinikanths 2.0 in Russia, has revealed it will be releasing both Petta and Viswasam in Russia and Ukraine.Shilajit Mitra By

Express News Service

After being hailed as one of the best actors of 2018 with his performances in Love Per Square Foot, Raazi, Sanju and Manmarziyaan, 30-year-old Vicky Kaushal is kicking off the New Year with the action-packed Uri: The Surgical Strike. The film, directed by debutant Aditya Dhar and produced by Ronnie Screwvala, takes us behind-the-scenes of the 2016 surgical strike conducted by the Indian Army in retaliation to the Uri Attacks  which claimed the lives of 19 Indian soldiers at a military base camp in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir. The films trailer garnered praise for its sleek, realistic action scenes  a rarity among most Indian war films  but was also criticised for its provocative and untempered dialogues, which many slammed as jingoistic and hateful towards Pakistan.

Addressing the above line of criticism, Vicky says, Look, I am playing an army officer in the film, a major who is in charge of the team conducting the surgical strike. It is my job to motivate my troops before they get off the choppers and jump into action. Theres a chance that they might never come back. When I am giving them a pep talk, I cannot be speaking in evasive, soft language; I have to pump them up.

You wont see that major standing at a town-square and shouting at civilians, Chalo khoon ka badla khoon se lete hai (Lets avenge blood with blood). No army person does that. My character is just speaking to his soldiers who have to do the dirty job of pulling the trigger for us, so that when they are facing a militant, its them who pull the trigger first and not the enemy.

Uri: The Surgical Strike also stars Paresh Rawal as Indias National Security Advisor (inspired by Ajit Doval), Yami Gautam as an intelligence officer, Mohit Raina as captain Karan Kashyap, and Kirti Kulhari as an army pilot. For the film, Vicky and his co-actors underwent rigorous military training and physical preparation to look the part of real combat soldiers.

Vicky recalls, Uri was the most physically challenging project of my career so far. I, along with twenty other actors who are playing special forces commandos, went through a boot camp training for two months. Our trainer was someone who had trained himself with the Black Cat commandos. The boot camp was designed for endurance and stamina building: we learned how to walk, jump, crawl, sweat and be in pain together. We were taught about team formation and tactical warfare. Special forces prefer to operate in stealth mode; they use silent bombs, tear-gas shells, night-vision, and so on. Theres also something called buddy pairing: a team of commandos moves in even numbers, in pairs, so that theres always someone watching your back.

The boot-camp training, Vicky adds, was followed by actual military training under a Sikh regiment posted in Cuffe Parade, Mumbai. The actors took part in the regiments difficult obstacle course and were also trained in slithering  the daunting task of rappelling down from flying choppers using ropes. It was all done by us in the film. There were no stuntmen doing it for us. Usually, the choppers are at a height of 40 feet, but for the shoot we lowered them to about 20 feet, says Vicky.

Uris director, Aditya Dhar, started his Bollywood career by assisting Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rohan Sippy and Vishal Bhardwaj, as well as writing lyrics (Kabul Express) and dialogues (Aakrosh) for Hindi films. In 2016, Aditya was poised to direct his first feature film, Raat Baaki, starring Katrina Kaif and Pakistani actor Fawad Khan.

Director Aditya Dhar

However, on September 18 that year, the Uri attacks happened and diplomatic tensions escalated between India and Pakistan. Ripples were felt in the Hindi film industry when the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association passed a resolution to ban Pakistani actors from working in Bollywood. Fawad Khan  who had until then acted in Khoobsurat, Kapoor and Sons and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil  found himself at the centre of this controversy, and had to drop out of the project.

Aditya remembers, While we were trying to figure out how to re-cast the film, the surgical strikes happened. Being a Kashmiri Pandit, I had seen terrorism from my childhood. At one point, I was interested in joining the army. So I suddenly felt the need to put Raat Baaki on the back-burner and explore how the surgical strikes were conducted.

It took me six months to research the film. It was a difficult task because all the information was confidential. We took the conscious decision of not meeting the real soldiers involved in the fight. The characters in the film  for example Paresh jis character  are an amalgamation of multiple real-life personalities.

Given the timing of release, Adityas film  along with the Anupam Kher-starrer The Accidental Prime Minister, which also releases this Friday  has been accused of being a propaganda exercise favouring the ruling party ahead of the 2019 general elections. To this, the filmmaker responds by saying, Our film is about the fight against terrorism. You can be from anywhere, but if your heart is clean and your conscience is true, then you must be against terrorism. We live in a democratic country where we cannot stop people from interpreting a film however they want. We cant explain our thoughts and intentions to everyone. Having said that, I must add that my film is a tribute to the Indian army. It has no political affiliation or agenda.By Express News Service

After starring as the female lead opposite Govinda in the upcoming film Rangeela Raja, newcomer Mishika Chourasia will be seen in producer Pahlaj Nihalanis next production, I Love You Boss.

Pahlaj had originally conceived the film as Kangana Ranauts debut outing in the early 2000s, but the film was shelved when the actor dropped out of the project. Revived with a fresh lead and a new setting, I Love You Boss will be shot in London.

Commenting on the same, Pahlaj Nihalani said, This subject is very close to my heart. Kangana and I couldnt land on this project, and since then I was in search of a highly talented girl. When Mishika began working on my film, Rangeela Raja, I came to the conclusion that she is the perfect fit for this film.By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Several of the shops at Chalai Market remained closed on Tuesday in the wake of the two-day strike called by the Joint Trade Union Council. Chalai trade union members said a meeting was held on Monday and traders were informed that shops will be opened in their own risk. The traders chose to stay closed in the wake of the total shutdown. "There were no restrictions imposed on the traders. If they wanted to open the shops they could. People are generally scared to stay open for fear of violence, if they do not adhere to the strike, "Rafeeq A P P, president of Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi, Chalai main unit.

Flower vendors who believe they are the most affected are busy selling the flowers. "Flowers won't survive for more than a few hours. This is my fifth year as a flower vendor and I have been forced to face this situation every now and then. We stayed open since we are aware we will have regular customers," said Mohana Kumaran. He also added that flowers come from Thovalai and Madurai and the same will be distributed among the vendors in Chalai market at 9.30 am every day. "If we keep our shops closed, regular rituals at the temples in Thiruvananthapuram will be affected. I opened my shop at 6 am and closed at 5 pm on Tuesday, just like any other day. In fact, we faced a loss of Rs 10,000 as the customers were fewer," said Paramareswara Kurup, a flower vendor, Chalai Market.

According to S Zulfikar who owns a textile shop at Chalai Market, traders should not fear agitators and their agitations. "Our shops were open even when BJP called for a hartal. Strikes are not harmful as people don't indulge in violent acts like burning clothes or breaking window displays. Closing our shops, indicate we are are afraid and the agitators are led to believe that we support hartal which is not true," said Zulfikar.

Even though the Vyapari Samithi had announced that the shops would be open during the BJP hartal with police protection, the traders backed out when very few police officers were deployed for protection of the traders. On Tuesday, the scenario was not any different. This time, however, though a number of police officers were deployed, only a few traders turned up to open their shops. According to the police officers, traders were not threatened. "No cases of violence have been reported. The traders could have opened their shops. We expect more traders to arrive for work on Wednesday. We will provide them with security and safety," informed Shaji R, assistant sub-inspector, Thampanoor.

Rafeeq A, the president of Vyapari Vyavasayi Ekopana Samithi, Chalai main unit added that more shops will be open on Wednesday as Tuesday was a test day. "More shops will be open on Wednesday and more traders have expressed their willingness to open their shops as no violent cases were reported on Tuesday," said Rafeeq.Anilkumar T By

Express News Service

KOCHI: Though a bustling mega city with all the trappings of a metropolis, Kochi's nightlife is anything but. If things remain as in the present, the status quo is likely to continue. Though the Corporation and Kerala Merchants' Chamber of Commerce had signed an MoU on 'Upkeep and Maintenance of Broadway' nearly three years ago, no commendable progress has been made so far. It is the lackadaisical attitude on the part of the civic body which has held up the project.

Other than erecting ornamental lamp posts with lamp shade and constructing a drainage network at the site, the Corporation has done precious little in implementing the project. As part of promoting nightlife, multilevel parking, surveillance cameras, branded food kiosks, seating and parking facilities along the stretch had been mooted. Also, the five-star restaurants and branded shops which were to be set up will function till 1 am.

"The Corporation has failed to successfully implement the project. Broadway is a historically important place. It can be converted only if they could arrange sufficient parking space for customers and shopkeepers. The proposed multilevel parking in the area has remained on paper. How can they start a nightlife in Broadway if they are unable to sort out such an issue? Moreover, the Corporation and the Mayor are not in the least bothered about developing the city," said K J Antony, Opposition Leader.

Around `1.6 crore had been earmarked by the civic body for the iconic street's proposed renovation. " It was nearly two years ago the city was included under the Centre's Smart Cities Mission and interestingly Broadway is included under the project. But what development have they ensured in the interim? The issue is more about lethargic attitude than funding, " he said. Kochi's inclusion under the Smart Cities Mission triggered confusion and it is also being cited as a major reason for the delay.

"As part of the beautification and nightlife project, we have carried out numerous works along the street. During the period, a blueprint of the new project proposed to be implemented under the Smart Cities Mission was drawn up. Since the area also comes under the mission, we don't want to spend a hefty amount. It was a good proposal mooted under the Mission project. But no progress has been achieved on this front so far," V A Yousaf, Chamber of Commerce president.

He said some of the traders had refused to cooperate with the project."Parking is a major issue. A section of the shop owners is not backing the efforts for setting up a parking bay adjacent to the Broadway. The indifference also poses a problem for implementing the nightlife project, " he said.The civic body's disinterest has also impacted the project's implementation at Marine Drive, Subash Park, Durbar Hall ground which shut down as early as by 9 pm.

Meanwhile, Mayor Soumini Jain passed the buck to the traders. "Even the traders have a difference of opinion regarding the night shopping at Broadway. Since more workforce is required for the night shopping, the traders are still confused about implementing it. Transportation is also a major issue for customers. It can be implemented only with the support of the traders, private bus association and the public. However, we have not dropped the project. Within two years Broadway will get a new look," said Soumini Jain.Aihik Sur By

Express News Service

HYDERABAD: Indian mobile apps ask for 45 per cent more permissions than global apps, which indirectly means that homegrown apps access much more of our personal data when compared to apps made in other countries, a study released on Tuesday said.

A study  State of Data Privacy of Mobile Apps From India 2018  conducted by Arrka Consultancy tested 50 global Android apps and compared the data accessed with those by country-made apps.In categories like travel booking, shopping and mobile wallets, the difference is particularly striking with Indian apps taking 1.6 to 1.8 times more number of permissions, the study said.

That raises the question, what happens to the data that are accessed by the home-made apps? As much as 99 per cent of apps that were studied were found to be sending data across the borders.Not surprisingly, the USA is the primary destination of all the data being transferred outside India with more than 81 to 97 per cent of the traffic being directed there.

Singapore was a distant second when it came to our datas destination. Other countries include France, Russia and Tanzania. The destinations of the data included advertising companies, those in analytics, app development, authentication, social media and trackers.

Google was found to be where the highest percentage of traffic was headed out to and Facebook came a distant second with a presence across all three channels studied (9 to 14%). The study also observed that some third parties were channel specific that is Microsoft was primarily seen on websites whereas Amazon was primarily seen in mobile apps.

The report also analysed the data access in iOS Apps and compared it with those by Android. While 60 per cent of permissions were similarly accessed by both, Permissions like microphone, camera and calendar were accessed 1.3x-1.4x more by iOS Apps as compared to their Android versions.By ANI

HYDERABAD: Hyderabad Central University (HCU) students have demanded the reinstatement of 'Velivada,' a temporary structure with portraits of anti-caste icons, on the campus.

The students have also said that their protest will continue if HCU Vice Chancellor Dr Appa Rao is not removed from the post and arrested.

'Velivada' was put up on the campus when Rohith Vemula and his friends were evacuated from their hostel in 2016. Vemula had spent his last few days before he allegedly committed suicide at the place where 'Velivada' was erected.

ALSO READ: Protests in University of Hyderabad after demolition of Rohith Vemula's 'veliwada'

Vemula, a Ph.D. scholar at the HCU, was found hanging from a ceiling fan in a hostel room on January 17, 2016. He was reportedly upset over the disciplinary action that was taken against him by the university authorities.

The agitating students, protesting under the banner of 'Justice for Rohith' surrounded the university administration building on Monday, demanding an explanation from the authorities about the removal of the temporary structure.

The students reclaimed the space of Velivada by placing small portraits of Dalit icons like Dr BR Ambedkar, Jyotiba Phule, Savitribai Phule, and others, which were demolished by the administration a few days ago, after which they marched to the administration building by holding the portraits.

Students from many organisations like Ambedkar Students' Association, Bahujan Students' Front, Dalit Students' Union, and Students' Federation of India are taking part in the agitation.By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Banking and insurance services were partially affected in the state on Tuesday as a section of employees boycotted work in support of the two-day nation wide strike call given by trade unions to protest against anti-labour policies of the Centre.

The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) and Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI), the two strong bank unions, participated in the strike and as a result, banking services were affected partially in the state. However, people had relief as the State Bank of India, along with some private sector banks, continued their operations as usual.

General secretary of AIBEA C H Venkatachalam said that at least, 45,000 employees of banks and insurance companies across the state participated in the cease work protest. Since employees associated with these two strong banking sector unions are on strike, major counter activities such as cash deposit, withdrawal, cheque clearances have been hit, said Venkatachalam.The strike has been successful, he added.

People were also seen having a tough time due to the strike. I could not deposit money in my account as all clerical staff of the bank were on strike, said A Sankaran, a trader who was affected by the bank strike.

Speaking about some of their major demands, Venkatachalam said the Centre must strengthen the public sector banks and halt privatisation of the public sector banks. He also demanded that the Centre take effective measures to create jobs for youth and ensure strict enforcement of labour laws, social security cover for staff.

No impact on transport

The first day of the nationwide two-day strike called by central trade unions has made no significant impact in Tamil Nadu. Government buses, autos and call taxis ran as usual in Chennai and other parts of the State. During morning peak hours, some bus services operated from Thiruvanmiyur, Chrompet and Tambaram, reduced for want of drivers. However, MTC officials said over 98% of buses 33 depots operated as per schedule.By Express News Service

CHENNAI: Almost three months after a man died in a hit-and-run accident, a relative of the deceased was arrested on Monday for killing him. Police say the accused Sathakathulla and brother Abdul Rahman created the road accident on October 10 to eliminate the formers brother-in-law Mubarak Ali. They allegedly had a family dispute.

Mubarak Ali (37) was married to Sabur Nisha (34) and the couple had a daughter and a son. Sabur Nishas brothers, who were in a car, allegedly knocked down Mubarak Ali, who was riding on a bike.

Four days later, Ali died at Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital. While lodging a complaint, Mubarak Alis brother Ahmed told police about the family feud. He suspected that it could be a murder.

During inquiry, Sabur Nisha told Poonamallee traffic investigation police that Mubarak Ali was a tailor and his income was not sufficient for the family. So, Sabur Nishas brothers arranged for a job for him in Kuwait and got a VISA on October 5, police said. He was scheduled to travel on October 15, but Mubarak Ali turned down the offer saying he was not willing to go.

This led to a dispute which worsened on October 10. When Sathakathulla and Abdul Rahman confronted Mubarak it turned into a fist fight and Mubarak allegedly broke the windshield of the duos car.

Suspecting that Sathakathulla and Abdul Rahman must have murdered their brother-in-law, the police launched a hunt for them , but they were stated to be absconding.

The case was transferred to Avadi police station. On Monday, acting on a tip off that Sathakathulla had come to visit his sister, a police team nabbed the suspect, said a senior police officer.

After Mubarak broke their cars windshield, Sathakathulla and Abdul Rahman followed Mubarak and allegedly knocked him down in rage, the police said.Police say Sabur Nisha did not have any hand in the murder., Cops are now on the lookout for the other accused brother-in-law.By Express News Service

BHUBANESWAR: TVS Motor Company chairman Venu Srinivasan is the latest to join the growing chorus calling for reduction in Goods and Services Tax (GST) rates for two-wheelers, contending that they are not luxury goods, but provide basic mobility to the masses.

Rising urbanisation, increasing purchasing power and the enhanced need for connectivity, particularly in the mid-sized and smaller cities, has fuelled the two-wheeler revolution for personal mobility. Given its importance as an item for mass mobility, the GST rates for two-wheelers undoubtedly needs to be reconsidered, said Srinivasan. His statement comes ahead of the GST Council meeting scheduled for January 10.

Emphasising on the current inconsistencies with the integrated multi-modal public transport systems, Srinivasan also said that two-wheelers certainly cannot be benchmarked against the prevalent GST rates for luxury goods at 28 per cent. Moreover, with new safety norms and BS-VI integration round the corner, both of which will increase two-wheeler prices, he said, Its even more imperative to relook at the GST rates to ensure social inclusion that is sustainable in the longer run.

Earlier, two-wheeler manufacturers such as Hero MotoCorp and Bajaj Auto have also pitched for lowering the current rate of 28 per cent to to 18 per cent. Hero MotoCorp chairman Pawan Munjal had said that lowering the tax rate would help the customers as well as the entire value chain dependent on the sector.

Bajaj Auto had also backed a GST rate cut on motorcycles and scooters. Suggesting that the reduction should be tied to introduction of new models, Bajaj Auto MD Rajiv Bajaj had said that rationalising prices should not be the sole aim.

It will be a win-win solution to time any GST reduction with the safety or emission norms to mitigate the significant cost-up thats inevitable. Doing so separately would make things much worse for a while before making it hopefully better, he had said.Winnisquam Echo Beloved Sanbornton resident fondly remembered by community

by Donna Rhodes write the author

Bill Tobin (click for larger version) SANBORNTON  On Wednesday, Jan 2, word spread quickly of the passing of Bill Tobin, and comments and condolences about the man who did so much for not just his community, but his state and country, came pouring in.



Over the years, Tobin served his country through both the Army and Air Force as a pilot and air traffic controller. Later he served as a Sanbornton Selectman, took part in many committees and boards, and most recently was the town's Health Officer. He was chairman of the Belknap County Republican Committee at one time, served as a New Hampshire State Representative, and in 2008 made a run for the New Hampshire State Senate.



To show his love for the state, several years ago he built a large parade float depicting the Seal of the State of New Hampshire that was a popular entry in parades across the state each year.



Throughout his life, Tobin was also a talented auctioneer, a building inspector, and together, he and his wife Faith owned Waterloom Inspections for more than 30 years.



And while Tobin fulfilled each of those roles in a dedicated manner, that's not all that he will be remembered for. Perhaps his fellow residents have said it best.



"Bill was a stand-up guy," "He was the Spirit of Sanbornton and will be dearly missed," "One of the most creative and nicest men I ever met," were just a few of the many comments posted on social media.



Others stated, "He was such a kind and loving man." They recalled their childhood days when Tobin would help them with activities such as dance groups and talent contests, Many remembering that he always greeted them with the phrase, "Hey kid!" even when they became adults. And he supported them as adults, too.



"He let a group of us girls take over his woodworking shop once a week to make our Pintrest projects. He was so patient and encouraged us. Love you Bill," said Melanie Van Tassel, the town's welfare officer.



In honor of the man who meant so much to the community, selectmen in Sanbornton even held a moment of silence to remember him before their meeting got underway last week.



Sanbornton Police Chief Stephen Hankard said his memories of Tobin go back to his very first days on the police department in 1996. He said Tobin was one of the first people in Sanbornton he met as he swore him in as a patrolman and always started each interaction the two had with, "Greeting and salutations."



"He was always such a huge fountain of knowledge on almost any subject. I can't tell you how many times a question about town history or a town building came up and someone would say, 'Did you ask Bill Tobin?'" Hankard recalled. "At the police department, our thoughts and prayers are going out to his friends and family, as the loss of Bill Tobin will affect us all for a long time to come."



News of his death spread rapidly to many nearby communities as well, and Tilton Selectman Pat Consentino had this to offer.



"He was an amazing and deeply compassionate man. His love for his family and community knew no boundaries," she said. "He treated everyone the same with a great smile and always asked how you were doing or what he could do to make things a bit better for folks."



Jane Alden of Tilton's Planning Board expressed her thoughts as well, saying "He did so much for so many people in ways others will never know. He was always there when anyone needed help. He was a real life hero."



Timothy Lang of Sanbornton is the current State Representative for Belknap County District 4, and said it was Tobin who was by his side when he first became involved in politics. He said he got to know Tobin when he served as the chair of the Belknap County Republicans, and when Tobin decided not run to for re-election to the State House, he approached Lang and encouraged him to run in his place. Lang said that Tobin was a great citizen in his town who "epitomized the phrase 'service above self."



Finally, former Executive Councilor Joe Kenney also weighed in with memories of Tobin, a man he said he knew to be a great family and community man, legislator, municipal building inspector, military veteran and Cold War hero.



Kenney added, "The world is a lot brighter because of Bill's public service and his commitment to everyone around him. He will be deeply missed but not forgotten."



A full obituary for Mr. Tobin can be found on page A6 of this week's edition. SANBORNTON  On Wednesday, Jan 2, word spread quickly of the passing of Bill Tobin, and comments and condolences about the man who did so much for not just his community, but his state and country, came pouring in.Over the years, Tobin served his country through both the Army and Air Force as a pilot and air traffic controller. Later he served as a Sanbornton Selectman, took part in many committees and boards, and most recently was the town's Health Officer. He was chairman of the Belknap County Republican Committee at one time, served as a New Hampshire State Representative, and in 2008 made a run for the New Hampshire State Senate.To show his love for the state, several years ago he built a large parade float depicting the Seal of the State of New Hampshire that was a popular entry in parades across the state each year.Throughout his life, Tobin was also a talented auctioneer, a building inspector, and together, he and his wife Faith owned Waterloom Inspections for more than 30 years.And while Tobin fulfilled each of those roles in a dedicated manner, that's not all that he will be remembered for. Perhaps his fellow residents have said it best."Bill was a stand-up guy," "He was the Spirit of Sanbornton and will be dearly missed," "One of the most creative and nicest men I ever met," were just a few of the many comments posted on social media.Others stated, "He was such a kind and loving man." They recalled their childhood days when Tobin would help them with activities such as dance groups and talent contests, Many remembering that he always greeted them with the phrase, "Hey kid!" even when they became adults. And he supported them as adults, too."He let a group of us girls take over his woodworking shop once a week to make our Pintrest projects. He was so patient and encouraged us. Love you Bill," said Melanie Van Tassel, the town's welfare officer.In honor of the man who meant so much to the community, selectmen in Sanbornton even held a moment of silence to remember him before their meeting got underway last week.Sanbornton Police Chief Stephen Hankard said his memories of Tobin go back to his very first days on the police department in 1996. He said Tobin was one of the first people in Sanbornton he met as he swore him in as a patrolman and always started each interaction the two had with, "Greeting and salutations.""He was always such a huge fountain of knowledge on almost any subject. I can't tell you how many times a question about town history or a town building came up and someone would say, 'Did you ask Bill Tobin?'" Hankard recalled. "At the police department, our thoughts and prayers are going out to his friends and family, as the loss of Bill Tobin will affect us all for a long time to come."News of his death spread rapidly to many nearby communities as well, and Tilton Selectman Pat Consentino had this to offer."He was an amazing and deeply compassionate man. His love for his family and community knew no boundaries," she said. "He treated everyone the same with a great smile and always asked how you were doing or what he could do to make things a bit better for folks."Jane Alden of Tilton's Planning Board expressed her thoughts as well, saying "He did so much for so many people in ways others will never know. He was always there when anyone needed help. He was a real life hero."Timothy Lang of Sanbornton is the current State Representative for Belknap County District 4, and said it was Tobin who was by his side when he first became involved in politics. He said he got to know Tobin when he served as the chair of the Belknap County Republicans, and when Tobin decided not run to for re-election to the State House, he approached Lang and encouraged him to run in his place. Lang said that Tobin was a great citizen in his town who "epitomized the phrase 'service above self."Finally, former Executive Councilor Joe Kenney also weighed in with memories of Tobin, a man he said he knew to be a great family and community man, legislator, municipal building inspector, military veteran and Cold War hero.Kenney added, "The world is a lot brighter because of Bill's public service and his commitment to everyone around him. He will be deeply missed but not forgotten."A full obituary for Mr. Tobin can be found on page A6 of this week's edition.

Winnisquam Echo Hall pitches Raiders into Division III Final Four Tilton to host Plan NH charrette Recent Donna Rhodes Plymouth vote a rousing success

2021-Apr-21 Plymouth to hold the final session of alternative Town Meeting

2021-Apr-08 PACC fights through challenging times

2021-Mar-17 Boomerangs steps up in support of PACC

2021-Mar-10 Alexandria fishing derby draws strong turnout

2021-Mar-03 Bristol voters to decide on recycling proposal

2021-Mar-03 More... Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.comGilford Steamer Town, school, Gunstock Acres budget hearings on Thursday

by Erin Plummer The Budget Committee will hold public hearings on the town, school district, and Gunstock Acres Water District Budget's this Thursday, Jan. 10.



The hearing will take place on in the Gilford High School Auditorium at 7 p.m. The Budget Committee will present their recommended appropriations for the school and town as well as petition warrant articles.



The hearings come after a few months of public meetings between the Budget Committee and with town and school where the Budget Committee reviewed the budges proposed by the selectmen and the school board.



The Gilford School District presented its proposed budget during a public meeting in October. The budget review process started in September with Superintendent Kirk Beitler meeting with administrators, who then met with the staff. Beitler put together the superintendent's budget of $27,038,654 and presented it to the school board during the Oct. 2 meeting. The board reviewed it and came up with its own recommended budget of $27,041,309, an increase of $809,573 or a little over three percent from the current budget.



The budget proposes a number of staffing changes accounting for a total reduction of $218,827, mostly due to positions being redefined, the highest of which is the assistant principal to Gilford Elementary School and Gilford Middle School. Beitler said while that position has been split evenly between both schools, starting in the new school year, two-thirds of the assistant principal's time will be in the middle school while a third will be in the elementary school. To make up for the difference a guidance position will be added at GES, putting two guidance counselors at the school to work with students.



The board of selectmen reviewed some budget changes and the draft 2019 warrant during the Nov. 14 meeting. Selectman Richard Grenier said the Budget Committee adjusted the selectmen's recommended budget by changing some small details.



The dues to the New Hampshire Municipal Administration were reduced by $800 to reflect the actual amount that will be due in 2019. Adjustments were made based on prior year expenditures including a $7,600 reduction in Animal Control, $8,000 in Public Works vehicle parts, and $10,000 in station coupons, and more. These changes account for a reduction of $26,400 from what the selectmen voted on.



The selectmen unanimously voted in favor of revising the budget figure on the warrant with these additions by the Budget Committee. This will bring the overall proposed budget to $14,219,008, minus special warrant articles voters would be deciding on a budget article of $13,739,027. The Budget Committee will hold public hearings on the town, school district, and Gunstock Acres Water District Budget's this Thursday, Jan. 10.The hearing will take place on in the Gilford High School Auditorium at 7 p.m. The Budget Committee will present their recommended appropriations for the school and town as well as petition warrant articles.The hearings come after a few months of public meetings between the Budget Committee and with town and school where the Budget Committee reviewed the budges proposed by the selectmen and the school board.The Gilford School District presented its proposed budget during a public meeting in October. The budget review process started in September with Superintendent Kirk Beitler meeting with administrators, who then met with the staff. Beitler put together the superintendent's budget of $27,038,654 and presented it to the school board during the Oct. 2 meeting. The board reviewed it and came up with its own recommended budget of $27,041,309, an increase of $809,573 or a little over three percent from the current budget.The budget proposes a number of staffing changes accounting for a total reduction of $218,827, mostly due to positions being redefined, the highest of which is the assistant principal to Gilford Elementary School and Gilford Middle School. Beitler said while that position has been split evenly between both schools, starting in the new school year, two-thirds of the assistant principal's time will be in the middle school while a third will be in the elementary school. To make up for the difference a guidance position will be added at GES, putting two guidance counselors at the school to work with students.The board of selectmen reviewed some budget changes and the draft 2019 warrant during the Nov. 14 meeting. Selectman Richard Grenier said the Budget Committee adjusted the selectmen's recommended budget by changing some small details.The dues to the New Hampshire Municipal Administration were reduced by $800 to reflect the actual amount that will be due in 2019. Adjustments were made based on prior year expenditures including a $7,600 reduction in Animal Control, $8,000 in Public Works vehicle parts, and $10,000 in station coupons, and more. These changes account for a reduction of $26,400 from what the selectmen voted on.The selectmen unanimously voted in favor of revising the budget figure on the warrant with these additions by the Budget Committee. This will bring the overall proposed budget to $14,219,008, minus special warrant articles voters would be deciding on a budget article of $13,739,027.

Gilford Steamer Golden Eagles battle, but fall in Division III finals Graduation kicks off end of year events Thanks for visiting SalmonPress.comBerlin Reporter Police apprehend armed man following standoff

by Jody Houle BERLIN  A Berlin man was apprehended after a stand-off took place on Norway Street on Saturday afternoon. The man had a gun and shots were fired.



Citizens in the Norwegian Village were concerned after police barricaded off certain parts of the area and were seen with weapons drawn.



An awareness grew on social media, and news of a gunman quickly spread. Police advised people who live in the area who live in the vicinity to leave the area until the incident was under control.



On Saturday, Jan. 5, a 911 was made stating that a single male occupant was in a Norway Street apartment with a gun and that shots were fired.



At about 3:50 p.m., the Berlin police responded to 107 Norway, and the street was barricaded and a perimeter was set up.



Berlin police was assisted by Gorham police and New Hampshire state police.



In a release, police stated that after a brief standoff, a subject was taken into custody without further incident.



The subject is known as Adam Brooks, 29, of Berlin.



Brooks was charged with three counts of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and one count of simple assault.



Brooks is currently being held at the Coos County House of Corrections until his arraignment scheduled for Monday, Jan. 14, at Coos County Superior Court.



No more information was available as of press time. BERLIN  A Berlin man was apprehended after a stand-off took place on Norway Street on Saturday afternoon. The man had a gun and shots were fired.Citizens in the Norwegian Village were concerned after police barricaded off certain parts of the area and were seen with weapons drawn.An awareness grew on social media, and news of a gunman quickly spread. Police advised people who live in the area who live in the vicinity to leave the area until the incident was under control.On Saturday, Jan. 5, a 911 was made stating that a single male occupant was in a Norway Street apartment with a gun and that shots were fired.At about 3:50 p.m., the Berlin police responded to 107 Norway, and the street was barricaded and a perimeter was set up.Berlin police was assisted by Gorham police and New Hampshire state police.In a release, police stated that after a brief standoff, a subject was taken into custody without further incident.The subject is known as Adam Brooks, 29, of Berlin.Brooks was charged with three counts of reckless conduct with a deadly weapon and one count of simple assault.Brooks is currently being held at the Coos County House of Corrections until his arraignment scheduled for Monday, Jan. 14, at Coos County Superior Court.No more information was available as of press time.

State

Naga Shisha Hoho to celebrate 25th anniversary

Vezokho Vero (2nd from R) along with organizing committee members during press conference at Pruzie Prayer Centre, Kohima on Tuesday. (NP)

Correspondent KOHIMA, JAN 9 (NPN) | Publish Date: 1/9/2019 11:16:34 AM IST

Naga Shisha Hoho Prayer Centre, Pruzie, Kohima will celebrate its 25th anniversary from January 19-20 under the theme To obey is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22) at the prayer centre. Speakers for the event will be Nagaland Baptist Church Council (NBCC) general secretary, Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho, Western Sumi Baptist Akukuhou Kukhakuli executive secretary, Rev. Dr., Hevukhu Achumi and Apostolic Ministries president, Rev. Dr. Luozilie Sanchu. This was announced by pastor Naga Shisha Hoho Prayer Centre Pruzie, Vezokho Vero in a press conference at Pruzie Prayer Centre on Wednesday attended by organizing committee members Daniel Sep, Veshutso Vero, Shanchumo Humtsoe and pastor Velavoyi Keyho.

Pastor Vero shared a brief history of Naga Shisha Hoho where he said that the 3rd Naga Shisha Hoho was permanently established in Pruzie in the year 1994 under the divine direction of God. He said the present prayer centre location, which had been a dense forest then, was shown by God through divine revelation.

Vero added that overcoming many obstacles, it was celebrating its 25th anniversary. The Naga Shisha Hoho Prayer Centre is for all Naga tribes, including Nagas living in Manipur, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Myanmar. He invited Nagas from all these places, irrespective of denomination, to attend the anniversary celebration.

He also highlighted some achievements of the prayer centre through Gods intervention, like healing, deliverance of satanic worshippers, mending broken families etc.

The anniversary monolith and flag will be unveiled and unfurled on January 19, 2 pm by Rev. Dr. Zelhou Keyho with a worship service at 3 pm. On January 20, morning service will begin at 10 am, and the evening service at 4 pm.International

Israeli former minister pleads guilty of spying

Jerusalem, Jan 9 (IANS) | Publish Date: 1/9/2019 11:31:57 AM IST

A former Israeli minister on Wednesday pleaded guilty to spying on behalf of Iran, six months after his arrest, officials said.

In an announcement to the Jerusalem District Court, the State Attorneys office said former minister Gonen Segev, 62, signed a plea bargain under which he will serve 11 years in jail, Xinhua news agency reported.

Segev, a former Parliament member with the right-wing party of Tzomet, served as Israels Minister of Energy and Infrastructure between 1994 and 1996.

He admitted to serious espionage and providing information to the enemy, the State Attorneys office said.

According to Israels Shin Bet security service, Segev had met Iranian intelligence officials several times over the past six years, delivering them information.

In May, Segev was extradited from Equatorial Guinea and arrested in Israel.

After his political career, Segev turned to business. In 2004, he was arrested for attempting to smuggle thousands of ecstasy pills from Amsterdam to Israel. He admitted guilty amidst a plea bargain and served five years in prison.HARTFORD  Newly sworn-in Gov. Ned Lamont called Wednesdays inauguration the chance for a fresh start, and urged politicians from both parties to work like heck toward compromise.

Referencing the song My Shot from the musical Hamilton, Lamont said residents should draw upon the theme  lead character Alexander Hamilton singing about himself as a scrappy immigrant kid with great opportunities, just like his new nation.

Lamont, the Democrat who defeated Republican Bob Stefanowski and three other candidates, was sworn in as governor around 1 p.m., replacing fellow Democrat Dannel P. Malloy. Later in the afternoon, he made his first State of the State address to the legislature.

In his inaugural address, Lamont said his election presents the chance for a new approach for Connecticut.

Thats what I love about America  every generation, we get a chance to reinvent ourselves and every election gives us a fresh start, he said about the Hamilton song. This is our chance to reinvent Connecticut, to think big, act boldly.

He also referenced Connecticuts past as the most entrepreneurial, inventive, and fast-growing state loaded with amazing opportunities.

In particular, Lamont pledged to improve the states fiscal situation.

I will not allow the next four years to be defined by a fiscal crisis, he said. Together we will craft an honestly balanced budget which does not borrow from the future, but invests in the future.

He concluded his speech by calling on Democrats and Republicans to work together, saying there is no room for the critic on the sidelines.

Lets give each other the benefit of the doubt and work like heck to get to yes, and make sure that all of our kids get their shot, he said.

Lamont later told lawmakers gathered in the House of Representatives that this election is a chance to reinvent Connecticut, to think big and act boldly.

And it starts right here in the room where it happens, Lamont added.

He reminded lawmakers of the states innovative roots in the defense industry with the invention of the worlds first submarine in Old Saybrook and nuclear submarine in Groton. In Naugatuck, workers invented rubber that could withstand both heat and cold. The portable typewriter, invented in Stamford, redefined the workplace, and the worlds first helicopter was designed and piloted by Igor Sikorsky in Stratford.

A century later, Sikorskys factory is still here and Electric Boat remains the largest submarine manufacturer in the world, he said.

But over the last generation, the states entrepreneurial zip has slipped, Lamont told lawmakers. As a result, the state is no longer viewed as hospitable or encouraging to new businesses.

Lamont pointed to careers in technology, high skilled manufacturing and health care and reinforced his campaign promise to push for a $15 minimum wage and family medical leave.

He expressed a desire for improvements, such as the first 5G network in New England and a transportation system that gets commuters from New Haven to Hartford in 30 minutes and from Stamford to New York in 30 minutes. He proposed adding rail spurs in Waterbury and New London.

Lamont also called on lawmakers to fix the states budget problems.

The fate of our great state is on a knifes edge. If we choose inaction and more of the same  we fail, he said. But if we choose creative and bold leadership, a commitment to make the hard and difficult choices necessary to right the wrongs of the past  we will succeed.

Lamont said he will present a budget in six weeks, meaning he will need an additional two weeks more than previously scheduled, but vowed to avoid funny math or budgetary gamesmanship in doing so.

I come from the world of small business where the numbers have to add up at the end of the month or the lights go out, he said. Unlike in D.C., our government doesnt shut down  we dont play those games here. 

Lamont also pledged to refuse to spend time playing the blame game over who is responsible for the states fiscal crisis.

Its real, its here and its time to confront it head on, Lamont said. And, please dont tell me youve done your share and its somebody elses turn. Its all of our turns. Fix the budget, invest in the future, and nothing can stop us.

msavino@record-journal.com

203-317-2266

Twitter: @reporter_savinoSOUTHINGTON  A local woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to embezzling over $400,000 from a youth lacrosse association and her employer.

Courtney Wells, 49, of 38 Cambridge Drive, was charged in 2017 with two counts of first-degree larceny and one count each of second-degree money laundering and first-degree forgery. On Tuesday, she appeared in New Britain Superior Court and pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree larceny.

She is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11.

Wells was treasurer of the Southington Lacrosse Association from 2010 to 2016. In her role, she was the only person who used the association debit card and the only one authorized to access the associations bank account, according to an arrest warrant. Wells was also employed as a part-time bookkeeper at Jones Engineering.

Police sorted through financial documents and discovered Wells embezzled $98,955 from the lacrosse association and $376,099 from Jones Engineering, the warrant said. Police said funds embezzled from the lacrosse association were used for a concert, hotels and travel expenses, and at restaurants and retail stores.

During an interview with police, Wells said she used money embezzled from her job to pay back money taken from the lacrosse association, according to the warrant. Wells told police she sometimes used the lacrosse association debit card when she didnt have enough money in her own account.

When confronted with the financial documents totaling the losses to the business and association, Wells told police she was living beyond her means, the warrant said. Wells said she has been working for the engineering company for free to start paying some of the money back.

lsellew@record-journal.com

203-317-2225

Twitter: @LaurenSellewRJSOUTHINGTON  Hen House BBQ is under new ownership, but customers still see the proprietor of more than 30 years when they come in for wings or ribs.

Ron Amorando recently sold the landmark eatery to Andy Ni, who previously ran a hibachi restaurant in West Hartford. Amorando said hes helping Ni with the transition and isnt sure how long hell stay on.

You do anything 31 years and youre ready, he said. Im just trying to help (Ni) get going.

April will mark 31 years since Amorando first started Hen House BBQ. He was working at a restaurant in Bridgeport, Drumsticks, and wanted to open his own place far away from his employer so as not to cut in on business.

He chose the Southington location in a Main Street plaza after his father happened to drive by a for rent sign.

My dad happened to get off the exit on Queen Street and see the for rent sign, Amorando said. I went, Southington, wheres that?

On Wednesday, Ni said he has no intentions of changing anything with the recipe or menu. The same people will remain working there. Hen House offers take-out, dine-in and catering.

Cliff Shannon, a local resident, came in for chicken wings on Wednesday before work and said hes often at Hen House, which is close to his home.

It saves me the trip to Drumsticks in Bridgeport, the only other restaurant that can offer fried chicken of comparable quality, according to Shannon.

He was surprised to learn that Amorando was no longer the owner, but glad that other aspects of the restaurant would remain the same.

Hen House is in a plaza with Dollar Tree and other restaurants. Condos and apartments are planned directly behind the plaza, which was bought by local developer Mark Lovley and partner Anthony Valenti in 2017.

Amorando is proud of Hen House BBQs reputation. He said the restaurants chicken was voted best in Connecticut by Connecticut Magazine in 2017.

Even though its a small little place, thats impressive, Amorando said.

jbuchanan@record-journal.com

203-317-2230

Twitter: @JBuchananRJSOUTHINGTON  A Brooklyn lighting company is ready to close on a Water Street mill building that will be the companys new home after renovations.

Juniper Design Group president Shant Madjarian said his company is only waiting on a government loan thats been delayed by the federal shutdown.

Were very close, he said Tuesday. They cant process that final stage and set a closing date until the government reopens.

Crews are ready to begin work on the American Standard Company building and Madjarian is excited about designs for it. The main entrance will be moved to Water Street and the building will be repainted. Hes also planned new landscaping.

The whole front of the building will change, Madjarian said.

Assembly, machining and finishing will take place on the first floor. A showroom and offices are planned for the second floor.

The buildings aesthetic  exposed beams, tongue-and-groove ceilings and other features  will remain.

We wanted an older building; we wanted something that had some charm to it, Madjarian said.

Renovating an old building is expensive, but the companys location is a critical part of Junipers brand and marketing.

Were opening this place up to the world to show how we do things, Madjarian said.

Juniper's interest in the 20,000-square-foot building prompted the creation of a tax abatement that applies to two buildings on Water Street and two other mill-style buildings in town.

Economic Development Coordinator Lou Perillo said the program waives taxes on building improvements for five years.

Perillo said the town was able to fast-track Junipers application but couldnt anticipate everything.

Who would have thought the federal shutdown would hold up something like this? he said.

Madjarian plans to bring New York clients to the Southington building once completed. Perillo said he hopes to attract other companies looking for unique buildings to Southington.

The tax abatement program that Juniper hopes to use is also applicable to an identical mill building adjacent to the lighting companys. Perillo said he hasnt gotten any interest yet, but is hopeful.

Madjarian expects to open in the late summer.

jbuchanan@record-journal.com

203-317-2230

Twitter: @JBuchananRJMERIDEN  Hearing concerns from local practitioners, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy said supporters of the Affordable Care Act will need to fight to save the Obama administration policy.

Murphy, D-Connecticut, talking with area professionals at Rushford Center this week, said Democratic lawmakers will need to push back against any Republican efforts to scale back or repeal the law, commonly known as Obamacare, while a group of attorneys generals is appealing a federal December ruling that found the policy unconstitutional.

Were going to be playing defense on the federal level on all this, Murphy said. Is there a plan in place to replace the ACA? Thats the reason the GOPs repeal effort failed in 2017.They never figured out what they wanted to replace it with.

Professionals and residents present Monday asked about provisions requiring parity for mental health treatment and substance abuse, drug prices, telemedicine and various quirks in the current healthcare system.

A federal appellate court judge in Texas ruled last month that a mandate for individuals to have insurance coverage, a key component of the act, was unconstitutional and inseverable from the remainder of the ACA.

At least 16 Democratic attorneys general, led by California, have joined an appeal of the ruling, though, and the ACA remains in place in the meantime. Part of the reason behind Murphys visit Monday was to create awareness around an extension until Jan. 15 for individuals without coverage to purchase a policy through the states exchange market, Access Health Connecticut.

He also wanted to rally support from advocates and professionals.

Its a very precarious time for the ACA, Murphy said. Connecticut was a state early on that showed how the ACA could work. Instead of leading to the next steps, we are still protecting gains we have made. Trump is on a two-year campaign of sabotage and has pulled advertising and marketing. But the immediate threat is the lawsuit

Connecticut law requires coverage for certain benefits from policies sold on the exchange. Those advocating for purchasing plans across state lines are attempting to bypass Connecticut oversight, Murphy told the group.

The conversation with Murphy and the providers often veered to the government shut down now underway, and the impact it will have on the health and supportive housing for the developmentally disabled and other vulnerable populations.

The group also wanted answers on generic drug pricing reform, which is gaining some bipartisan support, but wont get far without allowing Medicare to negotiate directly with drug companies. Direct negotiations could save taxpayers $50 billion annually, Murphy said.

Patricia Rehmer, President of the Hartford HealthCare Behavioral Health Network, led the roundtable discussion to give practitioners and advocates the opportunity to question Murphy. Rehmer said the group has a large number of patients in and out of supportive housing that rely on the ACA for coverage.

If we lose that we will have many people who are uninsured go to the emergency rooms, and thats not where we want people to go for health care, Rehmer said.

mgodin@record-journal.com

203-317-2255

Twitter: @CconnbizMERIDEN  Police Chief Jeffry Cossette is challenging the legality of a City Council resolution that seeks to prevent Cossette from filling one of the departments two deputy chief positions after Deputy Chief Mark Walerysiak leaves later this month.

Cossette believes the resolution is illegal because the City Charter gives the council the authority to allocate funding, but not the right to micromanage staffing decisions.

They cant tell me, You can only have one deputy chief, he said Monday. All they can do is give me the allotment of money, and then I decide whats best for the agency.

Corporation Counsel Michael Quinn said Tuesday that because the council previously approved funding to create a second deputy chief position a few years ago, he believes the council is now within its right to consider whether to continue funding.

Now that (the position) is becoming vacant, I think the council is within its rights to look at the structuring of the Police Department and whether it wants to fund that position, Quinn said. ... (Cossette) proposed the position, (the council) had to agree to fund it, and its now a question of whether theyre going to continue to fund it.

The charter states the chief of police shall assign all members of the department to their respective posts, shifts, details, and duties and is responsible for the efficiency, discipline and good conduct of the department. Cossette argued the charter language was specifically written to eliminate politics from law enforcement.

Quinn said he doesnt disagree with what the police chief is saying, but I think the council has fiscal powers in this area.

The City Council unanimously voted Monday to refer the resolution to the councils Public Safety Committee. It directs City Manager Tim Coon to inform Cossette that Walerysiaks position is to remain vacant until such time as the City Council has determined the necessity of continuing to have two Deputy Police Chief positions.

The resolution was introduced by Majority Leader David Lowell. The sponsor was incorrect in an earlier version of this story due to a city printing error.

The resolution cites cost savings as a reason for leaving the position open, stating the City Council continues to look for cost savings throughout the budget wherever possible. Leaving the position open through the end of the fiscal year would save roughly $57,000, about half of Walerysiaks salary of $114,000, according to Coon, who said Friday he is considering all options for the position.

Although the councils resolution does not directly command Cossette to leave the position vacant and instead points the directive to Coon, who answers to the council and is Cossettes supervisor, Cossette doesnt think Coon should obey the resolution if it passes.

I wouldnt have my officers obey an illegal directive, nor would I, Cossette said.

Walerysiak, a 22-year veteran of the department, said he is leaving to become the director of security for the Connecticut Lottery Corp. Walerysiak, 46, grew up in Meriden and said it was a tough decision to leave but feels the new job with the state lottery is a good opportunity for him and his family and suits his skills well. His last day will be Jan. 16.

The city has been very good for me. Ive met a lot of people that work for the city that are dedicated to their job and are just good people, Walerysiak said. Most of all, Im just grateful for the opportunity I was given, and Im especially proud to have worked with the men and women of this department, who have one of the toughest jobs around.

Cossette promoted Walerysiak to deputy chief of operations in 2017. The department at the time only had one deputy chief  Timothy Topulos, deputy chief of administration & support services  but Cossette decided to eliminate some of the departments lieutenant positions and add a deputy police position because Topulos had become busy completing an accreditation process.

Cossette said he wants to eventually fill Walerysiaks position because the accreditation process is ongoing, but said the process to find the right person will go beyond the June 30 end to the fiscal year. Cossette doesnt know whether the replacement will be an internal or external hire. Topulos, Cossette added, is expected to go on a four-month medical leave next month, meaning Cossette will need to name an acting deputy chief to replace him and continue work for the accreditation.

mzabierek@record-journal.com

203-317-2279

Twitter: @MatthewZabierekExpansion for Kantar Worldpanel in Sri Lanka

Shopper behaviour specialist Kantar Worldpanel has enhanced its FMCG consumer panel in Sri Lanka, expanding it to 4,500 households across the country.



In a joint initiative with Kantar LMRB, 300 new households have been added to the existing panel. Technical enhancements introduced during 2019 will mean that data will be captured by tablets and delivered through the analysis tool WorldpanelOnline, rolled out across the country during the year. The first dataset for the enhanced Sri Lankan consumer panel will be available in April.



In addition, Worldpanel has implemented a range of international best practices offering clients integration of Sri Lanka data into their regional and global servicing. This includes the portfolio of 'Expert Solutions' - bespoke analytical services which can support clients' decision-making in business areas such as retail, media or innovation.



Kantar LMRB Chief Executive Himalee Madurasinghe (pictured left) says the improved panel, backed by the knowledge of the local team, will help identify more growth opportunities for FMCG players. K. Ramakrishnan (right) General Manager and Country Head South Asia at Kantar Worldpanel, adds: 'The new service connects the Sri Lankan consumer panel with the global network of panel services we operate in Europe, Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. This will allow us to provide additional understanding to anticipate shopper and consumer behaviour as well as global context for Sri Lankan brands wanting to grow at home or abroad'.



Web site: www.kantarworldpanel.com .



Dayton Childrens Hospital will open Kids Express in Springboro on Wed, Jan 9th  the trial of a new concept in pediatric-focused health care. It combines the convenience of a retail clinic approach and online scheduling with the pediatric expertise of a specially trained nurse practitioner. While there are a lot of retail clinics for adults, this is the only one in Ohio with care that is just right for kids and focused on their unique needs.

We know that parents are busy and need options, says Deborah Feldman, president and CEO of Dayton Childrens. We also know that when their child gets sick, many times they already have a pretty good idea what is wrong. We wanted to give them an option for care that they can trust is kid-focused but is also easy and fast.

Kids Express is located at 662 North Main Street in Springboro, Ohio, to take care of low-acuity conditions. If their pediatricians office is full or closed, parents can choose Kids Express. Similar to making an appointment at a pediatricians office, parents should save their spot online to make sure their visit is at a convenient time for them and to reduce the amount of time spent in the waiting room. When they arrive at Kids Express, a pediatric trained nurse practitioner will assess and treat their illness or injury.

Kids Express sees children ages 6 weeks to 18 years old, from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm seven days a week. Parents can bring their children in for everyday issues such as:

Seasonal allergies

Sinus infection

Colds

Flu

Sore/strep throats

Earaches and ear infections

Minor cuts and bruises (no stitches)

Pink eye

Rashes/poison ivy/oak

Urinary tract infections

Vomiting, diarrhea

Bug bites/stings

Splinter removal

Ear wax removal

Lice

Impetigo

Mononucleosis

Scabies

Ringworm

Swimmers ear

Sunburn

hours:

9:00 am to 9:00 pm, every day

making an appointment:

Similar to making an appointment at a pediatricians office, parents should save their spot online to make sure their visit is at a convenient time for them and to reduce the amount of time spent in the waiting room. Walk-ins are also welcome, however scheduled patients will be seen first so we encourage you to check in before you arrive.Surjit Singh Mattu plays a part in one of our holiday traditions. When our daughters and their families come back to Dayton they must have at least one meal from his restaurant, Amar India (2751 Miamisburg Centerville Road). Amar was a favorite of our daughters when they were young. Theyve eaten in many other Indian restaurants since leaving home, but when they are in Dayton they must return to Amar.

During my last visit to the restaurant I learned a little about Mr. Mattu. He came to Dayton in 1984. He chose Dayton because his brother-in-law was teaching at U.D. and he wanted to be close to family.

When he first came to the U.S. from India, Mr. Mattu was an electrician. But he started to work in restaurants on the side and liked it. He opened Amar India in 1991 and now also owns two other Indian restaurants in Dayton  one in Beavercreek and one on Miller Lane, north of downtown. On the wall at Amer India there is a newspaper article about Mr. Mattu. I love what he said when the newspaper asked what advice he would give to other immigrant business owners. You must adapt and embrace the culture you are in now. Make it better by incorporating the culture you brought in. Thats the real America. America is a better and prosperous nation because different cultures created an awesome society. Amar India At Amar India Restaurant, we believe that a buffet is often the best way to get acquainted with a new cuisine, as compared to going for the a la carte option. Our buffet services are available 7 days a week. 2751 Miamisburg Centerville Rd.

Dayton, Ohio 45459 (937) 439-9005

Amar India North Restaurant 7070 Miller Ln Dayton, OH 45414 Phone: 937-387-6505

Hours: Monday to Thursday Lunch: 11:30 AM  2:00 PM Dinner: 5:00 PM  10:00 PM Friday and Saturday 11:30 AM  10:00 PM Sunday 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Also visit their sister restaurant:

Jeet India

2750 North Fairfield Road

Beavercreek, OH 45431

[Across from Fairfield Commons Mall, next to Chillis]

937-431-8881Appraisal Products; Events This Week; New Buydown, Second Look Products

The co-founder and former CEO of Southwest Airlines, Herb Kelleher, died last week. I mention this because I read his obituary and the article noted his advice to employees in 2014 when they were upset by efforts to reduce costs and otherwise evolve. What were talking about here is your future. If we dont change, you wont have one. Just ask Sears, which is closing after 126 years in business. Hopefully that fate does not befall many lenders in the U.S., although this year as many things in store for our industry. Branches moving, companies moving, large and small. My guess is that well see more headline-grabbing M&A coming soon!

Lender Products and Services

In broker news, UWM is dropping its pricing, making its pricing more competitive than ever. For years, United Wholesale Mortgage has topped mortgage brokers lists in a variety of categories, but pricing wasnt necessarily one of them  until now. UWM has dropped its rates across the board, for conventional, government and jumbo, giving the nations No. 1 wholesale lender the best pricing in the country, to go along with its leading client service, technology, turn times and partnership tools. UWM has removed all state adjustments and most Loan Level Price Adjustments (LLPA), as well. Now, not only will mortgage brokers enjoy the fastest and easiest experience by working with UWM, theyll also obtain the best rates for their customers.

Trying to grow your business and help borrowers? Heres a new USDA One-Time Close product that can be sold to your correspondent investor right after closing and before construction has begun. Spare your borrowers the hassle of going through multiple closings. And, bundle their building costs and mortgage costs into one loan. Its a win-win and saves much-needed time. Check out the new USDA One-Time Close purchase option TMS Correspondent recently rolled for its partners.

Lending solutions provider Data Facts recently announced an exciting new appraisal product. The Verisite Plus Report gives current, comprehensive details for non-standard appraisal loans. Using the Verisite app, sellers, realtors, or appraisers securely take interior and exterior photos that are geo-located and sent back to the lender. These are combined with property data such as location, map, and comparable sales to create an appraisal. The Verisite Plus Report typically returns in 4 hours and costs $100 less than traditional appraisals. Trust Data Facts to provide you efficient mortgage lending solutions, such as credit reports, fraud products, tax return and social security verifications, a variety of lead generation tools, and moreall integrated within your LOS! Talk with a live person and take advantage of their personalized support for your business. Their 100% US based customer service team will help you increase efficiency so you can close more loans, faster and easier.

Deephaven Mortgage continues to experience impressive growth in the Non-QM sector while staying committed to adding new products, capabilities, and technology to make the lives of originators nationwide more streamline. On the subject of making the process more streamlined, Deephavens Wholesale Division is excited to announce that it is now supporting credit reissuance including many of the most popular credit providers in the mortgage industry. Credit reissuance allows for greater predictability in scoring, pricing, and qualification along with improving the overall cycle time on loans. For additional details on how to start a new file with Deephaven Wholesale using our new credit reissuance process, please contact your Deephaven Wholesale Account Executive today or by emailing us.



Upcoming Events

Momentifi CEO Gibran Nicholas is hosting a free webinar today at 2PM ET: How Purpose-Driven Loan Originators Will Dominate the 2019 Mortgage Market. Topics include: how to identify the target market where you can win in 2019; how to articulate why your ideal clients and strategic partners should choose you vs. your competitors; and how to utilize technology to win more business with your target audience. Click here to register. If you miss the live webinar, click here to access the recording.

Have you set your goals for 2019? If youre ready to start setting money making goals, then join Sierra Pacific Mortgage on January 14 at 10:00am PST for a free one-hour webinar on achieving your goals. In this course, focused on goal setting, you will learn how to establish smart goals, how to work backwards to accomplish your goals, and how to analyze your current book of business and referral sources to help meet your next financial goal. Make 2019 your year. Register today.

Dont miss the opportunity to register for the MBA-NJ webinar series beginning January 10th, Mastering Social Media in the Mortgage Industry.

Sign up for Plazas January 11th complimentary training webinar: Negotiate the Numbers. In this webinar, you will learn the fundamentals of calculating income for self-employed borrowers from personal and business tax returns.

Register for the January 15th MBA Education Diversity and Inclusion Webinar Series. Get the tools you need to expand your reach by registering for the How to Boost Sales in the Multicultural Market webinar. Learn the best ways to connect with African-American, Asian and Hispanic audiencesthe fastest growing populations in the nation with huge, untapped buying power.

Register for the MMA for breakfast on January 16th. Presenters will discuss eMortgage and eClosing topics as these continue to gather momentum as states enact remote notary laws such as the one that recently went into effect in Minnesota.



New Products

Taylor Morrison Home Corp. launched a 2-1 buydown from a fixed rate mortgage program during which Taylor Morrison will help pay some of the interest cost during the initial years of homeownership. The Taylor Morrison 2-1 rate buydown for Conventional and FHA financing for qualified owner-occupied borrowers with a minimum 680 credit score allows consumers to pay their mortgage payment at a rate 2% below the fixed rate mortgage the first year and 1% lower the second year before the mortgage returns to a fixed rate over the remaining life of the loan.

Hudson United Mortgage Services, LLC is now accepting appointments for its Second Look Program. Any prospective homebuyer is encouraged to meet with a Hudson United Mortgage loan officer once they have received a mortgage estimate from another lender to receive competitive rates and discuss their best options. This ensures that clients are receiving the best mortgage rates available anywhere. Clients who meet with one of the Hudson United Mortgage loan officers will receive a $100 Visa Gift card following the meeting. To be eligible, you must show a Hudson United loan officer a signed purchase offer to buy a home and a mortgage estimate from another lender at the time of your free consultation. Then, the borrower will receive a Visa Gift Card, whether they apply for a mortgage through Hudson United Mortgage or any other mortgage company. This offer expires December 31, 2019.

Loan Stream Mortgage offers Bank Statement loans. Fixed Rate, 5/1 and 7/1 ARMs up to $10,000,000 with interest only options available. Questions? Submit them too: inquiries@lswholesale.com.

Effective January 2nd, PennyMac released its Non-Conforming NonQM Loan Program.

Fannie Mae launched the MH Advantage program, hoping to give future homeowners another option. Rick Walker, Collateral Policy & Strategy Risk Manager with Fannie Mae sat down with Appraisal Buzz to give us a closer insight into the new program. For details, read the Q&A discussion.

Elixir Mortgage Lending has 1 Month Bank Statement Loans available.

Citadel Servicing has a new ODF Plus Program for 5 to 35-Unit Properties. Contact sales@citadelservicing.com for more information.



Capital Markets

The U.S. 10-year closed Tuesday +3 bps to 2.72% as Treasuries across the curve all moved in the same direction with markets receiving no updates on trade talks with China, though it was reported the talks will extend into today. Beijing was in the headlines twice, as North Korea's Chairman Kim Jong-un reportedly arrived there for a visit that will continue through January 10. Finally, on the international front, Germany's Industrial Production experienced its sharpest rate of decline since the financial crisis.

Today's calendar kicked off with the usual mortgage applications from the MBA for the week ending January 4. In proof of a) an unusually slow week the prior week, and b) how flighty holiday week stats can be, applications were up over 23% with refis doing well. Up next will be three scheduled Fed President speakers: Atlanta's Bostic, Chicago's Evans, and Boston's Rosengren. Finally, and most importantly, at 2PM the minutes from the December FOMC meeting will be released. We begin today with the 10-year yielding 2.74 percent and Agency MBS prices down/worse a couple ticks.



Jobs and Personnel Moves

FirstBank Mortgage, a division of FirstBank with $5B in assets, is aggressively seeking loan officers and teams throughout TN, AL, & GA that possess an entrepreneurial spirit and love to work hard and have fun while doing it. Backed by a management team of former producers, FirstBank Mortgage has the technology, training, pricing and marketing to help you exponentially grow your business and industry knowledge. Expansive product offerings include portfolio, jumbo, super jumbo, multiple down payment assistance programs and expanded credit programs. Come thrive in an environment where your voice is heard, your opinions matter and customers come first. Excellent compensation package included. Click here to learn more.

Join the firm thats aggressively pursuing a retail growth strategy. Planet Home Lending opened more than 40 retail branches nationwide in the past 15 months. Discover whats under the hood of the engine driving Planet Home Lendings growth strategy, including an underwriting policy of no overlays and no minimum credit scores on government lending. Whether youre interested in working with us or for us, were always happy to chat about what youre looking for and how we can help. Contact Planet SVP Fobby Naghmi (703-473-2340) today.

Kwik Mortgage is looking for both supremely confident and stubbornly independent loan officers and branch managers who have the strength and capacity to build their own business in todays evolving market. For over twenty years Kwik has made its way from coast to coast by sweating the details running a lean management structure while supporting its sales teams to work autonomously. Kwik has done the heavy lifting so you dont have to deal with 30% plus in operations costs or 40% plus in corporate administrative costs and then wonder why your compensation and pricing continue to move around! If you are an experienced loan officer that can generate three funded units or $1 Million in fundings per month and enjoy working remote contact us today! If you are a branch team generating $2.5 million in business or 12 t0 20 units per month contact us today, we have both P&L and Corporate team options! Kwik is currently searching for Sales professionals in CT, NY, NJ, PA, MD, VA, GA, FL, OH, TX, CA, and Washington State. Please email Resume@kwikmtg.com to learn more about Kwik Mortgage!

United Capital Markets, Inc. announced the addition of Tim Covington as a SVP joining UCMs St. Louis office. Tim will be responsible for analytics, business development and trading/hedging of mortgage servicing assets. He joins the UCM team after 19 years with Wells Fargo Home Lending as SVP and Market Risk Manager. Congrats!

And FundingShield announced that Faith Schwartz has joined its senior advisory board, bringing a wealth of experience and relationships stemming from her leadership in the lending, fintech, non-profit and advisory space. Faith is currently president of automated verification provider FormFree.Welcome to Morningstar.co.uk!

You have been redirected here from Hemscott.com as we are merging our websites to provide you with a one-stop shop for all your investment research needs.To search for a security, type the name or ticker in the search box at the top of the page and select from the dropdown results.Registered Hemscott users can log in to Morningstar using the same login details. Similarly, if you are a Hemscott Premium user, you now have a Morningstar Premium account which you can access using the same login details.Taste of time is the title of painter Samir Fouads latest exhibition at the Picasso Gallery. It features eight paintings in different sizes depicting the motion, at different speeds, of tiny colourful balls.

Each expresses a different mood: playful, regretful or mysterious. In this work the artist resumes an exploration of the language of form through still life which he undertook in 1992-2004.

It was an experimental process, he says, a challenge to transfer the vividness of watercolour onto paintings produced in oils, which has a higher density.

The shiny, glassy balls, painted in a symbolic abstract style, resemble childrens marbles as well as wedding ornaments of the 1950s. In this and other ways the collection deals with the passage of time.

Another fantastically expressive piece, 80 by 100 cm, features a sad bride locking arms with a black-clad plastic mannequin rather than a groom.

The painting is painful  shocking. It shows the agony of the passage of time from the perspective of a middle-aged single woman who still aspires to the experience of love and company.

At the same time, its a comment on the decline in masculinity (seen as a positive value). Fouad usually paints women in motion, which makes this piece all the more powerful for its stillness.

One abstract piece, 35 by 47 cm, shows an empty alleyway where the light grey ground contrasts with dark, hazy buildings on both sides. Time empties space of humanity, although the bright horizon leaves some room for hope.

Time was also the theme of Fouads 2013 exhibition Nostalgia, another motif of which was the swing, which is the subject of a beautiful 80 by 100 cm painting in the current exhibition.

It is depicted in such a way as to suggest an inverted boat or the mouth of some beast, though there is nothing to devour except time itself. Another painting, 120 by 90 cm, features an absent-minded oud player, painted in yellow.

The figure is placed at the bottom of the canvas, while a bare grey area bears down on his head. Nothing happens beyond the same silent passage.

It is something Fouads new work has in common with artist Ashraf Reda and photographer Ayman Lotfis joint show of huge, jointly signed images at the Zamalek Art Gallery, Silence of the Body.

The pieces have their own erotic charge, imbued with cinematic weight: pervaded by black, they are interspersed with fluorescent flashes like flames or sparks of hope in the midst of depression.

They fluctuate between expressionism and symbolism. The female body is used as raw material with which to improvise on an image of joy.

Each piece also reflects the interplay of photography and draughtsmanship, with the former mostly providing the starting point or base image  a female figure, which is what Lotfis work tends to focus on anyway. Here is nothing new, and Redas decorative drawing adds little to the overall experience.

One of the highlights, which makes good use of Redas work, is a 164 by 107 cm piece showing intersecting female limbs covered in Arabic calligraphy and geometric patterns in bright colours, more pronounced against the black background.

In another, 135 by 135 cm, two female bodies crisscross, their golden hair flying. Their bodies fuse to form a working space for Reda. One powerful piece shows a birds eye view of two ballet dancers.

Decorated with zigzagging lines and minimalist triangles rather than the more elaborate motifs in other pieces, their bodies are multiplied in such a way as to suggest a sunflower, with their heads forming its centre.

This is the first collaboration between the award-winning photographer and the professor of interior design, and it wouldve been far more powerful had the work focused on the interaction between them, rather than arbitrarily placing one mode of work on top of the other.

In A Flower from Every Meadow at the Ubuntu Gallery, four artists show powerful paintings and pottery.

In mixed media on canvas, Lambro Vassiliadis depicts legendary characters that emerge from nature surrounded by lovable flora and fauna. Inspired by dreams and myths, they reflect a unique understanding of Greek, Roman and Islamic art.

Born in Cairo to a Greek father an Italian mother, Vassiliadis started his career in Cairo in 1963. Following a long absence and a string of achievements elsewhere in the world, he has returned to Cairo with a new affirmation of his Mediterranean and Middle Eastern connections.

Born in 1983, American University in Cairo graduate Sara Al-Samman is an interior designer-turned-artist who, in a mixture of collage and watercolours, depicts the fast rhythm and paradoxical isolation of everyday life in Cairo.

Visiting Home, a mixed media on cardboard diptych, 60 by 60 cm each, shows side views of buildings, cars and stray dogs conversing in silence.

Recalling the time theme, School Wall Elements, an acrylic on canvas piece, 100 by 100 cm, features a black and white cat stepping cautiously on top of a wall decorated with calligraphic notes and childish drawings.

Programme:

Silence of the Body can be seen until 6 January

Zamalek Art Gallery, 11 Brazil St., Zamalek, Cairo

A Flower from Every Meadow until 15 January

Ubuntu Gallery, 20 Hassan Sabry St., Ibn Zinky St, Zamalek

Taste of Time until 18 January

Picasso Gallery, 30 Hassen Assem St., Zamalek

*This article was first published in Al-Ahram Weekly.

For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture

Short link:

Sayre, PA (18840)

Today

Showers early, then cloudy in the afternoon. High around 70F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%..

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 49F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.Egypt's Minister of Culture Ines Abdel-Dayem and French Ambassador to Egypt Stephane Romatet held a press conference on 8 January at the Cairo Opera House's Main Hall to announce the details of '2019 Egypt-France Cultural Year.'

The cultural year is organised under the auspices of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and will continue through 2019.

Egypt and France have announced that 2019 is 'Egypt-France Cultural Year,' coinciding with the celebration of 150 years since the inauguration of the Suez Canal and presenting a series of various cultural events.

The event began with holding four concerts as part of the 'Independanse x Egypte' dance show at the Cairo and Alexandria opera houses from 8 to 11 January.

The show features six dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet Company accompanied by six dancers from the Cairo Opera Ballet Company.

'Independanse x Egypte' is choreographed by Gregory Gaillard with music by Florent Astrudeau, inspired by the enchantment of the River Nile.

Romatet said that this celebration comes within the framework of strengthening the bilateral relations and exchanging the experiences and activities between the two countries in all cultural and artistic fields.

The French ambassador also said that he is expecting a rise in the number of French tourists coming to Egypt in 2019, and that there are already many of them who are currently enjoying the beauty of Luxor and Sharm El-Sheikh.

Romatet also praised the efforts exerted by the French Cultural Institute in Cairo, directed by Mohamed Bouabdallah and his crew, in making the Egypt-France Cultural Year a great success.

Among the different artistic events to be offered will be an exhibition on Arabic typography and another on Egyptian caricature from 1970 to 2010, a week of French cuisine, as well as a contemporary dance show on world-renowned late architect Zaha Haddid titled 'Tears of Haddid' and choreographed by Walid Aouni, to be performed first in France then Egypt in March.

This is in addition to holding a series of seminars, theatre performances and hip hop musical concerts.

Abdel-Dayem said that every year the Fete de la musique is celebrated in Egypt on 20 and 21 June, but what is new this year is that Egyptian troupes will present their art in Paris and other French cities.

Also present at the conference was Minister of Antiquities Khaled El-Enany, who said that the exhibition of the treasures of Tutankhamen will go from the United States to Paris this year.

The Paris Opera Ballet Company dancers will seize the opportunity of their presence in Egypt and will take a photo at the Giza Pyramids plateau, which is considered great and free promotion for Egypt, El-Enany added.

Among the ideas and suggestions brought up by Egyptian journalists at the conference was the importance of documenting the activities of the Egypt-France Cultural Year in documentary films and a memorial book.

The idea was welcomed by both Romatet and the culture minister, who disclosed that this is already under discussion.

#

Following the conference, journalists were invited by Abdel-Dayem and Romatet to enjoy the 'Independanse x Egypte' performance at the Main Hall, which included international ballets such as Swan Lake and Don Quixote.

Short link:

The organizers of Miss Algeria have spoken out in defense of Khadija Ben Hamou, the second black woman to be crowned in the annual pageant, following an alleged torrent of racist abuse online.

Khadija became the first black woman to be crowned at the beauty pageant since 2005 on Saturday, but her win was reportedly tainted by trolls who criticized her appearance as ugly.

The organization defended their winner on Facebook, claiming the racist and critical comments where the result of edited unflattering photos of Khadija shared online. They posted two images of the winner in all her crowned glory as an apparent attempt at silencing the critics.

READ MORE: Philippines Catriona Gray is crowned Miss Universe 2018 (PHOTOS, VIDEOS)

Some commenters have defended their criticism, claiming they are not racist, but simply dont think the winner is worthy of the title. Equally, supporters have spoken out online to condemn the naysayers and claim references to Khadijas nose, hair, and skin complexion are simply racist.

Khadija will now go on to represent Algeria at the international Miss World 2019 pageant at the end of the year.

Like this story? Share it with a friend!Israeli media outlets are awash with speculation that Moscow is preparing to meddle in Aprils parliamentary election to help Benjamin Netanyahu stay in power. The Kremlin advised ignoring these false reports.

The speculation was started by Nadav Argaman, the head of the Israeli domestic security agency Shin Bet, who said Monday that a foreign power is preparing to interfere with the snap parliamentary election scheduled in April. The warning came during an event hosted by Friends of Tel Aviv University, but the broadcast was partially redacted by the Israeli military censor.

I cant say at this point for whom or against whom the intervention will be, but it involves cyber[attacks] and hacking, Argaman was quoted as saying. He added that he was 100% [certain] that [redacted foreign state] will intervene in the upcoming elections, and I know what Im talking about, I just dont know in whose favor.

The speech was attended by a large crowd, which makes the effort of keeping the identity of the foreign nation secret seemingly pointless. Censorship-restrained Israeli media resorted to referring to accusations against Russia in the 2016 election in the US or a report by Israeli security firms on how Russia could interfere in Israel to fill in the gap.

Some Israeli politicians were more forthcoming in pointing the finger and also expressing certainty of who they expected Russian interference would benefit.

We demand the security services make sure that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin doesnt steal the elections for his friend, the tyrant Bibi, Tamar Zandberg, head of the opposition left-wing Meretz party, said in a statement. Bibi is Benjamin Netanyahu, the right-wing Israeli prime minister, who is running for a fifth term while fighting off three separate corruption investigations.

Also on rt.com Netanyahus dramatic announcement turns into snoozefest as he complains about corruption scandal

The Kremlin responded to the allegations on Wednesday, reiterating that it was not in the business of interfering with other nations elections. Dont read these Israeli media, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov joked, paraphrasing a famous quote by Mikhail Bulgakov, who suggested the same about Soviet newspapers.

Russia never interfered, is not interfering and does not intend to interfere in an election in any nation of the world.

The Israeli prime minister too commented on the unfolding scandal, reassuring the public that the country is prepared to defend itself against any cyberattack on the upcoming election. A similar statement came from Shin Bet after its chief made the remarks.

Netanyahus government decided to call for a snap election in late December, stating that it was necessary due to a debate over conscription of Orthodox Jews between the ruling coalition members.

The announcement came after Netanyahu lost the support of former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman and his right-wing Yisrael Beiteinu party. It left the ruling coalition with a razor-thin majority of 61 seats in the 120-seat legislature. The election is to take place on April 9, about eight months earlier than required by law.

If you like this story, share it with a friend!Egypt's Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly attended on Wednesday the signing of an agreement to purify the country's Kitchener Drain at a cost of 148.3 million.

The agreement was signed by Minister of Water Resources Mohamed Abdel-Ati and Katrina Hansen, deputy director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in the presence of Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr.

The signing of the agreement is part of President Abdel-Fattah El Sisi's directives to the government to purify the canal water and provide necessary funds on that score.

Nasr described the agreement as very important, saying it aims at improving the health and environmental conditions in the governorates of Daqahliya, Gharbia and Kaf El-Sheikh.

Hansen, meanwhile, said her bank's investments in Egypt so far have reached 4.5 billion, praising economic and legislative reforms in the country.

The project is based on three axes, including the collection and treatment of wastewater, solid waste management, and the rehabilitation of the drain infrastructure.

It includes the construction of a modern structure to improve the health and environment of about 11 million citizens in 180 villages in the provinces of Daqahliya, Gharbia and Kafr El-Sheikh, and to support the purification of wastewater to be reused safely in irrigation and agriculture.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message.From the fact that the suspension clause exists, you can deduce something very basic to the U.S. constitutional system: There are no other inherent constitutional emergency powers. Yes, the president is commander in chief, with the power to defend the United States  but he can only do that with an army authorized and paid for by Congress.Egypt's Petroleum Minister Tareq El-Mulla has said that the country's Western Desert produces about 60 percent of Egypt's crude oil.

El-Mulla made the remarks in a statement on Wednesday while chairing a general assembly meeting of Agiba Petroleum Company to review its 2019/20 fiscal year budget plan.

The minister urged foreign companies to invest in the Western Desert as he expects more discoveries to be unearthed in this area, citing recent findings.

Agiba Petroleum Company chairman Essam Qaffas has said the company plans to produce about 46,000 barrels of crude oil and 19 million cubic feet of natural gas daily in the coming fiscal year.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

The walls protecting the city of Constantinople were the most famous of the medieval world, according to historynet.com, which wrote: The main line of defense was the Inner Wall, 40 feet in height and 15 feet thick, with a battlemented parapet five feet high that was accessed by stone ramps. Along its course at 175-foot intervals run 96 massive towers, each once capable of mounting the heaviest military engines of the day.Why would Congress vote to go to war if an aggressive force attempted to occupy our sovereign territory and seize our property but not defend us if taken by someone who enters illegally to occupy our land and take our property?That was despite Turners claims when he was arraigned eight weeks before, when he told Judge Anthony Beltrami that he was in the process of obtaining an attorney, said the three-judge panels decision, written by Superior Court Judge Maria McLaughlin. McLaughlin said Beltrami also did not question Turner on whether he wanted to proceed without a lawyer, or offer him a court-appointed one.Congress needs to act now to fund the wall so we can prevent crime, drugs and violence from pouring into our country, he said. It is time for House Democrats, who have voted for wall funding in the past, to stop with the political posturing and come to the table for good faith negotiations.Police said Arroyos long night of odd behavior began about 2 a.m., when he approached the house and stared straight into the camera of the homes doorbell surveillance system. Arroyo hung out in the doorway for more than two hours, moving in and out of the cameras frame, Cabrera said.While the number of families coming over the border has risen sharply, the number of border arrests  the leading gauge of how many people are trying to cross illegally  is actually one-quarter of what it was in 2000, dropping from 1.6 million then to 400,000 in 2018. Also noteworthy: The contingent of active-duty U.S. troops at the border has been more than halved, dropping from a peak in the fall of about 5,900 to about 2,350 last week.Employees of the U.S. Coast Guard who are facing a long U.S. government shutdown just received a suggestion: To get by without pay, consider holding a garage sale, babysitting or serving as a "mystery shopper."

The suggestions were part of a five-page tip sheet published by the Coast Guard Support Program, an employee-assistance arm of the service often known as CG SUPRT. It is designated to offer Coast Guard members help with mental-health issues or other concerns about their lives, including financial wellness.

The Coast Guard receives funding from the Department of Homeland Security, and is subjected to the shuttering of parts of the government along with DHS's other agencies. That stands in contrast to other military services, which are part of the Defense Department and have funding.

The tip sheet, titled "Managing your finances during a furlough," applies to the Coast Guard's 8,500-person civilian work force. About 6,400 of them are on indefinite furlough, while 2,100 are working without pay after being identified as essential workers, said Lt. Cmdr. Scott McBride, a service spokesman. They were last paid for the two-week period ending Dec. 22.

"While it may be uncomfortable to deal with the hard facts, it's best to avoid the 'hide your head in the sand' reaction," the tip sheet said. "Stay in charge of the situation by getting a clear understanding of what's happening."

The Coast Guard removed the tip sheet from the support program's website late Wednesday morning after The Washington Post inquired about it.

The suggestions do not "reflect the Coast Guard's current efforts to support our workforce during this lapse in appropriations," said Lt. Cmdr. Scott McBride, a service spokesman. "As such, this guidance has been removed."

The situation shows the increasing strain that the service is under as the partial government shutdown continues. About 41,000 active-duty Coast Guardsmen are working without pay. Their next check is due Jan. 15.

Overall, about 420,000 government employees are working under the promise they will be paid retroactively, with nearly another 350,000 on furlough at home.

The Coast Guard's status as an unfunded military service increasingly has become a political issue, as family members share their worries about a shutdown with no end in sight amid a political dispute about President Donald Trump's proposed border wall. Coast Guardsmen rely not only on paychecks, but also now-frozen government housing allowances in order to afford housing in expensive coastal cities where many are assigned.

Late last month, the Coast Guard announced that it had found enough money to pay its service members one last time through the end of the year. The Trump administration took credit afterward, releasing a statement that said the president and some of his staff members had worked "round the clock" to address the issue.

Coast Guard leaders have sought to provide as much information as possible, and offer suggestions for where financial assistance might be possible. Late last month, it also released a letter for families to provide to creditors while seeking temporary financial relief.

"This lapse in beyond in appropriations is beyond our members' control and is expected to be a temporary situation," said the letter, signed by Rear Adm. Matthew Shibley. "We appreciate your organization's understanding and flexibility in working with Coast Guard members who request forbearance on their obligations until this situation is resolved."

Coast Guard family members said Wednesday that there are no easy solutions as the political stalemate continues, but that they are getting by.

Jacqueline Esparza, whose husband is in the Coast Guard and stationed in Seattle, said not all families affiliated with the service live in houses where having a garage sale is possible. Service members, who are still required to work, also are not easily able to find supplemental income, she said.

"Doing odd jobs and selling items we don't need anymore is a temporary fix," she said. "It's not going to help us pay the rent."

Natalie Daniels, whose husband is stationed in San Diego, said her family's situation isn't "dire just yet," but missing the upcoming paycheck would definitely "start the clock" on that. Their family includes four children.

"I am not afraid of this shutdown," she said. "I am afraid of the current political discourse that may discourage future generations from wanting to serve their country on the basis of being used as political pawns."

Daniels said both political parties are "playing a game of political chicken with Americans," and it needs to stop.

"Frankly, I am exhausted, stressed, and emotionally drained by our current political climate, but if you were to ask my husband what I've said to him when he's called every night, he would tell you I've said, 'We are fine,' " she said. "That's how a military spouse supports her husband, and that is how a military spouse supports their country."I think this is a council that works well together, and being one of the senior council members it is a responsibility I take until myself that we continue to focus on the needs of constituents and move the city forward, Brown said.Taylor said the school has been making progress on meeting the needs of students and enrollment has been strong  settling fears about the schools financial future. As of this month, Taylor said, 596 students were enrolled. In contrast, it was 372 before opening for the 2017-18 school year.The charter school can appeal the decision: If the school board votes against renewing the charter, the school can take their case to the states charter school appeal board. That board will review the information presented at the public hearing and can request supplemental information from either the Catasauqua Area School Board or the Innovative Arts Academy Charter School. The board will issue a written decision that details why they agree or disagree with the school boards decision. The appeal boards decision will overrule the one made at the locally.Egypt's Minister of Investment and International Cooperation Sahar Nasr held talks on Wednesday with first deputy chairman of the US-based Uber company Tony West.

The talks took up the means of increasing the company's activities in Egypt.

This comes within the framework of Uber's plan to invest $100 million in Egypt over the coming five years.

West lauded the investment atmosphere in Egypt and the incentives offered by the government to investors, which is why his company is seeking to increase its investments in Egypt.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

During peak hours, employees direct traffic in the buildings small parking lot, Elias said. That will continue if necessary, said engineer Steve Pany, and a sign outside the store will let customers know. Employees also will be posted outside to help carry groceries to the overflow lot, Elias said.We must never tolerate sexual assault on our campuses or a culture the allows it, Gov. Tom Wolf said in the news release. Over the past three years, my administration has worked with students, schools, and communities to build programs to stop sexual assaults. These grants will help schools across the state to make campuses safer, and help stop sexual harassment and assault.The trooper drove to the Home Depot, where he saw Walkers SUV in the parking lot. Walker was not in the SUV and the trooper walked up to it and saw a tarp covering luggage in the trunk of the vehicle. The trooper said he had not seen the tarp in the earlier stop.A 75-year-old city woman was reported missing Tuesday and is likely confused and attempting to hitchhike to New Jersey, Allentown police said.

Allentown police said Elouise Stevens walked away from her home on Tuesday and may be trying to get to Plainfield, N.J.

Stevens is described as being 5-foot-2 and 150 pounds with gray hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing a a blue coat with gray sleeves and a black knit hat

If anyone sees Stevens, they are urged to call Allentown police at 610-437-7751 or 610-437-7721. They can also simply call 911.

mgamiz@mcall.com

Twitter @mannypantalones

610-820-6595A fireball is not a mere colloquialism. It is an actual astronomical term, and nearly 200 people on the East Coast reported seeing one in broad daylight Wednesday morning.

The nonprofit American Meteor Society collected more than 190 reports in seven states, including Pennsylvania, of a fireball  a meteor that burns brighter than the planet Venus  rocketing across a small section of the sky above the Delaware coast around 11:35 a.m.

From one vantage point in New Jersey, the fireball remained in sight for less than 10 seconds.

More info here: https://www.amsmeteors.org/2019/01/bright-fireball-over-the-east-coast/ Video Credit: Jermy Settle - https://twitter.com/jeremysettle

It seems mainly to have caught the eye of experienced watchers  who else would know to notify the American Meteor Society?  all the way from western North Carolina to the tip of Long Island.

By far the largest, brightest and fastest object I have seen, wrote observer Mike F. in Quakertown.

Based on the reports, the AMS computed a trajectory that shows the meteor traveling from northeast to southwest, ending in the Atlantic Ocean northeast of Norfolk, Va.

There are significant clusters of reports from southeast Pennsylvania, the area of Richmond, Va., and all along the Maryland coast.

Thousands of meteors bright enough to be considered fireballs grace the atmosphere every day, but usually over oceans and either masked by daylight or coming at night when most are sleeping.

The brighter the fireball, the rarer the sighting. For example, an experienced observer might see one with a brightness magnitude of -4  thats about the brightness of Venus  every 20 hours of observation. But a brighter magnitude fireball  say -6 or better  is likely to seen with 200 hours of observation. Thats still a little less bright than a first-quarter moon.

The AMS hasnt reported whether this one reached the ground or ocean, making it a meteorite. A fireball generally needs a brightness of -8 to -10 to have enough mass to potentially make it to the ground.

In other words, its rare. Good data have been collected on about 800 fireballs, according to the AMS, and only four of those have been recorded as meteorites on the ground.

kdwyer@mcall.com

Twitter @kayla_dwyer17

610-820-6554All of these conversations were conversations that helped me in the beginning, and they gave me more confidence going in, to really pull this thing through and have the shock factor, Hart says. I wanted people to walk away with, I didnt know Kevin had that in him, and he did.Besides the private factory tour for the winner and up to three guests, the grand prize consists of a $250 gift certificate to the Peeps & Co. store in the Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley; hotel accommodations for two nights; and round-trip air transportation for the winner and guests from the winner's city of residence.Global technology firm, Huawei Technologies, has outlined its 2019 growth strategy largely focused on guaranteeing its business resilience while forecasting a 21% growth this year.

In a New Years message Huawei Technologies Rotating Chairman, Mr Guo Ping, described the year 2018 as an eventful year for the firm while promising swift recovery from negative conjecture and market restrictions.

Undeterred by thinly veiled market restrictions, Guo said that Huawei has this year, managed to sign 26 commercial contracts for 5G with leading global carriers, and have already shipped more than 10,000 5G base stations to markets around the world. More than 160 cities and 211 Fortune Global 500 companies, he added, have selected Huawei as their partner for digital transformation, affording the firm 2018 sales revenues of up to US$ 108.5 billion.

The early waves of mobile communications technologies were largely driven by American and European companies. As 5G approaches, promising to unprecedentedly transform the way people live and reshape the society and industries, Huawei has emerged as a player. In the battle to determine who will lead the race, the United States has barred Huawei from supplying its government and contractors for alleged Chinese manufacturers are spying on the West.

However, no evidence has ever been provided to prove the accusation. It would not be in Huaweis interest to carry out the alleged surveillance activities, as it would cause the company to lose its image and the current position in the international market.

Huaweis growth in the past 10 years has worried its international competitors. Huawei is the leading networking equipment supplier in the world. Earlier this year, Huawei topped Apple in the number of smartphone units shipped, and ranks only behind Samsung.

The motivations behind these accusations are partly commercial and partly geopolitical, given that the United States and China are locked in a trade dispute that has disrupted the flow of hundreds of billions of dollars of goods. Project Syndicate, an international media organization, reported on Dec 11, 2018 that Huawei is one of Chinas most important technology companies, and therefore a prime target in Trump administrations effort to slow or stop Chinas advance into several high-technology sectors. Forbes also published an article on Dec 10, 2018 with the heading The Feds Shamefully Persecute Chinas Huawei For Being Too Successful.

A number of carriers globally including British Telecommunications (BT) has expressed support for the worlds biggest telecom gear maker. While attending an event in London in November, BTs Chief Architect Neil McRae proclaimed  there is only one true 5G supplier right now and that is Huawei  the others need to catch up. 

Deutsche Telekom responded to an inquiry from Der Spiegel, a German weekly news magazine in November, explaining that they use equipment from various manufacturers, including Ericsson, Nokia, Cisco and Huawei, and stating that they cannot  afford to exclude high-performance suppliers .

Despite the intense 5G race and the US-China trade dispute, Huaweis business performance remains strong.

We have never stopped pushing forward, and as a result our 2018 sales revenue is expected to reach 108.5 billion US dollars, up 21% year-on-year,Guo said, adding that, Our business performance remains strong, and this is by far the most direct form of validation that we can receive from our customers. 

Guo pointed out in the New Years message that as the dynamic between world powers becomes more intense, there will be greater uncertainty in the macro business environment, but Huawei will keep feet on the ground and improve the business ecosystem for the industry, making tangible contributions to local communities and working to secure opportunities for fair competition.

Partager et informez vous aussi......

0 shares Share

Tweet

LinkedInPolice in Australia are investigating suspicious packages sent to a wide range of embassies and consulates on Wednesday, which officials said included the U.S. and British missions in Melbourne, but there were no reports of harm to staff.

Domestic media reported more than a dozen foreign offices received the packages and that some staff said they contained asbestos, a material used in building that can cause cancers and other health problems.

There were no details of any possible motive and some of the targeted sites that Reuters reporters visited were open later on Wednesday afternoon.

"The packages are being examined by attending emergency services," the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said in a short statement.

It said the packages were sent to consulates in Melbourne and embassies in Canberra but did not provide a total number of affected sites or identify any of them.

"The circumstances surrounding the incidents are being investigated," the AFP statement said.

Officials at the U.S. and British consulates in Melbourne separately confirmed suspicious packages had been received.

"We handled the package according to our standard procedures and in close coordination with local authorities ... who are investigating the incident," a spokesman for the U.S. Consulate said.

A New Zealand official told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation the consulate received an envelope with small plastic bags that appeared to contain concrete and asbestos, with "asbestos" written on one of the bags.

The Age newspaper reported that one firefighter was seen outside the South Korean consulate carrying a large plastic bag with the word "asbestos" written on it.

Other consulates in Melbourne reported by media to have received suspicious packages included those representing Greece, Italy, Spain, Thailand, India, Japan, Pakistan, Egypt, Denmark and Switzerland. Reuters could not confirm the reports.

Short link:

Philippine Airlines said Tuesday it expects to close a deal with a strategic investor in the first half, as it expands routes in Asia starting April. Were targeting first half of the year. Were talking to a possible strategic investor, PAL president and chief operating officer Jaime Bautista told reporters. The investor is expected to acquire up to 40 percent of the flag carrier. PAL tapped Morgan Stanley as financial advisor for the transaction. The airline also announced that it was expanding operations in Asia by launching new routes to Hanoi (Vietnam), Phnom Penh (Cambodia) and New Delhi (India) from its Manila hub. The latest expansion by PAL creates the first direct air link between the Philippines and the capital of Cambodia, expands PALs existing Vietnam network and re-establishes a historic link to India with immense potential for tourism development. Philippine Airlines strategic vision is to make the Philippines a true gateway to Asia. We are the Southeast Asian airline with the biggest and most extensive network of direct flights to the US and Canada, and thus we can be the leader in carrying North American travelers to India, Cambodia and Vietnam via our Manila hub, Bautista said. We will leverage Manilas excellent geographical location as an ideal stopover point for people flying to Southeast and South Asia from the East and West Coasts of North America, he said. PAL currently operates 43 weekly flights nonstop from six North American destinations: New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, San Francisco, Honolulu and Vancouver. This comprehensive network, flown by PALs latest-technology Boeing 777, Airbus A350 and Airbus A330 aircraft, will generate passenger travel flows to Hanoi, Delhi, Phnom Penh and other destinations in the Asean region. PAL additionally operates seven weekly flights from the US territory of Guam.Vietnam and Cambodia are emerging markets and economic centers that need connections to the rest of the world. We are excited to introduce their excellent tourist attractions to more and more Western travelers, including Filipino Americans, Bautista said. PAL also looks forward to serving the many ethnic Vietnamese and Cambodian people who are now US and Canadian citizens, he said. The return of PAL to the Indian market will provide a welcome boost to the tourism industries of both the Philippines and India. The airline previously flew the Manila  Delhi route from 2011 to 2013, with most flights making costly stopovers in Bangkok because of the limited range of the Airbus A320 aircraft then in use. PAL also served Kolkata (Calcutta) as a key stopover point on the flag carriers multi-stop Manila-Europe services in the 1950s. PAL is targeting April 2019 as the start of the New Delhi service subject to final slot and operational clearances with the Indian authorities. The new route is slated to run four times weekly nonstop between Manila and New Delhis Indira Gandhi International Airport using brand-new Airbus A321neo aircraft.IP and automotive sector

Editor's note: This webinar has been rescheduled to February 12 from January 16.

Gowling WLG and Managing IP are holding a complimentary webinar, IP and the Automotive Sector, on February 12 at 4pm GMT/11am EST that will review the challenges posed by the future development of connected cars and autonomous vehicles.

Guest speakers Matt Hervey, director at Gowling WLG, and veteran IP journalist James Nurton will discuss strategies for innovative and disruptive technology trends.

Topics to be discussed include:

 Challenges to the automotive industry: scale of investment needed, new entrants, competition for AI skills

 Patentability of AI in automotive applications

Alternatives to patenting including the importance of trade secrets, copyright, designs and branding

 Is data properly recognised in IP?

 SEPs and connected vehicles and the potential for standards for AVs

 Growth of litigation in the automotive sector and licensing models

 IP for mobility as a service

The webinar will last 60 minutes. As with all our webinars, there will also be an opportunity for the audience to ask questions of the panellists.

The webinar is free to attend: just register here or below.

The material on this site is for law firms, companies and other IP specialists. It is for information only. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Notice before using the site. All material subject to strictly enforced copyright laws.  2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs.

Share this articleMalibu, CA (90265)

Today

Clouds and some sun this morning with more clouds for this afternoon. High 86F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph..

Tonight

Considerable cloudiness. Low 63F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.Bonnie Squires is a communications consultant who writes weekly for Main Line Media News and can be reached at bonniesquires.com. She hosts the Bonnies Beat TV show at Radnor Studio 21 and Main Line Television.North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed an expected US-North Korea summit in talks in Beijing on Tuesday, Yonhap news agency said, days after Kim warned he may take an alternative path if the United States does not ease sanctions.

Kims visit to China, confirmed by North Korean and Chinese state media, comes amid plans for a second summit with US President Donald Trump aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula.

South Koreas Yonhap, without identifying its sources, said the two leaders held talks for an hour in which they discussed the second US-North Korea summit and strengthening bilateral ties.

The meeting was followed by a dinner hosted by Xi and his wife, Yonhap said.

Kim held three summits last year with Xi, his most important ally, before and after summits with Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Kim and Trump pledged to work towards denuclearization at their landmark June summit in Singapore, but the agreement was short on specifics. Negotiations have made little headway since.

Kim is eager to remind the Trump administration that he does have diplomatic and economic options besides what Washington and Seoul can offer, Harry J. Kazianis, Director of Defence Studies at the US-based Centre for the National Interest, said in an e-mailed statement.

In fact, during his New Years Day speech, Kims new way that he referred to may well have been a veiled threat to move closer to Beijing. That should make America quite concerned.

Kim left for China on a private train on Monday afternoon accompanied by his wife, Ri Sol Ju, and senior North Korean officials, including Kim Yong Chol, a key negotiator in talks with the United States, and foreign minister Ri Yong Ho, North Koreas state-run KCNA news agency said.

Chinas official Xinhua news agency confirmed that Kim was visiting from Monday to Thursday at Xis invitation.

The visit coincides with what South Korean officials say is Kims 35th birthday on Tuesday.

Kims visit to North Koreas most important economic and diplomatic ally follows reports of advanced negotiations for a second summit between Washington and Pyongyang aimed at resolving the standoff over North Koreas nuclear and missile programs.

Kim said in his New Year speech he was ready to meet Trump any time to achieve their common goal of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. But he warned that he may seek an alternative path if US sanctions and pressure against the country continued.

Good Partner

In an interview with CNBC on Monday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised Chinas support for resolving the North Korean crisis and said he did not think the US trade dispute with China would affect this.

Kims visit comes as a US delegation opened a second day of talks with Chinese counterparts in Beijing aimed at ending the trade war between the worlds two largest economies.

The Chinese have been very clear to us that these are separate issues, Pompeo said.

Their behavior has demonstrated that as well and we appreciate that. China has actually been a good partner in our efforts to reduce the risk to the world from North Koreas nuclear capability; I expect they will continue to do so.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang, asked during a daily briefing whether there was a connection between Kims visit and the possibility of another meeting between Kim and Trump, said China believed contact between the United States and North Korea was important.

China has always supported both sides to continue to hold talks and to reach a positive outcome, Lu said. Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in Beijing, said Kims trip would have no direct influence on the progress of trade talks.

While no details were released about an agenda in China, Kim has been seeking relief from sanctions, a peace declaration to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War and more investment.

Ties between China and North Korea, which had frayed as Pyongyang stepped up its missile and nuclear tests up to late 2017, warmed over the past year as Kim engaged with China, South Korea and the United States.

Short link:

Exton, PA (19341)

Today

Mostly sunny. High 77F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 57F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.Videos

Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos.Today

Mixed clouds and sun this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 92F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%.

Tonight

Mostly cloudy skies this evening will become partly cloudy after midnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable.

Tomorrow

Partly cloudy. High 94F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.To the editor:

And so, once again we have another loser trying to tell a winner how to win. Mitt Romney is like the poster child for second-place finishers. Instead of being an asset to both the Republican Party and to this country, he seeks to find a crack in President Trumps armor so that he may exploit it for his own benefit.

The European allies, if one can call them that, are dismayed, disappointed, frightened even, that this President is holding them accountable to pay their share of the costs of international business. At great cost our country protects theirs by our military presence and trade imbalances. It was the well-intentioned actions of our past that created and maintained this lopsided financial fiasco. And Mitt Romney is of this past. We now have a President that stands up for this country and that most needed ingredient has been sorrowfully missing for too long.

Politics are changing. The earth is in constant flux and politics are no different. Mitt Romney is still in the dial phone era of politics while the most advanced practitioners are telling their Alexa to turn on the lights.

So, instead of jumping up and down screaming for the teacher to notice him, Mitt Romney needs to take the advice of General Douglas MacArthur, and just fade away.

Joseph L. Kibitlewski, PhD.

Cape CoralLast year, we opened 2018 urging those who had not yet received a flu shot to get one.

This year, for much the same reason, we are repeating that advice.

Lee County has again experienced a sharp increase in flu cases in December with Lee Health reporting a jump from fewer than 90 cases during the week of Dec. 8 to more than 310 the week of Dec. 23.

While, as of press time, the health care system had not again restricted children 12 and younger from visiting patients in high-risk units such as pediatric intensive care and hematology/oncology, Lee Health is asking that children not visit hospitalized patients while flu is prevalent, and that anyone with flu symptoms not visit as well.

And if you think you have the flu?

Lee Health advises you to seek medical care by visiting your primary care doctor, a Lee Health Convenient Care, walk-in or an urgent care center where they can diagnose and treat the illness.

Lee Health also has some prevention advice with getting the flu vaccine, as well as the pneumococcal vaccine, topping its list.

We agree, getting a flu shot makes sense.

For almost everyone. The CDC recommends flu shots for anyone 6 months and older.

While Florida is not yet among the nine states the U.S. Center for Disease Control now reports with a high-concern level of flu and flu-like activity, this years flu strains have resulted in an anomaly in hospitalizations: The highest hospitalization rate is among children younger than 5.

Typically, its adults 65 years and older.

While officials say the national hospitalization ranking for children is not overly concerning  its older and younger, in that order, who are most at risk of flu-related complications  there have been 11 pediatric deaths to date, eight of them in December.

For too many, its more than the unpleasantness of fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue. On average, 36,000 people die from the virus or related complications each flu season.

The best time to get one is at the start of the flu season, around October, as peak season typically runs December through March and it takes two weeks for the inoculation to produce antibodies and so become effective.

But its not too late to get one now.

If fact, with flu still reported as minimal in Florida, its still a good time to protect yourself and your family ahead of what may be yet to come in February, the worse month for the airborne and contact illness.

The Florida Department of Health provides free shots for children in Lee County. Free flu vaccines for children 6 months old through 18 years are available at the departments Immunization Clinic, 3920 Michigan Ave., Fort Myers.

Clinic hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday.

Flu vaccine for adults 19 years and older is $30, with High-Dose flu vaccine for adults 65 years and older $50.

Appointments are required and may be made by calling 239-461-6100.

Local health care providers and pharmacies all over Lee County also provide flu shots.

Visit floridahealth.gov/programs-and-services/prevention/flu-prevention/locate-a-flu-shot.html for additional guidance as to location.

 Citizen editorialHealthy Harvest Farms is in great need of another tractor and is seeking the communitys help in acquiring one.

Gary Dittman, chairman of the Healthy Harvest Farms board, said a tractor that farm has been using for a few years became unavailable at the end of December.

We are going to move on and take the high road and, hopefully, somehow raise enough money, or someone who is a wonderfully good citizen (will help with) a lease, or loan a new or used tractor, he said.

Dittman said they would also be very receptive to someone who has a tractor and is willing to come out to the farm and let them borrow, or use the tractor during their planting season.

We are in desperate need of a new one, he said. We use the tractor to plow the fields and turn over the ground.

Right now everything is being done by hand. Dittman said they have a small tiller they use to plow the fields, but they have to pick up the dirt by hand and get the weeds out by hand.

Its very intensive labor orientation, he said. Any kind of mechanical help would be extremely helpful.

Dittman said the board was meeting last week to have a discussion about possible fundraisers to raise money for a tractor. In the meantime, he said if someone could help them out that would be fantastic.

Right now we are in the middle of grant writing, our primary focus. After that, we will plan a couple of events to raise some money, Dittman said.

Those who would like to help Healthy Harvest Farms can contact Dittman at gary@healthyharvestfarms.org, or call (312) 286-0786.

The primary focus of the farm is to provide food for the local community, local charities and those who are less fortunate. The farm focuses on teaching children at various levels how to plant, when to plant, as well as the value of growing their own food and trying to get them excited about the opportunity to work in the soil.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/pages/Healthy-Harvest-Community-Farms/823924827634760.

Healthy Harvest Farms is located at 607 Mirror Lakes Drive.Flu season, which began back in October, has officially arrived in Southwest Florida with more than 310 cases confirmed during the week of Dec. 23, according to Lee Health.

Those numbers are a jump from the fewer than 90 cases confirmed the week of Dec. 8.

Officials said that as the season continues to ramp up, it is important to take preventive steps to keep yourself healthy.

In a press release, Lee Health encouraged community members to:

 Get the flu vaccine, as well as the pneumococcal vaccine (a secondary illness), if you are able.

 Stay home when you are ill-especially do not visit the hospital if you have flu-like symptoms.

 Avoid bringing children under the age of 12 to hospitals when possible.

 Cover your cough and, if you use a tissue, dispose of it in a waste receptacle.

Those with flu symptoms are advised to visit their primary care doctor, a Lee Health Convenient Care, walk-in or urgent care center. All can diagnose and treat the flu.

Patients with flu-like symptoms should only go to the hospital if they are experiencing severe respiratory distress, have a compromised immune system or are either very old or very young, said Dr. Ashraf Khan, System Director Epidemiology/Infect Control at Lee Health.

For children under the age of 2, parents should contact their primary pediatrician. If the infant stops drinking or breathing, they should be taken for evaluation at the emergency department, added Khan.

Despite the spike in cases, this is the typical pattern seen, and is on par with what was seen last year as well, said Khan.

The peak of flu season is usually in late January and early February, Khan said.

It is not too late to get the flu shot, for those who have not done so yet.

According to the CDC website, vaccines are recommended to contain H1N1, H3N2 and Victoria lineage-all different types of influenza.

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get a flu shot; the shot is safe for children older than 6 months, and for pregnant women as well.

A new form of vaccine has come in the form of a nasal spray, and has been recommended for healthy, non-pregnant persons ages 2-49.

The CDC recommends older adults to get a pneumonia vaccine, along with the flu vaccine, due to complications pneumonia can cause as a result of the flu.

Lee Healths Mary Beth Saunders, D.O., system medical director, Epidemiology and Infection Prevention, reminds residents of some of the various places we can catch the flu and other germs, including:

 Restrooms buttons, levers, handles, any high-touch area.

 Buttons and handrails ATMs, store checkouts, staircases, elevators, escalators.

 Gym equipment.

 Shopping carts.

 Gas pumps

 Desks-keyboards, phones, mouse, stapler, pens.

 Handshakes

 Kitchen sponges, handles, countertops

 Accessories-purses, jewelry.

To combat these germs, Saunders recommends using hand sanitizer and practicing good hand hygiene.Stop by the East County Regional Library to stock your personal home library during the Friends Group Mini Book Sale.

Samantha Wallace, East County Regional Library regional manager, said they are going to try and pull out some of the really popular authors that people are into and put them in their Storytime Room for sale.

We pull out a little bit of every age group, childrens, adults, teens. It will be a variety of items that we will have displayed out on carts and they will be in their own sections, she said. When the carts get a little empty, we will refill them. We are trying to do a variety of things, things that we know that our people really love and things they like to have to build their own collection library at home.

The sale will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 18, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 19.

The book sale is sponsored by the East County Regional Friends Group, who also help sponsor the programs at the library. The proceeds from the book sale will help with the librarys focus this year, offering more family-oriented programs.

In order to make these things happen we have to have the financial support, Wallace said.

The books are $1 a piece, she said, so they can keep it affordable for the community to grow their personal library at home.

You come in with $5 and you get five books for your kids. That is amazing. That is five books that will stay in the household that can be passed down to other family members, friends and neighbors, she said. Its an opportunity to get books into every home and that can become part of that home and neighborhood.

The best part of the sale, Wallace said is the proceeds will come back to the library, so the staff can create programs that families would love to partake in together.

Two-thousand nineteen is about family. We as a library want to also promote that family environment of social connection and meeting new people and making new friends. Creating things with your own hands and exploring new ideas, she said. The focus is to really let this be the place to come in and partake on all the services that we provide.

Wallace said the Friends Group are really supportive of the library.

The meet every second Tuesday of the month. They would like for the community to come out and learn more about what they do. They are a big piece of helping us provide opportunities for our patrons to experience these programs, she said. Every second Tuesday at 6:30 I present a calendar of events and programs that we outline for the upcoming month. I have people from each department talk about what they want to do. They have not yet said no. They are so excited.

Wallace encourages individuals to attend the meeting, so they can hear first hand what the Friends Group does for the library.Members of a widely respected anti-corruption commission began leaving Guatemala on Tuesday, one day after being ordered out by President Jimmy Morales, who was among its many powerful targets.

Given the risks ... international personnel have been asked to leave the country until further notice, said Matias Ponce, a spokesman for the U.N.-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala, which has worked with local prosecutors to jail dozens of legislators and three ex-presidents and has been lauded as a model for fighting crime.

The commission is investigating Morales campaign financing and has pursued corruption investigations against two members of his family and several current members of Congress.

Guatemalas abrupt announcement that it was expelling the group drew international condemnation and sparked fears that the countrys democracy was at risk. The expulsion order defies rulings from the Constitutional Court  the countrys highest judicial body  that guarantee commission members the right to work in Guatemala.

Advertisement

Defenders of the commission say the expulsion also violates the terms of the Vienna Convention, which governs international agreements.

On Tuesday, the Constitutional Court considered several legal challenges to the expulsion by civil society groups. As the court deliberated, it requested that the government provide more information about why it decided to expel the commission.

Morales has complained that the commission  which was formed in 2006 to conduct independent investigations into graft, drug trafficking and genocide in the war-scarred Central American nation  violates Guatemalan sovereignty and is politically motivated.

He has spent months trying to dismantle it, despite coming to office on an anti-corruption platform.

Morales had previously attempted to bar the head of the commission from entering Guatemala, and this fall said he would not extend the commissions current two-year mandate, which is set to expire in September.

His government has helped organize protests in recent days of people who oppose the commission, and it earned the support of one of the countrys largest business groups, which said in a statement that the commission helped foment polarization and divide political opinion on the efforts to fight corruption.

Critics of Morales said the president is expelling the commission to protect himself.

The objective here is to prevent corruption cases from moving forward and ensuring impunity for the people in power, said Adriana Beltran, an analyst with the Washington Office on Latin America think tank. The rule of law and the future of the country are at stake.

Advertisement

It is unclear whether the government will comply if the high court decides, as it has in the past, that the commission, known as the CICIG, has the right to continue doing its work. Several members of Congress have proposed removing judges on the court who have supported the commission, or dissolving the Constitutional Court altogether.

Claudia Escobar, a legal scholar and former Guatemalan Appeals Court judge, said she believes Morales and the Congress are looking to create complete control ahead of national elections scheduled for June.

To destroy and attack the CICIG, they have to destroy the countrys institutions, she said.

The United States was instrumental in creating the commission, part of a wider effort to fight corruption in a region where political instability and economic inequality have contributed to large-scale migration north. The U.S. provides about half of the commissions $15-million annual budget.

Advertisement

On Tuesday, the State Department released a statement saying the United States is concerned about the future of anti-corruption efforts in Guatemala, though it failed to mention the ouster of the commission explicitly.

Rule of law, reduced corruption, and an end to impunity are key to security, stability, and prosperity, not only in Guatemala, but throughout the region, the statement said. The U.S. government remains committed to supporting Guatemalan institutions and the Guatemalan people in their ongoing fight against corruption and impunity.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

Twitter: @katelinthicum

Advertisement

Staff writer Tracy Wilkinson contributed to this report from Amman, Jordan.Saudi asylum seeker Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun has been declared a refugee by the United Nations and is being referred to Australia, the government there said Wednesday.

The development probably ensures that Alqunun, 18, who became an internet sensation in the last week after barricading herself in an airport hotel room in Bangkok, Thailand, wont have to return to her family, which she said is abusive and made her fear for her life.



For the record: An earlier version of this story said Alqunun was referred to Australia by the U.N. high commissioner for human rights. The agency was the high commissioner for refugees.

The United Nations high commissioner for refugees has referred Ms. Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun to Australia for consideration for refugee resettlement, an Australian government spokesman said. The Department of Home Affairs will consider this referral in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals.

The official declined to elaborate on Alqununs chances of resettlement. The U.N. also declined to comment.

Advertisement

Alqunun is in Bangkok, where she fled over the weekend from Kuwait to escape male members of her family. She said she had earlier been beaten and locked in a room for six months for cutting her hair.

She captured widespread attention for live-tweeting her refusal to board a plane back to Kuwait on Monday despite the urging of Thai officials.

Immigration authorities later granted Alqunun entry into Thailand so she could meet with representatives from the U.N. refugee agency.

Even then, Alqununs safety was anything but certain. Thailand has a poor record of protecting refugees and asylum seekers. And Alqununs father and brother reportedly traveled to Bangkok to work with Saudi diplomats there to pressure Thailand to send Alqunun home.

Alqununs plight has focused more attention on Saudi Arabias mistreatment of women and girls. Human rights experts say the kingdom engenders a culture of inequality and domestic abuse. Alqunun was able to flee to Thailand only while visiting Kuwait, for example, because Saudi Arabia forbids women to travel without permission from a male guardian.

Human rights advocates were elated Wednesday to learn Alqunun had been declared a refugee and referred to Australia, her original choice for asylum.

Hey.. Im happy  pic.twitter.com/FJJvz8Kzu0  Rahaf Mohammed   (@rahaf84427714) January 9, 2019

Just two days ago, she was barricaded in a hotel room fighting for her life, Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watchs Asia division, said from Bangkok. Now we see this wonderful and astonishing turn of events. Whats important is to get her safe, so Australia really needs to move quickly to get her out of here.

Advertisement

Robertson said the United Nations refers asylum seekers to countries where it believes theyll be safest. If Australia rejects Alqunun, her U.N. refugee status makes it easier to appeal to other countries for resettlement.

On Monday, Alqunun tweeted a picture of herself, with the words Hey.. Im happy.

david.pierson@latimes.com

Twitter: @dhpiersonGuatemalas highest court has blocked efforts by President Jimmy Morales to expel a United Nations-backed anti-corruption commission that has been investigating Morales and several members of his family.

On Monday, Morales gave the commission 24 hours to leave the country, a move that drew several appeals from civil society leaders who claimed it was illegal.

In a ruling issued early Wednesday morning after all-night deliberations, the nations Constitutional Court found that the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala was allowed to remain in the country and carry out its activities, which include conducting independent investigations into corruption, drug trafficking and genocide.

It was unclear whether Morales, who has shown a willingness to disobey the court in the past, would comply with the ruling.

Advertisement

If he doesnt, Guatemalas democracy is in question, the countrys human rights prosecutor told the Associated Press.

The government is under obligation to comply, said Jordan Rodas, who presented one of the court appeals. If it doesnt obey, that is a whole other matter, and would constitute a coup, because the cornerstone of the rule of law is respect for the judicial branch.

Although several members of the commission fled Guatemala on Tuesday, a spokesman for the group, Matias Ponce, said it would continue its work.

The commission must complete its mandate in respect to the international agreement between Guatemala and the United Nations, Ponce said.

Formed by the U.N. in 2006 at the request of Guatemalan civil society groups, the commission has worked with local prosecutors to jail hit men, drug barons, dozens of legislators and three ex-presidents.

Morales vowed to support the commission when he took office in 2015 but turned on it when the group began investigating him on allegations of accepting about $1 million in illegal campaign donations. The commission has also investigated his son and brother on corruption charges.

Morales and other critics have accused the group of having political motivations and violating Guatemalas sovereignty.

The controversy over the commission, which polls show has the support of a majority of Guatemalans, has prompted days of street protests.

Advertisement

On Tuesday, the U.S. State Department issued a statement urging a peaceful resolution.

The United States was instrumental in creating the commission, part of a broader effort to fight corruption in a region where political instability and economic inequality have spurred migration north. The U.S. provides about half of the commissions $15-million annual budget.

Although the State Department said the United States is concerned about the future of anti-corruption efforts in Guatemala, its statement did not directly condemn attacks on the U.N. commission.

That has prompted criticism from supporters of the group, who say its existence is integral to U.S. interests, particularly on the issue of immigration.

Advertisement

.

kate.linthicum@latimes.com

Twitter: @katelinthicumAs trade talks closed in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon  after continuing into an unscheduled third day  optimism boosted global stocks amid hopes that an all-out trade war might be avoided before a March 1 deadline to reach a deal.

But differences remain, likely to be handled in talks between more senior officials in coming weeks in a bid to bridge the gap before the deadline.

If the two sides fail to reach agreement in time, the U.S. has threatened to raise tariffs from 10% to 25% on $200 billion in Chinese goods, a move that would plunge the two sides into a protracted conflict at a time that global growth is already slowing and markets are jittery.

The talks marked the first face-to-face meeting between the two sides since President Trump and Chinas President Xi Jinping agreed to a 90-day truce in the trade conflict when they met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Buenos Aires last month.

Advertisement

Doubts remain that a comprehensive deal that addresses the most intractable issues can be reached before the deadline. Among them are long-held U.S. concerns about the protection of American firms intellectual property and Chinas economic model of boosting state-owned companies in strategic fields.

China has offered a number of concessions  temporarily cutting tariffs on American cars, agreeing to import American rice, resuming American soybean imports and allowing imports of several genetically modified crops from the U.S.

But those are seen largely as distractions to avoid addressing the Trump administrations main complaint about the structure of Chinas economy: that it has not been opened up enough to let foreign companies compete on an equal footing, grooming champion companies in strategic high-tech areas and piggy-backing on American know-how whenever it can.

China has made promises to offer foreign firms better access and pledged to protect intellectual property, drafting a law that would do so. But Chinese negotiators have to win the trust of U.S. officials wary of vague measures that may appease but avoid fundamental, enforceable change.

China is unlikely to abandon its core goal of restructuring its economy into a high-tech, high-income, global leader in strategic areas including artificial intelligence, robotics, green energy, superconductors and rockets. The approach involves government-led measures to nurture high-tech industries, rather than the capitalist model of allowing market competition to throw up global winners. But officials and state media have lately avoided referring to the policy by its name, Made in China 2025.

Scott Kennedy, an expert on Chinas economy at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the breadth of the talks was encouraging, but it remained to be seen if China had offered enough concessions on structural issues to overcome U.S. skepticism.

My sense is that the conversation has shifted to not only include Chinese purchases of American products, but also structural issues related to the protection of intellectual property rights and limits on Chinese industrial policy. But a new conversation opened up on enforcement and how to measure success and how to address failure if the Chinese dont meet their commitments.

We dont know whether China offered a lot of substantial new concessions that would satisfy the American side, he said.

Advertisement

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wednesday the extension of the two-day talks into a third day indicated both sides were serious about reaching an agreement.

Hu Xijin, the editor of the state-owned Global Times, tweeted that the results of the talks were quite positive, with both sides coordinating statements that would be released Thursday morning in Beijing. He described the talks as arduous, and candid, but conducted in a pleasant atmosphere.

He said the extension of talks into a third day offered grounds for optimism. This sends a signal: The two sides are in serious talks and working hard to solve the disagreements between them, he said.

robyn.dixon@latimes.com

Advertisement

Twitter: @RobynDixon_LATAre absences of Transportation Security Administration officers slowing down airport screening lines? Depends on whom you ask.

The TSA says no theres little or no difference in staffing levels. But other air-travel organizations are citing delays and at least one travel expert is warning fliers to give themselves an extra half an hour.

In an announcement on voicemail accessed on Tuesday, a TSA spokesman, who did not identify himself, acknowledged that absences are up slightly among its 51,000 officers. On Monday, he said, the agency counted 4.6% of officers out with unscheduled absences. That compares with 3.8% on the same day a year ago.

But how much delay does that add up to?

Advertisement

The impact is minimal, the TSA said. Of 2 million passengers it processed on Monday, the TSA said, 99.9% went through the line in less than 30 minutes and 92.9% went through in less than 15 minutes.

The average processing time for TSA PreCheck, the expedited security program for Trusted Travelers, was less than five minutes, the agency said. Figures for the day before were similar, though some airports, including New Yorks LaGuardia, had noticeably slow lines.

The TSA did not say how those numbers compare with the previous year, and spokespersons did not immediately return calls.

On Tuesday, CNN said it had obtained documents showing TSA managers at Palm Springs International Airport were warning underlings about excessive unscheduled absences.

Meanwhile, Tom Spagnola, global senior vice president of supplier relations for online travel agency CheapOair, said passengers in coming days should expect extra TSA delays of up to 30 minutes or more. In a statement on Tuesday, Spagnola suggested travelers start arriving at airport 2 hours ahead of domestic departures, 3 hours for international.

In a letter to President Trump and congressional leaders on Tuesday, the Airports Council International said that the shutdown is already causing numerous problems at our nations airports, such as longer wait times at TSA checkpoints and CBP [Customs and Border Protection] air ports-of-entry, suspended reviews of airport infrastructure improvement projects that could delay them beyond the spring/summer construction season, and canceled Global Entry interviews for hundreds of prospective enrollees.

In an interview with Politico, Hydrick Thomas, president of American Federation of Government Employees TSA Council, said some TSA workers had resigned and many are considering quitting the federal workforce because of this shutdown.

TSA employees are at risk of not receiving their next paychecks, scheduled for Friday, because of the partial government shutdown that began Dec. 22.

Advertisement

John DiScala, a veteran traveler who runs the website JohnnyJet.com, said he flew from Honolulu to Maui last week and it was business as usual.

I flew LAX-Austin on Jan. 2 and Austin-LAX on Saturday, was processed in less than 30 minutes each time and noticed no unusual conditions in the TSA line.

christopher.reynolds@latimes.com

Follow Reynolds on Twitter: @MrCSReynoldsJapans Nakamura family of kabuki actors will head to Honolulu in March for performances of a traditional play, part of the celebration to mark the 150th year since Japanese immigrants first came to Hawaii.

In 2019, the state is marking Gannenmono, which means first year folks in Japanese, a reference to the 150 people who left Yokohama in May 1868, and landed in Honolulu the following month. Today 22% of Hawaiians claim at least partial Japanese ancestry, according to the 2010 U.S. Census.

The kabuki performances in Honolulu celebrate the 150th year since Japanese immigrants first came to Hawaii. (Shochiku Co., Ltd.)

In the performances, Nakamura Shikan, a fourth-generation kabuki actor, with sons Fukunosuke, Hashinosuke and Utanosuke, will perform the play, Renjishi. It tells the story of a lion who has to teach his two cubs courage, strength and unwavering discipline while still displaying fatherly love.

Advertisement

Kabuki, which is rooted in the 17th century, combines elaborate costumes and facial makeup with live folk music to relate a story through dance, movement and expression.

The upcoming shows mark the first time classic Kabuki from Japan has been performed in Hawaii in more than a half century. Performances will be held March 2-6 at the University of Hawaiis Manoas Kennedy Theater and March 8 at the Hawaii Convention Center.

Both venues are less than two miles from Waikikis popular hotels.

Tickets cost $80 and $100 for performances at the university, and $90 for the show at the convention center.

Info: Kabuki in Hawaii 2019

travel@latimes.com

@latimestravelAfter a months-long hiatus, YMCA of the Foothills will return to the La Canada Flintridge Planning Commission Thursday evening at Lanterman Auditorium to share updates on a $7-million renovation plan for the Crescenta-Canada YMCA first unveiled in August.

At their last appearance before commissioners on Aug. 28, commissioners asked for more time to consider neighbor concerns about noise, traffic and safety around the interface of their homes and the 4.69-acre campus.

The panel also asked Y officials to collaborate more closely with those residents in the meantime to make sure major concerns were heard and addressed before the project returned to the commission.

The initial phased building plan included construction of a 24,500-square-foot, two-level parking deck fronting Foothill Boulevard that would add about 70 on-site parking spaces and take from six to eight months to complete. To accommodate traffic flow, the eastern entrance would be relocated to create a four-way intersection at Foothill and Palm Drive.

The second phase involved the demolition of about 6,755 square feet of existing structure to accommodate a new three-story building on the facilitys east side. YMCA officials estimated that could take up to one year to complete and said fundraising was still ongoing.

Late last week, YMCA of the Foothills Chief Executive Tyler Wright said the neighbors hired an attorney whos been in talks with the Ys attorney and members of a Y committee overseeing the renovation.

Some of the neighbors are coming up with solutions, he said. We have a couple of concepts on the table that were working on. [And] the city has come up with a concept. Were hoping were going to come up with a solution that serves everybody.

The meeting begins at 6 p.m. Lanterman Auditorium is located at 4491 Cornishon Ave., La Canada. For information, call the Planning Department at (818) 790-8881.

Also scheduled for discussion:

An application filed by Exer Holding Co., LLC., for a conditional use permit for an urgent care facility in a 7,833-square-foot tenant space of a shopping center at 475 Foothill Blvd. in the space previously occupied by Aaron Brothers.

A request for a second-floor review allowing for a 5,062-square-foot two-story residence with two-story attached garage at 4611 Vineta Ave.

Consideration of an amendment to the citys municipal code extending the terms of the La Canada Flintridge Design Commission, so they will expire in odd-numbered years.

sara.cardine@latimes.com

Twitter: @SaraCardineTufts of hair fell like rain outside La Canada High Schools North Gym last Thursday, as a group of students and teachers sacrificed their locks in a show of solidarity with young cancer patients for whom baldness isnt an option.

For the second time in three years, students in the campus Bridge program and Associated Student Body collaborated with others to raise awareness and funds for the St. Baldricks Foundation, a Monrovia-based nonprofit that organizes similar head-shaving events nationwide to help fund cancer research.

NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with whats going on in the 818 >>

On Monday, Bridge adviser Gavin Williams happily reported this years efforts had raised more than $10,000, with incoming donations still being tallied.

Three years ago, the students said they wanted to do something that brings the whole school together, said a fuzz-headed Williams, whod had his own dome chromed at a March 4 assembly introducing the fundraiser. Throughout the last three weeks, everybodys been donating in classrooms and talking about it.

1 / 9 La Canada High School student Ben Choi gets his head shaved by Bridge Program advisor Gavin Williams during fundraiser for the Baldricks Foundation at the school in La Canada Flintridge, on Thursday, March 17, 2016. About 20 students, a teacher and the principal participated in the fundraiser which aimed to raise about $10,000. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) 2 / 9 La Canada High School principal Ian McFeat gets his head shaved during fundraiser for the Baldricks Foundation at the school in La Canada Flintridge, on Thursday, March 17, 2016. About 20 students, a teacher and the principal participated in the fundraiser which aimed to raise about $10,000. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) 3 / 9 La Canada High School student Kyle Mysliviec gets his head shaved by fellow student and friend Alexa Tarui during fundraiser for the Baldricks Foundation at the school in La Canada Flintridge, on Thursday, March 17, 2016. About 20 students, a teacher and the principal participated in the fundraiser which aimed to raise about $10,000. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) 4 / 9 La Canada High School 9th grader Adam Lujan gets his head shaved during fundraiser for the Baldricks Foundation at the school in La Canada Flintridge, on Thursday, March 17, 2016. About 20 students, a teacher and the principal participated in the fundraiser which aimed to raise about $10,000. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) 5 / 9 La Canada High School students shaved their heads at the Bridge Program fundraiser for the Baldricks Foundation at the school in La Canada Flintridge, on Thursday, March 17, 2016. About 20 students, a teacher and the principal participated in the fundraiser which aimed to raise about $10,000. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) 6 / 9 La Canada High School members of Bridge Program and those who participated in shaving their heads pose for a photo after fundraiser for the Baldricks Foundation at the school in La Canada Flintridge, on Thursday, March 17, 2016. About 20 students, a teacher and the principal participated in the fundraiser which aimed to raise about $10,000. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) 7 / 9 La Canada High School science teacher Mark Dr. E Ewoldsen gets his head shaved by head of security Tanya Wilson during fundraiser for the Baldricks Foundation at the school in La Canada Flintridge, on Thursday, March 17, 2016. About 20 students, a teacher and the principal participated in the fundraiser which aimed to raise about $10,000. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) 8 / 9 La Canada High School science teacher Mark Dr. E Ewoldsen gets his head shaved by head of security Tanya Wilson during fundraiser for the Baldricks Foundation at the school in La Canada Flintridge, on Thursday, March 17, 2016. About 20 students, a teacher and the principal participated in the fundraiser which aimed to raise about $10,000. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer) 9 / 9 La Can ada High School students (l-r) CHarlie Weiss, Jake Harb, Elias Figueroa and Kyle Mysliviec shaved their heads at the fundraiser for the Baldricks Foundation at the school in La Canada Flintridge, on Thursday, March 17, 2016. About 20 students, a teacher and the principal participated in the fundraiser which aimed to raise about $10,000. (Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

Williams said this year organizers instituted a 100 to shave/100 to save structure to allow those too squeamish for a shaving to help the cause by raising enough to keep their hair intact. Among the 20 or more male students and teachers who opted for the former was junior Jake Stolmack.

Hair is a small sacrifice to make to raise awareness about something like cancer, the 16-year-old reasoned. Honestly, even the hair on our heads is something we take for granted.

Bridge student Avani Johnson, 16, helped collect the pledge sheets and in-class donations on the day of the event. She said that while no female students participated in this years shearing, several donated tresses to the nonprofit Locks of Love and Pantenes Beautiful Lengths program, which harvest real hair for the manufacture of wigs for cancer patients.

Its actually really cool to see how involved students have become, the junior said. To see students take money out of their own pockets without being asked to  its very heartwarming.

The St. Baldricks Foundation, headquartered in Monrovia, raised nearly $37 million last year to help fund pediatric cancer research, partly through events similar to the one held at LCHS. The foundation estimates about 175,000 children nationwide are diagnosed with cancer each year.

That sad fact is part of why junior Armand Manoukian, 17, insisted on sitting in the barbers chair this year, despite his parents protests.

My parents didnt want me to do it. Ive had the same haircut since the day I was born, he said. "(But) Ive had family members touched by cancer, so I wanted to do this.

Principal Ian McFeat, who submitted to the proverbial blade, said afterward the event demonstrates how much teachers, students and staff care about doing things for the benefit of others.

Really, just the ability to give back is a huge, huge thing, he said. Bigger than hair.

--

Sara Cardine, sara.cardine@latimes.com

Twitter: @SaraCardine

--

ALSO:

La Canada officials secure funds to tone down freeway traffic

Nearly 60% of La Canadas greenhouse gas emissions come from cars, per climate report

Musical parody of TVs Real Housewives takes a local turnWith thanks to their families, instructors and supporters, 33 cadets, known as Class XXI, graduated from the Verdugo Fire Academy during a ceremony at Glendale Community College on Saturday afternoon.

The fire academy is an accredited regional training program run through a partnership between the college, Glendale Fire Department and office of the State Fire Marshal.

Graduates from Glendale, Burbank, La Canada Flintridge and beyond participated in a yearlong, part-time training program that included 900 hours of instruction. At the end of the journey, cadets graduated with a Firefighter I certificate, which offers the ability to test and apply for a firefighting position.

One cadet in particular  Isaac Davalos  excelled in the program.

The Los Angeles John Marshall High School product swept five academic, leadership and service honors, the first time that had been accomplished, according to Chief Tony Bagan, the academys fire technology director.

This means everything, Davalos said. I humbly accept every single award. I dont take full credit at all for it. It was with the help of my sisters and brothers in the academy. We all helped each other; we all lifted each other up.

Davalos was presented with the fourth annual Andy Troncale Memorial Award, named after the former Arcadia fire captain. The honor is based on which cadet best exemplifies leadership, team-building skills and cohesion, and it comes with a $1,000 grant.

Along with that prize, Davalos was lauded with awards for Outstanding Community Service, for which he contributed 95 hours, Highest Academic Achievement, Outstanding Leadership and Top Cadet.

Davalos was also one of 16 cadets sponsored by a fire department or an affiliated foundation, which helped defray academy expenses with donations of gear or money.

Davalos and Peter Navarra were sponsored by the Monterey Park Fire Department.

The Glendale Fire Department was the largest sponsor, offering aid to five cadets, including Burbank resident Ronald Martinez.

When you decide to pursue a career that goes above and beyond anything else, its surreal to graduate, said Martinez, one of eight cadets honored for perfect attendance. I felt like I wasnt even there. It was amazing.

In addition to Martinez, Glendale Fire also sponsored Christian Der Gregorian, Robert Luke Wesselhoff, Evan Senane and Osmari Reyes.

Brandon Ordonez-Rangel was presented with the final award given during the ceremony for Outstanding Physical Performance, given to the cadet who does best on the National Wildlife Coordinating Group Pack Test for firefighting, which consists of a 3-mile hike with a 45-pound backpack over even terrain. It should be completed in 45 minutes.

Ordonez-Rangel finished the exam in 26 minutes, 22 seconds, which averaged to an 8-mph walking pace.

One man familiar with pomp and circumstance is Glendale Unified Supt. Winfred B. Roberson Jr., who attended the ceremony to see his son, also named Winfred Roberson, graduate.

Im proud of him and all of these cadets for taking the time for this, the local school superintendent said. This is a service job, and to know that theyre willing to dedicate their lives to save lives and property is special.

Victor Gonzalez was named battalion chief of the class.

The graduation class included Varaga Aboulina, Nicholas Alfarero, Christopher Balassanian, Anthony Banda, Cameron John Beeder, Kendal Boggs, Edwin Jason Escueta, Stephen H. George, Andrew Hallock, Marcuss Jones, Kevin Lee, Keith M. Lindsay, Jaime Medina, Dennis Osorio, Carlos R. Perez, Andrei Poladian, Melissa Reed, Hugo Romero, Greg Sliwinski, Justin Ten Napel, Aaron Torio, Ricardo R. Tovar and Martin G. Zendejas.

andrew.campa@latimes.com

Twitter @campadresportsU.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met American troops and political leaders in Iraq on Wednesday to reassure them about a U.S. military withdrawal from Syria and warn that Washingtons arch-foe Iran remains a regional security threat.

The visit, which was not confirmed by the State Department until Pompeo left Baghdad, came on the second day of his Middle East tour, also taking in Jordan, Egypt, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman.

His tour follows an increase in tensions between Washington and Tehran after the Trump administration reimposed sanctions and seeks to rally Arab allies to counter Irans sway, which is growing particularly in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon in recent years.

In Baghdad, Pompeo met Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Hakim, Speaker of Parliament Mohammed al-Halbousi and President Barham Salih.

Pompeo said he was very happy to be here, in his meeting with Abdul Mahdi, adding that the timing is good, according to a U.S. media pool report.

A State Department statement said Pompeo had underlined the U.S. commitment to Iraqs sovereignty ... (and) discussed the recent territorial defeat of ISIS in Syria and the continuation of our cooperation with Iraqi Security Forces during his meeting with Abdul Mahdi.

President Donald Trump met no Iraqi political leaders on a surprise visit to U.S. troops at the Al Asad Air Base outside Baghdad last month. The trip drew wide criticism in Iraq, especially from Iran-allied politicians who said it violated Iraqi sovereignty, and called for U.S. troops to leave Iraq.

President Salih, answering a reporters question on whether he wants the United States to keep troops, said Iraq will need the support of the U.S., expressing his gratitude to the U.S. for support over the years.

ISIS is defeated militarily but the mission is not accomplished, Salih said, using the acronym for Islamic State.

Islamic State militants are still waging insurgent attacks in the north of the country and trying to make a comeback, analysts say, but violence has reduced significantly.

The United States keeps more than 5,200 troops in Iraq more than 15 years after its invasion of the country in 2003 which toppled Saddam Hussein. The U.S. military supported Iraq in defeating Islamic State militarily in 2017 with air strikes and special forces.

Reassurance over Syria withdrawal

Pompeos visit comes after Trumps abrupt announcement last month that he will pull all 2,000 U.S. troops from Syria, which caused alarm among U.S. allies in the region.

Speaking ahead of the trip, a State Department official said the secretary would counter false narratives surrounding the Syria decision that the U.S. was abandoning the Middle East.

Asked on Tuesday about what would be discussed during a possible meeting with Pompeo, Abdul Mahdi said deepening Iraqs relationship with the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State.

Hes an ally, he represents a friendly country, Abdul Mahdi said of Pompeo on Tuesday. We will raise those issues, and how to deal with regional issues altogether and deepen our economic and educational relations with the United States.

Trumps withdrawal order alarmed U.S. allies in the region. It also led to the resignation of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis over policy differences and Brett McGurk, the U.S. envoy for the coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria.

Trump has not said, however, that he intends to withdraw American forces from Iraq.

During his visit to Iraq on Dec. 26 a meeting between Trump and Abdul Mahdi was cancelled due to a disagreement over the venue, and the men instead spoke by telephone.

Pompeo has refused to discuss the Syria withdrawals timing, but people with knowledge of discussions said Trump had been convinced that it should be done safely and in an orderly way.

The State Department statement said Pompeo and Abdul Mahdi discussed U.S. support for Iraqs energy independence, a reference to Iraqs heavy reliance on Iranian gas for its power grid.

Short link:

A vote on whether or not to keep a healthcare workers union at USC Verdugo Hills Hospital in Glendale could come as early as the end of the month, according to an employee who filed for the action.

Since October, surgical buyer Andrew Brown has been fighting to dissolve the union formed three years ago, when he filed a petition that was rejected by the National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB, because it arrived two days too late.

A new petition was filed last Wednesday, Brown said. No date for a vote has been set yet.

A hearing for the petition is scheduled for Jan. 11 at an NLRB regional office in West Los Angeles.

Union representatives have filed several unfair labor-practice complaints against the hospital, including one that alleged the facilitys administration has helped Brown. He said those complaints must be resolved before a vote can proceed.

A spokeswoman for USC Verdugo Hills did not respond to requests for comment.

Filing a petition requires support from 30% of the union members, according to Grisell Rodriguez, who is leading the field campaign contract between the hospital and Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West, known as SEIU-UHW.

The current contract is set to expire Jan. 31.

According to Brown, he has the support of the majority of the 230-member union, which includes patient services representatives, obstetrics technicians and phlebotomists.

Grace Garcia Hurtado, a certified nursing assistant at the hospital, said the unionized employees are focused on bargaining for higher wages and better benefits.

[We] arent going to be distracted by these attempts to divide us and weaken our voices, Hurtado said in a statement through SEIU spokesman Steve Trossman.

Brown said in November that all he wants is a secret election, so employees can express their views about SEIU, but the union and NLRB are working overtime to prevent that from happening.

According to Brown, SEIU has not delivered on its promises for pay raises and free healthcare.

Late last month, dozens of healthcare employees and their SEIU union representatives picketed outside USC Verdugo Hills, as well as Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Burbank, claiming the two hospitals respective administrators were dragging their feet on contract negotiations.

lila.seidman@latimes.com

Twitter: @lila_seidmanIn case Crescenta Valley High School student Lyron Co Ting Keh needed validation he was, indeed, young and innovative, the senior will soon receive more than his share of confirmation.

Co Ting Keh, 17, was named one of five Young Innovators to Watch from the United States and Canada by technology and lifestyle event producers Living in Digital Times, and is heading to Las Vegas to be honored at a giant consumer electronics show produced by Living in Digital Times on Thursday.

Im honored, humbled and I didnt expect any recognition for my work, in general, Co Ting Keh said. Its surprising.

Co Ting Keh and his mother, Rowena, father, Edmundo, and older sister, Lace, are all flying to Las Vegas for the honor.

Along with airfare and a hotel stay, theres $500 in prize money, Lenovo computer equipment, a tour of the show, which is closed to minors, and three minutes to pitch his product to industry professionals.

Im looking forward to seeing what other innovators and other peoples opinion of my work is, Co Ting Keh said.

The teen created a machine-learning algorithm model called HICCUP, which stands for Hierarchical Classification of Cancer of Unknown Primary.

Cancer of Unknown Primary, or CUP, is defined by the American Cancer Society when, cancer is found in one or more metastatic sites but the primary site cannot be determined.

The American Cancer Society estimates 31,810 cases were diagnosed in 2018, which accounts for 2% of all cancer cases.

Co Ting Keh has calculated that his model is roughly 18% more accurate than industry standards in diagnosing CUP.

HICCUP requires a blood sample to track DNA released by a cancerous tumor into the bloodstream, a test he contends is considerably cheaper and less invasive than other industry procedures.

Current methods to carry out the diagnosis, like MRI and biopsies, are often costly, inaccurate or harmful, Co Ting Keh said. Thats what drove me to develop HICCUP.

Co Ting Keh created HICCUP while at Stanford Universitys Alizadeh Lab, where hes been working on and off the last two years in between attending Crescenta Valley High.

Every summer, I go up there and work there pretty much full-time, Co Ting Keh said. I go up there for Thanksgiving break and winter break and fly up and work whenever I can.

Robin Raskin, founder of Living in Digital Times, said the selection of Co Ting Keh was a no-brainer after committee members who eventually chose him did a little research.

What kind of kid works at a lab at Stanford? Raskin said. We thought, Well, maybe hes just regurgitating what theyre teaching or talking about at the lab? We called up the lab, and they said he was the brains behind many of the algorithms they were using. We were amazed.

Co Ting Keh was selected out of a pool of 100 candidates and is one of two winners from California, joining Cupertino Highs Kumaran Akilan.

While Co Ting Keh has already been accepted to Yale University, hes still waiting to make an official collegiate decision until hes received word from all prospective schools.

Until graduation, hell continue his work at the lab during breaks and also via remote access.

The recognition is nice, Co Ting Keh said, but the work continues.

andrew.campa@latimes.com

Twitter @campadresportsAlmost eight years after leaving the position, Kimberly Hall Barlow officially retook the reins as Costa Mesas city attorney following a unanimous City Council vote Tuesday night.

Its good to be back, she said with a smile after the council meeting.

Barlow  a partner at the law firm Jones & Mayer, which Costa Mesa has contracted for city attorney services since 2004  served in the position for more than six years until she resigned in March 2011, citing personal and business reasons.

Now she is taking back the post from the man who replaced her  Tom Duarte, another partner at the same firm. Jones & Mayer proposed the switch, according to a city staff report. The firm bills the city $215 per hour for legal services and $115 per hour for paralegal services.

I find her to be a very strong attorney, very strong-willed, which is good for the city, said Mayor Pro Tem John Stephens. [Shes] willing to take a position, willing to say when she thinks were going in the wrong direction, and I think this is a great move for the city.

Councilwoman Sandy Genis agreed, saying she always appreciated Ms. Barlows willingness to speak up and tell the council when she thought they were wrong.

She will keep us on the straight and narrow, and when we wander off, shell tell us, Genis added.

Last year, Stephens and Councilwoman Katrina Foley  who is now the mayor  raised issues with the legal representation Costa Mesa has received, including instances of court documents being incomplete or not filed on time. Stephens and Foley, both of whom are lawyers, also questioned whether Duarte was proactive enough in providing legal advice and opinions.

At the time, both supported taking bids for the position to see whether another law firm could better serve the city. But Foley said Tuesday that she doesnt think the timing is right for such a move, given the ongoing search for a city manager.

I think this is a good interim and, when we have our new city manager come onboard, we can have a discussion about whether we want to choose something different at that time, she said. But Im pleased so far with Ms. Barlows willingness to take on a lot of different challenges  and really help us and give us good advice.

Committee formed for city manager search

Council members also voted Tuesday to form an ad hoc transition team to help recruit a new city manager.

The team  consisting of Foley, Stephens and Councilwoman Arlis Reynolds  will work with city staff; Ralph Andersen & Associates, a Rocklin, Calif.-based consulting firm the city retained for the city manager search; and former Newport Beach city manager Dave Kiff, whose services the council retained last month at no cost.

Im excited to see what we find in our search for a city manager, said Councilman Manuel Chavez.

Costa Mesas former city manager, Tom Hatch, left in November after the council voted to terminate his contract. Assistant City Manager Tamara Letourneau has temporarily taken over the role since then.

The vote to form the transition team was 6-1, with Councilman Allan Mansoor opposed. He did not explain his dissenting vote.

Residents interested in giving their opinions on the city manager search can do so with a new survey available in English and Spanish at costamesaca.gov.

luke.money@latimes.com

Twitter @LukeMMoneyOnce again Californians have a front row seat to the tragic results of our so-called sanctuary laws. Cpl. Ronil Singh of the Newman Police Department was the most recent casualty on an ever-growing list of Americans who have allegedly been killed by undocumented immigrants.

How much longer will Sacramento pretend not to acknowledge the threat to public safety its laws have created? California lawmakers political face-off with the federal government does nothing more than put our lives, and the lives of our loved ones, at risk.

The tragic irony is Singh immigrated to this country legally and had achieved the American dream. He chose to make a career by protecting others, only to have his life stolen, allegedly by an undocumented immigrant. Abandoned by a state he swore to protect, California lawmakers instead supported, and may have provided safe harbor to, someone who is accused of victimizing one of its residents. California failed Singh.

Sacramento lawmakers have created a greater distrust of local law enforcement and established a sanctuary for criminals to thrive in.

RELATED STORY: Judge denies challengers request for new trial on ruling that exempted Huntington Beach from state sanctuary law 

Singh could be alive today if SB 54 did not prohibit local law enforcement agencies from speaking with their federal counterparts. Singh stopped Gustavo Perez Arriaga, who previously crossed into the United States without documentation, on suspicion of drunk driving. Arriaga had two prior arrests for driving under the influence; police said he had known ties to a street gang. Without our sanctuary laws, Arriaga may not stand accused of taking Singhs life.

In Orange County, we understand the benefits our diverse backgrounds have for our community, both economically and socially. Its part of what makes our county great, a true melting pot. Tying the hands of our local law enforcement to remove dangerous individuals from our streets only benefits the criminals.

In the wake of this unspeakable tragedy, those who have stepped up to find justice for the Singh family  and protect residents of this state  were not our lawmakers and supporters of sanctuary laws, but local, state and federal law enforcement agencies working together.

Supporters of SB 54 have doubled down on their position, claiming support of sanctuary policies still remain what is best for their communities. They use the excuse that fear of deportation will stop those in the country illegally from reporting crimes. However, local law enforcement does not enforce immigration laws. In truth, all SB 54 supporters have done is put innocent lives in danger.

If state elected officials truly cared about our communities, they would do everything within their power to support and protect individuals like Singh. Unfortunately, that dream was stolen from him, just as it was from many others. Perhaps because of these state policies, another family has lost a loved one, a husband and father who will never return home.

The safety of our loved ones and communities remains my priority. We can no longer allow our families to be sacrificial lambs for elected officials who choose not to protect the citizens they serve and represent.

Michelle Steel is the Orange County supervisor in District 2.After serving in the Army from 1987 to 1990, and then five years in the Army Reserve, Robert Torres wound up laid off from his retail job and homeless.

Torres crashed on friends couches and lived off and on with relatives until a nonprofit gave a hand up.

Torres, 60, of Fullerton, now works for that same agency, Volunteers of America, which provides affordable housing and support services.

On Monday, Torres joined a group of about 150 community members, business leaders and public officials who attended a groundbreaking ceremony for Santa Ana Veterans Village, a development that will supply permanent housing and support services exclusively to low-income military veterans and their families.

Situated on what is now a vacant lot on West First Street, the completed village will house 75 homeless veterans who earn 30% of the areas median income.

Bedroom furniture provided by CORT on display during Jamboree Housing Corp.s groundbreaking ceremony for the Santa Ana Veterans Village on Monday. (Photo by Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

Torres said there are many veterans in Orange County who need advanced services.

We have veterans who are living on [Social Security] and are barely making their rent right now, and the rent every year is going up, he said. A lot of money they are making right now is going towards their rent, and they have nothing to live on. They are older or disabled, so who is going to hire them?

RELATED STORY: 200-bed homeless shelter opens in Santa Ana 

Jamboree Housing Corp., an Irvine nonprofit that develops and manages affordable rental housing statewide, is building the $29.7 million complex, which includes a Spanish-style, U-shaped three-story building containing 75 furnished one- and two-bedroom apartments, a 4,500-square foot community center and 10,000 square feet of open space.

Potential residents will be vetted before receiving Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing vouchers that provide $1,580 for a one-bedroom unit and $1,994 for a two-bedroom.

Residents will pay a portion of the rent based on their incomes, with the average contributing $267 a month, said Laura Archuleta, president of Jamboree Housing.

Laura Archuleta, president of Jamboree Housing Corp., speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Santa Ana Veterans Village on Monday. (Photo by Kevin Chang / Staff Photographer)

A key element of the project is the inclusion of on-site service providers  Goodwill of Orange Countys Tierney Center for Veterans Services, the VA Long Beach Healthcare System, Step Up on Second and Veterans Legal Institute among them.

Veterans comprise about 12% of the countys overall homeless population, according to a 2017 survey.

A 2018 Orange County grand jury report stated the annual cost of providing for a chronically-homeless person is $100,759 compared with $51,587 for a formerly homeless person living in supportive housing.

This is a cost-saving solution to homelessness, Archuleta said.

The Santa Ana City Council and the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved the village project.

Now we have a place for veterans to go for help, 1st District Supervisor Andrew Do said. Thats important because sometimes it can be hard to navigate the system of care that we have.

U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter, a decorated Vietnam War veteran presiding over the current civil rights lawsuits centering around homelessness, argued that its time to serve those who served.

They give you a blank check, and its a check that says, Im going to put my life on the line to serve without question,  Carter said. They dont ask whether we are Democrats or Republicans or who the president is ... The civilian population of this country is reaching back to veterans and building an incredible structure such as this.

Lou Ponsi is a contributor to Times Community News.The California state Senate paid $350,000 to settle a workplace discrimination lawsuit filed by a former employee who alleged that the upper house failed to accommodate her emotional disabilities and fired her in retaliation after she claimed that she was sexually assaulted by an Assembly staff member.

The payout to a former legislative aide to state Sen. Bob Wieckowski (D-Fremont) is one of the largest settlements the state Legislature has negotiated in recent history. The Senate paid the six-figure sum from its operating budget, which is funded by taxpayer dollars.

The lawsuit listed the plaintiff as Jane Doe because the law allows alleged victims of sexual assault to use a pseudonym in civil cases to protect their privacy, said Micha Star Liberty, the womans attorney.

The resolution of the case could be a boon to the #MeToo movement at the Capitol and give legislative workers more confidence to speak up if they feel theyve been wronged, said Wendy Musell, a Bay Area employment lawyer who testified in public hearings last year about a need for cultural change in Sacramento.

Advertisement

It makes a huge difference in workers at the Capitol feeling like theres a space to make these complaints and hold officials accountable, Musell said. Whether the Legislature thinks these issues occurred or didnt occur, they have to address them and address them publicly.

The settlement agreement, which was obtained by The Times through a public records request, says the Senate agreed in November to pay the former aide $280,000 for lost wages and general damages, an additional $50,000 to cover school loans incurred at McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento and $20,000 for medical assistance and career counseling. In exchange, she agreed to drop her claims against the Senate and the individuals named in the lawsuit.

For the sake of all involved, we want to move forward and focus on the work we need to do for the people of California, Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins said in a statement about the settlement. The result was acceptable to both sides and we are glad  for all parties  to move on with the business of the state.

The former state Senate employee alleged that she was sexually assaulted after a night out in Sacramento with coworkers in late 2016. The encounter was reported to the police and both houses of the Legislature. An Assembly investigation did not substantiate the claim and police have not filed charges against the man she accused, who no longer works at the Capitol and denied any wrongdoing.

The woman sued the Senate in May, alleging that she was fired in September 2017 in retaliation for reporting the alleged rape, taking time off after the event and seeking special accommodations at work. She also claimed that her supervisors were aware of her emotional problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and panic attacks, at the time of her firing.

She asked the Senate to ban the man from the Senate floor and assign him to a new parking garage, according to the lawsuit. Both accommodations were denied.

Its important for not only this plaintiff, but anyone working in the Capitol building, to know that the Senate can and should take full responsibility of its unlawful conduct, said Liberty, the womans lawyer. We believe this settlement proves that point.

Among other six-figure payouts, the Senate spent $117,200 in 1998 to settle a complaint against former Sen. Richard Polanco of Los Angeles, who was accused of retaliating against a former staff member who allegedly rejected his romantic advances. At the time, Polanco, a Democrat, declined to discuss the case.

Advertisement

The Senate also paid $120,000 in 2010 to a staff member of former Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Inglewood) who accused the legislator of sexual harassment. Wright declined to comment on the allegations at the time.

The Assembly settled a lawsuit for $100,000 in 2017 after an employee alleged that former Assemblyman Steve Fox (D-Palmdale) exposed himself to her. The house also paid $110,000 in 2015 to a different staffer who alleged that Fox sexually harassed her and didnt compensate her for overtime and campaign work. Fox denied both allegations.

Get the latest California politics news 

taryn.luna@latimes.com

Advertisement

Follow @tarynluna on Twitter and sign up for our daily Essential Politics newsletter.Just as a landmark police transparency law is going into effect, some California police agencies are shredding internal affairs documents and law enforcement unions are rushing to block the information from being released.

The new law, which begins to unwind Californias strictest-in-the-nation protections over the secrecy of law enforcement records, opens to the public internal investigations of officer shootings and other major uses of force, along with confirmed cases of sexual assault and lying while on duty. But the lawsuits and records destruction, which began even before the law took effect Jan. 1, could tie up the release of information for months or years, and in some instances, prevent it from ever being disclosed.

The fact that police unions are challenging this law is on some level not surprising, said Peter Bibring, director of police practices at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, one of the principal supporters of the new law. They have a long history of fighting tooth and nail against transparency.

Inglewood mayor defends destruction of police records as routine; activists continue to voice concerns 

Advertisement

Before this year, the public couldnt access police disciplinary records outside of a courtroom. The same prohibitions, which were first put into place four decades ago after a push from police unions, applied to prosecutors as well. California was the only state in the nation where that was the case.

Supporters of the new law, which then-Gov. Jerry Brown signed in the fall, argued more transparency was necessary to increase trust in law enforcement. The measure squeaked through the Legislature in the final days of its session over the objection of police labor groups, which contended the confidentiality laws prevented unwarranted intrusion into officers lives.

In the weeks before the law took effect, some police departments destroyed records that otherwise could have become public, though the agencies asserted that the purges had no connection to the change. California law says departments must keep investigations of officer shootings for five years with various retention requirements for other records.

Last month, the Inglewood Police Department shredded records of more than 100 police shooting investigations and other internal affairs cases dating from 1991 through 2016. City officials said the decision wasnt made in response to the new law, but rather that the documents took up valuable space and were being kept longer than required.

The Long Beach Police Department has also come under scrutiny for destroying two decades worth of internal affairs files in December, but officials there said the move was part of a two-year-long effort to streamline records retention practices and had nothing to do with the new law.

Long Beach Police Department Cmdr. Erik Herzog said officials were careful to preserve all records related to current employees, officer shootings, in-custody deaths and allegations that could result in criminal charges, no matter how old. The 325 cases that were purged, which spanned from 1978 through 2001, were internal affairs records pertaining to former employees and may have included cases involving lying by officers, he said.

Some use-of-force and internal affairs documents from 2013 were also shredded as part of a routine purge separate from the larger records review.

Its unclear how many other police agencies might have destroyed internal records before the transparency law took effect.

Advertisement

Bibring, the ACLU official, called agencies that are shredding records rogue departments.

The departments that are frantically shredding records are the departments that are openly trying to thwart the intent of the Legislature, he said.

Bibring singled out Inglewood, which has a long history of police misconduct, including intervention by the U.S. Department of Justice after a series of shootings in 2008.

The act clearly suggests that the departments records show mismanagement or cover-ups of police misconduct, he said.

Advertisement

But David Swing, police chief in Morgan Hill and president of the California Police Chiefs Assn., said he wasnt surprised that police agencies were reexamining how long they should be keeping internal records because the new law makes public activities that have long been kept private.

Thats a sweeping change, said Swing, whose organization backed the legislation. Its going to create some questions about how its applied.

The shredding of misconduct records has a history in California. The 1978 law that inaugurated Californias police secrecy provisions was written in response to the Los Angeles Police Departments shredding of four tons of personnel records after the information was subpoenaed in court. The law added requirements for law enforcement agencies to preserve records but also shielded them from public view.

The recent records destruction has caught the attention of California Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, whose office issued a bulletin to law enforcement agencies in the state instructing them to preserve all records that might be disclosed under the law.

Advertisement

But the bigger fight over the law looks to be in the courtroom. Last week, the California Supreme Court shot down a challenge to the new law from a police union in San Bernardino County, which argued that it only applies to incidents that occur in 2019 or later.

That decision, however, has not prevented police unions from seeking relief in other courts around the state.

On Dec. 31, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge issued a temporary stay preventing the Los Angeles Police Department from releasing records under the new transparency law that pertain to events before Jan. 1. The order came as part of a lawsuit by the Los Angeles Police Protective League, which argued that the measure, if applied retroactively, would violate officers privacy rights. A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 5.

Other unions could follow suit.

Advertisement

It is possible that numerous lawsuits will be pursued by peace officer labor organizations in local courts throughout the state to prevent public agencies from releasing confidential information which is prohibited by law, said a statement from Mike Rains, an attorney representing the San Bernardino union, in response to the Supreme Courts decision not to hear the case.

Some departments have argued that complying with the law, even if it only applied to records generated after Jan. 1, would be a significant burden on staff resources.

The Los Angeles Police Department would have to hire additional staff and acquire expensive computers and software to fulfill requests under the new law, Chief Michel Moore said in a December letter to the laws author, Sen. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley). Moore expressed concern that if the law were applied retroactively, some of his staff would be diverted from assignments to handle voluminous requests that could involve the painstaking work of redacting and converting reel-to-reel tapes, floppy discs and other outdated media.

The Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department is requesting additional personnel to comply with the law.

Advertisement

Skinner said it was very disappointing that agencies destroyed records rather than allowing them to become public. Still, she said she wasnt surprised by the lawsuits and plans to wait until cases are resolved before considering any changes to the law.

Clearly since these agencies want to go the litigious route, lets see how the courts opine, Skinner said.

She said her intent was for the new law to apply to any records in a departments possession. But if a court decided otherwise, Skinner believes the rules will provide a needed boost to transparency surrounding police activities.

Certainly it is still a victory to give the public access even if it is prospective to help build community trust for effective law enforcement, she said.

Advertisement

Coverage of California politics 

liam.dillon@latimes.com

Twitter: @dillonliamFollowing the deadliest year of wildfires in California history, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday proposed $305 million in spending to accelerate the removal of thousands of acres of dense, dry forests and brush, expand emergency crews and modernize 911 systems in California.

The funding, which Newsom said will be included in the budget proposal he will submit this week, includes $200 million from a five-year, $1-billion effort state lawmakers approved last year to expand Californias fire prevention efforts.

Newsom also is throwing his support behind imposing a 911 fee on phone bills, starting in 2020, to help pay for improving that critical emergency communications system statewide, a measure that would require a two-thirds vote of approval by state lawmakers. To make the idea more enticing to the Legislature, where the fee proposal failed last session, the governor proposed spending $60 million over the next two years to jump-start the 911 overhaul.

Its clear to me a lot more needs to be done. You will see that demonstrably recognized with our budget that I will be releasing later this week, Newsom said. We will place an historic investment in our emergency planning and emergency preparations in this state.

Advertisement

The announcement comes after the destruction of Novembers Camp fire, which swept through the Northern California mountain town of Paradise, killing 86 and destroying more than 13,900 homes, and Woolsey fire in Los Angeles and Ventura counties that left three dead and leveled about 1,500 structures.

Newsom, in his first full day in office, made the announcement during a news conference at a Cal Fire station in the Sierra foothills Tuesday afternoon. He said his budget proposal will include funding for the removal of dead trees and dry, combustible vegetation; to add five new conservation corps work crews to do that work, along with 13 new fire engines; to improve mutual aid support with local agencies; and oward to improve emergency communications.

Funding to retrofit C-130 airplanes for fire suppression and money for hundreds of new fire cameras, including infrared units to spot potential wildfires, will also be included in the budget, Newsom said. The state will also backfill the millions of dollars in lost property tax revenue in Butte and Lake counties because of recent wildfires, he said.

Newsom also announced that he will send a letter to President Trump, co-signed by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee and Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, asking his administration to double the investment in managing forests on federal lands in the three Western states.

The letter notes California has spent $111.3 million since 2017 to thin forests and curtail fire risk in the state, almost half of which was done on federally owned land. At the same time, the U.S. Forest Service has seen its budget cut by more than $2 billion since 2016, the letter stated.

California officials sparred with Trump after the Camp and Woolsey wildfires when the president blamed the disasters on Californias fire and forest management.

Trump then came to California to tour the devastation and vowed to marshal federal government resources to help recovery efforts. Gov. Jerry Brown and Newsom, who accompanied Trump on the tour, praised him for issuing major disaster and emergency declarations, which will provide federal funding to cover up to 75% of Californias costs to remove debris, conduct emergency activities and provide transitional sheltering.

Rather than talking past each other, talking down to each other, maybe we can start partnering and [do] work that needs to be done to address our forest health and forest management, Newsom said Tuesday. With all due respect, they cut their budget by $2 billion in the last few years  and yet were being attacked.

Advertisement

On Tuesday, Newsom also signed an executive order to prioritize state emergency management spending on communities at high risk during natural disasters, including areas that are, based on geography, more disaster-prone or that have more vulnerable populations  including the elderly, who have more difficulty evacuating. The governor signed a second executive order to streamline the procurement process for state emergency agencies modernizing their equipment.

Finally, Newsom announced he will keep Governors Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci, California Military Department Adjutant General David Baldwin and California Highway Patrol Commissioner Warren Stanley in their current positions. He also appointed Thomas Porter as director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Porter currently serves as the acting director.

Rhys Williams, who served as Newsoms chief of staff in the lieutenant governors office, also was named the governors senior advisor on emergency preparedness and management .

Coverage of California politics 

Advertisement

phil.willon@latimes.com

Twitter: @philwillon

Updates on California politicsAfter congressional elections in which Democrats in record numbers chose to elevate women, minority and gay candidates, casting ballots for diversity and youth in district after district, the list of presidential hopefuls most exciting to Democratic voters is a bit curious.

At the top, several polls indicate, is a septuagenarian white guy synonymous with the party establishment  Joe Biden.

Next is another 70-plus white man whose trouble connecting with black voters hurt his last presidential run  Bernie Sanders.

And just behind them in the early polls is yet another white elected official, albeit a younger one  Beto ORourke.

Advertisement

Even if early voter surveys are a limited indicator of where the race is going  measuring the familiarity of candidate names as much as anything  the sustained popularity of these straight white men is hard to overlook.

The conventional wisdom holds that the Democratic Party is looking for fresher, more diverse faces. Yet being an older white man isnt shaping up to be a deal breaker.

Biden and Sanders remain top candidates even in a party that has made confronting white privilege a central plank. That shouldnt be a surprise, political scientists say: The reality that candidates are products of white privilege themselves will likely matter less to party activists than how effectively they can disavow it and crusade for racial justice  and describe themselves to voters as best positioned to topple President Trump.

A septuagenarian white guy may not be the first preference of Democratic voters, but if that is who emerges as the best choice to beat President Trump, they are going to vote for him, said Lynn Vavreck, a UCLA political scientist and co-author of the book Identity Crisis: The 2016 Presidential Election and the Battle for the Meaning of America.

Pictures in the News | Friday Jan. 11, 2019 

The anxiety among some Democratic officials that the new face of the party could end up being another old, white male is misplaced, she said.

The people who are out there saying the nominee should be a person of color, or they should be this or that, are offering a quick and dirty way of thinking about the race, but it is not really that productive, Vavreck said.

Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks to members of the Unite Here Local 30 hotel and hospitality workers union in San Diego on Oct. 26, 2018. (Hayne Palmour IV / San Diego Union-Tribune)

Advertisement

The color of a candidates skin, their gender and their age play only a peripheral role in their potential to reignite the coalitions of racially and ethnically diverse voters who helped propel Barack Obama to victory and, more recently, Democrats to flip 40 seats in Congress, she said.

Even so, the headwinds are real in 2020 for old, white candidates in a young, increasingly nonwhite party. When the Wall Street Journal recently surveyed 76 Democratic Party county chairs in Iowa, nearly two-thirds said they were looking for a candidate who wouldnt be in their 70s on caucus day and who hadnt run for president before.

The activists were less concerned about whether a candidate was a man or a woman.

Those results did not bode well for Biden, Sanders or the one well-known Democrat who has already formed an exploratory committee for the race, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, whose 70th birthday will be this June.

Advertisement

The latest look at the Trump administration and the rest of Washington 

Another possible indicator of sentiment among activists comes from a straw poll released this week of 35,000 readers of the Daily Kos blog, who tend to be liberal voters intently focused on finding a candidate who can beat Trump. Though not a random survey, the poll gives some indication of the degree of support among the type of activists who can influence primaries.

By contrast with the more general polls, Warren won decisively among the DailyKos readers, with 22%, followed by ORourke at 15% and Biden tied with Sen. Kamala Harris at 14%.

The belief that Democratic voters will eschew white, male candidates, whether accurate or not, has influenced media coverage of the candidates. As CNN rolled out its power rankings of possible candidates last month, for example, political-data expert Harry Enten punctuated an otherwise flattering assessment of Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown by noting his race and gender could be a deal killer.

Advertisement

Another white male, he said, noting the preference for diversity Democrats had just expressed through the midterm election. I am very suspect of that this year. I am not sure it is time to nominate a white man.

Such talk is a little jolting to Cornell Belcher, a strategist who was on Obamas polling team and has long argued that the Democrats need to do more to focus on the concerns of black voters.

For much of his life, one of the biggest liabilities a presidential candidate could have was not being white, Belcher says. He bristles at the idea that white men like Sanders and Biden are at any kind of disadvantage, but says the playing field is finally level.

I dont think there is a racial qualifier or disqualifier, said Belcher, who is not affiliated with any of the potential candidates.

Advertisement

You have to be someone who can speak truth to power around issues of inclusion and diversity, he added. The candidate who can do that with a forward-focused vision for the future of this country that is about bringing people together will do well in this primary whether he or she is black or white.

Biden could be particularly well positioned for that role, he said.

Being the guy who most voters of color and even younger voters see as the guy who unquestionably had Barack Obamas back more than anyone else doesnt hurt you in this primary, he said.

In a recent Suffolk University/USA Today poll, more Democrats said they were excited about Biden  53%  than any other politician mulling a presidential run.

Advertisement

Rep. Beto ORourke talks with supporters following his debate with Sen. Ted Cruz on Sept. 21, 2018. (Loren Elliott / For The Times)

Texas congressman ORourkes ability to draw large numbers of millennials and Latinos to the polls by passionately confronting Trumps immigration policies, sermonizing about unity and hope at packed town halls, and harnessing social media to mobilize activists makes the 46-year-old Irish Catholic an attractive champion for the partys diversity push, Belcher noted.

A white candidate might get extra kudos if he or she can speak authentically to these issues of discrimination, Belcher said. It is almost like a counter-narrative. When Beto started talking about speaking truth to power about discrimination and profiling, he caught the attention of a lot of people.

Sanders proved through his candidacy in 2016 that even a candidate of retirement age can catch fire with young voters and draw legions of new people into the process. The Vermont senator emerged as the second-most-popular choice in the Suffolk poll, which was released Dec. 26. He maintained an impressive 74% favorability rating among Democrats in a Quinnipiac University poll published a week earlier, edged out only by Biden.

Advertisement

Most analysts dont expect Biden, Sanders and ORourke to all still be at the top of the polls a year from now. Their current strong numbers are skewed by the fact that voters are much more likely to know who they are. Other candidates will have ample opportunity to boost their profiles.

At this point in the last presidential cycle, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush was polling as the runaway favorite to win the GOP nomination, and Trump barely even registered as a factor in the race. Those polls gave no indication that Sanders would crush Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire and several other states.

The race is about to be joined by several candidates who are not yet household names in Iowa and New Hampshire but will be soon. Among them are likely to be Harris and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, prominent black lawmakers who can speak to issues of discrimination and intolerance from personal experience and family history, which their white male counterparts cant.

The increasingly diverse partys desire to see nonwhites at the helm  and a primary calendar in which African American voters will have considerable influence in choosing the nominee  may play to their advantage.

Advertisement

It will be about more than just, this person is black, said Andra Gillespie, a scholar in African American politics at Emory University.

People have the impression thats how it is because they saw how many voters flocked to Barack Obama, she said. But blacks werent on that bandwagon initially. It wasnt until Obama proved himself a viable candidate.

Even so, Gillespie said, it would not be a good look for the party if the circle of front-runners remains exclusively white men when Iowans caucus a year from now.

The Democratic Party would have some serious soul-searching to do if three white men are still at the top next January, she said. That would be a cause for concern if no serious candidates of color emerge.

Advertisement

evan.halper@latimes.com | Twitter: @evanhalperPresident Trump gave his first prime-time Oval Office speech, focusing on what he declared to be a crisis on the countrys southern border. The House and Senate Democratic leaders gave their responses. What did it all add up to? Here are five takeaways.

Neither side had new arguments to sway voters

Early Tuesday, Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo said during an appearance in Jordan that Trumps speech will make a lot of news. It didnt.

Trump stuck closely to talking points he has used for months, none of which have significantly boosted public support for his proposed border wall.

Democrats also stuck closely to the argument they have repeated since before the partial government shutdown began nearly three weeks ago  that theyll negotiate with Trump after he signs a bill to fund government agencies, but not before.

Advertisement

As a result, the speech seems unlikely to significantly change public opinion. According to most polls, a majority of the public dislikes seeing the government shut down, and voters are more likely to blame Trump and the Republicans for the situation than Democrats. Thats why some Republican senators have been breaking ranks with Trump, while Democrats have remained publicly united.

The television networks gave the public a clear view of both sides

The decision by the broadcast television networks to air Trumps speech live in prime time drew sharp criticism.

In the end, however, airing both the speech and the Democratic response gave Americans a chance to hear both sides arguments. That may not sway any votes, but it did leave the public better informed.

Trump tried to shift his rhetoric, but only part way

For days, administration officials have warned ominously of a terrorist threat at the border and have talked in terms of a national security crisis. Those assertions have been repeatedly debunked, and administration spokespeople have been heavily criticized for making false claims.

Trump largely steered clear of those assertions. Instead, he began his speech by talking of a humanitarian crisis.

That may reflect a recognition on the part of administration officials that their previous arguments have not fared well.

But Trumps language was at war with itself. Even as he tried to convey compassion for migrants, talking of the dangers they face on the trek north to the border, Trump also repeated his emphasis on cases in which immigrants in the country unlawfully have killed or injured U.S. citizens, including a 2015 case in which an Air Force veteran in California was raped and killed by a man in the country illegally.

Immigrant advocates say Trumps use of isolated criminal cases unfairly tars all immigrants as criminals. Such rhetoric has been a staple of his campaign since its earliest days, which has hardened Democrats attitudes against him.

Advertisement

The administration is trying to widen the debate beyond Trumps wall

The wall has consistently been unpopular with Americans. But when the issue is framed more broadly as border security, pollsters find that Trumps positions fare better.

In his speech, Trump talked of the need to increase spending on a broad range of immigration-related items, including more immigration judges, an idea that he ridiculed last year, although his administration has, in fact, hired more of them.

In theory, widening the discussion could provide room for a compromise between Trump and Congress. So far, however, Trump has refused to budge from his demand for $5.7 billion for a border barrier, which Democrats have said they wont vote for.

Negotiations have been largely at a standstill, in part because both parties have experience with Trump seeming to agree to a compromise, then backing away. Neither Democrats nor Republicans want to commit to a deal unless theyre sure this time that Trump will stick to it.

Advertisement

A declaration of a national emergency remains one possible outcome

Trump avoided any mention of declaring a national emergency in Tuesdays speech, but it remains under active discussion.

If Trump declared an emergency at the border, he could claim authority to use military construction funds to pay for a border barrier, a possibility his advisors have discussed. He would face legal challenges, and might lose ultimately, but in the meantime, he could sign the bills to reopen government agencies without going back on his promise to build a wall.

At least some Republicans on Capitol Hill believe that scenario, which would shift the fight over the wall out of Congress and into the courts, may be their best way out of the current standoff.

Times staff writers Eli Stokols and Molly OToole contributed to this report.

Advertisement

Get the latest news from the nations capital on Essential Washington >> 

Pictures in the News | Wednesday Jan. 9, 2019 

David.Lauter@latimes.com

For more on Politics and Policy, follow me @DavidLauterThe United Nations has asked Australia to consider refugee resettlement for an 18-year-old Saudi woman who fled to Thailand saying she feared her family would kill her, the Australian government said on Wednesday.

The teenager, Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, arrived in Bangkok on the weekend appealing for asylum.

Australia said it would consider resettling her if the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) deemed her a refugee.

The UNHCR has referred Ms Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun to Australia for consideration for refugee resettlement, Australias Department of Homeland Security said in an email.

The department said it would consider the referral in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals. It declined to comment further.

The UNHCR office in Thailand also declined to comment.

Qunun arrived in Bangkok on Saturday and was initially denied entry.

She soon started posting messages on Twitter from the transit area of Bangkoks Suvarnabhumi airport saying she had escaped Kuwait and her life would be in danger if forced to return to Saudi Arabia.

Within hours, a campaign sprung up on Twitter, spread by a loose network of activists around the world.

Within 36 hours it prompted Thailands government to reverse a decision to force the young woman onto a plane that would return her to her family.

She was allowed to enter Thailand and on Tuesday began the process of seeking asylum in a third country through the UN refugee agency.

*This story has been edited by Ahram Online

Short link:

President Trump took his disputed claim of a national security crisis at the southern border directly to the American people on Tuesday night, for the first time speaking from the Oval Office in prime time to try to enlist public support for $5.7 billion for his long-promised wall.

There is a growing humanitarian and security crisis, Trump said in a 10-minute address, sitting at his familiar desk. He added, All Americans are hurt by uncontrolled illegal migration.

Constructing a steel barrier, as he called it, is absolutely critical to border security. Its also what our professionals at the border want and need, Trump said.

With his speech, the president aimed to put pressure on his Democratic opponents  but his more immediate problem is the need to shore up support among Republicans. Even before Trump spoke, that backing seemed to be eroding, with several Republican senators calling for an end to the shutdown regardless of funding for the wall.

Advertisement

Moments after Trumps speech, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer of New York delivered a televised rebuttal, complaining that the president was manufacturing a crisis to stoke fear, as they made the case for reopening the government before any negotiations about border security.

The president stopped short of declaring the national emergency hes spoken of in recent days, which hed said would allow him to bypass Congress and tap existing funds for a wall. He also steered clear, after days of criticism, of repeating some of the false claims he has made that thousands of terrorists were crossing the border.

To broaden his case, Trump depicted a wall as just one of a package of responses to the problem at the border, including more money for agents and for facilities to screen and detain migrants, many of whom are women and children.

But as he often does at political rallies, the president vividly described a few violent crimes allegedly committed by people who are in the U.S. illegally.

To those who refuse to compromise in the name of border security, he said, I would ask: Imagine if it was your child, your husband, or your wife whose life was so cruelly shattered and totally broken?

His address came as part of a public relations offensive intended to break a standoff with lawmakers that has blocked funding for about a quarter of the government, keeping affected agencies closed since Dec. 22 for the longest such shutdown since 1996. By Saturday, if unresolved, it will surpass that record.

The impasse has left about 800,000 workers without paychecks this week, though about half must still report for work. It has closed popular national parks and left others opened but ill-attended and filling with trash. Real estate closings, farming plans and other businesses that depend on federal offices have been disrupted, reflecting the increasing number of disrupted services reliant on the government.

Trump has argued, despite polling to the contrary, that federal workers and other Americans would accept any such sacrifices, given their support for his stand for a border wall to keep the country safe.

Advertisement

Apprehensions at the southern border have been declining for two decades, and no terrorists are known to have crossed it.

Democrats and advocates who favor less restrictive immigration policies dispute that a crisis has ensued. There is some agreement on the humanitarian imperatives, including the need to spend more money on immigration judges and other officials needed to process refugee claims that have piled up, in part because of administration policies discouraging such claims. Democrats also have called for investigating detention centers at the border after the recent deaths of two migrant Guatemalan children in U.S. custody.

Days after Democrats assumed control of the House last week amid the standoff, the White House on Monday hurriedly arranged the Oval Office address as Trump has tried to dominate the debate this week. He also sent Vice President Mike Pence on a series of interviews with network news reporters on Tuesday morning. Trump and Pence are expected to meet with Republican senators at the Capitol on Wednesday, and Trump plans to go to the border in McAllen, Texas, on Thursday.

The president predictably sought to lay blame for the impasse on Democrats. The federal government remains shut down for one reason and one reason only  because Democrats will not fund border security, he said.

Advertisement

Pelosi noted that Trump had rejected bipartisan bills in the Senate and House to reopen government over his obsession with forcing American taxpayers to waste billions of dollars on an expensive and ineffective wall  a wall he always promised Mexico would pay for.

Schumer added, The president just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil of his administration. He said Democrats were not opposed to spending for border security, but only for the wall.

Democrats, who have not been willing to approve more than $1.3 billion in additional border security funding, havent budged during the 18-day standoff.

Pelosi and Schumer had demanded the television networks allow them time to respond. The dueling speeches gave the evening the air of a State of the Union address, an annual event that is scheduled for Jan. 29. Presidents since Harry S. Truman have delivered prime-time Oval Office addresses, typically at moments of domestic or international significance, but Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama disliked the format and used it rarely as technology has given Americans more viewing and entertainment options.

Advertisement

Trump, who is most comfortable criticizing immigration at a rollicking rally, seemed muted and discomfited as he narrowed his eyes to read from the TelePrompTer. Pelosi and Schumer, standing beside each other stiffly, looked no more at ease than the president.

The battle over a wall has become a defining political test for Trump and  with the president for the first time forced to share power with congressional Democrats  it has set an especially combative tone for the final two years of his term. He promised repeatedly during the 2016 campaign to build a wall across the 2,000-mile border with Mexico, while also insisting improbably that Mexico would pay for it.

In his address Tuesday, the president repeated his claim that Mexico in effect would pay for the wall through increased trade resulting from the recently renegotiated North American trade agreement with Mexico and Canada  an assertion that many experts and fact-checkers have derided.

Even many of Trumps conservative allies in the immigration fight have put a low priority on building a wall, but the president has suggested that he will keep the issue at the center of his reelection battle in 2020.

Advertisement

Your safety is not a political game or a negotiation tactic! Trump wrote in a fundraising email to supporters on Tuesday, hours before the address. Please make a special contribution of $5 by 9 p.m. EST to our Official Secure the Border Fund to have your name sent to me after my speech.

The showdown over the wall began last month in the final days of Republicans two-year hold on Washingtons levers of power  the White House, House and Senate. Congressional Republicans, a number of them unenthusiastic about Trumps signature cause, did not press hard for his funding requests in that time, and Senate leaders have not lent him vocal support lately.

Indeed, about half a dozen Senate Republicans  including several facing reelection battles next year  indicated they wanted the presidents showdown to end even without money for a wall. On Tuesday, Sens. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska called for reopening the government, joining others including Sens. Cory Gardner of Colorado, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Susan Collins of Maine whove signaled opposition to an ongoing shutdown.

Yet so far, neither the president nor congressional Democrats have been willing to give in.

Advertisement

Trump has been hounded by conservative media allies to keep up the fight, even as Republicans in Congress have tried to move on.

Democrats, emboldened by their new majority in the House as well as Trumps declarations a month ago that he would take responsibility for a shutdown, believe they have the leverage and have been unwilling to yield. They have supported money for border barriers in past years immigration compromises but now see the issue as politically toxic to their anti-Trump voters.

Polls have shown that most Americans blame Trump for the shutdown. One survey over the weekend by Morning Consult and Politico found a plurality of 42% of Americans agree with Trump that there is a crisis on the border, yet 47% blamed him for the shutdown and 33% blamed congressional Democrats.

Trump, however, has largely focused on his supporters in governing, and polls show the vast majority of Republicans continue to take his side, reducing his appetite for compromise.

Advertisement

For Democrats, a prolonged battle over the presidents immigration platform could hamper their ability to present an alternative governing agenda over the next two years. They have, however, largely coalesced behind Schumer and Pelosi.

In the Senate, Democrats on Tuesday blocked an unrelated bill that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) sought to bring up for a vote, demanding that he first let senators vote on House-passed bills to end the shutdown. They are considering filibustering other legislation as well until McConnell relents.

The New Democratic majority in the House of Representatives did their job and made opening the entire government the first order of business when they passed two measures to achieve that goal, the four senators from Virginia and Maryland  home to many federal employees but fewer than California  wrote in a letter to fellow Democrats. Republican leader McConnell should immediately bring those bills to a vote in the Senate.

House Democrats plan to hold votes this week on similar bills to restore funding for portions of the government that are closed, such as the Interior Department, which oversees national parks, and the Treasury Department, which oversees tax refunds. Those votes could put additional pressure on Republicans.

Advertisement

Times staff writer Sarah D. Wire contributed to this report.

Follow the latest news of the Trump administration on Essential Washington 

noah.bierman@latimes.com

Twitter: @noahbierman

Advertisement

eli.stokols@latimes.com

Twitter: @elistokols

jennifer.haberkorn@latimes.com

Twitter: @jenhabA day after calling for a bipartisan compromise to resolve the partial government shutdown, President Trump stormed out of a White House negotiating session Wednesday when Democratic leaders refused to agree to his demand for taxpayer funds to build a southern border wall.

Just left a meeting with Chuck and Nancy, a total waste of time, Trump tweeted afterward. He said he asked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) if they would agree to end the shutdown, now in its 19th day, in return for funds for a wall or steel barrier, one of his major campaign promises.

Nancy said, NO. I said bye-bye, nothing else works! the president tweeted.

Democratic leaders accused the president of throwing a temper tantrum.

Advertisement

The president slammed the table, asked Speaker Pelosi if she would support his wall and when she said no, he walked out and said, We have nothing to talk about, Schumer said. He didnt get his way and he just walked out of the meeting.

Pelosi said a wall will not resolve the problems currently experienced at the border. What Trump is claiming to be the situation at the border is not solved by a wall, she said.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield), the House minority leader, said talks had been complicated because of Democrats hard-line stance, refusing to budge on the wall or even enter serious negotiations until the government is reopened.

It is a real challenge when the Democrats wont even give an offer back, he said.

The hostile 20-minute encounter marked a shift for Trump, who previously had spoken about the progress being made during talks and his optimism that a resolution would be found.

That began to shift this week when the White House floated the idea of bypassing Congress entirely and declaring a national emergency at the border, which the administration believes will enable it to use military funds to build the wall. The idea is controversial on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers value their constitutional authority to appropriate money. But some Republicans view it as a political way out of the shutdown debacle.

The clash in the White House on Wednesday also suggested the shutdown was likely to become the longest on record, a threshold it will pass on Saturday. Lawmakers of both parties said they saw no immediate path forward.

The White House theatrics did little to mask the uphill battle facing Trump, whose demand for $5.7 billion in funds for a border wall precipitated the government shutdown last month.

Advertisement

Despite a White House offensive this week  including a rare Oval Office prime-time address Tuesday, a trip to Capitol Hill on Wednesday and a visit to the southern border Thursday  some Republicans are beginning to get nervous about the backlash they may face as the pain from the shutdown grows.

More than 800,000 workers have been furloughed, with many being forced to work without pay. Paychecks due Friday are not expected to arrive, forcing many families to miss mortgage payments, put off medical procedures or juggle bills.

I think the president thinks there will be increasing pressure on everybody to come to the table once people start missing their paycheck. Sadly, these people are collateral damage, said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas). Theres going to be significant political pressure on everybody when workers and contractors start missing their paychecks and cant pay their rent or their mortgage or put food on the table.

Polls have shown that Americans increasingly blame Trump for the disruption, rather than Democrats.

Advertisement

Trump tried to assuage GOP concerns by meeting with rank-and-file Senate Republicans on Wednesday and urging them to stay united. Just an hour before he left the negotiation with congressional leaders, he asked Senate Republicans to hang together, according to two senators in the room.

The presidents message to all of us was hang together, Cornyn said. Its like what Benjamin Franklin said at the constitutional convention: Are we going to hang together or hang separately.

But some Republicans fear Trump will just leave them hanging. About half a dozen Senate Republicans have publicly urged Trump to reopen the government, even without getting the border money. They include Sens. Cory Gardner of Colorado and Susan Collins of Maine, both of whom will face voters in 2020.

The senators who have come out publicly against the shutdown reaffirmed those positions in the meeting, Cornyn said.

Advertisement

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who often votes independently from the GOP caucus and is among those urging Trump to end the shutdown without wall money, reminded Trump during the meeting that Americans were starting to feel the pain, according to NBC.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Republicans stood with the president but declined to answer any other questions about the negotiation. Were sticking with the president on this, he said.

But the White House PR campaign this week hasnt gone as smoothly as hoped, partly because Trump has at times seemed to undercut the unity message and distanced himself from the shutdown. He reportedly complained to broadcasters Tuesday that he didnt think the Oval Office address or border trip were smart ideas, and his aides were making him do it.

In December, Trump said he would gladly own the shutdown, but on Wednesday he told reporters: This is not a fight I wanted. I didnt want this fight. He also complained to Democrats during the contentious White House meeting that he didnt want to do this meeting. They told me I had to, according to Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), who attended.

Advertisement

At the White House, staffers inured to the presidents unpredictable asides and outbursts acknowledged that his recent complaints about his own efforts to resolve the shutdown stalemate werent likely to strengthen his position.

Were all used to it, one senior aide said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. The mixed messages dont help our cause, but hes going to say whatever hes going to say.

In the House, Republican support for the president remained strong. Even so, eight GOP lawmakers joined Democrats to vote to reopen the Treasury Department on Wednesday night. Last week, seven Republicans voted with Democrats on a similar bill to fund the government.

Several Republicans are considering legislation to try to negotiate a compromise between funding the border wall and offering protections for young adults who arrived in the United States as children, known as Dreamers.

Advertisement

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who is close with Trump, is working on an outline. Moderate Republican Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida introduced an amendment in the House and several other Senate Republicans, including Sens. John Thune of South Dakota, Rob Portman of Ohio and Jerry Moran of Kansas, are putting together a proposal.

Democrats have dismissed the idea, and Schumer on Wednesday said including immigration in the shutdown fight would only make it more difficult to reopen the government.

Also, Democrats note that Trump previously reneged on a similar deal he reached with them last year to provide border wall money in exchange for help for Dreamers.

Some House Republicans are warming to the idea of Trump declaring a national emergency to build the wall. That could clear the way for the government to reopen by removing the stalemate over including wall funds in the must-pass spending bills.

Advertisement

Though an extreme step, a national emergency declaration could be portrayed as a political win for all sides. Democrats could say they held strong and refused Trumps demands for border wall money. Trump and Republicans could say they were keeping their promise to build a wall by using the military instead.

The fight over the wall would continue, but it would shift from Congress to the courts, which would then have to decide whether Trump has the authority to do it.

Times staff writers Noah Bierman and Sarah D. Wire in Washington contributed to this report.

The latest from Washington 

Advertisement

jennifer.haberkorn@latimes.com

Twitter: @jenhab

noah.bierman@latimes.com

Twitter: @NoahbiermanOn Tuesday in the Mexican border city of Matamoros, a group of 55 asylum seekers camped at the foot of bridges, waiting to cross into Brownsville, Texas. The group, including a deaf man and half a dozen children, face an average wait of six weeks. Farther west in Nogales, on the border with Arizona, about 150 asylum seekers waited to enter the United States.

In Juarez, across from El Paso, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials turned one Guatemalan father away six times over three days in October. The smuggler hed paid to get him and his two young daughters to the United States gave him a choice: Continue waiting on the bridge to Texas, alone, or take a raft illegally across the Rio Grande with the children. With one of his daughters sick, he chose the river and surrendered to the Border Patrol to apply for asylum.

In San Diego, Central American families who have traveled north as part of the most recent caravan have been ducking through known gaps in a fence at Tijuana. Border Patrol agents wait on the other side for them to turn themselves in and claim asylum.

In a nationally televised speech from the Oval Office, President Trump is expected to address what administration officials repeatedly have called a humanitarian and national security crisis at the southern border.

Advertisement

Yet from Mexico City to the U.S.-Mexico border, to inundated U.S. immigration courts and interior checkpoints, current and former officials, as well as outside experts, say that to the extent the border faces such a crisis, its largely of the administrations own making.

Its a self-imposed crisis, said Stephanie Leutert, director of the Mexico Security Initiative at the University of Texas at Austin, who spoke to the Guatemalan father.

Apprehensions at the border  the most common measure of illegal immigration  are near historic lows.

From the 1980s to the mid-2000s, apprehensions routinely reached more than 1 million migrants a year. In the fiscal year that ended in September, 521,090 people were apprehended or stopped at the border.

There is absolutely not a border-security crisis right now, said Chris Wilson, deputy director of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington. Apprehensions are way down from their peak.

Everard Meade, director of the Trans-Border Institute at the University of San Diego, said the administration has tried to keep this impression that the border is overwhelmed, even though empirically its not.

Nor is there significant evidence of a terrorist threat at the border  something that Trump and other administration officials have implied.

As recently as July 2017, the State Department said there was no credible information that any member of a terrorist group has traveled through Mexico to gain access to the United States.

Advertisement

Homeland Security data for fiscal 2017 show that U.S. officials encountered 2,554 people on the terrorist watch list trying to enter the United States. The vast majority, however, were attempting to enter at airports or by sea, not by crossing the border from Mexico.

Wilson said there had been no clear increase since 9/11 on the numbers of special interest foreigners at the border  a category defined broadly as anyone from a country that has produced or promoted terrorism  and though it remains an area of concern, theres never been a terrorist attack by someone who entered the United States from Mexico.

In every national security risk assessment, you have to direct resources to where they will be most effective, he said. When it comes to combating terrorism and protecting the homeland, the southern border is not high on the list.

What has changed at the border in the last couple of years is a significant shift in who is coming, and why. In November, Border Patrol agents apprehended 25,172 family members on the border, a record, and 5,283 unaccompanied minors, most seeking asylum.

Advertisement

Even if migrant children traveling north without adults keep pace, they wont come close to the height of the so-called unaccompanied minors crisis in 2014, when they reached more than 67,000. But the number of children and adults seeking asylum has grown dramatically. In fiscal 2013, there were only about 43,000 asylum applications. In fiscal 2018, there were 160,000, an increase contributing to a current backlog of roughly 800,000 asylum cases, Wilson said.

If theres a crisis right now, Wilson said, its in our asylum system.

At ports of entry and detention centers, U.S. immigration and border enforcement personnel say a system designed in the 1990s for single adult Mexican males has been overwhelmed by Central American families and unaccompanied minors. Two migrant children died in U.S. custody last month, the first such fatalities in more than a decade, according to the administration.

But although the numbers themselves are daunting, several actions by the administration may have worsened the problem.

Advertisement

Thousands of migrants fleeing violence and poverty in Central America have amassed at the U.S.-Mexico border, waiting weeks or sometimes months in dangerous Mexican border towns for the chance to claim asylum in the United States. At ports of entry, U.S. officials have been metering asylum seekers, at times turning them away and telling them that facilities are at capacity.

Last month, the administration announced what they called a historic policy shift to force migrants to wait in Mexico while their U.S. cases are processed. Although theres little sign the Remain in Mexico strategy is being implemented, increasingly, migrants stuck at the border are resorting to smugglers or more remote areas to cross illegally, according to observers.

The large number of unaccompanied children trying to enter the U.S. also stems, in part, from the administrations abrupt decision, early in Trumps tenure, to end Obama-era programs that enabled Central American minors to apply in their home countries for asylum in the United States. That move stranded thousands of children. Most of the 13,000 applicants came from El Salvador, a country with one of the highest homicide rates in the world for those under age 19.

Administration officials have recently discussed reinstating that program.

Advertisement

Over the holidays, in Texas, Arizona, and California, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released thousands of migrants to the streets and bus stations, without the advance notice typically given to local shelters, with many already at capacity.

Ruben Garcia, director of El Pasos main shelter network, Annunciation House, said the decision to suddenly release detainees in large groups without coordination felt calculated to send a political message.

Why was it for 361 days immigration communicated with us, we had a system where they told us their capacity? he said. I see it as political. And thats very, very sad, that the administration is taking what are basically law enforcement agencies and politicizing them.

Dylan Corbett, director of El Paso-based Hope Border Institute, said a pregnant Honduran migrant told him that she too had tried to cross the border bridge but had been turned back into Juarez by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. She hid on a mountain at the edge of town, near a remote crossing favored by smugglers. While waiting to cross, she says she was raped.

Advertisement

Because weve made these policy choices to militarize the border, Corbett said, we dont have the capacity to respond to the reality of the situation, which is these families.

Meanwhile, the current partial government shutdown has made the backlog of asylum claims worse.

With many immigration judges furloughed, and others forced to work, without pay, court backlogs have grown.

Every day that we are not in court, thousands of cases will have to be rescheduled, said Ashley Tabaddor, president of the National Assn. of Immigration Judges. That means after two, three years of waiting, someone else will have to be bumped for them to be heard.

Advertisement

OToole reported from Washington, Hennessy-Fiske from Houston and Morrissey from San Diego.After flirting with a presidential bid, billionaire Tom Steyer announced Wednesday he would not seek the 2020 Democratic nomination but rather focus on leading a grass-roots effort to drive President Trump from office.

Most people come to Iowa around this time to announce a campaign for president, Steyer said at a news conference in Des Moines. But I am proud to be here to announce that I will do whatever it takes, for as long as it takes, to remove a president.

The rationale was the same that Steyer offered a year ago in ruling out a try for California governor. Earlier, he considered a 2016 run for U.S. Senate before deferring to Democrat Kamala Harris, who won the seat and is now plotting a 2020 White House bid.

Steyer ventured further this time, laying the groundwork for a potential campaign, sizing up staff and visiting several of the states key to the nominating process, including early-voting Iowa and New Hampshire. He didnt entirely rule out a try for president, cracking the door slightly by saying he was not running at this time.

Advertisement

However, should he reverse course some months from now, Steyer would be a late entry in what may be the most crowded and diverse field of presidential candidates either party has ever fielded.

Though he has never sought public office, Steyer, 61, is hardly a political novice. He has contributed tens of millions of dollars to left-leaning candidates and political causes, making him one of the countrys most prolific political donors.

After making a fortune as a San Francisco hedge-fund manager, he spent the better part of the last decade rebranding himself as a philanthropist, environmental crusader and, most recently, tormentor of Trump, whom he described Wednesday as lawless, reckless and dangerous.

Steyer traveled the country last year and spent millions on TV ads promoting the presidents impeachment, garnering millions of signatures in an online petition but antagonizing many Democratic leaders  including House Speaker and fellow San Franciscan Nancy Pelosi  by pursuing what, to their minds, is a misguided and politically counterproductive effort.

He brushed aside the notion that campaigning for Trumps ouster, rather than challenging him directly at the ballot box, was any less brave or formidable a task. If youre saying  that thats the layup that I fall back on, he said Wednesday in response to a reporter, I would have to say to you Im taking on what I think is the biggest possible challenge I could.

Raised comfortably on New Yorks Upper East Side, Steyer graduated from Yale University and Stanford University business school, then worked on Wall Street before moving to California and founding Farallon Capital Management, a hedge fund, in 1986.

His previous political forays have met with mixed success.

In 2010, Steyer financed a California ballot measure that beat back repeal of the states landmark law fighting climate change, and in 2012 he backed another voter-approved initiative that increased taxes $1 billion for out-of-state corporations to pay for conservation and alternative energy programs.

Advertisement

Steyer was less successful in 2014, when he spent $74 million  most from his own pocket  in a failed effort to make climate change a central issue in the midterm campaign. Republicans won big and elected the most environmentally hostile Congress in years.

Steyer declined to throw his support behind any of the many Democrats eyeing the White House, saying an endorsement would be premature. I dont know what the field of 2020 candidates is, he said. Before I would even comment Id like to see who actually declares for the presidency and what they have to say.

mark.barabak@latimes.com

@markzbarabakHeres our look at the Trump administration and the rest of Washington. Our coverage of California politics is here . Follow us on Twitter and sign up for the free politics newsletter

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Allies balk at Trump administration bid to block Chinese firm from cutting-edge telecom markets By David S. Cloud Britain and Germany are balking at the Trump administrations call for a ban on equipment from Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei, threatening a global U.S. campaign to thwart Chinas involvement in future mobile networks. Both countries are expected to limit Huawei and other Chinese companies from providing core components including routers. But other types of Chinese equipment for next-generation, high-speed communications could still be installed on British and German networks, officials and analysts say. The U.S. push to ban Huawei has provoked a global dispute in recent weeks, with senior U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, publicly urging NATO allies in Europe to exclude the company and warning that the United States might limit its military presence in countries that did not do so. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Confucius Institutes: Do they improve U.S.-China ties or harbor spies? By Don Lee Hanging red lanterns welcome visitors to the University of Marylands Confucius Institute, the oldest of about 100 Chinese language and cultural centers that have popped up over the last 15 years on American campuses, subsidized by millions of dollars from Chinas central government. But last fall, when four U.S. Senate investigators walked into the Confucius offices in Maryland and spent hours questioning staff, they werent looking for an educational exchange. The committee has been seeking detailed information from the university about the program, including contracts, email exchanges and financial arrangements that school administrators have kept under wraps since it started in 2004. American colleges once viewed these jointly funded institutes as an economical way to expand their language offerings  one that could also bring warmer ties with China and, importantly, an influx of Chinese international students paying full tuition. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Watch Live: White House holds surprise news briefing amid government shutdown

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print U.S. policy toward China shifts from engagement to confrontation By David S. Cloud For decades, China had no closer American friend than Dianne Feinstein. As San Francisco mayor in the 1970s, she forged a sister-city relationship with Shanghai, the first between American and Chinese communities. As U.S. senator, she dined with Chinese leaders at Mao Tse-tungs old Beijing residence. And in the 1990s, she championed a trade policy change that opened a floodgate of Western investment into China. Today the Democratic senator sees China as a growing threat, joining a broad array of Trump administration officials, national security strategists and business executives who once favored engagement with Beijing and now advocate a confrontational approach instead. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Mnuchins attempt to calm markets backfires as Trump takes another shot at the Federal Reserve By Jim Puzzanghera An attempt by Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin to calm plunging financial markets backfired Monday, further rattling investors with new fears about whether major U.S. banks have enough cash on top of worries about interest rates, political instability in Washington and a slowing global economy. Adding to the volatile mix was a fresh attack on the Federal Reserve by President Trump, who declared that the central bank was the U.S. economys only problem and that it didnt have a feel for the market. The Fed is like a powerful golfer who cant score because he has no touch -- he cant putt! Trump said on Twitter. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print He speaks to Democratic hearts. But is Beto ORourke a serious White House contender? By Mark Z. Barabak Hes a failed U.S. Senate candidate with an undistinguished congressional record who, for the moment, is a blazing-hot 2020 presidential prospect  despite the fact that he may not run and faces long odds if he does. Beto ORourke suggests the will-he-or-wont-he speculation is something he himself cant quite fathom. I think thats a great question, he responded in a Dallas Morning News interview when asked whether his unsuccessful November Senate bid merited a promotion to the White House. I ask that question myself. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Russian disinformation teams targeted Robert S. Mueller III, says report prepared for Senate By Craig Timberg, Tony Romm, Elizabeth Dwoskin Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. (Associated Press) Months after President Trump took office, Russias disinformation teams trained their sites on a new target: special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. Having worked to help get Trump into the White House, they now worked to neutralize the biggest threat to his staying there. The Russian operatives unloaded on Mueller through fake accounts on Facebook, Twitter and beyond, falsely claiming that the former FBI director was corrupt and that the allegations of Russian interference in the 2016 election were crackpot conspiracies. One post on Instagram  which emerged as an especially potent weapon in the Russian social media arsenal  claimed that Mueller had worked in the past with radical Islamic groups. Such tactics exemplified how Russian teams ranged nimbly across social media platforms in a shrewd online influence operation aimed squarely at American voters. The effort started earlier than commonly understood and lasted longer while relying on the strengths of different sites to manipulate distinct slices of the electorate, according to a pair of comprehensive new reports prepared for the Senate Intelligence Committee and released Monday. Read more Timberg, Romm and Dwoskin report for the Washington Post.

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print President Trump announces Mick Mulvaney as acting White House chief of staff By Associated Press President Trump says budget director Mick Mulvaney will serve as acting chief of staff, replacing John F. Kelly in the new year. I am pleased to announce that Mick Mulvaney, Director of the Office of Management & Budget, will be named Acting White House Chief of Staff, replacing General John Kelly, who has served our Country with distinction. Mick has done an outstanding job while in the Administration....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2018

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print It aint over when its over: In Michigan, Wisconsin and elsewhere, losers seek to undermine election results By Mark Z. Barabak Democrat Gavin Newsom has yet to become California governor, but already a candidate for state Republican Party chairman is promoting a recall effort. In Michigan and Wisconsin, GOP lawmakers have rushed through legislation to thwart their incoming Democratic governors and hamper others in the opposing party from doing the jobs voters chose them to do. In Congress, GOP leaders have echoed President Trump and sought to undermine the legitimacy of Democrats strong midterm performance, raising unsubstantiated allegations of fraud and political malfeasance. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print New CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger says she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney By Jim Puzzanghera On her first full day leading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Kathy Kraninger said she wont be a puppet of Mick Mulvaney, the controversial acting director whom she replaced in the powerful regulatory position. To underscore that point, the former White House aide said she would even reconsider a Mulvaney action that critics saw as a gratuitous jab at Democrats who championed the agencys creation: changing its name to the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection. Kraningers declaration during a meeting with reporters Tuesday addressed one of the main criticisms of her selection. She is considered a protege of Mulvaney, her boss at the White House Office of Management and Budget who has executed a dramatic, industry-friendly shift at the watchdog agency. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Trumps pick for chief of staff, Nick Ayers, out of running By Associated Press Nick Ayers, right, with Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch, at the funeral service for George H.W. Bush on Dec. 3. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Associated Press) President Trumps top pick to replace John F. Kelly as chief of staff, Nick Ayers, is no longer expected to fill that role. Thats according to a White House official who is not authorized to discuss the personnel issue by name and spoke on condition of anonymity. Ayers is Vice President Mike Pences chief of staff. The official says that Trump and Ayers could not agree on Ayers length of service. The father of young children, Ayers had agreed to serve in an interim capacity though the spring, but Trump wanted a two-year commitment. The official says that Ayers will instead assist the president from outside the administration. Trump announced Saturday that Kelly would be departing the White House around the end of the year. Thank you @realDonaldTrump, @VP, and my great colleagues for the honor to serve our Nation at The White House. I will be departing at the end of the year but will work with the #MAGA team to advance the cause.  #Georgia  Nick Ayers (@nick_ayers) December 9, 2018

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print U.S. hiring slows to 155,000 jobs, unemployment rate holds at 3.7% By Jim Puzzanghera Job growth slowed significantly in November but still was solid, indicating the economy remains in good shape but not expanding so quickly that it will lead to sharply higher interest rates. U.S. employers added 155,000 jobs last month, well below analyst expectations and a steep decline from Octobers strong 237,000 figure, the Labor Department reported Friday. Still, monthly job gains are averaging 206,000 this year, the best since 2015. Even the slower pace of 170,000 over the last three months is close to last years average of 182,000 and well above the amount needed to keep up with population growth. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Trump is expected to pick State Department spokeswoman for U.N. ambassador By Associated Press Heather Nauert at a briefing at the State Department on Aug. 9, 2017. (Alex Brandon / Associated Press) President Trump is expected to nominate State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. Two administration officials confirmed Trumps plans. A Republican congressional aide said the president was expected to announce his decision by tweet on Friday morning. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly before Trumps announcement. Trump has previously said Nauert was under serious consideration to replace Nikki Haley, who announced in October that she would step down at the end of this year. Trump has been known to change course on staffing decisions in the past. Nauert was a reporter for Fox News Channel before she became State Department spokeswoman under former Secretary Rex Tillerson.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Senate confirms new consumer financial protection chief: Kathy Kraninger, protege of industry-friendly Mick Mulvaney By Jim Puzzanghera The Senate, in a party-line vote Thursday, confirmed White House aide Kathy Kraninger to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and experts predicted a continuation of the industry-friendly shift it has taken since President Trump installed an acting director last year. Kraninger is a protege of acting director and White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney, an outspoken critic of the agency that was created in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis to prevent predatory lending and other abuses that led to it. Democrats and consumer advocates have denounced him for sharply departing from the aggressive watchdog role the bureau had pursued under its first director, Obama-appointee Richard Cordray, including scaling back enforcement and moving to reassess tough new rules on payday loans and narrow the definition of abusive practices by banks and other firms. Read More

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Shutdown postponed by two weeks under plan approved by Congress By Erik Wasson Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), shown at the Capitol on Tuesday, says President Trumps border wall is a waste of money. (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Congress passed a two-week stopgap spending bill that will delay the chance of a partial government shutdown until Dec. 22 as lawmakers and President Donald Trump negotiate over his demands to pay for a wall on the southern border. The House and Senate passed the measure Thursday without dissent, and Trump has indicated hell sign the bill before the current shutdown deadline of midnight Friday. Negotiations were delayed by memorial services this week for former President George H.W. Bush. The temporary measure gives Democrats and Republicans more time to find a resolution to their biggest hurdle: funding a wall on the U.S. Mexico border wall. Trump says he wants $5 billion for parts of a concrete wall on the southern border and is willing to shut down the government if he doesnt get it. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York has said Democrats will provide no more than $1.6 billion for border security, because the wall is a waste of money. The presidents demands for wall funding from Congress come after he said during the campaign that Mexico would pay for it. This week he said on Twitter that a $25 billion border wall would pay for itself in two months, without providing evidence. Most of the U.S. governments $1.2 trillion discretionary budget has been appropriated already by Congress for the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1. Departments at a risk of a partial shutdown late this month include the departments of State, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Treasury and Homeland Security. Talks to resolve the differences have been on hold since a meeting among Trump, Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California originally slated for Dec. 4 was postponed due to Bush memorial events. The three are scheduled to meet on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter. Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby of Alabama told reporters the rest of the seven-bill spending package being negotiated is basically done. Shelby in recent weeks had tried to broker a compromise in which Trumps $5 billion request would be split over two years, but Schumer has rejected that. Some Democrats have been willing to trade border wall funding for deportation protections for young undocumented immigrants. Pelosi ruled out such a deal in remarks to reporters Thursday. The stopgap government funding measure also would extend the National Flood Insurance Program, which provides subsidized coverage for homes in flood-prone areas, to Dec. 21.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Bipartisan Senate group wants to formally blame Saudi crown prince for journalists killing By Karoun Demirjian Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G-20 summit in Buenos Aires. (Associated Press) A bipartisan group of senators filed a resolution Wednesday condemning Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as responsible for the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, directly challenging President Trump to do the same. This resolution -- without equivocation -- definitively states that the crown prince of Saudi Arabia was complicit in the murder of Mr. [Jamal] Khashoggi and has been a wrecking ball to the region jeopardizing our national security interests on multiple fronts, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said in a statement accompanying the release of the resolution. It will be up to Saudi Arabia as to how to deal with this matter. But it is up to the United States to firmly stand for who we are and what we believe. The resolution put forward by Graham and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who are expected to lead the Judiciary Committee together next year, comes just one day after CIA Director Gina Haspel briefed leading senators about the details of the agencys assessment that Mohammed ordered and monitored the killing and dismemberment of Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. Senators emerged from that closed-door briefing furious not only with Saudi Arabia, but Trump as well for dismissing the heft of the CIAs findings. You have to be willfully blind not to come to the conclusion that this was orchestrated and organized by people under the command of MBS and that he was intricately involved in the demise of Mr. Khashoggi, Graham said following the briefing, referring to Mohammed by his initials. He added that Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Defense Secretary James N. Mattis, who briefed senators last week, were at best being good soldiers and at worst were in the pocket of Saudi Arabia for presenting the evidence of Mohammeds involvement as inconclusive. The release of the resolution condemning Mohammed also comes as the Senate is preparing to move ahead with debate on a resolution to curtail U.S. support for the Saudi-led military campaign in Yemen. Though the Yemen resolution does not directly address Khashoggis murder, its popularity is a sign of how strained the United States patience with Saudi Arabia is on multiple fronts, including its role in worsening the civilian cost of the war in Yemen, cited by the United Nations as the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. Last week, the Senate voted 63 to 37 to advance the Yemen resolution past an opening procedural hurdle. But Graham and Feinsteins resolution on the crown prince has the potential of drawing broader support, especially from Republicans, who are deeply divided about how fiercely to punish Saudi Arabia over Khashoggis killing. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who has been an outspoken advocate for human rights and is seen as one of the more influential foreign policy voices in the GOP, did not vote for the Yemen resolution last week or sign on to a bipartisan measure last month to sanction Saudi officials and cease weapons transfers to the kingdom. But he is an original co-sponsor of the resolution condemning Mohammed over Khashoggis death. So is Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), who represents the other end of the GOP spectrum in terms of recent Saudi-related votes and endorsements. Young was an initial co-sponsor of the bill Graham wrote with Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) to sanction Saudi officials deemed responsible for Khashoggis killing and stop the sale of anything but exclusively defensive weapons to the kingdom until it ceased hostilities in Yemen. Young also voted to advance the Yemen resolution  something Graham did as well, though Graham has signaled he will not be lending any similar support to the measure, fearing it may establish a precedent of invoking the War Powers Act too broadly. Sens. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) are listed as original co-sponsors of the resolution condemning Mohammed, which also urges Saudi Arabia to negotiate with Houthi rebels to end the Yemen war, work out a political solution to its standoff with Qatar and release political prisoners. But how much sway the resolution has probably comes down to how forcefully the administration decides to heed it -- and thus far, Trump has not shown any interest in condemning the crown prince the way the senators hope he will. Demirjian reports for the Washington Post.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Los Angeles County offices and U.S. Postal Service closed Wednesday in honor of George H.W. Bush By Brian Park The Honor Guard carries the casket of former U.S. President George H. W. Bush following his funeral on Dec. 5 in Washington, DC. (Doug Mills - Pool/Getty Images) The U.S. Postal Service will suspend regular mail delivery Wednesday, which President Trump has declared a national day of mourning in honor of former President George H.W. Bush. All retail postal outlets will be closed, and package delivery will be limited. In Los Angeles, all nonessential county departments, offices and libraries will be closed for the day, L.A. County officials said. The Los Angeles County Library said no overdue fines will be assessed for books, and due dates will be moved forward one week. Los Angeles County Department of Public Health offices also are closed Wednesday. The Sheriffs Department, Fire Department, clinics and hospitals will continue to operate, the county said. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health clinics are being operated with reduced staffing, and the department asked patients to confirm or reschedule any appointments. All county courts and the disaster recovery centers for the Woolsey fire in Malibu and Agoura Hills will remain open. Larger federal government operations will be closed Wednesday. To honor the life and legacy of President Bush, the Postal Service will observe the National Day of Mourning. Learn how Postal operations will be affected. https://t.co/Mffch7bPCh pic.twitter.com/vG46BsIOpm  U.S. Postal Service (@USPS) December 4, 2018 L.A. County offices and libraries will be closed tomorrow (Dec 5) in observance of the #NationalDayOfMourning for President George H. W. Bush.



The Countys Disaster Recovery Centers in Malibu & Agoura Hills will remain open from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. pic.twitter.com/Sv1J7GoJ7T  Los Angeles County (@CountyofLA) December 4, 2018 @LAPublicHealth offices will be closed tomorrow December 5 in observance of the national Day of Mourning for President George H. W. Bush. Essential Services including clinics and other services will remain open: https://t.co/tZGoGGHRlg pic.twitter.com/ypXsV6vlYY  LA Public Health (@lapublichealth) December 4, 2018

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to skip 2020 White House race, sources say By Associated Press Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick speaks during an interview in Boston on Dec. 15, 2014. (Elise Amendola / Associated Press) Former Gov. Deval Patrick of Massachusetts will soon announce he wont launch a 2020 presidential campaign, according to three sources familiar with his plans. They did not say why the Democrat decided against a run. A formal announcement was delayed as the country observed a day of mourning for President George H.W. Bush, one source said. News of Patricks plans was first reported by Politico. Patrick, 62, served two terms as governor, from 2007 to 2015, was assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Clinton administration and since leaving the governors office has been a managing director for Bain Capital. Patrick traveled the country in support of Democratic candidates in the recent midterm election. Earlier this year, some of Patricks supporters and close advisors started the Reason to Believe political action committee, a grassroots organization dedicated to advancing a positive, progressive vision for our nation in 2018 and 2020. Reason to Believe PAC had been holding meetups across the country, including in early presidential primary states. While Patrick is opting against a 2020 run, dozens of Democrats are considering jumping in, including nearly a half-dozen members of the Senate, several House members, and other Massachusetts politicians. On Tuesday, Michael Avenatti, the attorney for adult film star Stormy Daniels and a vocal critic of President Trump, said in a statement that he would run. Patrick had previously expressed some concerns about breaking through if he sought the nomination, telling David Axelrod, a former advisor to President Obama, that he wasnt sure he could stand out in such a large field. Its hard to see how you even get noticed in such a big, broad field without being shrill, sensational or a celebrity, and Im none of those things and Im never going to be any of those things, Patrick said in a September interview with Axelrod.

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Former Trump adviser Roger Stone invokes 5th Amendment right and wont testify before Senate Judiciary Committee By Associated Press Roger Stone in 2017. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) Roger Stone, an associate of President Trump, says he wont provide testimony or documents to the Senate Judiciary Committee. An attorney for Stone said in a letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the committees top Democrat, that Stone was invoking his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination in refusing to produce documents or appear for an interview. Stone has been entangled in investigations by Congress and special counsel Robert S. Mueller III about whether Trump aides had advance knowledge of Democratic emails published by WikiLeaks during the 2016 election. Stone has not been charged and has said he had no knowledge of the timing or specifics of WikiLeaks plans. In the letter to Feinstein, Stone said the committees requests were far too overbroad, far too overreaching and far too wide-ranging.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Watch live: Vice President Pence and lawmakers honor George H.W. Bush at the U.S. Capitol before he lies in state

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Rebuilding crumbling infrastructure has bipartisan support. But who gets to pay for it? By Jim Puzzanghera The grades for major U.S. infrastructure would give any parent indigestion if they were on a childs report card. Roads: D; bridges: C+; dams: D; ports: C+: railways: B; airports: D; schools: D+; public transit: D-. The nations overall grade: D+, which translates to being in fair to poor condition and mostly below standards with significant deterioration and a strong risk of failure, according to an evaluation last year by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Read More

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Trump calls former lawyer Michael Cohen a weak person who is lying By Associated Press President Trump says his former lawyer Michael Cohen is lying to get a reduced sentence. The president is reacting to Cohens guilty plea Thursday to lying to Congress about work he did on a Trump real estate project in Russia. During a surprise court hearing, Cohen admitted to lying in testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee about a plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen in his guilty plea said he made the false statements to be consistent with Trumps political message. Cohens lawyer says he continues to cooperate with special counsel Robert S. Mueller IIIs investigation into Russian election interference and possible coordination with Trump associates.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print As California Republicans confront a congressional wipeout, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a reckoning By Mark Z. Barabak When the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McCarthy trooped with other Republican lawmakers to a splashy Rose Garden celebration, smiling alongside President Trump as they celebrated the moment. As majority leader, McCarthy had helped round up the votes to narrowly pass the hard-fought legislation, convincing 13 other California Republicans to go along, even though several faced tough reelection fights. Fewer than half will be returning in January. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print As California Republicans confront a congressional wipeout, GOP leader Kevin McCarthy faces a reckoning By Sarah D. Wire When the House voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Kevin McCarthy trooped with other Republican lawmakers to a splashy Rose Garden celebration, smiling alongside President Trump as they celebrated the moment. As majority leader, McCarthy had helped round up the votes to narrowly pass the hard-fought legislation, convincing 13 other California Republicans to go along, even though several faced tough reelection fights. Fewer than half will be returning in January. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Michael Cohen, President Trumps ex-lawyer, pleads guilty to lying to Congress about Trump real estate project in Russia By Associated Press Michael Cohen, President Trumps former personal lawyer, pursued a Russian real estate project on candidate Trumps behalf well into the 2016 campaign, he said Thursday while pleading guilty to lying to Congress. Cohen had previously said that the project was abandoned in January 2016, but he now admits he continued to pursue a deal and says he updated Trump and members of his family about the negotiations, according to a new court document. Read More

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print James Comey says acting Atty. Gen. Whitaker may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer By John Wagner Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker speaks at the Justice Department in Washington on Nov. 14. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press) Former FBI Director James B. Comey apparently isnt too impressed with the mental prowess of President Trumps acting attorney general. Matthew Whitaker may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer, Comey said during a radio interview on Monday night in which he sized up the man Trump installed this month to replace ousted Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions. Comey was asked by WGBH News in Boston if he thinks Whitaker could derail the investigation of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Whitaker has spoken critically of the probe, and Trump  as recently as Tuesday  continues to call it a witch hunt. I think its a worry, but to my mind not a serious worry, Comey said. The institution is too strong, and [Whitaker], frankly, is not strong enough to have that kind of impact. He may not be the sharpest knife in our drawer, but he can see his future and knows that if he acted in an extralegal way, he would go down in history for the wrong reasons, and Im sure he doesnt want that, added Comey, who was fired by Trump last year and later wrote a book that portrays the president as an ego-driven congenital liar. Whitaker, a former U.S. attorney in Iowa, was Sessions chief of staff before being picked by Trump to lead the Justice Department. Trump has called Whitaker a very smart man. Earlier this year, Trump called Comey an untruthful slime ball. Wagner writes for the Washington Post.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Interior Department watchdog clears Zinke in investigation of Utah national monument By Juliet Eilperin Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke, third from the left, and Gov. Jerry Brown tour fire damage in Paradise, Calif., on Nov. 14. (Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press) The Interior Departments Office of Inspector General has cleared Secretary Ryan Zinke in a probe of whether he redrew boundaries of a national monument in Utah to aid the financial interests of a Republican state lawmaker and stalwart supporter of President Trump. In a Nov. 21 letter to Zinkes deputy, David Bernhardt, Deputy Inspector General Mary Kendall wrote that her office found no evidence that the secretary or his aides changed the boundaries of Utahs Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in an effort to help former Utah state representative Mike Noel, who serves as executive director of the Kane County Water Conservancy District. Last December, Trump shrank the monument, first established by President Clinton in 1996, by 46% based on Zinkes recommendation. Noel owns 40 acres that had been surrounded by the monument, but now lies outside its boundaries. The new boundaries also would make it easier to construct the proposed Lake Powell Pipeline, which would deliver water to sites in Kane County that include Noels property. Earlier this year, the Interior Department had proposed selling off 120 acres of federal land from the former monument that lay adjacent to some of Noels land holdings, but later reversed the plan. We found no evidence that Noel influenced the DOIs proposed revisions to the [monuments] boundaries, that Zinke or other DOI staff involved in the project were aware of Noels financial interest in the revised boundaries, or that they gave Noel any preferential treatment in the resulting proposed boundaries, Kendall wrote. Neither the Interior Department nor the inspector generals office would release the actual investigative report. In the letter, Kendall writes that her office will provide the report to Congress no sooner than 31 days from Nov. 21, when it is provided it to Zinkes office. The Associated Press first reported the inspector generals conclusions Monday night, but did not provide details from the report itself. Noel emailed Zinke about the effort to alter Grand Staircase-Escalante, according to emails released by Interior under the Freedom of Informational Act. But those emails do not make references to Noels land holdings. Noel also pushed to rename a Utah highway in honor of Trump, but abandoned that effort in March after some of his fellow Republicans objected to the idea. Noel did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. The inspector generals office still has at least two ongoing probes of the secretary, including one focused on his real estate dealings in Whitefish, Mont., and another regarding his decision to deny a permit to two Connecticut tribes who were hoping to jointly run a casino after MGM Resorts International lobbied against it. Interior Department spokeswoman Heather Swift welcomed the watchdogs conclusions. The report shows exactly what the secretarys office has known all along  that the monument boundaries were adjusted in accordance with all rules, regulations and laws, she said in an email. This report is also the latest example of opponents and special interest groups ginning up fake and misleading stories, only to be proven false after expensive and time consuming inquiries by the IGs office. But Kendalls spokeswoman, Nancy DiPaolo, defended the inquiry, even though she said the report has not been publicly released and we will not be speaking specifically about the matter at this time. The OIG opens investigations based on credible allegations and reports our findings objectively and independently, DiPaolo added. Any time or resources spent investigating conduct or activity that may be a violation of law, regulation or policy is a service to the public, Congress and the Department. Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, said in a statement that he still intended to investigate the way Zinke and his colleague redrew the boundaries for Grand Staircase-Escalante and another Utah national monument, Bears Ears, next year. I have great respect for the inspector general, and I accept these findings, but Secretary Zinke should have known the people he listened to while destroying our national monuments had disqualifying conflicts of interest, he said. Should I chair the Natural Resources Committee in the next Congress, the process he and President Trump used to destroy Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante will be front and center in our oversight and investigations efforts. We need to know why they ignored overwhelming public expressions of support for both Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, why they ignored Native American tribes throughout their decision-making, and why they removed protections on parcels of land with known mineral deposits. Eilperin and Rein report for the Washington Post.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Trump advisor Larry Kudlow says China must do more to end trade war By Jim Puzzanghera Larry Kudlow, President Trumps top economic advisor, said Tuesday that Chinas response to U.S. efforts to rework the two economic superpowers trade relationship has been extremely disappointing but the planned meeting this weekend between the nations leaders is an opportunity for a breakthrough. They have to do more. They must do more, Larry Kudlow, director of the White House National Economic Council, told reporters ahead of a Saturday dinner between Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Group of 20 Summit in Argentina. I think the president is exactly right  to show strong backbone when prior administrations did not, to break through these Chinese walls, Kudlow said. Theyre so resistant to change. We have to protect the country. We have to protect our technology, our inventiveness, our innovation. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Watch live: White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders holds a media briefing amid tensions at the border By Los Angeles Times Staff

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Democrat TJ Cox grabs lead over Republican David Valadao in nations last remaining undecided House race By Maya Sweedler Democrat TJ Cox slipped past Republican incumbent David Valadao on Monday to take the lead in the countrys sole remaining undecided congressional race, positioning Democrats to pick up their seventh House seat in California and 40th nationwide. Cox, who trailed by nearly 4,400 votes on election night, has steadily gained as ballot counting continues nearly three weeks after the Nov. 6 election, a pattern consistent with the states recent voting history. On Monday, he pulled ahead by 438 votes after Kern County updated its results. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Former CIA director Michael Hayden hospitalized after suffering a stroke By Deanna Paul Then-CIA Director Michael Hayden testifies before a Senate committee in 2008. (Saul Loeb / Getty Images) Former CIA Director and retired Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke, his family said Friday. He is receiving expert medical care for which the family is grateful, according to a statement issued by his namesake organization. The General and his family greatly appreciate the warm wishes and prayers of his friends, colleagues, and supporters. Hayden, 73, served as director of the CIA and National Security Agency during the George W. Bush and Obama administrations. He retired from the CIA in 2009. Hayden has been a vocal critic of Donald Trumps campaign and presidency. Earlier this year, after Trump decided to revoke the security clearance of former CIA director John Brennan, Hayden was one of several former intelligence leaders who signed a statement in opposition. Criticizing the president for crossing a line, he quickly became one of the individuals whose security clearance Trump threatened to review. Deanna Paul writes for the Washington Post.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Trump tells troops hes thankful for what hes done for the U.S. and rails against courts and migrants By Associated Press President Trump talks with troops via teleconference from his estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on Thanksgiving. (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump used his Thanksgiving Day call to troops deployed overseas to pat himself on the back and air grievances about the courts, trade and migrants heading to the U.S.-Mexico border. Trumps call, made from his opulent private Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., struck an unusually political tone as he spoke with members of all five branches of the military to wish them happy holidays. Its a disgrace, Trump said of judges who have blocked his attempts to overhaul U.S. immigration law, as he linked his efforts to secure the border with military missions overseas. Trump later threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico for an undisclosed period of time if his administration determines Mexico has lost control on its side. The call was a uniquely Trump blend of boasting, peppered questions and off-the-cuff observations as his comments veered from venting about slights to praising troops  You really are our heroes, he said  as club waiters worked to set Thanksgiving dinner tables on the outdoor terrace behind him. It was yet another show of how Trump has dramatically transformed the presidency, erasing the traditional divisions between domestic policy and military matters and efforts to keep the troops clear of politics. You probably see over the news whats happening on our southern border, Trump told one Air Force brigadier general stationed at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, adding: I dont have to even ask you. I know what you want to do, you want to make sure that you know who were letting in. Later, Trump asked a U.S. Coast Guard commander about trade, which he noted was a very big subject for him personally. Weve been taken advantage of for many, many years by bad trade deals, Trump told the commander, who sheepishly replied, Mr. President, from our perspective on the water  we dont see any issues in terms of trade right now. And throughout, Trump congratulated himself, telling the officers that the country is doing exceptionally well on his watch. I hope that youll take solace in knowing that all of the American families you hold so close to your heart are all doing well, he said. The nations doing well economically, better than anybody in the world. He later told reporters, Nobodys done more for the military than me. Indeed, asked what he was thankful for this Thanksgiving, Trump cited his great family as well as himself. I made a tremendous difference in this country, he said.

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Trump contradicts CIA assessment that Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi killing By Josh Dawsey | Washington Post (Susan Walsh / Associated Press) President Trump on Thursday contradicted the CIAs assessment that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had ordered the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, insisting that the agency had feelings but did not firmly place blame for the death. Trump, in defiant remarks to reporters from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, defended his continued support for Mohammed in the face of a CIA assessment that the crown prince had ordered the killing. He denies it vehemently, Trump said. He said his own conclusion was that maybe he did, maybe he didnt. I hate the crime .... I hate the cover-up. I will tell you this: The crown prince hates it more than I do, Trump said. Asked who should be held accountable for the death of Khashoggi, who was killed at the Saudi Consulate in Turkey, Trump refused to place blame. Maybe the world should be held accountable because the world is a very, very vicious place, the president said. He also seemed to suggest that all U.S. allies were guilty of the same behavior, declaring that if the others were held to the standard that critics have held Saudi Arabia to in recent days, we wouldnt be able to have anyone for an ally. Trumps remarks came after he held a conference call with U.S. military officers overseas, during which he repeatedly praised his administration and sought to draw the officers into discussions of domestic policy.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Former FBI Director James Comey gets subpoena from House Republicans By Bloomberg Former FBI Director James B. Comey said he has received a subpoena from House Republicans, according to a Twitter post on Thursday. Bloomberg News reported last week that Comey would be receiving a subpoena alongside former Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch as part of continuing probes into their handling of investigations into Hillary Clinton and Russian election meddling, according to a top House Democrat. Happy Thanksgiving. Got a subpoena from House Republicans. Im still happy to sit in the light and answer all questions. But I will resist a closed door thing because Ive seen enough of their selective leaking and distortion. Lets have a hearing and invite everyone to see.  James Comey (@Comey) November 22, 2018 Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Republican David Valadaos lead slips to 447 votes over Democrat TJ Cox in still-undecided Central Valley House race By Mark Z. Barabak Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford), right, finds himself in an increasingly harrowing cliffhanger against Democrat TJ Cox. (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) On election night, it looked like Rep. David Valadao had survived a close shave and was destined to return to Washington for his fourth term. But on Wednesday, when Fresno County announced its latest vote totals, the Hanford Republican found himself in an increasingly harrowing cliffhanger against Democrat TJ Cox, with his lead in the Central Valley district shrunken to 447 votes. Thousands remain to be counted. Valadao, a repeated Democratic target, finished election night with a lead of nearly 4,440 votes. Cox, an engineer and a business owner who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2006, has steadily gained ground in the 21st Congressional District ever since. The trend is consistent with historic patterns showing Republicans in California tend to vote early and Democrats later, meaning their mail ballots continue to stream in past election day. Under California law, ballots postmarked up to midnight on Nov. 6 will be counted. Democrats have already picked up six House seats in California. They ousted Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, Mimi Walters, Steve Knight and Jeff Denham and won the seats of retiring Reps. Ed Royce and Darrell Issa. All six represented districts that backed Hillary Clinton over Donald Trump in 2016. Valadao was the seventh California Republican in a district Clinton won, though his previous successes  he last won reelection by a 14-point margin  suggested his ouster was a longer shot for Democrats. If Cox prevails, it would give Democrats a 40-seat gain nationwide, far more than the 23 seats needed to take control when Congress reconvenes in January.

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Trump says no new punishments against Saudi Arabia in Jamal Khashoggi murder By Eli Stokols In this Oct. 25 photo, candles are lit in front of a photo of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. (Lefteris Pitarakis) President Trump made it clear on Tuesday that he does not intend to punish Saudi Arabia or Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an American resident killed by Saudi officials in Turkey in October. In a remarkable statement replete with exclamation points, Trump cast doubt on the CIAs reported conclusions that it has a high degree of confidence that the crown prince ordered Khashoggis murder and sent his closest allies to Saudi Arabias consulate in Istanbul to carry it out. Read MoreThis article has been updated with staff.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Sixteen House Democrats vow to oppose Nancy Pelosi as next speaker By Mike DeBonis | Washington Post House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (J. Scott Applewhite / Associated Press) Sixteen House Democrats said Monday that they will vote to deny Rep. Nancy Pelosi another stint as House speaker, a show of defiance that puts her opponents on the cusp of forcing a seismic leadership shake-up as their party prepares to take the majority. Their pledge to oppose Pelosi (D-San Francisco), both in an internal caucus election and a Jan. 3 floor vote, delivered in a letter sent to Democratic colleagues, comes as Pelosi has marshaled a legion of supporters on and off Capitol Hill to make her case. But her opponents said Monday they are convinced it is time to select a new leader. We are thankful to Leader Pelosi for her years of service to our Country and to our Caucus, they wrote. However, we also recognize that in this recent election, Democrats ran on and won on a message of change. Pelosi has expressed complete confidence that she will retake the speakers gavel in January  eight years after she lost it following massive Republican gains in the 2010 midterms and 16 years after she was first elevated to the top Democratic leadership post in the House. Come on in, the waters fine, she said Friday about a potential leadership challenge. The signers might not be able to force Pelosi out themselves. The size of the Democratic majority remains in flux, but Democrats have already won 232 seats, according to the Associated Press, with five races still undecided. All those races have Republican incumbents, but the Democratic challenger is ahead in only one of them. If the leads hold in the uncalled races, Democrats would have won 233 seats, a 16-seat majority. That means Pelosi could lose as many as 15 Democratic votes when she stands for election as speaker on Jan. 3. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Democratic senators sue over Whitakers appointment as acting attorney general By Associated Press Acting U.S. Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitaker (Nicholas Kamm / AFP/Getty Images) Three Senate Democrats filed a lawsuit Monday arguing that Acting Atty. Gen. Matthew Whitakers appointment is unconstitutional and asking a federal judge to remove him. The suit, filed by Sens. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, argues that Whitakers appointment violates the Constitution because he has not been confirmed by the Senate. Whitaker was chief of staff to Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions and was elevated to the top job after Sessions was ousted by President Trump on Nov. 7. The Constitutions Appointments Clause requires that the Senate confirm all principal officials before they can serve in their office. The Justice Department released a legal opinion last week that said Whitakers appointment would not violate the clause because he is serving in an acting capacity. The opinion concluded that Whitaker, even without Senate confirmation, may serve in an acting capacity because he has been at the department for more than a year at a sufficiently senior pay level. President Trump is denying senators our constitutional obligation and opportunity to do our job: scrutinizing the nomination of our nations top law enforcement official, Blumenthal said in a statement. The reason is simple: Whitaker would never pass the advice and consent test. In selecting a so-called constitutional nobody and thwarting every senators constitutional duty, Trump leaves us no choice but to seek recourse through the courts. The lawsuit comes days after a Washington lawyer challenged Whitakers appointment in a pending Supreme Court case dealing with gun rights. The attorney, Thomas Goldstein, asked the high court to find that Whitakers appointment is unconstitutional and replace him with Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein. Rosenstein, the second-ranking Justice Department official, has been confirmed by the Senate and had been overseeing special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Whitaker is now overseeing the investigation. The Justice Department issued a statement Monday defending Whitakers appointment as lawful and said it comports with the Appointments Clause, the Federal Vacancies Reform Act and legal precedent. There are over 160 instances in American history in which non-Senate confirmed persons performed, on a temporary basis, the duties of a Senate-confirmed position, Justice Department spokeswoman Kerri Kupec said. To suggest otherwise is to ignore centuries of practice and precedent.

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Gov. Rick Scott says Sen. Bill Nelson concedes Florida Senate race By Associated Press Republican Senate candidate Rick Scott speaks with his wife, Ann, by his side at an election watch party in Naples, Fla., on Nov. 7. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Floridas Republican Gov. Rick Scott says incumbent Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson called him to concede defeat in their extremely tight race. Scott issued a statement Sunday saying Nelson graciously conceded their Senate race shortly after the states recount ended. The final results show Scott defeated Nelson by just over 10,000 votes out of 8 million cast. Nelson is scheduled to release a videotaped statement later Sunday. The defeat ends Nelsons lengthy political career. The three-term incumbent was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000. Before that he served six terms in the U.S. House and as state treasurer and insurance commissioner for six years. Scott spent more than $60 million of his own money on ads that portrayed Nelson as out-of-touch and ineffective. Nelson responded by questioning Scotts ethics and saying he would be under the sway of President Trump.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Orange County goes blue, as Democrats complete historic sweep of its seven congressional seats By Michael Finnegan Gil Cisneros defeated Republican Young Kim on Saturday in the last of Orange Countys undecided House races, giving Democrats a clean sweep of the states six most fiercely fought congressional contests and marking an epochal shift in a region long synonymous with political conservatism. With Cisneros victory, Democrats will constitute the entirety of Orange Countys seven-member congressional delegation, the first time since the 1930s that the birthplace of Richard Nixon, home of John Wayne and spiritual center of the Republican Party will have no GOP representative in the House. Sitting back in the 1960s, I would never have believed this would happen, said Stuart K. Spencer, a party strategist who spent more than half a century ushering Republicans, including President Reagan, into office. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Going, going ... with midterm wipeout, California Republican Party drifts closer to irrelevance By Michael Finnegan For a party in freefall the last two decades, California Republicans learned that its possible to plunge even further. The GOP not only lost every statewide office in the midterm election  again, in blowout fashion  but Democrats reestablished their supermajority in Sacramento, allowing them to legislate however they see fit After major defeats in Orange County and the Central Valley, two longtime strongholds, Republicans will have a significantly smaller footprint on Capitol Hill. (Democrats hold both Senate seats.) When the vote-counting is finished, the GOP may not even have enough lawmakers in Californias 53-member House delegation to field a nine-person softball team. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Congresswoman-elect Katie Porter says she will support Rep. Nancy Pelosi for speaker By Maya Sweedler Democratic Rep.-elect Katie Porter is congratulated by volunteers at her campaign headquarters in Irvine. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Congresswoman-elect Katie Porter said she plans to support Rep. Nancy Pelosis bid for speaker of the House and will make campaign finance reform her top priority when she enters the chamber in January. Im going to continue to have conversations, but so far I feel like Leader Pelosi is definitely making the things that were a priority to the families that elected me her priorities, including announcing her support for campaign finance reform and anti-corruption as HR1, Porter said in her first public appearance since being declared the winner in Californias 45th Congressional District on Thursday evening. It means a lot to me that she is a Californian. She understands our state, Porter added. When we talk about environmental protections, this is a person who understands as a Californian how fragile our environment is and whats at risk in things like drilling off our coasts. Porter, a law professor at UC Irvine, defeated two-term Republican Rep. Mimi Walters. The 45th District, covering inland Orange County, has never been represented by a Democrat. Porter became the third Democrat to claim a Republican-held seat in Orange County, following the victories of Harley Rouda in the 48th District and Mike Levin in the 49th. A fourth, Gil Cisneros, is running slightly ahead of his Republican opponent in the race for the open seat in the 39th District, which extends into Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties. Porter attributed the massive political shift in the county, for decades a conservative stronghold, to increased levels of political engagement. Folks here care about education, they care about the environment, they believe climate change is real, they want healthcare that protects preexisting conditions, they want a tax system that doesnt punish California, they want our schools and places of worship to be safe from gun violence, she said. Those are the issues we campaigned on, and to the extent that Donald Trump and Mimi Walters were on the wrong side of those issues, the voters have made clear what direction they want us to go. Porter was flying back from the East Coast when her race was called, she said. She turned on her phone to find 167 text messages from friends and supporters. Among them was Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who was one of Porters teachers in law school and with whom she has remained close. The pair spoke via FaceTime this morning, she said.

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Bitter battle for Senate seat in Florida goes to hand recount By Associated Press Employees look through damaged ballots during a recount Thursday in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press) Floridas acrimonious battle for the U.S. Senate headed Thursday to a legally required hand recount after an initial review by ballot-counting machines showed Republican Gov. Rick Scott and Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson separated by less than 13,000 votes. But the highly watched contest for governor between Republican Ron DeSantis and Democrat Andrew Gillum appeared to be over, with a machine recount showing DeSantis with a large enough advantage over Gillum to avoid a hand recount in that race. Gillum, who conceded the contest on election night only to retract his concession later, said in a statement that it is not over until every legally casted vote is counted. The recount so far has been fraught with problems. One large Democratic stronghold in South Florida was unable to finish its machine recount by the Thursday deadline due to machines breaking down. A federal judge rejected a request to extend the recount deadline. We gave a heroic effort, said Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections Susan Bucher. If the county had three or four more hours, it would have made the deadline to recount ballots in the Senate race, she said. Meanwhile, election officials in another urban county in the Tampa Bay area decided against turning in the results of their machine recount, which came up with 846 fewer votes than originally counted. Media in South Florida reported that Broward County finished its machine recount but missed the deadline by a few minutes. Counties were ordered last weekend to do a machine recount of three statewide races because the margins were so tight. The next stage is a manual review of ballots that were not counted by machines to see whether there is a way to figure out voter intent. Scott called on Nelson to end the recount battle. Its time for Nelson to respect the will of the voters and graciously bring this process to an end rather than proceed with yet another count of the votes  which will yield the same result and bring more embarrassment to the state that we both love and have served, the governor said in a statement. The recount has triggered multiple lawsuits, many of them filed by Nelson and Democrats. The legal battles drew the ire of U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker, who slammed the state for repeatedly failing to anticipate election problems. He also said the state law on recounts appears to violate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that decided the presidency in 2000. We have been the laughingstock of the world, election after election, and we chose not to fix this, Walker said during a morning hearing. Walker vented his anger at state lawmakers and Palm Beach County officials, saying they should have made sure they had enough equipment in place to handle this kind of a recount. But he said he could not extend the recount deadline because he did not know when Palm Beach County would finish its work. This court must be able to craft a remedy with knowledge that it will not prove futile, Walker wrote in his ruling turning down the request from Democrats. It cannot do so on this record. This court does not and will not fashion a remedy in the dark. The overarching problem was created by the Florida Legislature, which Walker said passed a recount law that appears to run afoul of the 2000 Bush vs. Gore decision by locking in procedures that do not allow for potential problems. A total of six election-related lawsuits are pending in federal court in Tallahassee as well at least one lawsuit filed in state court. Walker also ordered that voters be given until 5 p.m. Saturday to show a valid identification and fix their ballots if they have not been counted due to mismatched signatures. Republicans appealed the ruling, but an appeals court turned down the request. State officials testified that nearly 4,000 mailed-in ballots were set aside because local officials decided the signatures on the envelopes did not match the signatures on file. If those voters can prove their identity, their votes will be counted and included in final official returns due from each county by noon Sunday. Walker was asked by Democrats to require local officials to provide a list of people whose ballots were rejected. But the judge appointed by President Obama refused the request, calling it inappropriate. Under state law, a hand review is required with races that have a margin of 0.25 percentage points or less. A state website put the unofficial results showing Scott ahead of Nelson by 0.15 percentage points. The margin between DeSantis and Gillum was at 0.41 points. The margin between Scott and Nelson had not changed much in the last few days, conceded Marc Elias, an attorney working for Nelsons campaign. But he said that he expected the vote tally to shrink due to the hand recount and the ruling on signatures. The developments fueled frustrations among Democrats and Republicans alike. Democrats want state officials to do whatever it takes to make sure every eligible vote is counted. Republicans, including President Trump, have argued without evidence that voter fraud threatens to steal races from the GOP.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Democrat Gil Cisneros pulls ahead of Republican Young Kim as more votes are tallied in Orange and San Bernardino counties By Michael Finnegan Congressional candidate Gil Cisneros (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) Democrat Gil Cisneros pulled ahead of Republican Young Kim in one of Californias undecided congressional races Thursday, an ominous sign for a GOP already reeling from its loss of four House seats in the state. In updated vote counts released by the registrars for Orange and San Bernardino counties, Kim fell 941 votes behind Cisneros in the contest to succeed Republican Rep. Ed Royce in Californias 39th Congressional District. The 39th straddles Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties. In another unresolved House race, Democrat Katie Porter pulled further ahead of Republican incumbent Mimi Walters in the 45th District, which includes Mission Viejo, Tustin, Irvine, Rancho Santa Margarita and Laguna Hills. Porter, a consumer attorney and UC Irvine law professor, is now 6,203 votes ahead. The Nov. 6 midterm election has been devastating to Republicans in California. If Cisneros and Porter win, the party will have lost six of its 14 House seats in the state, essentially a wipeout in every contest that both parties spent heavily to win. The three Republicans already bounced from Congress are Reps. Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa, Steve Knight of Palmdale and Jeff Denham of Turlock in the San Joaquin Valley. Democrat Mike Levin won the seat of retiring GOP Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista in the fourth district flipped so far.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Florida Senate race likely headed to second recount By Associated Press A Palm Beach County Sheriffs deputy walks past boxes of ballots before a recount on Nov. 15 in West Palm Beach, Fla. (Wilfredo Lee) Unofficial Florida election results show that the governors race seems to be settled after a machine recount but the U.S. Senate race is likely headed to a hand recount. Republican Ron DeSantis is virtually assured of winning the nationally watched governors race over Democrat Andrew Gillum. Florida finished a machine recount Thursday that showed Gillum without enough votes to force a manual recount. Unofficial results posted on a state website show the margin between U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and Gov. Rick Scott is still thin enough to trigger a second review. State law requires a hand recount of races with a margin of 0.25 percentage point or less. Counties have until Sunday to inspect the ballots that did not record a vote when put through the machines. Those ballots are re-examined to see whether the voter skipped the race or marked the ballot in a way that the machines cannot read but can be deciphered. The election will be certified Tuesday. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Pelosi says she has the votes to become the next House speaker By John Wagner Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi speaks during a news conference in Washington on Nov. 14. (Susan Walsh) House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi insisted Thursday that she has the votes to become the chambers speaker despite solid opposition from more than a dozen Democrats who want fresh leadership when the party takes control next year. I have overwhelming support in my caucus to be speaker of the House, the San Francisco lawmaker told reporters. I happen to think at this point, Im the best person for that. A vote within the Democratic caucus is scheduled for Nov. 28. The full House votes on Jan. 3 to elect a new speaker. During her remarks, Pelosi touted the size of the Democratic victory in the midterms, which she called almost a tsunami. With a few races still to be decided, Democrats are poised to pick up close to 40 seats in the chamber. Pelosi called that the biggest victory for the Democrats since 1974, when the Watergate babies came in. Pelosis comments come as she faces solid opposition from at least 17 Democrats, setting the stage for a battle over who will ascend to one of the most powerful positions in Washington. After a campaign in which some Democrats prevailed in competitive districts by promising to oppose her, a coalition of incumbents and newly elected members has denied her a smooth path to the speakership. The defections, if they stand, would leave Pelosi, who has led the Democrats for more than 15 years, several votes short of the 218 she would need when the full House votes for speaker Jan. 3. However, no Democrat has stepped forward to run against her for a job she held from 2007 through 2010. Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) told reporters Wednesday that shes being encouraged to stand for speaker if Pelosi doesnt have the votes. In an interview with the Washington Post on Thursday, she said she has been overwhelmed by the support from many of her colleagues for her possible entry into the race for House speaker. Over the last 12 hours, Ive been overwhelmed by the amount of support Ive received, Fudge said, adding that there are probably closer to 30" Democrats who have privately signaled that they are willing to oppose Pelosi. Things could change rapidly, Fudge said. Fudge, 66, a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said she is building a diverse coalition as she mulls a speaker run, talking with allies in the caucus, moderate Democrats and newly elected members. To this point, Pelosi has enjoyed the strong backing of the Congressional Black Caucus. On Thursday, Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), one of its members, wrote a letter to colleagues praising her insight, fortitude and strategic thinking and urging support for her speakership bid. Former Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr., an African American who is contemplating a 2020 presidential bid, also voiced support for Pelosi, praising her in a tweet as an architect of the recent midterm success. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), a leader of the resistance to Pelosi, said during an interview on CNN on Thursday that Fudge is the kind of new leader that we need in this party. Shes in touch with middle America. She understands what the American people want. Shes a next-generation leader that people will look to and say, Thats the future of our party, thats the future of our country, and thats exactly the kind of leader that I want to see as our next speaker. Wagner reports for the Washington Post. The Posts Robert Costa, Erica Werner, Mike DeBonis, Paul Kane and Elise Viebeck contributed to this report.

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print GOP Rep. Jeff Denham concedes to Democrat Josh Harder in Central Valley race By Maya Sweedler Rep. Jeff Denham (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) Republican Rep. Jeff Denham has conceded to Democrat Josh Harder in the race to represent Californias 10th Congressional District in the San Joaquin Valley. It has been an absolute honor to serve our community and represent the Central Valley in Congress over the past eight years, the 51-year-old congressman said. The enormity of the responsibility was never lost on me. My wife Sonia and I look forward to starting the next chapter of our lives. Harder said he had spoken with Denham and the two were committed to a productive transition. Denham, an Air Force veteran, previously represented the region in the state Senate for eight years and founded a company specializing in plastic packaging used in agriculture. While a member of Congress, he sat on the Transportation and Infrastructure, Veterans Affairs and Agriculture committees. First-time candidate Harder was born and raised in the district. After graduating from Stanford University, he served as vice president of a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. Since moving back, he has been teaching at Modesto Junior College. Denhams House seat is one of four in California that Republicans lost in the Nov. 6 election, with two contests in Orange County still undecided as of Thursday morning. Jeff Denham called me this morning and we had a very productive conversation. I'm honored that I've been chosen to serve our community in Congress, and we're both looking forward to a productive transition that best serves the people of District 10.  Josh Harder (@JoshHarder) November 14, 2018

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Democrat Katie Porter now nearly 3,800 votes ahead of GOP Rep. Mimi Walters By Maya Sweedler Rep. Mimi Walters thanks all of her supporters as she watches election results in Irvine on Nov. 7, 2018. (Alex Gallardo / Associated Press) Democrat Katie Porter opened a 3,797-vote lead Wednesday over Republican Rep. Mimi Walters in Orange Countys 45th Congressional District. In the neighboring 39th, Democrat Gil Cisneros has nearly tied the race against Republican Young Kim. Cisneros now trails Kim by a razor-thin margin of 122 votes. The 39th District straddles Los Angeles, Orange and San Bernardino counties; Wednesdays updated ballot counts came from the latter two. There are more than 202,000 ballots left to count in Orange County, which includes parts of seven congressional districts. The 45th is entirely in inland Orange County. In California, the ballots counted first tend to lean Republican and those tallied later skew Democratic. In the Central Valleys 21st Congressional District, Democratic challenger TJ Cox has pulled within 2 percentage points of Rep. David Valadao, who is serving his third term. The Associated Press had projected a win for Valadao on election night, but his 4,839-vote advantage has shrunk to 2,090. Back in CA-21, Valadao (R) wins a batch of ballots from his stronghold in Kings Co., but by a considerably smaller margin (14 points) than his previous ~30-point margin in the county. We're moving to Lean R from Likely R; today a bit scary for Valadao.https://t.co/WqJVUVkqGW  Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) November 15, 2018 A spokesman for Valadao told the Fresno Bee that the changes were expected and that [s]tatistically, David Valadao has won this race. Democrats in California have already flipped four House seats, defeating three Republican incumbents and claiming an open seat previously held by the GOP. Reps. Steve Knight of Palmdale, Dana Rohrabacher of Costa Mesa and Jeff Denham of Turlock have already lost their races, and retiring Rep. Darrell Issas San Diego County seat was claimed by Democrat Mike Levin.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Trump aide departs West Wing after rebuke from Melania Trump By Associated Press First Lady Melania Trump. (Alain Jocard / AFP-Getty Images) Deputy national security advisor Mira Ricardel is leaving the White House, one day after First Lady Melania Trumps office issued an extraordinary statement calling for her dismissal. No replacement was named. Aides said Ricardel clashed with the first ladys staff over her visit to Africa last month. Yet it is highly unusual for a first lady or her office to weigh in on personnel matters, especially the presidents national security staff. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Ricardel would have a new role in the administration. On Tuesday, Stephanie Grisham, the first ladys spokeswoman, released a statement saying, It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House. President Trumps White House has set records for administration turnover. Ricardel was the third person to hold the post under Trump. An ally of national security advisor John Bolton, Ricardel began her service in the Trump administration as associate director in the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, then moved to the Commerce Department last year. Bolton brought her into the West Wing shortly after taking the job in April. He is traveling in Asia this week alongside Vice President Mike Pence.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Race for House Minority Leader is Kevin McCarthys to lose By Associated Press (Bill Clark / CQ Roll Call) House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy is running to take over next years shrunken caucus in closed-door elections that will set the tone for the new Congress. The race for minority leader is McCarthys to lose Wednesday. But the California Republican, who is an ally of President Trump, must fend off a challenge from conservative Jim Jordan of Ohio. Jordan is a leader of the House Freedom Caucus. The two encountered questions and finger-pointing during a private meeting with lawmakers Tuesday night as the GOP sorted through the midterm defeat that put Democrats in the majority next year. Elections Wednesday will also determine party leadership in the Senate. Voting for the biggest race, Nancy Pelosis bid to return as the Democrats nominee for speaker, is later this month. Read More

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Melania Trump calls for the firing of deputy national security advisor By Justin Sink First Lady Melania Trump arrives at the Chateau de Versailles outside Paris on Nov. 11. (Alain Jocard / AFP/Getty Images ) First Lady Melania Trumps office said she wants Mira Ricardel, the deputy national security advisor, ousted from the White House. It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House, Trumps spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said in a statement in response to a question about reports the first lady had sought Ricardels removal. Ricardel is the top deputy to national security advisor John Bolton. She drew the first ladys wrath after threatening to withhold National Security Council resources during Melania Trumps trip to Africa last month unless Ricardel was included in her entourage, one person familiar with the matter said. Grishams statement comes as several media outlets have reported that President Trump is considering a broader shakeup of his administration, including ousting Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Sink and Jacobs report for Bloomberg. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print CNN sues Trump over the suspension of Jim Acostas White House press credentials By Jim Puzzanghera CNN said Tuesday that it is suing President Trump and other administration officials over the decision to suspend the White House press credentials of correspondent Jim Acosta after a conflict at a news conference last week. The suit, to be filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, escalates an ongoing battle between Trump and the cable news outlet that he frequently accuses of disseminating fake news for its aggressive coverage of him and his administration. The wrongful revocation of these credentials violates CNN and Acostas 1st Amendment rights of freedom of the press, and their 5th Amendment rights to due process, CNN said in a written statement. If left unchallenged, the actions of the White House would create a dangerous chilling effect for any journalist who covers our elected officials. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Maxine Waters to take aim at Wells Fargo and Deutsche Bank as new head of House Financial Services Committee By Jim Puzzanghera Rep. Maxine Waters plans to zero in on two big banks  Wells Fargo & Co. and Deutsche Bank  when she becomes head of the powerful House Financial Services Committee. The Los Angeles congresswoman, now the committees top Democrat, is widely expected to gain the gavel after her party won control of the House in last weeks elections. While Waters has outlined a wide-ranging agenda, she said her focus on bank oversight will target two large institutions she has been tangling with for a while  including one, Deutsche Bank, that spills into her bitter feud with President Trump. With Trump in the White House, I know that our fight for Americas consumers and investors will continue to be challenging. But I am more than up to that fight, Waters wrote in a letter last week to her Democratic colleagues on the committee that was obtained by The Times. Read More

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Heres how a controversial voting system will decide a congressional race in Maine By Kurtis Lee For the first time in U.S. history, a controversial voting system known as ranked choice is being used to decide a federal election. Its happening in Maine, which adopted the system in 2016. Rather than marking a single candidate, each voter ranks them all, assigning a first-place vote, a second-place vote and so on down the ballot. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print ACLU files suit to stop Trumps new asylum limits By Associated Press A group of Central American migrants march to the office of the U.N.'s humans rights body in Mexico City on Nov. 8. (Rebecca Blackwell / Associated Press) The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a legal challenge to President Trumps order denying asylum to migrants if they cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. The lawsuit was filed Friday in federal court in San Francisco and argues the new rules are against the law. Attorney Lee Gelernt said the regulations will put families in danger. The suit seeks to declare the regulations invalid and wants a judge to stop the rules from going into effect while the litigation is pending. The new rules were spurred in part by caravans of Central American migrants slowly moving north on foot, but officials say they will apply to anyone caught crossing illegally. Officials say about 70,000 people who enter the country illegally claim asylum. The order invoked the same national security powers Trump used to push through his travel ban. Read More

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Trump on new acting AG: I dont know Matt Whitaker By Associated Press President Trump talks with reporters before departing for France on the South Lawn of the White House on Nov. 9. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press) President Trump is moving to distance himself from Matthew Whitaker as he faces criticism over his choice for acting attorney general. Trump told reporters Friday that I dont know Matt Whitaker and said he didnt speak with Whitaker about special counsel Robert Muellers Russia investigation. Whitaker has made public comments critical of Muellers investigation, and critics have called on Whitaker to recuse himself from oversight of the inquiry. Under former Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions, the investigation was overseen by Deputy Atty. Gen. Rod Rosenstein. Of the scrutiny Whitaker is facing, Trump said: Its a shame that no matter who I put in they go after. He also called Whitaker a very highly respected man. Whitaker was Sessions chief of staff before Trump made him Sessions interim replacement.

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg out of hospital after fall By Associated Press The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is home after being released from the hospital. She had been admitted for treatment and observation after fracturing three ribs in a fall. The court said Ginsburg was released Friday. Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg says she is doing well and working from home. The court had previously said the justice fell in her office at the court on Wednesday evening and went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. Ginsburg broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Gun-control activist Lucy McBath defeats GOP Rep. Karen Handel in Georgia By Associated Press Lucy McBath speaks during a rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams on Nov. 2 at Morehouse College in Atlanta. (Alyssa Pointer / Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Democratic gun-control activist Lucy McBath has defeated Republican Rep. Karen Handel of Georgia in a suburban congressional district long considered safe for the GOP. Handel had to seek reelection after winning her seat last year in a close special election race against Democrat Jon Ossoff. McBath became an advocate for stricter gun laws after her son, Jordan Davis, was fatally shot at a Florida gas station in 2012 by a man angry over loud music the teenager and his friends were playing in a car. McBaths margin of victory was narrow enough for Handel to have requested a recount. The Associated Press declared McBath the winner Thursday after Handel conceded. Handel conceded in a statement Thursday morning, stating that after reviewing all of the election data, its clear she came up a bit short in Tuesdays vote. Handel congratulated McBath, offering good thoughts and much prayer for the journey that lies ahead for her. McBath, who is African American, declared victory Wednesday.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg hospitalized after fracturing 3 ribs in fall By Associated Press Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Jacquelyn Martin / Associated Press) The Supreme Court says 85-year-old Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg fractured three ribs in a fall in her office at the court and is in the hospital. The court says the justice went to George Washington University Hospital in Washington early Thursday after experiencing discomfort overnight. The court says the fall occurred Wednesday evening. Ginsburg was admitted to the hospital for treatment and observation after tests showed she fractured three ribs. Ginsburg broke two ribs in a fall in 2012. She has had two prior bouts with cancer and had a stent implanted to open a blocked artery in 2014.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print White House suspends press pass of CNNs Jim Acosta after heated exchange with Trump By Associated Press The White House on Wednesday suspended the press pass of CNN correspondent Jim Acosta after he and President Trump had a heated confrontation during a news conference. They began sparring after Acosta asked Trump about the caravan of migrants heading from Latin America to the southern U.S. border. When Acosta tried to follow up with another question, Trump said, Thats enough! and a female White House aide unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone from Acosta. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement accusing Acosta of placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern, calling it absolutely unacceptable. The interaction between Acosta and the intern was brief, and Acosta appeared to brush her arm as she reached for the microphone and he tried to hold onto it. Pardon me, maam, he told her. Acosta tweeted that Sanders statement that he put his hands on the aide was a lie. CNN said in a statement that the White House revoked Acostas press pass in retaliation for his challenging questions Wednesday, and the network accused Sanders of lying about Acostas actions. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is also completely disrespectful to the reporters colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. President Trump has given the press more access than any President in history.  Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Contrary to CNNs assertions there is no greater demonstration of the Presidents support for a free press than the event he held today. Only they would attack the President for not supporting a free press in the midst of him taking 68 questions from 35 different reporters...  Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 As a result of todays incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice.  Stephanie Grisham (@PressSec) November 8, 2018 Sanders provided fraudulent accusations and cited an incident that never happened. This unprecedented decision is a threat to our democracy and the country deserves better, CNN said. Jim Acosta has our full support. Journalists assigned to cover the White House apply for passes that allow them daily access to press areas in the West Wing. White House staffers decide whether journalists are eligible, though the Secret Service determines whether their applications are approved.

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Trump spars with reporters at post-election news briefing, ordering several to sit down By Associated Press  President Trump assails CNNs Jim Acosta at a White House news conference. President Trump sparred with reporters at his post-election news conference, ordering several to sit down and telling another hes a rude, terrible person. He told another reporter hes not a fan of yours, either. The presidents mood turned sour Wednesday after reporters pressed him on why he referred to a migrant caravan making its way to the U.S. on foot through Mexico as an invasion. Trump ramped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric against the caravan in the final days of the midterm elections. Trump was also pressed on why his campaign aired an ad featuring a Mexican immigrant convicted of killing American police officers and linking the mans actions to the caravan. Several television networks pulled the ad after airing it or declined to air it at all.

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Im living one hour at a time at this point By Christine Mai-Duc Republican congressional candidate Young Kim and gubernatorial candidate John Cox campaign in Rowland Heights. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times) Republican congressional candidate Young Kim greeted gubernatorial candidate John Coxs giant campaign bus, the words HELP IS ON THE WAY emblazoned across it, as it rolled into the parking lot outside her Rowland Heights field office. Standing beside Cox on Saturday, Kim predicted that a string of GOP victories Tuesday would start with voters repealing the gas tax hike. Can you imagine Gavin Newsom being our governor? Can you imagine Gil Cisneros being your representative? Kim asked the crowd, to loud boos and cries of Nooo! The former state assemblywoman who worked for retiring Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) is vying for his seat with Democrat Gil Cisneros. She led the crowd in chants of Enough is enough! and, though short-lived, Drain the swamp! Ive served you in Sacramento and Ive seen dysfunction personally, Kim continued. We cannot continue that route. She urged her supporters to stay and help make phone calls or walk neighborhoods. Lets get out there  the 72 hours is really critical. Its all going to come down to a few votes, it could be your vote, she said pointing to her left, then pivoting right, it could be your vote. So dont sit back and do nothing. Every night I go to sleep thinking, OK, how many more votes can I get or how many more people can I call tomorrow? Kim said. It can be physically exhausting but Im mentally, emotionally very energized. She listed off her events so far that day  and the next one she was heading to. Thats just what I can remember, she said. Im living one hour at a time at this point. Kims campaign invited press to two of her events on Saturday. After she was whisked away to her next event  a high tea fundraiser in Walnut, a couple dozen volunteers remained. John Freeman, a statewide field manager for the state Republican Party, tried to pump them up. This is the Super Bowl. Were not in an NFL stadium, were not getting paid millions of dollars, but you know what? Freeman said. Were walking on the field right now. This is that high-stakes-level game.

Advertisement

Facebook

Twitter

Show more sharing options Share Close extra sharing options Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

Email

Copy Link URL Copied!

Print Its going to be tough out there Democratic candidate Katie Porter speaks to volunteers in Mission Viejo. Jon Bauman, Bowzer from the band Sha Na Na, is in the background. (Victoria Kim / Los Angeles Times ) Judging from the cheers in the crowd, about half those assembled at Katie Porters campaign headquarters in Mission Viejo Sunday morning were old enough to remember 70s rock n roll star Bowzer from the band Sha Na Na. Jon Bauman, as Bowzer is known off stage, said it was her position on senior issues including retirement and social security that has him out supporting Porter over her opponent, incumbent Rep. Mimi Walters. I want you to make sure every phone is called and every door is knocked, he told the crowd of about 80 volunteers. There has never been a more important election. Both Bauman and his nephew, California Democratic Party Chairman Eric Bauman, were interrupted by yells from Trump supporters coming from an adjoining hillside. We love Trump, the voice cried out. We love him too, he makes great fodder, the younger Bauman retorted, before introducing Porter. Porter, a UC Irvine law professor and first-time candidate, acknowledged the uphill battle some of her canvassers might face in this more conservative end of the long-red Orange County district. I know its going to be tough out there, she said, motioning to the hillside. But she said the attacks meant the other side viewed her campaign as a significant threat. This election is going to be close, she said. If we dont fight all the way to the finish line, until 8 oclock on Tuesday, this could slip away. Bowzer then took to a keyboard piano to lead the crowd in a reworded rendition of the song Good Night Sweetheart: Good night, Mimi Walters, he crooned. A woman in a black tank top, jeans and flip flops holding a cup of coffee later joined the crowd with her two sons, 17 and 14, the younger one wearing a Trump 2016 T-shirt. She declined to give her name, saying she was concerned about being attacked, but said she lived up the hill and said she had been the one yelling. She said she was encouraging her sons to talk to people on both sides and make up their own minds. We need to have a government that runs the way government teachers are telling kids its supposed to be run, said the woman, a retired registered dental assistant who voted early for Mimi Walters. Referring to Democrats, she said: Theyve had control over all these years and Californias gone to crap. Among those canvassing was Stacie Campbell, 37, who was at the launch with her husband Jerome and three children, the youngest of whom was 2 months old. Campbell, a Mission Viejo resident who runs a business, had never canvassed or volunteered for campaigns before, and her husband is a French citizen and unable to vote. She said they had been talking to their children  the older ones are 5 and 2  about the presidency and the government since Trumps electionMore than a half century ago, the Supreme Court in one of its most famous decisions boldly put a check on executive power, one that has been cited repeatedly as proof the president cannot declare a national emergency to bypass Congress.

Many legal experts, however, say they are not confident the Constitution and the courts would stand in the way if President Trump were to declare a national emergency to fund a wall on the southern border. At issue is not the definition of an emergency, but the many expansions of presidential power written into law by Congress in recent decades.

When President Truman issued an order to seize control of the steel mills, no one questioned that the nation faced a true emergency. American troops had been pushed back in Korea, and a pending strike in the steel industry would immediately jeopardize and imperil our national defense and endanger our soldiers, sailors and airmen engaged in combat in the field, he declared in 1952.

But the high court stood firm and ruled the president did not have the power, acting on his own, to order the steel mills to keep running.

Advertisement

The presidents power, if any, to issue the order must stem either from an act of Congress or from the Constitution itself, said Justice Hugo Black in Youngstown Sheet & Tube vs. Sawyer. No law gave him that authority, he said, nor can it be sustained as an exercise of the presidents military power as commander in chief of the armed forces.

Justice Robert Jackson, who also served as the U.S. prosecutor at the Nuremberg war crimes trial, warned of the danger of putting emergency powers in the hands of the executive. He cited Hitlers use of a temporary suspension of rights to take full power in Nazi Germany. History suggests that emergency powers are consistent with free government only when their control is lodged elsewhere than in the executive who exercises them, Jackson wrote. Such power  has no end. If it exists, it need submit to no legal restraint.

The words of the steel seizure case are sure to play a role in the public debate and a potential legal battle if Trump declares a national emergency to fund a border wall.

The founders of this nation entrusted the lawmaking power to the Congress alone in both good times and bad, Black wrote, and that includes the authorization to spend tax money. Democrats have stressed that Congress has not chosen to fund a wall, despite Trumps pleadings.

But Elizabeth Goitein, a scholar at the Brennan Center at New York University, has described how Congress has added clauses to many laws that authorize the president to wield extra powers in emergencies.

Unknown to most Americans, a parallel legal regime allows the president to sidestep many of the constraints that normally apply. The moment the president declares a national emergency  a decision that is entirely within his discretion  more than 100 special provisions become available to him, she wrote last month. While many of these tee up reasonable responses to genuine emergencies, some appear dangerously suited to a leader bent on amassing or retaining power.

For example, the federal law that applies to the Defense Department includes a special provision on construction authority in the event of a declaration of war or national emergency. It says that in the event of war or the declaration by the president of a national emergency  that requires use of the armed forces, the secretary of Defense, without regard to any other provision of law, may undertake military construction projects  not otherwise authorized by law.

Legal experts expect the White House will cite this provision if Trump seeks to divert already appropriated money to pay for a border wall. Critics have noted the law focuses on supporting the armed forces, and a border wall is not a barrier against a military foe.

Advertisement

But Yale law professor Akhil Amar said a judge may well be reluctant to conclude that the presidents decision to build a barrier at the border does not involve the military or the armed forces. Trump sees this as putting up barriers to repel invaders at the border, he said. And about one-third of country sees it that way.

Moreover, bringing a lawsuit in court requires an injured plaintiff who has standing. And the court has ruled that neither lawmakers nor taxpayers have standing to sue over how the government spends money.

Factually it is ludicrous to claim this is a national emergency, but who would have standing to challenge it? said Syracuse law professor William Banks. It could be a property owner who says his land has been diminished in value. If so, however, such a case may take time to develop.

It is not clear that the Supreme Court will be willing to take up such a dispute or stand in the way of the president.

Advertisement

In 1952, all the justices were Democratic appointees, but the 6-3 majority rebuked the actions of a Democratic president.

Trumps lawyers have been eager to move cases to the high court as soon as possible, confident the conservative-leaning justices will rule for the Republican administration.

The latest from Washington 

More stories from David G. Savage 

Advertisement

david.savage@latimes.com

Twitter: DavidGSavageTo the editor: Possibly the most outrageous claim the president has made in defense of his border wall is that furloughed government employees are happy to accept what may be a financially strapped personal condition in exchange for what he says is the national security his wall would guarantee.

President Trump no doubt wants us to believe that the support of a patriotic federal workforce justifies an open-ended government shutdown. But as always, he is responding to the hardships facing ordinary Americans with compelling indifference.

In the dispute involving the need for a southern border wall, Trump is promoting the fiction that a significant percentage of unpaid federal workers would  and should  sacrifice their own financial security to shore up a symbolic campaign promise. This is a proposition that most Americans no doubt find not only implausible but offensive.

Roger Hirschberg, Bondville, Vt.

Advertisement

..

To the editor: The Romans, under Emperor Hadrian, built a wall across Britain to prevent raids and migration. As long as the wall was patrolled by the Roman legions who maintained order, it worked.

But then, due to treachery and the corruption of its politicians, Rome fell. The legions were recalled, and the empire was no more. Without the legions defending the wall, chaos became an intermittent constant in the region.

Thus, history teaches that it is not a wall, but only good government, devoid of internal divisions and corruption, that can maintain security.

Marsha Temple, Los Angeles

..

To the editor: Trump continues to weaken our actual security by all but assuring that Transportation Security Agency employees and Coast Guard members will work without pay so he can get some money for his border wall.

In fact, according to multiple reports, no one has been arrested on terrorism charges at our southern border in the last few years. In contrast, about 4,000 people were prevented by the Department of Homeland Security from entering the United States in 2017, mainly at sea and airports.

Advertisement

When will we admit that Trump only wants to save face politically? There is no invasion, hundreds of soldiers lost family time during the holidays because they were deployed to the border, and now the people who make up our first line of security on our coasts and at airports may soon go without pay.

There is no emergency. Trump lies.

George Giacoppe, Riverside

..

Advertisement

To the editor: Despite the difficulties in standing firm against financing Trumps wall, Democrats must not waver. If they do, its certain that new demands for crossbows and boiling oil will soon follow.

Marty Veselich, Playa del Rey

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and FacebookTo the editor: In arguing for the end of prayers at local government meetings, the Los Angeles Times editorial board fails to comment on the portion of the 1st Amendment that states, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.

Just how is an attendee at one of these public meetings required to listen to a prayer? People are free to look at their smartphones or hum a tune to themselves during a prayer.

There are no policemen watching to ensure they respect the religion being espoused. There is no codification of religion by the particular governmental authority. So what is the problem?

Mel Wolf, Burbank

Advertisement

..

To the editor: Alas, it appears that the Supreme Courts misguided 2014 Town of Greece, N.Y., ruling  which upheld distinctly Christian prayers at government meetings  probably will favor the Chino Valley Unified School Districts appeal to resume pious invocations at its board meetings.

Your spot-on editorial omitted how that 5-4 opinion was decided by the five practicing Roman Catholic justices. Even now, after two changes on the bench, a devout majority remains, with four practicing Catholics and one Episcopalian. To say the least, those five are disinclined to issue a ruling that might confine religion to its proper places.

This agnostic prays that The Times hope will be realized: Local governments can and should set a good example by conducting prayerless meetings. Nothing is so constitutionally sacred as the guarantee to be free of religion.

Roberta Helms, Santa Barbara

..

To the editor: As a minister, I am sometimes called upon at public and private meetings to offer a prayer. Since I respect people of all faiths and none, I offer some generic, prayer-like words:

Let us lift our spirits. Spirit of Love, known by many names  God and Goddess, Yahweh and Allah, Dios and Divine, Nature and Life  may we be grateful for this day. May we be grateful for this place. And may we be grateful for these people.

Advertisement

Then I conclude with, Now and forevermore, Amen.

Ive heard complaints from some die-hard Christians that I didnt pray to Jesus, and I imagine some die-hard atheists wish I wouldnt pray at all.

Personally, since I respect the 1st Amendment, I agree with your editorial, but sometimes Im put on the spot, so Ive come up with words that I hope dont cause too many people to say, Oy vey!

The Rev. William S. Freeman, Chatsworth

Advertisement

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and FacebookTo the editor: Rabbis Marvin Heir and Abraham Cooper put most of the blame for resurgent anti-Semitism worldwide on the far right, but they also suggest there are millions of anti-Semites on the left who believe Israel is treating Palestinians the way the Nazis treated Jews.

This is a mischaracterization of people who are sympathetic to the plight of the Palestinians.

I disagree vehemently with anyone who says the Israelis are treating the Palestinians like the Nazis treated the Jews. But there are many Israeli Jews who oppose the way the Israeli government is conducting the ongoing war between the Israelis and the Palestinians. This does not make Israeli Jews anti-Semitic.

Heir and Cooper diminish their effectiveness in calling out anti-Semitism when they criticize anyone who disagrees with Israeli government policy. To that extent, I as a Jew have been and continue to be called anti-Semitic. This only creates more hatred.

Advertisement

Benny Wasserman, La Palma

..

To the editor: Hier and Cooper ask us to call out hate when we see it.

I and many others begged Hier not to participate in the inauguration of a man who openly called for registering and discriminating against people based solely on their religion. In their op-ed article on the rise of anti-Semitism around the world, Hier and Cooper never mention the march by neo-Nazis in Charlottesville, Va., nor the man who said it included some very fine people.

It is long past time for Hier to admit his mistake in adding legitimacy to the bigot in the White House.

I. Nelson Rose, Encino

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and FacebookRep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.), one of two increasingly lonely libertarians in the House of Representatives, had a crazy idea Wednesday morning in the wake of President Trumps unpersuasive prime-time speech about border wall funding and the government shutdown: Have the House and Senate hash out a spending bill, send that bill to the president, and if he vetoes it, they can override, or not.

This is our system, Amash tweeted, with the slightest hint of desperation. We should follow it.

What an intriguing concept: Congress could do its job and ask the president to do his.

Not that it will happen anytime soon. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) made that clear in an interview with Sean Hannity on Tuesday night, ceding the Senates legislative function to the erratic executive-brancher he once described as the worlds biggest jackass.

Advertisement

If we undercut the president, the senator warned, thats the end of his presidency and the end of our party, and we deserve to be punished.

What an intriguing concept: Congress could do its job and ask the president to do his.

The combination of an aggressive president and a supine Congress has rendered pathetic many a legislator who were once afforded at least some respect. Graham arguably leads the pack.

This is the most presidential I have seen President Trump, he told Hannity. It was compelling and everything he said was true.

Ive seen more convincing hostage videos.

And its not just old Republican hawks displaying constitutional obsequiousness to a man who chafes daily at what checks and balances still constrain the presidency. Many of the same young Freedom Caucus representatives who came to Congress spitting fire about Barack Obamas executive overreach are now running interference for Trump on Robert S. Mueller IIIs Russia investigation.

Former Sen. Bob Corker, also a Republican, came up with a most memorable phrase to describe this hibernation by the legislative branch when he accurately accused Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnel (R-Ky.) last summer of blocking almost all amendments and proposed bills out of fear that we might poke the bear residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. The United States Senate right nowis becoming a body where, well, well do what we can do, but my gosh, if the president gets upset with us, then we might not be in the majority, Corker said.

Sooner rather than later, were going to need Senate Republicans to reanimate their bear-poking muscles. If the countrys most influential conservative follows through on his threats to declare a national emergency on the border, deploy additional military on U.S. soil, and go on an eminent domain spree at the expense of Texas ranchers, then its going to take more than court challenges to thwart the abuse.

Advertisement

But even before we reach a genuine constitutional crisis, whether through authoritarian power grabs or whatever comes next in the Mueller investigation, Congress needs to resolve its own self-made crisis of deferring decision-making authority to the president. The U.S. is fighting undeclared wars all over the globe, the legislative branch hasnt passed a proper budget in more than two decades, and the Senate cant even screw up the courage to limit the presidents flagrantly bogus national security justification for imposing dumb tariffs.

So embedded has congressional cowardice become that in one of the last acts of his disappointing career, former House Speaker Paul D. Ryan actually smuggled into a farm bill a provision barring the lame-duck Congress from exercising the War Powers Act with respect to Yemen. Yes, in the farm bill.

In response, the Houses other lonely libertarian, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), infuriated his colleagues by demanding that every subsequent vote in the 115th Congress be counted, rather than rubber-stamped via unanimous consent. It has gotten so bad that your elected representatives dont even want their votes to leave a paper trail.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

Advertisement

Meme-inducingly robotic as they were Tuesday night, House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) were right on their essential point: The government shutdown ends tomorrow if McConnell merely resubmits the same continuing resolution the Senate passed unanimously in December, and then senators vote the same way they did three weeks ago.

But Mitch wont poke the bear, at least not until more than a handful of Republican senators are willing to force his hand.

What about that new guy, handsome fella from Utah, who made waves in Washington last week by vowing to speak out against significant statements or actions that are divisive, racist, sexist, anti-immigrant, dishonest or destructive to democratic institutions?

Reported the Deseret News after Trumps address: Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, was silent Tuesday night.

Advertisement

Until Senate Republicans rediscover their tongues, let alone spines, their claim to constitutional conservatism should be greeted with hoots of laughter. This is our system. We should follow it.

Matt Welch is editor at large of Reason, a magazine published by the libertarian Reason Foundation, and a contributing writer to Opinion.The Cairo Court of Appeals has set 20 April as the date for the trial of former minister of agriculture Youssef Wali and five others for corruption involving land allocation.

The defendants face charges of taking bribes from the committee in charge of evaluating the price of lands and facilitating the seizure of land owned by the general authority for agricultural development and construction projects.

Some of the defendants face charges of damaging public funds and the illegal use of subterranean waters without permission from the Ministry Of Water Resources and Irrigation.

Wali served as minister of agriculture from 1982 until 2004.

He also served as deputy prime minister and deputy chairman of Hosni Mubarak's now-dissolved National Democratic Party.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

Gavin Newsom backed an assortment of ambitious and expensive programs as he campaigned for governor, none more so than the idea of converting the state to a single-payer healthcare system. On his first day in office Monday, Newsom reaffirmed that goal, but set the state on a more measured  and far more achievable  path toward insuring all Californians.

The most dramatic step Newsom took was also the one least likely to bear fruit: He signed a letter asking the federal governments permission to mingle federal dollars (such as funding for Medicare, Medicaid and veterans health benefits) and state funds into a single-payer system, replacing the various public and private insurance programs with one run by Sacramento. The chances of the Trump administration signing on to such a plan seem more remote than the most distant star in the Milky Way.

The other moves the new governor unveiled, including more spending on insurance subsidies and a new approach to prescription drug purchases, were more modest. Yet they still tee up some of the important questions that the Legislature  and the public  need to grapple with en route to a better healthcare system.

Everyone is going to require expensive healthcare in their lives, and they should be able to pay for it when they do.

Advertisement

Switching to a single-payer system, in which the government would cover the costs of necessary medical care, involves considerably more than just replacing insurance companies with bureaucrats. Once the state becomes the only insurer, it raises more pointed questions about who should be covered and for what types of care, how much the state should pay for treatments, how to hold down costs, how to finance the healthcare system, what alternatives, if any, consumers should have.

The Legislature has already started wrestling with one of those issues: Who should be covered? According to estimates by the UC Berkeley Labor Center, the vast majority of the roughly 3 million Californians who lacked health insurance in 2017 were lower-income residents, and the biggest group of them  an estimated 1.8 million  were low-income people living in the country without authorization. But providing subsidized healthcare to that group through Medi-Cal, the states version of Medicaid, would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, which is why the Legislature balked at a proposal to do so last year.

The state needs to get there eventually, however. Extending healthcare coverage to all would not only help low-income working families climb out of poverty and off other government assistance programs, it would make it easier to implement programs that improve efficiency in the healthcare system and slow the growth of healthcare spending.

The Legislature took an incremental step in that direction a few years ago, opening Medi-Cal to all low-income Californians under age 18 regardless of their immigration status. Newsoms budget proposal is expected to provide funding for one more step, albeit a small one: covering all low-income Californians under age 26, regardless of status. Notably, the state is already paying some of the healthcare costs associated with that age group  it offers maternity coverage to anyone who meets the income cutoff, and emergency rooms treat everyone in need of acute care.

Providing free health insurance to people who are in the country illegally is a tough sell for some Californians. So is Newsoms proposal to require all adults in the state to carry insurance  a requirement that is also in the federal Affordable Care Act, but which no longer has a penalty to enforce it. But the argument for the requirement is every bit as strong as the argument for requiring drivers to carry insurance. Everyone is going to require expensive healthcare in their lives, and they should be able to pay for it when they do.

Enter the Fray: First takes on the news of the minute from L.A. Times Opinion 

Granted, rising insurance premiums have made coverage increasingly hard to afford for many people who arent part of an employer-sponsored plan. To that end, Newsom is proposing as-yet-unspecified increases in subsidies for the roughly 1.4 million people who shop for policies on the states insurance exchange, Covered California.

As they work to make coverage more universal, Newsom and state lawmakers will also have to look for ways to slow the growth of healthcare costs. One Newsom move along those lines is to create a single state entity to buy prescription drugs for all state healthcare programs, including those for prison inmates, retired public workers and low-income Californians. The combined buying power should give the state much more leverage to negotiate discounts from drugmakers. But its a complex undertaking, given that the state will be deciding which drugs will be covered by all those plans  a decision that raises the specter of rationing.

Advertisement

The road to single-payer is marked by many such hurdles. At least Newsom got off to a quick start.

Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinionand FacebookThe FBI couldnt crack the Sinaloa cartels encrypted messages, so they went after the man who built the communications system for the powerful narcotics trafficking network

FBI agent Stephen Marston told jurors in the trial of Joaquin El Chapo Guzman on Tuesday that Cristian Rodriguez had created sophisticated encryption software for the drug kingpin, allowing him to make protected calls with a vast array of his leaders and henchman.

Unable to break the encryption, the FBI began leaning on Rodriguez in 2009 to get him to flip. By 2011, he was cooperating with authorities.

Then the federal agents decided to move the systems three main servers from Canada to Holland, where FBI involvement would potentially be less suspicious to the cartel, and began working with Rodriguez and Dutch authorities to intercept phone calls. From July 2011 through January 2012, they managed to cull 800 cartel calls  with 100 to 200 messages involving Guzman, according to testimony.

Advertisement

Marston said agents were able to confirm the 61-year-olds voice  which he characterized as high-pitchedand sing-songy with a nasally undertone  thanks, in part, to Guzmans recorded interview with Rolling Stone magazine in 2016.

Jurors  whove sat through two months of testimony in the sweeping trafficking case thats delved into the smuggling of tons of narcotics and weapons, widespread corruption of Mexican officials and brutal killings in drug wars  spent the better part of Tuesday afternoon listening to the sometimes blaring voice of Guzman, from a series of intercepted phone calls.

The calls offer glimpses into daily cartel life, with Guzman talking with henchmen about buying ammunition, kidnapping, arranging sales of cocaine and meth, and their connections with corrupt officials.

In several phone calls with a top cartel lieutenant, a man named Cholo Ivan  who Guzman later was captured with in 2016  the notorious drug leader is heard trying, a number of times, to keep Ivan from being too violent, specifically with police.

You know they are policemen, its better not to smack them around, Guzman tells Ivan, later saying those are the ones that help.

In another phone call, Ivan tells Guzman how he roughed up both local and federal officers.

Dont be so harsh, Guzman responds, using profanity. Take it easy with the police.

Well, you taught us to be like a wolf, act like a wolf  and thats how I like to do it, Ivan says.

Advertisement

The men later talk about Ivan buying 60 magazines  ammunition  and Guzman tells him: Dont shoot whoever sells cocaine. He also cautions him not to execute innocent people. But tying them up, he allows, is fine.

Emma Guzman, El Chapos wife, ducks her head in the media scrum outside the courthouse. (Mary Altaffer / Associated Press)

The phone calls offer perhaps the best evidence yet of Guzmans intimate involvement in the cartels illicit dealings. Defense attorneys for Guzman contend that the cartels real leader has always been a man named Ismael El Mayor Zambada, and that the prosecution of their client is a cynical frame-up by the U.S. and Mexican governments.

Prosecutors also showed a clip from a long-known and much-watched YouTube video, that allegedly shows Guzman questioning a man from a rival gang who is tied to a tree. Marston confirmed that Guzman was indeed the interrogator in the video.

Advertisement

Guzman, wearing a dark suit and white shirt, sat quietly in court, as he normally does  but did share smiles and waves with his wife, Emma Guzman. The 29-year-old former beauty queen made her first visit to court since the holiday break.

Tuesday started with a moment of levity, of sorts. For a moment, the lights in courtroom went out, and when they came back on  someone yelled Hes gone! drawing laughter. Chapo, infamous for his jail escapes, was, however, still very much there.

Plagianos is a special correspondentThe prosecutions recipe for Joaquin El Chapo Guzmans downfall was on full display in federal court Wednesday: turncoats, technology  and the notorious drug kingpins own paranoia.

The FBI was able to tap into scores of text messages that Guzman, 61, sent in 2012 because the infamous Mexican drug lord had installed spyware on the phones of his wife, associates and a purported mistress. FBI Agent Steven Marston told jurors in Guzmans trial that the agency obtained warrants to intercept the messages, which offer scintillating evidence of Guzmans leadership of the multibillion-dollar Sinaloa cartel.

The other key to the agencys plan: turning the cartels technology guru, Cristian Rodriguez, into an FBI informant. Rodriguez had created the cartels encrypted communications system, and also installed the spyware for Guzman. For a payment of $460,000 and an offer of protection, Rodriguez unlocked the cartels encryption for the U.S. government from 2011 to 2013, Marston testified.

Marston spent hours Wednesday reading intimate texts between Guzman and his wife, Emma Coronel Guzman, a 29-year-old former beauty queen, as well as texts between Guzman and a purported mistress.

Advertisement

Jurors heard personal back-and-forth messages between the married couple, including Guzman saying of their 6-month-old daughter, one of their twins: Our Kiki is fearless. Im going to give her an AK-47 so she can hang with me. They also learned that Emma Guzman referred to her husband as Don Joaquin, Mr. Joaquin and Papi, while he called her love, darling and queen. But the texts also laid out details of the drug leaders cartel life as a wanted man.

He talks about barely escaping a police raid on his Los Cabos, Mexico, home in 2012 and asks Emma to get pants (size 32/30), shoes (Mexican size 7) and black mustache dye.

I saw them pounding on the door next door, but I was able to jump out, he wrote to his wife, who married Guzman when she was 18.

Oh, love. Thats horrible, she responded. Ill be watching the news to see what they say, love.

He also talks to her about making sure she has a gun, and when she sees there are cars outside her home, in 2012, he says: You go ahead and lead a normal life  they just want to see if youre coming to where I am.

Most damning were numerous messages to and from Augustina Cabanillas Acosta, whom Guzman refers to as love. In an intercepted message between Acosta and another person, prosecutors said, Acosta says she knows Guzman is spying on her  yet she continues to use her phone to coordinate drug deals.

Emma Guzman sat expressionless in the court as the text exchanges were read.

In one message, Acosta talks to Guzman about arranging a boat to pick up kilos of cocaine off the California coast near Los Angeles. In another exchange, they speak of a 550-kilo marijuana boat delivery there that went awry. In January 2012, three delivery men were caught and Guzman offers the name of a public defender who might represent the men  and asks Acosta to try to find out whats going on in their case.

Advertisement

Acosta, who was arrested in the 2012 Los Cabos drug raid, tells him the public defender doesnt want to cooperate.

The sweeping trafficking case against Guzman, whos accused of smuggling tons of narcotics and weapons  as well as involvement in drug wars and the widespread corruption of Mexican officials  is likely to last another month.

Rodriguez, the cartels technology guru, gave eye-opening testimony about the depth of Guzmans love for spying on his inner circle. In 2008, at the age of 21, Rodriguez  a Colombian tech expert who said he dropped out of college to start his own business  began developing encrypted communications systems for one of the worlds most powerful drug cartels. Guzman paid $100,000 in cash for the system. It was so good that the FBI couldnt crack it, until Rodriguez helped them do it as an informant.

Though Rodriguez said Guzman told him he liked the system, which allowed for fully protected calls via the Internet, Guzmans obsession was the spyware he had installed on the cellphones of 50 people in his inner circle, including his wife. He called the spyware  which allowed him to see text message and emails, listen to calls and track locations from each phone  his toy, Rodriguez testified.

Advertisement

Guzmans favorite spyware feature was the ability to tap into microphones on phones, Rodriguez said. Guzman would call people on the encrypted communications system, then tap into the mike on their cellphones to see what they said about him when they were done talking.

Guzman even had one of his workers keep track of the 50 phones the spyware was installed on, giving him daily reports on the texts, phone calls and whereabouts of those he was tapping.

Eventually, Rodriguez said, Guzman asked whether he could install the spyware on someones computer, or make it special, as Guzman called it.

He asked how long it would take, Rodriguez testified. I said three minutes.

Advertisement

Guzman said he would distract his female companion at the time, and told Rodriguez to do it.

Guzman also had special instructions for the man chosen to keep tabs on the spyware activity by listening to phone calls with headphones on.

El Chapo told him to say, if asked, that he was listening to music  what he was doing was listening to phone calls, Rodriguez testified.

He said the man described Guzmans listening habit to him as: El senor needs his fix.

Advertisement

Rodriguezs testimony is expected to continue Thursday.

Plagianos is a special correspondent.Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo on Wednesday made an unannounced trip to Iraq as part of his Middle East reassurance campaign, and heard pleas for more help in fighting Islamic State militants.

Pompeo is attempting to explain to Arab allies President Trumps abrupt decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria and the many conflicting accounts of whether there is a timetable for the pullout and what it might be. He is traveling to at least eight countries in eight days, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and most of the Persian Gulf nations.

Many in the region fear U.S. disengagement will empower Iran and separately allow for a resurgence of the radical Islamic State, which until recently controlled huge swaths of Iraq as well as parts of Syria.

At the government palace in Baghdads Green Zone of high security, Iraqi President Barham Salih thanked Pompeo for U.S. support over the years but asked that it continue and that Washington not abandon the region.

Advertisement

Contradicting Trumps claims that Islamic State was defeated, Salih said the fight went on.

Islamic State is defeated militarily, Salih said, but the mission is not accomplished.

Building on a military offensive launched during the Obama administration, a U.S.-led coalition last year was able to dismantle Islamic States so-called caliphate, built through Iraq and Syria, and drive out most militants.

Senior administration officials, however, acknowledge that pockets of Islamic State remain and could reemerge if the United States leaves the region.

Pompeo made no public comments while in Baghdad, but a statement issued later by his office said he had assured Salih of the U.S. commitment to an enduring defeat of Islamic State.

From Baghdad, Pompeo traveled to Irbil in the Kurdish-dominated part of northern Iraq and met with the semiautonomous regions prime minister, Nechirvan Barzani.

Speaking afterward to reporters, Pompeo said he believed Iraq was on the right course with recent elections but also acknowledged the challenges.

There was a common understanding, Pompeo said, that the battle to counter Islamic State and the fight to counter Iran is real and important.

Advertisement

We will complete the mission of taking down the last elements of the caliphate before we depart.

Confusion and consternation have roiled the Middle East since Trumps abrupt announcement last month that he was ordering an estimated 2,000 U.S. troops, including Special Forces, to leave Syria. His aides attempts since then to clarify and modify Trumps intentions have only added to the confusion.

Pompeo also pushed back on harsh statements from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who rejected U.S. entreaties not to attack U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria. The Turkish government considers the Kurds, the United States proxy army in Syria, as a terrorist force and has threatened to annihilate them.

Its important that we do everything we can to make sure that those folks that fought with us are protected, Pompeo said. On Tuesday, however, Erdogan  ignoring the presence in his country of Trump national security advisor John Bolton  refused to offer such protection.

Advertisement

On Wednesday in Irbil, Iraq, Pompeo also met with Massoud Barzani, leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party.

Security for Pompeos trip to Iraq was tight. After White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the visit for Friday, without State Department approval, officials scrambled to move it up by two days.

The trip was not announced publicly until Pompeo was on his way out of Baghdad; he did not address the public while on the ground; and his entourage, including a reduced number of journalists, traveled via armored vehicles and helicopters.

Pompeo also met with the countrys prime minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, in a visit aimed at smoothing tensions over what many here saw as a snub to Iraqi sovereignty when Trump blitzed through Iraq last month but met with none of its officials. Trump used a 3-hour Christmas Day visit, his first to a war zone since becoming president, to speak to U.S. troops.

Advertisement

Later, parliament issued an official statement saying Pompeo had been received by the bodys foreign relations committee.

In Baghdad, there were no statements from Pompeo and Iraqi officials to the media, but Pompeo was expected to have discussed renewing Iraqs waiver for the new battery of Iran sanctions imposed by the Trump administration, as well as the planned U.S. troop withdrawal from Syria.

Abdul Mahdi, responding last week to Trumps withdrawal announcement, said Iraq would be taking a larger role in fighting Islamic State in Syria. He dispatched a security delegation to meet with Syrian President Bashar Assad with the aim of increasing coordination between the two countries in operations against the militants.

That was one of many Arab outreaches to the pariah-turned-ally Assad as he is brought back into the regional fold. Toppling him was originally one of the stated goals of Western involvement in the Syrian civil war, which has gone on for nearly eight years with tens of thousands of people killed and millions forced to flee.

Advertisement

Bulos reported from Baghdad and Wilkinson from Amman, Jordan.

tracy.wilkinson@latimes.com

For more on international affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on TwitterLessie Brown, a 114-year-old Ohio woman who was believed to be the oldest person in the United States, died Tuesday, her grandson said.

Brown, who had been living with one of her daughters, died at the home in Cleveland Heights, according to Ronald Wilson.

Brown said in 2013 it was Gods will that she had lived so long. Others in her family attributed her long life to the fact that she ate a sweet potato nearly every day until she was well past 100.

Oh I dont know. A lot of them say its because I ate a lot of sweet potatoes, but I dont think thats it. I dont know, Gods will, she told WJW-TV when she celebrated her 109th birthday.

Advertisement

Brown was born in 1904 in Georgia and grew up on a farm near Stockbridge, outside Atlanta. She was one of 12 children and moved to Cleveland with her family when she was 18.

She married about four years later and had three girls and two boys. Her husband, Robert Brown, died in 1991.

She attended Emmanuel Baptist Church in Cleveland for more than 70 years.

Browns daughter Verline Wilson told Cleveland.com that her mother responded, Thats good, when she told her in May 2018 that she was the countrys oldest person following the May 9, 2018, death of 114-year-old Delphine Gibson, of Huntingdon, Penn.

With Browns death, the oldest living American is now believed to be Alelia Murphy, 113, of New York state, according to the Gerontology Research Group. The worlds oldest person is believed to be 116-year-old Kane Tanaka, a Japanese woman.

Brown turned 114 in September and celebrated the milestone with two of her daughters and grandchildren.

Browns funeral will be at Emmanuel Baptist, but the arrangements have not been finalized, said Rhonda Pope, the churchs administrative assistant.Bobbi Swan, whose secret lives explored the frontiers of drone technology and sexual identity, died Dec. 26. She was 88.

Born Robert Rowland Schwanhausser in Buffalo, N.Y., he was publicly recognized as an expert on military surveillance drones, which he helped develop at San Diegos Ryan Aeronautical and its successor, Teledyne Ryan.

Much of the work was classified, involving covert missions to wartime Vietnam and the Middle East. Also secret: the engineers life as a cross-dresser and the growing conviction that his genuine self was female.

In January 2003, after three years of hormone therapy and living as a woman, Robert Schwanhausser underwent surgery, emerging as Bobbi Swan. He was 72.

Advertisement

This is a very slow transition, Bobbi Swan told the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2007. Im still adjusting to myself. Its a continual thing. Its a healthy thing.

Interviewed for a 2018 book, To Survive on This Shore: Photographs and Interviews With Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Older Adults, she stressed the ongoing nature of the transformation.

I think people talk in either/or terms, right? Before transition and after, she said. But to me, its really development. Im proud of both lives. Im proud of both mes, if you see what Im saying. And I feel it has been a remarkable thing to have happened to a person.

A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Schwanhausser served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. In January 1960, he was hired to head Ryans Skunk Works, a secret lab in an anonymous warehouse in San Diego.

Their mission: researching the military applications for remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs, the term then used for drones.

With his team, Schwanhausser developed 36 drone models. He was often in the field, making under-the-radar trips to Bien Hoa airfield north of Saigon, carrying a rifle and sometimes coming under fire. Lightning Bug, one of the drones, flew over North Vietnam and Laos, photographing enemy installations and even dropping propaganda pamphlets on the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

The work could be nerve-racking and perhaps contributed to the engineers heart attack in 1968. The next year, colleagues noticed a dramatic increase in his alcohol consumption.

His colleagues, though, praised the man and his work. They relied on him to persuade the company brass to cough up combat pay and cover the costs of R&R breaks in Hawaii.

Advertisement

He was a brilliant man and a fine man, Cliff Smith, one of the drone engineers, said in a 2007 interview. He should be getting more credit for the work he did.

He was highly regarded within the industry, receiving the outstanding contribution to aerospace award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1971. At Teledyne Ryan, he was promoted to executive vice president for international programs.

He was drinking heavily, though, and a near-fatal overdose of lithium and alcohol prompted a 1977 stay in a residential rehab program. The next year, his first marriage ended in divorce. Between 1979 and 2000, he would marry and divorce two other women.

As a recovering alcoholic, he continued to work for aerospace companies in Alabama, Ohio and North Dakota. Under his leadership, the companies thrived  he received the Golden Knight Management Award from the National Management Assn.  but he was dissatisfied. In the privacy of his own residences, he spent much of his time in womens clothes.

Advertisement

In his professional life, though, the 6-foot-2 executive cultivated an image of rugged masculinity.

Priorities, he said, when asked why he waited until he was 72 to complete the transition to female. My priorities were airplanes and getting established in the airplane business. Obviously, that was a mans business.

Once he retired, though, that was no longer a consideration. The $5,000 surgery was performed in a Thai hospital.

At her home in Clinton Township, Mich., Swan had her hair done once a week, experimented with nails  she preferred gel to acrylic  and wrote a column for TG Forum, an online publication by and about the transgender community.

Advertisement

Adjusting to life as a female senior citizen, Swan introduced herself to family and friends who had known her earlier identity.

Most were surprised, but supportive.

I never picked up a clue nor had any suspicions that cross-dressing or the desire to become a woman was such a powerful part of your inner self, Gene Timmons, a former Ryan engineer, wrote in a Christmas message to his old colleague. I can only imagine the pain and anxiety you must have lived with over the years.

To have overcome the staggering obstacles (emotional and physical) to make this change is quite remarkable and I am truly happy that it has worked out so well for you.

Advertisement

Swan is survived by two sons, Robert H. Schwanhausser of Escondido and Mark P. Schwanhausser of Pleasanton, five grandchildren and numerous other relatives, including a cousin, Audrey Peters, an actress known for her roles in the soap operas Guiding Light and Love of Life.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations to the National Center for Transgender Equality, the GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund or other organizations dedicated to transgender rights.

Rowe writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.Federal prosecutors in California pressed ahead with a novel attempt to dismantle an outlaw motorcycle club, arguing to jurors that the group should be stripped of trademarks it owns on its coveted insignia as punishment for operating a criminal organization.

Last month, at the end of a lengthy trial, a jury in Santa Ana convicted the Mongols motorcycle club of racketeering and conspiracy charges, finding the group shared responsibility for several violent acts and drug crimes committed by individual Mongol members.

After the guilty verdict, U.S. District Judge David O. Carter had jurors return to court this week to make another decision: whether the clubs insignia is linked closely enough to the crimes to warrant forcing the Mongols to forfeit the groups trademarks to the U.S. government.

If there is one thing on which both sides in the case agree it is that the clubs trademarked logo  a Genghis Khan figure in sunglasses riding a motorcycle beneath the groups name in large block letters  is the cornerstone of the Mongols identity. Only members are permitted to wear large patches of the insignia on the back of their riding vests  an unmistakable totem in the insular, hierarchical world of motorcycle clubs, in which full-fledged members lord their superiority over aspiring plebes and rival clubs often clash violently in turf battles.

Advertisement

Pictures in the News | Thursday Jan. 10, 2019 

The government has been trying to wrest the trademarks away from the club for a decade  a strategy based on the idea that without the trademarks, Mongol leaders will be starved not only of the money members pay for patches and other merchandise, but also of the ability to control who wears the potent Mongol image.

It is a first-of-its-kind legal gambit and one trademark experts have questioned, saying they doubt whether the nations trademark laws will give the government any meaningful power to stop Mongol members from wearing the insignia.

The Mongols were formed in the 1970s in Montebello, outside Los Angeles, by a group of Latino men who reportedly had been rejected for membership by the Hells Angels motorcycle gang. It has expanded over the decades to include several hundred members who thrive on their identity as outlaws. Dozens of members have been convicted of an array of crimes, including the killings of rival biker gang members, assaults and drug dealing.

At Tuesdays hearing, Joe Yanny, an attorney for the Mongols, tried to convince jurors that the bid for the trademarks was a dangerous overreach, saying the government was seeking the death penalty for the Mongols.

He argued that prosecutors had failed to show the insignia, which adorns T-shirts, rings, coffee mugs and other paraphernalia as well as the patches, had any connection to the clubs crimes and said forfeiting the trademarks would unfairly punish Mongol members who had done nothing wrong.

Yanny called a trademark attorney to testify about the minutiae of collective membership marks  the type of trademark the club received for the insignia  in an effort to bolster Yannys claim that the trademark belonged collectively to the Mongols individual members, rather than the organization and its officers.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Steve Welk countered with testimony from Darrin Kozlowski, a retired agent in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who posed as a biker to infiltrate the Mongols.

Advertisement

Kozlowski testified about the tight control that officers in the Mongols mother chapter in West Covina kept over use of their insignia and patches. For example, Kozlowski testified that when the Mongol chapter he joined wanted to design a T-shirt to sell at club gatherings, they first had to seek permission from the groups top leaders.

In his closing statement, Welk hammered on the idea that the insignia and the patches worn proudly by members were inseparable from the Mongols identity and, by extension, the clubs crimes.

He urged jurors to think of Mongol members as men  empowered by these symbols that they wear like armor, roaming the world like urban predators, searching for people to victimize.

The jury began deliberating Wednesday, but its decision is unlikely to be the final word in the case.

Advertisement

In court filings, Yanny said he expected he and others would mount constitutional challenges to any forfeiture order, saying Mongol members 1st Amendment right to express themselves and associate as a group would be violated.

joel.rubin@latimes.com

Twitter: @joelrubinA 19-year-old Cal Poly San Luis Obispo student was attacked by a shark while surfing on Californias Central Coast.

Nick Wapner, a communications major, was bitten about 10 a.m. Tuesday in the waters off Montana de Oro State Park, the Associated Press reported. Wapner said the shark was a great white that he estimated was 15 feet long.

Wapner told the San Luis Obispo Tribune the shark didnt even make a splash when it bit down on his right ankle, then up to his left thigh.

It all happened quickly, but I turned and saw that it had one of my legs in its mouth, Wapner said.

Advertisement

Wapner quickly freed himself by kicking the shark, which spun and swam away. His friends drove him to a hospital, where he received 50 stitches, the AP reported.

Robert Colligan, a park ranger supervisor for the park, told the Tribune that its likely the attack was an exploratory bite, as sharks will sometimes do.

The shark might have bitten, then realized it wasnt what it was looking for and let go, Colligan said.

Wapner was surfing with friends at the time, but they were on the shore when the shark grabbed him.

I just got attacked by a shark! Wapner shouted at them as he paddled back from the beach, his foot bleeding.

Warning signs have been posted on beaches in the area warning of the attack.

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Advertisement

Twitter: @r_valejandraThe Humboldt County Sheriffs Office has taken Netflix to task over a series that it says paints the region in a dark light.

When producers approached authorities about making a documentary in the area, they said it would focus on changes in the county following the legalization of marijuana and challenges the rural area faces, according to the Sheriffs Office.

But officials arent happy with the result: a six-episode series called Murder Mountain, which premiered on Netflix in December. The Sheriffs Office says that instead of the original pitch, the highly sensationalized show focuses on the death of one man, 29-year-old Garret Rodriguez.

In a Facebook post published last week, officials called the series an incomplete narrative that depicted Humboldt County in a dark light.

Advertisement

The series takes place in the Rancho Sequoia area east of Garberville, Calif., nicknamed Murder Mountain, and centers on the homicide investigation of Rodriguez, who disappeared after moving from San Diego. His body was found in a shallow grave in December 2013 after he had been missing for about a year.

Executives for the show said the investigation into Rodriguezs death exposes a wild, lawless place controlled by pot farmers.

 Murder Mountain is a riveting tale about vigilante justice and outlaw culture in a lawless community that resembles Americas Wild West past, executive producers Jonathan and Simon Chinn told Variety in November ahead of the shows Netflix premiere. The Lightbox-produced series first aired on the Fusion network before being available for streaming on Netflix in late December.

In its Facebook post, the Sheriffs Office said the show did not accurately portray its involvement in the Rodriguez case.

To those of you who have seen this series, please understand that you heard one side of a highly sensationalized story, sheriffs officials said in the post. As a matter of standard operating procedure, we will not jeopardize the prosecution of a case because of the media pressure or desire to run a story.

Director Joshua Zeman said there was no intention to portray the county in a negative light.

Our intention is not to disparage the Sheriffs Office but rather to bring these issues to light, he said.

Zeman added that he thinks its important for the public to hear the perspective of residents, who are the ones to grapple with violence and other issues arising from the states legalization of marijuana.

Advertisement

If Murder Mountain feels like a sensationalized, disheveled mess of greed filled violence, then its because of the War on Drugs, resident Myles Moscato wrote in a Facebook post. Murder Mountain is both entertaining and educational.

In a lengthy Facebook post that criticized Netflixs Murder Mountain, the Humboldt County Sheriffs Office included figures about homicide investigations in the last several years. (Humboldt County Sheriffs Office)

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Twitter: @r_valejandraA lead gang prosecutor in the San Bernardino County district attorneys office has resigned, six months after an investigation was launched into offensive comments he made on social media.

Michael Selyem stepped down on Jan. 2, according to an announcement Tuesday from the district attorneys office.

As part of an agreement with the county, Selyem will be paid through April 26, the San Bernardino Sun reported. His annual pay is $155,168.

The district attorneys office began investigating Selyem in late June after the office received complaints about rants targeting U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), former First Lady Michelle Obama, Mexican immigrants and the victim of a police shooting. Selyem was placed on administrative leave July 9.

Advertisement

In a news conference at the time, former Dist. Atty. Michael Ramos said he was offended by Selyems postings.

As the district attorney, I was really concerned with comments regarding officer-involved shootings, because we handle those cases, as you know, on a daily basis, Ramos said. To make any comments  impacts the ability for us to ensure the integrity of this office.

The Sun, which first reported the investigation into Selyems comments, detailed his remarks. He described Waters as loud-mouthed, using a sexist slur, adding you would think someone would have shot [her] by now .

The newspaper also reported that Selyem wrote in a profanity-laced online argument that a civilian shot by police got exactly what he deserved.  You reap what you sow.

The Sun noted another post under Selyems name on Facebook included a meme of a smiling Mexican man wearing a sombrero with the words Mexican word of the day: Hide.

Selyem joined the district attorneys office 12 years ago. Following the investigation, an assistant district attorney was assigned to look at cases he had handled in the gang unit, although Ramos said at the time there was no indication Selyem showed any bias in his cases.

The countys current district attorney, Jason Anderson, who was sworn in Tuesday, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Kimberly Fuller, a spokeswoman with the district attorneys office, said she did not know whether any disciplinary action was taken against Selyem or why it took six months for him and the county to reach an agreement on his departure.

Advertisement

On Wednesday, San Bernardino County Public Defender G. Christopher Gardner said he felt an ethical duty to review cases his attorneys handled that were prosecuted by Selyem. Public defenders reviewed nearly 500 cases spanning several years but found no issues, Gardner said.

We asked attorneys [to review] some cases they had in the past with him, Gardner said. We didnt see any issues where we thought our clients suffered because of his racist views.

Spokesman David Wert said San Bernardino County was not commenting on Selyems resignation.

alejandra.reyesvelarde@latimes.com

Advertisement

Twitter: @r_valejandraLast week saw the launch of Decent Life, an initiative by President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi that hopes to provide better living conditions for the needy in 2019.

As I looked at last year to search for the real hero of our nation, I found that the true hero is the Egyptian citizen who fought battles to survive and build courageously, and sacrificed and shared the burden of economic reforms for a better future for the coming generations, Al-Sisi wrote on his official Facebook page on 2 January.

Thats why, Al-Sisi said, I call on state institutions and agencies in coordination with civil society organisations to unite their efforts and coordinate to mobilise the efforts of the nations youth, men and women to launch a national initiative, directly under my auspices, to provide a decent life for needy communities in 2019.

The president directed the government to take the necessary measures to implement the initiative to help improve services provided to those most in need, especially in Egypts villages.

Al-Sisis post enjoyed much feedback and was praised by state officials, institutions, politicians and civil society organisations. Prime Minister Mustafa Madbouli praised Al-Sisis initiative to improve the living conditions of the neediest in Egyptian society.

The programme is targeting the most underprivileged sectors and individuals in Egypts impoverished and remote areas, Minister of Social Solidarity Ghada Wali told DMC TV.

The new initiative will work on providing job opportunities and developing infrastructure, Wali said during the telephone interview, adding that it will serve as an umbrella for a number of civil society initiatives on employment, healthcare, services and infrastructure.

To jump-start the initiative Wali held a meeting with the 10 biggest NGOs in Egypt to discuss the plan and called on them to intensify their efforts and gather sufficient data on extremely poor towns and neighbourhoods to support them.

Mohamed Al-Okabi, media advisor to the Ministry of Social Solidarity, told Al-Ahram Weekly that Walis meeting with NGOs was meant to enable them to coordinate among themselves and implement the initiative.

Such initiatives cannot be implemented by one organisation or state institution. All efforts must be made by the government, parliament and NGOs to let the initiative succeed in helping the neediest communities through a scientific framework, Al-Okabi said, adding that all parties have welcomed the initiative and promised to provide the necessary support.

The cost of Decent Life, estimated at LE2 billion, will be partially funded by the Ministry of Finance and the rest through NGOs that will take part in the initiative.

A statement by the Ministry of Social Solidarity said services provided by the initiative range from providing decent housing to supplying water and sewage networks.

It also will provide health services and compensatory equipment for the handicapped, help needy brides entering marriage and provide job opportunities through micro-projects.

The ministry also announced the names of the 100 poorest villages in Egypt which the initiative will target. The villages are largely concentrated in Giza, Minya, Assiut, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan, the New Valley, Qalioubiya, Beheira, Marsa Matrouh and North Sinai. They all have a poverty rate of 70 per cent or more.

The Ministry of Housing also announced that many of its completed projects will be dedicated to the initiative.

Minister of Religious Endowments Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa said during an interview with the TV channel Sada Al-Balad that the initiative reflects the high humanitarian aspect of President Al-Sisi. Gomaa, who stressed that the ministry will double its efforts in serving the community, used the Friday prayer on 4 January to speak about civil society, volunteer work and duty.

We have agreed with the ministries of social solidarity and housing to support the initiative with LE100 million. A further LE50 million has already been transferred to housing projects for the neediest families. In addition, another LE100 million was allocated to support the Education Fund while LE20 million was allocated to the Fund of Special Needs, Gomaa said.

According to the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS), some 30 million Egyptians (representing 28 per cent of the total population estimated at 104 million) were living below the poverty line in 2015.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 January, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: Decent life for the neediest

Short link:

Two Honduran teenagers killed in Tijuana are being remembered by their friends as young people who worried about whether their families would be proud of them and boys who had their whole lives ahead of them.

Baja California chief prosecutor Jorge Alvarez said the bodies of the two adolescents were found beaten, strangled and stabbed on Dec. 15. They were wrapped in a blanket and dumped in a Tijuana alley in the Zona Central part of the city.

Police sources and those close to the victims provided differing accounts about why the victims went with their attackers, but it is clear there was an agreement to exchange sex for money. It is unclear whether the victims planned to purchase sex or provide it.

Desperate to raise the funds necessary to pay smugglers to cross into the United States, several other unaccompanied minors traveling with the Central American caravan, as well as adults, have said they planned to do so by selling the only thing they had left: their bodies.

Advertisement

In letters written by their fellow shelter roommates, other unaccompanied minors who knew the 16- and 17-year-old boys described their friendships.

I met him in the shelter, and he also had a great dream, one of the letters says of one of the victims, named Jasson. The Times is not using the full names of the adolescents because a third victim, closely associated with them, escaped but still could be in danger, authorities believe.

Although police said the victims were not targeted because of their affiliation with the migrant caravan, the incident highlights the dangers faced by young people traveling alone and stuck in limbo in a dangerous city between the violence they fled in their homeland and the United States, where they hoped to ask for asylum.

In the letters written by fellow unaccompanied minors traveling with the Central American caravan, the deceased teenagers are described as quiet, respectful, kind and polite.

The kids wrote these letters because they wanted people to know that they were not bad kids and that they had friends who cared for them, said Uriel Gonzalez, director of the shelter where the boys were staying in Tijuana. They wanted to reflect on their lives, and the exercise helped take some of the stress away from the shock of this.

According to the letters, most of the teenagers met when they arrived in Tijuana.

He was a good friend. More than a friend, he was like a brother to all of us, another letter says of Jasson. He was a good person with a good heart, the writer adds.

Of the other victim, Alex, his friends wrote he was like a little brother in the shelter, and he was also quiet and respectful.

Advertisement

From the moment we met, we ruled, one of the teenagers wrote. I liked to tell Alex he had his whole life ahead of him. He advised us and took care of us. He was super special.

Alex, Jasson and another teenager left their shelter for unaccompanied minors last month and made their way to the Benito Juarez migrant shelter, near the border, according to prosecutors. They missed their turn by one street, which led them into a dangerous neighborhood, authorities said.

Thats where they met some women who lured them to an area frequented by drug users, according to Alvarez, the prosecutor. The group then went to another location where they planned to have sex, Alvarez said, when two additional men arrived with the intention of robbing the boys.

The victims hands were bound and they were tortured, according to information presented in court. One of the boys was dressed in womens clothing.

Advertisement

Prosecutors charged Carlos Martinez Cazares, Esmeralda Garcia Carranza and Francisco Javier Zavala Niebla with the homicides. A judge ruled in December there was sufficient evidence to proceed to trial and the defendants will remain in jail as their criminal case proceeds.

Gonzalez, the shelter director, found the series of events given by authorities questionable. One teenager wrote in her letter that she never saw the victims smoking or drinking.

At the shelter, they never presented themselves as troublemakers of any kind. They were not drug users. They never showed any signs of misbehavior, he said.

Gonzalez said the teenagers went missing from the shelter after lunch the Saturday they died and they were unaccounted for at dinnertime. Staff believed they had walked to the Benito Juarez shelter to reconnect with some friends, he said.

Advertisement

Then, around midnight, the kid that survived the attack jumped the fence of the shelter. He was sobbing, Gonzalez said. He saw his friends murdered right. He described how they did it and he himself had strangulation marks on his neck.

Friends of Jasson and Alex wanted to remember them as they were in the shelter, Gonzalez said, and remove some of the stigma.

I remember those smiles always in their faces, one of the letters said about both boys.

One writer remembers how Jasson worried about his family.

Advertisement

He wanted his family to be proud of him and wanted to help his parents and he always had a big smile, the writer recalls. He was kind and polite and I want to send my best to the family of these great warriors who are now our angels.

Another writer recalls knowing Jasson just a few short days, but having a stronger friendship with Alex.

The only thing I wish is that he rests in peace, the letter says.

Fry writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.Four people were arrested Monday on suspicion of working for a fentanyl-smuggling ring that supplied undercover agents with thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills.

The operation acquired more than 10,000 fentanyl pills that were smuggled from Mexico through San Diego ports of entry, according to a complaint filed Tuesday in San Diego federal court.

Undercover agents put in orders for the pills, known as pressed blues, with a known Tijuana drug trafficker, according to the complaint. He and his associates would then smuggle the pills into the U.S., the complaint says.

The latest purchase happened last month, when agents negotiated the sale of about 4,000 pills for $24,000.

Advertisement

Agents said they observed as three of the suspects drove into the U.S. through the San Ysidro Port of Entry, then parked at a Walmart shopping center. The driver, Dianna Dominguez, stayed with the car while her father, Felix Inzunza-Dominguez Jr., walked to a nearby Frys Electronics parking lot to deliver the pills to the agent. Another passenger, Norma Macias-Dominguez, walked away after the car was parked.

The bag of pills that Inzunza-Dominguez handed the agent also contained two condoms, probably used to smuggle the drugs, according to the complaint. All three were arrested Monday.

Authorities said it wasnt the trios first delivery to the agents.

Macias-Dominguez had previously smuggled fentanyl pills from Mexico and delivered 1,000 for $8,000, authorities said. Inzunza-Dominguez had also smuggled and delivered a similar amount, authorities said.

After the three were arrested, the agents contacted the drug trafficker in Tijuana and said their pills had not arrived as promised. He agreed to have an additional 2,000 pills smuggled and delivered.

That day, Tanairi Ponce smuggled the pills in her bra and delivered them to the agent, according to the complaint. She was arrested. Agents found in her possession a business card with the name of the undercover agent and his phone number, the complaint states.

All four are charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.

Davis writes for the San Diego Union-Tribune.A law barring immigrants who are in the country without authorization from owning guns does not violate the 2nd Amendment, a federal appeals court decided Tuesday.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected an appeal by Victor Manuel Torres, a San Jose resident who was convicted of violating the federal law.

Torres appealed, arguing that immigrants who are in the country without legal permission have a 2nd Amendment right to own a gun.

The 2nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right of people to bear arms. But the 9th Circuit said that constitutional right was not unlimited, and the federal law was a valid exercise of Congress authority.

Advertisement

The governments interests in controlling crime and ensuring public safety are promoted by keeping firearms out of the hands of unlawful aliens, wrote 9th Circuit Judge N. Randy Smith, an appointee of former President George W. Bush.

The panel noted that immigrants who lack documentation are subject to deportation and are difficult to monitor due to an inherent incentive to falsify information and evade law enforcement.

These immigrants have already shown they are unable or unwilling to conform their conduct to the laws of this country, Smith wrote, joined by 9th Circuit Chief Judge Sidney R. Thomas, an appointee of former President Clinton, and Sharon L. Gleason, a district judge from Alaska appointed by former President Obama.

Torres, born in Mexico in 1985, was age 4 when he entered the country without permission with a younger sister and their mother.

The court said he was expelled from high school in 2000 because he was a member of the Sur Santos Pride gang, which he joined at 14.

In 2002, when he was 16, his parents sent him back to Mexico.

When Torres reached adulthood, he tried three times to enter the U.S. illegally, succeeding on the third time in 2005.

He joined his family in San Jose, worked for his fathers landscaping business and married a U.S. citizen in 2012. He never applied for legal status.

Advertisement

In 2014, Los Gatos police arrested him after discovering he had a stolen bicycle, a loaded revolver, what appeared to be homemade silencers for the gun and bolt cutters.

A jury convicted him, and he was sentenced to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Adam G. Gasner, Torres lawyer, said Torres will face deportation after leaving prison.

Gasner said he believed it was unfair that an immigrant in the country without authorization who owns a gun to protect property or obtain food remains subject to a felony conviction.

Advertisement

The Constitution applies to undocumented people in all other regards, Gasner said.

He said he has not yet decided whether to appeal.

maura.dolan@latimes.com

Twitter: @mauradolanA woman who was sexually assaulted by two Los Angeles police officers will receive nearly $2 million from the city, according to an agreement filed in federal court on Monday.

The settlement, which needs to be approved by the City Council, comes on top of nearly $1.8 million in payouts to three other victims, bringing the total cost of civil lawsuits involving the two officers to more than $3.7 million.

The officers, Luis Valenzuela and James C. Nichols, are serving 25-year prison sentences after pleading no contest to felony counts of sexually assaulting women they were taking to jail or using as confidential informants.

The LAPD is supposed to protect and serve  thats their motto, said Dan Miller, an attorney for the victim in the latest settlement, identified in her lawsuit as Jane Doe. These two officers abused their power and used it to sexually assault women.

Advertisement

The victim was arrested on suspicion of a narcotics violation in December 2009, according to the lawsuit.

As they drove her to jail in their unmarked Volkswagen Jetta, Valenzuela and Nichols asked her to become a confidential informant, saying they would protect her and help her get out of jail, according to the lawsuit.

The officers, who worked undercover narcotics, then took her to a secluded location, where Valenzuela forced her to have sex in the back seat, the lawsuit said. He returned the drugs that had been confiscated from her, ordering her not to tell anyone about the rape because she would not be believed, according to the lawsuit.

Later that month, the lawsuit said, Nichols sexually assaulted her while giving her a ride home from court.

The two officers threatened to send her to jail or label her a snitch if she told on them, the lawsuit said.

This has really just destroyed her, Miller said. She sees a police officer and is terrified.

Rob Wilcox, a spokesman for the L.A. city attorney, did not comment on the settlement, pointing out that it is not yet final.

Miller represented two of the other women who sued the city alleging they were sexually assaulted by the two officers.

Advertisement

One woman received a $575,000 settlement, another $750,000 and a third $450,000.

Miller said the payout was probably higher in the latest settlement because the assaults were worse and because the officers had already been convicted in the criminal case.

Valenzuela and Nichols were charged in 2016 with sexually assaulting four victims in a three-year period beginning in 2008, targeting young women who were vulnerable because they had been arrested for drug crimes and feared prosecution.

Often, one partner served as a lookout while the other attacked a victim in the Jetta.

Advertisement

The officers each pleaded no contest to two counts of forcible rape and two counts of forcible oral copulation last February, each receiving 25 years.

The plaintiff in the latest settlement was among three victims who testified at a preliminary hearing in November 2016.

On their way to jail, the officers stopped at a secluded alley, she said on the witness stand. Valenzuela said there was something she could do to avoid being locked up. She had sex with him in the back seat while Nichols stood guard outside.

I was in a dark alleyway with a guy with a gun, she testified. I didnt really feel like I had a choice.

Advertisement

cindy.chang@latimes.com

For more news on the Los Angeles Police Department, follow me on Twitter: @cindychangLAThe person found dead in the West Hollywood home of Democratic activist Ed Buck was a 55-year-old African American man, but authorities have not released his identity as the investigation continues.

It marked the second time in two years that a black man has been found dead in Bucks home under suspicious circumstance, and that has led to community protests.

Bucks attorney has denied his client did anything wrong. Seymour Amster said Buck, who is white, is cooperating with investigators.

From what I know, it was an old friend who died of an accidental overdose, and unfortunately, we believe that the substance was ingested at some place other than the apartment, Amster said of the latest death. The person came over intoxicated.

Advertisement

Sheriffs officials would not say whether narcotics were involved.

We gathered several pieces of evidence to examine and analyze, said Los Angeles County Sheriffs Capt. Chris Bergner.

Deputies from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Departments West Hollywood station responded to the Laurel Avenue apartment complex at 1:05 a.m. Monday in response to a report of a person not breathing, the department said in a statement. At some point, the 911 caller performed CPR, the department said.

Some community activists protested Monday night outside Bucks apartment, accusing authorities of not doing enough in the first case and demanding more action.

Paramedics pronounced a man dead at the scene. The cause of death was not yet known.

Buck previously was investigated for the death of another black man, the 2017 overdose of Gemmel Moore, 26.

Moore died of a methamphetamine overdose in Bucks apartment, according to a Los Angeles County coroners report. Paramedics found Moore naked on a mattress in the living room, which was littered with drug paraphernalia, the report said.

Moores mother, LaTisha Nixon of Texas, and his friends questioned whether Bucks ties to elected officials and differences in race and class influenced the investigation and whether the drugs that killed Moore were self-administered.

Advertisement

Moore had been homeless and had worked as an escort.

The coroner ruled Moores death an accident, and an initial review by sheriffs deputies found nothing suspicious. But the following month, homicide detectives launched a new investigation.

Prosecutors this summer declined to file charges against Buck, 64, citing insufficient evidence.Residents of a two-story Laurel Avenue apartment complex in West Hollywood stood on the buildings front porch as dozens of protesters shouted at them.

The residents were mostly white. The protesters were mostly black.

What brought them together in a heated scene Monday night was the troubling, baffling and, for some, deeply infuriating case of longtime Democratic political donor Ed Buck, whose apartment in the building has been the scene of two black mens apparent overdose deaths in the last two years.

Some protesters turned on Bucks neighbors, accusing them of being complicit. The neighbors said they were blaming the wrong people.

Advertisement

If a black man was living there, you wouldnt be OK with it! one of the protesters shouted.

Los Angeles County sheriffs homicide detectives are investigating the death of a 55-year-old man whose body was found just after 1 a.m. Monday in the apartment of Buck, a onetime West Hollywood City Council candidate and well-known figure in LGBTQ political circles. The man, whose name has not been released, died of an apparent overdose, according to Bucks attorney, Seymour Amster.

Buck, a 64-year-old white man, previously was investigated for the July 2017 death of Gemmel Moore, 26, who died of a methamphetamine overdose in Bucks apartment, which was littered with drug paraphernalia, according to a Los Angeles County coroners report. Prosecutors this summer declined to file charges.

Pictures in the News | Wednesday Jan. 9, 2019 

In a city known for its activism and protests, the cases have prompted uncomfortable conversations and questions about race, class and drug abuse within the LGBTQ community.

It says a lot about the dark underbelly of gay culture and West Hollywood, said Steve Martin, a former West Hollywood city councilman who is gay. We always are slapping ourselves on the back about how open-minded and diverse we are, and frankly the residents know thats not always the case. When an incident like this comes up, it makes us confront a lot of issues that are really uncomfortable.

Some 46% of West Hollywood residents identify as LGBTQ, according to community surveys. The city is 80% white.

Jeffrey King, founder of In the Meantime Mens Group, a South Los Angeles outreach organization for LGBTQ black men, said he had received dozens of calls this week about the death in Bucks apartment from frustrated black men who wondered how this could possibly happen again.

Advertisement

If a young man was found dead in my house, I would have been handcuffed, publicly humiliated in front of my house, in front of my neighbors, said King, who is black. They would have placed me in a car, held my head as they lowered me down into the backseat. They would have taken me to the station.  But that did not happen to Ed Buck.

Black people are not the only people now who are asking why or how does that happen, he added. Ed Bucks neighbors are asking the same questions.

Few details are known about the death of the second man. But the Sheriffs Department said Monday that Buck was present at the time of the death  as he was with Moores  and that there will be a secondary review of the Moore case.

Amster said the second man was an old friend of Buck who ingested a substance at another location and came over intoxicated.

Advertisement

The coroner ruled Moores death an accident, and an initial review by sheriffs deputies found nothing suspicious. But homicide detectives later launched an investigation after Moores mother, LaTisha Nixon, and his friends questioned whether the drugs that killed him were self-administered.

Paramedics found Moore naked on a mattress in Bucks living room, which was littered with drug paraphernalia, according to the coroners report. Moore, who was openly gay, had been homeless and had worked as an escort, his family said.

The Los Angeles County district attorneys office reviewed and rejected four charges: murder, voluntary manslaughter and furnishing and possessing drugs.

Dmitry Gorin, a defense attorney and former deputy district attorney, said there is a high bar to prove someone is culpable in a death involving drugs. Typically, there needs to be a witness who saw the accused administer or furnish the substance that caused death.

Advertisement

Two people dying from overdose is likely more than a coincidence, but the district attorney needs witnesses and physical evidence to prove a criminal charge beyond a reasonable doubt in court, Gorin said.

A lesser crime of possession would be easier to prove if prosecutors can show that the drugs belonged to Buck, he said.

Amster said Buck was not arrested in either case and that he is cooperating with authorities.

Jasmyne Cannick, a political consultant who has advocated for Moores family and who organized Monday nights protest, said that if these were white gay men dead, this would be handled differently.

Advertisement

She believes Buck has gotten special treatment because of his activism and fundraising for local Democratic candidates, a charge officials have denied. In the past, he has donated money to President Obama, Hillary Clinton, former state Sen. Kevin de Leon, U.S. Rep. Ted Lieu, West Hollywood city council candidates and other politicians.

Its more than race and class, Cannick said. It is also political. This is a man protected by the Democratic Party.

On Tuesday, Lieu said he donated campaign contributions from Buck to LGBTQ and African American advocacy organizations, including GLAAD and the NAACP.

I am deeply disturbed by the latest revelations of a second death by overdose at the home of Ed Buck, he said in a statement. While we await the results of the law enforcement investigation, I am going to donate the contributions I have received from Mr. Buck.

Advertisement

Darrel Cummings, chief of staff of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, said the deaths have struck a nerve with many because addiction and methamphetamine use are an extremely big problem in the LGBT community.

The LGBTQ community is one with a high level of trauma  including homophobia, discrimination and the lasting impacts of the AIDS epidemic  and there are many marginalized people who turn to drugs to forget their pain, he said.

This is both a completely saddening and even sickening circumstance that weve witnessed, Cummings said of the deaths. We depend on those with authority to handle these situations in a way that understands all the complexities...and to take action immediately so we are not having another discussion about another black man laying dead on the floor of an apartment.

Meanwhile, Bucks neighbors feel like they are caught in the middle of a bad situation.

Advertisement

On Tuesday, Jackie Tepper, who has known Buck for 25 years and lives in the complex next door, stood outside Bucks building and yelled toward his window: Shame on you! Shame on you!

Tepper, a 58-year-old film producer, said she was upset that protesters accused neighbors  who have complained about Buck to authorities and the building manager  of being complicit. She wondered how it would be perceived if neighbors called the cops about black men coming to Bucks home, citing news stories about mostly white people making racist assumptions about bystanders.

No one is going to call and say, Theres a black man at the door, she said.

David Allawas, 52, was walking his schnauzer, Gucci, Tuesday near Bucks apartment. Allawas has lived in the city for 30 years and questioned how activists could assume racism was a factor while diminishing the role of individual choice, saying its up to the person to do the drugs.

Advertisement

I feel sorry for the guy, he said of Buck. Two overdoses. Thats crazy. Its not his fault  they shouldnt persecute him.

hailey.branson@latimes.com

matt.hamilton@latimes.com

richard.winton@latimes.com

Advertisement

Times photographer Al Seib contributed to this report.In Los Angeles schools, when there are no nurses, teachers help kids with broken bones and fevers. Psychologists talk children down from hurting themselves or others. Many students arrive at school knowing little English. Interventionists step in and give them an extra hand.

All are members of the teachers union, who work at schools at least eight hours a day and then often go home to take calls from parents, grade papers and write reports.

(Los Angeles Times)

Much of the public discussion about a potential teachers strike Thursday has centered on the rhetoric from union and district leaders. The union wants higher pay, smaller class sizes, and more nurses, counselors and librarians in classrooms to fully staff schools. It wants more of a say in how charter schools share campuses. In speeches and slogans, those goals may seem distant and abstract.

Advertisement

But they arent for the 31,000 teachers union members inside schools, who might deal with students with many needs or teach classes so large that there arent enough desks to go around.

The nations second largest school district stretches across 710 square miles and includes South L.A., Bel-Air, the San Fernando Valley. Its population is mostly poor. Eight in 10 students receive free or reduced-price lunches. Nearly one-quarter of them are learning English.

Being a teacher in the system can be very challenging. An overwhelming 98% of voting members of United Teachers Los Angeles authorized a strike. Here is how some of them described why they are ready to walk out.

Fabiana Lamm, school psychologist

Fabiana Lamm is one of two psychologists at a San Fernando Valley high school with about 1,500 students. She asked that her school not be named in order to protect her students privacy.

Her job is to assess students for disabilities, write reports with her recommendations, sit in on individualized education program meetings for students who may need additional resources, including those with attention deficit disorder and autism, and provide counseling for 22 of those students.

Pictures in the News | Wednesday Jan. 9, 2019 

And then I get referrals daily for ... crises. Somebodys crying. This kid wrote a note, I want to kill myself, or Im very depressed. Theres all kinds of things going on in the high school, she said.

Having more psychiatric social workers who can offer mental health support to students and handle crisis situations would help ease her load, she said. One of the unions asks is for the district to have at least one psychiatric social worker, dean or restorative justice advisor for every 500 students.

Advertisement

A raise would also boost the morale of the 59-year-old, who has worked in the district 18 years.

You keep making the same amount of money and the prices go up, Lamm said. So you feel like youre not respected for what you do.

Diana and Dan Castillo, coordinator and history teacher

All four members of the Castillo family spend their days in L.A. Unified schools. Dan is a history teacher at Banning High School in Wilmington, where Dahlia, 17, and Daniela, 14, are students.

Diana is the Title 1 and English learner coordinator at Harbor City Elementary. Her job is to allocate the federal funds that the school receives for its large population of low-income students, and to provide academic interventions for students who need them. Right now, the school uses a large chunk of its $333,000 in federal Title 1 money to pay for additional hours for its nurse, psychologist and librarian.

Advertisement

The Castillo family at the March for Public Education in L.A. in December. (Sonali Kohli / Los Angeles Times)

If the district fully funded some of those positions, the school could offer its students new classroom computers, science lab materials and outside programs to expose them to engineering arts programs.

The computers that we have in the computer lab are so old that the IT department wont come out anymore because they said they cant update them, Diana Castillo said.

At Banning, Dan Castillo teaches in the magnet school, so his class sizes  in the low 30s  are slightly smaller than typical for the campus. He says he finds teaching that many students manageable. But his colleagues sometimes have to teach more than 40 students at a time. And Dahlia has been in some of those classes.

Advertisement

Theres no space, you cant walk around, she said. Some kids dont even have desks, she said. Instead, they perch on stools.

Dahlia is in difficult Advanced Placement classes with more than 40 students, and said she doesnt get enough one-on-one time with teachers.

Were striking not only as educators but absolutely as parents, Dan said.

The Castillos have more to lose since both parents work for the district.

Advertisement

This is going to hurt us both financially, Dan said. We dont have one of our spouses who works in a different industry whos going to be bringing in money while were on strike.

But if the strike hits major goals  smaller classes, more support  it will all have been worth it, they said.

Kathi Sweet, first-grade teacher

The school district pays for each campus to have a nurse about one day a week. Additional days have to come out of school budgets. Often teachers have to take charge if students are hurt or unwell. Office staffers take temperatures and clean up scrapes. Schools have to call 911 for problems such as seizures that nurses might have been able to handle.

On the day that one of Sweets students fell and hurt her arm, there was no nurse on campus at Community Magnet School in Bel-Air.

Advertisement

The child said she felt OK, so the front-office staff sent her back to class with an ice pack.

I can tell when somebodys a little bit off, and I just thought that somethings not right about this, said Sweet, 55, who has been a teacher in the district for 12 years.

She sent the girl back to the office and asked a parent to pick her up. The girls arm was broken, one of her parents later confirmed.

It just sort of illustrates for me the need for someone with actual medical training on campus as much as possible, Sweet said.

Advertisement

If that were true at her school, she could focus on teaching her class, she said, knowing that her students would be safe.

1 / 18 Parents, teachers, and students rally in support of teachers at the corner of Topanga Canyon and Ventura Blvd. in Woodland Hills. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 18 Arlene Inouye, Co-Chair UTLA Bargaining Committee and UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl walk down the front stairs to an area where they hold a press conference in front of the LAUSD offices. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 18 Arlene Inouye, Co-Chair UTLA Bargaining Committee, speaks at a press conference in front of the LAUSD offices. (Kent Nishimura / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 18 Anastasia Foster, center, and Timothy Hayes right and join supporters of LAUSD teachers for a rally in front of Venice High School. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 18 Michael Rothhammer gives a fist bump to Jayden Arriaga, center, and Emely Herrera, kindergartners in an after school program at Reseda Elementary School. (mel melcon / Los Angeles Times) 6 / 18 Thousands gathered in downtown L.A. in December at a march held by the teachers union, which has scheduled a strike for Jan. 14. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles TImes) 7 / 18 Michael Fono, a teacher at Thomas Edison Middle School in South Los Angeles, holds a strike sign at a planning meeting on Jan. 5. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 18 Jasper Anderson, 15, participates in what could be one of his last pre-teachers strike baseball practices on Jan. 8 at Crenshaw High School. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 18 Merwinn Rojas, a Foshay Learning Center sixth-grader, works on his homework on Jan. 8. His mother worries he might regress if teachers go on strike. (Marcus Yam / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 18 Kweisi Gharreau, center, parent of two kids at Canfield Elementary School in Beverlywood, speaks to the media in support of teachers following a Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education meeting on Jan. 8. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 18 In addition to its wage proposal, the L.A. teachers union has pushed for fully staffed campuses with smaller classes and more support staff. In talks this week, the district upped its offer by $75 million to increase staffing. Above, students at Cleveland High in Reseda.

(mel melcon / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 18 Shannon Stoller picks up her children Presley and Cooper from Pacific Palisades Charter Elementary School. Soller backs the teachers union but is concerned that keeping kids out of class costs schools money. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 18 Alex Caputo-Pearl, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, speaks at a news conference about negotiations with the school district Wednesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 18 Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Austin Beutner speaks at a news conference about negotiations with the teachers union Wednesday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 18 School psychologist Fabiana Lamm gets ready to go to work at a San Fernando Valley campus on Jan. 8. Shes hoping a strike will lead to the hiring of more psychiatric social workers. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 18 Students depart Belmont High School in Los Angeles after classes on Jan. 9, the first day of school of 2019, while last-ditch bargaining efforts continued to avert a Los Angeles teachers strike. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 18 Maria Espinoza, picking up son Michael from an after-school program at El Sereno Middle School, is concerned that a strike might ground school buses. Luis Sinco Los Angeles Times (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 18 A group supporting the United Teachers Los Angeles gathers at a news conference on strike negotiations Jan. 7. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Reach Sonali Kohli at Sonali.Kohli@latimes.com or on Twitter @Sonali_Kohli.On the eve of a massively disruptive strike that would hit families at more than 900 schools, Los Angeles Unified teachers say they deserve a better deal on pay and working conditions.

The district has given some ground in recent days but argues that on at least the money issues, budget projections are grim despite a current reserve, and you cant give away what you dont have.

So whos in the right?

Both sides, to a point.

Advertisement

After spending two months at a Pacoima elementary school late last year, I was more convinced than ever that public schools arent failing us, were failing them. We spend a fortune on education, but 80% of L.A. Unifieds several hundred thousand students live in poverty, and schools dont have enough resources to compensate for a skewed economy and societal challenges beyond their control.

Demanding a bigger state investment in children appeals to both teachers and administrators who know that in years past, California was in the top ranks nationally in spending per pupil. But even if schools got more money per student, it might not be enough to cover repairs for long-neglected facilities, to reopen libraries and rehire counselors and social workers and nurses, and to rein in the projected ballooning of multibillion-dollar healthcare costs for LAUSD employees and retirees.

So what can be done about all that? And does the arrival of a new governor interested in both healthcare reform and child welfare offer room for optimism, especially given the current state budget surplus?

In L.A. Unified, teachers make in the $50,000-to-$80,000 range, depending on training and experience. Its not the highest or the lowest teacher compensation in the land, but local housing costs burn a big chunk of every paycheck. A relatively generous benefits package helps sweeten the deal for teachers and other LAUSD employees, but thats also one place where the districts bills keep piling up, despite an agreement last year to temporarily freeze costs.

As my colleagues Howard Blume and Sonali Kohli reported last February:

The district pays more than $20,000 annually for the healthcare of each retiree who is too young to qualify for the federal Medicare program. Older retirees use district benefits as a healthcare supplement to cover what Medicare doesnt, which costs the district about $7,100 per person each year.

As of January, the district was providing benefits for 4,768 pre-Medicare retirees and paying for supplemental coverage for 31,533 retirees old enough to receive Medicare. Retiree health benefits cost the district nearly $328 million in the 2016-17 school year, close to 6% of the budget.

The district projected at the time that it would cost $13.6 billion over the next 30 years to cover all retiree health benefits, but only a fraction of that money has been set aside.

Advertisement

So whatever happens in coming days regarding the stalemate, the nations second-largest school district is probably headed for big trouble in the years ahead.

There are some answers, but consensus is elusive.

LAUSD teachers get lifetime healthcare benefits not just for themselves, but also for spouses, and the deal comes with fees but no premiums.

In a perfect world, that would be the norm for all of us rather than the exception. But we are not living in such a place, and it appears that Donald Trumps promise of cheaper and better healthcare for all is on the same schedule as his national infrastructure rebuilding program.

Advertisement

Some argue that a tidy sum could be saved if in the future, LAUSD spouses were on their own to supplement Medicare. That could help pay for teacher raises and smaller class sizes, but thats not a chip the teachers union wants to surrender. And the revenue benefits would take years to accumulate if a change applied only to new employees.

Is there a way to establish a single-payer system for all the states teachers and retirees, with the goal of lowering the total payout and private profiteering while easing the budget crunch on school districts?

That would be tough, said L.A. County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, who as a state legislator introduced statewide single-payer legislation that died. Targeting just teachers would make it difficult to come up with enough money and might impose an unfair financial burden on them.

I definitely think California should engage in a discussion about single payer, said Kuehl, arguing that a Medicare-type system would have much lower overhead costs than for-profit systems do.

Advertisement

But another single-payer attempt got run over in Sacramento last year amid concerns about how to pay for it. And although Gov. Gavin Newsoms pitch Monday was for everyone in the state to be covered, including illegal immigrants, he wasnt necessarily talking about replacing a private insurance system with one operated by the government.

David Crane, a public policy lecturer at Stanford University and former advisor to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, suggested its not the healthcare system that matters, but how its managed and what we expect of it. Other developed countries have various systems, Crane said, but they also have something the U.S. doesnt.

Theyre all successful because they have cost and utilization controls, he said, or what were derisively referred to in the U.S. as death panels.

Among developed countries, we spend twice the average per person in the U.S. without necessarily getting better care. Thats partly because the powerful medical and insurance industries drive policy, and partly because we all want an MRI for a headache or a hangnail, all the way to our graves.

Advertisement

There is a ton that governments can do to rein in these costs, Crane said, such as reward hospitals that get better outcomes at lower rates, or clear the way for nurse practitioners and other staff to perform procedures now done exclusively and more expensively by doctors.

Crane said he just turned 65, signed up for Medicare, and pays about $400 a month for supplemental care. Rather than paying a blanket subsidy for supplemental Medicare plans for public employee retirees, he said, a small fortune could be saved by instead giving cash subsidies only to low-income retirees who cant afford that extra protection.

Whether you buy or reject such ideas, they should be part of a broader conversation as California figures out where its headed under new leadership, and LAUSD figures out how to get through its current crisis.

Im not sure what victory looks like right now, for either side, and Im not sure they do either.

Advertisement

Lets just hope that with each side arguing that they represent the kids best interests, they can figure out how to keep the doors open.

Get more of Steve Lopezs work and follow him on Twitter @LATstevelopezPresident Trump, known for his free-wheeling, off-the-cuff speaking style, stayed surprisingly on-script as he delivered his first prime-time address from the Oval Office on Tuesday.

In a crisp, fitted suit jacket, sensibly colored tie and starched white shirt  an outfit so out of character that it appeared as if it was borrowed from the guy who occupied that chair a presidency ago  he appealed to the American public to support the building of a beloved border wall to end a humanitarian and national security crisis on our southern border.

Trump the showman whod rallied his base more than once with Nancy Pelosi jokes and warnings about Mideastern terrorists hiding in border-bound caravans was nowhere to be seen. In his place was a stoic fellow who stared straight into the camera, an American flag and pile of mysterious medals right behind him in the camera frame.

He even channeled an emotion hes not known for: empathy. This was a humanitarian crisis, he told us somberly.

Advertisement

Immigrants are in danger, he said toward the start of his nine-minute speech. (Nine minutes? When has Trump ever had the podium and spoken for under 20?) Theyre being raped and beaten by their traffickers, children are suffering, families have nowhere to go because, like a Courtyard Marriott during the holiday season, the U.S. is full at the moment.

Trump takes wall fight to American public with prime-time TV address 

For a few brief moments it appeared Trump was going to use this very serious setting from which his predecessors addressed the public about the Cuban missile crisis, the invasion of Iraq and the killing of Osama bin Laden to announce a turnabout in his immigration policy plans, or on the flip side, declare a state of emergency over the influx of illegal immigrants to get funding for his $5-billion border wall.

One thing was clear, this Trump was not going to lead a chant or crack a nasty joke about Crooked Hillary or MS-13-Lover Pelosi as he starred straight into the camera and recited statistics from a teleprompter: 1 in 3 women who make the journey to the border are raped by traffickers. Its a cycle of human suffering that Trump said hes committed to end.

There was plenty of hand-wringing in the media in the 24 hours between the time the White House announced plans for the address and the broadcast itself. Debates raged across social and traditional media about whether networks and trusted news platforms should carry the speech live. As recently as 2014, CBS, NBC and ABC declined to air an address from President Obama because his announcement of an immigration policy plan was said to be too politicized for that type of forum.

But perhaps youve heard: Trump isnt like any other president before him so The Rules dont apply, especially when ratings are at stake.

Trump played the part of a concerned national leader for a while. A familiar message, however, began to emerge halfway through the address. Be afraid. Very afraid.

Drugs and criminals are pouring over the border. We need a wall, and we need it now. He began breathing heavily through his nose, the way he did during those tense debates with Hillary Clinton back in 2016, as he ramped up the urgency of combating the threat at our borders.

Advertisement

Five takeaways from Trumps prime-time border security speech 

He reeled off the horrors one after another:

An illegal immigrant shot and killed a law enforcement officer.

Another illegal immigrant raped, murdered and beat a woman with a hammer.

Advertisement

And there was the case of the beheading and dismemberment.

And the M-13 gang beating and stabbing of a 16-year-old girl.

The message: Thousands more lives will be lost if we dont act right now!

There was no mention of the thousands of federal employees who havent or wont be paid during the shutdown, or a chin-up pep talk for those being directly or indirectly affected by the crisis.

Advertisement

Turned out it was the same speech hes been giving about the bogeyman at the border since those red hats first made their debut, only with a tighter script and a narrower tie.

If this was the moment Trump was supposed to appeal beyond his base, well, no one really thought that was going to happen. But if he hoped to tap his showmanship skills to regain support among Republicans alienated by the shutdown, its unlikely the fearmongering moved them. Unlike the new tie, its old hat by now.

lorraine.ali@latimes.com

@lorrainealiWhen Tracy Letts was growing up in Durant, Okla., he had to look only down the hall for role models. His parents, both English teachers, were Billie Letts, who became the bestselling author of Where the Heart Is, and Dennis Letts, later an actor who would go on to perform in his sons Tony and Pulitzer prizewinning play August: Osage County.

The 53-year-old Letts has followed in both of their footsteps. His performance in Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf? garnered him the 2013 Tony for lead actor in a play. He had roles in two of 2017s top films, Lady Bird and The Post. He has been a regular on Showtimes Homeland, has a recurring role on HBOs Divorce and will play Henry Ford II in the film Ford vs. Ferrari later this year.

Then theres writer Letts. Based in Chicago, where he lives with his wife, actress Carrie Coon, and their newborn son, Letts has sent two plays on to Broadway and adapted three as films. Due out next fall is his movie adaption of novelist A.J. Finns The Woman in the Window.

Advertisement

Now comes his play Linda Vista, the tale of Dick Wheeler, a grumpy, thoughtless guy of 50 who is simultaneously sexy, clever and pretty irresistible to women  at first. The play premiered in spring 2017 at Chicagos Steppenwolf Theatre Co., where he is a member of the ensemble, and opens Jan. 16 at the Mark Taper Forum.

Where did the notion of a man like Wheeler come from?

Like most of my characters, hes an amalgam of many people, including myself. I had in mind certain kinds of characters from some of the novels I love the most  Dubins Lives by Bernard Malamud, Rabbit, Run by John Updike, Jernigan by David Gates, and especially The Ginger Man by J.P. Donleavy. These characters are men behaving badly. Theyre rogues. Theyre misanthropes. Their misadventures might be comical or slightly sinister, but theyre picking up a lot of people around them as collateral damage, and ultimately, they fall to their own self-destructive impulses.

You have referred to it as a favorite play of yours.

Something feels very contemporary and immediate about the play to me. My friend [director] Anna Shapiro said to me that Wheeler is a version of a man I might have become if I made different choices in my life. I think theres probably some truth to that.

Which choice came first, the writing or the acting?

My parents were both English teachers, and Ive always been interesting in writing. There were always a lot of books around and a lot of discussions of plays, movies, literature, music. There was a great premium put on the arts, and especially the written word. I remember crawling up into my moms desk chair and typing out some letters on her typewriter as soon as I could walk.

Did you ever expect to write professionally?

No, I dont think so. I saw my dad play Atticus Finch onstage in To Kill a Mockingbird when I was probably 10 years old, and it made a big impression on me. I started acting as a teenager, and several years later, I moved to Chicago and fell in love with the theater here. I realized I had a lot of down time as an actor, so I started writing stuff for the stage as well. We have a very vibrant storefront theater scene here, and if you write a spare play, a small cast play, you can get most plays produced. So its a great town to be a young playwright in, and I started writing specifically for the theater in my mid-20s. Ive always kept writing and acting as parallel careers.

Playwright Tracy Letts, photographed by the reflecting pool of the Mark Taper Forum in downtown L.A. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

How do the writing and acting feed off each other?

They use some of the same skills: powers of observation, mimicry, sense of humor, deciding the best way to tell the story. I think the work I do as an actor helps me write good roles for actors. I know the things that actors want and respond to. And when I get up onstage to act, I think about the times actors have driven me crazy when theyre acting my writing, so hopefully its made me better as a writer.

I dont think I would be as good at either job if I were trying to do them both at the same time. I would certainly be too be self-conscious. I would feel like a show off. I wouldnt enjoy that.

Advertisement

Youve referred to acting as an extroverts pastime and writing as an introverts pastime. Can you elaborate?

When I started acting, I think one of the things that appealed to me was that it was a way to get some positive strokes and attention, and it certainly appealed to a more extroverted, social side of me. But its not really who I am. Im a pretty shy person. And as the years have gone on, I love the craft of acting, but I dont love the social side of it. I tend to be more quiet and introspective than that. I really enjoy the time in my office by myself, reading a book, reading the newspaper.

What are you looking for when you write a play?

A good dramatic situation, interesting characters, a few laughs. Entertaining first and foremost. I feel its only right to try to entertain the audience. Hopefully, theres also a little something for people to think about, chew on or argue about  some meat on the bones.

Are those the same things you want in a play as an actor?

Sure. Its all storytelling You want a play to tell a rich story and have drama, conflict and fun characters. A few laughs. If you have a play without laughs, count me out.

Why is laughter so crucial?

If theyre laughing, theyre listening, and I want them to listen. Its hard to hold the attention of people in a live theater audience for anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours. With so many distractions these days, its hard to say, Hey, pay attention to this story Im going to tell you. Lose yourself in this story. I dont know a way to do it without offering some humor as a bait. And its who I am. I like to laugh. I appreciate my funny friends and relatives. I try to make people laugh myself.

Advertisement

What else do you look for in your roles?

A good script. There are probably other ways to pick material, but I dont know what they are. If the writing is good, I want to be part of the project.

I assume thats what attracted you to playing businessman Joe Keeler in the Broadway revival of Arthur Millers All My Sons this spring?

Yes. Its a great play and a great part. As actors get older, its harder to learn the lines and do the grind of eight shows a week. So for me, it has to be worth it to climb that mountain. All My Sons is one of those shows. I look at it and say, OK, thats a really hard, challenging role, and its going to take a year out of my life to do, but its worth it.

You gave Los Angeles four years back in the 90s. How did that work out?

My introduction to Los Angeles came when Steppenwolf brought out Steve Martins play Picasso at the Lapin Agile, and I did 468 performances as the bartender. It was a great job, but I really struggled with the business. As an actor, I shot a couple sitcoms and an independent movie. As a writer, I tried to get work writing screenplays, but I was not the guy they were looking for. It was pretty much a bust.

I very gratefully returned to Chicago. Steppenwolf added me to the company, so I had an artistic home. I could stay here and do my work. Its such a cold world out there for the American artist. So to find yourself suddenly with a group of like-minded people and a place where they say, Sure, well do your plays, you can come and act here, was such a gift.

Advertisement

         

Linda Vista

Where: Mark Taper Forum, 135 N. Grand Ave., L.A.

When: Previews begin Wednesday, opens Jan. 16, ends Feb. 17. Performances 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays, 2:30 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays (check for exceptions)

Price: $30-$99 (subject to change)

Advertisement

Info: (213) 628-2772 or CenterTheatreGroup.org

More on Tracy Letts

Tracy Letts is often cast as the powerful leader, but for Lady Bird he gets to play an old softie

Theater veterans Tracy Letts and Laurie Metcalf on sharing the screen in Greta Gerwigs Lady Bird

Debra Winger and Tracy Letts on their chemistry in The Lovers and, reluctantly, on Hollywood and women

Advertisement

Review: In The Lovers, Debra Winger and Tracy Letts give us an achingly poignant portrait of a modern marriage

Tracy Letts finally makes it to Broadway stage, earning raves in a revival of Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Streep, Martindale on family and truth in Tracy Letts August: Osage County

Writer-director Greta Gerwig and co-stars Laurie Metcalf and Tracy Letts discuss the film Lady Bird.

Advertisement

See all of our latest arts news and reviews at latimes.com/arts.US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in the Middle East on Tuesday for a tour that started in the Jordanian capital Amman before moving to Cairo and then the Arab Gulf countries.

His visits are taking place at the same time as others by US National Security Adviser John Bolton to Israel, earlier in the week, and then Turkey.

They are intended to clarify Washingtons policies in the Middle East with its regional allies and further strategic objectives that focus on the war against militant groups and the isolation of Iran.

However, top of the agenda of both sets of talks are US plans on Syria, and the parallel visits come at a confusing moment for the region when it is not clear whether or when US President Donald Trump will execute plans to withdraw US troops from Syria as announced in December.

One informed Cairo diplomat said that Trumps announcement of the withdrawal had not been coordinated with Washingtons allies in the Middle East. It did come as a surprise to many, he said.

Earlier this week, Trump, who has lost his secretary of defense James Mattis and his representative to the anti-Islamic State (IS) Coalition Brett McGurk over his surprise announcement on Syria, seemed to be taking a step back on the decision to withdraw the US troops when he said the timeline was still being decided.

According to an assessment by Cairo-based Western diplomats following US policy on Syria, it seems that Trump has come under considerable pressure from his European allies to rethink his plans on Syria.

There was also pressure coming from the Pentagon, the diplomats said, as well as scepticism from some of Washingtons closest Middle East allies, especially after a late December statement in which Trump said that the situation in Syria would now be handled by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

According to the diplomats, many Arab capitals, especially Saudi Arabia which has been funding the US troop presence, will not want a situation that could allow for a wider Iranian presence in Syria.

The Saudis have often complained to the US about the Iranian military presence in Syria. Their complaints have been seconded by Israel, which has indicated to both Washington and Moscow the limits of its toleration of the Iranian presence in the country where the International Coalition has been battling radical Islamist groups including IS and Al-Qaeda.

In a press conference with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi in Amman on Tuesday afternoon, Pompeo stressed that the US is not withholding its commitment to limit Irans influence in the region.

According to one informed Arab diplomat, it is this concern about the possible extension of Iranian influence in Syria, added to the very visible Iranian influence in Iraq and other Arab countries, which has led Riyadh to condone Arab attempts to re-engage the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad despite the long history of hostility between it and the regime in Riyadh.

The UAE, a close ally of Saudi Arabia, acted late last year to re-open a diplomatic mission in Damascus as part of this re-engagement, and several other Arab countries might soon follow the UAE move.

The same Arab source said that Egypt, recently expanding the scope of its ties with Syria, has been consulting with Kuwait to start the diplomatic momentum to re-integrate Syria back into the Arab fold.

However, it is not yet clear how this can happen, since it will require a decision of the Arab League to annul a previous decision adopted in the heyday of the Arab Spring that froze Syrias membership of the Arab organisation in protest against its aggressive quelling of then peaceful demonstrations for democracy.

But so much has changed during the past seven years, and today we are talking about an extensive Russian military presence in Syria, an obvious Iranian presence, and a possible Turkish military presence as well. This is not in the interest of any Arab country, the Egyptian source said.

Possible steps towards an Arab re-engagement of Syria are likely to be discussed by senior Arab officials with the visiting US secretary of state this week, given the firm position that Washington has been taking against the re-engagement of the Al-Assad regime.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri said in a press statement on Tuesday that there are things that Syria needs to do before its reintegration in the Arab regime is secured.

For his part, speaking with Pompeo in Amman, Safadi said that reaching a peaceful end to the conflict in Syria should pave the way to end the exclusion of Syria from the Arab regime.

Meanwhile, according to the same Egyptian source, some Arab capitals are set to share their concerns with Pompeo over Trumps decision to withdraw US troops from Syria that seemed to be giving a green light to Ankara.

Egypt, the source said, had made it clear that this was not something it saw as useful for regional stability. Egypt had shared this view with its Arab allies and several European capitals, which shared its concern about any expanded Turkish military operation in Syria to eliminate militant Kurdish units that have been part of the anti-IS Coalition.

In statements made earlier this month, Trump seemed to understand the concerns over the fate of the Kurdish militant groups, and ahead of leaving for the Middle East Pompeo indicated his countrys commitment to securing the Kurdish fighters.

While in Israel, Bolton said that the US would not jump-start its withdrawal from Syria before securing the safety of the Kurdish fighters.

One Cairo-based foreign diplomat informed on the highlights of Boltons talks in the Middle East this week said that the US national security adviser had assured his interlocutors that the US would neither risk the stability of Syria nor allow for a situation that could endanger their interests.

The same source said that he understood Bolton to have told the Israelis that the US withdrawal from Syria would be a very slow process that could undergo delays if needed.

In Ankara, which has already protested against the statements made by US officials on the Kurds, Bolton was expected to discuss guarantees that Turkey would not start military operations in Syrian territory to eliminate the Kurdish militant units.

However, Boltons remarks on the Kurdish matter had infuriated Ankara. By Tuesday evening, Erdogan was declining a meeting with the US national security adviser who had arrived to the Turkish capital.

In addition to explaining Washingtons policy on Syria and reassuring its allies, especially Saudi Arabia, that the US is not giving up on plans to isolate Iran, Bolton and Pompeo will also give time to discuss the Palestine-Israel situation.

It would be too much to say that either will be discussing the potential for restarting the long-stalled peace process, first because neither Bolton nor Pompeo necessarily knows much about this file, which is handled by [Trumps son-in-law] Jared Kushner, and second because the Americans have told the Israelis and will be telling other allies in the Middle East that plans to put forward a peace plan for the Middle East will be delayed until the summer, said a Washington-based diplomatic source.

Washington has never committed to a date for the announcement of what has been promised to be a possible basis for a final settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli struggle, sometimes dubbed the deal of the century.

However, Palestinian diplomatic sources have repeatedly said they do not like what Kushner has been indicating, leading the Palestinian Authority (PA) to suspend contacts with Trumps envoy.

Speaking from Ramallah earlier this week, a PA source said that nothing had changed on this matter. He added that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would underline it during talks with President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi in Cairo during a relatively extended visit to Egypt.

In a press statement made in Cairo, Abbas reiterated a statement suggesting that he could not agree to what the Americans seemed to be offering.

Palestinian, Arab and European sources have spoken of bits and pieces of a plan that seems to be offering very little to the Palestinians and less than a demilitarised state on much less than 20 per cent of the territories Israel put its hands on in 1967, as one senior European diplomat put it, in return for their ending the struggle with Israel.

Informed regional diplomats said that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is undergoing a rough political moment and is scheduled to face early elections in the spring, had asked the US to delay any announcement pending the outcome of the current political turmoil in Israel.

Negotiations with Israel are off the table now. What could be on the table is an Egyptian wish to continue its mediation to resolve Palestinian divisions, said the PA source from Ramallah.

This will likely be a central issue in the Abbas-Sisi talks in Cairo this week.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 10 January, 2019 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly under the headline: US damage control

Short link:

The tech bubbles financial backer of last resort, the $100-billion SoftBank Vision Fund, seems to be having second thoughts about its role as booster-in-chief of very expensive and very unprofitable start-ups. Thats healthy for the fund. But it must be troubling for the various companies and industries that were relying on its largess  not least the real-estate sector.

The bridge too far appears to be WeWork Cos., the fast-growing $20-billion shared-office-space provider that masquerades as a physical social network. SoftBank Group Corp. founder Masayoshi Son and his backers in the Gulf region had been expected to splurge $15 billion to $20 billion on a majority stake in WeWork, but instead, the investment ended up being a more miserly $2 billion and was made by SoftBank alone. The Vision Fund, a kind of gargantuan private equity shop run by Son and SoftBank, did not take part.

The plaid-clad entrepreneurs who populate WeWorks offices havent suddenly lost all their appeal for the big-money crowd; $2 billion is still a princely sum. SoftBank has already poured $4.4 billion into WeWork alongside the Vision Fund. Taking into account other commitments from the Japanese company, including convertible debt, warrants and the latest $2 billion, the total comes to more than $10 billion.

Still, the fact that SoftBanks shares rose almost 6% because of the much smaller new investment shows investors are mightily relieved about Sons sudden bout of prudence. Understandably so, given the recent gyrations in the markets and the tech industry in particular. And while WeWorks valuation appears unhurt, there are plenty of other alarm bells ringing around the New York-based start-up.

Advertisement

The Vision Funds investment model depends on deploying huge amounts of cash to companies that are growing extremely quickly. WeWork no longer seems to fit the bill, and that should worry people. This is a firm whose valuation only really makes sense if it grows at double-digit rates for years to come, while managing to maintain its rental prices even if the era of cheap financing comes to a halt.

The Gulf investors backing the Vision Fund seem to have decided that WeWork  which on Tuesday rebranded itself as the We Company  is not a tech bet but simply an aggressive punt on real estate. They have told SoftBank executives they would prefer the fund stick to technology bets, according to the Wall Street Journal. Thats got to hurt.

Theres another way too, beyond SoftBanks valuation, of looking at how the market judges WeWorks prospects. The office space provider issued a seven-year unsecured high-yield bond last April, which has since dropped 14% in value and is doing worse than the broader high-yield index. Given WeWorks opaque financials and its self-made metrics such as community-adjusted Ebitda  the accounting acronym for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization  you can see why investors might be rethinking a company that has relied a lot on confidence, optimism and faith.

While theres no doubt a sober message here for Silicon Valley optimists, theres also one for markets at large. This might be a turning point not too dissimilar to past real-estate bubbles. In 2007, Blackstone splashed $39 billion on a portfolio of commercial property including debt, only to begin selling off assets soon after. Lehman Bros. forays into real estate didnt go so well. With WeWork already occupying swaths of our big cities, its hard to see how its ambitions get dented without more far-reaching consequences.

Laurent and Ashworth write for Bloomberg Opinion.In late 2017, Susan Crawford was visiting Seoul, South Korea, about six months before it hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Although shes an expert in telecommunications policy, Crawford was stunned at what she witnessed in Korea, which she describes as the most wired nation on the planet  flawless cellphone coverage even in rural areas, real-time data transmission, driverless buses using the latest communications technology to smoothly avoid pedestrians and evade obstructions.

Ive never been embarrassed to be American before, Crawford told me recently. But when Korean people tell you that going to America is like taking a rural vacation, it really makes you stop and worry about what were up to.

Crawford, who teaches at Harvard Law School, has assembled her concerns, along with suggestions for how to alleviate them, in a new book published this week entitled Fiber: The Coming Tech Revolution  and Why America Might Miss It. Its a follow-up to her 2013 book Captive Audience, which warned that the nations global leadership in internet technology was being frittered away by placing tech policy in the hands of profit-seeking companies with no incentive to keep the U.S. on the leading edge.

Advertisement

It may sound paradoxical, but the future of advanced wireless services depends completely on how much fiber is in place. Susan Crawford

Fiber describes how that trend has intensified. The risk is even greater today, Crawford writes, because the data-carrying capacity of the next generation of fiber optics, known as 5G (as the fifth generation of wireless telecommunications technology), will give countries that invest in those advanced networks a huge advantage over those that dont. Its 100 times faster than the existing 4G technology and far more capacious, allowing simultaneous connections of billions of devices.

Which countries are investing in the technology? For one, China, which is planning to cover 80% of its residences and businesses with 5G connectivity by 2025. While the leaders of the USA and China rant and rave at one another, Western companies continue to work closely with those in China, aware that 5G will be a global platform, observed tech analysts at ReThink Research last month. In the run-up to 5G, it has been Chinas operators, especially China Mobile, which have been a driving force.

As Crawford reports, Americas experience with trying to bring fiber to its homes and businesses isnt auspicious. Only about 10% of the nations 119 million households subscribe to high-speed fiber services, and 75% of census blocks have no access to residential fiber at all. Households with fiber connections tend to be located in the most densely developed and richest parts of the country  Americas digital divide has turned into a chasm.

This has happened, Crawford writes, because the U.S. hasnt turned the building of its optical fiber infrastructure into a national imperative  that is, government-supervised  as it did its highways, airports, dams and bridges. She draws comparisons to the government initiative to bring electrification to rural communities in the 1920s and 1930s.

Electrification, she writes, followed a set pattern: municipal buildings and businesses first, wealthy urban dwellers next, then poorer urban dwellers, and last of all, rural homes and farms. That commercial model resulted in 90% of farmers in the 1930s lacking electric power and even poorer sections of thriving cities lacking applicances we take for granted  refrigerators, electric cooking and heating. One result was the rise of public power systems, just as one result of the spotty rollout of fiber connectivity today is the emergence of municipal broadband.

By ceding telecommunications infrastructure to big, monopolistic carriers such as Comcast, Verizon and AT&T, the U.S. government has effectively given up its role in information technology policy, Crawford says. The Federal Communications Commission  under President Obama as well as President Trump  allowed the companies to develop vertically integrated systems in which they own the distribution systems as well as the content moving over those systems; Comcast owns NBC Universal, AT&T owns Time Warner properties including CNN and Warner Bros., and Verizon owns Huffington Post, Yahoo, and other former AOL properties.

These guys plans will be to have islands of exclusive content, Crawford told me. You will join the Comcast world when youre born, or the AT&T world.

Advertisement

That control removes the incentive for the internet carriers to spend much to upgrade their distribution networks to fiber, she argues. Theyre looking for ways to make more money out of the same physical infrastructure, not for ways to expand that infrastructure. They feel theyve reached the number of people they want to serve, and now theyre just looking for how to make more money from them.

Thats a critical problem, because although 5G networks serve wireless devices, they still need extensive land-based fiber systems in fact, much more extensive systems than the existing 4G technology. It may sound paradoxical, Crawford writes, but the future of advanced wireless services depends completely on how much fiber is in place. At the moment, theres not enough of it in the U.S. to meet the needs of 5G, and the big private companies will not and can not raise the private capital needed to build more, at least not from investors looking for a quick return on their money. Basic infrastructure requires patient capital, Crawford observes.

The answer is to bring in the only entities willing to make long-term, patient investments: cities, states and the federal government, the same entities that built dams, roads and bridges  indeed, the internet itself  before it was clear how any of that infrastructure could be exploited by private companies for profit.

Cities and localities can guarantee bonds to provide low-cost financing for fiber networks; the federal government can exploit its own rock-bottom borrowing costs. All have the incentive to bring the networks to residents and businesses shunned by the commercial internet carriers because they dont look sufficiently profitable.

Advertisement

But the incumbent internet firms are standing in the way, Crawford reports. The companies have been pushing state legislation and federal regulations that would give them more power to decide how to deploy 5G equipment in their own interest by cutting local and state authorities out of the process. California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed one such bill in 2017, in a decision regarded as a blow to the major wireless internet carriers.

Crawford believes its pointless to expect any leadership on this issue from the current FCC or its Republican chairman, Ajit Pai. Todays FCC is the equivalent of a loading dock up to which the incumbents trucks are backing to take out as much cash as they can. Theres no thought of genuine oversight of the current market.

The solution may be to track what happened with electrification a century ago  start small. There are 700 communities and cooperatives across the country, many of them in Republican areas, that deeply understand this issue and are pragmatically working on building fiber networks. Just as with electricity, you start on the local level and gradually shame the feds into doing something.

The problem, however, is that people without genuine high-speed connections dont know what theyre missing, so they arent clamoring for improvement  yet. Theres a little bit of internet access in a lot of places, and a lot of confusion over what it would mean to have a world-class connection. In America, people just dont know.

Advertisement

Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com.

Return to Michael Hiltziks blog.In her new book, The Truths We Hold: An American Journey, Kamala Harris tells the story of her rise from a young girl growing up in Oakland to her 2016 election as U.S. senator from California.

Harris was born in 1964 to two immigrant parents. Her mother, a native of India, was a scientist; her father, who came to the U.S. from Jamaica, is an emeritus economics professor at Stanford University. Her mother was originally supposed to enter an arranged marriage in India, but she scrapped that plan when she met Harris father at Berkeley, where the two were active in the civil rights movement.

BOOK REVIEW: Kamala Harris lays out the core ideals of her 2020 campaign in her new book, The Truths We Hold 

As a child, she lived in Oakland and Montreal before earning her bachelors degree at Howard University and her law degree at the University of Californias Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.

Advertisement

Before her election to the Senate, Harris served as San Franciscos district attorney and as the attorney general of California. Shes widely seen as a potential candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in the 2020 election.

The Truths We Hold, in which Harris discusses her childhood, career and her vision for the future of America, was published Tuesday by the Penguin Press. Below are 10 photos from the book, which follow Harris upbringing in Oakland and her path toward politics.

At twenty-five years old, Mommy had a college degree, a PhD, and me. (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)

Proud daddy on his way to a doctorate in economics at Berkeley. (April 1965) (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)

Christmas 1968. Sisters waiting for Santa Claus. (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)

Hanging out with my family in Jamaica. Maya is off to the right. (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)

My favorite pleather jacket at age seven. (December 1971) (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)

In front of Mrs. Sheltons house, holding her granddaughter Saniyyah. The house was always full of children, good cooking, and lots of love. (Summer 1978) (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)

Advertisement

During my freshman year at Howard University, almost every weekend was spent at the Mall protesting apartheid and calling for divestment. Here I am with Gwen Whitfield. (November 1982) (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)

Graduating from University of California Hastings College of the Law in May 1989. My first grade teacher, Mrs. Wilson (left), came to cheer me on. My mom was pretty proud, too. (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)

Even after I started working in the Alameda County District Attorneys Office, I would return to Mrs. Sheltons kitchen, where I always knew I would receive a warm hug and delicious food. (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)

After my inauguration, I went over to my new office to see what it would be like. It was totally empty except for a chair in the middle. I was happy to take my seat. (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)Egypt's criminal court sentenced on Wednesday activist Ahmed Douma to 15 years in prison in addition to a fine of EGP 6 million in a retrial on violence charges dating back to 2011.

Douma and 268 other defendants were accused of possessing bladed weapons and Molotov cocktails, assaulting personnel from the armed forces and the police, torching the Scientific Complex in downtown Cairo and damaging other government buildings, including that of the cabinet and the parliament, during the 2011 uprising.

The Wednesday court decision can still be appealed.

Douma was originally sentenced to life in prison and fined EGP 17 million by a Cairo criminal court in February 2015 after being convicted of the charges.

Douma has also received three-year sentences in two other cases. The first sentence, which has already been served, was for breaking the country's protest law in January 2015, and the second was for insulting the judiciary in 2014. In the second case, his appeal was accepted and the conviction was overturned.

Douma has been a long-time rights activist who protested against the regime of toppled president Hosni Mubarak, the military council in 2011-2012, as well as ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi.

Short link:

You and other Republicans were elected because of the extreme gerrymandering introduced and upheld by republicans, not because the voters wanted you to block the reforms they voted for in electing Evers.

Nobody is fooled by your story that the voters who voted for Evers wanted you to protect them from the man they voted for as governor. If you care about the will of the voters of Wisconsin, as you assert, then let the districting be done by impartial, non-partisan methods.Its not a good start to a new year when government officials whose salaries are paid by the taxpayer deny making public information public.

Yet thats the case in Madison as Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, a Rochester Republican, refuses to make public a legal contract that will cost taxpayers $850,000.

As reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the contract covers work Chicago-based firm Bartlit Beck did for Assembly Republicans to defend them in the long-running lawsuit over legislative district lines that they drew in 2011.

Of course, the gerrymandering has given Republicans such an advantage that they were able to gain a legislative seat in the midterms as Democrats swept all of the statewide races on the ballot.

Vos spokesman Kit Beyer declined to release the legal contract to the Journal Sentinel, saying it was subject to attorney-client privilege. She did not say why the contract was different than others routinely released by the House and by recent Govs. Scott Walker and Jim Doyle.

Advocates for open records say Vos is off base, and we share that view.A former Lake Geneva school PTO leader will spend 60 days in jail and pay more than $9,000 in restitution for stealing from PTO groups.

Danielle Masoni, 38, who was a PTO treasurer at two Lake Geneva schools, has pleaded guilty to two counts of theft in a business setting and one count of disorderly conduct, all misdemeanors.

In exchange, prosecutors have dropped two felony charges.

Walworth County Circuit Judge Phillip Koss sentenced Masoni to 20 days in work-release jail on each count, and also ordered her to pay restitution totaling $9,199.

Court records indicate that Masoni is scheduled to begin her jail term on Jan. 12.

Masoni could not be reached for comment, and her attorney, David Malkus, declined to comment.

PTO leader Heather Torgerson of Central-Denison Elementary School said she and other members of the parent-teacher organization also would not comment on the outcome of the theft case.KENOSHA  A new Gateway Technical College effort to provide flexible and real-world training in the telecommunications industry will be supported by a $100,000 Metallica Scholars Initiative grant funded by a foundation associated with the rock band Metallica.

Gateway is one of 10 community colleges from across the country chosen through a competitive proposal process to receive $100,000 to support students training to enter the American workforce. These students will become the first Metallica Scholars.

Stacia Thompson, Gateway Director of Workforce Strategies, says the grant will be used to provide telecommunications industry training in a way to meet the schedule of a working student.

This is ideal for those who are interested in telecommunications as a new career or currently are in the field, but seek more skills or certification in cabling. This is an opportunity for industry training without having to give up working during the day, said Thompson.

The grant will cover 90 percent of the costs, which includes course, books, computer needs, transportation assistance and required tool fees.

This major workforce education initiative provides direct support to community colleges to enhance their career and technical education programs.La Jolla resident, Democrat and current U.S. Congress member Scott Peters has filed a candidacy intention statement with the City Clerks office to run for San Diego Mayor in the 2020 election.

Peters is the second La Jolla Democrat to file for the Mayors seat: District 1 City Council member Barbara Bry announced in December 2018 that she is running, releasing a four-minute video earlier this month discussing her priorities and background. (It can be viewed here.

Bry was elected to the City Council in 2016 after a career in the private sector that included founding several local high-tech companies, such as ProFlowers.com, and working as a reporter for the Los Angeles Times and other publications. She said on Jan. 2 that her lack of political experience is a strength rather than a weakness.

Barbara Bry Courtesy

I will make the tough decisions because I am not a career politician pandering to the special interests, Bry said. Instead of making decisions designed to preserve a career in elective office, I will be driven by what is best for our residents and our Citys future. It is time for us to get past the revolving door of political insiders if we want real change at City Hall.

Brys experience also includes teaching entrepreneurship at UC San Diego and founding Athena San Diego, an organization that supports the advancement of women in technology and life sciences.

As of Tuesday, Jan. 8, these hopefuls were joined in the race by Assembly member Todd Gloria (downtown), JErek Evans (Hillcrest), Cedric Greene (College Area), and Rich Riel (of an unknown San Diego neighborhood), who also filed candidate statements for Mayor. Incumbent Mayor Kevin Faulconer is ineligible to run for a third term.

In local politics for nearly 20 years, Peters has served two terms as a San Diego City Council member (2000-2008), during which time he was appointed to the Commission on Tax Policy in the New Economy (2001), to the California Coastal Commission (2002), and served as the first president of the San Diego City Council (2006-2008). He was also Port Commissioner (2009-2012); and member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Californias 52nd District (2013 to present). His professional background includes 15 years as an environmental lawyer.

His congressional district includes San Diego, Coronado and Poway. Peters has served on the following boards: Armed Services; Science, Space and Technology; Energy and Commerce; Veterans Affairs; and the United States House Judiciary Committee.

District 1 City Council race

To fill the District 1 City Council seat, Aaron Brennan of La Jolla and Will Moore of Carmel Valley have filed candidate statements. District 1 includes Del Mar Heights, Torrey Pines, Pacific Highlands Ranch, Carmel Valley, Del Mar Mesa, Torrey Hills, University City and La Jolla.

According to City News Service, Moore is a small business attorney, and has served on the boards of the San Diego Leadership Alliance, the Urban League Young Professionals and the San Diego chapter of the American Constitution Society. He is currently president of the Carmel Valley Democratic Club.

Brennan, a La Jolla Town Council trustee, Democrat and local fire fighter, confirmed his candidacy to the Light and said the issues that drew him to the race include public safety and staffing for emergency personnel, short-term vacation rentals, housing and homelessness solutions, transportation, and taking concrete steps toward reaching the goals within the Citys Climate Action Plan.La Jolla Elementary School names interim principal

Stephanie Hasselbrink has agreed to serve as the interim principal of La Jolla Elementary School until a permanent principal is selected. Longtime principal Donna Tripi recently resigned to accept a position in the Rancho Santa Fe district.

Hasselbrink  a classroom and resource teacher in the San Diego Unified School District for 18 years  will be available to meet parents at 8:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 11, in the La Jolla Elementary School auditorium, following the pledge assembly on the campus field.

Julie Martel, retired area superintendent, will also provide the school with ongoing support through the transition.

Salk makes autism headway

Although the cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains unclear, the Salk Institute reports study findings that could lead to diagnostic methods to detect it at an early stage, when preventative interventions could potentially take place.

In findings published Jan. 7 in the journal Nature Neuroscience, Salk researchers compared stem cells created from individuals with ASD against stem cells created from those without it to uncover, for the first time, measurable differences in the patterns and speed of development in the ASD-derived cells.

Although our work only examined cells in cultures, it may help us understand how early changes in gene expression could lead to altered brain development in individuals with ASD, said Salk professor Rusty Gage, the studys senior author and president of the Institute. We hope that this work will open up new ways to study neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders.

In other Salk news, Gages tenure as president was recently expanded through 2024 by Salks board of trustees.

New Hemlock Society president

Faye Girsh, founder of the Hemlock Society of San Diego, an assisted-suicide advocacy organization, is stepping down as its president. She will be replaced momentarily by Barry Price, a former Peace Corp volunteer and college professor of 35 years.

I am happy to turn over the reins of this respected organization to Barry Price, who will usher in our 32nd year with competence, passion, and integrity, said Girsh, the former La Jollan who founded the Hemlock Society of San Diego in 1987 and served as its president until 1996, then again from 2006 to 2019.

Price added: Seeing older friends and family members suffer long-debilitating illnesses that caused so much pain and suffering, as well as a complete loss of dignity, and contrasting those experiences with the gentle, painless death experienced by my dogs at the local vet, provoked my interest and commitment to the right-to-die movement.

La Jollan Marty Block reappointed to state post

Retired state senator Marty Block of La Jolla has been reappointed by outgoing governor Jerry Brown for a four-year term as chair of the board of appeals of the California Unemployment Insurance System, on which he has served since 2016.

The board oversees 150 administrative law judges around the state, who resolve 200,000 appeals annually.

Our Board of Appeals assures that working families who deserve unemployment compensation receive the funds to bridge them from one job to another, Block said. We are careful to provide speedy and fair resolution of claims by both employers and workers.

Block served as senator for the states 39th district from 2012 to 2016.

No meeting in January for La Jolla Town Council

La Jolla Town Councils regularly scheduled Jan. 10 meeting has been canceled. Instead, chair Ann Kerr Bache announced, trustees will gather privately to formulate the community groups 2019 agenda and priorities.

However, Kerr Bache said, the public will still have a voice in this process, through its ability to submit issues to be considered during the brainstorming session.

To submit an idea, e-mail info@lajollatowncouncil.org by 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 10.

Airnoise making national noise

The Airnoise button and service  developed by former Air Force pilot and La Jolla Shores Heights resident Chris McCann to radically simplify registering airplane-noise complaints to the Airport Authority  was the subject of a prominent Dec. 29 feature story in the Washington Post.

McCann reports more than 500 new users due to the coverage. The response has been amazing, McCann said, and many people have inquired about other uses of the technology, from reporting road and train noise to contacting 911 with a button. Im glad this project has inspired so much citizen activism.

For information about airnoise, visit airnoise.io

UC San Diego to launch unique phage study

UC San Diego is about to launch a clinical trial employing intravenous viruses called bacteriophages (phages for short) to kill resistant bacteria, a first in the United States.

Bacteriophages were once considered a promising therapeutic tool. The advent of modern antibiotics in the 1930s, however, redirected research interests. But with 10 million people estimated to die from drug-resistant superbug infections by 2050, phages are getting a second look.

This is just the beginning, said Steffanie Strathdee, UCSDs associate dean of global health sciences and co-director of its Center for Innovative Phage Applications and Therapeutics (iPath). This collaboration is one of many we are undertaking to bring phage therapy into the 21st century to combat the global crisis of life-threatening antibiotic-resistant infections.

It was Strathdees husband, UCSD professor Tom Patterson, who had been stricken by a seemingly untreatable bacterial infection while vacationing in Egypt in 2015. By the time Patterson was airlifted back to Jacobs Medical Center, he was dying from a multi-resistant bacterium until an unprecedented emergency phage therapy saved his life.

No more paper receipts?

A new California Assembly bill requires retailers to offer digital receipts as the default to customers. Introduced by Assembly member Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Skip the Slip would take effect Jan. 1, 2022.

The bill  the first of its kind in the United States  is intended to help protect consumers and workers from the toxins that often coat paper-based receipts, while also creating substantial environmental benefits. (Research from Ecology Center estimates that 93 percent of paper receipts are coated with Bisphenol-A or Bisphenol-S, known endocrine-disruptors. These toxins are absorbed when people touch receipts and are linked to cancer, diabetes, and reproductive issues.)

According to the bill, paper receipts could still be requested by consumers concerned about giving out their e-mail addresses for privacy reasons.

Civics essay/video contest for high school students

The Ninth Circuit Civics Contest offers high-school students an opportunity to win cash prizes totaling $7,000 while learning about the role of the judicial branch in preserving our constitutional rights.

The theme of this years contest is The 4th Amendment in the 21st Century  What is an Unreasonable Search and Seizure in the Digital Age? Students are challenged to write an essay or produce a short video focusing on how the federal courts have applied 4th Amendment protections to electronic data devices, particularly the cellphones upon which almost everyone relies.

Entries will be accepted Feb. 1 through April 1 from students in grades 9-12 in public, private, parochial and charter schools, as well as from home-schooled students of equivalent grade status.

The top three finishers in both the essay and video competitions will receive $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second $500 for third.

For contest rules and entry instructions, visit ca9.uscourts.gov/civicscontest/

 Compiled by Corey LevitanSan Diego Police Department chief David Nisleit revealed that a task force  consisting of members of his department, the Sheriffs Department, the DEA and the City District Attorneys Office  is trying to enact stricter penalties for distributing the unusually potent opioid fentanyl.

Nisleit  speaking at the Jan. 4 Kiwanis Club of La Jolla luncheon  said that police are currently working backwards from each overdose death, to figure out who gave that dosage of fentanyl and look at that person for manslaughter. He said a couple of cases are moving forward, adding that only a couple other counties and cities are doing this.

Fentanyl was one of several issues discussed when Nisleit, who was promoted to the Citys 35th police chief last March, took questions from an audience of about 30 Kiwanis Club members at La Jolla Presbyterian Church.In addition to fentanyl, Nisleit identified two other key issues currently on his departments radar: human trafficking and computer crimes.

Human trafficking  which Nisleit described as predominantly being done by African-American gangs  is spiking in popularity because its easier and more lucrative to bring a group of prostitutes across the country (kind of on a tour, Nisleit said) and sell the same people over and over, than it is to sell narcotics, where a set amount depletes with each sale.

Nisleit said that human traffickers are more difficult to prosecute than drug dealers, adding to the crimes attraction.

With narcotics, one thing crooks do thats very common is they like to talk, Nisleit said, who else is involved and whos the bigger fish. With human trafficking, they threaten to kill the victims and their families. So, its a very hard case to prosecute.

As for computer crimes, Nisleit reports the only positive upside of this trend is a sharp decrease in physical bank robberies, because most folks dont need to go into a bank anymore to rob it  and their exposure in getting caught is far less  especially if theyre sitting over in Russia or China, where most of those scams are coming from.

When asked about La Jollas growing homeless crisis, Nisleit laid most of the blame on lack of mental-health funding, guessing that the majority of folks facing homelessness in San Diego have either mental-health or addiction issues.

Most of the time, it goes hand in hand, Nisleit said, and what youre seeing is a lot of those folks medicating using illicit street drugs.

Although the U.S. population has nearly doubled in the last 30 years, Nisleit said, beds for mental-health patients have decreased by about half during the same period, so most of those folks are in the street.

Just one night earlier, Nisleit said, an officer was involved in a shooting with someone suffering from mental-health issues.

Theres just no funding for it, no facilities for it, Nisleit said, so a lot of these folks, they get treatment real quick and get released  sometimes within 72 hours max. Its a revolving door.

Nisleit also blamed Prop 47, which reduced drug-possession felonies to misdemeanors in 2014.

Theres really no incentive for somebody whos addicted to drugs to get help, he said. If I catch you with methamphetamine, cocaine or heroin, youd get a ticket that looks just like I would give you for running a stop sign. I cant put you in jail for it.

 Kiwanis Club of La Jolla has a luncheon meeting with a guest speaker every Friday, noon at La Jolla Presbyterian Church, 7155 Draper Ave. Guests are welcome. (858) 900-2710. kiwanisclublajolla.orgOwners of MAN Truck hold a protest at MAN Truck & Bus Korea headquarters in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. / Courtesy of Kim Young-booo



By Nam Hyun-woo



MAN Truck owners held a rally, Wednesday, denouncing the German commercial vehicle maker for concealing critical defects in its engines from motorists. They also claimed their trucks are plagued with the same defect as BMW diesel vehicles that have been catching fire.



During the protest at MAN Truck & Bus Korea headquarters in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, they said MAN's D26 engine series contain defects in its exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler but the company is concealing the flaws and avoiding responsibility.



"We found multiple errors and defects in our MAN 25.5-ton trucks, including engine rust, malfunctioning transmission, melting EGR coolers and cracks in engine heads," said Kim Young-booo, leader of the protest.



"However, MAN Truck & Bus Korea is exploiting the country's lax Motor Vehicle Management Act and imputing its responsibility of repairing them to owners, while refusing to talk with owners," Kim said. "It is like we are riding on a ticking bomb that can harm not only us but also pedestrians."



An EGR cooler is a part that lowers the temperature of exhaust that is recirculated by the EGR system, which then recirculates the exhaust gases back into the engine to lower cylinder temperatures and emissions.



The part is picked as the root cause of more than 50 fires in BMW vehicles last year, which led to $10 million in fines against BMW Korea and massive recalls affecting more than 170,000 BMW cars.



According to the owners, many mechanics have found the engine problems also stem from the faulty EGR coolers which fail to lower the temperature of exhaust gases and recirculate heated exhaust into the cylinders through the intake manifold.



The only reason their trucks have not been catching fire is because MAN Truck's intake manifold is made of alloy casting, they said, adding that damage is apparent in their engines.



"We found that four MAN Truck service centers each replaced on average 35 EGR coolers and EGR valves last year alone," Kim said. "Given the company has 20 service centers, we assume more than 700 trucks have shown similar malfunctions and replaced EGR coolers or valves."



"If MAN Truck did not report this to the Ministry of Environment, it could violate the Motor Vehicle Management Act and the Clean Air Conservation Act."

Kim said he expects the environment and transport ministries to begin their investigations on MAN Truck & Bus Korea soon.



The owners added that the company is demanding expensive repair fees for the malfunctions, blaming "drivers' poor experiences in driving and maintaining trucks." Kim said the members of the protest group have an average 10 years of experience driving trucks.



The protest came after MAN Truck & Bus Korea's launched a "voluntary" recall last month on 1,195 dump trucks containing risks in their gearing system. At the time, however, the owners criticized the recall saying the company is attempting to cover up the root cause of the gear malfunctions, which is the high temperature of the engine.

gettyimagesbank



By Nam Hyun-woo





The National Customer Satisfaction Index (NCSI) is often times called a useful tool to predict stock indices and other macroeconomic indicators in the future, because it directly shows how main agents of the economy feel, and responses to the current situation.



The NCSI, which has been conducted by the Korea Productivity Center (KPC) every year, is a survey and its analysis is modeled after the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).



Its prime goal is to provide useful information for companies in setting up marketing strategies by allowing them to compare their customer satisfaction level directly with not only rivals but also the entire industry.



Another benefit of the NCSI is its correlation with other economic indices.





Korea Productivity Center Chairman Noh Kyoo-sungVisitors to the Consumer Electronics Show test Samsung Electronics' Digital Cockpit automotive electronic product in Las Vegas, Wednesday. / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics



By Baek Byung-yeul



LAS VEGAS  Digital Cockpit, an automotive control platform developed by Samsung Electronics and its affiliate Harman, will be installed in vehicles manufactured by a Chinese firm in 2021, Samsung said Wednesday.



"We signed a contract with a Chinese carmaker to install Digital Cockpit products we introduced in 2018, and these will be used in cars set to be marketed from 2021," Park Jong-hwan, vice president and chief of Samsung's auto parts division, said at the Consumer Electronics Showcase (CES).



With the rise of the connected car and self-driving technologies, Samsung stepped into the automotive component market after acquiring U.S. auto parts maker Harman in March 2017.



In 2018, Samsung and Harman together introduced their first Digital Cockpit product. Comprised of displays, knobs and cameras, the product can be customized according to uses' tastes.



Park said the firm also has a contract with a European carmaker to sell Digital Cockpit, and this will be available beginning around 2022.



"It has been about a year and 10 months since we acquired Harman. After the acquisition, we took a few months to get to know about each other and could then come up with the first Digital Cockpit product in 2018," Park said.





Park Jong-hwan, vice president and chief of Samsung Electronics' auto parts division, introduces the firm's Digital Cockpit automotive electronics product at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Wednesday. / Courtesy of Samsung ElectronicsFrench President Emmanuel Macron will visit Egypt in the coming weeks, French ambassador to Cairo Stephane Roumtier said on Tuesday.

The upcoming visit is expected to boost the number of French tourists in the country, Egypts state news agency MENA quoted Roumtier as saying.

The Ambassador was speaking during a celebration marking the launch of the joint Egyptian-French cultural year at the Cairo Opera House.

Egypt has been working to revive the tourism sector, a pillar of the country's economy and a key source of foreign currency, following a downturn triggered by the 2011 uprising.

The long-awaited visit, repeatedly announced by Egyptian and French officials last year, will be the first by the French president to Egypt since he assumed office in 2017.

President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi visited Paris in October 2017 where he discussed with Macron joint efforts to combat terrorism, the Middle East peace process, and the situation in Libya.

The two countries have further strengthened economic and military ties under El-Sisi, who became president in 2014.



Short link:

By Lee Seong-hyon



Here's the initial observation on the latest intrigue behind Kim Jong-un's China visit. First of all, even for many Chinese analysts on North Korea, Kim's visit to China this time came as something "unexpected." Kim already visited China three times last year. Therefore, it was widely expected that, it would be Chinese leader Xi Jinping's turn to visit North Korea. Xi himself said he would do so, during his meeting with President Moon Jae-in November last year.



It's also notable that Kim is visiting China on his 35th birthday. This inevitably emits a sense of "urgency." Otherwise, why would the North Korean leader "skip" his birthday party at home to make a journey all the way to China, unless there is a pressing need that compelled him to do so, the logic would go.



Interestingly, Kim took a train as his means of transportation. Kim's immediate two previous trips to China were via air. When Kim's train passed through the Chinese city of Dandong that borders North Korea, it served as an automatic trigger for the watchful international media to react and make headlines. If Kim was to travel by air, it would have been less visible to the media. In addition, compared to air travel, a train trip offers the media more time to cover his journey.



It is then reasonable to believe that Kim is staging his trip to China to be noticed. But for what purpose?



Kim's choice of traveling to China on the day of his birthday and his choice of transportation discharges the impression that there is something "special" about the China-North Korea relationship. It establishes an appearance of strong bonding between Xi and Kim. Currently, Kim is negotiating with Trump on nuclear weapons. Currently, Xi is negotiating with Trump on trade.



Since last year, North Korea's relationship with China has changed dramatically  for the better. Since last year, China's relationship with the United States has changed dramatically  for the worse. Kim Jong-un's visit to China, is unfolding in front of this backdrop.



There is a complexity of strategic calculus intertwined among different players in Pyongyang, Washington, and Beijing. The visit also happens amid Trump's public statement that a second summit with Kim will be held soon.



Regarding Kim, it's reasonable to believe that his trip is a "preparation" for his upcoming summit with Trump, who sent out mixed messages. Trump said he would meet with Kim, but made it clear that economic sanctions, currently imposed on North Korea, would remain in place, going against Kim's wishes.



For Xi, North Korea's denuclearization is not necessarily his most immediate policy priority. China's immediate and paramount priority is to "soft land" the ongoing trade war with Washington.



China is seen as the country that has the largest influence over North Korea. Against the backdrop, China will be tempted to think to "utilize" Kim's visit to serve China's interest.



If that is the case, we may speculate that China may use the occasion to nudge Kim to be more forthcoming in denuclearization measures as a "goodwill" sign of China's cooperation with the United States.



Washington maintains that the trade war (between the U.S. and China) and the denuclearization (between the U.S. and North Korea) are "separate" matters. We also agree, in theory.



We should remember that Trump, upon inauguration, proposed to China that he would be willing to be soft on China on trade if China cooperates on the North Korean issue.



Trump has already openly complained, at least three times, that "China was behind" North Korea's defiant attitude that led to the negotiations being stalled last year. Will the same thing happen again? Is China playing the "North Korea card" against Washington?



It is unwarranted to conclude that Xi will again turn out to be a spoiler. We should be open to the possibility that China this time may turn out to be a positive force in mediating between Pyongyang and Washington.



During Kim's new-year speech, he said he will closely consult "parties to the Korean War armistice" to transform the armistice state to the peace state. Without naming China, it indicates China. It's Kim's invitation for China to play a more active role in North Korea's stalemate in negotiations with the U.S.



Taken together, depending on how Xi envisions China's relationship with the U.S., the outcome of Xi's talking with Kim will have ramifications for both the denuclearization and the trade war.





Lee Seong-hyon (sunnybbsfs@gmail.com), Ph.D., is director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the Sejong Institute.



By Zerougui Abdelkader





Post-independent India under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, and the Indian National Congress from 1947 until 1964 allowed the country to define itself as a secular nation that embraces Hindus, Christians, Sikhs and Buddhists as "citizens."



However, the coming to power of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) under the leadership of former Chief Minister of Gujarat- Narendra Damodardas Modi in 2014 has transformed the Indian landscape, and accelerated the growing atmosphere of intolerance, and forcefully supporting a Nazi-similar agenda to recreate a myth of Bharat Mata "Mother India" exclusive for Hindus.



Hindus claim the Taj Mahal  a historical heritage  has no place in India because of its association with Islam. The destruction of the 16th-century Babri Mosque, based on claims it is built over top of the Hindu temple of Ram, the seventh avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu, is a clear indication of the atmosphere of fear and intolerance that often precedes ethnic cleansing and genocide.



The BJP under Modi espoused openly extremism, as its founders and cadres come from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an Indian right-wing, Hindu nationalist, paramilitary volunteer organization. Their members are dominant and very active at levels of government and institutions.



The RSS members have infiltrated every aspect of Indian life, and are rewriting the school textbooks and history of India. The Ministry of Culture is now in the process of redefining India's history, much as what the Nazis did in Germany, and by emphasizing the superiority of Hindus as opposed to other ethnic and religious minorities.



A twisting of history, mythology and religion is slowly developing into an ideology of hate and intolerance with the complicity of scholars and ideologues.



The BJP has been working on all fronts. Economically, India became a major partner with the U.S., and the latter displaced Russia as major supplier of arms to India. The Indian-American lobby is becoming extremely sophisticated. The political force has played a pivotal role in transforming U.S. foreign policy toward India.



The Indian American Forum for Political Education, India Political Action Committee, and the Congressional Caucasus on India and Indian Americans to name a few are forces to be reckoned with. However, it was during the passage of the U.S.  India Civilian Nuclear Agreement Bill in the U.S. Congress in 2008 that the real clout of Indian lobbying was confirmed.



The nation's three million Indian-Americans are increasingly looking to flex their political muscles, thanks to the growing influence of the RSS and the right-wing demagogues. With their increasing financial power, they are turning into politics to lobby for India. The Pew Survey of 2013 indicated that Indian-Americans' median household income sits at $88,000  the highest of all Asian-Americans.



M.R. Rangaswami, an influential Silicon Valley investor who founded the Sand Hill Group and Indiaspora, a nonprofit that brings together leaders within the Indian-American community, stated that the United States "can have an Indian-American president in the next generation."



The flexing power of India is reaching the Arab Gulf region. The Indian migration to the region is one of the largest. More than 5 million Indians work and live in the Gulf region. Their presence is overtly noticed, and their financial clout and presence is often felt among the local populations.



Unlike the Filipinos, and other migrant workers, Hindus are very politicized, and act as a "tribe," much like the Gujarati in the U.S. who control the total motel business. It is the culture of self-imposed "ghetto" and the rejection of other that is sending waves of fear across the minorities in India, especially among impoverished Muslim populations.



The portrayal of Hindus in the Gulf states by Indian and Western media as exploited poor migrants is far from the truth. Remittances from the Indian expatriates was $69 billion in 2013, from which $25 billion originated from the GCC countries. These figures however did not include the Indian commercial enterprises that dominate the Gulf region. Their operation includes wholesale and retail, trade, engineering, construction, transportation, health care and hospitals etc.



They are becoming a force to reckon with, and their lobby has expanded exponentially during the past decades. Their abilities to network and act as a "tribe" allowed them to control a large portion of the economy in the Gulf region, and marginalize the rest of the migrant populations.



Their lobby is reaching to higher levels, and it is becoming dangerous. Compared to other ethnic and religious groups, like Filipinos or Africans, these communities do not have a political agenda, unlike RSS-Hindus. Their number has been increasing drastically, which is putting these small countries at risk, as the RSS continues to "brain wash" the migrant populations abroad.



India's economic, and military powers are growing, and thus its influence is reaching to the region, making the Gulf states extremely vulnerable. New policies are needed to redefine the migrant labor force, as the risks of instability and the politicization of the labor force can escalate into military pressures and interference into the sovereignty of the Gulf states.



In 2016, the GCC population was estimated at 50 million from which 24.5 million were expatriates. Qatar's expatriates constitute 89 percent of the population; in Kuwait they represent 69 percent; and in Bahrain, they constitute 52 percent.



The BJP operates with a strong superiority complex in the region, and it is its Nazi agenda that is scary. It is only a matter of time before the Muslims will become the new Rohingya, and the Gulf states will be overwhelmed because of their small populations compared to 1 billion RSS-Hindus.



Hindutva is rewriting the history of India to legitimize exclusiveness and religious superiority of Hindus, creating a generation of RSS diehard supporters of violence and ethnic cleansing who need to be stopped before it is too late.





Zerougui Abdelkader (zerouguiabdelkader@yahoo.com) is an adjunct professor at American University.



By Arthur I. Cyr





"Toxic" could describe different aspects of the year just ended, and in fact, one influential institution in Britain has decided to do just that. The learned, and obviously biased, lexicographers at the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) have selected this word as official "word of the year 2018."



The organization solemnly intones this laden, perhaps leaden, word as not only of significance but also representative. The word is described as not only heavily in demand, meaning entered by many people in the search portal of the OED, but also important in describing events and attitudes of the current time.



Having opened the door to toxicity for their own purposes, the editors at OED turn advocates and activists. They veer from lexicography into opinion.



"Toxic masculinity" is a frequent use of the term, they tell us. In other words, in OED editors' hands the shield of dictionary objectivity combines with the sword of editorial aggression  make that assertiveness.



A similar exercise in opinion advocacy disguised in dispassionate analysis is in the OED word for 2017, "youthquake." This word is what those who study and analyze language term a "portmanteau," meaning a word formed from the combination or compression of two other words.



Other examples include "motel" combined from motor and hotel, "smog" combined from smoke and fog, and "brunch" derived from breakfast and lunch. The word portmanteau also traditionally refers to a large suitcase divided into equal sections.



Young people in Britain registered and voted in exceptionally large numbers in the general election held in June 2017. Their powerful support for the Labour Party challenged the plans of the ruling Conservative Party for Brexit, a portmanteau for leaving the European Union.



Ashley May wrote about "youthquake" in "USA Today": "No, we haven't heard of it either." She quoted President Casper Grathwohl of Oxford Dictionaries that "the word was not an obvious choice" but researchers determined usage has increased "fivefold." That is a lot, but their methodology remains undisclosed.



The website Inews.co.uk further quotes Grathwohl to the effect that the word has positive connotations: "At a time when our language is reflecting our deepening unrest and exhausted nerves, it is a rare political word that sounds a hopeful note."

That is his opinion, his editorial, reflecting current vogue in much media and political commentary, not established dispassionate fact. He is using his professional position as a pulpit to broadcast personal political views, also a practice currently much in vogue.



Ms. May was in good company. For example, the headline of a column in the Washington Post by Jennifer Hassan declared, "The Oxford Dictionaries' Word of the Year is a word nobody actually uses."



Regarding the word "vogue," Ms. Hassan did due diligence, and reported that "youthquake" was coined in 1965 by Diana Vreeland, editor of "Vogue" magazine.



She was using the word to underscore the important, increasingly turbulent social and political events of that extremely violent decade.



Britain's politics remain uncertain but nonviolent. Youthquake describes voting trends, not blood literally in the streets.



Likewise, "toxic" is debatable. People have used the word prominently for some time. In 2008, columnist William Safire applied "toxic" to modify reference to "bailouts" of failing giant banks. In 2013, Britney Spears won a Grammy with a song and video titled "Toxic."



OED language analysis has turned political. OED staff should answer skepticism by disclosing data entered in their portal.



Until then, do not fall for this toxic declaration.





Arthur I. Cyr (acyr@carthage.edu) is Clausen Distinguished Professor at Carthage College and author of "After the Cold War."





Bullet holes in the floor and wall of the 10th floor of Jeonil Building in Gwangju are numbered "36" (top) and "71." The holes, among 245 found inside and outside the structure in an investigation by the National Forensic Service, show the building was fired upon from a helicopter during the May 18 Democratic Uprising in 1980. Korea Times photos by Choi Won-suk



Military strongman Chun Doo-hwan brutally put down protesters in Gwangju on May 18, 1980, and Jeonil Building in the city bears witness to that.



By Ko Dong-hwan



GWANGJU  It is hard to miss Jeonil Building, a dilapidated structure next to Gwangju's large public square in front of the former main building of the South Jeolla Provincial Government.



Paint is peeling in spots on the exterior of the white 10-story building, built in the 1960s. In 1980, the square was one of the flashpoints where citizens gathered to protest the power grab by military strongman Chun Doo-hwan, who sent troops in to suppress them with force.



The building was left with 245 bullet holes, with 193 found inside the 10th floor, according to the National Forensic Service that investigated the structure from 2016 to 2017 at the city's request. It was the city government's bid to obtain evidence that Chun ordered military helicopters to open fire at the protesters who were hiding inside.



The NFS report nearly confirmed the bullets were sprayed from a hovering helicopter. It said most of the 17 bullet holes located outside the building appear to have been left by bullets from government-issued carbine rifles.



The Ministry of National Defense's special investigation team for the May 18 uprising reported in February 2018 that around 40 helicopters, including 500MD attack choppers and UH-1H transportation choppers, took part in the suppression of the democratic movement on May 21 and 27.



The building had housed newspaper companies, with Jeonnam Ilbo operating there when the chopper attacked the structure, according to Cho Eun-sang from the Gwangju Metropolitan City Corp.





The Jeonil Building in Gwangju's eastern district of Dong-gu housed newspaper companies. Now covered with graffiti, it is empty and awaiting remodeling to become part of the city's heritage.



"The daily continued to operate even after the May 18 Democratic Uprising," Cho told The Korea Times, referring to the 10-day fight against the Army in 1980. "Gwangju Ilbo later took over the site. After the company vacated, the property was sold to the city corporation in 2011. The building was operational at least partially until 2017 when the NFS report was released."



Jeonil Building is now being prepared for renovation, led by the corporation, to preserve it as a symbol of the city's fight for democracy. The project begins on Feb. 1.



"The building had received additions over four times, causing it to crack and leak," said Cho, one of the key people behind the structure's remodeling.



"The remodeling will preserve the bullet holes, introduce an electronic library that archives data about the 1980 uprising, and cooperate with the Asia Culture Center in facilitating the whole building as a public exhibition pavilion."



The Asia Culture Center is based next to the old South Jeolla Provincial Government building.





Geumnam-ro, the road next to Jeonil Building, stretches northwest toward modern buildings. The dilapidated building and the road in front are symbolic of the May 18 Democratic Uprising where Gwangju citizens fought military forces sent by coup leader Chun Doo-hwan, who later took the presidential office from 1980-88.



Chun's luck thinning



Such a retro-renovation has highlighted the absence of Chun, 87, at the second hearing of his criminal trial at Gwangju District Court on Jan. 7, rubbing salt into the 40-year-old wounds of the Gwangju people, some of whom lost children, parents and relatives in the Chun-led junta's brutal crackdown.



The former Army general, who rose to power in a coup and ruled the country from 1980 to 1988, was charged by prosecutors in May 2018 with "criminal defamation of the deceased." Having denied his role in ordering the helicopter to fire at Jeonil Building, Chun in his 2017 memoir called the late priest Cho Bi-oh a "masked Satan" and "downright liar undeserving the ecclesiastical title," over Cho's own claim to have witnessed the chopper attacking the building.



Chun's harsh words aroused public ire. Priest Cho Young-dae, Cho's cousin, filed the defamation suit with prosecutors. The Gwangju court held its first trial session in August 2018 but Chun didn't attend, claiming he is suffering Alzheimer's disease.





Ex-president Chun given suspended jail term in libel case Ex-dictator Chun shows no remorse for 1980 massacre in Gwangju trial [PHOTOS] 'What?!': Former leader bristles at reporters questioning 1980 massacre [PHOTOS] The following month, Chun, living in the Yeonhui-dong area in Seoul's western Seodaemun-gu, requested his case be transferred to the Seoul Central District Court. It was viewed as his attempt to avoid visiting the city where over 200 people were killed, almost 2,400 wounded and 1,000 victimized in other ways during his military crackdown.



Space flanking the windows on the empty 10th floor of Jeonil Building is cordoned off to preserve the bullet holes.

But the Supreme Court dismissed Chun's petition to move the trial to another court in November.



Five days before the second hearing in Chun's criminal trial, citizens nationwide were provoked by a remark from his wife Lee Soon-ja. In an interview with the ultra-right news outlet News Town, she called Chun "the father of democracy" for introducing the single-term system for the presidency.



Lee also condemned the judiciary for rejecting his court transfer bid, saying "it is comical that they insist on questioning a person, suffering from dementia and not remembering what happened recently, about what happened in 1980."



Lee's interview brought 10 women from Gwangju to Chun's Seoul home, where they demanded the former first lady apologize.



Kim Jeom-rae, right, whose 24-year-old son was gunned down by soldiers during the May 18 Democratic Uprising, visited the Gwangju District Court on Jan. 7 to attend the second criminal trial session for Chun Doo-hwan, who is charged with defamation.

Different ages share anti-Chun rage



Chun's lawyer Jung Joo-kyo, legal representatives from four local civic groups that commemorate the May 18 uprising, and citizens attended the court on Monday. The judge said Chun's presence will be required at the court on March 11, whether voluntarily or forcibly.



After the brief hearing, one of the lawyers for the civic groups urged Chun "not to miss the last chance in his twilight years to admit his wrongdoings and beg for mercy."



"The court must no longer show mercy to him  and subpoena him to hold a trial promptly," the lawyer said in front of the court building.



About 10 young people who claimed to be "the young adult civic party" chanted before the trial, "Chun Doo-hwan, the key man behind the massacre, repent!" and "the court must respect citizens' voices and subpoena Chun!"



Priest Cho Young-dae, right, and legal representatives of family members of the victims of the May 18 Democratic Uprising protest in front of the Gwangju District Court after the second criminal trial session for Chun Doo-hwan on Jan. 7. The banners behind read: "Souls of May are bewailing," "Chun Doo-hwan must repent and face the judgement of history" and "Chun Doo-hwan must stop making absurd comments and attend trial."

Party member Lee Yu-ri said: "After 39 years, while the government has yet to uncover all of the painful history, our Gwangju mothers cried in Seoul after Lee's comment. Does she not know the meaning of democracy? The man who trampled us with knives and guns is the father of democracy?"



Dozens of elderly men and women made an emotional protest outside the court. A woman from the bereaved family members' union said she had offered food to civic protesters twice a day during the uprising. Another member angrily condemned Lee for "calling her husband who beat, shot and stabbed our children to death the so-called democratic father." She said: "If that murderer came out here, I would tear that worse-than-bug apart."



Another angry female voice suggested they must "take several buses up to Seoul and show what Gwangju is made of."



Kim Jeom-rae, 82, who fiercely criticized Chun, said that when she discovered her 24-year-old son's body during the uprising, his face was unrecognizable because of gunshot wounds.



A protester stamps his feet on a poster featuring Chun's image in front of the Gwangju District Court on Jan. 7.





Choo Hye-sang, 62, whose husband was injured during the uprising, was one of the women who went to Chun's Seoul house. She said: "I knew Chun would not show up today. That's why I had gone up to Yeonhui-dong. I wouldn't have gone up there if he showed up today."



Priest Cho, who joined the crowd, said: "Chun, if he thinks he is righteous, must then show up at the Gwangju court and see who is the real Satan between him and the late Cho. I demand he show up on March 11 and face the truth."



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited a factory run by Chinese pharmaceutical conglomerate Tong Ren Tang at Economic Technological Development Area in Beijing, Tuesday, before departing for Pyongyang. Yonhap



Kim concludes two-day stay in Beijing



By Kim Bo-eun



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un departed for Pyongyang after visiting an industrial site in Beijing, Wednesday. The visit wrapped up Kim's two-day stay in the city, after he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Tuesday.



His armored train left Beijing Station around 2 p.m. on the first leg of his journey to Dandong bordering North Korea that is expected to take around 14 hours.



Earlier in the day, Kim's motorcade was seen leaving the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse and then stopping at a pharmaceutical factory in the state-run Economic Technological Development Area. The factory is run by Tong Ren Tang, the country's largest producer of traditional Oriental medicine.



Based on previous trips to China, Kim was expected to visit industrial facilities. In March he visited the technology hub of Zhongguancun known as China's Silicon Valley. In June he visited the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and the Beijing Infrastructure Investment Company.











As economic development is now the Kim regime's top priority, he is eager to see the advanced technologies and systems of developed nations. In his New Year address, he spoke extensively about his ambition to build the country's economy.



Kim's motorcade left around noon for the Beijing Hotel, where he was seen to have lunch with Xi.



After arriving in Beijing, Tuesday, Kim had a meeting with Xi and attended a dinner reception at the Great Hall of the People. Kim's motorcade left the hall six hours after its arrival. The leaders were seen to have discussed North Korea's plans for a second summit with U.S. President Trump.



China apparently prepared a grand banquet for Kim, whose 35th birthday was on Tuesday. Kim's visit also marks the 70th anniversary of ties between Pyongyang and Beijing.



The North's Korean Central News Agency stated Kim would be visiting China from Monday through Thursday. His train left Pyongyang on Monday and arrived in Beijing early Tuesday. He is set to return to Pyongyang Thursday.



U.S. Forces Korea Commander General Robert Abrams, right, delivers a squad flag to Army General Kim Un-yong during an event to celebrate the launch of the Ground Operations Command at its headquarters in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. / Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



The Army has launched a central operations command, with a view to enhancing combat and command efficiency of the ground forces, the Army said Wednesday.



The Ground Operations Command (GOC), which combined what used to be the Army's First and Third ground commands, will take operational control of the land troops in case of contingency, according to the Army. The GOC will help streamline organizational structures of the Army, allowing the armed forces to remain more agile in handling military missions, it said.



The Ministry of National Defense has pushed ahead with setting up the GOC since 1998, amid calls to deal with a decreasing number of soldiers and improve operational efficiency under a single control tower. The primary role of the GOC includes the handling of the commanding works of front-line troops here, the Army said.



"The GOC should develop the military's operational systems in a more creative and smart way by taking into account the ever-changing weapons systems and scientific development," Defense Minister Jeong Kyeong-doo said in a congratulatory speech of the GOC establishment.



The GOC will be headed by Army General Kim Un-yong, the former Third operations commander. On Tuesday, President Moon Jae-in delivered the GOC's squad flag to Kim at Cheong Wa Dae, celebrating the launch of the new ground command.



The ministry also pledged to tighten military readiness despite the ongoing peace momentum on the Korean Peninsula, while at the same time urging the military to continue thoroughly preparing for the upcoming transfer of the wartime operational control (OPCON).



"In particular, the armed forces from South Korea and the U.S. plan to carry out verification of Seoul's initial operational capability (IOC) this year," Jeong said. The IOC is aimed at testing whether Seoul has enough capability to carry out military missions on its own in case of war after the planned OPCON transfer.



The GOC will stand at the center for the drive as the key commanding office for the South Korean military, the Army said. Toward the end, the ground forces will continue to introduce more state-of-the-art military information and communication systems, according to the armed forces.





Decades-old industrial supply stores and factory workshops are torn down at an industrial district in the Euljiro area, Jan. 4. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul



60-year-old Euljiro industrial district being torn down to make way for high-rise apartments



By Lee Suh-yoon



For seven weeks, Lee Bae-woong, 75, and his son have been trying to salvage what they could from their 38-year-old hardware store in Euljiro, downtown Seoul. With excavators due in a week, they were running out of time.



"The construction company will bury me under lawsuits if I don't move out by Sunday," Lee lamented as he looked at the remaining clutter on the store's floor and shelves, Jan. 3. Much had already been carted off to scrap yards.



A "bolt" shop, even a small one like this, requires at least three months to pack up, Lee says. If anything is not sorted and labeled first, parts with miniscule differences in size and shape can get mixed up, making it impossible to choose the right one for customers  or "no better than junk" as Lee puts it.





A view of the disappearing area in the Euljiro manufacturing district from above.



Around the corner, a towering mound of shredded wood, steel and concrete  the remains of shops already demolished  was blowing hazardous clouds of dust into the street.



, Euljiro was a dynamic ecosystem of hardware stores, garage-sized factories and eateries that fed some 50,000 shopkeepers and technicians. It still is, but chunks of it are now being razed by developers to make way for high-rise apartments.



A silent fear gnaws at those left in Lee's block, located just west of Sewoon Electronics Plaza and south of Cheonggye Stream. Dubbed Sewoon District 3, this area encompassing some 400 stores and workshops was chosen as the first demolition site after Jung-gu Office and the city government gave Hanho Construction the final go-ahead for the Euljiro redevelopment project in October.



Around the corner, a towering mound of shredded wood, steel and concrete  the remains of shops already demolished  was blowing hazardous clouds of dust into the street. When The Korea Times covered the area in September , Euljiro was a dynamic ecosystem of hardware stores, garage-sized factories and eateries that fed some 50,000 shopkeepers and technicians. It still is, but chunks of it are now being razed by developers to make way for high-rise apartments.A silent fear gnaws at those left in Lee's block, located just west of Sewoon Electronics Plaza and south of Cheonggye Stream. Dubbed Sewoon District 3, this area encompassing some 400 stores and workshops was chosen as the first demolition site after Jung-gu Office and the city government gave Hanho Construction the final go-ahead for the Euljiro redevelopment project in October.

Lee Bae-woong, 75, and his son Lee Jung-hun pose inside the Kwangil Bolt Shop at the hardware market next to Cheonggye Stream, Jan. 3. Neither have had a day's rest for weeks, working on Christmas and Jan. 1, to meet the eviction deadline.



Half of the shops in District 3, most around 30 to 60 years old, have been gutted, with the rest of the tenants expected to be pushed out by the end of January.



The tenants, making up 90 percent of the working population in Euljiro's industrial district, say their rights were ignored throughout the murky process.



"The developer, Hanho Construction, completely bypassed the coalition of tenants that make up 90 percent of the working population here," said Kang Mun-won, a hardware shopkeeper from a neighboring district who now heads the emergency committee of shopkeepers in Euljiro.



"What they were doing was like guerilla warfare, going after each tenant one-by-one from behind with eviction letters and lawsuit threats."





Subcontract workers under Hanho Construction survey a demolition site, Jan. 4.



The quiet assault began a year ago, fueled by a steady barrage of eviction letters, damage claims ranging from 300 million won ($267,000) to 500 million won for "causing delays," and even demands for rent that were double the original level from Hanho Construction itself, according to files reviewed by The Korea Times.



By law, developers can start redevelopment with the consent of just three-quarters of the landlords in the rezoned area, usually divided into administrative subunits that make it easier to get the 75 percent consent rate.



Here, Lee and his four employees received up to 50 customers a day. He expects his business to be much slower at the new hardware supply building in Guro-gu, southwestern Seoul, where he is moving.





A sign directs visitors to an "exploration path through the alleys of the Euljiro area, Jan. 4.



"The Cheonggye Stream area is a good commercial district for customers to reach by foot on their way somewhere. Guro is different. Who will come all the way to Guro to buy a bolt?" Lee said. "Also, over half my business was with other supply stores or small factories in Euljiro."



Knowing this, others in District 3 are trying to keep their foothold in Euljiro.



Kim Ki-cheon, 58, who specializes in selling chains, gears and motors, is moving into a storage room at another shop in Euljiro where the excavators have not yet arrived. He also has to share the cramped space with another displaced shopkeeper.





Activists for the preservation of the Euljiro manufacturing district march through its back alleys, strewn with metal bits that fell off moving carts, Tuesday.



"I threw out one ton of perfectly good supplies because there won't be much space now," Kim said with a bitter smile. "I'm being chased out like a dog."



The exodus from District 3 as well as 5 and 6 has added previously nonexistent premiums to the rent at other districts, even for shops in the narrower alleys.



With the odds of survival slim, some shops are simply closing down.



"Business won't be as good as before inside a small alley, not to mention the high rent," said Hong Sung-chul, owner of a soon-closing supply store Pyung-An Corp. in District 3 directly across Cheonggye Stream.





A worker is on his way to pick up supplies near Cheonggye Stream, Tuesday. Bikes are a common mode of transport in the area.



Hong's father opened the store in 1958, the year he was born. Hong, too, wanted to pass the shop down to his sons.



"Thinking back, even the IMF crisis (Asian Financial Crisis) was not this bad. At least then, I still had a store, a means of living, to weather through the tough times," he said with a sigh. "I'm going to try to keep afloat by setting up an online channel and supplying to my regular customers."



This is not the first time people have been displaced around Cheonggye Stream. In 2003, about 40,000 local traders and street vendors were ushered out of the area as an elevated highway was taken down to "reopen" the stream underneath. This urban renewal project is still considered one of the greatest feats of then-Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak.





A customer asks for a specific supply part at an alley store in Euljiro, Jan. 3.



Public sentiment is not particularly in favor of preserving Euljiro, a decrepit neighborhood that becomes deserted at night after the shopkeepers go home.



"Compared to neighboring Jongno with its flashy neon signs and crowds, this run-down area in the middle of Jung-gu may have seemed like an eyesore," Hong admitted. "But this place comes alive during the day, just resting through the night to prepare for the next day."



Remodeling projects that could preserve the area's shops and history, rather than razing it to the ground, would have been better for the city, Hong and other tenants claim.



Experts say the area holds valuable resources for advancing Fourth Industrial Revolution ventures here, despite popular misgivings about the area's backwardness and lack of competitiveness in the 21st century.





Work carries on at a metal-shaping workshop in Euljiro, Jan.3.



"There is a tangible future for the 50,000 traders and craftsmen of Euljiro," said Park Eun-seon, an urban planning researcher and director of Listen to the City, an art-design-urbanism activism collective.



"Having propped up the country's manufacturing industry since the 1960s, they are optimized for the small-scale specialized production needed for the maker movement."



Park says the newly refurbished Sewoon Electronics Plaza, trumpeted as the mecca of the "maker movement" by the city government, will be a mere facade without the surrounding back alley infrastructure of Euljiro.



"When this tight-knit network of talent and resources is gone, who will bring your designs to reality in just a few hours?" she said.





Kim Ki-cheon, 58, a father of three, stands inside his industrial supply store on Jan. 3. "The construction company tried to double the monthly rent I paid to the landlord," Kim said. The shop was shut down a few days later.



What's happening in Euljiro echoes the fate of countless other historic commercial hubs in Seoul beset by real estate speculation.



Though there is enough housing to supply 96 percent of all residing households in Seoul, only about 40 percent of them are occupied by the actual owner, according to 2017 data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. So over half the homes are owned for investment purposes rather than actual need, driving up demand and price.



As a part of its strategy to cap housing prices, the government is freeing up more areas for high-rise apartment projects. Critics, however, say the supply-centered policy will be insufficient.





Phone numbers of neighboring supply stores and manufacturers, sorted by need, are displayed at a store in the Euljiro area, Jan. 3.



On Tuesday, the Cheonggye Stream Anti-Gentrification Alliance marched through Euljiro's back alleys on its three-kilometer "exploration path" set up by Jung-gu Office in 2016. Young artists, designers, and manufacturing startup owners who have their workshops in Euljiro joined the march, saying the area's unique ecosystem makes their creative projects possible.



"Here, you could realize any of your art or industrial designs within a three-kilometer radius," Lee Young-heon, a young artist who leads the Just Project showroom. "But we're having more trouble with our projects as redevelopment forces our decade-long partner factories and stores to close down or move away."



One of the spots on the Eulji exploration path is Eulji Myeonok, a 33-year-old famed Pyongyang naengmyeon (cold noodle) restaurant next to Euljiro 3-ga Station.





Kim Byung-chul, 79, right, and another shopkeeper reminisce on their moving day, Jan 4.



Lee Yoon-sang, 92, a former trader of car batteries, now owns the building Eulji Myeonok is located in at the stricken District 3. His eldest son runs the restaurant.



He is currently in a legal battle with Hanho Construction, demanding an investigation into the processes that freed the area up for redevelopment last year.



"They sent us official letters telling us the redevelopment permit was not passed through because not enough landlords agreed to it, and suddenly two or three days later, we got a different letter saying it had been passed through by a change of mind of some landlords  none of it was transparent," Lee said.



"I don't like how this redevelopment plan is being carried out without providing an alternative location for the traders and shopkeepers either."





Hong Sung-chul, 60, left, moves out supplies from his store next to Cheonggye Stream, Jan. 4.



On the second floor of the building, Park Ok-boon, 61, runs Eulji Dabang, a 35-year old coffeehouse listed on Seoul Metropolitan Government's "Oraegage" list of famed historic stores.



"Although my store is an Oraegage, the city government is just looking the other way. I would have been chased out by this month if the Eulji Myeonok owner, my landlord, didn't hold his ground and fight," said Park, currently battling breast cancer.



"We might make it through one more year but after that, how will I pay my medical bills? What about my regular patrons?"



Even Mayor Park Won-soon, a former civic activist who vowed to be different from his conservative predecessors by championing a democratic and people-centered policy of urban regeneration, has turned a blind eye to the woes of Euljiro.





Lee Yoon-sang, 92, stands outside the Eulji Myeonok restaurant, Tuesday. He says landlords here including him were pressured to sign murky contracts with Hanho Construction.



"Even if there are some cultural heritage sites, they might not necessarily be worth preserving over the housing project, as we have been informed by Jung-gu Office that a social settlement was reached," said Kang Maeng-hun, the urban regeneration head at the city government office.



Park Eun-seon says the city government's compliant attitude to Euljiro's demolition reflects a warped view of history centered on the elite.



"The Joseon Kingdom's ruling family is not the only historical heritage we have," Park said. "The stories of common people who provided the foundations of the country's industrial development in the 1960s and 1970s are important too."





Graffiti messages pledge a hard fight against destructive redevelopment of the area, on the metal door of an empty shop in the Euljiro area, Jan. 3.This image is unrelated to the story. / Gettyimagesbank



By Kim Jae-heun



Legislators are seeking to protect the personal information of plaintiffs in legal documents, to prevent possible retaliation by defendants.



Rep. Yoon Sang-jick of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party (LKP) submitted a revision bill to the Civil Proceedings Act to a National Assembly committee, Tuesday, to remove plaintiffs' personal information, such as resident registration number, phone number and address, from written complaints and written judgments.



Unlike criminal suits, a civil suit requires such information under the current law.



Many plaintiffs have demanded the revision to protect themselves from retaliation.



"Many victims withdraw their complaints out of worry they could be subject to retaliation by the defendants. We have to prevent secondary damage that comes from the disclosure of a plaintiff's private information by revising the law," Rep. Yoon said.



Yoon's proposal came after a 23-year-old woman posted a message on an online community in October titled "I'm scheduled to be killed in revenge on Aug. 5, 2019."



The woman had been raped by the manager of a coffee shop where she had previously worked. The manager, who was found guilty and sentenced to four years in prison, is set to be released next year.



The victim also won a civil lawsuit she filed to claim compensation, but when she saw the written judgment contained all her personal information, she became afraid for her life.



"My home address and 13-digit resident registration number were sent to the assailant, too. I changed my name out of worry he could retaliate against me when he is freed and I also wrote a will because I could be killed at anytime, anywhere," she wrote.



The woman also called for the amendment to the law in a petition on Cheong Wa Dae's website and received over 257,000 signatures in support.



Rep. Park Ju-min of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea had suggested a similar amendment in January last year, but the Legislation and Judiciary Committee at the Assembly neglected to pass it, saying such a revision could restrict a defendant's rights.

Japanese and Korean civic activists and lawyers visit Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal headquarters in Tokyo, holding pictures of deceased wartime forced laborers, Nov. 12, calling for a speedy compensation in line with the top Korean court's ruling. / Yonhap



By Lee Suh-yoon



An assets seizure order against Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal (NSSM) for withholding compensation from wartime forced laborers went into effect Wednesday, following the filing of confiscation documents with NSSM's joint venture company in Pohang.



A local court ordered the confiscation of NSSM's assets in Korea, Jan. 3, following a request from the plaintiff's legal team made earlier, after the Japanese steelmaker failed to follow a top court ruling made in October for it to compensate four wartime forced laborers



The court's order is likely to further chill the already-strained relations between the two countries over multiple issues mostly regarding atrocities committed during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule of Korea.



In a landmark victory, four wartime forced laborers, only one of whom is still alive, won a compensation suit against the Japanese steelmaker Oct. 30. The Supreme Court ordered the firm to pay each victim 100 million won ($88,000) in unpaid wages for their work in its steel mills during World War II.



The steelmaker refused to comply, prompting the plaintiffs to file for the forcible seizure of its assets in Korea. The Daegu District Court accepted the request to freeze the firm's 81,075 shares in PNR, a joint venture with Korean steelmaker POSCO in the southeastern city of Pohang, worth around 400 million won. The NSSM currently owns 2.3 million shares in PNR.



NSSM said it would consult with the Japanese government on its response to the asset freeze, according to Japanese media.



Tokyo has maintained the forced labor reparation issue was fully settled by a 1965 treaty normalizing diplomatic ties between the two countries. Korea's Supreme Court, on the other hand, said in its ruling that the treaty did not remove the right of individuals to press charges for wrongs done to them.



Japan reacted to the decision by summoning Seoul's top envoy in Tokyo to protest the court's move. It also plans to initiate bilateral talks with the government based on the 1965 treaty.



If the talks fail to settle the issue, it plans to call in a third-party mediator or appeal to the International Court of Justice, according to the media outlets.



Shortly after the decision, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said his government would take "immediate measures" if NSSM was subject to any "disadvantages."



The media outlets also reported that Tokyo was also discussing eye-for-eye measures such as confiscating Korean government assets in Japan.



The plaintiffs' legal team said they were waiting for last-minute negotiations with NSSM.



"We have yet to go through the process of liquidating NSSM's PNR stock," said Kim Se-eun, one of the plaintiffs' lawyers. "If we reach a deal with NSSM, we won't have to take that final step."



The landmark ruling in October, allegedly delayed for years due to the biggest judiciary power abuse scandal in the nation's history, paved the way for more compensation lawsuits by other victims. The top court also ruled in favor of five wartime forced laborers in a separate compensation suit against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries the following month.





Egypt has retrieved an ancient artefact illegally smuggled out of the country after being displayed at an auction hall in London, the antiquities ministry said.

The piece, a cartouche of King Amenhotep I, was identified following observation of international auction websites, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

The ministry took all the necessary measures to stop the sale of the relief and withdraw it from auction, it added.

The ministry did not elaborate on when or how the artefact was stolen and smuggled out of the country.

The relic was earlier exhibited at the open museum of the ancient temple of Karnak in the southern city of Luxor, the ministry's repatriation department director Shaaban Abdel-Gawad said.

The Egyptian embassy in London received the piece last September following coordination between the foreign ministry, the embassy and British authorities, Abdel-Gawad added.

Earlier this month, the BBC reported that the only casing stone from the Great Pyramid of Giza will be displayed at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh from 8 February.

The large block of fine white limestone will go on show for the first time outside Egypt and the first time since it arrived in Scotland in 1872, the BBC said.

Abdel-Gawad told Ahram Online last week that Egypt would send an official inquiry to Scotland asking for a certificate of possession and export documents for the stone, adding that Egyptian authorities will take all necessary step to recover the piece if it was proved to be smuggled out of the country.

Search Keywords:

Short link:

Police officers escort a murder suspect surnamed Park from Jongno Police Station, Seoul, for further investigation by the prosecution over his killing of psychiatrist Lim Se-won, Wednesday. Yonhap



Police conclude patient killed psychiatrist out of delusion



By Kim Hyun-bin



Police said Wednesday that they had referred a suspect who allegedly murdered a psychiatrist on Dec. 31 to the prosecution after concluding he was mentally unbalanced when committing the crime, based on previous psychiatric reports and his claim that a bomb had been planted inside his head.



The Jongno Police Station in Seoul, in charge of the investigation, referred the case to seek an indictment of the murder suspect identified by his surname Park, aged 30.



"During questioning, Park repeatedly gave incomprehensible responses, and showed signs of confusion," a police officer said. "We have reviewed his psychiatric records comprehensively and concluded that he was in a delusional state."



Park, who reportedly suffers from bipolar disorder, told police he was arguing with his psychiatrist, Lim Se-won at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, about "a small bomb planted inside his head." Park claimed he committed the crime because Lim called security after he requested the psychiatrist to remove the bomb.



"According to his medical records, during his earlier hospitalization, Park claimed the hospital planted the bomb in his head and later accused the state, in an incoherent manner," the officer said.



However, police still believe the murder was premeditated as Park bought the weapon used at a store near his home and took it to the hospital. "We suspect Park visited the hospital with a plan to attack the doctor if he refused to accept his demand to remove the bomb," the officer said. "The attack took place only about three minutes after the consultation began."



The police searched Park's home, the hospital and the National Health Insurance Corp. to obtain Park's medical files, phone records and computers.



However, they were unable to unlock Park's phone, or find any other reason for the attack from his computers.



Park stabbed Lim in the chest multiple times during a consultation. When Park drew the knife, Lim initially escaped into another room attached to his office, but he returned after realizing his nurses could be in danger. He shouted at the nurses to leave as Park attacked him.



Lim was taken to the emergency room but died while receiving treatment. A nurse called the police and Park was arrested at the scene.



Park had been hospitalized at a general hospital in September 2015 for bipolar disorder. At that time his mother admitted him after he threatened his sister with a knife, according to police. Since then Lim had been the psychiatrist in charge.



Lim's death has spurred calls for better protection of medical staff and the need to toughen punishment for verbal and physical attacks against doctors and nurses.



Lim was well-known for treating patients with depression and received an award from the Korea Association for Suicide Prevention for his contribution to society.

A statue symbolizing "comfort women" in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul. A weekly civic rally calling for the Japanese government to give an official apology and compensation to the victims of the Japanese army's World War II sexual enslavement marked its 27th anniversary on Wednesday. Yonhap



A weekly civic rally calling for the Japanese government to give an official apology and compensation to the Korean victims of the Japanese army's World War II sexual enslavement marked its 27th anniversary Wednesday.



The first Wednesday rally was held Jan. 8, 1992, on the occasion of then Japanese Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa's visit to Seoul. The Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance for the Issues of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan organized it.



Some 200,000 Asian women, mostly Koreans, are estimated to have been forced into sexual slavery at front-line Japanese military brothels during the war. They are euphemistically called "comfort women."



"We've long made a seven-point demand to Japan, including an official apology, compensation, punishment of those responsible for the crime, and the establishment of a memorial and a historical museum," the council said in a statement during its 1,369th protest in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul.



"But the Japanese government has yet to admit the crime and to apologize for it," it said.



The rally has been held usually in the presence of former comfort women, but they could not attend the anniversary due to health problems.



At present, only 25 former comfort women are alive in the country. (Yonhap)



In this Nov. 29, 2018, file photo, victims of Japan's forced labor and their family members arrive at the Supreme Court in Seoul. A South Korean district court said Wednesday that it has decided to freeze the local assets of a Japanese company involved in compensation disputes for wartime Korean laborers. The sign reads " Mitsubishi Heavy Industries apologize and compensate victims." AP



A South Korean district court said Wednesday it has decided to freeze the local assets of a Japanese company involved in compensation disputes for wartime Korean laborers.

Last October, South Korea's top court ordered Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp. to pay 100 million won ($88,000) each to four plaintiffs forced to work for the company when Japan colonized the Korean Peninsula from 1910-45.

The Daegu District Court's branch office in the southeastern city of Pohang said Wednesday it had approved a request by lawyers for the plaintiffs to seize Korean assets held by the Japanese company as it was refusing to compensate the former laborers.

Japan maintains all colonial-era compensation issues were settled by a 1965 treaty between the governments.

The Japanese company holds 2.34 million shares, or around $9.7 million, in its joint venture in Pohang with South Korean steelmaker POSCO.

South Korea's Yonhap news agency, citing an unidentified official at the Pohang office, reported the district court decided to freeze 81,075 of the 2.34 million shares, not the whole shares. Yonhap said the asset freeze will become effective after a related court document is delivered to the joint venture.

The district court said it couldn't immediately confirm the Yonhap report.

The asset freeze could further chill diplomatic ties between South Korea and Japan, which are both key U.S. allies in the region. Many South Koreans still harbor strong resentment against Japan's colonial occupation.

In November, South Korea's Supreme Court ordered a second Japanese company, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, to compensate 10 former Korean workers, drawing strong criticism from Japan. (AP)



Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) and other South Korean companies are vying to win a long-term maintenance deal for the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates, industry sources said Wednesday.







According to the sources, Nawah Energy Company, the operator of the Barakah nuclear plant, is receiving bids for the long-term maintenance agreement (LTMA) for the nuclear power plant.







The operator has been in talks with three bidders  a KHNP-led consortium, Doosan Babcock and Allied Power of the United States. Doosan Babcock is an affiliate of Doosan Heavy Industries Co., South Korea's leading power equipment maker.







Korean utility firm KEPCO has been building four APR-1400 reactors in Barakah, with one of the first units getting ready for operation. All four units are scheduled for completion by 2020.







Late last year, Nawah, a unit of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corp. (ENEC), signed a long-term service agreement for the Barakah plant with French energy company EDF.







Under the agreement, EDF said it will provide Nawah with services in operational safety, radiation protection, fuel cycle management and environmental monitoring.







Nawah's service agreement with EDF has raised concerns over South Korea's chances of winning a long-term operation contract at the Barakah power plant amid the government's nuclear phase-out policy.







Seoul is pushing to gradually phase out nuclear power on rising safety concerns, while seeking ways to export indigenous nuclear reactors to maintain the local supply chain and workforce.







South Korea is also trying to win Saudi Arabia's first nuclear project after being selected as one of the preferred bidders in June, along with rivals from the United States, France, Russia and China. (Yonhap)

Members of an emergency planning committee for the Corporate Association of Gaeseong Industrial Complex stage a protest in front of the headquarters of the Ministry of Unification in Seoul, Wednesday, demanding their visit to the now-closed business park in North Korea. / Yonhap



By Lee Min-hyung



South Korean businesspeople who invested in the North's Gaeseong Industrial Complex, have asked the government to allow them to visit the now-closed factory park, citing the need for maintenance of their facilities there.



One hundred and twenty-three South Korean companies were forced to shut down their operations there in February 2016. They have since formed an emergency planning committee, and requested access to the complex six times, which were all rejected by the government.



On Wednesday, the committee submitted their seventh request to the Ministry of Unification. The businesspeople asked for the ministry to allow 179 representatives of them to visit the site to inspect their equipment on Jan. 16.



"The operation of the Gaeseong complex should resume within the first half of this year," Shin Han-yong, chairman of the Corporate Association of the Gaeseong Industrial Complex, said in a press conference in Seoul, Wednesday.



"If the issue is not resolved by the end of this year, we will be exhausted. Earlier last year, the PyeongChang Winter Olympics was the talk of the town, and the Gaeseong Industrial Complex should be the major topic of discussion this year."



The committee went on to argue that the government should request that the international community make an exception on North Korean sanctions in such inter-Korean reconciliatory business projects.



Even if South Korea grants permission for them to access the complex, chances are slim for them to resume their business as of now, as the United Nations remains firm in maintaining heavy economic sanctions on the North.



Earlier this year, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said in a New Year address that he is willing to reopen the complex and resume tourism to Mount Geumgang in the North for nothing.



The unification ministry said it also shares the same perception on the need to resume the operation of the complex.



Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said Wednesday that it would continue reviewing their request with the collaboration of interested parties, including North Korea.



"The government also understands the need for the visit for the protection of their property rights," ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said in a media briefing.



He said, however, the issue needs thorough negotiations with the North and other countries.



President Moon Jae-in is of a similar opinion that the reopening of the complex will be realized rapidly once the North Korean sanctions are lifted, Baik said.



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un headed back home Wednesday after wrapping up his trip to China. Yonhap



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un headed back home Wednesday after wrapping up a trip to China during which he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for talks apparently aimed at discussing strategies ahead of a possible summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Kim's special train departed from the Beijing railway station at 2:08 p.m. local time with Kim and his entourage on board. He is expected to arrive in Pyongyang early Thursday morning.

Kim came to Beijing by train on Tuesday and held summit talks with Xi hours later. Details of their hourlong meeting were not disclosed. After the talks, Xi hosted a welcome reception for Kim. Tuesday was Kim's 35th birthday.

Earlier Wednesday, Kim visited a pharmaceutical factory located in the economic-technological development zone in the Chinese capital. Sources said that he spent around 20-30 minutes touring the plant operated by Tong Ren Tang, a drug-making conglomerate known for its history of more than 300 years.

Kim reportedly had lunch with Xi before heading to the station.

He was accompanied on the trip by his wife, Ri Sol-ju, and other officials, including Kim Yong-chol, a key nuclear negotiator with the U.S., and Ri Yong-ho and No Kwang-chol, the country's foreign and defense ministers, respectively. His younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, was also among the entourage. (Yonhap)Former North Korean diplomat Thae Yong-ho speaks to reporters in Seoul, Wednesday. He called on the governments of South Korea, Italy and the United States to make all-out efforts to protect his ex-colleague Jo Song-gil, the acting North Korean ambassador to Rome who has been in hiding in Italy since November. Yonhap



By Park Si-soo





Jo Song-gil

A former North Korean diplomat who defected to South Korea in 2016 called on the governments of South Korea, Italy and the United States to make all-out efforts to protect his former colleague Jo Song-gil, the acting North Korean ambassador to Rome who has been in hiding in Italy since November.



With the disappearance of Jo and his family considered a move to seek asylum, Thae Yong-ho also urged the three countries to "check their intentions to come to South Korea within a safe and free environment."



"We call upon the Korean government to urge the Italian government to provide protection to Jo Song-gil and his family, and within a safe, free environment, check their intentions to come to Korea," Thae told reporters in Seoul, Wednesday.



He also urged the Italian government to provide them with "all the conditions needed" to go to the country of their choice, in accordance with international law and the spirit of humanity.



Thae criticized the South Korean government for taking a "nonchalant approach" to the issue, in what he claims to be an effort to keep the hard-won reconciliatory mood with North Korea intact, especially before the possible second summit between the North's leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump, which the latter said will take place in the "not-too-distant future."



"At this moment it is not certain whether Jo Song-gil and his family are receiving the appropriate security protection from the Italian government and whether they have been able to depart on their path to seek asylum in light of the current inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korean relations," Thae said.





Thae Yong-ho and other members of the "Citizens' Coalition in Support for North Korean Diplomat Jo Song-gil and his Family's Journey" to South Korea raise their fists in a show of support for Jo and his family. YonhapNorth Korea's leader Kim Jong-un and his wife Ri Sol-ju are featured in this photo released by the Korean Central News Agency, Tuesday. The state media said Kim was visiting China from Monday to Thursday at Xi's invitation. KCNA-Yonhap





By Kim Bo-eun



North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, Tuesday, on the second day of his four-day trip to China. The visit comes ahead of a possible second summit with U.S. President Donald Trump.



The North's Korean Central News Agency stated Kim was visiting China, from Monday through Thursday, upon the invitation of Xi. Kim, accompanied by his wife Ri Sol-ju, and key officials including Kim Yong-chol, Ri Su-yong and Ri Yong-ho, traveled via his train, it said.



Kim is expected to share developments concerning the summit with Trump and discuss its agenda. Officials such as Kim Yong-chol are playing key roles in the North's denuclearization talks with the U.S.



Trump has continued to refer to a second summit with Kim in recent days, stating a date will be decided on soon, and that negotiations for the location were underway. These remarks came after Pyongyang and Washington failed to meet for ministerial-level talks to lay the groundwork for the summit.











A vehicle believed to be carrying North Korean leader Kim Jong-un leaves the railway station in Beijing, China, Tuesday. EPA-Yonhap



The two have yet to work out denuclearization steps for North Korea to take and corresponding measures from the U.S. The countries are thought to be continuing to engage in sub-rosa contacts for high-level or working-level talks. Washington has urged Pyongyang to take verifiable denuclearization steps, since it pledged to work toward giving up its nuclear program at summits held last year.



The North Korean leader held his first meeting with Xi in China last March, ahead of his summit with Trump in June. This is Kim's fourth summit with Xi since he took power in December 2011. The meeting may signal China joining the process for denuclearization and achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula, which has been led by the Koreas and the U.S. Cheong Wa Dae welcomed the North Korean leader's visit to China.



"We hope the exchanges between China and North Korea will contribute to the complete denuclearization and settlement of lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula, and become a stepping stone for a second summit between North Korea and the U.S.," Cheong Wa Dae spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said.





In this June 19, 2018, file photo provided by China's Xinhua News Agency, Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Xinhua-Yonhap



Two European human rights experts recently visited Jeju Island to meet members of the Church of Almighty God, who claim to have fled religious persecution in China.



Massimo Introvigne, an Italian sociologist of religion, and Rosita Soryte, a former Lithuanian diplomat and president of the International Observatory for Religious Liberty of Refugees, sat down with Korea Times Digital Managing Editor Oh Young-jin in Seoul to discuss the issues with regard to the asylum seekers and religious freedom in China.







By Jung Min-ho







A Belgian ban on the Muslim and Jewish ways of slaughtering animals came into force on Jan. 1 as tensions grow over the balance between animal welfare and religious freedom.





The law, which some critics said is a "great assault" on minority religious rights in the country, bans religious ways of killing animals, which requires butchers to slit the animals' throats while they are conscious.





All animals now have to be stunned electrically before being killed, which many animal rights activists think "more humane."





But European Jewish Congress president Moshe Kantor urged legislators to "step back from the brink of the greatest assault on Jewish religious rights."





"It attacks the very core of our culture and religious practice and our status as equal citizens with equal rights in a democratic society," he

.





Last year, several religious organizations filed lawsuits to stop the legislation, saying the European Court of Human Rights previously described kosher slaughter as an essential part of the practice of the Jewish religion.





There are about 30,000 Jews and 500,000 Muslims in Belgium.

Over the years and through its different guises, Longines has constantly striven to complement its quest for precision with exacting aesthetics. These aspects still characterise its production today. The 185 years of know-how have been shaped by tradition, elegance and performance. As such heritage deserves to be honored and perpetuated, the brand has continually worked to preserve its legacy.

From its very beginnings, the brand has been numbering its watches. Every Longines timepiece has its own unique serial number, initially recorded in the workshop books until 1969, then on microfiches during the 1970s and 1980s, before the advent of the digital age. All watches can therefore be identified down the decades and have their own individual identity. To preserve this historical legacy, Longines benefits from a one-of-a-kind database, the Longines Electronic Archives (LEA), which bring together all the existing archives concerning each serial number.

While this complete traceability simplifies the authentication of Longines pieces, it also makes it possible to accurately track the development of production. In 2018, Longines therefore exceeded 50 million watches produced. This constitutes another historic landmark for Longines, which has created a unique piece, issued from The Longines Master Collection, with the serial number 50,000,000 for the occasion.

The Longines Master Collection 50000000th  Longines

This model houses the new and exclusive L897 automatic calibre within a 40 mm-diameter rose gold case while offering a 64-hour power reserve and displaying an annual calendar at 3 oclock. The hours, minutes and seconds move with the blued-steel hands that stand out against a silvered dial stamped with a barleycorn motif. A commemorative inscription adorns the timepiece's transparent case back, which reveals the intricate workings of the movement.

This timepiece will add to Longines considerable historical Collection, which can be admired at the company's Museum in Saint-Imier, the village that saw this long-established watch brand emerge and flourish.The Grand Walkerhill Seoul's Very Berry Strawberry



Luxury dessert buffets emerging as culinary fad among trendy consumers



By Kang Seung-woo



The time for strawberries has arrived for the hotel industry as more and more are keenly hosting luxurious strawberry festivals.



Since their debut in 2006, promotions featuring strawberries have established themselves as signature annual events  particularly for the winter time  at hotels that are exploring measures to roll out innovative menus amid ever-intensifying competition over the "seasonal" fruit.



"The strawberry-themed festivals burst onto the scene in the hotel sector after gaining favor from millennials who love to take food photos for social media. Since then, they have evolved to higher tiers with each hotel inventing new menus to stand out against their rivals," said an official of the hotel industry.



Starting Saturday, the Grand Walkerhill Seoul will hold its Very Berry Strawberry promotion that is scheduled to run till April 28 at its lobby lounge, the Pavilion. It will be available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the period.



On the occasion of its 12th anniversary, the property will add 21 new items to the menu, making the total 45, including three new expensive dishes  foie gras, caviar and truffles.



For those who may get fed up with strawberry-themed food, chefs at its live station will cook 14 dishes on the spot.





The Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas' Strawberry Gourmet Boutique



Two InterContinental hotels have already launched their strawberry dessert buffets, with different concepts.



The Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas presents the Strawberry Gourmet Boutique promotion featuring a course meal with delicacies along with semi-buffet styled strawberry dessert at the Lobby Lounge. The weekend-only promotion is available until March 31.



Like the Grand Walkerhill, it also runs a six-course meal that features delicacies including foie gras, caviar and truffles.



The desserts include strawberry Saint-Honore, strawberry cannele bordelaise and red crumble choux.



The InterContinental Seoul COEX presents its traditional authentic strawberry dessert buffet at the Lobby Lounge on Friday, Saturday and Sunday until March 31 and it serves more than 30 items, including strawberry souffle, strawberry tart and strawberry brownie among others.





The Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel's All About Strawberries



The Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel opened its strawberry season on Dec. 1 with its "All About Strawberries."



The all-you-can-eat dessert buffet allows guests to enjoy 20 different desserts such as strawberry pistachio cake and strawberry coco tart at the Lobby Lounge Bar on the 41st floor. Plus, there are a selection of fresh fruits and 13 side dishes, including spicy tteokbokki, tuna tataki and chorizo.



The promotion will be available until April 30 every Friday to Sunday.





The JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul's Salon de Strawberry



The JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul launched its fourth edition of the Salon de Strawberry in mid-December.



This time, the promotion is in collaboration with American iconic fashion doll Barbie that marks its 60th anniversary in 2019.



Since it was launched in 2015, the hotel's strawberry promotion has drawn attention thanks to its social media-perfect, pink decorations at The Lounge that is adorned with Barbie dolls this time.



To begin with raw strawberry, its menu features strawberry roll cake, strawberry custard cream, strawberry tiramisu and chocolate-covered strawberry cupcake.



The promotion will continue until May.





The Lotte Hotel Seoul's Must Be Strawberry



The Lotte Hotel Seoul has returned with its Must Be Strawberry promotion that will be available until April 21 at its lounge and bar Peninsula.



It offers 20 strawberry-featured desserts, including dacquoise, tart, macaroon and brownies.



The offer is only available on Saturday and Sunday.





The Courtyard Marriott Seoul Times Square Hotel's My Strawberry Farm



Cheong Mun-kukBy Jhoo Dong-chan







Shinhan Bank has opened a new branch in Seoul City Hall, the bank said Wednesday.







In 2018, the lender won the race to become the main bank for the Seoul Metropolitan Government's (SMG) annual budget of 32 trillion won ($28.54 billion). The new branch will also receive payments to the depository system for the city government.







Woori Bank had been the city's depository bank for 103 years  even during the 1910-45 Japanese occupation  but its contract ended at the end of last year. The SMG then chose Shinhan Bank as its new partner to replace Woori in May.







Shinhan will hold the city's budget until December 2022.







The bank said it has successfully completed the transition from Woori Bank. The handover included upgrading SMG's webpage and mobile app for tax payments, and introducing a tax notification system via KakaoTalk.







"I'd like to thank SMG workers for helping the smooth transition," said CEO Wi Sung-ho. "Shinhan Bank will do its best in contributing to the city's efforts to help Seoul residents."







Shinhan held a branch opening event Wednesday at Seoul City Hall participated in by Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon and SMG workers. The mayor opened a new account and had a debit card issued at the branch.







"We changed our depository partner after 104 years. The transition was smooth," Park said.







"We are very happy to have Shinhan Bank as the SMG's new partner in its administration for Seoul citizens."

The unemployment rate for young adults (15-29) stood at 8.6 percent, down 0.6 percentage point from the previous year. Korea Times file



South Korea's jobless rate rose slightly in December from a year earlier, government data showed Wednesday, as the finance minister vowed to create 150,000 jobs this year.

The unemployment rate stood at 3.4 percent last month, up 0.1 percentage point from a year earlier, according to the data compiled by Statistics Korea.

The number of employed people reached 26.63 million in December, an increase of 34,000 from the same month in 2017, according to the latest findings.

The unemployment rate for young adults -- those aged between 15 and 29 -- stood at 8.6 percent, down 0.6 percentage point from the previous year.

The manufacturing sector lost 127,000 jobs in December compared with the previous year, and the retail sector also saw a reduction of 63,000 positions.

In contrast, the health and social welfare sectors added 154,000 jobs, and the information and communication sectors saw an increase of 94,000 jobs last month.

For the whole of 2018, the unemployment rate for Asia's fourth-largest economy stood at 3.8 percent, a record high since 2001 when the corresponding figure came to 4 percent.

The number of employed people stood at 26.82 million in 2018, up 0.4 percent from 26.72 million a year earlier, marking the smallest gain since 2009 when the corresponding figure fell 0.4 percent to 23.68 million, compared to 23.77 million a year ago.

The slowdown in employment growth is mainly due to a decline in the economically active population and growth of the overall population as well as poor performance in the manufacturing and service sectors, said Bin Hyun-joon, head of the employment statistics division at the statistics agency.

The statistics agency said the number of jobless people stood at 1.073 million in 2018, the largest since 2000 and the third straight year that the number of jobless people surpassed 1 million.

Hong Nam-ki, the minister of economy and finance, said the government will place its top priority on revitalizing the economy, calling corporate investments a key to job creation.

On Wednesday, Hong said he expects Hyundai Motor Group to begin construction of a 3.7 trillion-won (US$3.3 billion) project to build a 105-story building in southern Seoul as early as before June.

In 2014, Hyundai Motor Group, the world's fifth-largest carmaker by sales, purchased the land for its landmark building, though no significant progress has been made yet due to regulations.

"We are monitoring the progress of relevant procedures," a Hyundai Motor official said, without elaborating.

Hong also said public companies will hire 23,284 people this year, up about 400 from a year earlier, as part of efforts to create jobs. He made the comments at a job fair in southern Seoul. (Yonhap)A bookstore in Nanchang, Jiangxi province. (Photo/Xinhua)

After a prolonged slump, brick-and-mortar bookstores in China have ushered in a new round of development, and in 2018 they even showed a rare trend of expansion.

Today, shopping malls, commercial real estate, public facilities, blocks, communities, scenic spots, and schools are all endeavoring to attract high-quality bookstores, said Dong Yiwei, vice director of the printing and publishing department of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, at the China bookstore conference held on Jan. 8 in Beijing.

Dong explained that last year, Chinas physical bookstores ushered in a window period with new opportunities to help bookstores grow bigger and stronger.

Chinas state-owned bookstore chain Xinhua Bookstore, alongside private bookstore chains and internet-based new media companies, are opening a number of new bookstores across the country.

While we had worried that physical bookstores would fail and disappear, we found that they had been expanding at an amazing pace in 2018, said Cheng Sanguo, founder of Bookdao.com, a portal website of the publishing industry.

Large bookstore chains and emerging independent bookstores have all joined the trend of opening new branches, with some bookstore chains opening over 100 stores within one year, Cheng noted, predicting that in the coming two years, there would be more than 10 large bookstore chains, each owning hundreds of bookstores.

Chinas privately-owned bookstore chains are expanding at an accelerating rate. By October 2018, Sisyphe had opened over 160 bookstores in nearly 60 Chinese cities, with 85 of these bookstores opening in 2018; Yanjiyou has opened 53 self-run bookstores in 13 Chinese cities; while FanDeng Bookstore, a 2-year-old chain, owns over 200 bookstores in 94 cities across China.

Xinhua Bookstore has also accelerated its expansion since 2018. Xinhua Bookstores community bookstore brand, Shangshufang, has set up 198 bookstores in total in central Chinas Henan Province, while Xiaojudeng, a Xinhua Bookstore brand focused on picture books, now has 150 bookstores in north Chinas Hebei Province.

Internet-based new media companies have also joined the craze. Chinese major digital media platforms Yitiao and Read at Ten have both opened offline bookstores.

Since the cost of online customer acquisition has generally increased and user growth has now slowed, bookstores need to seek new access for online business, according to an executive of Read at Ten.

A compound mode of business operation has become the primary trend in Chinas bookstore industry.

For example, according to a survey of 62 Chinese bookstores conducted by Bookdao.com, only one only sold books, and only three didnt serve food or beverages. All surveyed bookstores were selling creative cultural products and stationery alongside books.

Dan Jie, the founder of Yanyouji, disclosed that they had opened two book-themed restaurants which they thought would see a deficit, but instead, they made a profit in less than six months.

86.7 percent of Chinas shopping malls have now introduced brick-and-mortar bookstores, noted Lyu Yandan, vice director of Business Brand Institute (BBI) of Communication University of China.

Many shopping malls now regard these bookstores as a means of attracting customers, as the people who often visit bookstores generally enjoy a relatively high income, and are regarded as the target population of these shopping malls. Therefore, bookstores in shopping malls often enjoy a favorable rent, explained Lyu, saying this is one of the reasons that there has been a rise in bookstores opening in malls.

Though brick-and-mortar bookstores are expanding at a rare speed in China, some deep-rooted problems that have troubled these stores still havent been solved  namely that the popularity and customer flow havent converted into corresponding sales and profits.

While well decorated and creative bookstores have always sprung up in China, sales of books havent significantly increased along with the popularity of stores, as instead of buying books, many people only visit the bookstores to take photos and drink coffee.

Physical bookstores need to figure out how to turn the phenomenon of customers racing to visit the stores into customers rushing in to buy books, said Cheng.Two Easy Ways To Subscribe!

The Kodiak Daily Mirror offers full-service, five-day a week subscriptions with home delivery in addition to unlimited access to our online services (including our e-Edition). Online-access-only subscriptions include unlimited access to the Mirror's online services without delivery of the printed newspaper.

(Note: New users: You must register and login before purchasing a subscription.Li Manhu (right) receives his sceptre.

A young Chinese man working in Nigeria received a big surprise last year as he was made chieftain of a local tribe by a Nigerian king, the top ruler of a local community under Nigerias traditional power system.

The 27-year-old, named Li Manhu, who works in the administration and communication department of a bridge project undertaken by Chinese constructor CGCOC Group, told Xinhua News Agency that he received the title thanks to the kings recognition of his companys contribution to the local community.

Li is in charge of the salary payment of over 200 local workers, and is also responsible for the communication between the project and local communities. With his new title, he can, on behalf of the king, better manage the relations between the two and guarantee the project will run smoothly.

Ye Shuijin, general manager of CGCOC Group's Nigerian branch, explained that the company has completed over 500 projects in the country over the past three decades. The company lays great importance not only on project quality and execution, but also on its integration into local communities and its due social responsibility, the general manager said, adding that this is why the company has earned such a good reputation among locals.

Li Manhu and the "king".

In recent years, many Chinese people in Nigeria have been granted chieftain titles, including overseas Chinese who have been living in the country for years, and also high management officials from Chinese companies. It reflects the fruitful results of the non-governmental exchanges between the two countries, as well as the high recognition among local communities when it comes to Chinas assistance in local infrastructure construction.

Li noted that although he was more like an honorary chieftain, who would not directly participate in the daily management of the tribe, this title would still bring him and the local community closer.

What comes with honor is responsibility, Li said, adding that he could feel the weight of this responsibility on his shoulders, and that he would serve as a bridge between Chinese and Nigerian people.Less: Just look at London, Ont.

Same: We hear more bad news.

More: Canada is on the right path.

Vote

View ResultsActors Bertrand Lesca and Nasi Voutsas act out a scene during Palmyra, their play about the destruction of historical sites in Syria. Palmyra runs Feb. 1-2 at the Rotary Centre for the Arts.Two children watch exhibits in Henan Museum. (Photo/Xinhua)

Last year, more than 20,000 exhibitions were held at museums across China, attracting nearly one billion visitors, according to statistics released during a meeting attended by cultural heritage administrators on Jan. 8.

China is home to 5,136 museums, it was revealed at the meeting. In 2018, authorities enacted new guidelines to make better use of and protect cultural relics.

Last year, the National Cultural Heritage Administration and the Ministry of Public Security worked together to crack down on cases related to cultural relics. A total of 1,476 people were arrested, and 6,877 cultural relics were retrieved.

Nearly 80 percent of the crimes related to cultural relics in recent years were committed by legal persons. Liu Yuzhu, head of the administration, said lax enforcement is a prominent problem that endangers cultural relics.

Liu said China has now signed bilateral agreements on cultural heritage with France, the UK and Singapore, among other countries, donated to the International Fund for the Protection of Endangered Cultural Heritage and participated in fund management.

The archaeological cooperation between China and foreign countries has gradually grown, with 40 projects already initiated in 24 countries and regions in Asia, Africa, Europe and South America.01/08/2019





As the federal government shutdown continues, one of Alabamas national parks is getting assistance from Jacksonville State University.

At Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne, JSU is working to minimize inconvenience and disappointment for visitors. The university owns and operates the Little River Canyon Center at the preserve and its employees and volunteers are keeping the Little River Canyon Centers front desk open to assist park visitors during this time.

Additionally, JSU is continuing to conduct educational programs during the shutdown, including presenting a documentary film on the Canyon Preserve and providing limited visitor information. The JSU Canyon Center also offers restrooms, water fountains and a gift shop.

Thanks to our unique partnership with the National Park Service, were able to offer services when most units cannot, said Canyon Center Director Pete Conroy. We are referring Little River Canyon National Preserve guests to official Park Service statements and warning guests that added risk exists without our federal employees. Were also offering educational and hospitality services and have expanded our trash collection to some of the federal lands.

Because of the government shutdown and increasing popularity of the canyon, Conroy suggests that individuals in the area consider volunteering at the Canyon Center. Those interested in helping should call the Canyon Centers front desk at 256-845-3548.

"Regardless if its once a week or once a month, for guest services or litter pickup, we need qualified people who enjoy supporting JSU and the National Park Service, Conroy said.

JSU has been an active partner of the National Parks for decades, starting with the establishment of the Little River Canyon National Preserve in 1992. JSU opened the Little River Canyon Center in 2007 and helped with the establishment and development of Freedom Riders National Monument in 2017.

JSU is committed to community stewardship, said President John M. Beehler. Assisting the National Park Service during this difficult time is just one way we can give back to the region and state."Security Guard & Mali Jobs 2019 in UAE

Latest Al Kamil Enterprises Overseas Emplyment Promoters Security Posts UAE 2021 A well known and reputed oversea company requires the services of experienced, strong and energetic personnel for the positions of Security Guard & Mali in UAE 2019.

How to Apply on Al Kamil Enterprises Overseas Emplyment Promoters Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted.Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony Jobs 2019

Latest Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony Management Posts Islamabad 2021 Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony Islamabad, Government of Pakistan are requires applications from experienced and well educated candidates for the posts of Chairman.

Skills Required

Management

How to Apply on Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.



Company Address: 8th Floor, Green Trust Tower, Blue Area, Islamabad

Telephone: 051-9202186

Official Website: www.mora.gov.pk

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted.- A poll by the University of Ghana shows that President Akufo-Addo will win if elections are held today

- The survey shows that he will secure 49.3% of the votes while John Mahama takes 33.3% of the votes

- The survey however revealed that there will be the need for a runoff between the two leading contenders if the elections were held

According to a poll conducted by the Political Science department of the University of Ghana, President Akufo-Addo will win if elections are held as soon as possible.

The results of the survey, which were presented by Dr. Maame Gyekye-Jandoh, head of the Political Science department, showed that Akufo-Addo will take the lead with 49.3% with John Mahama trailing behind with 33.3%. Dr. Paa Kwesi Ndoum, the polls further revealed, will win 7.35% of votes cast.

Dr. Maame Gyekye-Jandoh said the elections might head for a run-off since although Akufo-Addo may have taken the lead, he may not be able to cross the 50 percent plus one mark to be retained as president.

READ ALSO: Details of how NAM1 escaped to South Africa surfaces online

These responses indicate simply and unsurprisingly that the two major parties are still the most preferred among voters and secondly, that there might be another contest between President Akufo-Addo and former president Mahama during the 2020 elections, she disclosed.

Dr. Gyekye-Jandoh explained that two questions were asked respondents, one being which party they would vote for if elections were held today, and secondly, which candidate they would vote for.

Nana Akufo-Addo defeated John Mahama, then incumbent president, to become the president of Ghana in the 2016 general elections.

Akufo-Addo polled 53.9% of the total valid votes and John Mahama secured 44.4% of the votes.

The research, which sampled about 5,000 Ghanaians nationwide, touched on some areas including economy, education, campaign promises, government policies and programmes among others.

READ ALSO: NAM1's life is in danger - Top Menzgold executive drops a bombshell

Ghana News Today: The Aftermath of Owusu Bempah's Prophecy | #Yencomgh

Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place.

Source: Yen.com.ghOfficers of the Western Regional Motor Traffic and Transport Department of the Ghana Police Service have intercepted an unregistered Toyota Rav4 vehicle with a pistol and ammunition on the Takoradi - Cape Coast highway after its driver abandoned it and escaped into the bush.

At about 6 am Wednesday, personnel of the unit stopped the unregistered vehicle with trade plate No.DV 40A-2018 at Shama Kumasi, near Shama Junction.

Sources at the Regional MTTD Command said the driver on seeing the police abandoned the car, took to his heels and entered the nearby bush.

The impounded car and ammunition discovered in the vehicle Source:Graphic.com.gh

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Criminal Investigations Department denies claims that NAM1 was arrested and has absconded

A search by the police revealed the pistol, two fully loaded magazines with 7 rounds of live ammunition each.

A total of 23 AAA ammunition, six rolls of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp concealed in a phone cover, a bunch of keys and two temporary drivers license bearing the names of Andoh Bismarck and Quansah Benjamin Abeku were also discovered.

The vehicle and all exhibits have been sent to the regional MTTD office in Sekondi, while the Regional CID has taken over investigations.

READ ALSO: Nana Aba Anamoah can't hide her joy as son starts university in the US (Video)

Ghana News Today: The Aftermath of Owusu Bempah's Prophecy | #Yencomgh:

Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place.

Source: Yen.com.ghEvacuee Trust Property Board Chairman Job 2019

Latest Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony Management Posts Islamabad 2021 Government of Pakistan Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony Evacuee Trust Property Board required qualified and well educated candidate for the post of Chairman in Islamabad.

How to Apply on Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony Job Advertisement

Apply as per details in job advertisement. In some cases, you may apply online at vacancies after registering at https://www.jobz.pk online.



Company Address: 8th Floor, Green Trust Tower, Blue Area, Islamabad

Telephone: 051-9202186

Note: Beware of Fraudulent Recruiting Activities. If the employer asks you to pay money for any purpose including processing to shortlisting, do not pay at all and report us using our contact us form. Apply as per instuctions & dates mentioned in official job ad. Govt jobs cannot be applied online here. Error & omissions excepted.KUNMING, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Medical institutions from southwest China's Yunnan Province and Singapore have signed a memorandum of cooperation on a training program to help improve palliative care in the province.

In the following three years, medical experts from Singapore will help train medical staff from Yunnan and other localities to enhance their abilities in palliative care, according to the memorandum, jointly signed by the Singapore International Foundation, the Palliative Medicine Center-Hospice Dpt, the Yunnan Health and Development Research Association and the Tan Tock Seng Hospital of Singapore.

A series of forums, training sessions, and symposia will be held under the memorandum, and excellent medical staff will be sent to Singapore to study.

The program is expected to benefit about 36,000 people in the terminal stages of cancer, those suffering from chronic diseases, and those working in the medical field by 2021.

China's elderly population is rising, and cases of sickness among the elderly are also increasing.

"Palliative care is about prolonging the lives of the elderly and improving their quality of life," said Ma Ke, an expert in palliative care.

Ma said palliative care has seen rapid development in recent years, but Chinese medical staff still need to learn from international experience.- 33-year-old English model Jasmine Lennard has vowed to expose Cristiano Ronaldo

- Jasmine dated the Juventus star ten years ago and she has revealed her intention to help Mayorga who accused Ronaldo of assaulting her

- Lennard stated that she is ready to provide some information that will help Mayorga and her lawyers to prosecute Ronaldo

- Mayorga claimed that Ronaldo assaulted her nine years ago in an hotel in Las Vegas

English model Jasmine Lennard who was the girlfriend of Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has vowed to expose the Portugal international so as to help Kathryn Mayorga.

Mayorga is the American woman who is accusing the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star of assaulting her in an hotel in America.

Investigations are still going on the allegations that Ronaldo allegedly assaulted Kathryn Mayorga in America even though the Portuguese has denied what he was accused of.

Ten years ago, Jasmine Lennard and Cristiano Ronaldo were in a relationship, but revealed she has been communicating with him for the last 18 months.

The 33-year-old has now made it clear that she is ready to support Kathryn Mayorga and his lawyers claiming that she will reveal what will shock many people about Ronaldo.

Jasmine Lennard took to her official social media page to reveal the latest development.

READ ALSO: Neymar return to Barcelona edges closer after fresh talks with club chief

READ ALSO: Barcelona in advanced talks to sign Ajax star Frenkie De Jong

Previously, YEN.com.gh had reported how Portugal international Cristiano Ronaldo was accused to have ordered American lady Kathryn Mayorga to sign secret document for her to remain silent over her claims.

The document which was said to have been signed in 2010 has been revealed according to the report on Der Spiegel.

Inside the document, Cristiano Ronaldo was said to have offered Kathryn Mayorga 287,000 for her not to speak about anything that happened between the two of them in Las Vegas.

Source: Yen.com.gh- NDC's Bernard Allotey Jacobs has claimed that the NPP is hiding Menzgold's Nana Appiah Mensah in Ghana

- He added that Mensah claimed he supported NPP's 2016 campaign, but failed to provide evidence

- Allotey Jacobs also stated that the government needs to address the concerns of Menzgold's customers

The former Central Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Bernard Allotey Jacobs, has accused the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of hiding Nana Appiah Mensah in Ghana.

According to him, the ruling party was shielding the beleaguered Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Menzgold Ghana Limited.

Per a report by Peacefmonline.com, he further stated that the NPP was now trying to dissociate themselves from business deals they have had with Mensah, who is popularly known as NAM1.

Bernard Allotey Jacobs Source: Supplied

Source: UGC

READ ALSO: Details of how NAM1 escaped to South Africa surfaces online

NPP are hiding the guy; hes around and hiding in Ghana and spewing statements. Hes walking within the corridors of power; they are all in his pocket.

Hes going scot-free and people are crying; people are dying. It has never happened in this country. he said on Peace FM on Wednesday, January 9, 2019.

He further stated that NAM1 never jumped bail as it is being alleged, as he was neither arrested nor released on bail.

Allotey Jacobs also noted that NAM1 revealed he invested GHC20 million into NPPs 2016 election campaign, but failed to provide evidence when called upon to do so.

He went ahead to say that the government needed to address the concerns of the Menzgold clients, as their ignorance should not be used against them.

Customers have been demanding their investments since the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) instructed Menzgold to halt its gold trading operations.

The minister of finance, Ken Ofori Atta, has however ruled out any possibility of the government bailing out customers of Menzgold Ghana Limited.

READ ALSO: NAM1's life is in danger - Top Menzgold executive drops bombshell

Ghana News Today: The Aftermath of Owusu Bempah's Prophecy | #Yencomgh

Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place.

Source: Yen News- Acting director of communications of Menzgold Ghana Limited, Nii Armah Amarteifio, has claimed that Nana Appiah Mensah's life is in danger

- He added that for that reason, the current location of Menzgold's CEO could not be disclosed

- Amarteifio went on to say that Menzgold is not a ponzi scheme as being described by some Ghanaians

The acting director of communications of Menzgold Ghana Limited, Nii Armah Amarteifio, has disclosed that the life of the chief executive officer (CEO) of the company, Nana Appiah Mensah, is in danger.

Speaking on Accra FM on Wednesday, January 9, 2019, he explained that for that reason, Mensahs present whereabouts is currently known to only a few people.

He further stated that Menzgold is a legitimate business registered under the laws of Ghana, and can therefore not be a ponzi scheme as being claimed by some Ghanaians.

READ ALSO: Blow-by-blow account of how NAM1 escaped to South Africa surfaces online

His comments follow stories of challenges Menzgold is facing with regard to paying extra values or principal investments of its 1.8 million clients since August 2018.

This comes after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ordered the company to halt its gold vault market operations due to regulatory infractions.

Since then, Mensah, also known as NAM1, has not been seen in Ghana, and he allegedly only tweets or speaks to his radio station, Zylofon FM, via telephone.

YEN.com.gh earlier reported that NAM1 is allegedly in South Africa, after passing through Togo and Nigeria.

Following a demonstration by aggrieved clients of the company in Kumasi on Tuesday, January 8, 2018, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko tweeted: I understand the owner of Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah, has breached his bail condition and absconded."

The finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, had earlier described customers of Menzgold as greedy, and added that the government will not compensate aggrieved clients of the company.

READ ALSO: Gov't cancels Jospong's GHC362 million contract after details of shady deals emerge online

Ghana News Today: The Aftermath of Owusu Bempah's Prophecy | #Yencomgh

Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place.

Source: Yen.com.ghLawyer for some aggrieved customers of Menzgold Ghana Company Limited, Amanda Clinton, has revealed that they are heading to the law court to sue Menzgold for breach of contract.

In a report that YEN.com.gh sighted on Citifmonline.com, the lawyer disclosed that some Menzgold customers who are her clients will be heading to court to "file applications of breach of contract".

The lawyer noted that even though they received a communique from Securities and Exchange Commission in December 2018 revealing that the embattled CEO of Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah had absconded to South Africa, they will continue with the law suit.

What is reality however is that 1.8 million Ghanaians have been affected in the last five years in the region of $200 million invested in an unregulated company," she revealed

READ ALSO: Gabby Otchere-Darko announces search for NAM1 as he breaches bail condition and runs away

"The reality of the situation is that people just want their money, she added.

She said that the 1.8 million figure she cited was gotten from unnamed sources within certain government departments.

Mrs. Clinton also noted that she was concerned with the lack of action from government on the matter.

You cant take $200 million of peoples money and nobody even arrest you or questions you or feel a need to, the lawyer said.

READ ALSO: NAM1 escaped through 2 countries to South Africa - Report

Mrs. Clinton added that: at least the president should trigger the Attorney General to trigger CID to trigger Interpol to take action on the CEO of Menzgold."

Menzgold's woes began when the Security and Exchange Commission revealed that the gold firm was operating illegally.

The revelation led to an order given by SEC directed at Menzgold Ghana Company Limited to halt taking in new deposits.

Customers of the gold dealership company got agitated over SEC's directives and rushed to their respective Menzgold branches to retrieve their investments.

It was at that point that the CEO of Menzgold also reportedly ordered the closure of all its branches.

Since then, customers of the embattled company have been unable to retrieve their investments.

It is for such reason that some aggrieved customers went to contract Lawyer Amanda Clinton of Clinton, Amoo-Lamptey, Barnsbury Chambers to assist retrieve their locked up cash.

READ ALSO: Top NPP, NDC members invested $2m and $3m in Menzgold  Report claims

Watch: Ghana News Today: The Aftermath of Owusu Bempah's Prophecy | #Yencomgh

Click here to get the latest exciting English Premier League news. Get match highlights, reports, photos & videos all in one place.

Source: YenOur directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business.Students debate: Should high schools have required courses?

BRETT MELLUL: YES! There should be required courses so that students can be well rounded and have access to as many opportunities as possible. When...

Students debate: Online school or in-person

JAKE RESNICK: School should be online. To start with the obvious, many students come in contact with their grandparents (or even parents) on a regular...

TEEN VOICES: Hannah Shaw

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time explores the thought process of Christopher, the protagonist of the book. Christopher is an autistic teenager...

Responding to anti-Semitism

Weve all experienced acts of hate or ignorance at least once in our lives. You might look back at a situation during which you were...Venice, FL (34285)

Today

Overcast with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly this evening. Low 78F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

Overcast with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly this evening. Low 78F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.Regional property markets are anticipated to grow this year, giving capital-city markets a run for their money.

Citing the 2019 McGrath Report, the Real Estate Institute of New South Wales reported that regional bridesmaid cities are starting to challenge the real estate brides of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. These regional markets boast remarkable population growth, buzzing local economies, improved amenities and infrastructure, and affordable housing and rising attractive lifestyles as capital cities become busier and more expensive.

Improved infrastructure has made commuting times faster between regional suburbs and capital cities. Coupled with the [National Broadband Network] rollout and the GovHubs bringing more jobs to regional areas, buyers are beginning to see the appeal of these regions, said McGrath Estate Agents founder John McGrath.

The report identified the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, Geelong and Newcastle as Australias leading regional hubs. These areas have been recording significant price growth thanks to strong demand.

Newcastles appeal to cash-poor, asset-rich Sydney residents is obvious. As Australias largest coal port by volume, and the economic hub of the Hunter Valley, it boasts a world-class university, vibrant coastal lifestyle and strong employment growth, McGrath said.

McGrath also said that people should immediately invest in Western Sydney to reap rewards in the near future, noting that the region has vast untapped potential.

Were on the cusp of what will go down in history as the great renaissance of Western Sydney. New infrastructure about to come online will buck the trend and re-rate local home values in certain areas. Billions of dollars in government investment, hundreds of thousands of new jobs, massive new public transport and Sydneys second international airport are set to transform this region and electrify our most affordable housing market, he said.Brisbanes residential market is likely to overtake Sydney and Melbourne this year even though its values may decline faster than the rest, according to a report by The Australian Financial Review.

In 2018, house prices in the capital of Queensland rose by 0.4%, while unit prices decreased by 0.7%. These accounted for overall growth of 0.2%. This year, Brisbane is predicted to perform better than the two largest capitals in Australia. However, it is also likely to enter negative territory during the period, according to ANZ.

"Brisbane will continue to outperform Sydney and Melbourne, but we'll see some price declines," ANZ economist Jack Chambers said.

ANZ projected values to slide 1% in both detached houses and apartments for the year to December 2019, putting an end to years of moderate overall growth.

Property values in the city climbed 4.1% in 2014 and 4.9% in 2015. During 2016 and 2017, though, the growth slowed to 1.6% and 1.8%, respectively, according to CoreLogic.

Brisbane's inner-city unit market has been significantly impeding the growth rates, with prices remaining 5% lower than they were 10 years ago.

Apartment prices, which are declining at a much faster pace than in Sydney and Melbourne, have pushed some deep-pocketed investors to purchase deeply discounted stock.

However, the sector is expected to continue its recovery into 2019, thanks to the moderation of new supply. New apartment completions in Brisbane this year are pegged at 5,700, just over half of the 10,700 recorded in 2017, according to BIS Oxford Economics

CoreLogic is also claiming another year of slight gains for Brisbane due to interstate migration. "Net migration rates into Brisbane should drive growth into 2019. It's more important [than international migration] as interstate migration is more likely to include buyers," said CoreLogic Head of Research Tim Lawless.

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data on net interstate migration revealed that over the decade to June 2017, Queensland attracted 11,000 additional residents on average each year.

Brisbane will also bear the brunt of the credit squeeze. However, the squeeze will have less impact on the city because the gap between earnings and dwelling prices in Brisbane is less than Sydneys and Melbournes.

"Sydney and Melbourne are more affected by credit tightening than Brisbane. Price-to-income ratios are higher," Chambers said.

Finally, Brisbanes residential gross property yields at 4.5% in December were higher than Sydney's 3.3% and Melbourne's 3.5%.Small businesses dont have to reinvent the wheel to promote worksite wellness. A few simple tasks, according to Payne and Blanke, include providing healthier food options at meetings, sharing tobacco quitting resources and keeping the benefits of living healthy in employees minds. Simmerman said it can sometimes be as simple as posting information and reminders on a company bulletin board. He said that Breeza receives support from Four Corners Health Deparment in several ways, including informational materials and health screenings. Other small businesses looking to make positive wellness culture changes can take advantage of public resources like Four Corners Health Department. The York County Worksite Wellness Partnership is another resource available to businesses in York County.LINCOLN  The new year brings changes for owners of utility and farm trailers in Nebraska.

Starting Jan. 1, owners of utility or farm trailers are now asked to include the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of their utility or farm trailer when registering their trailer for the first time, or when renewing their registration. If the trailer does not have a VIN, or if the VIN is unknown, the county treasurer office will provide one. The county treasurer will also provide a decal to display the assigned VIN on the trailer at no additional cost to the owner.

This is an important step to bringing the registration of utility and farm trailers into line with other, similar types of trailer, said Rhonda Lahm, Director of the Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles. By including the VIN, or allocating a VIN to a trailer which doesnt have one, we are able to track ownership of trailers more accurately. In the event of theft, a VIN displayed on the trailer and registration document will assist in pairing the trailer with its owner.

Earlier, Nebraska residents were not required to provide a VIN to the county treasurers office when registering a utility or farm trailer. In 2017, there were 184,770 utility and 81,784 farm trailers registered in Nebraska.WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser John Bolton raised U.S. concerns about the use of Chinese telecommunications equipment in sensitive sectors during a weekend meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a U.S. official said on Wednesday.

"We are all concerned about theft of intellectual property and Chinese telecoms companies that are being used by China for intelligence-gathering purposes," said a senior administration official who was briefed on the talks.

The Trump administration has taken a series of steps aimed at curbing market penetration by Huawei Technologies Cos Ltd and ZTE Corp, two of China's biggest network equipment makers. Both companies have denied that their products are used to spy.

The administration does not want any obstacles to being able to share sensitive information with the Israelis, the senior official told reporters ahead of the meeting, referring to the concerns about Chinese technology and investment at the port of Haifa.

"We specifically put it on the agenda," the official said.Navy Commander Maj. Gen. Eli Sharvit announced that the sixth submarine, set to arrive in Israel in a few years, will be named Dragon. The class of future submarines will be named Dakar, in memory of the victims of the Dakar disaster, a submarine that sunk.BEIRUT - Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called on Wednesday for an Arab League economic summit due to take place this month in Beirut to be postponed because Lebanon had failed to agree a new government.

Berri also asserted "again the necessity of having Syria participate in such a summit", lawmakers from his parliamentary bloc quoted him as saying at a meeting.

The Arab League suspended Syria's membership seven years ago after the government crackdown on mass protests against President Bashar al-Assad.

Some Arab states, including ones that had backed rebels, are now seeking to reconcile with Assad's state, which has recovered most of the country with Russian and Iranian help.Israel Police on Wednesday summoned another 30 students at the Pri Haaretz yeshiva in the West Bank settlement of Rehelim for questioning over the murder of a Palestinian woman last year. Police believe that the death of Aisha al-Rawbi in October 2018 is linked to five members of the yeshiva who are currently in custody.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Police initially handed out the summons in private, but then went on to leave the rest with the yeshiva counselors.

Aisha al-Rawbi, a 47-year-old mother of nine, was killed when a rock thrown at the vehicle in which she, her husband and nine-year-old daughter were travelling hit her on the head.

Pri Haaretz yeshiva

The Honenu organization, which provides legal aid to Jewish terror suspects, claimed that the police carried out what is said was "illegal activity."

"The police entered the yeshiva illegally, without a warrant permitting them to enter private property, and were later warned by the yeshiva staff that their entrance was illegal and harmful to the students' learning," the organization said in a statement.

"The police should make a decision; at the moment there are five youths in interrogation roomsare they are no longer suspects?" Honenu added. "Is it possible that 80 children threw one stone? The police are operating illegally. (Public Security) Minister Gilad Erdan must wake up and end the trampling of the rights of children in educational institutions."

Police have already questioned around 30 other youths who attend the yeshiva on suspicion of throwing stones at the vehicle in which al-Rawbi was driving. The five suspects held by police will remain in custody at least until Thursday.

Aisha al-Rawbi was killed when a rock went through the window of her car and hit her on the head.

Meanwhile, the lawyers of two of the five youths boycotted a remand hearing at Lod District Court, after the boys were not brought to the court and their lawyers were not informed of this.

Adi Keidar, an attorney with Honenu, accused the police of consistently violating the law.

"We take a severe view of illegal police conduct," he said. "We made it clear to them that entring private property area and residences can be done by warrant only. Despite this warning, police broke into the yeshiva. One should remember that the students are already frightened by the (police) conduct of the past two months, and we expect that this will be investigated immediately by the Police Internal Investigations Department. "

Itamar Ben-Gvir, an attorney for some of the suspects, also lashed out at the police.

"The arrival of police officers to hand out summons at an educational institutions is a new low in the conduct of the police and the Shin Bet (domestic security service) in this case," he said.

On Tuesday, the heads of the yeshiva, Rabbis David Ben Natan and Yehuda Liebman, sent a letter to parents and students in which they accused the Shin Bet of cruelty to youths and of a vicious attack on their institution.The two claimed that they had fully cooperated the defense establishment, including a meeting with heads of the Jewish Department, and encouraged the students and their parents to do so, but that the Shin Bet had exploited this cooperation.

The father of one of the suspects told Ynet on Tuesday that he has no doubt that the Shin Bet was harassing the detainees.

"Let's say that some children committed an act that requires an educational response, and for this they are being tortured?," he said. "For this they have tied a child to a chair for 12-14 hours in a row and screamed into his ears? They tell him things he is incapable of hearing and break his soul? Because he scribbled on a flag?"

The father was referring to a video that the five suspects made of themselves burning the Israeli flag, which was released to the public earlier this week. Security forces also confiscated Israeli flags daubed with Nazi slogans from the home of one of the detainees.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement of support for the Shin Bet on Tuesday, in apparent answer to complaints against the agency by the families of the five minors.

"Several hours ago, we caught the murderer from Givat Assaf and Ofra," Netanyahu said, referring to the successful conclusion of a massive manhunt in the West Bank. "For this operation, I praise Yamam (Israel Police special forces), the IDF and first and foremost the Shin Bet, which is the best counter-terrorism organization of its kind in the world. We owe it a great deal, it performs professionally and morally. There is no room to attack it."The police called 30 teens from the Rechelim Yeshiva in the West Bank for questioning, as part of its investigation of the murder of Palestinian women Aisha al-Rawbi.

Rawbi, 47, from the village of Biddya in the West Bank, was killed in October on Route 60 after settlers allegedly hurled stones at a vehicle she and her husband were riding in near the Tapuach junction.

The defendant's' attorney Adi Keidar of Hanenu, a right wing legal aid organization, said that we made it clear that entering private property requires a warrant, but the police barged into the Yeshiva.Britain will leave the European Union on March 29, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday when asked by a lawmaker to rule out any delay to Brexit.

On Tuesday the Telegraph newspaper cited three unidentified EU sources as saying British officials had been "putting out feelers" and "testing the waters" on an extension of Article 50, which sets out the conditions for leaving the EU.Some parents were angry, while others simply raised an eyebrow. When parents picked up the phone and asked local authorities if this was some kind of a political statement, they all got the same answer: We have nothing to do with this list; we got it from the Ministry of Education.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The list in question? A registration form for first graders that includes Judea and Samaria (biblical names for the West Bank), the Golan Heights and Israel as separate countries. It also separates Sinai from Egypt and adds it to something called the Gaza Strit. The Palestinian Authority, however, gets two mentions, both as the Palestine Authority and the Palestinian Authorit. In fact, the the English spelling of many countries leaves a little to be desired, not to mention the inclusion of Yugoslavia, which disappeared at the start of the millennium.





School kids (file photo)

"I was appalled to see in an official document that Judea and Samaria are listed as separate states. We lived in (the West Bank settlement of) Karnei Shomron for a few years. This list is upsetting to me, it is completely improper. You can't mix politics with state matters. My children's ID card says that they were born in Israel, and now I see that Israel was divided into other countries," said one father.

"Judea and Samaria are part of the State of Israel. Presenting this region as a separate state is very disheartening and outrageous. I was very surprised to learn that this is an official registration booklet provided by the Ministry of Education," he added.

Ministry of Education's first grade registration form

Other parents wondered how could the Ministry of Education, which is responsible for our children's schooling, make such mistake. "I expect the Ministry to immediately correct this disgrace," said one mother. "I wasnt aware that the Golan Heights region is a separate state, and that the Gaza Strip has suddenly become an independent state."

"I have no doubt that this was a mistake, a mistake that must be corrected immediately," said Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan.

Following the public outcry, the Ministry of Education claimed "the information was taken from the Population and Immigration Authority; the mistake will be corrected immediately."

Meanwhile, the Population and Immigration Authority has shifted the blame back onto the ministry, saying "information is distributed to various ministries according to their needs. The Ministry of Education verifies and cross-checks the required data. This how all the ministries operate, and so we expect the same from the Ministry of Education."A Jewish human rights group has urged Croatian authorities to ban a book that denies crimes committed by Croatia's World War II pro-Nazi regime.

Chief Nazi hunter Efraim Zuroff of the Simon Wiesenthal Center said in a statement Wednesday that a book entitled "the Jasenovac Lie Revealed" is being promoted in a Catholic church in Zagreb on January 16.

Zuroff says the book "denies that mass murders of Serbs, Jews, Roma and Croatian anti-fascists were carried out frequently in the notorious Jasenovac concentration camp."

Zuroff says works like this "would immediately be banned in Germany and Austria, and rightfully so."

Croatia's center-right authorities have faced criticism for their alleged lack of resolve in preventing the resurgence of pro-Nazi sentiments in the European Union country.Legend has it that Jews in Israel hate Arabs and Arabs hate Jews. Hate is taking over the country and it comes in the shape of atrocious attacks like the one committed by Umm al-Fahm residents , or the incident in which Jewish hooligans assaulted an Arab just because he was an Arab. Here and there a new "survey" is published, initiated by a political figure who wants to prove that Israel is racist or that the Jews support apartheid.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The reality is much more complex. We need to bear in mind that Israeli Arabs go through a process of Israelization. And if we do rely on surveys, we are better off using thorough and professional ones such as Prof. Sammy Smooha's annual Jewish-Arab Relations Index surveys or the Israel Democracy Index polls conducted by Prof. Tamar Hermann.

MK Hanin Zoabi and Balad leader Jamal Zahalka

These surveys gives us a lot of input into Israeli society. While this information may not be reassuring, the picture that emerges is much more optimistic than the image portrayed by the media, which by its very nature mostly deals with violent events and divisive statements, and less with in-depth processes.

For example, according to one survey, 83% of Jews describe their personal situation as "good" or "very good," compared to 64.5% of Israeli Arabs. There is a gap. Still, most Israeli Arabs are content with their lives.

Is Israel a democratic state for Arabs as well? In 2017, 45% of Israeli Arabs thought so, and a year later  only 33% did. We can assume that premature declarations about the "end of democracy" in general, and the Nation-State Law in particular, induced this decline.

When dealing with the root causes of Israeli Arabs' declining sense of personal well-being, it is hard to ignore one fundamental issue: the political echelon. There is no doubt sound arguments can be made against MKs like Bezalel Smotrich of Jewish Home. And he is not alonewe must bear in mind that there are worse politicians in the Arab sector.

Outgoing MKs Hanin Zoabi and Jamal Zahalka of Joint List are the most conspicuous of the bunch. In recent years they have engaged in relentless incitement. They do not seek reconciliation or peace. On the contrary, they seek to divide, like when, for example, Zahalka turned young Arab men who wanted to enlist in national service (their number has grown in recent years, by the way) into "pariahs."

Hanin Zoabi standing next to the Mavi Marmara flotilla, 2010

Meanwhile, Zoabi boarded the Mavi Marmara flotilla to identify with anti-Semitic jihadists from the Turkish Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH), a nonprofit organization.

In recent years, Zahalka and Zoabi have opened a can of worms of nauseating remarks, which not only failed to help Israeli Arabs, but raised the level of hostility between Arabs and Jews. This week they both announced they will not be seeking reelection. This is excellent news for anyone who wants peace and equality, and supports the integration of Israeli Arabs into our society.

After observing these two, many average Israelis lost interest in equality in favor of a different cause: the revocation of voting rights for Israeli Arabs. Those who identify with Hamas and terrorism, and those who fight against Jews' right to self-determination are managing to turn Israeli Arabs into a fifth columnsomething that they are not.

Despite the jarring statements of Arab leaders, about 50% of Israeli Arabs accept the definition of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. Without the shadow cast by extremist leadership, this percentage will increase.

The resignations of Zahalka and Zoabi is an historic opportunity for change. It may not be easy, since choosing their replacements is in the hands of political activists who tend to hold radical rather than unifying views. And yet, after Azmi Bishara, Zahalka and Zoabi, we need to reach a turning point. The ball is in the court of Israeli Arabs. We need to end this "end of democracy" age for their sake, as well as for our own.Russia on Wednesday denied any involvement in alleged interference in the upcoming Israeli elections, with a senior Moscow official saying that people should not read the Israeli media.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



The comments came a day after the Israeli media quoted the director of the Shin Bet domestic security service, Nadav Argaman, as warning against the meddling of a foreign country in the April 9 elections, saying the move could influence the elections' outcome.

"Russia is not intefering and does not intend to interfere in the elections in any country in the world," Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Paskov told reporters. According to Russian daily Izvestia, also said that people should "not read the Israeli media."

Netanyahu and Putin in Moscow (Photo: AFP)

Speaking at a Friends of Tel Aviv University conference on Monday, Argaman said that a foreign country intended to launch cyber attacks in order to influence Israel's general elections.

Argaman did not say for whose benefit the alleged meddling was being done. Fingers were quickly pointed toward Russia, which is accused of trying to influence the 2016 American election in favor of Donald Trump, the Brexit campaign in the United Kingdom and other recent European elections.

"We demand that the security forces make sure Putin doesn't steal the election for his friend, the dictator Bibi," said Tamar Zandberg, head of the dovish Meretz party, referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by his nickname.

Netanyahu has grown closer to Russian President Vladimir Putin in recent years. But Netanyahu is far ahead in the polls at the moment, and does not appear to need any outside help.

When asked about the identity of the foreign country meddling in the upcoming elections, the prime minister declined to provide an answer.

Netanyahu, however, added that "Israel is prepared for any scenario and has the abilities to thwart any possible cyber interference in the April elections. No country is more prepared than we are (to face this threat)."

Initial reports about Argaman's comments were placed under a military gag order that was later lifted, though the naming of the country in question is still prohibited.

"I dont know in favor of whom or against whom the foreign country will interfere. At this point, I cannot say which political interest plays a role here, however, a foreign country will attempt to meddle in the April elections and I know what I'm talking about," the Shin Bet director said.

The Shin Bet also later said in a statement that Israel was more than capabale of fending off any attempts to sway the outcome of the elections.

"The Shin Bet would like to make clear that the State of Israel and the intelligence community have the tools and capabilities to identify, monitor and thwart foreign influence efforts, should there be any," it said. "The Israeli defense apparatus is able to guarantee democratic and free elections are held in Israel."

Nadav Argaman with Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/GPO)

State Comptroller Yosef Shapira said earlier Tuesday that his office was already planning to conduct a comprehensive examination of the issue of cybersecurity in relation to the upcoming elections.

According to Shapira, the primaries and election campaign for the 21st Knesset poses a new, important challenge, since part of the election campaign is run on websites and social media.

"(Examining this issue) is a difficult challenge, however, we must adjust ourselves to the times we live in order to stay relevant," Shapira said.

Israel is a cyber superpower with a governmental cyber defense body. It still uses paper ballots on election day rather than digital systems, so it would seem better prepared for a potential offensive than others. But it could still be vulnerable to other types of pre-election intervention, like hacking into party databases, spreading disinformation through social media and leaking personal and embarrassing material on the candidates, said Tehilla Shwartz Altshuler, an expert on technology policy at the non-partisan Israel Democracy Institute.

"Russia is trying throughout all the Western countries to undermine the public's trust in liberal democracy," she said. "There is no doubt they will try to do here what they have done in other countries."

The Israeli warning came just days after Twitter suspended an account that posted links to sensitive personal data and documents stolen by a hacker from hundreds of German public figures and politicians -- from every political party but the far-right Alternative for Germany.

Election interference has been high on the international agenda ever since America's 2016 presidential election, in which Russian hackers stole and published more than 150,000 emails from various Democratic targets in what US spymasters and senior lawmakers have described as a wide-ranging effort to help elect Trump. But evidence for a continued Russian interference campaign has been ambiguous at best.

Putin and Trump in Helsinki in July 2018 (Photo: AFP)

Digital security companies found some evidence that Russian spies were targeting lawmakers ahead of the country's midterm elections last year, but experts said that is business-as-usual in the espionage world and there was no repeat of the spectacular leaks that preceded Trump's victory. French authorities have said they have no evidence that a mysterious leak of French emails just ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's election in 2017 was linked to Moscow. German authorities have said the recent e-mail dump that affected hundreds of public figures there has been claimed by a live-at-home 20-year-old who says he acted alone.

Shwartz Altshuler said Israel's major systems appeared safe, but that outside companies working for various parties had the same kind of resources as those allegedly working for Russia to sow havoc in a campaign. She called for tougher laws to be passed against politically-driven cyber activity.

"We are a start-up nation when it comes to technology but we are behind the curve in terms of digital legislation," she said.Russia denies any involvement in alleged interference in the upcoming Israeli elections, with a senior Moscow official saying that people should not read the Israeli media.

The comments come a day after the Israeli media quoted Shin Bet chief Nadav Argaman as warning against the meddling of a foreign country in the April 9 elections, saying the move could influence the elections' outcome.

"Russia is not intefering and does not intend to interfere in the elections in any country in the world," says Kremlin spokesman Dimitri Paskov, according to Russian daily Izvestia. The newspaper also quotes Paskov as saying that people should "not read the Israeli media."Which "foreign country" did Nadav Argaman, the director of the Shin Bet domestic security agency, refer to on Monday when he warned of attempts to interfere in Israel's elections? Argaman made his comments at a civilian forum, likely under the assumption they would be reported by the media, in an effort to deter that country, warn Israeli citizens of "fake news," and perhaps also to recruit them to the effort to identify those interference attemptsbased on knowledge accumulated from the campaigns in the US, France and Britain.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Argaman warned of a cyber attack or an "influence attack" on social media, meant among other things to undermine the citizenry's trust in its government, making it difficult for it to govern.

In the wake of Argaman's comments, the Shin Bet issued a statement saying "the State of Israel and its intelligence community have the tools and capability to locate, monitor and thwart attempts of foreign influence, if any are made. The Israeli security system has the ability to ensure the existence of free, democratic elections in the State of Israel." Russia denied any involvement and - in a variation on the fake news theme - ordered anyone listening not to read the Israeli media.

Shin Bet Director Nadav Argaman (Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg)

The Shin Bet head's warning came in the form of a strong statement: "I dont know in favor of whom or against whom the foreign country will interfere. At this point, I cannot say which political interest plays a role here, however, a foreign country will attempt to meddle in the April elections, and I know what I'm talking about." He also said that this country would "attempt this using cyber measures, such as hackers."

The American attempt

One of the countries Argaman may have been talking about is indeed Russia, which has been accused of attempting to interfere in the elections of many other countries, particularly the United States. Moscow was accused of interfering in the 2016 US presidential elections in an effort to promote the candidacy of Donald Trump and undermine his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

Among other things, US intelligence agencies claimed that the Russian influence campaign included breaking into the computers of the Democratic Party and using social media to spread false information. However, in a report published in 2017, US intelligence agencies said they didn't try to estimate the effects of Russian interference on the results of the elections.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller (Photo: AFP)

Even though President Trump repeatedly cast doubt on Russia's alleged interference in the elections he won, his senior aides accused Moscow of interference last August in another campaignthe midterm elections last November. The Director of National Intelligence in the US, Dan Coats, said at the time that Washington is preparing to protect the next presidential elections, in 2020, from such interference.

The Russian interference led to the launch of a special investigation by Robert Mueller, who is also examining possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russian elements. The investigation led to indictments against many of the president's close associates. For example, Michael Flynn, who was briefly the national security advisor, admitted to lying in his testimony to the FBI about his ties with the Russians and signed a plea deal with Mueller.

The erstwhile head of Trump's campaign, Paul Manafort, also signed a plea deal, which was eventually cancelled because he apparently violated the deal by lying to investigators about the Russian involvement. Mueller's investigation also led to the downfall of Trump's close confidant and former lawyer Michael Cohen, who was sent to prison for three years after admitting to lying to Congress about the proposal to build a "Trump Tower" in Russia and about paying hush money to women who claimed to have had an affair with Trump.

Russia interference outside US

The United States is not the only country where Russia allegedly tried to interfere in an election campaign. Western sources claimed that Europe was also a main target for Moscow. One such example is the presidential elections in France in 2017. A day and a half before Election Day, hackers broke into the computers of then-candidate Emmanuel Macron's campaign and leaked hundreds of documents online.

The organization APT28which has ties with the Russian military's GRU intelligence agencywas allegedly behind the attack. APT28 was also accused of carrying out cyber attacks during the US elections. However, the French National Cybersecurity Agency said a month later that it found no evidence that APT28 was behind the hacking into Macron's campaign.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow (Photo: EPA)

Russia also allegedly interfered in the 2017 elections in Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel may have won the highest number of votes, but she lost power in the German parliament, with the far right Alternative to Germany (AfD) party getting into the legislature for the first time.

TIME magazine reported that AfD's success was not just due to the immense frustration from Merkel's failed immigration policy, but it was also thanks to the favorable coverage the party enjoyed on Russia's state media, which is watched by the big Russian immigrant population that settled in Germany (making up five percent of the entire German population).

But Russia is not the only country Shin Bet Director Argaman was referring to: China and Iran were also accused by American officials over the past year of trying to interfere in the midterm elections. President Trump himself accused China of trying to interfere in the electionssomething Beijing denied.

The Chinese have an interest in the government in Israel for several reasons, and the Americans are pressuring Israel to minimize ties with them.

It's safe to assume, for example, that the Chinese could have interests in the senior positions in Israel's infrastructure field.

Ahead of US National Security Advisor John Bolton's visit to Israel, reports emerged that the Americans are worried as more and more Chinese technologies are gaining foothold in Israel and by the direct Chinese investments in Israel, particularly in the Haifa port.The High Court of Justice last week ruled that the Education Ministry will now be required to fund educational programs that help young women from the national-religious sector prepare for army service, just as it funds pre-military education programs for teenage boys.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Until now, pre-military schools for boys have been funded by the Ministry of Education, but similar organizations for teenage girls were underfunded due to the opposition of extremist rabbis.

Religious women serving in the IDF (file photo)

Now, after the High Court ruling, the state will start funding pre-military education programs aimed at preparing young religious women to live in a diverse society and cope with the challenges it brings. In addition, the girls will have training sessions and classes with instructors from various establishments that have already successfully helped to integrate religious young women into the IDF.

The court ruling followed a petition filed against the ministries of Education, Defense, and Social Equality, as well as the IDF.

Following the petition, the Education Ministry published criteria for pre-military programs for national-religious girls.

According to Justice Neal Hendel, the head of the judicial panel, it is prejudicial for the state to subsidize pre-military education programs for boys but not for girls.

"We cannot close our eyes to the rising number of religious women serving in the IDF. If state-funded religious schools believe that it is necessary to prepare teenage boys for the challenges of army service, why not do the same for teenage girls?" Hendel said.

Hendel also addressed the halachic (Jewish law) objection of the Chief Rabbinate, which opposes the integration of women into the male-dominated IDF. "The halachic position regarding the service of women in the IDF is more complex and, just as there are rabbis who prohibit it, so there are rabbis who permit it, he said.

Amnon Lorch of Yigal Arnon & Co., the law firm that brought to the suit, expressed his satisfaction at the court ruling.

"The Education Ministry should be extra-cautious when it comes to discrimination against women, especially when they are teenage girls, and accept the fact that 4,000 girls from the religious-Zionist sector are a big part of our national strength," he said.Former minister Gonen Segev, who was charged with spying on Israel for Iran, signed a plea bargain with the state on Wednesday and will serve 11 years in prison.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Segev confessed and was convicted of espionage, aiding an enemy in war time, as well as providing information to the enemy.

The Jerusalem District Attorneys Office said that a sentencing hearing for Segev will be held on February 11.

Gonen Segev in court (Photo: Amit Shabi)

The defendants defense team said the plea bargain reflects the true proportion of this case.

The district attorneys office wants to reveal more details about the affair, and once its out, it will be clear that Segev indeed had contacts with Iranians, but not to aid them. That is why the treason charge was removed from the amended indictment, the defense team said.

Segev, the former energy and infrastructure minister, was charged with providing Tehran with information on Israel's energy industry, security sites in the country, different facilities and political and military officials, among other things.

The former minister, who has been living in Nigeria in recent years where he worked as a doctor, tried to enter Equatorial Guinea in May 2018, where he was refused entry because of his criminal past and consequently transferred to Israel.





Gonen Segev in court (Photo: Amit Shabi)

He was arrested and interrogated by the Shin Bet and the Israel Police after intelligence gathered on him raised the suspicion he was in contact with Iranian intelligence and aiding them in their activities against Israel.

The investigation found that Segev was recruited and was operated as an agent of the Iranian intelligence. He was first contacted by Iranian embassy officials in Nigeria in 2012, and at a later stage traveled to Iran twice for meetings with his handlerswhile being fully aware they belonged to Iranian intelligence.

Segev did not deny the allegations leveled against him during his investigation, but claimed that he attempted to help Israel by obtaining information.

Over the years as an Iranian agent, Segev met with his handlers in apartments and hotels around the world, which he told interrogators he believed are used for covert Iranian activity.

He also received an encrypted communications system to conceal the exchange of messages between him and his handlers.

To obtain the information he was asked for by his Iranian handlers, Segev maintained contacts with Israelis who have ties to Israeli security, defense and foreign relations. He worked to put the Israeli officials in contact with Iranian intelligence elements, while trying to deceive them and present the Iranians as innocuous businessmen.

Segev was first elected to the 13th Knesset in 1992 as part of Rafael Eitan's Tzomet party, where he served as an opposition MK and a member of the Knesset's Finance Committee. In January 1995, Segev became the minister of energy and infrastructure in Yitzhak Rabin's government

Gonen Segev in court (Photo: Amit Shabi)

In 2002, Israel's security services uncovered a Hezbollah plot to kidnap Israeli citizenswith Segev among themto Lebanon to be used as bargaining chips for negotiations on prisoner swaps.

Qais Hassan Kamal Obeid, an Israeli citizen from Taybeh who moved to Lebanon, tried to lure the Israelis to travel abroad by promising them easy money for criminal endeavors.

At the time, Segev said he received a warning from the Shin Bet about the plot, claiming he didn't know why he was being targeted.

In November 2003, he withdrew NIS 20,387 worth of cash from ATM machines in Hong Kong using an Isracard credit card. He called Isracard and reported his card stolen, claiming he did not make the withdrawals. Security cameras on the ATMs showed he was lying.

He was convicted of attempting to fraudulently obtain benefits and of credit card fraud. He was given probation and was the choice between paying a NIS 50,000 fine or serving three months in prison. He appealed the decision to the district court, which rejected the appeal of the conviction but decided to cancel the fine.

He was arrested in April 2004 for attempting to smuggle 32,000 ecstasy tablets from Amsterdam to Israel, claiming he thought they were M&M's.

Segev was also charged with illegally extending his diplomatic passport with a pencil to avoid being subjected to a search by Dutch airport authorities.

In March 2005, he was convicted of forgery and attempted drug smuggling in a plea deal and sentenced to five years in prison, two years of probation and a $27,500 fine. He was released in June 2007 after having a third reduced for good behavior.Arab analysts believe that U.S. President Donald Trump will recognize Israel's sovereignty on the Golan Heights, which was captured during the 1967 Six-Day War, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's appeal last week had little impact on a decision that has essentially already been made.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Netanyahu is pressing the US administration to recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, hoping to use it as leverage in light of Trump's decision to withdraw from Syria. And while US National Security Adviser John Bolton signaled an about-face on withdrawal plans at a joint press conference with Netanyahu in Jerusalem, it appears that a potential shift in policy on the Golan Heights will not be affected.

I dont think Netanyahu would ask for such a thing unless he was already guaranteed the approval of the Trump administration. He (Netanyahu) is certain of the answer and wouldnt risk putting himself in an embarrassing position in case Trump refuses, said Moeen al-Taher, a Jordanian political analyst.

U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton (L) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Photo: Kobi Gideon/GPO)

The Golan Heights, a plateau on the Syria-Israel border, was captured from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War, and effectively annexed by Israel in 1981. Thousands of Israeli citizens, a wine industry and agricultural enterprises have moved in despite Syrian claims to the land. The Jewish State sees the Golan Heights as a strategic territory, a convergence with Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.

Speaking at the press conference, Netanyahu stressed Israel's right to the Golan, and vowed that the Jewish state would never give up its claim.

"Tomorrow, if whether permits, we will go up to the Golan Heights, it is tremendously important for our security. When you are there, you'll be able to understand perfectly why we will never leave the Golan Heights and why it is important that all countries recognize Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights," the prime minister said.

Al-Taher pointed out that Israels policy is imposing a fait accompli rather than waiting for international approval.

Lebanese activist Nada Nasif said Netanyahu is trying to take maximum advantage of an American president who is susceptible to persuasion. The Zionist entity is simply doing the best it can to benefit from a selfish personTrump. It is working hard to achieve (recognition of sovereignty) while Trump is still the president of the US.

Others familiar with the situation maintained that American recognition would have little actual impact.

Israel wants to show that it is winning," said Palestinian analyst Hani al-Masri. "The American recognition wont change anything on the ground or the status of the occupied Golan Heights.

Muhannad, a Syrian activist speaking on condition of anonymity, also said that the Israeli request was pointless, regardless of the US response. At the end of the day, Trumps recognition is simply not important and wont change anything on the ground; what has been taken by force, will only be retrieved by force," he said.

"The US is free to decide whatever it wants, and even if Trump rejects the Israeli demand, that wont help Syria restore its occupied territories. The same happened when the Arabs and Palestinians protested for days against the American recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, and that didnt change anything.

Trump relocated the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in May 2018, breaking with decades of international policy on a central component of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and delighting the Israeli leadership.

Muhannad believes that the majority of Arab leaders are full of promises and speeches, but when it comes to action, they all seek American and Russian blessing and approval.

Its time for us to stop pleasing the US and Russia and instead build our countries, he said.

Article written by Dima Abumaria, r

eprinted with permission from The Media LineThe painful truth must be said, even when it is difficult to hear. If suspects were to cooperate, the Shin Bet wouldnt have to use aggressive interrogation methods in order to investigate attacks against Arabs . Suspects who have nothing to hide do not keep silent during interrogations. On the contrary, if a person has information that might help law enforcement authorities, he must speak in order to eradicate evil.

Follow Ynetnews on Facebook STRONG> and Twitter



Burning someone's house or throwing stones at passenger cars is a grave offence. It cannot be morally justified. These acts are serious and illegal when the assailants are Arabs and the victims are Jews, and they are serious and illegal when Jews take the law into their own hands and attack Arabs.





Teen suspected of Jewish terrorism

But, like other detainees, the underage suspects interrogated by the Shin Bet have grown up in an atmosphere where using the right to remain silent is considered a badge of honor rather than a mark of disgrace.

The Shin Bet didn't have to use "necessary investigation" in the past. But now, the suspects enter the interrogation room fully prepared. Most of them have read Noam Federman's pamphlet "Know Your Rights," which instructs suspects on how to behave during a Shin Bet interrogation. If they havent read it yet, they must've been taught the Oral Law: keep quiet, keep quiet, and keep quiet.

The boys at the Pri Haaretz yeshiva high school in Rehelim were well briefed. Woe to the suspects who used the Shabbat to disrupt an investigation, and woe to the rabbis who authorized such behavior.

You cannot lend a hand to obstruction of justice and at the same time complain about aggressive interrogation methods. Just to make things clear, I do not condone the use of "necessary investigation" techniques or any aggressive interrogation methods, especially when they are used on minors.

The court has already had its final word  when it threw out a confession given by an Israeli minor suspected of involvement in the 2015 deadly Duma terror attack on a Palestinian family, as well as the confession of a minor suspected of damaging property in a 2013 attack at the Abbey of the Dormition in Jerusalem.

In my line of work, I am exposed to a variety of legal material, some of which describing the Shin Bet's "necessary investigation" techniques. When I read these, I was so horrified that I couldnt sleep for days on end. Someone in the Shin Bet was eager to solve the Duma terror attack at any price, even at the cost of inflicting terrible pain on a minor.

The State Prosecutor's Office and the Shin Bet denied these allegations.

At the time, I and public figures who respect the rule of law believed the Shin Bet and the State Prosecutor's Office. It took several months until the public and the leaders discovered the truth. Despite ongoing attempts to hide their interrogation methods, the secret was out when the court ruled that the Israeli security agency has indeed made use of aggressive interrogation methods.

Aisha al-Rawbi

The settler-religious public is embarrassed by the murder of Aisha al-Rawbi. They condemn the actual deed  inflicting pain on a mother of nine children is condemned by all, if the crime was indeed committed by Jews. The embarrassment felt has to do with the question of whether to defend the suspects or support the Shin Bet, which is doing everything in its power to solve the crime.

My answer is clear. The rights of minors must be protected. We should oppose aggressive interrogation methods, but, at the same time, demand the cooperation of suspects.

In my opinion  and I expect rabbis and public figures to follow suit those who cover up crimes are criminals and vice versa: those who expose criminals are not snitches but responsible people who save lives and protect the public.

Every Jewish terrorist endangers not only the lives of innocent Palestinians, a terrible thing in itself, but also the lives of settlers. "Price tag" crimes take up security forces' precious time, making it harder for them to concentrate on their main task  the war on Palestinian terrorism and protecting Israeli lives.

Cooperation with Shin Bet interrogations, while denouncing anyone who uses violence and covers it up, will one way or the other preclude the need for "necessary investigation" techniques.7 day print subscribers enjoy unlimited access to yakimaherald.com

Enter the LAST NAME and the 7 DIGIT phone number on your print subscription account to connect your print subscription to your yakimaherald.com account.ELLENSBURG, Wash. -- Central Washington University will highlight the issue of missing and murdered indigenous women on Tuesday with a series of presentations and a memorial.

Paul Knepper, professor and chair of Centrals Department of Law and Justice, announced that an MMIW lecture will take place from 10 a.m. to noon in the theater of the Student Union and Recreation Center, 400 E. University Way in Ellensburg.

The lecture is open to the public and will include Emily Washines, a scholar of the Yakama Nation; state Rep. Gina Mosbrucker, R-Goldendale; and Lottie A. Sam, a member of the Yakama Nation Tribal Council and its MMIW Committee.

The MMIW Memorial Service will begin at 2 p.m. in Dean Hall, at the Museum of Culture & Environment. Representatives of MMIW USA, an organization dedicated to helping missing and murdered Native women and their families and create awareness, will attend to assist with the memorial service.

Events that day will connect historic and current issues related to missing and murdered indigenous women.

Washines researches and speaks on the historical aspects of missing and murdered Native women on the Yakama reservation, with particular emphasis on women and girls who were raped and murdered in the years leading up to the Yakama War of 1855-58.

Mosbrucker sponsored Washington House Bill 2951, which requires the State Patrol to work with the Office of Indian Affairs, federally recognized tribes, tribal and other law enforcement and tribal leaders to determine how to increase reporting and investigation of missing Native American women.

The legislation also requires the state to collect data, for the first time, on the numbers of missing Native women.

Sam and fellow Tribal Council and MMIW Committee members Charlene Tillequots, Athena Sanchey-Yallup and Esther Moses-Hyipeer joined Mosbrucker and Washington State Patrol Capt. Monica Alexander in leading an Oct. 29 meeting in Yakima on missing Native women.

All spoke at that meeting, which was one of several that have taken place throughout the state as a result of Washington House Bill 2951. Another is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday in the events center of Legends Casino, 580 Fort Road, Toppenish.

HB 2951 requires the State Patrol to report the results of its study, which Alexander is preparing, to the Legislature by June 1. This must include data and analysis on the number of missing Native American women in the state, identification of barriers in providing state resources to address the issue, and recommendations to improve safety and reporting.

The legislative session begins Monday.BEIRUT (AP)  A top Syrian Kurdish official said Tuesday his fighters are prepared to confront Turkish forces if they enter northeastern Syria, adding that it's clear from Ankara's latest statements that Turkey has a plan to invade the region.

Shahoz Hasan is co-chair of the largest Kurdish group in Syria, the Democratic Union Party, or PYD. He spoke to The Associated Press by telephone from Syria shortly after White House national security adviser John Bolton  who is trying to negotiate the safety of Kurdish allies in northeastern Syria  was apparently rebuffed by Turkey's president.

"We are getting ready to confront Turkish threats through resistance," he said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said there would be "no concession" in Ankara's push against what he described as "terror groups" in the war-torn country and said Ankara's preparations for a new military offensive against terror groups in Syria are "to a large extent" complete.

Hasan said he hoped the results of Bolton's visit to Turkey will become clearer in the next few days. He said that Syria's Kurds are in contact with the Russians and the Syrian government and could strike a deal such as the one reached last month when Syrian government troops entered an area close to the northern town of Manbij that Turkey had threatened to attack.

"Until now there has been no (Turkish) military intervention but if it happens I believe we will be ready to face it, in addition to political and diplomatic work with all sides," Hasan said.

Turkey considers the main Syrian Kurdish militia, the Peoples Protection Units, or YPG, a terrorist group linked to the insurgency in Turkey. The PYD is the political wing of the YPG.

Meanwhile, deadly fighting for the last area under Islamic State group control in eastern Syria continued as the militants took advantage of bad weather to launch counterattacks.

Story continues

U.S.-led coalition warplanes and artillery pounded Shaafa village in Deir el-Zour province near the Iraqi border Tuesday, activists and a war monitor said, as the U.S.-allied Kurdish-led force tried to advance on the ground. Nearly two dozen U.S.-backed fighters have been reportedly killed in fighting Monday.

The fighting in eastern Syria demonstrates the threat still posed by IS despite claims by President Donald Trump the group has been defeated. The claims were challenged by his national security advisers and led to the resignation of Defense Secretary James Mattis and the top U.S. official in the coalition against IS. Over the weekend, Bolton announced the U.S. pullout would not be as immediate as Trump had initially declared.

A statement released Monday by the office of French President Emmanuel Macron said that regarding the announced withdrawal of U.S. troops, Macron underlined during a telephone call with Trump the importance of tight coordination among members of the international coalition, "to ensure the security of all our partners."United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The UN Security Council will on Wednesday discuss a proposal for a new observer mission to Yemen to monitor a ceasefire and oversee a pullback of forces, diplomats said.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres outlined the proposal in a letter to the council seen by AFP after the Saudi-backed government and Huthi rebels agreed to a truce during talks in Sweden last month.

The new mission would provide for the initial deployment of up to 75 monitors to the ports of Hodeida, Saleef and Ras Isa, backed by additional administrative and security staff, according to the proposal.

The international observers would "monitor the compliance of the parties to the ceasefire in Hodeida governorate and the mutual redeployment of forces from the city of Hodeida and the ports of Hodeida, Saleef and Ras Isa," according to the document.

UN envoy Martin Griffiths will brief the council on Wednesday on his latest efforts to end the war following a new round of shuttle diplomacy in rebel-held Sanaa and in Riyadh.

On Tuesday, Griffiths met with Yemen's President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in Riyadh after holding talks with Huthi rebel leaders in Sanaa.

- Fragile political process -

The United Nations is proposing to bring the sides together again for a new round of talks later this month, probably in Kuwait.

The proposed mission "would contribute to sustaining the fragile political process recently relaunched by the special envoy," said Guterres in his proposal.

"This would provide important support for the special envoys efforts to facilitate an inclusive political process with the aim of reaching a negotiated settlement that will bring about a permanent end to the conflict in Yemen."

Once the council endorses the proposal, diplomats would begin negotiations on a draft resolution to formally establish the mission.

The United Nations has deployed a small team of about 16 international monitors to Yemen, led by Dutch general Patrick Cammaert, under a resolution adopted last month that backed the Stockholm agreement.

Story continues

The council is expected to take action before the mandate of that advance team expires on January 20. Cammaert would also head the new observer mission, according to the proposal.

The war between the Huthis and troops loyal to the government escalated in March 2015, when President Hadi fled to Saudi Arabia and the Riyadh-led coalition intervened.

The conflict has unleashed the world's worst humanitarian crisis, according to the UN, which says 14 million Yemenis are on the brink of famine.London (AFP) - Britain on Wednesday announced it would immediately end its policy of asking women rescued from forced marriages abroad to take out loans to cover the cost of helping them, following a backlash.

The practice came to light last week with reports that four British women who were freed from a punishment institution in Somalia were each charged 740 ($940, 820 euros).

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt revealed on Wednesday that "after careful consideration, I have decided that victims of forced marriage helped to return to the UK... will no longer be asked to take out a loan for their repatriation costs.

"Our treatment of vulnerable Britons abroad should always be guided by compassion, so I am glad to make this policy change," he added, in a letter sent to Tom Tugendhat, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Victims were reportedly told they had to fund their flight back to Britain, basic food and shelter costs.

Those who were aged over 18 and could not pay had to sign emergency loan agreements with the Foreign Office.

The ministry helped bring back 55 forced marriage victims in 2016 and 27 in 2017.

The four young women who were found in a "correctional school" in Somalia had been sent to the religious institution by their families and reported being chained to the walls and whipped with hosepipes.

Some had their legs shackled, spent days locked in a small box, were burned with hot sticks and forced to sit in their own urine unless they accepted a forced marriage, The Times said.

The Foreign Office and the Home Office interior ministry run the Forced Marriage Unit, which from 2009 to 2017 gave advice or support to nearly 12,800 people.

Since 2014, forced marriage has been a crime in Britain carrying a maximum seven-year prison sentence.

In the past two years, the Foreign Office has lent 7,765 to at least eight forced marriage victims who could not pay for their repatriation.

Around 3,000 has been repaid, although debts of more than 4,500 are outstanding.

News of the charges prompted criticism.

Yvette Cooper, who chairs parliament's Home Affairs Committee which scrutinises the interior ministry's work, said she was "completely appalled".Kampala (AFP) - Eight Ugandan security officers have been charged in a military court with abducting and illegally repatriating Rwandan asylum seekers to Kigali, a prosecutor said on Wednesday.

The men, among them a military colonel and seven police officers, are suspected of involvement in forcibly handing over former security officer Joel Mutabazi and his brother Jackson Kalemera to Kigali in 2013.

The two men had been granted asylum in Uganda and Human Rights Watch at the time accused the Kampala of having "utterly failed" to protect Mutabazi, who was at "serious risk" of persecution in his home country.

"The eight officers, one a military officer and seven police officers appeared before the general court martial and were charged with abducting and repatriating Rwandan asylum seekers from Uganda without authorisation," military prosecutor Major Raphael Magezi told AFP.

Arrested in June 2018, the eight were present at the court hearing, which took place on Tuesday, he said.

After being sent back to Kigali, Mutabazi -- who was formerly one of Rwandan President Paul Kagame's bodyguards -- was imprisoned on terrorism and murder charges and is currently serving a life sentence.

And his brother Kalemera disappeared after charges against him were dropped in 2015.

Opposition dissidents believe he was murdered.

Ugandan political scientist Mwambutsya Ndebesa told AFP the court case was a further sign of frosty relations between Uganda and Rwanda.

"It is a warning sign to Rwanda to stay away from meddling in Uganda's internal affairs," he said.

There have long been complex ties between the two countries, with Uganda hosting Rwandan refugees since an outbreak of ethnic violence in 1959 in which thousands of Tutsis were killed or fled the country.

One of those refugees was Kagame, who went on to serve as spy chief for Uganda's Yoweri Museveni before joining a rebel force which captured Kigali and ended the 1994 genocide in which 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis, were killed.

Ties between Kampala and Kigali soured during the war in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, with their two armies facing off in northeastern DRC in 2000.

In recent years, accusations of espionage by Uganda, and Rwandan claims Kampala is backing anti-Kagame rebel groups have further chilled ties.AUSTIN, Texas (AP)  President Donald Trump is heading to Texas to press for a border wall to end the government shutdown. But talk of the "crisis" he describes is notably faint in the Texas Legislature, where Republicans have long cast the border with Mexico as a dangerous threat.

On Tuesday, state lawmakers returned to work for the first time since 2017, when Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed one of the nation's toughest "sanctuary city" crackdowns and Texas spent nearly $1 billion on border security measures that included round-the-clock state trooper patrols in addition to a National Guard deployment.

But the first day of a new session arrived with Republicans, who control the Legislature and every statewide office, focusing on bread-and-butter home and budget issues such as paying for public schools and property taxes, instead of raising Trump-like alarms about the border and a wall.

It is a marked change in Texas from recent years, and comes as Trump hammers the border as an urgent national priority. GOP lawmakers say Texas has already done its part, while Democrats believe the shift reflects the Texas GOP changing course after its worst election in a generation. Republicans lost a dozen seats in the Texas House in November, propelled by former Congressman Beto O'Rourke's close finish against Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.

When Abbott welcomed back the Texas Senate with a five-minute speech Tuesday, the governor drilled down on his priorities of cutting taxes, overhauling public school funding and mental health. He made no mention of border security or immigration.

"It seems as though this session we are very focused on the needs of Texas. Focusing on the issues that I think resonate back home with our constituents," Republican Sen. Lois Kolkhorst said. She said that given what Texas has spent on border security, "we've been able to do all that we can as a state."

Republicans in Texas have hardly abandoned the president. The state's lieutenant governor, Republican Dan Patrick, missed the ceremonial first day of session because he was called to the White House to discuss "issues critical to Texas," according to Republican Sen. Jane Nelson. Patrick's trip came as Trump is set to visit the Texas border on Thursday, and like Trump, Patrick has supported a hard line on immigration as leader of the state Senate.

Story continues

Kolkhorst said she was pleased to see Trump taking a "very large stand" on the border. But, she said, Texas has done its part.

No state spends more money  or arguably attention  on issues surrounding immigration as Texas, which has the longest border with Mexico. Since 2015, the Legislature has spent nearly $2 billion on border security packages that were centerpieces of GOP agendas in past sessions. Democrats have criticized the threat as overblown, and some data the state has used to defend the mission has been questionable. An Associated Press analysis in 2016 found that child support evaders and drunken drivers were among thousands of arrests on the border the state classified as "high-threat criminals."

"I don't think you're going to hear that aggressive narrative because of the election results," Democrat state Rep. Rafael Anchia of Dallas said. "They knew they were being intellectually dishonest last time. But now it no longer is to their benefit. They were willing to do that because they understood the dynamics of a Republican primary."

Trump and other administration officials have said the situation at the border has reached a crisis point, both on national security and humanitarian grounds. Two children have died in border custody, and an influx of families is straining health care and immigration services for asylum-seekers. While the number of illegal border crossings is down from 1.6 million in 2000 to less than 400,000 last year, the number of families coming over the border has risen sharply, with many crossing over into Texas.

Trump's administration has been discussing the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow him to move forward with the wall without Congress approving the more than $5 billion he wants.

Texas-based Republican consultant Matt Mackowiak said previous Texas efforts on border security were in part a result of state Republicans clashing with the Obama administration and feeling they were being ignored.

"It's a different world now, with an administration that is taking border security seriously and responding to the state's requests," he said.

New Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen, a Republican who four years ago authored a sweeping border security bill, made no mention of similar measures in his opening remarks Tuesday.

"Our federal government is steeped in gridlock and partisanship. For Washington, politics has become more important than people," Bonnen said. "But unlike Washington, Texas stands apart. We lead the nation by doing things our way."

____

Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pauljweberGuatemala City (AFP) - Guatemala's top court on Wednesday overturned a decision by President Jimmy Morales to shut down a United Nations anti-corruption mission to the central American country.

The constitutional court ordered government authorities to tell staff and civil servants to cooperate with the UN mission.

The court's decision was agreed by four of its five magistrates, with only president Dina Ochoa opposing the move.

It is the latest twist in a saga that erupted last year when the UN's International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) made a joint request with the state prosecutor's office to lift Morales's presidential immunity as part of a probe into illegal campaign financing by his FCN-Nacion party.

Morales responded by saying he would not renew the CICIG's mission when it officially ends in September, and later tried unsuccessfully to block the mission's head, Ivan Velasquez, from entering the country.

Last week, Morales tried to block another CICIG investigator, Yinel Osorio from entering the country, but that was overturned by the courts.

On Monday, Guatemala's foreign minister Sandra Jovel told the UN that Morales had decided to unilaterally terminate the mission's mandate.

However, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres insisted Guatemala was legally obligated to maintain the mission, which began in 2006.

Dozens of people gathered in front of the court building in support of the four magistrates who suspended the closure.

The attorney general's office lashed out at the decision, accusing the four magistrates of committing serious errors of judgment and threatening an investigation.

Morales' government said it would analyze the ruling before making an official statement.

- Anti-Morales protests -

Meanwhile, a loose alliance of indigenous organizations, farmers and student groups announced street demonstrations against Morales next Monday.

The Constitutional Court urged Guatemalan authorities to instruct staff to cooperate with the CICIG.

Story continues

"The notification to public officials obliges them to comply with the ruling," the court said.

Morales had originally supported the CICIG and was elected president in 2015 on a promise of clean government after his predecessor Otto Perez was forced to step down after being charged with corruption.

Perez remains in pre-trial detention while his former vice-president Roxana Baldetti was sentenced to 15 years in October for embezzlement.

Morales grew hostile towards CICIG once it began probing the funding for his successful presidential bid.

CICIG and state prosecutors have presented evidence that Morales's FCN-Nacion party failed to report nearly $1 million in financing to electoral authorities.

It's not just Morales who is in the CICIG's sights, though. His son and brother were charged with tax evasion and money laundering in 2016.SAN FRANCISCO  California billionaire and progressive activist Tom Steyer will travel to Iowa on Wednesday to disclose whether he will run for president in 2020, but unlike other potential Democratic candidates, he is outspoken in his belief that President Trump must be impeached and removed, rather than just voted out of office.

I think that he is the most corrupt president in American history, Steyer said of Trump in an interview Tuesday with Yahoo News. He is very destructive to our country and to the American people. Getting rid of him is a statement that we believe in the rule of law and in civil society.

A group founded by Steyer in October 2017, Need to Impeach, is airing television ads in early-primary and caucus states, including Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, trying to persuade legislators to remove Trump from office, despite the potential for social and political upheaval. To date, Need to Impeachs website has gathered more than 6.5 million signatures in support of that goal.

No one wants this, Steyer, 61, said of what he sees as the imperative of forcing Trump from office. It isnt based on policy distinctions, this is based on the idea that he is corrupt, that he is a threat to the country, that he has both met the criteria to be impeached, clearly and overwhelmingly, but also that its urgent to get him out of office because hes so destructive to the country.

Billionaire Tom Steyer speaks at the Need to Impeach town hall event March 16, 2018, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

A former hedge fund manager and the founder of the investment firm Farallon Capital Management, Steyer pledged in 2010 to donate at least half of his wealth to charity. Two years later, he turned away from the private sector to devote himself to promoting environmental causes. In the 2018 midterms, he spent roughly $120 million in support of Democratic candidates and on an ambitious campaign to register millions of young voters across the country and motivate them to go to the polls.

While Steyers efforts may have helped Democrats take back the House of Representatives, a presidential run, if he undertakes one, would face steep odds.

Story continues

In a CNN poll of likely candidates in early December, he received 0 percent support.

Since then, Steyer has worked to lay out a platform for a post-Trump era, his 5 Steps for restoring American democracy. They include: the right to an equal vote, the right to clean air and clean water, the right to a free quality public education, the right to earn a living wage and the right to universal health care.

The problem for Steyer is that the Democratic Party has skewed left over the past few presidential cycles, making his ideas feel less unique in a field that will likely include liberal heavyweights such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., Sen. Bernie Sanders, the Vermont independent, and former Vice President Joe Biden.

At least in the state of California, there are two distinct wings of the Democratic Party, the progressive and the moderate, and I think Im on the progressive side, no question about it, Steyer told Yahoo News. I have a very clear conception in my head about what I think the role of government and civil society is, and what the role of the private sector is.

Like Warren, Steyer says he isnt opposed to capitalism, but he bemoans the turn American democracy took in the 1980s under Ronald Reagan, who he says regularly portrayed government as inefficient and corrupt.

Theres been a hostile corporate takeover of our government, Steyer said. In fact, the values and priorities of this society should be set by the government, because we have an elected government so it represents the will of the people. The idea that the private sector and corporations could subvert that function and make the government act according to corporate needs is a breakdown in civil society.

Steyer at the Need to Impeach town hall event March 16, 2018, in Cincinnati (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

Before any Democrat lands in the White House, he or she must figure out a way to get past Trump. Even if he doesnt end up running, Steyer believes Americans shouldnt wait for Robert Muellers report on the Trump campaigns ties to Russia in the 2016 presidential election, nor for the electorate to vote him out in 2020. The damage Trump is inflicting on the country justifies immediate action, Steyer said.

Right now, just as an example on the urgency question, he is holding America hostage, to try to fulfill an extremely expensive and foolish campaign promise that even the Republicans dont support, Steyer said. His answer is, basically, Im going to make Americans suffer until you give in to me because I want it, even though no one else thinks its intelligent.

For the moment, Steyer is the only potential Democratic presidential candidate pushing to impeach Trump. While Need to Impeachs website continues to rack up signatures (and bank email addresses that would be invaluable to Steyer or any other candidate), the real test for Steyer will be whether he can convince voters that his other ideas are worth a look.

I view this as at least a two-step process. All of the things Im talking about, the whole positive message that has to replace this intellectually and morally bankrupt vision that were working off, is predicated on getting rid of this president.

_____

Read more from Yahoo News:





See our 2018 year-end features >>>Beirut (AFP) - Syria's Kurds on Wednesday said they had captured eight alleged foreign jihadists including an American teenager in fighting against the Islamic State group.

The eight, detained on Sunday and Monday, include a 16-year-old American as well as a German and a Russian, the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) said in a statement.

Two are from Uzbekistan. The others are from Tajikistan, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.

The YPG has spearheaded the battle against IS in eastern Syria, where they are close to flushing out the jihadists from their last pocket near the Iraqi border.

They are the largest component in the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who are backed by the US-led coalition against IS.

The YPG published mugshots of the eight alleged foreign jihadist fighters, and gave the following names:

- Adil Rahimov, 58, Uzbekistan

- Farhad Qaderov, 28, Uzbekistan

- Mohammad Dawlat, 22, Tajikistan

- Askar Zarmanbetov, 27, Ukraine

- Sattibek Oshibaev, 30, Kazakhstan

- Bimuraev Begjan, 30, Russia

- Lucas Glass, 31, Germany

The name of the American teenager was withheld by AFP as he is a minor.

The announcement comes after the SDF on Monday said they had captured two Americans among five alleged foreign jihadists on December 30.

The Kurds in northeastern Syria say they hold around 1,000 foreign jihadist fighters, as well as 550 foreign women and 1,200 children who lived with them.

They are from dozens of different nationalities and include a significant contingent from France, the main US partner in the coalition assisting Kurdish forces.

The numbers of US jihadists held by the Kurds are believed to be small.

The SDF, backed by coalition air strikes, in September launched an offensive to oust IS from the last rump of the once-sprawling "caliphate" it proclaimed in 2014.

The Kurdish-led forces have since advanced slowly, but jihadists are clinging to a handful of villages on the eastern banks of the Euphrates River.Suspicious packages were sent to more than a dozen foreign embassies and consulates in major Australian cities on Wednesday in a seemingly orchestrated but scattershot campaign.

Emergency services raced to a string of diplomatic facilities which had received packages containing suspected hazardous material, all within the space of a few hours.

There was no obvious pattern to countries targeted, with consulates of the United States, China, Italy, India, Japan and New Zealand suffering scares.

The packages were not believed to be dangerous, but police, fire crews and forensic teams were urged to use breathing apparatus as they documented and double- or triple-bagged the materials for further testing.

Victoria Police said there was no threat to the public: "At this time we believe the matter is targeted and not impacting the general community."

Most of the sites -- also including locations near the Spanish, Swiss, Egyptian and Pakistani consulates -- were evacuated as a precaution but have since been declared safe.

A British High Commission spokesperson said its consulate general in Melbourne had been targeted, but "all our staff are safe and accounted for".

The US consulate in the city said it had also received a "suspicious" package, which a spokesperson said was handled in coordination with police and the fire service.

Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs said it had sent a note to all diplomatic missions in the capital on Tuesday, "alerting them to the possibility of suspicious packages being delivered by mail".

That warning was triggered after three earlier incidents at offices in Sydney and Canberra.

Local media on Monday reported that the Argentine consulate in Sydney had received a package containing white powder. It did not test positive for toxins.BANGKOK (AP)  A Saudi woman who fled her family, alleging abuse, moved a step closer Wednesday to her goal of gaining asylum in Australia after a U.N. agency granted her refugee status.

The Australian government said it was considering Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun for refugee resettlement, in a case that has advanced rapidly since the weekend when the 18-year-old barricaded herself in an airport hotel in Thailand and publicized her case on social media.

Alqunun arrived in Bangkok on a flight from Kuwait on Saturday, and planned to continue to Australia, where she held a tourist visa. But after being detained by Thai authorities, she refused to board a flight back to Kuwait.

After grabbing worldwide attention with dramatic posts on social media in which she said she feared for her safety if made to return home to her family, Alqunun eventually was placed in the care of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees as her bid for refugee status was considered.

Alqunun's father denied physically abusing her or trying to force her into an arranged marriage, among the reasons she gave for her flight, Thailand's Immigration Police chief said after meeting him Wednesday.

The father, whose name was not released and who was not seen by reporters, said he wants his daughter back but respects her decision, police Lt. Gen. Surachate Hakparn said. He described the man as being a governor in Saudi Arabia.

"He has 10 children. He said the daughter might feel neglected sometimes," Surachate said. "But he didn't go into detail."

Alqunun refused to meet with her father, who arrived in the Thai capital on Tuesday. She had said in her online postings that she was afraid of such an encounter.

Alqunun arrived in Bangkok from Kuwait late Saturday, but was stopped from proceeding to her planned destination of Australia. After mounting a campaign for assistance on Twitter, she was allowed to temporarily stay in Thailand under the care of the U.N.'s refugee agency, which ruled her claim for asylum valid.

Story continues

Australia's Home Affairs Department said it would "consider this referral in the usual way, as it does with all UNHCR referrals."

Indications from Canberra suggest Alqunun may receive a sympathetic hearing.

"If she is found to be a refugee, then we will give very, very, very serious consideration to a humanitarian visa," Health Minister Greg Hunt told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. before the UNHCR's referral.

The case has highlighted the cause of women's rights in Saudi Arabia. Several female Saudis fleeing abuse by their families have been caught trying to seek asylum abroad in recent years and returned home. Human rights activists say many more similar cases will have gone unreported.

The influence of the Internet on Alqunun's case was noted by several human rights advocates.

The representative in Australia of Human Rights Watch, Elaine Pearson, said it was encouraging that Alqunun was able to highlight her situation using social media, and she hoped more Saudi women might act similarly.

"The unique thing about this case is that she had access to social media, and was able to report on it and bring the world's attention to her plight," said Pearson. "I think there are many cases like this that go unreported."

A similar point was made by UNHCR spokesman Babar Baloch, who said that what was different in Alqunun's case was that "the wave of all of the voices of solidarity and support came together, joined up in terms of caring for this individual."

Surachate discussed Alqunun's situation on Tuesday with Saudi Charge d'Affaires in Thailand Abdalelah Mohammed A. Alsheaiby. In a video clip of the meeting released by Thai immigration police, Alsheaiby is heard telling Thai officials: "From the moment she arrived, she opened a new account and her followers reached almost 45,000 in a day . and I would have preferred it better if her phone was taken instead of her passport."

The comments sparked anger on social media. Surachate said that police could not confiscate her phone because she was not being detained and said that the Saudi diplomat's remark was "just an opinion" and "nothing to be taken seriously."

A Tuesday statement from the Saudi Embassy in Thailand denied interfering in Alqunun's case, and said it was only monitoring her situation. Describing her case as a "family affair," it said Saudi officials had neither seized her passport  as Alqunun had claimed several times  nor demanded her deportation back home.

The embassy and Thai officials earlier said that Alqunun was stopped by Thai authorities because she did not have a return ticket, a hotel reservation or itinerary to show she was a tourist, which appeared to have raised a red flag about the reasons for her trip.

Saudi Arabia's wider human rights record has come under intense scrutiny since the killing of Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi in October. Khashoggi, who wrote critically of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in columns for The Washington Post, had been living in self-imposed exile before Saudi agents killed and dismembered him inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.

The kingdom offered various shifting accounts of the circumstances of his death before eventually settling on the explanation that he died in a botched operation to forcibly bring him back to Saudi Arabia.

___

Marshallsea reported from Sydney. Associated Press writer Jamey Keaten contributed to this report from Geneva.

___

This story has been corrected to show the rank of Thailand's immigration chief is lieutenant general.Riyadh (AFP) - Six suspects wanted over unrest in Saudi Arabia's Shiite minority stronghold of Qatif were killed in a police raid this week, the kingdom's secret service said Wednesday.

One person was lightly wounded and arrested in the "preemptive" raid on "terrorists" holed up in a house in the eastern town of Jish on Monday, a statement carried by the official Saudi Press Agency said.

Five officers were wounded in the operation, which the statement said had foiled a planned attack on infrastructure development in the Eastern Province, which includes Qatif.

Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province has seen bouts of unrest since 2011 when protesters emboldened by the Arab Spring took to the streets demanding an end to what they say is discrimination by the Sunni-dominated government.

One of the leaders of the protest movement, Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, was executed in 2016 on a terrorism indictment.

Nimr's execution exacerbated sectarian tension both across the Gulf and with Saudi Arabia's main regional rival, Shiite Iran.

Saudi authorities in 2017 seized control of a restive district of Awamiya, a town in the Qatif region that had been a protest hub.

Human Rights Watch said at the time it had satellite evidence showing Saudi security forces had completely "surrounded and sealed off" the town.

Saudi authorities have blamed "terrorists" and drug traffickers for the deadly unrest in Awamiya.

The Shiite community is estimated to make up between 10 and 15 percent of the kingdom's population of 32 million, but the government has released no official statistics.

The government denies discrimination against Shiites.Reuters

A 76-year-old man who had 39 wives and 94 children and was said to be the head of the world's largest family has died in north east India, the chief minister of his home state said. Ziona Chana, the head of a local Christian sect that allows polygamy, died on Sunday, Zoramthanga, the chief minister of Mizoram and who goes by one name, said in a tweet. With a total of 167 members, the family is the world's largest, according to local media, although this depends on whether you count the grandchildren, of whom Ziona has 33.Moscow (AFP) - Russia on Wednesday accused Japan of whipping up tensions ahead of a planned visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for talks with President Vladimir Putin on formally ending World War II hostilities.

Russia and Japan have never signed a peace treaty due to their territorial dispute over four islands invaded by the Soviet Union in the final days of the war.

Russia calls the islands the Kurils and Japan calls them its Northern Territories.

Russia's foreign ministry said it had invited Japanese Ambassador Toyohisa Kozuki and told him it viewed recent statements by Tokyo as "an attempt to artificially stir up the atmosphere" over the issue of the peace treaty.

The ministry cited statements about the need to prepare residents for the islands' handover to Japan and about dropping a demand for Russia to pay compensation to the islands' former Japanese residents, as well as Abe saying that 2019 would bring a breakthrough over the peace treaty.

"Such statements flagrantly distort the essence of the agreements between Japanese and Russian leaders to accelerate the talks progress" and "disorientate" members of the public in both countries, the ministry said.

It said Japan was attempting to "force its own scenario" on Russia of how the talks could resolve the issue of the peace treaty.

Russia's position on the Kurils remains unchanged that Japan must accept the outcome of World War II including Russia's sovereignty over the disputed islands, the ministry stressed.

Russia has military bases on the archipelago and has deployed missile systems on the islands.

The angry statement came as Abe is set to visit Russia around January 21 for talks with Putin on the peace treaty, according to Russian news agencies.

Putin and Abe last met in November and agreed to accelerate talks to formally end World War II hostilities, taking a Soviet-era joint declaration as their starting point.Cairo (AFP) - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday Turkey had committed to protecting Washington's Kurdish allies fighting jihadists, during a surprise visit to Iraq to soothe concerns over the US troop withdrawal from Syria.

The remarks by US President Donald Trump's top diplomat, on a whistle-stop tour of the Middle East, follow tensions between Washington and Ankara over the Kurds' fate.

Turkey reacted angrily to suggestions that Trump's plan to pull troops from Syria was conditional on the safety of US-backed Kurdish fighters who it considers terrorists.

But Pompeo, speaking in the Iraqi Kurdish regional capital Arbil, said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had given assurances over the Syrian Kurds and the US withdrawal plan was intact.

"It's important that we do everything we can to make sure that those folks that fought with us are protected and Erdogan has made commitments, he understands that," Pompeo told reporters.

"He (Erdogan) talked about terrorists being an existential threat, we acknowledged that there is a threat to Turkey from terrorists and we will be very supportive."

Before meeting officials in Iraqi Kurdistan -- whose forces have also been key allies in the fight against IS -- Pompeo visited Baghdad where he sought to reassure Iraqi officials that Washington remained committed to fighting the Islamic State group.

He arrived in Cairo on Wednesday evening. His longest trip since taking office last year is also set to take him to the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, including regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia.

- 'Significant threats' -

Pompeo's unannounced visit to Iraq comes less than two weeks after Trump drew criticism for failing to meet a single Iraqi official during a surprise Christmas trip to US troops at an air base in the west of the country.

Washington's top diplomat is in the Middle East to urge allies to continue to confront the "significant threats" posed by Iran and jihadists despite Trump's shock decision last month to pull all US troops from Syria.

Story continues

In Baghdad, Pompeo met several senior officials including Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi and President Barham Saleh.

He underlined "US support for the new Iraqi government's efforts to deliver stability, security and prosperity to all Iraqis," a US official said.

Pompeo also "discussed the recent territorial defeat of ISIS in Syria and the continuation of our cooperation with Iraqi Security Forces to ensure ISIS's lasting defeat throughout the region."

Saleh said that Baghdad wanted Washington to remain engaged.

"We will need the support of the US," he said, expressing "gratitude to the US for support over the years".

"ISIS is defeated militarily, but (the) mission is not accomplished," Saleh added, using an alternative acronym for IS.

- Rowing back -

Trump used his lightning December 26 visit to Iraq -- his first to US troops in a conflict zone since being elected -- to defend his Syria withdrawal plans and declare an end to America's role as the global "policeman".

He caused a political storm when he announced the troop pullout, claiming IS had been defeated despite continued deadly fighting between US-backed forces and the jihadists in eastern Syria.

Trump has since rowed back, vowing the withdrawal will be done in a "prudent" way.

Members of his administration have gone further, saying that the timeline of any pullout remains dependent on events on the ground.

There are many in Iraq, particularly pro-Iran factions, who would like an accelerated timetable for a US withdrawal from Iraq too.

But Trump has stressed that he expects US troops to remain in Iraq, from where they can carry out operations in neighbouring Syria if necessary.

Iraq declared victory over IS in December 2017, but the jihadists retain a network of sleeper cells in major cities and continue to conduct hit-and-run attacks from mountain or desert hideouts.

On Tuesday, a car bomb killed two people in the city of Tikrit, north of the capital, police said.

The Trump administration's insistence on treating Tehran as a threat as big or even bigger than IS also poses major difficulties for Iraq.

Since the 2003 US-led invasion, Tehran has become a political force in Iraq with influence rivalling that of Washington.

Iran too provided support for Iraq's fightback against the jihadists after they advanced to within striking distance of the capital in 2014.

And Iraq has developed a dependency on imports from its eastern neighbour that is difficult to break.

Washington has granted Baghdad waivers from the crippling unilateral sanctions it reimposed on Tehran last year after Trump pulled out of the landmark 2015 nuclear deal agreed by his predecessor Barack Obama.

Pompeo and the Iraqi prime minister discussed on Wednesday "US support for Iraq's energy independence," the US official said.Warsaw (AFP) - Already desperately short of workers, Polish businesses are worried that hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians on whom they have come to rely may be tempted by higher wages further west as neighbouring Germany opens its doors.

"The panic is affecting mainly businesses in the farming and construction sectors relying on Ukrainian workers," Krzysztof Inglot, head of the Personnel Service employment agency, told AFP.

"People are often illegally employed in these sectors and these workers will go to Germany," said Inglot, whose agency recruited 9,000 Ukrainians on behalf of Polish employers.

"But for those who are legally employed in Poland, there will be less incentive to move given the higher cost of living in Germany," he added.

With many working for a few months and then going home, it is difficult to pin down exactly how many Ukrainians work in Poland, but cautious estimates suggest more than a million.

They fill a yawning labour gap that emerged when some two million Poles sought better-paid jobs in western Europe, mainly Britain and Germany, after their country joined the EU in 2004.

Poland's Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (ZPP) first sounded the alarm about a possible fresh labour exodus in November when it got wind of German moves to open the job market of the EU's largest economy to non-EU nationals.

Eagerly anticipated by German business groups, the draft legislation aims to attract from abroad skilled vocational workers with German language skills and promises them eased visa procedures and reduced red tape.

Those looking jobs such as cooks, metallurgy workers or IT technicians would be allowed to come for six months to try and find employment, provided they can financially support themselves.

The Bundestag is expected to consider the legislation later this year.

Official statistics show that around 140,000 Ukrainians currently work in Germany, although the real number is likely higher as those who have obtained Polish visas can cross into Germany, where salaries can be up to three times higher depending on the type of job.

Story continues

- Worst-case scenario -

With their workforces ageing, Poland and Germany are competing to fill labour gaps experts believe are bound to grow in the coming decades.

Poland has experienced expansion each year since it shed communism in 1989 and is one of the EU's fastest growing economies.

While its right-wing PiS government forecasts a 3.8 percent growth in 2018, international institutions like the OECD are more bullish, predicting 5.2 percent but warn that a labour crunch could slow that to 3.3 percent by 2020.

But according to a worst-case scenario set forth by Polish employers, Poland's GDP could decline by an estimated 1.6 percent should half a million Ukrainian workers leave.

Germany currently has 1.2 million vacancies on its labour market.

The nation of 81 million people is expected to need 12 million new workers over the next three decades.

The ZPP employers association estimates Poland, which currently has a population of 38 million, will need five million migrant workers by 2050.

- Citizenship -

For many Ukrainians, working abroad has become a lifeline.

Living standards in Ukraine are well below that of its western neighbours and the nation is struggling with the economic and social fallout of an armed separatist conflict in its east.

Officials estimate 3.2 million of the country's 45 million population have permanent jobs abroad while seven to nine million find work on a seasonal basis.

They sent about $12 billion (10 billion euros) back home to their families last year, according to Sergei Fursa, a Ukrainian economist working for Dragon Capital investments.

Poland is a popular destination for Ukrainians seeking work abroad because it is close and has a similar culture and language.

"Poland is our first natural destination," Igor, a bicycle mechanic who has been working in Warsaw for four years, told AFP.

"The language is easier for us than German or English, it's closer to home, we can make friends easily."

But higher wages are tempting many to leave.

Nearly 40 percent of Ukrainians working in Poland said they are considering seeking work in Western Europe, according to a survey by the OTTO Work Force employment agency quoted by Poland's Rzeczpospolita daily.

To avert a possible exodus, the ZPP wants the government to streamline procedures for hiring foreigners, to offer them permanent residence and even a path to citizenship.

Poland is slated to extend work visas from the current six months to a full year, Inglot said, adding that he hopes for a further extension to 18 months.

Similar measures are being prepared or have already been adopted in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, two smaller EU economies that are reliant on car production and are also facing shortfalls of workers.Lima (AFP) - Peru's under-fire attorney general Pedro Chavarry resigned on Tuesday amid allegations he sought to derail a massive corruption probe involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.

Chavarry, who has repeatedly clashed with President Martin Vizcarra since his appointment in July, was immediately replaced by Zoraida Avalos, who will take over for 60 days before a new attorney general is elected.

"I declare a state of emergency at the public prosecutions office, with the purpose of recovering the trust of the citizens in our institution," Avalos said.

Among her priorities will be "supporting specialized prosecutors" investigating the Odebrecht scandals, she said, adding that she had taken over the job "in difficult and complex circumstances."

Chavarry was accused of obstructing investigations into alleged Odebrecht bribery payments to top politicians by dismissing two key prosecutors investigating the case.

He was forced to reinstate them after the dismissals sparked street protests in the capital Lima and other cities last week.

But investigators then turned their attention to Chavarry himself for alleged influence peddling and aiding criminal organizations.

The street protests have also been driven by Chavarry's alleged links to a judicial corruption ring which came to light shortly after he took up his position.

"If I am the pretext for continuing these illegal acts against the institution that I represent as the nation's prosecutor, I have decided, out of respect for my institution, the love of God and my family, to step aside," Chavarry said in a letter of resignation.

Vizcarra has made the fight against corruption one of his main priorities since taking over as president in March 2018, and has called on parliament to back an emergency overhaul of the attorney general's office.

Brazil's Odebrecht has acknowledged being at the center of a massive graft scandal, handing out more than $750 million in bribes across 12 mostly Latin American countries to secure infrastructure contracts -- $29 million in Peru alone.

Peru's last four presidents -- Alejandro Toledo, Alan Garcia, Ollanta Humala and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski -- have been linked to illicit Odebrecht payments.

All four are under investigation, while Toledo, currently living in the United States, has been formally charged with taking a $20 million Odebrecht bribe.LIMA (Reuters) - Peru's new Attorney General Zoraida Avalos on Tuesday criticized legislation proposed by President Martin Vizcarra to revamp the prosecutors office, warning it would violate the institution's constitutionally-protected autonomy. Avalos said she would send Congress her own bill to shore up trust in the prosecutors' office following a public outcry over her predecessor's attempt to remove two leading prosecutors from a far-reaching bribery probe last week. Her comments echoed critics who have accused Vizcarra of overreach as he pushes policies aimed at uprooting entrenched corruption in one of Latin America's fastest-growing economies. Vizcarra proposed the legislation, which would restructure the leadership in the public prosecutors' office, after the former attorney general, Pedro Chavarry, initially refused to resign despite mounting pressure and protests last week. Chavarry ended up stepping down on Tuesday, portraying himself as a victim of a media campaign to malign him. "I understand this bill was proposed due to the crisis we were in," Avalos told journalists after taking office. "But I think it's clear it's a bill that does, in a way, violate the constitutional structure or constitutional design of the prosecutors' office." Vizcarra's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A former vice president, Vizcarra has made fighting corruption the centerpiece of his government since taking office last year to replace Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who stepped down in one of several graft scandals to grip Peru in recent years. Vizcarra had repeatedly called for Chavarry to resign, but lacked the authority to dismiss him directly. Under Peru's constitution, only Congress, where Chavarry enjoyed support with the opposition majority, can oust the attorney general. Avalos had also called for Chavarry to resign. After taking office to replace him, she promised full support for prosecutors investigating corruption. The prosecutors -Rafael Vela and Jose Domingo Perez - have become pivotal figures in the Odebrecht investigation. They recently drew up a plea deal that commits the company to providing evidence on about $30 million in bribes it acknowledges it paid to local politicians. Odebrecht is at the center of the "Car Wash" investigation in Brazil, which has rippled across Latin America and which U.S. prosecutors have said is the biggest political graft scheme ever uncovered. In late 2016, Odebrecht acknowledged it had paid millions of dollars in bribes to officials in a dozen countries to secure public works contracts dating back over a decade. The company has committed to paying billions of dollars in fines. (Reporting by Marco Aquino and Mitra Taj, editing by Andrew Heavens, Dan Grebler and DIane Craft)Lagos (AFP) - Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes in northeast Nigeria after an increase in violence in the Boko Haram conflict, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

"More than 30,000 internally displaced people (IDPs) have arrived in Maiduguri, mainly from Baga, in recent weeks," said the UN's humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon.

Baga, on the shores of Lake Chad, has been repeatedly hit in the nine-year conflict, which has killed more than 27,000, left 1.8 million people homeless and triggered a humanitarian crisis.

Fighters from the self-styled Islamic State West Africa Province faction of Boko Haram overran two military bases in and around the fishing town on late December.

Kallon said fighting on December 26 triggered a "massive displacement" of civilians, with men, women and children flocking to already overcrowded camps in Monguno and Maiduguri.

Monguno is a garrison town 65 kilometres (40 miles) southwest of Baga while the Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, is 200 kilometres away on the same road.

Both are considered key prizes for the jihadists, who have increased their attacks on military bases and soldiers since July last year.

A second attack on Monguno on December 28 forced IDPs to Maiduguri. Some 20,000 arrived at one camp, Teachers Village, stretching its capacity beyond the limit.

Kallon said it was unclear how many remained in Monguno but "tens of thousands of people are in need of humanitarian assistance, notably shelter, food, water and sanitation.

"The impact of the recent fighting on innocent civilians is devastating and has created a humanitarian tragedy," he added.

Local and international aid agencies have been providing life-saving assistance to IDPs for several years in the remote region, which has been devastated by the fighting.

But since November, some 260 aid workers have had to withdraw from three local government areas in northern Borno near Lake Chad where ISWAP are known to operate.

Story continues

Kallon said "hundreds of thousands of people" had been affected and the withdrawal was the largest since the international response was increased in 2016.

- Election issue -

Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari said in December 2015 that Boko Haram was "technically defeated" after a sustained counter-insurgency by Nigerian and regional troops.

Tens of thousands of IDPs who had previously fled to Maiduguri have in the last year been encouraged to leave after the authorities maintained it was safe to return home.

On Wednesday Buhari acknowledged setbacks, including "battle fatigue" among soldiers from a persistent wave of guerrilla style hit-and-run tactics and suicide bombings.

Buhari was elected in 2015 on a promise to end the conflict and security has again become a major election issue as he seeks a second term of office at polls next month.

Troops on the ground have increasingly complained about conditions, including a lack of relief and support, as well as equipment to fight the better-armed militants.

But the army has repeatedly -- and often angrily -- played down reports of heavy military casualties and that the insurgents are once again resurgent.

Media organisations have been threatened with legal action for publishing non-official information.

On December 14, the military said it had suspended the UN children's fund UNICEF from operating in the northeast because it was training "spies" supporting Boko Haram.

The ban was later withdrawn. But senior commanders later threatened Amnesty International with closure, accusing it of fabricating reports about human rights abuses in the conflict.

On Sunday, soldiers raided the offices of Nigeria's Daily Trust newspaper in Maiduguri, Abuja and Lagos after a front-page report that troops were preparing to retake Baga.

Two reporters were detained and later released after an outcry from press freedom and human rights watchdogs.

Information minister Lai Mohammed on Tuesday said the government was "not about to gag the press", after comparisons were made to media harassment during decades of military rule.

But he said there needed to be "restraint and... more responsibility in reporting the insurgency".Mexico City (AFP) - Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who is waging a major crack-down on fuel theft, announced Tuesday an investigation into the former security chief of state oil company Pemex.

Army general Eduardo Leon Trauwitz, the man who was charged with fighting the large-scale tapping of Pemex's pipelines by Mexican gangs, is under investigation for involvement in the multi-billion-dollar criminal industry he was supposed to fight.

"He's on a list of people who are being investigated in relation to this, although there is nothing definitive yet," Lopez Obrador told a press conference.

Fuel-theft gangs have turned illegal taps of Pemex's oil and gas pipelines into a massive black-market industry that cost the country an estimated $3 billion last year -- a problem Lopez Obrador has vowed to fight head-on.

However, his crackdown sparked a backlash this week as tighter controls on fuel deliveries led to shortages at service stations and stoked widespread anger among consumers.

Long lines have formed in Mexico City and several central states as gas stations have closed or limited customers to purchases of 10 liters (about two and a half gallons) because of short supplies.

Lopez Obrador, an anti-establishment leftist who took office last month, says the shortages happened because his government ordered Pemex's pipelines closed in a bid to crack down on illegal taps, known in Mexico as "huachicol," or moonshining.

Pemex has instead been shipping fuel in tanker trucks, which is much slower than pipelines.

The government has meanwhile deployed the military to escort fuel shipments and guard Pemex production facilities, inspecting workers as they enter and exit.

Fuel theft has ballooned in Mexico in recent years, from 186 pipeline thefts in 2012 to 10,363 in 2017, according to Pemex.

"We are going to restore the supply to normal and at the same time guarantee that no one is stealing fuel," Lopez Obrador vowed Monday.

Trauwitz was Pemex security chief under former president Enrique Pena Nieto (2012-2018), whom he had previously served as a bodyguard.Valletta (AFP) - Nearly 50 migrants stranded at sea for weeks aboard two rescue ships arrived in Malta on Wednesday after the island nation reached a deal with other EU member states, ending a standoff that rights groups branded "shameful".

"An ad hoc agreement has been reached," Malta Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told journalists, adding that the deal also included a decision on the fate of 249 rescued migrants already on the island.

The 49 migrants, including a baby and several children, were rescued by two boats on December 22 and 29 while attempting the dangerous Mediterranean crossing from North Africa to Europe.

But with no country allowing them to dock, they were left stranded off the coast of Malta, suffering sea sickness and dehydration, with some briefly refusing food and an onboard doctor warning of psychological stress.

There were ecstatic cheers on board the Sea-Watch 3 when a crew member told them "we have a safe port, it's over", according to a video tweeted by the German NGO Sea Watch International.

The migrants arrived in Malta on Wednesday afternoon after being transferred from the Sea-Watch 3 and Dutch-flagged Albrecht Penck ships to Maltese coastguard vessels.

Muscat said that of the total of 298 migrants, 176 would be sent to Germany, France, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Italy.

Another 78 will be allowed to stay in Malta, and 44 Bangladeshi migrants will be sent back to their country.

- 'Not Europe's finest hour' -

Those pulled to safety by the two rescue ships had been unable to disembark because of a diplomatic deadlock among EU member states, despite an appeal by Pope Francis on Sunday.

"The past weeks have not been Europe's finest hour... If human values and solidarity are not upheld, then it is not Europe," said EU migration commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos.

Amnesty International's Southern Europe researcher Elisa De Pieri said the time taken to reach a decision on the migrants' fate was "shameful".

Story continues

"The dangerous, unseemly spectacle of politicians bickering whilst women, men and children are stranded in a sea of cruel indifference, must not be repeated," she said.

"The Italian and Maltese authorities have brazenly undermined the search and rescue system and used people as pawns to negotiate migration policies."

Muscat, who has previously complained that his country has to bear an unfair share of migrant numbers, insisted Malta had "never closed its ports and it is still a safe port".

- 'Confession of state failure' -

Sea Watch International welcomed that "the EU decided to release their 49 hostages. After 19 days at sea, our guests will finally reach a safe port."

"This represents a confession of state failure, policy must not be made at the expense of people in distress," the NGO said.

"We want to express our gratitude to... all cities, federal states and provinces that declared their ports open and their willingness to welcome people."

But Muscat issued a warning to future rescuers: "I reiterate, as I did before, that this case shall not act as a precedent."

Migrants rescued by ships have frequently been left in limbo since Italy's populist anti-immigration government began turning them away last summer.

Since coming to power more than six months ago, the Italian government has also been demanding greater solidarity from reluctant fellow EU states.

But EU members have failed to agree on a permanent mechanism to relocate migrants who reach Europe's shores, even though arrivals have dropped sharply since a peak more than three years ago.

Following Wednesday's deal, Italy's far-right Interior Minister Matteo Salvini accused the European Commission of "facilitating the work of smugglers and NGOs".

"I am and will remain absolutely against new arrivals in Italy... Giving in to the pressures and threats of Europe and NGOs is a sign of weakness."

Some 113,482 migrants crossed the Mediterranean to reach Europe last year, according to the UN refugee agency, which said 2,262 people lost their lives or went missing making the perilous journey.Skopje (AFP) - Macedonian lawmakers gather from Wednesday to vote on changing their country's name to settle a decades-long dispute with Greece and open the way to NATO and EU membership.

But the switch to "the Republic of North Macedonia" is an uphill task involving four constitutional amendments and the support of two thirds of the 120-member parliament.

The Social Democrat-led ruling coalition does not itself have those numbers. But if the change does go through, Athens has promised to lift its veto on Skopje's attempts to join NATO and the European Union.

Greece has blocked that path since Macedonia broke away from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 because, it says, the name Macedonia should apply solely to its own northern province.

For the Greeks, Macedonia evokes national pride as the cradle of Alexander the Great's ancient empire, a heritage that they guard jealously.

But Macedonian nationalists denouncing the name change as a surrender to Greek pressure have called a protest rally Wednesday.

Leading figures in the opposition rightwing VMRO-DPMNE party, which was in power until 2017, are fighting the change in parliament and at street rallies.

- An amnesty sweetener -

Although Macedonia's consultative referendum in September backed the name change by 90 percent, critics dismissed the results as invalid given that more than two thirds of voters stayed away.

Zoran Zaev, Macedonia's social democrat prime minister, does not have the two-thirds parliamentary majority required to get the name-change through -- even with the support of his allies in the ethnic-Albanian parties.

They need some deputies from the VMRO-DPMNE to break ranks and back them, as happened at the parliamentary vote that launched the process in November.

On that occasion, they released three nationalist deputies jailed for their part in an April 2017 brawl in parliament, when several deputies, including Zaev, were assaulted.

In December, the government sweetened the pill further, passing an amnesty law over the protests. Of the 25 people to benefit so far, four have been VMRO-DPMNE deputies.

Story continues

But even if the Macedonia approves the name change, it still needs to be cleared by the Greek parliament.

Zaev brokered the deal with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, but Tsipras too only has a fragile parliamentary majority, with 153 deputies in the 300-seat parliament.

To complicate matters further, coalition partner Defence Minister Panos Kammenos, the leader of a smaller party, opposes the deal and is threatening to resign.

- 'The Hardliners' -

While most deputies in Macedonia's VMRO-DPMNE are dead set against the name change, the party was shaken by the defections of some of their members in the November vote.

And they are still recovering from the dramatic fall of their former leader, Nikola Gruevski, a vocal opponent of Zaev's deal with Greece.

Former prime minister Gruevski fled Macedonia in November to escape a two-year prison sentence for abuse of power, winning asylum in Hungary.

Macedonia's rightwing president, Gjorge Ivanov, has been a vocal opponent of the proposed name change and continues to speak out against it.

But the Macedonian constitutions stipulates that if the measure is passed by a two-thirds majority, he has no choice but to sign it into law.

Undaunted, a nationalist group calling itself "Tvrdokorni", or the "Hardliners", will stage a protest rally Wednesday from 12 noon (1100 GMT), when the parliamentary debate is due to begin.

The announcement for the rally came with a vivid curse on its political adversaries.

"May those who are Macedonian, of Macedonian descent, of Macedonian blood, who do not join the fight for Macedonia, have no descendants, neither boys nor girls."Skopje (AFP) - Macedonian lawmakers on Wednesday began debating a motion to change their country's name, to settle a decades-long dispute with Greece and open the way to NATO and EU membership.

The switch to "the Republic of North Macedonia" is far from assured as it entails four constitutional amendments and requires the support of two-thirds of the 120-member parliament.

The Social Democrat-led ruling coalition does not itself have those numbers, but a top party official said they had "secured 80 or more of the votes" needed to approve the name change.

"We expect that vote will take place Friday," Aleksandar Kiracovski told journalists.

If the change does go through, Athens has promised to lift its veto on Skopje's attempts to join NATO and the European Union.

Greece has blocked that path since Macedonia broke away from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 because, it says, the name Macedonia should apply solely to its own northern province.

For the Greeks, Macedonia evokes national pride as the cradle of Alexander the Great's ancient empire, a heritage that they guard jealously.

Some 200 Macedonian nationalists opposed to the name change as a surrender to Greek pressure staged a peaceful protest outside parliament, rallied by a nationalist group calling itself "Tvrdokorni", or the "Hardliners".

Leading figures in the opposition rightwing VMRO-DPMNE party, which was in power until 2017, are fighting the change in parliament and at street rallies.

- An amnesty sweetener -

Although Macedonia's consultative referendum in September backed the name change with 90 percent of the vote, critics dismissed the results as invalid given a voter turnout of under one-third of the electorate.

"It is MPs' turn now to voice their views, but I believe there will be a two-thirds majority in order to complete the process," Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said earlier Wednesday.

Zaev does not have the required two-thirds parliamentary majority even with the support of his allies in the ethnic-Albanian parties.

Story continues

They need some deputies from the VMRO-DPMNE to break ranks and back them, as happened at the parliamentary vote that launched the process in November.

On that occasion, they released three nationalist deputies jailed for their role in an April 2017 brawl in parliament, when several deputies, including Zaev, were assaulted.

In December, the government sweetened the deal further, passing an amnesty law over the protests. Of the 25 people to benefit so far, four have been VMRO-DPMNE deputies.

But even if Macedonia approves the name change, it must still be cleared by the Greek parliament.

Zaev brokered the deal with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, but Tsipras too enjoys only a fragile parliamentary majority, with 153 deputies in the 300-seat parliament.

To complicate matters further, coalition partner Defence Minister Panos Kammenos, the leader of a smaller party, opposes the deal and is threatening to resign.

- 'Blackmail and threats' -

While most deputies in Macedonia's VMRO-DPMNE are dead-set against the name change, the party was shaken by the defections of some of their members in the November vote.

And they are still recovering from the dramatic fall of their former leader, Nikola Gruevski, a vocal opponent of Zaev's deal with Greece.

Former prime minister Gruevski fled Macedonia in November to escape a two-year prison sentence for abuse of power, winning asylum in Hungary.

VMRO-DPMNE said MPs who back the name change would be excluded from the party. Party leader Hristijan Mickoski said Wednesday they would not take part in the debate because they do not want "to give it legitimacy".

He denounced "blackmail and threats" used by Zaev to ensure the support of some of his party's MPs, refering to amnesty offered to some participants of April 2017 violence in the parliament, including a few MPs from VMRO-DPMNE.

Macedonia's rightwing president, Gjorge Ivanov, has been a vocal opponent of the proposed name change and continues to speak out against it.

But the Macedonian constitution stipulates that if the measure is passed by a two-thirds majority, he has no choice but to sign it into law.

In their call for Wednesday's protest the "Hardliners" issued a chilling curse on their adversaries.

"May those... of Macedonian blood who do not join the fight for Macedonia have no descendants, neither boys nor girls."BRUSSELS (AP)  The Latest on Britain's impending departure from the European Union (all times local):

8:25 p.m.

Britain's Parliament has dealt the government a narrow defeat by passing an amendment designed to put roadblocks in place to make a "no-deal" Brexit more difficult.

Legislators on Tuesday backed an amendment to the Finance Bill that would prohibit spending on "no-deal" preparations unless authorized by Parliament.

The vote showed widespread opposition in Parliament to possible plans for a "no-deal" scenario under which Britain would leave the European Union on March 29 without a departure agreement in place.

There are fears this could lead to economic damage and widespread disruption.

___

4:30 p.m.

London police say they have increased their presence outside Parliament after some 55 lawmakers complained about verbal abuse as the Brexit debate intensifies.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said officials recognize "the contentious issues that we have to police." He said the goal is to balance the rights of protesters, journalists, and legislators.

He said Tuesday extra security measures have already been put in place.

Police acted after Conservative Party legislator Anna Soubry was repeatedly called a Nazi by protesters as she tried to discuss Brexit in a TV interview Monday.

Police say they are trying to determine if any crime was committed during that incident.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May says she told her Cabinet meeting "this is not how debate should be conducted in our country."

___

2:20 p.m.

Austria's foreign minister says her country would allow Austrians in Britain the possibility of keeping their existing nationality alongside British citizenship if the U.K. leaves the European Union without a deal.

Austria only allows dual citizenship in very limited cases, and the Austria Press Agency reported that Foreign Minister Karin Kneissl said Tuesday Vienna will continue to restrict it in principle in the future. She said the government intends to exempt the roughly 25,000 Austrians living in Britain from the restriction, but didn't give details.

Story continues

Britain is due to leave the EU March 29. Prime Minister Theresa May faces an uphill battle to win parliamentary approval for a divorce agreement with the EU, with many lawmakers in London loathe, raising the possibility of a no-deal departure.

___

11 a.m.

Some 55 British legislators have expressed safety concerns in a letter to London's police chief after a lawmaker was verbally abused while discussing Brexit outside Parliament.

The letter was sent to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick late Monday night following the verbal assaults on Conservative Party legislator Anna Soubry.

The letter says there have been "months of peaceful and calm protests" by groups holding a wide variety of views on Brexit but that recently "an ugly element of individuals with strong far right and extreme right connections" have moved in.

There have been a number of recent incidents in the area outside Parliament where politicians routinely do live broadcast interviews.

Soubry was repeatedly called a Nazi by protesters while she was being interviewed by BBC.

Police say they are investigating to determine if any crimes were committed.

___

10:40 a.m.

A British government minister working on the process of taking the country out of the European Union says the government will not seek to extend the two-year period in which its departure must happen.

Britain leaves the EU on March 29, when the EU treaty's Article 50 governing the procedure times out, but the U.K. parliament still has not endorsed Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit deal.

May can request an extension, but all 27 other EU countries must agree, and the bloc's leaders said last month that they would want good reasons to prolong it.

Britain's minister of state for exiting the EU, Martin Callanan, said in Brussels Tuesday that "Article 50 will not be extended. We are leaving the EU on the 29th of March this year."TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP)  A Florida federal judge will decide whether or not outgoing Republican Gov. Rick Scott unfairly "targeted" the top elections official in one of the state's Democratic strongholds.

Attorneys for former Broward County elections supervisor Brenda Snipes and Scott squared off for nearly two hours in federal court Monday during a hearing in which U.S. District Judge Mark Walker peppered both sides with questions.

Snipes, who was in the courtroom, wants to be reinstated to her job. She came under withering criticism for her handling of the 2018 elections and a legally required recount in close races for governor and U.S. Senate. In the aftermath of the November election, Snipes said she would resign on Jan. 4, but Scott immediately her suspended. Snipes then attempted to rescind her resignation and challenged the governor's suspension as "malicious" and politically motivated.

"We believe this was a targeted action on behalf of the governor and was designed to humiliate and embarrass her," said Burnadette Norris-Weeks, who is representing Snipes.

Walker did not rule during the hearing, but he did raise questions about whether Snipes was given a chance to defend herself against the allegations made by Scott.

Scott suspended Snipes for misfeasance, incompetence and neglect of duty, and appointed his former general counsel to take her place. In his executive order, Scott cited problems during the recount, including reports of more than 2,000 ballots being misplaced. Norris-Weeks contended that some of the problems cited by Scott were not caused by Snipes.

Daniel Nordby, who has been Scott's general counsel, said the governor took action when he did because he "determined the people of Broward County deserved a supervisor of elections" who could prepare for upcoming spring municipal elections in a "competent manner."

Although Walker did not signal how he would rule, he did at one point ask if Scott had criticized other supervisors for their performance during the 2018 elections, citing the example of a north Florida supervisor who allowed voters in a county affected by Hurricane Michael to vote by email or fax in apparent violation of state law. The answer was no.

Snipes is suing both Scott and the GOP-controlled Florida Senate. The lawsuit named the Senate because that chamber's Republican leader said there was not time to investigate the allegations against Snipes before her resignation took effect. Florida law requires the Senate to either remove or reinstate county officials who are suspended by the governor.

Snipes had been the top elections official in Broward County since 2003, when then-Gov. Jeb Bush appointed her. She had been elected three times and her current term was not scheduled to end until 2020.Rotterdam (Netherlands) (AFP) - Japan and EU powers are working "very hard" to prevent Britain leaving the bloc without a deal, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Wednesday with his visiting Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe.

Rutte said he was also working closely with European powers Germany and France to help British Prime Minister Theresa May get the withdrawal agreement through parliament next week.

"I completely agree with prime minister Abe that we have to prevent a no-deal Brexit and we are working very hard not to come to a no-deal Brexit," Rutte told a joint press conference with Abe in the port city of Rotterdam.

Abe travels to London on Thursday to meet May, who looks likely to lose a defining parliamentary vote next week on the withdrawal agreement that she reached with the EU in November.

"I am at this moment working very hard in close conjunction with the French and the Germans and others to help my British colleague to bring the vote next week to a successful outcome," Rutte said.

The Dutch premier however warned that the current deal with the EU was the "best deal" available given Britain's red lines, particularly on the future of the Irish border.

He said the decision ultimately rested with the British parliament but "we will continue to work closely with Theresa May to help in whatever way we can in the run-up to that vote."

For his part, Abe noted that Brexit would have a "great impact" on the many Japanese firms that have invested in Britain as well as on the European economy as a whole.

"Our country believes that, in order to minimise the impact Brexit will have on the global economy, it is indispensable to secure legal stability by having transparency and predictability and setting up a transition period," Abe said.

"We hope a no-deal exit will be avoided and Britain's exit from the EU will be conducted smoothly," concluded the Japanese PM.Tehran (AFP) - Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Wednesday dubbed some US officials "first-class idiots" as he ridiculed them for predicting the collapse of the Islamic Republic.

"Some US officials pretend that they are mad. Of course I don't agree with that, but they are first-class idiots," he said in speech in Tehran, quoted on his official Twitter feed.

Khamenei was having a dig at US officials who had predicted there would be regime change in Iran by the end of 2018.

"A while ago, a US politician had said, among a gathering of terrorists and thugs, that he hopes to celebrate this Christmas in Tehran," Khamenei said, according to his Twitter feed.

"Christmas was a few days ago. This is how US calculations work."

It was not clear to which US official he was referring, but members of President Donald Trump's administration have called for regime change and predicted it would happen soon.

This has included National Security Advisor John Bolton -- a long-time regime change advocate -- who often speaks at gatherings of the exiled People's Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK) opposition group, considered a terrorist cult by Tehran's leaders.

"Before 2019 we here will celebrate in Tehran," Bolton told an MEK meeting in Paris in July 2017.Montecito mudslides: 1 year later

AP Photo/Garret Fischer

First, at vero eos et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium et accusamus et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui voluptatum.

1/12

Marcio Jose Sanchez

<i>In this Jan. 13, 2018, file photo, crews work on clearing Highway 101 in the aftermath of a mudslide in Montecito, Calif. Officials say the possibility of future catastrophic floods will be in mind as Montecito rebuilds following deadly mudslides that devastated the wealthy coastal hideaway. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)</i>

Daniel Dreifuss/AP

Cars drive on U.S. Highway 101 for the first time in weeks after heavy rain brought flash flooding and mudslides that covered the highway in Montecito, Calif., Monday, Jan. 22, 2018. (AP Photo/Daniel Dreifuss)

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

A Cal Fire search and rescue crew looks over a home damaged by debris flows in Montecito, California, Friday, Jan. 12, 2018.

(AP Photo/Daniel Dreifuss)

This combination of photos shows debris and mud covering the street in front of local area shops, top, after heavy rain brought flash flooding in Montecito, Calif., on Jan. 9, 2018, and a similar view after clean up on Monday, Jan. 22, bottom.

(AP Photo/Daniel Dreifuss)

Debris and mud cover the entrance of the Montecito Inn after heavy rain brought flash flooding and mudslides to the area in Montecito, Calif. on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018.

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, Daniel Dreifuss)

This combination of photos shows a mud-covered sign, top, near the closed U.S. Highway 101 after heavy rain brought flash flooding in Montecito, Calif., on Jan. 13, 2018, and clean up of the area from a similar view on Monday, Jan. 22, bottom.

(Photo/Matt Udkow/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP)

This Jan. 10, 2018, file aerial photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department shows mudflow and damage to homes in Montecito, California.

(Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP)

Story continues

This photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department shows a home that has been buried in flood debris in Montecito, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018.

(Mike Eliason/Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP)

In this Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018 photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, shows a semi-tractor trailer stuck in mud on U.S. Highway 101, in Montecito, Calif.

(Photo/Mike Eliason Santa Barbara County Fire Public Information Officer)

A damaged vehicle was pushed onto U.S. Highway 101 by the mudflow in the Montecito area.

(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, Daniel Dreifuss)

This combination of photos shows a bulldozer moving debris, top, as a vehicle sits stranded in flooded water on U.S. Highway 101 after heavy rain brought flash flooding in Montecito, Calif., on Jan. 10, 2018, and cars driving on the highway after clean up from a similar view on Monday, Jan. 22, bottom.

(Photo/Blake Herman/Santa Barbara County Fire)

Firefighters look under a bridge at creek in Montecito that was jammed solid with debris from the deadly rains and mudflow January 9.

On Jan. 9, 2018, the Southern California town of Montecito became overwhelmed with destructive mudslides after a potent storm prowled through the area.

Heavy rain that had fallen on burn scar areas from the devastating Thomas Fire, which had raged only several weeks prior, triggered waves of flowing mud, rock and debris, which came crashing down onto homes and roadways. Hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed.

The debris flow claimed 21 lives with two people still missing, according to Santa Barbara County Fire Public Information Officer Mike Eliason.

Eliason shared before and after imagery of Montecito on Twitter to mark the one-year anniversary of the mudslides.



This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Montecito is planning a remembrance event on the evening of Jan. 9 for those in the community to remember the victims and share their experiences.

"This event is for everyone in the community," organizers said. "By providing the space in which to honor our collective experiences, it is the hope of the hosting committee that our community will share a night of healing, hope and light with one another."

The charity organization Direct Relief , which is based in Santa Barbara, said local relief efforts have exceeded $5.5 million in assistance over the past year and remain ongoing.



Donate Now As a public service during this pandemic, the Jewish News is providing free, unlimited access to all articles. Jewish News is a nonprofit publication that is owned by the community and relies on community support.Kinshasa (AFP) - Hopes rose on Wednesday that the Democratic Republic of Congo's election saga may have turned a corner after opposition leaders reached out to President Joseph Kabila.

The country is in flux over a thrice-delayed presidential vote, with the announcement of official results now postponed, stoking suspicions of rigging.

But on Tuesday, the head of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI) said the panel hoped to complete the count within 48 hours.

"It is a huge task that we can't finish in just a few hours," CENI President Corneille Nangaa told AFP, referring to logistical problems in the vast central African country.

"The CENI plans to devote 24 to 48 hours to this task, after which time the CENI will schedule the announcement of the provisional results," he said.

According to the initial timetable, after provisional results are released, definitive results are due on January 15 with the swearing-in of the new president three days later.

Further pressure on CENI to reveal the election outcome came on Wednesday from South Africa and Zambia, DRC's neighbour to the south.

"The delay in releasing the results of the elections can lead to suspicions and compromise peace and stability of the country," said a joint statement by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Zambian counterpart Edgar Lungu.

After deploying tens of thousands of its own election observers, the powerful Catholic Church last week said it knew the outcome of the ballot and called on the authorities to reveal the result "in keeping with truth and justice".

- Bloody past -

Kabila, 47, was due to step down two years ago but clung on to office, sparking widespread protests that were repressed at the cost of scores of lives.

The bloodshed revived traumatic memories of the DRC's brutal past.

The mineral-rich country has never had a peaceful transition of power since it gained independence from Belgium in 1960.

Story continues

Bloody clashes marred elections in 2006 and 2011, and two wars between 1996 and 2003, drawing in armies from around the region, claimed millions of lives.

Kabila last year announced he would step down after 18 years in power and then hand-picked a loyalist, former interior minister Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, to be his party's candidate in the December 30 poll.

The choice fuelled accusations that Kabila -- concerned about possible retribution -- would use Shadary to protect his interests after the vote.

- Overtures -

On Tuesday, though, the opposition hinted at a rapprochement.

"There's no spirit of revenge," said Felix Tshisekedi, the candidate of the longtime opposition UDPS party.

He also told the Belgian newspaper Le Soir that Kabila could be honoured for ushering in a peaceful transition.

"One day we will even have to think of paying tribute to him (Kabila) for agreeing to withdraw," Tshisekedi said in an interview.

Kabila and Tshisekedi "have an interest in meeting to prepare a peaceful and civilised transfer of power," said UDPS Secretary General Jean-Marc Kabund.

A source close to Tshisekedi said the comments were aimed at "Kabila and the army".

They seek to reassure the outgoing president that he could retain his assets after a reconciliation commission has done its work, the source said.

The other main opposition candidate, former oil executive Martin Fayulu -- who was tipped as favourite in the few pre-election opinion polls -- also sounded a conciliatory tone on Tuesday.

"Mr. Kabila is a Congolese citizen. He has a place here in Congo. He will do what he wants. The constitution is clear -- he (as former president) will be a senator for life. The keyword for us is: There's no revenge."

Fayulu is backed by former Katanga governor Moise Katumbi, considered a traitor by Kabila, and ex-warlord and former vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba.Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump has partially shut down the US government and is threatening to declare a national emergency as he pressures Congress for money to build a wall on the US-Mexican border to stem a surge in illegal immigrants.

Trump, who is to make a national address Tuesday night on the "crisis," says the country is being flooded with drugs and violent gangs. Trump's opponents say he is exaggerating the issue and that a massive wall is inefficient and not worth closing the government for.

- Is there an immigration crisis? -

Illegal immigration from impoverished Central America -- mainly Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala -- has surged even as that from neighboring Mexico has slowed.

Many migrants arrive as families or unaccompanied children, hoping to gain a foothold in the country. When caught, most are processed by the authorities and then released pending a court date. US authorities say they are mostly never seen again as they meld into US society.

In the 2016 election, Trump promised voters to stop illegal immigration by building a wall along the 2,000 mile (3,200 kilometer) US-Mexico frontier.

After a slowdown in 2017, migrant numbers surged last year, reaching their highest levels since 2014 in October and November, with 2,000 a day being caught sneaking into the country.

Most of them request asylum based on the poverty and pervasive violence they face in their home countries.

Their numbers have overwhelmed the ability of the Customs and Border Protection to house and process them, and many are just released.

Meanwhile, some 15,000 unaccompanied children are held in resettlement camps while officials seek homes to place them in.

- Is the migrant surge a security threat? -

Trump has said repeatedly that without a wall, drug smugglers and violent gangs like MS-13 easily cross into the United States.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen says a wall would help prevent potential terrorists from entering the country. She says the Border Patrol has intercepted some 3,000 suspicious migrants on the southern border.

Story continues

"I am sure all Americans would agree that one terrorist reaching our borders is one too many," she said Monday.

But narcotics experts say most drugs are shipped through official ports and the wall won't make much difference.

And Nielsen would not say if any proven terrorists had been arrested at the southern border or had crossed it to successfully enter the country.

- What does Trump want? -

Trump wants to make good on his promise to build a wall.

Several hundred million dollars has already been spent to replace old fences and walls in some heavily-travelled areas, like the westernmost part of the border between Tijuana and San Diego.

In addition, surveillance by patrols, cameras and drones has increased.

Together they have helped reduce illegal crossings in the area.

In a letter to Congress on Sunday, the White House demanded $5.7 billion for 234 miles (377 km) of new wall and fence, more than double the $2.5 billion Congressional leaders have offered in compromise.

"A physical barrier - wall - creates an enduring capability that helps field personnel stop, slow down, and/or contain illegal entries," said the letter.

The White House also asked for hundreds of millions of dollars for more immigration judges, border and interior enforcement agents, shelter for detained migrants, and drug enforcement.

- Why won't politicians fund it? -

Both Democrats and Republicans have regarded Trump's wall project as excessive, expensive and inefficient in dealing with the problem.

They dismiss claims that a border without a wall is a major security threat.

"On terrorism and other threats, I've received more briefings from FBI, CIA, and DHS than I could count," said Adam Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, on Tuesday.

"How many times have any of them said we need a wall across the southern border?"

Democrats also say that any broader discussion on the illegal immigration problem should take place only after the government is reopened.

They want a comprehensive deal that would include a plan to create a path to citizenship for many of the 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States, including the so-called DACA/Dreamer program for people who arrived in the country as children.Cairo (AFP) - An ancient Egyptian pharaonic stone tablet that was stolen from Karnak temple was repatriated this week from Britain where it had been touted for sale, Egypt's antiquities ministry said.

"The piece was last seen in the open museum in Luxor temple in the early 1990s," Shaaban Abdel Gawad, who is in charge of archaeological collections at the ministry, told AFP on Wednesday.

"The necessary legal measures" were taken to recover the object, he added.

The artefact was stolen from the Karnak temple's open museum and was spotted on online auction sites, the ministry said.

The sale was cancelled, the statement said.

The artefact is part of a cartouche -- an ornamental tablet -- of Pharoah Amenhotep I, of the 17th dynasty, who ruled in the 16th century BC.

The antiquities ministry said that the piece had been retrieved by Egypt's London embassy in September 2018 in coordination with British authorities.

Egypt regularly retrieves stolen archaeological treasures from abroad.

Cairo is still campaigning for the repatriation of key items, including some on display in European museums, such as the celebrated bust of Queen Nefertiti in Berlin.Cairo (AFP) - A leading figure in Egypt's 2011 revolution was handed 15 years in prison on Wednesday after a retrial, a judicial source told AFP.

Ahmed Douma was arrested in 2013 on charges of clashing with security forces in Cairo two years earlier, and received a 25-year prison sentence in 2015.

But the court of cassation overturned the ruling in October 2017 and ordered a retrial, which concluded on Wednesday.

In addition to the 15-year jail term, Douma was fined six million Egyptian pounds ($335,000, 290,000 euros), a judicial source said. The verdict can be appealed.

Douma was a leading activist in the 2011 revolt that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak, who was succeeded by Islamist Mohamed Morsi.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a former army chief who led the military in ousting Morsi, is accused of leading a relentless crackdown on both pro-democracy campaigners and Islamists.

While numerous key activists from the revolution are behind bars, the majority of top figures from Mubarak's regime have gradually been acquitted and freed.

The 2011 revolt saw hundreds of thousands of protesters call for "bread, freedom and social justice" and rally against a regime seen as corrupt and dictatorial.

But eight years on, the majority of experts view Sisi's government as the most repressive in the history of modern Egypt.

In an interview with American network CBS aired this week, the president said Egypt has no political prisoners.

Egyptian authorities systematically deny allegations of human rights abuses.Kinshasa (AFP) - Opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi was on Thursday declared winner of DR Congo's presidential election, but his victory was dismissed by the runner-up and questioned by the Catholic church, clouding the vote's legitimacy and hopes of peace.

In a pre-dawn announcement, election officials named Tshisekedi, son of the country's long-term opposition leader, provisional winner of the troubled vote to replace President Joseph Kabila.

The news brought thousands of supporters onto the streets while others who had backed his opposition rival Martin Fayulu came out in protest. Four people died in unrest.

Fayulu, who came a close second, denounced the result as an "electoral coup." The Democratic Republic of Congo's influential Catholic church also said Tshisekedi's victory did not tally with data collected by its own monitors.

"These results have nothing to do with the truth at the ballot box," Fayulu told Radio France International.

"They have stolen the Congolese people's victory and the people will never accept that."

At stake is political stewardship of the notoriously unstable central African nation, which has never known a peaceful transition of power since independence from Belgium in 1960.

Election chief Corneille Nangaa declared Tshisekedi the winner with 38.57 percent of the vote, just ahead of Fayulu with 34.8 percent.

Kabila's preferred successor, Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary, came a distant third with 23.8 percent.

The last two elections in 2006 and 2011, both of which were won by Kabila, were marred by bloodshed, and many fear a repeat of the violence if the result lacks credibility.

Two civilians and two policemen were killed Thursday and another 10 people injured when a protest erupted in the western city of Kikwit, a Fayulu stronghold, police said.

- Wild celebrations -

In Kinshasa, thousands of people converged upon the headquarters of Tshisekedi's Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS), the country's oldest and largest opposition party, singing and dancing at his surprise victory.

Story continues

Pouring onto the streets, they celebrated wildly, cheering and honking car horns in scenes of joy that lasted into the morning under the bemused eye of the security forces who had fanned out across the capital.

In his first remarks after the result, the portly 55-year-old, who has never held high office or even a managerial role, immediately pledged to work closely with Kabila.

"Today we should no longer see him as an adversary, but rather as a partner for democratic change in our country," he told supporters.

But elsewhere in Kinshasa, the mood was sombre, with representatives of the Catholic church openly disputing the figures released by the Independent National Election Commission (CENI).

"The result of the presidential election as published by CENI does not correspond with the data collected by our observer mission from polling stations and counting centres," said Father Donatien Nshole, spokesman for CENCO, which represents the country's Catholic bishops.

The Church has long been pressing for the departure of Kabila, who has ruled the country with an iron fist since 2001, well beyond the limit of his second and final term in December 2016.

- Calls for calm -

Abroad, the mood was watchful, marked by a noticeable lack of congratulations for Tshisekedi.

Many have eyed the developments in sub-Saharan Africa's largest country with concern, with the United Nations leading calls to avoid violence.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian dismissed Tshisekedi's victory as "not consistent" with the actual results, indicating that Fayulu had won.

The African Union said it "took note" of the result and warned any dispute over the outcome should be "resolved peacefully."

The European Union also simply acknowledged the result -- as well as Fayulu's objections to it. It said it was awaiting clarification from international observers and urged all sides to refrain from violence.

In contrast, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa urged "all regional and international interested parties to refrain from speculation" and let the election board complete its work.

The announcement of an opposition win was a shock as many had expected the results to be stacked in Shadary's favour, prompting heavy international pressure on Kinshasa to respect the wishes of the electorate.

- 'Tshisekedi debt to Kabila' -

The vast central African country has been increasingly on edge over the long-delayed vote.

Kabila had been due to step down two years ago but held on to power, sparking a political crisis and protests that were bloodily repressed.

"Kabila did not want to risk announcing Shadary as the winner, which would have triggered violent protests and international condemnation," said Robert Besseling, executive director of risk consultancy EXX Africa.

"Instead, he chose to split the opposition by creating a power-sharing deal with Tshisekedi."

Tshisekedi "owes his ascendancy to power to Kabila's control of the electoral commission," and in exchange Kabila would look for immunity from any prosecution or asset seizure after handing over power, Besseling said.

burs-hmw/riDonald Trump has demanded funding for his controversial wall at the US-Mexico border in a televised address.

The US president told the nation there is a a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul.

Addressing the nation from the Oval Office for the first time, Mr Trump argued for funding on security and humanitarian grounds as he sought to put pressure on newly empowered Democrats amid an extended partial US government shutdown.

Mr Trump called on Democrats to return to the White House to meet with him, saying it was immoral for politicians to do nothing.

US president Donald Trump speaks from the Oval Office of the White House as he gives a primetime address about border security on Tuesday (Picture: AP)

Previous meetings have led to no agreement as Mr Trump insists on the wall that was his signature promise in the 2016 presidential campaign.

Mr Trump, who has long railed against illegal immigration at the border, has recently seized on humanitarian concerns to argue there is a broader crisis that can only be solved with a wall along the US-Mexico border.

But critics say the security risks are overblown and his administration is at least partly to blame for the humanitarian situation.

MORE: Attackers stab 14-year-old boy to death after ramming his moped in east London

MORE: Facebook deletes page of protesters responsible for abuse of MPs outside Parliament

Mr Trump has been discussing the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow him to circumvent Congress and move forward with the wall.

But he made no mention of such a declaration on Tuesday night.

Democrats have vowed to block funding for a $5.7 billion (4.5 billion) wall, which they say would be immoral and ineffective, and have called on Mr Trump to reopen shuttered portions of the government while border negotiations continue.

It was Mr Trumps first televised address to the nation from the Oval Office (Picture: PA)

Responding in their own televised remarks, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Mr Trump of misrepresenting the situation on the border.

Mr Schumer said Mr Trump just used the backdrop of the Oval Office to manufacture a crisis, stoke fear and divert attention from the turmoil in his administration.

Story continues

The partial government shutdown has reached its 18th day, making the closure the second-longest in history.

Ms Pelosi noted that the House of Representatives passed legislation to reopen government on the first day of the new Congress. But Mr Trump rejects that legislation because it does not have funding for his border wall.

Eight Mexico border wall prototypes were put on display last year (Picture: PA)

She said: The fact is: President Trump must stop holding the American people hostage, must stop manufacturing a crisis, and must reopen the government.

Overall, Mr Trump largely restated his case for the wall without offering concessions or new ideas on how to resolve the stand-off.

Speaking in solemn tones from behind the Resolute Desk, he painted a dire picture of killings and drug deaths he argues come from unchecked illegal immigration, and asked: How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?

Mr Trump used emotional language, referring to Americans who were killed by people in the country illegally, saying: Ive met with dozens of families whose loved ones were stolen by illegal immigration.

Ive held the hands of the weeping mothers and embraced the grief-stricken fathers. So sad. So terrible.Amsterdam (AFP) - Dutch officials handed over a pair of clogs and the keys to the European Medicines Agency's temporary base in Amsterdam on Wednesday as the watchdog prepares to leave London after Brexit.

The regulator's new 300-million-euro headquarters will not be ready until November, so the EMA will be based in stopgap accommodation for several months after Britain quits the EU on March 29.

In what the Dutch government hailed as a "festive moment", EMA executive director Guido Rasi was given a pair of the traditional Dutch wooden shoes by health minister Bruno Bruins.

"The first important step has been achieved and sealed... and we can start to operate sharply on the 29th of March," Rasi told AFP at the handover ceremony.

"So far, (the move went) smoothly, so far, everything is working. It's painful, it's hard, there is a lot of additional work... but it's going smoothly, I'm satisfied. Today is a good one!"

Based since 1995 in London's bustling Canary Wharf business district, the EMA evaluates and supervises medicines for human and animal use.

But the European Union said the agency and its 900 staff had to move to a member country following Britain's seismic June 2016 vote to leave the bloc.

Amsterdam beat the Italian city of Milan to win the right to host the EMA in a tense tiebreak vote in November 2017. France grabbed the London-based European Banking Authority.

- 'Brexit is not good' -

The Dutch video for Amsterdam's victorious EMA candidacy had stressed a continuity with two famed parts of British life, saying that "we also have a very stylish queen, and enjoy fish and chips".

The Dutch government says that in addition to the economic boost of the staff and their families moving to the country, it also expects the agency to attract some 36,000 business visitors a year.

But the failure of the "Venice of the North" to get the agency's new home ready in time prompted a legal challenge by Italy as well as concerns by officials and lawmakers.

Story continues

However Rasi brushed aside concerns about the temporary offices: "As long as it works, it's good."

"What will be important, is that since we will be, probably, back full force in November, the final building will be ready for that time."

The Dutch minister promised that they would meet the deadline.

"Today we have reached a milestone: the formal handover of this building," he said, adding that it was a " temporary home because as foreseen in our bid to host the agency, a final home will be delivered this November".

With sweet tax deals and a business-friendly, English-speaking environment, the Netherlands has rolled out the "orange carpet" to win companies and agencies leaving Britain after Brexit.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte however denied that Brexit was a good thing for the Netherlands.

"I don't want to see this as a business opportunity, because it is not," he said during a visit by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which largely focused on preventing Britain from crashing out of the EU without a divorce deal.

"Brexit is not good and a hard Brexit could even be worse, and that could never be offset by extra investments from other countries."Ottawa (AFP) - A Chinese envoy on Wednesday accused Canada and its allies of "Western egotism and white supremacy" for demanding the immediate release of two Canadians held for alleged spying.

In a letter published by The Hill Times newspaper, China's ambassador to Canada Lu Shaye also criticized the "groundless" detention of a top Chinese tech executive at the request of the United States.

China detained former diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor last month, accusing them both of activities that "endanger China's security" -- a phrase often used by Beijing when alleging espionage.

The arrests are thought to be in retaliation against Canada's December 1 arrest of Huawei vice president Meng Wanzhou, who is accused of violating Iran sanctions.

"It's understandable that these Canadians are concerned about their own citizens. But have they shown any concern or sympathy for Meng after she was illegally detained and deprived of freedom?" Lu wrote in the Ottawa newspaper.

"It seems that, to some people, only Canadian citizens shall be treated in a humanitarian manner and their freedom deemed valuable, while Chinese people do not deserve that," he said.

"The reason why some people are used to arrogantly adopting double standards is due to Western egotism and white supremacy."

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and US President Donald Trump in a telephone call on Monday denounced the "arbitrary" detentions of Kovrig and Spavor.

Australia, Britain, France, Japan, Germany and the European Union have also made statements in support of Canada.

Meng is currently living in a luxury home in Vancouver after being released on bail pending the outcome of an extradition hearing.

She is required to wear an electronic anklet to monitor her movements and has an 11:00 pm to 7:00 am curfew.

Meanwhile, a group of Canadian parliamentarians visiting China this week complained to officials that Kovrig and Spavor have been granted few consular visits, denied access to lawyers, and remain in "completely unacceptable" detention conditions.By Dominique Patton

BEIJING (Reuters) - China approved five genetically modified (GM) crops for import on Tuesday, the first in about 18 months in a move that could boost its overseas grains purchases and ease pressure from the United States to open its markets to more farm goods.

The United States is the world's biggest producer of GM crops, while China is the top importer of GM soybeans and canola.

U.S. farmers and global seed companies have long complained about Beijing's slow and unpredictable process for approving GM crops for import, stoking trade tensions between the world's two largest economies.

The approvals, announced on the agriculture ministry's website, were granted while a U.S. trade delegation is meeting with its counterparts in the Chinese capital this week.

"It's a goodwill gesture towards the resolution of the trade issue," said a China representative of a U.S. agricultural industry association.

"It's been in the system for a long time but they chose today to release this good news," he added, declining to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter.

The approved products included DowDuPont Inc's DP4114 Qrome corn and DAS-44406-6 soybean, known as Enlist E3, as well as the SYHT0H2 soybean developed by Bayer CropScience and Syngenta but now held by German chemical company BASF.

The other two newly approved products - BASF's RF3 canola and Bayer-owned Monsanto's glyphosate-tolerant MON 88302 canola - had been waiting six years for permission.

The approvals came as farmers in North America were deciding which seeds to plant this spring. China before the trade war bought some 60 percent of U.S. soybeans and U.S. farmers do not widely plant varieties it has not approved.

The newly approved canola will allow farmers in Canada to boost production, according to Jim Everson, president of industry group the Canola Council.

"The industry expects growers will produce $400 million more canola every year using the same amount of land - a step-change for canola productivity," Everson said in a statement.

Story continues

Five other products known to be seeking approvals were not given the green light, including two GM alfalfa products developed by Monsanto and two DowDuPont soybean traits.

Corteva Agriscience, the agriculture unit of DowDuPont, said, "We are happy to see the regulatory approval of our seed traits progressing in China."

Bayer said in a statement it welcomed the news but noted "many of these products were stuck in Chinas regulatory process for many years and others were not granted approvals, underscoring the need for continued improvement in Chinas regulatory processes."

Chinese officials met their U.S. counterparts in Beijing on Monday for the first face-to-face talks since U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed in December to a 90-day truce in a trade war that has roiled global markets.

China had not approved any GM crops for import since July 2017, when it cleared two products following high-level talks with Washington. It also approved two products in June 2017.

China's scientific advisory board on GM crops met in June but did not give the go-ahead for imports of any products.

"China's approval of the new GMO products is paving the way for China to import large volumes of U.S. soybeans in the future. It is a positive signal," said Li Qiang, chief analyst with Shanghai JC Intelligence Co Ltd.

The truce in the Sino-U.S. trade war prompted a resumption of U.S. soybean purchases. Buying had slumped after China imposed a 25 percent import duty on U.S. shipments of oilseed on July 6 in response to U.S. tariffs.

ONLY A FRACTION

China does not allow the planting of genetically modified food crops, but imports of GM crops such as soybeans and corn for animal feed are fine.

The country, the world's biggest soybean consumer, has so far purchased only about 5 million tonnes of the 2018 U.S. soy harvest, a fraction of its typical purchases.

The United States has demanded that China change its GM crop import application process to make it more transparent, timely and based on scientific methods.

The latest approvals should not be taken as a sign that China is conceding to those demands, said a China-based industry source, who also asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

"It's another piece of evidence that China's approval process is not entirely scientific but political," said the source, who also believed the approvals were timed for the trade visit.

The ministry also announced on Tuesday the extension of import approvals for 26 other GM crops by a further three years.

(Reporting by Dominique Patton; additional reporting by Hallie Gu in Beijing, Rod Nickel in Winnipeg, and Mark Weinraub and Michael Hirtzer in Chicago; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Joseph Radford and James Dalgleish)Montreal (AFP) - Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau on Wednesday unveiled tougher new regulations for drone operators, including a minimum age, required certification and a prohibition on flying under the influence.

His announcement comes after reports of drones near Britain's Gatwick airport caused major travel disruptions over the Christmas holidays, and again on Tuesday at Heathrow.

Garneau said the government was working with security agencies and others "to examine what kinds of countermeasures would be applicable" in the event of drones threatening commercial airliners in Canada.

"Obviously, for security reasons, I can't go into details on that, but this is something we are looking at extremely seriously because it represents potentially a dangerous situation," he told a news conference in Montreal.

The first recorded collision between a drone and a jetliner in Canada occurred in October 2017 when a Skyjet passenger aircraft was struck before safely landing at the Quebec City airport.

The minister previously commented that a drone-airplane collision was "the kind of nightmare scenario that keeps me up at night."

The new rules will come into effect on June 1, and apply to all drones weighing between 250 grams and 25 kilograms (0.5 to 11 pounds), whether they are used for fun, work or research.

Pilots must pass an online exam to become drone-certified, and be at least 14 years old or supervised by a licensed adult to operate one.

Drones must also be registered and marked with the registration number.

Operators would be prohibited from flying drones within 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) of airports, as well as near forest fires, outdoor concerts or parades, and must stay under 400 feet (122 meters).

Operators must also be sober, with no consumption of alcohol or drugs in the 12 hours prior to flying.

"Remember, when you take control of an aircraft you accept the responsibilities of a pilot. You are a pilot when you fly a drone," Garneau said.Rio de Janeiro (AFP) - Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro reaffirmed his rejection of a global migration pact, saying decisions about who was able to come into his country need to be "sovereign."

His comments, posted in a series of messages on his Twitter account, reinforced Bolsonaro's declaration before he took office last week that he was going to pull Brazil out of the migration compact that was endorsed by the UN General Assembly in December.

His government has already abandoned the accord, according to several reports and a diplomatic source speaking to AFP, but no public confirmation has yet been made.

His stance aligns Bolsonaro with US President Donald Trump, with both leaders dismissing any multilateral approach to immigration for their countries.

"Brazil is sovereign in deciding whether or not to accept migrants... Not anybody can come into our home, not anybody can enter Brazil via a pact adopted by others. NO TO THE MIGRATION PACT," Bolsonaro tweeted.

He added that his country would continue giving help "to those who need it" but stressed that entry "criteria" were needed to ensure immigration was not "indiscriminate."

Brazil is one of the countries accepting a flow of Venezuelans fleeing economic collapse in their country. The UN says more than 2.3 million people have left Venezuela since 2015, and the figure is expected to surpass 5.3 million this year.

The Global Pact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration was negotiated over two years under UN supervision and sealed on December 10 last year at an international conference in Morocco. It aims to treat international migration in a coordinated, comprehensive way, although it is not binding.

On December 19, the UN General Assembly adopted the pact, with 152 countries voting in favor, including Brazil's previous center-right government. The nations voting against were the United States, Israel, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland.

Rights groups lamented Brazil joining those that rejected the accord.

"The Bolsonaro government has adopted an outdated and mistaken discourse by considering migrants to be a threat to national sovereignty," said Camila Asano, with the non-governmental association Homme Conectas.SAO PAULO (AP)  Brazil's new president blasted the United Nations' migration pact on Wednesday indicating that Latin America's largest nation will adopt a hard line on immigration.

President Jair Bolsonaro, who has promised to pull out of the U.N. deal, said on Twitter that he wants to ensure immigrants coming to Brazil not only abide by the laws, but also sing the national anthem and respect the country's culture.

"Immigration cannot become an indiscriminate act. It is imperative for us to establish proper criteria for each country," said Bolsonaro, a fan of U.S. President Donald Trump who took office Jan. 1. "If we control those who enter our homes, why should it be different with Brazil as a nation?"

The U.N pact signed by 164 countries in December recommends ruling out mass deportation policies and deems the deterrence of immigrants should be only a last resort.

Bolsonaro said he won't reject help for those crossing the border, an apparent reference to Venezuelans fleeing an economic and political crisis at home. In recent years, tens of thousands of Venezuelans have crossed into neighboring Brazil.

Brazil has also welcomed Syrian and Lebanese refugees in recent years, along with Haitians, Bolivians, Paraguayans and Peruvians seeking better economic opportunities.

Bolsonaro said Brazil and migrants both will be safer if the country adopts its own rules.

Brazil's outgoing government signed the U.N. pact weeks before Bolsonaro took office. As soon as the deal was signed in Morocco, the then president-elect said his administration would discard it.

Brazilian media reported several embassies received communication to inform them Bolsonaro's decision to leave the pact. Brazil's foreign ministry did not reply to requests for comment on Wednesday.

Maristela Basso, a law professor at Sao Paulo University, said that despite the heated rhetoric, the move wouldn't likely be adopted quickly. She said a formal withdrawal would need to be approved by Congress, where Bolsonaro's party controls about 10 percent of seats in the lower house and has 4 of 81 seats in the Senate. Congress doesn't convene until February.

Story continues

"The president cannot leave the pact just with his pen," said Basso.

Former Foreign Minister Aloysio Nunes, who represented Brazil in the pact negotiations, recently said on Twitter that the pact does not "authorize indiscriminate migration" and "seeks to serve as reference for the organization of migration influxes."

Camila Asano, a coordinator at human rights nonprofit Conectas, said the move not only affects immigrants to the South American nation, but could also impact more than 3 million Brazilians.

"Nowadays there are more Brazilians living abroad than foreigners living in Brazil, Asano said. "This move undermines one of Brazil's main international credentials; we are a country of immigrants and our migration policies were seen as a reference."Sarajevo (AFP) - Thousands of Bosnian Serbs cheered parading security forces in celebration of the "national holiday" of their entity, Republika Srpska, on Wednesday, despite a legal ban and objections of Bosnian Muslims who view it as a provocation.

The event marks the creation of a "Serb republic" in Bosnia on January 9, 1992, three months ahead of an ethnic war that claimed 100,000 lives and displaced more than two million people.

Security forces and armoured vehicles filed through the northern town of Banja Luka, capital of the Bosnian Serb-run entity on Wednesday for the event, which is opposed by Muslims in Bosnia.

Post-war Bosnia is divided along ethnic lines into two semi-independent entities -- Republika Srpska and the Muslim-Croat Federation.

They are linked by a loose central government and tripartite presidency that includes representatives of three major communities.

Republika Srpska is predominantly made up of Orthodox Christian Serbs who account for a third of Bosnia's 3.5 million inhabitants.

Muslims comprise half the country's population, while Catholic Croats are the third major ethnic group, representing 15 percent of the total.

Bosnia's constitutional court ruled in 2015 that the holiday discriminates against the country's Muslims and Croats.

Leaders of Republika Srpska have defied the ruling, even seeking to boost the prominence of the celebrations.

Muslim political representative in Republika Srpska Ramiz Salkic said the celebrations in Banja Luka were a "sham" and that January 9 should be a "memorial day for the victims".

"The truth is that crimes were committed on behalf of this republic of Bosnian Serbs," he was quoted by Fena news agency as saying.

Groups of Bosnian Muslims used the occasion Wednesday to visit the memorial for the Srebrenica massacre.

Bosnian Serb forces executed 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica in July 1995, the worst atrocity in Europe since the World War II, which was ruled genocide by two international courts.

Story continues

Among the founders of the Republika Srpska was Radovan Karadzic, its wartime president, who is jailed by an international court for genocide for the Srebrenica massacre.

Wednesday's parade also included Bosnian Serb war veterans, firefighters, sport clubs and members of a local branch of Russia's ultra-nationalist bikers' club "Night Wolves".

"I want to thank to those who created Republika Srpska," the entity's president Zeljka Cvijanovic said at the ceremony.

Bosnian Serb strongman Milorad Dodik, who has served as the Serb member of Bosnia's tripartite presidency since November, attended Wednesday's parade, along with the Prime Minister of neighbouring Serbia, Ana Brnabic.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic also sent a message to mark the occasion, saying the Republika Srpska could "always count on the generous support" of his country.BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgian authorities have arrested a man already convicted for terrorism and charged him with theft of material from prosecutors, including information on autopsies of the victims of the 2016 Brussels bombings. Brussels prosecutors said on Wednesday that they had become aware of the theft last Friday and had then on Saturday detained a man they identified as E.K.I., who they said had previously received a five-year sentence for participating in the activities of a terrorist group. They said the man had attended a probation meeting on Thursday in the same building as the prosecutors. He is charged with having entered the office of the prosecutors' medical expert and taken the hard disc backing up the expert's computer, along with various other items. The back-up included information on the autopsies of the victims of the Brussels bombings in March 2016, which killed 32 people. They said there were no indications to suggest that it was a targeted theft of specific documents or information. The suspect had denied carrying out the theft, prosecutors said, and the stolen items had not been found. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; Editing by Toby Chopra)It appears that the opening of Star Wars: Galaxys Edge is on the horizon  and approaching quickly.

The immersive, 14-acre theme park land at Disneyland Resort will officially open in June, according to a Barrons interview with The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger. Walt Disney Worlds version, located at Disneys Hollywood Studios in Florida, is slated to open late fall of 2019.

What will guests find when they finally reach the far-flung fictional planet of Batuu? An open-air marketplace, filled with characters, shops and intergalactic experiences. Barrons cites that Imagineers visited Morocco and even Istanbul to lend authentic detail to the the shops and trading posts, which will be as themed as "Star Wars" movie sets themselves. Customizable droids that interact with the land  Barrons gives one signaling for nearby Stormtroopers as an example  are slated to be a hot-ticket item.

New details about the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, the banner attraction that will allow fans to pilot the fastest ship in the galaxy, were also revealed. The ship will look and feel like the real deal  and, as anticipated, will seat six passengers for an intimate experience. Barrons also confirmed rumors that how you fly the ship will affect your time spent in Star Wars: Galaxys Edge land, and your reputation will precede you. Do a poor job (or a phenomenal one) piloting the Millennium Falcon and the shopkeepers and citizens of Black Spire Outpost  the location of Star Wars Land  will know. Thats right: for the very first time, your experience on an attraction can and will affect what happens while you wander around a Disney park.

Much of the soon-to-open lands second attraction, Rise of the Resistance, is under wraps, but new details prove its shaping up to be just as thrilling, if not more so. Droid-powered vehicles will take passengers on a cinematic-like journey from a Resistance base to possibly escape from First Order denizens. Expect a bone-chilling meeting with Kylo Ren, an up-close encounter with AT-ATs and an army of fifty Stormtroopers.

The Millennium Falcon ride and Rise of the Resistance attractions will open at both Star Wars Land experiences at Disneyland Park in California and Disneys Hollywood Studios in Florida. Ogas Cantina, the bar serving intergalactic cocktails, will also open at both, but serve as the first bar in Disneyland to sell alcohol. No timeline or opening date for Walt Disney Worlds Star Wars-themed hotel has yet been announced.The sexual assault case against Kevin Spacey may not proceed to trial after the man who accused the actor of groping him three years ago refused to testify during a pre-trial hearing.On Monday, the unnamed accuser was questioned by Spaceys attorney, Alan Jackson, about the alleged 2016 incident at a Nantucket bar where the then 18-year-old accuser claims to have been groped by Spacey. According to local ABC affiliate WCVB, Jackson asked the accuser about the location of a phone he used to send text messages about the incident, some of which Spaceys attorneys say have been deleted and show that the accuser exaggerated his telling of the bar encounter.The accuser denied deleting any text messages from his phone, which has gone missing since screenshots of the text messages were sent to police. The accusers father, Nick Little, denied that he or his wife, former WCVB news anchor Heather Unruh, told their son to delete any messages.Also Read: Kevin Spacey Questioned by Scotland Yard Over Sexual Assault AccusationsOn one of the screenshots, one half of the conversation is missing, but I did not delete anything, the accuser testified. I gave what I had available at the time. I did not manipulate any of that.After a court recess, the accusers attorney, Mitchell Garabedian, said that his client wished to invoke his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination and to have the previous testimony stricken from the court record. Jackson then moved for the case to be dismissed.This entire case is completely compromised, Jackson said. [The accuser] is the sole witness who can establish the circumstances of this allegation on the night in question.Also Read: Judi Dench: Don't 'Negate' Harvey Weinstein or Kevin Spacey's Work Just Because of MisconductJudge Thomas Barrett denied the motion to immediately dismiss, but acknowledged that I dont know whats going to happen with [the accuser], whether the case is going to continue or collapse.The new testimony comes three days after a civil case against Spacey Also Read: Kevin Spacey Accuser Abruptly Drops Civil Suit Connected to Nantucket Criminal Caseby the accusers family because of the emotional roller coaster my client is on, according to their attorney. The Nantucket accuser is one of more than a dozen people who have accused Spacey of sexual harassment or assault since Broadway star Anthony Rapp accused the actor of sexually assaulting him as a 14-year-old. The accusations cost Spacey his lead role in the final season of Netflixs House of Cards and led director Ridley Scott to reshoot his film All The Money In The World to replace Spaceys completed performance as J. Paul Getty with Christopher Plummer.Outside the Massachusetts case, Spacey is being investigated by Scotland Yard over six claims of sexual harassment and assault that allegedly occurred in London while the actor was artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre from 2004 to 2015. Variety reported this past weekend that Spacey in connection to that investigation in May. Attorneys for Spacey and his accuser did not immediately respond to TheWraps requests for comment.Read original story Kevin Spacey Accuser Refuses to Testify, Sexual Assault Case Now Risks Dismissal At TheWrap

Kevin Spacey appeared on Monday in a Massachusetts, Nantucket court for an arraignment on a felony indecent assault and battery charge that he groped an 18-year-old busboy at a local restaurant. A plea of not guilty was entered on his behalf.

A future court date was set for March 4, but Spaceys appearance at that hearing was waived by the judge.

Spaceys request to not appear at his arraignment hearing Monday was previously denied, with Spacey issuing a statement in an affidavit saying that my presence will amplify the negative publicity already generated in connection with this case.

Also Read: Kevin Spacey's Tone-Deaf 'Frank Underwood' Video Got 6 Million Views in 2 Days

The charges are connected to an incident reported in November of last year, when former Boston news anchor Heather Unruh accused Spacey of groping her then 18-year-old son at a Nantucket bar in 2016. In 2017, Unruh claimed in a press conference that her son was at the bar The Club Car in Nantucket where Spacey purchased alcohol for him until he was drunk and then reached into her sons pants and grabbed his genitals. She added that Spacey then urged her son to come with him to an after-hours party to drink more, but he fled the bar when Spacey excused himself to use the bathroom.

Court documents reveal that investigators have obtained Snapchat footage of the incident taken by the victim, though Spaceys attorneys contend that the footage is not incriminating.

Spacey faces other criminal investigations into accusations of sexual assault in Los Angeles and London. The accusations, which surfaced last year, led to Netflix removing Spacey from the final season of House of Cards, while director Ridley Scott reshot all of Spaceys scenes for the film All the Money in the World with Christopher Plummer in the role.

On Dec. 24, within hours of Spaceys charges becoming public, the actor released a video on social media in which he defended himself while in character as Frank Underwood, his character from Netflixs House of Cards.

Read original story Kevin Spacey Appears in Massachusetts Court on Assault Charge At TheWrapKelleth Cuthbert aka the 2019 Golden Globe Awards Fiji Water Girl says she is just a girl who wants to help the world stay hydrated one photobomb at a time.

After stealing the show at the 76th annual awards on Sunday evening, as she stood behind stars on the red carpet with her tray of Fiji Water, the Golden Globe model became the talk of the night.

Cuthbert, who usually works as a fashion model and commercial actress, said she wasnt intentionally trying to steal the spotlight  but rather her modeling instincts took over. Of her big Golden Globes moment, Cuthbert explained that the photos simply came about by looking at the camera at the right time.

Theres tons of photographers everywhere. It doesnt matter where you stand, youre in the crossfire of every shot, she explained to PEOPLE. Youve gotta have good face, at least, if youre gonna be hovering in the background frequently.

But not every pose resulted in a perfect modeling face according to her employer Fiji Water, who described her presence in the photographs as ominous.

This content is not available due to your privacy preferences. Update your settings here to see it.

Were so glad everyone is talking about our water! *senses ominous presence* Shes right behind us, isnt she? #FIJIwatergirl the company jokingly tweeted on Sunday evening.

While she may have had an ominous appearance, Cuthbert said really wasnt thinking bad thoughts  or thinking about much at all in the moment as the red carpet was far too fast-paced for that.

The photographers have to take so many shots, so rapidly, she told PEOPLE. Obviously, your face doesnt look perfectly pleasant in all of them, so they captured lots of expressions [where Im] naturally making weird faces.

Tony Shalhoub and Marin Hinkle with Kelleth Cuthbert

And even though Cuthbert appeared in dozens of photos with big-name stars, including Judy Greer, Idris Elba, Eric Lange, and Tony Shalhoub, she had one particular favorite photobomb from the evening.

Story continues

I loved the Jim Carrey one, she revealed to PEOPLE. I love his work. I grew up watching his movies and thought it was a funny thing to find myself in the background of.

Jim Carrey with Kelleth Cuthbert

RELATED: Who Is Fiji Water Girl? Viral Golden Globe Models Identity Revealed After She Photobombed Stars

On Sunday, the young model  sporting a royal blue gown and loose brown locks on the red carpet  quickly caught social media users attention.

My favourite part of #GoldenGlobes is already the Fiji water girl, and no one can convince me otherwise, wrote one fan.

Fiji water girl is serving LOOKS and FACE, added another, while one user joked, Lets all give the Fiji water girl a round of applause for earning that promo check #GoldenGlobes.

Kelleth Cuthbert

As the evening went on, Cuthbert quickly became one of the most talked about topics on social media. The model, however, was unaware of her instantaneous fame as she stood on the carpet phone-less.

I had absolutely no idea what was happening because I obviously didnt have my phone on me, she told PEOPLE of the social media craze happening while she worked.

I felt very cut off from everything. I didnt find out until the last stragglers of the red carpet were heading into the awards ceremony, and all these people walking by started shoving their phones in my face and showing me that I was trending on Twitter, but I didnt understand the magnitude of it till later, she added.

Richard Madden with Kelleth Cuthbert

RELATED: The Internet Goes Wild for the Fiji Water Girl Who Photobombed Stars at Golden Globes 2019

She certainly made an impact, as there were more than 50,000 tweets sent out about Cuthbert on Twitter in just a few short hours.

Even Fiji Water was appreciative of her efforts, with Cuthbert noting that the company got a good laugh out of it, while she said she was later flooded with selfie requests by guests at the after-parties.

Despite modeling for 12 years, Cuthbert said the experience was one-of-a-kind and unlike anything she had ever imagined.

Nothing quite so interesting has ever happened, she said. Nothing has garnered so much attention as this before.Trade unions demand the withdrawal of labour code amendments, changes to the strike law, fair wages and a flexible pension system in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Viktor Orban and submitted to a representative of the innovation and technology ministry on Tuesday.

Head of the trade unions confederation MaSzSz Laszlo Kordas told a press conference after submitting the demands that the government had five days to set up a negotiating delegation and failing to do so will result in the preparation of nationwide strikes.



Additionally, the preparation of a nationwide demonstration for Jan. 19 is already under way, he said.





The letter submitted on Tuesday has been signed by MaSzSz, the Forum for the Cooperation of Trade Unions (SZEF) and the Trade Union Federation of Intellectuals, he said.



The demonstration will start at 3:00pm, to avoid disrupting students school entrance exams, he said. So far, sympathisers in 140 communities have signalled they are ready to support unions goals in some form, be it demonstrating or closing down roads, he added.



Fielding a question about the possible country-wide strike, Kordas said workers willingness to strike must be gauged before any preparations can be made. Unions want to stage the strike within the bounds of the law, he added. MASzSz called for the Jan. 19 demonstration at a protest in Budapest on Saturday.



A number of anti-government demonstrations have taken place in the capital and other cities around the country since lawmakers approved legislation in December raising the upper threshold for annual overtime from 250 hours to 400 hours and extending the period employers may account overtime for the purpose of calculating wages and rest days from twelve months to three years.



Members of the government have defended the amendments to the labour code and called the controversy over their passage pretence.



MTI Photo: Soos LajosBoth a left-wing and a pro-government commentator think that the conflict between the government and the opposition demonstrators are likely to escalate.

On Saturday, a couple of thousand demonstrators protests against the so-called slave law in Budapest and some other cities in Hungary. Repesentatives of labour unions announced general strikes for January 19 unless the Overtime Bill is withdrawn.

Nepszavas Robert Friss thinks that anti-government protests are gaining momentum. The left-wing commentator believes that more and more Hungarians realize the need for a broad anti-government cooperation to defeat the Orban government.



Friss welcomes the unions announcement of general strikes. He, however, thinks that the government is unlikely to back off and withdraw the slave law or hike minimal wages as demanded by some of the unions.



Friss suspects that the conflict between the demonstrators and the government will escalate, and, as a result, more and more Hungarians will openly declare that they have had enough of Viktor Orbans Hungarian swamp.

In Magyar Idok, Laszlo Petrin accuses the opposition of using undemocratic means to get into power. The pro-government commentator contends that the oppositions threats of physical violence is an indication that the opposition has no credible political vision, but united only by their hatred of Prime Minister Orban.



As the opposition is determined to provoke violence, the government has no choice but to defeat what Petrin calls as destructive and deviant liberalism in the media, culture, education and science to restore normality.

MTI Photo: Bruzak NoemiAs mentioned earlier today, Apples CEO, Tim Cook, took some time out of his schedule to discuss Apples current state of affairs.

And, unsurprisingly, the chief executive wasnt having any of it when it comes to dark times for the company. CNBC shared some of the major points earlier today, but one of the more interesting parts that came out of the full interview was Cooks stance on how the iPhone XR  the companys other iPhone it launched late last year alongside the iPhone XS and XS Max  is faring out there in the market.

As you may have heard by now, some folks dont think the iPhone XR is doing too well. However, Apple has never agreed with that belief. While the company wont go into the nitty gritty details, and wont even offer sales numbers for the iPhone lineup later this month during its upcoming quarterly earnings call, Cook did reiterate that the iPhone XR has been the most popular iPhone for customers to buy every single day since it launched in 2018.

When it comes to the iPhone XR being a flop? Well, Cook said, Bologna on that.

Interestingly, when asked how the iPhone XR sales compare to other iPhone models, Apple would very much like to sell more, and that the company is working on that. When Apple is (still) selling millions of iPhones, and the XR is the most popular every day, but the company still wants to sell more? Thats an interesting place to be in!

What about China? Cook expressed his concerns with iPhone sales in the region earlier this month when he indicated that the company will have a relatively weak first fiscal quarter, and said that the weak economy in China certainly had an impact on smartphone sales. Trade tensions between the United States and China have certainly not helped, either, but the CEO says he has heard encouraging words, and believes those tensions will fade sooner rather than later, which may start to right the ship.

You can check out the interview with CNBC through the source link below.

[via CNBCHungary has again made it clear that it does not want to become a country of immigrants and insists that the direction of the European Unions future migration policy should be decided by its citizens in the upcoming European parliamentary elections, a senior government official said in Brussels.

In the ballot in May, voters will get to have their say on whether pro-migration forces should become stronger or weaker, Szabolcs Takacs, state secretary for EU affairs at the Prime Ministers Office, told Hungarian journalists after a meeting of EU affairs ministers.



The Hungarian government faces attacks not only from its own opposition, but also from pro-migration countries and politicians across Europe for its firm stance on rejecting migration, Takacs said.



He said it was not by accident that Dutch Green MEP Judith Sargentini was also scheduled to participate in a demonstration against the Hungarian government organised by the Hungarian opposition in Brussels on Tuesday afternoon.



Takacs called a planned reduction of cohesion and agricultural funding in the EUs 2021-2027 funding cycle a disproportionate measure under a discriminative approach, insisting that it aimed to punish countries unwilling to cooperate on Brusselss migration policy.



In connection with the EUs rotating presidency which Romania took over in January for six months, Takacs said Hungarys expectation was that it should give ample consideration to the stance and interests of Hungary and the Visegrad Four grouping.



Hungary will support the Romanian presidencys every effort to make the EU more secure and competitive, he said.



MTI PhotoHungarys comprehensive online invoicing system has been operating seamlessly since its introduction in July 2018 and has contributed to a 403 billion forint jump (EUR 1.3bn) in VAT revenue year on year, Finance Minister Mihaly Varga said.

Varga noted that millions of electronic invoices contained a huge amount of data, an analysis of which enabled law-abiding taxpayers to be distinguished from non-compliant businesses.



Online invoicing helps targeted and swift action against fraud, he said. It provides the tax authority NAV a large amount of data in real time, which helps to uncover fraudulent activity and is a deterrent in itself, he said.



Its implementation alone prompted certain companies to invoice according to their actual income, he said.



NAV also compares online invoices with data from other digital systems such as the Electronic Public Road Trade Control System (EKAER), Varga noted.



MTI Photo: Mathe Zoltan

Black Friday Sales Go Live on Xbox Store, With Huge Discounts on Tons of TitlesHow to watch the State of the State

Gov. Mark Gordon will deliver his first State of the State address to a joint session of the 65th Wyoming Legislature beginning at 10 a.m. today. A link to the live video stream of the event will be prominently displayed on the governors homepage online at governor.wyo.gov. It also will be televised by Wyoming PBS.

remaining of

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.In his interview with CNBCs Jim Cramer for Mad Money, Tim Cook said that Apple has not been involved in any settlement discussions with Qualcomm since Q3 of 2018. He also shot down reports and statements from Qualcomm of both companies working together on finding a resolution. Qualcomms spokesperson has now called such remarks from Apples CEO misleading.

The spokesperson also said that Cooks statement was a deliberately timed attempt to tarnish the companys reputation and that Qualcomm sticks to the original comments made by its CEO Steve Mollenkopf in November. The statement also reiterated that Qualcomm has been in discussions with Apple at various times about a possible resolution for their ongoing dispute.

We have been consistent for the last eighteen months in making clear that we have, at various times, been in discussions with Apple about a possible resolution to our licensing dispute, said Qualcomms spokesperson. We have also stated clearly on several occasions that we believe it will be resolved, one way or the other, in the near future, either through a settlement or court decisions.

During the interview, Cook had expressed his displeasure on Qualcomms no license, no chip policy. He also noted that Qualcomm should not be paying somebody to write fake news about Apple and other companies. The San Diego chip maker had hired Definers Public Affairs for writing and spreading false news about Apple.

The issue that we have with Qualcomm is that they have a policy of no license, no chips. This is, in our view, illegal. And then, secondly, they have an obligation to offer their patent portfolio on a fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory basis and they dont do that. They charge exorbitant prices.

Apple and its lawyers have flat out issued statements refuting possibilities of any settlement with Qualcomm over their ongoing patent dispute but Qualcomm has at various stages said that it is trying to negotiate with Apple about this. At this point, irrespective of what each company says, it is unlikely that we will see Apple and Qualcomm settle this matter outside of court.

[Via CNBCExperts and industry insiders believe that China has the potential to develop a big domestic market, expand consumption, and facilitate effective investment.

The size of the Chinese market has already grown, so much so that it is now one of the big global players. During the Double 11shopping spree in 2018, transactions worth more than 10 billion yuan were created through Alibabas online marketplace Tmall in just two minutes and five seconds.

A consumer named Fu Ping explained that over the last few years, she has noticed a larger selection of goods to put into her shopping cart, and the quality is also improving.

China has the potential, demand, and conditions to develop a robust domestic market, said Wang Wei, an economist with the Development Research Center of the State Council.

Chinese consumers are now enjoying a higher level of consumption, which indicates excellent potential for consumption upgrade, said Wang Yuanhong, an economist at the State Information Center.

Wang Yuanhong said the divergence between different groups, regions, and industries could be mitigated by the new types of industrialization, informatization, urbanization, and agricultural modernization.

The economist said China should concentrate on its own affairs, believing that fostering a sizeable domestic market will create steady growth and employment, build economic resilience and optimize economic structure.

Jiang Feng, president of the China Household Electrical Appliances Association, said the industry had created a research and development team to improve the quality of home appliances, which in turn generates new consumption demand among consumers.

Wang Wei said, on the one hand, favorable policies such as special individual income tax deductions should be implemented promptly, so that consumers have more disposable income. On the other hand, she said public services should be improved, such as healthcare and elderly care, so that consumers feel more assured.

Wang Wei suggested that new consumption points should be created by elevating the level of consumption, accelerating diversified development of the modern service industry, and fostering new consumption modes.

Additionally, experts have said that the government should place investment in key areas that will create effective supply.

He Lifeng, head of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), suggested the country reinforce efforts to boost major technical equipment capabilities, renovate traditional industries, foster new growth drivers, promote effective investment in key areas, and provide higher-quality products and services to the customers.Clarksburg, WV (26301)

Today

Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Low near 50F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%..

Tonight

Showers early, then partly cloudy overnight. Low near 50F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.Apple will be giving local Korean police a plaque to express its gratitude for getting hold of fake Apple accessories worth over a billion won (~$900,000).

The fake accessories were reportedly shipped from China. It is still unclear as to how these items entered South Korea, though local distributors selling counterfeit Apple products are currently under investigation for fraud and trademark violation. The senior regional director for Apples Asia-Pacific operations will be visiting the Bucheon Sosa Police Station in the Gyeonggi Province of South Korea to give the plaque to the local police.

As a token of thanks, Donald Shruhan, senior regional director for Apples Asia-Pacific operations, will visit the Bucheon Sosa Police Station in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday to deliver a plaque of appreciation to investigators who arrested local distributors of fake Apple charging cables and earphones.

Fake Apple accessories are widely available in certain markets like China and India. Since these are pretty good copies, most customers are simply unaware of the fact that they are being sold fake accessories. Apple has taken a number of steps in recent years to stop the circulation of fake accessories but it is a constant battle, and it has to come up with new and stringent regulations and checks to ensure that customers are not sold fake accessories.

[Via Korean HeraldThere are always two sides to every story, and that definitely appears to be the case when it comes to how the iPhone market is doing.

Earlier today, there was a report that Apple had cut iPhone XS and iPhone XR production by upwards of 10 percent for the firs quarter of 2019. And that comes after plenty of other analyst memos and separate reports that have suggested that Apples iPhone sales arent that great. Of course, it probably doesnt help that Apple warned of a less-than-stellar first fiscal quarter coming up.

Still, Apple is confident in the iPhone, and has said that the iPhone XR, specifically, is doing just fine.

Here we are with another report out of China, though, painting a different picture. According to National Business Daily, Apple has informed Chinese vendors to cut the price of several different iPhone models. That includes the iPhone 8, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.

The report indicates that the majority of the models are seeing a discount of about 400 yuan, or about $59. The iPhone XR is getting a bigger price cut of around 450 yuan, or about $66. Thats not a huge price cut, but its certainly noteworthy in its own right.

From the translated report:

Today (January 9th) evening, Daily Economic News reporter was informed that on the evening of January 8, Huaqiang North channel dealers received US price adjustment information, iPhone XR, iPhone8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X and iPhone XS And other products such as iPhone XS Max began to cut prices. Among them, Huaqiang Norths iPhone in the Yuanwang Digital City Wholesale Market has experienced a full-scale decline in all levels.

Whatever is going on with the iPhone XR, and the other iPhone models, Apple is obviously looking to bolster its business in big ways outside of the hardware. Apple is already planning on launching new services in 2019, which will almost certainly include its impressive TV and movie streaming platform.

Did you buy an iPhone XR or iPhone XS Max?

[via NBDCharleston, WV (25301)

Today

A shower or two possible this evening with partly cloudy skies overnight. Low 52F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..

Tonight

A shower or two possible this evening with partly cloudy skies overnight. Low 52F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.TUPELO, Miss. (WTVA) - A 19-year-old from Nettleton is charged with leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in the December death of a woman in Tupelo.

Tyler Jernigan faces the charge in connection to the Dec. 20, 2018, death of Brandi Oliver, 42, of Birmingham, Alabama.

Tyler Jernigan | Photo: Lee County Jail Tyler Jernigan | Photo: Lee County Jail

Jernigan's lawyer, Tony Farese tells WTVA the driver was in the rain the night of the incident and thought he hit a deer. Farese commented that the 19-year-old reported the damage to his relatives.

The suspect later turned himself in.

RELATED: Woman killed in December hit-and-run

Oliver was found dead that night on North Front Street after apparently being struck by a car.

Capt. Chuck McDougald with the Tupelo Police Department says Jernigan contacted investigators through legal counsel wishing to make a statement about the incident.

He was taken into custody yesterday, Jan. 8.

This case will be presented to a Lee County grand jury.01/08/19 4:53 p.m.

In a statement from Winchester Ammunition, the company says the explosion happened in a production area.

Seven employees are being treated for minor injuries.

"Operations in Winchester's Rimfire & Military Packing building are temporarily interrupted but manufacturing at Winchester's Centerfire building is still in operation," a company spokesperson said.

See the original post below.

OXFORD, Miss. (WTVA) - Three people were injured in a minor plant explosion in Oxford.



The Lafayette County Sheriff's Department confirms this was reported sometime near 1:30 p.m. at the Olin Winchester plant on County Road 101.

Investigator Alan Wilburn says the three injured workers are being taken to Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi in Oxford. Their injuries are described as non-life-threatening.

He says this was a non-hazmat internal explosion and there are currently no dangers to the public.

Wilburn says smoke filled the building and employees were evacuated. Employees have since returned inside.

The cause of this explosion is to be determined.

The company is said to be conducting an internal investigation into the cause.

This is a developing story.WASHINGTON, D.C. (WTVA) - The country is in its second-longest government shutdown, this one now at 18 days.

Monday night President Donald Trump touched on human trafficking and border security, calling the situation a humanitarian crisis.

Last month, 20,000 migrant children were illegally brought into the United States," he said. "These children are used as human pawns by vicious coyotes and ruthless gangs. This is the cycle of human suffering that I am determined to end.

Trump also used examples for his cause citing a police officer in California being killed by an immigrant.

He ended on the note that this shutdown remains because Democrats won't fund the nearly $6 billion wall.

Meanwhile, Democrats call this a "temper tantrum" by the president, whom they say is using the American people as leverage.

Theres no excuse for hurting millions of Americans over policy difference. Federal workers are about to miss a paycheck; some families cant get a mortgage," said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. "Our suggestion is a simple one. Mr. President, reopen the government and we can work to resolve our differences over border security. But end this shutdown now.

Despite the dueling speeches, the president plans to meet with leaders on both sides Wednesday to see if there can be a solution and some common ground that ends the shutdown.STARKVILLE, Miss. (WTVA) - The Mississippi Court of Appeals has sided with a lower court judge who ruled Oktibbeha County and Starkville were within their rights to rezone 360 acres of land for a new industrial park.

The ruling comes in the appeal filed by a group of homeowners who challenged the decision.

The group contended the rezoning was not necessary and violated existing comprehensive plans the city had to deal with industrial and manufacturing facilities.

The Golden Triangle Development LINK says older developments no longer could support needs for new industry when it comes to transportation access and other services.

They argued the improved four-lane highway access to the new development was ideal for the area.

The state Court of Appeals issued its ruling Tuesday.Update 01/09/19 11:19 a.m.

John Smith, 47, of Houston, is accused of shooting a woman in the head Tuesday evening in Chickasaw County.

John Smith | Photo: Chickasaw County Sheriff's Department John Smith | Photo: Chickasaw County Sheriff's Department

The shooting was reported at 4:49 p.m. at 659 County Road 52 near Houston.

The victim, 41-year-old Nora East, was staying at the address. She told deputies Smith broke into the house and shot her in the head.

She was able to drive to a neighbor's house and called 911.

Deputies went to the address and took Smith into custody without incident.

Investigators believe this incident started with a family disturbance about property.

Investigators say Smith's brother owns the residence where the shooting happened.

Smith is charged with aggravated assault and burglary with a weapon.

Update 01/08/19 10:35 p.m.

The victim was taken to the North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo after she was able to drive herself to a house down the road where she could call 911, according to Chickasaw County Sheriff Jim Meyers.

At this time, a suspect is in custody, but their identity will not be released until Wednesday.

Deputies were called to the scene before 5 p.m. and they believe a confrontation led to the shot fired, Meyers said.

See the original post below.

CHICKASAW COUNTY, Miss. (WTVA) - Chickasaw County deputies are on the scene of a shooting investigation where one woman was shot in the head, according to Sheriff Jim Meyers.

The shooting happened on County Road 52, northeast of Houston.

At last check, Meyers said he was en route to the shooting location.

This is a developing story. Stay with WTVA 9 News for updates.LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  A Lafayette police officer is in serious condition after being shot in the back by another officer Tuesday morning, LPD confirms. It happened on North 9th Street, between Union and Salem Streets, at 10:50 a.m.

According to the Lafayette Police Department, officers were responding to a complaint of criminal mischief at 813 North 9th Street, Apt. 2. Police said while officers were inside, information was received about a person wanted on a warrant at the apartment.

Police said while officers were inside the apartment, a large, aggressive dog then charged the officers. An officer shot at the animal, and it hit another LPD officer.

Lt. Brian Phillips said the officer hit was wearing a protective vest, but couldn't say where in the back the person was hit. Animal Control currently has the dog, according to police.

Police are not releasing the name of the officer, as a criminal investigation and internal investigation are underway. Police says the injured officer was wearing a protective vest at the time.

Police assured News 18 that there are no threats to the public.

"It's a very difficult day for the Lafayette Police Department," said Phillips. "One of our own was injured today. There are many unpredictable variables anytime, as a police officer, you are out responding to calls. You never know what you are going to encounter."

Chief Patrick Flannelly is with the officer and the family at a local hospital, said Phillips.

North 9th Street is back open, as of 1:45 p.m.Trade talks between US and Chinese negotiators in Beijing will continue into a third day as the Trump administration continues to ratchet up its demands on the Chinese government. While Trump tweeted yesterday that the talks were going very well, major stumbling blocks are still unresolved.

The bellicose character of the Trump administrations stance was underscored by its provocative decision to send a US Navy destroyer into the South China Sea on Mondaythe day the talks beganto directly infringe on Chinese maritime claims. Trumps aggressive trade war measures are just one component of a wider strategy, including a military build-up in Asia, to undermine China and subordinate it to US interests.

For its part, the Chinese government pointedly hosted a top-level visit by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to Beijing yesterday on the second day of the talks. Just as Washington denied any connection between the dispatch of a destroyer to the South China Sea and the negotiations, so Beijing has dismissed any link between the talks and Kims trip. Nevertheless, it sent a message that the US needs Chinas assistance on North Korea which could be in jeopardy if Washington keeps pressing on trade.

China has already made significant concessions on trade and other US economic demands, including the recommencement of Chinese purchases of American soybeans and a lowering of tariffs on American cars. The restrictions on cars and soybeans were imposed as part of Chinas retaliation against Trumps decision to place tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods.

China has also sought to address other issues. Last month it released the draft of a law to prevent local Chinese officials from forcing foreign companies to transfer their technology as the price of doing business in China. Without substantiating its allegations, the Trump administration has repeatedly accused China of stealing American technology, both directly and indirectly.

Chinese officials last month also proposed an amendment to the countrys patent law to strengthen the legal protection of intellectual property. The new law would increase the penalties for willfully infringing on patents.

The US has made no concessions, other than to delay the implementation of the next round of trade war measures so that talks can take place. US negotiators are no doubt using the new deadline of March 1 for raising the level of American tariffs from 10 to 25 percent on $200 billion worth of Chinese goods to try to bully Beijing into meeting all US demands.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is under considerable pressure to reach an economic deal with the US. Economically the escalating trade war is contributing to a marked slowdown in the Chinese economy. Politically, Xi is being criticised within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) for failing to be sufficiently conciliatory to Washington and thus exacerbating tensions.

Total Chinese exports to the US have continued to grow, albeit more slowly, after Trump imposed successive rounds of tariffs. However, the year-on-year figures for the goods hit by the tariffs plunged sharply by between 10 and 20 percent, according to US trade statistics. Shipments of industrial robots, for instance, to the US sank by 35 percent, year-on-year, in July after the first round of tariffs, and by 68 percent in October.

US exports to China have also been hit by retaliatory tariffs, slumping by 42 percent in October on the goods affected, according to the US-based consultancy, The Trade Partnership. In June, the US exported 630,000 tonnes of soybeans to China, but that figure fell to zero in November after China imposed an additional 25 percent tariff.

Xi reportedly offered in December to lift Chinas purchases of US goods by a massive $1.2 trillion. He also signalled his support for the trade talks when his top economic adviser, Vice President Liu He, made an unscheduled appearance on Monday on the first day of negotiations.

However, US trade representative Robert Lighthizer, who is in charge of US negotiations, has repeatedly insisted that reducing Chinas trade surplus with the United States is not sufficient. He has demanded structural changes, including the further opening up of the Chinese economy to American corporations, and an end to the theft of US intellectual property.

Commenting on the reaction in the White House to Chinas concessions, the New York Times observed: The Trump administrations trade hawks are pushing for a lot more, while even the doves fret that the new promises need effective enforcement to make sure that China follows through.

The article noted: The biggest sticking point in Chinas package of concessions to the White House may be Made in China 2025, a government plan for developing high-tech industries. The Trump administration has repeatedly criticized the plan, saying it is evidence that China unfairly supports its own companies over foreign competitors in the Chinese market.

Washingtons targeting of the Made in China 2025 program underscores the fundamental obstacles to any resolution of the economic disputes. For China, its efforts to try to boost the competitiveness of its corporations, particularly for lucrative hi-tech products, are essential to ensure its continued economic growth. However, the US, which is desperate to arrest its long-term historic decline, regards Chinas technological advances as an existential threat, not only to its global economic dominance, but also to its military superiority.

Chinas efforts to downplay this program are unlikely to satisfy anti-China hawks in the Trump administration such as Lighthizer. Even if a deal is reached by the end of next month, it will only be a temporary truce as it is Chinas emergence as the worlds second largest economy, not its so-called unfair economic practices, that lies at the core of Washingtons bitter opposition.

The trade conflict has been accompanied in the US media by an escalating barrage of anti-China propaganda over everything ranging from human rights to allegations of cyber hacking and Chinese inference in American politics. Nothing it appears is too absurd, with the Washington Post publishing an article on Monday suggesting that China could use its exported rail cars to eavesdrop on US officials or even to deliberately cause a crash on American rail networks.

The ratcheting up of this propaganda war is a sure sign that the US media and political establishment as a whole regards China as the chief threat to American global dominance. Whatever the immediate outcome of the trade talks, the US confrontation with China is set to intensify across the board and is leading down the path of a catastrophic war between two nuclear-armed powers.The putrefaction of American democracy and the turn by the US ruling elite toward dictatorship were on full display Tuesday night as President Donald Trump delivered a fascistic anti-immigrant rant, demanding funding for his US-Mexico border wall as the precondition for ending the partial government shutdown now in its 19th day.

The nine-minute prime time address, broadcast live by all of the broadcast and cable news networks, was a rehash of the administrations lies about a nonexistent national security crisis on the southwestern border. It featured Trump's standard depiction of immigrant workers and their families seeking refuge from poverty and repressionthe result of a century of US imperialist intervention and exploitation throughout Latin Americaas murderers, rapists and drug pushers.

In a transparent appeal to fascistic elements in his base, Trump conjured up an image of hordes of savages pouring across the border determined to spill the blood of innocent Americans. After citing several examples of Americans allegedly killed or raped by criminal aliens, he asked, How much more American blood must we shed before Congress does its job?

In the run-up to the speech, claims made by Trump officials, including Vice President Mike Pence and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, that thousands of terrorists have been apprehended attempting to illegally enter the US from Mexico were exposed as pure fabrications. Widely cited was the State Departments summary of global terrorism threats published in September, which concluded that there was no credible evidence indicating that international terrorist groupssent operatives via Mexico into the United States.

Our southern border, Trump declared, is a pipeline for vast quantities of illegal drugs, including meth, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. Every week 300 of our citizens are killed by heroin alone, 90 percent of which floods across from our southern border.

In fact, the vast bulk of illegal drugs enter the US in vehicles crossing into the country at legal ports of entry, traffic a border wall would do nothing to deter.

Trump did not in this speech go through with his threat to declare a national state of emergency and order the military to use Pentagon funds to build the border wall, in defiance of Congress and the US Constitution. But such an assertion of presidential dictatorship continues to loom over the mounting crisis triggered by Trumps refusal to sign a bill funding nine of the federal government's 15 cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies unless it includes over $5 billion earmarked for his wall.

The shutdown itself marks a significant step in the direction of authoritarian rule, directed squarely against the working class. Some 800,000 federal workersincluding, besides tens of thousands of federal police and uniformed border thugs, hundreds of thousands of low-paid airport screeners, national park employees, office workers and others, plus many thousands more contract employeesare being furloughed or forced to work without pay.

Friday will mark the first missed paycheck for thousands of families that struggle to survive from one paycheck to the next, in a country where 78 percent of full-time workers live paycheck to paycheck, 62 percent of the people have no emergency savings and household debt reached a record $13.2 trillion by the first quarter of 2018.

If, as Trump has threatened, the shutdown lasts until February or beyond, some 40 million food stamp recipients will begin to lose their benefits. The federal WIC nutrition program for pregnant women, infants and children, which serves seven million low-income people, has already been cut off, with states up to now stepping in to cover the funding gap.

The National Governors Association sent a letter to the White House and Congress on Monday urging an end to the shutdown and warning that programs they operate jointly with the federal government are in danger, including the $16.5 billion welfare program that funds cash assistance, job training and other services for low-income families. The association calculated that the shutdown has already halted $85.8 billion in federal money to the states for programs that cover transportation, housing, the judicial system, public lands and agriculture.

Trump barely mentioned the massive federal employee lockout and mounting social crisis in his speech, underscoring the contempt and indifference toward American workers behind Trump's pseudo-populist demagogy.

The official Democratic response was given by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Their perfunctory remarks were punctuated by protestations of support for border security and appeals for bipartisan compromise, while lacking any concrete demands for a halt to the administrations antidemocratic measures against immigrants. There was no call to free the incarcerated families and children, halt the Gestapo-type work place raids, tear down the tent city internment camps and the growing network of prisons for immigrants, or end the systematic violation of the right to asylum.

Pelosi declared, We all agree we need to secure our borders, including by hiring the personnel we need, i.e., more ICE agents and Border Patrol cops. Schumer said, Make no mistake: Democrats and the president both want stronger border security. They differed only in the most effective way to do it.

The one true statement Trump made in his speech was a reminder that Schumer and Pelosi had supported and voted for a border wall in the past, including offering just last year to back $25 billion for Trump's wall in return for a broaderand punitiveimmigration package.

Most remarkable was the absence in their remarks of any warning about the deeply antidemocratic implications of the measures already taken by the Trump administration or the fundamental and far-reaching implications of the White House's threat to bypass Congress and order the military to build the wall under a state of emergency.

This underscores the fact that there is no democratic side in the political conflict within the ruling elite that has given rise to the government shutdown. The Democrats are allied with the predominant sections of the military and intelligence apparatus, which are using the Mueller anti-Russia probe and other investigations to either force Trump to adopt a more aggressive policy in the Middle East and against Russia or remove him from office altogether. They work to strengthen the police agencies of the state and operate with the methods of palace coup, while spearheading the drive to criminalize political opposition and censor the internet.

Trump speaks for sections of the financial oligarchy and the state that seek to impose authoritarian forms of rule by creating the basis for a fascistic movement outside of the normal two-party channels of American capitalist politics, while focusing their trade war policies and military preparations on China.

Both factions are agreed on austerity and the ever-greater enrichment of the corporate oligarchy, and terrified of the growth of working-class oppositionthe Democrats, if anything, more so than the Republicans. So too are the trade unions, which in their refusal to lead any struggle against the shutdown are once again demonstrating their role as industrial police for the ruling class.

The working class must intervene into the crisis independently of both parties and all factions of the ruling class. It must build new organizations of strugglerank-and-file factory, workplace and neighborhood committees, independent of the unionsto link up and coordinate the struggles of federal workers, teachers, auto workers and all sections of working people and youth in the US and internationally, as part of an offensive against the capitalist system.Actor Kevin Spacey was arraigned Monday in Nantucket, Massachusetts on charges of indecent assault in regard to an alleged incident at a local restaurant in July 2016. His lawyers entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

The highly publicized case was initially launched at a Boston press conference in November 2017. Heather Unruh, a former television news anchor at the citys ABC-affiliated WCVB, accused Spacey of plying her son, an 18-year-old busboy, with alcohol and subsequently groping him at the Club Car restaurant on Nantucket, a small island (population 10,200) about 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Spaceys brief courtroom appearance on Monday, during which he hardly spoke, was the occasion for another media frenzy. In news accounts Spacey is now regularly referred to as the disgraced actor, although he has not been found guilty of any crime. He was fired from House of Cards, the Netflix political drama, and his scenes were removed from the already completed All the Money in the World(directed by Ridley Scott) amid the initial stages of the #MeToo hysteria in late 2017. Various individuals have charged that Spacey made unwanted sexual advances toward them or otherwise acted inappropriately.

The accuser in the Nantucket case told Massachusetts state police that he met Spacey after his shift ended in the early morning hours of July 7, 2016. In his account of events, according to CBS News, the young man had at least eight drinks with the actor, with Spacey buying most of them and telling him, Lets get drunk. He said Spacey made a sexual comment to him and later asked the teen to go home with him, but he refused. He told police he felt uncomfortable but lingered because he wanted to take a picture with Spacey for Instagram.

The accuser then said he was groped by the actor for three minutes as he and Spacey stood by a piano. He asserts he then fled the restaurant.

The Daily Mail has obtained a defense motion that argues the teenager claimed he was a 23-year-old student studying business at Wake Forest University [in North Carolina] after the accuser sought out a friend for the specific purpose of introducing him to [Spacey]. The motion further claims that the individual welcomed drinks from [Spacey], let [Spacey] put his arm around him near the piano while they did sing-a-longs and even left the bar to smoke with [Spacey]. This behavior, combined with the fact that the young man gave Spacey his phone number, suggests, according to the actors defense, mutual and consensual flirting.

In addition, the motion claims that the young mans girl-friend, who was in communication with him that night, was never told about any assault. Although she recounted in her statement that [the accuser] appraised her of nearly all of the interactions between the two men during the course of their encounter, [the accuser] never suggested that he had in any way been sexually assaulted, the filing argues.

The defense maintains that the young woman in question was not, in fact, aware of the allegations until Heather Unruhs press conference, some 16 months later. In this regard, the Associated Press noted that Nantucket District Court Judge Thomas Barrett granted a request by Spaceys lawyers to preserve the victims cellphone data from the six months following the alleged assault. Spacey's attorney Alan Jackson said there is data that is likely exculpatory for Spacey.

The defense motion indicated the belief of the actors legal team that the messages will reveal that the complainant joked about the incident with his friends for months after the incident, and his mother [Unruh] is a driving force behind the emergence of the allegations. Spaceys lawyers claimed police had not collected or preserved the cellphone data.

CBS News reports that the defense lawyers motion termed the accusers allegations unsubstantiated and after-the-fact. [The investigation did not begin in earnest until the alleged victim spoke with Massachusetts State Police on November 22, 2017, a month after the #MeToo campaign got underway.] They said no witnesses have come forward to corroborate the accusers assault claims, despite the crowded bar and publicity surrounding the case. They call the teens actions completely inconsistent with a victim of sexual assault, saying he didnt ask Spacey to stop or remove himself from the situation. Instead, according to [the accuser,] his reaction was to text and Snapchat his girlfriend, while [Spacey] was supposedly assaulting him. Spaceys lawyers also argue that a video the alleged victim took does not show anything that could remotely be described as assaultive behavior.

At her November 8, 2017 press conference, Heather Unruh asserted that the climate in this country is changing. Theres a shift. She went on, There is less victim-blaming going on now. I was really emboldened by the victims in the Harvey Weinstein case. They were astonishingly brave women and theyve come out in such large numbers and it sparked a lot of conversation in our house about it being the right time.

My son was a starstruck, straight 18-year-old young man who had no idea that the famous actor was an alleged sexual predator or that he was about to become his next victim, Unruh claimed. When my son was drunk, Spacey made his move and sexually assaulted him.

The former television anchor made clear her determination to see Spacey punished for the alleged assault. She said, I want to see Kevin Spacey go to jail. I want to have the hand of justice come down on him. Addressing the actor directly, Unruh said, Shame on you for what you did to my son, and called him a sexual predator. Your actions are criminal.

Around the same time in 2017, a Boston television station reported that Unruhs attorney Mitchell Garabedian said he is conducting his own investigation and trying to identify any witnesses for an upcoming civil suit. Garabedian, well-known for his role in representing sexual abuse victims in the Boston area during the Catholic priest sexual abuse scandal, told the media that by reporting the alleged sexual assault, my client is a determined and encouraging voice for those victims not yet ready to report being sexually assaulted. My client is leading by example.

However, attorney Eric MacLeish, who also famously represented victims of sexual assault by priests in the Boston area, told the Boston Herald that Garabedian made bonehead moves by holding press conferences and announcing he would be representing Unruhs son in civil matters. Spaceys defense may seize on that to try to paint the accuser in a negative light, MacLeish said, which could reinforce the negative stereotype that many accusers are just out for money. If this case is lost, it can set everyone back years.

Spaceys appearance at his next court date, March 4, has been waived. If found guilty of indecent assault, the actor faces up to five years in prison.The announcement of an early election on April 9 by Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu and his Likud-led coalition has precipitated a further shift to the right across the spectrum of Israeli politics.

The timing of the election was a calculated decision by Netanyahu to face down Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit over the possibility he will be charged with corruption in one or more of several serious cases and forced to resign. He intends to whip up a ferocious campaign against Mandelblit to forestall any such indictment and maintain his position. Should Mandelblit go ahead with the indictment, Netanyahu will claim he is interfering in the election. Should he win the election, he will seek to circumscribe the legal system to ensure he gets off scot-free.

Just last week, Haaretz reported that the attorney general was set to announce his decision next month about whether to charge Netanyahu. According to newspapers reports, retired senior jurists told Mandelblit that it was his public duty to announce whether he will indict Netanyahu or not before the election as the public was entitled to know before voting on April 9. According to a poll conducted by Meet the Press on the Israel Television News Company, 64 percent of Israelis are in favour of Mandelblit announcing his decision before the election, with 22 percent against and 14 percent undecided.

Speaking at a press conference in Brazil during his visit to attend the fascist Jair Bolsonaros presidential inauguration, where he also met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and fellow right-wing leaders from Honduras, Hungary and Chile, Netanyahu said, I will not resign if I am summoned to a hearing before the election. The law did not require him to do so, he added.

With all the arrogance of the criminal financial oligarchy for whom he speaks, Netanyahu followed this up with a video on his Facebook page telling the attorney general not to announce his decision before the election. To do so, he said, would be akin to chopping off a thief's arm before finalizing the case against him.

Eliyahu Matza, a former vice president of the Supreme Court from 1992 to 2005, likened Netanyahu to a Mafia boss, telling Israel Radio, I cannot recall any time in my entire career such statements against law enforcement by anyone other than heads of crime organizations.

He spoke against not just Netanyahu, but his entire entourage who are painting him as a martyr, the victim ofvariously--the left wing or a deep-state putsch. Matza added, The prime minister, the government, members of Knesset, Netanyahu's friends--they're all under the law and they absolutely must not make comments like these that are no less than incitement against the attorney general and law enforcement agencies. It's just incitement, in the criminal sense of the word.

Not withstanding Netanyahus personal fate, reflecting the thoroughly corrupt nature of Israeli political and economic life, the campaign is dominated by the right-wing and militaristic agenda shared by all Israeli parties, allies and opponents of Likud alike. This is inextricably linked to the Greater Israel project of Zionist expansion, upon which the wealth of Israels elite depends and which demands both the further displacement and suppression of the Palestinians and a massive escalation in the social attacks on the Israeli working class.

The West Bank is subject to Israels military court system, with thousands of Palestinians languishing in Israeli jails. A few weeks ago, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) took over Ramallah in the West Bank, supposedly under the control of the Palestinian Authority, blocking entry to the city, bursting into homes and arresting people.

Gaza has been subject to more than a decade of Israels crushing and illegal blockade and numerous murderous assaults that have together all but destroyed economic life and reduced the besieged entity to an open-air prison.

The 370,000 Palestinians in East Jerusalem, illegally annexed after the June 1967 war, have been granted permanent residency statusalthough nearly 15,000 have had their residency status revoked--that permits them to vote in Israels municipal but not national elections. At the same time, there are plans afoot in Israels parliament to redraw the boundaries of Jerusalem to include some of the settlements blocks and exclude some of the Palestinian suburbs.

Taken together, nearly 5 million Palestinians subject to Israeli control have no right to vote in the election, compared to some 6.6 million Israelis that include 1.5 million Palestinian citizens.

Under such conditions, all of Israels mainstream parties are jockeying for position should Netanyahu be indicted and be forced to resign, splintering and regrouping in new and ever more right-wing alliances. With their focus on security issues, they are all appealing to former generalsoften portrayed as lefts or centrists on Israels political spectrum--to join their ranks as they compete over who has the most bellicose policy towards the Palestinians while stoking fears over Irans expanding influence in the region.

Netanyahu is welcoming the generals with open arms as his coalition falls apart and his fascistic rivals set up their own parties in a bid for the premiership. All compete in inciting violence against the Palestinians, who have seen a threefold increase in racist attacks in 2018 over 2017.

Two of his cabinet members, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Education Minister Naftali Bennett, have quit their own nationalist-religious "Jewish Home" to launch their "New Right" party, with Shaked stating that this was Netanyahus last term as prime minister. They declared, in an open challenge to Netanyahu and an appeal to disenchanted Likud voters and other right wingers, "We--and the right--must no longer be held captive by one man."

Netanyahus bid to win over former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Benny Gantz failed. Gantz, along with Moshe Yaalon, a former defence minister under Netanyahu, have set up their own parties--Hosen L'Yisrael (Resilience for Israel) and Telem (National State Movement) respectively--and will run for election on a single list in a bid to outdo Netanyahu as Mr. Security.

However, housing Minister Yoav Galant, a former IDF general, who lost his bid to become IDF Chief of Staff after allegations that he had built an access road to his home without authorization and planted an olive grove on public land surfaced, has quit the Kulani Party and joined Likud.

Another general, Gal Hirsch, has also entered politics on a Likud ticket. Hirsch is a security hawk, currently in a conflict with the police force, which he claims stymied his appointment as police commissioner three years ago.

The main opposition bloc, the Zionist Union, has split. Avi Gabbay, leader of the opposition Labor Party, dumped his alliance partner, Tzipni Livni, leader of the Hatnua Party, on live television in the hope of salvaging his party which is hemorrhaging supporters. Both face a wipe out in the election with the official burial of the so-called two state solutiontheir original raison detre and now swansong--following President Donald Trumps decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. Neither they or Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid have been able to attract a leading former military leader to their camp and thus push their own security credentials.

Tamar Zandberg, chair of the Meretz Party that came out of the Peace Now movement, is also reportedly looking for a security expert to join the party.

The ever more corrupt, fascistic and militaristic nature of Israels political partiesin a country whose founding was defended with the claim that it would provide a refuge from fascism and anti-Semitism--mirrors similar trends internationally and confirms the reactionary dead-end of the entire Zionist project.

Jewish and Arab workers in Israel and throughout the region must unite in a common struggle to overthrow the Zionist state and the bourgeois Arab regimes in the region and replace them with a United Socialist States of the Middle East.Over 180 million workers began a two-day general strike across India yesterday in protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modis big business assault on the working class. Tens of thousands of workers defied threats of sacking and pay cut by state governments to join the national walkout.

The huge strike, which is continuing today, is a powerful indication of the mass opposition to Modis Hindu-supremacist Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP)-led government and its escalating attack on jobs, working conditions and basic democratic rights.

While millions of workers demonstrated their readiness to fight the Modi government, the unions, and the parties that control them, called the walkout to divert the widespread discontent and anger into the election of an alternate big business government, most likely Congress Party led, in the forthcoming April-May national ballot.

The Stalinist Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM and the Communist Party of India or CPI and their respective affiliated unionsthe Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC)played a key role in the strike.

The CITU and AITUC joined forces with the Congress-led Indian National Trade Union Congress and the Labour Progressive Front (LPF), which is affiliated with the right-wing Tamil communalist DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), to organise the walkout.

The Stalinists, who provided left and pro-worker credentials to these bourgeois parties, have no fundamental differences with Modis economic measures and are committed to Indias close military-strategic partnership with the US.

Workers from key economic sectorsbanks, insurance, transport, postal, anganwadi (child care centres), mines and various government officesjoined yesterdays strike.

According to reports, workers participated in states across the country, including in Haryana and Punjab in the north, Assam, Meghalaya and Manipur in the northeast, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha and Jharkhand in the east, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka in the south, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Goa in the west, and Chhattisgarh in central India.

The strike had the biggest impact in Kerala, West Bengal, Assam, Karnataka and Odisha with mass protest rallies, marches and road and rail blockades organised in these states. While the strike was only partially observed in Tamil Nadu, there was a total shut down in Coimbatore and Tiruppur, two major cities in that state.

In Kerala, public and private transport came to a halt with state transport, three-wheelers and other taxi services remaining off the road. Central government-owned sectors in the state, including banks, insurance, tax, excise and custom department offices, the Account Generals office and the postal services, were seriously impacted.

In Maharashtra state over 32,000 Mumbai public transport workers began an indefinite strike on the same day to demand higher pay and better working conditions. While the BJP-led state government immediately responded by invoking the draconian Essential Services Maintenance Act no buses left any of the citys 27 depots.

All contract employees and half the permanent workforce at the Visakhapatnam steel works, also joined the national strike. Visakhapatnam is the largest industrial hub in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

The total participation of contract workers in the industrial action was in defiance of sacking threats by the steel works management. The use of low-paid contract workers is rampant in the public and private sector in India and used to drive up profits, slash wages and conditions and divide permanent and contract workers against each other.

The communalist AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam)-led Tamil Nadu state government and the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government warned state employees that they faced harsh disciplinary actions if they joined the general strike.

The BJP-led Goa government invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act to ban strikes in all transport services within the state. Anticipating a total shutdown of all public transport, the Congress party-led Karnataka government shut down all schools and colleges in that state.

While the CITU and the AITUC offered the usual demagogic denunciations of the Modi government, these formations are hostile to any independent political mobilisation of the working class. The Stalinist union federations are also attempting to utilise the general strike to appeal for closer collaboration with the BJP-led central government and employers.

A CITU statement said that the Modi government had undermined tripartism and complained that it has not held an Indian Labour Conference [tripartite body] for more than three and half years. This was echoed by the AITUC, whose general secretary, Amarjeet Kaur, lamented that there has been no attempt on the part of Modi and the BJP to reach out to the unions. In CPM-ruled Kerala, the unions exempted tourism workers from the strike, citing the potential financial losses any stoppage in that sector would cause.

The CITU also appealed to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee prior to yesterdays strike. CITU West Bengal Committee President Subhas Mukherjee wrote to the right-wing, anti-communist chief minister urging her to take positive steps in the proposed general strike and solve issues relating to opening of closed units like Jessop, Hindustan Motors, Dunlop and reviving the Kolkata and Haldia ports.

This craven appeal by the Stalinists was issued as Banerjee denounced the strike and banned all state government workers from participating. In fact, the ruthless imposition of free market reforms by previous CPM-led Left Front governments in West Bengal paved the way for Banerjees Trinamool Congress to come to power in 2011.

Indian supporters of the International Committee of the Fourth International distributed Bengali- and Tamil-language versions of a WSWS analysis of the walkout to strikers in Kolkata and Chennai, and discussed the necessity for a socialist internationalist perspective to fight the Modi governments attacks.

In Chennai, Ramesh Kumar, 55, from Life Insurance Corporation, told the WSWS that Modi government rule is terrible and poor people are the most affected. The Congress party and BJP are the same.

Kumar expressed some of the illusions promoted by the Stalinists that a Congress-led government would consider workers demands. However, after a discussion on the historical record of Congress and the Stalinists, and the need for workers government and socialist policies, he added: I think a workers government will create better economic conditions for everybody.

A state transport worker criticised the parties and unions that organised the strike. He pointed out that the opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu had previously aligned itself with the BJP and denounced the DMKs current line-up with Congress as an opportunist alliance. He welcomed the necessity of fighting for a workers government and noted that nobody else is talking about this.

Sathiyaseelan, an Uber cab driver and former member of the CITU denounced all the unions. The CITU is only looking after its office bearers and doesnt pay much attention to the grievances of rank and file workers.

The trade unions are not for workers. When the police began harassing Uber and Ola cab drivers the unions did not come to our defence and so I decided to leave the CITU. There are many workers who do not participate in the strike, mainly because they have no faith in the unions. I like what you say about your international party and your web site and will visit your site.

An anganwadi (child care) worker said: Ive been working as a teacher in this service for 35 years. My monthly salary is 12,500 rupees [$US178] but a helper only gets 7,000 rupees [$100], even with 12 years experience. The anganwadi salary was originally just 2,500 rupees but I chose this job with the aim of securing a government job in the future.

In Kolkata, Santanu Mondal, a member of the National Federation of Postal Employees, said: As a result of a 2004 ordinance, public sector workers were deprived of a pension scheme. We are against the new contributory pension scheme. The government is not implementing a Supreme Court order on the minimum wage for workers. We demand that every worker should be paid a monthly salary of 18,000 rupees [$257]. There are many contract casual workers in the postal sector but they are only paid a pittance, just 41.75 rupees per hour.

Sukomal Shad, a member of the Alahabad Bank Workers Union, said: Irrespective of who comes to power we will continue to fight for our demands, which have been neglected by all previous, successive governments. The future is uncertain but our demands are legitimate.Evangelist Chidi Ibinado, a popular Nigerian cleric has been accused of being a fraud. He was accused of deceptively soliciting for funds, claiming he wants to help widows.

The evangelist is being accused of the fraudulent act by a popular philanthropist, Dr Yolanda N. George-David.

Some time ago, Evangelist Chidi Ibinado shared photos of bags of rice, wrappers, and other items which he claims he bought to distribute to widows. He then asked social media users to donate for more items.

His post got impressive responses with people promising to donate to support his good work. Actress Uche Elendu even declared support for him.

However, it turns out he didnt buy those items as he claims. The photo of bags of rice and wrappers which he said he bought for widows are actually photos from an event tagged CPM Festacs Papa Move. He is alleged to have taken their photos, shared it online, and passed it off as something he is doing for widows.

He was busted by philanthropist Dr Yolanda N. George-David who was one of those that organised CPMs Festac Papas Move.

Dr Yolanda took to Instagram to expose the cleric. She wrote:

I am Irate.. Disgusted..and Ashamed as a Minister of the Gospel Evan. Chidi Ibinado in Owerri How dare you?

Why would a so called Evangelist take Pictures from CPM Festacs Papa Move and claim that he is taking care of widows.

Dear Mr.. Evangelist.. God is the husband of the widows real widows were blessed God has blessed Rev.Paul.. myself and everyone who donated to the Success last year.. You cant claim to be called by God and you steal from already hungry people Return every donation that you have received in 7 days or hear from my lawyers I am pretty Irate ..right now.. Thank you God that I am not in Africa, I would have paid you a visit and given you some good beating Since you have reduced yourself to lying How is this not fraudulent

What?!!! Everyone who was at Auntlanda Free Market Square will recognise the Background.. My Widows are Suffering, stop using their pain to rob people.. Oh mhen

I am pissed.. Evangelist. Chidi Ibinado in Owerri.. wont mention your churchs name , you have been warned  My Darlings kindly repost.. share and comment on his page Help make sure people dont continue to get swindled By Gods grace we will continue serving because LOVE IS AN ACTION word

Evangelist Chidi has since locked up his Instagram page and deleted the post he made about buying items for the widows.

However, Dr Yolanda N. George-David made anther post, telling him it is not enough to delete the post but must make an acknowledgment of doing wrong.

She wrote:

Uncle [email protected] it isnt enough to delete the post You must acknowledge that you used our pictures from Papas move without permission and consent and you claimed that you were set to care for 900 widows and you demanded for donations under false pretences Your members deserve better. You must make refunds to everyone you extorted from your imaginary outreach. Ask your lawyers the implications of your post You cant sit in Owerri Evan. Chidi Ibinado steal pictures from Papas Move and then share You messed with the wrong set of people.. Why would a so called Evangelist take Pictures from CPM Festacs Papa Move and claim that he is taking care of widows.

Dear Mr .. Evangelist.. God is the husband of the widows real widows were blessed God has blessed Rev.Paul.. myself and everyone who donated to the Success last year.. You cant claim to be called by God and you steal from already hungry people Return every donation that you have received in 7 days or hear from my lawyers I am pretty Irate ..right now.. Thank you God that I am not in Africa, I would have paid you a visit and given you some good beating Since you have reduced yourself to lying How is this not fraudulent

What?!!! Everyone who was at Auntlanda Free Market Square will recognise the Background.. My Widows are Suffering, stop using their pain to rob people..Oh mhen..

I am pissed.. Evangelist. Chidi Ibinado in Owerri.. wont mention your churchs name , you have been warned  My Darlings kindly repost.. share and comment on his page Help make sure people dont continue to get swindled By Gods grace we will continue serving because LOVE IS AN ACTION word

Aunt LandaOn Saturday, in freezing temperatures, about 10,000 people demonstrated again in the Hungarian capital Budapest against the right-wing government of Prime Minister Victor Orban. In the last weeks, thousands had already protested against the so-called slave law.

The protests in Budapest and other cities in the country were triggered by a tightening of labour law allowing companies to demand up to 400 hours of overtime per year from all employees. Orbans governing party Fidesz, which has a two-thirds majority in parliament, passed the law in mid-December.

Meanwhile, the protests are directed against the governments entire right-wing, anti-social policies, which have systematically eliminated press freedoms and democratic rights since it took office nine years ago. The recent restructuring of the judicial system is designed to ensure that the government has full control over the courts. On Saturday, the crowd chanted We wont be slaves, Dirty Fidesz and Orban, get out! among other things.

So, it was hardly surprising that the pro-government media in Hungary either barely mentioned the protests or uncritically repeated the reactions of government representatives. As before, Fidesz declared that the demands of the demonstrators would not be met under any circumstances.

At the same time, the government is continuing its anti-Semitic campaign by claiming that US billionaire George Soros was behind the protests. On Saturday, a Fidesz spokesman said Soros was mobilising forces everywhere that were attacking anti-migration governments, such as in Hungary, before the European elections in the spring.

In the meantime, almost all opposition parties and trade unions have joined the protests. They are seeking to bring them under their control and direct social opposition into a political dead end. The Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), whose right-wing policies paved the way for Orban, the hysterically anti-Communist Greens (LMP) and the trade unions have allied themselves with the neo-fascist Jobbik party, which has repeatedly supported Orbans xenophobic government policies.

The MSZP, which emerged from the former Stalinist party of state, has used the protests to forge a right-wing alliance with Jobbik. Bertalan Toth has emerged as the new party leader from months of fierce in-fighting in the MSZP. He has pledged his party to a radical turn to the right and cooperation with the ultra-right Jobbik. In this years local elections, the opposition parties want to nominate only one candidate in each region, who will then compete against the ruling partys candidate.

The unions are threatening a general strike if the government does not respond to four demands they have made. According to the daily Nepszava, they are demanding the overtime law be revoked. In addition, the minimum wage should be raised, pensions improved and the right to strike amended. Laszlo Kordas of the Federation of Trade Unions said, We are preparing for strike action.

Andras Foldiak, chair of another trade union federation, told Inforadio that he expected nationwide strikes in early February. A nationwide protest is already planned for January 19.

The trade unions and opposition parties fear the protests against the government will expand and take an independent direction if they do not bring them under their control. That this fear is not unfounded is demonstrated by the growth of protests on an international level. For weeks, the yellow vests in France have been protesting against President Emmanuel Macron. The protest wave has already spread to Spain and Portugal. Now, more and more protests are developing in southern and eastern Europe.

For several weeks, thousands have been demonstrating against President Aleksandar Vucic in Serbia. His ruling Progress Party (SNS) is implementing brutal austerity dictates and is acting increasingly violently against the opposition forces.

When 10,000 people participated in a demonstration at the beginning of December, Vucic declared contemptuously, March as much as you like. I will not meet your demands, even if five million should come. By the end of the year, the number of participants had quadrupled.

The same Saturday, more than 15,000 people came to the demonstration in the capital Belgrade, despite snow and icy temperatures. There were smaller protests in Novi Sad, Nis and Kragujevac. While the crowd shouted, Vucic, you thief! banners read, It has begun.

Student protests have again broken out in Albania where they had boycotted lessons for two weeks in December and announced they would resume the protests in January. They are opposing the catastrophic conditions confronting pupils and students in the poverty-stricken Balkan state. The education system is chronically underfunded and ailing. Walter Glos of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation told Deutschlandfunk radio that the mood of protest had since spread to other parts of the population.

Bosnia is also in turmoil, as the Suddeutsche Zeitung recently noted. Since the death of a student eight months ago, more and more people have been protesting against the government.

The movement was triggered by the death of the 21-year-old student David Dragicevic. While the police portrayed the death as an accident, everything points to torture and murder. In the eyes of his father, a waiter and war veteran, his son was the victim of a plot involving criminals, the police and politicians.

This was the trigger for thousands to take to the streets against the right-wing nationalist government. In social media networks, the protests are supported by tens of thousands. In the area formerly blighted by civil war, the government is deliberately seeking to fuel ethnic tensions, however, in the protests against the government, Muslims, Serbs and Croats are showing their solidarity.Guatemalas government and its entire ruling establishment have responded to the recent deaths of two Guatemalan children under US custody with an indifference that not only reflects their disdain for the countrys impoverished masses, but also their efforts to demonstrate loyal submission to the Trump administration.

Jakelin Caal, 7, died on December 8, and Felipe Gomez Alonzo, 8, on December 24, after crossing the border into the US and being taken into custody by the border patrol.

Along with much of the media, Guatemalan authorities have remained silent about the case of Yazmin Juarez, a 20-year-old Guatemalan migrant, who filed a suit last month against the US federal government over the death of her 19-month-old daughter, Mariee, after contracting a respiratory infection and being inadequately treated at an ICE family detention center in Arizona earlier last year.

While Hondurans and Salvadorans comprised the bulk of the caravans that gained widespread media attention and sympathy internationally last year, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported that, for the first time on record, it arrested more Guatemalans crossing the border than any other nationality during the 2018 fiscal year, which ended in September. A total of 50,401 Guatemalan migrants were detained, twice as many as in the previous fiscal year.

On December 25, the US Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen provided data showing that six people died during fiscal year 2018 (ending in September) in CBP custody, while CBP commissioner Kevin McAleenan told CBS that Jakelin was the first child to die in more than a decade.

The deaths of Jakelin and Felipe attest to the ruthless detention regime imposed on migrants by the Trump administration. While investigations are underway into the deaths, it is known that Felipe became ill after being sent to the temporary detention facilities known as hieleras or ice boxes, and that Jakelin collapsed after she was ripped away from her father by officials claiming their relationship could not be confirmed.

Many more migrants die while crossing the Sonoran Desert into the US, where CBP officials are known to destroy water and provisions left for migrants by volunteers.

Jakelins body was received by a group of saddened neighbors of San Antonio Secortez and nearby towns of the Raxruha municipality. Dozens gave money and food baskets to the family. Felipes body has not been returned to his hometown due to continued examinations.

Jose Manuel Caal, Jakelins uncle, told reporters that the girl and her father were escaping hunger. The poverty we live in, the crops we grow arent enough to support a family, he noted.

In Nenton, Huehuetenango, Felipes uncle and one of his cousins had no time to mourn or wait for the body and are already planning on attempting the trip to the United States. I have no land, I have nothing for my children to live better, he commented to Prensa Libre shortly after the news came of Felipes death.

The outrage over these deaths among workers in the US and the popular anger and grief in Guatemala are anathema to both governments.

The Guatemalan government of President Jimmy Morales has not protested the deaths or the brutal treatment of migrants by US authorities and has instead reproduced the threats by the Trump administration. In fact, the death of Jakelin Caal was temporarily covered up by the Guatemalan authorities despite reports that the consulate at Del Rio, Texas was informed on December 8 at 6 a.m. It wasnt until December 13, five days after her death, that the CBP acknowledged the incident.

Guatemalan Foreign Minister Sandra Jove released the following statement shortly after revealing the identity of the girl: The government of Guatemala regrets that a citizen has lost her life in this journey and points out that places where migrants cross now are more dangerous and distances they travel are longer.

On December 25, after the death of Felipe, the Foreign Ministry published a new communique stating: we requested a clear investigation that respects the proper process that US authorities assign to this case. That day, the Guatemalan governments Human Rights Ombudsman made the following pronouncement: The efforts by the US authorities must not center only on controlling migratory flows, but also on the integrity of the migrants, since two children have died in the custody of the border patrol in less than 15 days.

The Guatemalan consul in Del Rio, Tekandi Paniagua, was asked whether the death of Caal, reportedly a healthy 7-year-old girl, could have been avoided. He refused to respond until the autopsy.

After Nielsen and Trump blamed the families directly for the childrens deaths, the Guatemalan government made no protest.

Trump has continued his bullying unbothered. On December 28, for instance, he tweeted:

Honduras Guatemala and El Salvador are doing nothing for the United States but [are] taking our money. Word is that a new Caravan is forming in Honduras and they are doing nothing about it. We will be cutting off all aid to these 3 countries-taking advantage of U.S. for years!

On January 1, the CBP attacked migrants seeking to cross the border near Tijuana with tear gas and arrested at least 25 of them. Again, there was no protest by Guatemala or other regional governments.

On June 18, at the height of popular rage against Trumps zero tolerance policy against migrants characterized by the separation of children from their parents, the Guatemalan government made no protest but instead declared that it respects US foreign policy in migration matters. President Morales again failed to protest the deployment of US troops and violent threats against caravan members by Trump in October, or the shooting of rubber bullets and tear gas canisters to disperse caravan members, including women and young children, inside Tijuana in November.

Such subservience has angered workers, peasants and wider layers of the population. The imperviousness of the US government and the security forces killed her; the Jimmy Morales administration killed her; the ineptitude and subservience of foreign minister Sandra Jovel killed her; the Congress that legislates for the rich killed her; the greedy elites killed her; the depriving transnational corporations killed her; indifference killed her; we all killed her, wrote historian Maria Aguilar in an op-ed on Jakelins death for El Periodico.

The hostility to the masses by the Guatemalan ruling class has in turn become useful to mouthpieces of the US imperialist foreign policy, setting the tone for the response by most of the media and political opposition in Guatemala.

The New York Times, in a December 28 article titled Guatemala cautious on Young Migrants Deaths, Wary of Angering US, sought to shift the blame for the deaths onto the Guatemalan government. It attributes its solicitous approach toward Trumps anti-immigrant offensive to President Morales bid to secure Trumps backing for the expulsion of a UN-sponsored anti-impunity commission, the CICIG (International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala).

Foreign Minister Jovel issued an ultimatum on Monday giving the UN body 24 hours to leave the country.

Undoubtedly, Morales wants Trumps blessings regarding the CICIG, which had been investigating him for illicit campaign financing and several of his family members and political associates in other corruption cases. But in making this argument, the Times and many others in Guatemala and elsewhere are seeking to channel social opposition over the migrant deaths behind support for the CICIG.

Far from seeking to combat the corruption that has crippled Guatemalas political and economic developmentand, in part, fueled the migration of its citizens, as the Times claims, the CICIG is fully controlled by the US State Department and has functioned as a lever of imperialist domination. It has been used to pressure the ruling National Convergence Front to adopt policies that are even more subordinate to US capital and its geopolitical interestspolicies that are chiefly responsible for the desperate social conditions forcing migrants to leave.

These policies include the imposition of social austerity and attacks on democratic rights with the aim of keeping Guatemala as a source of cheap labor and natural resources. At the same time, Washington has sought further US militarization of the region, the timely servicing of the public debt to Wall Street and the cutting of economic and political ties with US rivals, chiefly China.

A government report presented in August indicates that 59.3 percent of the population lives under poverty, 8.1 percentage points more than in 2006. The official poverty rates of the municipalities where Felipe and Jakelin lived exceed 80 percent. Decent-paying jobs, health care, sanitation facilities, secondary education, electricity, internet, cable and other basic needs are largely inaccessible. Guatemala collects the smallest share of tax revenues relative to its GDP in the world.

Agricultural workers make on average 40 to 60 quetzales ($5-8) per day, below the paltry minimum wage for the sector of 90 quetzales ($11.6) daily.

At the same time, Guatemala is the worlds fifth main exporter of palm oil and the fourth of sugar. After agricultural products, textiles constitute the second largest export sector, followed by chemicals, minerals and metals.

What maintains the intolerable levels of poverty for workers and peasants is the drive for profits by major transnational corporations and local landowners that continue bleeding Guatemalas soil and labor.

Almost one of every two children in Guatemala suffers chronic malnourishment, with thousands of children under five dying each year from preventable conditions (13,000 in 2015 according to UNICEF). Youth seeking to escape desperate poverty, domestic abuse or gang violence also face the possible nightmare of being locked up, beaten, and sexually abused in the shelters controlled by the Social Welfare Secretariat (SBS). In 2017, 41 girls died in a fire at a shelter after they set fire to mattresses as part of a failed attempt to escape their refuge. The treatment meted out by US authorities to the 15,000 migrant children held in custody is not that different.

The opposition parties in Guatemala were also largely silent on the deaths of Jakelin and Felipe, and their few statements were toothless. For instance, the only official statement by the ex-guerrilla URNG-Maiz, signed by its only legislator, Walter Felix, attacked Trumps zero tolerance policy but made no further demand than calling on the Morales government to elucidate the case.

A June analysis by the CELAG think tank (Latin American Strategic Center on Geopolitics) warned that there is no political left in Guatemala, citing the lack of political support for the ex-guerrilla URNG-Maiz and the Indian nationalist Winaq Party, adding that flexible and informal labor hamper the development of trade unions.

Back in May, the Washington-based think-tank Stratfor expressed confidently that any social explosion in the country would fall once again under the auspices of CICIGs Guatemalan defenders, referring to the channeling of mass protests in 2015 against the Otto Perez Molina administration behind the CICIGs corruption case against him, culminating in his resignation that year and replacement by the fascistic Vice-President Alejandro Baltazar Maldonado. Shortly thereafter came the election of the ex-comedian Morales, an even more pliable defender of the interests of US imperialism and the local oligarchy.

The entire establishment opposition has based its criticisms of Morales on defending the CICIG and its corruption cases against the ruling coalition. The CELAG piece reflects concerns among ruling circles in Latin America that the alignment of the pseudo-left behind the CICIG and its other right-wing backers could eventually render them useless as instruments for channeling social unrest behind the bourgeois politics.

Their unpopularity, however, runs much deeper. It is the result of their abandonment of the class struggle after the guerrillas, along with the student and indigenous protest organizations became the left flank of the UNE (National Union of Hope party) faction of the ruling elite following the peace process in the late-1990s, while the living conditions of peasants and workers continued to worsen. This was in turn the inevitable result of the nationalist politics advanced by the petty-bourgeois leaderships of the Maoist and Castroite guerrillas and Stalinist Guatemalan Workers Party (PGT), which actively undermined the struggle to develop a Marxist revolutionary party based on the international working class to fight for socialism.

Only such a party, a section of the ICFI, in the Guatemalan working class, leading behind it all toiling masses, can provide a viable leadership for the struggle against imperialism and social inequality by fighting in unison with workers in the US and across the region to overthrow capitalism, expropriate the wealth of the financial elite and local oligarchy and crush all exploitation, hunger and violence.On Monday morning, several soldiers from the Gabonese army stormed the state-owned radio station in the capital city Libreville. After seizing control of the stations operations, the coup leader, Lt. Obiang Ondo Kelly, broadcast a statement. After declaring that the military had overthrown the government, Kelly announced a National Restoration Council.

A video clip circulated showing the insurgent soldiers inside the radio station and two armed men dressed in military fatigues generally worn by junior officers in the Gabonese army standing behind Lt. Kelly, who was seated before a microphone.

Reading the statement, Lt. Kelly appealed to listeners: If you are eating, stop; if you are having a drink, stop; if you are sleeping, wake up. Wake up your neighbours... rise up as one and take control of the street.

Kelly stated on air that the rebel faction represented the Patriotic Movement of the Defence and Security Forces of Gabon, and specifically called on Gabonese youth to take charge of their destiny. He made a further overture to the Gabonese military, calling on soldiers to take control of transportation systems, armament reserves and airports, in the interests of the nation.

Gabons President Ali Bongo Ondimba was out of the country during the coup attempt, receiving medical treatment in Morocco. Ondimba has been hospitalized since October after suffering a stroke, when he left the country to attend a conference in Saudi Arabia. The insurgent soldiers appeared to be taking advantage of the presidents absence.

Minutes after the takeover of the radio station, government troops poured into the streets, accompanied by tanks and armored vehicles, and stormed the radio station. A volley of shots rang out before the government declared that it had routed the coup plotters and restored order.

In the first moments of hearing the broadcast, several youth in Libreville took to the streets in support of the coup and set a car and tires on fire. Internet was cut off, with electricity cut in some areas of the city, and the government imposed a curfew over Libreville. In addition, Gabon closed off the border with Cameroon, in effect stopping trade between the two countries.

One insurgent was killed at the radio station, while others surrendered. Lt. Kelly fled, and a short time later, he was shot dead while hiding in a house. Government spokesman Guy-Bertrand Mapangou told the media that the government was investigating the groups motives.

The coup attempt takes place amid increased political tensions in the region, particular in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where an announcement of a result in the disputed election contest to name a successor to President Joseph Kabila has been delayed indefinitely.

Notably, the coup attempt occurred mere days after the Trump administration deployed 80 troops to Gabon for the purpose of protecting US assets in the event of violent demonstrations arising from the Congolese election.

France also maintains a permanent military presence in the country, with nearly 1,000 troops and an air detachment located at Camp de Gaulle adjacent to the airport in Libreville.

Gabon is a tiny country in Western Africa with a population of 1.5 million and a government that is run by a dynastic elite. The Bongo family has held power in Libreville for more than a half a century, beginning with the installment of Omar Bongo as president in 1967 by French president Charles de Gaulle. With Omar Bongo at the helm, French imperialism sought to maintain its economic interests in its former colony after Gabons independence in 1960.

Omar Bongo remained in power for the next 42 years until his death at age 73 in 2009. His rule was characterized by nepotism, corruption and the enrichment of a tiny layer of elites who carved up Gabons vast oil and gas deposits, along with significant resources of uranium, minerals and precious gems, giving extraction contracts to Western companies. While this parasitic elite enriched itself, it came at the expense of the Gabonese masses, who experienced social misery.

In an election marred by irregularities and fraud, Bongos son Ali Bongo Ondimba was elected president in 2009. The poll was met with social unrest, with protesters pouring into the streets of the capital in anger at such a blatant display of dynastic succession. For its part, the incoming Bongo administration violently cracked down on the protests, with security forces swarming into the streets of Libreville, firing tear gas, beating protesters, and carrying out mass arrests.

In 2016, social unrest again rocked the country when Ondimba was reelected once again amid widespread allegations of irregularities in the tally. More than 1000 were arrested and 17 people killed, with scores injured in the ensuing police crackdown.

In recent years, the Bongo dynasty has come under fire from Washington and Europe following the release in 2010 of a US Embassy cable from Wikileaks documenting the embezzlement of millions of dollars from the Bank of Central African States which Bongo funneled to political supporters in France of then French president Nicolas Sarkozy.

For its part France was from the start opposed to an Ondimba government, and during the Bush administration, Omar Bongo remarked to then US Ambassador R. Barrie Walkley, The French dont like my son.

While it is unknown whether Washington or Europe were behind the coup attempt, there are indications of a falling out of relations in recent years between Washington and the Bongo regime, which had enjoyed years as a subservient partner of US interests. In 2010, a US Senate report documented serious crimes committed by the Bongo government, including election fraud and corruption.

According to the report, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations highlighted that Omar and Ali Bongo have amassed substantial wealth while in office, amid the extreme poverty of its citizens.

The Senate report is a completely hypocritical and cynical whitewash of Washingtons criminal involvement. The Bongo dynasty served for years as a pliant government carrying out the dictates of American capitalism in Gabon. Highlighting this, in 2010 then US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed the importance of Gabon and called Ondimba a valued partner.

Speaking to the media regarding the attempted coup, a spokesman for United States Africa Command (US AFRICOM) issued a complete denial that American troops stationed at Libreville had any involvement in the coup attempt, and further denied that American forces participated in the operation to restore order.

Notably significant is AFRICOMs close relationship with the Gabonese military, in particular through several training and readiness exercises conducted in the country over the last decade, which leave little doubt to the predatory aims of the Pentagon.

In 2017, AFRICOM held training exercise Judicious Activation in the country, consisting of training given to Gabonese troops in establishing a short-term forward operating base from which military forces could mount an attack and set up logistics in order to sustain forces in deployments across the region.

Considering the vast scale and reach of AFRICOMs operations extending across the African continent, it can be stated with certainty that Washington is keeping a watchful eye over the political turmoil in Gabon and will intervene at a moments notice if American economic interests come under threat.The struggle of Los Angeles teachers and school workers highlights the ever-increasing and direct role of American oligarchs in shaping US education policy, particularly through their corporate "philanthropies. Their nationally financed and concerted efforts to gut public education and replace it with a privatized for-profit system have now placed LA workers and young people in the city directly in the crosshairs.

On Monday, the United Teachers of Los Angeles (UTLA),which is negotiating a contract covering 33,000 educators, unceremoniously withdrew the unions pro forma opposition to the demands of the district for increased privatization. With a Thursday strike pending, UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl announced that he was dropping six of the unions major long-standing demands, including a halt to the expansion of charter schools and an end to unlimited standardized testing as well as other corporate-backed measures. This was done behind the backs of teachers and in blatant defiance of popular sentiment.

Caputo-Pearl explained the union's climbdown by reiterating the position of the LAUSD school board that such critically important issues are "outside of bargaining," an about-face on the unions position for the past eighteen months.

The abject capitulation is hardly surprising. Charter schools have mushroomed throughout the district, growing 150 percent in the state during the last decade, and the unions have failed to lift a fingerexcept to compete over potential dues income from impoverished charter school teachers.

The struggle unfolding in Los Angeles this week has fundamental implications for the future of American education. Austin Beutner, the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and a multi-millionaire and former hedge fund manager, is speaking for Wall Street interests and pressing for a reorganization of the nations second largest school district. He played a significant role in a similar capacity as a USAID representative for the Bill Clinton administration in 1993. Beutners role was to represent US corporate interests in the looting of the assets within the former Soviet Union.

Today he is working in sync with billionaire privatizers, among them Los Angeles-based Eli Broad (worth an estimated $6.7 billion). Broad, through the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, has provided tens of millions of dollars to lobby, support, and finance charter schools nationwide. His Broad Academy, formed in 2002, serves as a leadership development program for urban school system superintendents committed to a corporate agenda. Its alumni have gone on to lead nearly 80 school districts, six have become state superintendents, and a number oversee large charter management organizations. Beutner was installed in his current position by a Broad-controlled school board in May 2018.

The agreement of the UTLA to drop all opposition to the ongoing privatization plans in Los Angeles dovetails with the national policy of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association, which have repeatedly called for school reform with us, not against us. For its own part, the AFT has repeatedly accepted Broad and Gates money, seeking only to expand the unions franchise to charter schools and collect dues money from their teachers, an even more underpaid workforce than those in public schools.

Broad is just one of several multibillionaires seeking to further open the education market to for-profit interests. According to education historian Diane Ravitch , the Gates and Walton foundations alone spend more than $500 million annuallyunder the guise of "philanthropy" and "educational reform"to privatize education throughout the United States.

This list includes Microsoft's Bill Gates (The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation with $51.6 billion in assets), Oracle's Larry Ellison (Lawrence Ellison Foundation), industrialist brothers Charles and Davis Koch, the Wal-Mart Walton family (The Walton Family Foundation) and casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson. The Kochs, Waltons and Adelson are well known for their support of the most reactionary policies and programs, and both Gates and Ellison are heavily invested in software technology that is embedded into many educational systems.

In November 2018, Beutner revealed that he was working on a plan to divide LAUSD into 32 networks to facilitate the "portfolio district model." Just like it sounds, portfolio school districts take their operational theory from Wall Streets corporate approach, commodifying both teachers and students. It determines the "value" of a school by measuring the worth of its teachers and students based upon their performance. In a stock portfolio, if a stock is low-performing, the portfolio manager sells it and buys others. In the case of schools, this means closing so-called failing schools, firing teachers, and opening new schools in a constant churn which conceals the financial interests driving the process.

The portfolio district model is either in effect or in the works in dozens of US cities including New Orleans, Indianapolis, Denver, Atlanta, Cincinnati, New York, Newark and Tulsa. Broads Great Public School Now groupcreated after his plan to push 50 percent of LAUSD students into charters was abandoned because of public outcryis involved in pushing the portfolio model in Los Angeles.

Charter schools are funded by taxpayer dollars but operate independently of the public school system and hence become a privatized asset for those who run them. Charter school chains have become extremely lucrative business enterprises. Their owners obtain perpetual free money from the public to fund their enterprises. They then create endless revenue streams by contracting out various services.

For-profit Educational Management Organizations (EMOs) are paid vast sums to manage these schools. An array of other intertwined companies are then paid to provide these schools with services for transportation, food, maintenance and so forth. Already one of every 10 students in California attend charter schools, which educate some 630,000 children.

Beutner has been awarded a $3 million discretionary war chest from Broad for the purpose of hiring national privatization figures to assist in establishing a portfolio system in Los Angeles and make Los Angeles at least half charter by 2023. Beutner has tapped into Broads largess to contract with Cami Anderson, the former superintendent of Newark, NJ whose policies led to mass school closures and firings of teachers; Erin McGoldrick Brewster, who worked with the notorious Michelle Rhee in Washington DC; and Rebecca Kockler, who recently stepped down as Beutners chief of staff, but whose credentials rested on her prior experience in overseeing the massive charterization of New Orleans public schools.

The Broad-Beutner plan to privatize education in Los Angles is being repeated throughout the country. Although the individuals may change, the goal is the same: the destruction of public education and the plundering of the $1.3 trillion education market by Wall Street. This agenda has been embraced by Democrats and Republicans alike, from Bushs No Child Left Behind to Obamas Race to the Top. Gates and Broad are prominent Democrats, the Waltons traditionally Republican (but they backed Hillary Clinton). In short, parties are deeply invested in and responsible for the ongoing privatization of public education.

The UTLA and its parent unions have once again demonstrated that their only preoccupation is increasing their dues revenues and maintaining their seat at the table. The decision to abandon any fight against punitive testing and charterization, precisely as 40,000 educators are prepared to walk out, marks them as clear-cut enemies of the working class. The defense of jobs, benefits, condition of schools and the right to free, high-quality public education falls to the working class itself. Los Angeles teachers must reach out to workers and young people throughout California and the world and establish their own rank-and-file committees in schools and neighborhoods to wage this political struggle.US Navy SEAL Chief Special Warfare Operator Edward Gallagher, 39, is facing a general court martial and stands accused of multiple war crimes following his latest deployment to Iraq. The most serious charge is premeditated murder, which carries with it an automatic life sentence in the military justice system. Gallagher, a medic, sniper and SEAL since 2004, is accused of stabbing an Iraqi child in the throat and body while he was being treated for wounds he suffered from a US airstrike. The childs age is unknown, but it is estimated he was 15 years old. Along with premeditated murder, Gallagher, who has pled not guilty to all charges, is also accused of attempted murder, obstruction of justice, aggravated assault and bringing discredit upon the armed forces.

Gallagher came under investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service beginning in April 2018 after several members from his unit, SEAL Team 7 Alpha Platoon, reported that he had committed several war crimes. Court proceedings began against Gallagher in September 2018, after which a preliminary hearing, referred to as an Article 32, was initiated in November 2018. During the Article 32 hearing, prosecutors presented evidence to Navy Judge Advocate Capt. Arthur Record, including eyewitness testimony, video interviews, photographs and text messages, some of which were seized from Gallaghers personal cell phone.

The picture messages contained on Gallaghers phone, prosecutors allege, show him posing with the corpse of the child after he had stabbed him in the neck and body repeatedly while his wounds were being treated by another SEAL. In one photo, Gallagher is seen lifting the boy up by the hair, smiling, while flanked by two other Navy SEALs. Another photo shows Gallagher performing a re-enlistment ceremony, posing with his hand raised and the bloodied corpse in front him with an American flag. A third photo depicts Gallagher cradling the childs head in one arm, his homemade knife, the alleged murder weapon in the other, with the caption got him with my hunting knife. The photos, which Navy prosecutor Chris Czaplak described as ISIS propaganda manna from heaven, were sealed by the judge.

During the hearing, Navy prosecutors also detailed two separate incidents in which Gallagher is alleged to have shot at civilians, one time at an old man, the second at a young girl, several weeks after the alleged murder of the boy occurred. Upon returning to the United States, Gallagher found out he was under investigation after a search warrant had been executed on his residence. Gallagher is alleged to have sent threatening text messages in an attempt to intimidate those he suspected of cooperating with investigators.

In light of the evidence, Judge Record proceeded with a general court martial that began on January 5, and a trial date has been set for February 19. Gallaghers attorneys are requesting that he be released from the Naval Consolidated Brig Miramar, where he has been confined since September 11, 2018; a ruling is expected later this week.

The SEALs have been at the center of some of the most heinous war crimes in the over quarter-century of war US imperialism has prosecuted on the Iraqi population. The operation Gallagher participated indubbed We Are Coming Ninevehresulted, according to one estimate, in as many as 40,000 civilian deaths. The Mosul Massacre lasted from October 2016 until July 2017, and was the single largest military operation in the world since the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

ISIS had regained control of the southern Iraqi city with an estimated 800 to 1,500 fighters in a June 2014 offensive. Mosul, once home to 2.5 million people, had dwindled to fewer than 1.5 million by the time the battle to liberate it began in October. At the conclusion of liberation, fewer than 800,000 civilians remained in the city.

The nine-month battle entrapped the civilian population in a hurricane of modern military violence. US artillery and precision air strikes, directed by Iraqi and US special forces, decimated the dense and ancient urban landscape. On or about May 3, 2017, Iraqi special forces requested an airstrike on a building that supposedly contained 50 ISIS terrorists. It was in this building that the lone survivor, a boy, too young to remember a time before the illegal US occupation, was captured and interrogated by Iraqi soldiers, before being briefly interviewed by an Iraqi journalist. He was then turned over to the SEAL Team 7, and the care of Chief Edward Gallagher.

Gallagher is receiving support from former SEALs, his family and, notably, California Republican Congressman Duncan Hunter. Speaking to reporters after a trial date was set this past Friday, Hunter, a former Marine, implored President Trump to intervene on the accuseds behalf. Hunter charged that the verifiable political nature of the Navys justice system made it incapable of producing a fair trial. Hunter advised that Trump dismiss this case and take this American hero out of a prison cell and [put him] back on the front lines where he belongs. Hunter continued his fascistic tirade, stating that South American criminal illegal aliens are provided with better access to legal representation than our nations elite warriors. 

The congressman from Californias 50th district is himself facing criminal indictment involving allegations of misusing campaign funds. Hunter and his wife Margaret allegedly used more than $250,000 in campaign funds to pay for groceries, bar tabs, vacations in Europe, dentist bills, and school tuition for their children. Hunters trial is set to begin in September.The American and Canadian ruling elites are demanding Canadas Liberal government fall fully in line with Washingtons ever more aggressive stance against China.

Although Ottawa has been a key partner in Washingtons military-strategic offensive against Beijing, strong pressure is now being brought to bear on the Trudeau government to go still further. For starters, by banning the China-based telecommunications giant Huawei from Canadas 5G network and by ruling out any prospect of a free trade deal with China.

Major media outlets in the US and Canada, together with the opposition Conservatives and leading representatives of Canadas security-intelligence apparatus, seized on the arrest in Vancouver early last month of Huawei chief executive Meng Wanzhou to incite a virulently anti-China campaign. Meng was arrested by Canadian authorities at the Trump administrations behest for allegedly violating Washingtons punishing illegal sanctions regime against Iran.

In reality, her detention was a deliberate political provocation, which took place the very same day that Trump met with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to discuss their trade-war tariff dispute. If a Canadian court approves Mengs extradition to the United States, she could face up to 30 years in prison.

Media outlets like the Globe and Mail and National Post have exploited Mengs arrest to whip up hostility against China. Even though the fraudulent charges against her have nothing to do with Huaweis role in 5G communications, the media have breathlessly repeated the claims of the US intelligence establishment and Canadian anti-China hawks that Huawei is a pliant tool of the Chinese government, and therefore a grave national security threat.

Media commentators now say that it is only a matter of time before Canada joins its partners in the US National Security Agency-led Five Eyes spy network in excluding Huawei from the development of its 5G network.

The attack on Huawei is part of a fierce struggle for supremacy in global technology markets. The US ruling elite is increasingly worried that China is emerging as a major force in new communications and AI technologies, which would open up multi-billion-dollar commercial opportunities around the world. This is part of a much broader conflict, with the US political and military establishment identifying China as their main rival for global hegemony. Washington is determined to do everything it can, up to and including all-out military conflict, to block Beijings rise.

As one of US imperialisms closest allies, Canada has been intimately involved in Washingtons increasingly aggressive policy toward China. In 2013, the Canadian and US militaries concluded a secret agreement to jointly coordinate operations in the Asia-Pacific region. Since then, Canadian Armed Forces have become far more active in an arc stretching from the Straits of Malacca, the lifeline for the oil and other resources that power Chinas economy, to the Sea of Japan.

Canadian warships have participated in so-called freedom of navigation exercises in the South China Sea, where they have frequently come into contact with Chinese ships. Last month, Canadas Chief of Defence Staff General Jonathan Vance accused China of inappropriate behaviour after several of its aircraft flew close to a Canadian surveillance plane patrolling in international waters off the coast of North Korea.

The Trudeau government identified China as a global threat in the national defence policy it adopted in 2017. That policy praised US imperialism for the outsized role it had played in stabilizing the world order since the Second World War, and pledged to raise military spending by over 70 percent by 2026 to ensure Canada can play a frontline role in the major military conflicts of the 21st century.

The difference now is that the Trump administration has dramatically ratcheted up tensions with Beijing throughout the past year, but particularly in recent months. This has included the imposition of punishing trade tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of Chinese imports, US attempts to strategically flip North Korea so as to establish Pyongyang as a US client regime on Chinas border, and Trumps shift away from a focus on the US role in the Middle East to concentrate on directly confronting China.

In addition, the Trump administration insisted that the renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) contain a clause prohibiting signatories from concluding free trade agreements with non-market economies, a clear reference to China, without Washingtons prior approval.

In a further sign of escalating tensions, Reuters reported late last month that Trump is considering issuing an executive order prohibiting US companies from buying advanced technology from Chinese companies, including Huawei and ZTE, a microchip manufacturer.

Washingtons targeting of China enjoys bipartisan agreement. Immediately following Mengs detention, Democratic and Republican senators issued statements that welcomed her arrest, but emphasized that Canada had to go further and clamp down on Huaweis activities. Threats were even made that intelligence sharing between the two countries could be downgraded if Huawei continues to participate in developing 5G in Canada.

Democratic Senator Mark Warner, who is also vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, reiterated this warning in an interview last week with CBCs Power and Politics broadcast. He claimed that if a country were to purchase (Huawei 5G) equipment, it might have built-in back doors so that, down the line, once the equipment was installed, the Chinese could intercept messages, communications [and] violate the security of the networks. Such a vulnerability in the Canadian system, Warner added, would make America vulnerable. And vice-versa, because Canadian and US telecom networks are totally meshed together.

Of course, Senator Warnerwho has also been leading the campaign for internet censorship in the name of combating Russian interferencefailed to mention that the NSA, as was exposed by Edward Snowden, has worked with the US tech giants to build precisely such back doors so that it can spy on people around the world.

Last month, the New York Times, which is associated with the Democratic Party-wing of the US ruling establishment, published an article denouncing global consultancy firm McKinsey for doing business with China and Russia. Significantly, the Times reserved special criticism for McKinseys Canadian-born chief executive Dominic Barton, who is a prominent adviser to the Trudeau government, serving as chair of its blue chip advisory council on economic growth.

Under these conditions, powerful sections of the US and Canadian ruling elites want to remove any ambiguity about Ottawas readiness to follow US imperialism in lock-step in confrontation with China.

Conservative leader Andrew Scheer has not only urged Trudeau to exclude Huawei from Canadas 5G network, but also demanded that Ottawa demonstratively abandon any plans to negotiate a free trade agreement with China. We know that the government in China has been involved in cyber attacks, Scheer said. I look at our partners around the world, our traditional allies, our NATO partners who are making the same assessment. We share so much with them and rely on their technology, their expertise and interoperability in many aspects of our own armed forces.

The Liberal government has responded by indicating that action against Huawei could be imminent. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, who collaborates daily with the top brass of the American security-intelligence apparatus, said in a television interview that the matter of Huawei is now under government review.

Meanwhile, Ottawa has solicited statements of support from Britain, the US, and European Union for its treatment of Meng, which has been denounced by Beijing as a politically-motivated frame-up

The statements all claimed that Mengs detention was based on the rule of law and that politics and geopolitics played no role in Ottawas decision to apprehend her. Additionally, they condemned Chinas detention of two Canadian nationals, diplomat Michael Kovrig and businessman Michael Spavor, who Beijing has accused of endangering Chinas national security.

Even so, the dashing of any prospect of closer trade relations with China is causing consternation among sections of big business, who fear that Canadian imperialisms heavy dependence on exports to the US makes it highly vulnerable. This has been forcefully brought home by events during the past two years, including Trumps demand that NAFTA be renegotiated; the imposition of US tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports and the more general descent into trade war; and the foundering of the Transatlantic US-European alliance, which the Canadian elite has depended on not just to assert its predatory interests on the world stage, but also to help offset US pressure.British MPs begin several days of debate today ahead of a vote next week on Prime Minister Theresa Mays withdrawal deal with the European Union (EU). The meaningful vote is slated to be held on January 15.

Mays deal is opposed by all opposition parties and a large swathe of her own Conservative MPs. She was forced to hold this debate and the vote after she called off a vote on the agreement last month at the last minute. May knew she was set to lose heavily, threatening her position as prime minister.

The crisis facing May has only deepened in the interim, with the hard Brexit-supporting Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), whose 10 MPs the Tories rely on to rule as a minority government, still pledged to oppose the deal. They are opposed to Northern Ireland remaining in an indefinite backstop Customs Union agreement with the EU until a free trade agreement can be reached between the UK and EU, which could be years down the line. On Sunday, Deputy DUP leader Nigel Dodds said the fundamental problems which make this a bad deal appear not to have changed. He added, The backstop remains the poison which makes any vote for the Withdrawal Agreement so toxic.

The EU has insisted since early Decemberwhen Mays deal was announcedthat negotiations are now over on a text that took two years to complete. Despite this, May continually claims that the UK is still in negotiations with Brussels ahead of next weeks vote. On Sunday, May told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show that she hoped to secure changes to the document and was still working with the EU to secure legally binding assurances over the backstop arrangements. Before the vote, May is to outline the governments proposals over the Northern Ireland border and offer a greater role for MPs in negotiations on the next stage of future UK-EU relations.

In public the EU is maintaining its position that negotiations are over. Last Thursday, the European Commissions Mina Andreeva insisted, We are not renegotiating what is on the table. On Monday, Nathalie Loiseau, the French Europe minister, said that some assurances could be offered to May but, These are political assurances  there is nothing more we can do.

May is seeking to use the growing possibility of a no-deal Brexit at the end of March, with unforetold economic and social consequences, to pressure Brussels for more and to force MPs to back her deal. She told Marr, If the deal is not voted on at this vote thats coming up, then actually were going to be in uncharted territory, with the danger we actually end up with no deal at all. A crisis would ensue as I dont think anybody can say exactly what will happen in terms of the reaction we will see in Parliament.

The MPs who oppose the deal because they are pro-EU and who support a second referendum on EU membership, as well as the hard Brexit wing within her own party and the DUP, must all realise the risks they are running with our democracy and the livelihoods of our constituents, she said.

The Daily Mail reported that up to 200 MPs from all parties are uniting to prevent a no-deal Brexit. Representatives of the group, led by Tory Cabinet minister Dame Caroline Spelman and Labour frontbencher Jack Dromey, were due to meet May for talks this week. The group includes Tories Sir Oliver Letwin, Nicky Morgan and Dominic Grieve, and Labourites Harriet Harman, Yvette Cooper, Ben Bradshaw and Liam Byrne, as well as the former Liberal Democrat energy secretary Sir Ed Davey. Among their reported big business backers are auto manufacturers and engineering firms Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, Rolls-Royce, Airbus and employers representatives including the Confederation of British Industry, the Engineering Employers Federation and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Amid a growing crisis for governments across the continent, including mass protest against austerity such as the Yellow Vest movement in France, the threat of economic turmoil and trade war, and the rise of rightist anti-EU parties, Brussels is caught between a rock and a hard place. It doesnt want to worsen things via a chaotic no-deal Brexit outcome, but fears that concessions to Britain would undermine the unity of the EU and fuel demands from other states for concessions.

On Monday, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said the EU was primed to offer May written guarantees, explanations and assurances to quell opposition to her deal by UK MPs. The Financial Times noted that although [M]ay is expected to lose the [January 15] vote  She is pinning her hopes on firmer EU undertakings ahead of a second votepossibly in late January or early Februaryspeculation is rising that the prime minister will have to delay the UKs departure from the bloc, scheduled for March 29.

A delay in implementing Article 50the legislation authorising the UK to leave the EUis seen as essential to the Remain wing of the ruling class if they are to be successful in reversing Brexit. The Labour Party right-wing, in alliance with the Scottish National Party and Liberal Democrats, are frantically seeking to shift Labours position to overt support for a second referendum in opposition to the current position of party leader Jeremy Corbyn. Corbyn favours forcing a general election via a vote of no confidence to remove the Tories and negotiating a Brexit deal more favourable to the dominant sections of business.

Opinion polls are issued regularly, including one commissioned by the Blairite-led Peoples Vote campaign, claiming that the majority of Labour members and voters are in favour of a second referendum. The same Peoples Vote survey found thatwhen dont knows were subtracted54 percent of Britons as a whole would vote to remain in the EU, compared to 46 percent for Leave. This is a significant shift towards Remain, but still shows deep divisions.

Polls showed a similar margin of victory for Remain before the 2016 referendum, which ended in a 52-48 percent victory for Leave. Moreover, a YouGov survey showing a wide margin in favour of a second referendum also saw Labour members backing Corbyns policy of seeking to force a general election to remove the Tories to negotiate a better Brexit deal 47 percent in favour of Corbyns position, with 29 percent against, and 19 percent undecided.

Writing in the pro-EU Observer, Andrew Rawnsley said, The conclusion for Labour supporters ought to be clear. If they want another referendum, they will have to learn from their leader and rebel against him. This is a continuation of the efforts begun in the aftermath of the 2016 referendum, when 172 right-wing Labour MPs carried out a failed coup against Corbyn with the main charge levelled against him that he was only lukewarm in supporting the Remain campaign.

So far Corbyn has formally maintained his position, while refusing to indicate when he will move a no-confidence motion in the governmenteven telling the Guardian that he would demand May go back to Brussels if her deal is rejected. But Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has made clear that Labour backing a second referendum was inevitable if a no-confidence motion was unsuccessful in removing the Tories. Corbyn this week described preparations for a no-deal Brexit as the governments Project Fear because of the parliamentary majority he insisted would prevent such an outcome.

Last night, Labour whipped its MPs to support a backbench amendment to the finance bill tabled by leading Blairite Yvette Cooper restricting the governments tax powers unless a no-deal Brexit is taken off the table.

The vote saw the government defeated by 303 to 296, with 20 Tory MPs backing the amendment.

The defeat is largely symbolic, but indicative of Corbyns readiness to seek alliances with pro-Remain Tories that would be essential in any campaign for a new referendum.The crisis over US President Donald Trumps plan for the withdrawal of US troops from Syria escalated Tuesday after Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan refused to meet with a visiting US security and military delegation and then publicly denounced statements by Trumps national security adviser, John Bolton, as he was preparing to fly out of Ankara.

No one should expect us to accept or swallow national security adviser Boltons comments, Erdogan told members of his Justice and Development Party (AKP) in parliamentand an audience on live televisionreferring to demands that Turkey guarantee the security of the YPG Syrian Kurdish militia, which has served as the main proxy ground force for the US intervention in Syria.

Insisting that his government saw no difference between ISIS and the YPG, Erdogan declared, If they are terrorists, we will do what is necessary no matter where they come from.

He added that he had no need to meet with Bolton, when he could speak to Trump anytime on the telephone.

Although we made a clear agreement with US President Trump, different voices are emerging from different parts of the administration, Erdogan said. Trumps remarks continue to be the main point of reference for us.

Boltons delegationwhich included the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Joseph Dunfordwas relegated to meeting with Erdogans spokesman and a group of deputy ministers. A scheduled joint press conference was abruptly canceled.

After Bolton had left Turkey, Fahrettin Altun, Erdogans head of communications, tweeted: I hope that he got a taste of the world-famous Turkish hospitality during his visit. Turkeys national security is nonnegotiable.

Trump announced his planned withdrawal on December 19 following a telephone conversation with Erdogan. He advanced the premise that the defeat of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the ostensible mission of US troops in Syriasome 2,000 according to the Pentagon, but reported by at least one general to be twice that numberhad been completed, and that Turkey would take out any remnants of ISIS.

The announcement triggered an eruption of furor within the US military and intelligence apparatus and its representatives in both the Democratic and Republican parties, who saw it as an intolerable concession to Russia and Iran. It triggered the resignation of Defense Secretary Gen. James Mattis as well as Washingtons envoy to the so-called anti-ISIS coalition, Brett McGurk.

Since then, the Trump administration has steadily walked back Trumps initial pledge to pull US troops out of Syria within 30 days. A subsequent report indicated that logistical concerns of the US military mandated at least a 120-day period to execute the pullout. Since then, statements from Trump and top administration officials, including Bolton, have made it clear that the illegal US military presence in Syria, at least in some form, is to continue indefinitely.

Boltons overseas mission, beginning in Israel and continuing on to Turkey, was to spell out conditions for the troop withdrawal. These include not only the wiping out of the last remnants of ISIS in northeastern Syria, but also a guarantee of the security of the Pentagons proxies in the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which is viewed by the Turkish government as a branch of the PKK, the Turkish Kurdish separatist movement against which it has waged a bloody counterinsurgency campaign for more than 30 years.

Bolton has also indicated that US aims of rolling back Irans influence in Syria and the wider region and regime change in Damascuspursued unsuccessfully and at a terrible human costs through a CIA-orchestrated insurgency by Al Qaeda-linked militiasremain on the table.

Boltons rhetoriccoming on top of the walking back of Trumps pledge of a rapid troop withdrawalappears to have blown up the scheduled meeting with Erdogan and called into question an apparent rapprochement between Washington and its NATO ally in the region.

In Israel, Bolton indicated that he was going to read the riot act to the Turkish president over any move against the Pentagons Syrian Kurdish proxies.

Erdogan and other Turkish officials expressed outrage over Boltons equation of the YPG with all Syrian Kurds, insisting that their hostility was only to the YPG, which it regards as an extension of the PKKwhich both Washington and Ankara have branded as a terrorist organizationand not to the Kurdish people.

Erdogans spokesman Ibrahim Kalm, the main official with whom Bolton and his delegation met, denounced the idea that Turkey will slaughter Kurds if it enters Syria as PKK propaganda that Washington should not be repeating.

Such claims are belied by the Turkish operation in the Syrian district of Afrin in March of last year, which resulted in the expulsion of some 300,000 Kurds and the unleashing of Turkish-backed Islamist gangs against the population.

Turkeys aims were indicated in an op-ed piece penned by Erdogan and published in the New York Times in which he spelled out plans for the carving out of a buffer region on Syrias northern border in which Ankara would create a stabilization force after an intensive vetting process of Syrian Kurdish forces.

Syria has rejected Turkish military operations on its territory as an illegal violation of the countrys sovereignty.

According to a US official quoted by Reuters, Bolton told Turkish officials that Erdogans article was wrong and offensive. Part of the article favorably compared Turkish anti-ISIS operations, which left villages taken from the Islamist militias largely intact, to the savage air war waged by the US military that reduced the city of Raqqa and other towns to rubble.

While Turkish officials reportedly told the American delegation that Ankara would not launch military intervention in Syria as long as US troops remained in the northeast of the country, the Turkish media has reported that the Turkish military has continued a buildup of its forces on the border between the two countries.

Turkish officials also reportedly demanded that the Pentagon hand over all of some 22 separate bases that the US military has established in northern Syria, as well as any armaments left behind by departing US troops. They insisted that none of these weapons remain with the YPG militia.

Amid the rising tensions on the Turkish-Syrian border, a contingent of Russian troops in armored vehicles deployed to the city of Manbij, located about 10 miles from the border, conducting security patrols. The city, retaken from ISIS, had formally been occupied by the YPG along with US special forces troops.

Syrian Kurdish forces invited the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which is backed by Moscow, to send its troops into the city as they withdrew in the face of a threatened Turkish offensive.

Meanwhile, military representatives of Egypt and the UAE, which oppose any expansion of Turkish influence in the region, have also visited Manbij and are promoting the growth of a Sunni Muslim militia in opposition to both Turkey and the YPG.

In tandem with Boltons abortive mission to Ankara, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo began an eight-nation tour of the so-called anti-Iranian axis, which includes seven Arab monarchical dictatorships and the police state regime of Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Egypt.

On the first leg of this tour in Jordan, Pompeo declared that Washington was redoubling its offensive against the malign influence of Iran in the Middle East. This effort has included the indispensable US support for the near-genocidal war being waged by Saudi Arabia against the starving people of Yemen.

Pompeo tweeted on Tuesday that Washingtons tactics have changed, not the mission.

The message is clear enough. Whatever happens with Trumps Syria troop withdrawal, US imperialism is continuing the quarter century of uninterrupted wars for hegemony over the oil rich Middle East that have killed and maimed millions. And the crisis created by Washingtons protracted regime-change operation in Syria still threatens to erupt in a wider war of regional and even global dimensions.Multimedia Producer

Kara is an Emmy Award-winning digital producer. She is a Cincinnati native and an alumna of the University of South Carolina. She previously worked at WRDW-TV in Augusta, Ga., before moving to Nashville five years ago to work at WSMV-TV.Vanguard

PDP Candidates in Northern Nigeria campaigning for Buhari, says BMO By Omeiza Ajayi and Dirisu Yakubu ABUJA  The Buhari Media Organisation BMO has hailed what it described as the legendary integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari, disclosing that even candidates of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Northern Nigeria are now canvassing for the reelection of the president who is of the All Progressives Congress APC.

ThisDay

The federal government yesterday bowed to pressure by organised labour, promising to send a bill on the N30,000 new national minimum wage to the National Assembly on or before January 23.

Leadership

A socio-political group, The Integrity Group has described the release of recorded statement where the minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is heard making uncomplimentary comments about the present administration as a sheer blackmail against the South-South region of the country. A statement signed by the groups director of publicity, Livingstone Wechie, which was made available to LEADERSHIP in Abuja yesterday, lamented that the audio was fake and regretted that fake news has gone extreme in Nigeri

The Sun

The remains of the two pilots and three crewmen of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) who died on January 2 while carrying out counterinsurgency operations in the North East have been laid to rest. They were interred amid tears and eulogies from family, friends and colleagues.

Daily Times

warns against returning PDP to power The Co-Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Presidential Campaign Council and a National Stalwart of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has assured President Muhammadu Buhari that the campaign council has accepted the assignment given it by the president and will work for the country. He said the council would

Tribune

The Presidency has called on the National Peace Committee led by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, to act on its perceived violation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of the peace accord signed by presidential candidates in December.

The Nation

ALL Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu was yesterday unsparing on the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the February 16 presidential election Atiku Abubakar.

Daily Trust

Announcing the payment in Omu-Aran, the Chairman of Irepodun Local Government Council, Mr Muyiwa Oladipo, said the Senate President released N16.9m to the council towards paying the arrears owed its workers.

Guardian

Boko Haram, the violent group, which has made headlines with its savage tactics, is again on the offensive. News reports suggest that it has made inroads into hitherto safe territories. Governor Kashim Shettima, ostensibly the Chief Security Officer of Borno State, is reported to have broken down in tears over the onslaught. His Katsina counterpart, AlhaThis time in about a week, businessman Bill Lee will be in charge of the state. In his final days before taking over, the Governor-Elect sat down with News4 to talk about the job ahead.The number of people dying from cancer is growing here in Tennessee, according to a new health report.

The United Health Foundation report studies the nation's health on a state-by-state basis. It looks at community behaviors, environment, policy and more.

Results show the national rate of cancer deaths decreasing, but here in Tennessee, cancer deaths increased by 7 percent between 1990 and 2018.

Oklahoma is seeing the biggest increase with 12 percent.

News4 spoke with a Vanderbilt University doctor who says our state's increase puts us among the worst.

"According to that report, there are seven or eight states there has been an increase in mortality," said Dr. Wei Zheng. "It's very surprising to me because I know nationwide there has been a decrease in cancer mortality over the past two decades. A Tennessee increase actually comes as a surprise to me."

Zheng said the state's increase in cancer deaths could be caused by these two factors.

"The smoking rate is very high in Tennessee ... We have about 22 percent smoking rate, and nationwide it's about 17 percent," he said.

The state's obesity rate is also a big factor.

"We find those people who live in poor neighborhoods tend to have a high risk of cancer and other disease. Those lifestyle factors like smoking, obesity and exercise effect cancer risk," Zheng said.

There's no hard evidence proving that smoking and obesity are the causes, but many health professionals say it's likely.

If you need help getting healthy, Vanderbilt offers a wide variety of services and programs, including a tobacco hotline. You can also call the state tobacco hotline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.Senator Shehu Sani has taken a subtle sub at a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu and President Muhammadu Buhari after the former hailed the latter for his integrity and honesty.

According to Asiwaju, unlike other candidates running in the 2019 presidential election, like Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose integrity are questionable, Buharis is excellent.

In a statement released by Tunde Rahman, his media officer, on Tuesday, the former Lagos state governor said Buhari is a man of his words, when he says yes it stays.

Leave a naira on the table with Buhari in the room, you will find the naira on the table when you return, he said. When Buhari says yes or no, you know where he stands. He means what he says, no more, no less.

However, the former APC lawmaker who left the party after a fallout with his state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and subsequently the omission of his name from the list of candidates to represent the party in the 2019 National Assembly election, no Nigerian cares about One Naira anymore.

He wrote

Sani, speaking via twitter said Nigerians from the North and South, will have nothing to do with a Naira left on the table because nowadays a Naira cant buy anything.

If you keep a naira on the table in the room of all Nigerians from the North and South,you will come back and meet it were you kept it because nowadays a Naira cant buy anything.Theres nothing more important than the opinion of the masses when it comes to marketing or business positioning. After all, without the approval and buy-in of the public, it would be hard to get any product or concept off the ground.

Market/consumer surveys provide detailed insights into competitors, and aid in understanding customers preferences & discomforts. Consumer surveys are used in analysing latest market trends, consumer buying patterns, economic shifts, and demographics. Useful as these surveys may be, many businesses are unable to obtain the insights they need from them for business decisions. In response to this challenge, MTN Nigeria has just launched a business tool, MTN Smart Survey to enable smart business owners to leverage on market research in developing effective strategies for business growth.

MTN Smart Survey, which is offered in collaboration with Communication and Marketing Research Group Limited (CMRG), provides an electronic medium for conduct and administration of surveys specifically targeted to a group of MTN subscribers. The service offers survey delivery through the USSD channel to subscribers that have been profiled based on specific attributes, such as age, gender, location, etc.



The launch of the new solution had in attendance dignitaries from various business sectors in Nigeria who had a firsthand experience of the platform and its functionalities.

The new business tool has also been designed to reward customers with N100 MTN airtime upon completion of questions administered through the survey.

MTN Nigeria continues to seek ways to contribute to the Nigerian economy by extending its partnership capabilities to brighten the lives of business owners within the country.

More photos;Officially known as the Republic of the Philippines, the Philippines is a country that is located in Southeast Asia. The archipelagic nation comprises more than 7,000 islands that are subdivided into three major divisions namely Luzon, Mindanao, and the Visayas. In total, the country has a total area of about 120,000 square miles with Manila being the capital city. Being an island nation, the west of the country is bordered by the South China Sea while the east is bound by the Philippine Sea. The southwest region of the country is bordered by the Celebes Sea. In addition, the Philippines has maritime borders with China (the west), Japan (the west), Vietnam (the west), Malaysia (the south), Taiwan (the west), Indonesia (the south), and Palau (the east).

IndonesiaPhilippines Maritime Border

The border between these two countries, as defined by a pact signed in 2014, mainly lies in the Celebes Sea. The border has a length of about 722.2 miles and acts as the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) between the two nations. A look at the relations between the two shows that they are close allies in issues such as the rule of law and democracy. The diplomatic ties go all the way back to 1949 with both countries having an embassy in the other.

MalaysiaPhilippines Maritime Border

This border lies in three water bodies namely the South China Sea, the Celebes Sea, and the Sulu Sea. The border acts as a divide between the state of Sabah, Malaysia (on the island of Borneo), and the Philippine region of the Sulu Islands. The boundary in use is almost the same as that was established during the time of the Sulu Sultanate. The division has been challenged by the Philippines claiming that part of Sabah belongs to Malaysia.

ChinaPhilippines Maritime Border

The border between China and the Philippines lies in the South China Sea. However, the two countries have never agreed on the exact line of the border. In recent times, the relations between the two countries have improved slightly as the Philippines have started to support communism in China.

JapanPhilippines Maritime Border

The two countries share a border that lies in the South China Sea as well. The relations between the two date all the way back to the 16th century. Currently, the two countries cooperate in a number of things such as financial aid from Japan.

PalauPhilippines Maritime Border

Like China, this border has not been officially demarcated by the two countries. However, there is no argument that the border is located in the southeastern region of the Philippines. Diplomatic relations have been present although they are strained by the border disputes.

VietnamPhilippines Maritime Border

Also located in the South China Sea, the border between these two countries has not been demarcated. This border is a source of conflict for not only these two countries but also with China and other countries.

TaiwanPhilippines Maritime Border

The two countries have a border in the South China Sea and have foreign relations via cultural and economic offices in both Manila and Taipei. Despite these relations, there are border issues between the two countries and others over the Spratly Group of Islands.The Mekong River is the words 12th longest river and Asias 7th longest with a length of about 2,703 miles. The river drains an area of approximately 307,000 square miles and discharges 114 cubic miles of water annually. This trans-boundary river runs through several Asian countries including China, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand. Mekong River is one of the most difficult rivers to navigate because of the extreme seasonal variation in its flow and the several waterfalls and rapids along its course. The name Mekong is derived from Mae Nam Khong, a contracted form of Thai and Lao. Mae Nam means mother of waters and is used to refer to any major river while Khong is the proper name of the river. The river runs from the Tibetan Plateau to the South China Sea.

Source of the Mekong River

Mekong River rises from the Three River Source Area of the Tibetan Plateau. The plateau is a vast elevated area in Central and East Asia, covering a major part of the Tibet Autonomous Region in western China. Tibetan Plateau stretches for approximately 620 miles from north to south and 1,600 from east to west. It is sometimes referred to as the roof of the world because of its high elevation (over 3 miles) and the surrounding imposing mountain ranges. It contains headwaters of the drainage basin of numerous streams including the Mekong River, Yangtze River, and Yellow River.

Course of the River

From the Tibetan Plateau, the Mekong River flows through the Tibetan Autonomous Region and into Yunnan Province in China. From Yunnan, the river flows through the Three Parallel River Area along with the Salween and Yangtze Rivers before meeting the tri-point of Laos, China, and Myanmar. From there, Mekong flows southwest and forms the border between Laos and Myanmar for approximately 62 miles before arriving at the tri-point of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar also referred to as Golden Triangle. At this point, Mekong meets the Ruak River. Mekong River turns east from the Golden Triangle and briefly forms a border between Thailand and Laos. It then turns east into Laos and flows for about 250 miles before returning to the Laos-Thailand border again where it flows for about 530 miles. The Mekong again flows through Laos, passing by the city of Pakse before crossing into Cambodia. At Phnom and Penh, Cambodias capital, the river is joined by the river and lake system of the Tonle Sap. Immediately the Mekong River is joined by the Sap River, the Bassac River branches off, forming the first distributary and the beginning of the Mekong Delta.

The Mekong Delta

The Mekong Delta is a region in Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the South China Sea. The delta covers an area of approximately 15,600 square miles and dominated by flush floodplains. The Mekong Delta system has two main distributary channels; the Mekong to the east and Bassac to the west that discharges directly into the South China Sea which is part of the Pacific Sea. The Mekong Delta has abundant species of plants and animals including some of the big fish like the giant carp.An oasis refers to an area that is fertile and has water within an area that is arid. Oases are found throughout the world. The unique geographical formations are critical in supporting life in the deserts and in other arid regions. Life is harsh in the desert, but the presence of an oasis makes it bearable.

How an Oasis is Formed

An oasis can be formed in many ways. In some cases, it is formed when faulting and climatic conditions create a depression in an arid region. Over a long period, the depression is deepened and enlarged by harsh weather conditions in the desert. The depression deepens further and reaches the water table. The underground water comes to the surface to form an oasis. An oasis is also formed when water from underground aquifers and rivers are pushed to the surface. Surface rivers, rainstorms, and other natural factors also lead to the formation of oases.

Additionally, some oases are human-made where people drill wells in arid places. Humans dig wells in places where underground pressure is not strong enough to bring water to the surface. Lastly, some oasis such as Hveravellir in Iceland are formed through volcanic activity in the areas they are found.

Maintenance of an Oasis

Oases are always important water sources in the dry places where they are found. Their unique features need to be protected from drying up. In some places, the oases are maintained by nature and in other places, humans take the initiative to protect them. In most cases, the thick vegetation that surrounds the oasis provides shade in the area and protects the oasis from harsh climatic conditions. The plants also help retain the underground water and therefore sustain the oasis. Local communities living near an oasis are often careful to preserve the sources that supply water to the oasis such as rivers, lakes, aquifers, and streams.

Notable Oases

Al-Hasa Oasis

Al-Hasa Oasis is said to be the worlds largest oasis. It is located in the Southeastern region of Saudi Arabia. The oasis covers an area of over 30,000 acres with approximately 280 springs scattered throughout the area. Al-Hasa Oasis is the worlds biggest palm tree oasis with more than 1.5 million palm trees that grow in the region. The area experiences a tropical climate. Al-Hasa Oasis is the greenest place in the mostly arid gulf nation of Saudi Arabia. It accommodates approximately 600,000 habitats. The oasis has been a critical farming area in the Arabian Peninsula for several centuries, and presently it continues to be the leading areas where most agricultural activities take place. The Al-Hasa area is found within the worlds richest oil fields, and therefore, it makes the oasis a very significant center of international commerce.

Ubari Oasis

The Ubari Oasis is situated in the Sahara desert in the Southwestern part of Libya. The oasis has salty water like the water in the Dead Sea. It is an important trading point for Libyan merchants who sell souvenirs and other commodities.

Oasis Huacachina

Oasis Huacachina is found in South Western part of Peru. The Oasis is fondly referred to as the Oasis of America. It is a green area in the Peruvian desert covered by palm forests and other vegetation. It provides a get-away for people from the noisy city life. The oasis is home to approximately one hundred people.

Oasis of Maranhao

The Oasis is found in the Lencois Maranhenses National Park in Brazil. It is a beautiful oasis made of many hues. Due to its proximity to the Amazon basin, it experiences heavy rainfall in the first half of the year. The oasis has fresh water that is collected during the rainy season.

CrescentLake

CrescentLake is an oasis in the Gobi Desert in China. The oasis derives its name from its unique shape. It is situated only 3.7 miles from the Chinese city of Dunhuang. The oasis is an important water source for travelers on the famous Silk-route in China. Visitors to the area are treated to camel rides. Sadly, the Crescent Lake faces the threat of drying up due to declining rainfall and aggressive agricultural practices around the lake.

Oasis Timia

This oasis is found in the Sahara Desert in the northern part of Niger. It is a scenic place in the middle of the Sahara. It has a variety of plants such as palm trees, oranges, dates, and pomegranates. The oasis is near the Air Mountains.

Chebika Oasis

Chebika Oasis is found in Northern Tunisia. It is part of other small oases in North of Tunisia. The oasis is found close to the Djebel el Negueb Mountains. It has magnificent views that have been used to shoot scenes on the Star Wars series. The area experiences sunshine all year round. As a result, it is also referred to as Castle of the Sun.

Oasis Turpan

Oasis Turpan is found in China in the City of Xinjiang. The oasis is only 5 miles from the ruins of city of Jiaohe. The area experiences a cold desert climate. The harsh weather includes chilling winters and long hot summers.

Benefits of an OasisEgypt is an African nation situated in the northern section of the continent where it spans an area of roughly 390,121 square miles. The Egyptian economy has had ups and downs, although at one time it was one of the best developed in Africa which was primarily the result of the country's proper utilization of its natural resources. Egypt has a wide array of natural resources such as the River Nile, arable land, and natural gas. In 2017, the Egyptian gross domestic was ranked as the 44th highest in the world at roughly $235.4 billion. On the other hand, the Egyptian per capita gross domestic product was ranked as the 131st highest in the world at roughly $2,413.

The River Nile

Since ancient times, the Nile has been one of Egypt's most essential natural resources. Because Egypt receives limited amounts of rainfall, the country is heavily reliant on the Nile as a primary source of water. The waters of the Nile are used for a variety of purposes such as irrigation, transport, and the generation of hydroelectricity. The Egyptian government constructed the Aswan High Dam during the 1960s to efficiently utilize the waters of the Nile. The dam has been vital to Egyptian agriculture as it provides a steady supply of water for irrigation. The Egyptian government estimated that as a result of the Aswan High Dam, roughly 11 cubic miles were diverted into canals to be used for irrigation. Approximately 130,000 square miles of land benefit from the irrigation. Irrigation in these regions is considered to be extremely efficient, operating at roughly 82% efficiency. Apart from irrigation, the Aswan High Dam is vital in the generation of hydroelectricity as it has 12 turbines each with capacity of 175 MW. The electricity produced at the dam ensured that a large number of Egyptians living in rural areas got access to electricity. The major challenge facing Egyptian utilization of the Nile is the disagreement between Egypt and other nations within the Nile catchment area on how to properly utilize the waters of the river.

Arable Land

In 2015, statistics from the World Bank indicated that roughly 2.95% of Egypt's land was considered arable. The data also indicated that for much of the 21st century, the size of arable land in Egypt fluctuated significantly. Despite Egypt's limited size of arable land, agriculture is still one of the country's most important sectors. The Egyptian government estimated that in 2017, agriculture contributed 12% of the country's gross domestic product. The Egyptian labor department estimated that in 2015, approximately 30% of the Egyptian labor force was employed in the agricultural sector. Egyptian farmers grow a wide range of crops such as maize, sorghum, and cotton. Dates are one of Egypt's most essential crops since the country's farmers produce more dates than other farmers in the world. The most significant challenge facing the Egyptian agriculture sector is the increased desertification in the country.

Fish

Another primary natural resource in Egypt is fish. Egyptian fishers catch fish in different areas such as Lake Nasser, the Gulf of the Suez Canal and the River Nile. Some of the species of fish caught in Egypt include ariid catfish, Starry triggerfish, and Pallid rock skipper. Fishers in Egypt have also invested heavily in aquaculture to increase fish production in the country. Since its introduction, Egypt's aquaculture sector has grown at a rapid rate, and by 2010, it accounted for roughly 65% of the total fish produced in Egypt. Private individuals owned most of the fish farms in Egypt. Commercial fishing is one of the most important economic activities in the country since it creates employment for a significant number of people. In 2010, more than 1,300,000 tons of fish were caught by commercial fishermen in Egypt. A significant portion of the fish was sold to the foreign markets. The government of Egypt has set up laws to limit the number of fish that fishers can harvest. The government has also put in place laws to limit the pollution in the fishing spots. The measures have been relatively successful as it has resulted in the reduction of pollution in fishing spots.

Natural Gas

Egypt has vast quantities of natural gas that are some of its most important natural resources. According to the Egyptian government, the country has more than 65,201 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Due to the vast quantities of natural gas in the country, the Egyptian government has put in place a strategy to ensure that the country becomes one of the leading producers of natural gas in the region. Egypt's most important natural gas field is the Zohr gas Field which is situated within the Mediterranean. Eni, an Italian corporation discovered the Eni field in 2015, and after an assessment of the natural gas within the field it was declared as the Mediterranean's largest natural gas field. The Egyptian government thought that if the natural gas in the field was utilized correctly, the nation could be self-sufficient in natural gas. Before Egypt achieved self-sufficiency in the production of natural gas, it imported natural gas from Israel.

Petroleum

Egypt also has significant deposits of petroleum, which are incredibly vital to the country's economy. The oil reserves in Egypt are considered to be the sixth largest on the African continent. Despite the vast size of its oil reserves, Egypt is not a member of OPEC. Commercially viable deposits of oil were first discovered in Egypt during the early 20th century. In 2005, the Egyptian government estimated that the country had roughly 3.7 billion barrels of oil. Some of the leading oil producing areas in Egypt includes the Sinai Peninsula, the Eastern Desert, and the Gulf of Suez. By 2005, there were nine oil refineries in Egypt that could process roughly 730,000 barrels of oil each day.

Challenges Facing The Egyptian Economy

The Egyptian economy faces several challenges with the most significant one being the country's political instability. The political instability discouraged foreign companies from investing in the country. The country's climate also poses a significant challenge to its economic prosperity.Matriarchal societies are those where women rule political, social, and economic structures. The term matriarchal alludes to the fact that most societies the world over are predominantly ruled by men (referred to as a patriarchal system). While a matriarchal society is currently not the norm, there are still a few communities in some parts of the world, both indigenous and modern, where matriarchy is the preferred system of life. Here are some select examples:

Mosuo (China)

The culture of the Mosuo is rooted in a matrilineal set-up where the family lineage of an individual is traced through the female line. This community of about 50,000 is nestled near Lugu Lake at the foot of the Tibetan Himalayas. Children of the Mosuo people live with their mother, who is called "Ah mi", or elder female. The Ah mi rules the Musuo family household and makes all important decisions related to the household.

Minangkabau (Indonesia)

Editorial credit: KiwiGraphy Studio / Shutterstock.com.

The Minangkabau is the largest matriarchal society in the world. They are the indigenous tribe of the Sumatra region of Indonesia which is made up of 4.2 million members. Ownership of land, as well as the family name, is passed from mother to daughter whereas men are involved in political matters. The narrative of how the Minangkabau came to be matriarchal is said to be the death of a king who left behind three wives with three baby sons. Upon his death, his first wife took charge as her son was too young. This set the precedence for the matriarchal system that the Minangkabau follow today. One factor that has led to the continuation of matriarchy among the Minangkabau is the role of distant lands or the Diaspora. Men typically leave their homeland in search of opportunities and education, leaving women behind. This leaves women in charge of running the everyday activities of the community, including leadership.

Bribri (Costa Rica)

The Bribri is an indigenous community that lives in regions of Costa Rica and Panama. Only women can inherit land among the Bribri as well as prepare ritual cacao for use in the ceremonies of the tribe. The exact population of the Bribri is not known, however, estimates put their numbers at somewhere between 12,000 to 35,000. The origin of matrilineal preference among the Bribri has been tied to the legend which states that a woman was in the past turned into a cacao tree by Sibu, a Bribri god. It is for this reason that only women can prepare the sacred cacao drink. Men in the clans have specialized roles such as the awa who sing funeral songs and are the only ones allowed to touch the remains of the dead. The awa is trained for up to 15 years upon turning 8 through apprenticeship from an older awa, and the knowledge is passed on orally by the awa to the sons of his female relatives.

Umoja (Kenya)

Umoja is a Swahili word that translates to mean oneness or unity. The language is the most widely spoken languages in Kenya and other countries in East Africa. Unlike other matriarchal communities, Umoja in Samburu, northern Kenya is a refuge for women who have faced the ills of patriarchal societies. The village was started in 1990 by Rebecca Lolosoli and its first members were victims of rape by British soldiers who were in Kenya at the time. Lolosoli advocated for the rights of women in a community where women have very little power. Presently, Umoja is a rescue center for women who are victims of gender-based violence, and sexual assault, female genital mutilation, and early forced marriages from the Rift Valley region. The women learn how to make crafts such as jewelry which they sell to tourists visiting the area. Men have been banned from the center.The United Nations Population Division was established back in 1946 and was tasked with serving as the Populations Commission Secretariat at that time. As the years have progressed, the Divisions roles have expanded to include things like maintaining dialogue between countries over development and population. Other roles include coming up with demographic data and estimates for all countries, organizing UN conferences on population, and other roles. The Division works closely with the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) to achieve these goals. Ultimately, the Division is a global leader in researching, analyzing, and presenting data to do with demographics.

Disclosure of Death Statistics

Data shows that the country that discloses the least percentage of the total number of deaths is Niger with the country disclosing only 3%. Yemen is in the second place with the country disclosing only 16% while Bolivia is third at 31% disclosure of the total deaths. Guernsey and Jersey are in the fourth position while Kenya closes the top five with only 42% disclosure. Nicaragua and Aruba are ninth and tenth with 68% and 69% respectively.

The reasons for non-disclosure are wide and varied since death comes from a number of places such as road accidents. Looking at one of the countries on the list, Kenya, the World Health Organization recently reported that the country is not reporting all its deaths that result from road accidents. According to the report, the number of deaths reported in 2018 was only a quarter of the total deaths. However, the confusion arises from the definition used to identify road deaths, that is, deaths that happen at the scene of the accident. In reality, there are much more deaths that happen after the crash in hospitals. The deaths that happened after the road crash were not reported because of the narrow definition in use.

Another possible reason for the underreporting of deaths in these countries is a lack of well-developed systems for reporting these deaths. For example, looking at the case of Kenya above, the country lacks strong and reliable data systems. In some cases, the deaths that happen in the country are not reported to the proper authorities for record keeping and reporting. Looking at the serious underreporting of deaths that happen from road accidents is a valid pointer because the risk of road deaths is extremely high in undeveloped nations. All these countries on the list are not fully developed and are therefore high-risk areas. In comparison, Europe, which has plenty of developed countries and developed systems, does not have a high risk of road accidents.

Effects of Underreporting Deaths to the UN

As stated earlier, the United Nations Population Division uses the mortality data in order to come up with analyses. The analyzed data is then distributed to several consumers and countries in order to come up with strategies that will work in different countries and identify the countries with the most need. If the data is erroneous, then countries in need are more likely to be ignored or not given sufficient aid.A good crowd was on hand to look over the wide variety of watercraft and pleasure and sportsfishing boats on display during the RI Boat Show in the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence on Sunday.Stay up to date on COVID-19

Get Breaking News

Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox.Markets are generally known for the hustle and bustle of buying and selling. It is rare to see regular medical activities  checkups, treatment, and professional medical advisory  in the marketplace, save for emergencies. Just do a personal reflection for a moment: how often do you see doctors in their lab coats providing health services in the market place? Well, the answer is a simple one  not often.

But something interesting is happening. MTN Nigeria through its social investment vehicle is challenging the status quo by taking healthcare to the marketplace. The first benefiting markets in this new initiative are buyers and sellers in New Layout Market, Borokiri and Rumuwoji Market (Mile 1 Ultra-Modern Market) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Similar to what obtains in a proper medical facility, the MTN Market Doctor programme is structured into various departments including nursing station, doctors station, and pharmacy providing free blood pressure checkups and necessary drugs to all beneficiaries.

Interestingly, buyers and sellers at the markets briefly suspended their primary assignments and trooped to the designated points to consult the doctors for medical examination and other medical services. The delight and satisfaction of the market men and women were evident in their expressions.

One of the beneficiaries, Ibiene Justina Akalugbo while appreciating MTN Foundation stated, I am really happy for what is happening today at New Layout Market. MTN came to the market to give us free medical treatment and the traders in New Layout Market are very happy because some people dont even have money to go to clinic talk less of the health centres but today, MTN has brought medical services to us here.

So I am standing on behalf of the traders in New Layout to tell MTN thank you, she added.

MTN Market Doctor is part of the MTN Foundation health initiatives aimed at improving access to healthcare in Nigeria, especially the underserved population. With a plan to reach many communities in Nigeria, MTN Market Doctor will also be visiting Oyigbo main market, Echi Eta market in Eleme, Ndoni main market next, providing medical care to the individuals in the market, just for you.

More pictures at the event;Isaiah Gardenhire is accused of stabbing a 13-year-old girl to death and committing other crimes while out on bond. He is in the Isabella County jail on a litany of felony charges and was out on bond in a case in Mason County.Linden, Ind. (WLFI)  An Indiana State Police trooper is back on the job following a deadly shooting on last month.

Related: ISP Identifies trooper in fatal shooting of Glenn Rightsell

According to ISP, Trooper Daniel Organ has returned to duty as of January 7th. He's performing administrative duties at the Lafayette post until the investigation into the deadly shooting of Glenn Rightsell is complete.

Police say the trooper shot Rightsell after he failed to follow orders and allegedly grabbed a handgun on his own waist.

As we previously reported, it happened on December 28th on U.S. 231 in Montgomery County.LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)  According to Lafayette police, 15-year-old Donald Gritton was found on Tuesday. Gritton was located and arrested as a runaway in Orlando, Florida by the Orange County Sheriffs Department.

Lafayette police asked for the public's help after Gritton was last seen on Aug. 29. He was originally believed to be staying in the Lafayette area with various friends.Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has raised another alarm that the children of his colleague, Senator Dino Melaye, currently being held by police are living in very horrific conditions.

According to the lawmaker representing Bayelsa East constituency, Melayes children have been sleeping in the dark because police refused Abuja Electricity Distribution Comapny, AEDC to reconnect their power  Since their father, lawmaker representing Kogi West surrendered willingly to police.

The police had caught off power supply to the senators Maitama, Abuja home during an 8-day siege on his residence to get him to surrender, be arrested and face the law  For allegedly attempting to kill a police officer, Saliu Danjuma while on duty alongside his thugs.

Taking to Twitter on Wednesday afternoon, Senator Bruce wrote:

So after @ dino_melaye surrendered himself to @ PoliceNG, the Police did a thorough search of his house & found nothing. Yet, the police have refused AEDC from reconnecting his power. Currently, Dinos kids are left to sleep in darkness and under very horrific conditions.A Look Back at Clappers Jan. 2017 Assessment on Russia-gate



On the 2nd anniversary of the assessment blaming Russia for collusion with Trump there is still no evidence other than showing the media colluded with the spooks, says Ray McGovern.



By Ray McGovern

January 08, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - The banner headline atop page one of The New York Times print edition two years ago today, on January 7, 2017, set the tone for two years of Dick Cheney-like chicanery: Putin Led Scheme to Aid Trump, Report Says.

Under a media drumbeat of anti-Russian hysteria, credulous Americans were led to believe that Donald Trump owed his election victory to the president of Russia, whose influence campaign according to the Times quoting the intelligence report, helped President-elect Trumps election chances when possible by discrediting Secretary Clinton.

Hard evidence supporting the media and political rhetoric has been as elusive as proof of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in 2002-2003. This time, though, an alarming increase in the possibility of war with nuclear-armed Russia has ensued  whether by design, hubris, or rank stupidity. The possible consequences for the world are even more dire than 16 years of war and destruction in the Middle East.

If It Walks Like a Canard

The CIA-friendly New York Times two years ago led the media quacking in a campaign that wobbled like a duck, canard in French.

A glance at the title of the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) (which was not endorsed by the whole community)  Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections  would suffice to show that the widely respected and independently-minded State Department intelligence bureau should have been included. State intelligence had demurred on several points made in the Oct. 2002 Estimate on Iraq, and even insisted on including a footnote of dissent. James Clapper, then director of national intelligence who put together the ICA, knew that all too well. So he evidently thought it would be better not to involve troublesome dissenters, or even inform them what was afoot.

Similarly, the Defense Intelligence Agency should have been included, particularly since it has considerable expertise on the G.R.U., the Russian military intelligence agency, which has been blamed for Russian hacking of the DNC emails. But DIA, too, has an independent streak and, in fact, is capable of reaching judgments Clapper would reject as anathema. Just one year before Clapper decided to do the rump Intelligence Community Assessment, DIA had formally blessed the following heterodox idea in its December 2015 National Security Strategy:

The Kremlin is convinced the United States is laying the groundwork for regime change in Russia, a conviction further reinforced by the events in Ukraine. Moscow views the United States as the critical driver behind the crisis in Ukraine and believes that the overthrow of former Ukrainian President Yanukovych is the latest move in a long-established pattern of U.S.-orchestrated regime change efforts.

Any further questions as to why the Defense Intelligence Agency was kept away from the ICA drafting table?

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Handpicked Analysts

With help from the Times and other mainstream media, Clapper, mostly by his silence, was able to foster the charade that the ICA was actually a bonafide product of the entire intelligence community for as long as he could get away with it. After four months it came time to fess up that the ICA had not been prepared, as Secretary Clinton and the media kept claiming, by all 17 intelligence agencies.

In fact, Clapper went one better, proudly asserting  with striking naivete  that the ICA writers were handpicked analysts from only the FBI, CIA, and NSA. He may have thought that this would enhance the ICAs credibility. It is a no-brainer, however, that when you want handpicked answers, you better handpick the analysts. And so he did.

Why is no one interested in the identities of the handpicked analysts and the hand-pickers? After all, we have the names of the chief analysts/managers responsible for the fraudulent NIE of October 2002 that greased the skids for the war on Iraq. Listed in the NIE itself are the principal analyst Robert D. Walpole and his chief assistants Paul Pillar, Lawrence K. Gershwin and Maj. Gen. John R. Landry.

The Overlooked Disclaimer

Buried in an inside page of the Times on Jan. 7, 2017 was a cautionary paragraph in an analysis by reporter Scott Shane. It seems he had read the ICA all the way through, and had taken due note of the derriere-protecting caveats included in the strangely cobbled together report. Shane had to wade through nine pages of drivel about Russias Propaganda Efforts to reach Annex B with its curious disclaimer:

Assessments are based on collected information, which is often incomplete or fragmentary, as well as logic, argumentation, and precedents.  High confidence in a judgment does not imply that the assessment is a fact or a certainty; such judgments might be wrong.

Small wonder, then, that Shane noted: What is missing from the public report is what many Americans most eagerly anticipated: hard evidence to back up the agencies claims that the Russian government engineered the election attack. That is a significant omission

Since then, Shane has evidently realized what side his bread is buttered on and has joined the ranks of Russia-gate aficionados. Decades ago, he did some good reporting on such issues, so it was sad to see him decide to blend in with the likes of David Sanger and promote the NYT official Russia-gate narrative. An embarrassing feature , The Plot to Subvert an Election: Unraveling the Russia Story So Far, that Shane wrote with NYT colleague Mark Mazzetti in September, is full of gaping holes, picked apart in two pieces by Consortium News.

Shades of WMD

Sanger is one of the intelligence communitys favorite go-to journalists. He was second only to the disgraced Judith Miller in promoting the canard of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq before the U.S. invasion in March 2003. For example, in a July 29, 2002 article , U.S. Exploring Baghdad Strike As Iraq Option, co-written by Sanger and Thom Shanker, the existence of WMD in Iraq was stated as flat fact no fewer than seven times.

The Sanger/Shanker article appeared just a week after then-CIA Director George Tenet confided to his British counterpart that President George W. Bush had decided to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. At that critical juncture, Clapper was in charge of the analysis of satellite imagery and hid the fact that the number of confirmed WMD sites in Iraq was zero.

Despite that fact and that his assessment has never been proven, Clapper continues to receive praise.

During a  briefing  I attended at the Carnegie Endowment in Washington several weeks ago, Clapper displayed master circular reasoning, saying in effect, that the assessment had to be correct because thats what he and other intelligence directors told President Barack Obama and President-elect Donald Trump.

I got a chance to question him at the event. His disingenuous answers brought a painful flashback to one of the most shameful episodes in the annals of U.S. intelligence analysis.

Ray McGovern: My name is Ray McGovern. Thanks for this book; its very interesting [Ray holds up his copy of Clappers memoir]. Im part of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity. Id like to refer to the Russia problem, but first theres an analogy that I see here. You were in charge of imagery analysis before Iraq.

James Clapper: Yes.

RM: You confess [in the book] to having been shocked that no weapons of mass destruction were found. And then, to your credit, you admit, as you say here [quotes from the book], the blame is due to intelligence officers, including me, who were so eager to help [the administration make war on Iraq] that we found what wasnt really there.

Now fast forward to two years ago. Your superiors were hell bent on finding ways to blame Trumps victory on the Russians. Do you think that your efforts were guilty of the same sin here? Do you think that you found a lot of things that werent really there? Because thats what our conclusion is, especially from the technical end. There was no hacking of the DNC; it was leaked, and you know that because you talked to NSA.

JC: Well, I have talked with NSA a lot, and I also know what we briefed to then-President Elect Trump on the 6th of January. And in my mind, uh, I spent a lot of time in the SIGINT [signals intelligence] business, the forensic evidence was overwhelming about what the Russians had done. Theres absolutely no doubt in my mind whatsoever. The Intelligence Community Assessment that we rendered that day, that was asked, tasked to us by President Obama  and uh  in early December, made no call whatsoever on whether, to what extent the Russians influenced the outcome of the election. Uh, the administration, uh, the team then, the President-Elects team, wanted to say that  that we said that the Russian interference had no impact whatsoever on the election. And I attempted, we all did, to try to correct that misapprehension as they were writing a press release before we left the room.

However, as a private citizen, understanding the magnitude of what the Russians did and the number of citizens in our country they reached and the different mechanisms that, by which they reached them, to me it stretches credulity to think they didnt have a profound impact on election on the outcome of the election.

RM: Thats what the New York Times says. But let me say this: we have two former Technical Directors from NSA in our movement here, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity; we also have forensics, okay?

Now the President himself, your President, President Obama said two days before he left town: The conclusions of the intelligence community  this is ten days after you briefed him  with respect to how WikiLeaks got the DNC emails are inconclusive end quote . Now why would he say that if you had said it was conclusive?

JC: I cant explain what he said or why. But I can tell you were, were pretty sure we know, or knew at the time, how WikiLeaks got those emails. Im not going to go into the technical details about why we believe that.

RM: We are too [pretty sure we know]; and it was a leak onto a thumb drive  gotten to Julian Assange  really simple. If you knew it, and the NSA has that information, you have a duty, you have a duty to confess to that, as well as to [Iraq].

JC: Confess to what?

RM: Confess to the fact that youve been distorting the evidence.

JC: I dont confess to that.

RM: The Intelligence Community Assessment was without evidence.

JC: I do not confess to that. I simply do not agree with your conclusions.

William J. Burns (Carnegie President): Hey, Ray, I appreciate your question. I didnt want this to look like Jim Acosta in the White House grabbing microphones away. Thank you for the questioning though. Yes maam [Burns recognizes the next questioner].

The above exchange can be seen starting at 28:45 in this video.

Not Worth His Salt

Having supervised intelligence analysis, including chairing National Intelligence Estimates, for three-quarters of my 27-year career at CIA, my antennae are fine-tuned for canards. And so, at Carnegie, when Clapper focused on the rump analysis masquerading as an Intelligence Community Assessment, the scent of the duck came back strongly.

Intelligence analysts worth their salt give very close scrutiny to sources, their possible agendas, and their records for truthfulness. Clapper flunks on his own record, including his performance before the Iraq war  not to mention his giving sworn testimony to Congress that he had to admit was clearly erroneous, when documents released by Edward Snowden proved him a perjurer. At Carnegie, the questioner who followed me brought that up and asked, How on earth did you keep your job, Sir?

The next questioner, a former manager of State Department intelligence, posed another salient question: Why, he asked, was State Department intelligence excluded from the Intelligence Community Assessment?

Among the dubious reasons Clapper gave was the claim, We only had a month, and so it wasnt treated as a full-up National Intelligence Estimate where all 16 members of the intelligence community would pass judgment on it. Clapper then tried to spread the blame around (That was a deliberate decision that we made and that I agreed with), but as director of national intelligence the decision was his.

Given the questioners experience in the State Departments intelligence, he was painfully aware of how quickly a full-up NIE can be prepared. He knew all too well that the October 2002 NIE, Iraqs Continuing Programs for Weapons of Mass Destruction, was ginned up in less than a month, when Cheney and Bush wanted to get Congress to vote for war on Iraq. (As head of imagery analysis, Clapper signed off on that meretricious estimate, even though he knew no WMD sites had been confirmed in Iraq.)

Its in the Russians DNA

The criteria Clapper used to handpick his own assistants are not hard to divine. An Air Force general in the mold of Curtis LeMay, Clapper knows all about the Russians. And he does not like them, not one bit. During an interview with NBC on May 28, 2017, Clapper referred to the historical practices of the Russians, who typically, are almost genetically driven to co-opt, penetrate, gain favor, whatever, which is a typical Russian technique. And just before I questioned him at Carnegie, he muttered, Its in their DNA.

Even those who may accept Clappers bizarre views about Russian genetics still lack credible proof that (as the ICA concludes with high confidence) Russias main military intelligence unit, the G.R.U., created a persona called Guccifer 2.0 to release the emails of the Democratic National Committee. When those disclosures received what was seen as insufficient attention, the G.R.U. relayed material it acquired from the D.N.C. and senior Democratic officials to WikiLeaks, the assessment said.

At Carnegie, Clapper cited forensics. But forensics from where? To his embarrassment, then-FBI Director James Comey, for reasons best known to him, chose not to do forensics on the Russian hack of the DNC computers, preferring to rely on a computer outfit of tawdry reputation hired by the DNC. Moreover, there is zero indication that the drafters of the ICA had any reliable forensics to work with.

In contrast, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity, working with independent forensic investigators, examined metadata from a July 5, 2016 DNC intrusion that was alleged to be a hack. However, the metadata showed a transfer speed far exceeding the capacity of the Internet at the time. Actually, all the speed turned out to be precisely what a thumb drive could accommodate, indicating that what was involved was a copy onto an external storage device and not a hack  by Russia or anyone else.

WikiLeaks had obtained the DNC emails earlier. On June 12, 2016 Julian Assange announced he had emails relating to Hillary Clinton. NSA appears to lack any evidence that those emails  the embarrassing ones showing that the DNC cards were stacked against Bernie Sanders  were hacked.

Since NSAs dragnet coverage scoops up everything on the Internet, NSA or its partners can, and do trace all hacks. In the absence of evidence that the DNC was hacked, all available factual evidence indicates that earlier in the spring of 2016, an external storage device like a thumb drive was used in copying the DNC emails given to WikiLeaks.

Additional investigation has proved Guccifer 2.0 to be an out-and-out fabrication  and a faulty basis for indictments.

A Gaping Gap

Clapper and the directors of the CIA, FBI, and NSA briefed President Obama on the ICA on Jan. 5, 2007, the day before they briefed President-elect Trump. At Carnegie, I asked Clapper to explain why President Obama still had serious doubts. On Jan. 18, 2017, at his final press conference, Obama saw fit to use lawyerly language to cover his own derriere, saying: The conclusions of the intelligence community with respect to the Russian hacking were not conclusive as to whether WikiLeaks was witting or not in being the conduit through which we heard about the DNC e-mails that were leaked.

So we end up with inconclusive conclusions on that admittedly crucial point. In other words, U.S. intelligence does not know how the DNC emails got to WikiLeaks. In the absence of any evidence from NSA (or from its foreign partners) of an Internet hack of the DNC emails the claim that the Russians gave the DNC emails to WikiLeaks rests on thin gruel. After all, these agencies collect everything that goes over the Internet.

Clapper answered: I cannot explain what he [Obama] said or why. But I can tell you were, were pretty sure we know, or knew at the time, how WikiLeaks got those emails.

Really?

Ray McGovern works with Tell the Word, a publishing arm of the ecumenical Church of the Saviour in inner-city Washington. During his 27-year CIA career he supervised intelligence analysis as Chief of Soviet Foreign Policy Branch, as editor/briefer of the Presidents Daily Brief, as a member of the Production Review Staff, and as chair of National Intelligence Estimates. In retirement he co-founded Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS).

This article was originally published by " Consortium News " -

Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here

==See Also==

Note To ICH Community

We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites.

Thank you for your support.TAIYUAN, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- A total of 11 prefecture-level cities in China's coal hub Shanxi Province have established no-coal zones in its urban districts to tackle air pollution, local authorities said.

The storage, sales and use of coal are all banned in the no-coal zones, according to the Shanxi Provincial Department of Ecology and Environment.

The exceptions are made for coal-fired electricity generators, large-scale heat providers and industries that use coal as a raw material.

The authorities said the area covered by the no-coal zones will be gradually expanded. Meanwhile, the sale or burning of low-grade coal among residents has been banned in the whole province.

For those who violate the rules, market regulators above the county level will order them to make rectifications and will confiscate raw materials, coal products and illegal gains. A fine up to three times the value of the goods will be imposed.

Shanxi is under big pressure to curb air pollution. In the first three quarters of last year, 7 out of 20 cities with the worst air quality were in Shanxi.

With a quarter of China's proven coal reserves, Shanxi shut down 36 coal mines in 2018, cutting 23.3 million tonnes of production capacity.

According to a plan regarding the reduction and reconstruction of the coal mining industry in the province, coal mines with an annual output below 600,000 tonnes will be closed by 2020.UTICA, N.Y. -- The Utica police officer charged with assaulting a firefighter last may has pleaded guilty to harassment.

According to Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara, Jacob Penree's trial has been disposed.

The fight led to the firefighter allegedly receiving cuts and swelling to his face, including stitches to his right eyebrow.

The officer was not on duty at the time of the alleged assault.

Penree was fined for the charge and is suspended without pay.HERKIMER, N.Y. -- The Herkimer County Herkimer County Agricultural Council brought together a number of cheese farmers interested in starting up a cheese trail.

A cheese trail would allow people to visit a number of cheese farms where they could learn about farming and what goes into making cheese.

Six local cheese makers are currently on board for the cheese trail, which is now in the planning stages.

A committee will meet to decide on when the first cheese trail tour will happen, as well as marketing strategies, and possible funding sources to promote the event.

Starting the cheese trail came with some apprehension, but once the ball started rolling, the mood turned to excitement.

You can come and enjoy a little, a little bit of seeing what's being made, and then taste it. Other farms may have a pet the goats day, or each farm is going to have something unique to bring to the table, but yes everybody would drive around and get to each farm. Well, the farms that they can reach, and spend some time there, said Jones Family Farms Suzie Jones.

Right now, the goal is trying to find a day that works for everyone, and what each farm will have to offer.Trumps Neocons Reverse His Syria Withdrawal Plan

By Ron Paul

January 08, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - Im starting to wonder whether President Trump has any power over US foreign policy at all. Many people believe that the US president is just a figurehead, with actual foreign policy firmly in the hands of the deep state. Trumps latest dramatic U-turn on pulling troops from Syria certainly feeds such theories.

When President Trump announced just a couple of weeks ago that the US was removing its troops from Syria and possibly reducing troops from Afghanistan, the neocons, the media, the military-industrial complex, and the left-wing never-Trump people were livid. They were silent when President Obama made the horrible decision to overthrow Assad in Syria and sent weapons to jihadists to do so. They never said a word when billions of dollars were committed to this immoral and dangerous regime change policy. They werent interested in the rule of law when President Obama thumbed his nose at Congress and sent troops into Syria.

But when President Trump declared the obvious  that ISIS was effectively defeated and that we had no business being in Syria  these above groups in unison declared that actually bringing US troops home was a gift to Russia. They said bringing US troops home would create instability in the regions they left. Well, is there any proof that occupation by US troops actually brings stability?

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

No sooner did President Trump announce our departure than his neocon advisors began walking his words back. First he had to endure a lunch with Sen. Lindsey Graham reading him the riot act, where, according to the Senator, Trump agreed to no timetables for departure. Then his National Security Advisor, John Bolton, and his Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, began to tell the world that President Trumps statements on troop pullout were just empty words, not US policy.

While Syrian Christians newly liberated from the rule of US-backed extremists celebrated Christmas for the first time in years, John Bolton dusted off the old warning to Assad that the US would attack if he again gassed his people. With the Syrian president personally taking part in some of the Christmas celebrations, does anybody really believe hed go back to his office and order a gas attack?

Bolton then claimed that the US would shift troops from Syria to Iraq to continue fighting ISIS and that the US fully backs Israeli airstrikes on Syrian territory. Did President Trump even agree to any of this?

Even worse, Secretary of State Pompeo is embarking on a Middle East tour where he will essentially tell leaders in the region that the US president is a liar. According to one State Department official quoted in a report on Sunday, Pompeos message to the Middle East will be, "Despite reports to the contrary and false narratives surrounding the Syria decision, we are not going anywhere. The secretary will reinforce that commitment to the region and our partners."

Calling the US presidents actual words on Syria false narratives? How is this not insubordination?

Will President Trump stand by and watch this coup taking place under his nose? Does he realize how his credibility suffers when he boldly announces a US withdrawal and the does a U-turn days later? Has he noticed recent polls showing that the majority of the American people agree with him? Why is he so intimidated by the neocons?

Ronald Ernest Paul is an American author, physician, and retired politician who served as the U.S. Representative for Texas's 22nd congressional district from 1976 to 1977 and again from 1979 to 1985, and for Texas's 14th congressional district from 1997 to 2013.

This article was originally published by

"

Ron Paul Institute for Peace & Prosperity

." -

Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here

==See Also==

Note To ICH Community

We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites.

Thank you for your support.25-Year-Old Whiz Kid #1 Stock Picker in U.S. (Ad)

A lot of people claim to be the #1 Stock Picker in America. But few can back it up like Luke Lango. Hes #1 according to TipRanks. Hes revealing his next big tech stock recommendation for FREE.

Click here to see what it is.Wall Street analysts have given Revolution Bars Group a "Buy" rating, but there may be better buying opportunities in the stock market. Some of MarketBeat's past winning trading ideas have resulted in 5-15% weekly gains. MarketBeat just released five new stock ideas, but Revolution Bars Group wasn't one of them. MarketBeat thinks these five companies may be even better buys.

View MarketBeat's top stock picks here.Erdogans

Gift to Bolton

By Daniel Larison

January 08, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - Boltons condition that the U.S. wont withdraw until Turkey guarantees not to attack the YPG didnt go over very well in Ankara:

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan scolded and snubbed visiting White House national security adviser John Bolton on Tuesday, saying that he had made a very serious mistake by demanding protection for U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters in Syria.

The point of Boltons demand was to have it rejected so that U.S. forces would have a pretext to stay in Syria for a long time to come. We have to assume that Bolton wanted a bad reaction from the Turkish government. By insisting on a guarantee Turkey would never give, he has made it politically harder to pull U.S. forces out of Syria. Erdogans snub is the perfect gift for Bolton and for the other Iran hawks that want an excuse to keep our illegal war in Syria going a while longer.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

The danger in all this is that it may soon put the U.S. in the absurd position of having to decide whether to defend the YPG from a Turkish military assault:

The message that Bolton gave in Israel is unacceptable. It is not possible for us to swallow, Erdogan said. He suggested that he might ignore the Trump administrations request to delay the Turkish military operation. Very soon, we will take action to neutralize terrorist organizations in Syria, Erdogan said. We have completed our preparations for the operation to a large extent.

The U.S. isnt obliged to defend against an attack by one of our own treaty allies inside the borders of a country where our forces have no right to be. It is a measure of how far removed from U.S. security interests our Syria policy is and how far outside the law our military operations in Syria are that we are confronted with such a ridiculous predicament. No U.S. interests will be served by remaining in any part of Syria, and the risk of clashing with our own treaty allies is reason enough to get out as soon as possible.

This article was originally published by

"

The American Conservative

" -

Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here

==See Also==

Note To ICH Community

We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites.

Thank you for your support.Quotient Technology Inc. operates as a digital media and promotions technology company that offers power integrated digital media and promotions programs for brands and retailers. The company offers Quotient Promotions Platform offers digital paperless and print promotions, including Coupons.com website and mobile applications; brand and retailer websites and mobile applications; and third-party publishing websites and mobile applications. It also provides Quotient Retailer Promotions Platform that uses consumer data and insights to distribute personalized and targeted media and promotions for retailers of grocery, drug, mass merchant, dollar, club and convenience merchandise; and Quotient Media Platform, which provides targeted advertising solutions that enables brands to reach shoppers before, during, and after their shopping cycles with digital media campaigns. It also provides Quotient Retailer Performance Media Platform that uses retailer's consumer data to drive sales and enhances the shopper experience; Quotient Analytics provides campaign analytics and measured sales results to brands and retailers; Quotient Consumer Properties; and Quotient Retailer Media Services. It serves approximately 800 consumer packed goods, representing approximately 2,000 brands, including various food, beverage, personal care, and household product manufacturers; retail partners representing various classes of trade, such as grocery retailers, drug, mass merchant, dollar, club, and convenience merchandise channels; and consumers visiting its websites, mobile properties, and social channels. The company was formerly known as Coupons.com Incorporated and changed its name to Quotient Technology Inc. in October 2015. Quotient Technology Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Read MoreThe following companies are subsidiares of Mohawk Industries: A&S Energie NV, A&U Energie NV, Aladdin Manufacturing Corporation, Aladdin Manufacturing Of New York LLC, Aladdin Manufacturing of Alabama LLC, Alsace Logistique S.A., Avelgem Green Power CVBA, Avon Pacific Holdings Ltd, B&M NV, BGE Mexico S. de R. L. de C.V., Berghoef GmbH, Berghoef-Hout B.V., Bienes Raices y Materiales del Centro S. de R.L. de C.V., C.F. Marazzi S.A., Canterbury Spinners Ltd, Carpet Foundation Ltd, Cevotrans BV, Ceramus Bahia S/A  Produtos Ceramicos, DT Mex Holdings LLC, DTM/CM Holdings LLC, Dal Italia LLC, Dal-Elit LLC, Dal-Tile Chile Comercial Limitada, Dal-Tile Colombia S.A.S., Dal-Tile Distribution Inc., Dal-Tile Group Inc., Dal-Tile I LLC, Dal-Tile Industrias S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile International Inc., Dal-Tile Mexico Comercial S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Dal-Tile Operaciones Mexico S. De R.L. De C.V., Dal-Tile Peru SRL, Dal-Tile Puerto Rico Inc., Dal-Tile Services Inc., Dal-Tile Shared Services Inc., Dal-Tile Tennessee LLC, Dal-Tile of Canada ULC, Daltile, Daltile, Dekaply NV, Durkan, Dynea NV, Eliane Argentina Sociedad Anonima, Eliane S/A - Revestimentos Ceramicos, Emilceramica India Pvt Ltd., Emilceramica S.r.l, Emilgermany GmbH, Emilgroup Asia Ltd, Explorer S.r.l., F.I.L.S. Investments Unlimited Company, Feltex Carpets Ltd, Feltex Carpets Pty Ltd, Feltex New Zealand Ltd, Fibremakers Australia Pty Ltd, Flooring Foundation Ltd, Flooring Industries Limited S.a r.l., Flooring XL B.V., Floorscape Limited, Godfrey Hirst & Co Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Australia Pty Ltd, Godfrey Hirst Group, Godfrey Hirst NZ Ltd, Hytherm (Ireland) Limited, IVC BVBA, IVC Far-East Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., IVC France S.a r.l., IVC GROUP LIMITED, IVC Green Power NV, IVC Group, IVC Group GmbH, IVC Luxembourg S.a r.l., IVC Rus OOO, IVC US Inc., International Flooring Systems S.a r.l., International Vinyl Company - Vostok OOO, KAI Group, KAI Keramica Ltd, KAI Mining EOOD, KERAMA CENTER OOO, Kerama Baltics OOO, Kerama Export OOO, Kerama Marazzi OOO, Kerampromservis (LLC), Khan Asparuh - Transport EOOD, Khan Asparuh AD, Khan Omurtag AD, Koninklijke Peitsman B.V., Kraj Kerama OOO, MG China Trading Ltd., MI Finance SRL, MUD (Holding) Brazil Ltda., Management Co EAD, Marazzi Acquisition S.r.l., Marazzi Deutschland G.m.b.H., Marazzi France Trading S.A.S., Marazzi Group, Marazzi Group F.Z.E., Marazzi Group S.r.l., Marazzi Group Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Marazzi Iberia S.L.U., Marazzi Japan Co. Ltd., Marazzi Middle East FZ LLC, Marazzi Schweiz S.A.G.L., Marazzi UK Ltd., Mohawk Assurance Services Inc., Mohawk Australia Pty Ltd, Mohawk Canada Corporation, Mohawk Capital Finance S.A., Mohawk Capital Luxembourg SA, Mohawk Carpet Distribution Inc., Mohawk Carpet Foundation Inc., Mohawk Carpet LLC, Mohawk Carpet Transportation Of Georgia LLC, Mohawk Commercial Inc., Mohawk ESV Inc., Mohawk Europe BVBA, Mohawk Factoring II Inc., Mohawk Factoring LLC, Mohawk Finance S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Acquisitions S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Funding S.a.r.l, Mohawk Foreign Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Foreign Investments Inc., Mohawk Global Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Holdings International B.V., Mohawk Industries Inc., Mohawk International (Europe) S.a r.l., Mohawk International (Hong Kong) Limited, Mohawk International Capital N.V., Mohawk International Financing S.a.r.l, Mohawk International Holdings (DE) LLC, Mohawk International Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk International Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk International Netherlands B.V., Mohawk International Services BVBA, Mohawk KAI Luxembourg Holding S.a r.l., Mohawk KAI Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Capital S.A., Mohawk Luxembourg Financing S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Holdings S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Luxembourg Pacific S.a r.l., Mohawk Marazzi International BV, Mohawk Marazzi Russia BV, Mohawk New Zealand Limited, Mohawk Operaciones Mexicali S. de R.L. de C.V., Mohawk Operations Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk Pacific Investments S.a r.l., Mohawk Resources LLC, Mohawk Servicing LLC, Mohawk Singapore Private Limited, Mohawk Trading (Shanghai) Co. Ltd, Mohawk Unilin Luxembourg S.a r.l., Mohawk United Finance B.V., Mohawk United International B.V., Mohawk Vinyl Financing S.a r.l., Molber Beheer B.V., Monarch Ceramic Tile Inc., P.F. Onroerend Goed B.V., PF Beheer B.V., Pergo, Pergo (Europe) AB, Pergo Holding BV, Pergo India Pvt Ltd, Polcolorit S.A., Premium Floors Australia Pty Limited, RR Apex LLC, Rata International Pty Ltd, Recubrimientos Interceramica S. de R.L. de C.V., Riverside Textiles Pty Ltd, S.C. KAI Ceramics SRL, Sibir Kerama OOO, SimpleSolutions USA LLC, Soft Step (Australia) Pty Ltd, Spano Group, Spano Invest BVBA, Spano NV, Stroyagromekhzapchast ChaO, Stroytrans OAO Orelstroy, Summit Wool Spinners Ltd, The Flooring Federation Ltd, Tiles Co OOD, Unilin (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Unilin ApS, Unilin Arauco Pisos Ltda., Unilin BVBA, Unilin Beheer BV, Unilin Distribution Ltd., Unilin Distribution Ukraine LLC, Unilin Finland OY, Unilin Flooring India Private Limited, Unilin Flooring SAS, Unilin GmbH, Unilin Holding BVBA, Unilin Insulation BV, Unilin Insulation SAS, Unilin Insulation Sury SAS, Unilin Italia S.R.L., Unilin North America LLC, Unilin Norway AS, Unilin OOO, Unilin Panels SAS, Unilin Poland Sp.Z.o.o., Unilin SAS, Unilin Spain SL, Unilin Swiss GmbH, Unilin s.r.o., World International Inc., Xtratherm, Xtratherm Limited, Xtratherm S.A., and Xtratherm UK Limited.Ten Years After the First War on Gaza, Israel Still Plans Endless Brute Force

By Avi Shlaim

January 08, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - This month marks the 10th anniversary of the first major military assault on the 2 million Palestinians of the Gaza Strip. After its unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, Israel turned the area into the biggest open-door prison on Earth. The two hallmarks of Israels treatment of Gaza since then have been mendacity and the utmost brutality towards civilians.

On 27 December 2008, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead , pounding the densely populated strip from the air, sea and land for 22 days. It was not a war or even asymmetric warfare but a one-sided massacre. Israel had 13 dead; the Gazans had 1,417 dead, including 313 children, and more than 5,500 wounded. According to one estimate 83% of the casualties were civilians. Israel claimed to be acting in self-defence, protecting its civilians against Hamas rocket attacks. The evidence, however, points to a deliberate and punitive war of aggression. Israel had a diplomatic alternative, but it chose to ignore it and to resort to brute military force.

In June 2008 Egypt had brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the Islamic resistance movement that rules Gaza. The agreement called on both sides to cease hostilities and required Israel to gradually ease the illegal blockade it had imposed on the Gaza Strip in June 2007. This ceasefire worked remarkably well  until Israel violated it by a raid on 4 November in which six Hamas fighters were killed. The monthly average of rockets fired from Gaza on Israel fell from 179 in the first half of 2008 to three between June and October.

The story of the missed opportunity to avoid war was told to me by Robert Pastor, a professor of political science at the American University in Washington DC and a senior adviser on conflict resolution in the Middle East at the Carter Center NGO. Here is what Pastor told me over the phone and later confirmed in an email to Dr Mary Elizabeth King, another close associate of President Carter, on 8 December 2013, a month before Pastors death.

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

Pastor met Khaled Mashaal , the Hamas politburo chief, in Damascus in December 2008. Mashaal handed him a written proposal on how to restore the ceasefire. In effect, it was a proposal to renew the June 2008 ceasefire agreement on the original terms. Pastor then travelled to Tel Aviv and met Major General (Ret) Amos Gilad, head of the defence ministrys political affairs bureau. Gilad promised that he would communicate the proposal directly to defence minister Ehud Barak , and expected to have an answer either that evening or the following day. The next day, Pastor phoned Gilads office three times and got no response. Shortly afterwards, Israel launched Operation Cast Lead.

Emblematic of everything that is wrong with Israels approach to Gaza. An Israeli strike near a UN school in Beit Lahia, January 2009. Photograph: Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images

Emblematic of everything that is wrong with Israels approach to Gaza. An Israeli strike near a UN school in Beit Lahia, January 2009. Photograph: Mohammed Abed/AFP/Getty Images

In the email he dictated to his son on his deathbed, Pastor authorised me to publicise this story and to attribute it to him because its an important moment in history that Israel needs to accept because Israel had an alternative to war in December 2008. It was indeed a critical moment and it conveyed a clear message: if Israels real purpose was to protect its civilians, all it needed to do was to follow Hamass example by observing the ceasefire.

Israels conduct during the first Gaza war was placed under an uncompromising lens by the UN Human Rights Councils independent fact-finding mission headed by Richard Goldstone, the distinguished South African judge who happened to be both a Jew and a Zionist. Goldstone and his team found that both Hamas and the Israel Defence Forces had committed violations of the laws of war by deliberately harming civilians. The IDF received more severe strictures than Hamas on account of the bigger scale and seriousness of its violations.

The Goldstone team investigated 36 incidents involving the IDF. It found 11 incidents in which Israeli soldiers launched direct attacks against civilians with lethal outcomes; seven where civilians were shot leaving their homes waving white flags; a direct and intentional attack on a hospital; numerous incidents where ambulances were prevented from attending to the severely injured; and nine attacks on civilian infrastructure with no military significance, such as flour mills, sewage works, and water wells  all part of a campaign to deprive civilians of basic necessities. In the words of the report, much of this extensive damage was not justified by military necessity and carried out unlawfully and wantonly.

In conclusion, the 575-page report noted that while the Israeli government sought to portray its operations as essentially a response to rocket attacks in the exercise of the right to self-defence, the Mission itself considers the plan to have been directed, at least in part, at a different target: the people of Gaza as a whole. Under the circumstances the Mission concludes that what occurred in just over three weeks at the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009 was a deliberately disproportionate attack designed to punish, humiliate and terrorise a civilian population, radically diminish its local economic capacity both to work and to provide for itself, and to force upon it an ever-increasing sense of dependency and vulnerability.

The claim that the operation was designed to terrorise a civilian population needs underlining. Terrorism is the use of force against civilians for political purposes. By this definition Operation Cast Lead was an act of state terrorism. The political aim was to force the population to repudiate Hamas, which had won a clear majority in the elections of January 2006 .

Operation Cast Lead is emblematic of everything that is wrong with Israels approach to Gaza. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a political conflict to which there is no military solution. Yet Israel persists in shunning diplomacy and relying on brute military force  and not as a last resort but as a first resort. Force is the default setting. And there is a popular Israeli saying that goes with it: If force doesnt work, use more force!

Operation Cast Lead was just the first in a series of Israeli mini-wars on Gaza. It was followed by Operation Pillar of Defence in November 2012 and Operation Protective Edge in the summer of 2014. The fancy names given to these operations were fraudulent, dressing up offensive attacks on defenceless civilians and civilian infrastructure in the sanctimonious language of self-defence. They are typical examples of Orwellian double-speak. UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon called the Israeli attack on 1 August 2014 on Rafah, in which a large number of civilians sheltering in UN schools were killed, a moral outrage and a criminal act. This description applies equally to Israels entire policy of waging war on the inmates of the Gaza prison.

Israeli generals talk about their recurrent military incursions into Gaza as mowing the lawn. This operative metaphor implies a task that has to be performed regularly and mechanically and without end. It also alludes to the indiscriminate slaughter of civilians and the inflicting of damage on civilian infrastructure that takes several years to repair.

Mowing the lawn is a chilling euphemism but it provides a clue as to the deeper purpose behind Israels steadfast shunning of diplomacy and repeated resort to brute military force in response to all manifestations of lawful resistance and peaceful protest on its southern border. Under this grim rubric, there can be no lasting political solution: the next war is always just a matter of time.

 This article was amended on 8 January 2019 to correct the date in Robert Pastors email from his death bed from 2018 to 2008

 Avi Shlaim is an emeritus professor of international relations at Oxford and the author of The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World

This article was originally published by " The Guardian " -

Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here

==See Also==

Note To ICH Community

We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites.

Thank you for your support.China Mobile Limited provides mobile telecommunications and related services in Mainland China and Hong Kong. The company offers local calls; domestic and international long distance calls and roaming services; and value-added services, such as caller identity display, call waiting, conference calls, and others. It also provides wireless Internet service, as well as digital applications comprising music, video, reading, gaming, and animation; wireline broadband services; and wireline voice services. In addition, it offers dedicated line and IDC services to corporate customers in a range of industry sectors; and basic corporate communication products comprising corporate VPMN and SMS, and tailor made solutions. Further, the company provides international telecommunications services, which includes IDD, roaming, Internet, MNC, and value added business services. Additionally, it offers telecommunications network planning, design, and consulting services; roaming clearance, IT system operation, and technology support services; value-added platform development and maintenance services; mobile data, and system integration and development services; network construction and maintenance, network planning and optimizing, and training services; electronic communication products design and sale of related products; and non-banking financial services. It also provides mobile cloud research and development services; call center services; e-payment, e-commerce, and Internet finance services; and mobile Internet digital content services, as well as operates a network and business coordination center. The company serves 950 million mobile customers and 187 million wireline broadband customers. The company was formerly known as China Mobile (Hong Kong) Limited and changed its name to China Mobile Limited in May 2006. The company was incorporated in 1997 and is based in Central, Hong Kong. China Mobile Limited is a subsidiary of China Mobile Hong Kong (BVI) Limited.

Read MoreReasons To Believe In Trumps Syria Withdrawal Are Vanishing

By Caitlin Johnstone

January 08, 2019 " Information Clearing House " - On the first of April last year I published an article titled  Ignore The Words Of US Presidents. Watch Their Actions Instead. , about Trumps claim that his administration would be pulling troops out of Syria very soon. Watching the actions and ignoring the words is a personal policy Ive found very useful in dealing with top government figures who understand that power has nothing to do with truth and everything to do with narrative control, and in that particular case the presidents claims were quickly memory holed after a highly suspicious chemical weapons allegation in Douma a few days later. The presidents words said the troops were leaving, and what actually happened was the US bombing the Syrian government for a second time in a year while troops remained where they were.

Everyone completely lost their shit last month when the president once again made the claim that US troops will be brought home from Syria. Establishment loyalists of the political/media class went into full meltdown , Mattis handed in his resignation, and #Resistance Twitter pundits whod never typed the word Kurd in their lives suddenly became self-appointed experts on the geopolitical dynamics between the Turkish government and the YPG. Support for the presidents words also rushed in from anti-interventionists and anti-imperialists everywhere, as well as from a few surprising places like Democratic Representative Ted Liu and Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren .

Are You Tired Of The Lies And Non-Stop Propaganda? Get Your FREE Daily Newsletter

So there was a very strong reaction to Trumps words about Syria. But what have his actions been? If we look at this administrations actual behavior with the narrative soundtrack on mute, what we see is a significant increasing of the number of troops in Syria, bombing the Syrian government twice, committing war crimes in Raqqa , providing full-throated support for hundreds of Israeli air strikes against Iranian targets in Syria, and a steadily increasing number of indications that the troops wont be coming home at all.

Trump: We're leaving Syria.

Bolton: We're not really leaving Syria.

Trump: We're leaving Syria very slowly.

Graham: Very, very slowly.

Bolton: Or maybe never.

Trump: When ISIS is completely gone.

Bolton: And Iran.

Trump: I hired Bolton and regret nothing. https://t.co/v5flv6cbSe  Caitlin Johnstone  (@caitoz) January 6, 2019

I never said wed be doing it that quickly, press were told on Sunday by the president, who has indeed previously used the words  now  and  quickly  to describe the pace of troop withdrawal.

We wont be finally pulled out, until ISIS is gone, Trump added.

National Security Advisor John Bolton has also announced additional conditions which will need to be met before theres a full withdrawal of US forces from Syria, including the seemingly indefinite need to counter Iranian activity in the region, and the need for an agreement to be reached between the US and Turkey to protect Kurdish militias in northeastern Syria.

Bolton said the Kurdish factions are being advised by the US to stand fast now and refrain from brokering an agreement with the Syrian government or Russia to protect them from Turkey, a deal which has been on the table and seriously contemplated by the Kurds for many months . Such an agreement would help unify a fragmented Syria, would deter an attack from Turkey, and would remove any need for the US to protect its YPG allies (read: assets), so naturally the servants of endless war are working against it.

Bolton also said that the withdrawal only applies to northeastern Syria, and that troops are expected to remain indefinitely in the southern part of the country. Bolton is reportedly expected to explain to Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish president Recip Tayyip Erdogan that some of the troops who do end up being withdrawn from Syria will not be going home at all, but will rather be moved across the border to fight ISIS in Iraq.

John McCains testicular clone Senator Lindsey Graham announced last week that Trump is now slowing the withdrawal in a smart way after he met with the president, which knowing Grahams relentless support for limitless war and military expansionism is perhaps not a great sign.

Empire loyalists are always calling to slow everything down when it comes to agendas which advance the interests of normal human beings, whether its single-payer healthcare or an end to military expansionism. Meanwhile they never slow down their attempts to ramp up the war engine and shore up control for the Orwellian oppression machine. When they demand to slow things down theyre only ever buying more time to finish constructing your cage.

Has Trump Been Outmaneuvered on Syria Troop Withdrawal? https://t.co/dhw07SCRF6 Failure to pull out the ~800 troops & equipment assigned in El Tanf that could be withdrawn across the Jordanian border w/in 24 hours suggests duplicity by foreign policy shadow government.  Consortium News (@Consortiumnews) January 3, 2019

So theres that. Trumps rhetoric on Syria has differed from people in his administration like Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, with the president tending to express more urgency on troop withdrawal and more indifference toward Iranian actions in Syria , but does it make any difference? It really doesnt matter what noises Trump makes with his mouth if no moves to scale down interventionism actually occur. Either Trump is just saying words he knows his base wants to hear with no intention of following them through, or he is being outmaneuvered by the Deep State as Virginia State Senator Dick Black puts it , or hes run into some other strategic brick wall to immediate troop withdrawal we cant see, or maybe, perhaps, he will succeed in getting troops out of Syria.

I personally do not care about Trumps motives. Antiwar analysts tend to put a lot of emphasis on what the presidents personal intentions are, but it doesnt matter how Trumps feelings feel or what kind of person he is inside, what matters is if Americas unconscionable global military expansionism gets scaled down or not. The power structure behaves the way it behaves, and if the troops dont come home its because Trump is either complicit or impotent. Either way, the power structure and its behavior is what matters.

Ill be the first to cheer if US military involvement in Syria does end, but Im not getting my hopes up. Instead, I will continue ignoring the verbiage and watching the behavior. In a world where narrative manipulation is the key to real power, its impossible to take anyone close to power at their word.

Caitlin's articles are entirely reader-supported, so if you enjoyed this piece please consider sharing it around, liking her on Facebook , following her antics on Twitter , checking out her podcast , throwing some money into her hat on Patreon or Paypal , or buying her book Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers . https://caitlinjohnstone.com

Do you agree or disagree? Post your comment here

==See Also==

Note To ICH Community

We ask that you assist us in dissemination of the article published by ICH to your social media accounts and post links to the article from other websites.

Thank you for your support.I only buy one kind of stock. 37 of these cash cows are in my portfolio right now... and for every dollar invested in them they are sending us 69 cents in dividends. That's an effective yield of 69% a year-every year. All without leverage, options, or gimmicks.

General Electric Company operates as a high-tech industrial company worldwide. The company's Power segment offers heavy-duty and aeroderivative gas turbines for utilities, independent power producers, and industrial applications; maintenance, service, and upgrade solutions to plant assets and their operational lifecycle; steam power technology for fossil and nuclear applications, including boilers, generators, steam turbines, and air quality control systems; and advanced reactor technologies solutions comprising reactors, fuels, and support services for boiling water reactors. This segment also applies the science and systems of power conversion to provide motors, generators, automation, and control equipment; and drives for energy intensive industries, such as marine, oil and gas, mining, rail, metals, test systems, and water. Its Renewable Energy segment provides various solutions for its customers through combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro, storage, solar, and grid solutions, as well as hybrid renewables and digital services offerings. The company's Aviation segment designs and produces commercial and military aircraft engines, integrated engine components, electric power, and mechanical aircraft systems; and provides aftermarket services. Its Healthcare segment develops, manufactures, markets, and services magnetic resonance, computed tomography, molecular imaging, x-ray and high-frequency soundwave systems, clinical monitoring and acute care systems, enterprise digital, artificial intelligence applications, consulting and command center, and complementary software and services; and researches, manufactures, and markets imaging agents. The company's Capital segment offers aviation leasing and financing, and working capital services; financial solutions and underwriting capabilities; and insurance and reinsurance for life and health risks, as well as annuity products. The company was founded in 1878 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.

Read MorecomScore, Inc. operates as an information and analytics company that measures advertising, consumer behavior, and audiences across media platforms worldwide. The company offers ratings and planning products and services, including Media Metrix Multi-Platform and Mobile Metrix, which measure Websites and apps on computers, smartphones, and tablets; Video Metrix that delivers measurement of digital video consumption; and Plan Metrix, which offers understanding of consumer lifestyle. Its ratings and planning products and services also comprises TV Essentials that combines TV viewing information with marketing segmentation and consumer databases; StationView Essentials to understand consumer viewing patterns and characteristics; Cross-Platform Suite, which integrates person-level linear TV viewership with digital audience data; and OnDemand Essentials that provides transactional tracking and reporting. In addition, its ratings and planning products comprise Comscore Campaign Ratings for verification of mobile and desktop video campaigns; validated Campaign Essentials, which validates whether digital ad impressions are visible to humans, identifies those that are fraudulent, and verifies that ads are shown in brand safe content and delivered to the right audience targets; and Total Home Panel Suite, which capture OTT, connected TV, and IOT device usage and content consumption. The company also offers analytics and optimization products and services that provide solutions for planning, optimization, and evaluation of advertising campaigns and brand protection. In addition, it offers movies reporting and analytics products and services to measure movie viewership and box office results by capturing movie ticket sales in real time or near real time. It serves digital publishers, television networks, movie studios, content owners, brand advertisers, agencies, and technology providers. The company was incorporated in 1999 and is headquartered in Reston, Virginia.

Read MoreI only buy one kind of stock. 37 of these cash cows are in my portfolio right now... and for every dollar invested in them they are sending us 69 cents in dividends. That's an effective yield of 69% a year-every year. All without leverage, options, or gimmicks.

Intu owns and manages some of the best shopping centres, in some of the strongest locations, in the UK and Spain. Our UK portfolio is made up of 17 centres, including eight of the top-20, and in Spain we own three of the country's top-10 centres, with advanced plans to build a fourth. We are passionate about creating compelling experiences, in centre and online, that make our customers smile and help our retailers flourish. We attract around 400 million customer visits and 26 million website visits a year offering a multichannel approach that truly supports retail strategies. Our strategic focus on prime, high-footfall flagship destinations, combined with the strength and popularity of our brand, means that intu offers enhanced footfall, dwell time and loyalty. This helps our tenants flourish, driving occupancy and income growth. We are committed to our local communities, with our centres supporting nearly 130,000 jobs (representing about 3 per cent of the total UK retail workforce), and to operating with environmental responsibility. We have already met or exceeded a significant number of our 2020 environmental targets.

Read MoreESCO Technologies Inc. produces and supplies engineered products and systems for industrial and commercial markets worldwide. It operates through three segments: Aerospace & Defense, Utility Solutions Group (USG), and RF Shielding and Test. The Aerospace & Defense segment designs and manufactures filtration products, including hydraulic filter elements and fluid control devices used in commercial aerospace applications; filter mechanisms used in micro-propulsion devices for satellites; and custom designed filters for manned aircraft and submarines. It also designs, develops, and manufactures elastomeric-based signature reduction solutions for U.S. naval vessels; and mission-critical bushings, pins, sleeves, and precision-tolerance machined components for landing gear, rotor heads, engine mounts, flight controls, and actuation systems for the aerospace and defense industries. The USG segment provides diagnostic testing solutions that enable electric power grid operators to assess the integrity of high-voltage power delivery equipment; and decision support tools for the renewable energy industry, primarily wind and solar. The RF Shielding and Test segment designs and manufactures RF test and secure communication facilities, acoustic test enclosures, RF and magnetically shielded rooms, RF measurement systems, and broadcast and recording studios; and RF absorptive materials and filters, active compensation systems, antennas, antenna masts, turntables, electric and magnetic probes, RF test cells, proprietary measurement software, and other test accessories to perform various tests. It also provides services, such as calibration for antennas and field probes, chamber certification, field surveys, customer training, and various product tests. The company distributes its products through a network of distributors, sales representatives, direct sales teams, and in-house sales personnel. ESCO Technologies Inc. was incorporated in 1990 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Read MoreAd Legacy Research New this week - 795 interested

Wall Street Legend Who Picked Bitcoin in 2016 Shares #1 Pick for the 2020s

Picking the right investment of the decade can transform your life Microsoft in the 80sAmazon in the 90sApple in the 2000sBitcoin in 2016... Any one of these could have made you a millionaire many times over. Today, the Wall Street legend who picked the last investment of the decadeRegulators | TRAI TRAI warns service providers no postponing of tariff deadline The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has clarified that it won't be giving any more extensions to the implementation of the new tariff regime beyond the deadline of 31 January. It has given an additional month for customer migration to new tariff regime after which there have been speculations that the authority may be further postponing or stopping or revising the rule.

continue reading...

Television | TV Channles Zee strengthens early primetime with 'Rajaa Betaa' After launching four new shows last year in the primetime slot, Zee is adding another feather to its cap by launching yet another show named Rajaa Betaa in the early primetime. It will premiere on 15 January, Monday to Saturday at 6.30 pm and is produced by Sobo films.

continue reading... iWorld | OTT 36% Netflix originals to be non-English Netflix has realised that if it wants to be a global leader, it can't do so by expecting just it's English content to fly high. According to the latest report from Ampere Analysis, the company is eying local content highly in Europe and Asia with a focus on non-Englisj originals.

continue reading... Television | TV Channels Hindi GEC top gainer in Chrome DM week 1 for 2019 Primary Research Company Chrome Data Analytics & Media has reported this year's first Chrome Track 2.0 data regarding OTS of genre and channels across markets. Chrome Track 2.0 offers a city wise connectivity report with weighted OTS giving broadcasters an overview of their exact distribution status across all key markets.

continue reading...The following companies are subsidiares of ENI: Adriaplin Podjetje za distribucijo, Agenzia Giornalistica Italia SpA, Agip Caspian Sea BV, Agip Energy and Natural, Agip Karachaganak BV, Agip Petroli, Aldro Energy, Banque Eni SA, Burren Energy (Bermuda) Ltd(1), Burren Energy (Egypt) Ltd, Burren Energy Congo Ltd, Burren Energy India Ltd, Burren Energy Plc, Burren Shakti Ltd, D-Service Media Srl, D-Share SpA, D-Share USA Corp., Dunastyr Polisztirolgyarto Zartkoruen, Ecofuel SpA, Eni AEP Ltd, Eni Abu Dhabi BV, Eni Abu Dhabi Refining & Trading BV, Eni Abu Dhabi Refining & Trading Services BV, Eni Albania BV, Eni Algeria Exploration BV, Eni Algeria Ltd Sarl, Eni Algeria Production BV, Eni Ambalat Ltd, Eni America Ltd, Eni Angola Exploration BV, Eni Angola Production BV, Eni Angola SpA, Eni Argentina Exploracion, Eni Arguni I Ltd, Eni Australia BV, Eni Australia Ltd, Eni Austria GmbH, Eni BB Petroleum Inc, Eni BTC Ltd, Eni Bahrain BV, Eni Benelux BV, Eni Bukat Ltd, Eni CBM Ltd, Eni Canada Holding Ltd, Eni China BV, Eni Congo SA, Eni Corporate University SpA, Eni Cyprus Ltd, Eni Cote dIvoire Ltd, Eni Denmark BV, Eni Deutschland GmbH, Eni East Ganal Ltd, Eni East Sepinggan Ltd, Eni Ecuador SA, Eni Elgin/Franklin Ltd, Eni Energy Russia BV, Eni Exploration & Production Holding BV, Eni Finance International SA, Eni Finance USA Inc, Eni France Sarl, Eni Fuel SpA, Eni G&P Trading BV, Eni Gabon SA, Eni Ganal Ltd, Eni Gas & Power France SA, Eni Gas & Power LNG Australia BV, Eni Gas Transport Services Srl, Eni Ghana Exploration and Production Ltd, Eni Hewett Ltd, Eni Hydrocarbons Venezuela Ltd, Eni Iberia SLU, Eni India Ltd, Eni Indonesia Ltd, Eni Indonesia Ots 1 Ltd, Eni Insurance DAC, Eni International BV, Eni International NA NV Sarl, Eni International Resources Ltd, Eni Investments Plc, Eni Iran BV, Eni Iraq BV, Eni Ireland BV, Eni Isatay BV, Eni JPDA 03-13 Ltd, Eni JPDA 06-105 Pty Ltd, Eni JPDA 11-106 BV, Eni Kenya BV, Eni Krueng Mane Ltd, Eni LNS Ltd, Eni Lasmo Plc, Eni Lebanon BV, Eni Liberia BV, Eni Liverpool Bay Operating Co Ltd, Eni Lubricants Trading (Shangai) Co Ltd, Eni Marketing Austria GmbH, Eni Marketing Inc, Eni Maroc BV, Eni Mediterranea Idrocarburi SpA, Eni Middle East Ltd, Eni Mineralolhandel GmbH, Eni Montenegro BV, Eni Mozambico SpA, Eni Mozambique Engineering Ltd, Eni Mozambique LNG Holding BV, Eni Muara Bakau BV, Eni Myanmar BV, Eni Mexico S. de RL de CV, Eni Next Llc, Eni North Africa BV, Eni North Ganal Ltd, Eni Oil & Gas Inc, Eni Oil Algeria Ltd, Eni Oil Holdings BV, Eni Oman BV, Eni Pakistan (M) Ltd Sarl, Eni Pakistan Ltd, Eni Petroleum Co Inc, Eni Petroleum US Llc, Eni Portugal BV, Eni RAK BV, Eni RD Congo SA, Eni Rapak Ltd, Eni Rovuma Basin BV, Eni Schmiertechnik GmbH, Eni Sharjah BV, Eni South Africa BV, Eni South China Sea Ltd Sarl, Eni Suisse SA, Eni TNS Ltd, Eni Timor Leste SpA, Eni Trading & Shipping Inc, Eni Trading & Shipping SpA, Eni Transporte y Suministro Mexico , Eni Tunisia BV, Eni Turkmenistan Ltd, Eni UHL Ltd, Eni UK Holding Plc, Eni UK Ltd, Eni UKCS Ltd, Eni ULT Ltd, Eni ULX Ltd, Eni US Operating Co Inc, Eni USA Gas Marketing Llc, Eni USA Inc, Eni USA R&M Co Inc, Eni Ukraine Holdings BV, Eni Ukraine Llc, Eni Ukraine Shallow Waters BV, Eni Venezuela BV, Eni Venezuela E&P Holding SA, Eni Vietnam BV, Eni West Africa SpA, Eni West Ganal Ltd, Eni West Timor Ltd, Eni Yemen Ltd, Eni do Brasil Investimentos em Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo Ltda, Eni gas e luce SpA, EniPower Mantova SpA, EniProgetti Egypt Ltd, EniProgetti SpA, EniServizi SpA, Esacontrol SA, Esain SA, Eurl Eni Algerie, FRI-EL Group, First Calgary Petroleums LP, First Calgary Petroleums Partner Co ULC, First Calgary Petroliums, Floaters SpA, Gas Supply Company Thessaloniki - Thessalia SA, Gazoduc Transtunisien SA - Scogat SA, Ieoc Exploration BV, Ieoc Production BV, Ieoc SpA, LNG Shipping SpA, Lasmo Sanga Sanga Ltd, Liverpool Bay Ltd, Mizamtec Operating Company, Mukodo Reszvenytarsasag, Nigerian Agip CPFA Ltd, Nigerian Agip Exploration Ltd, Nigerian Agip Oil Co Ltd, OOO Eni Energhia, OOO Eni-Nefto, Oleoduc du Rhone SA, Petroven Srl, Raffineria di Gela SpA, Resources (Nigeria) Ltd, S. de RL de CV, SEA SpA, SeaPad SpA, Serfactoring SpA, Servizi Aerei SpA, Servizi Fondo Bombole Metano SpA, Societa Petrolifera Italiana SpA, Societe de Service du Gazoduc, Societe pour la Construction du, Tecnoesa SA, Trans Tunisian Pipeline Co SpA, Transtunisien SA - Sergaz SA, Versalis Americas Inc, Versalis Congo Sarlu, Versalis Deutschland GmbH, Versalis France SAS, Versalis International SA, Versalis Kimya Ticaret Limited Sirketi, Versalis Mexico S. de R.L. de CV, Versalis Pacific (India) Private Ltd, Versalis Pacific Trading (Shanghai) Co Ltd, Versalis Singapore Pte Ltd, Versalis SpA, Versalis UK Ltd, Zetah Congo Ltd, Zetah Kouilou Ltd, and zemeljskega plina doo Ljubljana.The Companies and Allied Matters Act (Cama) remains at the core of the regulation of business formations through which local and foreign direct investments (FDI) flow into the Nigerian economy. Despite its importance, Cama has proven inadequate, as it is only a re-enactment of the1968 Companies Act with further insignificant amendments in 1990 and 2004. These amendments did not reflect the ever dynamic and innovative global business environment Cama sought to regulate, justifying the need for a complete overhaul of the Act in the face of Nigeria's current commercial realities.

The near abysmal rating of Nigeria in the World Bank's ease of doing business index (145th out of 190 countries) called for the Companies and Allied Matters Act (Repeal and Re-enactment) Bill, 2018 to be approved on May 15 2018 by the Nigerian Senate. The eventual implementation of the Bill is expected to make Nigeria's entire corporate legal framework more efficient, and re-position the country as a destination for FDI.

Structurally, 247 extra sections have been included in the Bill among other alterations to existing provisions of Cama. Some major highlights follow.

E-registration

A key innovation in the Bill is the provision ensuring that the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) sets up platforms under which registration and other transactions for business formations can be conducted electronically as opposed to the traditional manual system previously prescribed by Cama. E-registration enhances the efficiency and speed of business registrations.

One-man companies

The Bill also provides for the possibility of having single-shareholder and single-director companies (for small enterprises) as opposed to the minimum requirement of two shareholders under Cama. This is intended to encourage the creation of small and medium enterprises, and support the growth of fledging businesses as observed in other jurisdictions.

Ease of formation of companies limited by guarantee

The Bill totally obviates the need for the approval of the attorney general of the Federation (AGF) for the registration of the memorandum and the formation of a company limited by guarantee. This need for the AGF's approval is currently a requirement under Cama and is a critical hurdle each investor is required to overcome, given that the bureaucratic clog and inordinate delays in obtaining ministerial approval have been a deterrent to potential investors.

Share buybacks by companies

Unlike Cama, the Bill now enables companies to buy back and acquire their own shares subject to certain conditions. This is to allow a company to reduce its capital costs, float its capital for other uses and benefit from the temporary devaluation of its stock for access to funding.

Formation and recognition of limited partnerships

One of the most radical innovations in the Bill is the provision for registration of limited partnerships which was impossible under Cama.

Ease of reduction in authorised share capital

In a marked difference from Cama which makes a reduction in a company's authorised share capital conditional on a court order, the Bill no longer makes this a requirement. This is a welcome development particularly because obtaining court orders for any purpose in Nigeria is typically hampered by incessant delays. This provision allows for a speedy resolution to business restructuring.

Corporate governance innovations

The Bill exempts small companies and businesses that are yet to commence commercial operations from appointing auditors. This in essence nullifies the need for small companies to hold annual general meetings. A company is exempt from appointing an auditor and holding an annual general meeting in any given year if:

a. it has not been active since its incorporation/in a particular financial year; or

b. the company's turnover is no more than NGN10 million ($27,000 approximately) and its balance sheet total is no more than NGN5 million.

Once the Bill is passed into law, the appointment of a company secretary would also no longer be a statutory requirement for small companies as opposed to earlier provisions under Cama.

Looking forward

We have been informed that the Bill currently awaits presidential assent before it becomes operational. It is however hoped that the bureaucratic formalities for the implementation of this Bill will be fast-tracked to address Nigeria's poor ranking in the ease of doing business index, and provide a more efficient and cost-effective administration of business formation.



Folashade Alli

Gbenga Bello

 2021 Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC. For help please see our FAQs.

Share this articleThe following companies are subsidiares of Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft: 87 Leonard Development LLC, ABFS I Incorporated, ABS MB Ltd., Acacia (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Accounting Solutions Holding Company Inc, Alex. Brown Financial Services Incorporated, Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated, Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft mbH, Amber Investments S.a r.l., Ambidexter GmbH, Ambidexter GmbH i.L., Argent Incorporated, BHW - Gesellschaft fur Wohnungswirtschaft mbH, BHW Bausparkasse Aktiengesellschaft, BHW Holding GmbH, BHW Kreditservice GmbH, BNA Nominees Pty Limited, BT Globenet Nominees Limited, BTAS Cayman GP, BTD Nominees Pty Limited, Baincor Nominees Pty Limited, Bainpro Nominees Pty Ltd, Baldur Mortgages Limited, Bankers Trust Investments Limited, Barkly Investments Ltd., Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc, Bayan Delinquent Loan Recovery 1 (SPV-AMC) Inc., Berkshire Mortgage Finance, Betriebs-Center fur Banken AG, Biomass Holdings S.a r.l., Birch (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Blue Cork Inc, Blue Cork Inc., Borfield Sociedad Anonima, Breaking Wave DB Limited, Cape Acquisition Corp., CapeSuccess Inc., CapeSuccess LLC, Cardales UK Limited, Cardea Real Estate S.r.l., Career Blazers LLC, Career Blazers Management Company Inc, Career Blazers Management Company Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc, Career Blazers Personnel Services Inc., Career Blazers Personnel Services of Washington D.C. Inc. Washington D.C., Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc, Caribbean Resort Holdings Inc., Carpathian Investments Designated Activity Company, Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Advisory (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Cathay Asset Management Company Limited, Cathay Capital Company (No 2) Limited, Cedar (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Centennial River 2 Inc., Centennial River Corporation, Chapel Funding, Charlton (Delaware) Inc, China Recovery Fund LLC, China Recovery Fund LLC, Cinda - DB NPL Securitization Trust 2003-1, City Leasing (Thameside) Limited, City Leasing Limited, Consumo S.p.A., Consumo Srl in Liquidazione, Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., Cyrus J. Lawrence Capital Holdings Inc., D B Investments (GB) Limited, D&M Turnaround Partners Godo Kaisha, D.B. International Delaware Inc., D.B. International Delaware Inc., DAHOC (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DAHOC Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DB (Barbados) SRL, DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Asing) Sdn. Bhd., DB (Malaysia) Nominee (Tempatan) Sendirian Berhad, DB (Pacific) Limited, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB (Pacific) Limited New York, DB Abalone LLC, DB Alex. Brown Holdings Incorporated, DB Alps Corporation, DB Aotearoa Investments Limited, DB Asia Pacific Holdings Limited (in voluntary liquidation), DB Asset Finance I S.a r.l., DB Asset Finance II S.a r.l., DB Aster II LLC, DB Aster III LLC, DB Aster Inc., DB Aster LLC, DB Beteiligungs-Holding GmbH, DB Boracay LLC, DB Capital Investments Sarl, DB Capital Markets (Deutschland) GmbH, DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Capital Partners Inc., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Cartera de Inmuebles 1 S.A.U., DB Chestnut Holdings Limited, DB Commodity Services LLC, DB Consorzio S. Cons. a r. l., DB Corporate Advisory (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., DB Covered Bond S.r.l., DB Credit Investments S.a r.l., DB Delaware Holdings (Europe) Limited, DB Direkt GmbH, DB Elara LLC, DB Energy Commodities Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Energy Trading LLC, DB Enfield Infrastructure Holdings Limited, DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equipment Leasing Inc., DB Equity Limited, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance (Delaware) LLC, DB Finance International GmbH, DB Ganymede 2006 L.P., DB Global Markets Multi-Strategy Fund I Ltd., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology Inc., DB Global Technology SRL, DB Group Services (UK) Limited, DB HR Solutions GmbH, DB Holding Fundo de Investimento Multimercado Investimento no Exterior Credito Privado, DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (New York) Inc., DB Holdings (South America) Limited, DB IROC Leasing Corp., DB Immobilienfonds 1 Wieland KG, DB Immobilienfonds 2 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 4 KG i.L., DB Immobilienfonds 5 Wieland KG, DB Impact Investment (GP) Limited, DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Impact Investment Fund I L.P., DB Industrial Holdings Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, DB Industrial Holdings GmbH, DB Intermezzo LLC, DB International (Asia) Limited, DB International Investments Limited, DB International Trust (Singapore) Limited, DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Managers Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Partners Inc., DB Investment Resources (US) Corporation, DB Investment Resources Holdings Corp., DB Investment Services GmbH, DB Io LP, DB Litigation Fee LLC, DB London (Investor Services) Nominees Limited, DB Management Support GmbH, DB Managers LLC, DB Municipal Holdings LLC, DB Nexus American Investments (UK) Limited (in members'voluntary liquidation), DB Nexus Investments (UK) Limited (in members' voluntary liquidation), DB Nominees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB Nominees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, DB Omega BTV S.C.S., DB Omega Holdings LLC, DB Omega Ltd., DB Omega S.C.S., DB Operaciones y Servicios Interactivos Agrupacion de Interes Economico, DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Finance Delaware Inc., DB Overseas Holdings Limited, DB PWM, DB Portfolio Southwest Inc., DB Print GmbH, DB Privat- und Firmenkundenbank AG, DB Private Clients Corp., DB Private Wealth Mortgage Ltd., DB RC Holdings LLC, DB Re S.A., DB Service Centre Limited, DB Service Uruguay S.A., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Services Americas Inc., DB Servizi Amministrativi S.r.l., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Strategic Advisors Inc., DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Derivative Products LLC, DB Structured Finance 1 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Finance 2 Designated Activity Company, DB Structured Holdings Luxembourg S.a r.l., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Structured Products Inc., DB Trustee Services Limited, DB Trustees (Hong Kong) Limited, DB U.S. Financial Markets Holding Corporation, DB UK Bank Limited, DB UK Holdings Limited, DB UK PCAM Holdings Limited, DB USA Core Corporation, DB USA Corporation, DB Valoren S.a r.l., DB Value S.a r.l., DB VersicherungsManager GmbH, DB Vita S.A., DBAB Wall Street LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBAH Capital LLC, DBCIBZ1, DBCIBZ2, DBFIC Inc., DBFIC Inc., DBNZ Overseas Investments (No.1) Limited, DBOI Global Services (UK) Limited, DBOI Global Services Private Limited, DBR Investments Co. Limited, DBRE Global Real Estate Management IA Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management IB Ltd., DBRE Global Real Estate Management US IB L.L.C., DBRMS4, DBRMSGP1, DBUK PCAM Limited, DBUKH No. 2 Limited, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ1 LLC, DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBUSBZ2 S.a r.l., DBX Advisors LLC, DBX ETF Trust, DBX Strategic Advisors LLC, DBO Vermogensverwertung GmbH, DEBEKO Immobilien GmbH & Co Grundbesitz OHG, DEE Deutsche Erneuerbare Energien GmbH, DEUFRAN Beteiligungs GmbH, DEUKONA Versicherungs-Vermittlungs-GmbH, DEUTSCHE BANK A.S., DG China Clean Tech Partners, DI Deutsche Immobilien Treuhandgesellschaft mbH, DIB-Consult Deutsche Immobilien- und BeteiligungsBeratungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., DISCA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, DNU Nominees Pty Limited, DSL Portfolio GmbH & Co. KG, DSL Portfolio Verwaltungs GmbH, DTS Nominees Pty Limited, DWS Alternatives France, DWS Alternatives Global Limited, DWS Alternatives GmbH, DWS Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, DWS Beteiligungs GmbH, DWS CH AG, DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Distributors Inc., DWS Far Eastern Investments Limited, DWS Group GmbH & Co. KGaA, DWS Group Services UK Limited, DWS Grundbesitz GmbH, DWS International GmbH, DWS Investment GmbH, DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment Management Americas Inc., DWS Investment S.A., DWS Investments Australia Limited, DWS Investments Hong Kong Limited, DWS Investments Japan Limited, DWS Investments Shanghai Limited, DWS Investments Singapore Limited, DWS Investments UK Limited, DWS Management GmbH, DWS Real Estate GmbH, DWS Service Company, DWS Trust Company, DWS USA Corporation, De Heng Asset Management Company Limited, De Meng Innovative (Beijing) Consulting Company Limited, DeAM Infrastructure Limited, Deloraine Spain S.L., Delowrezham de Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., Deposit Solutions, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Capital Holdings New Zealand, Deutsche (Aotearoa) Foreign Investments New Zealand, Deutsche (Mauritius) Limited Port, Deutsche (New Munster) Holdings New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Access Investments Limited, Deutsche Aeolia Power Production Societe Anonyme, Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alt-A Securities Inc., Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (France) SAS, Deutsche Alternative Asset Management (UK) Limited, Deutsche Asia Pacific Holdings Pte Ltd, Deutsche Asset Management (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Japan) Limited, Deutsche Asset Management (Korea) Company Limited, Deutsche Asset Management S.A., Deutsche Asset Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsche Australia Limited, Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited, Deutsche Bank (Chile), Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (China) Co. Ltd., Deutsche Bank (Malaysia) Berhad, Deutsche Bank (Suisse) SA, Deutsche Bank (Uruguay) Sociedad Anonima Institucion Financiera Externa, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Americas Holding Corp., Deutsche Bank Bauspar-Aktiengesellschaft, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance LLC I, Deutsche Bank Capital Finance Trust I, Deutsche Bank Europe GmbH, Deutsche Bank Financial Company, Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Holdings Inc., Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency Incorporated, Deutsche Bank Insurance Agency of Delaware, Deutsche Bank International Limited, Deutsche Bank Investments (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A., Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Deposits, Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. - Fiduciary Note Programme, Deutsche Bank Mutui S.p.A., Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank Mexico S.A. Institucion de Banca Multiple, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company Los, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Guernsey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Nominees (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Polska Spolka Akcyjna, Deutsche Bank Representative Office Nigeria Limited, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao, Deutsche Bank S.A. - Banco Alemao Sao, Deutsche Bank SPEARs/LIFERs Series DBE-8011 Trust, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Limited, Deutsche Bank Services (Jersey) Limited, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Sociedad Anonima Espanola, Deutsche Bank Societa per Azioni, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Company National Association, Deutsche Bank Trust Corporation, Deutsche CIB Centre Private Limited, Deutsche Capital Finance (2000) Limited, Deutsche Capital Hong Kong Limited, Deutsche Capital Management Limited, Deutsche Capital Markets Australia Limited, Deutsche Capital Partners China Limited, Deutsche Cayman Ltd., Deutsche Colombia S.A.S., Deutsche Custody N.V., Deutsche Domus New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Equities India Private Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 1 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 2 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 3 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance Co 4 Pty Limited, Deutsche Finance No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Foras New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Immobilien-Leasing mit beschrankterHaftung, Deutsche Global Markets Limited, Deutsche Group Holdings (SA) Proprietary Limited, Deutsche Group Services Pty Limited, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Deutsche Grundbesitz Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Deutsche Grundbesitz-Anlagegesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Deutsche Holdings (BTI) Limited, Deutsche Holdings (Grand Duchy), Deutsche Holdings (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., Deutsche Holdings (Malta) Ltd., Deutsche Holdings Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 2 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 3 Limited, Deutsche Holdings No. 4 Limited, Deutsche Immobilien Leasing GmbH, Deutsche India Holdings Private Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services (Ireland) Limited, Deutsche International Corporate Services Limited, Deutsche International Custodial Services Limited, Deutsche Inversiones Dos S.A., Deutsche Inversiones Limitada, Deutsche Investments (Netherlands) N.V., Deutsche Investments India Private Limited, Deutsche Investor Services Private Limited, Deutsche Knowledge Services Pte. Ltd., Deutsche Leasing New York Corp., Deutsche Mandatos S.A., Deutsche Master Funding Corporation, Deutsche Mexico Holdings S.a r.l., Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Limited, Deutsche Morgan Grenfell Group Public Limited Company, Deutsche Mortgage & Asset Receiving Corporation, Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Mortgage Securities Inc., Deutsche Nederland N.V., Deutsche New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Nominees Limited, Deutsche Oppenheim Family Office AG, Deutsche Overseas Issuance New Zealand Limited, Deutsche Postbank, Deutsche Postbank Finance Center Objekt GmbH, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC I, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC II, Deutsche Postbank Funding LLC III, Deutsche Private Asset Management Limited, Deutsche Securities (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Securities (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities (SA) (Proprietary) Limited, Deutsche Securities Asia Limited, Deutsche Securities Australia Limited, Deutsche Securities Inc., Deutsche Securities Israel Ltd., Deutsche Securities Korea Co., Deutsche Securities Mauritius Limited, Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Deutsche Securities S.A., Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities S.A. de C.V. Casa de Bolsa, Deutsche Securities Saudi Arabia, Deutsche Securities SpA, Deutsche Securities Venezuela S.A., Deutsche Securitisation Australia Pty Limited, Deutsche Services Polska Sp. z o.o., Deutsche StiftungsTrust GmbH, Deutsche Strategic Investment Holdings Yugen Kaisha, Deutsche Trust Company Limited Japan, Deutsche Trustee Company Limited, Deutsche Trustee Services (India) Private Limited, Deutsche Trustees Malaysia Berhad, Deutsche Wealth Management S.G.I.I.C. S.A., Deutsches Institut fur Altersvorsorge GmbH, Durian (Luxembourg) S.a r.l., EC EUROPA IMMOBILIEN FONDS NR. 3 GmbH & CO. KG i.I., Elba Finance GmbH, Elizabethan Holdings Limited, Elizabethan Management Limited, Emerald Asset Repackaging Designated Activity Company, Erste Frankfurter Hoist GmbH, European Value Added I (Alternate G.P.) LLP, Exinor SA, FARAMIR Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs GmbH, FRANKFURT CONSULT GmbH, Fiduciaria Sant' Andrea S.r.L., Finanzberatungsgesellschaft mbH der Deutschen Bank, Franz Urbig- und Oscar Schlitter-Stiftung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-037, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-039, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-040, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-041, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-043, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-044, Freddie Mac Class A Taxable Multifamily M Certificates Series M-047, Funfte SAB Treuhand und Verwaltung GmbH & Co. Suhl "Rimbachzentrum" KG, G Finance Holding Corp., G.O. IB-US Management L.L.C., G918 Corp., GAC-HEL Inc., GWC-GAC Corp., Galene S.a r.l., Gemini Technology Services Inc., German American Capital, German American Capital Corporation, Gladyr Spain S.L., Global Markets Fundo de Investimento Multimercado, Global Markets III Fundo de Investimento Multimercado - Credito, Greenwood Properties Corp., Grundstucksgesellschaft Frankfurt Bockenheimer Landstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Kerpen-Sindorf Vogelrutherfeld GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Leipzig Petersstrae GbR, Grundstucksgesellschaft Wiesbaden Luisenstrae/Kirchgasse GbR, HTB Spezial GmbH & Co. KG, Hollandsche Bank-Unie, IOS Finance EFC S.A., ISTRON Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH, IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., IVAF I Manager S.a r.l., Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben I GbR, Immobilienfonds Buro-Center Erfurt am Flughafen Bindersleben II GbR, Immobilienfonds Mietwohnhauser Quadrath-Ichendorf GbR, Immobilienfonds Wohn- und Geschaftshaus Koln-Blumenberg V GbR, J R Nominees (Pty) Ltd, Joint Stock Company Deutsche Bank DBU, Jyogashima Godo Kaisha, KEBA Gesellschaft fur interne Services mbH, Kidson Pte Ltd, Konsul Inkasso GmbH, Kradavimd UK Lease Holdings Limited, LA Water Holdings Limited, LAWL Pte. Ltd., Latitude Australia Secured Personal Loans Trust, Leasing Verwaltungsgesellschaft Waltersdorf mbH, Leonardo III Initial GP Limited, Lindsell Finance Limited, London Industrial Leasing Limited, MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MEF I Manager S. a r.l., MHL Reinsurance Ltd., MIT Holdings Inc., MIT Holdings Inc., MPP Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Maher Terminals Holdings (Toronto) Limited, Morgan Grenfell & Company, MortgageIT, MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Inc., MortgageIT Securities Corp., Motion Picture Productions One GmbH & Co. KG, NCW Holding Inc., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., Navegator - SGFTC S.A., New 87 Leonard LLC, Nordwestdeutscher Wohnungsbautrager Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, OOO "Deutsche Bank TechCentre", OOO "Deutsche Bank", OPB Verwaltungs- und Beteiligungs-GmbH, OPB Verwaltungs- und Treuhand GmbH, OPB-Holding GmbH, OPB-Nona GmbH, OPB-Oktava GmbH, OPB-Quarta GmbH, OPB-Quinta GmbH, OPB-Septima GmbH, OPPENHEIM Capital Advisory GmbH, OPPENHEIM Flottenfonds V GmbH & Co. KG, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Manager GmbH, OPPENHEIM PRIVATE EQUITY Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, OPS Nominees Pty Limited, OVT Trust 1 GmbH, OVV Beteiligungs GmbH, Opal Funds (Ireland) Public Limited Company, PADUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, PARTS Funding LLC., PB Factoring GmbH, PB Firmenkunden AG, PB International S.A., PB Spezial-Investmentaktiengesellschaft mit Teilgesellschaftsvermogen, PBC Banking Services GmbH, PCC Services GmbH der Deutschen Bank, PT Deutsche Sekuritas Indonesia, PT. Deutsche Verdhana Sekuritas Indonesia, Pan Australian Nominees Pty Ltd, Peruda Leasing Limited, Plantation Bay Inc., Plantation Bay Inc., Postbank Akademie und Service GmbH, Postbank Beteiligungen GmbH, Postbank Direkt GmbH, Postbank Filialvertrieb AG, Postbank Finanzberatung AG, Postbank Immobilien GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH, Postbank Immobilien und Baumanagement GmbH & Co. Objekt Leipzig KG, Postbank Leasing GmbH, Postbank Service GmbH, Postbank Systems AG, QR Tower 2 LLC, Quantiguous, R.B.M. Nominees Pty Ltd, REO Properties Corporation, RREEF, RREEF America L.L.C., RREEF China REIT Management Limited, RREEF European Value Added I (G.P.) Limited, RREEF Fund Holding Co., RREEF India Advisors Private Limited, RREEF Management L.L.C., RTS Nominees Pty Limited, Reference Capital Investments Limited, RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., RoPro U.S. Holding Inc., Route 28 Receivables LLC, Route 28 Receivables LLC, SAB Real Estate Verwaltungs GmbH, SAGITA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SAPIO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SCUDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SEDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SENA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Kamenz KG, SIFA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SOLIDO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, SP Mortgage Trust, SPINO Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., SPV I Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, SPV II Sociedad Anonima Cerrada, STATOR Heizkraftwerk Frankfurt (Oder) Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, Sal. Oppenheim, Sal. Oppenheim Alternative Investments GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. AG & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft auf Aktien, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Beteiligungs GmbH, Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. Komplementar AG, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH, Sechste Salomon Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., Service Company Four Limited, Sharps SP I LLC, Singer Island Tower Suite LLC, Somkid Immobiliare S.r.l., Stelvio Immobiliare S.r.l., Structured Finance Americas LLC, Structured Finance Americas LLC, Swabia 1. Vermogensbesitz-GmbH, Suddeutsche Vermogensverwaltung Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung, TAKIR Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TELO Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, TEMATIS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TERRUS Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Halle I KG i.L., TESATUR Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH & Co. Objekt Nordhausen I KG i.L., TOSSA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRIPLA Grundstucks-Vermietungsgesellschaft mbH, TRS Aria LLC, TRS Leda LLC, TRS Maple II LTD, TRS Oak II LTD, TRS SVCO LLC, TRS Scorpio LLC, TRS Tupelo II LTD, TRS Venor LLC, TRS Walnut II LTD, Tagus - Sociedade de Titularizacao de Creditos S.A., Tasfiye Halinde Deutsche Securities Menkul Degerler A.S., Tempurrite Leasing Limited, Thai Asset Enforcement and Recovery Asset Management Company Limited, Tianjin Deutsche AM Fund Management Co. Ltd., Treuinvest Service GmbH, Triplereason Limited, UKE Beteiligungs-GmbH, UKE Grundstucksgesellschaft mbH, UKE s.r.o., Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksgesellschaft Kirchnerstrae GbR, Ullmann - Esch Grundstucksverwaltungsgesellschaft Disternich GbR, Ullmann Ullmann Krockow Krockow Esch GbR, VCJ Lease S.a r.l., Vesta Real Estate S.r.l., VOB-ZVD Processing GmbH, WEPLA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH, WEPLABeteiligungsgesellschaftmbH, Wealthspur Investment Ltd., Whale Holdings S.a r.l., World Trading (Delaware) Inc., World Trading(Delaware)Inc., Zumirez Drive LLC, db PBC, and norisbank GmbH.This Is By Far My #1 Income Stock (Ad)

This company owns the bestselling drug in the world, which brought in $19.9 billion in revenue last year. And today, I want to give you the name, the ticker symbol and my full analysis completely free - no strings attached.

Click here to get it.Man Who Picked Tesla, Bitcoin Makes Next Pick of the Decade" (Ad)

Picking the right investment of the decade can transform your life



Today, the Wall Street legend who picked the last investment of the decade months (even years) before his peers will finally reveal his new #1 pick for the 2020s.



Its not 5G, artificial intelligence, EVs, or clean energy. The answer will surprise you.

Click To See This #1 Pick.To Any American Who Owns a Cell Phone (Ad)

If you own a cell phone, then mobile service providers hope you never get to see this video that could soon go viral.



His experiment could strike a bad chord with mobile phone companies. But youve got to see what this man discovered and what it means for phone users in the weeks ahead.

Click here to see this video before it's removedVesuvius plc provides engineering services and solutions principally to steel and foundry industries worldwide. It operates in two segments, Steel and Foundry. The company offers foundry consumables and equipment, including binders, coatings, feeding systems, filtration and gating systems, melt shop refractories, metallurgical and pouring control systems, die dressings and coatings, melt treatment products, crucibles, and ceramics for the iron, steel, and nonferrous foundries. It also provides nonferrous metals, such as primary and secondary aluminum, copper, and other metals and alloys; cement and lime solutions, iron ore pelletizing and calcination products, and grains and powders; and process heaters, FCC units, hydrogen reformers, boilers, coke calciners, and thermal oxidizers, as well as sulphur, ethylene, and ammonia plants. In addition, the company offers solutions for power generation and incineration; glass products comprising artistic, display, float, hollow, and optical glass; glass tempering, and reheat and forming products; and solutions for solar multi-crystal silicon ingots, thin film and cell processing, and feedstock. Further, it provides solutions for blast furnace stack repair; taphole clay, iron and slang runner, sampler and temperature, tilting runner, and torpedo ladle solutions; iron ladle solutions; lining, taphole system, bath agitation and tuyere system, electric arc furnace and BOF maintenance, and metallurgical sensor solutions; and ladle, ladle to tundish, and tundish solutions, as well as tundish to mold solutions for conventional slab, thin and slim slab, beam blank, flow control valve bloom or billet, and calibrated nozzle billet casters. Additionally, the company offers ingot casting solutions; and reheat furnace, steel hot forming, galvanized steel, and electrical and stainless steel solutions. Vesuvius plc was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Read MoreICL Group Ltd, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a specialty minerals and chemicals company worldwide. It operates in four segments: Industrial Products, Potash, Phosphate Solutions, and Innovative Ag Solutions (IAS). The Industrial Products segment produces bromine out of a solution that is a by-product of the potash production process, as well as bromine-based compounds; produces various grades of potash, salt, magnesium chloride, and magnesia products; and produces and markets phosphorous-based flame retardants and other phosphorus-based products. The Potash segment extracts potash from the Dead Sea; mines and produces potash and salt; produces Polysulphate; produces, markets, and sells magnesium and magnesium alloys, as well as related by-products, including chlorine and sylvinite; and sells salt. The Phosphate Solutions segment uses phosphate commodity products to produce specialty products; produces and markets phosphate-based fertilizers, as well as sulphuric acid, green phosphoric acid, and phosphate fertilizers; and manufactures thermal phosphoric acid for various industrial end markets, such as oral care, cleaning products, paints and coatings, water treatment, asphalt modification, construction, and metal treatment. It also develops and produces functional food ingredients and phosphate additives for use in the processed meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, beverage, and baked goods markets; and produces milk and whey proteins for the food ingredients industry. The IAS segment develops, manufactures, markets, and sells fertilizers based primarily on nitrogen, potash, and phosphate, including water soluble specialty, liquid, soluble, and controlled-release fertilizers. It sells its products through marketing companies, agents, and distributors. The company was formerly known as Israel Chemicals Ltd. and changed its name to ICL Group Ltd in May 2020. ICL Group Ltd was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Read MoreCould This Be the Biggest US Gold Discovery in Years? (Ad)

See how this tiny, unknown gold company secured a prime land package right next door to the worlds two largest gold producers in Nevadas famed Carlin Trend where 84 Million gold ounces have already been extracted. Best of all, investors can still get in well below US$0.50 per share.

Details Here.The following companies are subsidiares of BP: 200 PS Overseas Holdings Inc., 563916 Alberta Ltd., ACP (Malaysia) Inc., AE Cedar Creek Holdings LLC, AE Goshen II Holdings LLC, AE Goshen II Wind Farm LLC, AE Power Services LLC, AE Wind PartsCo LLC, AM/PM International Inc., ARCO, ARCO British International, ARCO British Limited, ARCO Coal Australia Inc., ARCO El-Djazair Holdings Inc., ARCO Environmental Remediation L.L.C., ARCO Exploration Inc., ARCO Gaviota Company, ARCO International Investments Inc., ARCO International Services Inc., ARCO Midcon LLC, ARCO Oil Company Nigeria Unlimited, ARCO Oman Inc, ARCO Resources Limited, ARCO Trinidad Exploration and Production Company Limited, ARCO Unimar Holdings LLC, Actomat B.V., Advance Petroleum Holdings Pty Ltd, Advance Petroleum Pty Ltd, Air BP Albania SHA, Air BP Brasil Ltda., Air BP Canada LLC, Air BP Croatia d.o.o., Air BP Finland Oy, Air BP Iceland, Air BP Limited, Air BP Norway AS, Air BP Sales Romania S.R.L., Air BP Sweden AB, Air Refuel Pty Ltd, Allgreen Pty Ltd, AmProp Finance Company, American Oil Company, Amoco (Fiddich) Limited, Amoco (U.K.) Exploration Company LLC., Amoco Bolivia Petroleum Company, Amoco Bolivia Services Company Inc., Amoco Canada International Holdings B.V., Amoco Capline Pipeline Company, Amoco Chemical (Europe) S.A., Amoco Chemicals (FSC) B.V., Amoco Cypress Pipeline Company, Amoco Destin Pipeline Company, Amoco Environmental Services Company, Amoco Exploration Holdings B.V., Amoco Guatemala Petroleum Company, Amoco International Finance Corporation, Amoco International Petroleum Company, Amoco Leasing Corporation, Amoco Louisiana Fractionator Company, Amoco MB Fractionation Company, Amoco MBF Company, Amoco Main Pass Gathering Company, Amoco Marketing Environmental Services Company, Amoco Netherlands Petroleum Company, Amoco Nigeria Exploration Company Limited, Amoco Nigeria Oil Company Limited, Amoco Nigeria Petroleum Company, Amoco Nigeria Petroleum Company Limited, Amoco Norway Oil Company, Amoco Oil Holding Company, Amoco Olefins Corporation, Amoco Overseas Exploration Company, Amoco Pipeline Asset Company, Amoco Pipeline Holding Company, Amoco Properties Incorporated, Amoco Remediation Management Services Corporation, Amoco Research Operating Company, Amoco Rio Grande Pipeline Company, Amoco Somalia Petroleum Company, Amoco Sulfur Recovery Company, Amoco Tri-States NGL Pipeline Company, Amoco Trinidad Gas B.V., Amoco U.K. Petroleum Limited, Amprop Illinois I Limited, Amprop Inc., Anaconda Arizona Inc., Arabian Production And Marketing Lubricants, Aral Aktiengesellschaft, Aral Luxembourg S.A., Aral Services Luxembourg Sarl, Aral Tankstellen Services Sarl, Arco Mediterraneo Inversiones S.L., Areas Noriega S.L., Areas Singulares Reyes S.L., Aspac Lubricants (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., Atlantic 2/3 UK Holdings Limited, Atlantic Richfield Company, Atlantic Richfield Companyd, Autino Holdings Limited, Autino Limited, Auwahi Wind Energy Holdings LLC, B2Mobility GmbH, BASS Management Pty Ltd, BP (Abu Dhabi) Limited, BP (Barbados) Holding SRL, BP (Barbican) Limited, BP (China) Holdings Limited, BP (China) Industrial Lubricants Limited, BP (GTA Mauritania) Finance Limited, BP (GTA Senegal) Finance Limited, BP (Gibraltar) Limited, BP (Guangzhou) Advanced Mobility Limited, BP (Hunan) Petroleum Company Limited, BP (Indian Agencies) Limited, BP (Shandong) Petroleum Co. Ltd, BP (Shanghai) Trading Limited, BP - Castrol (Thailand) Limited, BP AMI Leasing Inc., BP Absheron Limited, BP Advanced Mobility Limited, BP Africa Limited, BP Africa Oil Limited, BP Akaryakit Ortakligi, BP Alaska LNG LLC, BP Alternative Energy Holdings Limited, BP Alternative Energy Investments Limited, BP Alternative Energy North America Inc., BP Alternative Energy Trinidad and Tobago Limited, BP America Chembel Holding LLC, BP America Chemicals Company, BP America Foreign Investments Inc., BP America Inc, BP America Inc., BP America Limited, BP America Production Company, BP Amoco Chemical Company, BP Amoco Chemical Holding Company, BP Amoco Chemical Indonesia Limited, BP Amoco Chemical Malaysia Holding Company, BP Amoco Exploration (Faroes) Limited, BP Amoco Exploration (In Amenas) Limited, BP Andaman II Ltd, BP Angola (Block 18) B.V., BP Argentina Exploration Company, BP Argentina Holdings LLC, BP Aromatics Holdings Limited, BP Aromatics Limited, BP Asia Limited, BP Asia Pacific (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., BP Asia Pacific Holdings Limited, BP Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, BP Australia Capital Markets Limited, BP Australia Employee Share Plan Proprietary Limited, BP Australia Group Pty Ltde, BP Australia Investments Pty Ltd, BP Australia Nominees Proprietary Limited, BP Australia Pty Ltd, BP Australia Shipping Pty Ltd, BP Australia Swaps Management Limited, BP Aviation A/S, BP Benevolent Fund Trustees Limited, BP Berau Ltd., BP Biocombustiveis S.A., BP Bioenergia Campina Verde Ltda., BP Bioenergia Ituiutaba Ltda., BP Bioenergia Itumbiara S.A., BP Bioenergia Tropical S.A., BP Biofuels Advanced Technology Inc., BP Biofuels Brazil Investments Limited, BP Biofuels Louisiana LLC, BP Biofuels North America LLC, BP Biofuels Trading Comercio Exportacao Ltda., BP Bomberai Ltd., BP Brasil Ltda., BP Brazil Tracking L.L.C., BP Bulwer Island Pty Ltd, BP Business Service Centre Asia Sdn Bhd, BP Business Service Centre KFT, BP CIV Pty Ltd, BP Canada Energy Development Company, BP Canada Energy Group ULC, BP Canada Energy Marketing Corp., BP Canada International Holdings B.V., BP Canada Investments Inc., BP Capellen Sarl, BP Capital Markets, BP Capital Markets America, BP Capital Markets America Inc., BP Capital Markets p.l.c., BP Car Fleet Limited, BP Caribbean Company, BP Castrol KK, BP Castrol Lubricants (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd., BP Central Pipelines LLC, BP Chembel, BP Chemicals (Korea) Limited, BP Chemicals East China Investments Limited, BP Chemicals Investments Limited, BP Chemicals Limited, BP China Exploration and Production Company, BP Comercializadora de Energia Ltda., BP Commodities Trading Limited, BP Commodity Supply B.V., BP Company North America, BP Company North America Inc., BP Containment Response Limited, BP Containment Response System Holdings LLC, BP Continental Holdings Limited, BP Corporate Holdings, BP Corporate Holdings Limited, BP Corporation North America, BP Corporation North America Inc., BP D-B Pipeline Company LLC, BP D230 Limited, BP Danmark A/S, BP Developments Australia Pty. Ltd., BP Dogal Gaz Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, BP East Kalimantan CBM Limited, BP Eastern Mediterranean Limited, BP Egypt Company, BP Egypt East Delta Marine Corporation, BP Egypt East Tanka B.V., BP Egypt Production B.V., BP Egypt Ras El Barr B.V., BP Egypt West Mediterranean (Block B) B.V., BP Energy Asia Pte. Limited, BP Energy Colombia Limited, BP Energy Company, BP Energy Europe Limited, BP Energy Solutions B.V., BP Energy do Brasil Ltda., BP Energia Mexico S. de R.L. de C.V., BP Espana S.A. Unipersonal, BP Estaciones y Servicios Energeticos Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable, BP Europa SE, BP Exploracion de Venezuela S.A., BP Exploration & Production Inc., BP Exploration (Absheron) Limited, BP Exploration (Alaska), BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., BP Exploration (Algeria) Limited, BP Exploration (Alpha), BP Exploration (Alpha) Limited, BP Exploration (Angola), BP Exploration (Angola) Limited, BP Exploration (Azerbaijan), BP Exploration (Azerbaijan) Limited, BP Exploration (Canada) Limited, BP Exploration (Caspian Sea), BP Exploration (Caspian Sea) Limited, BP Exploration (D230) Limited, BP Exploration (Delta), BP Exploration (Delta) Limited, BP Exploration (El Djazair) Limited, BP Exploration (Epsilon) Limited, BP Exploration (Gambia) Limited, BP Exploration (Greenland) Limited, BP Exploration (Madagascar) Limited, BP Exploration (Morocco) Limited, BP Exploration (Namibia) Limited, BP Exploration (Nigeria Finance) Limited, BP Exploration (Nigeria) Limited, BP Exploration (Psi) Limited, BP Exploration (STP) Limited, BP Exploration (Shafag-Asiman) Limited, BP Exploration (Shah Deniz) Limited, BP Exploration (South Atlantic) Limited, BP Exploration (Xazar) Pte. Ltd., BP Exploration Angola (Kwanza Benguela) Limited, BP Exploration Argentina Limited, BP Exploration Australia Pty Ltd Level 15, BP Exploration Beta Limited, BP Exploration China Limited, BP Exploration Company (Middle East) Limited, BP Exploration Company Limited, BP Exploration Indonesia Limited, BP Exploration Libya Limited, BP Exploration Mexico Limited, BP Exploration Mexico S.A. De C.V., BP Exploration North Africa Limited, BP Exploration Operating Company, BP Exploration Operating Company Limited, BP Exploration Orinoco Limited, BP Exploration Personnel Company Limited, BP Exploration Peru Limited, BP Express Shopping Limited, BP Finance Australia Pty Ltd, BP Finance p.l.c., BP Foundation Incorporated, BP France, BP Fuels & Lubricants AS, BP Fuels Deutschland GmbH, BP GOM Logistics LLC, BP Gas & Power Investments Limited, BP Gas Europe S.A.U., BP Gas Marketing Limited, BP Gas Supply (Angola) LLC, BP Ghana Limited, BP Global Investments, BP Global Investments Limited, BP Global Investments Salalah & Co LLC, BP Global West Africa Limited, BP Greece Limited, BP Guangdong Limited, BP High Density Polyethylene - France, BP Holdings (Thailand) Limited, BP Holdings B.V., BP Holdings Canada, BP Holdings Canada Limited, BP Holdings International B.V., BP Holdings North America, BP Holdings North America Limited, BP Hong Kong Limited, BP India Private Limited, BP Indonesia Investment Limited, BP International, BP International Limited, BP International Services Company, BP Investment Management Limited, BP Investments Asia Limited, BP Iran Limited, BP Iraq N.V., BP Italia SpA, BP Japan K.K., BP Korea Limited, BP Kuwait Limited, BP LNG Shipping Limited, BP Latin America LLC, BP Latin America Upstream Services Inc., BP Lubricants KK, BP Lubricants USA Inc., BP Luxembourg S.A., BP Malaysia Holdings Sdn. Bhd., BP Management International B.V., BP Management Netherlands B.V., BP Marine Limited, BP Mariner Holding Company LLC, BP Maritime Services (Singapore) Pte. Limited, BP Marketing Egypt LLC, BP Mauritania Investments Limited, BP Mauritius Limited (in liquidation), BP Middle East Enterprises Corporation, BP Middle East LLC, BP Middle East Limited, BP Midstream Partners GP LLC, BP Midstream Partners Holdings LLC, BP Midstream Partners LP, BP Midwest Product Pipelines Holdings LLC, BP Mocambique Limitada, BP Mocambique Limited, BP Muturi Holdings B.V., BP Nederland Holdings BV, BP Netherlands Upstream B.V., BP New Ventures Middle East Limited, BP New Zealand Holdings Limited, BP New Zealand Share Scheme Limited, BP Nutrition Inc., BP Offshore Gathering Systems Inc., BP Offshore Pipelines Company LLC, BP Offshore Response Company LLC, BP Oil (Thailand) Limited, BP Oil Australia Pty Ltd, BP Oil Espana S.A., BP Oil Hellenic S.A., BP Oil International, BP Oil International Limited, BP Oil Kent Refinery Limited (in liquidation), BP Oil Llandarcy Refinery Limited, BP Oil Logistics UK Limited, BP Oil New Zealand Limited, BP Oil Pipeline Company, BP Oil Senegal S.A., BP Oil Shipping Company, BP Oil UK Limited, BP Oil Venezuela Limited, BP Oil Vietnam Limited, BP Oil Yemen Limited, BP Olex Fanal Mineralol GmbH, BP One Pipeline Company LLC, BP Pacific Investments Ltd, BP Pakistan (Badin) Inc., BP Pakistan Exploration and Production Inc., BP Pension Escrow Limited, BP Pension Trustees Limited, BP Pensions (Overseas) Limited, BP Pensions Limited, BP Petrochemicals India Investments Limited, BP Petroleo y Gas S.A., BP Petrolleri Anonim Sirketi, BP Pipelines (Alaska) Inc., BP Pipelines (BTC) Limited, BP Pipelines (North America) Inc., BP Pipelines (SCP) Limited, BP Pipelines (TANAP) Limited, BP Pipelines TAP Limited, BP Polska Services Sp. z o.o. Ul., BP Portugal -Comercio de Combustiveis e Lubrificantes SA, BP Poseidon Limited, BP Products North America, BP Products North America Inc., BP Properties Limited, BP Raffinaderij Rotterdam B.V., BP Refinery (Kwinana) Proprietary Limited, BP Regional Australasia Holdings Pty Ltd, BP River Rouge Pipeline Company LLC, BP Russian Investments Limited, BP Russian Ventures Limited, BP SC Holdings LLC, BP Scale Up Factory Limited, BP Senegal Investments Limited, BP Services International Limited, BP Servicios de Combustibles S.A. de C.V., BP Servicios territoriales S.A., BP Shafag-Asiman Limited, BP Shipping Limited, BP Singapore Pte. Limited, BP Solar Energy North America LLC, BP Solar Espana S.A., BP Solar International Inc., BP Solar Pty Ltd, BP South America Holdings Ltd, BP Southern Africa Proprietary Limited, BP Southern Cone Company, BP Subsea Well Response (Brazil) Limited, BP Subsea Well Response Limited, BP Taiwan Marketing Limited, BP Technology Ventures Inc., BP Technology Ventures Limited, BP Train 2/3 Holding SRL, BP Transportation (Alaska) Inc., BP Trinidad Processing Limited, BP Trinidad and Tobago, BP Trinidad and Tobago LLC, BP Turkey Refining Limited, BP Two Pipeline Company LLC, BP UK Retained Holdings Limited, BP Venezuela Investments B.V., BP West Aru I Limited, BP West Aru II Limited, BP West Papua I Limited, BP West Papua III Limited, BP Wind Energy North America Inc., BP Wiriagar Ltd., BP World-Wide Technical Services Limited, BP Zhuhai Chemical Company Limited, BP+Amoco International Limited, BP-AIOC Exploration (TISA) LLC, BPA Investment Holding Company, BPNE International B.V., BPRY Caribbean Ventures LLC, BPX (Eagle Ford) Gathering LLC, BPX (KCS Resources) LLC, BPX (Karnes) Gathering LLC, BPX (Permian) Gathering LLC, BPX (WSF Operating) Inc., BPX Energy Inc., BPX Midstream LLC, BPX Operating Company, BPX Production Company, BPX Properties (GP) LLC, BPX Properties (LP) LLC, BPX Properties (NA) LP, BTC Pipeline Holding Company Limited, BXL Plastics Limitedv, Bahia de Bizkaia Electridad S.L., Baltimore Ennis Land Company Inc., Black Lake Pipe Line Company, Brian Jasper Nominees Pty Ltd, Britannic Energy Trading Limited, Britannic Investments Iraq Limited, Britannic Marketing Limited, Britannic Strategies Limited, Britannic Trading Limited, Britoil Limited, Burmah Castrol, Burmah Castrol Australia Pty Ltd, Burmah Castrol Holdings Inc., Burmah Castrol PLC, Burmah Castrol South Africa (Pty) Limited, Burmah Chile SpA, Butamax Advanced Biofuels, CASTROL Austria GmbHb, CH-Twenty Inc., CNAA, Cadman DBP Limited, Casitas Pipeline Company, Castrol (China) Limited, Castrol (Ireland) Limited, Castrol (Shanghai) Management Co. Ltd., Castrol (Shenzhen) Company Limited, Castrol (Tianjin) Lubricants Co. Ltd., Castrol (U.K.) Limited, Castrol Australia Pty. Limited, Castrol B.V., Castrol BP Petco Limited Liability Company, Castrol Brasil Ltda., Castrol Caribbean & Central America Inc., Castrol Colombia Ltda., Castrol Del Peru S.A., Castrol Egypt Lubricants S.A.E., Castrol India Limited, Castrol Industrie und Service GmbH, Castrol KK, Castrol Limited, Castrol Lubricants RO S.R.L, Castrol Mexico S.A., Castrol Namibia (Pty) Limited, Castrol Offshore Limited, Castrol Pakistan (Private) Limited, Castrol Philippines Inc., Castrol Servicos Ltda., Castrol Ukraine LLC, Castrol Zimbabwe (Private) Limited, Centrel Pty Ltd, Charge Your Car Limitedc, Chargemaster, Chargemaster (Europe) GmbH, Chargemaster Limited, Charging Solutions Limited, Clarisse Holdings Pty Ltd, Coastwise Trading Company Inc., Consolidada de Energia y Lubricantes (CENERLUB) C.A., Conti Cross Keys Inn Inc., Coro Trading NZ Limited, Cuyama Pipeline Company, DHC Solvent Chemie GmbH, Dermody Developments Pty Ltd, Dermody Holdings Pty Ltd, Dermody Investments Pty Ltd, Dermody Petroleum Pty. Ltd., Dome Beaufort Petroleum Limited, Dome Wallis (1980) Limited Partnership, ECM Markets SA (Pty) Ltd, Elektromotive Limited, Elite Customer Solutions Pty Ltd, Elm Holdings Inc., Energy Global Investments (USA) Inc., Enstar LLC, Estacion de Servicio Alto Campoo S.L., Estacion de Servicio Ganzo 10 S.L., Estacion de Servicio Reocin 9 S.L., Estacion de Servicio Santillana II S.L., Estacion de Servicio Sardinero S.L., Estonian Aviation Fuelling Services, Europa Oil NZ Limited, Exomet Inc., Expandite Contract Services Limited, Exploration (Luderitz Basin) Limited, Exploration Service Company Limited, FWK (2017) Limited, FWK Holdings (2017) LTD, Finite Carbon, Flat Ridge 2 Holdings LLC, Flat Ridge Wind Energy LLC, Foseco Holding Inc., Foseco Holding International B.V., Foseco Inc., Fosroc Expandite Limited, Fotech Solutions Ltd, Fowler Ridge Holdings LLC, Fowler Ridge I Land Investments LLC, Fowler Ridge II Holdings LLC, Fowler Ridge III Wind Farm LLC, FreeBees B.V., Fuel & Retail Aviat ion Sweden AB, Fuelplane- Sociedade Abastecedora De Aeronaves Unipessoal Lda, GOAM 1 C.I S. A .S, Gardena Holdings Inc., Gelsenkirchen Raffinerie Netz GmbH, Grampian Aviation Fuelling Services Limited, Guangdong Investments Limited, Highlands Ethanol LLC, Hosteleria Noriega S.L., IGI Resources Inc., Insight Analytics Solutions Holdings Limited, Insight Analytics Solutions Limited, Insight Analytics Solutions USA Inc., International Bunker Supplies Pty Ltd, Iraq Petroleum Company Limited, Jupiter Insurance Limited, Ken-Chas Reserve Company, Kenilworth Oil Company Limited, Kingbook Inversiones Socimi S.A., Latin Energy Argentina S.A., Lebanese Aviation Technical Services S.A.L., Limited Liability Company BP Toplivnaya Kompania, Limited liability company Setra Lubricants, Lubricants UK Limited, Lytt Limited, Manormaker (Nominee No. 1) Limited, Manormaker (Nominee No. 2) Limited, Manormaker GP Limited (99.90%) 11 Black Horse Lane, Mardi Gras Transportation System Company LLC, Markoil S.A., Masana Petroleum Solutions (Pty) Ltd, Mayaro Initiative for Private Enterprise Development, Mehoopany Holdings LLC, Mes Tecnologia En Servicios Y Energia S.A., Minza Pty. Ltd., Mountain City Remediation LLC, No. 1 Riverside Quay Proprietary Limited, Nordic Lubricants A/S, Nordic Lubricants AB, North America Funding Company, OMD87 Inc., OOO BP STL, Omega Oil Company, OnSight Analytics Solutions India Private Ltd., Orion Delaware Mountain Wind Farm LP, Orion Energy Holdings LLC, Orion Energy L.L.C.b, Orion Post Land Investments LLC, Oyambre 1 S.L., PRODUITS METALLURGIE DOITTAU, PT BP Petrochemicals, PT Castrol Indonesia, PT Castrol Manufacturing Indonesia, PT Jasatama Petroindo, Pacroy (Thailand) Co. Ltd., Peaks America Inc., Pearl River Delta Investments Limited, Petrocorner Retail S.L.U., Phoenix Petroleum Services Limited, Pozuelo 4 S.L., Prospect International C.A. (In liquidation), Puente Arce 4 S.L., Remediation Management Services Company, Richfield Oil Corporation, Rio Corvo 2 S.L., Rolling Thunder I Power Partners LLC, Romax Insight Korea Ltd., Ropemaker Deansgate Limited, Ropemaker Properties Limited, Ruhr Oel GmbH, Rusdene GSS Limited, SOFAST Limited, SRHP, Saturn Insurance Inc., Sherbino I Holdings LLC, Sherbino Mesa I Land Investments LLC, Sociedade de Promocao Imobiliaria Quinta do Loureiro SA, Societe de Gestion de Depots d'Hydrocarbures - GDH, South Texas Shale LLC, Southeast Texas Biofuels LLC, Southern Ridge Pipeline Holding Company, Southern Ridge Pipeline LP LLC, Sp/f Decision3 (GreenSteam) Company, Standard Oil Company, Standard Oil Company Inc., Standard Oil of Ohio, Stryde Limited, Sunrise Oil Sands Partnership, TISA Education Complex LLC, TJKK, Taradadis Pty. Ltd., Telcom General Corporation, Terre de Grace Partnership, The Anaconda Company, The BP Share Plans Trustees Limited, The Burmah Oil Company (Pakistan Trading) Limited, The Standard Oil Company, Toledo Refinery Holding Company LLC, Torrelavega 7 S.L., Union Texas International Corporation, Vastar Pipeline LLC, Veba Oel AG Veba Oel, Verenium, Viceroy Investments Limited, Villacarriedo 8 S.L., Warrenville Development Limited, Water Way Trading and Petroleum Services LLC, Welchem Inc., West Kimberley Fuels Pty Ltd, Westlake Houston Development LLC, Whiting Clean Energy Inc., Windpark Energy Nederland B.V., and Winwell Resources L.L.C.Dont Buy Options. Follow My #1 Rule Instead. (Ad)

Most Options traders lose 7 out of 10 trades. This investing legend has flipped options trading upside down... making money on 85% of his trades. Hes agreed to share his secret with a small group of investors. It could help you make as much as $185 a day on average in as little as 9 minutes a week

Get the full details hereBank of America Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides banking and financial products and services for individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, large corporations, and governments worldwide. Its Consumer Banking segment offers traditional and money market savings accounts, certificates of deposit and IRAs, noninterest-and interest-bearing checking accounts, and investment accounts and products; and credit and debit cards, residential mortgages, and home equity loans, as well as direct and indirect loans, such as automotive, recreational vehicle, and consumer personal loans. The company's Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment management, brokerage, banking, and trust and retirement products and services; and wealth management solutions, as well as customized solutions, including specialty asset management services. Its Global Banking segment provides lending products and services, including commercial loans, leases, commitment facilities, trade finance, and commercial real estate and asset-based lending; treasury solutions, such as treasury management, foreign exchange, and short-term investing options and merchant services; working capital management solutions; and debt and equity underwriting and distribution, and merger-related and other advisory services. The company's Global Markets segment offers market-making, financing, securities clearing, settlement, and custody services, as well as risk management products using interest rate, equity, credit, currency and commodity derivatives, foreign exchange, fixed-income, and mortgage-related products. As of April 15, 2021, it served approximately 66 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,300 retail financial centers; approximately 17,000 ATMs; and digital banking platforms with approximately 40 million active users. The company was founded in 1784 and is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Read More9 hours ago

| June 15th | 2021 7:40 AM

Does Wendys (NASDAQ: WEN) Have What It Takes To Be A Winner In 2021?

Though Wendys (NASDAQ: WEN) stock was cut in half during the dark days of February and March of last year, Wall Street quickly realized that convenient fast food would probably be towards the bottom of the list of things to be cut by hard-hit consumers who were tightening the proverbial belts. So back the stock roared and since this time lastBanco Santander (Brasil) S.A. provides various banking products and services to individuals, small and medium enterprises, and corporate customers in Brazil and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Commercial Banking and Global Wholesale Banking. It offers deposits and other bank funding instruments; debit and credit cards; digital pre-paid solutions; payment platform; loyalty programs; employee benefit vouchers; payroll loans; digital lending and online debt renegotiation services; mortgages; home equity financing products; consumer credit; and local loans, commercial and trade finance, guarantees, structured loans, and cash management and funding solutions, as well as on-lending transfer services. It also provides funding and financial advisory services related to projects, origination and distribution of fixed-income securities in the debt capital markets, financing of acquisitions and syndicated loans, other structured financing arrangements, and subordinated debt and energy efficiency transactions; advisory services for mergers and acquisitions, and equity capital markets transactions; and stock brokerage and advisory, equity, and equity research services. In addition, the company structures and offers foreign exchange, derivative, and investment products for institutional investors, and corporate and retail customers; and provides market making services. Further, it offers instant payment services; range of products and services focused on the agribusiness sector; microfinance services; and online automotive listing and digital car insurance solutions, as well as digital trading platform. The company provides its financial services and products to its customers through multichannel distribution network comprising branches, mini-branches, ATMs, call centers, Internet banking, and mobile banking. Banco Santander (Brasil) S.A. was incorporated in 1985 and is headquartered in SAo Paulo, Brazil.

Read MoreWall Street Legend Who Picked Bitcoin in 2016 Shares #1 Pick for the 2020s (Ad)

Picking the right investment of the decade can transform your life



Microsoft in the 80sAmazon in the 90sApple in the 2000sBitcoin in 2016...



Any one of these could have made you a millionaire many times over. Today, the Wall Street legend who picked the last investment of the decade

The answer will surprise you. American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved.

326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected]rketbeat.com | (844) 978-6257

MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security.



Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information



 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. As a bonus to opt-ing into our email newsletters, you will also get a free subscription to the Liberty Through Wealth e-newsletter. You can opt out at any time.Ad Resource Stock Digest New this week - 1,843 interested

Could This Be the Biggest US Gold Discovery in Years?

See how this tiny, unknown gold company secured a prime land package right next door to the worlds two largest gold producers in Nevadas famed Carlin Trend where 84 Million gold ounces have already been extracted. Best of all, investors can still get in well below US$0.50 per share.The following companies are subsidiares of Accenture: 2nd Road, 2nd Road Pty Ltd., ?What If!, ?What If! China Holdings Ltd, ?What If! Holdings Limited, ?What If! Innovation Singapore Holdings Pte, ?What If! Limited, ?What If! Shanghai Co. Ltd, ?What If! USA LLC, ACN Consulting Co Ltd, AD Dialeto Agencia de Publicidade SA, AD.Dialeto (Digital Agency acquired by Accenture), AGS Business and Technology Services Limited, ASM Research Inc., ASM Research LLC, ATAN, Accenture (Beijing) Mobile Technology Co Ltd, Accenture (Botswana) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (China) Co Ltd, Accenture (Shenzhen) Technology Co. Ltd., Accenture (South Africa) (Proprietary) Limited, Accenture (South Africa) Pty Limited, Accenture (UK) Ltd, Accenture 2 Business Process Services S.A., Accenture 2 LLC, Accenture A/S, Accenture AB, Accenture AG, Accenture AS, Accenture Africa Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Holding B.V., Accenture Australia Holdings Pty Ltd, Accenture Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Azerbaijan Ltd, Accenture BPM Operations Support Services S.A., Accenture BPM S.C.R.L., Accenture BV, Accenture Branch Holdings B.V., Accenture Bulgaria EOOD, Accenture Business Services for Utilities Inc, Accenture Business Services of British Columbia Limited Partnership, Accenture Business and Technology Services LLC, Accenture C.A, Accenture CAS GmbH, Accenture Canada Holdings Inc., Accenture Capital DAC, Accenture Capital Inc, Accenture Central Europe B.V., Accenture Chile Asesorias y Servicios Ltda, Accenture Cloud Services GmbH, Accenture Cloud Software Solutions Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions Australia Pty Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions LLC, Accenture Cloud Solutions Ltd, Accenture Cloud Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd, Accenture Co Ltd., Accenture Communications Infrastructure Solutions Ltd, Accenture Company Ltd, Accenture Consulting Services Ltd Tanzania, Accenture Consultores de Gestao S.A., Accenture Consultoria de Industria e Consumo Ltda, Accenture Consultoria de Recursos Naturais Ltda, Accenture Credit Services LLC, Accenture Customer Services Distribution SAS, Accenture Customer Services Limited, Accenture Danismanlik Limited Sirketi, Accenture Defined Benefit Pension Plan Trustees Ltd, Accenture Defined Contribution Pension Plan Trustees Ltd, Accenture Delivery Poland sp. z o.o., Accenture Dienstleistungen GmbH, Accenture Digital France Holdings SA, Accenture Digital Holdings GmbH, Accenture East Africa Limited, Accenture Ecuador S.A., Accenture Egypt LLC, Accenture Enterprise Development (Shanghai) Co Ltd., Accenture Federal Services LLC, Accenture Finance (Gibraltar) III Ltd, Accenture Finance GmbH, Accenture Finance GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Finance II GmbH, Accenture Finance II GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Finance II Ltd, Accenture Finance Limited, Accenture Finance and Accounting BPO Services S.p.A., Accenture Finance and Accounting Services Srl, Accenture Flex LLC, Accenture GP LLC, Accenture Ghana Limited, Accenture Global Holdings Ltd., Accenture Global Services Ltd, Accenture Global Solutions Ltd, Accenture GmbH, Accenture HR Services Ltd, Accenture HR Services S.p.A., Accenture Healthcare Processing Inc., Accenture Holding GmbH, Accenture Holding GmbH & Co. KG, Accenture Holding GmbH in liquidation, Accenture Holdings (Iberia) S.L., Accenture Holdings B.V., Accenture Holdings France SAS, Accenture Holdings plc, Accenture Hungary Holdings Kft, Accenture Inc, Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company (Accenture Endustriyel Yazylym Cozumleri Limited irketi), Accenture Industrial Software Limited Liability Company (Accenture Endustriyel Yazlm Cozumleri Limited Sirketi), Accenture Industrial Software Solutions Kft, Accenture Industrial Software Solutions SA, Accenture Insurance Services LLC, Accenture Insurance Services SAS, Accenture Insurance Services SpA, Accenture International BV, Accenture International Capital SCA, Accenture International LLC, Accenture International Limited, Accenture International Sarl, Accenture Japan Ltd, Accenture Korea BV, Accenture LLC, Accenture LLP, Accenture Lanka (Private) Ltd, Accenture Limited, Accenture Ltd, Accenture Ltda, Accenture Maghreb S.a.r.l., Accenture Managed Services SRL, Accenture Managed Services SpA, Accenture Management GmbH, Accenture Middle East B.V, Accenture Middle East BV, Accenture Minority I BV, Accenture Minority III Ltd, Accenture Mozambique Limitada, Accenture Mzansi (Pty) Ltd, Accenture NV/SA, Accenture NZ Limited, Accenture Newco LLC, Accenture Nova Scotia Unlimited Liability Co., Accenture OOO, Accenture Operations Sp. z o.o., Accenture Outsourcing SRL, Accenture Outsourcing Services, Accenture Outsourcing Services S.A., Accenture Oy, Accenture Panama Inc, Accenture Participations BV, Accenture Participations II Limited, Accenture Peru S.R.L, Accenture Peru S.R.L., Accenture Post Trade Processing SAS, Accenture Post-Trade Processing Limited, Accenture Process Ltd, Accenture Product Lifecycle Services, Accenture Properties, Accenture Pte Ltd, Accenture Puerto Rico LLC, Accenture S.A., Accenture S.C., Accenture S.L., Accenture S.R.L., Accenture SAS, Accenture SG Services Pte Ltd, Accenture SRL, Accenture Saudi Arabia Limited, Accenture Sendirian Berhad, Accenture Service Center SRL, Accenture Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Accenture Services AB, Accenture Services AG, Accenture Services AS, Accenture Services GmbH, Accenture Services Ltd, Accenture Services Morocco SA, Accenture Services Oy, Accenture Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Services S.r.l., Accenture Services SRL, Accenture Services Sp. z o.o., Accenture Services Sp. z.o.o., Accenture Services and Technology Srl, Accenture Services fur Kreditinstitute GmbH, Accenture Services s.r.o., Accenture Servicos Administrativos Ltda, Accenture Servicos de Suporte de Negocios Ltda, Accenture Solutions Co Ltd, Accenture Solutions Private Limited, Accenture Solutions Pte Ltd, Accenture Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Solutions Sdn Bhd, Accenture Sp. z o.o., Accenture Sp. z.o.o., Accenture SpA, Accenture State Healthcare Services LLC, Accenture Sub II Inc., Accenture Sub Inc, Accenture Sub LLC, Accenture Systems Integration Limited, Accenture Sarl, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag, Accenture Tanacsado Kolatolt Felelossegu Tarsasag KFT, Accenture Technologia, Accenture Technologia Consultoria e Outsourcing S.A., Accenture Technology Infrastructure Services Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions (Dalian) Co Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions (HK) Co. Ltd., Accenture Technology Solutions (Thailand) Co. Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas, Accenture Technology Solutions - Solucoes Informaticas Integradas S.A., Accenture Technology Solutions GmbH, Accenture Technology Solutions Oy, Accenture Technology Solutions Pty Ltd, Accenture Technology Solutions S.A. de C.V., Accenture Technology Solutions SAS, Accenture Technology Solutions SRL, Accenture Technology Solutions Sdn. Bhd., Accenture Technology Solutions Slovakia s.r.o., Accenture Technology Ventures BV, Accenture Technology Ventures S.P.R.L., Accenture Uruguay SRL, Accenture Vietnam Co., Accenture Vietnam Co. LTD, Accenture Zambia Limited, Accenture do Brasil Limitada, Accenture plc, Accenture s.r.o., Acceria, Acquity Customer Insight Limited, Acquity Group, Adaptly LLC, Adaptly UK Limited, AddVal Technology, Adqptly, Advantium Inc., Agave Consultants Limited, Agilex Technologies Inc., Allen International, Allen International Consulting Group Ltd, Alnova Technologies Corporation S.L., AlphaBeta Advisors, Altima, Altima Asia Ltd., Altima SAS, Altitude, Altitude LLC, Analytics 8 LP, Analytics 8 Pty Ltd, Analytics8, Aorui Advertising (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Apis, Appaloosa Technology SAS, Arca, Ariba - BPO, Arismore, Aspiro Solutions (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Avanade, Avanade (Guangzhou) Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd., Avanade (Thailand) Co Ltd, Avanade Asia Pte Ltd, Avanade Australia Pty Ltd, Avanade Belgium SPRL, Avanade Canada Inc., Avanade Denmark A/S, Avanade Denmark ApS, Avanade Deutschland GmbH, Avanade Europe Holdings Ltd, Avanade Europe Services Ltd, Avanade Federal Services LLC, Avanade Finland Oy, Avanade France SAS, Avanade GZ Computer Technology Development Co. Ltd. (SH), Avanade Guangzhou, Avanade Holdings LLC, Avanade Hong Kong Ltd, Avanade International Corporation, Avanade Ireland Limited, Avanade Italy SRL, Avanade KK, Avanade Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Avanade Netherlands BV, Avanade Norway AS, Avanade Poland Sp. z o.o., Avanade Poland Sp. z.o.o., Avanade Schweiz GmbH, Avanade South Africa, Avanade South Africa Pty Ltd, Avanade Spain SL, Avanade Sweden AB, Avanade UK Ltd, Avanade do Brasil Limitada, Avanade Osterreich GmbH, AvantBiz Consulting Limited, Avenai, Axia Ltd., BABCN LLC, BCT Solutions, BCT Solutions Pty Ltd, BPO Servicos Administrativos Ltda, BRIDGE Energy Group, Beacon Consulting Group Inc., Beijing Genesis Interactive Technology Co. Ltd., Boomerang Pharmaceutical Communications, Boomerang Pharmaceuticals Communications Ireland Limited, Bow & Arrow, Brand Learning, Brand Learning Group Limited, Brand Learning LLC, Brand Learning Ltd, Brand Learning Partners Limited, Brand Learning Pte Limited, Bridge Energy Group LLC, Brightstep AB, Byte Prophecy, CAS, CRMWaypoint, CadenceQuest Inc., Capable Marketer Limited, Capgemini - North American health practice, Capital Consultancy Services Inc., Certus Solutions Consulting Services Ltd, Certus Solutions Ltd, ChangeTrack Research Pty Ltd., Chaotic Moon Studios, Chengdu Mensa Advertising Co. Ltd., Cimation, Cimation UK Limited, Cirruseo, Cirruseo SAS, Clarity Insights, Clearhead, Clearhead Group, Clearhead Group LLC, ClientHouse GmbH, Cloud Sherpas, Cloud Sherpas (GA) LLC, Cloud Sherpas (SN) (PTE.) Limited, Cloud Sherpas New Zealand Ltd., Cloud Talent Limited, Cloudsherpas, Cloudsherpas Inc., Codagenic Pty. Ltd., Computer Research and Telecommunications LLC, Concrete Desenvolvimento de Sistemas Ltda., Concrete Solutions, Concrete Solutions Ltda., Context Information Security, Coritel S.A., Corliant Inc., CreativeDrive, CustomerWorks Europe SL, Cutting Edge Solutions Ltd, D5 Global Holdings LLC, DAZ Systems Inc, DAZ Systems LLC, DAZSI Systems (India) Pvt. Ltd., DMA Solutions Limited, Davies Consulting, DayNine Consulting, DayNine Consulting (Australia) PTY LTD, DayNine Consulting (Deutschland) GmbH, DayNine Consulting (New Zealand) Limited, DayNine Consulting France SAS, DayNine Consulting Japan K.K., DayNine Consulting LLC, Declarative Holdings, Declarative Holdings LLC, Defense Point Security, Deja vu Security, Design Strategy and Research de Mexico S.A. de C.V., Designaffairs LLC, Digiplug S.A.S., Digiplug SAS, Digital Consulting & Software Services LLC, Droga5, Droga5 LLC, Droga5 Studios LLC, Droga5 UK Ltd., Duck Creek Technologies, Duck Creek Technologies LLC, Deja Vu Security LLC, ESR Labs, Elcurator SAS, Enaxis Consulting, Enaxis Consulting L.P., End-to-End Analytics, Energuia Web, Energuia Web S.A., Energy Management Brokers Ltd., Energy Quote Private Ltd., EnergyQuote JHA, EnergyQuote JHA Ltd., EnergyQuote Trading Ltd., Enimbos, Enkitec, Enterprise System Partners, Enterprise System Partners B.V. , Enterprise System Partners Bilisim Danismanlik Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, Enterprise System Partners Global Corporation, Enterprise System Partners Limited, Enterprise System Partners PR LLC, Enterprise System Partners S.A.S., Epylon, Evopro Group, Exactside Limited, Fairway Technologies Inc, Fairway Technologies LLC, Filmproduction ApS, First Annapolis Consulting, First Annapolis Consulting Inc., First Annapolis Consulting LLC, First Annapolis International, Fjord, Focus Group Europe, Focus Group Europe Limited, Formicary, Formicary Holdings Limited, Formicary Limited, FusionX, FutureMove Automotive, Gapso Servicos de Informatica Ltda., Genfour, Genfour Limited, George Group Consulting L.P., Gestalt LLC, Gestion Altima Canada Inc., Global Public Firm S.L., GlobalView SAS, GoodFilm GmbH Filmproduktion Stuttgart, H.B. Maynard and Co. Inc., Hagberg Consulting Group, Hangzhou Aiyunzhe Technology Co. Ltd., Happen, Hjaltelin Stahl, Hjaltelin Stahl K/S, Hytracc Consulting AS, Hytracc Consulting Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Hytracc Consulting UK Limited, Hytracc Holding AS, I-Faber S.p.A., IBB Consulting, IMJ Corp, IMJ Corporation, INCAD, INSITUM, IT One Company Limited, ITBS Servicios Bancarios de Tecnologia de la Informacion SL, Icon Integration, Imagine Broadband (USA) Ltd, Imagine Broadband USA LLC, Imaginea Inc, Industrie&Co, Infoman AG, Infoman Schweiz AG, Informatica de Euskadi S.L., Infusion Development Inc., Infusion Development UK Limited, InfusionDev LLC, Innoveer Solutions India Pvt Ltd, Insitum Consultoria Argentina SRL, Insitum Consultoria Brasil LTDA, Insitum Consultoria Colombia SAS, Insitum Consultoria Europa SL, Insitum Consultoria Peru SAC, Insitum Consultoria S.A. de C.V., Intrepid, Intrigo Systems Inc, Intrigo Systems India Pvt. Limited, Intrigo Systems LLC, Inventor Advertisement (Beijing) Co. Ltd., Inventor Technology Limited, InvestTech, Investtech Systems Consulting LLC, Javelin Group, Javelin Group (Bulgaria) EOOD, Javelin Group Limited (UK), Javelin Group SASU, K Comms Group Limited, KCS.net AG, KCS.net AG West, KCS.net Deutschland GmbH, KCS.net Holding AG, KCS.net Osterreich GmbH, Kaper Communications Limited, Karma Communications Debtco Limited, Karma Communications Group Limited, Karma Communications Holdings Limited, Karmarama, Karmarama Comms Limited, Karmarama Limited, Knowledge Rules Inc., Knowledgent, Knowledgent Group LLC, Kogentix, Kogentix LLC, Kogentix Ltd, Kogentix Singapore Pte. Ltd, Kogentix Technologies Private Limited, Kolle Rebbe, Kolle Rebbe GmbH, Kream Comms Limited, Kunstmaan, Kunstmaan NV, Kurt Salmon, Kurt Salmon Canada LTD, Kurt Salmon UKI, Kurt Salmon UKI Ltd., Kurt Salmon US LLC, LINKBYNET, LabAnswer, LabAnswer Government, LemonXL Limited, Logistics Market Place Limited (UK), Loud & Clear Creative Pty Ltd, MAXIM Systems Inc., MCG US Holdings LLC, Mackevision CG Technology and Service (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Mackevision Corporation, Mackevision Japan Co. Ltd., Mackevision Korea Ltd, Mackevision Medien Design, Mackevision Medien Design GmbH, Mackevision Singapore Pte. Ltd., Mackevision UK Ltd, Maglan, Maglan Information Defense Technologies Research Ltd., Maihiro, Matter, Matter Llc, Maud Corp Pty Limited, Maxamine International, Media Audits Ltd., Media Hive, Mediasenz Pty Ltd., Meredith Specialty LLC, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing, Meredith Xcelerated Marketing Corporation, Meridian Informed Purchasing Ltd., Mindtribe, Mindtribe Product Engineering LLC, MobGen, MobGen Technology S.L, Moonrise NV, Mortgage Cadence, Mortgage Cadence an Accenture Company, Most Champion Ltd, Mudano, N3 LLC, NBS Marketing Inc., NYTEC, Nanjing Demeng Advertising Co. Ltd., Nashco Consulting, NaviSys Inc., Neo Metrics Analytics S.L., Neo Metrics Chile, Neo Metrics Chile S.A., New Content, New Content Chile SpA, New Content Editora e Produtora Ltda., New Energy Aborda, New Energy Associates Ltd, New Energy Group, New Energy S.r.l., NewsPage, NewsPage (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, NewsPage China Ltd., NewsPage Pte Ltd, Nice Agency Limited, Northstream, Northstream AB, Northstream Holding AB, OCTO Technology, OPS Rules Management Consultants, Octagon Research Solutions Inc., Octo Technology LTDA, Octo Technology Pty Ltd, Octo Technology SA, Octo Technology SPRL, Octoman SAS, Odgaard ApS, Olikka, Operaciones Accenture S.A. de C.V., OpusLine, Orbium, Orbium Consulting Ltd, Orbium GmbH, Orbium Holding AG, Orbium Inc., Orbium International AG, Orbium International sp. z o.o., Orbium Licences AG, Orbium Limited, Orbium Pte. Ltd., Orbium Pty Ltd, Orbium Services sp. z o.o., Orbium Sarl, Origin Digital, PCO Innovation, PCO Innovation Canada Inc., PCO Innovation EURL, PIXO PUNCH Limited, PLM Systems S.r.l, POC Holdings, PRION GmbH, PT Accenture, PT Asta Catur Indra, PT Kogentix Teknologi Indonesia, Pach Invest SARL, Pach Invest SAS, PacificLink Group, PacificLink iMedia Ltd., Paja Finanssipalvelut Oy, Parker Fitzgerald Inc, Parker Fitzgerald Inc., Parker Fitzgerald International Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Limited, Parker Fitzgerald PTY Ltd, Parker Fitzgerald Services Limited, Parker Fitzgerald Solutions Limited, Partners Technology Mexico Holdings BV, Pecaso Ltd., Pegasus Production K/S, Perseroan Terbatas. Accenture, Phase One Consulting Group, Pillar Technology, Pollux, Pragsis Bidoop, Pragsis Bidoop UK Ltd, Pragsis Technologies S.L, PrimeQ, PrimeQ Australia Pty Ltd, PrimeQ Ltd, PrimeQ NZ Pty Ltd, Procurian Germany GmbH, Procurian Inc., Procurian International I LLC, Procurian International II LLC, Procurian LLC, Procurian Singapore Pte. Ltd., Procurian Switzerland GmbH, Procurian USA LLC, Proquire LLC, PureApps Ltd., Qi Jie Beijing Information Technologies Co Ltd, Radiant Services, Radiant Services LLC, Random Walk Computing Inc., Reactive Media Limited, Reactive Media Pty Ltd., Real Protect, Realworld OO Systems Ltd., Redcore, Redcore (Asia) Pte Ltd, Redcore (India) Private Limited (India), Redcore (New Zealand) Limited, Redcore Group Holdings Pty Ltd, Redcore Pty Ltd, Renacentis IT Services, Revolutionary Security, RiskControl, Rothco, Rothco Holdings Designated Activity Company, Rothco Unlimited Company, S.C. EnergyQuote S.r.l., S3 TV Technology Limited, S3 TV Technology Ltd., SALT Solutions GmbH, SEC Servizi, SEC Servizi S.p.A., SOPIA Corp., Sagacious Consultants, Sagacious Consultants LLC, Sanchez Capital Services Pvt Ltd, Schlumberger Business Consulting, Seabury Airline Planning Group, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace (UK) Limited, Seabury Aviation & Aerospace Asia (Hong Kong) Limited, Seabury Aviation Consulting LLC, Seabury Cargo Advisory B.V., Seabury Consulting, Seabury Corporate Advisors LLC, Seabury Human Capital LLC, Seabury Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Seabury Structured Finance LLC, Search Technologies BPO, Search Technologies BPO Inc., Search Technologies GmbH, Search Technologies International LLC, Search Technologies LATAM, Search Technologies LATAM S.A., Search Technologies LLC, Search Technologies Limited, Sente Partners LLC, Sentelis, Servicios Tecnicos de Programacion Accenture S.C., Shackleton, Shackleton Barcelona S.L., Shackleton Chile S.A., Shackleton Madrid S.L., Shackleton S.A., Shanghai Baiyue Advertising Co. Ltd., Shun Zhe Technology Development Co. Ltd., Silveo, Simian Pty Limited, SinnerSchrader AG, SinnerSchrader Commerce GmbH, SinnerSchrader Content GmbH, SinnerSchrader Deutschland GmbH, SinnerSchrader Praha s.r.o., SinnerSchrader Swipe GmbH, Sinnerschrader, Sistemes Consulting S.L., Solutions IQ, Solutions IQ LLC, SolutionsIQ, SolutionsIQ India Consulting Services Private Limited, Storm Digital, Storm Digital B.V., Structure Consulting Group, Structure Consulting Group LLC, Sutter Mills, Systor AG, TQuila Limited (UK), Tadata Creative Unlimited Company, Tara Insurance DAC, Tara Risk DAC, TargetST8, TargetST8 Consulting LLC, Tech - Avanade Portugal Unipessoal Lda, Tecnilogica Ecosistemas S.A., Tecnilogica Ltd., Tecnilogica, The Brand Learning Partners Limited, The Callisto Integration Corporation, The Monkeys, The Monkeys Pty Limited, The Myrtle Group, Total Logistics, Total Logistics Supply Chain Consultants Limited, Tquila, Troop Studios Pty Ltd, VanBerlo, Verax Solutions, Verax Solutions Corporation, Vertical Retail Consulting (Shanghai) Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong, Vertical Retail Consulting Hong Kong Ltd., Vertical Retail Consulting Ltd., Vivere Brasil Servicos e Solucoes SA, Vivere Brasil Solucoes De Credito Ltda., Weblinc Pty Ltd, Wire Stone, Wire Stone LLC, Wire Stone Sarl, Wolox, Yesler, Zag, Zenta, Zenta Global Philippines, Zenta Global Philippines Inc., Zenta Mortgage Services LLC, Zenta Recoveries Inc, Zenta US Holdings Inc., Zielpuls, Zielpuls (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., Zielpuls GmbH, avVenta, designaffairs, designaffairs Business Consulting (Shanghai) Co. Ltd., designaffairs GmbH, designaffairs group China Co. Ltd., dgroup, i4C Analytics, iDefense, and solid-serVision.com GmbH. American Consumer News, LLC dba MarketBeat 2010-2021. All rights reserved.

326 E 8th St #105, Sioux Falls, SD 57103 | U.S. Based Support Team at [email protected] | (844) 978-6257

MarketBeat does not provide personalized financial advice and does not issue recommendations or offers to buy stock or sell any security.



Our Accessibility Statement | Terms of Service | Do Not Sell My Information



 2021 Market data provided is at least 10-minutes delayed and hosted by Barchart Solutions. Information is provided 'as-is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice, and is delayed. To see all exchange delays and terms of use please see disclaimer. Fundamental company data provided by Zacks Investment Research. As a bonus to opt-ing into our email newsletters, you will also get a free subscription to the Liberty Through Wealth e-newsletter. You can opt out at any time.New proposal would allow feds to walk away from Hanford cleanup effortsSEOUL, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- South Korea decided Tuesday to offer about 200,000 doses of Tamiflu antiviral medication to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in humanitarian aid.

The Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Council made the decision, setting aside 3.56 billion won (3.2 million U.S. dollars) for transport cost and purchasing the medication that treats influenza, according to Seoul's unification ministry.

The council, composed of government officials and civilian experts, is tasked with reviewing and deciding on policies relevant to inter-Korean exchange and cooperation.

In addition to the drugs, about 50,000 early medical detection kits, which were donated by a private entity, would be delivered to the DPRK.

An unnamed unification ministry official was quoted by local media as saying that 10 government officials would visit the DPRK's border town of Kaesong as early as this week by a land route to deliver the medication.

It was part of efforts to implement the Pyongyang Declaration, signed by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un after their third summit in Pyongyang in September.

The two Koreas held working-level talks in November and December to discuss health and medical cooperation.

It would mark the first time since Moon took office in May 2017 that Seoul sends such medication to Pyongyang.

In 2009, South Korea offered about 400,000 doses of Tamiflu and 100,000 doses of Relenza antiviral medication to the DPRK.Portage police cited a man for a first offense of operating a motor vehicle while drugged and failure to keep a vehicle under control Monday after the pickup truck he was driving hit two parked cars on the 1100 block of West Wisconsin Street.

Dennis L. Hasenfuss, 75, of Portage, sustained minor injuries and was transported by EMS to Divine Savior, police said. The two vehicles parked outside the Cameron Heights apartments were unoccupied. No one else was hurt.

In a police report, Officer Brian Loewenhagen said Hasenfuss showed signs of intoxication and was issued a citation for operating a motor vehicle while impaired first offense and did submit to an evidentiary blood test at Divine Savior Hospital.

Support Local Journalism Your membership makes our reporting possible. {{featured_button_text}}

Hasenfuss told police he was given medication at a Madison hospital earlier in the day Monday before driving back to Portage that afternoon.

Portage Police Chief Ken Manthey said Hasenfuss was released to a responsible person after he was discharged from the hospital.

Because it was a first offense, the case is not filed as a criminal charge, Manthey said. The two citations will be handled by Portage City Attorney Jesse Spankowski in Municipal Court.I see that Gov. Tony Evers and many Democratic lawmakers in Madison are worried that Republican lawmakers are going to be difficult to work with. Not sure why they are worried because I'm quite certain that Republicans will work with Evers as much as Democrats in Washington, D.C., are working with President Donald Trump. Seems fair.

On a local level, our city leaders have a few expensive projects coming up that city taxpayers should be aware of. Sixteen benches for the downtown area at a price tag of $21,000? That's more than $1,300 per bench. Two bridges to nowhere seems like an incredible waste of tax dollars.

And $700,000 to paint and repair rust on the water tower? When this tower was painted seven years ago, was it expected to last seven years? What was the cost seven years ago? Have we no recourse with the contractor that painted it? As far as a new paint job, do we need logos and "Beaver Dam" on it? Don't most of us know we're in Beaver Dam?

My father used to say the easiest thing in life is spending other people's money. Our city leaders are certainly proving him right.

Richard Kinderman, Beaver DamThe committee instead decided to postpone its discussion until Friday, after representatives for the county and newspaper have had a chance to begin talks of a potential settlement. Those negotiations are slated to begin Wednesday afternoon.

Executive and legislative committee member Tom Kriegl of Baraboo expressed frustration with how the case has been handled. He said the board learned of the judges opinion from a newspaper article rather than the countys professional staff.

Kriegl also raised questions about a legal filing in which the county stated its intention to appeal the decision. The executive and legislative committee, which typically provides input on such matters, was not consulted.

On Dec. 28, two weeks after the circuit court judges ruling in the case, an attorney hired by the countys insurance company filed a petition with Wisconsins 4th District Court of Appeals.

In the legal filing, the county takes issue with the judges decision and requests permission to move forward with an appeal before the circuit court case is fully resolved. The filing also asks the Court of Appeals to temporarily halt the circuit court proceedings.

The Court of Appeals already has denied the latter request.Baraboo teachers Kari Nelson and Barry Flesch started by tacking posters to their classroom doors to show students they took their safety seriously and respected their diversity.

The message was simple: No room for hate. This classroom. This school. This community. This state. This country. This world.

After the posters spread at Baraboo High School, Nelson wanted the message to reach farther, bring in more people and make a financial impact for good.

It starts here with us, Nelson said. We do what we can do to support all students in our room, and then we move that out into our hallways and our greater building and into our communities and so forth.

Nelson, president of the Baraboo Education Association, and other members of the teachers union decided to sell T-shirts featuring the same message to raise money for the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland as a response to the photo of BHS students that went viral in November.

The image of about 50 boys, most with arms raised in an apparent Nazi salute, elicited blowback from across the world. One of the earliest criticisms came from the Auschwitz museum.REEDSBURG  Police say a Sauk County Board member shoplifted some soup and a can cooler cover Saturday from two Reedsburg stores, a matter the accused supervisor calls insignificant.

The Reedsburg Police Department issued two retail theft citations against Supervisor Wally Czuprynko of Lake Delton after the public quickly identified him in surveillance camera images that were posted to social media.

Police Chief Tim Becker said a grocery store and nearby hardware store reported the thefts, but were unable to identify the suspect. The police department posted photos from the businesses to Facebook and asked for the publics help.

Within five minutes, we had about 50 people calling us and telling us who he was, Becker said.

An officer called Czuprynko, and he allegedly admitted to the thefts. Becker described the items the county board member stole as a cup of soup and a can cooler cover worth less than $10.

Czuprynko did not return a phone call Wednesday afternoon, but responded to an email saying he was out of the country until Jan. 21.

Its a very convoluted issue that involved a lot of personal issues I have going on in my life, and ultimately is really insignificant, Czuprynko wrote in the email.Winona residents looking to make upgrades to their homes may be able to get financial assistance thanks to two grants the city of Winona announced this week.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development awarded $296,349 to preserve owner-occupied homes through the Small Cities Development Program. And the Federal Home Loan Bank Des Moines, one of the nations largest sources of grants for affordable housing projects, allocated $376,820 for the City of Winona Home Rehabilitation Program.

The Small Cities Development Program is part of the Community Development Block Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and is funded by Congress. The program helps pay for rehabilitating housing and commercial buildings and updating public infrastructure in small cities and counties.

Winona homeowners can take advantage of these funds through the City of Winona East-Central Neighborhood Rehabilitation Program. These funds are to assist low- to moderate-income homeowners residing in two areas of the city in financing home rehabilitation improvements.

The two areas are: an eight-block area from Hamilton Street to Laird Street and Front Street to Fifth Street, and a 16-block area from Hamilton Street to Liberty Street and Fifth Street to King Street.You have permission to edit this article.

Edit CloseMinnesotas newly-appointed education commissioner, Mary Cathryn Ricker, said on Friday that she disagrees with the Trump administrations recommendations to arm teachers.

The Trump administration last month released 93 guidelines for school safety that include things like training and arming school personnel.

But Ricker, a former teacher, came out against that advice.

Arming teachers distracts us from the kinds of conversations we could be having about a more community-based and more welcoming teaching and learning situation, Ricker said. Introducing weapons into a classroom environment is not going to create a more welcoming school environment for practitioners or for our students.

The Trump administrations commission on school safety also recommended rolling back Obama-era guidelines on reducing racial discrimination in school discipline.

But Ricker said fighting disparities doesnt make schools more dangerous.

I absolutely think conflating the sort of tragedies of school safety with rolling back discipline guidelines can be really dangerous for us because conflating those two things, its not helping to move a conversation. Its not helping to make our students safer, Ricker said.Two more special deer hunts will be held in coming weeks in southeastern Minnesota in another attempt to limit the spread of deadly chronic wasting disease, the states Department of Natural Resources announced last week.

The additional late-season hunts come on the heels of a wild adult male deer in Houston County testing positive for the neurological disease. The buck was shot during the opening weekend of the 2018 firearms deer season, and its CWD was confirmed in December, the DNR said.

The DNR and the Minnesota Board of Animal Health will meet with the public on Jan. 15 at the Tau Center Rotunda at Winona State University. There they will discuss any updates regarding wild deer and the Winona County deer farm where animals tested positive for the disease in December 2017.

Meanwhile, the DNR said the Jan. 25-27 and Feb. 1-3 hunts will take place in the large swath of land in permit zone 346, part of Houston and Winona counties where diseased deer have been found.

Hunters, both residents and nonresidents, can participate.

DNR officials stressed that most land in the hunt areas is privately owned and permission must be gained for access.WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump walked out of his negotiating meeting with congressional leaders Wednesday  "I said bye-bye," he tweeted as efforts to end the 19-day partial government shutdown fell into deeper disarray over his demand for billions of dollars to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Migrants mainly from Mexico and Central America look on as U.S. President Donald Trump gives a prime-time address about border security on television, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, watching from a border migrant shelter in Tijuana, Mexico. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump walked out of his negotiating meeting with congressional leaders Wednesday  "I said bye-bye," he tweeted as efforts to end the 19-day partial government shutdown fell into deeper disarray over his demand for billions of dollars to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

In a negotiating session that was over almost as soon as it began, Democrats went to the White House asking Trump to reopen the government. Trump renewed his call for money for his signature campaign promise and was rebuffed. Republicans and Democrats had differing accounts of the brief exchange, but the result was clear: The partial shutdown continued with no end in sight.

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers will miss paychecks on Friday; a little more than half of them are still working without pay. Other key federal services are suspended, including some food inspections. And as some lawmakers expressed discomfort with the growing toll of the standoff, it was clear Wednesday that the wall was at the centre.

Trump revived his threat to attempt to override Congress by declaring a national emergency to unleash Defence Department funding for the wall. He's due to visit the border Thursday to highlight what he declared in an Oval Office speech Tuesday night as a "crisis." Democrats say Trump is manufacturing the emergency to justify a political ploy.

That debate set the tone for Wednesday's sit-down at the White House.

The Washington skyline is seen on day 19 of a partial government shutdown on the morning after President Donald Trump used a prime-time TV address from the Oval Office to urge congressional Democrats to relent on their opposition to his proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. From left are the Lincoln Memorial, the Washingtonton Monument, and the U.S. Capitol. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Republicans said Trump posed a direct question to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: If he opened the government, would she fund the wall? She said no. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said Trump slammed his hand on the table, said "then we have nothing to discuss" and walked out.

Republicans said Trump, who passed out candy at the start of the meeting, did not raise his voice and there was no table pounding. Pelosi said Trump "stomped" out of the room and was "petulant." Republicans said he was merely firm.

"The president made clear today that he is going to stand firm to achieve his priorities to build a wall  a steel barrier  at the southern border," Vice-President Mike Pence told reporters afterward.

Workers replace sections of the border wall, left, with new sections, right, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, in Tijuana, Mexico. Ready to make his case on prime-time TV, President Donald Trump is stressing humanitarian as well as security concerns at the U.S.-Mexico border as he tries to convince America he must get funding for his long-promised border wall before ending a partial government shutdown that has hundreds of thousands of federal workers facing missed paychecks. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Trump had just returned from Capitol Hill, where he urged jittery congressional Republicans to hold firm with him. He suggested a deal for his border wall might be getting closer, but he also said the shutdown would last "whatever it takes."

He discussed the possibility of a sweeping immigration compromise with Democrats to protect some immigrants from deportation but provided no clear strategy or timeline for resolving the standoff, according to senators in the private session. He left the Republican lunch boasting of "a very, very unified party," but GOP senators are publicly uneasy as the standoff ripples across the lives of Americans and interrupts the economy.

Trump insisted at the White House: "I didn't want this fight." But it was his sudden rejection of a bipartisan spending bill late last month that blindsided leaders in Congress, including Republican allies, now seeking a resolution to the shutdown.

Migrants mainly from Mexico and Central America look on as U.S. President Donald Trump gives a prime-time address about border security Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, watching from a border migrant shelter in Tijuana, Mexico. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

The effects are growing. The Food and Drug Administration says it isn't doing routine food inspections because of the partial federal shutdown, but checks of the riskiest foods are expected to resume next week.

The agency said it's working to bring back about 150 employees to inspect more potentially hazardous foods such as cheese, infant formula and produce. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the agency can't make the case that "a routine inspection of a Nabisco cracker facility" is necessary during the shutdown, however. He said inspections would have ramped up this week for the first time since the holidays, so the lapse in inspections of high-risk foods will not be significant if they resume soon.

Republicans are mindful of the growing toll on ordinary Americans, including disruptions in payments to farmers and trouble for home buyers who are seeking government-backed mortgage loans  "serious stuff," according to Sen. John Thune, the No. 2 Senate Republican.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., left, are joined by furloughed federal workers at an event to discuss the impact on families from the partial government shutdown and President Donald Trump's demands for funding a U.S.-Mexico border wall, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, was among several senators who questioned Trump at the Capitol.

"I addressed the things that are very local to us  it's not just those who don't receive a federal paycheque perhaps on Friday, but there are other consequences," she said, mentioning the inability to certify weight scales for selling fish. The president's response? "He urged unity."

That unity was tested late Wednesday when the House passed a spending bill, 240-188, to reopen one shuttered department, Treasury, to ensure that tax refunds and other financial services continue. Eight Republicans joined Democrats in voting, defying the plea to stick with the White House.

Vice President Mike Pence, right, standing with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif., left, speaks to reporters following a meeting with President Donald Trump and Democratic congressional leaders at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Democrats said before the White House meeting that they would ask Trump to accept an earlier bipartisan bill to reopen the government with money for border security but not the wall. Pelosi warned that the effects of hundreds of thousands of lost paychecks would begin to ripple across the economy.

"The president could end the Trump shutdown and reopen the government today, and he should," Pelosi said.

Ahead of his visit to Capitol Hill, Trump renewed his notice that he might declare a national emergency and try to authorize the wall on his own if Congress won't approve the money he's asking.

"I think we might work a deal, and if we don't, I might go that route," he said.

Republicans are particularly concerned about such a threat, seeing that as an unprecedented claim on the right of Congress to allocate funding except in the direst circumstances.

"I prefer that we get this resolved the old-fashioned way," Thune said.

Trump did not mention the idea of a national emergency declaration Tuesday night. A person familiar with deliberations who was unauthorized to discuss the situation said additional "creative options" were being considered, including shifting money from other accounts or tapping other executive authorities for the wall.

Trump on Wednesday floated ideas for a broader immigration overhaul. Trump ally Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., has suggested a compromise that would include wall funding as well as protecting some immigrants  young "Dreamers" and those in Temporary Protective Status, two programs Trump is eliminating  from deportation.

Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Matthew Daly, Alan Fram, Colleen Long and Deb Riechmann in Washington and Candice Choi in New York contributed to this report.

For AP's complete coverage of the U.S. government shutdown: https://apnews.com/GovernmentShutdownU.S. President Donald Trump doesnt read or study history, so hes probably unfamiliar with the Alien and Sedition Acts. Hed love them. They were the infamous series of discredited measures promulgated by president John Adams in 1798 and designed, in part, to silence unfriendly journalists.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

U.S. President Donald Trump doesnt read or study history, so hes probably unfamiliar with the Alien and Sedition Acts. Hed love them. They were the infamous series of discredited measures promulgated by president John Adams in 1798 and designed, in part, to silence unfriendly journalists.

Trump poses the greatest challenge to a free press at least since president Richard Nixon. Any story that doesnt celebrate him he derides as "fake news." He repeatedly calls journalists the "enemy of the people," putting 80 per cent of the press in that category.

His administration proposed to boost postal rates after Trump attacked Amazon, which he targeted because he doesnt like the Washington Post and its owner, Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos. Hes weaponized the Justice Departments antitrust division in a way that appears to link news coverage to approval of media mergers. Hes threatened to change libel laws to make it harder to hold public officials accountable. Its all meant to intimidate and delegitimize coverage of Trumps mushrooming scandals.

He even suggested cancelling the TV program Saturday Night Live, which loves to make fun of him. He has been indifferent to the murder of Washington Post contributing columnist Jamal Khashoggi, reportedly at the hands of Saudi agents linked to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The press should not allow itself to be bullied, or baited into behaving like Trump.

U.S. press freedom has never been more important. Journalists around the world are being threatened, jailed and murdered. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that 53 journalists this past year were killed and 251 imprisoned, levels that rank among the highest on record.

The leader of the country that has most celebrated freedom of the press and has it enshrined in its constitution is now giving aid and comfort to some of the bloodiest anti-press autocrats in the world.

Theyve even adopted his language. Philippine strongman Rodrigo Duterte accused a press critic of being "a fake news outlet." Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has declared, "We are living in an era of fake news." Polands anti-press president thanked Trump for helping the fight against "the power of fake news" and echoed his critique of "elites." The Russian foreign ministry in 2017 launched an entire "fake news section." (Joseph Stalin famously called the press "enemy of the people," a phrase also used by Mao Zedong and propagandists for Adolf Hitler.)

Domestically, the effect is polarizing and poisonous. I teach a course at the University of Pennsylvania, where a student spent a week each night alternating every hour between Fox News and MSNBC. The divergence amounted to much more than a difference in slant; there were separate worlds of news. This phenomenon plays to Trumps contention that all reporting is politically motivated.

The establishment press, led by the Washington Post and the New York Times, on balance has done a good job covering the Trump scandals. (My Bloomberg Opinion colleague Timothy L. OBrien, author of a 2005 biography of Trump, has been especially prescient.)

In October 2016, with the seeming certainty ahead of a Hillary Clinton victory in the November presidential election, the Times pulled its punches in the way it handled allegations of links between Trump and Russian officials trying to influence the presidential election. Over the past two years, it has made up for it with aggressive reporting, with big scoops on the Trump-Russia connections.

The Post has been there step for step, starting with early articles about Trumps first national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and his first attorney general, Jeff Sessions. Flynn has since pleaded guilty to lying about contacts with a Russian official. Sessions was forced to resign after Trump repeatedly complained about his refusal to rein in federal inquiries.

"A clear lie should be called a clear lie every time, and high up in every story," said Jill Abramson, a former executive editor of the Times.

She also worries about Trumps ability to create diversions.

"The press too often gets caught up in the circus," said Abramson, who has a book coming out, Merchants of Truth, about the contemporary news business and what she calls Trumps "unprecedented war" on the press. "As a result, great stories like the Times exhaustive revelations about Trumps tax scams get only short attention."

Cornered, he will escalate his attacks and try to retaliate. As with any bully, the effective response is to be cool and aggressive.

Albert R. Hunt is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering politics and policy. He was the executive editor of Bloomberg News, before which he was a reporter, bureau chief and executive Washington editor at the Wall Street Journal.

 BloombergIts been another year of relentless artificial-intelligence hype and incremental AI achievement. Machines still beat humans only in carefully constructed environments or at narrow tasks. The good news is that, as the technology progresses, the race for leadership is still wide open, and even Europe, where politicians fret that the continent is lagging behind China and the U.S., is still quite competitive.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

Its been another year of relentless artificial-intelligence hype and incremental AI achievement. Machines still beat humans only in carefully constructed environments or at narrow tasks. The good news is that, as the technology progresses, the race for leadership is still wide open, and even Europe, where politicians fret that the continent is lagging behind China and the U.S., is still quite competitive.

According to the Artificial Intelligence Index 2018 annual report, AI has progressed on all the measures tracked. This year, AI has become more accurate and much faster at image detection. Its also improved at parsing the grammatical structure of sentences, answering multiple-choice questions and translation. Whether this progress brings us closer to truly superhuman AI is a different matter.

On the translation front, a measure called Bilingual Evaluation Understudy is used to determine accuracy. It compares machine-translated sentences to those rendered by human experts, and this year almost half the machine translations between English and German news articles measured up to the human ones. This year, Microsoft announced with much fanfare that its AI did just as well as humans in translating news from Chinese into English.

But the underlying paper reports much lower scores for the Chinese translations than for the separately published German ones, and accuracy scores from human evaluators of between 50 per cent and 70 per cent. Machine-translation algorithms still produce plenty of gibberish and are really mostly useful, in a limited way, to humans with some understanding of both languages and the context.

Improved image-recognition has worked wonders in some fields of medicine. For example, Google has developed a system for grading prostate cancer that does it more accurately than U.S. pathologists, and a Stanford team has achieved similar success with skin cancer. Where lots of data exist and precision is valued, AI can help humans make better decisions, even though it still messes up regularly when trained on biased data sets or is intentionally tricked.

Humans are less prone to misidentifying objects and are better able to correct for their biases.

Data-mining and question-answering skills can make AI appear almost human at times. This year, IBM presented the current iteration of its Project Debater, which tries to debate humans hewing to the rules of such competitions. The exercise looks impressive  the machine instantaneously gathers and orders information, packs it into grammatically correct sentences and inserts pre-written jokes almost in the correct places. But, as an AI expert who was present discovered, it tended merely to repeat its points in response to arguments.

While the idea of having a machine, with its superhuman ability to analyze data, take part in brainstorms is exciting, "We are most certainly not on the verge of seeing AI systems out-debating their human counterparts," wrote the expert, Chris Reed of the University of Dundee in Scotland. "Todays AI technology is as far from these scenarios as the Romans experiments with steam power were from the Industrial Revolution," he concluded.

As often happens with technological advancement, AI gets too much attention too early. But, if in previous years some AI scholars grumbled that the hype might impede progress because people would become disappointed in the unfulfilled promise of a shiny toy, attention to AI has become too sustained and the financial and intellectual resources thrown at it too enormous for that to happen. Now, competing in AI is a matter of prestige for major countries.

So far, the U.S., Europe and China all have their strengths. Data in the Artificial Intelligence Index report show the U.S. as the runaway leader in patents. Along with China, it leads in the number of papers submitted to and accepted by major AI conferences. But it is in Europe where the greatest number of AI papers (28 per cent of the total, compared with 25 per cent for China and 17 per cent for the U.S.) are published.

This is likely to come as a surprise to European leaders, especially German and French ones, who often talk about falling behind. Earlier this month, German Economy Minister Peter Altmaier supported the idea of a pan-European state-led corporation, along the lines of Airbus, to compete in AI.

Regardless of how well the technology will eventually work, major countries have already co-opted it for soft power and ideological competition. Its a rerun of the past centurys space race, not seen in this pure a form for many decades.

Leonid Bershidsky is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering European politics and business. He was the founding editor of the Russian business daily Vedomosti and founded the opinion website Slon.ru.

 BloombergThis is not typical of the news usually heard emanating from city hall.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Opinion

This is not typical of the news usually heard emanating from city hall.

Thanks to a spate of unanticipated good luck, the city is facing a wave of unanticipated, but positive, fiscal developments.

The citys operations budget has accumulated a surplus of more than$14 million. In part, this is a result of lower debt servicing and costs associated with police salaries.

The good news continues with Winnipeg Transit, where higher-than-expected ridership helped create a nearly $13-million surplus.

And then there is the Waverley underpass. The project is $58 million under budget because of design changes that removed unneeded, costly features.

The surpluses are not unprecedented; it is often difficult to anticipate how much snow will fall or how many times city services will be used. However, it is somewhat unusual to have so much good news in one calendar year.

What is the net impact of all this found money on the average citizen of Winnipeg? The operations surplus is expected to be squirrelled away in a reserve account to help cover future unanticipated costs, such as the cleanup after a massive snowstorm. The underpass savings, while good news, is really just money the city wont have to spend.

The Winnipeg Transit surplus, on the other hand, is an intriguing commodity that could have a big impact on the future of the citys beleaguered public-transportation system.

To say that this was unexpected doesnt quite capture the level of astonishment at city hall.

For most of the past year, Transit was under siege. From the provinces decision to cut the annual operating grant  which triggered a council decision to significantly hike fares  to increasingly violent episodes on city buses and Peggo cards erroneously giving free rides, it was a tough year.

The city had forecast a significant decline in ridership, based on a combination of higher fares and lower gasoline prices that lure more people into their cars. Certainly, in most other cities in North America, ridership goes down when the two forces collide.

But not in Winnipeg.

Here, ridership did not increase significantly, but it didnt decrease either. As a result, the city collected millions more in fares than it anticipated. That leaves the city with a significant sum of money and no clear place to spend it.

Bowman and some councillors have pledged to use it and other resources to make significant  but to date, unspecified  improvements to the transit system. A deep study of the systems current and future states is expected later this year.

It deserves to be noted that all of the things that Winnipeg Transit really needs cost much more than $13 million. Electrification of the bus fleet, a long-term dream shared by the mayor and many councillors, may cost as much as $500 million.

Its also important to note that this is a one-time windfall. The city must be cautious about spending it on improvements that result in recurring costs.

The surplus has already convinced council to cancel a proposed fare hike scheduled for this year. That is a good decision that may convince Winnipeggers to continue taking the bus.

However, the city must also seriously consider improvements to service, either through modernizing its fleet or increasing the number of buses on the busiest routes during peak traffic periods.

The greatest frustrations for hardcore riders are the delays caused by overcrowded buses that arrive at their stops on schedule, but because they are jammed to the rafters, theres no room for anyone else, forcing people outside to wait until the next bus comes along.

Adding buses and drivers would, ultimately, create recurring costs. But after a year in which Winnipeggers bucked the continental trend and demonstrated remarkable loyalty to their transit system, city council needs to come up with an appropriate reward  like improved service.

Creating recurring costs that are not covered by future revenues is not the only downside here.

There is some political peril attached to the surplus, depending on how it is used.

First, the money has arrived at the same time as the city is sparring with Premier Brian Pallister over provincial grants. Last year, Pallister cut provincial support for transit and there is always a possibility he will look at the surplus as an opportunity to further reduce grants.

At the very least, the citys inability to accurately forecast ridership will no doubt frustrate provincial officials, particularly after a year in which Bowman loudly and regularly chastised the Progressive Conservative government for cutting support for Winnipeg Transit.

The more costly measures necessary to fully modernize Winnipeg Transit  such as more rapid-transit routes and electric buses  will require significant provincial support. Ironically, this surplus does not encourage the province to engage in discussions around those upgrades.

The surplus also arrives at an awkward time in the evolution of negotiations with the Amalgamated Transit Union representing drivers, whose current contract expires this week.

The union has made safety its No. 1 issue in bargaining. Transit and the union have already jointly asked the city to install safety shields on all its buses and a civic committee has approved the request; the issue will move on to city council.

But the ATU has long argued that Winnipeg drivers are significantly underpaid when compared to other urban transit employees in Canada, and they may press for a higher-than-planned wage hike now that it appears the system is awash in unanticipated revenue.

The found money is a great opportunity to build a transit system that is safer and more sustainable. Council will need to be very deliberate about how and where it spends the money.

Otherwise, the surplus will go very quickly from promising windfall to missed opportunity.

dan.lett@freepress.mb.caA Ste. Anne-area mother is calling for the province to buckle down and put seatbelts in school buses in Manitoba.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Ste. Anne-area mother is calling for the province to buckle down and put seatbelts in school buses in Manitoba.

Petra McGowan, who lives a few kilometres outside of Ste. Anne, said she's been concerned for some time about the lack of seat restraints on school buses but her worries intensified in the fall when her six-year-old daughter, Emerson, began school, so she's taking action.

A group called Manitoba Parents for Mandatory Seatbelts is calling for the province to retrofit all existing school buses with three-point restraints. (Ken Gigliotti / Free Press files)

"I've been doing more research and I've seen tons of simulations that have been done with (crash-test) dummies and it's absolutely terrifying to see kids flying around inside a school bus like a tossed salad," she said.

McGowan and about 40 other concerned Manitoba parents have formed a group called Manitoba Parents for Mandatory Seatbelts, which is calling for the province to retrofit all existing school buses with three-point restraints.

"It's a very important issue, especially for rural families whose children are on school buses and on highways for hours each day," she said. "So I just went ahead and started and I'm hoping to create a grassroots movement that is going to force our legislators to look at it.

"Ultimately, I think it's about bringing an awareness to this issue. As more and more parents become aware of it, then they can help us by sending letters to the provincial minister, to their school boards and put pressure on superintendents, who can put pressure on the provincial government."

McGowan, who runs her own business, said she drives her daughter to school whenever she can but there are some days Emerson is on the bus for 90 minutes.

"One parent told me her little son went on the bus at age five for the first time and he was distraught because he didn't have a seat belt and he was taught that buckling up is very important," she said.

McGowan said she contacted the local Seine River School Division and was told it follows the province's directives on the issue.

Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler's office issued a statement Wednesday morning confirming contact from McGowan's group but didn't say if Schuler would support revisiting the issue.

"The Ministers office did receive correspondence from the individual in question very recently, and will be responding in short order. The federal government is reviewing this matter and we await their findings," the statement read.

The group, which has a Facebook page, has received support from CAA Manitoba, which said in an emailed statement that it will "support any changes through our communications with our members and the public."

"CAA encourages the appropriate authorities to address the issue of whether seatbelts on school buses should be made mandatory," communications consultant Erika Miller wrote.

"As a leader in road safety issues and owner of the CAA School Safety Patrol program, CAA trains the program based on standards as set by government authorities. We are reviewing the issue and will work with the appropriate authorities as this matter gets addressed."

McGowan said she is hoping that a private member's bill on the issue in Ontario, introduced by former premier Kathleen Wynne, will encourage other provinces to follow.

Wynne's bill, which passed a second reading last month, calls for three-point seat belts in all new school buses by 2020 and retrofits for all existing school buses by 2025.

McGowan pointed to an investigative report aired last fall by CBC's Fifth Estate that found safety data showing children are at greater risk of injury in bus crashes without seatbelt protection.

"I started looking into the Transport Canada study (from 1984) that they (government) used to justify the lack of seat belts and as soon as I read it, it made zero sense to me," she said, noting the study addressed front and rear collisions.

"It avoided side and rollover collisions which are traditionally the most lethal. In the fall, I saw the Fifth Estate investigation, which literally destroyed the whole (Transport Canada) study... (It showed) even the compartmental design that they tout doesn't seem to be protecting all children at all times during the front and rear collisions," she said, referring to the high-backed, padded seats which are said to be designed to absorb the impact of front and rear collisions.

A national petition on charge.org started by a B.C. bus driver, currently has 46,652 signatures. McGowan said she is in the process of starting a petition in Manitoba.

The education minister's office said department statistics indicate some 66,000 students in Manitoba are transported to and from school on buses every day.

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.caOTTAWA  A Winnipeg rail worker was ejected nearly four metres from a truck-mounted crane, in part because nobody bothered to inspect the operators seatbelt, the federal transport-safety watchdog determined.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 8/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

OTTAWA  A Winnipeg rail worker was ejected nearly four metres from a truck-mounted crane, in part because nobody bothered to inspect the operators seatbelt, the federal transport-safety watchdog determined.

"The operator was thrown from the basket onto the track, about 12 feet below, sustaining serious injuries," states a report the Transportation Safety Board made public Tuesday.

The TSB, an independent agency that probes safety practices but doesnt ascribe fault, has concluded its investigation into a Sept. 2, 2017 incident that occurred on the east side of Brandon.

The worker was sitting in the metal basket attached to a crane he was operating, which was mounted onto a railroad truck. When he used the crane to magnetically grab a heavy amount of metal plates, the welded part of the cranes base snapped under pressure, ejecting the worker, whose seatbelt lacked a buckle and whose chair wasnt locked into the basket.

CP updated its safety protocols after the 2017 incident, and the TSB did not suggest any further changes in its Tuesday report, which cited numerous issues.

The crane operator had wrapped a seatbelt around his hips and thighs, but the TSB said that was pointless because there was no buckle.

"Dust or dirt was present on the seatbelt assembly, suggesting that the buckle had been missing for some time," the report reads.

In any case, TSB noted the seat wasnt secured to its basket.

Dylan Robertson / Winnipeg Free Press The base of this crane, which was attached to a railbed truck, snapped when carrying a heavy load in Brandon, Man. on Sept. 2, 2017, injuring one worker.

"The seat-locking mechanism had missing parts, was inoperative, and was covered in dirt, suggesting that the locking mechanism had been inoperative for some time."

Had the lock mechanism worked without the seatbelt, the worker likely would have been pushed in toward the control panel "which would have also likely caused serious injuries."

The TSB said part of the problem was that neither CP workers nor its contracted Winnipeg firm, Axis Inspection Group Ltd., had examined the basket, as both deemed it to not be part of the crane. Axis did not respond to a Tuesday request for comment.

The safety watchdog also said the trucks collision with a train two years prior may have contributed to issues with the crane.

In March 18, 2015, a crew had left the railbed crane-truck parked on the rails overnight near Menteith, 60 kilometres southwest of Brandon. Around 4 a.m., a westbound train came up to a switch that was lined perpendicular to the train tracks; the train wasnt able to stop and ended up hitting the crane truck at about 22.5 kilometres per hour.

The truck and crane required repairs, and CP Rail recertified both in June 2015, returning them to service.

The TSB said the base of the crane was likely worn down from rubbing, with pressure and heat weakening the welded sides.

Teamsters spokesman Christopher Monette said the worker involved has made a full recovery and is back on the job. He said local union officials had described the incident as "a freak accident" but that they would review the TSB report and raise any concerns with CP.

The TSB said CP inspected all its 635 boom cranes "immediately following the occurrence" and updated its inspections procedures to include the operators seat in daily and annual inspections, as well as cracks and corrosion in quarterly examinations.

"CP has received and reviewed the TSB report on this incident. The report makes no specific recommendations to CP requiring action," wrote spokeswoman Salem Woodrow.

dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.caThe family of an 81-year-old Winnipeg man suspected of having cancer is frustrated that he has waited close to four months for a biopsy with no appointment in sight.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 8/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The family of an 81-year-old Winnipeg man suspected of having cancer is frustrated that he has waited close to four months for a biopsy with no appointment in sight.

George Myer received a CT scan and MRI in mid-September that showed a growth on the upper lobe of his right lung.

His daughter, Kathryn Braun, said he was determined to fight the disease, but in recent days that positive outlook has given way to despondency and exasperation.

George Myer received a CT scan and MRI in mid-September that showed a growth on the upper lobe of his right lung, but still doesn't have an appointment for a biopsy. (Supplied)

"He is feeling dejected now and frustrated. He thinks that he's being forgotten about and ignored," Braun said. "As a family, we're very upset."

The family has enlisted the help of Liberal MLA Jon Gerrard to bring his situation to light.

At a news conference Tuesday, Gerrard, a former practising physician, said a biopsy is critical to the development of a treatment plan for Myer. He said the procedure should have been done within a few weeks, or at most a month, of the diagnostic tests.

"On the basis of the imaging tests, the diagnosis of almost-certain cancer has been made," Gerrard said. "But there has not been a tissue diagnosis because there's not a biopsy. That tissue diagnosis is absolutely critical for developing a care plan."

Myer, a diabetic for more than 40 years who had successful surgery Oct. 30 to improve blood flow in one of his legs, was taken to the Seven Oaks Hospital emergency department in a weakened state and in considerable pain on Christmas Day. He waited on a stretcher in the ER for close to 60 hours before he was admitted, his daughter said, adding he remains in hospital.

Braun, a nurse practitioner, said she was unimpressed with the care he received in the Seven Oaks ER, which is slated to to be converted to an urgent-care centre in September as part of the provincial government's hospital reorganization plan.

"He wasn't getting the care that he should be getting," she said. "He has bed sores and he wasn't being repositioned. He was unable to move very well on that stretcher by himself. He had missed medications while he was in there. He wasn't getting adequate pain control while he was in there. He wasn't checked on hourly, which is a standard for nursing care."

A spokesman for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority said the organization is restricted in what it can say about the situation because of privacy legislation. He said the WRHA empathizes with Myer and his family.

George Myer was taken to the Seven Oaks Hospital emergency department on Christmas Day. He waited on a stretcher in the ER for close to 60 hours before he was admitted and remains in hospital. (Supplied)

"Seven Oaks Hospital has previously been in contact with Mr. Myer and his family to review the timelines and care while in the Emergency Department at Seven Oaks Hospital," Scott K. Sime, the WRHA's director of communications, media, public and government affairs, said in an email.

"In addition, we are currently making arrangements to meet with Mr. Myer and the family to review his entire care situation  which includes the time preceding his current hospital stay."

Health Minister Cameron Friesen weighed in with a statement.

"My thoughts are with the family during this difficult time. While (the Personal Health Information Act) prevents me from being able to discuss specifics relating to Mr. Myer, I have been assured the WRHA has made contact with the family and will continue to meet to ensure issues are addressed and Mr. Myer receives the appropriate care he needs."

Braun said her father suffered a fall at home in September that prompted the tests that led to the suspicion of cancer. A lesion was found on Myer's brain, and a later image of his torso revealed the one on his lung.

Gerrard expressed concern that the long wait for a biopsy and the elderly man's treatment in the Seven Oaks ER are the result of the hospital reorganization initiatives.

"There have been changes to the health-care system which, I think, are quite problematic and are contributing to this," he said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.caA daycare expansion at the University of Manitoba gives priority to Indigenous undergraduate students who need the service while they attend classes and nearly doubles the child-care capacity at the Fort Garry campus.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A daycare expansion at the University of Manitoba gives priority to Indigenous undergraduate students who need the service while they attend classes and nearly doubles the child-care capacity at the Fort Garry campus.

So it was no surprise to see the university celebrate the grand opening Tuesday with a host of senior academic officials and two local Conservative MLAs  all in their sock feet in the new mini-gym for a series of speeches and to admire the new space.

The $3.3-million expansion includes a 7,750-square-foot addition to the existing centre on Dysart Road. The project broke ground in 2017, in response to a university report four years earlier that called for enhanced daycare services.

Fifty-four new spaces were added to the existing daycare centre that previously had a capacity of 64 children. (Twenty other spaces from elsewhere on campus were also folded into the centre.)

The daycare centre accepts children from the age of three months to six years old. There are 17 spots set aside for the children of Indigenous undergraduate students  and they will be given priority on the waiting list, which now runs to 800 names of students, staff and faculty.

Funding will also support the centre in its efforts to weave traditional Indigenous teachings into the daycares curriculum  an effort to prepare the next generation to continue the process of reconciliation, a focus that is part of the universitys core values.

All 138 spots are currently filled.

"It makes a huge difference as we take the next step in reconciliation and make sure our children are aware of things that happened in the past," said Ashley Davidson, chairwoman of the board for the childrens centre and a U of M employee.

"Thinking about when I was in school, I didnt learn about that in my education, so its especially important for me that our children are aware of these things," said the Metis mother, whose son, Renly, 3, attends the daycare.

Shawna Pfeffers 13-month-old daughter, Romi, was one of the first babies to get one of the new spots.

"Its fantastic. My husband and I both work on campus and being close by is invaluable. We are only minutes away, if needed. The space is beautiful and the staff are second to none," Pfeffer said.

The University of Manitoba Students Union supplied $2.4 million for the project and the U of M Graduate Students Association provided $300,000. The province kicked in $600,000.

The new daycare space is part of the universitys $500-million, multi-year capital campaign fundraising effort.

"From the beginning of our Front and Centre Campaign, scholarships, updated classrooms and spaces and innovative learning experiences are always top of mind, but child care has been as well," university president David Barnard said.

"Im thrilled this day has arrived and we are celebrating the expansion of our child-care centre. This is a huge day for the centre and for this university," agreed Susan Gottheil, the university vice-provost for students.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.caBrayton School is central to a number of the school district's food programs that rely on federal funds to operate.

Federal Shutdown May Pinch North Adams School Lunch Program

NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  The School Department believes it can operate its nutritional programs through February and into March but anything past that will be affected by how long the federal government is shut down.

"At the moment it is not at red alert status but the longer the shutdown continues the more likely we will have to have a consideration as to how we can maintain those programs," Superintendent of Schools Barbara Malkas informed the School Committee on Tuesday.

The city could have to tap into reserves until federal reimbursements arrive at some point.

The School Department's food services rely on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund 97 percent of all of its food programs. Those funds are reimbursed on a monthly basis.

The North Adams Public Schools also receive funding for its special education and reading programs through the U.S. Department of Education.

Malkas said the city's special education and Title I funds are "forward funded" and were received by the state last summer for fiscal 2019.

"The longer the shutdown goes on there are potentials for impact mainly because 90 percent of the federal Department of Education, nearly 4,000 employees, have been furloughed during the first week of the shutdown," she said. "So there's only 6 percent of the department staff available on any given time and they are the ones responsible for other programs and developing any changes with regards as to how funds can be used."

So while the state has the funds to disburse, the lack of manpower could delay the actual use of entitlement funds, she said, which are critical because they pay for 32.5 full-time equivalent positions in the school district.

Of more immediate concern, though, is the status of the food program. The school district has been offering free breakfast and lunches to all of its 1,400 students since 2015 through the federal Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010

Malkas said she was informed in a Dec. 26 email from the state Office for Food and Nutrition Programs that Massachusetts had received its funding through January. Any deliveries through USDA will continue through February for items already purchased.

The public schools participate in five programs:

National School Lunch Program

National School Breakfast Program

School Milk Program

Child and Adult Care Food Program

Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program (which is guaranteed through February)

The USDA also funds the department's after-school snack program and summer school food program, which serves up to 4,000 meals during its six-week run. The School Department also offers a supper program geared to at-risk youth but open to all students under age 18.

Sixty percent or more of children within the city are eligible for free or reduced lunch; that high poverty rate was a qualifier for the public schools to enter into the subsidized full lunch and breakfast program. The programs ensure that children get at least two meals a day and, for some, a supper as well at Brayton School with their parents. School Committee member Tara Jacobs noted that the program is a critical resource for some families.

Malkas read a letter from Food Service District Director Corbett Nicholas in which he stated he could not determine at this point when the shutdown would affect them, noting that the federal funding runs through the state and reimbursements have sometimes lagged by two months.

The USDA allows departments to save no more than three months of operating expenses, he wrote.

"However, because this happens to be a year NAPS has taken on other programs and therefore additional monthly operating expenses, we do not have three months of current operating expenses saved," he stated. "If this shutdown is extended into March, I would say NAPS food services may have a difficult time paying the bills and may need to rely on school funds to get through until reimbursement is received."A council committee unanimously supported a proposal Wednesday to consider mandatory registration of bikes at the point of sale.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A council committee unanimously supported a proposal Wednesday to consider mandatory registration of bikes at the point of sale.

Councillors on the protection, community services and parks committee directed the administration to examine the idea, which was first raised in December by Coun. Ross Eadie.

Point Douglas activist Sel Burrows spoke to the committee Wednesday morning, encouraging councillors to support the plan and wanted the registration system in place by the spring, but thats not going to happen. The administration said the earliest a report could be completed for the committee is May. It would go to council in June.

"The big concern for us is going to be the consultation," Cindy Fernandes, the citys community services director, whose department will be responsible for the report, told reporters following the meeting.

"There are a large number of stakeholders  the public, the retailers, the Winnipeg Police Service. If the intent is were going to reduce the number of thefts, will this actually help in that way? Wed actually like to make a determination or recommendation as whether this will help resolve that issue."

Eadie and Burrows raised the issue in mid-December, saying bike theft is fuelling the meth crisis. Police acknowledge an increase in stolen bikes, which are taken to chop shops, where they are exchanged for hits of meth.

The city maintains a voluntary bike registry, which went online in April. Fernandes said there are about 10,000 bikes on it now but, thats believed to be a fraction of the number of bikes across the city.

There is a cost of $6.60 to input data on the citys online bike registry. Several bikes can be registered per household and three photos of each bike can be posted, as well. If recovered by police, the stolen bikes will be returned without additional charge. Registration can be done at: www.winnipeg.ca/bikeregistry

The city says upwards of 3,000 bikes are stolen every year. While police recover about 1,000 of them, fewer than 100 of them are traced back to their owners and returned.

Burrows and Eadie said the idea originated with a police sergeant, who thought a mandatory registry could deter thieves.

Burrows said when police see someone pulling two or three bikes down the street, they might suspect they are stolen, but since most arent registered there is nothing they can do. He and Eadie believe that requiring retailers to register bikes when they are sold will put a dent in the number of thefts and the citys meth problems.

Fernandes said her staff will conduct a cross-jurisdictional review to determine what other cities are doing with registration, as well as talking to retailers and specialty bike stores.

Fernandes told councillors she wants to be sure her department can devise a system that meets their expectations.

Regardless of the municipal review, Eadie said Winnipegs public service shouldnt be afraid to break new ground.

"Theres no problem with the City of Winnipeg being at the leading edge of this," he said. "If it doesnt exist in the rest of Canada, I dont care."

The proposal would see retailers who sell bikes brought under the jurisdiction of the Doing Business in Winnipeg bylaw, which currently regulates pawn shops and used-goods retailers, gold dealers and massage parlours.

While a final report will be brought to the committee in May, Fernandes was instructed to present a verbal status report for the committees April meeting.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.caWASHINGTON - President Donald Trump took his case for a wall along the southern U.S. border directly to the American people Tuesday, using the first televised Oval Office address of his presidency to justify an 18-day government shutdown that observers say is beginning to manifest itself along the country's northern boundary with Canada.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 8/1/2019 (889 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

President Donald Trump speaks from the Oval Office of the White House as he gives a prime-time address about border security Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2018, in Washington. (Carlos Barria/Pool Photo via AP)

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump took his case for a wall along the southern U.S. border directly to the American people Tuesday, using the first televised Oval Office address of his presidency to justify an 18-day government shutdown that observers say is beginning to manifest itself along the country's northern boundary with Canada.

Moments after Trump's televised address, his political nemeses in Congress, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer, were fast on his heels, debunking his argument as "an appeal to fear, not facts"  with hundreds of thousands of furloughed and unpaid American government workers caught squarely in the crossfire.

Trump called the situation at the U.S.-Mexico border a "humanitarian and security crisis," as well as a "crisis of the heart" and a "crisis of the soul." He rattled off a list of heinous, high-profile crimes committed on U.S. soil, ostensibly by illegal immigrants. He even likened his wall concept to prominent political figures  an apparent reference to former president Barack Obama  securing their homes behind security fencing.

"Some have suggested a barrier is immoral," Trump said.

"Then why do wealthy politicians build walls and fences and gates around their homes? They don't build walls because they hate the people on the outside, but because they love the people on the inside."

One thing the president did not do was declare a national emergency, as some observers had expected him to do in an effort to do an end-run around a Democrat-led Congress that has so far steadfastly refused demands for $5.7 billion in funding. However, media reports Tuesday suggest such a declaration could indeed be just days away.

Despite having declared last month that he would take the blame for the shutdown in the name of border security, Trump instead laid it squarely at the feet of his political opponents: "The federal government remains shut down for one reason, and one reason only  because Democrats will not fund border security."

Pelosi and Schumer, who were granted equal airtime in order to rebut Trump's address, were having none of it.

"We don't govern by temper tantrum," Schumer said. "No president should pound the table and demand he gets his way or else the government shuts down, hurting millions of Americans who are treated as leverage.

"Tonight, and throughout this debate and throughout his presidency, President Trump has appealed to fear, not facts; division, not unity."

Trump's long-promised wall  he conceded Tuesday he'd settle for a steel barrier instead of a concrete one  is at the core of an ideological clash that triggered the Dec. 22 shutdown and forced some 380,000 government employees to stay home on unpaid leave. Another 450,000 essential workers, including Customs and Border Protection officials, are working without pay.

The impact in Canada has been minimal, but that could change if it drags on much longer.

The Nexus cross-border preclearance program, which is not considered an essential service by the U.S. government, has already been affected. New applications are not being accepted, many on-site offices are closed and interviews with applicants, which are typically conducted in tandem by Canadian and American officials, are being postponed or cancelled.

And if the shutdown persists, it's likely that unpaid CBP officials will soon start defying their government and staying home  even if they are sympathetic to the president's cause, said Len Saunders, a Canadian immigration lawyer who's based in Blaine, Wash., near the Canada-U.S. crossing.

Saunders, who routinely chats up border officials, said the shutdown began just after they received their last paycheques, helping to soften the blow. But with the shutdown now nearly 18 days old, that financial cushion is likely gone.

"Over the next week, I think that's when you're going to see a lot of resentment at the border," Saunders said. "I think what you're going to see is officers saying, 'If I'm not getting paid, why should I come to work?' You're going to see a gradual slowdown in the number of officers.

"But you have to remember  99 per cent of the CBP officers, they're Republican. Most of them are very, very conservative and definitely support Trump."

That fact wasn't lost on the president in Tuesday's speech.

"This barrier is absolutely critical to border security," he said. "It's also what our professionals at the border want and need."

In the U.S., the Transportation Security Administration has acknowledged a spike in sick calls from airport security screeners, another group of essential employees who are working without pay. But the impact to date has been minimal and the wait times remain within the agency's standards, the TSA said in a statement earlier this week.

That, too, could soon change. One of the unions that represents screeners told Politico that a number of its shutdown-stricken members have already quit in search of other work, and more are contemplating whether to do so if they don't get paid at the end of the week.

At Canada's busiest airports in Toronto and Vancouver, where U.S. officers perform border-protection duties, wait times remain normal. Toronto's Pearson International Airport did experience delays last week, but it's impossible to say whether it was related to the shutdown, said Maria Ganogiannis, a spokeswoman for the Greater Toronto Airport Authority.

"Our holiday season is Dec. 16 to Jan. 6, and it's possible that the higher passenger volume contributed to longer wait times during this period," Ganogiannis said in an email.

"Wait times for passengers to the U.S. vary daily, based on the staffing that U.S. CBP puts in place and the volume of passengers travelling. Other than providing the infrastructure that our partner agencies use, the GTAA does not have a role in how quickly passengers clear customs and security."

Customs and Border Protection did not respond to media inquiries Tuesday. A number of staff in the agency's media-relations department have been furloughed.

"The longer this takes, the more animosity you're going to see at the border," Saunders said. "Right now, it's not a big issue, but it could be."KAMLOOPS, B.C. - Indigenous people voiced their anger and frustration with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday at a chaotic town hall in Kamloops, B.C., loudly interrupting him to condemn the arrests of protesters at a pipeline blockade.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a Liberal fundraising event at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario, on Wednesday Dec.19, 2018. Trudeau is hitting British Columbia today as part of an outreach tour. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Lars Hagberg

KAMLOOPS, B.C. - Indigenous people voiced their anger and frustration with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday at a chaotic town hall in Kamloops, B.C., loudly interrupting him to condemn the arrests of protesters at a pipeline blockade.

While Trudeau was answering a question on accountability for the oil and gas industry, a man who identified himself as Will George stood up and began to yell that the prime minister had lied about wanting reconciliation with First Nations.

"You're getting people arrested," George said. "You're a liar and a weak leader. What do you tell your children?"

Trudeau calmly asked George, several times, to sit down and allow him to finish answering the question. After several minutes, the man apologized and sat down, to applause from the crowd.

RCMP arrested 14 people Monday at a pipeline blockade in northwestern B.C., sparking protests across the country. Demonstrators on both sides of the pipeline debate appeared at Trudeau's events in Kamloops on Wednesday.

Trudeau fielded a variety of questions at the town hall, but his fiery exchanges with Indigenous people dominated the event. When he called on a First Nations woman in the crowd, she asked him what he would do to stop oppressing her people.

"When are you going to give us our rights back?" she asked, to cheers and applause.

The prime minister replied that Canada has a "long and terrible history" with regards to First Nations, but his government is working toward reconciliation and met with Indigenous leaders to discuss self-governance on Tuesday.

"It will take time to improve (the relationship), but we are making significant progress," he said.

Audience members react as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a town hall Q&A at Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C. on Wednesday Jan. 9, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Kim Anderson

"You are afraid to lose everything you benefit from our oppression and our suffering. You are afraid to lose your comfort," the woman yelled.

"No, I'm not," Trudeau replied. "I am ready to walk in partnership with you and building the future and that is what we've been doing ... I understand the anger and the passion that you have about protecting your land."

After a lengthy exchange in which the woman continued to press him on how he allowed the arrests to happen, Trudeau said it was possible the woman was "not listening" to him and he tried to move on. Members of the crowd continued to occasionally yell, with one crying out, "Shame on you!"

Later, a man who identified himself as Arnie Jack from the Shuswap Nation said Canada does not have a deed to its territory and has no right to build the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion through its lands.

Jack described the arrests in northern B.C. as a "national disgrace."

"Do you have a deed to Shuswap territory? Have you brought one here tonight to impose your jurisdiction on us?" Jack asked.

"No, I did not," Trudeau said, adding that having a "deed" is an old way of doing things and instead he wants to move forward in partnership with Indigenous Peoples.

Several audience members raised concerns about climate change, including a 65-year-old woman concerned about her grandson's future. She said she had spoken with environmentalist David Suzuki, who was critical of the Liberal government's handling of the climate.

"There is no question we're in a time of difficult change," Trudeau replied, but he added that his government is moving forward with a price on carbon and there are tremendous causes for optimism, and that's where he disagrees with Suzuki.

"I'm just a little more optimistic than he is," Trudeau said.

Speaking to supporters at an earlier Kamloops event, Trudeau touted the benefits of the $40-billion liquefied natural gas project at the centre of the impasse with First Nations.

In a campaign-style speech at the Liberal fundraiser, Trudeau did not address Monday's arrests at a protest against construction of a natural gas pipeline by Coastal GasLink, which is a key part of the LNG Canada project. He instead heralded the massive project as one of his government's top achievements.

"We moved forward on the LNG Canada project, which is the largest private sector investment in Canada's history, $40 billion, which is going to produce Canadian LNG that will supplant coal in Asia as a power source and do much for the environment," he said.

The RCMP enforced a B.C. Supreme Court injunction on Monday that ordered the removal of any obstructions to the pipeline project in and around the Morice River Bridge on a remote forest service road southwest of Houston.

The pipeline company says it has signed agreements with all First Nations along the route but demonstrators say Wet'suwet'en house chiefs, who are hereditary rather than elected, have not given their consent.

Trudeau also told Radio NL that "we're going to have to do a better job" of dealing with First Nations rights and title.

"There's still work to be done right across the country in terms of having the opportunity for Indigenous communities to strengthen their governance models," he said.

Dozens of protesters on both sides of the debate gathered outside the hotel where the fundraiser was held.

Demonstrators wearing yellow vests carried signs that read "Carbon Tax Cash Grab" and "Trudeau for Treason" while taking part in a chant opposing a United Nations pact on migration signed by Canada. Conservative critics argue it threatens Canada's sovereignty.

Keith LaRiviere, who is Cree and participated in the yellow-vest protest, said he knows some of the people involved in the pipeline blockade.

He said he supports their right to protest but he believes those building the pipeline also have the right to do their work.

"I go to sweat lodges with some of those people so I really know them intimately, and I do support their cause. I do support their right to their land. I don't support the aggressive way they were forced out of their position," said LaRiviere.

On the other side of the hotel parking lot, a group of Indigenous protesters opposed to the pipeline sang, drummed and held a banner reading "PM Trudeau: Canada needs climate action now."OTTAWA - Dozens of pipeline protesters delayed an appearance by the prime minister in Ottawa on Tuesday afternoon, drumming and chanting in a government building where Justin Trudeau was set to speak.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 8/1/2019 (889 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NDP MP Romeo Saganash asks a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Friday, March 13, 2015. Saganash, the federal NDP's reconciliation critic, says the justification used for the RCMP's intervention of a blockade in northern British Columbia is "pretty lame" in the era of reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick

OTTAWA - Dozens of pipeline protesters delayed an appearance by the prime minister in Ottawa on Tuesday afternoon, drumming and chanting in a government building where Justin Trudeau was set to speak.

Police kept the prime minister and Indigenous Services Minister Jane Philpott, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Carolyn Bennett and Environment Minister Catherine McKenna out of a Sussex Drive building in Ottawa where Trudeau was to address a forum bringing together federal officials and representatives from self-governing First Nations that have modern treaties with the Crown.

The protesters expressed anger about the RCMP's intervention in a blockade in northern British Columbia, enforcing an injunction from the B.C. Supreme Court. The injunction is to remove anyone who interferes with a Coastal GasLink pipeline project in and around the Morice River Bridge.

Members of the Gidimt'en clan of the Wet'suwet'en First Nation have set up a camp and a checkpoint southwest of Houston, B.C., on a forest-service road that leads to a pipeline construction site.

Coastal GasLink says it has signed agreements with all First Nations along the route but demonstrators say Wet'suwet'en house chiefs, who are hereditary rather than elected, have not given consent. The RCMP broke their blockade Monday night, sparking the protests.

Trudeau's address was subsequently moved to another government building close to Parliament Hill later Tuesday.

"In this government, you have a partner willing to figure out the path forward that is right for each of you, and eventually right for every Indigenous person in this country," Trudeau told the Indigenous leaders who'd moved to the new venue with him. "It's not going to be easy. It's not going to be done quickly."

But Trudeau said the leadership exemplified by those gathered at the forum gave him confidence in what can be accomplished in the coming years.

NDP reconciliation critic Romeo Saganash joined demonstrators on Parliament Hill on Tuesday before the group marched through downtown Ottawa streets with signs, including a large red one reading: "RCMP Off Wet'suwet'en Land."

"The justification that was used for this intervention is pretty lame in my view," Saganash told reporters. "We all know in 2019 that the Wet'suwet'en have title and rights to their territory."

He also said he is "pretty disappointed" by the silence of many politicians, including his own colleagues, both provincially and federally.

Saganash said did not hear back from the provincial and federal Indigenous-affairs ministers he asked to help alleviate tension in northern B.C. prior to the arrests by the Mounties.

The federal government has a responsibility to Indigenous Peoples in Canada, Saganash added.

"We are bound by the rule of law in this country," he said. "What the rule of law means is not sending in the police. The rule of law means is respecting the Constitution and in that Constitution is Section 35, Aboriginal rights and treaty rights."

Tarek Hassan of Ottawa said he closed his food business on Tuesday to participate in the demonstration.

"The RCMP's actions yesterday crossed a serious line," Hassan said. "All Canadians should be saying something, should be doing something, when they see this kind of assault on Indigenous sovereignty."

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale's office repeated its previous remarks on Tuesday, saying the federal government is committed to a renewed relationship with Indigenous peoples based on the recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership.

"The RCMP respects and protects the right to peaceful demonstrations as guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms," it said.

Follow @kkirkup on TwitterOTTAWA - The federal government is to announce up to $90 million in support for Ontario's Algoma Steel on Thursday in a commitment aimed at helping the producer deal with the American tariffs on steel and aluminum, The Canadian Press has learned.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/1/2019 (887 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Coils of steel are seen at the Direct Strip Production Complex at Essar Steel Algoma in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., on March 14, 2018. The federal government will announce up to $90 million in support for Ontario's Algoma Steel on Thursday in an commitment aimed at helping the producer deal with the pain of American tariffs on steel and aluminum, The Canadian Press has learned. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

OTTAWA - The federal government is to announce up to $90 million in support for Ontario's Algoma Steel on Thursday in a commitment aimed at helping the producer deal with the American tariffs on steel and aluminum, The Canadian Press has learned.

Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains will make the announcement at Algoma's plant in Sault Ste. Marie. He'll be joined by Ontario Northern Development Minister Greg Rickford, who's expected to announce a separate provincial investment in the company.

The government support comes as Canadian steel and aluminum producers continue to face punishing levies imposed last June by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Canada has rejected the premise of the American duties  that its metals exports pose a national-security threat to the U.S.  and has been fighting for the removal of the tariffs. Ottawa has implemented tariffs of its own on a long list of U.S. imports in hope of forcing Washington to back down.

The U.S. tariffs, however, remain in place.

The federal Liberals were criticized last fall for signing a new North American trade pact, which includes the U.S., without securing any guarantees from Washington that it would lift the levies.

In making the Algoma funding announcement Thursday, the federal government is expected to say the commitment will maintain and create 3,050 Algoma jobs in Sault Ste. Marie, although it's unclear how many new positions will be added.

The investment will include up to $60 million from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and $30 million from a federal program known as the strategic innovation fund.

The government funding is to help support Algoma in its effort to bring in new technologies, improve productivity and stay competitive on international markets.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday. Morneau has pressed Mnuchin in the past on the tariff issue.

Jeni Armstrong, a spokeswoman for Morneau, said in an email that the minister and secretary met in Washington to discuss "the ongoing need to resolve steel and aluminum tariffs" as well as the cross-border trading relationship. She said Morneau also thanked Mnuchin for the U.S.'s public statements of support on the two Canadians detained on national-security grounds in China.

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau discussed the tariffs in a phone call with Trump, according to a readout of their conversation.

Last June, Ottawa released a financial aid package for industries caught in the crossfire of the tariff dispute.

Ottawa's tariff relief package included up to $2 billion in fresh funding and support for the steel, aluminum and manufacturing sectors and their workers. For companies, Ottawa promised up to $1.7 billion worth of financing and services for steel and aluminum industries through the Business Development Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada.

As part of the tariff relief, Bains announced a commitment last October of up to $49.9 million through the strategic innovation fund for steel producer ArcelorMittal Canada. Bains said the investment would support up to 4,700 jobs in Hamilton, Ont., and 1,700 more in Contrecoeur, Que.CALGARY - A planned move by TransCanada Corp. to change its name to TC Energy will help it attract investors who are "leery" of putting money in anything Canadian given the country's recent difficulty in building energy projects, a U.S.-based financial analyst said Wednesday.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The corporate logo of TransCanada Corp.(TSX:TRP) is shown. TransCanada Corp. is changing its name to TC Energy. The pipeline and utilities company says the change better reflects the scope of its operations across North America. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO

CALGARY - A planned move by TransCanada Corp. to change its name to TC Energy will help it attract investors who are "leery" of putting money in anything Canadian given the country's recent difficulty in building energy projects, a U.S.-based financial analyst said Wednesday.

But the company and a Canadian financial analyst disagreed, saying the name change recognizes that TransCanada has grown outside the country, with moves including its recent US$13-billion purchase of U.S. natural gas transporter Columbia Pipeline Group and a growing list of projects in Mexico.

"While our strategy and priorities remain the same, we believe the new name will help to further unite our employees and will enable us to better connect with our diverse stakeholders," said chief executive Russ Girling in a news release on Wednesday.

"Whether they know us as TC Energy in English, TC Energie in French, or TC Energia in Spanish, the communities where we operate can continue to count on us to follow through on our commitments and live up to our values of safety, integrity, responsibility and collaboration in everything we do."

The name change was announced a day after rallies were staged in cities across Canada in support of northern B.C. Indigenous people who are trying to stop a TransCanada subsidiary from building the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline project through disputed territory.

"Some investors have grown leery of investing in Canada. I think this is a way to de-emphasize Canada, quite frankly," said Jennifer Rowland, a St. Louis-based analyst for Edward Jones, noting delays in building new oil pipelines led to Alberta imposing crude production constraints on its producers.

"Removing Canada from its name is a way to remind investors it's not just a Canadian company, with some of the challenges we're seeing in Canada."

She said the name change recalls the move by Calgary-based EnCana to rebrand itself with a lower-case "C" in 2010, thus de-emphasizing its Canadian roots.

But Calgary-based analyst Matthew Taylor of Tudor Pickering Holt & Co., said he accepts the company's explanation, adding the move has been talked about for some time.

"To suggest one of the biggest corporations in Canada is changing its name to distance itself from Canadian policies? I don't know that I agree with that when a good chunk of their customers are still Canadian and who they interact with are still Canadian," he said.

There's good reason for the company to be proud of its Canadian roots, he added, given its place on stock market indexes of Canadian firms and Canada's reputation versus the United States in Mexico.

TransCanada says it has about 7,000 employees in North America, with 3,500 in Canada, 3,200 in the U.S. and 300 in Mexico.

It said its new name reflects its diverse business interests in pipelines, power generation and energy storage operations in the three countries.

TransCanada vowed to keep headquarters in Calgary and said it plans to continue trading under the symbol TRP on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges if shareholders approve the name change at its next annual meeting.

On its website, TransCanada says it was founded in 1951 to develop the TransCanada Pipeline to bring natural gas from Western Canada to eastern customers. The pipeline is now called the Canadian Mainline.

Follow @HealingSlowly on Twitter.

Companies in this story: (TSX:TRP, TSX:ECA)LONDON - Britain's battle over Brexit turned into political trench warfare between Parliament and the government Wednesday, as Prime Minister Theresa May brought her little-loved EU divorce agreement back to lawmakers who appear determined to thwart her plans.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LONDON - Britain's battle over Brexit turned into political trench warfare between Parliament and the government Wednesday, as Prime Minister Theresa May brought her little-loved EU divorce agreement back to lawmakers who appear determined to thwart her plans.

A month after postponing a vote on the deal to avert near-certain defeat, May urged Parliament to support it to prevent Britain leaving the EU on March 29 with no agreement on exit terms and future relations, an outcome that could cause economic and social upheaval.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for the House of Commons for her weekly Prime Minister's question time, in London, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. The British government was bringing its little-loved Brexit deal back to Parliament on Wednesday, a month after postponing a vote on the agreement to stave off near-certain defeat. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

"The only way to avoid 'no deal' is to vote for the deal," May told lawmakers in the House of Commons on the first of five days of debate ahead of a vote on Tuesday.

May postponed the vote in mid-December when it became clear lawmakers would resoundingly reject the agreement, a compromise deal that has left both pro-European and pro-Brexit politicians unhappy.

Rather than warming to May's deal since then, lawmakers have tried to wrest control of Brexit from the government and put it in the hands of Parliament.

Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May leaves 10 Downing Street for the House of Commons for her weekly Prime Minister's question time, in London, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. The British government was bringing its little-loved Brexit deal back to Parliament on Wednesday, a month after postponing a vote on the agreement to stave off near-certain defeat. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

An alliance of governing Conservative and opposition legislators has dealt May two defeats in as many days  symbolic setbacks that suggest a power shift from the executive to the legislature.

On Wednesday, the House of Commons voted to prevent the government delaying key decisions as Brexit approaches. Lawmakers approved a motion saying that if Parliament rejects May's divorce deal, the government must come up with a "Plan B" within three working days. Lawmakers would have the power to amend that plan.

Pro-EU Conservative lawmaker Dominic Grieve, who proposed the measure, said it was intended to speed up decisions, to help avoid a no-deal Brexit and "the calamitous consequences that would follow on from it."

The government previously had 21 days to report back to Parliament.

In a sign of the anger and division Brexit has sown among lawmakers, the motion prompted bad-tempered scenes in Parliament, as Conservatives accused Speaker John Bercow of contravening parliamentary convention by allowing a vote on the amendment.

Late Tuesday, legislators backed an amendment to the Finance Bill that puts roadblocks in the way of government spending on no-deal Brexit measures. The vote, which saw 20 legislators from May's Conservative Party rebel and side with the opposition, indicates that a majority in Parliament opposes leaving the EU without an agreement and will try to stop it happening.

In this grab taken from video, Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May smiles during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London, Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. The British government brought its little-loved Brexit deal back to Parliament on Wednesday, a month after postponing a vote on the agreement to stave off near-certain defeat. (House of Commons/PA via AP)

May has refused publicly to consider an alternative plan, battling instead to shore up political support for the withdrawal agreement struck between Britain and the EU after months of painstaking negotiations. Last month she promised to seek reassurances from the EU on the most contentious issue, the status of the Northern Ireland-Ireland border. But the bloc refuses to reopen the agreement, and opposition to the negotiated deal remains strong among British lawmakers.

May insisted Wednesday that "further clarification" from the EU was possible, "and those talks will continue over the next few days."

Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the main opposition Labour Party, said that "not one single dot or comma has changed" since December's aborted vote.

"Isn't the prime minister bringing back exactly the same deal she admitted would be defeated four weeks ago?" he asked.

Amid the political stalemate, pro-Brexit members of Parliament are urging the government to ramp up preparations for leaving the EU without a deal. Economists and businesses warn that would cause economic turmoil, as goods moving between Britain and the EU suddenly faced customs checks, tariffs and other barriers.

A majority of members of Parliament oppose a no-deal Brexit, but it remains the default option if May's deal is rejected. And there is no clear majority in Parliament for any single alternate course. Among the competing proposals are postponing Brexit to seek a new deal, calling a general election or holding a second EU membership referendum.

Labour said it would try to trigger an election by calling for a no-confidence vote in the government if May's deal is defeated next week. There's no guarantee Labour could marshal the majority support in Parliament needed to topple the government  and even if it did, a new election would not automatically stop the Brexit countdown clock.

A top European parliamentarian urged British lawmakers to show "responsibility" over the divorce deal.

Manfred Weber, a German conservative who heads the biggest group in the European Parliament, said in Berlin that "our colleagues in Britain's lower house carry great responsibility now  the agreement is on the table."

Weber said a no-deal withdrawal would "lead to very difficult, perhaps even chaotic situations."

Britain's de-facto deputy prime minister, David Lidington, said politicians must abandon "fantasies about magical alternative deals that are somehow going to sort of spring out of a cupboard in Brussels."

He said the choice was between May's deal, no deal or "to reverse the 2016 referendum entirely."

Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed.

Follow Jill Lawless on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless

Follow AP's full coverage of Brexit at: https://www.apnews.com/BrexitFORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The parents of a Florida teenager killed when a Telsa sedan crashed and caught fire last year are suing the electric car company alleging that the battery pack on its electric Model S is defective and can erupt into intense fires.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 8/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE- This Aug. 8, 2018, file photo shows a Tesla emblem on the back end of a Model S in the Tesla showroom in Santa Monica, Calif. The parents of a Florida teenager killed when a Telsa sedan crashed and caught fire last year are suing the electric car company alleging that the battery pack on its electric Model S is defective and can erupt into intense fires. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The parents of a Florida teenager killed when a Telsa sedan crashed and caught fire last year are suing the electric car company alleging that the battery pack on its electric Model S is defective and can erupt into intense fires.

Edgar Monserratt and Esperanza Martinez de Monserratt allege in the lawsuit filed Tuesday in Broward County Circuit Court that the car's battery was inadequately protected, making the whole vehicle defective.

Their son, Edgar Monserratt Martinez, 18, was a front-seat passenger in the May 8, 2018 crash in Fort Lauderdale that also killed the driver, Barrett Riley, also 18. Another teen was thrown from the car and injured.

"The Tesla S sedan had inadequate measures to prevent a post-collision fire and had inadequate measures to contain a fire," said Chicago attorney Philip Corboy Jr., one of the attorneys representing the parents.

Corboy also alleges that Riley's parents had a device installed on the 2014 Tesla that limited its speed to 85 miles per hour after he was ticketed in March for driving 112 mph (180 kph). The device was installed at a Tesla service centre but removed during a subsequent service visit without the parents' knowledge, the lawsuit alleges.

The lawsuit accuses Tesla of negligence and seeks damages of more than $15,000.

According to a preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the crash and others involving Tesla vehicles and fires, the Model S was travelling 116 mph (187 kph) three seconds before it crashed into a wall, and it only slowed to 86 mph (138 kph) as the air bags inflated.

The car missed a curve with a 25 mph (40 kph) speed limit and hit the wall twice, and witnesses reported that it erupted in flames.

"Our thoughts continue to be with the families affected by this tragedy," Palo Alto, California-based Tesla said in a statement. "Unfortunately, no car could have withstood a high-speed crash of this kind."

The company noted that last year it introduced "Speed Limit Mode," which allows Tesla owners to limit their car's speed and acceleration, and dedicated the feature to Barrett Riley.

Witnesses told investigators the Tesla driver went into the left lane to pass another vehicle and lost control while trying to return to the right lane. At the crash site on Seabreeze Boulevard, the road curves to the left, and there's a 25 mph (40 kph) warning sign with a flashing beacon.

The Tesla's lithium-ion battery reignited twice after firefighters extinguished the flames, once as the car was being loaded for removal from the scene and again in a storage yard.

Batteries like those used by Tesla and other electric cars can catch fire and burn rapidly in a crash, although Tesla has maintained its vehicles catch fire far less often than those powered by gasoline.

.YOKOHAMA, Japan - Nissan is showing the beefed up version of its hit Leaf electric car as the Japanese automaker seeks to distance itself from the arrest of its star executive Carlos Ghosn.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 8/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Nissan LEAF e+ is on display at the global headquarters of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. in Yokohama Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. Nissan is showing the beefed up version of its hit Leaf electric car as the Japanese automaker seeks to distance itself from the arrest of its star executive Carlos Ghosn. The event at Nissan Motor Co.'s Yokohama headquarters, southwest of Tokyo, had been postponed when Ghosn was arrested Nov. 19.(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Nissan is showing the beefed up version of its hit Leaf electric car as the Japanese automaker seeks to distance itself from the arrest of its star executive Carlos Ghosn.

The unveiling Wednesday at Nissan Motor Co.'s Yokohama headquarters, southwest of Tokyo, had been postponed when Ghosn was arrested Nov. 19.

Ghosn has been charged with underreporting his income. Tokyo prosecutors have extended his detention through Friday, adding breach of trust allegations.

The Tokyo District Court rejected Wednesday the protest filed by Ghosn's lawyers on his prolonged detention. The lawyers have said they will appeal to a higher court.

Ghosn made his first public appearance since his arrest Tuesday, and denied each allegation in the Tokyo District Court. The Leaf was among the achievements for Nissan that Ghosn highlighted in his statement to the judge.

Nissan LEAF e+ is on display at the global headquarters of Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. in Yokohama Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2019. Nissan is showing the beefed up version of its hit Leaf electric car as the Japanese automaker seeks to distance itself from the arrest of its star executive Carlos Ghosn. The event at Nissan Motor Co.'s Yokohama headquarters, southwest of Tokyo, had been postponed when Ghosn was arrested Nov. 19.(AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)

The new 4.16 million yen ($38,000) Leaf e+ is about the same size as the model on sale, but gets more power and cruise range. The bestselling electric car competes against Tesla models and General Motors' Bolt.

The Leaf that's on sale now costs about 3 million yen ($28,000), according to Nissan.

The Leaf e+ gets faster acceleration and has more torque than the older model and offers 40 per cent more range at 458 kilometres (285 miles) per charge, as measured under Japanese regulations, compared with the old model's 322 kilometres (200 miles).

It goes on sale in Japan later this month, and rolls out in the U.S. in spring 2019, and in Europe by mid-2019, Nissan said in a statement.

Nissan Executive Vice-President Daniele Schillaci said the new model was offering customers more power and range, noting that it was "now more convenient and appealing than ever."

More than 380,000 Nissan Leaf vehicles have been sold globally since its 2010 debut, a tiny fraction of the overall auto market. But many nations such as China are bullish about electric vehicle technology as it allows newcomers in the industry a big chance to succeed.

It is also an ecological technology and can be greatly boosted by government policies.

Although Nissan as a legal entity has also been charged with the underreporting of income, no other executive besides Ghosn and Greg Kelly, an American accused of collaborating on the underreported income, have been arrested.

Kelly is out on bail since last month. He has not been suspected of breach of trust.

Prosecutors say Ghosn, a Brazilian-born Frenchman of Lebanese ancestry, is a flight risk.

Bail is harder to get for breach of trust than falsifying financial reports, according to his lawyers. Prosecutors tend to think the suspect may collude with others or tamper with evidence, they said.

Yuri Kageyama is on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama

On Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/yurikageyama/?hl=enCALGARY - Husky Energy Inc. says it is looking at getting out of retailing fuels to consumers after 80 years in the business.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 8/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Husky Energy logo is shown at the company's annual meeting in Calgary on May 5, 2017. Husky Energy Inc. says it is looking at getting out of retailing transport fuels after 80 years in the business. The Calgary-based oilsands producer says it is launching a strategic review that could result in it selling its Canadian retail and commercial fuels business and its small Prince George, B.C., refinery. It says it prefers to focus on its core assets in northeastern Alberta, Atlantic Canada and the Asia Pacific region, adding the decision is not related to its offer to buy oilsands rival MEG Energy Corp. that expires next week. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

CALGARY - Husky Energy Inc. says it is looking at getting out of retailing fuels to consumers after 80 years in the business.

The Calgary-based oilsands producer says it is launching a strategic review that could result in it selling its Canadian retail and commercial fuels business and its small Prince George, B.C., refinery.

It says it prefers to focus on its integrated corridor of upstream and downstream assets in Alberta, Saskatchewan and the U.S. Midwest as well as offshore businesses in Atlantic Canada and the Asia Pacific region, adding the decision is not related to its offer that expires next week to buy oilsands rival MEG Energy Corp.

Husky has more than 500 service stations, travel centres, cardlock operations and bulk distribution facilities from British Columbia to New Brunswick. Its myHusky Rewards loyalty program has about 1.6 million members.

The 12,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Prince George processes light oil into gasoline, diesel and other products for nearby regions of B.C. It owns two refineries and is half-owner of a third in the United States.

CIBC analyst Jon Morrison said Tuesday that the expected value of these assets is about $835 million.

"We believe the retail network naturally has a couple strategic buyers that should be interested, while the refinery has a smaller list of potential purchasers given the scale, size and location of the facility," he said in an email.

Spokesman Mel Duvall says Husky started selling fuel to consumers in 1938 shortly after the original owner built a small refinery in Cody, Wyo. The refinery was moved to Lloydminster on the Alberta-Saskatchewan border in 1946.

CEO Rob Peabody says in a news release the businesses are "highly marketable" and will attract strong interest and valuations.

TD Securities Inc. is acting as financial adviser, with Torys LLP as legal adviser.

Companies in this story: (TSX:HSE)

See more photos here. Updated Jan. 11 at 10:10 a.m.: Tuesdays fire at 246-248 Houghton St. has been determined accidental, according to State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Fire Chief Stephen A. Meranti. The fire started in the front bedroom in a top floor apartment (the building is on an incline with apartments on the ground, first and second floor). The cause will remain officially undetermined, as investigators cannot eliminate smoking or a space heater as the specific cause. The space heater itself was too badly damaged in the fire to determine if it malfunctioned. The building is considered a total loss. Working smoke alarms first alerted the resident to the fire. He attempted to fight the fire himself, which delayed notification to the Fire Department. He suffered minor injuries. No other residents of the six-unit building were injured. The fire was jointly investigated by the North Adams Fire and Police departments and state police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Dozens of firefighters battled a persistent fire on Tuesday at an apartment building on Houghton Street.

City firefighters were joined by members of the Clarksburg Volunteer and Williamstown fire departments in trying to bring the blaze under control while the Adams Fire Department covered the station with preparations to step in if needed.

It took more than two hours to contain the fire enough for firefighters to attack it from the inside.

"It got a good jump start on us," said Fire Chief Stephen Meranti, pointing to the left side of the building. "This whole side was fully involved and on the third floor, we had fire blowing out all those windows and it extended to the front. ...

"The guys did an excellent job."

The fire chief said the blaze appears to have originated in the second-floor apartment on the left side of the building and extended up into the small, shared attic space, where its spread rapidly.

Firefighters were just entering the building at close to 3:30 p.m. to address the hotspots and begin the investigation.

The call came in at 12:45 p.m. and an all-call was sent out to bring in all shifts to reinforce the five firefighters on duty, then the mutual aid call went out. Houghton Street was blocked from Bracewell Avenue north.

The building at 246-248 Houghton St. sits at the corner of Houghton and Brooklyn streets. It has been owned, through a trust, by the late Charles R. Ransford since 1999.

The structure was known as the Owen Morris House and, according to the city's historical survey, was constructed in 1884, although the city's assessor gives it a date of 1870. It was originally used as a residence and grocery store and built by Morris, who worked at Arnold Print Works. It had four units and a public library branch was located there for about 40 years until closing in 1976.

There are six apartments in the structure now. Meranti said four of the units were occupied at the time of the fire but everyone made it out. According to scanner reports, a family of three and a mother and child were awaiting aid from the Red Cross.

A woman said she'd rushed over when a neighbor had pointed to the smoke pouring out of the building. She was worried about her cousins and their dog, but said they'd been able to flee the building.

Northern Berkshire EMS was on the scene with its rehab trailer. General Manager John Meaney Jr. said there no injuries but several people had been treated for smoke inhalation and referred to the emergency satellite facility.

The hillside structure is three stories on the front and two in the back. Heavy smoke poured into the sky above the building and flames poked through the roof in numerous spots. One firefighter who attempted to gain the second-story deck in the rear was pushed back when flames erupted along the back edge of the building.

The firefighters used a drone operated by department photographer Nicholas Mantello to get a bird's-eye view of the building.

"We could see where the fire was going through the roof, where the heaviest fire was, and direct our lines," Meranti said.

The amount of water being poured on the structure was also affecting households in the area. The city through a Code Red alert advised neighboring areas to Houghton that their water may be brown or low pressure.

He said the main problem was access -- the fire was too heavy for an interior attack or to ventilate the roof and there were power lines on three side of the building, limiting the ladder truck to the Brooklyn Street side.

"The problem was there was so much fire on this side, with the limited manpower that we have, we had to focus completely on this side and we couldn't prevent it from extending to the other side [of the building]," he said. "We really we like to get inside and get the fire from the inside but this one was just too big for us to handle."

It was 3 p.m. before firefighters could get into the building after flooding the roof and directing water into the interior windows.

"We're going to continue pulling ceilings and trying to access the building, we're going to try to get the hotspots and we'll break everything down and investigate it," Meranti said.

He considered the building a total loss and said a fire watch would be at the property through the night.WASHINGTON - The leaders of seven House committees are calling on Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to explain why the United States is easing sanctions on companies linked to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. It's one of the first moves of the new Democratic House to scrutinize President Donald Trump's actions related to Russia.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 8/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FILE- In this Oct. 16, 2018, file photo Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin leads a meeting of the Financial Stability Oversight Council at the Treasury Department in Washington. The heads of seven House committees are calling on Mnuchin to explain why the United States is easing sanctions on companies linked to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

WASHINGTON - The leaders of seven House committees are calling on Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to explain why the United States is easing sanctions on companies linked to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. It's one of the first moves of the new Democratic House to scrutinize President Donald Trump's actions related to Russia.

The Democrats wrote to Mnuchin on Tuesday to ask about a December announcement that the U.S. would lift sanctions on the aluminum manufacturing giant Rusal and two other companies connected to Deripaska. Mnuchin said then that Deripaska would remain blacklisted as part of sanctions that targeted tycoons close to the Kremlin, but that the companies had committed to "significantly diminish Deripaska's ownership and sever his control."

In a letter to Mnuchin, the Democrats say the deal appears to allow Deripaska to keep "significant ownership" of one of the companies.

"As the chairs of committees with oversight jurisdiction over the U.S. response to Russia's attempts to interfere in our elections and other hostile actions, we have a number of concerns about the agreement that the U.S. has reached with Mr. Deripaska," the Democrats wrote.

They asked Mnuchin to delay implementation of the sanctions termination until he has fully briefed members of Congress about "all aspects of the agreement, the sanctions termination, and the impact that these decisions would have on the U.S. effort to end Russia's malign activities aimed at our country."

The Democrats gave Mnuchin until the end of the day Friday to respond.

The Treasury Department said it intends to provide the briefing and will do so as soon as possible.

Congress has 30 days to block the move to terminate the sanctions, but the lawmakers said that review was difficult because of the timing. Treasury announced the move just before the December recess and before the start of the government shutdown.

In addition to Rusal, Treasury officials said, sanctions against EN+ Group, the holding company that owns nearly 50 per cent of Rusal, and Russian power company JSC EuroSibEnergo would also be lifted.

The announcement that the sanctions would be lifted followed a lobbying campaign paid for by the chairman of EN+'s board, Gregory Barker, a conservative member of Britain's House of Lords, to convince the Trump administration to lift the sanctions against the companies.

Barker, a former British energy minister, hired the U.S. firm Mercury LLC in May to support his efforts to negotiate Deripaska's exit from the EN+ board and "the reduction of his ownership interest in the company."

The letter to Mnuchin was signed by House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass.; House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters, D-Calif.; House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel, D-N.Y.; House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings, D-Md.; House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y.; and House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson, D-Miss.RICHMOND, Va. - A state board in Virginia approved a contentious plan Tuesday to build a natural gas pipeline station in a historic African-American community, prompting angry shouts of "shame" from more than 200 opponents.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 8/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Protesters hold signs as they turn their backs on a meeting of the Virginia State Air Quality Control Board in Richmond, Va., Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019. The board is set to vote on a plan to build an Atlantic Coast Pipeline Compressor station in the state. (AP Photo/Steve Helber)

RICHMOND, Va. - A state board in Virginia approved a contentious plan Tuesday to build a natural gas pipeline station in a historic African-American community, prompting angry shouts of "shame" from more than 200 opponents.

The State Air Pollution Control Board voted 4-0 in favour of a key permit for the Atlantic Coast Pipeline, which would run 600 miles (965 kilometres) and carry fracked natural gas from West Virginia into Virginia and North Carolina.

Some opponents of the project hissed, coughed and shouted during the meeting. Fifteen people were removed by state police, and one woman was charged with trespassing after she laid down on the floor and refused to comply with police verbal commands to leave.

The proposed site for the compressor station is in Union Hill, an unincorporated community founded by freed slaves. The community is in rural Buckingham County, about an hour's drive west of Richmond.

Opponents are concerned that exhaust from the 54,000-horsepower compressor station would hurt low-income and elderly residents living nearby. Supporters say it will boost development.

The station would be built on 15 acres (6 hectares) of a 70-acre (28-hectare) site, and the rest of the property left undisturbed, according to Dominion Energy, the pipeline's lead developer. Compressor stations are used to power interstate natural gas pipelines, moving gas through the system.

Paul Wilson, pastor of two Baptist churches near the proposed site, said opponents will keep fighting. He didn't elaborate on whether they would take legal action.

"We're looking at all of our avenues," he said after the vote. "It's a long way from over. I think Dominion wants to wear people down. But that's not going to happen."

Dominion spokesman Karl Neddenien acknowledged in a statement after the vote that it will "have to continue building trust in the community." He said the project's backers are making investments in a new community centre and rescue squad "but it will not end there."

Neddenien said most air emissions at the station will be 50 to 80 per cent lower than at any other compressor station in Virginia.

The air pollution permit has become a flashpoint in the yearslong fight over the pipeline.

Supporters say it's needed to help boost the supply of natural gas. Opponents say it is an unnecessary fossil fuel infrastructure project that tramples on land rights and hurts the environment.

With a current pricetag of $6.5 billion to $7.0 billion, the pipeline has recently suffered significant legal setbacks, including a 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling last month throwing out a permit for the pipeline to cross two national forests, including parts of the Appalachian Trail. Dominion has suspended all project construction and said it plans to appeal the ruling.

John Laury, who lives less than a mile (kilometre) from where the compressor station would be built, said he doesn't believe assurances from Dominion or state regulators that emissions from the station would not hurt residents' health or the environment.

"I challenge them to come live in the community with us, to breathe this air, drink this water," said Laury, 74.

Mike Dowd, the state Department of Environmental Quality's Air Director, said the department reviewed compressor station permits from around the country and scrutinized pollution control technology.

He said the station will "set a new national standard that all future compressor stations will have to meet across the country."

Gov. Ralph Northam angered environmentalists and minority groups when he replaced two members of the pollution control board after it delayed a scheduled vote in November.

Northam, a Democrat, said the move was unrelated to the compressor station vote and that members were replaced because their terms had expired.

Two new members didn't vote Tuesday, nor did a third member who cited a conflict of interest.

Board member William Ferguson said at the hearing that there's a real need for the pipeline, particularly in Virginia's Hampton Roads region.

"The region needs the energy; the state needs the energy," he said.

His comments prompted a woman to shout: "How much is Dominion paying you?"

Some opponents held pieces of paper with a blown-up photo of the governor's face and the words "foul" or "shut it down."

Northam has said he's agnostic on how the board votes.

"As far as the pipeline ... there's not a lot of middle road on that issue," Northam said in a recent radio interview. "I've tried to be as fair as I can."

After the board approved the permit, some of the opponents overturned their chairs.

Charles Strickler, a retired dentist, predicted that opponents will not give up their fight.

"I think there are going to be people in front of bulldozers for the pipeline getting arrested," he said.MONTREAL - Bombardier Inc. has signed a US$669-million deal to provide 113 commuter rail cars to New Jersey.

Hey there, time traveller!

This article was published 9/1/2019 (888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Bombardier Olympic Line train departs from near the Olympic Village Canada Line Station in Vancouver, B.C., on Thursday, January 21, 2010. Bombardier Inc. has signed a US$669-million contract to provide 113 commuter rail cars to New Jersey. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

MONTREAL - Bombardier Inc. has signed a US$669-million deal to provide 113 commuter rail cars to New Jersey.

The company says the contract will yield no additional work in Canada, with Buy American rules prompting Bombardier's plant in Plattsburgh, N.Y., to build the multi-level cars, rather than its facility in Quebec.

As of 2018, at least 65 per cent of the cost of components for public transit projects must be manufactured in the United States, with final assembly taking place on American turf as well.

The minimum content threshold will increase to 70 per cent by 2020.

Announced Wednesday, the agreement with New Jersey Transit Corp. includes options for up to 886 additional rail cars.

It's Bombardier's third commuter car deal with the state-owned transit agency, following contracts awarded in 2002 and 2010.

Companies in this story: (TSX:BBD.B)Winnipeg Jets' Mathieu Perreault (85) celebrates his goal against the Colorado Avalanche during the first period on Tuesday.

Viewed of

Take Five - This is your final free article during this 30 day period.Stay in touch with all of the news from Winchester, Frederick and Clarke. Sign up today for complete digital access to The Winchester Star.El Buki Mayor y sus companeros de siempre se convierten en los primeros artistas latinos en debutar en uno de los estadios mas modernos y nuevos del pais.Today

Mainly clear skies. Low 58F. N winds at 10 to 15 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.

Tonight

Mainly clear skies. Low 58F. N winds at 10 to 15 mph, decreasing to less than 5 mph.

Tomorrow

Sunny, along with a few afternoon clouds. High around 85F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.Willmar, MN (56201)

Today

Mostly clear. Low 61F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph..

Tonight

Mostly clear. Low 61F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph.Legal cannabis could force cities to decide if they want to allow itWe're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on!

SubmitSuccess! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.Thank you for reading!

Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue.While the main suppliers of existing inkjet heads are clustered mostly in Japan, Western Europe and the US, a new thermal inkjet printhead manufacturer in China, Suzhou Ruifa Printing, is looking to disrupt the market, according to analyst Ron Gilboa of research group InfoTrends.

Suzhou Ruifa Printing Technology Co. unveils the SUREJet T7680

Ron Gilboa

- by Ron Gilboa, InfoTrends

For decades, precise deposition of materials was achieved by utilizing a range of technologies that produce range of products from graphics arts, decorative, functional, and a host of other applications. Today, several key inkjet technologies drive markets and applications. These are enabled in part by a new generation of micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) deposition / jetting devices, whether continuous inkjet (CIJ), piezoelectric drop on demand, or thermal inkjet drop on demand (TIJ). These technologies have been  for most part  the domain of a handful of companies that had the intellectual property and made the investment in silicone-based printhead manufacturing for several quite some time.

While the main suppliers of existing inkjet heads are almost all clustered in Japan, Western Europe, and the USA, a new competitor is now launching in China. After a significant investment in technology and resources, Chinas Suzhou Ruifa Printing Technology Co. has announced its entrance as a supplier of thermal inkjet printheads. The companys new printhead, SUREJet T7680, is a 41mm/1.6 wide thermal head, with 7680 nozzles. According to Suzhou Ruifa, SUREJet T7680 has two meter per second print speed and is capable of 18001200 DPI print resolution.

Suzhou Ruifa Printing Technology is part of the Annoqi Group (Anoky) and represents the groups transition toward digital technology and sustainability. Annoqi, established in 1999, has its roots in chemical technologies  specifically, it provides dying and related chemistry for textile and a range of other industries. In 2018, Annoqi established the Shanghai Anoky Digital Technology Co., Ltd., comprised of Suzhou Ruifa Printing Technology Co., Ltd.(founded in 2013), Shanghai Shangyu Digital Technology Co., Ltd., and Yantai Shangyu Digital Technology Co., Ltd. These groups form the foundation of the companys entrance into the inkjet world through its Suzhou Ruifa Printing Technology team. Annoqui group has a 10% interest in Suzhou Ruifa Printing Technology after an investment of about $4.4 Million (30 Million Yuan) with future options.

The SUREJet T7680

Suzhou Ruifa Printing Technology revealed its new printhead the SUREJet T7680 in a press release dated December 16th. According to that announcement, the Chinese company aims to use the new technology as a means to disrupt the existing printhead market by reducing manufacturing cost and by offering a new Annoqi-formulated inkset aimed at the textile industry. In other words, the new supplier is looking to provide domestic replacement for digital inkjet printer heads and marking materials that now come from manufacturers outside of China.

Suzhou Ruifa intends to provide full writing engines, i.e., printhead, driver board and fluid management combined into integral units. Their technology extend to nozzle firing controls that uses their SURE-Temp thermostatic technology. The new thermal inkjet technology will support uniform printing in both single pass and scanning modes. The company claims a current manufacturing capacity of 20,000 heads per year, and that that capacity will ramp up to about 500,000 heads per year within three years.

While Suzhou Ruifa is a Chinese company, its leadership reflects deep experience and training in digital imaging in the US. The company founder, Xie Yonglin, earned a Ph.D. in physics from Boston University, an MBA from the University of Rochester, and a master of physics from Peking University in China. According to his resume, he was formerly: Principle scientist of Xerox Corporation; manager of new technology development department of TRIDENT-ITW; and Senior Chief Scientist, Project Leader at Kodak Company.

InfoTrends Opinion

This new announcement is coming at the heels of several years where Chinese-based inkjet printing technologies have become commonplace, not only in China, but around the globe or adopted by Western suppliers and branded as their own. China is ramping up MEMS foundries for the chip industry, thereby becoming a credible candidate to engage in MEMS manufacturing for inkjet head technology. Chinese-made inkjet printheads from Suzhou Ruifa and, conceivably other Chinese companies, have the potential to disrupt the current balance of power among the existing suppliers. The new SUREJet printheads could impact the price of printheads in textile and other applications, which collectively address a broad range of solutions around the globe. Yole Developments MEMS printhead manufacturing is just shy of a billion today for established players. This new introduction from China looks to add a player and, in turn, change this dynamic.

This article first appeared in InfoTrends, a division of Keypoint Intelligence.

Ron Gilboa is a director of InfoTrends Functional Printing & Packaging and is responsible for conducting graphic communications market research, market forecasting, custom consulting projects, strategy and planning engagements and creating editorial content for product and market analysis reports.The Connecticut State Police are investigating after a New Haven Police Officer shot and injured an armed suspect on Tuesday evening.Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily!

Your notification has been saved.

There was a problem saving your notification.

{{description}}

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.An artists impression of the proposed new plant on the coast of Anglesey

People in Wexford only have a matter of weeks left to have their say on whether or not a proposed nuclear power plant should be developed in Anglesey, North Wales, around 130 miles from north Wexford.

The closing date for public submissions relating to the proposed development of the Wylfa Newydd Nuclear Power Plant is Friday, January 25.

The public submissions are being invited as part of a transboundary public consultation process which is part of an EU directive relating to assessment of the affects of certain public and private projects on the environment.

Member states are required to engage in transboundary public consultation in respect of projects likely to have significant affects on the environment of neighbouring states as part of the overall environmental impact assessment of the proposed development.

Wexford County Council, along with other planning authorities across Ireland, received a letter dated July 8, 2018, from the UK Planning Inspectorate (PINS) to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG) relating to the planning application for the proposed nuclear plant.

The proposed development makes provision for a new, nuclear electricity generating station on the north coast of Anglesey at a location a little over 130 miles from north Wexford.

The plant, if given the go-ahead, will have a projected electrical output of 3.1 gigawatts.

The project is being undertaken by Horizon Nuclear Power and the site is located on land adjacent to the former Magnox Wylfa Power Station which is being decommissioned.

The new station will have two nuclear reactors, a marine off-loading facility and electricity transmission infrastructure.

Members of the public along the south east coast of Ireland are invited to make submissions about the proposal by close of business on Friday, January 25.

Wexford County Council is one of the local authorities that will send copies of the submissions it receives to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and members of the public are encouraged to have their say.

Once that process is completed the planning authority will forward all submissions it receives through the public consultation process to the UK's Planning Inspectorate.

All submissions and observations relating to the development proposal should be forward to: Planning Section, Wexford County Council, County Hall, Carricklawn, Wexford, or to planning@wexfordcoco.ieAt stop lights or freeway on and off ramps, youve probably seen people holding signs and asking for money. It can be tempting to hand over your spare change, but next time you may want to think twice.Filing into the historic armory at noon on Wednesday, James Smith, the Webster Bank chairman who co-chaired last years commission to solve the fiscal crisis, greeted Sen. Len Fasano, his fellow Republican.

Its a bright new day!

Its a new day, quipped Fasano, R-North Haven, the Senate Republican leader.

Ah, the pragmatist in a sea of wild-eyed optimists. Fasano was half joking. Its hard not to see the possibilities of the moment as a new governor  any new governor  takes the oath amid all the hoopla Connecticut can muster.

Every session is a bright new day, Fasano said. Its all about sitting down and talking. He wants to move the state in the right direction.

He, of course, is Gov. Ned Lamont, who spoke strongly and clearly in two speeches Wednesday about building up expensive state services and making Connecticuts economy grow by becoming more friendly to business.

I will not allow our next four years to be defined by a fiscal crisis, the Democratic governor said. We owe our kids, our extended families, nothing less.

The question is, what exactly do we owe ourselves when it comes to pulling the levers of policy? A minimum wage hike to $15, a paid family and medical leave law, restoration of lost services, high-speed rail and so much else?

Or is it a battening down of the ledgers at a time when Connecticut still faces annual shortfalls in the range of $2 billion and rising?

On Opening Day Wednesday, those forces played out like cold-pressed olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar at a celebratory feast, each flavoring formidable. Rich optimism, the sense that the way to prosperity is investment. And rock-solid pragmatism, an ethic about the state living within its means and chipping away at those shortfalls.

Dont kill my bills, newly seated Sen. Matt Lesser, D-Middletown, said to Chris Soto, his former House colleague whos now Lamonts legislative director.

Those bills include the controversial paid leave and measures to shore up Obamacare in Connecticut as backward federal policies cut into coverage for low-income Americans.

I want to do stuff. I think we were elected with a mandate to govern, Lesser said. You have to make the books balance and the governor gets it, but we also have to get out of this funk.

The bad attitude that former Gov. Dannel P. Malloy addressed in his farewell letter to the state on Tuesday is an awfully expensive habit and I think that hurts the economy.

I believe in our capacity to do more to meet our creative needs, said sen. Martin Looney, D-New Haven, the Senate president pro-tem. We have to be creative.

That theme of creativity came up a lot.

You have to set the bar high, said Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey, D-Fairfield.

The pragmatists, mostly but not entirely Republicans, spent this day of possibilities vowing to work well with Lamont.

It seems like a breath of fresh air, said Rep. Themis Klarides, R-Derby, the House GOP leader. The problem as always is not the subject matter but how they want to implement it, and thats what we have to really figure out. ... I dont know anybody who doesnt support paid family medical leave, its whos paying for it.

At the exact moment when Lamont, leader of the optimists, said, Were all in this together, the sun emerged from a cloud outside and shined through the eight-pointed stained glass windows framed in giant arches in the House chamber.

J.R. Romano, Republican state chairman and voice of the states anti-tax movement, smiled. Are we going to be in the trust fund?

Lamont, heir to a Wall Street fortune, then talked about Connecticuts great businesses  Sikorsky, Electric Boat and more  and said, We are no longer a place that is viewed as hospitable or encouraging to new businesses. He added, The taxpayers of Connecticut can no longer afford to subsidize inefficiency.

Now Romano was pumped. He doesnt really sound like a Democrat.

Then Lamont turned to a dreamland of expenditures, snapping Romano back to form, saying the governor occupies a false reality.

When youre in a leadership position, you cant be all things to all people, he said.

The deals will come soon enough  Thursday, actually. Wednesday was about the big picture, and there was room for both effusive optimism and pragmatic caution.

We have to not just change what gets done but how it gets done, said Sen. Alex Bergstein, D-Greenwich, a first-term senator. Were done with obstructionism, were done with deception, were done with all negativity.

Now that is a high bar, but fitting the days mood. Bergsteins view, which she gave in her first remarks on the Senate floor, is not the usual stuff of hardball politics.

Power comes from the light that we each have within us, Bergstein said. Light is love and compassion. This chamber can become a beacon of light...The first thing is to establish trust, understanding and respect.

This column has been corrected from an earlier version that said Alex Bergstein is a Republican.

dhaar@hearstmediact.com

Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading.SEOUL, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's presidential Blue House on Tuesday welcomed the visit by Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to China, as it was anticipated to contribute to building peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Kim Eui-keum, the Blue House spokesman, told a press briefing that Kim's visit to China was anticipated to contribute to the complete denuclearization of the peninsula and the settlement of permanent peace.

The spokesman said exchanges were underway between the two Koreas, between China and the DPRK, and between the DPRK and the United States, noting that each exchange was anticipated to advance others by creating a virtuous cycle among them.

He noted that South Korea hoped the exchange between China and the DPRK would become a stepping stone for the second DPRK-U.S. summit.

The DPRK leader and U.S. President Donald Trump met in Singapore in June last year, holding the first-ever DPRK-U.S. summit. Kim and Trump expressed their hopes to meet again in the near future.

The Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee's International Department spokesperson said in Beijing that Kim is visiting China from Jan. 7 to 10.Are you looking for a Social Media Agency in Manchester? Social Media Marketing is about making your brand image known...

So, it s not new for Google to update its ranking signals. Near the end of October 2020, they introduced...

CBD, also known as cannabidiol, is a chemical compound found in cannabis plants, which is commonly used in the medicinal...

In the past 20 years, weve seen a total revolution in information transparency. We have the option to research and...

I Agree

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie PolicyDave Kotinsky/Getty Images for NYCWFF(NEW YORK) -- Mario Batali will not face criminal charges after the celebrity chef was accused of sexual assault by two different women, according to sources familiar with the case.



The Manhattan District Attorneys office declined to comment.



A New York Police Department(NYPD) spokesman declined to comment directly on any particular investigation, but said in a statement that the "NYPD takes sex crimes and sexual assault very seriously, and encourages anyone with information about such a crime to report it to police, so perpetrators can be prosecuted, and justice can be secured for survivors."



A woman claimed Batali raped her at one of his restaurants in January 2004. A second woman told the television news magazine 60 Minutes that Batali sexually assaulted her at the Spotted Pig in 2005.



NYPD investigators declined to refer the cases for criminal prosecution after the women were unable to recall certain information to support their accusations, the sources said. Additionally, detectives were unable to find corroborating witnesses.



Batali has previously acknowledged deeply inappropriate behavior but has said tbat he vehemently deny any allegations of sexual assault.



The NYPD statement also urged New York City sexual assault victims to contact the department's Special Victims Division 24-hour hotline: 212-267-RAPE (7273)

Copyright  2019, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.